cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Field measurement of albedo for different land cover materials and effects on thermal performance

Abstract Albedo (or solar reflectivity) plays an important role in the thermal behavior of pavements and other ground surfaces, and their resultant impacts on humans and the environment. This study developed a new albedo measurement system with a dual-pyranometer and automatic data acquisition system, and used it to conduct field measurements of albedo on different pavement materials and for long-term monitoring of albedo. The albedo values were obtained for commonly used land cover materials including asphalt, concrete and interlocking concrete paver surfacing materials with different designs and some other materials. These new data can help reduce the uncertainty in understanding, evaluating and modeling the thermal behavior and environmental impacts of ground surfaces with different albedos. The seasonal effects of albedo on pavement thermal performance were examined through experimental measurements. An empirical relationship between the cooling effect of increased albedo on a pavement's high temperature and solar radiation was developed. The cooling effect has a positive correlation with the peak solar radiation intensity. This simple correlation can be used to roughly estimate the cooling or heating effect of changing albedo on pavement for various climates and seasons with different solar radiation intensities.
International Weather Highlights 2014: Winter Storms, Typhoons, Hurricanes, and Flooding

Although eastern North America endured a fierce winter, much of the rest of the world registered above-normal warmth, making 2014 the warmest year on record for the globe. A historical snowstorm st...
Akt1 Regulates a JNK Scaffold during Excitotoxic Apoptosis

Cell survival is determined by a balance among signaling cascades, including those that recruit the Akt and JNK pathways. Here we describe a novel interaction between Akt1 and JNK interacting protein 1 (JIP1), a JNK pathway scaffold. Direct association between Akt1 and JIP1 was observed in primary neurons. Neuronal exposure to an excitotoxic stimulus decreased the Akt1-JIP1 interaction and concomitantly increased association between JIP1 and JNK. Akt1 interaction with JIP1 inhibited JIP1-mediated potentiation of JNK activity by decreasing JIP1 binding to specific JNK pathway kinases. Consistent with this view, neurons from Akt1-deficient mice exhibited higher susceptibility to kainate than wild-type littermates. Overexpression of Akt1 mutants that bind JIP1 reduced excitotoxic apoptosis. These results suggest that Akt1 binding to JIP1 acts as a regulatory gate preventing JNK activation, which is released under conditions of excitotoxic injury.
Transport and activation of S-(1,2-dichlorovinyl)-L-cysteine and N-acetyl-S-(1,2-dichlorovinyl)-L-cysteine in rat kidney proximal tubules.

Abstract An important step in understanding the mechanism underlying the tubular specificity of the nephrotoxicity of toxic cysteine conjugates is to identify the rate-limiting steps in their activation. The rate-limiting steps in the activation of toxic cysteine conjugates were characterized using isolated proximal tubules from the rat and 35 S-labeled S -(1,2-dichlorovinyl)- l -cysteine (DCVC) and N -acetyl- S -(1,2-dichlorovinyl)- l -cysteine (NAC-DCVC) as model compounds. The accumulation by tubules of 35 S radiolabel from both DCVC and NAC-DCVC was time and temperature dependent and was mediated by both Na + -dependent and independent processes. Kinetic studies with DCVC in the presence of sodium revealed the presence of two components with apparent K m and V max values of (1) 46 μ m and 0.21 nmol/mg·min and (2) 2080 μ m and 7.3 nmol/mg·min. NAC-DCVC uptake was via a single system with apparent K m and V max values of 157 μ m and 0.65 nmol/mg·min, respectively. Probenecid, an inhibitor of the renal organic anion transport system, inhibited accumulation of radiolabel from NAC-DCVC, but not from DCVC. The covalent binding of 35 S label to cellular macromolecules was much greater from [ 35 S]DCVC than from NAC-[ 35 S]DCVC. Analysis of metabolites showed that a substantial amount of the cellular NAC-[ 35 S]DCVC was unmetabolized while [ 35 S]DCVC was rapidly metabolized to bound 35 S-labeled material and unidentified products. The data suggest that DCVC is rapidly metabolized following transport, but that activation of NAC-DCVC depends on a slower rate of deacetylation. The results are discussed with regard to the segment specificity of cysteine conjugate toxicity and the role of disposition in vivo in the nephrotoxicity of glutathione conjugates.
Role of the Extension Dairyman in the Dairy Herd Improvement Association Program

Each State is given specific responsibility to develop, coordinate and administer the Dairy Herd Improvement Program through a Memorandum of Understanding between the Cooperative Extension Service of the State, the Federal Extension Service and the Animal Science Research Division of the Agricul tural Research Service of the United States Department of Agriculture. The current 1V~emorandum became effective in July, 1969. In addition to stating the purposes and objectives of the program, the Memorandum also outlines the assigned responsibilities of all concerned. The major responsibilities of various groups are covered in this paper.
Studies on the effects of acetylcholine, epinephrine, dibutyryl cyclic adenosine monophosphate, theophylline, and calcium on the synthesis of myoglobin in muscle cell cultures estimated by radioimmunoassay.

