cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Variance within homogeneous phytoplankton populations, I: Theoretical framework for interpreting histograms

A framework is presented for interpreting frequency distributions of volume or fluorescence as measured by a flow cytometer on homogeneous phytoplankton populations. The framework, based on both laboratory experience and theoretical concepts, is illustrated with the use of a simulation model. Asynchronous, synchronous, and phased populations were simulated, with constant and variable growth patterns over the cell cycle. Though simulations produced a wide variety of histogram shapes, including multimodal distributions, the primary difference between asynchronous and synchronous/phased distributions lies in their temporal variation. Histograms that are constant in time indicate asynchronous populations; when populations are not asynchronous, their histogram shapes vary with a periodicity on the same time scale as the cell cycle. A probability density function for the case of asynchronous populations with a constant growth rate is derived. When fitted to simulated histograms this two-parameter density function yields estimates of the two parameters: mean and variance of cell volume (or mass) at age 0.
Coexistence Decision Making for Spectrum Sharing Among Heterogeneous Wireless Systems

This paper focuses on the problem of spectrum sharing between secondary networks that access spectrum opportunistically in TV spectrum. Compared to the coexistence problem in the ISM (Industrial, Scientific and Medical) bands, the coexistence situation in TV whitespace (TVWS) is potentially more complex and challenging due to the signal propagation characteristics in TVWS and the disparity of PHY/MAC strategies employed by the systems coexisting in it. In this paper, we propose a novel decision making algorithm for a system of coexistence mechanisms, such as an IEEE 802.19.1-compliant system, that enables coexistence of dissimilar TVWS networks and devices. Our algorithm outperforms existing coexistence decision making algorithms in terms of fairness, and percentage of demand serviced.
A Validation Study of Pin Heat Transfer for MOX Fuel Based on the IFA-597 Experiments

The IFA-597 (Integrated Fuel Assessment) experiments from the International Fuel Performance Experiments database were designed to study the thermal behavior of mixed oxide (MOX) fuel and the effec...
Quality-Driven Energy-Neutralized Power and Relay Selection for Smart Grid Wireless Multimedia Sensor Based IoTs

With the popularity of photovoltaic based green energy in smart grid systems, accurate information gathering becomes a critical issue in predicting microgrid power input. In this paper, we propose a new quality-optimized multimedia information gathering scheme, in the energy harvesting wireless sensor networks based Internet of things system, to provide the best-effort sky camera information accuracy for further predicting available photovoltaic power. In the proposed approach, the power control and relay node selection strategies are jointly optimized to achieve maximum sky camera image quality subject to the harvestable energy neutrality constraint. Simulation results show that the proposed scheme can improve multimedia data transmission quality by exploring adaptive transmission power and relay selection strategy.
Macromagnetism and micromagnetism in Ni-Mo metallic superlattices

The magnetic properties of Ni-Mo metallic superlattices have been examined by magnetization and polarized-neutron diffraction measurements. The samples are ferromagnetic, with an ordering temperature rapidly increasing with the superlattice period \ensuremath{\Lambda}. The saturation magnetization per nickel atom also increases with \ensuremath{\Lambda}, gradually approaching the value of the pure metal. The proximity of molybdenum lowers the nickel magnetic moments with a deeper perturbation at the imperfections of the crystalline layers. A comparison of x-ray and neutron scattering data implies that the magnetic profile in the superlattice is more perfect than the chemical profile.
Effect of homogenizing medium and nutritive state on transaminase activities of tissues.

SummaryAn overnight fast resulted in decrease in weight of liver of rats and mice with a proportionate decrease in their aspartic- and alanine-glutamic transaminase activities except for the aspartic-glutamic transaminase of mouse liver which maintained its total activity. Homogenates of liver and heart prepared in water had the same alanine-glutamic transaminase activities as those prepared in 0.05 M potassium phosphate (pH 7.4) but the kidney enzyme was lower in buffer. The aspartic-glutamic transaminase activities of liver and kidney were higher in water homogenates while that of the heart was higher in buffer.
Conducting international marketing research in the twenty‐first century

As businesses expand further and further in international markets, the role of timely and accurate marketing research to guide decision making becomes increasingly critical. Research to support international marketing decisions has evolved over the past four decades and must change even more to support firms in the twenty‐first century. There are four key areas where progress must be made. First, international marketing research efforts need to be more closely aligned with market growth opportunities outside the industrialized nations. Second, researchers must develop the capability to conduct and coordinate research that spans diverse research environments. Third, international marketing researchers need to develop new creative approaches to probe the cultural underpinnings of behavior. Finally, technological advances need to be incorporated into the research process in order to facilitate and expedite research conducted across the globe.
Automated on-line measurement of electrophysiologic intervals during cardiac catheterization

A small dedicated, computer-controlled waveform analyzer was used to automatically measure the R-R cycle length, low right atrium to His, and His to ventricle intervals obtained during electrophysiologic studies on 35 patients. These measurements were compared to intervals hand-measured separately and found to correlate well (0.92, 0.83, and 0.75, respectively). The sources of error, possible pitfalls, and future uses of this technique are discussed.
Reversal of diastolic plateau in partial Testicular torsion

Testicular torsion is a urologic emergency. The ability of color and power Doppler sonography to diagnose partial testicular torsion definitively remains uncertain. We present a case in which color Doppler findings were indeterminate and the diagnosis of partial testicular torsion was made on the basis of spectral waveform analysis. The characteristic findings in the spectral waveform were asymmetry between the 2 testes, with a higher intratesticular resistance index on the affected side, and reversal of the diastolic plateau on the affected side.
Toward a social indicator of health.

