cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Psychological Resilience Among Widowed Men and Women: A 10-Year Follow-up of a National Sample

Students of stress, illness, and adaptation have taken a particular interest in bereavement, and with good reason. Death of a spouse is consistently rated as the most stressful of normative events (Holmes & Rahe, 1967), requiring the maximal readjustment in life; it is also a common experience, which nearly half the population will eventually face. The intensity and frequency of this stressor make it of undeniable social importance. At the same time, there are powerful methodological advantages to the study of bereavement for an understanding of stress, coping, and adaptational processes. Because death of spouse is an objectively verifiable event generally beyond the control of the widowed individual, artifacts that plague the study of stress and illness (Schroeder & Costa, 1984) can be minimized. The results of bereavement studies provide mixed support for the view that life stress causes subsequent mental and physical illness and mortality. Some studies show excess mortality, particularly for males, in the year or two following bereavement (Helsing, Szklo, & Comstock, 1981; Parkes, Benjamin, & Fitzgerald, 1969), but there are methodological difficulties with most studies of mortality (M. Stroebe, Stroebe, Gergen, & Gergen, 1981; Susser, 1981). Studies of health after bereavement are also complicated by the problems of disentangling subjective health perceptions from objective disease processes (Costa & McCrae, 1985a), and one of the few studies to use as control variables baseline measures taken before the loss event concluded that, “using a variety of health indicators, the effects of these [bereavement] events were either nonexistent or slight and brief.
LCAccess: A global directory of life cycle assessment resources

LCAccess is an EPA-sponsored Web site intended to promote the use of Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) in business decision-making by facilitating access to data sources useful in developing a life cycle inventory (LCI). While LCAccess does not, itself, contain data, it is a searchable global directory of potential data sources, and serves as a central source for LCA information.
Detecting Changes in Chief Complaint Word Count: Effects on Syndromic Surveillance

Researchers at the New York City (NYC) Department of Health and Mental Hygiene (DOHMH) analyzed trends in chief complaint (CC) word count from NYC emergency department (ED) data from 2008 - 2011 using change point analysis (CPA). CPA results were compared to known changes across the EDs. When CPA detected a significant change in CC word count, trends in syndrome count and syndrome breakdown into constituent symptoms were examined. A significant shift in CC word count may be indicative of a systematic change within an ED, which could affect the DOHMH's ability to categorize ED visits into syndromes.
Sphingosine-1-phosphate stimulates smooth muscle cell migration through Gαi- and PI3-kinase-dependent P38MAPK activation

Abstract Background Sphingosine-1-phosphate (S-1-P) is an extracellular mediator released in response to vessel injury. S-1-P binds to G-protein-coupled receptors, which can be Gα i -, Gα q -, or G 12/13 -linked. This study examines the role of p38 mitogen-activated protein kinase (p38 MAPK ) in vascular smooth muscle cell migration after stimulation with S-1-P, and pathways leading to p38 MAPK activation. S-1-P has previously been shown to stimulate migration of vascular smooth muscle cells (VSMCs) in vitro through ERK1/2 and G i . We hypothesized that S-1-P-induced VSMC migration is also dependent on p38 MAPK activation through a G i -coupled extracellular receptor and phosphoinositide 3-kinase (PI3-K). Methods VSMCs were cultured in vitro. A linear wound assay was performed in the presence of S-1-P and inhibitors of p38 MAPK (SB203580) or epidermal growth factor (EGF) receptor kinase (AG1478). Chemotaxis stimulated by S-1-P was also assayed in a modified Boyden chamber with and without SB203580 pretreatment. Western blotting was performed to examine p38 MAPK activation in response to S-1-P with and without SB203580, AG1478, or inhibitors of G i (pertussis toxin), PI3-K (Wortmannin and LY294002), or MEK1 (PD98059). Western blotting and immunoprecipitation for targets of p38 MAPK (MAPKAP kinase-2) and PI3-K (Akt) were also performed. Results S-1-P stimulated migration of VSMCs in both wound and Boyden transwell assays. This migration was inhibited by SB203580 to the level of control, whereas AG478 had no effect. S-1-P stimulated activation of p38 MAPK that peaked at 10 min, as well as activation of MAPKAP kinase-2. Activation of p38 MAPK was significantly inhibited by SB203580, pertussis toxin, Wortmannin, and LY294002, but not by PD98059 or AG1478; MAPKAP kinase-2 activation was inhibited by SB203580. Akt was activated by S-1-P at 3 to 5 min; this response was inhibited by Wortmannin and LY294002, but not by SB203580 or pertussis toxin. Conclusions S-1-P induced VSMC migration through a G i -linked and a PI3-K coupled, p38 MAPK - dependent process. PI3-K appears to function upstream of p38 MAPK , but was not G i -dependent. S-1-P-stimulated activation of p38 MAPK does not signal via transactivation of the EGF receptor. Understanding signal transduction will allow targeted molecular interventions to treat the response of a vessel to injury.
Effects of Subchronic Exposures to Concentrated Ambient Particles in Mice: IX. Integral Assessment and Human Health Implications of Subchronic Exposures of Mice to CAPs

