cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
SIMPLE AUTOMATIC SCANNING AND RECORDING SYSTEM FOR THE MEASUREMENT OF WATER POTENTIALS WITH DROPLET THERMOCOUPLE PSYCHROMETERS

Summary A simple, automatic scanning and recording system designed specifically to receive the output from up to twenty-five droplet thermocouple psychrometers is described. Essential components are a solenoid-operated, low-level switch, a high grade preamplifier and a potentiometric chart recorder capable of remote operation. Chart traces show noise level is low even on a 10 μV range. Provision is made to correct psychrometer readings for temperature effects due to heat of respiration. Statistical comparison of psychrometer calibrations obtained with this system and with manual switching into a reflecting galvanometer show the former system is at least as accurate as the latter. Parallel leaf water potential measurements made with the two systems agreed closely.
Savior of the Race: The Messianic Burdens of Black Masculinity

Abstract This paper is concerned with the messianic construction of manhood within African American communities in North America and its normative imprint in shaping and measuring masculinity among African Americans. In this essay, messianic manhood is treated as a utopian construction of masculinity that is found in liberal and conservative constructions of Protestant Christianity. In examining this tradition of manhood, representative messianic men are interrogated who have participated in and have been shaped by this tradition. Overall, messianic manhood is inconceivable apart from an oral tradition of preaching and singing where the person of Jesus is understood as Lord, savior, and ally of the oppressed.
Quantitative changes in unscheduled DNA synthesis in rat muscle cells after differentiation.

THE incorporation of tritiated thymidine (3H-thymidine) into cells not engaged in normal DNA replication has been called unscheduled DNA synthesis1. The phenomenon has been observed after X-irradiation1, ultraviolet irradiation2 and after exposure to the monofunctional alkylating agent methyl methane sulphonate3 (MMS) and other carcinogens4. In all published reports the cells showing unscheduled DNA synthesis had retained their proliferative capacity (and hence at least their potential ability to synthesize DNA). We have investigated whether differentiated cells—that is, cells which presumably will never have to initiate normal DNA synthesis—are still capable of unscheduled DNA synthesis. We used multinucleated rat muscle cells in vitro. Myotubes have been found to form by fusion of separate, mononucleated cells5,6, the nuclei of which no longer synthesize DNA. YalTe and Gershon7 have shown that such cells can reinitiate DNA synthesis after viral infection. They found it necessary, however, for fusion to continue during viral infection; in the absence of further fusion no new DNA synthesis was observed. The trigger for DNA synthesis after viral infection must therefore have come from cells which had been transformed before differentiation and fusion. This left open the question of whether differentiated cells could initiate DNA synthesis in the absence of trigger from transformed cells.
Filterbank Multicarrier Reflectometry for Cognitive Live Wire Testing

Multicarrier reflectometry (MCR) for locating faults on live wires has recently been proposed. This paper studies the use of filterbanks for generation/synthesis of MCR test signals and also for signal analysis for fault identification and location. We note that the test signals have to be confined to the portion(s) of the frequency band that is (are) free of signals already on the wires in order to avoid interfering with them. Moreover, for effective analysis of the reflected waves, optimal filters that separate the test signal tones and also minimize leakage from the existing signals on the wires should be designed. We discuss the criteria necessary to design effective MCR systems and develop the relevant filterbank design procedures. We also introduce the novel idea of cognitive live wire testing, where the tester first measures the live wire signal activities and then decides on which part of the spectrum should be used for testing.
Investigation of Science Inquiry Items for Use on an Alternate Assessment Based on Modified Achievement Standards Using Cognitive Lab Methodology

This study evaluated the benefits of item enhancements applied to science-inquiry items for incorporation into an alternate assessment based on modified achievement standards for high school students. Six items were included in the cognitive lab sessions involving both students with and without disabilities. The enhancements (e.g., use of visuals, reading support) were intended to improve access to the items for students who had grade-level science content knowledge, but whose disability may impact their ability to answer the items in the original form. Students were asked to think aloud while answering items and answer follow-up questions about specific item-enhancement features. Achievement did not show much improvement but reported cognitive effort suggests reduction in perceived difficulty of enhanced items.
Determination of Fluoride by Fluorescence Quenching

Abstract A fluorescence quenching method for the determination of fluoride ion over the concentration range from 10−9 to 10−6M is presented. The fluoride ion is added to the fluorescent chelate of aluminum(III) and PAN [1- (2-pyridylazo)-2-naphthol]: the fluoride preferentially complexes the aluminum (III), displacing nonfluorescent PAN. Of the anions tested as possible interferences at equimolar levels, phosphate interferred seriously and iodide interferred somewhat.
Do Older Adults Change Their Eyewitness Reports When Re-Questioned?

