cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Adjuvant Therapy for Gallbladder Carcinoma: The Mayo Clinic Experience

Purpose To analyze the effect of adjuvant chemoradiotherapy on gallbladder carcinoma. Methods and Materials We retrospectively reviewed the records from consecutive patients who underwent R0 resection of gallbladder carcinoma between January 1, 1985, and December 31, 2004. Patients had either Stage I (T1-T2N0M0) or Stage II (T3N0M0 or T1-T3N1M0) disease. Patients undergoing adjuvant therapy received 5-fluorouracil chemotherapy concurrently with radiotherapy (median dosage, 50.4 Gy in 28 fractions). Adverse prognostic factors and the effect of adjuvant treatment on overall survival (OS) were evaluated. Results A total of 73 patients were included in the analysis; of these, 25 received adjuvant chemoradiotherapy. On univariate analysis, no adverse prognostic factors for OS reached statistical significance, but trends were noted for Stage N1 vs. N0 ( p = .06), Nx vs. N0 ( p = .09), Stage T3 vs. T1-T2 ( p = .06), and histologic findings other than adenocarcinoma ( p = .13). The median OS for patients receiving adjuvant chemoradiotherapy vs. surgery alone was 4.8 years and 4.2 years, respectively (log–rank test, p = .56). However, a significantly greater percentage of patients receiving adjuvant chemoradiotherapy had Stage II disease ( p p = .004). Conclusion After adjusting for the stage parameters and histologic findings, our data suggest that adjuvant chemoradiotherapy might improve OS for patients with gallbladder cancer.
Results of rainfall simulation to estimate sediment-bound carbon and nitrogen loss from an Atlantic Coastal Plain (USA) ultisol

Abstract Assessment of erosion impact on soil carbon and nitrogen loss and redistribution within landscapes is needed to develop estimates of soil carbon sequestration potential, soil quality management plans, and to evaluate potential for transport of sediment bound agrochemicals. We used variable intensity rainfall simulations to quantify the effects of tillage, conventional and strip, and antecedent soil water content on sediment-bound carbon and nitrogen loss from a Tifton loamy sand located in the southeastern Atlantic Coastal Plain (USA). Carbon and nitrogen loss via erosion of silt + clay sized versus sand sized sediment particles were quantified. Antecedent water content had no effect on mean sediment loss within tillage treatments, but losses from conventional till treatments were significantly greater than from strip till. Sediment lost as silt + clay was from 58 to 78% of the total under conventional and from 30 to 39% under strip tillage. The fraction of sediment lost as silt + clay versus sand was greater under conventional tillage than under strip tillage. Within-event sediment carbon enrichment compared to the top 2 cm of soil was 0.9–7.2 for conventional and 0.6–3.7 for strip tillage. The strip till silt + clay fraction had significantly higher carbon content than the strip till sand fraction and the conventional till silt + clay fraction. Carbon loss from treatments was directly proportional to sediment loss. However, the conventional till treatments lost 4.6–6 times more carbon from the silt + clay sized fraction and 1.9–4.8 times more carbon from the sand sized fraction than strip till treatments. Results suggest that the higher proportion of silt + clay fraction sediment loss from conventional till may deplete nitrogen enriched organic matter while decreased erosion from strip till may serve to increase retention of organic nitrogen. Findings also indicate that an approach that adjusts loss estimates of organic carbon and nitrogen by using wet-sieved subsamples for analysis followed by standardization against total bulk sediment loss accounts for introduced errors from both sub-sampling efficiency and disturbance.
Mode conditioner and portable high-resolution reflectometer for maintenance and diagnostics of single and multi-mode avionic fiber networks

With millimeter spatial resolution, 500 meter maximum device length, −130 dB sensitivity and near-zero dead-zone, the portable OBR provides precise location and quantification of links faults. Further, when combined with novel, low-loss mode conditioners, the OBR supports various single mode and multi-mode fiber platforms in a single system, reducing size, weight, complexity and cost of inspection and maintenance test equipment.
Substrates regulate γ-aminobutyric acid transporters in a syntaxin 1A-dependent manner

Several ion channels and pumps are regulated by syntaxin 1A, a component of the synaptic vesicle docking and fusion apparatus. One such regulated protein is the rat brain γ-aminobutyric acid (GABA) transporter GAT1. The N-terminal cytoplasmic domain of GAT1 directly interacts with syntaxin 1A; this interaction induces a decrease in the rate at which GABA and associated ions are transported. GAT1 function also is regulated by transporter substrates, raising the possibility that substrates mediate at least some of their effects by regulating the interaction between GAT1 and syntaxin 1A. In oocytes expressing GAT1 and syntaxin 1A, superfusion of transporter substrates increases the GAT1 transport rate. The substrate-induced rate change (i) is prevented by coapplication of GAT1 antagonists, (ii) does not occur in oocytes expressing GAT1 alone, and (iii) does not occur in oocytes expressing interaction-deficient syntaxin 1A mutants. In oocytes, and in hippocampal neurons that endogenously express both GAT1 and syntaxin 1A, substrate application results in a decrease in the fraction of syntaxin 1A that is bound to GAT1 on a time-scale comparable to the substrate-induced change in transport rates. These data suggest that substrate translocation regulates GAT1–syntaxin 1A interactions and provide a mechanism by which GABA transport can be increased during times of rising synaptic GABA concentrations.
Light and electron microscopic demonstration of cholesterol distribution in membrane structures of the rat auditory cortex

