cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Pricing Variation Within Dual-Distribution Chains: The Different Implications of Externalities and Signaling for High- and Low-Quality Brands

Within many of the multioutlet branded chains that dominate the retail and services landscape, the organizational form (e.g., company management, franchising) used to manage an outlet varies from site to site, as do the prices charged at those sites. I propose that organizational form and prices may be systematically related as a result of brand externalities. In particular, I develop logic that the relevant form of externality should differ for upper quality tier brands and lower tier brands. Using panel data on price and organizational form from more than 6,700 branded U.S. hotels affiliated with 40 “dual-distribution” brands—those brands that simultaneously company manage and franchise individual outlets—I find that, consistent with the brand externality arguments, company-managed locations have higher prices within high-quality chains, whereas franchisees price higher in the lower tiers. This paper was accepted by Bruno Cassiman, business strategy.
A method for directly determining surface strain fields using diffraction gratings

This paper describes a new method for determining the strain distribution at the surface of solid bodies. The method is purely optical; it uses the diffraction phenomena generated by a copy of a grating that is applied to the specimen. A suitable mask performs filtering of the diffraction pattern; the image that is reconstructed from this filtered pattern shows light and dark areas; it is shown that the boundary line of those areas is the locus of points exhibiting the same value of strain, measured along a certain direction.
The partial thromboplastin time and factor VIII therapy.

A large pseudotumor was removed from a hemophiliac patient, necessitating the use of long-term, high-dose therapy with factor VIII concentrate. The patient's activated partial thromboplastin time rarely normalized in spite of high factor VIII assay levels. In addition, other routine tests of coagulation became abnormal. This was attributed to large quantities of either fibrinogen or other inhibitors, or both, in the infused factor VIII concentrates. It is postulated that if fibrinogen in great excess is the sole cause of these abnormalities it causes them by not being totally converted to fibrin, the excess interfering with fibrin polymerization.
Monophyly and Molecular Evolution within Three Phyllostomid Bat Genera

Albumin immunology is used both to determine species relationships within the bat genera Micronycteris, Phyllostomus , and Tonatia , and to evaluate whether or not these genera are monophyletic. Species of Tonatia are immunologically very divergent and represent several distinct lineages. The albumin data cannot confirm the monophyly of this genus. Tonatia bidens is divergent chromosomally, electrophoretically, and immunologically, and the albumins suggest that this species is as divergent from other species of Tonatia as it is from Phyllostomus . Phyllostomus is monophyletic with Phylloderma fitting well within the Phyllostomus clade. Although Micronycteris is monophyletic, the genus consists of several lineages which may represent ancient divergences. The degree of divergence among Micronycteris species plus the fact that Micronycteris albumins have changed little with respect to other phyllostomid genera makes the determination of species relationships difficult.
A METHOD FOR TAXONOMIC TYPOLOGY CONSTRUCTION AND AN EXAMPLE: UTILIZED FLAKES

This paper considers problems inherent in constructing typologies based on subdividing artifacts using clustering algorithms that assume a paradigmatic structure (as do most, if not all, currently used algorithms) and presents an alternative method based on a taxonomic, rather than a paradigmatic, structure for the artifact classes. The method is exemplified by analysis of an assemblage of utilized flakes from a series of late prehistoric habitation sites in the central highlands of Peru. These flakes were previously analyzed using more intuitive, traditional methods but without identifying any satisfactory groupings within the assemblage. Similarly, paradigmatically based clustering algorithms applied to the entire data set and using the several variables measured over these flakes were also unable to extract meaningful groupings. In contrast, the method presented here was able to (1) construct a partition of the flake assemblage into groups that also made intuitive sense to the practitioner, (2) have functional interpretation assignable through a model of transmission offorces from agent to object acted on, and (3) produce units differentially occurring across the several subsites from which the utilized flakes were obtained, i.e., units that add another dimension to the analysis of activities represented by the archaeological assemblage. Although demonstrated with utilizedflakes, the method has general application.
Examining Failure in a Dynamic Decision Environment: Strategies for Treating Patients with a Chronic Disease

