cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
A Multiscale Damage Accumulation Theory for Solder Joint Failure

In heterogeneous micro structures that include several grains, secondary phases and interfaces, cracks are known to initiate and grow through different mechanisms. The failure processes however are not well understood. Solder alloys in general, and Pb-free alloys in particular possess complex, heterogeneous microstructures that evolve in fracture in ways that are challenging to model. Often, underlying a fracture observed under a microscope is a hierarchy of fracture-related phenomenon from atomic to macro length-scales. In this paper we develop a failure model inspired by information theory and continuum thermodynamics to capture the multiscale fracture processes in solder joints. We systematically develop measures of dissipation from continuum thermodynamics for materials described by J2 plasticity theory. Crack growth is known to be dissipative and such measures are natural candidates for predicting failure within a mechanics framework. The dissipation estimates, multiple fracture mechanisms and the notions of continuity, monotonicity and composition borrowed from information theory suggest a single model as being capable of predicting both ductile and brittle types of failures.Copyright © 2009 by ASME
Distinctive finite size effects on the phase diagram and metal–insulator transitions of tungsten-doped vanadium(IV) oxide

The influence of finite size in altering the phase stabilities of strongly correlated materials gives rise to the interesting prospect of achieving additional tunability of solid–solid phase transitions such as those involved in metal–insulator switching, ferroelectricity, and superconductivity. We note here some distinctive finite size effects on the relative phase stabilities of insulating (monoclinic) and metallic (tetragonal) phases of solid-solution WxV1−xO2. Ensemble differential scanning calorimetry and individual nanobelt electrical transport measurements suggest a pronounced hysteresis between metal → insulator and insulator → metal phase transformations. Both transitions are depressed to lower critical temperatures upon the incorporation of substitutional tungsten dopants but the impact on the former transition seems far more prominent. In general, the depression in the critical temperatures upon tungsten doping far exceeds corresponding values for bulk WxV1−xO2 of the same composition. Notably, the depression in phase transition temperature saturates at a relatively low dopant concentration in the nanobelts, thought to be associated with the specific sites occupied by the tungsten substitutional dopants in these structures. The marked deviations from bulk behavior are rationalized in terms of a percolative model of the phase transition taking into account the nucleation of locally tetragonal domains and enhanced carrier delocalization that accompany W6+ doping in the WxV1−xO2 nanobelts.
Effect of estrogen formulation and its site of deposition on serum PGFM concentrations, uterine contractility, and time of ovulation in artificially inseminated weaned sows

Abstract At the time of artificial insemination, 48 mixed parity sows were assigned by parity to receive 25 μg estradiol-17β either in oil deposited onto the vaginal mucosa (E-oil), or dissolved in extended semen (E-semen), or received no estrogen and served as controls. All sows were inseminated transcervically 24 h after detection of estrus. The time of ovulation was determined in 15 sows per treatment by transrectal ultrasonography. Concentrations of prostaglandin F2α metabolite (PGFM) were determined in blood samples obtained from eight sows per treatment at 1 h intervals from 1 h pre-treatment until 7 h post-treatment. The remaining eight sows per treatment were fitted with a transducer to allow determination of intrauterine pressure changes during 1 h pre-treatment until 5 h post-treatment. There were no differences among treatments for wean to estrus interval, size of ovarian follicles at the time of treatment or the estrus detection to ovulation interval. In all treatments, plasma PGFM concentrations were increased from 1 h after treatment. However, the increase was greater and of longer duration in the E-oil sows (P=0.03) supporting the suggestion that this formulation and route of administration enhanced uterine PGF2α release. Compared to controls, both estradiol treatments were associated with myometrial contractions of increased amplitude and duration, supporting a causal link between estradiol treatment, increased uterine PGF2α release, and enhanced myometrial contractility.
Nephrotic syndrome, progressive irreversible renal failure, and glomerular "collapse": a new clinicopathologic entity?

Six patients are reported with nephrotic syndrome and relatively rapid progression to irreversible renal failure. The renal histologic findings are unusual. The most striking changes are collapse of glomerular capillary loops, such as might occur with glomerular hypoperfusion; significant tubulointerstitial damage is also seen. These patients appear to have a clinicopathologic entity hitherto unreported. Its differentiation from other causes of progressive glomerular damage, and particularly from focal and segmental alomerulosclerosis. is discussed.
Black generation using lightness scaling

This paper describes a method for constructing a lookup table relating a 3D CMY coordinate system to CMYK colorant amounts in a way that maximizes the utilization of the printer gamut volume. The method is based on an assumption, satisfied by most printers, that adding a black colorant to any combination of CMY colorants does not result in a color with more chroma. Therefore the CMYK gamut can be obtained from the CMY gamut by expanding it towards lower lightness values. Use of black colorant on the gray axis is enforced by modifying the initial distribution of CMY points through an approximate black generation transform. Lightness values of a resulting set of points in CIELAB space are scaled to fill the four-color gamut volume. The output CMYK values corresponding to the modified CIELAB colors are found by inverting a printer model. This last step determines a specific black use rate which can depend on the region of the color space.© (1999) COPYRIGHT SPIE--The International Society for Optical Engineering. Downloading of the abstract is permitted for personal use only.
On the treatment of relative-pose measurements for mobile robot localization