THE RECENT spurt of interest in social indicators has been accompanied by a lack of general theory concerning either the nature of social indicators or the methodology of how to construct them. Despite a number of papers and monographs which have appeared, the result has been an array of conflicting definitions and approaches [1,2,8]. While there is general agreement that social indicators are intended to reflect the noneconomic aspects of the quality of life [3,6,9], there is little consensual evidence as to what constitutes a social indicator, or how (in operational terms) one is constructed. This paper presents an approach toward aggregating individual variables and outlines the steps necessary to create an index which could be used as a social indicator.
Super-resolution reconstruction of MR image sequences with contrast modeling

Quantitative MR imaging experiments (e.g., to measure relaxation and diffusion properties of tissues) often require image sequences with different contrast in each frame. However, high-resolution acquisition of each frame can lead to prohibitively long experiments. In this work, we investigate the possibility of utilizing a parametric contrast model to synthesize high-resolution information. Theoretical analysis and empirical evidence indicates that this kind of super-resolution can be possible, though robustness is dependent on a number of factors (e.g., the contrast model and the experiment design). In particular, it is found that conventional low-frequency sampling leads to significant information loss, but that alternative experiments can overcome this limitation. Experimental results are shown in the context of T 2 * relaxation mapping.
Optimizing linear counting queries under differential privacy

Differential privacy is a robust privacy standard that has been successfully applied to a range of data analysis tasks. But despite much recent work, optimal strategies for answering a collection of related queries are not known.We propose the matrix mechanism, a new algorithm for answering a workload of predicate counting queries. Given a workload, the mechanism requests answers to a different set of queries, called a query strategy, which are answered using the standard Laplace mechanism. Noisy answers to the workload queries are then derived from the noisy answers to the strategy queries. This two stage process can result in a more complex correlated noise distribution that preserves differential privacy but increases accuracy.We provide a formal analysis of the error of query answers produced by the mechanism and investigate the problem of computing the optimal query strategy in support of a given workload. We show this problem can be formulated as a rank-constrained semidefinite program. Finally, we analyze two seemingly distinct techniques, whose similar behavior is explained by viewing them as instances of the matrix mechanism.
Optimal path planning in a constant wind with a bounded turning rate

In this paper, we explore the problem of generating the optimal time path from an initial position and orientation to a flnal position and orientation in the two-dimensional plane for an aircraft with a bounded turning radius in the presence of a constant wind. Following the work of Boissonnat, we show using the Minimum Principle that the optimal path consists of periods of maximum turn rate or straight lines. We demonstrate, however, that unlike the no wind case, the optimal path can consist of three arcs where the length of the second arc is less than …. A method for generating the optimal path is also presented which iteratively solves the no wind case to intercept a moving virtual target. I. Introduction Optimal path planning is an important problem for robotics and unmanned vehicles. In this paper, we explore a method for flnding the shortest path from an initial position and orientation to a flnal position and and orientation in the two-dimensional plane for an aircraft with a bounded turning radius in the presence of a constant wind. This work was motivated by our group’s work with our ∞eet of small autonomous aircraft. Each modifled Sig Rascal aircraft ∞ies under the combined control of an ofi-the-shelf Piccolo avionics package for low level control and an onboard PC104 computer for higher level tasks. These aircraft ∞y at a nominal speed of 20 m/s, and wind speeds of over 5 m/s have been encountered during ∞ight testing. The problem described above was flrst solved in the case of no wind by Dubins using geometric arguments 8
Multicanonical methods, molecular dynamics, and Monte Carlo methods: Comparison for Lennard-Jones glasses

We applied a multicanonical algorithm to a two-dimensional and a three-dimensional Lennard-Jones system with quasicrystalline and glassy ground states. Focusing on the ability of the algorithm to locate low-lying energy states, we compared the results of the multicanonical simulations with standard Monte Carlo simulated annealing and molecular-dynamics methods. We find slight benefits to using multicanonical sampling in small systems (less than 80 particles), which disappear with larger systems. This is disappointing as the multicanonical methods are designed to surmount energy barriers to relaxation. We analyze this failure theoretically and show that (i) the multicanonical method is reduced in the thermodynamic limit (large systems) to an effective Monte Carlo simulated annealing with a random temperature vs time and (ii) the multicanonical method gets trapped by unphysical entropy barriers in the same metastable states whose energy barriers trap the traditional quenches. The performance of Monte Carlo and molecular-dynamics quenches were remarkably similar.
National trends and inpatient outcomes of inflammatory bowel disease patients with concomitant chronic liver disease.

