cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Existence of3He-vacancy bound states in4He crystals

Bound states and scattering resonances for a 3He-vacancy system in crystalline 4He are shown to exist. For realistic physical parameters the theory yields binding energies of ∼ 0.1 K. It is found that the bound states and scattering resonances tend to enhance the diffusion coefficient of 3He. The experimental consequences of this enhanced diffusion are discussed.
Conantokin G Is an NR2B-Selective Competitive Antagonist ofN-Methyl-d-aspartate Receptors

Conantokin G (Con G) is a 17-amino-acid peptide antagonist of N -methyl-d-aspartate (NMDA) receptors isolated from the venom of the marine cone snail, Conus geographus . The mechanism of action of Con G has not been well defined; both competitive and noncompetitive interactions with the NMDA-binding site have been proposed. In this study the mechanism of action and subunit selectivity of Con G was examined in whole-cell voltage-clamp recordings from cultured neurons and in two electrode voltage-clamp recordings from Xenopus oocytes expressing recombinant NMDA receptors. Con G was a potent and selective antagonist of NMDA-evoked currents in murine cortical neurons (IC 50 = 480 nM). The slow onset of Con G block could be prevented by coapplication with high concentrations of NMDA or of the competitive antagonist ( RS )-3-(2-carboxypiperazine-4-yl)-propyl-1-phosphonic acid. Furthermore, in oocytes expressing NR1a/NR2B receptors, Con G produced a rightward shift in the concentration-response curve for NMDA, providing support for a competitive interaction with the NMDA-binding site. Con G produced an apparent noncompetitive shift in the concentration-response curve for spermine potentiation of NMDA responses, but this was due to spermine-induced enhancement of Con G block. Spermine produced a similar enhancement ofdl-2-amino- S -phosphopentanoic acid block. Finally, Con G selectively blocked NMDA receptors containing the NR2B subunit. These results demonstrate that Con G is a subunit-specific competitive antagonist of NMDA receptors. The unique subunit selectivity profile of Con G may explain its favorable in vivo profile compared with nonselective NMDA antagonists.
Understanding speech corrupted by noise

Intelligibility enhancement of speech signals in high levels of additive, wideband noise is a problem of significant interest and application. Consequently, a number of speech processing methods have been developed. Although a large number of methods have been proposed, an implementation that significantly increases the intelligibility of speech corrupted by high levels of wideband noise has not been demonstrated. It is the purpose of this paper to review the processing strategies and philosophies used in these methods and to make some observations based on this review that suggest a processing framework for speech intelligibility enhancement in noise. The paper concludes with a description of one implementation of this suggested framework.
Robust and efficient image segmentation approaches using Markov random field models

Modified implementations of simulated annealing (SA) for image segmentation are proposed and evaluated. The segmentation procedure is based on a Markov random field (MRF) model for describing regions within an image. SA offers an iterative approach for computing a set of labels with maximum a posteriori (MAP) probability. However, this approach is computationally expensive and lacks robustness in noisy environments. We propose a random cost function (RCF) for computing a posterior energy function in SA. The proposed modified SA (SA-RCF) method depicts more robust performance for image segmentation than standard SA at the same computational cost. Alternatively, we proposed a multi-resolution (MR) approach based on MRF, which offers robust segmentation for noisy images with significant reduction in the computational cost. Computational cost and segmentation accuracy of each algorithm were examined using a set of simulated head computerized tomography (CT) phantoms.
Development of high-yielding photonic light delivery system for photodynamic therapy of esophageal carcinomas

Photodynamic therapy (PDT) is an approved treatment modality for Barrett's and invasive esophageal carcinoma. Proper Combination of photosentizing agent, oxygen, and a specific wavelength of light to activate the photosentizing agents is necessary for the cytotoxic destruction of cancerous cells by PDT. As a light source expensive solid-state laser sources currently are being used for the treatment. Inexpensive semiconductor lasers have been suggested for the light delivery system, however packaging of semiconductor lasers for optimal optical power output is challenging. In this paper, we present a multidirectional direct water-cooling of semiconductor lasers that provides a better efficiency than the conventional unidirectional cooling. AlGaAsP lasers were tested under de-ionized (DI) water and it is shown that the optical power output of the lasers under the DI water is much higher than that of the uni-directional cooling of lasers. Also, in this paper we discuss how direct DI water-cooling can optimize power output of semiconductor lasers. Thereafter an optimal design of the semiconductor laser package is shown with the DI water-cooling system. Further, a microwave antenna is designed which is to be imprinted on to a balloon catheter in order to provide local heating of esophagus, leading to an increase in local oxygenation of the tumor to generate an effective level of singlet oxygen for cellular death. Finally the optimal level of light energy that is required to achieve the expected level of singlet oxygen is modeled to design an efficient PDT protocol.
Southwest Pacific Ocean Water-Mass Changes between 1968/69 and 1990/91*†

