cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Error exponents for one-bit watermarking

Quantization index modulation (QIM) is a powerful host-interference rejecting method for data hiding. The paper applies QIM to one-bit watermarking and proposes a simple but powerful watermark detector. We derive lower bounds on the error exponents for the detector under a quadratic distortion constraint for the watermarker and additive white Gaussian noise attacks. These bounds are independent of the host-signal distribution and are substantially better than recently derived bounds for public (blind) spread-spectrum watermarking.
Complex Spatial Dynamics of Oncolytic Viruses In Vitro: Mathematical and Experimental Approaches

Oncolytic viruses replicate selectively in tumor cells and can serve as targeted treatment agents. While promising results have been observed in clinical trials, consistent success of therapy remains elusive. The dynamics of virus spread through tumor cell populations has been studied both experimentally and computationally. However, a basic understanding of the principles underlying virus spread in spatially structured target cell populations has yet to be obtained. This paper studies such dynamics, using a newly constructed recombinant adenovirus type-5 (Ad5) that expresses enhanced jellyfish green fluorescent protein (EGFP), AdEGFPuci, and grows on human 293 embryonic kidney epithelial cells, allowing us to track cell numbers and spatial patterns over time. The cells are arranged in a two-dimensional setting and allow virus spread to occur only to target cells within the local neighborhood. Despite the simplicity of the setup, complex dynamics are observed. Experiments gave rise to three spatial patterns that we call “hollow ring structure”, “filled ring structure”, and “disperse pattern”. An agent-based, stochastic computational model is used to simulate and interpret the experiments. The model can reproduce the experimentally observed patterns, and identifies key parameters that determine which pattern of virus growth arises. The model is further used to study the long-term outcome of the dynamics for the different growth patterns, and to investigate conditions under which the virus population eliminates the target cells. We find that both the filled ring structure and disperse pattern of initial expansion are indicative of treatment failure, where target cells persist in the long run. The hollow ring structure is associated with either target cell extinction or low-level persistence, both of which can be viewed as treatment success. Interestingly, it is found that equilibrium properties of ordinary differential equations describing the dynamics in local neighborhoods in the agent-based model can predict the outcome of the spatial virus-cell dynamics, which has important practical implications. This analysis provides a first step towards understanding spatial oncolytic virus dynamics, upon which more detailed investigations and further complexity can be built.
ALCOHOLIC FATTY LIVER: A NUTRITIONAL PROBLEM OF CARBOHYDRATE DEPRIVATION AND CONCOMITANt ETHANOL INGESTION

Abstract Until two decades ago, it was generally considered that malnutrition was primarily responsible for the development of alcohol-induced fatty liver or liver injury. Subsequently, results from experiments with nutritionally adequate liquid alcohol diets created a vogue that ethanol toxicity caused fatty liver and did not address the role of coincident nutritional imbalances. Nutritional inadequacies exist when fatty liver is produced. Furthermore, alcoholic fatty liver is prevented by dietary alteration or supplementation.
Modeling Regional CO2 Control in Energy Production with Cap & Trade Regulation

This paper describes the modeling of CO2 cap & trade among coal power plants. A regional approach is used to include CO2 emission restriction (or cap) and trade in electrical power production. The model accommodates multiple nodes, each with its own demand growth, existing capacity, transmission lines connecting the nodes, and sequestration sites. Technologies for CO2 capture are assumed available to all nodes at the same price tag. Mixed integer programming (MIP) is used: binary variables are used for new construction of either power plants, or transmission, or CO2 pipelines, while continuous variables are used for representing others such as power production, CO2 generation, etc. The objective is to minimize regional cost of meeting nodal demands under assumed CO2 cap & trade regulation and other practical constraints.
Coaching Life Skills through Football: A Study of Award Winning High School Coaches

This study examined how outstanding high school football coaches developed life skills in their players. In-depth phone interviews were conducted with 10 outstanding coaches ranging in age from 47 to 68 years (M = 54). Coaches averaged 31 years of coaching experience, and were highly successful (76.6% winning percentage). Hierarchical content analysis of the data revealed that two general dimensions or categories of strategies emerged: (a) general coaching; and (b) player development strategies. Within the general coaching strategies dimension, higher-order themes focused on working with players and strategies for dealing with other parties. In the player development strategies general dimension was the higher-order theme set of teaching life skills. Results highlighted that it was clear these coaches did not view the coaching of life skills as separate from their general coaching strategies for performance enhancement and while highly motivated to win, personal development of their players was a top prio...
Two-loop perturbative quark mass renormalization from large β Monte Carlo

