cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Use of a Heineke-Mikulicz like stricturoplasty for intractable skin level anal strictures following anoplasty in children with anorectal malformations.

Abstract Introduction We introduced a modification of the Heineke-Mikulicz technique to treat intractable skin level anal strictures post posterior sagittal anorectoplasty (PSARP). The aim of this article is to describe the technique and outcome in a series of patients. Methods This was a retrospective evaluation of patients who had Heineke-Mikulicz like stricturoplasty performed for a post PSARP skin level stricture over a one-year period. Results Five patients who were operated using the technique were reviewed. All had severe anal strictures that could admit Hegar dilator sizes 6 to 9 at 16months to 5years after PSARP. All underwent routine dilatations, which became increasingly painful. As an alternative to continued dilatations, an operative procedure was offered. The surgery was done as a day case and lasted 10 to 30min. The anus at the end of the procedure could comfortably accept a Hegar dilator size 14 to 17. None of the patients had a colostomy after the procedure and there were no complications. Conclusions The Heineke-Mikulicz like stricturoplasty is a simple surgical procedure that can be done in an ambulatory setting to treat children with intractable skin level anal stricture if this develops following definitive surgery for anorectal malformations.
In Command of Guardians

This chapter introduces the philosophy of servant leadership to executive level leaders responsible for a community of emergency responders. The introduction spotlights the potential that servant leadership can have for improving the lives of guardians. It begins by offering a pathway for self-reflection regarding the emergency service leader’s desire to serve: a desire which brought them to the career field years before. It defines the community of responders, a quasi-family-like paramilitary world in which responders live and operate. This community responders, as well as on-scene command-and-control, are the two greatest responsibilities of the emergency services leader. The profession is a noble sacrifice of service; servant leadership is offered as away to honor that service.
Why do general circulation models overestimate the aerosol cloud lifetime effect? A case study comparing CAM5 and a CRM

Abstract. Observation-based studies have shown that the aerosol cloud lifetime effect or the increase of cloud liquid water path (LWP) with increased aerosol loading may have been overestimated in climate models. Here, we simulate shallow warm clouds on 27 May 2011 at the southern Great Plains (SGP) measurement site established by the Department of Energy's (DOE) Atmospheric Radiation Measurement (ARM) program using a single-column version of a global climate model (Community Atmosphere Model or CAM) and a cloud resolving model (CRM). The LWP simulated by CAM increases substantially with aerosol loading while that in the CRM does not. The increase of LWP in CAM is caused by a large decrease of the autoconversion rate when cloud droplet number increases. In the CRM, the autoconversion rate is also reduced, but this is offset or even outweighed by the increased evaporation of cloud droplets near the cloud top, resulting in an overall decrease in LWP. Our results suggest that climate models need to include the dependence of cloud top growth and the evaporation/condensation process on cloud droplet number concentrations.
Paravalvular Regurgitation after Transcatheter Aortic Valve Replacement: Comparing Transthoracic versus Transesophageal Echocardiographic Guidance

Background Transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR) is increasingly being performed in cardiac catheterization laboratories using transthoracic echocardiography (TTE) to guide valve deployment. The risk of paravalvular regurgitation (PVR) remains a concern. Methods We retrospectively reviewed 454 consecutive patients (mean age, 82 ± 8; 58% male) who underwent transfemoral TAVR at Emory Healthcare from 2007 to 2014. Two hundred thirty-four patients underwent TAVR in the cardiac catheterization laboratory with TTE guidance (TTE-TAVR; mean Society of Thoracic Surgeons score, 10%), while 220 patients underwent the procedure in the hybrid operating room with transesophageal echocardiography (TEE) guidance (TEE-TAVR; mean Society of Thoracic Surgeons score, 11%). All patients received an Edwards valve (SAPIEN 55%, SAPIEN-XT 45%). Clinical and procedural characteristics, echocardiographic parameters, and incidence of PVR were compared. Results The incidence of at least mild PVR at discharge was comparable between TTE-TAVR and TEE-TAVR (33% vs 38%, respectively; P = .326) and did not differ when stratified by valve type. However, in the TTE-TAVR group, there was a higher incidence of second valve implantation (7% vs 2%; P = .026) and postdilation (38% vs 17%; P Conclusions TTE-TAVR in a high-risk group of patients was associated with increased incidence of intraprocedure PVR-related events, although it was not associated with higher rates of PVR at follow-up. Multicenter randomized trials are required to confirm the cost-effectiveness and safety of TTE-TAVR.
Applied Force and sEMG Muscle Activity Required To Operate Pistol Grip Control in an Electric Utility Aerial Bucket

