cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
A Terminal and Four-Coordinate Titanium Alkylidene Prepared by Oxidatively Induced α-Hydrogen Abstraction

One-electron oxidation of the beta-diketiminate titanium(III) bis-neopentyl complex (Nacnac)Ti(CH2tBu)2 (Nacnac = [Ar]NC(Me)CHC(Me)N[Ar], Ar = 2,6-(CHMe2)2C6H3) promotes alpha-abstraction to afford the rare and terminal four-coordinate neopentylidene (Nacnac)Ti=CHtBu(OTf), which was structurally characterized. Alkylidene (Nacnac)Ti=CHtBu(OTf) reacts cleanly with benzophenone and the imine functionality of the Nacnac ligand to afford the corresponding Wittig-type products.
On Variances of Ratios and their Differences in Multi-Stage Samples

Abstract We discuss the computation of variances for the estimators r = y/x and (r — r') where the random variables (variates) y and x are sample totals for two variates obtained from some multi-stage design. The variate x often represents the sample size; then the ratio r = y/x is the simple and usual sample mean or proportion and a common statistic for presenting the results of sample surveys. The difference (r — r') occurs frequently and importantly in multistage samples either as the change in the estimates of the same characteristic obtained from two different surveys, or as the comparison of some characteristic estimated for two subclasses from the same survey. Several useful computational forms are presented for var(r — r') = var(r) + var(r') — 2 cov(r, r'). The aims of the presentation are: (a) to be general enough to cover the complexities which arise frequently in practical sample designs; (b) to provide easy computing formulas for good approximations; and (c) to make the procedures comprehensib...
The isolated perfused frog eye: a useful preparation for the investigation of drug effects on retinal function

The isolated frog eye perfused through its ophthalmic artery with a modified oxygenated Sickel's media responds to light stimuli of different wavelengths in a manner similar to that observed in the frog eye in vivo for periods of 9 hr and longer. Short- and long-duration field potentials from the globe (ERG) and optic nerve (ONP) can be recorded simultaneously. Drugs perfused through the eye can be shown to modify components of the ERG and ONP and to alter the flow rate of the perfusion media through the eye.
A neural basis for melanocortin-4 receptor–regulated appetite

Pro-opiomelanocortin (POMC)- and agouti-related peptide (AgRP)-expressing neurons of the arcuate nucleus of the hypothalamus (ARC) are oppositely regulated by caloric depletion and coordinately stimulate and inhibit homeostatic satiety, respectively. This bimodality is principally underscored by the antagonistic actions of these ligands at downstream melanocortin-4 receptors (MC4R) in the paraventricular nucleus of the hypothalamus (PVH). Although this population is critical to energy balance, the underlying neural circuitry remains unknown. Using mice expressing Cre recombinase in MC4R neurons, we demonstrate bidirectional control of feeding following real-time activation and inhibition of PVH(MC4R) neurons and further identify these cells as a functional exponent of ARC(AgRP) neuron-driven hunger. Moreover, we reveal this function to be mediated by a PVH(MC4R)→lateral parabrachial nucleus (LPBN) pathway. Activation of this circuit encodes positive valence, but only in calorically depleted mice. Thus, the satiating and appetitive nature of PVH(MC4R)→LPBN neurons supports the principles of drive reduction and highlights this circuit as a promising target for antiobesity drug development.
Frequency-domain spectral balance using the arithmetic operator method

A frequency-domain spectral balance method for the simulation of nonlinear analog circuits with multidimensional nonlinearities is presented. The method is coupled with a combination of Shamanskii and block Newton iteration schemes to produce an efficient general-purpose simulator. The technique is verified with measurements of a MESFET amplifier with single-tone and two-tone excitations. >
Ghrelin Partially Protects Against Cisplatin-Induced Male Murine Gonadal Toxicity in a GHSR-1a-Dependent Manner

The chemotherapeutic drug cisplatin causes a number of dose-dependent side effects, including cachexia and testicular damage. Patients receiving a high cumulative dose of cisplatin may develop permanent azoospermia and subsequent infertility. Thus, the development of chemotherapeutic regimens with the optimal postsurvival quality of life (fertility) is of high importance. This study tested the hypothesis that ghrelin administration can prevent or minimize cisplatin-induced testicular damage and cachexia. Ghrelin and its receptor, the growth hormone secretagogue receptor (GHSR-1a), are expressed and function in the testis. Targeted deletion of ghrelin, or its receptor, significantly increases the rate of cell death in the testis, suggesting a protective role. Intraperitoneal administration of vehicle, ghrelin, or cisplatin alone or in combination with ghrelin, in cycles of 9 or 18 days, to adult male C57Bl/6 mice was performed. Body weight was measured daily and testicular and epididymal weight, sperm density and motility, testicular histology, and testicular cell death were analyzed at the time of euthanization. Ghrelin coadministration decreased the severity of cisplatin-induced cachexia and gonadal toxicity. Body, testicular, and epididymal weights significantly increased as testicular cell death decreased with ghrelin coadministration. The widespread damage to the seminiferous epithelium induced by cisplatin administration was less severe in mice simultaneously treated with ghrelin. Furthermore, ghrelin diminished the deleterious effects of cisplatin on testis and body weight homeostasis in wild-type but not Ghsr(-/-) mice, showing that ghrelin's actions are mediated via GHSR. Ghrelin or more stable GHSR agonists potentially offer a novel therapeutic approach to minimize the testicular damage that occurs after gonadotoxin exposure.
Charge Trapping Sites in nc-RuO Embedded ZrHfO High-k Nonvolatile Memories

