cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Morphometric tools for sexing loggerhead shrikes in California

We describe a morphometric technique for distinguishing the sexes of loggerhead shrikes (Lanius ludovicianus) in California, USA. We used standard morphometric measurements, as well as additional quantitative or qualitative assessments of the pattern of color on the sixth primary flight feather (P6). We reduced subjectivity in these qualitative assessments by asking six independent observers to score P6 photos of each shrike. We then developed and compared discriminant functions and multiple logistic regression models from 54 shrikes sexed by deoxyribonucleic acid. Our best models included the extent of white coloration on the primaries, tail length, bill depth, and quantitative or qualitative measurements of the angle of the black/white color transition on P6. On the basis of jackknife cross-validation procedures, our best models accurately predicted sex 86–88% of the time, despite the age and geographic variation inherent in our sample. Our results suggest that these, and potentially other, quantitative or qualitative metrics can enhance the performance of multivariate predictive models of sex identification. Furthermore, we proffer our independent observer approach as a viable means for reducing subjectivity and potential biases in the assignment and measurement of character states.
Investigating the role of ventricular repolarization morphology in surface ECGs for identifying patients with a history of drug-induced arrhythmias

Assessing the propensity of an individual to drug-induced arrhythmias when exposed to a QT-prolonging drug is challenging because baseline QT prolongation has limited predictive value. In this study, we investigated the role of computerized ECG parameters quantifying T-wave morphology for the identification of individuals who developed drug-induced torsades de pointes (TdPs). In 34 patients, 5-minute digital ECGs have been acquired at baseline and during sotalol challenge. Seventeen of these patients had a history of drug-induced TdPs. We identified specific baseline features of the T-waves common to patients with history of TdPs. The sotalol-induced changes of T-wave morphologies were also different between the two groups suggesting that ECGs may provide relevant information for the identification of patients with an increased propensity to TdPs.
Transforaminal endoscopic solution to disk reherniation post-mini-TLIF: Case report

Technological advances in spine interventionshave seen aboom n the past 2 decades, and in the most recent decade, secondary to ore minimally invasive surgical options. One difficulty with any inimally invasive transforaminal interbody fusion (TLIF) system s performing an extensive enough discectomy when restricted by narrow minimally invasive incision or retractor system. As these ew techniques are applied in clinical practice, we must be ready ith new solutions to the complications that subsequently arise. In he case presented, fusion bone is seen across the interbody spacer, ut there was ample residual disk remaining to allow for a large aracentral disk reherniation. Transforaminal endoscopic discecomy and foraminotomy is described here as an ultra-minimally nvasive solution to the problem of lumbar disk reherniation in he setting of a 2-level minimally invasive transforaminal lumbar nterbody fusion (TLIF) and fixationwith a spinous process fixation ystem.
Role playing in an object-oriented world

Role playing exercises are one of many teaching techniques commonly employed to drive home lessons about computer science. Most of the specific role playing described in the literature, however, relates to algorithm or hardware design. More recently, the Pedagogical Patterns Project has published patterns involving role playing in a general sense. In this paper, we draw on three separate role playing exercises that we have developed to show that scripted role playing is a natural and effective way to introduce concepts of object-oriented design.
Affective and cognitive influence of control of navigation on cause sponsorship and non-profit organizations

The purpose of this research is to examine how control of navigation influences cognitive and affective sponsorship responses and attitude towards the non-profit organization in the context of corporate websites. By conducting experiments on fictitious brands and existing non-profit organizations, this study found that control of navigation did not influence sponsorship cognition. Attitude towards the website fully mediated the influence of control of navigation on attitude towards the sponsor's brand and attitude towards the non-profit organization. Additionally, high control of navigation in combination with high perceived fit was associated with the most positive brand attitude. These findings suggest that control of navigation defined as an external control factor is primarily an affective heuristic; in addition, the heuristic processing influences not only the sponsor's brand but also the sponsored non-profit organization. Practically, this study suggests that the navigation of corporate websites has to be user-friendly in order to benefit the brand and ensure neutrality of consumers' judgement of the sponsored non-profit organization. Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Fermionic Quasiparticles in QCD at High Baryon Density

We study fermionic quasi-particles in QCD at very high baryon density. In the normal quark matter phase unscreened magnetic gluon exchanges lead to non-Fermi liquid behavior. Non-Fermi liquid effects manifest themselves in low energy Green functions that depend on logarithms and fractional powers of energy. In the superfluid phase there is an energy gap for fermionic excitations. Quark mass effects can cause the energy gap to vanish. Gapless fermions in the color flavor locked phase cause an instability towards a state with a non-zero supercurrent.
Prospective memory and glycemic control in children with type 1 diabetes mellitus: a cross-sectional study

