cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Cryogenic Qubit Integration for Quantum Computing

We have demonstrated superconducting interconnect technologies that enable a variety of flip-chip 3D integrated structures and packages compatible with high-coherence superconducting qubits. Superconducting indium micro-bumps and underbump metal (UBM) were used to join superconducting qubit chips to superconducting readout and control modules while maintaining high qubit coherence (T1, T2, echo > 20 µs) in the presence of capacitive and inductive coupling between the chips. Scanning electron microscope, X-ray, infrared and confocal microscopy were used to investigate the micro-structure, alignment accuracy, and parallelism of flip-chip qubits. The superconducting readout and control modules can accommodate both niobium and aluminum-based circuit and amplifier fabrication processes, including shadow-evaporated aluminum or Nb/Al-AlOx/Nb trilayer Josephson junctions (JJs). We present results for up to 16 active superconducting chips having trilayer junctions bonded to a passive superconducting module. The I–V characteristics and switching behavior were measured for flip-chip-connected JJ arrays with 40-20,000 JJs. Our approach maintained chip-level junction critical current and qubit coherence, demonstrating it to be a viable approach to building larger quantum computing systems. This paper also discusses packaging approaches to developing a quantum-to-classical interface in a cryogenic environment with multiple temperature stages.
Interventions to Improve the Person-Centered Quality of Family Planning Services: A Narrative Review

Person-centered care, a key component of quality of care, is receiving increased attention for maternal and reproductive health. While many interventions have aimed to improve person-centered care for family planning, there is no known narrative review of person-centered-focused interventions in family planning and the outcomes of these interventions. This narrative review fills this gap by conducting a rigorous analysis of interventions that address person-centered care and measure family planning related outcomes, including quality, knowledge and use/continuation. The search of the published and grey literature, from 1990 to 2015 identified 5530 papers, of which 25 were ultimately included in the analysis (after exclusion criteria was applied). We grouped these interventions under seven domains of person-centered care: dignity, autonomy, privacy/confidentiality, communication, social support, supportive care, and trust. We find that person-centered interventions had high success in improving perceptions of quality and knowledge of family planning among clients; however, results were less consistent in improving family planning uptake and continuation. These findings will help program and policy makers develop interventions that incorporate person-centered components to have the highest likelihood for success in improving clients’ experiences and family planning use.
Overall and subgroup prevalence of pyoderma gangrenosum among patients with hidradenitis suppurativa: A population-based analysis in the United States.

Background Hidradenitis suppurativa (HS) and pyoderma gangrenosum (PG) are reported to coexist, although the prevalence of PG among patients with HS has not been systematically evaluated. Objective To evaluate PG prevalence among patients with HS. Methods Cross-sectional analysis of adults with PG among patients with HS and patients without HS through use of electronic health records data from a population-based sample of 55 million patients. Results The prevalence of PG among 68,232 patients with HS was 0.18% (125 of 68,232), compared with 0.01% (1835 of 31,435,166) among those without HS (P Limitations We could not establish HS phenotype among those having coexistent PG, nor could we distinguish syndromic from nonsyndromic cases. Conclusion Patients with HS have an increased prevalence of PG, regardless of CD status. Painful ulcerations among patients with HS warrant additional evaluation for PG.
Racial/Ethnic Disparities in Pain Burden and Pain Management in the Context of Opioid Overdose Risk

Opioid deaths have risen to unprecedented rates in the USA. Efforts to mitigate the opioid crisis include supply-side strategies that reduce opioid availability. However, Patients of Color have historically reported less access to analgesia and worse pain burden and pain management than Whites. In this narrative review, we examine the recent literature on racial/ethnic disparities in pain care, including opioid access, and provide recommendations for advancing equity in pain management. Both cancer pain and non-cancer pain studies provide strong evidence of racial/ethnic disparities in pain burden and pain management. Compared with Whites, Patients of Color reported worse pain severity and less access to opioid and non-opioid analgesia. Rates of pain assessment/documentation during clinic visits were also lower among Patients of Color relative to their White counterparts. Racial/ethnic disparities continue to persist in pain burden and pain management. To prevent further exacerbation of existing racial/ethnic disparities in pain management, equity must be prioritized in the broader opioid debate.
Rationalizing Dynamic Choices

An analyst observes an agent take a sequence of actions. The analyst does not have access to the agent’s information and ponders whether the sequence of actions observed could be justified through a rational, Bayesian model. Could some gradual release of information have led the agent to optimally take that sequence of actions? We show that a sequence of actions cannot be rationalized if and only if it can be proved to be dominated via a deviation argument. This argument prescribes a way of deviating that would leave the agent better off in any possible scenario, regardless of the information she might have. The criterion of rationalizing one action sequence can be quite permissive, so we consider a data set that records the action sequences chosen by a population of agents. The deviation argument is then further developed to characterize distributions of action sequences that can be rationalized. Finally, three applications are presented: a test of rationality that can reject the Bayesian model, partial identification of preferences without any assumption on information, and a monotonicity result showing the set of action sequences that can be rationalized increases with risk aversion.
Modeling with Ordinary Differential Equations

