cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Half-controlled-converter-fed open-winding permanent magnet synchronous generator for wind applications

The configuration and control of two cascaded half-controlled-converters (HCC) designed for use with an open-winding permanent magnet synchronous generator (PMSG) wind turbine are investigated in this paper. The system is modeled and simulated in Simulink with the assistance of PLECS. The simulations results demonstrate that by using speed-control-based hysteresis current regulator, pure sinusoidal phase current waveforms can be achieved in the machine windings at various power factors. Compared to an open-winding PMSG fed by two cascaded voltage source converters, the proposed system requires fewer switches but provides identical excellent performance and good fault tolerance. The proposed system is also free of shoot-through issues. Although HCC allows only unidirectional power flow, this is typically not an issue in the wind power applications.
Protostellar Disk Instabilities and the Formation of Substellar Companions

Recent numerical simulations of self-gravitating protostellar disks have suggested that gravitational instabilities can lead to the production of substellar companions. In these simulations, the disk is typically assumed to be locally isothermal; i.e., the initial, axisymmetric temperature in the disk remains everywhere unchanged. Such an idealized condition implies extremely efficient cooling for outwardly moving parcels of gas. While we have seen disk disruption in our own locally isothermal simulations of a small, massive protostellar disk, no long-lived companions formed as a result of the instabilities. Instead, thermal and tidal effects and the complex interactions of the disk material prevented permanent condensations from forming, despite the vigorous growth of spiral instabilities. In order to compare our results more directly with those of other authors, we here present three-dimensional evolutions of an older, larger, but less massive protostellar disk. We show that potentially long-lived condensations form only for the extreme of local isothermality, and then only when severe restrictions are placed on the natural tendency of the protostellar disk to expand in response to gravitational instabilities. A more realistic adiabatic evolution leads to vertical and radial expansion of the disk but no clump formation. We conclude that isothermal disk calculations cannot demonstrate companion formation by disk fragmentation but only suggest it at best. It will be necessary in future numerical work on this problem to treat the disk thermodynamics more realistically.
An integrated sampling/speciation method for inorganic arsenic in soil solution

Arsenic mobility, bioavailability, and toxicity in soil-water systems are strongly affected by species distribution. In spite of species-selective analytical tools, results may be biased by postsampling oxidation or reduction of compounds. The scope of this study was to delineate a speciation method for inorganic arsenic integrated with pore-water sampling to prevent problems related to postsampling species transformation. Experiments were performed with exchange cartridges packed with quaternary amine (nitrate-form) to separate anionic arsenate from uncharged arsenite. Standard solutions with varied As(lll): As(V) ratios as well as groundwater and soil-solution samples were studied. Analyses were performed by ICP-MS using either extraction cartridges directly coupled to the instrument or samples obtained by offline speciation tests. Results showed that As(lll) passes the packed bed with the rinsing solution, while As(V) is retained on the column and can be released by elution with 0.25 M NH 4 NO 3 . Recoveries between 98% and 116% were insensitive to pH variation (pH 3-8) and competing anions. Groundwater samples from a contaminated site yielded recoveries between 92% and 125% when the sum of As(lll) and As(V) was compared to total As. Integration of the speciation scheme with pore-water sampling was tested in a soil-column experiment. Soil material from a fen site with elevated geogenic As contents was subjected to a varying moisture regime. Reducing conditions during prolonged saturation caused a marked increase of As(lll) concentrations. Conversely, when the soil was drained, total As levels decreased and were dominated by As(V). Overall, extraction results with standard solutions and natural samples indicate reliable performance of the method in experimental investigations and field studies.
Experiments on Solidification of an Aqueous Sodium Carbonate Solution in a Horizontal Cylindrical Annulus

The present study has been motivated by the fact that, despite the importance of solidification in binary substances, the problem does not appear to have been previously considered for the horizontal annular geometry. Accordingly, the objective of this study has been to perform temperature and concentration measurements, as well as flow visualization, for solidification of the transparent Na{sub 2}CO{sub 3}-H{sub 2}O system in a cylindrical, horizontal, annular cavity. Solidification was induced at the center cylinder, while the outer cylinder and end walls were insulated. The results reveal many important features of the thermally and solutally driven flows, including the existence of double-diffusive convection during the solidification process.
Preliminary X-Ray Data Analysis of Crystalline Cowpea Chlorotic Mottle Virus

Crystals of cowpea chlorotic mottle virus (CCMV) that diffract X-rays to 3.1 A resolution were grown in a succinate-PEG solution buffered at pH 3.3. The crystals are in space group P212121 with unit cell dimensions of a = 381.26 A, b = 381.26 A, and c = 408.59 A. Four particles occupy the unit cell, placing a single virion in the crystallographic asymmetric unit. Diffraction intensities measured from 196 films collected at the Cornell High Energy Synchrotron Source accounted for 55% of the theoretically possible data to 3.2 A. Unit cell dimensions and rotation function analyses of the X-ray data revealed that the particles were organized in a pseudo-tetragonal relationship with the pseudo-fourfold axis along the crystal c axis. Analysis of electron micrographs of two-dimensional crystals of CCMV revealed a remarkable similarity between these and planes of particles perpendicular to the crystallographic c axis in the three-dimensional crystal.
Synthesis of (−)-egenine (decumbensine) by asymmetric carbonyl addition