Abstract Water-mass changes are estimated in the southwest Pacific Ocean by comparing a meridional hydrographic section along 170°W between 60°S and the equator occupied in 1968/69 during the Southern Cross cruise and again in 1990 during a NOAA Climate and Global Change cruise. Another comparison is made using a hydrographic section along 35°S between the date line and 169°W occupied in 1969 during USNS Eltanin cruise 40 and again in 1991 during a Mapkiwi cruise. The most robust change consists of cooling (and freshening) on isopycnals, with peak differences exceeding −1.0°C (−0.25 pss) at the base of the subtropical thermocline. The cooling and freshening starts above the stratification minimum of the Subantarctic Mode Water and persists to below the salinity minimum of the Antarctic Intermediate Water. Amplitudes are largest at 48°S, near where these water masses subduct, and decay toward 20°S, near the axis of the Subtropical Gyre. This change is likely the result of surface warming and/or freshening ...
Automatic Content Generation in the Galactic Arms Race Video Game

Simulation and game content includes the levels, models, textures, items, and other objects encountered and possessed by players during the game. In most modern video games and in simulation software, the set of content shipped with the product is static and unchanging, or at best, randomized within a narrow set of parameters. However, ideally, if game content could be constantly and automatically renewed, players would remain engaged longer. This paper introduces two novel technologies that take steps toward achieving this ambition: 1) a new algorithm called content-generating NeuroEvolution of Augmenting Topologies (cgNEAT) is introduced that automatically generates graphical and game content while the game is played, based on the past preferences of the players, and 2) Galactic Arms Race (GAR), a multiplayer video game, is constructed to demonstrate automatic content generation in a real online gaming platform. In GAR, which is available to the public and playable online, players pilot space ships and fight enemies to acquire unique particle system weapons that are automatically evolved by the cgNEAT algorithm. A study of the behavior and results from over 1000 registered online players shows that cgNEAT indeed enables players to discover a wide variety of appealing content that is not only novel, but also based on and extended from previous content that they preferred in the past. Thus, GAR is the first demonstration of evolutionary content generation in an online multiplayer game. The implication is that with cgNEAT it is now possible to create applications that generate their own content to satisfy users, potentially reducing the cost of content creation and increasing entertainment value from single-player to massively multiplayer online games (MMOGs) with a constant stream of evolving content.
Evaluation of a femtosecond fiber laser for two-photon fluorescence correlation spectroscopy

This work evaluates a femtosecond fiber laser for use in two-photon fluorescence fluctuation spectroscopy. Fiber lasers present an attractive alternative to Ti:Sapphire systems because of their compact size and portability. Autocorrelation of the second harmonic generation signal from the laser demonstrates that its stability is sufficient for two-photon fluorescence correlation spectroscopy. Fluorescence correlation spectroscopy autocorrelation traces were well fit by a Gaussian-Lorentzian squared model with a beam waist near the diffraction limit for the 810 nm wavelength. A photon counting histogram collected with this system also fit nicely to a single-species model, further demonstrating the quality of the focal shape. The authors conclude that the output from the femtosecond fiber laser is sufficiently stable and has a high enough quality beam shape for fluctuation fluorescence methods, and thus represents an effective, compact, readily portable two-photon excitation source.
“Rough Mens” in “the Toughest Places I Ever Seen”: The Construction and Ramifications of Black Masculine Identity in the Mississippi Delta's Levee Camps, 1900–1935

This article examines the “levee camp” as a social and cultural site for reconstituting rural black workers' masculine identities in the early twentieth-century Mississippi-Arkansas Delta. The construction of the Mississippi River's levees during this period depended heavily on the labor of black mule-drivers drawn from the Delta's cotton plantations. In spite of this dependency, the levee camps' exploitative commissaries and harsh disciplinary violence quashed workers' efforts to reclaim a sense of autonomy that was increasingly denied them on the region's plantations. However, partly in response to the perceived erosion of their authority within the sharecropper family, levee workers successfully used the notorious after-hours culture of the levee camps to construct a hyper-masculine image of themselves as “rough mens” who had been to the levee camps, enjoyed the sexual attention of camp women, and were manly enough to survive the murderous violence of white bosses and other “rough mens” alike. Using a series of 1930s labor investigations as well as early Delta blues hollers and songs about the levee camps, this article shows how black workers' efforts to cultivate this hyper-masculine levee worker image ultimately proved detrimental to their class interests. Levee contractors and foremen welcomed levee camp gambling, prostitution, drinking, and fighting as ways of reducing workers' wages and maintaining labor control in the camps. Ultimately, the levee camps provide a useful example of an all-male work site where gender had important, if unintended, ramifications for workers' class position.
MADDer than Hell

We explore the secular ritual process that Mothers Against Drunk Driving (MADD) has produced to aid Americans who have had a loved one killed or maimed by a drunk driver. Our particular focus is on how MADD's victim services filled a cultural void and provided a means for people to manage and channel their grief and rage in psychologically healthy and socially constructive ways. The analysis is enriched by comparative ethnographic material on how people in other societies such as the Ilongot cope with such profound and unexpected personal losses.
An abdominal active can defibrillator may facilitate a successful generator change when a lead failure is present.