Ordinary differential equations have long been studied due to their ability to model applications across numerous branches of science and engineering. They are of such importance that they have spawned much of the mathematics that we know today. Our task here is to model and solve problems to illustrate how computational modeling can aid scientific and engineering pursuits. We consider the three problems of modeling a Couette flow, an insulin bolus, and a plug-flow reactor.
Anatomy of an Information Systems Program Continuous Improvement Process for AACSB Accreditation.

AbstractThe authors provide a detailed analysis of a continuous improvement process for an information systems master’s program at an Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business–accredite...
The Effectiveness of Topical Cannabidiol Oil in Symptomatic Relief of Peripheral Neuropathy of the Lower Extremities

Background Peripheral neuropathy can significantly impact the quality of life for those who are affected, as therapies from the current treatment algorithm often fail to deliver adequate symptom relief. There has, however, been an increasing body of evidence for the use of cannabinoids in the treatment of chronic, noncancer pain. The efficacy of a topically delivered cannabidiol (CBD) oil in the management of neuropathic pain was examined in this four-week, randomized and placebocontrolled trial. Methods In total, 29 patients with symptomatic peripheral neuropathy were recruited and enrolled. 15 patients were randomized to the CBD group with the treatment product containing 250 mg CBD/3 fl. oz, and 14 patients were randomized to the placebo group. After four weeks, the placebo group was allowed to crossover into the treatment group. The Neuropathic Pain Scale (NPS) was administered biweekly to assess the mean change from baseline to the end of the treatment period. Results The study population included 62.1% males and 37.9% females with a mean age of 68 years. There was a statistically significant reduction in intense pain, sharp pain, cold and itchy sensations in the CBD group when compared to the placebo group. No adverse events were reported in this study. Conclusion Our findings demonstrate that the transdermal application of CBD oil can achieve significant improvement in pain and other disturbing sensations in patients with peripheral neuropathy. The treatment product was well tolerated and may provide a more effective alternative compared to other current therapies in the treatment of peripheral neuropathy.
Nonlinear Numerical Model of Post-Tensioned Elastic Rocking Panels for Application in Building Structural Analysis

AbstractThis paper presents a new 4-node finite element model, developed from a 2-node rocking beam element that can predict the rocking behavior of post-tensioned panels and columns. The stiffness...
Hedging Approach for Scheduling Actuator Data Transmission in Networked Adaptive Control Systems

Abstract In the execution of networked control systems, a critical task is to reduce wireless network utilization while achieving closed-loop stability in the presence of system uncertainties. Motivated by this standpoint, we propose a new event-triggered model reference adaptive control architecture predicated on the hedging approach to schedule the actuator data transmission from the proposed adaptive control law to the uncertain dynamical system. The hedging approach alters the trajectories of an ideal reference model to allow for correct adaptation while reducing the actuator data transmission. Specifically, we show that the difference between the trajectories of the uncertain dynamical system and the hedged reference model vanishes asymptotically using Lyapunov stability theory. Unlike existing event-triggered adaptive control methods addressing the same problem, we show with the proposed architecture, in a non-conservative way, how the trajectories of the uncertain dynamical system eventually stays close to a given ideal reference model, and it can also allow for parameter convergence when the closed-loop system is persistently excited. An illustrative numerical example is also provided to demonstrate the efficacy of the proposed architecture over existing event-triggered adaptive control methods.
Mapping Ecosyndemic Risk and Social Vulnerability in Guatemala during the 2014–2016 El Niño: An Exploratory GIS Analysis

El Nino is a climatic cycle originating in the tropical Pacific Ocean that impacts the weather patterns of many countries in Latin America. It is often associated with water-based infectious disease epidemics, many of which are also poverty-related. The aim of this study was to explore ecosyndemic risk and factors of social vulnerability in Guatemala during the 2015-16 El Nino. Unlike an epidemic, which is centered on one disease, an ecosyndemic is a cluster of several infectious diseases within a population, associated with environmental changes, and often embedded within a wider context of social and economic inequities. Using geographic information systems (GIS) and multivariate analyses, this study examined 5 to 7 infectious diseases reported in Guatemala from 2014 to 2016 and social, economic and health factors of risk at the department-level. Preliminary results and policy implications will be discussed.
Black Panther’s Utopian Project: The Innovative Potential of Fiction and Speculation by Non-Architects

From games to film to literature, images of utopia in media have been successful in generating fictional worlds with high aspirational values. The process of creation for these utopias is not unidi...
Care Transition Decisions After a Fall-related Emergency Department Visit: A Qualitative Study of Patients' and Caregivers' Experiences.

