cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
A PC-based system for visual evoked potential studies

An interactive PC-based computer controlled system is described that can be used for collection and analysis of data of Visual Evoked Potentials (VEPs). Visual stimuli are generated on a high-resolution color monitor driven by an Enhanced Graphics Adaptor (EGA). The VEP waveforms are digitized by an A/D converter at a sampling rate of 1 KHz and stored on a hard disk for further analysis. The analysis software includes both time and frequency analysis routines as well as some innovative techniques for the use of the VEPs as a diagnostic measure for various diseases.
Contrasts in the application of distortion in calculations of the K-shell ionization cross section

Abstract Two models which describe the proton-induced ionization from the K shell of an atom are contrasted in terms of the differing forms of distortion employed. Results of calculations of both total and differential cross section are seen to be surprisingly close despite the large disparity between the models. Some consequences are discussed, particularly with regard to the use of pseudostates to represent continuum states.
On the construction of trend free row-column 2-level factorial experiments

In this paper we consider experimental situations where a complete or fractional factorial experiment having all factors at 2 levels is to be conducted using a 2 m × 2 n row-column design and where there may be an unknown trend effect that can be expressed as a polynomial function of the position in which observations are obtained in the row-column design. Methods are given for allocating the treatments from a complete or fractional 2-level factorial experiment to rows and columns so that the resulting design yields estimates for main effects that have a high level of resistance against trend effects.
Industrial Relations, Manipulative or Democratic?

Summary: Three historical periods of motivating workers toward increasing productivity still “coexist” today: negative incentives, external rewards, forms of workers' participation in industry. Varying modes of joint consultation at top levels existing in many countries are contrasted with American industrial research emphasizing workers' participation on the workshop level. The problems of “common goals” and “manipulation” in industry are considered as contributing factors to the gap between those two levels. To fill it, industrial sociologists should follow Mayo and others in the use of ‘clinical’ research to find new institutional forms for a democratic work process based on collective bargaining.
Common-Mode Noise Reduction for Power Factor Correction Circuit With Parasitic Capacitance Cancellation

In this paper, a method using negative capacitance to cancel the common-mode (CM) parasitic capacitance of boost power factor correction (PFC) converters is proposed. Both the theoretical analysis and experiments show that the proposed method is very easy to implement and very efficient to reduce CM noise.
Identification of a mouse ghrelin gene transcript that contains intron 2 and is regulated in the pituitary and hypothalamus in response to metabolic stress

The mouse ghrelin gene contains 5 exons (Ex), with Ex2-Ex5 encoding a 117 amino acid preproprotein that is processed to yield a 28 amino acid mature peptide. The current study examined if pituitary (PIT) and hypothalamus (HPT) ghrelin expression is up-regulated in response to fasting and down-regulated in obesity, as previously reported in the stomach. In the process of establishing a quantitative real-time RT-PCR system to accurately assess the changes in PIT and HPT ghrelin mRNA levels, we observed that primer sets located in Ex2 and Ex3 amplified a ghrelin transcript that contained the entire intron 2 (In2). Size and sequence analysis of RT-PCR products using multiple primer sets located throughout the ghrelin gene suggested that the In2-ghrelin variant contains Ex2 and Ex3, but lacks Ex1, Ex4, and Ex5. In2-ghrelin variant mRNA was not detected in stomach extracts, while expression levels were 10- and 50-fold greater than that of the native ghrelin transcript in the PIT and HPT respectively. In2-ghrelin variant mRNA levels increased in the PIT after 24 h fasting and decreased in the HPT and PIT of diet-induced obese mice. These changes may be due to the changes in circulating insulin or IGF-I, since both decreased In2-ghrelin variant expression in a mouse HPT cell line (N6) and in primary mouse PIT cell cultures. The fact that In2-ghrelin variant mRNA levels are dependent on energy intake in the PIT and HPT suggests that this transcript may encode a peptide important in coordinating the neuroendocrine response to metabolic stress.
Mitogen- and stress-activated protein kinase 1: convergence of the ERK and p38 pathways in Alzheimer's disease

Two of the earliest manifestations of the selective neurodegeneration that occurs in Alzheimer's disease (AD) involve the oxidative modification of various biomacromolecules and the reexpression of a multitude of cell cycle-related proteins. Taken together with the proximal and ectopic increases in activated components of the ERK and p38 pathways, involved in mitotic and cellular stress signaling, respectively, there is a clear and important role for mitotic and oxidative insults in the pathogenesis of AD. Despite the mounting evidence, however, for the causal role of mitogenic abnormalities and oxidative stress in AD pathogenesis, the effect of the converging relevant pathways due to chronic stimulation in AD remains largely unknown. To delineate further the mechanism by which mitogenic and stress signaling cascades converge, we focused on one of the downstream effectors of activated ERK and p38, mitogen- and stress-activated kinase 1 (MSK1). Activated MSK1, phosphorylated at residues Ser376 and Thr581, was upregulated in vulnerable neurons in AD when compared to that in age-matched controls, whereas MSK1 phosphorylated at residue Ser360 was not increased in AD. Furthermore, activated MSK1 phosphorylated at Thr581 colocalized strongly with activated p38 but only weakly with activated ERK, whereas MSK1 phosphorylated at Ser376 colocalized strongly with activated ERK but only weakly with activated p38, suggesting potential preferential phosphorylation sites for the two upstream effectors.
The terminal Cretaceous event: Circumterrestrial rings of tektite glass particles?

