cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Linear precoding for MIMO wireless correlated channels with non-zero means: K factor analysis, extension to non-orthogonal STBC

A linear precoder for MIMO channels exploiting both the channel mean and transmit correlation has been shown to improve performance of an orthogonal space-time coded system (Vu, M. and Paulraj, A., Proc. IEEE Vehicular Tech. Conf., 2004). We extend the precoder design to systems with non-orthogonal space-time code, and provide asymptotic analysis at high K factor. The precoder is designed by minimizing the Chernoff bound on the pairwise error probability. While a linear precoder can be viewed as a multi-mode beamformer, it converges to a single beam as the K factor increases. A design criterion based on the minimum codeword distance and a new criterion based on the average codeword distance are considered. Numerical simulations using quasi-orthogonal STBC give examples of the performance gain that can be achieved with these designs.
Knowledge Capture and Management - Key To Ensuring Flight Safety and Mission Success

The incorporation of knowledge capture and knowledge management strategies early in the development phase of an exploration program is necessary for safe and successful missions of human and robotic exploration vehicles over the life of a program. Following the transition from the development to the flight phase, loss of underlying theory and rationale governing design and requirements occur through a number of mechanisms. This degrades the quality of engineering work resulting in increased life cycle costs and risk to mission success and safety of flight. Due to budget constraints, concerned personnel in legacy programs often have to improvise methods for knowledge capture and management using existing, but often sub-optimal, information technology and archival resources. Application of advanced information technology to perform knowledge capture and management would be most effective if program wide requirements are defined at the beginning of a program.
Is there specific transcription from isolated chromatin

Hg-UMP-containing transcripts made from chick erythroid chromatins with E. coli RNA polymerase hybridize to chick globin cDNA. Contamination with endogenous globin RNA has been largely removed by purification on SH-agarose columns at 55 degrees C. Some endogenous globin mRNA sequences remain, probably as hybrids with "anti-sense" Hg-transcripts produced by RNA-dependent RNA synthesis. Heating to 115 degrees C before SH-agarose chromatography eliminates these contaminants. Hg-transcripts from adult and embryonic erythroid chromatins purified by this method are hybridized to globin cDNA; they contain a 4- to 6-fold higher proportion of globin-specific sequences (10-13 PPM) than do transcripts from brain chromatin. Dissociation of erythroid chromatins in salt and urea, followed by reconstitution using standard methods, destroys even this low degree of specificity.
From Data Reverence to Data Relevance: Model-Mediated Wireless Sensing of the Physical Environment

Wireless sensor networks can be viewed as the integration of three subsystems: a low-impact in situdata acquisition and collection system, a system for inference of process models from observed data and a prioriinformation, and a system that controls the observation and collection. Each of these systems is connected by feedforward and feedback signals from the others; moreover, each subsystem is formed from behavioral components that are distributed among the sensors and out-of-network computational resources. Crucially, the overall performance of the system is constrained by the costs of energy, time, and computational complexity. We are addressing these design issues in the context of monitoring forest environments with the objective of inferring ecosystem process models. We describe here our framework of treating data and models jointly, and its application to soil moisture processes.
Differential regulation of GABA release and neuronal excitability mediated by neuropeptide Y1 and Y2 receptors in rat thalamic neurons

1. Neuropeptide Y (NPY) produced inhibitory effects on neurons of the thalamic reticular nucleus (RT; n = 18) and adjacent ventral basal complex (VB; n = 22), which included hyperpolarization (approximately 4 mV), a reduction in rebound and regular spikes and an increased membrane conductance. These effects were mediated predominantly via NPY1 receptor activation of G-protein-activated, inwardly rectifying K+ (GIRK) channels. 2. NPY reduced the frequency of spontaneous GABAA receptor-mediated inhibitory postsynaptic currents (sIPSCs) in RT (by 60 +/- 7 %, n = 14) and VB neurons (by 25 +/- 11 %, n = 16), but had no effect on the kinetic properties of sIPSCs. After removal of the RT nucleus, the inhibitory effects of NPY on sIPSCs in VB neurons remained (29 +/- 7 %, n = 5). The synaptic effects were mediated via NPY2 receptors. 3. NPY inhibited the frequency of miniature IPSCs (mIPSCs) in RT and VB neurons (by 63 +/- 7 %, n = 5, and 37 +/- 8 %, n = 10, respectively) in the presence of tetrodotoxin (TTX) (1 microM) but not TTX (1 microM) and Cd2+ (200 microM). 4. NPY inhibited evoked IPSCs in both RT (by 18 +/- 3 %, n = 6) and VB (by 5 +/- 4 %, n = 6) neurons without change in short-term synaptic plasticity. 5. We conclude that NPY1 and NPY2 receptors are functionally segregated in the thalamus: NPY1 receptors are predominantly expressed at the somata and dendrites and directly reduce the excitability of neurons in both the RT and VB nuclei by activating GIRK channels. NPY2 receptors are located at recurrent (RT) and feed-forward GABAergic terminals (VB) and downregulate GABA release via inhibition of Ca2+ influx from voltage-gated Ca2+ channels.
Regulation of Interferon-β by MAGI-1 and Its Interaction with Influenza A Virus NS1 Protein with ESEV PBM

