cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Ping Pong and Other Congressional Pursuits: Party Leaders and Post-Passage Procedural Choice

Although the House and Senate differ in membership composition and internal rules, they nevertheless almost always manage to resolve their differences on legislation that has passed both chambers. The mix of procedures used to resolve inter-chamber differences on major legislation has, however, changed significantly in recent years. These changes, I argue, are the result of the majority party leaderships' adaptation to changed circumstances; specifically, in their quest to satisfy their members' legislative goals in an altered political environment, majority party leaders found that they needed to involve themselves in the post-passage process more deeply and frequently and discovered that resolution procedures other than the traditional were often most effective for meeting their objectives. I substantiate my argument by developing and testing hypotheses about the sort of major measures on which one would expect alternative procedures to be used and by examining a number of illuminating examples.
A matched filter bound analysis of single- and multi-carrier DS CDMA communications

The equivalence and differences between the single wideband DS CDMA and multicarrier DS CDMA (MC-CDMA) transmissions are shown in this paper through a matched filter bound analysis. It is shown that by combining the three matched filter outputs in the three band MC-CDMA case, the output statistic is the same as output for each bit in the single wideband case for an arbitrary delay profile. Even though their performances are equivalent in most practical cases, it is shown that single wideband CDMA can more effectively use time diversity from interleaving especially when infinite interleaving can be achieved.
Seeking consistency between planning orientation and situational purchase mindset

The research applies consistency theory to investigate how planning orientation, planner, or reactor combines with situational purchase mindsets. The results of three studies reveal that (i) consistency between planning orientation and situational mindset fosters more action responses in terms of number of stores one intends to visit or actually visited; (ii) when inconsistency is experienced, action responses are fewer because the consumer seeks to resolve inconsistencies by consulting others to help build consensus toward one emerging purchase decision alternative; (iii) the findings depend upon whether the purchase context is hedonic or utilitarian for the planner but not for the reactor; and (iv) the impulsive scenario reverses the predictions of consistency theory. Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Patient Safety Management System in Pediatric ICUs

Patient safety has become an increasingly important topic of discussion in health care organizations all over the world. The publication of the report To err is human by the Institute of Medicine in the United States [1] triggered awareness of the importance of safer practices in health care, among both health care professionals and the public. In 1990, Rubins and Moskowitz [2] reported that 14% of studied patients experienced complications during their ICU stay; the hospital mortality rate in these patients increased to 67% (versus 27% in patients without complications, p < 0.0001). Giraud et al. [3] observed iatrogenic complications in 31% of adults admitted to the intensive care unit (ICU), and the patients with a major complication had a twofold increase in mortality risk. Stambouly et al. [4] reported on a prospective study on complications in a pediatric ICU (PICU); complications occurred in 8% of the admissions. The authors observed that any complication increased PICU stay from 2 to 12 days (p < 0.0001). They also found an increased mortality risk for patients experiencing any complication (0.010 to 0.022). Another study on the impact of adverse events in the PICU 5 reported that infectious complications gave rise to approximately a $50,000 increase in total costs and an increased length of stay of 15.6 days. In another context, Zhan and Miller [6] reported on the effect of medical injuries during hospitalization using the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ) Patient Safety Indicators (PSIs). The impact of these injuries was highly variable; postoperative sepsis increased length of stay to 11 days, total costs by $57,727 and mortality to 22% (p < 0.001).
Miniature multi-band whip antennas designed using genetic algorithms with application to vehicular communication systems

A new technique has been developed and successfully applied to design miniature multi-band whip-type monopole antennas. A genetic algorithm was used to achieve a size reduction of over 30% while simultaneously optimizing for multi-band operation without the need for traps. Two examples were presented including a miniature dual-band 900 MHz and 1800 MHz monopole and a miniature tri-band 30 MHz, 80 MHz, and 108 MHz VHF whip antenna.
Forecasting the 2008 U.S. House, Senate and Presidential Elections at the District and State Level

This paper applies the forecasting models of Klarner and Buchanan (2006a) for the U.S. Senate and Klarner and Buchanan (2006b) for the U.S. House of Representatives to the upcoming 2008 elections. Forecasts are also conducted for the 2008 presidential race at the state level. The forecasts presented in this article, made July 28, 2008 (99 days before the election), predicted an 11-seat gain for the Democrats in the House of Representatives, a three-seat gain for the Democrats in the Senate, and that Barack Obama would obtain 53.0% of the popular vote and 346 electoral votes. Furthermore, Obama was forecast to have an 83.6% chance of winning the White House and an 85.9% chance of winning the popular vote.
Coronary Artery Bypass in Asian Patients