Abstract It is proposed to regard the terminal Cretaceous event as similar to the radiolarian extinction event in the late Eocene: the result of a volcanic eruption or series of eruptions on the moon. Some glassy ash, lapilli and blocks from these eruptions fell to the earth; some, in geocentric orbit, formed clouds around the earth. In accordance with current theory, it is found that the clouds in orbit would evolve into sets of rings, which would last a few hundred thousand to a few million years, and would perturb the climate of the earth. One such eruption apparently included iridium-bearing material, perhaps from the deep interior of the moon. The hypothesis permits a reconciliation between the evidence for the catastrophic intervention of extra-terrestrial masses in the earth environment, and the evidence for gradual (though rapid) change of flora and fauna at the Cretaceous/Tertiary boundary. The formation of the E-ring of Saturn by ejecta from the Saturnian satellite Enceladus may have been analogous. The theory might be tested by studies of diurnal layering in molluscan shells.
No patient left behind--better treatments for resistant HIV infection.

Darunavir (TMC114) is a protease inhibitor specifically designed for "resistance to resistance" and for effectiveness on HIV resistant to earlier protease inhibitors such as indinavir or lopinavir. At 600 mg combined with ritonavir 100 mg both twice daily darunavir proved more effi cacious than an investigator-selected protease inhibitor when added to an optimised background regimen in patients with drug-resistant HIV. The drug is now licensed in many countries worldwide. The TITAN randomised study in todays Lancet explored ritonavir-boosted darunavir compared with the combination of lopinavir and ritonavir (Kaletra). All patients also received nucleotide or nucleoside reversetranscriptase inhibitors chosen after resistance testing. Their previous treatment experience was moderate in length of time (median 5 years) and exposure to drugs; about two-thirds had received protease inhibitors before the trial but none had been exposed to lopinavir or darunavir. Darunavir performed impressively: at week 48 significantly more patients on darunavirritonavir than on lopinavir-ritonavir achieved HIV RNA to below 50 copies per mL (71% vs 60%; intention-to-treat difference 11% 95% CI 3-19% p=0.005). Side-effects were generally mild in both groups with an excess of rashes in the darunavir group (16% vs 7%) and an excess of diarrhoea in the lopinavir group (15% vs 8%). Most side-effects were low grade as shown by the proportion that led to discontinuation of treatment (7% in both groups). (excerpt)
Variation by center and economic burden of readmissions after liver transplantation.

The rate and causes of hospital readmissions after liver transplantation (LT) remain largely unknown in the United States. Adult patients (n = 11,937; 43.1% of all LT cases) undergoing LT from 2007 to 2011 were examined with a linkage of the University HealthSystem Consortium and Scientific Registry of Transplant Recipients databases to determine the incidence and risk factors for 30-day readmissions and utilization metrics 90 days after LT. The overall 30-day hospital readmission rate after LT was 37.9%, with half of patients admitted within 7 days after discharge. Readmitted patients had worse overall graft and patient survival with a 2-year follow-up. Multivariate analysis identified risk factors associated with 30-day hospital readmission, including a higher Model for End-Stage Liver Disease score, diabetes at LT, dialysis dependence, a high donor risk index allograft, and discharge to a rehabilitation facility. After adjustments for donor, recipient, and geographic factors in a hierarchical model, we found significant variation in readmission rates among hospitals ranging from 26.3% to 50.8% (odds ratio, 0.53-1.90). In the 90-day analysis after LT, readmissions accounted for $43,785 of added costs in comparison with patients who were not readmitted in the first 90 days. This is the first national report showing that more than one-third of LT recipients are readmitted to their center within 30 days and that readmissions are associated with center variation and increased resource utilization. Liver Transpl 21:953-960, 2015. © 2015 AASLD.
Electrical properties of biomaterials-instrumentation and measurements

Measurements of electrical properties of biological materials pose problems that result from very large changes of the dielectric constant and loss factor with frequency, the need to measure these properties as a function of temperature, and the need to measure properties of tissues in vivo. Instrumentation and measurement methods developed and used by the authors at frequencies from 10 kHz to 10 GHz for in-vivo and in-vitro biological materials are described. The discussion covers both the sensors and the instrumentation for time-domain and frequency-domain measurements. A general description of work carried out in other laboratories is included. >
A Team Mental Model Perspective of Pre-Quantitative Risk