Objective Falls are a leading cause of injury-related emergency department (ED) visits and may serve as a sentinel event for older adults, leading to physical and psychological injury. Our primary objective was to characterize patient- and caregiver-specific perspectives about care transitions after a fall. Methods Using a semistructured interview guide, we conducted in-depth, qualitative interviews using grounded theory methodology. We included patients enrolled in the Geriatric Acute and Post-acute Fall Prevention Intervention (GAPcare) trial aged 65 years and older who had an ED visit for a fall and their caregivers. Patients with cognitive impairment (CI) were interviewed in patient-caregiver dyads. Domains assessed included the postfall recovery period, the skilled nursing facility (SNF) placement decision-making process, and the ease of obtaining outpatient follow-up. Interviews were audio-recorded, transcribed verbatim, and coded and analyzed for a priori and emergent themes. Results A total of 22 interviews were completed with 10 patients, eight caregivers, and four patient-caregiver dyads within the 6-month period after initial ED visits. Patients were on average 83 years old, nine of 14 were female, and two of 14 had CI. Six of 12 caregivers were interviewed in reference to a patient with CI. We identified four overarching themes: 1) the fall as a trigger for psychological and physiological change, 2) SNF placement decision-making process, 3) direct effect of fall on caregivers, and 4) barriers to receipt of recommended follow-up. Conclusions Older adults presenting to the ED after a fall report physical limitations and a prominent fear of falling after their injury. Caregivers play a vital role in securing the home environment; the SNF placement decision-making process; and navigating the transition of care between the ED, SNF, and outpatient visits after a fall. Clinicians should anticipate and address feelings of isolation, changes in mobility, and fear of falling in older adults seeking ED care after a fall.
Designing a decentralized fault-tolerant software framework for smart grids and its applications

Abstract The vision of the ‘Smart Grid’ anticipates a distributed real-time embedded system that implements various monitoring and control functions. As the reliability of the power grid is critical to modern society, the software supporting the grid must support fault tolerance and resilience of the resulting cyber-physical system. This paper describes the fault-tolerance features of a software framework called Resilient Information Architecture Platform for Smart Grid (RIAPS). The framework supports various mechanisms for fault detection and mitigation and works in concert with the applications that implement the grid-specific functions. The paper discusses the design philosophy for and the implementation of the fault tolerance features and presents an application example to show how it can be used to build highly resilient systems.
Visualization of Electronic Health Record Data for Decision-Making in Diabetes and Congestive Heart Failure

Objective The aim of this study is to study the impact of graphical representation of health record data on physician decision-making to inform the design of health information technology. Materials and Methods We conducted a within participants crossover design study using a simulated electronic health record (EHR) in which we presented cases with and without visualized data designed to highlight important clinical trends or relationships, followed by assessment of the impact on decision-making about next steps for patients with chronic diseases. We then asked whether trends were observed and about usability and satisfaction using validated usability questions and asked open-ended questions as well. Time to answer questions was also collected. Results Twenty-one primary care providers participated in the study, including five for testing only and sixteen for the full study. Questions about clinical assessment or next actions were answered correctly 55% of the time. Regarding objective trends in the data, participants described noticing the trends 85% of the time. Differences in noticing trends or difficulty level of questions were not statistically significant. Satisfaction with the tool was high and participants agreed strongly that it helped them make better decisions without adding to the time it took. Discussion The simulation allowed us to test the impact of a visualization on clinician practice in a realistic setting. Designers of EHRs should consider the ways information presentation can affect decision-making. Conclusion Testing visualization tools can be done in a clinically realistic context. Providers desire visualizations and believe that they help them make better and faster decisions.
Rate volatility and asymmetric segregation diversify mutation burden in mutator cells.

Mutations that compromise mismatch repair (MMR) or DNA polymerase exonuclease domains produce mutator phenotypes capable of fueling cancer evolution. Tandem defects in these pathways dramatically increase mutation rate. Here, we model how mutator phenotypes expand genetic heterogeneity in budding yeast cells using a single-cell resolution approach that tallies all replication errors arising from individual divisions. The distribution of count data from cells lacking MMR and polymerase proofreading was broader than expected for a single rate, consistent with volatility of the mutator phenotype. The number of mismatches that segregated to the mother and daughter cells after the initial round of replication co-varied, suggesting that mutagenesis in each division is governed by a different underlying rate. The distribution of fixed mutation counts that cells inherit is further broadened by an unequal sharing of mutations due to semi-conservative replication and Mendelian segregation. Modeling suggests that this asymmetric segregation may diversify mutation burden in mutator-driven tumors.
Risk Assessment in Thyroid Lobectomy and Total Thyroidectomy using Over 100 Thousand Cases.