In this paper we investigate the dynamic decision-making task of primary care physicians treating patients with type 2 diabetes to achieve a blood glucose goal. The focus of the study is on developing and testing an information processing theory that can explain why some physicians more often succeed and others more often fail to achieve desirable clinical goals. The developed theory is represented in the form of two types of computational models, one employing a feedback decision-making strategy and the other a feedforward strategy. The models were implemented in software and tested using data from a previously reported experiment where physicians treated simulated patients with type 2 diabetes. The physician data were scored for a defined set of treatment errors. Computational processes were systematically examined to identify and specify processes to perturb in order to generate the observed errors. Models were created for each physician by introducing perturbations in computational processes based on errors that each physician committed during the experiment. These models treated the same simulated patients that the physicians treated; results from each model treating the patients were compared with the represented physician’s results to test the sufficiency of the models to explain observed errors. Process perturbations which explained observed errors took two characteristic forms, both of which resulted in delayed treatment action: (1) elevated thresholds for triggering action and (2) overestimating delayed effects of medications. Physician models made predictions for types and timing of subjects’ treatment errors: physician models generated 79 % of the same types of treatment errors as committed by physicians. As demonstrated by this study, developing task specific information processing theories (expressed as computational models) are useful for investigating patterns of decision making that lead to errors of performance. Studies of this nature can support the design of decision support systems intended to reduce errors associated with dynamic tasks, such as treating a chronic disease.
Reprogramming Approaches to Cardiovascular Disease: From Developmental Biology to Regenerative Medicine

Heart disease is a leading cause of death in adults and children. We, and others, have described complex signaling, transcriptional, and translational networks that guide early differentiation of cardiac progenitors and later morphogenetic events during cardiogenesis. We found that networks of transcription factors and miRNAs function through intersecting positive and negative feedback loops to reinforce differentiation and proliferation decisions. We have utilized a combination of major cardiac regulatory factors to induce direct reprogramming of cardiac fibroblasts into cardiomyocyte-like cells with global gene expression and electrical activity similar to cardiomyocytes. The in vivo efficiency of reprogramming into cells that are more fully reprogrammed was greater than in vitro and resulted in improved cardiac function after injury. We have also identified a unique cocktail of transcription factors and small molecules that reprogram human fibroblasts into cardiomyocyte-like cells and are testing these in large animals. Knowledge regarding the early steps of cardiac differentiation in vivo has led to effective strategies to generate necessary cardiac cell types for regenerative approaches and may lead to new strategies for human heart disease.
Frequency-Translational Quadrature-Hybrid Receivers for Very-Low-Noise, Frequency-Agile, Scalable Inter-Band Carrier Aggregation

A frequency-translational quadrature-hybrid receiver is proposed that achieves wideband input matching for a reflective low-noise-amplifier input impedance and enables the realization of wideband, concurrent receivers. Frequency-agile, inter-band carrier aggregation is realized from a single antenna through RF signal sharing and quadrature-hybrid-coupler daisy chaining. A 1.1 V 65 nm CMOS prototype chip is demonstrated that has a sub-1 dB minimum NF, a 12 MHz to 70 MHz RF bandwidth, a +8 dBm $IIP_{3}$ , and a −15 dBm $B_{1dB}$ and consumes <58 mW per channel. The prototypes have been integrated into a demonstration system that features 4-band inter-band carrier aggregation with modulated carriers placed between 0.69 and 2.1 GHz and received with an EVM <2.8%.
Pediatrician prescriptions for outdoor physical activity among children: A pilot study

Research indicates that promoting time spent in the outdoors and outdoor physical activity increases children's daily physical activity and improves health. One method showing promise is doctor prescriptions for outdoor physical activity for children; however, no empirical evidence currently exists on prescriptions for children's outdoor physical activity. A pilot study was conducted at one pediatric practice in western North Carolina during 2015 to test the feasibility and potential effectiveness of conducting an outdoor physical activity prescription program for children aged 5–13 years. Three pediatricians wrote prescriptions for children (n = 38), discussed benefits of outdoor physical activity, and provided information packets to parents on nearby places for physical activity. Parents of patients of five pediatricians served as control (n = 32). Prior to seeing a pediatrician, parents completed a baseline survey that asked height and weight, assessed their views of children's physical activity, and their personal and child's physical activity/sedentary behaviors. A nurse measured children's height and weight. Parents were emailed one-month and three-month follow-up surveys that asked the questions listed above. Changes in children's physical activity, outdoor physical activity, time spent in the outdoors, and sedentary activities were not significant between intervention and control groups. About half of parents (49%) viewed prescriptions as beneficial for their children and most used the intervention materials at home (70%). A larger study is needed to assess whether prescriptions increase children's physical activity. A critical examination of the intervention, pilot study design, and suggestions for a larger future study are provided.
Patterns of AKT, mTOR, ERK, and STAT3 pathway activation in MGUS, smoldering multiple myeloma, and multiple myeloma.