AbstractIn order to examine the biologic plausibility of adverse chronic cardiopulmonary effects in humans associated with ambient particulate matter (PM) exposure, we exposed groups of normal mice (C57) and knockout mice that develop atherosclerotic plaques (ApoE−/− and ApoE−/− LDLr−/−) for 6 h/day, 5 days/wk for 5 or 6 mo during the spring/summer of 2003 to either filtered air or 10-fold concentrated ambient particles (CAPs) in Tuxedo, NY (average PM2.5 concentration during exposure = 110 μ g/m3). Some of the mice had implanted electocardiographic monitors. We demonstrated that: (1) this complex interdisciplinary study was technically feasible in terms of daily exposures, collection of air quality monitoring data, the collection, analysis, and interpretation of continuous data on cardiac function, and the collection and analyses of tissues of the animals sacrificed at the end of the study; (2) the daily variations in CAPs were significantly associated, in ApoE−/− mice, with daily variations in cardiac f...
Steamboat Montana (1879–1884)—Leviathan of the American Plains

Thanks to Hollywood, average Americans would define the history of the opening up of the West in terms of epic pistol duels, vast open plains, and wagon-trains of hopeful immigrants. Large segments of American Western history, however, are still unexamined. These include a fascinating maritime history, a hidden saga of river steam transportation that explains the efficient westward movement of huge numbers of immigrants and vast quantities of supplies. This text outlines the archaeological documentation and analysis of the western river-steamer Montana, of immense proportions and an advanced marine technology far removed from her ocean-going ancestors. © 2006 The Authors
Intimacy Is Sharing Hurt Feelings: A Reply to David Mace

Mace's arguments concerning the love-anger cycle in marriage are criticized on philosophical (theoretical) and technical (clinical) grounds. Underneath the smoke-screen of anger there is the fire of hurt feelings. Dealingwith these feelings decreases the expression of anger and helps the couple reach “real” intimacy: the sharing of hurt feelings. Victories we can sharewith anybody. Anybody is willing to share victories with us. Hurt feelings, on the other hand, belong within the marriage.
Integrating the business cloud

Summary form only given, as follows. Today���s organizations consume an increasing share of their computing resources as computing services, using an ondemand model and paying only for what they use. They consume cloud business applications and processes, and store and analyze vast amounts of information on cloud provisioned resources. Cloud computing is dramatically reducing the capital required to support IT operations, while bringing unprecedented openness, flexibility and access to enterprise computing. One of the paradoxes of this new environment is that openness and easy access to services and resources results in the creation of new barriers and computing silos. New ���born in the cloud��� enterprises are quickly discovering the difficulty of integrating SaaS services into their daily operations in efficient, secure and reliable ways. SaaS APIs are as siloed as traditional enterprise applications, if not more. Data is still represented in heterogeneous formats and kept in multiple application stores. Thus, while access and delivery have fundamentally improved, the core problems of process and data integration remain. If anything, they are getting harder. Successful technologies for process and data integration in the cloud will differ fundamentally from existing approaches for enterprise integration. While existing approaches focus on eliminating silos and leveling access to process and information, cloud integration will acknowledge barriers as the price of extending our reach beyond the limits a single organization and focus on linking capabilities and information. Instead of reengineering processes, new process integration technology will link processes and application services offered by specialized providers, leveraging instead of replacing available processes. Instead of coercing heterogeneous information into unified schemas, the new approach to information integration will link enterprise data and open data to offer virtual access to much richer information set. New cloud integration services are already being built leveraging a collection of technologies born on the Web and also within the enterprise. They include ���low touch��� technologies such as process correlation and mining, process analytics, linked and open data, and provenance among others. This keynote will discuss trends in SaaS and cloud-based integration, and review some of the foundational technologies that can support a new cloud centric data and application integration paradigm.
Impaired ubiquitin–proteasome system activity in the synapses of Huntington's disease mice

Huntington's disease (HD) is caused by the expansion of a polyglutamine tract in the N-terminal region of huntingtin (htt) and is characterized by selective neurodegeneration. In addition to forming nuclear aggregates, mutant htt accumulates in neuronal processes as well as synapses and affects synaptic function. However, the mechanism for the synaptic toxicity of mutant htt remains to be investigated. We targeted fluorescent reporters for the ubiquitin–proteasome system (UPS) to presynaptic or postsynaptic terminals of neurons. Using these reporters and biochemical assays of isolated synaptosomes, we found that mutant htt decreases synaptic UPS activity in cultured neurons and in HD mouse brains that express N-terminal or full-length mutant htt. Given that the UPS is a key regulator of synaptic plasticity and function, our findings offer insight into the selective neuronal dysfunction seen in HD and also establish a method to measure synaptic UPS activity in other neurological disease models.
Synergies between biological and neonicotinoid insecticides for the curative control of the white grubs Amphimallon majale and Popillia japonica.