AbstractBackground. There is little information on the frequency of chronic liver disease among hospitalized patients with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). In this study, we seek to define the common etiologies contributing to chronic liver disease among IBD patients and to identify potential risk factors predictive of increased mortality in this population. Methods. We analyzed the Nationwide Inpatient Sample from 1988 to 2006 to determine the frequency of chronic liver disease among patients with IBD and to determine their in-hospital outcomes. Results. From 1988 to 2006, the age-adjusted rate of chronic liver disease among hospitalized patients with IBD has increased from 4.35 per 100,000 persons in 1988–2001 to 7.45 per 100,000 persons in 2004–2006. The most common etiologies contributing to chronic liver disease among IBD patients were: primary sclerosing cholangitis, unspecified chronic hepatitis, chronic hepatitis C, and nonalcoholic fatty liver disease. Compared to IBD patients without liver dise...
An analysis of causal asyndetic constructions in United States history textbooks

Over the last three decades, an increased focus on engaging K-12 students in historical thinking has highlighted the importance of providing students with direct instruction regarding how causal relationships are formed in text. Many teachers provide this instruction by focusing on explicit causal structures, neglecting implicit forms of causation such as causal asyndetic constructions. Studies of United States history textbooks have found instances of causal asyndetic construction use, similar to the implicit constructions found in studies of spoken and written discourse. This study examines two questions: (1) Do causal asyndetic constructions occur in history textbooks with similar frequency to causal conjunctions and causal material processes? and (2) How is causal asyndetic cohesion signaled in history texts? A mixed methods analysis of two middle school and two high school textbooks demonstrates that causal asyndetic constructions are used as frequently, if not more frequently, than explicit means of expressing causation; they are signaled through authors’ uses of modals, mental processes, relational processes, and verbal processes. The use of mental processes to signal causal asyndetic constructions far outnumbered other implicit signals, accounting for 58% of the total. These findings suggest that teachers need to provide students with instruction about how to identify and make meaning of causal asyndetic constructions as well as causal conjunctions and explicit processes.
Achieving efficient channel utilization and weighted fairness for data communications in IEEE 802.11 WLAN under the DCF

Fair allocation of bandwidth and maximization of channel utilization are two important issues when designing a contention-based wireless medium access control (MAC) protocol. However, achieving both design goals at the same time is very difficult, and has not yet been addressed elsewhere. We study this challenging problem, particularly for data communications in IEEE 802.11 wireless local area networks (WLANs). We propose a priority-based fair medium access control (P-MAC) protocol by modifying the distributed coordination function (DCF) of the IEEE 802.11 MAC. The key idea is that the contention window size for each wireless station is properly selected to reflect: (1) the relative weights among data traffic flows, so as to achieve the weighted fairness; (2) the number of stations contending for the wireless medium, so as to maximize the aggregate throughput. In P-MAC, our approximations to the optimal contention window sizes, which are based on a theoretical analysis, are evaluated numerically and shown to work well under different network configurations and traffic scenarios. Moreover, simulation results show that, with few changes to the original DCF, P-MAC performs significantly better in terms of both fairness and throughput.
Aortic pulse wave velocity and reflecting distance estimation from peripheral waveforms in humans: detection of age- and exercise training-related differences

We hypothesized that demographic/anthropometric parameters can be used to estimate effective reflecting distance (EfRD), required to derive aortic pulse wave velocity (APWV), a prognostic marker of...
Medical and Endovascular Management of Critical Limb Ischemia

Critical limb ischemia (CLI) is the term used to designate the condition in which peripheral artery disease has resulted in resting leg or foot pain or in a breakdown of the skin of the leg or foot, causing ulcers or tissue loss. If not revascularized, CLI patients are at risk for limb loss and for potentially fatal complications from the progression of gangrene and the development of sepsis. The management of CLI requires a multidisciplinary team of experts in different areas of vascular disease, from atherosclerotic risk factor management to imaging, from intervention to wound care and physical therapy. In the past decade, the most significant change in the treatment of CLI has been the increasing tendency to shift from bypass surgery to less invasive endovascular procedures as first-choice revascularization techniques, with bypass surgery then reserved as backup if appropriate. The goals of intervention for CLI include the restoration of pulsatile, inline flow to the foot to assist wound healing, the relief of rest pain, the avoidance of major amputation, preservation of mobility, and improvement of patient function and quality of life. The evaluating physician should be fully aware of all revascularization options in order to select the most appropriate intervention or combination of interventions, while taking into consideration the goals of therapy, risk-benefit ratios, patient comorbidities, and life expectancy. We discuss the incidence, risk factors, and prognosis of CLI and the clinical presentation, diagnosis, available imaging modalities, and medical management (including pain and ulcer care, pharmaceutical options, and molecular therapies targeting angiogenesis). The endovascular approaches that we review include percutaneous transluminal angioplasty (with or without adjunctive stenting); subintimal angioplasty; primary femoropopliteal and infrapopliteal deployment of bare nitinol, covered, drug-eluting, or bioabsorbable stents; cryoplasty; excimer laser-assisted angioplasty; excisional atherectomy; and cutting balloon angioplasty.
Behavioral and neurophysiological correlates of episodic coding, proactive interference, and list length effects in a running span verbal working memory task

