cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
A global poverty map derived from satellite data

A global poverty map has been produced at 30arcsec resolution using a poverty index calculated by dividing population count (LandScan 2004) by the brightness of satellite observed lighting (DMSP nighttime lights). Inputs to the LandScan product include satellite-derived land cover and topography, plus human settlement outlines derived from high-resolution imagery. The poverty estimates have been calibrated using national level poverty data from the World Development Indicators (WDI) 2006 edition. The total estimate of the numbers of individuals living in poverty is 2.2 billion, slightly under the WDI estimate of 2.6 billion. We have demonstrated a new class of poverty map that should improve over time through the inclusion of new reference data for calibration of poverty estimates and as improvements are made in the satellite observation of human activities related to economic activity and technology access.
A novel cytochrome P450 3A isoenzyme in rat intestinal microsomes.

Abstract PCR with several pairs of primers facilitates screening for new isoenzymes among highly homologous cytochrome P450s (CYPs). Combinations of two pairs of primers, which amplify N- and C-terminal coding sequences of either CYP3A1 / CYP3A23 or CYP3A2 detected the presence of a previously unrecognized CYP3A in enterocyte microsomes isolated from rats. PCR, Northern blot, and immunoblotting with specific antibodies indicated that this isoenzyme is clearly distinguishable from CYP3A1, 3A23 or 3A2. Sequencing of a 285 bp coding fragment of this gene revealed 97% similarity with rat olfactory CYP3A9 (P450olf3).
Review of fundamental processes for matter-radiation interaction

Abstract A concise review is presented of fundamental quantum electrodynamic processes which are relevant to X-ray lasers, grasers, and superpowerful lasers. Transition rates and cross sections are derived for atomic and free-electron Thomson scattering, Kramers-Heisenberg, and Raman scattering in the dipole approximation; Rayleigh scattering and Cerenkov effect. The resport includes a table of reaction rates, cross sections, stopping power, and power spectra for all processes considered.
Recent advances in thermometry below 0.1 K

Abstract A brief description of the more important new techniques in very low temperature thermometry is presented. Advantages and disadvantages of the various thermometers are discussed, and a set of more complete references provided.
Category assignment and relatedness in the group ideation process

Abstract When groups gather to generate creative ideas on a particular topic, they can consider many aspects or components of the problem. Because such a multitude of alternatives can be overwhelming, groups may find it helpful to focus on specific aspects or categories of the problem. However, it is not clear whether it is best for group members to focus on the same components of the problem at the same time or whether it is better for group members to focus on different components of the problem. Furthermore, the impact of this type of focus may depend on the extent to which the different components of the problem are closely related semantically. It may be easier to generate ideas in semantically related areas but semantically unrelated areas may stimulate generation of more creative ideas. The present study provided a comprehensive test of the effects of task components or category assignment and the degree of relatedness of the assigned categories on the creativity of groups. Groups that were jointly assigned a small set of categories to focus on at the beginning of their session generated more ideas, explored more categories and exhibited higher clustering of similar ideas than the groups whose members were assigned their own unique category. The groups assigned with low related categories surveyed more categories than those assigned with categories of high relatedness. This study suggests that interdisciplinary or diverse groups or teams should have some common focus in the initial phase of their creative sessions and focus on unrelated aspects of the problem in this phase.
Book Review: Articulate While Black: Barack Obama, Language, and Race in the U.S.

This review highlights the ways in which race is heard and played to advantage or disadvantage. From Barack Obama’s redefinition of presidential—through his deft linguistic style-shifting—to the wa...
Investigation of Interconnect Design on Chip Package Interaction and Mechanical Reliability of Cu/Low-k Multi-Layer Interconnects in Flip Chip Package

Impacts of the interconnect design on the mechanical reliability of Cu/low-k multi-layer interconnects were investigated using Finite Element Analysis. The Chip package interaction (CPI) was analyzed to calculate the energy release rate (ERR). First, impacts of dielectric material properties on CPI were studied using a four metal layer model. Then the study was extended to seven and nine metal layer models were used to investigate the CPI impacts to crack driving forces. Finally, implications on interconnect design rules and reliabilities will be discussed.
Parallel Testing of a Phase-Locked Loop Lock Time in Production

Methods to accurately measure a phase-locked loop lock time in a multisite production environment will be presented. These methods are also applicable for testing voltage-controlled oscillators or transceiver frequency settling times and frequency and phase errors after settling for multiple devices under test in parallel using onboard frequency mixers and radio frequency (RF) signal generators or using RF receivers of automated testers. Fast Fourier transform (FFT) techniques are used to measure the lock time in a case when output frequency error exists.
Encoding efficiency of digital number representations under deviation constraints