As part of our investigations on the changes in the cortex of different stages of ontogeny, the aim of this study was to analyse the cholesterol distribution in the auditory cortex of adult rats. The light microscopic Schultz reaction as well as electron microscopic thin sections and freeze-etching combined with a cholesterol specific marker were applied to cholesterol demonstration. High and low cholesterol areas were found in the plasma membrane and membranes of some organelles. A low cholesterol content was observed in the membranes of the Golgi apparatus, mitochondria and junctional contacts. A very low cholesterol content was found in the pre- and postsynaptic membranes. High cholesterol contents were present in the neuronal and glial non-junctional plasma membranes. The cholesterol distribution in the membranes of the endoplasmic reticulum and nuclear envelope appeared to be different.
Possible invovement of actomyosin ADP complex in regulation of Ca2+ sensitivity in α-toxin permeabilized smooth muscle

The effects of substrate condition and ADPβS on the pCa2+-tension relationships were investigated, using α-toxin permeabilized rabbit mesenteric artery at 37°C. The contraction induced by 10 μM Ca2+ solution after permeabilization was as large as that induced by 145 mM K+ PSS solution containing 10 μM NE in the intact tissue, indicating that the majority of the cells were permeabilized. The Ca2+ sensitivity was greatly affected by the substrate condition and increasing the ratio of ATPCP induced a leftward shift of the pCa2+-tension curve. Addition of 100 μM ADPβS had a similar effect. When the ATPCP ratio was high, the 0.1 μM Ca2+ solution relaxed the tissue precontracted by 10 μM Ca2+ solution more slowly showing hysteresis. One mM vanadate, which is reported to relax muscle by forming actomyosin-ADP-Vi (AM-ADP-Vi), completely inhibited both contractions induced by 0.18 μM Ca2+ solution containing 2 mM MgADP and 0.3 μM Ca2+ solution containing 0.3 μM PDBu. These results indicated that the population of AM-ADP complex in the crossbridge had increased due to the accumulation of ADP inside the tissue or activation of PKC and that the inhibition of ADP release from AM-ADP complex may be playing a key role in increasing Ca2+ sensitivity of myofilaments.
Small Round Cell Tumors of Bone

Diagnosing small round cell tumors (SCRTs) can be a difficult task for pathologists due to overlapping clinicopathologic features. This review highlights the clinical, radiographic, histologic, immunohistochemical, and genetic features of the most common SRCTs involving bone with an emphasis on differential diagnosis. SRCTs are a heterogeneous group of neoplasms characterized by poorly differentiated cells with small, blue, round nuclei and scant cytoplasm. They can occur as primary tumors in bone or soft tissue.
Science Instruction for Students with Learning Disabilities: A Meta-Analysis

Although science has received much attention as a political and educational initiative, students with learning disabilities (LD) perform significantly lower than their nondisabled peers. This meta-analysis evaluates the effectiveness of instructional strategies in science for students with LD. Twelve studies were examined, summarized, and grouped according to the type of strategy implemented. Effect sizes (ES) were calculated for each study. Across all studies, a mean ES of .78 was obtained, indicating a moderate positive effect on students with LD science achievement. Findings also align with past reviews of inquiry-based instruction for students with special needs, indicating that students with LD need structure within an inquiry science approach in order to be successful. Additionally, results suggest that mnemonic instruction is highly effective at increasing learning disabled students' acquisition and retention of science facts.
The Religious Dynamics of Decision Making on Gay Rights Issues in the U.S. House of Representatives, 1993–2002

In recent decades, homosexuality has emerged as a truly national political issue. As a result, the U.S. Congress is increasingly called upon to consider and set policy on an array of issues related to the status of gay men and lesbians. This article investigates legislator decision making pertaining to gay issues in the U.S. House of Representatives. Specifically, we examine the effect of several indicators on legislator support for progressive gay policies, including ideology, partisanship, and the characteristics of district religious affiliation. We use additive indices of legislator support for progressive gay policies, and use logit and ordered logit to derive estimates of influence. The findings indicate that even while legislator partisanship and ideology largely structure decision making, legislators are also highly responsive to the presence of conservative Protestants and (to a lesser extent) Roman Catholics in their constituency.
Crystal structure of flavonoid compounds. I. 4'-Bromoflavanone