Coronary artery disease in Asians deserves far more attention than it has received in the literature to date. Most of the available reports focus on immigrants from the Indian subcontinent. These immigrants have a significantly higher risk of coronary artery disease than either their compatriots who do not emigrate or the indigenous population of their adopted countries. This finding cannot be explained on the basis of standard coronary risk factors. There is a general clinical impression that Asians of all nationalities have smaller coronary arteries and more diffuse coronary disease than other ethnic groups; therefore, they are less suitable candidates for conventional bypass grafting. This impression remains a source of controversy. Our experience at the Texas Heart Institute indicates that, after coronary bypass surgery, early and long-term results in Asians are as satisfactory as in other ethnic groups. However, much more research is needed to explain the many paradoxical aspects of coronary disease ...
Goals, Requirements, and Design Implications for the Advanced High-Temperature Reactor

The Advanced High-Temperature Reactor (AHTR), also called the liquid-salt-cooled Very High-Temperature Reactor (LS-VHTR), is a new reactor concept that has been under development for several years. The AHTR combines four existing technologies to create a new reactor option: graphite-matrix, coated-particle fuels (the same fuel as used in high-temperature gas-cooled reactors); a liquid-fluoride-salt coolant with a boiling point near 1400°C; plant designs and decay-heat-removal safety systems similar to those in sodium-cooled fast reactors; and a helium or nitrogen Brayton power cycle. This paper describes the basis for the selection of goals and requirements, the preliminary goals and requirements, and some of the design implications. For electricity production, the draft AHTR goals include peak coolant temperatures between 700 and 800°C and a maximum power output of about 4000 MW(t), for an electrical output of ∼2000 MW(e). The electrical output matches that expected for a large advanced light-water reactor (ALWR) built in 2025. Plant capital cost per kilowatt electric is to be at least one-third less than those for ALWRs with the long-term potential to significantly exceed this goal. For hydrogen production, the peak temperatures may be as high as 950°C, with a power output of 2400 MW(t). The safety goals are to equal or surpass those of the modular high-temperature gas-cooled reactor with a beyond-design-basis accident capability to withstand large system and structural failures (vessel failure, etc.) without significant fuel failure or off-site radionuclide releases. These safety goals may eliminate the technical need for evacuation zones and reduce security requirements and significantly exceed the safety goals of ALWRs. The plant design should enable economic dry cooling to make possible wider nuclear-power-plant siting options. Uranium consumption is to be less than that for a LWR, with major improvements in repository performance and nonproliferation characteristics.Copyright © 2006 by ASME
Metacercaria of Alloglossidium corti (Digenea: Macroderoididae) from 3 Species of Crayfish (Decapoda: Cambaridae) in Arkansas and Oklahoma, U.S.A

Abstract In total, 80 crayfishes, including 25 Orconectes acares, 8 Orconectes palmeri longimanus, 13 Orconectes meeki meeki, 2 Orconectes neglectus neglectus, 21 Orconectes ozarkae, 4 Orconectes williamsi, 4 Procambarus liberorum, and 3 Procambarus tenuis, were collected from several counties in Arkansas and LeFlore County, Oklahoma (P. tenuis only), and specimens were examined for antennal gland parasites. Three (3.8%) were found to harbor metacercariae of Alloglossidium corti (Lamont, 1921) Van Cleave and Mueller, 1932, including 1 (4%) O. acares, 1 (12.5%) O. p. longimanus, and 1 (67%) P. tenuis. We report 3 new host records for A. corti and the first report of any helminth in these crustacean hosts.
CK2 Is a Component of the KSR1 Scaffold Complex that Contributes to Raf Kinase Activation

Kinase Suppressor of Ras (KSR) is a molecular scaffold that interacts with the core kinase components of the ERK cascade, Raf, MEK, and ERK and provides spatial and temporal regulation of Ras-dependent ERK cascade signaling. In this report, we identify the heterotetrameric protein kinase, casein kinase 2 (CK2), as a new KSR1-binding partner. Moreover, we find that the KSR1/CK2 interaction is required for KSR1 to maximally facilitate ERK cascade signaling and contributes to the regulation of Raf kinase activity. Binding of the CK2 holoenzyme is constitutive and requires the basic surface region of the KSR1 atypical C1 domain. Loss of CK2 binding does not alter the membrane translocation of KSR1 or its interaction with ERK cascade components; however, disruption of the KSR1/CK2 interaction or inhibition of CK2 activity significantly reduces the growth-factor-induced phosphorylation of C-Raf and B-Raf on the activating serine site in the negative-charge regulatory region (N-region). This decrease in Raf N-region phosphorylation further correlates with impaired Raf, MEK, and ERK activation. These findings identify CK2 as a novel component of the KSR1 scaffolding complex that facilitates ERK cascade signaling by functioning as a Raf family N-Region kinase.
Influence of Climate on the Growth of Hybrid Poplar in Michigan

