cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Social Epidemiology of Sleep: Extant Evidence and Future Directions

How well people sleep and what social factors determine their sleep are two key questions that have generated great interests in public health and epidemiology recently. The goal of this review is to assess the evidence of how multi-level of social constructs relates to unhealthy sleep in recent studies. Studies document a wide range of social correlates of sleep at the individual, interpersonal, community, and societal levels. A growing number of population-based studies incorporate objective measures. Overall, disadvantaged statuses and poor social environment predict unhealthy sleep duration and poor sleep quality. Much remains unknown about the mechanisms through which social factors affect sleep. Furthermore, most studies rely on cross-sectional data and have methodological limitations that make causal inference difficult. These point to great opportunities for social epidemiology to contribute expertise in theory and rigorous analysis to uncover the secrets by which social world affects sleep.
An updated review on use of L1 in foreign language classrooms

This article aims to provide a comprehensive perspective on the use of first language (L1) in foreign language (FL) classrooms by reviewing recently published empirical literature from 2011 through...
Multi-Connectivity and Edge Computing for Ultra-Low-Latency Lifelike Virtual Reality

We explore a novel multi-user mobile VR system for streaming scalable 8K360^° video at high reliability and immersion fidelity, and low interactive latency, via a synergistic integration of scalable 360^° tiling, dual-band millimeter wave (mmWave) and Wi-Fi transmission, and edge computing. High rate directed mmWave links are studied to send VR viewport-specific high-quality enhancement layers of the 360^° content to the individual users, while Wi-Fi broadcast of the base layer of the entire 360^° panorama is sent to all users, to augment the system’s reliability. The viewport-specific enhancement layers can comprise compressed and raw 360^° tiles, decoded first at the edge server. We explore the joint optimization of the mmWave access point to user association, the choice of 360^° tiles to be transmitted decompressed, the allocation of mmWave data rate across the compressed tiles in a viewport-specific enhancement layer, and the allocation of computing resources at the edge server and user devices. Our objective is to maximize the minimum delivered VR immersion fidelity across all users, given transmission, latency, and computing constraints. We demonstrate that our framework can enable a significant improvement in immersion fidelity (8dB to 10 dB) and spatial resolution (8Kvs. 4K), over MPEG-DASH that uses Wi-Fi transmission only. We also show that an increasing number of raw 360^° tiles are sent, as the mmWave link rate or the edge server/user computing power increase, exploring rigorously here the fundamental interplay between computing and communication capabilities, end-to-end system latency, and delivered VR immersion fidelity.
Outcomes of Florida Sleeve Procedure in Patients with Bicuspid Versus Tricuspid Aortic Valve.

ObjectiveOutcomes of the Florida Sleeve (FS) procedure in patients with bicuspid aortic valve (BAV) have not been reported before. We compared outcomes of the FS procedure between patients with BAV...
Do Project Labor Agreements Reduce the Number of Bidders on Public Projects? The Case of Community Colleges in California:

Project labor agreements (PLAs) are commonly found on larger California public works in urban areas. Nonetheless, they remain a controversial public procurement practice. One issue not examined in ...
Uncovering the Intrinsic Shapes of Elliptical Galaxies. IV. Tests on Simulated Merger Remnants

We test the methods developed in previous papers for inferring the intrinsic shapes of elliptical galaxies, using simulated objects from N-body experiments. The shapes of individual objects are correctly reproduced to within the statistical errors; close inspection of the results indicates a small systematic bias in the sense of underestimating both the triaxiality and short-to-long axis ratio. We also test the estimation of parent shape distributions, using samples of independent, randomly oriented objects. The best results are statistically accurate, but on average the parent distributions are again slightly biased in the same sense. Using the posterior probability densities for the individual objects, we estimate the magnitude of the bias to be less than approximately 0.1 in both shape parameters. The results support the continued use of these methods on real systems.
Observational Searches for Star-Forming Galaxies at z > 6

Although the universe at redshifts greater than six represents only the first one billion years ( 6, with spectroscopically confirmed galaxies out to nearly z = 9. Using these large samples, we have begun to gain a physical insight into the processes inherent in galaxy evolution at early times. In this review, I will discuss (i) the selection techniques for finding distant galaxies, including a summary of previous and ongoing ground and space-based searches, and spectroscopic follow-up efforts, (ii) insights into galaxy evolution gleaned from measures such as the rest-frame ultraviolet luminosity function, the stellar mass function, and galaxy star-formation rates, and (iii) the effect of galaxies on their surrounding environment, including the chemical enrichment of the universe, and the reionisation of the intergalactic medium. Finally, I conclude with prospects for future observational study of the distant universe, using a bevy of new state-of-the-art facilities coming online over the next decade and beyond.
Sensitivity of frequency-domain optical measurements to brain hemodynamics: simulations and human study of cerebral blood flow during hypercapnia.

