cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Mechanisms of Thermal Tolerance in Reef-Building Corals across a Fine-Grained Environmental Mosaic: Lessons from Ofu, American Samoa

Environmental heterogeneity gives rise to phenotypic variation through a combination of phenotypic plasticity and fixed genetic effects. For reef-building corals, understanding the relative roles of acclimatization and adaptation in generating thermal tolerance is fundamental to predicting future response of coral populations to future climate change. The temperature mosaic in the lagoon of Ofu Island, American Samoa, represents an ideal natural laboratory for studying thermal tolerance in corals. Two adjacent back-reef pools 500 meters apart have different temperature profiles: the highly variable (HV) pool experiences temperatures that range from 24.5°C to 35°C, whereas the moderately variable (MV) pool ranges from 25°C to 32°C. Standardized heat stress tests have shown that corals native to the HV pool have consistently higher levels of bleaching resistance than those in the MV pool. In this review, we summarize research into the mechanisms underlying this variation in bleaching resistance, focusing on the important reef-building genus Acropora. Both acclimatization and adaptation occur strongly and define thermal tolerance differences between pools. Most individual corals shift physiology to become more heat resistant when moved into the warmer pool. Lab based tests show that these shifts begin in as little as a week and are equally sparked by exposure to periodic high temperatures as constant high temperatures. Genome-wide data on gene expression show that a wide variety of genes are co-regulated in expression modules that change expression after experimental heat stress, after acclimatization, and even after short term environmental fluctuations. Population genetic scans have shown associations between a corals’ thermal environmental and its alleles at 100s to 1000s of nuclear genes and no single gene confers strong environmental effects within or between species. Symbionts also tend to differ between pools and species, and the thermal tolerance of a coral is a reflection of individual host genotype and specific symbiont types. We conclude the review by placing this work in the context of parallel research going on in other species, reefs and ecosystems around the world and into the broader framework of reef coral resilience in the face of near future climate change.
The Middle East’s Troubled Relationship with the Liberal International Order

AbstractThe Middle East has had a complex relationship with the so-called liberal international order. Many peoples and elites of the region welcomed the promise, and promises, of the liberal order after the collapse of the Ottoman Empire, and sought to integrate into it; for other peoples and elites, there have been negative reactions and resistance to it. Today, a majority of countries are integrated, at least nominally, into the global order, while some are decidedly still in systemic challenge with it. The Middle East has also had difficulty in cohering as a region; the condition today is one of collapsed regional order and proxy conflict.
Ovarian Cancer: Primary Chemotherapy

Since primary (first-line) platinum-based chemotherapy is a potentially curative treatment in conjunction with a debulking surgery for newly diagnosed ovarian cancer, it is important to explore these options with all patients regardless of age. Careful consideration of the dosing and scheduling of chemotherapy is required in our older patients. Although few prospective trials dedicated to older patients with newly diagnosed ovarian cancer have been performed, there have been several papers outlining outcomes and options for older patients. In this chapter, we will review the current guidelines and evidence for various intravenous and intraperitoneal chemotherapy regimens.
On Baumgarte Stabilization for Differential Algebraic Equations

Baumgarte’s method uses analytical reformulations of constraint forces in mechanical systems to handle differential algebraic equations with every standard integration routine. This stabilization technique for inner and outer constraints is easy to use.
Dynamic Plasmonic Pixels

We demonstrate spectral, spatial, and temporal control of plasmonically generated color through alignment of Au nanorods by an applied electric field. Tailoring the nanorod aspect ratio enables operation across the visible and near-infrared spectrum.
Implementation, Revisions, and Student Perceptions of a Pre-Matriculation Program in a School of Pharmacy.

Objective. To characterize the development, revision, and student perceptions of a pre-matriculation program entitled Pharmacy Readiness and Enrichment Program (PREP) in a school of pharmacy.Method...
Polymer-coated urea rates, timings, and ratio combinations with non-coated urea for corn

Using enhanced efficiency fertilizers, such as polymer-coated urea (PCU), may be a good nitrogen (N) management option for increased corn (Zea mays L.) grain productivity, improved grain quality an...
A Design for a Data and Information Service to Address the Knowledge Needs of the Water-Energy-Food (W-E-F) Nexus and Strategies to Facilitate Its Implementation

