cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Speech Workload Estimation for Human-Machine Interaction:

Performing tasks quickly and accurately in dynamic and intense environments is critical, such as supervising a remotely piloted aircraft; however, these environments contain periods of low and high...
Bone Crusher 2.0

This essay is a cleaned up version of the Fourth Annual Greg Lastowka Memorial Lecture, delivered at Rutgers Law School Camden on November 15, 2018. The late and much-missed Greg Lastowka was a treasured colleague. Three themes from his groundbreaking scholarship on virtual worlds have enduring relevance. First, virtual worlds are real places. They may not exist in our physical world, but real people spend real time together in them. Second, communities need laws. People in these spaces do harmful things to each other, and we need some rules of conduct to guide them. Third, those laws cannot be the same as the ones we use for offline conduct. Laws must reflect reality, which in this case means virtual reality. Using these three themes as guideposts, we can draw a line from Greg's work on virtual items in online games — Bone Crusher 1.0 — to modern controversies over virtual assets on blockchains — Bone Crusher 2.0.
Hollowing out the middle? Remittances, poverty, and income inequality in Nigeria

This paper investigates the impact of remittances on poverty and inequality in Nigeria. In contrast to the existing literature, our methodology of instrumental variable quantile regression (IVQR) e...
Unidirectional spin density wave state in metallic (Sr1-xLa x )2IrO4.

Materials that exhibit both strong spin–orbit coupling and electron correlation effects are predicted to host numerous new electronic states. One prominent example is the Jeff = 1/2 Mott state in Sr2IrO4, where introducing carriers is predicted to manifest high temperature superconductivity analogous to the S = 1/2 Mott state of La2CuO4. While bulk superconductivity currently remains elusive, anomalous quasiparticle behaviors paralleling those in the cuprates such as pseudogap formation and the formation of a d-wave gap are observed upon electron-doping Sr2IrO4. Here we establish a magnetic parallel between electron-doped Sr2IrO4 and hole-doped La2CuO4 by unveiling a spin density wave state in electron-doped Sr2IrO4. Our magnetic resonant X-ray scattering data reveal the presence of an incommensurate magnetic state reminiscent of the diagonal spin density wave state observed in the monolayer cuprate (La1−xSr x )2CuO4. This link supports the conjecture that the quenched Mott phases in electron-doped Sr2IrO4 and hole-doped La2CuO4 support common competing electronic phases. Electron-doped Sr2IrO4 is an intriguing material for searching for an unconventional superconducting state. Here the authors demonstrate that a spin density wave state exists in the metallic phase of electron-doped Sr2IrO4 which provides a link between the electronic phase diagrams of the hole-doped cuprates and the electron-doped iridates.
The High Cost of Eviction

Matthew Desmond’s Pulitzer Prize winning book, focused public attention on the issue of eviction. As a result, scholars have begun to investigate and challenge some of the assumptions made in the book. Primarily, is eviction the cause of poverty or one of its consequences? This article explores several options in an attempt to explain the high number of evictions in America. These include, among others, the lack of affordable housing, failed governmental policies, the rise of institutional landlords and the role of courts. The article highlights some interventions that have begun to show progress in easing the burden of eviction. In the end, however, the paper concludes that the solution lies in a re-thinking of the government’s role in housing. Our laws and court processes must be reformed to acknowledge the fundamental right of housing. Until our legal system considers the rights of tenants as at least equivalent to the rights of landlords, we will continue to see these staggering eviction numbers.
Cell-specific effects of Dyt1 knock-out on sensory processing, network-level connectivity, and motor deficits.

Abstract DYT1 dystonia is a debilitating movement disorder characterized by repetitive, unintentional movements and postures. The disorder has been linked to mutation of the TOR1A/DYT1 gene encoding torsinA. Convergent evidence from studies in humans and animal models suggest that striatal medium spiny neurons and cholinergic neurons are important in DYT1 dystonia. What is not known is how torsinA dysfunction in these specific cell types contributes to the pathophysiology of DYT1 dystonia. In this study we sought to determine whether torsinA dysfunction in cholinergic neurons alone is sufficient to generate the sensorimotor dysfunction and brain changes associated with dystonia, or if torsinA dysfunction in a broader subset of cell types is needed. We generated two genetically modified mouse models, one with selective Dyt1 knock-out from dopamine-2 receptor expressing neurons (D2KO) and one where only cholinergic neurons are impacted (Ch2KO). We assessed motor deficits and performed in vivo 11.1 T functional MRI to assess sensory-evoked brain activation and connectivity, along with diffusion MRI to assess brain microstructure. We found that D2KO mice showed greater impairment than Ch2KO mice, including reduced sensory-evoked brain activity in key regions of the sensorimotor network, and altered functional connectivity of the striatum that correlated with motor deficits. These findings suggest that (1) the added impact of torsinA dysfunction in medium spiny and dopaminergic neurons of the basal ganglia generate more profound deficits than the dysfunction of cholinergic neurons alone, and (2) that sensory network impairments are linked to motor deficits in DYT1 dystonia.
Estimating Johnson-Cook Material Parameters using Neural Networks