Materials and electrical properties of the MOS capacitor containing nc-RuO embedded in the high-k dielectric ZrHfO film have been studied. The electron- and hole-trapping capacities and trapping sites in this kind of device were investigated using the constant voltage stress method, the frequency-dependent C-V measurement, and the retention characteristics. The negligible charge trapping phenomenon in the non-embedded device rules out the possibility of any trapping site in the bulk ZrHfO film or at the Si/ZrHfO interface. The electrical characterization results suggest that electrons are trapped in the bulk nc-RuO. However, holes have two possible trapping sites, i.e., in the bulk nc-RuO or at the nc-RuO/ZrHfO interface.
Antiangiogenic Effect of Docetaxel and Everolimus as Individual and Dual-Drug-Loaded Micellar Nanocarriers

Purpose The in vitro inhibitory effect of Docetaxel (DTX) and Everolimus (EVR) alone and together in poly(ethylene glycol)-block-poly(D,L-lactic acid) (PEG-b-PLA) nanocarriers on angiogenic processes and acute toxicity in mice was evaluated.
Natural enemies and the evolution of resistance to transgenic insecticidal crops by pest insects: the role of egg mortality

We explore the influence of egg mortality dynamics on the rate at which target pests evolve resistance to high-dose transgenic insecticidal crops. We develop a two-patch deterministic population genetic model in which pests can develop in either toxic or nontoxic (refuge) fields, and their eggs are subject to varying levels and forms of egg mortality. The three standard forms of egg mortality are studied: density independence (DI), positive density dependence (PDD), and inverse density dependence (IDD). Resistance is modeled as a single locus with a fully recessive allele that confers complete resistance with no fitness cost. Insect movement and oviposition is modeled as follows: males move panmictically before mating and females may either stay in their natal patch to oviposit or move after mating before oviposition. While our simulations show that both the magnitude and form of egg mortality can influence the rate of resistance evolution, important caveats apply. Higher levels of DI egg mortality can lead to substantial delays in resistance evolution, but this effect is dependent on the presence of intraspecific competition among larvae. The rate of resistance evolution is affected by the form of density dependence (DI versus PDD versus IDD), but these effects are dependent on at least some females ovipositing in their natal field. If this condition is met, the rate of resistance evolution is fastest when eggs are subject to PDD mortality and slowest when eggs are subject to IDD egg mortality. DI egg mortality produces intermediate rates of resistance evolution.
Iron biofortification of maize grain

Mineral nutrient deficiencies are a worldwide problem that is directly correlated with poverty and food insecurity. The most common of these is iron deficiency; more than one-third of the world’s population suffer from iron deficiency-induced anaemia, 80% of which are in developing countries. The consequences of iron deficiency include increased mortality and morbidity rates, diminished cognitive abilities in children and reduced labour productivity, which in turn stagnates national development. The developed world has made tremendous success in alleviating nutrient deficiencies through dietary diversification, food product fortification, improved public health care and supplementation. In developing countries, these strategies are often expensive and difficult to sustain, especially in rural areas. The rural poor typically consume what they grow and are dependent upon a small number of staple crops for the vast majority of their nutrition. Therefore, genetic improvement of staple crops (biofortification) is the most cost-effective and sustainable solution to this global health problem. In this study, we describe a strategy to enhance iron nutritional quality in maize using a human cell culture (Caco-2)-based bioassay as a phenotyping tool to guide genetic analysis of the trait. We also report validation of this approach using an animal feeding study.
Evolving synaptic connections for a silicon neuromorph

Our VLSI neuromorphs possess extensive dendritic trees with hundreds of excitatory and inhibitory synaptic sites. Useful signal processing can be achieved by evolving the appropriate connections to the synapses using genetic algorithms. In order to reduce the very large solution space, schemes for specifying connections have been borrowed from neural development. Results show the evolution of connections to a single neuromorph for the discrimination of temporal and spatio-temporal patterns. >
Supraspinal delta2 opioid agonist analgesia in Swiss-Webster mice involves spinal GABAA receptors

