cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
HVAC load synchronization in smart building communities

Abstract In this study, we propose a methodology to assign HVAC operation planning schemes for connected buildings with the objective of energy saving and load leveling. The idea is to use building thermal inertia in a periodic pattern by relaxing the temperature setpoints to an upper bound and setting back to a lower bound to avoid air conditioning while the room is still within human comfort zone. This periodic operation planning in turn facilitates the collaboration across a building community to reduce the aggregate demand. The objective is to assign periodic temperature setpoints for a building cluster so that the aggregate cooling electric demand reduces with the minimum cost and steady aggregate load shape. Ideal operation schedule forms are identified and elaborated in detail. Human comfort level and demand-side management applications are evaluated and incorporated into an optimization framework. The impact of peak demand reduction on the grid and power generation costs and the impact on the society is also investigated. The results demonstrate up to 12.5% savings in electricity consumption and 10% peak demand reduction for a community of 26 buildings.
Decentralized Multiple Mobile Depots Route Planning for Replenishing Persistent Surveillance Robots

Ahstract- Persistent surveillance of a target space using multiple robots has numerous applications. The continuous operation in these applications is challenged by limited onboard battery capacity of the persistent robots. We consider the problem for replenishing persistent robots using mobile depots, where mobile depots collectively compute a set of tours to drop off batteries for replenishing all persistent robots with the minimum total cost. Compared to other works, persistent robots are not required to detour for recharging or battery swapping. We formulate this problem as generalized multiple depots traveling salesman problem (GMDTSP) on a complete graph. An efficient centralized heuristic-based algorithm Multiple Depots Random Select (MDRS) is proposed, which has been proved to have an analytical constant upper bound in the worst case scenario. To provide scalability and robustness, a fully decentralized asynchronous MDRS (dec-MDRS) is proposed, with the analysis of its correctness and efficiency. We also propose a post-processing heuristic (MDRS-IM) to improve the solution quality. We demonstrate the efficiency and effectiveness of our algorithm via benchmark on multiple instances from TSPLIB and GTSPLIB. The simulation results show that the complexity of dec-MDRS grows linearly as the number of robots increases. The simulation also shows that MDRS and MDRS-IM perform significantly faster than the state of the art heuristic solver LKH with only a loss of about 10% of solution quality.
Relationships among compressive strength and UPV of concrete reinforced with different types of fibers

Abstract This paper determines the effect of steel, glass, and nylon fibers on the compressive strength and ultrasonic pulse velocity (UPV) of fiber reinforced concrete. The influence of different fiber types, fiber volume fraction, and water to cement ratios on the compressive strength of fiber reinforced concrete was tested using the compression test machine (CTM) and ultrasonic pulse velocity tester. Experiments were carried out at different ages on more than 100 cylindrical specimens. A comparison between the experimental results and equations available in the literature for prediction of compressive strength in terms of UPV was conducted to better evaluate the accuracy of available methods, when the type and volume fraction of fibers change. A new empirical equation that accounts for the presence of different types of fibers and fiber volume fraction is proposed to better estimate the compressive strength of steel, glass, and nylon fiber reinforced concrete.
State-Targeted Energy Projection: A Simple and Robust Approach to Orbital Relaxation of Non-Aufbau Self-Consistent Field Solutions.

Orbital optimization is crucial when using a non-Aufbau Slater determinant that involves promotion of an electron from a (nominally) occupied molecular orbital to an unoccupied one, or else ionization from a molecular orbital that lies below the highest occupied frontier molecular orbital. However, orbital relaxation of a non-Aufbau determinant risks "variational collapse" back to the Aufbau solution of the self-consistent field (SCF) equations. Algorithms such as the maximum overlap method (MOM) that are designed to avoid this collapse are not guaranteed to work, and more robust alternatives increase the cost per SCF iteration. Here, we introduce an alternative procedure called state-targeted energy projection (STEP) that is based on level shifting and is identical in cost to a normal SCF procedure, yet converges in numerous cases where MOM suffers variational collapse. Benchmark calculations on small-molecule reference data suggest that ΔSCF calculations based on STEP are an accurate way to compute both ionization and excitation energies, including core-level ionization and excited states with significant double-excitation character. For the molecule 2,4,6-trifluoroborazine, ΔSCF calculations based on STEP afford excellent agreement with experiment for both vertical and adiabatic ionization energies, the latter requiring geometry optimization of a non-Aufbau valence hole. Semiquantitative agreement with experiment is obtained for the absorption spectrum of chlorophyll a. Finally, the importance of asymptotic exchange and correlation is illustrated by application to Rydberg states using spin-scaled Moller-Plesset perturbation theory with a non-Aufbau reference determinant. Together, these results suggest that STEP offers a reliable and affordable alternative to the MOM procedure for determining non-Aufbau solutions of the SCF equations.
The Effectiveness of Alcohol Impact Areas in Reducing Crime in Washington Neighborhoods.