Abstract The five-parameter Johnson-Cook (J-C) material model represents the behavior of a material under extreme mechanical loading, including high temperatures, strains, and strain rates. The goal of this study is to estimate five J-C material parameters and chip thickness jointly for a given set of force components, power, and temperature. The approach uses two neural network models on a dataset simulated by finite element analysis for orthogonal cutting of aluminum 6061-T6. The first model develops a function approximator to predict the force components, power, and temperature using a given set of J-C parameters and chip thickness for aluminum 6061-T6. The second model searches the input space of the first model to estimate the J-C parameter values and chip thickness, given a set of targeted force components, power, and temperature of interest. The performance of both neural network models is evaluated using mean absolute percentage error. The results suggest that the developed neural networks-based approach is capable of estimating multiple J-C parameters and chip thickness that will result in a targeted force components, power, and temperatures of interest, given starting ‘educated guesses’ about these values.
Multi-Institutional Study Validates Safety of Intraoperative Cesium-131 Brachytherapy for Treatment of Recurrent Head and Neck Cancer

Introduction: Surgery is the primary treatment for resectable, non-metastatic recurrent head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC). We explore the safety and oncologic benefit of intraoperative Cesium-131 (Cs-131) brachytherapy combined with salvage local and/or regional surgical resection. Methods and Materials: Findings were reported from a single arm multi-institutional prospective phase 1/2 trial involving surgery plus Cs-131 (surgery + Cs-131) treatment. The results of two retrospective cohorts—surgery alone and surgery plus intensity modulated radiation therapy (surgery + ReIMRT)—were also described. Included patients had recurrent HNSCC and radiation history. Safety, tumor re-occurrence, and survival were evaluated. Results: Forty-nine patients were enrolled in the surgery + Cs-131 prospective study. Grade 1 to 3 adverse events (AEs) occurred in 18 patients (37%), and grade 4 AEs occurred in 2 patients. Postoperative percutaneous endoscopic gastrostomy (PEG) tubes were needed in 10 surgery + Cs-131 patients (20%), and wound and vascular complications were observed in 12 patients (24%). No cases of osteoradionecrosis were reported in the surgery + Cs-131 cohort. We found a 49% 2-year disease-free survival at the site of treatment with a substantial number of patients (31%) developing metastatic disease, which led to a 31% overall survival at 5 years. Conclusions: Among patients with local/regional recurrent HNSCC status-post radiation, surgery + Cs-131 demonstrated acceptable safety with compelling oncologic outcomes, as compared to historic control cohorts.
From the Closet to the Courtroom: Five LGBT Rights Lawsuits That Have Changed Our Nation

During the second half of the twentieth century, social movements in the United States increasingly turned to the courts to advance their causes. The LGBT rights movement has been no exception. Since the late 1970s, that movement and its lawyers have aggressively pursued a judicial strategy aimed at challenging laws and policies that discriminate against LGBT people.My book "From The Closet to the Courtroom: Five LGBT Rights Lawsuits That Have Changed Our Nation" (Beacon Press, 2010) tells the human and legal stories behind these leading gay rights cases: Braschi v. Stahl Associates (1989); Nabozny v. Podlesny (1996); Romer v. Evans (1996); Baehr v. Lewin (1993); and Lawrence v. Texas (2003).I argue in my book that these five lawsuits have played a crucial role in creating the necessary social and political conditions that today provide LGBT people with the opportunity to lead lives that are both open and dignified. In doing so, the lawsuits have compelled the country to account for the interests and hopes of LGBT people. A key part of the story that I tell in my book is played by LGBT rights attorneys. Over the last twenty years, no group of lawyers has helped to transform the United States more than LGBT rights attorneys, and yet their collective accomplishments have received relatively little attention. My book seeks to remedy that by exploring how a band of largely unheralded civil rights lawyers have attained remarkable legal victories through skill, creativity, and perseverance.Those interested in reading the Introduction to the book can download this document.
Peptide models of bZIP proteins: Quantitative analysis of DNA affinity and specificity

Publisher Summary The bZIP class of eukaryotic transcription factors represents an excellent system to study those factors, which influence sequence specificity, because of the atypically simple motif they use for DNA recognition. This chapter discusses the molecular basis for the half-site spacing selectivity of CREB/ATF proteins. Using block substitutions, the effects on DNA specificity and affinity of the zipper, spacer, and basic segments of GCN4 and CRE-BPl are determined. CRE/AP-1 specificity is encoded by residues within the spacer and basic segments of the bZIP element of these two regions, the basic segment play the dominant role. The chapter explains that the determinants of half-site spacing specificity, like the determinants of base-pair specificity, are encoded primarily within the basic segment, and represents a further concentration of recognition information within the short span of a bZIP recognition helix.
Methodology and utility of primary cultures of hepatocytes from experimental animals.

