cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Sequence and analysis of the BamHI “D” fragment of Shope fibroma virus: comparison with similar regions of related poxviruses

Abstract Differences observed in the virulence of two related leporipoxviruses are closely tied to a particular region of their genomes. For the virulent poxvirus of this pair, malignant rabbit fibroma virus (MV), this region is the BamHI “C” fragment, which is 10.7 kb. For the avirulent poxvirus, Shope fibroma virus, SFV, this region is the corresponding BamHI “D” fragment, which is 13.1 kb. As part of our attempt to understand the virulence of these two viruses, we sequenced these two DNA fragments. The sequence for the BamHI “C” fragment of MV is reported elsewhere (Strayer et al., 1991). We report here the sequence for SFV's BamHI “D” fragment and resultant open reading frames, and compare both DNA and open reading frame structures to those of MV and other known poxviruses. The BamHI “D”fragment of SFV contains 12 open reading frames of 100 amino acids or more, arranged similarly to orf's in MV and vaccinia. Striking similarities between SFV and MV are seen in certain parts of this restriction fragment, including substantial stretches of DNA in which the two viruses are identical. Clear homologies exist between these leporipox virus genomes and those of other related poxviruses. To understand the pathogenesis of virus infection, one must appreciate the structure of those viral genes that play important roles in infection.
Contesting the master narrative: the Arthur Ashe Statue and Monument Avenue in Richmond, Virginia.

Located at the heart of what was once the capital of the Confederate States of America, Monument Avenue is ‘Virginia's place to be recognized by Virginians’. For over a century the Richmond street's commemorative art paid homage to those labelled ‘heroes’ of the Confederacy, normalising and sanctioning a white, masculine, martial dominance that became increasingly incongruous with the city's demographics. In 1996, the hotly contested addition of a statue of native Richmonder Arthur Ashe, an African American tennis champion, challenged the avenue's master narrative. This project addresses the micro-geographies involved in the debate over where and how to site the Ashe statue and its perceived effects on Richmond's commodifiable sense of self.
A Distributed 1-12 GHz Dual-Gate FET Mixer

A novel broadband mixer topology, which can be implemented using either monolithic or discrete microwave integrated circuit methods, has been developed using distributed design techniques. The mixer exhibits excellent conversion gain and frequency response characteristics with signal handling capabilities and LO drive requirements similar to conventional diode double-balanced mixers.
Determining equipment performance using analysis of variance

It is pointed out that one of the critical steps required to improve the overall quality of a wafer manufacturing operation is reducing the variability of the individual processing operations. The goal is to design a consistent method of monitoring equipment performance that samples the major sources of variation that can affect the process output. The authors discuss a statistical method that utilizes multiple types of variation (multi vari) analysis and the analysis of variance to achieve this goal. The data presented are taken from a commercially available silicon epitaxial reactor and FTIR (Fourier transform infrared spectrometry) film measurement tool, but the technique is generic and applicable to other wafer processing operations. The analysis method is presented along with some examples of the application of the calculated standard deviation and process variation. In addition to determining the performance of a piece of equipment over time, this method of analysis can be used to specify and qualify equipment. As an extension of this analysis, it is possible to determine the contribution of the measurement system to the observed variability in the process output. >
The TEDI Instrument for Near-IR Radial Velocity Surveys

The TEDI (TripleSpec Externally Dispersed Interferometry) is an interferometric spectrometer that will be used to explore the population of planets around the lowest mass stars. The instrument, to be deployed on the Palomar 200 Cassegrain mount, includes a stabilized Michelson interferometer combined with a medium resolution, broad band (0.8 - 2.4 micron) spectrograph, TripleSpec. We describe the instrument design and its application to Doppler velocimetry and high-resolution spectroscopy.
The industrial demand for energy

Abstract This paper uses a constant elasticity of substitution production function to examine the extent of factor substitutability in the production of industrial goods. Subsequently, the degree of interfuel substitution is estimated and it is demonstrated that all energy sources are substitutable. Finally, the stability of the demand for various energy sources is empirically tested for and it is concluded that over the period of investigation the demand has in fact remained unaltered.
Joint solution of low, intermediate, and high-level vision tasks by evolutionary optimization: Application to computer vision at low SNR

Methods for conducting model-based computer vision from low-SNR (/spl les/1 dB) image data are presented. Conventional algorithms break down in this regime due to a cascading of noise artifacts, and inconsistencies arising from the lack of optimal interaction between high- and low-level processing. These problems are addressed by solving low-level problems such as intensity estimation, segmentation, and boundary estimation jointly (synergistically) with intermediate-level problems such as the estimation of position, magnification, and orientation, and high-level problems such as object identification and scene interpretation. This is achieved by formulating a single objective function that incorporates all the data and object models, and a hierarchy of constraints in a Bayesian framework. All image-processing operations, including those that exploit the low and high-level variables to satisfy multi-level pattern constraints, result directly from a parallel multi-trajectory global optimization algorithm. Experiments with simulated low-count (7-9 photons/pixel) 2-D Poisson images demonstrate that compared to non-joint methods, a joint solution not only results in more reliable scene interpretation, but also a superior estimation of low-level imaging variables. Typically, most object parameters are estimated to within a 5% accuracy even with overlap and partial occlusion. >
Responsible property investment criteria developed using the Delphi Method

