cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
A strain-controlled RheoSANS instrument for the measurement of the microstructural, electrical, and mechanical properties of soft materials.

In situ measurements are an increasingly important tool to inform the complex relationship between nanoscale properties and macroscopic material measurements. Knowledge of these phenomena can be used to develop new materials to meet the performance demands of next generation technologies. Conductive complex fluids have emerged as an area of research where the electrical and mechanical properties are key design parameters. To study the relationship between microstructure, conductivity, and rheology, we have developed a small angle neutron scattering (SANS) compatible Couette rheological geometry capable of making impedance spectroscopy measurements under continuous shear. We have also mounted this geometry on a commercial strain controlled rheometer with a modified forced convection oven. In this manuscript, we introduce the simultaneous measurement of impedance spectroscopy, rheological properties and SANS data. We describe the validation of this dielectric RheoSANS instrument and demonstrate its operatio...
"Cultural Scaffolding: Resources, Rhetoric, and Materiality in Cultural Entrepreneurship"

In this paper, I examine the utility of cultural entrepreneurship for organizational incumbents. I use a multiple case study of six hotels in the luxury sector that engaged in efforts to transform ...
Trace element composition of suspended particulate matter along three meridional CLIVAR sections in the Indian and Southern Oceans: Impact of scavenging on Al distributions

Abstract We present the trace element composition (Al, Si, P, Ca, Fe, and Zn) of suspended particulate matter (SPM) samples collected in the upper 1000 m along U.S. CLIVAR/CO2 Repeat Hydrography meridional section I09N/I08S from the Southern Ocean to the Bay of Bengal at 95°E and in surface waters along meridional section I06S from the South African margin to the Antarctic shelf edge at 30°E. A band of elevated surface-ocean pCa (0.5–0.3 μM) over 30–60°S is consistent with the global pattern of high coccolithophore production encircling the Southern Ocean suggested by remote sensing. Over 50–60°S, both sections exhibit a sharp transition from Ca-rich to Si-rich particulate matter (up to 2.8–6.5 μM), indicating a change from coccolithophore to diatom communities in waters with low residual nitrate. Along I08S, diatom blooms display elevated pZn concentrations and Zn:P ratios (14.9 + 5.7 mmol mol−1), reflecting cellular Zn stoichiometry of Southern Ocean diatoms. Regions of high primary productivity in the Southern Ocean are coincident with unexpectedly high surface-ocean pAl concentrations (max 12.6–26.5 nM) compared to background concentrations (typically 50% of surface-ocean pAl in these regions originates from adsorptive scavenging of dissolved Al onto biogenic particles. Along I08S, dissolved Al reservoirs likely originate from transport of Al-enriched waters by the Agulhas Return Current, local dust deposition, and seasonal ice melt. Along I06S, pAl distributions suggest larger inputs of dust to the surface mixed layer than have previously been described. By contrast, pFe concentrations remain low in both surface ( This article is part of a special issue entitled: Cycles of trace elements and isotopes in the ocean – GEOTRACES and beyond.
Pancreatic disorders in children: New clues on the horizon

Pancreatic disorders in children represent a growing health problem in pediatric patients. In the past two decades, several advances have been made in the knowledge of pediatric pancreatic disorders, with better understanding of different etiologies and clinical manifestations of these disorders. Moreover, many efforts have been made in pancreatology, aiming to define guidelines in the management of pancreatitis in children, initially based on the available information in adults. A multidisciplinary and multicenter approach is necessary to better determine pancreatic disease pathways and treatment options in children.
Arithmetic of Growth: Methods of Calculation, II

This calculational tutorial continues the presentation of an earlier article (Bartlett,1993 ). It starts with a news item that features one elderly person who has 67 grandchildren and 201 great grandchildren. This tutorial develops simple mathematical models to show how to calculate approximate average rates of growth of descendants using very simple assumptions plus the data from the news story. The model is then enlarged to describe the growth of populations and to see how the growth of populations is related to the growth of descendants and to fertility. The analysis is then generalized so it can be applied to other reproductive phenomena, such as the production of Ph.D.s. The goal is to illustrate the essential features of the simplest elements of the population growth process by introducing modeling that is within the reach of those who can use algebra.
Judicial review in administrative contracts in Egypt: evidence from administrative court rulings in Government Tenders and Bids Law disputes

This paper examines the role of administrative court review in disputes related to Egypt’s Government Tenders and Bids Law. It assesses whether government authorities are more likely to receive a f...
Community Perceptions of Industrial Risks Before and After a Toxic Flood: The Case of Houston and Hurricane Harvey

The present study examines risk perceptions before and after a recent natural-technological event. The aim is to improve understanding of how long-time residents understand chronic and acute indust...
Using In Vitro and In-cell SHAPE to Investigate Small Molecule Induced Pre-mRNA Structural Changes

