cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
A fully coupled, transient double-diffusive convective model for salt-gradient solar ponds

A fully coupled two-dimensional, numerical model that evaluates, for the first time, the effects of double-diffusive convection in the thermal performance and stability of a salt-gradient solar pond is presented. The inclusion of circulation in the upper and lower convective zone clearly shows that erosion of the non-convective zone occurs. Model results show that in a two-week period, the temperature in the bottom of the solar pond increased from 20 °C to approximately 52 °C and, even though the insulating layer is being eroded by double-diffusive convection, the solar pond remained stable. Results from previous models that neglect the effect of double-diffusive convection are shown to over-estimate the temperatures in the bottom of the solar pond. Incorporation of convective mixing is shown to have profound impacts on the overall stability of a solar pond, and demonstrates the need to actively manage the mixing and heat transfer to maintain stability and an insulating non-convective zone.
Dynamic Path Synthesis and Optimal Control

Dynamic Path Synthesis refers to a class of linkage synthesis problems in which constraint paths between specified positions are determined in such a way as to optimize some measure of the resulting dynamic behavior. These problems can be transformed into nonlinear optimal control problems which are generally non-autonomous. The physical nature of the system allows general comments to be made regarding uniqueness, controllability, and singular control. The ideas are developed in the context of a two-link device yielding a fourth order non-linear control problem, for which a numerical example is presented.
Heterogeneity of Barrier Function in the Lung Reflects Diversity in Endothelial Cell Junctions

Endothelial cells assemble unique barriers that confer specific permeability requirements at different vascular segments. We examined lung microvascular and artery endothelial cells to gain insight into mechanisms for segment-specific barrier functions. Transendothelial electrical resistance was significantly higher in microvascular barriers, and a 50% reduction in barrier function required 5-fold higher concentration of cytochalasin D in the microvascular compared to the arterial barrier. Transcriptional profiling studies identified N-cadherin and activated leukocyte cell adhesion molecule (ALCAM) to be most highly expressed in microvascular than in pulmonary artery endothelial cells. ALCAM was detected in microvascular endothelial cells in the alveolar septum but not in endothelial cells in larger pulmonary vessels in situ. This pattern was retained in culture as ALCAM was recruited to cell junctions in pulmonary microvascular endothelial cells but remained predominantly cytosolic in pulmonary artery endothelial cells. Confocal analysis revealed ALCAM in the lateral plasma membrane domain where it co-localized with N- and VE-cadherin. This finding was supported by co-immunoprecipitation studies demonstrating the presence of ALCAM in multiple adherens junction protein complexes. These functional, biophysical and molecular findings suggest specialization of the adherens junction as a basis for a highly restrictive endothelial barrier to control fluid flux into the alveolar airspace.
Coordinated multi-streaming for 3D tele-immersion

This paper looks at the problem of multi-streaming in 3D tele-immersion and describes how a protocol architecture called CP (for Coordination Protocol) can be used to coordinate video frame transport between application clusters. CP provides application endpoints with information about current network conditions, and an open architecture for implementing application-specific coordination schemes. The scheme described in this paper apportions available bandwidth among flows such that frame transport synchrony, important for 3D reconstruction performance, is significantly enhanced.Results demonstrating the effectiveness of CP in increasing multi-stream coordination, while at the same time maintaining aggregate congestion responsiveness, are obtained from a FreeBSD/Linux implementation and a live experimental network. Results underscore the importance of consistency in network information across flows for realizing dramatic improvements in frame arrival synchrony.
Ratings and Applications of Power Thyristors for Resistance Welding

Guidelines are given for applying SCR's in resistance welding controls. The stresses the SCR's are subjected to in resistance welding applications due to the cyclic nature of the load are discussed from a device, design, and application point of view. In addition the special rating of SCR's and cooling requirements for cyclic duty are described along with techniques for protecting the devices from overvoltage, overcurrent, and loss of coolant. Gating requirements are outlined from a circuit view point.
Paramagnetic Relaxation and the Equilibrium of Lattice Oscillators

The present paper is rather negative in character. Its aim is to show that the conventional models of paramagnetic relaxation cannot be used at helium temperatures, because the lattice vibrations cannot possibly serve as a thermostat in the way ordinarily supposed. Namely, if the quanta exchanged between the spin system and the lattice oscillators are of the order 0.2 ${\mathrm{cm}}^{\ensuremath{-}1}$ characteristic of the usual Stark splittings in chrome or iron alum, the spins will be in thermal contact only with oscillators at the extreme low frequency end of the lattice spectrum which are too few in number to conduct away the surplus spin energy. It is found that this limited band of oscillators is interrupted much more frequently by interactions with the spins than by (a) collisions with the walls or (b) interplay with other oscillators due to anharmonic terms (calculated in the next paper). Consequently the lattice vibrations in thermal contact with the spin system will be at nearly the spin temperature, and not at that of the helium container as ordinarily supposed. Impurities with abnormally large Stark splittings, of the order 2.0 ${\mathrm{cm}}^{\ensuremath{-}1}$, would make a wider band of lattice oscillators available and so would avoid the difficulty of insufficient lattice conductivity, but it is very doubtful whether the impurities could be in thermal equilibrium with the great bulk of the paramagnetic ions. By thus showing that conventional hypotheses will not work, we aim to pave the way for a future paper proposing a rather unusual substitute conduction mechanism which is, however, compatible with the thermodynamic formulae of Casimir and du Pr\'e.
Psychological considerations for bariatric surgery among older adults.