This study examined the influence of climate on cumulative and interannual growth patterns of 18 full-sib families of hybrid poplars (Populus × smithii Boivin) derived from different geographical locations (state counties) of natural stands of aspen parents (trembling aspen (Populus tremuloides Michx.) and bigtooth aspen (Populus grandidentata Michx.)). The hybrids were subsequently planted in 1982 in southern mid- Michigan at Michigan State University (MSU) Sandhill Research Area. Cumulative measures of hybrid poplar productivity (diameter, height, basal area, and stem volume) in 2009 (28 years since plantation establishment) were related via correlation analysis to geographical distances and climatic variables (temperature and precipitation) between parental county locations and between parental locations and the plantation site. Tree-ring analysis methods (dendrochronology) were also used to quantify the influence of climate (i.e., mean temperature and total precipitation at monthly and 3-month seasonal scales) on interannual basal area growth rates of hybrid poplars. Analyses of cumulative measures of growth indicated a maternal effect: full-sib families had higher productivity if they had a maternal parent originating from a state county that was close to or had higher temperature (annual and summer) and summer precipitation than corresponding parameters of the planting site. Principal component analysis indicated that 17 of the 18 full-sib families shared a large amount of common growth variation. Dendrochronological analyses of interannual growth-climate relationships indicated that growth was mainly affected by the degree of late summer to fall moisture stress in both the current and previous growth season, and the degree of winter harshness.
Effects of Diesel Exhaust Particles and Carbon Black on Induction of Dust Mite Allergy in Brown Norway Rats

Particulate matter (PM) components of air pollution have been associated with mortality and health risks in susceptible populations including asthmatics. More than a decade of PM research has demonstrated that these effects do not occur indiscriminately and are related to particle size, surface area, and chemical composition. Experimental evidence in rodents indicates that inhaled or instilled diesel exhaust particles (DEPs) increase lung injury, inflammation, and allergic airway responses, and that ultra-fine carbon black (UFCB) particles cause more pulmonary inflammation than fine carbon black (FCB) particles in a dose-dependent manner. Our preliminary work determined that a dose of 100 μg of FCB, UFCB, or DEPs (NIST SRM 2975) was sufficient to enhance pulmonary inflammation in Brown Norway (BN) rats 24 hours after intratracheal (IT) instillation of the particles. In the current investigation, we sought to compare, on a mass basis, the effects of a 100 μg dose of these particles on allergic sensitizatio...
Relationship Between Hip Abductor Rate of Force Development and Mediolateral Stability in Older Adults

Abstract Chang S-HJ, Mercer VS, Giuliani CA, Sloane PD. Relationship between hip abductor rate of force development and mediolateral stability in older adults. Objective To examine the relationship between hip abductor rate of force development (RFD) and performance of reactive and voluntary balance tasks in older adults. Design Descriptive study using correlation and regression analyses. Setting University research laboratory. Participants A volunteer sample of 30 community-dwelling men and women over the age of 65 years. Interventions Not applicable. Main Outcome Measures Measures of hip abductor RFD, center of pressure (COP) displacement during compensatory stepping, and scores on 1-leg standing (OLS), and tandem gait tests. Hip abductor RFD was defined as the time required to go from 10% of maximum force to 60% of maximum force (10%–60% RFD) or to 90% of maximum force (10%–90% RFD). Results Hip abductor RFD did not correlate with COP displacement during compensatory stepping, but did correlate significantly with OLS and tandem gait variables ( P P P P Conclusions Hip abductor RFD, tested under voluntary conditions, correlated with performance of clinical tests that challenge lateral stability. Our results support the idea that voluntary and reactive balance tasks involve different types of neuromuscular control.
Chikungunya virus adaptation to Aedes albopictus mosquitoes does not correlate with acquisition of cholesterol dependence or decreased pH threshold for fusion reaction

Chikungunya virus (CHIKV) is a mosquito transmitted alphavirus that recently caused several large scale outbreaks/epidemics of arthritic disease in tropics of Africa, Indian Ocean basin and South-East Asia. This re-emergence event was facilitated by genetic adaptation (E1-A226V substitution) of CHIKV to a newly significant mosquito vector for this virus; Aedes albopictus. However, the molecular mechanism explaining the positive effect of the E1-A226V mutation on CHIKV fitness in this vector remains largely unknown. Previously we demonstrated that the E1-A226V substitution is also associated with attenuated CHIKV growth in cells depleted by cholesterol. In this study, using a panel of CHIKV clones that varies in sensitivity to cholesterol, we investigated the possible relationship between cholesterol dependence and Ae. albopictus infectivity. We demonstrated that there is no clear mechanistic correlation between these two phenotypes. We also showed that the E1-A226V mutation increases the pH dependence of the CHIKV fusion reaction; however, subsequent genetic analysis failed to support an association between CHIKV dependency on lower pH, and mosquito infectivity phenotypes. the E1-A226V mutation probably acts at different steps of the CHIKV life cycle, affecting multiple functions of the virus.
The magnitude and spatial patterns of historical and future hydrologic change in California's watersheds

