cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
The effects of stroke and age on finger interaction in multi-finger force production tasks.

Abstract Objective : The main purpose of this study was to investigate changes in finger interaction after stroke with strongly unilateral motor effects. Effects of age on finger interaction were also analyzed. Methods : Sixteen stroke subjects and 16 control subjects produced maximal voluntary contractions with different finger combinations by one hand and by two hands simultaneously. Individual finger forces were measured. In multi-finger tasks, force deficit (FD) was quantified as the difference between the peak finger forces in single-finger tasks and in multi-finger tasks, while enslaving (ENSL) was quantified as forces produced by fingers that were not required to produce force. Results : In stroke subjects, the peak forces produced by the fingers of the impaired hand (IH) were about 36% less than those produced by the unimpaired hand. Stroke resulted in higher ENSL and decreased FD in the IH, particularly when the index and middle fingers produced force together, while aging led to higher FD and no change in ENSL. Two-hand tasks were accompanied by an additional drop in the force of individual fingers, i.e. bilateral deficit (BD). No changes in BD were observed with age or after stroke. Conclusions : We conclude that IH function in persons after stroke is accompanied not only by a general loss of finger force but also by changes in indices of multi-finger interaction. The contrast between the significantly changed indices of one-hand multi-finger interaction and unchanged BD implies that cortical neurons mediating interhemispheric inhibition are relatively spared in unilateral stroke. Significance : The study shows that stroke leads to changes not only in finger force but also in finger interaction. The conclusion on relatively spared interhemispheric projections is potentially important for therapy of hand function in stroke survivors.
Silver or nitrofurazone impregnation of urinary catheters has a minimal effect on uropathogen adherence.

Purpose: Bacterial adherence to the urinary catheter is an early step in biofilm formation and the pathogenesis of catheter associated urinary tract infection. We studied in vitro the effect of silver or nitrofurazone impregnation of urinary catheters on uropathogen ability to adhere to urinary catheters.Materials and Methods: We studied commercially available nitrofurazone-silicone, silicone only, silver-silicone-hydrogel, silicone-hydrogel, silver-latex-hydrogel and latex-hydrogel catheters. Catheters were incubated in sterile broth for 0, 3, 5, 7 and 10 days, respectively, before inoculation and overnight incubation with Escherichia coli or Enterococcus faecalis.Results: Adherence of E. coli and E. faecalis to nitrofurazone catheters was significantly decreased compared to that of silicone-only catheters when catheters were fresh. The anti-adherence effect of nitrofurazone on E. coli decreased with time but was still significant at 5 days. For E. faecalis the effect of nitrofurazone was lost by 3 days ...
Absence of superoxide dismutase in some strains of Neisseria gonorrhoeae.

Summary Several species of Neisseria were examined for their content of superoxide dismutase and catalase. Superoxide dismutase was measured by a spectrophotometric assay and was localized on polyacrylamide gels by staining for enzymatic activity. No superoxide dismutase could be detected in three strains of N. gonorrhoeae ; four other strains had minimal activity. However, all strains of N. gonorrhoeae possessed extremely high levels of catalase. In contrast, strains of nonpathogenic Neisseria had two to twenty five times more superoxide dismutase than the greatest level found in N. gonorrhoeae .
Inquiry: A Teaching Approach for Gifted Visually Impaired Learners:

Inquiry is a dynamic approach to learning and teaching that involves a process of experiencing the natural world. As they pose questions about the information, learners conduct research for genuine...
Discrete Lagrange Equations for Thermofluid Systems

A primary focus of the system dynamics literature is the development of structured modeling methods, suitable for application to a diverse array of engineering problems. An important obstacle in the development of unified modeling methods is the need to employ Eulerian reference frames in many thermofluid systems applications. An extension of Lagrange’s equations, to compressible thermofluid dynamics in Eulerian frames, offers a general modeling methodology for thermofluid systems compatible with discrete energy methods widely used for mechanical systems simulations.
Investigation of REBCO Twisted Stacked-Tape Cable Conductor Performance

Performances of Twisted Stacked-Tape Cables (TSTC) made of YBCO tapes were discussed for self-field and high-field operations. Power transmission cables of a single stack cable and a 3-channel conductor were evaluated by self-field distributions. A new concept of a double coaxial cable was discussed to obtain a high performance, high current density power cable. High field test results of 50-tape and 40-tape TSTC conductors were summarized, and their degradations were evaluated with single-tape data measured.
Advances in Microstructure Characterization, Micromechanics, and Constitutive Modeling of Hot Mix Asphalt