Background We evaluated the effectiveness of Alcohol Impact Areas (AIA) in reducing crime around off-premise alcohol outlets in 3 AIAs in Spokane and Tacoma, Washington, using an interrupted time series design with comparison groups. AIAs only exist in Washington and include designated areas in a city where specific brands of malt liquor are restricted. We hypothesized that mandatory restrictions on malt liquor sales in AIAs would be significantly associated with decreases in crime, especially less-serious crime. Methods In Spokane and Tacoma, targets were 3 AIAs and 3 comparison areas with demographically similar neighborhoods without malt liquor restrictions in the same respective city. Nine different crime outcomes were evaluated: Part I selected crimes, Part II selected crimes (further split into nuisance crimes and other Part II crimes), assaults, vandalism, narcotics, disorderly conduct, and all selected crimes combined. Crime was typically compared 3 years prior to and 3 years following policy adoption using time series and negative-binomial modeling. Separate models were run for each area and each crime. Results Study hypotheses were partially supported. Malt liquor restrictions in AIAs were associated with significant decreases in crime, particularly certain Part II crimes and assaults (simple and aggravated) in 12 of the 23 models. The strength of the observed associations varied by AIA. Average monthly crime counts across all crime categories decreased more in the Tacoma AIA than in Spokane AIAs, and average monthly crime decreased more in Spokane AIA 2 (East Central) than in AIA 1 (Downtown Core). Malt liquor restrictions were significantly associated with increases in disorderly conduct in the Tacoma AIA; the increase, however, was small. Conclusions Findings suggest that malt liquor policies such as AIAs may be one of a number of tools local officials can use to reduce alcohol-related crime in cities, especially less-serious crime.
Literature and Media-Based Review of Personal Protective Equipment 3D Printing Efforts During COVID-19

The literature has peer reviewed many projects focused on 3D printing of personal protective equipment (PPE). In addition, several presentations in the news media and other forms of communication including social media are included in this chapter. The purpose of this chapter is to provide a cohesive review of this dynamic body of knowledge as of July 2020. The chapter is organized into face shields; masks to include N95 respirators, surgical masks, and community masks; and additional medical devices such as nasopharyngeal swabs and ventilator parts. This format will enable important periodic updates as the literature continues to rapidly expand.
On the Mental Accounting of Restricted-Use Funds: How Gift Cards Change What People Purchase

This article emphasizes the role of categorization in mental accounting and proposes that once a mental account is established, purchases that are highly congruent with the purpose of the mental account (i.e., typical category members) will be more preferred in selection decisions compared to purchases that are less congruent (i.e., atypical category members). This hypothesis is tested in the context of gift cards. Six studies find that people shopping with a retailer-specific gift card — and so, the authors argue, possessing a retailer-specific mental account — express an increased preference for products more typical of the retailer compared to those shopping with more fungible currency. This pattern is found to occur for both well-known retailers, where people already possess product-typicality knowledge, and fictional retailers, where product-typicality cues are provided. An alternative account based on semantic priming is not supported by these data. These results both broaden the contemporary understanding of how mental accounting influences preferences and provide retailers deeper insight into their customers’ decision processes.
Evolving Spiking Circuit Motifs Using Weight Agnostic Neural Networks

Neural architecture search (NAS) has emerged as an algorithmic method of developing neural network architectures. Weight Agnostic Neural Networks (WANNs) are an evolutionary-based NAS approach. Fundamentally, WANNs find network structures that are relatively insensitive to shifts in weight values and are typically much smaller than an equivalent performance dense network. Here, we extend the WANN framework to search for spiking circuits and in doing so investigate whether these circuit motifs can also yield task performance that is weight agnostic. We analyze properties such as the complexity of the solution, as well as performance. Our results successfully show the performance of spiking WANNs on several exemplar tasks.
Electrogram-guided endomyocardial biopsy yield in patients with suspected cardiac sarcoidosis and relation to outcomes.

Objective Endomyocardial biopsy (EMB) is a useful diagnostic tool though the yield may be limited in many myocardial diseases. Data on the diagnostic yield and prognostic significance of EMB guided by abnormal electrograms (EGM-Bx) in suspected cardiac sarcoidosis (CS) are scarce. Methods Seventy-nine patients (mean age: 56 ± 12 years; 61% men) with suspected CS based on clinical and imaging features underwent right or left ventricular EGM-Bx guided by electroanatomic mapping. Tissue samples were obtained from sites with abnormal EGMs and/or abnormal cardiac imaging. The diagnostic yield of EGM-Bx was evaluated in reference to histopathologic analysis. Left ventricular assist device (LVAD) and transplantation-free survival were compared between patients with positive and negative EGM-Bx for CS. Results A total of 254 samples were obtained from abnormal EGM sites, and 126 samples from normal EGM sites guided by pre-procedure imaging findings. Abnormal histopathology was noted in 65 (26%) and 10 (8%) samples from abnormal and normal EGM sites, respectively. Histopathology confirmed CS in 16 (20%) patients, while an alternative tissue diagnosis emerged in 10 (13%) patients. Abnormal EGMs at the biopsy site had sensitivity 89% and specificity 33% for a histopathologic diagnosis of CS. LVAD and transplantation-free survival were not significantly associated with the EGM-Bx result (log-rank p = .91). Conclusion In patients with suspected CS, abnormal EGM-Bx has high sensitivity and low specificity for establishing a definite CS diagnosis. Consideration of substrate abnormalities apparent on preprocedural imaging as an adjunct for selection of biopsy sites may further improve EGM-Bx yield.
Teaching practices around natural hazards and community resilience in Colorado

