cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Recalcitrant problems in environmental instrumentation

Frontiers in any science are generally defined by measurement limitations, and that is especially true in environmental biophysics. Among the more persistent issues are surface–atmosphere exchange, soil water and solute fluxes, plant water status, and plant/soil nutrient status. Measurement of surface–atmosphere exchange is particularly critical to global climate change research. Despite advances in instrumentation, accuracy of flux measurements, particularly eddy covariance, remains unacceptable, partly because the underlying assumptions of stationarity and surface homogeneity are so restrictive. Even when these assumptions are valid, the method appears to systematically underestimate for reasons that are not yet well understood. Similarly, soil water and solute fluxes cannot yet be measured accurately and routinely, hampering water quality research. Recent advances in tension lysimetry offer hope for improvement, but most field experiments still rely on modeling of water and solute flow, supported by indirect measurements of ancillary variables, e.g., soil water content, soil water potential, and solute concentration, at discrete points in time and space. A third area of ongoing concern is that of plant water status. The major uncertainty here concerns which property should be measured. Nearly all of the effort over the past 30 yr has been directed at measuring water potential, but water potential measurements are equilibrium measurements, and plants operate in dynamic environments. Furthermore, many physiological processes appear to be more related to relative water content than to water potential. Finally, more accurate and more timely (e.g., in situ) measurements of plant/soil nutrient status are sorely needed to take advantage of the promise of precision agriculture.
H Ion Concentration of Various Fluids of the Genital Tract of the Cow

SummaryA study of the pH of the genital secretions of the cow has shown the vagina to be slightly acid in anestrus and slightly alkaline in estrus due to the distinctly alkaline character of the cervical discharge at that time. The fluids of the cervix during estrus average pH 8.3 with a range from pH 7.6-8.9. The fluids present in the uterus during estrus have an average pH of 6.8 which is a favorable one for sperm survival.
Estrogens and the diabetic kidney.

Background Across all ages, the incidence and rate of progression of most nondiabetic renal diseases are markedly higher in men compared with age-matched women. These observations suggest that female sex may be renoprotective. In the setting of diabetes, however, this female protection against the development and progression of renal disease is diminished.
Multiple Exchange Rate Changes and U.S. Agricultural Commodity Prices

A model was developed to assess recent effects of exchange rate changes, inflation, and price insulation policies on real U.S. commodity prices. Exchange rate effects are defined so that they can occur and be significant under either fixed or floating rate regimes. The results indicate exchange rate effects on real U.S. commodity prices are smallest under free trade and real commodity price insulation policies but rise substantially as nominal price insulation policies become more prevalent.
BIOCHEMICAL MODULATION OF TUMOR-GROWTH, METASTASIS AND HOST METABOLISM

Exogenous nutrients, hormones and metabolites can significantly alter tumor growth, metastasis, and host nutritional status. Arginine, serine and methionine are critical amino acids required for protein, DNA and RNA synthesis and, thus, for cellular proliferation. To determine the effect of these specific amino acids on host metabolism, primary tumor growth and metastasis, 48 Lewis rats bearing the mammary adenocarcinoma MAC-33 were randomized to receive similar diets with 3% supplements of serine, arginine, methionine or glycine (control). After 25 days on each diet, animals were sacrificed to determine primary tumor biochemical composition and growth kinetics, number of lung metastases and carcass weight. A significant reduction in lung metastases occurred with serine and methionine supplementation (p<0.01) with no significant change in primary tumor size. However, increased mortality (p<0.001) and low carcass weight (p<0.05) were found in the methionine group indicating significant host toxicity. Serine-supplemented animals had a mortality rate and carcass weight comparable to the control group. Arginine supplementation had no effect on primary tumor growth, metastasis or carcass weight; however, increased mortality was observed in this group compared to controls. These results suggest that serine supplementation selectively supports host growth and inhibits metastasis in tumor-bearing animals. This study demonstrates the potential to differentially effect host and tumor growth with exogenous amino acid supplements.
GayBy Boomers’ Social Support: Exploring the Connection Between Health and Emotional and Instrumental Support in Older Gay Men

We evaluate the association between emotional and instrumental support and perceived health and depression symptoms in a sample of 182 gay/bisexual men age ≥ 55. Perceived health was positively correlated with number of sources of emotional support and depression was negatively associated with instrumental support and health care providers’ knowledge of patients’ sexual orientation. Depression mediates the connection between providers’ knowledge of patients’ sexual orientation and perceived health. Number of sources of emotional support varied negatively with age and ethnic minority status, and positively with living with a partner. Instrumental support seemed to be dependent on living with a partner.
Design for Smart Monitoring and Control System of Wind Power Plants

The paper analyzes the current wind power plants monitoring system problems and the impact on the grid. Proposed structure for smart monitoring system of wind power plants based on IEC61400-25 and IEC61850.The system uses three level of station level and bay level and process level. System uses information modeling of object-oriented approach for wind power plants. Using maps to IEC61850-8-1 MMS protocol stack communication service mapping is proposed. Wind power plants monitoring system and substation monitoring system uses the integrated design.
Empirical user studies inform the design of an e-notetaking and information assimilation system for students in higher education