8589 Background: Constitutive activation of key signaling pathways supports proliferation in multiple myeloma (MM). However, pathway activation in MGUS and smoldering multiple myeloma (SMM) compare...
Ferric pyrophosphate citrate as an iron replacement agent for patients receiving hemodialysis

Treatment of anemia remains an integral component in the care of patients with end stage kidney disease receiving dialysis. Currently, both erythropoiesis stimulating agents and iron replacement agents remain important anemia management strategies for patients undergoing hemodialysis (HD). Ferric pyrophosphate citrate (FPC) was approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration in January 2015 as an iron replacement product in adult patients receiving long-term maintenance HD. FPC is administered to patients on HD through the dialysate. Multicenter randomized, placebo-controlled phase three clinical studies (CRUISE 1 and 2) have found dialysate FPC to maintain hemoglobin level and iron balance in patients receiving chronic HD. Adverse events were similar in both the dialysate FPC-treated and placebo groups. Another study showed a significant reduction in the prescribed erythropoietin-stimulating agents dose at the end of treatment in the dialysate FPC-treated group compared with placebo. These studies have shown that dialysate FPC is efficacious and well tolerated. In this article, we review clinical studies evaluating the efficacy and safety of FPC and also propose a protocol for iron replacement in HD units where dialysate FPC is to be used.
Foundations of the Formal Number Concept: How Preverbal Mechanisms Contribute to the Development of Cardinal Knowledge

Abstract Human infants possess two core mechanisms—the analog number system (ANS) and the object tracking system (OTS)—with which they represent number and other quantities. It is vigorously debated whether these systems can support a true concept of number, which requires that the system produce representations that (a) are abstract, (b) connote cardinalities, (c) support ordinality, and (d) support arithmetic computations. It is argued that only the ANS fulfills the requirements of engaging a true number concept, and further that this preverbal number concept provides the foundation for children's learning of formal number concepts. Recent research examining the contributions of both systems to the development of cardinal knowledge supports a dual mechanism view; however, the influence of the OTS is limited and short-lived, suggesting that the ANS is the core mechanism that provides the principled structure (cardinality, ordinality, arithmetic) on which children build a formal concept of number.
Near-Minimum Time Controller for Robotic Manipulators

Abstract A near-minimum time feedback controller for robotic manipulators with bounded input torques is developed in this paper which applies a time scaling method to move a manipulator in near-minimum time using the allowable input torques efficiently. This new feedback controller algorithm adapts to an uncertain environment and automatically adjusts the desired speed along a specified path to be as fast as possible while avoiding the velocity saturation condition. Numerical examples of the near-minimum time feedback controller are provided using a two-link SCARA manipulator.
Use of Automated Scoring in Spoken Language Assessments for Test Takers With Speech Impairments

This study is an evaluation of the performance of automated speech scoring for speakers with documented or suspected speech impairments. Given that the use of automated scoring of open-ended spoken responses is relatively nascent and there is little research to date that includes test takers with disabilities, this small exploratory study focuses on one type of scoring technology, automatic speech scoring (the SpeechRaterSM automated scoring engine); one type of assessment, spontaneous spoken English by nonnative adults (six TOEFL iBT® test speaking items per test taker); and one category of disability, speech impairments. The results show discrepancies between human and SpeechRater scores for speakers with documented speech or hearing impairments who receive accommodations and for speakers whose responses were deferred to the scoring leader by human raters because the responses exhibited signs of a speech impairment. SpeechRater scores for these studied groups tended to be higher than the human scores. Based on a smaller subsample, the word error rate was higher for these groups relative to the control group, suggesting that the automatic speech recognition system contributed to the discrepancies between SpeechRater and human scores.
Towards a definition of “hobby”: An empirical test of a proposed operational definition of the word hobby

Hobbies have long been promoted as beneficial leisure occupations, but assessing this claim is difficult as no commonly used definition of the word “hobby” exists. Gelber’s (1999) definition of a h...
The impact of surgery on survival after progression of glioblastoma: A retrospective cohort analysis of a contemporary patient population.

Abstract Despite updated management of glioblastoma (GB), progression is virtually inevitable. Previous data suggest a survival benefit from resection at progression; however, relatively few studies have evaluated the role of surgery in the context of contemporary GB treatment and widespread use of bevacizumab and chemotherapy. As such, the purpose of this study is to evaluate outcomes following surgical resection in patients with progressive GB since 2008. The records of all patients who underwent biopsy or resection of GB between January 1, 2008, and December 31, 2015, were retrospectively reviewed to identify 368 patients with progressive GB. Median survival and 95% confidence intervals were generated with the Kaplan-Meier method. Multivariate analysis, which controlled for age, Karnofsky Performance Status (KPS), extent of resection, adjuvant chemotherapy and radiation, tumor location, and tumor multifocality, of post-progression survival was carried out using a Cox proportional hazards model. Of 368 patients with progressive disease, 77 (20.9%) underwent resection at first documented progression. The median post-progression survivals for patients who did and did not undergo resection at this time were 12.8 and 7.0 months, respectively. In multivariate analysis, KPS ≥ 70 at progression (HR 0.438), receipt of bevacizumab at first progression (HR 0.756), and receipt of chemotherapy at first progression (HR 0.644) were associated with increased post-progression survival. Thus, surgery for progressive GB may not improve post-progression survival in the context of contemporary maximal non-surgical therapy. Further investigation is necessary to elucidate what role, if any, bevacizumab has in prolonging post-progression survival in patients with progressive GB.
Faradaic efficiency of ethanol oxidation to CO2 at metallic nanoparticle/short-side-chain PFSA solid-state electrolyte interfaces investigated by on-line DEMS