Publisher Summary The chapter describes the methods employed for the culture of fetal, neonatal, and adult hepatocytes and cell lines derived from liver, and points out some of the experimental systems to which such cultures have been applied. A major advantage of primary adult liver cell cultures is the ability to maintain these cells in serum-free medium of known molecular composition, however there is a problem of the inability of the cells to continue through the cell cycle from G2 into the mitotic phase. The chapter summarizes some of the biochemical approaches that are used to study primary cultures of mammalian hepatocytes. These include studies on intermediary metabolism and nucleic acid synthesis, protein secretion by cultures of hepatocytes, and drug and carcinogen metabolism by primary cultures of hepatocytes. One of the most critical areas in which hepatocytes are useful is the study of xenobiotic metabolism. The use of hepatic cell cultures in monitoring environmental carcinogens is potentially great, as most known chemical carcinogens are metabolized to active forms in the liver.
Computer application in power system protection

The author provides an overview of the progress and the future trends of digital computer and microprocessor based hardware and software application in power system protection. It is noted that some of the most difficult aspects of providing the power system protection are reliability, accuracy, security, repeatability, reducing maintenance costs, reducing panel space requirements in control houses, and reducing engineering time to perform analytical studies. Particular attention is given to protection at extremely high voltage levels (230 kV and up). It is concluded that microprocessor-based protection design is a reliable and economical alternative to conventional designs. The protection engineering analysis and design programs are now mostly performed on PC or CAD/CAE (computer-aided design/engineering) computers. >
The Alpha2-Adrenergic System of the Platelet in Cystic Fibrosis

The ability of norepinephrine to inhibit prostaglandin E1 (PGE1)-stimulated accumulation of adenosine 3′:5′ cyclic monophosphate (cyclic AMP) in intact washed platelets was determined in 12 patients with cystic fibrosis, 6 parents of patients with cystic fibrosis, and a total of 21 healthy age-matched controls. Patients with cystic fibrosis and their parents did not differ from their age-matched controls in basal or PGE1-stimulated levels of cyclic AMP, nor in the dose dependent inhibition of cAMP accumulation by norepinephrine. Moreover, binding sites for [3H]-dihydroergocryptine were present in normal numbers and had normal ligand affinity in platelet membranes from patients with cystic fibrosis. In all measures tested, the alpha2-adrenergic system in the platelet was normal in cystic fibrosis.
Genetic Causes of Erythrocytosis and the Oxygen Sensing Pathway

Idiopathic erythrocytosis is an uncommon disease, and is defined by an increase in red blood cell mass. The differential diagnosis of erythrocytosis is extensive, and can be divided into primary and secondary forms. Primary erythrocytoses are due to intrinsic defects in erythroid precursor cells and are characterized by low erythropoietin levels. Secondary erythrocytoses are extrinsic to erythroid progenitors and are characterized by either high or inappropriately normal erythropoietin levels. A distinct subset of secondary erythrocytoses are due to genetic mutations in key proteins of the oxygen-sensing pathway. These proteins constitute the core molecular machinery of oxygen-sensing with respect to red blood cell control. Apart from assigning physiologic roles for these proteins, studies of these rare mutations have (i) revealed the exquisite sensitivity of this pathway to genetic perturbations, (ii) highlighted important functional regions of the proteins, and (iii) provided a basis for potentially targeting this pathway for therapeutic benefit.
The MEERKATS Cloud Security Architecture

MEERKATS is a novel architecture for cloud environments that elevates continuous system evolution and change as first-rate design principles. Our goal is to enable an environment for cloud services that constantly changes along several dimensions, toward creating an unpredictable target for an adversary. This unpredictability will both impede the adversary's ability to achieve an initial system compromise and, if a compromise occurs, to detect, disrupt, and/or otherwise impede his ability to exploit this success. Thus, we envision an environment where cloud services and data are constantly in flux, using adaptive (both proactive and reactive) protection mechanisms and distributed monitoring at various levels of abstraction. A key element of MEERKATS is the focus on both the software and the data in the cloud, not just protecting but leveraging both to improve mission resilience. MEERKATS seeks to effectively exploit "economies of scale" (in resources available) to provide higher flexibility and effectiveness in the deployment and use of protection mechanisms as and where needed, focusing on current and anticipated application and mission needs instead of an inefficient, "blanket" approach to protecting "everything the same way, all the time". We outline our vision for MEERKATS and describe our approach toward prototyping it.
Two siblings with limb-girdle muscular dystrophy type 2E responsive to deflazacort

Abstract Two siblings were evaluated for progressive proximal weakness and elevated creatine kinase. Immunohistochemical staining in the brother’s muscle biopsy showed near absence of all four sarcoglycan subunits. Clinical progression prompted a trial of deflazacort in both siblings. At 22 months of drug therapy, both patients have stable or improved strength testing. Further analysis on the muscle biopsy revealed homozygous β-sarcoglycan gene mutation (S114F), consistent with the limb-girdle muscular dystrophy type 2E (LGME 2E). Despite the severe phenotype, deflazacort has a beneficial effect on slowing disease progression in LGME 2E similar to that seen in Duchenne muscular dystrophy.
Approximate time-optimal control via approximate alternating simulations