This study characterizes the sensitivity of noninvasive measurements of cerebral blood flow (CBF) by using frequency-domain near-infrared spectroscopy (FD-NIRS) and coherent hemodynamics spectroscopy (CHS). We considered six FD-NIRS methods: single-distance intensity and phase (SDI and SDϕ), single-slope intensity and phase (SSI and SSϕ), and dual-slope intensity and phase (DSI and DSϕ). Cerebrovascular reactivity (CVR) was obtained from the relative change in measured CBF during a step hypercapnic challenge. Greater measured values of CVR are assigned to a greater sensitivity to cerebral hemodynamics. In a first experiment with eight subjects, CVRSDϕ was greater than CVRSDI (p 0.5). In a second experiment with four subjects, a 5 mm scattering layer was added between the optical probe and the scalp tissue to increase the extracerebral layer thickness (Lec), which caused CVRDSϕ to become significantly greater than CVRDSI (p < 0.05). CVRSS measurements yielded similar results as CVRDS measurements but with a greater variability, possibly resulting from instrumental artifacts in SS measurements. Theoretical simulations with two-layered media confirmed that, if the top (extracerebral) layer is more scattering than the bottom (brain) layer, the relative values of CVRDSI and CVRDSϕ depend on Lec. Specifically, the sensitivity to the brain is greater for DSI than DSϕ for a thin extracerebral layer (Lec < 13 mm), whereas it is greater for DSϕ than DSI for a thicker extracerebral layer.
National Park Interpretation and Place-Based Education: An Integrative Literature Review:

Background: Both national park (NP) interpretation and place-based education (PBE) approach learning by applying the unique attributes of a place to facilitate meaning-making experiences within lea...
Physical Activity, Cardiorespiratory Fitness, and Population-Attributable Risk.

Abstract Objective To determine population-attributable risk (PAR) and exposure impact number (EIN) for mortality associated with impaired cardiorespiratory fitness (CRF), physical inactivity, and other risk markers among veteran subjects. Methods The sample included 5890 male subjects (mean age 58±15) who underwent a maximal exercise test for clinical reasons between January 1, 1992, and December 31, 2014. All-cause mortality was the end point. Cox multivariable hazard models were performed to determine clinical, demographic, and exercise-test determinants of mortality. Population-attributable risks and EIN for the lowest quartile of CRF and for inactive behavior were analyzed, accounting for competing events. Results There were 2728 deaths during a mean ± standard deviation follow-up period of 9.9±5.8 years. Having low CRF ( Conclusion Both higher CRF and physical activity provide protection against all-cause mortality in subjects referred for exercise testing for clinical reasons. Encouraging physical activity with the aim of increasing CRF would have a significant impact on reducing mortality.
English Revenge Drama: Money, Resistance, Equality

Part I. Rampant Revenge: 1. Getting what one deserves 2. Can two wrongs ever make a right? Some theory Part II. Economic Unfairness: Revenge and Money: 3. Balancing the books: revenge, commercial mathematics, and the balance of trade 4. Payback time: reward, retaliation, and the deluge of debt 5. The goddess with the scales - and the blindfold Part III. Political Unfairness: Revenge and Resistance: 6. 'A special inward commandment': the mid-sixteenth century 7. Resistance in the golden age of revenge plays 8. Revenge and regicide: the Civil War era Part IV. Social Unfairness: Vengeance and Equality: 9. Revenge and class warfare 10. Quantification revisited: revenge and social equality Conclusion Bibliography.
On the capacity of regular wireless networks with transceiver multipacket communication

In a wireless network with a sophisticated physical layer, the nodes may be capable of simultaneous multiple packet receptions (MPR) and multiple packet transmissions (MPT). Having multiple reception/transmission codes in a CDMA network, or employing directed antenna arrays are some ways of obtaining MPR/T capability. Although, MPR/T is widely considered in the context of communication with a base station in cellular wireless networks, its effect on the performance of peer-to-peer ad hoe networks is unknown. By developing upper and lower bounds, we analyze the effect of physical layer MPR/T capability on the capacity of regular wireless networks. The obtained bounds give the exact capacity value if the nodes do not have MPT but have MPR.
Derivation of the Schrödinger-Coulomb Green's function from the scattering expansion

In this work I show how the scattering expansion can be summed to obtain the Schrodinger-Coulomb Green’s function in a one-parameter integral representation. The extraction of wave functions from the Green’s function is discussed and examples are given.
Anomalous coronary arteries arising from the pulmonary artery

Abstract 1. 1. A case in which the left coronary artery arose from the pulmonary artery is described. 2. 2. The literature of anomalous coronary arteries arising from the pulmonary artery is reviewed.
Making Coffee and Other Duties of Citizenship

