cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Age and tectonic setting of the Mesozoic McCoy Mountains Formation in western Arizona, USA

The McCoy Mountains Formation consists of Upper Jurassic to Upper Cretaceous silt- stone, sandstone, and conglomerate exposed in an east-west-trending belt in southwest- ern Arizona and southeastern California. At least three different tectonic settings have been proposed for McCoy deposition, and multiple tectonic settings are likely over the ~80 m.y. age range of deposition. U-Pb iso- topic analysis of 396 zircon sand grains from at or near the top of McCoy sections in the southern Little Harquahala, Granite Wash, New Water, and southern Plomosa Moun- tains, all in western Arizona, identifi ed only Jurassic or older zircons. A basaltic lava fl ow near the top of the section in the New Water Mountains yielded a U-Pb zircon date of 154.4 ± 2.1 Ma. Geochemically similar lava fl ows and sills in the Granite Wash and southern Plomosa Mountains are inferred to be approximately the same age. We interpret these new analyses to indicate that Meso- zoic clastic strata in these areas are Upper Jurassic and are broadly correlative with the lowermost McCoy Mountains Formation in the Dome Rock, McCoy, and Palen Moun- tains farther west. Six samples of numerous Upper Jurassic basaltic sills and lava fl ows in the McCoy Mountains Formation in the Granite Wash, New Water, and southern Plomosa Mountains yielded initial e Nd values (at t = 150 Ma) of between +4 and +6. The geochemistry and geochronology of this igne- ous suite, and detrital-zircon geochronology of the sandstones, support the interpretation that the lower McCoy Mountains Forma- tion was deposited during rifting within the western extension of the Sabinas-Chihuahua- Bisbee rift belt. Abundant 190-240 Ma zir- con sand grains were derived from nearby, unidentifi ed Triassic magmatic-arc rocks in areas that were unaffected by younger Juras- sic magmatism. A sandstone from the upper McCoy Mountains Formation in the Dome Rock Mountains (Arizona) yielded numer- ous 80-108 Ma zircon grains and almost no 190-240 Ma grains, revealing a major reor- ganization in sediment-dispersal pathways and/or modifi cation of source rocks that had occurred by ca. 80 Ma.
Fitting Social Network Models Using Varying Truncation Stochastic Approximation MCMC Algorithm

The exponential random graph model (ERGM) plays a major role in social network analysis. However, parameter estimation for the ERGM is a hard problem due to the intractability of its normalizing constant and the model degeneracy. The existing algorithms, such as Monte Carlo maximum likelihood estimation (MCMLE) and stochastic approximation, often fail for this problem in the presence of model degeneracy. In this article, we introduce the varying truncation stochastic approximation Markov chain Monte Carlo (SAMCMC) algorithm to tackle this problem. The varying truncation mechanism enables the algorithm to choose an appropriate starting point and an appropriate gain factor sequence, and thus to produce a reasonable parameter estimate for the ERGM even in the presence of model degeneracy. The numerical results indicate that the varying truncation SAMCMC algorithm can significantly outperform the MCMLE and stochastic approximation algorithms: for degenerate ERGMs, MCMLE and stochastic approximation often fail...
Short contribution: Applying micromorphological terminology to ceramic petrography

Micromorphological terminology used to describe soil/sediment thin sections is equally useful in the description of ceramic thin sections. The primary focus of soil micromorphology and ceramic petrography is the examination of modified geologic materials composed of sand-, silt-, and clay-size particles. Protocols for describing soil or sediment in thin section are well established; however, no such guidelines exist for ceramic petrography. The author discusses how the descriptive terminology developed for soil micromorphology can be effectively used to describe thin sections prepared from archaeological ceramics. © 2005 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Constraint-based specification of production rules

The author proposes the use of constraint languages for the specification of rule pattern tests. This will help the programmer focus on his primary objective: specifying the match conditions. It is shown how such constraints can then be mechanically operationalized into rule tests. Following the automated optimal order to these tests, the resulting ordered tests can be cast into an efficient network program. Restricting the programmer's task to match specification allows new (graphical and other) languages to be devised for highly effective human-computer interaction. >
Late Pleistocene and Holocene Paleoearthquake Activity of the Olinghouse Fault Zone, Nevada

Paleoseismic trenching and fault surface trace mapping indicate that the Olinghouse fault zone, a northeast trending, left-lateral strike-slip fault located in the northern Walker Lane, Nevada, has been the source of multiple latest Pleistocene and Holocene surface-rupturing earthquakes. A trench exposure near the eastern end of the fault records two, and possibly three, earthquakes after 3360 ± 190 cal. yr B.P. and two trenches at the western end of the fault contain evidence for two earthquakes after 19,800 ± 630 cal. yr B.P., with the most recent earthquake occurring after 1935 ± 70 cal. yr B.P. The apparent higher frequency of recent earthquakes at the eastern end of the fault may reflect triggered slip on the Olinghouse fault zone due to earthquakes on the conjugate northwest-trending, right-lateral Pyramid Lake fault. Repeated late Pleistocene and Holocene earthquakes on the Olinghouse fault zone demonstrate that northwest-directed, right-lateral shear of the northern Walker Lane is accommodated in part by northeast-trending left-lateral faults.
Towards the construction of verifiable software systems