Updating refers to (1) discarding items from, (2) repositioning items in, and (3) adding items to a running working memory span. Our behavioral and fMRI experiments varied three factors: trial length, proactive interference (PI), and group integrity. Group integrity reflected whether the grouping of items at the encoding stage was violated at discarding. Behavioral results were consistent with the idea that updating processes have a relatively short refractory period and may not fatigue, and they revealed that episodic information about group context is encoded automatically in working memory stimulus representations. The fMRI results did not show evidence that updating requirements in a task recruit executive control processes other than those supporting performance on nonupdating trials. They did reveal an item-accumulation effect, in which signal increased monotonically with the number of items presented during the trial, despite the insensitivity of behavioral measures to this factor. Behavioral and fMRI correlates of PI extended previous results and rejected an alternative explanation of PI effects in working memory.
Inhibition of the serotonin 5-HT3 receptor by nicotine, cocaine, and fluoxetine investigated by rapid chemical kinetic techniques.

The 5-HT3 serotonin receptor plays an important role in regulating communication between cells in the central and peripheral nervous systems. It is the target of many different therapeutic agents and abused drugs. A rapid chemical kinetic method with a time resolution of 10 ms in combination with the whole-cell current-recording technique was employed to study the receptor in NIE-115 mouse neuroblastoma cells. The mechanism of the channel-opening process, receptor desensitization, and receptor inhibition by nicotine, cocaine, and fluoxetine were investigated. Two different forms of the 5-HT3 serotonin receptor, each with a different desensitization rate, were observed. The inhibition of the receptor by nicotine has not previously been reported. Both nicotine and cocaine compete with serotonin for the receptor site that controls channel opening, with observed dissociation constants of 25 and 7 μM, respectively. Fluoxetine (Prozac), a widely used antidepressant, occupies a different regulatory site on the r...
Dynamic surface tension of surfactant TA: experiments and theory

A bubble surfactometer was used to measure the surface tension of an aqueous suspension of surfactant TA as a function of bubble area over a range of cycling rates and surfactant bulk concentration...
Patterns of genetic variation in the adaptive radiation of New World crossbills (Aves: Loxia).

Incipient species groups or young adaptive radiations such as crossbills (Aves: Loxia ) present the opportunity to investigate directly the processes occurring during speciation. New World crossbills include white-winged crossbills ( Loxia leucoptera ), Hispaniolan crossbills ( Loxia megaplaga ), and red crossbills ( Loxia curvirostra complex), the last of which is comprised of at least nine morphologically and vocally differentiated forms (‘call types’) where divergent natural selection for specialization on different conifer resources has been strongly implicated as driving diversification. Here we use amplified fragment length polymorphism (AFLP) markers to investigate patterns of genetic variation across populations, call types, and species of New World crossbills. Tree-based analyses using 440 AFLP loci reveal strongly supported clustering of the formally recognized species, but did not separate individuals from the eight call types in the red crossbill complex, consistent with recent divergence and ongoing gene flow. Analyses of genetic differentiation based on inferred allele frequency variation however, reveal subtle but significant levels of genetic differentiation among the different call types of the complex and indicate that between call-type differentiation is greater than that found among different geographic locations within call types. Interpreted in light of evidence of divergent natural selection and strong premating reproductive isolation, the observed genetic differentiation suggests restricted gene flow among sympatric call types consistent with the early stages of ecological speciation.
Capitalist Penetration: Concept and Measurement

Based on a survey of definitions of dependence offered by leading contemporary dependencia theorists, this essay commences by suggesting that the form of dependence critical to dependencia theory is capitalist penetration. This concept is rigorously defined; inherent problems for both understanding and measurement are detailed. A measurement strategy appropriate to aggregate cross-national studies (or tests) of dependencia theory is suggesed, using such indicators as foreign patents and trademarks, public external debt, direct foreign investment, and imports of capital goods. Applying this strategy to a sample of less developed countries in 1970, measures are generated which are compared with the results of Hveem's efforts to measure a similar concept. While the two measures co-vary for most peripheral countries, the measured outlined here shows much more variation than Hveem's among Latin American countries. This discrimination in the levels of penetration in Latin America is offered as one piece of empirical evidence for the usefulness of this measure.
Experimental and theoretical study of parasitic leakage/resonance in a K/Ka-band MMIC package