OBJECTIVES To assess risk factors and non-thyroid specific postoperative complications for thyroid lobectomy compared to total thyroidectomy. METHODS A retrospective, cross-sectional study of adults undergoing a lobectomy or total thyroidectomy using the National Surgical Quality Improvement Program database between 2005 and 2017. Patients not treated by otolaryngologists or general surgeons and with unknown demographic variables were excluded. RESULTS A total of 106 915 patients were analyzed, 64 763 total thyroidectomies and 42 152 lobectomies. Multivariable analysis demonstrated that total thyroidectomy patients were half as likely to return to the operating room (OR = 0.491 (95%CI 0.445-0.542), P < .001). Within this cohort, patients at greater risk for reoperation had a history of hypertension (OR = 1.225 (95%CI 1.090-1.376), P < .001), a malignant pathology (OR = 1.921 (95%CI 1.734-2.128), P < .001), and smoked (OR = 1.237 (95%CI 1.087-1.407), P = .001). Conversely, diabetes and body mass index did not impact the rate of reoperation when assessing total thyroidectomy and lobectomy. The most frequent non-thyroid specific complications in total thyroidectomy were unplanned intubation (0.5%), urinary tract infection (0.3%), and superficial surgical site infection (0.3%). In thyroid lobectomy, the most common complications were superficial surgical site infection (0.3%) and urinary tract infection (0.2%). CONCLUSIONS Our multi-institutional study indicates specific risk factors for returning to the operating room that may warrant closer follow up after surgery for total thyroidectomy or thyroid lobectomy. We also identified the most common post-operative complications. During pre-operative planning, these findings should be considered by thyroid surgeons to help mitigate risk to patients.
Influence of Placental Abnormalities and Pregnancy-Induced Hypertension in Prematurity Associated with Various Assisted Reproductive Technology Techniques

Objective. Assisted reproductive technology (ART)-treated women exhibit increased risk of premature delivery compared to fertile women. We evaluated whether ART treatment modalities increase prematurity and whether placental abnormalities and pregnancy-induced hypertensive (PIH) disorders mediate these risks. Method(s): This retrospective study of ART-treated and fertile deliveries (2004–2017) used an ART-cycle database linked to Massachusetts birth certificates and hospital discharges. Outcomes of late preterm birth (LPTB: 34–36 weeks gestation) and early preterm birth (EPTB: <34 weeks gestation) were compared with term deliveries (≥37 weeks gestation) in ART-treated (linked to the ART database) and fertile (no indicators of infertility or ART) deliveries. ART treatments with autologous oocyte, donor oocyte, fresh or frozen embryo transfer (FET), intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI) and no-ICSI were separately compared to the fertile group. Adjusted odds ratios (AOR) were calculated with multivariable logistic regression: placental abnormalities or PIH were quantified in the pathway as mediators. Results: There were 218,320 deliveries: 204,438 fertile and 13,882 ART-treated. All treatment types increased prematurity (AOR 1.31–1.58, LPTB; AOR 1.34–1.48, EPTB). Placental abnormalities mediated in approximately 22% and 38% of the association with LPTB and EPTB, respectively. PIH mediated 25% and 33% of the association with LPTB and EPTB in FET and donor oocyte cycles, more than other treatments (<10% LPTB and <13% EPTB). Conclusions: ART-treatment and all ART modalities increased LPTB and EPTB when compared with fertile deliveries. Placental abnormalities modestly mediated associations approximately equally, while PIH was a stronger mediator in FET and donor oocyte cycles. Reasons for differences require exploration.
Brothers in arms: platelets and neutrophils in ischemic stroke.

Purpose of review In this review, we will describe how the combined ability of platelets and neutrophils to interact with each other drives ischemic stroke brain injury. Recent findings Neutrophils are one of the first cells to respond during ischemic stroke. Although animals stroke models have indicated targeting neutrophils improves outcomes, clinical trials have failed to yield successful strategies. Platelets play a critical role in recruiting neutrophils to sites of injury by acting as a bridge to the injured endothelium. After initial platelet adhesion, neutrophils can rapidly bind platelets through P-selectin and glycoprotein Ibα. In addition, recent data implicated platelet phosphatidylserine as a novel key regulator of platelet-neutrophil interactions in the setting of ischemic stroke. Inhibition of procoagulant platelets decreases circulating platelet-neutrophil aggregates and thereby reduces infarct size. Platelet binding alters neutrophil function, which contributes to the injury associated with ischemic stroke. This includes inducing the release of neutrophil extracellular traps, which are neurotoxic and pro-thrombotic, leading to impaired stroke outcomes. Summary Platelet-neutrophil interactions significantly contribute to the pathophysiology of ischemic stroke brain injury. Better understanding the mechanisms behind their formation and the downstream consequences of their interactions will lead to improved therapies for stroke patients.
Guaranteed Safe Spacecraft Docking with Control Barrier Functions.