Increasing extreme weather events in a warming world fuel the need for citizens to understand natural hazards and improve community resilience. We especially need to prepare students for these chal...
All by Himself? Trump, Isolationism, and the American Electorate

During his campaign and subsequent presidency, Donald Trump staked out and implemented an isolationist foreign policy agenda that sought to put “America First” and curtail U.S. participation in int...
Low Parental Socioeconomic Position Results in Longer Post-Norwood Length of Stay

Abstract: Introduction Length of stay (LOS) has been proposed to be used as a quality metric in congenital heart surgery, but LOS may be influenced by parental socioeconomic position (SEP). We aimed to examine the relationship between post-Norwood LOS and SEP. Methods Patients undergoing a Norwood procedure from 2008-2018 for hypoplastic left heart syndrome (HLHS) from a single institution, who were discharged alive prior to second stage palliation, were included. SEP was defined by area deprivation index, distance from hospital, insurance status, and immigration status. A directed acyclic graph identified confounders for the effect of SEP on LOS, which included gestational age, HLHS subtype, post-operative cardiac arrest, reoperations, and ventilator days. A negative binomial model was used to assess effect of SEP on LOS. Results In total, 98 patients were discharged alive at a median 37 days (15th-85th percentile 26-72). The majority of patients were children of United States citizens and permanent residents (n=89, 91%). Private insurance covered 54 (55%), with 44 (45%) covered by Medicaid or Tricare. Median area deprivation index was 54 (25-87). Median distance travelled was 72 miles (17-469). For every 10 percentile increase in area deprivation index, LOS increased 4% (IRR 1.04, 95%CI 1.007-1.077, p=0.022). Insurance type, immigration status, and distance travelled did not affect post-operative length of stay. Conclusions There is a significant relationship between SEP and LOS. Consideration of LOS as a quality indicator may penalize hospitals providing care for patients with lower parental SEP.
Chronic Fatigue and the Autonomic Nervous System

Publisher Summary Chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS) is a heterogeneous disorder characterized by disabling fatigue accompanied by multiple systemic symptoms. Streeten and Anderson first drew attention to the possibility that fatigue and exhaustion in some patients with CFS might be caused by the failure to maintain blood pressure in the erect posture. Although numerous studies have confirmed the association between autonomic dysfunction and CFS, the prevalence of autonomic dysfunction is not known. A postural tachycardia with associated orthostatic intolerance is the autonomic marker that, in several studies, is observed most frequently in individuals with CFS. The pathologic basis of the postural tachycardia and its relation to the features of CFS is unknown, although of all autonomic symptoms and signs associated with CFS, it seems most likely to have a primary role in symptoms and to be amenable to therapeutic intervention.
A compilation method for communication—efficient partitioning of DOALL loops

Due to a significant communication overhead of sending and receiving data, the loop partitioning approaches on distributed memory systems must guarantee not just the computation loadba lance but computation+communication load balance. The previous approaches in loop partitioning have achieved a communication-free, computation load balanced iteration space partitioning solution for a limited subset of DOALL loops [6]. But a large category of DOALL loops inevitably result in communication and the tradeoffs between computation and communication must be carefully analyzed for those loops in order to balance out the combined computation time and communication overheads. In this work, we describe a partitioning approach based on the above motivation for the general cases of DOALL loops. Our goal is to achieve a computation+ communication load balanced partitioning through static data and iteration space distribution. First, code partitioning phase analyzes the references in the body of the DOALL loop nest and determines a set of directions for reducing a larger degree of communication by trading a lesser degree of parallelism. The partitioning is carried out in the iteration space of the loop by cyclically following a set of direction vectors such that the data references are maximally localized and re-used eliminating a large communication volume. A new larger partition owns rule is formulated to minimize the communication overhead for a compute intensive partition by localizing its references relatively more than a smaller non-compute intensive partition. A Partition Interaction Graph is then constructedt hat is used to merge the partitions to achieve granularity adjustment, computation+communication load balance and mapping on the actual number of available processors. Relevant theory anda lgorithms are developed along with a performance evaluation on Cray T3D.
Role of Lysyl ε-Amino Groups in Adenosine Diphosphate Binding and Catalytic Activity of Pyruvate Kinase