The research presented in this paper reaches towards a better theoretical understanding of how students in higher education currently take notes, how this process is evolving in the digital age to include information assimilation, and the kinds of support students need to be successful with their changing academic tasks. To gain insight into these questions, we triangulated three major and distinct user studies. First we interviewed 70 university students from various disciplines across campus, and we administered questionnaires to these same students, receiving back a total of 68. Our second study was based on participant observation whereby we ''shadowed'' 32 university students for 2-3h each as they went about their normal academic business around campus. Lastly, we conducted a broader-based questionnaire with 280 students from a wider campus demographic than our first survey. We sought a diverse population for our research, and were able to include students from the disciplines of Business, English, Computer Science, Chemistry, Psychology, Pharmacy and Biology in one or more of the studies. We discovered how closely students are connected to technology and how they are adapting to changing expectations, current issues they have completing their academic tasks, how they view traditional notetaking versus electronic notetaking, and evidence that they are engaging more and more in the process of information assimilation. From these results, we conclude that students in higher education might accomplish certain tasks more effectively and efficiently with a well-designed software system that provides access to a centralized set of notes from different locations on campus and beyond. After identifying functional requirements for the system we envision, we preview our initial low-fidelity prototypes, and discuss feedback we gathered on these designs from a set of user focus groups.
Host conditioning with total lymphoid irradiation and antithymocyte globulin prevents graft-versus-host disease: the role of CD1-reactive natural killer T cells

Our previous studies in mice showed that the nonmyeloablative conditioning regimen of fractionated irradiation of the lymphoid tissues (total lymphoid irradiation; TLI) and depletive anti-T-cell antibodies (anti-thymocyte serum) markedly increased the percentage of regulatory DX5+ and natural killer 1.1+ T cells in the mouse spleen, and prevented acute lethal graft-versus-host disease (GVHD) in BALB/c mice (H-2(d)) following the transplantation of bone marrow (BM) and peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) from C57BL/6 (H-2(b)) donors. The object of the current study was to determine whether the TLI and anti-thymocyte serum regimen protected natural killer T-cell deficient CD1(-/-) BALB/c mice against GVHD after BM and PBMC transplantation from C57BL/6 donors, and whether a similar conditioning regimen of TLI and anti-thymocyte globulin (ATG) can prevent GVHD in Lewis rat (RT1(l)) hosts after BM and PBMC transplantation from ACI rat (RT1(a)) donors. The experimental results in mice showed that, although wild-type BALB/c hosts are protected in association with a marked increase in CD1- reactive T cells expressing the invariant TCR identified with a CD1 tetramer reagent; CD1(-/-) BALB/c hosts are not. Studies of chimeric donor cells in mice protected from GVHD showed donor T-cell polarization to a Th2 cytokine pattern. Results in rats showed that approximately 1000 fold more donor PBMC cells were required to induce a similar incidence of lethal GVHD in TLI and ATG conditioned hosts as compared with hosts conditioned with single-dose total-body irradiation or total-body irradiation and ATG. Surviving TLI and ATG conditioned rat hosts were complete chimeras. In conclusion, the TLI and ATG/anti-thymocyte serum conditioning regimen protects against GVHD in rats and mice, and regulatory natural killer T cells are required for protection.
Endogenous Selection Bias: The Problem of Conditioning on a Collider Variable

Endogenous selection bias is a central problem for causal inference. Recognizing the problem, however, can be difficult in practice. This article introduces a purely graphical way of characterizing endogenous selection bias and of understanding its consequences (Hernan et al. 2004). We use causal graphs (direct acyclic graphs, or DAGs) to highlight that endogenous selection bias stems from conditioning (e.g., controlling, stratifying, or selecting) on a so-called collider variable, i.e., a variable that is itself caused by two other variables, one that is (or is associated with) the treatment and another that is (or is associated with) the outcome. Endogenous selection bias can result from direct conditioning on the outcome variable, a post-outcome variable, a post-treatment variable, and even a pre-treatment variable. We highlight the difference between endogenous selection bias, common-cause confounding, and overcontrol bias and discuss numerous examples from social stratification, cultural sociology, s...
Nonlinear Dielectric Thin Films For Active and Electrically Tunable Microwave Devices

We have prepared electrically tunable and active microwave devices incorporating (superconducting YBa2Cu3O7-x)/(nonlinear dielectric SrTiO3) or (normal metal Au)/(nonlinear dielectric Sr0.5Ba0.5TiO3) bilayers. The dielectric layer thickness for these samples varied between 0.5 μm and 2 μm. The top electrode layer for each sample was patterned into a coplanar waveguide device structure. We have configured these devices as voltage-tunable resonators, voltage-tunable phase shifters, voltage-tunable mixers, and voltage-tunable filters. Under dc voltage bias, these prototype devices have exhibited up to 30% resonant frequency modulation, about 1°/mm-GHz phase shift, more than 40 dB change in mixed microwave power, and finetunable symmetric filter profile with less than 2% bandwidth and more than 15% adaptive range.
Modeling the effect of temozolomide treatment on orthotopic models of glioma