Food security is essential to sustain human societies. Food production is often limited by scarcities in one or more of these resources. An integrated Water-Energy-Food (W-E-F) Nexus planning and management approach promises improved resource efficiencies, new business opportunities, more coherent resource and environmental policies, and economies of scale for the data and information services underpinning better decision-making. This paper distils discussions on data and information from four regional workshops held as part of a Future Earth W-E-F Nexus Cluster project. The workshops aimed to enhance integrated management through better governance; collecting, analyzing, and communicating data and information; and integrating both for better planning and decision-making. Opportunities for enhancing food, energy, and water sustainability decisions through a data and information system are the focus of this paper. Data from each sector are needed to provide a full overview of the W-E-F Nexus. Relevant datasets and potential satellite products for water include water quality, watershed use change, snow and glacier monitoring, wetlands monitoring, water reservoir mapping, irrigation water management, aquifer monitoring, and measurements of critical water variables like precipitation, soil moisture, and evapotranspiration. Food and agricultural products include land use change maps, crop type mapping, crop acreage mapping, early warning indicators, yield assessment, precision agriculture, land degradation, clear-cut and burnt area maps, and soil moisture. Energy products include geological mapping, habitat assessment maps, logistic planning support, mine waste monitoring, renewable energy monitoring and mapping, and crop yield estimates for biofuels. However, specific priorities for W-E-F Nexus data products await further guidance from the W-E-F Nexus community. Data and information, along with modern technologies, can play a role in facilitating the paradigm shifts that benefit the W-E-F Nexus: explicitly assessing environmental services, meeting the growing urban food demand, valuing water and other resources used to produce food and energy for export, promoting resource use efficiency through integrated planning and management, and strengthening links between the W-E-F Nexus and the appropriate Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). This paper explores the hypothesis that a properly defined system that integrates and consolidates W-E-F Nexus information and data could support the implementation of a W-E-F Nexus approach.
Membrane Transport Proteins

The relative constancy of the internal environment of the cell is maintained by a variety of transport systems which are located within the membrane. These transport systems serve to regulate the entrance and exit of various solutes concerned with the metabolic activity of the cell.
Curcumin use in ulcerative colitis: is it ready for prime time? A systematic review and meta-analysis of clinical trials.

Background Curcumin, an active ingredient of the Indian herb turmeric (Curcuma longa), has shown promising anti-inflammatory properties. Studies of its potential benefits in treating patients with ulcerative colitis (UC) are limited. We performed a systematic review and meta-analysis of human randomized placebo controlled trials to evaluate the efficacy of adjunctive therapy with curcumin in treating patients with UC. Methods We conducted a search of several databases (from January 2000 to September 2018). A random-effects model was used for analysis. We assessed heterogeneity between study-specific estimates using the Cochran Q statistical test, 95% prediction interval (PI) and I2 statistics. The outcomes assessed were the pooled odds of clinical response and remission as well as the endoscopic response. Results A total of 7 studies with 380 patients (curcumin n=188; placebo n=190) were included in the final analysis. The pooled odds ratio for clinical remission with curcumin use was 2.9 (95%CI 1.5-5.5, I2=45, P=0.002), clinical response was 2.6 (95%CI 1.5-4.5, I2=74%, P=0.001), and endoscopic response/remission was 2.3 (95%CI 1.2-4.6, I2=35.5%, P=0.01). Conclusions Based on our study, combined mesalamine and curcumin therapy was associated with roughly threefold better odds of a clinical response compared to placebo, with minimal side effects. This response was statistically significant, albeit with heterogeneity, probably due to the different severity scoring indices, curcumin dosages and routes of drug delivery used.
Formation and contraction of multicellular actomyosin cables facilitate lens placode invagination.

Abstract Embryonic morphogenesis relies on the intrinsic ability of cells, often through remodeling the cytoskeleton, to shape epithelial tissues during development. Epithelial invagination is an example of morphogenesis that depends on this remodeling but the cellular mechanisms driving arrangement of cytoskeletal elements needed for tissue deformation remain incompletely characterized. To elucidate these mechanisms, live fluorescent microscopy and immunohistochemistry on fixed specimens were performed on chick and mouse lens placodes. This analysis revealed the formation of peripherally localized, circumferentially orientated and aligned junctions enriched in F-actin and MyoIIB. Once formed, the aligned junctions contract in a Rho-kinase and non-muscle myosin dependent manner. Further molecular characterization of these junctions revealed a Rho-kinase dependent accumulation of Arhgef11, a RhoA-specific guanine exchange factor known to regulate the formation of actomyosin cables and junctional contraction. In contrast, the localization of the Par-complex protein Par3, was reduced in these circumferentially orientated junctions. In an effort to determine if Par3 plays a negative role in MyoIIB accumulation, Par3-deficient mouse embryos were analyzed which not only revealed an increase in bicellular junctional accumulation of MyoIIB, but also a reduction of Arhgef11. Together, these results highlight the importance of the formation of the multicellular actomyosin cables that appear essential to the initiation of epithelial invagination and implicate the potential role of Arhgef11 and Par3 in their contraction and formation.
p16 Range of expression in dermal predominant benign epithelioid and spindled nevi and melanoma

