cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Distribution of particles, small molecules and polymeric formulation excipients in the suprachoroidal space after microneedle injection.

The purpose of this work was to determine the effect of injection volume, formulation composition, and time on circumferential spread of particles, small molecules, and polymeric formulation excipients in the suprachoroidal space (SCS) after microneedle injection into New Zealand White rabbit eyes ex vivo and in vivo. Microneedle injections of 25-150 μL Hank's Balanced Salt Solution (HBSS) containing 0.2 μm red-fluorescent particles and a model small molecule (fluorescein) were performed in rabbit eyes ex vivo, and visualized via flat mount. Particles with diameters of 0.02-2 μm were co-injected into SCS in vivo with fluorescein or a polymeric formulation excipient: fluorescein isothiocyanate (FITC)-labeled Discovisc or FITC-labeled carboxymethyl cellulose (CMC). Fluorescent fundus images were acquired over time to determine area of particle, fluorescein, and polymeric formulation excipient spread, as well as their co-localization. We found that fluorescein covered a significantly larger area than co-injected particles when suspended in HBSS, and that this difference was present from 3 min post-injection onwards. We further showed that there was no difference in initial area covered by FITC-Discovisc and particles; the transport time (i.e., the time until the FITC-Discovisc and particle area began dissociating) was 2 d. There was also no difference in initial area covered by FITC-CMC and particles; the transport time in FITC-CMC was 4 d. We also found that particle size (20 nm-2 μm) had no effect on spreading area when delivered in HBSS or Discovisc. We conclude that (i) the area of particle spread in SCS during injection generally increased with increasing injection volume, was unaffected by particle size, and was significantly less than the area of fluorescein spread, (ii) particles suspended in low-viscosity HBSS formulation were entrapped in the SCS after injection, whereas fluorescein was not and (iii) particles co-injected with viscous polymeric formulation excipients co-localized near the site of injection in the SCS, continued to co-localize while spreading over larger areas for 2-4 days, and then no longer co-localized as the polymeric formulation excipients were cleared within 1-3 weeks and the particles remained largely in place. These data suggest that particles encounter greater barriers to flow in SCS compared to molecules and that co-localization of particles and polymeric formulation excipients allows spreading over larger areas of the SCS until the particles and excipients dissociate.
Darstellung der mikrosoziologischen Theorieebene

Die mikrosoziologischen Theorien Adornos und Bourdieus folgen einer makrosoziologischen Perspektive. Sie konzentrieren sich weniger auf das konkrete Handeln, als auf die strukturellen und funktionalen Grunde fur die sozialisatorische Entstehung von habituellen oder charakterlichen Handlungsdispositionen, die erst im Zusammenwirken mit situativen Anforderungen zu einem bestimmten Handeln fuhren. Im Zentrum der Uberlegungen steht dabei – auf unterschiedliche Weise – der Tausch.
Race and Ethnicity Matter: Heterogeneous Effects of the Post-9/11 GI Bill on Veterans’ College Enrollments

The Post-9/11 GI Bill provided a generous increase in veterans’ education benefits. Using the Current Population Survey and American Community Survey, this paper examines the impact of the Post-9/11 GI Bill on college enrollments among Black and Hispanic veterans. Evidence from a difference-in-difference evaluation reveals the Post-9/11 GI Bill increased veteran college enrollments by 4 percentage points, while disproportionately increasing college enrollments for Black veterans by 4.7 percentage points. The evidence reported in this study suggests military service and veterans’ education benefits play a positive role in the efforts to reduce racial and ethnic disparities in higher education.
Interactive design of animated plushies

We present a computational approach to creating animated plushies, soft robotic plush toys specifically-designed to reenact user-authored motions. Our design process is inspired by muscular hydrostat structures, which drive highly versatile motions in many biological systems. We begin by instrumenting simulated plush toys with a large number of small, independently-actuated, virtual muscle-fibers. Through an intuitive posing interface, users then begin animating their plushie. A novel numerical solver, reminiscent of inverse-kinematics, computes optimal contractions for each muscle-fiber such that the soft body of the plushie deforms to best match user input. By analyzing the co-activation patterns of the fibers that contribute most to the plushie's motions, our design system generates physically-realizable winch-tendon networks. Winch-tendon networks model the motorized cable-driven actuation mechanisms that drive the motions of our real-life plush toy prototypes. We demonstrate the effectiveness of our computational approach by co-designing motions and actuation systems for a variety of physically-simulated and fabricated plushies.
An efficient and scalable hardware architecture for singular value decomposition towards massive MIMO communications

Massive multiple input multiple output (MIMO) technology plays an important role in next generation wireless communication systems. Modified Brent-Luk-Van Loan array and other parallel hardware implementations were developed for channel matrix factorization. For a large matrix size as of massive MIMO, however, previous implementations would require a large amount of hardware resource. This paper presents a hardware-efficient architecture that performs singular value decomposition of a complex matrix in arbitrary size. Eveluated on an FPGA platform, the proposed architecture results faster or competitive processing time for matrix factorization but consumes significantly less hardware resource.
The Greek Debt Saga

