cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
The efficient implementation of Reed-Solomon high rate erasure resilient codes

In this paper, we investigate the efficient implementation of Reed-Solomon high rate erasure resilient codes. Though the implementation of Reed-Solomon codes for error correction coding has been extensively investigated in the past, there is little work on the efficient implementation of Reed-Solomon codes for high rate erasure resilient coding application. In this paper, we investigate a number of technologies, including the direct inverse of the Reed-Solomon sub-generator matrix, and the scalar vector multiplication and addition on the Galois field to speed up the Reed-Solomon erasure encoding/decoding operations. Our implementation of the Reed-Solomon erasure code achieves an encoding/decoding throughput of 25 MB per second, (i.e., 200 Mbit/s), on a Pentium 2.8 GHz computer.
Optimizations for simultaneous detection of atmospheric N 2 O and CO with a quantum cascade laser

A QCL laser based open-path sensor for atmospheric N 2 O/CO achieves a sensitivity of 0.26 ppbv of N 2 O and 0.24 ppbv of CO in 1 s. Optimizations including dual modulation amplitudes and inline reference cell have been performed with WMS.
Thermal microwave phonons

Thermal microwave phonons have been generated in thin resistive films deposited on X-cut quartz and sapphire crystals. The propagation characteristics of these teracycle phonons have been measured in these crystals, and the data have been analyzed using computer techniques. For this work, thin-film, superconducting bolometers were used as the phonon pulse-detecting element with apparently high sensitivity. The results indicated the onset of elastic dispersion in quartz.
Anti-U.S. Foreign Policy of Dependent States Mexican and Costa Rican Participation in Central American Peace Plans

Literature on the foreign policy behavior of economically dependent states holds that they will comply with the foreign policy preferences of the United States, particularly on cold war issues. Regional foreign policies of Mexico and Costa Rica defy this view. Despite significant economic dependence on U.S. aid and trade, both Miguel de la Madrid and Oscar Arias developed peace plans for Central America that directly countered the objectives of the Reagan policy for the area. Pressures resulting from (a) regional security threats, (b) the flow of refugees into Costa Rica and Mexico, (c) the foreign policy traditions of each country, and (d) the need to counteract the effects of dependence guided these presidents to accept the risks of a defiant foreign policy in order to satisfy local demands. Even though heavily dependent and under pressure from the U.S. government to comply with its regional foreign policy, Mexico and Costa Rica implemented policies that served their own national interests and defied Wa...
Developmental Changes in Ionic Channel Activity in the Embryonic Murine Heart

We have isolated murine embryonic atrial and ventricular cells derived from timed-pregnant females at different periods and used patch-clamp procedures to investigate age- and chamber-specific expression of ionic channels in the developing fetal mouse. Our data indicate that L-type Ca2+ channels play a dominant role in excitation during early murine cardiac embryogenesis and that Na+ channel expression increases dramatically just before birth. K+ channel expression is particularly sensitive to changes during development. Neither atrial nor ventricular cells express a slowly activating component of delayed rectification (IKs) until just before birth, and inwardly rectifying channel activity, associated with determination of cellular resting potential, is not markedly apparent until late stages of embryogenesis. Instead, we find robust expression of the ATP-regulated K+ channel at early and late states of embryonic development, which may indicate a novel functional role for this channel during morphogenesis of the heart. These results have important implications for the physiology and development of the murine cardiac conduction system and will also serve as a baseline for future studies designed to investigate developmental changes of ion channel expression in the myocardium of both wild-type and genetically modified mice.
Time to Treatment Response in Patients with Follicular Lymphoma Treated with Bortezomib Is Longer Compared with Other Histologic Subtypes

Purpose: To determine the antitumor activity of the novel proteasome inhibitor bortezomib in patients with indolent non–Hodgkin9s lymphoma. Experimental Design: Patients with follicular lymphoma (FL), marginal zone lymphoma, mantle cell lymphoma, small lymphocytic lymphoma/chronic lymphocytic leukemia, and Waldenstrom9s macroglobulinemia were eligible for study. Bortezomib was given at a dose of 1.5 mg/m 2 as an i.v. push on days 1, 4, 8, and 11 of a 21-day cycle. Eligibility included the following: ( a ) no more than three prior therapies, ( b ) at least 1 month since prior chemotherapy, ( c ) measurable disease, and ( d ) an absolute neutrophil count of >1,000/μL and a platelet count >50,000/μL for the first dose of any cycle. Results: Seventy-seven patients were registered, of which 69 were assessable for response based on the completion of two cycles of therapy. Subtypes included FL (59.5%), mantle cell lymphoma (52%), small lymphocytic lymphoma/chronic lymphocytic leukemia (16.2%), marginal zone lymphoma (21.6%), and one Waldenstrom9s macroglobulinemia. The median number of prior therapies was three. The most common grade 3 toxicity was lymphopenia (35%) and thrombocytopenia (31%). Twenty-five patients experienced grade ≤2 sensory neuropathy (32), and 8% experienced grade 3 neurosensory toxicity. The overall response rate was 45% (40% on an intention to treat) including 10 complete remissions. Of 18 patients with FL, 9 responded with 4 complete response. The median time to treatment response for FL was 12 weeks, whereas the median time to treatment response for other subtypes of non–Hodgkin9s lymphoma was only 4 weeks. Conclusions: These data suggest that bortezomib has significant single agent activity in patients with FL, and that longer durations of treatment may improve overall response. Clin Cancer Res; 16(2); 719–26
Thickness dependence of magnetic and transport properties of chromium dioxide (CrO/sub 2/) strained epitaxial thin films

