cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Evaluation of pancreatic VMAT2 binding with active and inactive enantiomers of 18 F-FP-DTBZ in baboons

Abstract Introduction 18 F-Fluoropropyl-(+)-dihydrotetrabenazine ( 18 F-FP-(+)-DTBZ) is a vesicular monoamine transporter type 2 (VMAT2) radiotracer for positron emission tomography (PET) imaging to quantify human β-cell mass. Renal cortex and spleen have been suggested as reference regions, however, little is known about 18 F-FP-(+)-DTBZ binding in these regions including the fraction of radiometabolite. We compared the kinetics of 18 F-FP-(+)-DTBZ and its inactive enantiomer 18 F-FP-(−)-DTBZ in baboons, estimated the non-displaceable binding ( V ND ) of the tracers, and used ex vivo studies to measure radiometabolite fractions. Methods PET scans were conducted for up to 4h with (+) and (−) enantiomers. Displacement experiments using unlabeled (+) and (−) enantiomers of FP-DTBZ and fluvoxamine (to evaluate sigma-1 receptor binding) were performed. SUV curves were used to calculate displacement values in the pancreas, renal cortex, and spleen. Distribution volumes ( V T ) were computed, and three approaches for calculation of V ND were compared: (1) 18 F-FP-(+)-DTBZ reference V T , (2) 18 F-FP-(−)-DTBZ pancreatic V T , and (3) a scaled 18 F-FP-(+)-DTBZ reference V T values. Ex vivo study was conducted to measure radiometabolite fraction in homogenized tissue samples from baboons at 90min post-injection. Results Spleen uptake was lowest for both tracers. Highest uptake was in the pancreas with 18 F-FP-(+)-DTBZ and renal cortex with 18 F-FP-(−)-DTBZ. Substantial displacement effect was observed only with unlabeled FP-(+)-DTBZ in the 18 F-FP-(+)-DTBZ studies. Radiometabolite fraction was higher in the renal cortex than the spleen. Approaches (1) and (3) with spleen to estimate V ND provided lowest inter-subject variability of BP ND . Conclusions V T differences among organs and between enantiomers indicated that scaling of reference region values is needed for quantification of VMAT2 binding in the pancreas with 18 F-FP-(+)-DTBZ. Since the kidney PET signal has greater partial volume averaging and more radiometabolites, the spleen was considered a more practical candidate for use as a scaled-reference region in the quantification of 18 F-FP-(+)-DTBZ in the pancreas.
Advances in allergen immunotherapy in 2015

The year 2015 saw a significant number of advances in allergen immunotherapy (AIT), and several of these are reviewed in this report. Although AIT has been used for more than 100 years, investigations into optimal treatment approaches and mechanisms are ongoing. Among the highlights was a report by an international group of experts who reviewed AIT guidelines from the major specialty societies and addressed potential unmet needs. Herein, advances in the effectiveness, safety, and mechanisms of sublingual and oral immunotherapy are reviewed. Development of hypoallergenic vaccines to enhance safety, newer routes and regimens to improve efficacy, and biomarkers to monitor immunotherapy are also discussed.
Floral gift perceived practicality: fragrance and longevity by generation X and Y consumers

Determining consumers' perceptions and preferences of the practicality of floral gifts, fragrance and longevity is important to floriculture industry stakeholders because these attributes can increase floral gift value. Recent research shows that floriculture sales are decreasing. Increasing the demand for floral gifts among Generations X and Y is one way to counter this trend. The objective of this study was to explore ways to help the floriculture industry improve sales through increased industry awareness of consumers' expectations of floral gifts. A questionnaire and focus group discussion were used to investigate consumers' expectations. We found that Generation XY participants felt floral gifts were the least practical. However, as participants aged, there was a shift towards floral gifts being considered both emotional and practical. Furthermore, Generation Y participants want more fragrant flowers, whereas older participants prefer greater longevity over fragrance.
Mode of Ubiquitination Determines Complete or Partial Degradation of GFP Substrates by the 26S Proteasome

The 26S proteasome is responsible for the bulk of intracellular protein degradation in eukaryotes. Most proteins are targeted to the proteasome by the addition of one or more polyubiquitin tags. K1...
Management of Multifocal Lung Cancer: Results of a Survey

