cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Current Status of Thrips (Thysanoptera: Thripidae) in Vidalia Onions in Georgia

Abstract The Vidalia onion crop in Georgia is grown in the winter, and the key insect pests in Georgia are thrips (Thysanoptera: Thripidae). The thrips complex consists predominantly of tobacco thrips, Frankliniella fusca (Hinds), with smaller percentages of western flower thrips, F. occidentalis Pergande, eastern flower thrips, F. tritici (Fitch) and onion thrips, Thrips tabaci Lindeman. Onion thrips has become a greater concern in the last 10 years likely due to the introduction of a more aggressive biotype of T. tabaci on onions coming from Peru into the Vidalia region. A preliminary laboratory bioassay at 25 °C suggested that this onion thrips biotype could out-compete tobacco thrips on onions. Surveys were conducted from 2004 through 2013 in commercial Vidalia onion fields to determine if this increase in the percentage of onion thrips would occur. Average seasonal temperatures were highly correlated (r = 0.811) with percent T. tabaci and negatively correlated (r = -0.807) with F. fusca. The results ...
Aligned epitaxial SnO2 nanowires on sapphire: growth and device applications.

Semiconducting SnO2 nanowires have been used to demonstrate high-quality field-effect transistors, optically transparent devices, photodetectors, and gas sensors. However, controllable assembly of rutile SnO2 nanowires is necessary for scalable and practical device applications. Here, we demonstrate aligned, planar SnO2 nanowires grown on A-plane, M-plane, and R-plane sapphire substrates. These parallel nanowires can reach 100 μm in length with sufficient density to be patterned photolithographically for field-effect transistors and sensor devices. As proof-of-concept, we show that transistors made this way can achieve on/off current ratios on the order of 106, mobilities around 71.68 cm2/V·s, and sufficiently high currents to drive external organic light-emitting diode displays. Furthermore, the aligned SnO2 nanowire devices are shown to be photosensitive to UV light with the capability to distinguish between 254 and 365 nm wavelengths. Their alignment is advantageous for polarized UV light detection; we...
Fear factors: Cross validation of specific phobia domains in a community-based sample of African American adults

The current study attempted a cross-validation of specific phobia domains in a community-based sample of African American adults based on a previous model of phobia domains in a college student sample of African Americans. Subjects were 100 African American community-dwelling adults who completed the Fear Survey Schedule-Second Edition (FSS-II). Domains of fear were created using a similar procedure as the original, college sample of African American adults. A model including all of the phobia domains from the FSS-II was initially tested and resulted in poor model fit. Cross-validation was subsequently attempted through examining the original factor pattern of specific phobia domains from the college sample (Chapman, Kertz, Zurlage, & Woodruff-Borden, 2008). Data from the current, community based sample of African American adults provided poor fit to this model. The trimmed model for the current sample included the animal and social anxiety factors as in the original model. The natural environment-type specific phobia factor did not provide adequate fit for the community-based sample of African Americans. Results indicated that although different factor loading patterns of fear may exist among community-based African Americans as compared to African American college students, both animal and social fears are nearly identical in both groups, indicating a possible cultural homogeneity for phobias in African Americans. Potential explanations of these findings and future directions are discussed.
Localising the Universal: Women, Motherhood and the Appeal of Early Theravada Buddhism

This essay suggests that one reason for the success of Theravāda Buddhism in early Southeast Asia was its appeal to women. The maternal metaphor, a prominent theme in Buddhist texts, was both familiar and relevant to the lives of all females, regardless of their social standing. Translated into a local environment, the interaction between motherhood and merit-making provided new opportunities for lay women to display their piety and strengthened their links with the monkhood.
μ + polarization in proton decay: A probe of flavor mixing in unified models

Measurements of ..mu../sup +/ polarizations from proton decay will give valuable insight into the nature of unification theories. We discuss the ..mu../sup +/ polarizations expected in a class of O(10) models for two plausible flavor-mixing schemes.
Using fuzzy methods to model nearest neighbor rules

The basic principle used in the construction of nearest-neighbor models is discussed. The induced ordered weighted averaging (IOWA) operators are shown to provide a useful formal structure for building nearest-neighbor models. A methodology for learning IOWA operator nearest-neighbor models is described. Various types of nearest-neighbor rules are investigated, including those based on a linguistic specification. The situation in which the value of interest lies in an ordinal set is also considered. It is shown that the weighted median provides a useful tool for constructing nearest-neighbor rules in this case.
Quantitative insulin and C-peptide levels among ED patients with sulfonylurea-induced hypoglycemia-a prospective case series.