In 2009, Greece’s government admitted that it underestimated budget deficits for years, causing credit rating agencies to downgrade its debt to junk status. To avoid a default that could cause another financial crisis, the International Monetary Fund (IMF), European Union (EU) and Greece’s creditors provided Greece with one bailout after another. But despite receiving some €326 billion, Greece is still locked in an economic death spiral; its economy continues to contract; debt is 180% of gross domestic product (GDP); youth unemployment is 45%; and debt has increased from 262 billion euros in 2010 to 323 billion in 2015; and GDP was reduced from $299 billion in 2010 to $195 billion in 2016, 45% less than the $355 billion of 2008. In addition, the poorest 20% of the Greek population have suffered a 42% drop in their disposable incomes.
Towards Evidence-Based Research and Cross-Disciplinary Design Practice

As the world changes, problems that businesses and society are facing are becoming more complex. Design, as a field that sits between business and society, as well as culture and technology, continues to progress and to mature as a profession. As a result, the concept of design (what design is and does) constantly changes, evolves, and expands. In return, design today is being recognized as a field whose primary purpose is to help businesses, communities, and individuals in new and innovative ways. Through a review of the current trends in the field of design, this chapter highlights why design thinking, which in the past has often been driven by tacit knowledge, intuition, and personal preference, is now increasingly being enhanced with proficiency in cross-disciplinary, evidence-based research. This approach to design represents a willingness to look beyond the immediate concern of elementary project execution. Designers who are proficient in research methods that range from ethnography and case study development to human-centred design research and action research can be invaluable to any sector that seeks innovation. The use of evidence-based research capable of transcending disciplinary boundaries projects a greater sense of accountability and transparency and can create more confidence in the work that designers produce.
Degenerative Disc and Discogenic Pain

The intervertebral disc can be a common pain generator in acute and/or chronic low back pain. This discogenic pain is commonly caused by internal disc disruption and radial fissures of the annulus fibrosis. Patient history and physical examination are important factors in assessing discogenic pain in patients with low back pain. Additionally, imaging including radiographs, MRI, and discography are often utilized in the workup of degenerative disc disease. Management goals for pain control hinges on improvement in functionality as well as on a pain rating scale. Conservative treatment with pharmacological agents, exercise program, and self-management therapies are employed first. If unsuccessful, interventional treatment with epidural steroid injections and/or intradiscal procedures may be useful.
Effectiveness of National Weather Service heat alerts in preventing mortality in 20 US cities.

Abstract Background Extreme heat is a well-documented public health threat. The US National Weather Service (NWS) issues heat advisories and warnings (collectively, “heat alerts”) in advance of forecast extreme heat events. The effectiveness of these alerts in preventing deaths remains largely unknown. Objectives To quantify the change in mortality rates associated with heat alerts in 20 US cities between 2001 and 2006. Methods Because NWS heat alerts are issued based on forecast weather and these forecasts are imperfect, in any given location there exists a set of days of similar observed heat index in which heat alerts have been issued for some days but not others. We used a case-crossover design and conditional logistic regression to compare mortality rates on days with versus without heat alerts among such eligible days, adjusting for maximum daily heat index and temporal factors. We combined city-specific estimates into a summary measure using standard random-effects meta-analytic techniques. Results Overall, NWS heat alerts were not associated with lower mortality rates (percent change in rate: −0.5% [95% CI: -2.8, 1.9]). In Philadelphia, heat alerts were associated with a 4.4% (95% CI: -8.3, −0.3) lower mortality rate or an estimated 45.1 (95% empirical CI: 3.1, 84.1) deaths averted per year if this association is assumed to be causal. No statistically significant beneficial association was observed in other individual cities. Conclusions Our results suggest that between 2001 and 2006, NWS heat alerts were not associated with lower mortality in most cities studied, potentially missing a valuable opportunity to avert a substantial number of heat-related deaths. These results highlight the need to better link alerts to effective communication and intervention strategies to reduce heat-related mortality.
Unique molecular markers for GC-D-expressing olfactory sensory neurons and chemosensory neurons of the Grueneberg ganglion