Process-based models that link climate and hydrology permit improved assessments of climate change impacts among watersheds. We used the Basin Characterization Model (BCM), a regional water balance model to (1) ask what is the magnitude of historical and projected future change in the hydrology of California's watersheds; (2) test the spatial congruence of watersheds with the most historical and future hydrologic change; and (3) identify watersheds with high levels of hydrologic change under drier and wetter future climates. We assessed change for 5135 watersheds over a 60-year historical period and compared it to 90-year future projections. Watershed change was analyzed for climatic water deficit, April 1st snowpack, recharge, and runoff. Watersheds were ranked by change for the historical and two future scenarios. We developed a normalized index of hydrologic change that combined the four variables, and identified which watersheds show the most spatial congruence of large historical change and continued change under the two futures. Of the top 20% of all watersheds (1028), 591 in the Sierra Nevada Mountains and Northwestern ecoregions have high spatial congruence across all time periods. Among watersheds where change accelerates in the future, but not historically, a majority are congruent between both climate models, predominantly in the Sierra Nevada, Cascade Ranges and the Northwestern ecoregions. This congruence of impacts in watersheds under drier or wetter scenarios is driven by snowpack, but in areas with low snowpack, hydrologic change varied spatially depending on projected precipitation and temperature, with 151 watersheds in Northwestern California showing high levels of drying under the drier scenario, while 103 watersheds in Central western and Southwestern California show increasing hydrologic activity under the wetter scenario. In some regions, the loss of snowpack allows the cycle of runoff and recharge to function without delay represented by springtime snow melt, causing these watersheds to become more immediately hydrologically responsive to changing climate. The study also found watersheds with low rainfall that have already passed through their highest response to changing climate, and show less future change. The methods used here can also be used to identify watersheds resilient to changing climate.
A scheme for mapping tolerance specifications to generalized deviation space for use in tolerance synthesis and analysis

Tolerances impose restrictions on the possible deviations of features from their nominal sizes/shapes. These variations of size/shape could be thought of as deviations of a set of generalized coordinates defined at some convenient point on a feature. Any tolerance specification for a feature imposes some kind of restrictions or constraints on its deviation parameters. These constraints, in general, define a bounded region in the deviation space. In this paper, a method has been presented for converting tolerance specifications as per maximum material condition (MMC)/least material condition (LMC)/regardless of feature size (RFS) material conditions for standard mating features (planar, cylindrical, and spherical) into a set of inequalities in a deviation space. Both virtual condition boundaries Virtual condition boundary: A constant boundary generated by the collective effects of a size feature's specified MMC or LMC material condition and the geometric tolerance for that material condition. (VCB) and tolerance zones are utilized for these mappings. The mapping procedures have been illustrated with an example. Note to Practitioners-This paper deals with methods to convert tolerance specification as per ASME Y14.5M into a set of generalized deviation of features and vice-versa. These are intermediate relationships that are required for use in deviation-based tolerance synthesis methods. In this work, different examples have been presented to show how different tolerance specifications (such as positional tolerance at maximum material condition (MMC), least material condition (LMC), etc.) applied to different features could be treated on a generalized basis for tolerancing of manufactured parts.
Professional Decisions (I: the Central Role of Models, and II: Responsibilities)

Discussion of “Professional decisions (I: the central role of models, and II: responsibilities)” by D.G. Elms and C.B. Brown. Civil Engineering and Environmental Systems, 2012, 29(3), pp. 165–175; ...
TIME-DEPENDENT MECHANICAL BEHAVIOR OF CARBON BLACK FILLED ELASTOMERS

Abstract An extensive set of time-dependent mechanical data was obtained for several filled SBR elastomers, including Mullins experiments, cyclic loading experiments, and stress relaxation. These c...
Phase II study of dexamethasone, ascorbic acid, thalidomide and arsenic trioxide (DATA) in high risk previously untreated (PU) and relapsed/refractory (RR) multiple myeloma (MM)

17535 Background: The combination of Thalidomide (T) and Dexamethasone (D) is often used first line in patients with MM. Arsenic trioxide (ATO) is active and well tolerated in patients with RR MM. ...
Shopping for Gucci on Canal Street: Reflections on Status Consumption, Intellectual Property and the Incentive Thesis

