cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
An innovative application execution toolkit for multicluster grids

Multicluster grids provide one promising solution to satisfying growing computation demands of compute-intensive applications by collaborating various networked clusters. However, it is challenging to seamlessly integrate all participating clusters in different domains into a virtual computation platform. In order to take full advantages of multicluster grids capability, computer scientists need to deal with how to collaborate practically and efficiently participating autonomic systems to execute Grid-enabled applications. We make efforts on grid resource management and implement a toolkit called Pelecanus to improve the overall performance of application execution in multicluster grids environment. The Pelecanus takes advantages of the DA-TC (Dynamic Assignment with Task Containers) execution model to improve resource interoperability and enhance application execution and monitoring. Experiments show that it can significantly reduce turnaround time and increase resource utilization for certain applications with large number of sequential jobs.
AN EXPERIMENTAL INVESTIGATION OF DETERRENCE: CHEATING, SELF‐SERVING BIAS, AND IMPULSIVITY*

This paper reports results from a randomized experiment in which 256 participants recruited to complete a survey could earn extra payment by cheating on a quiz. We report the first deterrence experiment that incorporates significant elements of situational and individual difference theories of crime into a single analytic framework. Consistent with extant deterrence research, the prevalence of cheating was lower when detection was more certain but not when the penalty was more severe. Further, cheating was more likely among participants with stronger present-orientation, or who were prone to self-serving bias.
Quadratic diffusion Monte Carlo algorithms for solving atomic many-body problems.

The diffusion Monte Carlo algorithm with and without importance sampling is analyzed in terms of the algorithm's underlying transfer matrix. The crucial role played by the Langevin algorithm in the importance-sampling process is made explicit and emphasized. The failure of existing second- order algorithms to converge quadratically for atomic many-body problems is shown to be caused by nonperturbative convergence errors due to the intrinsic inability of the Langevin algorithm to sample Slater orbitals. This failure can be simply circumvented by enforcing attractive cusp condi- tions on the trial function. Various new second-order diffusion Monte Carlo algorithms are sys- tematically derived and their quadratic convergence numerically verified in cases of He and H&. made explicit the crucial connection between the importance-sampling process and the Langevin algo- rithm. The failure of second-order DMC algorithms to converge quadratically is shown to be caused by nonper- turbative convergent errors due to the intrinsic inability of the Langevin algorithm to sample Slater orbitals, and has nothing to do with overshooting. I further show that, when computing the energy, this convergence failure can be averted by enforcing all attractive cusp conditions on the trial function. That this avoidance pro- cedure works as proposed is numerically demonstrated in the case of the helium atom and the hydrogen molecule. The paper is organized as follows. The perturbative analysis of the transfer matrix is outlined in Sec. II. In Sec. III, second-order Langevin algorithms are systemati- cally derived. These are then used in Sec. IV to generate corresponding DMC algorithms. In Sec. V, the failure of second-order DMC algorithms to converge quadratically is traced to the convergence failure of their underlying Langevin algorithms. After enforcing cusp conditions, quadratic convergences of the ground-state energies of He and H2 are demonstrated. In Sec. VI, the conver- gence behavior of the Langevin algorithm is studied in detail by Monte Carlo methods and by directly iterating the algorithms' integral equation. The fundamental mismatch between the Gaussian character of the algo- rithm and the exponential nature of the Slater orbital is shown to result in fractional power convergence errors that degrade the algorithm. Conclusions are summarized in Sec. VII. The present DMC calculations confirm the expectation that larger step sizes can be used with second-order algo- rithms. Moreover, they suggest the possibility that calcu- lations can be carried out at a reasonably large step size without the need of extrapolation. The efficiency of these new algorithms has been further verified in model nu- clei
Chiral Nonracemic Late-Transition-Metal Organometallics with a Metal-Bonded Stereogenic Carbon Atom: Development of New Tools for Asymmetric Organic Synthesis

Transition-metal-catalyzed cross-coupling reactions and the Heck reaction have evolved into powerful tools for the construction of carbon-carbon bonds. In most cases, the reactive organometallic intermediates feature a carbon-transition-metal sigma bond between a sp(2)-hybridized carbon atom and the transition metal (Csp(2)--TM). New, and potentially more powerful approach to transition-metal-catalyzed asymmetric organic synthesis would arise if catalytic chiral nonracemic organometallic intermediates with a stereogenic sp(3)-hybridized carbon atoms directly bonded to the transition metal (C*sp(3)--TM bond) could be formed from racemic or achiral organic substrates, and subsequently participate in the formation of a new carbon-carbon bond (C*sp(3)-C) with retention of the stereochemical information. To date, only a few catalytic processes that are based on this concept, have been developed. In this account, both "classical" and recent studies on preparation and reactivity of stable chiral nonracemic organometallics with a metal-bonded stereogenic carbon, which provide the foundation for the future design of new synthetic transformations exploiting the outlined concept, are discussed, along with examples of relevant catalytic processes.
Immediate on-site interpretation of fine-needle aspiration smears: a cost and compensation analysis.

