cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Development of a myoelectric control scheme based on a time delayed neural network

Presented in this work is a possible myoelectric control scheme for a rehabilitation robotic application. The control input is from a time delayed neural network (TDNN). The input to the TDNN is four electromyographic (EMG) signals associated with the movement of the elbow and shoulder joints. The output of the TDNN is the joint position of the elbow and the joint position of the shoulder in the sagittal plane. The results presented here show the possibility of controlling multiple degrees of freedom at once. Prior work has shown that the optimal delay for accurate position prediction from a TDNN was 875ms with a 125ms interval, but this work shows that a delay of 300ms and a 100ms interval achieves similar results. This points to the feasibility of a TDNN based control scheme.
BN 496 Social Entrepreneurship and Sustainable Business Strategies

Course Description This is an experimental course based on the premise that entrepreneurship can be a positive tool for achieving social as well as economic progress. This course will focus on two emerging business trends: social entrepreneurship and sustainable business practices. During the course, students will study cases on social entrepreneurship (both domestic and in the developing world), examine the best opportunities for private sector activity, examine non-profit and for-profit approaches, and investigate tools such as microcredit loans which enable social entrepreneurship. The course will also examine cases where companies have sought to exploit business opportunities that result from global social and environmental trends. Specifically, the objectives of this course are to: 1) Increase awareness of the pervasiveness and complexity of social and environmental challenges and how those challenges can create entrepreneurial opportunities. 2) To introduce students to the best practices, successes and failures, opportunities and constraints in the field of social entrepreneurship and sustainable business practices. 3) To provide students with the tools and conceptual framework to evaluate entrepreneurial business opportunities in the social sector and with respect to sustainable business strategies. 4) To familiarize students with emerging, non-traditional financing mechanisms being used in these sectors, such as microfinance. 5) To provide new perspectives on the opportunities for leveraging business education to impact the social sector.
Olfactory dysfunction discriminates probable Alzheimer's dementia from major depression: a cross-validation and extension.

The present study was conducted to cross-validate and extend the hypothesis that olfactory dysfunction could discriminate between groups of patients with Alzheimer's disease and major depression. Forty patients meeting the DSM-IV criteria for either Alzheimer's disease or major depression (20 per group) underwent assessment with the Pocket Smell Test (PST), a three-item screening measure of odor identification, and the Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE). A PST score of ≤1 (1 or 0 correct) discriminated between the groups with a hit rate of 97.5% (sensitivity=95%, specificity=100%). The optimal hit rate for the MMSE (≤24) was less effective (hit rate=90%, sensitivity=80%, specificity=100%). Age, gender, and education had minimal impact on the PST for both groups. Olfactory assessment continues to add to the diagnostic utility in the differential diagnosis of Alzheimer's disease versus major depression in elderly patients.
A look back at USDA's Report and Recommendations on Organic Farming

The United States Department of Agriculture's Report and Recommendations on Organic Farming (1980) is destined to be a milestone in the evolution of agriculture's scientific paradigm. Such recognition, however, will come several years in the future and will require a key scientific breakthrough for full assessment of the “new world” its authors brought forward to the mainstream scientific community.
Inequalities for Heights Of Algebraic Subspaces And the Thue-Siegel Principle

Let k be an algebraic number field and let k N denote the vector space of N x 1 column vectors over k. In his fundamental paper [16] W.M. Schmidt introduced a concept of height on linear subspaces A of k N . The idea is to apply the so-called Weil-height (or the absolute Weil-height) to the vector of Grassmann coordinates of any basis for A. In this way Schmidt was able to formulate and prove many of the basic theorems of Diophantine approximation in a very general setting. In the present paper we prove a new inequality for heights on subspaces and apply it to the problem of constructing certain auxiliary polynomials in two variables. Let H(A) denote the height of the subspace A \( \subseteq \) k N , which is precisely defined in section 2. We adopt the convention that Our inequality has both a local and global version and the global version can be stated as follows.
Whistle While You Work: Whistleblowing in the Presence of Competing Incentives and Pressures

This instructional case connects whistleblowing incentives and ethical issues in different reporting environments. It provides three different whistleblowing scenarios that allow students to identify and grapple with multiple whistleblowing incentives, issues and resultant ethical dilemmas present in both the academic and financial reporting environments. The purpose of the case is threefold. First, the case makes students aware of the whistleblowing incentives and ethical issues present in different environments. Second, by linking academic and financial whistleblowing issues across scenarios, students see the relevance of whistleblowing ethics in their current lives and are motivated to develop ethical habits now. Third, the case forces students to practice making decisions in situations with conflicting incentives, uncertainty and ambiguous guidance. Strong conflicting incentives can cloud and challenge whistleblowing intentions.
Long-term outcomes after external beam irradiation and brachytherapy boost for base-of-tongue cancers.