Prospective memory is that memory which is required to carry out intended actions and is therefore essential in carrying out the daily activities required in the self-management of type 1 diabetes mellitus (T1DM). This study aimed to identify the relationships between prospective memory and diabetic control in children with T1DM. 94 children aged 6–18 years with T1DM completed an innovative prospective memory screen, PROMS, and a series of cognitive tests. Parents answered questionnaires about their children's diabetic histories and cognitive skills. No association between total PROMS score and glycemic control was found. Lower HbA1C was associated with higher (better) scores on the 20 minute event-based task on the PROMS. Parental concerns about working memory and metacognition in their children were mirrored by higher HbA1C. This study suggests that there may be an association between glycemic control and prospective memory for event based tasks. Additional studies need to be done to determine reproducibility, causality, and if prospective memory based interventions can improve diabetic control.
Walrasian Marxism Once Again

John Roemer's comment (1992) succinctly summarizes the logical structure of his own theory of capitalist exploitation, but misunderstands the main points of our critique. He reduces his argument to two propositions. The first is an â€œempirical propositionâ€ about the â€œroot causes of exploitationâ€ : X + Y â†’Z, where X is the existence of differential ownership of means of production (DOPA), Y is coercion in the labor process, and Z is the capitalist class structure and exploitation. The second is the strictly theoretical proposition X + not-Y -â€ Z, the truth of which he demonstrates, given most of the assumptions of a Walrasian economic model. He concludes that these two propositions, taken together, demonstrate the primacy of DOPA in explaining capitalist class relations. This much is true â€“ subject to the various limitations we have indicated in our article â€“ but only within the restricted confines of a Walrasian framework. This purely theoretical conclusion has no force as an empirical conclusion: this is the point at which Roemer's interpretation goes awry. For obviously, DOPA is a crucial element of empirical reality. But because Roemer's Walrasian framework precludes other equally crucial elements of empirical reality (which are also conceptually central to Marxian discourse), an irreducible distance remains therein between the theoretical and the empirical.
THE (P, P ALPHA) AND (ALPHA, 2 ALPHA) REACTIONS AT MEDIUM ENERGY,

Abstract : A formalism is presented for (p, p alpha) and (alpha, 2 alpha) reactions for incident particles of medium energy. The (alpha, 2 alpha) reaction is very similar to the (p, p alpha) reaction. Both reactions are treated in terms of the momentum distribution of the centre-of-mass of the alpha-particle cluster and of the extent of alpha-particle clustering of nucleons inside the nucleus. The interactions between the incident particles and the alpha-particle cluster inside the nucleus are determined from free p-alpha and alpha-alpha scattering. The wave function of the alphaparticle cluster is constructed from single-particle harmonic-oscillator wave functions for the nucleons in the nucleus. As examples the C12(p, p alpha) and Be9(alpha, 2 alpha) reactions are studied by using this wave function. (Author)
Single-Cell Analyses Reveal Two Defects in Peptide-Specific Activation of Naive T Cells from Aged Mice

Confocal fluorescent microscopy was used to study redistribution of membrane-associated proteins in naive T cells from young and old mice from a transgenic stock whose T cells express a TCR specific for a peptide derived from pigeon cytochrome C. About 50% of the T cells from young mice that formed conjugates with peptide-pulsed APC were found to form complexes, at the site of binding to the APC, containing CD3e, linker for activation of T cells (LAT), and Zap-70 in a central area and c-Cbl, p95vav, Grb-2, PLCγ, Fyn, and Lck distributed more uniformly across the interface area. Two-color staining showed that those cells that were able to relocalize c-Cbl, LAT, CD3e, or PLCγ typically relocalized all four of these components of the activation complex. About 75% of conjugates that rearranged LAT, c-Cbl, or PLCγ also exhibited cytoplasmic NF-AT migration to the T cell nucleus. Aging had two effects. First, it led to a diminution of ∼2-fold in the proportion of T cell/APC conjugates that could relocalize any of the nine tested proteins to the immune synapse. Second, aging diminished by ∼2-fold the frequency of cytoplasmic NF-AT migration among cells that could generate immune synapses containing LAT, c-Cbl, or PLCγ. Thus naive CD4 T cells from old mice exhibit at least two separable defects in the earliest stages of activation induced by peptide/MHC complexes.
Mexico : Impact Evaluation of SME Programs Using Panel Firm Data

Unlike social programs targeting individuals, few enterprise support programs have been rigorously evaluated, and existing evaluations have mostly been done in high-income countries such as the United States and Europe. Mexico spends a large share of government resources on small and medium enterprise programs each year. How effective these programs have been in achieving their objectives is unclear. In Mexico, impact evaluations of small and medium enterprise programs are rare, and most are qualitative in nature. This is the first paper evaluating these programs in Mexico using firm-level panel data. The continuous and ten-year panel data -- from the 1994-2005 period -- allow the authors to address selectivity bias and unobserved firm heterogeneity by applying a generalization of differences-in-differences models combined with propensity score matching methods. This study finds evidence that participation in small and medium enterprise programs is associated with improvements in key variables such as value added, gross production, and wages. Furthermore, the study finds evidence that some of the positive effects can take several years to realize. The results also call for streamlining and greater efficiency in Mexico's small and medium enterprise programs.
Climbing without the Energy Ladder: Limitations of Rural Energy Development for Forest Conservation