BACKGROUND A significant body of literature exists supporting the cost effectiveness of fine-needle aspiration (FNA) cytology in the work-up of patients with potential neoplastic disease. Several authorities have stated that immediate, on-site smear evaluation by cytopathologists optimizes diagnostic accuracy and minimizes the technique's insufficiency rate. This favorable effect on FNA diagnostic accuracy is most pronounced for deep body sites, where FNA is guided by computed tomography (CT), ultrasound, bronchoscopy, or endoscopy. Little data exist regarding whether compensation from Medicare is adequate to support the pathologist in this endeavor compared with other potentially more remunerative activities, including routine surgical pathology sign-out, nongynecologic cytopathology sign-out, and frozen section consultation. METHODS The authors studied a series of 142 fine-needle aspirates with immediate, on-site evaluations performed under a variety of clinical settings. These included bronchoscopic, endoscopic, ultrasound-guided, and CT-guided biopsies along with palpation-directed biopsies performed by either cytopathologists or clinicians. For these aspirates, total pathologist attendance time was calculated and correlated with guidance technique, target organ, location where aspirate was performed, and nature of aspirator. Fifty frozen section evaluations were timed similarly. For comparison purposes, cytopathologists' costs were calculated using the 80th percentile pay level of an associate professor with full-time clinical duties. Medicare rate schedules were used to calculate compensation. Including salary and benefits, the pathologist cost was approximately $88.83 per hour. RESULTS On average, an intraprocedural FNA evaluation for a CT-guided biopsy required 48.7 minutes, an ultrasound-guided biopsy required 44.4 minutes of pathologist time, an endoscopic procedure required 56.2 minutes, a bronchoscopic procedure required 55.3 minutes, a clinic aspirate performed by a pathologist required 42.5 minutes, and a clinic FNA performed by a clinician required 34.7 minutes. The average frozen section required 15.7 minutes of pathologist time for performance and interpretation. With the exception of FNA performed in clinic by the cytopathologist, time costs exceeded compensation by $40–50 per procedure. Clinic aspirates performed by a clinician and immediately evaluated by a pathologist resulted in a deficit of approximately $18 over actual time cost. CONCLUSIONS From the current data, it appears that intraprocedural consultations by cytopathologists for CT-guided, ultrasound-guided, bronchoscopic, or endoscopic procedures are compensated insufficiently by current Medicare compensation schedules using the CPT code 88172 for on-site evaluation. Only when the cytopathologist personally performs the aspirate and immediately interprets it (CPT codes 88172 and 88170) does the Medicare payment adequately compensate for professional services. Cancer (Cancer Cytopathol) 2001;93:319–322. © 2001 American Cancer Society.
Pediatrics in the Community: The Earn-A-Bike Program

1. Robert J. Haggerty, MD As Pediatrics in Review begins a new series focusing on community pediatrics, we are privileged to begin with an introduction by one of the most influential leaders in that area, Dr Robert J. Haggerty, the founding editor of this journal.—LFN The quality of children’s health results from many factors other than the direct medical care they receive in physicians’ offices, important as that is. Critical are the physical, psychosocial, educational, and recreational environments in which they live. All of these make up a healthy community for children. The concept of community pediatrics includes dedication to serving all children in a community and to working with other individuals to improve the environment of the communities in which children live as well as to ensure their access to medical care. It is entirely appropriate that Pediatrics in Review begin a section on community pediatrics. This journal has been dedicated, since its inception 27 years ago, to meeting pediatricians’ need for up-to-date reviews designed to help them deliver better health care to children. Our readers serve the children in their offices well, but many do even more in the wider community. In an article I wrote in Pediatrics in 1999, (1) I observed that there were a number of successful examples of programs that teach the “how to do it” of …
Wearable wellness monitoring using ECG and accelerometer data

This paper presents a prototype wearable wellness monitoring system capable of recording, transmitting and analyzing continuous ECG and accelerometer data. The system also provides an application for recording activities, events and potentially important medical symptoms. The hardware allows data to be transmitted wirelessly from on-body sensors to a handheld device using Bluetooth. Data is then transmitted to a back-end server for analysis using either a wireless Internet connection, if available, or a cellular phone service. We conducted experiments using the system for activity monitoring, exercise monitoring and medical screening tests and present preliminary data and results.
THE EXPRESSION OF LOCAL RHETORICAL RELATIONS IN INSTRUCTIONAL TEXT

