cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
'Free and Equal Partners in Your Commonwealth': The Atlantic Charter and Anticolonial Delegations to London, 1941-3.

This article examines the efforts of two anticolonial politicians from the British Empire who used official visits to London and the rhetoric of the Atlantic Charter (14 August 1941) to advance their political careers and self-government for their territories: Burma's U Saw in 1941, and Nigeria's Nnamdi Azikiwe in 1943. Rather than a repetition of the 'Wilsonian moment', these campaigns show how anticolonial forces long active across the Empire took advantage of the opening offered by the Atlantic Charter to make claims on the British government in its wartime weakness. Both U Saw and Azikiwe had been involved in anticolonial politics long before the Charter, but its appearance provided an opportunity to advance their position vis-a-vis political competitors as well as to win concessions from the imperial state. Although the two leaders had different immediate objectives, they both used the prestige of official visits to London and the ambiguous universality of the Charter's language in pursuit of their aims. Their ability to do so attests to the power of anticolonial movements by the early 1940s, and points to alternative paths which the Empire might have followed.
Dependent and Independent Events

This chapter provides an overview of the dependent and independent events. Every conditional probability is a probability. Every theorem, which is proved for an ordinary probability, is also true for any conditional probability. The events in a collection of events are independent if the probability of the joint occurrence of any finite number of them equals the product of their probabilities. Each instantaneous decrease in mass is because of the emission of an alpha particle. The amount of each instantaneous decrease is the same, namely, the mass decrease because of loss of an alpha particle. The relative frequency with which alpha particles are emitted during a specified time interval remains relatively constant.
Creating web-based information and educational resources for engineering graphics

Extra-enlarged amount of information and rapid, continuous progress in computer technologies change approach to education. The web-based information and educational resources are useful for learners in choosing how, when, where, and how often to learn. Engineering graphics enhances spatial understanding, which is so important in the process of engineering education. In order to provide high-level learning environment, available for all possible learners, engineering graphics specialists from all European Union Member States can create ISO Standards, which are adequate to webbased information and educational resources.
Robotic Intracorporeal Ileal Conduit

The surgical procedure of urinary diversion is over 100 years old. There have been significant advancements that have led to the current, modern-day robotic intracorporeal ileal conduit. Despite the advancements, there are many similarities to the traditional open surgical technique developed many years ago. We describe the operative technique as well as the postoperative outcomes of patients undergoing robotic intracorporeal ileal conduit urinary diversion.
A New Method for Assessing the Efficacy of Emission Control Strategies.

Abstract Regional-scale air quality models and observations at routine air quality monitoring sites are used to determine attainment/non-attainment of the ozone air quality standard in the United States. In current regulatory applications, a regional-scale air quality model is applied for a base year and a future year with reduced emissions using the same meteorological conditions as those in the base year. Because of the stochastic nature of the atmosphere, the same meteorological conditions would not prevail in the future year. Therefore, we use multi-decadal observations to develop a new method for estimating the confidence bounds for the future ozone design value (based on the 4th highest value in the daily maximum 8-hr ozone concentration time series, DM8HR) for each emission loading scenario along with the probability of the design value exceeding a given ozone threshold concentration at all monitoring sites in the contiguous United States. To this end, we spectrally decompose the observed DM8HR ozone time series covering the period from 1981 to 2014 using the Kolmogorov-Zurbenko (KZ) filter and examine the variability in the relative strengths of the short-term variations (induced by synoptic-scale weather fluctuations; referred to as synoptic component, SY) and the long-term component (dictated by changes in emissions, seasonality and other slow-changing processes such as climate change; referred to as baseline component, BL). Results indicate that combining the projected change in the ozone baseline level with the adjusted synoptic forcing in historical ozone observations enables us to provide a probabilistic assessment of the efficacy of a selected emissions control strategy in complying with the ozone standard in future years. In addition, attainment demonstration is illustrated with a real-world application of the proposed methodology by using air quality model simulations, thereby helping build confidence in the use of regional-scale air quality models for supporting regulatory policies.
Association between prenatal opioid exposure, neonatal opioid withdrawal syndrome, and neurodevelopmental and behavioral outcomes at 5-8 months of age.