When logic upsets (faults) affect digital representations of numbers, it is possible to consider their effects in terms of the magnitude of the value deviation they induce. When some upper limit on such a change in value is tolerable, one may consider techniques for encoding to limit value deviations in the presence of faults. Examples of applications with tolerance to value deviation include computer graphics computations, and the computation, communication and storage of analog sensor values in sensor networks. This article presents upper bounds for the achievable efficiency of encoding under the constraint relaxation of a tolerable value deviation. Closed-form expressions and numerical evaluations for upper bounds on the achievable encoding efficiency under a maximum tolerable value deviation, for several different conditions under which logic upsets may occur, are presented. The bounds demonstrate the possibility of significant gains in encoding efficiency, when some semantic deviation of values is tolerable. Lower and upper bounds on the possible absolute value of deviation resulting from a given number of upsets in words of a known size are provided. It is shown that, if possible to bias the physical design of a system such that logic upsets in both high and low logic direction may occur simultaneously (versus only one or the other), the minimum values of the resulting deviations will be reduced.
Rural environmental concern: effects of position, partisanship, and place.

The social bases of environmental concern in rural America resemble those for the nation as a whole, but also reflect the influence of place. Some general place characteristics, such as rates of population growth or resource-industry employment, predict responses across a number of envi- ronmental issues. Other unique or distinctive aspects of local society and environment matter as well. We extend earlier work on both kinds of place effects, first by analyzing survey data from northeast Oregon. Results empha- size that "environmental concern" has several dimensions. Second, we contextualize the Oregon results using surveys from other regions. Analysis of an integrated dataset (up to 12,000 interviews in 38 U.S. counties) shows effects from respondent characteristics and political views, and from county rates of population growth and resource-based employment. There also are significant place-to-place variations that are not explained by variables in the
Trisomic pregnancy and intermediate CGG repeat length at the FMR1 locus

background: We hypothesized that trisomy arises as a function of the size of the oocyte pool, with risk increased among women with diminished pools. Diminished pools may cause primary ovarian failure, which has been associated with premutation and intermediate CGG repeat length at the Fragile X mental retardation (FMR1) locus. Thus, we hypothesized that the risk of trisomic pregnancy is increased among women with intermediate CGG repeat length on the FMR1 gene. methods: The analysis drew on data from two hospital-based case–control studies. We compared 207 women with trisomic spontaneous abortions (SAs) to three comparison groups: 82 women with other chromosomally abnormal SAs, 99 women with chromosomally normal SAs and 537 women with live births (LBs), age matched to women with SAs. We defined the length of the CGG repeat in four ways: the biallelic mean, the genotypic mean, the length on allele 2 and the length on allele 1. We analyzed CGG repeat length as a categorical variable. All analyses were adjusted for site, age and ethnicity. results: CGG repeat length did not differ significantly between women with trisomic SAs and any of the three comparison groups. For the biallelic mean, the adjusted odds ratio relating trisomy (versus LB controls) to the highest category (35.5– 59.5 repeats) versus the modal category (26.5–30.0 repeats) was 1.5 (95% confidence interval (CI): 0.7, 3.1). Comparisons with the two SA control groups also showed increased odds of more repeats among trisomy cases. Results were similar when repeat length was defined by the genotypic mean or by the repeat length on allele 2. For allele 1, the odds of short (9 –19) repeat length were lower, but not significantly so, for trisomy cases compared with LB controls. Excluding women with premutations (n ¼ 2) from the analysis yielded an adjusted odds ratio of 1.4 (95% CI: 0.7, 2.9) for the biallelic mean. conclusions: Our data are equivocal. The direction of associations is consistent with the hypothesis that repeat length in the intermediate range is associated with trisomy. However, differences between the trisomy cases and the comparison groups are neither large nor statistically significant. Our data rule out odds ratios larger than about 3.
Photobleaching and photoenhancement of endogenous fluorescence observed in two-photon microscopy with broadband laser sources

We examine the effects of pulse duration tuning on the photodamage inflicted by laser light illumination on the imaged sample and, thereby, explore the optimization of optical pulse parameters for multiphoton microscopy imaging under variable conditions. We discuss the dependence of the nonlinear excitation efficiency and associated photodamage rates on pulse energy and duration, and use the controlled amount of second-order dispersion (linear chirp), introduced by a pulse shaper, to adjust the pulse duration at the imaging plane of the microscope. The pulse energy is varied to maintain a constant two-photon excitation efficiency when switching between short (∼14 fs) and long (∼280 fs) pulses, and the damage is assessed by monitoring the photobleaching rates and sample morphology. We have found that in addition to the well-known photobleaching effects, significant enhancement of the two-photon excited autofluorescence intensity can be observed. Photobleaching rates at the onset of the laser light exposure are shown to be independent of the pulse shape under our experimental conditions, which indicates that the primary damage (bleaching) mechanism stems from the two-photon excitation process. The photoenhancement, however, is found to occur more readily with longer pulses, having higher energies per pulse. Experiments are carried out on human melanoma tissue and on rabbit red blood cells.
Robust Optimization of the Output Voltage of Nanogenerators by Statistical Design of Experiments

