cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
ESTIMATING TECHNICAL AND SCALE INEFFICIENCIES OF PUBLIC TRANSIT SYSTEMS

Several evaluation standards and performance indicators have been developed to determine transit performance at a system, regional, or national level. Performance indicators that are traditionally used to evaluate transit systems are ratios of a service output to a resource input or a service consumption measure. This paper discusses a method that evaluates the relative performance of a group of transit systems considering multiple input and output measures. The proposed method is not intended to provide a conclusive evaluation of transit systems, rather to answer the question of how efficient is each of the transit systems analyzed, relative to the other systems considered in the analysis, in terms of allocating resources to provide service. For a selected group of bus transit systems, the proposed procedure is used to identify both technical and scale inefficiencies, meaning inefficiencies related to the production and consumption of service, and to disadvantageous operating conditions. The most efficient systems within the group are identified, while for the remaining systems the types and sources of inefficiency are determined. The procedure is based on data envelopment analysis, a relatively new area in the field of operations research and management science.
Leiomyosarcoma of the rectum: the military experience.

Leiomyosarcoma of the rectum is a rare neoplasm and may behave in a highly malignant manner. Our experience with a single case prompted a review of the Armed Forces Central Medical Registry (AFCMR), where six other cases were found from the total AFCMR population. Four patients were treated with abdominoperineal (AP) resection; three had local excision only. Three patients developed metastatic disease and two of those died. The authors recommed prompt wide excision (AP resection) for any case of leiomyosarcoma of the rectum.
Effect of matrix elements on the pairing kernel in heavy-fermion superconductors.

A method is derived for calculating the pairing kernel in heavy-fermion superconductors including matrix-element effects. Various models for the interaction vertex are considered, including pseudospin exchange, orbital exchange, and quadrupolar exchange. As an example, this formalism is applied to ${\mathrm{UPt}}_{3}$ with the use of relativistic wave functions from a local-density-band calculation.
Introducing middle school girls to fault tolerant computing

During summer 2002, we ran a workshop module for a group of 28 eighth-grade girls. Our aim was ambitious: to introduce these students, ages 12 and 13, to computer science by focussing on the deep intellectual topic of self-stabilizing distributed algorithms and by imparting an intuitive appreciation for their use in fault tolerance. At the same time, we hoped to dispel some negative stereotypes of computer science. The module was a success according to evaluations and comments from the participants. This paper describes the sequence of exercises we developed as an elementary-level introduction to the graduate-level topics of fault tolerance and self-stabilization. We report them with the hope that others will try them in college classrooms, as we plan to do.
The mipafox-inhibited catalytic domain of human neuropathy target esterase ages by reversible proton loss.

Aging of organophosphorus (OP)-compound-inhibited neuropathy target esterase (NTE) is the critical event that initiates OP-compound-induced delayed neurotoxicity (OPIDN). Aging has classically been considered to involve side-group loss from phosphylated NTE, rendering the enzyme refractory to reactivation. N,N‘-Diisopropylphosphorodiamidofluoridate (mipafox, MIP)-inhibited NTE has been thought to age quickly; however, it can be reactivated under acidic conditions. The present study was undertaken to determine whether MIP-inhibited human recombinant NTE esterase domain (NEST) ages classically by isopropylamine loss. Diisopropylphosphorofluoridate (DFP), the oxygen analogue of MIP, was used for comparison. Kinetic values for DFP against NEST were as follows: ki = 17 200 ± 180 M-1 min-1; reactivation t1/2 ≈ 90 min at pH 8.0 and ≈ 60 min at pH 5.2; k4 = 0.108 ± 0.041 min-1 at pH 8.0 and 0.181 ± 0.034 min-1 at pH 5.2. Kinetic values for MIP against NEST were as follows: ki = 1880 ± 61 M-1 min-1; reactivation...
The Political Economy of Rural Development in Latin America: An Interpretation

The theory of unequal exchange between center and periphery is extended to provide an interpretation of rural underdevelopment in Latin America. It serves to explain both the causality of agricultural stagnation under dominance of the latifundio and the economic functionality of the subsistence sector where rural poverty is concentrated. The contradictions of the subsistence sector as a purveyor of cheap labor to the commercial sector of the economy imply population growth and ecological destruction that reinforce rural misery. This theory provides a framework to analyze the political economy of rural development programs. Land reform and small farmer rural development projects are discussed in this context.
Tree spatial patterns in fire-frequent forests of western North America, including mechanisms of pattern formation and implications for designing fuel reduction and restoration treatments