Motivated by the evolution of rural electrification as more than just a project to drive modern development but to further effect environmental conservation, this paper offers an examination of the energy transition framework that guides such conclusions. Here, I present a study on household energy use in a village where fuelwood and electricity are easily available and accessible to households. Such conditions allow an examination of the energy ladder where fuel use is not influenced by resource limitations. Based on qualitative and quantitative data collected at the household level, study findings reveal a pattern of fuel accumulation in which the use of electricity and modern technologies are utilized alongside continued fuelwood consumption. Despite increases in household electricity use, the study shows little evidence of electricity displacing fuelwood use; thus, challenging the inevitability of modernization and its potential to work for environmental conservation.
Multiple Regression of Predictors and Criteria of Dental School Performance

This study reports normative data for 370 students admitted to the UCLA School of Dentistry, data on commonly used performance predictors, and the regression equation best fitted for forecasting performance in this school. Most variance was associated with dental school grade point average, National Board Dental Examination averages, and clinical performance. Best predictors were achievement level and trend in preadmission academic performance. The selection interview and high school performance were also evaluated as predictor criteria.
Management of spinal fractures in patients with ankylosing spondylitis

Ankylosing spondlylitis is a seronegative spondyloarthropathy that primarily affects the spinal column and sacroiliac joints. With disease progression autofusion of the spinal column takes place. This combined with the brittle bone quality make patients prone to fractures and spinal cord injury. The typical fracture pattern is extension type and involves all three columns. These fractures and injuries may involve the craniovertebral junction, the subaxial cervical spine, and the thoracolumbar spine. While at times these fractures are challenging to manage especially when they affect the elderly, there is evidence that supports long segment fixation and fusion. This article presents a narrative review on managing spinal fractures in patients with ankylosing spondylitis.
Patient satisfaction in the cervical spine research society outcomes study: relationship to improved clinical outcome

Abstract Background and context Satisfaction is a key indicator of how health care has met patient expectations. Purpose To examine relationship between clinical and functional outcome and patient satisfaction. Study design/setting Prospective analysis of outcomes. Patient sample A total of 428 patients undergoing cervical spine surgery consecutively enrolled at 23 nationwide sites. Outcome measures Cervical Spine Outcomes Questionnaire (CSOQ). Methods We used the CSOQ to evaluate 428 patients undergoing cervical spine surgery at 23 nationwide sites. Satisfaction was assessed at 3 months by self-report. Clinical improvement was defined at 3 months as decreased postoperative CSOQ domain scores. Principal components analysis (PCA) was used to demonstrate adherence of the CSOQ to domains of clinical and functional recovery and to identify items measuring patient satisfaction. Psychometric properties of items measuring patient satisfaction were examined. The association between patient satisfaction and 3 month clinical and functional outcome was tested. Results On repeat administration in a subset of 50 patients, these four items demonstrated good test-retest reliability (Cronbach's α =0.784). PCA extracted factors adhering to the domain structure of the CSOQ. A unique factor was characterized by the following: recommend to friend (loading=0.658), compare favorably with others (loading=0.525) and with expectations (loading=0.701), and show overall satisfaction (loading=0.513). Structural equation models revealed influence of CSOQ domain scores and socioeconomic status on patient satisfaction. All reported comparisons were significant at p Conclusions Satisfaction is unobservable, but can be assessed through self-report. Clinical improvement, especially in neck pain, after surgery is associated with improved patient satisfaction.
In vivo Chlorophyll Fluorescence Monitoring with Solid State Photosensors

Solid state photosensors with their many advantages have not been utilized for chlorophyll fluorescence research. One reason is their reputed low photosensitivity compared to photomultiplier tubes. A photodarlington sensor has a relatively low photosensitivity and a nonlinear current output versus light intensity. However, when incorporated into an apparatus described in this paper it can respond to fluorescence signals from leaves using light excitation as low as 500 μW/cm2. The sensitivity of another solid state device (photovoltaic photodiode) was compared to five photomultipliers using a monochromator-microphotometer testing apparatus. This solid state sensor proved to have equal or greater sensitivity to chlorophyll fluorescence. An apparatus incorporating the photovoltaic photodiode is discussed.
Humic substances as interferences in the analysis of nitrite in water

Humic substances are of current interest because of their roles in environmental processes involving pollutants. It is also becoming recognized that humic substances may interfere in the analysis of environmental samples, though the possible adverse effects do not appear to be fully appreciated. The present effort focuses on determining whether humic materials interfere in the analysis of nitrite in water with the use of the Griess reaction. This is a well-known reaction that uses nitrosation to give a diazonium salt, then couples with an appropriate reagent to form a colored product. This colorimetric method continues to be applied in the laboratory and the field for nitrite. It was found that nitrite values at low ppm levels in water may be reduced by 50–60% in the presence of approximately 50-ppm quantities of specific humic acids. The greater the humic acid concentration, the greater the interference effect. However, it is projected, based on experiments with Fluka humic acid, that humic-substance concentrations of 10 ppm or less will have a measurable but small effect. It was shown that the interference is due to molecular association of the Griess dye with the humic acid. The interference results in less color, and, with some humic acids, a shift in the wavelength of maximum absorption. © 2000 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. Field Analyt Chem Technol 4: 134–146, 2000
Influence of Interpersonal and Mass-Mediated Interventions on Injection Drug and Crack Users: Diffusion of Innovations and HIV Risk Behaviors