Background Screening borderline Spitz tumors with p16 immunohistochemistry (IHC) has known utility. The applicability to other melanocytic neoplasms is not well defined. Methods Cases (N = 104) of blue, cellular blue, epithelioid blue, congenital pattern, deep penetrating, desmoplastic, desmoplastic Spitz, acral, "epithelioid" nevi, nevoid melanoma, melanoma with a precursor nevus, and non-nevoid melanoma with Breslow thickness > 0.5 mm were stained for p16. Results Lesions showed either a single uniform pattern of expression (single/homogeneous pattern: positive, checkerboard, rare, or lost) or multiple regionally distributed patterns (multiple/heterogeneous pattern). Most cases (78%, n = 81) showed single pattern expression. Within single pattern cases, total loss was restricted to melanoma (7/81/9%). Multiple patterns were more common in melanoma (12/23, 52%). Within multiple pattern (22%, n = 23) lesions, those with a total loss component (7/23; 30%) were malignant. Total p16 loss (diffuse or regional) was not seen in a subset of nevoid melanomas (1/8; 12.5%), melanomas arising in nevi (2/6; 33%), and non-nevoid melanomas (6/9; 66%). Total p16 loss (single pattern or part of multiple patterns) captured 61% (14/23) of melanomas and no nevi. Conclusion p16 IHC may be useful in dermal-based melanocytic lesions. Total p16 loss is seen only in melanoma. Multiple pattern expression should prompt careful evaluation.
High-risk pregnancy series: an expert’s viewIntrauterine growth restriction12

Fetal intrauterine growth restriction presents a complex management problem for the clinician. The failure of a fetus to achieve its growth potential imparts a significantly increased risk of perinatal morbidity and mortality. Consequently, the obstetrician must recognize and accurately diagnose inadequate fetal growth and attempt to determine its cause. Growth aberrations, which are the result of intrinsic fetal factors such as aneuploidy and multifactorial congenital malformations, and fetal infection, carry a guarded prognosis. However, when intrauterine growth restriction is caused by placental abnormalities or maternal disease, the growth aberration is usually the consequence of inadequate substrates for fetal metabolism and, to a greater or lesser degree, decreased oxygen availability. Careful monitoring of fetal growth and well-being, combined with appropriate timing and mode of delivery, can best ensure a favorable outcome. Ultrasound evaluation of fetal growth, behavior, and measurement of impedance to blood flow in fetal arterial and venous vessels form the cornerstone of evaluation of fetal condition and decision making.
Factors Associated with Depression in African American Patients Being Treated for Cancer Pain

Abstract Background Among cancer patients in the United States, African American cancer patients have the highest mortality rate and shortest survival rate. Although depression is known as a predictor of mortality in cancer and a potential barrier to health care utilization, research on depression in African American patients is limited. Cancer pain can interfere with an individual’s ability to cope with depression. Aims To identify factors that are associated with a positive screening of depressive symptoms assessed by the PHQ-8 in African American patients treated for cancer pain. Design Secondary data analysis of a cross-sectional study of opioid adherence. Setting Medical oncology, palliative care, and radiation oncology clinics in Atlanta, Georgia. Participants/Subjects African American patients with cancer pain in the parent study. Methods Independent samples t-test was used to assess variable correlations with and without depressive symptoms. Adjusted logistic regression was conducted to identify factors that were associated with presence of depressive symptoms. Results Mean patient age was 55.6 years, and nearly 38% had a PHQ-8 score of >10 indicating presence of moderate to severe depressive symptoms. Participants with depressive symptoms had significantly higher means for anxiety and pain interference with mood than those without depressive symptoms. Factors that were significantly associated with depressive symptoms were anxiety, pain interfering with mood, and lack of involvement with a religious congregation. Conclusions The findings of this study help to identify African American cancer patients at risk for depression and demonstrates the need for increased screening for depression in this underserved population.
Detection of protons using the rotating ring disk electrode method during electrochemical oxidation of battery electrolytes

Abstract Knowledge of the degradation mechanisms inside lithium-ion batteries (LIBs) is critical in designing robust next-generation materials. While significant efforts have led to advances in characterization techniques and in our general understanding of the numerous decomposition reactions, the complex, multicomponent nature of batteries has hindered our progress towards developing a complete picture of these processes. In this work, we present a method for the detection of protons—one of the commonly proposed products of battery electrolyte decomposition at high potentials—using the rotating ring disk electrode (RRDE) method. Using the H2 oxidation reaction (HOR) as a model reaction, we first determine that protons generated at the disk electrode can be detected in organic carbonate-based electrolyte at the ring electrode with a ring collection efficiency close to the theoretical value. We then show that protons are indeed generated during the electrochemical decomposition of the battery electrolyte on Pt(1 1 1) at high potentials. Furthermore, quantitative detection of protons provided a valuable insight into the mechanism of oxidation for the electrolyte used. Overall, our work demonstrates the value of RRDE as a complementary method for studying potential-dependent electrolyte stability.
Extracellular matrix proteins are time-dependent and regional-specific markers in experimental diffuse brain injury.