Chromium dioxide (CrO/sub 2/) thin films of different thicknesses (110-2600 /spl Aring/) have been grown epitaxially on [100]-oriented TiO/sub 2/ substrates by the chemical vapor deposition technique. The thicker films, with a Curie temperature of 395 K, exhibit in plane magnetocrystalline anisotropy with the magnetic easy axis along the c-axis direction. At low temperatures, the easy axis is deflected from the c- toward the b-axis in the thickness range 1500-600 /spl Aring/. For even smaller thicknesses, the c-axis and the magnetic easy axis coincide again. However, at 300 K, the c-axis is always the magnetic easy axis in every film studied. Resistivity measurement in the temperature range of 4.2 to 420 K has also been performed. Temperature dependence of the resistivity is highly anisotropic between the b- and the c-axis, due to thickness induced anisotropic strain in the CrO/sub 2/ films.
A Demonstration of the Effects of Digitization on the Calculation of Kurtosis for the Detection of RFI in Microwave Radiometry

Microwave radiometers detecting geophysical parameters are very susceptible to radio-frequency interference (RFI) from anthropogenic sources. RFI is always additive to a brightness observation, and so the presence of RFI can bias geophysical parameter retrieval. As microwave radiometers typically have the most sensitive receivers operating in their band, low-level RFI is both significant and difficult to identify. The kurtosis statistic can be a powerful means of identifying some types of low-level RFI, as thermal noise has a distinct kurtosis value of three, whereas thermal noise contaminated even with low-level nonthermal RFI often has other values of kurtosis. This paper derives some benign distortions of the kurtosis statistic due to digitization effects and demonstrates these effects with a laboratory experiment in which a known amount of low-level RFI is injected into a digital microwave radiometer.
One‐Pot Silyl Ketene Acetal‐Formation Mukaiyama–Mannich Additions to Imines Mediated by Trimethylsilyl Trifluoro­methanesulfonate

In the presence of trimethylsilyl trifluoromethanesulfonate and trialkylamine base, thioesters are readily converted into silyl ketene acetals in situ and undergo Mukaiyama–Mannich addition to N-phenylimines in one pot. The silyl triflate appears to play two roles, activating both the thioester and the imine. This process also works well when thioesters are replaced with amides, esters, or ketones. Products are isolated as desilylated anilines without the necessity of a deprotection step. Yields range from 65 to 99 %.
Full 3-D tracking using the controlled active vision paradigm

The authors present algorithms for 3D robotic visual tracking of moving targets whose motion is 3D and consists of translational and rotational components. The objective is to track selected features of the moving target and to position their projections on the image plane at desired positions. Only a single camera mounted on the end-effector of a robotic device is needed and the algorithms do not require accurate knowledge of the relative distance of the target from the camera frame. This fact makes these algorithms potentially useful in poorly calibrated environments. The problem is formulated as an application of the controlled active vision framework. The camera model introduces a number of parameters that must be estimated online. An adaptive control algorithm compensates for the modeling errors, the tracking errors, and the computational delays introduced by the vision algorithms. Experimental results for the TROIKABOT robotic system, which consists of three PUMA 560s, verify the potential of the algorithms. >
CONTRACTARIANISM AND INTERSPECIES WELFARE CONFLICTS

In this essay I describe how contractarianism might approach interspecies welfare conflicts. I start by discussing a contractarian account of the moral status of nonhuman animals. I argue that contractors can agree to norms that would acknowledge the “moral standing” of some animals. I then discuss how the norms emerging from contractarian agreement might constrain any comparison of welfare between humans and animals. Contractarian agreement is likely to express some partiality to humans in a way that discounts the welfare of some or all animals. While the norms emerging from the contract might be silent or inconsistent in some tragic or catastrophic cases, in most ordinary conflicts of welfare, contractors will agree to norms that produce some determinate resolution. What the agreement says can evolve depending upon how the contractors or the circumstances change. I close with some remarks on contractarian indeterminacy.
Indoor Air Contamination from Hazardous Waste Sites: Improving the Evidence Base for Decision-Making