The molecular structure of 4′-bromoflavanone (C15H11O2Br) has been determined by X-ray diffraction and refined by full-matrix least-squares methods based on 1636 reflections recorded on a Picker FACS-1 automated diffractometer. The final R-index is 0.052 (weighted R is 0023). The crystals are monoclinic space group P22/c, with cell dimensions a = 6.636 (4), b = 16.522 (10), and c = 11.739 (7) A, β = 98.00 (3)°. There are four molecules in the unit cell; the molecules are optically active at C(2) of the pyrone ring. The racemic crystal has a d,l pair packed about a center of symmetry. The bromine substituted phenyl ring is equatorially substituted at C(2) with the phenyl ring rotated so that its plane is approximately perpendicular (105.5° with respect to the A-ring) to the mean plane of the remainder of the molecule.
New Estimates for the ‘Allosteric’ Constant of Neuromuscular Acetylcholine Receptor-Channels

Nicotinic acetylcholine receptors (AChRs) open rarely in the absence of agonists but many different mutations substantially increase the unliganded gating equilibrium constant (the ‘allosteric’ constant, E0). In the adult mouse neuromuscular AChR a single mutation, ‘Special character’ A96H (in both ‘Special character’ subunits), increased E0 by >105-fold and caused spontaneous openings to occur in clusters arising from individual receptors. We measured E0 for three different sets of mutant combinations and by extrapolation estimated E0 for wild type AChRs. The estimates were E0wt=6.0x10−7 and 7.4 x 10−7 in adult-type AChRs and 4.3x10−7 in fetal-type AChRs (−100 mV, 23 oC). The adult value is in excellent agreement with one obtained previously by using a completely different method (6.6x10−7, from monoliganded gating). We found that E0wt decreased e-fold with a ∼58 mV depolarization, and that Na+ and K+ in the extracellular solution had no effect on E0. However, Cs+ acted as a very weak ‘partial’ agonist. The results are discussed with regard to the energetics of receptor activation and the competitive antagonism of ions with regard to agonist binding.
The income and terms of trade effects: a permanent versus transitory decomposition in US trade

Abstract This paper develops an empirical analysis of the US trade balance with particular attention to the distinction between permanent and transitory disturbances to income and the terms of trade arising from real/monetary and demand/supply shocks. The results indicate that the income effects on the trade balance differ remarkably depending on whether a given change is permanent or transitory. For instance, a permanent increase in income deteriorates the trade balance whereas a transitory increase improves it. The results are contrasted to the predictions of the Mundell-Fleming-Dornbusch model and intertemporal models. (JEL F32).
Imaging Seismic Tomography in Sensor Network

Tomography imaging, applied to seismology, requires a new, decentralized approach if high resolution calculations are to be performed in a sensor network configuration. The real-time data retrieval from a network of large-amount wireless seismic nodes to a central server is virtually impossible due to the sheer data amount and resource limitations. In this paper, we present a distributed multi-resolution evolving tomography algorithm for processing data and inverting volcano tomography in the network, while avoiding costly data collections and centralized computations. The new algorithm distributes the computational burden to sensor nodes and performs real-time tomography inversion under the constraints of network resources. We implemented and evaluated the system design in the CORE emulator. The experiment results validate that our proposed algorithm not only balances the computation load, but also achieves low communication cost and high data loss-tolerance.
Vorticity-scalar alignments and small-scale structures in swirling spray combustion

The effect of droplets, heat release, and swirl on the fine-scale structure of the turbulence in a full-scale gas turbine combustor is studied using large-eddy simulation. Alignment of vorticity and scalar gradient with the strain-rate field is examined in detail. Results indicate that the most likely strain state is axisymmetric extension corresponding to one of the two positive strain rates. Examination of the isotropic part of the strain tensor indicates that volumetric dilatation due to heat release significantly alters the strain-rate field. Analysis also shows that the vorticity tends to align with the intermediate strain rate, whereas the scalar gradient aligns with the most compressive strain rate. These results are in agreement with those obtained in isotropic turbulent flows. The magnitude of these alignments is found to decrease in the presence of droplets and with heat release and/or an increase in swirl. Probability density functions of the strain-rate eigenvalues and flow visualization are used to characterize the geometrical structure of the small scales. It is shown that both tube-like and sheet-like structures exist in the combustor and their relative abundance (or the lack thereof) is a function of spatial location and swirl magnitude. Tube-like structures are found to coincide with regions of intense vorticity gradients, whereas regions of increased scalar gradients form sheet-like structures that in turn wrap around the tubular vortical structures. The implication of these results on fuel/air mixing and combustion in a two-phase system is also discussed.
A Longitudinal Study of Developmental Outcome of Infants With Bronchopulmonary Dysplasia and Very Low Birth Weight