In this paper, electromagnetic (EM) leakage and spurious resonances in a K/Ka-Band (18-40 GHz) MMIC hermetic package designed for a phase shifter chip are studied using the finite element method (FEM) and the numerical simulation results are compared with the measured data. Both the measured and calculated data indicate several spurious resonances in the 18-24 GHz region and the origin of this phenomenon is identified by virtue of the modeling capability of the FEM. Moreover, the effect of dc bias lines, bond wires, shielding, and the asymmetry of the package on electrical performance are closely examined. In addition, the effect of adding a resistive coating to the inside surface of the package lid and also the use of dielectric packaging materials with very high loss tangent are studied in view of the suppression of the spurious resonances. Finally, design guidelines for the improved package are presented.
Concurrency control in mobile database systems

We propose an concurrency control mechanism (CCM) for mobile database systems (MDS) that ensures epsilon serializability and report its performance.
Activity of Pseudomonas aeruginosa in biofilms: Steady state

Aerobic glucose metabolism by Pseudomonas aeruginosa in steady-state biofilms at various substrate loading rates and reactor dilution rates was investigated. Variables monitored were substrate (glucose), biofilm cellular density, biofilm extracellular polymeric substance (EPS) density, and suspended cellular and EPS concentrations. A mathematical model developed to describe the system was compared to experimental data. Intrinsic yield and rate coefficients included in the model were obtained from suspended continuous culture studies of glucose metabolism by P. aeruginosa. Experimental data compared well with the mathematical model, suggesting that P. aeruginosa does not behave differently in steady-state biofilm cultures, where diffusional resistance is negligible, than in suspended cultures. This implies that kinetic and stoichiometric coefficients for P. aeruginosa derived in suspended continuous culture can be used to describe steady-state biofilm processes.
The temperature-sensitive role of Cryptococcus neoformans ROM2 in cell morphogenesis.

ROM2 is associated with Cryptococcus neoformans virulence. We examined additional roles of ROM2 in C. neoformans and found that ROM2 plays a role in several cell functions specifically at high temperature conditions. Morphologically rom2 mutant cells demonstrated a “tear”-like shape and clustered together. A sub-population of cells had a hyperelongated phenotype at restrictive growth conditions. Altered morphology was associated with defects in actin that was concentrated at the cell periphery and with abnormalities in microtubule organization. Interestingly, the ROM2 associated defects in cell morphology, location of nuclei, and actin and microtubule organization were not observed in cells grown at temperatures below 37°C. These results indicate that in C. neoformans, ROM2 is important at restrictive temperature conditions and is involved in several cell maintenance functions.
Helium impurity transport on grain boundaries: Enhanced or inhibited?

We present atomistic simulations that show that transport of helium is inhibited on grain boundaries in tungsten. This finding is contrary to self-diffusion, or diffusion of substitutional impurities in metals, for which transport is generally enhanced along grain boundaries, but is similar to the behavior observed for hydrogen in past studies on low-angle grain boundaries, for which transport also occurs via interstitial diffusion. In the case of helium transport in tungsten, diffusion is biased toward grain boundaries, but once a helium atom or group of atoms is on a grain boundary,diffusion is impeded rather than enhanced. The reduced rate of diffusion on grain boundaries produces a higher concentration of helium in the grain boundary regions. The effect arises from the relative insolubility of helium inmost materials combined with the size mismatch between helium and tungsten, which results in an interstitial diffusion mechanism rather than diffusion that relies on the presence of self-vacancies. In light of this, it is important to note that grain boundaries will not facilitate transport of helium in tungsten and other metals, but in fact that helium is immobilized on grain boundaries.
Automatic Feature Decomposition for Single View Co-training

One of the most successful semi-supervised learning approaches is co-training for multi-view data. In co-training, one trains two classifiers, one for each view, and uses the most confident predictions of the unlabeled data for the two classifiers to "teach each other". In this paper, we extend co-training to learning scenarios without an explicit multi-view representation. Inspired by a theoretical analysis of Balcan et al. (2004), we introduce a novel algorithm that splits the feature space during learning, explicitly to encourage co-training to be successful. We demonstrate the efficacy of our proposed method in a weakly-supervised setting on the challenging Caltech-256 object recognition task, where we improve significantly over previous results by (Bergamo & Torresani, 2010) in almost all training-set size settings.
Spillovers of Veterans Hospice Care: The Economic and Social Impact of Palliative Care

In exchange for military service in the United States, soldiers are promised a benefits package inclusive of health and education benefits after the completion of their service. While the economic effects of the defense-growth relationship have been studied extensively, this paper takes a unique approach to understanding the relationship between veterans and society by investigating the social and economic spillovers of veterans’ hospice care. The study shows that as an early adopter of hospice care, the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs maximized its efficiency through sponsoring innovative research on geriatric care, introducing competition into the health sector, and legitimizing death and dying among aging populations.
Performance and power efficient task scheduling in VFI-based multi-core systems

With voltage frequency islanding (VFI) we are able to change the voltage and frequency of the processors to save power within a certain performance constraint. In this work we want to maximize potential power savings and minimize time penalty by means of efficient task scheduling in VFIs. A new scheduling algorithm is presented which schedules the tasks onto the processing cores in the VFI by ranking them based on the computation load and communication load among other tasks. The mapping of the tasks is relevant to the processing speed of the cores and the simulation results show improvements compared to the default task scheduler of Linux.
Pressure Ionization and Density Diagnostics in Subpicosecond Laser-Produced Plasmas

