cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Grain size effects in nanocrystalline materials

Nanocrystalline materials have a grain size of only a few nanometers and are expected to possess very high hardness and strength values. Even though the hardness/strength is expected to increase with a decrease in grain size, recent observations have indicated that the hardness increases in some cases and decreases in other cases. A careful analysis of the available results on the basis of existing models suggests that there is a critical grain size below which the triple junction volume fraction increases considerably over the grain boundary volume fraction and this is suggested to be responsible for the observed softening at small grain sizes.
Finite truncation depth trellis codes for the dicode channel

A technique for the construction of trellis codes that double the squared free Euclidean distance on the dicode (1-D) channel is presented. This technique uses periodic pruning and permutation of the trellis to ensure that a small detector path memory length is sufficient. Some high rate codes constructed using this technique are given.
Statistical methods for establishing equivalency of several sampling devices.

The problem of comparing several alternate sampling devices to the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) standard, or the comparison of several sampling devices among themselves, is considered. A test based on the OSHA criterion that states that “90% of the readings of the sampling device should be within ± 25% of the readings obtained by the standard” is developed. Type I error rates and powers of the test are studied using Monte Carlo simulation. The study indicates that the proposed test is quite satisfactory for applications. The method is illustrated using a simulated data set.
KNEMOMETRIC MONITORING OF EARLY EFFECTS OF HUMAN GROWTH HORMONE ON LEG LENGTH IN CHILDREN WITH GROWTH HORMONE DEFICIENCY

Abstract The early effects of human growth hormone (hGH) were investigated by knemometry, a recently described technique of measuring lower leg length. In 14 growth hormone deficient children, the mean increase in the lower leg length was 0·47±0·10 (SE) mm within 24 h of a single intramuscular injection of 4 IU hGH. This increase occurred after about 80% of the single injections and was highly significant (p
Synthesis and properties of superconducting (Tl,Pb)-(Sr,Ba)-Ca-Cu-O thick films on Ag

We report successful texturing of screen-printed (Tl,Pb)-(Sr,Ba)-Ca-Cu-O thick (20 /spl mu/m) films on both LaAlO/sub 3/ and Ag foil using rapid thermal processing (RTP) followed by furnace annealing. An RTP cycle to /spl ap/915/spl deg/C for 20 seconds in Ar produces massive melting of the superconducting powder but not the Ag substrate. Subsequent annealing under O/sub 2/ in sealed Au foil with a Tl source yields a brick-wall microstructure consisting of c-axis aligned, plate-like grains. X-ray diffraction and Meissner data show a mixture of the Tl-1223 and Tl-1212 phases while energy-dispersive spectroscopy identifies the plate-like grains as the desired Tl-1223. Magnetization data suggest intergranular supercurrents flowing across the entire film. Critical current densities inferred from hysteresis are 9/spl times/10/sup 4/ A/cm/sup 2/ at 5 K in low fields, decreasing by a factor of 5 in 5 tesla. >
Role of K+ Channels in the Pathophysiology of Primary Aldosteronism

See related article, pp 587–591 Primary aldosteronism (PA) is defined as a group of endocrine disorders in which aldosterone production is inappropriately high, relatively autonomous, and independent of the renin-angiotensin system and extracellular potassium (K+), the major normal aldosterone stimulators, and in which aldosterone secretion is not suppressed by sodium loading. Patients with PA exhibit hypertension, high plasma aldosterone concentration, low plasma renin activity, and varying degrees of hypokalemia and metabolic alkalosis.1 The 2 most common causes of PA are unilateral aldosterone-producing adenoma (APA) and idiopathic hyperaldosteronism (IHA) with bilateral adrenal hyperplasia. PA is the most common cause of secondary (remediable) hypertension, estimated to occur in ≈8% of the general hypertensive population and in ≈20% of patients with pharmacologically resistant hypertension. Because the cardiovascular morbidity and mortality rates are much higher in PA than in primary (essential) hypertension, intense research efforts have focused on understanding the pathophysiology of these disorders. Although APA, estimated to account for ≤50% of PA, is potentially curable with unilateral laparoscopic adrenalectomy, IHA must be treated with lifelong mineralocorticoid receptor blockers and other antihypertensive agents. For both APA and IHA, an important unresolved question has been, “What drives autonomous adrenal zona glomerulosa (ZG) cell proliferation and the production of aldosterone in these most common forms of PA?” For IHA, this question is now beginning to be addressed by studies in knockout mice, several of which have been reported as models of PA with bilaterally increased aldosterone production. The first approach has been using TWIK-related acid sensitive K (TASK) channel knockouts. TASK channels are members of the KCNK family of 2-pore domain/4 transmembrane K+ channels. The channel subunits expressed in the adrenal, TASK-1 and TASK-3, form homodimeric and heterodimeric “leak” …
A refined approach: Saudi Arabia moves beyond crude

