cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Vanadium redox flow battery efficiency and durability studies of sulfonated Diels Alder poly(phenylene)s

Sulfonated Diels Alder poly(phenylene) (SDAPP) was examined for vanadium redox flow battery (VRFB) use. The ion exchange capacity (IEC) was varied from 1.4, 1.6 and 2.0 meq/g in order to tune the proton conductivity and vanadium permeability. Coulombic efficiencies between 92 to 99% were observed, depending on IEC (lower IEC, higher coulombic efficiencies). In all cases the SDAPP displayed comparable energy efficiencies (88 - 90%) to Nafion 117 (88%) at 50mA/cm2. Membrane durability also was dependent on IEC; SDAPP with the highest IEC lasted slightly over 50 cycles while SDAPP with the lowest IEC lasted over 400 cycles and testing was discontinued only due to time constraints. Accelerated vanadium lifetime studies were initialed with SDAPP, by soaking films in a 0.1 M V5+ and 5.0 M total SO4-2 solution. The rate of degradation was also proportional with IEC; the 2 meq/g sample dissolved within 376 hours, the 1.6 meq/g sample dissolved after 860 hours, while the 1.4 meq/g sample broke apart after 1527 hours.
Liver tryptophan pyrrolase activity in fed and starved female rabbits.

SummaryLiver tryptophan pyrrolase activity is elevated from normal values of 0.59 μmoles/g/hour to 3 μmoles/g/hour in female rabbits subjected to starvation. An increase of LTP occurs within 18 hours following deprivation of food, decreases at 3 days and increases again between 7 and 11 days of starvation. In fed rabbits, intraperi-toneal injections of 1.0 g 1-tryptophan/kilo-gram body weight induces LTP activities of 10 μmoles/g/hour but in rabbits previously starved for 36 hours or 7 days, a similar injection induces twice as much LTP as in fed animals. Liver tryptophan pyrrolase activity of starved rabbits returns to normal values within 2 days following refeeding.
Central alpha-2 adrenergic mechanisms in the renal nerve mediated natriuresis and diuresis produced by acute volume expansion

To determine whether central alpha-2 adrenergic mechanisms are involved in the renal nerve mediated natriuresis and diuresis produced by acute volume expansion, urine flow and sodium excretion from innervated and denervated kidneys were measured before and after acute volume expansion (1 ml/min for 20 min) in the presence or absence of intracerebroventricular yohimbine (8 micrograms/kg/min), an alpha-2-antagonist, in Inactin-anesthetized Sprague-Dawley rats. The innervated to denervated (I/D) ratio for urine flow and sodium excretion indicated that acute volume expansion caused a greater natriuresis and diuresis from the intact kidney compared to the denervated kidney. However, these I/D ratios during acute volume expansion were significantly reduced in the presence of yohimbine i.c.v. Furthermore, central administration of clonidine, an alpha-2 agonist, produces a renal nerve mediated natriuresis. These data suggest that central alpha-2 adrenergic mechanisms may be involved in producing the renal sympatho-inhibition, which subsequently produces natriuresis and diuresis, in response to acute volume expansion.
The Political Economy of Water Service Privatization in Mexico City, 1994–2011

This paper chronicles the implementation of water service privatization to combat severe water shortage in Mexico City, also known as the Distrito Federal (DF), from 1994 to 2011. Initially, the DF's administration successfully employed private actors to provide more extensive and efficient service while retaining public control of infrastructure. Privatization in the DF was unique in its competitive service structure and the support provided it by the city's populist government. However, political manoeuvring stalled progress in contract governance, network extension, and regional coordination, suggesting the need for more robust accountability structures linking municipal and national political outcomes to household service delivery. An improved theoretical understanding of how stakeholders can collectively manage common pool resources in the urban environments of middle-income countries is also essential.
Passive stereo range imaging for semi-autonomous land navigation

The paper examines the use of stereo vision (SV) for obstacle detection in semiautonomous land navigation. Feature-based and field-based paradigms for SV are reviewed. The paper presents stochastic models and simple, efficient stereo matching algorithms for the field-based approach and describes a near-real-time vision system using these algorithms. Experimental results illustrate aspects of the stochastic models and lead to the first semiautonomous traversals of natural terrain to use SV for obstacle detection.
ECONOMIC EVALUATION OF MISTING-COOLING SYSTEMS FOR GROWING/FINISHING SWINE THROUGH MODELING

The economics of investing in a misting-cooling system for growing-finishing swine [20-107 kg, (44-236 lb)] were evaluated for central Kentucky summer environments using the NC-204 swine growth model (Bridges et al., 1992a,b; Usry et al., 1992). The economic returns to misting were compared for different weather years (1995 and 1983) and two initial starting dates of 15 June and 5 July. The results of the simulation model found that for all instances the use of a misting-cooling system reduced the time of growth to market and produced a pig with less backfat. Depending on the potential for evaporative cooling in the weather year and the starting date in the facility, the economic returns for the misting-cooling system varied from $0.49 per pig in 1995 to $3.40 per pig in 1983.
Flaw Geometry Reconstruction Using a Limited Set of X-Ray Radiographic Projections

