cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
A Multiagent-Based Game-Theoretic and Optimization Approach for Market Operation of Multimicrogrid Systems

This paper proposes a multiagent-based energy market for multimicrogrid systems using game-theoretic and hierarchical optimization approaches. The proposed method is tailored to achieve the optimal operation of smart microgrids in distribution systems. Because of rapid load variations in distribution systems, it is necessary to develop fast optimization algorithms which minimize the power mismatch in and among microgrids. In this paper, a three-level market framework is proposed. The first level comprises a game-theoretic double-auction mechanism for the day-ahead market while the next two levels are optimal rescheduling and intermicrogrid reverse auction model for the hour-ahead and real-time markets, respectively. Using the hierarchical optimization algorithm in a multiagent-based area, it is anticipated to not only minimize the optimization solution time, but also reduce the dependency on the network in grid-connected mode or load shedding in islanded mode. Using this approach, load demand response capabilities along with rescheduling of Distributed Energy Storage Systems and distributed generations could be utilized in all market levels, which will lead to optimal operation of multimicrogrid systems. Agents are developed in DIgSILENT PowerFactory and dynamic data exchange is activated for communication among agents communicating through a data distribution service which utilizes the real-time publish-subscribe communication protocol. The developed framework is applied to the modified 37-bus IEEE distribution test feeder system to validate the effectiveness of this market structure.
Using Nanofluids to Control Fines Migration in Porous Systems

Abstract The main objectives of this chapter are as follows: (1) to review the laboratory experiments and field cases providing proof of concept for the effectiveness of nanoparticles utilization to control fines migration; (2) to develop mathematical foundations to evaluate the success of nanoparticles to control fines migration in both linear and radial flow system; (3) to compare the performance of two different approaches of nanoparticles utilization (coinjection and pretreatment) to control fines migration; (4) to evaluate nanofluid utilization to reduce fines migration in porous media saturated with two immiscible fluids; and (5) to investigate the feasibility of combining nanofluids with low-salinity waterflooding to improve production performance. To accomplish the abovementioned objectives, the following topics are evaluated: (1) nanoparticles adsorption, detachment, and straining behaviors and their effects on permeability damage are quantified using both mathematical models and experimental works; (2) the positive contributions of nanoparticles to mitigate fines migration are characterized by the enhancement of maximum retention concentration of fine particles onto rock grains through defining the mutual reactions among nanoparticles, fines, and rock grains; (3) theoretical evaluation is summarized for the effectiveness of nanoparticles to mitigate fines migration in single-phase water and two-phase oil and water flow using different approaches of nanoparticles utilization to control fines migration: coinjection of nanoparticles with fines suspension, and precoating of porous medium with nanoparticles prior to fines injection; (4) an axisymmetric radial flow is introduced to evaluate the mobility-control improvement associated with fines migration, and optimize the nanofluid treatment radius for the purpose of improving the performance of low-salinity waterflooding.
Voice-Based Speaker Recognition Combining Acoustic and Stylistic Features

Abstract : We present a survey of the state of the art in voice-based speaker identification research. We describe the general framework of a text-independent speaker verification system, and, as an example, SRIs voice-based speaker recognition system. This system was ranked among the best performing systems in NIST text-independent speaker recognition evaluations in the years 2004and 2005. It consists of six subsystems and a neural network combiner. The subsystems are categorized into two groups: acoustics-based, or low level, and stylistic, or high level. Acoustic subsystems extract short-term spectral features that implicitly capture the anatomy of the vocal apparatus, such as the shape of the vocal tract and its variations. These features are known to be sensitive to microphone and channel variations, and various techniques are used to compensate for these variations. High-level subsystems, on the other hand, capture the stylistic aspects of a persons voice, such as the speaking rate for particular words, rhythmic and intonation patterns, and idiosyncratic word usage. These features represent behavioral aspects of the persons identity and are shown to be complementary to spectral acoustic features. By combining all information sources we achieve equal error rate performance of around 3 on the NIST speaker recognition evaluation for 2 minutes of enrollment and 2 minutes of test data.
Operators on Real Vector Spaces

Linear algebra is the study of linear maps on finite-dimensional vector spaces. Eventually we will learn what all these terms mean. In this chapter we will define vector spaces and discuss their elementary properties.
Passive Mechanical Properties of Skeletal Muscle: Analyzing the Effects of Denervation with Mathematical Modelling in a Rabbit Quadriceps Model