Abstract 1. 1. Acetylcholine, eserine, and pilocarpine had little or no effect on myoglobin synthesis or growth of muscle cell cultures at concentrations of 10 −6 M. At greater concentrations, they exhibited toxic effects on cultures of both pectoral and thigh muscle. 2. 2. Epinephrine, dibutyryl cyclic AMP, and theophylline, in concentrations of 10 −5 M and 10 −6 M, produced a stimulation of myoglobin synthesis. This was most marked with dBcAMP. Both dBcAMP and theophylline doubled the apparent ratio of myoglobin to protein synthesis. Epinephrine produced a more generalized stimulation of incorporation into total, soluble proteins. 3. 3. Incorporation of radioactive lysine into myoglobin rose with increased medium concentrations of calcium, but was not directly related to cell fusion. Myoglobin synthesis rose in cultures, shortly after fusion, although a similar through smaller rise occurred after the same time in unfused cultures in low-calcium medium. Epinephrine, dBcAMP, and theophylline produced striking stimulation of myoglobin and protein synthesis in unfused, low-calcium cultures to values above those expected in the calcium-replete medium. 4. 4. It is suggested that cyclic adenosine -3′,5′-monophosphate may play a role in the cellular control of myoglobin synthesis.
X-RAY RESONANT INELASTIC SCATTERING

Abstract X-ray absorption and the consequent emission processes are generally coherent and the overall process should be regarded as a resonant inelastic scattering event. However, the presence of many-particle interactions such as the electron-phonon interaction could affect this coherence. Phonons are present in both the core excited intermediate state and in the final states. Its effects are determined by the characteristic vibrational time and the core hole life time.
Tracking Error Curves for Filtered PN Codes

This correspondence points out an application of a previously published analytical method to the problem of determining the cross-correlation function between two digital waveforms, where one has been linearly filtered.
Influence of Heparin Upon the Resin Uptake of 13lI-L-Thyroxine from Serum

Abstract In the same individual, the resin uptake of 131I-T3 was found to be considerably less from heparinized plasma than from serum. Heparin rather than a plasma factor appeared to be the offending agent. As considerable diagnostic confusion could be caused by the indiscriminate use of heparinized plasma or serum in the resin uptake test, a study of the effect was made, using serum, 131I-T4 and a commercial heparin. It was shown by gel filtration that heparin itself did not bind 131I-T4, nor did it affect the dialysis or red cell uptake of the tracer from serum. Resin uptake of 131I-T4 from heparinized serum, though not from heparinized phosphate saline buffer, was depressed. However, preincubation of resin with heparin caused a reduction in subsequent uptake from buffer as well as serum, which indicated a time-dependent process. It was concluded that heparin was adsorbed to resin, and that this binding interfered with the uptake of 131I-T4. It is suggested that either serum or plasma (with the same an...
Medicare and Medicaid: Conflicting Incentives for Long-Term Care

The structure of Medicare and Medicaid creates conflicting incentives regarding dually eligible beneficiaries without coordinating their care. Both Medicare and Medicaid have an interest in limiting their costs, and neither has an incentive to take responsibility for the management or quality of care. Examples of misaligned incentives are Medicare's cost-sharing rules, cost shifting within home health care and nursing homes, and cost shifting across chronic and acute care settings. Several policy initiatives—capitation, pay-for-performance, and the shift of the dually eligible population's Medicaid costs to the federal government—may address these conflicting incentives, but all have strengths and weaknesses. With the aging baby boom generation and projected federal and state budget shortfalls, this issue will be a continuing focus of policymakers in the coming decades.
Polygon Simplification for Location-Based Services Using Population Density

An important group of location-based services (LBS), including 9-1-1 service, rely on the mapping between a user's location and a service boundary in order to select the appropriate service provider. In such cases, mobile clients can cache the mapping information to reduce service latency and server load. However, caching such a mapping can be burdensome on mobile devices because representing the polygon that defines a service boundary requires a large amount of data. We present GeoPS-PD, a polygon simplification algorithm designed for LBS applications. Unlike existing algorithms, GeoPS-PD never produces a false positive, is tunable at runtime for the desired balance between target polygon size and area coverage, and optionally takes into account the population density. We demonstrate the efficacy of GeoPS-PD using the US state boundary data. For New York, GeoPS-PD produces a simplified polygon which is only 3% of the original size, yet covers 95% of the original area, and makes the LBS queries 3.17 times faster.
Postfire Seeding and Plant Community Recovery in the Great Basin

As wildland fire frequency increases around the globe, a better understanding of the patterns of plant community recovery in burned landscapes is needed to improve rehabilitation efforts. We measured establishment of seeded species, colonization of Bromus tectorum and other nonnative annual plants, and recovery of nonseeded native species in topographically distinct areas within five fires that burned Great Basin shrub-steppe communities in Elko County, Nevada. Plant density, frequency, and cover data were collected annually for 4 yr postfire. Vegetation composition varied among flat areas and north- and south-facing aspects, and changed over the course of the sampling period; recovery varied among sites. In general, B. tectorum densities were higher on south aspects, particularly 3 and 4 yr after fire, when densities increased dramatically relative to prefire conditions. Nonseeded native perennial grasses, forbs, and shrubs were abundant in three of the five fire sites, and were more likely to be present on north aspects and flat areas. Over time, nonseeded perennial grass densities remained relatively constant, and nonseeded forbs and shrubs increased. Seeded species were most likely to establish in flat areas, and the density of seeded perennial grasses, forbs, and shrubs decreased over time. Frequency and density measurements were highly correlated, especially for perennial species. Our results emphasize the value of considering site aspect and the potential for native regrowth when planning and monitoring restorations. For example, effective rehabilitation of south aspects may require the development of new restoration methods, whereas north aspects and flat areas in sites with a strong native component were not improved by the addition of seeded species, and may require weed control treatments, rather than reseeding, to improve recovery. Tailoring revegetation objectives, seed mixes, seeding rates, and monitoring efforts to conditions that vary within sites may lead to more cost effective and successful restoration.
MOVING UP WITH KIN AND COMMUNITY: Upward Social Mobility for Black and White Women