Improved survival rates for smaller, sicker, very low birth weight (VLBW) infants related to advances in neonatal intensive care have resulted in a corollary increase in incidence of bronchopulmonary dysplasia (BPD).1 BPD, virtually unknown a generation ago, is now the third leading cause of chronic lung disease in children, and the leading cause of lung disease in infants in the United States,2,3 with >7000 infants diagnosed yearly. BPD is the term used to describe the clinical, radiographic, and pathologic sequelae of prolonged mechanical ventilation occurring in the lungs of some newborn infants.1 BPD most often occurs in ventilated preterm infants and is inversely related to gestational age.4 Pulmonary immaturity, oxygen toxicity, and barotrauma are paramount in the etiology of BPD.4,5 Previous studies addressing developmental outcome for infants with BPD have been inconsistent in their findings, with many reporting poorer growth and developmental outcomes and greater evidence of neurologic problems, particularly cerebral palsy.5–10 Sample sizes of most studies are small, (generally <30), and BPD has been variously defined and confounded with other medical conditions known to relate to poor outcome, ie, intraventricular hemorrhage, periventricular leukomalacia, and lower gestational age.9,12,13 Impact of social class and racial parameters on outcome has also been rarely assessed,12 leading to debate about whether the negative sequelae of BPD are secondary to associated deleterious medical or social conditions or independent effects. Most studies were completed before routine use of cranial ultrasound evaluations in neonatal nurseries. Information was not available regarding the contribution of intraventricular hemorrhage and periventricular leukomalacia to developmental delays.6,12 Some studies averaged mental and motor outcome scores7 or used scores uncorrected for prematurity,9 making interpretation of findings problematic. In addition, there is little information describing the development of infants with BPD after the introduction of exogenous surfactant therapy, which was expected to improve pulmonary and developmental outcomes in premature infants with respiratory complications.14,15 This study evaluated outcomes of infants born during a period after surfactant and postnatal steroid use had become standard practice. Despite these innovations, BPD infants were hypothesized to perform more poorly on developmental assessments to 3 years of age compared with VLBW infants without BPD and with full-term infants of similar age, race, gender, and socioeconomic status (SES).
Using a computer to assess conservation of numbers

Abstract This paper describes the use of a computer to assess conservation of number skills in young children. In conservation of number tests, children are typically asked to judge the numerosity of two equal displays of elements after one display has been spread apart or bunched together by an adult. Such a transformation by an adult, who then asks questions about numerosity, may influence the accurate assessment of the concept in question. Past studies have shown that many children who do not conserve when an adult rearranges elements are successful when the transformations are made to seem accidental, incidental or natural. These modifications have been criticized, however, as distracting children from the transformation, rather than as more accurate means of assessment. To address this problem, a computer was used to rearrange elements, thereby reducing overt adult participation and yet retaining the child's focus on the logical and numerical aspects of the task. The results indicate that the reduction of adult intentionality in this manner produces higher levels of conserving responses, evidently by allowing some children to use other logical means to solve the problem, namely counting. This study demonstrates the potential for using the computer to assess logical thinking skills, as well as chart the development of those skills.
Differential interactions of gentamicin with mouse junctional and extrajunctional ACh receptors expressed in Xenopus oocytes.

Abstract The nicotinic acetylcholine receptors (AChRs) from Torpedo electric organ and mouse muscles when expressed in Xenopus oocytes desensitize with different time courses. Initially, the role of cAMP-dependent phosphorylation on the γ subunits in the different desensitization rates was investigated by expressing normal and mutant AChRs in the oocytes cultured in the presence of gentamicin. Mutant Torpedo AChRs lacking the potential cAMP-dependent phosphorylation sites in the γ subunit appear to desensitize like normal Torpedo AChRs. Similarly, mutant mouse extrajunctional AChRs containing a newly created phosphorylation site in the γ subunit appeared to desensitize like normal mouse AChRs, which lack the potential cAMP-dependent phosphorylation site in the γ subunit. These results suggest that different rates of desensitization between the Torpedo and muscle extrajunctional AChRs are not attributable to differential cAMP-dependent phosphorylation of these AChRs. Subsequently, to determine whether gentamicin used in culturing oocytes differentially interacts with muscle junctional and extrajunctional AChRs, we analyzed rates of current decay following different gentamicin treatments. Both chronic and acute treatment with gentamicin profoundly accelerated the decay of whole-cell currents mediated by both types of AChR. The effect of prolonged gentamicin treatment on junctional AChRs was long lasting when compared to treatment on extrajunctional AChRs. Although the two types of AChR still desensitize differently in the absence of gentamicin, these results suggest that the characteristic desensitization of junctional and extrajunctional AChRs observed previously is largely due to differential interactions of gentamicin with the two types of AChR.
Nitrite and Ammonium Toxicity on Lettuce Grown under Hydroponics

