cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
CuMn1.8O4 protective coatings on metallic interconnects for prevention of Cr-poisoning in solid oxide fuel cells

Abstract Cr-poisoning of the cathodes due to the presence of metallic interconnects is detrimental to the performance of intermediate temperature solid oxide fuel cell stacks. Applying a protective coating on the interconnect is an effective solution to preventing Cr-poisoning. In this study, the application of a protective CuMn1.8O4 spinel coating is explored. Dense coatings are deposited on both metallic flat plates and meshes by electrophoretic deposition followed by thermal densification steps. The coating is found to be a mixture of Mn3O4 and cubic spinel phases at room temperature but is a pure cubic spinel phase between 750 °C and 850 °C. A reaction layer between the Cr2O3 scale at the coating/interconnect interface and CuMn1.8O4 coating is found to be a mixture of (Cu,Mn,Cr)3-xO4 cubic spinel phases with Cr-rich precipitates believed to be Cr2O3, indicating that the coating layer acts as a Cr getter. Solubility experiments show that 1 mol of the CuMn1.8O4 phase can getter at least 1.83 mol of Cr2O3 at 800 °C. Electrochemical testing of cells in the presence of coated interconnects show that the CuMn1.8O4 coating getters Cr effectively for 12 days at 800 °C, leading to no performance loss of the cell due to Cr-poisoning.
From structure to process: Do students' own construction of their classroom drive their learning?

Abstract Student perceptions of their classroom interactions play an important role in understanding how students learn. This paper tests whether student perceptions of the quality of classroom interactions explained the association between observed instructional practices and two outcomes: mathematics achievement and effort. The sample included 2986 students in 176 middle school math classrooms and 3269 students in 322 elementary school math classrooms from the Measures of Effective Teaching dataset. Observations measured emotional support, instructional support, and classroom management, and students were surveyed on their perceptions of the quality of classroom interactions and their effort. Multilevel structural equation models showed: (1) classroom rated higher on classroom organization (controlling for other dimensions) were associated with higher student achievement, and (2) observations of emotional support were associated with student perceptions of the quality of classroom interactions. Findings suggest that students' subjective experiences of classroom interactions influence their learning and behavior.
Sensing and manipulation problems in endoscopic surgery: Experiment, analysis, and observation

The minimally invasive nature of endoscopic surgery allows operations to be performed through small incisions, producing significantly less damage to good tissue than in conventional open surgery. Patient recovery times are thus greatly reduced. This major advantage has driven a dramatic growth of endoscopic techniques in a wide range of surgical applications. Unfortunately, the surgeon's abilities are severely hampered by the limitations of current endoscopic technology. In many ways endoscopic surgery is similar to teleoperation of a remote manipulator. Although the surgeon is physically close to the patient, the surgical environment is effectively “remote,” with sensing and manipulation transmitted through the endoscope and long instruments. Existing solutions from teleoperation applications could likely be applied to endoscopic surgery. This paper attempts to identify the major problems of current endoscopic technology, particularly in vision and manipulation. Vision issues are discussed in the first half, motivated by an experiment comparing surgeons' performance under different visual conditions. Surgeon subjects perform a three-dimensional positioning task with binocular direct vision, monocular direct vision, and a video endoscope. The lack of a stereoscopic view through the endoscope significantly slows performance of the tasks, but there are additional factors that make endoscopic viewing worse than monocular direct viewing. Relevant previous results which demonstrate the significance of interocular spacing in stereo viewing and the effect of display-control axes misalignment are also discussed. Issues of endoscopic manipulation are discussed in the second half of this paper, motivated by a suturing task comparing surgeons' performance with hand and endoscopic instruments. The constraint of endoscopic instruments' passing through the skin reduces their usable degrees of freedom and significantly increases the time to tie a suture knot. Kinematics of endoscopic instruments are compared to the human hand and arm. A model of the surgeon's precision grasp demonstrates the role of stiffness in fine motion control as an example of an advantage of the hand which is lost in the use of endoscopic instruments. The work described in this paper represents an initial effort in identifying problems and evaluating solutions in endoscopic surgery based on objective measurement of performance.
TIME-DEPENDENT FATIGUE CRACK PROPAGATION IN INCONEL 718 SUPERALLOYS

ABSTRACT Fatigue crack propagation (FCP) behavior of a commercial high-strength superalloy, Inconel 718, has been studied in the temperature range from 400 to 650°C. Phenomenologically, the crack growth can be divided into two regimes: cycle-dependence and time-dependence. At low temperatures or under fast fatigue frequencies, crack growth rate (da/dN) is only determined by the cyclic stress intensity, ΔK, and the crack propagates transgranularly. An increase in the temperature and cycle period would cause the acceleration of crack growth, and the fracture mode becomes intergranular. The mechanism of time-dependent FCP is attributed to the crack tip embrittlement by the air environment. The improvement on the time-dependent FCP, i.e., reducing the crack growth acceleration at low fatigue frequencies or retarding the transition from the cycle-dependent to the time-dependent regime, has been successfully achieved through two methods: chemistry modification and thermomechanical processing (TMP).
Correction to: The Role of Family Support in Facilitating Academic Success of Low-Income Students