Data types are an important design tool because they allow freedom of abstraction. Thus, they are useful for constructing large software systems, including operating systems. It is shown that when dealing with problems of concurrency, the use of path expressions, which are associated with data, makes the task of verification simpler than when the synchronization conditions are associated with programs.
Altered diaphragm contractile properties with controlled mechanical ventilation

This study shows that, over time, diaphragm inactivity with controlled mechanical ventilation (CMV) decreases diaphragm force and produces myofibril damage contributing to the reduced force. We mea...
The curved passive reflector

The curved passive reflector is analyzed theoretically by the aperture-field method and the results are presented in the form of gain characteristics and radiation patterns. It is seen that curving the reflector produces a focusing effect in addition to the basic diffraction phenomenon, thereby providing increased gain as compared with the flat reflector. The limiting value for the flat reflector gain is 6 db while the gain of the curved reflector increases continually with reflector size when properly illuminated. Radiation patterns are computed and it is shown that the effect of reducing tower height is to widen the main lobe and to move the side lobes outward and depress them. It is concluded that, in general, the curved reflector causes lower side lobes than the flat reflector. The dish illumination is shown to be relatively unimportant with respect to the total antenna gain but the side lobe levels are reduced when the dish illumination is made more uniform.
Inactivation of taste receptor cell function by two cationic protein modification reagents

Two cationic protein modification reagents, 1-cyclohexyl-3-(2-morpholinylethyl) carbodiimide (CMCD) and dimethyl (2-hydroxy-5-nitrobenzyl) sulfonium bromide (HNB-dmS), inhibit taste receptor cell stimulation by NaCl, sucrose, and HCl. Modified inactive derivatives of the reagents under the same conditions are ineffective. Inactivation by HNB-dmS is essentially irreversible. The effects of inactivation by CMCD are reversible after about 10–15 minutes of a water rinse, however, when applied in the presence of glycine methyl ester, the inhibited response is stabilized and only recovers after about 1.5–3 hours. Glycine methyl ester alone has no inhibitory properties. The kinetics of inactivation by both HNB-dmS and CMCD are consistent with a second-order reaction with rate constants of 0.041 ± 0.001 M−1 sec−1 and 0.121 ± 0.012 M−1 sec−1, respectively. The rate of inactivation by both compounds is independent of NaCl concentration as well as degree of receptor stimulation. This, together with the observation that the response to stimulation by all effectors examined is altered, suggests the inactivation occurs at an event which is common to the transduction of the response from all three stimuli. The ether:water partition coefficients, as well as previous results from inactivation by N–substituted maleimides, indicate that hydrophilic reagents do not cross the cell membrane in significant concentrations within the time period of application. This suggests the site of modification by the cationic protein modification reagents is at the surface of the cell membrane. Significant residual NaCl, sucrose, and HCl activity remains after total inactivation. To account for this, a two-state membrane receptor system is postulated.
Aquatic Habitat Use Relative to Home Range and Seasonal Movement of Eastern Box Turtles (Terrapene carolina carolina: Emydidae) in Eastern Tennessee

Abstract The literature on Eastern Box Turtles (Terrapene carolina carolina: Emydidae) often characterizes them as terrestrial with only anecdotal references to their aquatic habits. The rapid decline in many populations of box turtles suggests an urgent need to assess all aspects of their habitat requirements. In this study, trailing devices and radio transmitters were used to determine seasonal movements and the extent to which turtles used aquatic habitats within their home ranges. Home range sizes averaged 1.88 ± 0.49 ha via minimum convex polygon analysis, and 2.26 ± 0.76 ha via 95% fixed kernel analysis. Kernel estimators were more effective at representing uneven home range use, often demonstrating the extensive use of water. A total of 131 turtles were found in two small temporary ponds from June through August. Individuals remained in the ponds for up to 23 consecutive days. As many as 32 turtles were found at one time in one of these ponds. Turtles often extended their home ranges by means of ab...
Summary — First Week

When I look at the program for the first week, I am struck by the fact that the subjects discussed were not quite so new, so that the process in which answers are separated from assumptions has had a chance to work. What characterized most of the first week’s proceedings was a certain conservatism, and that was a good preparation for the fireworks of the second week.
Panethnicity revisited: contested group boundaries in the post-9/11 era

Existing theories of panethnicity in the USA concentrate on Asian Americans and Latinos, two umbrella groups that originally coalesced during the 1960s civil rights era. Although the role played by the state is recognized as central to panethnic development, we argue that the influence of this pivotal variable is contingent on historical context. Through a case study of emerging minority groups (Middle Eastern and South Asian Americans in the post-9/11 era), we re-examine the existing conceptualization of panethnicity at a time when the state plays a more punitive than compensatory role. Using a methodology that draws on a range of novel sources, we document the way that pre-existing ethnic, religious and national-origin labels have been reinforced instead of panethnic labels for the populations under study. Accordingly, we develop an updated conceptualization of group formation that incorporates historical context and the role of the state in the post-9/11 era.
Fluorescein Angiography: Practical Role in the Office Management of Macular Diseases+