Abstract Synergistic combinations of biological and chemical insecticides might yield promising alternatives for soil insect pest management. In turfgrass of the Northeast U.S., control of root-feeding scarab larvae is highly dependent on conventional insecticides. Studies on interactions between entomopathogenic nematodes and neonicotinoid insecticides, however, demonstrate the feasibility of synergies as an approach for reduced-risk curative control. To understand the breadth of potential synergies, we screened numerous combinations of biological control agents with sublethal doses of neonicotinoids against third instars. Interactions were characterized as synergistic, additive or antagonistic. The most promising combinations identified in laboratory bioassays were advanced to greenhouse pot studies and then to field trials featuring microplots with artificially infested populations. To reveal variation across scarab species, trials were conducted on Amphimallon majale and Popillia japonica. Synergies were consistent across trials and specific to white grub species. For A. majale, synergistic combinations of Heterorhabditis bacteriophora with imidacloprid and clothianidin were discernible in laboratory, greenhouse and field trials. For P. japonica, synergistic combinations of Beauveria bassiana and Metarhizium anisopliae with both neonicotinoids were discernible in the laboratory and greenhouse, but not in the field. For both species, antagonistic interactions were discernible between Bt-products and both neonicotinoids. While nematode-neonicotinoid synergies among scarab larvae have been examined before, fungi-neonicotinoid synergies are unreported. In the context of previous studies, however, no patterns emerge to explain variation across target species or control agent. Further study of non-additive interactions will guide how biological and chemical products could be combined to enhance soil insect pest management.
Gross anatomy course content and teaching methodology in allied health: clinicians' experiences and recommendations.

The purpose of this study was to sample the experiences and recommendations of clinicians in allied health fields about gross anatomy courses. The objective was to determine if practicing clinicians recommended a course in gross anatomy, and, if so, their recommendations for course content and teaching methodology. Questionnaires were mailed to a random selection of occupational therapists (OTs), physician assistants (PAs), and physical therapists (PTs) licensed in the state of Texas. In addition to demographics, the survey asked 14 questions regarding the experiences and recommendations in seven areas of interest about gross anatomy courses. The responding sample appeared to be representative of the target population. A course in human gross anatomy during professional school was recommended by 96% of OTs, and 100% of PAs and PTs. The single most recommended teaching method was student dissection of human cadavers. Although significant differences were found regarding primary course orientation, a majority favored some form of combined systems and regional oriented courses. A majority of clinicians in each field recommended a gross anatomy course at the beginning of professional training. Specific recommendations were given for content of systems and regional oriented gross anatomy courses. We recommend that the gross anatomy course content and teaching methodologies in allied health areas be responsive to the specific needs of each clinical specialty. Clin. Anat. 14:152–157, 2001. © Wiley-Liss, Inc.
Highly reconfigurable bandpass filters using microfluidically controlled metallized glass plates

A novel microfluidic-based approach for realizing highly reconfigurable bandpass filters is presented. The filter topology employs open loop resonators that are capacitively loaded with metallized glass plates. By using microfluidics, the metalized glass plates can be repositioned over the resonators to control the amount of capacitive loading and provide the frequency tuning capability. For the presented two-pole filter, a thin film based fabrication technique is employed to realize a separation of 25μm between the metalized plates and the printed open loop resonators to maximize the capacitive loading and associated tuning range. The shape of the microfluidic channel and resonators are designed to operate the filter with a single micropump unit with near constant fractional bandwidth performance. Specifically, the filter exhibits a 50% frequency tuning range from 1.5GHz down to 0.9GHz. The insertion loss is lower than 1.7dB in the pass band and agrees well with the simulation based results.
Non-intrusive sub-two-cycle carrier-envelope stabilized pulses using engineered chirped mirrors

An octave spanning carrier-envelope phase stabilized frequency comb is demonstrated using selective output coupling of the f and 2f frequency components, enabling use of the full output power of the laser.
Texture Painting from Video

Texture mapping is an important research topic in computer graphics. Traditional static texture-maps are limiting for capturing a dynamic and up-to-date picture of the environment. This paper presents a new technique called texture painting from video. By employing live video as the texture resource, we are not only able to create an accurate and photo-realistic rendering of the scene, but also can support dynamic spatio-temporal update in the structure of texture model, database, and rendering system. We present our approaches towards the system requirements and experimental results for both simulation and real datasets.
Fetal lung growth after short-term tracheal occlusion is linearly related to intratracheal pressure.

Prenatal tracheal occlusion (TO) has been shown to accelerate fetal lung growth, yet the mechanism is poorly understood. The goal of this study was to determine the relationship between fetal intratracheal pressure (Pitr) and fetal lung growth after TO. Fetal lambs underwent placement of an intratracheal catheter and a reference catheter at 115–120 days gestation (term, 145 days). Fetal Pitr was continuously controlled at three levels (high, 8 mmHg; moderate, 4 mmHg; low, 1 mmHg) by a servo-regulated pump. The animals were killed after 4 days, and the parameters of lung growth were compared. Lung volume (136.0 ± 16.7, 94.9 ± 9.7, 55.5 ± 12.4 ml/kg), lung-to-body weight ratio (6.31 ± 0.70, 4.89 ± 0.38, 3.39 ± 0.22%), whole right lung dry weight (3.01 ± 0.29, 2.53 ± 0.15, 2.07 ± 0.24 g/kg), right lung DNA (130.0 ± 11.3, 116.7 ± 8.6, 97.5 ± 10.9 mg/kg), and protein contents (1,865.5 ± 92.5, 1,657.6 ± 106.8, 1,312.0 ± 142.5 mg/kg) in high, moderate, and low groups, respectively, all increased in the moderate ...
ALTERNATIVE ADAPTATIONS OF DISTRESSED FIRMS: THE VALUATION ROLE OF BOOK VALUE OF EQUITY AND EARNINGS