Abstract Saudi Arabia's role in global energy markets is changing. The kingdom is reshaping itself as a supplier of refined petroleum products while moving beyond its long-held role as a simple exporter of crude oil. This change is commensurate with the typical development trajectory of a state progressing to a more advanced stage of global economic integration. Gains from increased refining include reducing fuel imports and capturing margins now bequeathed to competitors. Refining also allows the kingdom to export its heavy crude oil to a wider array of customers, beyond select importers configured to handle heavy crudes. However, the move also presents strategic complications. The world's "swing supplier" of oil may grow less willing or able to adjust supply to suit market demands. In the process, Saudi Arabia may have to update the old “oil for security” relationship that links it with Washington, augmenting it with a more diverse set of economic and investment ties with individual companies and countries, including China.
From Cot Curves to Genomics. How Gene Cloning Established New Concepts in Plant Biology

It is difficult to imagine carrying out plant research without personal computers, the Internet, GenBank, e-mail, cell phones, gene cloning, microchips, whole genomic sequences, expressed sequence tags, RFLPs, PCR, knock-outs, Arabidopsis, reverse genetics, transgenic plants, and molecular biology
THE EFFECT OF RADIOACTIVE RADIATIONS AND X-RAYS ON ENZYMES : VI. THE INFLUENCE OF VARIATION OF TEMPERATURE UPON THE RATE OF RADIOCHEMICAL INACTIVATION OF SOLUTIONS OF PEPSIN BY BETA RADIATION.

Data are presented which indicate that variation in temperature is associated with only slight variation in the speed of the radiochemical inactivation of pepsin in dilute solution.
‘La vida es sueño—¿o risa?’: Calderón Parodies the auto

The long-established conception of Calderon as a supremely Catholic and sober if not sombre dramatist derives from his readers' primary focus on his serious dramas and his autos sacramentales.1 Without questioning the importance of these works, I would like to suggest that we tend to overlook another side of his writings, the playful and parodic visions of life and stage versions of life that he offers in a number of entremeses and mojigangas. In this essay, therefore, I would like to bring these two aspects of Calderon into the sort of creative tension in which they existed—or co-existed—on the stages of Madrid in his lifetime. To do so, I will concentrate on one mojiganga, the delightfully funny Mojiganga de las visiones de la muerte which Calderon apparently wrote for performance with the auto La vida es sueno.2 I will be examining the logic of its comedy; its play on and against the conventions, both thematic and structural, of the autos in general and of La vida es sueno in particular; and its functi...
Optimization of Wind Turbine Performance With Data-Driven Models

This paper presents a multiobjective optimization model of wind turbine performance. Three different objectives, wind power output, vibration of drive train, and vibration of tower, are used to evaluate the wind turbine performance. Neural network models are developed to capture dynamic equations modeling wind turbine performance. Due to the complexity and nonlinearity of these models, an evolutionary strategy algorithm is used to solve the multiobjective optimization problem. Data sets at two different frequencies, 10 s and 1 min, are used in this study. Computational results with the two data sets are reported. Analysis of these results points to a reduction of wind turbine vibrations potentially larger than the gains reported in the paper. This is due to the fact that vibrations may occur at frequencies higher than ones reflected in the 10-s data collected according to the standard practice used in the wind industry.
Improved model for the transit entropy of monatomic liquids.

In the original formulation of V-T theory for monatomic liquid dynamics, the transit contribution to entropy was taken to be a universal constant, calibrated to the constant-volume entropy of melting. This model suffers two deficiencies: (a) it does not account for experimental entropy differences of {+-}2% among elemental liquids, and (b) it implies a value of zero for the transit contribution to internal energy. The purpose of this paper is to correct these deficiencies. To this end, the V-T equation for entropy is fitted to an overall accuracy of {+-}0.1% to the available experimental high temperature entropy data for elemental liquids. The theory contains two nuclear motion contributions: (a) the dominant vibrational contribution S{sub vib}(T/{theta}{sub 0}), where T is temperature and {theta}{sub 0} is the vibrational characteristic temperature, and (b) the transit contribution S{sub tr}(T/{theta}{sub tr}), where {theta}{sub tr} is a scaling temperature for each liquid. The appearance of a common functional form of S{sub tr} for all the liquids studied is a property of the experimental data, when analyzed via the V-T formula. The resulting S{sub tr} implies the correct transit contribution to internal energy. The theoretical entropy of melting is derived, in a single formula applying to normalmore » and anomalous melting alike. An ab initio calculation of {theta}{sub 0}, based on density functional theory, is reported for liquid Na and Cu. Comparison of these calculations with the above analysis of experimental entropy data provides verification of V-T theory. In view of the present results, techniques currently being applied in ab initio simulations of liquid properties can be employed to advantage in the further testing and development of V-T theory.« less
Associative pairing enhances action potential back-propagation in radial oblique branches of CA1 pyramidal neurons