In the process of drug development of RNA-targeting small molecules, elucidating the structural changes upon their interactions with target RNA sequences is desired. We herein provide a detailed in vitro and in-cell selective 2'-hydroxyl acylation analyzed by primer extension (SHAPE) protocol to study the RNA structural change in the presence of an experimental drug for spinal muscular atrophy (SMA), survival of motor neuron (SMN)-C2, and in exon 7 of the pre-mRNA of the SMN2 gene. In in vitro SHAPE, an RNA sequence of 140 nucleotides containing SMN2 exon 7 is transcribed by T7 RNA polymerase, folded in the presence of SMN-C2, and subsequently modified by a mild 2'-OH acylation reagent, 2-methylnicotinic acid imidazolide (NAI). This 2'-OH-NAI adduct is further probed by a 32P-labeled primer extension and resolved by polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (PAGE). Conversely, 2'-OH acylation in in-cell SHAPE takes place in situ with SMN-C2 bound cellular RNA in living cells. The pre-mRNA sequence of exon 7 in the SMN2 gene, along with SHAPE-induced mutations in the primer extension, was then amplified by PCR and subject to next-generation sequencing. Comparing the two methodologies, in vitro SHAPE is a more cost-effective method and does not require computational power to visualize results. However, the in vitro SHAPE-derived RNA model sometimes deviates from the secondary structure in a cellular context, likely due to the loss of all interactions with RNA-binding proteins. In-cell SHAPE does not need a radioactive material workplace and yields a more accurate RNA secondary structure in the cellular context. Furthermore, in-cell SHAPE is usually applicable for a larger range of RNA sequences (~1,000 nucleotides) by utilizing next-generation sequencing, compared to in vitro SHAPE (~200 nucleotides) that usually relies on PAGE analysis. In case of exon 7 in SMN2 pre-mRNA, the in vitro and in-cell SHAPE derived RNA models are similar to each other.
Active and Reactive Power Compensation using a PEV-Based Three-Level Capacitor Clamped Inverter

In this paper, a capacitor clamped three-level inverter, interfacing plug-in electric vehicle (PEV) battery into the grid, is utilized to compensate for active and reactive power of the load. To achieve this goal, a double-loop control strategy is proposed in this paper. For compensating active and reactive power from the PEV’s battery, an exclusive phase detector control loop is utilized along with a novel pulse width modulation (PWM) scheme to generate suitable switching signals for the multilevel inverter (MLI). Also, the effect of the proposed compensation method on the battery’s state of charge is investigated in this paper. The simulation results are presented to evaluate the validity of the proposed strategy.
Reality and risk: A refutation of S. Rendón’s analysis of the Peruvian Truth and Reconciliation Commission’s conflict mortality study:

We refute S. Rendon’s recent criticism of the 2003 Peruvian Truth and Reconciliation Commission (TRC) conflict mortality study. We first show that his most important result, an alternative estimate...
The landscape of multiscale transcriptomic networks and key regulators in Parkinson’s disease

Genetic and genomic studies have advanced our knowledge of inherited Parkinson's disease (PD), however, the etiology and pathophysiology of idiopathic PD remain unclear. Herein, we perform a meta-analysis of 8 PD postmortem brain transcriptome studies by employing a multiscale network biology approach to delineate the gene-gene regulatory structures in the substantia nigra and determine key regulators of the PD transcriptomic networks. We identify STMN2, which encodes a stathmin family protein and is down-regulated in PD brains, as a key regulator functionally connected to known PD risk genes. Our network analysis predicts a function of human STMN2 in synaptic trafficking, which is validated in Stmn2-knockdown mouse dopaminergic neurons. Stmn2 reduction in the mouse midbrain causes dopaminergic neuron degeneration, phosphorylated α-synuclein elevation, and locomotor deficits. Our integrative analysis not only begins to elucidate the global landscape of PD transcriptomic networks but also pinpoints potential key regulators of PD pathogenic pathways.
Abstract 148: Installation and Deployment of Automated External Defibrillators in New York State Schools

Introduction: AHA recommends that automated external defibrillators (AEDs) be made available in public areas with high likelihood of a sudden cardiac arrest (SCA). Only 18 US states have regulation...
The Connection Between Low-Temperature Kinetics and Life

The title is not my invention, but I will try to do what I was told and describe some of the connections between phenomena observed at low temperatures and reactions taking place near 300 K. We are often asked: Why perform experiments on proteins at temperatures as low as 2 K when life takes place at much higher temperatures? The answer is obvious. Even a simple biological phenomenon such as the binding of O2 to hemoglobin is in reality a very complex process in which many different parts of the protein participate. Near 300 K all participating reactions are delicately balanced and they occur in such a way that it is difficult to separate the individual components. By lowering the temperature, the component processes can be studied individually. Low temperatures are important to explore the individual steps.
The safety of iodine supplementation for our children

