cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Comparison of Sensory, Microbiological, and Biochemical Parameters of Microwave Versus Indirect UHT Fluid Skim Milk During Storage

Abstract Shelf-stable milk could benefit from sensory quality improvement. Current methods of heating cause flavor and nutrient degradation through exposure to overheated thermal exchange surfaces. Rapid heating with microwaves followed by sudden cooling could reduce or eliminate this problem. The objectives for this study were focused on designing and implementing continuous microwave thermal processing of skim fluid milks (white and chocolate) to compare sensory, microbiological, and biochemical parameters with conventionally prepared, indirect UHT milks. All test products were aseptically packaged and stored at ambient temperature for 12 mo. Every 3 mo, samples were taken for microbiological testing, reactive sulfhydryl determinations, active enzyme analysis, instrumental viscosity readings, color measurements, and descriptive sensory evaluation. Microbiological plate counts were negative on all milks at each time point. Enzymatic assays showed that plasmin was inactivated by both heat treatments. 5,5′-Dithio-bis(2-nitrobenzoic acid) analysis, a measure of reactive sulfhydryl (-SH-) groups, showed that the initial thiol content was not significantly different between the microwave-processed and UHT-treated milks. However, both heating methods resulted in an increased thiol level compared with conventionally pasteurized milk samples due to the higher temperatures attained. Sulfhydryl oxidase, a milk enzyme that catalyzes disulfide bond formation using a variety of protein substrates, retained activity following microwave processing, and decreased during storage. Viscosity values were essentially equivalent in microwave- and UHT-heated white skim milks. Sensory analyses established that UHT-treated milks were visibly darker, and exhibited higher caramelized and stale/fatty flavors with increased astringency compared with the microwave samples. Sweet aromatic flavor and sweet taste decreased during storage in both UHT and microwave milk products, whereas stale/fatty flavors increased over time. Sensory effects were more apparent in white milks than in chocolate varieties. These studies suggest that microwave technology may provide a useful alternative processing method for delivery of aseptic milk products that retain a long shelf life.
Equilibrium in the system Cu++–Na+–Dowex‐50

Equilibrium isotherms are presented for the cation exchange of copper and sodium on Dowex-50 resin in solutions from 0.01 to 4N in chloride content, and the equilibrium data are correlated on the basis of the Donnan equilibrium. Data are also given on the water content of the resin and the diffusible ions present in this water.
Maintaining Accuracy of Test Compaction through Adaptive Re-learning

In test compaction, the objective is to reduce cost of testing an integrated system by applying a subset of its specification-based tests. One approach for accomplishing this objective is to statistically learn a correlation function for the tests eliminated from a collection of systems that are fully tested (i.e., training data). Accuracy of this correlation function may degrade over the life span of an integrated system however. We describe an adaptive scheme that (1) uses stratified sampling to check the accuracy of a correlation function at various time instances and (2) re-learns a function when its accuracy dips below some tolerable threshold. This methodology is applied to test data from two in-production integrated systems, namely, an accelerometer and a phase-locked loop. Experiments that use over 200,000 real chips demonstrate that the difference between actual function accuracy and its estimate using stratified sampling is smaller than 2%. Moreover, our adaptive re-learning is able to improve the accuracy for one out of three accelerometer and one out of three PLL sampling instances where the function accuracy was unacceptable.
Varicella Vaccination of Immunocompromised Children

Background Exposure of immunocompromised children to varicella often requires postexposure prophylaxis. Exposures requiring this management are often not recognized. Varicella can be a severe disease when it occurs in immunocompromised children, in spite of antiviral therapy. Varicella exposure and varicella in these children can also disrupt scheduled therapy for their underlying illness. Both postexposure prophylaxis and treatment of varicella are likely to be expensive and use significant medical resources. Numerous trials have been undertaken to vaccinate children who are immunocompromised by a variety of conditions and therapies that depress their immune function. Methods Clinical trials of varicella vaccine administration to immunocompromised children that were reported since 1975 were identified in the Ovid medical database. Reports were selected for analysis and discussion on the basis of their completeness and the utility of their conclusions. Results Vaccination before immune compromise is discussed as a strategy for some settings. The obstacles, potential opportunities, and success in varicella vaccination for immunocompromised children are separately analyzed for (1) children with leukemia and other malignancies, (2) human immunodeficiency virus-infected children, and (3) children with hematopoietic stem cell or solid-organ transplantation. Conclusions Vaccination before immune compromise is often successful, and the vaccine-induced response is usually partially or fully protective. In many treatment settings, it is possible to safely vaccinate once the level of immune suppression has been reduced. Targets for future research are outlined. A consensus conference should be undertaken to develop guidelines for the use of varicella vaccine in immunocompromised children.
Asymmetric and symmetric synaptic junctions in the dorsal lateral geniculate nucleus of cat and monkey