Nanogenerators were first demonstrated by deflecting aligned ZnO nanowires using a conductive atomic force microscopy (AFM) tip. The output of a nanogenerator is affected by three parameters: tip normal force, tip scanning speed, and tip abrasion. In this work, systematic experimental studies have been carried out to examine the combined effects of these three parameters on the output, using statistical design of experiments. A statistical model has been built to analyze the data and predict the optimal parameter settings. For an AFM tip of cone angle 70° coated with Pt, and ZnO nanowires with a diameter of 50 nm and lengths of 600 nm to 1 µm, the optimized parameters for the nanogenerator were found to be a normal force of 137 nN and scanning speed of 40 µm/s, rather than the conventional settings of 120 nN for the normal force and 30 μm/s for the scanning speed. A nanogenerator with the optimized settings has three times the average output voltage of one with the conventional settings.
Derivative Ideas and the Value of Intangible Assets

We build a general equilibrium model where growth is driven by two invention types: fundamental ideas that cause creative destruction, and derivative ideas that enhance the value of existing inventions. The model provides a new mapping from microeconomic, patent data to aggregate total factor productivity growth and the aggregate value of privately owned knowledge. We show how to measure the frequency of derivative ideas and the rate of creative destruction. We estimate that derivative ideas account for 70–80% of all patents and their presence more than doubles the value of knowledge capital relative to what the measured innovation rate might otherwise imply.
Cryptic phenotypic plasticity in populations of the freshwater prosobranch snail, Pleurocera canaliculata

We sampled four populations of the robustly shelled Pleurocera canaliculata from large rivers and five pleurocerid populations bearing more fusiform shells (nominally P. acuta and P. pyrenellum) from smaller streams in a study area extending from upstate New York to northern Alabama, USA. Gene frequencies at 9 allozyme-encoding loci revealed that each population of P. acuta or P. pyrenellum was more genetically similar to the P. canaliculata population inhabiting the larger river immediately downstream than to any nominal conspecific. Thus, the extensive intraspecific variation in shell robustness displayed by these nine populations has apparently been rendered cryptic by taxonomic confusion. We then employed geometric morphometrics to explore a gradient in shell morphology from the acuta form to the typical canaliculata form in 18 historic samples collected down the length of Indiana’s Wabash River. The shell forms appeared generally distinctive on the major axes yielded by relative warp analysis (increasing robustness and decreasing spire elongation), although some overlap was apparent. MANCOVA returned a significant relationship between multivariate shape variation and stream size, as measured by drainage area. Possible drivers for this phenomenon include an environmental cline in the risk of dislodgement due to hydrodynamic drag and shifts in the community of predators.
LITTER INVERTEBRATE RESPONSES TO VARIABLE DENSITY THINNING IN WESTERN WASHINGTON FOREST

We evaluated the response of forest floor invertebrates to variable density thinning (VDT) of the Douglas-fir (Pseudotsuga menziesii (Mirb.) Franco) forest overstory at Ft. Lewis, Washington, during 2000 and 2001 (7–8 years post-thinning). We placed pitfall traps at 8–12 random grid points in each of four thinned units and four control (unthinned) units in each of two sites (blocks) representing different management histories. Most taxa showed significant seasonal trends, with peak abundances during summer. ANOVA indicated strongly significant effects of site for 9 of 39 species and combined taxa, probably reflecting factors associated with management history; only two taxa showed significant responses to the thinning treatment or to block × treatment interactions. Indicator analysis revealed three spider species as potential indicators of thinning treatment. Detrended correspondence analysis (DCA) and cluster analysis for 85 species indicated that the thinning treatments altered the invertebrate assembla...
Runtime verification methods for MPI

The Gauss group at the University of Utah has researched and developed runtime verification tools for MPI programs. Our tool, in-situ partial order (ISP), is being applied to several MPI benchmarks. At the same time, we are embarked on research that ensures the completeness of ISP. Our work on specifying the formal semantics of MPI has also encompassed MPI 2.0. These developments and our plans for our final (fourth) year are elaborated in this paper.
RIFLE: An Architectural Framework for User-Centric Information-Flow Security

Even as modern computing systems allow the manipulation and distribution of massive amounts of information, users of these systems are unable to manage the confidentiality of their data in a practical fashion. Conventional access control security mechanisms cannot prevent the illegitimate use of privileged data once access is granted. For example, information provided by a user during an online purchase may be covertly delivered to malicious third parties by an untrustworthy web browser. Existing information-flow security mechanisms do provide this assurance, but only for programmer-specified policies enforced during program development as a static analysis on special-purpose type-safe languages. Not only are these techniques not applicable to many commonly used programs, but they leave the user with no defense against malicious programmers or altered binaries. In this paper, we propose RIFLE, a runtime information-flow security system designed from the user's perspective. By addressing information-flow security using architectural support, RIFLE gives users a practical way to enforce their own information-flow security policy on all programs. We prove that, contrary to statements in the literature, run-time systems like RIFLE are no less secure than existing language-based techniques. Using a model of the architectural framework and a binary translator, we demonstrate RIFLE's correctness and illustrate that the performance cost is reasonable.
Heterogeneous verification of embedded control systems

