cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Involvement of a second lymphoid-specific enhancer element in the regulation of immunoglobulin heavy-chain gene expression

To determine whether enhancer elements in addition to the highly conserved octamer (OCTA)-nucleotide motif are important for lymphoid-specific expression of the immunoglobulin heavy-chain (IgH) gene, we have investigated the effect of mutating the binding site for a putative additional lymphoid-specific transcription factor, designated NF-microB, in the murine IgH enhancer. We demonstrate that the NF-microB-binding site plays a critical role in the IgH enhancer, because mutation of the microB DNA motif decreased transcriptional activity of the IgH enhancer in cells of the B-cell lineage but not in nonlymphoid cells. This effect was comparable to or even stronger than the effect of a mutation in the OCTA site. Moreover, combined mutation of both microB and OCTA sites further reduced enhancer activity in lymphoid cells. Interestingly, alteration of either the microB or E3 site in a 70-base-pair fragment of the IgH enhancer that lacks the binding site for OCTA abolished enhancer activity in lymphoid cells completely. Nevertheless, a multimer of the microB motif alone showed no enhancer activity. DNase footprinting analysis corroborated the functional data showing that a lymphoid-specific protein binds to the microB DNA motif. Our results suggest that the microB element is a new crucial element important for lymphoid-specific expression of the IgH gene but that interaction with another enhancer element is essential for its activity.
Frequently Recommended Books for Students in Preschool Through High School

A s the trend toward teaching reading and the other language arts through literature continues to spread through schools across the country, the question of which books to use should be of concern for a number of reasons. First, most school districts have limited financial resources to spend on materials, and the funds that are available should be spent as wisely as possible. In addition, teachers frequently spend personal monies on books for the classroom, and they want to get good books that their students will read. Second, thousands of books are available to choose from, with thousands more being published each year. Selecting from among the thousands of books that are available can be a difficult and time-consuming task. Third, a great many of the books that are available can be classified as great literature, and students should be encouraged to read the best that is available. When selecting reading materials, teachers of students with learning disabilities or other handicapping conditions should always remember that their students want to be seen as "normal," and that includes reading the same books their peers read whenever possible. One example of this was a teacher of seventh-grade students with learning disabilities whose student came to her with the request to read Old Yeller (Gipson, 1956) because the regular seventh-grade English classes were reading it. To accommodate her students' request, she showed the film to familiarize them with the story before the students read the book as a class. All students with handicaps may not be interested in reading the same books their peers are reading in a class, but they do want to read books their peers are likely to read. The list of books presented here may be of particular help to special education teachers in
Long-Term Infection Rates Associated With the Pectoral Versus Abdominal Approach to Cardioverter- Defibrillator Implants

Abstract Infection is an uncommon (0% to 6.7%) but serious complication after implantable cardioverter-defibrillator (ICD) implantation. All ICD primary implants, replacements, or revisions performed at the Massachusetts General Hospital between April 1983 and May 1999 were reviewed. A total of 21 ICD-related infections (1.2%) were identified among 1,700 procedures affecting 1.8% of the 1,170 patients who underwent a primary implant, a generator change, or a revision of their systems. The mean follow-up time was 35 ± 33 months. Of the 959 patients with long-term follow-up, 19 of the 584 patients (3.2%) with abdominal and 2 of the 375 patients (0.5%) with pectoral systems developed ICD-related infections (p = 0.03). There was no significant difference between the infection rate among the 959 primary ICD implants and the 447 replacements or system revisions. Only 5 of the patients (24%) had systemic signs of infection, including fever (T>100.5) and elevated white blood count >12,000. Cultures from the wound revealed staphylococcal species in 16 patients (76%). Nineteen patients were treated with removal of the entire ICD system in addition to intravenous antibiotics for 2 to 4 weeks. A decrease in the incidence of ICD-related infection has occurred since the advent of transvenous pectoral systems. The main organism responsible for ICD infection is Staphylococcus . The mainstay of ICD infection management consists of complete removal of the entire implanted system.
On metrics for comparing interconnect estimation methods for FPGAs

Interconnect management is a critical design issue for large field-programmable gate arrays (FPGA) based designs. One of the most important issues for planning interconnection is the ability to reliably and efficiently predict the interconnect requirements of a given design on a given FPGA architecture. Many interconnect estimation methods have been reported so far and the estimation problem is also under active research. From a CAD tool deployment point of view, comparing these estimation methods is very difficult because of the different reporting methods used by the authors. We make an argument for and propose a new uniform reporting metric, based on comparing the estimates with the results of an actual detailed router on both local and global levels. We then compare some of the well known and promising interconnect estimation methods using our new metric on a large number of benchmark circuits.
Model for End-stage Liver Disease score fails to predict perioperative outcome after hepatic resection for hepatocellular carcinoma in patients without cirrhosis.