Abstract The first synthesis of the phthalideisoquinoline hemiacetal egenine is reported, along with spectral data suggesting that egenine and decumbensine are one and the same. These synthetic studies are part of a larger investigation into the face-selectivity of additions of chiral dipole-stabilized organometallics to aldehydes. The synthesis of egenine and the correlation to bicuculline diol establish the absolute configuration of the major stereoisomer formed as being opposite to that expected based on earlier work.
Inhibitory control test is a simple method to diagnose minimal hepatic encephalopathy and predict development of overt hepatic encephalopathy.

Inhibitory Control Test Is a Simple Method to Diagnose Minimal Hepatic Encephalopathy and Predict Development of Overt Hepatic Encephalopathy
On the rate of convergence of weak Euler approximation for nondegenerate SDEs driven by Lévy processes

Abstract The paper studies the rate of convergence of the weak Euler approximation for solutions to SDEs driven by Levy processes, with Holder-continuous coefficients. It investigates the dependence of the rate on the regularity of coefficients and driving processes. The equation considered has a nondegenerate main part driven by a spherically symmetric stable process.
Integrated holographic optical interconnects

We introduce a new type of planar optical interconnect; the transverse holographic waveguides. We demonstrated that a simple N X 1 connection may be achieved with loaded multimode waveguides.
Solution to inverse heat conduction problems employing singular value decomposition and model-reduction

Abstract A new and simple method for solving linear, inverse heat conduction problems using temperature data containing significant noise is presented in this paper. The method consists in a straightforward application of singular-value decomposition to the matrix form of Duhamel's principle. A physical interpretation of the method is given by discussing the frequency-domain interpretation of the decomposition. Basically, rows and columns are removed from the decomposed matrices that are associated with small singular values that are shown to be associated with frequencies where the signal-to-noise ratio is small. The technique is demonstrated by considering a standard one-dimensional example. Advantages of the new method are reduction in matrix size, robust treatment of noisy temperature data, optimal in the least-squares sense, and lack of ad hoc parameters.
Grafting of polymer brushes from nanopore surface via atom transfer radical polymerization with activators regenerated by electron transfer

It is shown that atom transfer radical polymerization (ATRP) with activators regenerated by electron transfer (ARGET) is a powerful approach for grafting of polymer brushes from surfaces of high-surface-area nanoporous hosts, allowing one to achieve controlled polymer loadings and film thicknesses while maintaining the pore accessibility and moderate or high surface area. The approach was illustrated on SBA-15 silicas with cylindrical pores of diameter 22 and 14 nm as the nanoporous supports, and poly(methyl methacrylate) (PMMA) and polystyrene (PS) as the grafted polymers. The polymer loadings up to 36 wt.% and the grafted layer thicknesses of up to at least 2 nm were achieved in the polymerization process carried out in small vials without using a vacuum line. The specific surface areas of the obtained silica-polymer composites were 60–190 m2 g−1. The polymer chains exhibited quite low polydispersity (1.18–1.32) for polymer loadings up to 29 wt.%, while a higher polydispersity was observed for higher loadings, in which case the pores of the support were filled to a significant extent with the polymer graft. Due to its simplicity, ARGET ATRP emerges as a powerful and yet surprisingly straightforward way to synthesize well-defined polymer brushes in nanopores, opening a convenient avenue to a wide range of porous high-surface-area silica-polymer composites.
Dynamic spectral shaping in LTE-Advanced cognitive radio systems

In this paper, we consider a CR system that uses the LTE-Advanced (LTE-A) standard at the physical layer, and present an algorithm for shaping the spectrum of the corresponding OFDM signal that enables secondary access to the frequency spectrum in dynamic scenarios. The proposed algorithm is based on OFDM precoder adaptation and is illustrated with numerical results obtained from simulations.
Comments on Robert Brandon's ‘theory and experiment in evolutionary biology’

Dans son etude sur la theorie et l'experience dans la biologie evolutionniste, R. Brandon fait deux distinctions: l'une entre les recherches empiriques qui manipulent la nature et celles qui ne le font pas; l'autre entre les etudes destiner a tester des hypotheses et celles qui simplement etablissent et decrivent des resultats. L'A. analyse la pertinence de telles dictinctions
Simulating the effects of climate change on the carbon balance of North American high‐latitude forests