Abstract Restoring characteristic fire regimes and forest structures are central objectives of many restoration and fuel reduction projects. Within-stand spatial pattern is a fundamental attribute of forest structure and influences many ecological processes and ecosystem functions. In this review we synthesize the available spatial reference information for fire-frequent pine and mixed-conifer forests in western North America; interpret this information in the context of restoration and fuel reduction treatment design; and identify areas for future research, including recommended approaches for quantifying within-stand tree spatial patterns. We identified 50 studies of tree spatial patterns in fire-frequent pine and mixed conifer forests, 25 of which documented spatial reference conditions. The characteristic structure of fire-frequent forests is a mosaic of three elements: openings, single trees, and clumps of trees with adjacent or interlocking crowns. This mosaic structure typically manifests at scales Based on these findings, we encourage managers to consciously adopt a view of forest structure that accommodates spatial heterogeneity within forest stands, and to use this conceptualization of forest structure to guide prescription development. Restoration prescriptions and marking guidelines that explicitly incorporate within-stand spatial heterogeneity—such as by specifying the numbers and sizes of openings and tree clumps, and the number of widely-spaced single trees to retain per unit area—will improve the likelihood of restoring characteristic forest structures and the ecological processes such structures support. We infer that the near-exclusive use of global pattern analysis has limited the quantity and usability of spatial reference information available to managers, has also likely limited the development and testing of novel ecological hypotheses about pattern-generating mechanisms. Consequently, we recommend that forest scientists change how they quantify tree spatial patterns by complimenting the traditional global analysis methods with local pattern analysis techniques, which quantify spatial heterogeneity within a study area.
A Program for Calculating the Exact Probability Along with Explorations of M By N Contingency Tables

A program has been developed to test the significance of an m × n table by using an extension of the Fisher exact probability test. Theoretical corrections are made regarding the previous work by Bedeian and Armenakis (1977). Various methods of discovering the source of association at a cellwise level are given.
Smoke emission from jet engines

Combustor design for minimum exhaust smoke emission from aircraft gas turbine jet engines, considering air pollution
Complications of in vitro fertilization with intracytoplasmic sperm injection in human immunodeficiency virus serodiscordant couples

Introduction Our experience with complications related to in vitro fertilization (IVF), particularly ovarian hyperstimulation syndrome (OHSS) and higher-order multiple gestations, in human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) serodiscordant couples undergoing IVF with intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI) is presented.
Cognitive processes as mediators of the relation between mindfulness and change in social anxiety symptoms following cognitive behavioral treatment

The present study examined whether pretreatment mindfulness exerts an indirect effect on outcomes following cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT). Cognitive processes of probability and cost bias (i.e., overestimations of the likelihood that negative social events will occur, and that these events will have negative consequences when they do occur) were explored as potential mediators of the relation between mindfulness and social anxiety symptom change. People with higher levels of mindfulness may be better able to benefit from treatments that reduce biases because mindfulness may aid in regulation of attention. Sixty-seven individuals with a primary diagnosis of social phobia identifying public speaking as their greatest fear received eight sessions of one of two types of exposure-based CBT delivered according to treatment manuals. Participants completed self-report measures of mindfulness, probability bias, cost bias, and social anxiety symptoms. Mediation hypotheses were assessed by a bootstrapped regression using treatment outcome data. Pretreatment mindfulness was not related to change in social anxiety symptoms from pre- to posttreatment. However, mindfulness had an indirect effect on treatment outcome via its association with probability bias, but not cost bias, at midtreatment. These findings were consistent across three metrics of social anxiety symptoms. Mindfulness may play a role in response to CBT among individuals with social phobia through its relation with probability bias--even when the treatment does not target mindfulness.
Preserving and Strengthening Together: Collective Strategies of U.S. Women's College Presidents

Women's colleges in the 1970s and 1980s faced highly uncertain futures. Soaring popularity of coeducation left them with serious enrollment downturns, and challenges from proposed equal rights legislation threatened to render illegal their single-sex admissions policies. These perilous external conditions drew together the presidents of U.S. women's colleges in new ways as they sought to preserve and strengthen their individual institutions and to secure a future for women's colleges as an institutional type.
The Cytoplasmic Membrane-proximal Domain of the HtrII Transducer Interacts with the E-F Loop of Photoactivated Natronomonas pharaonis Sensory Rhodopsin II

The structures of the cytoplasmic loops of the phototaxis receptor sensory rhodopsin II (SRII) and the membrane-proximal cytoplasmic domain of its bound transducer HtrII were examined in the dark and in the light-activated state by fluorescent probes and cysteine cross-linking. Light decreased the accessibility of E-F loop position 154 in the SRII-HtrII complex, but not in free SRII, consistent with HtrII proximity, which was confirmed by tryptophans placed within a 5-residue region identified in the HtrII membrane-proximal domain that exhibited Forster resonance energy transfer to a fluorescent probe at position 154 in SRII. The Forster resonance energy transfer was eliminated in the signaling deficient HtrII mutant G83F without loss of affinity for SRII. Finally, the presence of SRII and HtrII reciprocally inhibit homodimer disulfide cross-linking reactions in their membrane-proximal domains, showing that each interferes with the others self-interaction in this region. The results demonstrate close proximity between SRII-HtrII in the membrane-proximal domain, and in addition, light stimulation of the SRII inhibition of HtrII cross-linking was observed, indicating that the contact is enhanced in the photoactivated complex. A mechanism is proposed in which photoactivation alters the SRII-HtrII interaction in the membrane-proximal region during the signal relay process.
Circuit-based induction motor drive reliability under different control schemes and safe-mode operation