Abstract Ethanol has attracted attention as a renewable fuel for application in electrochemical reformers, for the production of hydrogen, and in fuel cells. The electro-oxidation of ethanol, however, faces a central drawback related to the difficulty for the C C bond cleavage, which is required for its complete electro-oxidation to CO2. Thus, the efficiency has to be increased and this is the main challenge for the use of ethanol as a fuel in such devices. In this study, the ethanol electro-oxidation was studied at metallic nanoparticle/Aquivion® solid-state interfaces. The nanostructured electrocatalysts were formed by Pt/C, Rh/C, Sn/Pt/C, and Sn/(PtRh)/C nanoparticles, and the electrocatalysis was tested at temperatures ranging from 25 to 140 °C. Potentiostatic and potentiodynamic measurements showed a marked effect of the temperature on the electrocatalytic activity and, principally, on the stability, due to lower poisoning by adsorbed reaction intermediates above 100 °C. By using a new setup for coupling the solid-state electrolyte cell with a DEMS (Differential Electrochemical Mass Spectrometry) equipment, with a proper calibration, it was possible to determinate the faradaic efficiency of ethanol electrochemical oxidation to CO2 at each studied condition. The results showed that the CO2 current efficiencies (CCE) increased from approximately zero, at 25 °C, to 54.0, 44.1, 22.7, and 13.1% for Rh/C, Pt/C, Sn/(PtRh)/C (1:3), and Sn/Pt/C (1:3), respectively, at 120 °C, under potentiostatic conditions. The impact of the temperature was more prominent for Rh/C, and this was associated to its ability for ethanol dehydrogenation in the methyl group, resulting in the formation of adsorbed oxametallacycle species, that facilitates the direct cleavage of the C C bond, this step being more rapid at 120 °C than at ambient temperature.
Adaptive Modulation for Underwater Acoustic Communications Based on Reinforcement Learning

Extended propagation delay is the major challenge in implementing adaptive modulation schemes in underwater acoustic communications. Due to the long propagation delay, the channel state information is often outdated when received at the transmitter, thus limiting the gain from the feedback or even causing communication failures. The adaptive modulation problem can be formulated as a Markov decision process, which can be solved by reinforcement learning methods. In this paper, an adaptive modulation strategy was developed based on reinforcement learning, specifically the Dyna-Q algorithm, to improve the communication throughput in the underwater acoustic environment. The acoustic communication channel was characterized by a single parameter, the effective signal-to-noise ratio (ESNR), which was referred to as the channel state. The Dyna-Q algorithm undertook two roles: predicting the channel state and calculating communication throughput based on the real and simulated experiences of data communications for each modulation order at different channel states. With the predicted channel state and the calculated throughputs, the Dyna-Q algorithm chose the modulation order based on the returned channel state from the receiver, with a goal to maximize the long-term reward, i.e., communication throughput. Such Dyna-Q based adaptive modulation strategy was applied to data communications with an autonomous underwater vehicle in the simulated acoustic communication channel. The performance of the adaptive modulation system was examined when the vehicle traveled at two different tracks. An acoustic parabolic equation model, Monterey-Miami Parabolic Equation (MMPE), with historical sound speed profile measurements was used to generate acoustic impulse responses. Our simulations showed that the Dyna-Q algorithm achieved higher throughputs than the direct feedback of the ESNR.
The Wichterle Reaction

The Wichterle reaction is a conversion of vinylic chlorides to ketones by sulfuric acid. Most of the applications are transformations of γ-chlorocrotyl (3-chloro-2-butenyl) derivatives to 3-oxobutyl derivatives. The ketones thus formed may undergo subsequent reactions in compounds containing reactive centers. Thus intramolecular aldol-type condensations occur in compounds containing carbonyl groups, and Friedel-Crafts-type cyclizations in compounds containing aromatic rings. The reaction can be used as an alternative to Robinson's annelation.
Is it just me, or was that sexist? The role of sexism type and perpetrator race in identifying sexism

Despite sexism occurring frequently, people often do not identify it as such. Using a vignette design, the current project explored whether sexism was identified at a different rate and intensity depending on the specific form of sexism enacted (hostile or benevolently sexist behavior) and race (Black or White) of the man perpetrating sexist behaviors. When a Black man engaged in a benevolently (paternalistic) sexist behavior he was perceived as more sexist than a White man. However, White and Black men were perceived similarly when they engaged in a hostile (overtly negative and derogatory) sexist behavior. Overall, female participants identified sexism more often and viewed it as more sexist than male participants did, especially in the context of benevolent sexism. These findings suggest there are significant effects of perceiver gender and perpetrator race in the perception of sexism. This demonstrates the importance of examining both race- and gender-based discrimination together.
Artificial Intelligence in Reproductive Urology.