The Yale Law School is a special institution. Many have made that claim and many have sought to define what makes it special. To my mind, the specialness of the Yale Law School could be understood in terms of its relationship to Arthur Leff. That specialness is revealed by the capacity of Yale to attract so remarkable and unique an intelligence as Arthur Leff; by the ability and willingness of Yale to sustain and nurture those talents of his that were truly original; and by the capacity of Yale to evoke in the dedicated and busy scholar, not just service and loyalty, but also a deep affection. Arthur Leff returned Yale's regard for him with a light-hearted, cheerful and loving devotion. He was an extraordinary citizen. Citizenship in an academic institution is a high and difficult art. The difficulty largely stems from the peculiar character of the institution: It exists as an entity that transcends any individual and yet has no greater end than the furtherance of individual creative capacities. We speak of communal goals-the education of the profession and the pursuit of truth-but we know that the attainment of those goals decisively depends on activities that are profoundly individualistic. Scholarship is lonely; so is teaching. Each depends on the expression of talents and capacities that are individually possessed; each requires a self-conceived and self-imposed discipline; each involves an engagement in activities that can only be done alone, like reading a book; each requires an individual to worry an idea to the point of exhaustion, and then finally to forge that idea into a coherent, persuasive and distinctive position. There is a collective dimension to the Law School, to be certain, but it does not deny the centrality of the individual in the realm of ideas. The collectivity should be seen instead as a resource for individual creativity. It helps us to turn our loneliness into productive ends. It provides us with books; it provides us with classrooms; it provides us with students; it gathers the economic resources that will free our time; it embodies and thus transmits the ideals of the profession; it provides us with colleagues. The Yale Law School is a communal enterprise dedicated to individual fulfillment-in truth, an organized anar-
TEMPERATURE AND PORE PRESSURE DISTRIBUTION IN A CONCRETE SLAB DURING THE MICROWAVE DECONTAMINATION PROCESS

As an application of microwave engineering, the new technology of concrete decontamination and decommissioning using microwave energy has been recently developed. The temperature and pore pressure within the concrete are studied theoretically in this paper. The heat and mass transfer within the porous concrete, coupled with temperature dependent dielectric property are investigated. The effects of microwave frequency (f), microwave power intensity (Q{sub 0,ave}), concrete porosity ({phi}) on the temperature and pore pressure distributions and their variations are fully discussed. The effects of the variation of complex dielectric permittivity ({epsilon}) and presentation of different steel reinforcements are also illustrated.
Conversion of Light to Chemical Free Energy I. PORPHYRIN-SENSITIZED PHOTOREDUCTION OF FERREDOXIN BY GLUTATHIONE

Abstract Iron analysis and titration data show that each mole of ferredoxin from Clostridium pasteurianum reduces 2 moles of ferricyanide. The midpoint reduction potentials of the first and second reducing equivalents of this bacterial ferredoxin are found to be -0.367 and -0.398 volt, respectively. In aqueous solutions at pH 7.4 under helium, the oxidized ferredoxin is photoreduced by glutathione in the presence of hematoporphyrin. After the illumination, the reaction system slowly returns in the dark to its original condition in the absence of oxygen. Calculations based on the present data and the literature value of the midpoint potential of glutathione show that 3.2 kcal of light energy are stored per mole of electrons transferred from glutathione to ferredoxin in the final reaction mixture. The spectrometric and electron spin resonance data show that in this reaction the excited hematoporphyrin first captures an electron from glutathione to form a porphyrin radical, which then transfers its extra electron to ferredoxin.
Database replication: if you must be lazy, be consistent

Due to the severe performance penalties associated with isochronous replication, there is significant interest in asynchronous replica management protocols. Lazy protocols currently in use either do not guarantee consistency and serializability, as needed by transactional semantics, or they impose restrictions on the placement of data and on which data objects can be updated. In this paper, we consider an alternative update protocol, based on epidemic communication, that guarantees consistency and serializability in spite of a write-anywhere capability.
A Review of “Professional Care and Vocation: Cultivating Ethical Sensibilities in Teaching”

Is the teacher a servant, a moral friend, a mentor, a covenantor, or a moral companion? In his sweeping interdisciplinary treatment of the vocation and profession of the teacher, Timothy Wineberg u...
A new technique for measuring the Fickian diffusion coefficient in binary liquid solutions

The present study details the development of a new technique for measuring the Fickian diffusion coefficient in binary liquid solutions, and reports the coefficients obtained using this new technique for two electrolytic systems. The new method, called the decaying pulse technique, takes advantage of the behavior of a semi-infinite system exposed to a transient concentration pulse. The method permits simple, direct, and absolute determination of the diffusion coefficient, and requires measurement of only time and distance. It is applicable to many different types of fluid pairs, and requires no knowledge of solution properties. The decaying pulse technique was used to measure the average diffusion coefficient of potassium chloride in water and sodium chloride in water, at 18.5, 25.0, and 30.0°C. The current experimental results were compared to those from other published investigations, and were generally found to agree within the predicted uncertainty of the current measurements ±7.6%.
Fibroblast Migration Is Regulated by Myristoylated Alanine-Rich C-Kinase Substrate (MARCKS) Protein