Asphalt pavements are complex systems with layers of bound and unbound granular materials exposed to combinations of irregular traffic loading and varying environmental conditions. Hot mix asphalt ~HMA!, which is the upper layer of asphalt pavements, is a particulate composite material consisting of aggregates, asphalt binder, and air voids. Its constitutive behavior is defined by the interaction of these constituents at different scales and depends on loading and environmental conditions. The complexity of HMA behavior stems from the high variability in the chemical and physical properties of the mix constituents, the multiscale nature of HMA composition, microstructural and rheological changes due to traffic and environmental effects, and the stochastic distribution of the microstructure that depends on the material properties and compaction method. All these factors call for the development of an integrated approach based on the fundamentals of mechanics, experimental characterization from microscale to macroscale, and utilization of available computing power in order to be able to understand HMA behavior and predict performance. The revolutions in the design of a new generation of engineering materials with tailored microstructure
Simulating gamma-ray energy resolution in scintillators due to electron–hole pair statistics

Abstract The best-possible limit to gamma-ray energy resolution in scintillators is given by the statistics of the number of electron–hole pairs produced by an incident gamma-ray, characterized by the Fano factor. The Fano factor is primarily controlled by the inelastic scattering during the electron cascade, which could be modeled by Monte Carlo simulation. Commonly used radiation transport codes do not follow the electrons to low enough energies to calculate electron–hole pair distributions. A Monte Carlo simulation for inelastic electron scattering is introduced based on cross-sections derived from data measured by Electron Energy-Loss Spectroscopy (EELS) for fast electrons. This inelastic scattering model was incorporated into the radiation transport code Penelope so that it could accurately count the number of electron–hole pairs produced by a gamma-ray. The Fano factor was calculated for the scintillators cerium fluoride (CeF3) and lutetium oxyorthosilicate (Lu2SiO5).
Distance from the coronary ostium to the culprit lesion in acute ST-elevation myocardial infarction and its implications regarding the potential prevention of proximal plaque rupture

Background: Shorter distances from the coronary ostia to culprit lesions have been associated with a higher incidence of adverse outcomes in ST elevation acute myocardial infarction (STEMI). As drug-eluting stents are associated with low rates of restenosis and formation of a stable intima, we sought to develop a mathematical model to estimate how far down the coronary artery a drug-eluting stent would have to be placed to theoretically mitigate the risk of proximal plaque rupture.
TCDD Adsorbed on Silica as a Model for TCDD Contaminated Soils: Evidence for Suppression of Humoral Immunity in Mice

2,3,7,8-Tetrachlorodibenzo-p-dioxin (TCDD), the prototypical aryl hydrocarbon receptor (AhR) ligand, exhibits immune suppression in vivo and in vitro. Suppression of primary humoral immune responses in particular has been well characterized as one of the most sensitive functional immune endpoints in animals treated with TCDD. Previous studies have used purified TCDD to elucidate the mechanisms by which TCDD and dioxin-like compounds (DLC) impair IgM production by B cells, but did not represent the route by which animals and humans are likely to be exposed environmentally. In the studies reported here, mice were treated with TCDD adsorbed onto a well-defined synthetic silica phase of known purity and physical properties, followed by sensitization with sheep erythrocytes to initiate a humoral immune response. We found that surfactant-templated mesoporous forms of amorphous silica provided an ideal combination of purity, dispersibility and textural properties for immobilizing TCDD. TCDD-adsorbed silica distributed to the spleen and liver after oral administration as assessed by induction of cyp1a1 gene expression. Most notably, TCDD delivered in the adsorbed state on amorphous silica and as a solute in corn oil (CO) produced similar suppression of the anti-sheep red blood cell immunoglobulin M antibody forming cell (sRBC IgM AFC) response at equivalent doses of TCDD. These results suggest that TCDD immobilized on silicate particles found in soils distributes to the spleen and suppresses humoral immunity.
Effects of spectral content on Horii Oral-Nasal Coupling scores in children.

A miniature accelerometer and microphone can be used to obtain Horii Oral-Nasal Coupling (HONC) scores to objectively measure nasalization of speech. While this instrumentation compares favorably in terms of size and cost relative to other objective measures of nasality, the metric has not been well characterized in children. Furthermore, the measure is known to be affected by vowel loading, as speech loaded with “high” vowels is consistently scored as more nasal than speech loaded with “low” vowels. Filtering the signals used in computation of the HONC score to better isolate the correlates of nasalization has been shown to reduce vowel-related effects on the metric, but the efficacy of filtering has thus far only been explored in adults. Here, HONC scores for running speech and the vowel portions of consonant-vowel-consonant tokens were calculated for the speech of 26 children, aged 4–9 yrs. Scores were computed using the broadband accelerometer and speech signals, as well as using filtered, low-frequency versions of these signals. HONC scores obtained using both broadband and filtered signals resulted in well-separated scores for nasal and non-nasal speech. HONC scores computed using filtered signals were found to exhibit less within-participant variability.
A study on fluctuations in electromechanical oscillation frequencies of power systems

This paper investigates the fluctuation phenomenon in the electromechanical oscillation frequency of a power system. Analysis on the power system swing equation explains that the oscillation frequency fluctuates around a central frequency due to the nonlinear system nature of a power system. A Phase-Plane Trajectory based method and the Prony method are used to track the real-time frequency fluctuation, based on which a realtime angular stability margin index is proposed for early warning of angular stability issues. That index is tested by case studies on a two-generator system and a 179-bus power system.
Inoculation's Efficacy With Young Adults' Risky Behaviors: Can Inoculation Confer Cross-Protection Over Related but Untreated Issues?