Symbolic models of control systems have recently been used to synthesize controllers enforcing specifications given by temporal logics, regular languages, or automata. These specification mechanisms can be regarded as qualitative since they divide the set of trajectories into bad trajectories (those that should be eliminated by control) and good trajectories (those that need not be eliminated). In many situations, however, a quantitative specification, where each trajectory is assigned a cost, is more appropriate. As a first step towards the synthesis of controllers enforcing qualitative and quantitative specifications we investigate in this paper the use of symbolic models for timeoptimal controller synthesis. Our results show that it is possible to obtain upper and lower bounds for the time to reach a desired target by an algorithmic analysis of the symbolic model. Moreover, we can also algorithmically synthesize a feedback controller enforcing the upper bound. All the algorithms have been implemented using Binary Decision Diagrams and are illustrated by some examples.
Exploding lakes and maleficent water in Grassfields legends and myth

Abstract In August 1984 Lake Manoun ‘exploded’, killing 37 people. In August 1986 Lake Nyos ‘exploded’, killing more than 1700 people. Both explosions occurred in the rainy season, two years and six days apart. Have there been similar explosions in the Cameroon Grassfields in the past? This paper argues that such explosions have occurred, and have been recorded in area folklore in the form of migration stories that point unmistakably to the ‘maleficent’ activities of lakes and other bodies of water. Two migration stories are considered and compared: an ephemeral exploding lake that destroys the Bamessi people in the Kom story, and a crater lake in the Oku story, in which the lake is said to have ‘left its bed’ to destroy the people of Kijem. In examining the category of ‘maleficent water’, several types of potentially maleficent water are considered, including indigenous classifications of lakes as ‘good’ or ‘bad’, and stories about devils or witches associated with water. All suggest that the folklore motif of dangerous, destructive water may have its basis in observed fact. While this evidence is not conclusive, it is highly suggestive and, in combination with evidence that the area around Nyos is very recently settled, it lends credence to the supposition that the crater lakes of the area may have a ‘life cycle’ that involves changes of sometimes stupendous, often dangerous, proportions.
Control of intravascular fibrin formation: Heparin versus coumarin congeners

Abstract Soluble fibrin (Fs) was measured in 5 patients with occlusive cerebral vascular disease or pulmonary embolism. Plasma Fs concentration showed an average increase of 144 % (P
Stabilization of a W26+ bimetallic complex supported by two N,N′,N″-triphenylguanidinate ligands

Abstract The triple bonded compound W 2 (TPG) 2 Cl 4 , 1 , where TPG is the anion of N , N ′, N ″-triphenylguanidine, was synthesized and structurally characterized by single-crystal X-ray crystallography, FT-IR, NMR and Raman spectroscopies, and electrochemical methods. The W–W distance of 1 in the solid state is 2.2604(4) A, and the compound shows two one-electron reversible reductions at ( E 1/2 ) −0.95, and −2.31 V (versus FeCp 2 /FeCp 2 + ). The one-electron reduction of 1 yields 2 , which was characterized by Raman and EPR spectroscopies ( g = 1.83). The Raman shift of the W–W bond of 1 and 2 are, 290 and 315 cm −1 , respectively, consistent to the increase in bond order. DFT calculations were performed on 1 and 2 to aid in the assignment of the Raman shifts, and to help understand their electronic properties.
CORR Insights®: What sports activity levels are achieved in patients with modular tumor endoprostheses of osteosarcoma about the knee?

This CORR Insights® is a commentary on the article “What Sports Activity Levels Are Achieved in Patients With Modular Tumor Endoprostheses of Osteosarcoma About the Knee?” by Lang and colleagues available at: DOI: 10.1007/s11999-014-3788-2. The author certifies that he, or any member of his immediate family, has no funding or commercial associations (eg, consultancies, stock ownership, equity interest, patent/licensing arrangements, etc) that might pose a conflict of interest in connection with the submitted article. All ICMJE Conflict of Interest Forms for authors and Clinical Orthopaedics and Related Research ® editors and board members are on file with the publication and can be viewed on request. The opinions expressed are those of the writers, and do not reflect the opinion or policy of CORR ® or the Association of Bone and Joint Surgeons®. This CORR Insights® comment refers to the article available at DOI: 10.1007/s11999-014-3788-2.
Functional Deficits in Pak5, Pak6 and Pak5/Pak6 Knockout Mice

The p21-activated kinases are effector proteins for Rho-family GTPases. PAK4, PAK5, and PAK6 are the group II PAKs associated with neurite outgrowth, filopodia formation, and cell survival. Pak4 knockout mice are embryonic lethal, while Pak5, Pak6, and Pak5/Pak6 double knockout mice are viable and fertile. Our previous work found that the double knockout mice exhibit locomotor changes and learning and memory deficits. We also found some differences with Pak5 and Pak6 single knockout mice and the present work further explores the potential differences of the Pak5 knockout and Pak6 knockout mice in comparison with wild type mice. The Pak6 knockout mice were found to weigh significantly more than the other genotypes. The double knockout mice were found to be less active than the other genotypes. The Pak5 knockout mice and the double knockout mice performed worse on the rotorod test. All the knockout genotypes were found to be less aggressive in the resident intruder paradigm. The double knockout mice were, once again, found to perform worse in the active avoidance assay. These results indicate, that although some behavioral differences are seen in the Pak5 and Pak6 single knockout mice, the double knockout mice exhibit the greatest changes in locomotion and learning and memory.
Nuclear peace and conventional war