This paper helps define responsible property investing (RPI) by using the Delphi Method to prioritize criteria for the evaluation of property investments. An international panel from the real estate and social investing sectors evaluated 66 criteria in terms of materiality to investors and importance to the public interest. A moderate to strong level of consensus was achieved. Criteria were ranked in terms of their materiality for financial performance and their importance to the public interest. Top ranked criteria were energy efficiency and conservation, high level of public transport services, transit-oriented development, daylight and natural ventilation, and contributes to higher density, mixed-use walkable places. There were few to no significant differences among the panellists by industry, gender or nationality. Factor analysis uncovered ten dimensions underlying the criteria. Based on this analysis, the panel would emphasize the creation of less automobile-dependent and more energy-efficient citi...
A preliminary account of phonological and morphophonological perception in young children with and without otitis media

This investigation examined the effects of otitis media with effusion (OME) and its associated fluctuating conductive hearing loss on the perception of phonological and morphophonological /s/ and /z/ in young children. We predicted that children free of OME (OME ) would perform better than children with histories of OME (OME+). We also predicted that for the OME+ group morphological perception would be harder than phonological perception, because the former category carries an additional linguistic load (i.e., plurality). Sixteen children, ages 26 to 28 months ( M =26.5, SD=0.6) were divided into two groups, the OME ( n =8) and OME + ( n =8) based on OME history during the first year of life. Subjects in the OME group were free of the disease for 4/5 visits and pure tone average (PTA) was 12.6 dB HL (SD=4.8). Subjects in the OME+ group had the disease on 3/5 visits and PTA was 23dB HL (SD=2.7). Experimental stimuli were six monosyllabic novel word-pairs. Members of each word-pair differed only in the pres...
Using the Good Behavior Game in an Inclusive Classroom.

Students with emotional or behavioral disorders (EBD) are being included to a greater degree in the general education classroom. Due to the least restrictive environment mandate in the Individuals With Disabilities Education Improvement Act of 2004, more students with EBD are being taught in inclusive settings. As a result, general education teachers need a variety of behavior management techniques in their toolbox to effectively instruct all of their students. This adaptation of the Good Behavior Game is an interdependent group-contingency technique that helps manage classroom behavior and integrate students with EBD into the general education class. It can be used as a way for special and general educators to collaborate successfully in general education inclusive classrooms.
Relationships of Amphipithecus and Oligopithecus

A RECENT article by Szalay1 could be taken to be a definitive statement of the relationships of two of the earliest known specimens that can possibly be related to the origin of the catarrhine primates, the group which includes Old World monkeys, apes and men. Each of the fossils concerned—Amphipithecus from the late Eocene of Burma and Oligopithecus from the Oligocene exposures in the Fayum, Egypt—is known only from a single specimen. A different assessment of their relationships is presented here. Colbert has already shown2,3 clearly and competently why the teeth and tooth cusps of Amphipithecus resemble those of catarrhines. I here outline some observations on how jaws function and why and how the jaw of Amphipithecus can be demonstrated to be similar to or different from those of other animals.
Applying Learning by Examples for Digital Design Automation

This paper describes a new learning by example mechanism and its application for digital circuit design automation. This mechanism uses finite state machines to represent the inferred models or designs. The resultant models are easy to be implemented in hardware using current VLSI technologies. Our simulation results show that it is often possible to infer a well-defined deterministic model or design from just one sequence of examples. In addition this mechanism is able to handle sequential task involving long-term dependence. This new learning by example mechanism is used as a design by example system for automatic synthesis of digital circuits. Such systems have not previously been successfully developed mainly because of the lack of mechanism to implement them. From artificial neural network research, it seems possible to apply the knowledge gained from learning by example to form a design by example system. However, one of the problems with neural network approaches is that the resultant models are very difficult to be implemented in hardware using current VLSI technologies. By using the mechanism described in this paper, the resultant models are finite state machines that are well suited for digital designs. Several sequential circuit design examples are simulated and tested. Although our test results show that such a system is feasible for designing simple circuits or small-scale circuit modules, the feasibility of such a system for large-scale circuit design remains to be showed. Both the learning mechanism and the design method show potential and the future research directions are provided.
Regulated delayed expression of rfaH in an attenuated Salmonella enterica serovar typhimurium vaccine enhances immunogenicity of outer membrane proteins and a heterologous antigen.