Abstract Background While use of prescription opioids and medication assisted therapy (MAT) for opioid use disorder in pregnancy, as well as the incidence of neonatal opioid withdrawal syndrome (NOWS) continue to rise, little is known about outcomes for children with NOWS beyond the newborn period. Methods We examined 1) prenatal MAT exposure vs. unexposed healthy controls [HC]; and 2) treatment for NOWS and NOWS severity on infant neurodevelopmental and behavioral outcomes at 5–8 months of age in 78 maternal-infant pairs from the ENRICH prospective cohort study. Data were obtained from 3 study visits: prenatal, delivery, and neurodevelopmental evaluation at 5–8 months of age. Neurodevelopmental outcomes included the Bayley Scales of Infant Development [BSID-III], caregiver questionnaires (Parenting Stress Index [PSI-SF], Infant Behavior Questionnaire [IBQ-R], Sensory Profile), and the experimental Still-Face Paradigm (SFP). Results No differences in the BSID-III, PSI-SF, or IBQ-R scores were observed between MAT and HC groups; however, MAT-exposed and HC infants differed with respect to SFP self-regulation (β = −18.9; p = 0.01) and Sensory Profile sensation seeking (OR = 4.87; 95% CI: 1.55; 15.30) after adjusting for covariates. No significant differences between Treated-for-NOWS vs. not-Treated-for-NOWS were observed. Shorter timing to NOWS treatment initiation was associated with higher Total Stress (β = −9.08; p = 0.035), while longer hospitalization was associated with higher Parent-child dysfunctional interaction (p = 0.018) on PSI-SF. Conclusions Our results provide additional evidence of little-to-no effect of MAT and pharmacological treatment of NOWS on infant neurodevelopmental and behavioral outcomes at 5–8 months of age. However, prolonged hospitalization might increase family psychosocial stress and requires further examination.
Ni-Catalyzed Three-Component Alkene Carboacylation Initiated by Amide C–N Bond Activation

The nickel-catalyzed intermolecular carboacylation of alkenes with amides and tetraarylborates is presented. Bicyclic alkenes are readily functionalized with a variety of N-benzoyl-N-phenylbenzamid...
Reconciling Disaster and Deity: Trauma, Spirituality, and Growth in the Context of Natural and Technological Disasters Induced by Climate Change

Climate change increases the risk that a person will experience a natural or technological disaster in their lifetime (IPCC, Climate change 2007: The physical science basis. Contributions of working group I to the fourth assessment report of the intergovernmental panel on climate change. Cambridge University Press, Cambridge, 2007). While the impact of such disasters on physical life is typically a primary consideration, the potential mental health effects of living through or with the threat of catastrophic climate experiences cannot be ignored. There may be significant risk to neglecting these mental health concerns (Gifford, Can Psychol 49(4): 273–280, 2008; Moser, More bad news: The risk of neglecting emotional responses to climate change information. In: Moser SC, Dilling L (eds) Creating a climate for change: Communicating climate change and facilitating social change. Cambridge University Press, New York, pp 64–80, 2007 ; Weissbecker, Introduction: Climate change and human Well-being. In: Weissbecker I (ed) Climate change and human Well-being: Global challenges and opportunities. Springer, New York, pp 1–15, 2011). Mental health professionals have a vital role to play in the response to a changing climate. There is abundant research to suggest that positive psychology opens up space for mental health professionals to work towards building a community’s and an individual’s sense of resiliency and potential for growth both before and after catastrophic climate-related events. This chapter also considers the unique role that religion and spirituality plays in trauma, meaning making, and growth in the context of climate change-induced natural and technological disasters. Drawing upon current research from disaster mental health, positive psychology, and spirituality, and using Park’s (2016) meaning-making model of coping in the context of disaster, three points are argued: the posttraumatic growth literature can and should inform disaster mental health; natural and technological disasters hold psychological and spiritual questions that must be explored together; and competencies in the psychological treatment of survivors of natural and technological disaster must be growth oriented and spiritually informed.
Psychometric validation of the Job Satisfaction of Persons with Disabilities Scale in a sample of peer support specialists.

Objective The primary purpose of the study was to evaluate the psychometric properties of the Job Satisfaction of Persons with Disabilities Scale in a sample of peer support specialists. Method A total of 121 employed peer support specialists with lived experience of a serious mental health condition were recruited for this study from statewide peer certification training programs and the International Association of Peer Supporters. Respondents completed an online survey on job satisfaction and related constructs. A principal components analysis was used to explore and identify the instrument subscales. Results The findings identified 2 factors: (a) the 9-item job satisfaction with intangible benefits factor and (b) the 5-item job satisfaction with tangible benefits factor. Conclusions and implications for practice The Job Satisfaction of Persons with Disabilities Scale demonstrates good-to-excellent psychometrics. The use of this scale among peer support specialists within training and supervision practices in psychiatric rehabilitation settings is warranted. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2020 APA, all rights reserved).
Arthropod Abundance and Biomass in Response to Pinus taeda L. Trunk Height

The trunks of southeastern pines provide vital habitat for many invertebrates that are, in turn, available as prey for bark-foraging birds. Knowing how these arthropods are distributed vertically on tree trunks is important and may allow for a rapid assessment of prey response to forest management practices. In this study, we used a fast-acting insecticide to sample the arthropods on the lower (0–3 m) and upper (3–9 m) bole sections of nine loblolly pine, Pinus taeda L., trees. We collected over 1,600 arthropods representing 15 orders and 66 families. Ants (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) were the most abundant group collected, and wood cockroaches (Blattodea: Blattellidae) accounted for the greatest overall biomass. Abundance and biomass of arthropods per m2 were greater on the lower trunk, but these values were strongly correlated with those from the upper trunk. Nonmetric multidimensional scaling and permutational multivariate analysis of variance showed that arthropod community composition differed significantly between the two trunk positions. Additionally, indicator species analysis found four flightless taxa to be significantly associated with the lower trunk (Araneae, Zygentoma, Hymenoptera, and Pseudoscorpiones) but none with the higher trunk position. These findings show that bark-dwelling arthropods are generally more abundant near the bases of trees and that there is a strong relationship between abundance and biomass between lower and upper trunk sections. Knockdown insecticides offer an effective tool for rapidly assessing the availability of invertebrate prey for bark-foraging birds.
Model Predictive Control of Priced Timed Automata Encoded With First-Order Logic