(1988). Nuclear peace and conventional war. Journal of Strategic Studies: Vol. 11, No. 1, pp. 79-95.
39Ar recoil artifacts in chloritized biotite

Biotite separates from the metamorphosed granitic rocks of eastern Taiwan yield disturbed 40Ar39Ar age spectra. Their disturbed profiles become more pronounced with increasing degree of chloritization and are attributed to mixed release of argon from sub-micron scale biotite and chlorite intercalations. 39Ar internal recoil best explains the discordance of the age spectra. Chlorite is randomly intercalated with biotite at scales ranging from 10 A to several tens of microns. Both 40Ar∗ and K were evidently lost during the chloritization reaction. During the neutron irradiation, 39Ar atoms recoil into the chlorite from the adjacent biotite intercalations. The recoil and chloritization combine to produce a variable 40Ar39Ar spatial distribution in the intercalated biotite/chlorite. During 40Ar39Ar step-heating analyses, argon in biotite is released in two pulses centered at ~650°C and 950–1050°C which represent two stages of dehydroxylation of the biotite. Chlorite out-gasses in two pulses centered at ~550°C and 700–900°C during dehydroxylation and then decomposes. This differential thermal release of argon from each mineral phase with variable 40Ar39Ar ratios yields discordant incremental heating age spectra.
Multifrequency electron paramagnetic resonance of irradiated L-alanine.

Abstract The radical generated by γ-irradiation of crystalline l -alanine was examined by continuous wave (CW) and pulsed electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) at 1.8, 3.2, 4.9, 9.1 and 19.4 GHz. The spin-flip satellite lines that make a prominent contribution to the saturated spectra at 9.1 GHz are less conspicuous at lower frequencies because of overlap with the allowed transitions. The spin-lattice relaxation times measured by long-pulse saturation recovery and phase memory times measured by electron spin echo increase with increasing microwave frequency.
Comparison between l-CHOP and an l-CHOP protocol with interposed treatments of CCNU and MOPP (l-CHOP-CCNU-MOPP) for lymphoma in dogs

An L-CHOP protocol with interposed treatments of CCNU and MOPP (L-CHOP-CCNU-MOPP) was evaluated in 66 dogs with stages III-V lymphoma. Results were compared with a historical group of 71 dogs treated with an L-CHOP protocol. Complete remission (CR) rates (85 and 80%, respectively) did not differ significantly between protocols (P = 0.48). First CR duration for dogs treated with L-CHOP-CCNU-MOPP was significantly longer: median, 317 days; 2-year CR rate, 35% versus median, 298 days; 2-year CR rate, 13%, P = 0.05). For the L-CHOP-CCNU-MOPP protocol, dogs in substage-b had a 4.3 times greater hazard of having a relapse than dogs in substage-a (P = 0.002). Frequency of adverse chemotherapy-associated gastrointestinal effects did not differ between protocols (P = 0.77). Neutropenia (primarily after CCNU) occurred more frequently in dogs treated with L-CHOP-CCNU-MOPP (P < 0.001). In summary, the L-CHOP-CCNU-MOPP protocol showed an improved duration of first CR as compared with an L-CHOP protocol, but the relevance of this finding might be subject to clinical judgement.
2 nu double beta decay and self-consistent self-energies.

We have performed quasiparticle-random-phase-approximation (QRPA) calculations of the \ensuremath{\nu}\ensuremath{\nu} transition matrix for $^{76}\mathrm{Ge}$, $^{82}\mathrm{Se}$, and $^{100}\mathrm{Mo}$, using effective interactions derived from the Paris and the Bonn NN potentials. Unlike earlier QRPA calculations where the self-energy corrections to the single-particle spectra were suppressed, we have retained these corrections as given by our interactions. In this way our calculations are able to avoid the commonly encountered difficulty of QRPA instability near ${\mathit{g}}_{\mathrm{pp}}$=1. The ${\mathit{M}}^{2\ensuremath{\nu}}$ matrix elements of $^{76}\mathrm{Ge}$, $^{82}\mathrm{Se}$, and $^{100}\mathrm{Mo}$ given by our calculation, with no adjustable parameters, are in reasonably good agreement with recent direct counter experiments.
Integrating Risk Assessment and Actual Performance for Probabilistic Project Cost Forecasting: A Second Moment Bayesian Model

Forecasting the actual cost to complete a project is a critical challenge of project management, particularly for data-driven decision making in contingency control, cash flow analysis, and timely project financing. This paper presents a Bayesian project cost forecasting model that adaptively integrates preproject cost risk assessment and actual performance data into a range of possible project costs at a chosen confidence level. The second moment Bayesian (SMB) model brings more realism into project cost forecasting by explicitly accounting for inherent variability of cost performance, correlation between aggregated past and future performance, and the fraction of project completed at the time of forecasting. Functionally, the SMB model fully encompasses, as restrictive cases, two most commonly used index-based cost forecasting techniques in earned value management. The SMB model provides computationally efficient algebraic formulas to conduct robust probabilistic forecasting without additional burden of data collection or sophisticated statistical analysis. Numerical examples and simulation experiments are presented to demonstrate the predictive efficacy and practical applicability of the SMB in real project environments.
Cardiac Magnetic Resonance at High Field: Promises and Problems

Cardiac magnetic resonance imaging (CMRI) at high magnetic field (3 Tesla) is rapidly evolving with many promising results. However, the challenges of field inhomogeneities and specific absorption rate limitations need to be addressed before reaping the benefits of high magnetic field for CMRI. This review focuses on the methods to overcome some of these challenges and the current and potential applications of this technology.
Volumetric microdetermination of water minerals.