This investigation examined the potential of inoculation to protect young adults' attitudes from pressures to engage in risky behaviors (unprotected sex and binge drinking) as well as inoculation's efficacy in conferring umbrella protection (cross-protection) over related, but experimentally untreated, attitudes. A three-phase experiment was conducted involving 120 participants. The results revealed that inoculation can protect the attitudes of young adults from counterattitudinal pressures to engage in unprotected sex (treated issue) and binge drinking (untreated issue). Practical applications of these findings are explored, including the use of inoculation when designing health messages and more thorough assessments of health campaigns designed to discourage risky behaviors.
Substrate-dependent apparent activation energies of the adenosine deaminases from bivalved molluscs☆

Abstract 1. 1. Scallop adenosine deaminase and the adenosine deaminases from three other bivalved molluscs show little sensitivity to temperature changes at low substrate cocentrations. 2. 2. Based on a model that is consistent with experimental results, this behavior is due to a temperature-insensitive binding process, rather than to temperature-dependent changes in enzyme-substrate affinity which is the interpretation presentedc previously. 3. 3. A rectangular hyperbola can describer substrate-dependent apparent activation energies for all four enzymes. An empirical equation that describes this relationship is presented.
Low resistance Al/Ti/n-GaN ohmic contacts with improved surface morphology and thermal stability

The Al/Ti/n-GaN ohmic contact and multilayer variations on this contact are widely used because of the low contact resistivities they provide to n-GaN. However, there are few reports that reveal the influence of the atomic ratio of Al to Ti on the contact resistivity, thermal stability and surface morphology of the contacts. This study reveals that the ratio of Al to Ti strongly influences all of these characteristics. All contacts in this study had atomic ratios of Al to Ti higher than 1. Those contacts with ratios of Al to Ti less than 3 required higher annealing temperatures or longer annealing times to reach comparable contact resistivities compared to the more Al-rich contacts. On the other hand, the less Al-rich contacts provided several advantages. They exhibited smooth surface morphologies even after they were annealed at temperatures near 1000 °C, and they suffered much less severe degradation during long-term aging at 600 °C. These findings are explained by differences in the phases formed after annealing.
Methylene group modifications of the N-(Isothiazol-5-yl)phenylacetamides. Synthesis and insecticidal activity.

It has been shown that oxidation at the α-carbon of N-(4-chloro-3-methyl-5-isothiazolyl)-2-[p-[(α,α,α-trifluoro-p-tolyl)oxy]phenyl]acetamide (1) is conveniently brought about using dimethylformamide dimethylacetal to give N-(4-chloro-3-methyl-5-isothiazolyl)-β-(dimethylamino)-p-[(α,α,α-trifluoro-p-tolyl)oxy]atropamide (2), which has served as a common starting point for a variety of functional group transformations. These transformations were found to proceed in moderate to good yields to give derivatives of 1 that retained much of the efficacy associated with the parent amide and have allowed for an expansion of the SAR to be developed. Examples of enamines, enols, enol (thio)ethers, oximes, and hydrazones were prepared. In particular, the enamines derived from low molecular weight amines and amino acids were most active as broad-spectrum insecticides and were found to be even more active than 1 on root-knot nematode. Keywords: Isothiazolylatropamide; isothiazolylglyoxylamide; isothiazolylphenylacetamide...
Lessons from the Recent History of the Health Effects Institute

Created in 1980, the Health Effects Institute (HEI) funds research relevant to air quality policy debates and performs other tasks at the boundary between the health effects research community and ...
Scientific Evaluation in Women’s Participatory Management: Monitoring Marine Invertebrate Refugia in the Solomon Islands

This paper summarizes the results of a women’s community-based marine protected area that has been successful in sustaining invertebrate biological resources and in promoting strong community support. We outline the project and the associated biological results, describe the processes involved in attaining a committed level of community participation, and review the lessons learned during the project’s implementation. We attribute the project’s preliminary success—improved shellfish biomass, enhanced local environmental awareness, and the reinvigoration of cultural management practices—to the following factors: 1) the high level of participatory involvement and community leadership; 2) the local perception that shell beds have recovered rapidly and the role that scientific evaluation has played in reinforcing this notion; 3) a research program that is cross-fertilizing indigenous and scientific ecological knowledge; 4) the unique marine tenure system that allows for the project’s development and the area’s policing; and 5) the tangible economic incentives created by the development project, which ultimately empowers local women. We hope that the project’s findings can be generalized to other regions of the world with operational sea-tenure regimes and that it can help to make the establishing of community-based marine protected areas (CBMPAs) across the Pacific region more effective.
High-coercive-force permanent-magnet materials and their application