Office fluorescein angiography allows optimum management of patients with macular diseases. A skilled office staff is essential. The receptionist obtains pertinent information from patients and schedules prompt appointments. Excellent angiography by photographer-technicians allows the physician to plan the best course of management. The skills of photographers can be developed through in-service training, certification programs, and participation in professional meetings. For the ophthalmologist who treats CNV but does not do fluorescein angiography, a referral service can be helpful. Ophthalmologists who do not treat CNV should refer patients with suspected CNV directly to an experienced laser surgeon for angiography and management. Future developments in office fluorescein angiography should include improved cameras and videoangiography.
The Affect System

The affect system refers to the functional components involved in appetitive and aversive information processing. We review evidence suggesting that affect is not a unitary faculty but rather is composed of a number of distinct processes. Physical limitations constrain behavioral expressions and incline behavioral predispositions toward a bipolar (good-bad, approach-withdraw) organization, but this organization appears to be the consequence of multiple operations, including the activation of positivity (appetition) and the activation of negativity (aversion), at earlier affective-processing stages. The partial segregation of positive and negative affective processing afforded evolution the opportunity to sculpt distinctive activation functions for these affective components and allows their coactivation. Coactivation, in turn, cultivates the exploration of novel environments and the pursuit of seemingly hospitable events while fostering vigilance for and rapid retreats from hostile developments.
Spatial Variation in the Price of Housing: An Interactive Approach

Land use and location theory suggest that residential land values in an urban area will exhibit distinct spatial patterns of price variation. Moreover, casual observation of housing prices indicates that the level of prices with regard to structural characteristics also varies significantly, although not necessarily in any predictable spatial formation. However, few models have incorporated spatial variables in a manner as to properly capture such price variation. This paper explores alternative methodologies to represent spatial variation in the price of housing. Models are shown to significantly improve estimation relative to an aspatial model and to dramatically reduce spatial dependence in the error terms.
Thread fusion

This work proposes Thread Fusion as an effective way of reducing power consumption when a Simultaneous Multi-Threaded (SMT) core is executing two threads from a homogeneous parallel application. Two dynamic instances of the same static instruction, each from a different thread are merged (fused) into a single instruction, consuming half of the resources of front-end pipeline stages. When the fused instruction is executed, it is cloned and it proceeds at full bandwidth. Our simulation results show average energy reduction of 10% with less than 1% impact on performance.
A Further Study of the Lability of the Methyl Group of Creatine

SummaryCreatine containing the deu-teriomethyl group was fed to two young rats on an otherwise methyl-free diet. The creatine isolated from the tissues contained a considerable amount of deuterium, while the choline from the tissues was completely devoid of deuterium. Transmethylation from choline to creatine, therefore, is irreversible.
The Vitamin D Receptor—Structure and Transcriptional Activation:

The vitamin D receptor (VDR) is an integral part of the body's calcium regulatory system. In this review, recent advances in the understanding of VDR structure and function are discussed. Both direct mutagenesis studies on the VDR and structural studies of related receptors have been reviewed. Recent insights into DNA binding and ligand binding by the VDR are discussed, along with implications for gene regulation by the VDR. The potential role of co-activators and co-repressors in VDR-regulated transcription are discussed, and avenues of future research proposed.
Characterization of porcine oocyte zonae pellucidae by polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis.

SummaryPolyacrylamide gel electrophoresis of zonae pellucidae isolated from porcine ovarian oocytes and dissolved in either 6 M urea or 2.0% SDS suggest that the zona pellucida is composed of a single protein in addition to a carbohydrate component. The structural organization of the protein in the porcine zona pellucida is postulated to consist of repeating units of this single protein maintained by noncovalent bonding. Electrophoresis in SDS-β-MSH polyacrylamide gels has shown the protein to be composed of four polypeptide or protein subunits with molecular weights of 17,000 D, 57,000 D, 66,000 D and 85,000 D. These proteins may be cross-linked by disulfide bridges comprising the single protein visualized in gels without β-MSH. The subunit proteins may be in a multimeric arrangement supported by covalent bonds which maintain the complex structure. Relative percentages of the subunit proteins determined by scanning densitometry were: 50.3% (17,000 D), 23.7% (57,000 D), 18.6% (66,000 D) and 6.% (85,000 D)...
Development of Electric Vehicles in China

This paper specifies the classification and characters of new energy vehicles and electric vehicles,analyzes the significance and superiority of developing electric vehicles inland,introduces the latest progress in this area.Finally,considering technology maturity,ease of use and economy,the prospect of all kinds of electric vehicles is proposed.
Automatic Detection of Nominal Entities in Speech for Enriched Content Search.