The benefits of diet supplementation to prevent iodine deficiency disorders are understood, but adverse effects also occur, including thyrotoxicosis and thyroiditis causing hypothyroidism. Previous evidence iodine-induced thyroiditis has come from experimental studies, pathological series, and cross-sectional epidemiological surveys. In the current study of three Chinese populations in regions with mildly deficient, more than adequate, and excessive iodine intake, Teng et al. have identified small, but significantly higher incidences of thyroid autoimmunity and subclinical hypothyroidism with higher iodine intakes, but no higher incidence of overt hypothyroidism. These findings are reassuring from the clinical and public health perspectives, confirming that iodization programs yield great benefits with little risk to human health. Key words: Iodine deficiency disorders; Iodine; Hypothyroidism; Thyroiditis
Intellectual Completion Tracking System Micro-architecture for Advanced NoC Designs

The increase in the number of processing elements on network-on-chip (NoC) demands high throughput and low latency with constraints on the area of the chip. Network Interface (NI) is one of the fundamental and performance-hungry blocks in an NoC. NI is responsible for handling acknowledgments for its requests. To handle acknowledgments in an NI, NoC must have a Completion Tracking System block. Completion Tracking System with static queues is prone to huge areas and low throughput. This paper presents an Intellectual Completion Tracking System (ICTS) which can handle multiple outstanding transactions from different initiators and assists in generating the responses from network interfaces, which caters to the network interface between PCI interfaces and nonstandard PCI interfaces.
Committing Before Cohabiting: Pathways to Marriage Among Middle-Class Couples:

This study investigates why cohabitation is so common even among those most committed to marriage. To understand the variety of meanings to co-residence, this study interviewed each member of 23 he...
Region vs. System-Based Anatomy: Efficacy and Implementation

Most basic medical science disciplines follow a system-based teaching module, including components of anatomy, such as microscopic and developmental anatomy.Gross anatomy’s transformation from a region-based to a system-based module is a natural transition that enables the building of a cohesive and integrated curricular experience and demonstrably enhances understanding of other basic science and clinical courses. This study is designed to address the efficacy and practicality of the system-based anatomy teaching module implemented at the University of South Florida/Morsani College of Medicine since 2006.As such, the overall impacts of this curricular change on student performance in anatomy, USMLEPart1 and part II, and on course rating were examined. It utilizes the concepts of spaced repetition and peer-to-peer teaching, enhancingleadership capabilities, and solidifying vertical and horizontal integration. To maximize its efficacy, this module was reinforced by the introduction of ultrasound-based, procedure-based and radiography-based anatomy teaching.We have demonstrated that a system-based anatomy is an efficient, dynamic teaching curriculum that offers asuccessful avenue for long-term retention, decreaseslearners’workload, strengthens understanding of the anatomical basis of disease processes, fosters the skills necessary to perform surgical procedures, and improves learners’ performance in both university and national exams.
Method for Horizontal Calibration of Laser-Projection Transnasal Fiberoptic High-Speed Videoendoscopy

Objective: Calibrated horizontal measurements (e.g., mm) from endoscopic procedures could be utilized for advancement of evidence-based practice and personalized medicine. However, the size of an object in endoscopic images is not readily calibrated and depends on multiple factors, including the distance between the endoscope and the target surface. Additionally, acquired images may have significant non-linear distortion that would further complicate calibrated measurements. This study used a recently developed in vivo laser-projection fiberoptic laryngoscope and proposes a method for calibrated spatial measurements. Method: A set of circular grids was recorded at multiple working distances. A statistical model was trained that would map from pixel length of the object, the working distance, and the spatial location of the target object into its mm length. Result: A detailed analysis of the performance of the proposed method is presented. The analyses have shown that the accuracy of the proposed method does not depend on the working distance and length of the target object. The estimated average magnitude of error was 0.27 mm, which is three times lower than the existing alternative. Conclusion: The presented method can achieve sub-millimeter accuracy in horizontal measurement. Significance: Evidence-based practice and personalized medicine could significantly benefit from the proposed method. Implications of the findings for other endoscopic procedures are also discussed.
Postoperative Care for the Adult Cardiac Surgery Patient

The postoperative management of cardiac surgery patients is complicated and requires insight into the physiologic disturbances that are common in this population. Furthermore, conditions change in the immediate perioperative period as the patient recovers from cardiopulmonary bypass (CPB). In order to ensure stability through this transition, the critical-care team must have a sound understanding of cardiopulmonary physiology, pathophysiology, clinical sequelae of cardiopulmonary bypass, and consequences of intraoperative decisions and their management in the cardiac intensive care unit (ICU). In this brief chapter, targeted at the anesthesia trainee, we discuss the standard management of the postoperative cardiac surgical patient.
Evaluation of artificial intelligence systems for assisting neurologists with fast and accurate annotations of scalp electroencephalography data.