Evaluation research of public health media campaigns to influence behavior change often bemoans the lack of relevance to target audience and an absence of integrated interpersonal and mass-mediated communication channels. The assumption that illegal drug users are disconnected from mass-mediated communication may account for this absence of media interventions. The authors used cross-tabulation, chi-square, and regression analyses to demonstrate that many out-of-treatment drug users in an HIV-prevention research project are media consumers and that participants who recalled seeing or hearing media interventions reported greater levels of positive behavior change than participants who did not recall such messages. Results suggest coordination of human and mass-mediated public health messages relevant to this population to facilitate behavior changes.
Coordinated dynamic voltage stabilization based on model predictive control

Keeping voltages of all buses within acceptable bounds is very important for power system operations. This paper presents an approach for optimal coordination of static var compensators (SVCs), transformer under load tap changers (ULTCs) and load shedding to improve voltage performance following large disturbances. The approach is based on model predictive control (MPC) with a decreasing control horizon. The MPC formulation leads to a mixed integer quadratic programming (MIQP) problem, since both continuous and discrete controls are considered. Trajectory sensitivities are used to evaluate the effect of controllers on voltage performance. The iterative optimization process of MPC helps ensure that errors introduced due to any model inaccuracies and approximations are minimized. The MPC based coordination of these controllers is applied to a modified WECC system to enhance the voltage performance and to a modified 39-bus New England system to prevent voltage collapse.
Ultrafast exciton quenching by energy and electron transfer in colloidal CdSe nanosheet–Pt heterostructures

Two-dimensional (2-D) semiconductor nanomaterials are receiving tremendous research interests due in part to their attractive light absorption and charge transport properties. Integration of catalytic metal nanoparticles with these 2-D semiconductors can potentially lead to new photocatalytic nanoheterostructures for efficient solar-to-fuel conversion. Here we report the synthesis and transient absorption study of colloidal quantum confined CdSe nanosheets with a Pt nanoparticle at the edge or vertex. Due to the large in-plane exciton mobility, ∼86.6 ± 0.5% of excitons generated in CdSe sheets can be transported to NS–Pt interface and quenched by energy transfer to Pt (with a half-life <150 fs). The remaining excitons (13.4 ± 0.5%) become localized due to fast hole trapping and can be dissociated by interfacial electron transfer to Pt (with a half life of ∼9.4 ± 0.7 ps). The resulting charge-separated states (with electrons in Pt and trapped holes in CdSe) are long-lived (half life of ∼75 ± 14 ns), suggesting possible applications for solar driven H2 generation.
Should HIV Endocarditis Patients Be Operated On? A Case Presentation

Emergency valve replacement for left-sided endocarditis in intravenous drug abusers with a poor long-term prognosis makes the operative decision a difficult one, especially when they are also at risk for HIV infection. The influence of cardiopulmonary bypass on 2 patients may have accelerated the clinical manifes tations of their underlying infections, including a marked acceleration and death in one. These cases suggest that cardiopulmonary bypass perturbs the immune system. The safety of cardiopulmonary bypass in these settings is questioned and a nonoperative approach may be justified in this high-risk group of endocarditis patients.
Annealing Effects in Low- and High-Stress Silicon Ribbon

X-ray topography and minority carrier lifetime measurements were used to study the structural and electrical properties in silicon dendritic web ribbon. The effects of annealing on the material quality of high- and low-stress ribbon were investigated.
A database for speaker-independent digit recognition

A large speech database has been collected for use in designing and evaluating algorithms for speaker independent recognition of connected digit sequences. This dialect balanced database consists of more than 25 thousand digit sequences spoken by over 300 men, women, and children. The data were collected in a quiet environment and digitized at 20 KHz. Formal human listening tests on this database provided certification of the labelling of the digit sequences, and also provided information about human recognition performance and the inherent recognizability of the data.
Advances in Antiplatelet Therapy