Abstract Background The Model for End-stage Liver Disease (MELD) score was developed to reflect the hepatocellular reserve in patients with cirrhosis. We hypothesized that the MELD score would not be predictive of perioperative outcome after hepatic resection in patients without cirrhosis. Methods We performed a case-control study of all consecutive patients from 1995 through 2005 undergoing hepatic resection for HCC. Results Group A (21 patients without cirrhosis) had a mean age of 57 years, which was similar to control group B (25 patients with cirrhosis), with a mean age of 60 years. The mean tumor size in group A was 9.8 cm compared with that of group B, which was 4.8 cm ( P = .03). The American Joint Committee on Cancer stage in group A was I in 14%, II in 5%, and III in 81% versus I in 48%, II in 16%, and 111 in 36% in group B ( P = .002). Eighty-six percent of group A patients had a major hepatic resection (>2 segments) compared with 40% in group B ( P = .001). The perioperative morbidity and mortality were 24% and 4.8%, respectively, in group A compared with 64% ( P = .006) and 20% ( P = .12) in group B. The mean preoperative, postoperative, and delta MELD scores were 7.0, 13.0, and 5.0, respectively, in group A compared with 9.6, 16.8, and 7.2 in group B ( P = NS). In group A, none of the MELD score parameters accurately predicted perioperative outcomes despite a higher number of patients who had major hepatic resection. In group B, a preoperative MELD score of 9 or greater was associated with a higher overall perioperative morbidity (84% vs 41%, P = .03). Perioperative mortality (n = 6; 13%) was significantly higher in patients with a postoperative MELD score of 15 or higher ( P = .02) and a delta MELD score of 10 or higher ( P = .03). Conclusions Perioperative MELD score fails to predict perioperative outcomes after hepatic resection for hepatocellular carcinoma in patients without cirrhosis. Other predictive parameters need to be developed for this group of patients.
Child Homicide and the Economic Stress Hypothesis: A Research Note

A recurrent theme in previous macro-level research on child homicide has been that causes for the phenomenon are to be found in economic stresses that affect women and their status. The authors test this idea through a logistic regression analysis of social and economic data from Texas counties for the mid-1980s. Little support is found for the economic stress hypothesis. Several possible reasons for this finding are discussed.
1.05 GHz MEMS oscillator based on lateral-field-excited piezoelectric AlN resonators

This paper reports on the first demonstration of a 1.05 GHz microelectromechanical (MEMS) oscillator based on lateral-field-excited (LFE) piezoelectric Aluminum Nitride (AlN) contour-mode resonators. The oscillator shows a phase noise level of −81 dBc/Hz at 1 kHz offset frequency and a phase noise floor of −146 dBc/Hz, which satisfies the GSM requirements of Ultra High Frequency (UHF) local oscillators (LO). The circuit was fabricated in the AMIS 0.5 µm CMOS process, with the oscillator core consuming only 3.5 mW static power. A simple two-mask process was used to fabricate the LFE AlN resonators from 843 MHz to 1.64 GHz with high Q (up to 2,200) and k t 2 (up to 1.2%). This process further relaxes manufacturing tolerances and improves yield. All these advantages make it suitable for post-CMOS integrated on-chip direct GHz frequency synthesis in reconfigurable multi-band wireless communications.
Use and cost of hospitalization in dementia: longitudinal results from a community-based study

Objectives The aim of this study is to examine the relative contribution of functional impairment and cognitive deficits on risk of hospitalization and costs. Methods A prospective cohort of Medicare beneficiaries aged 65 and older who participated in the Washington Heights-Inwood Columbia Aging Project (WHICAP) were followed approximately every 18 months for over 10 years (1805 never diagnosed with dementia during study period, 221 diagnosed with dementia at enrollment). Hospitalization and Medicare expenditures data (1999–2010) were obtained from Medicare claims. Multivariate analyses were conducted to examine (1) risk of all-cause hospitalizations, (2) hospitalizations from ambulatory care sensitive (ACSs) conditions, (3) hospital length of stay (LOS), and (4) Medicare expenditures. Propensity score matching methods were used to reduce observed differences between demented and non-demented groups at study enrollment. Analyses took into account repeated observations within each individual. Results Compared to propensity-matched individuals without dementia, individuals with dementia had significantly higher risk for all-cause hospitalization, longer LOS, and higher Medicare expenditures. Functional and cognitive deficits were significantly associated with higher risks for hospitalizations, hospital LOS, and Medicare expenditures. Functional and cognitive deficits were associated with higher risks of for some ACS but not all admissions. Conclusions These results allow us to differentiate the impact of functional and cognitive deficits on hospitalizations. To develop strategies to reduce hospitalizations and expenditures, better understanding of which types of hospitalizations and which disease characteristics impact these outcomes will be critical. Copyright © 2014 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Do We Need Genomic Research for the Prevention of Common Diseases with Environmental Causes

