cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Integrating the engineering design process into K-12 schools: The Kansas experience

The Information Age has brought with it an increased demand for more highly educated workers, especially in STEM-related fields. The Georgetown University Center on Education and the Workforce predicts that by 2020, 60% of U.S. jobs will require some sort of postsecondary education [1]. Kansas City has a goal of 60% of its adults over the age of 25 holding at least an Associate's degree by 2025 [2]. Student enrollment in postsecondary education peaked at 18.3 million in 2010 and has been declining since that time, in part because of a drop in the birth rate. Postsecondary enrollments are projected to increase again in 2023, but the bulk of new enrollments will be students from low-income families and/or who are the first in their families to seek postsecondary education. In response to workforce needs, we need to be thinking in terms of a K-16 system-a system that ensures that students who graduate from high school are well prepared for postsecondary education and that postsecondary institutions are focused on ensuring student success. Changes being made in K-12 education will most certainly affect faculty members in postsecondary education.
Rat liver alcohol dehydrogenase: II. Quantitative enzyme-linked immunoadsorbent assay

Monospecific rabbit antibodies against purified Fischer-344 rat liver alcohol dehydrogenase were produced and used to develop an enzyme-linked immunoadsorbent assay for alcohol dehydrogenase. The assay is based upon the competitive inhibition of specific antibody binding to antigen (alcohol dehydrogenase adsorbed onto plastic microtiter plates) by soluble alcohol dehydrogenase (contained in unknown sample extracts or in known standard solutions). The amount of bound antibody is determined following incubation with peroxidase-linked second antibody (goat anti-rabbit IgG antibody-peroxidase conjugate) by colorimetric measurements of peroxidase activity at 490 nm in the presence of O-phenylenediamine. The assay is highly sensitive (it detects 10-1000 ng alcohol dehydrogenase/50 microliter) and it offers a precise (interexperimental variations in samples were less than 10%), rapid (6-8 h), and specific method for measurements of alcohol dehydrogenase in tissue homogenates or cultured hepatocytes. The assay was used to study changes in alcohol dehydrogenase levels during the growth cycle of cultured hepatocytes over a 2-week period and in rat liver homogenates after starving the animals for 72 h. In cultured hepatocytes, alcohol dehydrogenase activity and immunoassayable enzyme levels decreased coordinately during lag and early log phase, from 13.2 +/- 1.2 to 5.0 +/- 1.0 micrograms enzyme/mg protein, respectively. In mid-log phase, the enzyme levels were very low (1.3 +/- 0.4 micrograms enzyme/mg protein). During stationary phase, the levels (5.7 +/- 0.6 micrograms enzyme/mg protein) increased to 35% of the levels of freshly isolated hepatocytes (15.6 +/- 1.4 micrograms enzyme/mg protein). In starved animals, the enzyme levels decreased from 7.56 +/- 0.55 to 2.97 +/- 0.27 mg enzyme/liver. These changes also coincided with decreases in activity from 8.84 +/- 0.35 to 6.56 +/- 0.68 microM/min/liver.
ON THE CONSTRUCTION OF THE HILBERT SPACE L2,M FOR AN OPERATOR-VALUED MEASURE M

Publisher Summary In a series of papers, Mandrekar and Salehi were able to generalize and extend the results of the case where the operator-valued measure M was over an infinite-dimensional Hilbert space. Much of this work was based on the extension to the infinite dimensional case of the two ideas concerning generalized inverse and operator-valued measures given as indefinite integrals. This chapter focuses on the role played by these two ideas in the construction of the space L 2,M , thereby presenting the results depended in some essential way on these ideas. Throughout the chapter, the approach to vectorial integration theory is used as developed by Bogdanowicz. When dealing with operator-valued measures over a Hilbert space, or Hilbert space valued measures, the natural domain for the measure is very often a pre-ring. The notion of a pre-ring is basic to the construction of integration theory developed by Bogdanowicz and is, therefore, a natural tool to use in this context.
Impact of Volunteer Wheat on Wheat Insects in a Wheat-Soybean Double-crop System

The impact of the presence of noncompetitive levels of volunteer wheat, Triticum aestivum L. em Thell, in a summer crop on insect infestations in a subsequent crop of winter wheat was examined in a...
Who is He Talking to?: An Introduction to Masculinist Rhetoric in Obama's Nobel Prize Acceptance Speech

The justness of war as a necessity for peace is a hallmark of modern American politics. A once hypocritical progressive outlook toward peaceful international relationships, American foreign policy rhetoric promoting the concept of war as a keeper of peace has become ingrained in the fabric of our democracy. Recently, after a concentrated effort to shift the focus of American foreign policy efforts out of Iraq and into Afghanistan and the rest of the Middle East during Obama's first term, political posture efficacy portending the escalation of national security measures overseas has reflected what Bonnie Mann calls a "style of national manhood" -- an "aesthetic" of masculinity that is "carried by stories and images more than by argument or reason" (180), functioning not as a promulgation of foreign policy efforts toward peace, but rather, as an orientation toward the legitimacy of war so that public support for national security efficacy becomes an intentional posture lived viscerally, a matter of who we are as a nation rather than a thoughtful commitment to the justice of a cause (Mann 180).
Modeling Response Style Using Vignettes and Person-Specific Item Response Theory:

Responses to survey data are determined not only by item characteristics and respondents’ trait standings but also by response styles. Recently, methods for modeling response style with personality...
Towards a Quantitative Understanding of Cell Identity

Cells have traditionally been characterized using expression levels of a few proteins that are thought to specify phenotype. This requires a priori selection of proteins, which can introduce descriptor bias, and neglects the wealth of additional molecular information nested within each cell in a population, which often makes these sparse descriptors qualitative. Recently, more unbiased and quantitative cell characterization has been made possible by new high-throughput, information-dense experimental approaches and data-driven computational methods. This review discusses such quantitative descriptors in the context of three central concepts of cell identity: definition, creation, and stability. Collectively, these concepts are essential for constructing quantitative phenotypic landscapes, which will enhance our understanding of cell biology and facilitate cell engineering for research and clinical applications.
Memories that Haunt: Layered Landscapes of Historical Trauma on the American Plains

This article explores the impact of American colonization on two American Indian communities, the Cheyenne and Arapaho, through the oral histories and personal narratives of tribal members. These s...
An Accelerated Test Method to Evaluate Cementitious Mixtures Subjected to Chemical Sulfate Attack

External sulfate attack continues to be a major threat to the long-term durability of concrete structures. Soil or water containing sufficient levels of sulfates can penetrate and chemically react with the hydrated cement compounds, leading to volumetric expansion, and in severe cases, softening of the hardened cementitious paste. While ASTM C1012, Standard Test Method for Length Change of Hydraulic-Cement Mortars Exposed to a Sulfate Solution, is the most widely accepted performance test method used to access the sulfate resistance of cementitious binders, the test requires at least six months and often up to twelve months to perform. This article presents a new accelerated method that places mortar bar specimens under high-vacuum while immersed in sulfate solution to accelerate the penetration and diffusion of sulfates in the specimens and therefore, the degradation and measured linear expansion of the specimens. Expansion, mass change, and visual degradation were assessed over time on mortar specimens immersed in a 5 % and 0.89 % sodium sulfate solution (Na2SO4) and subjected to the vacuum saturation procedure. Expansion results are compared with companion mortar bars that followed the ASTM C1012 method without vacuum saturation. When compared with the current ASTM method, the new test method showed a significant acceleration in the rate of expansion with severe visual deterioration observed two to three times quicker. Visual degradation and measured expansion occurred more rapidly for specimens subjected to the accelerated method and immersed in 5 % Na2SO4; however, mixtures subjected to the accelerated method and immersed in 0.89 % Na2SO4 still showed much faster expansion than companion specimens tested according to ASTM C1012 in 5 % Na2SO4.
Medical therapy for frontal fibrosing alopecia: A review and clinical approach

Background Guidelines for the treatment of frontal fibrosing alopecia (FFA) are limited, and the literature on treatment modalities consists mostly of case reports and cohort studies. Objectives In this review, we sought to assess the response of medical therapy for FFA and propose a clinical approach to management. Methods A literature search for “frontal fibrosing alopecia” on PubMed returned 270 items. In this review, only studies with treatment regimens and reported outcomes were considered. The majority of studies found were case reports and retrospective cohort studies. Response to therapy was assessed by reported ability to slow or arrest hair loss. Results Intralesional steroids and 5α-reductase inhibitors were the most commonly used therapies with the most positive treatment responses (88%, 181/204 for intralesional steroids and 88%, 158/180 for 5α-reductase inhibitors). Oral prednisone was seldom used and only temporarily delayed rapid hair loss. Other therapies evaluated included topical steroids, antibiotics, pioglitazone, systemic retinoids, and hair transplantation. Limitations Lack of placebo control studies and uniform outcome measures. Conclusion The natural course of FFA is variable. Recession of the frontal hairline might stabilize regardless of treatment. However, early intervention is encouraged in active disease because hair loss is presumed permanent and treatment could modify the disease course.
Cardiovascular implantable electronic device infection with rapidly growing mycobacteria

Cardiovascular implantable electronic devices, which are frequently utilized for many cardiovascular diseases, can become infected, leading to significant morbidity and mortality. This case highlights an unusual presentation of pacemaker generator pocket infection with Mycobacterium fortuitum.
Some Current Trends in Mathematical Research

One of the most striking features of modern mathematics is the high degree of specialization of the individual researcher. The result of this is that workers in one area are apt to be totally ignorant of many other areas (and sometimes even proud of this fact). The mathematician’s attitude to other disciplines such as physics and economics—in which the workers are interested not in mathematics per se but only in its applications to their problems—is something like: “I try to help everyone, but I have also my own concerns.”
A Frailty-Based Risk Score Predicts Morbidity and Mortality After Elective Endovascular Repair of Descending Thoracic Aortic Aneurysms