We have investigated the applicability of traditional classifications of synaptic junctions in the dorsal lateral geniculate nucleus (DLGN) of the cat and monkey. Our principal sample is restricted to synapses made by the retinal terminal (round vesicles) in DLGN and to synapses made by flattened vesicle processes that were postsynaptic to the retinal terminal. We inspected consecutive thin sections through 250 synaptic junctions that showed clear synaptic clefts in every section. The thickness of the membrane and postsynaptic density (PSD) was measured on each section and an average thickness was computed for each synaptic junction. In both species the frequency distribution for these measurements forms an uninterrupted progression from the absence of a continuous PSD through the presence of a heavy density with most synaptic contacts falling in the midrange. Twenty-two of the round vesicle profiles and 40 of the flat vesicle profiles we studied had very modest densities (13-16 nm) and exhibited a continuous PSD on some sections, but only small puffs or a complete lack of density on others. We concluded that this group which constituted 25% of the synaptic contacts we studied could not be classified as asymmetric or symmetric. As a group the round vesicle synaptic junctions exhibited a heavier PSD than the flat vesicle contacts. The difference between the mean thickness in both species was statistically significant. However, we hesitate to describe the round vesicle synapses as asymmetric and the flat vesicle contacts as symmetric because such a large proportion of the former made synaptic contacts with a PSD thickness within the range of the latter.
MMLite: a highly componentized system architecture

MMLite is a modular system architecture that is suitable for a wide variety of hardware and applications. The system provides a selection of object-based components that are dynamically assembled into a full application system. Amongst these components is a namespace, which supports a new programming model, where components are automatically loaded on demand. The virtual memory manager is optional and is loaded on demand. Components can be easily replaced and reimplemented. A third party independently replaced the real-time scheduler with a different implementation. Componentization reduced the development time and led to a flexible and understandable system. MMLite is efficient, portable, and has a very small memory footprint. It runs on several microprocessors, including two VLIW processors. It is being used on processors that are embedded in a number of multimedia DirectX accelerator boards.
AC Measurements and Multiplexed Detection of Microparticles Using Parallel Channel Coulter Counter

A micromachined 4-channel Coulter counting device is reported to achieve high throughput counting of microparticles. The design, fabrication and testing of this device is presented. Multiplexed detection was implemented by amplitude modulation of signals from individual channels to obtain a single combined response for all four channels, requiring only one set of detection electronics. Testing results using 30µm polystyrene particles demonstrated the throughput of the multiplexed device was improved 300% by simultaneously detecting particles through its parallel 4 channels. The multiplexed detection principle can be extended to a larger number of channels is to further improve the throughput.
A novel, jitter-based method for detecting and measuring spike synchrony and quantifying temporal firing precision

Precise spike synchrony, at the millisecond or even sub-millisecond time scale, has been reported in different brain areas, but its neurobiological meaning and its underlying mechanisms remain unknown or controversial. Studying these questions is complicated by the lack of a validated, well-normalized and robust index for quantifying synchrony. Previously used measures of synchrony are often improperly normalized and thereby are not comparable between different experimental conditions, are sensitive to variations in firing rate or to the firing rate differential between the two neurons, and/or rely on untenable assumptions of firing rate stationarity and Poisson statistics. I describe here a novel measure, the Jitter-Based Synchrony Index (JBSI), that overcomes these issues. The JBSI method is based on the introduction of virtual spike jitter. While previous implementations of the jitter method used it only to detect synchrony, the JBSI method also quantifies synchrony. Previous implementations of the jitter method used computationally intensive Monte Carlo simulations to generate surrogate spike trains, whereas the JBSI is computed analytically. The JBSI method does not assume any specific firing model, and does not require that the spike trains be locked to a repeating external stimulus. The JBSI can assume values from 1 (maximal possible synchrony) to −1 (minimal possible synchrony) and is therefore properly normalized. Using simulated Poisson spike trains with introduced controlled spike coincidences, I demonstrate that the JBSI is a linear measure of the spike coincidence rate, is independent of the mean firing frequency or the firing frequency differential between the two neurons, and is not sensitive to co-modulations in the firing rates of the two neurons. In contrast, several commonly used synchrony indices fail under one or more of these scenarios. I also demonstrate how the JBSI can be used to estimate the spike timing precision in the system. The JBSI is a conceptually simple and computationally efficient method that can be used to compute the statistical significance of firing synchrony, to quantify synchrony as a well-normalized index, and to estimate the degree of temporal precision in the system.
Efficiency Improvements through Combined Heat and Power for On-site Distributed Generation Technologies

With the evolution of electricity market transformation, there is a renewed interest in distributed generation (DG)—that has a promising role for mitigating technical, regulatory, and environmental constraints in the electricity sector. These benefi ts are further enhanced with the ability of such DG in heat recovery applications in which the waste heat is used to produce hot water, heat building space, drive absorption cooling, and supply other thermal energy needs in a commercial building or industrial process. This article identifi es the effi ciency gain and other environmental and economical benefi ts of using fossil fuel based DG under combined heat and power (CHP) application. Based on emission factors and operational performance of existing commercially available DG under both separate heat and power (SHP) and CHP applications, economic and environmental performance of such DG is analyzed and compared under different loading conditions characterized by different heat to power (HPR) ratios.
The Role of Human Capital in Earnings Differences Between Black and White Men