In this paper, we study the problem of localization using relative-state estimates. It is shown, that when the same exteroceptive sensor measurement is processed for the computation of two consecutive displacement estimates (both forward and backward in time) these estimates are correlated, and an analysis of the exact structure of the correlations is performed. This analysis is utilized in the design of data fusion algorithms, that correctly account for the existing correlations. We examine two cases: i) pose propagation based exclusively on inferred displacement measurements, and ii) the fusion of proprioceptive sensor information with relative-state measurements. For the latter case, an efficient EKF-based estimation algorithm is proposed, that extends the approach of S.I. Roumeliotis and J. Burdick, 2002. Extensive simulation and experimental results are presented, that verify the validity of the presented method
Novel Hypothesis to Explain Why SGLT2 Inhibitors Inhibit Only 30–50% of Filtered Glucose Load in Humans

Inhibitors of sodium-glucose cotransporter 2 (SGLT2) are a novel class of antidiabetes drugs, and members of this class are under various stages of clinical development for the management of type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM). It is widely accepted that SGLT2 is responsible for >80% of the reabsorption of the renal filtered glucose load. However, maximal doses of SGLT2 inhibitors fail to inhibit >50% of the filtered glucose load. Because the clinical efficacy of this group of drugs is entirely dependent on the amount of glucosuria produced, it is important to understand why SGLT2 inhibitors inhibit <50% of the filtered glucose load. In this Perspective, we provide a novel hypothesis that explains this apparent puzzle and discuss some of the clinical implications inherent in this hypothesis.
Television's portrayal of minorities and women, 1971‐75

(1977). Television's portrayal of minorities and women, 1971‐75. Journal of Broadcasting: Vol. 21, No. 4, pp. 435-446.
Comment on Jack Goodman's "Houses, Apartments, and the Incidence of Property Taxes"

Abstract The growing differential between tax rates for single‐family dwellings and apartments is evidence of several accelerating trends. For single‐family housing, the rate has declined over the past decade as the role of the property tax has diminished and other forms of revenue have become more significant. Moreover, new suburban residential developments have seen rapidly increasing use of privatization to supplant local government services and taxes. Apartments tend to be concentrated in older, more densely settled urban areas that continue to rely on the property tax, grow more slowly, and depend more on local governments for services. Fiscal zoning, reinforced by fiscal impact analysis and homeowners’ economic self‐interest, has militated against building apartments in growing areas. Given policies that favor homeownership and foster single‐family housing as an investment, market forces will likely work to close the tax rate gap by restricting locally financed services to those who cannot afford to...
Exploiting regularity for low-power design

Current day behavioral-synthesis techniques produce architectures that are power-inefficient in the interconnect. Experiments have demonstrated that in synthesized designs, about 10 to 40% of the total power may be dissipated in buses, multiplexors, and drivers. We present a novel approach targeted at the reduction of power dissipation in interconnect elements-buses, multiplexors, and buffers. The scheduling, assignment, and allocation techniques presented in this paper exploit the regularity and common computational patterns in the algorithm to reduce the fan-outs and fan-ins of the interconnect wires, resulting in reduced bus capacitances and a simplified interconnect structure. Average power savings of 47% and 49% in buses and multiplexors, respectively, are demonstrated on a set of benchmark examples.
Incidence of cervical metastasis from uveal melanoma: implications for treatment.

Background. Although the literature has focused on the propensity of uveal melanoma to metastasize to the liver, little attention has been directed to its spread in regional, cervical lymph nodes. Methods. We reviewed records of 77 patients who underwent primary resection of uveal melanoma during a 15-year period at our institution. Results. A total of only 6.5% of patients developed cervical metastasis. Factors such as age, race, sex, tumor location, and histology were not influential in identifying these patients. Tumor size and local orbital recurrence were, however, associated with a higher risk of cervical lymphadenopathy (p < 0.05). Cervical metastases were also associated with the presence of distant metastatic disease. Conclusion. Neck dissection should be reserved for patients with clinically demonstrable lymphadenopathy only after distant disease has been excluded. © 1995 Jons Wiley & Sons, Inc.
Severe non-obstructive sleep disturbance as an initial presentation of gastroesophageal reflux disease

Abstract A 2 1 2 -year-old child presented with a sleep disturbance initially diagnosed as a behavioral problem. The child had several atypical symptoms of gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD). The sleep disturbance resolved quickly after treatment of GERD. GERD is a disease with protean manifestations which is becoming of greater interest to the pediatric otolaryngologist. We discuss diagnosis of this entity.
Axiom Systems for First Order Logic with Finitely Many Variables