Aims Defibrillator generator changes are frequently performed on patients with an implantable cardioverter defibrillator in an abdominal pocket. These patients usually have epicardial patches or older endocardial lead systems. At the time of a defibrillator generator change defibrillation may be unsuccessful as a result of lead failure. We tested the hypothesis that an active can defibrillator implanted in the abdominal pocket could replace a non-functioning endocardial lead or epicardial patch. Methods and Results An abdominal defibrillator generator change was performed in 10 patients, (mean age= 6713 years, nine men). Initially, a defibrillation threshold (DFT) was obtained using a passive defibrillator and the chronic endocardial or epicardial lead system. DFTs were then performed using an active can emulator and one chronic lead to simulate endocardial or epicardial lead failure. We tested 30 lead configurations (nine endocardial and 21 epicardial). Although a DFT of 7·34·2 joules was obtained with the intact chronic lead system, the active can emulator and one endocardial or epicardial lead still yielded an acceptable DFT of 19·96·1 joules. In addition, a successful implant (DFT 24 joules) could have been accomplished in 28 of 30 (93%) lead configurations. Conclusion An active can defibrillator in an abdominal pocket may allow for a successful generator change in patients with defibrillator lead malfunction. This would be simpler than abandoning the abdominal implant and moving to a new pectoral device and lead or tunnelling a new endocardial electrode. However, loss of defibrillation capability with a particular complex lead may be a warning of impending loss of other functions (eg. sensing and/or pacing). (Europace 1999; 1: 266–269)
Maintenance plasma exchange treatment for muscle specific kinase antibody positive myasthenia gravis patients

Background:Anti-muscle specific kinase antibody positive myasthenia gravis (MuSK MG) is often characterized by a relatively severe and progressive course, refractoriness to standard myasthenia gravis (MG) medications, and an increased risk of myasthenic crisis. We report here successful management of three MuSK MG patients using maintenance therapeutic plasma exchange (TPE) treatment for up to 4.5 years. Materials: The study was a 5-year retrospective review of all MG patients treated with TPE between 2008 and 2013 at University of Michigan. Inclusion criteria of MuSK MG were positive for anti-MuSK antibodies and a diagnosis of MuSK MG by staff neurologists. Patient data included age, gender, diagnostic testing results, medications, and the dates and response to TPE treatments. Results: A total of 153 MG patients underwent at least one course of TPE between 2008 and 2013. A total of 12 patients (7.8%) were positive for anti-MuSK antibodies. Patients were predominantly female (83.3%) and a median age of onset was 46-years old. Three MuSK MG patients were successfully managed with maintenance TPE. Conclusion: Maintenance TPE may be an effective option for MuSK MG patients. The key of successful maintenance treatment at our institution has been to tailor the TPE frequency for each individual, and to modify the treatment interval in conjunction with medical management. J. Clin. Apheresis 30:314–319, 2015. © 2014 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Single-gene mutations and healthy ageing in mammals

Studies of the effects of single-gene mutations on longevity in Caenorhabditis elegans, Drosophila melanogaster and Mus musculus identified homologous, highly conserved signalling pathways that influence ageing. In each of these very distantly related species, single mutations which lead—directly or indirectly—to reduced insulin, insulin-like growth factor (IGF) or insulin/IGF-like signalling (IIS) can produce significant increases in both average and maximal lifespan. In mice, most of the life-extending mutations described to date reduce somatotropic (growth hormone (GH) and IGF-1) signalling. The reported extensions of longevity are most robust in GH-deficient and GH-resistant mice, while suppression of somatotropic signalling ‘downstream’ of the GH receptor produces effects that are generally smaller and often limited to female animals. This could be due to GH influencing ageing by both IGF-1-mediated and IGF-1-independent mechanisms. In mutants that have been examined in some detail, increased longevity is associated with various indices of delayed ageing and extended ‘healthspan’. The mechanisms that probably underlie the extension of both lifespan and healthspan of these animals include increased stress resistance, improved antioxidant defences, alterations in insulin signalling (e.g. hypoinsulinaemia combined with improved insulin sensitivity in some mutants and insulin resistance in others), a shift from pro- to anti-inflammatory profile of circulating adipokines, reduced mammalian target of rapamycin-mediated translation and altered mitochondrial function including greater utilization of lipids when compared with carbohydrates.
Epigenetic Regulation of c-ROS Receptor Tyrosine Kinase Expression in Malignant Gliomas