The tail-flick response is a spinal reflex that can be modulated by administration of antinociceptive agents supraspinally through activation of descending systems and involvement of the action of neurotransmitters in the spinal cord. Descending noradrenergic and serotonergic systems are involved in morphine (and other μ opioid receptor agonists)-induced antinociception. These descending systems, however, are not involved in supraspinal δ opioid receptor agonist-induced antinociception. Recently, a descending system mediated by spinal gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA) A and B receptors has been demonstrated to be involved in the antinociceptive action of δ1 opioid receptor agonists ([D-Pen2,5]enkephalin in ICR mice and [D-Pen2,5]enkephalin and heroin in Swiss-Webster mice). In the present study, the involvement of spinal GABAA receptors in the antinociceptive action of supraspinal δ2 opioid receptor agonists, [D-Ser2]-Leu-enkephalin-Thr and 6-monoacetylmorphine, action was demonstrated. The intrathecal administration of GABAA receptor antagonists, bicuculline and picrotoxin, inhibited the antinociceptive action of both [D-Ser2]-Leu-enkephalin-Thr and 6-monoacetylmorphine given intracerebroventricularly. The intrathecal administration of 2-hydroxysaclofen, a GABAB receptor antagonist, had no effect. These studies suggest that supraspinal δ2 like δ1, opioid receptor action involves spinal GABAA receptors, but δ2, unlike δ2, action does not involve GABAB receptors. Thus, the supraspinal δ1 agonist action (heroin, DPDPE) and the δ2 agonist action (6MAM, DSLET) can be further differentiated by the selectivity of the spinal GABA receptors involved in Swiss-Webster mice.
Ergodic dynamics in sigma--delta quantization: tiling invariant sets and spectral analysis of error

This paper has two themes that are intertwined. The first is the dynamics of certain piecewise affine maps on R^m that arise from a class of analog-to-digital conversion methods called @S@D (sigma-delta) quantization. The second is the analysis of reconstruction error associated with each such method. @S@D quantization generates approximate representations of functions by sequences that lie in a restricted set of discrete values. These are special sequences in that their local averages track the function values closely, thus enabling simple convolutional reconstruction. In this paper, we are concerned with the approximation of constant functions only, a basic case that presents surprisingly complex behavior. An mth order @S@D scheme with input x can be translated into a dynamical system that produces a discrete-valued sequence (in particular, a 0-1 sequence) q as its output. When the schemes are stable, we show that the underlying piecewise affine maps possess invariant sets that tile R^m up to a finite multiplicity. When this multiplicity is one (the single-tile case), the dynamics within the tile is isomorphic to that of a generalized skew translation on T^m. The value of x can be approximated using any consecutive M elements in q with increasing accuracy in M. We show that the asymptotical behavior of reconstruction error depends on the regularity of the invariant sets, the order m, and some arithmetic properties of x. We determine the behavior in a number of cases of practical interest and provide good upper bounds in some other cases when exact analysis is not yet available.
Risk factors for early peritoneal dialysis catheter failure in children.

Abstract Background There is uncertainty regarding the optimal approach for surgical placement of peritoneal dialysis (PD) catheters in children. Operative technique, catheter selection, and patient variables (eg, age or prior surgical history) may influence catheter lifespan. Methods A retrospective review of all PD catheters placed at a tertiary children's medical center during a 6-year period was performed. Our primary outcome was catheter function 2 months after placement. Data were analyzed using Student 2-tailed t test or χ 2 analysis. Results There were 121 PD catheters placed in 81 patients. The median primary functional catheter lifetime was 109 days. Primary PD catheter failure (within 2 months) occurred in 36 catheters (30%). Patients with primary catheter failure (8 ± 7 years) were younger than patients with a functioning catheter at 2 months (12 ± 5 years; P = .002). Catheters placed without simultaneous omentectomy were more likely to fail ( P = .042). Catheter failure rate was not significantly different based upon operative technique or catheter type. Conclusion Omentectomy at the time of catheter placement decreased the risk of early catheter failure. In contrast, type of catheter or laparoscopic placement did not influence the likelihood of early catheter failure.
On using Matlab in solving differential algebraic equations in MHD

The quantitative analysis of differential algebraic equations and Matlab's graphing capabilities are used in this study to analyze travelling wave solutions in MHD, integrate through singular pseudo-equilibrium points, and compute solutions of the singularity induced bifurcation phenomenon. Dissipative parameters such as resistivity, viscosity, and thermal conductivity are considered through a series of numerical examples.
Nanowires precisely grown on the ends of microwire electrodes permit the recording of intracellular action potentials within deeper neural structures

Aims: Nanoelectrodes are an emerging biomedical technology that can be used to record intracellular membrane potentials from neurons while causing minimal damage during membrane penetration. Current nanoelectrode designs, however, have low aspect ratios or large substrates and thus are not suitable for recording from neurons deep within complex natural structures, such as brain slices. Materials & methods: We describe a novel nanoelectrode design that uses nanowires grown on the ends of microwire recording electrodes similar to those frequently used in vivo. Results & discussion: We demonstrate that these nanowires can record intracellular action potentials in a rat brain slice preparation and in isolated leech ganglia. Conclusion: Nanoelectrodes have the potential to revolutionize intracellular recording methods in complex neural tissues, to enable new multielectrode array technologies and, ultimately, to be used to record intracellular signals in vivo.
Long-term toxicity of the treatment of Hodgkin's disease