Abstract Objective The objective of this study was to measure the serum insulin and C-peptide concentrations among diabetic patients known to be taking sulfonylurea agents who presented to the emergency department with hypoglycemia thought to be due to therapeutic usage as opposed to overdose. A recently published systematic review of 22 articles involving 76 patients with sulfonylurea-induced hypoglycemia (glucose μ IU/mL or higher and an average serum C-peptide concentration of 1.4 ng/mL or higher. Methods This is a prospective cross-sectional descriptive case series. Results Thirteen of 14 study subjects had initial insulin and C-peptide levels consistent with the diagnosis of sulfonylurea-induced hypoglycemia as previously defined among patients presenting after overdose. Conclusion Patients presenting with hypoglycemia resulting from therapeutic sulfonylurea use demonstrate similar insulin and C-peptide levels as has previously been published among patients who presented with presumed overdose.
Bio-Based Rubbers by Concurrent Cationic and Ring-Opening Metathesis Polymerization of a Modified Linseed Oil

Bio-based rubbers prepared by tandem cationic polymerization and ROMP using a norbornenyl-modified linseed oil, Dilulin ™ , and a norbornene diester, NBDC, have been prepared and characterized. Increasing the concentration of the NBDC in the mixture results in a decrease in the glass transition temperature. The new bio-based rubbers exhibit tensile test behavior ranging from relatively brittle (18% elongation) to moderately flexible (52% elongation) and with decreasing values of tensile stress with increasing NBDC content. Thermogravimetric analysis reveals that the bio-based rubbers have maximum decomposition temperatures of over 450 °C with their thermal stability decreasing with increasing loadings of NBDC.
Requirement Progression in Problem Frames Applied to a Proton Therapy System

A technique is presented for obtaining a specification from a requirement through a series of incremental steps. The starting point is a Problem Frame description involving a requirement on the phenomena of the problem domain, and a decomposition of the environment into domains, connected to one another and to the machine being implemented by shared phenomena. In each step, the requirement is moved towards the machine, leaving behind a trail of 'breadcrumbs' in the form of domain assumptions. Eventually, the transformed requirement references only phenomena at the interface of the machine and can therefore serve as a specification. Each step is justified by an implication that can be mechanically checked, ensuring that, if the machine obeys the derived specification and the domain assumptions are valid, the requirement will hold. The technique is applied to the logging subproblem of a radiotherapy system.
Human liver phosphoenolpyruvate carboxykinase: Evidence for a separate mitochondrial and cytosol enzyme

Abstract Phosphoenolpyruvate carboxykinase activity was found to be almost equally distributed between the mitochondria and cytosol of human liver. The elution profile of the enzyme after DEAE-Sephadex chromatography revealed a cationic and anionic peak representing the mitochondrial and cytosolic proteins, respectively. The distribution pattern of phosphoenolpyruvate carboxykinase in human liver implies that the regulation of gluconeogenesis may be considerably different from that in the rat where this key enzyme is predominantly in the liver cytosol.
A Review of the Effects of Plasmapheresis on Drug Clearance

Plasmapheresis (PP) is being increasingly performed to treat a number of infectious, immunologic, metabolic, and inherited illnesses. In this procedure, plasma and cellular components of blood are separated, and all solutes in plasma, including drugs, can be removed. The effects of PP on the pharmacokinetics of drugs administered therapeutically and taken in overdose are evolving. As the procedure becomes more widely performed, it is important that these effects be understood.
Feedback stabilization of state delayed systems via a reducing transformation

A reducing transformation is devised for a class of state delayed ditterential systems. The reduced system facilitates the design of feedback stabilizing controls based on delay free control techniques.
Short-day increases in aggression are independent of circulating gonadal steroids in female Siberian hamsters (Phodopus sungorus).

Among the suite of adaptations displayed by seasonally-breeding rodents, individuals of most species display reproductive regression and concomitant decreases in gonadal steroids during the winter. In addition, some species display increased aggression in short “winter-like” days compared with long “summer-like” day lengths. For example, male Syrian and Siberian hamsters held in short days express heightened levels of aggression that are independent of gonadal steroids. Virtually nothing is known, however, regarding seasonal aggression in female Siberian hamsters (Phodopus sungorus). Studies were undertaken to determine female levels of aggression in long and short days as well as the role of gonadal steroids in mediating this behavior. In Experiment 1, females were housed in long or short days for 10 weeks and resident–intruder aggression was assessed. Prior to testing, estrous cycle stages were determined by vaginal cytology and females were tested during both Diestrus I and Proestrus. In Experiment 2, hormone levels were experimentally manipulated; long-day females were ovariectomized (OVx) or given sham surgeries whereas short-day females were implanted with capsules containing 17β-estradiol (E2) or Progesterone (P). In Experiment 3, both longand short-day females were ovariectomized and implanted with either an exogenous E2 or blank capsule, or given a sham surgery. Short-day hamsters displayed increased aggression relative to long-day females. Aggression was not affected by estrous stage. There was no difference in aggression between long-day OVx and sham animals. Furthermore, neither exogenous E2 nor P had any significant effect on aggression. These results support previous findings of increased non-breeding aggression and suggest that short-day aggression is not likely mediated by circulating levels of gonadal steroids. These results also suggest that the endocrine regulation of seasonal aggression may be similar between the sexes.
Spatial Differences in the Cost of Living

A method that represents income and poverty differences within a country more accurately than do methods based on money income measures is described. Focusing on the cost of basic requirements of food and nonfood categories, a cost index of a basket typically consumed by the poor is built up. The index is used to deflate money estimates into real estimates. The cost of living index also is combined with income estimates to obtain measures of regional differences in poverty that are more accurate than those based on money income estimates. Using Peru as a case study, it is shown that the cost differences have significant implications for measures of real income and poverty across regions and between urban and rural areas. A detailed derivation of the nonfood price index is appended.
Updated Parental Viewpoints on Male Neonatal Circumcision in the United States