J. D. Monk has shown that for first order languages with finitely many variables there is no finite set of schema which axiomatizes the universally valid formulas. There are such finite sets of schema which axiomatize the formulas valid in all structures of some fixed finite size.
Monte Carlo simulation of hot optical phonon decay in a carbon nanotube

Reduced dimensional materials, such as carbon nanotubes (CNTs), are expected to exhibit relatively large optical phonon decay times. Scattering and thus thermalization of CNT phonon modes proceeds slowly due to a reduction in crystal momentum conserving final wavevector states. The presence of non-equilibrium optical phonons may have pronounced effects on the electrical, thermal, and optical properties of carbon nanotubes. It is widely believed that such hot phonons lead to conductance degradation, negative differential conductance, and enhanced thermal breakdown of suspended CNTs. Furthermore, absorbtion of hot optical phonons by conducting carriers would significantly alter device characteristics in the low-field ballistic limit. Thermal properties are also effected as the slow decay of hot phonons is expected to lead to reduced thermal diffusivity, and the development of inhomogeneous heating within a nanotube.
An ‘Organised Disorganisation’: Informal Organisation and the Persistence of Local Party Structures in Argentine Peronism

This article attempts to fill the void in research on the Justicialista Party (PJ) organisation. Challenging accounts of the contemporary PJ as a weak, personalistic organisation, it argues that the party maintains a powerful base-level infrastructure with deep roots in working- and lower-class society. This organisation has been understated by scholars because, unlike prototypical working class party structures, it is informal and highly decentralised. The PJ organisation consists of a range of informal networks – based on unions, clubs, NGOs and activists' homes that are largely unconnected to the party bureaucracy. These organisations provided the government of Carlos Menem with a range of benefits in the 1990s, particularly in the realm of local problem-solving and patronage distribution. Yet they also constrained the Menem leadership, limiting its capacity to impose candidates and strategies on lower-level party branches.
Large system capacity of MIMO block channels with least squares linear adaptive receivers

The performance of a wireless channel with multiple antennas benefits from channel knowledge at the receiver, which is typically unknown a priori. We study the capacity of a block fading multiple-input/multiple-output (MIMO) channel with a linear receiver, which is estimated from a training sequence via a least squares (LS) algorithm. Given a fixed block size, the amount of training overhead plays a key role in balancing the quality of the receiver estimate and the data transmission time. Here we study the optimal training length, which maximizes the large system MIMO capacity, i.e., the number of transmit and receive antennas go to infinity with fixed ratio. In order to obtain a meaningful limit, the training length and packet length also increase in fixed proportion to the number of antennas. We show that the optimal amount of training grows as the square root of the block size, as the block size becomes large. Furthermore, only a slight benefit is obtained from optimizing the allocation of power across training and data symbols. Numerical results show that for a fixed block length, the capacity can be increased somewhat by adding a properly chosen diagonal loading factor to the LS algorithm.
Finite Temperature Correlation Functions via Forward−Backward Semiclassical Dynamics†

The forward−backward semiclassical treatment of ensemble averaged quantities is combined with a discretized path integral description of the Boltzmann operator describing the initial density. We present a practical Monte Carlo methodology for calculating time-dependent expectation values and time correlation functions, applicable to polyatomic systems.
Landscape visualization with Emaps

Emaps, a comprehensive environment for displaying geographic data, written in object-oriented Common Lisp and running on a Macintosh computer, is described. In Emaps, a hierarchy of objects-windows, maps, cells-takes advantage of the class-instance inheritance and generic methods of Common Lisp to allow prototyping and exploring of variations. The combination of a class library of objects, a protocol for accessing them, ready access to the full display capabilities of the computer, and the interpreted nature of Lisp make for an interactive environment for visualizing landscapes and exploring geographic information. >
Synergistic hemolysis between β-lysin–producing Staphylococcus species and Rothia nasimurium in primary cultures of clinical specimens obtained from dogs:

Nonhemolytic isolates of catalase-positive, Gram-positive cocci were observed that produced strong synergistic hemolysis with colonies of Staphylococcus pseudintermedius and Staphylococcus schleiferi subsp. coagulans in primary cultures of clinical specimens from dogs. The isolates appeared similar to nonhemolytic staphylococci but were not identified with conventional biochemical tests or commercial biochemical test kits. Partial 16S ribosomal RNA gene sequences from each of 9 tested isolates were nearly identical to that of Rothia nasimurium. The isolates produced positive Christie-Atkins-Munch-Peterson test reactions with Staphylococcus aureus (ATCC strain 25923) and Staphylococcus intermedius Hajek (ATCC strain 49052). The latter was identified in the current study as S. pseudintermedius. Rothia nasimurium appears to be a previously unreported commensal organism in dogs. Its potential significance as an opportunistic contributor to polymicrobial infections in dogs is not known.
S. Lala Ashenberg Straussner on James Clark's “A Brief Personal Meditation About Failure and Defeat”