Background: The aim of the study was to analyze the effects of denervation on skeletal muscle in-vitro passive mechanical properties utilizing a fraction- al order viscoelastic material model. Methods: 24 New Zealand rabbits were grouped into two; control group (n = 8) and denervation group (n = 16). In-vitro passive mechanical tests were performed on healthy and denervated quadriceps muscles. Relaxation and creep test curves were fitted with the best fitting curve of the ‘three-element fractional viscoelastic material model’. Following this eight material param- eters characterizing the passive mechanical material properties were extract- ed for each specimen (E1, E2, τ, βr, 1/E1, 1/E2, η and βc). Results: The fractional order viscoelastic model demonstrated good curve-fitting to the experimental data and least square error values were found to be below 1%. There were statistically significant differences in two parameters for stress relaxation. Firstly, denervated skeletal muscles demon- strated a more solid material behavior in stress relaxation tests (βr) (p = 0.042). Secondly, healthy muscles were relaxed significantly faster than denervated ones (τ) (p=0.017). There was no significant difference between groups in creep tests. Conclusions: Denervation altered some in-vitro stress-relaxation properties of the skeletal muscles but did not affect creep performance. The effects of pathological conditions in the passive mechanical properties of skeletal mus- cle can be analyzed with fractional order viscoelastic material models.
Spatiotemporal Event Sequence (STES) Mining

Spatiotemporal event sequences are the ordered series of event types. These event types represent the types of evolving region trajectory based instances that follow each other. The goal of spatiotemporal event sequence mining is finding frequently occurring sequences of event types from the follow relationships among all event instances. The key aspect of spatiotemporal event sequences is the spatiotemporal follow relationship appearing among the event instances. The relationship is characterized by temporal sequence relationship with spatial proximity constraints. In this chapter, we will touch upon the key concepts of spatiotemporal event sequence models, describe the spatiotemporal follow relationship thoroughly, and then present the state-of-the-art algorithms for discovering the event sequences.
Fully-Automated Human Activity Recognition with Transition Awareness from Wearable Sensor Data for mHealth

Wearable sensor-based activity trackers often suffer from data during transitions, which are very different in nature from the actual activities of interest. For increased reliability of activity classification, it is important to classify transitions accurately. This study presents a set of activity recognition algorithm based on decision trees with ensemble approach while autonomously deals with the transition values necessary to separate from normal activity data in the real-time environment. For this purpose, we have used Mobile Health (mHealth) open-access dataset from the UCI Machine Learning Repository. In this study, we investigate ensemble method bagging tree algorithm with the leave-one-subject-out approach to determine the best technique to deal with the null values while detecting regular activities of interest for a fully-automated system. We have also focused on the usage of minimum data and sensors for allowing real-time applications. The data were collected from accelerometer, gyroscope, and magnetometer located on chest, right-lower arm and left ankle. We have measured the sensitivity and specificity to determine the efficacy of our approach. Based on all of the performance metrics, Bagged trees, an ensemble method, has performed better than previously reported algorithm and needed fewer data and fewer sensors. Our approach has a weighted sensitivity of 95.2% and a weighted specificity of 94.9%. The results show that transitions can be efficiently detected while recognizing other activities from mHealth wearable data for health and well-being monitoring of smart and connected communities (S&CC).
Accelerated Idioventricular Rhythm at the Termination of an Episode of Vasospastic Angina.

A 57-year-old male with gastroesophageal reflux disease and esophageal stricture with dilation presented as a cardiac catheterization lab activation for anterolateral ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction. He had suffered an unwitnessed syncopal episode after severe substernal chest pain. Electrocardiogram (ECG) showed anterolateral ST-segment elevation. Markers of myocardial injury were negative. He subsequently had an unremarkable coronary angiogram, echocardiogram, and cardiac magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). He had another episode of crushing chest pain and palpitations during his hospital stay, which correlated with ST-segment elevation, followed by a slow run of ventricular arrhythmia that terminated after a dose of sublingual nitroglycerin. A diagnosis of accelerated idioventricular rhythm (AIVR) following coronary artery vasospasm (CAV) was made. This clinical vignette presents a unique presentation of AIVR following an episode of Prinzmetal’s angina.
Beyond Reductionist Thinking in Chemistry for Sustainability

Great breakthroughs in chemistry over the past two centuries have been accomplished largely through reductionist methods. However, the incredible sustainability challenges that we face as a civilization are systems challenges, requiring careful combination of knowledge gained from reductionist approaches with integrative-systems thinking to inform designs for a sustainable future.
A multiscale micromechanical model of adhesive interphase between cement paste and epoxy supported by nanomechanical evidence

Abstract Even though epoxy adhesives are used extensively in concrete structures, little fundamental research has been conducted regarding bond formation mechanisms between the adhesive and concrete substrate, which obscures our understanding of degradation mechanisms in the bonded joints. When epoxy adhesive is applied to the concrete substrate, a transition region – termed interphase – is formed between the bulk epoxy and bulk cement paste/aggregate. Properties of interphase are thought to govern the macroscale behavior and durability of epoxy-concrete bonded systems. This work proposes an elastic multiscale model of the interphase region that is based on the existing body of knowledge on the topic. Site-specific statistical nanoindentation was used to experimentally evaluate the interphase region and verify the micromechanical model. Test results indicate that mechanical properties of the interphase region are different from those of bulk epoxy and cement paste. Experimental findings agreed with the postulated multiscale interphase model.
PID Control of Multivariable Systems