Back-propagating action potentials (bAPs) are involved in associative synaptic plasticity and the modulation of dendritic excitability. We have used high-speed confocal and two-photon imaging to measure calcium and voltage signals associated with action potential propagation into oblique branches of CA1 pyramidal neurons in adult hippocampal slices. The spatial profile of the bAP-associated Ca2+ influx was biphasic, with an initial increase in the proximity of the branch point followed by a progressive decrease. Voltage imaging in the branches showed that bAP amplitude was initially constant and then steadily declined with distance from the soma. To determine the role of transient K+ channels in this profile, we used external Ba2+ (150 μm) as a channel blocker, after characterizing its effect on A-type K+ channels in the apical trunk. Bath application of Ba2+ significantly reduced the A-type K+ current in outside-out patches and nearly eliminated the distance-dependent decrease in bAP amplitude and its associated Ca2+ signal. Finally, small amplitude bAPs at more distal oblique branch locations could be boosted by simultaneous branch depolarization, such that the paired Ca2+ signal became nearly the same for proximal and distal oblique dendrites. These data suggest that dendritic K+ channels regulate the amplitude of bAPs to create a dendritic Ca2+ signal whose magnitude is inversely related to the electrotonic distance from the soma when bAPs are not associated with a significant amount of localized synaptic input. This distance-dependent Ca2+ signal from bAPs, however, can be amplified and a strong associative signal is produced once the proper correlation between synaptic activation and AP output is achieved. We hypothesize that these two signals may be involved in the regulation of the expression and activity of dendritic voltage- and ligand-gated ion channels.
Restoration of noisy images modeled by Markov random fields with Gibbs distribution

The authors develop techniques for restoration of noisy images using Markov/Gibbs random fields. In the schemes to be presented, the local characteristics of the noise-free image are described by pairwise-interaction Markov random fields, while the noise, assumed to be mainly additive, is modeled as a zero-mean Gaussian process. The estimation of the clean image is based on the MAP criterion. Optimal estimates are derived with proper choice of performance criteria. Studies undertaken with a variety of images have confirmed the feasibility of the proposed techniques under conditions of high noise. >
Curcumin inhibits lymphangiogenesis in vitro and in vivo

cope Curcumin, a dietary compound from turmeric, has potent antimetastatic effects; however, the underlying mechanisms are not well understood. The aim of this study is to investigate the effects and mechanisms of curcumin on lymphangiogenesis (formation of new lymphatic vessels), which plays a critical role in tumor metastasis. Methods and results Curcumin inhibited vascular endothelial growth factor-C (VEGF-C) induced lymphangiogenesis in a Matrigel plug assay in mice, and VEGF-C induced tube formation in human dermal lymphatic endothelial cells, demonstrating its antilymphangiogenic action in vivo and in vitro. Curcumin inhibited lymphangiogenesis, in part through suppression of proliferation, cell-cycle progression and migration of lymphatic endothelial cells, while it had little effect on matrix metalloproteinase activities. Curcumin inhibited expressions of VEGF receptors (VEGFR2 and VEGFR3), as well as downstream signaling such as phosphorylation of ERK and FAK. Finally, curcumin sulfate and curcumin glucuronide, which are two major metabolites of curcumin in vivo, had little inhibitory effect on proliferation of human dermal lymphatic endothelial cells. Conclusion Our results demonstrate that curcumin inhibits lymphangiogenesis in vitro and in vivo, which could contribute to the antimetastatic effects of curcumin.
Engine optimal operation lines for power-split hybrid electric vehicles:

AbstractThe powertrain of a hybrid electric vehicle (HEV) can be operated in either a power-boosting or an energy-saving mode. The first mode is used for responding to the driver's full-load demand and the second for achieving high fuel efficiency given an increased number of degrees of freedom in energy management. Optimization problems for the two operation modes are formulated, and the design spaces are analysed for general power-split architectures. Optimization results are presented and analysed for input-split and compound-split architectures. The analysis leads to the definition of a new concept of HEV optimal operation that improves the conventional idea of engine optimal operation line.
Emitter resistance and performance trade-off of submicrometer self-aligned double-polysilicon bipolar devices

Emitter resistance dependences on emitter arsenic implant dose and diffusion temperature, emitter polysilicon film thickness and its two-dimensional effect, and in situ emitter surface cleaning with HCl gas for submicrometer self-aligned double-polysilicon bipolar transistors are described. Emitter resistance is also characterized as a function of emitter area ranging from 0.6*2.4 mu m/sup 2/ to 3.4*10.4 mu m/sup 2/. Cutoff frequency and ECL-gate delay time are compared between the devices with different emitter areas. Based on the experimental results and circuit simulations, and effects of device geometry scaling on emitter resistance and ECL circuit performance are discussed. It is predicted that an ECL-gate delay time of 35 psec with a cutoff frequency of 33 GHz can be expected at an operational current of 400 mu A by achieving the emitter-base, base-collector, and collector-substrate capacitances of 3 fF, 2 fF, and 4 fF, respectively, with a neutral base width of 40 nm and an emitter resistance of 100 Omega . >
The Biofuel Feedstock Genomics Resource: a web-based portal and database to enable functional genomics of plant biofuel feedstock species