Abstract Background Assistive automatic seizure detection can empower human annotators to shorten patient monitoring data review times. We present a proof-of-concept for a seizure detection system that is sensitive, automated, patient-specific, and tunable to maximise sensitivity while minimizing human annotation times. The system uses custom data preparation methods, deep learning analytics and electroencephalography (EEG) data. Methods Scalp EEG data of 365 patients containing 171,745 s ictal and 2,185,864 s interictal samples obtained from clinical monitoring systems were analysed as part of a crowdsourced artificial intelligence (AI) challenge. Participants were tasked to develop an ictal/interictal classifier with high sensitivity and low false alarm rates. We built a challenge platform that prevented participants from downloading or directly accessing the data while allowing crowdsourced model development. Findings The automatic detection system achieved tunable sensitivities between 75.00% and 91.60% allowing a reduction in the amount of raw EEG data to be reviewed by a human annotator by factors between 142x, and 22x respectively. The algorithm enables instantaneous reviewer-managed optimization of the balance between sensitivity and the amount of raw EEG data to be reviewed. Interpretation This study demonstrates the utility of deep learning for patient-specific seizure detection in EEG data. Furthermore, deep learning in combination with a human reviewer can provide the basis for an assistive data labelling system lowering the time of manual review while maintaining human expert annotation performance. Funding IBM employed all IBM Research authors. Temple University employed all Temple University authors. The Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai employed Eren Ahsen. The corresponding authors Stefan Harrer and Gustavo Stolovitzky declare that they had full access to all the data in the study and that they had final responsibility for the decision to submit for publication.
Implementing structured handoffs to verify operating room blood delivery using a quality academy training program: an interrupted time-series analysis.

BACKGROUND Blood transfusion is a complex process at risk for error. OBJECTIVE To implement a structured handoff during the blood transfusion process to improve delivery verification. METHODS A multidisciplinary team participated in the quality academy training program at an academic medical center and implemented a structured handoff of blood delivery to the operating room (OR) using Plan-Do-Study-Act cycles between 28 October 2019 and 1 December 2019. An interrupted time-series analysis was performed to investigate the proportions of verified deliveries (primary outcome) and of verified deliveries among those without a handoff (secondary outcome). Delivery duration was also assessed. RESULTS A total of 2606 deliveries occurred from 1 July 2019 to 19 April 2020. The baseline trend for verified deliveries was unchanging [parameter coefficient -0.0004; 95% confidence interval (CI) -0.002 to 0.001; P = 0.623]. Following intervention, there was an immediate level change (parameter coefficient 0.115; 95% CI 0.053 to 0.176; P = 0.001) without slope change (parameter coefficient 0.002; 95% CI -0.004 to 0.007; P = 0.559). For the secondary outcome, there was no immediate level change (parameter coefficient -0.039; 95% CI -0.159 to 0.081; P = 0.503) or slope change (parameter coefficient 0.002; 95% CI -0.022 to 0.025; P = 0.866). The mean (SD) delivery duration during the intervention was 12.4 (2.8) min and during the post-intervention period was 9.6 (1.6) min (mean difference 2.8; 95% CI 0.9 to 4.8; P = 0.008). CONCLUSION Using the quality academy framework supported the implementation of a structured handoff during blood delivery to the OR, resulting in a significant increase in verified deliveries.
Arts majors and the Great Recession: a cross-sectional analysis of educational choices and employment outcomes

This study uses American Community Survey data to examine the impact of the Great Recession on college graduates majoring in the arts. Arts graduates play important roles in an economy, through both artistic creation and in careers outside of the arts. While the Great Recession took a significant toll on the US economy generally, arts majors faced additional vulnerabilities as industries that rely on discretionary spending, like the arts and entertainment, are especially hard hit in times of economic downturn. This paper assesses the impact of graduating during or shortly after the recession relative to graduating shortly before this period on educational choices, including choice of major, double majoring, and completing an advanced degree, and career outcomes, including employment status, type of employment, hours worked, and earnings, for college graduates majoring in the arts. Graduating before or after the recession is found to have a negative impact on the share of graduates majoring in traditional arts fields, but a positive impact on the share majoring in related creative fields. Using a difference-in-difference estimation strategy, relative to non-art college graduates, traditional arts majors graduating during or after the Great Recession are more likely to complete a double major, be self-employed, be unemployed, work longer hours, and earn less income than those graduating prior to the recession. These impacts are likely to have a negative effect on the pipeline of college-educated artists working in the arts into the future.
New Neutron Imaging Facility development at the Penn State Breazeale Nuclear Reactor

Preliminary results of characterization experiments for the New Neutron Imaging Facility (NIF) that is being developed at the Penn State Breazeale Nuclear reactor are presented in the following sections. The methodology of neutron beam characterization described in the American Society for Testing and Materials (ASTM) documents for the neutron imaging systems have been followed to improve the NIF at Penn State to a Category I facility by ASTM designation of quality. Preliminary results showed that our system is capable of producing images of high quality, corresponding to Category I; however, further experiments are needed for full declaration of our facility as such. Additionally, the effective collimation ratio (L/D ratio) of our current system is ∼110 with the capability of improvement to ∼150. The thermal flux at the exit surface of the neutron beam is equal to 5.4 × 106 n cm −2 s −1 at 1MWth reactor power, which corresponds to the industry comparable value.
Do Reward and Drive Neurons Exist