Dr. Jim Clark, the Director of the School of Social Work at the University of Cincinnati, looks at his “personal meditation about failure and defeat” in the light of the physician/poet William Caro...
Transformation of surface states from Shockley-like to Tamm-like in photonic crystals

We investigate how the asymmetry of surface potential affects the Shockley surface states in photonic crystals and demonstrate the transformation of the Shockley surface states into the Tamm states for the first time.
Magnetron-Sputtered Nanolaminate and Superlattice Coatings

Thin film superlattice materials can exhibit physical, optical and mechanical properties very different and superior to those of single layer counterparts. In the past fifteen years, hard coating, optical and electrical device technologies have advanced beyond the use of single layer coatings with the development of nanoscale compositionally modulated coatings, or superlattices and nanocomposites. A typical superlattice consists of hundreds to thousands of nm-scale layers with alternating compositions and/or crystalline phases. It is possible to engineer the electrical and mechanical properties by choice of layer thicknesses and compositions. Typical layer thicknesses are between 2 and 100 nm. We report of three types of superlattice coatings: (1) AlN/Si3N4 optical superlattice for abrasion protection of ZnS IR windows, (2) Al/Cu structural superlattices and (3) advanced thermoelectric superlattices. All superlattice coatings were deposited by DC and RF reactive magnetron sputtering. The AlN/Si3N4 superlattice had layer thicknesses of 2 nm and exhibited a nanohardness of 35 GPa. The Al/Cu superlattice had layer thicknesses of 1.5 nm and a hardness near 6.5 GPa and is being developed for lightweight optics for space applications. The thermoelectric superlattice demonstrated a figure of merit (ZT) ~ 1.5 and is being developed for power generation from waste heat sources.
Wave fans are special

It is shown that self-similar BV solutions of genuinely nonlinear strictly hyperbolic systems of conservation laws are special functions of bounded variation, with vanishing Cantor part.
Long-Term Nitrogen Storage and Soil Nitrogen Availability in Post-Fire Lodgepole Pine Ecosystems

Long-term, landscape patterns in inorganic nitrogen (N) availability and N stocks following infrequent, stand-replacing fire are unknown but are important for interpreting the effect of disturbances on ecosystem function. Here, we present results from a replicated chronosequence study in the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem (Wyoming, USA) directed at measuring inorganic N availability (ionexchange resin bags) and ecosystem N pools among 77 lodgepole pine stands that varied in age and density. Inorganic N availability ranged from 0.07 to 3.20 lN bag -1 d -1 and nitrate (NO3 ) was, on average, 65% of total resin-sorbed N. Total ecosystem N stocks (live + detrital + soil) averaged 109.9 ± 3.0 g N m -2 (range = 63.7‐185.8 g N m -2 ). Live N was 14%, detrital N was 29%, and soil N was 57% of total stocks. Soil NO3 , total ecosystem N, live N, and detrital N generally increased with stand age, but soil N stocks decreased. Models (AICc) to predict soil N availability and N stocks included soil P, soil Ca, bulk density, and pH in addition to age (adj R 2 ranged from 0.18 to 0.53) and density was included only for live N stocks. Patterns of N stocks and N availability with density were strongest for young stands (<20 years) regenerating from extensive fire in 1988; for example, litterfall N stocks increased with density (adj R 2 = 0.86, P < 0.001) but inorganic N availability declined (adj R 2 = 0.47, P < 0.003). Across the complex Yellowstone landscape, we conclude that N stocks and N availability are best predicted by a combination of local soil characteristics in addition to factors that vary at landscape scales (stand density and age). Overall, total ecosystem N stocks were recovered quickly following standreplacing fire, suggesting that moderate increases in fire frequency will not affect long-term landscape N storage in Greater Yellowstone.
On the Throughput Capacity and Performance Analysis of Hybrid Wireless Networks over Fading Channels

In this paper, we investigate the theoretical per-node transmission limit of hybrid wireless networks over fading channels. We formulate a hybrid wireless network model, in which a wired network of base stations is deployed to support long-range communications between wireless nodes. Two types of transmission mode, the so called intra-cell transmission mode and the infrastructure transmission mode are considered. Aiming to effectively overcome the fading impairments, we introduce an optimal multiple access technique allowing opportunistic sources to transmit concurrently with the scheduled source. A successive interference cancelation (SIC) strategy is then applied at the receiver to limit the intra-cell interference and achieve the maximum throughput. In addition, the frequency reuse scheme is employed to minimize the inter-cell interference. We first study the scaling laws for outage throughput capacity in the slow fading scenario and provide the closed-form analytical expressions for the outage throughput capacity at the regime of high signal-to-interference-plus-noise ratio (SINR). The ergodic throughput capacity, which serves as the performance criterion for fast fading situation, is then explored. We derive the tight bounds for ergodic throughput capacity at low SINR and high SINR scenarios, respectively. Finally, we provide the detailed quality of service (QoS) performance analysis in terms of the per-node average error probability (AEP). The theoretical bounds obtained are instrumental to the future energy-limited network modeling and design.
ScrG, a GGDEF-EAL Protein, Participates in Regulating Swarming and Sticking in Vibrio parahaemolyticus

