cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
M&A in greater China: An update

In this article, the authors have analyzed the merger-and-acquisition (M&A) activities in Mainland China, Hong Kong, and Taiwan from 2000 to 2010. M&A activities in Greater China expanded steadily from 2005 to 2010. However, most of the increases occurred in Mainland China and Hong Kong. Taiwan's M&A activities from 2006 to 2010 have remained sluggish. The authors do expect M&A to continue to expand in China. However, the Chinese government has issued some important new regulations that foreign investors should understand-and the authors briefly discuss those new regulations as well. © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Mechanisms and kinetics of reactions leading to natural gas formation during coal maturation

Kinetic data from the literature were used to predict formation rates and product yields of oil and gas at typical low-temperature conditions of coal maturation. These data indicate that gas formation rates from hydrocarbon thermolysis are several orders of magnitude too low to have generated known coal-seam natural gas reserves, assuming bulk first-order kinetics defined by a single activation energy and preexponential factor. By assuming distributed activation energies, thermal cracking of liquid hydrocarbons and coal kerogen to methane can occur at sufficiently high rates to produce commercial quantities over long periods of geologic time. Acid-mineral-catalyzed cracking, transition-metal-catalyzed hydrogenolysis of liquid hydrocarbons, and transition-metal-catalyzed CO2 hydrogenation form gas at very high rates at geologic temperatures. Rates of gas production in these reactions are orders of magnitude higher than those predicted from thermolysis; moreover, the gaseous products for metal-catalyzed hyd...
Preparation and examination of carbon- and binder-free electrodes used in lithium-ion cells

Abstract Carbon- and binder-free layered-oxide and spinel-oxide electrodes of various compositions have been prepared to determine performance degradation mechanisms of Li-ion cells that are associated with the active materials. In this work, we report the preparation of these sub-micrometer thick electrodes by a non-aqueous sol–gel spin coating on a Pt foil substrate. The active materials were characterized by various techniques including X-ray diffraction and scanning electron microscopy. Electrode properties were evaluated before and after accelerated aging by cyclic voltammetry, galvanostatic cycling and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy.
Antioxidant properties of phenolic compounds in macadamia nuts

Phenolic compounds in macadamia nuts and shells were identified, and their antioxidant activities were evaluated in refined macadamia nut oil. Thin-layer chromatography of oil extracted from macadamia nut kernels and shells indicated the possible presence of catechol, phrogallol, and 3,4,5-trihydroxy phenolic compounds. Four phenolic compounds were tentatively identified as 2,6-dihydroxybenzoic acid, 2′-hydroxy-4′-methoxyacetophenone, 3′,5′-dimethoxy-4′-hydroxyacetophenone, and 3,5-dimethoxy-4-hydroxycinnamic acid. Adding 0.01% of 2′-hydroxy-4′-methoxyacetophenone, 3′,5′-dimethoxy-4′-hydroxyacetophenone, or 3,5-dimethoxy-4-hydroxycinnamic acid to the oil significantly increased the Rancimat induction time against the control (P<0.0001). At this concentration, 3′,5′-dimethoxy-4′-hydroxyacetophenone was the most effective compound added. Although induction times of oils with 0.01%, 2,6-dihydroxybenzoic acid were not significantly different from the control, at 0.1% there was a significant difference from the control (P<0.0001). The activity was the same as that of 2′-hydroxy-4′-methoxyacetophenone at 0.1%.
FDI Performance of Two Redundant Sensor Configurations

A geometrical interpretation of the generalized likelihood test (GLT) approach to sensor failue detection and isolation (FDI) is provided, and analytical expressions are derived to evaluate FDI performance parameters of interest. These results are used to determine the FDI performance which can be achieved when various FDI decision strategies are applied to two redundant sensor configurations: a conical array of five single degree-of-freedom sensors and a dodecahedron array of six single degree-of-freedom sensors.
Theoretical and experimental analysis of the dependence of a signal's degree of polarization on the optical data spectrum

We show theoretically and experimentally the relationship between a signal's degree of polarization (DOP), all-order polarization mode dispersion (PMD), and the optical spectrum (and hence the data modulation format and pulse width), and that these effects must be taken into account when using the DOP for differential group delay (DGD) monitoring. We explain the theory behind how all-order PMD affects a signal's DOP, and observe the pulse-width dependence for 10-, 20-, and 40-Gb/s return-to-zero (RZ) systems as the duty cycle changes. We then analyze and show (via simulation and experimentation) the effects of different data modulation formats (RZ, carrier-suppressed RZ, alternate-chirped RZ, and differential phase-shift keying) on the DOP in a DGD monitor. We conclude that the measurable DGD range and DOP sensitivity in DOP-based DGD monitors are dependent on a signal's pulse width and the data modulation format. We also show the theory behind the effects of first- and second-order PMD on the maximum and minimum DOP.
Control Algorithms Used in the VCU Rotor-Wing Flight Control System