The major aim of this research is to reopen the study of the subjective experience of upward mobility and to incorporate race and gender into our vision of the process. It examines evidence from a social science study of upward mobility among 200 Black and white professional-managerial women in the Memphis, Tennessee metropolitan area. The experiences of the women paint a different picture from the image of the mobility process that remains from scholarship conducted 20 to 30 years ago on white males. Relationships with family of origin, partners, children, friends, and the wider community shaped the way these women envision and accomplish mobility and the way they sustain themselves as professionals and managers.
Application Acceleration with the Explicitly Parallel Operations System - the EPOS Processor

Different approaches have been proposed over the years for automatically transforming high-level-languages (HLL) descriptions of applications into custom hardware implementations. Most of these approaches however are confined by basic block level parallelism described within the CDFGs (control-data flow graphs). In this work we propose a new high-level synthesis flow which can leverage instruction-level parallelism (ILP) beyond the boundary of the basic blocks. We extract statistical parallelism from the applications through the use of Superblocks and Hyperblocks formed by advanced front-end compilation techniques. The output of the front-end compilation is then used in our high-level synthesis in order to map the application onto a new domain-specific architecture named EPOS (explicitly parallel operations system). EPOS is a stylized micro-code driven processor equipped with novel architectural features that help take advantage of the instruction-level parallelism generated in the front-end compilation. A novel forwarding-path optimization engine is also employed during the high-level synthesis flow in order to minimize the long interconnection wires and the multiplexers in the processor. To evaluate the EPOS processor, we compare its performance with a previous domain-specific processor NISC on a common set of benchmarks. Experimental results show that significant performance gain (3.45times on average) is obtained compared to NISC.
ADRB2 haplotype is associated with glucose tolerance and insulin sensitivity in obese postmenopausal women.

The β2-adrenergic receptor (ADRB2) mediates obesity, cardiorespiratory fitness, and insulin resistance. We examined the hypothesis that ADRB2 Arg16Gly-Gln27Glu haplotype is associated with body composition, glucose tolerance, and insulin sensitivity in obese, postmenopausal women. Obese (>35% body fat), postmenopausal (age 45–75 years) women (n = 123) underwent genotyping, dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry, and computed tomography scans, exercise testing (VO2max), 2-h oral glucose tolerance tests (OGTTs), and hyperinsulinemic-euglycemic clamps (80 mU/m2/min). Analysis of covariance (ANCOVA) tested for differences among haplotypes, with race, % body fat, and VO2max as covariates. We found that ADRB2 haplotype was independently associated with % body fat, abdominal fat distribution, VO2max, insulin sensitivity (M/ΔInsulin), and glucose tolerance (ANOVA, P < 0.05 for all). Women homozygous for Gly16–Gln27 haplotype had the highest % body fat (52.7 ± 1.9%), high abdominal fat, low M/ΔInsulin (0.49 ± 0.08 mg/kg/min/pmol/l/102), and impaired glucose tolerance (IGT) during an OGTT (G120 = 10.2 ± 0.9 mmol/l). Women homozygous for Gly16–Glu27 haplotype also had low M/ΔInsulin (0.51 ± 0.05 mg/kg/min/pmol/l/102) and IGT (G120 = 8.2 ± 0.7 mmol/l). Subjects with Arg16–Gln27/Gly16–Gln27 haplotype combination had the highest VO2max (1.84 ± 0.07 l/min) and M/ΔInsulin (0.7 ± 0.04 mg/kg/min/pmol/l/102), and normal glucose tolerance (G120 = 6.4 ± 0.4 mmol/l), despite being obese. These data show associations of the ADRB2 Arg16Gly-Gln27Glu haplotype with VO2max and body composition, and an independent association with glucose metabolism, which persists after controlling for body composition and fitness. This suggests that ADRB2 haplotypes may mediate insulin action, glucose tolerance, and potentially risk for type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) in obese, postmenopausal women.
Symbolic Victimization and Real World Fear

This study examines the relationship between relative victimization in television drama and variations in susceptibility to the cultivation of a sense of personal risk in the real world. The data are based on 323 demographic subgroups (defined by all combinations of age, sex, race, marital status, and class categorizations). Viewers whose fictional counterparts are more likely to be shown as victims show stronger associations between viewing and perceived vulnerability. Moreover, the relative power hierarchy of television drama (derived from “risk ratios” of violence and victimization) strongly matches the real-world hierarchy of susceptibility.
Adaptive PSAM accounting for channel estimation and prediction errors