This paper proposes a reliability modeling method for induction motor drives based on an equivalent dq 0 circuit model. The machine input voltages or currents are modeled as sources dependent on states and commands. This enables reliability analysis for different control strategies. The method utilizes failure modes and effects analysis, Monte Carlo simulations, and Markov models. Different controllers, in addition to faults in the machine, power electronics, and sensors, are addressed. The control methods considered in the analysis include constant volts per hertz (V/f), indirect field-oriented control (IFOC), direct torque control (DTC), and feedback linearization control (FLC). Direct line operation (DLO) is also considered. The proposed circuit-based reliability modeling method is versatile and easy to implement in commercial circuit simulators. The simulation model, which is experimentally verified, uses a reliability tool to evaluate the mean time to failure (MTTF) of the drive. Results show that, as expected, V/f control has the highest MTTF, due to its independence from sensor feedback, but poor dynamics. Among the closed-loop controllers, IFOC and DTC are better for fast dynamics, simplicity, and acceptable MTTF, but FLC is shown to have the longest MTTF. A safe-mode control scheme is proposed under which the drive is shown to have an even longer MTTF than V/f.
Social and ecological determinants of fission-fusion dynamics in the spotted hyaena

Theory predicts that individuals living in fission–fusion societies, in which group members frequently change subgroups, should modify grouping patterns in response to varying social and environmental conditions. Spotted hyaenas, Crocuta crocuta, are long-lived carnivores that reside in permanent social groups called clans. Clans are complex, fission–fusion societies in which individual members travel, rest and forage in subgroups that frequently change composition. We studied two clans in Kenya to provide the first detailed description of fission–fusion dynamics in this species. Because social and ecological circumstances can influence the cohesiveness of animal societies, we evaluated the extent to which specific circumstances promote the formation of subgroups of various sizes. We found that cooperative defence of shared resources during interclan competition and protection from lions were cohesive forces that promoted formation of large subgroups. We also tested hypotheses suggesting factors limiting subgroup size. Mothers with small cubs avoided conspecifics, thereby reducing infanticide risk. Victims of aggression either reconciled fights or separated from former opponents to reduce the immediate costs of escalated aggression in the absence of food. As predicted by the ecological constraints hypothesis, hyaenas adjusted their grouping patterns over both short and long time scales in response to feeding competition. Crocuta were most gregarious during periods of abundant prey, joined clanmates at ephemeral kills in numbers that correlated with the energetic value of the prey and gained the most energy when foraging alone because cooperative hunting attracted numerous competitors. Overall, our findings indicate that resource limitation constrains grouping in this species.
Multipath reduction using constant modulus conjugate gradient techniques

A conjugate-gradient (CG) constant-modulus adaptive processor is proposed. For the generalized sidelobe canceler (GSC) signal processing configuration, this algorithm, CG-GSC, exhibits improved convergence over previous methods. Theoretical expressions are presented for convergence and weight update of a linearly constrained constant modulus generalized sidelobe canceler. Theoretical expressions are then derived for the conjugate direction vectors. These vectors are used to update the filter weights for a conjugate gradient adaptation rule. A simulation study of the conjugate adaptation rule reveals the increase in convergence rate for the generalized sidelobe canceler. Performance comparisons of the CG-GSC and a first-order gradient GSC for a BPSK signal with multipath and white noise interference indicate that the CG-GSC adaptation rule not only increases convergence by a factor of five compared to the first-order gradient GSC, but in some instances improves the bit error rate of the demodulated BPSK signal. >
Selectivity for Cs and Sr in Nb-substituted titanosilicate with sitinakite topology

Abstract The 25% niobium substituted crystalline titanosilicate with the composition Na 1.5 Nb 0.5 Ti 1.5 O 3 SiO 4 ·2H 2 O (Nb–TS) was synthesized under hydrothermal conditions. Its selectivity for radioactive 137 Cs and 89 Sr was compared with the TS, Na 2 Ti 2 O 3 SiO 4 ·2H 2 O, having sitinakite topology. The Nb–TS shows significantly higher uptake value for 137 Cs but lower for 89 Sr than the TS. To investigate the origin of selectivity, the ion exchanged Cs + and Sr 2+ forms with the composition, Cs x NaH y Nb 0.5 Ti 1.5 O 3 SiO 4 · z H 2 O ( x =0.1, 0.2 and 0.3, x + y =0.5 and z =1–2) and Sr 0.2 Na 0.6 H 0.5 Nb 0.5 Ti 1.5 O 3 SiO 4 ·H 2 O, respectively, were structurally characterized from the X-ray powder diffraction data using the Rietveld refinement technique. Simultaneously the kinetics of 137 Cs and 89 Sr uptake was investigated for the Nb V free and doped samples. While the Cs + and Sr 2+ exchanged form of Nb–TS and the Cs + exchanged form of TS retain the symmetry of the parent compound, the Sr 2+ exchanged form of TS undergoes a symmetry change. The differences in the uptake of Cs + and Sr 2+ result from the different coordination environments of cesium and strontium in the eight-ring channel, that result from various hydration sites in the tunnel. The origin of selectivity appears to arise from the higher coordination number of cesium or strontium. Other effects due to Nb V substitution are reflected in the increase of both, the a - and c -dimensions and thus the unit cell volume, and the population of water vs. Na + in the channel to charge-balance the Nb 5+ ↔Ti 4+ substitution.
Organizational Stories in a Family-Owned Business