This study was conducted to better understand how teams conceptualize risk before it can be quantified, and the processes by which a team forms a shared mental model of this pre-quantitative risk. Using an extreme case, this study analyzes seven months of team meeting transcripts, covering the entire lifetime of the team. Through an analysis of team discussions, a rich and varied structural model of risk emerges that goes significantly beyond classical representations of risk as the product of a negative consequence and a probability. In addition to those two fundamental components, the team conceptualization includes the ability to influence outcomes and probabilities, networks of goals, interaction effects, and qualitative judgments about the acceptability of risk, all affected by associated uncertainties. In moving from individual to team mental models, team members employ a number of strategies to gain group recognition of risks and to resolve or accept differences.
Economics and Fisheries Policy: A Survey of NAAFE Members

As we are all acutely aware, the world of fisheries is complex, dynamic and contested. At its core lie fundamental economic issues of valuation, incentives and rights. The failure to understand these issues and to address the challenges they present lies at the heart of fishery mismanagement and non-sustainability. Fishery economists have much to offer to the understanding and resolution of these problems, but our full potential for contribution is not being realized. (Hanna 2011).
Debug methodology for the McKinley processor

The McKinley processor is the result of a joint design effort between Intel and Hewlett-Packard engineers, and is the second processor implementation of the Itanium/sup TM/ processor family (IPF) architecture. This paper describes the methodology developed for testing a complex high-performance microprocessor design. An overview of the processor is presented, along with the goals for the test methodology. Details of the test control blocks, scan methodology, and clocking are given. The scanlatch design, trade-offs and verification processes are discussed, along with some details of ATPG modeling and memory array testing. Finally, some results are presented.
Universal view and open policy: Paradigms for collaboration in data grids

Large-scale Data Grid Systems (LDGS) facilitate collaborative sharing of large collections (Petabytes and100s of millions of objects) containing files, databases and data streams that are geographically distributed across heterogeneous resources and multiple administrative domains. LDGS provide a “universal view” of the distributed data, resources, users and methods and hide the idiosyncrasies and the heterogeneity of the underlying infrastructure and protocols - enhancing user collaborations. To improve transparency, an “open policy” system is needed by which data providers and administrators can describe the exact processes and policies that implement LDGS services. We consider policies and processes as the essential defining characteristics of a productive LDGS collaboration. We have implemented an LDGS, called integrated Rule-Oriented Data Systems (iRODS), which provides a universal view while enabling an open policy environment for publishing descriptions of the available services. The open policy environment is supported by a distributed workflow/rule engine. The services are encoded as rules in a high-level workflow language that transparently describes the underlying functionality. Well-defined semantics are used to control the composition of the workflow functions, called micro-services, to map to the desired client-level actions. In this paper, we describe the iRODS system from the “universal view” and “open policy” perspective and show its scalability for managing more than 10 million files.
A randomized, clinical trial of oral midazolam plus placebo versus oral midazolam plus oral transmucosal fentanyl for sedation during laceration repair.

Objective. To determine whether a combination of oral transmucosal fentanyl (Fentanyl Oralet, Abbott Laboratories, North Chicago, IL) plus oral midazolam has an acceptable safety profile and is more effective than oral midazolam alone for sedation during laceration repair in a pediatric emergency department (ED). Methods. Randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, clinical trial. Patients between 2 and 8 years of age who weighed >10 kg and presented to the ED with a laceration in need of repair under sedation were eligible for inclusion. All patients received oral midazolam (0.5 mg/kg; maximum dose 10 mg) and either fentanyl (5-10 μg/kg) or placebo in oralet form. Data collected every 5 minutes included the following: heart rate, oxygen saturation, respiratory rate, pain as measured on a Children's Hospital of Eastern Ontario Pain Score (CHEOPS) scale (range: 4-13), and an activity scale (range: 1-5). Effectiveness of sedation was measured by CHEOPS and activity scores compared between the treatment groups. Results. Fifty-one patients were randomized to receive oral midazolam plus fentanyl (N = 28) or oral midazolam plus placebo (N = 23). Age, weight, gender, or baseline pain and activity scores did not differ between the 2 groups. Seven patients in the fentanyl group vomited compared with 0 patients in the placebo group. Three patients in the fentanyl group and no patients in the placebo group had brief oxygen saturation below 93% on room air. The mean pain score within 5 minutes of the start of the procedure did not differ between the 2 groups (fentanyl group, 9.4 versus placebo group, 8.8). Mean activity scores within 5 minutes of the start of the procedure were also similar (fentanyl group, 4.3 versus placebo group, 4.3). Conclusions. The addition of oral transmucosal fentanyl to oral midazolam did not improve pain or activity scores in pediatric patients given sedation for laceration repair. Patients who received Fentanyl Oralet suffered significantly more side effects despite the relatively low doses administered in this study. Oral transmucosal fentanyl should not be used for procedural sedation in the ED. Pediatrics 2002;109:894-897; sedation, Fentanyl Oralet, midazolam.
Information search and consideration set formation in a web-based store environment

Abstract The research reported here attempts to understand information search and consideration set formation in a web-based choice environment. A conceptual model is used to propose hypotheses that link information search and consideration set formation with two task environment influences that are typical of online settings. A study that simulates information search and consideration set formation in a web-based choice environment is conducted to test the hypotheses. The results offer insights into how the number of available alternatives and the amount of time available may have an effect on search and evaluation in a web-based store. The research has implications for understanding how consumers shop in online stores.
Seasonal-like growth and regression of the avian song control system: neural and behavioral plasticity in adult male Gambel's white-crowned sparrows.