Priced timed automata (PTA) are discrete-event system models with temporal constraints and a cost function and are used to pose optimal scheduling and routing problems. To date, solutions to these problems have been found offline and executed open loop. \soutThe This open-loop control strategy makes it impossible to account for disturbances, i.e., changes in costs or scheduling constraints over time. To address this shortcoming, this work's first contribution is a closed-loop model predictive control (MPC) framework for PTA, enabling decision-making based on real-time model updates. To ensure the feasibility of an MPC problem, it is often desirable to soften constraints. However, the contemporary PTA theory does not consider soft constraints. Thus, this work's second contribution is to integrate constraint softening with PTA control by harnessing the capabilities of new solvers enabled by the recasting of the models and control problem into first-order logic by employing modified encoding schemes based on existing works. Finally, the proposed control framework and implementation are demonstrated in a simulation case study on the guidance of a product through a manufacturing system.
Post-Liver Transplant Early Allograft Dysfunction Modifies the Effect of Pre-Liver Transplant Renal Dysfunction on Post-Liver Transplant Survival.

Pre-liver transplantation (LT) renal dysfunction is associated with poor post-LT survival. We studied whether early allograft dysfunction (EAD) modifies this association. Data on 2,856 primary LT recipients who received a transplant between 1998 and 2018 were retrospectively reviewed. Patients who died within the first post-LT week or received multiorgan transplants and previous LT recipients were excluded. EAD was defined as (1) total bilirubin ≥ 10 mg/dL on postoperative day (POD) 7, (2) international normalized ratio ≥1.6 on POD 7, and/or (3) alanine aminotransferase or aspartate aminotransferase ≥2000 IU/mL in the first postoperative week. Pre-LT renal dysfunction was defined as serum creatinine >1.5 mg/dL or on renal replacement therapy at LT. Patients were divided into 4 groups according to pre-LT renal dysfunction and post-LT EAD development. Recipients who had both pre-LT renal dysfunction and post-LT EAD had the worst unadjusted 1-year, 3-year, and 5-year post-LT patient and graft survival, whereas patients who had neither renal dysfunction nor EAD had the best survival (P < 0.001). After adjusting for multiple factors, the risk of death was significantly higher only in those with both pre-LT renal dysfunction and post-LT EAD (adjusted hazard ratio [aHR], 2.19; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.58-3.03; P < 0.001), whereas those with renal dysfunction and no EAD had a comparable risk of death to those with normal kidney function at LT (aHR, 1.12; 95% CI, 0.86-1.45; P = 0.41). Results remained unchanged when pre-LT renal dysfunction was redefined using different glomerular filtration rate cutoffs. Pre-LT renal dysfunction negatively impacts post-LT survival only in patients who develop EAD. Livers at higher risk of post-LT EAD should be used with caution in recipients with pre-LT renal dysfunction.
The tumor microenvironment in pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma: current perspectives and future directions

Pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) is among the most lethal malignancies and is characterized by a unique tumor microenvironment (TME) consisting of an abundant stromal component. Many features contained with the PDAC stroma contribute to resistance to cytotoxic and immunotherapeutic regimens, as well as the propensity for this tumor to metastasize. At the cellular level, PDAC cells crosstalk with a complex mixture of non-neoplastic cell types including fibroblasts, endothelial cells, and immune cells. These intricate interactions fuel the progression and therapeutic resistance of this aggressive cancer. Moreover, data suggest the polarization of these cell types, in particular immune and fibroblast populations, dictate how PDAC tumors grow, metastasize, and respond to therapy. As a result, current research is focused on how to best target these populations to render tumors responsive to treatment. Herein, we summarize the cell populations implicated in providing a supporting role for the development and progression of PDAC. We focus on stromal fibroblasts and immune subsets that have been widely researched. We discuss factors which govern the phenotype of these populations and provide insight on how they have been targeted therapeutically. This review provides an overview of the tumor microenvironment and postulates that cellular and soluble factors within the microenvironment can be specifically targeted to improve patient outcomes.
The saiga (Saiga tatarica) in captivity, with special reference to the Zoological Society of San Diego

The saiga, Saiga tatarica, and its close relative the chiru or Tibetan antelope, Pantholops hodgsoni, are the only members of the tribe Saigini within the subfamily Caprinae. These two very distinct genera appear to form a convenient bridge between the antelopes on the one hand and the rupicaprines on the other. Palaeontology does little to help us trace the origins of these two peculiar genera. Nevertheless, it appears that they have evolved along separate lines since the latter part of the Miocene or early Pliocene. The chiru was once distributed throughout suitable habitat on the Tibetan Plateau. Today it appears to be in decline. George Schaller, in a recent faunal survey of various parts of Quinghai Province in northeastern Tibet, where the animal was once widespread, found that it now survives only in the southwestern corner of the province. Its future may well be a source of concern.
An idea man (the life of Otto Herbert Schmitt)