The NS1 protein from avian influenza A viruses contains a PDZ binding motif (PBM) at its carboxyl terminus with the consensus sequence ESEV. The ESEV PBM confers binding to several cellular PDZ proteins, including Dlg1, MAGI-1 and Scribble. The interaction between NS1 and Scribble protects infected cells from apoptosis, while the interaction between NS1 and both Dlg1 and Scribble disrupts tight junctions. In this study, we examined the MAGI-1 protein. We made the unexpected observation that siRNA depletion of MAGI-1 activates IRF3 and induces the IFN-β promoter. We found that the ESEV NS1 protein sequesters MAGI-1 away from the plasma membrane in infected cells. Using plasmid vectors to express NS1 proteins, we observed that the ESEV PBM elicits an IFN-β induction signal as indicated by activation of IRF3 and a relative deficiency in NS1 inhibition of induction of the IFN-β promoter by dsRNA or RIG-I. Taken together, our data suggest that disruption of MAGI-1 by the ESEV PBM activates an IFN-β induction signal. During viral infection, however, induction of the IFN-β gene does not occur presumably because other anti-IFN functions dominate over the IFN-activation activity of the ESEV PBM. We postulate that the ESEV PBM's broad binding activity for PDZ proteins may allow NS1 to bind to some PDZ proteins such as MAGI-1 that confer no benefit or may even be detrimental to viral replication. However, the advantage of binding to key PDZ proteins such as Dlg1 and Scribble may dominate and therefore provide an overall benefit for the virus to encode the ESEV PBM.
Cost Functions and Nonlinear Prices: Estimating A Technology with Quality-Differentiated Inputs

The paper is concerned with developing a production theory for the case when some inputs have nonlinear prices because the price depends on endogenous quality. This involves extending the notion of a cost function to the case where nonlinear prices are parameters of costs. After developing the appropriate theory, we apply our results to the case of coal-fired electric power generation where fuel quality depends on sulfur and ash impurities. Environmental regulations induce a negative value on sulfur whereas ash impurities degrade performance and thus reduce production possibilities. A number of empirical results emerge, including significant rates of technological change that are sulfur and ash saving though capital using. This change may explain in part the recent drop in the price of sulfur allowances in the United States.
Determination Of The Performance Measure Of Executive Compensation

This paper investigates the principal-agent model of executive compensation through an empirical study of the interaction between CEO compensation and firm performance. As a multi level regression analysis that specifically shows the weight of the variance of the main independent variable, above and over the other independent variables, the stepwise multiple regression is employed to induce a statistical model of the pay-performance sensitivity. The stepwise multiple regression offers insights into the different weight assigned to the performance measure. In this respect, variances of the variables related to the change in the market value of firms are specifically weighted against each other in order to determine specific characteristics of the pay-performance relationship. The analysis is consistent with the agency theory that firm’ executives take advantage of the lack of control by firms’ owners to pursuit their personal interests. As the United States’ economy tumbles, the change in CEO total compensation does not seem to follow the accounting criteria of performance measures typically specified in management compensation contracts. The study reveals a lack of relationship between CEO compensation and firm performance. The link running from the change in the market value of firms and the change in CEO total compensation is flawed. The incentives faced by shareholders to discipline executives would be able to increase the performance of firms. It would be absurd for the compensation committee to rely on the single firms’ total assets value as the performance measure of CEO compensation. Other performance vehicles, such as returns, earnings, and cash flows should be considered in the determination of executive compensation.
Unit Character Inheritance of Color in the Black Rat, MUS RATTUS L.

Page 422, line 3 from bottom, for "the following F2 ratio" read "the following ratio." Page 425, line 6, for "C. N. Collins" read "G. N. Collins." Page 428, line 10, for "was found to 41.5" read "was found to be 41.5." Page 430, line 2, for "17 plants" read "17 virescent plants." Page 451, line
Relational Aggression: A Developmental Psychopathology Perspective

In the past two decades, there has been significant interest among developmental psychopathologists in the study of relational forms of aggression, including gossip, social exclusion, and rumor spreading. This chapter reviews recent advances in research regarding the development of relational aggression in males and females. We focus on conceptual challenges in defining relational aggression, normative and atypical developmental trajectories, and theoretical and empirical work regarding gender differences in such conduct. We also examine potential mechanisms involved in the development of relational aggression, including biobehavioral, cognitive-emotional, and social risk factors. Next, we discuss both positive and negative developmental outcomes associated with involvement in relational aggression. Implications for both cross-cultural research and interventions are discussed. Finally, developmental psychopathology perspectives and directions for future research are highlighted. Keywords: development; relational aggression; gender; interventions; psychopathology; theory; hostile attribution bias; culture
Effect of thyroid states on uterine sensitivity to estrogen.