Brain stimulation and lesion studies have shown that a bundle of pathways extending bidirectionally from the medulla to the telencephalon through the lateral hypothalamus may contain the axons of a set of reward neurons. In self-stimulation experiments stimulation of these pathways caused reward behavior; in lesion studies, cutting them suspended it temporarily and modified it permanently. Lesions removing much of the forebrain showed that at least some of the critical neurons did not have their cell bodies in the front end of this system. Other experiments gave strong but not yet compelling evidence that two or three families of catecholamine-containing neurons with cell bodies at the back end of the system and widely broadcast axons might be the neurons in question. “Unit recording” studies pointed to different neurons which monitored the bidirectional bundle in midcourse at the hypothalamic level as being possibly drive neurons. These were active in striving animals, further activated by conditioned stimuli associated with rewards, but silenced by several different kinds of rewards. Indirect evidence suggested that these were excited also by visceral and/or hormonal inputs; and that their axons might become connected during development and learning to cell assemblies in the cortex and basal ganglia, possibly to cell assemblies active at the time of their being “silenced” by rewards. The wide ramifications of the supposed reward axons suggested that besides “inhibiting drives” there might also be other functions. The most likely ones would be to stamp in sensory-motor connections (possibly in the cerebellum), to motivate the “replay” of sequential behavior memories (possibly in the hippocampus), and to “charge” (or connect drives to) cell assemblies active at the time of reward (possibly in the neocortex).
Review of National and International Consensuses on Chronic Lymphedema

Consensus documents are produced in an effort to help move a field forward and/or to offer to patients the best evidence/expert-based treatment approaches. The results can be positive, by promoting clearly beneficial options in the face of multiple choices, but they can also be harmful by limiting therapeutic options and stifling research for future advances. Some physicians, policy-makers, and patients desire documents with clear unalterable protocols, whereas an equal cohort exists that believe that these documents confine and distort the practice of medicine. An inherent problem that will not easily be resolved is that these types of guidelines are based on studies of populations of patients and generate protocols appropriate for a range of patients. However, each patient brings his or her own individual constellation of issues and findings, rendering it impossible for a consensus to address each item. Therefore, sound clinical judgment and modification will always be required.
Award Winning Research Papers in Psychiatry & Behavioral Science Introduction

While the stated purpose of the AAFS Psychiatry & Behavioral Science Section Award for the Best Paper by a Fellow in Forensic Psychiatry/Psychology and for the paper(s) that earn Honorable Mention in the Award processes is to encourage research in the new generation of forensic psychiatrists/psychologists, there is a secondary aim. That secondary goal is to encourage research among established practitioners who do not regard themselves as researchers. It is hoped that, by demonstrating that respectable research is possible by the most junior members of the profession, more experienced practitioners will take courage and apply themselves constructively to the data readily at their disposal.
Coherent state quantum key distribution based on entanglement sudden death

A method for quantum key distribution (QKD) using entangled coherent states is discussed which is designed to provide key distribution rates and transmission distances surpassing those of traditional entangled photon pair QKD by exploiting entanglement sudden death. The method uses entangled electromagnetic signal states of `macroscopic' average photon numbers rather than single photon or entangled photon pairs, which have inherently limited rate and distance performance as bearers of quantum key data. Accordingly, rather than relying specifically on Bell inequalities as do entangled photon pair-based methods, the security of this method is based on entanglement witnesses and related functions.
Dose–Response Modeling of Clustered Data

Clustered data refer to a set of correlated responses. For example, different animals represent different genetic values inherited from parents that may also be nested within herds or spatial entities. Clustered data also result from study designs, such as repeated observations on the same subject or sampling from correlated subsamples. A great deal of statistical research on dose response modeling of clustered data is devoted to animal reproductive and developmental toxicity studies. In developmental toxicity experiments, chemicals are administered to the dam (female animal), but the observations are made on individual fetuses. The clustering of fetuses within the litters induces the cluster (litter) effect. Modeling the clustered data should account for the correlation among the individual responses within a cluster to draw valid and efficient inferences. Two common approaches for fitting dose response models to clustered data are the likelihood-based and generalized estimating equations (GEE) (or quasi-likelihood) approaches. Keywords: beta-binomial; generalized estimating equation (GEE); quasi-likelihood estimation; risk assessment; clustered data; Reproductive/developmental toxicity studies
Ferroelectricity in perovskitelike NaCaF 3 predicted ab initio

The ability of zero-stress simulations, using Gordon-Kim pair potentials, to describe the structures and transformations of known fluoride-based perovskites is demonstrated for the case of ${\mathrm{KCaF}}_{3}$. When ${\mathrm{K}}^{+}$ is replaced by ${\mathrm{Na}}^{+}$ a new ferroelectric crystal isomorphous with ${\mathrm{LiNbO}}_{3}$ is predicted. The equivalent relationships of the ferroelectric lithium niobate structure with the perovskite and antiperovskite structures are examined. A polarization of 21 \ensuremath{\mu}C/${\mathrm{cm}}^{2}$ at room temperature and a transition temperature of 550 K are predicted for ${\mathrm{NaCaF}}_{3}$. Surface effects are examined in simulations of a 1080-ion cluster.
Apparent Interlaminar Shear Strength of Epoxy and Vinyl Ester Composites