In this chapter, we describe a novel approach to design multivariable controllers using single-input single-output theory. This method, based on the Smith-McMillan diagonal form of the plant, allows the scalar PID controller design methods, developed in earlier chapters, to be applied to multivariable systems, one loop at a time.
1,1′-Dicarbodiimidoferrocenes: Synthesis, Characterization,and Group IV 1,1′-Bisguanidinate­ferrocene Complexes

We report the two-step one-pot preparation of a series of bulky substituted 1,1′-dicarbodiimidoferrocene proligands. In solution the compounds achieve equilibrium with the corresponding 2,4-diimino...
Novel carbocyle enlargement in aqueous medium

For two-atom ring expansions, the photochemical method of [2+2] cyclization-decyclization is the most successful. The [2+2] cycloaddition of an acetylenic ester to an enamine of a cyclic ketone and subsequent opening of the annulated cyclobutene moiety formed in another useful method for two-carbon ring expansion. We report here a novel two-atom carbocycle enlargement based on the indium-mediated Barbier-Grignard type reaction in water. 7 refs., 1 fig., 1 tab.
Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) features of cataracts in pediatric and young adult patients

Background The goal of this study is to systematically evaluate the magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) signal characteristics and size of cataracts that may be encountered in pediatric and young adult patients. Methods A retrospective analysis of the MRI features with cataracts in a series of cases, including characterization of signal intensity on T2-weighted and T1-weighted sequences, as well as measuring the thickness of the lens. Results Among nine cataracts in seven patients, three lenses were thickened and hyperintense on T2-weighted sequences, presumably related to osmotic effects. The rest of the lenses were either normal in size and signal characteristics, such as in the cases of neurofibromatosis type 2 or small in cases of microphthalmos, with signal characteristics related to calcifications. Conclusions There are several different types of cataracts that can occur in pediatric and young adult patients, which may or may not be conspicuous on MRI. The findings in this study can serve as a guide for what abnormalities of the lens may be encountered on MRI.
Robust, rapid, and ultrasensitive colorimetric sensors through dye chemisorption on poly-cationic nanodots.

Abstract Colorimetric sensors were fabricated by incorporation of anionic colorimetric probes on a hierarchical nanofibrous membrane containing poly-cationic nanodots through intense electrostatic interaction. Unique poly-cationic nanodots were covalently grown on poly (4-vinylpyridine)/polyacrylonitrile nanofibrous membrane through a self-propagation reaction of 2-diethylaminoethyl chloride (DEAE-Cl). The nanodots on the nanofiber surfaces possess strong adsorption affinity and high adsorption capacity toward anionic probes, which contributed to excellent detection sensitivity and sensor stability compared with the co-electrospun sensor. As a proof-of-concept study, phenol red was selected to functionalize the as-fabricated substrate (polyDEAE@P4VP/PAN NFM) to a colorimetric sensor, which shows responses to alkaline vapors. The as-fabricated sensor showed rapid color changes to ammonia and triethylamine (response time
Leveraging Dynamic Partial Reconfiguration with Scalable ILP Based Task Scheduling

FPGA-based computation has shown better latency and energy efficiency compared to CPU or GPU-based solutions. However, as the complexity of emerging applications has significantly grown, it is difficult to efficiently utilize the FPGA. Thus, there is a renewed interest to deploy dynamic partial reconfiguration for FPGA-based hardware from both the industry and the academic community. In this work we demonstrate a methodology for scheduling heterogenous tasks across given FPGA resources in a resource efficient manner while effectively hiding latency of dynamic partial reconfiguration. With the help of an ILP based scheduler, we demonstrate the mapping of diverse computational workloads in both cloud and edge-like scenarios. Our novel contribution includes enabling pipelining and parallelization of batches in our scheduler. Our scheduler is capable of masking reconfiguration overheads, and its ability to pipeline across batches demonstrated up to 3.9X improvements. Finally, our scalable scheduler is capable of simultaneously mapping 11 applications to a single cloud-scale, as well as edge-scale, FPGA.
“Just a Job?” An Assessment of Precarious Employment Trajectories by Gender Among Young People in the U.S.

Precarious employment is on the rise in the United States. Research suggests that young workers are more likely than older workers to be in precarious work. Yet much remains unknown regarding the precarious nature of employment experienced by young workers, despite evidence of the importance of this period for long-term employment opportunities. To address this gap in knowledge, this study used a nationally-representative, longitudinal dataset to create a multi-dimensional measure of precarious employment, and assessed precarious employment trajectories over time for young women and men. Findings revealed that, while there were significant shifts in levels of precarity over time for both males and females, patterns differed by gender. Overall, higher percentages of females than males remained concentrated at the semi-precarious level over time—meaning that they did not move further into or out of precarious employment—while higher percentages of males became either much more precarious or much less precarious over time. These findings challenge the common assumption that young people generally move out of low-wage or otherwise “bad” jobs over time, and suggest that there is a need for additional attention to gendered patterns in job quality among young people. Social workers have an important role to play in helping young people enter non-precarious jobs, and in engaging in advocacy to improve the quality of jobs available.
Fundamental solutions of the Dirac operator in the Friedmann–Lemaître–Robertson–Walker spacetime