Abstract Introduction Multifocal lung cancer is an increasingly common clinical scenario, but there is lack of high-level evidence for its optimal treatment. Thus, we surveyed members of the interdisciplinary International Association for the Study of Lung Cancer on their therapeutic approaches and analyzed the resultant practice patterns. Methods We described the clinical scenario of an otherwise healthy 60-year-old man with bilateral pulmonary nodules and asked the 6373 members of the International Association for the Study of Lung Cancer whether they would recommend surgery, and if so, the extent of surgery. We also asked what other measures would be recommended to complete the staging and whether radiation therapy or chemotherapy would be suggested. Results We received 221 responses (response rate 3.5%) from multiple specialists. Most respondents (140 [63%]) recommended surgery for this scenario. Surgeons were significantly more likely to recommend surgery than were those in other specialties. Of those who recommended surgery, most would obtain a PET/CT scan to rule out distant metastases and a magnetic resonance imaging scan to rule out brain metastases; but in the absence of radiographic lymph node involvement, most would not stage the mediastinum by bronchoscopy or mediastinoscopy before resection. When surgery was not recommended or declined, respondents commonly recommended radiation. Conclusions This survey suggests that therapeutic recommendations for multifocal lung cancer are influenced to a large extent by physicians' specialty training, probably because of the lack of high-level evidence for its standard treatment. Ongoing systematic and multidisciplinary approaches with robust short-term and long-term patient outcomes may improve the quality of evidence for the optimal management of this clinical entity.
Enforcement, Integration, and the Future of Immigration Federalism

The federal government has a monopoly over the terms of immigration law, and it superintends the nation's singular immigration enforcement bureaucracy. But our federalism nonetheless provides a vit...
Chapter 12 – Layered Models

The assumption of density conservation by fluid parcels is advantageously used to change the vertical coordinate from depth to density. The new equations offer a clear discussion of potential-vorticity dynamics and lend themselves to discretization in the vertical. The result is a layered model. Splitting stratification in a series of layers may be interpreted as a vertical discretization in which the vertical grid is a material surface of the flow. This naturally leads to the presentation of Lagrangian approaches. Note: To avoid problems of terminology, we restrict ourselves here to the ocean. The case of the atmosphere follows with the replacement of depth by height and density by potential density.
Animal Models for HIV Infection: Hu-PBL-SCID Mice

Publisher Summary This chapter focuses on human peripheral blood leukocytes (hu-PBL)-SCID mice model, which is used as an animal model for HIV infection. The hu-PBL-SCID mice is infected by intraperitoneal injection of 1-1000 TCID of HIV-1 at 2 weeks after PBL reconstitution. They are anesthetized with Metofane prior to injection, by using a 1 ml tuberculin syringe with a 25 G needle. The injection procedure is performed in a class II biological safety cabinet. Subsequent to infection, they are handled with 12 inch forceps. These viruses can be recovered from sites of human cell engraftment by co-culturing the recovered human cells with human T-cell blasts generated by PHA (2 μg/ml) and interleukin-2 (10 units/ml) stimulation for 2–3 days. These co-cultures can be carried out for up to 4 weeks, and are capable of detecting fewer than 10 infected cells in a hu-PBL-SCID mouse. This procedure can be made more quantitative by serial dilution of input hu-PBLSCID mouse cells and calculating the frequency of cells capable of giving rise to an HIV-1 positive co-culture. Hu-PBL-SCID mice have been used to test the efficacy of a number of candidate antiviral compounds as well as immunologic approaches for controlling HIV-1 infection.
Thermally expanded core fibers of 4-μm mode field diameter for low loss coupling with silicon photonic devices

Single-mode fibers and polarization-maintaining fibers of 4-μm mode field diameter have been developed applying thermally expanded core technique. The coupling loss with silicon photonic devices can be less than 3 dB/2facets using these fibers.
What's new in vascular surgery.

Abstract "What's New in Surgery" evolves from the contributions of leaders in each of the fields of surgery. In every instance the author has been designated by the appropriate Council from the American College of Surgeons' Advisory Councils for the Surgical Specialties. This feature will be presented in issues of the Journal through the year beginning in 2001 (formerly published in one issue, February, of each volume of JACS) .
Comparative Analysis of Antioxidant and Anti-Amyloidogenic Properties of Various Polyphenol Rich Phytoceutical Extracts

Though the pathogenesis of Alzheimer’s Disease (AD) is not completely elucidated, it is generally accepted that the aggregation of toxic amyloid-β (Aβ) protein fibrils plays a major role in the disease’s onset and progression. Various phytoceutical compounds have been shown to attenuate Aβ toxicity and disrupt its aggregation, including various types of polyphenolic compounds. These polyphenolic compounds have also been found to demonstrate potent antioxidant activity, which may contribute to their anti-amyloidogenic properties. This study compares three plants, traditionally used for numerous medicinal purposes in Asian countries, including: Curcuma longa (Turmeric), Camellia sinensis (Green Tea), and Scoparia dulcis (Sweet Broomweed). Antioxidant effects of the crude, polyphenol rich phytoceutical extracts from these plants were analyzed using a 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) assay. The ability of these extracts to prevent Aβ fibril formation was then carried out in order to establish a relationship between antioxidant activity and Aβ aggregation. A positive correlation between antioxidant efficacy and prevention of Aβ aggregation was demonstrated, indicating that antioxidant activity may play some role in preventing Aβ aggregation.
Glass-particle adhesion-force-distribution on clean (laboratory) and contaminated (outdoor) surfaces