In this work, we describe a new gene controlling lateral flagellar gene expression. The gene encodes ScrG, a protein containing GGDEF and EAL domains. This is the second GGDEF-EAL-encoding locus determined to be involved in the regulation of swarming: the first was previously characterized and named scrABC (for "swarming and capsular polysaccharide regulation"). GGDEF and EAL domain-containing proteins participate in the synthesis and degradation of the nucleotide signal cyclic di-GMP (c-di-GMP) in many bacteria. Overexpression of scrG was sufficient to induce lateral flagellar gene expression in liquid, decrease biofilm formation, decrease cps gene expression, and suppress the DeltascrABC phenotype. Removal of its EAL domain reversed ScrG activity, converting ScrG to an inhibitor of swarming and activator of cps expression. Overexpression of scrG decreased the intensity of a (32)P-labeled nucleotide spot comigrating with c-di-GMP standard, whereas overexpression of scrG(Delta)(EAL) enhanced the intensity of the spot. Mutants with defects in scrG showed altered swarming and lateral flagellin production and colony morphology (but not swimming motility); furthermore, mutation of two GGDEF-EAL-encoding loci (scrG and scrABC) produced cumulative effects on swarming, lateral flagellar gene expression, lateral flagellin production and colony morphology. Mutant analysis supports the assignment of the primary in vivo activity of ScrG to acting as a phosphodiesterase. The data are consistent with a model in which multiple GGDEF-EAL proteins can influence the cellular nucleotide pool: a low concentration of c-di-GMP favors surface mobility, whereas high levels of this nucleotide promote a more adhesive Vibrio parahaemolyticus cell type.
Effect of thiourea and saccharin on the roughness of electrodeposited ultrathin nickel and cobalt layers

Ni and Co films were produced by electrodeposition from plating baths containing either thiourea or saccharin. The effect of the organic additives on surface roughness was studied for the Ni-thiourea, Ni-saccharin, Co-thiourea and Co-saccharin systems. Layer thicknesses were varied from 1 to 10 nm and the additive concentration was varied from about 1 μM to 1 mM. Contact mode atomic force microscopy was used to measure both the root mean square (RMS) peak height (nm) and the areal peak density (μm−2) of each film. Although the RMS peak height and areal density were both influenced by film thickness and by additive concentration, the two roughness measures provide complementary information on the layer morphology and growth mechanisms. The four systems studied responded differently to changes in the concentration of the added organic. For example, for films 8 nm thick, addition of 1.22 × 10−3 thiourea reduced the Ni peak density about 80%; in contrast, the Co peak density was increased over 180% by addition of 1.25 × 10−3 thiourea. Use of peak height and peak density data to infer growth mechanisms for ultrathin films is discussed.
Indications for Repair of Full-Thickness Rotator Cuff Tears:

Rotator cuff repair surgery for full-thickness tears is common and accepted in orthopaedics today. Given that a significant number of people have asymptomatic rotator cuff tears, the indications for surgery are, however, somewhat unclear. Multiple factors such as duration of symptoms, acuity and size of the tear, patient age, and others require consideration and can influence the decision to perform surgery. This article reviews these variables and the indications for surgery to repair full-thickness rotator cuff tears.
Extensive haplotype diversity in African American mothers and their cord blood units.

HLA-A, -B, -C, -DRB1, -DQB1 assignments were obtained for 374 pairs of African American mothers and their umbilical cord blood units (CBU) by DNA sequencing. An algorithm developed by the National Marrow Donor Program was used to assign 1122 haplotypes by segregation. 70% of the haplotypes carried assignments at all five loci. In the remainder, alleles at various loci, most often DQB1 in 48% of the haplotypes with a missing assignment, could not be assigned due to sharing of both alleles by mother and CBU. There were 652 haplotypes carrying a unique combination of alleles at the five loci; the majority (74%) were singletons. Novel B~C and DRB1~DQB1 associations were observed. The results demonstrate the genetic diversity in this population and provide validation for a publically available tool for pedigree analysis. Our observations underscore the need for procurement of increased numbers of units in the national cord blood inventory in order to identify matching donors for all patients requiring hematopoietic stem cell transplantation.
Surgical Residency Training at a University-Based Academic Medical Center

The past two decades have been witness to some of the most dynamic changes that have occurred in surgical education in all of its history. Political policies, social revolution, and the competing priorities of a new generation of surgical trainees are defining the needs of modern training paradigms. Although the university-based academic program's tripartite mission of clinical service, research, and education has remained steadfast, the mechanisms for achieving success in this mission necessitate adaptation and innovation. The resource-rich learning environment and the unique challenges that face university-based programs contribute to its ability to generate the future leaders of the surgical workforce.
Comparative photobiology of growth responses to two UV-B wavebands and UV-C in dim-red-light- and white-light-grown cucumber (Cucumis sativus) seedlings: physiological evidence for photoreactivation.

