cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
A comparison of measurement techniques for determining phosphorus densities in semiconductor silicon

Phosphorus densities in semiconductor silicon slices cut from 14 single crystal ingots have been determined by two electrical and two analytical techniques. Hall effect measurements were made on specimens from all ingots, and junction capacitance-voltage measurements were made on specimens with densities up to about 5 × 1017 cm−3. Neutron activation analysis was used to measure phosphorus densities from 5 × 1015} to 5 x 1019} cm−3, and a photometric technique was used for densities greater than 1017 cm−3. A systematic discrepancy of about 15% between the photometric and neutron activation data is indicative of the interlaboratory agreement that might be realized in practice with these techniques.
Detecting vegetation cover change on the summit of Cadillac Mountain using multi-temporal remote sensing datasets: 1979, 2001, and 2007

This study examines the efficacy of management strategies implemented in 2000 to reduce visitor-induced vegetation impact and enhance vegetation recovery at the summit loop trail on Cadillac Mountain at Acadia National Park, Maine. Using single-spectral high-resolution remote sensing datasets captured in 1979, 2001, and 2007, pre-classification change detection analysis techniques were applied to measure fractional vegetation cover changes between the time periods. This popular sub-alpine summit with low-lying vegetation and attractive granite outcroppings experiences dispersed visitor use away from the designated trail, so three pre-defined spatial scales (small, 0–30 m; medium, 0–60 m; and large, 0–90 m) were examined in the vicinity of the summit loop trail with visitor use (experimental site) and a site chosen nearby in a relatively pristine undisturbed area (control site) with similar spatial scales. Results reveal significant changes in terms of rates of vegetation impact between 1979 and 2001 extending out to 90 m from the summit loop trail with no management at the site. No significant differences were detected among three spatial zones (inner, 0–30 m; middle, 30–60 m; and outer, 60–90 m) at the experimental site, but all were significantly higher rates of impact compared to similar spatial scales at the control site (all p < 0.001). In contrast, significant changes in rates of recovery between 2001 and 2007 were observed in the medium and large spatial scales at the experimental site under management as compared to the control site (all p < 0.05). Also during this later period a higher rate of recovery was observed in the outer zone as compared to the inner zone at the experimental site (p < 0.05). The overall study results suggest a trend in the desired direction for the site and visitor management strategies designed to reduce vegetation impact and enhance vegetation recovery at the summit loop trail of Cadillac Mountain since 2000. However, the vegetation recovery has been rather minimal and did not reach the level of cover observed during the 1979 time period. In addition, the advantages and some limitations of using remote sensing technologies are discussed in detecting vegetation change in this setting and potential application to other recreation settings.
Inpatient Mortality and Morbidity for Dialysis-Dependent Patients Undergoing Primary Total Hip or Knee Arthroplasty.

Background: Dialysis-dependent patients can develop osteoarthritis or osteonecrosis, warranting hip or knee arthroplasty. Their comorbidities predispose them to complications. Our goal was to determine inpatient outcomes of dialysis-dependent patients after primary elective total hip or knee arthroplasty. Methods: In the National Inpatient Sample, we identified 2934 dialysis-dependent patients who had undergone total hip or knee arthroplasty from 2000 through 2009 and compared them with 6,186,475 patients who had undergone the same procedures and were not dialysis-dependent. We described demographic characteristics, comorbidities, and outcomes and assessed associations of dialysis status with inpatient mortality and complications. Results: In the hip arthroplasty group, dialysis-dependent patients were younger (63.2 compared with 65.2 years; p = 0.0476) and more commonly diagnosed with osteonecrosis (34.29% compared with 10.94%; p < 0.0001) than non-dialysis-dependent patients. Dialysis-dependent patients had higher inpatient mortality rates (1.88% compared with 0.13%; p < 0.0001) and greater overall complication rates (9.98% compared with 4.97%; p = 0.0001). Dialysis was an independent risk factor for mortality (odds ratio, 6.66; 95% confidence interval [95% CI], 2.66 to 16.66) and complications (odds ratio, 1.53; 95% CI, 1.01 to 2.33). In the knee arthroplasty group, dialysis-dependent patients were similar in age (66.7 compared with 66.8 years; p = 0.8085) and were more commonly diagnosed with osteonecrosis (3.32% compared with 0.74%; p < 0.0001) than non-dialysis-dependent patients. Dialysis-dependent patients had higher inpatient mortality rates (0.92% compared with 0.10%; p < 0.0001) and greater overall complication rates (12.48% compared with 5.00%; p < 0.0001). Dialysis status was an independent risk factor for mortality (odds ratio, 3.31; 95% CI, 1.04 to 10.54) and complications (odds ratio, 1.86; 95% CI, 1.34 to 2.60). Conclusions: Total hip and knee arthroplasty in dialysis-dependent patients presents high risk, with inpatient mortality rates ten to twenty times greater and overall complication rates two times greater than in non-dialysis-dependent patients. Arthroplasty should be approached with caution and preferably should be delayed until after renal transplantation. Level of Evidence: Prognostic Level III. See Instructions for Authors for a complete description of levels of evidence.
A Psychological Process of College Student Dropout

The purpose of this research was to propose and test a model of a psychological process of college student dropout that is adapted from a model of the psychological process of employee turnover presented by Hom, Caranikas-Walker, Prussia, and Griffeth (1992). In the proposed model, student satisfaction precedes withdrawal cognitions, which, in turn, precedes dropout behavior. A confirmatory factor analysis for the withdrawal cognitions construct confirmed the existence of this latent factor comprised of a student's thoughts of quitting, intentions to search for an alternative environment, and intentions to dropout. A test of the structural equations model for the psychological process of college student dropout revealed that this model provides a valid psychological explanation for college student dropout.
Cluster expansion models for flexible-backbone protein energetics.