Abstract Nitrite (NO2 −‐N) toxicity symptoms have been observed on lettuce (Lactuca sativa) at various locations in California. The objective was to evaluate the symptoms of ammonium (NH4 +‐N) and nitrite (NO2 −‐N) toxicity on Sundevil iceberg lettuce and Paragon romaine lettuce and to determine lettuce growth and biomass production under different levels of NO2 −‐N. Hydroponic studies under greenhouse conditions were conducted using nutrient solutions containing nitrate (NO3 −‐N) and two other forms of nitrogen (NO2 −‐N and NH4 +‐N) applied at a constant concentration (50 mg NL−1) or using different NO2 −‐N levels (0, 5, 10, 20, 30, and 40 mg N L−1) and a constant NO3 −‐N level (30 mg N L−1). Crown discoloration (brownish color) was observed for lettuce grown in both NO2 −‐N and NH4 +‐N solutions approximately 3 weeks after transplanting into the hydroponic systems. Lettuce grown in NO3 −‐N solution produced larger biomass and greater number of leaves per plant than lettuce grown in NO2 −‐N or NH4 +‐N so...
The role of chest computed tomography in trauma

Chest computed tomography (CCT) evaluation for trauma encompasses two main objectives: (1) The evaluation of the acutely injured in the search for diagnoses and (2) follow up assessment or diagnosis of pulmonary complications in the hospitalised patient. In the acute phase of evaluation, CCT has become particularly helpful for the diagnosis of blunt thoracic aortic injury (BAI), great vessel injury, extent of lung contusion, occult hemothorax, occult pneumothorax, spinal fractures and spinal cord injuries and to determine the tract of transmediastinal gun shot wounds. In the subacute phase, CCT has gained popularity for diagnosing pulmonary embolism and evaluation of retained hemothorax. Technological advances have lead to better diagnostic capabilities that can be obtained quickly but, particularly in the trauma patient, there is little consistent data supporting an outcome improvement in the majority of patients despite changes in clinical management. Further data is needed to support use of CCT in sele...
The ghosts of taste: food and the cultural politics of authenticity

We add a political culture dimension to the debate over the politics of food. Central to food politics is the cultural granting of authenticity, experienced through the conjuring of relational presences of authorship. These presences derive from the faces and the places of relationality, what we term the ghosts of taste, by which food narratives articulate claims of the authorship of food by people and environments, and thus claim of authenticity. In this paper, we trace the often-conflicting presences of authenticating ghosts in food along a prominent axis of current debate: the local versus the global. The three cases outlined here—Greek food, Thousand Island dressing, and wild rice—illustrate the recovery and suppression of the lingering spirits of both local and global faces and places in what we taste, and show the mutually interdependent consequence of culture and economics in food politics.
A history of mitochondrial diseases.

This articles reviews the development of mitochondrial medicine from the premolecular era (1962–1988), when mitochondrial diseases were defined on the basis of clinical examination, muscle biopsy, and biochemical criteria, through the molecular era, when the full complexity of these disorders became evident. In a chronological order, I have followed the introduction of new pathogenic concepts that have shaped a rational genetic classification of these clinically heterogeneous disorders. Thus, mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA)-related diseases can be divided into two main groups: those that impair mitochondrial protein synthesis in toto, and those that affect specific respiratory chain proteins. Mutations in nuclear DNA can affect components of respiratory chain complexes (direct hits) or assembly proteins (indirect hits), but they can also impair mtDNA integrity (multiple mtDNA mutations), replication (mtDNA depletion), or mtDNA translation. Besides these disorders that affect the respiratory chain directly, defects in other mitochondrial functions may also affect oxidative phosphorylation, including problems in mitochondrial protein import, alterations of the inner mitochondrial membrane lipid composition, and defects of mitochondrial dynamics. The enormous and still ongoing progress in our understanding of mitochondrial medicine was made possible by the intense collaboration of an international cadre of “mitochondriacs.” Having published my first paper on a patient with mitochondrial myopathy 37 years ago (DiMauro et al., 1973), I feel qualified to write a history of the mitochondrial diseases, a fascinating, still evolving, and continuously puzzling area of medicine. In each section, I follow a chronological order of the salient discoveries and I show only the portraits of distinguished deceased mitochondriacs and those whose names became eponyms of mitochondrial diseases.
THE JURISPRUDENTIAL EVOLUTION OF JUSTICE DAVID SOUTER

During his first five years on the Supreme Court, Justice David Souter has not followed a straight ideological path and he has turned out to be more liberal than officials in the Bush administration predicted. This article describes Souter's jurisprudence in several important areas of constitutional law and identifies some of the factors that have influenced his jurisprudential evolution. During his freshman term, Justice Souter struggled to adjust to the workload of the Court and did little to establish a distinct judicial philosophy. By his second term, he became acclimated to the decision making process and began articulating a pragmatic approach to constitutional interpretation that has set him apart from the legal formalists on the Court. Additionally, Souter has responded to new appointees by moving away from the conservative bloc and consistently voting with Democratic appointees Ruth Bader Ginsburg and Stephen Breyer who, together with Justice John Paul Stevens, are said to constitute the Court's liberal bloc.
Effectiveness of Wing Root Gap for Stall Control