Major feedstock sources for future biofuel production are likely to be high biomass producing plant species such as poplar, pine, switchgrass, sorghum and maize. One active area of research in these species is genome-enabled improvement of lignocellulosic biofuel feedstock quality and yield. To facilitate genomic-based investigations in these species, we developed the Biofuel Feedstock Genomic Resource (BFGR), a database and web-portal that provides high-quality, uniform and integrated functional annotation of gene and transcript assembly sequences from species of interest to lignocellulosic biofuel feedstock researchers. The BFGR includes sequence data from 54 species and permits researchers to view, analyze and obtain annotation at the gene, transcript, protein and genome level. Annotation of biochemical pathways permits the identification of key genes and transcripts central to the improvement of lignocellulosic properties in these species. The integrated nature of the BFGR in terms of annotation methods, orthologous/paralogous relationships and linkage to seven species with complete genome sequences allows comparative analyses for biofuel feedstock species with limited sequence resources. Database URL: http://bfgr.plantbiology.msu.edu
Examination of Initial Strike and Restrike Modes in Exploding Metallized Films

The discharge modes of a capacitive exploding metallized film setup are discerned. Long exposure still images of the plasma formation during the initial strike and restrike are presented.
Chemoenzymatic synthesis of CMP–sialic acid derivatives by a one-pot two-enzyme system: comparison of substrate flexibility of three microbial CMP–sialic acid synthetases

Three C terminal His6-tagged recombinant microbial CMP-sialic acid synthetases [EC 2.7.7.43] cloned from Neisseria meningitidis group B, Streptococcus agalactiae serotype V, and Escherichia coli K1, respectively, were evaluated for their ability in the synthesis of CMP-sialic acid derivatives in a one-pot two-enzyme system. In this system, N-acetylmannosamine or mannose analogs were condensed with pyruvate, catalyzed by a recombinant sialic acid aldolase [EC 4.1.3.3] cloned from E. coli K12 to provide sialic acid analogs as substrates for the CMP-sialic acid synthetases. The substrate flexibility and the reaction efficiency of the three recombinant CMP-sialic acid synthetases were compared, first by qualitative screening using thin layer chromatography, and then by quantitative analysis using high performance liquid chromatography. The N. meningitidis synthetase was shown to have the highest expression level, the most flexible substrate specificity, and the highest catalytic efficiency among the three synthetases. Finally, eight sugar nucleotides, including cytidine 5'-monophosphate N-acetylneuraminic acid (CMP-Neu5Ac) and its derivatives with substitutions at carbon-5, carbon-8, or carbon-9 of Neu5Ac, were synthesized in a preparative (100-200 mg) scale from their 5- or 6-carbon sugar precursors using the N. meningitidis synthetase and the aldolase.
Initial saccades predict manual recognition choices in the monkey.

Abstract In animals with specialized foveae, eye position has a direct influence over the acquisition of detailed visual information. At the same time, eye movements executed during natural behaviors are closely linked with motor actions. In this study, we investigated patterns of eye movements during a simple visual discrimination task. Three rhesus monkeys learned to recognize images of real world objects with no explicit constraints on eye position. Analysis of the monkeys’ eye movements showed that although the endpoint of the initial saccade depended on the particular visual stimulus, the trajectory of the first saccades also reliably predicted the manual response associated with that stimulus. We thus observed that initial saccades executed in a recognition task reflect both perceptual and motor aspects of a visual task. This pattern of eye movements emerged spontaneously in all three animals tested despite the fact that saccades were never explicitly rewarded. As the average saccade latency was under 200 ms, object specific learned associations must have exerted their influence over the initial saccade even earlier, providing a novel temporal marker for the rapidity of visual recognition processes. Taken together, these results suggest that caution should be exercised when interpreting the meaning of oculomotor patterns observed during perceptual tasks, as these blur the line between perceptual processing and motor preparation.
Development of Electrolytes towards Achieving Safe and High‐Performance Energy‐Storage Devices: A Review

Increasing interest in flexible/wearable electronics, clean energy, electrical vehicles, and so forth is calling for advanced energy-storage devices, such as high-performance lithium-ion batteries (LIBs), which can not only store energy efficiently and safely, but also possess additional properties, such as good mechanical properties to bear deformations or even to be used as structural components. These expectations first indicate the directions, but also raise new challenges for the advancement of energy materials. As one of the critical components in LIBs, the electrolyte connecting the two electrodes is vital for achieving the desired performances in batteries. In this Review, the developments of various liquid electrolytes (organic, ionic liquid, and aqueous electrolytes), solid electrolytes (solid polymer and inorganic solid), as well as gel electrolytes is briefly summarized and discussed. For each type of electrolyte, the challenging issues and possible solutions are discussed. In particular, safety, ionic conductivity, and contact/interface issues are emphasized. Finally, from a composite point of view, strategies for the development of high-performance electrolytes with all-round properties are proposed.
Otogenic sigmoid sinus thrombosis: what is the role of anticoagulation?