Abstract Purpose To assess long-term efficacy and toxicity associated with external beam irradiation (EBRT) and interstitial 192 Ir implantation for the treatment of squamous carcinoma of the base of tongue. Methods and materials Between April 1975 and December 1993, 41 patients with base-of-tongue carcinomas were treated with 192 Ir interstitial implants after EBRT at Stanford University. One patient had Stage I, 6 had Stage II, 7 had Stage III, and 27 had Stage IV tumors. Twenty-eight patients had cervical lymph node involvement at diagnosis. All received EBRT to a median dose of 50 Gy (range 48.9–68 Gy) to the primary tumor and regional lymph nodes before brachytherapy. Interstitial implant was performed 2–4 weeks after EBRT. Intraoperatively, nylon catheters were placed via steel trocars into the base of tongue, glossotonsillar groove, and pharyngo-epiglottic fold using a catheter looping technique. Twenty-three of 28 node-positive patients also underwent simultaneous neck dissections. Postoperatively, the 192 Ir seeds were inserted and allowed to remain in place for approximately 35 h to achieve a median tumor dose of 26 Gy (range 20–34 Gy) to a median volume of 73 cc. Survival, local control, and complications were assessed. Results With a median follow-up of 62 months (range 9–215) for all patients and 90 months for alive patients, the 5-year Kaplan-Meier survival estimate was 66%. The 5-year local control rate was 82%, with 7 patients recurring locally, 2 of whom were salvaged with surgery. Nodal control was achieved in 93% of patients with either EBRT alone or in combination with neck dissection. The 5-year freedom from distant metastasis rate was 83%. Acute complications included transient bleeding (5%) and infection (8%). Late complication included soft-tissue necrosis/ulceration (7%), osteoradionecrosis (5%), and xerostomia. Conclusion Base-of-tongue carcinoma can be effectively treated with EBRT and 192 Ir implant boost. Local control is excellent and complication rates are acceptable.
Increasing the Number of Ethnically Diverse Faculty in Special Education Programs: Issues and Initiatives

Many universities are grappling with the issue of diversifying the faculty lines in higher education. While this appears to be a global issue across disciplines, those of us who are in special education may find it to be of greater concern because special education legislation, the Individuals with disabilities Act (IDEA) strongly supports diversity. Congress has stated that the government must be responsive to the growing needs of an increasingly more diverse society, and recommended that recruitment efforts focus on bringing larger numbers of minorities into the profession. Section 610 of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) mandates an increase in the number of professionals representing diverse cultures and backgrounds (IDEA, 101–476, 1990). This paper provides justification for the need to actively participate in efforts to increase the number of ethnically diverse faculty in colleges and universities and in programs in special education. A global perspective is shared. Challenges a...
Gender-related distinctions in protein kinase C activity in rat vascular smooth muscle.

Gender differences in vascular reactivity have been suggested; however, the cellular mechanisms involved are unclear. We tested the hypothesis that the gender differences in vascular reactivity ref...
A Wayward Circuit: The Development of Duplicate Policy Statement Exception Tests Among Circuits and the Necessary Corrective Action

The author provides a discussion of tests develop by circuit courts of the United States to distinguish between interpretative rules and policy statements promulgated by administrative agencies. The author details tests developed by certain circuit courts and the intra-circuit inconsistencies inherent in these tests.
Mechanism of uterine vascular refractoriness to endothelin-1 in pregnant sheep.

Endothelin-1 (ET-1) is a potent vasoconstrictor and produces marked pressor responses when given systemically. Studies in sheep have demonstrated that during pregnancy the uterine vasculature is re...
Thermal drive contributes to hyperventilation during exercise in sheep

The etiology of exercise hypocapnia is unknown. The contributions of exercise intensity (ExInt), lactic acid, environmental temperature, rectal temperature (Tre), and physical conditioning to the v...
Design of a new stone extraction device with force feedback

Ureteroscopic stone extraction devices are effective and ubiquitous tools in the management of urolithiasis. Ureteroscopy, however, has the potential to cause injury to the ureter. Perforation, and on some occasions, avulsion of the ureter as a result of excessive forces on the extraction device are some serious complications of this practice. In this paper, we propose the integration of a force sensor with stone extraction devices. The proposed prototype provides instantaneous force measurements imposed on the ureter wall during the stone removal procedure, and thereby, aids in reducing the risk of ureteral perforations and avulsions by highlighting the safety and hazardous extraction forces. A prototype was built and a bench top test was performed. The results obtained from the bench top tests were consistent with the results reported in previous works in the literature.
Real-space pseudopotential study of vibrational properties and Raman spectra in Si–Ge core-shell nanocrystals

We examine the vibrational properties and Raman spectra of Si–Ge core-shell nanostructures using real-space pseudopotentials constructed within density functional theory. Our method uses no empirical parameters, unlike many popular methods for predicting Raman spectra for nanocrystals. We find the dominant features of the Raman spectrum for the Si–Ge core-shell structure to be a superposition of the Raman spectra of the Ge and Si nanocrystals with optical peaks around 300 and 500 cm−1, respectively. We also find a Si–Ge “interface” peak at 400 cm−1. The Ge shell causes the Si core to expand from the equilibrium structure. This strain induces significant redshift in the Si contribution to the vibrational and Raman spectra, while the Ge shell is largely unstrained and does not exhibit this shift. We find that the ratio of peak heights is strongly related to the relative size of the core and shell regions. This finding suggests that Raman spectroscopy may be used to characterize the size of the core and shell in these structures.
Studies of Liquid Crystalline Self-Assembly of GdF3 Nanoplates by In-Plane, Out-of-Plane SAXS