Rabbit muscle pyruvate kinase is inactivated by trinitrobenzene sulfonate, a compound known to attack amino and sulfhydryl groups in peptides. The inactivation reaction exhibits pseudo first order kinetics with respect to enzyme and is enhanced at high pH. The kinetic data indicate that one molecule of inhibitor reacts with each active unit of the enzyme. The modified enzyme was submitted to acid hydrolysis, and e-N-trinitrophenyllysine was identified as the product. Four lysyl residues undergo trinitrophenylation per molecule of pyruvate kinase, or one per enzyme subunit. ADP strongly protects the enzyme against inhibition by trinitrobenzene sulfonate, whereas K+ or Mg++ ions are only partially effective and phosphoenolpyruvate gives no protection. Pyruvate, lactate, and bicarbonate, which are known to occupy the P-enolpyruvate-binding site, also afford no protection, whereas ATP is as effective as ADP when tested under similar conditions. The Kd of ADP, determined by protection of the enzyme against the inhibitor, and the Km values of P-enolpyruvate and ADP for the partially inhibited enzyme are all similar to the same constants for the untreated native enzyme. From these results it is concluded that a lysyl e-amino group in each of the four enzyme subunits may be directly involved in the binding of ADP as well as in the catalytic activity of pyruvate kinase.
Monitoring pharmacologically induced immunosuppression by immune repertoire sequencing to detect acute allograft rejection in heart transplant patients: a proof-of-concept diagnostic accuracy study.

Background It remains difficult to predict and to measure the efficacy of pharmacological immunosuppression. We hypothesized that measuring the B-cell repertoire would enable assessment of the overall level of immunosuppression after heart transplantation. Methods and Findings In this proof-of-concept study, we implemented a molecular-barcode-based immune repertoire sequencing assay that sensitively and accurately measures the isotype and clonal composition of the circulating B cell repertoire. We used this assay to measure the temporal response of the B cell repertoire to immunosuppression after heart transplantation. We selected a subset of 12 participants from a larger prospective cohort study (ClinicalTrials.gov NCT01985412) that is ongoing at Stanford Medical Center and for which enrollment started in March 2010. This subset of 12 participants was selected to represent post-heart-transplant events, with and without acute rejection (six participants with moderate-to-severe rejection and six without). We analyzed 130 samples from these patients, with an average follow-up period of 15 mo. Immune repertoire sequencing enables the measurement of a patient’s net state of immunosuppression (correlation with tacrolimus level, r = −0.867, 95% CI −0.968 to −0.523, p = 0.0014), as well as the diagnosis of acute allograft rejection, which is preceded by increased immune activity with a sensitivity of 71.4% (95% CI 30.3% to 94.9%) and a specificity of 82.0% (95% CI 72.1% to 89.1%) (cell-free donor-derived DNA as noninvasive gold standard). To illustrate the potential of immune repertoire sequencing to monitor atypical post-transplant trajectories, we analyzed two more patients, one with chronic infections and one with amyloidosis. A larger, prospective study will be needed to validate the power of immune repertoire sequencing to predict rejection events, as this proof-of-concept study is limited to a small number of patients who were selected based on several criteria including the availability of a large number of samples and the absence or presence of rejection events. Conclusions If confirmed in larger, prospective studies, the method described here has potential applications in the tailored management of post-transplant immunosuppression and, more broadly, as a method for assessing the overall activity of the immune system.
Classroom teachers' accuracy in observing students' motor performance

The purpose of this study was to examine the accuracy of classroom teachers in observing students’ motor performance. In order to assess teacher accuracy in rating motor performance, an analysis was conducted on students’ scores on the Short Form of the Bruininks–Oseretsky Test of Motor Proficiency (BOT-S) between those who were rated high as compared to those who were rated low in motor performance, as determined by a teacher observation form. The two-tailed t statistic indicated a significant difference between standard mean scores for upper and lower quartile performances on the BOT-S (P<.05). However, there was a high degree of variance within the high and low groups. The results suggest that classroom teachers are more accurate in observing high motor performance than in observing low motor performance.
Computing vocal entrainment: A signal-derived PCA-based quantification scheme with application to affect analysis in married couple interactions

In human-human interactions, entrainment is a naturally occurring phenomenon that happens when interlocutors mutually adapt their behaviors through the course of an interaction. This mutual behavioral dependency has been at the center of psychological studies of human communication for decades. Quantitative descriptors of the degree of entrainment can provide psychologists an objective method to advance studies of human communication including in mental health domains. However, the subtle nature of the entrainment phenomenon makes it challenging for computing such an effect based on just human annotations. In this paper, we propose an unsupervised signal-derived approach within a principal component analysis framework for quantifying one aspect of entrainment in communication, namely, vocal entrainment. The proposed approach to quantify the degree of vocal entrainment involves measuring the similarity of specific vocal characteristics between the interlocutors in a dialog. These quantitative descriptors were analyzed using two psychology-inspired hypothesis tests to not only establish that these signal-derived measures carry meaningful information in interpersonal communication but also offer statistical evidence into aspects of behavioral dependency and associated affective states in marital conflictual interactions. Finally, affect recognition experiments were performed with the proposed vocal entrainment descriptors as features using a large database of real distressed married couples' interactions. An accuracy of 62.56% in differentiating between positive and negative affect was obtained using these entrainment measures with Factorial Hidden Markov Models lending further support that entrainment is an active component underlying affective processes in interactions.
Mapping quantitative trait loci with dominant markers in four-way crosses