Abstract The equation of the spin- 1 2 particles in the Friedmann–Lemaitre–Robertson–Walker spacetime is investigated. The retarded and advanced fundamental solutions to the Dirac operator and generalized Dirac operator as well as the fundamental solutions to the Cauchy problem are written in explicit form via the fundamental solution of the wave equation in the Minkowski spacetime.
Patience and Crime

Objectives:We identify the distinction between patience and self-control to improve specification of time preferences in offender decision-making.Methods:Data were drawn from in-depth qualitative i...
Fernando Orejuela and Stephanie Shonekan, eds. 2018. Black Lives Matter and Music: Protest, Intervention, Reflection.

Fernando Orejuela and Stephanie Shonekan, eds. 2018. Black Lives Matter and Music: Protest, Intervention, Reflection. Bloomington: Indiana University Press. 126 pp. ISBN 9780253038425 (pbk)
The Impact of the COVID-19 Pandemic on Urology Residents: a Narrative Review.

The COVID-19 pandemic brought unprecedented challenges for urology resident education. In this review, we discuss the pandemic’s impact on urology trainees and their education. Urology trainees were often redeployed to frontline services in unfamiliar clinical settings. Residents often experienced increased levels of stress, anxiety, and depression. Many programs instituted virtual “check-ins” and formed liaisons with mental health services to foster cohesiveness. Urology trainees experienced the integration of telehealth into the clinical realm. Virtual surgery lectures and simulations were utilized to augment surgical education. Academic governing bodies upheld resident protections and provided dynamic guidance for training requirement throughout the pandemic. Medical students were unable to participate in traditional in-person away rotations and interviews, complicating the residency application process. The COVID-19 pandemic shook the healthcare system and ushered in seismic changes for urology trainees worldwide. Though the longstanding effects of the pandemic remain to be seen, urology residents have demonstrated tremendous resilience and bravery throughout this challenging period, and those qualities will undeniably withstand the test of time.
A Note on Uniform Circuit Lower Bounds for the Counting Hierarchy (Extended Abstract)

A very recent paper by Caussinus, McKenzie, Therien, and Vollmer [CMTV95] shows that ACC0 is properly contained in ModPH, and TC0 is properly contained in the counting hierarchy. Thus, [CMTV95] shows that there are problems in ModPH that require superpolynomialsize uniform ACC0 circuits, and problems in the counting hierarchy that require superpolynomial-size uniform TC0 circuits. The proof in [CMTV95] uses “leaf languages” as a tool in obtaining their separations, and their proof does not immediately yield larger lower bounds for the complexity of these problems. In this paper, we give a simple direct proof of these same separations, and use it to provide “sub-subexponential” size lower bounds on the size of uniform circuits for these problems.
Information seeking by nurses during beginning-of-shift activities.

A core purpose of clinical nursing information systems (CNISs) is to assist in the management and processing of nursing data, information, and knowledge [1]. Central to achieving that purpose is the identification of information and data used by nurses not only to document nursing events, but also to give patient care. The literature suggests several approaches to identifying data and information of interest to nurses. Some writers identified data elements from computer or paper-based documentation systems used by nurses [2,3,4], while others have derived data elements by analyzing nursing textbooks and other written sources [5].
A cocycle formula for the quaternionic discrete series

Schmid's proof of the Kostant-Langlands conjecture for discrete series representations of a semisimple Lie group provides a Hilbert space realization of such representations in L 2 -cohomology. We give an explicit description of these harmonic forms for the quaternionic discrete series.
A Black Hole Greater Than 6 M☉ in the X-Ray Nova XTE J1118+480*

Observations of the quiescent X-ray nova XTE J1118+480 with the new 6.5 m Multiple Mirror Telescope have revealed that the velocity amplitude of the dwarf secondary is 698 ± 14 km s-1 and the orbital period of the system is 0.17013 ± 0.00010 days. The implied value of the mass function, f(M) = 6.00 ± 0.36 M☉, provides a hard lower limit on the mass of the compact primary that greatly exceeds the maximum allowed mass of a neutron star (~3 M☉). Thus, we conclude that the compact primary is a black hole. Among the 11 dynamically established black hole X-ray novae, the large mass function of XTE J1118+480 is rivaled only by that of V404 Cyg. We estimate that the secondary supplies 34% ± 8% of the total light at 5900 A and that its spectral type is in the range from K5 V to M1 V. A double-humped I-band light curve is probably due to ellipsoidal modulation, although this interpretation is not entirely secure because of an unusual 12 minute offset between the spectroscopic and photometric ephemerides. Assuming that the light curve is ellipsoidal, we present a provisional analysis that indicates that the inclination of the system is high and the mass of the black hole is correspondingly modest (M1 10 M☉). The broad Balmer emission lines (FWHM = 2300-2900 km s-1) also suggest a high inclination. For the range of spectral types given above, we estimate a distance of 1.8 ± 0.6 kpc.
Remission of uterine leiomyosarcomas treated with vincristine, Adriamycin, and dimethyl-triazeno-imidazole carboximide