The proto-oncogene tyrosine kinase c-ROS is an orphan receptor whose normal expression pattern is tightly spatio-temporally restricted during development. In glioma, c-ROS mRNA expression is frequently ectopically up-regulated. In this study, we determined by immunohistochemical means that c-ROS receptor protein is present in 25% of low-grade and 30% of malignant glioma tumor samples from tissue microarrays. We then explored the molecular basis for the up-regulation of c-ROS expression in these tumors. We identified and characterized the c-ROS gene promoter region and report that the ectopic expression of c-ROS in tumors is tied to hypomethylation of a CpG island in the c-ROS promoter. Bisulfite sequencing analysis in glioma tumor samples revealed that demethylation of the CpG island (-384 to -132 bp) correlated with c-ROS expression. Moreover, c-ROS expression could be activated by treatment of c-ROS-negative cells with the demethylating agent 5-aza-2'-deoxycytidine. These results establish a strong link between c-ROS promoter demethylation and gain of c-ROS expression and function in glioma. Our data suggest that epigenetic activation of c-ROS represents an important oncogenic mechanism for glioma initiation and progression and suggest that cautionary measures in the clinical use of 5-aza-dC for the treatment of glioma be taken into consideration. [Cancer Res 2009;69(6):2180-4].
High frequency properties of shielded power cable. Part 2: sources of error in measuring shield dielectric properties

This paper provides a theoretical context for the types of errors that are likely to occur during the measurement of high frequency cable shield properties. The paper considers a RC dielectric system as it relates to measuring the dielectric properties of cable shield materials.
RNA-mediated gene silencing of VEGF-C inhibits the growth of human pancreatic cancer in vivo

Purpose: Vascular endothelial growth factor-C (VEGF-C), and its receptors, VEGF receptor-2 and VEGF receptor-3, are central to angiogenesis and lymphangiogenesis. Pancreatic cancer VEGF-C expression is associated with poorer prognosis for patients with this disease. We sought to determine the role of VEGF-C on growth of pancreatic cancer in vitro and in vivo. Methods: Expression of VEGF-C was determined in 3 human pancreatic cancer (PaCa) cell lines (HPAF-II, MIA PaCa-2, PANC-1) by RT-PCR, Western blot, and ELISA. Expression of the preferential VEGF-C receptor, VEGFR3, was determined by RT-PCR and Western blot. Small interfering RNA (siRNA) was used to suppress VEGF-C expression. Specificity of the VEGF-C siRNA was confirmed by Western blot in VEGF-C transfected NIH3T3 cells. Efficiency of RNA interference was confirmed using VEGF-C ELISA on MIA PaCa-2 cell culture supernatants. Cell proliferation following exogenous human VEGF-C, VEGF-C siRNA or control siRNA treatment was assessed in vitro by MTT and [3H]-thymidine. Nude mice (n 4/group) were subcutaneously xenografted with 2 106 MIA PaCa-2 cells, which overexpress VEGF-C. Tumor growth and VEGF-C expression were compared in mice administered either vehicle, 150 g/kg VEGF-C specific siRNA, or 150 g/kg control siRNA twice weekly for 4 weeks by tail vein injection. Statistical comparison was made using t-test for paired observations and ANOVA for multiple comparisons. Results: All PaCa cell lines expressed VEGF-C and VEGFR3 receptor. VEGF-C was expressed at significantly higher levels in the poorly differentiated MIA PaCa-2 cells. VEGF-C siRNA was specific and effectively downregulated expression in vitro. Treatment of PaCa cell lines with VEGF-C siRNA in vitro did not affect proliferation, nor did treatment with exogenous VEGF-C. Treatment with VEGF-C siRNA in vivo suppressed tumor growth at 4 weeks when compared to controls: Vehicle 250 4 mm3; Control siRNA 230 26 mm3 (p 0.2); VEGF-C siRNA 87 25 mm3 (p 0.01). VEGF-C ELISA of tumor homogenates confirmed RNA interference: Vehicle 496 7 pg/mg; Control siRNA 362 95 pg/mg (p 0.2); VEGF-C siRNA 115 55 pg/mg (p 0.01). Conclusions: These data demonstrated that VEGF-C plays an important role in PaCa growth in vivo. VEGF-C does not appear to promote PaCa cell growth in vitro. Identifying strategies that target VEGF-C may serve as potential therapeutic interventions in patients with pancreatic adenocarcinoma.
Specific 14c-labeled surfactants. The addition of hohogeneous polyoxyethylene glycols to p-(l,l,3,3-tetramethylbutyl)phenol

Two surfactants, one containing a six and the other containing a nine unit polyoxyethylene glycol side chain attached to p-(1,1,3,3-tetramethylbutyl) phenol (TOPOH), were prepared with specific 14C-labeling. The radioactive label was introduced into the first ethylene oxide unit attached to the aryl moiety, TOPOCH2*CH2(OCH2CH2)nOH, by coupling chloroacetic-14C-l acid with TOPOH. A 4-step reaction scheme was utilized in the synthesis, and all reactions gave excellent yields except for the final Williamson coupling reaction. A competing elimination reaction occurred in the final reaction to afford a vinylic by-product, TOPOCHCHCl, which was identified by spectroscopic methods. The overall yields for TOP(OCH2CH2)6OH and TOP(OCH2CH2)9OH were 42 and 33 per cent, respectively.
Rosa Parks Reimagined: The History and Future of the Borough Park-Williamsburg Bus Line