We examined the influence of short-term exposures of different UV wavebands on the elongation and phototropic curvature of hypocotyls of cucumbers (Cucumis sativus L.) grown in white light (WL) and dim red light (DRL). We evaluated (1) whether different wavebands within the ultraviolet B (UV-B) region elicit different responses; (2) the hypocotyl elongation response elicited by ultraviolet C (UV-C); (3) whether irradiation with blue light–enriched white light (B/WL) given simultaneous with UV-B treatments reversed the effect of UV in a manner indicative of photoreactivation; and (4) whether responses in WL-grown plants were similar to those grown in DRL. Responses to brief (1–100 min) irradiations with three different UV wavebands all induced inhibition of elongation measured after 24 h. When WL-grown seedlings were irradiated with light containing proportionally greater short wavelength UV-B (37% of UV-B between 280 and 300 nm), inhibition of hypocotyl elongation was induced at a threshold of 0.5 kJ m−2, whereas exposure to UV-B including only wavelengths longer than 290 nm (and only 8% of UV-B between 290 and 300 nm) induced inhibition of hypocotyl elongation at a threshold of 1.6 kJ m−2. The UV-C treatment induced reduction in elongation at a threshold of <0.01 kJ m−2 for DRL-grown plants and <0.03 kJ m−2 for WL-grown plants. B/WL caused 50% reversal of the short-wavelength UV-B–induced inhibition of elongation in DRL-grown seedlings but did not reverse the effect of long-wavelength UV-B. B/WL caused 30% reversal of the UV-C–induced inhibition of elongation in WL-grown seedlings but did not affect the response to short-wavelength UV-B. Short-wavelength UV-B also induced positive phototropic curvature in both types of seedlings, and this was reversed 60% or completely in DRL-grown and WL-grown seedlings, respectively. The similarity of responses between the etiolated (DRL-grown) and de-etiolated (WL-grown) seedlings indicates that the short-wavelength specific response may be relevant to natural light environments, and the apparent photoreactivation implicates DNA damage as the sensory mechanism for the response.
College Textbooks, Price Arbitrage, Copyright, Business Models, and More

This article is a commentary on the Wiley v. Kirtsaeng case and its remarkable effects on technology and content distribution and control. Further, how an enterprising grad student's money-making idea led to a Supreme Court case with impacts for creators, publishers, manufacturers, retailers and entertainment conglomerates. To the extent that copyright-protected goods are in digital form, content creators and publishers face notable challenges to their legacy business models as control shifts to users and monetization shifts to distributors.
Spatial Ecologies: Michel de Certeau: Anthropological Spaces

Space is a practiced place. Certeau, The Practice of Everyday Life Space is existential, existence is spatial. Certeau, The Practice of Everyday Life At the heart of Lefebvre's writings on cities it is the urban planner who serves the state to shape a collective habitus . Dwellers in metropolitan centers, he notes time and again, have the task of using their milieus creatively, often at odds with the designs imposed upon them. The words are astonishingly similar to those of Michel de Certeau in his writings on everyday life. Lefebvre emerges from Marxist philosophy and history while Certeau counts, as Francois Dosse has shown (2002), as an inclassable , a writer who approaches space even more eclectically and from a variety of angles that include the history of religion, anthropology, linguistics, city planning, psychoanalysis and sociology. Certeau writes a cultural anthropology that discerns the unconscious religious tenor of everyday life. His discipline is one which mixes late medieval theology with Maurice Merleau-Ponty's aesthetic and existential philosophy, from which he borrows the distinction between anthropological or symbolic and geometric or administrative spaces. When all is said and done both Lefebvre and Certeau deal with ways of living and of being in the world that, when juxtaposed, yield remarkable similarities and differences. Everyday Practice in a Bureaucratic State Geometric sites, Certeau argues, are those that a state and a disciplinary regime impose upon their subjects. They exploit architecture, urban planning and available technologies to project their mental and physical design on to members of the polis . The state, he reasons, locates and confines its subjects by means of technological controls that bear resemblance to what Michel Foucault had defined as the apparatus of the disciplinary society or that which imposes a preconceived order upon the citizen.
Early Trophic Enteral Nutrition Is Associated With Improved Outcomes in Mechanically Ventilated Patients With Septic Shock: A Retrospective Review.

