cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Conventional and novel control designs for direct driven PMSG wind turbines

Abstract With the advance of power electronic technology, direct driven permanent magnet synchronous generators (PMSG) have increasingly drawn interests to wind turbine manufactures. This paper studies and compares conventional and a novel control designs for a direct driven PMSG wind turbine. The paper presents transient and steady-state models of a PMSG system in a d–q reference frame. Then, general PMSG characteristics are investigated in the rotor-flux-oriented frame. A shortage of conventional control mechanisms is studied analytically and through computer simulation. A novel direct-current based d–q vector control technique is proposed by integrating fuzzy, adaptive and traditional PID control technologies in an optimal control configuration. Comparison study demonstrates that the proposed control approach, having superior performance in various aspects, is effective not only in achieving desired PMSG control objectives but also in improving the optimal performance of the overall system.
Luminescent platinum(II) dimers with a cyclometallating aryldiamine ligand.

Triflate salts of three (Pt(pip2NCN))2(μ-L)2+ (pip2NCNH = 1,3-bis(piperidylmethyl)benzene) dimers bridged by a series of nitrogen-donor ligands (L = pyrazine (pyz), 1,2-bis(4-pyridyl)ethane (bpa), trans-1,2-bis(4-pyridyl)ethylene (bpe)) are reported. These complexes have been fully characterized by 1H NMR spectroscopy and elemental analysis. The X-ray crystal structures of [(Pt(pip2NCN))2(μ-pyz)](CF3SO3)2 and [(Pt(pip2NCN))2(μ-bpe)](CF3SO3)2·2CH2Cl2 are reported. [(Pt(pip2NCN))2(μ-pyz)](CF3SO3)2: triclinic, P1, a = 12.5240(5) A, b = 14.1570(6) A, c = 14.2928(6) A, α = 106.458(1)°, β = 92.527(1)°, γ = 106.880(1)°, V = 2303.46(17) A3, Z = 2. [(Pt(pip2NCN))2(μ-bpe)](CF3SO3)2·2CH2Cl2: monoclinic, P21/c, a = 10.1288(6) A, b = 16.3346(9) A, c = 17.4764(10) A, β = 90.882(2)°, V = 2891.1(3) A3, Z = 2. These structures and solution measurements provide evidence for the strong trans-directing properties of the pip2NCN- ligand. The electronic structures of these complexes and those of the 4,4‘-bipyridine (bpy) di...
DNA binding site analysis of Burkholderia thailandensis response regulators

Bacterial response regulators (RR) that function as transcription factors in two component signaling pathways are crucial for ensuring tight regulation and coordinated expression of the genome. Currently, consensus DNA binding sites in the promoter for very few bacterial RRs have been identified. A systematic method to characterize these DNA binding sites for RRs would enable prediction of specific gene expression patterns in response to extracellular stimuli. To identify RR DNA binding sites, we functionally activated RRs using beryllofluoride and applied them to a protein-binding microarray (PBM) to discover DNA binding motifs for RRs expressed in Burkholderia, a Gram-negative bacterial genus. We identified DNA binding motifs for conserved RRs in Burkholderia thailandensis, including KdpE, RisA, and NarL, as well as for a previously uncharacterized RR at locus BTH_II2335 and its ortholog in the human pathogen Burkholderia pseudomallei at locus BPSS2315. We further demonstrate RR binding of predicted genomic targets for the two orthologs using gel shift assays and reveal a pattern of RR regulation of expression of self and other two component systems. Our studies illustrate the use of PBMs to identify DNA binding specificities for bacterial RRs and enable prediction of gene regulatory networks in response to two component signaling.
Effects of pimozide, across doses and within sessions, on discriminated lever release performance in rats.

By using either water or food reinforcement, rats were trained to perform a discriminated lever release task (DLR), which required the rat to hold an operant lever in the closed position through one of five randomly presented foreperiods (2–6 s) and to release the lever within 0.5 s of the onset of a light discriminative stimulus. The procedure is analogous to the method used in human reaction time studies, except that here the procedure was free-operant, not fixed-trial. The effects of pimozide (0.12, 0.25, and 0.50 mg/kg) on this behavior were evaluated in terms of numbers of total responses, reinforced responses (successful releases), anticipatory responses, and extended responses (holding too long). Significant dose-dependent decreases in total responses and in reinforced responses were seen as supporting the hypothesis of a deficit in response initiation, which is often invoked to account for neuroleptic-induced reductions in discriminated active avoidance. Pimozide also increased the proportion of extended responses, suggesting that the drug affected the nature of responding as well as the tendency to respond. In the DLR task, pimozide produced substantial within-session decrements in both total responses and number of reinforced responses; however, extended responses exhibited within-session increases at the lowest dose. The results were discussed from both behavioral and pharmacological perspectives. The former emphasized motor effects and response initiation deficits, while the latter jointly considered neuronal responses to neuroleptic challenge and the dopamine release that results from behavioral activity itself.
AE EDITORIAL ESSAY: Time Tight, Learning Unattainable