In this work, a methodology is developed to detect sentient actors in spoken stories. Meta-tags are then saved to XML files associated with the audio files. A recursive approach is used to find actor candidates and features which are then classified using machine learning approaches. Results of the study indicate that the methodology performed well on a narrative based corpus of children’s stories. Using Support Vector Machines for classification, an F-measure accuracy score of 86% was achieved for both named and unnamed entities. Additionally, feature analysis indicated that speech features were very useful when detecting unnamed actors.
Distributed microwave effects in directly modulated semiconductor lasers

Recently, it has been shown that at high frequency, a directly modulated signal along the length of a semiconductor laser is not uniform in phase and amplitude.1 Thus instead of the conventional lumped RC model in Fig. 1(b), one should adopt the lossy transmission-line model in Fig. 1(c). It has been suggested that this effect can cause a bandwidth degradation in current injections relative to a lumped element case.1 We show, however, that this degradation occurs only if the laser is driven directly by a low-impedance voltage source, and we show that the degradation is minimal if it is driven from a 50-Ω-transmission-line source.
Cinnamon, Ceramics, and Silks: Tracking the Manila Galleon Trade in the Creation of the World Economy

We live in a global society connected by satellites, telephones and computers. In an instant a retailer in Europe can contact a manufacturer in Asia with specifications and the fabrication of the item will begin. Within weeks or months the completed item will move overland by truck or train and then by sea to consumers across the globe. Today’s hot new exotic trends are embraced by the world’s elites.
Autoethnography as a Methodological Approach in Adult Vocational Education and Technology

Autoethnography is a form of qualitative inquiry intended to connect the lived experience of a researcher to the larger social and cultural world Ellis, 2004 and it can be a valuable methodological tool for adult educators and learners. This paper explores the use and value of autoethnography as a qualitative methodology and explores the possibilities of its application to future research in the field of adult vocational and technology education. In particular, the question of what autoethnography is, and how it can be applied to adult learning contexts, is addressed. This is achieved by delving into the defining characteristics of autoethnography, the variations of the approach and its representation in scholarly work, and ends with current critiques that those considering autoethnography must consider.
Safety and effectiveness of a single and repeat intramuscular injection of a GnRH vaccine (GonaCon™) in adult female domestic cats.

Contents Sterilization is a key strategy to reduce the number of domestic cats entering and killed in shelters each year. However, surgical sterilization is expensive and labour-intensive and cannot fully address the 70 million free-roaming cats estimated to exist in the United States. GonaCon™ is a gonadotropin-releasing hormone vaccine originally developed for use as a wildlife immunocontraceptive. An earlier formulation was tested in domestic cats and found to be safe and effective for long-term contraception. However, the current Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)-registered formulation consists of a different antigen-carrier protein and increased antigen concentration and has never been tested in cats. A pilot study was undertaken to evaluate the short-term safety of a single GonaCon immunization, assess the consequences of vaccinated cats receiving an accidental second GonaCon injection and determine the humoral immune response to immunization. During Phase 1, cats in Group A (n = 3) received a single intramuscular injection of GonaCon and Group B (n = 3) received a single intramuscular injection of saline. During Phase 2, Group A received a second GonaCon injection and Group B received their initial GonaCon injection. All cats developed GnRH antibodies within 30 days of vaccine administration. The endpoint titre (1:1,024,000) was similar among all cats, and levels remained high throughout the duration of the study. Four cats developed a sterile, painless, self-limiting mass at the site of injection. The mean number of days to mass development was 110.3 (range, 18–249 days). In conclusion, this preliminary study suggests that the EPA-registered GonaCon formulation is safe for continued testing in domestic cats, an accidental revaccination should not increase the risk of a vaccine reaction and the EPA-registered formulation effectively elicits a strong humoral immune response.
Simulation-based Assessment of the Impact of Contrast Medium on CT-based Attenuation Correction in PET

Although diagnostic quality CT relies on the administration of contrast agents to allow improved lesion detectability, the misclassification of contrast medium as high density bone during CT-based attenuation correction (CTAC) procedure is known to overestimate the attenuation coefficients, thus biasing activity concentration estimates of PET data. In this study, the influence of contrast medium on CTAC was investigated through Monte Carlo (MC) simulations and experimental phantom studies. Our recently developed MC x-ray CT simulator and the Eidolon 3D PET MC simulator were used to generate realigned PET/CT data sets. The influence of contrast medium was studied by simulation of a cylindrical phantom containing different concentrations of contrast medium. Moreover, an experimental study using an anthropomorphic striatal phantom was conducted for quantitative evaluation of errors arising from the presence of contrast medium by calculating the apparent recovery coefficient (ARC). The ARC was 190.7% for a cylindrical volume of interest located in the main chamber of the striatal phantom containing contrast medium corresponding to 2000 Hounsfield units, whereas the ARC was overestimated by less than 5% for the main chamber and 2% for the left/right putamen and caudate nucleus compared to the absence of contrast medium. It was concluded that the contrast-enhanced CT images may create considerable artifacts during CTAC in regions containing high concentrations of contrast medium.
Foliar microbiome transplants confer disease resistance in a critically-endangered plant

