cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Analysis and Design of a 3-Coil Wireless Power Transmission System for Biomedical Applications

Wireless power transfer is a practical and widely used method to power various implantable devices. Commonly, the implanted receiver (RX) must be small, often on the order of millimeter, which poses significant design challenges. In this paper, a technique to improve the performance of systems with a size (inductance)-limited implanted RX coil is explored. Conventionally, only mutual coupling between coils is used to optimize the performance, which constrains the layout/geometry and choice of coils. In the proposed system, mutual coupling, mutual capacitance, and relative polarity can all be used, thereby reducing the constraints on coil layouts. Performance is further enhanced by two additional techniques that maximize the reflected impedance between the RX coils. Three designs (two-coil, conventional three-coil, and the proposed three-coil) are implemented with a 35 mm diameter RX coil, and their performance is measured at 5 MHz with a 1 $\text{k}\Omega $ load resistance. The efficiency of these designs is measured at varying distances (20–60 mm) between the transmitter and RX. The efficiency of the proposed three-coil system at 50 mm separation is 40%, while the implemented conventional three-coil system and the two-coil system are each less than 10%. Finally, the advantage of the proposed strategy in terms of RX coil current and load tolerance is discussed.
Counterparty Risk and the Pricing of Municipal Bonds

A large number of municipal bonds are guaranteed by monoline insurers who are at the center of the subprime crisis. This paper investigates the effect of insurer-related counterparty risk on municipal bond pricing using a comprehensive dataset. We estimate both insurer-specific and systemic components of counterparty risk effect. Results show that the magnitude of counterparty risk effect is of economic significance even in normal times and magnified during the crisis and this effect is much larger than that documented for the CDS and repo markets. The counterparty risk premium is higher for speculative-grade and illiquid bonds and for bonds issued by troubled states.
A Review of the Relationship between Night Eating Syndrome and Body Mass Index

To review literature on night eating syndrome (NES) and body mass index (BMI, kg/m2) published in the last 5 years. Since December, 2013, 11 studies examined the association between NES and BMI. Five of these studies reported a positive relationship, five showed no relationship, and one produced mixed findings. Emotional eating and age were moderators. Twelve studies examined whether there was a difference in BMI between those with and without NES with only five of these finding differences. A primary weakness of the recent literature base is that it is almost entirely cross-sectional. Recent findings regarding the relationship between NES and BMI are mixed. Future research should examine the relationship between these variables longitudinally and continue to examine moderating variables that explain why some individuals manifest excess weight with NES and others do not.
Gate Leakage Current Effects on the Linearity of 28GHz CMOS SOI Power Amplifiers

In order to improve the linearity of power amplifiers (PAs), it is desirable to design for a “sweet spot” in the $3 ^{rd}$ order intermodulation distortion at a critical power, at which the distortion is significantly decreased. The appearance of “sweet spots” often accompanies the presence of slight amounts of gain expansion that counter the gain compression which results from PA output saturation, and can be influenced by power-dependent input biasing. This paper illustrates that in mm-wave CMOS SOI FET PAs, gain expansion and sweet spots are produced at appropriate gate bias conditions, and are influenced by the variation of gate bias voltage with output power. The gate bias change is affected by small gate leakage currents together with large value resistors in the input bias network. Experimental results are presented using 2-stack 28GHz power amplifiers implemented with 45nm CMOS SOI which achieve peak output power of 19dBm and 43% PAE, and can attain high linearity without DPD. As input power is increased, gate leakage current varies by up to 3-5uA. With external gate bias resistors of order $10-50K \Omega$, gate bias voltages can increase by 50-100mV, which impacts the AM-AM curve affecting gain expansion. Two tone measurements show the formation of sweet spots at which IM3 decreases on order of 5-10dB at output power levels of order of 5dB backed off from P1dB. The extent of the sweet spot is influenced by the external gate bias resistor.
Reporting Sexual Assault: Survivors’ Satisfaction With Sexual Assault Response Personnel:

Although jurisdictions have attempted to improve their response procedures, sexual assault cases are often insufficiently investigated. This study examines the survey responses of 460 female sexual assault survivors regarding their experiences with response personnel. Overall satisfaction with response services was 66.1%. Victim advocates and forensic nurses received higher satisfaction ratings than did patrol officers, detectives, and State's Attorney's Office staff. The present study also found that 65% of the variance in overall satisfaction was accounted for by four personnel behaviors: respectful treatment, clearly explained procedures, believed their stories, and demonstrated cultural sensitivity. Policy implications and suggestions for future research are discussed.
Gastric Per-Oral Endoscopic Myotomy (G-POEM) for the Treatment of Gastroparesis: A Single Center Experience

