cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
A Longitudinal Study of the Impact of R&D, Patents, and Product Innovation on Firm Performance

Because of increasing levels of competition and decreasing product life cycles, a firm's ability to generate a continuous stream of innovations may be more important than ever in allowing a firm to improve profitability and maintain competitive advantage This paper investigates several issues that are central to an examination of the innovation productivity in a firm. First, the relationship between a firm's commitment to research and development and its innovative outcomes is examined. Two innovative outcomes are analyzed: (1) invention, which focuses on the development of new ideas; and (2) innovation, the development of commercially viable products or services from creative ideas. Invention is measured by the number of patents granted, and innovation is assessed by the number of new product announcements. Second, because many inventions ultimately result in marketable innovations and because patents may provide protection for new products, the relationship between patents and product announcements is also investigated. Finally, the ability of a firm to benefit from its inventions and innovations is studied by examining their separate effects on firm performance, measured as return on assets (ROA) and sales growth. Drawing from a sample of 272 firms in 35 industries over 19 years, the results from a model of simultaneous equations provided support for some of the hypotheses, but several other surprising findings were found. As expected, R&D spending was positively related to patents. This finding is consistent with others who argue that internal research capabilities, particularly those with a strong basic research component, is key to enabling a firm to generate creative outputs. More surprising was the finding of increasing returns to scale to R&D spending. While this contradicts much of the existing research, it is consistent with economic arguments for the advantages of scale in innovation. Also interesting is the finding that, while a significant curvilinear relationship exists between R&D spending and product announcements, it is not the predicted inverse-U but instead a U-shaped relationship. Consistent with previous work, product announcements were found to be positively related to both performance measures. A negative relationship was found between patents and both ROA and sales growth. While these findings were unexpected, they are intriguing and call into question the value of patents as protection mechanisms. In addition, these results may be resulting from the rise of strategic patenting, where an increasing number of firms are using patents as strategic weapons. As expected, a positive relationship was found between patents and new product announcements.
Virtual sensing techniques and their applications

Developing new sensing technologies to obtain desired and accurate information more effectively from the limited sensor positions is one of the critical challenges that scientists and engineers aspire to undertake in the 21st century. This paper surveys applications of virtual sensing in different fields, e.g., transportation, wireless communication, sensor networks and active noise control. It reviews the existing methods used to infer virtual sensing information. The virtual sensing techniques and their application in active noise control are especially discussed.
On the cost of differential privacy in distributed control systems

Individuals sharing information can improve the cost or performance of a distributed control system. But, sharing may also violate privacy. We develop a general framework for studying the cost of differential privacy in systems where a collection of agents, with coupled dynamics, communicate for sensing their shared environment while pursuing individual preferences. First, we propose a communication strategy that relies on adding carefully chosen random noise to agent states and show that it preserves differential privacy. Of course, the higher the standard deviation of the noise, the higher the cost of privacy. For linear distributed control systems with quadratic cost functions, the standard deviation becomes independent of the number agents and it decays with the maximum eigenvalue of the dynamics matrix. Furthermore, for stable dynamics, the noise to be added is independent of the number of agents as well as the time horizon up to which privacy is desired. Finally, we show that the cost of e-differential privacy up to time T, for a linear stable system with N agents, is upper bounded by O(T3⁄ Ne2).
Using Humor in the Introductory Statistics Course

This paper discusses reasons for using humor in the statistics classroom. Humor strengthens the relationship between student and teacher, reduces stress, makes a course more interesting, and, if re...
Predictive Engineering Tools for Injection-Molded Long-Carbon-Fiber Thermoplastic Composites

This quarterly report summarizes the status for the project planning to complete all the legal and contract documents required for establishing the subcontracts needed and a Cooperative Research and Development Agreement (CRADA) with Autodesk, Inc., Toyota Motor Engineering and Manufacturing North America (Toyota), and Magna Exterior and Interiors Corporation (Magna). During the second quarter (1/1/2013 to 3/31/2013), all the technical and legal documents for the subcontracts to Purdue University, University of Illinois, and PlastiComp, Inc. were completed. The revised CRADA documents were sent to DOE, Autodesk, Toyota, and Magna for technical and legal reviews. PNNL Legal Services contacted project partners’ Legal counterparts for completing legal documents for the project. A non-disclosure agreement was revised and sent to all the parties for reviews.
Human Rights and the Three Senses of Humanity

What is the relationship between the concept of humanity and human rights? This paper argues that at least three senses of humanity inform understandings of human rights: a biological sense, a cultural sense, and a political sense. The paper engages critically with contemporary human rights theorists who emphasize that human needs are the ethical source of human rights (e.g., Christian Bay and Brian Orend), as well as with the writings of John Dewey, who offers insight into the socially constructed and cultural character of humanity, and Hannah Arendt, who offers insight into the unprecedented common world that emerged among humans in the twentieth century and the political implications of that phenomenon. Through these engagements, the paper attempts to illuminate the three senses of humanity and contends that they should be better understood if human rights supporters wish to harness the concept's power and avoid its dangers.
Material Characterization of Diesel Particulate Trap Alternatives