The atomic physics of high-density plasmas is studied extensively for its relevance to astrophysics1, inertial confinement fusion,2,3 x-ray lasers,4 and to the interaction of ultrashort lasers with solids. 5-7 Of utmost importance is the knowledge of the plasma parameters of electron density, Ne, and temperature, Te, as they govern the atomic physics in the plasma, from its ionization balance to its emission and absorption. The structure and behavior of atoms and ions, for example, can be radically affected by the presence of strong fields in high-density plasmas1, leading to such effects as extreme line broadening and pressure ionization.1,2,9 Pressure ionization and line-merging have been used in laboratory plasmas as a density diagnostic of spatially- and/or temporally-integrated spectra. 2,10–13 But in laser-produced plasmas, conditions often vary rapidly over time and space, so it is important to resolve both these dimensions for accurate diagnostics. Furthermore, several models are available to quickly extract densities from spectroscopic data but are very different and need to be carefully benchmarked in order to identify which apply for any given set of plasma parameters. Precise data for model validation is rare and usually comes from plasmas limited in density and temperature range.13 Here, we compare four models under a wide range of densities and temperatures in plasmas created with ultrafast laser pulses. These 100-fs laser pulses have the advantage over nanosecond pulses of depositing the energy of the laser impulsively, in a small target layer. Thus, the spectroscopic measurements are conducted after the laser pulse, in a freely expanding plasma, without the added complication of further energy deposition during the plasma evolution.
Possible role of free phenols in renal uremia.

SummaryIn 14 clinical cases involving uremic syndrome herein reported upon, it was found that:a) The free phenols had little if any effect in producing or intensifying the uremic syndrome, b) During the uremic syndrome the free, conjugated and total phenols did increase, but not significantly enough to warrant their consideration as an important factor in the uremic syndrome. The methods employed in previous reports give reason to doubt the validity of conclusions drawn concerning the relationship of free, conjugated and total phenols to the uremic syndrome.
Sensitivity of satellite interference to locations of small-aperture terminals

Interference to adjacent satellites depends on the specific location of the interfering satellite terminal, and this is an important issue in the case of vehicle-mounted Earth stations (VMES), which use small-aperture antennas. Anticipating large-scale deployments of VMES, regulatory and standards agencies are currently establishing regulations and requirements for VMES. A conventional Earth terminal is required to operate at a fixed location, which could be a very small area around a specific point. Because VMES are mobile, current location-specific regulatory requirements applicable to stationary satellite terminals are not appropriate for VMES. Before establishing suitable location-specific regulations and requirements on VMES, it is necessary to investigate the sensitivity of the interference to the locations of the VMES. In this paper, we provide a detailed investigation of the effects of the locations of the VMES on adjacent satellite interference.
Study of producing hydrogen by electrolysis of coal slurries

This may be the first report for producing hydrogen by electrolysis of local coal slurries in China.With Pt-/Ti and Pt-Ir/Ti(1∶2) electrodes prepared in the laboratory as the working electrodes,the influences of different electrolytic conditions,including the concentration of coal slurries and of sulfuric acid,temperature,kinds of electrodes and coal,and the catalysts such as Ce4+,Fe(CN)3-6,Fe3+ and Fe2+/Fe3+ in the solution on the hydrogen production were studied.The iridium content in the electrode affected the electrochemical performance of the coal and adding iron(Ⅲ) and iron(Ⅱ) in the coal slurry significantly increased the average current densities developed in the coal electrolytic cell.The maximum current efficiency found in the electro-oxidation of coal on a Pt-Ir/Ti(1∶2) electrode was 99.7% for H2 generation with 19.7 mL/(cm2·h) hydrogen produced.Anode gas analysis indicated that the main component is CO2 with trace CO.Some low hydrocarbon byproducts with lower boiling point were observed.The amount of CO2 was only 1/20-1/10 in volume of H2 produced,which would decrease the ability to cause more greenhouse effect.
Laboratory Characterization of Fatigue Performance of AM2 Aluminum Airfield Matting