Because of the central role of platelets in cardiovascular atherothrombosis, there is a well-established therapeutic role for antiplatelet therapy that includes aspirin (a cyclooxygenase 1 [COX1] inhibitor), clopidogrel (an antagonist of the ADP P2Y(12) receptor), and the GPIIb-GPIIIa (αIIbβ3) antagonists. However, there remains a significant incidence of arterial thrombosis in patients treated with currently available antiplatelet therapy. Novel P2Y(12) antagonists such as the recently US Food and Drug Administration (FDA)-approved prasugrel, along with ticagrelor, cangrelor, and elinogrel, have advantages over clopidogrel, including more rapid, less variable, and more complete inhibition of platelet function. Currently ongoing phase 3 studies will determine whether these new P2Y(12) antagonists will result in better and/or more rapid antithrombotic effects than clopidogrel, without an unacceptable increase in hemorrhagic or other side effects, as has been recently reported in some clinical settings for prasugrel and ticagrelor. Antagonists of the thrombin receptor protease-activated receptor 1 (PAR1) are also undergoing phase 3 trials, and many other novel antiplatelet agents are under investigation as antithrombotic agents.
The Complexity of Minimizing Receiver-Based and SINR Edge Interference

Topology control has been used to minimize interference or to reduce power consumption while maintaining connectivity in wireless ad hoc and sensor networks (WSNs)(which are represented as undirected graphs). In the graph model, the interference experienced by an edge in a WSN has been deﬁned in at least two different ways: the sender-based and receiver-based interference models. These models have been extensively studied in the literature although the receiver-based model has received more attention. Recently, several researchers have started investigating interference in the more realistic physical model which is known as the Signal-to-Interference-Noise-Ratio (SINR) model. The SINR model better reﬂects the real environment than the receiver-based or sender-based graph models. In this paper, we study the problem of assigning power to nodes in the plane to yield a connected network of minimum edge interference in the receiver-based (RB-MEI) as well as the SINR models (SINR-MEI). We show that RB-MEI is NP- complete for geometric graphs. For SINR-MEI, NP- completeness holds for planar geometric graphs. We also propose some simple greedy heuristics based on the minimum spanning tree approach, and study their performance through simulation.
Reproductive Ecology of the Least Tern along the Lower Mississippi River

Abstract The reproductive ecology of the Least Tern (Sterna antillarum) was examined at four nesting colonies along the Lower Mississippi River during the 1995-1997 breeding seasons. Nest success, hatching success, and reproductive success were calculated in order to estimate productivity and evaluate reproductive status. Nesting colonies varied in size from 172 to 550 nests, with average clutch sizes ranging from 1.9-2.7 eggs/nest. Both nest success, the proportion of nests from which at minimum one egg hatched, and hatching success, the proportion of eggs that hatched, were significantly higher in 1995 (97% and 94% respectively) as compared to 1996 and 1997 (∼40%). Reproductive success averaged between 0.28-1.27 fledglings/clutch. Predation and untimely flooding were the largest negative impacts upon successful tern reproduction.
Maternal betamethasone and fetal growth and development in the monkey

Abstract Betamethasone was administered to pregnant rhesus monkeys of 134 to 150 days' gestation. At operative delivery, umbilical venous plasma cortisol concentrations were significantly lower in the treated group than in the control group, indicating that the agent crossed the placenta. In the treated group, accelerated differentiation was present in several fetal organs including lung, liver, kidney, and adrenal gland. Brain histologic changes suggestive of neuronal injury were found in some instances. There were no differences in the weights of these fetal organs except for liver. It was markedly increased in steroid-treated fetuses and this was accompanied by a fourfold rise in total hepatic glycogen content. These observations suggest that in the subhuman fetal primate, the differentiation of fetal organs in addition to lung is enhanced by short-term corticosteroid, treatment while growth is not affected.
Spot Reducing in Overweight College Women: Its Influence on Fat Distribution as Determined by Photography

Abstract The purpose of this study was to assess the role of exercise in reducing body weight in overweight college women and to compare the effect of two types of exercises, spot and generalized, on the physical contour of the overweight individual. The experimental program which included a uniform diet resulted in a slight but significant reduction of weight. Planimetric measurements of selected areas and linear transverse measures, obtained from preexercise and postexercise photographs, yielded evidence of reduction in body segments where fat accumulations had been most conspicuous, regardless of the type of exercise administered.
Effects of Propranolol on Cognition and Eye Contact in Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD)

ii Dedication iv Acknowledgements v Vita vi List of Tables viii List of Figures ix Chapter 1: Introduction 1 Chapter 2: Effect of Propranolol on Verbal Fluency in ASD 29 Chapter 3: Effect of Propranolol on Eye Contact in ASD 54 Chapter 4: Discussion 84 Chapter 5: Future Directions 94 References 99 Appendix A: Verbal Fluency data 123 Appendix B: Eye Contact data 126
Canonical proper time quantum gravitation

At the root of the tensions involved in modeling the quantum dynamics of gravitating systems are the subtleties of quantum locality. Quantum mechanics describes physical phenomena using a theory of non-local phase relationships (non-local in the sense that quantum states maintain a space-like coherence that is acausal). However, the principle of equivalence in general relativity asserts that freely falling frames are locally inertial frames of reference. Thus, gravitating systems are often described using constituents that are freely falling, undergoing geodesic motion defining well localized trajectories. The canonical proper time formulation of relativistic dynamics is particularly useful for describing such inertial constituents using the coordinates of non-inertial observers. The physics of the simplest of gravitating inertial quantum systems, consistent with presented experimental evidence, will be examined. Subsequently, descriptions of both weakly and strongly gravitating quantum systems will be developed using canonical proper gravitation.
More trees and power sums