Objectives The treatment of otogenic sigmoid sinus thrombosis with surgery and antibiotics is well established. However, the role of anticoagulation remains unstudied. The study reviews the signs, symptoms, radiological evaluation, surgical treatment, and medical management of patients with otogenic sigmoid sinus thrombosis treated with or without anticoagulation. Study Design Retrospective review of nine patients from 1995 to 2001 with sigmoid sinus thrombosis. Methods Patients were identified by a review of all medical and radiological records. Signs, symptoms, diagnostic studies, treatments, and outcomes were recorded. In addition, telephone follow-up was performed. Results Nine patients were identified over a 6-year period from 1995 to 2001. Patients had a mean follow-up time of 9 months (range, 1–24 mo). Of the nine patients identified, eight patients (89%) had tympanostomy tube placement, six patients (67%) had canal wall intact mastoidectomy, and one patient (11%) had canal wall down mastoidectomy. Needle aspiration of the sinus was performed in four of nine patients (44%), and incision of the sinus in two of nine (22%). Treatment with broad-spectrum antibiotics occurred in all patients with a mean duration of 12 days (range, 2–22 d) intravenously and 7 days (range, 0–21 d) orally. Sixty-seven percent of patients (six of nine) were anticoagulated: Five patients received low-molecular-weight heparin, and one patient received heparin-coumadin. No mortality occurred in either the anticoagulated or non-anticoagulated group. One anticoagulated patient did have persistent headaches and otorrhea. Conclusions Surgery and antibiotic therapy are the cornerstones of the management of otogenic sigmoid sinus thrombosis. However, the role of anticoagulation remains unclear. Because complications of embolization and persistent sepsis are low in otogenic sigmoid sinus thrombosis patients treated with or without anticoagulation, withholding anticoagulation in selected patients is reasonable. Serial imaging to monitor for thrombus progression is advisable.
Stochastic Polynomial-Chaos-Based Average Model of Twelve-Pulse Diode Rectifier for Aircraft Applications

Polynomial chaos is used to identify the uncertainty associated with the twelve-pulse AC/DC diode rectifier stage of aircraft power systems. The proposed stochastic average model is integrated within the overall power system model by means of nodal analysis and is suitable for the study of transients in the time domain. It is demonstrated that compared with the application of the Monte Carlo method, the proposed method is fast and accurate
Surgical treatment of interdigital neuroma

Abstract Interdigital neuroma requires thorough clinical evaluation to ensure an accurate diagnosis. For cases refractory to conservative treatment, a neurectomy and release of the transverse metatarsal ligament is performed through a dorsal approach. Recurrent pain is a common complication, but its incidence may be minimized by diagnostic precision and meticulous surgical technique.
Coriolis: Scalable {VM} Clustering in Clouds

The growing popularity of virtualized data centers and clouds has led to virtual machine sprawl, significantly increasing system management costs. We present Coriolis, a scalable system that analyzes virtual machine images and automatically clusters them based on content and/or semantic similarity. Image similarity analysis can improve in planning many management activities (e.g., migration, system administration, VM placement) and reduce their execution cost. However, clustering images based on similarity – content or semantic – requires large scale data processing and does not scale well. Coriolis uses (i) asymmetric similarity semantics and (ii) a hierarchical clustering approachwith a data access requirement that is linear in the number of images. This represents a significant improvement over conventional clustering approaches that incur quadratic complexity and therefore becoming prohibitively expensive in a cloud setting.
The Misleading Effects of Averages in Tax Distribution Analysis

This study examines how tax distribution tables often can provide misleading results about the impact of pending tax legislation. These tables rely excessively on comparisons of average tax liabilities of various income groups, and are typically used to oppose broad income tax relief and foster class warfare notions in tax policy. However, tax distribution tables typically are defective in several ways that once recognized undermine their statistical validity and raise serious questions about their value to policymakers and the public. This study analyzes tax data to examine whether the use of averages in the typical distribution table is statistically sound. These tables usually rank tax filers from lowest to highest incomes, and subdivide them into income groups, such as fifths (quintiles). Then the average tax liabilities of each fifth can be calculated, as can average projected benefits from pending tax relief legislation. Finally, the average tax benefits provided to the various groups can be compared and contrasted. The underlying assumption is that these averages are representative of each income group. However, this Joint Economic Committee analysis of Internal Revenue Service data for individual income tax returns finds that the use of averages does not accurately reflect the tax payments or potential tax changes of most taxpayers in each income group. In fact, most taxpayers in each income group have tax liabilities considerably different from the group averages. This fact is not surprising given the different characteristics of tax filers at similar income levels. For example, in the middle fifth, only 23.9 percent of taxpayers had income tax liabilities that were within 25 percent of the group average. In other words, over three quarters had tax liabilities that were greater or less than 25 percent of the average tax liability of $1,780 in 1999. Therefore, 43.8 percent of taxpayers had income tax liabilities more than $2,230, while 32.3 percent paid less than $1,340. Although these taxpayers fall into the same income group typically used in distribution tables, their taxes vary greatly. Thus the average tax liability for this group substantially misrepresents the tax burden of most of its taxpayers. Therefore, unqualified comparisons of average tax liabilities and average tax changes would be misleading. Yet this is the usual procedure employed in the construction of distribution tables.
Do RTOs Promote Renewables?: A Study of State-Level Data over Time