Through a questionnaire, the authors sought to elicit information about initial attitudes concerning circumcision after reading a summary of the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) Policy Statement and, again, after reading a description of recent HIV/HPV studies. Predictors of increased support for circumcision included having a prior circumcised boy and being US born. Predictors of decreased support included being of Hispanic ethnicity and believing that the uncircumcised penis was more culturally normal. After reading the AAP statement, 86% of respondents remained favorable of elective circumcision, whereas 13% viewed it less favorably. After reading the passage about the HIV/HPV studies, the majority maintained their initial level of support. Certain characteristics were associated with an individual’s desire to perform circumcision on his/her infant. Despite a slight decrease in support to perform circumcision after reading the AAP policy summary, respondents’ initial attitudes toward circumcision w...
Groin Skin Temperature: Testing the Validity of a Relatively Unobtrusive Physiological Measure of Psychosexual Arousal

The validity of groin skin temperature as a relatively unobtrusive physiological measure of psychosexual arousal was tested for both males and females. Groin skin temperature and hemodynamic (penile circumference, vaginal blood volume, and vaginal pulse amplitude) changes induced by erotic and non-erotic film presentations were monitored in 10 male and 10 female volunteers. Significant positive correlations (p<.001) between the measures were obtained for 16 of 20 subjects. Implications of the findings for detecting low levels of psychosexual arousal are discussed.
Prime Time: 12-Month Sexual Health Outcomes of a Clinic-based Intervention to Prevent Pregnancy Risk Behaviors

Abstract Purpose Prime Time, a youth development intervention, aims to reduce pregnancy risk among adolescent girls seeking clinic service who are at high risk for pregnancy. This article examines sexual risk behaviors and hypothesized psychosocial mediators after 12 months of the Prime Time intervention. Methods This study was a randomized controlled trial with 253 girls aged 13–17 years meeting specified risk criteria. Intervention participants were involved in Prime Time programming plus usual clinic services for 18 months, control participants received usual clinic services. The intervention used a combination of case management and peer leadership programs. Participants in this interim outcomes study completed self-report surveys at baseline and 12 months after enrollment. Surveys assessed sexual risk behaviors and psychosocial factors targeted for change by Prime Time. Results At the 12-month interim, the intervention group reported more consistent use of condoms, hormonal contraception, and dual contraceptive methods with their most recent partner as compared with the control group. The intervention group also reported greater stress management skills with trends toward higher levels of prosocial connectedness at school and with family. No between-group differences were noted in psychosocial measures specific to sex and contraceptive use. Conclusion Preventing early pregnancy among high-risk adolescents requires multifaceted, sustained approaches. An important research focus involves testing youth development interventions offered through clinic settings, where access to high-risk adolescents is plentiful and few efforts have emphasized a dual approach of building protective factors while addressing risk. Findings suggest that youth development interventions through clinic settings hold promise in reducing pregnancy risk among high-risk youth.
Statistical Theory for Predicting the Failure of Brittle Materials

A formula is derived from a statistical distribution function incorporating the weakest link principle. The statistical model is also used in a failure analysis of the round-notch four-point bending specimen made of an AISI 100% steel. The grain boundary carbide particles are considered to be microcracks in the plastic zone near the notch tip
Impact of Post-Intubation Interventions on Mortality in Patients Boarding in the Emergency Department

Introduction: Emergency physicians frequently perform endotracheal intubation and mechanical ventilation. The impact of instituting early post-intubation interventions on patients boarding in the emergency department (ED) is not well studied. We sought to determine the impact of post-intubation interventions (arterial blood gas sampling, obtaining a chest x-ray (CXR), gastric decompression, early sedation, appropriate initial tidal volume, and quantitative capnography) on outcomes of mortality, ventilator-associated pneumonia (VAP), ventilator days, and intensive care unit (ICU) length-of-stay (LOS). Methods: This was an observational, retrospective study of patients intubated in the ED at a large tertiary-care teaching hospital and included patients in the ED for greater than two hours post-intubation. We excluded them if they had incomplete data, were designated “do not resuscitate,” were managed primarily by the trauma team, or had surgery within six hours after intubation. Results: Of 169 patients meeting criteria, 15 died and 10 developed VAP. The mortality odds ratio (OR) in patients receiving CXR was 0.10 (95% CI 0.01 to 0.98), and 0.11 (95% CI 0.03 to 0.46) in patients receiving early sedation. The mortality OR for patients with 3 or fewer interventions was 4.25 (95% CI 1.15 to 15.75) when compared to patients with 5 or more interventions. There was no significant relationship between VAP rate, ventilator days, or ICU LOS and any of the intervention groups. Conclusion: The performance of a CXR and early sedation as well as performing five or more vs. three or fewer post-intubation interventions in boarding adult ED patients was associated with decreased mortality. [West J Emerg Med. 2014;15(6):-0]
Numerical Study of the Orographic Forcing of Heavy Precipitation during MAP IOP-2B