D uring the past 50 years, the earnings of black men have increased substantially both in absolute terms and relative to those of white men, as shown in Figure 1. In 1940 the black-white weekly earnings ratio among men ages 25-34 was 49 percent; by 1980 it had increased to 79 percent. During the 1980s, however, the overall black-white earnings gap did not narrow, and at younger ages the gap actually widened. Although the 1980s is not the first decade since 1940 in which black men made little or no gains in relative earnings-the 1950s was another-the lack of progress in the 1980s is nevertheless puzzling and a source of concern. This article examines the factors underlying the differential in earnings between black men and white men, with a focus on the role of human capital. Since 1940, successive generations of black men entering the labor force have been increasingly more educated relative to white men, both in terms of years of school completed and in the quality of schooling obtained. As the education and income levels of black parents increased, racial differences in the transmission of human capital in the home were also likely to have narrowed. This convergence in educational differences combined with the migration of blacks out of the South contributed to the narrowing in the racial gap in earnings over the 1940-80 period, particularly in the first half of the period. But human capital factors-education and migration-were not the only source of convergence in black-white differences in earnings. The patterns of change in the earnings gap support the contention that declining labor market discrimination against blacks has also contributed to the rise in the black-white earnings ratio. Moreover, the acquisition of human capital itself has been strongly affected by societal and governmental discrimination, since blacks were long provided with greatly inferior schooling resources.
Terrain return measurements at X, K u , and K a band

The back scattering from many different types of terrain has been measured at frequencies of 10, 15.5 and 35 KMC using both vertical and horizontal polarization. The average radar cross section of the terrain \sigma has been plotted as a function of incidence angle for the three frequencies. Seasonal changes of vegetation covered terrain, effects of rain, and various types of snowcover are shown as functions of incidence angle, frequency, and polarization. Due to the large quantity of data that have been collected and the accuracy of the data ( \pm 1 db) certain pertinent parameters that affect the magnitude of the return have been determined. These parameters are: surface roughness, incidence angle, polarization, complex dielectric constant of the terrain, and frequency.
Minimum effective dimension for mixtures of subspaces: a robust GPCA algorithm and its applications

We propose a robust model selection criterion for mixtures of subspaces called minimum effective dimension (MED). Previous information-theoretic model selection criteria typically assume that data can be modelled with a parametric model of certain (possibly differing) dimension and a known error distribution. However, for mixtures of subspaces with different dimensions, a generalized notion of dimensionality is needed and hence introduced in this paper. The proposed MED criterion minimizes this geometric dimension subject to a given error tolerance (regardless of the noise distribution). Furthermore, combined with a purely algebraic approach to clustering mixtures of subspaces, namely the generalized PCA (GPCA), the MED is designed to also respect the global algebraic and geometric structure of the data. The result is a non-iterative algorithm called robust GPCA that estimates from noisy data an unknown number of subspaces with unknown and possibly different dimensions subject to a maximum error bound. We test the algorithm on synthetic noisy data and in applications such as motion/image/video segmentation.
Neural network controller for rearrangeable switching networks

A neural network approach to controlling a three-stage Clos network in real time is proposed. This controller provides optimal routing of communication traffic requests on a call-by-call basis by rearranging existing connections with a minimum length of rearrangement sequence so that a new blocked call request can be accommodated. The proposed neural network controller uses Paull's rearrangement algorithm (1962), along with the special (least used) switch selection rule in order to minimize the length of rearrangement sequences. The functional behavior of the authors' model is verified by simulations, and it is shown that the convergence time required for finding an optimal solution is constant regardless of the switching network size. The performance is evaluated for random traffic with various traffic loads. Simulation results show that applying the least used switch selection rule increases the efficiency in switch rearrangements, reduces the network convergence time, and also keeps the network from being trapped in local minima. The implementation aspects are discussed. >
A new multichannel split Levinson algorithm for block Hermitian-Toeplitz matrices

A review is presented of the vector Levinson and multichannel split algorithms for block Hermitian-Toeplitz matrices. The author then introduces a new multichannel split algorithm for block Hermitian-Toeplitz matrices. The algorithm does not save any multiplications, but it does require only one matrix inversion per recursion, whereas the vector Levinson and previous multichannel split algorithm both require two matrix inversions per recursion. >
Involvement of the thyroid gland in histiocytosis X

A 27 month old while male infant clinically suspected of having histiocytosis X had an enlarged hard hypofunctioning thyroid. A needle biopsy of the thyroid showed disruption of the thyroid architecture by an infiltrate consisting of large histiocytes admixed with eosinophils, neutrophils, and lymphocytes, confirming the clinical diagnosis of histiocytosis X.
Near-infrared optical proteolytic beacons for in vivo imaging of matrix metalloproteinase activity.