T HE maximum lift capability of small unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) is hampered by their moderate aspect ratio (AR) and the low-Reynolds-number environment in which they operate. A study by Zimmerman clearly indicates a reduction in the maximum lift coefficient (CLmax) with aspect ratio [1]. Jacobs and Sherman showed that the maximum lift coefficient of an airfoil attenuates as the Reynolds number drops [2]. Commonly, lift augmentation of a flight vehicle is achieved by using a trailing-edge flap, which may be also used in conjunction with a leading-edge flap. At a Re of 6.09 × 10, Cahill found an increase of approximately 40% in the two-dimensional CLmax for a 20% plain flap deflected at 20 deg as compared to the baseline configuration (NACA 23012 airfoil profile) [3]. Using a NACA 23015 section, at the same Reynolds number and flap deflection angle, a CLmax increase of approximately 36% was recorded for a 25% plain flap [3]. Perry and Mueller investigated the impact of leadingand trailing-edge flaps at low Reynolds numbers [4]. At a Re of 1.5 × 10, deploying a 25% plain trailing-edge flap through 20 deg provided a CLmax increment of 14.7%. Thus, it may be inferred that the efficiency of trailing-edge flaps reduces with Reynolds number. For small UAVs, it is of limited practicality to employ high-lift systems that are heavy and complicated. An alternative form of stall control is investigated in this study. Stall control is affected through the introduction of a small gap at the wing root. It is well documented that for low-AR wings, stall is greatly delayed [1]. Consequently, the use of a root gap may cause the wing to behave as though it is constituted of two reduced-AR wing elements.
What do "CS1" and "CS2" mean?: investigating differences in the early courses

Thirty-one years ago, the ACM Computing Curricula used the terms "CS1" and "CS2" to designate the first two two courses in the introductory sequence of a computer science major. While computer science education has greatly changed since that time, we still refer to introduction to programming courses as CS1 and basic data structures courses as CS2. This common shorthand is then used to enable students to transfer between institutions and as a base of many research studies.In this paper we show that while there is wide agreement on the connotation of CS1 and CS2, there is little agreement as to the denotation of these terms. Surveying CS1 and CS2 instructors, we find little agreement on how important various topics are to each of these course and less agreement on how well students master the material. Even after limiting the analysis to whether a topic has ANY important or students complete a course with ANY mastery of the material, we continue to find significant disagreements between instructors.
Systolic computation of multivariable frequency response

An algorithm intended for software implementation on a programmable systolic/wavefront computer is presented for the computation of a complex-valued frequency-response matrix G. Typically, real-valued state-space model matrices are given and the calculation of G must be performed for a very large number of values of the scalar frequency parameter. The algorithm is an orthogonal version of an algorithm described previously by A.J. Laub (ibid., vol.26, no.4, p.407-8, 1981). The system matrix A is reduced initially to an upper Hessenberg form which is preserved as the frequency varies subsequently. A systolic QR factorization of a certain complex-valued matrix is then implemented for effecting the necessary linear system solution (inversion). The critical computational component is the back solve. This computational component's process dependency graph is embedded optimally in space and time through the use of a nonlinear spacetime transformation. The computational period of the algorithm is O(n) where n is the order of the matrix A. >
ON HARMONIZABLE STOCHASTIC PROCESSES

This paper presents a new orthogonal series representation and a new orthogonal integral representation for harmonizable stochastic processes. It also demonst
The concept of equilibrium and its use in demand forecasting

Abstract Forecasts of the future price and quantity of a service or commodity often ignore the dynamic interaction between demand and supply, perhaps because the economic meaning of these concepts is often rather fuzzily defined. This paper attempts to remove some of the fuzziness, and shows that the equilibrium point where supply and demand are equal has a clear interpretation. Further it argues that forecasts of the movement of the equilibrium point over time are meaningful and useful. Using the notion of equilibrium a model is constructed which forecasts simultaneously the rates of change of price and output. This model shows how a forecast is biased when the interaction between demand and supply is not included and what special assumptions are implicitly made by a forecaster who ignores it. Finally, the paper shows how uncertainty about the parameters of the model affects the estimates of the rates of change, providing uncertain estimates of price and quantity.
Men as Caregivers at the End of Life

Background: Few studies have focused on men as caregivers at the end-of-life. The objective of this secondary data analysis was to examine the experiences of men involved in end-oflife caregiving, ...
Underground longterm storage of solar energy—An overview

Abstract The paper describes different options for longterm storage of solar energy, as well as thermal energy from other sources. The various options are analyzed from the viewpoint of their applicability under different climatic and soil conditions.
General continued fraction expansions in the z domain

Abstract Suppose P(z) is any real polynomial with all its zeros inside the unit circle and W maps the unit circle onto the open left half plane. It is proven that under certain conditions P(z) can be decomposed as P(z) = P 1 (z)+P 2 (z) where the ratio of P 1 (z) and P 2 (z) has a positive coefficient continued fraction expansion in W and another expansion in W -1 . In addition, it is shown that under certain conditions the ratio of P 1 (z) and P 2 (z) has positive coefficient continued fraction expansions in two functions. Some illustrative examples are given.
Adolescent Neurocognitive Development, Self-Regulation, and School-Based Drug Use Prevention