Older adults are increasing in weight along with the rest of the United States population. Likewise, their rates of bariatric surgery have been on the rise with changes in insurance coverage, evidence of the safety of surgery, and importance of quality of life during older age. Unfortunately, limited research has addressed the unique experiences of older adults and there are no specific guidelines that provide an effective strategy for presurgical psychological evaluation of this group. Therefore, this review aims to address considerations for psychological evaluation of older adults by adapting the current guidelines available, within the framework of a “patient-centered” approach that emphasizes individual needs. Considerations reviewed include psychosocial (e.g., developmental stage, quality of life, level of stress, and coping ability) and cognitive concerns (e.g., capacity to give informed consent, realistic expectations, and adherence to permanent lifestyle change).
ON FLOW BARRIERS AND SWITCHABILITY IN DISCONTINUOUS DYNAMICAL SYSTEMS

In this paper, the theory of flow barriers in discontinuous dynamical systems is systematically presented as a new theory for the first time, which helps one rethink the existing theories of stability and control in dynamical systems. The concept of flow barriers in discontinuous dynamical systems is introduced, and the passability of a flow to the separation boundary with flow barriers is presented. Because the flow barriers exist on the separation boundary, the switchability of a flow to such a separation boundary is changed accordingly. The coming and leaving flow barriers in passable flows are discussed first, and the necessary and sufficient conditions for a flow to pass through the boundary with flow barrier are developed. Flow barriers for sink and source flows are also discussed. Once the sink flow is formed, the boundary flow will exist. When the boundary flow disappears from the boundary, the boundary flow barrier on the boundary may exist, which is independent of vector fields in the corresponding domains. Thus, the necessary and sufficient conditions for formations and vanishing of the boundary flow are developed. A periodically forced friction model is presented as an example for a better understanding of flow barrier existence in physical problems. The flow barrier theory presented in this paper may provide a theoretic base to further develop control theory and stability.
Associative Memory Design via Path Embedding into a Graph

A graph theoretical procedure for storing a set of n-dimensional binary vectors as asymptotically stable equilibrium points of a discrete Hopfield neural network is presented. The method gives an auto-associative memory which stores an arbitrary memory set completely. Spurious memories might occur only in a small neighborhood of the original memory vectors, so cause small errors.
Constructing the sidewalks: municipal government and the production of public space in Los Angeles, California, 1880–1920

Abstract The process of creating public spaces has been one of defining what constitutes public activities and how they can occur. This was as true for the sidewalks as for spaces such as the roadbed, parks and markets. The sidewalks in the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries were used for commercial, political and social activities. During this period, the Los Angeles municipal government and urban residents constructed hundreds of miles of sidewalks along with other street improvements. In response to differing claims to the sidewalks and varying interests in the purpose of the streets, the city began to emphasize pedestrian circulation and through its process, the pedestrian was defined as the public for which the sidewalks were provided. As sidewalks were legally defined as public ways, the more clearly and narrowly the notion of the public was construed, and fewer activities had guaranteed access. In this paper, we explore different types of claims to sidewalks in the late nineteenth and early twentieth century. We discuss sidewalk provision, abutters' use and responsibility, and the regulation of commercial and speech activities. The examination of municipal response to conflicting demands by property owners, merchants, political and charitable organizations, and other interested parties about sidewalk use helps us to better understand the process by which public space and public activities were defined.
Removal of an intrathoracic migrated fixation pin by thoracoscopy

Migration of orthopedic fixation pins into the thoracic cavity can result in perforation of pulmonary vasculature, aorta, bronchus, atrium, or ventricle. Prompt diagnosis and treatment is tantamount in preventing devastating consequences. A patient who had fixation of a right humeral fracture weeks later had intrathoracic migration of a fixation pin, found by routine postoperative radiographic examination. Because the patient was asymptomatic, we removed the pin with a thoracoscopic operation. The foreign body was retrieved successfully without intraoperative or postoperative complication.
Microcrystalline Keratin: From Feathers To Composite Products

