cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Combination of a bead filter and rotating biological contactor in a recirculating fish culture system

The performance of the combination of a floating bead filter and an RBC employing 1-inch diameter Norpac® tube media was evaluated in an intensive pilot scale recirculating system stocked with tilapia. The combination maintained favorable water quality, attaining practically complete TAN and NO2-N removal. The average overall removal across the FBF-RBC combination was 60·6 g TAN/day and 59·6 g NO2-N/day, which was 30·7 and 51·7% of the influent loading, respectively. At a feeding level of 2 kg/day with backwashing every 2 days, the bead filter functioned primarily as a solids capture device, while the RBC performed the bulk of the nitrification. Areal removal for the bead filter was 56·2 mg TAN/m2-day at 5% efficiency and 13·1 mg NO2-N/m2-day at 1·1% efficiency, while for the RBC it was 257 mg TAN/m2-day at 52% efficiency, and 282 mg NO2-N/m2-day at 51% efficiency.
Effect of chronic hyperaldosteronism on the electrophysiology of rat distal colon

Microelectrodes have been used to study the effects of aldosterone on the barriers and forces controlling sodium and potassium transport in rat distal colon. Compared to control tissues, hyperaldosteronism induced by dietary sodium depletion resulted in a 7-fold increase in transepithelial voltage (VT) and a 52% decrease in total resistance (RT). Increased VT reflected both a rise in the basolateral membrane voltage (Vbl) and a fall in the apical membrane voltage (VA). RT was resolved into its separate membrane components using nystatin (585 U X ml-1), and the decrease in RT produced by aldosterone was found to be due entirely to a 66% decrease in the apical membrane resistance (RA). Amiloride had no effect on the control tissues, but restored VT, Vbl and VA in tissues from sodium deprived animals to control values. Amiloride also increased RT in the experimental tissue, but the post-amiloride values remained significantly lower than those in controls. These results indicate, therefore, that hyperaldosteronism results in an increase in VT by hyperpolarizing the basolateral membrane, as well as depolarizing apical membrane in rat distal colon. The fall in RT, however, is due only to a fall in RA since Rbl and junctional resistance (Rj) were unaffected. The data are consistent with the concept that aldosterone acts to stimulate sodium absorption by increasing the rate of cell entry of sodium, through the induction of amiloride-sensitive sodium channels in the apical membrane, and enhances the rate of potassium secretion by increasing the electrical driving force towards the mucosal solution.
Neutron irradiation effects on SiO2 and SiO2-based glass ceramics

Abstract A preliminary data base to assess the radiation damage resistance of some glass ceramic materials has been gathered. These are rather complex materials, both in structure and composition, but possess many of those properties required for structural, insulator applications in fusion reactor design. Property measurements were made after fast (E>0.1 MeV) neutron irradiations of ∼2.4 × 10 22 n / cm 2 at 400°C and 550°C. The results have shown general resistance to changes in thermal expansion and most did not experience severe loss of mechanical integrity. The maximum volume expansion occurred in several of the fluorophlogopite-based glass ceramics (~3.0%). Several observations demonstrated differences between the effects of neutron and electron irradiation; irradiation conditions prototypic of projected reactor uses need be considered for optimum materials selection.
CPGPS: congestion-aware packet generalized processor sharing

To avoid congestion before it happens, the traffic from the sources should be "reduced" (traffic control) or the available resources should be "increased" (resource control) in advance. While the traffic control in the context of congestion avoidance has been extensively studied mostly through the active queue management (AQM), resource control has received little attention for congestion avoidance. In this paper, we present a congestion avoidance scheme called congestion-aware packet generalized processor sharing (CPGPS) that differentiates between transient congestion and persistent congestion and takes different actions based on the type of congestion when congestion is anticipated. Unlike persistent congestion that is avoided normally by controlling the incoming traffic using the AQM algorithm, we show that transient congestion can be better handled by temporarily increasing the bandwidth available to the sources of transient congestion before packets belonging to these sources start to be dropped. To allocate bandwidth fairly among the sources of transient congestion, CPGPS is implemented on top of the packet fair queueing (PFQ) algorithm.
"De-randomizing" congestion losses to improve TCP performance over wired-wireless networks

Currently, a TCP sender considers all losses as congestion signals and reacts to them by throttling its sending rate. With Internet becoming more heterogeneous with more and more wireless error-prone links, a TCP connection may unduly throttle its sending rate and experience poor performance over paths experiencing random losses unrelated to congestion. The problem of distinguishing congestion losses from random losses is particularly hard when congestion is light: congestion losses themselves appear to be random. The key idea is to "de-randomize" congestion losses. This paper proposes a simple biased queue management scheme that "de-randomizes" congestion losses and enables a TCP receiver to diagnose accurately the cause of a loss and inform the TCP sender to react appropriately. Bounds on the accuracy of distinguishing wireless losses and congestion losses are analytically established and validated through simulations. Congestion losses are identified with an accuracy higher than 95% while wireless losses are identified with an accuracy higher than 75%. A closed form is derived for the achievable improvement by TCP endowed with a discriminator with a given accuracy. Simulations confirm this closed form. TCP-Casablanca, a TCP-Newreno endowed with the proposed discriminator at the receiver, yields through simulations an improvement of more than 100% on paths with low levels of congestion and about 1% random wireless packet loss rates. TCP-Ifrane, a sender-based TCP-Casablanca yields encouraging performance improvement.
Lipid Oxidation in Ground Turkey Skin and Muscle During Storage