RfaH is a transcriptional antiterminator that reduces the polarity of long operons encoding secreted and surface-associated cell components of Salmonella enterica serovar Typhimurium, including O antigen and lipopolysaccharide core sugars. A rfaH mutant strain is attenuated in mice (50% lethal dose [LD50], >10 8 CFU). To examine the potential for using rfaH in conjunction with other attenuating mutations, we designed a series of strains in which we replaced the native rfaH promoter with the tightly regulated arabinosedependent araC PBAD promoter so that rfaH expression was dependent on exogenously supplied arabinose provided during in vitro growth. Following colonization of host lymphoid tissues, where arabinose was not available, the PBAD promoter was no longer active and rfaH was not expressed. In the absence of RfaH, O antigen and core sugars were not synthesized. We constructed three mutant strains that expressed different levels of RfaH by altering the ribosome-binding sequence and start codon. One mutation, PrfaH178, was introduced into the attenuated vaccine strain 9241 (pabA pabB asdA) expressing the pneumococcal surface protein PspA from an Asd balanced-lethal plasmid. Mice immunized with this strain and boosted 4 weeks later induced higher levels of serum immunoglobulin G specific for PspA and for outer membrane proteins from other enteric bacteria than either an isogenic rfaH derivative or the isogenic RfaH parent. Eight weeks after primary oral immunization, mice were challenged with 200 LD50 of virulent Streptococcus pneumoniae WU2. Immunization with PrfaH178 mutant strains led to increased levels of protection compared to that of the parent 9241 and of a rfaH derivative of 9241. When recombinant attenuated Salmonella enterica serovar Typhimurium vaccines (RASV) are used to deliver heterologous antigens, it may be advantageous to reduce the host immune response against the RASV carrier, thereby enhancing the immune response against the heterologous antigen. The dominant immunogen on the Salmonella cell surface is lipopolysaccharide (LPS) O antigen (41). However, strains with mutations that eliminate LPS O antigen may be less immunogenic due to their failure to colonize the intestinal tract and to invade intestinal mucosal cells (43, 44). We hypothesized that in vivo-programmed downregulation of O-antigen expression, occurring after colonization of host lymphoid tissues, would serve to reduce the immune response against the RASV carrier while triggering a strong immune response against heterologous antigens (10) and outer membrane proteins cross-reactive with other enteric bacteria (28). The genes for LPS core and O-antigen biosynthesis are clustered into long operons (37, 49) that cannot be fully transcribed if the native promoter is replaced by a heterologous promoter. RfaH, a transcriptional antiterminator, reduces the polarity of long operons by binding to the ops sequence, located in an untranslated 5 region of the transcript, and inter
Web service modeling for biological processes

Global level analyses of biological systems require the integration and interoperation of various biological models. Such integration and interoperation are usually achieved using customized interfaces. The development of these interfaces often involves a time consuming process. In this paper, we propose to use the combination of ontologies and Web services to model biological entities and their related functions (processes) so that customized interfaces are no longer needed. In this regard, the Web service model provides the ideal architectural and design framework for facilitating the analysis and discovery of biological interactions that are obtained from applications and information sources, which are typically geographically distributed. In our approach, the Web service model is complemented by the use of ontologies to help screen for relevant biological functions so pathways of interactions can be automatically established.
Cochlear implants: current status and future potential

This article reviews the current status of cochlear implantation in both adults and children, including expanding candidacy groups, bilateral implantation, advances in speech processing software, internal and external device hardware, surgical techniques and outcomes. Promising advances, novel therapies and evolving concepts are also highlighted in terms of their future impact on clinical outcomes.
TNF Inhibition for Ophthalmic Indications: Current Status and Outlook

Background Tumor necrosis factors (TNF) are a group of cytokines that play a role in systemic inflammation, stimulating the acute phase reaction. They are involved in systemic rheumatologic conditions such as rheumatoid arthritis and juvenile idiopathic arthritis, as well as ocular inflammatory conditions in the uveitis spectrum. Several drugs were developed to inhibit the action of TNF, thereby reducing inflammation. The three most commonly used TNF inhibitors in the US are etanercept, infliximab, and adalimumab. Newer drugs include certolizumab and golimumab. In this review, we discuss the differences in the mechanism of action, route of administration, indication, and efficacy of TNF inhibitors used in the treatment of ocular inflammation.
Ischemic Complications of Percutaneous Femoral Artery Catheterization

Ischemic injuries following percutaneous femoral artery catheterization are uncommon but have been associated with vascular closure devices (VCDs). The purpose of this study was to retrospectively compare ischemic and hemorrhagic complications of femoral artery catheterization and to identify factors associated with ischemic injuries. The operative registries of the attending vascular surgeons at one academic and two community hospitals were retrospectively reviewed to identify all complications of femoral artery catheterization requiring operative intervention. Demographic, clinical, procedural, operative, and outcome data were compared between patients who sustained ischemic and hemorrhagic complications. From January 2001 to December 2006, 95 patients required operative management of complications related to femoral artery catheterization including 40 patients who experienced ischemic (group 1) and 55 patients who experienced hemorrhagic (group 2) complications. Compared to those sustaining hemorrhagic complications, ischemic complications were more frequently associated with younger age, smoking, VCD deployment, and, when controlling for VCD use, female gender. Time to presentation was also significantly longer in patients experiencing ischemic complications. Ischemic complications are increasingly recognized following femoral artery catheterization. Vascular surgeons should anticipate a new pattern of injury following femoral artery catheterization, one that often requires complex arterial reconstruction.
γδ T Cells And Acute Primary Toxoplasma gondii Infection In Mice