Molecular order and morphological order are two characteristics of feather fiber that make it unique. The fiber is highly microcrystalline and is very durable, i.e., resistant to both mechanical and thermal stress. Feather structure at the microscopic level is a complicated mixture of straight and branched fibers held together by a central fiber to form specific macroscopic structures. The proper design of processes to incorporate feathers into composite products 1) preserves the fiber’s molecular properties and 2) alters its micro-/macroscopic morphology to conform to existing composite process requirements.
Alcohol, Ischemic Stroke, and Lessons From a Negative Study

As one reviews a study with a negative outcome, there may be a sense of the role of a medical examiner at an autopsy, particularly if the expectation was a positive result and the data were from the renowned Framingham Study. Was the cohort too small? Were assumptions or analyses of the study flawed? Or should the natural death of the null hypothesis be accepted, rather than merely not rejected? In their article, Djousse et al have found no overall association of alcohol consumption to ischemic stroke, although some preventive benefit was noted in the 60-to-69 age group.1 This was a novel but proficient analysis, and the latest of many observational studies that have addressed this question. A “J-shaped” curve of alcohol use compared with ischemic stroke risk has been demonstrated in at least 2 large prospective studies2,3⇓ and at least 2 case-control studies,4,5⇓ showing a positive benefit in moderate alcohol consumption in ischemic stroke prevention. Other studies have had negative results, particularly in Japanese cohorts, or have demonstrated the harm of excessive alcohol use, either chronically or as “binge” drinking. These studies have been very well reviewed by Camargo.6 There are difficulties measuring the exposure of alcohol, particularly with underreporting that occurs at higher levels of drinking. It is also difficult to control for the various confounders of alcohol exposure, including smoking, hypertension, age, and gender. Moreover, …
High quality rendering using the Talisman architecture

Currently graphics devices that offer both high performance and high quality interactive rendering have been priced at a level that places them out of the reach of the broad number of users that constitutes the massmarket. Because of the cost constraints placed on graphics devices designed for the massmarket, they often trade off image quality in order to get reasonable rendering rates with minimum use of hardware. This approach is not leading to a rapid adoption of true 3D graphics technology for the broadest number of users. The goal of the Talisman initiative is to make 3D graphics truly ubiquitous. This requires that both high performance and high quality interactive rendering be made available at mass-market price points. This means that trading off image quality, as a means to obtain high performance rendering is unacceptable. In this paper it will be shown that high quality rendering is a natural extension of the highperformance rendering architecture embodied in Talisman.
On the Evolutionary Stability of Mendelian Segregation

We present a model of a primary locus subject to viability selection and an unlinked locus that causes sex-specific modification of the segregation ratio at the primary locus. If there is a balanced polymorphism at the primary locus, a population undergoing Mendelian segregation can be invaded by modifier alleles that cause sex-specific biases in the segregation ratio. Even though this effect is particularly strong if reciprocal heterozygotes at the primary locus have distinct viabilities, as might occur with genomic imprinting, it also applies if reciprocal heterozygotes have equal viabilities. The expected outcome of the evolution of sex-specific segregation distorters is all-and-none segregation schemes in which one allele at the primary locus undergoes complete drive in spermatogenesis and the other allele undergoes complete drive in oogenesis. All-and-none segregation results in a population in which all individuals are maximally fit heterozygotes. Unlinked modifiers that alter the segregation ratio are unable to invade such a population. These results raise questions about the reasons for the ubiquity of Mendelian segregation.
Regularized Distance Metric Learning:Theory and Algorithm

In this paper, we examine the generalization error of regularized distance metric learning. We show that with appropriate constraints, the generalization error of regularized distance metric learning could be independent from the dimensionality, making it suitable for handling high dimensional data. In addition, we present an efficient online learning algorithm for regularized distance metric learning. Our empirical studies with data classification and face recognition show that the proposed algorithm is (i) effective for distance metric learning when compared to the state-of-the-art methods, and (ii) efficient and robust for high dimensional data.
Halofuginone Stimulates Adaptive Remodeling and Preserves Re-Endothelialization in Balloon-Injured Rat Carotid Arteries

Background—Three major processes, constrictive vessel remodeling, intimal hyperplasia (IH), and retarded re-endothelialization, contribute to restenosis after vascular reconstructions. Clinically used drugs inhibit IH but delay re-endothelialization and also cause constrictive remodeling. Here we have examined halofuginone, an herbal derivative, for its beneficial effects on vessel remodeling and differential inhibition of IH versus re-endothelialization. Methods and Results—Two weeks after perivascular application to balloon-injured rat common carotid arteries, halofuginone versus vehicle (n=6 animals) enlarged luminal area 2.14-fold by increasing vessel size (adaptive remodeling; 123%), reducing IH (74.3%) without inhibiting re-endothelialization. Consistent with its positive effect on vessel expansion, halofuginone reduced collagen type 1 (but not type 3) production in injured arteries as well as that from adventitial fibroblasts in vitro. In support of its differential effects on IH versus re-endothel...
The Effect of Salt Stoichiometry on Protein−Salt Interactions Determined by Ternary Diffusion in Aqueous Solutions