Abstract Ground turkey skin and muscles of thigh and breast were obtained from chilled birds 24 hr postmortem and stored aerobically at 4 C and −20 C. Development of lipid oxidation in these samples during storage was followed by measuring 2-thiobarbituric acid (TBA) values and by monitoring changes in fatty acid profiles of polar lipids. Ground thigh developed significantly higher (P
Rock v. Arkansas: A Critique

Abstract Rock v. Arkansas is the first United States Supreme Court decision that addresses the conflict between a criminal defendant's right to testify in his or her own behalf and a state's right to impose a restrictive rule of evidence barring hypnotically refreshed testimony. The present critique describes the operative facts in Rock v. Arkansas and the majority and minority decisions. It also highlights some of the psychological and legal issues involved and speculates on what Rock v. Arkansas may portend for the broader issue of the admissibility of hypnotically refreshed testimony in general.
Substorm processes in the magnetotail - Comments on 'On hot tenuous plasmas, fireballs, and boundary layers in the earth's magnetotail' by L. A. Frank, K. L. Ackerson, and R. P. Lepping

Various theories regarding the magnetotail are reviewed and discussed. These include the work of Dungey (1961) and Eastman et al., (1976) regarding the generation of the magnetotail, Frank et al., (1976) concerning the so-called magnetotail fireball and its characteristics, and Hones et al., (1976 and 1976a) on the formation of a neutral line across the near-earth plasma sheet near the substorm onset. A detailed discussion of a fireball encounter during 0900-1400 UT in April 1974 is presented, noting plasma and magnetic phenomena observed, and magnetic records from the earth. A critique is made by Hones of the interpretation of this fireball made by Frank et al. In an accompanying reply, Frank et al. comment on the observations made by Hones, with attention to the most evident discrepancy between the two theories, i.e., the generation of large closed magnetic loops in the plasma sheet during magnetic substorms.
Spinning targets for laser fusion

Several techniques for spinning the ICF targets up prior to or in the course of their compression are suggested. Interference of the rotational shear flow with Rayleigh-Taylor instability is briefly discussed and possible consequences for the target performance are pointed out.
The discovery-learning DSS: allowing for discovery in the decision process

This paper describes an approach to DSS design and use intended to enhance the development of both general and specific problem-solving skills of the user by encouraging the use of discovery as a tool for learning. The basic philosophy of discovery learning, often referred to as errorful learning, is to present the user with a microworld in which to explore and discover general rules and concepts. The idea is that the user is in control of the process and can let curiosity and personal interest drive the search of the problem space rather than be inhibited by rules governing the "rightness" or "wrongness" of answers and intermediate outcomes. Rather than being limited to developing an understanding of the problem from the output of a set of normative analytical models, the discovery learner develops a much richer, more generalizable set of problem-solving skills and understanding of the problem domain. The paper includes both a scientific and philosophical discussion of discovery links the concept of discovery to DSS design, and offers suggestions of specific tools that should be incorporated into a discovery-learning DSS. >
LEARNING IN VIRTUAL WORLDS : UNDERSTANDING ITS IMPACT ON SOCIAL AND COGNITIVE PROCESSES IN LEARNING

This study responds to the call for systematic knowledge and understanding related to virtual world learning environments (VWLEs). We propose a research model of VWLEs and explore the use of a VWLE on key social and cognitive process in learning during on-going interaction in the learning environment.
An Assessment of the University of Washington’s Chat Reference Services

This project assesses the chat reference service of the University of Washington (UW) Libraries. First, I conducted a literature review to examine the evolution of virtual reference services. Then, through OCLC’s Question Point, I examined chats that occurred during weeks 1, 5, and 10 of Winter Quarter 2014. Chats were coded according to pre-set conditions (category of questions, READ Level, time of day, and session time). An analysis showed that the majority of questions were either General Information or Known Item Lookups, the lowest level of difficulty for the answering librarian.
GIS for the Geo-Referenced Analysis and Rapid Dissemination of Forensic Evidence Collected in the Aftermath of the Tuscaloosa Tornado