A new technique for the determination of water in minerals is described. As in theBrush andPenfield technique, the water is evolved by ignition, condensed, and collected. This step is conducted in aPregl micromuffle bearing a special collecting tube. The final step in the determination of the water, however, is volumetric, rather than gravimetric. For this purpose, theKarl Fischer reagent, dispensed from a microburette, is used. The titration is conducted in a cell designed for external magnetic stirring and with provision for the electrometric determination of the end point. The method is quite rapid. In general, one operator could conduct both the ignition and titration steps faster than a second operator could weigh out the next sample. The precision of duplicate determinations is of the order of 0,5%, and the accuracy of the method is usually better than 1%.
Two-Parameter Approximations For Multi-Echelon Repairable Inventory Models With Batch Ordering Policy

Abstract In this paper we present a model for multi-echelon repairable systems with batch ordering policy at the bases. Such an ordering policy is desirable when demand rates and/or the set up cost for ordering are relatively high. Operating characteristics of such a system are analyzed. A two-parameter approximation scheme for the distribution of the number of orders outstanding and consequently backorders is developed, and its performance evaluated. It is found that, under a variety of scenarios including both finite and infinite servers at the repair facility, the approximation scheme is very effective in providing a relatively simple means to determine the stocking levels at both the depot and the bases to minimize the cost of inventory holding and backorders. For the special case when the batch size is one, we confirm the effectiveness of the use of the negative binomial distribution as an approximation for the distribution of orders outstanding, as suggested by recent studies, under a much more gene...
Paediatric disaster preparedness: essential concepts for paramedics

Children are the world's most valuable resource and its best hope for the future (John F Kennedy, 1963). Recent natural disasters and terrorist attacks have shown how imperative it is that communities and nations address the needs of children to ensure that they thrive in the face of adversity. As first responders and front line workers during disasters involving children, paramedics have a unique and important role in planning paediatric disaster preparedness as well as facilitating personal disaster preparedness. Paediatric disaster preparedness on all levels, from individual to institutional, will lead to improved outcomes in disasters involving children. Although different medical, legal, and administrative structures exist between the UK and the US, some of the lessons learned in the US can enhance paediatric disaster preparedness in all countries. This article aims discuss how paramedics and other first responders can close the gap between available and needed paediatric providers. Specifically, we ...
The pyridine nucleotide cycle of Salmonella typhimurium: genetic characterization of the pncXA operon

A series of Mud1 and Tn10 insertions were identified in the pncA chromosome region of Salmonella typhimurium which is responsible for the production of nicotinamide deamidase. Both pncA (resulting in no nicotinamide deamidase activity) and pncX (resulting in lowered nicotinamide deamidase activity) insertions were constructed. In addition, mutants which could utilize nicotinamide as a sole source of nitrogen were isolated. These mutants, designated pncH, hyperproduce nicotinamide deamidase. Genetic studies utilizing pncX-lacZ and pncA-lacZ operon fusions indicate that pncX::Tn10 insertions reduce transcription of pncA-lac while pncH mutations increase the expression of both pncA-lacZ and pncX-lacZ. The gene order was determined as purB-pncA-pncX-gdh with transcription of both pncA and pncX occurring in the counterclockwise direction. Merodiploid studies suggest a model whereby pncX and pncA form an operon with the major promoter occurring upstream from pncX. A second, weaker promoter for pncA must be situated between pncX and pncA. The pncH mutations appear to occur in the pncX promoter (pncXp) increasing promoter activity.
The New Political Economy of Extension Education for Agriculture and Rural America