Abstract This paper explores whether laboratory-clean samples are representative of real outdoor surfaces – often covered in dust and other contaminants – with respect to adhesion properties, which ultimately affect particle resuspension. In this study, Atomic Force Microscopy (AFM) was used to measure the adhesion force between a clean, smooth glass particle (5 µm in diameter) and two glass slides, one prepared according to common laboratory practices (hereafter, clean glass) and a second one left outdoors for six weeks (hereafter, contaminated glass). It was found that the adhesion force distribution was bimodal for the clean glass while it showed three peaks for the contaminated glass. For both surfaces, the adhesion force showed a peak at very low adhesion values (
Reactivity and Safety Aspects of Carbonaceous Anodes used in Lithium-Ion Batteries — Correlation of Structural Parameters and Reactivity

Among various alternative anode materials for rechargeable batteries, the carbonaceous anodes are the most promising as their capacity and rate capabilities can be tailored to satisfy specific applications [1–4]. Lithium can be intercalated into a large variety of carbonaceous materials’. Graphite anodes with high degree of crystallinity appears to be the most desirable candidate due to the high host capacity (Li/C6), low and flat electrode potential profile similar to that of Li metal (0.01–0.02 V). The electrochemical process of lithium insertion and extraction from graphitic electrodes, however, has at least two major problems: first, the excessive electrolyte decomposition during the first lithiation process causing the irreversible capacity loss, and second, the formation of gaseous species which are detrimental to the performance of lithium cells and are considered hazardous as the majority of the gaseous species are flammable [5, 6]. Some of the gaseous species may also dissolve in the organic electrolyte and participate in parasitic reactions within the operating voltage of Li-ion cells.
Time, Consciousness and the Knowledge Argument

Hugh Mellor’s Real Time II is an excellent book, for the following reasons. First it deals with an important and difficult philosophical problem, the passage, or apparent passage, of time. Second, Mellor is basically right. Mellor is a B-theorist, in the sense that he thinks that the B-facts, the facts that are not relative to a time, provide all the truthmakers we need. I was convinced that this must be right by reading D.C. William’s “The Myth of Passage” a long time ago, when I was in graduate school. But although I knew which side I was on, this conviction was based more on seeing problems for the A-theory, and thinking that the A-arguments weren’t very convincing, than on understanding how the B-theory could account for everything. And this is the third thing I like about Mellor’s book. As I read it, I really felt, for the first time, that I understood, or at least began to understand, how the B-theory not only must be right, but could be right.
The Costly Zero Bias in Target Retirement Fund Choice

Using a large sample of individuals who hold Target Retirement Funds (TRFs), we examine how people use mental arithmetic in estimating their retirement age. We find a strong “zero” bias, in that investors have a strong preference for TRFs that end with zero (2030, 2040) as compared to TRFs that end with five (2035, 2045). We find two explanations that account for the bias. First, round ending years are likely considered as landmarks for the transition between working and retirement. Second, people use rounding up and down in the mental arithmetic required to estimate the likely retirement year. This bias manifests itself in people born in years ending between eight and two (e.g., 1968-1972). Those born in zero through two-ending years select TRFs that imply they intend to retire at 70, whereas those born in eight- and nine-ending years choose TRFs that are consistent with the goal of retiring at 60. The bias is particularly costly for those born in years ending between zero and two, as it significantly lowers their wealth by decreasing the amount they contribute towards retirement and exposes them to risk incompatible with their age profile. We find that those exhibiting the bias are also associated with other behaviors detrimental to financial well-being.
Investigation of Adhesion Forces Between Dust Particles and Solar Glass

We investigate the adhesion mechanisms that occur in the first stages of soiling by measuring adhesion forces between different kinds of particles and solar glass, using force vs. distance curves in an atomic force microscope (AFM). To simulate several degrees of roughness, we polished the samples at different conditions. We studied the effects of relative humidity by performing the measurements in a glove box and in an AFM enclosure. The measurements revealed that the main interactions are van der Waals and capillary forces. We show the dependence of the adhesion force on the several parameters and provide an explanation of how they operate.
A Serial H-Tree Router for Two-Dimensional Arrays

Existing routing mechanisms for two-dimensional (2D) arrays either use low-overhead grids with one or two shared wires per row or column (e.g., RAM) or high-overhead meshes with many wires connecting neighboring clients (e.g., supercomputers). Neither is suitable for intermediate-complexity clients (e.g., small clusters of silicon neurons). We present a router tailored to 2D arrays of such clients. It uses a tree laid out in a fractal pattern (H-tree), which requires less wiring per signal than a grid, and adopts serial-signaling, which keeps link-width constant, regardless of payload size. To route from the tree's leaves to its root (or vise versa), each node prepends (consumes) a delay-insensitive 1-of-4 code that signals the route's previous (next) branch; additional codes carry payload. We employ this serial H-tree router to service a 16x16 array of silicon-neuron clusters, each with 16 spike-generating analog somas, 4 spike-consuming analog synapses, and one 128-bit SRAM. Fabricated in a 28-nm CMOS process, the router communicates 26.8M soma-generated and 18.3M synapse-targeted spikes per second while occupying 43% of the client's 35.1x36.1um^2.
A Multi-Objective Optimization Technique for Volt-Var Control with High PV Penetration using Genetic Algorithm