Flaw detection using x-ray radiography has traditionally been based on a qualitative assessment of the x-ray image features [1]. This approach, although reliable in many cases, has limitations due to the relatively small amount of information contained in a single projected image, the variability of inspection results based on the radiographer’s experience level and intuition, and the inability to extract quantitative information about the flaw. One way to help alleviate these limitations is to use x-ray computed tomography (CT) where the flaw can be reconstructed, sized, and located within the part [2,3.4,5]. The drawback of using CT is that the hardware required is very complex and expensive. In addition, the computational power required to execute a CT algorithm in a reasonable amount of time is very high [6,7]. A compromise between the use of a single x-ray projection and CT for flaw reconstruction is to model the flaw, a priori, as a geometric figure or solid and reconstruct the model from a reduced set of x-ray projections [8]. The number of projections required to deduce the geometric model parameters may vary with the complexity of the model, but it will be shown that only two projections are required to reconstruct a straight line of arbitrary orientation. In this paper we present the reconstruction formulation for a crack modeled as a straight line or series of straight lines. We also present the analysis for reconstruction errors caused by film measurement errors and system geometry errors. Experimental results of flaw reconstruction with a microfocus x-ray machine are also presented.
Quake: An expert system for the selection of design earthquake accelerogram

Abstract A prototype expert system was developed for selecting site-specific design accelerograms from a database of earthquake records according to a set of rules and heuristics. The expert system was devised using the shell builder M.1 (Knowledge Base Building Tool, Teknowledge Inc., Palo Alto, CA) along with external routines written in C and FORTRAN for computing the required characteristics of the ground motion. The expert system combines objective and subjective approaches to select a time history for a given site/structure system. It uses the information supplied by the user about the site and the structure under consideration to explore the database and proposes a list of candidate time histories. The time histories are then ranked in different ways according to their expected damage potential. The criteria used to assess the damage potential are the type of structure considered, the subsurface geology at the site, and the ground motion characteristics. This bears on the effect of the recommended time history characteristics such as its dominant period, peak ground acceleration or velocity, and duration. If the system cannot find a recorded accelerogram within the database for the given site, it asks the user for additional information about the site and proposes recommended parameters for the generation of synthetic accelerogram.
Spontaneous rhythmic contraction of separated heart muscle cells

Muscle cells that conitract spontaneously and rhythmically can be obtained from adult mouse myocardium. Contractions are observed immediately after homogenization in a solution that is ionically similar to intracellular fluid. Contraction frequency varies directly with temperature and decreases as a function of time after homogenization. At 16 degrees C rhythmic relaxation and contraction occur for about 20 minutes. Contractions are dependent on the presence of adenosine triphosphate in the homogenization medium.
A Big Data System for the Internet of Moving Things

The world consists of many interesting things that move: people go to work, home, school, and shop in public transit buses and trains or in cars and taxis; goods move on these networks and by trucks or by air each day; and food items travel a very large distance to meet their eater. Thus, massive movement processes are underway in the world every day and it is critical to ensure their safe, timely and efficient operation. Towards this end, low-cost sensing and acquisition of the movement data is being achieved: from GPS devices, RFID and barcode scanners, to smart commuter cards and smartphones, snapshots of the movement process are becoming available.In this talk, I will present a system for stitching together these snapshots and reconstructing urban mobility at a very fine-grained level. The system, which we call the Space-Time Engine, provides an interactive dashboard and a querying engine for answering questions such as: what is the crowding at a train station? where're packages held up and how can their delivery be sped up? how can the available supply of transport capacity be better used to address daily demand as well as the demand on exceptional days (such as rallies and severe weather events). I will describe the STE's capabilities for operational and planning purposes, and as a learning system.
Genetic Identity, Phylogeography, and Systematics of Ruffe Gymnocephalus in the North American Great Lakes and Eurasia

The objectives of this study were to determine possible source regions for the newly invasive ruffe Gymnocephalus cernuus (Percidae: Teleostei), and to compare its level of genetic variability and divergence with Eurasian populations and congeners. Sequencing the entire mitochondrial DNA control region (1,024 base pairs) showed that G. baloni and G. schraetser were distinguished by six and seven fixed sequence substitutions, respectively, and were estimated to have diverged from G. cernuus by about 1.2 million years. Five Eurasian haplotypes of G. cernuus were identified, each distinguished by fixed sequence substitutions, and only one in trapopulational polymorphism was discerned. The five haplotypes of G. cernuus were divided into two primary groups—a western (Danube River and the introduced Bassenthwaite Lake, England populations) and an eastern (Baltic Sea area and Ob’ River, Siberia populations) group—diverged by seven fixed sequence differences and an estimated 450,000 years. The two groups were probably isolated in different glacial refugia during the mid-Pleistocene Epoch. The population from the Danube River appeared genetically identical to the North American exotic population. The exotic population from Bassenthwaite Lake was distinguished from the Danube River/North American type by a fixed base substitution. Within the eastern group, the Baltic Sea area samples were separable from the Siberia population by a fixed substitution, repeated 17 times. Lack of genetic variability in most Eurasian populations of ruffe may be due to rapid expansion and founder events during post-Pleistocene recolonization.
Insect prothoracic glands: a role for cyclic AMP in the stimulation of α-ecdysone secretion☆