The main olfactory bulb (MOB) is differentiated into subregions based on their innervation by molecularly distinct chemosensory neurons. For example, olfactory sensory neurons (OSNs) that employ a cGMP-mediated transduction cascade (guanylyl-cyclase D-expressing (GC-D+) OSNs of the main olfactory epithelium (MOE) and chemosensory neurons of the Grueneberg ganglion (GGNs)) project to distinct groups of necklace glomeruli encircling the caudal MOB. To better understand the unique functionality and neural circuitry of the necklace glomeruli and their associated sensory neurons, we sought to identify additional molecular markers that would differentiate GC-D+ OSNs and GGNs as well as their target glomeruli. We found in mouse that GC-D+ OSNs, but not other MOE OSNs or GGNs, express the neuropeptide CART (cocaine- and amphetamine-regulated transcript). Both GC-D+ OSNs and GGNs, but not other MOE OSNs, express the Ca2+/calmodulin-dependent phosphodiesterase Pde1a, which is immunolocalized throughout the dendrites, somata and axons of these neurons. Stronger Pde1a immunolabeling in necklace glomeruli innervated by GGNs than in those innervated by GC-D+ OSNs suggests either greater Pde1a expression in individual GGNs than in GC-D+ OSNs or a difference in sensory neuron innervation density between the two types of necklace glomeruli. Together, the unique molecular signatures of GC-D+ OSNs, GGNs and their MOB targets offer important tools for understanding the processing of chemosensory information by olfactory subsystems associated with the necklace glomeruli.
The Business Case for Systems Engineering Study: Assessing Project Performance from Sparse Data

This report describes the data collection and analysis process used to support the assessment of project performance for the systems engineering (SE) effectiveness study being conducted by the Software Engineering Institute (SEI), the National Defense Industrial Association (NDIA) Systems Engineering Division, and the Institute of Electrical and Electronic Engineers (IEEE) Aerospace and Electronic Systems Society. This study seeks to identify relationships between the application of specific systems engineering practices on development projects, and the performance of those projects, as measured by their satisfaction of budget, schedule, and technical requirements.
Smooth Random Mobility

The characteristics of the smooth random mobility model are described through derivation of the analytical model. The model describes how the correlation between the speed and the direction is used to provide the smooth movement patterns that are more realistic to be used in the real-life scenarios of mobile nodes of the MANET . The concept of speed control based on the target speeds is also described. The analytical methodology for encounter -related statistics is derived for hitting time , meeting time , inter-meeting time, and contact duration for a general class of mobility models with applications to SRM and RWP .
Urban Life and Health

In Western countries where tabulations have been made, city residents face shorter life expectancies than their rural cousins. The differential was great in the early days of urbanization, but was substantially reduced in the post-war period. By the late twentieth century, a sizeable urban mortality disadvantage re-emerged, especially in high-poverty areas. Social scientific consensus on the underlying reasons for urban health disadvantages remains elusive. Data limitations severely restrict causal inference making. Early theories posited that characteristics of city life, per se, were negative influences on psychological well being and group life, threatening social cohesion and placing individuals in peril. Concern about depleted social cohesion remains evident in some modern theories, yet it alone cannot explain the severely disproportionate ill health and early mortality experienced by some segments of the post-industrial urban populace. Current theory and research focuses on issues related to social inequality, including the health effects of unemployment, racial segregation, poverty, ambient psychosocial stressors, and physical environmental hazards.
Developmental phenotypic plasticity: where internal programming meets the external environment

Abstract Developmental plasticity has long been the focus of researchin both evolutionary ecology and molecular genetics. Recently, the concept of ontogenetic contingency has been proposed to indicate the dependence of plastic responses on the timing and sequence of developmental events. Also, the idea of the developmental reaction norm has been put forward to indicate the complex interactions among development, phenotypic plasticity, and allometry of different structures. Finally, for the first time, studies ranging from the ecological to the molecular aspects of the same plastic response are available on insect and flowering plant model systems.
Chime Syndrome (Zunich Syndrome)

CHIME syndrome is the acronym for a multisystem disorder consisting of Coloboma, Heart defects, Ichthyosiform dermatosis, Mental retardation, and Ear anomalies with hearing loss. Characteristic features of CHIME syndrome include: (1) retinal coloboma; (2) congenital heart defects; (3) migratory ichthyosiform dermatosis at or within a few weeks of birth; (4) moderate to severe mental retardation; (5) seizure disorder exacerbated by high environmental temperatures and fever; (6) ear anomalies and mild to moderate conductive hearing loss secondary to increased desquamation in the auditory canal; (7) genitourinary abnormalities (hydronephrosis, bicornuate uterus); and (8) dysmorphic features consisting of brachycephaly, hypertelorism, broad, flat nasal root, short philtrum, full lips, anomalous dentition, low set, small nipples, brachydactyly, and broad second toes. Additional associated manifestations include feeding difficulties, recurrent respiratory infections in childhood, and large size at birth. Autosomal recessive inheritance is presumed on the basis of recurrence in a sib pair. A molecular basis for the disorder has not been determined.
Transport of Spermatozoa in the Female Genital Tract

Millions of spermatozoa are inseminated into the mammalian female genital tract in order to fertilize only one or a few oocytes. The movement of spermatozoa through the female genital tract is actually regulated by the female so that a few reach the oocyte in the oviduct (fallopian tube) and only one of them succeeds in fertilizing it. This is accomplished by placing filters and traps in the path of the spermatozoa and by switching the way in which the tails of the spermatozoa beat. In this chapter, the way in which movement of spermatozoa into and through each female reproductive organ is regulated will be discussed.
Heterohexamers Formed by CcmK3 and CcmK4 Increase the Complexity of Beta Carboxysome Shells