This study investigates the utilization of Geographic Information System (GIS) technology to rapidly disseminate damage and failure mode data related to wood-frame construction collected in the aftermath of the Tuscaloosa tornado on April 27, 2011. The City of Tuscaloosa was in the direct path of a major super cell tornado that bisected the city in a south-west to north-east direction with a half mile wide destruction path. Immediately after the tornado, forensic data collection activities were conducted. Forensic evidence was collected through both active and passive modes. Active data collection occurred at specific case study sites and along transects that ran approximately perpendicular to the direction of the tornado path. Passive data collection modes captured forensic evidence as researchers moved throughout the affected area. Tracking both the time and the location of field activities set the basis for the fusion of the collected data. Thus, by using the time of data collection, forensic data was correlated to a geo-location in full-day GPS track logs and uploaded in a GIS web portal. The web portal enabled 1) the geo-referenced analyses of the collected data, and 2) the rapid dissemination of the forensic evidence to the scientific community and to anyone with an internet connection.
The use of digital image correlation in a parametric study on the effect of edge distance and thickness on residual strains after hole cold expansion

The paper presents the results of an experimental study that used digital image correlation to measure the residual strains created by hole cold expansion both before and after insertion of an interference fit fastener. The study used 7075-T6 aluminium test coupons with multiple fastener holes to more closely simulate a real aircraft structure where multiple fastener holes are often cold expanded sequentially and where the interactions between the holes are a function of both the hole-to-free-edge distance as well as the pitch between the fastener holes. Both hole-to-free-edge distance and coupon thickness were varied to measure their effects on residual strain after hole cold expansion and after hole cold expansion and interference fit fastener insertion. The results showed that as the edge distance was decreased, the tensile strains at the low edge side of the coupon increased exponentially for both thick (6.35 mm) and thin (1.59 mm) coupons.
Energy: efficient instruction dispatch buffer design for superscalar processors

The instruction dispatch buffer (DB, also known as an issue queue) used in modem superscalar processors is a considerable source of energy dissipation. We consider design alternatives that result in significant reductions in the power dissipation of the DB (by as much as 60%) through the use of: (a) fast comparators that dissipate energy mainly on a tag match, (b) zero byte encoding of operands to imply the presence of bytes with all zeros and, (c) bitline segmentation. Our results are validated by the execution of SPEC 95 benchmarks on true hardware level, cycle-by-cycle simulator for a superscalar processor and SPICE measurements for actual layouts of the DB and its variants in a 0.5 micron CMOS process.
Sampling Methods for Action Selection in Influence Diagrams

Sampling has become an important strategy for inference in belief networks. It can also be applied to the problem of selecting actions in influence diagrams. In this paper, we present methods with probabilistic guarantees of selecting a near-optimal action. We establish bounds on the number of samples required for the traditional method of estimating the utilities of the actions, then go on to extend the traditional method based on ideas from sequential analysis, generating a method requiring fewer samples. Finally, we exploit the intuition that equally good value estimates for each action are not required, to develop a heuristic method that achieves major reductions in required sample size. The heuristic method is validated empirically.
Effects of thyroid hormone on HSV-1 gene regulation: implications in the control of viral latency and reactivation

Thyroid hormone (TH) is involved in many biological functions such as animal development, cell differentiation, etc. Variation and/or disruption of plasma TH level often led to abnormalities and physiological disorders. TH exerts the effects through its nuclear receptors (TR). Literature showed that procedures resulted in TH alteration also linked to reactivation of several viruses including Herpes Simplex Virus Type -1 (HSV-1). Bioinformatic analyses revealed a number of putative TH responsive elements (TRE) located in the critical regulatory regions of HSV-1 genes such as thymidine kinase (TK), latency associated transcript (LAT), etc. Studies using neuronal cell lines have provided evidences demonstrating that liganded TR regulated viral gene expression via chromatin modification and controlled viral replication. The removal of TH reversed the inhibition and induced the viral replication previously blocked by TH. These results suggest that TH may have implication to participate in the control of reactivation during HSV-1 latency.
Uniqueness in the Dirichlet Problem for Time Independent Elliptic Operators

Uniqueness is proved for the Dirichlet problem associated to a second order non-divergence form elliptic operator whose coefficients are independent of one direction and have discontinuities along a countable set of lines which are parallel to the given direction and accumulate around a single line.
Analysis of Surgical Treatment of 33 Foot and Ankle Tumors

Thirty-three patients treated for tumors of the foot and ankle at one cancer institution over a 14-year period were reviewed. There were 15 females and 18 males, with an age range of 1 to 64 years (average 22.6 years). Twenty-one tumors were benign, 11 were malignant, and 1 tumor had metastasized. The most common diagnoses were: fibromatosis (10), aneurysmal bone cyst (4), synovial sarcoma (4), chondrosarcoma (3), and other (12). Surgical procedures included: wide resection (14), local resection (8), curettage and cryosurgery (7), and below-knee amputation (4). Follow-up from surgery was 1 to 13 years (average 7.2 years). There were no local recurrences. Functional results were good-to-excellent in 82% (27/33) of patients. Fifty-five percent (18/33) of the patients were full weightbearing and enjoyed unlimited activity.
The effect of hinge mutations on effector binding and domain rotation in Εscherichia coli D -3 -phosphoglycerate dehydrogenase