At the present time, the majority of patients who develop Hodgkin's disease can be cured with radiotherapy and/or chemotherapy long follow up of cured patients has shown that the cumulative toxicity from treatment related complications rivals the mortality from Hodgkin's disease. In addition to late fatal complications, delayed adverse effects of therapy on the thyroid, reproductive system, and bones are burdens many patients have to bear. Future treatment regimens for Hodgkin's disease will be designed attempting to minimize these complications. Follow up of those patients now in remission should focus on the prevention of morbidity and mortality by anticipating and preventing late complications.
The emerging role of speckle-type POZ protein (SPOP) in cancer development

Speckle-type POZ (pox virus and zinc finger protein) protein (SPOP) is an E3 ubiquitin ligase adaptor protein that is frequently mutated in prostate and endometrial cancers. All the cancer-associated SPOP mutations reported to date are clustered in the meprin and TRAF (Tumor necrosis factor receptor-associated factor) homology (MATH) domain, presumably affecting substrate binding. SPOP mutations in prostate cancer are mutually exclusive with the ETS (Erythroblast transformation-specific) family gene rearrangements and define a distinct molecular subclass of prostate cancer. SPOP mutations contribute to prostate cancer development by altering the steady-state levels of key components in the androgen-signaling pathway.
The Ongoing Journey to Understand Heart Function Through Integrative Modeling

See related article, pages 1216–1224 Cardiac electrophysiology is a field with a rich history of integrative modeling that has been coupled closely with design and interpretation of experiments. The first models of the cardiac action potential (AP)1 were developed shortly after the Hodgkin–Huxley model of the squid AP and were formulated to explain the experimental observation that, unlike neuronal APs, cardiac APs exhibit a long duration plateau phase. Over the subsequent 20 years, refinement of these models to incorporate emerging experimental data on properties of voltage-gated membrane currents, transport and exchange processes regulating intracellular ion concentrations, and mechanisms of calcium (Ca2+)-induced Ca2+-release (CICR) led to the first integrative model of the cardiac AP, the DiFrancesco–Noble model.2 This landmark model of the Purkinje fiber AP provided the electrophysiological community a mathematical framework on which to build, thus stimulating development of a broad range of integrative cardiac myocyte models. These now include models of canine, guinea pig, human and rabbit ventricular myocytes,3–8 sinoatrial node cells (for review, see Wilders et al9) and atrial myocytes.10,11 Recent research efforts have been directed at extending the range of biophysical and biochemical mechanisms included in these models to enhance their explanatory and predictive capabilities. Important areas of research include: (1) use of single-channel and whole cell current data, in combination with knowledge of channel protein structure, to develop continuous time Markov chain models of voltage-gated channels …
Copper-Boosting Compounds: a Novel Concept for Antimycobacterial Drug Discovery

ABSTRACT We and others recently identified copper resistance as important for virulence of Mycobacterium tuberculosis. Here, we introduce a high-throughput screening assay for agents that induce a copper hypersensitivity phenotype in M. tuberculosis and demonstrate that such copper-boosting compounds are effective against replicating and nonreplicating M. tuberculosis strains.
Electroweak phase transition in supersymmetry.

The electroweak phase transition in supersymmetric models is studied, analyzing the constraint on the Higgs-boson mass coming from the condition that the cosmic baryon asymmetry is not washed out soon after the phase transition. It is found that, in the minimal supersymmetric model, baryo-genesis at the weak scale requires a Higgs boson lighter than about 50--55 GeV, as in the standard model. This result holds true also when the one-loop radiative corrections, which are important for a heavy top quark, are taken into account. On the other hand, in extended supersymmetric models, it is possible to have the lightest Higgs boson as heavy as 100 GeV and still satisfy the requirement of weak-scale baryogenesis.
Commentary, Subversive Legal Moments

This piece captures a provocative plenary discussion at a conference at the University of Texas Law School entitled, Subversive Legacies: Learning from History, Constructing the Future. Moderated by Professor Karen Engle, the panel includes set pieces and a robust discussion by leading legal scholars Elizabeth Schneider, Vicki Schultz, Nathaniel Berman, Adrienne Davis, and Janet Halley. The discussion is important to feminist theory, queer theory, critical race theory, and more!
The Uniformed Services Employment and Re-Employment Rights Act

The concept of citizen-soldier or citizen-airman is alive and well in twenty-first century America. The United States has relied on an all-volunteer force for more than twenty-five years. In the last decade, as the Cold War ended, reliance on the reserve components to perform “real world” missions is standard now. In fact, however, this is emblematic of the way Americans have fought virtually every major conflict that threatened their homeland. Noncareer volunteers and conscripts, along with on-call reservists, have been essential to the security of America for over 350 years. It’s the iconic colonial-era farmer laying down his hoe to take up arms in defense of liberty, then returning to his fields when freedom had been secured. But, what if there was no field for him to return to?Increased utilization of reserve components necessarily affects businesses and communities almost as an additional tax. Thus, conflicts between service member/employees and their employers are inevitable. It becomes essential to have a mechanism to resolve these conflicts. This article describes the background and essential provisions of reemployment rights legislation which is the mechanism for resolving employer/employee conflicts over absences for military duties.
Applying insider trading law to congressmen, government officials, and the political intelligence industry