This article evaluates many facets of the Borough Park-Williamsburg Bus Line and examines its continued existence in the United States when compared with the continuation of similar buses across the globe. Part I surveys the history of the line and its connection to the Mehadrin buses of Israel. Part II scrutinizes the existence of the line under the Establishment Clause, looking to the three major tests that have emerged to determine violations of the Establishment Clause to conclude that the existence of the line does, in fact, violate the Establishment Clause. Part III looks to the second claim threatening Private Transportation Corporation: a gender discrimination claim under the Equal Protection Clause of the 14th Amendment of the U.S. Constitution. This portion of the article looks to (1) whether Private Transportation Corporation could be susceptible to such a claim and (2) if the Supreme Court would offer it an exemption, pursuant to the Free Exercise Clause, from applicable federal, state, and city anti-discrimination statutes. In order to analyze whether an exemption is appropriate, this article considers the two major methods of analysis that have emerged: the Employment Division v. Smith method and the Religious Freedom Restoration Act method. Finally, this article concludes with an overview of all that has been discussed and a brief conversation about the continued existence of the Borough Park-Williamsburg Bus Line.
A mixed methods investigation of maternal perspectives on transition experiences in early care and education.

ABSTRACTResearch Findings: Strong relationships among children, families, and early care and education (ECE) providers are key to quality infant–toddler care. These relationships are shaped during the initial transition period to group care. We used a mixed methods approach to (a) assess maternal perspectives on the transition to group care, (b) explore mothers’ perceptions of factors that made for easy or difficult transitions, and (c) examine associations between maternal and child characteristics and the ease of the transition. Through qualitative interviews, mothers identified factors that played a role in their child’s transition, including the child’s age, the ECE provider’s support, and the number of transitions the child experienced. For mothers, an easy transition was characterized by ease of child adjustment to group care, comfort with nonparental care and returning to work, and being able to exercise some control over the transition. Quantitative analyses revealed that an easy child transition ...
Performance of the RHIC Cryogenic Control System During the First Sextant Test

The present RHIC cryogenic process control system is a hybrid of centralized and distributed processing. The setup marries together a centralized sub-system that was designed, installed, and in operation since 1984 with six identical distributed sub-systems, whose installation began in 1996 and will be completed in 1998. For the RHIC First Sextant Test, which took place from January 21, 1997 to March 5, 1997, it was necessary to have two new distributed cryogenic control sub-systems installed and tested.
A concise study of neutron irradiation effects on power MOSFETs and IGBTs

Abstract Over the past years there have been growing concerns on the adverse effects of atmospheric neutrons on power semiconductors even at sea level. In this paper we report recent results of neutron irradiation (1.9 MeV) experiments conducted on 650 V Super-Junction MOSFETs and Field-Stop Trench Insulated Gate Bipolar Transistors (IGBTs). The typical experiments found in literature which study the irradiation of power electronics chose a white line spectrum of neutron energies, ranging from 1 to 180 MeV; however, we have deliberately chosen to study the effect of monochromatic radiation of fast neutrons, as a first in a series of experiments, to better understand the full range of interactions from fast to ultra fast neutrons (100 MeV). We show that a multitude of failure modes already appear at neutron energies of 1.9 MeV ranging from gate oxide degradation to single event effects (SEE). Moreover an outstanding ruggedness of devices is demonstrated, which shows no failures at 80% rated break down and below under extreme aging conditions.
Control of the Band-Edge Positions of Crystalline Si(111) by Surface Functionalization with 3,4,5-Trifluorophenylacetylenyl Moieties

Functionalization of semiconductor surfaces with organic moieties can change the charge distribution, surface dipole, and electric field at the interface. The modified electric field will shift the semiconductor band-edge positions relative to those of a contacting phase. Achieving chemical control over the energetics at semiconductor surfaces promises to provide a means of tuning the band-edge energetics to form optimized junctions with a desired material. Si(111) surfaces functionalized with 3,4,5-trifluorophenylacetylenyl (TFPA) groups were characterized by transmission infrared spectroscopy, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, and surface recombination velocity measurements. Mixed methyl/TFPA-terminated (MMTFPA) n- and p-type Si(111) surfaces were synthesized and characterized by electrochemical methods. Current density versus voltage and Mott–Schottky measurements of Si(111)–MMTFPA electrodes in contact with Hg indicated that the barrier height, Φb, was a function of the fractional monolayer coverage o...
Bandwidth Enhancement of Microstrip Rectangular Patch Antenna Using EBG

Microstrip patch antennas offeres advantages like planar configuration, light weight, reduced size and ease of portability, but in spite of these advantages, patch antennas suffer from drawbacks such as low gain, narrow bandwidth. These drawbacks limit their application in other fields. Recently, the development in the field of EBG has offered to overcome the limitations of surface waves by designing the antenna with EBG structure. In this paper, the proposed antenna is simulated on the HFSS simulation software. The substrate used is FR-4 with dielectric constant of 4.4 and the patch dimensions are 25 x 17.5 mm. The bandwidth increases from 4.3% to 28%.
Israel and the Many Pathways of Institutional Diffusion