SummaryThe effect of hyper- and hypothyroidism on uterine wet weight, total protein, and SDH activity was studied in estrogen (2.0 μg of estradiol 17β/kg of body wt for 3 days)- and nonestrogen-treated ovariectomized rats. Uterine SDH activity appeared to increase in hyperthyroidism independent of the effect of estrogens. Uterine wet weight and total protein were significantly increased with estrogen treatment in the hypo- and euthyroid groups but not the hyper thyroid group. Uterine wet weights and total protein were not significantly different in uteri from control, thyroparathyroidectomized, or thyroxine-treated ovariectomized rats given a total dose of 0.5 μg of estradiol 17β.
Nanocrystal solids: A modular approach to materials design

Colloidal nanocrystals can combine the benefits of inorganic semiconductors with size-tunable electronic structure and inexpensive solution-based device fabrication. Single- and multicomponent nanocrystal assemblies, also known as superlattices, provide a powerful general platform for designing two- and three-dimensional solids with tailored electronic, magnetic, and optical properties. Such assemblies built of “designer atoms” can be considered as a novel type of condensed matter, whose behavior depends both on the properties of individual building blocks and on the interactions between them. Efficient charge transport is crucial for applications of nanocrystal-based materials in various electronic and optoelectronic devices. For a long time, nanocrystals were considered poor electronic conductors. To facilitate charge transport, we developed novel surface chemistry using all-inorganic ligands, namely metal chalcogenide complexes that transformed colloidal nanomaterials into a very competitive class of solution-processed semiconductors for electronic, thermoelectric, and photovoltaic applications.
Seed handling practices for southern pines grown in containers

Costs of producing container-grown seedlings incrr:ase when containers ure trot fully stocked. Best use of c o r r tuitiers requires high seed oinhility and low losses of newly g~rrninated seedlings. Seed handling practices before and after. sotoing afiect gtrrriiriutior~ and seedling strrvioul. This is u surnrrulry of seed preparation, soruing rates, diseuse control, c~nd sc,eci gerrt~inution f ir contc~itrrr-grown sorrt herti pirws. About 5 million containerized seedlings are produced anrtually in the South (Balmer 1977). Containers are most cornrnonly used to grow southern pines o r species which are dlmcult to plant and ust~ally planted on dry sites or sites unsuited for machine planting. Containerization allows maximunr utilization ofgenetically improved seed and can reduce by a year or more the time required to establish progeny tests. High-quality seeds that permit rnaxirnum utilization of containers are necessary to justify the cost of containerization. Empty containers increase seedling costs arld keep production goals from being reached. How seed is handled from extraction through sowing inflr~ences germination and early seedling growth. PROCESSING AND STORING SEED Tlit. h~gtr-c~t~,iltty \t . t~l nect2s\ary for efliclcant corlta~i-ier growrrr \ t~ t~ t l l~ng prodtictlorr rt.\r~lt\ froni cart.frill\ (%on t~olltvf c o l l t ~ c t ~ o ~ ~ tt 197 11,) Seed to l ) t x 5torc.d shortld I)(. dr led to I)c~low 10-pt.rcc11it rno~strlre content and sealed in dut~ght c o n t a ~ ~ ~ e r s AIthot~eti sc,etfs with moisture content al)ovc. I0 nt,rccx~lt < . will remain viable for several years if stored at temperatures below freezing, a combination of moistrlre coritcrrt below 10 percent arid temperature below 32O F is recommended for safe storage. Under these conditions. .seeds of most pine species will remain vialtle for as long as 40 years (Barnett 1972).
Culdolaparoscopy: a preliminary report.

Objective: To introduce a surgical technique that combines culdoscopy with laparoscopy and microlaparoscopy. Methods: This was a feasibility study conducted at The Mount Sinai Hospital of Queens. The technique is used when a larger port is required during laparoscopy or microlaparoscopy procedures. The additional port is placed in the vagina and, under laparoscopic surveillance, into the posterior cul-de-sac. Results: This operation has been performed successfully in 5 oophorectomies, 4 myomectomies, 3 salpingoophorectomies, and 1 salpingectomy. Conclusion: This technique reduces the need for abdominal ports in excess of 5 mm. These ports can have a visual or operative function depending on the nature or stage of the procedure. The vaginal port can serve a visual function similar to that of culdoscopy or may be used for the introduction of operative instruments and the extraction of specimens. A principal benefit of using the larger vaginal port is derived from the capability of assisting laparoscopy and allowing the surgeon to use fewer and smaller abdominal trocars.
Resources and Strategy to 1914

There is a very significant body of history related to resources and strategy which pre-dates the industrial era, and a very extensive study could be made of this. However, the development of industrial economies and the rise of production-intensive ‘mobilization warfare’ brought about significant qualitative changes in the relationship between resources and strategy.1 For this reason, the pre-industrial experience is less promising as a historical basis for exploring contemporary resource security issues. By way of prelude, however, it would be useful briefly to review some of the more prominent examples from this earlier history.
The power of improvement