Protein structure prediction and design often involve discrete modeling of side-chain conformations on structural templates. Introducing backbone flexibility into such models has proven important in many different applications. Backbone flexibility improves model accuracy and provides access to larger sequence spaces in computational design, although at a cost in complexity and time. Here, we show that the influence of backbone flexibility on protein conformational energetics can be treated implicitly, at the level of sequence, using the technique of cluster expansion. Cluster expansion provides a way to convert structure-based energies into functions of sequence alone. It leads to dramatic speed-ups in energy evaluation and provides a convenient functional form for the analysis and optimization of sequence-structure relationships. We show that it can be applied effectively to flexible-backbone structural models using four proteins: α-helical coiled-coil dimers and trimers, zinc fingers, and Bcl-xL/peptide complexes. For each of these, low errors for the sequence-based models when compared with structure-based evaluations show that this new way of treating backbone flexibility has considerable promise, particularly for protein design. © 2009 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Comput Chem, 2009
Energy-efficient non-minimal path on-chip interconnection network for heterogeneous systems

Network-on-Chips (NoCs) in heterogeneous systems containing both CPU and GPU cores must be designed to satisfy the performance requirements of both latency-sensitive CPU traffic and throughput-intensive GPU traffic. DVFS and adaptive routing can potentially improve NoC energy and performance efficiency. We further notice that GPU traffic can sometimes tolerate a slack defined as the number of cycles a packet can be delayed without causing performance penalty. In this work, we take advantage of the slack in GPU packets to route packets through non-minimal path, so that routers can operate at a lower frequency without suffering performance penalty.
COQ9, a New Gene Required for the Biosynthesis of Coenzyme Q in Saccharomyces cerevisiae

Currently, eight genes are known to be involved in coenzyme Q6 biosynthesis in Saccharomyces cerevisiae. Here, we report a new gene designated COQ9 that is also required for the biosynthesis of this lipoid quinone. The respiratory-deficient pet mutant C92 was found to be deficient in coenzyme Q and to have low mitochondrial NADH-cytochrome c reductase activity, which could be restored by addition of coenzyme Q2. The mutant was used to clone COQ9, corresponding to reading frame YLR201c on chromosome XII. The respiratory defect of C92 is complemented by COQ9 and suppressed by COQ8/ ABC1. The latter gene has been shown to be required for coenzyme Q biosynthesis in yeast and bacteria. Suppression by COQ8/ABC1 of C92, but not other coq9 mutants tested, has been related to an increase in the mitochondrial concentration of several enzymes of the pathway. Coq9p may either catalyze a reaction in the coenzyme Q biosynthetic pathway or have a regulatory role similar to that proposed for Coq8p.
Locating tiny sensors in time and space: a case study

As the cost of embedded sensors and actuators drops, new applications will arise that exploit high density networks of small devices capable of a variety of sensing tasks. Although individual devices may have limited functionality, the true value of the system comes from the emergent behavior that arises when data from many places in the system is combined. This type of data fusion has a number of requirements, but two of the most important are: 1) synchronized time, precise enough to resolve movement in the sensed phenomenon (e.g., sound); and 2) known geographic locations, on a similar scale to the sensors' size and deployment density. However, the installation cost of a localization system with sufficient granularity is considerable, because of the large amount of effort required to deploy such a system and make all the measurements required to tune it. In this paper, we describe a system based on COTS components that incorporates our novel time synchronization and acoustic ranging techniques. The result is a low-cost, readily available platform for distributed, coherent signal processing.
Improving coverage analysis and test generation for large designs

State space techniques have proven to be useful for measuring and improving the coverage of test vectors that are used during functional validation via simulation. By comparing the state and edge coverage provided by tests with that which is possible in the design's state graph, the designer can estimate how well tested the design is and identify areas that need better testing. Unfortunately, for many interesting designs, the full state graph may be too large to fully explore, or if it is explorable, the resulting coverage may be so low as to provide limited feedback. Several techniques have been proposed that identify and work with an interesting subset of the design's state machines, but they still require computing the full state graph before projecting it. In this paper we discuss projection directed state exploration, in which a projection from the full graph is found while exploring only the relevant portion of the full graph. Even with this limited exploration, BDD size blowup is still a problem. To deal with this, we have also developed several interactive tools that provide feedback to the designer, and allow them to add hints to help with the exploration.
Molar Pregnancy Causing Thyrotoxicosis in a Teenage Girl With Type 1 Diabetes Mellitus.