We present the calculation of heavy Wilson quark mass renormalization constants from large beta Monte Carlo simulations. Simulations were performed at various beta larger than 9, each on several spatial lattice sizes to allow for an infinite volume extrapolation. We use twisted boundary conditions to suppress tunneling and work in Coulomb gauge with appropriate adjustments for the temporal links. The one-loop coefficient obtained from this method is in agreement with the analytical result and a preliminary result for the second order coefficient is reported.
Metal - Gan Contact Technology

In this talk, we summarize the experimental results obtained on metal-GaN interactions in our laboratory. These interactions include the epitaxial growth of metal thin films on chemically cleaned GaN surfaces, metal silicides for Schottky contacts and metallization schemes for ohmic contacts. We found that many fcc and hcp metals can grow epitaxially on (0001) GaN surfaces at room temperature without in-situ surface cleaning. Metal silicide contacts (such as PtSi) may be more suitable for high temperature applications than elemental contacts, due to the thermal stability of silicides. The intrinsic mechanisms for ohmic behavior for various metal contacts are not well understood at present. More consistent barrier height values measured experimentally can shed light on this issue. Due to the defective nature of the GaN layers, carrier transport across the metal/GaN interface can be due to a number of transport mechanisms, thus making accurate determination of the barrier height difficult. In spite of these difficulties, it seems possible to draw certain general conclusions on the electrical behavior of metal contacts on n-GaN.
Anti-androgens and androgen-depleting therapies in prostate cancer: new agents for an established target

Activation of the androgen receptor is crucial for prostate cancer growth at all points of the illness. Current therapies targeting the androgen receptor, including androgen-depletion approaches and anti-androgens, do not completely inhibit the receptor activity. Prostate cancer cells develop resistance to castration by acquiring changes that include androgen-receptor overexpression and overexpression of enzymes involved in androgen biosynthesis, which result in reactivation of the receptor. Based on an understanding of these resistance mechanisms and androgen biosynthesis pathways, new anti-androgens and androgen-depleting agents have been developed. Notably, promising activity has been shown in early phase trials by MDV3100, a new anti-androgen designed for activity in prostate cancer model systems with overexpressed androgen receptor, and by abiraterone acetate, a CYP17A inhibitor that blocks steroid biosynthesis in the adrenal gland and possibly within the tumour. Both agents are undergoing phase 3 testing. Here, we review the basic science and clinical development of these and other agents.
Teaching Strategies to Support Evidence-Based Practice

Evidence-based practice is an expected core competency of all health care clinicians regardless of discipline. Use of evidence-based practice means integrating the best research with clinical expertise and patient values to achieve optimal health outcomes. Evidence-based practice requires nurses to access and appraise evidence rapidly before integrating it into clinical practice. Role modeling and integrating the skills necessary to develop evidence-based practice into clinical and nonclinical courses is an important part in developing positive attitudes toward evidence-based practice, an essential first step to using evidence to guide practice decisions. The step-by-step approach to evidence-based practice proposed by Melnyk and colleagues provides an excellent organizing framework for teaching strategies specifically designed to facilitate nurses' knowledge and skill development in evidence-based practice.
SMILES, SPEECH, AND BODY POSTURE: HOW WOMEN AND MEN DISPLAY SOCIOMETRIC STATUS AND POWER

This study found that power and status have different effects on nonverbal behavior. Participants lived together for a term in ten member groups (50 women, 29 men) and rated their housemates on characteristics related to power (toughness and leadership) and sociometric status (popularity and being well-known). Smiling, arm and leg position, and total talking time were recorded in group discussions, one with housemates only and one with strangers included. Power, but not sociometric status, was associated with open-body postures in women and with frequency of talking in women and men. Smiling was unrelated to power and was positively correlated with sociometric status. Male body posture was more open, but women and men did not differ in frequency of talking or smiling.
Face and Word Memory Differences Are Related to Patterns of Right and Left Lateral Ventricle Size in Healthy Aging

Discrepancy between face and word memory was measured with experimental continuous recognition tests and compared with right-left asymmetry of lateral ventricle size, measured with volumetric x-ray computed tomography, in 10 young and in 10 elderly subjects. All were right-handed and healthy. Old subjects differed significantly from young subjects on face but not word memory. Old subjects had significantly larger lateral ventricles than did young subjects and more lateral ventricle asymmetry. No group trend toward disproportionate age-related enlargement of the right ventricle relative to the left was noted. In old subjects, however, lateral ventricle asymmetry correlated with face-word memory discrepancies in the expected direction, worse word than face memory being associated with disproportionate enlargement of the left lateral ventricle. These correlations were not significant in young subjects. These results suggest that the group trend toward disproportionate nonverbal/visual, as opposed to verbal, age-related memory differences is not associated with a group trend toward disproportionate enlargement of the right ventricle. Individual deviations from the normative pattern of age-related ventricle enlargement, however, are associated with different patterns of material-specific memory changes.
Molecular Detection of Campylobacter spp. in California Gull (Larus californicus) Excreta

