cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
A Diagnostic Technique for Multilevel Inverters Based on a Genetic-Algorithm to Select a Principal Component Neural Network

A genetic-algorithm-based selective principal component neural network method for fault diagnosis system in a multilevel inverter is proposed in this paper. Multilayer perceptron (MLP) networks are used to identify the type and location of occurring faults from inverter output voltage measurement. Principal component analysis (PCA) is utilized to reduce the neural network input size. A lower dimensional input space will also usually reduce the time necessary to train a neural network, and the reduced noise may improve the mapping performance. The genetic algorithm is also applied to select the valuable principal components. The neural network design process including principal component analysis and the use of genetic algorithm is clearly described. The comparison among MLP neural network (NN), principal component neural network (PC-NN), and genetic algorithm based selective principal component neural network (PC-GA-NN) are performed. Proposed networks are evaluated with a simulation test set and an experimental test set. The PC-NN has improved overall classification performance from NN by about 5% points, whereas PC-GA-NN has better overall classification performance from NN by about 7.5% points. The overall classification performance of the proposed networks is more than 90%.
Chemical carcinogens used to induce spontaneous tumors may suppress tumor specific T-cell immunity

Meeting abstracts Many mouse models of breast cancer have been developed that closely replicate human breast cancer subtypes at the genomic level. In order to develop vaccines that could prevent a broad spectrum of breast cancer subtypes, a combination of different spontaneous tumor models are
A survey of physicians’ perceptions of their health care needs

Background Physicians may face unique challenges in accessing health care and managing their own health. Aims To evaluate physicians' perceptions of their health care needs and desired services. Methods A written survey, distributed and collected anonymously among attendees at a large primary care continuing medical education conference. Results The survey was given to 346 physicians and 141 (41%) responded. The majority of physicians (53%) reported having difficulty accessing health care and reverting to self-diagnosis and treatment (63%). Over 83% reported having or knowing a colleague who had a career-threatening illness and 42% had experienced concern about a colleague's ability to practise safely. Conclusions Physicians as an occupational group have challenges in accessing health care, very commonly suffer career-limiting illnesses and revert to self-diagnosis and treatment. Programmes tailored to providing health care to physicians are needed.
The EFfects of Elemental Sequence and Pairing on Interdiffusion and Phase Formation of Al-Ge-Ni Ohmic Contacts for (001) GaAs

The growth sequence of Al, Ge, and Ni metals has been shown to dramatically affect the amount of heat treatment time required to convert the ohmic contact metallization from Schottky to ohmic behavior. Interpretation of inter/diffusion and phase formation of the Al-Ge, Al-Ni, or Ni-Ge thin film couples were measured. Auger depth profiles and thin film X-ray diffraction were used to determine interdiffusion and phase formation resulting from various types of thermal processing. The effects of interdiffusion and formation of phases such as Ni-Ga, Ni-As, Ni-Ga-Ge, and Ni-As-Ge from the two element metallizations on GaAs will be used to explain the origin of ohmic behavior for the ternary Al-Ge-Ni contacts to GaAs.
Estuarine phytoplankton group-specific responses to sublethal concentrations of the agricultural herbicide, atrazine.

Atrazine is a common agricultural herbicide that is readily transported into estuaries through surface water runoff. In this study, we determined the short-term (24–48 h) sublethal effects of atrazine on estuarine phytoplankton biomass and community composition. Phytoplankton group-specific responses to atrazine exposure (25 l gl � 1 ) were measured using natural water samples collected from two locations in Galveston Bay, Texas. Addition bioassays, coupled with HPLC pigment analysis, were used to quantify changes in the relative abundances of algal groups. For all algal groups except prasinophytes, the addition of atrazine in combination with nitrate was not significantly different from nitrate additions alone. These results suggest no significant negative effect of atrazine on phytoplankton under the specified environmental conditions for the bioassays. Although low concentrations of atrazine may have minimal impacts on phytoplankton, herbicide loadings need to be further characterized before generalizations can be applied to estuarine and coastal ecosystems. 2002 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.
Options for dynamic address translation in COMAs

In modern processors, the dynamic translation of virtual addresses to support virtual memory is done before or in parallel with the first-level cache access. As processor technology improves at a rapid pace and the working sets of new applications grow insatiably the latency and bandwidth demands on the TLB (Translation Lookaside Buffer) are getting more and more difficult to meet. The situation is worse in multiprocessor systems, which run larger applications and are plagued by the TLB consistency problem.We evaluate and compare five options for virtual address translation in the context of COMAs (Cache Only Memory Architectures). The dynamic address translation mechanism can be located after the cache access provided the cache is virtual. In a particular design, which we call V-COMA for Virtual COMA, the physical address concept and the traditional TLB are eliminated. While still supporting virtual memory, V-COMA reduces the address translation overhead to a minimum.V-COMA scales well and works better in systems with large number of processors. As a machine running on virtual addresses, V-COMA provides a simple and consistent hardware model to the operating system and the compiler, in which further optimization opportunities are possible.
Factors Affecting the Dependency on LH in the Regulation of Corpus Luteum Progesterone Secretion in the Rat1