Electric utility line workers report high levels of fatigue in forearm muscles when operating a conventional pistol grip control in aerial buckets. This study measured the applied force and surface electromyographic (sEMG) signals from four upper extremity muscles required to operate the pistol grip control in two tasks. The first task was movement of the pistol grip in six directions (up/down, forward/rearward, clockwise/counter-clockwise), and the second task was movement of the bucket from its resting position on the truck bed to an overhead conductor on top of a 40 ft tall pole. The force applied to the pistol grip was measured in 14 aerial bucket trucks, and sEMG activity was measured on eight apprentice line workers.The applied force required to move the pistol grip control in the six directions ranged from 12 to 15 lb. The sEMG activity in the extensor digitorum communis (EDC) forearm muscle was approximately twice as great or more than the other three muscles (flexor digitorum superficialis, trice...
Modeling tropical cyclone boundary layer: Height-resolving pressure and wind fields

The high-accurate wind field of a tropical cyclone boundary layer, which is essentially governed by the Navier-Stokes equations, could be efficiently obtained by predefining the pressure field. Conventionally, the prescribed pressure filed is a 1-D function varying with the distance to the cyclone center (radius). In this study, the pressure field model has been extended to a 2-D function with respect to both radius and height. In addition, a number of field measurements in the tropical cyclone boundary layer indicate rapid variation of the thermodynamic temperature and moisture with time and space. Hence, their effects on the wind field were considered in terms of the virtual temperature, which was integrated in the modeling of pressure field. The analytical solutions of the wind field, as a sum of gradient and frictional wind components, were derived based on a height-resolving scheme using the updated pressure field. Since the tropical cyclone gradient wind and depth of boundary layer are mutually dependent, the iteration approach was utilized in the computation. The proposed height-resolving pressure and wind analytical models have been comprehensively validated with the global positioning system (GPS)-based dropsonde data. The significant importance to consider the height-varying pressure, thermodynamic temperature and moisture in the modeling of the wind field in the tropical cyclone boundary layer were also demonstrated.
The Gαq/11-provoked induction of Akr1c18 in murine luteal cells is mediated by phospholipase C

Towards the end of gestation prostaglandin F2α (PGF2α) stimulates the expression of Akr1c18 in the murine corpus luteum. Akr1c18 codes for 20α-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase, an enzyme that precipitates parturition by catabolizing progesterone. Previous results from our laboratory have shown that this effect of PGF2α is mediated by the activation of Gαq/11, but the downstream effector(s) of Gαq/11 that elicit the increase in Akr1c18 expression have not been identified. The physiological effects of Gαq/11 are mediated by its ability to interact with phospholipase Cβ, p63RhoGEF, and PKCζ. In the experiments described herein we used biochemical and pharmacological approaches, as well as adenoviral-mediated expression of a constitutively active form of Gαq and mutants thereof, to examine the role of each of these effectors as potential mediators of the increased expression of luteal Akr1c18. By measuring the effects of PGF2α on the activation of RhoA (activated by p63RhoGEF) and the effects of activators and inhibitors of RhoA on the PGF2α-induced expression of luteal Akr1c18, we determined that RhoA is neither activated by PGF2α or involved in the PGF2α-induced expression of luteal Akr1c18. The potential involvement of PKCζ was ruled out by the inability of a mutant of a constitutively active Gαq that prevents PKCζ binding to block the increased expression of Akr1c18. Furthermore, PGF2α does not increase the phosphorylation of ERK-5, the only known downstream target of PKCζ. On the other hand, three different mutants of a constitutively active Gαq that prevent phospholipase C activation blocked the induction of luteal Akr1c18. We conclude that the induction of luteal Akr1c18 by Gαq/11 is mediated by the activation of phospholipase C.
Think-a-lot Tots Series

The Animal Cell . By Thomai Dion. 2017. TDTheScienceMom. (ISBN 9781543669444). 19 pp. Paperback. $7.99. Counting Atoms & Elements 1 Through 10 . By Thomai Dion. 2017. TDTheScienceMom. (ISBN 9781542950923). 25 pp. Paperback. $7.99. How Many Microorganisms . By Thomai Dion. 2017. TDTheScienceMom. (ISBN 9781536885651). 31 pp. Paperback. $7.99. The Neuron . By Thomai Dion. 2017. TDTheScienceMom. (ISBN 9781534968660). 23 pp. Paperback. $7.99. Stem Cells . By Thomai Dion. 2017. TDTheScienceMom. (ISBN 9781543050028). 21 pp. Paperback. $7.99. I cannot tell you how many times, both as a shopper for others and as a parent looking for my own children, have I been largely disappointed at the science-related children's books that are available in bookstores. Although this has largely improved over the last few years, I can recall plenty of conversations with friends and colleagues in the sciences where we jokingly stated that we should make our own children's books, as what was out there either was highly stereotypical (old men in lab coats, anyone?) or was more kitsch than quality. It appears that one scientist-mom has taken up that challenge and created a series of children's books that does just that: represent diversity in tandem with legitimate, and reasonably advanced, science. The end result is the “Think-A-Lot-Tots” book series, which covers everything from specific cell structure and function through counting with chemistry. …
A cultural discourse analysis of obituaries in China