Introduction The extracellular matrix (ECM) provides structural support for neuronal, glial, and vascular components of the brain, and regulates intercellular signaling required for cellular morphogenesis, differentiation and homeostasis. We hypothesize that the pathophysiology of diffuse brain injury impacts the ECM in a multi-dimensional way across brain regions and over time, which could facilitate damage and repair processes. Methods Experimental diffuse TBI was induced in male Sprague-Dawley rats (325-375 g) by midline fluid percussion injury (FPI); uninjured sham rats serve as controls. Tissue from the cortex, thalamus, and hippocampus was collected at 15 min, 1, 2, 6, and 18 hr postinjury as well as 1, 3, 7, and 14 days postinjury. All samples were quantified by Western blot for glycoproteins: fibronectin, laminin, reelin, and tenascin-C. Band intensities were normalized to sham and relative to β-actin. Results In the cortex, fibronectin decreased significantly at 15 min, 1 hr, and 2 hr postinjury, while tenascin-C decreased significantly at 7 and 14 days postinjury. In the thalamus, reelin decreased significantly at 2 hr, 3 and 14 days postinjury. In the hippocampus, tenascin-C increased significantly at 15 min and 7 days postinjury. Conclusion Acute changes in the levels of these glycoproteins suggest involvement in circuit dismantling, whereas postacute levels may indicate a restorative or regenerative response associated with recovery from TBI.
Does immigrant legalization affect crime? Evidence from deferred action for childhood arrivals in the United States

Abstract The implementation of Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) in 2012 grants undocumented immigrants who were brought to the United States as children a temporary reprieve from deportation and authorization to work legally, potentially increasing their opportunity costs of committing crimes. In this article, I examine the impact of DACA on crime. The analysis yields a few main results. First, at the individual level, comparing the difference in the likelihood of being incarcerated between DACA-eligible population with its counterpart before and after the implementation of DACA, I fail to find evidence that DACA statistically significantly affected the incarceration rate of undocumented youth. This result is robust to controlling for the differences in characteristics associated with DACA eligibility, such as age and age at arrival. Second, using the variation in the number of DACA applications approved across the U.S. states, the evidence suggests that DACA is associated with a reduction in property crime rates. An increase of one DACA application approved per 1000 population is associated with a 1.6% decline in overall property crime rate. Further analysis shows that this reduction is driven by the decline in burglary and larceny rates. This finding suggests that policies that expand the employment opportunities of immigrants may reduce crimes committed for financial gains that often do not lead to incarceration.
The utility of initial staging PET-CT as a baseline scan for surveillance imaging in stage II and III melanoma.

Abstract Background This study evaluates the utility of whole-body PET-CT for the initial staging and subsequent surveillance imaging of patients with completely resected stage II and stage III melanoma. Methods A single-center, retrospective review of patients who received perioperative whole-body PET-CT from January 1, 2005 to December 1, 2019 within three months of initial melanoma diagnosis was performed. Results Of 258 total patients with completely resected melanoma who had a PET-CT within 3 months after their melanoma diagnosis, 113 had stage II and 145 had stage III melanoma. PET-CT detected distant metastasis in 3 (2.7%) of 113 stage II patients and 7 (4.8%) of 145 stage III patients. 179 of 258 patients had adequate follow-up time to determine whether they received surveillance cross-sectional imaging and whether they had a melanoma recurrence. 143 (79.9%) received subsequent surveillance imaging, 74 of whom developed a recurrence. In 64 (86.5%) of 74 cases, recurrence was detected by routine surveillance. 26 (34.2%) of 76 stage II and 65 (63.1%) of 103 stage III patients developed a recurrence. The median time to recurrence among the 179 patients for stage II and III was 16.3 and 13.0 months, respectively. Conclusions These findings indicate that baseline staging with whole-body PET-CT rarely provides information that changes initial management. Rather, the value of the initial PET-CT is as a baseline for subsequent surveillance scans. Therefore, it may be premature to discourage cross-sectional imaging for patients with stage II and III melanoma without supportive evidence or a reliable biomarker of recurrent disease.
Audiogram of a Cook Inlet beluga whale (Delphinapterus leucas).