F. Scott Fitzgerald once remarked that only a great mind could hold two opposite ideas at the same time. The purpose of this essay is to expose such a tension, and then to propose a way to reconcil...
Habituation of two response systems in the lizard,Anolis carolinensis

These experiments investigated habituation of two responses in the lizardAnolis carolinensis. In Experiment 1, intertrial intervals (ITI) of 5, 30, and 120 sec had various effects on habituation of dewlap distension and optokinetic response (OKR). Although there were no size differences noted for the OKR, smaller anoles (50–58 mm snout-vent length, SVL) failed to habituate under the 30- and 120-sec ITI of the dewlap response, while larger anoles (⩾ 59-mm SVL) habituated under each ITI tested, with no response level differences between ITIs. Rates of habituation were similar within and across responses. In a second experiment, larger anoles were employed to study recovery and retention of dewlap distension and OKR habituation after 15-min and 24-h intervals. Complete recovery of both responses occurred in 24 h, with substantial recovery of both responses after 15 min. Retention was present for both responses after 15 min but not after 24 h. A multiple response-system approach is offered as a promising method for research and theories in habituation. Rather than concentrating upon a single response in one or more species, a multiple response-system approach examines similarities and differences in the habituation of various responses within a single species.
RATES OF PROTEIN SYNTHESIS, AMINO ACID CATABOLISM AND SIZE OF NITROGEN POOL DURING NITROGEN STORAGE INDUCED WITH TESTOSTERONE PROPIONATE, AND TESTOSTERONE PROPIONATE COMBINED WITH GROWTH HORMONE

In the human, normal growth appears to occur in two phases: prepuberal growth, hypothesized as being entirely referable to pituitary growth hormone, and puberal growth referable to steroid growth promoting factors from the gonads and the adrenal cortex (Kinsell et at., 1948). Nitrogen retention and protein anabolic effects of testosterone and its derivatives, methyltestosterone and particularly testosterone propionate have received considerable attention, and, although much factual information has been obtained (Kochakian, 1946, 1950), elucidation of the mechanism of these effects is still awaited. Technical procedures and mathematical treatment developed by Sprinson and’Rittenberg (1949) and Hoberman (1949–50) for assessing protein and amino acid metabolism in terms of rates of protein synthesis, amino acid catabolism, and size of the nitrogen pool have been utilized in characterizing and quantitating the over-all mechanisms involved in nitrogen storage induced in the adult female dog with anterior pitui...
Odorant receptors instruct functional circuitry in the mouse olfactory bulb

The mammalian olfactory system detects and discriminates thousands of odorants using many different receptors expressed by sensory neurons in the nasal epithelium1. Axonal projections from these neurons to the main olfactory bulbs form reproducible patterns of glomeruli in two widely separated regions of each bulb, creating two mirror-symmetric maps of odorant receptor projections2. To investigate whether odorant receptors organize neural circuitry in the olfactory bulb, we have examined a genetically modified mouse line, rI7 → M71, in which a functionally characterized receptor, rI73,4, has been substituted into the M71 receptor locus5. Here we show that despite their ectopic location the resulting glomeruli are responsive to known ligands of the rI7 receptor, attract postsynaptic innervation by mitral/tufted cell dendrites, and endow these cells with responses that are characteristic of the rI7 receptor. External tufted cells receiving input from rI7 → M71 glomeruli form precise intrabulbar projections that link medial and lateral rI7 → M71 glomeruli anatomically, thus providing a substrate for coordinating isofunctional glomeruli. We conclude that odorant receptor identity in epithelial neurons determines not only glomerular convergence and function, but also functional circuitry in the olfactory bulb.
The Environmental Price Tag on a Ton of Mountaintop Removal Coal

While several thousand square kilometers of land area have been subject to surface mining in the Central Appalachians, no reliable estimate exists for how much coal is produced per unit landscape disturbance. We provide this estimate using regional satellite-derived mine delineations and historical county-level coal production data for the period 1985–2005, and further relate the aerial extent of mining disturbance to stream impairment and loss of ecosystem carbon sequestration potential. To meet current US coal demands, an area the size of Washington DC would need to be mined every 81 days. A one-year supply of coal would result in ∼2,300 km of stream impairment and a loss of ecosystem carbon sequestration capacity comparable to the global warming potential of >33,000 US homes. For the first time, the environmental impacts of surface coal mining can be directly scaled with coal production rates.
Modeling expressive 3D caricatures

The concepts of abstraction, simplification and exaggeration, which are very common in traditional art and caricature, can directly be applied to the 3D modeling process. Therefore, the development of methods to teach these concepts is essential for 3D computer art and design education. In this work, we present an educational method to teach students these artistic concepts by modeling expressive 3D caricatures. This method has been successfully used in a geometric modeling course that combines artistic and scientific aspects of 3D modeling. Using the method, all the students, regardless of their artistic abilities, can create convincing 3D caricatures.
Minimizing the effect of trends on detrended fluctuation analysis of long-range correlated noise