Adolescence is marked by several key development-related changes, including neurocognitive changes. Cognitive abilities associated with self-regulation are not fully developed until late adolescence or early adulthood whereas tendencies to take risks and seek thrilling and novel experience seem to increase significantly throughout this phase, resulting in a discrepancy between increased susceptibility to poor regulation and lower ability to exercise self-control. Increased vulnerability to drug use initiation, maintenance, and dependence during adolescence may be explained based on this imbalance in the self-regulation system. In this paper, we highlight the relevance of schools as a setting for delivering adolescent drug use prevention programs that are based on recent findings from neuroscience concerning adolescent brain development. We discuss evidence from school-based as well as laboratory research that suggests that suitable training may improve adolescents’ executive brain functions that underlie self-regulation abilities and, as a result, help prevent drug use and abuse. We note that considerable further research is needed in order (1) to determine that self-regulation training has effects at the neurocognitive level and (2) to effectively incorporate self-regulation training based on neuropsychological models into school-based programming.
Design Guidelines and Full-Scale Verification for MSE Walls with Traffic Barriers

AbstractMillions of square meters of mechanically stabilized earth (MSE) retaining walls are constructed annually in the United States. For highway applications, a roadside barrier system is placed at the edge of the wall. This barrier system generally consists of an L-shape concrete structure so that if a vehicle hits the vertical part of the L shape (barrier), the horizontal part of the L (moment slab) provides the resisting moment during the impact. This impact must be resisted by the soil, the reinforcement, and the panels in the MSE wall. This paper gives guidelines on how to design the reinforcement for pullout and yielding and the panels for flexural and shear failure. It also gives the guidelines on how to ensure the stability of the barrier. These design guidelines are developed in terms of AASHTO load and resistance factor design procedures. In a second part, a full-scale crash test on an instrumented 2.79 m high MSE wall is described and analyzed. The wall and barrier behaved very satisfactoril...
Timing and Duration of Obesity in Relation to Diabetes Findings from an ethnically diverse, nationally representative sample

OBJECTIVE The influence on diabetes of the timing and duration of obesity across the high-risk period of adolescence to young adulthood has not been investigated in a population-based, ethnically diverse sample. RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS A cohort of 10,481 individuals aged 12–21 years enrolled in the U.S. National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent Health (1996) was followed over two visits during young adulthood (18–27 years, 2001–2002; 24–33 years, 2007–2009). Separate logistic regression models were used to examine the associations of diabetes (A1C ≥6.5% or diagnosis by a health care provider) in young adulthood with 1 ) obesity timing (never obese, onset 2 ) obesity duration over time (never obese, incident obesity, fluctuating obesity, and persistent obesity), testing differences by sex and race/ethnicity. RESULTS Among 24- to 33-year-old participants, 4.4% had diabetes (approximately half were undiagnosed), with a higher prevalence in blacks and Hispanics than whites. In multivariable analyses, women who became obese before age 16 were more likely to have diabetes than women who became obese at or after age 18 (odds ratio 2.77 [95% CI 1.39–5.52]), even after accounting for current BMI, waist circumference, and age at menarche. Persistent (vs. adult onset) obesity was associated with increased likelihood of diabetes in men (2.27 [1.41–3.64]) and women (2.08 [1.34–3.24]). CONCLUSIONS Diabetes risk is particularly high in individuals who were obese as adolescents relative to those with adult-onset obesity, thus highlighting the need for diabetes prevention efforts to address pediatric obesity.
Hydrogen production from catalytic gasification of switchgrass biocrude in supercritical water

Abstract Biomass can be liquefied to produce biocrude for ease of transportation and processing. Biocrude contains oxygenated hydrocarbons of varying molecular structure and molecular weights, including lignin derived products, sugars and their decomposition products. In this work several catalysts were screened for hydrogen production by gasification of switchgrass biocrude in supercritical water at 600 °C and 250 bar. Nickel, cobalt, and ruthenium catalysts were prepared and tested on titania, zirconia, and magnesium aluminum spinel supports. Magnesium aluminum spinel was seen to be an inappropriate support as reactors quickly plugged. Ni/ZrO 2 gave 0.98 mol H 2 /mol C, the highest hydrogen yield of all tested catalysts; however, over time, increase in pressure drop lead to reactor plugging with all zirconia supported catalysts. Titania supported catalysts gave lower conversions, however they did not plug during the course of the study. Charring of all catalysts was seen to occur at the entrance of the reactor as the biocrude was heated. All support materials suffered significant surface area loss due to sintering.
On the sources of retinoic acid in the lung: understanding the local conversion of retinol to retinoic acid.

vitamin a (retinol) is the dietary precursor of several biologically active retinoids of which all- trans retinoic acid (ATRA) is the most potent known metabolite. Extensive research has characterized ATRA as the physiological ligand for the retinoic acid receptor (RAR) family of nuclear hormone
Mental deterioration in epilepsy.