Results. Results showed that both younger and older adults changed significantly more responses following negative feedback and changed more responses on misleading than on nonleading questions. Among older adults, as age increased, accuracy decreased and rate of response change increased. People were moderately confident overall about both their correct and incorrect responses. Discussion. These results highlight the dangers of repeatedly questioning older witnesses with misleading questions and suggest that the responses that are changed may come to be remembered confidently—regardless of whether they are correct or incorrect.
Interfering with disease: opportunities and roadblocks to harnessing RNA interference

RNA interference (RNAi) is an evolutionarily conserved mechanism for silencing gene expression by targeted degradation of mRNA. Short double-stranded RNAs, known as small interfering RNAs (siRNA), are incorporated into an RNA-induced silencing complex that directs degradation of RNA containing a homologous sequence. RNAi has been shown to work in mammalian cells, and can inhibit viral infection and control tumor cell growth in vitro. Recently, it has been shown that intravenous injection of siRNA or of plasmids expressing sequences processed to siRNA can protect mice from autoimmune and viral hepatitis. RNAi could provide an exciting new therapeutic modality for treating infection, cancer, neurodegenerative disease and other illnesses.
Climate Feedbacks in CCSM3 under Changing CO2 Forcing. Part II: Variation of Climate Feedbacks and Sensitivity with Forcing

AbstractAre equilibrium climate sensitivity and the associated radiative feedbacks a constant property of the climate system, or do they change with forcing magnitude and base climate? Using the radiative kernel technique, feedbacks and climate sensitivity are evaluated in a fully coupled general circulation model (GCM) for three successive doublings of carbon dioxide starting from present-day concentrations. Climate sensitivity increases by 23% between the first and third CO2 doublings. Increases in the positive water vapor and cloud feedbacks are partially balanced by a decrease in the positive surface albedo feedback and an increase in the negative lapse rate feedback. Feedbacks can be decomposed into a radiative flux change and a climate variable response to temperature change. The changes in water vapor and Planck feedbacks are due largely to changes in the radiative response with climate state. Higher concentrations of greenhouse gases and higher temperatures lead to more absorption and emission of ...
Conference Summary: Setting Priorities In Medical Care Through Benefit Design And Medical Management

As health care costs continue to increase, so does the importance of setting priorities in the allocation of medical care resources. Based on a November 2003 roundtable, this paper discusses the potential for benefit design (the definition of covered benefits) and medical management (the criteria by which benefits are applied to specific patients) to contribute to priority setting, particularly in the context of increasing emphasis on evidence-based medicine.
Pattern independent maximum current estimation in power and ground buses of CMOS VLSI circuits: Algorithms, signal correlations, and their resolution

Currents flowing in the power and ground (P&G) buses of CMOS digital circuits affect both circuit reliability and performance by causing excessive voltage drops. Excessive voltage drops manifest themselves as glitches on the P&G buses and cause erroneous logic signals and degradation in switching speeds. Maximum current estimates are needed at every contact point in the buses to study the severity of the voltage drop problems and to redesign the supply lines accordingly. These currents, however, depend on the specific input patterns that are applied to the circuit. Since it is prohibitively expensive to enumerate all possible input patterns, this problem has, for a long time, remained largely unsolved. In this paper, we propose a pattern-independent, linear time algorithm (iMax) that estimates at every contact point, an upper bound envelope of all possible current waveforms that result by the application of different input patterns to the circuit. The algorithm is extremely efficient and produces good results for most circuits as is demonstrated by experimental results on several benchmark circuits. The accuracy of the algorithm can be further improved by resolving the signal correlations that exist inside a circuit. We also present a novel partial input enumeration (PIE) technique to resolve signal correlations and significantly improve the upper bounds for circuits where the bounds produced by iMax are not tight. We establish with extensive experimental results that these algorithms represent a good time-accuracy trade-off and are applicable to VLSI circuits. >
The Integrative Process in East Europe: A Theoretical Framework

I N THEIR EFFORTS to provide conceptual frameworks for analyzing political communities at both the local and international levels, social scientists have increasingly turned their attention to theories of integration. Despite the numerous pioneering projects on interrelationships among the communist party-states undertaken by such research centers as the Stanford Studies of the Communist System, attempts to develop and apply integrative theory to some or all of the states governed by communist parties have been scant. This paper was developed with the intention of examining integration theory in general and employing it as a tool in analyzing the integrative process in East Europe in particular. In so doing, integration will be construed as a process of regulation while the effectiveness of that regulation will be examined empirically through the transactions and communications among the states in question.
Effectiveness of products containing metaldehyde, copper or extracts of yucca or neem for control of Zonitoides arboreus (Say), a snail pest of orchid roots in Hawaii

In Hawaii, Zonitoides arboreus (Say) is a serious pest of potted orchids, particularly those grown in bark- or coir-based media. This snail, which feeds preferentially on roots at or near the surface, causes the plant to become unstable within the pot which makes it unmarketable. Affected plants cannot be sold until roots have regrown. There is little published information about the control of this important pest. Our primary objective was to test commercially available and experimental molluscicides for control of Z. arboreus in laboratory and greenhouse trials. Molluscicides were first tested within Petri dishes to facilitate behavioural observations related to attraction or repellency of food baits and other products added to filter paper, and mortality of snails exposed to chemicals in this manner. Promising chemicals were then tested in greenhouse trials. Chemicals tested included a wide variety of commercial products containing metaldehyde; methiocarb (a carbamate); a bait product containing iron ph...
Interest segmentation of hyperspectral imagery