This work recounts the life of Otto Herbert Schmitt who is most widely known as the inventor of the Schmitt trigger, which he developed as a graduate student in the mid-1930s. Schmitt remained an active scientist, engineer, and intellectual until the mid-1990s - six decades that brimmed with energy, effort, and insights. Viewing his life in full context suggests that the Schmitt trigger was a mere prelude to his greatest innovation, which Schmitt fully articulated near the end of his career: the concept of a biomimetic approach to science and engineering - an idea rather than a gadget. Schmitt played instrumental roles in establishing a number of the professional associations that continue to provide vital means of interchange among biophysicists and biomedical engineers.
Iron replacement therapy in the routine management of blood donors

BACKGROUND: Iron depletion or deficiency in blood donors frequently results in deferrals for low hemoglobin (Hb), yet blood centers remain reluctant to dispense iron replacement therapy to donors. STUDY DESIGN AND METHODS: During a 39-month period, 1236 blood donors deferred for a Hb level of less than 12.5 g/dL and 400 nondeferred control donors underwent health history screening and laboratory testing (complete blood counts, iron studies). Iron depletion and deficiency were defined as a ferritin level of 9 to 19 and less than 9 µg/L in females and 18 to 29 and less than 18 µg/L in males. Deferred donors and iron-deficient control donors were given a 60-pack of 325-mg ferrous sulfate tablets and instructed to take one tablet daily. Another 60-pack was dispensed at all subsequent visits. RESULTS: In the low-Hb group, 30 and 23% of females and 8 and 53% of males had iron depletion or deficiency, respectively, compared with 29 and 10% of females and 18 and 21% of males in the control group. Iron-depleted or -deficient donors taking iron showed normalization of iron-related laboratory parameters, even as they continued to donate. Compliance with oral iron was 68%. Adverse gastrointestinal effects occurred in 21% of donors. The study identified 13 donors with serious medical conditions, including eight with gastrointestinal bleeding. No donors had malignancies or hemochromatosis. CONCLUSION: Iron depletion or deficiency was found in 53% of female and 61% of male low-Hb donors and in 39% of female and male control donors. Routine administration of iron replacement therapy is safe and effective and prevents the development of iron depletion and deficiency in blood donors.
The Light Environment and Cellular Optics of the Snow Alga Chlamydomonas nivalis (Bauer) Wille

Abstract The alga Chlamydomonas nivalis lives in a high-light, cold environment: persistent alpine snowfields. Since the algae in snow receive light from all angles, the photon fluence rate is the critical parameter for photosynthesis, but it is rarely measured. We measured photon irradiance and photon fluence rate in the snow that contained blooms of C. nivalis. On a cloudless day the photon fluence rate at the snow surface was nearly twice the photon irradiance, and it can be many times greater than the photon irradiance when the solar angle is low or the light is diffuse. Beneath the surface the photon fluence rate can be five times the photon irradiance. Photon irradiance and photon fluence rate declined exponentially with depth, approximating the Bouguer–Lambert relationship. We used an integrating sphere to measure the spectral characteristics of a monolayer of cells and microscopic techniques to examine the spectral characteristics of individual cells. Astaxanthin blocked blue light and unknown abs...
Anaemia: Adaptive Mechanisms and Consequences

Tissue hypoxia induced by an anaemia causes the activation of a number of metabolic activities, all with the aim of ameliorating hypoxic injury. This compensatory feedback, which effects the symptomatology of anaemia, is to a great extent initiated by the production of a single transcription factor, HIF, enhancing the action of genes involved in the transport and utilization of oxygen. Keywords: erythropoietin; hypoxia; oxygen affinity
Expanded newborn screening: articulating the ontology of diseases with bridging work in the clinic

Abstract Population screening follows the logic of secondary prevention: a population is screened to detect disease early and to initiate treatment before symptoms emerge. However, not all population screening is justifiable under all circumstances. In this article, we unpack Wilson and Jungner�s requirement that knowledge about the natural history of a disease must be �adequate� for screening to proceed. We argue that any prior understanding of disease is inevitably found to be insufficient once population screening is instituted. Drawing upon ethnographic observations of clinical consultations and staff meetings conducted in a California regional clinical centre for metabolic-genetic disorders, we introduce the notion of bridging work to draw attention to the collective activities of the genetics team to revise the ontological nature of conditions unsettled by population-based newborn screening. Bridging work refers to the many activities required to reconcile the promise of technologies with the realities of their implementation. We illustrate how clinicians bridge the gap between what was known about a disease prior to screening and anomalous screening results, leading to an ontological transformation of disease categories.
Using presurgical psychological testing to predict 1-year appointment adherence and weight loss in bariatric surgery patients: predictive validity and methodological considerations.