At hazardous waste sites, volatile chemicals can migrate through groundwater and soil into buildings, a process known as vapor intrusion. Due to increasing recognition of vapor intrusion as a potential indoor air pollution source, in 2015 the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) released a new vapor intrusion guidance document. The guidance specifies two conditions for demonstrating that remediation is needed: (1) proof of a vapor intrusion pathway; and (2) evidence that human health risks exceed established thresholds (for example, one excess cancer among 10,000 exposed people). However, the guidance lacks details on methods for demonstrating these conditions. We review current evidence suggesting that monitoring and modeling approaches commonly employed at vapor intrusion sites do not adequately characterize long-term exposure and in many cases may underestimate risks. On the basis of this evidence, we recommend specific approaches to monitoring and modeling to account for these uncertainties. We propose a value of information approach to integrate the lines of evidence at a site and determine if more information is needed before deciding whether the two conditions specified in the vapor intrusion guidance are satisfied. To facilitate data collection and decision-making, we recommend a multi-directional community engagement strategy and consideration of environment justice concerns.
The Impact of Chronic Pain on the Health of Black and White Men

Persistent pain, disability, and depression are hallmarks for chronic pain. While disparities based upon race, gender, and class are documented, little is known about pain disparities in minority men. This investigation examines black (6.2%) and white (93.8%) men (N = 1650) presenting for initial assessment at a tertiary care pain center. Racial comparisons utilized analysis of variance; all variables of interest were then placed in a theoretical model using path analysis. The model included race, age, education, neighborhood income, marital status, litigation, substance use, and high blood pressure as predictors and pain, depression, affective distress, posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), and disability as outcomes. Black race was associated with lower neighborhood income, education and marriage rates, and higher rates of litigation and high blood pressure. Black men also had higher pain (affective and miscellaneous), disability, and depression. Path analysis found black race was a direct predictor of greater pain, and through pain, was an indirect predictor of depression, affective distress, PTSD, and disability. Path analysis confirmed the complexity of relationships and supported using techniques to understand these relationships. Our data highlight disparities in the pain experience for black men. They also elucidate potential mechanisms through which disparities work in vulnerable and understudied populations.
Adaptive architectures for spectral processing

Introduction of adaptive components into optical sensing architectures can facilitate powerful new modes of operation that blend acquisition and exploitation. I discuss three spectral applications where such gains have been validated experimentally by my research group-dynamic range matching, direct classification spectrometry, and direct classification spectral imaging and describe a key challenge to further development of these kinds of approaches.
Laboratory Experiments in Marketing: The Experimenter Effect:

Research findings in the experimental social psychology area indicate the phenomenon of the experimenter effect. Major research findings are reviewed, and implications for laboratory experiments in...
The Influence of a Strong Refugee Community on the Economic Adjustment of its Members

This article explores the economic adjustment of Cuban refugees living in West New York, New Jersey, as well as some of the factors which have helped their adjustment. Over 400,000 Cuban refugees are now living in the United States. Miami-Dade County, Florida, the point of first arrival for most Cubans, remains the area with the single largest concentration of Cubans in the United States. Nevertheless, as a result of the resettlement program set up by the U.S. government in 1965 to relieve the burdens of the concentration of so many Cubans in Miami, over half of all Cubans in the United States now live outside the greater Miami area. New York and New Jersey have accepted a large proportion of all resettled refugees. One of the densest concentrations of Cubans outside of Miami is estimated to be in West New York, New Jersey. The unexpected rapid influx of large numbers of Cuban refugees in West New York has involved a complicated problem of occupational adjustment for these refugees. Despite sharp declines in their occupation? al levels from Cuba to West New York, the economic adjustment of these refugees has been surprisingly good. The presence of a strong community is believed to have contributed to this remarkable adjustment. Two daily flights from Veradero, Cuba, to Miami, Florida, have carried some 3,500 to 4,000 refugees into the United States every month until August, 1971. Approximately, 40,000 Cubans have been entering the United States each year. More than one in every 21 Cubans has already come to the United States.1
The prospect of "ecological reclamation" and a train of developmental thought

Zhejiang Province is populous but lack of land.The contradiction of supply and demand of the land is a prominent question.However,Zhejiang Province has abundant resources of beach.Scientific exploitation and use the resources have become a foundational channel of solving the reduction of the land resources day by day,and the effect and meaning display more and more.We'll redouble our efforts to reclaim the land and supply powerful support of land for Zhejiang provincial economy and at the same time we must establish developmental thought for "ecological reclamation",strengthen scientific research for beach reclamation of ecological balance,try our best to build a fine and harmonious ecological environment and take the road of beach reclamation continuously.We put five measures for implementing beach reclamation of ecological balance .We'll add new substance for the building of the province with ecological balance in Zhejiang Province.
National cuisine and international sexuality: cultural politics and gender representation in the transnational remake from Eat Drink Man Woman to Tortilla Soup

This article investigates the cultural politics and gender discourses embedded in the transnational remake of Eat Drink Man Woman (1994) into Tortilla Soup (2002) as the latter remaps Eat Drink Man...
Two Programs for System Reliability Computation

Although several techniques for calculating the reliability of coherent binary systems of independent binary components have been developed in the reliability literature, the mathematics involved i...
A NEW JURASSIC PHLEBOPTERIS (PLANTAE, FILICALES) FROM THE WALLOWA TERRANE IN THE SNAKE RIVER CANYON, OREGON AND IDAHO