Birdsong is regulated by a series of discrete brain nuclei known as the song control system. In seasonallybreeding male songbirds, seasonal changes in steroid sex hormones regulate the structure and electrophysiology of song control system neurons, resulting in dramatic changes in singing behavior. Male songbirds can be brought into the laboratory, where circulating levels of steroid hormone and photoperiod can be abruptly manipulated, providing controlled conditions under which rapid ‘‘seasonal-like” changes in behavior and morphology can be carefully studied. In this mini-review, we discuss the steroidal and cellular mechanisms underlying seasonal-like growth and regression of the song control system in adult male Gambel’s white-crowned sparrows (Zonotrichia leucophrys gambelii), and its impact on song behavior. Specifically, we discuss recent advances concerning: (1) the role of androgen and estrogen receptors in inducing seasonal-like growth of the song control system; (2) how photoperiod modulates the time course of testosterone-induced growth of the song control system; (3) how bilateral intracerebral infusion of androgen and estrogen receptor antagonists near the song control nucleus HVC prevents seasonal-like increases in song stereotypy but not song rate; and (4) the steroidal and cellular mechanisms that mediate rapid regression of the song control system. Throughout this mini-review we compare data collected from white-crowned sparrows to that from other songbird species. We conclude by outlining avenues of future research.
Statistics Versus Personal Experience: Stories of IBM Technical Working Women Around the World [The Good, the Bad, & the Ugly: Engineering FACTS]

For most women who enter the fields of science and engineering, the road is often circuitous, with detours along the way. The stories that accompany these career paths are not only interesting but provide guidance and insight to those who read them, who are perhaps searching for their own way forward. The goal of this article is to bring forward and illuminate the success stories of a diverse set of IBM technical women from around the world, demonstrating the rich and varied ways they have worked cross-culturally and globally to achieve professional success.
The Wnt/β-catenin pathway regulates growth and maintenance of colonospheres

Background: Recent evidence suggests that epithelial cancers, including colorectal cancer are driven by a small sub-population of self-renewing, multi-potent cells termed cancer stem cells (CSCs) which are thought to be responsible for recurrence of cancer. One of the characteristics of CSCs is their ability to form floating spheroids under anchorage-independent conditions in a serum-free defined media. The current investigation was undertaken to examine the role of Wnt/b-catenin pathway in regulating the growth and maintenance of colonospheres. Human colon cancer cells HCT-116 (p53 wild type; K-ras mutant), HCT-116 (p53 null; K-ras mutant) and HT-29 (p53 mutant) were used. Results: Colonospheres formed in vitro exhibited higher expression of colon CSCs markers LGR5, CD44, CD166 and Musashi-1 along with putative CSC marker EpCAM, compared to the corresponding parental cancer cells and also exhibit the ability to form spheroids under extreme limiting dilution, indicating the predominance of CSCs in colonospheres. Colonospheres formed by HCT-116 cells show over 80% of the cells to be CD44 positive, compared to ≤ 1% in the corresponding parental cells. Additionally, colonospheres showed reduced membrane bound b-catenin but had increased levels of total b-catenin, cyclin-D1 and c-myc and down regulation of axin-1 and phosphorylated b-catenin. Increased expression of b-catenin was associated with a marked transcriptional activation of TCF/LEF. The latter was greatly decreased following down regulation of b-catenin by the corresponding siRNA, leading to a marked reduction in CD44 positive cells as well as colonospheres formation. In contrast, upregulation of c-myc, a down-stream effector of TCF/LEF greatly augmented the formation of colonospheres. Conclusion: Our data suggest that colonospheres formed by colon cancer cell lines are highly enriched in CSCs and that Wnt/b-catenin pathway plays a critical role in growth and maintenance of colonospheres.
Silicon field emission transistors and diodes

Uniform, sharp point, and wedge-type field emitter arrays (FEAs) have been fabricated by using orientation dependent etching (ODE) and reoxidation sharpening techniques. This fabrication process results in very sharp and reproducible silicon field emitters which have yielded electron emission currents exceeding 20 mu A per tip for the pointlike structures with under 90-V turn-on extraction voltages. Collected currents of 5 mu A were obtained on wedge arrays at 300 V. Arrays of up to 30000 pyramidal point-type emitters have been fabricated. A process has also been developed for sealing these microtriodes in a vacuum. In this configuration, these devices may be handled like a transistor in air. These devices possess potential applicability to high-temperature transistors and diodes with high kilowatt power at high frequencies >1 GHz and for high-brightness-high-resolution displays. >
Clickers in the classroom: a business professor's adoption of a classroom response system