The characteristics of high-coercive-force permanent-magnet alloys are reviewed and some of the opportunities and problems involved in their application are discussed.
An Extrapolation Method for Improving Waveguide Probe Material Characterization Accuracy

Waveguide probes are useful for extracting the electric and magnetic properties of material layers, but the accuracy of the results is limited by the accuracy of the theoretical model. Using more modes in the expansion of the waveguide fields produces better results, but the computational cost increases with the number of modes squared. This letter analyzes the dependence of solution accuracy on the number of modes used and, based on this, introduces an extrapolation technique that allows the number of modes to be significantly reduced with little loss of accuracy.
Elective twin reductions: evidence and ethics.

Twelve years ago the British media got wind of a London gynecologist who performed an elective reduction on a twin pregnancy reducing it to a singleton. Perhaps not surprisingly, opinion on the moral status of twin reductions was divided. But in the last few years new evidence regarding the medical risks of twin pregnancies has emerged, suggesting that twin reductions are relevantly similar to the reductions performed on high-end multi-fetal pregnancies. This evidence has appeared to resolve the moral debate. In this paper I look at the role of clinical evidence in medical ethics. In particular I examine the role of clinical evidence in determining what counts as a significant harm or risk. First, I challenge the extent to which these empirical claims are descriptive, suggesting instead that the evidence is to some degree normative in character. Second, I question whether such empirical claims should count as evidence for what are essentially difficult ethical decisions – a role they appear to play in the case of elective reductions. I will argue that they should not, primarily because the value-laden nature of this evidence conceals much of what is ethically at stake. It is important to recognize that empirical evidence cannot be a substitute for ethical deliberation.
A memory selection algorithm for high-performance pipelines

In order to perform high-throughput DSP computations that are predominantly vector or array based, it is essential that the memory organization satisfy both the storage and the performance requirements of the design. In this paper, we present an algorithm to select a memory organization, in addition to selecting a pipeline and other datapath components, given performance constraints. We also conduct experiments to give a quantitative measure of the impact of memory selection on DSP design.
Identification of a region on the adenovirus E1A gene responsible for induction by phorbol ester tumor promoter.

12-O-Tetradecanoylphorbol-13-acetate (TPA) treatment induces human adenovirus (Ad) early region 1A (E1A) messenger ribonucleic acid expression in infected or Ad-transformed cells. Here, we report that deletion analysis has identified a TPA-responsive element (TRE) in the E1A enhancer region. Deletion analysis indicates that the TRE is located upstream of the E1A cap site between nucleotides −237 and −47. Incubation of extracts from TPA-treated cells with radioactively labeled deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) fragments containing the TRE (−237 to −47) form specific DNA-protein complexes as demonstrated by gel shift analysis and Southwestern blotting. These experiments provide evidence that novel protein-DNA complexes are formed on a region of the E1A promoter required for TPA-enhanced expression. We speculate that these DNA-binding proteins may interact with the TRE and play a critical role in the mechanism through which TPA upregulates transcription from the Ad E1A gene.
BEHAVIORAL AND NEUROBIOLOGICAL EFFECTS OF ESTROGEN REPLACEMENT THERAPY AND A HISTORY OF TRIPHASIC ORAL CONTRACEPTIVE EXPOSURE

The effects of contraceptive steroids and estrogen replacement therapy on behavior and neuroendocrine function were evaluated in adult female cynomolgus monkeys. During the 'premenopausal' phase of the experiment, the animals were assigned to either treatment with a triphasic oral contraceptive (OC) for 24 months or the untreated control group. The monkeys were then ovariectomized and half of each of the premenopausal groups were randomly assigned to either treatment with conjugated equine estrogens (ERT) or the untreated control group for 12 months (the 'postmenopausal' phase). All evaluations were completed during the postmenopausal phase of the experiment. Both types of exogenous steroid treatments appeared to increase cardiovascular and hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal responses to stress in socially dominant but not socially subordinate females. A history of triphasic OC administration increased contact aggression received, and reduced the prolactin response to fenfluramine, suggesting reduced serotonergic activity, for at least a year following the cessation of triphasic OC treatment.
Minimizing Retrieval Cost of Multi-Layer Content Distribution Systems