This chapter, from Research Handbook on Insider Trading (Stephen M. Bainbridge ed., Edward Elgar 2013), considers the Stop Trading on Congressional Knowledge Act, or STOCK Act, passed by Congress by overwhelming margins in 2012 and signed by the President. The STOCK Act’s goal was to apply insider trading prohibitions contained in the Securities Exchange Act to members of Congress, their staffs, and the executive and judicial branches. This chapter will sketch the boundaries of application for the new STOCK Act, both with respect to government employees and to outside traders on political intelligence, and will explore some of the uncertainties all of these parties face in the wake of the STOCK Act. Two questions are considered. First, what unforeseen doctrinal challenges will be presented by the STOCK Act’s application of insider trading principles to members of Congress and government employees? Secondly, does the STOCK Act indirectly extend insider trading liability to outsiders trading on the basis of information that is obtained from members of Congress or government employees, and if not should the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) extend application to them? This chapter points to some serious doctrinal inconsistencies in the STOCK ACT’s application of insider trading doctrine under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 to government employees.
The “Reaction” of Bacteriologic Culture Media

It would be a large task to compile all the recorded instances in which the reaction of a medium has influenced the morphology, pigment formation, proteolytic activity, rate of fermentation, or even the mere viability of bacteria. In 1895 Fuller1 had collected "over a hundred" such cases; to-day they occur so frequently in the literature that there is no need to emphasize the importance of the subject. Adjustments in the reaction of bacteriologic culture media are generally accomplished by titrations. General use of such methods dates from the suggestions made by Schultz2 (1891), Fuller1 (1895) and others in the early nineties. Founded upon these methods are the "scales of reaction." They are eminently useful, and, now that a vast deal of laboriously-gained experience has dictated in terms of these scalies the proper reaction of important media, they are not likely to be easily displaced. But the theory of titration has undergone a fundamental change since the origination of these methods, and we are now able to gain a clearer conception of many points which were of necessity inadequately treated by the early writers. Furthermore, the physiologic importance of "titratable acidity" is dwindling before the broader conceptions of modern physiologic and physical chemistry, and it may be seriously suggested that too strong an adherence to the old titration methods is a hindrance to progress. It has long been recognized that acidity and alkalinity are best defined in terms of hydrogen ion concentration. Such a conception certainly correlates a vast number of facts. The rate of enzyme action, the stability of colloidal structures upon which cellular life depends, the solubility of many physiologically important compounds,
A Sequential Sampling Plan for Determining the Status of Corn Earworm Control in Sweet Corn1

Assuming a binomial distribution of the occurrence of sound ears in corn subject to corn earworm, Heliothis zea (Boddie), infestation, a sequential sampling plan is outlined for the classification of fields or test plots as to whether the earworm is under control. The sample plan was constructed suitable for infestation levels found in the Rio Grande Valley but can be modified readily to suit other conditions or insects or both. This statistical procedure has 2 principal merits: (1) a smaller sample size is generally required than when using a fixed sample size; (2) the structure and application are such that the user has a decision in hand as soon as the sampling is completed.
Waves in Terrestrial and Planetary Atmospheres

First, a brief introduction to wave processes in nature is presented, summarizing basic wave parameters. The main types of atmospheric internal waves, such as gravity waves, solar tides, and Planetary (Rossby) waves, which can propagate upward in planetary atmospheres are described. In the lower atmosphere, observations provide increasing amount of data on the sources of these waves. In particular, small-scale gravity wave sources ought to be studied in more detail. Also, in the upper atmosphere gravity wave signatures are being continuously observed, suggesting a coupling between the lower and upper atmosphere. The effects of internal waves on the terrestrial and planetary atmospheres are then presented, focusing on the small-scale gravity waves generated in the lower atmosphere, in order to link lower atmospheric and upper atmospheric processes. General circulation modeling studies demonstrate that the dynamical and thermal effects of the small-scale gravity waves of lower atmospheric origin substantially contribute to vertical coupling in the atmosphere-ionosphere system.
Molecular engineering

This talk is available as Technical Report No. 101, Massachusetts Institute of Technology and will appear in a forthcoming issue of Fortune Magazine.
CLINICALLY INVISIBLE RETINAL HEMANGIOBLASTOMAS DETECTED BY SPECTRAL DOMAIN OPTICAL COHERENCE TOMOGRAPHY AND FLUORESCEIN ANGIOGRAPHY IN TWINS.