This paper will describe the VCU Rotor-Wing Flight Control System, provide details about the control algorithms used, and discuss the various modes of operation. The control algorithms used are based on a modified, parallel Proportional -Integral-Derivative (PID) mechanism. Flight modes include various stages of augment ed and autonomous control. In addition, the helicopter servo signals are conditioned by a pulse -width modulation (PWM) mixing scheme to account for the use of Cyclic/Collective Pitch Mixing (CCPM). Finally, the results from test flights will be displayed and discussed.
Position Statement: Ceaselessly-Analyzing Development Environments, One Direction for the Next 40 Years of Software Engineering

Software engineering is both difficult and expensive. This is as true today as it was 40 years ago. The end products of software engineering, software artifacts consisting of streams of instructions, are intended to solve some problem, live up to some requirements, implement some design. To improve software engineering, we must continue to improve the process that eventually outputs these instructions. We want the instructions correctly to address the problem, and we want the ability flexibly and precisely to change the instructions when the problem, requirements, and design change.
A Worse Prognosis for Smokers with Prostate Cancer

AbstractTo identify phenomena that might explain a higher mortality-to-incidence ratio for prostate cancer among smokers, 359 patients with newly diagnosed tumors at a community hospital were analyzed by tumor stage and grade, host age, obesity, smoking habits and survival. Among the 235 men with nonstage A tumors, stage D disease was independently related to host smoking (odds ratio 2.1, 95 percent confidence interval 1.3 to 4.3, p = 0.015), as well as to higher tumor grade, younger host age and lack of obesity. Stage D disease was present in 69 percent of 16 heavy smokers, 41 percent of 44 other smokers and 31 percent of nonsmokers. The 5-year tumor-specific mortality rate was greater among smokers than nonsmokers with stage D2 disease (88 percent versus 63 percent, p less than 0.05) or with nonstage A disease (39 percent versus 17 percent, p less than 0.001). These observations are compatible with earlier metastasis and more aggressive subsequent tumor advancement in smokers, and indicate that smoking ...
Cancer risk in mismatch repair gene mutation carriers.

Optimally accurate and valid estimates of cancer risk in genetically-defined subgroups requires population-based research. For rare genetic traits, very large studies are needed. Such is the case in hereditary nonpolyposis colorectal cancer syndrome (HNPCC), caused by mutations in mismatch repair (MMR) genes. A potentially more efficient approach is genotyped-proband design (GPD), in which probands are genotyped and the phenotypes of their relatives are investigated. However, to date most information comes from registry-based studies, where ascertainment bias makes interpretation difficult. Development in testing technology will lead to more identified mutation carriers, producing a clinical imperative to estimate risk, despite these problems. We reviewed the available results, and concluded that male mutation carriers have a lifetime colorectal cancer risk of 74% or more; female mutation carriers have a lower risk which is still many times higher than the risk in the general population. Risk is highest between the ages of 40 and 60, but considerable even before age 40. Lifetime endometrial cancer risk is 42% or more; the highest incidence is between age 40 and 60, and diagnosis before the age of 35 is rare. MMR mutation carriers are at elevated risk for ovarian, gastric, urologic tract, small bowel, hepatobiliary tract cancer, and for brain tumors. The risk of these cancer types is much lower than the risk for colorectal and endometrial cancer, but accurate, especially age-related estimates of risk are not available. Prevention strategies depend on estimates of age-specific risk. Clearly, multicenter studies to obtain such estimates are needed.
Improving the energy resolution of high-pressure Xe cylindrical ionization chambers

Results are presented on the development of high-pressure (>50 atm) Xe cylindrical ionization chambers for hard X-ray and low energy gamma-ray astronomy. Two methods to improve the energy resolution of these devices have been tested. One uses a shielding mesh and the other employs no mesh but substitutes a rise-time correction. Both techniques can give similar resolutions, with 2.2% FWHM being measured at 662 keV and 2.4% at 511 keV.
Are Universities Leaders in the Stewardship of Conservation Lands

s conservation biology has evolved over the past 75 years, and especially over the last two decades, managers of public lands have found themselves faced with new paradigms of land management (Foreman 1995, Soule and Noss 1998, Terborgh et al.1999). Today, conservation of biological diversity and ecosystem integrity is a primary objective of many public land–holding agencies, one that is being integrated into some private land-management objectives as well (Western 1989). That new objective, however, often lies outside the scope of traditional management practices as well as outside the intent for the land when it was first acquired. Thus, the US Forest Service is in turmoil over the conflict between t raditi onal and legi s l a ted forest managem ent policies and recently understood values of conservation (Salwasser 1991, Lawrence and Murphy 1992). Although little recognized, this conflict is even more striking in American universities and colleges. Institutions of higher education have become the primary abodes— and the think tanks—of those concerned with conservation of biological diversity and ecosystem services.1 Thus, universities and colleges are in a unique position to shape the future of conservation biology and natural resource management through both the scholarship of their work and the graduates of their programs. Yet American universities have acquired and held lands for a variety of reasons and purposes, many of which have little to do with conservation. This raises an important question: Are universities leaders in the actual stewardship of conservation lands? Does their record on the ground match the scholarly contributions of their faculty? It is our contention that, while notable exceptions exist, university-held lands are generally managed at best with conflicting objectives and frequently with little regard to conservation of biological diversity and ecosystem integrity. This failure to recognize the conservation values of university-held lands stems from a history of land exploitation, changing paradigms of Are Universities Leaders in the Stewardship of C o n s e rvation Lands?
Laser tissue interactions: an update for otolaryngology