The interlaminar shear strength characteristics of unidirectional E-glass fiber/epoxy and vinyl ester composites were investigated. The short-beam flexure test (ASTM D-2344) was utilized for comparing the performance characteristics of the two systems. It was found that E-glass fiber/epoxy composite has higher interlaminar shear strength compared to the vinyl ester composite in dry condition. However, for short-term hygrothermal condition, the retained shear strength values were nearly the same. Optical photomicrography revealed that interlaminar shear damage primarily consisted of fiber-matrix interfacial debonding and matrix cracking. Voids were found to have adverse effect on interlaminar shear strength. The influence of voids was studied in relation to mode II crack or damage propagation.
A new MIMO detector for iterative decoding with multiple antenna systems

Recent research has shown that it is possible to achieve near capacity performance with multiple antennas using iterative techniques with an outer channel code. For the iterative multi-input multi-output (MIMO) system to operate at extremely high data rates, the design and development of practically feasible inner MIMO detector is an important issue. A new soft-input soft-output MIMO detector is presented in this paper. A tree-like algorithm is developed by arranging the maximum a posteriori equations in a specific form, The algorithm exploits the concepts of ordering, symbol cancellation, interference nulling and multiple quantization, which have been very successful in Vertical Bell laboratories layered space time (V-Blast) system. Monte-Carlo simulations are presented analyzing different aspects of the soft detector. The performance is also compared with other well-known iterative methods including the modified sphere decoder used with outer convolutional and turbo codes. Results presented show that the detector not only has very good performance, but also has many practical advantages, compared to other methods, like an ability to easily control performance-complexity tradeoff
Aryl Hydrocarbon Receptor Activation Synergistically Induces Lipopolysaccharide-Mediated Expression of Proinflammatory Chemokine (c–c motif) Ligand 20

The Ah receptor (AHR) is directly involved in the regulation of both innate and adaptive immunity. However, these activities are poorly understood at the level of gene regulation. The chemokine (c-c motif) ligand 20 (CCL20) plays a nonredundant role in the chemoattraction of C-C motif receptor 6 expressing cells (eg, T cells and others). A survey of promoter regions of chemokine genes revealed that there are several putative dioxin responsive elements in the mouse Ccl20 promoter. The addition of an AHR agonist along with lipopolysaccharide (LPS) to cultured primary peritoneal macrophages results in synergistic induction of both Ccl20 mRNA and protein, compared with each compound alone. Through the use of macrophage cultures derived from Ahr(-) (/) (-) and Ahr(nls/nls) mice, it was established that expression of the AHR and its ability to translocate into the nucleus are necessary for AHR ligand-mediated synergistic induction of Ccl20. Gel shift analysis determined that a potent tandem AHR binding site ~3.1 kb upstream from the transcriptional start site can efficiently bind the AHR/ARNT (aryl hydrocarbon receptor/AHR nuclear translocator) heterodimer upon activation with a number of AHR agonists. Furthermore, studies reveal that LPS increases AHR levels on the Ccl20 promoter while decreasing HDAC1 occupancy. The level of Ccl20 constitutive expression in the colon is greatly attenuated in Ahr(-) (/) (-) mice. These studies suggest that the presence of AHR ligands during localized inflammation may augment chemokine expression, thus participating in the overall response to pathogens.
Prominent R wave in ECG lead V1 predicts improvement of left ventricular ejection fraction after cardiac resynchronization therapy in patients with or without left bundle branch block

Background QRS morphology on postprocedural ECG indicating posterolateral left ventricular pacing may be predictive of response to cardiac resynchronization therapy (CRT). Objective The purpose of this study was to assess whether a positive vector in V1 and/or negative vector in lead I on the first postprocedural ECG, suggesting posterolateral capture from CRT, correlates with improvement in left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF). Methods A retrospective chart review was conducted on all patients who underwent CRT implantation at our institution between April 2008 and December 2011. Biventricular (BiV) paced QRS morphology was defined as R/S ≥1 in V1 and/or R/S ≤ 1 in lead I. The primary outcome was improvement of LVEF ≥7.5%. The χ2 and t tests were used for analysis. Results Of 68 patients, 49 (72%) met our BiV paced QRS morphology criteria. Thirty-four of these 49 patients (69%) had improvement in LVEF. Of the 19 patients who did not meet our criteria, 17 (89%) did not have an improvement in LVEF (sensitivity 94%, specificity 53%, χ2 = 19.04, P Conclusion Our results highlight the importance of periprocedural ECG analysis to optimize response to CRT. Moreover, patients without left bundle branch block still benefited from CRT if they met our BiV paced morphology criteria. This suggests that postprocedural left ventricular activation as reflected on the ECG may supersede the baseline conduction delay.
Deoxyribonucleic Acid-Ribonucleic Acid Hybridization Studies on the l-Arabinose Operon of Escherichia coli B/r