The exuberant expression of proteinases by tumor cells has long been associated with the breakdown of the extracellular matrix, tumor invasion, and metastasis to distant organs. There is both epidemiological and experimental data that support a causative role for proteinases of the matrix metalloproteinase (MMP) family in tumor progression. Optical imaging techniques provide an extraordinary opportunity for non-invasive “molecular imaging” of tumor-associated proteolytic activity. The application of optical proteolytic beacons for the detection of specific proteinase activities associated with tumors has several potential purposes: 1) Detection of small, early-stage tumors with increased sensitivity due to the catalytic nature of proteolytic activity, 2) Diagnosis and Prognosis to distinguished tumors that require particularly aggressive therapy or those that will not benefit from therapy, 3) Identification of tumors appropriate for specific anti-proteinase therapeutics and optimization of drug and dose based on determination of target modulation, and 4) as an indicator of efficacy of proteolytically-activated pro-drugs. This chapter describes the synthesis, characterization, and application of reagents that use visible and near infrared fluorescence resonance energy transfer (FRET) fluorophore pairs to detect and measure MMP-referable proteolytic activity in tumors in mouse models of cancer.
Incidence and effect of Heterotylenchus autumnalis on the longevity of face flies in Mississippi.

Heterotylenchus autumnalis Nickle was found infecting Musca autumnalis De Geer in Mississippi from May to October in 1973 and 1974. During the winter of 1972, 1973, and 1974, this nematode was found in 16.2% of males and 21.3% of female face flies collected from hibernating sites. Among adults reared from field collected larvae, 18.1% of all males and 16.3% of all females were infected. H. autumnalis infections tended to increase prior to hibernation of the adult face fly. A study of 6 replicates of face flies reared from field collected 3rd instars indicated that longevity of face flies was not affected by infections of the nematode. Also, a mortality of 50% among all female and male face flies without nematodes occurred by the end of 60 and 70 days, respectively. Among flies with nematodes, 50% mortality of both males and female face flies occurred by the end of 72 days.
Timing of Insecticides for Control of Colorado Potato Beetle (Coleoptera: Chrysomelidae) in Eastern Virginia Based on Differential Susceptibility of Life Stages

Cyfluthrin, fenvalerate, and oxamyl + carbofuran were the most effective insecticides tested for control of all life stages of the Colorado potato beetle, Leptinotarsa decemlineata (Say). Rotenone and cryolite gave adequate control of small and large larvae and cryolite application significantly reduced numbers of overwintered and first generation adults in field experiments. Larvae mortality was delayed in triflumuron treatments, but field application preceded by an adulticide resulted in effective control and high tuber yield. Treatments in which different insecticides were alternated during the growing season resulted in commercially acceptable control and tuber yield. Analysis of L. decemlineata age distribution revealed that one specific life stage is predominant at any given time during the growing season. Choice of an insecticide can then be made based on the life stage present. The integration of various insecticides into a Colorado potato beetle management program is discussed.
Electrical Properties of Schottky Junctions on homoepitaxial flame grown diamond

Schottky diodes were fabricated from boron doped diamond grown in a turbulent flame. The substrates used were type IIa diamond (100) crystals 1.5 mm in diameter and.25 mm thick. A p/p+ structure was deposited using the p+ layer as an ohmic contact. Current-voltage (I-V) and capacitance-voltage (C-V) measurements were made on the finished devices. An ideality factor of 1.8 was obtained from the I-V characteristics. Doping levels from C-V measurements indicate an acceptor concentration on the order of 5 × 1017/cm3.
Detection of New Smear-positive Tuberculosis and Evaluation of Treatment Management in Changde City from 2001 to 2009

Objective To evaluate the distribution characteristics and treatment outcomes of new smear-positive tuberculosis cases in Changde City from 2001 to 2009. Methods We collected the data from Tuberculosis Management Information System,Disease Prevention and Control System of China,the relevant registration information,paperwork,statements and other materials in Changde City from 2001 to 2009,and then the data were statistically analyzed according to "China Tuberculosis Control Program Implementation Guide" and other relevant requirements. Results The annual registration rate of new smear-positive pulmonary tuberculosis patients increased to 42.45/100,000 in 2009 from 21.00/100,000 in 2001.The annual registration rate of the age group of 55～64 years ranked the first,followed by the age group of over 65 years.The sex ratio of male to female patients was 2.66:1.The annual registration rates of Linli County,Jin City,Li County,Shimen County,and Taoyuan County were all more than 40/100,000.All the new smear-positive patients were received the treatment.At the end of two-month treatment and three-month treatment,the total negative conversion rates of new smearpositive patients were 95.8% and 97.6%,respectively.The total curative rate of new smear-positive TB patients was 89.99%,the completed treatment rate was 5.43%,and the success rate of the treatment was 95.42%. Conclusions Implementing DOTS strategy can increase the curative rate of new smear-positive tuberculosis patients and reduce the spread of tuberculosis.
Development of Aquacultuze Industry in Zhangzhou

This article discusses the start,effect and development of the Aquacultuze industry in Zhangzhou.The industry was initially started based upon the agricultural cooperation between Zhangzhou and Taiwan.The needs and success of the cooperation was largely due to the geographic proximity and cultural similarities of the two localities.The geo-cultural advantages,complementarity of resources,stage of industrial development and other factors contributed to the continual success.The authors also presented recommendations to overcome existing obsticles and envisioned direction for future development.
Short- or long-term outcomes of coronary artery aneurysms occurring after directional coronary atherectomy.