Molar pregnancy, also known as hydatidiform mole, is the most common form of gestational trophoblastic disease. Although rare, hyperthyroid signs and symptoms may be indicative of molar pregnancy. We describe a case of a teenage girl with type 1 diabetes mellitus who presented with thyrotoxicosis secondary to molar pregnancy.
Direct-Conversion WCDMA Transmitter with 163dBc/Hz Noise at 190MHz Offset

A direct-conversion multi-band TX for 1710 to 2025MHz is implemented in a 0.18mum CMOS process with post-passivation inductors. An on-chip balun and noise of -163dBc/Hz at 190MHz offset enable the PA to be driven directly with no SAW filter. A tapped attenuator provides >60dB gain control at RF.
Coxsackievirus Preferentially Replicates and Induces Cytopathic Effects in Undifferentiated Neural Progenitor Cells

Enteroviruses, including coxsackieviruses, exhibit significant tropism for the central nervous system, and these viruses are commonly associated with viral meningitis and encephalitis. Previously, we described the ability of coxsackievirus B3 (CVB3) to infect proliferating neuronal progenitor cells located in the neonatal subventricular zone and persist in the adult murine central nervous system (CNS). Here, we demonstrate that cultured murine neurospheres, which comprise neural stem cells and their progeny at different stages of development, were highly susceptible to CVB3 infection. Neurospheres, or neural progenitor and stem cells (NPSCs), isolated from neonatal C57BL/6 mice, supported high levels of infectious virus production and high viral protein expression levels following infection with a recombinant CVB3 expressing enhanced green fluorescent protein (eGFP) protein. Similarly, NPSCs isolated from neonatal actin-promoter-GFP transgenic mice (actin-GFP NPSCs) were highly susceptible to infection with a recombinant CVB3 expressing DsRed (Discosoma sp. red fluorescent protein). Both nestin-positive and NG2(+) progenitor cells within neurospheres were shown to preferentially express high levels of viral protein as soon as 24 h postinfection (p.i.). By day 3 p.i., viral protein expression and viral titers increased dramatically in NPSCs with resultant cytopathic effects (CPE) and eventual cell death. In contrast, reduced viral replication, lower levels of CPE, and diminished viral protein expression levels were observed in NPSCs differentiated for 5 or 16 days in the presence of fetal bovine serum (FBS). Despite the presence of CPE and high levels of cell death following early CVB3 infection, surviving neurospheres were readily observed and continued to express detectable levels of viral protein as long as 37 days after initial infection. Also, CVB3 infection of actin-GFP NPSCs increased the percentage of cells expressing neuronal class III β-tubulin following their differentiation in the presence of FBS. These results suggest that neural stem cells may be preferentially targeted by CVB3 and that neurogenic regions of the CNS may support persistent viral replication in the surviving host. In addition, normal progenitor cell differentiation may be altered in the host following infection.
Optimal wireless multiuser channels with imperfect channel state information

This paper considers algorithms for optimal transmission over wireless multiuser channels where the transmitter has access to imperfect channel state information (CSI). We focus on downlink orthogonal frequency division multiple access and multiuser uplink random access. In both cases, frequency assignment, transmitted power, and coding mode are adapted to imperfect CSI in order to maximize expected transmission rate subject to average power constraints. Determination of optimal solutions is a non-convex stochastic optimization problem with infinitely many variables. Exploiting its property of null duality gap, we show that optimal solutions are determined by optimal dual variables. This affords considerable simplification because the dual optimization problem is convex and finite-dimensional. Iterative algorithms that find the optimal operating point based on imperfect CSI without having access to the channels' probability distributions are further developed.
Distribution of brainstem projections from spinal lamina I neurons in the cat and the monkey.

The distribution of terminal projections in the brainstem from lamina I neurons in the spinal dorsal horn was investigated with the anterograde tracer Phaseolus vulgaris–leucoagglutinin in the cat and the cynomolgus monkey. Iontophoretic injections made with physiological guidance were restricted to lamina I or to laminae I–III in the cervical (C6–8) or lumbar (L6–7) enlargement. The distribution of terminal labeling was essentially identical in the cat and the monkey, although consistently of greater intensity in the monkey. Terminations were observed in the solitary nucleus, the dorsomedial medullary reticular formation, the entire rostrocaudal extent of the ventrolateral medulla, the locus coeruleus, the subcoerulear region and the Kolliker–Fuse nucleus, the lateral and medial portions of the parabrachial nucleus, the cuneiform nucleus, the ventrolateral and lateral portions of the periaqueductal gray, and the intercollicular nucleus. Lamina I terminations were generally bilateral in the medulla but more dense contralaterally in the pons and mesencephalon. The density and laterality of labeling in the medulla varied between cases independently from that in the pons and mesencephalon, suggesting that the lamina I projections to these regions may originate from different subsets of neurons. A clear topographic organization was observed only in the lateral column of the periaqueductal gray, where lumbar lamina I terminations were found caudal to cervical terminations. These observations indicate that spinal lamina I neurons project to a variety of brainstem sites involved in autonomic (cardiovascular, respiratory) and homeostatic processing and the control of behavioral state. These projections provide an afferent substrate for spino-bulbo-spinal somatoautonomic reflex arcs activated by nociceptive, thermoreceptive activity and for a spino-bulbo-hypothalamic relay of such activity by cells in the caudal ventrolateral medulla. These observations support the general concept that lamina I projections distribute modality-selective sensory information relevant to the physiological status and maintenance of the tissues and organs of the entire organism. © 1995 Wiley-Liss, Inc.
Carbaryl and Lindane Protect White Spruce from Attack by Spruce Beetles (Coleoptera: Scolytidae) for Three Growing Seasons