Adaptive modulation requires channel state information (CSI), which can be acquired at the receiver by inserting pilot symbols in the transmitted signal. We first analyze the effect linear minimum mean square error (MMSE) channel estimation and prediction errors have on bit-error rate (BER). Based on this analysis, we develop adaptive pilot symbol assisted modulation (PSAM) schemes that account for both channel estimation and prediction errors to meet a target BER. While pilot symbols facilitate channel acquisition, they consume part of transmitted power and bandwidth, which in turn, reduces spectral efficiency. With imperfect (and thus, partial) CSI available at the transmitter and receiver, two questions arise naturally: how often should pilot symbols be transmitted, and how much power should be allocated to pilot symbols. We address these two questions by optimizing pilot parameters to maximize spectral efficiency.
An analysis of browser domain-isolation bugs and a light-weight transparent defense mechanism

Browsers' isolation mechanisms are critical to users' safety and privacy on the web. Achieving proper isolations, however, is very difficult. Historical data show that even for seemingly simple isolation policies, the current browser implementations are surprisingly error-prone. Isolation bugs have been exploited on most major browser products. This paper presents a focused study of browser isolation bugs and attacks. We found that because of the intrinsic complexity of browser components, it is impractical to exhaustively examine the browser implementation to eliminate these bugs. In this paper, we propose the script accenting mechanism as a light-weight transparent defense to enhance the current domain isolation mechanism. The basic idea is to introduce domain-specific "accents" to scripts and HTML object names so that two frames cannot communicate/interfere if they have different accents. The mechanism has been prototyped on Internet Explorer. Our evaluations showed that all known attacks were defeated, and the proposed mechanism is fully transparent to existing web applications. The measurement about end-to-end browsing time did not show any noticeable slowdown. We also argue that accenting could be a primitive that is general enough for implementing other domain-isolation policies.
Evaluating restoration Baselines for historically fire-protected woodlands within a Northeastern Illinois Prairie Peninsula landscape.

The forests and woodlands of the Prairie Peninsula region in the Midwestern USA have been heavily impacted by human influences over the past ∼150 years. Current composition, structure, and dynamics in forest communities across the region lie outside the historical range of variability. However, areas along major waterways were afforded greater fire protection historically than the landscape as a whole (and are common locations for modern natural areas), and historical and modern conditions may be more analogous in these locations. This study assessed composition and structure of woodlands in a series of natural areas along the Des Plaines River in Lake County, Illinois, and related current conditions to historical baselines for the locality and region. Modern composition and structure in even these fire-protected habitats appear to lie outside the historical range of variability. High canopy cover, stem density, and dominance by sugar maple (Acer saccharum Marsh.) and European buckthorn (Rhamnus cathartica L.) are especially inconsistent with historical conditions. Current structure suggests a continued trajectory toward homogenized, closed-canopy ecosystems with increased dominance by mesophytic and invasive species and decreased importance of historically-dominant oak (Quercus spp.) species. Community-specific management strategies focused on modifying canopy structure and composition will be necessary to shift these communities toward conditions of increased light availability, structural complexity, and biological diversity. Strategies to achieve these goals are currently not well established, especially those that could be applied in urban natural areas. Implementation of multiple approaches in an adaptive management framework would aid in developing best management practices for wooded ecosystems in the region.
Early Folding Events Protect Aggregation-Prone Regions of a β-Rich Protein

SUMMARY Protein folding and aggregation inevitably compete with one another. This competition is even keener for proteins with frustrated landscapes, such as those rich in b structure. It is interesting that, despite their rugged energy landscapes and high b sheet content, intracellular lipid-binding proteins (iLBPs) appear to successfully avoid aggregation, as they are not implicated in aggregation diseases. In this study, we used a canonical iLBP, cellular retinoic acid-binding protein 1 (CRABP1), to understand better how folding is favored over aggregation. Analysis of folding kinetics of point mutants reveals that the folding pathway of CRABP1 involves early barrel closure. This folding mechanism protects sequences in CRABP1 that comprise cores of aggregates as identified by nuclear magnetic resonance. The amino acid conservation pattern in other iLBPs suggests that early barrel closure may be a general strategy for successful folding and minimization of aggregation. We suggest that folding mechanisms in general may incorporate steps that disfavor aggregation.
Profit loss in Cournot oligopolies

Abstract We compare the aggregate profit achieved at a Cournot equilibrium to the maximum possible, which would be obtained if the suppliers were to collude. We establish a lower bound on the profit of Cournot equilibria in terms of a scalar parameter that captures qualitative properties of the inverse demand function and the number of suppliers (or the maximum of the suppliers’ market shares). The lower bounds are tight when the inverse demand function is affine.
Cell culture forensics.