Bacterial microcompartments (BMCs) encapsulate enzymes within a selectively permeable, proteinaceous shell. Carboxysomes are BMCs containing ribulose-1,5-bisphosphate carboxylase oxygenase and carbonic anhydrase that enhance carbon dioxide fixation. The carboxysome shell consists of three structurally characterized protein types, each named after the oligomer they form: BMC-H (hexamer), BMC-P (pentamer), and BMC-T (trimer). These three protein types form cyclic homooligomers with pores at the center of symmetry that enable metabolite transport across the shell. Carboxysome shells contain multiple BMC-H paralogs, each with distinctly conserved residues surrounding the pore, which are assumed to be associated with specific metabolites. We studied the regulation of β-carboxysome shell composition by investigating the BMC-H genes ccmK3 and ccmK4 situated in a locus remote from other carboxysome genes. We made single and double deletion mutants of ccmK3 and ccmK4 in Synechococcus elongatus PCC7942 and show that, unlike CcmK3, CcmK4 is necessary for optimal growth. In contrast to other CcmK proteins, CcmK3 does not form homohexamers; instead CcmK3 forms heterohexamers with CcmK4 with a 1:2 stoichiometry. The CcmK3-CcmK4 heterohexamers form stacked dodecamers in a pH-dependent manner. Our results indicate that CcmK3-CcmK4 heterohexamers potentially expand the range of permeability properties of metabolite channels in carboxysome shells. Moreover, the observed facultative formation of dodecamers in solution suggests that carboxysome shell permeability may be dynamically attenuated by “capping” facet-embedded hexamers with a second hexamer. Because β-carboxysomes are obligately expressed, heterohexamer formation and capping could provide a rapid and reversible means to alter metabolite flux across the shell in response to environmental/growth conditions.
Home Inotropic Therapy as a Bridge and as Destination: Intended and Unintended Outcomes in a Single Center Contemporary Cohort

Purpose Continuous home inotropic therapy (HIT) is used as a bridge to heart transplant (BTT), ventricular assist device (BTVAD), decision regarding advanced therapies (BTD), for optimization of oral therapy and inotrope wean (OMT) and for palliative care (PC). While HIT may reduce symptoms, improve functional status and allow time for advanced care decisions, contemporary data on whether the goal of therapy was achieved are limited. Methods This is a single center, retrospective study of hospitalized patients initiated on HIT from 1/1/2013 - 7/1/2017. Outcomes included whether the intended goal of HIT was achieved, need for re-hospitalization within 1 year of HIT initiation and mortality. Results 241 patients (mean age 60.7±10.2 years; 71% male) were discharged on HIT (90% milrinone). Etiology was ischemic in 36.1%. Mean EF was 19.4±10.2%, PCWP 24.0±8.6 mmHg and Fick CI 1.6±0.4 L/min/m2 prior to HIT initiation. At 1 year, 99% of BTT and BTVAD patients reached OHT, VAD or were alive on HIT (Table 1). For BTT, 23.5% reached OHT but 28.4% required VAD. For BTVAD, 82.9% reached VAD within 1 year, with mean time to VAD of 79±79 days. For BTD, survival was 64% at 1 year, indicating that co-morbidities or other characteristics contributed to difficult decision-making and moving these patients to a definitive pathway. For OMT, 30% of patients were weaned off inotropes and 3 died within 1 year. For PC, only 25% had palliative care consults prior to discharge. Interestingly, 8 patients were alive for > 3 years on HIT (1BTT, 4 OMT, and 3 PC). Conclusion HIT is a reasonable therapy for some patients with advanced heart failure, although unplanned re-hospitalization remains high. HIT represents a step toward a VAD decision and in some cases a viable BTT pathway. HIT for PC is a growing strategy as more time with greater quality might be afforded. For OMT or BTD, there is more uncertainty regarding the safety and efficacy of HIT. Further work in a multicenter registry is needed to better understand the role of HIT.
Demographic benefits of early season resources for bumble bee (B. vosnesenskii) colonies

The temporal distribution of resources is an important aspect of habitat quality that can substantially impact population success. Although it is widely accepted that floral resources directly influence wild bee population sizes, we lack experimental data evaluating how resource availability affects colony growth via demographic mechanisms. To achieve this, we tracked marked individuals in bumble bee (Bombus vosnesenskii) colonies to evaluate whether worker survival and reproduction responded to experimentally elevated forage early in colony development. Specifically, we assessed the effect of early resource environment on worker and sexual offspring production, and the survival and body size of individual workers. We also assessed whether responses of colonies differed when exposed to higher or lower resource environments at a relatively smaller (~ 10 workers) or larger (~ 20 workers) size. Resource supplementation always resulted in greater total offspring and male production; however, the influence of supplementation on worker production and quality depended on colony size at the start of supplementation. Among colonies that were initially smaller, colonies that were supplemented produced fewer but larger bodied and longer lived workers compared to control counterparts. Among colonies that were initially larger, colonies that were supplemented produced more workers than corresponding controls, but without changes to worker quality. Collectively, these results provide clear experimental evidence that greater resource availability early in colony development increases overall productivity, and indicate that colonies may pursue different allocation strategies in response to the resource environment, investing in more or better workers.
Adaptive Control for Multiagent Systems with Sensor–Actuator Attacks and Stochastic Disturbances