Abstract Detrended fluctuation analysis (DFA) has been proposed as a robust technique to determine possible long-range correlations in power-law processes (Phys. Rev. E 49 (1994) 1685–1989). However, recent studies have reported the susceptibility of DFA to trends [(Phys. Rev. E 64 (2001) 011114–011133)] which give rise to spurious crossovers and prevent reliable estimation of the scaling exponents. Inspired by these reports, we propose a technique based on singular-value decomposition (SVD) of the trajectory matrix to minimize the effect of linear, power-law, periodic and also quasi-periodic trends superimposed on long-range correlated power-law noise. The effectiveness of the technique is demonstrated on publicly available data sets [(Phys. Rev. E 64 (2001) 011114–011133)].
Identification and Quantification of Organic Solvents in Flammable Hazardous Wastes by GC/FT-IR:

A wide variety of organic solvents within flammable hazardous wastes were determined by GC/FT-IR using external calibration. The hazardous waste samples were prepared for analysis by dilution with hexane. The type of compounds analyzed included acetate esters, alcohols, aromatics, ethylene glycol ethers, chlorinated hydrocarbons, ketones, and other industrial solvents. The instrumental detection limits for the various compounds ranged from 4 to 240 μg/mL. Calibration curves were linear over one to two orders of magnitude and stable for several months. The percent relative standard deviation ranged from 0.9 to 10.0% and the percent bias was within ±23% for all analytes.
Numerically regular hereditary classes of combinatorial geometries

A hereditary class ℋ of combinatorial geometries (or simple matroids) is a collection of geometries closed under minors and direct sums. A geometry G in ℋ is extremal if no proper extension of G of the same rank is in ℋ. The size function h(n) of ℋ is defined by h(n)=max {|G|: G∈ℋ and rank(G)=n}, where |G| is the number of points in G. A hereditary class is numerically regular if for every extremal geometry G in ℋ, |G|=h (rank(G)). We determine all the numerically regular hereditary classes for which the set {h(n)−h(n−1): 1≤n<∞} of positive integers does not have an upper bound: they are all varieties. We also give several examples of numerically regular hereditary classes which are not varieties.
The Patient-Centered Medical Home: Unprecedented Workforce Growth Potential for Professional Psychology

Changes in the health care system and a renewed focus on patient-centered medical homes, which integrate behavioral health services into primary care, present professional psychologists with unprecedented workforce and growth opportunities. However, the profession must act immediately to take full advantage of these emerging opportunities. Although many conceptualize integrated primary care as including mental health services in primary care, in practice, the role of the primary care behavioral professional extends far beyond mental health concerns. The authors suggest two key domains of action: First, in order to serve optimally as behavioral health professionals and leaders in primary care, psychologists must receive training in clinical health psychology. Second, psychologists need to increase knowledge and skills in the conduct of translational research in “real-world” clinical settings. The discussion centers on delineating the imperatives the profession must address and offers general suggestions for possible approaches, which ideally will form the basis for specific models of professional preparation. What is abundantly clear is that, as the face of health care changes, professional psychology must respond swiftly and appropriately not only to remain viable, but to thrive.
Does Government Oversight Improve Access to Nursing Home Care? Longitudinal Evidence From US Counties

Gains in life expectancy around the world have increasingly placed pressure on governments to ensure that the elderly receive assistance with activities of daily living. This research examines the impact of government oversight of Medicaid payment policies on access to nursing home care services in the United States. Variation in price levels induced by a federal policy shift in 1997 is used to identify the effect of Medicaid reimbursements on the number of nursing homes and beds available. Court rulings prior to the policy change are used to categorically define a range of oversight treatments at the state level. Difference-in-differences estimates indicate a significant decline in access to nursing home care services for individuals living in states in which courts consistently ruled that Medicaid reimbursements did not meet the minimum standard implied by federal law. The findings suggest that nursing home care services were made more accessible through a combination of legislative and judicial oversight of Medicaid payment policies.
Sympathetic Fiber Sprouting in Chronically Compressed Dorsal Root Ganglia Without Peripheral Axotomy

AbstractSympathetic axonal sprouting in axotomized dorsal root ganglia (DRG) has been shown to be a major phenomenon implicated in neuropathic pain. However, it is not known whether sympathetic sprouting can occur in pathologic ganglia without peripheral axotomy. We thus examined presence and density of sympathetic axonal sprouting within DRG of rats subjected to a persistent compressive injury by inserting a stainless steel metal rod into L4 and L5 lumbar intervertebral foramen. Sympathetic axons were identified by immunohistochemical staining with anti-tyrosine hydroxylase antibodies. Results indicate that progressive increase in sympathetic axonal sprouting occurred in the bilateral DRGs between postoperative days 2 and 28. The sympathetic fiber density was greater on the lesion side than the contralateral side. In conclusion, chronic compressive injury of the DRG results in sympathetic sprouting in the non-axotomized ganglion and may partially contribute to the development and maintenance of certain p...
Assessment and Diagnosis of Renal Dysfunction in the ICU