We examined the prevalence, quantity, and diversity of Campylobacter species in the excreta of 159 California gull (Larus californicus) samples using culture-, PCR-, and quantitative PCR (qPCR)-based detection assays. Campylobacter prevalence and abundance were relatively high in the gull excreta examined; however, C. jejuni and C. lari were detected in fewer than 2% of the isolates and DNA extracts from the fecal samples that tested positive. Moreover, molecular and sequencing data indicated that most L. californicus campylobacters were novel (<97% 16S rRNA gene sequence identity to known Campylobacter species) and not closely related to species commonly associated with human illness. Campylobacter estimates were positively related with those of fecal indicators, including a gull fecal marker based on the Catellicoccus marimammalium 16S rRNA gene.
Mean‐field theoretical analysis of brush‐coated nanoparticle dispersion in polymer matrices

The equilibrium dispersion of nanoparticles with grafted polymer chains into polymer matrices, of the same chemical structure as the brush, is studied through the device of mean-field theory. Our results show that the disperion of brush-coated nanoparticles into a matrix polymer is improved with (i) decreasing particle radius and (ii) increasing brush chain length. Both of these aspects can be understood based on the fact that, unlike the case of planar surfaces, homopolymer chains end-grafted to spherical nanoparticle surfaces tangentially spread away from the surface thus alleviating the packing frustration that is created by the relatively high grafting densities. This permits significant brush/matrix overlap, even at high grafting densities, a regime that has only recently become experimentally available due to advances in polymer synthesis (i.e., the “grafting-to” methods). © 2008 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part B: Polym Phys 46: 351–358, 2008
BOBCAT ATTACK ON A COTTONTAIL RABBIT

Abstract We observed an attack by a bobcat (Lynx rufus) on a cottontail rabbit (Sylvilagus) that involved stealthy approach by the cat for >1 h, followed by a 12.3-s chase covering 116.0 m for the cat and 128.4 m for the rabbit. During the chase, the route of the cat from starting point to kill site was more direct than the semicircular route of the rabbit. Stride lengths for the cat and total distance covered by the chase were longer than those previously reported for bobcats.
Life Sentences for Juveniles

This article analyzes the 2012 consolidated cases of Jackson v. Alabama and Miller v. Hobbs. The issue is whether a mandatory life without parole sentence is ever appropriate for a juvenile and concludes that it is not. However, the Court does not rule out such LWOP sentences. They may be given on an individual basis after consideration of the characteristics of the crime and the defendant in an individual case. Given this, it is hard to see any solid argument for allowing the legislature to determine in advance that all juveniles who are convicted of murder, even one who had only minimal involvement in the killing such as the 14 year old Jackson, must be given LWOP regardless of the circumstances of their case.
A case of dissecting aneurysm of the aorta causing maternal death at seven months with postmortem cesarean delivery of a live premature infant.

Abstract Dissecting aneurysm of the aorta has been described by Schnitker and associates as a rare complication of pregnancy. In their review of the literature through 1944, a total of 49 females with the disease under the age of 40 were reported. In 24 of these patients the lesion was associated with pregnancy. They suggested the possibility of a disturbance in lipoid metabolism during pregnancy which may cause an alteration in the media of the blood vessels and predispose to a dissecting aneurysm. Of their 24 cases, 2 occurred post partum and two with the onset of labor. The other 20 cases all occurred at varying times during pregnancy, thus eliminating to a large extent the factor of the trauma of labor as a causative element. The average gestation of the undelivered patients was 36 to 40 weeks. In 6 instances a hurried cesarean section was performed and 3 viable infants were delivered. (The article does not state whether the sections were performed before or after the maternal death except in one case where the mother survived for three years.) The present case is reported because of the rarity of the condition in pregnancy and because a postmortem cesarean section was performed and a live infant obtained.
Emotions in Interaction: Toward a Supraindividual Study of Empathy

Research on emotions has largely focused on their importance for the individual. However, our survival as a species has depended on our ability to efficiently form groups with coordinated behavior. There is increasing awareness of the powerful role of emotions in cognition and decision-making. Thus, to better understand group behavior, we must improve our understanding of group emotional states and how they arise from inter-individual transmission of affect. We propose that the automatic yet flexible nature of emotional contagion in groups suggests the involvement of an empathy subprocess known as neural resonance, a common-coding mechanism in the brain for the perception and experience of internal states and behavior. We propose that cognitive processes like appraisal and theory of mind interact reciprocally with neural resonance to facilitate the emergence of group states. In this light, empathy emerges as a group-level mechanism by which humans selectively yet flexibly “coalesce” to produce group-level emotions and behavior. We conclude the chapter with a discussion of possible research outcomes for this hypothesis.
The effect of TIMP-1 on the cone mosaic in the retina of the rat model of retinitis pigmentosa.