An increase in the rate of synthesis of ara-specific messenger ribonucleic acid as measured by deoxyribonucleic acid-ribonucleic acid hybridization has been detected in the induced wild-type (ara+) strain of Escherichia coli B/r as compared with the uninduced control, thus providing evidence that regulation of the positively controlled l-arabinose operon is at the level of transcription.
Institutional economics and behavioral finance

Abstract Finance, while largely emerging out of economics, has tended to overlook its own intellectual history. Perhaps because of this lack of attention to its intellectual history, an important connection between two important schools of thought, one in finance (behavioral finance) and the other in economics (institutional economics), appears to have been largely overlooked. The parallels between the two schools of thought are striking. Institutionalism arose in opposition to the orthodoxy of mainstream microeconomic though being developed by such neoclassical economists as Jevons (1871) and Marshall (1890) . Institutionalism rejected the idea of universal economic “laws” or theoretical systems. Rather, its adherents argued that economic behavior was hugely influenced by the participant’s historical, social and institutional context. According to these adherents, understanding such behavior required an interdisciplinary approach. Mainstream finance’s basic modern portfolio theory model began with Markowitz’s classic 1952 article. In the next twenty years the Capital Asset Pricing Model (CAPM) took shape. Behavioral finance is said to trace its roots back to a 1972 article by Slovic. Behavioral finance arose as an attempt to explain apparent inconsistencies between orthodox finance theory and real world financial market behavior. Clearly both institutionalists and behavioralists are operating outside of the main stream of their discipline. Both believe that their view of reality is more realistic than that of the mainstream models. Both can cite a host of theoretical and empirical evidence to support their viewpoint. Both argue for a multidimensional (especially psychological) approach. Both see the mainstream approach as too simplistic. Both are criticized by the mainstream for their ad hoc approach and lack of a central theoretical model.
Is Administratively Coded Comorbidity and Complication Data in Total Joint Arthroplasty Valid

Background Administrative claims data are increasingly being used in public reporting of provider performance and health services research. However, the concordance between administrative claims data and the clinical record in lower extremity total joint arthroplasty (TJA) is unknown.
Recombination in bacteriophage T4

Several multifactor crosses have been performed in which all segregating genotypes were identified. The genetic map of T4 and mapping techniques are re-evaluated in light of the finding that double-mutant recombinants occur less frequently than those identified as wild-type. This difference is attributable to heterozygotes which exaggerate the latter class. Analysis of the crosses suggests that the mathematical mapping functions so far devised overcorrect for clustering of multiple crossovers, and in so doing predict more crossovers than actually occur. An 8-factor rII cross in which crossover estimates were based exclusively on double-mutant recombinants shows that the high negative interference (HNI) observed in mass lysates is not an artifact of the method used to enumerate recombinants. Experiments to investigate the cause of HNI include parallel 8-factor rII crosses between alternating point mutations and deletions. One cross was performed in the presence of inhibitory concentrations of fluorouracil deoxyriboside, the other in its absence. Based on double-mutant recombination frequencies, neither case showed a difference in the coefficient of coincidence for insertion of a point mutant between two deletions and for insertion of a deletion between two point mutants. Either insertion heteroduplexes are not involved in formation of double crossovers, or deletion heteroduplexes (not observed among progeny phages) are efficiently repaired. Analysis of single-burst progenies of cells infected with a partial phage genome and a helper phage shows a 6.8-fold increase in recombination frequency near the ends of the partial phage genome. It is suggested that the HNI observed in mass lysates is a population genetics artifact accounted for by the increased frequency of recombination near ends of DNA molecules.
Hostile territory: employers’ unwillingness to accommodate transgender employees

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to enhance the understanding of employers’ responses to the restroom requests of transgender employees, and to assess the ability as educators to reduce transphobia in the students. Design/methodology/approach – Subjects were 194 undergraduate business students at a medium-sized public university in the northeastern USA who were enrolled in an undergraduate course in organizational behavior. During class, they read a brief case which asked the students to play the role of a CEO in Little Rock, Arkansas, receiving a complaint from a female employee about using the same restroom as a coworker who is transitioning from male to female. Findings – The most inclusive response was also the rarest, with only 27 percent of students recommending unisex bathrooms. Hostile actions, forcing the transitioning employee to use the men's restroom, were recommended by 38 percent of those who correctly realized that an employee would be unprotected by sexual orientation discrimination ...
Open-Loop Response of a Burning Liquid Monopropellant