AbstractAM2, an airfield matting system made from extruded 6061-T6 aluminum alloy, is used to construct temporary aircraft operating surfaces. This matting system can support heavy aircraft loads even when placed directly over graded in situ soils. This paper presents the development of a test protocol and corresponding relationships that can be used to predict fatigue failure of AM2’s mechanical joints over any subgrade California bearing ratio (CBR) when subjected to high tire pressure single-wheel aircraft loading. First, full-scale simulated aircraft traffic experiments were conducted over sections of AM2 installed on subgrades with CBRs of 6, 10, 15, 25, and 100% to monitor subgrade deformation and fatigue failure. An increasing amplitude displacement function developed from a subgrade deformation model was then used to create a new laboratory procedure to simulate fatigue experienced by the matting system’s complex mechanical connectors under moving aircraft loads. Laboratory test results had strong...
A longitudinal study of family practice residents' attitudes toward alcoholism.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES This study sought to analyze whether the experience of residency training at a public hospital where alcoholism is highly prevalent, combined with a didactic program emphasizing community resources, would result in changes in residents' baseline attitudes. Previous research has suggested that alcoholism-related attitudes are therapeutically important. METHODS Forty-three family practice residents took the Marcus Alcoholism Questionnaire at the beginning, and at the end, of their 3-year training program. Initial scores were compared with an "expert" sample (Toronto Alcohol and Drug Research Foundation). Residents' initial and final scores were also compared. RESULTS Residents' entry attitudes were similar to those of the "expert" sample. On six of nine scales, there were no significant changes between entry and exit attitudes. At final testing, however, residents were significantly more likely to agree that a periodic excessive drinker can be an alcoholic (t = -3.15, P < .01), that alcoholism is not an illness (t = -2.57, P < .05), and that alcoholism is a harmless voluntary indulgence (t = 2.08, P < .05). However, exit means for the latter two scales still remained in a functional category, when compared with the expert sample. CONCLUSIONS Resident attitudes did not show any substantial deterioration during the course of training. The structured curriculum emphasizing community resources and positive role models may have counterbalanced the frustrations of the clinical training site.
Characterizing pituitary response to a gonadotropin-releasing hormone (GnRH) antagonist in monkeys: tonic follicle-stimulating hormone/luteinizing hormone secretion versus acute GnRH challenge tests before, during, and after treatment*

Pituitary sensitivity to a gonadotropin-releasing hormone (GnRH) challenge test before, during, and after GnRH antagonist administration was compared in four ovariectomized female monkeys receiving GnRH antagonist intramuscularly (IM) at increasing doses of 0.3, 1.0, and 3.0 mg/kg/day over 9 days. Three days before and 3 days after treatment, monkeys received vehicle alone. On experiment days 4, 7, 10, 13, and 16, 100 μ g of GnRH was administered intravenously (IV) and blood drawn at 0 and 30 minutes. Before treatment, tonic follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH) and luteinizing hormone (LH) levels were 248±105 and 178±31 ng/ml, respectively; after 0.3 mg/kg/day of GnRH antagonist, FSH and LH decreased to 30±6 and 41±4 ng/ml, respectively. After treatment with either 1 mg/kg/day or 3 mg/kg/day of GnRH antagonist, both gonadotropins were undetectable in serum. Monkeys with lower initial levels of gonadotropins were suppressed by 48 hours after GnRH antagonist, while those with higher tonic gonadotropins were suppressed 6 days later (FSH: r =0.992; LH: r= 0.833). The data show that initial physiologic status is predictive of the rapidity of the suppression response induced by a GnRH antagonist and that, after achieving pituitary suppression, responsivity to an IV GnRH challenge test may be restored before normal tonic FSH/LH secretion is regained.
Management of Radiation Therapy Oncology Group grade 4 urinary adverse events after radiotherapy for prostate cancer.

Objective To describe the management of Radiation Therapy Oncology Group (RTOG) grade 4 urinary adverse events (UAEs) after radiotherapy (RT) for prostate cancer (PCa). Methods We conducted a single-centre retrospective review, over a 6-year period (2010–2015), to identify men with RTOG grade 4 UAEs after RT for PCa. RT was classified as combined therapy (radical prostatectomy [RP] followed by external beam radiotherapy [EBRT], EBRT + low-dose-rate [LDR] brachytherapy, EBRT + high-dose-rate [HDR] brachytherapy or other combinations of RT) or monotherapy RT. UAEs were classified as outlet (urethral stricture, bladder neck contracture, prostate necrosis, or recto-urethral fistula) or bladder (contraction, necrosis, fistula, ureteric stricture or haemorrhage) UAEs. Results We identified 73 men with a mean age of 73 years. Of these, 44 (60%) received combined therapy, consisting of RP + EBRT (n = 19), HDR brachytherapy + EBRT (n = 19), LDR brachytherapy + EBRT (n = 5), and other combined RT (n = 1). Twenty-nine (40%) patients had monotherapy consisting of EBRT (n = 4), HDR brachytherapy (n = 11), LDR brachytherapy (n = 12), or proton beam therapy (n = 2). UAEs were isolated to the bladder in six men (8%), the outlet in 52 men (71%), and to both in 15 men (21%). UAE management included: conservative in 21 (29%), indwelling catheters in 12 (16%), reconstructive in 19 (26%), and urinary diversion (UD) in 23 men (32%). Reconstruction included: ureteric (n = 4), recto-urethral fistula repair (n = 2), and posterior urethroplasty (n =13), of which 14/16 surgeries (88%) with follow-up >90 days were successful. Conclusions Although the incidence of RTOG grade 4 UAEs after PCa radiation treatment is not well defined, their associated morbidity is significant, and approximately one third of patients with these high-grade complications require UD. Conversely, only about a quarter of patients can be managed with conservative strategies or local surgeries. Reconstruction is successful in selected patients.
Healthy individuals' perspectives on clinical research protocols and influences on enrollment decisions