Abstract Background Previous studies suggest that presurgical psychopathology accounts for some of the variance in suboptimal weight loss outcomes among Roux-en-Y gastric bypass (RYGB) patients, but research has been equivocal. Objectives The present study seeks to extend the past literature by examining associations between presurgical scale scores on the broadband Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory-2-Restructured Form (MMPI-2-RF) and suboptimal weight loss and poor adherence to follow-up 1 year postoperatively after accounting for several methodologic considerations. Setting Cleveland Clinic Bariatric and Metabolic Institute, Cleveland, Ohio, USA. Methods The sample consisted of 498 RYGB patients, who produced a valid presurgical MMPI-2-RF protocol at program intake. The sample was primarily female (72.9%), Caucasian (64.9%), and middle-aged (mean = 46.4 years old; standard deviation [SD] = 11.6). The mean presurgical body mass index (BMI) was 47.4 kg/m 2 (SD = 8.2) and mean percent weight loss (%WL) at 1 year postoperatively was 31.18 %WL (SD = 8.44). Results As expected, scales from the Behavioral/Externalizing Dysfunction (BXD) domain of the MMPI-2-RF were associated with worse weight loss outcomes and poor adherence to follow-up, particularly after accounting for range restriction due to underreporting. Individuals producing elevated scores on these scales were at greater risk for achieving suboptimal weight loss ( Conclusions Patients who are more likely to engage in undercontrolled behavior (e.g., poor impulse control), as indicated by presurgical MMPI-2-RF findings, are at greater risk for suboptimal weight loss and poor adherence to follow-up following RYGB. Objective psychological assessments should also be conducted postoperatively to ensure that intervention is administered in a timely manner. Future research in the area of presurgical psychological screening should consider the impact of underreporting and other discussed methodologic issues in predictive analyses.
Fructose leads to hepatic steatosis in zebrafish that is reversed by mechanistic target of rapamycin (mTOR) inhibition

Nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD), the accumulation of lipid within hepatocytes, is increasing in prevalence. Increasing fructose consumption correlates with this increased prevalence, and rodent studies directly support fructose leading to NAFLD. The mechanisms of NAFLD and in particular fructose-induced lipid accumulation remain unclear, although there is evidence for a role for endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress and oxidative stress. We have evidence that NAFLD models demonstrate activation of the target of rapamycin complex 1 (Torc1) pathway. We set out to assess the contribution of ER stress, oxidative stress, and Torc1 up-regulation in the development of steatohepatitis in fructose-treated larval zebrafish. Zebrafish were treated with fructose or glucose as a calorie-matched control. We also treated larvae with rapamycin, tunicamycin (ER stress), or valinomycin (oxidative stress). Fish were stained with oil red O to assess hepatic lipid accumulation, and we also performed quantitative polymerase chain reaction (qPCR)and western blot analysis. We performed immunostaining on samples from patients with NAFLD and nonalcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH). Treatment with fructose induced hepatic lipid accumulation, mitochondrial abnormalities, and ER defects. In addition, fructose-treated fish showed activation of inflammatory and lipogenic genes. Treatment with tunicamycin or valinomycin also induced hepatic lipid accumulation. Expression microarray studies of zebrafish NAFLD models showed an elevation of genes downstream of Torc1 signaling. Rapamycin treatment of fructose-treated fish prevented development of hepatic steatosis, as did treatment of tunicamycin- or valinomycin-treated fish. Examination of liver samples from patients with hepatic steatosis demonstrated activation of Torc1 signaling. Conclusion: Fructose treatment of larval zebrafish induces hepatic lipid accumulation, inflammation, and oxidative stress. Our results indicate that Torc1 activation is required for hepatic lipid accumulation across models of NAFLD, and in patients. (Hepatology 2014;60:1581–1592)
Preparation and Magnetic Properties of Sub-Micrometer Sized Sm-Co Powders Prepared From Nanostructured Precursor Oxides

Submicrometer-sized Sm-Co powders have been prepared by the calciothermic reduction and subsequent solid-state diffusion of a nanostructured Sm-Co-O/Co-O precursor. The Sm and Co containing precursor was prepared by an autocombustion process. X-ray diffraction identified the product as a mixture of SmCoO3 and Co4 O4. This powder was mixed in a 1:2 mass ratio with CaO (which served as a thermal ballast and aggregation inhibitor) and milled to reduce the particle size below 1 micrometer. Ca metal was added to the mixed powder in amounts between 2 and 6 times those required to reduce the Sm and Co oxides, and sealed in Nb tubes for heat treatment at 900°C for various lengths of time. After cooling to room temperature, metallic Sm-Co particles were isolated from the undesired reaction products by a series of washing steps in acetic acid and ethyl alcohol. The Sm-Co particles were characterized by scanning electron microscopy, vibrating sample magnetometry, and X-ray diffraction. These measurements demonstrated that smaller particle sizes were associated with shorter reaction times and smaller quantities of reducing agent. The formation of hard SmCo5 was systematically associated with either long diffusion times with small amounts of reducing agent, or short diffusion times with large amounts of reducing agent.
Delivery of a Robust a Frequency Response Service from Wind Farms for the Great Britain Transmission System