To determine whether the secretion of progesterone by the corpora lutea (CL) of pseudopregnant (PSP) rats is (or becomes) dependent on LH, 0.5 ml of a specific equine antiserum tobovine LH (LH-AS) was injected subcutaneously once on one of the days between day 7 and day 11 of PSP; the peripheral serum progesterone level 24 and 72 hr after treatment was determined, together with atleast one biological indication of progesterone secretion. In decidual tissue-bearing rats (DT-PSP) LH-AS on day 7 had no effect on the progesterone level, PSP duration or DT weight. LH-AS on day 8 caused a fall in the progesterone level 72 hr later, a moderate shortening of PSP and a profound regressionof the DT. LH-AS on day 9 also caused a profound regression of the DT, but also drastically reduced the progesterone level within 24 hr, and markedly shortened the PSP. In PSP rats hysterectomized on day 5 (acute Hect-PSP) LH-AS on either day 7 or day 8 had no effect; treatment on day 9 reduced the progesterone level and shortened...
Taiwanese Graduate Students’ Personal Experiences on Culturally Related Language Anxiety and Adjustment

This study aims to understand Taiwanese graduate students’ personal experiences with culturally-related language anxiety and adjustment in academic settings and utilizes an adapted version of FLCAS (Horwitz, Horwitz, & Cope, 1986), in-depth interviews, and focus groups. The results suggested that these Taiwanese graduate students’ primary issues associated with culturally-related language anxiety and adjustment are listening comprehension, participation in group discussions, and Taiwanese students’ mixed feelings among members of the same nationality. 800x600 Normal 0 false false false EN-US ZH-TW X-NONE MicrosoftInternetExplorer4
Non-parametric estimation of a time-dependent predictive accuracy curve

A major biomedical goal associated with evaluating a candidate biomarker or developing a predictive model score for event-time outcomes is to accurately distinguish between incident cases from the controls surviving beyond t throughout the entire study period. Extensions of standard binary classification measures like time-dependent sensitivity, specificity, and receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves have been developed in this context (Heagerty, P. J., and others, 2000. Time-dependent ROC curves for censored survival data and a diagnostic marker. Biometrics 56, 337–344). We propose a direct, non-parametric method to estimate the time-dependent Area under the curve (AUC) which we refer to as the weighted mean rank (WMR) estimator. The proposed estimator performs well relative to the semi-parametric AUC curve estimator of Heagerty and Zheng (2005. Survival model predictive accuracy and ROC curves. Biometrics 61, 92–105). We establish the asymptotic properties of the proposed estimator and show that the accuracy of markers can be compared very simply using the difference in the WMR statistics. Estimators of pointwise standard errors are provided.
Wide area redirection of dynamic content by Internet data centers

Traditional approaches to mirroring, caching, and content distribution have an underlying assumption that minimizing network hop count minimizes client latency. However, with uncongested backbones and potentially high-latency service times for dynamic content, such techniques are of limited effectiveness. We present an architecture in which dispatchers at an overloaded Internet data center (IDC) redirect requests for dynamic content to a geographically remote but less loaded IDC. We show with both analytical modeling as well as testbed experiments that the delay savings of redirecting requests to a lightly loaded IDC can far outweigh the overhead in interIDC network latency. Consequently, client end-to-end delays are significantly reduced without requiring modifications to clients, servers, or DNS.
Near-surface location, geometry, and velocities of the Santa Monica Fault Zone, Los Angeles, California

High-resolution seismic-reflection and seismic-refraction imaging, combined with existing borehole, earthquake, and paleoseismic trenching data, suggest that the Santa Monica fault zone in Los Angeles consists of multiple strands from several kilometers depth to the near surface. We interpret our seismic data as showing two shallow-depth low-angle fault strands and multiple near-vertical (∼85°) faults in the upper 100 m. One of the low-angle faults dips northward at about 28° and approaches the surface at the base of a topographic scarp on the grounds of the Wadsworth VA Hospital (WVAH). The other principal low-angle fault dips northward at about 20° and projects toward the surface about 200 m south of the topographic scarp, near the northernmost areas of the Los Angeles Basin that experienced strong shaking during the 1994 Northridge earthquake. The 20° north-dipping low-angle fault is also apparent on a previously published seismic-reflection image by Pratt et al. (1998) and appears to extend northward to at least Wilshire Boulevard, where the fault may be about 450 m below the surface. Slip rates determined at the WVAH site could be significantly underestimated if it is assumed that slip occurs only on a single strand of the Santa Monica fault or if it is assumed that the near-surface faults dip at angles greater than 20–28°. At the WVAH, tomographic velocity modeling shows a significant decrease in velocity across near-surface strands of the Santa Monica fault. P -wave velocities range from about 500 m/sec at the surface to about 4500 m/sec within the upper 50 m on the north side of the fault zone at WVAH, but maximum measured velocities on the south side of the low-angle fault zone at WVAH are about 3500 m/sec. These refraction velocities compare favorably with velocities measured in nearby boreholes by Gibbs et al. (2000). This study illustrates the utility of combined seismic-reflection and seismic-refraction methods, which allow more accurate reflection imaging and compositional estimations across areas with highly variable velocities, a property that is characteristic of most fault zones.
The Economic Impact Of Broadband: Estimates From A Regional Input-Output Model