ABSTRAcr-A new species of the fern Phlebopteris, P. tracyi n. sp., is described from the Jurassic Coon Hollow Formation in the Wallowa terrane in the Snake River Canyon, Oregon and Idaho. The leaf is as large or larger than all specimens of previously described species of Phlebopteris. The pinnae of the new species are divided into many widely spaced, narrow, elongate pinnules that have obtusely pointed apices. Each pinnule contains a strong midrib from which lateral veins arise at a high angle and give off anastomosing branch veins. The fertile pinnae bear circular superficial sori arranged in a single row on each side of midrib. The new Phlebopteris occurs beneath a horizon containing marine fossils of Middle Jurassic age. The presence of P. tracyi in the Coon Hollow Formation indicates that it was deposited under a humid, warm to hot climate.
The energy requirements and environmental impacts of sheet metal forming: An analysis of five forming processes

Abstract Industrial emissions must be dramatically reduced to avoid the potentially dangerous effects of climate change. In order to contribute to the necessary cuts, this article focuses on the energy and material efficiency of sheet metal forming. The processes considered include traditional methods, such as drawing and stretch forming, and newer technologies developed in recent decades such as hydroforming (fluid cell forming), superplastic forming, and incremental sheet forming. In this analysis, we conduct case studies on forming processes at leading US car and aerospace manufacturers. The case studies include electrical power measurements on the forming machines and also consider the impacts of making the dies, sheet metal, and lubricant. Cradle-to-gate energy demands and environmental impacts are modeled in SimaPro using data based on ecoinvent 3.1 database values. The results show that idling consumes significant electricity; however, other than for incremental forming, the impacts of press electricity are small compared to the impacts of making the sheet metal. The case studies inform generalized models for each process that allow per part impacts to be estimated based only on final part material, size (surface area, thickness, and depth), and the number of parts produced over the die-set lifespan. The models are used to investigate the potential to reduce cradle-to-gate energy requirements by using incremental forming instead of drawing to form parts. It is found that there are significant potential savings for small production runs, consistent with part development/prototyping. However, these savings vary depending on the part size and the relative buy-to-fly ratio (material yield) of the two processes. The results of this study highlight that for small production numbers over the die lifespan the impacts of die-making are important. However, as production numbers increase above one hundred parts per die-set, the impacts of making the sheet metal become dominant. It is therefore concluded that researchers interested in reducing the environmental impacts of sheet metal forming concentrate on innovations that would reduce sheet metal blanking and post-forming trimming losses.
Peter Monk and inverse scattering theory

Abstract Peter Monk has made numerous significant contributions to the field of inverse scattering theory. In the following I try to highlight Peter’s most significant achievements in this area with emphasis on the renaissance that took place in the mathematical and numerical treatment of inverse scattering problems that began in the mid 1980s.
Opinions regarding neonatal resuscitation training for the obstetric physician: a survey of neonatal and obstetric training program directors.

AbstractPurpose: Our goal was to garner opinions regarding neonatal resuscitation training for obstetric physicians. We sought to evaluate obstacles to neonatal resuscitation training for obstetric physicians and possible solutions for implementation challenges.Materials and methods: We distributed a national survey via email to all neonatal-perinatal medicine fellowship directors and obstetrics & gynecology residency program directors in the United States. This survey was designed by a consensus method.Results: Ninety-eight (53%) obstetric and fifty-seven (51%) neonatal program directors responded to our surveys. Eighty-eight percent of neonatologists surveyed believe that obstetricians should be neonatal resuscitation program (NRP) certified. The majority of surveyed obstetricians (>89%) believe that obstetricians should have some neonatal resuscitation training. Eighty-six percent of obstetric residents have completed training in NRP, but only 19% of obstetric attendings are NRP certified. Major barrie...
Cognitive Isomorphism Among B Corporations

In the present paper, we contribute to research grounded in institutional theory by developing and testing hypotheses that examine sources of variation in how constituents of B Corporations rationa...
Reproductive outcomes following robotic myomectomy

Background: To assess pregnancy outcomes of patients following robotic myomectomy. Methods: Retrospective chart review was performed of 336 patients following robotic myomectomy at a university hospital from June 2006 to May 2013. Patients were called to obtain delivery outcomes. Results: Three hundred and thirty-six women had the following: mean age of 41.97 +/- 12.3 years (range 24-55), mean BMI of 24.6 +/- 4.96, mean of 3.37 +/- 3.1 fibroids removed (range 1-21), and mean weight of 352.28 +/- 339.56 grams of fibroids removed. Approximately 66.9% (N=250) provided pregnancy outcome data with 119 (47.6%) attempting pregnancy after surgery. Eighty-three (69.7%) achieved a total of 91 pregnancies. Less than half of these patients underwent cesarean section, and no cases of uterine rupture. Eighty-seven patients had known infertility pre-surgery; 22 underwent intrauterine insemination resulting in 12 pregnancies, and 34 underwent in vitro fertilization resulting in 25 pregnancies. A total of 53 (60.9%) of patients with infertility achieved 60 total pregnancies. Conclusions: The fertility rate after robotic myomectomy for patients attempting to conceive (69.7%) and for those with known infertility who continued to attempt pregnancy postoperatively (60.9%) were similar. There was a low incidence of complications associated with pregnancies conceived after robotic myomectomy.
The Child Neurology Trainee-as-Teacher: A Clinical Teaching Curriculum Tailored to Learners' Needs and Developmental Roles.

