cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
An analysis of the individual economics of ride-hailing drivers

Abstract Ride-hailing companies are disrupting transportation at a large scale while also providing economic opportunities to millions of drivers. Companies such as Uber and Lyft constantly promote potential earnings on the order of $25–$35 per hour. Yet, the advertised earnings do not account for factors such as time spent without passengers, the need to travel back-and-forth between areas of low and high ridership, driver residential location, or driving expenses. By examining a unique and detailed dataset collected using ethnographic methods – primary data collected by one of the authors who became an independent contractor to drive for both Uber and Lyft in the Denver area – we examine actual earnings with three common expense scenarios to answer the question of how much ride-hailing drivers actually earn. This study first assesses the cost per mile to passengers – including fare, fees, tolls, and gratuity – and finds that the result follows a power law function (in relation to trip distance) with a median cost of $2.50 per mile (not including value of time). We then assess driver earnings and estimate gross wages averaging $15.57 per hour. Given three common expense scenarios, we estimate net hourly wages ranging between $5.72 and $10.46 per hour before taxes. This suggests that most ride-hailing drivers earn less than the state minimum wage in Colorado. Our results also suggest that drivers are better off parking and waiting for the next ride request rather than driving to a more active location unless doing so cuts at least 30% of ride request waiting time. We then identify cruising and deadheading as negative externalities of ride-hailing and suggest per-mile ride-hailing fees, which start at zero passengers and provide discounts, based on increasing vehicle occupancy, to help mitigate this issue. While our data collection focused on the Denver region, ride-hailing rates and cost of living adjustments to specific cities can be used for comparison, providing insight into the individual economics for ride-hailing drivers.
Microsurgical Resection of Recurrent Cavernous Sinus Hemangioma by Superior and Lateral Approach: 2-Dimensional Operative Video

This video shows the technical nuances of microsurgical resection of recurrent cavernous sinus (CS) hemangioma by superior and lateral approach. A 77-yr-old woman presented with headache and difficulty in vision in right eye for 6 mo. She had previously undergone attempted resection of a right CS tumor in another hospital with partial removal, and the tumor had grown significantly. Neurological examination revealed proptosis, cranial nerve 3 palsy, and loss of vision in right eye (20/200). Left side visual acuity was 20/20. Brain magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) demonstrated a large CS mass with homogeneous enhancement, measuring 3.3 × 3.3 × 2.6 cm, extending into the suprasellar cistern with mass effect on the right optic nerve. It extended anteriorly to the region of the right orbital apex and abuted the basilar artery posteriorly. She underwent right frontotemporal craniotomy, posterolateral orbitotomy and anterior clinoidectomy as well as optic nerve decompression, and the CS tumor was removed by superior and lateral approach. An incision was made into the superior wall of the CS medial to the third nerve. On lateral aspect the tumor had extended outside the CS through the Parkinson's triangle. Posteriorly it extended through the clival dura. Anteriorly tumor encased the carotid artery and it was gradually dissected away. At the end of the operation, all of the cranial nerves were intact. Postoperative MRI showed near complete tumor resection with preservation of the internal carotid artery. At 6 mo follow-up her modified Rankin Scale was 1 and vision in left eye was normal. Informed consent was obtained from the patient prior to the surgery that included videotaping of the procedure and its distribution for educational purposes. All relevant patient identifiers have also been removed from the video and accompanying radiology slides.
Some geometric properties of matrix means with respect to different metrics

In this paper we study the monotonicity, in-betweenness and in-sphere properties of matrix means with respect to Bures–Wasserstein, Hellinger and log-determinant metrics. More precisely, we show that the matrix power means (Kubo–Ando and non-Kubo–Ando extensions) satisfy the in-betweenness property in the Hellinger metric. We also show that for two positive definite matrices A and B, the curve of weighted Heron means, the geodesic curve of the arithmetic and the geometric mean lie inside the sphere centered at the geometric mean with the radius equal to half of the log-determinant distance between A and B.
Ophthalmic findings in 10 captive, anesthetized chimpanzees (Pan troglodytes)

Objectives To document ophthalmic findings, Schirmer's tear test I (STT), and intraocular pressure (IOP) values for anesthetized chimpanzees (Pan troglodytes). Animals studied Ten captive chimpanzees from Zoo Knoxville and Chattanooga Zoo. Procedures Ten chimpanzees were anesthetized for annual physical examinations, blood collection, and ophthalmic examination. Each was anesthetized with intramuscular (IM) injections of dexmedetomidine, midazolam, and ketamine. Ophthalmic findings and STT and IOP values in addition to general health information were recorded for each chimpanzee. Pupillary diameter was measured after topical tropicamide administration. A Shapiro-Wilk test of normality was done for age, weight, STT values, IOP values, and pupil size. Results Ages ranged from 11 to 42 years. Weight range was 40.9-83.6 kg. The mean STT was 13.4 ± 5.3 mm/min. The mean IOP was 14 ± 4.2 mm Hg. Seven of the 10 chimpanzees were considered geriatric, and each had perilimbal lipid deposits. Sedative-associated miosis was successfully counteracted with a regimen of repeated applications of tropicamide, enabling complete fundic examination. Conclusions A complete ophthalmic examination can be done on anesthetized chimpanzees with the protocol used in this study.
Optimized Transformer Models for FAQ Answering.