As a technology-enhanced instructional tool, clickers have been used in a variety of contexts to enrich learners' learning experience and improve their academic performance. However, despite its potential utility, many faculty members in higher education have not adopted this technology even when it is available, nor used it in a pedagogically sound manner. This paper presents a qualitative case study exploring why and how a business faculty member adopted clickers and integrated them into her classroom teaching, the challenges she encountered, and the impact of clicker use on her teaching and on her students' academic performance. This study identified contextual factors that may contribute to or interfere with the adoption of technologies in higher education. The authors also provide insights that might be beneficial to administrators in higher education, to faculty members who are interested in adopting clickers or who are using them, and to researchers in investigating pedagogy related to technology-enhanced learning tools.
Age-related decreases in gonadal hormones in Long-Evans rats: relationship to rise in arterial pressure.

Sex steroids modify sexual behavior and autonomic function. The gradual decline in circulating levels is correlated with several diseases in humans and animals. However, little is known about age-related changes that occur in the availability of these steroids. In the current studies, we characterized age-related changes in (1) circulating levels of estradiol (females) or testosterone (males), (2) reproductive function (estrous cyclicity in females; erectile reflexes in males), and (3) blood pressure in a longitudinal study. In a separate study, we characterized the estrous cyclicity of sex steroids in female, and diurnal periodicity in male, Long-Evans rats. Young females exhibit regular estrous cycles, transition to irregular cycles at about 10 mo of age, then to cycles characterized by extended periods of estrous, and to persistent estrous. Despite the loss of cyclicity, circulating 17β-estradiol in middle-aged females was maintained at levels similar to those in young females during diestrous. Males display an age-related decline in testosterone, circulating levels decrease by about 25% during the period from 8 to 16 mo of age. Also, during any 24 h period testosterone levels in young males vary from a peak of about 3.5 ng/mL (late light period) to a trough of 0.7 ng/mL (early dark period). In middle-aged males the rhythm amplitude is greatly blunted (1.4 to 0.7 ng/mL). Males exhibit age-related decrements in erectile reflexes. In females and males systolic blood pressure is relatively stable until 8 mo of age, but significantly increases during the next 5 mo of age. In males, the increase in arterial pressure is gradual from about 8 mo of age. Young females have lower blood pressures than age-matched males, but by 14 mo of age this sex-related advantage is lost. Thus, by middle age, male and female rats are exposed to less gonadal hormone/altered patterns of availability, exhibit decrements in reproductive function, and display an increase in systolic blood pressure.
Simulation of thermal storage in wax-impregnated porous foams with a pore-scale submodel

Calculations of heat transfer through porous foams filled with phase change materials (PCM) are often performed using either an effective medium approach or a coupled two-temperature model. These models are generally applied to simulate heating processes that occur over a few hours, thus allowing for an assumption of effective melting front in which both liquid and solid phases are present, or clear delineation of liquid and solid phases. However, in the instance of a rapidly changing heating process, a melting front cannot be assumed due to the possibility that layers of phases exist. A model has been developed to allow for variable phase sections within the foam without requiring an assumption of local thermal equilibrium, in which the temperature of the foam and PCM are equal to each other at a set point. By assuming spherical pores with microscopic temperature variations therein, the model allows for the existence of multiple phases within a single foam pore while also integrating an effective medium model of the overall foam/wax system. The overall model is compared and validated with experimental results and models from literature. Following validation, cases were assessed under various timescales to demonstrate the model’s versatility.
Growth Values of Proteins from Commercial Animal Products II. Commercial Digester Tankage

Abstract The value of tankage for laying stock has been repeatedly demonstrated at various experiment stations. Philips1 was perhaps the first to use tankage as the chief protein concentrate in a ration for mature birds. He states: “Although the egg production varied from year to year, the general tendency was for meat scraps and tankage to be equally efficient.” Mitchell, Kendall, and Card.2 working with young chicks in order to determine their vitamin requirements, used tankage as the sole source of animal protein concentrate in the ration with apparently satisfactory results. Hughes, Titus, and Witham,3 in a study of the prevention of rickets in growing chicks, also used tankage as the animal protein concentrate in the ration. These workers were evidently satisfied with the rate of growth as they do not make any statement to the contrary. A survey of the literature has not revealed any data from experiments in which . . .
Curtailing the Hydroxylaminobarbituric Acid–Hydantoin Rearrangement To Favor HNO Generation