Abstract Background Clinical teaching skills programs for resident physicians are increasingly offered. Less attention has been devoted to the unique educational roles of specialty residents and subspecialty fellows, many of whom will become academic faculty physicians. These teaching roles, and therefore a trainee's learning needs and motivation, also change over the course of training. Methods We designed and implemented a two-year longitudinal teaching curriculum for child neurology and neurodevelopmental disabilities residents using adult learning theory principles: experiential learning and immediate applicability to specific roles. Core modules included teaching in clinical settings, adult learning, and giving feedback. Training-year-specific modules for second-year residents (n = 11) and final-year residents (n = 10) included teaching through consultation and promoting clinical reasoning in supervisory roles. Learners completed an 11-item self-assessment before and after intervention. Results The overall program significantly increased residents' self-assessed knowledge of how to assess the level of a learner ( P = 0.02, Cohen d = 0.84) and comfort and skill in giving feedback ( P = 0.04, d = 0.64; P = 0.04, d = 0.71). The final-year-specific curriculum additionally increased self-assessed skill in teaching same-specialty residents ( P = 0.05, d = 1.07) and in promoting clinical reasoning ( P = 0.03, d = 1.14). The program was rated highly by trainees and faculty, and has been adopted as an ongoing part of our training program. Conclusions Our experience offers a reproducible model and theoretical framework for child neurology, neurodevelopmental disabilities, and other specialty programs to develop customized trainee-as-teacher curricula with specialty- and training-year-specific content.
Learning the ideal observer for SKE detection tasks by use of convolutional neural networks (Cum Laude Poster Award)

It has been advocated that task-based measures of image quality (IQ) should be employed to evaluate and optimize imaging systems. Task-based measures of IQ quantify the performance of an observer on a medically relevant task. The Bayesian Ideal Observer (IO), which employs complete statistical information of the object and noise, achieves the upper limit of the performance for a binary signal classification task. However, computing the IO performance is generally analytically intractable and can be computationally burdensome when Markov-chain Monte Carlo (MCMC) techniques are employed. In this paper, supervised learning with convolutional neural networks (CNNs) is employed to approximate the IO test statistics for a signal-known-exactly and background-known-exactly (SKE/BKE) binary detection task. The receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve and the area under the ROC curve (AUC) are compared to those produced by the analytically computed IO. The advantages of the proposed supervised learning approach for approximating the IO are demonstrated.
Forensic Science Must Be Scientific.

The article presents author's comments on the U.S. Department of Justice that established the National Commission on Forensic Science (NCFS), exploring the issues related to rape and murder. It states that the National Institute of Standards and Technology, has worked diligently to identify problems and propose changes to improve forensic science.
Contributions of the Pedunculopontine Region to Normal and Altered REM Sleep

The pedunculopontine (PPN) region of the upper brainstem is recognized as a critical modulator of activated behavioral states such as wakefulness and rapid eye movement (REM) sleep. The expression of REM sleep-related physiology (e.g. thalamocortical arousal, ponto-geniculate-occipital (PGO) waves, and atonia) depends upon a subpopulation of PPN neurons that release acetylcholine (ACh) to act upon muscarinic receptors (mAChRs). Serotonin's potent hyperpolarization of cholinergic PPN neurons is central to present working models of REM sleep control. A growing body of experimental evidence and clinical experience suggests that the responsiveness of the PPN region, and thereby modulation of REM sleep, involves closely adjacent glutamatergic neurons and alternate afferent neurotransmitters. Although many of these afferents are yet to be defined, dopamine-sensitive GABAergic pathways exiting the main output nuclei of the basal ganglia and adjacent forebrain nuclei appear to be the most conspicuous and the most likely to be clinically relevant. These GABAergic pathways are ideally sited to modulate the physiologic hallmarks of REM sleep differentially (e.g. atonia versus cortical activation), because each originates from a functionally unique forebrain circuit and terminates in a unique pattern upon brain stem neurons with unique membrane characteristics. Evidence is reviewed that changes in the quality, timing, and quantity of REM sleep that characterize narcolepsy, REM sleep behavior disorder, and neurodegenerative and affective disorders (depression and schizophrenia) reflect 1) changes in responsiveness of cells in the PPN region governed by these afferents; 2) increase or decrease in PPN cell number; or 3) mAChRs mediating increased responsiveness to ACh derived from the PPN. Auditory evoked potentials and acoustic startle responses provide means independent from recording sleep to assess pathophysiologies affecting the PPN and its connections and thereby complement investigations of their role in affecting daytime functions (e.g. arousal and attention).
Role of Radioactive Isotopes in Management of Ovarian Cancer