Background Thoracic endovascular aortic repair (TEVAR) has expanded access to descending thoracic aortic aneurysm (DTAA) repair particularly for elderly and frail patients. This high-risk population has limited long-term overall survival, such that appropriate patient selection is required to optimize patient benefit and resource utilization. Our objective is to develop and validate a frailty-based, procedure-specific risk score for patients undergoing elective TEVAR for DTAA. Methods Patients undergoing nonemergent TEVAR for DTAA during 2005–2016 were identified in the National Surgical Quality Improvement Program database. Those with concurrent cardiac or open aortic surgery, abdominal visceral intervention, or Zone 0 deployment were excluded. Patients were randomly divided between derivation and validation samples. The primary outcome was 30-day major adverse events (MAE), including mortality and major systemic complications. Using the derivation cohort, variables associated with MAE were identified by univariable analyses. Those with P Results Overall, 1,784 patients were included. 14% of the derivation patients had MAE (14% major complications, 4% mortality). Independent risk factors for MAE were primarily associated with markers of frailty and TEVAR extent and complexity and included functional dependence (OR 2.9, 95% CI 1.6–5.4), pulmonary disease (1.6, 1.1–2.4), thoracoabdominal extent (2.2 (1.4–3.4), need for iliac access (2.1, 1.1–3.8), and Zone I or II deployment (OR 1.7, 1.1–2.5). According to their respective beta coefficients, each variable was assigned a single point. Based on total points, patients were stratified as low- (0 points), intermediate- (1 point), or high-risk (≥2 points), with stepwise increases in mortality (0%, 4%, and 9%) and major complications (7%, 11%, and 23%) between strata. Validation patients had similar characteristics, risk strata distribution, and outcomes as the derivation patients, and the risk model had similar performance in both groups. Conclusions Markers of frailty and procedure complexity strongly predict MAE after TEVAR for DTAA and can improve patient selection by enabling patient and procedure-specific risk stratification. While TEVAR is safe in low-risk patients, intermediate-risk patients warrant careful discussion of the risks and benefits of aortic intervention; under certain circumstances, high-risk patients may not benefit. Further study is required to define the association between frailty and long-term outcomes.
Drosophila immunity against natural and nonnatural viral pathogens

The fruit fly Drosophila melanogaster is extensively used as a model species for molecular biology and genetics. It is also widely studied for its innate immune system to expand our understanding of immune host defenses against numerous pathogens. More precisely, studies using both natural and nonnatural Drosophila pathogens have provided a better perspective of viral infection strategies and immunity processes than any other invertebrate. This has made significant advances in identifying and characterizing the innate immune mechanisms by which hosts can combat viral pathogens. However, in-depth studies on antiviral immunity are still lacking due in part to the narrow research focus on the evolution and conservation of antiviral strategies to combat infections caused by both natural and nonnatural viruses. In this review, we will cover three major areas. First, we will describe the well-characterized antiviral immune mechanisms in Drosophila. Second, we will survey the specific pathways induced by natural viruses that have been studied in Drosophila. Finally, we will discuss the pathways activated by nonnatural viruses, drawing comparisons to natural viruses and giving an unprecedented insight into the virus community of Drosophila that is necessary to understand the evolutionary and immune context needed to develop Drosophila as a model for virus research.
Multidisciplinary Treatment to Restore Vision in Ocular Burns

Periorbital burns generate contraction and distortion of periorbital soft tissue, causing eyelid malfunction, further contributing to loss of vision from corneal scarring or perforation. We present our multidisciplinary algorithm to restore vision in patients with burn-related bilateral corneal blindness with light perception. Chart review was performed for four consecutive burn patients requiring periocular reconstruction and keratoprosthesis. Initial treatment included globe coverage with eyelid releases and grafts. Strategy of corneal replacement was determined by eyelid position and function and sufficiency of tear production. All patients were corneal blind with light perception only and cicatricial ectropion. The eye with better visual prognosis was reconstructed. Eyelid reconstruction procedures consisted of lid releases with full-thickness skin graft (FTSG) or split-thickness skin graft (STSG). Two patients regained adequate lid function and underwent standard keratoprosthesis placement. Two underwent mucous membrane grafts followed by keratoprosthesis. All patients experienced improved postoperative vision in their reconstructed eye. Corneal injury due to periocular burns can lead to blindness. Early involvement of ophthalmology, protective measures, and early ectropion release are critical. For severe burns, a multidisciplinary approach, where adequate globe protection is followed by keratoprosthesis placement, can effectively restore vision in patients with burn-related corneal blindness.
School district operational spending and student outcomes: Evidence from tax elections in seven states