Directed self-assembly of colloidal nanocrystals into ordered superlattices enables the preparation of novel metamaterials with diverse functionalities. Structural control and precise characterization of these superlattices allow the interactions between individual nanocrystal building blocks and the origin of their collective properties to be understood. Here, we report the directed liquid interfacial assembly of gadolinium trifluoride (GdF3) nanoplates into liquid crystalline assemblies displaying long-range orientational and positional order. The macroscopic orientation of superlattices is controlled by changing the subphases upon which liquid interfacial assembly occurs. The assembled structures are characterized by a combination of transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and small-angle X-ray scattering (SAXS) measurements performed on a laboratory diffractometer. By doping GdF3 nanoplates with europium (Eu3+), luminescent phosphorescent superlattices with controlled structure are produced and enable ...
Book Review: Public Administration: The Interdisciplinary Study of Public Government

There is a strong tradition in public administration that reflects on the identity of the field, questions the rigor of the research, and suggests paths moving forward on both fronts. Jos Raadschelders’s most recent book, "Public Administration: The Interdisciplinary Study of Government", develops a thoughtful survey of past debates while adding. The author successfully pursues three ambitious goals: connect knowledge sources through mapping as an interdisciplinary study, develop a bottom-up approach, and frame the identity challenge as a function of the complexity of society and government, not as a failing. The author makes a compelling case for public administration as “an umbrella discipline." The breadth and depth of the book defy a quick summary.
RIEMANN INTEGRABLE FUNCTIONS

This chapter discusses the Riemann Integrable Functions. The definition of the Riemann integral has a parallel that, with exactly the same notation, defines a certain area. Thus, the integral will exist only if the area does, and one may be used to find the other. The chapter describes the anti derivatives or differentiation of the integral. Corresponding to the mean value theorem for derivatives, there is a similar mean value theorem for integrals. It is the same sort of theorem in that it guarantees the existence of a point rather than describing a method of finding some point. Improper integrals explain that if the restrictions that the domain and the range of a function be finite are relaxed, the integral must be defined by a limiting process. This chapter also presents the convergence problem.
Transcriptome changes in apple peel tissues during CO2 injury symptom development under controlled atmosphere storage regimens.

Apple (Malus × domestica Borkh.) is one of the most widely cultivated tree crops, and fruit storability is vital to the profitability of the apple fruit industry. Fruit of many apple cultivars can be stored for an extended period due to the introduction of advanced storage technologies, such as controlled atmosphere (CA) and 1-methylcyclopropane (1-MCP). However, CA storage can cause external CO2 injury for some apple cultivars. The molecular changes associated with the development of CO2 injury are not well elucidated. In this study, the global transcriptional regulations were investigated under different storage conditions and during development of CO2 injury symptoms on ‘Golden Delicious’ fruit. Fruit peel tissues under three different storage regimens, regular cold atmosphere, CA and CA storage and 1-MCP application were sampled at four storage durations over a 12-week period. Fruit physiological changes were affected differently under these storage regimens, and CO2 injury symptoms were detectable 2 weeks after CA storage. Identification of the differentially expressed genes and a gene ontology enrichment analysis revealed the specific transcriptome changes associated with each storage regimen. Overall, a profound transcriptome change was associated with CA storage regimen as indicated by the large number of differentially expressed genes. The lighter symptom was accompanied by reduced transcriptome changes under the CA storage and 1-MCP application regimen. Furthermore, the higher enrichment levels in the functional categories of oxidative stress response, glycolysis and protein post-translational modification were only associated with CA storage regime; therefore, these processes potentially contribute to the development of external CO2 injury or its symptom in apple.
Building a Sustainable Global Surgical Program in an Academic Department of Surgery

Abstract Background Global surgery and volunteerism in surgery has gained significant interest in recent years for general surgery residents across the country. However, there are few well-established long-term surgical programs affiliated with academic institutions. The present report discusses the implementation process and challenges facing an academic institution in building a long-term sustainable global surgery program. Methods As one of the pioneer programs in global surgery for residents, the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai global surgery rotation has been successfully running for the last 10 years in a small public hospital in the Dominican Republic. The present report details many key components of implementing a sustainable global surgery program and the evolution of this program over time. Findings Since 2005, 80 general surgery residents have rotated through Juan Pablo Pina Hospital in the Dominican Republic. They have performed a total of 1239 major operations and 740 minor operations. They have also participated in 328 emergency cases. More importantly, this rotation helped shape residents' sense of social responsibility and ownership in their surgical training. Residents have also contributed to the training of local residents in laparoscopic skills and through cultural exchange. Conclusions As interest in global surgery grows among general surgery residents, it is essential that supporting academic institutions create sustainable and capacity-building rotations for their residents. These programs must address many of the barriers that can hinder maintenance of a sustainable global surgery experience for residents. After 10 years of sending our residents to the Dominican Republic, we have found that it is possible and valuable to incorporate a formal global surgery rotation into a general surgery residency.
The Role of Parental Engagement in the Intergenerational Transmission of Smoking Behavior and Identity.