Frequency stability refers to the ability of a synchronous a.c. power system to remain in operation following an imbalance between generation and load [1]. With excess generation the frequency will increase, and conversely, with a deficit of generation the frequency will fall. When either happens either all or a selection of plant must increase or decrease output automatically and rapidly to make up for the short fall or excess in power. This ancillary service is known as frequency response. Failure to do this correctly could result in system frequency exceeding permitted limits and automatic disconnection of customers, or in the worst case, system blackout. As the volume of wind turbine generation continues to increase exponentially, particularly in wind rich island countries such as Great Britain and Ireland, there comes a point where the synchronous generation must operate at reduced output or even be disconnected. Services which were once provided by this displaced synchronous generation must logicall...
Fetal midgut volvulus presenting at term

This report describes a rare case of intrauterine midgut volvulus that presented at term. The pregnancy was uncomplicated. There were no signs of fetal distress or polyhydramnios, and the child was delivered vaginally. This patient had the unusual presentation in that at the time of delivery, the patient was distended and acidotic. She immediately required an extensive resection of gangrenous small bowel. Comparing this case to the 10 other cases of fetal intestinal volvulus that have been reported, it seems this child was particularly fortunate that the volvulus occurred at a point in gestation when she was mature enough to tolerate birth and surgery. This case is also the first demonstration that volvulus can present with abdominal distension in the immediate newborn period.
Inhibition of a monosynaptic reflex by electrical stimulation of the basal forebrain or the orbital gyrus in the cat.

Der monosynaptische Reflex des Nervus massetericus, durch elektrische Reizung des Nucleus mesencephalicus des Trigeminus hervorgerufen und vom Nervus massetericus abgeleitet, konnte durch Reizung bestimmt umschriebener Gebiete des praoptischen basalen Telencephalons oder durch Reizung des Gyrus orbital im Katzen-Cortex effektiv gehemmt werden. Entsprechende Reizung der gleichen Hirngebiete fuhrt zur Synchronisation des Elektrocorticogramms und ruft Schlaf hervor.
High strain rate deformation of Ti48Al2Nb2Cr

Abstract The compressive deformation behavior of Ti 48Al 2Nb 2Cr in the duplex microstructural morphology has been studied at strain rates of 0.001 and 2000 s−1 over the temperature range from −196 to 1100°C. The yield stress for the duplex microstructure is strain rate sensitive at 25°C and increases with temperature from 500 to 1100°C at a strain rate of 2000 s−1. TEM investigations revealed that deformation occurs in γ-TiAl by means of {111}〈112〉 twinning, 1/2〈110〉 slip and 〈101〉 superdislocations under all conditions depending on the orientation of the grain with respect to the deformation axis. Optical metallography revealed that twinning increases with increasing strain rate. The flow stress anomaly is discussed in reference to the dislocation substructure in γ-TiAl.
Oscillatory Rise of Bubbles in Wormlike Micellar Fluids with Different Microstructures

Previous observations of the nontransient oscillations of rising bubbles and falling spheres in wormlike micellar fluids were limited to a single surfactant system. We present an extensive survey of rising bubbles in another system, an aqueous solution of cetylpyridinium chloride and sodium salicylate, with and without NaCl, across a range of concentrations and temperatures. Two different types of oscillations are seen in different concentration ranges, each with its own temperature dependence. Rheological data identify these different hydrodynamic states with different fluid microstructures.
Effects of Trait Competitiveness and Perceived Intraorganizational Competition on Salesperson Goal Setting and Performance

The authors assess the effects of trait competitiveness and competitive psychological climate on self-set goal levels and sales performance. The results indicate an interaction between trait compet...
Pre-biotic organic synthesis: laboratory simulation experiments and their significance for the origin of life in the solar system

It is commonly assumed that the origin of life on Earth and perhaps elsewhere in the solar system was preceded by the synthesis and accumulation of organic compounds essential for life as we know it (e.g. amino acids, sugars, purines, pyrimidines, etc.) by non-biological processes. Over the past century, laboratory simulation experiments using a variety of inorganic precursors and energy sources have resulted in the synthesis of some, but not all of the compounds required for life. More importantly, the mechanisms by which these simple organic compounds initially combined to form the more complex structures (proteins, nucleic acids, etc.) upon which all life is based remain elusive. Here we report a summary of the progress to date concerning pathways for the pre-biotic synthesis of organic matter and their significance for the origin of life in the solar system.
Hemodynamic and metabolic correlates of perinatal white matter injury severity.

Background and Purpose Although the spectrum of perinatal white matter injury (WMI) in preterm infants is shifting from cystic encephalomalacia to milder forms of WMI, the factors that contribute to this changing spectrum are unclear. We hypothesized that the variability in WMI quantified by immunohistochemical markers of inflammation could be correlated with the severity of impaired blood oxygen, glucose and lactate. Methods We employed a preterm fetal sheep model of in utero moderate hypoxemia and global severe but not complete cerebral ischemia that reproduces the spectrum of human WMI. Since there is small but measurable residual brain blood flow during occlusion, we sought to determine if the metabolic state of the residual arterial blood was associated with severity of WMI. Near the conclusion of hypoxia-ischemia, we recorded cephalic arterial blood pressure, blood oxygen, glucose and lactate levels. To define the spectrum of WMI, an ordinal WMI rating scale was compared against an unbiased quantitative image analysis protocol that provided continuous histo-pathological outcome measures for astrogliosis and microgliosis derived from the entire white matter. Results A spectrum of WMI was observed that ranged from diffuse non-necrotic lesions to more severe injury that comprised discrete foci of microscopic or macroscopic necrosis. Residual arterial pressure, oxygen content and blood glucose displayed a significant inverse association with WMI and lactate concentrations were directly related. Elevated glucose levels were the most significantly associated with less severe WMI. Conclusions Our results suggest that under conditions of hypoxemia and severe cephalic hypotension, WMI severity measured using unbiased immunohistochemical measurements correlated with several physiologic parameters, including glucose, which may be a useful marker of fetal response to hypoxia or provide protection against energy failure and more severe WMI.
Multidisciplinary Design Optimization of Energy Efficient Side-Channel Windows