Myristoylated alanine-rich C-kinase substrate (MARCKS) is a ubiquitously expressed substrate of protein kinase C (PKC) that is involved in reorganization of the actin cytoskeleton. We hypothesized that MARCKS is involved in regulation of fibroblast migration and addressed this hypothesis by utilizing a unique reagent developed in this laboratory, the MANS peptide. The MANS peptide is a myristoylated cell permeable peptide corresponding to the first 24-amino acids of MARCKS that inhibits MARCKS function. Treatment of NIH-3T3 fibroblasts with the MANS peptide attenuated cell migration in scratch wounding assays, while a myristoylated, missense control peptide (RNS) had no effect. Neither MANS nor RNS peptide treatment altered NIH-3T3 cell proliferation within the parameters of the scratch assay. MANS peptide treatment also resulted in inhibited NIH-3T3 chemotaxis towards the chemoattractant platelet-derived growth factor-BB (PDGF-BB), with no effect observed with RNS treatment. Live cell imaging of PDGF-BB induced chemotaxis demonstrated that MANS peptide treatment resulted in weak chemotactic fidelity compared to RNS treated cells. MANS and RNS peptides did not affect PDGF-BB induced phosphorylation of MARCKS or phosphoinositide 3-kinase (PI3K) signaling, as measured by Akt phosphorylation. Further, no difference in cell migration was observed in NIH-3T3 fibroblasts that were transfected with MARCKS siRNAs with or without MANS peptide treatment. Genetic structure-function analysis revealed that MANS peptide-mediated attenuation of NIH-3T3 cell migration does not require the presence of the myristic acid moiety on the amino-terminus. Expression of either MANS or unmyristoylated MANS (UMANS) C-terminal EGFP fusion proteins resulted in similar levels of attenuated cell migration as observed with MANS peptide treatment. These data demonstrate that MARCKS regulates cell migration and suggests that MARCKS-mediated regulation of fibroblast migration involves the MARCKS amino-terminus. Further, this data demonstrates that MANS peptide treatment inhibits MARCKS function during fibroblast migration and that MANS mediated inhibition occurs independent of myristoylation.
Molecular packing of cholesterol in phospholipid vesicles as probed by dehydroergosterol

Abstract Ergosta-5,7,9,22-tetraen-3-β-ol (dehydroergosterol) was synthesized and employed as a probe of cholesterol behavior in phospholipid bilayers. Circular dichroism (CD) spectra were obtained. The CD of dehydroergosterol in sonicated egg phosphatidylcholine vesicles was dependent on cholesterol concentration, while in unsonicated egg phosphatidylcholine liposomes and in vesicles obtained by oxctylglucoside dialysis, the CD observed was independent of cholesterol content. The CD of dehydroergosterol in sonicated sphingomyelin vesicles exhibited a different dependence on cholesterol content than seen in sonicated egg phosphatidylcholine vesicles. These data are interpreted in terms of differences between the packing of cholesterol in systems of large and small radii of curvature and in different interactions between dehydroergosterol and phosphatidylcholine and sphingomyelin.
New unbiased symmetric metrics for evaluation of air quality models

Unbiased symmetric metrics to quantify the relative bias and error between modeled and observed concentrations, based on the factor between measured and observed concentrations, are introduced and compared to conventionally employed metrics. Application to the evaluation of several data sets shows that the new metrics overcome concerns with the conventional metrics and provide useful measures of model performance. Copyright © 2006 Royal Meteorological Society
THE DIFFERENTIABILITY OF THE RIEMANN FUNCTION AT CERTAIN RATIONAL MULTIPLES OF π

It is shown that a continuous function which Riemann is said to have believed to be nowhere differentiable is in fact differentiable at certain points.
Use of gene expression profiles to stage concurrent endometrioid tumors of the endometrium and ovary

Abstract Objective. The objectives of this study were to determine whether there are distinct gene expression profiles for endometrial and ovarian endometrioid carcinomas and to create a statistical model using these profiles to predict their organ of origin. Methods. Expression profiles of seven stage I, grades 1 and 2, endometrioid endometrial carcinomas and seven stage I ovarian endometrioid carcinomas were analyzed as the training set. The test set included seven advanced endometrial carcinomas and nine dual primary endometrial and ovarian primary tumors of endometrioid histology. Unsupervised hierarchical clustering, multidimensional scaling (MDS) and predictive analysis of microarrays (PAM) were used to analyze the data. Results. We identified 163 differentially expressed (DE) genes between endometrial and ovarian tumors. Both unsupervised hierarchical clustering and multidimensional scaling showed clear separation of the two groups. Pathway analysis of the 163 DE genes revealed significant biological differences between the two groups, which included metabolic and biosynthetic pathways. Further classification analysis on the training data using predictive analysis of microarray generated a 119-gene predictive model with 100% cross-validation accuracy. When the 119-gene model was applied to the test set of 16 samples, we found concordance in 11/16 samples and discordance in 5/16 samples with the pathologic classification. Conclusion. We conclude that, although similar in histologic appearance, endometrioid carcinomas of the ovary and endometrium have distinct gene expression patterns. A larger test set is needed to prospectively evaluate this prediction model further.
The Conscience of a Lawyer: Clifford J. Durr and American Civil Liberties, 1899–1975