Abstract We use close tax elections to estimate the impact of school district funding increases on operational spending and student outcomes across seven states. Districts with passing levies directed new revenue toward support services and instructor salaries but did not increase teacher staffing levels. These districts eventually realized gains in student achievement and attainment. Our preferred estimates imply that increasing operational spending by $1000 per pupil increased test scores by approximately 0.15 of a standard deviation and graduation rates by approximately 9 percentage points. There is some evidence of diminishing returns, as these effects are driven by districts below the median in spending per pupil. Based on research linking academic outcomes to earnings, we conclude that these spending increases were likely cost-effective.
Decoupling copolymer, lipid and carbon nanotube interactions in hybrid, biomimetic vesicles

Bilayer vesicles that mimic a real biological cell can be tailored to carry out a specific function by manipulating the molecular composition of the amphiphiles. These bio-inspired and bio-mimetic structures are increasingly being employed for a number of applications from drug delivery to water purification and beyond. Complex hybrid bilayers are the key building blocks for fully synthetic vesicles that can mimic biological cell membranes, which often contain a wide variety of molecular species. While the assembly and morpholgy of pure phospholid bilayer vesicles is well understood, the functionality and structure dramaticlly changes when copolymer and/or carbon nanotube porins (CNTP) are added. The aim of this study is to understand how the collective molecular interactions within hybrid vesicles affect their nanoscale structure and properties. In situ small and wide angle X-ray scattering (SAXS/WAXS) and molecular dynamics simulations (MD) are used to investigate the morphological effect of molecular interactions between polybutadiene polyethylene oxide, lipids and carbon nanotubes (CNT) within the hybrid vesicle bilayer. Within the lipid/copolymer system, the hybrid bilayer morphology transitions from phase separated lipid and compressed copolymer at low copolymer loadings to a mixed bilayer where opposing lipids are mostly separated from the inner region. This transition begins between 60 wt% and 70 wt%, with full homogenization observed by 80 wt% copolymer. The incorporation of CNT into the hybrid vesicles increases the bilayer thickness and enhances the bilayer symmetry. Analysis of the WAXS and MD indicate that the CNT-dioleoyl interactions are much stronger than the CNT-polybutadiene.
Cognitive Impairment in Individuals with Bipolar Disorder with and without Comorbid Alcohol and/or Cocaine Use Disorders

Abstract Background Bipolar disorder (BD) frequently co-occurs with substance use disorders (SUDs), and both are associated with cognitive impairment. This study compares cognition between individuals with BD with and without current alcohol use disorder (AUD), cocaine use disorder (CUD), or both, as these disorders may be linked with additive cognitive impairment. Methods Baseline data were analyzed from five clinical studies of individuals with the aforementioned disorders (N = 373). Participants were grouped as follows: BD-only, BD + AUD, BD + CUD, or BD + AUD + CUD. Cognition was assessed with the Rey Auditory Verbal Learning Test (RAVLT) (verbal learning and memory) and Stroop Color Word Test (executive function). Multiple linear regression models determined if SUD diagnosis, among other demographic and clinical variables, predicted each cognitive test's T-score. Regression equations were used to compute each group's mean T-scores. Results All groups demonstrated below-average mean T-scores on all tests, with no significant between-group score differences. RAVLT total T-scores were lower than Stroop color-word T-scores within all groups (non-overlapping 95% confidence intervals). Higher daily cocaine use predicted higher Stroop T-scores (p Limitations A full cognitive battery and some relevant variables (e.g. BD lifetime illness course) were not available. Many participants (42.1%) had additional SUDs. Conclusions BD with and without AUD/CUD was found to be associated with greater deficits in verbal learning and memory than in executive function. Addressing these impaired domains in dually-diagnosed patients may improve treatment and functional outcomes.
Ecology and Population Biology of Parasites. Sanitation and Vector Control

Good plumbing has done more for good health than has good medicine. Appropriate methods of sewage disposal and a clean water supply protect large populations from intestinal parasites transmitted by fecal contamination. Similarly, good housing tends to reduce the transmission of insect vector-borne diseases. This would be particularly true of Chagas’ disease in South and Central America. The rather large bugs that are essential to the transmission of Trypanosoma cruzi live in thatched roofs and the cracks of mud houses (Fig. 26.1). They would find fewer dwelling places in a well-built house. The provision of such housing for the large populations concerned is, however, economically not feasible under present conditions, so that other methods for control must be used. With a disease like malaria, while good houses with screens do help to reduce transmission, they are not sufficient by themselves to interrupt it, especially under tropical conditions. Some anopheline mosquitoes bite people while they are outdoors in the early evening. Knowledge of the habits of the vector is essential. This becomes even more obvious with vectors that bite by day, such as tsetse flies or Simulium. People are unavoidably exposed to these in their ordinary daily activities. Workers clearing jungle are at special risk to infection with Leishmania spp. borne by sand flies infected from various animal reservoir hosts.
An arithmetic enrichment of Bézout’s Theorem