ABSTRACTBackground: Understanding the perspectives of healthy individuals is important ethically and for the advancement of science. We assessed perceptions of risk associated with research procedures, comparing views of healthy individuals with and without experience in clinical research, and the respondents' reported willingness to volunteer. Methods: Semistructured interviews and written surveys were conducted. Study participants were healthy individuals, half of whom were currently enrolled in clinical research and half of whom had no prior experience in clinical research. Participants were queried regarding seven “minimal risk” or “greater than minimal risk” protocol vignettes with procedures of three types: routine diagnostic tests, more burdensome (i.e., more effort or potential harm) diagnostic tests, and pharmacologic interventions. Views of influences on enrollment decisions were also assessed. Results: Most healthy individuals indicated that protocols with more burdensome or pharmacologic inter...
Schluß: Wahrheit, Macht, und Selbstkonstitution — Zur Theorie des Subjekts nach Foucault

Foucault hat das Subjekt nicht abgeschafft oder dekonstruiert, sondern vielmehr die Weichen fur eine produktive Neubegrundung der Subjekttheorie gestellt: So konnte man plakativ die Hauptthese dieser systematischen Einfuhrung in Foucaults Werk zusammenfassen. Die verschiedenen Denkphasen, die das Gesamtwerk des franzosischen Meisterdenkers kennzeichnen, stellen dann weniger uberwundene und zuruckgelassene Irrwege als vielmehr konstruktive Teildimensionen einer neuen Konzeption des Subjekts dar. Genauer ist damit gemeint, das die Ausarbeitung der archaologischen Diskursanalyse, der genealogischen Machtanalytik, und der existentiellen Lebensethik unter der von Foucault selbst suggestiv eingefuhrten Thematik einer ›Ontologie der Gegenwart‹ fruchtbare Anschlusse fur eine neue ›Sub-jektphilosophie‹ bereitstellen.
Diet history effects on Zebra Finch incubation performance: Nest attendance, temperature regulation, and clutch success

ABSTRACT Incubation is a costly phase of avian reproduction, as parents must invest in heat transfer to eggs and nest construction in order to maintain egg temperature within suitable thermal limits; however, costs may differ based on an individual's ability to invest in reproduction. To investigate how environmental conditions, specifically food quality experienced during development and reproduction, influence tactics of resource allocation and costs during incubation, captive Zebra Finches (Taeniopygia guttata castanotis) were raised on either a high- or low-quality diet, paired with a bird of the same diet history, and randomly assigned to breed under the same diet they had been reared on or on the opposite diet. Data were collected on nest attendance, nest quality, nest temperature, and clutch performance (clutch size, egg weight, and number of hatchlings). Greater nest attendance and higher nest-quality scores predicted low temperature fluctuation. Three structural nest components also contributed t...
Environmental and cultural changes across the Pleistocene-Holocene transition in Cantabrian Spain

A review of the cultural evidence from northern coastal Atlantic Spain (a.k.a., Vasco-Cantabria) spanning the late Last Glacial and early Postglacial (from Greenland Interstadial 1 to the mid-Holocene) reveals that some changes may have been related to major climate/environmental changes, while others may be attributed to demographic factors that caused possible resource overexploitation and to historical factors such as the long-term availability of Neolithic domesticates and technology in adjacent regions. The culmination of the warming trend of the Last Glacial Interstadial in the Allerod seems to have been of particular importance in the transition from the classic Upper Magdalenian (with its rupestral and portable art and complex stone and bone technologies) to the Azilian, despite continuity in the main game species and in the process of subsistence intensification. The Younger Dryas, on the other hand, seems to have had little immediate direct repercussion in this region, as the Azilian continued, straddling the Pleistocene-Holocene boundary. On the other hand, the climatically non-dramatic Preboreal-Boreal boundary seems to have seen the abrupt, marked break between the “Epimagdalenian” Azilian and the Asturian coastal shell midden Mesolithic in the western sector of the region. This contrasted with greater technological continuity (albeit with similarities to the Sauveterrian tradition in adjacent SW France) in the Mesolithic of the Basque Country, with no archeological indications that the 8.2 cal kya event had important consequences in this region. Then, some 15 centuries later, came the sudden, but centuries-delayed appearance of Neolithic domesticates and ceramics on the Atlantic side of the Cantabrian Cordillera originating from sources in the Mediterranean environments of the upper Ebro basin and/or southern France. This major lifeway change was possibly finally accepted, within a still mixed economy, in the face of the overexploitation of wild food resources. The “neolithization” of Vasco-Cantabria was finally underway by c. 6.6 cal kya, quickly leading to new human-land relationships characterized by mainly ovicaprine pastoralism, apparently limited cereal agriculture, continued foraging, recolonization of the montane interior and the construction of modest megalithic monuments.