There has been very little effort to incorporate foliar microbiomes into plant conservation efforts even though foliar endophytes are critically important to the fitness and function of hosts. Many critically endangered plants that have been extirpated from the wild are dependent on regular fungicidal applications in greenhouses that cannot be maintained for remote out-planted populations, which quickly perish. These fungicides negatively impact potentially beneficial fungal symbionts, which may reduce plant defenses to pathogens once fungicide treatments are stopped. Using the host/parasite system of Phyllostegia kaalaensis and Neoerysiphe galeopsidis, we conducted experiments to test total foliar microbiome transplants from healthy wild relatives onto fungicide-dependent endangered plants in an attempt to mitigate disease and reduce dependency on fungicides. Plants were treated with total microbiome transplants or cultured subsets of this community and monitored for disease severity. High-throughput DNA screening of fungal ITS1 rDNA was used to track the leaf-associated fungal communities and evaluate the effectiveness of transplantation methods. Individuals receiving traditionally isolated fungal treatments showed no improvement, but those receiving applications of a simple leaf slurry containing an uncultured fungal community showed significant disease reduction, to which we partially attribute an increase in the mycoparasitic Pseudozyma aphidis. These results were replicated in two independent experimental rounds. Treated plants have since been moved to a native habitat and, as of this writing, remain disease-free. Our results demonstrate the effectiveness of a simple low-tech method for transferring beneficial microbes from healthy wild plants to greenhouse-raised plants with reduced symbiotic microbiota. This technique was effective at reducing disease, and in conferring increased survival to an out-planted population of critically endangered plants. It was not effective in a closely related plant. Plant conservation efforts should strive to include foliar microbes as part of comprehensive management plans.
Overview and effect of deterministic ethernet on test strategies

A trend has emerged toward the development of critical systems hosted on the Ethernet databus. Ethernet enjoys unprecedented standardization in commercial networks, and a vast network of engineers with training and experience. It is now commonly known that implementations of deterministic Ethernet for avionics networks known as ARINC 664 part 7 exist on several commercial airframes. In other platforms, Ethernet's ever increasing bandwidth leads many to the assumption that Ethernet can be made deterministic by way of excess capability alone. Standardization efforts within industry communities such as IEEE and SAE have recently expanded the number of available deterministic Ethernet options. Audio Video Bridging protocol (or AVB), now known as IEEE 802.1 TSN (Time Sensitive Networking), is progressively developing in to a deterministic, all-purpose, and standardized (Industrial, Automotive, and commercial WAN/LAN) Ethernet-based databus. SAE AS6802, also known as Time Triggered Ethernet (or TTE) has demonstrated efficacy for deterministic and mixed-criticality use of Ethernet. Ethernet's bandwidth and switched network topology require innovations to deterministic network test strategies that have led to the development of hardware and software tools designed for testing deterministic Ethernet networks. AIT's Network Data Aggregator enables test engineers to capture and timestamp all incoming and outgoing messages to a network switch, instead of using traditional network switch monitor ports. This paper examines the evolution of deterministic Ethernet and the sub-sequent effect on test strategies.
Mitochondrial membrane dynamics are altered in cluA- mutants of Dictyostelium.

In cluA − mutants of Dictyostelium, mitochondria are clustered near the cell center rather than being dispersed throughout the cytoplasm. We have examined two possible mechanisms that could account for this phenotype. First, we sought evidence that the cytoskeleton or a presumptive mitochondrion–cytoskeleton linkage was altered in mutant cells. We found that cytoskeletal structures in cluA − cells appeared normal by immunostaining, and that the distribution of peroxisomes in mutant cells was indistinguishable from that in wild type cells. Treatment of wild type cells with drugs that disrupted microtubules or actin filaments did not mimic the cluA − phenotype. Thus, cytoskeletal defects seemed unlikely to account for the mitochondrial clustering in cluA − cells. Observation of the movement of GFP-tagged mitochondria in wild type cells suggested that mitochondria are transported along microtubules, as in mammalian cells, rather than along actin filaments, as in budding yeast. Therefore, the similar phenotypes of cluA − Dictyostelium cells and clu1Δ yeast cells argued against CluA/Clu1p acting as a mitochondrion–cytoskeleton linker. We next examined the ultrastructure of mitochondria in freeze-substituted, thin-sectioned cells. We found that the clustered mitochondria in cluA − cells are interconnected. Often, adjacent mitochondria are linked by narrow membranous strands, although sometimes the mitochondria are partially merged. The presence of narrow constrictions at presumptive division sites argues that the constriction step of division proceeds normally. Our data suggest that cluA − cells may be blocked at a very late step in fission of the outer mitochondrial membrane.
Child’s Play: The Role of Play in Mitigating the Fear of Death Among Pediatric Palliative Care Team Patients, Families, and Caregivers

Terror Management Theory (TMT), derived from Ernest Becker’s The Denial of Death (1974), maintains that humans are motivated by the desire to overcome our fear of death by constructing meaning and ...
Origins of Stereoselectivity in Mannich Reactions Catalyzed by Chiral Vicinal Diamines.