Abstract The prothoracic glands of the tobacco hornworm, Manduca sexta, were studied to determine if cyclic AMP is involved in the regulation of α-ecdysone secretion. Culturing glands in the presence of the phosphodiesterase inhibitors, aminophylline and 1-methyl-3-isobutylxanthine, caused a greater than 2-fold stimulation of ecdysone secretion while cyclic AMP alone was ineffective. Based on a dose-response analysis, 1-methyl-3-isobutylxanthine was 200 times more potent than aminophylline. Measurements of endogenous prothoracic gland cyclic AMP during the fifth larval instar demonstrated that dramatically increased levels preceded the increase in in vitro ecdysone-secretory ability. The data suggest that cyclic AMP may act as a second messenger in the stimulation of prothoracic gland α-ecdysone secretion by the prothoracicotropic brain hormone.
Attentional resource allocation and swallowing safety in Parkinson's disease: a dual task study.

Abstract Background Aspiration pneumonia is a leading cause of death in persons with Parkinson's disease (PD). Despite this, the mechanisms underlying dysphagia in this population are unclear. To date, researchers have not investigated the effects of varying cognitive demand on objective measures of swallowing safety. This study assessed whether swallowing safety could be disrupted by increasing cognitive demands during the task of swallowing. Methods Twenty participants with moderate PD and dysphagia were tested while completing a novel dual task experimental paradigm under videofluoroscopy. In the dual task condition, participants swallowed 10 cc of thin liquid barium while completing a digits forward task. Results Four females and 16 males completed the study. Results revealed differential effects to swallowing safety based on baseline measures of cognitive flexibility and attention. Participants with mild impairment in cognitive flexibility and attention demonstrated cognitive-motor interference with worsening of both swallowing and cognitive performance. In contrast, participants who were most impaired in the domains of cognitive flexibility and attention improved swallowing safety in the dual task condition. Additionally, decreased swallow timing durations existed in the dual task condition compared to the single task condition. Conclusions The results of this study support the hypothesis that supramedullary drive can influence the swallowing plan. Additionally, this study highlights the need for cognitive taxing during swallowing evaluations.
Repeatable Battery for Assessment of Neuropsychological Status in Early Parkinson’s Disease

Adequate reliability and valid factor structure are prerequisites for appropriate use of a measure in a population. Although the Repeatable Battery for Assessment of Neuropsychological Status (RBANS) has been used to examine cognition in Parkinson's disease (PD), its reliability and factor structure have not been examined in this population. This study examined the reliability and factor structure of the RBANS in participants with de novo PD recruited for two NIH Exploratory Trials in Parkinson's Disease (NET-PD), using Cronbach's alpha and factor analysis. Confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) was implemented on the factor structure proposed in the RBANS manual, and exploratory factor analysis (EFA) was conducted to identify a valid factor structure given the proposed one was not supported. The RBANS exhibited poor reliability in participants with NET-PD. Cronbach's alpha ranged from 0.03 to 0.74 for the five domains and the full scale. CFA results indicated that the proposed factor structure in the RBANS manual was not supported in this sample. EFA identified a two-factor structure for six of the 12 RBANS items. Six items were eliminated due to low correlation with other items or severe ceiling effects. This new factor structure was validated by another CFA. The two domains have fair reliability. Cronbach's alpha ranged from 0.65 to 0.74 for the two factors in the two datasets. These results suggest that the current RBANS domain and total scores may not provide valid measurement of the neuropsychological status for patients with early PD.
Effects of food deprivation, body size, and egg load on the mating behavior of female Japanese beetles, Popillia japonica Newman (Coleoptera Scarabaeidae)

Female condition may play an important role in the mating frequency of species that mate at foraging areas. For example, in species where feeding females are more easily encountered or less resistant to mating than females that are performing other activities, low energy levels could increase mating activity. We studied the relationship between female condition and mating activity in the Japanese beetle, Popillia japonica (Coleoptera Scarabaeidae) in a laboratory study. We altered condition by depriving some females of food for one day and comparing their mating behavior to well-fed females. Our results showed that the effect of nutritional condition on mating behavior only became apparent when we considered female body size and fecundity status: well-fed, relatively large females, well-fed, relatively fecund females, and unfed, relatively small females mated more frequently than their counterparts. These patterns may be a result of food deprivation altering the costs and benefits of mating for females of...
OPTIMAL PLACEMENT OF ACTIVE/PASSIVE MEMBERS IN TRUSS STRUCTURES USING SIMULATED ANNEALING