Content distribution systems, such as on-demand video services [6], file-sharing networks [8,1], and content clouds [2], provide ubiquitous data access and data sharing for large numbers of end-users. To efficiently provide content access across geographic locations, content storage nodes with limited capacity are conventionally organized in a multi-layer architecture to facilitate vertical as well as horizontal peer content retrievals, each of which may have different bandwidth constraints and transport costs. Content management, i.e., caching strategies, is deployed to efficiently utilize storage nodes and further reduce network retrieval traffic and cost. An optimal system design of such a multi-layer system needs to accommodate the trade-offs between vertical communication, peer communication, storage capacity and the users' retrieval traffic, driven by caching policies. In this paper, we propose a generic optimization framework based on steady-state content diffusion to minimize the total content retrieval cost in multi-layer content distribution systems, while considering the aforementioned trade-offs. The derived optimal content diffusion can evaluate the optimality of caching policies, and dimension the size of the system and the node caching capacity. Furthermore, we develop Peer Aware Content Caching (PACC) policies based on the derived optimal content diffusion. Our simulation results show that PACC effectively caches content and minimizes vertical and horizontal content retrieval costs under different system scenarios.
Dasineura sp. near capsulae (Diptera: Cecidomyiidae), a Candidate for Biological Control of Euphorbia esula Complex in North America

The gall midge Dasineura sp. near capsulae Kieffer, whose larvae cause galls on flower buds of Euphorbia spp., was selected as a candidate agent for the biological control of leafy spurge, Euphorbia esula complex, a plant of Eurasian origin that has become a noxious weed in North America. Studies of a population of this midge associated with E. esula at S. Rossore, Pisa, Italy, indicated that this midge is univoltine. The adults appeared from early April until late May, living 2–4 d. Eggs were laid in the inner part of the bracts that cover the cyathium. The neonate larvae migrated into the cyathium, where they caused the formation of galls. The galls, appearing in early May, were produced by the enlargement and distortion of the cyathium and prevented seed production in the infested flowers. In late June and early July, mature larvae left the galls, fell to the ground where they entered the soil, hibernated until the following spring, and pupated a few days before the adults emerged. Host specificity tests of D. sp. near capsulae were made, using 48 test plants in 17 families. The midge oviposited on 13 test plants (all in the genus Euphorbia ) and the controls ( E. esula ). Ten of these test plants were in the subgenus Esula and one each in the subgenera Agaloma, Poinsettia, and Euphorbium . The midge completed development only on six of the test plants on which it oviposited, all in the subgenus Esula . The restricted host range of this midge suggests it would be safe to use as a biological control agent against leafy spurge in North America.
On generalization of classification based speech separation

Monaural speech separation is a very challenging problem. Recent studies utilize supervised learning methods to estimate the ideal binary mask (IBM) to solve the problem. In a supervised learning framework, the issue of generalization to conditions different from those used in training is paramount. This paper describes methods that require only a small training corpus but can generalize to unseen conditions. The system utilizes support vector machines to learn classification cues and then employs a rethresholding method to estimate the IBM. A distribution fitting method is used to address unseen signal-to-noise ratio conditions and an iterative voice activity detection is used to address unseen noise conditions. Systematic evaluations show that the proposed approach produces high quality IBM estimates under unseen conditions.
Optimality and Rate-Compatibility for Erasure-Coded Packet Transmissions when Fading Channel Diversity Increases with Packet Length.

A message composed of packets is transmitted using erasure and channel coding over a fading channel with no feedback. For this scenario, the paper explores the trade-off between the redundancies allocated to the packet-level erasure code and the channel code, along with an objective of a low probability of failure to recover the message. To this end, we consider a fading model that we term proportional-diversity block fading (PD block fading). For a fixed overall code rate and transmit power, we formulate an optimization problem to numerically find the optimal channel-coding rate (and thus the optimal erasure-coding rate) that minimizes the probability of failure for various approximations of the problem. Furthermore, an interpretation of the results from an incremental redundancy point of view shows how rate-compatibility affects the possible trajectories of the failure probability as a function of the overall code rate. Our numerical results suggest that an optimal, rateless, hybrid coding scheme for a single-user wireless system over the PD block-fading channel should have the rate of the erasure code approach one.
A multiple threshold analysis of the Fed's balancing act during the Great Moderation

Empirical evidence has generally shown that the Federal Reserve follows close to a Taylor (1993) type rule in setting policy rates. This paper continues this line of inquiry by developing a broad nonlinear Taylor rule framework, in conjunction with real-time data, to examine the Fed's policy response during the Great Moderation, an era in which the U.S. economy experienced low output volatility and mild inflation. Our analysis finds that standard two-regime smooth transition models are unable to fully capture the Fed's nonlinear response. Thus we utilize the Multiple Regime Smooth Transition model (MRSTAR) to get a better understanding of the Fed's asymmetric preferences and opportunistic conduct of monetary policy. With the MRSTAR model we can use both inflation and the output gap as concurrent threshold variables in the Fed's policy response function and are able to determine that policy makers prioritize loss of output over inflationary concerns. Our flexible nonlinear framework is also able to convincingly show that the Fed departed from the Taylor rule during key periods in the Great Moderation as well as in the recent financial crisis.
An open library of CT patient projection data