We review the laser, characteristics of laser light, the delivery of laser light, pulse lengths and laser tissue interactions. We review these parameters and how they have changed over the history of the laser and how we expect them to change in the future. This survey of laser use is targeted to the otolaryngologist. Very little background in lasers is necessary to follow the discussion. This is intended to introduce and reintroduce laser technology.
Utilization of field programmable analog arrays (FPAA) to emulate power system dynamics

This paper examines how analog computation (emulation) may be utilized to perform dynamic power system analysis and the advantages of this method over digital - mainly solution accuracy and computation speed. Unlike the authors' previous works in this area which focus on the development of custom analog hardware prototypes and printed circuit (PC) boards, here the authors examine the utilization of field-programmable analog arrays (FPAA) for power system emulation. The programmable nature of the FPAA is key - significantly reducing the effort and time required to develop a working prototype and VLSI design.
Filler Leachability of Composites Stored in Distilled Water or Artificial Saliva

Though dental composite materials leach filler elements when stored in distilled water, it is not known whether similar leaching occurs in saliva. The hypothesis to be tested was that due to ion exchange occurring at the filler surfaces, more filler elements leach from composites stored in a salt solution simulating saliva than from composites stored in distilled water. Another aim was to determine how matrix selection, filler composition, and filler silanization affect filler leachability of composites after storage in the simulated saliva and water media. We made 128 batches of experimental composites. Half of these used a bis-GMA/TEGDMA matrix and the other a UEDMA/TEGDMA matrix. Either silica or barium glass filler particles were incorporated into these matrices. Filler silanization was followed by a filler drying at 60 degrees C for 24 h. Half of the silanized particles received an additional heat treatment for 1 h at 110 degrees C in vacuum. One specimen per batch was stored in distilled water and the other in artificial saliva at 37 degrees C. After each 30-day interval for one year, the specimens were transferred to either freshly distilled water or newly mixed artificial saliva. The "old" solutions were analyzed by ICP for determination of the Si, Ba, and Al concentrations. Analysis of variance revealed that storage solution, filler composition, and total time in the storage solution had strong effects on the leachability (p < 0.0001 in all cases). The average monthly leakage of Si for quartz-filled composites was 0.22 +/- 0.20 microgram/mL (distilled water) and 2.80 +/- 1.20 microgram/mL (artificial saliva). For barium-glass-filled composites, the corresponding Si leaching values were 0.73 +/- 0.48 microgram/mL and 5.00 +/- 2.20 microgram/mL. The monthly means of the barium leaching values were 2.00 +/- 1.00 microgram/mL (distilled water) and 3.10 +/- 1.80 microgram/mL (artificial saliva). The large difference between leaching in artificial saliva and in distilled water, as well as the interaction between storage medium and filler, cast doubt on the clinical relevance of in vitro studies using distilled water.
Corn growth stage estimation using time series vegetation index

Crop growth stage is important information for decision making in many related agricultural sectors. In-time accurate estimation of crop growth stage is desired. Kernel-fitting of time series vegetation indices have shown potential in estimating crop growth stage while tolerant to noisy data and missing data. The challenge to apply such models is dealing with current year when incomplete data are available. This study proposed a progressive double sigmoid model that leverages the existing best model to compensate the incompleteness of data. The progressive double sigmoid modeling algorithm has three stages of estimation: pre-peak, early post-peak, and late post-peak. Simulation results and experiments showed that the progressive version of double sigmoid algorithm solved the problem of fitting model with insufficient data at early stages. Double sigmoid models have been compared with other alternative approaches in different treatment of data analysis. The results showed that double sigmoid models performed better than moving median window smoothing and Savitzky-Golay alone. Further studies may consider optimizing season partitions and thresholds.
Planar microstrip Yagi array antenna

The Yagi concept is introduced for the planar microstrip array. With parasitic director and reflector patches located on the same plane of the driven element, the beam peak, by the effect of mutual coupling, can be tilted toward the endfire direction. With this capability, the power divider and phase delay transmission lines in a conventional array are no longer needed, and hence the array efficiency is increased. Both linear and circular polarization microstrip Yagi arrays are described. >
DEVELOPMENT OF A PCR PROTOCOL FOR SENSITIVE DETECTION OF CRYPTOSPORIDIUM OOCYSTS IN WATER SAMPLES

The development of a reliable method of using PCR for detection of Cryptosporidium oocysts in environmental samples with oligonucleotide primers which amplify a portion of the sequence encoding the small (18S) subunit of rRNA producing a 435-bp product was demonstrated. The PCR assay was found to provide highly genus-specific detection of Cryptosporidium spp. after release of nucleic acids from oocysts by a simple freeze-thaw procedure. The assay routinely detected 1 to 10 oocysts in purified oocyst preparations, as shown by direct microscopic counts and by an immunofluorescence assay. The sensitivity of the PCR assay in some seeded environmental water samples was up to 1,000-fold lower. However, this interference was eliminated by either flow cytometry or magnetic-antibody capture. Sensitivity was also improved 10- to 1,000-fold by probing of the PCR product on dot blots with an oligonucleotide probe detected by chemiluminescence. Confirmation of the presence of Cryptosporidium oocysts in water samples from the outbreak in Milwaukee, Wis., was obtained with this technique, and PCR was found to be as sensitive as immunofluorescence for detection of oocysts in wastewater concentrates.
A Mutant with Aberrant Extracellular LcrV-YscF Interactions Fails To Form Pores and Translocate Yop Effector Proteins but Retains the Ability To Trigger Yop Secretion in Response to Host Cell Contact