A murine model of Toxoplasma gondii infection was used to investigate whether gamma delta T cells are required to resist primary acute toxoplasmosis. The surface phenotype of peritoneal exudate and spleen cells obtained from T. gondii-infected mice was examined using anti-gamma delta T cell-specific reagents and flow cytometry. Survival of mice depleted of gamma delta T cells was also followed during the acute phase of toxoplasmosis. Numbers of gamma delta T cells did not increase in spleen or peritoneal exudates of mice infected with T. gondii. Moreover, infected mice depleted of gamma delta T cells survived as long as untreated infected mice. These results indicate that gamma delta T cells do not play an important role in host defense against T. gondii infection in mice.
Premorbid Obesity and Mortality in Patients With Pancreatic Cancer: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis

Background & Aims Obesity is associated with an increased risk for pancreatic cancer, but it is unclear whether it affects mortality. We performed a systematic review and meta-analysis to assess the association between premorbid obesity and mortality from pancreatic cancer. Methods We performed a systematic search through January 2015 and identified studies of the association between premorbid obesity (at least 1 year prior to pancreatic cancer diagnosis) and pancreatic cancer–related mortality. We estimated summary adjusted hazard ratio (aHR) with 95% confidence interval (CI), comparing data from obese (body mass index [BMI] ≥30 kg/m 2 ) and overweight subjects (BMI, 25.0–29.9 kg/m 2 ) with those from individuals with a normal BMI (controls) by using random-effects model. Results We identified 13 studies (including 3 studies that pooled multiple cohorts); 5 studies included only patients with pancreatic cancer, whereas 8 studies evaluated pancreatic cancer–related mortality in cancer-free individuals at inception. In the meta-analysis, we observed increase in pancreatic cancer–related mortality among overweight (aHR, 1.06; 95% CI, 1.02–1.11; I 2 = 0) and obese individuals (aHR, 1.31; 95% CI, 1.20–1.42; I 2 = 43%), compared with controls; the association remained when we analyzed data from only subjects with pancreatic cancer. Each 1 kg/m 2 increase in BMI was associated with 10% increase in mortality (aHR, 1.10; 95% CI, 1.05–1.15) with minimal heterogeneity (I 2 = 0). In the subgroup analysis, obesity was associated with increased mortality in Western populations (11 studies; aHR, 1.32; 95% CI, 1.22–1.42) but not in Asia-Pacific populations (2 studies; aHR, 0.98; 95% CI, 0.76–1.27). Conclusions In a systematic review and meta-analysis, we associated increasing level of obesity with increased mortality in patients with pancreatic cancer in Western but not Asia-Pacific populations. Strategies to reduce obesity-induced metabolic abnormalities might be developed to treat patients with pancreatic cancer.
Present and Future of Cardiac Troponin in Clinical Practice: A Paradigm Shift to High-Sensitivity Assays

Despite its wide utilization and central role in the evaluation of patients with potential ischemic symptoms, misconceptions and confusion about cardiac troponin (cTn) prevail. The implementation of high-sensitivity (hs) cTn assays in clinical practice has multiple potential advantages provided there is an education process tied to the introduction of these assays that emphasizes the appropriate utilization of the test. Several diagnostic strategies have been explored with hs-cTn assays, including the use of undetectable values, accelerated serial hs-cTn sampling, hs-cTn measurements in combination with a clinical-risk score, and the use of a single hs-cTn measurement with a concentration threshold tailored to meet a clinical need. In this document we discuss basic concepts that should facilitate the integration of hs-cTn assays into clinical care in years to come.
Pharmaceutical support of dermatology residency electives: slippery slope or synergy?

Stanford University Medical School established a positive partnership with a pharmaceutical company to offer an industry-sponsored resident elective course in a way that minimizes conflict of interest and has been accepted by the ACGME. Virtual Mentor is a monthly bioethics journal published by the American Medical Association.
Fractional power large sieves

In the form given it by Davenport and Halberstam, [2], the inequality of the Large Sieve asserts that for points δ j , j = 1,2,…, spaced according to ∥δ j − δk∥ ≥ δ > 0, j ≠ k, the function $$s(\alpha ) = \sum\limits_{n = - N}^N {a_n e^{2\pi in\alpha } ,} \,\,\alpha \,\text{real}$$ satisfies $$\sum\nolimits_j {\left| {S(\alpha _j )} \right|^2 \leqslant 2.2\max (\delta ^{ - 1} ,2N)\,\sum\limits_{n = - N}^N {\left| {a_n } \right|^2 } }$$ (1) Here N denotes a positive integer, ∥y∥ the distance of the real y from a nearest integer.
Targeting Homologous Recombination in Notch-Driven C. elegans Stem Cell and Human Tumors