Normal0falsefalsefalseMicrosoftInternetExplorer4Clifford Durr s uncompromising commitment to civil liberties and civic decency caused him often to take unpopular positions. Durr was born into a comfortable, upper-middle-class family in Montgomery, Alabama in 1899. He practiced law briefly in Montgomery, Milwaukee, and Birmingham, when at the urging of Hugo Black, his brother-in-law, he moved to Washington to work as a lawyer for the Reconstruction Finance Corporation, a creation of Roosevelt s new Democratic administration, and later to help found the Federal Communication Commission.While on the FCC he opposed bitterly J. Edgar Hoover s attempts to influence the granting of radio licenses for political reasons. As a lawyer in Washington, he found himself appearing on behalf of public servants and educators accused by the House Un-American Activities Committee of Communist leanings during the late 1940s and early 1950s. With his wife, Virginia, who shared his conviction that blacks should enjoy exactly the same rights as other American citizens, he assisted in the defense of Rosa Parks. The Durrs life in Montgomery during the years of the civil rights revolution was often difficult, as the white South mounted its last defense of segregation."
Wide adaptation of Green Revolution wheat: international roots and the Indian context of a new plant breeding ideal, 1960-1970.

Abstract Indian wheat cultivation changed radically in the 1960s due to new technologies and policy reforms introduced during the Green Revolution, and farmers' adoption of ‘packages’ of modern seeds, fertilizer, and irrigation. Just prior to the Green Revolution, Indian scientists adopted a new plant breeding philosophy—that varieties should have as wide an adaptation as possible, meaning high and stable yields across different environments. But scientists also argued that wide adaptation could be achieved by selecting only plants that did well in high fertility and irrigated environments. Scientists claimed that widely adapted varieties still produce high yields in marginal areas. Many people have criticized the Green Revolution for its unequal spread of benefits, but none of these critiques address wide adaptation—the core tenant held by Indian agricultural scientists to justify their focus on highly productive land while ignoring marginal or rainfed agriculture. This paper also describes Norman Borlaug's and the Rockefeller Foundation's research program in wide adaptation, Borlaug's involvement in the Indian wheat program, and internal debates about wide adaptation and selection under ideal conditions among Indian scientists. It argues that scientists leveraged the concept of wide adaptation to justify a particular regime of research focused on high production agriculture.
In-vivo chromoclastogenic effects of aflatoxin B1 in the hepatocytes of chinese hamsters

In-vivo effects of aflatoxin B1 were studied in the chromosomes obtained from the regenerating hepatocytes of chinese hamsters. Chromatid gaps were preferentially seen in the known heterochromatic areas of the chromosome pair one, X and Y. Asynchronous divisions of the centromere were seen in both the control and treated animals, however, the frequency was 8–10 times higher in the latter.
Variation in trunk kinematics influences variation in step width during treadmill walking by older and younger adults

Step-by-step variations in step width have been hypothesized to reflect adjustments to swing foot placement in response to preceding frontal plane trunk kinematics. The present study tested this hypothesis while 12 younger and 11 older subjects walked on treadmill for 10min at a self-selected velocity. The relationship between step-by-step variations in step width and frontal plane trunk COM kinematics was determined using multiple regression analysis. Trunk kinematics at midstance were significantly (p<0.001) and strongly (R(2)=0.54) related to the subsequent foot placement supporting the primary hypothesis. Additionally, this relationship was significantly affected by age (p<0.001) and stepping limb (p<0.001). These results implicate feedback driven control of foot trajectory during the swing phase. Further, they provide a biomechanical framework by which loss of frontal plane dynamic stability may result from a step width that is insufficient to decelerate and redirect trunk kinematics in preparation for the next step.
Modified nutrient medium MCDB 151, defined growth factors, cholera toxin, pituitary factors, and horse serum support epithelial cell and suppress fibroblast proliferation in primary cultures of rat ventral prostate cells.

Nutrient medium WAJC 401 containing 5 µg/ml insulin, 10 ng/ml EGF, 10 ng/ml cholera toxin, 50 μg/ml pituitary extract, 1 µg/ml prolactin, 1 µM dexamethasone, and 5% horse serum supports the rapid proliferation of rat ventral prostate epithelial cells in primary culture. The same medium suppresses the growth of prostate fibroblasts.
Stochastic multiscale modeling and damage progression for composite materials