Individual, high-value white spruce, Picea glauca (Moench) Voss, can be protected from attack by spruce beetle, Dendroctonus rufipennis (Kirby), by spraying the boles of trees (diameters at breast height, 25–38 cm) to a height of 12 m with 1 and 2% carbaryl or 0.5% lindane. Success of each chemical was evaluated on the basis of number of spruce beetle attacks and tree mortality of treated and adjacent untreated trees. At 16 months after application, these insecticides provided 100% protection. Carbaryl (1 and 2%) and lindane (0.5%) were 89, 96, and 94% effective, respectively, at the end of the third growing season after treatment.
Arrhythmias in Pediatric Patients

The six most common arrhythmias or conduction disturbances in children are discussed. For each arrhythmia, the electrocardiographic criteria in children, the common clinical situations in which the arrhythmias are see, the diagnostic work-up, the suggested treatment, and prognosis are presented. Throughout, the differences between children and adults are emphasized.
MUTATION AND EXTINCTION: THE ROLE OF VARIABLE MUTATIONAL EFFECTS, SYNERGISTIC EPISTASIS, BENEFICIAL MUTATIONS, AND DEGREE OF OUTCROSSING.

Recent theoretical studies have illustrated the potential role of spontaneous deleterious mutation as a cause of extinction in small populations. However, these studies have not addressed several genetic issues, which can in principle have a substantial influence on the risk of extinction. These include the presence of synergistic epistasis, which can reduce the rate of mutation accumulation by progressively magnifying the selective effects of mutations, and the occurrence of beneficial mutations, which can offset the effects of previous deleterious mutations. In stochastic simulations of small populations (effective sizes on the order of 100 or less), we show that both synergistic epistasis and the rate of beneficial mutation must be unrealistically high to substantially reduce the risk of extinction due to random fixation of deleterious mutations. However, in analytical calculations based on diffusion theory, we show that in large, outcrossing populations (effective sizes greater than a few hundred), very low levels of beneficial mutation are sufficient to prevent mutational decay. Further simulation results indicate that in populations small enough to be highly vulnerable to mutational decay, variance in deleterious mutational effects reduces the risk of extinction, assuming that the mean deleterious mutational effect is on the order of a few percent or less. We also examine the magnitude of outcrossing that is necessary to liberate a predominantly selfing population from the threat of long-term mutational deterioration. The critical amount of outcrossing appears to be greater than is common in near-obligately selfing plant species, supporting the contention that such species are generally doomed to extinction via random drift of new mutations. Our results support the hypothesis that a long-term effective population size in the neighborhood of a few hundred individuals defines an approximate threshold, below which outcrossing populations are vulnerable to extinction via fixation of deleterious mutations, and above which immunity is acquired.
examination of the addictive and Behavioral Properties of Fatty acid- Binding Protein inhibitor sBFi26

Abstract: The therapeutic properties of cannabinoids have been well demonstrated but are overshadowed by such adverse effects as cognitive and motor dysfunction, as well as their potential for addiction. Recent research on the natural lipid ligands of cannabinoid receptors, also known as endocannabinoids, have shed light on the mechanisms of intracellular transport of the endocannabinoid anandamide by fatty acid binding proteins (FABPs) and subsequent catabolism by fatty acid amide hydrolase (FAAH). These findings facilitated the recent development of SBFI26, a pharmacological inhibitor of epidermal- and brain-specific FABP5 and FABP7, which effectively increases anandamide signaling. The goal of this study was to examine this compound for any possible rewarding and addictive properties as well as effects on locomotor activity, working / recognition memory, and propensity for sociability and preference for social novelty given its recently reported anti-inflammatory and analgesic properties. Male C57BL mice were split into four treatment groups and conditioned with 5.0 mg/kg, 20.0 mg/kg, 40.0 mg/kg SBFI26 or vehicle during a conditioned placed preference (CPP) paradigm. Following CPP, mice underwent a battery of behavioral tests (open field, novel object recognition (NOR), and social interaction (SI) and novelty (SN)) paired with acute SBFI26 administration. Results showed that SBFI26 did not produce conditioned placed preference or conditioned place aversion regardless of dose, and did not induce any differences in locomotor and exploratory activity during CPP or SBFI26-paired open field activity. We also observed no differences between treatment groups in NOR, SI, and SN. In conclusion, as SBFI26 was shown previously by our group to have significant analgesic and anti-inflammatory properties, here we show that it does not pose a risk of dependence or motor and cognitive impairment under the conditions tested.
The pregnant patient with asthma and hay fever: perennial treatment.