Informational chatbots provide a highly effective medium for improving operational efficiency in answering customer queries for any enterprise. Chatbots are also preferred by users/customers since unlike other alternatives like calling customer care or browsing over FAQ pages, chatbots provide instant responses, are easy to use, are less invasive and are always available. In this paper, we discuss the problem of FAQ answering which is central to designing a retrieval-based informational chatbot. Given a set of FAQ pages s for an enterprise, and a user query, we need to find the best matching question-answer pairs from s. Building such a semantic ranking system that works well across domains for large QA databases with low runtime and model size is challenging. Previous work based on feature engineering or recurrent neural models either provides low accuracy or incurs high runtime costs. We experiment with multiple transformer based deep learning models, and also propose a novel MT-DNN (Multi-task Deep Neural Network)-based architecture, which we call Masked MT-DNN (or MMT-DNN). MMT-DNN significantly outperforms other state-of-the-art transformer models for the FAQ answering task. Further, we propose an improved knowledge distillation component to achieve \(\sim \)2.4x reduction in model-size and \(\sim \)7x reduction in runtime while maintaining similar accuracy. On a small benchmark dataset from SemEval 2017 CQA Task 3, we show that our approach provides an NDCG@1 of 83.1. On another large dataset of \(\sim \)281K instances corresponding to \(\sim \)30K queries from diverse domains, our distilled 174 MB model provides an NDCG@1 of 75.08 with a CPU runtime of mere 31 ms establishing a new state-of-the-art for FAQ answering.
Improved CFD prediction of flows past simplified and real-life automotive bodies using modified turbulence model closure coefficients:

In spite of its shortcomings, faster turnaround time and cost-effectiveness make the Reynolds-averaged Navier–Stokes modeling approach still a popular and widely used methodology in many industrial...
Management of large intraventricular meningiomas with minimally invasive port technique: a three-case series.

The use of minimally invasive transcranial ports for the resection of deep-seated lesions has been shown to be safe and effective. To date, most of the literature regarding the tubular retractors used in brain surgery is comprised of individual case reports that describe the successful resection of deep-seated lesions such as thalamic pilocytic astrocytomas, colloid cysts in the third ventricle, hematomas, and cavernous angiomas. The authors describe their experience using a tubular retractor system with three different cases involving large intraventricular meningiomas and examine radiographic and patient outcomes. A single-institution, retrospective case series was performed from a skull base database. Patients who underwent resection of intraventricular > 4-cm meningiomas with port technology were identified. The authors reviewed three cases to illustrate the feasibility of minimal access port surgery for the resection of these lesions. Complete resection was achieved in all cases. None of the patients developed permanent neurological deficits. There were no major complications related to surgery and no mortalities. Good clinical and surgical outcomes for atrium meningiomas can be achieved through the minimally invasive port technique and tumor size does not appear to be a limitation.
Becoming a dentist from home: Online dental education during the Covid-19 pandemic

School shutdowns in the United States due to Covid-19 forced many dental schools who rely on in-person learning to search for alternatives that maintain the quality of their institution’s education. Two online alternatives include the remote learning model, which aims to replicate the live classroom experience, and prerecorded learning that provides the course material in a lump sum for students to review at their own pace. Administering didactic learning in an online format contains challenges such as technological limitations and disparities between student-home environments. Overcoming these obstacles and successfully replicating the live classroom experience relies on the preservation of student-teacher engagement to assess student comprehension. Moving forward, dental schools should consider opting to maintain aspects of online alternatives to allow students to allocate more or less time to tasks based on individual needs versus continuing the standardized lecture blocks used with in-person classroom learning.
White matter hyperintensities affect transcranial electrical stimulation in the aging brain.

Abstract Background White matter hyperintensities (WMH) are estimated to occur in greater than 63% of older adults over the age of 60 years. WMH identified in the T2-weighted FLAIR images can be combined with T1-weighted images to enhance individualized current flow models of older adults by accounting for the presence of WMH and its effects on delivered tES current in the aging brain. Methods Individualized head models were derived from T1-weighted images of 130 healthy older adults (mean = 71 years). Lesions segmented from FLAIR acquisition were added to individualized models. Current densities were computed in the brain and compared between models with and without lesions. Main results Integrating WMH into the models resulted in an overall decrease (up to 7%) in median current densities in the brain outside lesion regions. Changes in current density and total lesion volume was positively correlated (R2 = 0.31, p Conclusions Incorporating WMH into individualized models may increase the accuracy of predicted tES current flow in the aging brain.
Data-driven prediction of antiviral peptides based on periodicities of amino acid properties