Heterogeneous verification is the integration of verification results from several formal and informal activities using different tools and different models to achieve system-level verification. Here we describe an ontology-based approach to heterogeneous verification. A static ontology provides a structure for the heterogeneous information and an epistemic ontology provides rules for reasoning about this information. Several kinds of functionality are supported, namely, inferencing for verification, managing requirements, models and the system architecture and assumptions made during the verification process. The concepts are illustrated using a power window control system application.
Simultaneous Generation of Centralized Lightwaves and Double/Single Sideband Optical Millimeter-Wave Requiring Only Low-Frequency Local Oscillator Signals for Radio-Over-Fiber Systems

We have designed and experimentally demonstrated radio-over-fiber (ROF) systems to simultaneously generate optical millimeter-wave (mm-wave) and centralized lightwaves using one low-bandwidth intensity modulator (IM) with low-frequency local oscillator (LO) signals while simplifying the transmission design and reducing the cost of the base station (BS). The techniques based on double-sideband (DSB) and single-sideband (SSB) signals for ROF systems are discussed in detail in terms of architecture efficiency, bandwidth requirement, and fiber transmission performance. The repetitive frequency of the optical mm-wave carriers are four times of that of the LO in central office (CO) by using DSB scheme. Full-duplex transmission services have been successfully realized over 20-km single-mode fiber (SMF) based on wavelength-reuse technique. In order to mitigate chromatic dispersion, the SSB technique has also been investigated in this paper. We had realized an ROF system that attained dispersion-free transmission and a negative power penalty by using SSB generation. We also quantified the optical carrier-to-sideband ratio (CSR) of downstream transmission in this ROF link and established that the performance of ROF system can be significantly improved when the optical signals are transmitted at a CSR value of 0 dB. The proposed architectures require much less bandwidth of the modulators, receiver sensitivity, system operation efficiency, and reliability.
The molar absorbance coefficient of rhodopsin.

Abstract Until now, the molar absorbance coefficient of rhodopsin (ϵrh) has been accepted as 40,600 in 2 % digitonin. Because of a recent report suggesting that ϵrh was nearly half of this (23,100), a new series of measurements in two different solubilizing agents has been carried out. The method used depends on noting the absorbance of the all-trans retinal oxime produced when rhodopsin is bleached. Having determined the absorbance coefficient of retinal oxime in the corresponding solubiliser, and assuming that the number of molecules of oxime in the bleached solution corresponds to the number of molecules of rhodopsin present initially, then ϵrh may be easily calculated. The absorbance coefficient of all-trans retinal oxime in 2% digitonin is 53,100 and in 0.04 M CTAB (hexadecyltrimethyl-ammonium bromide) it is 53,700. These values are virtually unaltered if bovine serum albumen, gamma globulin, betalipoprotein and “opsin” are dissolved in solutions of the oxime. Digitonin and CTAB were used to extract rhodopsin from bovine and frog retinas. The absorbance coefficient of rhodopsin is found to be 42,800 in 2% digitonin and 40,900 in 0.04 M CTAB. The ϵrh found above is critically dependent on the absorbance coefficient of retinal oxime, which would have to be reduced to 55 per cent of that reported here in order to yield a ϵrh of 23,100. But it is difficult to conceive of a compelling argument in favour of a reduction of this magnitude in bleached solutions of visual pigment, particularly in view of the fact that the absorption spectrum of retinal oxime (λmax bandwidth) is found to be normal under these conditions.
Preoperative planning for free‐tissue transfer

Preoperative planning is of paramount importance in the surgical teaching of free-tissue transfer. Preoperative planning begins with the initial patient evaluation and continues to the point of successful free-tissue transfer. A detailed preoperative plan allows even the neophyte microsurgeon to anticipate operative difficulties before they occur, and to have contingency plans for nearly all intraoperative scenarios.
piRNAs Initiate an Epigenetic Memory of Nonself RNA in the C. elegans Germline

Organisms employ a fascinating array of strategies to silence invasive nucleic acids such as transposons and viruses. Although evidence exists for several pathways that detect foreign sequences, including pathways that sense copy number, unpaired DNA, or aberrant RNA (e.g., dsRNA), in many cases, the mechanisms used to distinguish "self" from "nonself" nucleic acids remain mysterious. Here, we describe an RNA-induced epigenetic silencing pathway that permanently silences single-copy transgenes. We show that the Piwi Argonaute PRG-1 and its genomically encoded piRNA cofactors initiate permanent silencing, and maintenance depends on chromatin factors and the WAGO Argonaute pathway. Our findings support a model in which PRG-1 scans for foreign sequences and two other Argonaute pathways serve as epigenetic memories of "self" and "nonself" RNAs. These findings suggest how organisms can utilize RNAi-related mechanisms to detect foreign sequences not by any molecular signature, but by comparing the foreign sequence to a memory of previous gene expression.
Three-Dimensional Effects for Supported Excavations in Clay