The origins of the enantio- and diastereoselectivities in the Mannich reactions between aldehydes and ketimines catalyzed by chiral vicinal diamines have been determined by density functional theor...
Management of Conflict Between the Independent Living Donor Advocate and the Transplant Team

The role of an independent advocate for living donors was suggested at the Amsterdam Forum in 2004. The very definition of the scope of the independent living donor advocate (ILDA) leads itself to the possibility of conflict between the advocate and the other members of the transplant team. The advocate must be independent of the transplant team and yet report to the transplant team. The advocate’s judgment of the suitability of the potential donor is of vital importance in making the final decision of allowing the donation to occur. Although no specific guidelines exist, the living donor advocate must assess the donors’ motivation to donate and whether they are making a well-informed decision. The members of a well-functioning team need to understand the role and responsibilities of each team member and respect each team member’s judgment. An effective team discusses, evaluates, and seeks to make improvements in their process and thereby increases patient safety.
The decontamination of animal feeds.

Pesticides have become essential to the economical production of most animal feedstuffs, including also the by-products of other agricultural industries, for example almond hulls, seed screenings, fruit pomaces, and other materials. The treatment which results in contamination may be intentional such as acaricide applications to almond hulls, or incidental such as drift onto alfalfa fields, but an increasing proportion of feed samples contain unacceptable levels of pesticide residues.
How People Name Seasons

This chapter represents an initial effort to examine the question of the ways that speakers of different languages name seasons. It presents information on twenty-six languages from six continents. The chapter explores commonalities and differences in the ways that speakers of these languages name seasons. The research for this chapter has unfolded in an inductive fashion. The initial impulse for the work grew out of a study of traditional forecasting methods in highland Peru and Bolivia. It represents an allocation of research effort in a way that might be described as broad and shallow. In sum, the tendency to name seasons seems a widespread characteristic. Seasonal names vary considerably. It is hoped that a widening of the database, and a closer inspection of particular languages, will provide further understanding of this matter.
Mother-Infant Relationships in Non-Human Primates

The mother-infant relationship in non-human primates is longer-lasting and more intense than it is in most other mammals. One reason for this is that the physical association between primate mothers and infants is very close. Infants cling to their mothers’ bodies almost constantly for at least the first few months of life. The mother provides the infant with food, warmth, transportation and protection.
A Microring-Based Time-Division Demultiplexer With Differential Signaling

We propose a new electronic-photonic integrated circuit for time-division demultiplexing based on time-interleaved sampling by microring couplers. The quasi-differential circuit design overcomes the issue of input signal feedthrough due to the extinction ratio limitation of microrings.
Health Determinants, Maternal Addiction, and Foster Care: Current Knowledge and Directions for Future Research

Maternal substance use disorders (SUDs) are a known risk factor for poor child welfare outcomes. Efforts to expose the mechanism of this disparity typically focus on the mother’s addiction treatmen...
Variable selection for partially linear proportional hazards model with covariate measurement error.

In survival analysis, we may encounter the following three problems: nonlinear covariate effect, variable selection and measurement error. Existing studies only address one or two of these problems...
A High-efficiency SiC Three-Phase Four-Wire inverter with Virtual Resistor Control Strategy Running at V2H mode

With the development of power electronics, three-phase voltage source inverters(VSls) are widely used in industry application. In this paper a SiC device based EV battery charger consisting of dual active bridge(DAB) and three-phase four-wire VSI is built. In order to undertake the unbalanced load, an independently controlled neutral module(ICNM) has been adopted for the VSI control to form the neutral line and provide the path for the zero-sequence current. Split DC-bus capacitors with the fourth leg are equipped to the conventional VSI. Meanwhile, the control performance is improved by paralleling virtual resistors to the load, namely, notch-filter-incorporated capacitor voltage feedback control(NF-CVFC), which not only enhances the quality of the output voltage but also ensures the system stability. Finally, a 10kW prototype is built and tested. Experimental results verified the proposed control strategy and the practical feasibility.
In-Package Air Cold Plasma Treatment of Chicken Breast Meat: Treatment Time Effect

The objective of this study was to investigate the effects of in-package dielectric barrier discharge (DBD) atmospheric cold plasma (CP) on meat color, microbiological quality and safety of chicken breast meat (pectoralis major). Raw broiler breast meat was collected from a local commercial plant. Noninoculated meat samples and meat samples inoculated with Campylobacter and Salmonella were packed in polymeric trays with air. The packaged samples were CP-treated at 70 kV for different times (0, 60, 180, or 300 sec) and stored at 4°C for 5 days. Microbial counts (psychrophiles, Campylobacter, Salmonella) and meat color (International Commission on Illumination (CIE) L∗a∗b∗) were measured before CP treatments and after 5 days of posttreatment storage. Psychrophile growth was inhibited ( ), and both food-borne pathogens were reduced ( ) by more than 90% with CP treatments regardless of treatment time. No differences in pathogenic bacterial counts were observed between the three treatment times; however, increasing treatment time beyond 60 sec resulted in additional inhibition of psychrophilic growth. There were no differences ( ) in a∗ and b∗ values between pretreatment and posttreatment plus storage; however, all CP treatments resulted in increased L∗ value ( ). Results indicate that in-package CP treatments can be used to reduce both microbial spoilage and food-borne pathogen risks, which could increase microbial food safety, although it may result in an overall paler breast meat, and the reduction (about 1 log) in pathogenic and spoilage microbes are limited.
Correction to: Losing to Gain: The Effects of a Healthy Lifestyle Intervention on the Physical and Psychosocial Well-being of Clients in a Community-based Mental Health Setting.