The promise of artificial intelligence (AI) in medicine has been widely theorized over the past couple of decades. It has only been with technological advances over the past few years that physicians and computer scientists have started discovering its true clinical potential. Reproductive urology is a sub-discipline that AI could be of great contribution, as current predictive models and subjectivity within the field have several limitations. We review the literature to summarize recent AI applications in reproductive urology. Early AI applications in reproductive urology focused on predicting semen parameters based on questionnaires that identify potential environmental factors and/or lifestyle habits impacting male fertility. AI has shown success in predicting the patient subpopulation most likely to need a genetic workup for azoospermia. With recent advances in image processing, automated sperm detection is a reality. Semen analyses, once a laboratory-only diagnostic test, have moved into health consumer homes with the advent of AI. AI’s prospects in medicine are considerable and there is strong potential for AI within reproductive urology. Research in identifying the factors that can affect reproductive success either naturally or with assisted reproduction is of paramount importance to move the field forward.
State law and legal pluralism: towards an appraisal

Is plurality within state law a case of legal pluralism? The traditional canon on legal pluralism cannot come to a consensus on the matter. Those who do not consider plurality within state law a ca...
Enzymatic digestion of amylose and high amylose maize starch inclusion complexes with alkyl gallates

Abstract The interactions between starch and phenolic compounds have a great impact on the physicochemical and nutritional properties of starch-containing foods. One particular form of the interaction is starch-guest inclusion complexation, which is a specific non-covalent interaction formed between starch and guest molecules. This study investigates complexation ability and enzymatic digestibility profiles of amylose and high amylose maize starch (HAMS) inclusion complexes with gallic acid (GA) and alkyl gallates of various chain lengths, including butyl (BG), octyl (OG), dodecyl (DG), hexadecyl (HG), and octadecyl (SG) gallates. The formation of inclusion complex was examined by complementary techniques including differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), X-ray diffraction (XRD), and Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy. The digestibility profiles, represented as rapidly digestible starch (RDS), slowly digestible starch (SDS), and resistant starch (RS) contents, were obtained through simulated in vitro enzymatic digestion assays. The results showed that while GA, BG, and OG were not capable of forming inclusion complex with either amylose or HAMS, gallates with longer alkyl chains were able to form more stable inclusion complexes. Precipitated amylose and HAMS samples without inclusion complex formation contained the lowest RDS and highest SDS + RS, probably due to starch retrogradation. Amylose and HAMS inclusion complexes with long alkyl chain, particularly HG and SG, also possessed the lowest RDS and highest SDS + RS, but higher SDS proportions than the non-complexed starch samples. It was suggested that the inclusion complexes, especially amylose-HG and SG, and HAMS-DG, HG, and SG, might have contributed to the increase in SDS content. The water insusceptibility and high thermal stability of these inclusion complexes helped retard the starch digestion. The resistant yet steady digestion behavior of the starch-gallate inclusion complexes has significant implications in modulating glycemic response, as well as enabling a slow and sustained release of bioactive guest compounds into the gastrointestinal tract.
Wavelength-Demultiplexed Laser Interferometry for Metrology

Non-contact, cost-efficient, and long-range precision metrology is essential for applications in diverse areas, from 3D sensing and robotics to automated manufacturing, and multiwavelength interferometry is a compelling candidate. Here, we present a new arithmetic approach for multiwavelength phase unwrapping, with the maximum theoretical range and tolerance to measurement noise in phase. We supplement our formulation with a simultaneous phase shifting interferometry setup with a low measured standard deviation of phase, $\sigma _\phi ={2\pi }/{1325}$ . We unwrap the interferometric phases of experiments performed through wavelengths with a greatest common divisor of 25 nm, demonstrate a range equal to their lowest-common-multiple with the precision of a single wavelength interferometer, and reconstruct three-dimensional scenes based on a single-pixel 3D imaging system.
David Oliver: We can support primary care without blaming hospital doctors