In recent years, many new methods for analyzing spectral imagery have been introduced. These new methods have been developed to improve the analysis of hyperspectral imagery. Many of these techniques are data driven anomaly/target detection and spectral clustering algorithms which are used to decide whether a particular pixel or area is “interesting.” For this research, a group of these algorithms are used on two tiled hyperspectral images. The results of each algorithm are combined into a multi-band feature image. The features are combined in such a way that the image is segmented into regions that either contain “interest” or do not.
Inhibitory effect of fluoride on glucose tests with glucose oxidase strips

Sodium fluoride was inadvertently added as a preservative to the urine of an eight-year-old boy with diabetes mellitus before urinary glucose was measured. On preliminary screening of the urine, the test by glucose oxidase paper reagent strip gave a negative reading for glucose, whereas quantitative urinary glucose assay by the coupled enzyme reaction (hexokinase-glucose 6-phosphate dehydrogenase) gave a glucose concentration of 81.5 g/liter. Inadvertent use of sodium fluoride as a urine preservative may cause a falsely negative result with the glucose tests involving oxidase.
Investigating lava flow rheology using video analysis and numerical flow models

Abstract Lava rheology is a major control on lava flow behavior and a critical parameter in flow simulations, but is very difficult to measure at field conditions or correctly extrapolate from the lab scale. We present a new methodology for investigating lava rheology through a combination of controlled experiments, image analysis and numerical forward modeling. Our experimental setup, part of the Syracuse University Lava Project ( http://lavaproject.syr.edu ) includes a large furnace capable of melting up to 450 kg of basalt, at temperatures well above the basalt liquidus. The lava is poured onto either a tilted bed of sand or a steel channel to produce meter-long flows. This experimental setup is probably the only facility that allows such large scale controlled lava flows made of natural basaltic material. We document the motion of the lava using a high-resolution video camera placed directly above the flows, and the temperature using infrared probes and cameras. After collecting the footage, we analyze the images for lava deformation and compare with numerical forward-models to constrain the rheological parameters and laws which best describe the flowing lava. For the video analysis, we employ the technique of Differential Optical Flow, which uses the time-variations of the spatial gradients of the image intensity to estimate velocity between consecutive frames. An important benefit for using optical flow, compared with other velocimetry methods, is that it outputs a spatially coherent flow field rather than point measurements. We demonstrate that the optical flow results agree with other measures of the flow velocity, and estimate the error due to noise and time-variability to be under 30% of the measured velocity. Our forward-models are calculated by solving the Stokes flow equations on an unstructured finite-element mesh defined using the geometry of the observed flow itself. We explore a range of rheological parameters, including the lava's apparent viscosity, the power-law exponent m and the thermal activation energy. Our measurements of apparent viscosity agree well with predictions of the composition-based Shaw (1972) and GRD model (Giordano, Russell and Dingwell, 2008). We find that for the high-temperature portion of the flow a weakly shear-thinning or Newtonian rheology (m > 0.7) with an effective activation energy of B = 5500 J gives the best fit to the data. Our methodology is the first time that high-resolution optical flow analysis of flowing lava is combined with numerical flow models to constrain rheology. The methodology we present here can be used in field conditions to obtain in-situ information on lava rheology, without physical interaction with the flow and without being limited to point-wise, low strain-rate, local measurements currently available through the use of rotational viscometers in the field.
Decoys, dikes and lures: polyfunctional landscapes of waterfowl hunting

The hunting ground has persisted as a site for the pursuit of protein, power, and pleasure. Hunting grounds have been designed for centuries, from the paradise gardens of ancient central Eurasia, t...
Harmonic wavelets based response evolutionary power spectrum determination of linear and non-linear oscillators with fractional derivative elements

Abstract A harmonic wavelets based approximate analytical technique for determining the response evolutionary power spectrum of linear and non-linear (time-variant) oscillators endowed with fractional derivative elements is developed. Specifically, time- and frequency-dependent harmonic wavelets based frequency response functions are defined based on the localization properties of harmonic wavelets. This leads to a closed form harmonic wavelets based excitation-response relationship which can be viewed as a natural generalization of the celebrated Wiener–Khinchin spectral relationship of the linear stationary random vibration theory to account for fully non-stationary in time and frequency stochastic processes. Further, relying on the orthogonality properties of harmonic wavelets an extension via statistical linearization of the excitation-response relationship for the case of non-linear systems is developed. This involves the novel concept of determining optimal equivalent linear elements which are both time- and frequency-dependent. Several linear and non-linear oscillators with fractional derivative elements are studied as numerical examples. Comparisons with pertinent Monte Carlo simulations demonstrate the reliability of the technique.
Simultaneous Detection of Multiple Proteins that Bind to the Identical Ligand in Supported Lipid Bilayers