Active structural members with built-in sensing, feedback control, and actuation functions are used herein, along with passively damped members, to augment the inherent damping in truss structures. The effective use of such members makes it desirable to distribute them optimally throughout the structure. For simple structural systems, it is possible to place these members with some degree of optimality on the basis of engineering judgment. However, for more complex systems, the number of possible choices is so large that one may have to rely on a more formal optimization technique. This paper deals with the optimal placement of active and passive members in complex truss structures. The problem falls in the class of combinatorial optimization, for which the solution becomes exceedingly intractable as the problem size increases. This difficulty is overcome herein by use of the simulated annealing technique. We adopt the maximization of the cumulative energy dissipated over a finite time interval as the measure of optimality. The selection of nearly optimal locations for both passive and active members is consistently treated through the use of the finite-time energy dissipation criterion within the framework of the simulated annealing algorithm. Numerical examples are used to illustrate the effectiveness of this methodology.
Low-resolution small-angle scattering using neutron focusing optics

Experiments at low values of scattering vector require tight collimation in the primary beam, as well as the ability to make measurements with good spatial resolution on the detector. Because neutron sources are not as intense as X-ray sources, large source and sample areas are used, and long instruments are necessary for adequate resolution. Increased count rates may be obtained using collimated beams which converge to a point on the detector. Further increases may be obtained with converging guides in the form of a focusing lens to increase the effective flux. Narrow guides enable the spectrometer dimensions to collapse for the same resolution. The critical angle of the fibers forming the focusing lens dominates the resolution, and such an instrument is useful only for low resolution measurements. However the greatly reduced length is only valuable if there is a high resolution detector to match the dimensions of the guide
Genomic and non-genomic regulation of PGC1 isoforms by estrogen to increase cerebral vascular mitochondrial biogenesis and reactive oxygen species protection

We previously found that estrogen exerts a novel protective effect on mitochondria in brain vasculature. Here we demonstrate in rat cerebral blood vessels that 17β-estradiol (estrogen), both in vivo and ex vivo, affects key transcriptional coactivators responsible for mitochondrial regulation. Treatment of ovariectomized rats with estrogen in vivo lowered mRNA levels of peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor-γ coactivator-1 alpha (PGC-1α) but increased levels of the other PGC-1 isoforms: PGC-1β and PGC-1 related coactivator (PRC). In vessels ex vivo, estrogen decreased protein levels of PGC-1α via activation of phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase (PI3K). Estrogen treatment also increased phosphorylation of forkhead transcription factor, FoxO1, a known pathway for PGC-1α downregulation. In contrast to the decrease in PGC-1α, estrogen increased protein levels of nuclear respiratory factor 1, a known PGC target and mediator of mitochondrial biogenesis. The latter effect of estrogen was independent of PI3K, suggesting a separate mechanism consistent with increased expression of PGC-1β and PRC. We demonstrated increased mitochondrial biogenesis following estrogen treatment in vivo; cerebrovascular levels of mitochondrial transcription factor A and electron transport chain subunits as well as the mitochondrial/nuclear DNA ratio were increased. We examined a downstream target of PGC-1β, glutamate-cysteine ligase (GCL), the rate-limiting enzyme for glutathione synthesis. In vivo estrogen increased protein levels of both GCL subunits and total glutathione levels. Together these data show estrogen differentially regulates PGC-1 isoforms in brain vasculature, underscoring the importance of these coactivators in adapting mitochondria in specific tissues. By upregulating PGC-1β and/or PRC, estrogen appears to enhance mitochondrial biogenesis, function and reactive oxygen species protection.
Assessment and Management of Pain in the Terminally Ill

Regular assessment for the presence of pain and response to pain management strategies should be high priority in terminally ill patients. Pain management interventions are most effective when treatments are individualized based on the various physical and nonphysical components of pain at the end of life, and patients and family are educated and involved in the decision making. Opioids remain the cornerstone of pain management, and adjuvant analgesics and nonpharmacologic options are usually considered after relative stabilization of pain. This article describes the various issues that are pertinent to the assessment and treatment of pain in terminally ill patients.
Comments on viscosity enhancement and depletion flocculation by polysaccharides.

Polysaccharides are added to oil-in-water emulsions to enhance the viscosity of the aqueous phase, which modifies their texture and retards droplet creaming. Nevertheless, at certain concentrations polysaccharides have been shown to accelerate creaming instability by promoting droplet flocculation through a depletion mechanism. This paper examines the relationship between the molecular structure of polysaccharides and their ability to enhance the viscosity of aqueous phases and to induce depletion flocculation in emulsions. A theoretical phase diagram is developed to relate the creaming instability caused by polysaccharides to their molecular structure and concentration.
On minimal nonPN-groups

A well-known theorem of Wielandt states that a finite group G is nilpotent if and only if every maximal subgroup of G is normal in G. The structure of a nonnilpotent group, each of whose proper subgroups is nilpotent, has been analyzed by Schmidt and R6dei [5, Satz 5.1 and Satz 5.2, pp. 280-281]. In [1], Buckley investigated the structure of a PN-group (i.e., a finite group in which every minimal subgroup is normal), and proved (i) that a PN-group of odd order is supersolvable, and (ii) that certain factor groups of a PN-group of odd prime power order are also PN-groups. Earlier, Gaschiitz and It5 [5, Satz 5.7, p. 436] had proved that the commutator subgroup of a finite PN-group is p-nilpotent for each odd prime p. This paper is a sequel to [9] and our object here is to prove the following statement.
Lipoxin A4 inhibits platelet-activating factor inflammatory response and stimulates corneal wound healing of injuries that compromise the stroma