Mammalian NOTCH1-4 receptors are all associated with human malignancy, although exact roles remain enigmatic. Here we employ glp-1(ar202), a temperature-sensitive gain-of-function C. elegans NOTCH mutant, to delineate NOTCH-driven tumor responses to radiotherapy. At ≤20°C, glp-1(ar202) is wild-type, whereas at 25°C it forms a germline stem cell⁄progenitor cell tumor reminiscent of human cancer. We identify a NOTCH tumor phenotype in which all tumor cells traffic rapidly to G2⁄M post-irradiation, attempt to repair DNA strand breaks exclusively via homology-driven repair, and when this fails die by mitotic death. Homology-driven repair inactivation is dramatically radiosensitizing. We show that these concepts translate directly to human cancer models.
Habitat associations of fish and aquatic turtles in an East Texas Stream

The community structure of stream communities are treated as bioassays of stream ecosystems and changes to species patterns within those communities reflect response to multiple stressors including natural fluctuations in environmental variables. Research has focused on the structure of fish assemblages and there is increasing interest in environmental factors structuring turtle communities. Both fishes and turtles can be sampled using common methods, but are rarely studied together. Our objective was to compare distribution of fish and turtle species based on measured environmental variables in East Texas, USA. Species distributions were influenced by flow, substrate, and emergent vegetation. Results from Monte Carlo permutation tests suggest that downed woody debris and water temperature also had a strong influence on species distributions. Co-correspondence analysis showed considerable overlap of species scores in the absence of environmental variables. The five macrohabitats sampled exhibited varying degrees of connectivity and thus species mixing, which is driven by annual fluctuations in precipitation. Results from this study suggest that turtles and fishes can be considered simultaneously and exhibit similar patterns of species distribution across the landscape, at least at local scales.
Hillock Formation in Tensile Loaded Films

While hillocks usually form to relieve compressive stresses in thin films resulting from electromigration or a difference in thermal expansion in the film and substrate, we have observed hillock formation in tensile-loaded films. We have used transmission electron microscopy to study hillocks which formed in free-standing gold thin films of 25nm nominal thickness. Grain growth during 150°C anneals reduced the grain boundary area and associated free volume, placing the films under tensile stress. While hillock formation could only increase this stress, large single crystal or polycrystalline hillocks with thicknesses up to three times the film thickness are observed after 400°C annealing, after long room temperature anneals, and during TEM observation. These observations suggest the operation of a hillock formation mechanism not explained by any existing hillock formation theories.
Regiochemical substituent switching of spin states in aryl(trifluoromethyl)carbenes.

Although aryl(trifluoromethyl)diazirines have achieved great popularity in photoaffinity labeling applications, the properties of the corresponding carbenes have not been as widely explored. Here, low-temperature matrix-isolation spectroscopy and reactivity studies indicate that in contrast to m-methoxyphenyl(trifluoromethyl)carbene and most known aryl(CF3)carbenes, the para isomer is a ground-state singlet rather than triplet. DFT calculations support these results as well as the notion that the p-CH3O group stabilizes the singlet carbene via resonance. These results may have relevance to the wide range of substituted aryl(CF3)diazirines in photoaffinity applications.
The crystal structure of Ca5(PO4)2SiO4 (Silico-Carnotite)

The crystal structure of Ca5(PO4)2SiO4 (silico-carnotite) has been determined from 3358 x-ray diffraction data collected by a counter method and has been refined toR w =0.038,R=0.045, in space group Pnma. The unit cell parameters area=6.737 (1) A,b=15.508 (2) A andc=10.132 (1) A at 24°C;Z=4. The observed density is 3.06 and the calculated density is 3.03 g · cm−3. The crystal contains about 2.5% V2O5 as an impurity. The bond lengths within the tetrahedral anions suggest that substitution or disorder of PO4 3−, SiO4 4− and possibly VO4 3− occurs among the anion sites. The structure has some relationship to that of Ca5(PO4)3OH, the predominant inorganic phase in the human body, but suggests that the Ca5(PO4)3OH type structure may not be stable without some of the OH positions being filled. Ca5(PO4)2SiO4 is more closely related to K3Na(SO4)2 (glaserite) if it is considered that there are systematic cation vacancies in Ca5(PO4)2SiO4. This type of structure is consistent with the view that cation vacancies in the glaserite-type structure account for solid solutions between Ca2SiO4 and Ca3(PO4)2 and between Ca3(PO4)2 and CaNaPO4.
Effect of cholestyramine administration on serum lipids and on nitrogen balance in familial hypercholesterolemia