Like good roads, schools, and hospitals, cutting-edge broadband infrastructure is crucial to economic development and to the quality of life of local communities. Second-generation broadband (SGB), capable of supporting video, voice and data services simultaneously over a fiber-optic infrastructure, can provide users not merely faster internet connectivity, but a whole array of applications and communication services. This study provides an approach to quantifying the economic effects of first and second generation broadband availability in Hamilton County (TN) using an IMPLAN model. We find that household broadband expenditures over the period 2001-2005 supported 548 jobs and contributed $109.8 million in income and taxes to Hamilton County. Further, we estimate that while a new fiber-to-the-home project would cost $195.5 million over ten years, the economic impact of such a project would result in income and taxes exceeding $352 million while creating over 2,600 new jobs. We conclude that Hamilton County would benefit from the adoption of this technology.
Improving carbon capture from power plant emissions with zinc- and cobalt-based catalysts

We report homogeneous catalysts that are soluble and stable in primary amine-based CO2 capture solvents. The zinc(II) and cobalt(III) complexes, which contain electron-donating multi-dentate anionic ligands, perform catalytic CO2 hydration at unparalleled observed rates under conditions conducive to industrial post-combustion carbon capture processes.
High-speed mechanically flexible single-crystal silicon thin-film transistors on plastic substrates

This letter describes the fabrication and properties of bendable single-crystal-silicon thin film transistors formed on plastic substrates. These devices use ultrathin single-crystal silicon ribbons for the semiconductor, with optimized device layouts and low-temperature gate dielectrics. The level of performance that can be achieved approaches that of traditional silicon transistors on rigid bulk wafers: effective mobilities>500cm/sup 2//V/spl middot/s, ON/OFF ratios >10/sup 5/, and response frequencies > 500 MHz at channel lengths of 2 /spl mu/m. This type of device might provide a promising route to flexible digital circuits for classes of applications whose performance requirements cannot be satisfied with organic semiconductors, amorphous silicon, or other related approaches.
Thermoelectric Power of Single-Walled Carbon Nanotubes

We have measured the temperature-dependent thermoelectric power (TEP) of crystalline ropes of single-walled carbon nanotubes. The TEP is large and holelike at high temperatures and approaches zero as T{r_arrow}0 . The results argue against the opening of a gap at low temperature in these materials. When derived from a simple band structure picture, the TEP of a single metallic nanotube is significantly lower than the measured TEP, strongly suggesting that the predicted electron-hole symmetry of metallic nanotubes is broken when the tubes self-assemble into ropes. Different models for the symmetry breaking are considered. {copyright} {ital 1998} {ital The American Physical Society}
Sol-gel processing of strontium-barium niobate ferroelectric thin film

Ferroelectric thin film of strontium-barium niobate was successfully fabricated by the sol-gel technique. The films were made on several types of substrate, including quartz, single crystal silicon wafer, and glass slides. The processing temperature was as low as 700 °C. The film obtained with thickness of 3000 A was dense, transparent, and showed excellent ferroelectricity.
A Novel Method to Attach Membranes Uniformly on MAV Wings

Highly compliant wings have been used for MAV platforms, where the wing structure is determined by some combination of carbon fiber composites and a membrane skin, adhered in between the layers of composite material. The wing topology can be tailored to obtain the desired change in aerodynamic performance through passive shape adaptation. Pre-tension of the membrane plays a major role in the static and dynamic response of membrane wings and controls the overall deflections. In the past, the methods used to apply pretension when fabricating MAV wings were rudimentary. A new technique of attaching membranes firmly on wing structures is introduced, which involves the application of a technology known as corona treatment combined with another repeatable method of tensioning silicone membranes on any given frame geometry. Corona treatment provided a means of increasing adhesion of silicone on carbon fiber through the use of a high-frequency high-voltage air plasma discharge. The silicone membrane is co-cured with carbon fiber under vacuum pressure at an elevated temperature. After cool down, the membrane is tensioned.
Server decision making process for the wireless network environment