Abstract This paper investigates the local circulation associated with a heavy orographic rainfall event during 19–21 September 1999 [Mesoscale Alpine Programme Intensive Observing Period 2B (MAP IOP-2B)]. This event was simulated with a 5-km horizontal grid spacing using the fifth-generation Pennsylvania State University–NCAR Mesoscale Model (MM5). The MM5 simulation reproduced the basic features such as the timing and location of the deep trough and the associated precipitation evolution, though the total amount of precipitation is slightly higher than that measured by rain gauges (∼30% in 24 h). The near-surface flow was dominated by an easterly jet originally from the Adriatic Sea and a southerly jet from the Gulf of Genoa. A significant westward turning occurred when the southerly flow approached the south side of the Alps. This deflection was caused by boundary layer friction and rotation, as well as mountain blocking effects. Flow was generally from the south above the surface. Precipitation was ma...
Long-term administration of angiotensin (17) prevents heart and lung dysfunction in a mouse model of type 2 diabetes (db/db) by reducing oxidative stress, inflammation and pathological remodeling

Congestive heart failure is one of the most prevalent and deadly complications of type 2 diabetes that is frequently associated with pulmonary dysfunction. Among many factors that contribute to development and progression of diabetic complications is angiotensin II (Ang2). Activation of pathological arm of renin-angiotensin system results in increased levels of Ang2 and signaling through angiotensin type 1 receptor. This pathway is well recognized for its role in induction of oxidative stress (OS), inflammation, hypertrophy and fibrosis. Angiotensin (1-7) [A(1-7)], through activation of Mas receptor, opposes the actions of Ang2 which can result in the amelioration of diabetic complications; enhancing the overall welfare of diabetic patients. In this study, 8 week-old db/db mice were administered A(1-7) daily via subcutaneous injections. After 16 weeks of treatment, echocardiographic assessment of heart function demonstrated significant improvement in cardiac output, stroke volume and shortening fraction in diabetic animals. A(1-7) also prevented cardiomyocyte hypertrophy, apoptosis, lipid accumulation, and decreased diabetes-induced fibrosis and OS in the heart tissue. Treatment with A(1-7) reduced levels of circulating proinflammatory cytokines that contribute to the low grade inflammation observed in diabetes. In addition, lung pathologies associated with type 2 diabetes, including fibrosis and congestion, were decreased with treatment. OS and macrophage infiltration were also reduced in the lungs after treatment with A(1-7). Long-term administration of A(1-7) to db/db mice is effective in improving heart and lung function in db/db mice. Treatment prevented pathological remodeling of the tissues and reduced OS, fibrosis and inflammation.
Realism and the Stock Market: The Rise of Silas Lapham

Henry B. Wonham, “Realism and the Stock Market: The Rise of Silas Lapham ” (pp. 473–495) William Dean Howells’s The Rise of Silas Lapham (1885) is usually approached as a representative text in the American realist mode and an unambiguous expression of Howells’s disdain for—in Walter Benn Michaels’s words—“the excesses of capitalism,” especially as embodied in the novel’s rendering of “the greedy and heartless stock market.” Like many commentators of the period, Howells promoted a traditional view of honest industry against the emerging phenomenon of speculative finance, and yet to read the novel as an allegory of opposition to Wall Street speculation is to oversimplify Howells’s complicated attitudes toward high finance and to make a caricature out of the novel’s treatment of complex economic developments. In this essay, I reassess Silas’s investment career and the novel’s surprisingly dense engagement with the dynamics of securities trading as a form of commerce. Critics such as Michaels and Neil Browne have contended that through Silas’s failed investment career, Howells “attempts to disarticulate…an emergent market ethos,” but as I read the novel this same “market ethos” is inseparable from Howells’s conception of realism and of the vocation of the literary realist.
Assessing the effect of a major storm on 10BE concentrations and inferred basin-averaged denudation rates

Abstract 10Be concentrations in stream sediments are commonly employed to calculate basin-averaged denudation rates. Such calculations assume that denudation is steady in time and that quartz is uniformly distributed in the watershed. The 10Be concentrations in stream sediments are assumed to represent a spatially and temporally averaged concentration, and therefore should not be affected by a discrete erosion event. The effect of such events on 10Be concentrations has been modeled, but has not been previously field-tested following a large precipitation event. In this study, we resampled stream sediments that had been previously analyzed to deduce basin averaged erosion rates in small, tributary basins in the Colorado Front Range following an extreme precipitation event in 2013. Most of our sample sites show no significant change between pre- and post-flood concentrations, and hence no change in the denudation rates inferred from them. The sample locations include a partially burned site, a debris flow site, and sites with very small drainage areas. A notable exception exists at lower Gordon Gulch, within the Boulder Creek Critical Zone Observatory; here, local 10Be data indicate that a large portion of flood-deposited sediment is likely derived from deep soils in fans, terraces, and fills, that are predominantly located on the north-facing toe slope. Overall, the reproducibility of denudation rates deduced from pre- and post-storm samples indicates that the uncertainty associated with 10Be-derived denudation rates is likely less than 15% in this setting.
Evaluating the Reservoirs Base on Integral Fuzzy Evaluation