I examine the relative valuation importance of book value of equity and net income of financially distressed firms that subsequently resolve their problem of financial difficulties through a merger or entering bankruptcy. Recent studies examine the complimentary roles of book value of equity and earnings in valuing equity. Book value of equity is more value-relevant for financially distressed (bankrupt) firms and earnings are more value-relevant for healthy (non-bankrupt) firms. However, these findings are consistent with two competing theories. I distinguish between these two theories and show that only book value of equity is significantly associated with market value for distressed firms that are bankruptcy candidates. For distressed firms that are merger candidates, I show that both book value of equity and net income are significantly associated with market value. The empirical evidence also provides a direct link between the alternative valuation roles of book value of equity and market value of equity. The results are robust after controlling for non-recurring items, industry, firm size and agency conflicts.
A Game-Based Realization and RISE Treatment of Disturbances in Satellite Post-Docking

This paper addresses the interactions between two docked satellites, one of which behaves in a non-cooperative manner and the other attempting to minimize the interaction effects between them. In order to address these non-cooperative behaviors, a controller based on a linear quadratic Stackelberg differential game strategy is developed and demonstrated. To implement the linear quadratic game, a RISE controller is used to feedback linearize the nonlinear system dynamics. The efficacy of this approach is demonstrated through numerical simulation.
Abstract 3891: NOSH-aspirin, a novel nitric oxide- and hydrogen sulfide-releasing hybrid, is a potent inhibitor of colon cancer cell growth

Introduction: Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) are recognized as the prototypical chemopreventive agents. However, their wide use is precluded due to significant toxicity. The search for better NSAIDs has led to generation of nitric oxide-releasing NSAIDs (NO-NSAIDs) and more recently, to a new class of hydrogen sulfide-releasing agents (HS-NSAIDs). Both of these have shown to be more potent and less toxic than their parent NSAID. However, the draw back to these compounds is their IC50 for cell growth inhibition. It is too high to make them attractive for development as pharmaceuticals. Therefore, we postulated that a new hybrid that incorporated the active parts of each compound may be more potent and effective than either one. Our hypothesis has proved to be correct. Here we describe the effects of a nitric oxide- and hydrogen sulfide-releasing aspirin (NOSH-aspirin) on the growth properties of several human colon cancer cell lines, on induction of reactive oxygen species (ROS), and on NF-κB whose induction is strongly implicated in some cancers. Methods: NOSH-aspirin was synthesized and purified at our lab with 1H-NMR verification. Colon cancer cell lines: HT-29, HCT 15, and SW480; Cell growth: MTT; Cell cycle phase distribution: Flow cytometry; Apoptosis: subdiploid (sub-G0/G1) peak in DNA content histograms; Proliferation: PCNA; NF-kB: enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA); Reactive oxygen species (ROS): 2′,7′-dichlorodihydrofluorescein (H2DCFDA, probe for peroxides) or dihydroethidium (DHE, probe for superoxide anion) measured fluorescence by flow cytometry. Results: NOSH-aspirin inhibited the growth of HT-29, HCT 15, and SW480 cells with IC50 values of 48 ± 3, 50 ± 5, and 60 ± 4 nM at 24 hr, respectively. The corresponding IC50 for aspirin in all 3 cell lines was >5000 µM. This represents and enhanced potency of >80,000-fold in the 3 cell lines at 24 h. NOSH-aspirin treatment of HT-29 cells at 0.5xIC50, 1xIC50, and 2xIC50 for 24 hrs induced apoptosis (20 ± 1%, 52 ± 3%, 75 ± 3%), inhibited proliferation (PCNA, 70 ± 3%, 45 ± 4%, 22 ± 3%), and caused a G0/G1 cell cycle block. Activation of NF-κB was inhibited as demonstrated by ELISA, at 0.5xIC50, 1xIC50, and 2xIC50 the reduction was 11 ± 1%, 33 ± 2%, and 46 ± 3% respectively. NOSH-aspirin caused induction of oxidative stress as evidenced by increases in both H2DCFDA and DHE-derived fluorescence representing increases in intracellular levels of H2O2 and superoxide anion respectively Conclusions: NOSH-aspirin by inducing ROS is a potent inhibitor of colon cancer cell growth and it inhibits NF-κB activation. These data suggest that NOSH-aspirin may be useful as a chemopreventive agent against colon cancer and merits further evaluation. Citation Format: {Authors}. {Abstract title} [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 103rd Annual Meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research; 2012 Mar 31-Apr 4; Chicago, IL. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2012;72(8 Suppl):Abstract nr 3891. doi:1538-7445.AM2012-3891
Natural Enemies of the Asian Gypsy Moth (Lepidoptera: Lymantridae) in South Korea