This article explores the relationship of the family and business systems in a family-owned retail business. A group of 565 organizational stories collected in in-depth fieldwork is analyzed to reveal how family and nonfamily employees experience membership in a family business system. The argument is made that the stories reflect, in the events they describe and in the interpretations they offer, the day-to-day processes by which relations between the family and business systems are created and sustained. At Esteys, organizational stories help to construct a system dynamic that reinforces the family's influence over the business.
Building Assets, Building Credit: Creating Wealth in Low‐Income Communities

Nicolas P. Retsinas and Eric S. Belsky (Eds.), Building Assets, Building Credit: Creating Wealth in Low-Income Communities (Washington, DC: Brookings Institution Press, 2005).Building Assets, Build...
Geographic variation and positive selection on M7 lysin, an acrosomal sperm protein in mussels (Mytilus spp.)

Successful fertilization in free-spawning marine organisms depends on the interactions between genes expressed on the surfaces of eggs and sperm. Positive selection frequently characterizes the molecular evolution of such genes, raising the possibility that some common deterministic process drives the evolution of gamete recognition genes and may even be important for understanding the evolution of prezygotic isolation and speciation in the marine realm. One hypothesis is that gamete recognition genes are subject to selection for prezygotic isolation, namely, reinforcement. In a previous study, positive selection on the gene coding for the acrosomal sperm protein M7 lysin was demonstrated among allopatric populations of mussels in the Mytilus edulis species group (M. edulis, Mytilus galloprovincialis, and Mytilus trossulus). Here, we expand sampling to include M7 lysin haplotypes from populations where mussel species are sympatric and hybridize to determine whether there is a pattern of reproductive character displacement (RCD), which would be consistent with reinforcement driving selection on this gene. We do not detect a strong pattern of RCD; neither are there unique haplotypes in sympatry nor is there consistently greater population structure in comparisons involving sympatric populations. One distinct group of haplotypes, however, is strongly affected by natural selection, and this group of haplotypes is found within M. galloprovincialis populations throughout the Northern Hemisphere concurrent with haplotypes common to M. galloprovincialis and M. edulis. We suggest that balancing selection, perhaps resulting from sexual conflicts between sperm and eggs, maintains old allelic diversity within M. galloprovincialis.
Attenuation of platelet reactivity by enoxaparin compared with unfractionated heparin in patients undergoing haemodialysis

Background. Increased platelet reactivity presages adverse cardiac events. Because both haemodialysis and unfractionated heparin (UFH) can increase platelet reactivity, we compared platelet reactivity during haemodialysis when patients were anticoagulated with UFH or enoxaparin. Methods. Patients (n ¼ 20) underwent consecutive haemodialysis sessions with either UFH or enoxaparin in a random order. Blood was taken from the arterial end of the haemodialysis circuit at the initiation of haemodialysis before anticoagulation. Subsequently, blood was taken during dialysis from the venous end of the circuit 10 min after treatment with UFH or enoxaparin. Platelet reactivity was assessed with the use of flow cytometry by determining the capacity of platelets to bind fibrinogen and the surface expression of P-selectin in response to adenosine diphosphate (ADP, 0 and 0.2mM). Results were compared with the use of two-way repeated measure ANOVA. Results. Platelet reactivity in arterial blood obtained at the beginning of dialysis prior to patients being treated with either UFH [0.2mM ADP-induced capacity to bind fibrinogen ¼ 28±15% (SD)] or enoxaparin (30±18%) was similar (P ¼ 0.15). In contrast, platelet reactivity was less after treatment with enoxaparin compared with UFH (P ¼ 0.006). The 0.2mM ADPinduced capacity to bind fibrinogen in venous blood obtained 10 min after anticoagulation was 34±11% after treatment with UFH and 22±11% after treatment with enoxaparin. Conclusions. Anticoagulation with enoxaparin during haemodialysis is associated with less platelet reactivity compared with UFH. Accordingly, enoxaparin use may contribute to a lesser risk of cardiac events in patients with end-stage renal disease treated with haemodialysis.
Camouflaging mobility for itinerary privacy in mobile ad-hoc networks

The privacy of wireless communications is becoming an important issue due to the open nature of wireless medium. Much research work has been proposed to address the anonymity of communicating parties, the location privacy of the message source and destination, and the privacy of the network routing paths. However, with the advent of new radio identification and localization techniques, more advanced privacy attacks are possible. We describe a new privacy attack in which the adversary tries to infer the itineraries of the nodes in the network. To protect itinerary privacy, we design an algorithm, called the Delta-mobility camouflaging algorithm, which can be applied upon any mobility model by changing the original motion segments into Delta-shaped camouflaging paths. Our analysis results show that the Delta-mobility camouflaging algorithm is cost-effective, which in most cases decreases the itinerary exposure probability more than 80% at a cost of less than 3% extra travel distance.
Search and Simulation Selection of a Job-Shop Sequencing Rule