Etude des proprietes de differents materiaux pouvant etre utilises pour les filtres a particules de moteurs diesel
Precise measurement of branching ratios in the β decay of Ca 38

We present the full description of a measurement of the branching ratios for the $\ensuremath{\beta}$ decay of $^{38}\mathrm{Ca}$. This decay includes five allowed ${0}^{+}\ensuremath{\rightarrow}{1}^{+}$ branches and a superallowed ${0}^{+}\ensuremath{\rightarrow}{0}^{+}$ one. With our new result for the latter, we determine its $ft$ value to be $3062.3\ifmmode\pm\else\textpm\fi{}6.8$ s, a result whose precision (0.2%) is comparable to the precision of the 13 well-known ${0}^{+}\ensuremath{\rightarrow}{0}^{+}$ transitions used up until now for the determination of ${V}_{\text{ud}}$, the up-down quark-mixing element of the Cabibbo-Kobayashi-Maskawa matrix. The $^{38}\mathrm{Ca}$ superallowed transition thus becomes the first addition to this set of transitions in nearly a decade and the first for which a precise mirror comparison is possible, thus enabling an improved test of the isospin-symmetry-breaking corrections required for the extraction of ${V}_{\text{ud}}$.
In the Eye of the Beholder [Microwave Surfing]

If it makes sense to consider the world as a work of art, is it a successful work of art? Is the physical world, considered as a work of art, beautiful? For knowledge of the physical world, we call on the work of scientists, but to do justice to our questions, we must also bring in the insights and contributions of sympathetic artists. Presents a philosophical exploration of this question.
Confocal Raman microscopy of pH-gradient-based 10 000-fold preconcentration of compounds within individual, optically trapped phospholipid vesicles.

A stable pH gradient established across the membrane of phospholipid vesicle can induce the accumulation of ionizable compounds from bulk solution into the vesicle interior. This pH-gradient vesicle loading process has previously been utilized to encapsulate drugs in pharmaceutical liposomal formulations. In the present work, this process is exploited to preconcentrate dilute analytes from free solution into phospholipid vesicles, which are then detected by optically trapping individual vesicles and measuring their contents using confocal Raman microscopy. The theory of accumulation, based on the acid–base ionization equilibria of the analyte, is developed to account for depletion of the source phase and the finite buffering capacity of the vesicle interior. The model predicts that, under appropriate conditions, enrichment factors of more than 4 orders of magnitude can be realized. To test the concept, experiments were performed measuring the accumulation of benzyldimethylamine into 600-nm phospholipid ve...
A Theoretical Model for the Study of Product Importance Perceptions

Product importance and related constructs have been inadequately defined and understood in the consumer behavior literature. This paper reviews and integrates these constructs and presents a framew...
National Elite and Local Politician in Taiwan

In Taiwan, a national elite socialized to measure the behavior of others (but not its own behavior) against extremely high standards of morality finds itself offended by the apparently immoral behavior of local electoral politicians. With reference to similar situations in other developing countries, this article describes how the attitudes of Taiwan's national elite toward the political morality of others developed and why the electoral politicians act in a manner offensive to the elite's attitudes. As a postscript, the article discusses why the national elite has checked its desire to do away with Taiwan's offensive fledgling electoral system and expanded its scope instead.
Analysis of the Current Human Resources of Community General Practice Service Team in Huangpu Community,Shanghai

OBJECTIVE To analyze the current human resources of community general practice service team in Huangpu Community, Shanghai, and the correlative factors, and then to throw out a suggestion in how to improve work efficiency. METHODS Qinvestigation on community health institution and health workers with general investigation, and focus group dissuasion by health technical workers. RESULTS There are limitations in the human resources in our community general practice service team, such as proportion of academic qualification, the title of a technical post, sex, age and specialty. CONCLUSIONS There should be more optimize of the proportion of academic qualification, the title of a technical post, sex, age and specialty in the Huangpu Community General Practice Service Team.
Research for extracting method of apple leaf ill spots based on hyperspectral image

【Objective】 The research is to extract apple leaf ill spots through hyperspectral image for the sake of providing support for remote monitoring of crop pests and diseases.【Method】 The research uses both the traditional spectral features and object-oriented features methods to extract leaf spots from hyperspectral image of apple leaf.In order to reduce the redundancy between bands,PCA transform is applied to reduce dimension of hyperspectral image.Then,the first 11 bands after PCA transform are used to extract spots with the two methods.【Result】 As the same object with different spectra and different objects with the same spectrum exist,the stalk and vein are classified into the wrong category using SAM.Furthermore,salt and pepper noise exists in classification results of SAM.However,object-oriented classification avoids the occurrence of this phenomenon.【Conclusion】 The result of extracting spot with object-oriented classification is better than SAM.The overall accuracy with object-oriented classification achieves 98.44% and the Kappa coefficient reaches 0.97.
A goodness-of-fit test for occupancy models with correlated within-season revisits