Summary The large magnitude of predicted warming at high latitudes and the potential feedback of ecosystems to atmospheric CO2 concentrations make it important to quantify both warming and its effects on high-latitude carbon balance. We analysed long-term, daily surface meteorological records for 13 sites in Alaska and north-western Canada and an 82-y record of river ice breakup date for the Tanana River in interior Alaska. We found increases in winter and spring temperature extrema for all sites, with the greatest increases in spring minimum temperature, average 0.47 °C per 10 y, and a 0.7-day per 10 y advance in ice breakup on the Tanana River. We used the climate records to drive an ecosystem process model, BIOME_BGC, to simulate the effects of climate change on the carbon and water balances of boreal forest ecosystems. The growing season has lengthened by an average of 2.6 days per 10 y with an advance in average leaf onset date of 1.10 days per 10 y. This advance in the start of the active growing season correlates positively with progressively earlier ice breakup on the Tanana River in interior Alaska. The advance in the start of the growing season resulted in a 20% increase in net primary production for both aspen (Populus tremuloides) and white spruce (Picea glauca) stands. Aspen had a greater mean increase in maintenance respiration than spruce, whereas spruce had a greater mean increase in evapotranspiration. Average decomposition rates also increased for both species. Both net primary production and decomposition are enhanced in our simulations, suggesting that productive forest types may not experience a significant shift in net carbon flux as a result of climate warming.
A Clinical Trial of Autogenous Vaccines in the Treatment of Osteogenic Sarcoma

In June 1963, a lyophilized homogenous vaccine prepared from the primary tumor tissue was given to a child with osteogenic sarcoma and pulmonary metastasis. During the 15-day course of injections the child gained 7 pounds; following treatment the disease progressed and the patient died. However, the temporary improvement suggested that immunotherapy may have inhibited tumor growth. A more formal controlled trial of immunotherapy in less advanced disease, designed by the author, was begun in April 1966. At first, the vaccine was prepared in the laboratory of Dr. C. Sourham and later by the immunological team of Dr. R. A. Good, L. Old, H. Oettgen and Y. Hirsut. Patients under the age of 25 with osteogenic sarcoma of the long bones but no evidence of spread beyond the primary site and who had been treated by amputation were included in the study. The autogenous vaccine was given in the postoperative period following amputation. If multiple metastasis (usually pulmonary) appeared, the vaccine was judged a failure. If there was subsequent pulmonary resection for multiple metastases, any observed beneficial effect was credited to this surgical treatment [1]. A preliminary report is presented on the patients who received vaccine treatment through April 1973 (Fig. 1).
Probing the Active Site of the Hepatitis C Virus Serine Protease by Fluorescence Resonance Energy Transfer

A serine protease domain contained within the viral NS3 protein is a key player in the maturational processing of the hepatitis C virus polyprotein and a prime target for the development of antiviral drugs. In the present work, we describe a dansylated hexapeptide inhibitor of this enzyme. Active site occupancy by this compound could be monitored following fluorescence resonance energy transfer between the dansyl fluorophore and protein tryptophan residues and could be used to 1) unambiguously assess active site binding of NS3 protease inhibitors, 2) directly determine equilibrium and pre-steady-state parameters of enzyme-inhibitor complex formation, and 3) dissect, using site-directed mutagenesis, the contribution of single residues of NS3 to inhibitor binding in direct binding assays. The assay was also used to characterize the inhibition of the NS3 protease by its cleavage products. We show that enzyme-product inhibitor complex formation depends on the presence of an NS4A cofactor peptide. Equilibrium and pre-steady-state data support an ordered mechanism of ternary (enzyme-inhibitor-cofactor) complex formation, requiring cofactor complexation prior to inhibitor binding.
Prostaglandin E2 depresses solitary tract-mediated synaptic transmission in the nucleus tractus solitarius.

Abstract Prostaglandin E 2 (PGE 2 ) is a prototypical inflammatory mediator that excites and sensitizes cell bodies [Kwong K, Lee LY (2002) PGE 2 sensitizes cultured pulmonary vagal sensory neurons to chemical and electrical stimuli. J Appl Physiol 93:1419–1428; Kwong K, Lee LY (2005) Prostaglandin E 2 potentiates a tetrodotoxin (TTX)-resistant sodium current in rat capsaicin-sensitive vagal pulmonary sensory neurons. J Physiol 56:437–450] and peripheral nerve terminals [Ho CY, Gu Q, Hong JL, Lee LY (2000) Prostaglandin E (2) enhances chemical and mechanical sensitivities of pulmonary C fibers in the rat. Am J Respir Crit Care Med 162:528–533] of primary vagal sensory neurons. Nearly all central nerve terminals of vagal afferents are in the nucleus tractus solitarius (NTS), where they operate with a high probability of release [Doyle MW, Andresen MC (2001) Reliability of monosynaptic sensory transmission in brain stem neurons in vitro. J Neurophysiol 85:2213–2223]. We studied the effect of PGE 2 on synaptic transmission between tractus solitarius afferent nerve terminals and the second-order NTS neurons in brain stem slices of Sprague–Dawley rats. Whole-cell patch recording in voltage clamp mode was used to study evoked excitatory postsynaptic glutamatergic currents (evEPSCs) from NTS neurons elicited by electrical stimulation of the solitary tract (ST). In 34 neurons, bath-applied PGE 2 (200 nM) decreased the evEPSC amplitude by 49±5%. In 22 neurons, however, PGE 2 had no effect. We also tested 15 NTS neurons for capsaicin sensitivity. Seven neurons generated evEPSCs that were equally unaffected by PGE 2 and capsaicin. Conversely, evEPSCs of the other eight neurons, which were PGE 2 -responsive, were abolished by 200 nM capsaicin. Furthermore, the PGE 2- induced depression of evEPSCs was associated with an increase in the paired pulse ratio and a decrease in both the frequency and amplitude of the spontaneous excitatory postsynaptic currents (sEPSCs) and TTX-independent spontaneous miniature excitatory postsynaptic currents (mEPSCs). These results suggest that PGE 2 acts both presynaptically on nerve terminals and postsynaptically on NTS neurons to reduce glutamatergic responses.
Study of Dose‐Dependence and Urinary Folate Excretion Produced by Ethanol in Humans and Rats