ABSTRACT The plasmid-encoded type three secretion system (TTSS) of Yersinia spp. is responsible for the delivery of effector proteins into cells of the innate immune system, where these effectors disrupt the target cells9 activity. Successful translocation of effectors into mammalian cells requires Yersinia to both insert a translocon into the host cell membrane and sense contact with host cells. To probe the events necessary for translocation, we investigated protein-protein interactions among TTSS components of the needle-translocon complex using a chemical cross-linking-based approach. We detected extracellular protein complexes containing YscF, LcrV, and YopD that were dependent upon needle formation. The formation of these complexes was evaluated in a secretion-competent but translocation-defective mutant, the YscFD28AD46A strain (expressing YscF with the mutations D28A and D46A). We found that one of the YscF and most of the LcrV and YopD cross-linked complexes were nearly absent in this mutant. Furthermore, the YscFD28AD46A strain did not support YopB insertion into mammalian membranes, supporting the idea that the LcrV tip complex is required for YopB insertion and translocon formation. However, the YscFD28AD46A strain did secrete Yops in the presence of host cells, indicating that a translocation-competent tip complex is not required to sense contact with host cells to trigger Yop secretion. In conclusion, in the absence of cross-linkable LcrV-YscF interactions, translocon insertion is abolished, but Yersinia still retains the ability to sense cell contact.
The graded response to Sonic Hedgehog depends on cilia architecture.

SUMMARY Several studies have linked cilia and Hedgehog signaling, but the precise roles of ciliary proteins in signal transduction remain enigmatic. Here we describe a mouse mutation, hennin (hnn), that causes coupled defects in cilia structure and Sonic hedgehog (Shh) signaling. The hnn mutant cilia are short with a specific defect in the structure of the ciliary axoneme, and the hnn neural tube shows a Shh-independent expansion of the domain of motor neuron progenitors. The hnn mutation is a null allele of Arl13b, a small GTPase of the Arf/Arl family, and the Arl13b protein is localized to cilia. Double mutant analysis indicates that Gli3 repressor activity is normal in hnn embryos, but Gli activators are constitutively active at low levels. Thus, normal structure of the ciliary axoneme is required for the cell to translate different levels of Shh ligand into differential regulation of the Gli transcription factors that implement Hedgehog signals.
Child welfare services and risk of child maltreatment rereports: do services ameliorate initial risk?

Although considerable public policy and research has focused on children removed from their homes following a CPS response, the vast majority of maltreated children remain in their homes, either with or without child welfare services. Little is known about which families are provided with child welfare services or the effectiveness of these services on reducing families' risk of subsequent maltreatment reports. Previous research examining rates of maltreatment recurrence among investigated families suggests that families who receive post-investigation child welfare services are at higher risk of rereports compared to those who do not receive services. Issues of selection bias in previous analyses – services are provided to those families at highest risk – impede our ability to draw valid conclusions about the impact of child welfare services on future risk. The current study used propensity score matching to create two groups of investigated families that were equally matching in their likelihood of receiving child welfare services, and then compared their rates of subsequent maltreatment reports over a 24-month period following the initial investigation. Results indicate that even after matching on pretreatment risk, families who received services were significantly more likely to be rereported than families who did not, suggesting that child welfare services may lack a sufficient level of effectiveness in achieving their stated goal of preventing additional maltreatment. Reasons for these findings and suggestions for future research are discussed.
A numerical approach to the simulation of granular and multiphase flows

Multiphase flows have been an active area of research for decades. Despite this, dense compressible gas-solid flows are still poorly understood. A experiment developed recently [Wagner et al., Exp. Fluids 52, 1507 (2012)] is able to isolate these conditions through the use of a multiphase shock tube. However, the behavior of the flow inside the particle curtain remains unclear. The objective of this work is to use numerical simulations to understand the fluid dynamics at the particle scale in this flow regime. An immersed boundary method is used to model the solid particles. The particles are tracked in the Lagrangian reference frame and collisions are modeled using the hard sphere approach. The fluid phase is solved on an adaptive grid using the Parallel Adaptive Wavelet-Collocation Method. Detailed properties of the particle curtain are necessary for accurate simulations. Therefore, the discrete element method (DEM) is used to simulate the particle curtain in isolation. The model is first validated through comparison to a granular channel flow experiment. The mean and fluctuation velocity profiles are found to show good agreement. A fully three dimensional simulation of the particle curtain used by Wagner et al. yields information about the curtain’s volume fraction and velocity profiles. The results suggest that the volume fraction profile is not uniform as previously thought.
An Exploratory Investigation of Different Patterns of Consistency for Cues Used in Consumers’ Subjective Evaluations or Product Quality