At the end of 2020, delegates at the local medical committee (LMC) conference of GPs backed a motion demanding “financial sanctions” against hospitals that failed to limit the “unfunded transfer of work to primary care.” They warned that the covid-19 pandemic had led to a major surge in tasks “dumped on GPs by hospitals.”1 As a hospital doctor working in acute care, I have great sympathy for GPs’ concerns. Primary care (GPs and other practice staff—notably nurses) does around 90% of NHS patient contacts for about 10% of the budget and an annual budget of around £155 (€179; $217) per patient on the practice list.2 A 2019 …
A thermomechanical and photochemical description of the phase change process in roll-to-roll nanoimprinting lithography

Abstract In this paper, a model for the phase change process due to irradiation with an Ultraviolet (UV) light in a mold filled with a viscoelastic fluid in roll-to-roll nanoimprinting lithography is developed. Employing a thermomechanical approach, constitutive equations for the phase change of a mixture of viscoelastic fluid and solid constituents of the polymer are derived. A general model describing phase change that relates both thermomechanics and photochemistry is presented. A function defining the mass fractions of fluid and solid in the mixture is utilized in the thermomechanical description, and the governing equations for the evolution of the fluid and solid mixtures are obtained based on photochemical reactions under UV light. General properties and kinematic equations that impact phase change in terms of material properties and process parameters are obtained. A simplification of the model without sacrificing the underlying physics to make the problem amenable to analysis is put into place. The general model of phase transition is simplified by assuming that the gradient of the displacement, the strain and its time rate, are small; this results in an integro-differential quasilinear system of equations. A numerical scheme is proposed to solve the problem and results from the numerical simulations are presented and discussed.
Correlated noise in brain magnetic resonance elastography.

Purpose Magnetic resonance elastography (MRE) uses phase-contrast MRI to generate mechanical property maps of the in vivo brain through imaging of tissue deformation from induced mechanical vibration. The mechanical property estimation process in MRE can be susceptible to noise from physiological and mechanical sources encoded in the phase, which is expected to be highly correlated. This correlated noise has yet to be characterized in brain MRE, and its effects on mechanical property estimates computed using inversion algorithms are undetermined. Methods To characterize the effects of signal noise in MRE, we conducted 3 experiments quantifying (1) physiomechanical sources of signal noise, (2) physiological noise because of cardiac-induced movement, and (3) impact of correlated noise on mechanical property estimates. We use a correlation length metric to estimate the extent that correlated signal persists in MRE images and demonstrate the effect of correlated noise on property estimates through simulations. Results We found that both physiological noise and vibration noise were greater than image noise and were spatially correlated across all subjects. Added physiological and vibration noise to simulated data resulted in property maps with higher error than equivalent levels of Gaussian noise. Conclusion Our work provides the foundation to understand contributors to brain MRE data quality and provides recommendations for future work to correct for signal noise in MRE.
Analysis on Unintentional Resonances in High-Speed Signals from Non-Ideal Routing Stub

As more components are integrated into a denser area in electronic devices, the complexity of routing increases. A routing design resulting from routing tools may pass all design rule checks, but it can also result in signal integrity problems, which affect the performance of the entire link path, often not realized until the layout stage. In this paper, such designs are analyzed for their unintentional resonances in the insertion loss and the crosstalk of the signals. As an example, an unintentional power plane stub created by trace routing revisions adjacent to the signal trace behaves as a quarter-wavelength resonant structure. To avoid such unintentional resonances in high-speed signals, trace routing should be carefully designed and design rule checks must be improved to detect and warn the users of such potential signal integrity hazards.
Consistency Conflicts and Federalism Choice: Marine Spatial Planning Beyond the States' Territorial Seas

Offshore areas are under pressure to industrialize for renewable energy. To plan for offshore wind development, Rhode Island engaged in a marine spatial planning process that resulted in the Ocean Special Area Management Plan, a regulatory invention of the Coastal Zone Management Act. Notably, the RI O-SAMP maps and plans for uses in federal waters beyond the three-mile line dividing state and federal jurisdiction, as well as within the state’s territorial sea, posing a challenge to the boundaries of offshore federalism. Conceiving of the question of how to balance federal, state, and local interests in siting offshore renewable energy facilities as one of “federalism choice,” there are sound theoretical and pragmatic rationales that weigh in favor of encouraging other states to adopt the O-SAMP model.
The Czar's General: The Memoirs of a Russian General in the Napoleonic Wars, by Mikaberidze, Alexander, (Ed.). Yermolov, Alexey

The Napoleonic era has undoubtedly produced some of the best accounts of warfare as waged by that master of war—Napoleon Bonaparte. From the works of the late Napoleonic scholar—David G. Chandler a...
PROTEOLYTIC ACTIVITY AND GENERAL CHARACTERISTICS OF A MARINE BACTERIUM, AEROMONAS PROTEOLYTICA SP. N