Genomics, proteomics, vaccinology, transgenics, stem cell—advances in all these areas critically stack on the shoulders of tissue culture, our ability to cultivate an organism's living cells in plastic dishes. Nutritional trial and error for decades of painstaking cell gardening laid the groundwork for the several thousand human primary cell explants and immortal tumor lines available to modern biotechnology. Now, the 50-year-old problem of cell line misidentification from cell contamination, mislabeling, or, in some cases, conscious deceit, has a brand-new tool for cell and individual validation, a composite short tandem repeat (STR, also called genomic microsatellite) genotype signature (1). The new advances, the latest in cell identification technologies, represent the most advanced and powerful forensic approach to dispense with the embarrassing, expensive, and maddening cell contamination that occurs in biomedical laboratories.
An Articulating Tool for Endoscopic Screw Delivery

This paper describes the development of an articulating endoscopic screw driver that can be used to place screws in osteosynthetic plates during thoracoscopic surgery. The device is small enough to be used with a 12 mm trocar sleeve and transmits sufficient torque to fully secure bone screws. The articulating joint enables correct screw alignment at obtuse angles, up to 60° from the tool axis. A novel articulating joint is presented, wherein a flexible shaft both transmits torque and actuates the joint; antagonist force is provided by a super-elastic spring. Screws are secured against the driver blade during insertion and with a retention mechanism that can passively release the screw when it has been securely placed in the bone. The prototype has been fitted with a blade compatible with 2.0 and 2.3 mm self-drilling screws, though a different driver blade or drill bit can easily be attached. Efficacy of the tool is demonstrated by securing an osteosynthetic plate to a rib in a mock surgical setup. This tool enables minimally invasive, thoracoscopic rib fixation.
Diel cycles of inorganic nitrogen uptake in a natural phytoplankton population dominated by Gonyaulax polyedra 1

The diel characteristics of nitrate and ammonium uptake in a Gonyaulux polyedra bloom were observed during a field program along the west coast of Baja California. The simultane- ous presence of light and inorganic nitrogen (especially nitrate) appeared necessary to gener- ate uptake rates sufficiently high to allow growth of these dinoflagellate populations to bloom proportions. Field data from this and other areas revealed no significant differences in the light requirements of diatoms and dinoflagellates.
The Preoperative Evaluation

The preoperative evaluation remains a common and important role for the medical consultant. Key elements include a careful history and physical exam, identification of perioperative risks, and recommendations for perioperative management. Preoperative diagnostic testing should be selected based on recent evidence-based guidelines to avoid unnecessary testing, which may result in additional costs, complications, anxiety, and delays to surgery.
The efficacy of topical tazarotene monotherapy and combination therapies in psoriasis

Tazarotene (Tazorac, Allergan, Inc.) is the first topical retinoid approved for the treatment of plaque psoriasis. It has a similar onset of action compared to potent topical steroids and has the advantage of a longer remission. The common side effects associated with the drug include skin irritation (including pruritus), erythema and a burning sensation. To overcome some of these shortcomings, it has been used in combination with steroids, calcipotriene and phototherapy. Combination therapy not only results in a decrease in adverse side effects, but also enhanced efficacy. Clinical study data have shown that combination therapy is just as important as tazarotene monotherapy, if not more.
The method of lines analysis of striplines with double-layered or suspended bianisortropic biaxial substrates

The method of lines (MoL) is extended to study propagation properties of microstrip transmission lines printed on double-layered and suspended bianisotropic biaxial substrates. Unlike previous formulations, the MoL presented here is based on coupled governing equations that are expressed in terms of two components of the electric field which are tangential to interfaces between planar isotropic and anisotropic regions. Numerical results presented in this paper show which elements of permittivity and permeability tensors most significantly affect dispersion characteristics of widely used microwave and millimeter-wave integrated circuit (MIC) transmission lines. >
A double negative (DNG) composite medium composed of magnetodielectric spherical particles embedded in a matrix

We study a composite medium consisting of insulating magnetodielectric spherical particles embedded in a background matrix. Using results from the literature going back as far as Lewin (1947), we show that the effective permeability and permittivity of the mixture can be simultaneously negative for wavelengths where the spherical inclusions are resonant and that the medium results in an effective "double negative (DNG) media". Materials of this type are also called negative-index materials, backward media (BW), and left-handed materials. This type of material belongs to a more general class of metamaterials. The theoretical results presented here show that composite media having much simpler structure than those reported in the literature can exhibit negative permeability and permittivity over significant bandwidths.
Kinetoplastid RNA editing does not require the terminal 3' hydroxyl of guide RNA, but modifications to the guide RNA terminus can inhibit in vitro U insertion.

During RNA editing in kinetoplastid parasites, trans-acting guide RNAs (gRNAs) direct the insertion and deletion of U residues at precise sites in mitochondrial pre-mRNAs. We show here that some modifications to the 39 terminal ribose of gRNA inhibit its ability to direct in vitro U insertion. However, we found that gRNAs lacking this moiety in some circumstances support in vitro editing. Thus, the 39 OH is not required. Inhibition resulting from gRNA modification can be overcome by increasing the gRNA‐pre-mRNA base-pairing potential upstream of the editing site, suggesting an importance for this interaction to productive processing.
A Ubiquitous Wavenumber-5 Anomaly in the Southern Hemisphere During FGGE