This research effort explores the patterns of relationship between price, brand name, and store name as they combine to influence perceived-quality.The flexibility of the research design allowed examination of the strength of the cues both individually and in combination with one another.Also, the incremental influence of price, brand name and store name was measured when one of these cues was added to one or both of the other cues.The results of the study provide 10 useful propositions for future theory building research in regard to the relationship of extrinsic product cues as they influence the perception of product quality.
Gang violence on the digital street: Case study of a South Side Chicago gang member’s Twitter communication

Social media connects youth to peers who share shared experiences and support; however, urban gang-involved youth navigate ‘the digital street’ following a script that may incite violence. Urban gang-involved youth use SNS to brag and insult and make threats a concept known as Internet banging. Recent research suggests Internet banging has resulted in serious injury and homicide. We argue violence may be disseminated in Chicago through social media platforms like Twitter. We examine the Twitter communications of one known female gang member, Gakirah Barnes, during a two week window in which her friend was killed and then weeks later, she was also killed. We explore how street culture is translated online through the conventions of Twitter. We find that a salient script of reciprocal violence within a local network is written online in real time. Those writing this script anticipate, direct, historicize, and mourn neighborhood violence.
Gilbertellaceae, a new family of the Mucorales (Zygomycetes).

The Gilbertellaceae Benny (Mucorales) is proposed for a single genus, Gilbertella, characterized by producing sporangia with a persistent wall dehiscing via a longitudinal suture, sporangiospores with apical, hyaline appendages, and Mucor-type zygospores. The relationship of Gilbertellaceae to Choanephoraceae and other families of the Mucorales, and Zygomycetes, is discussed.
Supelpak-S: The GC Separating Column for Sulphur Gases

Description d'une colonne sans phase liquide permettant de separer les composants d'un melange. Detection par photometrie de flamme
Biological Control of Imported Fire Ants: A Review of Current Knowledge

The black and red imported fire ants (IFA), Solenopsis richteri Forel and Solenopsis invicta Buren, are medical and agricultural pests that infest ca. 8 × 107ha (2 × 108 acres) in the southeastern United States. S. richteri and S. invicta apparently were introduced into the United States with products shipped by boat from South America to Mobile, Ala., about 1918 and 1940, respectively. S. richteri is now restricted to a relatively small area in northeastern Mississippi and northwestern Alabama, whereas S. invicta infests Florida, Louisiana, and parts of North Carolina, South Carolina, Georgia, Alabama, Mississippi, Texas, and Arkansas (Lofgren et al. 1975). Should S. invicta be transported by humans across the barrier of the arid southwest to more humid or irrigated areas, its range could greatly increase.
Provenance analysis for FOL model checking

This article is a recasting in the realm of logic of some of the work I have done on provenance for database transformations in collaboration with a number of wonderful people (see Acknowledgments).
Estimating the benefits of emissions reductions in complex atmospheres

Air pollution is a globally ubiquitous consequence of increasing reliance on fossil fuel–based industrial, residential, electrical, and transportation energy systems. Controlling emissions can be costly, and it is therefore useful to evaluate the benefits of reduced pollution. Estimation of the damages resulting from pollution and economic evaluation of the benefits of avoiding that damage is confounded by the nature of the chemical transformations emissions undergo in the atmosphere. This paper describes the mechanics of damage estimation and valuation, and then develops and presents some practical and theoretical limitations of such estimation. The focus is on changes in ambient tropospheric ozone resulting from the activity of nitrogen oxides and non–methane volatile organic compounds. The chemical model of ozone formation is related to the neoclassical economic production model to demonstrate difficulties for estimating the derived demand for reductions in nitrogen oxide emissions.
Effect of Hypothyroidism on Unruptured Cerebral Aneurysm Dimensions and Endovascular Coiling Outcome (P6.017)

Objective: Effect of Hypothyroidism on Unruptured Cerebral Aneurysm Dimensions and Endovascular Coiling Outcome Background: In a previous case-control study, we found significant association of history of hypothyroidism with occurrence of unruptured cerebral aneurysm in women within our patient cohort. Hypothyroidism has been shown to cause mucopolysaccharide deposition with association to blood vessel wall weakening and aneurysm formation in some case reports. We hypothesized that women with hypothyroidism may also have larger aneurysm size. Methods: We performed a retrospective cohort study of consecutive female patients with cerebral aneurysm receiving 3-vessel cerebral angiography at our tertiary-care academic medical center. Exclusion criteria included any ruptured aneurysm. We compared aneurysm dimensions measured from digital subtraction angiography between the group with hypothyroidism and without. multivariate analysis between the groups to control for age, hypertension, diabetes, hyperlipidemia, smoking, alcohol or drug abuse, and family history of aneurysm. Endovascular coiling outcome was recorded as Raymond-Roy Occlusion Classification (RROC) and recanalization on follow-up angiography Results: From 2008 through 2013, 178 female patients with cerebral aneurysms were identified. 34 patients had hypothyroidism. Aneurysms dimension in the hypothyroidism group and control group shows significant different in neck sizes 5.4±0.5 vs 4.2±0.2mm (p=0.01). The mean of other dimensions were, height 10.4±1.2 vs 8.3±0.4mm (p=0.059), maximal dimension 10.6±1.1 vs 9.3±0.5mm (p=0.2), and aspect ratio 2±0.1 vs 2±0.2. No significant difference was noted in RROC and subsequent recanalization. Conclusions: Hypothyroidism has a significant association with cerebral aneurysm neck size in women and trend to higher aneurysm height and maximal dimension which may link to higher risk of rupture. There was no significant difference in endovascular coiling outcome. Disclosure: Dr. Atchaneeyasakul has nothing to disclose. Dr. Tipirneni has nothing to disclose. Dr. Zhang has nothing to disclose. Dr. Khandelwal has nothing to disclose. Dr. Delgado has nothing to disclose. Dr. Ramdas has nothing to disclose. Dr. Dharmadhikari has nothing to disclose. Dr. Ambekar has nothing to disclose. Dr. Snelling has nothing to disclose. Dr. Yavagal has received personal compensation for activities with Covidien/evV3 as a consultant and Steering Committee Member.
Video can make behavioural science more reproducible