Abstract d-3-Phosphoglycerate dehydrogenase (EC 1.1.1.95) from Escherichia coli contains two Gly-Gly sequences that have been shown previously to have the characteristics of hinge regions. One of these, Gly336-Gly337, is found in the loop between the substrate binding domain and the regulatory domain. Changing these glycine residues to valine affected the sensitivity of the enzyme to inhibition by l-serine but not the extent of inhibition. The decrease in sensitivity was caused primarily by a decrease in the affinity of the enzyme for l-serine. These mutations also affected the domain rotation of the subunits in response to l-serine binding. A major conclusion of this study was that it defines a minimal limit on the necessary conformational changes leading to inhibition of enzyme activity. That is, some of the conformational differences seen in the native enzyme upon l-serine binding are not critical for inhibition, whereas others are maintained and may play important roles in inhibition and cooperativity. The structure of G336V demonstrates that the minimal effect of l-serine binding leading to inhibition of enzyme activity requires a domain rotation of approximately only 6° in just two of the four subunits of the enzyme that are oriented diagonally across from each other in the tetramer. Moreover the structures show that both pairs of Asn190 to Asn190 hydrogen bonds across the subunit interfaces are necessary for activity. These observations are consistent with the half-the-sites activity, flip-flop mechanism proposed for this and other similar enzymes and suggest that the Asn190 hydrogen bonds may function in the conformational transition between alternate half-the-site active forms of the enzyme.
Transpalpebral enucleation using a chain écraseur.

Summary This study was undertaken to describe the technique, complications and outcome of the use of a chain ecraseur for transpalpebral enucleation in horses under general anaesthesia. We report its use in 53 horses, reviewing the subject details, reasons for enucleation, surgical technique, intra- and post operative complications, and long-term outcome. Intraoperative complications included mild to moderate bleeding in 4 horses. Post operative complications included mild periorbital post operative swelling in one horse, transient head tilt in one horse and severe enterocolitis, which resulted in euthanasia in one horse; another 2 horses were subjected to euthanasia after long bone fractures that occurred during recovery from general anaesthesia and 2 horses had the prosthesis removed as a result of inflammatory reaction or infection. Long-term outcome was available for 38 horses, 25 of which returned to their previous activities and 13 were retired. Twelve horses were lost for follow-up. Transpalpebral enucleation using a chain ecraseur is a feasible alternative to traditional enucleation techniques that can provide adequate haemostasis during transection of the optic pedicle when used properly.
Securing Pocket Hard Drives

Today, affordable storage media comes in various form factors with a wide range of capacities. USB is the most popular PC interface, offering data transfer rates as high as 480 Mbps (version 2.0), with enough power to operate storage devices such as 2.5" hard-disk drives. The Fire Wire interface offers similar capabilities. A few vendors offer software that lets users synchronize their email and network folders with USB storage. This lets them access these data items from several different computers. The U3 industry consortium promotes a model that lets users run programs, such as a Firefox Web browser, directly from the USB storage device, so users can access these applications even on PCs that don't have these applications preinstalled. Similarly, commonly used live CD-ROMs let you boot a PC from an OS resident on the CD-ROM. In this new mobile computing model called portable storage-based personalization, users can personalize a computer by booting from the USB storage media. Users' portable storage devices act as a pocket hard drive.
Incorporating the Torrance and Sparrow Model of Reflectance in Uncalibrated Photometric Stereo

Under the Lambertian reflectance model, uncalibrated photometricstereo with unknown light sources is inherentlyambiguous. In this paper, we consider the use of a moregeneral reflectance model, namely the Torrance and Sparrowmodel, in uncalibrated photometric stereo. We demonstratethat this can not only resolve the ambiguity when thelight sources are unknown, but can also result in more accuratesurface reconstructions and can capture the reflectanceproperties of a large number of non-Lambertian surfaces.Our method uses single light source images with unknownlighting and no knowledge about the parameters of the reflectancemodel. It can recover the 3-D shape of surfaces(up to the binary convex/concave ambiguity) together withtheir reflectance properties. We have successfully tested ouralgorithm on a variety of non-Lambertian surfaces demonstratingthe effectiveness of our approach. In the case ofhuman faces, the estimated skin reflectance has been shownto closely resemble the measured skin reflectance reportedin the literature. We also demonstrate improved recognitionresults on 4050 images of 10 faces with variable lightingand viewpoint when the synthetic image-based representationsof the faces are generated using the surface reconstructionsand reflectance properties recovered while assumingthe extended reflectance model.
Predicting nucleosome positioning using multiple evidence tracks