Purpose:Current guidelines provide weak recommendations for starting enteral nutrition (EN) in patients with septic shock (on vasopressor support). Outcomes of patients receiving EN in septic shock on vasopressor support have not been well studied. We hypothesize that early trophic EN in mechanically ventilated patients with septic shock is associated with improved outcomes.Methods:Single-center retrospective study of mechanically ventilated patients admitted with septic shock to identify patients receiving (1) no EN, (2) <600 kcal/d within 48 hours, and (3) ≥600 kcal/d within 48 hours. Outcomes studied included in-hospital mortality, length of intensive care unit stay (LOS), duration of mechanical ventilation (DOMV), and complications of feeding intolerance.Results:Sixty-six patients were identified. In all, 15 received no EN, 37 received <600 kcal/d, and 14 received ≥600 kcal/d EN daily. Median LOS was 12, 5, and 13 days, respectively. The LOS was lower in patients receiving <600 kcal/d when compared to...
Strengthening paper health register systems: strategies from case studies in Ethiopia, Ghana, South Africa and Uganda

Health information systems (HIS) include a spectrum of data collection tools that support clinical decision–making; facilitate tracking of patients, drug stock, and disease trends; and inform policymaking [1]. As intermediaries between individual patient records and population–level data, health registers occupy a unique space in HIS. Health registers are “a collection of records containing data about aspects of the health of individual persons” [2]. Paper health registers can be books, folders, or forms that include individual–level data for a population. Paper registers are primarily used at the facility level, though they can serve as inputs to higher level reporting. Because they serve health providers, program administrators, and health management decision–makers, registers can sometimes fail to meet all stakeholder identified needs. Studies of paper registers frequently document data quality challenges which compromise efforts to deliver effective care. Despite the global shift toward digital data collection, there remain low–resource settings that are unable to support the infrastructure required for electronic register systems. For these settings, strengthening paper health register systems can bolster evidence–based decision–making in patient encounters, program planning and policy, and serve as a first step toward improving quality data in HIS as they shift toward electronic systems.
Identity lost? The personal impact of brand journalism:

Researchers have explored the role of organizational and personal branding in journalism, paying particular attention to digital media and social network sites. While these studies have observed a rise in the incorporation of branding practices among journalists, they have largely avoided questions about the implications such shifts in practice may have on the personal identities of journalists. This study addresses that gap, drawing on interviews with 41 reporters and editors from US newspapers. The findings suggest that as reporters incorporate branding into their routines, they may feel as though they are sacrificing the ability to simultaneously maintain a personal identity online. For their part, editors seem to sympathize with journalists’ loss of personal identity but defer to organizational policies.
Removal of Residual Diiodooctane Improves Photostability of High-Performance Organic Solar Cell Polymers

Solvent additives such as diiodooctane (DIO) are becoming ubiquitous in processing high performance organic photovoltaic (OPV) active layers. Here, we investigate the effects of DIO on the long-term stability of the active layer by studying the photodegradation under ambient white light illumination of the polymer PTB7-Th in pure polymer thin films and in blend films with PC71BM. Using X-ray fluorescence, we directly detect iodine in the active layer films, indicating the presence of residual DIO after casting from solution. Additionally, we show that this residual DIO dramatically decreases the photostability of the active layer. Structural changes in the films upon illumination are probed with grazing-incidence wide-angle X-ray scattering (GIWAXS). FTIR spectroscopy is used to monitor chemical changes in the polymer structure during irradiation in the presence of DIO. Furthermore, we demonstrate that film treatment either with high vacuum (10–8 Torr) for 60 min or with a high-temperature thermal anneal ...
Precharging strategy for soft startup process of modular multilevel converters based on various SM circuits

The modular multilevel converter (MMC) has become one of the most promising converter technologies for medium/high-power applications, specifically for high-voltage direct current (HVDC) transmission systems. One of the technical challenges associated with the operation and control of the MMC-based system is to precharge the submodule (SM) capacitors to their nominal voltages during the startup process. In this paper, considering various SM circuits, a general precharging strategy is proposed for the MMC-based systems under ac-and dc-side startup conditions. The proposed startup method does not require any additional feedback control loop, extra measurements, and/or auxiliary power supplies. Based on the developed startup method, the charging current is controllable by adjusting the changing rate of the number of blocked and bypassed SM capacitors. Performance of the proposed strategy for various MMCs is evaluated based on time-domain simulation studies in the PSCAD/EMTDC software environment.
Characteristics of Normal and Refluxing Ureterovesical Junctions

In order to quantitatively define the mechanism of urereterovesical junction (UVJ) competence and vesicoureteral reflux, we measured ureteral pressures using a continuously perfused catheter with a single side opening. Studies were performed under general anesthesia on 11 competent and 9 refluxing UVJs. The amplitude of ureteral contractions was essentially the same in refluxing and non-refluxing systems, but peristaltic frequency was significantly lower in the presence of even the milder forms of reflux. With the bladder empty, a high pressure zone was observed at the UVJ in both refluxing and non-refluxing systems, with no significant pressure difference between the 2 groups. No relaxation was observed during urine transport across the UVJ. With bladder filling, a greater increase in profile pressure occurred at the UVJ of non-refluxing than refluxing systems. The UVJ-bladder pressure gradient of non-refluxing systems increased with bladder filling, whereas the gradient in the refluxing systems decreased. It appears that refluxing ureters have a decreased peristaltic frequency and fail to maintain a pressure gradient at the UVJ with bladder filling.
Statistical modeling and visualization of molecular profiles in cancer.