Voltage fluctuation issue is one of the primary challenges occurring with increasing PV penetration. Traditionally, voltage optimization was done with the use of Load Tap-Changing (LTC) transformers and capacitors. IEEE 1547a as amended in 2014 now allows the use of smart inverters on the distribution network by utility companies. This paper presents a co-optimization technique using Genetic Algorithm (GA) that uses an individual optimization algorithm of LTCs, shunt capacitors and smart inverters to determine the optimal settings for the devices. The PV smart inverters were set in the power factor control mode. The proposed technique was implemented on the IEEE 34 bus distribution feeder. The simulation results showed a reduction in the overall system power losses, minimized reactive power injection, optimal smart inverter power factor settings and ideal conservative voltage reduction.
Multiplexed ELISA screening assay for nine paralytic shellfish toxins in human plasma

Paralytic shellfish poisoning is a lethal syndrome that can develop in humans who consume shellfish contaminated with paralytic shellfish toxins. These toxins have a short half-life in the human body, so a rapid diagnostic assessment of the poisoning is necessary. In this paper, we have developed and validated a rapid ELISA screening assay using anti-saxitoxin antibodies to screen nine toxins: saxitoxin; decarbamoyl saxitoxin; gonyautoxin 2,3; decarbamoyl GTX 2,3; neosaxitoxin; and gonyautoxin 1,4, in human plasma with lower limits of detection of 0.02, 0.08, 0.12, 1.2, 5.0, and 25 ng mL-1, respectively. Intra-day and inter-day precision experiments showed good reproducibility with a percent coefficient of variation less than 15%. The assay was 100% accurate in determining the presence or absence of these toxins in human plasma specimens. Blank specimens were assessed as negative for toxin content indicating that the method has excellent analyte specificity. This rapid screening assay can be used to quickly diagnose exposure to paralytic shellfish toxins, though an additional confirmatory method will be necessary to identify and quantitate the specific toxin in an exposure.
Recent advances in the search for a targeted immunomodulatory therapy for primary Sjögren's syndrome

Primary Sjogren’s syndrome is a chronic autoimmune disease characterized by salivary and lacrimal gland dysfunction, leading to substantial morbidity and reduced quality of life. Many patients with primary Sjogren’s syndrome also have extraglandular systemic complications, some of which can be organ- or life-threatening. Over the last decade, numerous targeted immunomodulatory therapies for primary Sjogren’s syndrome have failed to show a benefit in clinical trials, and as yet no disease-modifying therapy has been approved for this disease. Herein, we provide an updated review of the clinical trial landscape for primary Sjogren’s syndrome and the numerous efforts to move the field forward, including the development of new classification criteria and outcome measures, the results of recent clinical trials in this field, the challenges faced in the search for effective therapies, and the expanding pipeline of novel therapies under development.
State of the States: Growing Physiatry Association of Academic Physiatrists Position Statement Addressing Academic Physiatry and Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation Growth

The growth of physiatry in the United States is dependent on academic exposure at both the undergraduate and graduate medical education levels. Undergraduate medical education provides students with knowledge of physiatry, as well as proper understanding of human function, medical rehabilitation treatments, and of physiatrists as consultants. Graduate medical education contributes more directly to the total number of practicing physiatrists. This article presents disparities in medical student exposure to physiatry, physical medicine and rehabilitation residency positions, the number of practicing physiatrists, and physical medicine and rehabilitation-relevant patient care needs, by state. In the model, these disparities are highlighted to provide guidance and expose gaps/opportunities for targeted physiatric growth.
Diagnostic approach and management of genetic aortopathies

Aortic aneurysms were the primary cause of nearly 10,000 deaths in 2014 according to data from the Centers for Disease Control and may involve segments of the thoracic or abdominal aorta. Thoracic aortic aneurysms and dissections are more commonly associated with an underlying genetic etiology. In the past several decades, in parallel with the burst of new genome sequencing technologies, a number of genetic aortopathies have been identified. These have provided important insights into the molecular mechanisms of aneurysmal disease, but pose challenges in clinical practice as there are limited consensus recommendations at this time. In this review, we aim to address the pathophysiology, clinical presentation, and treatment considerations in the key heritable thoracic aortopathies.
Association Between Maternal Glucose/Lipid Metabolism Parameters and Abnormal Newborn Birth Weight in Gestational Diabetes Complicated by Preeclampsia: A Retrospective Analysis of 248 Cases.