This paper presents a strategy for control of a spacecraft docking with a non-maneuvering target in the presence of safety constraints and bounded disturbances. The presence of disturbances prevents convergence to a unique docking state, so in our formulation, docking is defined as occurring within a set constructed using prescribed tolerances. Safety is ensured via application of Robust Control Barrier Functions to render a designated safe set forward invariant for any allowable disturbance. However, this safety strategy necessarily presumes a worst-case disturbance, and thus restricts trajectories to a subset of the safe set when a worst-case disturbance is not present. The presented controller accounts for this restriction, and guarantees that the spacecraft both remains safe and achieves docking in finite time for any allowable disturbance. The controller is then validated in simulation for a spacecraft landing on an asteroid, and two spacecraft docking in low Earth orbit.
Sintered powder oxidation variation as a function of build height for titanium alloy produced by electron beam powder-bed fusion

Abstract It is well-established that titanium alloy (Ti-6Al-4V) powder oxidizes during electron beam powder-bed fusion (PBF-EB) due to the high background temperatures resulting from layer preheating and sintering of the powder bed before melting. However, it is not known if oxidation is homogeneous throughout the entire build area. This work investigates the potential for variation in powder oxidation as a function of build height for PBF-EB Ti-6Al-4V, up to build heights of 35 mm. Thin-walled cylindrical powder capsules were printed in proximity to solid parts in order to capture the sintered powder for controlled chemical sampling. Powders collected from the bottom 3 mm and top 3 mm of the powder capsules show no morphological differences from the virgin powder. Higher oxidation is observed at the bottom of the powder capsules, and decreases with build height to approximately zero at 35 mm height. This magnitude of oxidation and change with build height was consistent across multiple locations in multiple builds, suggesting build height is the main factor in oxidation magnitude. An increase in oxygen content of 0.02 wt.% in a single build is significant when considering the maximum allowable oxygen is only 0.13 wt.% in material specifications (ASTM F3001-14). The predominant source of oxygen must be transient. This helps prioritize some potential sources of oxygen (e.g. powder moisture) over others when developing mitigation techniques. All of these observations from this work motivate scrutiny of powder handling and mixing procedures as well as development of oxidation mitigation techniques.
Altering excitation dynamics in optically dense media using shaped ultrafast laser pulses

Summary form only given. We study the interaction between intense (50 MW peak power), shaped ultrafast laser pulses and optically dense samples of Rb vapor. In particular, we concentrate our attention on laser pulses with a the complex hyperbolic secant envelope, or equivalently, a sech electric field envelope with a tanh frequency sweep. In order to produce and characterize the shaped laser pulses used in our experiments, we exploited several new technologies: amplified, shaped laser pulses were generated using an acousto-optic modulator-based system combined with a chirped-pulse regenerative amplifier. The amplitude and phase of these pulses were then characterized by the STRUT (spectrally and temporally resolved upconversion technique). The STRUT was used to measure the laser pulses both before and after propagating through Rb vapor. Examples of such experimental STRUT images are presented. The complex sech pulse was selected because, in optically thin media, only it and rectangular pulses give complete analytical solutions to the Bloch equations. This shape has been found to generate complete population inversion over a well-defined and amplitude-insensitive bandwidth. In optically dense samples the excited state dynamics are not so straightforward. We have found, both in experiments and theoretically, that the extent and character of the population inversion is related to the frequency sweep of the laser pulses as does the amount of residual excited population after the pulse and any subsequent stimulated emission.
Audio Applications of the Sound Description Interchange Format Standard

The Sound Description Interchange Format (SDIF) is a recently established standard for the interchange of a variety of sound descriptions including spectral, time-domain, and higher-level models. SDIF consists of a specified data format framework and an extensible set of standard sound descriptions and their official representations. We begin with the history and goals of SDIF, followed by the specification of the data format and the standard sound descriptions. Then we describe some current applications of SDIF and conclude with a look at the future of SDIF.
Collaborative Management of Glen Canyon Dam: The Elevation of Social Engineering Over Law