In this paper, distributed state and output feedback adaptive consensus control protocols are developed for addressing networked multiagent systems subject to exogenous stochastic disturbances as w...
The Welfare Consequences of Mixed Environmental Policy Instruments with Voluntary Provision

This article evaluates the welfare consequences of a mixed regulatory framework with a voluntary cap‐and‐trade program and intensity standards using data from the Texas electricity industry. I construct and estimate a structural model of the compliance choices of power generating units to recover their abatement costs. Then I simulate for the counterfactual equilibrium under a mandatory cap‐and‐trade regulation. Results show that the mixed policy framework mainly benefits generating units with small capacity and high abatement costs. However, a mandatory cap‐and‐trade regulation with redistribution policies could bring in substantial Pareto improvement.
Optimal Path Construction with Decode and Forward Relays in mmWave Backhaul Networks

In this paper, we consider the problem of constructing paths using decode and forward (DF) relays for millimeter wave (mmWave) backhaul communications in urban environments. Due to the large number of obstacles in urban environments, line-of-sight (LoS) wireless links, which are necessary for backhaul communication, often do not exist between small-cell base stations. To address this, some earlier works proposed creating multi-hop paths that use mmWave relay nodes with LoS communication between every pair of consecutive nodes to form logical links between base stations. We present algorithms, based on a novel widest-path formulation of the problem, for selecting decode and forward relay node locations in such paths. Our main algorithm is the first polynomial-time algorithm that constructs a relay path with a throughput that is proven to be the maximum possible. We also present variations of this algorithm for constrained problems in which: 1) each possible relay location can host only one relay node, and 2) minimizing the number of hops in the relay path is also an objective. For all of the proposed algorithms, the achievable throughput and numbers of relays are evaluated through simulation based on a 3-D model of a section of downtown Atlanta. The results show that, over a large number of random cases, our algorithm can always find paths with very high throughput using a small number of relays. We also compare and contrast the results with our earlier work that studied the use of amplify-and-forward (AF) relays for the same scenario.
Field-free spin–orbit torque perpendicular magnetization switching in ultrathin nanostructures

Magnetic-field-free current-controlled switching of perpendicular magnetization via spin–orbit torque (SOT) is necessary for developing a fast, long data retention, and high-density SOT magnetoresistive random access memory (MRAM). Here, we use both micromagnetic simulations and atomistic spin dynamics (ASD) simulations to demonstrate an approach to field-free SOT perpendicular magnetization switching without requiring any changes in the architecture of a standard SOT-MRAM cell. We show that this field-free switching is enabled by a synergistic effect of lateral geometrical confinement, interfacial Dyzaloshinskii–Moriya interaction (DMI), and current-induced SOT. Both micromagnetic and atomistic understanding of the nucleation and growth kinetics of the reversed domain are established. Notably, atomically resolved spin dynamics at the early stage of nucleation is revealed using ASD simulations. A machine learning model is trained based on ~1000 groups of benchmarked micromagnetic simulation data. This machine learning model can be used to rapidly and accurately identify the nanomagnet size, interfacial DMI strength, and the magnitude of current density required for the field-free switching.
Diagnosis of a model of Duchenne muscular dystrophy in blood serum of mdx mice using Raman hyperspectroscopy

Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD) is the most common and severe form of muscular dystrophy and affects boys in infancy or early childhood. Current methods for diagnosing DMD are often laborious, expensive, invasive, and typically diagnose the disease late in its progression. In an effort to improve the accuracy and ease of diagnosis, this study focused on developing a novel method for diagnosing DMD which combines Raman hyperspectroscopic analysis of blood serum with advanced statistical analysis. Partial least squares discriminant analysis was applied to the spectral dataset acquired from blood serum of a mouse model of Duchenne muscular dystrophy (mdx) and control mice. Cross-validation showed 95.2% sensitivity and 94.6% specificity for identifying diseased spectra. These results were verified via external validation, which achieved 100% successful classification accuracy at the donor level. This proof-of-concept study presents Raman hyperspectroscopic analysis of blood serum as an easy, fast, non-expensive, and minimally invasive detection method for distinguishing control and mdx model mice, with a strong potential for clinical diagnosis of DMD.
The “Golden Hour” and field triage pattern for road trauma patients