Herein, we developed a new separation-based detection method that is capable of simultaneously identifying multiple competitively binding proteins for the same ligand on supported lipid bilayers (SLBs). This strategy used unlabeled target analyte proteins that bind to fluorescently tagged, lipid-conjugated ligands within the SLB. The protein–ligand binding complexes were then focused under an applied potential to different locations within the SLB based on each protein’s size and charge. Both protein identity and relative surface concentration information could be obtained, simultaneously. Specifically, the competitive binding of streptavidin and goat anti-biotin for biotin-conjugated lipids was explored. It was found that streptavidin could inhibit the binding of goat anti-biotin antibodies for biotin-cap-1,2-dipalmitoyl-sn-glycero-3-phosphoethanolamine-N-(7-nitro-2–1,3-benzoxadiazol-4-yl)(biotin-cap-NBD-PE) lipids and that streptavidin more effectively outcompeted the anti-biotin antibody at lower prote...
Low optical loss fluoride glass waveguides

The near-term emphasis on potential windows for low-loss fluoride glass fibers has been directed toward the 2.55-μm wavelength region where optical losses are expected to be at most 10−2 dB/km.1 OH-absorption signatures obtained from dry fluoride glass fibers indicate that the loss contribution due to OH is expected to be < 10−2 dB/km at 2.55 μm2 ; and scattering loss coefficients obtained for fluoride glasses directly at 2.55 μm are as low as 10−2 dB/km.3
Evaluation of the ST4 Clot Detection Instrument

A two-site evaluation of a new manual clot detection instrument, the ST4 from Diagnostica Stago, Asnieres, France (distributed by American Bioproducts Company, Parsipanny, NJ), showed precision and linearity to be within acceptable limits. The instrument tests for prothrombin time, activated partial thromboplastin time, and fibrinogen, as well as factor, heparin, and inhibitor assays. The ST4 is technically easy to operate and offers extensive software for its size. The software allows reagent, calibrator, and control lot numbers to be stored for each test, providing an internal quality control check for each subsequent run. In addition, a worklist is generated at the beginning of every test run. Duplicate values not within the laboratory's specified coefficient of variation are flagged. Other positive factors include the minimal time required for personnel training and instrument maintenance. For research laboratories, the software allows instrument parameters and curve options to be adjusted so that existing clot-based assays can be modified or new ones developed. The straightforward operation and software flexibility of the ST4 can potentially place it in diverse laboratory settings.
Strain Relaxation in Heteroepitaxial Si1-xGex Films via Surface Roughening Processes

Surface roughening associated with strain relaxation of Si1-xGex films grown epitaxially on (100) Si substrates has been investigated using transmission electron microscopy, atomic force microscopy and x-ray diffraction. Epitaxial films 100 A in thickness and containing 18% Ge, which are subcritical with respect to the formation of misfit dislocations, show strain relaxation through surface roughening on annealing at 700 °C. Enhanced surface grooves aligned along directions are observed in films annealed at 850 °C. Strain relaxation as measured by x-ray diffraction is significantly greater at the higher temperature. Prolonged anneals at 850 °C also result in islanding. The surface roughening processes have also been studied in subcritical films with 15% Ge at 900 °C. These films also show enhanced grooving aligned along directions. These observations are consistent with an anisotropic elastic analysis which indicates that grooving should occur preferentially along directions. Intermixing effects in these samples have also been investigated through depth profiling using Auger Electron Spectroscopy. In addition to the above subcritical films, other films with 18% and 22% Ge and supercritical thicknesses have also been studied. For these films, surface grooving is observed along directions, which suggests that these grooves are related to the formation of misfit dislocation networks. The role of these surface roughening processes in the nucleation of dislocations has also been explored.
Do lecithin and glucose combine to form a true chemical compound

About a year ago I1 reported a substance found after the evaporation of an emulsion of lecithin and glucose. This material seemed to be identical with the one previously reported by Bing2 and others, the only point of difference being that previously it had been prepared by the evaporation of an alcoholic solution of lecithin and glucose upon the water bath while I evaporated a watery emulsion either on the water bath or in a vacuum desiccator at room temperature.In attempting to study by the freezing-point method any changes in molecular weight which might occur, I found that some reaction took place between the benzene, which was used as a solvent, and the solute, lecithin, so that the results were entirely irregular and of no value for my purpose.A further search for a solvent which could be used for the determination of either the freezing or the boiling point has revealed the same difficulty for a number of other solvents. In their turn ether, chloroform, carbon tetrachloride, bromoform, ethylene dib...
Economics, the Network Society, and the Ontology of Violence