Identifying patients with impaired renal function is crucial in the setting of critical illness. Serum creatinine serves as the gold standard for assessing steady-state renal function, helping to define those with chronic kidney disease (CKD). Although these baseline creatinine values are often not available in the setting of critical illness, CKD, whether defined by serum creatinine or proteinuria, increases the risk of developing acute kidney injury (AKI). Despite delays in elevations following renal insults, serum creatinine remains the standard for assessing acute changes in renal function. Standardized definitions of AKI, using changes in serum creatinine and urine output, have informed the epidemiology of ICU-acquired AKI and have helped define the long-term outcomes in patients who experience AKI. A complex cyclical interplay exists between AKI and CKD, in which CKD predisposes patients to an increased risk of AKI, whereas those with AKI, regardless of baseline renal function, are more likely to suffer from post-AKI CKD. The clarification of the AKI-CKD dynamic remains a work in progress and will be aided by the implementation of novel measures of renal function. Several novel biomarkers of renal function have been proposed to augment serum creatinine in the diagnosis of AKI and CKD. These biomarkers, taken with recent clinical investigations, have laid the groundwork for the impending paradigm shift in risk stratifying and in diagnosing changes in renal function in the ICU.
Adfluvial Life History in Spring Chinook Salmon from Quartzville Creek, Oregon

AbstractThrough spawning ground and snorkel surveys, we confirmed the presence of adfluvial spring Chinook Salmon Oncorhynchus tshawytscha in a tributary upstream from a high-head dam in the upper Willamette River in northwest Oregon. Spring Chinook Salmon previously had been extirpated above the dam but juvenile hatchery fish were released in the reservoir in subsequent years. In 2012, we recovered six carcasses of adfluvial Chinook Salmon adults, identified nine live adults, and recorded nine redds. Analyses of scales from carcasses revealed those fish were ages 5–6. Otolith microchemistry from an unmarked adult female Chinook Salmon did not indicate ocean residence, and no hatchery thermal marks were observed, suggesting this fish was the progeny of adfluvial adults. In 2013, we observed one live, unclipped adult and three juvenile Chinook Salmon. We conclude that adfluvial spring Chinook Salmon exist in Green Peter Reservoir and successfully reproduce. This is the first documentation of adfluvial Chin...
Chronic ethanol intake reduces the flux through liver branched-chain keto-acid dehydrogenase☆

Chronic ethanol intake selectively increases concentrations of branched-chain amino acids (BCAA) in the liver. To determine whether a reduced oxidation plays a role in this effect, we measured substrate flux through branched-chain keto-acid (BCKA) dehydrogenase in livers of rats pair-fed liquid diets containing either 0% or 36% of total calories as ethanol for 21 days. Substrate (1.0 mmol/L ketoisocaproate [KIC]) fluxes in the liver of ethanol-fed and control rats were 225 +/- 18 and 319 +/- 27 mumol/h per whole liver (P < .05), respectively. We then studied whether this effect was due to either ethanol or the products of its metabolism, or to an alteration in the activity of BCKA dehydrogenase. Addition of ethanol (25 to 200 mmol/L) to the perfusion medium had no significant effect on the flux through BCKA dehydrogenase in the liver of control rats. Ethanol-fed rats had lower (P < .01) basal activity (0.84 +/- 0.11 v 1.39 +/- 0.12 U/g liver) and total activity (0.94 +/- 0.11 v 1.42 +/- 0.11 U/g liver) than control rats, but a similar activity state (90% +/- 4% v 99% +/- 4%) of BCKA dehydrogenase. In conclusion, chronic ethanol intake reduces the flux through liver BCKA dehydrogenase by decreasing the basal and total activity of BCKA dehydrogenase and not increasing the conversion of the enzyme to its inactive form.
Application and Comparison of Shallow Seismic Methods in the Study of an Alluvial Aquifer

Seismic refraction, common-offset, and common-depth-point methods were applied to an area on the flood-plain of the Platte River in east-central Nebraska to map the configuration of the bedrock surface, determine the thickness of the alluvial overburden, and define the hydrostratigraphy of the aquifer. Refraction results indicate a complex channelized bedrock surface that ranges in depth from 15 m to 40 m. At most stations, seismic velocities determined for the bedrock could be used to distinguish between rocks of the Dakota Group and Pennsylvanian-age limestones and shales. Bedrock is overlain by alluvium with velocities typical of saturated sediments. A near-surface clay unit was identified at a few refraction stations. Seismic velocities measured for the saturated sediments were used, in conjunction with an empirical relationship between velocity and bulk density, to obtain an estimate of 0.25 to 0.43 for the bulk porosity of the aquifer. A comparison of survey results shows that depths to bedrock obtained from the three methods are in good agreement where coincident measurements were made. The comparison also shows that the relief along the bedrock surface is defined in greater detail using reflection techniques, particularly the common-depth-point method. The shallow limit of investigation for the common-offset method, at least for the field conditions present in the lower Platte Valley, is about 15 m, or one-half of the limit previously considered by other workers.
A probabilistic filter for eliminating temporal noise in time-varying image sequences