Purpose: To report subclinical retinal hemangioblastoma detected by enhanced depth imaging optical coherence tomography and fluorescein angiography in at-risk twins. Methods: Case report. Results: A set of twins, age 7 years, (Twin A and Twin B) with known family history of von Hippel–Lindau disease (gene test positive) and no systemic manifestations were evaluated. Visual acuity was 20/20 in both eyes of both twins. Anterior segment examination and intraocular pressures were unremarkable in both eyes. Twin A showed no clinically visible tumor in the right eye, and a clinically evident 4-mm hemangioblastoma in the superior retina of the left eye. The enhanced depth imaging optical coherence tomography demonstrated normal fovea in both eyes. However, imaging at the inferonasal juxtapapillary region in the right eye documented an intraretinal mass from nerve fiber layer to outer plexiform layer on enhanced depth imaging optical coherence tomography and with hyperfluorescence on fluorescein angiography, consistent with retinal hemangioblastoma. Twin B demonstrated no clinically visible tumors in both eyes, but the left eye showed a small hyperreflective lesion in the parafoveal region on spectral domain optical coherence tomography from inner to outer nuclear layers, with no cystoid changes or subretinal fluid. The lesion was slightly hyperfluorescent on fluorescein angiography, consistent with hemangioblastoma. The optical coherence tomography angiography showed no vascularity within the lesion. Twin A was treated with laser photocoagulation to the larger hemangioblastoma in the left eye, and the asymptomatic juxtapapillary tumor was observed. Twin B was managed with cautious observation as treatment to the left eye could lead to vision loss. Conclusion: Patients at risk for retinal hemangioblastoma should have routine imaging with fundus photography, fluorescein angiography, and enhanced depth imaging optical coherence tomography for subclinical detection of asymptomatic tumors.
Studies on in situ magnetic alignment of bonded anisotropic Nd-Fe-B alloy powders

Abstract Considerations for achieving high degree of alignment in polymer bonded permanent magnets are presented via the results of a study on in situ magnetic alignment of anisotropic Nd-Fe-B magnet powders. Contributions from effect of the alignment temperature, alignment magnetic field and the properties of the polymer on the hard magnetic properties of the bonded magnet were considered. The thermo-rheological properties of the polymer and the response of the magnet powders to the applied magnetic field indicate that hard magnetic properties were optimized at an alignment temperature just above the melting temperature of the EVA co-polymer. This agrees with an observed correlation between the change in magnetization due to improved magnetic alignment of the anisotropic powders and the change in viscosity of the binder. Manufacturing cost can be minimized by identifying optimum alignment temperatures and magnetic field strengths.
Fair Use, the Three-Step Test, and Access to Knowledge: A Doctrinal, Rights-Based Approach

In the last decade, academic scholarship has mounted a serious challenge to the dominant, utilitarian understanding of Anglo-American intellectual property law. In particular, deontological, or rights-based approaches, have gained currency. This development has taken place simultaneously with the rise of the access to knowledge (A2K) movement. This paper lies at the intersection of these two contemporary alternatives to the traditional IP regime. It applies the rights-based approach to an issue that is of central concern to the A2K movement: the legality, under copyright law, of course-packs (i.e., compilations of photocopies of parts of academic textbooks, for the purposes of classroom teaching) in universities. The paper complements the theoretical work of the rights-based and A2K scholars, by presenting a doctrinal analysis of the course-packs issue. This analysis is three-pronged. First, I ground the rights-based approach within existing international law. I invoke widely ratified international legal instruments, such as the ICCPR and the ICESCR, and their authoritative interpretations, to demonstrate that international law recognizes rights that are directly relevant to course-packs specifically, and A2K more generally: that is, rights of access to educational materials (flowing from a right of free speech and expression), and rights to cultural participation. Secondly, I examine cases in the United States and in Canada, to argue that a rights-based approach, when applied to the fair use (or fair dealing) doctrine, leads to tangibly different judicial outcomes in cases involving course-packs. And lastly, I argue that these outcomes are consistent with international treaties such as TRIPS and Berne. The goal of this paper is to demonstrate that not only is the rights-based approach theoretically and philosophically sound (as other scholars have argued), but that it is a viable legal tool that can be used in copyright litigation, and by judges, worldwide, to ensure outcomes that are both substantively just (at least from an A2K perspective), and doctrinally sound.
Development and validation of the persistent academic possible selves scale for adolescents (PAPSS)

Abstract The Persistent Academic Possible Selves Scale for Adolescents (PAPSS: 51items) was developed to measure diverse aspects of future-oriented motivation and future-oriented self-regulated learning in pursuing academic future goals. To validate the scale, (a) the internal structure of the PAPSS was examined (N = 495) and (b) the PAPSS was assessed in comparison with the Oyserman (2004) open-ended possible selves questionnaire as predictors of external measures (N = 302) using Multi-Goal Multi-Theory analysis. Overall, the results supported the construct validity of the PAPSS. The final factor structure included three persistent academic goal factors (improving grades, better student, and more attention in class) and five theory-based factors (social group identity, peer group identity, self-concept, motivational self-regulated learning, and performance). The structure demonstrated good model fit. Based on its relationships with external measures as well as theory, the PAPSS has advantages over other available measures.
Developing and Assessing Commonality Metrics for Product Families