Abstract Introduction: Although the term “golden hour” is a well-known concept among trauma system and emergency medical service providers, the relationship between time and trauma patient outcome and the process of prehospital care for road trauma patients in rural settings are poorly understood. As the underlying basis for triage decision-making, the estimated transport interval to trauma center is usually absent in the existing studies. Method: In this study, the crash data between 2013 and 2017 were obtained from the Fatality Analysis Reporting System, and the estimated intervals were calculated by using a Geographic Information System software. By comparing the estimated intervals with actual emergency medical services records, the field triage patterns for road patients were investigated at the state and county levels. Results and Conclusions: With the help of the interval prediction maps, the different triage patterns among counties were identified. Further, the average fatalities per 100,000 population by county from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration were adopted to clarify the associated outcomes. The linear regression analysis results revealed that, for most states, all intervals except the notification interval had a significant correlation with the mortality. The estimated interval had a more significant relationship with the mortality than the actual transport interval. Practical applications: These findings indicated that adhering to the “golden hour” without regarding the destination may not be helpful for the survival of road trauma patients. The regression analyses and the interval maps can be used to identify patterns of inappropriate destination selection so that prospective decision-making can be improved.
Contribution of microbiota in obesity and obesity-related chronic diseases

Abstract Microbiota profile plays an important role in not only the development of the immune system but also in the development of metabolic diseases such as obesity, type 2 diabetes, metabolic syndrome (MetS), and cardiovascular diseases. The existence of bidirectional communication between the gut microbiota and brain suggests that microbes play a role in the induction of neurological disorders as well as in host perception, behavior, and emotional response. However, whether the observed alteration of the microbiota profile in these diverse conditions is the cause or the consequence of the disease remains to be established.
COMMUNITY PERCEPTIONS, ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACTS, AND ENERGY POLICY -- RAIL SHIPMENT OF COAL.

Policy changes over the last two decades have dramatically changed the coal and electric utility industries. Many of these changes have led to secondary and environmental impacts which, taken together, affect many communities and individuals but are rarely considered during policy debates. We undertake an analysis of fugitive coal dust emissions during rail transport of coal to illustrate the side effects of public policy and the need for more comprehensive consideration of subjective costs and benefits. The economic and environmental impacts on communities and individuals of one aspect of increased coal usage are measured with non-market valuation techniques.
Modifications on Character Sequences and Construction of Large Even Length Binary Sequences

It has been noticed that all the known binary sequences having the asymptotic merit factor $\ge 6$ are the modifications to the real primitive characters. In this paper, we give a new modification of the character sequences at length $N=p_1p_2\dots p_r$, where $p_i$'s are distinct odd primes and $r$ is finite. Based on these new modifications, for $N=p_1p_2\dots p_r$ with $p_i$'s distinct odd primes, we can construct a binary sequence of length $2N$ with asymptotic merit factor $6.0$
A META-ANALYTIC REVIEW OF RELATIONSHIP-BASED INTERVENTIONS FOR LOW-INCOME FAMILIES WITH INFANTS AND TODDLERS: FACILITATING SUPPORTIVE PARENT–CHILD INTERACTIONS

Relationship-based intervention programs are increasingly being implemented as a way to enhance parent-child interaction quality. In this meta-analytic review, we examined the effectiveness of 19 recent relationship-based interventions serving socioeconomically disadvantaged families with infants and toddlers (N = 6,807). This review specifically focused on intervention effectiveness in terms of improving supportive parenting behaviors, as measured by observational assessments of dyadic parent-child interactions. Meta-analytic results indicated significant, yet modest, effectiveness across all interventions (d = .23). Intervention characteristics such as participant randomization, breadth of intervention services offered, duration, child age at the start of the intervention, professional qualifications of the intervenor, and type of play task used during assessment were tested as possible moderators of effectiveness. Significant differences in effectiveness were found between randomized and nonrandomized interventions. Within the subsample of randomized interventions, programs that were shorter in duration, that provided direct services to the parent-child dyad, used intervenors with professional qualifications, and assessed parent-child interactions with free-play tasks were the most effective, highlighting important considerations for designing effective intervention protocol tailored to the needs of this high-risk population.
Indirect taxes: A comparative study of Greece and the EEC

Abstract Financing ever-growing governmental services in a non-inflationary manner is one of the main problems of public policy for all governments, including those of Greece and the EEC countries. The accession of Greece to the EEC would require tax reforms, especially in indirect taxes, which include tariffs and turnover or value added taxes. A regression analysis for the postwar years indicate that ‘imports’ is a far more important variable in explaining changes in indirect taxes than ‘private consumption’ and ‘inflation’. Such empirical findings may be useful to related policies on public finance of the countries considered, as well as other countries with similar economic problems.
An anatomy of space weather's electricity market impact: Case of the PJM power grid and the performance of its 500 kV transformers