Merkel, Joseph R. (Fort Johnson Marine Biological Laboratory, College of Charleston, Charleston, S.C.), Eugene D. Traganza, Barid B. Mukherjee, Travis B. Griffin, and J. M. Prescott. Proteolytic activity and general characteristics of a marine bacterium, Aeromonas proteolytica sp. n. J. Bacteriol. 87:1227-1233. 1964.-A highly proteolytic bacterial species was isolated from the alimentary canal of the marine borer, Limnoria. The morphological and biochemical characteristics of the organism indicated that it was a new Aeromonas species, for which the name A. proteolytica is proposed. When freshly isolated, the organism required seawater for growth; but, upon prolonged culture in the laboratory, it was able to grow in media of greatly reduced salt concentration, provided that relatively large amounts of peptone were supplied. Peptone or hydrolysates of casein were capable of supplying all organic nutrients required for growth and proteinase production. Certain individual amino acids were also able to furnish all energy, carbon, and nitrogen requirements. Inorganic nitrogen was utilized in the presence of citrate, but could not serve as the only source of nitrogen in the presence of glucose. The organism was facultatively anaerobic, but best growth and proteinase production occurred only with vigorous aeration. The amount of growth obtained in 24 hr increased rapidly as the incubation temperature was increased up to a maximum of 40 C, but no growth occurred at 42 C.
Supersymmetry and String Theory: Beyond the Standard Model

The past decade has witnessed dramatic developments in the field of theoretical physics. This book is a comprehensive introduction to these recent developments. It contains a review of the Standard Model, covering non-perturbative topics, and a discussion of grand unified theories and magnetic monopoles. It introduces the basics of supersymmetry and its phenomenology, and includes dynamics, dynamical supersymmetry breaking, and electric-magnetic duality. The book then covers general relativity and the big bang theory, and the basic issues in inflationary cosmologies before discussing the spectra of known string theories and the features of their interactions. The book also includes brief introductions to technicolor, large extra dimensions, and the Randall-Sundrum theory of warped spaces. This will be of great interest to graduates and researchers in the fields of particle theory, string theory, astrophysics and cosmology. The book contains several problems, and password protected solutions will be available to lecturers at www.cambridge.org/9780521858410.
Jane Addams (1860-1935): Social worker and Peace Builder

The name Jane Addams is typically associated with the Settlement House Movement. As a founder of Hull House, the first settlement house in the United States, Addams worked tirelessly on behalf of the poor and oppressed. Less widely known is the depth of her concern about peace and her efforts as a peace builder. A more careful review, however, of Addams’ words and works reveals her passionate commitment to the abolition of war and the restoration of peace. This biographical sketch highlights the breadth and depth of Addams’ work both as an advocate for the poor and as an advocate for peace.
Detecting small, low-contrast moving targets in infrared video produced by inconsistent sensor with bad pixels

This paper addresses the problem of finding small and low-contrast moving targets in infrared (IR) video sequences produced by sensors with inconsistent parameters, such as intensity offset and gain as well as bad pixels. This sensor variability makes it difficult to apply methods based on frame registration using simple pixel differences. Our proposed algorithm uses regression to normalize the variations of intensity offset and gain between compared registered frames. A statistical criterion is used to calculate the threshold for the difference between normalized intensities of two frames. The algorithm for finding the differences between frames is also used to create a bad pixel mask either on- or offline. This mask is essential for the reduction of false detection rates. Our experiments show that this approach produces good results and can be used for detection of small, low-contrast targets in high dynamic range IR data. The proposed algorithm also produces good results for detecting moving targets in cases when objects are occluded by sparse vegetation. © 2015 Society of Photo-Optical
Fatigue and recovery from dynamic contractions in men and women differ for arm and leg muscles.

There is limited information on whether gender differences in fatigue exist during dynamic contractions, despite the potential implications for rehabilitation. Some studies show less fatigue of lower limb muscles in women than men for isokinetic dynamic contractions, and this is related to greater mechanical work performed by men.1–3 For isometric fatiguing contractions, women are typically less fatigable than men,4 although the gender difference is greater for some muscle groups such as the elbow flexors compared with the ankle dorsiflexors.5–8 The mechanism for the gender difference is related to a more oxidative muscle of women and strength related-differences in perfusion.9–11 Recent findings in the aging-fatigue literature, however, indicate that older muscles are typically less fatigable during isometric and slow-to-moderate velocity contractions12,13 and are more fatigable for fast or maximal velocity contractions.14–16 Here, we extend our understanding of the task specificity of gender differences in fatigue by comparing muscle fatigue of young men and women elicited during a maximal velocity fatigue task. Upper and lower limb muscles that show large gender differences for isometric fatiguing contractions5,7–9,17–19 were assessed. We also determined recovery in men and women, which is a unique aspect that has received minimal attention in the fatigue and rehabilitation literature.
Counterflow of galactosides in Escherichia coli.