The problem of server performance in a contemporary, rapidly developed and multi-discipline environment is examined. The administration of the data sources or repositories during the execution of the query plan becomes primary interest especially for starting the query server. A collaborative system between nodes, Base Stations (BSs) and servers is developed and. a new query processing method, based on group and query prediction mobility (GQM) with Data Mining techniques is proposed. Our new approach for GQM with the Merge Itemset Algorithm (MIA) can guarantee the "prefetch" operation for the users so that their data will have already been waiting for them in their next appropriate cell. Moreover, new metrics for external queries (queries not completed in the starting servers) estimate the dependency among servers. Finally the server decides for the query decomposition plan including replication schemes, for a group of users so that the data be sent directly to their last cell; diminishing their dependency on communications and seeking additional resources. This new integrated approach can contribute a lot to the server's independent or semi autonomous work. Simulation results are provided.
Conference on Soviet-American Relations, 1945–1950

first agreement ever between Soviet and American scholars to undertake a comprehensive joint examination of the postWorld War It relationship between their two countries, based on the maximum possible use of archival and oral as well as published source materials. The first conference in this series, dealing with the 1945-50 period, took place in Moscow on June 1618, 1987. Ambassador George F. Kennan headed the American delegation, which included M. Steven Fish (representing Alexander George, of Stanford University), George Herring (University of Kentucky), Michael J. Hogan (Ohio State University), David Holloway (Stanford University), Deborah Welch Larson (Columbia University), Vojtech Mastny (Boston University), Ernest R. May (Harvard University), Thomas G. Paterson (University of Connecticut), as well as the two conference organizers, John Lewis Gaddis (Ohio University), and William Taubman (Amherst College). Academician S. L. Tikhvinsky, Chairman of the National Committee of Soviet Historians, headed the Soviet delegation, which included R. G. Bogdanov (Institute of the USA and Canada), A. Yu. Borisov (Moscow State Institute of International Relations), N. I. Egorova (Institute of General History), A. M. Filitov (Institute of General History), N. S. Ivanov (Institute of General History), V. L. Mal'kov (Institute of General History), B. I. Marushkin (Institute of General History), A. I. Schapiro (Institute of World Economy and International Relations), A. I. Utkin (Institute of the USA and Canada), and the Soviet conference organizer, A. O. Chubarian, Vice Chairman of the National Committee of Soviet Historians. The conference sessions focused on the following topics, with presentation of a Soviet and an American paper on each of them: World War II cooperation and its legacies; postwar planning; economic reconstruction; military and diplomatic strategies; nuclear weapons; crisis management; Europe as an issue in SovietAmerican relations; and perceptions and misperceptions. Although the American delegation was most hospitably received and our discussions proceeded in a thoroughly professional manner, it rapidly became clear that substantial differences still remain in the way Soviet and American scholars treat the events of the early Cold War. Despite striking manifestations of glasnost in other areas of contemporary Soviet life, we detected no discernible tendency on the
Influence of dietary 1,3-butanediol on blood ketone levels and on glucose metabolism in the dog (39892).

SummaryAdult dogs were fed carbohydrate-free diets containing 20% of metabol-izable energy from 1,3-butanediol (BD) or from tallow. Each dog received a 750-kcal diet each day, of which 290 kcal were in the form of protein; consumption of these diets resulted in only slight changes in body weight during the 3-week experiment. Blood β-hydroxybutyrate and acetoacetate levels were elevated severalfold after dogs consumed a meal containing BD. Parameters of glucose metabolism were estimated after a single injection of [6-3H]- and [U-14C]glucose. The glucose replacement rate averaged 4.9 mg/min/kg and was not influenced by the diet fed. Likewise, estimates of glucose-carbon recycling and glucose body mass were not altered when BD was fed, although plasma glucose levels in the BD-fed animals were significantly lower. Consumption of a diet containing 20% of energy from BD and adequate amounts of gluco-genic precursors increased circulating ke-tone levels but did not alter glucose metabolism in the adult dog.The a...
Effect of early transient adherent leukocytes on venular permeability and endothelial actin cytoskeleton

In a time course study of the development and recovery of venular leaks, it was shown that, after as early as 3 min of histamine application, venular leak formation was identified [Baldwin, A. L., ...
School Issues and Educational Strategies for Survivors of Childhood Cancer

School is ubiquitous in the world of children. It provides a primary platform for development and preparation for a future in adulthood. School attendance and learning can be considered the “work” of children and is an important part of their daily life. It is the community where children have opportunity to develop and practice competence in social skills and knowledge building, while also developing self-regulated behavior and self-esteem. But what happens for a child when the routine of school is interrupted by a medical condition? In the case of a diagnosis of childhood cancer, the disturbance can occur for extended periods of time while the child undergoes intensive treatment for management of a life-threatening condition. The changes in life course can be even more pervasive and long-term in nature when cognitive late effects of treatment change capacity for growth and development. Neurocognitive late effects of treatment [1] are “temporally defined as occurring after the successful completion of medical therapy, usually 2 or more years from the time of diagnosis, and it is generally assumed that late effects are chronic, if not progressive in their course” (p. 1). Although cognitive late effects are often described in terms of changes in the brain, those difficulties are also relevant for psychosocial and motivational needs. Impacts of disease and treatment can have academic, social, and emotional implications for a typical school student. The brain changes and cognitive late effects are discussed in other chapters of this volume. This chapter will explore school-related issues faced by students who have been diagnosed with a pediatric cancer and are now living as survivors of the disease.
Ureteral tailoring: a comparison of wedge resection with infolding.