We recommend the widespread use of a simple, inexpensive, easy-to-implement, and uniquely powerful tool to improve the transparency and reproducibility of behavioural research — video recordings.
The objects interaction Graticule for cardinal direction querying in moving objects data warehouses

Cardinal directions have turned out to be very important qualitative spatial relations due to their numerous applications in spatial wayfinding, GIS, qualitative spatial reasoning and in domains such as cognitive sciences, AI and robotics. They are frequently used as selection criteria in spatial queries. Moving objects data warehouses can help to analyze complex multidimensional data of a spatio-temporal nature and to provide decision support. However, currently there is no available method to query for cardinal directions between spatio-temporal objects in data warehouses. In this paper, we introduce the concept of a moving objects data warehouse (MODW) for storing and querying multidimensional spatio-temporal data. Further, we also present a novel two-phase approach to model and query for cardinal directions between moving objects by using the MODW framework. First, we apply a tiling strategy that determines the zone belonging to the nine cardinal directions of each spatial object at a particular time and then intersects them. This leads to a collection of grids over time called the Objects Interaction Graticule (OIG). For each grid cell, the information about the spatial objects that intersect it is stored in an Objects Interaction Matrix. In the second phase, an interpretation method is applied to these matrices to determine the cardinal direction between the moving objects. These results are integrated into MDX queries using directional predicates.
Scanning electron microscopy examination of a Fast Flux Test Facility irradiated U-10Zr fuel cross section clad with HT-9

Abstract Observations from a scanning electron microscopy examination of irradiated U-10Zr fuel are presented. The sample studied had a local burnup of 5.7 atom percent and a local inner cladding temperature of 615 °C. This examination by electron microscopy has concentrated on producing data relevant to facilitating a better understanding of Zr redistribution in irradiated U-10Zr fuel and on a better understanding of the complex microstructure present in fuel cladding chemical interaction (FCCI) layers. The presented zirconium redistribution data supplements the existing literature by providing a data set at these particular local conditions. In addition to FCCI layers that are readily visible in optical microscopy, this examination has revealed lanthanide degradation of the cladding by what appears to be a grain boundary facilitated pathway. Precipitates of fission produced Pd-lanthanide compounds were observed in the fuel. Precipitated regions with elevated Mo and elevated W content were also observed in the HT-9 cladding of this sample.
Sleepy Circuits in Vigilant Mice? A Slow Cortical Oscillation Occurring during Multiple Arousal States.

Slow, synchronized neuronal oscillations in thalamocortical systems are hallmarks of sleep and inattentiveness. Sleep rhythms, such as slow (<1 Hz), delta (1–4 Hz), and spindle (7–14) oscillations, are associated with alternating periods of neuronal activation and quiescence that are
WHAT DRIVES THE TOP LINE? NONFINANCIAL DETERMINANTS OF SALES REVENUE IN PRIVATE VENTURE-BACKED FIRMS

This study explores the roles that three kinds of nonfinancial variables—people, patents and policies—play in generating firms’ near-term annual sales revenue. Due to data limitations on these variables for public companies, I use a rich and detailed set of information taken from surveys of private venture-backed firms conducted by VentureOne. By means of a CobbDouglas-type revenue model, I find that firms’ one-year-ahead forecasts of sales revenue are larger the higher are their current revenues; the more rapidly their personnel and granted patents are growing; the more business development, finance, marketing, sales, technical and other staff they employ; and when a formal sales commission plan is in place. Forecasted revenues are lower when firms are in the development and clinical trials stages of life, but are uncorrelated with the number of administrative employees and the presence of a defined bonus compensation plan. My results add to the growing literature on how and why nonfinancial statement variables are associated with financial statement outcomes. They also suggest that the top-line forecasts made by young companies are not entirely the ‘creative fiction’ that is sometimes alleged.
Thermoregulatory response of Brangus heifers to naturally occurring heat exposure on pasture.