Davis et al 1 report on a quality improvement project aimed at reducing bloodstream infections in the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) and evaluating the long-term consequences of such a project. They introduced an infection reduction bundle in a tertiary care neonatal unit in the UK. Baseline rates before were relatively high compared with other standards; the reported rate from the unit in Bristol was 40% compared with a mean rate in the Vermont Oxford Network (VON) of 20%. The quality improvement strategy included assembling a multidisciplinary team to implement and monitor successful introduction of a fairly standard set of potentially better practices. Reduction in the incidence of nosocomial sepsis due to coagulase-negative staphylococci was the primary outcome, although sepsis due to other late bacterial pathogens as well as other outcomes was assessed. An important contribution of this study was a commitment to gather long-term neurodevelopmental outcomes. A total of 757 patients were born during the two study periods. The rates of coagulase-negative Staphylococcus infections were significantly reduced (26.7%–14.1%) as were the rates of late bacterial infection (18.8%–8.7%). Death prior to discharge was reduced, but did not reach statistical significance. The rates of cognitive disability were noted to be reduced in the postintervention cohort (18.8% vs 6.1%), and while significant in the univariate analysis, failed to reach statistical significance in the multivariate analysis. The impressive quality improvement work by Davis et al took …
Suicide and the Creative Class: A Cross-National Examination

ABSTRACTStudies on suicide have illustrated the role society plays in the very individual act of suicide. Suicide research has examined the role of economic development within cities, states, and countries. Florida suggested that a new form of economic development, built around the creative class, is being implemented by the most prosperous cities and countries. Using a cross-national analysis of 59 countries the study finds that as the percent of the creative class increased, suicide increased. The findings indicate that there could be a negative consequence to areas pursuing economic development along the creative class model.
Performance evaluation of linear brain machine interface decoders in neural state space

Brain-Machine Interfaces (BMIs) have the potential to restore lost sensorimotor functions in people with severe motor disabilities. Several BMI decoding strategies have been suggested to translate activity of motor neurons into control signals that ac-tuate artificial devices. Among these, the class of linear decoders, particularly Wiener filters, is known to perform well for simple tasks, but degrades considerably as a function of increasing task complexity. In this work, we study the mathematical properties of the solution subspace of Wiener decoders in an effort to derive a desired neural state trajectory that is optimal for a given decoder and a desired biomimetic kinematic solution. We show that the error between the desired neural trajectory and the actual one measured during the performance of a 2D reach task provides reliable estimation and prediction of the performance in the task space. We demonstrate a significant correlation between the error measure in the neural state space and the error measure in the task space, which allows potential future use of this error measure as a way to estimate the true motor intent and the extent of learning the decoder by BMI subjects, and possibly as a feedback signal to improve their online decoding performance.
The Role of Age of Exposure to English in the Development of Arabic as a Heritage Language in the United States

ABSTRACTThis study examined two common accounts of heritage speakers’ nonnative attainment in their heritage/first language (L1), one attributing it to the influence of the second language (L2) and another to insufficient L1 input. Three groups of children who were heritage speakers of Arabic and who varied in their age of L2 exposure and type and amount of L1 input (n = 31) were compared to monolingual Arabic-speaking children (n = 12).The participants completed three oral tasks targeting subject-verb agreement, plural morphology, and relative clauses. The findings revealed significant differences among the groups, except between the monolingual group and the group of heritage speakers that had not been exposed to English at the time of the study. Although both L2 exposure and L1 input correlated positively with the children’s overall accuracy, age of L2 exposure was the only significant predictor of accuracy. The disparity in the groups’ performance was also explained by the properties of the linguistic...
Superconducting Focusing Lenses for the SSR1 Cryomodule of PXIE Test Stand at Fermilab

Five solenoid-based focusing lenses designed for use inside the SSR1 cryomodule of the PXIE test stand at Fermilab have been fabricated and tested. In addition to a focusing solenoid, each lens is equipped with a set of windings that generate magnetic field in the transverse plane and can be used in the steering dipole mode or as a skew quadrupole corrector. The lenses will be installed between superconducting cavities in the cryomodule, so getting sufficiently low fringe magnetic field was one of the main design requirements. Beam dynamics simulations indicated a need for high accuracy positioning of the lenses in the cryomodule, which triggered a study towards understanding uncertainties of the magnetic axis position relative to the geometric features of the lens. This report summarizes the efforts towards certification of the lenses, including results of performance tests, fringe field data, and uncertainty of the magnetic axis position.
Perspectives and Predicaments of GMO Salmon

AquAdvantage Salmon, produced by AquaBounty Technologies, Inc., is the first genetically engineered (GE) fish to be considered for commercial production and human consumption in the United States. Its application is currently under review by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA). Although private companies around the world are working on developing at least 35 species of GE fish and shellfish—including catfish, carp, oysters, and trout—no country has yet approved any of them for commercial production or human consumption.
Modeling Spatial Choice in Ocean Fisheries