AbstractA retrospective analysis of 44 consecutive pediatric ureteral reimplantations in 42 patients (51 ureters reimplanted) is presented, in which the ureter was tapered by infolding or wedge resection. Few postoperative complications occurred and the results were essentially comparable for the 2 groups, although slightly more postoperative ureteral obstruction occurred in the wedge resection group. Over-all success rate (no postoperative reflux and no obstruction) was 95% for the infolded group and 90% for wedge resection group. Stent time and hospital stay were significantly less for the infolded group.
Head and neck considerations in the elderly patient.

Head and neck surgical considerations in the elderly are those of malignancy and reconstruction. The operative morbidity and mortality rates are less than those for other sites in older patients and the same as those found in younger patients with head and neck cancer. A careful preoperative evaluation is emphasized. Patients should not undergo a lesser procedure because of age alone.
An Improved STFT Approach in Foliage Target Detection of UWB Radar Sensor Networks

Short-time Fourier transform (STFT) has been widely applied on non-stationary signals. In this paper, we propose two improved STFT methods namely nested sampling-based STFT (NS-STFT) algorithm and coprime sampling-based STFT (CS-STFT) algorithm. Nested sampling and coprime sampling are studied on the premise of stationary signals, but few researches has proposed for non-stationary signal, especially with the implementation of real data. Compared with existing STFT method, NS-STFT and CS-STFT can achieve the same performance with much less data, which saves the storage space. In this work, the estimation of autocorrelation is also applied. Results show that NS-STFT and CS-STFT approaches can work successfully on condition of both good quality data and poor quality data of radar echoes. In addition, the new methods can save about 50 % of the data without increasing the computation complexity.
Considerations in radiation therapy for pregnant women with malignancy

Treatment of pregnant women with cancer with radiation presents medical, technical, and ethical challenges. Cancer during pregnancy occurs in 1 out of 1000 cases. The most common cancers are those that are common in females of childbearing age, including breast cancer, cervical cancer, melanoma, Hodgkin lymphoma, and leukemia. The in utero radiation exposure of a developing fetus through diagnostic radiology/nuclear medicine and radiation therapy is always a concern for healthcare providers and parents. Radiation exposure to the fetus seems to be associated with increased incidences of childhood cancer at any fetal dose. However, there also seem to be threshold doses for non-cancer adverse outcomes such as intellectual disability, organ malformation, and fetal death. The fetal radiation exposure from diagnostic radiology and nuclear medicine studies is far smaller than these threshold levels. On the other hand, fetal doses from radiation therapy for treatment of maternal cancers depend largely on gestational age and distance of fetus from the treatment field. Treatment of cancers in head and neck or extremities is relatively safe, while that of pelvic organs, such as cervical cancer, is not compatible with pregnancy. It is important to note that the “threshold” doses were calculated based on observational data and therefore should be used with careful considerations in individual clinical scenarios. Ultimately, it is the frank discussion between the pregnant mother and her family with the entire medical team, including her oncologist, the obstetrician, the neonatologist, the psychologist, and the social worker, that will lead to the best individualized management plan.
Influence of Functional Groups on the Viscosity of Organic Aerosol

Organic aerosols can exist in highly viscous or glassy phase states. A viscosity database for organic compounds with atmospherically relevant functional groups is compiled and analyzed to quantify the influence of number and location of functional groups on viscosity. For weakly functionalized compounds the trend in viscosity sensitivity to functional group addition is carboxylic acid (COOH) ≈ hydroxyl (OH) > nitrate (ONO2) > carbonyl (CO) ≈ ester (COO) > methylene (CH2). Sensitivities to group addition increase with greater levels of prior functionalization and decreasing temperature. For carboxylic acids a sharp increase in sensitivity is likely present already at the second addition at room temperature. Ring structures increase viscosity relative to linear structures. Sensitivities are correlated with analogously derived sensitivities of vapor pressure reduction. This may be exploited in the future to predict viscosity in numerical models by piggybacking on schemes that track the evolution of organic a...
Apps with Benefits: Using Benefits and Burdens to Predict Mobile App Usage

How do mobile apps keep users coming back? Suh et al. proposed that the level of burden placed on a user has a negative effect on user retention. They developed the User Burden Scale, and showed that computing systems still in use had lower burdens than those that were abandoned. What is not captured is how the added benefits a system provides increases user retention. We hypothesize that both benefits and burdens of a mobile app predict usage. To show this, we design and validate a User Benefit Scale to complement the User Burden Scale, for the evaluation of benefits of mobile apps. Our scale consists of four constructs: if an app is 1) useful and informational, 2) enjoyable and enables pursuit of interests, 3) enables social interaction, and 4) has good usability and visual/ interaction design. We administered the benefit and burden scales to 347 participants. Our results suggest that benefit is more predictive of mobile app usage than burden, and our model of app usage includes constructs from both the benefit and burden scales.
Reengineering autonomic components in legacy software systems: A case study