Noise is a stressor to wildlife, yet the precise sound sensitivity of individuals and populations is often unknown or unmeasured. Cook Inlet, Alaska belugas (CIBs) are a critically endangered and declining marine mammal population. Anthropogenic noise is a primary threat to these animals. Auditory evoked potentials were used to measure the hearing of a wild, stranded CIB as part of its rehabilitation assessment. The beluga showed broadband (4–128 kHz) and sensitive hearing (<80 dB) for a wide-range of frequencies (16–80 kHz), reflective of a healthy odontocete auditory system. Data were similar to healthy, adult belugas from the comparative Bristol Bay population (the only other published data set of healthy, wild marine mammal hearing). Repeated October and December 2017 measurements were similar, showing continued auditory health of the animal throughout the rehabilitation period. Hearing data were compared to pile-driving and container-ship noise measurements made in Cook Inlet, two sources of concern, suggesting masking is likely at ecologically relevant distances. These data provide the first empirical hearing data for a CIB allowing for estimations of sound-sensitivity in this population. The beluga's sensitive hearing and likelihood of masking show noise is a clear concern for this population struggling to recover.
Regulating for social and environmental sustainability: A stakeholder perspective from the Bahamian spiny lobster fishery

Abstract Lobster condos, artificial habitats used as aggregation devices, are the predominant collection tool for commercial fishers in The Bahamas. Despite the fact that deployed lobster condos are in excess of a million, there has not been a study focusing on how or why local fishers are using these artificial habitats, or how they should be managed. Currently, the Bahamian government is considering the creation of new laws to regulate the use of condos within national waters. The Bahamian spiny lobster fishery is not currently deemed overfished, but there is uncertainty regarding lobster populations, current fishing methods, and successful management strategies. Although Maritime Stewardship Council certification was granted in 2018, more information on condo use and overall monitoring was deemed necessary. In this paper, we investigate fisher beliefs regarding current and potential regulations, and propose management strategies for the Bahamian spiny lobster fishery. Through informal interviews and semi-structured surveys, we examined the use of lobster condos by fishers, and stakeholder beliefs on regulating lobster condos and the lobster fishery more broadly. We found general support for regulating the use of condos, but island-level trends in the type of condo restriction supported. This research can be used to inform the policy process in The Bahamas as existing regulations are revised and new laws are developed, and can influence policy creation in similar small island fisheries.
SRP-positive necrotising myopathy: takes more than just the muscles.

Necrotising myopathy is an autoimmune disease that commonly affects muscles. Here we examine a case of a middle-aged women presenting with a chief report of shortness of breath, who subsequently developed muscle weakness. Her clinical course was complicated by respiratory failure and pulmonary hypertension likely due to the underlying pathology of signal recognition particle-positive necrotising myopathy. After further evaluation, her shortness of breath was thought to be secondary to muscle pathology rather than cardiopulmonary pathology. She was transferred to our institution for workup by rheumatology. At the time of admission, 6 months after initial presentation, her weakness progressed, so that she was unable to lift her arms and legs against gravity. Furthermore, neurological examination revealed mild facial and nuchal weakness, severe proximal weakness, more moderate distal weakness and global areflexia.
The Unrecognized Prevalence of Primary Aldosteronism: A Cross-sectional Study.

Background Primary aldosteronism is a nonsuppressible renin-independent aldosterone production that causes hypertension and cardiovascular disease. Objective To characterize the prevalence of nonsuppressible renin-independent aldosterone production, as well as biochemically overt primary aldosteronism, in relation to blood pressure. Design Cross-sectional study. Setting 4 U.S. academic medical centers. Participants Participants with normotension (n = 289), stage 1 hypertension (n = 115), stage 2 hypertension (n = 203), and resistant hypertension (n = 408). Measurements Participants completed an oral sodium suppression test, regardless of aldosterone or renin levels, as a confirmatory diagnostic for primary aldosteronism and to quantify the magnitude of renin-independent aldosterone production. Urinary aldosterone was measured in participants in high sodium balance with suppressed renin activity. Biochemically overt primary aldosteronism was diagnosed when urinary aldosterone levels were higher than 12 μg/24 h. Results Every blood pressure category had a continuum of renin-independent aldosterone production, where greater severity of production was associated with higher blood pressure, kaliuresis, and lower serum potassium levels. Mean adjusted levels of urinary aldosterone were 6.5 μg/24 h (95% CI, 5.2 to 7.7 μg/24 h) in normotension, 7.3 μg/24 h (CI, 5.6 to 8.9 μg/24 h) in stage 1 hypertension, 9.5 μg/24 h (CI, 8.2 to 10.8 μg/24 h) in stage 2 hypertension, and 14.6 μg/24 h (CI, 12.9 to 16.2 μg/24 h) in resistant hypertension; corresponding adjusted prevalence estimates for biochemically overt primary aldosteronism were 11.3% (CI, 5.9% to 16.8%), 15.7% (CI, 8.6% to 22.9%), 21.6% (CI, 16.1% to 27.0%), and 22.0% (CI, 17.2% to 26.8%). The aldosterone-renin ratio had poor sensitivity and negative predictive value for detecting biochemically overt primary aldosteronism. Limitation Prevalence estimates rely on arbitrary and conventional thresholds, and the study population may not represent nationwide demographics. Conclusion The prevalence of primary aldosteronism is high and largely unrecognized. Beyond this categorical definition of primary aldosteronism, there is a prevalent continuum of renin-independent aldosterone production that parallels the severity of hypertension. These findings redefine the primary aldosteronism syndrome and implicate it in the pathogenesis of "essential" hypertension. Primary funding source National Institutes of Health.
Do Public Financial Statements Influence Venture Capital and Private Equity Financing