Occupancy modeling is important for exploring species distribution patterns and for conservation monitoring. Within this framework, explicit attention is given to species detection probabilities estimated from replicate surveys to sample units. A central assumption is that replicate surveys are independent Bernoulli trials, but this assumption becomes untenable when ecologists serially deploy remote cameras and acoustic recording devices over days and weeks to survey rare and elusive animals. Proposed solutions involve modifying the detection-level component of the model (e.g., first-order Markov covariate). Evaluating whether a model sufficiently accounts for correlation is imperative, but clear guidance for practitioners is lacking. Currently, an omnibus goodness-of-fit test using a chi-square discrepancy measure on unique detection histories is available for occupancy models (MacKenzie and Bailey, Journal of Agricultural, Biological, and Environmental Statistics, 9, 2004, 300; hereafter, MacKenzie-Bailey test). We propose a join count summary measure adapted from spatial statistics to directly assess correlation after fitting a model. We motivate our work with a dataset of multinight bat call recordings from a pilot study for the North American Bat Monitoring Program. We found in simulations that our join count test was more reliable than the MacKenzie-Bailey test for detecting inadequacy of a model that assumed independence, particularly when serial correlation was low to moderate. A model that included a Markov-structured detection-level covariate produced unbiased occupancy estimates except in the presence of strong serial correlation and a revisit design consisting only of temporal replicates. When applied to two common bat species, our approach illustrates that sophisticated models do not guarantee adequate fit to real data, underscoring the importance of model assessment. Our join count test provides a widely applicable goodness-of-fit test and specifically evaluates occupancy model lack of fit related to correlation among detections within a sample unit. Our diagnostic tool is available for practitioners that serially deploy survey equipment as a way to achieve cost savings.
The Nucleus Reuniens of the Midline Thalamus Gates Prefrontal-Hippocampal Modulation of Ventral Tegmental Area Dopamine Neuron Activity.

The circuitry mediating top-down control of dopamine (DA) neurons in the ventral tegmental area (VTA) is exceedingly complex. Characterizing these networks will be critical to our understanding of fundamental behaviors, such as motivation and reward processing, as well as several disease states. Previous work suggests that the medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC) exerts a profound influence on VTA DA neuron firing. Recently, our group reported that inhibition of the infralimbic subdivision of the medial prefrontal cortex (ilPFC) increases the proportion of VTA DA neurons that are spontaneously active (i.e., “population activity”) and that this effect depends on activity in the ventral subiculum of the hippocampus (vSub). However, there is no direct projection from the mPFC to the vSub. Anatomical evidence suggests that communication between the two structures is mediated by the nucleus reuniens of the midline thalamus (RE). Here, we used in vivo electrophysiological and behavioral approaches in rats to explore the role of the RE in the circuitry governing VTA DA neuron firing. We show that pharmacological stimulation of the RE enhances VTA DA neuron population activity and amphetamine-induced hyperlocomotion, a behavioral indicator of an over-responsive DA system. Furthermore, the effect of RE stimulation on population activity is prevented if vSub is also inhibited. Finally, pharmacological inhibition of ilPFC enhances VTA DA neuron population activity, but this effect does not occur if RE is also inhibited. These findings suggest that disruption of ilPFC–RE–vSub communication could lead to a dysregulated, hyperdopaminergic state, and may play a role in psychiatric disorders. SIGNIFICANCE STATEMENT Dopamine (DA) neurons in the ventral tegmental area (VTA) are involved in a variety of fundamental brain functions. To understand the neurobiological basis for these functions it is essential to identify regions controlling DA neuron activity. The medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC) is emerging as a key regulator of DA neuron activity, but the circuitry by which it exerts its influence remains poorly described. Here, we show that the nucleus reuniens of the midline thalamus gates mPFC control of VTA DA neuron firing by the hippocampus. These data identify a unique role for this corticothalamic-hippocampal circuit, and suggest that dysfunction in these regions likely influences the pathophysiology of psychiatric disorders.
Roles of eukaryotic topoisomerases in transcription, replication and genomic stability

Topoisomerases introduce transient DNA breaks to relax supercoiled DNA, remove catenanes and enable chromosome segregation. Human cells encode six topoisomerases (TOP1, TOP1mt, TOP2α, TOP2β, TOP3α and TOP3β), which act on a broad range of DNA and RNA substrates at the nuclear and mitochondrial genomes. Their catalytic intermediates, the topoisomerase cleavage complexes (TOPcc), are therapeutic targets of various anticancer drugs. TOPcc can also form on damaged DNA during replication and transcription, and engage specific repair pathways, such as those mediated by tyrosyl-DNA phosphodiesterase 1 (TDP1) and TDP2 and by endonucleases (MRE11, XPF-ERCC1 and MUS81). Here, we review the roles of topoisomerases in mediating chromatin dynamics, transcription, replication, DNA damage repair and genomic stability, and discuss how deregulation of topoisomerases can cause neurodegenerative diseases, immune disorders and cancer.
Developments in Immunosuppression The Secret to the Success of Organ Transplantation