Study of the atom has evolved from a simple concept to a complex one. There have been many contributions to this subject. Einstein’s general theory of relativity and the great theory of quantum mechanics have made it a subject that requires a background in mathematics, physics, and chemistry. The concept of particles, antiparticles, quarks, mesons, and a variety of ongoing basic experiments stimulated by research in theoretical physics have unlocked secrets of the atom and its nucleus. Although all of these concepts are important for an indepth study of the subject, less complex knowledge of nuclear physics is sufficient for clinicians in their work with radioactive isotopes.
Should We Pay Federal Circuit Judges More

According to Chief Justice John Roberts, the most difficult issue facing the federal judiciary is low judicial salaries. His view, shared by other justices, many federal judges, the American Bar Association, and prominent law school deans, is that low salaries deter many of the most qualified candidates from considering the bench. This article examines the impact of judicial pay on the performance of the federal circuit courts. I exploit variation in the next best financial opportunity for most circuit judges - partnership in a regional law firm - to determine the impact of low judicial salaries. With high judicial salaries, judges give up little money as against their next best opportunity to take the bench. With low judicial salaries, judges give up a lot of money to take the bench. Comparison of the performance of judges with varying 'spreads' allows for a prediction about the likely impact of higher judicial salaries. The article finds that low judicial salaries do not impact votes in controversial cases, the speed of case disposition, citation practices to outside circuit authority, or the strength of judicial opinions. The article does find that low salaries lead to slightly fewer dissents. This effect, while statistically significant, is nonetheless practically trivial. In short, the article finds that judicial pay is largely irrelevant to the performance of the circuit courts.
Post-transplant Psychosocial and Mental Health Care of the Cardiac Recipient

Heart transplantation offers patients with end-stage heart disease an opportunity for many additional years of life, with relief of heart failure and resumption of valued activities and social roles. Nevertheless, psychiatric problems are common and may undermine quality of life and survival. Important problems following transplantation include delirium, cognitive dysfunction, mood disorders, anxiety, post-traumatic stress disorder, sexual dysfunction, sleep disorders, and marital and family dysfunction. Steroids, immunosuppressants, and other medicines used in care of transplant recipients may cause psychopathology. Few controlled treatment studies have been conducted in psychiatric care of post-heart transplant recipients, so most treatment is based on uncontrolled case series, clinical experience, and extrapolation from other patient populations. Psychopharmacologic treatments are based on consideration of anticipated adverse effect profiles and drug interactions.
The mitochondrial alternative oxidase from Chlamydomonas reinhardtii enables survival in high light

Photosynthetic organisms often experience extreme light conditions that can cause hyper-reduction of the chloroplast electron transport chain, resulting in oxidative damage. Accumulating evidence suggests that mitochondrial respiration and chloroplast photosynthesis are coupled when cells are absorbing high levels of excitation energy. This coupling helps protect the cells from hyper-reduction of photosynthetic electron carriers and diminishes the production of reactive oxygen species (ROS). To examine this cooperative protection, here we characterized Chlamydomonas reinhardtii mutants lacking the mitochondrial alternative terminal respiratory oxidases, CrAOX1 and CrAOX2. Using fluorescent fusion proteins, we experimentally demonstrated that both enzymes localize to mitochondria. We also observed that the mutant strains were more sensitive than WT cells to high light under mixotrophic and photoautotrophic conditions, with the aox1 strain being more sensitive than aox2. Additionally, the lack of CrAOX1 increased ROS accumulation, especially in very high light, and damaged the photosynthetic machinery, ultimately resulting in cell death. These findings indicate that the Chlamydomonas AOX proteins can participate in acclimation of C. reinhardtii cells to excess absorbed light energy. They suggest that when photosynthetic electron carriers are highly reduced, a chloroplast–mitochondria coupling allows safe dissipation of photosynthetically derived electrons via the reduction of O2 through AOX (especially AOX1)-dependent mitochondrial respiration.
Consumer Acceptance of Reduced Sodium Potato Chips and Puffed Rice: How Does Ingredient Information and Education Influence Liking?

Approximately 90% of Americans consume more than the 2,300 mg of sodium recommended daily; therefore, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has recommended short- and long-term sodium reduction goals in food products. Reduced sodium products have not been previously liked, so flavor enhancers may increase their palatability. The objective of this research was to compare the acceptability of FDA-recommended short- and long-term sodium reduction goals for potato chips (18 and 51% reduction) and puffed rice (20 and 57% reduction) seasoned with and without monosodium glutamate (MSG) and disodium inosinate and guanylate (I + G) combinations across three conditions: blind tasting, ingredient information, and ingredient information with educational phrase of the need for sodium reduction and safety of flavor enhancers. Data were collected for 83 potato chip panelists and 81 puffed rice panelists. A significant difference was seen across the samples with different levels of sodium and flavor enhancers for potato chips (P < 0.01) and puffed rice (P < 0.001). For potato chips, ingredient information increased the acceptance of samples with flavor enhancers. Education increased the liking of samples with short- and long-term sodium reduction and samples that combined only salt and MSG. For puffed rice, ingredient information increased acceptance except the long-term reduced sodium samples with MSG and I + G. Education increased the liking of all samples with MSG and I + G. The combination of flavor enhancers with consumer education increased the acceptance of reduced sodium products. Future research on specific sensory differences across samples that influence acceptability will be valuable for industrial application of the findings. PRACTICAL APPLICATION: The findings of our study suggest the overall liking of reduced sodium potato chip and puffed rice samples could be improved with the addition of flavor enhancers. Additionally, reduced sodium product liking was maintained or improved when paired with ingredient labeling and sodium reduction education. The acceptance of reduced sodium products would lead to the decreased risk of hypertension, heart attacks, and strokes for Americans.
Auditive Wahrnehmung – Hörst du die Regenwürmer husten