Abstract With the emergence of new pathogens, e.g., methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA), and the recent novel coronavirus pandemic, there has been an ever-increasing need for novel antimicrobial therapeutics. In this work, we have developed support vector machine (SVM) models to predict antiviral peptide sequences. Oscillations in physicochemical properties in protein sequences have been shown to be predictive of protein structure and function, and in the presented we work we have taken advantage of these known periodicities to develop models that predict antiviral peptide sequences. In developing the presented models, we first generated property factors by applying principal component analysis (PCA) to the AAindex dataset of 544 amino acid properties. We next converted peptide sequences into physicochemical vectors using 18 property factors resulting from the PCA. Fourier transforms were applied to the property factor vectors to measure the amplitude of the physicochemical oscillations, which served as the features to train our SVM models. To train and test the developed models we have used a publicly available database of antiviral peptides ( http://crdd.osdd.net/servers/avppred/ ), and we have used cross-validation to train and tune models based on multiple training and testing sets. To further understand the physicochemical properties of antiviral peptides we have also applied a previously developed feature selection algorithm. Future work will be aimed at computationally designing novel antiviral therapeutics based on the developed machine learning models.
Recombinant bacille Calmette-Guerin coexpressing Ag85b, CFP10, and interleukin-12 elicits effective protection against Mycobacterium tuberculosis.

Background The tuberculosis (TB) pandemic remains a leading cause of human morbidity and mortality, despite widespread use of the only licensed anti-TB vaccine, bacille Calmette-Guerin (BCG). The protective efficacy of BCG in preventing pulmonary TB is highly variable; therefore, an effective new vaccine is urgently required. Methods In the present study, we assessed the ability of novel recombinant BCG vaccine (rBCG) against Mycobacterium tuberculosis by using modern immunological methods. Results Enzyme-linked immunospot assays demonstrated that the rBCG vaccine, which coexpresses two mycobacterial antigens (Ag85B and CFP10) and human interleukin (IL)-12 (rBCG2) elicits greater interferon-γ (IFN-γ) release in the mouse lung and spleen, compared to the parental BCG. In addition, rBCG2 triggers a Th1-polarized response. Our results also showed that rBCG2 vaccination significantly limits M. tuberculosis H37Rv multiplication in macrophages. The rBCG2 vaccine surprisingly induces significantly higher tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) production by peripheral blood mononuclear cells that were exposed to a nonmycobacterial stimulus, compared to the parental BCG. Conclusion In this study, we demonstrated that the novel rBCG2 vaccine may be a promising candidate vaccine against M. tuberculosis infection.
Low surface recombination velocity in solution-grown CH3NH3PbBr3 perovskite single crystal

Surface recombination velocity can have a major impact on solar cell performance. Here, Yang et al. measure surface recombination dynamics in perovskite single crystals using broadband transient reflectance spectroscopy. Grain size is crucial to avoid the effects of surface recombination on carrier lifetime.
Neuroimmune Interactions and Pathogenesis of Intestinal Inflammation in Infectious Diseases

The attachment of bacteria to mucosal surfaces is the initial event in the pathogenesis of several bacterial infections in the gastrointestinal tract. Macrophages also express substance P (SP) mRNA, which can be upregulated, leading to the release of SP when exposed to bacterial lipopolysaccharide (LPS) in vitro or during intestinal inflammation in vivo. Neuroimmune interactions and the enteric nervous system also play a major role in the pathogenesis of intestinal secretion due to Salmonella infection. Clostridium difficile toxin-mediated diarrhea and enterocolitis represent one of the best disease models, demonstrating how neuroimmune interactions modulate intestinal enterotoxin responses. Interestingly, mast cell-deficient mice have reduced toxin-A-associated ileal secretion and mucosal neutrophil infiltration, providing direct evidence of the importance of these multifunctional cells in the pathogenesis of enterotoxin-induced inflammatory diarrhea. Based on these considerations, macrophage-dependent mechanisms participate in the pathogenesis of toxin A-mediated enterocolitis. Studies using the Trichinella spiralis and Nippostrongylus brasiliensis animal models of parasitic infections provided important information not only on the pathophysiology of these diseases, but also on the outcome of immune cell-nerve interactions in the pathogenesis of diarrhea and intestinal inflammation. Valuable information from use of these models has had wide application in studies involving neuroimmune interactions in other forms of infectious diarrhea and inflammation. The successful inhibition of several types of infectious diarrhea and inflammation by neuropeptide and neuropeptide receptor antagonists in animal models opens the possibility that these or similar antagonists may be beneficial in the amelioration of the intestinal inflammation in human infection.
Contingent Value Rights in Acquisitions: Theory and Empirical Evidence

A CVR is a commitment by an issuing firm to pay additional cash or securities to CVR-holders contingent on the issuer's share price falling below a pre-specified level. It has been offered together with cash or stock, or both (or with other securities) as a means of payment in a number of recent corporate restructurings such as takeovers, debt restructuring, lawsuit settlements, etc. Since a CVR provides a hedge against downside price risk of the issuing firm, many practitioners argue that a CVR is a way to guarantee a minimum value for the payment package. However, this argument raises the question that, if a firm only intends to guarantee the value of its payment, then why doesn't the firm pay with cash and why does it choose CVRs instead of (or in addition to) cash? In this paper, we develop a theoretical model to address this issue and related questions. We consider a firm making a payment to acquire an asset from outside investors and we assume that the firm has more information about its intrinsic value than outsiders. If the firm is of a higher intrinsic value, then it is concerned about mispricing of its equity in the capital market (in addition to the mispricing of its payment). In this setting, we show that, when the extent of asymmetric information is severe, a higher valued firm can reveal its type by offering CVRs with other securities, but not by offering cash payment. We then test the empirical implications of our model in the context of M&As by using a comprehensive sample of U.S. public acquisitions in which CVRs are used. We find that, when CVRs are offered in acquisitions, the announcement period abnormal stock return is significantly more positive than comparable stock deals that involve no CVRs. We also find that firms offering CVRs in their acquisitions face more severe asymmetric information problem than firms offering cash or firms offering stock with no CVRs. Both findings are consistent with the implications of our model.
The effect of a condensed tannin-containing forage on methane emission by goats