Abstract Purpose Prior research has found that the protective effect of parental engagement on adolescent smoking behaviors may be weaker if parents smoke. We examine parental influence on adolescent smoking using a social learning theory framework. We hypothesize that adolescents are more likely to mimic parental smoking behavior if they perceive parents as being more engaged and if the parent is the same gender of the adolescent. Methods Hypotheses were tested using a diverse sample of 6,998 adolescents who were followed for seven waves (grades 6–12). Adolescent gender, time-stable and time-varying effects of parental engagement, adolescent perceptions of parental smoking, and interactions among the effects of these variables are tested using multilevel mediation models. We use a traditional measure of past 3-month adolescent smoking and a novel measure of smoking identity. Results Parental smoking was associated with a developmental increase in adolescent smoking and time-stable and time-varying parental engagement protected against adolescent smoking, whereas maternal engagement and smoking exerted independent and opposite effects with no moderation and time-stable paternal engagement moderated the effects of perceived paternal smoking on adolescent smoking outcomes. Parental smoking was more strongly associated with adolescent smoking outcomes when adolescent gender was congruent with parent gender. Conclusions Even when parents smoke, parental engagement confers protection. Protective effects of engagement may be enhanced among parents who smoke through increased antismoking communication, particularly as adolescents reach the legal smoking age.
The effects of income and population demographics on single-county bank performance

We investigate the role market demographics play in determining the accounting performance of banks. Specifically, we study the effect of wealth and population to determine if these market factors drive performance, or if performance is related only to bank-specific variables. Using a sample of single-county banks, we find that market demographics play an important role in determining bank performance. Our univariate findings show banks that operate in low population counties outperform those in high population counties. We also show the lowest performing group of banks operates in counties characterized by high population and high income. Our multivariate tests confirm that as county-level population decreases, bank performance increases. Moreover, we observe a significant low-income advantage after controlling for other determinants of profitability. We also find that low population levels significantly mitigate the negative effects of the 2008 financial crisis for small, single-county banks.
A critical look at partial least squares modeling

,Carol Saunders started a review process for the paper thatturned out to be more problematic than any she had ever seen. Several reviewers turned down the invitation to review. Several reviewers who accepted the invitation nevercompleted their reviews either because of personal problemsthat had arisen in their families or for unstated reasons. Thefew reviewers completing the assignment found the papereither too advanced for the MIS target audience or,concomitantly, conveying a message that was so obvious thatthe paper did not warrant publication. More so than otherdisciplines, the Information Systems discipline relies heavilyon PLS for testing path models. Goodhue, Lewis, andThompson (2006) found that PLS was used almost one thirdof the time in three top MIS journals between 2000 and 2003(inclusive) when testing such models. Carol, believing thecautionary message was an important one, offered to workwith George to issue a joint editorial to share that messagewith the IS community (Marcoulides and Saunders 2006).Both Carol and George saw much merit in the collaborativeeffort and thought it would be a good idea to get the
Postoperative Pain Management With Liposomal Bupivacaine in Patients Undergoing Orthopedic Knee and Hip Arthroplasty at a Community Hospital.

Objective: The objective of this study was to assess the association between liposomal bupivacaine use in patients undergoing knee or hip arthroplasty and concurrent pain control, length of hospitalization, and physical therapy milestones. Methods: This was a retrospective chart review. Patients receiving liposomal bupivacaine during a 1-year period (study group) were compared with patients seen by the same surgeon in the previous year who did not receive liposomal bupivacaine (control group). Clinical outcomes included concurrent opioid use, average pain scores, length of stay, ambulation, and range of motion. Results: A total of 357 patients were included in the study. Knee study group patients received lower amounts of opioid (209 vs 248 mg; P = .02) and had a delayed time to first rescue medication (6.3 ± 4.7 vs 5.0 ± 4.4 hours; P = .02). Hip study group patients had a delay in time to first rescue medication (7.1 ± 6.3 vs 4.9 ± 4.0 hours; P = .046). Both knee and hip study group patients had higher a...
Defect structure and percolation in the packing of bidispersed particles on a sphere

We study packings of bidispersed spherical particles on a spherical surface. The presence of curvature necessitates defects even for monodispersed particles; bidispersity either leads to a more disordered packing for nearly equal radii, or a higher fill fraction when the smaller particles are accommodated in the interstices of the larger spheres. Variation in the packing fraction is explained by a percolation transition, as chains of defects or scars previously discovered in the monodispersed case grow and eventually disconnect the neighbor graph.
Whistleblower laws and corporate fraud: Evidence from the United States☆

We use data from the United States to assess whether whistleblower laws that protect private employees from retaliation have an impact on corporate fraud. Currently, eighteen states have whistleblo...
Induction therapy for locally advanced distal esophageal adenocarcinoma: Is radiation Always necessary?