Thirteen season-long collections of larvae and pupae of gypsy moth, Lymantria dispar L., were made at seven forest sites near Seoul, South Korea, from 1984 to 1989 to detect the natural enemies and to determine their importance. Thirty natural enemy species were identified, including twenty that parasitized 12,388 of the 52,351 larvae and pupae reared during the study. Tachinid, braconid, and ichneumonid species accounted for >99% of this parasitism, with tachinids being more abundant than braconids, which were more abundant than ichneumonids. The braconid Cotesia melanoscelus (Ratzeburg), which parasitized 24.4% of first and second instars, was the most important parasitoid. Parasitigena silvestris Robineau-Desvoidy (Tachinidae), which parasitized 27.6% of fifth and sixth instars and 36.3% of the prepupae, was second in importance. Blepharipa schineri Mesnil, a larval-pupal tachinid parasitoid, which killed 37.5% of the pupae, is considered to be the best candidate for establishment against the moth in the United States. The nuclear polyhedrosis virus (NPV) caused the greatest mortality observed in the study, at times killing all larvae. No relationship was observed between levels of parasitism and gypsy moth population densities except for C. melanoscelus , which caused more parasitism in larger populations. Artificially created populations experienced levels of parasitism similar to those of natural populations, except for a greater abundance of C. melanoscelus in the artificial populations. Season-long parasitism rates ranged from 13.3 to 33.4% and averaged 23.7% overall versus 12% recorded in comparable studies in the United States. The great contrast in the abundance and pest status of the gypsy moth in Korea and in the United States probably relates to the large differences in parasitism.
Why pursue the postdoc path

Concerns have been raised about labor market imbalances that see a growing number of postdoctoral researchers pursuing a limited number of faculty positions ( 1 – 4 ). Proposed demand-side solutions include capping the duration of postdoc training or hiring more permanent staff scientists ( 1 , 4 , 5 ). Others focus on the supply side, arguing that Ph.D.'s need better information about labor market conditions and nonacademic career options ( 4 , 6 , 7 ). Unfortunately, it is not clear why Ph.D. students pursue postdoc positions and how their plans depend on individual-level factors, such as career goals or labor market perceptions. We describe evidence of a “default” postdoc and of “holding patterns” that suggest a need for increased attention to career planning among students, their mentors, graduate schools, and funders.
Diasporas, Rebel Internal Organization, and the Fate of Insurgencies

A burgeoning body of civil war literature has begun to explore the role of external actors in shaping conflict processes. Typically, this literature has focused almost exclusively on the role of state interventions on behalf of the incumbent government or rebel group. Yet, non-state actors have also supported rebel groups by funding their ethnic kin fighting in the homeland. This paper aims to explain both the determinants of diaspora support to insurgent groups, as well as its effects on rebel group survivability. In particular, we theorize that there are key characteristics that facilitate an insurgent group's ability to attract, extract, and capitalize on diaspora support. In turn, diaspora support will give the recipient group a greater amount of capital to maintain internal cohesion, leading to less likelihood that they will end through dissolution. We test this theory by analyzing data on diaspora support of rebel groups in intrastate conflicts from 1960-2008.
Restoring teeth that are endodontically treated through existing crowns. Part II: Survey of restorative materials commonly used.

OBJECTIVE A survey was undertaken to categorize the materials used for the restoration of endodontic access openings through complete-coverage crowns after completion of nonsurgical root canal treatment. METHOD AND MATERIALS The survey package consisted of a cover letter stating instructions, rationale, and purpose for the questionnaire, a questionnaire of 8 short-answer questions, and a stamped, self-addressed envelope. A randomized sample of active dentists (300 general practitioners, 300 prosthodontists, and 300 endodontists), was selected. Collected data were analyzed with the chi-square analysis. RESULTS Most general practitioners (93%), endodontists (61%), and prosthodontists (75%) reported that they frequently or always permanently restore teeth after nonsurgical root canal treatment. Empress was the all-ceramic system used most commonly by prosthodontists (42%) and general practitioners (38%). A statistically significant difference in restorative material preference was found (P < 0.0001), depending on the type of crown used. CONCLUSION Amalgam alone and in combination with bonding agents are materials of choice for restoration of access openings through all-metal complete crowns, while resin composite is the choice for all types of complete crowns involving porcelain. Endodontists preferred "other" materials.
Parathyroidectomy: Complex Decisions about a Complex Procedure

Patients on maintenance dialysis with severe secondary hyperparathyroidism (SHPT) present a complex clinical challenge. Despite decades of study, the role of parathyroidectomy (PTX) in the management of SHPT remains uncertain. In theory, PTX occupies a well defined space: to paraphrase Kidney
Laminated Shells and Adhesive Bonded Joints

Laminated construction has many structural applications. However, in all such construction, structural reliability is predicated on the fact that the laminae remain joined together, otherwise many of the advantages of employing dissimilar materials together are lost. Questions then arise as to whether thin bonds, thick bonds, pliable bonds or stiff bonds should be used between laminae. Certainly it is very important to know the state of stresses throughout the bond to determine the bond material requirements. A detailed discussion of bonded joints and laminated construction could be a volume in itself. In this section, the simplest case of a laminated cylindrical isotropic shell is discussed in order to present all of the important considerations with a minimum of complexity. More complicated problems will be discussed in Part II of this text.
Design and analysis of a folded meander dipole antenna using the MININEC program