A standardized approach to selecting a simple sequencing rule for decentralized application throughout a job shop is developed and illustrated. The sequencing rule is a linear combination of decision factors, each of which is initially assigned a relative weighting. The rule is then used to determine the priority of each job in the queues, and resulting shop costs are determined by computer simulation. The coefficients of the priority function are thereafter modified by a patterned search procedure to find priority coefficients that minimize expected cost per order for a specified cost structure. The cost structure is a combination of multiple response measures for the shop. Rather than leading to a “single best rule” for all job shops, the approach is a “method for finding” a sequencing rule that performs well in any specific job shop situation.
Ethylcellulose - A Polymer Review

(1995). Ethylcellulose - A Polymer Review. Drug Development and Industrial Pharmacy: Vol. 21, No. 1, pp. 61-77.
Caveolae, caveolins, and cavins: complex control of cellular signalling and inflammation

Caveolae are specialized lipid rafts that form flask-shaped invaginations of the plasma membrane. They are involved in cell signalling and transport and have been shown critically regulate vascular reactivity and blood pressure. The organization and functions of caveolae are mediated by coat proteins (caveolins) and support or adapter proteins (cavins). The caveolins, caveolin-1, -2, and -3, form the structural backbone of caveolae. These proteins are also highly integrated into caveolae function and have their own activity independent of caveolae. The cavins, cavins 1-4, are involved in regulation of caveolae and modulate the function of caveolins by promoting the membrane remodelling and trafficking of caveolin-derived structures. The relationships between these different proteins are complex and intersect with many aspects of cell function. Caveolae have also been implicated in chronic inflammatory conditions and other pathologies including atherosclerosis, inflammatory bowel disease, muscular dystrophy, and generalized dyslipidaemia. The pathogenic role of the caveolins is an emerging area, however, the roles of cavins in disease is just beginning to be explored. This review will examine the relationship between caveolins and cavins and explore the role of caveolae in inflammatory signalling mechanisms.
Activity and Stability of Cu−CeO2 Catalysts in High-Temperature Water−Gas Shift for Fuel-Cell Applications

Copper-containing cerium oxide materials are shown in this work to be suitable for the high-temperature water−gas shift (WGS) reaction integrated with hydrogen separation in a membrane reactor to generate pure hydrogen. Copper−ceria is a stable high-temperature shift catalyst, unlike iron−chrome catalysts that deactivate severely in CO2-rich gases. Such gas mixtures will prevail if a catalytic membrane reactor is used to remove hydrogen. We also found that iron oxide−ceria catalysts have much lower activities than copper−ceria catalysts. Ceria participates in the WGS reaction; its surface properties are crucial for high activity and are sensitive to the presence of dopants. The kinetics of the WGS reaction over 10 atom % Cu−Ce(30 atom % La)Ox were measured in the temperature range 300−450 °C. A strong dependence on CO and a weak dependence on H2O were found at 450 °C, whereas inhibition by the reaction products was weak. The apparent activation energy over the catalyst stabilized in the reaction gas mixtu...
Decisional data and the principle of maximum efficiency estimation

In 1978 Charnes, Cooper, and Rhodes introduced Data Envelopment Analysis (DEA) as a method to rate the efficiencies of decision making units by imputing weights to observed inputs and outputs in order to form an efficiency ratio. Based on this work, a three step procedure is presented which may be used to estimate the values of parameters such as unknown costs. In the presentation a method called the Principle of Maximum Efficiency Estimation (MEE) is introduced. An application to the estimation of inventory cost parameters is given.
Prevention and Control of Coronary Heart Disease and Stroke—Nomenclature for Prevention Approaches in Public Health: A Statement for Public Health Practice from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention

Abstract Successful prevention and control of coronary heart disease and stroke requires extensive collaboration and strategic partnerships with many health and non–health-related organizations and agencies in the voluntary, public, and private sectors. To assure a common language and purpose and to facilitate communication in these multiple settings, a simplified classification of prevention levels for public health practice is essential. This statement proposes three levels of prevention (health promotion, primary prevention, and secondary prevention) as a guide for public health practice. This statement is also intended to inform the design, implementation, and evaluation of programs and research initiatives that address the prevention and control of coronary heart disease and stroke, and to enhance communication and dialogue among health professionals, policymakers, and the public.
PTEN tumor suppressor regulates p53 protein levels and activity through phosphatase-dependent and -independent mechanisms

Summary We show in this study that PTEN regulates p53 protein levels and transcriptional activity through both phosphatase- dependent and -independent mechanisms. The onset of tumor development in p53 / ;Pten / mice is similar to p53 /
Critical spin dynamics in the antiferromagnet La4Ni 3O8 from La139 nuclear magnetic resonance