Given the prevalence of the use of rhetorical relations in the generation of text (Itovy, 1989; Moore and Paris, 1988; Scott and Souza, 1990), it is surprising how little work has actually been done on the grammatical realization of these relations. Most systems, based on Mann and Thompson's formulation of Rhetorical Structure Theory (Mann and Thompson, 1988), have adopted simplified solutions to their expression. If, for example, an action, X, and a purpose for that action, Y, must be expressed, a standard form such as "Do X in order to Y" will be generated. In reality, the purpose relation can be and is expressed in a myriad of different ways depending upon numerous functional considerations. Consider the following examples:
Heterogeneity of Streptococcus mutans Strains Based on Their Mannitol-1-Phosphate Dehydrogenases: Criterion for Rapid Classification

Hexitol phosphate dehydrogenases were inducible in all strains of Streptococcus mutans studied, and these organisms could be placed into one of four groups according to the electrophoretic mobility of their mannitol-1-phosphate dehydrogenases.
Summarizing the goodness of fit of generalized linear models for longitudinal data

This paper extends four goodness-of-fit measures of a generalized linear model (GLM) to random effects and marginal models for longitudinal data. The four measures are the proportional reduction in entropy measure, the proportional reduction in deviance measure, the concordance correlation coefficient and the concordance index. The extended measures satisfy the basic requirements for measures of association. Two examples illustrate their use in model selection.
Microgrid Standards and Technology Development

Distributed resources can provide power to local loads in the electric distribution system as well as benefits such as improved reliability. Microgrids are intentional islands formed at a facility or in an electrical distribution system that contain at least one distributed resource and associated loads. Microgrids that operate both electrical generation and loads in a coordinated manner can offer additional benefits to the customer and local utility. The loads and energy sources can be disconnected from and reconnected to the area or local utility with minimal disruption to the local loads, thereby improving reliability. This paper describes research being conducted in microgrid standards, technologies, and applications to allow successful implementation of this concept.
A study on optimal placement of voltage sag monitors

Voltage sag is one of the most concerned power quality problems in recent years. This paper addresses the problem with respect to the placement of voltage sag monitors in large transmission systems. The proposed approach gives the least number of sag monitors and their positions. With the optimal location of all the monitors, both balanced and unbalanced faults in both buses and transmission lines can be detected by at least one of the monitoring devices. Finally the effectiveness of the proposed approach is finally verified by the case study based on IEEE-30 standard test system.
Energy aware dynamic voltage and frequency selection for real-time systems with energy harvesting

In this paper, an energy aware dynamic voltage and frequency selection (EA-DVFS) algorithm is proposed. The EA-DVFS algorithm adjusts the processor's behavior depending on the summation of the stored energy and the harvested energy in a future duration. Specifically, if the system has sufficient energy, tasks are executed at full speed; otherwise, the processor slows down task execution to save energy. Simulation results show that when the utilization is low, the EA-DVFS algorithm gives a deadline miss rate that is at least 50% lower than the one given by the lazy scheduling policy. Similarly, when the workload is low, the minimum storage size is reduced by at least 25%.
Thyroid hormone-mediated transcriptional activation of the rat liver malic enzyme gene by dehydroepiandrosterone.

Abstract Dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA), a naturally occurring steroid secreted from the adrenal, has been reported to decrease the body weight gain in rodents without suppressing food intake and to stimulate malic enzyme activity in liver (Tepperman, H. M., de la Garza, S. A., and Tepperman, J. (1968) Am. J. Physiol. 214, 1126-1132). Herrin, we demonstrate that DHEA induces hepatic malic enzyme activity by increasing the rate of transcription of the malic enzyme gene. This transcriptional activation of the malic enzyme gene is dose dependent, i.e. the treatment of euthyroid male rats with daily doses of 17.5 and 35 mg of DHEA/100 g of body weight for 7 days elevated the rate of malic enzyme gene transcription in liver above the basal levels 4-5- and 8-9-fold, respectively. The levels of nuclear malic enzyme RNA, cytoplasmic malic enzyme mRNA, and enzyme activity were increased correspondingly. Malic enzyme stimulation by DHEA was liver specific, i.e. malic enzyme activity in brain, heart, kidney, and testis was unchanged. Thyroid hormone is required for the induction of hepatic malic enzyme activity by DHEA since in hypothyroid animals, DHEA was without effect. However, stimulatory effects of thyroid hormone and DHEA on malic enzyme expression are additive in euthyroid rat livers at both levels of gene transcription and enzyme activity.
Secondary element patterns of array-fed imaging reflectors and their use for optimization of scanned pencil beams

Techniques are described which provide a major improvement in the tractability of truly optimizing the complete vector pattern of array-fed Gregorian reflector systems for low sidelobe scanned beams, compared to previous scalar or ray analysis techniques. The goal was to calculate the potential for improved performance in both gain and sidelobe control, by correct choice of array excitation function in both amplitude and phase. To do this, the author sought to compute the complex secondary element patterns of each of the array elements. This makes it possible to manipulate the elemental contributions rapidly in the far field and compute the total pattern by superposition, with all amplitude and phase distortions included. For an offset geometry having a magnification of four, the secondary element patterns were evaluated for an array of 97 elements in the conjugate plane. >
"The Attila the Hun Law": New York's Rockefeller Drug Laws and the Making of a Punitive State