The standard incentive rationale for intellectual property rights assumes that unauthorized imitation necessarily reduces innovation incentives by depriving the innovator of sales it would otherwise enjoy in the absence of such imitation. This thesis falsely predicts that the fashion industry, which has few meaningful forms of legal protection and is consequently exposed to widespread counterfeiting, would suffer from low investment in the development and production of new items. This anomalous result may be accounted for by a proposed mechanism whereby counterfeiting (provided it is visibly imperfect, the typical case in the fashion industry) is likely to increase innovators' expected profits in markets where (among other things) demand is driven in substantial part by the status benefits that accrue to visible consumers of the relevant item. This claim relies on an economic approach to intellectual property rights that unusually takes into account the cyclical and interdependent consumption patterns peculiar to fashion or status goods markets. Imperfect counterfeiting and the resulting dissemination of inferior copies may increase the expected profits of legitimate producers by inflating the premium that trend-setting consumers are willing to pay in order to acquire what is now labeled as the authentic good, and by advertising and even exaggerating the popularity of the original good (in addition to its imitations) among trend-following consumers. Legitimate producers cannot easily replicate these results by directly introducing inferior versions of the relevant fashion item because doing so risks seriously damaging a producer's brand capital in the long term. Given the foregoing, counterfeiting should not always be expected to depress innovation incentives, thereby accounting for the apparently anomalous state of affairs in the fashion industry where high levels of legitimate production coexist with high levels of unauthorized imitation. As a normative matter, while this proposition apparently counsels against allocating significant social resources to the enforcement of anti-counterfeiting statutes, it remains undetermined whether tolerating positive levels of imperfect counterfeiting is the preferred policy option given that fashion goods purchases are at least partially motivated by a mutually defeating (and therefore, socially wasteful) race among consumers to acquire or defend positions on the social ladder. Even if the standard incentive thesis cannot justify a significant investment by the state in detecting and prosecuting imperfect counterfeiters, such investment may be socially beneficial to the extent that it increases the cost of acquiring counterfeit fashion goods and therefore limits socially wasteful expenditures on such goods.
Reasonable Accommodations Under the ADA: The Supreme Court in Barnett

The Supreme Court’s 2001 Term was noteworthy, if not momentous in many areas, including the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 (ADA). In 2002, the Court, building on a trend established over the past few years, handed down four decisions on the controversial and complicated legislation. US Airways, Inc. v. Barnett, the case on which we focus, is the most significant of these recent ADA rulings.
Abstract 3910: DLX4 homeprotein enhances the invasiveness of Hs578T ER-negative breast cancer cells

Tumor invasion and metastasis remain a major cause of mortality in breast cancer patients. It was reported that BP1, a homeobox isoform of DLX4, is overexpressed in 80% of breast cancer patients and in 100% of estrogen receptor negative (ER-) tumors. The prevalence of BP1 positive cells and the intensity of BP1 immunoreactivity increased with the extent of ductal proliferation and tumorigenesis. These findings imply that BP1 may play an important role in ER- breast cancer. We sought to determine the effects and mechanisms of BP1 on cell proliferation and metastasis using ER- Hs578T cells as a model. Cells were transfected with either pcDNA3.2 plasmid containing BP1 gene, or pcDNA3.2 vector, then selected and cloned. Overexpression of BP1 increased cell proliferation rate by 2-5 fold (p =2.0. Of those genes, 49 were up-regulated and 22 were down-regulated. Further analysis has identified several important molecular pathways using the differentially expressed gene list, including CREB signaling, BCL2L1, AKT signaling, apoptosis, androgen receptor pathways, etc. CREB1, as an oncogenic transcription factor, induces transcription of genes in response to hormonal stimulation of the cAMP pathway. CREB1 can be activated through phosphorylation by a number of kinases, including AKT, protein kinase A, and calcium/calmodulin-dependent kinases and regulates genes whose deregulated expression promotes oncogenesis, including cyclins, BCL2 family members, and EGR1. It was reported that BP1 can directly bind to and activate the expression of BCL1, which is an antiapoptotic gene and considered to be an oncogene. BCL2L1 is a BCL2 protein family member that acts as anti- or pro-apoptotic regulators involving in a wide variety of cellular activities. These data demonstrated that overexpression of BP1 significantly enhanced cell proliferation and metastatic potential in ER- Hs578T cells. Further analysis with more ER- cell lines and patient samples is warranted to establish BP1 as a therapeutic target. Citation Format: {Authors}. {Abstract title} [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 101st Annual Meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research; 2010 Apr 17-21; Washington, DC. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2010;70(8 Suppl):Abstract nr 3910.
Synthesis and Characterization of Third Order Nonlinear Optical Materials

New polymers incorporating a variety of electroactive moeities with defined π-electron conjugation lengths have been synthesized and characterized by degenerate four wave mixing (DFWM) techniques. The χ (3) /α values for these materials varied from 10 −12 to 10 −13 esu cm. This work has identified several promising structures with nonlinear optical activity including organometallic and purely organic materials. The preparation of composite materials has also permitted the measurement of χ (3) /α as a function of the electroactive unit concentration.
Human Groups and Genocide