OF THE THESIS DESIGN AND ANALYSIS OF A FOLDED MEANDER DIPOLE ANTENNA, USING THE MININEC PROGRAM.
Ultraviolet absorption bands of [Cs n+1 I n ] + (n<14) clusters

Starting from the large photofragmentation cross sections recently reported for mass-selected alkali-halide clusters [1], we have obtained, for the first time, optical absorption spectra forCs n+1 I + clusters in the ultraviolet charge-transfer bands. In this short report we focus on the spectra ofn=4, 6 and 13 which start to show absorption between the lowest charge-transfer band of the diatomic (ca. 3.8 eV) and that of the bulk (ca. 5.9 eV). The spectral features are analyzed for these sizes and correlated to their structures qualitatively as a preliminary model.
Aluminum X-ray mass-ablation rate measurements

Measurements of the mass ablation rate of aluminum (Al) have been completed at the Omega Laser Facility. These measurements show that the mass-ablation rate of Al is higher than plastic (CH), comparable to high density carbon (HDC), and lower than beryllium. The mass-ablation rate is consistent with predictions using a 1D Lagrangian code, Helios. The results suggest Al capsules have a reasonable ablation pressure even with a higher albedo than beryllium or carbon ablators and further investigation into the viability of Al capsules for ignition should be pursued.
Dynamic Analysis and the Limits of Antitrust Institutions

The static model of competition, which dominates modern antitrust analysis, has served antitrust law well. Nonetheless, as commentators have observed, the static model ignores the impact that competitive (or anti-competitive) activities undertaken today will have upon future market conditions. An increased focus upon dynamic competition surely has the potential to improve antitrust analysis and, thus, to benefit consumers. The practical value of proposals to increase the use of dynamic analysis must, however, be evaluated with an eye to the institutional limitations that antitrust agencies and courts face when engaged in predictive fact-finding. We explain and evaluate both the current state of dynamic antitrust analysis and some recent proposals that agencies and courts incorporate dynamic considerations more deeply into their analyses. We show antitrust analysis is not willfully ignorant of the limitations of static analysis; on the contrary, when reasonably confident predictions can be made, they are readily incorporated into the analysis. We also argue agencies and courts should view current proposals for a more dynamic approach with caution because the theories underpinning those proposals lie outside the agencies’ expertise in industrial organization economics, do not consistently yield determinate results, and would place significant demands upon reviewing courts to question predictions based upon those theories. Considering the current state of economic theory and empirical knowledge, we conclude that competition agencies and courts have appropriately refrained from incorporating dynamic features into antitrust analysis to make predictions beyond what can be supported by a fact-intensive analysis.
An Approximate Dynamic Programming Approach to Multiagent Persistent Monitoring in Stochastic Environments With Temporal Logic Constraints

We consider the problem of generating control policies for a team of robots moving in a stochastic environment. The team is required to achieve an optimal surveillance mission, in which a certain “optimizing proposition” needs to be satisfied infinitely often. In addition, a correctness requirement expressed as a temporal logic formula is imposed. By modeling the robots as game transition systems and the environmental elements as Markov chains, the problem reduces to finding an optimal control policy for a Markov decision process, which also satisfies a temporal logic specification. The existing approaches based on dynamic programming are computationally intensive, thus not feasible for large environments and/or large numbers of robots. We propose an approximate dynamic programming (ADP) framework to obtain suboptimal policies with reduced computational complexity. Specifically, we choose a set of basis functions to approximate the optimal costs and find the best approximation through the least-squares method. We also propose a simulation-based ADP approach to further reduce the computational complexity by employing low-dimensional calculations and simulation samples.
Pre-clinical proof of principle of pharmacologically rational non-cytotoxic epigenetic-immunotherapy to treat lung cancer.

e14073Background: Immune checkpoint inhibitor therapy (anti-PD1) has been approved to treat non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) in 2nd-line. Unfortunately, the response rate is only ~20%. Contributi...
The association between fetal fibronectin and spontaneous preterm birth in twin pregnancies with a shortened cervical length.

AbstractObjective: To estimate the association between a positive fetal fibronectin (fFN) and spontaneous preterm birth (SPTB) in twin pregnancies with a shortened cervical length (CL).Study design: Retrospective cohort study of asymptomatic twin pregnancies managed by a single MFM practice from 2005 to 2016. We included all women with a shortened CL ≤25 mm at 22–28 weeks, and compared outcomes between women with a positive and negative fFN result.Results: One hundred fifty-five patients were included, 129 (83.2%) of whom had a negative fFN and 26 (16.8%) of whom had a positive fFN. Baseline characteristics were similar between groups, except for the CL at the time of diagnosis of short cervix (15 mm in the positive fFN group versus 20 mm in the negative fFN group, p = .002). The risk of SPTB <32 weeks was significantly higher in the positive fFN group (46.2 versus 12.6%, aOR 3.54, 95% CI 1.26, 9.92) and the mean gestational age at delivery was significantly earlier (31.1 versus 35.2 weeks, p < .001).Conc...
The effects of nozzle geometry and equivalence ratio on a premixed reacting jet in vitiated cross-flow