Developpement de quelques identites d'Abel par une methode de denombrement. Etude des arbres maximaux et du principe d'inclusion-exclusion
Predicting Properties of Torrefied Biomass by Intrinsic Kinetics

Power generation facilities are under constant pressure to comply with increasingly stringent environmental regulations—namely, coal utilities. One possibility to aid in compliance is through the use of torrefied biomass as a replacement or supplement for traditional fossil coal. To obtain a continuous understanding of the changes to biomass as it is torrefied, a three-stage chemical reaction model with intrinsic rate coefficients was used. This gas/vapor phase model predicts the evolution of primary torrefaction products and was further used to predict changes in elemental composition and energy content of torrefied biomass. From the model, over the typical torrefaction region (up to ∼25–30% mass loss), the relative amount of carbon increased by approximately 9%, the oxygen decreased approximately 10%, and the hydrogen content was relatively unchanged. The material retained 90% of the original available energy, and the higher heating value increased by 22.5% from 19.1 to 23.4 MJ/kg. These properties were...
The “Fanny Price Wars”: Jane Austen’s Enlightenment Feminist and Mary Wollstonecraft

After Jane Austen completed Mansfield Park, she sought her family’s opinion of her newest novel and its protagonist. The results were not encouraging: “her mother found the virtuous heroine ‘insipi...
Distinguishing offshore bird hunting from beach scavenging in archaeological contexts: the value of modern beach surveys

Determining whether seabirds recovered from coastal shell middens were obtained via active hunting or scavenging of beached carcasses is a challenge for archaeologists. Traditional methods have included analyzing skeletal part frequencies, abundance, age profiles, and contextual evidence. The assumption has been made, based on limited biological data, that an assemblage of carcasses scavenged from the beach will have more wing elements, and fewer legs and heads. Few studies, however, have embraced modern beaching data to verify this assumption and assess the potential faunal resources available for scavenging. We analyze the skeletal part representation of modern beached birds observed by the Coastal Observation and Seabird Survey Team (COASST), comparing the COASST dataset to two idealized hypotheses used by archaeologists: the human scavenging hypothesis (wings only are recovered, while heads and legs are absent) and the human hunting hypothesis (all body parts are found in equal proportions). Finally, we apply these results to analysis of the bird remains from the Minard site (45-GH-15), a late Holocene coastal site in Grays Harbor, Washington. We find that contemporary beached bird data are closer to replicating the human hunting hypothesis as compared to the human scavenging hypothesis, as >75% of the 19,599 carcasses in the COASST dataset had a combination of head, wings and legs. This result, and the similarity in taxonomic distribution between our contemporary beached bird data and Minard assemblage, suggests that indigenous peoples may have used scavenging as a viable means of resource acquisition in the past. Use of contemporaneous beached bird data may provide zooarchaeology with a statistically defensible baseline of information on the phenology, abundance and condition of bird carcasses.
Endoscopic and non-endoscopic approaches for the management of radiation-induced rectal bleeding

Pelvic radiation is a commonly utilized treatment for malignancy of the genitourinary and lower gastrointestinal tract. Radiation proctitis and the resultant clinical picture varies from asymptomatic to potentially life threatening. Similarly, treatment options also vary greatly, from medical therapy to surgical intervention. Commonly utilized medical therapy includes sucralfate enemas, antibiotics, 5-aminosalicylic acid derivatives, probiotics, antioxidants, short-chain fatty acids, formalin instillation and fractionated hyperbaric oxygen. More invasive treatments include endoscopic-based, focally ablative interventions such as dilation, heater and bipolar cautery, neodymium/yttrium aluminum garnet argon laser, radiofrequency ablation or argon plasma coagulation. Despite its relatively common frequency, there is a dearth of existing literature reporting head-to-head comparisons of the various treatment options via a randomized controlled approach. The purpose of our review was to present the reader a consolidation of the existing evidence-based literature with the goal of highlighting the comparative effectiveness and risks of the various treatment approaches. Finally, we outline a pragmatic approach to the treatment of radiation proctitis. In light of the lack of randomized data, our goal is to pursue as least invasive an approach as possible, with escalation of care tailored to the severity of the patient's symptoms. For those cases that are clinically asymptomatic or only mildly symptomatic, observation or medical management can be considered. Once a patient fails such management or symptoms become more severe, invasive procedures such as endoscopically based focal ablation or surgical intervention can be considered. Although not all recommendations are supported by level I evidence, reported case series and single-institutional studies in the literature suggest that successful treatment with cessation of symptoms can be obtained in the majority of cases.
A year in the life of a central California kelp forest: physical and biological insights into biogeochemical variability