The probabilistic filter is a general form that accommodates several types of filters to achieve very good filtering results. Several variations of this filter have been implemented and tested. A fuzzy classification based on the local spatio-temporal characteristics of the image sequence is used to design a probabilistic filter. Motion compensation is used in this filter to effectively remove the noise and preserve motion. The probabilistic filter has proven to be very effective in removing temporal noise in video-image sequences, and increasing the signal-to-noise ratio by 1-3.5 dB. It effectively reduces the noise in the stationary and nonstationary areas without blurring the edges or the spatial details of the image. Where motion compensation fails, the filter reconfigures itself to avoid blurring the edges of the moving objects. >
Unexpected Cause of Anemia in a 45-Year-Old Patient With Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia

Patient: A 45-year-old Caucasian female Chief Complaint: The patient reports feeling light-headed, fatigued, and short of breath with exertion. History of Present Illness: The patient was recently diagnosed with precursor B-cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) and is now 4 weeks status post induction chemotherapy. Her original therapeutic course included prednisone, asparaginase, vincristine, and daunorubicin. She returned for a bone marrow evaluation prior to consolidation therapy. Prior to discharge the patient was prescribed Dapsone for Pneumocystis carinii pneumonia (PCP) prophylaxis, as previously documented intolerance prevented trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole therapy. Her glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase (G6PD) level prior to chemotherapy initiation was normal. Several days prior to this scheduled visit, the patient felt light-headed, fatigued, and noted progressive shortness of breath with exertion. Subsequently, a complete blood count at her primary physician’s office showed a hemoglobin (HGB) of 8.5g/dL (normal: 12–16g/dL), and she was transfused 2 units of compatible RBCs. She denies fevers, chills, and night sweats. Past Medical History: As above, otherwise not contributory. Family History: Not contributory. Vital signs: Temperature 37.7°C; blood pressure 103/68 mm Hg; heart rate 106 bpm. The patient did not have scleral icterus or other evidence of jaundice. No rashes, ecchymosis, or petechiae were identified. The patient did not have cervical, supraclavicular, or axillary lymphadenopathy. Her abdomen was soft, non-tender, non-distended, with no evidence of hepatosplenomegaly or palpable masses. Additional Laboratory Tests: Peripheral blood smear (Image 1). Principle Laboratory Findings : Table 1. 1. What are the patient’s most striking clinical and laboratory findings? 2. What are the most likely causes of this patient’s laboratory findings and underlying pathophysiology of this patient’s condition? 3. What additional diagnostic procedure may help clarify these findings? 4. What is the patient’s most likely diagnosis? 5. How should this patient be treated? 1. Clinically, the most striking finding in this patient with a recent diagnosis of precursor …
Anxiety Sensitivity As a Prospective Predictor of Alcohol Use Disorders

Emerging evidence suggests that elevated anxiety sensitivity (AS) is associated with substance use disorders. However, prospective evidence regarding this association is currently lacking. The primary aim of the present study was to determine whether AS is involved in the pathogenesis of substance-related psychopathology. A large, nonclinical sample of young adults (N = 404) was prospectively followed for approximately 2 years. AS (i.e., 16-item Anxiety Sensitivity Index total scores) at study entry and gender served as the primary predictor variables. Findings indicated that AS was uniquely associated with the later development of alcohol use disorder diagnoses. Data indicated that gender and AS did not act synergistically to predict alcohol use disorders. These data provide novel evidence for the unique effects of AS as a prospective risk factor in the development of alcohol-related disorders.
An Interactive Virtual Environment for Teaching "Triangulations and Coordinates Calculations" to Surveying Students

This paper presents ongoing research aimed at improving surveying education through the use of virtual environments. Teaching surveying presents several challenges such as low student competence in mathematics, geometry and trigonometry, limited student access to instruments, limited availability of terrains on which to practice, dependency on weather conditions, and more. Prior research suggests that surveying education can be significantly improved with the use of digital teaching aids and virtual instruments. The goal of the work reported in the paper is to enhance traditional surveying instruction methods with a unique approach: an interactive Virtual Learning Environment (VLE) that supports students' mathematical representational fluency and includes realistic virtual terrains and surveying instruments that look, operate, and produce results comparable to the physical ones. The VLE is aimed at undergraduate students enrolled in Civil Engineering, Architecture and Building Construction Management programs and includes 5 educational modules, in this paper we describe the design, development and initial evaluation of the "Triangulations and Coordinates Calculations" module.
Cholesterol-Lowering Drugs and Colorectal Cancer Incidence in a Large United States Cohort