Discourse enacts and creates cultural meanings and it can be used by powerless cultural members to creatively and rhetorically assert self-worth and have their voices heard. Taking a cultural appro...
Graphical Aids for Nonlinear Regression and Discriminant Analysis

In nonlinear regression and discriminant analysis applications, graphical displays can facilitate understanding and communication with subject area researchers. For nonlinear regression, Cook-Weisberg confidence curves, Wald intervals, and contour plots of the loss function in the parameter space provide information about the certainty of estimates and also about estimates of functions of parameters. For linear and quadratic discriminant analysis models, scatterplots bordered by box plots aid transformation selection as the data analyst uses a GUI to quickly transform plot scales. A lasso plot tool provides a link from points (cases) in displays to a data worksheet with all values. Within-group histograms help outlier detection and to study the spread across groups. A failure of the equal covariance matrix assumption may be seen in within-group scatterplot matrices embellished with ellipses of concentration. Enhancements to canonical variable plots allow easy identification of misclassified cases.
The Case for 3D Visualization in DEM Assessment

The Digital Elevation Model, or DEM, is a common way to store elevation data. However, errors in various stages of DEM processing mean that the validity of a particular data point is uncertain. In many visualization systems, uncertainty in the data may be highlighted, but it is often difficult for the viewer to discern the exact nature of the problem. DEMView is a prototype DEM display system that incorporates several uncertainty visualizations, including curvature and local differences, while viewing the surface in two or three dimensions. The Profile Cutter and the magnifier are components of the system that allow the user to view a portion of the surface while keeping in the context of the overall area. In addition, the system displays visualizations for several quantitative uncertainty statistics. A detailed case study shows the efficacy of the system, especially the usefulness of viewing in three dimensions.
Web-based Tools and Interfaces for Participatory Planning and Design

This chapter addresses the growing interest in using screen-based maps on the Internet for collaborative planning and design. Specifically, it introduces six prototype web interfaces that invite users to read maps of their community and then make selections and type in comments in order to provide feedback into a planning process. Each of the six prototypes highlights a different tool or feature for navigating or making selections on online maps. New web technology has made it possible to create map-based surveys to receive feedback from the general public, but it is not yet clear what kind of graphic design alternatives and digital map designs and tools are the most useful for novice map-readers. This chapter describes several different interface designs with the purpose of finding which combinations of online tools and maps are most productive in soliciting feedback in a community planning process. The goal is to explore how web-based maps can be advanced beyond mere information provision to actual two-way interaction with the public. Tools such as free-hand drawing may provide new avenues for people to take a greater role in public decisionmaking. Examples are presented of solutions to the basic problems of creating interactive screen-based maps, which include navigating large geographic area maps and making selections on maps.
Associations of perceived drinking motives of parents and friends on adolescents' own drinking motives

Adolescents form perceptions of why their parents and friends drink alcohol that may impact adolescents' own drinking motives. This study tested whether perceived drinking motives of parents and friends are associated with adolescents' own drinking motives. Participants included community-recruited adolescents 14-17 years (N = 105; 63.8% female) who drank alcohol in the past year. Perceived parent and friend motives both related to adolescent drinking motives at the bivariate level; however, only friend motives remained statistically significant in the final hierarchical regression models controlling for relevant covariates (e.g., alcohol frequency). Findings support a social-cognitive modeling pathway in the development of adolescents' own drinking motives and highlight the perception of why others drink as a potential intervention target.
Ethics as a rare bird: a challenge for situated studies of ethics in the engineering lab

Engineering ethics cannot be reduced to the ethics of individual engineers but must be considered in situ, within the sociocultural and environmental contexts of a research or design project. We st...
Higher Inpatient Mortality for Women after Intervention for Lifestyle Limiting Claudication.

Background Sex-related differences in outcomes have been identified in patients with peripheral artery disease (PAD). We hypothesized that women with PAD would have equivalent inpatient mortality with men after vascular intervention. Methods Patients with a primary diagnosis of critical limb ischemia (CLI) or lifestyle-limiting claudication (LLC) receiving endovascular (EV) or open surgical repair from 2003–2012 were identified from the Nationwide Inpatient Sample. Demographics, comorbidities, and inpatient mortality were analyzed by chi-squared tests of independence and independent-samples t-tests. Logistic regression analysis was performed to identify predictors of inpatient mortality. SPSS 24 software was used with P Results We identified 139,435 (59,432 women and 80,003 men) individuals meeting the aforementioned criteria. Women were older than men (71.5 years vs. 68.2, P Conclusions Women had higher inpatient mortality than men after vascular intervention for PAD. Women were also older and more likely to have EV intervention than men. Subgroup analysis suggests that these sex-related differences in inpatient mortality are more pronounced in patients with LLC than with CLI. Furthermore, regression analysis shows that sex is a significant predictor for patients diagnosed with LLC but not with CLI. Treatment guidelines should include consideration of sex in their indications for revascularization, particularly for patients diagnosed with LLC.
Nanomanipulation of Colloidal Particles via Optothermally-gated Photon Nudging