The original version of this article unfortunately contained a mistake in the acknowledgement section. Some of the vital information is missing in the published article. The complete information is presented with this erratum.
Effect of dissolved mineral species on flocculation of sulfides

The results obtained for the selective flocculation of natural ores do not usually agree with the corresponding properties of the constituent minerals when present alone. This is mainly due to the presence of dissolved mineral species which can interact in many ways with other components in the system and alter their behavior. In this paper, the effect of dissolved species on the flocculation and electrokinetic properties of sulfide minerals is discussed. Dissolved iron, copper, and nickel (Fe, Cu, and Ni) species are found to affect the properties of natural chalcopyrite and pentlandite in certain pH range. These effects are interpreted in terms of species adsorption leading to activation or depression of reagents, surface precipitation, and complexation of species.
Top Ten Reasons to Be Optimistic About Privacy

Much has been written about the demise of privacy. There is no doubt that the notion of privacy has changed dramatically and continues to evolve. All, however, is not doom and gloom. While technology and societal changes have radically altered the environment in which privacy must survive, the same basic human needs and values continue to transform it into a new shape. Some of the momentum comes from the law itself, some from the business world, some from societal values, and some from new emphases in research. This paper will discuss the top ten reasons to be optimistic about the future of privacy.
A Hybrid Regression Model for Day-Ahead Energy Price Forecasting

Accurate forecast of the hourly spot price of electricity plays a vital role in energy trading decisions. However, due to the complex nature of the power system, coupled with the involvement of multi-variable, the spot prices are volatile and often difficult to forecast. Traditional statistical models have limitations in improving forecasting accuracies and reliably quantifying the spot electricity price under uncertain market conditions. This paper presents a hybrid model that combines the results from multiple linear regression (MLR) model with an auto-regressive integrated moving average (ARIMA) and Holt-Winters models for better forecasts. The proposed method is tested for the Iberian electricity market data set by forecasting the hourly day-ahead spot price with dataset duration of 7, 14, 30, 90, and 180 days. The results indicate that the hybrid model outperforms the benchmark models and offers promising results under most of the testing scenarios.
The Political Economy of Death: Do Coroners Perform as well as Medical Examiners in Determining Suicide?

The determination of death in the United States can have strong financial implications. For example, a declaration of suicide can nullify life insurance benefits. However, the intent of death may be made by an elected official who is not required to have any medical training. Medical examiners and coroners determine cause of death when the death is sudden, violent, or untimely. Consequently, these officials can affect counts of sudden infant death syndrome, homicide, and suicide in a state. This paper uses a difference-in-differences model to estimate the effect of elected coroners versus appointed medical examiners on a state’s suicide rate. Elected coroners need not receive training in 13 states, must receive initial and continuous training in 16 states, and are required to be physicians in 4 states. We exploit state policy changes to the minimum required training elected coroners must complete. Data on the underlying intent of death is collected from the CDC Wonder mortality files from 1968 - 2016. We find strong evidence that states with a centralized medical examiner reports between 11 - 16 percent higher rate of suicides than coroner controlled states. Likewise, coroner states with a state medical examiner report a similar increase in suicide rates of 11 percent.
HOXA9 Is a Novel Therapeutic Target in Multiple Myeloma.

Abstract 832 We hypothesized that new therapeutic targets for multiple myeloma (MM) could be discovered through the integrative computational analysis of genomic data. Accordingly, we generated gene expression profiling and copy number data on 250 clinically-annotated MM patient samples. Utilizing an outlier statistical approach, we identified HOXA9 as the top candidate gene for further investigation. HOXA9 expression was particularly high in patients lacking canonical MM chromosomal translocations, and allele-specific expression analysis suggested that this overexpression was mono-allelic. Indeed, focal copy number amplifications at the HOXA locus were observed in some patients. Outlier HOXA9 expression was further validated in both a collection of 52 MM cell lines and 414 primary patient samples previously described. To further verify the aberrant expression of HOXA9 in MM, we performed quantitative RT-PCR, which confirmed expression in all MM patients and cell lines tested, with high-level expression in a subset. To further investigate the mechanism of aberrant HOXA9 expression, we interrogated the pattern of histone modification at the HOXA locus because HOXA gene expression is particularly regulated by such chromatin marks. Accordingly, immunoprecipitation studies showed an aberrantly low level of histone 3 lysine 27 trimethylation marks (H3K27me3) at the HOXA9 locus. H3K27me3 modification is normally associated with silencing of HOXA9 in normal B-cell development. As such, it appears likely that the aberrant expression of HOXA9 in MM is due at least in part to defects in histone modification at this locus. To determine the functional consequences of HOXA9 expression in MM, we performed RNAi-mediated knock-down experiments in MM cell lines. Seven independent HOXA9 shRNAs that diminished HOXA9 expression resulted in growth inhibition of 12/14 MM cell lines tested. Taken together, these experiments indicate that HOXA9 is essential for survival of MM cells, and that the mechanism of HOXA9 expression relates to aberrant histone modification at the HOXA9 locus. The data thus suggest that HOXA9 is an attractive new therapeutic target for MM. Disclosures: No relevant conflicts of interest to declare.
Posterior dislocation of the shoulder