Modern enterprise-scale software systems in the retail industry are often implemented as systems of systems that are composed of one or more legacy software components making up parts of a supply chain that deliver products to both in-person and online customers. The systems are often one-off complex implementations tailored to the needs of that particular stakeholder. System components may communicate with other internal legacy components like accounting and warehousing systems or external third-party components that handle order processing, security screening, or shipping-related tasks. From time to time, stakeholders may need to adapt their systems by replacing or modifying one or more of the sub-system components to operate on new hardware, communicate with other components using different data communication techniques, or to interact with new external third-party solutions. It is therefore useful for solutions for the individual components to be designed with an architecture that lend themselves to be easily reengineered or replaced without disturbing the other system components, and without adding significant complexity to the overall system of systems. In prior works, the authors of this paper introduced in a series of case studies a repeatable architectural design pattern that implemented self-adaptive autonomic interaction managers (AIMs) that not only reduced or eliminated the need for human operators to monitor, tune, or troubleshoot the implemented components, but could be easily modified or reengineered in the future to adapt to new operating environments. The contribution of this paper is the testing of the efficacy of the AIM design introduced in prior works by the authors, by simulating the reengineering of a set of AIMs tasked with handling web-based order traffic between the stakeholder system and Amazon.com. In this effort, the AIMs were re-implemented on a different operating system, coded in a different programming language than the original implementation, using a different data communication protocol to communicate with other systems. The authors simulated web-based order traffic to test the resulting implementation. The effort demonstrated that using the original autonomic design patter, AIMs could be rapidly adapted to a new environment, while maintaining original behavior and without adding complexity to the stakeholder's system.
New Generation Ground-Based Optical/Infrared Telescopes

Abstract The telescope is a crucial tool for astronomers. This chapter gives an overview of the recent advances in ground-based telescope construction and instrumentation for visible and infrared wavelengths, which have spurred extraordinary advances in our understanding of the solar system. Although space-based observatories such as the Hubble Space Telescope and the Spitzer Space Telescope have also immensely enriched our understanding of the solar system we live in, the results from space observatories are discussed elsewhere in this encyclopedia. Astronomers strive to build ever-larger telescopes to collect as much light as possible. While cosmologists need the large collecting area of telescopes to study the distant universe, solar system astronomers need the large collecting area to study both nearby small objects and faint objects at the limits of our solar system, and to exploit the high angular resolution they provide. We discuss current and future telescope projects that promise to make further discoveries possible and enable the study of solar systems other than our own. Advances in instrumentation have in equal measure revolutionized the way astronomy is pursued. We discuss three major advances in this chapter: the construction of ever-larger telescopes, the use of the large-format solid-state detector for visible and infrared wavelengths, and the development of adaptive optics (AO). The construction of large telescopes is in a period of great innovation and advance, leading to collecting areas undreamed of a few decades ago. The development of large-format arrays has led to ambitious digital sky surveys and networks of telescopes. The sky surveys allow searches for objects that may collide with Earth as well as objects at the edge of the solar system. The development of AO is reaching maturity and is allowing routine observations to be made at the diffraction limit at the largest telescopes in the world. The limitation on image sharpness imposed by the atmosphere since the invention of the telescope is now removed with AO.
INFLUENCE OF LIQUIDITY ON THE FINANCIAL PERFORMANCE OF AGRICULTURAL FIRMS LISTED AT THE NAIROBI SECURITIES EXCHANGE

Purpose : The purpose of this study was to establish the influence of liquidity on the financial performance of agricultural firms listed at the Nairobi Securities Exchange. Methodology: The research design adopted was descriptive and causal (explanatory). A census approach was adopted and all the seven listed agricultural companies were taken as the population. The respondents’ sample was from finance departments at all levels and 220 questionnaires were administered. Primary data was collected using questionnaires while the secondary data was collected using data collection sheets from the firms as well as from the Nairobi Securities Exchange and CMA records. The particular inferential statistic was regression and correlation analysis. Panel data methodology was employed using a multivariate regression model to test the hypotheses and link the variables Results: The study found out that liquidity has a positive influence on return on assets (ROA). In addition, the findings revealed that liquidity has a positive influence on return on equity (ROE). Further the results indicated that liquidity has a positive influence on earnings per share (EPS). The influence of liquidity on EPS is not statistically significant Unique contribution to theory, practice and policy: The study recommends that financial managers should ensure that there is no mismatch between the current assets and current liability. If this happens, the mismatch will affect the firm’s profitability.
Correction of antebrachial angulation-rotation deformities in dogs with oblique plane inclined osteotomies.