In 1973, New York's Governor Nelson Rockefeller responded to panic about soaring heroin use by renouncing his aggressive treatment programs and enacting the most punitive drug policy in the United States. His "Rockefeller Drug Laws" mandated sentences up to life in prison for selling any narcotics. These punishments, comparable to the penalties for murder, served as models for subsequent "War on Drugs" policies enacted across the nation.This article explores the ideological and political work accomplished by this high profile legislation—for policy makers, for members of the general public who clamored for "get tough" strategies, and for the drug users targeted by the statutes. The laws were a repudiation of liberal treatment programs and specialists' expertise, and provided a forum to remake the much-maligned welfare state into a stern, macho vehicle for establishing order in society. Increasingly punitive policies constricted the rights of drug users by rhetorically constructing "addicts" and "pushers" as outside of the polity and as the antithesis of full citizens. Therefore, the Rockefeller Drug Laws not only had devastating effects on drug offenders, but also were instrumental in the profound renegotiation of the state's role and responsibilities.
Thymic emigration revisited

Conventional αβ T cell precursors undergo positive selection in the thymic cortex. When this is successful, they migrate to the medulla and are exposed to tissue-specific antigens (TSA) for purposes of central tolerance, and they undergo maturation to become functionally responsive T cells. It is commonly understood that thymocytes spend up to 2 wk in the medulla undergoing these final maturation steps before emigrating to peripheral lymphoid tissues. In addition, emigration is thought to occur via a stochastic mechanism whereby some progenitors leave early and others leave late—a so-called “lucky dip” process. However, recent research has revealed that medullary thymocytes are a heterogeneous mix of naive αβ T cell precursors, memory T cells, natural killer T cells, and regulatory T cells. Given this, we revisited the question of how long it takes naive αβ T cell precursors to emigrate. We combined the following three approaches to study this question: BrdU labeling, intrathymic injection of a cellular tag, and RAG2p-GFP reporter mice. We established that, on average, naive αβ T cell precursors emigrate only 4–5 d after becoming single-positive (SP) thymocytes. Furthermore, emigration occurs via a strict “conveyor belt” mechanism, where the oldest thymocytes leave first.
The incidence of pulmonary embolism and associated FDG-PET findings in IV contrast-enhanced PET/CT.

Rationale and Objectives Most fluorine-18 fluorodeoxyglucose (FDG)-positron emission tomography with computed tomography (PET/CT) studies are performed on cancer patients. These patients are at increased risk of pulmonary embolism (PE). In this retrospective review, we determined the rate of PE, and the prevalence of associated FDG-PET findings on intravenous (IV) contrast-enhanced PET/CT. Materials and Methods We identified all PET/CT studies performed at our institution with a reported finding of PE between January 2005 and October 2012. The medical record was reviewed for symptoms, which were identified after the diagnosis of PE, and whether the patients received treatment. The prevalence of associated FDG-PET findings was determined. Results A total of 65 total cases of PE (of 182,72 total PET/CT examinations) were identified of which 59 were previously unknown. This gives an incidental PE (IPE) rate of 0.32%. Of the patients where sufficient clinical information was available, 34 of 36 (94%) were treated either with therapeutic anticoagulation or inferior vena cava filter, and 30 of 36 (83%) were asymptomatic in retrospect. Of the patients with IPE, we found nine (15.2%) with associated focal pulmonary artery hypermetabolism, three (5.1%) with hypermetabolic pulmonary infarction, and one with increased isolated right ventricular FDG uptake (1.7%). One case of chronic PE demonstrated a focal hypometabolic filling defect in a pulmonary artery on PET. Conclusions We found IPE in 0.32% of PET/CT scans. Focal pulmonary artery hypermetabolism or hypometabolism, and hypermetabolic pulmonary artery infarction with the “rim sign” were uncommonly associated with PE. These findings could raise the possibility of IPE in non-IV contrast-enhanced PET/CT studies.
Two Case Studies of Secondary Language Teaching: A Critical Look at the Intersection of Management and the Local and Social Realities that Shape our Classrooms

This qualitative study followed two graduates from a master of arts in the teaching of languages program, who had taught for at least 3 years, into their domain of work in public school teaching. The study was carried out to better understand the day-to-day work, challenges, and social and interactive contexts in which language teachers engage. It is of particular significance and relevance to teaching in today's language classroom and to teacher education programs as it examines and questions one of the most critical issues for classroom teachers: classroom management and student behavior, and in this case, in an economically disadvantaged and a high achieving school. The researcher must confront and reframe communicative language teaching as she sees it carried out and lived in these classrooms. In analyzing and interpreting classroom events and interactions, the researcher relied on literature in classroom management, classroom discourse, and teaching diverse populations and the economically disadvantaged. For teacher educators it seems critical to better understand both the local and social realities of secondary language classrooms so that teacher education programs may more broadly serve their prospective teachers’ needs and the communities in which they will live and teach.
Role of LDL Cholesterol and Endolysosomes in Amyloidogenesis and Alzheimer’s Disease