The objective of this study was to compare methane emission by goats consuming the condensed tannin-containing forage sericea lespedeza (Les-pedeza cuneata) or a mixture of crabgrass (Digitaria ischaemum) and Kentucky 31 tall fescue (Festuca arundinacea). Two groups of 12 Angora does (initial average BW = 41.5 +/- 2.7 kg) that previously grazed a pasture of sericea lespedeza or crabgrass/tall fescue for approximately 4 mo were used. After 1 wk of adaptation to metabolism cages, gas exchange was measured for 24 h in an open-circuit respiration calorimetry system with four head boxes. Forage harvested daily from the previously grazed pastures was consumed ad libitum. Crude protein concentration was 10.3 and 13.0%, IVDMD was 64.5 and 75.3%, and the level of condensed tannins was 17.7 and 0.5% for sericea lespedeza and crabgrass/tall fescue, respectively. Dry matter intake (1.11 vs. 0.67 kg/d) and digestible DMI (estimated from IVDMD; 0.71 vs. 0.51 kg/d) were greater (P 0.19). Despite higher DMI by goats fed sericea lespedeza, daily energy expenditure (409 vs. 431 kJ/kg BW(0.75)), heart rate (70 vs. 73 beats/min), and the ratio of energy expenditure to heart rate (5.82 vs. 5.94) did not differ between sericea lespedeza and crabgrass/tall fescue, respectively (P > 0.13). Methane emission expressed as both quantity per day or relative to DMI was lower (P <0.001) for sericea lespedeza than for crabgrass/tall fescue (7.4 vs. 10.6 g/d and 6.9 vs. 16.2 g/kg DMI). Substantial differences between the forages in condensed tannins concentration and methane emission by Angora goats suggest that condensed tannins decreased methane emission.
Robust iris recognition using advanced correlation techniques

The iris is considered one of the most reliable and stable biometrics as it is believed to not change significantly during a person's lifetime. Standard techniques for iris recognition, popularized by Daugman, apply Gabor wavelet analysis for feature extraction. In this paper, we consider an alternative method for iris recognition, the use of advanced distortion-tolerant correlation filters for robust pattern matching. These filters offer two primary advantages: shift invariance, and the ability to tolerate within-class image variations. The iris images we use in our experiments are from the CASIA database and also from an iris database we collected at CMU. In this paper, we perform automatic segmentation of the iris (which surrounds the pupil) from the rest of the eye, normalizing for scale and pupil dilation. We then use these segmented iris images to compare the recognition performance of various methods, including Gabor wavelet feature extraction, to correlation filters.
A Geometrical Approach to Quantum Field Theory

It is well-known that unitarity and renormalizability of gauge theories are most conveniently proved by using BRST (Becchi-Rouet-Stora, and independently, Tyutin) invariance.1 From the invariance of the effective quantum action $$L(qu) = L(classical) + L(gauge fixing) + L(ghost)$$ (1) under the global BRST transformations one can derive Ward identities for the connected Green’s functions which allow a simple proof of unitarity2, and Ward identities for the one-particle irreducible Green’s functions which allow a simple proof of renormalizability.3 Thus BRST transformations are of great practical use.
Efficient Dynamical Mean Field Simulation of the Holstein-Hubbard Model

We present a method for solving impurity models with electron-phonon coupling, which treats the phonons efficiently and without approximations. The algorithm is applied to the Holstein-Hubbard model in the dynamical mean field approximation, where it allows access to strong interactions, very low temperatures, and arbitrary fillings. We show that a renormalized Migdal-Eliashberg theory provides a reasonable description of the phonon contribution to the electronic self-energy in strongly doped systems, but fails if the quasiparticle energy becomes of order of the phonon frequency.
Asymptotic limits and the structure of the pion form factor

We use dispersive techniques to address the behavior of the pion form factor as Q{sup 2}{r_arrow}{infinity} and Q{sup 2}{r_arrow}0. We perform the matching with the constraints of perturbative QCD and chiral perturbation theory in the high-energy and low-energy limits, leading to four sum rules. We present a version of the dispersive input which is consistent with the data and with all theoretical constraints. The results indicate that the asymptotic perturbative QCD limit is approached relatively slowly, and give a model-independent determination of low-energy chiral parameters. {copyright} {ital 1997} {ital The American Physical Society}
The mouse intestinal fatty acid binding protein gene: nucleotide sequence, pattern of developmental and regional expression, and proposed structure of its protein product.