Abstract Predominant wavenumber-5 patterns frequent the temperature fields of the lower stratosphere of the Southern Hemisphere during the summer months of FGGE. These pentagonal features, of broad latitudinal extent, appear to remain quasi-stationary or propagate eastward with periods on the order or 10 days. Ensemble statistics over the summer season confirm the presence of large-amplitude wavenumber-5 anomalies in the geopotential fields. Magnified height amplitudes appear in the zonal spectra at wave 5, near the tropospheric jet core: 50°S and 300 mb. The enhanced temperature anomalies in the lower stratosphere arise not only from the magnified geopotential amplitude of wavenumber 5, but also from its sharp evanescence above the jet. Time series analysis reveals that the peak in rms amplitude results primarily from the fluctuating contribution. The transient component of wavenumber 5 shows a regular eastward phase progression. Geopotential power spectra exhibit a pronounced peak, corresponding to east...
Functional IL-17R in glioma stem cells: potential role in tumor progression and therapeutic implications

Meeting abstracts Interleukin 17 (IL-17) is one of the most potent inflammatory cytokines and has been strongly implicated in inflammatory autoimmune disorders like rheumatoid arthritis and multiple sclerosis. However, the role of IL-17 in tumor progression is quite controversial and the underlying
Robust Designs for Discrete-Time Systems

In the previous chapters, we presented various adaptive actuator failure compensation schemes for continuous-time linear time-invariant systems with uncertain actuator failures. In this chapter, we will develop adaptive actuator failure compensation schemes for discrete-time systems, which are useful for real-life implementation of actuator failure control compensation using digital computers. In addition, we will address the robustness issue for adaptive actuator failure compensation in the presence of system modeling errors, whose results are also important and analogous for the continuous-time designs.
"Being a 'doer' instead of a 'viewer'": the role of inclusive leisure contexts in determining social acceptance for people with disabilities.

The purpose of this study was to conduct an in-depth examination of the perceptions of people with disabilities on social acceptance and inclusive leisure contexts. Specifically, this study explore...
Scaling-out Data Centers Using Photonics Technologies

Novel architectures are presented, employing energy efficient photonics WDM or SDM technologies, that are shown to enable scaling-out of leaf/spine data center architectures economically and to allow their elasticity, without increasing latency.
Coaching of patients with an isolated minimally displaced fracture of the radial head immediately increases range of motion.

Abstract Study Design Prospective cohort. Introduction Elbow stiffness is the most common adverse event after isolated radial head fractures. Purpose of the Study To assess the effect of coaching on elbow motion during the same office visit in patients with such fractures. Methods We enrolled 49 adult patients with minimally displaced radial head fractures, within 14 days of injury. After diagnosis, we measured demographics, catastrophic thinking, health anxiety, symptoms of depression, upper extremity-specific symptoms and disability, pain, and elbow and wrist motion. The patient was taught to apply an effective stretch in spite of the pain to limit stiffness, and elbow motion was measured again. Results With the exception of radial deviation and pronation, motion measures improved slightly but significantly on average immediately after coaching. Elbow flexion improved from 79% (110° ± 22°) of the uninjured side to 88% (122° ± 18°) after coaching ( P P = .0012). Discussion Instruction that stretching exercises are healthy even when painful resulted in immediate improvements in motion. Prospective studies comparing different strategies for coaching patients regarding painful stretches might help clarify the optimal approach. Level of evidence Therapeutic level 4.
Investigation of localized displacement phenomenon for Low-Tension-Gas (LTG) injection in tight formations

Abstract This paper investigates the mechanisms and factors which impact foam flooding in tight formations. It focuses on oil/water miscible methods – titled ‘Low-Tension-Gas (LTG)’ in this manuscript – for mobilizing and displacing the remaining crude oil after waterflood. This manuscript builds on previous work establishing Low-Tension-Gas (LTG) as an effective method for (oil to gas) sub-miscible tertiary recovery in tight sandstone and carbonate reservoirs ( Szlendak et al., 2013 ). Such work determined that a high tertiary recovery of 75–90% could be demonstrated with many of the same process attributes of Alkali-Surfactant-Polymer (ASP) flooding but without many of the limitations associated with polymer application in tight formations. To better understand actual displacement phenomenon, where gas fractional flow can substantially vary, this paper presents two sets of data that empirically express LTG behavior. The first dataset was performed at differing (but constant) gas fractional flow (co-injection). Results show substantially higher oil recovery for floods with higher gas fractional flow (50% and 85%) during co-injection. The second dataset was performed at (cycle dependent) changing gas fractional flow (SAG). Comparison to co-injection results indicates that surfactant-alternating-gas (SAG) injection demonstrated improved displacement and overall recovery versus co-injection at the same overall average gas fractional flow (50%). Finally, a mechanism for the displacement of in-situ fluids in tight formations during LTG injection is presented. It is based upon: the strong correlation between flood evolution and recovery attributes; and the high and consistent mobility reduction observed during extended liquid cycling in SAG injection.
THE FUTURE AUTOMATIC DISPATCHING SYSTEM OF CHINA NATIONAL INTEGRATED POWER SYSTEM

Abstract The rapid growth of Chinese power systems will face a new stage of development----the formation of National Integrated Power System. It will become one of the largest integrated power systems in the world. In this paper the present state of power system in China, its future development in two stages are presented. The control structure and functions envisioned for the future automatic dispatching system are discussed. The first stage of implementation ---- the 4 Regional Control Center Project of Ministry of Water Resource and Electric Power is briefly summarized. The design concept of the future National Control Center is proposed.
Sporulation of two vesicular-arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi in nonsterile soil