We report $^{139}\mathrm{La}$ nuclear magnetic resonance data in ${\mathrm{La}}_{4}{\mathrm{Ni}}_{3}{\mathrm{O}}_{8}$ that reveal the presence of antiferromagnetic order below ${T}_{N}~105$ K. This remarkable compound contains two-dimensional (2D) layers of ${\mathrm{NiO}}_{2}$ with unusual Ni valences. ${\mathrm{La}}_{4}{\mathrm{Ni}}_{3}{\mathrm{O}}_{8}$, with antiferromagnetic order of $S=1/2 {\mathrm{Ni}}^{1+}$ spins, is analogous to the parent compounds of the cuprate superconductors. Our data clearly reveal dramatic spectral changes and low-energy antiferromagnetic correlations associated with the onset of long-range order below ${T}_{N}$. These critical spin fluctuations, however, do not diverge at the second-order phase transition but rather appear to be associated with a $T=0$ transition characteristic of 2D spin fluctuations.
A triangle of coefficients for Chebyshev polynomials

The recursive formula used to calculate Chebyshev polynomials of high order requires time-consuming work. Here is an easy and quick application of that formula.
Vector theory of four-wave mixing: polarization effects in fiber-optic parametric amplifiers

We present a vector theory of four-wave mixing and use it to study the polarization-dependent nature of four-wave mixing and the conditions under which the gain of a dual-pump fiber-optic parametric amplifier becomes polarization independent. We find that in the absence of self- and cross-phase modulations, any pair of orthogonally polarized pumps can provide polarization-independent gain, but this gain is minimum for linearly polarized pumps and becomes maximum when the two pumps are circularly polarized. Self-and cross-phase modulations induce nonlinear polarization rotation and change the orthogonality between the two pump polarizations. We discuss the general case of elliptically polarized cases and show that only linearly and circularly polarized pumps can maintain their orthogonality along the fiber. A stability analysis shows that the case of linearly polarized pumps is more stable than the circular one against small deviations from the ideal case but that the latter provides much more amplification.
Supplements: To take or not to take? That is the question.

One of the important issues in nutrition today is whether healthy people should take any vitamin and/or mineral supplements, and if so, which ones and how much? Americans spend billions of dollars ...
PREDATOR AND PREY SPACE USE: DRAGONFLIES AND TADPOLES IN AN INTERACTIVE GAME

Predator and prey spatial distributions have important population and community level consequences. However, little is known either theoretically or empirically about behavioral mechanisms that underlie the spatial patterns that emerge when predators and prey freely interact. We examined the joint space use and behavioral rules governing movement of freely interacting groups of odonate (dragonfly) predators and two size classes of anuran (tadpole) prey in arenas containing two patches with different levels of the prey's resource. Predator and prey movement and space use was quantified both when they were apart and together. When apart from predators, large tadpoles strongly preferred the high resource patch. When apart from prey, dragonflies weakly preferred the high resource patch. When together, large prey shifted to a uniform distribution, while predators strongly preferred the high resource patch. These patterns qualitatively fit the predictions of several three trophic level, ideal free distribution models. In contrast, the space use of small prey and predators did not deviate from uniform. Three measures of joint space use (spatial correlations, overlap, and co-occurrence) concurred in suggesting that prey avoidance of predators was more important than predator attraction to prey in determining overall spatial patterns. To gain additional insight into behavioral mechanisms, we used a model selection approach to identify behavioral movement rules that can potentially explain the observed, emergent patterns of space use. Prey were more likely to leave patches with more predators and more conspecific competitors; resources had relatively weak effects on prey movements. In contrast, predators were more likely to leave patches with low resources (that they do not consume) and more competing predators; prey had relatively little effect on predator movements. These results highlight the importance of investigating freely interacting predators and prey, the potential for simple game theory models to predict joint spatial distributions, and the utility of using model choice methods to identify potential key factors that govern movement.
Unfinished work : From cyborg to cognisphere

The cyborg that Donna Haraway appropriated in ‘Manifesto for Cyborgs’ as a metaphor for political action and theoretical inquiry has ceased to have the potency it did 20 years ago. While Haraway ha...
Preclinical Evaluation of Genexol-PM, a Nanoparticle Formulation of Paclitaxel, as a Novel Radiosensitizer for the Treatment of Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer

Purpose A key research objective in radiation oncology is to identify agents that can improve chemoradiation therapy. Nanoparticle (NP) chemotherapeutics possess several properties, such as preferential accumulation in tumors, that are uniquely suited for chemoradiation therapy. To facilitate the clinical translation of NP chemotherapeutics in chemoradiation therapy, we conducted preclinical evaluation of Genexol-PM, the only clinically approved NP chemotherapeutic with a controlled drug release profile, as a radiosensitizer using non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) as a model disease. Methods and Materials The physical characteristics and drug release profile of Genexol-PM were characterized. Genexol-PM's efficacy as a radiosensitizer was evaluated in vitro using NSCLC cell lines and in vivo using mouse xenograft models of NSCLC. Paclitaxel dose to normal lung and liver after Genexol-PM administration were quantified and compared with that after Taxol administration. Results Genexol-PM has a size of 23.91 ± 0.41 nm and surface charge of −8.1 ± 3.1 mV. It releases paclitaxel in a controlled release profile. In vitro evaluation of Genexol-PM as a radiosensitizer showed it is an effective radiosensitizer and is more effective than Taxol, its small molecule counterpart, at the half maximal inhibitory concentration. In vivo study of Genexol-PM as a radiosensitizer demonstrated that it is more effective as a radiosensitizer than Taxol. We also found that Genexol-PM leads to lower paclitaxel exposure to normal lung tissue than Taxol at 6 hours postadministration. Conclusions We have demonstrated that Genexol-PM is more effective than Taxol as a radiosensitizer in the preclinical setting and holds high potential for clinical translation. Our data support the clinical evaluation of Genexol-PM in chemoradiation therapy for NSCLC.
Induction of the cholesterol metabolic pathway regulates the farnesylation of RAS in embryonic chick heart cells: a new role for Ras in regulating the expression of muscarinic receptors and G proteins