Die neuropsychologischen Funktionen der auditiven Wahrnehmung mit dem Prozess des Horens bis zum auditiven Kortex und mit all seinen Teilfunktionen stehen im Mittelpunkt des Kapitels. Wenn trotz normalen peripheren Horvermogens akustische Information fehlerhaft ausgewertet oder schlecht verarbeitet werden, liegt eine auditive Verarbeitungs- und Wahrnehmungsstorung (AVWS) vor. Es wird ein kurzer Uberblick zur Begriffsdefinition, Evidenz, Diagnostik und zu Therapieprogrammen aufgezeigt. Alltagstipps und Fordermoglichkeiten zur auditiven Aufmerksamkeit, auditiven Merkfahigkeit, Lokalisation von Gehortem und Sprachspiele fur das Training von Analyse und Synthese werden angeboten. Die Darstellung eines Behandlungskonzepts stutzt sich nach einer ausfuhrliche Anamnese und interdisziplinarer Diagnostik auf drei Bereiche: Beratung, Therapie und der Verbesserung der Umgebungsbedingung mit Modifikation der Horumgebung.
Trade Liberalization and Fiscal Stability in Developing Countries: What Does the Evidence Tell Us?

This paper evaluates the evidence as regards the extent to which trade liberalization has led to a decline in tariff revenue, total tax revenue, government expenditure, and government debt. Conventional theory generally predicts that when tariff losses do occur, they may be recouped through better forms of taxation – though a more sophisticated body of theory suggests otherwise. The empirical evidence is also mixed. Theory driven ex‐ante models of trade liberalization assume that trade agreements are revenue neutral. Ex‐post studies suggest that theory may hold in advanced and upper middle‐income economies. However, the consequences for lower income countries are a matter for concern. The majority of the evidence finds that low income countries lose trade tax revenue and are unable to recoup much of that lost revenue. At a time when fresh bilateral trade and investment treaties are being negotiated and WTO reform is on the global policy agenda, this paper highlights the need to design a treaty regime that enhances the ability of poorer nations to mobilize domestic resources without jeopardizing fiscal and financial stability.
Identification of select G-protein coupled receptors as regulators of the ER-mitochondria contact by drug screening

Endoplasmic reticulum-mitochondrial (ER-Mito) contacts are crucial for many cellular functions. Their dysregulation has been implicated in many disorders including neurodegenerative, cardiovascular and metabolic diseases, and cancer. However, little is known about the regulatory pathways of ER-Mito contacts. To uncover such pathways, we screened a drug library for the ER-Mito contact modulators using a split-luciferase reassembly assay. We identified multiple agonists of G-protein coupled receptors (GPCRs), beta-adrenergic receptors (β-ARs) in particular, in our screen. Using multiple independent assays, we validated that these drugs enhance the physical and functional interactions between ER and mitochondria. Our data provide evidence that cytoplasmic calcium plays a role in drug-induced ER-Mito coupling. Together our study identifies GPCR activation as a novel regulatory mechanism of ER-Mito contacts and highlights the role of these contacts in responding to physiological demands or stresses. Furthermore, our findings reveal a new mechanism of action for β-AR agonists in multiple diseases.
Dispatches from Havana: multiple paths to regime change in Cuba, 2006–2010

During the early twenty-first century, U.S. diplomats in Cuba helped Cuban dissidents mobilize opposition to the Cuban government. Journalists and scholars have shown that the diplomats aided the d...
Human-Machine Integration and the Evolution of Neuroprostheses

Neuroprostheses represent one of the most ambitious pursuits of restoring the human body after trauma or disease through integration of complex biologic and electromechanical systems. The history and progress made over the past centuries are evidence of challenges that are still faced today and collaborations that are required among engineers, researchers, and clinicians. By leveraging advances in surgical techniques, neural interfaces within the central and peripheral nervous system, novel control algorithms, and sophisticated prosthetics, a complete and practical human-machine integration is possible. We explore the technology that has enabled the most advanced neuroprostheses in use today and highlight ongoing challenges facing the field.
Comorbidity patterns among people living with HIV: a hierarchical clustering approach through integrated electronic health records data in South Carolina.