Abstract Coronary artery aneurysm (CAA) often occurs after percutaneous coronary intervention, and it could be recognized more often in coronary intervention with directional coronary atherectomy (DCA). However, it has been uncertain and the natural history of CAA after DCA remains obscure. Thus, we examined the clinical course after DCA. This study included 792 lesions in which a follow-up angiogram was completed at mid- or long-term (3 months [mos.] or more than 1 year after DCA). The mean average of the angiographic follow-up period was 24.8 mos. (range 3-128 mos.), and clinical follow-up period was 45.6 mos. (range 3-144 mos.). CAA was defined as 1.5 > DCA site diameter/reference diameter by quantitative coronary angiography (QCA). CAAs were detected in 21 lesions (2.7%). There was no significant difference in the target lesion revascularization rate between CAA and non-CAA lesion (19.0% vs. 24.6%). More than twice as many follow-up coronary angiograms were performed in 15 lesions among 21 CAA lesions. The mean duration of the follow-up angiograms was 19.6 mos. There was no significant difference in lumen diameter between the value of QCA at first and final follow-up coronary angiography (3.9 +/- 0.9 vs. 4.0 +/- 0.8 mm). Acute coronary events or coronary perforations did not occur at all. This study showed the frequency of DCA-related CAA and revealed acceptable short- or long-term prognosis. DCA-related CAA had not been progressing during the follow-up period. We concluded that almost all CAAs should be managed conservatively.
Surface Representation for Computer Aided Design

This article surveys curve and surface representation and approximation. The topics discussed include B-splines, tensor products, rectangular and triangular Coons patches, Shepard's formula, and surfaces under tension.
Shoulder Arthroscopy in Adults 60 or Older: Risk Factors That Correlate With Postoperative Complications in the First 30 Days.

Purpose To investigate the 30-day postoperative adverse event (AE) rates of adults 60 years or older after shoulder arthroscopy and identify risk factors for complications in this patient population. Methods Patients aged 60 or more who underwent shoulder arthroscopy were identified in the American College of Surgeons National Surgery Quality Improvement Program database from 2006 to 2013 using 12 Current Procedural Terminology codes related to shoulder arthroscopy. Complications were categorized as severe AEs, minor AEs, and infectious AEs for separate analyses. Pearson's χ 2 tests were used to identify associations between patient characteristics and AE occurrence and binary logistic regression for multivariate analysis of independent risk factors. Results In total, 7,867 patients were included for analysis. Overall, 1.6% (n = 127) of the older adults experienced at least one AE with 1.1% (n = 90) severe AEs, 0.6% (n = 46) minor AEs, and 0.4% (n = 28) infectious complications. Multivariate analysis revealed that age 80 years or older (odds ratio [OR] = 2.2, 95% confidence interval [CI] = 1.2-2.7, P = .01), body mass index greater than 35 (OR = 1.8, 95% CI = 1.1-2.7, P = .01), functionally dependent status (OR = 2.9, 95% CI = 1.3-6.8, P = .01), American Society of Anesthesiologists class greater than 2 (OR = 1.5, 95% CI = 1.0-2.2, P = .04), congestive heart failure (OR = 6.1, 95% CI = 1.8-21.2, P = .03), disseminated cancer (OR = 7.9, 95% CI = 1.4-43.9, P = .02), and existence of an open wound at the time of surgery (OR = 4.0, 95% CI = 1.1-14.6, P = .03) were independently associated with the occurrence of an AE. Nineteen of the patients included in the study required readmission to the hospital within the 30-day period for an overall readmission rate of 0.2%. Conclusions Patients 60 years or older who underwent shoulder arthroscopy for a variety of indications have a low overall 30-day postoperative complication rate of 1.6%. Although low, this is a higher rate than previously reported for the overall shoulder arthroscopy population. Independent patient characteristics associated with increased risk of AE occurrence included age 80 years or older, body mass index greater than 35, functional dependent status, American Society of Anesthesiologists score of 3 or 4, congestive heart failure, disseminated cancer, and existence of an open wound. Level of Evidence Level III, retrospective comparative study.
Don’t wake and bake: morning use predicts cannabis problems

AbstractHeavy, frequent cannabis use covaries with cannabis-associated problems. With cannabis policy changing worldwide, identifying risk factors for cannabis-associated problems is crucial. While researchers have consistently studied frequency and quantity of use as important risks, clinical lore suggests that the timing of use might also contribute to problems. Similar to morning use of alcohol among alcohol-dependent individuals, morning use of marijuana may indicate dependence and increased cannabis-related impairment. Morning use also has the potential to lend itself to straightforward intervention. The present study sought to examine the relation between morning cannabis use and self-reported cannabis-associated problems. The study compared daily marijuana users who reported morning use (n = 257) to daily marijuana users who reported no use before noon (n = 76) using the brief Cannabis-Associated Problems Questionnaire. Morning users reported significantly more problems than non-morning users, and ...
Subpartisan Cues and Ideological Distinctions: The Effect of the Tea Party Label on Voter Perceptions of Congressional Candidates