Perennial desensitization for asthma and hay fever is not contraindicated by pregnancy and even is preferred to coseasonal treatment. Twelve patients with hay fever or asthma, or both, underwent perennial treatment during a total of 20 pregnancies without obstetric complications; no congenital anomalies occurred. Perennial treatment is more practical and less expensive for the patient with multiple seasons than coseasonal treatment and need not be interrupted in the event of future pregnancy.
Analysis on Monitoring Results of Disinfection Quality of Medical Institutions Directly under Lianyungang Municipal Government

[Objective]To understand the disinfection quality of medical institutions directly under Lianyungang municipal government,improve the infection control and disinfection in hospital.[Methods]Sampling,detection and evaluation were performed according to relevant laws and regulations.[Results]The disinfection quality of medical institutions directly under Lianyungang municipal government showed an improvement trend year by year. The qualified rate of indoor air,hands of medical staff,disinfection solution in use,endoscope and hospital sewage was 71.7%,71.9%,83.8%,60.3% and 62.5%,respectively. The contamination of handpieces spray water and washing water in department of stomatology was serious,the qualified rate of handpieces spray water and washing water was 0 and 46%,respectively.[Conclusion]The disinfection quality of medical institutions directly under Lianyungang municipal government need to be improved,the supervision and management should be strengthened.
Micro-grid Coordinate and Control System Based on EtherCAT Bus

The micro-grid coordinate and control system requires high real-time and large volumes of information.If field bus of the system is used with the traditional Ethernet bus,it will cause the problem of conflict between the remote control strategies and local control strategy for traditional Ethernet bus has not high real-time.If the system doesn't use field bus,it takes the electrical quantities directly connected to the host controller by cables.Then there exists the problem of low digital level.EtherCAT bus is a real-time industrial Ethernet,it uses master and slave mode to interview control,which has fast transfer rates and large volumes of data transmission.EtherCAT bus is used as the field bus of micro-grid coordinate and control system.The host controller is acted as master station of EtherCAT.The local terminal is acted as slave station of EtherCAT.In this way,it solves the shortcoming which micro-grid coordinate and control system has not high real-time by using traditional Ethernet,and avoids the shortcoming which is low digital level for directly connected by cables.
The Study of Gray-level Image Segmentation Algorithm Based on Otsu Method and Its Improvement

Otsu method reference proposed a criterion for maximizing the between-class variance of pixel intensity to perform picture thresholding.Two-dimensional Otsu method is based on One-dimensional Otsu method,but it's complexity computation and satisfactory results only when the numbers of pixels in each class are close to each other are got.A method is given that two-dimensional histogram of the redivision of the solution to change the threshold range and increase accuracy and reduce the segmentation threshold value of time.Experimental results show that the method improves the efficiency of segmentation,and for images with noise the proposed method can get better segmentation effect for images with noise.
Properties of Solution to a Parabolic Equation with Nonlocal Sources and Nonlocal Boundary Conditions

The global existence and blow up problem to a parabolic equation with nonlocal sources and nonlocal boundary conditions are studied. By using comparison principle and the upper-lower solution method,the sufficient conditions for the global existence and the finite blow up of solution to the fully coupled by power function and exponential function degenerate parabolic equations are established.For the equations with mixed exponential and power type reaction terms,by using ordinary differential equation method,the upper-lower solution is constructed,but other methods( for example the first eigenvalue etc) are more difficult to be used to the equation.
Clinical Evaluation of the Newborn Infant

How does one differentiate the abnormal, small term baby from the premature? the large premature from the normal term? the dysmature from the postmature infant? Apart from traditional tests, a host of clues are available to the observing physician. The distinctions thus made possible are important because they open the way to appropriate handling of the needs and risks associated with each group of babies.
CH 14 – Concepts and problems

A concept is a symbol that stands for a class of objects or events that possess common attributes. Concepts can be verbal or nonverbal, simple or complex, and are related to one another in complicated ways. They help to think. Concept formation, of particular concern to learning psychologists, refers to how one goes about learning or acquiring concepts. Specifically, psychologists are interested in understanding how one learns to identify objects or events as examples of particular concepts. When one sees a baby whom one has never seen before, one readily identifies the baby as an example of the concept “infant.” This chapter explores when, where, and how one learns this complex ability to correctly categorize so many objects and events. Concept formation can be thought of as an example of problem solving. The problem is to learn the concept or to acquire the ability to identify correctly examples of the concept.
Brazil: Building a Capitalism without Risk

The political and economic changes between 1964 and 1995 were superbly chronicled by Thomas Skidmore, Werner Baer, Alfred Stepan, Ronald Schneider, and many others.1 And several important memoirs of the era were written by both military players and civilian technocrats.2 Together they provide a good overview and an analysis of the period. For this reason, this chapter will focus on the specific dimensions of the B-A regime by looking at two case studies: creating an oil monopoly and an informatics monopoly policy. The military had been concerned with energy self-sufficiency, dating back to the 1930s, and some of the officers such as General Gois Monteiro, the army chief of staff in the 1940s and 1950s, and General Ernesto Geisel, president of Brazil in the 1970s, were proponents of strong nationalistic control of oil. Geisel was the president of the Brazilian national oil monopoly before he was made the chief of state. After he completed his term in the presidency, he returned to the oil company, heading a petrochemical subsidiary of Petrobras.
A mathematical model for electrical impedance spectroscopy of zwitterionic hydrogels