Posterior dislocation of the humerus is a diagnostic trap. Clinical and roentgenographic evidence of this lesion is always present, but usually escapes notice unless educed. Recent lesions, recognized and treated at once, respond rapidly and well to simple measures. Recurrent or unreduced lesions require operative treatment. Irreparable damage to the glenohumeral articulation does not always require arthrodesis. The most common actual and serious potential complication of posterior dislocation of the humerus is the failure to arrive at the correct diagnosis prior to commencing treatment. Some failures of surgical treatment for habitual anterior dislocation of the humeral head result from the fact that the recurrent episodes were in reality posterior subluxations of the humerus.
Prescription Opioid Misuse in US Older Adults: Associated Comorbidities and Reduced Quality of Life in the National Epidemiologic Survey of Alcohol and Related Conditions-III

Objective Prescription opioid misuse (POM) prevalence in US older adults (50 years and older) has increased, and preliminary evidence associates POM with poor outcomes. Despite this, little is known about the health-related quality of life, mental and physical health, and substance use profiles of older adults with current and/or past POM. The aim of this study was to evaluate differences in these variables by POM history in US older adults. Methods Data were from the 2012-2013 National Epidemiologic Survey of Alcohol and Related Conditions-III, using adults 50 years and older (n = 14,667). Respondents were grouped into mutually exclusive categories: no lifetime POM, prior-to-past-year POM, past-year POM, and persistent POM (ie, prior-to-past-year and past-year POM). Groups were compared using design-based linear regression on health-related quality of life and logistic regression on mental health, physical health, and substance use variables, controlling for sociodemographics. Results Older adults with persistent POM had the greatest impairment, including lower mental and physical health-related quality of life and high rates of past-year major depression (17.6%), emergency department use (42.7%), and any substance use disorder (37.4%). Older adults with past-year POM had high rates of physical health diagnoses and health care utilization (eg, 45.6% past-year overnight hospitalization), while those with prior-to-past-year POM had significant current psychopathology (eg, 13.7% with past-year major depression). Conclusions Older adults with persistent POM likely need multidisciplinary care for their significant physical and mental health and substance use conditions. Given the elevated psychopathology in those with persistent POM, psychiatrists are well placed to identify those with long-term POM.
Trends in Infant Pertussis Hospitalizations in the United States, 2009-2017.

This national database study compares pertussis hospitalizations among infants before and after the 2012 Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices recommendation that all pregnant women receive the tetanus toxoid, reduced diphtheria toxoid, and acellular pertussis vaccine.
Technological footprint similarity and firm performance

The existing literature has documented significant levels of technological similarity among firms in the same industry. However, there is no theory of how technological similarity affects firm perf...
Conformational Analysis of Selected [2.2]Heterophanes: A Comparison of Stereochemical Switching Via Computational Chemistry

Conformational switching of selected [2.2]heterophanes was investigated by computational chemistry. Analyses were carried out by various methods, including Conformational Search in HyperChem, and forced conformational transformations with Energy Profile in Spartan. Stable anti and syn conformers arising from flipping of aromatic rings within the molecules were observed. The activation energies of the ring flipping process, as well as dipole moments and directions, were obtained by molecular mechanics. The present work shows that simple computational techniques can be employed to screen certain compounds as potential candidates for molecular machinery. Thus, heterophanes demonstrated reversible shifts between two or more configurations which are energetically stable and have different electronic properties, constituting a basic requirement for possible applications as molecular switches.
Chapter 17 – Expenditure Incidence and Economy-Wide Incidence Studies

Chapter 17 has two distinct sets of topics. The first part offers an analysis of expenditure incidence that covers the incidence of transfer payments, decreasing cost services, and nonexclusive goods. The second part discusses economy-wide incidence studies. Highlighted are the Pechman and Okner sources and uses approach to tax incidence, computable general equilibrium models (briefly), the Auerbach and Kotlikoff analysis of tax incidence in a dynamic setting using an OLG model, and the Fullerton and Rodgers model of lifetime tax incidence. The Appendix to Chapter 17 on tax reform considers four broad-based tax reform proposals that are common in the economics literature, bringing together some theoretical results from previous chapters and then turning to other issues that are not discussed elsewhere in the text. These include whether income from capital should be taxed, Michael Kremer's call for aged-based marginal tax rates, and the general problem of commitment or time-inconsistency in second-best analysis with imperfect information.
Considering Genomic Scans for Selection as Coalescent Model Choice