Comorbidity among people living with HIV (PLWH) is understudied although identifying its patterns and socio-demographic predictors would be beneficial for comorbidity management. Using electronic health records (EHR) data, 8,490 PLWH diagnosed between January 2005 and December 2016 in South Carolina were included in the current study. An initial list of 86 individual diagnoses of chronic conditions was extracted in the EHR data. After grouping individual diagnoses with a pathophysiological similarity, 24 diagnosis groups were generated. Hierarchical cluster analysis was applied to these 24 diagnosis groups and yielded four comorbidity clusters: "substance use and mental disorder" (e.g., alcohol use, depression, and illicit drug use); "metabolic disorder" (e.g., hypothyroidism, diabetes, hypertension, and chronic kidney disease); "liver disease and cancer" (e.g., hepatitis B, chronic liver disease, and non-AIDS defining cancers); and "cerebrovascular disease" (e.g., stroke and dementia). Multivariable logistic regression was conducted to investigate the association between socio-demographic factors and multimorbidity (defined as concurrence of ≥ 2 comorbidity clusters). The multivariable logistic regression showed that age, gender, transmission risk, race, initial CD4 counts, and viral load were significant factors associated with multimorbidity. The results suggested the importance of integrated clinical care that addresses the complexities of multiple, and potentially interacting comorbidities among PLWH.
The Security Ingredients for Correct and Byzantine Fault-tolerant Blockchain Consensus Algorithms

The blockchain technology revolution and the use of blockchains in various applications have resulted in many companies and programmers developing and customizing specific fit-for-purpose consensus algorithms. Security and performance are determined by the chosen consensus algorithm; hence, the reliability and security of these algorithms must be assured and tested, which requires an understanding of all the security assumptions that make such algorithms correct and byzantine fault-tolerant.This paper studies the "security ingredients" that enable a given consensus algorithm to achieve safety, liveness, and byzantine fault tolerance (BFT) in both permissioned and permissionless blockchain systems. The key contributions of this paper are the organization of these requirements and a new taxonomy that describes the requirements for security. The CAP Theorem is utilized to explain important tradeoffs between consistency and availability in consensus algorithm design, which are crucial depending on the specific application of a given algorithm. This topic has also been explored previously by De Angelis. However, this paper expands that prior explanation and dilemma of consistency vs. availability and then combines this with Buterin’s Trilemma to complete the overall exposition of tradeoffs.
Conceptual Design of Vest for Individuals with Alzheimer’s

As of November 2019, over 5.8 million people are living with Alzheimer’s (Alzheimer’s Association, 2019). Alzheimer’s is a type of brain disease, just as coronary artery disease is a type of heart disease. The disease was thought to begin 20 years or more before symptoms arise, with small changes in the brain that are unnoticeable to the person affected (Alzheimer’s Association, 2019). Individuals typically live with Alzheimer’s symptoms for years and over time, symptoms start to increase and start interfering with individuals ability to perform everyday activities (Alzheimer’s Association, 2019). Individuals diagnosed with Alzheimer’s tend to enjoy activities that stimulate their sensory nerves, such as buttons or textured fabrics. There are not many commercial clothing items available that are adaptable to individuals with Alzheimer’s. Current items found on the market do not provide sensory stimulation and are not realistically affordable for all Alzheimer’s consumers.
Empirical correlations for natural convection, Δ and keff

Natural convection in semiconductor melts is quantified using empirical correlations for Nusselt numbers, Nu, developed in laboratory experiments with liquid metals. Nu is a dimensionless coefficient used to quantify the complex boundary condition of convection, involving advection and diffusion. A dozen of empirical correlations for heat transfer Nusselt numbers, Nu(Gr,Pr), was transformed into correlations for simultaneous heat and mass transfer, Nu(Gr,Pr, Sc), and used to calculate the parameter Δ=Pe/Nu and effective segregation coefficient, keff(Pe, Nu, k0), for horizontal Bridgman and Czochralski growth.
Advances in Automotive Heat Exchanger Technology

Heat exchangers for automobiles with an internal combustion engine are as follows: radiator, heater, condenser, evaporator, oil cooler, and charge air cooler depending upon heating and air-conditioning of the passenger compartment, engine size and output power requirement. Since the introduction of factory-built radiators around 1910, phenomenal progress has been made in the design, analysis and manufacturing developments; particularly the advances in manufacturing technology and stiff competition since 1980s have resulted in these exchangers becoming very compact, efficient, durable and lower cost. In this paper, starting with a brief historical perspective, the emphasis is made on the new developments in automotive heat exchangers since 1980s.
Unemployment insurance and labor supply and demand: A time series analysis for the United States

Abstract A disequilibrium model of the U.S. labor market in which the unemployment insurance system plays a key role is estimated. An increase in the level of real unemployment benefits markedly lowers employment and raises real wages.
Ensemble and Ligand Effects in Metal Catalysis

The sections in this article are Introduction: Adsorption Sites on Metal Surfaces Dissociative Chemisorption; Ensemble Requirements The “Electronic” Ligand Effect Pure and “Mixed” Ensembles on Binary Alloys Acknowledgments Keywords: adsorption sites; ensemble requirements; “electronic” ligand effect
Resummation for Heavy Quark Production Near Partonic Threshold

We review some techniques of resummation applied to heavy quark production in hadronic scattering and electroproduction near partonic threshold, and discuss the reduction of factorization scale dependence in resummed cross sections.