We describe a probabilistic model, implemented as a dynamic Bayesian network, that can be used to predict nucleosome positioning along a chromosome based on one or more genomic input tracks containing position-specific information (evidence) Previous models have either made predictions based on primary DNA sequence alone, or have been used to infer nucleosome positions from experimental data Our framework permits the combination of these two distinct types of information We show how this flexible framework can be used to make predictions based on either sequence-model scores or experimental data alone, or by using the two in combination to interpret the experimental data and fill in gaps The model output represents the posterior probability, at each position along the chromosome, that a nucleosome core overlaps that position, given the evidence This posterior probability is computed by integrating the information contained in the input evidence tracks along the entire input sequence, and fitting the evidence to a simple grammar of alternating nucleosome cores and linkers In addition to providing a novel mechanism for the prediction of nucleosome positioning from arbitrary heterogeneous data sources, this framework is also applicable to other genomic segmentation tasks in which local scores are available from models or from data that can be interpreted as defining a probability assignment over labels at that position The ability to combine sequence-based predictions and data from experimental assays is a significant and novel contribution to the ongoing research regarding the primary structure of chromatin and its effects upon gene regulation.
Comment on ‘Maxwell equations and the redundant gauge degree of freedom’

In the paper Wong (2009 Eur. J. Phys. 30 1401), the author makes the claim that in classical electromagnetic theory the longitudinal electric field is instantaneous, corresponding to action at a distance, contrary to popular and correct belief. We point out that the determination of the speed of propagation of electromagnetic fields requires specification of the initial condition of the sources or equivalent. The Coulomb field of a stationary point charge proves nothing. We discuss the limitations of the Helmholtz decomposition in determining the physically significant longitudinal (and transverse) part(s) of the electric field. That decomposition does yield a longitudinal electric field that is the negative gradient of the instantaneous scalar potential of the Coulomb gauge (). However, a necessary contribution from the negative time derivative of the Coulomb-gauge vector potential exactly cancels the Helmholtz contribution. The result is a fully causal and gauge-invariant electric field. We describe in detail a simple example to illustrate the above features and the universal onset of the static 'instantaneous' regime throughout a region of space that expands with the speed of light, with the induction and radiation fields only on its boundary surface.
How we involved bereaved family caregivers in palliative care education

As palliative care coursework continues to proliferate within US medical education, novel curriculum approaches have included the use of cancer survivors and family caregivers. We included bereaved family caregivers in structured clinical teaching.Methods: First year students were exposed to a lecture about death and dying and then met with a bereaved caregiver in small groups of 10–15 for a presentation about the caregiving experience, bereavement, and question and answer period. Substantial pre-planning was involved to recruit caregivers and arrange for classroom space.Results: Participation evoked caregiver anxiety but was resolved with adequate arrangement of the classroom and student introductions.Conclusions: Future implementation of bereaved caregivers in palliative coursework should include an appropriate follow-up phone call as well as recruiting more caregivers than necessary for the curriculum.
An Anti-windup Design for Linear Systems with Imprecise Knowledge of the Actuator Input Output Characteristics

This chapter proposes an anti-windup design for linear systems in the absence of precise knowledge of the actuator nonlinearity. The actuator input output characteristic is assumed to reside in a nonlinear sector bounded by two convex/concave piecewise linear curves. For the closed-loop system with a given anti-windup compensation gain matrix, stability properties, both in the absence and in the presence of external disturbances are characterized in terms of matrix inequalities. The estimation of the domain of attraction with a contractive invariant ellipsoid as well as the assessment of the disturbance tolerance and disturbance rejection properties of the closed-loop system are then formulated and solved as LMI optimization problems. The design of the anti-windup compensation gain matrix for a large domain of attraction and/or a large disturbance tolerance/rejection capability is then carried out by viewing the anti-windup compensation gain as an additional free parameter in these optimization problems. Numerical examples as well as an experimental setup are used to illustrate the proposed analysis and design approach and its effectiveness.
Renal dysfunction in adults with congenital heart disease

Abstract Renal dysfunction is commonly seen in adults with congenital heart disease and increases mortality. Risk factors for renal dysfunction include cyanosis, injury at the time of cardiopulmonary bypass, prior acute kidney injury, and systemic ventricular function. Hypertension, nephrotoxic medications, and diabetes mellitus may also contribute. Novel biomarkers may improve detection of renal dysfunction in an effort to reduce risk.
Temporal and Spatial Events in the Calcium Messenger System

The great complexity of the central nervous system makes it a difficult object of biochemical study. Yet, some of the most important biochemical discoveries having implications for the field of cell regulation have been made in CNS tissue. A case in point is the discovery by Nishizuka and coworkers of a new kind of protein kinase, the so-called phospholipid-dependent, calcium-activated protein kinase or C-kinase, in brain tissue (Takai et al.). This kinase was found to be distinct from either the classic cAMPdependent or Ca++-CaM-dependent protein kinases. It was, however, found to be activated by Ca++, phospholipids, and diacylglycerols (Takai et al., 1977; Kishimoto et al., 1980). After its discovery in the brain, where it exists in very large amounts, it was found to be widely distributed in animal tissues (Nishizuka and Takai, 1981). Its discovery coincided in time with a significant breakthrough in our understanding of the role of inositol polyphosphatase in the transducing events which occur in the calcium messenger system (Michell, 1975; Berridge, 1984) (see chapters by Agranoff and by Lapetina in this volume).
Georgia's Local-Option Sales Tax: A Model for Funding Education Capital Improvements

The author looks at Georgia's local option sales tax and concludes that it is a good supplement to property taxes in raising revenue for schools. The tax must be approved by voters, a process that increases public participation in decisionmaking, the author says.
Rapid Topochemical Modification of Layered Perovskites via Microwave Reactions.