First inspired by the seminal work of Lewontin and Krakauer (1973. Distribution of gene frequency as a test of the theory of the selective neutrality of polymorphisms. Genetics 74(1):175-195.) and Maynard Smith and Haigh (1974. The hitch-hiking effect of a favourable gene. Genet Res. 23(1):23-35.), genomic scans for positive selection remain a widely utilized tool in modern population genomic analysis. Yet, the relative frequency and genomic impact of selective sweeps have remained a contentious point in the field for decades, largely owing to an inability to accurately identify their presence and quantify their effects-with current methodologies generally being characterized by low true-positive rates and/or high false-positive rates under many realistic demographic models. Most of these approaches are based on Wright-Fisher assumptions and the Kingman coalescent and generally rely on detecting outlier regions which do not conform to these neutral expectations. However, previous theoretical results have demonstrated that selective sweeps are well characterized by an alternative class of model known as the multiple-merger coalescent. Taken together, this suggests the possibility of not simply identifying regions which reject the Kingman, but rather explicitly testing the relative fit of a genomic window to the multiple-merger coalescent. We describe the advantages of such an approach, which owe to the branching structure differentiating selective and neutral models, and demonstrate improved power under certain demographic scenarios relative to a commonly used approach. However, regions of the demographic parameter space continue to exist in which neither this approach nor existing methodologies have sufficient power to detect selective sweeps.
Parent Mental Models of Transition Related to Their Child’s Developmental Diagnosis

Previous research suggests that parents may experience higher levels of depression, stress, and uncertainty around the time when their child receives a diagnosis of a developmental disorder. However, there is mounting evidence that some parents experience positive transformation related to their child’s diagnosis. We used an exploratory mixed method design to elicit parents’ mental models related to their child’s developmental diagnosis. We analyzed parents’ responses to six open-ended online survey questions to gain insights about parents’ transition with respect to their child’s diagnosis. Our findings indicate that some parents’ mental models associated with their child’s developmental diagnosis change. We found that parents associate awareness of their child’s differences with feeling uncertain and wanting to search for information. Parents’ descriptions of adapting to a new state was associated with experiencing frustration and confusion with providers and other people outside of their immediate family. Parents’ expressed confidence and pride describing their experiences related to accepting their child’s diagnosis. Parents’ descriptions of acceptance often focused on greater understanding of their needs. Our results suggest that a three-stage model to describe parent transition is appropriate. Additionally, it appears that parent mental models related to their child’s developmental diagnosis evolve over time. Future studies should explore the ways in which gaining insight about parent mental models of transition may inform developing education and other supports for families.
Engaging the Media: Telling Our Operations Research Stories to the Public

Academic research occasionally captures the attention of the media. When this happens, there is a small window of opportunity to disseminate the real-world impact of our research and the value of our operations research and analytics expertise to the public. To do so, we must package our messages for public consumption. In this article, I summarize principles for interacting with the media, describe what various media interactions are like, and offer tips for capitalizing on one’s expertise. Finally, I reflect on what we have to offer to journalists and the value of telling our stories to the public.
Eutrophication Drives Extreme Seasonal CO2 Flux in Lake Ecosystems

Lakes process a disproportionately large fraction of carbon relative to their size and spatial extent, representing an important component of the global carbon cycle. Alterations of ecosystem function via eutrophication change the balance of greenhouse gas flux in these systems. Without eutrophication, lakes are net sources of CO2 to the atmosphere, but in eutrophic lakes this function may be amplified or reversed due to cycling of abundant autochthonous carbon. Using a combination of high-frequency and discrete sensor measurements, we calculated continuous CO2 flux during the ice-free season in 15 eutrophic lakes. We found net CO2 influx over our sampling period in 5 lakes (− 47 to − 1865 mmol m−2) and net efflux in 10 lakes (328 to 11,755 mmol m−2). Across sites, predictive models indicated that the highest efflux rates were driven by nitrogen enrichment, and influx was best predicted by chlorophyll a concentration. Regardless of whether CO2 flux was positive or negative, stable isotope analyses indicated that the dissolved inorganic carbon pool was not derived from heterotrophic degradation of terrestrial organic carbon, but from degradation of autochthonous organic carbon, mineral dissolution, and atmospheric uptake. Optical characterization of dissolved organic matter revealed an autochthonous organic matter pool. CO2 influx was correlated with autochthony, while efflux was correlated with total nitrogen and watershed wetland cover. Our findings suggest that CO2 uptake by primary producers during blooms can contribute to continuous CO2 influx for days to months. Conversely, eutrophic lakes in our study that were net sources of CO2 to the atmosphere showed among the highest rates reported in the literature. These findings suggest that anthropogenic eutrophication has substantially altered biogeochemical processing of carbon on Earth.
Applying Machine Learning to Aviation Big Data for Flight Delay Prediction