Heat stress is a cause of major economic losses to cattle producers, especially in tropical and subtropical environments. The objectives of this study were to assess the phenotypic variability in core body temperature and sweating rate and to evaluate the effect of coat type, temperament, and BW on core body temperature and sweating rate in Brangus heifers. During August and September of 2016, 725 Brangus heifers were evaluated on pasture in four separate groups (n = 200, 189, 197, and 139). Environmental measurements of dry bulb temperature (Tdb) and relative humidity (RH) were measured every 15 min during the entire time of data collection and the temperature–humidity index (THI) was used to quantify heat-stress potential. Coat score, sweating rate, chute score, exit score, and live weight were recorded as the animals passed through the chute. Vaginal temperature was recorded every 5 min for five consecutive days. There was significant variation in vaginal temperature between heifers in the same environmental conditions (σ2u = 0.049), suggesting opportunities for selective improvements. A repeatability of 0.47 and 0.44 was estimated for sweating rate and vaginal temperature, respectively, suggesting that one measurement would be able to adequately describe the sweating capacity or ability to control the body temperature of an individual. Vaginal temperature increased as THI increased, with approximately 1 h lag time in the animal’s response. Vaginal temperature (−0.047 °C, P = 0.015) and sweating rate were lower (−5.49 ± 2.12 g/(m2·h), P < 0.01) for heifers that demonstrated a calmer behavior in the chute. Animals with shorter, smoother hair coats had significantly lower vaginal temperatures when compared to animals with longer hair coats (P < 0.01). Also, heavier heifers in this study maintained lower (P < 0.0001) vaginal temperature than the lighter heifers. Our results showed that hair coat, temperament, and weight influenced vaginal temperature regulation.
The Biological Role of Sialic Acid at the Surface of the Cell

Hirst (1945; 1948) was the first to suggest that the substrate for the “receptor destroying enzyme” of influenza virus, later recognized as sialidase (neuraminidase, see Chapter 10), was a carbohydrate compound located in the outer membrane of the red blood cell after observing that periodate oxidation “destroys” the cellular receptor. This suggestion was supported by Fazekas de St. Groth (1949), who was able to eliminate by mild periodate oxidation the substrate activity without impairing the adsorption of the influenza virus. In the following years, the cellular receptors for the influenza virus were shown to contain galactose, galactosamine, and sialic acid (McCrea, 1954; Klenk and Stoffel, 1956; Yamakawa et al., 1956) and, in 1957, Klenk and Lempfrid isolated pure, crystalline N-acetylneuraminic acid after neuraminidase treatment of human erythrocytes. Since erythrocyte stroma contains sialic acid residues linked to gangliosides or glycoproteins, it may be assumed that sialic acid exists as a component of these two classes of compounds at the surface of the cell.
Surface Coil Spectroscopy

The surface coil is examined in its role as an NMR transmitter coil and as a receiver coil. Magneticfield and signal-amplitude distributions are presented, illustrating the signal localization achieved by surface-coil excitation and/or detection. The effects of experimental pulsing conditions on the interrogated volume of the surface coil are considered. Techniques developed to improve the signal localization capabilities or to compensate for the inhomogeneous transverse field of the surface coil are discussed. Various coil designs developed for local signal detection are described. The high sensitivity and localized volume of signal detection inherent to the surface coil offer distinct advantages for spectroscopic and imaging investigations of biological tissues. Representative surface-coil spectra obtained in vivo from various tissues and for several nuclides illustrate the broad range of applications that can be addressed by in vivo surface-coil NMR spectroscopy.
Flexible Wings and Fluid-Structure Interactions for Micro-Air Vehicles

Aerodynamics, structural dynamics, and flight dynamics of natural flyers intersect with some of the richest problems in micro-air vehicles (MAVs), including massively unsteady three-dimensional separation, transition in boundary and shear layers, vortical flows, unsteady flight environment, aeroelasticity, and adaptive control being just a few examples. A challenge is that the scaling of both fluid dynamics and structural dynamics between smaller natural flyer and practical flying hardware/lab experiment (larger dimension) is fundamentally difficult. The interplay between flexible structures and aerodynamics motivated by the MAV development is discussed in this chapter. For fixed wings, membrane materials exhibit self-initiated vibration even in a steady free stream which lowers the effective angle of attack of the membrane structure compared to that of the rigid wing. For flapping wings, structural flexibility can enhance leading-edge suction via increasing the effective angle of attack, resulting in higher thrust generation.
Correlation of bone marrow cellularity and metabolic activity in healthy volunteers with simultaneous PET/MR imaging