We present a hybrid cellular-tumor level model of brain tumor progression. The model describes tumor progression as the collective outcome of individual tumor cells, the behavior of which is governed by the interplay of intracellular signaling pathways (i.e., MAPK pathway) and the spatial-temporal distribution of key biochemical cues (e.g., oxygen, growth factors). The model is deployed to simulate the effect of different schedule-dose combinations of a chemotherapeutic agent (i.e., temozolomide) on tumor growth in murine orthotopic models of glioma. Simulation results are in good quantitative agreement with experimental measurements. In addition, the model is used to predict the outcome of alternative treatment strategies. Model simulations can be helpful for designing more efficient treatment strategies.
Incremental lifetime cancer risks computed for benzo[a]pyrene and two tobacco-specific N-nitrosamines in mainstream cigarette smoke compared with lung cancer risks derived from epidemiologic data.

The manner in which humans smoke cigarettes is an important determinant of smoking risks. Of the few investigators that have predicted cancer risks from smoking on a chemical-specific basis, most used mainstream cigarette smoke (MCS) carcinogen emissions obtained via machine smoking protocols that only approximate human smoking conditions. Here we use data of Djordjevic et al. [Djordjevic, M.V., Stellman, S.D., Zang, E., 2000. Doses of nicotine and lung carcinogens delivered to cigarette smokers. J. Natl. Cancer Inst. 92, 106–111] for MCS emissions of three carcinogens measured under human smoking conditions to compute probability distributions of incremental lifetime cancer risk (ILCR) values using Monte Carlo simulations. The three carcinogens considered are benzo[a]pyrene, N 0 -nitrosonornicotine (NNN), and 4-(methylnitrosamino)-1-(3-pyridyl)-1-butanone (NNK). Computed NNK ILCR values were compared with lifetime risks of lung cancer (ILCR
Rain-rate duration statistics over a five-year period: a tool for assessing slant path fade durations

A rain gauge network of 10 tipping bucket rain gauges on the Mid-Atlantic coast of the United States has been in continuous operation since June 1, 1986. Rain-rate distributions and estimated slant path fade distributions at 20 and 30 GHz covering the first five-year period have been derived from the gauge network measurements and published data of Goldhirsh, Krichevsky and Gebo (see ibid., vol.40, no.11, p.1408, 1992). In this article, we present rain-rate time duration statistics. The conversion of rain-rate duration statistics derived from in situ measurements to slant path fade duration statistics is complicated because of the vertical and lateral inhomogeneity of the rain. A benchmark set of fade duration statistics at 20 and 30 GHz for a vertical path is derived from the rain-rate duration statistics employing Crane's (1980) global model. These results may be used by investigators for comparison with and/or conversion to slant path fade duration statistics. Such statistics are important for better assessing optimal coding procedures over defined bandwidths. >
High-frequency pulsatile pipe flows encompassing all flow regimes

Time-varying pipe flows driven by a harmonically pulsating inlet velocity and spanning all flow regimes have been investigated by means of numerical simulations. The Reynolds number varied from 1000 to 5000 in response to the inlet velocity oscillations. The frequency of the pulsations was varied from 1 to 10 Hz. These frequencies are markedly higher than those previously studied (maximum value of 0.025 Hz). The motivation for the use of the elevated frequency range was engendered by practical applications such as cardiovascular and respiratory systems of mammals in addition to numerous industrial applications. The simulations made use of the modified Menter transitional model. The key conclusion found here is that the use of a quasi-steady model for the prediction of fully developed friction factors is not applicable for the higher frequencies considered here. The deviations between the actual and quasi-steady friction factor values increase markedly with increasing frequency. Backflow occurs near the wa...
Lefties are still a little shorter

Summary Heights and weights of right- and left-handed major league baseball pitchers (N = 5,780) were analyzed, adjusted for birth year. Right-handed pitchers were about 1.6 cm taller and 1.9 kg heavier than left-handed pitchers. The results corroborated other studies and suggest body size is related to handedness, although the average difference in height between right- and left-handed pitchers was very small.
Ethnic-Racial Socialization Messages in the Identity Development of Second-Generation Haitians

This study utilized qualitative inquiry to investigate the role of ethnic-racial socialization messages on ethnic and racial identity development among second-generation Haitians. Nine participants, ranging in age from 15 to 26, took part in individual semistructured qualitative interviews. The data were reviewed for emergent themes, as well as themes present in the ethnic-racial socialization and identity literature. Participants reported receiving positive messages (i.e., Cultural Socialization, Mainstream Socialization, and Preparation for Bias messages) directed at their ethnic groups in the home context and negative messages (i.e., Promotion of Mistrust and discriminatory messages) about their racial group in the home, peer, and societal contexts. In addition, participants who received positive messages directed at their ethnic group reported engaging in identity exploration and endorsing a stable commitment to the identity. Conversely, participants who received negative messages directed at either t...
Incentive design for adaptive agents