We report the four diffusion coefficients for the lysozyme−MgCl2−water ternary system at 25 °C and pH 4.5. The comparison with previous results for the lysozyme−NaCl−water ternary system is used to examine the effect of salt stoichiometry on the transport properties of lysozyme−salt aqueous mixtures. We find that the two cross-diffusion coefficients are very sensitive to salt stoichiometry. One of the cross-diffusion coefficients is examined in terms of common-ion, excluded-volume, and protein-preferential hydration effects. We use the four ternary diffusion coefficients to extract chemical-potential cross-derivatives and protein-preferential interaction coefficients. These thermodynamic data characterize the protein−salt thermodynamic interactions. We demonstrate the presence of the common-ion effect (Donnan effect) by analyzing the dependence of the preferential-interaction coefficient not only with respect to salt concentration but also with respect to salt stoichiometry. We conclude that the common-io...
Missing stories, missing lives: Urban girls (re)constructing race and gender in the literacy classroom

In this critical ethnography, interpretivist methods were used to focus on the perspectives of African American, Latina, and Native American girls in an urban middle-school classroom to better understand how they constructed social identities of gender and race through their experiences with literacy. Because the enacted curriculum lacked critical awareness of the sociocultural contexts of gender and race, the perspectives of the girls in this classroom were largely missing from transactions with literacy. Consequently, girls' efforts to make intertextual links to their own lived stories were not taken up in meaningful ways. Transactions with literacy created a felt sense of fractured or compartmentalized social identities, and the girls in this study learned to separate their public, academic lives from their private lives. As a result, the girls did not take up the literature in ways that could potentially enable them to realize social and cognitive transformation in their lives.
A formal test for nonstationarity of spatial stochastic processes

Spatial statistics is one of the major methodologies of image analysis, field trials, remote sensing, and environmental statistics. The standard methodology in spatial statistics is essentially based on the assumption of stationary and isotropic random fields. Such assumptions might not hold in large heterogeneous fields. Thus, it is important to understand when stationarity and isotropy are reasonable assumptions. Most of the work that has been done so far to test the nonstationarity of a random process is in one dimension. Unfortunately, there is not much literature of formal procedures to test for stationarity of spatial stochastic processes. In this manuscript, we consider the problem of testing a given spatial process for stationarity and isotropy. The approach is based on a spatial spectral analysis, this means spectral functions which are space dependent. The proposed method consists essentially in testing the homogeneity of a set of spatial spectra evaluated at different locations. In addition to testing stationarity and isotropy, the analysis provides also a method for testing whether the observed process fits a uniformly modulated model, and a test for randomness (white noise). Applications include modeling and testing for nonstationary of air pollution concentrations over different geo-political boundaries.
Electrophoretic and Immunological Studies on the Relationship of the Brachyphyllinae and the Glossophaginae

Electrophoretic and albumin immunological data indicate that the Brachyphyllinae as currently conceived is a natural assemblage, with Erophylla sezekorni and Phyllonycteris aphylla being more closely related to each other than either is to Brachyphylla cavernarum . In both data sets, values that distinguish Erophylla from Phyllonycteris are in the general range of values that characterize congeneric species of mammals. Immunological distance values for the species Glossophaga soricina, Monophyllus redmani, Anoura caudifer, Leptonycteris sanborni, Choeroniscus minor , and Hylonycteris underwoodi indicate that these taxa are approximately equi-distant from the Brachyphyllinae. Immunological comparisons of Glossophaga and Monophyllus to Anoura, Leptonycteris, Choeroniscus , and Hylonycteris indicate that the four latter genera are more closely related to Glossophaga and Monophyllus than Glossophaga and Monophyllus are to the genera of the Brachyphyllinae. Values from Lonchophylla thomasi and Lionycteris spurrelli suggest a more distant relationship of these glossophagine genera to the Brachyphyllinae than the other glossophagine genera examined. Our data suggest that a 2N = 32, FN = 60 karyotype like that characteristic of Glossophaga is primitive for a clade including the Brachyphyllinae and the glossophagine genera Anoura, Glossophaga, Monophyllus, Leptonycteris, Hylonycteris , and Choeroniscus . These data suggest that the polyphyletic origin of certain glossophagine genera, as proposed by Baker (1967), is unlikely.
Life‐cycle cost assessment of RC and ECC frames using structural optimization

SUMMARY In this study life-cycle cost (LCC) assessment of structural frames is performed. Two different materials, reinforced concrete (RC) and reinforced engineered cementitious composites (ECC), with different response characteristics are used to model the frames. ECC is characterized by high tensile ductility and energy absorption and reduced crack widths when compared to conventional concrete. However, the material is more expensive than conventional concrete; therefore, in order to quantify the potential benefits that could be obtained by replacing concrete with ECC, the life-cycle performance is evaluated in an optimization framework. Three different structural frames are considered: an RC only frame, an ECC only frame and a multi-material (MX) frame in which ECC is selectively applied at the potential plastic hinge locations while the remainder of the frame is made of RC. The structural capacity and earthquake demand are evaluated using rigorous analysis methods to capitalize on different characteristics of concrete and ECC, and both aleatory and epistemic uncertainties are incorporated into the LCC formulation. It is found that both the initial and LCC of frames that use ECC are lower due to savings in material and labor cost of transverse reinforcement for the former and due to increased capacity and reduced demand for the latter. Copyright © 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Replication of the Scandinavian Simvastatin Survival Study using a primary care medical record database prompted exploration of a new method to address unmeasured confounding.