To be competitive in today’s global economy, firms must deliver more products that are viable in the marketplace for shorter times. The use of product families allows firms to meet these needs in a cost-competitive manner. The determination of which components to share and which should be unique is very important to the development of product families. Commonality metrics are presented with the goal of assessing (at the early stages of development) the ability of the product family to reduce costs. The methodology of process-based cost modeling is applied to project product development, fabrication, and assembly costs in both the standalone and shared situations. A case study of two automotive instrument panel beams is analyzed. Linear regression analysis shows that when compared to total cost savings, a simple piece commonality metric and a fabrication investment-weighted metric have higher R 2’s than a mass or piece cost-weighted metric. When correlated to fixed cost savings, the fabrication investment-weighted metric has the highest R 2 (0.62) and is significant at the 0.025 level. Fixed cost savings are proposed as the desired quantity for assessing product family efficiency.
Estimating Freeway Traffic Volume Using Shockwaves and Probe Vehicle Trajectory Data

Abstract: Probe vehicle data are increasingly becoming the primary source of traffic data. In current practice, traffic volumes and speeds are collected from inductive loop or similar devices. As probe vehicle data become more widespread, it is imperative that methods are developed so that traffic state estimators like speed, density and flow can be derived from probe vehicle data as well. In this paper, a methodology to estimate traffic flow on a freeway based on probe vehicle trajectory data combined with traffic shockwave theory is proposed. In essence, probe vehicle trajectory can indicate the free-flowing and congested regimes. By using LWR kinematic wave model, a shockwave can be identified that separates both regimes. From the formation of the shockwave, flows for each regime are estimated. To identify the shockwave, k-means clustering is applied to the data. When applied to simulated data, the error of the estimated flow during free-flow ranges from -9% to 1% with an average of -5%. The estimated flow during congestion has an error of 0%. Based on the results, this paper shows that the proposed method can predict traffic flow with a reasonable accuracy under congested and free-flow conditions.
The Geophysics of the North Atlantic Basin

The areal extent of the North Atlantic basin has been studied in some detail with regard to its geology, physiography, and bottom structure. Since the early 1960’s, additional emphasis has been placed on geophysical studies such as heat flow, magnetic anomalies, and seismicity. These results have tended to support the earlier ideas of continental drift as they applied to the development of the Atlantic Ocean from an initial rift between the present continental masses of North America, South America, Europe, and Africa. Paleomagnetic studies in the Americas and Europe have held that the present Atlantic Ocean is a Late Triassic to post-Triassic feature and has evolved slowly over a period of perhaps 200 m.y. The more recent studies of both the northern and southern Atlantic basins have refined these ideas to the extent that the hypothesis of sea-floor spreading in the Atlantic is reasonably consistent with most geological observations in the basin itself and around the margins. In a fairly direct way these relationships apply constraints on geological and geophysical inferences regarding the history of the North Atlantic rather more rigorous than at first imagined, and in this sense encourage a more unified approach in the geological sciences.
Bridging the gap between sensor noise modeling and sensor characterization

Abstract In prior works, the tasks of noise modeling and sensor characterization have typically been studied independently of each other. In spite of extensive research on noise modeling and sensor characterization, there still exists a need to bridge the gap between parameters used in sensor noise models, and quantities used to characterize commercially available sensors. The included work addresses this need by presenting tutorial-style exemplary analyses that relate noise model parameters to sensor characteristics for some common noise types found in sensors. Specifically, this work seeks to demonstrate that sensor noise characterization techniques can be applied to simulated sensor noise data to recover the original noise model parameters. The presented relationships between noise models and sensor characterization tools can help engineers and scientists numerically verify the expected performance bounds of their systems using simulated signals from commercially available sensors. Moreover, these numerical tools can also guide design engineers towards developing or selecting sensors with specifications especially suited to the design constraints of a given application.
Myth and Reality in High-Tc Superconductivity

I will discuss two major themes. First I will discuss various experimental developments which seriously restrict the possible theoretical alternatives, such as the electron-based material (Nd − Ce)2CuO4, the low spin susceptibility which shows that the magnitude of the specific heat jump is anomalous, the large gap-like structures at ~ 500 cm−1 observed in photoemission and the infrared, the evidence for small coherence lengths, etc. Second I will discuss some modern trends in the theory of the one-band Hubbard model which is the appropriate theoretical framework for high Tc: separation of charge and spin due to twisted order parameter in the Neel ordered state near half-filling, the topological renormalization due to doping which leads to generalized flux phases, and possible superconducting order parameters in generalized flux phase states.
Digitized Maya music: The creation of a 3D database of Maya musical artifacts

Abstract The largest challenge facing the study of ancient Maya music today is the inaccessibility of the instruments, which are housed in the labs of archaeological projects or museums across Mesoamerica. In order to facilitate the study of ancient Maya music, it is necessary to create a database of numerous instruments from the Maya area that transcends geographical and temporal boundaries. This article will discuss how the Maya Music Project is using photogrammetry to create 3D models of musical instruments as a step towards achieving said database. By creating an online database of 3D instruments ( www.mayamusicproject.org ), the Maya Music Project will allow scholars around the world to study the musical artifacts in detail. This article also serves as a case study demonstrating the usefulness of digital, experimental archaeology to the study of archaeomusicology. Finally, this article will demonstrate how 3D models can be successfully used for public outreach in order to help generate interest in the study of ancient Maya culture.
Does stealing thunder always work? A content analysis of crisis communication practice under different cultural settings