Lack of access to projection data from patient CT scans is a major limitation for development and validation of new reconstruction algorithms. To meet this critical need, we are building a library of CT patient projection data in an open and vendor-neutral format, DICOM-CT-PD, which is an extended DICOM format that contains sinogram data, acquisition geometry, patient information, and pathology identification. The library consists of scans of various types, including head scans, chest scans, abdomen scans, electrocardiogram (ECG)-gated scans, and dual-energy scans. For each scan, three types of data are provided, including DICOM-CT-PD projection data at various dose levels, reconstructed CT images, and a free-form text file. Several instructional documents are provided to help the users extract information from DICOM-CT-PD files, including a dictionary file for the DICOM-CT-PD format, a DICOM-CT-PD reader, and a user manual. Radiologist detection performance based on the reconstructed CT images is also provided. So far 328 head cases, 228 chest cases, and 228 abdomen cases have been collected for potential inclusion. The final library will include a selection of 50 head, chest, and abdomen scans each from at least two different manufacturers, and a few ECG-gated scans and dual-source, dual-energy scans. It will be freely available to academic researchers, and is expected to greatly facilitate the development and validation of CT reconstruction algorithms.
Progresses on velocity dispersion and wave attenuation measurements at seismic frequency

Summary A low frequency measurement system has been designed and built at UH rock physics lab. From measured Young’s modulus, Poisson ratio, and phase difference, the velocities and attenuation in rock samples can be obtained. Tests with the system demonstrate it can successfully detect the fluid flow related velocity dispersion and wave attenuation. The random error and system error are evaluated to be within reasonable level. Limited by the strain gage techniques, the absolute values on modulus or velocity obtained from the current system may not be very accurate, in soft rock samples like heavy oil sand. But the attenuation and relative dispersion trend are still trustable.
Coupled-channels quantum theory of electronic flux density in electronically adiabatic processes: fundamentals.

The Born–Oppenheimer (BO) description of electronically adiabatic molecular processes predicts a vanishing electronic flux density (je), even though the electrons certainly move in response to the movement of the nuclei. This article, the first of a pair, proposes a quantum-mechanical “coupled-channels” (CC) theory that allows the approximate extraction of je from the electronically adiabatic BO wave function . The CC theory is detailed for H2+, in which case je can be resolved into components associated with two channels α (=a,b), each of which corresponds to the “collision” of an “internal” atom α (proton a or b plus electron) with the other nucleus β (proton b or a). The dynamical role of the electron, which accommodates itself instantaneously to the motion of the nuclei, is submerged in effective electronic probability (population) densities, Δα, associated with each channel (α). The Δα densities are determined by the (time-independent) BO electronic energy eigenfunction, which depends parametrically ...
Crystal structure and hydrogen-bonding system of cholic acid hemihydrate, C24H40O5.1/2H2O

Crystals of the hemihydrate of this bile acid are hexagonal, space groupP6522, a=b=13.736(8)A,c=85.06(6)A,V=13,899A3. The asymmetric unit contains two independent steroid molecules and one water molecule, the latter disordered over two nonequivalent positions.Z=12[2(C24H40O5)·1(H2O)],F(000)=5496. Structure solution by direct methods; refinement by least-squares, toR=0.072. The complex hydrogen-bond system comprises: (a) three standard ordered O-H⋯O hydrogen-bonds; (b) what is probably a symmetrically hydrogen-bonded carboxylic acid dimer, with a twofold rotation axisin the plane of the two carboxyl groups; (c) helical hydrogen-bonding chains about each 65 axis, disordered over four possible arrangements. In these helical chains, the six independent hydrogen-bonds can as a group be in either of two systems of nearly equivalent “flip-flop” arrangements: O-H⋯O ↔ O⋯H-O. Each helical system includes water, which can occupy either of two sites; thus, there is further disorder involving two sets of nonequivalent hydrogen-bonds with water as donor and acceptor. Many aggregation features here differ markedly from those in the crystal structures of either anhydrous cholic acid or cholic acid monohydrate.
Preexisting Differences in Evaluations of Counselors

To assess whether there are different stereotypes for male and female therapists held by male and female perceivers and to examine ceiling effects on the short Counselor Rating Form 308 undergraduate students evaluated a male or female “psychologist who provides therapy.” Differences were found in attractiveness by therapists' sex and raters' familiarity with therapy. Subjects' sex and familiarity also affected ratings of expertness and trustworthiness. No interactions were found. High means indicated a ceiling effect.
Framing the Offshoring and Re-shoring Debate: A Conceptual Framework