The classical version of Bezout’s Theorem gives an integer-valued count of the intersection points of hypersurfaces in projective space over an algebraically closed field. Using work of Kass and Wickelgren, we prove a version of Bezout’s Theorem over any perfect field by giving a bilinear form-valued count of the intersection points of hypersurfaces in projective space. Over non-algebraically closed fields, this enriched Bezout’s Theorem imposes a relation on the gradients of the hypersurfaces at their intersection points. As corollaries, we obtain arithmetic–geometric versions of Bezout’s Theorem over the reals, rationals, and finite fields of odd characteristic.
Charge trapping at Fe due to midgap levels in Ga 2 O 3

Fe acts as an electron trap in gallium oxide (Ga2O3), thereby producing a semi-insulating material that can be used in device fabrication. However, such trapping can lead to negative effects when Fe is unintentionally incorporated into bulk crystals or thin films. In this work, photoinduced electron paramagnetic resonance (photo-EPR) is used to investigate carrier capture at Fe in β-Ga2O3. Two crystals doped with 8 × 1017 cm−3 and 5 × 1018 cm−3 Fe and one Mg-doped crystal containing 7 × 1016 cm−3 unintentional Fe are studied by illuminating with LEDs of photon energies 0.7–4.7 eV. Steady state photo-EPR results show that electrons excited from Ir, an unintentional impurity in bulk crystals, are trapped at Fe during illumination with photon energy greater than 2 eV. Significantly, however, trapping at Fe also occurs in the crystals where Ir does not participate. In such cases, we suggest that excitation of intrinsic defects such as oxygen or gallium vacancies are responsible for trapping of carriers at Fe. The results imply that the investigation of intrinsic defects and their interaction with Fe is necessary to realize stable and reliable Ga2O3:Fe devices.
A guide to therapeutic drug monitoring of β-lactam antibiotics

Therapeutic drug monitoring (TDM) opens the door to personalized medicine, yet it is infrequently applied to β-lactam antibiotics, one of the most commonly prescribed drug classes in the hospital setting. As we continue to understand more about β-lactam pharmacodynamics (PD) and wide inter- and intra-patient variability in pharmacokinetics (PK), the utility of TDM has become increasingly apparent. For β-lactams, the time that free concentrations remain above the minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) as a function of the dosing interval (%fT>MIC) has been shown to best predict antibacterial effect. Many studies have shown that β-lactam %fT>MIC exposures are often suboptimal across a wide variety of disease states and clinical settings. A limitation to implementing this practice is the general lack of understanding on how to best operationalize this intervention and interpret the results. The instrumentation and expertise needed to quantify β-lactams for TDM is rarely available locally, but certain laboratories advertise these services and perform them regularly. Familiarity with the modalities and nuances of antimicrobial susceptibility testing is crucial to establishing β-lactam concentration targets that meet the relevant exposure thresholds. Evaluation of these concentrations is best accomplished using population PK software and Bayesian modeling, for which a multitude of programs are available. While TDM of β-lactams has shown an ability to increase the rate of target attainment, there is currently limited evidence to suggest that it leads to improved clinical outcomes. Although consensus guidelines for β-lactam TDM do not exist in the United States, guidance would help to promote this important practice and better standardize the approach across institutions. Herein, we discuss the basis for β-lactam TDM, review supporting evidence, and provide guidance for implementation in specific patient populations.
Optimal qubit assignment and routing via integer programming

We consider the problem of mapping a logical quantum circuit onto a given hardware with limited two-qubit connectivity. We model this problem as an integer linear program, using a network flow formulation with binary variables that includes the initial allocation of qubits and their routing. We consider several cost functions: an approximation of the fidelity of the circuit, its total depth, and a measure of cross-talk, all of which can be incorporated in the model. Numerical experiments on synthetic data and different hardware topologies indicate that the error rate and depth can be optimized simultaneously without significant loss. We test our algorithm on a large number of quantum volume circuits, optimizing for error rate and depth; our algorithm significantly reduces the number of CNOTs compared to Qiskit's default transpiler SABRE, and produces circuits that, when executed on hardware, exhibit higher fidelity.
Computational Intelligence in Uncertainty Quantification for Learning Control and Differential Games

Multi-dimensional uncertainties often modulate modern system dynamics in a complicated fashion. They lead to challenges for real-time control, considering the significant computation load needed to evaluate them in real-time decision processes. This chapter describes the use of computationally effective uncertainty evaluation methods for adaptive optimal control, including learning control and differential games. Two uncertainty evaluation methods are described, the multivariate probabilistic collocation method (MPCM) and its extension the MPCM-OFFD that integrates the MPCM with the orthogonal fractional factorial design (OFFD) to break the curse of dimensionality. These scalable uncertainty evaluation methods are then developed for reinforcement learning (RL)-based adaptive optimal control. Stochastic differential games, including the two-player zero-sum and multi-player nonzero-sum games, are formulated and investigated. Nash equilibrium solutions for these games are found in real time using the MPCM-based on-policy/off-policy RL methods. Real-world applications on broad-band long-distance aerial networking and strategic air traffic management demonstrate the practical use of MPCM- and MPCM-OFFD-based learning control for uncertain systems.
Wind and solar generation may reduce the inter-annual variability of peak residual load in certain electricity systems