The integral fuzzy evaluation subtly depicts the heterogeneous characters of reservoir property.It's the effective method to integral evaluating the reservoirs.Based on the geological characters and the principles of integral fuzzy evaluation,a logical evaluation criterion is found,some evaluation parameters pivotal characters of the reservoir are picked,the coefficient of evaluation parameter with hierarchical analysis method is introduced,and a portion of reservoir of Shuanghe oil field with above method is evaluated.The application results show that this method resolve the consistency problem of the evaluation parameters,and improve the precision of the evaluation.
Eco-friendly automotive climate control and navigation system for electric vehicles

Tight integration of cyber-dominated control systems and physical systems has helped Electric Vehicles (EV) as a Cyber-Physical System (CPS) to achieve zero-emission transportation capability. However, it poses major difficulties such as poor driving range, high price, and troublesome recharging which demotivate their consumers. These problems have arisen due to the stringent constraints on the EV battery packs. Moreover, the battery capacity degrades overtime and this degradation defines the battery lifetime and shortens the driving range further. The driving range and battery lifetime are mainly influenced by the route behavior, electric motor, and Heating, Ventilation, and Air Conditioning (HVAC) power consumption. In this paper, we present a novel jointly optimized eco-friendly automotive climate control and navigation system methodology. The integration between these two systems helps us to optimize the HVAC utilization and route for better battery lifetime and driving range. We have compared the performance of our methodology with the state-of-the-arts for different weather and route behavior. We have seen upto 24% improvement in battery lifetime and 17% reduction in energy consumption.
A probabilistic interpretation of US hydrocarbon supply shortfall, 1990-2000

Utilisation de methodes probabilistes pour evaluer les resultats de dix modeles prevoyants une penurie d'approvisionnement en hydrocarbures des Etats Unis, en l'an 2000
The Glutathione-S-Transferase, Cytochrome P450 and Carboxyl/Cholinesterase Gene Superfamilies in Predatory Mite Metaseiulus occidentalis

Pesticide-resistant populations of the predatory mite Metaseiulus (= Typhlodromus or Galendromus) occidentalis (Arthropoda: Chelicerata: Acari: Phytoseiidae) have been used in the biological control of pest mites such as phytophagous Tetranychus urticae. However, the pesticide resistance mechanisms in M. occidentalis remain largely unknown. In other arthropods, members of the glutathione-S-transferase (GST), cytochrome P450 (CYP) and carboxyl/cholinesterase (CCE) gene superfamilies are involved in the diverse biological pathways such as the metabolism of xenobiotics (e.g. pesticides) in addition to hormonal and chemosensory processes. In the current study, we report the identification and initial characterization of 123 genes in the GST, CYP and CCE superfamilies in the recently sequenced M. occidentalis genome. The gene count represents a reduction of 35% compared to T. urticae. The distribution of genes in the GST and CCE superfamilies in M. occidentalis differs significantly from those of insects and resembles that of T. urticae. Specifically, we report the presence of the Mu class GSTs, and the J' and J" clade CCEs that, within the Arthropoda, appear unique to Acari. Interestingly, the majority of CCEs in the J' and J" clades contain a catalytic triad, suggesting that they are catalytically active. They likely represent two Acari-specific CCE clades that may participate in detoxification of xenobiotics. The current study of genes in these superfamilies provides preliminary insights into the potential molecular components that may be involved in pesticide metabolism as well as hormonal/chemosensory processes in the agriculturally important M. occidentalis.
Giant Paraesophageal Hernia: Optimal Surgical Approach

Surgery for sliding hiatal hernia and gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) is widely accepted and practiced. With the advent, refinement, and popularization of minimally invasive techniques, laparoscopic antireflux surgery has become the mainstay of operative therapy in most institutions where appropriate expertise exists. The outcomes following laparoscopic fundoplication, including symptom relief, quality of life indices, side effects, complications, objective control of GERD, and reintervention rates, have been well-elucidated and have generally been judged favorably when compared to medical therapy or open surgical alternatives.
Photoacoustic Imaging Paradigm Shift: Towards Using Vendor-Independent Ultrasound Scanners

Photoacoustic (PA) imaging requires channel data acquisition synchronized with a laser firing system. Unfortunately, the access to these channel data is only available on specialized research systems, and most clinical ultrasound scanners do not offer an interface to obtain this data. To broaden the impact of clinical PA imaging, we propose a vendor-independent PA imaging system utilizing ultrasound post-beamformed radio frequency (RF) data, which is readily accessible in some clinical scanners. In this paper, two PA beamforming algorithms that use the post-beamformed RF data as the input are introduced: inverse beamforming, and synthetic aperture (SA) based re-beamforming. Inverse beamforming recovers the channel data by taking into account the ultrasound beamforming delay function. The recovered channel data can then be used to reconstruct a PA image. SA based re-beamforming algorithm regards the defocused RF data as a set of pre-beamformed RF data received by virtual elements; an adaptive synthetic aperture beamforming algorithm is applied to refocus it. We demonstrated the concepts in simulation, and experimentally validated their applicability on a clinical ultrasound scanner using a pseudo-PA point source and in vivo data. Results indicate the full width at the half maximum (FWHM) of the point target using the proposed inverse beamforming and SA re-beamforming were 1.33 mm, and 1.08 mm, respectively. This is comparable to conventional delay-and-sum PA beamforming, for which the measured FWHM was 1.49 mm.
Assessment of the climate commitments and additional mitigation policies of the United States