We consider a setting in which a principal seeks to induce an adaptive agent to select a target action by providing incentives on one or more actions. The agent maintains a belief about the value for each action---which may update based on experience---and selects at each time step the action with the maximal sum of value and associated incentive. The principal observes the agent's selection, but has no information about the agent's current beliefs or belief update process. For inducing the target action as soon as possible, or as often as possible over a fixed time period, it is optimal for a principal with a per-period budget to assign the budget to the target action and wait for the agent to want to make that choice. But with an across-period budget, no algorithm can provide good performance on all instances without knowledge of the agent's update process, except in the particular case in which the goal is to induce the agent to select the target action once. We demonstrate ways to overcome this strong negative result with knowledge about the agent's beliefs, by providing a tractable algorithm for solving the offline problem when the principal has perfect knowledge, and an analytical solution for an instance of the problem in which partial knowledge is available.
An object-oriented environment for fast simulation using compiler techniques

In this paper, an efficient simulation environment that utilizes compiler techniques to speed up simulation is presented. The method is based on the utilization of flexible, process-oriented modeling and event-oriented simulation, which provides minimum run-time system overhead. A compiler is implemented to transform a process-oriented model to an event-oriented model to completely eliminate the context-switches that are normally inherent in process-oriented simulation tools. Three different systems are simulated using the proposed method and are compared with DEPEND, a process-oriented dependability simulation tool. Results show that the simulation time is reduced significantly. The techniques proposed are general and can apply to process-oriented simulation models to speed up the simulation.
Paratubal Cyst With Isolated Torsion of the Fallopian Tube

Isolated fallopian tube torsion (IFTT) is a rare condition in which the fallopian tube torses without any ovarian involvement. This condition most often occurs in perimenarchal girls and usually presents with pain on the side of torsion. A patient in her teens presented with worsening pain. Sonographic evaluation revealed a midline cystic structure displacing the uterus. The cyst was originally thought to be ovarian, but there was no sonographic evidence to support attachment to an ovary. Because of the differential diagnosis and possibility of fallopian tube torsion, the patient was sent to surgery. Surgery confirmed the differential diagnosis of a paratubal cyst with right-sided isolated fallopian tube torsion.
Androgen Metabolism and Action

Androgen secretion by the testes during embryonic and neonatal life is responsible for the initial growth and differentiation of many organs of the male reproductive tract, such as the Wolffian ducts, urogenital sinus, and external genitalia primordia (Griffin and Wilson, 1998). Androgens also imprint regions of the central nervous system and determine the male pattern of gonadotropin secretion. During puberty, androgens promote the appearance of secondary male sex characteristics, including growth of the external genitalia, development of the prostate and seminal vesicles, distribution of body hair, and increase in muscle mass. These hormones initiate and maintain spermatogenesis, and they exert feedback control on the output of gonadotropins by the hypothalamic-pituitary axis. Although androgens act on the liver, kidneys, muscles, bones, and nervous and cardiovascular systems, it is within the male reproductive tract that the molecular mechanisms of androgen action are best understood.
Capacity planning under demand uncertainty for semiconductor manufacturing

In the semiconductor industry, capacity planning, the calculation of number of tools needed to manufacture forecasted product demands, is difficult because of sensitivity to product mix and uncertainty in future demand. Planning for a single demand profile can result in a large gap between planned capacity and actual capability when the realized product mix turns out differently from the one planned. This paper presents a method which accepts this uncertainty and uses stochastic integer programming to find a tool set robust to changes in demand. It considers a set of possible, discrete demand scenarios with associated probabilities, and determines the tools to purchase, under a budget constraint, to minimize weighted average unmet demand. The resulting robust tool set deals well with all the scenarios at no or minimal additional cost compared to that for a single demand profile. We also discuss the modifications of conventional business processes, needed to implement this method for dealing explicitly with uncertainty in demand.
Differentiated transplant derived airway epithelial cell cytokine secretion is not regulated by cyclosporine

Background: While lung transplantation is an increasingly utilized therapy for advanced lung diseases, chronic rejection in the form of Bronchiolitis Obliterans Syndrome (BOS) continues to result in significant allograft dysfunction and patient mortality. Despite correlation of clinical events with eventual development of BOS, the causative pathophysiology remains unknown. Airway epithelial cells within the region of inflammation and fibrosis associated with BOS may have a participatory role. Methods: Transplant derived airway epithelial cells differentiated in air liquid interface culture were treated with IL-1b and/or cyclosporine, after which secretion of cytokines and growth factor and gene expression for markers of epithelial to mesenchymal transition were analyzed. Results: Secretion of IL-6, IL-8, and TNF-a, but not TGF-b1, was increased by IL-1b stimulation. In contrast to previous studies using epithelial cells grown in submersion culture, treatment of differentiated cells in ALI culture with cyclosporine did not elicit cytokine or growth factor secretion, and did not alter IL-6, IL-8, or TNF-a production in response to IL-1b treatment. Neither IL-1b nor cyclosporine elicited expression of markers of the epithelial to mesenchymal transition E-cadherin, EDN-fibronectin, and a-smooth muscle actin. Conclusion: Transplant derived differentiated airway epithelial cell IL-6, IL-8, and TNF-a secretion is not regulated by cyclosporine in vitro; these cells thus may participate in local inflammatory responses in the setting of immunosuppression. Further, treatment with IL-1b did not elicit gene expression of markers of epithelial to mesenchymal transition. These data present a model of differentiated airway epithelial cells that may be useful in understanding epithelial participation in airway inflammation and allograft rejection in lung transplantation.
Optimizing Electrode Placement Using Finite-Element Models in Radiofrequency Ablation Treatment Planning