Abstract Four subjects with familial hypercholesterolemia (hyperbetalipoproteinemia) were studied under metabolic balance conditions before and during the daily administration of 12 to 36 Gm. of cholestyramine for periods of 23 to 70 days. During the administration of 24 to 36 Gm. of cholestyramine daily, the serum cholesterol level fell markedly, phospholipid slightly, and triglyceride not at all. These changes were attributable to a diminished content of cholesterol and phospholipid in the β-lipoprotein fraction, isolated by preparative ultracentrifugation. Tendinous xanthomas and xanthelasmas diminished in size. In each subject the amount of feces, fecal fat, and fecal nitrogen increased. The increase of fecal fat usually was slight, but it reached 21 per cent of fat intake in one subject. This problem was met by an increased dietary intake. Nitrogen balance remained positive. No evidence of toxicity was observed. It is concluded that hypocholesterolemic effects may be achieved by the administration of cholestyramine and further trials of this unabsorbable and apparently safe resin are warranted.
On Estimating Partial Effects after Retransformation

This paper makes several contributions to the literature on the retransformation problem. First, we derive the asymptotic distribution of the exponential sieve estimator, which has been previously unavailable in the literature. Second, we develop an average structural function type of average partial effect (APE), which applies to the Duan-type retransformation problem even though the independence between the underlying error and covariates is violated. Third, we consider the conditional average partial effect (CAPE), which allows for endogenous explanatory variables and is computationally simpler than existing nonparametric estimators currently available. Finally, we present two non-trivial applications of CAPE estimator. The first is to the average treatment effect in a nonlinear model; the second is to establish the estimator of interaction effect of two dummy variables on the level of dependent variable in the log linear model. Both applications provide new and useful tools for empirical research.
Laminar burning speed measurement and flame instability study of H2/CO/air mixtures at high temperatures and pressures using a novel multi-shell model

Abstract A new differential based multi-shell model has been developed in conjunction with Schlieren photography to measure laminar burning speeds and to investigate flame structures of H2/CO/air mixtures. The experiments were carried out in two constant volume vessels; one spherical and one cylindrical. Flame instability has been studied using the cylindrical vessel which was installed in a Z-type Schlieren Shadowgraph system equipped with a high speed CMOS camera, capable of taking pictures up to 40,000 frames per second. Flame instabilities such as cracking and wrinkling have been observed during flame propagation and discussed in terms of the hydrodynamic and thermo-diffusive effects. Laminar burning speeds were measured by a novel thermodynamic model using pressure rise during flame propagation in the spherical chamber. Gases in the vessel are divided into two parts; unburned and burned gases. The burned gases are in the center of sphere surrounded by a small preheat zone followed by the unburned gases. The burned gases were divided into multiple shells to determine the temperature gradient precisely. The following energy transfers have been included in the model: Conductive energy loss to the chamber wall and electrodes, energy transfer in the preheat zone, energy transfer between adjacent shells and radiation energy loss from burned gases. The governing equations of unknown variables have been defined by a set of nonlinear ordinary differential equations which were solved using CVODE solver. Power law correlations have been developed for laminar burning speeds of smooth H2/CO/air flames over a wide range of temperatures (298 K up to 617 K), pressures (from sub-atmospheric up to 5.5 atm), equivalence ratios (0.6–5) and three different hydrogen concentrations of 5%, 10% and 25%, respectively. Experimental burning speeds of H2/CO/air mixtures have been compared with available measurements as well as computed values obtained by 1D free flame simulations using three chemical kinetics mechanisms. Comparisons show a very good agreement for the conditions which data is available and the predicted results.
#Love Wins*: *But Only If, You Marry One of Us

This essay contributes to the discourse about how rights for non-citizens to be reunited with U.S. citizen family members, are devoid of any constitutional guarantees, either substantively or procedurally. By contrasting the Court’s reasoning in the cases Obergefell v. Hodges and Kerry v. Din, this essay demonstrates while the Court’s treatment of same sex intimate relationships has evolved over time to expand constitutional guarantees for these individuals, the Court’s thinking regarding the absolute, unreviewable power of the executive to decide who may enter the U.S. even to reunite with a U.S. citizen spouse has remained harshly stagnant. In both Obergefell and Din, the individuals were arguing their right to marry and their right to choose where to reside in marriage were being obstructed by unlawful government actions that violated due process guarantees of the Constitution. Further, both parties sought similar remedies from the Court, which was governmental recognition of their martial union and the practical ability to effectuate such a union. The Court in Obergefell held that the right to marry someone of the same sex is not a question to be left to the political branches of our government, but a constitutionally justiciable one. Yet, the Court in Din deflected the constitutional due process claims by relying on its plenary power doctrine jurisprudence which “has long held that an alien seeking initial admission to the United States...has no constitutional rights...for the power to admit or exclude aliens is a sovereign prerogative.” This essay concludes that non-citizens rights still persist squarely outside the “rights-oriented jurisprudence” of the Court and remain ensconced in the political branches’ unreviewable prerogative to decide whom to exclude from the United States.
Physical Activity Measures