Modeling and characterization of complex composite structures is challenging due to uncertainties inherent in these materials. Uncertainty is present at each length scale in composites and must be quantified in order to accurately model the mechanical response and damage progression of this material. The ability to pass information between length scales permits multiscale models to transport uncertainties from one scale to the next. Limitations in the physics and errors in numerical methods pose additional challenges for composite models. By replacing deterministic inputs with random inputs, stochastic methods can be implemented within these multiscale models making them more robust.This work focuses on understanding the sensitivity of multiscale models and damage progression variations to stochastic input parameters as well as quantifying these uncertainties within a modeling framework. A multiscale, sectional model is used due to its efficiency and capacity to incorporate stochastic methods with little difficulty. The sectional micromechanics in this model are similar to that of the Generalized Method of Cells with the difference being the discretization techniques of the unit cell and the continuity conditions. A Latin Hypercube sampling technique is used due to its reported computational savings over other methods such as a fully random Monte Carlo simulation. Specifically in the sectional model, the Latin Hypercube sampling method provides an approximate 35 % reduction in computations compared to the fully random Monte Carlo method. The Latin Hypercube sampling is a stratified technique which discretizes the distribution function and randomizes the input parameters within those discretized fields. Within this multiscale modeling framework, a progressive failure theory is implemented using these stochastic methods and a modified Hashin failure theory. With a combined stochastic method and progressive failure theory, this multiscale model is capable of modeling the uncertainty and material property variations for composite materials.© 2013 ASME
CRMGT: a MOS-gated power switch

A new MOS-gated thyristor structure with low on-state voltage drop, known as a channel regulated MOS-gated thyristor (CRMGT) is reported for the first time. The CRMGT uses a thin silicon layer, formed above a buried oxide layer, to control current flow through a four layer thyristor structure. It is demonstrated via simulations that the CRMGT has excellent high voltage current saturation with an FBSOA superior to that of the IGBT.
Pretreatment of polymer surfaces—the crucial step prior to metal deposition

An effective pretreatment of polymers is crucial for achieving a good adhesion of metal coatings to the substrate. We have characterised the individual stages of a swell and etch treatment of epoxy resins with a variety of techniques. Scanning force microscopy (SFM) investigations have enabled an quantitative assessment of the swelling and chemical etching of the polymer. Information about the chemistry of the process has been obtained using gravimetric measurements, photoelectron and infrared spectroscopy.
Providing Anesthesia for the Morbidly Obese Patient

"We never repent of having eaten too little. "" Thomas Jefferson, 1825 m 'os t anesthesiologists consider morbidly ~obese patients to be some of our most difficult and frustrating patients. Coexisting medical problems are common, including hypertension, fight and/or left ventricular dysfunction, insulindependent diabetes, and pulmonary hypertension associated with sleep apnea. In addition, there are technical difficulties with intravenous access and airway management, and monitoring devices such as blood pressure cuffs may be inaccurate. Although most of us can define morbid obesity through our observational skills, there are several definitions for what constitutes morbid obesity:
Modelling of dielectric barrier discharge plasma actuators with thick electrodes

We have developed a new two-dimensional fluid simulation to model the plasma dynamics in surface dielectric barrier discharges operating in air. Single-barrier (one electrode insulated) and double-barrier (both electrodes insulated) discharges have been observed to generate a force in the nearby air, making them potentially useful as aerodynamic actuators. Many previous simulations of such discharges have modelled the electrodes as thin strips. We instead consider plasma actuators including cylindrical electrodes of various sizes. In single-barrier actuators, the size of the exposed electrode qualitatively affects the discharge dynamics, particularly with a negative-going applied voltage. For both geometries, the simulations predict the formation of plasma structures similar to those imaged in previous experiments. Experimentally observed increases in forces for actuators with smaller high-voltage electrodes were only reproduced for the single-barrier geometry. Due to limitations of computational power, voltage rates of change for all simulations were higher than those used in experiments.
Shortfalls in published neurosurgical literature

Abstract Expenditure related to neurosurgery has increased unevenly since the early 1990s. In this study we explored the literature by which clinical evidence is obtained to better direct neurosurgical practice. We searched different types of neurosurgery literature and four major neurosurgical procedures (excision of brain lesion, cerebral aneurysm clipping/coiling, discectomy, spine fusion) written in English on PubMed from 1996, the year of its launch, using the keyword “cost”. Only a small and static portion of the neurosurgical literature was indexed as level I clinical evidence (randomized controlled trials), with a lack of cost appraisal in the outcome analysis of neurosurgical interventions. By way of rectification, a major increase in funding of grade I studies with cost analysis, and the requirement by peer-reviewed journals of a cost–benefit analysis, would promote the quality of clinical research yielding unquestionable advantage on national healthcare practice.
Hopkins Marine Station, Pacific Grove, California—Report on Hydrographic Work in Monterey Bay in 1933

The same program as in 1932 was carried out. In other words, seven stations located at selected points in Monterey Bay were visited, weather permitting, once a week. In the course of the year the following data were taken: Temperature. 4054; Cl, 1147; SiO2, 940; and PO4, 894.
Thirsting for God in the Classroom: A Meditation on Psalm 42:1–8

Abstract. This brief meditation on teaching was shared at a gathering of mid-career theological school teachers for a retreat in Scottsdale, Arizona. It draws upon the author's familiarity with the desert to provide a metaphoric exploration of the “desiccation and delight” that surprises us repeatedly in our classrooms and instructs us in humility and hope.
New methods and uses for fast optical scanning