[1] The PJM Interconnection is a regional electricity transmission organization which as of 30 April 2004 coordinated the dispatch of electricity over 320,000 km of transmission lines. The backbone of PJM's transmission system is a series of 500 kilovolt (kV) transmission lines and transformers. PJM operates both hourly real-time and day-ahead markets for energy. The differences between PJM's real-time and day-ahead prices reflect unexpected operating conditions. Using ground-based magnetometer data as a proxy for geomagnetically induced currents (GICs), we present evidence that the differences between PJM's real-time and day-ahead prices are statistically related with the GIC proxy. Extra high voltage energy losses and a measure of real-time congestion costs are also shown to be statistically related with the GIC proxy. The paper investigates these statistical linkages by examining the incidence of declared constraints in the 500 kV transformers. The relationship between the GIC proxy and the incidence of declared constraints in the transformers is examined using a multivariate regression model with a dependent variable that is binary. The model is estimated using hourly data over the period 1 April 2002 through 30 April 2004. The results indicate that GICs can contribute to conditions in which the system operator declares one or more of the 500 kV transformers to be constrained. This finding takes into account forecasted load, load forecasting errors, ambient temperature, a proxy for known transmission constraints, and scheduled flows with other power grids. The results are also consistent with published findings that GICs can contribute to overheating problems in transformers.
The third leg: Molecular dynamics simulations of lipid binding proteins

Molecular dynamics computer simulations can provide a third leg which balances the contributions of both structural biology and binding studies performed on the lipid binding protein family. In this context, these calculations help to establish a dialogue between all three communities, by relating experimental observables with details of structure. Working towards this connection is important, since experience has shown the difficulty of inferring thermodynamic properties from a single static conformation. The challenge is exemplified by ongoing attempts to interpret the impact of mutagenesis on structure and function (i.e. binding). A detailed atomic-level understanding of this system could be achieved with the support of all three legs, paving the way towards rational design of proteins with novel specificities. This paper provides an outline of the connections possible between experiment and theory concerning lipid binding proteins. (Mol Cell Biochem 192: 143–156, 1999)
Municipal Securities: The Crises of State and Local Government Indebtedness, Systemic Costs of Low Default Rates, and Opportunities for Reform

Municipal securities are securities issued by state and local governments to pay for public infrastructure, public services and to meet day-to-day funding needs. The conventional wisdom says that municipal securities are low risk because issuers rarely default. Municipal issuers rarely default because they pledge their taxing power or dedicated revenue streams for repayment, and thus must raise taxes and/or cut spending if necessary to avoid default. Other legal, political and economic constraints also make it difficult for issuers (and thus taxpayers) to obtain relief from municipal bond debt. This state of affairs means that when issuers take steps to avoid default and reduce investor risk of loss (as they must), they increase risks and costs for taxpayers responsible for paying back municipal bond debt. In this way, the low default rate for municipal securities increases risks and costs for those whose credit backstops municipal securities debt. As it stands today, the federal securities regulatory regime applicable to the municipal securities market reflects an investor-centric, default-centric approach to risk. Under the current regime, obligated stakeholders must disclose certain facts relating to default risk to investors. Once that occurs, risk is an economic issue to be dealt with through pricing and deal terms, not a subject of regulatory concern. In this article, I argue that the conventional approach to risk is inadequate, because it ignores and externalizes risks and costs that issuers and taxpayers face when communities use debt and derivatives to finance infrastructure and public services. Since these risks and costs impact millions of taxpayers, and can have a devastating effect on public and private life, I argue that they ought to be subjects of regulatory scrutiny under the federal securities laws. This article proposes a series of regulatory reforms designed to bring taxpayer risk into the regulatory conversation, including the following: (i) apply fiduciary duties of care and loyalty to underwriters, derivatives dealers and public officials when they provide advice to issuers respecting the structure, timing and terms of municipal bond offerings and derivatives transactions or serve as derivatives counterparties; (ii) expand and formalize risk identification and tracking systems so that stakeholders will have a better chance of identifying systemic risks to all stakeholders (including taxpayers) before a crisis erupts; (iii) implementing systems to track and monitor the effectiveness of regulatory reforms, so that we can leverage successful strategies and avoid (or at least mitigate the impact of) mistakes.
Improving AIRS radiance spectra in high contrast scenes using MODIS

The Atmospheric Infrared Sounder (AIRS) on the EOS Aqua Spacecraft was launched on May 4, 2002. AIRS acquires hyperspectral infrared radiances in 2378 channels ranging in wavelength from 3.7-15.4 um with spectral resolution of better than 1200, and spatial resolution of 13.5 km with global daily coverage. The AIRS is designed to measure temperature and water vapor profiles for improvement in weather forecast accuracy and improved understanding of climate processes. As with most instruments, the AIRS Point Spread Functions (PSFs) are not the same for all detectors. When viewing a non-uniform scene, this causes a significant radiometric error in some channels that is scene dependent and cannot be removed without knowledge of the underlying scene. The magnitude of the error depends on the combination of non-uniformity of the AIRS spatial response for a given channel and the non-uniformity of the scene, but is typically only noticeable in about 1% of the scenes and about 10% of the channels. The current solution is to avoid those channels when performing geophysical retrievals. In this effort we use data from the Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) instrument to provide information on the scene uniformity that is used to correct the AIRS data. For the vast majority of channels and footprints the technique works extremely well when compared to a Principal Component (PC) reconstruction of the AIRS channels. In some cases where the scene has high inhomogeneity in an irregular pattern, and in some channels, the method can actually degrade the spectrum. Most of the degraded channels appear to be slightly affected by random noise introduced in the process, but those with larger degradation may be affected by alignment errors in the AIRS relative to MODIS or uncertainties in the PSF. Despite these errors, the methodology shows the ability to correct AIRS radiances in non-uniform scenes under some of the worst case conditions and improves the ability to match AIRS and MODIS radiances in non-uniform scenes.
Shear rate dependent thermal conductivity measurements of non-Newtonian fluids