We examine data for the 48 contiguous states from calendar years 1990 to 2005 to explore whether a state's membership in an organized wholesale market promotes the development of renewable electricity generation. Since states in regional transmission organizations (RTOs) generate most of the renewable electricity, some have asserted this is a benefit of RTOs. We find that, in contrast to wind, much of the development of geothermal, wood, and waste biomass took place prior to states joining RTOs. The development of solar and geothermal is concentrated in only a few states, preventing a firm conclusion about the role of RTOs. Our statistical analysis of wind, wood, and waste estimated a structural model of renewables development using feasible generalized least squares to correct for autocorrelation and heteroscedasticity. The estimated coefficients have the hypothesized signs except for the negative, statistically significant coefficient for membership in an RTO, implying that membership in an RTO impedes the development of the wind resource. The regressions for wood and waste biomass do not show a significant coefficient with RTO membership. We explored a wide range of plausible specifications for the relationship between renewables, membership in an RTO, and other factors, finding little indication that RTOs promote renewables. We cannot explain the indication that RTOs are negatively correlated with the development of wind.
Postoperative pain documentation 30 years after

This issue of the Scandinavian Journal of Pain contains a review y Heikkilaa and co-workers on postoperative pain documentaion [1]. Their systematic search and appraisal yielded 10 out of 209 articles which they integrated into a qualitative review. The rimary finding is sobering: all 10 studies reported that the qualty of postoperative pain documentation did not meet acceptable tandards. The authors are to be commended for undertaking this project nd their efforts to report in detail the outcomes of the studies nalyzed. However, some caveats apply when interpreting their esults.Most of the studieswere retrospective and included imporant weaknesses such as lack of specification of the sample size (in ne study) and unclear duration of auditing and number of invesigators (in half the studies). Five studies were conducted in the SA, four in different countries outside Europe and only one in urope (Sweden); five of the studies were published by the same roup, making the generalizability of the results questionable. As xpected, therewas a large heterogeneity in the auditing tools used n the different studies, making data synthesis a challenging task. onetheless, despite the limitations, the Heikkilaa and co-workers’ eview gives opportunity for reflection and raises important quesions.
An extension of penalized ordinal response models

An extension of penalized ordinal response models by Qing Zhou A dissertation submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy at Virginia Commonwealth University. Virginia Commonwealth University, 2015 Major Director: Kellie J. Archer, Ph.D., Professor, Department of Biostatistics Ordinal responses are commonly seen in medical research. Many pathological evaluations and health status outcomes are reported on an ordinal scales. Some examples of ordinal outcomes include cancer stage (I, II, III and IV), or stage of liver disease (normal liver, chronic hepatitis, cirrhosis and end of stage liver disease or hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC)). In recent years, there has been a demand to understanding the pathogenic association between ordinal clinical outcomes and molecular characteristics. Genomic charactersitics are often assayed using a high-dimensional platform where the number of interrogated sites (P ) exceeds the number of samples (n). Unfortunately, traditional ordinal response models often do not perform well when the number of parameter (P ) exceed the number of observations (n). A good solution to this problem is penalization, for example, least absolute shrinkage and selection operator (LASSO). Here, we extend a LASSO method, the generalized monotone incremental
Research progress on acute chloroacetic acid poisoning

Chloroacetic acid is an important chemical material,extensively used in the organic-chemistry industry.It has strong corrosiveness,can be well absorbed through respiratory tract,digestive tract and damaged skin,and induce obvious injuries of brain,heart,liver,kidney and lung.However,the pathogenic mechanism still remained unclear.No specific antidote is available in the treatment of acute chloroacetic acid poisoning.Immediate decontamination,symptomatic and supporting treatment are the common therapy in the clinical practice.
"Understanding AIDS"--the national AIDS mailer.

Abstract The Centers for Disease Control (CDC) of the Public Health Service made public health history in 1988 by mailing the pamphlet, "Understanding AIDS," to every household in the United States. Approximately 126 million copies were distributed, reaching at least 60 percent of the population according to several national polls. The pamphlet was produced and mailed at a cost of about 20 cents per copy. The impact of "Understanding AIDS" by itself on AIDS-related behavior was not fully assessed. Extensive message pretesting and other commercial marketing techniques to improve the effectiveness of the brochure, however, helped "Understanding AIDS" achieve an increase in awareness and concern about AIDS. A number of lessons were learned during the process. They included the importance in such an enterprise of setting a deadline, doing formative research, receiving active support from senior management, achieving a consensus on scientific knowledge, using communications experts, centralizing the final decision-making function, maximizing publicity surrounding the mailing, building a base of support among constituency groups, planning distribution logistics from the very start, and designing evaluation into the process from the beginning.
At last a humanistic medicine