PURPOSE To examine whether identifiable study characteristics and/or analytic methods used determine observational study validity, as assessed by replicating randomized controlled trials using observational data. METHODS A cohort from the United Kingdom General Practice Research Database (GPRD) was used to replicate the Scandinavian Simvastatin Survival Study RCT, which investigated statin treatment of hypercholesterolemic subjects with coronary heart disease. All aspects of the RCT except randomization were replicated to the extent possible in the GPRD study, which included 2,871 Unexposed and 1,280 statin-treated Exposed subjects. RESULTS Overall mortality [adjusted hazard ratio 0.71 (0.53-0.96)] and myocardial infarction [adjusted HR 0.79 (0.61-1.02)] decreased in the GPRD study similar to the RCT. Coronary revascularization increased two-fold in the GPRD study, whereas it decreased significantly in the RCT [0.63 (0.54-0.74)]. This latter disparity prompted use of a new methodology to adjust for unmeasured confounding, which yielded an adjusted HR [1.0 (0.75-1.33)] more comparable to the RCT. CONCLUSIONS This study provides additional evidence that a replicated GPRD observational study can yield results reasonably similar to a RCT. More important, it provides preliminary evidence suggesting that a new analytic methodology may adjust for unmeasured confounding, the major limitation to research using observational data.
Marxism and Democracy in Chile: From 1932 to the Fall of Allende

In this book Julio Faundez traces the development of Chilean politics from 1932 to the overthrow of Allende in 1973, focusing in particular on the participation of Marxist parties in Chile's democratic government. Relating the various phases in the evolution of the political system to the concrete problems that had to be faced, Faundez discusses how class alliances, political mobilization, and the role of organized labor affected developments in the country. His book adds an important new perspective to a perennial topic of debate among politicians and political scientists worldwide.
Slipstream processors: improving both performance and fault tolerance

Processors execute the full dynamic instruction stream to arrive at the final output of a program, yet there exist shorter instruction streams that produce the same overall effect. We propose creating a shorter but otherwise equivalent version of the original program by removing ineffectual computation and computation related to highly-predictable control flow. The shortened program is run concurrently with the full program on a chip multiprocessor simultaneous multithreaded processor, with two key advantages:1) Improved single-program performance. The shorter program speculatively runs ahead of the full program and supplies the full program with control and data flow outcomes. The full program executes efficiently due to the communicated outcomes, at the same time validating the speculative, shorter program. The two programs combined run faster than the original program alone. Detailed simulations of an example implementation show an average improvement of 7% for the SPEC95 integer benchmarks.2) Fault tolerance. The shorter program is a subset of the full program and this partial-redundancy is transparently leveraged for detecting and recovering from transient hardware faults.
KIP: a keyphrase identification program with learning functions

We report a keyphrase identification program (KIP), which uses sample human keyphrases and then learns to identify additional new keyphrases. KIP first populates its database using manually identified keyphrases; each keyphrase is preprocessed and assigned an initial weight. It then extracts noun phrases from documents. All noun phrases will be assigned a score, depending on the weights for words it contains; the ones that have a score higher than the threshold will be selected as keyphrases. Learned new keyphrases will be inserted to the database and weights will be updated. As a result, new keyphrase identification iteration will be triggered. The process stops when no new keyphrases are identified during previous iteration. According to the results of evaluation, the base KIP system's average recall was 0.7 and precision was 0.44. The augmented KIP with learning functions did produce new keyphrases which were not identified by the base system.
Long-Term Prophylaxis of Spontaneous Bacterial Peritonitis in Patients with Cirrhosis

OBJECTIVE:To review the literature regarding long-term prophylaxis of spontaneous bacterial peritonitis (SBP) in patients with cirrhosis.DATA SOURCES:A MEDLINE (1967–September 2004) and bibliographic search of the English-language literature was conducted using the search terms spontaneous bacterial peritonitis, cirrhosis, antimicrobial, and prophylaxis.DATA SYNTHESIS:Long-term antimicrobial prophylaxis has been shown to decrease recurrent SBP in cirrhotics with a prior episode. Prophylaxis in patients with low ascitic fluid protein has also been shown to reduce the incidence of SBP; however, studies are too in-homogeneous to identify subgroups that benefit the most.CONCLUSIONS:Long-term antimicrobial therapy should be considered for secondary prophylaxis of SBP. Studies should be done to confirm this benefit and identify subsets of patients with low ascitic fluid protein who clearly benefit.
Patterns of Off-Label Prescribing in the Pediatric Intensive Care Unit and Prioritizing Future Research