An effective microwave approach to the topochemical modification of different layered oxide perovskite hosts is presented where cation exchange, grafting, and intercalation reactions with acid, n-alkyl alcohols, and n-alkylamines, respectively, are successfully carried out. Microwave-assisted proton exchange reactions involving double- and triple-layered Dion–Jacobson and Ruddlesden–Popper perovskite family members, RbLnNb2O7 (Ln = La, Pr), KCa2Nb3O10, Li2CaTa2O7, and Na2La2Ti3O10, were found to be quite efficient, decreasing reaction times from several days to ≤3 h. Grafting and intercalation reactions involving double-layered perovskites were also quite rapid with full conversions occurring in as fast as an hour. Interestingly, triple-layered hosts were found to show different behavior; when complete intercalations were possible, grafting reactions were limited at best. Utilization of this rapid synthetic approach could help facilitate the fabrication of new organic–inorganic hybrids.
Inclusion Body Myositis in a Patient with RNA Polymerase III Antibody-positive Systemic Sclerosis

To the Editor: Inclusion body myositis (IBM) is the most commonly acquired myopathy in patients over 50 years of age and is classified along with polymyositis (PM) and dermatomyositis (DM) under idiopathic inflammatory myopathies1. These myopathies are characterized by chronic muscle weakness and muscle wasting with mononuclear cell infiltration into skeletal muscle. IBM is distinguished from PM and DM on the basis of both histopathologic and clinical features. The majority of patients with IBM are resistant to therapy2. Herein, we present a case of a patient with systemic sclerosis (SSc) who developed IBM 5 years after his initial diagnosis. A 60-year-old man was diagnosed with SSc with diffuse cutaneous scleroderma when he developed Raynaud phenomenon, joint pains, digital ulcers, and a modified Rodnan skin score (mRSS)3 of 22. He started treatment with parenteral methotrexate (MTX; 25 mg/week) for significant itching and redness. He developed esophageal reflux, but no known pulmonary or renal complications. His serum creatine phosphokinase (CPK) level was initially near normal (259 U/l, normal 32–204 U/l) without muscle weakness. His skin disease improved to mRSS 8, and … Address correspondence to Dr. V. Hsu, Director, Rutgers-Robert Wood Johnson Scleroderma Program, Adult Clinical Research Center, Acute Care Building, 3rd floor, 51 French St., New Brunswick, New Jersey 08903, USA. E-mail: hsuvm{at}rwjms.rutgers.edu
Development and Validation of the Communication Apprehension About Death Scale

Two studies (N = 621) were conducted to develop and initially validate the Communication Apprehension About Death Scale (CADS). In Study 1, 302 general public participants completed a preliminary l...
A Simple Theory of the Policy Dimensions of the Housing Sector

Although economic analysis of housing policy is complicated by legal and institutional considerations, the policy interest has generated a large and growing body of literature. Within this literature, however, no simple analytic framework is available to help in understanding the impacts and interactions of various policies and to explain how these impacts can change under different financial circumstances.
Racial Spectacles: Promoting a Colorblind Agenda through Direct Democracy

Direct democracy by citizen initiatives is often heralded as the avenue for the true will of the people to be heard. While scholars have debated whether this leads to a form of Madison's “tyranny of the majority,” the debate over the concrete impact of such initiatives on racially marginalized groups remains unsettled. We examine a different question about racially marginalized groups' interests in this process: the symbolic assertion of white supremacy expressed through this mechanism of majority will. We develop the concept of “racial spectacles” to describe the narrative vehicles that serve to symbolically reassert and reinforce real existing racial hierarchies and inequalities. We explore the creation of these spectacles through the initiative process because it is a state-sanctioned vehicle that enables white dominance. Paradoxically, these campaigns that purport to be colorblind depend on the enactment of these racial spectacles. Through an analysis of five statewide anti-affirmative action initiative campaigns from 1996 to 2008, we explore both macro and micro political dynamics: public displays of these campaigns as well as individual, private agency expressed in the public and private act of voting; court decisions in initiative litigation as well as individual and interest group participation in these cases. Ultimately, we argue that this form of racial spectacle further inculcates the public in the postracial ideology of colorblindness.
Sustainable Democracy: Transitions to Democracy and Territorial Integrity