Flight delay has been a serious and widespread problem that needs to be solved. One promising solution is the flight delay prediction. Although big data analytics and machine learning have been applied successfully in many domains, their applications in aviation are limited. This paper presents a comprehensive study of flight delay spanning data pre-processing, data visualization and data mining, in which we develop several machine learning models to predict flight arrival delays. Two data sets were used, namely Airline On-Time Performance (AOTP) Data and Quality Controlled Local Climatological Data (QCLCD). This paper aims to recognize useful patterns of the flight delay from aviation data and perform accurate delay prediction. The best result for flight delay prediction (five classes) using machine learning models is 89.07% (Multilayer Perceptron). A Convolution neural network model is also built which is enlightened by the idea of pattern recognition and success of neural network method, showing a slightly better result with 89.32% prediction accuracy.
The National Shift to Sleeve Gastrectomy: Long-Term Disappointment and Recidivism or Patient Preference?

Laparoscopic sleeve gastrectomy (SG) has long been accepted as a primary procedure by the American Society of Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery (ASMBS). Currently, SG is being performed with increasing frequency, bypassing laparoscopic Roux-en-Y gastric bypass (GB) as the most commonly performed bariatric procedure in the United States. The long-term outcomes of SG among patients of advanced obesity are limited. This chapter will analyze the available data of SG compared to GB in regards to weight recidivism and its effects on diabetes mellitus (DM) and Gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) resolution.
Agrobiodiversity’s caring material practices as a symbolic frame for environmental governance in Colombia’s southern Tolima

Abstract Agrobiodiversity scholarship broadly examines plant-human interactions in agricultural landscapes and often concerns the governance of seed resources. This article pivots attention away from agrobiodiversity as a set of governable genetic resources to examine how the relational aspects of agrobiodiversity come to symbolize a future vision of environmental governance. Tolima residents are between two significant socio-environmental events: the 2016 Peace Accord ending decades of violent conflict and the development of an irrigation megaproject. This context creates space in which to imagine future governance relations. Drawing insights from political ecology-informed environmental governance and feminist care ethics, I show how caring material practices around native seeds translate into a vision for governance. The symbolic frame of agrobiodiversity promotes an alternative ordering of human-environment relations than that of export-oriented production, which has recently increased in southern Tolima. Methods included 42 interviews, 60 household surveys, and participant observation throughout 12 months. Findings illustrate that the caring material practices of agrobiodiversity particularly in seed exchanges, home gardens, and kitchens become a symbolic frame for environmental governance in which access to land, food, and community cohesion are ensured and protected. This research makes two contributions to the literature of agrobiodiversity. First, drawing on feminist care ethics, I argue that the caring material practices of agrobiodiversity create ‘care-full’ human-environment connections, especially important in the post-conflict context. Second, findings suggest that agrobiodiversity is not simply a set of plant materials to be governed, but also can have a strong symbolic function as a frame for environmental governance.
Power Systems Transient Stability Indices: Hierarchical Clustering Based Detection of Coherent Groups Of Generators.

Coherent groups of generators, i.e., machines with perfectly correlated rotor angles, play an important role in power system stability analysis. This paper introduces a real-time methodology based on hierarchical clustering techniques for discovering the degree of coherency among generators using the synchronization coefficient and the correlation coefficient of the generators' rotor angle as the coherency index. Furthermore, the Power Transient Stability Indices (PTSI) were employed to examine the versatile response of the power system. The method uses power systems transients Stability indices, i.e., power Connectivity Factor (CF) index which presents coherently strong generators within the groups, the power Separation Factor (SF) index which unveils to the extent that the generators in different groups tend to swing against the other groups in the event of a disturbance, and the overall system separation index which demonstrates the overall system separation status (CF/SF). The approach is assessed on an IEEE-39 test system with a fully dynamic model. The simulation results presented in this paper demonstrate the efficiency of the proposed approach.
Response to Comment on Nunley et al. Clinically Relevant Cognitive Impairment in Middle-Aged Adults With Childhood-Onset Type 1 Diabetes. Diabetes Care 2015;38:1768–1776

We would like to thank van Broekhoven and Nefs (1) for their thoughtful comment that depression may explain the high rate of cognitive impairment (28%) we reported among adults with type 1 diabetes (T1D) (2). As our objective was to investigate the biological correlates of cognitive impairment in this patient population, the original article did not address depression. We do, of course, agree that this is an important topic, with studies showing lingering deleterious effects of depression on cognition even after depressive symptoms subside (3). Even so, our knowledge regarding depressive symptoms in adults with childhood-onset T1D remains limited. We therefore appreciate this opportunity …
On the Distribution of the Zeros of an Entire Function

The following brief note was suggested by the problem of relating the order ρ and type τ of an entire function f(z) to the distribution function n(x) = {number of zeros of f in | z | < x}. It is known that [Titchmarsh, 2, p. 249] :
Insecticide resistance in Drosophila melanogaster in vineyards and evaluation of alternative insecticides.