The operation of Glen Canyon Dam on the Colorado River affects several downstream resources and water uses including water supply for consumptive uses in Arizona, California, and Nevada, hydroelectric power production, endangered species of native fish, recreational angling for non-native fish, and recreational boating in the Grand Canyon. Decisions about the magnitude and timing of water releases through the dam involve trade-offs between these resources and uses. The numerous laws affecting dam operations create a hierarchy of legal priorities that should govern these decisions. At the top of the hierarchy are mandatory requirements for water storage and delivery and for conservation of endangered species. Other resources and water uses have lower legal priorities. The Glen Canyon Dam Adaptive Management Program ("AMP") has substituted collaborative decision making among stakeholders for the hierarchy of priorities created by law. The AMP has thereby facilitated non-compliance with the Endangered Species Act by the Bureau of Reclamation, which operates the dam, and has effectively given hydroelectric power production and non-native fisheries higher priorities than they are legally entitled to. Adaptive management is consistent with the laws governing operation of Glen Canyon Dam, but collaborative decision making is not. Nor is collaborative decision making an essential, or even logical, component of adaptive management. As implemented in the case of Glen Canyon Dam, collaborative decision making has actually stifled adaptive management by making agreement among stakeholders a prerequisite to changes in the operation of the dam. This Article proposes a program for adaptive, but not collaborative, management of Glen Canyon Dam that would better conform to the law and would be more amenable to adaptation and experimentation than would the current, stakeholder-centered program.
Influences of temperature, bathymetry and fronts on spawning migration routes of Icelandic capelin (Mallotus villosus)

Capelin (Mallotus villosus) is the largest commercial fish stock in Icelandic waters and also an important forage fish. Capelin have adapted to the sub-arctic environment by migrating north (67–72°N) to feed during summer in deep cold waters (>500 m; 1–3°C) before migrating south (63–65°N) to spawn in winter in warm shallow waters on the south and west coasts of Iceland ( > current velocity) off the east coast (and a lesser used route off the west coast). North of 65°N, the dominant eastern route followed the bathymetry, skirting the shelf edge (>200 m bottom depth) within a funnel of near constant temperatures (approximately 2.5°C). Further south, between 65 and 64°N, as temperatures warmed to 4.5°C (reaching 7.9°C at 63.5°N), capelin abruptly moved onto the shelf and towards the coastal spawning areas. Capelin spawning migrations appear to be an innately based southward search for appropriate spawning locations, guided by bathymetry and temperature. We suggest that the extended eastern migration route minimizes exposure to cod predation and that warming conditions north of Iceland may result in a northward shift in migrations and spawning locations, as occurred in the 1920s and 1930s.
The Development of Electrical Excitability

During the embryonic development of several different types of nerve cells there are significant changes in the ionic dependence of the inward current of the action potential. In addition, voltage-dependent uncoupling has recently been observed between developing neurons. During axonal regeneration, excitability develops in both old and new membrane; development of excitability in the newly-formed membrane may recapitulate earlier embryonic development. The role of excitability in development remains enigmatic; the available experimental evidence suggests that the Na+ action potential plays little or no role in early neural development.
Full wave analysis of transmission lines via 2D-FDTD and signal-processing techniques

The ESPRIT algorithm is used to extract the parameters of multiconductor transmission lines through electromagnetic fields simulated by 2D-FDTD analysis. This approach can also provide us with the mode information for any geometry.
The timing of EV recharging and its effect on utilities

Electric vehicles (EV's) represent an important future load on the electric utility system which, if properly managed, could increase power plant utilization and reduce the average cost of generating electricity. A future EV population of 7.5 million is addressed, together with its characteristics, vehicle use, consequent recharging loads, and the impact of EV's on electric utilities in terms of the generation of electric power, fuel use, and costs. The impact on utilities will depend in part on when the vehicles are recharged. If the price of electricity is uniform throughout the day, recharging is likely to begin when vehicles are parked at home. Most of the recharging would then occur during late afternoon and early evening hours when other demands for electricity are high. In the year 2000, peak electricity demand would increase by 5700 MW, and oil- and gas-fired power plants would generate 39 percent of the recharge power. Marginal generating costs would average 7.6 cents/kWh in 1982 dollars. If electricity were priced by time of day, recharging could shift to late night hours when the other demands for electricity are low. The peak demand would increase by only 400 MW; 27 percent of the power would come from oil and gas, and marginal generating costs would average only 5.1 cents/kWh, some 25 percent less than the marginal cost of the system load without EV's. The fuels to recharge EV's were found to vary from one region of the country to the next. Utilities in the northeast would use the most oil and gas for recharging (more than 75 percent), while those in the central part of the country would use the least.
Ruthenium(II) Thiacrown Complexes: Synthetic, Spectroscopic, Electrochemical, DFT, and Single Crystal X-ray Structural Studies of [Ru([15]aneS5)Cl](PF6)