Democratization is often considered inherently more difficult in multinational states than in polities in which all people see themselves as members of the same community. Under conditions of shared membership, it is presumed, the principle of shared institutions is not contested; the only issue is the structure of the institutions that are to be shared. The classic statement of this view is that of John Stuart Mill, who in his Considerations on Representative Government (1958: 230) argued: “Free institutions are next to impossible in a country made up of different nationalities. Among a people without fellow-feeling, especially if they read and speak different languages, the united public opinion, necessary to the working of representative government, cannot exist.” Similarly, Robert Dahl (1971: 110-111) reasoned that nationality differences within states restricted participation for some citizens, thereby limiting the possibility for a successful polyarchy. His empirical data gave support to his reasoning; among 114 polities, 58 percent with a low degree of subcultural pluralism, 36 percent with moderate pluralism, and only 15 percent with marked pluralism were poly archies, or nearly so. Alvin Rabushka and Kenneth Shepsle (1972) provided microfoundations for these views. They argued that in plural societies political entrepreneurs, through the use of ambiguity, can win votes among all ethnic groups. Politicians who give ambiguous messages are in essence offering the voters a lottery.
Ligand Exchange Mechanism on Thiolate Monolayer Protected Au25(SR)18 Nanoclusters

Ligand exchange reactions are important to functionalize and modify the optical and electronic properties of thiolate-protected gold nanoparticles. A theoretical investigation of the kinetics of the ligand exchange process was performed for the Au25(SH)18– nanocluster with CH3SH as the incoming thiol ligand. Three possible ligand exchange sites were investigated: between the core gold atom and the terminal −SH unit, between the staple gold atom and the terminal −SH unit, and between a staple gold atom and the central −SH unit. We found that the most favorable ligand exchange takes place between terminal −SH units and staple gold atoms.
Organ-Organ Interactions in Multiple Organ Failure

Multiple organ failure (MOF) is just thirty years old. Tilney and colleagues were the first to describe the syndrome as a lethal consequence of surgery to repair abdominal aortic aneurysms [2]. Despite the timely and appropriate application of organ support, affected patients could not be rescued. Frustration in this field persists. The purpose of this chapter is to explore how interactions among the vital organs may regulate function and, reciprocally, how functions may regulate those interactions.
Three types of affect tags for art images

Art images are characterized by affective properties that are rarely captured by current classification practices. We conducted a study to test three methods for developing affect descriptors for art images. The first method relied on affect tags derived from analysis of an image's subject matter and colors. The second method involved affect tags derived from analysis of a viewer's facial expressions of emotions associated with each image. The third method relied on affect tags assigned to an image by viewers. The strengths, limitations, and potential of each affect tagging method for art images are discussed.
MR imaging of BioCartilage augmented microfracture surgery utilizing 2D MOCART and KOOS scores.

Abstract Objectives BioCartilage is a novel scaffold-based microfracture augmentation technique that has been shown to aid in chondrogenic differentiation of adult progenitor cells resulting in formation of more hyaline-like cartilage. As this cartilage repair technique becomes more commonplace, it is essential that the musculoskeletal radiologist and orthopedic surgeon gain familiarity with the surgical technique and its post-operative MR imaging findings. Methods We present several case studies regarding MRI findings (modified clinical 2D MOCART) and clinical outcome (KOOS) scores in patients who have undergone this novel surgical procedure. For data analysis KOOS scores where dichotomized to scores greater or less than 80, and MOCART scores were dichotomized to scores greater or less than 50. A fisher exact test was then performed to determine if there was any correlation between parameters of the modified 2D MOCART and KOOS scores (Tables 2 and 3). Results Marrow elements travel through the microfracture holes and interact with the scaffold created by BioCartilage, rather than creating their own fibrin scaffold, as is typically anticipated from a marrow stimulation procedure. Interestingly, the amount defect fill, presence of an intact surface, intact subchondral bone, or lack of effusion did not correlate with positive outcomes. Parameters that trended towards significance included presence of adhesions and subchondral lamina. Completeness of cartilage interface, homogeneity, and signal intensity also failed to reach statistical significance. In our experience, patients that demonstrated mild repair tissue surface irregularity, but with preservation of greater than 50% thickness compared to surrounding native cartilage, mild irregularity of subchondral plate, with vertical low signal intensity lines (sequela of prior microfracture surgery), and mild or no bone marrow edema pattern demonstrated higher KOOS scores. Conclusion Biocartilage in conjunction with microfracture is an encouraging cartilage restoration technique that promotes regeneration of more robust hyaline-like cartilage compared to the fibrocartilage formed after conventional microfracture. The T2 mapping properties of the repair tissue after successful BioCartilage augmented microfracture surgery are very similar to that of the adjacent native cartilage. Although there appear to be characteristic trends in a successful repair, further research is warranted to elucidate any correlations between specific characteristics of the repair and patient clinical outcomes.
Energy-efficient neural image processing for Internet-of-Things edge devices

Enhancing energy/resource efficiency of neural networks is critical to support on-chip neural image processing at Internet-of-Things edge devices. This paper presents recent technology advancements towards energy-efficient neural image processing. 3D integration of image sensor and neural network improves power-efficiency with programmability and scalability. Computation energy of feedforward and recurrent neural networks is reduced by dynamic control of approximation, and storage demand is reduced by image-based adaptive weight compression. Emerging devices such as tunnel FET and Resistive Random Access Memory are utilized to achieve higher computation efficiency than CMOS-based designs.
Using MC/DC as a black-box testing technique