This article explores the degree, conditions, and pathways by which instances of institutional change in Israel can be traced back to the EU, either through direct influence mechanisms or indirectly, through emulation. It examines the processes and mechanisms by which EU diffusion into the Israeli domestic system might occur, and identifies the main factors that facilitate and hamper receptivity to EU influence. While there is little evidence that deliberate EU influence mechanisms – manipulation of utility calculations, socialisation, or persuasion – have produced substantial impact, Israelis emerge as highly selective, sophisticated emulators of EU institutions – adapting and implementing EU standards in specific policy realms, typically as the result of two distinct mechanisms of emulation: competition and lesson-drawing. The article demonstrates the possibility of variable pathways of diffusion of EU rules, standards, and norms beyond Europe, and advances existing knowledge of the conditions and pathways of emulation – the least understood mechanism of diffusion.
Fabrication of Graphene Field-effect Transistor with Field Controlling Electrodes to improve fT

In this letter, we report on the fabrication and DC/RF characterization of a novel Graphene Field-effect Transistor (GFET) with two additional contacts at the access regions. The additional contacts-Field Controlling Electrodes (FCEs), are capacitively coupled to the ungated access regions and independently biased to control the access resistance. The reduced access resistance resulted in an increased current-gain cutoff frequency (fT). The fabricated proposed device could be used for radio frequency (RF) applications.
Social Justice and the Predicament of Religion

I hope the first three chapters have shown that the conceptions of justice, and their presuppositions, illustrated by rationalistic theories, especially their modem variants, are vastly different from those encountered in the great religions of the world. It should have become clear, too, that the notion of social justice, in its narrow sense, is very much a product of modern consciousness. While it is the centrepiece of liberal and socialist conceptions of justice - what Nozick calls ‘end-state principles’ of justice - it would be difficult to maintain that traditional religious conceptions of justice have anything much to do with it. The main concern of the latter is righteousness, the highest virtue to be displayed by individuals, both as a mark of character and as a deter minant of social conduct. Justice, understood as righteousness, is, one might say, the whole of virtue, and not merely a particular virtue.
Autonomous Hyperspectral Target Detection with Quasi-Stationarity Violation at Background Boundaries

Operational real time hyperspectral reconnaissance systems adaptively estimate multivariate background statistics. Parameter values derived from these estimates feed autonomous onboard detection systems. However, inadequate adaptation occurs whenever an airborne sensor encounters a physical boundary between spectrally distinct regions. The transition area generates excessive false alarms, because standard detection algorithms rely on quasi- stationary models of background statistics. Here we describe a two-mode stochastic mixture model aimed at solving the boundary problem. It exploits deployed signal processing modules to solve a generalized eigenvalue problem, making a threshold test for targets computationally feasible.
A layered Na1−xNiyFe1−yO2 double oxide oxygen evolution reaction electrocatalyst for highly efficient water-splitting

Transition metal Ni- and Co-based oxides are potential candidates to replace expensive and scarce noble metal-based oxygen evolution reaction (OER) catalysts such as IrO2 and RuO2, which are required for efficient hydrogen production from solar water splitting and rechargeable energy storage technologies. So far, layered NiFe double hydroxide represents the best OER activity among all Ni- and Co-based oxides. Here, we report new layered Na1−xNiyFe1−yO2 double oxide OER catalysts exhibiting activity and stability surpassing those of noble metal OER catalysts including IrO2 and RuO2, and a layered NiFe double hydroxide OER catalyst. The superior catalytic properties can be ascribed to the layered structure as well as the enhanced covalency of Ni and Fe. Powered by a lead halide perovskite solar cell with a power conversion efficiency of 14.69%, a two-electrode solar water-splitting device combining a Na0.08Ni0.9Fe0.1O2 OER catalyst with a NiP hydrogen evolution reaction catalyst delivers a solar-to-hydrogen conversion efficiency of 11.22%. Our design and fabrication strategies offer insights for developing highly active electrocatalysts for water splitting and metal–air batteries.
Health status and use of partial nephrectomy in older adults with early-stage kidney cancer

Abstract Introduction The long-term benefits of nephron-sparing surgery for kidney cancer depend on patient health. Accordingly, we examined whether receipt of partial nephrectomy varied with baseline comorbidity or functionality among older adults with stage I kidney cancer. Materials and methods Using Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results (SEER)-Medicare data from 2000 to 2009, we identified patients treated with partial or radical nephrectomy for stage I kidney cancer. We examined treatment trends according to baseline comorbidity, function, and relevant health conditions. We then estimated the probability of partial nephrectomy using multivariable, mixed-effects models adjusting for patient, surgeon, and hospital characteristics. Results Overall, 2,956 of 11,678 patients (25.3%) underwent treatment with partial nephrectomy. Receipt of partial nephrectomy was associated with younger age, male sex, higher socioeconomic position, smaller tumor size, and treatment by a high-volume provider, cancer center, or academic institution ( P P Conclusion With the exception of kidney disease, the increasing use of partial nephrectomy did not vary with respect to health status. As the potential benefits of partial nephrectomy differ according to a patient׳s underlying health, selection tools and algorithms that match treatment to patient comorbidity or function may be needed to optimize kidney cancer care in the United States.
Introduction to the Virtual Issue: Measurement in Political Science