The notion of a network society was popularized in the 1980s with the rise of novel information and computer technologies. According to Castells, a network society is one “whose social structure is made of networks powered by microelectronics-based information and communication technologies.” The explosive growth of the Internet, mobile devices, and microprocessors over the past several decades has helped to make the term “network” commonplace. In addition to media systems, workplaces and even familial relations are now commonly described as having the character of networks. This imagery is propelled further by economic, political, and migratory flows within a more globalized world. This network imagery suggests that institutions, practices, and relationships are structured on a new social model, and various monikers, such as lattice, matrix, system, and web, have been used to describe this emerging social formation. All of these metaphors intend to highlight new social conditions of decentralization, flexibility, and interconnectivity that characterize twenty-first-century society. Networks, in particular, are thought to offer an alternative to traditional, “centered” models of social order. Yet, in ways that are increasingly evident, this network imagery actually justifies the violence of global market relations. Despite its popularity and conceptual development, less attention has been paid to unraveling the ontology of the network society. In particular, basic assumptions about the nature of individuals, social organization, economies, and ethics are not necessarily forthcoming in conceptual descriptions of the network society. Investigating the ontological assumptions implied by network imagery is important because such analyses alert us to remaining challenges on the path to an open society.
Analysis on epidemic monitoring results of influenza in Qinhuangdao City

[Objective] To know the epidemiological characteristics and trends of influenza in Qinhuangdao City,and provide evidence for prevention and control of influenza.[Methods]The analysis was conducted on the surveillance data and laboratory detection data of influenza like illness(ILI) cases during May 2009 to May 2012 in Qinhuangdao City from Influenza Surveillance and Management System by using EXCEL and SPSS software.[Results] The peak of ILI% appeared in mid-November to early March in every year.ILI% were 2.73%,1.01% and 0.85% in the past 3 years,with significant difference(χ2=883.70,P0.01).The predominant strains changed between influenza A(H1N1),influenza B and seasonal influenza H3.The age group of 5-25 years had high risk of ILI.The nucleic acid positive rate was 44.94%,13.47% and 7.91% in 3 years respectively with significant difference(χ2=280.89,P0.01).ILI% was significantly positive correlated with influenza positive rate which showed best in 2009-2010 when excluding the weeks with positive rate equal 0 and 100%(r=0.852,P0.01).[Conclusion]The characteristics of ILI prevalence trend are basically similar to activity law of influenza virus.ILI% can be used to show the activity intensity of influenza virus and to judge the incidence and peak of influenza so as to adopt timely prevention measures.
8 Who Benefits? Structural Change and Lived Experience in the Late Prehispanic Andes

In this chapter, I identify changes in the division of labor by age, gender, and class, evaluate the intensity of household production, and analyze shifting patterns of consumption to address how the Inka conquest of the Yanamarca Valley differentially affected women and men, children and adults, elites and commoners in Late pre-Hispanic Peru. Ethnohistoric and archaeological data indicate that the workload increased generally for all conquered peoples, while reordered systems of reward and recognition differentially affected distinct sectors of the population, altering social relations and gender ideology during this period of political and economic change.
ON THE ASSESSMENT OF ANXIETY. I. BY A BEHAVIOR CHECKLIST.

A large number of behaviors commonly interpreted as indicative of anxiety was collected from textbooks and clinical reports. On the basis of measures of internal consistency and other appropriate criteria the list was reduced to 25 items. These items can be used as a checklist for the assessment of anxiety.
Pregnant at work: time for prenatal care providers to act

Fifty years ago, when a woman became pregnant, she was expected to stop working. Today, however, most women who work are the primary, sole, or co-breadwinner for their families, and their earnings during pregnancy are often essential to their families' economic well-being. Medical data about working during pregnancy are sparse but generally show that both low-risk and high-risk women can tolerate work-related duties well, although some work accommodations (eg, providing a chair for sitting, allowing snacks, or modifying the work schedule) may be necessary. However, some employers refuse to accommodate pregnant women who need adjustments. This can result in a woman being forced to make the choice between working without accommodations and losing her income and health insurance or even her job. Prenatal care providers can play an important role by implementing changes in their own practice, shaping public policy, and conducting research to increase protections for pregnant women and to ensure that they receive medically recommended accommodations while continuing to earn income for their growing families.
Am I unique

"... And What About You?" is a regular column in Advanced Practice Nursing Quarterly featuring multiple facets of personal and career development. This column will provide tools and strategies to support the continual learning that is vital for self management of one's personal growth and career development.
MO‐D‐BRC‐04: Multiple‐Criteria Optimization Planning

Treatment planning is a central part of radiation therapy, including delineation in tumor volumes and critical organs, setting treatment goals of prescription doses to the tumor targets and tolerance doses to the critical organs, and finally generation of treatment plans to meet the treatment goals. National groups like RTOG have led the effort to standardize treatment goals of the prescription doses to the tumor targets and tolerance doses to the critical organs based on accumulated knowledge from decades of abundant clinical trial experience. The challenge for each clinical department is how to achieve or surpass these set goals within the time constraints of clinical practice. Using fifteen testing cases from different treatment sites such as head and neck, prostate with and without pelvic lymph nodes, SBRT spine, we will present clinically utility of advanced planning tools, including knowledge based, automatic based, and multiple criteria based tools that are clinically implemented. The objectives of this session are: 1. Understand differences among these three advanced planning tools 2. Provide clinical assessments on the utility of the advanced planning tools 3. Discuss clinical challenges of treatment planning with large variations in tumor volumes and their relationships with adjacent critical organs. Ping Xia received research grant from Philips. Jackie Wu received research grant from Varian; P. Xia, Research support by Philips and Varian; Q. Wu, NIH, Varian Medical
Public, Private, People Partnerships (PPPPs): Reflections from Latin American Cases