Abstract We wish to report the synthesis of the Ru(II) crown thioether complex, (1,4,7,10,13-pentathiacyclopentadecane)chlororuthenium(II) hexafluorophosphate, [Ru([15]aneS5)Cl](PF6), and a study of its properties utilizing single crystal X-ray diffraction, electronic spectroscopy, NMR spectroscopy, density functional theory calculations and cyclic voltammetry. The crystal structure shows a single [15]aneS5 macrocycle and a chloro ligand coordinated in a distorted octahedral fashion around the ruthenium(II) center. A significant shortening (0.15 A) of the trans Ru–S bond length occurs in this complex compared to the related PPh3 complex (2.4458(10) to 2.283(1) A) due to the differences in the trans influence of the two ligands. 13C NMR spectroscopy demonstrates that the structure of [Ru([15]aneS5)Cl]+ is retained in solution. As expected for a Ru(II) complex, the electronic absorption spectrum shows two d–d transitions at 402 and 331 nm. These are red-shifted compared to hexakis(thioether)ruthenium(II) complexes and consistent with the weaker ligand field effect of the chloro ligand. The electrochemical behavior of the complex in acetonitrile shows a single one-electron reversible oxidation–reduction at +0.722 V versus Fc/Fc+ which is assigned as the Ru(II)/Ru(III) couple. DFT calculations for [Ru([15]aneS5)Cl]+ show a HOMO with orbital contributions from a t2g type orbital of the Ru ion, a π component from a p orbital of the axial S atom of [15]aneS5, and a p orbital of the chloro ligand while the LUMO consists of orbital contributions of d x 2 - y 2 orbital of the Ru center and p orbitals of the four equatorial S donors.
A model of visual texture discrimination using multiple weak operators and spatial averaging

Abstract A model of texture segmentation is presented based on the combination of the outputs of six weak texture operators. The combination procedure is a simple statistic in which the center of gravity of the set of suggested boundaries produced by the six operators is computed. The model is effective both as a procedure for texture segmentation and as a model of an important human visual process. The need for heuristic rules suggests that top-down processing may be a general requirement for any theory of human vision.
Contractual difficulties in environmental management: The case of wetland mitigation banking

Abstract This paper offers a principal–agent model of private contracting in mitigation banking aimed at protection of wetland acreage and habitat, bio-diversity and physical functions of US wetlands. While it is straightforward to design an incentive contract, such a contract may be incapable of achieving the federally mandated objective of no net loss of wetland functions through wetland mitigation; there may be failure of contract design or execution. Also considered are several institutional mechanisms that may promote the convergence of private contracting and attainment mandated wetland protection. These include greater oversight by the government, payment of subsidies, greater accuracy in the identification of actual wetland quality by the principal, and use of several other incentive alignment mechanisms.
Learning and Performance of Able-Bodied Individuals Using Scanning Systems with and without Word Prediction

This study examines how the cognitive and perceptual loads introduced by a word prediction feature impact learning and performance. Two groups of able-bodied subjects transcribed text using two row–column scanning systems for 10 consecutive trials each. The two systems differed only in that one system had a word prediction feature. Subject groups differed in their order of system use. The results show that, under the conditions of this study, the word prediction system was not substantially more difficult to learn, but it did not yield a statistically significant improvement in text generation rate. This suggests that the cost of using this word prediction system balanced the benefit of the keystroke savings achieved by these subjects. The relationship between keystroke savings, cost in item selection rate, and improvement in text generation rate is explored in order to provide insight into this outcome.
Review of Geology of the American Southwest: A Journey through 2 Billion Years of Plate Tectonic History, W. Scott Baldridge

(2004). Review of Geology of the American Southwest: A Journey through 2 Billion Years of Plate Tectonic History, W. Scott Baldridge. International Geology Review: Vol. 46, No. 11, pp. 1051-1051.
Association of Cigarette Smoking with Aberrant Methylation of the Tumor Suppressor Gene RARβ2 in Papillary Thyroid Cancer.

Aberrant gene methylation is often seen in thyroid cancer, a common endocrine malignancy. Tobacco smoking has been shown to be associated with aberrant gene methylation in several cancers, but its relationship with gene methylation in thyroid cancer has not been examined. In the present study, we investigated the relationship between smoking of patients and aberrant methylation of tumor suppressor genes for TIMP3, SLC5A8, death-associated protein kinase, and retinoic acid receptor β2 (RARβ2) in papillary thyroid cancer (PTC), the most common type of thyroid cancer. The promoter methylation status of these genes was analyzed using quantitative real-time methylation-specific PCR on bisulfite-treated genomic DNA isolated from tumor tissues and correlated with smoking history of the patients. Among the four genes, methylation of the RARβ2 gene was significantly associated with smoking and other three genes showed a trend of association. Specifically, among the 138 patients investigated, 13/42 (31.0%) ever smokers vs. 10/96 (10.4%) never smokers harbored methylation of the RARβ2 gene (P = 0.003). This association was highly significant also in the subset of conventional variant PTC (P = 0.005) and marginally significant in follicular variant PTC (p = 0.06). The results demonstrate that smoking-associated aberrant methylation of the RARβ2 gene is a specific molecular event that may represent an important mechanism in thyroid tumorigenesis in smokers.
Characterization of functionalized single-walled carbon nanotubes at individual nanotube-thin bundle level