Abstract A content analysis of six paired stealing thunder and thunder cases in Western and non-Western cultures offers insight into effective crisis communication strategies in different cultural settings. Specifically, this study examined the differences between stealing thunder cases and thunder cases in terms of crisis communication strategies, message frames and public emotions. Results from each set of paired crisis cases indicate that the stealing thunder strategy may not always work in the same way nor have the same power in different cultural environments.
Reliability of Die Attach on DBC Substrates With Different Ni Surface Finishes Using BiAgX Solder

Ni plating is a commonly used barrier layer for direct bond copper substrates used in high-temperature and high-power applications. The Ni plating method can be electrolytic or electroless and the composition options include pure Ni, Ni:P, Ni–Co, or Ni:B. BiAgX solder paste is a promising lead-free solder for applications below 200 °C. The reactivity of these different Ni layers with the BiAgX solder paste has been compared. Specially the reaction to form NiBi3 during 200 °C storage and −55 °C to + 195 °C thermal cycling test. The initial shear strength of all these Ni plating is ~4.8 kg/mm2. A degradation in shear strength was observed in further aging. Among them, the electrolytic Ni:P plated samples had the lowest degradation. The reason of degradation is determined to be the formation of NiBi3 intermetallic, since it had been found in all the other Ni plating samples beside the electrolytic Ni:P. Similar results were observed in thermal cycling test.
Simple observations with complex implications: What we have learned and can learn about parental care from a frog that feeds its young

Abstract The discovery of a trait in a new lineage, especially one distantly related to those already known to express the trait, affords the opportunity to test and refine existing hypotheses for that trait’s evolution and to develop new ideas. Peter Weygoldt made such a discovery, reporting the first instance of a frog that feeds its young and, even more remarkably, the first instance of dependent tadpoles that perform solicitation displays before being fed (1980. Behav. Ecol. Sociobiol. 7, 329–332). This discovery has featured prominently in taxonomic surveys of parental care and offspring-parent communication, but more importantly has expanded the questions that are and can be asked about these topics. I review the advances in knowledge of the natural history of the frog Weygoldt studied as well as the theoretical frameworks that inform and are informed by these advances. I highlight ideas and information about parental care in O. pumilio that are central to broadly understanding the evolution of parental care. Our understanding of the evolution of sex roles will, for example, improve by following Weygoldt’s finding that male O. pumilio care for clutches with detailed accounting of the costs and benefits mothers and fathers might pay for performing this task. When a parent transports tadpoles from a terrestrial clutch to an aquatic nursery, it sets the stage for sibling competition for this resource (transport), and proximate and ultimate tests for such conflict will inform more general ideas about how conflict and cooperation shape nuclear families. That the begging displays of tadpole O. pumilio are performed in solitary nurseries makes this species uniquely suited to test honest-signaling models for the evolution of offspring-parent communication. By detailing the implications and possibilities stemming from Weygoldt’s work, I hope to inspire readers to follow Weygoldt’s lead and his example of careful and detailed observation.
Rate of Urologic Injury with Robotic Hysterectomy.

Abstract Study Objective To evaluate rates of urologic injury in patients who underwent robotic hysterectomy compared with laparoscopic, vaginal, and open hysterectomy. Design A retrospective analysis (Canadian Task Force classification II-2). Setting Henry Ford Health System, 2013 to 2016. Patients Women who underwent robotic, vaginal, laparoscopic, and open abdominal hysterectomy. Interventions Robotic hysterectomy, laparoscopic-assisted vaginal hysterectomy, total laparoscopic hysterectomy, laparoscopic supracervical hysterectomy, vaginal hysterectomy, and abdominal hysterectomy. Measurements and Main Results To identify patients with urologic injury, a departmental database for quality improvement was searched for reported urologic injuries. In addition, patients who had urology consultation within 90 days of hysterectomy were screened for injury. A total of 3114 hysterectomies were identified by retrospective chart review. One thousand eighty-eight robotic, 782 laparoscopic, 304 vaginal, and 940 abdominal hysterectomies were analyzed for urologic complications. A total of 27 injuries were confirmed (7 during laparoscopic hysterectomy, 10 during robotic hysterectomy, 1 during vaginal hysterectomy, and 9 during abdominal hysterectomy). The overall rate of urologic injury was 0.87% with a 0.55% risk of bladder injury and a 0.32% risk of injury to the ureter. When the route of hysterectomy was taken into account, the risk of urologic injury was 0.92% for robotic hysterectomy, 0.90% for laparoscopic hysterectomy, 0.33% for vaginal hysterectomy, and 0.96% for open hysterectomy. The mean body mass index (BMI) for all patients was 32.7 kg/m2; injured patients had a mean BMI of 34.6 kg/m2, and noninjured patients had a mean BMI of 32.0 kg/m2 (p = .10). Conclusion Rates of urologic injury with robotic hysterectomy are similar to those of laparoscopic hysterectomy in our population. BMI was not significantly different in patients who had urologic injuries. Surgeon volume was not associated with risk for urologic injury.