Conventional radiofrequency ablation (RFA) planning methods for identifying suitable electrode placements typically use geometric shapes to model ablation outcomes. A method is presented for searching electrode placements that couples finite-element models (FEMs) of RFA together with a novel optimization strategy. The method was designed to reduce the need for model solutions per local search step. The optimization strategy was tested against scenarios requiring single and multiple ablations. In particular, for a scenario requiring multiple ablations, a domain decomposition strategy was described to minimize the complexity of simultaneously searching multiple electrode placements. The effects of nearby vasculature on optimal electrode placement were also studied. Compared with geometric planning approaches, FEMs could potentially deliver electrode placement plans that provide more physically meaningful predictions of therapeutic outcomes.
Synoptically Driven Arctic Winter States

Abstract The dense network of the Surface Heat Budget of the Arctic (SHEBA) observations is used to assess relationships between winter surface and atmospheric variables as the SHEBA site came under the influence of cyclonic and anticyclonic atmospheric circulation systems. Two distinct and preferred states of subsurface, surface, atmosphere, and clouds occur during the SHEBA winter, extending from the oceanic mixed layer through the troposphere and preceded by same-sign variations in the stratosphere. These states are apparent in distributions of surface temperature, sensible heat and longwave radiation fluxes, ocean heat conduction, cloud-base height and temperature, and in the atmospheric humidity and temperature structure. Surface and atmosphere are in radiative–turbulent–conductive near-equilibrium during a warm opaquely cloudy-sky state, which persists up to 10 days and usually occurs during the low surface pressure phase of a baroclinic wave, although occasionally occurs during the high surface pre...
Lipoid Pneumonia: A Silent Complication of Mineral Oil Aspiration

Introduction. Chronic constipation is a common symptom in pediatrics, and physicians often use mineral oil to treat chronic constipation in children. Mineral oil, a hydrocarbon, may not elicit a normal protective cough reflex and may impair mucociliary transport. These effects can increase the likelihood of its aspiration and subsequent impaired clearance from the respiratory tract. We report a case of a child with neurodevelopmental delay with chronic constipation and a history of chronic mineral oil ingestion presenting as asymptomatic exogenous lipoid pneumonia (ELP). Case History. A 6-year-old white boy with a history of developmental delay was found to have an infiltrate in his right upper lobe on a chest radiograph obtained during evaluation for thoracic scoliosis. The patient had a long history of constipation with daily use of mineral oil. He was fed by mouth and had occasional episodes of coughing and choking during feeding. He was asymptomatic at presentation and physical examination was unremarkable. The patient was advised to stop administration of the mineral oil and was treated empirically with antibiotics during a 3-month period. At follow-up examination the patient continued to be asymptomatic, with the radiologic persistence of the infiltrate. Diagnosis of lipoid pneumonia was made by diagnostic bronchoscopy with bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL). The exogenous origin of the lipid in the BAL fluid was confirmed by gas chromatography/mass spectrometry. Discussion. The clinical presentation of ELP is nonspecific and ranges from the totally asymptomatic patient with incidental radiologic finding, like our patient, to the patient with acute or chronic symptoms attributable to pneumonia, pulmonary fibrosis, or cor pulmonale. Bronchoscopy with BAL can be successful in establishing the diagnosis of ELP by demonstration of a high lipid-laden macrophage index. Treatment of ELP in children is generally supportive, with the symptoms and roentgenographic abnormalities resolving within months after stopping the use of mineral oil. Conclusion. Lipoid pneumonia as a result of mineral oil aspiration still occurs in the pediatric population. It can mimic other diseases because of its nonspecific clinical presentation and radiographic signs. In patients with swallowing dysfunction and pneumonia, a history of mineral oil use should be obtained and a diagnosis of ELP should be considered in the differential diagnoses if mineral oil use has occurred. Our case points to the need for increased awareness by the general pediatricians of the potential hazards of mineral oil use for chronic constipation.
β-Lactam Antibiotics and Gastrointestinal Colonization with Vancomycin-Resistant Enterococci