Abstract Electricity systems worldwide are transforming from relying almost exclusively on firm, predictable generation (e.g., fossil, nuclear, and large hydropower) towards incorporating more variable generation (e.g., wind and solar PV). In these systems, the electric load minus generation from variable resources is known as the “residual load.” The peak residual load provides an estimate of the dispatchable power capacity required to supply electric load during all hours. We analyze a decade of concurrent historical electric load and weather data from four electricity systems. For each system, we construct hypothetical, plausible residual load profiles to study the peak residual load values and their spread from year to year, the “inter-annual variability,” as a function of wind and solar generation. The inter-annual variability in the peak residual load can be equated with the spread in dispatchable power capacity required to supply all load from year to year in electricity systems. In each system, adding variable generation changed the inter-annual variability in the peak residual load values. The introduction of variable renewable power is often thought to increase the variability of most electricity systems characteristics. In contrast, using our simple approach, we show the inter-annual variability in peak residual load may decrease with added solar generation in systems where peak load occurs in the summer months. We attribute these reductions to correlations between the availability of solar generation and the hours of peak electric load, which occurred during the hottest days each year, when electric cooling (air conditioning) was likely used. Also, we show the inter-annual variability in peak residual load decreased in certain circumstances when adding wind generation to the system with a winter peaking load. An understanding of how and why this spread in peak dispatchable power capacity changes with increasing wind and solar deployment could inform long-term planning and resource adequacy targets for electricity systems.
Customer relationship management capabilities: Measurement, antecedents and consequences

Purpose – This study seeks to extend the resource‐based view to the context of customer relationship management. It is intended to develop a measurement model of customer relationship management (CRM) capabilities, and to explore the key antecedents and performance consequences of CRM capabilities.Design/methodology/approach – Questionnaire survey was used to collect data. In order to develop a reliable and valid measurement model of CRM capabilities, several rounds of questionnaire survey were conducted, and hypotheses were tested by utilizing the technique of structural equation modeling.Findings – A three‐factor (customer interaction management capability, customer relationship upgrading capability and customer win‐back capability) measurement model of CRM capabilities is developed and tested. Furthermore, results support the hypothesized influences of customer orientation, customer‐centric organizational system and CRM technology on CRM capabilities, as well as the influence of CRM capabilities on org...
Defective Activation of Protein Kinase C and Ras-ERK Pathways Limits IL-2 Production and Proliferation by CD4+CD25+ Regulatory T Cells

Naturally occurring CD4+CD25+ regulatory T cells (Tregs), which play an important role in the maintenance of self-tolerance, proliferate poorly and fail to produce IL-2 following stimulation in vitro with peptide-pulsed or anti-CD3-treated APCs. When TCR proximal and distal signaling events were examined in Tregs, we observed impairments in the amplitude and duration of tyrosine phosphorylation when compared with the response of CD4+CD25- T cells. Defects were also seen in the activity of phospholipase C-gamma and in signals downstream of this enzyme including calcium mobilization, NFAT, NF-kappaB, and Ras-ERK-AP-1 activation. Enhanced stimulation of diacylglycerol-dependent pathways by inhibition of diacylglycerol metabolism could overcome the "anergic state" and support the ability of Tregs to up-regulate CD69, produce IL-2, and proliferate. Our results demonstrate that Tregs maintain their hyporesponsive state by suppressing the induction and propagation of TCR-initiated signals to control the accumulation of second messengers necessary for IL-2 production and proliferation.
HPLC Uv-Vis Analysis of Multiple Pesticides Extracted from Biological Tissues: Effects of Acetonitrile/Hexane on Detection.

Exposure to chlorinated pesticides continues to be of great public health concern. They are extremely persistent; accumulate in sediments, plants, and animals with high bioaccumulation potentials i...
Predictors of symptomatic lymphocele after radical prostatectomy and bilateral pelvic lymph node dissection.

Objectives: Lymphocele is the most common complication of pelvic lymphadenectomy (PLND). We sought to determine predictors of symptomatic lymphocele after radical prostatectomy (RP) and PLND, and in particular, to determine if the number of drains placed represents an independent predictor. Methods: Between January 1999 and June 2007, 4173 consecutive patients underwent bilateral PLND at the time of either open or laparoscopic RP. Lymphoceles were identified in patients undergoing imaging as a result of symptoms suspicious for lymphocele, such as fever, abdominal pain or lower extremity swelling. Routine postoperative imaging was not carried out. Cox proportional hazards analysis was carried out using forced variable entry to obtain maximum likelihood estimates of the hazard ratios and 95% confidence intervals using the number of drains placed, number of nodes removed, RP approach and use of prophylactic low-molecular-weight heparin (LMWH) as predictors of symptomatic lymphocele. Results: There were 164 patients (4%) with a symptomatic lymphocele on follow up, with a median time to presentation of 19 days. The primary presenting complaints were fever in 47%, abdominal pain in 40%, lower extremity swelling in 37%, genital swelling in 25%, groin pain in 22%, abdominal swelling in 9%, and back and flank pain in 6% and 5%, respectively. Median lymphocele diameter was 5 cm. Significant predictors of symptomatic lymphocele on multivariate analysis included number of nodes removed and use of LMWH, but not number of drains placed. Conclusions: Use of prophylactic LMWH and a higher node count are predictive of a higher incidence of symptomatic lymphocele after RP and PLND.
Parental Involvement Laws and New Governance