To evaluate the correlation between bone marrow cellularity (BMC) and metabolic activity in healthy subjects and to see whether yellow marrow is indeed metabolically quiescent. Because metabolic activity can be assumed to reflect vascularity, we assessed the relationship between regional metabolic activity and geographic frequency of metastases as noted in the literature. Two hundred and twenty locations (ten in each side of the pelvis and proximal femur) were evaluated in 11 consecutive healthy volunteers with simultaneous PET/MR. BMC was calculated through precise water–fat fraction quantification with a 6-echo gradient echo. We analyzed correlations between cellularity and SUVr, age, and R2*. We also looked at the relation between our results and the reported prevalence of metastases. There was moderate but statistically significant correlation between BMC and metabolic activity (r = 0.636, p < 0.0001). Interestingly, the iliac and sacrum had higher metabolic activity relative to cellularity, whereas the femoral neck and lesser trochanter showed lower SUVr than other regions with the similar cellularity. The relatively lower metabolic status of the femoral neck conflicted with its reported high frequency of metastasis. Excluding regions with almost no remaining red marrow, cellularity showed inverse relationship with age (r = 0.476, p < 0.0001) and direct relationship with R2* (r = 0.532, p < 0.0010). Metabolic activity of bone marrow was largely dependent on BMC while yellow marrow seems metabolically quiescent. The discrepancy between the assumed vascularity as determined by metabolic activity and reported sites of metastasis suggested that the process of bone metastasis may not depend entirely on vascularity.
Transcriptional Factor Modulation by Lipid Peroxidation-Derived Aldehydes

Abstract Lipid aldehydes abundantly found in the nutritional and dietary fats, environmental pollutants, and endogenously generated in the body play a critical role in human health and diseases. The lipid aldehydes are very reactive and form conjugates with cellular glutathione, nucleic acids, and proteins and cause tissue dysfunction and damage. Unsaturated aldehydes, such as 4-hydroxynonenal and acrolein with their highly electrophilic functional groups, cause cytotoxic, genotoxic, and mutagenic effects. Further, lipid aldehydes deregulate normal functions of various protein kinases and phosphatases that lead to the activation/inactivation of various transcription factors responsible for transcribing various cytokines, chemokines, and growth factors involved in maintaining the cellular homeostasis. Specifically, lipid aldehydes regulate Nrf2-mediated antioxidative, NF-kB-mediated proinflammatory, AP1-mediated apoptotic, and E2F1-mediated cell-cycle pathways. This article briefly describes the significant role of lipid aldehydes in the regulation of various transcription factors with respect to their role in cell signaling and disease complications.
UNIT 6.2 Immunophenotyping

This unit presents basic techniques for immunophenotyping by flow cytometry, direct using a conjugated monoclonal antibody and indirect using an unconjugated primary antibody followed by a conjugated secondary antibody. Combinations of these methods are described for two-, three-, and four-color staining. Analysis of data acquired from cells stained by these procedures is detailed. A procedure is given for the detection of the location of nonviable cells so that they can be gated out of the analysis. Keywords: flow cytometry; immunophenotyping; indirect staining; direct staining; multicolor staining; immunophenotypic analysis.
Special Purpose Urban Cars

THREE SMALL, LIGHTWEIGHT URBAN CARS (THE 512 CAR SERIES) WERE TESTED BY GENERAL MOTORS. ONE BASIC BODY CONFIGURATION UTILIZED THREE DIFFERENT POWERPLANTS: A CONVENTIONAL GASOLINE ENGINE, A BATTERY-ELECTRIC, AND A HYBRID GASOLINE- ELECTRIC. THESE SMALL CARS WOULD HELP RELIEVE URBAN TRAFFIC AND PARKING PROBLEMS; THEIR LOW POWER REQUIREMENTS (TOP SPEED 30-45 MPH) RESULT IN LOW EXHAUST EMISSIONS. /HSL/
Vowel Quality Cues to Variable Nasal Adaptation in Mandarin Loanword Phonology

Variation in phonological adaptation has not always been analysed in detail, but some studies on Standard Mandarin (SM) loanword phonology, where a seemingly wide range of variation is present, have started to uncover cases where instances of variable adaptation are contextually conditioned (e.g. Hsieh, Kenstowicz, & Mou, 2009 on SM nasal codas; Lin 2008 on SM vowels). Our study presents corpus and experimental data in which intervocalic English nasals are variably adapted as either geminates or singletons in SM. We argue that the perceived duration and nasalization of the English prenasal vowels condition which variant is preferred in SM, and suggest how these vowel quality cues are processed and mapped onto SM phonological representation by monolingual and bilingual SM speakers. This study contributes to a better understanding of which phonetic cues modulate variation in adapted forms and how they do so. It also showcases multiple sources for variable loanword adaptation: linguistic contexts, auditory vs. non-auditory inputs, and monolingual vs. bilingual differences.
The Predictors of Religious Struggle among Undergraduates Attending Evangelical Institutions

AbstractThis article is the second in a two-part series and focuses on the predictors of religious struggle among students attending evangelical institutions. Of the 900 religiously-affiliated coll...
The Relative Bioavailability and In Vivo-In Vitro Correlations for Four Marketed Carbamazepine Tablets

Purpose. To determine if three marketed generic carbamazepine tablets were bioequivalent to the innovator formulation, as well as to each other. In addition, to examine in vivo-in vitro relationships among the four formulations.
A new method of insuring sterility following cesarean section

A technique for insuring successful sterilization following cesarean section is described. Double ligation of the tube and resection of the intermediate portion burying of the infundibulum between the broad ligaments and resection of the tube with a wedge-shaped excision are techniques that have various drawbacks. The author recommends a procedure which is bloodless and involves division between double ligatures and the burying of both ligated ends as far apart as possible.