Women with gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) with co-existent preeclampsia (GCP) are at increased risk of giving birth to a baby with an abnormal birth weight. We have analyzed the risk factors for abnormal newborn birth weight (NBW) in women with co-presence of GDM and GCP, focusing on maternal glucose/lipid metabolism, with the aim to optimize the clinical intervention strategy. The clinical data of 248 pregnant women with GCP and their infants were retrospectively analyzed through a comprehensive review of the electronic medical records of Women and Children’s Hospital, Xiamen University (Xiamen, China). These women had received prenatal care and had their baby delivered in the hospital between January 2016 and November 2018. Major characteristics assessed were large for gestational age (LGA), small for gestational age (SGA), severe preeclampsia (S-PE), and maternal plasma glucose/lipid profile in late pregnancy. Secondary characteristics were maternal age, height, body mass index (BMI), gestational weight gain (GWG), abortion history, education level, primipara or not, preterm or not, and fetal gender. Regression analysis was used to analyze the association between maternal glucose/lipid metabolism parameters and LGA or SGA. There was no difference in the ratio of advanced maternal age, primipara, abortion history, preterm delivery, and newborn sex between the control group and the LGA or SGA group. Logistic regression analysis, with such factors as maternal stature, BMI, among others, was applied. Multivariate analysis of SGA infants revealed the following associations: S-PE (odds ratio [OR] 3.226, 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.385–7.515; adjusted OR [AOR] 3.675, 95% CI 1.467–9.207; p 6.5%) (OR 0.436, 95% CI 0.187–1.017; AOR 0.459, 95% CI 0.179–1.173; p > 0.05); low levels of high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C 0.05). Multivariate analysis of LGA revealed the following associations: S-PE (OR 30.885, 95% CI 0.398–2.013; AOR 0.974, 95% CI 0.400–2.371; p > 0.05); high levels of HbA1c (OR 4.542, 95% CI 0.187–11.824; AOR 3.997, 95% CI 1.452–10.998; p < 0.05); low levels of HDL (OR 3.393, 95% CI 1.362–8.453; AOR 2.900, 95% CI 1.100–7.647; p < 0.05). The results of our analysis revealed that severity of preeclampsia was associated with SGA. The high HbA1c and low HDL-C values found in our analysis were independent risk factors for LGA in women with GCP, while other lipoproteins were not associated with abnormal NBW. These findings suggest that there are differences in the effects of various maternal lipid parameters on NBW.
Differential corticomotor mechanisms of ankle motor control in post stroke individuals with and without motor evoked potentials.

Abstract Objective Deficits in ankle motor control has been identified as a significant contributor to impaired walking after stroke. Corticomotor excitability has been related to impaired upper limb motor control and poor recovery in stroke, however contributions to lower limb function are still unclear. This study used transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) to determine the influence of corticomotor characteristics on lower limb motor control in chronic stroke survivors. Methods This retrospective study assessed 28 individuals with post stroke hemiparesis. Motor evoked potentials (MEP) measured from the paretic and non-paretic tibialis anterior (TA) muscles were used to calculate corticomotor excitability symmetry (CMEsym) and relative ipsilateral corticomotor excitability (ICE). Participants were assigned to MEP+ and MEP− groups depending on the presence (+) or absence (−) of MEPs. Ankle motor control was quantified by the ability of participants to track a sinusoidal target using dorsiflexion-plantarflexion movements of the paretic ankle and tracking error was calculated using root mean square error (RMSE). Results Multiple linear regression model for all participants revealed only CMEsym and FMLE (p Conclusion Our results indicate that CMEsym between the ipsilesional and contralesional hemispheres does not necessarily translate to better paretic ankle motor control in chronic stroke. Presence or absence of a MEP in the TA muscle did not affect the ankle tracking performance, however, it was noted that different strategies maybe used by those with and without a MEP.
A Note on Chambers' 'Long Memory and Aggregation in Macroeconomic Time Series'

This note reviews some results on aggregating discrete-time long memory processes, providing a formula for the spectrum of the aggregates that considers the aliasing effect.
Evaluating Soft Error Mitigation Trade-offs During Early Design Stages.

Protecting computation systems against soft errors is expensive. Unoptimized soft error mitigation schemes can cause area, power, and performance overheads. Therefore, efficient fault-tolerant design should be guided by assessing the cost of developing reliable systems. We present a method to quantify and evaluate trade-offs to protect the system. Using gem5Panalyzer, the toolset we developed to estimate vulnerability factors of microprocessors, we conducted sweeps of Program Vulnerability Factor (PVF) masking to collect the PVF responses to instruction-level masking. We evaluated the confidence in PVF estimations made by gem5Panalyzer with multiple benchmarks from the MiBench suite. Then, we analyzed PVF-masking sweep results. The sensitivity of vulnerability improvement to mitigation techniques varies with the types of applications. When the instruction-level masking effect is 90%, time-averaged PVF reductions of selected benchmarks range from a high of 67% to a low of 10%. The differences in PVF reduction inform designers whether it is worth improving the masking level. As the masking factor is correlated with the efforts to implement mitigations, our method can help to optimize system design choices.
Analytic Methods for Differential Algebraic Equations