Welcome to the Political Analysis Virtual Issue on Measurement! The purpose of this issue is to highlight some of the work on measurement issues that has appeared in the pages of PA over the past 24 years. As we will see, there is ample evidence that political scientists have been attentive to the challenges, problems, and opportunities that arise when researchers employ quantitative representations of empirical phenomena. This is critically important because it is often assumed that the health of a scientific discipline can be evaluated by examining the effectiveness with which its central concepts are measured (Kuhn 1977). The twelve articles chosen for inclusion in this virtual issue are:
Spatial Stream Segregation

“Stream segregation” refers to a listener’s ability to disentangle interleaved sequences of sounds, such as the ability to string together syllables from one talker in the presence of competing talkers. Spatial separation of sound sources is a key factor that enables the task of segregation. Psychophysical tasks that require listeners to integrate sounds across locations demonstrate that listeners can overcome spatial separation of sources, suggesting that space is a relatively weak segregating factor. Contrary to that suggestion tasks that require listeners to isolate a sound sequence within a complex background demonstrate robust benefits of spatial separation of the target from other sources. This chapter reviews psychophysical studies that show weak versus strong spatial effects on streaming and shows that the spatial acuity of stream segregation can approach the limits of acuity of spatial hearing. Responses from auditory cortex in anesthetized animals are presented demonstrating that single neurons can exhibit spatial stream segregation by synchronizing selectively to one or the other of two interleaved sound sequences. The results from animals imply that perceptually segregated sound sequences are represented in auditory cortex by discrete mutually synchronized neural populations. Human magneto- and electroencephalographic results then are described showing selective enhancement of cortical responses to attended versus unattended sounds. Available results lead to a picture showing bottom-up segregation of sound sources by brainstem mechanisms on the basis of spatial and other cues, followed by top-down selection of particular neural populations that could underlie perceptual auditory objects of attention.
Racism and Sexism

Are racism and sexism parallel or separate processes? Can we apply findings from one area of research to the other? Obviously, any response to such questions must be conditional, subject to definitions of the terms themselves as well as to the specific circumstances under which the questions are answered. These questions are necessarily asked, however, in light of this society’s long-standing interest in racial prejudice and its increased awareness of discrimination based on gender. For this reason, there is a need to understand the extent to which the biased treatment of women may be legitimately compared to that of blacks. In other words, can it be determined whether racism and sexism are parts of a generalized response set, or if they are two different behaviors? In this chapter, the analysis has two components. In the first part, an examination of racism and sexism is presented with respect to a variety of dimensions relative to the assessment of the existence of parallelism: the definitions, the causes, and the scope of the problems. This review emphasizes social-psychological perspectives, although it is recognized that many other disciplines, such as economics, history, and political science, have contributed to the literature on racism and sexism. The second part of the chapter deals with the impact of both processes on black women, who have dual identities and are oppressed under each. In addition, the possibility that these processes may have an additive effect is explored. Specifically, in the second part of the chapter, the conflicts arising from the racism and sexism that are presented to black women are examined. It is suggested that black women may need special consideration because of their unique position relative to the movements both for women’s equity and for black civil rights.
Measuring Social Value: Potential Applications of the Capabilities Approach

Performance measurement of nonprofit organizations is an important topic for practitioners and researchers. Because concepts such as social ventures and social entrepreneurship have become widely a...
With directed study before a 4-day operating room management course, trust in the content did not change progressively during the classroom time

Abstract Study objective A 4-day course in operating room (OR) management is sufficient to provide anesthesiologists with the knowledge and problem solving skills needed to participate in projects of the systems-based-practice competency. Anesthesiologists may need to learn fewer topics when the objective is, instead, limited to comprehension of decision-making on the day of surgery, We tested the hypothesis that trust in course content would not increase further after completion of topics related to OR decision-making on the day of surgery. Design Panel survey. Setting A 4-day 35hour course in OR management. Mandatory assignments before classes were: 1) review of statistics at a level slightly less than required of anesthesiology residents by the American Board of Anesthesiology; and 2) reading of peer-reviewed published articles while learning the scientific vocabulary. Subjects N=31 course participants who each attended 1 of 4 identical courses. Measurements At the end of each of the 4days, course participants completed a 9-item scale assessing trust in the course content, namely, its quality, usefulness, and reliability. Main results Cronbach alpha for the 1 to 7 trust scale was 0.94. The means±SD of scores were 5.86±0.80 after day #1, 5.81±0.76 after day #2, 5.80±0.77 after day #3, and 5.97±0.76 after day #4. Multiple methods of statistical analysis all found that there was no significant effect of the number of days of the course on trust in the content (all P≥0.30). Conclusions Trust in the course content did not increase after the end of the 1st day. Therefore, statistics review, reading, and the 1st day of the course appear sufficient when the objective of teaching OR management is not that participants will learn how to make the decisions, but will comprehend them and trust in the information underlying knowledgeable decision-making.
Sphingosine 1-phosphate induces extracellular matrix invasion and seprase activity in human endothelial cells.