OBJECTIVES: To characterize off-label prescribing among US pediatric intensive care units (PICUs), determine characteristics associated with off-label use, and identify medications in highest need for additional study. METHODS: Medications prescribed for ≥1% PICU patients (age < 18 years) in 2010 were identified from 39 children's hospitals. Use in a patient younger than the Food and Drug Administration (FDA)-approved age for any indication was considered off-label. Hierarchical multivariable modeling was used to identify characteristics associated with off-label use, accounting for center effects. Highest-impact drugs were defined by: 1) high off-label use (off-label use in at least 5% of the PICU cohort), 2) high risk medication, and 3) high priority status by the FDA or Best Pharmaceuticals for Children Act (BPCA). RESULTS: A total of 66,896 patients received ≥1 medication of interest (n = 162) during their PICU stay. A median of 3 (interquartile range, 2–6) unique drugs per patient were used off-label...
Crystal engineering on superpolyhedral building blocks in metal–organic frameworks applied in gas adsorption

Two metal–organic frameworks [PCN-426(Ni) and PCN-427(Cu)] have been designed and synthesized to investigate the structure predictability using a SBB (supermolecular building blocks) approach. Tetratopic ligands featuring 120° angular carboxylate moieties were coordinated with a [Ni3(μ3-O)] cluster and a [Cu2O2] unit, respectively. As topologically predicted, 4-connected networks with square coordination adopted the nbo net for the Ni-MOF and ssb net for the Cu-MOF. PCN-426(Ni) was augmented with 12-connected octahedral SBBs, while PCN-427(Cu) was constructed with tetragonal open channels. After a CO2 supercritical drying procedure, the PCN-426(Ni) possessed a Brunauer–Emmett–Teller (BET) surface area as high as 3935 m2 g−1 and impressively high N2 uptake of 1500 cm3 g−1. This work demonstrates the generalization of the SBB strategy, finding an alternative to inconvenient synthetic processes to achieve the desired structural features.
Mechanical characterization and preliminary modeling of PEEK

Poly-ether-ether-ketone (PEEK) is a high-performance semi-crystalline polymer with mechanical and thermal stability characteristics that are superior to most tough polymers. The mechanical characteristics of this polymer are modeled over a broad range of mechanical loading conditions using a thermodynamically consistent modeling process. This preliminary model, which ignores the thermal response and the possible recrystallization of this material during loading, shows an outstanding ability to capture the multidimensional nonlinear response of PEEK up to 60 % compression, with loading rates from 0.0001 to 3000 1/s at room temperature. The model includes the measured anisotropy in the wave response that develops with plastic flow, captures the evolution of the measured equilibrium stress, and correctly matches the evolution of the tangent modulus at equilibrium. This broad range of rates and experimental conditions are achieved by using a two-element nonlinear thermodynamically-consistent model.
Behind the Flag of Dunant: Secrecy and the Compliance Mission of the International Committee of the Red Cross

In the world where most NGOs see their role in the international legal process as public advocacy, often through naming and shaming, the International Committee of the Red Cross stands apart. Much of its work consists of confidential visits and secret communications to warring parties. It rarely identifies violators publicly; it leaves its legal position on many issues ambiguous; and at times it avoids legal discourse entirely. This aversion to transparency is not only at odds with the assumptions of the naming and shaming strategy regarding the most effective means to induce compliance. It also makes it almost impossible for outsiders to know the ICRC’s legal characterization of specific cases. As a result, its approach to protection of victims, even if successful in individual cases, seems to undermine its self-professed role as the "guardian" of IHL. This tension between the roles of the ICRC, and the ICRC’s approach to it, should interest scholars and concerned with the proper role for transparency in encouraging compliance with law. It also calls into question the assumption of many international lawyers that transparency is always beneficial for the promotion of international law. This paper describes three different dimensions of the ICRC's secrecy; offers an explanation for the ICRC's choices in this regard; inquires as to possibility of gauging the effectiveness of secret strategies; suggests the implications of secret strategies for our understandings of compliance; and analyzes the ethical challenges of working in secret.
Effect of Adrenocorticotrophic Hormone on Leucocyte Picture of Normal Rats and Dogs.