We report an all-optical technique for versatile nanomanipulation and assembly of various colloidal particles on a solid substrate by harnessing both photothermal effects and optical scattering forces.
Laser Spectral Linewidth Reduction Using an Integrated Pound-Drever-Hall Stabilization System in 180 nm CMOS SOI

An Integrated Pound-Drever-Hall laser stabilization system is demonstrated where the electronic and photonic components are monolithically integrated in the GF7RFSOI CMOS SOI process. An off-chip Fabry-Perot cavity with quality factor of 48000 is used as the frequency reference to reduce the linewidth of a commercially available distributed feedback laser from 246 kHz to 7 kHz. The electronic-photonic chip consumes 83 mW and occupies 1.6 mm2 area.
Numerical analysis of a parabolic variational inequality system modeling biofilm growth at the porescale

In this paper we consider a system of two coupled nonlinear diffusion--reaction partial differential equations (PDEs) which model the growth of biofilm and consumption of the nutrient. At the scale of interest the biofilm density is subject to a pointwise constraint, thus the biofilm PDE is framed as a parabolic variational inequality. We derive rigorous error estimates for a finite element (FE) approximation to the coupled nonlinear system and confirm experimentally that the numerical approximation converges at the predicted rate. We also show simulations in which we track the free boundary in the domains which resemble the pore scale geometry and in which we test the different modeling assumptions.
Olfactory receptors tuned to volatile mustard oils in drosophilid flies

Plant toxins are effective defenses because they are aversive to most insects. The same molecules, however, are co-opted as host-finding cues by specialist herbivores. Although such behavioral shifts are central to our understanding of herbivorous insect diversification, it is not well understood how these behaviors evolve. We addressed this in Scaptomyza flava, a herbivorous drosophilid fly within a lineage that shifted to feeding on toxic mustard plants (Brassicales) less than 10 million years ago. S. flava lost the ancestral attraction to yeast volatiles and the attendant chemoreceptors used to detect these odors. Here we report that S. flava, but not its close microbe-feeding relatives Drosophila melanogaster and S. pallida, is attracted to mustard host-plant odors, including volatile mustard oils (isothiocyanates or ITCs). Our genomic analysis uncovered three S. flava paralogs of an olfactory receptor gene (Or67b) that likely experienced recent positive selection. We then tested whether these chemoreceptors could underlie the observed attraction to volatile ITCs. Our in vivo recordings revealed that two of the S. flava Or67b proteins (Or67b1 and Or67b3) - but not the homologous Ors from microbe-feeding relatives - responded selectively and sensitively to volatile ITCs. These Ors are the first ITC chemoreceptors other than TRP channel family (e.g., the TrpA1 9wasabi9 receptor) known from any animal. Remarkably, S. flavaOr67b3 was sufficient to drive olfactory attraction toward butyl ITC when expressed in an attractive olfactory circuit. Our study illuminates that ancestrally aversive chemicals can be co-opted as attractants through gene duplication, leading to the origin of hedonic valence shifts in herbivorous insects.
A Proper-Function Account of Gender and Trans-Gender: A Bridge From Philosophical Views to Biological Matters (Including Fish!)

Several of the accounts in the previous chapters feature evolutionary considerations. These, in conjunction with the “Multiple-Meaning Position”—Bettcher’s work which argues for non-marginal status for Trans-women as Women, and Trans-men as Men—provide support for the original proper-function account of gender, and in particular, Trans-gender derived and developed in this chapter. This account entails a complex argument: It takes its structure from the work of Ruth Millikan, followed by my extension of her work in the direction of a-rational categories, capable of wider biological application. This is all spelled out in detail in the chapter. Finally, sex-changing fish provide “proof-of-concept” evidence for the proper-function argument.
Gorgon: accelerating machine learning from relational data

Accelerator deployment in data centers remains limited despite domain-specific architectures' promise of higher performance. Rapidly-changing applications and high nre cost make deploying fixed-function accelerators at scale untenable. More flexible than dsas, fpgas are gaining traction but remain hampered by cumbersome programming models, long synthesis times, and slow clocks. Coarse-grained reconfigurable architectures (cgra) are a compelling alternative and offer efficiency while retaining programmability---by providing general-purpose hardware and communication patterns, a single cgra targets multiple application domains. One emerging application is in-database machine learning: a high-performance, low-friction interface for analytics on large databases. We co-locate database and machine learning processing in a unified reconfigurable data analytics accelerator, Gorgon, which flexibly shares resources between db and ml without compromising performance or incurring excessive overheads in either domain. We distill and integrate database parallel patterns into an existing ml-focused cgra, increasing area by less than 4% while outperforming a multicore software baseline by 1500x. We also explore the performance impact of unifying db and ml in a single accelerator, showing up to 4x speedup over split accelerators.
Pharmacists' Willingness to Provide Coronavirus Disease (COVID-19) Services and the Needs to Support COVID-19 Testing, Management, and Prevention