A common problem in mapping quantitative trait loci (QTLs) is that marker data are often incomplete. This includes missing data, dominant markers, and partially informative markers, arising in outbred populations. Here we briefly present an iteratively re-weighted least square method (IRWLS) to incorporate dominant and missing markers for mapping QTLs in four-way crosses under a heterogeneous variance model. The algorithm uses information from all markers in a linkage group to infer the QTL genotype. Monte Carlo simulations indicate that with half dominant markers, QTL detection is almost as efficient as with all co-dominant markers. However, the precision of the estimated QTL parameters generally decreases as more markers become missing or dominant. Notable differences are observed on the standard deviation of the estimated QTL position for varying levels of marker information content. The method is relatively simple so that more complex models including multiple QTLs or fixed effects can be fitted. Finally, the method can be readily extended to QTL mapping in full-sib families.
Bisquaternary ammonium compounds as potential tumor imaging agents

Abstract Reports of rapid accumulation of 3H- or 14 C-labelled hexamethonium in cartilaginous tissues after intravenous administration to rats and mice and of binding of hexamethonium to chondroitin sulfate in vitro prompted synthesis of radioiodinated analogs of hexamethonium. Tissue distribution studies in rats performed at 0.5 and 2 h after intravenous administration of 14 C-hexamethonium confirmed the propensity of this drug to accumulate in cartilaginous tissues. Tissue distribution studies were performed in both normal and chondrosarcoma tumor-bearing rats at 0.5 and 2 h after intravenous administration of the radioiodinated analogs. The radioiodinated analogs showed profiles of distribution of radioactivity comparable to that of hexamethonium. Levels of uptake were highest in kidney and urine at all time periods studied. High levels of activity were seen in trachea, intervertebral discs and, when present, tumor. A rapid dispersal of a relatively low level of radioactivity was seen in most other tissues and was followed by rapid clearance in all tissues except meninges which continued to accumulate radioactivity for as long as 2 h. A chondrosarcoma tumor was successfully imaged in a rat 15 min following intravenous administration of a radioiodinated analog of hexamethonium.
Axiomatizability in inclusive equational logics

A categorical framework for equational logics is presented, together with axiomatizability results in the style of Birkhoff. The distinctive categorical structures used are inclusion systems, which are an alternative to factorization systems in which factorization is required to be unique rather than unique ‘up to an isomorphism’. In this framework, models are any objects, and equations are special epimorphisms in C, while satisfaction is injectivity. A first result says that equations-as-epimorphisms define exactly the quasi-varieties, suggesting that epimorphisms actually represent conditional equations. In fact, it is shown that the projectivitysfreeness of the domain of epimorphisms is what makes the difference between unconditional and conditional equations, the first defining the varieties, as expected. An abstract version of the axiom of choice seems to be sufficient for free objects to be projective, in which case the definitional power of equations of projective and free domain, respectively, is the same. Connections with other abstract formulations of equational logics are investigated, together with an organization of our logic as an institution.
Stable ergodicity and julienne quasi-conformality

In this paper we dramatically expand the domain of known stably ergodic, partially hyperbolic dynamical systems. For example, all partially hyperbolic affine diffeomorphisms of compact homogeneous spaces which have the accessibility property are stably ergodic. Our main tools are the new concepts – julienne density point and julienne quasi-conformality of the stable and unstable holonomy maps. Julienne quasi-conformal holonomy maps preserve all julienne density points.
Early time studies of cylindrical liner implosions on COBRA

Tests of the magnetized liner inertial fusion (MagLIF) concept will make use of the 27 MA Z-machine at Sandia National Laboratories, Albuquerque, to implode a cylindrical metal liner to compress and heat a preheated plasma contained within it [1]. While most pulsed power machines produce much lower currents than the Z-machine, there are questions that can still be answered on smaller scale setups. Recent work on the Cornell Beam Research Accelerator (COBRA) has made use of cylindrical metal liners made in-house to study the initiation of plasma on the liner surface and axial magnetic field compression. Although such liners are not sufficiently uniform for MagLIF-relevant studies of liner dynamics during implosion, they can make early-time studies of cylindrical liner implosions viable for smaller laboratories. This paper will present experimental results of imploding liners having imperfect uniformity to assess the impact that has on initiation and ablation. Extreme ultraviolet (XUV) imaging as well as optical streak imaging is used to assess when and where non-uniform-driven emission occurs. Axial interferometry is used to determine the distribution of plasma near the liner surface, including the impact of non-uniformities during the plasma initiation and ablation phases of the experiments.
Modeling observer performance for optimizing medical image acquisition and processing