Objective We aim to fill a gap in the voter heuristic literature by estimating the impact of subparty cues—labels that connect candidates to an intraparty faction—on perceptions of candidates’ ideological positions. We argue that the Tea Party label acts as a subpartisan cue, and should affect perceptions of both Republicans and their Democratic opponents. Methods We measure ideological perceptions using data from the Cooperative Congressional Election Study (CCES), and measure Tea Party “saliency” based on how often candidates were linked with the Tea Party in news media. Using probit regression, we estimate the impact of Tea Party saliency on ideological perceptions of candidates. Results We find that Republican candidates often associated with the Tea Party are more likely to be perceived as conservative or very conservative, even when we control for candidate and voter ideology, while their Democratic opponents are perceived to be more moderate. Conclusion The results suggest that extremizing cues like the Tea Party label can have a moderating effect on opponents. These findings shed new light on the role and interaction of party-related voting cues, and have important implications for elections, campaigns, and voter opinion and behavior.
Low phase noise CMOS voltage-controlled oscillators

Design considerations and performance comparisons for several low phase noise CMOS voltage-controlled oscillator (VCO) topologies are presented including the Hartley, quadrature Colpitts, Clapp, and tuned-input tuned-output configurations. An indirect approach for high-frequency signal generation using a VCO coupled with a 2X passive frequency multiplier is also described. Several of the structures are attractive alternatives to the conventional LC tank VCO.
Application of a Quantitative LC–MS Multiattribute Method for Monitoring Site-Specific Glycan Heterogeneity on a Monoclonal Antibody Containing Two N-Linked Glycosylation Sites

A significant challenge of traditional glycan mapping techniques is that they do not provide site-specific glycosylation information. Therefore, for proteins containing multiple glycosylation sites, the individual glycan species present at a particular site cannot be differentiated from those species present at the other glycosylation sites on the molecule. Quantification of glycoform has previously been demonstrated using a multiattribute method (MAM), which can quantify multiple post-translational modifications including deamidation, oxidation, glycosylation variants, and fragmentation ( Rogers, R. S.; Nightlinger, N. S.; Livingston, B.; Campbell, P.; Bailey, R.; Balland, A. MAbs 2015 , 7 , 881 - 890 ; ref 1). In this paper we describe the application of an MAM based method for site specific quantification of N-linked glycan heterogeneity present on an IgG1 mAb molecule containing two distinct N-linked glycosylation sites: one present on the heavy chain (HC) variable region (Fab) and the other present on the conserved HC constant region (Fc). MAM is a peptide mapping method utilizing mass spectrometry to detect and quantify specific peptides of interest. The ionization properties of the glycopeptides with different classes of glycan structural variants, including high mannose, sialylated, and terminal galactosylated species were studied in detail. Our results demonstrate that MAM quantification of individual glycan species from both the Fab and Fc N-Linked glycosylation sites is consistent with quantification using the traditional hydrophilic interaction liquid chromatography (HILIC) analysis of enzymatically released and fluorescently labeled glycans. Furthermore, no significant impact from the glycoform on the ionization properties of the glycopeptide is observed. Our work demonstrates that the MAM method is a suitable approach for providing quantitative, site-specific glycan information for profiling of N-linked glycans on immunoglobulins.
Measuring Acquired Capability for Suicide within an Ideation-to-Action Framework.

Objective Despite the large literature on risk factors for suicide-related outcomes, few studies have examined risk for acting on suicidal thoughts among suicide ideators. The current study aimed to fill this gap by examining the role of acquired capability, as well as its hypothesized facilitator, painful and provocative events (PPEs), as motivators for behavior among individuals along the suicide continuum. Method Undergraduates reporting suicidal ideation, suicide plans, suicide attempts without intent to die, or suicide attempts with intent to die (N=546) completed a measure of acquired capability for suicide, as well as assessments of exposure to PPEs. Results Our findings demonstrated that acquired capability for suicide did not distinguish between individuals falling along the ideation-to-action spectrum. Among the several PPEs assessed, the frequency of non-suicidal self-injury, and the presence of childhood emotional abuse, physical abuse, and physical neglect each significantly differentiated between groups, with individuals having a history of a suicide attempt with the intent to die reporting the highest levels. Conclusions These findings implicate the PPEs that may be most important to assess in determining suicide risk, and, further, call into question the utility of acquired capability in differentiating between individuals along the suicide continuum.
Modeling the Cycle-Dependent Material Hardening Behavior of 508 low Alloy Steel