Purpose. The array of photoreceptors found in normal retinas provides uniform and regular sampling of the visual space. In contrast, cones in retinas of the S334ter-line-3 rat model for RP migrate to form a mosaic of rings, leaving large holes with few or no photoreceptors. Similar mosaics appear in human patients with other forms of retinal dystrophy. In the current study, we aimed to investigate the effect of tissue inhibitor of metalloproteinase-1 (TIMP-1) on the mosaic of cones in S334ter-line-3 rat retinas. We focused on TIMP-1 because it is one of the regulators of the extracellular matrix important for cellular migration.
On Countermeasures to Develop Langfang's Cultural Industry

Entering the 21st century,cultural factors as "soft power," like "hard power" such as economy and military,play an important role as a manifestation of the competitiveness of countries or regions.After years of rapid development,Langfang has made remarkable economic achievements.Then developing culture industry and promoting urban cultural taste have become the urgent needs of langfang's social development.In order to develop langfang's cultural industries in a scientific,comprehensive,systematic,and continuous way,we must try to improve the city image,city brand,cultural industry chain,cultural creativity industry and so on.
Don't worry, be funded!

Wilson et al. provide great news: “the current status of cultural evolutionary theory and evolutionary religious studies, both of which have become centered on group-level functional organization,”...
An Electronic Balance for Weighing Foams at Cryogenic Temperatures

A commercial electronic balance was altered to weigh objects in a cryogenic environment containing combustible fluids. The balance was used to measure the mass gain of open cellular foams touching the surface of liquid hydrogen. The mass gain rate is a function of the foam wicking characteristics (a function of the foam structure). Weighing the empty and liquid filled foam sample in the ullage above the liquid, and the foam submerged in the liquid, gives sufficient information to allow a free volume or porosity to be determined for the foam. These tests are especially important for foams too weak to withstand the surface tension forces of ambient temperature liquids. Details of the design of the cryogenic balance and some results for several types of foams are presented in this paper.
Progress With Genetic Cardiomyopathies: Screening, Counseling, and Testing in Dilated, Hypertrophic, and Arrhythmogenic Right Ventricular Dysplasia/Cardiomyopathy

This review focuses on the genetic cardiomyopathies: principally dilated cardiomyopathy, with salient features of hypertrophic cardiomyopathy and arrhythmogenic right ventricular dysplasia/cardiomyopathy, regarding genetic etiology, genetic testing, and genetic counseling. Enormous progress has recently been made in identifying genetic causes for each cardiomyopathy, and key phenotype and genotype information is reviewed. Clinical genetic testing is rapidly emerging with a principal rationale of identifying at-risk asymptomatic or disease-free relatives. Knowledge of a disease-causing mutation can guide clinical surveillance for disease onset, thereby enhancing preventive and treatment interventions. Genetic counseling is also indicated for patients and their family members regarding the symptoms of their cardiomyopathy, its inheritance pattern, family screening recommendations, and genetic testing options and possible results.
Personal control and service connection as paths to improved mental health and exiting homelessness among severely marginalized homeless youth

Abstract Objective Non-service connected, continuously homeless youth are arguably one of the most vulnerable populations in the U.S. These youth reside at society's margins experiencing an accumulation of risks over time. Research concludes that as vulnerabilities increase so do poor long-term outcomes. This study tested the mediating effects of service connection and personal control as mediators of cumulative risk and housing, health and mental health outcomes. By understanding the processes associated with therapeutic change among those with the most vulnerabilities, service providers and researchers can target those factors to enhance positive outcomes. Method Seventy-nine, non-service connected, substance using homeless youth were offered a strengths-based outreach and engagement intervention and were assessed at baseline 3, 6 and 9 months post-baseline. Results Personal control mediated the effects of cumulative risk on housing stability, and service utilization mediated the effects of cumulative risk on mental health. Conclusions This study specifies important targets of intervention for a population at high risk for continuing homelessness. In particular, service providers should target youths' sense of personal control and link them to needed community-based services in order to help them exit street life and improve mental health outcomes.
Elevated Ferritin Is Associated with Poorer Survival Following Nonablative Allogeneic Transplantation.