Medical images involve several steps of acquisition, processing, display, and reading to convey information from the body of a patient to a clinician who needs to decide on a course of action. The effect of all these steps is a large number of potentially coupled parameters that may need to be adjusted in order to optimize diagnostic task performance. Model observers were developed to assist this process by providing an objective computational tool that is predictive of visual performance. The defining characteristic of model observers is the generation of a decision variable from which the task is readily performed. Various models for generating the decision variable are reviewed, and various challenges and opportunities for model observers are described.
Randomized study comparing banding and propranolol to prevent initial variceal hemorrhage in cirrhotics with high-risk esophageal varices

Background & Aims: Standard care for prevention of first esophageal variceal hemorrhage is β-blockade, but this may be ineffective or unsafe. Our purpose was to compare endoscopic banding with propranolol for prevention of first variceal hemorrhage. Methods: In a multicenter, prospective trial, 62 patients with cirrhosis with high-risk esophageal varices were randomized to propranolol (titrated to reducing resting pulse by ≥25%) or banding (performed monthly until varices were eradicated) and were followed up on the same schedule for a mean duration of 15 months. The primary end point was treatment failure, defined as the development of endoscopically documented variceal hemorrhage or a severe medical complication requiring discontinuation of therapy. Direct costs were estimated from Medicare reimbursements and fixed or variable charges for services up to treatment failure. Results: Background variables of the treatment groups were similar. The trial was stopped early after an interim analysis showed that the failure rate of propranolol was significantly higher than that of banding (6/31 vs. 0/31; difference, 19.4%; P = .0098; 95% confidence interval for true difference, 6.4%–37.2%). Significantly more propranolol than banding patients had esophageal variceal hemorrhage (4/31 vs. 0/31; difference, 12.9%; P = .0443; 95% confidence interval for true difference, 0.8%–29%), and the cumulative mortality rate was significantly higher in the propranolol than in the banding group (4/31 vs. 0/31; difference, 12.9%; P = .0443; 95% confidence interval for true difference, 0.8%–29%). Direct costs of care were not significantly different. Conclusions: For patients with cirrhosis with high-risk esophageal varices and no history of variceal hemorrhage, propranolol-treated patients had significantly higher failure rates of failure, first esophageal varix hemorrhage, and cumulative mortality than banding patients. Direct costs of medical care were not significantly different.
Hand preference status and reach kinematics in infants.

Abstract Infants show age-related improvements in reach straightness and smoothness over the first years of life as well as a decrease in average movement speed. This period of changing kinematics overlaps the emergence of handedness. We examined whether infant hand preference status is related to the development of motor control in 53 infants ranging from 11 to 14 months old. Hand preference status was assessed from reaching to a set of 5 objects presented individually at the infant's midline; infants were classified into ‘right preference’ or ‘no preference’ groups. Three-dimensional (3-D) recordings were made of each arm for reaches under two distinct conditions: pick up a ball and fit it into the opening of a toy ( grasp-to-place task ) or pick up a Cheerio ® and consume it ( grasp-to-eat task ). Contrary to expectations, there was no effect of hand preference status on reach smoothness or straightness for either task. On the grasp-to-eat task only, average speed of the left hand differed as a function of hand preference status. Infants in the no preference group exhibited higher left hand average speeds than infants in the right preference group. Our results suggest that while behavioral differences in the use of the two hands may be present in some infants, these differences do not appear to be systematically linked to biases in motor control of the arms early in development.
A student's guide to classical control

A series of points concerning classical control, and particularly feedback; intended as an overview to tell an undergraduate at the start of his course what he will be studying, as an aid to revision for an undergraduate at the end of his course, and as an aid in reviewing existing knowledge for a person starting post-graduate studies.
Fabrication and characterization of a GaN/(4H)SiC vertical pn power diode using direct and interfaced epitaxial-growth approaches

We report the fabrication and characterization of a vertical pn power diode which is realized using two separate epitaxial-growth mechanisms: (a) p-GaN over p-(4H)SiC, and (b) p-GaN over n-(4H)SiC with AlN as the interface layer. In all of the cases, n+-doped (4H)SiC serves as the cathode substrate. Pd(200 A)/Au(10000 A) is used for the anode contact while Ni(1000 A) is used for the bottom cathode contact. The measured forward drop of the pn diode with AlN as the interface material is found to be around 5.1 V; whereas, it is 3 V for the other sample structure. The measured reverse-blocking voltage is found to be greater than 200 V.
Province-level convergence of China’s carbon dioxide emissions

Abstract This study offers a unique contribution to the literature by investigating the convergence of province-level carbon dioxide emission intensities among a panel of 30 provinces in China over the period 1990–2010. We use a novel, spatial dynamic panel data model to evaluate an empirically testable hypothesis of convergence among provinces. Our results suggest that: (1) CO 2 emission intensities are converging across provinces in China; (2) the rate of convergence is higher with the dynamic panel data model than the cross-sectional regression models; and, (3) province-level CO 2 emission intensities are spatially correlated and the rate of convergence, when controlling for spatial autocorrelation, is higher than with the non-spatial models.
Gender, Power, and Intimate Partner Violence A Study on Couples From Rural Malawi