BACKGROUND Cultivation of grapes is a major agricultural crop globally, particularly in support of the wine production industry which has significant economic impact in numerous countries. Sour rot is an economically important disease of grapes. It is caused by an interaction of yeast + acetic acid bacteria, and vectored by Drosophila spp. Substantial control of sour rot in wine grape vineyards has been achieved by control of Drosophila using insecticides such as zeta-cypermethrin. An outbreak of sour rot and high populations of Drosophila melanogaster were observed in 2018 in a vineyard in New York (Finger Lakes region), USA. Flies from this population were found to be resistant to zeta-cypermethrin (the active ingredient in Mustang Maxx®), but whether or not this was a widespread problem was not known. To determine if resistance was geographically limited, we surveyed populations of D. melanogaster collected from nine vineyards across New York State and one in Missouri (USA). We also evaluated 19 alternative insecticides for their potential use for control of D. melanogaster, by determining their toxicity to a susceptible strain and by examining cross-resistance using a field collected population. RESULTS There were high levels of resistance to zeta-cypermethrin, malathion and acetamiprid found in all populations sampled, and resistance to zeta-cypermethrin and malathion was stable over 33 months. Results from two vineyards also suggested that resistance to spinetoram was starting to evolve. The alternative insecticides we evaluated had LC50 values to the susceptible strain ranging from 0.65 to 15,000 ng/cm2 . CONCLUSION Resistance to zeta-cypermethrin, malathion and acetamiprid is geographically widespread and the levels of resistance are similar between early season and late season collections. Cross-resistance was detected against all the insecticides tested, with the lowest levels seen for broflanilide, fipronil and flumethrin. These patterns of resistance/cross-resistance/multiple resistance are discussed in terms of selection within and outside of vineyards. The implications of these results to insecticide resistance monitoring and management are discussed. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.
Mechanical and metabolic effects of insulin on newborn lamb myocardium

The effects of insulin on myocardial contractility (MC) and metabolism were studied in 18 newborn lambs. Cardiac work and rate were kept constant. Following insulin (80 units, intravenously), contractility increased and remained elevated for 1 hour. This was not prevented by beta blockade or glucose infusion. Myocardial extraction and uptake of glucose and nonesterified fatty acid (NEFA) increased, the arterial concentration of both decreased. But after glucose fell to less than 20 per cent of control, uptake of both glucose and NEFA declined as did MC. It is concluded that in the neonate insulin increases MC as well as substrate uptake.
Error Approximation in Mesoscale Material Property Field Representations

AbstractLocally averaged random fields can be used to represent composite material properties at an intermediate scale. These types of fields provide the basis for stochastic simulation to generate nominally identical realizations of random composite microstructures to be used in reliability analysis. One challenge in choosing an appropriate local averaging technique and mesoscale length parameter is the difficulty of quantifying the accuracy of the locally averaged model. Although mesoscale models may offer advantages over the use of a representative volume element (RVE), particularly in regions of high stress gradients, mesoscale approximations do not converge to an effective medium, so the accuracy of the mesoscale representation cannot be quantified. In this paper, a matrix norm error is developed to test locally averaged material property approximations where loading is not specified a priori. This norm-based approach illustrates the advantage of local averaging over global averaging when small-scale...
On multihop broadcast over adaptively duty-cycled wireless sensor networks

We consider the problem of multihop broadcast over adaptively duty-cycled wireless sensor networks (WSNs) where neighborhood nodes are not simultaneously awake. We present Hybrid-cast, an asynchronous and multihop broadcasting protocol, which can be applied to low duty-cycling or quorum-based duty-cycling schedule where nodes send out a beacon message at the beginning of wakeup slots. Hybrid-cast achieves better tradeoff between broadcast latency and broadcast count compared to previous broadcast solutions. It adopts opportunistic data delivery in order to reduce the broadcast latency. Meanwhile, it reduces redundant transmission via delivery deferring and online forwarder selection. We establish the upper bound of broadcast count and the broadcast latency for a given duty-cycling schedule. We evaluate Hybrid-cast through extensive simulations. The results validate the effectiveness and efficiency of our design.
Biomedical Strategies for Axonal Regeneration