Abstract Iron overload is a well-established adverse prognostic factor for allogeneic hematopoietic stem-cell transplantation in thalassemia and appears to adversely affect prognosis with myeloablative transplantation for other diseases as well. In thalassemia, modification of the preparative regimen improves prognosis in patients who are at high risk due to iron overload. We analyzed a large group of patients who received a nonablative preparative regimen for allogeneic transplantation to determine whether the adverse impact of iron overload was circumvented by nonablative transplantation. Sixty-four consecutive patients undergoing nonablative allogeneic transplantation between 12/00 and 12/06 had pretransplant ferritin levels within 100 days preceding transplantation. Median age was 57 (range, 24–67) years; 24 patients were female. Median interval from diagnosis to transplant was 14.5 months (range, 2.4 to 151.6). Diseases included AML (n=16), NHL (15), MDS (10), myelofibrosis (6), CLL (6), CML (5), MM (3), Hodgkin (2), and ALL (1). Six had undergone prior transplantation. Median ferritin was 961 ng/mL (range, 302–6251). All but two received Flu/TBI preparation. Thirty-nine were sibling and 25 unrelated donors. Recursive partitioning identified significantly better survival for patients with ferritin ≤ 1615 ng/mL (n=45) compared to those with ferritin >1615 ng/mL (n=19; P=.012) as shown: Download : Download high-res image (90KB) Download : Download full-size image Figure Among age, gender, diagnosis, interval from diagnosis to transplant, extent of therapy prior to transplant, ferritin level, albumin, AST, alkaline phosphatase, bilirubin, LDH, risk group, donor source, degree of HLA match, donor to recipient gender, and CD34+ dose, only ferritin >1615ng/ml (P=.010, HR= 2.74), older age (P=.049, HR= 1.63), and prior transplantation (p=.002, HR=5.78) were adverse prognostic factors for survival in multivariable analysis. The poorer survival was related to both a higher incidence of treatment-related mortality and a higher rate of relapse mortality, neither of which reached statistical significance. The addition of albumin, a negative acute phase reactant, did not change the prognostic impact of ferritin. Conclusion: Similar to patients who undergo myeloablative transplantation, survival of patients who undergo nonablative allogeneic transplantation is adversely affected by elevated ferritin. It is important to assess the influence of specific factors on comparative results of myeloablative and nonablative transplantation. These results should stimulate study of iron chelation prior to allogeneic transplantations.
Abstract 566: A Genetic Locus on Mouse Chromosome 11 controls Endothelial Dysfunction

Introduction: Carotid intima formation is a significant risk factor for cardiovascular disease. C3H/FeJ (C3H/F) and SJL/J (SJL) inbred mouse strains differ in susceptibility to immune and vascular traits. Using a congenic approach we demonstrated that the Intima modifier 2 ( Im 2) locus on chromosome 11 regulates leukocyte infiltration. We sought to determine whether inflammation was due to changes in circulating immune cells or activation of vascular wall cells in genetically pure Im 2 (C3H/F.SJL.11.1) mice. Methods and Results: Complete blood counts showed no differences in circulating cells between C3H/F and C3H/F.SJL.11.1 compared to SJL mice. Aortic vascular cell adhesion molecule-1 (VCAM-1) total protein levels were dramatically increased in SJL and C3H/F.SJL.11.1 compared to C3H/F mice. Immunostaining of aortic endothelial cells (EC) showed a significant increase in VCAM-1 expression area (um 2 ) in SJL (0.18±0.02) and C3H/F.SJL.11.1 (0.19±0.02) compared to C3H/F (0.09±0.02) under steady flow conditions. In regions of disturbed flow we observed a significant decrease in EC area, measured by membrane staining, in SJL (500±50) and C3H/F.SJL.11.1 (500±30) versus C3H/F (800±50). Vascular permeability measured by the Miles assay (Evans’ blue dye ug per mg of aorta) was significantly higher in SJL (0.043±0.006) compared to C3H/F (0.010±0.005). In C3H/F.SJL.11.1 congenic mice vascular permeability varied from 0.006 to 0.665 but the average trended toward SJL values. Conclusions: Our results indicate that Im 2 regulation of leukocyte infiltration is mediated by EC inflammation and permeability. Comparative analysis of gene polymorphisms in human regions syntenic with the mouse Im 2 locus provides new insights into candidate genes that regulate vascular wall inflammation.
Acetone photophysics at 282 nm excitation at elevated pressure and temperature. I: absorption and fluorescence experiments

This is the first in a series of two papers that presents new experimental data to extend the range of acetone photophysics to elevated pressure and temperature conditions. In this work, a flexible static and flow system is designed and characterized to study the independent as well as coupled effect of elevated pressure and temperature on acetone photophysics over pressures of 0.05‒4.0 MPa and temperatures of 295‒750 K for 282 nm excitation wavelength in nitrogen and air as bath gases. Experimental results show that at 282 nm excitation, relative fluorescence quantum yield increases with increasing pressure, decreases with increasing temperature, and that the pressure sensitivity varies weakly with elevated temperature. The previously assumed linearity of fluorescence with tracer number density is shown to only be valid over a small range. Additionally, acetone fluorescence is only moderately quenched in the presence of oxygen. The present findings yield insight into the competition between the non-radiative and collisional rates at elevated temperature and pressure, as well as provide validation datasets for an updated fluorescence model developed in the second paper.
Malignant retrorectal tumors: 28 years' experience at Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center.