We studied the effect of different subcutaneously administered beta-lactam antibiotics on the establishment of gastrointestinal colonization by vancomycin-resistant Enterococcus faecium C68 in a mouse model. Aztreonam, cefazolin, cefepime, and, to a lesser extent, ceftazidime, which neither have significant antienterococcal activity nor are secreted into human bile at high concentrations, did not promote significant vancomycin-resistant enterococci (VRE) colonization. Piperacillin-tazobactam, which has antienterococcal activity and is secreted in human bile at high concentrations, inhibited colonization after limited exposure to the inoculum but was associated with progressively increased VRE colony counts in stool samples after repeated exposure to the VRE inoculum. Ceftriaxone and cefotetan, which lack antienterococcal activity but are secreted into human bile at high concentrations, were associated with rapid and high-level colonization. These data suggest that the risk of VRE colonization varies during exposure to different beta-lactam antimicrobial agents and that the risk is related to biliary concentration and antienterococcal activity of the specific beta-lactam.
. Engineering Model for Re-entry Vehicle Turbulent Wakes

An engineering model for the supersonic portion of the turbulent near wake behind a re-entry vehicle is presented. By treating only the supersonic regions, the saddle-point singularities present in the full formulation of the near-wake problem are avoided, and a system of equations is obtained which is solved in approximately one minute of CDC 7600 computer time using forward-marching numerics and incorporating a two-parameter mixing length model. The model is applied to decelerator performance, and the results agree favorably with wind-tunnel data. The model is also applied to near-wake electron density predictions, and the results are reasonable.
Energy Balance and Structural Regimes of Radiative Shocks in Optically Thick Media

Radiative shocks in optically thick media are of fundamental interest. They exist in various astrophysical circumstances, and are likely to be explored in future experiments. This paper presents the relevant fluid theory for arbitrary initial conditions. In the approximation that the shock structure has three distinct layers, it uses energy-balance arguments to provide a semiquantitative assessment of key features of these systems and uses an approximate treatment of radiative transfer to obtain the shock structure
Deflections of Structures in the Inelastic Range

Simplified determination of deformations and analysis of moments of indeterminate structures in inelastic range; charts relating loads and deformation of rectangular beams are furnished, and may be used to analyze indeterminate structures composed of members of cross sections in inelastic range.
N6-methyladenosine-encoded epitranscriptomics

N6-methyladenosine (m6A) is the most abundant internal modification in eukaryotic mRNA. Recent discoveries of the locations, functions and mechanisms of m6A have shed light on a new layer of gene regulation at the RNA level, giving rise to the field of m6A epitranscriptomics. In this Perspective, we provide an update on the various effects of mammalian m6A modification, which affects many different stages of the RNA life cycle.
Social Media Rhetoric of the Transnational Palestinian-led Boycott, Divestment, and Sanctions Movement

This article uses rhetorical analysis to determine the effectiveness and characteristics of social media usage by the Boycott, Divestment, and Sanctions (BDS) movement targeting Israel. Hundreds of local student, community, and religious groups in the United States use social media platforms such as Twitter and Facebook to promote BDS discourse and organize local BDS-related events. Even though social media platforms are important for an international movement composed of a very dispersed population, with millions of Palestinians also living under military occupation, the history of traditional media use during the First Intifada also suggests that social media are not necessary for mobilizing Palestinians at the local level. A preliminary rhetorical analysis of several BDS-related Facebook pages and Twitter accounts reveals that the BDS movement’s social media usage functions similarly in some ways to other contemporary mass movements by facilitating on-the-ground actions and delivering useful informatio...
Distributed Broadcast Revisited: Towards Universal Optimality

This paper revisits the classical problem of multi-message broadcast: given an undirected network G, the objective is to deliver k messages, initially placed arbitrarily in G, to all nodes. Per round, one message can be sent along each edge. The standard textbook result is an $$OD+k$$ round algorithm, where D is the diameter of G. This bound is existentially optimal, which means there exists a graph $$G'$$ with diameter D over which any algorithm needs $$\varOmega D+k$$ rounds. In this paper, we seek the stronger notion of optimality--called universal optimality by Garay, Kutten, and Peleg [FOCS'93]--which is with respect to the best possible for graph G itself. We present a distributed construction that produces a k-message broadcast schedule with length roughly within an $$\tilde{O}\log n$$ factor of the best possible for G, after $$\tilde{O}D+k$$ pre-computation rounds. Our approach is conceptually inspired by that of Censor-Hillel, Ghaffari, and Kuhn [SODA'14, PODC'14] of finding many essentially-disjoint trees and using them to parallelize the flow of information. One key aspect that our result improves is that our trees have sufficiently low diameter to admit a nearly-optimal broadcast schedule, whereas the trees obtained by the algorithms of Censor-Hillel et al. could have arbitrarily large diameter, even up to $$\Theta n$$.
Development and evaluation of two 4D image reconstruction methods with dual respiratory and cardiac motion compensation for gated cardiac PET