Six patients with metastatic uterine leiomyosarcoma have been treated with the combination of vincristine, Adriamycin, and DTIC. Complete remissions were obtained in three patients and a partial remission in a fourth. The average duration of response was 15.6 months and one patient is free of disease at 24 months. Severe nausea and vomiting caused discontinuance of chemotherapy in two patients.
Situating Practice in Schools and Communities: Case Studies of Teacher Candidates in Diverse Clinical Experiences with English Language Learners

With climbing percentages of linguistic diversity within the United States population, teachers must be prepared to work with English language learners in school and community settings. In this paper, we utilized a multiple-case study design to describe and explore the learning of four undergraduate teacher candidates enrolled in a university course on the assessment of English language learners. Working to fulfill the course and clinical requirements for the English as a Second Language endorsement, candidates engaged in fieldwork and conducted authentic language assessments to glean the unique sociocultural and linguistic backgrounds, abilities, and needs of students to inform subsequent instruction. Findings indicated that candidates benefited from diverse school and community field placements that matched their programs of study and cultural and linguistic backgrounds. Additionally, findings demonstrated the affordances of community sites where candidates had authentic and low-stakes opportunities to engage in professional practice, juxtaposed with high-stakes classroom settings where cooperating teachers often limited candidate involvement due to the focus on standardized testing. We close with implications and recommendations for field-based teacher preparation for English language learners.
Making Stuff Up

Beginning with an article in this Journal almost thirty years ago, Professor Underwood continues to research andwrite about legal ethics and litigation. In this Commentary, he offers a witty look at several cases where, in his opinion, thejudge allowed improper arguments to thejury.
Defining Executive Deference in Treaty Interpretation Cases

A number of scholars have proposed administrative law frameworks for approaching the question of executive deference in treaty interpretation, though none is entirely satisfactory. This Essay proposes a new test for evaluating executive treaty interpretations based on existing administrative law doctrines and other academic proposals. An executive treaty interpretation should receive deference if the interpretation is consistent with the treaty text and available evidence – including the treaty’s drafting history, the practices of other parties, and the Senate’s reservations, understandings, and declarations; and if the Executive’s reasoning in reaching that interpretation is neither arbitrary nor capricious. This test would grant the President substantial interpretive leeway while ensuring that any proposed interpretation is tethered to the terms of the treaty and subject to meaningful review. This Essay proceeds in three parts. Part I discusses the Supreme Court’s muddled treaty interpretation case law as well as administrative law doctrines relevant to treaty interpretation. Part II analyzes the spectrum of modern proposals for executive treaty deference, with particular attention paid to those that borrow from administrative law. Part III proposes an alternative approach that distills existing administrative law tests in order to achieve an optimal balance between executive deference and judicial review. Part III also considers objections to the proposal offered here.
Rhodolith Stranding Event on a Pliocene Rocky Shore from Isla Cerralvo in the Lower Gulf of California (Mexico)

Abstract JOHNSON, M.E.; PEREZ, D.M., and BAARLI, B.G., 2012. Rhodolith stranding event on a Pliocene rocky shore from Isla Cerralvo in the lower Gulf of California (Mexico). Controls on present-day sedimentation around Isla Cerralvo in the southern Gulf of California provide a model for restricted Pliocene limestone distribution. The 10.46-km2 island is elongate and roughly parallel to the direction of prevailing north winds. Debris washed from deeply dissected valleys build fan deltas of sand-to-boulder size igneous clasts. These are transported south by long-shore currents, but the fans also create leeward zones with less agitated water. Remnants of a large Pliocene fan are exposed during low tide at Los Carillos on the SE side of the island. Adjacent is an unconformity between granite and granite-derived conglomerate with Nerita scabricosta. This extant gastropod is typical of the high intertidal rocky shore. The conglomerate is capped by a sandstone ramp with Argopecten abietus as an offshore facies. ...
Among Kings and Sages: Greek and Indian Wisdom in an Arabic Mirror for Princes

Abstract The mirror for princes known as the Naṣīḥat al-mulūk of al-Māwardī, probably a tenth-century text, is replete with references to sources identified by the author as “Indian”. A large number of these texts also appear in the so-called Waṣiyyat Arisṭāṭālīs li-l-Iskandar; some examples find parallels in Kalīla wa-Dimna and Bilawhar wa-Būḏāsaf. These coincidences raise several possibilities: first, that the author’s “Indian” source represents a work of Indic background, translated from Sanskrit or another Indian language into Arabic, probably at the time when the Barmakids were sponsoring such translations in significant numbers; secondly, that it was rendered from an Indian language into Middle Persian in the Sasanian period and from that language into Arabic in the early centuries of the Islamic era; thirdly, that the text was composed in a non-Indian language, probably Middle Persian, and acquired a “forged” Indian genealogy in a parallel to the numerous spurious Greek attributions (a category that would subsequently include the pseudo-Aristotelian testament). The article addresses these three possibilities, and, on the basis of textual and contextual considerations, suggests that at the present stage of research, it is the second that seems most likely.
Relative stabilities of transition states determine diastereocontrol in sulfur ylide additions onto chiral N‐sulfinyl imines