Concerns have been raised about the value of genomic research for prevention and public health, especially for complex diseases with risk factors that are amenable to environmental modification. Given that gene-environment interactions underlie almost all human diseases, the public health significance of genomic research on common diseases with modifiable environmental risks is based not necessarily on finding new genetic "causes" but on improving existing approaches to identifying and modifying environmental risk factors to better prevent and treat disease. Such applied genomic research for environmentally caused diseases is important, because 1) it could help stratify disease risks and differentiate interventions for achieving population health benefits; 2) it could help identify new environmental risk factors for disease or help confirm suspected environmental risk factors; and 3) it could aid our understanding of disease occurrence in terms of transmission, natural history, severity, etiologic heterogeneity, and targets for intervention at the population level. While genomics is still in its infancy, opportunities exist for developing, testing, and applying the tools of genomics to clinical and public health research, especially for conditions with known or suspected environmental causes. This research is likely to lead to population-wide health promotion and disease prevention efforts, not only to interventions targeted according to genetic susceptibility.
A PREALBUMIN ACTIVATOR OF PREKALLIKREIN III. APPEARANCE OF CHEMOTACTIC ACTIVITY FOR HUMAN NEUTROPHILS BY THE CONVERSION OF HUMAN PREKALLIKREIN TO KALLIKREIN

Human plasma kallikrein has been shown to directly and selectively attract human neutrophils from a mixed leukocyte population. The capacity of plasma kallikrein to be chemotactic and to generate the nonapeptide bradykinin was maintained during progressive purification. While neither highly purified prekallikrein nor the prealbumin Hageman factor fragments were chemotactic alone, their interaction so as to convert prekallikrein to kallikrein yielded both chemotactic and kinin-generating activity. Both functions of kallikrein were inhibited by treatment with diisopropyl fluorophosphate, indicating an essential role for the active site of the enzyme in the expression of its chemotactic activity.
Impact of dietary manipulation on nutrient flows and greenhouse gas emissions in cattle

The growing global demand for meat and particularly in countries such as Brazil is expected to increase intensive animal production. Consequently the main pollutants of interest are nitrogen (N), phosphorus (P) and greenhouse gases (GHG). Nitrogen can be a problem through nitrate leaching to water bodies, ammonia, and nitrous oxide emissions to air. Phosphorus loading in soil from manure application can be the main issue due to the tendency of P to accumulate in soil and leach to groundwater and rivers. The sources of agricultural GHG emissions include methane from enteric fermentation, manure storage and spreading, and nitrous oxide mainly from application of manure on land. Dietary manipulation has proven to be an effective tool to reduce nutrient/mineral pollution and GHG emissions. Several studies have shown that decreasing crude protein in the diet could reduce N excretion and ammonia volatilization substantially without compromising productivity. Similarly, reducing P intake in dairy cattle has been shown to reduce P excretion by up to 10%. Changing the type of N and P consumed and energy level of diet has also been reported to affect the amount and type of N and P excreted. Dietary manipulation also has an impact on the amount of GHG emissions, particularly, from enteric fermentation. Feeding cattle with a high starch and low fiber diet, for example, reduces acetate production in the rumen, and leads to lower methane production. Emissions from stored manure from high fiber fed animals tend to be higher. Evidence is also available that diet affects emissions from manure applied soil. As level of production is increased to meet global demand for ruminant meat and milk products, dietary manipulation will be useful in addressing environmental concerns.
Modulation of growth cone morphology by substrate‐bound adhesion molecules

The growth cone, a terminal structure on developing and regenerating axons, is specialized for motility and guidance functions. In vivo the growth cone responds to environmental cues to guide the axon to its appropriate target. These cues are thought to be responsible for position-specific morphological changes in the growth cone, but the molecules that control growth cone behavior are poorly characterized. We used scanning electron microscopy to analyze the morphology of retinal ganglion cell growth cones in vitro on different adhesion molecules that axons normally encounter in vivo. L1/8D9, N-cadherin, and laminin each induced distinctive morphological characteristics in growth cones. Growth cones elaborated lamellipodial structures in response to the cell adhesion molecules L1/8D9 and N-cadherin, whereas laminin supported filopodial growth cones with small veils. On L1/8D9, the growth cones were larger and produced more filopodia. Filopodial associations between adjacent growth cones and neurites were frequent on L1/8D9 but were uncommon on laminin or N-cadherin. These results demonstrate that different adhesion molecules have profoundly different effects on growth cone morphology. This is consistent with previous reports suggesting that changes in growth cone morphology in vivo occur in response to changes in substrate composition.
Synthesis of multilevel multiplexer circuits for incompletely specified multioutput Boolean functions with mapping to multiplexer based FPGA's