Deficits of the nervous system can be classified into two categories: ‘biochemical’, where replacement of a neurotransmitter like dopamine to a large measure corrects most Parkinsonian motor symptoms, and ‘networking’ deficits, where the connections between two sets of neurons or neurons and muscles are interrupted due to trauma or tumour resection. The underlying theme of all nervous system deficits is the loss of neuronal function. Consequently, the response of the body to an injury or lesion can be classified as being either pro-regenerative or antiregenerative. Therefore, the goal of all therapies to treat nervous system disorders, ranging from Alzheimer disease to traumatic brain injury, is to foster pro-regenerative repair mechanisms in nervous tissue. In an attempt to repair such deficits, various biomedical strategies that seek to promote axonal regeneration and plasticity, are being investigated. Key Concepts: A key difference between the CNS and the PNS is their differential abilities to repair traumatic damage. The PNS has an inherent capability to repair small injuries; the CNS has little or no ability to repair itself. Schwann cells provide an organised matrix facilitating functional regeneration and repair in the PNS. The gold standard in PNS repair using artificial nerve guidance channels is to match or exceed the performance of an autograft. The glial scar in the CNS presents a highly inhibitory and disorganised terrain to regenerating neurites. CNS and PNS repair strategies in the future must include multiple therapies acting synergistically. Keywords: myelin; glial scar; trophic factors; scaffolds; regeneration
The Far Ultraviolet Optical Rotatory Dispersion, Circular Dichroism, and Absorption Spectra of a Myeloma Immunoglobulin, Immunoglobulin G

Abstract The optical rotatory properties of a myeloma globulin, immunoglobulin G (IgG), and a normal individual IgG in the far ultraviolet were investigated by rotatory dispersion, circular dichroism, and absorption spectroscopy. The optical rotatory dispersion of the myeloma immunoglobulin displayed two peaks, one at 205 mµ and the other at 210 mµ, and a trough at 228 mµ, a lesser one at 230 mµ, and a deeper one at 198 mµ. The normal individual γ-globulin displayed a peak at 208 mµ and a trough at 228 to 230 mµ. The rotatory dispersion in acid media was suggestive of the formation of right handed α helices in both immunoglobulins. Circular dichroic analysis of the myeloma IgG showed seven dichroic bands, at 202 mµ (+), 217 mµ (-), 225 mµ (-), 242 mµ (-), 265 mµ (+), 284 mµ (+), and the beginning of a negative band centered below 195 mµ (≃192.5 mµ). Application of the Kronig-Kramers transform gave an optical rotatory dispersion curve compatible with the one obtained experimentally. The peptide bond extinction, calculated from far ultraviolet absorption spectra, displayed a hypochromicity for both immunoglobulins. The far ultraviolet optical rotatory dispersion analyses of the myeloma IgG cleaved by oxidative sulfitolysis showed the disulfide bonds joining the heavy and light chains to be essential for the maintenance of certain electronic transitions present in the native protein. The major transitions, however, appeared to be unaffected by this treatment. Comparison of the Cotton effects of the sulfitolyzed product in acid with those of the whole molecule in acid (pH 2.4) showed that these S—S bonds are important in restricting conformation change in the presence of this denaturing agent.
Thermal studies of some divalent metal chelates of 8-mercaptoquinoline

Divalent metal chelates of 8-mercaptoquinoline (8-MQ) were prepared with copper, nickel, cobalt, zinc, lead, iron, cadmium, and mercury. The thermogravimetry and differential thermal analysis of each of the chelates were studied and a thermal stability order of Cd > Co > Ni > Zn > Pb > Hg > Fe > Cu was obtained. This order is compared with the order obtained with 8-hydroxyquinoline (8-HQ) chelates and the relative thermal stability temperatures of the chelate series are discussed in terms of ligand differences.
Can stimulated Raman pumping cause large population transfers in isolated molecules

When stimulated Raman pumping (SRP) is applied to a stream of isolated molecules, such as found in a supersonic molecular beam expansion, we show that SRP can neither saturate nor power broaden a molecular transition connecting two metastable levels that is resonant with the energy difference between the pump and Stokes laser pulses. Using the optical Bloch-Feynman equations, we discuss the pumping of the hydrogen molecule from H2 (v = 0, J = 0, M = 0) to H2 (v = 1, J = 2, M = 0) as an illustration of how coherent population return severely reduces the SRP pumping efficiency unless the pump and Stokes laser pulses are applied with an appropriate relative delay and ratio of intensities.
Morpheus: a deep web question answering system

When users search the deep web, the essence of their search is often found in a previously answered query. The Morpheus question answering system reuses prior searches to answer similar user queries. Queries are represented in a semistructured format that contains query terms and referenced classes within a specific ontology. Morpheus answers questions by using methods from prior successful searches. The system ranks stored methods based on a similarity quasimetric defined on assigned classes of queries. Similarity depends on the class heterarchy in an ontology and its associated text corpora. Morpheus revisits the prior search pathways of the stored searches to construct possible answers. Realm-based ontologies are created using Wikipedia pages, associated categories, and the synset heterarchy of WordNet. This paper describes the entire process with emphasis on the matching of user queries to stored answering methods.
IMPACT OF ROAD CONDITIONS ON ELDERLY DRIVERS

This study examines the characteristics of crashes that involve elderly drivers (age 65 and older) in the state of Kentucky on different road surface conditions (dry, wet, or snowy/slushy); the study also compares the crash rates of elderly males and females. The relative accident involvement ratio accounts for exposure by using the drivers of the not-at-fault vehicles in two-vehicle crashes. Statistical significance was tested using logistic regression. Overall, elderly males were found to have a higher relative accident involvement ratio than elderly females. This result is the reverse of that found in existing literature; suggesting changes during the 1990s in the population of elderly women drivers. All elderly drivers performed relatively better as the road conditions worsened from dry to wet to snowy. This result is not found for drivers under the age of 65 years, which may be explained by elderly driver experience or elderly drivers being more cautious in bad weather.
Nonrectangular quantum wells as a basis for studying the band offsets at GaAs-Ga1-xAlx As interfaces.