Theoretical and practical problems arise when Random Utility Models (RUM) of location choice developed for recreational fisheries are applied to model spatial choice in ocean commercial fisheries. To be relevant to actual open-ocean fisheries, discrete-choice models of ocean fisheries should avoid imposing unrealistic assumptions about spatial decision-making while incorporating detailed and flexible geographic scales. An alternative approach based on poisson approximation can be theoretically consistent with RUM while permitting specification of a choice set of almost unlimited spatial detail. Extension to nested and mixed logit models is straightforward. An application of the approach to spatial valuation of the North Pacific groundfish fishery shows that it can produce nearly identical results to those achieved by a conventional logit model. Although harvests are spread over a wide geographic extent, estimated short-run fishery value densities are highly concentrated in a few relatively small regions.
A coordinated approach for frequency control of zero emission based smart PV-wind-battery power system

Power demand of isolated communities or islands primarily relies on heavy oil based diesel generator systems where these fossil fuel based power generators are not only costly but also create adverse effect on the environment. Photovoltaic generator system (PV system), wind energy conversion system (WECS) and battery energy storage system (BESS) are clean sources of alternative energy. These energy sources can be the alternative of diesel generator based power system for an isolated communities such as islands. However, both PV systems and WECSs are uncertain and fluctuating sources of energy causing power fluctuations and frequency deviations. This paper proposes a coordinated approach of the frequency control for a zero emission based small power system with renewable energy penetration. PV system, WECS and BESS have been utilized to control frequency of the proposed zero emission based power system. Efficacy of the proposed frequency control system is shown with simulations results.
The Chubb Corporation: An Analysis of 2004-2012 Return on Equity

In March 2012, a buy-side analyst with a midsize (more than $5 billion in managed assets) investment management firm was asked by one of its portfolio managers to help him evaluate the Chubb Corporation (Chubb) as a potential investment candidate to diversify his portfolio to include a property casualty insurer. Chubb's stock performance was inspiring, tripling in value since 2004. But an initial screening indicated weakness on some key financial statement metrics: low top-line premium growth, rising costs, low investment returns, and, most important of all, a flat to falling return on equity. Excerpt UVA-C-2356 Feb. 4, 2015 The Chubb Corporation: An Analysis of 2004–2012 Return on Equity Who insures you doesn't matter. Until it does. (Chubb Corporation annual review, 2009) Paula Kelly was a buy-side analyst with SunnyDale Advisors, a midsize (more than $ 5billion in managed assets) investment management firm based in Stamford, Connecticut. She was asked by Richard Haines, one of SunnyDale's portfolio managers, to help him evaluate the Chubb Corporation (Chubb) as a potential investment candidate. It was March 2012, and Haines was looking to diversify his portfolio to include a property casualty insurer. He only had interest in those companies that had steady records of delivering returns, and Chubb certainly fit that mold. The company's stock performance was inspiring, tripling in value since 2004 and outperforming its peers (Exhibits 1 and 2). But Haines's own initial screening indicated weakness on some key financial statement metrics: low top-line premium growth, rising costs, low investment returns, and, most important of all, a flat-to-falling return on equity (ROE). Haines asked Kelly to complete a summary of Chubb's key drivers of financial performance that would explain the company's strong stock performance (Chubb's financial statements are displayed in Exhibits 3, 4, and 5). . . .
Novel Cell Model for Tauopathy Induced by a Cell-Permeable Tau-Related Peptide

In the present study, a cell penetrating peptide (CPP)-amyloid conjugate was prepared (T-peptide), where the amyloid-forming sequence was homologous to a nucleating sequence from human Tau protein (306VQIVYK311). Kinetic and biophysical studies showed the peptide formed long-lived oligomers which were taken up by endocytosis and localized in perinuclear vesicles and in the cytoplasm of murine hippocampal neuroblastoma cells and human HeLa cells. Thioflavin S (ThS) staining of amyloid colocalized with pathological phosphorylated Tau, suggesting that the peptide was able to seed endogenous wild-type Tau. Subsequent experiments showed that aggregates present in the lysosomes mediated lysosome membrane permeability (LMP). We observed a decrease in total Tau, irrespective of phosphorylation state, consistent with Tau fragmentation by lysosomal proteases. We found cytotoxicity of T-peptide could be abrogated by inhibitors of lysosomal hydrolases and caspases, consistent with a model where Tau fragments processe...
Silver Oxide Coatings with High Silver-Ion Elution Rates and Characterization of Bactericidal Activity.