The introduction of the multiplexer-based Actel FPGA series ACT resulted in an increased interest in multiplexer circuits. This paper introduces a level-by-level top-down minimization algorithm for them. The concept of a local transform is applied for the generalization of the ratio parameter method for M(1) multiplexer synthesis having one data select input and a spectral method for M(2) multiplexer synthesis to determine redundant multiplexer inputs for M(k) multiplexer circuits. The algorithm developed for multilevel synthesis of M(k) multiplexer circuits for incompletely specified multioutput Boolean functions takes advantage of the combination of spectral and Boolean methods. The obtained multiplexer circuit can be directly realized with FPGA's like the Actel ACT series or the CLi 6000 series from Concurrent Logic. A simple heuristic is applied to map an M(1) multiplexer circuit to the Actel ACT1 family. >
Mum's not the word! An investigation of the effects of a group support system on a men's counseling group

The study examined the effects of a group support system on the communication process of one men's counseling group that met ten times over a three-month period. The GSS appeared to facilitate two important forms of therapeutic communication present in most successful counseling groups: self-disclosure and feedback. Anonymity and group memory were found to be the most important features of the GSS. However, the physical environment of the GSS room coupled with certain GSS characteristics reduced the participants' perceptions of intimacy, a negative outcome contrary to the expressed desires of most group members.
Insights from Population Genetics: Are all Crustaceans Created Equal?

Abstract Reanalysis of aligned sequence data from the mitochondrial cytochrome oxidase I gene region across Crustacea has generated a number of new insights into how we can interpret genetic variation in these species. Some insights, such as the relationship between genetic diversity and the latitudinal biodiversity gradient, have been predicted in earlier studies. Other patterns – such as the bias toward more ‘rare’ allelic variants than expected under null models – across the 255 data sets analyzed here suggest that a more nuanced understanding of molecular evolution is necessary for interpreting the phylogeography and population biology of species in this group.
Neuronal nitric oxide synthase modulates rat renal microvascular function

This study was performed to determine the influence of neuronal nitric oxide synthase (nNOS) on renal arteriolar tone under conditions of normal, interrupted, and increased volume delivery to the m...
Description of a new pest species of Hemilecanium Newstead (Hemiptera: Coccidae) on mango from Thailand, and a key to species of the genus

The adult female and first-instar nymph of a new species of soft scale insect, Hemilecanium mangiferae Kondo & Williams sp. nov., are described and illustrated. This species was collected on the trunk and branches of mango, Mangifera indica L., in Nakhon Pathom and Sukhothai Provinces, Thailand. The insect can cause serious damage by depleting the host sap and by producing large amounts of honeydew on which sooty molds grow. Damage was severe on the local mango cultivar, Nam DokMai. Also included are a revised diagnosis of the genus, a revised key to the adult females of the five species currently placed in the genus, and a key to the known firstinstar nymphs.La hembra adulta y la ninfa del primer estadio de una nueva especie de escama blanda, Hemilecanium mangiferae Kondo & Williams sp. nov., se describe e ilustra. Esta especie fue colectada en el tronco y ramas del mango: Mangifera indica L. en las provincias de Nakhon Pathom y Sukhothai, Tailandia. Este insecto puede causar danos severos al mango deprivando el arbol de savia, y produciendo gran cantidad de melado cual induce el crecimiento de fumaginas. El dano fue mas severo en un cultivar local conocido como Nam Dokmai. Tambien se incluyen una diagnosis revisada para el genero, una clave revisada para las hembras adultas de las cinco especies actualmente incluidas en el genero, mas una clave para las ninfas del primer estadio conocidas.
A New Methodology for Eco-friendly Construction: Utilizing Quality Function Deployment to Meet LEED Requirements

Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design and building commissioning are two eco-innovations that have contributed to the long-term efficiency and sustainability of new-building construction. The Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design system promotes green, efficient, and sustainable design and construction. Building commissioning is a quality process used to verify that the owner’s project requirements are being met by the final design, construction, and operations and maintenance. Quality function deployment has been successfully used in product development to capture the voice of the customer, translating it into engineering characteristics and then carrying the parameters into production and service to ensure the voice of the customer is met with the final product. To provide the next level of eco-innovation for commissioning and Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design, the four-phase quality function deployment model will be adapted to, and integrated with, the commissioning and Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design processes. The adapted model can effectively link the project phases to ensure the owner’s project requirements for Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design are met with the final building. The primary objective of this research is to develop an integrative and systematic methodology to adapt the four-phase quality function deployment model to the commissioning process of new-building construction, to provide practitioners the steps to take the adapted model through the commissioning process as a means to oversee the entire design and construction quality process, ensuring the owner’s Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design goals are integrated into the design and carried through construction to the operations and maintenance phase for long-term efficiency and sustainability.
Modeling the effects of climate change forecasts on streamflow in the Nooksack River Basin