Using the envelope-function formalism we calculate interband-transition energies for various shapes of effective quantum-well potentials generated by layers of GaAs and ${\mathrm{Ga}}_{1\mathrm{\ensuremath{-}}\mathrm{x}}$${\mathrm{Al}}_{\mathrm{x}}$As. The sensitivity of these experimentally accessible energies to variations in the band-offset parameter ${Q}_{e}$ is studied for rectangular, parabolic, triangular, and somewhat more complicated potential profiles. We show that this sensitivity may vary strongly for different profiles. Upon consideration of our numerical results as well as fabricational aspects we suggest that a triangular rather than a parabolic or rectangular quantum well should be used to determine ${Q}_{e}$.
The influence of personal care and assistive devices on the measurement of disability

The goal of all long-term care arrangements is to reduce the disabling effects of physical impairments and functional limitations. However, the means with which individuals cope with disability may not be equivalent and these differences may influence self-reports of disability in surveys. This paper examines assistive devices and personal care as factors in the measurement of disability among persons aged 70 and older in the community using the 1994 Survey of Asset and Health Dynamics of the Oldest Old (AHEAD) in the US. The use of assistive technology differs from personal care on a fundamental level. It does not require the ongoing cooperation or coordination of other people and therefore increases the sense of independence with which a disabled individual can meet their long-term care needs. Results indicate that older individuals can expect to spend most of their remaining years in good functional health, but up to two-thirds of disabled years will be spent with unmet ADL needs. Among those who are disabled, those who use only equipment and no personal care report less residual difficulty with mobility than those who use personal assistance (either alone or in combination with equipment) but the use of equipment alone is most effective for those with the least severe limitations.
Time-domain validation for sample-data uncertainty models

We consider time-domain model validation for sampled-data systems with H/sub /spl infin//-compatible uncertainty models. These uncertainty models consist of a nominal continuous-time plant model together with given bounds for system uncertainty and signal disturbances. The validation problem is to determine whether or not a given discrete sampled input-output data record is consistent with a postulated uncertainty model. Based on continuous-time interpolation theorems, we provide validation algorithms for unstructured, additive uncertainty models that reduce to convex programming. We treat both linear time-invariant and linear time-varying modeling uncertainty sets.
Extensive circadian and light regulation of the transcriptome in the malaria mosquito Anopheles gambiae

Mosquitoes exhibit 24 hr rhythms in flight activity, feeding, reproduction and development. To better understand the molecular basis for these rhythms in the nocturnal malaria vector Anopheles gambiae, we have utilized microarray analysis on time-of-day specific collections of mosquitoes over 48 hr to explore the coregulation of gene expression rhythms by the circadian clock and light, and compare these with the 24 hr rhythmic gene expression in the diurnal Aedes aegypti dengue vector mosquito. In time courses from An. gambiae head and body collected under light:dark cycle (LD) and constant dark (DD) conditions, we applied three algorithms that detect sinusoidal patterns and an algorithm that detects spikes in expression. This revealed across four experimental conditions 393 probes newly scored as rhythmic. These genes correspond to functions such as metabolic detoxification, immunity and nutrient sensing. This includes glutathione S-transferase GSTE5, whose expression pattern and chromosomal location are shared with other genes, suggesting shared chromosomal regulation; and pulsatile expression of the gene encoding CYP6M2, a cytochrome P450 that metabolizes pyrethroid insecticides. We explored the interaction of light and the circadian clock and highlight the regulation of odorant binding proteins (OBPs), important components of the olfactory system. We reveal that OBPs have unique expression patterns as mosquitoes make the transition from LD to DD conditions. We compared rhythmic expression between An. gambiae and Ae. aegypti heads collected under LD conditions using a single cosine fitting algorithm, and report distinct similarities and differences in the temporal regulation of genes involved in tRNA priming, the vesicular-type ATPase, olfaction and vision between the two species. These data build on our previous analyses of time-of-day specific regulation of the An. gambiae transcriptome to reveal additional rhythmic genes, an improved understanding of the co-regulation of rhythms in gene expression by the circadian clock and by light, and an understanding of the time-of-day specific regulation of some of these rhythmic processes in comparison with a different species of mosquito. Improved understanding of biological timing at the molecular level that underlies key physiological aspects of mosquito vectors may prove to be important to successful implementation of established and novel insect control methods.