One of the significant emerging applications of multidisciplinary design optimization (MDO) techniques is in the area of energy efficient building systems. In this research, we focus on design and optimization of energy efficient windows or glass facades for residential or commercial use. Current state-of-the-art multi-pane windows can be considered passive, relying primarily on the low thermal conductivity of the gas between their panes to reduce the heat transfer. In this research, we pursue the novel idea of actively changing the thermodynamics of the window’s air gap, such that the heat transfer that takes place through the window is desirable, rather than detrimental. This novel window design uses externally supplied energy to affect a change in the thermodynamics and is therefore an “active” window. Such windows can have significant energy and environmental benefits. In this paper an active window, which has side channels to recirculate the air, is described in detail. These side channels allow for the system to change the temperature of the air in between the panes to enhance the insulating effects of the window. This new window design is analyzed in FLUENT and optimized in Matlab for 12 monthly conditions in two locations. The results from FLUENT were expensive to compute, an expense that became onerous in the optimization process. To reduce the computational expense, a surrogate model was implemented. Extended radial basis functions are used to create a locally accurate model to aid the optimization. The results show that the side-channel window is beneficial in both heating and cooling climates.
Relative entropy and exponential deviation bounds for general Markov chains

We develop explicit, general bounds for the probability that the normalized partial sums of a function of a Markov chain on a general alphabet would exceed the steady-state mean of that function by a given amount. Our bounds combine simple information-theoretic ideas together with techniques from optimization and some fairly elementary tools from analysis. In one direction, we obtain a general bound for the important class of Doeblin chains; this bound is optimal, in the sense that in the special case of independent and identically distributed random variables it essentially reduces to the classical Hoeffding bound. In another direction, motivated by important problems in simulation, we develop a series of bounds in a form which is particularly suited to these problems, and which apply to the more general class of "geometrically ergodic" Markov chains
Why targeted therapy hasn't worked in advanced cancer.

In this issue of the JCI, Nissen et al. report that a reciprocal interaction exists between the growth factors FGF2 and PDGF-BB, causing tumors to exhibit increased angiogenesis and metastatic potential (see the related article beginning on page 2766). Both FGF2 and PDGF-BB signal through tyrosine kinase receptors, which have been the target of tyrosine kinase inhibitors for cancer therapies. These inhibitors are usually small molecules that inhibit the kinase activity of a receptor or nonreceptor tyrosine kinase, preventing downstream signaling. The results of this study shed light on why tyrosine kinase inhibitors have been useful for the treatment of only a small number of advanced cancers. Currently, a major focus of pharmaceutical companies is to develop ever more potent and specific tyrosine kinases. The results presented here suggest that this approach may not be successful.
Proton transport and Na+/H+ exchange in vesicles isolated from sockeye salmon (Oncorhynchus nerka) kidneys during migration from salt to fresh water.

Summary Renal epithelial function, proton flux and sodium stimulated proton flux, was observed in vesicles isolated from the brush border of the proximal tubule of Sockeye Salmon ( Oncorhynchus nerka ) during migration. Brush border membrane vesicles (BBMV) were isolated from the body kidney of Sockeye Salmon using aggregation/differential centrifugation techniques. Vesicle purity was tested using a series of epithelial and basal lateral markers including alkaline phosphatase, maltase, gamma-glutamyl transferase (GGTP), Mg 2+ -activated ATP-ase, Na + +K + -activated ATPase, and 5′-nucleotidase and the lysosomal marker acid phosphatase. An enrichment/depletion factor for each marker was determined by comparison of purified BBMV with kidney homogenate. Vesicles exhibit an enrichment factor for alkaline phosphatase, GGTP, maltase, Mg 2+ -activated ATP-ase, Na + +K + -activated ATPase, and 5′-nucleotidase. A depletion factor was observed for acid phosphatase. Vesicle integrity was tested by measuring the time course of proton flux in the presence of a pH gradient. Amiloride sensitive sodium stimulated proton flux was observed in these vesicles. The presence of sodium caused a saturable increase in the rate of proton flux, indicating the activity of a sodium/proton antiport protein in BBMV.
A Cost-effectiveness Worksheet for Patient-education Programs