Due to its inherent reactivity, HNO must be generated in situ through the use of donor compounds. One of the primary strategies for the development of new HNO donors has been modifying hydroxylamines with good leaving groups. A recent example of this strategy is the (hydroxylamino)barbituric acid (HABA) class of HNO donors. In this case, however, an undesired intramolecular rearrangement pathway to the corresponding hydantoin derivative competes with HNO formation, particularly in the absence of chemical traps for HNO. This competitive non-HNO-producing pathway has restricted the development of the HABA class to examples with fast HNO release profiles at physiological pH and temperature (t1/2 < 1 min). Herein, the factors that favor the rearrangement pathway have been examined and two independent strategies that protect against rearrangement to favor HNO generation have been developed. The timecourse and stoichiometry for the in vitro conversion of these compounds to HNO (trapped as a phosphine aza-ylide)...
A Factor Analysis of Somatotypes and of Their Relationship to Achievement in Motor Skills

(1950). A Factor Analysis of Somatotypes and of Their Relationship to Achievement in Motor Skills. Research Quarterly. American Association for Health, Physical Education and Recreation: Vol. 21, No. 4, pp. 424-437.
Physiologically derived critical evaporative coefficients for protective clothing ensembles

When work is performed in heavy clothing, evaporation of sweat from the skin to the environment is limited by layers of wet clothing and air. The magnitude of decrement in evaporative cooling is a ...
Numerical prediction of the turbulent wakes generated by a row of marine turbines

Abstract Numerical simulations of the turbulent wakes generated by rows of up to five marine turbines are presented. The numerical scheme combines an actuator disk model with a non-uniform velocity distribution, and the solution to the Reynolds averaged Navier–Stokes (RANS) equations. The first computations examine the dynamics of the turbulent wakes when the stream flows perpendicular to the row. The experiments of Stallard et al. (2013) serve as the benchmark for the numerical predictions. The computations also explore the significance of turbulence intensity and yawed conditions. An increase in the ambient turbulent intensity results in a quicker wake recovery. When the fluid stream is yawed to the turbine row, the problem loses its symmetry and some turbines realize lower velocities as they become affected by the wakes generated by other turbines.
LGE Provides Incremental Prognostic Information Over Serum Biomarkers in AL Cardiac Amyloidosis

Abstract Objectives This study sought to determine the prognostic value of cardiac magnetic resonance (CMR) late gadolinium enhancement (LGE) in amyloid light chain (AL) cardiac amyloidosis. Background Cardiac involvement is the major determinant of mortality in AL amyloidosis. CMR LGE is a marker of amyloid infiltration of the myocardium. The purpose of this study was to evaluate retrospectively the prognostic value of CMR LGE for determining all-cause mortality in AL amyloidosis and to compare the prognostic power with the biomarker stage. Methods Seventy-six patients with histologically proven AL amyloidosis underwent CMR LGE imaging. LGE was categorized as global, focal patchy, or none. Global LGE was considered present if it was visualized on LGE images or if the myocardium nulled before the blood pool on a cine multiple inversion time (TI) sequence. CMR morphologic and functional evaluation, echocardiographic diastolic evaluation, and cardiac biomarker staging were also performed. Subjects’ charts were reviewed for all-cause mortality. Cox proportional hazards analysis was used to evaluate survival in univariate and multivariate analysis. Results There were 40 deaths, and the median study follow-up period was 34.4 months. Global LGE was associated with all-cause mortality in univariate analysis (hazard ratio = 2.93; p Conclusions Diffuse LGE provides incremental prognosis over cardiac biomarker stage in patients with AL cardiac amyloidosis.
Humor Styles of Hispanic and Caucasian Women: Findings on a Dating Website

The objective of this study is to compare Hispanic and Caucasian Generation Y women’s humor styles in dating, using theories regarding cultural norms, gender role, and education. Content analysis is performed on the basis of 400 online dating profiles. The results show that young Hispanic and Caucasian women share the same frequency and similar patterns in the use of humor in online dating. In spite of the non-significant results on cultural differences, education significantly influences humor styles of young women, as those with less education stress the use of negative humor and those with more education are associated with a greater amount of positive humor. The findings offer insights into humor in social media.
4 Impossible Authorship

Sorensen argues that Americo Paredes’s George Washington Gomez dramatizes the failures of two discourses of subject formation (the corrido and the bildungsroman) that have become central to narratives of Chicana/o literary history. He traces the protagonist’s progress through the novel as a series of negotiations with these two narratives of subject formation and reads the novel’s confounding ending as a comment on the failures of both centrist and alternative discourses of modernity. This critique not only exposes the constraints of the world of the novel but also calls into question the mode of literary history that would later recover it. The aesthetic failures of the corrido and the bildungsroman are directly linked to the failure of the protagonist to become a unified subject.
Antiangiogenic antibody improves melanoma detection by fluorescently labeled therapeutic antibodies