Acute ethanol ingestion by human alcoholic subjects produces a marked decrease in serum folate levels within 16 hr. A similar decrease occurs in rats and can be explained by a marked increase in urinary folate excretion following ethanol treatment. To assess the effects of acute ethanol ingestion on urinary folate excretion in healthy human volunteers, two studies were carried out at initial ethanol dose levels of 0.8 g/kg and 1.0 g/kg, respectively. Blood ethanol levels peaked at 70 mg/dl in the first study, but in the second study were 100 +/- 20 mg/dl through 6 hr. Only in the second study were urinary folate levels significantly increased by ethanol administration, and this 8 hr after ingestion. This increase was accompanied by a decrease in urine volume so that in neither study was the total amount of urinary folate excreted from 0-12 hr increased by ethanol ingestion. Studies with various dose levels of ethanol in rats showed that there was a linear dose-response relationship between the total urinary folate excretion and the dose of ethanol. Peak urinary ethanol levels also correlated with urinary folate excretion. These results suggest that doses of ethanol larger than 1.0 g/kg produce increases in urinary folate excretion and that the inability to observe large increases in studies in human subjects is probably related to the limited doses of ethanol chosen.
Branchial chemoreceptors mediate ventilatory responses to hypercapnic acidosis in channel catfish.

Abstract The effects of hyperoxic hypercapnia on cardiovascular and ventilatory variables and blood gas and acid/base parameters were examined in conscious and anesthetized spontaneously breathing (ASB) channel catfish, Ictalurus punctatus. These separate experiments were designed to determine: (1) if channel catfish show a ventilatory response to hypercapnic acidosis when blood O 2 content is maintained in conscious animals; and (2) whether branchial receptors innervated by cranial nerves IX and X mediate this response. The combination of high O 2 and CO 2 tensions allowed the cardioventilatory effects of hypercapnic acidosis to be assessed independently of Root or Bohr mediated changes in blood O 2 content. In the absence of significant changes in dorsal or ventral aorta O 2 content, hyperoxic hypercapnia significantly stimulated ventilation, relative to hyperoxic exposure. Hypercapnic acidosis, however, had no significant effects on blood pressure or heart rate. Branchial denervation in ASB fish abolished the ventilatory response to hypercapnic acidosis. The results indicate that hypercapnic acidosis independently stimulates ventilation in channel catfish. This response is mediated by CO 2 /pH-sensitive branchial receptors innervated by cranial nerves IX and X.
The Logic of Process Tracing Tests in the Social Sciences

This article discusses process tracing as a methodology for testing hypotheses in the social sciences. With process tracing tests, the analyst combines preexisting generalizations with specific observations from within a single case to make causal inferences about that case. Process tracing tests can be used to help establish that (1) an initial event or process took place, (2) a subsequent outcome also occurred, and (3) the former was a cause of the latter. The article focuses on the logic of different process tracing tests, including hoop tests, smoking gun tests, and straw in the wind tests. New criteria for judging the strength of these tests are developed using ideas concerning the relative importance of necessary and sufficient conditions. Similarities and differences between process tracing and the deductive-nomological model of explanation are explored.
Distributing "Municipal Overburden" Aid to School Districts

Equity in state aid to school systems is difficult to define. The author derives an index to compensate for "overburden."
Maximization of metabolite in fed-batch cultures: Sufficient conditions for singular arc and optimal feed rate profiles

Abstract Fed-batch fermentation for maximization of metabolite production at a final time is normally a singular control problem. The singular optimal feed rate strategy depends on relative position of peaks in the specific rates of cell growth μ, substrate consumption σ and product formation π. Regions in which singular feed rates exist are identified and variation of substrate concentration in the singular region is elucidated. Sufficient conditions for the existence of a singular arc are developed, which can be incorporated into an efficient and stable computational scheme to obtain the optimal feed rate profiles.
Dielectric and hardness measurements of planetary analog rocks in support of in-situ subsurface sampling