The pathogenesis of late-onset sporadic Alzheimer's disease (AD) is believed to result from complex interactions between nutritional, environmental, epigenetic and genetic factors. Among those factors, altered circulating cholesterol homeostasis, independent of the APOE genotype, continues to be implicated in brain deposition of amyloid beta protein (Aβ) and the pathogenesis of AD. It is believed that trafficking of amyloid beta precursor protein (AβPP) into endolysosomes appears to play a critical role in determining amyloidogenic processing of AβPP because this is precisely where two enzymes critically important in AβPP metabolism are located; beta amyloid converting enzyme (BACE-1) and gamma secretase enzyme. We have shown that elevated levels of LDL cholesterol promote AβPP internalization, disturb neuronal endolysosome structure and function, and increase Aβ accumulation in neuronal endolysosomes. Here, we will further discuss the linkage between elevated levels of LDL cholesterol and AD pathogenesis, and explore the underlying mechanisms whereby elevated levels of plasma LDL cholesterol promote amyloidogenesis.
Space Management in the Administration of Higher Academic Institutions in Nigeria

Space management is an aspect of institutional management that deals with the allocation of appropriate space to various functional academic faculties which provides measurable benefits to the academic experience of students and staff. This paper deals with issues surrounding the organization of space management in institutions of higher learning in Nigeria. It highlights and offers alternative views on the importance of space management; the utilization of space as management tool, its constraints to effective organisational process management. The paper offers useful suggestions on how to improve space management efficiency in higher institutions. It also recommend that there is the need to centralised the responsibility for the space management; data relating to space-use and utilization should be collected on daily basis and stored in digital and manual formats.
Calorie Changes in Large Chain Restaurants: Declines in New Menu Items but Room for Improvement

Introduction Large chain restaurants reduced the number of calories in newly introduced menu items in 2013 by about 60 calories (or 12%) relative to 2012. This paper describes trends in calories available in large U.S. chain restaurants to understand whether previously documented patterns persist. Methods Data (a census of items for included restaurants) were obtained from the MenuStat project. This analysis included 66 of the 100 largest U.S. restaurants that are available in all three of the data years (2012−2014; N=23,066 items). Generalized linear models were used to examine: (1) per-item calorie changes from 2012 to 2014 among items on the menu in all years; and (2) mean calories in new items in 2013 and 2014 compared with items on the menu in 2012 only. Data were analyzed in 2014. Results Overall, calories in newly introduced menu items declined by 71 (or 15%) from 2012 to 2013 ( p =0.001) and by 69 (or 14%) from 2012 to 2014 ( p =0.03). These declines were concentrated mainly in new main course items (85 fewer calories in 2013 and 55 fewer calories in 2014; p =0.01). Although average calories in newly introduced menu items are declining, they are higher than items common to the menu in all 3 years. No differences in mean calories among items on menus in 2012, 2013, or 2014 were found. Conclusions The previously observed declines in newly introduced menu items among large restaurant chains have been maintained, which suggests the beginning of a trend toward reducing calories.
Anesthetic type and risk of myocardial infarction after carotid endarterectomy in the Carotid Revascularization Endarterectomy versus Stenting Trial (CREST)

Objective Carotid endarterectomy (CEA) is usually performed under general anesthesia (GA), although some advocate regional anesthesia (RA) to reduce hemodynamic instability and allow neurologic monitoring and selective shunting. RA does not reduce risk of periprocedural stroke or death, although some series show a reduction in myocardial infarction (MI). We investigated the association of anesthesia type and periprocedural MI among patients receiving GA or RA for CEA and patients undergoing carotid artery stenting (CAS) in the Carotid Revascularization Endarterectomy versus Stenting Trial (CREST). Methods Between 2000 and 2008, 1151 patients underwent CEA (anesthetic type available for 1149 patients), and 1123 patients underwent CAS ≤30 days of randomization in CREST. CEA patients were categorized by anesthetic type (GA vs RA). CREST defined protocol MI as chest pain or electrocardiogram change plus biomarker evidence of MI, and total MI was defined as protocol MI plus biomarker-positive (+)-only MI. The incidence of protocol MI and total MI in patients undergoing CEA under GA and RA were compared with those undergoing CAS. Other study end points were similarly compared. Differences in baseline characteristics and periprocedural events were evaluated among the three groups. Logistic regression, adjusting for age and symptomatic status, was used to assess group differences. Results The three groups had similar demographic risk factors, except for prevalence of symptomatic carotid stenosis, which was lowest in the CEA-RA group ( P = .03). Of the 111 patients in the CEA-RA group, no protocol MIs occurred and only two biomarker+-only MIs, for an overall incidence of 1.8%, similar to the 1.7% overall incidence in patients undergoing CAS. In contrast, the combined incidence of protocol and biomarker+-only MIs in the 1038 patients in the CEA-GA group was significantly higher at 3.4% ( P = .04), twice the risk of protocol MI and biomarker+-only MI compared with those undergoing CAS (odds ratio [OR], 2.01; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.14-3.54). Direct comparison of the MI incidence between CEA-RA and CEA-GA showed no statistical difference. Patients undergoing CEA-GA had lower odds of a periprocedural stroke (OR, 0.48; 95% CI, 0.28-0.79) and stroke or death (OR, 0.46; 95% CI, 0.27-0.76) compared with those undergoing CAS but were not significantly different from those undergoing CEA-RA. Conclusions Patients in CREST undergoing CEA-RA had a similar risk of periprocedural MI as those undergoing CAS, whereas the risk for CEA-GA was twice that compared with patients undergoing CAS. Nevertheless, because periprocedural MI is one of the few variables favoring CAS over CEA and has been associated with decreased long-term survival, RA should be seriously considered for patients undergoing CEA.
Graphene Oxide/Ammonium Perchlorate Composite Material for Use in Solid Propellants