We study whether private firm public financial statements influence the probability of raising venture capital (VC) and private equity (PE) financing. We hypothesize that private firms' public financial statements can help the VC/PE search process by providing a less costly screening tool to identify potential targets at the pre-investment stage. Using two complementary settings, we find that an increase in financial statement availability/transparency is associated with an increase in the probability of a private firm obtaining VC/PE financing. Our evidence highlights the importance of public financial statements in the decision of making of private investors in the early stages of a private firm's financing process.
On the Determinants of International Analyst Research Coverage

In this paper, we study economic forces and constraints that shape analyst research coverage along country and sector dimensions. Our results support the hypothesis that analyst portfolios are structured to capture economies of scale in information acquisition and production. Specifically, the likelihood of an analyst specializing by country increases as the importance of the country factor in explaining stock return variability rises. Similarly, the likelihood of specialization by sector increases as the sector factor strengthens. We also find that higher country equity market capitalization increases the likelihood of country specialization while a larger total equity market capitalization of a sector in a particular country (country-sector market capitalization) increases the likelihood that analysts cover firms in a single sector. Finally, institutional features that influence the cost and value of information production also impact analyst specialization.
Multivariable Self-Tuning Controllers Applicable to Systems with Measurements of Differing Time Delays

Discrete multiple-input multiple-output linear systems with measurements of differing time delays are considered. By suitable manipulations, the original system model is rewritten in three alternative forms, all of which lead to a direct calculation of the optimal control policy. By combining a recursive least squares parameter estimator with the estimated model optimal control law for each model form, three alternative self-tuning control schemes are obtained. Each one uses a different amount of the most recently obtained information and involves different computational requirements. Which one is preferable depends on the number of inputs, number of outputs, system order and time delays of the process to be controlled, as well as on the capabilities of the available computer. All three self-tuning control algorithms are shown to be successful in controlling a continuous-flow stirred tank reactor model.
Perceptions of Technology

The sections in this article are 1 Differing Views on Technology 2 Technological Determinism 3 Luddites and Luddism: Technophobia and Technophilia 4 Social Construction of Technology 5 Concluding Observations
Near-field tsunami models with rapid earthquake source inversions from land- and ocean-based observations: The potential for forecast and warning

Computation of tsunami models in the region adjacent to large earthquakes immediately after rupture initiation remains a challenging problem. Limitations of traditional seismological instrumentation in the near field and concern by tsunami modelers regarding the nonuniqueness of source inversions and the use of indirect observations have in the past been hurdles for such efforts. Employing near-field data from the Mw 9.0 2011 Tohoku-oki data, we test source models obtained from newly developed algorithms and multisensor data. We demonstrate the ability of such source models determined from land-based coseismic data from the combination of GPS and strong-motion sensors to forecast near-source tsunamis. We also demonstrate that rapid ingestion of offshore shallow water (100–1000 m) wave gauge data substantially improves the earthquake source and tsunami forecast. To assess the success of such tsunami models, we rely on detailed comparisons to 2000+ tsunami survey measurements collected after the event. We argue that deployments of shallow water wave gauges coupled with land-based geophysical sensors can, in the future, provide enough information to issue timely and accurate forecasts of tsunami intensity immediately or shortly after rupture initiation of large earthquakes.
Implementing ISO 14001: a case study

The ISO 14001 document entitled "Environmental Management Systems-Specification with Guidance for Use" is arguably the most consequential in the ISO 14000 series. This standard lays out the elements of the management system that organizations are required to conform to if they seek registration, or certification, after passing an independent third party audit from an accredited registrar. This paper discusses key elements of the standard and describes how IBM-Austin plans to implement an environmental management system that conforms to ISO 14001. Where possible, IBM-Austin will use existing management tools and processes.
Approach to object security in distributed SOM

We briefly review the IBM System Object Model (SOM, incorporated in SOMobjects™) and Distributed SOM (DSOM). We then describe the base DSOM security architecture characterized by the presence of the Object Security Service (OSS) framework in the DSOM run-time environment. Depending on its implementation, this framework can be wrapped around procedural security service providers, thus taking advantage of existing security mechanisms. Subsequently we elaborate on the OSS elements for authentication and authorization and how they relate to the DSOM Object Request Broker (ORB™) on the one hand, and to the client and server applications on the other hand. We discuss the DSOM approach to object access control and present a novel method for enforcing it.
Analysis of crosswind fatigue of wind-excited structures with nonlinear aerodynamic damping