Public–private partnerships (PPPs) have been exalted as effective and adopted in many areas that used to be exclusive public domains, from urban service provision to construction works and program management. I argue that despite their undeniable potential, in many cases the participation of the public sector in PPPs is insufficient to bring about desired and expected public outcomes, given that public sector actors often focus overwhelmingly on serving and supporting the private interests to the detriment of public interests. The private sector’s participation in PPPs is insufficient to bring about public and lasting good, given their focus on profit making. People and communities have been the most vulnerable actors in PPPs scenarios, often excluded from partnerships. I examine developmental partnerships in Latin America to assess how public, private, and community (“people”) agents interact and affect each other, and whether the trade-offs among them have shaped equitable and productive partnerships. It would be appropriate to institutionalize the 4th “P” for “people” in these endeavors (PPPPs) and critically and explicitly examine the distribution of costs and benefits of urban partnerships among stakeholders if we aspire for more just and sustainable cities.
A new mechanistic scale-up methodology for gas-solid spouted beds

Abstract A new mechanistic methodology of scale-up for gas-solid spouted beds has been proposed and validated which is based on maintaining similar radial profiles of gas holdup. Two spouted beds of 0.152 m and 0.076 m inside diameter have been used. The local measurements of the dimensionless solids velocity and holdups using an advanced optical fiber probe and pressure fluctuations using pressure transducers indicate clearly the similarity when the radial profiles of the gas holdups were kept similar in the two studied spouted beds. When the radial profiles of the gas holdups were different in the two studied spouted beds, the dimensionless of the local studied parameters mentioned above were different. The differences increase when the difference in the magnitudes and trends of the gas holdup profiles increases.
FPGA-based architecture for fast feature extraction with high resolution

Signal processing in real time allows to keep the resolution and sampling frequency of an ADC as well as the data storage size at a reasonable level, providing cost-effective solution for multichannel digitization systems. Modern FPGA are capable of optimal signal processing and can deliver in real time the precision, comparable to offline data processing. An FPGA-based architecture for extracting time and amplitude information of the signal with known shape is described. The matched filter is used to maximize the signal to noise ratio (SNR) in the presence of additive stochastic noise. The timing is determined using quadratic interpolation of the filtered signal. The resulting timing resolution is G*sqrt(N)*TISNR, where G is a shape-dependent constant, T-sampling period. The systematic errors are corrected based on the interpolated time. The performance of the algorithm is demonstrated using Monte-Carlo simulations. The architecture for 16 ADC channels (14-bit, 80 MHz) have been implemented on a low-cost FPGA (ACTEL A3P600) utilizing 80% of the FPGA resources. The described architecture is expected to be used to process signals from the silicon photomultipliers of upgraded PHENIX experiment at RHIC..
Phenoconversion from probable rapid eye movement sleep behavior disorder to mild cognitive impairment to dementia in a population-based sample

Abstract Introduction Rapid eye movement sleep behavior disorder (RBD) is strongly associated with synucleinopathies. In 2012, we reported an increased risk of mild cognitive impairment (MCI) and Parkinson disease (PD) in cognitively normal Olmsted County, Minnesota, residents, aged 70 to 89 years with probable RBD. Here, we examine their progression to dementia and other neurodegenerative phenotypes. Methods Fifteen participants with RBD who were diagnosed with either MCI or PD were longitudinally followed, and their subsequent clinical courses were reviewed. Results Over 6.4 ± 2.9 years, six of the 14 participants with MCI developed additional neurodegenerative signs, five of whom had Lewy body disease features. Four of them progressed to dementia at a mean age 84.8 ± 4.9 years, three of whom met the criteria for probable dementia with Lewy bodies. One subject with PD developed MCI, but not dementia. Discussion Our findings from the population-based sample of Olmsted County, Minnesota, residents suggest that a substantial number of RBD patients tend to develop overt synucleinopathy features over time, and RBD patients who develop MCI and subsequent dementia have clinical features most consistent with dementia with Lewy bodies.
On the consistency of canonical commutation relations for theories involving currents

It is shown that the well-known ambiguities associated with the application of canonical equal-time commutation relations to theories involving local currents can be eliminated by a generalization of Lorentz invariance suggested some years ago by one of the authors (R.L.I.) in connection with «stochastic» field theory. In particular, it is demonstrated that i) there are no Schwinger terms in the commutators of stochastic currents, and ii) a stochastic current can commute with the fields with which it interacts. Some remarks are made on the relevance of these results to particle physics.
Development and Industrial Application of NEUI600 High Efficiency Aluminum Reduction Cell