An energetic composite material based on graphene oxide and ammonium perchlorate was prepared using a recrystallization method involving acetone and ethyl acetate as the solvent and antisolvent, respectively. This method resulted in the production of small crystals, where the graphene oxide wraps around the ammonium perchlorate particle to form a composite particle. The resulting composite material is found to enhance the thermal decomposition of ammonium perchlorate over just physically mixing. Furthermore, using this material, bimodal ammonium perchlorate/hydroxyl-terminated polybutadiene solid propellants were prepared. The combustion behavior of the propellants were investigated, and the graphene-oxide-based solid propellant resulted in a 15% increase in the burning rate at a pressure of 80 atm over the baseline material.
Strategies Underlying the Control of Disordered Movement

The purpose of this article is fourfold. First, a theory of motor control—the dual-strategy hypothesis—is outlined. Second, the methodologies and theoretical framework that are used to develop this theory are examined. Third, motor dysfunction is discussed in the context of this theory. In particular, Down syndrome, Parkinson's disease, cardiovascular accidents, and spasticity are discussed. Finally, potential applications of the theory to physical therapy are considered.
Noncontinuous positive airway pressure therapies for obstructive sleep apnea.

While continuous positive airway pressure is the first-line treatment for obstructive sleep apnea, many patients find this form of therapy undesirable leading to treatment nonadherence. Both mandibular advancement devices and surgical therapy offer alternative solutions for such patients. This article serves to compare the types of surgical interventions and mandibular advancement devices available, their mechanisms of action, and expected side effects. Emphasis is made on the limitations and challenges in the interpretation of the available literature due to the varying definitions of curative success. The effects of mandibular advancement devices and surgical therapy on the apnea–hypopnea index and oxygen saturation are reviewed. Patient-centered outcomes of sleepiness, quality of life, treatment preference, adherence, and their effects on disease-related outcomes of hypertension are summarized. When available, comparative effectiveness trials between these therapies versus continuous positive airway pressure are emphasized. Patient selection criteria, practice parameters, and treatment limitations are discussed.
Advanced imaging (positron emission tomography and magnetic resonance imaging) and image-guided biopsy in initial staging and monitoring of therapy of lung cancer.

AbstractThe results of the National Lung Screening Trial strongly support early detection and definitive treatment to reduce lung cancer mortality. Once lung cancer is discovered, accurate staging at baseline is imperative to maximize patient benefit and cost-effective use of health care resources.
Is Vocabulary Growth Influenced by the Relations among Words in a Language Learner's Vocabulary?.

Several recent studies have explored the applicability of the preferential attachment principle to account for vocabulary growth. According to this principle, network growth can be described by a process in which existing nodes recruit new nodes with a probability that is an increasing function of their connectivity within the existing network. The current study combined subjective estimates of the age of acquisition (AoA) and associations among words in a large corpus to estimate the organization of semantic knowledge at multiple points in vocabulary growth. Consistent with previous studies, the number of connections or relations among words followed a power law distribution in which relatively few words were highly connected with other words and most words were connected to relatively few words. In addition, the growth in the number of connections of a word was a linear function of its initial number of connections, and the ratio of connections to any two words was relatively constant over time. Finally, number of connections to known words was a reliable predictor of a word’s AoA. All of these findings can be shown to be consistent with the preferential attachment principle.
Enhancement of infectivity of cell-free varicella--zoster virus with diethylaminoethyl-dextran.