Spore numbers and species diversity of vesicular-arbuscular mycorrhizal (VAM) fungi from agricultural soils may be significantly lower than those observed in native soils (Hetrick and Bloom, 1983). In a survey of corn fields from four locations throughout a growing season, one soil (Scandia, Kansas) contained primarily Gigaspora spp. at all sample dates (G. rosea was present on two of the sample dates) while the others contained primarily or exclusively Glomus spp., including G. etunicatum (Hetrick et al., 1984). The present study was initiated to determine whether the Scandia soil favored sporulation of Gigaspora spp. and conversely whether a soil containing predominantly Glomus spp. would preferentially stimulate Glomus spp. sporulation. Because nonsterile soil has been shown to suppress mycorrhizal growth response and root colonization (Hetrick et al., 1986), the effect of nonsterile versus sterilized soil and interspecific competition on sporulation was also studied to determine whether these factors influenced species dominance and might also explain the low spore numbers observed in agricultural soils. A Chase, silty clay loam (fine montmorillonitic, mesic Aquic Argiudoll) from Manhattan, Kansas, previously cropped to corn for several years, and containing only Glomus spp. (primarily G. etunicatum) was chosen for comparison with Scandia soil which is a Crete silt loam (fine montmorillonitic, mesic Typic Argiustoll) containing primarily Gigaspora spp. (including but not limited to G. rosea). Each soil was shredded to eliminate large clods and homogenized in
Excessive Financing Costs in a Representative Agent Framework

This paper highlights a pecuniary externality that results in excessive financing costs. Firms borrow to finance purchases of an inelastically supplied input, bidding up its price. Since higher input prices necessitate more debt obligations, this leads to an increase in intermediation costs. A quantitative interpretation of the model suggests that it is optimal to tax financial intermediation by increasing the borrowing rate by 3 percentage points. (JEL E13, E44, G21, G32, H21, H25)
How things act: An archaeology of materials in political life

This paper develops a theoretical perspective on how archaeologists might examine the actions of things—objects and materials—in long-term historical processes and political practices. In recent ye...
Management of Cardiopulmonary Bypass with Body Weight Less than 10 kg

OBJECTIVE To Summarize the management of CPB of 160 cases with body weight less than 10 kg. METHODS The way of perfusion is high~rate flow mainly. The study included 129 with moderate hypothermia, 12 with deep hypothermia and low flow (DHLF), 8 with continuously perfusion in main pulmonary for patients with severe PH during the CPB; 32 with conventional or modified ultra-filtrating(CUF, MUF). The solution for prime were full-colloid and Aprotinin and leukocyte depleted.HCT maintains about 0.25; the pump pressure and HCT and blood gas were monitored continuously during CPB.RESULTS 14 cases were died with a mortality rate of 8.74%. The complications were in 36 cases including arrhythmia, hypoxemia, pulmonary hypertension crisis, renal failure, atelectasis and pulmonary infection. CONCLUSION The key for a better perfusion include skillful perfusion technique, effective prime pressure, adequate diuretic usage and appropriate high flow rate. Full-colloid prime solution for all patients and utilizing appropriate protection of lung (leukocyte depleted blood production, continuously perfusion in main pulmonary, membrane oxygenator) also are important.
Flexible Zirconium Metal‐Organic Frameworks as Bioinspired Switchable Catalysts

Flexible metal-organic frameworks (MOFs) are highly desirable in host-guest chemistry owing to their almost unlimited structural/functional diversities and stimuli-responsive pore architectures. Herein, we designed a flexible Zr-MOF system, namely PCN-700 series, for the realization of switchable catalysis in cycloaddition reactions of CO2 with epoxides. Their breathing behaviors were studied by successive single-crystal X-ray diffraction analyses. The breathing amplitudes of the PCN-700 series were modulated through pre-functionalization of organic linkers and post-synthetic linker installation. Experiments and molecular simulations confirm that the catalytic activities of the PCN-700 series can be switched on and off upon reversible structural transformation, which is reminiscent of sophisticated biological systems such as allosteric enzymes.
Mutation Linked to Autosomal Dominant Nocturnal Frontal Lobe Epilepsy Reduces Low-Sensitivity α4β2, and Increases α5α4β2, Nicotinic Receptor Surface Expression