Back in April of 1991 in Nashville, I told an assembly of Extension Agricultural Program Leaders that the "USDA/Land-Grant Extension system has been captured by agricultural audiences. It has been taken hostage to such an extent that it can no longer function effectively to inform agricultural audiences of some of the most important issues facing them. Further, . . . because it has been taken hostage, it cannot expand its scope or fulfill its mission with respect to non-farming audiences. When taken together with the other problems in the University, Extension held hostage will not make the 20 more years that some of its most severe critics give it. Unless there is profound change, I believe it will be virtually dead in 10 years. My friend, Tim Wallace, from California, says he is already in mourning" (McDowell 1991, pg. 2). In the year and a half since I gave that talk there have been pink slips to all of the field staff in Iowa, a 30+% cut in the budget in Georgia, and massive reorganizations and realignments of Extension in order to save money in the face of declining budgets all across the country. The specific reaction to my paper, "The USDA and The Extension System Revisited or If You Haven't Visited It Recently, You Better Do It Soon, 'Cause It Isn't Gonna Be There Long," has been mixed. There are many in Extension who have understood and have agreed in part or in whole. More interesting has been the reactions of those who have not agreed with my arguments. To my knowledge, there has been no formal, or even informal, substantive challenge to my arguments about dysfunction in extension. Mostly there has been silence and disbelief that such a traitor could be employed by the organization. In Virginia, and elsewhere, there has been a fair amount of shooting of the messenger-mostly in the back. One of the most common administrative responses throughout the country to the cuts in Extension budgets, after "clustering" of field staff to accommodate actual losses of positions, is to establish a "marketing" task force. We have one in Virginia, but I don't think there are any of our marketing people, or for that matter, any agricultural economists, on it. My friend, Jim Littlefield, past head of the Marketing Department at VPI, says, "Marketing is providing a product that people need and want in a timely fashion. Selling is getting rid of what you have." While it is not uniformly true, the major function of the Extension marketing initiatives around the country is to sell Extension. (Whether you can sell something that is already a hostage to someone else is itself an interesting question in logic.) Few of those marketing committees are expected to determine what it is that people need and want from Extension and then set about to plan to provide that. Selling Extension is but one manifestation of a system held hostage. The implications of an Extension system held hostage become increasingly significant as one identifies the forces and changes affecting agriculture and rural America in the 1990s and into the early years of the twenty-first century.
Carbohydrate metabolism in the two-spotted spider mite, Tetranychus telarius L. I. Hexose monophosphate cycle.

Abstract 1. (1) Evidence demonstrating the occurrence of the hexos monophosphate oxidative pathway in the two-spotted spider mite Tetranychus telarius (L.) has been obtained. 2. (2) It has been shown that the two-spotted spider mite contains active glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase, 6-phosphogluconic dehydrogenase, phosphopentose isomerase, phosphoketopentose epimerase, transketolase and transaldolase. 3. (3) This oxidative pathway cycle consists of the following main steps: (a) two-step oxidation of glucose-6-phosphate to pentose phosphate and CO 2 ; (b) the conversion of pentose phosphate to sedoheptulose phosphate and triosephosphate; and (c) the conversion of sedoheptulose phosphate to hexose phosphate.
Favorable Patient Reported Outcomes After Penile Plication for Wide Array of Peyronie Disease Abnormalities

Purpose: We present patient reported outcomes from our 5-year experience using penile plication to correct a wide variety of Peyronie disease malformations.Materials and Methods: We reviewed the records of all men who underwent penile plication for Peyronie disease, as performed by one of us (AFM). All patients were treated with tunical plication without penile degloving via a 2 cm longitudinal penile incision regardless of curvature severity or erectile function. A concomitant inflatable penile prosthesis was placed in men with refractory erectile dysfunction. A questionnaire was administered to assess the patient perception of postoperative penile curvature, length, rigidity and adequacy for intercourse.Results: Of 154 treated patients 78 (51%) and 65 (42%) had simple (less than 60 degrees) and complex (biplanar curvature, or curvature 60 degrees or greater) malformation, respectively, while 11 (7%) underwent plication plus inflatable penile prosthesis placement. A total of 132 patients responded to the...
Biomimetic mineralization: Processes and prospects

Abstract The properties of biological materials are surveyed to point out those areas where we might expect to improve synthetic materials by introducing structures seen in biology. Biological ceramics and composites have properties which could be desirable in the equivalent synthetic materials. Progress has been made towards making biomimetic materials by in situ precipitation and by other methods. While the microstructures are being made which resemble those of shell and bone, the properties of the synthetic materials are still not good. The key missing factor is probably control of the interfacial bonding. Controlled mineralization on surfaces could be used to manufacture devices. Our knowledge of how biomineralization is controlled is still too limited to be applied to synthetic systems. Possible control mechanisms are discussed and recent experiments reviewed.
Bound states of coupled plasmon-phonon modes at neutral donors in semiconductor quantum wells

Abstract The bound states of plasmons, of phonons and of coupled plasmon-phonon modes at neutral donors in semiconductor quantum well systems have been studied here. The interaction of plasmon-phonon excitations, which are important in compound semiconductor systems, with electrons, and the coupling of plasmons with electrons have been derived in the long wave length limit of the Random Phase approximation. These interactions are used to derive expressions for the binding energies of the collective excitations to neutral donors. The dependence of the binding energy of the coupled plasmon-phonon modes on the well width of quantum wells is found to be particularly rich. The present results are in generally good accord with available experimental data for quantum well systems.
Chloride and potassium movements from frog's sartorius muscle in the presence of aromatic anions

The efflux of36Cl and42K from frog's sartorius muscles equilibrated in Ringer's fluid with added KCl were measured in the absence and presence of salicylate, benzoate, and acetylsalicylate. The transmembrane potential and resistance were also measured in sartorii under similar conditions. Although the rate coefficient for loss of42K remained reasonably constant over extended experimental periods for untreated muscles, the rate coefficient for loss of36Cl fluctuated in many muscles giving rise to minima and maxima. The aromatic anions mentioned increased the efflux of chloride while having no detectable effect on the potassium efflux. The aromatic anion-stimulated chloride efflux was insensitive to alterations of external pH and was markedly reduced when nitrate replaced external chloride. No detectable changes in transmembrane potential or resistance were produced by salicylate, the most extensively studied aromatic anion. The results suggest that salicylate and the other aromatic anions stimulate an exchange diffusion mechanism for chloride.
Facile electrochemical synthesis of antimicrobial TiO2 nanotube arrays