Abstract Objective To compare outcomes between induction chemotherapy alone (ICA) and induction chemoradiation (ICR) in patients with locally advanced distal esophageal adenocarcinoma. Methods Patients in the National Cancer Database treated with ICA or ICR followed by esophagectomy between 2006 and 2012 for cT1-3N1M0 or T3N0M0 adenocarcinoma of the distal esophagus were compared using logistic regression, Kaplan-Meier analysis, and Cox proportional hazards methods. Results The study group included 4763 patients, of whom 4323 patients (90.8%) received ICR and 440 patients (9.2%) received ICA. There were no differences in age, sex, race, Charlson Comorbidity Index, treatment facility type, clinical T or N status between the 2 groups. Tumor size ≥5 cm (odds ratio, 1.46; P = .006) was the only factor that predicted ICR use. Higher rates of T downstaging (39.7% vs 33.4%; P = .012), N downstaging (32.0% vs 23.4%; P P P = .001), but there was no difference in 5-year survival (ICR 35.9% vs ICA 37.2%; P = .33), and ICR was not associated with survival in multivariable analysis (hazard ratio = 1.04; P = .61). Conclusions ICR for locally advanced distal esophageal adenocarcinoma is associated with a better local treatment effect, but not improved survival compared with ICA, which suggests that radiation can be used selectively in this clinical situation.
Computer Science Education in 2018

Six senior computer science educators answer questions about the current state of computer science education, software engineering, and licensing software engineers.
Centralized and epidemic dissemination of security patches

We study optimal distribution of security patches in a network of devices where the distribution server can jointly decide (i) the intensity of patch distribution, and (ii) the optimal stopping time, to minimize it's cost function. In our model, peer-to-peer contacts between the network nodes aid in epidemic patch distribution in addition to direct patching by the central server. Once the server stops, patches are only disseminated through epidemic spreading by peer-to-peer contacts between the nodes in the network. We formulate the optimization problem as a free terminal time optimal control problem and use Pontryagin's Minimum Principle to obtain the solution. We find the optimal strategy to be considerably more effective than heuristic strategies. Our results show that, as the peer-to-peer patch dissemination between nodes in the network becomes more viral, both optimal server cost and optimal stopping time of the server decreases reflecting reduced workload of the server.
Varieties of anger: The relation between emotion terms and components of anger expressions

Component theory (C. Smith & H. Scott, 1997) predicts that presence of component movements (action units) alters the decoded meaning of a basic emotional expression. We tested whether the meaning of the basic expression of anger varied when different components were present in the expression. Participants were asked to label variants of anger from Ekman and Friesen's Pictures of Facial Affect using 15 anger terms, and invariance of labeling was tested by manipulating the judgment task. Data were analyzed using consensus analysis, multidimensional scaling, and numerical scaling. Components did not result in consensus about fine distinctions in the meanings of the anger expressions. Varying the type of task strongly affected results. We believe this occurred because language elicits different categorization processes than evaluation of facial expressions nonverbally.
Cyclization studies involving the synthesis of 5-substituted-1-napthol

approved: (Major Professor) The ¥-.2,-substituted-phenylparaconic acids were prepared by a method patterned after that of Fuson. These paraconic acids were prepared in good yield. A re-investigation of the Perkin and Fittig . methods of preparing ¥-phenylisocrotonic acid was carried out without success. The synthesis of ¥-.2,-halophenylisocrotonic acids by thermal, and catalyzed decarboxylation of ¥-o-halophenylparaconic acid, have been carried out in good yield. An effective catalyst, optimum temperature and reaction period of decarboxylation of the ¥-.2,-halophenylparaconic acids have been.determined. Infrared absorptions have characterized the Y-o-halophenylisocrotonic acids formed to be in the stable trans form. Cyclization of¥-.2,-halophenylisocrotonic acids was accomplished by isomerization of the trans acid to £!! acid by ultra-violet irradiation, followed by refluxing in the presence of sodium acetate and acetic anhydride. ,The subsequent hydrolysis of the acetylatednaphthol afforded the 5-halo-l-naphthol.
Resummed rate for B → X s γ