iv Acknowledgements v List of Tables ix List of Figures x 1.0 Introduction 1 2.0 Background 3 2.1 Nooksack River Basin 3 2.1.1 Physical Characteristics of the Nooksack River Basin 3 2.1.2 Use and Allocation of the Nooksack River 5 2.1.3 Regional Climate 6 2.1.4 Streamflow in the Nooksack River 6 2.2 Hydrologic Modeling 8 2.3 Climate Change 9 2.3.1 Global Climate Change 9 2.3.2 Climate Change and Water Resources 10 2.3.3 Future Streamflow in Western Washington 13 3.0 Methods 15 3.1 Scope of Work 15 3.2 DHSVM 16 3.2.1 DHSVM Setup 16 3.2.2 DHSVM Algorithms 18 3.2.3 DHSVM Calibration and Validation 20 3.3 Climate Change Forecasts 22 3.3.1 General Circulation Models 22 3.3.2 GCM–Emissions Scenario Couples 23 3.3.3 GCM Downscaling 25 3.4 Hydrologic Modeling 30 3.1.1 DHSVM Simulations 30 3.1.2 Streamflow and SWE Analysis 31 3.1.3 Peak Flow Analysis 32
Chromosomal and Mitochondrial DNA Variation in Orang Utans

Wild-born orang utans held in zoos do not have their geographic origins defined, which has complicated comparisons of the two subspecies of orang utans (Bornean orang utans, Pongo pygmaeus pygmaeus, and Sumatran orang utans, P. pygmaeus abelii). The resulting confusion concerning the subspecies identity of individual orang utans and a larger controversy over the desirability of utilizing subspecies designations in orang utan breeding programs has focused attention on the need for a phylogenetic analysis of the species and an examination of the appropriateness of the subspecific designations. Previous studies have suggested that an inversion in the second chromosome pair (PPY2) is a diagnostic subspecies marker and that mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) and nuclear genetic markers may also be used to identify the subspecies origin of individual orang utans. In an effort to assist zoological parks in examining the question of genetic divergence of orang utan subspecies, we have studied the chromosomes of 144 orang utans, including 58 wild-born individuals. To gain insight into phylogenetic divisions of these apes, mtDNA restriction cleavage site variation has been investigated in 14 individuals whose karyotypic status was known. These investigations have confirmed the existence of two phylogenetic lineages of orang utans based on mtDNA cleavage patterns and demonstrated that these lineages correspond with the two populations characterized by the G-banded morphology of the second pair of chromosomes. The two orang utan phylogenetic units comprise individuals that generally conform to the recognized allopatric, morphological subspecies. Based on current knowledge, the view that the named orangutan subspecies each constitute a distinct phylogenetic lineage more consistent with species-level divergence is supported.
Design of noncentrosymmetric perovskites from centric and acentric basic building units

We present a detailed crystal-chemistry approach to lift inversion symmetry in inorganic crystals. By considering the ordering of centric and acentric basic building units in one and two dimensional systems, we review the structural “features” necessary to break spatial parity. We then extend this model to three dimensional materials, focusing on the family of ABX3 perovskites with corner-connected metal-anion BX6 octahedra and A-site cations filling the interstices (forming AX12 cuboctahedra). Although this extended BX6 network can tilt and rotate in space, these complex distortions preserve inversion symmetry; however, previous work has shown that certain rotational patterns of the octahedral units in combination with A-site cation ordering are able to lift inversion symmetry in perovskites. Herein, we extend this framework by comprehensively determining and describing the combinations of A- and B-site cation ordering schemes and BX6 octahedral rotation patterns that will produce noncentrosymmetric crystal structures independent of the chemical makeup. Although no combinations of simple B-site ordering lifts inversion, we find that a wide variety of polar, chiral, and second harmonic active structures can be realized with A-site and mixed A- and B-site cation ordering. We then show that the ability of such combinations to lift inversion symmetry depends on whether a given rotation pattern of the octahedral units distorts the A-site environment into centric or acentric polyhedra, as well as whether the cation ordering scheme aligns them in the proper orientation. Finally, we discuss the chemical factors stabilizing the various tilt patterns and ordering schemes, such as the tolerance factor and global instability index. The guidelines described here offer new insights into this vast family of materials, and detail a useful way to think about the design of noncentrosymmetric materials from basic building units.
An Approach to Speaker Identification

This presentation will provide standards upon which any attempts to meet the challenge of identifying speakers by voice should be based. It is organized into a model based on (i) application of a rigorous research program validating the system, (ii) an upgrading of the organization of the SI area, and (iii) exploitation of new technology. The second part of the presentation will describe an illustrative speech/voice approach to SI development. This effort is also based on an extensive corpus of research. It is suggested that application of the cited standards, plus the illustrative model, will permit reasonable progress to be made. Finally, a number of procedural recommendations are made; they should enhance the efficacy of the proposed approach.
Alienation and global poverty: Arendt on the loss of the world

The language that global justice theorists use to characterize global poverty, the terms of duty and charity, are detached discourses that fail to capture the reality of poverty as most people curr...
Inhibition and facilitation of eating by electric shock: III. A further study of the role of strain and of shock level