For centuries, surgeons have operated on patients in order to remove diseased tissues or to manage traumatic injuries. The objectives of practitioners of such an extirpative discipline became to minimize the surgical tissue loss or to adapt the patient to a regrettable but necessary disability. Only during the twentieth century has the focus of surgery expanded from ablation of disease and shifted toward the restoration of lost function by transplanting living and normally functioning tissues and organs from one individual to another. The success of clinical transplantation has been limited by the transplant surgeon’s understanding of the body’s immune response to transplanted tissues and by effective modulation of this response through suppression of the immune system. An understanding of the history of clinical immunosuppression enables one to understand both the limitations and the future of clinical organ transplantation.
Comparative study of microarray data for cancer research

In comparison to traditional "single-gene" study method such as reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR), microarray technology can produce high-throughout gene expression data simultaneously. The advancement of this technology also presents a big challenge. In cancer research, the issue is how to identify the signature genes, or biomarkers associated with particular cancer to perform precise, objective and systematic cancer diagnosis and treatment. More specifically, the goal is how to accurately analyze and interpret the resulting large amount of gene expression data with relatively small patient sample size. As such, we have been developing a novel multischeme system that can derive optimal decision based on the best utilization of gene expression data features and clinical, and biological knowledge. In the paper, we are reporting the results of the first phase development of our novel system, to use unsupervised clustering methods to discover gene relationship and to use knowledge-based supervised classification to get highly accurate prediction in cancer diagnosis and prognosis study. This work sets up foundation for our next step drug target study.
The secret Anglo-French War in the Middle East: intelligence and decolonization, 1940–1948, edited by Meir Zamir, Routledge Studies in Middle Eastern History, London, Routledge, 2015, 486 pp., $168.00 (hardcover), ISBN: 978-1-138-78781-0

The Secret Anglo-French War in the Middle East is the latest addition to the Routledge Studies in Middle Eastern History series. Meir Zamir, who teaches at Ben-Gurion University of the Negev in Isr...
‘Mature regionalism’ and the genesis of ‘functional projects’: ‘educational regionalism’ in small (and micro-states)

ABSTRACTThis article advances that the movement towards ‘deeper’ Caribbean integration has generated a shift from ‘immature’ regionalism to a ‘mature’ form of regionalism. Thus, mature regionalism, a new governance mechanism, in regulating the institutional and legal framework of Caribbean Single Market and Economy is drastically altering national education governance within the Caribbean Community. In focusing on the functional aspects integration, this article suggests that mature regionalism in education is built upon collaborative governance and encompasses multipartner governance arrangement – with the state, private sector, civil society, and the community as well as hybrid public–private and private–social partnerships and co-management regimes. It concludes that the instrumentalisation of mature regionalism in education is giving way to ‘educational regionalism’ defined by the movement towards structured institutional mechanisms, to facilitate the deepening of Caribbean integration.
How Asian-American Couples Create Relational Harmony: Collectivism and Gender Equality

This chapter is based on qualitative interviews with 20 heterosexual Asian-American couples raising young children. The grounded theory analysis focused on how their relationship dynamics were impacted by being socialized in American culture but also raised in collectivist households. Many of them forged a new concept that we call “relational harmony.” It represents a unique shift in concepts of gender, self, and marriage as the couples integrate individualist cultural constructs with a focus on the couple unit into a collectivist mindset that still values the well-being of the family group as a whole. The chapter contrasts examples of relational harmony with more traditional structural harmony and offers implications for couple therapy.
Radiofrequency Ablation Using an Open Irrigated Electrode Cooled With Half-Normal Saline

AbstractObjectives: This study evaluated the use of half-normal saline (HNS) as the radiofrequency ablation (RFA) cooling irrigant.Background: Some instances of ventricular arrhythmia may originate...
Geometric Methods for Robust Data Analysis in High Dimension

Machine learning and data analysis now finds both scientific and industrial application in biology, chemistry, geology, medicine, and physics. These applications rely on large quantities of data gathered from automated sensors and user input. Furthermore, the dimensionality of many datasets is extreme: more details are being gathered about single user interactions or sensor readings. All of these applications encounter problems with a common theme: use observed data to make inferences about the world. Our work obtains the first provably efficient algorithms for Independent Component Analysis (ICA) in the presence of heavy-tailed data. The main tool in this result is the centroid body (a well-known topic in convex geometry), along with optimization and random walks for sampling from a convex body. This is the first algorithmic use of the centroid body and it is of independent theoretical interest, since it effectively replaces the estimation of covariance from samples, and is more generally accessible. This reduction relies on a non-linear transformation of samples from such an intersection of halfspaces (i.e. a simplex) to samples which are approximately from a linearly transformed product distribution. Through this transformation of samples, which can be done efficiently, one can then use an ICA algorithm to recover the vertices of the intersection of halfspaces. Finally, we again use ICA as an algorithmic primitive to construct an efficient solution to the widely-studied problem of learning the parameters of a Gaussian mixture model. Our algorithm again transforms samples from a Gaussian mixture model into samples which fit into the ICA model and, when processed by an ICA algorithm, result in recovery of the mixture parameters. Our algorithm is effective even when the number of Gaussians in the mixture grows polynomially with the ambient dimension
Outcome of kidney transplant in primary, repeat, and kidney-after-nonrenal solid-organ transplantation: 15-year analysis of recent UNOS database.