Objective To describe oblique plane inclined osteotomies and report preliminary data on outcomes in dogs treated for antebrachial angulation-rotation deformities. Study design Retrospective clinical study. Animals Six antebrachii from 5 dogs. Methods Records of dogs with antebrachial angulation-rotation deformities treated with oblique plane inclined osteotomies were reviewed. Postoperative frontal, sagittal, and transverse plane alignments were assessed subjectively, and alignment in the frontal and sagittal planes was quantified on radiographs. Outcomes were classified based on owner's and veterinarian's evaluation as full, acceptable, and unacceptable function. Complications were classified as minor, major, or catastrophic. Results Limb alignment was subjectively considered excellent in 1 case, good in 3 cases, and fair in 2 cases. Osseous union was achieved in all cases (mean 10.5 weeks; range, 6-13 weeks). Outcomes were assessed by the veterinarian as return to full function in 5 cases and acceptable function in 1 case at the final in-hospital follow-up (mean 44 weeks; range, 6-124 weeks). All owners classified their dogs as returning to full function at the final phone/email interview (mean 107 weeks; range, 72-153 weeks). Implants were removed due to infection or irritation in 3/6 limbs, while the other 3 limbs had minor dermatitis secondary to postoperative external coaptation. No catastrophic complications occurred. Conclusion Oblique plane inclined osteotomies led to a successful outcome in all 6 limbs, but the technique can be challenging and does not always lead to optimal alignment. Future refinement of this technique could focus on the development of patient-specific osteotomy guides to improve accuracy and precision.
The Assessment of Change: Serial Assessments in Dementia Evaluations

The focus of the clinical neuropsychologist in everyday practice is on neurocognitive change. Because the diagnosis of dementia as well as mild cognitive impairment requires evidence of cognitive decline over time, the assessment of meaningful neurocognitive change is especially relevant in the evaluation of older adults. We briefly discuss the clinical use of norm-referenced tests used in traditional single-point assessments and then focus on the use of serial assessments to objectively monitor and assess cognitive changes over time, discussing the unique advantages and challenges of serial assessments. An overview and distillation of reliable change methods are presented and applied to a case example, demonstrating how these methods can be used as effective tools to inform the clinical evaluation of the individual patient. In the end, we hope to leave the reader with an appreciation that change is a unique variable with its own inherent statistical properties and clinical meaning.
The role of vaccines in preventing bacterial antimicrobial resistance

Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) and the associated morbidity and mortality due to bacterial pathogens have been increasing globally to alarming levels. The World Health Organization (WHO) has called for global action on AMR, supported worldwide by governments, health ministries and health agencies. Many potential solutions to stem AMR are being discussed and implemented. These include increases in antimicrobial stewardship, investment in research and development to design new classes of antibiotics, and reduction of antibiotic use in rearing of livestock. However, vaccines as tools to reduce AMR have historically been under-recognized in these discussions, even though their effectiveness in reducing disease and AMR is well documented. This review article seeks to highlight the value of vaccines as an additional modality to combat AMR globally, using select examples. It also will provide perspectives on how vaccines could be more effectively used in this effort.
A New Species of Tree Frog, Genus Phyllomedusa, from Costa Rica

A new species of tree frog, Phyllomedusa annae, is described from Tapanti, Cartago Province, Costa Rica. The new species has blue flanks and thighs and an orange eye; it is closely related to P. moreleti, which has orange flanks and thighs and a red eye. Eggs, tadpole development, and call are also described and illustrated
The Stories We Tell

T.J. is excited to show me another installment of his horror story, Monkey Boy. This is a book he has been working on for a few weeks. When he has free time he pulls his folder out of his desk and begins to compose more chapters that contain the heroic and oftentimes messy escapades of the main character, Monkey Boy.
Imaging of the adrenal gland

Clinically, the development of highly accurate imaging techniques that define adrenal anatomy and give information concerning adrenal physiology have revolutionized our approach to adrenal disorders [1, 2]. These techniques complement the highly accurate hormonal analyses that lead to the diagnosis of primary hyperaldosteronism, Cushing's syndrome, and pheochromocytoma. In addition, they help distinguish these entities from other adrenal disorders as well as other retroperitoneal processes. Thus, imaging techniques presently play a critical role in confirming the hormonal diagnosis and precisely localizing the specific adrenal lesion.
E-cigarette use and respiratory disorder in an adult sample.