Wistar and Long-Evans rats were given brief shocks while eating. No level of shock intensity led to net overeating by comparison to unshocked controls, although several shock intensities led to reliable overeating during shock. Shock had somewhat less effect on eating in Wistars than in Long-Evans rats.
Metallic Impurities in n- and p- Type Silicon: DLTS Studies

Deep level majority and minority carrier traps in p+/n and n+/p junction diodes have been investigated. The junctions were fabricated on n- and p- type silicon which was intentionally and uniformly doped with heavy metals Cr, Fe, Ni, and Au during Czochralski crystal growth. The activation energies of the traps in these devices has been determined using a computer based Deep Level Transient Spectroscopy system which stores and analyzes entire capacitancetime transients. The capacitance-time data sets have been analyzed using the standard ratewindow method as well as by a new algorithm which is able to test for the existence of a single exponential. The new algorithm has shown that only one of the ten traps measured contained a single exponential. Rate-window analysis of all the data sets, however, yielded energy levels based on the expectation of a single-exponential, despite the inherent non-exponentiality of the transients. Implications on the reliability of results obtained by the rate window method have been discussed. Possible reasons for the observed non-exponentiality in the data have been suggested based on a study of simulated data.
Computations of Discrete-Hole Film Cooling Over Flat and Convex Surfaces

Computations were performed to investigate the three-dimensional flow and heat transfer about a flat surface and a convex surface cooled by jets, injected from a plenum through one row of film-cooling holes inclined at 35° with a density ratio of 1.6 and mass flux ratios of 0.5 and 1.0. The focus is on understanding how the mainflow distorts the jets issuing from the film-cooling holes and how the resulting interactions affect film cooling effectiveness and temperature distribution. Results are presented for the surface adiabatic effectiveness, normalized temperature, velocity vector field, and contours of the vorticity magnitude. The computed results for the surface effectiveness on a flat plate were compared with experimental data, and reasonably good agreements were obtained.This computational study is based on the ensemble-averaged conservation equations of mass, momentum (compressible Navier-Stokes), and energy closed by a low Reynolds number k-ω/SST turbulence model (i.e., wall functions were not used). Solutions were generated by a cell-centered finite-volume method that uses second-order accurate flux-difference splitting of Roe, multigrid acceleration of a diagonalized ADI scheme with local time stepping, and patched/overlapped structured grids. In the computations, the flow is resolved not just in the cooling-jet/mainflow interaction region, but also inside the film-cooling holes and in the plenum.Copyright © 1998 by ASME
THE IMPOSSIBILITY OF UNSTABLE, GLOBALLY ATTRACTING FIXED POINTS FOR CONTINUOUS MAPPINGS OF THE LINE

for every choice of xO E R (fan represents the n-th iterate of fa under function composition). Clearly, once xk 2 a for any k, then xn = 0 for all n > k. In particular, every solution of (1) converges to zero, regardless of the choice of xO. In this sense, the origin, which is the unique fixed point °f fa, is globally attracting. However, if xO + 0, then no matter how close xO is chosen to the origin, xn must first exceed a before ultimately reaching the origin. Hence, the origin is unstable (in fact, locally repelling). The preceding example shows that globally attracting fixed points that are not stable can easily occur in one-dimensional dynamical systems such as (1). Since fa is discontinuous at x = a, it is natural to ask whether a continuous example of an unstable global point attractor can be constructed in one dimension. As the title of this note suggests, this is not possible. To see why continuous maps are nice in this sense, we need a local or asymptotic stability result from [7, p. 47]. Complete definitions of all concepts and terminology used here can be found in [2] and [5].
Microscopic studies on hydrogen effects on mechanical properties

Several mechanisms have been proposed to account for the effect of hydrogen on the mechanical properties of materials. The in-situ transmission electron microscopy deformation technique provides a means of directly observing the response of material to stress and to a gaseous environment and provides a means of assessing the microscopic mechanism of deformation and hydrogen embrittlement, which are frequently proposed to explain macroscopic phenomenon.
Mixed integer programming with a class of nonlinear convex constraints

Abstract We study solution approaches to a class of mixed-integer nonlinear programming problems that arise from recent developments in risk-averse stochastic optimization and contain second- and p -order cone programming as special cases. We explore possible applications of some of the solution techniques that have been successfully used in mixed-integer conic programming and show how they can be generalized to the problems under consideration. Particularly, we consider a branch-and-bound method based on outer polyhedral approximations, lifted nonlinear cuts, and linear disjunctive cuts. Results of numerical experiments with discrete portfolio optimization models are presented.
The African American Press in World War II: Toward Victory at Home and Abroad

On February 7, 1942, two months after the attack on Pearl Harbor, the Pittsburgh Courier initiated the Double V Campaign as an effort to encourage African Americans to support the war against fasci...
Heart failure therapies: new strategies for old treatments and new treatments for old strategies