Currently, many Americans do not obtain sufficient levels of physical activity, as identified by the 2008 US Physical Activity Guidelines. This places them at increased risk of mortality/morbidity, as well as diseases such as obesity, diabetes, coronary heart disease, stroke, and other chronic diseases. Primary care health-care professionals can provide advice or counseling to encourage their sedentary patients to exercise. Although studies examining the efficacy of physician-based counseling have shown conflicting results, this is due in part to differences in study designs, implementation, and patient populations. Simple tools (e.g., very brief questionnaires) can be used to assess where patients stand regarding exercise. These include Physical Activity as a Vital Sign, the Physical Activity Readiness Questionnaire, and the Stages of Exercise Behavior Change survey. Recent studies conducted in primary care settings over the past 5–10 years indicate that the use of pedometers (in conjunction with a daily step goal, activity log, and follow-up) is helpful in encouraging sedentary patients to increase their levels of physical activity by approximately 2500 steps per day.
Phosphorus bioavailability, growth performance, and nutrient balance in pigs fed high available phosphorus corn and phytase

Three experiments were conducted to evaluate P bioavailability, growth performance, and nutrient balance in pigs fed high available P (HAP) corn with or without phytase. The bioavailability of P in normal and HAP corn relative to monosodiumphosphate (MSP) for pigs was assessed in Exp. 1. In a randomized complete block design, 96 pigs (average initial BW 9.75 kg) were fed eight diets for 28 d. The reference and test diets were formulated by adding P as MSP, HAP, or normal corn at 0, 0.75, or 1.5 g/kg to a corn-starch-soybean meal basal diet (2.5 g/kg P) at the expense of cornstarch. Plasma inorganic P concentration responded linearly (P < 0.05) to supplemental P intake. Estimates of P bioavailability from HAP andnormal corn when plasma P was regressed on supplemental P intake were 46 and 33%, respectively. In Exp. 2 and 3, pigs were fed corn-soybean meal-based diets containing HAP corn or normal corn and 0 or 600 units of phytase per kilogram in a 2 x 2 factorial arrangement (two corn sources and two levels of phytase). In Exp. 2, 48 crossbred pigs (barrow:gilt, 1:1) averaging 9.25 kg were used to evaluate growth performance. There were no detectable interactions between corn source and phytase for any of the performance criteria measured. Pigs receiving normal corn had the lowest (P < 0.05) BW and rate of gain. Feed efficiency was lower (P < 0.05) in pigs fed normal compared with those fed the HAP corn phytase-supplemented diet. In Exp. 3, 24 crossbred barrows averaging 14.0 kg were used to evaluate nutrient digestibility. There were no detectable interactions between corn and phytase for any of the N and Ca balance criteria. Nitrogen and Ca retention were improved in pigs receiving HAP corn with phytase (P < 0.05). Retention and digestibility of P was lowest (P < 0.01) for pigs on normal corn diet without phytase. The percentage of P digested and retained was improved and fecal P excretion lowered (P < 0.05) by feeding HAP corn. The results of this study indicate that the bioavailability and balance of P in HAP corn is superior to that of normal corn. The addition of 600 phytase units (Natuphos 600, BASF) to HAP corn-based diets further improved P digestibility and reduced P excretion in pigs.
An Evolutionary Perspective on Attentional Processes

The attentional-perceptual systems used by humans evolved in a very different environment from the modern day, where predators and prey of our ancestors used crypsis to avoid detection. Here we hypothesize that some of our attentional capabilities may have developed in part as a coevolutionary adaptation to crypsis found in this ancient environment, thus increasing the chances of survival of our ancesstors. We review a series of studies using functional magnetic resonance imaging and transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) to examine the neural and cognitive mechanisms by which objects with crypsis are identified. These studies have shown that anodal tDCS over frontal-parietal cortex and cathodal tDCS over occipital-temporal cortex both approximately double accuracy and d′ for cryptic object identification. These results agree with brain imaging data, and together suggest that the accurate identification of objects with crypsis is improved by endogenous and alerting attention, while exogenous attention may decrease accuracy. Implications of these hypotheses for cognitive neuroscience research are discussed.
The Quest for International Marketing Success

Once unchallenged, the industrial power of the U.S. is now being threatened in the world markets. Lack of domestic political-legal support, cheap labor sources and technological superiority of foreign firms are the most frequently mentioned factors for the decline of U.S. industrial power. All of these seem to indicate that U.S. corporations fail in global marketing due to reasons beyond their control. However, an examination of these three factors suggest that there probably is a fourth reason. It is suggested that the organizational approach of today fails to adequately recognize the fact that it is people who make organizations successful, and people come to organizations as members of society whose values are changing.
SOCIAL DECISION FUNCTIONS