We propose a novel mechanism for the regulation of the processing of Ras and demonstrate a new function for Ras in regulating the expression of cardiac autonomic receptors and their associated G proteins. We have demonstrated previously that induction of endogenous cholesterol synthesis in cultured cardiac myocytes resulted in a coordinated increase in expression of muscarinic receptors, the G protein alpha-subunit, G-alphai2, and the inward rectifying K+ channel, GIRK1. These changes in gene expression were associated with a marked increase in the response of heart cells to parasympathetic stimulation. In this study, we demonstrate that the induction of the cholesterol metabolic pathway regulates Ras processing and that Ras regulates expression of G-alphai2. We show that in primary cultured myocytes most of the RAS is localized to the cytoplasm in an unfarnesylated form. Induction of the cholesterol metabolic pathway results in increased farnesylation and membrane association of RAS. Studies of Ras mutants expressed in cultured heart cells demonstrate that activation of Ras by induction of the cholesterol metabolic pathway results in increased expression of G-alphai2 mRNA. Hence farnesylation of Ras is a regulatable process that plays a novel role in the control of second messenger pathways.
Pulmonary capillary reserve and exercise capacity at high altitude in healthy humans

Purpose We determined whether well-acclimatized humans have a reserve to recruit pulmonary capillaries in response to exercise at high altitude.
Unplanned readmission after appendectomy.

Abstract Background Unplanned readmission of patients who undergo appendectomy is a relatively frequent occurrence. Our aim was to report the most common reasons and the predictors of unplanned readmission after appendectomy. Methods The National Surgical Quality Improvement Program database was used to examine the clinical data of patients undergoing emergent and/or urgent appendectomy during 2012 to 2013. Multivariate regression analysis was performed to identify the predictors of unplanned readmission. Results We evaluated a total of 46,960 patients who underwent appendectomy. Of these, 18.5% had perforated appendicitis. Overall, 1,755 (3.7%) of patients had an unplanned readmission. The most common reasons for readmission were intra-abdominal infection (27.3%), nonspecific abdominal pain (7.9%), and paralytic ileus (4.6%). Factors such as perforated appendicitis (adjusted odds ratio [AOR], 1.38; P P P Conclusions Overall, 3.7% of patients who underwent emergent appendectomy had an unplanned readmission. Intra-abdominal infections and nonspecific abdominal pain are the most common reasons for readmission. Unplanned readmissions are predominantly related to postoperative complications and severity of disease.
Radiation Hard & High Light Yield Scintillator Search for CMS Phase II Upgrade

The CMS detector at the LHC requires a major upgrade to cope with the higher instantaneous luminosity and the elevated radiation levels. The active media of the forward backing hadron calorimeters is projected to be radiation-hard, high light yield scintillation materials or similar alternatives. In this context, we have studied various radiation-hard scintillating materials such as Polyethylene Terephthalate (PET), Polyethylene Naphthalate (PEN), High Eciency Mirror (HEM) and quartz plates with various coatings. The quartz plates are pure Cerenkov radiators and their radiation hardness has been conrmed. In order to increase the light output, we considered organic and inorganic coating materials such as pTerphenyl (pTp), Anthracene and Gallium-doped Zinc Oxide (ZnO:Ga) that are applied as thin layers on the surface of the quartz plates. Here, we present the results of the related test beam activities, laboratory measurements and recent developments.
Diabetes mellitus in the elderly

This article discusses some of the unique aspects of diabetic management in the elderly patient. Special considerations of dietary, exercise, and pharmacologic therapy in the older patient are highlighted. Acute and chronic complications are briefly reviewed.
Ocean Convective Available Potential Energy. Part I: Concept and Calculation

Thermobaric convection (type II convection) and thermobaric cabbeling (type III convection) might substantially contribute to vertical mixing, vertical heat transport, and deep-water formation in the World Ocean. However, the extent of this contribution remains poorly constrained. The concept of ocean convective available potential energy (OCAPE), the thermobaric energy source for type II and type III convection, is introduced to improve the diagnosis and prediction of these convection events. OCAPE is analogous to atmospheric CAPE, which is a key energy source for atmospheric moist convection and has long been used to forecast moist convection. OCAPE is the potential energy (PE) stored in an ocean column arising from thermobaricity, defined as the difference between the PE of the ocean column and its minimum possible PE under adiabatic vertical parcel rearrangements. An ocean column may be stably stratified and still have nonzero OCAPE. The authors present an efficient strategy for computing OCAPE accurately for any given column of seawater. They further derive analytical expressions for OCAPE for approximately two-layer ocean columns that are widely observed in polar oceans. This elucidates the dependence of OCAPE on key physical parameters. Hydrographic profiles from the winter Weddell Sea are shown to contain OCAPE (0.001–0.01 J kg^(−1)), and scaling analysis suggests that OCAPE may be substantially enhanced by wintertime surface buoyancy loss. The release of this OCAPE may substantially contribute to the kinetic energy of deep convection in polar oceans.
Effect of anticoagulant and ABO incompatibility on recovery of transfused human platelets.