The debate about offshoring has been a part of both academic literature and mainstream news media for the last two decades. Recently, re-shoring has also been gaining popularity in academic and news media circles. On one side of the debate is the argument that offshoring business operations is an important part of a globally competitive business environment, which requires companies strategically positioning themselves in the global marketplace. On the other side of the debate is the argument that offshoring is a miscalculated business decision that is a lot costlier than initially envisioned. The argument continues that once the companies realize the true cost of offshoring, they will re-shore their operations to the US. This paper develops a conceptual framework and research agenda to further advance the debate theoretically and offers policy implications for businesses and host and home countries. This paper argues that the offshoring and re-shoring debate requires a multi-level analysis that takes into account (a) global environmental constraints and opportunities, (b) home country opportunities and constraints, (c) business strategy, (d) host country opportunity matrix and changes in opportunity matrix, and (e) business responses to the changing host country opportunity matrix.
New Public Management: An Examination of Its Influence on Contemporary Public Affairs and Its Impact on Shaping the Intellectual Agenda of the Field

This paper contends that an effective way to examine new public management and its assumptions is by focusing on its relationship to the public philosophy of modern liberalism. It will also be argu...
A Moist Static Energy Budget–Based Analysis of the Sahel Rainfall Response to Uniform Oceanic Warming

Climate models generate a wide range of precipitation responses to global warming in the African Sahel, but all that use the NOAA Geophysical Fluid Dynamics Laboratory AM2.1 model as their atmospheric component dry the region sharply. This study compares the Sahel’s wet season response to uniform 2-K SST warming in AM2.1 using either its default convective parameterization, relaxed Arakawa–Schubert (RAS), or an alternate, the University of Washington (UW) parameterization, using the moist static energy (MSE) budget to diagnose the relevant mechanisms. UW generates a drier, cooler control Sahel climate than does RAS and a modest rainfall increase with SST warming rather than a sharp decrease. Horizontal advection of dry, low-MSE air from the Sahara Desert—a leading-order term in the control MSE budget with either parameterization—is enhanced with oceanic warming, driven by enhanced meridional MSE and moisture gradients spanning the Sahel. With RAS, this occurs throughout the free troposphere and is balanced by anomalous MSE import through anomalous subsidence, which must be especially large in the midtroposphere where the moist static stability is small. With UW, the strengthening of the meridional MSE gradient is mostly confined to the lower troposphere, due in part to comparatively shallow prevailing convection. This necessitates less subsidence, enabling convective and total precipitation to increase with UW, although both large-scale precipitation and precipitation minus evaporation decrease. This broad set of hydrological and energetic responses persists in simulations with SSTs varied over a wide range.
Dynamic annealing in Ge studied by pulsed ion beams.

The formation of radiation damage in Ge above room temperature is dominated by complex dynamic annealing processes, involving migration and interaction of ballistically-generated point defects. Here, we study the dynamics of radiation defects in Ge in the temperature range of 100–160 °C under pulsed beam irradiation with 500 keV Ar ions when the total ion fluence is split into a train of equal square pulses. By varying the passive portion of the beam duty cycle, we measure a characteristic time constant of dynamic annealing, which rapidly decreases from ~8 to 0.3 ms with increasing temperature. By varying the active portion of the beam duty cycle, we measure an effective diffusion length of ~38 nm at 110 °C. Results reveal a major change in the dominant dynamic annealing process at a critical transition temperature of ~130 °C. The two dominant dynamic annealing processes have an order of magnitude different activation energies of 0.13 and 1.3 eV.
Phase Ib trial of folate binding protein (FBP)-derived peptide vaccines, E39 and an attenuated version, E39': An analysis of safety and immune response.

Abstract In this randomized phase Ib trial, we tested combining the E39 peptide vaccine with a vaccine created from E39’, an attenuated version of E39. Patients with breast or ovarian cancer, who were disease-free after standard of care therapy, were enrolled and randomized to one of three arms. Arm EE received six E39 inoculations; arm EE’ received three E39 inoculations followed by three E39’; and arm E’E received three E39’ inoculations, followed by three E39. Within each arm, the first five patients received 500 μg of peptide and the remainder received 1000 μg. Patients were followed for toxicity, and immune responses were measured. This initial analysis after completion of the primary vaccination series has confirmed the safety of both vaccines. Immune analyses suggest incorporating the attenuated version of the peptide improves immune responses and that sequencing of E39 followed by E39’ might produce the optimal immune response. Trial Registration: NCT02019524
Spaces of Difference, Spaces of Belonging: Negotiating Armenianness in Lebanon and France

Problematizing diaspora/homeland and diaspora/host-country binaries, this chapter argues that the descendants of once dispersed populations and the institutions they establish in various countries become embedded in the social fabric of local societies, and therefore they can no longer be considered as temporary in “host” countries with an inalienable and essentialized yearning for the homeland. By focusing on the formation of Armenian public and private spaces of difference in Lebanon and France in the twentieth century it is suggested that even polities that promoted and valorized assimilation have yielded spaces for the articulation, expression and production of ethno-confessional differences. In the process of negotiating such enthno-confessional spaces of difference, various Armenian ethnic institutions emerged in these countries, some of which became (permanently) embedded in the legal, political, and social structure of local societies. It is around and beyond the network of these emerging and declining, enduring and short-term, local and translocal ethnic structures and institutions that different Armenian spaces have developed in Lebanon and France (and elsewhere), in relation to which subsequent generations of (originally) displaced Armenians articulated their own forms of cultural and ethnic difference, negotiated various expressions of Armenianness.
Analysis of NTRK Alterations in Pan-Cancer Adult and Pediatric Malignancies: Implications for NTRK-Targeted Therapeutics.