Individuals with severe and persistent mental illness (SPMI) encounter both poorer physical health and psychosocial well-being in comparison to the general population. Obesity, hypertension, heart disease, and diabetes can result from the symptoms of mental illness, the side effects from psychotropic medications, as well as disparities associated with being mentally ill. Mental health nurses are in a prime position to implement healthy lifestyle interventions (HLIs). This study tested a HLI (physical exercise and nutrition) and examined the effects on physical and psychosocial outcomes in clients obtaining mental health services at a community-based facility. Key findings included a decrease in anxiety and depressive symptoms at 3 months and consistent improvement in self-efficacy for exercise in the intervention group. Bridges and barriers to achieving optimal results in physical and psychosocial well-being were identified. Findings from this study offer insight into designing and executing more effective HLIs with individuals who have SPMI.
A Trip to the High Country

I had not been up to hike in the Colorado high country since my stroke. As a lifelong mountaineer, my spirit is always lifted by heading up high and breaking through timberline into a wonderland of blue lakes, bordered by windswept ridges and soaring peaks. There is something about traversing wild mountain terrain that brings a religious feeling to me. I feel free, and closer to God. I have always taken to heart the inspirational words of John Muir: “Climb the mountains and get their good tidings”.
Safety of enteral sildenafil in hemodynamically unstable children

Background Enteral sildenafil may be used in the intensive care unit for treatment of pulmonary arterial hypertension. We aimed to determine if initial enteral sildenafil dosing is safe in children receiving concurrent vasoactive infusions. Methods We performed a single-centre retrospective chart review that included patients less than 2 years of age in paediatric and cardiovascular intensive care units at an academic medical centre from 1 January, 2010 to 30 November, 2016. Included patients received concomitant enteral sildenafil and a continuously infused vasoactive agent. Exclusion criteria consisted of mechanical circulatory support, any form of dialysis, or a suspicion of septic shock at the time of sildenafil initiation. We sought to identify patients who developed worsening hemodynamic instability after initiation of enteral sildenafil defined as one or more of the following observations within 24 hours of sildenafil initiation: sildenafil discontinuation, total fluid bolus receipt g10 ml/kg, increased vasoactive support, epinephrine intravenous push administration, and/or the initiation of mechanical circulatory support. Results Worsening hemodynamic instability was identified in 35% of the 130-patient cohort. Patients younger than 4 months were at increased risk of further hemodynamic instability compared with older patients (56% versus 44%, p = 0.0003) despite receiving lower median doses (1.28 mg/kg/day versus 1.78 mg/kg/day, p = 0.01). Conclusions Critically ill children receiving vasoactive infusions may be at increased risk for further hemodynamic instability after initiation of enteral sildenafil, particularly in younger patients. This population may benefit from lower starting enteral sildenafil doses of 0.25 mg/kg/dose or less every 8 hours to avoid further hemodynamic compromise.
The Merchant’s Tale: Yokohama and the Transformation of Japan. By Simon Partner. (New York, NY: Columbia University Press, 2018. Pp. xxii, 291. $60.00.)

In the longue duree, history proceeds without the individual, shaped by technology, geography, and political structures. Partner's book sits within the middle of that sort of historical writing, as...
Uveal Melanoma: Proton Beam Radiation Therapy

Radiotherapy (RT) is the standard of care for the vast majority of malignant melanomas of the uveal tract. Brachytherapy and external beam radiation with heavy charged particles, such as protons, are used to treat most choroidal and ciliary body tumors, and high rates of local control are achieved with both modalities. However, highly localized and uniform dose distributions can be delivered with proton beam radiotherapy, which makes it particularly advantageous for treating large tumors and tumors located close to the optic nerve or macula. Eye conservation and, in many cases, maintenance of useful vision are possible, but vision-threatening complications such as maculopathy and papillopathy can occur. Despite high rates of local control and maintenance of ocular function, primary treatment modality has no effect on survival, with similar rates of metastasis- and melanoma-related mortality observed in patients who undergo enucleation or receive radiotherapy. Currently there are no effective treatments for metastatic uveal melanoma, which develops in the liver in most cases. Further research to discover new therapies and preventive strategies is necessary to improve survival.
Analysis of Difficulty Control in Bitcoin and Proof-of-Work Blockchains

This paper presents a stochastic model for block arrival times based on the difficulty retargeting rule used in Bitcoin, as well as other proof-of-work blockchains. Unlike some previous work, this paper explicitly models the difficulty target as a random variable which is a function of the previous block arrival times and affecting the block times in the next retargeting period. An explicit marginal distribution is derived for the time between successive blocks (the blocktime), while allowing for randomly changing difficulty. This paper also aims to serve as an introduction to Bitcoin and proof-of-work blockchains for the controls community, focusing on the difficulty retargeting procedure used in Bitcoin.
Commutative consistently L∗ -rings