Chaboche-based material hardening models were used to investigate the cycle/time dependency of the elastic-plastic behavior of 508 low alloy steel (LAS), a commonly used material for light water reactor components. Strain-versus-stress curves were derived from uniaxial tensile and fatigue experiments conducted under various conditions, such as in-air at room temperature, in-air at 300 °C, and primary loop water conditions for a pressurized water reactor (PWR). These data were then used to estimate material parameters such as the elastic modulus, yield stress, and variables related to Chaboche-based linear and nonlinear kinematic hardening models. The results estimated from the fatigue test data suggest that the material behavior is highly sensitive to fatigue cycles, in addition to temperature. The authors anticipate that the findings of this research will help develop computer-based advanced modeling tools to extrapolate stress-strain evolution of reactor components under multi-axial stress states and, hence, will help predict their fatigue life more accurately.
Decays of mass-separated Xe-139 and Cs-139

The $\ensuremath{\beta}$ and subsequent $\ensuremath{\gamma}$ decays of $^{139}\mathrm{Xe}$ and $^{139}\mathrm{Cs}$ have been studied using an on-line isotope separator system. Ge(Li) $\ensuremath{\gamma}$-ray singles and Ge(Li)-Ge(Li)$\ensuremath{\gamma}\ensuremath{-}\ensuremath{\gamma}$ coincidence measurements were used to construct level schemes for $^{139}\mathrm{Cs}$ and $^{139}\mathrm{Ba}$. For the decay of $^{139}\mathrm{Xe}$, 213 of 230 observed $\ensuremath{\gamma}$-ray transitions have been placed in a level scheme for $^{139}\mathrm{Cs}$ with 55 excited states. For the decay of $^{139}\mathrm{Cs}$, 167 of 179 observed $\ensuremath{\gamma}$-ray transitions are placed in a level scheme for $^{139}\mathrm{Ba}$ with 59 excited states. The $Q$ values for the $\ensuremath{\beta}$ decays of $^{139}\mathrm{Xe}$ and $^{139}\mathrm{Cs}$ were determined from Ge(Li) plastic scintillator coincidence measurements as 5.02\ifmmode\pm\else\textpm\fi{}0.06 and 4.29\ifmmode\pm\else\textpm\fi{}0.07 MeV, respectively. Ground-state $\ensuremath{\beta}$ branches were deduced for the $^{139}\mathrm{Xe}$ and $^{139}\mathrm{Cs}$ decays using relative $\ensuremath{\gamma}$-ray intensities. Spin and parity assignments for levels in $^{139}\mathrm{Cs}$ and $^{139}\mathrm{Ba}$ have been deduced using $\ensuremath{\beta}$-decay $log\mathrm{ft}$ values, $\ensuremath{\gamma}$-ray transition rates, and reaction data in the literature. Interpretation of some of the energy levels is made from a shell-model viewpoint.RADIOACTIVITY $^{139}\mathrm{Xe}$, $^{139}\mathrm{Cs}$ [from $^{235}\mathrm{U}(n,f)$]; measured ${E}_{\ensuremath{\gamma}}$, ${I}_{\ensuremath{\gamma}}$, $\ensuremath{\gamma}\ensuremath{-}\ensuremath{\gamma}$ coin., ${Q}_{\ensuremath{\beta}}$, Ge(Li), and plastic scint. detectors. $^{139}\mathrm{Cs}$, $^{139}\mathrm{Ba}$ deduced levels, $J$, $\ensuremath{\pi}$, $log\mathrm{ft}$. $^{139}\mathrm{Xe}$, $^{139}\mathrm{Cs}$ deduced ground-state $\ensuremath{\beta}$ branches. Mass-separated $^{139}\mathrm{Xe}$ activity.
Auto-tuning of hybrid ripple-based constant on-time control for fast load transients and dynamic voltage transitions of multiphase voltage regulators

The load transient (>100A load steps with >500A/us load slew rate) and the dynamic voltage transitions (>25mV/us transition rate) are the most two challenging controller performance requirements for multiphase voltage regulator (VR) design, especially when it is used to power the microprocessor. The hybrid ripple-based constant on-time control (COT) offers an inherent fast load transient performance while ensuring good stability margins. However, it still requires some tuning process to optimize the performance on different boards with different layouts, component variations, and configurations. This paper presents both frequency-domain and time-domain auto-tuning algorithms to optimize the performance for both load transients and the dynamic voltage transitions without having many trial-and-error iterations. The frequency-domain auto-tuning algorithm is used to overcome the board-to-board variations, and the timedomain auto-turning algorithm is developed to further optimize the performance with considering non-linear characteristics during large load transients. The proposed algorithms have been verified on the bench, and the experimental results show the effectiveness of the proposed auto-tuning algorithms.
SLAMinDB: Centralized graph databases for mobile robotics