This paper presents the results of 150 finite-element simulations conducted to define the effects of excavation geometry, i.e., length, width, and depth of excavation, wall system stiffness, and factor of safety against basal heave on the three-dimensional ground movements caused by excavation through clays. The results of the analyses are represented by the plane strain ratio (PSR), defined as the maximum movement in the center of an excavation wall computed by three-dimensional analyses normalized by that computed by a plane strain simulation. A simple equation for PSR is presented based on excavation geometry, wall system stiffness, and factor of safety against basal heave. This PSR equation reasonably represents trends in results of the 150 simulations as well as those simulations reported in literature. When the excavated length normalized by the excavated depth of an excavation wall is greater than 6, results of plane strain simulations yield the same displacements in the center of that wall as those computed by a three-dimensional simulation.
Automated ventricular systems segmentation in brain CT images by combining low-level segmentation and high-level template matching

Accurate analysis of CT brain scans is vital for diagnosis and treatment of Traumatic Brain Injuries (TBI). Automatic processing of these CT brain scans could speed up the decision making process, lower the cost of healthcare, and reduce the chance of human error. In this paper, we focus on automatic processing of CT brain images to segment and identify the ventricular systems. The segmentation of ventricles provides quantitative measures on the changes of ventricles in the brain that form vital diagnosis information. First all CT slices are aligned by detecting the ideal midlines in all images. The initial estimation of the ideal midline of the brain is found based on skull symmetry and then the initial estimate is further refined using detected anatomical features. Then a two-step method is used for ventricle segmentation. First a low-level segmentation on each pixel is applied on the CT images. For this step, both Iterated Conditional Mode (ICM) and Maximum A Posteriori Spatial Probability (MASP) are evaluated and compared. The second step applies template matching algorithm to identify objects in the initial low-level segmentation as ventricles. Experiments for ventricle segmentation are conducted using a relatively large CT dataset containing mild and severe TBI cases. Experiments show that the acceptable rate of the ideal midline detection is over 95%. Two measurements are defined to evaluate ventricle recognition results. The first measure is a sensitivity-like measure and the second is a false positive-like measure. For the first measurement, the rate is 100% indicating that all ventricles are identified in all slices. The false positives-like measurement is 8.59%. We also point out the similarities and differences between ICM and MASP algorithms through both mathematically relationships and segmentation results on CT images. The experiments show the reliability of the proposed algorithms. The novelty of the proposed method lies in its incorporation of anatomical features for ideal midline detection and the two-step ventricle segmentation method. Our method offers the following improvements over existing approaches: accurate detection of the ideal midline and accurate recognition of ventricles using both anatomical features and spatial templates derived from Magnetic Resonance Images.
Charter school policy, implementation, and diffusion across the United States

This article applies theoretical and empirical insights on diffusion to a contemporary, important, and striking case in point: the groundswell of state legislation on and implementation of charter ...
Constraints on saturation modeling in AC machines

The author presents constraints which must be satisfied by saturation models of lossless fields. Nonlinear terms are added to linear models to represent the saturation phenomenon. The major point is to emphasize that these nonlinear terms cannot be arbitrarily specified when lossless fields are assumed. This is done by returning to the fundamental laws which make up a typical dynamic model and showing that the traditional assumptions impose well defined constraints on the nonlinear terms. The constraints are derived from energy balance principles and must be satisfied by the flux linkage/current relationships in order to ensure consistency with the assumptions of a lossless field. The constraints are used to design a consistent saturation model for a synchronous machine. >
Biodegradable polymeric microsphere-based drug delivery for inductive browning of fat

Brown and beige adipocytes are potent therapeutic agents to increase energy expenditure and reduce risks of obesity and its affiliated metabolic symptoms. One strategy to increase beige adipocyte content is through inhibition of the evolutionarily conserved Notch signaling pathway. However, systemic delivery of Notch inhibitors is associated with off-target effects and multiple dosages of application further faces technical and translational challenges. Here, we report the development of a biodegradable polymeric microsphere-based drug delivery system for sustained, local release of a Notch inhibitor, DBZ. The microsphere-based delivery system was fabricated and optimized using an emulsion/solvent evaporation technique to encapsulate DBZ into poly(lactide-co-glycolide) (PLGA), a commonly used biodegradable polymer for controlled drug release. Release studies revealed the ability of PLGA microspheres to release DBZ in a sustained manner. Co-culture of white adipocytes with and without DBZ-loaded PLGA microspheres demonstrated that the released DBZ retained its bioactivity, and effectively inhibited Notch and promoted browning of white adipocytes. Injection of these DBZ-loaded PLGA microspheres into mouse inguinal white adipose tissue depots resulted in browning in vivo. Our results provide the encouraging proof-of-principle evidence for the application of biodegradable polymers as a controlled release platform for delivery of browning factors, and pave the way for development of new translational therapeutic strategies for treatment of obesity.
Appendix D: Hall Effect and Magnetoresistance for Small Magnetic Fields