The goal of this study is to develop and evaluate two 4D statistical iterative image reconstruction (SIIR) methods with respiratory motion (RM) and cardiac motion (CM) compensation for improving the detection of motion defects in 4D gated cardiac PET. The first 4D SIIR method, motion correction after reconstruction (MCAR) was developed previously, where the dual RM&CM compensation was achieved by applying the estimated RM&CM transformation to the RM&CM gated reconstructed images after the 4D image reconstruction, respectively. A new motion correction during reconstruction (MCDR) method was developed, where the RM&CM compensation was applied at each iterative step by modeling the estimated RM&CM within the projection and backprojection matrix during the 4D SIIR. In both approaches, the RM and CM were first estimated independently from only the 4D respiratory amplitude-gated and cardiac time-gated reconstructed images, respectively. In both methods, the RM&CM compensated image was transformed back into each cardiac gate to the acquired gated images, and the non-gated attenuation map was transformed using the estimated RM to reduce mis-registration artifacts. The performance of the two methods were evaluated using Monte Carlo simulated gated MP PET images of the 4D XCAT phantom with known true RM&CM at different noise levels, and sample clinical 4D cardiac gated PET studies. The simulation study showed the MCDR provides sharper 4D gated MP PET images with ∼12% reduction in mean-square-error when compared with those from the MCAR at large number of iterations approaching convergence. The results from using patient data showed the MCDR method provided consistently superior contras-to-noise ratios. We conclude that although the MCDR method is slower, it outperforms the MCAR method in 4D gated cardiac PET image reconstructions. Our findings are supported by simulation and sample patient studies. Human trials using this method are pending.
Mating Behavior of the Maize Weevil, Sitophilus zeamais (Coleoptera: Curculionidae)

The mating behavior of the maize weevil, Sitophilus zeamais , was examined under laboratory conditions, and an ethogram was constructed. Using transition probabilities between two successive acts, copulatory sequence was analyzed. Copulation lasted an average of 4.8 h and was characterized by abdominal flexing by the males. Within 3.8 min of dismounting, on average, the male completely extruded his aedeagus. Mating did not occur before the age of 3 d. Virgin females began copulation sooner and were more likely to mate than previously mated females. Experienced males were more successful than virgins. Copulation duration was not affected by the age or mating status of the female, nor by the period of time since the first copulation.
Gondar: Architecture and Urbanism for Italy's Fascist Empire

Gondar, Ethiopia, expanded dramatically in the late 1930s as a colonial administrative center for Italian East Africa. David Rifkind shows how urban design and architecture functioned in Gondar between 1936 and 1941 as key tools of Italian colonial policy. Italian urbanism throughout the fascist era illustrates the disquieting compatibility of progressive planning and authoritarian politics, and in Gondar modern urban design was used to define imperial identity for both Italian settlers and African colonial subjects. Gondar: Architecture and Urbanism for Italy9s Fascist Empire documents the striking sensitivity to topography and historical preservation that Italian designers brought to their colonial mission as well as the skill with which they adapted to the material and political challenges of working in Italy9s overseas dominions.
Autosomal Dominant Polycystic Liver Disease

Autosomal dominant polycystic liver disease (ADPLD) can occur as an independent disease entity affecting primarily the liver with few extrahepatic manifestations or as part of the disease spectrum of autosomal dominant polycystic kidney disease (ADPKD). The clinical course of ADPLD is heterogeneous and dictated by the extent and severity of hepatic and, in the case of ADPKD, extrahepatic manifestations. Currently, the management of ADPLD is directed toward palliating symptoms and treating complications.
Geochemistry of the Bonito Lake stock, Lincoln County, New Mexico Petrogenesis and hydrothermal alteration

The Bonito Lake stock is one of three stocks that intrude the Sierra Blanca Volcanics in the Nogal-Bonito mining district of New Mexico. The 26.6-Ma stock consists primarily of porphyritic syenite with subordinate quartz syenite and monzonite. SiO 2 concentrations range from 54 to 66 weight percent. Na 2 O exceeds K 2 O and combined alkalis average 9.4 weight percent. The rocks are alkaline and metaluminous and plot in the syenite and syenodiorite fields on an R 1 R 2 multicationic plot. The chondrite-normalized extended trace element diagram has a negative slope with Ba values 167 to 286 times chondritic values and Yb values eight to 14 times chondritic values. The chondrite-normalized REE plot has a negative slope with mild LREE enrichment. (La/Yb) N values range from 15 to 22 and the mean Eu/Eu* is 0.91. Clinopyroxene, zircon, and apatite fractionation, along with feldspar accumulation were the most important factors in controlling elemental abundances. Quasi Pearce Element Ratio (PER) analysis confirms the role of clinopyroxene fractionation, as well as indicates that an increase in K and a loss of Ca ± Na occurred during alteration. The quasi PER analysis also shows that the rocks are slightly metasomatized. Whole-rock δ 18 O values for the Bonito Lake stock range from 2.0 to 8.4 per mil. Oxygen isotope values for the more permeable surrounding volcanic rocks range from 1.0 to 7.8 per mil. The lower values of the volcanic rocks are reflective of meteoric-hydrothermal water interaction. These data help us better understand not only this stock, but also the Sierra Blanca igneous complex and the Lincoln County Porphyry Belt. This study also contributes to our understanding of the Nogal-Bonito mining district and the larger Rocky Mountain alkalic province.
Surface phase, morphology, and charge distribution transitions on vacuum and ambient annealed SrTi O 3 (100)