Platelet-activating factor (PAF) is a bioactive lipid mediator with strong inflammatory properties. PAF induces the expression and activation of metalloproteinase-9 (MMP-9) in corneal epithelial cells and myofibroblasts, and delays epithelial wound healing in an organ culture system. Lipoxin A(4) (LXA(4)) is a lipid mediator involved in resolution of inflammation and cornea epithelial wound healing. We developed an in vivo mouse model of injury to the anterior stroma that is sustained by PAF and evaluated the action of LXA(4). In this model mice were treated with vehicle, PAF alone and in combination with PAF receptor antagonist LAU-0901 or LXA(4). Mice were euthanized 1, 2 and 7 days after injury and corneas were processed for histology (H&E staining) and immunofluorescence with antibodies for MMP-9, α-smooth muscle actin (α-SMA), fibronectin (FN) and neutrophil. Interleukin 1-α (IL-1α) and keratinocyte-derived chemokine (KC/CXCL1) were assayed by ELISA. Myeloperoxidase (MPO) activity was performed in corneal homogenates. In this in vivo model PAF inhibited epithelial wound healing that was blocked by the PAF receptor antagonist LAU-0901. Treatment with LXA(4) significantly reduced the injured area compared to PAF at 1 and 2 days of treatment. The strong stromal cell infiltration and MPO activity stimulated by PAF was also decreased with LXA(4) treatment. PAF increased MMP-9 and decreased FN expression compared to vehicle treatment and less α-SMA positive cells migrated to the wounded area. The PAF actions were reverted by LXA(4) treatment. The results demonstrated a powerful action of LXA(4) in protecting corneas with injuries that compromise the stroma by decreasing inflammation and increasing wound healing.
Sampling Fish in Streams with Seines: Costs of Recording Data by Haul

Abstract Data from stream fish community samples obtained with seines are often recorded in the form of a species list with abundances, measures of total effort, and overall measures of habitat in the reach sampled. With a little more effort, investigators can significantly enhance the value of the data by recording this information for each seine haul rather than aggregating by reach. The objective of this study was to measure the added cost, in terms of time, of recording data by seine haul. While doing 11 community samples with seines, I timed four components of each seine haul: the time that the seine was in the water sampling, the time spent processing the fish, the time spent recording data for each seine haul, and the time spent getting ready for the next seine haul. I found that recording data by seine haul increased the time to make seine hauls from 8% to 34% (median of 12% or 7 min added to each hour of work). The benefits of recording data by seine haul include providing the flexibility to stan...
Pulsed Nuclear Magnetic Resonance of Ne 21 in Solid and Liquid Neon

Pulsed nuclear-magnetic-resonance (NMR) measurements have been performed on isotopically enriched ${\mathrm{Ne}}^{21}$ in solid and liquid neon. Data presented include spin-spin relaxation times (${T}_{2}$) in solid neon and spin-lattice relaxation times (${T}_{1}$) in the solid and liquid. It is concluded that quadrupolar processes dominate the ${\mathrm{Ne}}^{21}$ nuclear spin-lattice relaxation in both the solid and the liquid. Coefficients of atomic self-diffusion are determined, with the results (solid) $D=({0.12}_{\ensuremath{-}0.05}^{+0.15}){e}^{\ensuremath{-}\frac{(947\ifmmode\pm\else\textpm\fi{}38)}{\mathrm{RT}}}$ ${\mathrm{cm}}^{2}$/sec and (liquid) $D=({6.6}_{\ensuremath{-}1.6}^{+2.1})\ifmmode\times\else\texttimes\fi{}{10}^{\ensuremath{-}4}{e}^{\ensuremath{-}\frac{(211\ifmmode\pm\else\textpm\fi{}15)}{\mathrm{RT}}}$ ${\mathrm{cm}}^{2}$/sec.
Emission of Photoneutrinos and Pair Annihilation Neutrinos from Stars

Field-theoretic calculations of the cross sections for the photoneutrino process, $\ensuremath{\gamma}+{e}^{\ensuremath{-}}\ensuremath{\rightarrow}{e}^{\ensuremath{-}}+\ensuremath{\nu}+\overline{\ensuremath{\nu}}$, and the pair annihilation process, ${e}^{+}+{e}^{\ensuremath{-}}\ensuremath{\rightarrow}\ensuremath{\nu}+\overline{\ensuremath{\nu}}$, are performed in order to obtain the neutrino luminosity of very hot stars (${T}_{c}\ensuremath{\gtrsim}5\ifmmode\times\else\texttimes\fi{}{10}^{8}\ifmmode^\circ\else\textdegree\fi{}$K). The energy loss rate which is obtained for the latter process is sufficient to determine the rate of evolution of the stellar core when ${T}_{c}\ensuremath{\gtrsim}2\ifmmode\times\else\texttimes\fi{}{10}^{9}\ifmmode^\circ\else\textdegree\fi{}$K.
L-moment estimation for parametric survival models given censored data