PurposeFusions that involve neurotrophic-tropomyosin receptor kinase (NTRK) genes are known drivers of oncogenesis. Therapies that target these ultra-rare, constitutionally active NTRK fusions have been remarkably effective. Herein, we analyze the prevalence of the full array of NTRK alterations—fusions, mutations, copy number alterations, and increased transcript expression—in diverse adult and pediatric tumor types to understand the landscape of NTRK aberrations in cancer.MethodsWe assessed 13,467 samples available from The Cancer Genome Atlas (adult tumors) and the St Jude PeCan database (pediatric tumors) for the prevalence of NTRK fusions, as well as associated genomic and transcriptomic co-aberrations in different tumor types.ResultsNTRK fusions were observed in 0.31% of adult tumors and in 0.34% of pediatric tumors. The most common gene partners were NTRK3 (0.16% of adult tumors) followed by NTRK1 (0.14% of pediatric tumors). NTRK fusions were found more commonly in pediatric melanoma (11.1% of sam...
Proteomic analysis of heart failure hospitalization among patients with chronic kidney disease: The Heart and Soul Study.

Author(s): Dubin, Ruth F; Whooley, Mary; Pico, Alexander; Ganz, Peter; Schiller, Nelson B; Meyer, Craig | Abstract: BACKGROUND:Patients with chronic kidney disease (CKD) are at increased risk for heart failure (HF). We aimed to investigate differences in proteins associated with HF hospitalizations among patients with and without CKD in the Heart and Soul Study. METHODS AND RESULTS:We measured 1068 unique plasma proteins from baseline samples of 974 participants in The Heart and Soul Study who were followed for HF hospitalization over a median of 7 years. We sequentially applied forest regression and Cox survival analyses to select prognostic proteins. Among participants with CKD, four proteins were associated with HF at Bonferroni-level significance (pl2.5x10(-4)): Angiopoietin-2 (HR[95%CI] 1.45[1.33, 1.59]), Spondin-1 (HR[95%CI] 1.13 [1.06, 1.20]), tartrate-resistant acid phosphatase type 5 (HR[95%CI] 0.65[0.53, 0.78]) and neurogenis locus notch homolog protein 1 (NOTCH1) (HR[95%CI] 0.67[0.55, 0.80]). These associations persisted at pl0.01 after adjustment for age, estimated glomerular filtration and history of HF. CKD was a significant interaction term in the associations of NOTCH1 and Spondin-1 with HF. Pathway analysis showed a trend for higher representation of the Cardiac Hypertrophy and Complement/Coagulation pathways among proteins prognostic of HF in the CKD sub-group. CONCLUSIONS:These results suggest that markers of heart failure differ between patients with and without CKD. Further research is needed to validate novel markers in cohorts of patients with CKD and adjudicated HF events.
Preoperative measures to prevent/minimize risk of surgical site infection in spinal surgery.

Background Multiple measures prior to spine surgery may reduce the risks of postoperative surgical site infections (SSIs). Methods The incidence of SSI following spinal surgery (including reoperations and readmissions) may be markedly reduced by performing less extensive procedures and avoiding fusion where feasible. Preoperative testing up to 3 weeks postoperatively should include other studies to limit the perioperative SSI risk; cardiac stress tests (e.g., older patients/cardiac comorbidities), starting tamsulosin in males over 60 (e.g. avoid urinary retention due to benign prostatic hypertrophy), albumin/prealbumin levels (e.g., low levels increase SSI risk), and HBA1C levels to identify new/treat known diabetics (normalize/reduce preoperative levels). Results Other measures include the timely administration of preoperative antibiotics (e.g., cefazolin 2 g nonpenicillin allergic), one dose of gentamicin (adjusted dose/weight), nasal cultures for methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (patients/health-care workers), and bathing 2 weeks preoperatively with chlorhexidine gluconate 4% (not just night before/morning of surgery). Additionally, prior to surgery, the following medications that increase the bleeding risk should be stopped (e.g. for varying periods); anticoagulants, antiplatelet therapies (e.g., aspirin for at least 7-10 days), nonsteroidal anti-inflammatories (NSAIDS: timing depends on the drug), vitamin E, and herbal supplements. Additionally, avoiding elective spinal surgery in morbidly obese patients and recognizing other major medical contraindications to spinal surgery should help reduce infection, morbidity, and mortality rates. Conclusions Appropriate preoperative and intraoperative prophylactic maneuvers may reduce the risk of postoperative spinal SSI. Specific attention to these details may avoid infections and improve outcomes.