buffers platelet-rich plasma ( PRP) at pH 6.5 improves the viability of concentrated platelets by facilitating their resuspension without clumping.7 The same study suggested that EDTA, a substance commonly used for platelet transfusions, was toxic for these cells. This work implied that acid citrate was a superior anticoagulant for platelet transfusion therapy, but special manipulations were required to label the platelets with Cr51. In the present study, the effects of different anticoagulant solutions on platelet viability were investigated, utilizing technics comparable to those employed under clinical conditions. Although A and B blood group antigens have been shown to exist on the platelet membrane,84#{176} their importance for platelet transfusion therapy has not been clarified. It has been suggested that the recovery of group A or B platelets transfused to group 0 recipients is equal to that of group 0 donors.#{176} Other workers found a “slight, but consistently lower” recovery of “incompatible” platelets.11 In part, difficulty in assessing the role of ABO antigens in platelet transfusions may have arisen from the relatively low maximum platelet recovery achieved in most studies. The availability of a Cr51-labeling technic that gives a high recovery of platelets7 permits differences in the recovery of incompatible platelets to be more readily apparent. The use of normal subjects as platelet recipients eliminated variables such as hemorrhage and isoimmunization which might obscure the effect of ABO incompatibilty in ill, thrombocytopenic subjects.
Ecological Implications of Bird Predators on the Larch Casebearer in Wisconsin

Birds are important predators of Coleophora laricella (Hubner) in Wisconsin. Population decline of the larch casebearer in the winter, probably attributable to birds, was 23.5%, of which 30–40% was calculated to consist of nonparasitized larvae. Spring predation by birds, between April and June, causes a significant loss in prey population, although many of the larvae eaten are parasitized. Apparently the birds involved do not discriminate between parasitized and nonparasitized larvae. Feeding activity in the spring was 3 times that recorded in the fall, under laboratory conditions, and probably reflected the –specific feeding image— developed by the birds for the larger and more active spring larvae. The Magnolia, Dendroica magnolia (Wilson); and Yellow Warblers, D. petechia (L.); the Ruby-crowned Kinglet, Regulus calendula (L.), and the Black-capped Chickadee, Parus atricapillus L., exhibited the most frequent feeding response to the larch casebearer. No instances of –clipped-off— cases were observed III any of the laboratory feeding trials or in the field. All birds swallowed both case and larva completely except for the Black-capped Chickadee which, in the spring only, removed the case from the tree, extracted the larva, and then dropped the case to the ground.
Acephate Effect on Dryland and Irrigated Cowpeas When Applied for Thrips (Thysanoptera: Thripidae) and Corn Earworm (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae) Control

Cowpeas grown under dry conditions had significantly higher yield increases following acephate insecticide application at or just before first bloom compared with those receiving other treatments. Yield responses to acephate were lower in fields with abundant moisture or irrigation than in dry fields. Acephate applications for thrips, Frankliniella fusca (Hinds), F. tritici (Fitch), and Neohydatothrips variabilis (Beach) (= Sericothrips variabilis [Beach]), control during early seedling stages resulted in less foliage insect damage. However, acephate applications to seedling stages did not result in yield increases. Corn earworm, Helicoverpa zea (Boddie), had little impact on yield in fields where earworms were monitored.
A REST-ful interpretation for embedded modular systems based on open architecture

The much-anticipated revolution of the “Internet of things” (IoT) is expected to generate one trillion internet devices within the next 15 years, mostly in the form of simple wireless sensor devices. While this revolution promises to transform silicon markets and drive a number of disruptive changes in society, it is also the case that the protocols, complexity, and security issues of extremely large dynamic, co-mingled networks is still poorly understood. Furthermore, embedded system developers, to include military and aerospace users, have largely ignored the potential (good and bound) of the cloudlike, possibly intermingling networks having variable structure to how future systems might be engineered. In this paper, we consider a new interpretation of IoT inspired modular architecture strategies involving the representational state transfer (REST) model, in which dynamic networks with variable structure employ stateless application programming interface (API) concepts. The power of the method, which extends concepts originally developed for space plug-and-play avionics, is that it allows for the fluid co-mingling of hardware and software in networks whose structure can overlap and evolve. Paradoxically, these systems may have the most stringent determinism and fault-tolerant needs. In this paper we review how RESTful APIs can potentially be used to design, create, test, and deploy systems rapidly while addressing security and referential integrity even when the nodes of many systems might physically co-mingle. We will also explore ways to take advantage of the RESTful paradigm for fault tolerance and what extensions might be necessary to deal with high-performance and determinism.