Advanced optical imaging techniques used in neurobiology commonly employ fluorescent molecules for studying the structure and function of neural tissue. To obtain adequate spatio-temporal resolution, sophisticated scanning schemes are used to manage the excitation light going to and emission light coming from objects under observation. Although the fundamental principles of these techniques remain the same, such as scanning point illumination and point detection for confocal imaging, their physical implementation is the subject of technological advance, for example, the advent of inertia-free discontinuous scanning schemes. In general, the aims of these technological advances are to improve the spatio-temporal resolution of and/or reduce potential photodamage caused by optical imaging in live neural tissue. The number of recent advances in scanning methods indicates their increasing importance in imaging techniques.
Low permeability biomedical polyurethane nanocomposites.

In this article we describe our continuing research on a novel nanocomposite approach for reducing gas permeability through biomedical polyurethane membranes. Nanocomposites were prepared using commercially available poly(urethane urea)s (PUU) and two organically modified layered silicates (OLS). Wide-angle X-ray diffraction experiments showed that the silicate layer spacing in the nanocomposites increased significantly compared with the neat OLS, signifying the formation of intercalated PUU/OLS structures. The nanocomposite materials exhibit increased modulus with increasing OLS content, while maintaining polymer strength and ductility. Water vapor permeability was reduced by about fivefold at the highest OLS contents, as a result of PUU/inorganic composite formation.
Properties of a model Einstein equation

A simple differential equation which shares some properties of the Einstein equations is constructed, and a few aspects of its behavior are investigated. Of primary interest are results which suggest the possibility of chaos in the vacuum Einstein theory, and the possibility that complex shock-like features may develop from smooth initial data. A means of migrating the results to the full theory is outlined, and preliminary evidence is provided that the full theory does indeed possess properties suggested by the toy model.
Structural and functional characterization of bovine adrenodoxin reductase by limited proteolysis.

Abstract Previously, we have proposed that bovine adrenocortical mitochondrial adrenodoxin reductase may possess a domain structure, based upon the generation of two major peptide fragments from limited tryptic proteolysis. In the present study, kinetic characterization of the NADPH-dependent ferricyanide reductase activity of the partially proteolyzed enzyme demonstrates that K m(NADPH) increases (from 1.2 μM to 2.7 μM), whereas 1 V max remains unaltered at 2100 min −1 The two proteolytic fragments have been purified to homogeneity by reverse-phase HPLC, and amino acid sequence analysis unambiguously demonstrates that the 30.6 kDa fragment corresponds to the amino terminal portion of the intact protein, whereas the 22.8 kDa fragment is derived from the carboxyl terminus of the reductase. Trypsin cleavage occurs at either Arg-264 or Arg-265. Covalent crosslinking experiments using a water-soluble carbodiimide show that adrenodoxin crosslinks exclusively to the 30.6 kDa fragment, thus implicating the N-terminal region of adrenodoxin reductase in binding to the iron-sulfur protein. Our inability to detect covalent carbohydrate on either intact or proteolyzed adrenodoxin reductase prompted a re-examination of the previously reported requirement of an oligosaccharide moiety for efficient electron transfer from the reductase to adrenodoxin. Treatment of adrenodoxin reductase with a highly purified preparation of neuraminidase demonstrates that neither the adrenodoxin-independent ferric yanide reductase activity nor the adrenodoxin-dependent cytochrome c reductase activity of the enzyme is affected by neuraminidase treatment.
Statistical Modeling to Determine Sources of Variability in Exposures to Welding Fumes

Background/aims Exposures to total particulate matter (TP) and manganese (Mn) received by workers during welding and allied hot processes were analyzed to assess the sources and magnitudes of variability. Methods Compilation of data from several countries identified 2065 TP and 697 Mn measurements for analysis. Linear mixed models were used to determine fixed effects due to different countries, industries and trades, process characteristics, and the sampling regimen, and to estimate components of variance within workers (both intraday and interday), between workers (within worksites), and across worksites. Results The fixed effects explained 55 and 49% of variation in TP and Mn exposures, respectively. The country, industry/trade, type of ventilation, and type of work/welding process were the major factors affecting exposures to both agents. Measurements in the USA were generally higher than those in other countries. Exposure to TP was 67% higher in enclosed spaces and 43% lower with local exhaust ventilation (LEV), was higher among boilermakers and was higher when either a mild-steel base metal or a flux cored consumable was used. Exposure to Mn was 750% higher in enclosed spaces and 67% lower when LEV was present. Air concentrations of Mn were significantly affected by the welding consumables but not by the base metal. Resistance welding produced significantly lower TP and Mn exposures compared to other welding processes. Interestingly, exposures to TP had not changed over the 40 years of observation, while those of Mn showed (non-significant) reductions of 3.6% year(-1). After controlling for fixed effects, variance components between worksites and between-individual workers within a worksite were reduced by 89 and 57% for TP and 75 and 63% for Mn, respectively. The within-worker variation (sum of intraday and interday variance components) of Mn exposure was three times higher than that of TP exposure. The estimated probabilities of exceeding occupational exposure limits were very high (generally much >10%) for both agents. Conclusions Welding exposures to TP and Mn vary considerably across the world and across occupational groups. Exposures to both contaminants have been and continue to be unacceptably high in most sectors of industry. Because exposures to the two agents have different sources and characteristics, separate control strategies should be considered to reduce welders' exposures to TP and Mn.
Evidence-based evaluation of the risks of malignancy predicted by thyroid fine-needle aspiration biopsies.