1151 Sphingosine 1-phosphate (Sph-1-P), a bioactive lysophospholipid present in the plasma, is released from activated platelets. Our previous study demonstrated that Sph-1-P promoted the spreading on and migration of human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVEC) through the extracellular matrix (ECM), suggesting a possible induction of cell surface proteases in the Sph-1-P activated endothelial cells. Here we provide the evidence that seprase, a type II transmembrane serine protease (TTSP) usually absent in tissue cells, can be induced in endothelial cells activated by Sph-1-P. We show by immunoblot analysis using anti-seprase monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) that Sph-1-P enhanced expression of seprase in a time- and dose-dependent manner in HUVEC. The Sph-1-P inducible seprase could be blocked by pertussis toxin and by C3 transferase, which inactivate Gi-type heterotrimetric G proteins and Rho, respectively. These results show that Sph-1-P can regulate migration of endothelial cells by inducing seprase expression, which, in turn, is mediated through a Gi-coupled cell surface receptor and the Rho protein.
Debates in Pain Management Testing.

The annual healthcare costs associated with chronic pain are significant. Chronic pain also has important societal implications including the increasing availability of prescription narcotics. Recent literature and several professional societies have recommended urine drug testing to monitor adherence to prescription medications and to detect drug abuse and/or misuse. The technical benefits of urine drug testing using definitive testing methods such as LC-MS/MS are well documented. However, the guidelines, literature, and expert consensus on other aspects of pain management testing are sparse and/or more controversial. While many institutions and laboratories perform some form of validity and adulterant testing, the extent and utility of testing in pain management is not standardized. The benefits of point-of-care testing and the resources required to maintain a robust testing program are also not well studied. Furthermore, while urine testing is currently the gold standard in pain management, recent literature has shown some benefits of testing oral fluid and other matrices. There continue to be analytical and billing challenges with pain management testing. The utility of quantitative, definitive testing is controversial. Some laboratories only report qualitative results, while others find value in reporting some or all results quantitatively. Furthermore, the practice of laboratory professionals providing formal consultations for pain management testing and/or billing for interpretations is variable. Finally, pharmacogenomic testing is not routinely done in pain management, but some studies suggest it may be beneficial. Here we ask 7 individuals their expert opinion on different aspects of drug testing to assess compliance in pain management. Which validity and adulterant testing (e.g., observation of specimen collection, recording urine temperature immediately after collection, chain of custody, creatinine, specific gravity, pH, oxidants, nitrites) should be required? William Clarke: If there is a low suspicion for adulteration, measuring temperature, specific gravity, and creatinine should be sufficient. If tampering with the specimen …
Do we owe God worship

This article responds to recent arguments that worshipping God cannot be obligatory. It shows how a respect-based account of worship is compatible with the claim that only God is worthy of worship, and compatible with the view that worship is very different from attitudes we owe to creatures. Then, it develops a respect-based account in enough detail to show how our moral motivations to respect creatures generate an obligation to worship God. The upshot is an analysis of worship which can weather recent arguments that worshipping God is not morally motivated.
Monitoring Disease Activity

Publisher Summary Multiple organizations have devised instruments for the purpose of monitoring SLE disease activity, primarily with the goal of following the course of clinical disease expression in epidemiological studies. Several of these indices have been adapted for use in clinical trial outcomes. Validated instruments have been successful at measuring SLE activity. This chapter focuses on several validated instruments of disease activity that have been widely utilized in clinical practice, are accepted outcome indices for clinical trials, and have been used as endpoints for the evaluation of many experimental drugs. These include several iterations of the BILAG (British Isles Lupus Assessment Group) Index, the Systemic Lupus Erythematosus Disease Activity Index (SLEDAI) (and modified versions), and ways in which these instruments have been combined in composite outcome measures or modified to specifically address the capturing of flares. The BILAG Index links the grading of disease activity to the presence or absence of an intent to change therapy. It ranks symptoms by organ and by severity. The SLEDAI charts the presence or absence of symptoms but does not have the same level of complexity as the BILAG. Although it is not designed to assess different organs separately, it can be used that way, and it may have an advantage over the BILAG in being able to separate the assessment of multiple features within one organ, especially in the mucocutaneous system. Both instruments can be useful in clinical trials, but an understanding of their strengths and weaknesses is very important in designing outcomes for trials.
Revisiting the biological perspective in the use of biopsychosocial assessments in social work

The call for increased attention to the biopsychosocial perspective in social work practice is now decades old in the USA. And yet the challenge of teaching and learning from this perspective for t...
The Upside of Outrage

A debate has emerged across disciplines about why people engage in costly helping. Empathy is one mechanism. We highlight a second, more controversial motivator: moral outrage. Integrating findings from moral psychology and intergroup literatures, we suggest outrage is a critical force for collective action and highlight directions for future research.