Infection-related complications have been a critical issue for the application of titanium orthopedic implants. The use of Ag nanoparticles offers a potential approach to incorporate antimicrobial properties into the titanium implants. In this work, a novel and simple method was developed for synthesis of Ag (II) oxide deposited TiO2 nanotubes (TiNTs) using electrochemical anodization followed by Ag electroplating processes in the same electrolyte. The quantities of AgO nanoparticles deposited in TiNT were controlled by selecting different electroplating times and voltages. It was shown that AgO nanoparticles were crystalline and distributed throughout the length of the nanotubes. Inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry tests showed that the quantities of released Ag were less than 7 mg/L after 30 days at 37°C. Antimicrobial assay results show that the AgO-deposited TiNTs can effectively kill the Escherichia coli bacteria. Although the AgO-deposited TiNTs showed some cytotoxicity, it should be controllable by optimization of the electroplating parameters and incorporation of cell growth factor. The results of this study indicated that antimicrobial properties could be added to nanotextured medical implants through a simple and cost effective method.
A Holistic Approach to Risk-Screening in Pregnancy with Appalachian Women:

Routine screening for risk factors in pregnancy is one of the major components of prenatal care that is highly recommended, yet few risk assessment systems have a comprehensive view. This investigation examined prenatal risk assessment from a comprehensive perspective to identify biophysical, psychosocial, spiritual, and perceptual factors in pregnancy affecting infant birth weight. Face-to-face interviews were conducted using standard and reliable questionnaires with a convenience sample of 120 pregnant women between the ages of 14 and 44 years and 16 to 28 weeks gestation at three prenatal clinics in East Tennessee. Two factors, absence of maternal partner support during pregnancy and African American race, emerged as significant predictors for infant birth weight. Findings emphasize the necessity for nurses and other providers to screen for presence and source of social support during routine prenatal assessments. Continued research to develop a comprehensive assessment of risk in pregnancy should enha...
Structural health monitoring of bridges in the State of Connecticut

A joint effort between the Connecticut Department of Transportation and the University of Connecticut has been underway for more than 20 years to utilize various structural monitoring approaches to assess different bridges in Connecticut. This has been done to determine the performance of existing bridges, refine techniques needed to evaluate different bridge components, and develop approaches that can be used to provide a continuous status of a bridge’s structural integrity. This paper briefly introduces the background of these studies, with emphasis on recent research and the development of structural health monitoring concepts. This paper presents the results from three different bridge types: a post-tensioned curved concrete box girder bridge, a curved steel box-girder bridge, and a steel multi-girder bridge. The structural health monitoring approaches to be discussed have been successfully tested using field data collected during multi-year monitoring periods, and are based on vibrations, rotations and strains. The goal has been to develop cost-effective strategies to provide critical information needed to manage the State of Connecticut’s bridge infrastructure.
Temperature and hydrogen-concentration dependence of hydrogen optic vibrational frequencies in α - and α ′ -phase niobium hydride: Static lattice strain and anharmonicity effects

We calculate the shift and broadening of hydrogen optic vibrational frequencies in the $\ensuremath{\alpha}$ (lattice-gas) and ${\ensuremath{\alpha}}^{\ensuremath{'}}$ (lattice-liquid) phases of $\mathrm{Nb}{\mathrm{H}}_{c}$ as a function of temperature $T$ and hydrogen concentration $c$ (H-Nb ratio). We assume the H's vibrate in local modes and linearly relate their vibrational frequencies to the static local lattice dilation through an anharmonicity parameter $\ensuremath{\gamma}$ estimated from inelastic neutron scattering data. The static local lattice dilations are obtained from a grand-canonical Monte Carlo calculation. The H lattice-gas or lattice-liquid model used in the Monte Carlo calculation is an approximation of that of Horner and Wagner, which involves a lattice-mediated H-H strain interaction and H-H hard core. Our calculatins are done in that part of the region described by $0.1lcl0.5$ and $400 lTl600$ K which lies outside the $\ensuremath{\alpha}\ensuremath{-}{\ensuremath{\alpha}}^{\ensuremath{'}}$ coexistence region. Our calculated $c$- and $T$-dependent frequency shifts are roughly consistent with the available data. The calculated broadenings are too small. We estimate that the addition of thermal lattice fluctuations to the model would yield realistic broadenings.
Theoretical study of low-energy electron—CO2 scattering☆

Abstract A study of electron collisions with ground-state CO 2 molecules in the energy range 0.07–10.0 eV is reported. An accurate static potential is augmented with a local exchage potential and polarization terms, and coupled radial equations are solved in a spherical coordinate system. Converged total and momentum-transfer cross sections are presented and discussed, and comparison is made with existing experimental measurements.