Gender-based power imbalances are perhaps the most compelling underlying explanation for intimate partner violence (IPV) among women in sub-Saharan Africa. However, an overemphasis on female victimization results in an incomplete understanding of men's experiences as victims and the broader dyadic context in which violence occurs. This study examines the role of three domains of relationship power (power resources, processes, and outcomes) on sexual and physical IPV victimization in a unique sample of 466 young couples from Malawi. Two power resources were studied, namely, income and education level. Power processes were captured with a measure of couple communication and collaboration called unity. Power outcomes included a measure of relationship dominance (male dominated or female-dominated/egalitarian). Multilevel logistic regression using the Actor Partner Interpersonal Model framework was used to test whether respondent and partner data were predictive of IPV. The findings show that unity and male dominance were salient power factors that influenced young people's risk for sexual IPV. Unity had a stronger protective effect on sexual IPV for women than for men. Involvement in a male-dominated relationship increased the risk of sexual IPV for women, but decreased the risk for men. The findings also showed that education level and unity were protective against physical IPV for both men and women. Contrary to what was expected, partner data did not play a role in the respondent's experience of IPV. The consistency of these findings with the literature, theory, and study limitations are discussed.
Perioperative visual loss after nonocular surgery

Although rare, a change in visual acuity after surgery for nonocular procedures has devastating consequences. Increased recognition and discussion of this complication is reported in recent literature, most notably following spinal and cardiac surgery. Various pathologies may be responsible for perioperative visual loss (POVL), including ischemic optic neuropathy, retinal vascular occlusion, and cortical blindness. Here we review the incidence of the problem, the anatomy and physiology of the ocular circulation, variants of POVL, and proposed predisposing factors. Potential perioperative methods to prevent this complication are discussed, and suggested treatment modalities are presented.
Effects of D3/D2 dopamine receptor agonists and antagonists on prepulse inhibition of acoustic startle in the rat

Prepulse inhibition (PPI) is the normal reduction in a startle response that occurs when a weak stimulus ("prepulse") precedes the startling stimulus by 30 to 500 msec. Schizophrenic patients are deficient in this operational measure of sensorimotor gating; therefore, animal models of deficient PPI may provide information useful in the understanding and treatment of schizophrenia. Prepulse inhibition is disrupted in rats by systemic administration of direct dopamine agonists having affinity for the D2 subtype family (D2, D3, and D4) of dopamine receptors. This study tested the hypothesis that dopamine agonists and antagonists with different affinities for D3 and D2 receptors differ in their relative potencies to modulate PPI. The dopamine agonists quinpirole, 7-hydroxy-N,-N-di-n-propyl-2-aminotetralin (7-OH-DPAT) and apomorphine were approximately equipotent in decreasing PPI. Pretreatment with haloperidol (13 to 130 nmol/kg sc), but not equimolar doses of UH 232, prevented the disruption of PPI produced by the highest dose (0.6 mumol/kg sc) of each agonist. Given the 100-fold higher affinity of haloperidol relative to UH 232 for D2 receptors, and equal relative affinities of these antagonists for D3 receptors, these data are consistent with previous studies suggesting that dopamine agonists may modulate PPI in the rat through the D2 subtype of dopamine receptors.
The genetic basis for specific anosmia to isovaleric acid in the mouse

The detection and discrimination of odorants in mammals is thought to be mediated by a family of 100-1000 seven transmembrane domain receptor proteins, although none of these putative olfactory receptors have been shown to bind individual odorants with high affinity. We have used a genetic approach to identify the genomic regions responsible for the differential ability of two inbred mouse strains to detect a single odorant, isovaleric acid. Results obtained with a behavioral assay were consistent with a limited number of genes conferring the ability to detect isovaleric acid. One genetic location mapped to a 0.3 cM region between D4MIT37 and D4MIT156 on mouse chromosome 4. A second locus mapped to the distal end of mouse chromosome 6. The most likely cause of the behavior difference between the two strains of mice is the loss of the receptor protein or proteins responsible for recognizing isovaleric acid. High resolution genetic mapping provides a novel approach to the identification of genes critical for the detection of particular odorants.
Corrigendum to “Response acquisition with delayed reinforcement in a rodent model of attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD)” [Behav. Brain Res. 175 (2006) 337–342]

Corrigendum Corrigendum to “Response acquisition with delayed reinforcement in a rodent model of attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD)” [Behav. Brain Res. 175 (2006) 337–342] Dennis J. Handa, Andrew T. Foxa, Mark P. Reillyb,∗ a Central Michigan University, Department of Psychology, 101 Sloan Hall, Mount Pleasant, MI 48859, United States b Department of Psychology, 2176 Health Professions Building, Central Michigan University, Mount Pleasant, MI 48859, United States
Stress impairs optimal behavior in a water foraging choice task in rats