Current cancer classifications using morphological criteria produce heterogeneous classes with variable prognosis and clinical course. By measuring gene expression for thousands of genes in a single hybridization experiment, microarrays have the potential to contribute to more effective classifications based on molecular information. This gives hope to improve both prognosis and treatment. Statistical methods for molecular classification have focused on using high dimensional representations of molecular profiles to identify subclasses. These can be noisy, unstable, and highly platform-specific. In this article, we emphasize the notion of molecular profiles based on latent categories signifying under-, over-, and baseline expression. Following this approach, we can generate results that are more easily interpretable, more easily translated into clinical tools, more robust to noise, and less platform-dependent. We illustrate both the methods and the associated software for molecular class discovery on a da...
The Time Dependent Cable Solution

In this chapter, the Laplace transform in time and the Fourier transform in space are used with a variable transformation to solve the cable model for an infinite cable. This gives a solution to the cable model in which the time and space variable are not separated which is the time dependent cable solution. Hence, this is a much different solution from the one obtained using separation of variables.
Graded activation and free energy landscapes of a muscarinic G-protein-coupled receptor.

G-protein–coupled receptors (GPCRs) recognize ligands of widely different efficacies, from inverse to partial and full agonists, which transduce cellular signals at differentiated levels. However, the mechanism of such graded activation remains unclear. Using the Gaussian accelerated molecular dynamics (GaMD) method that enables both unconstrained enhanced sampling and free energy calculation, we have performed extensive GaMD simulations (∼19 μs in total) to investigate structural dynamics of the M2 muscarinic GPCR that is bound by the full agonist iperoxo (IXO), the partial agonist arecoline (ARC), and the inverse agonist 3-quinuclidinyl-benzilate (QNB), in the presence or absence of the G-protein mimetic nanobody. In the receptor–nanobody complex, IXO binding leads to higher fluctuations in the protein-coupling interface than ARC, especially in the receptor transmembrane helix 5 (TM5), TM6, and TM7 intracellular domains that are essential elements for GPCR activation, but less flexibility in the receptor extracellular region due to stronger binding compared with ARC. Two different binding poses are revealed for ARC in the orthosteric pocket. Removal of the nanobody leads to GPCR deactivation that is characterized by inward movement of the TM6 intracellular end. Distinct low-energy intermediate conformational states are identified for the IXO- and ARC-bound M2 receptor. Both dissociation and binding of an orthosteric ligand are observed in a single all-atom GPCR simulation in the case of partial agonist ARC binding to the M2 receptor. This study demonstrates the applicability of GaMD for exploring free energy landscapes of large biomolecules and the simulations provide important insights into the GPCR functional mechanism.
Award Winner in the Young Investigator Category, 2017 Society for Biomaterials Annual Meeting and Exposition, Minneapolis, MN, April 05—08, 2017: Lymph node stiffness-mimicking hydrogels regulate human B-cell lymphoma growth and cell surface receptor expression in a molecular subtype-specific manner

Diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL) is the most common type of non-Hodgkin's lymphoma, with multiple molecular subtypes. The activated B-cell-like DLBCL subtype accounts for roughly one-third of all the cases and has an inferior prognosis. There is a need to develop better class of therapeutics that could target molecular pathways in resistant DLBCLs; however, this requires DLBCLs to be studied in representative tumor microenvironments. The pathogenesis and progression of lymphoma has been mostly studied from the point of view of genetic alterations and intracellular pathway dysregulation. By comparison, the importance of lymphoma microenvironment in which these malignant cells arise and reside has not been studied in as much detail. We have recently elucidated the role of integrin signaling in lymphomas and demonstrated that inhibition of integrin-ligand interactions abrogated the proliferation of malignant cells in vitro and in patient-derived xenograft. Here we demonstrate the role of lymph node tissue stiffness on DLBCL in a B-cell molecular subtype specific manner. We engineered tunable bioartificial hydrogels that mimicked the stiffness of healthy and neoplastic lymph nodes of a transgenic mouse model and primary human lymphoma tumors. Our results demonstrate that molecularly diverse DLBCLs grow differentially in soft and high stiffness microenvironments, which further modulates the integrin and B-cell receptor expression level as well as response to therapeutics. We anticipate that our findings will be broadly useful to study lymphoma biology and discover new class of therapeutics that target B-cell tumors in physical environments. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Biomed Mater Res Part A: 105A: 1833-1844, 2017.