Semiconductor devices are ubiquitous in today's world and found increasingly in cars, kitchens, and electronic door looks, attesting to their presence in our daily lives. This comprehensive book brings you the fundamentals of semiconductor device theory from basic quantum physics to computer aided design. Advanced Theory of Semiconductor Devices will help improve your understanding of computer simulation devices through a thorough discussion of basic equations, their validity, and numerical solutions as they are contained in current simulation tools. You will gain state-of-the-art knowledge of devices used in both III-V compounds and silicon technology. Specially featured are novel approaches and explanations of electronic transport, particularly in p-n junction diodes. Close attention is also given to innovative treatments of quantum level laser diodes and hot electron effects in silicon technology. This in-depth book is designed expressly for graduate students, research scientists, and research engineers in solid state electronics who want to gain a better grasp of the principles underlying semiconductor devices.
Surgery on Thoracoabdominal Aortic Aneurysms

Intraoperative monitoring (IOM) of the central nervous system during surgical repair of or percutaneous stent placement in the aorta is an area of significant interest due to the substantial incidence of neurological injury with surgery. This is due to the ischemia, which results when the vascular supply to the brain and spinal cord is interrupted during the procedure. Of particular interest are procedures involving the thoracoabdominal aorta (TAA) where the reported incidence of paraplegia varies from 0.5% with aortic coarctation repairs where the procedure is short and the patient usually has well-developed collateral circulation to nearly 48% with emergency repairs of extensive thoracoabdominal degenerative lesions [1, 2]. It is clear that the risk of perioperative paralysis varies due to a substantial number of factors including the vessels effected by the surgery, the specific patient anatomy and disease, and the procedure.
Binder-free lithium ion battery electrodes made of silicon and pyrolized lignin

The synthesis, characterization, and performance of a binder-free negative electrode for a lithium-ion battery, consisting of renewable biopolymer lignin and silicon nanoparticles, are reported. By mixing, coating, and subsequent pyrolization, we fabricated uniformly interconnected core–shell composite films of Si/C directly on the current collector, allowing for the assembly of coin-cells without the need of binder and conductive carbon. An excellent electrochemical performance was observed with a high specific capacity of 1557 mA h g−1 and a stable rate performance from 0.18 A g−1 to 1.44 A g−1. Moreover, the Si–pLig electrode can be reversibly cycled at 0.54 A g−1 with 89.3% capacity retention over 100 cycles. We also unveil a beneficial effect of 0.5% polyethylene oxide (PEO) on the morphology and electrochemical behavior of the Si/C composite electrodes.
Addressing reproductive health disparities as a healthcare management priority: pursuing equity in the era of the Affordable Care Act.

Purpose of review To summarize the newest available evidence on maternal and reproductive health disparities, and to describe elements of the Affordable Care Act most likely to impact these disparities. Recent findings Significant racial and ethnic disparities in maternal and reproductive health outcomes have persisted in recent years, contributing to poor outcomes and increasing costs. Pregnancy-related mortality ratios are up to three times higher in Black women compared with non-Hispanic White women, with the risk of severe maternal morbidity also significantly higher in Black and Hispanic women. Unintended pregnancy is twice as likely in minority women. Insurance status, socioeconomic status, and broader social determinants of health are implicated in these disparities. Coverage changes associated with the Affordable Care Act may provide some opportunities to reach communities most at risk. Delivery innovation, payment reform, and further public financing of key services are examples of further management approaches that can be used to address reproductive health disparities. Summary The Affordable Care Act offers important opportunities to address persistent reproductive health disparities, but significant gaps remain. Efforts must be made to reduce the negative outcomes and high financial and human costs associated with disparities in reproductive health.
Dependence of Ferroelectric Properties of SBT Based Capacitors on the Electrode Material

The effect of various electrode materials on the ferroelectric properties of SrBi2Ta2O9 (SBT) thin films has been investigated for non-volatile memory applications. Two sets of electrode structures, viz., Pt-Ir based and Pt-Rh based, were sputter deposited in-situ on Si substrates. SBT thin films were deposited on these electrodes using a metal-organic solution deposition technique followed by a post-deposition anneal at 750 °C in oxygen. Structural characterization revealed a polycrystalline nature with predominant perovskite phase in SBT thin films. Ferroelectric properties were studied in capacitor mode by depositing top electrodes, where the top electrode material is identical to that of the bottom electrode. Extensive analysis of the ferroelectric properties signify the important role played by the electrode material in establishing the device applicability is reported in this work.
Methods of Sexing Live Adult Western Pine Beetles

The western pine beetle, Dendroctonus brevicomis LeConte, was sexed. using 5 different criteria: (1) stridulation movement, (2) stridulation sound, (3) configuration of the 7th tergite, (4) configuration of the frons, and (5) configuration of the pronotum. Only criteria 3, 4, and 5 were found acceptably accurate. Criterion 5 was faster to use than 3 and 4. Generally 5 is the best criterion to use in sexing, but other criteria still have limited uses.
A simple procedure for the purification of rat alpha-fetoprotein.