As the high amperage aluminum reduction technology is developed in a complicated system, designers should draw special attention to structural optimization, environmental protection and energy saving while overcoming multiple core technical difficulties. NEUI has successfully eliminated a great number of technical bottlenecks hindering the development of high amperage aluminum reduction technologies, such as pot MHD stability technology, 3D thermal-electric field simulation technology, dynamics simulation technology of pot gas flow, etc., and has also developed the NEUI600 aluminum reduction technology, which has been put into extensive application. As of May 2017, 6 NEUI600 potlines with total capacity of 2210 kt/a have been put into commercial operation, the pot voltage can be maintained within the range of 3.90–4.05 V based on actual need. NEUI600 high amperage aluminum reduction technology has become an energy-saving and environment-friendly electrolysis technology with the lowest investment.
An intronless form of the tobacco extensin gene terminator strongly enhances transient gene expression in plant leaves.

We have found interesting features of a plant gene (extensin) 3′ flanking region, including extremely efficient polyadenylation which greatly improves transient expression of transgenes when an intron is removed. Its use will greatly benefit studies of gene expression in plants, research in molecular biology, and applications for recombinant proteins. Plants are a promising platform for the production of recombinant proteins. To express high-value proteins in plants efficiently, the optimization of expression cassettes using appropriate regulatory sequences is critical. Here, we characterize the activity of the tobacco extensin (Ext) gene terminator by transient expression in Nicotiana benthamiana, tobacco, and lettuce. Ext is a member of the hydroxyproline-rich glycoprotein (HRGP) superfamily and constitutes the major protein component of cell walls. The present study demonstrates that the Ext terminator with its native intron removed increased transient gene expression up to 13.5-fold compared to previously established terminators. The enhanced transgene expression was correlated with increased mRNA accumulation and reduced levels of read-through transcripts, which could impair gene expression. Analysis of transcript 3′-ends found that the majority of polyadenylated transcripts were cleaved at a YA dinucleotide downstream from a canonical AAUAAA motif and a UG-rich region, both of which were found to be highly conserved among related extensin terminators. Deletion of either of these regions eliminated most of the activity of the terminator. Additionally, a 45 nt polypurine sequence ~ 175 nt upstream from the polyadenylation sites was found to also be necessary for the enhanced expression. We conclude that the use of Ext terminator has great potential to benefit the production of recombinant proteins in plants.
Steady-state crack growth in polymer gels: A linear poroelastic analysis

Abstract Based on a linear poroelastic formulation, we present an asymptotic analysis of the crack tip fields for steady-state crack growth in polymer gels. A finite element method is then developed for numerical analysis. A semi-infinite crack in a long strip specimen subject to plane-strain loading is studied in detail. The crack-tip fields from the numerical analysis agree with the asymptotic analysis with a poroelastic stress intensity factor, which is generally smaller than the stress intensity factor predicted by linear elasticity due to poroelastic shielding. Similarly, the crack-tip energy release rate calculated by a modified J-integral method is smaller than the applied energy release rate. The size of the poroelastic crack-tip field (or K-field) is characterized by a diffusion length scale that is inversely proportional to the crack speed. For relatively fast crack growth, the diffusion length is small compared to the strip thickness (small-scale diffusion), and the poroelastic K-field transitions to an elastic K-field at a distance proportional to the diffusion length. In this case, the crack-tip energy release rate decreases with increasing crack speed under the same loading condition. For relatively slow crack growth, the diffusion length is greater than the strip thickness (large-scale diffusion), and the poroelastic crack-tip field is confined and transitions to a one-dimensional diffusion zone ahead of the crack tip. In this case, the energy release rate increases with increasing crack speed. Both immersed and not-immersed crack face conditions are considered. Under the same loading conditions, the poroelastic stress intensity factor and the modified J-integral are higher for the immersed case than not-immersed, but they approach the same values at the fast and slow crack limits. In general, if the crack-tip energy release rate is taken to be the intrinsic fracture toughness of the gel, the applied energy release rate as the apparent fracture toughness is greater due to energy dissipation associated with solvent diffusion, which is referred to as poroelastic toughening. It is proposed that the modified J-integral can be used to determine the intrinsic fracture toughness of the gel in experiments, which may or may not depend on crack speed. Moreover, the present results are found to be qualitatively consistent with previous experiments on the effects of solvent viscosity and crack-tip soaking.
Continuous Glucose Monitoring (CGM) Provides Enhanced Sensitivity Compared with Self-Monitored Blood Glucose (SMBG) for Detecting Hypoglycemia during T2D Clinical Trials