ABSTRACT The rat intestinal fatty acid binding protein (I-FABP) gene has been used as a model to study temporal and spatial differentiation of the gut epithelium while its protein product has been used as a model for examining the atomic details of noncovalent fatty acid-protein interactions. We have isolated the mouse I-FABP gene (Fabpi) and determined its nucleotide sequence. Comparisons of the orthologous mouse, rat, and human I-FABP genes revealed three conserved domains in their otherwise divergent 5′ nontranscribed sequences. RNA blot hybridization and multilabel immunocytochemical methods were used to compare the developmental stage-specific patterns of activation of the rat and mouse genes. In addition, Fabpi expression in enterocytes was examined as a function of their differentiation along the crypto-to-villus and duodenal-to-colonic axes of the small intestine. Based on the similar temporal and geographic patterns of mouse and rat I-FABP expression described here and the results of our earlier ...
Discovery of Side- and Shear-Dependent miRNAs and mRNAs in Human Aortic Valvular Endothelial Cells

Aortic valve (AV) disease is diagnosed by severe symptoms, such as calcification, and typically treated by AV replacement and repair surgeries. The mechanism by which AV disease occurs, specifically the role of the endothelium remains relatively unknown. It is known that disease preferentially occurs on the fibrosa, or aortic side, where it is exposed to disturbed, oscillatory flow, whereas the ventricularis, or side facing the left ventricle, experiences pulsatile, laminar shear and remains non-calcified [1, 2]. Research shows that regulation of miRNAs, short nucleotide segments targeting mRNAs, coincides with cardiovascular pathologies [3] though expression profiles of miRNAs and the mRNAs they modulate in human AV endothelial cells (HAVECs) have not been reported. We hypothesize that disturbed flow conditions present on the fibrosa stimulate ECs to modify expression of genes and miRNAs to induce a pro-inflammatory phenotype.Copyright © 2011 by ASME
Ultraviolet Radiation Induced Signature Mutations in Photocarcinogenesis

The photons of sunlight begin a series of genetic events in skin leading to cancer. UV signature mutations provide an alternative to inherited mutations as a way of identifying genes that are involved in cancer development. They augment epidemiologic and clinical data by serving as molecular evidence for the role of UV radiation in skin carcinogenesis. Signature mutations are present in TP53 and PTCH, two tumor suppressor genes responsible for non-melanoma skin cancer. We review evidence that clones of TP53-mutated cells are present in normal human and murine epidermis exposed to UVB and conclude that, in addition to being a tumorigenic mutagen, sunlight acts as a tumor promoter by favoring the clonal expansion of TP53 mutated cells. These combined actions of sunlight result in normal individuals' carrying a substantial burden of keratinocytes predisposed to cancer. Thus cancer involves both a single-cell problem and a multi-cell problem; in skin cancer, sunlight appears to drive both.
Controls of Volatile Ammonia Losses from Loblolly Pine Plantations Fertilized with Urea in the Southeast USA

Ammonia volatilization losses from surface applied urea could reduce the N-use efficiency in loblolly pine (Pinus taeda L.) plantations. Three field studies were conducted to assess the effectiveness of two urea formulations: coated-urea fertilizer (CUF) and the urease inhibitor N-(n-butyl) thiophosphoric triamide-treated urea (NBPT) at reducing ammonia (NH 3 ) losses in loblolly pine plantations under different forest floor moisture (dry vs. wet), substrate (forest floor vs. mineral soil), and site/soil type conditions (Piedmont vs. Coastal Plain). An additional laboratory study under controlled environmental conditions helped validate the results from the field. Ammonia volatilization losses were influenced more by the initial forest floor moisture than by the fertilizer formulations and were 43% lower when the fertilizer treatments were applied directly on the forest floor than on the exposed mineral soil. The average NH 3 losses, expressed as a percentage of applied N, in the Piedmont ranged from 1 to 9%, and from 7 to 16%, 7 and 30 d after fertilization, respectively. At Day 7, both CUF and NBPT reduced NH 3 losses, as compared with untreated urea, by 39 and 80%, respectively. In the Coastal Plain, NH 3 losses ranged from 7 to 17%, 7 d after fertilization. Both CUF and NBPT reduced NH 3 losses, as compared with untreated urea, by 35 and 25%, respectively. This difference in treatment ranking between sites suggests a fertilizer by site/ soil type interaction which the laboratory study confirmed. These results highlight the importance of knowing the environmental and site conditions before fertilization and can help decide where and when these formulations might be used more effectively.
Texture operator determination by simulated annealing

Convolution of textured images with a set of small masks can be used to produce features for texture classification or for image segmentation. These masks are usually picked from a standard set, such as Laws' texture energy operators or the variations discussed by other researchers. In this paper we discuss using simulated annealing to determine an optimum set of masks for particular sets of textures. Initial masks are picked and iteratively improved by using simulated annealing with an appropriate energy function. The masks converge to a final set that minimizes the energy function. We show experimental results with a small set of textures. The masks produced by the method depends on the textures used, and these masks are more effective in discriminating between these textures than the standard masks.
A review on phase field modeling of martensitic phase transformation