Abstract - Ch 4This chapter analyses whether political groups merit equal treatment to the four groups enumerated in the Genocide Convention. It discusses first what human “groups” really are and the inherent difficulties of defining them for legal and social purposes. It then proposes a new understanding of groups for purposes of the crime of genocide. This theory links the legal protection of groups to certain individual rights of a collective nature that give rise to the group’s existence in this context. This sets the stage for a subsequent analysis that demonstrates that political collectives have many similar characteristics to the existing four groups, such that they likewise should be specifically protected from physical and biological destruction “as such.”Abstract - Book Genocide and Political Groups provides a comprehensive examination of the crime of genocide in connection with political groups. It offers a detailed empirical study of the current status of political groups under customary international law, as well as a comprehensive theoretical analysis of whether political genocide should be recognized as a separate crime by the international community.The book discusses whether a stand-alone crime of political genocide should be recognized under international law. It begins by examining the historical development of genocide and critically assessing the unique requirements of the crime. It then demonstrates that other international offenses - notably crimes against humanity and war crimes - are not workable substitutes for a specific offense that protects political groups.This is followed by an analytical study of the protection of human groups under international law. The book proposes a new theory that links the protection of groups to individual rights of a certain character that give rise to the group’s existence. It then applies that theory in evaluating whether political groups are legitimate candidates for specific protection from physical and biological destruction ‘as such.’The writing includes an exhaustive analysis of state practice and opinio juris on the treatment of political groups. It empirically refutes claims that political groups are protected already from genocide by virtue of post-Convention developments in customary international law. In response to this legal reality, however, the book analyses the theoretical and public policy justifications for international criminal law and demonstrates that the international community would be well served by creating a separate international crime to address political genocide.
Effects of sleep loss on waking actigraphy.

Study objectives To assess the effect of sleep loss and the effect of a sedating drug on waking actigraphy Design N/A SETTING: N/A PARTICIPANTS: Seventeen healthy volunteers, aged 19-35 yrs Interventions Four night-day treatments presented in a Latin Square Design: placebo-8 hr time-in-bed (TIB), placebo-4 hr TIB, placebo-0 hr TIB, and diphenhydramine 50 mg-8 hr TIB. Measurements and results After the appropriate TIB, medication was administered at 09:00 hr, the Multiple Sleep Latency Test at 09:30, 11:30, 13:30, 15:30, and 17:30 hr, and a 45 min performance battery at 10:30, 14:30, and 16:30 hr. Each day the volunteers wore actigraphs from 0700-1800 hrs. Decreasing TIB was associated with decreased daily mean sleep latency on the MSLT with 4 and 0 hrs differing from 8 hrs and each other. Daytime activity also was reduced by the reduced prior TIB. Increased inactivity relative to the 8 hr TIB developed between the 4 hr and 0 hr TIBs, with 4 hrs differing from 0 hrs, but not 8 hrs. Diphenhydramine 50 mg reduced mean daily sleep latency and increased percent inactive time relative to placebo. On the MSLT diphenhydramine was intermediate to 4 hr and 0 hr TIB and on actigraphy it was similar to 0 hr TIB. Conclusions The difference in the effect of diphenhydramine on these actigraphy and MSLT may reflect the different sensitivities of the measures.
A benchmark fracture mechanics solution for a two-dimensional eigenstrain problem considering residual stress, the stress intensity factor, and superposition

Abstract Eigenstrain is a distributed strain field considered in mechanics that is particularly helpful in evaluating residual stress fields in the finite element method, and estimating the stress intensity factor due to residual stress in cracked components. The objective of this paper is to provide a solution for a simple eigenstrain problem in a two-dimensional rectangular domain that can serve as a benchmark for validation of fracture mechanics analysis methods. The solution provides residual stress fields and the stress intensity factor for a single edge crack as a function of crack size. Documenting the benchmark provides opportunities to demonstrate the correlation of different means to determine the stress intensity factor and to highlight details in implementing stress intensity factor calculations.
Iron Status of Very Low Birthweight Pre-Term Infants Receiving a Zinc Supplement

Increased intakes of zinc may compromise iron status in humans (1). Very low birthweight pre-term infants are known to be vulnerable to both Zn and Fe deficiencies because of low body stores at birth (2) and poor absorption during early infancy due to an immature gut (3). As part of a long term study to evaluate the effect of supplemental Zn on cognitive development in these infants, we evaluated the effect of increased dietary Zn intakes on Fe status.
Academic achievement of students in dual language immersion

This article reports on a study that investigated achievement in math of third and fourth grade dual language immersion (DLI) students, building on research that has demonstrated the academic achie...
Optimal SINR based resource allocation for simultaneous energy and information transfer

In this paper, we study the problem of simultaneous information and power transfer in a wireless multi-user, single hop network. Specifically, we develop an optimal resource allocation algorithm that maximizes the long term average rate of the network while harvesting energy from both the received signal and the interference. We focus on receivers that split the received signal power into two streams; one is fed to an information decoding block and the other is fed to an energy harvester block. We use a weight perturbation Lyapunov approach to optimally schedule data admission and allocate the powers and the energy splitting factors. We show that the designed algorithm achieves O(1/K) of the optimal and requires O(K) data queue and battery size.
Experimental study of a 1.5 MW, 110 GHz gyrotron with a single-stage depressed collector