Summary: A variety of factors could potentially influence the occurrence of mental deterioration in epilepsy, including seizure type, age of seizure onset, seizure duration, and seizure severity. The available literature suggests that measures of severity are more predictive of progressive decreases in intellectual functioning. There is also evidence suggesting that seizure severity and cognitive deterioration might both be the result of underlying pathophysiologic abnormalities in some cases. In the majority of patients with epilepsy, however, with relatively less severe disease, there is little evidence for cognitive deterioration. Total seizure number also has an inverse correlation with level of psychosocial functioning in some studies, whereas others have found that patients with emotional difficulties have fewer seizures. In the case of emotional deterioration, the impact of interpersonal relationships and other environmental factors upon psychosocial outcome seems clear, and the evidence for specific pathophysiologic explanations for emotional deterioration, less convincing.
Hands-Free Cough and Speech in Long-Term Tube-Free Tracheostomy

Abstract A surgical technique developed by Dr. Isaac Eliachar in the Section of Laryngotracheal Reconstruction, Cleveland Clinic Department of Otolaryngology, dramatically improves quality of life in patients who require a long-term tracheostoma. This procedure, called “long-term tube-free tracheostomy” (LTTFT), creates a self-sustaining tracheostoma that requires no tracheotomy tubes to maintain patency. The advantages of a tube-free procedure are numerous, and the improvements in quality of life of patients who have successfully undergone this operation are readily noticeable. These benefits include (a) removal of tracheal appliances, such as tracheal tubes, valves, vents, and stents; (b) prevention of tissue damage associated with appliances and a decrease in tissue irritation and formation of granulation tissue; (c) better secretion management, elimination of frequent clogging of tracheal appliances, and need for suction; (d) prevention of aspiration; (e) retention or re-establishment of the functions...
Evolution of the dispersionless injection boundary associated with substorms

One manifestation of energetic particle acceleration during magnetospheric substorms is the sudden appearance of particle injections into the inner magnetosphere, often observed near geosynchronous orbit. Injections that show simultaneous flux increases in all energy ranges of a detector are called dispersionless injections, and are most often observed in a narrow region around local midnight. In these events it is assumed that the satellite is located close to or inside the region where acceleration and/or transport processes are taking place, called the injection region. We present a study of the location, extent and temporal evolution of the injection region, based on simulation results of a model of the expansion of the electric and magnetic fields associated with a substorm. The model simulates the fields during a substorm onset with an electric field and consistent magnetic field pulse that propagates towards the Earth with a decreasing speed. Our simulation shows that the dispersionless injection boundary can be considered coincident with the leading edge of the pulse field, which transports particles toward the Earth across a certain range of local time. Under the same model field, the dispersionless injection boundary shifts eastward for electrons and westward for protons, consistent with the observation results deduced from statistical analysis of multiple spacecraft measurements.
Analysis of regulating wind power for power systems

Growing of wind power has resulted in a need for evaluation of its impact on power systems planning and operation. This paper analyzes the benefits of regulating wind power for power systems. A new unified index will be introduced to comprehensively evaluate the performance of the system with wind power at different possible locations, considering not only the benefits of loss reduction and voltage improvement due to use of the proper wind power, but also the social and environmental factors at different locations of wind farm. In order to handle the quantitative and non-quantitative data, analytic hierarchy process (AHP) is applied in this paper. The proposed approach for wind power analysis has been applied to the IEEE 30-bus test system.
Effect of Fibroblast Donor Cell Age and Cell Cycle on Development of Bovine Nuclear Transfer Embryos In Vitro

The effects of cell cycle stage and the age of the cell donor animal on in vitro development of bovine nuclear transfer embryos were investigated. Cultures of primary bovine fibroblasts were established from animals of various ages, and the in vitro life span of these cell lines was analyzed. Fibroblasts from both fetuses and calves had similar in vitro life spans of approximately 30 population doublings (PDs) compared with 20 PDs in fibroblasts obtained from adult animals. When fibroblasts from both fetuses and adult animals were cultured as a population, the percentage of cells in G1 increased linearly with time, whereas the percentage of S-phase cells decreased proportionately. Furthermore, the percentage of cells in G1 at a given time was higher in adult fibroblasts than in fetal fibroblasts. To study the individual cells from a population, a shake-off method was developed to isolate cells in G1 stage of the cell cycle and evaluate the cell cycle characteristics of both fetal and adult fibroblasts from either 25% or 100% confluent cultures. Irrespective of the age, the mean cell cycle length in isolated cells was shorter (9.6-15.5 h) than that observed for cells cultured as a population. Likewise, the length of the G1 stage in these isolated cells, as indicated by 5-bromo-deoxyuridine labeling, lasted only about 2-3 h. There were no differences in either the number of cells in blastocysts or the percentage of blastocysts between the embryos reconstructed with G1 cells from 25% or 100% confluent cultures of fetal or adult cell lines. This study suggests that there are substantial differences in cell cycle characteristics in cells derived from animals of different ages or cultured at different levels of confluence. However, these factors had no effect on in vitro development of nuclear transfer embryos.