This study addresses crosswind fatigue analysis of wind-excited flexible structures at the vicinity of vortex lock-in speed where the nonlinear aerodynamic damping effect is significant. The nonlinear aerodynamic damping is modeled as a polynomial function of time-varying displacement or velocity of vibration. The crosswind response is a narrow-band hardening non-Gaussian process with a reduced peak factor and having a distribution of vibration amplitude different from Rayleigh distribution. Analytical solutions of cycle number and fatigue damage are derived and their accuracy is validated through comparison with rainflow cycle counting method using simulated response time histories. A correction factor as a function of response kurtosis is also introduced that facilitates the calculation of non-Gaussian fatigue damage from the Gaussian fatigue prediction. The effectiveness and accuracy of the proposed framework are illustrated by crosswind responses of a squared tall building and a two-dimensional structural section model, and by full-scale vibration measurement data of a traffic-signal-support-structure. This study provides an improved estimation of crosswind fatigue of wind-excited flexible structures with a consideration of hardening non-Gaussian response character.
Magnetized plasma flow over an insulator at high magnetic Reynolds number

A new similarity method to solve boundary-layer problems is proposed. The approach presented consists of applying a simple geometric transformation to the coordinates and solving the resulting system of ordinary differential equations with a numerical solver. This method was applied to a compressible magnetodynamic boundary layer, but can also be applied to many boundary-layer problems traditionally studied using the Illingworth-Stewartson transformation. Results show that the conversion of the electromagnetic energy into thermal energy leads to high temperatures and heat transfer rates near the insulator surface, and that under certain conditions the boundary layer draws the flow towards the insulating surface. 7 refs.
Nonreflecting boundary potential

Abstract A family of nonreflecting boundary potentials is derived for electron propagation between a metal and a semiconductor. The results are discussed in relation to contacts intended to be ohmic, and it is pointed out that the well known accumulation layer contact must approximate one particular form of nonreflecting boundary potential.
“Anting” in Blue Jays: evidence in support of a food-preparatory function

Anting, the plumage-dipping behavior to which ants (mostly formicines) are commonly subjected by birds (mostly passerines), is shown in tests with hand-raised Blue Jays (Cyanocitta cristata) and the ant Formica exsectoides to be instinctive: the birds displayed typical renditions of the behavior on the first occasion that they encountered ants. Evidence is presented supportive of the view that anting is a strategy by which birds render ants fit for ingestion. Formicine ants are ordinarily protected by their formic acid-containing spray. Being wiped into the bird’s plumage causes them to discharge that spray, without harm to the bird, to the point of almost total emptying of the glandular sac in which the secretion is stored. The ants are therefore essentially secretion-free by the time they are swallowed. Further evidence indicates that it is the ant’s possession of the acid sac that triggers the anting behavior in the bird. If F. exsectoides are surgically deprived of their acid sac, they are eaten by the birds without first being subjected to anting. Data are also presented indicating that the ant’s crop, which is especially capacious in formicines (its contents may amount to over 30% of the formicine’s mass), and which appears to survive the anting procedure intact, constitutes, at least when laden, a valuable component of the trophic package that the bird accesses by anting.
Probing a fibrillation nucleus directly by deep ultraviolet Raman spectroscopy.

Amyloid fibril depositions are associated with many neurodegenerative diseases. The nucleation step of fibrillation remains poorly characterized as no experimental technique allows for direct monitoring of nucleus formation. A new method based on 2D-correlation deep UV resonance Raman spectroscopy was applied to probe directly all species at early stages of lysozyme fibrillation, establish the sequential order of highly correlated events, and characterize quantitatively the kinetics of nucleus formation.
Performance of a shortened Scale for Assessment of Positive Symptoms for Parkinson's disease psychosis.

Abstract Background Parkinson's disease psychosis is a frequent and serious complication of advanced disease, but few disease-specific outcome measures exist. Methods Using baseline scores from 4 clinical trials, we identified relevant items that assessed Parkinson's disease psychosis to create a shortened version of the Scale for Assessment of Positive Symptoms. We then analyzed the validity and treatment sensitivity of the shortened scale. Principal component analyses evaluated the underlying structure. Scores were compared across age, gender, trial, cognition, and country of origin. Sensitivity to change was assessed by comparing change in psychosis scores to the clinical global impression of improvement score, and effect sizes were calculated to evaluate treatment response. Results Nine items were selected based on face-validity and symptom frequency. Principal component analysis yielded a 4-factor structure and identified delusions and visual, auditory, and somatic hallucinations as distinct constructs. Baseline total scores were similar across study, gender, region, and age group. The clinically meaningful change in the shortened scale, defined as a 1-unit change in clinical global impression, was 2.33 points, and the effect size was −0.722. The change in scores did not significantly differ between those with cognitive impairment and those without. Conclusions The shortened Scale for Assessment of Positive Symptoms for Parkinson's disease retains the reliability, sensitivity to change, and effect size of the larger scale while reducing administration time and, more importantly, score variability. The scale is an effective outcome measure for use in clinical trials.
Integrating water quality management into total water resources management 1