Heart failure, whether acute or chronic, remains a major health care crisis affecting almost 6 million Americans and over 23 million people worldwide. Roughly half of those affected will die within 5 years, and the annual cost exceeds $30 billion in the US alone. Although medical therapy has made some modest inroads in partially stemming the heart failure tsunami, there remains a significant population for whom medication is unsuccessful or has ceased being effective; such patients can benefit from heart transplantation or mechanical circulatory support. Indeed, in the past quarter century (and as covered in Cardiovascular Pathology over those years), significant improvements in pathologic understanding and in engineering design have materially enhanced the toolkit of options for such refractory patients. Mechanical devices, whether total artificial hearts or ventricular assist devices, have been reengineered to reduce complications and basic wear and tear. Transplant survival has also been extended through a better comprehension of and improved therapies for transplant vasculopathy and antibody-mediated rejection. Here we review the ideas and treatments from the last 25 years and highlight some of the new directions in nonpharmacologic heart failure therapy.
An SDP Approach for PAPR Reduction in OFDM Systems using Partial Transmit Sequences

The partial transmit sequences (PTS) algorithm has been extensively used in the literature to reduce the high levels of peak-to-average power ratio (PAPR) in OFDM systems. A key step in the PTS approach is the use of a finite set of phase factors bnu to rotate the data before transmission in order to reduce the PAPR. The choice of these factors is however heuristic in nature and an exhaustive search to find the optimum combination of phase factors exhibits exponential complexity. In this paper, we propose a novel semi definite programming (SDP) approach that finds the optimal set of phase rotation factors used in the PTS technique at a polynomial cost. In particular, by reformulating the general non-convex optimization problem into a generic convex one using an SDP relaxation approach, the optimal set of phase rotation coefficients can be found efficiently using an interior-point optimization method. A fundamental result of this paper is that the SDP formulation provides also a lower bound for the performance of the PTS technique. Using the complementary cumulative distribution function (CCDF) measure, we show that the novel method performs better than the conventional OFDM-PTS system for different transmission parameters and modulation schemes.
Bad Medicine: Parents, the State, and the Charge of 'Medical Child Abuse'

Doctors and hospitals have begun to level a new charge — “medical child abuse” (MCA) — against parents who, they say, get unnecessary medical treatment for their kids. The fact that this treatment has been ordered by other doctors does not protect parents from these accusations. Child protection officials have generally supported the accusing doctors in these charges, threatening parents with loss of custody, removing children from their homes, and even sometimes charging parents criminally for this asserted overtreatment. Judges, too, have largely treated such charges as credible claims of child abuse. Despite the rising number of parents faced with these charges, this phenomenon has received no critical attention whatsoever in legal literature. This law review article is the first to explain why, as a legal matter, medical child abuse charges are deeply and fundamentally flawed. It is certainly true that the (likely few) twisted parents who intentionally use the medical system to hurt their children have committed child abuse. Yet the broad definition of MCA developed by doctors captures within its diagnostic net many loving parents making the best decisions they can for their genuinely sick children. This article demonstrates that the broad definition of MCA developed by physicians and adopted within the child protection system violates the constitutional rights of parents to make medical decisions for their children. Meanwhile, the framing of MCA as a medical “diagnosis” turns what should be a legal decision regarding child abuse into a medical determination, in the process omitting important legal requirements. Finally, the loose diagnostic standards constructed to “diagnose” MCA rest on both flawed science and flawed medical standards. In short, the MCA theory developed by physicians and enforced by child protection officials is bad constitutional doctrine, bad law, bad science, and bad medicine. Any of these flaws in itself should be sufficient to bar the presentation of the theory of MCA in the courtroom. The presence of all these flaws leaves this conclusion beyond doubt.
Awareness and perceived fairness of option B+ in Malawi: a population-level perspective

Introduction : Policies for rationing antiretroviral therapy (ART) have been subject to on-going ethical debates. Introduced in Malawi in 2011, Option B+ prioritized HIV-positive pregnant women for lifelong ART regardless of the underlying state of their immune system, shifting the logic of allocation away from medical eligibility. Despite the rapid expansion of this policy, we know little about how it has been understood and interpreted by the people it affects. Methods : We assessed awareness and perceived fairness of the prioritization system for ART among a population-based sample of young women (n = 1440) and their partners (n = 574) in southern Malawi. We use a card-sort technique to elicit understandings of who gets ART under Option B+ and who should be prioritized, and we compare perceptions to actual ART policy using sequence analysis and optimal matching. We then use ordered logistic regression to identify the factors associated with policy awareness. Results : In 2015, only 30.7% of women and 21.1% of male partners understood how ART was being distributed. There was widespread confusion around whether otherwise healthy HIV-positive pregnant women could access ART under Option B + . Nonetheless, more young adults thought that the fairest policy should prioritize such women than believed the actual policy did. Women who were older, more educated or had recently engaged with the health system through antenatal care or ART had more accurate understandings of Option B + . Among men, policy awareness was lower, and was patterned only by education. Conclusions : Although most respondents were unaware that Option B+ afforded ART access to healthy-pregnant women, Malawians support the prioritization of pregnant women. Countries adopting Option B+ or other new ART policies such as universal test-and-treat should communicate the policies and their rationales to the public – such transparency would be more consistent with a fair and ethical process and could additionally serve to clarify confusion and enhance retention. Keywords: HIV; ART; antiretroviral; Malawi; ethics; option B+ (Published: 8 March 2017) Citation: Yeatman S and Trinitapoli J. Journal of the International AIDS Society 2017, 20 :21467 http://www.jiasociety.org/index.php/jias/article/view/21467 | http://dx.doi.org/10.7448/IAS.20.1.21467
Cable Overheating Risk Warning Method Based on Impedance Parameter Estimation in Distribution Network