The need for increased testing is pivotal in the response to the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic. Recently, through the Public Readiness and Emergency Preparedness (PREP) Act, pharmacists were given the ability to order and administer COVID-19 tests, giving them a better opportunity to engage in the pandemic response across the nation as well as in Idaho. This survey sought to determine Idaho pharmacists' willingness to provide different COVID-19 related services, assess needed resources to provide such services, and identify and prioritize other unmet community needs. We conducted a nine-question, cross-sectional survey distributed to pharmacists with addresses located in Idaho. All questions in the survey were optional and focused on pharmacist's willingness to provide services, what resources and additional training they would need, difficulty with 90-day prescriptions, and solicited additional feedback using an open-ended question. A total of 229 responses were received, representing all areas of pharmacy practice, with approximately half from community settings. The majority of respondents (70%) were willing to provide COVID-19 testing. Adequate staffing, changes to workflow, and the need for billing and clear reimbursement mechanisms were most frequently cited as barriers to contributing to the COVID-19 response. In summary, we found that pharmacists are very willing to help during this crisis, but their involvement may be better facilitated with the removal of barriers.
Alcoholic liver disease and COVID-19 pneumonia: A case series

The novel coronavirus 2019 (COVID-19) was reported by the World Health Organization in December 2019, and since then it has progressed into a worldwide pandemic, causing significant morbidity and mortality. Gastrointestinal symptoms of COVID-19 and elevated liver chemistries are seen in up to 50% of infected patients. Recent reports have suggested a high mortality rate for COVID-19 in patients with pre-existing liver disease, having an associated mortality of 39.8%. Alcoholic liver disease is a significant cause of morbidity and mortality in New Mexico (USA), and we report here the clinical course and characteristics of three cases of patients with alcoholic cirrhosis who were admitted to our hospital with COVID-19.
Arthrofibrosis of the Ankle

Arthrofibrosis is a common, but often overlooked, condition that imparts significant morbidity following injuries and surgery to the foot and ankle. The most common etiologies are related to soft t...
Brominated flame retardants and organochlorine pesticides and incidence of uterine leiomyomata: A prospective ultrasound study.

Uterine leiomyomata (UL) are hormone-responsive benign neoplasms. Brominated flame retardants and organochlorine pesticides (OCPs) can disrupt hormones involved in UL etiology. Methods The Study of Environmental, Lifestyle, and Fibroids is a Detroit-area prospective cohort of 1693 Black women 23-35 years of age. At baseline and approximately every 20 months for 5 years, women completed questionnaires and underwent transvaginal ultrasounds. Using a case-cohort study design, we selected 729 UL-free participants at baseline and analyzed baseline plasma samples for polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs), a polybrominated biphenyl ether (PBB-153), and OCPs. We used Cox proportional hazard models to estimate hazard ratios (HRs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs). Results Compared with total PBDE plasma concentrations Conclusion We found little support for an association between brominated flame retardant plasma concentrations and UL incidence, and some evidence of lower UL incidence with the highest OCP plasma concentrations.
Projection of budgetary savings to US state Medicaid programs from reduced nursing home use due to an Alzheimer's disease treatment

Introduction The approval of a disease-modifying Alzheimer's disease (AD) treatment could provide relief to US state budgets that were hit hard by the COVID-19 pandemic, as mostly Medicare would cover treatment cost, whereas Medicaid would see savings from reduced nursing home use. Methods We project savings from 2021 to 2040 with a simulation model from the perspective of state Medicaid programs. Results Assuming a 40% and 22% relative reduction of disease progression rates with treatment, Medicaid would avoid payments of $186.2 and $93.5 billion for around 1.11 and 0.57 million nursing home patient-years, respectively. The savings correspond to a 5.06% and 2.49%, respectively, relative reduction of Medicaid spending on nursing home care. Higher per capita savings were projected for older states, those with higher Medicaid payment rates, those with more nursing home residents covered by Medicaid, and those with a lower federal contribution. Discussion States stand to realize substantial savings from a potential AD treatment. A state's health system preparedness to handle the large number of patients will influence the actual magnitude of the savings and how fast they will accrue.
Do Stock Options Always Align Manager and Shareholders’ Interests? An Alternative Perspective

Shareholders want managers to invest in all positive net present value (NPV) projects, and to avoid those with negative NPV. Using a simple model of firm value, we explain why stock op-tions—when issued by firms with high price-to-book value ratios—do not always provide the incentive for managers to pursue these value-maximizing policies. This is noteworthy because option usage in the late 1990s was concentrated in the sort of firm—those with high P/B rati-os—in which they can be least effective. Our model gives students the opportunity to integrate and apply concepts from stock valuation and capital budgeting, and to think critically about the relative merits of stock options and restricted stock as forms of incentive compensation.
Understanding Institutional Policies and Procedures