A single-stage depressed collector has been installed on a 1.5 MW, 110 GHz gyrotron and tested in 3 microsecond pulse operation at 96 kV and 40 A. The overall efficiency with the depressed collector was 50 % at 1.5 MW of output power with a voltage depression of 25 kV. Theory predicts up to 35 kV of depressed voltage for these operating conditions. The discrepancy between the experiment and the theory has been explained by the effect of an aftercavity interaction (ACI). In this paper a theoretical study using MAGY code will be compared with the experimental results. Low frequency oscillations due to reflected electrons bouncing in the adiabatic trap are identified on the 3 microsecond pulse, for accelerating voltages in the range of 45 kV to 90 kV, with observed oscillation frequencies between 100 MHz and 170 MHz. A characterization of the oscillations is performed, through the scaling of the oscillation frequency with cathode voltage and beam current. The experimental results are compared with existing theories.
Comparison of removal‐based methods for estimating abundance of five species of prairie songbirds

Estimating species abundance is important for land managers, especially for monitoring conservation efforts. The two main survey methods for estimating avian abundance are point counts and transects. Previous comparisons of these two methods have either been limited to a single species or have not included detection probability. During the 2012 breeding season, we compared and assessed the efficiency (precision for amount of effort) of point count time of detection (PCTD) and dependent double-observer transect (TRMO) methods based on detection probabilities and abundance estimates of five species of songbirds that use a range of habitats in a prairie system in Montana dominated by sagebrush and grassland vegetation. Our focal species included Vesper Sparrows (Pooecetes gramineus), a generalist species found in both shrub and grassland habitat, shrub-obligate Brewer's Sparrows (Spizella breweri), and McCown's Longspurs (Rhynchophanes mccownii), Horned Larks (Eremophila alpestris), and Western Meadowlarks (Sturnella neglecta), three species of grassland obligates that prefer different grass heights. Detection probabilities were significantly higher for TRMO surveys, with less variation for all five species and differences most pronounced for Brewer's Sparrows and Horned Larks. PCTD surveys required less field effort (~8–20 fewer people minutes per plot) than TRMO surveys because the TRMO surveys required two people. However, time spent on TRMO surveys provided between 0.38 and 87 times more precision per people minute than PCTD surveys. Our results suggest that TRMO surveys provide a more efficient (measured as time spent per unit of standard error) field-based technique in sagebrush prairie systems for the species we investigated, resulting in more precise detection and abundance estimates.
Distributed dynamic dispatching of deloaded wind DFIGs via consensus torque control

In this paper we propose a method for dispatching a fleet of wind doubly-fed induction generators (DFIGs) in a fair fashion according to a prespecified total power reference. In our context fair means that wind generators (WGs) are required to reach the same utilization levels after dispatched. We pose the problem as a constrained consensus problem on the utilization levels among the rotor-side converters (RSCs). Then, we propose a leader-follower protocol that RSCs can adopt to guarantee that the WGs reach asymptotic consensus on their utilization levels and that their total extracted power from the wind converges to a reference value. Finally, we develop a Control Lyapunov Function-based (CLF) controller for the rotor side converter (RSC) of each WG that realizes the protocol in practice. The effectiveness of our proposed protocol and the corresponding RSC controller is verified via simulations on the modified IEEE 24-bus RT system.
Elliptic Equations: Monte Carlo Method

This chapter elaborates about the Monte Carlo method applicable to linear elliptic partial differential equations. A numerical approximation to the solution of a linear elliptic partial differential equation at a single point is obtained. Simulation of the motion of a random particle may be used to approximate the solution to linear elliptic equations. The steps for this method are straightforward. First, approximate the given elliptic partial differential equation by a finite difference method. Rewrite the finite difference formula as a recursive function for the value of the unknown at any given point. Then, interpret this recursive formula as a set of transition probabilities that determine the motion of a random particle.
Detection of lung cancer circulating tumor cells by combining immunomagnetic and size-based separation.

e22034 Background: Background: Circulating tumor cells (CTCs) have multiple potential uses in lung cancer patients (pts) including possibly providing a window through which the disease can be const...
Self-Efficacy in Low-Level English Language Learners

Accounting for differences in second language proficiency attainment is an important area of inquiry in the study of Second Language Acquisition (SLA). Accounts of the language acquisition process have generally come from cognitive or psychological perspectives, which view language learning as primarily an internal mental/emotional process, or from sociocultural or critical perspectives that emphasize the influence of the learner’s social environment. Research on variability in language learning has also failed to take into account the learning experiences of low-level learners. This study adopted a social-psychological perspective on language acquisition that focused on the role of self-efficacy in learning, and applied this perspective to understudied learners. This study interviewed four lowto intermediate-proficiency English language learners (ELLs) from Mexico about their experiences and their self-efficacy beliefs about their ability to use their English. Their accounts of their experiences learning and using English were analyzed qualitatively and four major themes were found: the role of English language interlocutors, the participants’ self-assessment of their abilities, structural obstacles to learning, and the participants’ experiences of and responses to challenges. The results also explored students’ expressions of self-efficacy, and the ways in which their levels of efficacy helped or hindered their ability to successfully engage in interactions with English speakers.
High-dose chemotherapy and stem-cell rescue for salvage therapy for relapsed malignant mixed ovarian germ cell tumor: A case report