We introduce methods for deriving analytic solutions from differential-algebraic systems of equations (DAEs), as well as methods for deriving governing equations for analytic characterization which is currently limited to very small systems as it is carried out by hand. Analytic solutions to the system and analytic characterization through governing equations provide insights into the behaviors of DAEs as well as the parametric regions of operation for each potential behavior. For each system (DAEs), and choice of dependent variable, there is a corresponding governing equation which is univariate ODE or PDE that is typically higher order than the constitutive equations of the system. We first introduce a direct formulation for representing systems of linear DAEs. Unlike state space formulations, our formulation follows very directly from the system of constitutive equations without the need for introducing state variables or singular matrices. Using this formulation for the system of constitutive equations (DAEs), we develop methods for deriving analytic expressions for the full solution (complementary and particular) for all dependent variables of systems that consist of constant coefficient ordinary-DAEs and special cases of partial-DAEs. We also develop methods for deriving the governing equation for a chosen dependent variable for the constant coefficient ordinary-DAEs and partial-DAEs as well as special cases of variable coefficient DAEs. The methods can be automated with symbolic coding environments thereby allowing for dealing with systems of any size while retaining analytic nature. This is relevant for interpretable modeling, analytic characterization and estimation, and engineering design in which the objective is to tune parameter values to achieve specific behavior. Such insights cannot directly be obtained using numerical simulations.
Spatial and color working memory in patients with lateral prefrontal cortex lesions

Lateral prefrontal cortex (LPFC) has previously been associated with both attention and working memory. To study both of these mechanisms, patients with LPFC lesions and age-matched controls were tested on working memory tasks that included an interference condition. On a spatial working memory task, patients were impaired overall relative to controls in both no-interference and interference conditions. There was also a significant correlation between patients’ performance and the extent of damage to Area 46. Participants were also tested on a color working memory paradigm, in which they had to remember an object’s color, rather than location. LPFC patients were disproportionately impaired in the interference condition of this experiment—namely, when they had to perform an interference task during the delay period of the color working memory task. These results are discussed with respect to previous animal and human studies of attention and working memory.
ECOSAR: P-band digital beamforming polarimetric and single pass interferometric SAR

EcoSAR is a state-of-the-art beamforming synthetic aperture radar (SAR) recently developed at the NASA/ Goddard Space Flight Center (GSFC) for the measurement of ecosystem structure and biomass. The airborne instrument operates at a center frequency of 435 MHz (P-band), and uses a multi-channel reconfigurable architecture to implement fully polarimetric and “single pass” interferometric measurements. The instrument architecture allows for the real-time configuration radar parameters, including center frequency, resolution, incidence angle, and number of beams, among others. The system is also designed to operate in standard or ping pong interferometric modes, and in full, orthogonal, or hybrid polarimteric modes. The instrument development was recently completed, and its first flight campaign successfully conducted in March 2014 over areas of Bahamas and Costa Rica.
MOON PHASES AND NIGHTTIME ROAD CRASHES INVOLVING PEDESTRIANS

AbstractThe nighttime road fatality rate per distance traveled in the U.S. is about three times the daytime rate. The crashes that are most influenced by the lower ambient illuminance at night are those involving pedestrians. Here we report on the effect of different levels of illuminance provided by the different phases of the moon on nighttime fatal pedestrian crashes. The results indicate that the frequency of pedestrian fatalities on nights with a new moon is 22 percent higher than on nights with a full moon. This finding indicates that pedestrian crashes are sensitive to differences within low levels of ambient illuminance.
Ars Erotica and Ars Gastronomica in Shusterman’s Somaesthetics

This paper explores the roles of the erotic and gastronomic arts in Richard Shusterman’s somaesthetics. By discussing the relationship between moral education and the cultivation of gustatory taste in classical Chinese philosophy, this paper suggests future avenues of research for somaesthetics that draw on the rich tradition of thinking about food and the body in Chinese philosophy.
IDENTIFICATION OF DROSOPHILA V+ HORMONE OF BACTERIAL ORIGIN

The substance produced by certain bacteria from l-tryptophane and which possesses v+ hormone activity in Drosophila has been found to be a sucrose ester of l-kynurenine. The l-kynurenine is the essential active portion of the molecule. l-Kynurenine, l-kynurenine sulfate, and the l-kynurenine-sucrose derivative have the same molar activity when tested in Drosophila larvae. This value approximates 12 X 10^6 units per mM.
Variations in normal speech disfluencies.