This chapter discusses the social decision functions. A collective choice rule f that invariably specifies a social ordering R is a social welfare function. An ordering is neither a necessary nor a sufficient condition for the existence of a choice function. It is sufficient for finite sets but is not necessary even then. One may thus think about extending the range of the collective choice rule to include those preference relations that are not orderings, but which nevertheless generate a choice function. A social decision function (henceforth SDF) is a collective choice rule f the range of which is restricted to those preference relations R, each of which generates a choice function C ( S, R ) over the whole set of alternatives X. This restriction is to be called condition O* on f .
Seascapes as a new vernacular for pelagic ocean monitoring, management and conservation

© International Council for the Exploration of the Sea, 2016. This article is distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License. The definitive version was published in ICES Journal of Marine Science 73 (2016): 1839-1850, doi: 10.1093/icesjms/fsw086.
A summary and synthesis of procedural regulations and standards—Informing a procedures writer's guide

Abstract Well-written procedures are an integral part of any industrial organization for safe operation, managing risks, and continuous improvement. Regulatory bodies around the world require industries to have current, accurate, and appropriate procedures for most processes. Although the importance of procedures is recognized by all industries in general, significant incidents still occur due to procedural breakdowns. Some of the procedural breakdowns come from obvious problems such as the procedure not being available or the procedure being wrong. However, some incidents have occurred when correct procedures were available and the operator used those procedures. In these instances, the reason workers do not follow procedures correctly may be attributable the procedure being presented or designed in a manner that does not sufficiently communicate the information in a manner that is easily and quickly understood. This indicates that procedure writers may need more guidance on how to write and design procedures so they accomplish this. To effectively manage risk, procedures need to be technically correct (and regulatory compliant) and usable. As part of this, the current work is focused on developing a systematic approach to a procedure writer's guide that includes a regulatory compliant component. The work presented here consists of an effort to identify procedure-writing practices necessary to ensure regulatory compliance by summarizing a large sample of regulations and standards from several industries. The regulations and standards were organized to reflect common ideas and the implications in terms of human factors needs for procedure design were identified. This information will be used as part of the development of a writer's guide that accounts for human factors (HF) that includes explanations of HF implications and empirical support for each of the guidelines. The novelty of the method and information presented here is in the idea of leveraging the cumulative information available regarding procedures in regulations and standards. Incorporating this information into a procedure's writers guide in this manner may not only facilitate procedure being regulatory compliant for facilities in different geographies of the world, but could also support their being written with considerations for human performance.
Visions for the future of antiretroviral therapy

The spreading epidemic of human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) infection and acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS) is poised to become the greatest scourge of humankind in recorded history. As efforts to control HIV-1 continue globally, attitudes about this formidable opponent have changed from pathos of initial despair, and after a brief heady euphoria, have settled into modern-day cautious optimism.
Correction: A sustainable lignocellulosic biodiesel production integrating solar- and bio-power generation

Correction for ‘A sustainable lignocellulosic biodiesel production integrating solar- and bio-power generation’ by Michael Zanotti, et al., Green Chem., 2016, 18, 5059–5068.
Does the Sequence of Preclinical Dental Crown Type Preparations Affect Evaluation Scores

Preclinical dental students must demonstrate aptitude in the preparation of teeth for treatment with several types of fixed dental prostheses. The optimal sequence of instruction and examination of these crown preparations in preclinical fixed prosthodontics is unknown. The aim of this study was to determine if grading scores by faculty and students were affected by changing the sequence of crown type preparations. Practical exams of two successive student cohorts (n=89 in 2014; n=92 in 2015) at one U.S. dental school using three crown preparations (full cast, porcelain fused to metal, and all-ceramic) in different order were analyzed by faculty grades and student self-assessment. All of the models indicated that the sequence in which the crown type preparations were taught did have an effect on the grades. The 2014 cohort had overall higher grades and particularly higher grades for the all-ceramic crown preparations. Evaluation scores were affected by the sequence in which the different crown type preparations were taught and tested. Although the overall results suggested that students may perform better if the all-ceramic crown preparation is taught last, this tendency may differ between years.
Recent Increases in Cocaine-Related Overdose Deaths and the Role of Opioids

Objectives. To assess trends in cocaine overdose deaths and examine the role opioids play in these deaths.Methods. We used data on drug overdose deaths in the United States from 2000 to 2015 collected in the National Vital Statistics System to calculate annual rates and numbers of cocaine-related overdose deaths overall and deaths both involving and not involving opioids. We assessed statistically significant changes in trends with joinpoint regression.Results. Rates of cocaine-related overdose deaths increased significantly from 1.26 to 2.50 per 100 000 population from 2000 to 2006, declined to 1.35 in 2010, and increased to 2.13 in 2015. Cocaine-related overdose deaths involving opioids increased from 0.37 to 0.91 from 2000 to 2006, declined to 0.57 in 2010, and then increased to 1.36 in 2015. Cocaine-related overdose deaths not involving opioids increased from 0.89 to 1.59 from 2000 to 2006 and then declined to 0.78 in 2015.Conclusions. Opioids, primarily heroin and synthetic opioids, have been driving...