A National Cancer Institute (NCI) “Thyroid Fine-Needle Aspiration (FNA) State of the Science Conference” recently proposed standardized nomenclature and “risks of malignancies” associated with various diagnostic categories. We evaluated the evidence levels of the data used by NCI to predict malignancy risks and whether those estimates had clinical validity in our patient population. Eight hundred seventy-nine patients underwent thyroid FNA during 2006. FNA diagnoses were translated into NCI diagnostic categories, and 2-year follow-up retrospective information was obtained. Four percentages of malignancies were calculated for each diagnostic category using follow-up information from FNA, thyroidectomy, both, and all patients as denominators. 95% confidence intervals (CI) were estimated for all proportions, and results were analyzed with chi-square statistics. “Relative risk” calculations were performed using the percentage of malignancies in the entire population under study as a denominator. Most of the studies cited by the NCI provided incomplete and variable level III evidence based mainly on surgical follow-up. Among our patients, the percentages of malignancies calculated with follow-up data from all patients as the denominator were similar to the “risk estimates” proposed by the NCI, but estimates based on surgical follow-up overestimated the probability of thyroid malignancy for patients with FNA diagnosis of “benign” and “follicular lesions of undetermined significance” (FLUS). Relative risk and 95% CI calculations suggested that the NCI classification could be simplified into three categories: “benign,” “FLUS + neoplasm,” and “suspicious + malignant.” Diagn. Cytopathol. 2010. © 2009 Wiley-Liss, Inc.
Identification and Modeling of Genes with Diurnal Oscillations from Microarray Time Series Data

Behavior of living organisms is strongly modulated by the day and night cycle giving rise to a cyclic pattern of activities. Such a pattern helps the organisms to coordinate their activities and maintain a balance between what could be performed during the "day” and what could be relegated to the "night.” This cyclic pattern, called the "Circadian Rhythm,” is a biological phenomenon observed in a large number of organisms. In this paper, our goal is to analyze transcriptome data from Cyanothece for the purpose of discovering genes whose expressions are rhythmic. We cluster these genes into groups that are close in terms of their phases and show that genes from a specific metabolic functional category are tightly clustered, indicating perhaps a "preferred time of the day/night” when the organism performs this function. The proposed analysis is applied to two sets of microarray experiments performed under varying incident light patterns. Subsequently, we propose a model with a network of three phase oscillators together with a central master clock and use it to approximate a set of "circadian-controlled genes” that can be approximated closely.
Management of health services : Importance of epidemiology in the year 2000 and beyond

In the last half of the 20th century, remarkable growth occurred in the preventive, diagnostic, treatment, and rehabilitative technologies shown to be efficacious in preventing and treating disease and injury. Management of health care services has become increasingly complex as the scientific basis of health care has grown. Complexity also arises from the multiplicity of decision makers involved in health services (1). Decisions about whether to seek preventive or symptomatic care generally are made by individual persons; the health care provider makes choices about diagnostic, treatment, and rehabilitative options; and, ultimately, the patient is expected to accept the provider's recommendations and to adhere to the prescribed regimen. In the broader context of health care systems, managers must make budget and staffing decisions that affect availability and access to services. Public and private purchasers have become a primary force in cost containment because of their decisions on the scope of coverage provided to their constituencies. Similarly, health insurers have to decide what services are covered, how much to pay for the services, and how much patients will pay out-of-pocket. Also, health insurers increasingly are being held accountable for the quality of care provided to their enrolled populations. These decisions affect access to services and the financial burden of health care on the family. In a perfect world, all decision makers would have access to complete information and could use this information to make "best" choices for themselves, their patients, and their communities. A central role for epidemiology in health services management is to provide the information needed by patients, providers, managers, insurers, regulators, and policy makers. A major challenge is to provide the information so it can
Conservation laws and evolution of pure states into mixed states

Abstract Using the formulation of Banks, Peskin and Susskind (BPS), evolution equations are constructed for the quantum mechanical density matrix ϱ with operators which do not commute with the hamiltonian. These equations evolve pure states into mixed states, preserve the normalization and positivity of ϱ, and most importantly, conserve energy. Thus, these examples show that the conservation laws do not necessarily forbid the evolution of pure states into mixed states, in contrast to the case of a quantum mechanical system with random sources studied specifically by BPS. It remains to generalize these quantum mechanical examples to the more interesting case of quantum field theory.