Background We have entered a time of enormous and rapid technological advance. We must pause and reflect on the role of humanism in medicine on that part of our professional calling that denotes the responsibility we have for caring, and the relationship between our art and our science. Objective Humanism is defined as a mode of thought or action in which human interests, values and dignity are taken to be of primary importance. But Heidegger thinks that humanism esteems man too low. The purpose of this article is to review the sense of the word "humanism" in medicine. Method Theories of four general sorts are identified and explained here. Results Man is inmeasurably more than a rational animal as humanistic medicine postulates. We must pass beyond the traditional interpretations of the nature of man, therefore beyond humanism and humanistic medicines. Conclusions It is better to drop the word completely, with the danger of being taken for anti-humanistic, rather than run the risk of having a subject ist interpretation. We must think the nature of man in terms of its exclusive relationship to his being and to Being.
Stimulation of urinary bladder tumorigenesis by carcinogen-exposed stroma.

AbstractThere is evidence to suggest that control mechanisms, either growth-stimulatory, inhibitory or inductive, may play a role in carcinogenesis. To test the hypothesis that treatment of rat urinary bladder with carcinogen induces alterations in the stroma which result in modified epithelial-stromal interactions, experiments were conducted using a rat model specifically designed for the study. Following exposure of Fischer F344 rats in drinking water to the urinary bladder carcinogen, N-butyl-N-(4-hydroxybutyl) nitrosamine (BHBN) for four weeks, bladders were removed and subjected to a brief detergent treatment to completely remove epithelium. The bladders without epithelium ("stroma" bladder) were heterotopically transplanted to syngeneic recipients. Four days later, the denuded mucosa surface was resurfaced with intraluminal instillation of urothelial cells, either untreated or treated with BHBN for six weeks (6w-BHBN) or 10 weeks (10w-BHBN). Examination at 12 weeks posttransplant of the "stroma" bla...
High Resolution Ultrasound Mammography

Ultrasound mammography has been carried out in over 100 patients. From the data produced by these studies, special equipment for ultrasound mammography has been designed and will be described.
Sports-Related Concussion: The "Eyes" Have It

Concussion is a form of mild traumatic brain injury (TBI) owing to structural, metabolic and functional changes involving white mater tracts of the central nervous system in the absence of macroscopic findings [1-4]. Sports-related concussion is a rapidly evolving condition stimulating interest among lay and scientific communities [3]. Recent studies have shown a high rate of underreporting of concussion signs and symptoms by athletes and sideline personnel [5,6]. Accordingly, reliable and validated testing strategies are necessary to insure timely detection and removal from play for individuals suspected of concussion. Vision and visual motor problems are commonly reported among athletes following concussion [7-15]. This is to be expected as it is estimated that approximately 50% of the brain is devoted to vision and visual motor processing [16]. As such, testing of vision and ocular motility function are critical to the evaluation of a concussed individual. While disorders of vision and ocular motility have been well-reported with TBI, most of these studies have focused on visual motor problems in the setting of combatrelated TBI resulting from blast injuries [8]. There are limited studies related to vision and visual motor abnormalities from sport-related concussion.
Follicular Dendritic Cell Sarcoma

Follicular dendritic cell sarcoma is a rare tumor that typically arises within lymph nodes but can also occur extranodally. It is important to have a high index of suspicion, so follicular dendritic cell sarcoma is included in the differential diagnosis of a spindle cell neoplasm in the appropriate clinical and morphologic settings. When included in the differential diagnosis, immunohistochemistry is generally sufficient to substantiate the diagnosis of follicular dendritic cell sarcoma. In this review, we discuss the clinicopathologic features of follicular dendritic cell sarcoma, recent molecular and cytogenetic findings, prognosis, and current approaches to treatment.
Implications of following the guidelines for genetic testing and MRI use for breast cancer.

1549 Background: Evidence-based medicine is based upon the use of established guidelines and algorithms to increase the quality and decrease the cost of medical care. Genetic testing for breast can...
Analyzing landform patterns in the monumental landscape of the northern Great Lakes, 1200–1600 CE

Abstract Monuments create permanent and predictable contexts and so they offered a particularly powerful way for past societies to reconfigure their landscapes in response to variable social and ecological factors. We examine the monumental landscape of the Late Precontact (ca. 1200–1600 CE) northern Great Lakes using a longstanding tool of landscape archaeology, Geographic Information Systems (GIS). In line with the growing recognition of the need to move beyond point-to-point GIS analyses to realize dynamic insights into past landscapes, we turned to multivariate total landscape geospatial modeling increasingly common in ecology. Specifically, we used a total landscape model of landforms—a compound, stable, and archaeologically relevant measure of landscape heterogeneity. We conducted a multi-scalar computation of Shannon's equitability to assess landform diversity in terms of both abundance and evenness and examined the positioning of monumental earthwork enclosures across north-central Michigan in relation to this measure. We found enclosures were non-randomly located in areas with high landform abundance and evenness, a nuanced positioning that patterned regionally but also relied on detailed, local socioecological knowledge. The positioning of earthwork enclosures in areas of increased landform diversity was one way indigenous communities crafted a monumental landscape to navigate the restricted social, economic, and ideological setting of Late Precontact (ca. 1200–1600 CE). Our study offers one example of the ways archaeologists can harness the power of geospatial technologies to gain insight into the variegated landscapes people inhabited in the past—places that were composed of ecology, other peoples, non-human beings and the constant flow of interactions between them.
Adaptive radio and transmission power selection for Internet of Things