3-hydroxy-3-methylglutaryl coenzyme A reductase inhibitors, commonly known as statins, account for most cholesterol-lowering drug use in the United States. A recent large case-control study reported that use of statins for more than 5 years was associated with a 47% reduction in risk of colorectal cancer. No other large studies have examined this association. We examined the association between use of cholesterol-lowering drugs and colorectal cancer incidence among 132,136 men and women in the Cancer Prevention Study II Nutrition Cohort. We identified 815 incident cases of colorectal cancer among study participants during follow-up from the date of completion of a study questionnaire in 1997 through August 31, 2001. Current use of cholesterol-lowering drugs was not associated with colorectal cancer incidence (multivariable adjusted rate ratio [RR] = 1.03, 95% confidence interval [CI] = 0.85 to 1.26). Current use of cholesterol-lowering drugs for 5 years or more was also not associated with colorectal cancer incidence (multivariable adjusted RR = 1.09, 95% CI = 0.83 to 1.43). Our results do not support the hypothesis that statin use strongly reduces risk of colorectal cancer. However, we cannot rule out a small reduction in risk or an effect associated with only specific types or doses of statins.
Nitric oxide dependency of arterial pressure-induced changes in renal interstitial hydrostatic pressure in dogs.

Abstract—A direct relationship between renal arterial pressure (RAP) and renal interstitial hydrostatic pressure (RIHP) has been shown under conditions of efficient renal blood flow autoregulation. Experiments were performed in six anesthetized dogs to evaluate whether these RIHP responses to changes in RAP were modified during nitric oxide (NO) inhibition with nitro-l-arginine (NLA) or after administration of NO donor agents. A microtip catheter transducer was placed underneath the renal capsule to measure RIHP. Stepwise reductions in RAP (140 to 80 mm Hg) during control conditions resulted in decreases in RIHP from its basal value of 4.7±1.1 mm Hg with a slope of 0.04±0.026 mm Hg · mm Hg−1 along with decreases in urinary nitrate/nitrite excretion rate (UNOxV). Renal cortical and medullary blood flows, measured by laser-Doppler flowmetry, exhibited high autoregulatory efficiency over this RAP range. The changes in RIHP during alterations in RAP were positively correlated (r=0.743; P<0.001) with the chang...
Influence of arsenate and arsenite on signal transduction pathways: an update

Arsenic has been a recognized contaminant and toxicant, as well as a medicinal compound throughout human history. Populations throughout the world are exposed to arsenic and these exposures have been associated with a number of human cancers. Not much is known about the role of arsenic as a human carcinogen and more recently its role in non-cancerous diseases, such as cardiovascular disease, hypertension and diabetes mellitus have been uncovered. The health effects associated with arsenic are numerous and the association between arsenic exposure and human disease has intensified the search for molecular mechanisms that describe the biological activity of arsenic in humans and leads to the aforementioned disease states. Arsenic poses a human health risk due in part to the regulation of cellular signal transduction pathways and over the last few decades, some cellular mechanisms that account for arsenic toxicity, as well as, signal transduction pathways have been discovered. However, given the ubiquitous nature of arsenic in the environment, making sense of all the data remains a challenge. This review will focus on our knowledge of signal transduction pathways that are regulated by arsenic.
Ceramic Eutectic Composites

Methods of growing ceramic eutectics are reviewed. The basic microstructure of the obtained oxide eutectics can be generalized from the relative interfacial area/unit volume and the volume fraction of the minor phase for the fibrous and lamellar ideals. Crystallographic investigation of oxide eutectics show the interfacial planes and solidification directions are all low Miller indices regardless of the crystal structures of the phases. The orientation relations of directionally solidified oxid eutectics appear to result from two factors: (i) the minimization of the lattice misfit and strain (ii) the ionic charge balance at the interface between two phases. The oxide eutectics without colony boundaries can be expected to possess superior mechanical properties. The lamellar ZrC-ZrB2 ZrC-TiB2, and SiC-B4C eutectics were directionally solidified. All of the investigated carbide-boride eutectics exhibit superior mechanical properties when compared with the individual constituents.
Observation of Fermi-energy dependent unitary impurity resonances in a strong topological insulator Bi2Se3 with scanning tunneling spectroscopy

Scanning tunneling spectroscopic studies of Bi_2Se_3 epitaxial films on Si (111) substrates reveal highly localized unitary impurity resonances associated with non-magnetic quantum impurities. The strength of the resonances depends on the energy difference between the Fermi level (E_F) and the Dirac point (E_D) and diverges as E_F approaches E_D. The Dirac-cone surface state of the host recovers within ~ 2A spatial distance from impurities, suggesting robust topological protection of the surface state of topological insulators against high-density impurities that preserve time reversal symmetry.
Functional analysis of SleC from Clostridium difficile: an essential lytic transglycosylase involved in spore germination.