From 1949 to 1977, 39 patients with localized malignant retrorectal tumors were treated at Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center. Chordomas were the most frequent histologic type (38 per cent of patients) followed by neurogenic tumors (15 per cent) chondrosarcomas, hemangiopericytomas, and embryonal adenocarcinomas (8 per cent each). Treatment consisted of surgical excision in 28 patients (18 of whom received adjuvant radiotherapy and/or chemotherapy). Ten patients were treated nonsurgically, receiving radiation and/or chemotherapy alone.
Discriminators of Moral Orientation: Gender Role or Personality?

Gender role (i.e., masculinity and femininity), personality traits, age, and level of education were used as discriminators of moral orientation in an examination of their role in the process of moral decision making. Responses of adult participants indicated the justice orientation to be most strongly associated with personality characteristics of judging and intuition; the care orientation was most strongly associated with perceiving and sensing. Masculinity and femininity, however, contributed very little to the analysis. Results indicate moral orientation may be less differentiated by gender role patterns and more by characteristics of the personality, involving perception of information and type of judgment.
Non-isolated high gain switched inductor DC-DC multilevel cuk converter for photovoltaic applications

In this paper, a non-isolated high gain switched inductor dc-dc multilevel cuk converter for photovoltaic applications is presented, which combines switched inductor with a voltage multiplier. By doing so, the conversion ratio is increased. High voltage gain cannot be possible if using traditional cuk converter. The output voltage can be boosted negatively by using a combination of capacitors and diodes without disturbing the main circuit is the key advantage of the proposed design. This switched inductor multilevel cuk converter topology is suitable for photovoltaic applications where the voltage is needed to be increased with negative polarity. 2N capacitors, 2N+2 diodes, three inductors, single switch, and single input supply are used to design Ν level switched inductor dc-dc multilevel cuk converter topology. The proposed converter is designed for three levels with rated power 300W, output voltage is −225V, input voltage is 12V, switching frequency is 50kHz, and 75% duty cycle. This design is simulated and tested by using Matlab/Simulink.
BASIC PROBLEMS IN CRYOBIOLOGY

Cryobiology, like cryogenics and low-temperature physics, deals with phenomena at low temperatures, but differs from them in that most phenomena of biological interest occur above -150°C rather than near absolute zero. This quasi-existence of a biological “zero” at about 123°K arises from the fact that biological organisms contain 70% or more water, and it is only above -150°C that gross physical changes in the structure and properties of water occur [1].
Student engagement and higher order skill proficiency: a comparison of traditional didactic and renewed integrated active learning curricula

A large, multicampus, public medical school underwent curricular renewal, emphasizing a student-centered approach with 50% of all course contact time devoted to active learning. Determining the imp...
P-Mart: Interactive Analysis of Ion Abundance Global Proteomics Data

The use of mass-spectrometry-based techniques for global protein profiling of biomedical or environmental experiments has become a major focus in research centered on biomarker discovery; however, ...
Activation Energies and Beyond

Recent advances in the calculation and interpretation of the activation energy for a dynamical process are described. Specifically, new approaches that apply the fluctuation theory of statistical m...
Evidence of fairness: Twenty-five years of research in Assessing Writing

Abstract When Assessing Writing (ASW) was founded 25 years ago, conversations about fairness were very much in the air and illustrated sharp divides between teachers and educational measurement researchers. For teachers, fairness was typically associated with consistency and access. For educational measurement researchers, fairness was a technical issue: an assessment that did not identify the presence of β (the bias factor) was fair. Since its founding, ASW has continued to be a space where evolving discussions about fairness play out. In this article, we examine a selection of 73 ASW research studies published from 1994 to 2018 that use fairness as a category of evidence. In tracing the use of fairness and related terms across these research articles, our goal is to understand how the conversation about fairness has changed in the last quarter century. Following a literature review that situates fairness within generational, standards-based, and evidential scholarship, we analyze five trends in the journal: fairness as the elimination of bias; fairness as the pursuit of validity; fairness as acknowledgement of social context; fairness as legal responsibility; and fairness as ethical obligation. A tidy narrative that theoretical conceptualization of fairness has deepened over the ASW lifespan is not born out by our findings. Instead, evidence suggests that the disparate stances and methodological challenges that informed early research on fairness remain. As well, the textual record suggests that we have not developed or shared taxonomies for systematically investigating questions of fairness. In our desire to make the research we present actionable, we close by calling attention to the need for theorization of fairness, the advantages nuanced of research methods, and the benefits of non-Western perspectives.
Crime Victimization, Health, and Female Genital Mutilation or Cutting Among Somali Women and Adolescent Girls in the United States, 2017