Accurate assessment of the subsurface mechanical characteristics and how they correlate with dielectric properties is crucial to optimize future drilling and sampling investigations on planetary bodies. For 12 different types of basaltic rocks with different hardnesses, we use capacitive cells to measure the real part of the dielectric constant over the frequency range 100–1000 MHz, and a Schmidt hammer hardness tester to measure the hardness using a scale of 10–100. Our measurements suggest that the real part of the dielectric constant and rock hardness are linearly correlated. Additionally, sample hardness was linearly correlated to density. For a density ranging from 0.82 to 3.05 g/cm^3, the real part of the dielectric constant e′ and rebound hardness values R ranged from e′=1.8–7.6 and R=14.16–68 for the different basalt samples. Hence, high dielectric constants imply a high rock hardness value and vice versa. We concluded that for volcanic surfaces that are analogous to the Martian surface as well as other planetary surfaces, there is an inverse correlation between drilling penetration rate based on the rotary-percussive drill method and the dielectric constant. Dielectric inversion from planetary radar probing experiments proposed herein is a crucial method to locate regions with lowest hardness and hence highest drilling penetration rate in desiccated volcanic planetary subsurfaces. The use of these cross-correlation measurements can optimize future drilling experiments and ensure that they reach their targets of opportunities, minimize losses in drilling performance, or the unnecessary use of power that will be needed for the continuity of the investigation.
Channeling university-based sponsored research into classroom education

An important mission of university-based research that often gets overlooked is the education component. Based on the 2005–2006 Electric Power Engineering Education Resources report produced by PES, tens of millions of dollars worth of research is being conducted annually by university faculty throughout North America. While such sponsored research almost always produces Master's and Phd dissertations, how much of that is channeled into creating a broader impact of educating undergraduate and graduate students is of concern to many sponsoring agencies. This paper presents a summary of panel presentations that describe and discuss examples of how some faculty members have brought their research experiences into the classroom to highlight core principles of power and energy.
Direct stimulatory effects of oxytocin in female rat gonadotrophs and somatotrophs in vitro: comparison with lactotrophs.

The peptide oxytocin (OT) is secreted by hypothalamic neurons and exerts numerous actions related to reproduction. OT stimulation of prolactin secretion in female rats is important during the estrous cycle, pregnancy, and lactation. Here we report that OT also stimulates transients of intracellular Ca2+ concentration in somatotrophs and gonadotrophs as well as the release of GH and LH in a dose-dependent manner with EC50 values that closely correspond to the ligand affinity of the OT receptor (OTR). Remarkably, the hormone-releasing effect of OT in these two cell types is 2 orders of magnitude more sensitive than that in lactotrophs. The specific OTR agonist [Thr4,Gly7]-oxytocin acutely stimulated the release of LH, GH, and prolactin from female rat pituitary cells in primary culture and increased intracellular Ca2+ concentration in gonadotrophs, somatotrophs, and lactotrophs. In these three cell types, the effects on hormone release and intracellular Ca2+ of both OT and [Thr4,Gly7]oxytocin were abolished...
Mast cells promote malaria infection

Abstract Purpose Malaria remains the most deadly human parasitic disease, mostly because of the mosquito-born protozoan parasite Plasmodium falciparum with ~627,000 deaths reported in 2012. Unfortunately, there is resistance to most drugs, and successful vaccines are still not developed. The role of the immune system is critical but poorly understood. Methods One specific publication that reported a new way through which the immune system may promote malaria pathogenesis is discussed. Findings Kenyan children with mild and severe malaria had increased plasma levels of the Flt3 ligand, a soluble cytokine released from the surface of mast cells (MCs). A positive correlation was found between disease severity and frequencies of circulating BDCA3 + dendritic cells. These human equivalents of the rodent CD8 + T cells migrate to tissues with a heavy parasite load and cause damage primarily through cytolysis. Implications Malaria parasites may promote malaria pathogenesis by triggering MCs, which expand a unique class of dendritic cells with the subsequent activation of pathogenic CD8 + T cells. However, MCs may have additional regulatory functions. Selective inhibition of MC activation may serve as an adjuvant treatment.
Effectiveness of school-based occupational therapy intervention on handwriting.

Objective This study investigated the effects of school-based occupational therapy services on students' handwriting. Method Students 7 to 10 years of age with poor handwriting legibility who received direct occupational therapy services (n = 29) were compared with students who did not receive services (n = 9) on handwriting legibility and speed and associated performance components. Visual-motor, visual-perception, in-hand manipulation, and handwriting legibility and speed were measured at the beginning and end of the academic year. The intervention group received a mean of 16.4 sessions and 528 min of direct occupational therapy services during the school year. According to the therapists, visual-motor skills and handwriting practice were emphasized most in intervention. Results Students in the intervention group showed significant increases in in-hand manipulation and position in space scores. They also improved more in handwriting legibility scores than the students in the comparison group. Fifteen students in the intervention group demonstrated greater than 90% legibility at the end of the school year. On average, legibility increased by 14.2% in the students who received services and by 5.8% in the students who did not receive services. Speed increased slightly more in the students who did not receive services. Conclusion Students who received occupational therapy services demonstrated improved letter legibility, but speed and numeral legibility did not demonstrate positive intervention effects.
Theses and Dissertations Completed in Home Economics: 1989