Stress is a biologically significant social-environmental factor that plays a pervasive role in influencing human and animal behaviors. While stress effects on various types of memory are well characterized, its effects on other cognitive functions are relatively unknown. Here, we investigated the effects of acute, uncontrollable stress on subsequent decision-making performance in rats, using a computer vision-based water foraging choice task. Experiencing stress significantly impaired the animals' ability to progressively bias (but not maintain) their responses toward the larger reward when transitioning from equal to unequal reward quantities. Temporary inactivation of the amygdala during stress, however, blocked impairing effects on decision making.
Characterization and cell-free translation of mouse pituitary tumor messenger RNA which directs the synthesis of a corticotropin precursor

A wheat germ cell-free extract was used for the translation of poly(A)-containing RNA extracted from free and membrane-bound polysomes isolated from the AtT-20 mouse pituitary tumor. The mRNA associated with the membrane-bound polysomes was enriched by a factor of 16 for directing the synthesis of a 31,000 molecular weight product which was immunoprecipitated with a specific antibody against the synthetic β 1–24 -corticotropin. Sucrose gradient analysis of AtT-20 poly(A)-containing RNA followed by electrophoresis on formamide-polyacrylamide gels revealed that the mRNA which directs the synthesis of the 31,000 corticotropin-like product has an approximate molecular weight of 400,000. Further evidence for the identity of the translation product is provided by the presence of common peptides in the α-chymotryptic digests of the [ 3 H]lysine and [ 35 S]methionine labeled cell-free synthesized products and in that of authentic corticotropin. Furthermore, under controlled tryptic digestion, both the large mouse corticotropin and the cell-free synthesized product behave in an identical manner. These results indicate that the cell-free synthesized immunoreactive product is a precursor to mouse corticotropin and that the protein requires approximately 65% of the coding capacity of the mRNA molecule.
BREEDING SYSTEM OF THE FERN DRYOPTERIS EXPANSA: EVIDENCE FOR MIXED MATING

The levels and distribution of genetic variation within and among populations of the homosporous fern Dryopteris expansa were assessed using enzyme electrophoresis. Twelve loci representing six enzymes were examined in 502 sporophytes from nine populations. Values of P, H, and mean number of alleles per locus are much lower in D. expansa compared to values for other fern species. Values of F varied from -0.014 to 0.745 with an average F of 0.335. There was also considerable population to population variation in F. In three populations the observed heterozygosity closely approximated that expected at Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium, whereas in the remaining populations observed heterozygosity was significantly lower than the expected heterozygosity. In D. expansa the major component of FIT is F,,; the relatively high FST value suggests a high degree of interpopulational differentiation. Electrophoretic data suggest that this species possesses a mixed mating system. This study, in conjunction with other investigations, indicates that just as in angiosperms, a variety of breeding systems operates in homosporous ferns, ranging from extreme inbreeding, through mixed mating to outcrossing. NUMEROUS INVESTIGATIONS have stressed the importance of breeding system in determining gene flow, the genetic structure of populations,
Life-cycle analysis of bio-based aviation fuels

Well-to-wake (WTWa) analysis of bio-based aviation fuels, including hydroprocessed renewable jet (HRJ) from various oil seeds, Fischer–Tropsch jet (FTJ) from corn-stover and co-feeding of coal and corn-stover, and pyrolysis jet from corn stover, is conducted and compared with petroleum jet. WTWa GHG emission reductions relative to petroleum jet can be 41–63% for HRJ, 68–76% for pyrolysis jet and 89% for FTJ from corn stover. The HRJ production stage dominates WTWa GHG emissions from HRJ pathways. The differences in GHG emissions from HRJ production stage among considered feedstocks are much smaller than those from fertilizer use and N2O emissions related to feedstock collection stage. Sensitivity analyses on FTJ production from coal and corn-stover are also conducted, showing the importance of biomass share in the feedstock, carbon capture and sequestration options, and overall efficiency. For both HRJ and FTJ, co-product handling methods have significant impacts on WTWa results.
Accelerated learning in machine learning-based resource allocation methods for Heterogenous Networks

Heterogeneous Networks, such as those with Femtocells and Macrocell Basestations, face the task of resource allocation to ensure all users, both primary (mobile user) and secondary (femtocell user), receive assurances of quality of service. One method of performing this allocation, Q-learning, involves the use of a reward function (defining objectives) and a Q-table (storing policy information). This Q-table can be shared between users to speed up convergence on a policy ensuring a desired quality of service. In this paper, a reward function and state structure are presented and compared to another Q-learning reward function. The designed RF is shown to increase the sum femtocell user capacity in most scenarios while maintaining the desired quality of service for the mobile user. The sharing of Q-tables formed using th e designed reward function and state structure with nodes entering the network is shown to significantly speed up convergence in most scenarios when compared to convergence without sharing Q-tables.