Additions of methylphenylsulfonium methylide onto chiral nonracemic N-sulfinyl imines (R′SONCHR, R′ = t-butyl, R = protected diol), followed by ring closure, yield terminal aziridines with high diastereoselectivity. Control reactions have established that both N- and C- iminyl substituents impact product preference, and when properly matched, one addition product is selected almost exclusively. Using solution-phase density functional computational methods, minima and transition state (TS) searches have been performed to reveal the structural origins of the diastereoselectivity. Our computational findings indicate that ring closure is fast and irreversible, and consequently, the relative energies of the TSs for the competing Re/Si addition steps determine the product diastereomeric ratios. Analysis of addition TS structures reveals the causes of selectivity as arising from the N- and C- iminyl substituents, and we identify the S (R) configuration of the N-sulfinyl sulfur atom as the dominant director of Si (Re) addition. The control attributed to the sulfur configuration is tied to an important favorable internal interaction between the sulfinyl oxygen and the iminyl hydrogen. The protected diol acts as a secondary director, owing to steric/electrostatic interactions with the approaching ylide. © 2011 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Int J Quantum Chem, 2012
A suggested explanation for the anomalous anisotropies in high energy fission

Abstract Recent experiments of fission induced by high energy protons have shown that the angular distributions of fragments are peaked at right angles to the beam. The fission fragments thus come off mainly with orbital angular momenta oriented along the beam axis despite the fact that the angular momenta of the incident protons with respect to the nuclear centre are oriented perpendicular to this direction. This “anomaly” is attributed to the cooperation of two effects: (1) There are relatively many collisions of an incident proton with individual nucleons in a nucleus which result in angular momentum transfers to the nucleus along the beam axis. This is due to the nature of the nucleon-nucleon differential cross section at high energy. (2) The collisions just described generally leave relatively small amounts of excitation energy in the nucleus. It has been shown that small excitation energies are particularly favourable for the production of large anisotropies.
FPGA modeling of diverse superscalar processors

There is increasing interest in using Field Programmable Gate Arrays (FPGAs) as platforms for computer architecture simulation. This paper is concerned with modeling superscalar processors with FPGAs. To be transformative, the FPGA modeling framework should meet three criteria.
Incidence of Adenoviral and Chlamydial Coinfection in Acute Follicular Conjunctivitis

Purpose/Methods After we studied a case of chlamydial and adenoviral coinfection in a 20-year-old woman, we determined the incidence of chlamydial infection in patients with acute adenoviral conjunctivitis. In a randomized retrospective study, we evaluated 100 specimens of patients with culture-proven adenoviral conjunctivitis. Results/Conclusions Three of 100 (3%) specimens tested positive for chlamydial DNA using polymerase chain reaction. Adenoviral and chlamydial coinfection is rare, yet should be considered in patients with prolonged follicular keratoconjunctivitis.
A mouse model of human oral-esophageal cancer

Squamous cancers of the oral cavity and esophagus are common worldwide, but no good genetically based animal model exists. A number of environmental factors as well as genetic alterations have been identified in these cancers, yet the specific combination of genetic events required for cancer progression remains unknown. The Epstein-Barr virus ED-L2 promoter (L2) can be used to target genes in a specific fashion to the oral-esophageal squamous epithelium. To that end, we generated L2-cyclin D1 (L2D1(+)) mice and crossbred these with p53-deficient mice. Whereas L2D1(+) mice exhibit a histologic phenotype of oral-esophageal dysplasia, the combination of cyclin D1 expression and p53 deficiency results in invasive oral-esophageal cancer. The development of the precancerous lesions was significantly reversed by the application of sulindac in the drinking water of the L2D1(+)/p53(+/-) mice. Furthermore, cell lines derived from oral epithelia of L2D1(+)/p53(+/-) and L2D1(+)/p53(-/-) mice, but not control mice, formed tumors in athymic nude mice. These data demonstrate that L2D1(+)/p53(+/-) mice provide a well-defined, novel, and faithful model of oral-esophageal cancer, which allows for the testing of novel chemopreventive, diagnostic, and therapeutic approaches.
Developing standards: A history of regulation of psychology in Nevada

Abstract This article describes the history of licensing practioners and role of the Nevada Board of Psychological Examiners in regulating and molding the practice of psychology in Nevada. It discusses the environment in which Nevada psychologists live and work, their demographic characteristics, as well as their education and training. Employment, mobility, and the geographical distribution of psychologists are also addressed. Particular emphasis is placed on the problems and the challenges faced by the Board in a high stress, swiftly changing state.
Stability analysis of N-model systems under a static priority rule