Analysis of the US’s intended nationally determined contribution (INDC) shows additional policies are likely to be needed for it to meet its promised emissions reduction target, and highlights where deeper cuts could be made. Current intended nationally determined contributions (INDCs) are insufficient1 to meet the Paris Agreement goal of limiting temperature change to between 1.5 and 2.0 °C above pre-industrial levels2, so the effectiveness of existing INDCs will be crucial to further progress. Here we assess the likely range of US greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions in 2025 and whether the US’s INDC can be met, on the basis of updated historical and projected estimates. We group US INDC policies into three categories reflecting potential future policies, and model 17 policies across these categories. With all modelled policies included, the upper end of the uncertainty range overlaps with the 2025 INDC target, but the required reductions are not achieved using reference values. Even if all modelled policies are implemented, additional GHG reduction is probably required; we discuss several potential policies.
Safranal and its analogs inhibit Escherichia coli ATP synthase and cell growth.

Abstract Safranal, a dominant component of saffron, is known to have antitumor, cytotoxic, and antibacterial properties. In this study, we examined safranal and its structural analogs—thymol, carvacrol, damascenone, cuminol, 2,6,6-trimethyl-2-cyclohexene-1,4-dione (TMCHD), 4-isopropylbenzyl bromide (IPBB), and 4- tert -butylphenol (TBP) induced inhibition of Escherichia coli membrane bound F 1 F o ATP synthase. Safranal and its analogs inhibited wild-type enzyme to variable degrees. While safranal caused 100% inhibition of wild-type F 1 F o ATP synthase, only about 50% inhibition occurred for αR283D mutant ATP synthase. Moreover, safranal, thymol, carvacrol, damascenone, cuminol, TMCHD, IPBB, and TBP all fully abrogated the growth of wild-type E. coli cells and had partial or no effect on the growth of null and mutant E. coli strains. Therefore, the antimicrobial properties of safranal, thymol, carvacrol, damascenone, cuminol, TMCHD, IPBB, and TBP can be linked to their binding and inhibition of ATP synthase. Total loss of growth in wild-type and partial or no growth loss in null or mutant E. coli strains demonstrates that ATP synthase is a molecular target for safranal and its structural analogs. Partial inhibition of the αArg-283 mutant enzyme establishes that αArg-283 residue is required in the polyphenol binding pocket of ATP synthase for the binding of safranal. Furthermore, partial growth loss for the null and mutant strains in the presence of inhibitors also suggests the role of other targets and residues in the process of inhibition.
A 50-mA 99.2% Peak Current Efficiency, 250-ns Settling Time Digital Low-Dropout Regulator With Transient Enhanced PI Controller

A fully integrated digital low-dropout regulator (DLDO) with a fast transient response, providing a regulated supply for system-on-chip (SoC) power management applications is proposed. Wideband operation and fast transient response are achieved through a transient enhanced proportional-integral controller, without compromising the stability of the DLDO at steady-state operation. The transient enhancement stage boosts loop-gain dynamically during load transients. In the gain boosting mode, the DLDO closed-loop bandwidth is increased, resulting in reduced undershoot/overshoot and fast settling. When the output voltage recovers to the desired level, the boost mode operation is disabled. For a load change with a 4-mA/ns slew rate between 10 and 50 mA, utilizing transient enhancement mode reduced the measured undershoot and overshoot by 35% and 17%, respectively. The characterization results show that the transient enhancement mode can reduce the settling time from 500 to 250 ns for a 10–50-mA load current change. The proposed DLDO operates with an input voltage ranging from 0.84 to 1.24 V, and output voltage ranging from 0.6 to 1 V. The maximum output current of the DLDO is 50 mA and the DLDO achieves a peak current efficiency of 99.2%, with DLDO figure of merit (FOM2) of 63.25 ps. The DLDO prototype chip is fabricated on a 0.13- $\mu \text{m}$ CMOS technology and occupies a 0.0631-mm2 die area.
Dispersion Theory of Abusive Supervision: Emergent Unit-Level Subordinate Retaliation

In this paper, I propose that abusive supervision is not equally experienced by all team members in a team. I describe how subordinates with an abusive supervisor react by abusing their supervisor ...
A COMMENT ON SOME REMARKS BY HISTORIANS OF COST ACCOUNTING ON ENGINEERING CONTRIBUTIONS TO THE SUBJECT

M. C. Wells wrote in Accounting for Common Costs that engineering impacts on cost accounting had ended by 1910. This paper reports the results of a review of the Accountants' Index from 1920 through 1949 for engineering sources listed under the general category of the two sections of “Cost and Factory Accounting” and “Depreciation, Depletion, and Obsolescence.” The results show that engineering sources on these topics peaked late during the decade that began in 1910 and did not become insignificant until the 1930s.
Heat Shock Gene Expression as a Marker of Ischemic and Other Types of Injury