Abstract An estimator for the r th L-moment, λ r , given right censored data is proposed, which takes the form of λ ˆ r = ∑ j = 1 n T ( j ) u j ( r ) , where the T ( j ) ’s are the ordered censored or failure times. We present the L-moments for several common survival distributions. Under certain regularity conditions, it is shown that λ ˆ r converges in probability to λ r , and has an asymptotic normal distribution. We further develop exact bootstrap estimators of mean and variance of λ ˆ r . The procedure is illustrated by an application to head-and-neck cancer survival data. Monte Carlo simulation studies show that our L-moment estimator may be used to characterize distributions and provide an alternative approach to parameter estimation.
GLMLE: graph-limit enabled fast computation for fitting exponential random graph models to large social networks

Large network, as a form of big data, has received increasing amount of attention in data science, especially for large social network, which is reaching the size of hundreds of millions, with daily interactions on the scale of billions. Thus analyzing and modeling these data to understand the connectivities and dynamics of large networks is important in a wide range of scientific fields. Among popular models, exponential random graph models (ERGMs) have been developed to study these complex networks by directly modeling network structures and features. ERGMs, however, are hard to scale to large networks because maximum likelihood estimation of parameters in these models can be very difficult, due to the unknown normalizing constant. Alternative strategies based on Markov chain Monte Carlo (MCMC) draw samples to approximate the likelihood, which is then maximized to obtain the maximum likelihood estimators (MLE). These strategies have poor convergence due to model degeneracy issues and cannot be used on large networks. Chatterjee et al. (Ann Stat 41:2428–2461, 2013) propose a new theoretical framework for estimating the parameters of ERGMs by approximating the normalizing constant using the emerging tools in graph theory—graph limits. In this paper, we construct a complete computational procedure built upon their results with practical innovations which is fast and is able to scale to large networks. More specifically, we evaluate the likelihood via simple function approximation of the corresponding ERGM’s graph limit and iteratively maximize the likelihood to obtain the MLE. We also discuss the methods of conducting likelihood ratio test for ERGMs as well as related issues. Through simulation studies and real data analysis of two large social networks, we show that our new method outperforms the MCMC-based method, especially when the network size is large (more than 100 nodes). One limitation of our approach, inherited from the limitation of the result of Chatterjee et al. (Ann Stat 41:2428–2461, 2013), is that it works only for sequences of graphs with a positive limiting density, i.e., dense graphs.
Neuronal activation by stimuli that predict sexual reward in female rats

Conditioned stimuli (CSs) associated with paced copulation induce a conditioned partner preference for males bearing the CS. Here we examined the activation of Fos immunoreactivity (Fos-IR) following exposure to a CS previously paired with either paced or nonpaced copulation. Ovariectomized, hormone-primed rats received 10 sequential conditioning trials at 4-day intervals. In experiment 1, females in the odor-paired group learned to associate an almond odor on a male with paced copulation and an unscented male with nonpaced copulation. In the odor-unpaired group, females received the opposite association. In experiment 2, females associated two different strains of male, Long-Evans or Wistar, with paced or nonpaced copulation, respectively. A preference test indicated that females in both experiments developed a conditioned preference for the pacing-related males, as indicated by significantly more solicitations toward the male and a preference to copulate with the pacing-related male. Subsequently, females were exposed to the CS (odor or strain) alone for 1 h prior to kill and preparation of their brains for immunocytochemistry. In both experiments, the CS associated with paced copulation produced significantly more Fos-IR in the piriform cortex, medial preoptic area, and ventral tegmental area, relative to the same odor or strain cues associated with nonpaced copulation. These findings provide evidence that the state associated with paced copulation can be conditioned to environmental stimuli such as neutral odors or strain cues, which earn an incentive value via classical conditioning. The significance of the brain areas activated is discussed with regard to their role in sexual and other motivated behaviors.
Levetiracetam in children: a review

Levetiracetam is an antiepileptic drug approved for use by the US FDA as adjunctive therapy in partial-onset seizures in adults and children 4 years or older. It has also been approved as adjunctive treatment for adults and children 12 years and over with juvenile myoclonic epilepsy and for the treatment of primary generalized tonic–clonic seizures in adults and children over the age of 6 years with idiopathic generalized epilepsy. In Europe, in addition to these indications, it is also approved for use as monotherapy in the treatment of partial-onset seizures in patients from the age of 16 years with newly diagnosed epilepsy. It has a unique mechanism of action different to that of other antiepileptic drugs. The recent development of a parenteral intravenous formulation allows for its use when oral administration is not feasible. The most common serious side effects in children are behavioral. Its broad spectrum of action, lack of significant systemic side effects and the absence of interaction with othe...
Effect of external Gaussian random field on phonon spectrum of linear atomic chains

We present the theoretical study of the effect of external random field characterized by a Gaussian probability distribution function on the continuous phonon spectrum of one-dimensional (1D) chain, based on the Jacobian matrix method. The cumulative effect of the random field and simple isotopic defect is studied analytically and numerically. The Gaussian random field removes a square-root divergence appearing in the phonon spectrum of ideal 1D chain. The impurity phonon DOS shows strong dependence on the variance and the mean of the random field and exhibits very different behavior from the non-random case: the continuous spectrum is expanded and the δ-peak, describing discrete impurity vibrations in the non-random chain with the impurity, falls into a continuous zone.
A Comparison of Visual and Measurement-Based Techniques for Quantifying Cobble Embeddedness and Fine-Sediment Levels in Salmonid-Bearing Streams