SummaryIP injection of adrehocorticotrophic hormone (ACTH) in the rat produces a transient leukopenia with decrease in number of lymphocytes and increase in the number of circulating neutrophils. Intraperitoneal injection of ACTH in the normal dog produces a marked neutrophilic leucocytosis which is qualitatively similar to but quantitatively greater than that produced by injection of other anterior lobe substances. Subcutaneous injection of ACTH in the dog produces a lymphopenia which is similar to that occurring in the rat after treatment with ACTH.
Dynamics of Water Associated with Lithium Ions Distributed in Polyethylene Oxide

The dynamics of water in polyethylene oxide (PEO)/LiCl solution has been studied with quasielastic neutron scattering experiments and molecular dynamics (MD) simulations. Two different time scales of water diffusion representing interfacial water and bulk water dynamics have been identified. The measured diffusion coefficient of interfacial water remained 5-10 times smaller than that of bulk water, but both were slowed by approximately 50% in the presence of Li(+). Detailed analysis of MD trajectories suggests that Li(+) is favorably found at the surface of the hydration layer, and the probability to find the caged Li(+) configuration formed by the PEO is lower than for the noncaged Li(+)-PEO configuration. In both configurations, however, the slowing down of water molecules is driven by reorienting water molecules and creating water-Li(+) hydration complexes. Performing the MD simulation with different ions (Na(+) and K(+)) revealed that smaller ionic radius of the ions is a key factor in disrupting the formation of PEO cages by allowing spaces for water molecules to come in between the ion and PEO.
Evolution of host range in Coleosporium ipomoeae, a plant pathogen with multiple hosts

Plants and their pathogens coevolve locally. Previous investigations of one host–one pathogen systems have demonstrated that natural selection favors pathogen genotypes that are virulent on a broad range of host genotypes. In the present study, we examine a system consisting of one pathogen species that infects three host species in the morning glory genus Ipomoea. We show that many pathogen genotypes can infect two or three of the host species when tested on plants from nonlocal communities. By contrast, pathogen genotypes are highly host-specific, infecting only one host species, when tested on host species from the local community. This pattern indicates that within-community evolution narrows the host breadth of pathogen genotypes. Possible evolutionary mechanisms include direct selection for narrow host breadth due to costs of virulence and evolution of ipomoea resistance in the host species.
Study of the elective system base on network environment

According to the theory of elective regulation under the conditions of the credit system,the paper first analyzes the basic principle of web database and the technique of network security,and then makes a systematic expatiation of the aspects of the design and operation principles of the elective system based on the network environment,finally further realizes a managing system of the common elective on network.
The nasofrontal beak: A consistent landmark for superior septectomy during Draf III drill out.

IntroductionCerebrospinal fluid (CSF) leak occurs in 1-11% of endoscopic Draf III, or endoscopic modified Lothrop, procedures. CSF leak can occur during surgery during a superior nasal septectomy. ...
Reflections on my visit to a Chinese medical school--and an unplanned side trip to a Chinese hospital.

As is nearly always the case with international travel, and especially in a place so different from what we are accustomed to in the United States, the whole experience was delightfully eye-opening, both for those dimensions of medical care and education that struck me as remarkably similar, as well as those that seemed wholly foreign.
Do migratory warblers carry excess fuel reserves during migration for insurance or for breeding purposes

ABSTRACT Migration is energetically costly, and many passerines prepare for and maintain migration with hyperphagia and increased fuel or fat reserves. During spring migration, as they approach their breeding grounds, passerines may deposit fat in excess of what is needed to complete migration. Individuals may carry excess fuel reserves as insurance against potentially poor environmental conditions in early spring (insurance hypothesis). If this is true, individuals arriving early at northern stopover locations or their breeding grounds should have greater energy reserves than later arrivals. Alternatively, passerines may arrive in spring with excess fat to help offset the demands of breeding (breeding performance hypothesis). Given the energetic requirements of egg production, females may arrive with greater reserves than males if excess fat directly or indirectly offsets breeding costs. We analyzed the energetic condition of 12 warbler species mist-netted during migration from 1999 to 2012 at Braddock B...
Universal Design for Culturally-Diverse Online Learning

This chapter outlines a framework for designing online learning using the principles of universal design. The authors define and give practical examples of instructional design models and universal design for learning as adapted for culturally-diverse populations and global learning. Online learning in a global society presents a variety of teaching issues that must be addressed if learning is to be universal, consistent, and culturally-sensitive. Adapting principles that the Center for Assistive Special Technology has developed for learners with special needs and combining those with practical instructional design techniques and instructional strategies can ensure that diverse learners will have equal access to the learning that will take place in their online courses.
Examining the Effects of Ligand Variation on the Electronic Structure of Uranium Bis(imido) Species.