This paper reports the synthesis and characterization of silver oxide films for use as bactericidal coatings. Synthesis parameters, dissolution/elution rate, and bactericidal efficacy are reported. Synthesis conditions were developed to create AgO, Ag2O, or mixtures of AgO and Ag2O on surfaces by reactive magnetron sputtering. The coatings demonstrate strong adhesion to many substrate materials and impede the growth of all bacterial strains tested. The coatings are effective in killing Escherichia coli and Staphylococcus aureus, demonstrating a clear zone-of-inhibition against bacteria growing on solid media and the ability to rapidly inhibit bacterial growth in planktonic culture. Additionally, the coatings exhibit very high elution of silver ions under conditions that mimic dynamic fluid flow ranging between 0.003 and 0.07 ppm/min depending on the media conditions. The elution of silver ions from the AgO/Ag2O surfaces was directly impacted by the complexity of the elution media, with a reduction in elution rate when examined in complex cell culture media. Both E. coli and S. aureus were shown to bind ~1 ppm Ag+/mL culture. The elution of Ag+ resulted in no increases in mammalian cell apoptosis after 24 h exposure compared to control, but apoptotic cells increased to ~35% by 48 and 72 h of exposure. Taken together, the AgO/Ag2O coatings described are effective in eliciting antibacterial activity and have potential for application on a wide variety of surfaces and devices.
To Bring Molecular Genetics to the Study of Biological Motility in Physarum

Back in the Golden Age of Molecular Biology, the 1960s, hordes were occupied with unraveling the mysteries of protein structure, self-assembly, the genetic code, protein synthesis, DNA replication, regulation, and the set of problems that we now call macromolecular metabolism (Stent, 1968). On the side, a small cohort including Norman Horowitz, Joshua Lederberg, Carl Sagan, and Wolf Vishniac was concerned with designing experiments to detect life on the moon and on nearby planets as there emerged a capability to place landing vehicles on these celestial objects (Horowitz, 1966). Tests for numerous metabolic pathways diagnostic of terrestrial life were adapted to the harsh conditions of outer space, and culture media to support growth were formulated from various aerobic and anaerobic cuisines. Finally, it was necessary to cover the range of possibilities in which extraterrestrial life would employ a metabolism different from that of terrestrial life (“silicon life”). Two phenomenological criteria were added to the repertoire of the landing vehicle laboratory—irritability and motility. Indeed, it seems that all terrestrial forms higher than viruses display integrated motility systems. These translocate materials within cells, or translocate the organism along surfaces, or propel it through three dimensions.
Forest management intensity: a comparison of timber investment management organizations and industrial landowners in Mississippi.

All timberland investment management organizations (TIMOs) and industrial landowners in Mississippi were surveyed during 1998 and 1999 to determine their annual forest management practices and related expenditures. The response rate was 65%, and respondents accounted for approximately 90% of the timberland owned by these two landowner groups. For analysis purposes, industrial landowners were separated into two categories: large (>10,000 ac) and small (<10,000 ac). Pine plantations represented 66% of TIMOs’ timberland base compared to 55% for large industrial landowners and less than 50% for small industrial landowners. Over the 2 yr study period, TIMOs and large industrial landowners invested heavily in site preparation and planting as well as midrotation chemical release and fertilization. In contrast, small industrial landowners relied on natural regeneration to a much greater extent and conducted few, if any, midrotation treatments. As a group, TIMOs and industrial landowners spent approximately $20/ac annually on their Mississippi timberlands. Overhead represented slightly over 40% of this total, with silvicultural treatments accounting for the remainder. Property taxes represented the largest overhead expense. In total, these landowners spent $67 million in 1998 and $54 million in 1999 to maintain and manage their Mississippi timberlands. South. J. Appl. For. 27(2):83–91.
Finding Mid-19th Century Native Settlements: Cartographic and Archaeological Evidence from Central California

Historical maps have the potential to aid archaeological investigations into the persistence of Native American settlements during the mid-19th century, a time when many Native communities disappea...
Microplasma Generation of Iron Microparticles for 3-D Manufacturing

Three-D metal selective laser sintering is a relatively new but growing field of microfabrication. Iron used in alloys commonly starts as micropellet feedstock made with spray atomization; however, this process is power intensive and less economical than the microplasma generation. In this letter, iron nitrate is used to produce iron microparticles in an aqueous-based microplasma process to form metal microparticles that can be used in additive manufacturing. We show that it is possible to form particles on the order of micrometers. The plasma process was successfully used to make iron microparticles that would work in the selective laser sintering process and can be used for any metal solution. The fabricated particles are investigated for size, size distribution, shape, and composition. [2017-0201]
Tax Reform Commissions in the Sweep of California's Fiscal History

2When the Governor and the Legislature first appointed the Parsky Commission, there were very high expectations. California was experiencing a severe financial crisis, following on the heels of ongoing budgetary problems and a national recession. Many hoped that the Parsky Commission could provide some direction out of the crisis. There were broad indications that the recommendations of the Parsky Commission would be taken very seriously in Sacramento and would be considered seriously by the Legislature. 3
Interval cycles, affinity spaces, and transpositional networks