Research efforts over the last few decades produced multiple wireless technologies, which are readily available to support communication between devices in various Internet of Things (IoT) applications. However, none of the existing technologies delivers optimal performance across all critical quality of service (QoS) dimensions under varying environmental conditions. Using a single wireless technology therefore cannot meet the demands of varying workloads or changing environmental conditions. This problem is exacerbated with the increasing interest in placing embedded devices on the user's body or other mobile objects in mobile IoT applications. Instead of pursuing a one-radio-fits-all approach, we design ARTPoS, an adaptive radio and transmission power selection system, which makes available multiple wireless technologies at runtime and selects the radio(s) and transmission power(s) most suitable for the current conditions and requirements. Experimental results show that ARTPoS can significantly reduce the power consumption, while maintaining desired link reliability.
Advanced patterning approaches for Cu/Low-k interconnects

The RC delay, electro migration (EM) and TDDB performance become more challenges to meet device requirement as continuous geometry shrink on BEOL dual damascene interconnects. To overcome these challenges from interconnect patterning point of view, we proposed Cu subtractive RIE as a potential solution for next generation Cu/Low-k interconnects.
Fungal endophyte communities in the temperate fern Polystichum munitum show early colonization and extensive temporal turnover.

PREMISE OF THE STUDY Fungal endophytes have been shown to colonize all land plants, yet surprisingly little attention has been given to their community composition in ferns. We examined the diversity and temporal turnover of fungal endophytes in foliar tissue of the temperate western sword fern, Polystichum munitum, comparing taxa in newly emerged leaflets and in the same fronds after 1 mo of exposure in the field. METHODS Utilizing next-generation sequencing, we sampled pinnae from P. munitum in spring, 2-3 d after they emerged. We additionally sampled pinnae 30 d later from the same fern blades. From these samples, we sequenced fungal DNA to characterize the initial colonization and temporal turnover of endophytes in the host. KEY RESULTS We demonstrate that P. munitum is abundantly colonized by endophytes in newly emerged foliar tissue. However, 1 mo later, the community composition undergoes a marked shift: the overall richness of endophytes increases, but the evenness of the community wanes as a single taxon, Flagellospora fusarioides, comes to dominate. CONCLUSIONS We conclude that P. munitum hosts a variety of fungal endophyte taxa, similarly to other land plants. However, the rapid shift of the endophyte community we report is an unprecedented observation. Therefore, we further conclude that repeated sampling should be the standard in endophyte studies, because single sampling events are not sufficient to capture the dynamic nature of these cryptic microfungi.
Influence of Endosulfan on Bemisia tabaci (Homoptera: Aleyrodidae) Populations, Parasitism, and Lettuce Infectious Yellows Virus in Late-Summer Planted Cantaloupe

Studies were conducted to evaluate the effectiveness of endosulfan in reducing the incidence of lettuce infectious yellows virus (LIYV) in late-summer planted cantaloupe, Cucumis melo L., through r...
Vertebrate body size jumps the Wright way.

Fossil data provide copious evidence that anatomical (morphological) change within individual lineages is not constant: short bursts of great change commonly separate long durations of little change (1, 2). Despite this, most models of morphological change assume that probabilities of morphological character change are the same from one generation to the next: even if rates change over time—such as in “Cambrian explosion” or “early burst” models, where high disparity among anatomies evolves early—then it is still assumed that fast rates of continuous character change gave way to slow rates of continuous change (3). In statistical parlance, early bursts usually are modeled as nonstationary processes (usually lognormal for continuous data such as size, or Poisson for discrete characters, such as presence/absence of structures) in which some instantaneous rate of change declines over time. In contrast, null hypotheses are modeled as stationary processes in which the instantaneous rate does not shift over time. However, both null and test models assume that the processes underlying anatomical change are continuous-time processes, with instantaneous probabilities of change or amounts of change. In PNAS, Landis and Schraiber (4) put continuous-time models of anatomical evolution to the test. Although numerous studies do this using fossil data (1, 2, 5), Landis and Schraiber (4) do this using size data and phylogenetic estimates from extant taxa only. Under their model, anatomical change happens in pulses, with a probability of some time t between pulses given by a Levy process. Suppose that we simulate phylogenetic evolution and change for some continuous trait, such as size, under both continuous time and Levy processes. Under a continuous-time model, our computer generates some number between 0 and 1 for each lineage at each time step, which we then use to determine some small amount of change following, for example, a … [↵][1]1Email: pwagner16{at}unl.edu. [1]: #xref-corresp-1-1