The number of nonrenal solid organ transplants increased substantially in the last few decades. Many of these patients develop renal failure and receive kidney transplantation. The aim of this study is to evaluate patient and kidney allograft survival in primary, repeat, and kidney after nonrenal organ transplantation using national data reported to United Network for Organ Sharing (UNOS) from January 2000 through December 2014. Survival time for each patient was stratified into the following: Group A (comparison group) – recipients of primary kidney transplant (178,947 patients), Group B – recipients of repeat kidney transplant (17,819 patients), and Group C – recipients of kidney transplant performed after either a liver, heart, or lung transplant (2,365 patients). We compared survivals using log-rank test. Compared to primary or repeat kidney transplant, patient and renal allograft survival was significantly lower in those with previous nonrenal organ transplant. Renal allograft and patient survival after liver, heart, or lung transplants are comparable. Death was the main cause of graft loss in patients who had prior nonrenal organ transplant. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.
Narrating Spain’s Economic Crisis: Unemployment, Precarity and Subjectivity in Pablo Gutiérrez’s Democracia

This article analyzes a novel by Pablo Gutierrez, Democracia (2012), as a literary work that addresses the precarization of life generated by recent unemployment in Spain. Tracing the relationship ...
A pillar of the Youngstown community: The Public Library of Youngstown and Mahoning County engages in the Harwood practice

ABSTRACTThe Harwood Institute arrived in Youngstown, Ohio, in 1999; and today, over 18 years later, its teachings have made a profound effect upon the city. The Youngstown Public Library, through the leadership of Carlton Sears and Heidi Daniel, has wholeheartedly embraced the methods and ideology of the Harwood Institute, helping to reinvigorate and power a city working its way back to prosperity.
Denoising Time Series Data Using Asymmetric Generative Adversarial Networks

Denoising data is a preprocessing step for several time series mining algorithms. This step is especially important if the noise in data originates from diverse sources. Consequently, it is commonly used in biomedical applications that use Electroencephalography (EEG) data. In EEG data noise can occur due to ocular, muscular and cardiac activities. In this paper, we explicitly learn to remove noise from time series data without assuming a prior distribution of noise. We propose an online, fully automated, end-to-end system for denoising time series data. Our model for denoising time series is trained using unpaired training corpora and does not need information about the source of the noise or how it is manifested in the time series. We propose a new architecture called AsymmetricGAN that uses a generative adversarial network for denoising time series data. To analyze our approach, we create a synthetic dataset that is easy to visualize and interpret. We also evaluate and show the effectiveness of our approach on an existing EEG dataset.
Transgenic cotton resistant to herbicide bialaphos

Resistance to bialaphos, a non-selective herbicide, was intro duced into cotton through genetic engineering. A gene encoding phosphinothric in acetyltransferase (bar) from Streptomyces hygroscopicus was inserted into elite varieties of cotton through particle bombardment. Based on the marker gene, β-glucuronidase (gus) expression, a total of 18 Pima (Gossypium barbadense), 45 DP50 (G. hirsutum L.), 20 Coker 312 (G. hirsutum) and 2 El Dorado (G. hirsutum) transgenic plants were recovered. Integration of the bar gene into cotton genomic DNA was confirmed by Southern blot analysis and gene expression was confirmed by northern blot and enzyme assays. Herbicide (Basta®) tolerance up to 15 000 ppm was demonstrated in greenhouse trials. The newly introduced herbicide tolerance trait is inherited in a Mendelian fashion in the progenies of germline transformants. This study demonstrates the potential for particle bombardment to introduce commerically important genes directly into elite varieties of cotton. This mode of gene transfer can expedite the introduction of transgenic cotton products into world markets
The role of gross locomotor restriction in the acquisition of motor and cardiac conditional discrimination in the dog

The effects of gross locomotor restriction and lack of restriction, respectively, on the acquisition of a motor and cardiac discrimination task was investigated. Litter-mate dogs were used in a counterbalanced design involving two treatment conditions (free and restrained) and two discrimination learning problems. Each learning problem included eight daily training sessions with 10 CS+ tones and ten CS—tones presented randomly. The US was a shock to the left foreleg. Degree of foot flexion and percentage change in heart rate in response to CS tones were recorded. Dogs subjected initially to the free condition manifested a superior and more rapid motor and cardiac discrimination than Ss initially restrained. The free condition was not as facilitatory when presented to Ss which first had been exposed to the restraint condition. The results are discussed in terms of activation and negative transfer.
Investigation of feasibility and potential mechanisms for the bioregeneration of perchlorate laden gel-type anion exchange resin