This article relies on ethnographical research on the effectiveness of laws that require notice to or consent from a parent before a minor’s abortion. I first explore the limited potential of three common proposals for reform: revision of statutory language, changing public perceptions of the “good parent” and “bad teen,” and challenging aspects of consent or notice laws in court. I argue that those interested in easing the burden that parental involvement laws impose on young women should intervene at the level of informal decision-making. I draw from new governance scholarship to show how influencing local relationships among gatekeepers of services might better address current obstacles to reform. I temper support for new governance with an assessment of its potential risks, such as its tendency to naturalize power imbalances and to seek overly procedural solutions.
Estimation of solutions to a second order control problem by finite element method with different boundary conditions

Summary form only given. A brief introduction to the finite element method is given and it is applied to solve a real control problem with different boundary conditions and inputs. The problem considered is a 1D 2-point boundary-value problem characterized by a second-order linear ordinary differential equation with a pair of boundary conditions. Although the problem is not complex, the mathematical structure and our approach in formulating the finite element approximation are essentially the same as those in more complex problems. A mechanical system of an automobile containing a spring and shock-absorber is used. Two types of system linear equations, symmetric tridiagonal and nonsymmetric tridiagonal, are used to study this problem. The mid-point integral method is used in all simulations. Three software programs from the ESSL FORTRAN library are used: DPTSL is used in the symmetric tridiagonal system; DGTF and DGTS are used in the nonsymmetric system. Given linear and nonlinear inputs with different boundary conditions, the accuracy of the estimate solutions and the convergence speed are different. From the simulations, we know that using nonlinear input will increase output response error. To compensate for this problem, a small element (interval) is required. From the simulation results, we also know that the accuracy of the response is highly dependent on the essential boundary conditions.
Summary of NASA's Extreme Short Take-Off and Landing (ESTOL) Vehicle Sector Activities

NASA is exploring a research activity to identify the technologies that will enable an Extreme Short Take-Off and Landing (ESTOL) aircraft. ESTOL aircraft have the potential to offer a viable solution to airport congestion, delay, capacity, and community noise concerns. This can be achieved by efficiently operating in the underutilized or unused airport ground and airspace infrastructure, while operating simultaneously, but not interfering with, conventional air traffic takeoffs and landings. Concurrently, the Air Force is exploring ESTOL vehicle solutions in the same general performance class as the NASA ESTOL vehicle to meet a number of Advanced Air Mobility missions. The capability goals of both the military and civil vehicles suggests synergistic technology development benefits. This paper presents a summary of the activities being supported by the NASA ESTOL Vehicle Sector.
Diseases and disorders of muscle

Muscle may suffer from a number of diseases or disorders, some being fatal to humans and animals. Their management or treatment depends on correct diagnosis. Although no single method may be used to identify all diseases, recognition depends on the following diagnostic procedures: (1) history and clinical examination, (2) blood biochemistry, (3) electromyography, (4) muscle biopsy, (5) nuclear magnetic resonance, (6) measurement of muscle cross-sectional area, (7) tests of muscle function, (8) provocation tests, and (9) studies on protein turnover. One or all of these procedures may prove helpful in diagnosis, but even then identification of the disorder may not be possible. Nevertheless, each of these procedures can provide useful information. Among the most common diseases in muscle are the muscular dystrophies, in which the newly identified muscle protein dystrophin is either absent or present at less than normal amounts in both Duchenne and Becker's muscular dystrophy. Although the identification of dystrophin represents a major breakthrough, treatment has not progressed to the experimental stage. Other major diseases of muscle include the inflammatory myopathies and neuropathies. Atrophy and hypertrophy of muscle and the relationship of aging, exercise, and fatigue all add to our understanding of the behavior of normal and abnormal muscle. Some other interesting related diseases and disorders of muscle include myasthenia gravis, muscular dysgenesis, and myclonus. Disorders of energy metabolism include those caused by abnormal glycolysis (Von Gierke's, Pompe's, Cori-Forbes, Andersen's, McArdle's, Hers', and Tauri's diseases) and by the acquired diseases of glycolysis (disorders of mitochondrial oxidation). Still other diseases associated with abnormal energy metabolism include lipid-related disorders (carnitine and carnitine palmitoyl-transferase deficiencies) and myotonic syndromes (myotonia congenita, paramyotonia congenita, hypokalemic and hyperkalemic periodic paralysis, and malignant hyperexia). Diseases of the connective tissues discussed include those of nutritional origin (scurvy, lathyrism, starvation, and protein deficiency), the genetic diseases (dermatosparaxis, Ehlers-Danlos syndrome, osteogenesis imperfecta, Marfan syndrome, homocystinuria, alcaptonuria, epidermolysis bullosa, rheumatoid arthritis in humans, polyarthritis in swine, Aleutian disease of mink, and the several types of systemic lupus erythematosus) and the acquired diseases of connective tissues (abnormal calcification, systemic sclerosis, interstitial lung disease, hepatic fibrosis, and carcinomas of the connective tissues). Several of the diseases of connective tissues may prove to be useful models for determining the relationship of collagen to meat tenderness and its other physical properties. Several other promising models for studying the nutrition-related disorders and the quality-related characteristics of meat are also reviewed.
Fragmented to Death: The Study of Violence and the Utility of Criminology