A compilation of titles of theses and dissertations completed in colleges and universities in the United States during 1989 is presented. The 753 titles submitted by 69 schools are listed by subject matter area and degree; each entry includes title, author, institution, and availability of the thesis or dissertation. Information about graduate research in home economics is summarized in five tables: (1) numbers of titles submitted by each school, (2) numbers and percentages of theses and dissertations by subject matter areas, (3) institutions reporting highest numbers of theses and dissertations, (4) institutions reporting highest numbers of theses and dissertations by subject matter areas, and (5) total number of titles by degree and subject matter area since reporting began in 1982.
Reduction of signal fluctuation in functional MRI using navigator echoes

Functional magnetic resonance imaging is sensitive to signal fluctuations due to physiological motion and system instability. In this paper, motion-related signal fluctuations are studied, and a method that uses navigator echoes to monitor and compensate for signal fluctuations in a gradient-echo sequence is described. The technique acquires a "navigator" signal before the application of the phase-encoding and readout gradients and corrects the phase of the subsequently acquired imaging data. This technique was implemented on a 4 Tesla whole body system and validated on normal volunteers. With this technique, temporal fluctuations in image intensity were substantially reduced and improved functional activation maps were obtained.
Topical vs Intravenous Tranexamic Acid in Primary Total Hip Arthroplasty: A Double-Blind, Randomized Controlled Trial.

Abstract Background Tranexamic acid (TXA) reduces perioperative blood loss in total hip arthroplasty (THA). Methods In our randomized control trial, 139 patients were enrolled and received 2 g of either topical or intravenous (IV) TXA. Preoperative and postoperative protocols were standardized. Results Calculated blood and Hgb loss were lower in the IV group (1195.0 ± 485.9 mL, 1442.7 ± 562.7 mL; P = .006), (160.3 [g] ± 63.8, 188.4 [g] ± 68.5; P = .014). There was a trend toward significance in transfusion reduction (11% [IV] vs 18% [topical]; P = .3). Both groups effectively reduced the transfusion rate. There was significant financial incentive for the use of TXA in THA with a savings of $314 per patient. Conclusions IV and topical TXA are effective tools to reduce blood loss and transfusion costs in THA, and we recommend the IV form for ease of use.
Ultrastructural changes in preputial neural tissues: effects of maternal drinking

Peripheral nerves in the prepuces of eight newborns were studied in this investigation. The mothers of four of these newborns were alcohol abusers but did not smoke or take coffee. The other four mothers did not drink alcohol or coffee, nor did they smoke. Using a transmission electron microscope, the peripheral nerves in preputial specimens were studied for pathological changes. In samples taken from the prepuces of those newborns with drinking mothers, the neuropathological changes seen were mainly in the unmyelinated axons. These demonstrated increased vesicular and tubular elements of agranular endoplasmic reticulum and dense bodies not found in the specimens taken from the non-drinking group. Other significant findings in the fetal preputial specimens from the alcohol group were aggregations of mitochondria and collagen entrapment.
Analytical validation of whole exome and whole genome sequencing for clinical applications

Whole exome and genome sequencing (WES/WGS) is now routinely offered as a clinical test by a growing number of laboratories. As part of the test design process each laboratory must determine the performance characteristics of the platform, test and informatics pipeline. This report documents one such characterization of WES/WGS. Whole exome and whole genome sequencing was performed on multiple technical replicates of five reference samples using the Illumina HiSeq 2000/2500. The sequencing data was processed with a GATK-based genome analysis pipeline to evaluate: intra-run, inter-run, inter-mode, inter-machine and inter-library consistency, concordance with orthogonal technologies (microarray, Sanger) and sensitivity and accuracy relative to known variant sets. Concordance to high-density microarrays consistently exceeds 97% (and typically exceeds 99%) and concordance between sequencing replicates also exceeds 97%, with no observable differences between different flow cells, runs, machines or modes. Sensitivity relative to high-density microarray variants exceeds 95%. In a detailed study of a 129 kb region, sensitivity was lower with some validated single-base insertions and deletions “not called”. Different variants are "not called" in each replicate: of all variants identified in WES data from the NA12878 reference sample 74% of indels and 89% of SNVs were called in all seven replicates, in NA12878 WGS 52% of indels and 88% of SNVs were called in all six replicates. Key sources of non-uniformity are variance in depth of coverage and artifactual variants resulting from repetitive regions and larger structural variants. We report a comprehensive performance characterization of WES/WGS that will be relevant to offering laboratories, consumers of genome sequencing and others interested in the analytical validity of this technology.
Using circuit structural analysis techniques for networks in systems biology