Documenting hypoglycemia during clinical trials relies primarily on SMBG ≤ 70 mg/dL (3.9 mmol/L) with or without symptoms; however, hypoglycemia unawareness, sleep, and prandial-based sampling might lead to underestimation and lower detection of treatment differences. To quantify sensitivity and detection rates using CGM vs. SMBG, we analyzed hypoglycemia (Hypo: glucose ≤ 70 mg/dL) data from 73,941 SMBG samples collected simultaneously with masked CGM (iPro®2) during four 6-day CGM sessions (10,830 person-days) in 682 T2D patients participating in three 20-26 week trials testing insulin regimens [glargine with/without metformin, lispro, and peglispro (n = 539)] and triple oral combination therapy (n = 143). For SMBG vs. CGM, total Hypo events were 864 (n = 296 patients) vs. 2,935 (n = 494) at any time of day (daily), and 1(n = 61) vs. 1,209 (n = 383) nocturnally 12:01-6:00 AM. Poisson regression of Hypos and exposure time, with study regimen, time of day and monitoring method as independent variables, indicated CGM nocturnal Hypo risk [IRR (SE), 95% CI] was higher than CGM daily Hypo risk [1.665 (0.057), 1.558 to 1.781]. However, SMBG detected only 29.4% of CGM daily Hypos [0.294 (0.011), 0.273 to 0.318]. The interaction term indicated that the SMBG nocturnal detection bias resulted in 70% fewer Hypo events [0.303 (0.033), 0.246 to 0.375] than CGM, thereby detecting only 8.9% of those detected by CGM [0.089 (0.009), 0.073 to 0.109]. CGM also detected higher Hypo risk for insulin and metformin compared to triple oral combination therapy [daily = 1.16 (0.085), 1.007 to 1.340, p = 0.04; nocturnal = 1.247 (0.131), 1.015 to 1.531, p = 0.04] when A1C levels were comparable. SMBG did not detect these differences (p = 0.09 and p = 0.94). Using CGM vs. SMBG to detect hypoglycemia can improve comparative safety and risk-benefit assessments during diabetes clinical trials by providing greater sensitivity and representative 24-hour sampling. Disclosure M.A. Testa: Stock/Shareholder; Spouse/Partner; GI Windows, Inc.. Stock/Shareholder; Self; Phase V Technologies, Inc.. S. Saldivar-Salazar: None. M. Su: None. J.F. Hayes: None. D.C. Simonson: Advisory Panel; Self; GI Windows, Inc.. Stock/Shareholder; Self; GI Windows, Inc.. Stock/Shareholder; Spouse/Partner; Phase V Technologies, Inc.
Cooperative Learning Groups in Reading: An Integration Strategy for Students with Autism and General Classroom Peers.

A reversal design in two classrooms was used to examine the effects of Cooperative Learning Croups (CLCs) for three students with autism and their general education peers. Pretreatment reading instruction consisted of whole language, teacher-led activities including teacher-student discussion of vocabulary, story concepts, main ideas, and story-mapping with reading aloud by individual students. Intervention conditions consisted of continued teacher-led instruction plus supplemental CLCs including three activities: (a) peer tutoring on vocabulary words, (b) comprehension questions, and (c) academic games. Results demonstrated increased reading gains, academic engagement, and peer interaction during the supplemental CLG conditions. Results also provided documentation of the peer-mediated strategy as a viable instructional arrangement for the integration of students with autism in general education settings.
Evolving Employment Relations in the United States

Changes in the nature of employment relations have been the subject of much recent discussion in the United States and in many other industrial nations. Popular and academic literature have heralded the ascendance of a variety of “nonstandard,” “nontraditional,” “atypical,” or “contingent” work arrangements such as temporary work, contracting, and part-time work (see Kalleberg 2000, for a review of this literature). Some writers have argued that these nonstandard work arrangements represent a “new deal” between employers and employees, in which market mechanisms, often vaguely specified, have replaced hierarchical systems and wherein notions of loyalty and the social contract—especially for highly skilled workers— are obsolete (e.g., Cappelli 1999; Chapter 9, this volume). By contrast, others have maintained that these changes do not represent a fundamental change in the institutions underlying employment relations, but rather reflect more minor changes in the allocation of risk from employers to employees in light of changing economic conditions (Jacoby 1999), and a return to work arrangement characteristic of the pre-World War II era in the United States.
Individualized sepsis treatment using reinforcement learning.

Reinforcement learning is applied to two large databases of electronic health records for patients admitted to an intensive care unit to identify individualized treatment strategies for correcting hypotension in sepsis.
Education and Empowered Citizenship in Mali by Jaimie Bleck

Bleck, Jaimie. Education and Empowered Citizenship in Mali . Baltimore, MD: Johns Hopkins University Press, 2015.
Making and breaking heme

Mechanisms for making and breaking the heme b cofactor (heme) are more diverse than previously expected. Biosynthetic pathways have diverged at least twice along taxonomic lines, reflecting differences in membrane organization and O2 utilization among major groups of organisms. At least three families of heme degradases are now known, again differing in whether and how O2 is used by the organism and possibly the purpose for turning over the tetrapyrrole. Understanding these enzymes and pathways offers a handle for antimicrobial development and for monitoring heme use in organismal and ecological systems.