Cable overheating will lead to the cable insulation level reducing, speed up the cable insulation aging, even easy to cause short circuit faults. Cable overheating risk identification and warning is nessesary for distribution network operators. Cable overheating risk warning method based on impedance parameter estimation is proposed in the paper to improve the safty and reliability operation of distribution network. Firstly, cable impedance estimation model is established by using least square method based on the data from distribiton SCADA system to improve the impedance parameter estimation accuracy. Secondly, calculate the threshold value of cable impedance based on the historical data and the forecast value of cable impedance based on the forecasting data in future from distribiton SCADA system. Thirdly, establish risks warning rules library of cable overheating, calculate the cable impedance forecast value and analysis the change rate of impedance, and then warn the overheating risk of cable line based on the overheating risk warning rules library according to the variation relationship between impedance and line temperature rise. Overheating risk warning method is simulated in the paper. The simulation results shows that the method can identify the imedance and forecast the temperature rise of cable line in distribution network accurately. The result of overheating risk warning can provide decision basis for operation maintenance and repair.
Analysis of Roadway and Environmental Factors Affecting Traffic Crash Severities

Abstract Death due to roadway crashes has been a leading cause of unnatural death in the United States for decades. The objective of this study is to identify and quantify the impacts of several key roadway and environmental factors to the traffic crash severities, and then recommend practices to emphasis on certain roadway types under certain environmental conditions to reduce the traffic fatalities and injuries. For this purpose, this study developed a logistic regression model to predict the odds and probability of a crash being a fatal/serious-injury crash under the combination of different roadway and environmental conditions. The study results showed that, road function class, crash location, road alignment, light condition, road surface condition, and speed limit has significant impacts on traffic crash severity. Higher crash severity are associated with rural roadways, major arterials, not at intersection locations, locations with curves, during nighttime when it is dark without street light, dry roadway conditions, and high speed limits.
Production de connaissances et processus de planification

S’il peut sembler difficile de citer des cas ou les planificateurs ont utilise l’information a des fins de prise de decision, c’est que l’on definit l’information de facon trop etroite. Trois exemples illustrent ici le pouvoir de l’information, entendue comme un savoir subjectif et socialement construit dont l’influence se manifeste a travers les mythes qui structurent implicitement les politiques, a travers les negociations entre experts, decideurs et citoyens sur les concepts et les methodes qui alimentent les decisions publiques, et a travers les modes de fonctionnement des organisations publiques et privees. Cette information, souvent implicite, sert a definir les problemes et non pas a les resoudre. Elle n’exerce son influence que si elle se construit au cours d’un processus social auquel participent ses utilisateurs. Pour eviter les risques d’institutionnalisation et d’erreur qu’elle comporte, il faut la soumettre a la methode critique et livrer ses postulats a un debat ouvert.
Theory, Design, Realization, and Field Results of an Inductive Casing Collar Locator

During well-logging operations, the depth of a logging tool is usually obtained by measuring the length of the wireline cable that suspends the tool in the well. In some cases, a secondary depth reference is obtained with a casing collar locator (CCL) that detects the collars along the steel casing lining the well. The thicker steel at these collars is detected by measuring the perturbations it causes to the field of a permanent magnet in the CCL logging tool. Due to its simplicity and efficiency, the CCL tool has not seen many changes throughout the years. However, for small, untethered sensor platforms, neither of the above methods is practical. This paper describes the theory, design, construction, and testing of an inductive sensor that detects the gap on the inside of the casing where two pipe joints mate together within a collar. Two identical cylindrical coils along a common axis are connected in a bridge configuration and driven by an ac signal. When one coil is near the gap, its inductance is slightly larger than that of the other, misbalancing the bridge. The sensor was implemented in a wireline tool and tested in a well. The field data show a clear double pulse of ac signal across the bridge each time the tool passes a collar. This sensor is smaller and lighter than CCLs that use permanent magnets, making it suitable for small, untethered sensor platforms.