Objective Evaluate if vascular normalization with an antiangiogenic monoclonal antibody improves detection of melanoma using fluorescently labeled antibody-based imaging. Study Design Preclinical. Methods Panitumumab and control IgG were covalently linked to a near-infrared fluorescent probe (IRDye800CW). Immunodeficient mice with ear xenografts of melanoma cell lines (A375 and SKMEL5) were systemically injected (200 μg, tail vein) with either IgG-IRDye800CW, panitumumab-IRDye800CW, or a combination (bevacizumab [5mg/kg], administered 72 hours prepanitumumab-IRDye800CW) (n = 5). Primary tumors were imaged with open-field (LUNA, Novadaq, Toronto, Ontario, Canada) and closed-field (Pearl, LI-COR Biosciences, Lincoln, NB) imaging devices. Postresection, the concentration of labeled antibody within the tumor (μg/g) was calculated using normalized standards. Results The mean fluorescence within the melanoma tumors was greater for the combination group compared to panitumumab alone for both cell lines (P < 0.001). The tumor-to-background ratio (TBR) for the A375 tumors was greater for the combination (3.4–7.1) compared to the panitumumab alone (3.2–5.0) (P = 0.04). The TBR for SKMEL5 tumors was greater for the combination (2.4–6.0) compared to the panitumumab alone (2.2–3.9) (P = 0.02). Within A375 tumors, the concentration was lower for panitumumab (0.51 μg/g) compared to combination group (0.68 μg/g) (P = 0.036). Within SKMEL5 tumors, the concentration was lower for panitumumab (0.0.17 μg/g) compared to combination group (0.35 μg/g) (P = 0.048). Residual tumor (1.0–0.2 mg) could be differentiated from background in both panitumumab and combination groups. For both cell lines, panitumumab and combination groups had greater mean fluorescence of the tumor compared to control IgG. Conclusion The addition of antiangiogenic therapy improves uptake of fluorescently labeled monoclonal antibodies within melanoma tumors. Clinical translation could improve detection of melanoma intraoperatively, reducing positive margins and sparing normal tissue. Level of Evidence N/A. Laryngoscope, 2016
53BP1 ablation rescues genomic instability in mice expressing 'RING-less' BRCA1

BRCA1 mutations strongly predispose affected individuals to breast and ovarian cancer, but the mechanism by which BRCA1 acts as a tumor suppressor is not fully understood. Homozygous deletion of exon 2 of the mouse Brca1 gene normally causes embryonic lethality, but we show that exon 2-deleted alleles of Brca1 are expressed as a mutant isoform that lacks the N-terminal RING domain. This "RING-less" BRCA1 protein is stable and efficiently recruited to the sites of DNA damage. Surprisingly, robust RAD51 foci form in cells expressing RING-less BRCA1 in response to DNA damage, but the cells nonetheless display the substantial genomic instability. Genomic instability can be rescued by the deletion of Trp53bp1, which encodes the DNA damage response factor 53BP1, and mice expressing RING-less BRCA1 do not show an increased susceptibility to tumors in the absence of 53BP1. Genomic instability in cells expressing RING-less BRCA1 correlates with the loss of BARD1 and a defect in restart of replication forks after hydroxyurea treatment, suggesting a role of BRCA1-BARD1 in genomic integrity that is independent of RAD51 loading.
Comparison of Permeability of Cementitious Materials Obtained via Poromechanical and Conventional Experiments

AbstractPermeability testing of concrete is useful to predict moisture transport within the pore network. Conventional permeability tests based on steady-state linear flow-through take too long to ...
The use of endobronchial ultrasound guided transbronchial needle aspiration specimens for next generation sequencing in non-small cell lung cancer: a clinical perspective

The National Comprehensive Cancer Network (NCCN) 2017 Clinical Practice Guidelines for Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer (NSCLC) recommend utilization of a procedure that allows concurrent diagnosis, staging and procurement of material, which is sufficient for genetic testing (1).
Toward a Mechanistic Understanding of Thermal Niche Partitioning

AbstractWe develop a theoretical framework to elucidate the mechanistic basis of thermal niche partitioning in ectotherms. Using a food web module of two consumers competing for a biotic resource, we investigate how temperature effects on species’ attack and mortality rates scale up to population-level outcomes of coexistence and exclusion. We find that differences between species in their competitive effects ultimately arise from asymmetries generated by the nonlinear nature of the temperature response of mortality: cold-adapted species and thermal specialists limit themselves more strongly than they limit their warm-adapted and generalist competitors. These asymmetries become greater as seasonal temperature fluctuations increase, generating latitudinal variation in coexistence patterns and priority effects. Characterizing species’ thermal niches in terms of mechanistic descriptions of trait responses to temperature allows us to make testable predictions about the population-level outcomes of competition...
A Low-Power Hardware Architecture for On-Line Supervised Learning in Multi-Layer Spiking Neural Networks

In this paper, we propose an event-triggered hardware architecture for spiking neural networks with a weight-dependent spike-timing-dependent plasticity (STDP) learning algorithm. Several algorithm adaptations are made on the original learning algorithm in order to reduce the hardware complexity and to improve the energy efficiency of the hardware. In addition, an algorithm-hardware co-design approach is employed to boost the performance. Through leveraging the sparsity of spike trains and local storage units in the network, both the memory requirement of the algorithm and the clock cycles needed per learning iteration are significantly reduced. The proposed hardware architecture is implemented in a 65-nm technology. A three-layer neural network with a configuration of 256-50-10 is demonstrated. The designed chip can conduct inference on a down-sampled MNIST dataset with an energy consumption of 1.12 μJ/inference while achieving a recognition rate above 90%.
Outcomes of Incorporating the Science of Learning into Mathematics Curriculum.