Abstract. Kelp forests are among the world's most productive marine ecosystems, yet little is known about their biogeochemistry. This study presents a 14-month time series (July 2013–August 2014) of surface and benthic dissolved inorganic carbon and total alkalinity measurements, along with accompanying hydrographic measurements, from six locations within a central California kelp forest. We present ranges and patterns of variability in carbonate chemistry, including pH (7.70–8.33), pCO2 (172–952 µatm), and the aragonite saturation state, ΩAr (0.94–3.91). Surface-to-bottom gradients in CO2 system chemistry were as large as the spatial gradients throughout the bottom of the kelp forest. Dissolved inorganic carbon variability was the main driver of the observed CO2 system variability. The majority of spatial variability in the kelp forest can be explained by advection of cold, dense high-CO2 waters into the bottom of the kelp forest, with deeper sites experiencing high-CO2 conditions more frequently. Despite the strong imprint of advection on the biogeochemical variability of the kelp forest, surface waters were undersaturated with CO2 in the spring through fall, indicative of the strong role of photosynthesis on biogeochemical variability. We emphasize the importance of spatially distributed measurements for developing a process-based understanding of kelp forest ecosystem function in a changing climate.
Antiparasitic behaviors of Red-winged Blackbirds (Agelaius phoeniceus) in response to simulated Brown-headed Cowbirds (Molothrus ater): further tests of the frontloaded parasite-defense hypothesis

ABSTRACT The Red-winged Blackbird (Agelaius phoeniceus; redwing) is a commonly used accepter host species that incubates eggs and cares for nestlings and fledglings of the obligate brood parasitic Brown-headed Cowbird (Molothrus ater; cowbird). This host species, however, may reduce the risk of parasitism with a frontloaded antiparasite strategy in which it attacks parasites that approach active host nests. To test this frontloaded parasite-defense hypothesis (FPDH), we presented taxidermic models of a female Northern Cardinal (Cardinalis cardinalis), which represents no threat to redwings, a male cowbird, which cannot lay a parasitic egg, and a female cowbird, together with species- and sex-specific vocalization playbacks for 5 min. We conducted these presentations at 25 active redwing nests at Newark Road Prairie in south-central Rock County, Wisconsin, USA, where 18% of redwing nests were parasitized by cowbirds in 2015. As predicted by the FPDH, the female cowbird mount elicited the most aggressive re...
Mechanical stress activates NMDA receptors in the absence of agonists.

While studying the physiological response of primary rat astrocytes to fluid shear stress in a model of traumatic brain injury (TBI), we found that shear stress induced Ca2+ entry. The influx was inhibited by MK-801, a specific pore blocker of N-Methyl-D-aspartic acid receptor (NMDAR) channels, and this occurred in the absence of agonists. Other NMDA open channel blockers ketamine and memantine showed a similar effect. The competitive glutamate antagonists AP5 and GluN2B-selective inhibitor ifenprodil reduced NMDA-activated currents, but had no effect on the mechanically induced Ca2+ influx. Extracellular Mg2+ at 2 mM did not significantly affect the shear induced Ca2+ influx, but at 10 mM it produced significant inhibition. Patch clamp experiments showed mechanical activation of NMDAR and inhibition by MK-801. The mechanical sensitivity of NMDARs may play a role in the normal physiology of fluid flow in the glymphatic system and it has obvious relevance to TBI.
The Importance of C. difficile Colonization in Infection Prevention

Clostridium difficile infection (CDI) has become the most common healthcare-associated infection in the United States, reportedly leading to almost half a million infections and 15,000 deaths in 2011. Current CDI prevention strategies largely focus on C. difficile transmission from symptomatic patients; and active surveillance to detect and isolate asymptomatic carriers is not routinely recommended. However, this remains an actively debated topic. In this chapter, we will discuss various aspects of C. difficile colonization to help readers understand the basis for this controversy. This chapter will cover among other topics: the detection of C. difficile carriers and its impact on CDI rates, the association of C. difficile colonization with subsequent symptomatic CDI, the contribution of asymptomatically colonized patients to in-hospital CDI transmission, and the effect of targeting asymptomatically colonized patients for infection prevention interventions.
Tedizolid is highly bactericidal in the treatment of pulmonary Mycobacterium avium complex disease.