While searching for markers of physiologically activated cells we discovered that the c-fos protooncogene could be induced by certain physiological stimuli including cortical stimulation, seizures, and osmotic stimulation [28]. It has since been shown that a variety of protooncogenes can be induced by physiological stimuli as well as by ischemia and axotomy [14, 15, 22]. We also found (concurrently with Dr. T. Nowak, Jr.) that though physiological stimuli would not induce the heat shock genes, a variety of injuries did induce these genes in brain. The following discussion will briefly summarize the biology of the heat shock gene response, the history of previous studies of heat shock protein expression in brain, and our work on the effect of seizures and ischemia on the induction of the hsp70 gene in specific cell types and the relevance of these observations to understanding the pathogenesis of ischemic brain injury.
The Negative Influence of Adiposity Extends to Intraindividual Variability in Cognitive Control Among Preadolescent Children

OBJECTIVE The objective of this study was to investigate the relationship between adiposity and cognition by using mean accuracy, mean reaction time, and intraindividual variability (IIV) among preadolescents. METHODS Children 7 to 9 years old (N = 233, 133 females) underwent dual-energy x-ray absorptiometry and a maximal oxygen consumption test to assess whole-body adiposity and aerobic fitness relative to fat-free mass (VO2 FF), respectively. Attentional inhibition was assessed by using a modified flanker task. IIV was assessed as standard deviation of reaction time and as a coefficient of variation of reaction time (CVRT). Hierarchical linear regression analyses were performed to examine the relationships between adiposity and cognitive measures following the adjustment of significant demographic factors, intelligence quotient, and VO2 FF. RESULTS Whole-body adiposity was negatively related to congruent trial mean accuracy and reaction time and to CVRT in both the congruent and incongruent trials. Differences in cognitive function across weight status were selectively evident for measures of IIV, such that children with overweight/obesity (≥ 85th BMI-for-age percentile) exhibited higher CVRT for both the congruent and incongruent trials. CONCLUSIONS This work provides additional evidence linking childhood obesity to poorer cognitive function and includes novel data extending the negative influence of adiposity to measures of intraindividual response variability in cognitive control, even after accounting for intellectual abilities, aerobic fitness, and demographic factors.
Frequency of Statin Use in Patients With Low-Density Lipoprotein Cholesterol ≥190 mg/dl from the Veterans Affairs Health System.

Patients with low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) ≥190 mg/dl have severe hypercholesterolemia and are at markedly increased risk for adverse cardiovascular events. This study sought to examine the prevalence and treatment of patients with uncontrolled severe hypercholesterolemia in the Veterans Affairs (VA) Health System. The study population was comprised of VA outpatients ≥21 years of age without atherosclerotic disease or diabetes mellitus and an index LDL-C ≥190 mg/dl during April 2011 to March 2014. Patients needed to have filled medications at the VA within the past 6 months. Patient and facility-level predictors of statin use, high-intensity statin use, and statin intensification were analyzed using multivariate logistic regressions. There were a total of 63,576 patients meeting inclusion criteria, including 8,553 (13.5%) women and 26,879 (29.0%) nonwhite patients. The mean (±S.D.) age was 55 (±13) years and the mean of the most recent LDL-C values was 207 ± 22 mg/dl. Only 52% of all eligible patients were on any statin therapy and 9.7% received high-intensity statin therapy. High-intensity statin use increased from 8.6% in 2011 to 13.6% in 2014 (p 75 years of age were less likely to be on a statin (p
Antibodies to Conserved Surface Polysaccharides Protect Mice Against Bacterial Conjunctivitis.

Purpose Bacterial conjunctivitis is a major problem in ocular health. Little is known about protective immune effectors in the conjunctiva. We evaluated whether opsonic antibody to the conserved surface/capsular polysaccharide poly-N-acetyl glucosamine (PNAG) expressed by Streptococcus pneumoniae and Staphylococcus aureus was protective against bacterial conjunctivitis, as well as an antibody to the Pseudomonas aeruginosa surface polysaccharide alginate. Methods Bacteria were injected directly into the conjunctivae of either A/J mice or into conjunctivae of wild type C57Bl/6 mice for comparisons to responses of recombination activating gene 1-knock out (RAG 1 KO) or germ-free mice in the C57Bl/6 genetic background. Human IgG1 monoclonal antibodies (MAb) to either PNAG or alginate were administered as follows: direct injection of 10 μg into the conjunctivae or topical application onto the cornea 4, 24, and 32 hours post infection; or intraperitoneal injection of 200 μg 18 hours prior to and then 4, 24, and 32-hours postinfection. After 48 hours, eyes were scored for pathology, mice were euthanized, and CFU/conjunctiva was determined. Results All methods of antibody administration reduced S. pneumoniae, S. aureus, or P. aeruginosa pathology and bacterial levels in the conjunctivae. Histopathologic analysis showed severe inflammatory cell infiltrates in conjunctivae of mice treated with control MAb, whereas immune mice showed only very mild cellular infiltration. The protective effect of MAb to PNAG was abolished in RAG 1 KO and germ-free mice. Conclusions Antibodies to both PNAG and alginate demonstrated therapeutic efficacy in models of S. pneumoniae, S. aureus, and P. aeruginosa conjunctivitis, validating the protective capacity of antibodies to surface polysaccharides in distinct ocular tissues.
Use of symbolic methods in analyzing an integral operator