Abstract A simple purification procedure for obtaining a high yield of electrophoretically and immunologically pure rat α-fetoprotein from amniotic fluid is described. Rat amniotic fluid is passed through an anti-rat albumin immunoabsorbent column to remove albumin. The albumin-free eluate is then chromatographed on DEAE-Sephacel to separate α-fetoprotein from transferrin and other minor protein contaminants. This two-step purification procedure results in a recovery of approximately 70% of the rat α-fetoprotein originally present in the amniotic fluid.
Studies of Megakaryocyte Glycogen. I. A Semiquantitative Method of Measurement: Effect of Phlebotomies in Young Adults

1. The distribution of glycogen and nonglycogen structures in megakaryocytes as demonstrated by the Hotchkiss technic is described. 2. A semiquantitative method for estimating the relative amounts of megakaryocyte glycogen in a bone marrow aspiration has been developed and is described. The result is expressed as the Megakaryocyte Glycogen Score (MGS). 3. The megakaryocyte glycogen scores on 25 aspirations from 14, healthy, young adult volunteers are presented and fall between 20 and 80, except in those subjects with recent acute blood loss or repeated phlebotomies over a period of years. 4. Subjects who have had repeated phlebotomies tend to have higher MGS than subjects without repeated phlebotomies. These higher values of MGS exist in the absence of abnormalities in the reticulocyte count, bone marrow differential count, platelet count, hemoglobin, hematocrit, wbc and differential, and rbc. 5. In one subject with a normal MGS, a 500 cc. phlebotomy was followed in one hour by a decrease in MGS. The MGS had increased above normal by four hours postphlebotomy and was still elevated 25 days after phlebotomy. 6. Implications of these observations are discussed.
The Decline of the Heroic: from London to The Vanity of Human Wishes

Johnson devoted other poems besides Irene to the dialectic of domination and servitude. London and The Vanity of Human Wishes, his adaptations of Juvenal’s third and tenth satires, published in 1738 and 1748, are similarly preoccupied with antitheses of hope and fear, bravery and cunning, heroic and servile states of consciousness. But where London adopts a position complementary to that of Irene, The Vanity of Human Wishes represents a decided change in point of view. This change is most apparent in its attitude toward the illusion of self-sufficiency that is at the centre of the heroic idea. In the Grecian world of Irene and the English world of London, this illusion is very much alive, enshrined in the contrast between a corrupt and servile present and a heroic past. Even though this past is clearly marked as past, as vanished, it nonetheless embodies the stillliving myth of a founding simplicity, self-mastery, and self-identity. But in The Vanity of Human Wishes, this distinction between corrupt present and heroic past virtually collapses, as the will-to-power becomes inscribed in a universalizing syntax of servile human wishes in which there is neither origin nor end.
Multisystemic therapy for adolescent substance abuse and dependence.

Empiric models demonstrate that adolescent substance abuse is multiply determined. Multisystemic therapy is a social ecologic model of treatment that addresses the multisystemic factors involved in the generation of substance abuse and dependence in adolescents. This article contains the principles of generating multisystemic interventions, with illustrative case examples.
Λ c semileptonic decays in a quark model

Hadronic form factors for semileptonic decay of the ${\mathrm{\ensuremath{\Lambda}}}_{c}$ are calculated in a nonrelativistic quark model. The full quark model wave functions are employed to numerically calculate the form factors to all relevant orders in ($1/{m}_{c}$, $1/{m}_{s}$). The form factors obtained satisfy relationships expected from the heavy quark effective theory (HQET). The differential decay rates and branching fractions are calculated for transitions to the ground state and a number of excited states of $\mathrm{\ensuremath{\Lambda}}$. The branching fraction of the semileptonic decay width to the total width of ${\mathrm{\ensuremath{\Lambda}}}_{c}$ has been calculated and compared with other theoretical estimates and experimental results. The branching fractions for ${\mathrm{\ensuremath{\Lambda}}}_{c}\ensuremath{\rightarrow}{\mathrm{\ensuremath{\Lambda}}}^{*}{l}^{+}{\ensuremath{\nu}}_{l}\ensuremath{\rightarrow}\mathrm{\ensuremath{\Sigma}}\ensuremath{\pi}{l}^{+}{\ensuremath{\nu}}_{l}$ and ${\mathrm{\ensuremath{\Lambda}}}_{c}\ensuremath{\rightarrow}{\mathrm{\ensuremath{\Lambda}}}^{*}{l}^{+}{\ensuremath{\nu}}_{l}\ensuremath{\rightarrow}N\overline{K}{l}^{+}{\ensuremath{\nu}}_{l}$ are also calculated. Apart from decays to the ground state $\mathrm{\ensuremath{\Lambda}}(1115)$, it is found that decays through the $\mathrm{\ensuremath{\Lambda}}(1405)$ provide a significant portion of the branching fraction ${\mathrm{\ensuremath{\Lambda}}}_{c}\ensuremath{\rightarrow}{X}_{s}l{\ensuremath{\nu}}_{l}$. A new estimate for $f=B({\mathrm{\ensuremath{\Lambda}}}_{c}^{+}\ensuremath{\rightarrow}\mathrm{\ensuremath{\Lambda}}{l}^{+}{\ensuremath{\nu}}_{l})/B({\mathrm{\ensuremath{\Lambda}}}_{c}^{+}\ensuremath{\rightarrow}{X}_{s}{l}^{+}{\ensuremath{\nu}}_{l})$ is obtained.
ANALYSIS ON MATH TEACHER COMPETENCE SMK PELAYARAN IN MAKASSAR