Robotic systems typically require memory recall mechanisms for a variety of tasks including localization, mapping, planning, visualization etc. We argue for a novel memory recall framework that enables more complex inference schemas by separating the computation from its associated data. In this work we propose a shared, centralized data persistence layer that maintains an ensemble of online, situationally-aware robot states. This is realized through a queryable graph-database with an accompanying key-value store for larger data. In turn, this approach is scalable and enables a multitude of capabilities such as experience-based learning and long-term autonomy. Using multi-modal simultaneous localization and mapping and a few example use-cases, we demonstrate the versatility and extensible nature that centralized persistence and SLAMinDB can provide. In order to support the notion of life-long autonomy, we envision robots to be endowed with such a persistence model, enabling them to revisit previous experiences and improve upon their existing task-specific capabilities.
Immune correlates of protection for dengue: State of the art and research agenda

Dengue viruses (DENV1-4) are mosquito-borne flaviviruses estimated to cause up to ∼400 million infections and ∼100 million dengue cases each year. Factors that contribute to protection from and risk of dengue and severe dengue disease have been studied extensively but are still not fully understood. Results from Phase 3 vaccine efficacy trials have recently become available for one vaccine candidate, now licensed for use in several countries, and more Phase 2 and 3 studies of additional vaccine candidates are ongoing, making these issues all the more urgent and timely. At the "Summit on Dengue Immune Correlates of Protection", held in Annecy, France, on March 8-9, 2016, dengue experts from diverse fields came together to discuss the current understanding of the immune response to and protection from DENV infection and disease, identify key unanswered questions, discuss data on immune correlates and plans for comparison of results across assays/consortia, and propose a research agenda for investigation of dengue immune correlates, all in the context of both natural infection studies and vaccine trials.
A Revisit of Gricean Maxims in Manado Malay Language

Some researchers have tried to challenge the dominance of Gricean maxims in terms of its consistency. One way of testing it is by conducting research in vernacular language. This research is therefore conducted to revisit Gricean maxims in Manado Malay language, a language used by the people who live in Manado and its surroundings. This research, therefore, aims to find out (1) how the Cooperative Principle is violated in Manado Malay language, and (2) what the purpose of the generated implicatures are. The data used for analysis in this research were taken from recorded lunch break conversation of the lecturers at Unika De La Salle Manado in July 2016. The result showed that the Gricean maxims: maxim of quantity, maxim of quality, maxim of relation and maxim of manner were observed in Manado Malay language. It was also found that implicatures generated in Manado Malay language were meant for giving information. It can be concluded that Gricean maxims are consistent when implicatures occur in Manado Malay language. Furthermore, speakers of Manado Malay language usually produce implicature to give information and to joke.
Low pressure microenvironments: Methane production at 50 mbar and 100 mbar by methanogens

Abstract Low pressure is often overlooked in terms of possible biocidal effects when considering a habitable environment on Mars. Few experiments have investigated the ability for microorganisms to actively grow under low pressure conditions, despite the atmosphere being a location on Earth where organisms could be exposed to these pressures. Three species of methanogens (Methanobacterium formicicum, Methanosarcina barkeri, Methanococcus maripaludis) were tested for their ability to actively grow (demonstrate an increase in methane production and optical density) within low-pressure microenvironments at 50 mbar or 100 mbar. M. formicicum was the only species to demonstrate both an increase in methane and an increase in optical density during the low-pressure exposure period for experiments conducted at 50 mbar and 100 mbar. In certain experiments, M. barkeri showed an increase in optical density during the low-pressure exposure period, likely due to the formation of multicellular aggregates, but minimal methane production (
Disentangling the Signatures of Precursor Superconductivity in Cuprates

The short coherence length (\(\xi _0\sim 1\) nm) of Cooper pairs in cuprate high-\(\mathrm {T}_\mathrm {C}\) superconductors allows for a variety of fascinating phenomena in contrast to low-\(\mathrm {T}_\mathrm {C}\) materials, which have homogeneous SC properties on length scales of the order of several hundreds or thousands of nanometers [1].
POLYMERS AND RESINS AS FOOD FOR MICROBES

Preserving art objects, especially outdoor stone ones, from the ravages of man and time often entails application of a polymeric material. Unfortunately, some of these products may support or actually encourage microbial growth and cause unintentional problems. This paper summarizes studies that developed a screening test to quantify the effects of fungal activity on a variety of consolidants and resins, and FTIR-fungal studies on silicone-based resins. One of the studies was a five-week assessment of the ability of a mixture of six fungal species to use sixteen different polymer formulations. A quantitative ranking scale was developed for the products using a combination of organism growth, sporulation, weight change, and chemical change data. These data were applied in Duncan’s Multiple Range test and Student-Newman-Keuls’ test to statistically rank a series of conservation materials for their susceptibility to fungal attack. The products tested included three acrylics, five polyvinyls, five silicone-based polymers, one polyimide, and two natural resins. Damage to the products ranged from complete degradation to very little change. Some of the products that are degraded the most are quite prevalent in field use today (i.e., Conservare H40, Conservare OH, and Acryloid F-10). Fungal degradation may be related to the abundance of silanol molecules (Si-OH) for silicone-based products, CH bonds for carbon-containing products, or the presence of’inert’ material used as bulking agents.