We consider the stability of N-model systems that consist of two customer classes and two server pools. Servers in one of the pools can serve both classes, but those in the other pool can serve only one of the classes. The standard fluid models in general are not sufficient to establish the stability region of these systems under static priority policies. Therefore, we use a novel and a general approach to augment the fluid model equations based on induced Markov chains. Using this new approach, we establish the stability region of these systems under a static priority rule with thresholds when the service and interarrival times have phase-type distributions. We show that, in certain cases, the stability region depends on the distributions of the service and interarrival times (beyond their mean), on the number of servers in the system, and on the threshold value. We also show that it is possible to expand the stability region in these systems by increasing the variability of the service times (without changing their mean) while keeping the other parameters fixed. The extension of our results to parallel server systems and general service time distributions is also discussed.
Integrated 13C-metabolic flux analysis of 14 parallel labeling experiments in Escherichia coli.

Abstract The use of parallel labeling experiments for 13C metabolic flux analysis (13C-MFA) has emerged in recent years as the new gold standard in fluxomics. The methodology has been termed COMPLETE-MFA, short for complementary parallel labeling experiments technique for metabolic flux analysis. In this contribution, we have tested the limits of COMPLETE-MFA by demonstrating integrated analysis of 14 parallel labeling experiments with Escherichia coli. An effort on such a massive scale has never been attempted before. In addition to several widely used isotopic tracers such as [1,2-13C]glucose and mixtures of [1-13C]glucose and [U-13C]glucose, four novel tracers were applied in this study: [2,3-13C]glucose, [4,5,6-13C]glucose, [2,3,4,5,6-13C]glucose and a mixture of [1-13C]glucose and [4,5,6-13C]glucose. This allowed us for the first time to compare the performance of a large number of isotopic tracers. Overall, there was no single best tracer for the entire E. coli metabolic network model. Tracers that produced well-resolved fluxes in the upper part of metabolism (glycolysis and pentose phosphate pathways) showed poor performance for fluxes in the lower part of metabolism (TCA cycle and anaplerotic reactions), and vice versa. The best tracer for upper metabolism was 80% [1-13C]glucose+20% [U-13C]glucose, while [4,5,6-13C]glucose and [5-13C]glucose both produced optimal flux resolution in the lower part of metabolism. COMPLETE-MFA improved both flux precision and flux observability, i.e. more independent fluxes were resolved with smaller confidence intervals, especially exchange fluxes. Overall, this study demonstrates that COMPLETE-MFA is a powerful approach for improving flux measurements and that this methodology should be considered in future studies that require very high flux resolution.
Plasma estradiol determined with a competitive protein binding method.

Abstract Testosterone binding protein was used to develop a sensitive competitive protein binding method for measuring 17β-estradiol (E2) in plasma of men and women. Samples were purified by solvent partitioning and by paper and thin layer chromatography. An ether-extracted (NH4)2SO4- precipitated globulin, prepared from human last trimester pregnancy plasma, was used as a source of testosterone binding protein for incubation in buffer with purified plasma extracts and E2 standards. The addition of 0.12% beef serum albumin to the globulin in buffer, increased sensitivity by decreasing the sticking of E2 to the walls of tubes after addition of the (NH4)2SO4 used for separating TBP bound and unbound E2. The mean plasma E2 concentrations in mμg/100 ml ± 1 SD were 3 ± 0.9 in men, 6.2 ± 3 in women in the follicular phase and 22 ± 10 in women in the luteal phase of the menstrual cycle.
Chiral drugs: comparison of the pharmacokinetics of [11C]d-threo and l-threo-methylphenidate in the human and baboon brain

bstract Methylphenidate (Ritalin) is the most commonly prescribed psychoactive medication for children in the US where it is used for the treatment of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder. Methylphenidate is marketed as a racemic mixture of the d-threo and l-threo enantiomers. It is believed that the d enantiomer is responsible for the therapeutic effect of methylphenidate. In this study we labeled the individual enantiomers with carbon-11 and compared their binding and pharmacokinetics in the human and baboon brain. Microdialysis studies in the rat were performed to compare their potency in elevating striatal dopamine concentration. Positron emission tomographic (PET) studies with [11C]d-threo-methylphenidate ([11C]d-threo-MP) demonstrated highest regional uptake in basal ganglia. In contrast, [11C]l-threo-methylphenidate ([11C]l-threo-MP) displayed similar uptakes in all brain regions. The ratios of distribution volumes at the steady-state for the basal ganglia to cerebellum (DVBG/DVCB) ranged from 2.2 to 3.3 for [11C]d-threo-MP in baboon and human, and only 1.1 for [11C]l-threo-MP. Pretreatment with unlabeled methylphenidate (0.5 mg/kg) or GBR12909 (1.5 mg/kg) markedly reduced the striatal but not the cerebellar uptake of [11C]d-threo-MP, whereas there was no effect on DVBG/DVCB for [11C]l-threo-MP. In the rat, d-threo-MP increased extracellular dopamine concentration by 650% whereas l-threo-MP did not affect dopamine levels. These results indicate that pharmacological specificity of MP resides entirely in the d-threo isomer and directly show that binding of the l-isomer in human brain is mostly non-specific.
Octopus joubini (Mollusca: Cephalopoda): a detailed study of growth through the full life cycle in a closed seawater system