Abstract An investigation was carried out to experimentally determine the thermal conductivities of non-Newtonian fluids in a shear field. Time-independent purely viscous and viscoelastic fluids were considered. A coaxial cylinder apparatus with a rotating outer cylinder was used to establish the velocity field in the test fluid. First, the thermal conductivity of distilled water was measured to validate the instrument. The experimental water data agreed within 1% of literature values, and there was no effect of outer cylinder rotation (shear field). However, for non-Newtonian fluids such as aqueous carboxymethylcellulose and Separan solutions, there were significant increases in thermal conductivities of as much as 70% for CMC and 50% for Separan, depending on the shear rate, polymer concentration, and temperature. The effect of shear rate dependent thermal conductivities on the study of heat transfer in non-Newtonian fluids could be important. As in natural convection, the momentum and energy equations could no longer be solved separately but would have to be solved simultaneously.
Profiles of right hemisphere language and speech following brain bisection

A variety of language tasks were administered to two patients who had undergone staged callosal section in an effort to control otherwise intractable epilepsy. Right hemisphere lexical capacity varied and preliminary results suggest that the case displaying greater semantic power also possessed some syntactic competence. This same case (V.P.) was also capable of expressive language from the right hemisphere. This rare capacity allowed for fresh observations on the dynamic interactions of conscious control that occur in this kind of patient.
A Three-Dimensional Analysis of Particle Deposition for the Modified Chemical Vapor Deposition (MCVD) Process

A study has been mode of the deposition of particles that occurs during the modified chemical vapor deposition (MCVD) process. The three-dimensional conservation equations of mass, momentum, and energy have been solved numerically for forced flow, including the effects of buoyancy and variable properties in a heated, rotating tube. The motion of the particles that are formed is determined from the combined effects resulting from thermophoresis and the forced and secondary flows. The effects of torch speed, rotational speed, inlet flow rate, tube radius, and maximum surface temperature on deposition are studied. IN a horizontal tube, buoyancy results in circumferentially nonuniform temperature and velocity fields and particle deposition. The effect of tube rotation greatly reduces the nonuniformity of particle deposition in the circumferential direction. The process is chemical-reaction limited at larger flow rates and particle-transport limited at smaller flow rates. The vertical tube geometry has also been studied because its symmetric configuration results in uniform particle deposition in the circumferential direction. The 'upward' flow condition results in a large overall deposition efficiency, but this is also accompanied by a large 'tapered entry length'.
Endoscopic ultrasound-guided pancreatic fiducial placement: how important is ideal fiducial geometry?

ObjectiveImage-guided radiation therapy allows precise tumor targeting using real-time tracking of radiopaque fiducial markers. To enable appropriate tracking, it is recommended to place fiducials with “ideal fiducial geometry” (IFG). Our objectives were to determine the proportion of patients in wh
RF Tomography using radars of opportunity: Theory and experimental validation

RF Tomography is a technique to reconstruct an image of the area of interest using distributed transmitters and receivers assumed to be cooperating. This paper explores the possibility of using RF tomography when the sources' locations and waveforms are not known. With this added complexity, the system must 1) sense the environment to detect radar waveforms of opportunity 2) estimate the source's locations 3) use a tomographic reconstruction based upon match-filtered data, where the phase information of targets is practically lost. This paper addresses these steps through a new formalization of the tomographic model and associated signal processing. Simulations and experimental results are shown.
Critical pathways: A road to institutionalizing pain management

Abstract Effective strategies to increase the visibility of pain and the accountability of health-care professionals for the treatment of pain are needed to improve the quality of pain management. Critical pathways are tools used to plan and document care for patients within a system of case management. Case management models of care focus on decreased cost, better coordination of services, and improved patient outcomes. This article describes how critical pathways are being used in one setting within. a system of case management to help increase awareness of pain as a problem and to institutionalize pain, management. As institutions seek to implement outcome-based practice systems, many are turning to the critical pathway to influence practice patterns. Critical pathways provide the vehicle to articulate and implement a standard for quality pain management and a mechanism to analyze persistent failures in achieving desired outcomes of care. Using pathways to track and monitor care promises to uncover clinical barriers to pain. management and provide an impetus to increase clinician accountability for pain relief.