In the last few decades, the phase field method has shown tremendous capabilities of predicting microstructure evolutions at the mesoscale scale. This method was widely used for modeling martensitic phase transformation, where the displacive character was a challenging problem for the counterpart sharp interface approach. Martensitic phase transformation, which is an invariant plane stress twinning, drives a myriad of phase transition phenomena of paramount importance to many structural applications. This article provides a literature review of the past phase field modeling studies used to capture the formation and growth of martensite.
Biochemical changes in tissues of goldfish acclimated to high and low temperatures—I. protein synthesis

Abstract 1. 1. The initial rate of protein synthesis, as measured by the level of incorporation in 1 hr of 14 C-leucine into protein, exhibited a compensation in gill and liver of goldfish acclimated at 5°C only when tested at 25°C. However, muscle of 5°C fish showed a greater incorporation than that of 25°C fish at 15°C and 25°C but not at 5°C. The Q 10 of the incorporation rate was higher for the 25°C-acclimated fish than for the 5°C-acclimated ones in the lower range of temperature, but this relationship was reversed in the higher thermal range. 2. 2. All the tissues reached a steady-state level of incorporation within 6–12 hr after the injection of the isotopic precursor in both the cold- and warm-adapted fish, when measured at 15°C. 3. 3. The maximal net synthesis of protein at 12 hr of incorporation was 100–500 per cent higher in the cold-acclimated tissues than in the warm-acclimated ones at 5°C and less so at 15°C. There were no significant differences between the cold- and warm-adapted gill and liver in the net protein synthesis at 25°C, although muscle showed a 50 per cent reduction in this process during warm acclimation. 4. 4. The 14 C-count in the PCA-supernatants of the warm-acclimated tissues was higher than in the cold-acclimated, ones, when measured 1 hr after the injection of 14 C-leucine at 15°C; this might signify a greater amino acid permeability of the cell membrane during warm acclimation. However, no difference was found in 14 C-counts of the PCA-soluble pools of the corresponding tissues from cold- and warm-adapted fish, when measured either at 5° or 25°C, 12 hr after the administration of the isotope. Thus the availability of the precursor did not seem to be rate limiting for the protein synthesis, although a rapid metabolism of the amino acids in the warm-adapted fish tissues cannot be excluded. 5. 5. It is concluded that the translational increase in enzymatic activities and oxidative metabolism of goldfish during cold acclimation may be achieved by a complicated rotational (gill and liver) or a simple translational (muscle) augmentation of the maximal net synthesis of proteins.
Young Women's Sexual and Reproductive Health Post HPV Vaccination

In the present study, the authors sought to explore, in greater depth, the impact that an HPV vaccination has on college-aged women's reproductive and sexual health. Qualitative interviews were conducted with 30 HPV-vaccinated college women and were analyzed for recurring themes. Although findings revealed that women's HPV-related knowledge was suboptimal, most women correctly believed that they were still at risk for HPV after having received the vaccination. Women indicated that having the HPV vaccine made them more aware of sexually transmitted infections and prompted them to continue to take care of their sexual health. Women reported that having the HPV vaccine did not influence their condom use or birth control choices, and they believed that obtaining Pap smears was still important. These results help us to understand the impact of HPV vaccination on women's reproductive and sexual health. These findings are promising and reinforce the importance of educating women about behaviors that will help th...
Allocating flexible servers in serial systems with switching costs

Consider a firm that operates a make-to-order serial production system and employs a cross-trained workforce. We model such a firm as a tandem queuing system in which flexible servers can be allocated across stations, and assume that a switching cost is charged when servers move between stations. We show that even in the two-station two-server case the optimal policy follows a complex state-dependent structure that may be difficult to implement in practice. We propose three alternate heuristic policies and assess their performance. We show that a simpler policy which only moves one server can achieve close to optimal results.
Movement and illumination factors in adaptation to prismatic viewing

While wearing laterally displacing prisms, Ss were required to align a spot of light to the phenomenal straightahead, These measurements were obtained at the beginning and at the end of an exposure to prismatic displacement. In addition, Ss either actively controlled movement of the spot of light. or movement was manipulated by E under the direction of the 5. Aftereffects were determined by having 5 position the spot of light with normal vision at the beginning of the experiment and after each measurement obtained under prism viewing. Ss in the darkened room condition who were required to align the spot of light actively showed a significant aftereffect in the direction of prismatic displacement both at the beginning and at the end of the exposure period. No difference in the degree of adaptation was found between those measurements at the beginning and at the end of the exposure period. No significant aftereffects were found when the room was illuminated during prism exposure or when E controlled movement of the light source.
Growth and regression in tadpole pancreas during spontaneous and thyroid hormone-induced metamorphosis: 1. Rates of macromolecular synthesis and degradation

Abstract Administration of thyroid hormone to stage X premetamorphic tadpoles results in many changes in the pancreas including a drastic weight loss, decreased protein concentration, increased free amino acid pool, and increased protein degradation and DNA synthesis. DNA concentration remains constant, and evidence is presented which demonstrates that cellular necrosis is responsible for the decrease in pancreatic mass. These transitions induced by thyroid hormone parallel those which occur at stages XIX to XXII during normal metamorphosis. These studies also suggest that the thyroid hormone may have little or no role in the subsequent differentiation of the newly proliferated pancreatic cells.
Dynamics of spontaneous roughening on the GaAs(0 0 1)-(2×4) surface

Abstract The dynamics of a random distribution of spontaneously formed 2D GaAs islands are studied using scanning tunneling microscopy. The equilibrium concentration of islands is easily tuned from 0% to 50% coverage by only changing the As 4 overpressure. Images taken during the early stages of island formation reveal the roughening transition primarily occurs through an intermediate pit formation phase. Interestingly, pit formation in the middle of an otherwise pristine terrace is overwhelmingly preferred to atom detachment from the edges of the terraces.
Assessment of adherence to a low-fat diet for breast cancer prevention.