Twenty individual pygmy octopuses, Octopus joubini, were reared at 25°C from hatching to maturity on a quantified diet of live crabs in closed (recirculating) natural seawater systems. At 24 week intervals the animals were narcotized, weighed and measured. There was 85% survival to sexual maturity. Growth rates were highest during the first four weeks of exponential growth. Beyond four weeks, growth rates steadily declined and growth became logarithmic in form. Female octopuses grew slightly faster than males and attained a larger size at maturity. The length-weight relationship showed male Octopus joubini to weigh more than females at a given mantle length. This species displays slight allometric growth resulting in changing body proportions through the life cycle. Relative food intake is highest at hatching and decreases with age. Mean gross growth efficiency over the life span was approximately 40%.
Inhibition of Platelet-Mediated Clot Retraction by Integrin Antagonists

Abstract The effects of the platelet αIIbβ3 integrin (GPIIb/IIIa) antagonists XV459 (non-peptide), c7E3 (Fab monoclonal antibody) and DMP728 (cyclic peptide) as well as the αvβ3 integrin antagonists, LM609 (monoclonal antibody) and XT199 (non-peptide) on clotting and platelet-mediated clot retraction were examined. While 30 nM of XV459 had no significant effect on the kinetics of coagulation, platelet-mediated clot retraction was nearly fully inhibited at this concentration (Relative Retraction Rate = 0.09). XV459 resulted in a concentration related-response curve. Other experiments demonstrated that platelet aggregation was maximally inhibited at XV459 concentrations ranging from 30–50 nM. Similarly, c7E3 demonstrated comparable inhibitory efficacy in inhibiting either clot retraction or platelet aggregation. In contrast, DMP728, an equally potent anti-aggregatory agent with an IC 50 of 20–50 nM in inhibiting platelet aggregation induced by various agonists, was found to be a less potent inhibitor of platelet-mediated clot retraction with a half-maximal inhibition of clot retraction at ∼0.7 μM, and maximum effects at concentrations of 10 μM. The αvβ3 integrin antagonists, LM609 or XT199 were without any significant effects on either platelet-mediated clot retraction or platelet aggregation. In conclusion, these data suggest a differential efficacy among different GPIIb/IIIa antagonists in inhibiting platelet-mediated clot retraction in spite of the equivalent anti-aggregatory potency. Additionally, the αvβ3 integrin antagonists do not affect platelet-mediated clot retraction or aggregation. Further studies with the previously described αIIbβ3 integrin antagonists as well as others revealed a distinct correlation between the Kd to resting and activated platelets and the efficacy in inhibiting platelet-mediated clot retraction.
Late Quaternary vegetation near Battle Ground Lake, southern Puget Trough, Washington

Pollen and plant-macrofossil records from Battle Ground Lake, along with published data, are used to reconstruct the late-Quaternary vegetation history of the nonglaciated southern Puget Trough. Coinciding with the end of the Evans Creek Stade (circa 20,000-17,000 yr B.P.) of Fraser Glaciation, Gramineae, Artemisia , herbs, and Picea cf. engelmannii grew in a parkland/tundra around Battle Ground. This assemblage, recorded throughout the southern Puget Trough, implies cold, relatively dry conditions similar to subalpine environments east of the Cascade Range. The presence of Pseudotsuga, Picea sitchensis , and Alnus rubra as macrofossils suggests a slight interstadial warming between 17,000 and 15,000 yr B.P. Cool, humid conditions prevailed during the Vashon Stade when, south of the Cordilleran Ice Sheet, open forest or parkland featured mesophytic subalpine taxa. At Battle Ground Lake, temperate conifers were part of forest communities circa 11,200 yr B.P., but elsewhere they were present as early as 12,500 yr B.P. From 10,000 to 4500 yr B.P., Pseudotsuga-Quercus savannah spread into the Battle Ground area, offering evidence for summer drought more severe than today. Pseudotsuga and Thuja forest was established in the late Holocene with the introduction of the modern humid climate. Consideration of all the pollen data from the southern Puget Trough and the available radiometric chronology suggests that postglacial migration of most lowland conifers into the Puget Trough was rapid and not necessarily from southern refugia.
Senior and middle management use of EIS: a descriptive study

Initial EIS research efforts have examined current implementations in organizations, development issues, and characteristics users feel systems should have to be effective. Research is now needed to examine how EIS are used and what some of the benefits are from the user's perspective. The purpose of this study was to examine current executive information systems' usage from the EIS users' perspective and to determine the types of usage and the perceived improvements to management activities resulting from EIS use. This is a descriptive study that answers the questions: how are EIS used, and what are the perceived improvements in management activities resulting from EIS use?. >