Abstract The effects of nozzle geometry, jet equivalence ratio (ϕj), and momentum flux ratio (J) on the flow field, stability characteristics, and flame topology of a premixed ethylene–air jet injected transverse to a vitiated cross-flow are investigated experimentally. Cross-flow conditions of 900 K and 100 m/s were chosen to simulate the environment of a secondary combustor in a staged combustion system. The dependence of the flame liftoff height on J suggests that at these conditions the flame stabilization process is flame-propagation controlled rather than autoignition assisted. A circular nozzle and high aspect ratio slotted nozzle of identical exit area were investigated for jet to cross-flow momentum flux ratios ranging from 5 to 65 for jet equivalence ratios of up to ϕj = 5.0. High-speed particle image velocimetry was utilized to study the time-averaged flow field and OH* chemiluminescence was used to capture time-averaged and instantaneous features of the flame behavior. The nozzle geometry was determined to have a significant effect on RJICF flame stability, with substantially expanded blow-out limits for the slotted nozzle. Enhanced operability of the high aspect ratio slotted nozzle was shown to be attributable to the substantially larger and stronger recirculation zone on the leeward side of the jet when compared to the circular nozzle. This area is characterized by a more disperse region of elevated vorticity levels, resulting in the entrainment of more hot combustion products with a longer residence time in the recirculation zone, which in turn provides a stronger and more stable ignition source to the oncoming, unburned reactants. A correlation for the isothermal JICF trajectory was modified to account for gas expansion effects and found to satisfactorily capture the jet trajectory for both the non-reacting and reacting slotted nozzle. The jet trajectory was demonstrated to be independent of ϕj, whereas the jet flame penetration decreases as ϕj increases, indicating that where the flame situates itself is determined by the local mixture concentration rather than changes in the flow field. Nevertheless, ϕj was also found to have an effect on the mean flow field, with slightly higher magnitudes of reversed flow velocity and an increase in mean recirculation zone length observed as the fuel content of the jet is increased.
Are honorary authorships ethical

Specific contributions to a scientific article entitle the contributor to be included as an author; requests for authorship by those who have not made those specific contributions are unethical. Virtual Mentor is a monthly bioethics journal published by the American Medical Association.
Hormone Receptors and Response in Cultured Renal Epithelial Cell Lines

Although hormones, neurotransmitters, and growth factors can activate renal transport and metabolic functions, a detailed understanding of the role of these agents in the regulation of renal homeostasis has been difficult to ascertain. In large part, this is due to the complexity of the kidney. With its large variety of different cell types, the kidney presents a veritable myriad of potential target cells. One solution to this problem has been to attempt to isolate and study glomeruli, tubular segments, vascular tissue, or other anatomically distinct portions of the kidney. However, studies using these structures have largely ignored the heterogeneity of cell types within anatomically distinct regions. Thus, major questions remain unanswered regarding the sites and mechanisms of hormone responses within the kidney. These questions are readily amenable to examina tion by using cultured renal epithelial cells in which one can study hormone action in homogeneous cell populations (Handler et al., 1980). Although such cells lack the anatomical relationships and cell—cell interplay that exist in vivo, the advantages of being able to isolate variables, to control the cells’ ionic and hormonal milieu, and to draw “clean” conclusions regarding properties of a particular cell type have been powerful “drawing cards” for investigators interested in how hormones and neurotransmitters regulate the kidney.
Analysis of a Differential Operator

This chapter contains several properties of prolate spheroidal wave functions (PSWFs) and related quantities, whose derivation is based on an analysis of the prolate differential operator L c defined via (1.1) in Chap. 1 (see also Theorem 2.5 in Sect. 2.4, and [43–45]).
The Long Journey from Far-infrared to THz

In this Button Prize speech, the author will review the long journey, spanning over his entire research career, from far-infrared to THz.
Mouth work: bodily action in sensory science

ABSTRACTSensory science is a scientific discipline that measures human responses to the sensory qualities of food products. In order for study subjects to reflect on their tasting experience, the p...
Weak lower bounds on resource-bounded compression imply strong separations of complexity classes