Abstract Objectives Little evidence is available on the association of e-cigarettes with health indices. We investigated the association of e-cigarette use with diagnosed respiratory disorder among adults in data from the Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance Survey (BRFSS). Methods The 2016 Hawaii BRFSS, a cross-sectional random-dial telephone survey, had 8087 participants; mean age was 55 years. Items asked about e-cigarette use, cigarette smoking, and being diagnosed by a health professional with (a) asthma or (b) chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. Multivariable analyses tested associations of e-cigarette use with the respiratory variables controlling for smoking and for demographic, physical, and psychosocial variables. Results Controlling for the covariates and smoking there was a significant association of e-cigarette use with chronic pulmonary disorder in the total sample (AOR = 2.58, CI 1.36–4.89, p Conclusions This is the first study to show a significant independent association of e-cigarette use with chronic respiratory disorder. Several aspects of the data are inconsistent with the possibility that e-cigarettes were being used for smoking cessation by persons with existing respiratory disorder. Theoretical mechanisms that might link e-cigarettes use and respiratory symptoms are discussed.
Wild Goldenseal (Hydrastis canadensis) Rhizome/Root Alkaloid Content in Relation to Colony and Harvest Stage

This study examined the three major alkaloids (berberine, hydrastine, and canadine) in wild goldenseal (Hydrastis canadensis) roots and rhizomes in relation to plant colony and harvest stage. Golde...
Enhanced Dendritic Actin Network Formation in Extended Lamellipodia Drives Proliferation in Growth-Challenged Rac1P29S Melanoma Cells

Actin assembly supplies the structural framework for cell morphology and migration. Beyond structure, this actin framework can also be engaged to drive biochemical signaling programs. Here, we describe how the hyperactivation of Rac1 via the P29S mutation (Rac1P29S) in melanoma hijacks branched actin network assembly to coordinate proliferative cues that facilitate metastasis and drug resistance. Upon growth challenge, Rac1P29S-harboring melanoma cells massively upregulate lamellipodia formation by dendritic actin polymerization. These extended lamellipodia form a signaling microdomain that sequesters and phospho-inactivates the tumor suppressor NF2/Merlin, driving Rac1P29S cell proliferation in growth suppressive conditions. These biochemically active lamellipodia require cell-substrate attachment but not focal adhesion assembly and drive proliferation independently of the ERK/MAPK pathway. These data suggest a critical link between cell morphology and cell signaling and reconcile the dichotomy of Rac1's regulation of both proliferation and actin assembly by revealing a mutual signaling axis wherein actin assembly drives proliferation in melanoma.
Total Synthesis of Zaragozic Acid A (Squalestatin S1). Degradation to a Relay Compound and Reassembly of the Natural Product

Zaragozic acid A (squalestatin S1) (1) was converted into the simpler derivative 2, which was reconverted into the natural product, thus establishing 2 as a viable relay compound for total synthesis of 1. The degradation (Scheme 1) consisted of formation of the tri-tert-butyl ester (3), from which the two side chains were sequentially removed to obtain 8. Aldehyde 8 was converted into dimethyl acetal 2 in standard fashion. The C6 acyl side chain 14 was prepared from (S)-2-methylbutanol (“active amyl alcohol”), and the desired 4S configuration was obtained by use of Evans asymmetric enolate methylation (Scheme 2). The C1 alkyl side chain was prepared as stannane 23a from (R)-2-methyl-3-phenylpropanol (21) as shown in Scheme 5. For conversion of 2 back into zaragozic acid A, the dimethyl acetal was first converted into the cyclic acetal 17, thus protecting the C7 hydroxyl group. The remaining hydroxyl group was then acylated with acid 14 to obtain 18, which was transformed into aldehyde 20 (Scheme 4). The C...
Tailoring Donor-Acceptor Pairs of Tungsten-based Transition Metal Di-Chalcogenides (TMDCs) for Improved Photovoltaic Current Generation

As photovoltaic materials approach the Shockley-Queisser limit, unconventional approaches have increased in significance. 2D Transition Metal Di-Chalcogenides (TMDCs) have great potential for use as ultra-thin photovoltaic materials in solar cells because of their uniquely favorable opto-electronic properties, tunable direct bandgaps and significant dipole moments. Dark state protection induced by dipole-dipole interactions forms new bright and dark states in the conduction band that reduce radiative recombination and enhance photon-to-electron conversion, leading to higher photocurrents. In this work, we show current improvements up to 35% by modeling dark state protection in a solar cell composed of Tungsten Diselenide (WSe2) and Tungsten Sulfo-Selenide (WSeS).
Competing Models.

Different agents need to make a prediction. They observe identical data, but have different models: they predict using different explanatory variables. We study which agent believes they have the best predictive ability -- as measured by the smallest subjective posterior mean squared prediction error -- and show how it depends on the sample size. With small samples, we present results suggesting it is an agent using a low-dimensional model. With large samples, it is generally an agent with a high-dimensional model, possibly including irrelevant variables, but never excluding relevant ones. We apply our results to characterize the winning model in an auction of productive assets, to argue that entrepreneurs and investors with simple models will be over-represented in new sectors, and to understand the proliferation of "factors" that explain the cross-sectional variation of expected stock returns in the asset-pricing literature.
Examining Commitment to Prevention, Equity, and Meaningful Engagement: A Review of School District Discipline Policies:

Although there is increasing awareness of policy decisions contributing to disproportionality in exclusionary practices, few studies have empirically examined common elements of discipline policies...