Abstract Excess fine-sediment loading can strongly affect the performance of salmonids rearing in fluvial habitats. Consequently, there are multiple techniques for quantifying the biologically relevant aspects of streambed material quality. While similar methods should provide similar measurements for a given attribute, little information is available that validates this assumption. Nevertheless, there are ongoing efforts toward assembling and analyzing large-scale habitat databases using existing information collected via multiple techniques. For these reasons, we used regression to compare visual and measurement-based approaches for two commonly assessed substrate variables (cobble embeddedness and percent surface fines). For both embeddedness and percent fines, we found moderate to strong linear relationships (R 2 = 0.46–0.83) between estimates obtained by visual and measurement-based approaches. However, the fitted line differed significantly from a null 1:1 expectation for the percent fines and embed...
From wholesale to retail: Personal observations on a changing healthcare market place and what it might mean for physicians

A s financial risk is moved f rom payor to provider and managed care overtakes local heal thcare markets, physicians have come under increased pressure to conform to expectations created outside the profession. Failure to recognize " the new cus tomer" as payors and their " intermediaries (as opposed to individual patients) and to mee t their demands regarding cost, definition of clinical appropriateness, and requirements surrounding amounts of care and service have made professional survival of some physicians a very real question. Professional autonomy, on the one hand, and the ability to choose their physician, on the o ther hand, have been severely e roded by Heal th Maintenance Organizations (HMOs) and other managed care intermediaries.
Internal wave stress‐shear correlations: A choice of reference frames

A numerical simulation of internal waves using an eikonal approach is analyzed for a relation between the short wavelength, relatively high frequency waves, and the velocity and shear resulting from a background of low vertical wavenumber waves through which the short waves propagate. The background consists predominantly of quasi-inertial motions. The results indicate a strong correlation between the horizontal group velocity of the short waves and the shear of the background when the short waves have been refracted to 10 meters or less in vertical wavelength. It appears that rapid refraction of the short waves to dissipative scales (< 5 m) then occurs as they become oriented with the shear. The directional anisotropy of the short high frequency waves at dissipation scales suggests an average u-w correlation. Thus the high Reynolds stresses predicted by Muller [1976] are primarily associated with the shear of long wave inertial motions. In nature, the u-w correlation would only be seen if the averaging is done in a reference frame that is allowed to rotate with the shear. A fixed frame averaging would give a near zero result, thus accounting for the absence of stress-shear correlations in the fixed frame measurements of Ruddick and Joyce [1978]. Vertical profiler data of horizontal velocity are also examined for indications of a correlation in the short wave velocity field relative to the long wave shear and velocity fields. These observations are dominated by low frequency, quasi inertial oscillations. There is no consistent evidence of a directional anisotropy in the short wave field which is dependent on the long wave shear, but weak evidence of velocity polarization such that the long and short waves are polarized in the same direction.
In vivo growth of porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome virus engineered nsp2 deletion mutants

Prior studies on PRRSV strain VR-2332 non-structural protein 2 (nsp2) had shown that as much as 403 amino acids could be removed from the hypervariable region without losing virus viability in vitro. We utilized selected nsp2 deletion mutants to examine in vivo growth. Young swine (4 pigs/group; 5 control swine) were inoculated intramuscularly with one of 4 nsp2 deletion mutants (rΔ727-813, rΔ543-726, rΔ324-523, rΔ324-726) or full-length recombinant virus (rVR-2332). Serum samples were collected on various days post-inoculation and analyzed by HerdChek* ELISA, PRRSV real time RT-PCR, gamma interferon (IFN-γ) ELISA, and nucleotide sequence analysis of the entire nsp2 coding region. Tracheobronchial lymph node weight compared to body weight was recorded for each animal and used as a clinical measurement of viral pathogenesis. Results showed that all deletion mutants grew less robustly than full-length recombinant virus, yet all but the large deletion virus (rΔ324-726) recovered to parental viral RNA levels by study end. Swine receiving the rΔ727-813 mutants had a significant decrease in lymph node enlargement compared to rVR-2332. While swine infection with rVR-2332 caused a rapid rise in serum IFN-γ levels, the IFN-γ protein produced by infection with 3 of the 4 deletion mutant viruses was significantly reduced, perhaps due to differences in viral growth kinetics. The rΔ543-726 nsp2 mutant virus, although growth impaired, mimicked rVR-2332 in inducing a host serum IFN-γ response but exhibited a 2-week delay. Targeted sequencing showed that all deletions were stable in the region coding for nsp2 after one swine passage. The data suggested that the selected nsp2 deletion mutants were growth attenuated in swine, altered the induction of serum IFN-γ, an innate cytokine of unknown function in PRRSV clearance, and pointed to a domain that may influence tracheobronchial lymph node size.
Seasonal Occurrence (Phenology) of Coprophilous Beetles (Coleoptera: Scarabaeidae and Hydrophilidae) from Cattle and Sheep Farms in Southeastern Michigan, USA