We report a mathematical model for ion transport and electrical impedance in zwitterionic hydrogels, which possess acidic and basic functional groups that carry a net charge at a pH not equal to the isoelectric point. Such hydrogels can act as an electro-mechanical interface between a relatively hard biosensor and soft tissue in the body. For this application, the electrical impedance of the hydrogel must be characterized to ensure that ion transport to the biosensor is not significantly hindered. The electrical impedance is the ratio of the applied voltage to the measured current. We consider a simple model system, wherein an oscillating voltage is applied across a hydrogel immersed in electrolyte and sandwiched between parallel, blocking electrodes. We employ the Poisson–Nernst–Planck (PNP) equations coupled with acid–base dissociation reactions for the charge on the hydrogel backbone to model the ionic transport across the hydrogel. The electrical impedance is calculated from the numerical solution to the PNP equations and subsequently analyzed via an equivalent circuit model to extract the hydrogel capacitance, resistance, and the capacitance of electrical double layers at the electrode–hydrogel interface. For example, we predict that an increase in pH from the isoelectric point, pH = 6.4 for a model PCBMA hydrogel, to pH = 8 reduces the resistance of the hydrogel by ∼40% and increases the double layer capacitance by ∼250% at an electrolyte concentration of 0.1 mM. The significant impact of charged hydrogel functional groups to the impedance is damped at higher electrolyte concentration.
The Mosler Safe in Lowell's “for the Union Dead”

(1990). The Mosler Safe in Lowell's “for the Union Dead”. ANQ: A Quarterly Journal of Short Articles, Notes and Reviews: Vol. 3, No. 1, pp. 23-24.
Early Treatment of Seizure Prevents Recurrence

The rate of occurrence of a second seizure after a single unprovoked generalized tonic-clonic seizure was compared in 45 patients who received immediate anticonvulsant therapy and 42 untreated patients followed for 36 months at the Edith Wolfson Medical Center, Holon, and the Sackler Faculty of Medicine, Tel Aviv, Israel.
Assessment of Two Rapid Assays for Diagnostic Capability to Accurately Identify Infection by Treponema pallidum.

Background: Rapid, point-of-care tests that accurately identify syphilis are gaining popularity and offer several advantages over classic tests. Methods: The SD Bioline Syphilis 3.0 and the Chembio DPP Syphilis Screen and Confirm Assay (CB) were assessed using 1283 samples that had been characterized by reference tests. The challenge samples included 5 commercial panels (seroconversion, mixed-titer), archived samples, fresh samples, and a dilution series. Both tests detect specific anti-treponemal antibodies, and the CB additionally detects antibodies to a non-treponemal (NT) component. The evaluation was used to determine performance indices and compare with those cited by the manufacturers. Results: When assessing reactivity to treponemal, the sensitivities for the 2 tests were 98.3% and 93.2%, with specificities of 100% and 99.4%, respectively. For both tests, precision, whole blood testing, and high-temperature testing produced perfect results, and there were no invalid results. Comparisons of 2 different lots of each test indicated excellent concordance (100% and 99.5%), and reproducibility was 100% and 98.0%, respectively. For the CB, the sensitivity for the NT component was between 65.3% and 80.9%, but increased to 98.5% with samples having a rapid plasma regain (RPR) titer of ≥8. The specificity for NT was found to be 100%, and the reading of results visually and when using a battery-operated reader indicated a concordance for all challenges of 95%–100%. Conclusions: Both rapid tests produced impressive results for the detection of antibodies to treponemal for all challenges and exceeded, met, or closely approached the performance characteristics as cited by the manufacturers.
Autologous fat grafting does not improve burn scar appearance: A prospective, randomized, double-blinded, placebo-controlled, pilot study

Abstract Objective It has been proposed that fat grafts can improve the appearance of mature burn scars. The pluripotent progenitor cells contained within autologous adipose tissue grafts are believed to induce skin repair and improve scar appearance. We conducted a prospective, randomized, double-blinded, placebo-controlled study to evaluate the effects of fat grafts on the appearance of mature burn scars. Methods Pediatric burn survivors with mature scars were recruited for this study. A homogeneous scar measuring 10 × 5 cm was randomized into two halves: one was injected with autologous fat graft and the other with normal saline. Scar injection was performed using standard Coleman technique. Appearance of the two scar halves was assessed, six to twelve months later by the operating surgeon, by blinded observers and by the blinded patients. Results Eight patients completed the study pilot with 6–12 month follow-up. Assessment by the patients did not clearly favor fat grafts or saline injections; the operating surgeon did not identify any differences on any of the patients; the blinded observers measured all scars using Vancouver Scar Scale and noticed no differences in pigmentation, vascularity and height; differences in pliability showed similar changes in both the fat grafted and control arms. After the pilot was completed, decision was made to stop enrolling patients for this study since no benefit to fat grafting was observed. Conclusions Single treatment with autologous fat grafts did not improve mature pediatric burn scars when compared to normal saline injections.
Types of Myocardial Infarction Among Human Immunodeficiency Virus–Infected Individuals in the United States