This article describes the development, implementation, and evaluation of a worksheet used by nursing faculty in a graduate clinical nurse specialist course to assist students in learning to estimate the cost-effectiveness of patient-education programs.1 The worksheet was found to be a satisfactory method of facilitating student learning and could also be used in the service arena to evaluate the cost aspects of patient-education programs.
Mining attribute-based access control policies from RBAC policies

Role-based access control (RBAC) is very widely used but has notable limitations, prompting a shift towards attribute-based access control (ABAC). However, the cost of developing an ABAC policy can be a significant obstacle to migration from RBAC to ABAC. This paper presents the first formal definition of the problem of mining ABAC policies from RBAC policies and attribute data, and the first algorithm specifically designed to mine an ABAC policy from an RBAC policy and attribute data.
The processing of nanopowders by thermal plasma technology

The thermal plasma synthesis of nanopowders is a relatively new technology with great potential for future industrial applications. This article introduces research carried out in the plasma processing laboratory at the University of Alabama in Tuscaloosa, Alabama. Ceramic nanopowders and nanofibers (SiC, TiC, and B4C) and nanocomposite powders (TiC−Al(Ti), TiC−Fe(Ti), and TiN−Fe (Ti)) were successfully synthesized by thermal plasma technology.
Polymer-mediated spatial organization of nanoparticles in dense melts: Transferability and an effective one-component approach

We study two problems in the framework of the integral equation theory of polymer-mediated spatial organization of nanoparticles in dense melts motivated by multiscale simulation and many body physics issues. How nonspherical nanoparticle shape modifies polymer-induced interactions under dilute nanoparticle conditions is investigated over a range of primary particle sizes and interfacial cohesion strengths. Nonuniversal consequences of nonspherical shape are found for the pair-correlation function on local scales and some qualitative differences on larger scales due primarily to intraparticle connectivity constraints. For a large enough nanoparticle site diameter, the potentials of mean force (PMF) for all shapes studied (sphere, rod, disk, compact tetrahedral cluster) exhibit linear scaling with the size ratio of nanoparticle to polymer monomer site diameter and quite good “transferability.” The ability of a simple effective one-component approach, based on the dilute nanoparticle PMF as an effective pai...
Impression material thickness in stock and custom trays

Abstract This study did not examine the accuracy of the resultant impressions. Rather, the impression material thickness in impressions made using both the highly advocated custom acrylic resin tray and in the highly used manufactured stock tray was examined. Comparison between the material thickness at the prepared tooth area revealed a mean difference in material thickness of less than 1 mm. The question of the significance of this difference remains to be answered. If the difference is not significant in the success of the impression and the resultant casting, then there are several advantages in using the manufactured stock tray; the first is economy. The average cost of a custom acrylic full arch impression tray is $3.65, compared with an average cost of slightly over $0.30 for the stock tray. 8 The second advantage is the convenience factor. Making a custom tray requires planning, study models, laboratory time, curing interval, and finishing time. In contrast, the stock tray can be selected, adapted, and used in a single visit for both anticipated and unanticipated situations. If the difference in material thickness is significant, the custom tray is indicated. However, attention to detail in making and inserting the tray in the mouth must be observed to maximize the benefits of the custom tray.
Does seasonality alter intrauterine insemination outcomes: a 5-year study.

Purpose: To determine if seasonal changes alter pregnancy rate in intrauterine insemination (IUI) patients. Methods: One-thousand and eighty semen analyses prepared for IUI were evaluated in this retrospective cohort study of 496 patients. Results: Volume, pH, sperm concentration, and pregnancy rates were not altered by season. However, the percent motility, the total motile spermatozoa in the ejaculate, the straight-line velocity (VSL) of spermatozoa, as well as the morphology of sperm were altered by season. In a subset of these patients that were defined as normal, only the VSL and the morphology of the spermatozoa were altered by seasonal changes. Conclusions: Seasonality alters sperm motility parameters as well as morphology, but these changes are not significant enough to alter pregnancy rates.
Use of 2,3,5-F3Y-β2 and 3-NH2Y-α2 To Study Proton-Coupled Electron Transfer in Escherichia coli Ribonucleotide Reductase

Escherichia coli ribonucleotide reductase is an α2β2 complex that catalyzes the conversion of nucleoside 5′-diphosphates (NDPs) to deoxynucleotides (dNDPs). The active site for NDP reduction resides in α2, and the essential diferric-tyrosyl radical (Y122•) cofactor that initiates transfer of the radical to the active site cysteine in α2 (C439), 35 A removed, is in β2. The oxidation is proposed to involve a hopping mechanism through aromatic amino acids (Y122 → W48 → Y356 in β2 to Y731 → Y730 → C439 in α2) and reversible proton-coupled electron transfer (PCET). Recently, 2,3,5-F3Y (F3Y) was site-specifically incorporated in place of Y356 in β2 and 3-NH2Y (NH2Y) in place of Y731 and Y730 in α2. A pH−rate profile with F3Y356-β2 suggested that as the pH is elevated, the rate-determining step of RNR can be altered from a conformational change to PCET and that the altered driving force for F3Y oxidation, by residues adjacent to it in the pathway, is responsible for this change. Studies with NH2Y731(730)-α2, β2,...