Objectives. To examine if exposure to victimization (e.g., homicide, violence, sexual assault, arson, kidnapping) is related to health problems, health care access and barriers, and health needs-beyond the effects of female genital mutilation or cutting (FGM/C)-among Somali women and adolescent girls.Methods. We collected original survey data in 2017 from 879 female Somalis in Arizona.Results. Compared with nonvictims, victims experienced significantly more health problems, were significantly less likely to have a designated place to receive health care, and identified significantly more health care needs and barriers to health care. Victims were 4 times more likely to experience depression or trauma and more than twice as likely to experience sexual intercourse problems, pregnancy problems, and gynecological problems. Among Somalis with FGM/C, victims had a 15% higher predicted probability of pregnancy-related health problems and a 19% higher predicted probability of gynecological health problems compared with nonvictimized Somalis with FGM/C.Conclusions. Somalis exposed to victimization have more health problems, needs, and health care barriers.Public Health Implications. Although more than 98% of Somali women and adolescent girls have undergone FGM/C, crime victimization affects health more than FGM/C alone.
Post-mastectomy radiotherapy is associated with improved overall survival in T3N0 patients who do not receive chemotherapy.

Abstract Background and purpose There is limited retrospective evidence addressing the utility of post-mastectomy radiotherapy (PMRT) in patients with T3N0 breast cancer. We performed a retrospective analysis of the National Cancer Database (NCDB) comparing overall survival (OS) in T3N0 patients treated with mastectomy alone (MTX) or with PMRT. Materials and methods We performed a matched-cohort analysis of NCDB breast cancer patients with pT3N0 disease who did not receive NAC, or cT3N0 patients who received NAC treated between 2006 and 2014. Patients were matched for all available baseline characteristics using propensity scores with inverse probability of treatment weighting (IPTW) with stabilized weights. Results We identified 13,901 eligible patients. In the pT3N0 cohort, median follow-up was 47 months for the MTX group and 50 months for the PMRT group. In the cT3N0 cohort, median follow-up was 44 months for the MTX group and 46 months for the PMRT group. OS was higher in pT3N0 patients treated with PMRT compared to MTX: 7-year OS of 74% vs. 65% (P Conclusion PMRT improves OS in patients with pT3N0 disease, but the benefit appears limited to those who do not receive AC. PMRT does not improve OS in patients with cT3N0 disease who receive NAC, but there might be a benefit in patients with a poor response to chemotherapy. However, longer follow-up may be needed to make a definitive conclusion about the benefit of PMRT in patients who receive chemotherapy.
What has been learned from frequency-domain analysis of wind and solar power

The variability of wind and solar power is much less at high frequencies than at low frequencies, so that slow-ramping generators such as combined-cycle natural gas and coal can compensate for most of the variability. Geographic aggregation of wind and solar power has been proposed as a method to smooth their variability; for both wind and solar photovoltaic power it has been shown that there is little smoothing at times scales where the magnitude of variability is strongest. It has also been shown that the point of diminishing returns is reached after a relatively few wind plants have been interconnected.
Central Issues Concerning the Nervous Periphery

We are in the midst of considerable enthusiasm for building animal-like machines and using animals in machine-like ways. A particular inadequacy in most of the machines so far conceived has been lack of an input system or sensory system which can convey to the machine the sorts of information about its environment that a man would want if he were in the same situation. Generally it is not a simple measure of light intensity or temperature which is needed, but rather some sort of property filter which can identify conceptual universals such as people, alphabet characters, language meanings, or characteristic odors. Some of the problems which vex sensory physiologists at the present time indicate that there are a few particularly important unsolved problems common to most sensory mechanisms, and that it may be for lack of this knowledge that we do so poorly when we start at the sensory system synthesis task. This paper is a brief discussion of what we know and what we don’t know about the common animal senses.
Continuous Processing of Cellulose Nanofibril Sheets Through Conventional Single-Screw Extrusion

Extrusion-based processes are one of the most widely used continuous polymer processing techniques because of their commercial availability, versatility, and cost-effective scalability. For these r...
Red Between the Lines: Evolution of Eosinophilic Esophagitis as a Distinct Clinicopathologic Syndrome

Eosinophilic esophagitis (EoE) is characterized by eosinophilic infiltration of the esophageal mucosa and symptoms of esophageal dysfunction, including dysphagia. While EoE is still considered a rare disease, in practice it seems that more and more cases are diagnosed every week, research in the field is exploding, and the pipeline for treatments contains multiple agents, some of which are quite far along the development pathway. After only scattered cases and small series were published in the late 1970s and 1980, Stephen Attwood, Thomas Smyrk, Tom DeMeester, and James Jones, published in Digestive Diseases and Sciences in 1993 a seminal report that described a clinicopathologic syndrome of esophageal eosinophilia with dysphagia. This review details the origins of this paper and compares and contrast what was observed then and what is known now about multiple aspects of EoE, including the clinical presentation, diagnosis, epidemiology, natural history, and treatments and outcomes. Moreover, it will highlight how the paper presaged a number of controversies in the field that have yet to be resolved, as well as foreshadowed the collaborative, multidisciplinary approach that has led to rapid advances.
Real-World Outcomes for Patients Treated With Immune Checkpoint Inhibitors in the Veterans Affairs System.