AbstractDiethylaminoethyl-dextran (DEAE-D) increased the cytopathic effect of varicella-zoster (V-Z) virus, and the plaquing efficiency observed 4 days after infection of MRC-5 human diploid fibroblasts with cell-free V-Z. When DEAE-D was added either before or after virus inoculation there was an increase of two- to fivefold in the number of plaques. The highest value of enhancement was obtained when DEAE-D was added to the maintenance medium at a final concentration of 5.0 μg/ml immediately after a period of virus adsorption. DEAE-D also had an augmenting effect on the adsorption and penetration kinetics of cell-free V-Z virus.
Maneuver Design for the Juno Mission: Inner Cruise

The Juno spacecraft launched in August 2011 and, following a successful Earth flyby in October 2013, is on course for a nominal orbit insertion at Jupiter in July 2016. This paper examines the design and execution of deterministic and statistical trajectory correction maneuvers during the first approximately 27 months of post-launch operations that defined the "Inner Cruise" phase of the Juno mission. Topics of emphasis include the two deep space maneuvers, Earth flyby altitude biasing strategy, and the sequence of trajectory correction maneuvers executed in the weeks prior to the successful Earth gravity assist.
Dynamic changes of neural cell adhesion molecule expression in seizure-induced brain injury and the inter- vention of ligustrazine

Objective To investigate the expression of neural cell adhesion molecule in rat cerebral cor- tex following recurrent seizures and to explore the possible underlying mechanism of neuro-protective effect of ligustrazine.Methods Ninety-six 20-day-old spragne-Dawley rats were divided randomly into three groups: the control group,the seizure group and ligustrazine treatment group.Rat seizure was induced by inhalant flurothyl.Brain tissues were sampled on day 1 and day 7 after seizure induction.The NCAM expressions and corresponding mRNA levels in cerebral cortex were detected by immuno-histochemistry method(SP)and re- verse transcription-polymerase chain reaction(RT-PCR)respectively.Results(1)Compared with the con- trol rats,NCAM expression in cerebral cortex on day 1 after the last seizure decreased significantly in seizure group(P0.05).The MCAM expression in cerebral cortex were higher obviously on day 7 after the last seizure in the seizure group than those on day 1(P0.05),but there was no significant difference between the control and the seizure group.(2)The NCAM expression in the cerebral cortex on day 1,7 after the last seizure increased significantly in the ligustrazine treatment group as compared with those in the seizure group (P0.05),but NCAM expression in the ligustrazine treatment group was obviously higher on day 7 after the last seizure than that on day 1.Conclusion(1)The NCAM expressions in the rat cerebral cortex with recur- rent seizures first decreased instandy and then increased gradually to the normal in the advanced stage,suggest- ing NCAM was involved in the pathogenesis of brain injury after recurrent seizures.(2)Ligustrazine can up- regulate the NCAM expression after the last seizure in both the early and advanced stage.NCAM expression upregnlation in the cerebral cortex is probably related to the neuro-protective effects of ligustrazine.
Anatomy: Anatomic Considerations for Efficiency and Precision in Robotic-Assisted Radical Prostatectomy

Practical success in performing laparoscopic robotic-assisted radical prostatectomy (RARP) depends on the ability of the surgeon to recognize and to preserve anatomic structures contiguous to the prostate that are essential not only for cure of disease but also for excellent functional outcomes.
Network Coding for Distributed Storage in Wireless Networks

We will address some of the problems related to storing information in multiple storage devices that are individually unreliable, and connected in a network. As an application consider a sensor network deployment in a remote and inaccessible environment where sensor nodes are taking measurements (possibly after processing) and storing data in the network, over long time periods. A data collector may appear at any location in the network and try to retrieve as much useful data as possible. Another scenario is a sensor network deployed in a time-critical or emergency situation (e.g. fire, flood, earthquake). Here, the focus is on maximizing the amount of sensed data than can be retrieved from a rapidly failing network. In both scenarios, many storage nodes are expected to fail and redundancy is necessary to guarantee the required reliability. This redundancy in the information representation can be introduced either through replication or through erasure coding. It is well known that information representations that use erasure codes require far less redundancy to provide the same level of reliability [42] and have been used in numerous applications (e.g. Reed-Solomon codes [37]). After extensive studies, essentially optimal erasure codes exist today, with linear encoding and decoding complexity [28, 40]. However, when coding is performed in an unstructured (and possibly dynamic) network, new issues arise that have not been addressed in classical coding theory. Specifically:
Hybridization in plants: old ideas, new techniques

Hybridization has played an important role in the evolution of many lineages. With the growing availability of genomic tools and advancements in genomic analyses, it is becoming increasingly clear that gene flow between divergent taxa can generate new phenotypic diversity, allow for adaptation to novel environments, and contribute to speciation. Hybridization can have immediate phenotypic consequences through the expression of hybrid vigor. On longer evolutionary time scales, hybridization can lead to local adaption through the introgression of novel alleles and transgressive segregation and, in some cases, result in the formation of new hybrid species. Studying both the abundance and the evolutionary consequences of hybridization has deep historical roots in plant biology. Many of the hypotheses concerning how and why hybridization contributes to biological diversity currently being investigated were first proposed tens and even hundreds of years ago. In this Update, we discuss how new advancements in genomic and genetic tools are revolutionizing our ability to document the occurrence of and investigate the outcomes of hybridization in plants.
Corrosion and adverse tissue reaction after modular unipolar hip hemiarthroplasty