Abstract Counterflow of β-galactosides in metabolically poisoned cells of Escherichia coli was systematically examined. In one type of experiment (“entrance counterflow”), azide-treated cells were preloaded with a galactoside, cells separated from the medium and finally resuspended in thio[ 14 C]methyl-β- d -galactopyranoside ([ 14 C]TMG). The concentration of radioactive sugar within the cell rose to levels well above that in the medium (due to the inhibition of efflux) and subsequently fell to the concentration of the external medium (as the preloaded sugar was lost from the cell). Preloading the cell to different levels of non-radioactive sugar resulted in different heights of the counterflow curve, but the time to attain the peak of each was the same. Reduction in the number of membrane carriers resulted in a proportionate reduction in the initial rate of rise of the counterflow curve and also a time delay in the peak of the counterflow curve. The effect of the following factors on counterflow was investigated: various concentrations of [ 14 C]TMG for uptake, various substrates, temperature and p -chloromercuribenzoate. In a second type of experiment (“exit counterflow”), poisoned cells were first equilibrated with [ 14 C]TMG and then a high concentration of galactoside added to the external medium. Inhibition of influx without a corresponding effect on efflux results in a net loss of [ 14 C]TMG from the cell. The effects of different substrates and different levels of carrier were investigated.
Equilibrium taxation and experience rating in a federal system of unemployment insurance

Abstract This paper seeks to explain why there is apparent redistribution of tax burdens in UI systems from high to low unemployment firms. In addition to providing reasons for the direction taken by redistribution, the model interprets the accompanying institution of imperfect experience rating, defined as the practice of taxing firms by less than a dollar for every dollar of benefits paid a firm's employees. The null hypothesis views the design of the UI tax as the result of intentional redistribution of economic rents between industries. Concluding sections explore the limitations on redistribution imposed by a federal system and discuss alternative explanations for the design of the UI laws. Empirical evidence is provided on the redistributive hypothesis, which generally receives strong support.
Genetic counseling and the advanced practice oncology nursing role in a hereditary cancer prevention clinic: hereditary breast cancer focus (part II).

Interest in hereditary breast cancer has increased rapidly among all health care providers as well as the laity. A major problem for health care providers, however, is the time and skill required for gathering family history, interpreting the pedigree, and providing genetic counseling for the high-risk patient so that BRCA testing, when indicated, can be pursued and screening and prevention strategies employed by the patient. The fields of hereditary cancer and molecular biology have developed at a rate that makes it difficult for physicians to keep up with this explosive knowledge. Therefore, "Who is going to take care of all of these crucial matters for patient benefit?" is a germane question. Our experience has confirmed that the advanced practice oncology nurse who is interested in cancer genetics can become skilled at providing this service to the patient and his/her family. This study portrays the role of such an oncology nurse in meeting this important public health challenge, with special attention devoted to the logistics of this role in the rapidly emerging field of hereditary breast cancer.
Forged in Battle : The Civil War Alliance of Black Soldiers and White Officers

This historical exploration denotes the uneasy alliance between black soldiers and white officers who, divided by racial tension and ideology, were united by the trials and bonds of the war they fought side by side.
Creation of the subgenus Testeria Faust subgen. nov. Protoperidinium Bergh from the SW Atlantic Ocean: Protoperidinium novella sp. nov. and Protoperidinium concinna sp. nov. Dinophyceae

Abstract Two new heterotrophic Protoperidinium species are described from oceanic waters from The Gulf Stream, SW Atlantic Ocean and Belizean Atlantic Barrier Reef Ecosystems, Caribbean Sea. Protoperidinium novella Faust sp. nov. and P. concinna Faust sp. nov. show a plate formula of 4′, 1a, 7′′, 4C(3+t), 6S, 5′′′, and 2′′′′, which is atypical for the genus. It is characterized by a miniscule flat closure on the extreme anterior of the pointed apical horn. Apical pore complex is absent. Apical ventral plate 1′ disconnects from the tip of the apical horn and connects directly to the anterior sulcal plate (Sa) along a straight line of the longitudinal axis of the cell's sagittal plane. The shape and position of the intercalary plate (1a) is another distinctive feature for these species, the presence of only one 1a plate. The thecal plate features of P. novella and P. concinna justifies the establishment of the new subgenus, Testeria Faust subgen. nov. The relationship with other congeneric species and the p...
Rate of muscle tension development and release under extreme temperatures.

Thirty-one male subjects squeezed a hand dynamometer as rapidly and as forcefully as possible, the effort being recorded on fast-moving paper. At the count of three the hand was released explosively. Two such testing sessions were held; following the first measurement of tension development and release the subject immersed his arm in a water bath. On one occasion it was at a temperature of 10° C, on the other of 46° C.