Objectives To determine if tedizolid is effective for pulmonary Mycobacterium avium complex (MAC) disease, and to use pharmacokinetics/pharmacodynamics to design optimal doses. Methods We performed an exposure-response experiment in the hollow-fibre system model of intracellular MAC (HFS-MAC). We mimicked the tedizolid concentration-time profiles achieved in the lungs of patients treated once daily for 28 days. The HFS-MAC was sampled at intervals to determine the tedizolid pharmacokinetics and MAC intracellular burden. We identified the 0-24 h area under the concentration-time curves to MIC (AUC0-24/MIC) ratios associated with the following targets: 80% of maximal kill (EC80), bacteriostasis, and 1.0 and 2.0 log10 cfu/mL kill. We then performed 10 000 patient Monte Carlo simulations to identify the optimal dose for each of the exposure targets. Results Tedizolid achieved the feat of 2.0 log10 cfu/mL kill below initial bacterial burden, an effect not seen before in this model with other antibiotics. The tedizolid exposure associated with 1.0 log10 cfu/mL kill was a non-protein bound AUC0-24/MIC ratio of 23.46, while that associated with 2.0 log10 cfu/mL kill was 37.50, and the EC80 was 21.71. The clinical dose of 200 mg achieved each of these targets in ∼100% of the 10 000 patients, except the 2.0 log10 cfu/mL kill which required 300 mg/day. A tedizolid susceptibility MIC breakpoint of 1 mg/L is proposed. Conclusions Tedizolid, at standard clinical doses, is expected to be bactericidal, and even achieved an unprecedented 2.0 log10 cfu/mL kill of MAC as monotherapy. We propose it as the backbone of short-course anti-MAC chemotherapy.
Health Care Costs and Thromboembolic Events in Hydroxyurea-Treated Patients with Polycythemia Vera.

BACKGROUND: Patients with polycythemia vera (PV) are at increased risk of thromboembolic events (TEs), which are key contributors to reduced overall survival compared with the age- and sex-matched general population. In addition to aspirin and phlebotomy to maintain hematocrit level < 45%, many patients receive cytoreduction with hydroxyurea (HU), which is associated with improved survival and may reduce the risk of cardiovascular events and TEs. However, 1 in 4 patients become resistant to or intolerant of HU. In the general population, prophylaxis and treatment following arterial and venous thromboses are associated with increased health care resource utilization and costs. OBJECTIVE: To describe the health care resource utilization and costs associated with TEs in patients with PV treated with HU in the United States. METHODS: This retrospective cross-sectional analysis of the Truven Health Analytics MarketScan Research Databases included adult patients with a PV diagnosis who were newly treated with H...
Modeling Home Hemodialysis Success

Home hemodialysis refers to the place or social setting where a type of renal therapy is performed. It is contrasted with institution, hospital, or center settings. Depending on whether one’s perspective is that of the physician, patient, patient’s family or public program administrator, home and center settings have differing advantages and disadvantages. Under one set of circumstances, the home setting is preferred to a center setting. Under other circumstances, the center setting may be preferred. This study is designed to examine the effect of powerlessness on home dialysis outcome. Included is an overview of the relevant literature used to conceptualize the powerlessness relationship followed by results from the interviews. The data add to understanding factors which influence home dialysis outcome and have implications for emergent public policy designed to influence therapy setting selection.
Acceptance Sampling in Quality Control, Third Edition

This is the third edition of a book that was first published in 1982, detailed reviews of which were given by Perry (1984) and Kirmani (1984) in Technometrics and the Journal of the American Statis...
Dielectric Relaxation in Macromolecular Liquid Crystals

The synthesis of polymeric materials incorporating mesogenic (liquid-crystalline) units in the late 1970s, which was pioneered independently by Finkelmann, Ringsdorf and Wendorff in Mainz,1 and by Shibaev and Plate in Moscow,2 has been received with great interest by the polymer and liquid crystal communities around the world. Hybridization of two distinctively different classes of substances, i.e. liquid crystals and polymers, produced bulk properties of new materials that were a melange of properties of constituent substances. The applied scientists found them appealing for their multifunctional character, especially of copolymers, which enable ‘engineering’ of desired properties of a material conferred by different units. While backbone chains provide polymer characteristics like viscoelasticity and good film- or fiber-forming properties, mesogenic units enhance and facilitate imposition of the orientational order of the material by external fields (electric, magnetic, flow gradient or anchoring field at a substrate), conferring at the same time the anisotropy of many physical properties intrinsic to liquid crystals. Further modification of a material can be made by incorporating into a copolymer chain other functional groups with desired properties. The new materials also attracted the attention of scientists studying fundamental properties of polymers and liquid crystals, since they brought into view completely new problems associated with molecular interactions on the inter- and intramolecular level. It is well known that the most characteristic properties of polymeric materials like fibers, plastics and rubbers depend directly on molecular mobility in these polymers. Similarly, molecular dynamics in liquid crystals direct their applications in contemporary electronic devices. Not surprisingly, therefore, study of correlations between the molecular dynamics and bulk properties is advancing our knowledge and enhancing the technological exploitation of these materials.
Matrices and Matrix Algebra

Matrices and matrix algebra are efficient tools for dealing with multi-dimensional numbers and variables. We represent multi-dimensional numbers and variables by vectors, and matrices are needed to manipulate and transform them. For instance, we can easily solve systems of linear equations using matrix algebra. In addition, matrices are handy tools for storing and compactly representing arrays of data in statistical and econometric formulas. Furthermore, matrix algebra makes it possible to write short programs to carry out computation involving large amounts of data. The present chapter is an introduction to matrix algebra as well as the basics of matrix computation with Matlab. The next chapter is devoted to more advanced topics in matrix algebra.