The “stability of matter” problem in theoretical quantum mechanics is to derive from basic theory a mathematically rigorous lower bound on the energy per nucleus of an arbitrary configuration of nuclei and electrons. Such a lower bound provides a theoretical explanation of why the electrons do not simply collapse into the nuclei. The existence of a lower bound for the energy was originally proved by Dyson and Lenard in [1]. Lieb and Thirring [4,3] later established a much better bound, coming within a factor of about 5.4 of the value suggested by experimental data. Recently, C. Fefferman [2] has presented a method that promises to yield a further improvement. Roughly, the idea is to express the total energy as an integral over all balls (of all sizes) in R3 , and then for each ball that contains nuclei to assign its energy in equal shares to all nuclei in it, and for each ball that contains no nuclei to assign its energy to the nearest nucleus. The lowest energy assigned to any nucleus is obviously a lower bound for the average energy per nucleus. Arguments given in [2] provide bounds for the energy contributed to a nucleus by all balls except those that are contained within a sphere of radius 28 about the nucleus and have their center within a distance 5 of the nucleus, where 25 is the distance to the nearest other nucleus. It is also shown in [2] that a lower bound for the energy contributed by the remaining balls can be obtained in terms of the sum of the negative eigenvalues of the quadratic form Q = K – V described below, which is essentially the part contributed by the same family of balls to the energy for a single electron in the field of a stationary nucleus with charge Z. (In the limit as δ goes to infinity, K becomes the kinetic energy given by the Laplacian, and V the Coulomb energy (given by a “1/r” potential) for such an electron.) The present paper discusses the computational problem of getting a rigorous lower bound on the negative eigenvalues of Q . As stated above, Fefferman is entirely responsible for formulating the problem; in addition, he has been closely involved in the computational analysis and some of what is reported here is joint work with him.
Closure of Intrathoracic Wounds

The patient is an adult man with respiratory failure who developed a distal tracheal perforation. Bedside bronchoscopy confirmed the presence of a 4-cm perforation of the posterior membranous trachea down to the level of the tracheal bifurcation. Subsequent esophagoscopy was performed and was interpreted as normal to 25 cm from the incisors. The problem is an isolated distal tracheal tear that serves as a source of contamination for the adjacent tissues and represents a life-threatening situation in this patient.
Intraluminal pressure triggers myogenic response via activation of calcium spark and calcium-activated chloride channel in rat renal afferent arteriole

Myogenic contraction of renal arterioles is an important regulatory mechanism for renal blood flow autoregulation. We have previously demonstrated that integrin-mediated mechanical force increases ...
Plant extracts as antimicrobials in food products: Types

In recent years, the food industry has faced the challenge of utilizing more naturally occurring food antimicrobials in order to reduce the use of synthetic chemical preservatives in food systems. Spices, herbs, and their extract are rich in polyphenols, flavonoids, terpenoids, and other volatile compounds that significantly support antimicrobial activities. This chapter discusses the antimicrobial properties of plant extracts, herbs, and spices, and their essential oils. In addition, we have also highlighted the potential effects of plant extracts in the presence of minerals on the growth of pathogenic microorganisms.
Quantitative Single-Cell Transcript Assessment of Biomarkers Supports Cellular Heterogeneity in the Bovine IVD

Severe and chronic low back pain is often associated with intervertebral disc (IVD) degeneration. While imposing a considerable socio-economic burden worldwide, IVD degeneration is also severely impacting on the quality of life of affected individuals. Cell-based regenerative medicine approaches have moved into clinical trials, yet IVD cell identities in the mature disc remain to be fully elucidated and tissue heterogeneity exists, requiring a better characterization of IVD cells. The bovine coccygeal IVD is an accepted research model to study IVD mechano-biology and disc homeostasis. Recently, we identified novel IVD biomarkers in the outer annulus fibrosus (AF) and nucleus pulposus (NP) of the mature bovine coccygeal IVD through RNA in situ hybridization (AP-RISH) and z-proportion test. Here we follow up on Lam1, Thy1, Gli1, Gli3, Noto, Ptprc, Scx, Sox2 and Zscan10 with fluorescent RNA in situ hybridization (FL-RISH) and confocal microscopy. This permits sub-cellular transcript localization and the addition of quantitative single-cell derived values of mRNA expression levels to our previous analysis. Lastly, we used a Gaussian mixture modeling approach for the exploratory analysis of IVD cells. This work complements our earlier cell population proportion-based study, confirms the previously proposed biomarkers and indicates even further heterogeneity of cells in the outer AF and NP of a mature IVD.
High Resolution Doppler Lidar Measurements of Wind and Turbulence

The Environmental Technology Laboratory (ETL) High Resolution Doppler Lidar (HRDL) was developed to provide higher spatial, temporal, and velocity resolution, and more reliable performance, than was previously obtainable with C02 laser based technology. The improved performance is needed to support continued advancement of boundary layer simulation models and to facilitate high resolution turbulent flux measurements. HRDL recently operated from a ship during the Marine Boundary Layer Experiment and demonstrated simultaneously 5 cm/s velocity resolution and 30 m range resolution. Program objectives, technology and performance are discussed.