In this paper we investigate the effect of the resummation of threshold logs on the rate for $\stackrel{\ensuremath{\rightarrow}}{B}{X}_{s}\ensuremath{\gamma}.$ We calculate the differential rate $d\ensuremath{\Gamma}{/dE}_{\ensuremath{\gamma}}$ including the infinite set of terms of the form ${\ensuremath{\alpha}}_{s}^{n}{\mathrm{log}}^{n+1}(1\ensuremath{-}x)$ and ${\ensuremath{\alpha}}_{s}^{n}{\mathrm{log}}^{n}(1\ensuremath{-}x)$ in the Sudakov exponent. The resummation is potentially important since these logs turn into $\mathrm{log}{(2E}_{\mathrm{cut}}{/m}_{b}),$ when the rate is integrated from the lower cut ${x=2E}_{\mathrm{cut}}{/m}_{b}$ to 1. The resummed rate is then convolved with models for the structure function to study whether or not the logs will be enhanced due to the Fermi motion of the heavy quark. A detailed discussion of the accuracy of the calculation with and without the inclusion of the non-perturbative effects dictated by the B meson structure function is given. We also investigate the first moment with respect to $(1\ensuremath{-}x),$ which can be used to measure $\overline{\ensuremath{\Lambda}}$ and ${\ensuremath{\lambda}}_{1}.$ It is shown that there are some two loop corrections which are just as large as the ${\ensuremath{\alpha}}_{s}^{2}{\ensuremath{\beta}}_{0}$ term, which are usually expected to dominate. We conclude that, for the present energy cut, the threshold logs do not form a dominant sub-series and therefore their resummation is unnecessary. Thus, the prospects for predicting the rate for $\stackrel{\ensuremath{\rightarrow}}{B}{X}_{s}\ensuremath{\gamma}$ accurately, given the present energy cut, are promising.
Spider Silk: Molecular Structure and Function in Webs

All spiders produce silk, and most produce multiple types of silk fibers. How these silks function in prey capture webs provides a crucial link between the molecular biology of silk and spider ecology. Silks are typically semicrystalline fibers that rank among the strongest, toughest, and stretchiest biological fibers. Spider silk proteins (spidroins) are modular in structure and composed mostly of repeated amino acid sequences that form predictably secondary structures that correlate with variation in the material properties of different types of silks. The ability of spidroins to be stored at high concentration in a liquid solution but rapidly undergo a phase shift to a solid fiber during spinning is controlled in part by evolutionarily conserved terminal regions of the proteins. This process also enables spiders to control some aspects of silk properties and structure when spinning silk under different conditions. Much of the evolutionary diversification of silk properties correlates with their use in webs. Orb webs present the best model where silks initially function in intercepting prey then stopping their flight and finally retaining the insects long enough to be captured. Significant trade-offs exist in the allocation of silk resources for these functions, but they are sometimes mitigated by evolutionary shifts in material properties.
Regional Geologic History, CO2 Source Inventory, and Groundwater Risk Assessment of a Potential CO2 Sequestration Site on the Rock Springs Uplift in Southwest Wyoming

The location of a potential carbon capture and sequestration (CCS) project in southwest Wyoming is evaluated with emphasis on the site location, geologic history, location of potential drinking-water aquifers, and proximity to sources of both anthropogenic and natural CO2. Natural and anthropogenic CO2 sources were mapped in Wyoming to define their relation to enhanced oil recovery opportunities and prospective storage sites. Of the nearly 60 Mt of anthropogenic CO2 emissions reported in Wyoming, half were located in the Greater Green River Basin (GGRB) in southwest Wyoming. The Rock Springs Uplift (RSU) CO2 storage site is located in the GGRB, and is a promising structure for commercial CO2 storage/surge tank development. Successful economic utilization of natural and anthropogenic CO2 depends on near-by sources, infrastructure, areas of resource depletion suitable for enhanced recovery, and areas of potential storage.
The role of topology in large deviations

Abstract In the theory of Large Deviations one usually has a family of probability measures on some space with a topology. In most cases there is a natural choice for the space and the topology. But once in a while one has to make a choice that is a bit unusual, which is motivated by the application one has in mind. We will give two such examples.
A Viable Alternative When Propensity Scores Fail: Evaluation of Inverse Propensity Weighting and Sequential G-Estimation in a Two-Wave Mediation Model

Two methods from the potential outcomes framework – inverse propensity weighting (IPW) and sequential G-estimation – were evaluated and compared to linear regression for estimating the mediated eff...
Cefoxitin Prophylaxis During Pediatric Cardiac Surgery: Retrospective Exploration of Postoperative Trough Levels.

Background This study aimed to explore inter-individual variability of cefoxitin trough levels, predictors of serum cefoxitin concentration and the probability of target attainment of drug levels above 4 mg/L after pediatric cardiac surgery. Methods Retrospective study on children scheduled for elective cardiac surgery and having cefoxitin trough levels available up to 24 hours postsurgery. Results Overall, 68 children (9 neonates, 34 infants, 15 children below or equal to 10 years old and 10 patients above this age) were included. Of these, 16 surgeries were performed off cardiopulmonary bypass and 52 were performed on cardiopulmonary bypass. The free cefoxitin concentrations showed a median (interquartile range) concentration of 1.7 (0.6-4.2) mg/L. The range of cefoxitin concentrations showed a 150-fold and 340-fold variability at cardiac intensive care unit admission and after 24 hours, respectively. The pharmacodynamics (PD) targets of free cefoxitin at 100% of the dosing interval, considering Eucast breakpoints for Methicillin Sensitive Staphylococcus Aureus (4 mg/L) and E.Coli (8 mg/L), were obtained in 28% and 16% of patients, respectively. Patient weight (odds ratio, 0.7; 95% confidence interval, 0.62-0.92; P = 0.006) and serum creatinine concentrations (odds ratio, 25; 95% confidence interval, 18-36; P = 0.004) showed a significant relationship with the PD targets. Conclusions Cefoxitin trough concentrations vary significantly in the first 24 hours after pediatric cardiac surgery. Both serum creatinine and body weight showed independent associations with cefoxitin concentration. The PD target was not obtained in the vast majority of the explored population, regardless of the target bacteria.
Seismology and Seismo-Acoustics