If you have ever driven a vehicle, you are familiar with the rules of the road. You may also know that various states often have different driving laws and regulations.
DUNE atmospheric neutrinos: Earth Tomography

In this paper we show that the DUNE experiment can measure the Earth's density profile by analyzing atmospheric neutrino oscillations. The crucial feature that enables such measurement is the detailed event reconstruction capability of liquid argon time projection chambers. This allows for studying the sub-GeV atmospheric neutrino component, which bears a rich oscillation phenomenology, strongly dependent on the matter potential sourced by the Earth. We provide a pedagogical discussion of the MSW and parametric resonances and their role in measuring the core and mantle densities. By performing a detailed simulation, accounting for particle reconstruction at DUNE, nuclear physics effects relevant to neutrino-argon interactions and several uncertainties on the atmospheric neutrino flux, we manage to obtain a robust estimate of DUNE's sensitivity to the Earth matter profile. We find that DUNE can measure the total mass of the Earth at 8.4% precision with an exposure of 400~kton-year. By accounting for previous measurements of the total mass and moment of inertia of the Earth, the core, lower mantle and upper mantle densities can be determined with 8.8%, 13% and 22% precision, respectively, for the same exposure. Finally, DUNE could take atmospheric neutrino data while the beam is being commissioned and far detector modules are up and running. For a low exposure run of 60~kton-year, which would correspond to two far detectors running for three years, we have found that the core density could be measured by DUNE at $\sim30\%$ precision.
The Maltese Fulcrum: Strategy and Fantasy in the Early Nineteenth-century British Mediterranean

This article explores the fantasies of untold gains British strategists (especially those at some remove from political power) developed about Malta in its first decades as a British colony. Locate...
Neoprene (Polychloroprene)-Based Solvent and Latex Adhesives

Neoprene, or polychloroprene was the first synthetic elastomer used by the adhesives industry, and is one of the most versatile materials ever developed as a backbone for elastomeric adhesives. Neoprene combines rapid bond strength, development with good tack or auto-adhesion, and resistance to degradation by oils, chemicals, water, heat, sunlight, and ozone. It is popular in numerous areas such as shoe sole attachment, furniture construction, automobile assembly, and a variety of construction applications.
The solar cycle - A central-source wave theory

Studies stimulated by the interpretation of the Elatina formation in South Australia as a fossil record of solar activity have led to discoveries of previously unnoticed features of the sunspot cycle record and to a theory of origin of the sunspot cycle that postulates a solar core in torsional motion and a magnetomechanical wave that couples to the photosphere. The considerations supporting the solar interpretation of the Elatina formation are gathered together.
Synthesizing fast intrusion prevention/detection systems from high-level specifications

To build survivable information systems (i.e., systems that continue to provide their services in spite of coordinated attacks), it is necessary to detect and isolate intrusions before they impact system performance or functionality. Previous research in this area has focussed primarily on detecting intrusions after the fact, rather than preventing them in the first place. We have developed a new approach based on specifying intended program behaviors using patterns over sequences of system calls. The patterns can also capture conditions on the values of system-call arguments. At runtime, we intercept the system calls made by processes, compare them against specifications, and disallow (or otherwise modify) those calls that deviate from specifications. Since our approach is capable of modifying a system call before it is delivered to the operating system kernel, it is capable of reacting before any damage-causing system call is executed by a process under attack. We present our specification language and illustrate its use by developing a specification for the ftp server. Observe that in our approach, every system call is intercepted and subject to potentially expensive operations for matching against many patterns that specify normal/abnormal behavior. Thus, minimizing the overheads incurred for pattern-matching is critical for the viability of our approach. We solve this problem by developing a new, low-overhead algorithm for matching runtime behaviors against specifications. A salient feature of our algorithm is that its runtime is almost independent of the number of patterns. In most cases, it uses a constant amount of time per system call intercepted, and uses a constant amount of storage, both independent of either the size or number of patterns. These benefits make our algorithm useful for many other intrusion detection methods that employ pattern-matching. We describe our algorithm, and evaluate its performance through experiments.
The Performance of Chinese Open End Stock Mutual Funds: A First Look

We provide a first look at the performance of Chinese open-end mutual funds from 2001 to 2008 using data from a high quality mutual fund database provided by the GTA Information Technology Co., Ltd. From daily return data, we find that some Chinese open-end mutual funds can provide statistically significant risk-adjusted abnormal returns and demonstrate market timing ability in various models. Furthermore, after controlling for management fee, fund growth rate, fund age and investment strategies, larger funds shows better market timing ability in a full market cycle that we examined. This result is also robust in the bull market and the bear market sub-periods.
A Review of “Why Iowa? How Caucuses and Sequential Elections Improve the Presidential Nominating Process”