In the early 1990s, the Modified Condition/Decision Coverage (MC/DC) criterion was suggested as a structural white-box testing approach, but it can also be used for black-box specification-based testing. Practical application of MC/DC for specification-based testing has its own unique features and sometimes is quite different from code-based applications. However, MC/DC as a black-box approach has not been studied sufficiently, and thus, the application of MC/DC for specifications coverage was the main research problem considered in this paper. The goal of this study was to analyze MC/DC as a black-box technique, investigate factors that distinguish the black- and white-box applications of this approach, and provide proper definitions and rules to evaluate the MC/DC level during black-box testing.
Advancing Alcohol and Other Drug Education among Social Work Faculty: An Evaluation of Social Work Faculty Immersion Training

This study is an educational evaluation of participants (N = 50) in a four-day immersion training program funded by the National Institute of Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism. Using a pretest-posttest design, clinical social work faculty participants showed statistically significant (p < .001) improvement in overall alcohol and other drug-related knowledge (Baseline: Mean[SD] = 8.75 [2.44]; Post-Intervention: Mean[SD] = 13.88[1.96], Cohen's d = -2.16) in the domains of screening/assessment, brief intervention, medication-assisted treatment, and recovery and relapse prevention. Corresponding increases were also observed for faculty confidence in teaching clinical skills related to alcohol and other drug screening, assessment, and treatment.
Thermal conductivity of poly(3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene) films engineered by oxidative chemical vapor deposition (oCVD)

Oxidative chemical vapor deposition (oCVD) is a versatile technique that can simultaneously tailor properties (e.g., electrical, thermal conductivity) and morphology of polymer films at the nanoscale. In this work, we report the thermal conductivity of nanoscale oCVD grown poly(3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene) (PEDOT) films for the first time. Measurements as low as 0.16 W m−1 K−1 are obtained at room temperature for PEDOT films with thicknesses ranging from 50–100 nm. These values are lower than those for solution processed PEDOT films doped with the solubilizing agent PSS (polystyrene sulfonate). The thermal conductivity of oCVD grown PEDOT films show no clear dependence on electrical conductivity, which ranges from 1 S cm−1 to 30 S cm−1. It is suspected that at these electrical conductivities, the electronic contribution to the thermal conductivity is extremely small and that phonon transport is dominant. Our findings suggest that CVD polymerization is a promising route towards engineering polymer films that combine low thermal conductivity with relatively high electrical conductivity values.
Strongly Anisotropic Magnesiowüstite in Earth's Lower Mantle

The juxtaposition of a liquid iron‐dominant alloy against a mixture of silicate and oxide minerals at Earth's core‐mantle boundary is associated with a wide range of complex seismological features. One category of observed structures is ultralow‐velocity zones, which are thought to correspond to either aggregates of partially molten material or solid, iron‐enriched assemblages. We measured the phonon dispersion relations of (Mg,Fe) O magnesiowustite containing 76 mol % FeO, a candidate ultralow‐velocity zone phase, at high pressures using high‐energy resolution inelastic X‐ray scattering. From these measurements, we find that magnesiowustite becomes strongly elastically anisotropic with increasing pressure, potentially contributing to a significant proportion of seismic anisotropy detected near the base of the mantle.
The Political Crisis of March 2009 in Madagascar: A Case Study of Conflict and Conflict Mediation

Since Independence in 1960, Madagascar has faced several periods of instability and crisis, as well as the threat of civil war. These periods were cyclical: each time the country made some significant economic and social progress, an unexpected crisis would occur to bring it to a halt. The book focuses on the crisis of March 2009, showing how a brewing conflict between the government of Marc Ravalomanana and the opposition led by Andry Rajoelina escalated and using it as a case for the study of further crises in Madagascar or other African countries. The book adopts a conflict approach to the study of crisis. Instead of focusing on external symptoms (street protests, violence, looting, the massacre of protesters, military mutiny, etc.), or condemning it as a “coup d’etat,” it analyzes the crisis of March 2009 as part of an ongoing conflict between the government and the opposition. It uncovers the causal mechanisms of the crisis as well as the process of crisis management and de-escalation, examining such factors as the context of the crisis, the major actors, the triggers, and the management of the crisis by national and international mediators. In addition, the book explains how a civil war was averted and who benefited as a result of this political crisis.
Predictors of successful police academy recruits and rationalizations for attrition

Identifying police recruit qualities and effective strategies to promote their success in training academies is important to police executives. This study analyzed quantitative (n = 662) and qualit...
P-Type Pumps: Plasma-Membrane H + Pumps

Plasma membrane proton (H +) pumps are complex proteins found in the outermost membranes of fungi and plants. Utilizing the energy from adenosine triphosphate hydrolysis, these proteins transport protons out of the cell, creating the inside-negative electrochemical potential that is an essential factor in the uptake of nutrients into the cell. Functional counterparts of these fundamentally important cellular components can be found in all eukaryotes. The following article outlines our current knowledge of plasma membrane H + pump structure, function, biogenesis, and regulation.