This chapter covers parabolic equation techniques for elastic waves, which include compressional, shear, boundary, and interface waves in solid materials. Compressional waves correspond to longitudinal motion (parallel to the direction of propagation) and perturbations in volume. Shear waves correspond to transverse motion (orthogonal to the direction of propagation) and perturbations in shape. Boundary and interface waves propagate along boundaries and interfaces and decay exponentially in the transverse direction. Applications of the elastic parabolic equation include seismology and ocean acoustics problems in which the ocean bottom or ice cover supports shear waves.
Surgical simulator training reduces operative times in resident surgeons learning phacoemulsification cataract surgery.

Abstract Purpose To compare the surgical duration for routine phacoemulsification surgeries in residents with and without virtual simulator training. Methods Retrospective cohort study of operative times of routine phacoemulsification cataract surgeries performed by 29 different third-year residents rotating at one academic institution. One group underwent mandatory virtual cataract surgery simulator training (SIM) in their second year of residency before starting surgeries while the other group did not undergo any simulator training (NOSIM). Outcomes measured were comparative surgical times and vitreous loss rates between groups in their third year of residency. Results 722 surgeries were included. Surgeries in the SIM group were on average 6.7 min (min) shorter compared to the NOSIM group (P = 0.0001). Although both groups required less time for surgery over the course of the academic year, regression analysis showed that NOSIM group residents overall required 17% longer time for an uncomplicated clear corneal phacoemulsification surgery (incidence rate ratio 1.17; p = 0.0001). In the final month of their residency residents in the SIM group (32.2 ± 3 min) were 9 min faster than NOSIM peers (41.2 ± 3 min mean ± SE; p = 0.02). Vitreous loss rates were 1.4% in the SIM group and 3.6% in the NOSIM group (p = 0.06). Conclusion and Importance Early and continuous implementation of mandatory virtual simulator surgical training before starting intraocular surgeries significantly decreases operative times in third year residents learning phacoemulsification compared to non-simulator trained peers.
Bound States in the Continuum of Higher-Order Topological Photonic Systems

We numerically demonstrate that the corner-localized boundary states of a higher-order topological system are bound states in the continuum, demonstrating that bulk-boundary correspondence holds even in the absence of a bandgap.
Role of amygdala in stress-induced upregulation of airway IL-1 signaling in asthma.

Abstract Psychological stress, an important contributor to asthma morbidity, potentiates the immune response to allergen, but the brain mechanisms mediating this response are not fully understood. The amygdala is likely to play an important role, given its sensitivity to threat and connectivity with descending immune modulatory pathways. In this study, we recruited thirty asthmatic participants and examined glucose metabolism in the amygdala, using [F-18]fluorodeoxyglucose positron emission tomography, during a laboratory stressor. Stress hormone and airway inflammatory measurements were also acquired. Results showed that activity in the amygdala was significantly increased during the stressor, compared to a matched control task (p
Cities and race: America's new black ghetto

Part I: Glocal Black Ghetto Emergence 1. Introduction. The Frame. An Uneasy Global Trope. Perspective and Definitions 2. Rise of Glocal Ghetto. The Beginning. Things Get Worse, 1965-1980. The Reagan 1980s. The Post 1990 Global Obsession. Formation of the Global Ghetto 3. The Global Trope. Introduction. The New Spaceless Entrepreneur. Problem Inner Cities. New Heroic Mayors As Salvationists. The Result Part II: Current Ghetto Dynamics 4. Glocal Ghetto Changes. Introduction. Deepened Deprivation. The New Stigma and Marginalization. The New Ambiguous Ghetto-Prison Connection 5. The Current Federal Role - Bush Policy Effects. Introduction. Bush Urban Policy. Faith-Based Interventions. Changed Workfare. No Child Left Behind. The Future Federal Role - Block Grants Part III: The Active Black Ghetto 6. Ghetto Responses. Introduction. Resistance to the Glocal Ghetto. The Outcome 7. The Crisis of the Black Ghetto. Introduction. A New Uneven Development
Reaction-Limited Aggregation: Recent Simulation Results

A simple model for reaction-limited cluster-cluster aggregation (the random addition of pairs of clusters without overlap) has been investigated in dimensionalities 2–10 and 20 using both off-lattice models and hypercubic lattice models. For d = 2, 3 and 4 the effective fractal dimensionalities of clusters generated by hierarchical models are in good agreement with those obtained earlier by Jullien and Kolb using similar (but not identical) models. In higher dimensions the hierarchical models give good agreement with the theoretical models of Ball and Witten and of Obukhov which predict that above a critical dimensionality dc = 2D+ (D=ln(4)/ln(3/2)) the clusters are mutually transparent and have a fractal dimensionality of D+. A polydisperse version of the “Sutherland’s Ghost” (transparency) model of Ball and Witten leads to the result D+ ≃ 4.0, dC ≃ 8.0, which is also in reasonably good agreement with the simulation results. The polydisperse models have also been used to investigate the kinetics of aggregation.
Functional differences between microglia and monocytes after ischemic stroke