This book opens with a compelling scene. It is January 20, 2009, and history is made as the 44th president takes the oath of office. No, it is not Barack Obama; instead, Hillary Clinton becomes the...
FPGA Technology Mapping for Power Minimization

The technology mapping problem for lookup table-based FPGAs is studied in this paper. The problem is formulated as assigning LUTs to nodes of a circuit so as to minimize the total estimated power consumption. We show that the decision version of this problem is NP-complete, even for simple classes of inputs such as 3-level circuits. The same proof is extended to conclude that the general library-based technology mapping for power minimization is NP-complete. A heuristic algorithm for mapping the network onto K-input LUTs in polynomial time, aimed at minimizing the power consumption is presented. Despite the fact that the Boolean properties of the network are not exploited in the mapping procedure, the experimental results show %14.8 improvement on the average power consumption compared to the results obtained from a mapping algorithm aimed at minimizing the number of LUTs. On the average, the number of LUTs is increased by %7.1.
Physical and chemical agents of the production, storage and utility of dry milk products.

Publisher Summary This chapter attempts to assemble and integrate the available information on physical and chemical aspects of the manufacture and storage of the principal dry milk products. Particular emphasis, however, has been placed on dry whole milk for beverage purposes as the preparation of a satisfactory product not only has been a very difficult problem but also provides the dry milk industry with its greatest opportunity for expansion. Although the existing literature has been consulted in preparing the review, only salient references have been cited. Consumer acceptance of dry milk products requires procedures for manufacturing, packaging, and storing them such that the palatability and nutritive value of the original milk are retained. Processes for spray-drying that are capable of producing powders of reasonably satisfactory initial palatability and unimpaired nutritive value have been developed. The advance in techniques of handling dry milk products has resulted from empirical, trial and error studies designed to answer immediate problems.
Comparison of several aitken nuclei counters

Abstract The basic thermodynamical processes leading to the formation of droplets in the central part of the Nolan-Pollak counter are analyzed in some detail. The comparison of the UMR-Absolute Aitken Nuclei counter with Nolan-Pollak, General Electric and Gardner counters showed consistently higher counts of the UMR-AAN counter. The mean deviations varied between 20% and 50% depending on the type of the counter, nuclei concentration and nature. Several observations are made on ultrafine particle counting.
Associations between diet and health behavior: Results from the 1992 Rhode Island Behavioral Risk Factor Survey

The 1992 Rhode Island Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System was used to assess self-reported health behaviors of consumers of finfish and raw shellfish. We hypothesized that consumers of finfish, foods considered to be healthy, were more likely than nonconsumers of finfish to partake in health-promoting behaviors. Similarly, we postulated that consumers of raw molluscan shellfish, foods linked to an elevated risk of acquiring various illnesses, were more likely than nonconsumers of raw-shellfish to partake in risk-taking behaviors. Finfish eaters were significantly more likely than abstainers to report recent exercise, efforts to lose weight, periodic monitoring of serum cholesterol, and not currently being smokers. Raw shellfish eaters were significantly more likely than abstainers to report recent acute and chronic alcohol consumption. The results suggest that inquiry into dietary patterns may be an avenue for exploring other health behaviors.
Cleavage of dibenzyl ether in the presence of zinc halides

The large amount of water liberated during coal liquefaction in the presence of ZnCl/sub 2/ is believed to derive from the cleavage of benzylic ethers. The details of this process have been studied using dibenzyl ether as a model structure and ZnCl/sub 2/, ZnBr/sub 2/, and ZnI/sub 2/ as catalysts. The influence of H/sub 2/O and HX on the progress of the reaction was also examined. In the absence of HX addition, ZnX/sub 2/ activates the ether by forming a Lewis acid-base complex with it. Water interferes with the formation of this complex by competing for ZnX/sub 2/. In the presence of HX, an adduct is formed, HX times ZnX/sub 2/, that is much more active catalytically than ZnX/sub 2/. The presence of water does not influence the activity of the Bronsted acid form of the catalyst. Activation of dibenzyl ether is achieved by protonation of the ether. The relative activity of the zinc halides depends on which of the two forms is present. If anhydrous ZnX/sub 2/ is the catalyst, the activity of the zinc halides depends on which of the two forms is present. If anhydrous ZnX/sub 2/ is the catalyst, the activity decreases in the order ZnCl/submore » 2/ > ZnBr/sub 2/ > ZnI/sub 2/. On the other hand, if HX times ZnX/sub 2/ is the prevalent form, the activity decreases in the order HI times ZnI/sub 2/ > HBr times ZnBr/sub 2/ > HCl times ZnCl/sub 2/. It is observed that during the reaction of dibenzyl ether in the presence of ZnX/sub 2/, a small amount of HX is liberated, which then combines with ZnX/sub 2/ to form HX times ZnX/sub 2/. Because the Bronsted acid form of the catalyst is more active than the Lewis form, the apparent activity of the catalyst increases after a period of induction during which HX is generated.« less
Capacitance studies of optical and thermal transitions from mobility gap states in hydrogenated amorphous silicon