Clostridium difficile is the most common cause of enteric disease and presents a major burden on healthcare systems globally due in part to the observed rapid rise in antibiotic resistance. The ability of C. difficile to form endospores is a key feature in the organism’s pathogenesis and transmission, and contributes greatly to its resilient nature. Endospores are highly resistant to disinfection, allowing them to persist on hospital surfaces. In order for the organism to cause disease, the spores must germinate and revert to a vegetative form. While spore germination in Bacillus spp. is well understood, very little is known about this process in Clostridia. Here we report the characterization of SleC (CD0551) from C. difficile 630. Bioinformatic analysis of SleC indicated a multi-domained protein possessing a peptidoglycan-binding (PGB) domain, a SpoIID/LytB domain and an undefined N-terminal region. We have confirmed that SleC is an exo-acting lytic transglycosylase with the catalytic activity localized to the N-terminal region. Additionally, we have shown that both the N-terminal catalytic domain and the C-terminal PGB domain require muramyl-δ-lactam for substrate binding. As with carbohydrate-binding modules from cellulases and xylanases, the PGB domain may be responsible for increasing the processivity of SleC by concentrating the enzyme at the surface of the substrate.
The Walking Wounded: Employees’Perspectives on Mergers and Acquisitions*

Several popular and academic works have reiterated Marx's concern over the issue of social class polarization in capitalist societies. Marx characterized this polarization as the increasing concentration of wealth and poverty in the upper and lower classes, respectively, coupled with a disappearing middle class. Building on these ideas, other work suggests a process of fragmented polarization with an increasing economic, political, social and psychological diversity within each social class. This paper illustrates this process of class fragmentation and shows that even though the upper class is gaining overall, there are segments which are beginning to feel the effects of economic restructuring. The author addresses corporate restructuring in the form of mergers and acquisitions and how upper - and - middle managers perceive these processes and outcomes. He conducted 33 interviews with individuals from different organizational levels, involved in four different mergers or acquisitions. He focuses on the meaning these individuals attribute to these processes and changes. Although most respondents remained with the new company, all were faced with major changes in their work environment. Respondents often experienced a breach of social contract, a dramatically altered perception of managerial control and decision making, a shift from corporate loyalty to self-interest, and new forms of power and resistance. He concludes by discussing the implications of such class fragmentation, and suggest directions for future research and policy
Dynamic and Debye shielding and anti-shielding in magnetized, collisionless plasmas

Summary form only given, as follows. Collisionless shielding in one dimensional (highly magnetized) plasmas is paradoxical. The insertion of a positive test charge into such a plasma locally accelerates the plasma electrons causing them to move faster in the vicinity of the test charge. Since flux conservation requires that faster moving electrons have lower density, the density of the negatively charged electrons will decrease around the test charge. The plasma anti-shields the test charge; instead of decreasing the net positive charge near the test particle, the plasma will increase the net charge. This phenomena has been sporadically recognized in the literature, but, to our knowledge, has never before been observed. While we observe anti-shielding in a pure electron plasma when we employ unusual initial conditions, more commonly we observe the converse-shielding. We show that this shielding results from the presence of electrons trapped in the potential well of the test charge. While several different mechanisms are observed to trap electrons, an ubiquitous, fast acting, transit-time mechanism always traps electrons when the test charge is introduced adiabatically. That one dimensional (1-d), collisionless shielding requires trapping does not appear to have been previously recognized and the explanation of shielding given in many textbooks and papers is incorrect or incomplete. Because the trapping results from dynamical processes, we call the resulting shielding "dynamic" shielding. Both the observed and calculated magnitude of dynamic shielding can be significantly smaller than Debye shielding; eventually collisions transform the dynamic shielding to Debye shielding.
Load Balancing of Parallel Simulated Annealing on a Temporally Heterogeneous Cluster of Workstations

Simulated annealing (SA) is a general-purpose optimization technique widely used in various combinatorial optimization problems. However, the main drawback of this technique is a long computation time required to obtain a good quality of solution. Clusters have emerged as a feasible and popular platform for parallel computing in many applications. Computing nodes on many of the clusters available today are temporally heterogeneous. In this study, multiple Markov chain (MMC) parallel simulated annealing (PSA) algorithms have been implemented on a temporally heterogeneous cluster of workstations to solve the graph partitioning problem and their performance has been analyzed in detail. Temporal heterogeneity of a cluster of workstations is harnessed by employing static and dynamic load balancing techniques to further improve efficiency and scalability of the MMC PSA algorithms.
A Case Study of Trough Merger In Split Westerly Flow

Abstract Trough merger, defined as the amalgamation of two separate vorticity centers in distinct branches of westerlies into one coherent vorticity center, is studied for a case In November 1980. The analysis approach takes advantage of the failure of the operational Limited-Area Fine-Mesh Model (LFM) to simulate the mow process. A diagnostic analysis of the observed and forecast vorticity and thermodynamic structure is used to help isolate physical processes occurring during trough merger. During the period 17–19 November 1980 major cyclogenesis occurred along the coast of North America as a deepening 500 mb trough in the northern branch of the westerlies merged with a weaker trough in the southern branch of the westerlies. Cyclonic vorticity in the middle troposphere ahead of the northern trough was generated by: 1) horizontal convergence in the lower and middle troposphere and the upward advection of this vorticity and, 2) horizontal advection in the middle and upper troposphere. Frontogenesis along t...
The 'Too Intoxicated' Defense – Measuring All Criminal Defendants by the Same Judicial Standard