A number of mutations in α4β2-containing (α4β2*) nicotinic acetylcholine (ACh) receptors (nAChRs) are linked to autosomal dominant nocturnal frontal lobe epilepsy (ADNFLE), including one in the β2 subunit called β2V287L. Two α4β2* subtypes with different subunit stoichiometries and ACh sensitivities co-exist in the brain, a high-sensitivity subtype with (α4)2(β2)3 subunit stoichiometry and a low-sensitivity subtype with (α4)3(β2)2 stoichiometry. The α5 nicotinic subunit also co-assembles with α4β2 to form a high-sensitivity α5α4β2 nAChR. Previous studies suggest that the β2V287L mutation suppresses low-sensitivity α4β2* nAChR expression in a knock-in mouse model and also that α5 co-expression improves the surface expression of ADNFLE mutant nAChRs in a cell line. To test these hypotheses further, we expressed mutant and wild-type (WT) nAChRs in oocytes and mammalian cell lines, and measured the effects of the β2V287L mutation on surface receptor expression and the ACh response using electrophysiology, a voltage-sensitive fluorescent dye, and superecliptic pHluorin (SEP). The β2V287L mutation reduced the EC50 values of high- and low-sensitivity α4β2 nAChRs expressed in Xenopus oocytes for ACh by a similar factor and suppressed low-sensitivity α4β2 expression. In contrast, it did not affect the EC50 of α5α4β2 nAChRs for ACh. Measurements of the ACh responses of WT and mutant nAChRs expressed in mammalian cell lines using a voltage-sensitive fluorescent dye and whole-cell patch-clamping confirm the oocyte data. They also show that, despite reducing the maximum response, β2V287L increased the α4β2 response to a sub-saturating ACh concentration (1 μM). Finally, imaging SEP-tagged α5, α4, β2, and β2V287L subunits showed that β2V287L reduced total α4β2 nAChR surface expression, increased the number of β2 subunits per α4β2 receptor, and increased surface α5α4β2 nAChR expression. Thus, the β2V287L mutation alters the subunit composition and sensitivity of α4β2 nAChRs, and increases α5α4β2 surface expression.
Accuracy of Liver Surface Nodularity Quantification on MDCT as a Noninvasive Biomarker for Staging Hepatic Fibrosis

OBJECTIVE. The purpose of this study was to investigate objective semiautomated measurement of liver surface nodularity on MDCT for prediction of underlying hepatic fibrosis (stages F0–F4). MATERIALS AND METHODS. Contrast-enhanced abdominal MDCT scans were assessed with an independently validated semiautomated surface nodularity tool. A series of 10 or more consecutive ROI measurements along the anterior aspect of the liver totaling a length of 80 cm or more were made with the left lateral segment as the default. All intermediate stages of fibrosis (F1–F3) were based on liver biopsy results within 1 year of MDCT. RESULTS. The study participants were 367 patients (191 men, 176 women; mean age, 51.1 years) divided into a healthy (F0) control group (n = 118) and patients with fibrosis in stages F1 (n = 47), F2 (n = 38), F3 (n = 67), and F4, which constituted cirrhosis (n = 97). MDCT-based liver surface nodularity scores increased with stage of fibrosis: F0, 2.01 ± 0.28; F1, 2.34 ± 0.39; F2, 2.37 ± 0.39; F3, ...
Young investigator challenge: Molecular testing in noninvasive follicular thyroid neoplasm with papillary-like nuclear features

BACKGROUND Molecular testing provides an important ancillary study for thyroid nodules with indeterminate cytology. The nomenclature shift to “noninvasive follicular thyroid neoplasm with papillary-like nuclear features” (NIFTP) will impact the performance of molecular tests. For the current study, the authors reviewed the performance of the Afirma gene-expression classifier (GEC) and the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center (UPMC) targeted mutation panel tests in thyroid nodules that were subsequently diagnosed as NIFTP on surgical resection. METHODS In total, 302 nodules were sent for molecular testing between June 2012 and June 2016. These cases were retrospectively reviewed to identify patients who underwent subsequent surgical resection and were diagnosed with follicular variant of papillary thyroid carcinoma (FVPTC). Twenty-five nodules that were diagnosed as FVPTC met the initial inclusion criteria. These cases were reviewed using strict criteria to identify NIFTP. RESULTS Eight cases met criteria for NIFTP, and 4 NIFTPs underwent Afirma testing. Cytology diagnoses were all Bethesda category III, with 3 diagnosed as atypia of undetermined significance (AUS) and 1 diagnosed as follicular lesion of undetermined significance (FLUS). All of these nodules were identified as “suspicious” using GEC. Four NIFTPs underwent testing at UPMC, all using ThyroSeq V2. The cytology diagnoses for these nodules also were category III, with the exception of 1 nodule that was category IV, suspicious for follicular neoplasm. All NIFTPs were positive for mutations, all of which were RAS mutations (NRAS, KRAS). One patient who had a nodule classified as NIFTP had metastatic carcinoma identified in a lymph node. Another who had a 6-cm tumor had coexisting NRAS and TERT mutations. CONCLUSIONS The current results indicate that NIFTP is a rare tumor if defined by strict criteria, that both the GEC and UPMC methods indicate abnormalities in NIFTP, and further independent study will be needed to better characterize the molecular and clinical characteristics of NIFTP. Cancer (Cancer Cytopathol) 2016. © 2016 American Cancer Society.
Trophic relationships in a tropical estuary

This is an investigation of trophic interrelationship in the Tortuguero estuary on the Caribbean coast of Costa Rica. Basic physical and chemical features of the estuary are described, and a preliminary carbon budget is calculated for the estuarine ecosystem. Seasonal cycles in the estuarine watershed follow the rainfall pattern with two wet and two dry seasons per year. Planktonic primary production was found to be higher during dry seasons. However, the input of allochthonous materials by river flow is greater during wet seasons. The preliminary carbon budget indicates that estuarine respiration accounts for more organic material than is produced in the estuary during either the wet or dry seasons. During wet seasons there is an increase in the number of typically freshwater fish species, and an increase in the number of typically marine forms during dry seasons. The most striking seasonal difference in the estuarine community is in the presence, during dry seasons, of dense aggregations of tismiche composed principally of larval shrimp and larval fishes.