Individual and thin bundles of aminopolymer-functionalized single-walled carbon nanotubes (SWNTs) were successfully imaged using high-resolution transmission electron microscopy (HR-TEM). The corresponding electron energy loss spectroscopy (EELS) characterization of the same TEM specimen before and after ex situ thermal defunctionalization confirmed that the nanotube surface was covered with nitrogen-containing functionalities in the functionalized SWNT sample.
Decision Making at a Time of Crisis Near the End of Life

As patients approach the end of life, their disease process may create an immediate life-threatening emergency, yet invasive interventions may be less likely to provide benefit while carrying the same or greater risks. Knowing when it is time to shift from life-prolonging to more palliative approaches, focused on quality of life and comfort, is emotionally and clinically challenging for patients, families, and physicians. Key factors in the decision process include prognosis, risk-benefit analysis of the proposed intervention, current symptom burden, temporal pattern of the illness, patient's age and life stage, and the patient's goals of care. A structured approach to decision making includes assessing the patient's physical, psychological, and spiritual needs; assessing the patient's support system; discussing prognosis; and assessing patient-specific goals. Physicians can best help patients decide which treatments are appropriate by taking the necessary time to explore all curative and palliative care options, providing honest and timely prognostic information, making clear recommendations, facilitating patient-family discussions, and affirming patient choices.
Population pressure, land degradation and sustainable agricultural technologies in the Sahel

Abstract Increasing population pressure in the semi-arid regions of the Sahel has resulted in a breakdown of the fallow system, low crop yields and reduced availability of communal land. Adoption of sustainable, yield increasing technologies is critical to the future development of the region. A farm level programming model was constructed for the Central (Mossi) Plateau of Burkina Faso). According to the model predictions, farmers are induced into adopting yield increasing intensive technologies as land supply becomes more inelastic, and as the economic environment becomes more profitable. The model predictions are confirmed by recent field surveys thereby providing some grounds for cautious optimism about the future of Sahelian agriculture.
The impact of parks on property values: empirical evidence from the past two decades in the United States

The notion that parks have a positive impact on proximate property values was recognized in the debates surrounding the pioneering of large urban parks in England in the first half of the nineteenth century, and subsequently in the spread of this movement to the US in the latter half of that century. The empirical basis for these early assertions was rudimentary and naive. This paper reviews contemporary research using the more advanced analytical procedures now available to social scientists that has examined this issue. The findings confirm the initial rationale and suggest that a positive impact of 20% on property values abutting or fronting a passive park is a reasonable starting point guideline for estimating such a park's impact.
The response to selection for broad male response to female sex pheromone and its implications for divergence in close-range mating behavior in the European corn borer moth, Ostrinia nubilalis.

Coordinated sexual communication systems, seen in many species of moths, are hypothesized to be under strong stabilizing natural selection. Stabilized communication systems should be resistant to change, but there are examples of species/populations that show great diversification. A possible solution is that it is directional sexual selection on variation in male response that drives evolution. We tested a component of this model by asking whether ‘rare’ males (ca. 5 % of all males in a population) of the European corn borer moth (ECB), Ostrinia nubilalis, that respond to the sex pheromones of both ECB and a different Ostrinia species (O. furnacalis, the Asian corn borer, ACB), might play an important role in diversification. We specifically tested, via artificial selection, whether this broad male response has an evolvable genetic component. We increased the frequency of broad male response from 5 to 70 % in 19 generations, showing that broad-responding males could be important for the evolution of novel communication systems in ECB. We did not find a broader range of mating acceptance of broad males by females of the base population, however, suggesting that broad response would be unlikely to increase in frequency without the involvement of other factors. However, we found that ECB selection-line females accepted a broader range of courting males, including those of ACB, than did females of the base population. Thus, a genetic correlation exists between broad, long-range response to female sex pheromone and the breadth of female acceptance of males at close range. These results are discussed in the context of evolution of novel communication systems in Ostrinia.
Chronic pain: 2. The case for opioids.

Opioid medications allow us to treat chronic pain as aggressively as we would any pathogen, but we must first overcome ingrained misconceptions about patients' motivations for seeking treatment and about the addictive properties of the drugs. With controlled use, the newer sustainedrelease fonnulations give real hope for safe and sustained pain relief.
Exilic effects of illness and pain in Solzhenitsyn's Cancer Ward: how sharpening the moral imagination can facilitate repatriation.

This essay uses Solzhenitsyn’s Cancer Ward to explore the exilic effects of illness and pain. The novel is uniquely suited for such an analysis given the theme of exile that predominates both in the narrative and in the composition of multiple characters within that narrative. I argue that illness, and in particular pain, is a liminal state, an existential hinterlands. The ethical approach to literature and medicine may suggest, as a response to these exilic effects, the need to cultivate connection and empathy by sharpening the moral imagination. If pain and illness exile the sufferer, the imperative to reach out takes on ethical content.