Abstract Background. The relationships between self-reported adherence to a low-fat diet in healthy women between the ages of 44 and 69 and a number of correlates of this self-reported behavior were examined in an attempt to improve monitoring of adherence to nutritional intervention trials for breast cancer prevention. Methods. Dietary fat intake in 87 women who completed 6 months of nutritional intervention was reduced from 38.2 ± 5.9% to 21.7 ± 7.8% of total energy intake (P Results. Body weight decreased by 2.7% from 68.1 ± 11.2 kg to 66.3 ± 11.9 kg (P Conclusion. Self-reported changes in dietary behavior correlated significantly with objective changes in body weight and fasting cholesterol in these healthy women encouraged to consume a low-fat diet for prevention of breast cancer.
Experimental investigations of the reaction path in the MgO–CO2–H2O system in solutions with various ionic strengths, and their applications to nuclear waste isolation

Abstract The reaction path in the MgO–CO2–H2O system at ambient temperatures and atmospheric CO2 partial pressure(s), especially in high-ionic-strength brines, is of both geological interest and practical significance. Its practical importance lies mainly in the field of nuclear waste isolation. In the USA, industrial-grade MgO, consisting mainly of the mineral periclase, is the only engineered barrier certified by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) for emplacement in the Waste Isolation Pilot Plant (WIPP) for defense-related transuranic waste. The German Asse repository will employ a Mg(OH)2-based engineered barrier consisting mainly of the mineral brucite. Therefore, the reaction of periclase or brucite with carbonated brines with high-ionic-strength is an important process likely to occur in nuclear waste repositories in salt formations where bulk MgO or Mg(OH)2 will be employed as an engineered barrier. The reaction path in the system MgO–CO2–H2O in solutions with a wide range of ionic strengths was investigated experimentally in this study. The experimental results at ambient laboratory temperature and ambient laboratory atmospheric CO2 partial pressure demonstrate that hydromagnesite (5424) (Mg5(CO3)4(OH)2 · 4H2O) forms during the carbonation of brucite in a series of solutions with different ionic strengths. In Na–Mg–Cl-dominated brines such as Generic Weep Brine (GWB), a synthetic WIPP Salado Formation brine, Mg chloride hydroxide hydrate (Mg3(OH)5Cl · 4H2O) also forms in addition to hydromagnesite (5424). The observation of nesquehonite (MgCO3 · H2O) and subsequent appearance of hydromagnesite (5424) in the experiments in a Na–Cl-dominated brine (ERDA-6) at room temperature and P CO 2 = 5 × 10 - 2 atm allows estimation of the equilibrium constant (log K) for the following reaction: Mg 5 ( CO 3 ) 4 ( OH ) 2 · 4H 2 O + CO 2 ( g ) + 10H 2 O = 5MgCO 3 · 3H 2 O as ∼2.5 at 25 °C. The log K for the above reaction at 5 °C is calculated to be ∼4.0 by using the Van’t Hoff equation. By using these equilibrium constants, the co-existence of hydromagnesite (5424) with nesquehonite in various, natural occurrences such as in weathering products of the meteorites from the Antarctic and serpentine-rich mine tailings, can be well explained. Since the stoichiometric ratio of Mg to C is higher in hydromagnesite (5424) than in nesquehonite, this finding could have important implications for the sequestration of anthropogenic CO2 in mafic and ultramafic rocks, suggesting that the sequestration of anthropogenic CO2 is optimal in the stability field of nesquehonite.
Mechanisms for suckling-induced changes in expression of prolactin receptor in the hypothalamus of the lactating rat.

The present study aimed to investigate whether increased expression of prolactin receptor (PRL-R) during lactation is caused by suckling-induced hyperprolactinemia or the suckling stimulus itself. Three groups (n=7) of mid-lactating rats were used. Each rat received 3 days of s.c. injection of vehicle or drug before sacrifice on lactation day 10. Rats in the control group received vehicle only and were suckled by pups. The second group received bromocriptine to suppress PRL levels and were suckled by pups. The third group of rats received haloperidol (high PRL) and were deprived of pups. Plasma PRL levels were measured. Animals were perfused with 2% paraformaldehyde for immunofluorescent study. Results showed that PRL-R immunoreactivity in the ventrolateral preoptic, ventromedial preoptic, and ventromedial hypothalamic nuclei was significantly increased in the bromocriptine-treated group compared to the control group, indicating PRL-R expression in these areas may be inhibited by hyperprolactinemia in the presence of the suckling stimulus. The PRL-R in the lateroanterior, ventrolateral and paraventricular nuclei was significantly decreased in the haloperidol-treated group compared to the control group, suggesting that the PRL-R in these areas is most likely regulated by the suckling stimulus itself. The PRL-R in the arcuate nucleus was significantly increased in bromocriptine-treated rats and decreased in haloperidol-treated rats, suggesting that the PRL-R in this nucleus is regulated by mechanisms related to both the stimulus of suckling itself and suckling-induced hyperprolactinemia. These results support the hypothesis that expression of PRL-R in discrete hypothalamic nuclei is differentially regulated by either PRL and/or suckling.
Towards understanding the stellar initial mass function