College adults were asked to speak in each of three situations. All 40 subjects started in an Alone situation in which they simply talked spontaneously about any topic while sitting alone in a room. They then participated in a situation in which they were asked to speak alone in front of a TV camera and lights, or as if to an audience (Audience-TV situation). Finally, the experimenter entered the room and engaged the subject in casual Conversation for the final situation. Each situation was 12 minutes and was tape recorded. After the last session, the subjects filled out a brief questionnaire in which they rated each situation according to their judgment of the need to speak carefully and of their estimated disfluency in the situation.The most significant finding is that subjects were most disfluent in those situations they rated as least important. Contrary to usual observations, the greatest frequency of disfluencies occurred in the Conversation rather than the Audience-TV situation. It appeared that as...
Fluctuations and Structure of Peromyscus gossypinus Populations in Eastern Texas

Studies on the dynamics of any natural species population are important since the individuals that make up a natural population are the basic units by which gene exchange is made possible between parts of a species population (Blair, 1953). In any given species the rate of gene exchange between various parts of the population will be influenced by such phenomena as population fluctuations, population structure, home range, social behavior, dispersal, breeding patterns and natural life span. This paper is a report of the fluctuations, structure, and breeding patterns of Peromyscus gossypinus populations in the timbered region of eastern Texas. I am indebted to Dr. W. Frank Blair for critically reading the manuscript and Mr. W. N. Bradshaw for assistance with the field work.
Trade space evaluation of multi-mission architectures for the exploration of Europa

Recent cuts to NASA's planetary exploration budget have precipitated a debate in the community on whether large flagship missions to planetary bodies in the outer solar system or sequences of smaller missions as part of a long-term exploration program would be more beneficial. The work presented explores the trade between these two approaches as applied to the exploration of Europa and concentrates on identifying combinations of flyby, orbiter and/or lander missions that achieve high value at a lower cost than the Jupiter Europa Orbiter (JEO) flagship mission concept. The effects of the value attributed to the four main science objectives for Europa, which can be broadly classified as investigating the ocean, ice-shell, composition and geology, are demonstrated. The current approach proposed to complete the ocean exploration objective is shown to have conflicting requirements with the other three objectives. For missions that fully address all the science objectives, such as JEO, the ocean goal is therefore found to be the main cost driver. Instrument combinations for low-cost flyby missions are also presented, and simple lander designs able to achieve a wide range of objectives at a low additional cost are identified. Finally, the current designs for the Europa Habitability Mission (EHM) are compared to others in the trade space, based on the prioritization given to the science goals for the exploration of Europa. The current EHM flyby mission (Clipper) is found to be highly promising in terms of providing very high potential science value at a low cost.
A FACILE AND EFFICIENT METHOD FOR MONOKETALIZATION OF 1,4‐CYCLOHEXANEDIONE

Abstract Using a suitable hydrocarbon solvent such as hexane, continuous extraction of an aqueous solution of 1, 4-cyclohexanedione containing 2,2-dimethyl-1, 3-propanediol in molar excess and sulfuric acid as a catalyst afforded 1,4-cyclohexanedione mono-2, 2-dimethyltrimethylene ketal (1b) in 85% yield.
Testosterone suppresses circadian responsiveness to social cues in the diurnal rodent Octodon degus.

The diurnal, social rodent Octodon degus displays a robust sex difference in the ability to use social cues to facilitate reentrainment following a phase advance of the light cycle. Adult females housed with a female social cue donor reentrained 25% to 40% faster than did females reentraining alone. However, reentrainment rates of males were unaffected by exposure to female social cues during reentrainment. The authors hypothesized that males were less sensitive to the reentrainment-enhancing effects of social cues and that their higher threshold to the stimuli could be overcome if the social cues were either increased in strength or salience. Housing a male with two females significantly shortened the time to reentrain following a 9-h phase advance (p = 0.002). Housing with a sister had no effect on reentrainment. Therefore, male degus are able to respond to social cues but require the stimulus to be stronger than that for females. The effect of testosterone was tested by comparing reentrainment rates of...
The Cultural Apparatus of Monopoly Capital: An Introduction

The past half-century has been dominated by the rise of media to a commanding position in the social life of most people and nations, to the point where it is banal to regard this as the “information age.” The once-dazzling ascension of television in the 1950s and ‘60s now looks like the horse-and-buggy era when one assesses the Internet, smartphones, and the digital revolution. For social theorists of all stripes communication has moved to center stage. And for those on the left, addressing the role of communication in achieving social change and then maintaining popular rule in the face of reactionary backlash is now a primary concern.… political economists of communication, including one of us, identified themselves as in the tradition of radical political economy, but with a sophisticated appreciation of media that had escaped.… [the stellar critique of journalism produced… by Edward S. Herman and Noam Chomsky]. Paul Baran and Paul Sweezy were occasionally held up by political economists of communication as representing the sort of traditional Marxists who underappreciated the importance of media, communication, and culture.… We were never especially impressed by this criticism. To us, Monopoly Capital, and the broader political economy of Baran and Sweezy, far from ignoring communication, provided key elements for a serious study of the subject. [Note: this article was released in three parts: Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3]This article can also be found at the Monthly Review website, where most recent articles are published in full.Click here to purchase a PDF version of this article at the Monthly Review website.
Failure and leakage through circumferential cracks in steam generator tubing during accident conditions