Abstract Background Malignant ovarian germ cell tumors are rare, and often treatable with surgery and chemotherapy. Few data are available for treatment of platinum-resistant tumors. Case A 31 year old gravida 0 with a 20 cm pelvic mass was found to have a malignant ovarian germ cell tumor after she underwent debulking surgery. She initially responded to chemotherapy; however her AFP began to rise before all cycles were completed. She underwent additional debulking surgery that was again suboptimal. She was then referred for salvage therapy with high-dose chemotherapy with stem cell transplant, which was successful and she has had no evidence of disease for over two years. Conclusion High-dose chemotherapy with stem cell transplant is a viable salvage therapy for patients with platinum-resistant germ cell tumors.
Testosterone and Sexual Function

Testosterone is the most defining of male hormones. Having low testosterone affects many aspects of male sexuality; however,the effects of low testosterone are variable. Data regarding treatment of low testosterone and its effects on sexual dysfunction are highly variable in quality and,in many areas,show conflicting results. In this review,we will review the hypothalamic-pituitary-gonadal axis as well as discuss animal and human data regarding the link between testosterone and erectile function. Furthermore, we discuss testosterone replacement and its effects on treatments for erectile dysfunction as well as present the limited data available regarding the possible association of Peyronie’s disease and low testosterone. Finally, we discuss the effects of testosterone on libido and orgasmic function.
Calibrating the Extended Hückel Method to Quantitatively Screen the Electronic Properties of Materials

The extended Huckel (eH) tight-binding method has historically been prized for its computational ease and intuitive chemical clarity. However, its lack of quantitative predictiveness has prevented the eH method from being used as a tool for rapidly screening materials for desired electronic properties. In this work, we demonstrate that when eH input parameters are calibrated using density functional theory (DFT) calculations of carefully chosen sets of simple crystals, the eH parameters retain most of their quantitative accuracy when transferred to more complex, structurally related phases. Using solar-energy-relevant semiconductors and insulators in the Sr-Ti-O family as a case study, we show that calibrated eH parameters can match the features of DFT band structures within about two tenths of an eV, at a tiny fraction of the computational cost of DFT.
The Concept of Rational Animal

I would like to begin by raising a question, but the question I have in mind requires some sort of launching-pad. I therefore ask you to bear with me while I provide my question with the context which I think it requires. To this end I shall quote an abridged passage from the late Professor Bode’s book, Conflicting Psychologies of Learning. In this passage Professor Bode is setting forth a certain belief about human behavior. He is not asserting the belief, but formulating it for those who do or would assert it. With that reservation in mind, let me read what he says. It is as follows : There is no significant difference between the behavior of a human being and the behavior of a machine. Such differences as we find are differences of complexity. They are the sort of differences that we find when we compare a wheelbarrow and an automobile. Man credits himself with purpose, or intentions, but these are all reducible to principles of mechanism. Man is a machine ... This conclusion is repugnant to common sense ... However, what is called common sense may be nothing more than a name for prejudices to which we have become accustomed ... Consequently it behooves us to give careful consideration to the contention that all human behavior is reducible to terms of mechanism ... What is meant by mechanism or mechanical behavior ? Mechanism means the absence of purpose.
STUDY OF REACTION CENTER FUNCTION BY ANALYSIS OF THE EFFECTS OF SITE-SPECIFIC AND COMPENSATORY MUTATIONS

The protein portion of the reaction center (RC) complex is composed of three subunits: the intermembrane L and M chains, and the cytoplasmic H polypeptide. The cofactors are within the transmembrane region; they are related by approximate twofold symmetry as are the homologous L and M chains [1–4]. The cofactors consist of a bacteriochlorophyll dimer that is the primary electron donor, two bacteriochlorophyll monomers, two bacteriopheophytins, a non-heme iron atom, and two quinones which serve as the final electron acceptors.
Incompatibility in Trifolium pratense L.

Publisher Summary This chapter discusses incompatibility in Trifolium pretense. L. Red clover is generally self- and inter-specifically incompatible. Red clover pollen germinated and formed pollen tubes less than 1 mm long when cultured on medium containing sucrose, calcium nitrate, boric acid, and agar. The excised pistil or semi-in-vitro technique, which involved culturing only the stigma and style of the pistil on nutrient media, was used to study the effects of chemicals on pollen growth in styles. The excised pistil technique was used to study the mechanism of incompatibility. A relatively high temperature treatment, applied during anthesis, enhanced self-seed production on excised stems. The stems were excised when petal color was beginning to appear in the buds, and they were held in a solution of 2%–5% sucrose.