The surface structures of $\mathrm{SrTi}{\mathrm{O}}_{3}$ (100) single crystals were examined as a function of annealing time and temperature in either oxygen atmosphere or ultrahigh vacuum (UHV) using noncontact atomic force microscopy (NC-AFM), Auger electron spectroscopy (AES), and low-energy electron diffraction (LEED). Samples were subsequently analyzed for the effect the modulation of their charge distribution had on their surface potential. It was found that the evolution of the $\mathrm{SrTi}{\mathrm{O}}_{3}$ surface roughness, stoichiometry, and reconstruction depends on the preparation scheme. LEED revealed phase transitions from a $(1\ifmmode\times\else\texttimes\fi{}1)$ termination to an intermediate $c(4\ifmmode\times\else\texttimes\fi{}2)$ reconstruction to ultimately a $(\ensuremath{\surd}13\ifmmode\times\else\texttimes\fi{}\ensuremath{\surd}13)\ensuremath{-}R33.{7}^{\ensuremath{\circ}}$ surface phase when the surface was annealed in an oxygen flux, while the reverse transition from $(\ensuremath{\surd}13\ifmmode\times\else\texttimes\fi{}\ensuremath{\surd}13)\ensuremath{-}R33.{7}^{\ensuremath{\circ}}$ to $c(4\ifmmode\times\else\texttimes\fi{}2)$ was observed when samples were annealed in UHV. When the surface reverted to $c(4\ifmmode\times\else\texttimes\fi{}2)$, AES data indicated decreases in both the surface Ti and O concentrations. These findings were corroborated by NC-AFM imaging, where initially $\mathrm{Ti}{\mathrm{O}}_{2}$-terminated crystals developed half-unit cell high steps following UHV annealing, which is typically attributed to a mix of SrO and $\mathrm{Ti}{\mathrm{O}}_{2}$ terminations. Surface roughness evolved nonmonotonically with UHV annealing temperature, which is explained by electrostatic modulations of the surface potential caused by increasing oxygen depletion. This was further corroborated by experiments in which the apparent roughness tracked in NC-AFM could be correlated with changes in the surface charge distribution that were controlled by applying a bias voltage to the sample. Based on these findings, it is suggested that careful selection of preparation procedures combined with application of an electric field may be used to tune the properties of thin films grown on $\mathrm{SrTi}{\mathrm{O}}_{3}$.
The Means and Motivation of Earnings Management of Listed Companies

As China's economic system reform,capital market development and changes in accounting rules,earnings management of listed companies has become increasingly common.Earnings management of listed companies with diversity and complexity,and there are many problems.Earnings management to strengthen research in this area will not only help promote the development of accounting theory,but also the development of accounting standards and accounting practices of the reform of corporate accounting practices and even an enormous impact.
Multiple-Artery Renal Transplantation: Emphasis on Extracorporeal Methods of Donor Arterial Reconstruction

AbstractThe operative techniques to transplant kidneys with multiple renal arteries and our recent experience with them are reviewed. The preferred methods are anastomosis with a Carrel aortic patch and extracorporeal arterial repair before transplantation. These are simple and effective methods that avoid subjecting the kidney to prolonged ischemia. Revascularization of all renal arteries is important to obviate ischemic allograft complications.
Appreciating Recent Motherhood and Culture: A Systematic Review of Multimodal Postpartum Lifestyle Interventions to Reduce Diabetes Risk in Women with Prior Gestational Diabetes

Objectives Gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) substantially increases a woman's lifetime risk of developing type 2 diabetes mellitus (DM). Lifestyle modification interventions have been effective in preventing DM in high-risk populations but present challenges in diverse, postpartum women. We systematically reviewed the literature to synthesize current knowledge and practices around tailoring multimodal, primarily home-based interventions for situational and cultural relevance to reduce DM risk in women with prior GDM. Methods We identified original research articles published from January 2000 through July 2015 describing randomized controlled trials testing multimodal interventions to reduce DM risk in women with prior GDM. We compared articles by study objective, delivery modes, intervention components, degree of individualization, theoretical basis, design, population, outcome variables, and findings. Results Ten studies met the inclusion criteria. Telephone and mailings (n = 7) and websites (n = 3) were the primary modes of participant contact in these primarily home-based interventions. These studies demonstrate that individualizing interventions may contribute to increased postpartum weight loss and improved dietary behaviors; however, researchers remain challenged to improve physical activity in this population. Additionally, even when testing primarily home-based interventions, recruitment rates were very low, underscoring challenges of engaging this population in lifestyle changes. Conclusions Postpartum interventions addressing the broader social-ecological dimensions of health behaviors should be tested in women with prior GDM. Researchers and clinicians must continue to explore ways to engage women, including women's families and communities, in interventions to adequately address the sociocultural determinants that affect women's lifestyle behaviors impacting their DM risk.
Applications and market analysis of DC-DC converters

This paper investigates the basic principles of operation of DC-DC converters and their applications. A market analysis was performed. This work was performed to determine the significance of DC-DC converters on the power electronic market. Research was further performed to focus on how buck-boost converters are used in everyday life along with their benefits and shortcomings when designed.