Abstract Transition energies for electrons trapped in mobility gap states of a-Si:H have been determined using junction capacitance techniques. In n-type doped samples both thermal and optical thresholds are obtained for the D/Do and Do/D+ dangling bond transition which indicate at most a 0.1 ev lattice relaxation energy shift. However, we infer very large lattice relaxation effects for valence bandtail states. Photocapacitance results for the undoped samples indicate oo apparent difference in the D-/Do optical energy threshold from the doped samples.
Advantages of Integrative Data Analysis for Developmental Research

Amid recent progress in cognitive development research, high-quality data resources are accumulating, and data sharing and secondary data analysis is becoming an increasingly valuable tool. Integrative data analysis (IDA) is an exciting analytical framework that can enhance secondary data analysis in powerful ways. IDA pools item level data across multiple studies to make inferences possible both within and across studies and can be used to test questions not possible in individual contributing studies. Some of the potential benefits of IDA include the ability to study longer developmental periods, examine how the measurement of key constructs changes over time, increase subject heterogeneity, and improve statistical power and capability to study rare behaviors. Our goal in this paper is to provide a brief overview of the benefits and challenges of IDA in developmental research and to identify additional resources that provide more detailed discussions of this topic.
Sensorless control of surface-mounted permanent-magnet synchronous machines for low-speed operation based on high-frequency square-wave voltage injection

This paper proposes a high-frequency signal injection-based position estimation scheme for surface-mounted permanent-magnet synchronous machines (SPMSM) operating in the low-speed range. A square-wave voltage vector is injected in the estimated rotating reference frame. The rotor position information is then extracted from the envelopes of the resulting induced high-frequency currents in the stationary reference frame. The proposed position estimation method has almost no dependence on machine asymmetric properties and, therefore, is well suited for SPMSM applications. Simulation results are provided to verify the effectiveness of the proposed method from 1 Hz to 50 Hz electric fundamental frequency under all load conditions. Experimental results on a 2.4-kW SPMSM in both sensorless speed and torque controls are also provided to validate the proposed method. The sensorless speed control can be achieved as low as 0.3 Hz electric fundamental frequency.
Immunological similarities of mammalian xanthine oxidases

The degree of relatedness among mammalian xanthine oxidases (XO) was determined by microcomplement fixation. Rabbit anti bovine milk XO serum was tested against xanthine oxidase (homologous protein) and against the heterologous proteins of bovine liver, monkey liver, rat liver, lactating cow serum, nonlactating cow serum, and steer serum. The indices of dissimilarity for the heterologous proteins were expressed as units of immunological distance and the percent sequence differences among these proteins inferred from the y=5x relationship where y is immunological distance and x is percent sequence difference. Rat liver XO differed by approximately 27% in amino acid sequence from bovine milk XO. In order of increasing immunological distance from bovine milk XO, the sources of XO ranked as follows: lactating cow serum < nonlactating cow serum < steer serum = beef liver < monkey liver < rat liver. The monkey ranked much closer than the rat in order of phylogenetic kinship to the cow. Starch gel electrophoresis of liver, milk, and serum showed that the milk and the serum contained only cationic forms of xanthine oxidase while all the liver samples tested contained cationic as well as anionic forms of the enzyme. The electrophoretic mobility properties of xanthine oxidase confirmed the polymorphic nature of the enzyme as revealed by the immunological data.
Response to ‘Lanthanum data in perspective’

In his letter to the editor, De Broe et al.1 states that 'lanthanum appears to have an innocent localization, being confined to the hepatic endosomal/lysosomal compartment during passage through the liver into bile.' For the well-being of our patients, we certainly hope that this is correct. De Broe et al. also states that in a 78-week study, lanthanum accumulation in rats reaches a steady state. This study was carried out in normal rats, not uremic animals. Whereas we saw this trend in normal rats as well, in uremic rats, we saw progressive accumulation of lanthanum in the liver that did not reach a steady state over the course of our 110-day study. We are not concerned with what happens in normal rats as normal individuals will not be taking lanthanum carbonate. The greater accumulation of lanthanum in liver of uremic rats is likely owing to the increased gastrointestinal absorption of lanthanum seen in uremia which has been reported by several laboratories, including De Broe's group. More work needs to be carried out in order to understand the mechanism(s) behind this increased gastrointestinal absorption. In reference to the table included in De Broe's letter, we are glad to see that liver enzymes in patients taking lanthanum carbonate for up to 2 years seem unaffected. Although liver enzymes are good indicators of hepatic integrity, cases of cirrhosis have been seen in the presence of normal liver enzymes, and liver biopsy is the gold standard in assessing the integrity of hepatic tissue. At no point do we suggest that lanthanum carbonate produces liver toxicity, but we feel that the progressive accumulation of lanthanum seen in uremic rats dictates close monitoring of those patients taking lanthanum carbonate. Our concern is for our patients.