The cell contains numerous networks for information processing. These networks are responsible for carrying out all cell functions including gene transcription, signal transconduction, and metabolic activities. Many of these networks process information similar to digital logic circuits and classical logic methods have been successfully used to analyze their behavior. The objective of this paper is to investigate the potential of circuit structural analysis techniques in analyzing the topologies of cellular networks arising in systems biology context. Rent's rule has been in particular a classical method that is used in analyzing the topologies of digital circuits. We investigate the applicability of Rent's rule to systems biology networks, and we outline the structural similarities and differences between circuit networks and systems biology networks. We compute Rent's rule parameters and classify systems biology networks according to their Rent's exponent. Interestingly, networks that process information in a logical fashion have Rent exponents that are similar to that of logic circuits. To provide a basis for our results we utilize recent advancements in graph theory to create random artificial networks with the same degree sequences as real networks and extend our experiments to those circuits as well. Our results open the door for other researchers to further investigate topological circuit analysis techniques for networks in systems biology.
Increasing the sensitivity of an LC-MS method for screening material extracts for organic extractables via mobile phase optimization

Organic extractables (substances extracted from materials used in pharmaceutical packaging) are discovered, identified, and quantified via screening of extracts with analytical methods including liquid chromatography with mass spectrometric detection (LC-MS). Because extractables include a large number of diverse compounds that are typically present in plastic extracts at low levels, the LC-MS methods must be broad scope and sensitive. To accomplish these objectives, screening studies typically couple gradient reversed-phase separations with electrospray MS detection (both positive and negative ion modes). While such methods are generally applicable for a number of extractables, they are not optimal for some commonly encountered extractables due to either poor chromatographic performance (e.g., peak tailing) or poor MS response. Modifications to mobile phase composition (e.g., pH adjustment) were examined to improve the performance of an LC-MS screening method. The use of 0.1% acetic acid with 1 mM ammonium acetate (pH 3.6) as the aqueous portion of the mobile phase provided favorable sensitivities for a number of extractables both in positive and negative ion modes. In positive ion mode, the acidic mobile phase improved responses for moderately weak basic compounds by increasing their degree of protonation. For very weak basic compounds such as amides, ammonium ions in the mobile phase promoted proton adduct responses. In negative ion mode, an acidic mobile phase containing acetate anion improved ESI responses for acidic compounds, primarily due to gas phase effects.
Attention and emotion influence the relationship between extraversion and neural response

Extraversion has been shown to positively correlate with activation within the ventral striatum, amygdala and other dopaminergically innervated, reward-sensitive regions. These regions are implicated in emotional responding, in a manner sensitive to attentional focus. However, no study has investigated the interaction among extraversion, emotion and attention. We used fMRI and dynamic, evocative film clips to elicit amusement and sadness in a sample of 28 women. Participants were instructed either to respond naturally (n = 14) or to attend to and continuously rate their emotions (n = 14) while watching the films. Contrary to expectations, striatal response was negatively associated with extraversion during amusement, regardless of attention. A negative association was also observed during sad films, but only when attending to emotion. These findings suggest that attentional focus does not influence the relationship between extraversion and neural response to positive (amusing) stimuli but does impact the response to negative (sad) stimuli.
Violent Offenders in Drug Court

Drug courts are slowly beginning to expand their admission criteria to include more chronic and serious offenders since traditional probation and incarceration have failed to prevent drug use and crime. Drug courts have moved from providing diversion programs for first-time offenders charged with drug possession to developing tracks for more complex clients. Many of these new drug court participants have extensive criminal histories, including histories of violent crime. Drug court decision-makers thus confront the difficulty of balancing the needs of treatment versus corrections by attempting to target offenders whose criminal histories suggest that their candidacy in a drug court would not pose a risk to public safety. To date, little is known about whether drug courts are appropriate for offenders with lengthy criminal histories that often include violence. The research presented here explores correlates of drug court graduation for seriously crime-involved offenders, most of whom have a history of vio...
On the Poincare-Hill cycle map of rotational random walk: locating the stochastic limit cycle in a reversible Schnakenberg model

The chemical master equation (CME), first studied by Delbruck (1940), has become the leading mathematical theory for studying mesoscopic nonlinear chemical reaction systems with small volume of the order of a living cell (Beard & Qian 2008). The chemical reactions are characterized in terms of the stochastic copy numbers of the various dynamic chemical species. The CME provides the equation for the time-dependent joint probabilities of the number of
Discontinuous Galerkin derivative operators with applications to second‐order elliptic problems and stability

A discontinuous Galerkin (DG) finite-element interior calculus is used as a common framework to describe various DG approximation methods for second-order elliptic problems. Using the framework, symmetric interior-penalty methods, local discontinuous Galerkin methods, and dual-wind discontinuous Galerkin methods will be compared by expressing all of the methods in primal form. The penalty-free nature of the dual-wind discontinuous Galerkin method will be both motivated and used to better understand the analytic properties of the various DG methods. Consideration will be given to Neumann boundary conditions with numerical experiments that support the theoretical results. Many norm equivalencies will be derived laying the foundation for applying dual-winding techniques to other problems. Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Dissing Oneself versus Dissing Rivals: Effects of Status, Personality, and Sex on the Short-Term and Long-Term Attractiveness of Self-Deprecating and Other-Deprecating Humor