ABSTRACTMathematics faculty created a model for intermediate algebra integrating principles from the science of learning. The redesigned curriculum revolved around two big ideas (solving and graphi...
Acute and protracted disruptions to inhibitory control following sports-related concussion.

Abstract Extant evidence demonstrates disruptions to inhibitory control from as little as six months to as long as several years following sports-related concussion. However, the sensitivity of tasks requiring inhibitory control for detecting disruptions to cognition during the acute, subacute, and protracted phases of recovery remains in question. Accordingly, the purpose of this study was to examine concussion-related disruptions to inhibitory control across recovery. Athletes with sports-related concussion (n = 55; 22 female) completed an inhibitory control task within 72 h of injury, after returning to play, and within one month following return to play. Matched control athletes (n = 55; 22 female) were tested at similar intervals. Behavioral indices of performance were analyzed using univariate multi-level modeling. Findings indicated that the concussion group exhibited decrements to inhibitory control immediately after injury and up to one month following return to play, with no such observable differences at the return to play period. In addition to being sensitive to detecting chronic cognitive deficits resulting from sports-related concussion, these findings suggest that inhibitory control measures have the requisite sensitivity to identify the immediate and protracted signs of neurocognitive dysfunction following sports-related concussion. Accordingly, integrating assessments of inhibitory control into baseline, post-injury, and post-season measurement of cognitive function may prove useful for tracking the acute and persistent effects of sports-related concussion across an athlete's career. Athletes exhibiting impaired inhibitory control across the phases of recovery may be at greater risk of reinjury, thereby suggesting that integrating inhibitory control assessments into existing clinical measures may be of interest for informing concussion management and return-to-play decisions.
Perspectives on emerging directions in using IoT devices in blockchain applications

Abstract The space of Internet-of-things has exploded, with billions of interconnected devices ranging from mainframes to refrigerators and thermostats. These devices offer the promise of greater automation and control, and the ability for micro-level transactions that did not exist before. The advent of blockchain offers an intriguing path to managing distributed transactions in this new ecosystem. The use of blockchain in IoT applications is relatively new, especially at the lower end of the computing spectrum. Consequently, the roadmap for the future is unclear, and there are several challenges and questions that need to be addressed, such as trust, security, and efficiency. In this paper, we survey some of the promising applications that are being implemented including supply chains, smarter energy, and healthcare. We outline strategies for overcoming many of the challenges, which should lead to successful adoptions of blockchain for IoT. Finally, we sound a cautionary note on the potential cybersecurity implications in using IoT devices, including increased attack surfaces and device vulnerabilities.
Are Tc-99m-Sestamibi Scans in Patients With Secondary Hyperparathyroidism and Renal Failure Needed?

Abstract Background Parathyroidectomy for patients with secondary hyperparathyroidism (sHPT) generally requires a four-gland exploration. Some groups have strongly recommended routine preoperative Tc-99m-sestamibi scans; others practice scanning for only selected patients. To determine the utility of sestamibi scans in this patient population, we reviewed our experience. Methods We performed a retrospective review of patients who underwent parathyroidectomy for sHPT by one surgeon between 2000 and 2018. Data reviewed included patient demographics, laboratory results, pathology and radiology reports, and clinical and operative notes. Results Of the 72 patients in the cohort, mean age was 47.2 ± 15.6, and 50% were female. The preoperative mean calcium and parathyroid hormone levels were 9.6 ± 1.1 mg/dL and 1192.1 ± 914.1 pg/mL, respectively. Sestamibi scans were performed in 21 patients (29%). Of these, 17 were reoperative cases. Of all sHPT patients, 27.8% had ectopic glands. In the sestamibi cohort, only four patients had ectopic glands identified on the scan. Among the 51 patients without preoperative imaging, 16 had ectopic glands (26.2% of nonimaged patients). All these 16 ectopic glands were found by the surgeon at the time of operation without the need for preoperative imaging. All patients in the series were cured with a minimum follow-up of 6 mo. Conclusions Ectopic parathyroid glands are commonly seen in patients undergoing parathyroidectomy for sHPT. The majority of ectopic glands were successfully identified during the operation without preoperative sestamibi scan. Therefore, routine preoperative Tc-99m-sestamibi scans are not needed for successful parathyroidectomy for sHPT.