This paper derives analytical expressions for the burst pressure and crack opening area for PWR steam generator tubes with a single throughwall circumferential crack when extensive plastic deformation occurs at the crack section. The rest of the tube is assumed to respond either elastically or as an elastic-plastic material obeying power-law hardening. The tubes are assumed to be subjected to internal pressure loading only. Limited elastic-plastic finite-element analyses were conducted to validate the results.
Exposure to forceful exertions and vibration in a foundry

Abstract This paper describes the results of a study that investigated the exposure of workers in a foundry to vibration and related physical stresses. The primary objective of this research was to show that use of vibrating tools in the foundry involves exposure not only to vibration, but also to physical stresses both while the tool is running and while it is not running. Four types of tools were investigated: (1) small handheld grinders, (2) scaling hammers, (3) inline hammers, and (4) chipping hammers. The paper describes the characteristics of these tools with respect to physical work factors such as muscle load, upper extremity posture, hand repetition, and exposure to hand/arm vibration. The analysis is based on the use of instrumentation as well as the use of observational methods to quantify the physical work elements. With the exception of the grinders, all the tools investigated in this study produced vibration levels that limited their time of acceptable use, according to published guidelines. In addition to vibration exposure, workers experienced high peak muscle loading, medium to high levels of hand repetition, and extreme or awkward posture of the elbow and shoulder. All tools met or exceeded published recommendation limits for hand activity level. Relevance to industry The use of vibrating tools is common in many industrial settings. This paper describes how, in addition to the stress imposed by hand/arm vibration, workers who use these tools are exposed to other physical stresses such as hand repetition, forceful exertions, and extreme or awkward posture.
Predictability of Testicular Traits in Young and Mature Holstein Bulls Reared Under Different Systems

Scrotal circumference and testicular consistency of Holstein bulls were measured in seven bull studs for 5 to 7 yr. Correlations between scrotal circumference of 160 young bulls (12 to 23 mo and 24 to 35 mo) and this trait at maturity (60 to 71 mo of age) were .48 and .56 and for the combination of the two early measurements with those at maturity .58. Testicular consistency of 116 bulls measured at the same time intervals gave corresponding values of .38, .44, and .50. By introducing a quadratic component the latter was increased to .69. Measurements first made on additional groups of bulls when they were more than 35 mo of age also were correlated closely with the values for these traits when bulls were mature, but the information on young bulls is of greater operational significance for early decisions. Correlations between measurements at different time intervals on bulls reared individually versus those grouped by age and reared in loose housing were similar. Therefore, the difference in social interaction provided by the two systems apparently did not alter the pattern or degree of testicular development.
The Effect of Discipline, Region, and Rank on the Political Attitudes of College Professors*

THIS STUDY examined the political attitudes of one social categorycollege professors. The intent was to ascertain the influence of particular variables (singly and in interaction) upon the political attitudes of this category. Since the focus was on the variables which affect political attitudes and not upon the distribution of such attitudes in the total population of college professors, a factorial sampling design was used (Rossi, 1959:45). The Variables. Several studies have examined the influence of particular variables upon the political attitudes of college professors within one discipline or in related disciplines (cf. Turner et al., 1960); McClintock et al., 1965; Lazarsfeld and Thielens, 1958). The most salient variable mentioned in these studies has been academic rank. Another
Big Data Scalability Issues in WAAS

Wide Area Aerial Surveillance (WAAS) produces very large images at 1-2 fps or more. This data needs to be processed in real time to produce semantically meaningful information, then queried efficiently. We have designed and implemented a full system to detect and track vehicles, and infer activities. We address here the scalability issues, and propose solutions to have the tracker run in real time using different parallelism strategies. We also describe methods to efficiently query the data in forensic mode. Our methods are validated on large scale real world data, and have been transferred to a National Laboratory for deployment.
Chaos in a three-variable model of an excitable cell

Abstract We describe chaotic behavior in a model that consists of three first-order, non-linear differential equations, which represent ionic events in excitable membranes. For a certain range of conductances, the model generates chaotic action potentials, and the intracellular calcium concentration also varies chaotically. The chaos was characterized by constructing phase portraits and one-variable maps using the membrane potentials and calcium concentrations. This is the first, simple, biophysically realistic model for excitable cells that shows endogenous chaos.
HREELS studies of the chemistry of nitrogen hydrides on Ge(100): formation of a surface nitride at low temperatures

We describe here the first use of HN3 as a nitrogen precursor for forming germanium nitride. Its chemistry, as well as that of NH3 and N2H4 on Ge(100) have been investigated using HREELS, AES, LEED, and TDS. All three molecules were found to adsorb molecularly on Ge(100) at low temperatures. Upon warming the substrate, both NH3 and N2H4 desorb molecularly, at roughly 275 and 325 K respectively. In contrast, HN3 begins to dissociate at about 375 K, desorbing N2 and leaving NH groups on the surface. Further heating to 575 K causes the hydrogen to desorb. Repeated saturation dose/anneal cycles can be used to thermally grow a thin film of germanium nitride. The nitride begins to decompose at about 750 K and is completely desorbed by 875 K.