Investigation of Feasibility and Potential Mechanisms for the Bioregeneration of Perchlorate Laden Gel-Type Anion Exchange Resin by Arjun Krishna Venkatesan Dr. Jacimaria Ramos Batista, Examination Committee Chair Associate Professor, Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering University of Nevada, Las Vegas The feasibility and potential mechanisms for the bioregeneration of perchlorate laden gel-type anion exchange resin were investigated in this study. Bioregeneration is a sustainable process when compared to one time use of resin and disposal by incineration. Batch and bench-scale bioregeneration experiments were performed to evaluate the feasibility of the process and to gain insight into potential mechanisms that control geltype resin bioregeneration. The results of the bioregeneration tests suggested that that the initial phase of the bioregeneration process is controlled by kinetics, while the later phase is controlled by diffusion. Higher perchlorate load in the resin had a positive effect on perchlorate degradation rates, while varying microbial concentration did not have a significant effect on perchlorate degradation in gel-type resin. The presence of nitrate suppressed perchlorate degradation initially, but once all nitrate was denitrified, perchlorate degradation took place. Feasibility study showed that direct bioregeneration of gel-type resin was effective in a fluidized-bed reactor, and the resin could be reused and repeatedly regenerated with this method.
Challenges in fire testing: a tester’s viewpoint

Abstract: This chapter deals with experimental methods for measuring the flammability of a material, i.e., its ease of ignition, burning intensity once ignited, propensity to spread flame over its surface and the rate at which it generates smoke and toxic products of combustion. A distinction is made between two types of experimental methods. The first type consists of tests that assess the ease of ignition of a material when exposed for a short time to a small heat source. Experimental methods of the second type measure how the material responds to a thermal exposure that is representative of pre-flashover fire conditions. Examples are given of both types of tests. The effects of test conditions and specimen details on the results and their meaning in terms of real fire performance are discussed. Challenges in assessing material flammability are identified and uses and limitations of flammability tests are reviewed. The chapter concludes with a section on future trends and recommendations for further reading.
Ten myths (or facts?) about workaholism: An appetitive motivation framework

This commentary intends to provide constructive input into the "Ten myths about work addiction" by Griiffiths et al. (2018). I place the information into an appetitive motivation theoretical lens of addiction as well as outline the kernels of truth associated with each myth. Advancement of an understanding of the underlying mechanisms of addiction demands consideration that any number of appetitive-associated behaviors might become disrupted - including those at the workplace.
A simple and novel method to enhance As (V) removal by zero valent iron and activated iron media through air injection at intervals.

Abstract A simple and novel method was developed at first time to enhance As (V) removal by zero valent iron (ZVI) and activated ZVI/Fe3O4 media (AIM) through air injection at intervals. Fe (II) was essential to trigger As (V) removal by ZVI and AIM, and magnetite did not improve As (V) removal. In presence of 0.5 mM Fe (II) under anaerobic condition, 10 g L−1 ZVI and AIM showed same As (V) removal efficiency including percentage, capacity and rate of >99.999%, 3.0 mg/g ZVI/AIM and 0.013 mg As (V)/(g · min), respectively. Compared to the passivation of ZVI and AIM after one-time air injection, As (V) removal efficiency was significantly improved by intermittent air injection with increased air volume and injection frequency. After third time of 1.0 mL air injection at 30 min intervals, As (V) removal percentage and capacity remained same remarkable values as that under anaerobic condition, but total removal rate was further improved to 0.033 mg As (V)/(g · min). XPS results indicated that As (V) was completely reduced to As (III) and As (0) by Fe (0) under anaerobic condition, but quick adsorption/co-precipitation of As (V) followed by reduction to As (III) and As (0) by Fe (0) was the main mechanism under aerobic condition. This study suggests the addition of Fe (II) followed by simple air injection at intervals harnesses the reactivity of traditional ZVI for arsenic removal.
Quenches on thermofield double states and time reversal symmetry

In this paper we study a quench protocol on thermofield double states in the presence of time-reversal symmetry that is inspired by the work of Gao, Jafferis and Wall. The deformation is a product of hermitian operators on the left and right systems that are identical to each other and that lasts for a small amount of time. We study the linear dependence on the quench to the properties of the deformation under time reversal. If the quench is time symmetric, then the linear response after the quench of all T-even operators vanishes. This includes the response of the energy on the left system and all the thermodynamic expectation values (the time averaged expectation values of the operators). Also, we show under an assumption of non-degeneracy of the Hamiltonian that the entanglement entropy between left and right is not affected to this order. We also study a variation of the quench where an instantaneous deformation is given by an operator of fixed T-parity and it's time derivative. It is shown that the sign of the response of the Hamiltonian is correlated with the T-parity of the operator. We can then choose the sign of the amplitude of the quench to result in a reduction in the energy. This implies a reduction of the entanglement entropy between both sides.
A Paradigm Shift for Acute Rehabilitation of Stroke

AbstractCurrent best practice standards for rehabilitation after stroke call for increasing the dose and intensity of interventions for optimal therapeutic benefit. Despite this, those within inpat...
Ca2+ release-activated Ca2+ channels are responsible for histamine-induced Ca2+ entry, permeability increase, and interleukin synthesis in lymphatic endothelial cells