We prove that for a commutative ring with $$1 \ne 0$$ , if it is consistently $$L^{*}$$ , then it is consistently $$O^{*}$$ . An example is provided to show that a consistently $$O^{*}$$ -ring may not be $$O^{*}$$ .
Physical Activity and Risk of Postoperative Delirium

Background/objective Regular physical activity (PA) has been associated with improved cognitive function, but its effect on postoperative delirium (POD) has not been established. Our objectives were to determine the effect of baseline PA on the incidence of POD in older patients undergoing elective orthopedic surgery and to determine whether these effects were independent of cognitive reserve. We hypothesize that PA protects against POD by bolstering physiologic reserve needed to withstand the stressors of surgery. Design Secondary analysis of a prospective, single-center, cohort study. Setting Urban academic hospital. Participants A total of 132 nondemented, English-speaking adults older than 60 years undergoing elective orthopedic surgery. Measurements Subjects were screened for POD and delirium severity using the Confusion Assessment Method and the Memorial Delirium Assessment Scale. Baseline cognitive activities and PAs were assessed with a validated Leisure Activity Scale. Regular PA was categorized as 6 to 7 days per week. The association of regular PA with incidence of POD was assessed using multivariable logistic regression, adjusting for age, sex, Charlson Comorbidity Index, cognitive reserve, and cognitive function. Linear regression was used to assess the association of delirium severity with regular PA. Results Of 132 patients, 41 (31.1%) developed POD. Regular PA was associated with a 74% lower odds of developing POD (odds ratio [OR] = 0.26; 95% confidence interval [CI] = 0.08-0.82). There was no significant interaction between PA and cognitive reserve (P = .70). Of 85 women, 25 (29.4%), and of 47 men, 16 (34.0%) developed POD. In stratified analysis, women who engaged in regular PA had dramatically lower odds of POD (OR = 0.08; 95% CI = 0.01-0.63) compared with men (OR = 0.93; 95% CI = 0.18-4.97). Conclusions Regular PA is associated with decreased incidence of POD, especially among women. Future studies should address the basis of sex differences in PA benefits on delirium. J Am Geriatr Soc 67:2260-2266, 2019.
The mechanical stop test and isovolumetric detrusor contractile reserve are associated with immediate spontaneous voiding after transurethral resection of prostate

To identify urodynamic factors associated with the mechanical stop test and immediate spontaneous voiding following transurethral resection of prostate (TURP). We identified 90 men who underwent TURP over a 12-month period. Forty-three (mean age 68 years) underwent urodynamic evaluation prior to TURP. Isovolumetric detrusor contractile pressure (Piso) was obtained using the mechanical stop test during the voiding phase, and used to calculate detrusor contractile reserve (Pres = Piso − Pdet@Qmax). Primary outcome was spontaneous voiding after TURP. Preoperative catheter-free spontaneous voiding was present in 63% of men (27/43) with a urodynamic (mean ± SD): Qmax 6.2 ± 2.7 mL/s, Pdet@Qmax 102 ± 47 cmH2O, Piso 124 ± 49 cmH2O, Pres 22 ± 16 cmH2O, bladder outlet obstruction index (BOOI) 90 ± 49, and bladder contractility index (BCI) 132 ± 44. The remaining 16 catheter-dependent men demonstrated a urodynamic (mean ± SD): Qmax 3.6 ± 3.3 mL/s, Pdet@Qmax 87 ± 38 cmH2O, Piso 99 ± 51 cmH2O, Pres 10 ± 18 cmH2O, BOOI 82 ± 36, and BCI 106 ± 48. Following TURP, 67% of men voided spontaneously with their first void trial, and in receiver operator analysis of urodynamic measures (Pdet@Qmax, Piso, Pres, BOOI and BCI), only Pres was significantly associated with immediate spontaneous voiding after TURP (threshold Pres ≥ 9 cmH2O, AUC = 0.681, p = 0.035). In men who underwent TURP, a Pres ≥ 9 cmH2O was associated with immediate spontaneous voiding and may be easily incorporated into the postoperative pathway.
Some Puzzling Foundational Issues: The Reading Program

Aquesta es una transcripcio anotada de la presentacio principal de Noam Chomsky a la Universitat de Reading, el maig de 2017. Aqui Chomsky revisa alguns aspectes fundacionals de la teoria de la construccio d’estructures: fonamentalment, fusio i etiquetatge. L’objectiu es eliminar allo que aquest autor anomena extensions de fusio, que aparentment son incompatibles amb la tesi minimalista forta, i continuar donant compte de l’estructura recursiva, el desplacament i la reconstruccio (com a principals objectius empirics del programa minimalista). Aquests inclouen el moviment lateral, la multidominancia i la fusio tardana, que s’han desenvolupat al llarg del cicle de vida de la gramatica generativa transformacional. A mes a mes, Chomsky formula una serie de condicions que ha de complir una formulacio adequada de fusio i indica que les extensions esmentades poden violar aquestes condicions. Chomsky arriba a la formulacio d’una operacio fusio que mante les propietats basiques de fusio pero que queda restringida per limitacions sobre el que la fusio pot fer en els espais de treball on s’apliquen les operacions sintactiques.