The paper proposes a framework that coordinates several models of pitch space whose constructive features rely on the concept of interval cycles and transpositional relations. This general model brings under a focused perspective diverse pitch structures such as Tonnetze, affinity spaces, Alban Berg's "master array" of interval-cycles, and several types of transpositional networks (T-nets). This paper argues that applying incremental changes on some of the constructive features of the generic Tonnetz (Cohn 1997) results in a set of coherent and analytically versatile transpositional networks (T-nets), here classified as homogeneous, progressive, and dynamic. In this context, several properties of the networks are investigated, including voice-leading and common-tone relations. The paper also explores the music-modeling potential of progressive and dynamic T-nets by attending to characteristic compositional deployments in the music of Witold Lutoslawski and Gyorgy Kurtag.
Affirmative Action as Reparations for Slavery and Legal Discrimination: Amicus Brief in Support of Respondents

Affirmative action in education is generally justified on two grounds: as a narrowly tailored remedy for specific past discrimination, and to enhance diversity. The paper is an amicus brief filed in the US Supreme Court cases Gratz and Grutter (the University of Michigan affirmative action cases). This brief defends affirmative action as reparations for the crimes of slavery and legal discrimination, without the need for strict scrutiny under the Equal Protection Clause of the Fourteenth Amendment. The concept of racial preferences is also critiqued and reparations are not categorized as racial preferences. Finally, the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination is viewed as supportive of affirmative action as a remedy for past injustice.
Anisotropic Thermal Expansion Characteristics of Some Crystal Structures

Anomalous thermal expansion characteristics of some crystal structures can be related to the presence of distorted coordination polyhedra present in their atomic arrangements. The occurence of these distortions is discussed particularly in terms of the cationic radii, and examples include PbTiO3 and R2TiO5 compounds. A related phenomena is the observed structural rearrangements under high pressure of structures containing distorted coordination polyhedra.
Evaluation of Chip-Last Fan-Out Panel Level Packaging with G2.5 LCD Facility Using FlexUPTM and Mechanical De-bonding Technologies

FOPLP is attracted more and more attention because it was carried out in panel form for cost-effective products. In this paper, for Chip-last FOPLP manufacturing, we proposed to utilize LCD facilities as well as panel-form plating equipment for RDL manufacturing with ITRI's core technologies, i.e., FlexUPTM and mechanical de-bonding, Besides, a simulation system was built to predict the internal stress of Chip-last FOPLP during de-bonding. This innovative combination creates opportunities for fan-out packaging applications instead of the existing wafer level packaging process.
Amplitude Modulation Detection in Children with a History of Temporary Conductive Hearing Loss Remains Impaired for Years After Restoration of Normal Hearing

Otitis media with effusion (OME) is considered a form of relative sensory deprivation that often occurs during a critical period of language acquisition in children. Animal studies have demonstrated that hearing loss during early development can impair behavioral sensitivity to amplitude modulation (AM), critical for speech understanding, even after restoration of normal hearing thresholds. AM detection in humans with a history of OME-associated conductive hearing loss (CHL) has not been previously investigated. Our objective was to determine whether OME-associated CHL in children ages 6 months to 3 years results in deficits in AM detection in later childhood, after restoration of normal audiometric thresholds. Children ages 4 to 7 years with and without a history of OME-associated CHL participated in an AM detection two-alternative forced-choice task at 8 and 64 Hz modulation frequencies using a noise carrier signal and an interactive touch screen interface. Thirty-four subjects were studied (17 with a history of OME-related CHL and 17 without). Modulation detection thresholds improved with age and were slightly lower (more sensitive) for the 64 Hz modulation frequency for both groups. Modulation detection thresholds of children with a history of OME-associated CHL were higher than control thresholds at 5 years, but corrected to expected levels between ages 6–7. OME-associated CHL results in impaired AM detection, even when measured years after restoration of normal audiometric thresholds. Future studies may shed light on implications for speech and language development and academic success for children affected by OME and associated conductive hearing loss.
Evidence on the Effect of Political Platform Transparency on Partisan Voting

We examine the impact of providing voters with additional information related to candidates’ views on particular issues on voters’ tendencies to cross the party line. When we randomize the provision of this information in an experimental setting where participants are undergraduate students at a large public university, we find that “treatment” increases the likelihood that a voter will cross the party line by an average of 4 percentage points. This corresponds to an approximately 20% decrease in partisan voting. Surprisingly, treatment effects are not more pronounced among voters whose opposing party’s candidate is the relatively moderate candidate in the election. They are, however, more pronounced among Democrat voters. These findings suggest that transparency, with respect to candidates’ views on particular issues, has a corroding effect on partisanship among a subset of voters.
Sensitivity Evaluation of the Daily Thermal Predictions of the AGR-2 Experiment in the Advanced Test Reactor

A temperature sensitivity evaluation has been performed for an individual test capsule in the AGR-2 TRISO particle fuel experiment. The AGR-2 experiment is the second in a series of fueled test experiments for TRISO coated fuel particles run in the Advanced Test Reactor at the Idaho National Laboratory. A series of cases were compared to a base case by varying different input parameters in an ABAQUS finite element thermal model. Most input parameters were varied by ±10%, with one parameter ±20%, to show the temperature sensitivity to each parameter. The most sensitive parameters were the outer control gap distance, heat rate in the fuel compacts, and neon gas fraction. The thermal conductivity of the fuel compacts and thermal conductivity of the graphite holder were of moderate sensitivity. The least sensitive parameters were the emissivities of the stainless steel and graphite, along with gamma heat rate in the non-fueled components. Sensitivity calculations were also performed for the fast neutron fluence, which showed a general, but minimal, temperature rise with increasing fluence.Copyright © 2015 by ASME
Effect of Retail Clinic Use on Continuity of Care Among Medicare Beneficiaries.