The lymphatic functions in maintaining lymph transport, and immune surveillance can be impaired by infections and inflammation, thereby causing debilitating disorders, such as lymphedema and inflammatory bowel disease. Histamine is a key inflammatory mediator known to trigger vasodilation and vessel hyperpermeability upon binding to its receptors and evoking intracellular Ca2+ ([Ca2+]i) dynamics for downstream signal transductions. However, the exact molecular mechanisms beneath the [Ca2+]i dynamics and the downstream cellular effects have not been elucidated in the lymphatic system. Here, we show that Ca2+ release-activated Ca2+ (CRAC) channels, formed by Orai1 and stromal interaction molecule 1 (STIM1) proteins, are required for the histamine-elicited Ca2+ signaling in human dermal lymphatic endothelial cells (HDLECs). Blockers or antagonists against CRAC channels, phospholipase C, and H1R receptors can all significantly diminish the histamine-evoked [Ca2+]i dynamics in lymphatic endothelial cells (LECs), while short interfering RNA-mediated knockdown of endogenous Orai1 or STIM1 also abolished the Ca2+ entry upon histamine stimulation in LECs. Furthermore, we find that histamine compromises the lymphatic endothelial barrier function by increasing the intercellular permeability and disrupting vascular endothelial-cadherin integrity, which is remarkably attenuated by CRAC channel blockers. Additionally, the upregulated expression of inflammatory cytokines, IL-6 and IL-8, after histamine stimulation was abolished by silencing Orai1 or STIM1 with RNAi in LECs. Taken together, our data demonstrated the essential role of CRAC channels in mediating the [Ca2+]i signaling and downstream endothelial barrier and inflammatory functions induced by histamine in the LECs, suggesting a promising potential to relieve histamine-triggered vascular leakage and inflammatory disorders in the lymphatics by targeting CRAC channel functions.
Soil C storage following salvage logging and residue management in bark beetle-infested lodgepole pine forests

Abstract Bark beetle outbreaks have altered carbon (C) dynamics in lodgepole pine (Pinus contorta var. latifolia Engelm. ex Wats.) forests across western North America. The sensitivity of soil C to post-beetle management operations remains unknown in these forests. We quantified total C stocks in the O horizon and upper mineral soil (0–10 cm) 6–7 years after salvage logging in lodgepole pine forests of northern Colorado and compared biomass retention or removal residue management to uncut beetle-infested forests. We evaluated the quantity and chemical composition of C in physical fractions of the O horizon and upper mineral soil layers to better understand how management impacts the quality of C with implications for soil C persistence. Post-harvest residue retention increased O horizon C storage compared to the removal treatment and uncut stands. Total soil C (O horizon and upper 0–10 cm mineral soil) was an average of 11.4 (±5.6) Mg C ha−1 higher in salvage logged plots compared to uncut forests and the increase was primarily in particulate organic matter. Salvage logging did not alter the chemical composition of the soil C fractions analyzed. The C:N ratios, Fourier-transform mid-infrared spectra, and 13C values analyses each showed that the C composition of the organic and upper mineral soil layers were distinct. This indicates that physical transfer of fresh or decomposed O horizon material may not be the primary source of particulate C, and we suggest that belowground inputs are likely to be an important contributor to these mineral soils. Our finding that logging residue removal did not reduce post-harvest upper mineral soil C stocks has implications for biomass harvesting in these forests, though the long-term impacts of post-bark beetle management on C storage in these ecosystems depend on understory dynamics, tree regeneration and forest recovery that will progress over the course of decades. This work suggests that greater understanding of post-logging organic matter inputs and C dynamics in O horizon and mineral SOM fractions can help inform forest management aimed at sustaining soil C.
Gene expression in urinary incontinence and pelvic organ prolapse: a review of literature.

Purpose of review To review current evidence on gene expression in women with urinary incontinence and pelvic organ prolapse (POP). Recent findings Our literature review revealed numerous genes that are associated with urinary incontinence and POP. For overactive bladder and urge urinary incontinence, four genes were highlighted: adrenergic receptor β3, Rho guanine nucleotide exchange factor 10, Rho-associated coiled-coil containing protein kinase 2, and potassium two pore domain channel subfamily K member-1. For Stress Urinary incontinence (SUI), 13 genes were included: skin-derived antileukoproteinase, collagen type XVII alpha 1 chain, plakophilin 1, keratin 16, decorin, biglycan, protein bicaudal D homolog 2, growth factor receptor-bound protein 2, signal transducer and activator of transcription 3, apolipoprotein E, Golgi SNAP receptor complex member 1, fibromodulin, and glucocerebrosidase. For POP seven genes were identified: homeobox A13, matrix metallopeptidase 9, estrogen receptor 2, collagen type XIV alpha 1 chain, collagen type V alpha 1 chain, collagen type IV alpha 2 chain, and catenin beta 1. Summary The current review highlights many genes which are potential biomarkers and targets for drug development.
Visual Diagnosis: Tension Pneumothorax with Evolving Cysts in an Infant