The purpose of this study is to describe the teacher's competence as a teacher at the school. This study uses quantitative and qualitative descriptive approach. A quantitative approach used to collect data in the form of figures analyzed by describing or explaining through tables and percentages. A qualitative approach was used to describe or depict the phenomenon exists then do conclusion. Results from the study showed that the pedagogic competence, professional competence, personal competence and social competence of teachers of mathematics not optimally achieved, this can be seen on the criteria of professionalism of teachers. In other words, a mathematics teacher at the school still needs to follow the training / competence development training of teachers so that the quality of education and the quality of its teachers will increase. This type of data obtained through test pedagogical competence and professional competence, filling questionnaires and direct observations of mathematics teachers and principals. Test results: (1) pedagogical showed that three teachers from high category (excellent) and 2 teachers categorized as being (fairly good); (2) the professional competence of the teacher shows two high category (excellent) and 3 teachers were categorized (pretty good). While the results of the questionnaire from: (1) pedagogic competence gained 3 people categorized excellent teacher and two teachers categorized as good; (2) Professional competence gained 2 categorized excellent teachers, 2 teachers categorized as good and 1 teacher categorized quite good; (3) Competence Personality category 3 good teacher, 1 teacher categorized quite good and 1 teacher categorized as poor; (4) Social competence gained 3 people categorized good teacher, two teachers categorized quite good. From the results of tests, questionnaires and observations can be concluded that the three (3) professors included in the criteria profesionalis teacher, 1 teacher included in the criteria is quite professional and 1 teacher included in the criteria unprofessional
Computational art using leap motion (CALM): integrating creativity with programming: conference workshop

Since an engaging context can positively impact student performance and motivation, the workshop presenters have created curriculum that teaches programming using computational art. The curriculum also uses the Leap Motion controller. The Leap Motion Controller is a kinesthetic interface. It captures how a user naturally moves their hands. It supports pointing, waving, reaching, and grabbing. It doesn't replace the keyboard or mouse, but provides additional input. The workshop organizers will bring several Leap Motion devices with a plan of creating a hands-on, collaborative experience. Participants will be organized in groups of 2-3, so at least one person in the group should have a laptop available that can have the appropriate software installed. The topics covered include: - Utilizing Leap Motion as an alternative input device - Writing code in Processing that incorporates the Leap Motion API - Two exercises creating computational art using Leap motion - Educational resources on using Leap Motion in CS2 courses which will also be available on a workshop web site.
Abstract 16999: Cardiac and Systemic Rejuvenation in Senescent Rodents and Human Heart Cells Treated With Cardiosphere-derived Cells From Young Donors

Introduction: Presbycardia is characterized by diastolic dysfunction. Cardiosphere-derived cell (CDC) therapy has exhibited several favorable effects on heart structure and function in humans and in preclinical models; however, the effects of CDCs on aging have not been evaluated. Hypothesis: Young CDCs may rejuvenate aged hearts. To test this, we assessed the effects of CDCs on heart structure, function, gene expression and systemic parameters in senescent models and explored underlying mechanisms of action. Methods: We compared intra-cardiac injections of neonatal rat CDCs or monthly doses of CDC-derived exosomes (CDC-XO) to vehicle (phosphate-buffered saline, PBS) in 2-year-old rats in two independent and consecutive studies (n=51 total). Ten rats 4.1±1.5 months of age comprised a young reference group. Rats were followed for 1- and 4-months in CDC and CDC-XO studies, respectively. For in vitro studies, human heart progenitors from older donors, or cardiomyocytes from aged rats were exposed to human CDCs or CDC-XO from pediatric donors. Results: Transcriptomic analysis revealed that CDCs, but not PBS, recapitulated a youthful pattern of gene expression (p Conclusions: Young CDCs and CDC-XO rejuvenate old animals as gauged by cardiac gene expression, heart function, exercise capacity and systemic biomarkers.