Arylazide and diazene activation by highly reduced uranium(IV) complexes bearing trianionic redox-active pyridine(diimine) ligands, [CpPU(MesPDIMe)]2 (1-CpP), Cp*U(MesPDIMe)(THF) (1-Cp*) (CpP = 1-(7,7-dimethylbenzyl)cyclopentadienide; Cp* = η5-1,2,3,4,5-pentamethylcyclopentadienide), and Cp*U(tBu-MesPDIMe) (THF) (1-tBu) (2,6-((Mes)N═CMe)2-p-R-C5H2N, Mes = 2,4,6-trimethylphenyl; R = H, MesPDIMe; R = C(CH3)3, tBu-MesPDIMe), has been investigated. While 1-Cp* and 1-CpP readily reduce N3R (R = Ph, p-tolyl) to form trans-bis(imido) species, CpPU(NAr)2(MesPDIMe) (Ar = Ph, 2-CpP; Ar = p-Tol, 3-CpP) and Cp*U(NPh)2(MesPDIMe) (2-Cp*), only 1-Cp* can cleave diazene N═N double bonds to form the same product. Complexes 2-Cp*, 2-CpP, and 3-CpP are uranium(V) trans-bis(imido) species supported by neutral [MesPDIMe]0 ligands formed by complete oxidation of [MesPDIMe]3– ligands of 1-CpP and 1-Cp*. Variation of the arylimido substituent in 2-Cp* from phenyl to p-tolyl, forming Cp*U(NTol)2(MesPDIMe) (3-Cp*), changes the ele...
A Culture of Possibilities

A call for the engaged leader was presented in a previous chapter. In that chapter the engaged leader was described as a person who inspires participation, encourages meaningful work relationships between stakeholders, and is enthusiastic about the possibilities that emerge from this type of dynamic, interactive, inclusive process.
Extrema-weighted feature extraction for functional data.

Motivation Although there is a rich literature on methods for assessing the impact of functional predictors, the focus has been on approaches for dimension reduction that do not suit certain applications. Examples of standard approaches include functional linear models, functional principal components regression and cluster-based approaches, such as latent trajectory analysis. This article is motivated by applications in which the dynamics in a predictor, across times when the value is relatively extreme, are particularly informative about the response. For example, physicians are interested in relating the dynamics of blood pressure changes during surgery to post-surgery adverse outcomes, and it is thought that the dynamics are more important when blood pressure is significantly elevated or lowered. Results We propose a novel class of extrema-weighted feature (XWF) extraction models. Key components in defining XWFs include the marginal density of the predictor, a function up-weighting values at extreme quantiles of this marginal, and functionals characterizing local dynamics. Algorithms are proposed for fitting of XWF-based regression and classification models, and are compared with current methods for functional predictors in simulations and a blood pressure during surgery application. XWFs find features of intraoperative blood pressure trajectories that are predictive of postoperative mortality. By their nature, most of these features cannot be found by previous methods. Availability and implementation The R package 'xwf' is available at the CRAN repository: https://cran.r-project.org/package=xwf. Supplementary information Supplementary data are available at Bioinformatics online.
Geologic Evidence of Recurring Climate Cycles and Their Implications for the Cause of Global Climate Changes—The Past is the Key to the Future

Publisher Summary Recent global warming (1978–1998) has pushed climate changes into the forefront of scientific inquiry with a great deal at stake for human populations. This chapter provides a geological evidence of recurring climate cycles and their implication for the cause of global climate change. The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) report provides abundant physical evidence from the geologic past and provides a record of former periods of recurrent global warming and cooling that were far more intense than recent warming and cooling. These geologic records provide a clear evidence of global warming and cooling that could not have been caused by increased CO2. There is no tangible physical evidence that CO2 is causing global warming, and computer climate models that assume CO2 is the cause and computer model simulations are all based on assumption. No tangible, physical evidence exists that proves a cause-and-effect relationship between global climate changes and atmospheric CO2. The fact that CO2 is a greenhouse gas and that CO2 has increased doesn't prove that CO2 has caused global warming. Ninety five percent of greenhouse gas warming is due to water vapor and there is no evidence that atmospheric water vapor has increased. Only 3.6% of the greenhouse effect is due to CO2. As shown by isotope measurements from ice cores in Greenland and Antarctica, and by measurements of atmospheric CO2 during El Nino warming, oceans emit more CO2 into the atmosphere during climatic warming. The ice core records indicate that after the last Ice Age, temperatures rose for about 600–800 years before atmospheric CO2 rose, showing that climatic warming caused CO2 to rise, not vice versa.
Who downloads online content and why

Online learners sometimes prefer to download course content rather than view it on a course website. These students often miss out on interactive content. Knowing who downloads course materials, and why, can help course creators design courses that fit the needs of their students. In this paper we explore downloading behavior by looking at lecture videos in three online classes. We found that the number of days since a video was posted had the strongest relationship with downloading, and non-technical considerations, such as typical classroom size in a student's home country, matter more than technical issues, such as internet speed. Our findings suggest that more materials will be downloaded when a course will be available for limited time, students are less familiar with the language of instruction, students are used to classrooms with a high student-teacher ratio, or a student's internet speed is slow. Possible reasons for these relationships are discussed.