Abstract A total of 17 species of Scarabaeidae (1,288 individuals) and nine species of Hydrophilidae (482 individuals) were sampled from a cattle and sheep farm in southeastern Michigan between March 2012 and May 2013. Seven of these species are native, while 19 species are of European origin. Despite the closeness of the farms (730 m), Otophorus haemorrhoidalis (L.), Sphaeridium lunatum F., and Sphaeridium scarabaeoides (L.) were found significantly more frequently on the cattle farm, whereas Labarrus pseudolividus (Balthasar), Oscarinus rusicola (Melsheimer), and Blackburneus stercorosus (Melsheimer) were found significantly more frequently on the sheep farm. The highest abundances of beetles were encountered between May and November and correlated with temperatures above 10°C. Eleven species occurred only from spring to summer, eight species occurred from summer until autumn, and six species showed a split pattern of spring to early summer, absence during summer, and a second occurrence in autumn. No b...
Myocardial Regulation of Lipidomic Flux by Cardiolipin Synthase: SETTING THE BEAT FOR BIOENERGETIC EFFICIENCY*

Background: Maintenance of cardiolipin molecular speciation by remodeling directly regulates mitochondrial bioenergetic efficiency. Results: Transgenic expression of cardiolipin synthase accelerates cardiolipin remodeling, improves mitochondrial function, modulates mitochondrial signaling, and attenuates mitochondrial dysfunction during diabetes. Conclusion: Cardiolipin synthase integrates multiple aspects of mitochondrial bioenergetic and signaling functions. Significance: Cardiolipin synthase expression attenuates mitochondrial dysfunction in diabetic myocardium.
A Microbial Signature Approach to Identify Fecal Pollution in the Waters Off an Urbanized Coast of Lake Michigan

Urban coasts receive watershed drainage from ecosystems that include highly developed lands with sewer and stormwater infrastructure. In these complex ecosystems, coastal waters are often contaminated with fecal pollution, where multiple delivery mechanisms that often contain multiple fecal sources make it difficult to mitigate the pollution. Here, we exploit bacterial community sequencing of the V6 and V6V4 hypervariable regions of the bacterial 16S rRNA gene to identify bacterial distributions that signal the presence of sewer, fecal, and human fecal pollution. The sequences classified to three sewer infrastructure-associated bacterial genera, Acinetobacter, Arcobacter, and Trichococcus, and five fecal-associated bacterial families, Bacteroidaceae, Porphyromonadaceae, Clostridiaceae, Lachnospiraceae, and Ruminococcaceae, served as signatures of sewer and fecal contamination, respectively. The human fecal signature was determined with the Bayesian source estimation program SourceTracker, which we applied to a set of 40 sewage influent samples collected in Milwaukee, WI, USA to identify operational taxonomic units (≥97 % identity) that were most likely of human fecal origin. During periods of dry weather, the magnitudes of all three signatures were relatively low in Milwaukee’s urban rivers and harbor and nearly zero in Lake Michigan. However, the relative contribution of the sewer and fecal signature frequently increased to >2 % of the measured surface water communities following sewer overflows. Also during combined sewer overflows, the ratio of the human fecal pollution signature to the fecal pollution signature in surface waters was generally close to that of sewage, but this ratio decreased dramatically during dry weather and rain events, suggesting that nonhuman fecal pollution was the dominant source during these weather-driven scenarios. The qPCR detection of two human fecal indicators, human Bacteroides and Lachno2, confirmed the urban fecal footprint in this ecosystem extends to at least 8 km offshore.
Update on Intracerebral Hemorrhage

Purpose of Review: This article provides an update on the latest diagnostic and therapeutic trials relating to the management of intracerebral hemorrhage (ICH).Recent Findings: Early hematoma expansion and worsening cerebral edema may account for delayed neurologic deterioration after ICH.Summary: D
New Procedures to Select the Best Simulated System Using Common Random Numbers

Although simulation is widely used to select the best of several alternative system designs, and common random numbers is an important tool for reducing the computation effort of simulation experiments, there are surprisingly few tools available to help a simulation practitioner select the best system when common random numbers are employed. This paper presents new two-stage procedures that use common random numbers to help identify the best simulated system. The procedures allow for screening and attempt to allocate additional replications to improve the value of information obtained during the second stage, rather than determining the number of replications required to provide a given probability of correct selection guarantee. The procedures allow decision makers to reduce either the expected opportunity cost associated with potentially selecting an inferior system, or the probability of incorrect selection. A small empirical study indicates that the new procedures outperform several procedures with respect to several criteria, and identifies potential areas for further improvement.
Combined Schedule of Pneumococcal Conjugate Vaccine Followed by Pneumococcal Polysaccharide Vaccine in Patients With Sickle Cell Disease. • 779

Combined Schedule of Pneumococcal Conjugate Vaccine Followed by Pneumococcal Polysaccharide Vaccine in Patients With Sickle Cell Disease. • 779