Importance The Second Universal Definition of Myocardial Infarction (MI) divides MIs into different types. Type 1 MIs result spontaneously from instability of atherosclerotic plaque, whereas type 2 MIs occur in the setting of a mismatch between oxygen demand and supply, as with severe hypotension. Type 2 MIs are uncommon in the general population, but their frequency in human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)–infected individuals is unknown. Objectives To characterize MIs, including type; identify causes of type 2 MIs; and compare demographic and clinical characteristics among HIV-infected individuals with type 1 vs type 2 MIs. Design, Setting, and Participants This longitudinal study identified potential MIs among patients with HIV receiving clinical care at 6 US sites from January 1, 1996, to March 1, 2014, using diagnoses and cardiac biomarkers recorded in the centralized data repository. Sites assembled deidentified packets, including physician notes and electrocardiograms, procedures, and clinical laboratory tests. Two physician experts adjudicated each event, categorizing each definite or probable MI as type 1 or type 2 and identifying the causes of type 2 MI. Main Outcomes and Measures The number and proportion of type 1 vs type 2 MIs, demographic and clinical characteristics among those with type 1 vs type 2 MIs, and the causes of type 2 MIs. Results Among 571 patients (median age, 49 years [interquartile range, 43-55 years]; 430 men and 141 women) with definite or probable MIs, 288 MIs (50.4%) were type 2 and 283 (49.6%) were type 1. In analyses of type 1 MIs, 79 patients who underwent cardiac interventions, such as coronary artery bypass graft surgery, were also included, totaling 362 patients. Sepsis or bacteremia (100 [34.7%]) and recent use of cocaine or other illicit drugs (39 [13.5%]) were the most common causes of type 2 MIs. A higher proportion of patients with type 2 MIs were younger than 40 years (47 of 288 [16.3%] vs 32 of 362 [8.8%]) and had lower current CD4 cell counts (median, 230 vs 383 cells/µL), lipid levels (mean [SD] total cholesterol level, 167 [63] vs 190 [54] mg/dL, and mean (SD) Framingham risk scores (8% [7%] vs 10% [8%]) than those with type 1 MIs or who underwent cardiac interventions. Conclusions and Relevance Approximately half of all MIs among HIV-infected individuals were type 2 MIs caused by heterogeneous clinical conditions, including sepsis or bacteremia and recent use of cocaine or other illicit drugs. Demographic characteristics and cardiovascular risk factors among those with type 1 and type 2 MIs differed, suggesting the need to specifically consider type among HIV-infected individuals to further understand MI outcomes and to guide prevention and treatment.
Developing a multistep surface reaction mechanism to model the impact of H2 and CO on the performance and defect chemistry of La0.9Ca0.1FeO3−δ mixed-conductors

Abstract This study examines the impact of hydrogen ( H 2 ) and carbon monoxide ( CO ) on the oxygen permeation and defect chemistry of La 0.9 Ca 0.1 FeO 3 − δ (LCF) membranes. By conducting two separate experiments with hydrogen-argon ( Ar ) and carbon monoxide-argon mixtures, we show that the oxygen flux ( J O 2 ) increases by more than one order of magnitude when either fuel is introduced at the fuel side as compared to non-reactive experiments. Our measurements reveal that H2 oxidation is faster compared to CO oxidation, hence higher fluxes can be achieved with the former. Using X-Ray Diffraction (XRD), we verify that the aforementioned performance rise is achieved without sacrificing the stability of the material. We show that J O 2 increases due to surface reactions of fuel with lattice oxygen ions and hence, two 4-step surface reaction mechanisms are proposed for either fuel. The mechanisms are thermodynamically consistent and coupled with detailed diffusion of charged species within the material by utilizing a Poisson-Nernst-Planck (PNP) model in the dilute limit. The model demonstrates that surface reactions impose a limit on the rise of the oxygen flux, while charged species diffusion within the material is fast. For LCF, reduction of Fe+3 to Fe+2 during fuel oxidation is faster compared to Fe+4 reduction to Fe+3 and this behavior significantly impacts the kinetic rates.
CHARMM-GUI ligand reader and modeler for CHARMM force field generation of small molecules