In this review the concept of integrated water resources management is developed in some detail through many aspects such as the need for, and type of, governmental involvement; institutional arrangements; judicial and economic policies; technical measures; the importance of socio‐economic considerations; and the need to consider the widest possible range of alternatives. Approaches to this type of water resources management in three western European countries, Canada, and the United States arc discussed.
Transmission electron diffraction determination of the Ge(001)-(2 × 1) surface structure

Abstract The lateral displacements in the Ge(001)-(2 × 1) surface reconstruction have been determined using transmission electron diffraction (TED). The best-fit model includes displacements extending six layers into the bulk. The atomic positions found agree with X-ray studies to within a few hundredths of an angstrom. With the positions determined so precisely, it is suggested that the Ge(001)-(2 × 1) surface can now serve as a standard for comparison with theoretical surface structure calculations. The results from the currently available theoretical studies on the surface are compared with the experimentally determined structure.
The changing face of women with disabilities: are we ready?

IDO NOT THINK THE WORLD has ever been ready for me. As a woman with a severe lifelong physical disability, I have always had to force open doors to maintain my rightful place in society. Made wise from confronting architectural and attitudinal barriers, I greeted the millennium with all my hard won rights in hand but continue to deal with a healthcare establishment that essentially has no clue about what it takes to live with disability. For all my 50-some years, medical professionals have been challenged to help me keep this body running. Even though the law says medical facilities must be accessible and accommodating to people with disabilities, mounting the table for a well woman examination still takes a heroic effort, and mammograms are totally out of the question. When I am sick, the challenges increase exponentially. Medical science, for all its miraculous achievements, has little more to offer me than i.v. antibiotics for the tracheal infections that are the natural consequences of around-the-clock ventilator use, the latest addition to my armamentarium of assistive devices. People like me, born disabled, with progressively more health conditions, were never supposed to live this long, but we are. Contrary to expectations and stereotypes, we are living well and maintaining our productivity as long as we are connected with state-of-the-art medicine and technology. But what of those who are not so well connected? If the world is still not ready for me, how could it possibly be ready for all the newcomers?
Rapid combinatorial screening of peptide libraries for the selection of lanthanide-binding tags (LBTs)

Elucidating the structures and functions of novel proteins and their interaction partners is a ubiquitous challenge in laboratories worldwide, escalating the demand for tools for protein study. A small, versatile and multifaceted co-expression tag would therefore be extremely useful to protein scientists: Lanthanide-Binding Tags (LBTs) fulfill such criteria. These tags are remarkably short peptide sequences (15 to 20 residues) comprising only the encoded amino acids; post-expression addition of a lanthanide ion endows the LBTs with the abundant spectroscopic properties of lanthanides. Herein is reviewed a powerful combinatorial screen developed expressly for the synthetic evolution of short calcium-binding motifs into selective, potent binders of terbium and related lanthanide ions. A series of seven libraries resulted in peptides with dissociation constants nearly three orders of magnitude tighter than that of the parent sequence. These libraries utilized two orthogonal linkers on the solid phase support, enabling cleaved peptides to be screened "off-resin", while leaving a portion of the peptide intact on the synthesis resin for later sequencing. Terbium luminescence from the bound LBTs provides the positive selection criterion, and mass spectroscopy using limited capping was implemented for sequence deconvolution. The roles and importance of various residues within the later-generation LBTs are also discussed.
Effect of the miscibility between a silane and a sizing agent on silanol condensation

The miscibility between a hydrolyzed silane coupling agent, which had chemically nonreactive organofunctional groups such as propyl groups, and a film-forming polymer [poly(vinyl acetate) PVAc] and its effect on silanol condensation were studied. A mixture consisting of a silane hydrolyzate and PVAc obtained from an alcoholic aqueous solution was investigated with Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy and size exclusion chromatography. Hydrogen bonding between the SiOH groups of the silane and the CO groups of PVAc and silanol condensation affected by PVAc were examined. The hydrogen bonding and condensation reaction were influenced by the miscibility between the organofunctional group of the silane and PVAc. The miscibility of each system was estimated from the calculated Hildebrand solubility parameter of the organofunctional group. A correlation between the miscibility and the integrated absorbance of the hydrogen-bonded CO, obtained by least-squares curve fitting, was established. On the basis of the molecular weight of the silane and the number of hydrogen-bonded CO groups, a micellelike phase was proposed. © 2002 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci 87: 589–598, 2003
A model for an interacting quantum field

Abstract We present here a close nonlinear analog to the free quantum field of Bose statistics, in which the linear one-particle space is replaced by a nonlinear infinite-dimensional Hermitian symmetric space D , and the quantum field is constructed as a Hilbert space of holomorphic functions on D.