This study explores the adaptive functions and design features of self- and other- deprecating humor. Sixty-four female and 32 male college students participated in a two- part study. In the first part, we examined the relationships among participant demographics, personality traits, and preferences for producing different types of humor. Men report using more other-deprecating humor than women do, and the use of other-deprecating humor decreases with age for both sexes. In the second part of the study, each participant listened to tape recordings of opposite-sex people who were described as having different levels of status, and who produced different types of humor; then participants rated each person's attractiveness as a potential short-term and long-term mate. Humor type and presenter status had no effects on short-term attractiveness, but self-deprecating humor by high-status presenters (but not low-status presenters) increased long-term attractiveness for both sexes. These results are discussed in the light of sexual selection theory and costly signaling theory.
Manthia Diawara's Waves and the Problem of the "Authentic"

This article begins by tracking how the delineation of "New Cinema" in the recent work of Manthia Diawara differs significantly from the approaches that had been dominant when he published his initial study on African cinema in 1992. The changes lead us to position current filmmaking practices vis-a-vis Nollywood film, and to ask how the formation of the cinematic subject functions in contemporary "new waves" of cinema. Resume: Cet article commence en reperant, dans le travail recent de Manthia Dia- wara, comment la demarcation du "nouveau cinema" differe considerablement des approches qui avaient ete dominantes lorsque son etude initiale sur le cinema africain a ete publiee en 1992. Les changements nous menent a positionner les pratiques cine- matographiques actuelles vis-a-vis le cinema Nollywood, et a se demander comment la formation des sujets cinematiques fonctionne dans les "nouvelles vagues" con- temporaines de cinema.
Interviewer-administered TLFB vs. self-administered computerized (A-CASI) drug use frequency questions: a comparison in HIV-infected drug users.

Abstract Background Substance use can have major consequences among HIV patients. Interviewer- or self-administered modalities are widely used to measure drug use frequency. This often involves Timeline Follow-Back (TLFB) interviewer-administered measures, or self-administered computerized questions assessing similar information via Audio Computer-Assisted Self Interview (A-CASI). Little is known about agreement between these two modalities on drug use frequency in HIV-infected samples. Methods Prior to randomization into a trial of brief interventions to reduce drug use, 240HIV patients completed a baseline A-CASI assessment battery that included questions on drug use frequency, followed by an interviewer-administered TLFB. Each measure generated number of days patients used their primary drug in the prior 30 days. Agreement between TLFB and A-CASI modalities on days using primary drug was determined using intraclass correlation coefficients (ICC). Regression analysis tested the association of patient characteristics with discrepancies between TLFB and A-CASI modalities. Results Overall agreement was excellent (ICC = .80), with little variation by primary drug, education, race, current drug treatment, binge drinking or years since HIV diagnosis. Gender, ethnicity (Hispanic vs. non-Hispanic) and age predicted differences in days used ( p Conclusions Measures of days used primary drug showed high agreement whether assessed by interviewer-administered TLFB or by questions self-administered via the A-CASI modality. Differences by gender, ethnicity and age suggest some caution in using the TLFB, although additional studies are needed. However, findings generally indicate that studies based on one assessment method or the other can be compared with reasonable confidence.
Suicidal ideation and suicide attempts in homeless mentally ill persons: age-specific risks of substance abuse.

Background: Despite reports of high rates of suicidal behavior among mentally ill homeless persons, it remains unknown whether the well-established suicide risks of increased age and comorbid psychiatric and substance abuse disorders (“dual diagnosis”) documented in the general population are also markers for increased suicide risk among homeless persons. Methods: Data from a multi-site outreach program (ACCESS) (N = 7,224) were used to investigate whether rates of serious suicidal ideation and recent suicide attempts varied with the age and substance abuse diagnosis(es) (drug abuse and/or alcohol abuse disorders) among homeless mentally ill clients. Results: The prevalence of 30-day suicidal ideation and suicide attempts (37.5 % and 7.9 %, respectively) was extremely high. Although the risk of serious suicidal ideation and suicide attempts was greater among the younger compared with the older homeless mentally ill clients, risks were not significantly increased by co-morbid alcohol and/or drug abuse. However, a significant interaction between age and co-morbid substance abuse was observed showing that among older clients but not younger clients, those with drug and alcohol abuse were at significantly greater risk of suicidal ideation than those without substance use problems, controlling for confounding factors. Conclusion: Efforts to prevent suicide should recognize that among homeless people with mental illness, young-middle-aged (30- to 39-year-old) clients are at greatest risk of suicidal behavior. Among older clients the presence of both drug and alcohol abuse significantly increases suicide risk. These patterns are of special importance because they are quite different from those that are well documented in non-homeless populations.
Idiopathic Inflammatory Myopathies

Precise diagnosis is essential and muscle biopsy may identify myositis not responsive to therapy. Autoantibodies define heterogeneous clinical subsets. Steroids are the main pillar of therapy with immuno-suppressive drugs, such as methotrexate and azathio-prine, utilized as steroid-sparing agents. ■ A core set of measures has been developed for assessing disease activity.