Purpose: We examined the relationship between retail clinic use and primary care physician (PCP) continuity among Medicare enrollees in the Houston metropolitan area. Methods: We identified retail clinic providers in the study area using a 2015 health care provider database. Medicare claims data from enrollees who received care from retail clinics in 2015 were compared with propensity score-matched sample of enrollees who received no care from retail clinics. Results: There were 2.32 retail clinic visits per 1000 beneficiaries in a month. Approximately 1.3% of Medicare beneficiaries used retail clinics. Retail clinic users were more likely to be aged 65 to 74 years, female, White, and Medicaid ineligible. In multivariable analyses with adjustments for covariates, significant predictors of retail clinic use included having ≥3 chronic conditions (Odds Ratio [OR], 1.53 vs no condition), living within 1 mile of a retail clinic (OR, 2.44 vs living ≥5 miles), and having no PCP (OR, 1.11 vs having PCP). Compared with propensity-matched controls, among enrollees with an identified PCP, likelihood of seeing their PCP (OR, 0.82; 95% CI, 0.73 to 0.93) and continuity of care was lower (0.75 ± 0.33 vs 0.80 ± 0.31) if they had retail clinic visits. Conclusions: Retail clinic use was lower in the elderly population compared with the previously published rate in the younger populations. The lower rate of continuity of care observed among retail clinic users is concerning, especially for those with chronic medical conditions.
Environmental Law: As the Joke Goes, The Only Good Lawyer is a …

The background legislative history of the U.S. landmark environmental protection law, the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA), began with two bills before the U.S. Congress on February 17, 1969: HR 6750 and S1075. Both bills described the need for a sound “informational input to decision and policy making process.” The bills proposed the formation of a council to give the U.S. president the status on environmental matters affecting the country. Both bills were modeled after the Employment Act of 1946, which created a three-person “Council of Economic Advisors” to advise the president of the state of the nation’s economy. The bills also called for the submission of the Council on Environmental Quality through an annual report to provide substantive information and advice to the president. It was also in 1969 when the Santa Barbara oil spill occurred soon after the federal government assured the people that environmental matters had been properly considered in granting the necessary oil-drilling leases. As a result of this significant environmental pollution incident, an “action-forcing” section was added into NEPA (Section 102 (2)(c)), which provided the most significant aspect of this national policy legislation, including the preparation and review of the statements supporting a particular project’s impact on the environment and the public’s involvement with an environmental impact statement process (Stewart and Krier 1982).
Training for Librarians: An Analysis of the Institute of Museum and Library Services Laura Bush 21st Century Librarian Program

AbstractThe Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS), a major funding agency for museums and libraries in the United States, offers a variety of grant programs. The Laura Bush 21st Century L...
Mutual information technique in assessing crosstalk through a random-pairing bootstrap method

Crosstalk plays a critical role in prevention research to promote purposeful behavior change through randomized controlled trials. However, two challenges prevent researchers from assessing crosstalk between subjects in the intervention and the control conditions that may contaminate an intervention trial. First, it is very hard if not impossible to identify who in the intervention group have talked with whom in the control group; therefore the crosstalk effect cannot be statistically evaluated. Second no method is readily available to quantify crosstalk even if we know who has talked with whom. To overcome the challenges, we devised the random-pairing bootstrap (RPB) method based on statistical principles and adapted the mutual information (MI) technique from the information sciences. The established RPB method provides a novel approach for researchers to identify participants in the intervention and the control groups who might have talked with each other; the MI itself is an analytical method capable of quantifying both linear and nonlinear relationships on a variable between two groups of subjects who might have experienced information exchange. An MI measure therefore provides evidence supporting the effect from crosstalk on a target variable with data generated through RPB. To establish the PRB-MI methodology, we first conducted a systematic test with simulated data. We then analyzed empirical data from a randomized controlled trial (n=1360) funded by the National Institute of Health. Analytical results with simulated data indicate that RBP-MI method can effectively detect a known crosstalk effect with different effect sizes. Analytical results with empirical data show that effects from within-group crosstalk are greater than those of between-group crosstalk, which is within our expectation. These findings suggest the validity and utility of the RBP-MI method in behavioral intervention research. Further research is needed to improve the method.
What Looks Like a Clot But Is Not a Clot?: Cardiac Leiomyosarcoma Mimicking Pulmonary Embolism.

Abstract Primary cardiac tumors in the right ventricular outflow tract are often misdiagnosed as pulmonary embolism due to rarity and inadequate imaging characterization. Multimodality imaging offe...