The Minimum Circuit Size Problem (MCSP) asks to determine the minimum size of a circuit computing a given truth table. MCSP is a natural and powerful string compression problem using bounded-size circuits. Recently, Oliveira and Santhanam [FOCS 2018] and Oliveira, Pich, and Santhanam [ECCC 2018] demonstrated a “hardness magnification” phenomenon for MCSP in restricted settings. Letting MCSP[s(n)] be the problem of deciding if a truth table of length 2n has circuit complexity at most s(n), they proved that small (fixed-polynomial) average case circuit/formula lower bounds for MCSP[2√n], or lower bounds for approximating MCSP[2o(n)], would imply major separations such as NP ⊄BPP and NP ⊄P/poly. We strengthen their results in several directions, obtaining magnification results from worst-case lower bounds on exactly computing the search version of generalizations of MCSP[s(n)], which also extend to time-bounded Kolmogorov complexity. In particular, we show that search-MCSP[s(n)] (where we must output a s(n)-size circuit when it exists) admits extremely efficient AC0 circuits and streaming algorithms using Σ3 SAT oracle gates of small fan-in (related to the size s(n) we want to test). For A : {0,1}⋆ → {0,1}, let search-oracleMCSPA[s(n)] be the problem: Given a truth table T of size N=2n, output a Boolean circuit for T of size at most s(n) with AND, OR, NOT, and A-oracle gates (or report that no such circuit exists). Some consequences of our results are: (1) For reasonable s(n) ≥ n and A ∈ PH, if search-MCSPA[s(n)] does not have a 1-pass deterministic poly(s(n))-space streaming algorithm with poly(s(n)) update time, then P ≠ NP. For example, proving that it is impossible to synthesize SAT-oracle circuits of size 2n/log⋆n with a streaming algorithm on truth tables of length N=2n using Ne update time and Ne space on length-N inputs (for some e > 0) would already separate P and NP. Note that some extremely simple functions, such as EQUALITY of two strings, already satisfy such lower bounds. (2) If search-MCSP[nc] lacks O(N)-size, O(1)-depth circuits for a c ≥ 1, then NP ⊄P/poly. (3) If search-MCSP[s(n)] does not have N · poly(s(n))-size, O(logN)-depth circuits, then NP ⊄NC1. Note it is known that MCSP[2√n] does not have formulas of N1.99 size [Hirahara and Santhanam, CCC 2017]. (4) If there is an e > 0 such that for all c ≥ 1, search-MCSP[2n/c] does not have N1+e-size O(1/e)-depth ACC0 circuits, then NP ⊄ACC0. Thus the amplification results of Allender and Koucký [JACM 2010] can extend to problems in NP and beyond. Furthermore, if we substitute ⊕ P, PP, PSPACE, or EXP-complete problems for the oracle A, we obtain separations for those corresponding complexity classes instead of NP. Analogues of the above results hold for time-bounded Kolmogorov complexity as well.
‘The capacity-building-workshop-in-Africa hokum’*

From the colonial project to Out of Africa to The Constant Gardener and Kony 2012, Africa has provided a space onto which white egos can conveniently be projected. It is a liberated space in which ...
Exploring the Role of Inorganic and Organic Interfaces on CO2 and CH4 Partitioning: Case Study of Silica, Illite, Calcite, and Kerogen Nanopores on Gas Adsorption and Nanoscale Transport Behaviors

The adsorption, partitioning, and diffusion of CO2 and CH4 in organic–inorganic pores composed of kerogen with silica, illite, or calcite are studied using density functional theory and classical m...
A shred of evidence that BCG vaccine may protect against COVID-19: Comparing cohorts in Spain and Italy

Introduction: There is evidence that the BCG vaccine against tuberculosis also helps prevent other diseases- perhaps including COVD-19. Spain had a program for universal BCG vaccination until 1981. Objective: To see whether cohorts born when Spain had a program of universal BCG vaccination had lower rates of confirmed cases of COVID-19 and mortality (relative to similar cohorts in Italy). Methods: We compare COVID-19 mortality and confirmed cases for those born roughly a decade before and after 1981. We compare the outcomes to the same age cohorts in Italy, which never had universal BCG vaccination. Results: The Spanish cohort that received BCG had a relative risk of 0.962 of having a confirmed case of COVID-19. This risk is statistically significantly below unity (95% CI 0.952 to 0.972, P< 0.001). There is also suggestive evidence the BCG cohort in Spain had lower mortality (relative risk 0.929, CI 0.850 to 1.01, P = 0.11). The small sample size makes this test underpowered. Conclusion: These suggestive results provide a shred of evidence that BCG vaccinations help protect against COVID. I outline many limitations to this study and point how better data can help be more convincing.
International Trade Decisions of the Federal Circuit: Three Years of Rigorous Review

Introduction 1028 I. U.S. Customs Laws 1029 A. Tariff Classification 1030 B. Valuation Issues 1043 C. Harbor Maintenance Tax 1047 D. Duty Drawback 1057 E. Other Customs Issues 1060 II. Trade Remedy Laws 1065 A. U.S. Department of Commerce 1065 1. Scope of merchandise covered by antidumping or countervailing duty proceedings 1066 2. The right to sue 1072 3. Interaction of trade remedy and customs laws 1074 4. Antidumping duty methodologies 1078 a. Product comparisons 1078 b. Calculation issues 1082 c. Non-market economy exporters 1102 d. Determinations on the basis of the “facts available” 1105 e. Duty absorption 1109 f. Assessment 1112 5. Countervailing duty methodologies 1114 B. U.S. International Trade Commission 1116
Prevention of Urinary Incontinence in Women.

Despite available treatments for urinary incontinence, the data regarding prevention is less established. This review sought to identify prevention measures and discuss their underlying evidence base with an attempt to include the most recent updates in the field. Urinary incontinence is a prevalent issue among women, particularly surrounding pregnancy and menopause. Interventions regarding pregnancy include not only general health promotion but also potentially interventions such as pelvic floor muscle training and decisions regarding method of delivery. With regard to menopause, the literature suggests avoiding treatments that have adverse effects on continence. Lastly, promoting healthy life style and reducing effects of co-morbid conditions can impact a woman’s continence. The literature indicates that preventative strategies exist for urinary incontinence, though the data is limited in this area. Further work is needed to determine the impact of prevention measures and how best to implement them.