1. Ariel Stein, MD*,† 2. Helena Molero, MD*,† 3. Donavon Hess, MD, PhD*,‡ 4. Mark Luquette, MD*,§ 5. Michael B. Pitt, MD*,† 1. *University of Minnesota School of Medicine, Minneapolis, MN 2. †Department of Pediatrics 3. ‡Department of Surgery, and 4. §Department of Laboratory Medicine, University of Minnesota Masonic Children’s Hospital, Minneapolis, MN * Abbreviations: CPAM: : congenital pulmonary airway malformation ED: : emergency department RSV: : respiratory syncytial virus A 5-month-old previously healthy term male infant presents to a rural emergency department (ED) for a 1-week history of increasing congestion, poor oral intake, and a temperature of 103°F (39.4°C). He is being treated with amoxicillin for presumed pneumonia. His examination in the ED is significant for scattered rhonchi and mild dehydration. His chest radiograph reveals inflammatory changes without a focal infiltrate (Fig 1). However, because this is his fourth presentation to the ED during this illness, he is admitted for observation. During the next 2 days his respiratory distress and tachypnea progressively worsen. On day 3 of his hospitalization he begins having episodes of desaturation and worsening retractions refractory to oxygen via low-flow nasal cannula. His examination at this time is significant for diffuse rhonchi throughout both lung fields with decreased air entry at the lung bases. Because his clinical status is deteriorating, he is transferred to a higher level of care. Figure 1. Anteroposterior and lateral chest radiographs on hospital day 1 show patchy, predominantly perihilar airspace opacities, consistent with viral inflammatory/reactive airway disease. No lobar consolidation. No pneumothorax. On arrival at the referral center he is lethargic, with decreased breath sounds and persistent desaturations. A respiratory swab polymerase chain reaction is positive for respiratory syncytial virus (RSV). His chest radiograph reveals a large right-sided tension pneumothorax (Fig 2). A pigtail chest tube is emergently placed, and his work of breathing improves. Within 2 days he is no longer requiring supplemental oxygen. The medical team is unable to successfully put the chest tube to water seal, however, because each time it is sealed there is a rapid re-accumulation of his pneumothorax. After several unsuccessful attempts, his chest tube is placed back to suction and he is airlifted, via helicopter, to a pediatric tertiary care center for further evaluation, now 11 …
Latency Comparison of Cloud Datacenters and Edge Servers

Edge computing has become a recent approach to bring computing resources closer to the end-user. While offline processing and aggregate data reside in the cloud, edge computing is promoted for latency-critical and bandwidth-hungry tasks. In this direction, it is crucial to quantify the expected latency reduction when edge servers are preferred over cloud locations. In this paper, we performed an extensive measurement to assess the latency characteristics of end-users with respect to the edge servers and cloud data centers. We also evaluated the impact of capacity limitations of edge servers on the latency under various user workloads. We measured latency from 8,456 end-users to 6,341 Akamai edge servers and 69 cloud locations. Measurements of latencies show that while 58% of end-users can reach a nearby edge server in less than 10 ms, only 29% of end-users obtain a similar latency from a nearby cloud location. Additionally, we observe that the latency distribution of end-users to edge servers follows a power-law distribution, which emphasizes the need for non-uniform server deployment and load balancing by an edge provider.
Sons and Fathers: Challenges to paternal authority

Preface. Part I Background and Foreground: The Self In The System. 1 Erik Erikson and His Theory of Human Development. 2 Murray Bowen and His Theory of Family Systems. Part II Father Absent. 3 Winston Churchill and Lord Randolph Churchill. 4 The Roosevelt Boys and Franklin Delano Roosevelt. 5 Alexander the Great and King Philip. 6 Robert E. Lee and Light Horse Harry Lee. 7 The Adams Boys and John Adams. Part III Father Present. 8 Charles Darwin and Robert Darwin. 9 Franz Kafka and Hermann Kafka. 10 Benjamin Franklin and Josiah Franklin. 11 Sigmund Freud and Jakob Freud. Part IV Father Present Yet Distant. 12 Abraham Lincoln and Thomas Lincoln. 13 Ulysses S. Grant and Jesse Grant. Part V Father Present -- Yet Distant With Abuse. 14 Pat Conroy and Colonel Dan Conroy. 15 The Crosby Boys and Harry (Bing) Crosby. 16 Adolf Hitler and Aloise Hitler. 17 Joseph Stalin and Vissarion Dzhugashvili. Part VI Father Present -- With Commercial and/or Political Intent. 18 Amadeus Mozart and Leopold Mozart. 19 Ludwig van Beethoven and Johann Beethoven. 20 John F. Kennedy and Joseph P. Kennedy. Part VII Father Present with Abuse and Commercial Intent. 21 Michael Jackson and Joseph Jackson. Part VIII Three Present Fathers. 22 William Tecumseh Sherman and Charles R. Sherman (deceased) and The Honorable Thomas Ewing. Conclusions. Availability: Father Present, Distant, and Absent. Violence and Abuse: Physical and Mental/Emotional. Authority and Good Enough Fathering. Bibliography. Index.