A direct comparison was obtained between the theoretical and experimental response of a burning liquid monopropellant surface to imposed pressure oscillations. The comparison extended beyond the quasi-steady frequency regime into the range where the combustion process interacts with the thermal wave in the liquid phase. The theory considered both gas and liquid-phase transient effects, involving a numerically integrated, first-order perturbation analysis. The experiment employed hydrazine as the test fuel, burning as a strand. With kinetic parameters fixed by steady burning rate measurements, the model gave good predictions of liquid-phase temperature distributions during steady combustion as well as the amplitude and phase of the oscillatory component of the burning rate in the presence of imposed pressure oscillations. The combustion response tends to peak in two frequency ranges; one corresponding to interaction with liquid-phase transient effects, which could be verified both theoretically and experimentally; the second corresponding to gas-phase transient effects, which could only be examined theoretically. Both ranges provide conditions where the amplifying power is sufficient to drive combustion instability.
CAPABLE trial: A randomized controlled trial of nurse, occupational therapist and handyman to reduce disability among older adults: Rationale and design

Background As the population ages, it is increasingly important to test new models of care that improve life quality and decrease health costs. This paper presents the rationale and design for a randomized clinical trial of a novel interdisciplinary program to reduce disability among low income older adults based on a previous pilot trial of the same design showing strong effect.
Growth of Highly Ordered Colloidal Crystals Using Self-Assembly at Liquid−Liquid Interfaces

A novel approach for fabricating three-dimensional colloidal photonic crystals utilizing floating droplets with polystyrene colloids on fluorinated solvent.
The use of stereo X-ray and deply techniques for evaluating instability of composite cylindrical panels with delaminations

The buckling loads of eight-ply AS4/3501-6 graphite/epoxy cylindrical panels with delaminations were determined experimentally. The delaminations fabricated into the laminate with Mylar and Teflon inserts, represent the effect of low-velocity projectile impact damage. The Mylar was found to cause partial delamination while the Teflon inserts caused total delamination. Two types of insert positions were considered; eccentric or off-midsurface, and midsurface. The eccentric delaminations were placed progressively through the thickness of the laminate. STAGSC-1 finite-element computer code results for undelaminated composite panels were compared to the experimental results to obtain a percent strength degradation. The experimental testing was accomplished by the Air Force Flight Dynamics Laboratory. The test device provided boundary conditions of clamped top and bottom edges and simply supported vertical sides. Two destructive techniques, stereo X-ray and deply, were used to determine the total delaminated areas and locations. Based in part on these results, one equivalent delamination was obtained corresponding to the total area of the multiple partial delaminations. The panels with multiple delaminations were found to be approximately five-percent weaker than a single delaminated area of the same total size.
Non-linear integral models with endogenous delay in economics and finance

Abstract Optimal control problem is investigated for non-linear integral equations with unknown function in the limits of integration. It describes the renewal of age-dependent capital in a multi-factor vintage capital model with endogenous capital cost and energy consumption.
Nuclear Magnetic Resonance of Diatomic Alkali Molecules in Optically Pumped Alkali Vapors

NMR signals from diatomic alkali molecules have been observed in optically pumped cesium and rubidium vapors. The nuclear relaxation times were found to be strongly dependent on the temperature and buffer-gas pressure. The relaxation time seems to be determined by at least two and possibly three major factors: motional narrowing of the molecular hyperfine structure, breakup of the diatomic molecules by collisions with buffer-gas atoms, and possibly chemical exchange of free atoms with atoms bound in the molecules.
Multi-modal aerial image registration using spatial structure

Image registration is an important step prior to data fusion from multiple imaging sensors. However, it is challenging because the appearance of the same scene differs in multimodal images. We introduce a robust registration method that establishes landmark correspondences when many outliers exist due to different image appearances in multi-modal images. The proposed matching method leverages the spatial order of detected landmarks that is preserved despite the non-linear deformation in remote-sensing data. We demonstrate that our matching algorithm is robust to outliers in real multi-modal image pairs.
DERIV: A Computer Program for Calculating Pressure Derivatives for Use in Hydraulic Test Analysis

Hydrologie test analysis based on the derivative of pressure (i.e., rate of pressure change) with respect to the natural logarithm of time has been shown to significantly improve the diagnostic and quantitative analysis of slug and constant-rate pumping tests. The improvement in test analysis is attributed to the sensitivity of the derivative to small variations in the pressure change that occurs during testing, which would otherwise be less obvious with standard pressure change versus time analysis. The sensitivity of the pressure derivative to pressure change facilitates its use in identifying the effects of wellbore storage, boundaries, and establishment of radial flow conditions on the test. DERIV is a program for converting slug and pumping test data and associated type curves to derivative format. The program has features that permit the smoothing of noisy test data, accounts for pressure derivative end-effects, and can be used to convert slug test data to equivalent pumping test responses. Test examples that demonstrate the use of pressure derivatives also are provided.
Quality Care: Where We Came From and Where We Must Go

The focus of this new column will be to showcase innovative work that has advanced quality in areas of practice and care delivery that are of interest to the practicing oncology nurse. Examples include, but are not limited to, practice environment innovation, patient outcomes and experiences of care, team effectiveness, and unit-based or institutionwide system changes.