It is suggested that the stellar initial mass function (IMF) is closely related to the geometrical structure of star-forming clouds, and that the power-law form of the upper IMF results from accretion processes in hierarchical groupings of forming stars. If the stars in these groupings form from linear cloud structures such as filaments or strings of clumps, and if the overall structure of star-forming clouds is sheet-like or two-dimensional, then the mass of the most massive star that can form in each grouping is predicted to increase as the square root of the group mass; this in turn implies an IMF with a slope of x = 2 , in acceptable agreement with observations
Electron microscopy studies of phase transformations in nanostructured Yttriumoxide

Abstract The grain size distribution and grain morphology of nanostructured Y2O3 particles prepared by gas condensation have been determined by electron microscopy. The narrow size distribution of the monoclinic phase in the as-prepared state, which is centered at 4 nm, changes into a bimodal distribution after annealing at 700°C and partial transformation into the cubic structure. After complete m-c transformation at 875°C the size distribution is wide and all small grains disappeared. It is concluded that the high pressure monoclinic modification is stabilized by the Gibbs-Thomson pressure in Yttria particles smaller than 8 nm.
Deuterium nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy as a probe for reversed-phase liquid chromatographic bonded-phase solvation. 3. Tetrahydrofuran and water binary systems.

Deuterium nuclear magnetic resonance ( 2 H NMR) spectroscopy is a useful tool in probing molecular association between components in a binary hydro-organic mixture, such as tetrahydrofuran (THF) and water. Measurements of 2 H longitudinal relaxation times (T 1 ) for deuterated analogs of THF and water provide this type of information, since the magnitude of T 1 is indicative of molecular association and mobility. This technique is also useful in determining the interactions between the mobile phase and reversed-phase stationary phase. T 1 measurements of slurry samples, consisting of both mobile- and stationary-phase components, allow for changes in the longitudinal relaxation time of mobile-phase components upon contact with the stationary phase (ΔT 1 ) to be monitored. These ΔT 1 values are indicative of the degree of association of the THF-water mobile-phase components with the stationary phase.
Multisensor Data Fusion for Physical Activity Assessment

This paper presents a sensor fusion method for assessing physical activity (PA) of human subjects, based on support vector machines (SVMs). Specifically, acceleration and ventilation measured by a wearable multisensor device on 50 test subjects performing 13 types of activities of varying intensities are analyzed, from which activity type and energy expenditure are derived. The results show that the method correctly recognized the 13 activity types 88.1% of the time, which is 12.3% higher than using a hip accelerometer alone. Also, the method predicted energy expenditure with a root mean square error of 0.42 METs, 22.2% lower than using a hip accelerometer alone. Furthermore, the fusion method was effective in reducing the subject-to-subject variability (standard deviation of recognition accuracies across subjects) in activity recognition, especially when data from the ventilation sensor were added to the fusion model. These results demonstrate that the multisensor fusion technique presented is more effective in identifying activity type and energy expenditure than the traditional accelerometer-alone-based methods.
Sudden-onset near-fatal asthma, a case report of allergic etiology

Abstract Rationale Sudden-onset fatal or near-fatal asthma is a previously described rare subset of asthma. Allergic etiology was investigated in this patient, who had an additional risk factor for fatal or near-fatal outcome. Methods A 53-year old white female, with an 8-year history of mild intermittent asthma, suffered two months of progressive worsening. This culminated in two severe rapid exacerbations, with cardiopulmonary arrest requiring CPR and ICU admissions; the second occurred while still taking oral prednisone. She reported multiple pets at home, but minimal allergic symptoms. ImmunoCAP testing for specific IgE demonstrated antibody to cat above the limits of measurement, antibody to dog of 81, and antibody to rabbit of 11. She also received echocardiography and cardiac catheterization, which demonstrated EF of 35% without underlying cardiovascular lesion. She was discharged on multiple asthma controller medications (including prednisone taper), and directed to find accommodations devoid of pet allergen. Results At two-weeks, she had no complaints asthma symptoms, but persistently abnormal spirometry. Conclusions Sudden-onset near-fatal asthma is a previously described rare subset of asthma. Previous studies have demonstrated that patients have a large neutrophilic infiltration, rather than eosinophilic. Additionally, triggers are generally allergic, rather than infectious. This patient had strikingly elevated IgE to several of her household pets, despite minimal rhino-ocular symptoms. She had an additional risk factor of reduced cardiac function, believed to be a result of prior chemotherapy. This combination of risks led to rapid recurrence of near-fatal outcome, despite systemic glucocorticoid therapy.