The brain’s initial innate response to stroke is primarily mediated by microglia, the resident macrophage of the CNS. However, as early as 4 h after stroke, the blood–brain barrier is compromised and monocyte infiltration occurs. The lack of discriminating markers between these two myeloid populations has led many studies to generate conclusions based on the grouping of these two populations. A growing body of evidence now supports the distinct roles played by microglia and monocytes in many disease models. Using a flow cytometry approach, combined with ex-vivo functional assays, we were able to distinguish microglia from monocytes using the relative expression of CD45 and assess the function of each cell type following stroke over the course of 7 days. We found that at 72 h after a 90-min middle cerebral artery occlusion (MCAO), microglia populations decrease whereas monocytes significantly increase in the stroke brain compared to sham. After stroke, BRDU incorporation into monocytes in the bone marrow increased. After recruitment to the ischemic brain, these monocytes accounted for nearly all BRDU-positive macrophages. Inflammatory activity peaked at 72 h. Microglia produced relatively higher reactive oxygen species and TNF, whereas monocytes were the predominant IL-1β producer. Although microglia showed enhanced phagocytic activity after stroke, monocytes had significantly higher phagocytic capacity at 72 h. Interestingly, we found a positive correlation between TNF expression levels and phagocytic activity of microglia after stroke. In summary, the resident microglia population is vulnerable to the effects of severe ischemia, show compromised cell cycle progression, and adopt a largely pro-inflammatory phenotype after stroke. Infiltrating monocytes are primarily involved with early debris clearance of dying cells. These findings suggest that the early wave of infiltrating monocytes may be beneficial to stroke repair and future therapies aimed at mitigating microglia cell death may prove more effective than attempting to elicit targeted anti-inflammatory responses from damaged cells.
Molecular Characterization of the Substance P·Neurokinin-1 Receptor Complex DEVELOPMENT OF AN EXPERIMENTALLY BASED MODEL

Molecular models for the interaction of substance P (SP) with its G protein-coupled receptor, the neurokinin-1 receptor (NK-1R), have been developed. The ligand·receptor complex is based on experimental data from a series of photoaffinity labeling experiments and spectroscopic structural studies of extracellular domains of the NK-1R. Using the ligand/receptor contact points derived from incorporation of photolabile probes (p-benzoylphenylalanine (Bpa)) into SP at positions 3, 4, and 8 and molecular dynamics simulations, the topological arrangement of SP within the NK-1R is explored. The model incorporates the structural features, determined by high resolution NMR studies, of the second extracellular loop (EC2), containing contact points Met174 and Met181, providing important experimentally based conformational preferences for the simulations. Extensive molecular dynamics simulations were carried out to probe the nature of the two contact points identified for the Bpa3SP analogue (Bremer, A. A., Leeman, S. E., and Boyd, N. D. (2001) J. Biol. Chem. 276, 22857–22861), examining modes of ligand binding in which the contact points are fulfilled sequentially or simultaneously. The resulting ligand·receptor complex has the N terminus of SP projecting toward transmembrane helix (TM) 1 and TM2, exposed to the solvent. The C terminus of SP is located in proximity to TM5 and TM6, deeper into the central core of the receptor. The central portion of the ligand, adopting a helical loop conformation, is found to align with the helices of the central regions EC2 and EC3, forming important interactions with both of these extracellular domains. The model developed here allows for atomic insight into the biochemical data currently available and guides targeting of future experiments to probe specific ligand/receptor interactions and thereby furthers our understanding of the functioning of this important neuropeptide system.
Clash of Extremes: The Economic Origins of the Civil War – By Marc Egnal

Any student who has taken the U.S. history survey to 1877 from this reviewer over the past twenty years would nod along as they read the introduction to this book, thinking, “yes, that's how Profes...
Shear Excitation of Atmospheric Gravity Waves. Part II: Nonlinear Radiation from a Free Shear Layer

Abstract This paper addresses the efficiency and characteristics of two mechanisms that have been proposed to account for the excitation of radiating gravity waves by Kelvin-Helmholtz (KH) instabilities at a free shear layer in a stratified atmosphere. These mechanisms are the vortex pairing or subharmonic interaction observed to occur at the interface between two homogeneous fluid layers and the KH interaction or “envelope radiation” mechanism found to occur in the presence of propagating unstable modes. Vortex pairing in a stratified environment is found to be highly dependent on the minimum mean Richardson number, being very efficient when the subharmonic is itself a KH mode and relatively unimportant when the subharmonic has propagating character. The envelope radiation mechanism, in contrast, is observed to provide efficient radiating wave excitation in the absence of propagating unstable modes, as anticipated by Fritts. It is suggested that this latter mechanism may lead naturally to the excitation ...