In select jurisdictions, a criminal defendant who voluntarily becomes intoxicated before the commission of a crime may negate an element of the offense and receive a modified jury instruction, including charges of lesser included offenses. These modified instructions alleviate the severity of the defendant’s actions and essentially pardon his criminal conduct. This standard is unacceptable; a system of government that tolerates this type of behavior promotes criminal conduct by embracing voluntary intoxication as an acceptable defense. This message opposes the morals and beliefs upheld by our society and as such, the voluntary intoxication defense should be abolished. Eliminating the intoxication defense would reinforce the standards of fairness and justice supported by our community; it would increase judicial uniformity in the courts, improve judicial efficiency of legal resources, simplify confusing jury instructions and yield numerous societal benefits. Because of its volitional nature, intoxication should be measured by the same judicial standard as that of sobriety, regardless of the mental state of the defendant during the commission of a crime. For these reasons, voluntary intoxication should not be an available defense to excuse or mitigate the criminal behavior of a guilty defendant.
Re-representation: Affordances of Shared Models in Team-Based Design

The use of media within the process of designing new products has not been directed by rigorous research findings. In this chapter a media-model framework is discussed, which categorizes media according to levels of resolution and abstraction. This framework can be used to assess characteristics of various models and as a general guide for discerning differences between media types. Designers can utilize the media-model framework to make informed judgments about appropriate prototyping and modeling approaches within various stages of the design process. New research in the application of media-models to Business Process Modeling (BPM), which traditionally employs electronic media (in the form of complex computer-generated flow-charts) aids in the generation of Business Process Models. This research has resulted in the development of an innovative modeling tool, called Tangible Business Process Modeling, or TBPM.
Testimony Before the Committee on the Budget of the United States Senate, Hearing on 'Moving Toward a Stronger Economy with a Regulatory Budget'

Chairman Enzi, Ranking Member Sanders, and Members of the Committee, thank you for inviting me here today to share with you my concerns about regulatory budgeting and to explain why I think this strategy could hurt everyday Americans while producing no benefit to the overall economy. As a former official at the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), I’m very proud of the professionalism and resourcefulness of America’s regulatory agencies. And, as a law professor, I know that our regulatory system can be much improved. But rather than focusing on artificially imposed caps, I think we would do better by instead providing executive agencies with the tools and resources they need to write the smartest, most effective rules possible. Agency resources should, of course, enable policy makers to identify deficient rules already on the books and to fix or remove them. (And, in fact, periodic retrospective review, is already required of most agencies.) But a regulatory budget — whose fixation is quantity, not quality — will not lead to smarter regulations, a stronger economy, or a healthier and more secure citizenry. It will stand against those those things, making the concept, however well-intended, ultimately counter-productive.
An Investigation of Fluidized Bed Combustion By-Products from Four Iowa Power Plants

Fluidized bed combustion (FBC) residues from four Iowa power plants were characterized to provide background with respect to chemical, physical, mineralogical and microstructural parameters that might affect their utilization potential. Methodologies used include: bulk chemical analysis; grain size analysis; specific gravity determination; mineralogical analysis by x-ray diffraction; scanning electron microscopy; and thermal analysis. p]Chemical analysis of the major components showed the separation of the constituents during combustion. The bottom ash is derived from the calcined and partly sulfated limestone, thus the concentration of calcium and sulfur compounds is greater. The fly ash however is derived mostly from the coal and therefore exhibits higher concentrations of coal ash components such as silica (SiO2), alumina (Al2O3), and ferric oxide (Fe2O3). The alkalis appear to be more concentrated in the fly ash. p]The measured particle size distributions of the bulk samples varied greatly, from extremely coarse (mean particle size ∼2000 µm) to fine (mean particle size ∼25 µm). The size distributions also varied in breadth. Specific gravities values recorded ranged from about 2.65 to about 3.05. p]X-ray diffraction analyses showed that most of the FBC by-products contain, as easily detectable crystalline components, only quartz, anhydrite and lime, and as is to be expected due to the low combustion temperatures, do not show broad peaks characteristic of glass in conventional fly ashes. Scanning electron microscopy revealed the FBC by-products to be extremely intricate mixtures of particles of complex and variable composition and internal structure. p]FBC by-products are shown to be extremely complex mixtures of particles of variable composition and internal structure. However, despite their local variation, useful results can be obtained by overall chemical and physico-chemical analyses of their composition. The exploitable properties of FBC residue include the somewhat cementitious nature and the granularity. However, their heterogeneous nature, lack of pozzolanic properties, and elevated sulfate content may limit their uses, especially in construction.
Organized Labor and Los Angeles City Politics An Assessment in the Bradley Years, 1973-1989

African-American voters, Westside Jewish liberals, corporate downtown interests, and organized labor have formed the Mayor Tom Bradley coalition in the city of Los Angeles from 1973 through 1989. Although widespread attention has been given the other coalition sectors, little attention has been given to the relationship between Bradley and the city's trade-union movement. A major contention in this article is that discussions and analyses of Bradley and the city's politics from 1973 through 1989 have been incomplete because they have ignored labor as an influential coalition partner and player.