Modern unipolar hip hemiarthroplasty, commonly used for displaced femoral neck fracture, is now modular, with both a variable length cobalt-chromium adapter-sleeve and large femoral head. Patients with these modular components may develop symptomatic trunnion corrosion, with elevated serum metal levels. We report the case of an 82-year-old woman, 5.5 years after a modular unipolar hip hemiarthroplasty, who presented with a 4-month history of hip pain and limp. Evaluation showed elevated serum cobalt and chromium levels and an acetabular cyst. At revision, fluid, tissue, and gross inspection were consistent with trunnion corrosion. The hip was revised with a ceramic head and dual mobility acetabular component, with a good result at 1 year. The designs of commercially available, modern unipolar hip hemiarthroplasty prostheses are reviewed.
Bundling or Grouping Pavement and Bridge Projects: Analysis and Strategies:

Project grouping is a concept that aims to reduce the overall costs of projects by combining smaller-scale pavement, bridge, and other projects under a single contract. To investigate the potential for state agencies to realize the benefits of project grouping, this study looked at economies of scale and economies of competition. The study documented the decline in unit cost as the size of the project increased for numerous bridge and pavement work types. Scale economies are true for single- and multiple-project contracts. Larger contracts lend themselves to economies of scale but can discourage all but the largest firms from bidding on the work. As a result, there is a range of contract sizes (measured in this study in terms of bridge deck area or lane mile of pavement) within which the contract is neither too small nor too big. From an examination of the work types for which adequate data were available, the size of combined projects that led to the best balance between economies of scale and economies ...
Sexual Revictimization: A Routine Activity Theory Explanation:

Research has shown that victims of sexual assault are at a significant risk of revictimization. We use routine activity theory to predict how sexual victimization in adolescence relates to depression, substance use, and ultimately revictimization as a young adult. We frame our research within routine activity theory and predict that sexual victimization increases substance use and depressive symptoms, both of which increase the likelihood of revictimization. We test the hypotheses with three waves of data from the Longitudinal Study of Violence Against Women. Using structural equation modeling, we examine the direct and indirect effects of previous sexual victimization, depressive symptoms, and substance use on the odds of victimization during the sophomore year of college. Results suggest that sexual victimization during the sophomore year of college is predicted directly by previous sexual victimization and also indirectly through depressive symptomology, though not substance use. Although understudied in the literature, depression is shown to mediate the relationship between victimization and revictimization, and this finding is consistent with routine activity theory, as well as the state dependence perspective on revictimization. Our findings suggest that depressive symptoms, a long acknowledged consequence of sexual victimization, should also be understood as a source of revictimization risk, indicating the importance of depression screening and intervention for decreasing sexual victimization.
Cardiac resynchronization therapy for the treatment of mild heart failure: A review of the clinical data

Cardiac resynchronization therapy (CRT) was originally established as an effective treatment for patients with systolic heart failure (HF) with New York Heart Association Class III–IV symptoms, reduced left ventricular ejection fraction and prolonged QRS duration ≥120 ms. Subsequent studies expanded the role of CRT to the treatment of patients with mildly symptomatic HF as these patients experienced similar improvement in clinical symptoms and reverse remodeling of the left ventricle. These clinical trial results were incorporated into the 2013 guidelines on cardiac pacing and CRT from the European Society of Cardiology and the 2012 American College of Cardiology Foundation/American Heart Association/Heart Rhythm Society Focused Update on Device-based Therapy of Cardiac Rhythm Abnormalities. Additional data from careful post hoc and substudy analyses as well as long-term follow-up of the original study cohorts have been performed. These results attempt to identify subgroups more likely to benefit from CRT, to define the association between response and QRS morphology/duration and to demonstrate the sustained benefit of CRT in this population. More importantly, these results highlight that patients with mildly symptomatic HF who respond to CRT not only have improvement in clinical symptoms but also receive a therapy that may prevent or delay progression of HF. A review of the clinical trials in mildly symptomatic HF and the results of subsequent post hoc analysis are summarized herein.
Reducing the Fontaine-Mazur Conjecture to Group Theory

Galois groups of infinite p-extensions of number fields unramified at p are a complete mystery. We find by computer a family of pro-p groups that satisfy everything that such a Galois group must, and give evidence for the conjecture that these are the only such groups. This suggests that these mysterious Galois groups indeed have a specific form of presentation. There are surprising connections with knot theory and quantum field theory. Finally, the Fontaine-Mazur conjecture reduces to a purely group-theoretic conjecture, and evidence for this conjecture and an extension of it is given.