Reading ligand structures into any simulation program is often nontrivial and time consuming, especially when the force field parameters and/or structure files of the corresponding molecules are not available. To address this problem, we have developed Ligand Reader & Modeler in CHARMM-GUI. Users can upload ligand structure information in various forms (using PDB ID, ligand ID, SMILES, MOL/MOL2/SDF file, or PDB/mmCIF file), and the uploaded structure is displayed on a sketchpad for verification and further modification. Based on the displayed structure, Ligand Reader & Modeler generates the ligand force field parameters and necessary structure files by searching for the ligand in the CHARMM force field library or using the CHARMM general force field (CGenFF). In addition, users can define chemical substitution sites and draw substituents in each site on the sketchpad to generate a set of combinatorial structure files and corresponding force field parameters for throughput or alchemical free energy simulations. Finally, the output from Ligand Reader & Modeler can be used in other CHARMM-GUI modules to build a protein-ligand simulation system for all supported simulation programs, such as CHARMM, NAMD, GROMACS, AMBER, GENESIS, LAMMPS, Desmond, OpenMM, and CHARMM/OpenMM. Ligand Reader & Modeler is available as a functional module of CHARMM-GUI at http://www.charmm-gui.org/input/ligandrm. © 2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Exploring the role of gain versus loss framing and point of reference in messages to reduce human–bear conflicts

Abstract As a fundamental social process, communication can help natural resource managers prevent or manage many human–wildlife conflicts, but research on how to present effectively information that contributes to the reduction of human–wildlife conflicts is scant. We examined the effectiveness of point-of-reference and gain-versus-loss framing in heightening intentions to prevent human–black bear conflicts. We randomly assigned 811 participants to one of six message conditions as part of a 3 (point of reference: family versus community versus bear) × 2 (message framing: gain versus loss) between-subjects factorial design or a control condition. The findings show that a match between loss framing and low-construal referencing point (e.g., family-referencing), and a congruency between gain framing and high-construal referencing point (e.g., bear-referencing) lead to higher risk perception and behavioral intentions. This study provides guidance for continuing research and design of risk communication in the context of human–bear conflicts.
An Evaluation of an eHealth Tool Designed to Improve College Students' Label-Reading Skills and Feelings of Empowerment to Choose Healthful Foods.

Objective: College students are at risk for poor dietary choices. New skills can empower individuals to adopt healthful behaviors, yet eHealth tools designed to develop food-choice skills, such as label-reading skills, are uncommon. We investigated the effects of web-based label-reading training on college students’ perceptions of healthful food-choice empowerment. Methods: Students completed label-reading training in which they practiced selecting the more healthful food using nutrition labels. We examined improvements in label-reading accuracy (correct healthfulness decisions) and perceptions of empowerment, using a 6-item scale. Repeated measures ANOVAs and paired-samples t-tests were used to examine changes in accuracy and empowerment across the training session. Results: In addition to increases in label-reading accuracy with training, we found increases in healthful food-choice empowerment scores. Specifically, the proportion of correct (i.e., more healthful) food choices increased across the 3 blocks of practice (p=.04) and food-choice empowerment scores were about 7.5% higher on average after training (p<.001). Conclusions and Implications: Label reading training was associated with increased feelings of empowerment associated with making healthful food choices. Skill focused eHealth tools may offer an important avenue for motivating behavior change through skill development.
Composition of Size-Resolved Aged Boreal Fire Aerosols: Brown Carbon, Biomass Burning Tracers, and Reduced Nitrogen

Aerosols that were size-resolved into 13 fractions between 10 nm and 18 μm were collected from an aged boreal forest wildfire plume in July 2013. Samples were extracted into water and analyzed for molecular-size-resolved brown carbon (BrC), biomass burning (BB) markers, reduced nitrogen compounds, and elemental composition. Absorption of BrC was primarily in fine-mode aerosols and dominated by high-molecular-weight compounds (>500 Da). The molecular size distribution of BrC was conserved across aerosol sizes, with a decrease in the importance of large molecules in smaller aerosols. The aerosol-size-resolved composition of BrC absorption was different than those of the two BB markers, non-sea-salt potassium and levoglucosan, suggesting that they may not be suitable for identifying BB BrC in aged plumes. Strong correlations were observed between BrC and the reduced nitrogen compounds ammonium, dimethylamine, and diethylamine. In aerosols with high BrC and reduced nitrogen, there was a strong cationic excess...
Economic Policy, Political Constraints, and Foreign Direct Investment in Developing Countries

As foreign direct investment (FDI) has become increasingly important in the world economy, a large body of literature has emerged regarding the determinants of FDI flows. Some scholars argue that d...
Hans Panofsky, 1917–1988

The editor of Boundary-Layer Meteorology, R. E. Munn, asked me to write a dedication for a special memorial volume for Hans A. Panofsky. Having known Hans and his beloved wife and companion Nancy for nearly 25 years, having fallen victim to their charm and joy of life, and having witnessed first hand Hans’ constructive influence on our discipline, I could not but agree.
Exploring the Use of Emotional Features at Romantic Destination Websites

Emotional connections with products have been identified as an influential factor in consumer decision making and the formation of desirable behaviours toward a brand. Currently, there is insufficient research investigating the emotional appeal of Websites with the concept being rarely addressed in travel and tourism. The purpose of this research was to therefore determine the extent to which the top ten romantic destinations used emotional features at their Websites. In addition, the Website Emotional Features Assessment Model (WEFAM) was developed and tested using confirmatory factor analysis (CFA). The model results showed that four WEFAM emotional features site activation, affection, surgency, and confidence are important in the Website design for romantic destinations.