PURPOSEIncreasingly broad patient groups are being treated with immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) in clinical practice, but few studies have assessed their usage and outcomes in large, comprehens...
Annual Review of Environment and Resources, Volume 42

Ashok Gadgil & Thomas P. Tomich, eds. Oct 2017. Annual Review of Environment and Resources, Volume 42. (ISSN: 1543-5938; ISBN: 978-0-8243-2342-4, hbk). Annual Reviews, Inc., 4139 El Camino Way, P.O. Box 10139, Palo Alto, California 94303, U.S.A. (Orders: www.AnnualReviews.org, service@annualreviews.org, 1-800-523-8635, 1-650-493-4400). $101.00 US (indiv.), 722 pp., 7.5" × 9.25".
Surveillance guidelines for children with trisomy 13

Trisomy 13 is one of the three most common aneuploidy syndromes in live-born infants. It is associated with mortality rates as high as 90% within the first year of life, in large part, due to the high prevalence of severe congenital abnormalities that increase mortality and morbidity. However, life-saving and life-prolonging medical interventions are being performed at a higher rate for these infants, resulting in increased rates of survival. Although cardiac complications have been well described in infants with trisomy 13, these patients also experience other complications such as respiratory, neurological, genitourinary, abdominal, otolaryngologic, and orthopedic complications that can impact their quality of life. The goal of this review is to present a comprehensive description of complications in children with trisomy 13 to aid in the development of monitoring and treatment guidelines for the increasing number of providers who will be caring for these patients throughout their lives. Where the evidence is available, this review presents screening recommendations to allow for more rapid detection and documentation of these complications.
Clarifying the Genetic Influences on Nicotine Dependence and Quantity of Use in Cigarette Smokers.

Nicotine dependence and smoking quantity are both robustly associated with the CHRNA5-A3-B4 gene cluster in the 15q25 region, and SNP rs16969968 in particular. The purpose of this paper is to use structural equation modeling techniques (SEM) to disentangle the complex pattern of relationships between rs16969968, nicotine quantity (as measured by the number of cigarettes an individual smokes per day; CPD) and nicotine dependence (as measured by the Fagerstrom Test for Nicotine Dependence; FTND). CPD is an indicator, but also a potential cause, of FTND, complicating the interpretation of associations between these constructs and requires a more detailed investigation than standard GWAS or general linear regression models can provide. FTND items and genotypes were collected in four samples, with a combined sample size of 5,373 respondents. A mega-analysis was conducted using a multiple group SEM approach to test competing hypotheses regarding the relationships between the SNP rs16969968, FTND and CPD. In the best fitting model, the FTND items loaded onto two correlated factors. The first, labeled "maintenance," assesses the motivation to maintain constant levels of nicotine through out the day. The second was labeled "urgency" as its items concern the urgency to restore nicotine levels after abstinence. We focus our attention on the "maintenance" factor, of which CPD was an indicator. The best fitting model included a negative feedback loop between the Maintenance factor and CPD. Accordingly, the motivation to maintain higher levels of nicotine increased the quantity of nicotine consumed, which subsequently decreases the maintenance motivation. The fact that the Maintenance-CPD feedback model fits the data best implies that there are at least two biological pathways that lead from rs16969968 to smoking behaviors. The model is consistent with a supply and demand system, which allows individuals to achieve a homeostatic equilibrium for their nicotine concentration.
Induced Domain Adaptation.

We formulate the problem of induced domain adaptation (IDA) when the underlying distribution/domain shift is introduced by the model being deployed. Our formulation is motivated by applications where the deployed machine learning models interact with human agents, and will ultimately face responsive and interactive data distributions. We formalize the discussions of the transferability of learning in our IDA setting by studying how the model trained on the available source distribution (data) would translate to the performance on the induced domain. We provide both upper bounds for the performance gap due to the induced domain shift, as well as lower bound for the trade-offs a classifier has to suffer on either the source training distribution or the induced target distribution. We provide further instantiated analysis for two popular domain adaptation settings with covariate shift and label shift. We highlight some key properties of IDA, as well as computational and learning challenges.