This essay examines the current state of the field of criminology and argues that by under-representing corporate violence, over-representing street crime, and not often addressing political crime, criminology as a field is doing a disservice to our students. Further, the study of group violence and “new wars” could be enriched by the viewpoint of sociologists and criminologists.
Equation Reliability of Soil Ingestion Estimates in Mass‐Balance Soil Ingestion Studies

Exposure to chemicals from ingestion of contaminated soil may be an important pathway with potential health consequences for children. A key parameter used in assessing this exposure is the quantity of soil ingested, with estimates based on four short longitudinal mass-balance soil ingestion studies among children. The estimates use trace elements in the soil with low bioavailability that are minimally present in food. Soil ingestion corresponds to the excess trace element amounts excreted, after subtracting trace element amounts ingested from food and medications, expressed as an equivalent quantity of soil. The short duration of mass-balance studies, different concentrations of trace elements in food and soil, and potential for trace elements to be ingested from other nonsoil, nonfood sources contribute to variability and bias in the estimates. We develop a stochastic model for a soil ingestion estimator based on a trace element that accounts for critical features of the mass-balance equation. Using results from four mass-balance soil ingestion studies, we estimate the accuracy of soil ingestion estimators for different trace elements, and identify subjects where the difference between Al and Si estimates is larger (>3 RMSE) than expected. Such large differences occur in fewer than 12% of subjects in each of the four studies. We recommend the use of such criteria to flag and exclude subjects from soil ingestion analyses.
Identification of the Spectrin Subunit and Domains Required for Formation of Spectrin/Adducin/Actin Complexes

Abstract Adducin is an actin-binding protein that has been proposed to function as a regulated assembly factor for the spectrin/actin network. This study has addressed the question of the subunit and domains of spectrin required for formation of spectrin/adducin/actin complexes in in vitro assays. Quantitative evidence is presented that the β-spectrin N-terminal domain plus the first two α-helical domains are required for optimal participation of spectrin in spectrin/adducin/actin complexes. The α subunit exhibited no detectable activity either alone or following association with β-spectrin. The critical domains of β-spectrin involved in complex formation were determined using recombinant proteins expressed in bacteria. The N-terminal domain (residues 1–313) of β-spectrin associated with F-actin with a Kd of 26 μM, and promoted adducin binding to F-actin with half-maximal activation at 110 nM. Addition of the first α-helical domain (residues 1–422) lowered the Kd for F-actin by 4-fold to 6 μM, but also reduced the capacity by 3-fold and had no effect on interaction with adducin. Further addition of the second α-helical domain (residues 1–528) did not alter binding to F-actin but resulted in a 2-fold increased activity in promoting adducin binding with half-maximal activation at 50 nM. Addition of up to eight additional α-helical domains (residues 1-1388) resulted in no further change in F-actin binding or association with adducin. These results demonstrate an unanticipated role of the first repeat of β-spectrin in actin binding activity and of the second repeat in association with adducin/actin, and imply the possibility of an extended contact between adducin, spectrin, and actin involving several actin subunits.
The structure and vibrational spectra of isotopomers of SnOH and OSnH

Abstract Density-functional theoretical techniques are used to determine the structure and vibrational frequencies of SnOH and OSnH and its oxygen and hydrogen isotopomers. The results are compared to the conclusions of a recent experimental study of Sn+H 2 in which H 2 O was a known contaminant.
Abnormal origins of the long head of the biceps tendon can lead to rotator cuff pathology: a report of two cases

Previous case reports have highlighted various anomalous origins of the long head of the biceps tendon (LHBT) that do not originate from the superior glenoid labrum or supraglenoid tubercle. Yet, these cases were all reported as incidental findings and were not thought to cause any significant shoulder pathology. We present the magnetic resonance (MR) imaging and clinical treatment of two cases where aberrant intra-articular origins of the long head of the biceps tendon from the anterior edge of the supraspinatus tendon may have contributed to symptomatic rotator cuff pathology. Arthroscopy confirmed MR findings of partial articular-sided supraspinatus lesions in close proximity to the anomalous origins and treatment with tenodesis of the LHBT successfully relieved symptoms. Although rare occurrences with subtle and potentially misleading imaging findings, it is important to be aware of aberrant origins of the LHBT that may contribute to concomitant rotator cuff pathology.