Background and Hypothesis: Gastroparesis is a difficult-to-treat disease that has variable presentation. Treatments for gastroparesis include pharmacotherapy, botulinum toxin injection into the pylorus, or surgical pyloroplasty. Based on patient response to pyloric directed therapies, it is theorized that endoscopic pyloromyotomy will prove to be an effective minimally invasive treatment. Early feasibility studies of endoscopic pyloromyotomy (G-POEM) demonstrated safety and early clinical success. Our aim is to assess the safety and sustained clinical efficacy of the G-POEM procedure. Experimental Design or Project Methods: Patients with confirmed diagnosis of gastroparesis on gastric scintigraphy were assessed using PAGI-SYM to determine symptom severity. EndoFLIP of pylorus and four-hour solid phase gastric emptying scan (GES) were utilized to access gastric function pre and post G-POEM. Post G-POEM follow up at 1, 3, 6, and 12 months was completed. PAGI-SYM was collected at all follow ups. For 6- and 12month visits, GES and EndoFLIP were conducted. Results: Twenty-eight patients (age: 28-80, 82% female) underwent G-POEM between February 2018 to July 2019. All cases were done under general anesthesia with technical success rates of 100%. There were adverse events in 3/28 of the cases that were successfully managed endoscopically. There was significant improvement in gastric emptying post G-POEM (4-hour average retention rates of 6.3% compared to 35.0% pre-GPOEM, p < 0.001). There was a significant improvement in patient reported PAGI-SYM score from baseline (3.0) and 3months post G-POEM (0.80), p < 0.001. There was a trend towards sustained improvement in PAGI-SYM score on 6 month follow up, but this did not reach statistical significance (2.10, p = 0.22). There were improvements noted in pylorus cross sectional area and distensibility index on EndoFLIP post G-POEM, but this did not reach statistical significance and will require further assessment and a larger sample size. Conclusion and Potential Impact: G-POEM appears to be a safe and feasible treatment alternative for gastroparesis with significant short-term improvements in gastric emptying rates and overall symptom scores. A larger cohort of patients is needed to validate these findings and examine the long-term effect of G-POEM on patients’ wellbeing and healthcare utilization.
Imaging Viscoelasticity in Control and Dystrophic Vastus Lateralis using Quantitative Viscoelastic Response (QVisR) Ultrasound

Mechanical property changes associated with inflammation, necrosis, fibrosis, and fatty deposition in dystrophic muscle may be quantitatively evaluated by Quantitative Viscoelastic Response (QVisR) ultrasound. QVisR uses a machine learning (ML) framework that takes as input tissue displacement in response to two consecutive and co-located acoustic radiation force (ARF) excitations and yields as output estimates of shear elastic and shear viscous moduli. QVisR imaging was performed in the vastus lateralis (VL) muscles of 11 boys with Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD) aged 5 to 12 years and of 8 age-matched boys with no known neuromuscular disorders, who served as controls. QVisR measures of elastic moduli differed between DMD and control VL in boys aged less than six years and six-to-seven years. Similarly, QVisR measures of viscous moduli differed between DMD and control VL in boys aged six-to-seven years. These results demonstrate that QVisR measures of elastic and viscous moduli differentiate dystrophic from control muscle. The findings suggest that QVisR may be relevant to monitoring dystrophic muscle degeneration and response to intervention, particularly in early stages when interventions are most likely to be impactful.
A phase 2 study of GVAX colon vaccine with cyclophosphamide and pembrolizumab in patients with mismatch repair proficient advanced colorectal cancer.

Background Mismatch repair proficient (MMRp) colorectal cancer (CRC) has been refractory to single-agent programmed cell death protein 1 (PD1) inhibitor therapy. Colon GVAX is an allogeneic, whole-cell, granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor -secreting cellular immunotherapy that induces T-cell immunity against tumor-associated antigens and has previously been studied in combination with low-dose cyclophosphamide (Cy) to inhibit regulatory T cells. Methods We conducted a single-arm study of GVAX/Cy in combination with the PD1 inhibitor pembrolizumab in patients with advanced MMRp CRC. Patients received pembrolizumab plus Cy on day 1, GVAX on day 2, of a 21-day cycle. The primary endpoint was the objective response rate by Response Evaluation Criteria in Solid Tumors (RECIST) version 1.1. Secondary objectives included safety, overall survival, progression-free survival, changes in carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA) levels, and immune-related correlates. Results Seventeen patients were enrolled. There were no objective responses, and the disease control rate was 18% by RECIST 1.1. The median progression-free survival was 82 days (95% confidence interval [CI], 48-97 days) and the median overall survival was 213 days (95% CI 179-441 days). Biochemical responses (≥30% decline in CEA) were observed in 7/17 (41%) of patients. Grade ≥ 3 treatment-related adverse events were observed in two patients (hemolytic anemia and corneal transplant rejection). Paired pre- and on-treatment biopsy specimens showed increases in programmed death-ligand 1 expression and tumor necrosis in a subset of patients. Conclusions GVAX/Cy plus pembrolizumab failed to meet its primary objective in MMRp CRC. Biochemical responses were observed in a subset of patients and have not previously been observed with pembrolizumab monotherapy in MMRp CRC, indicating that GVAX may modulate the antitumor immune response.
Dimension Calculation Precision with Finite Data Sets

The study of nonlinear dynamics has become quite popular recently. Originating in the natural sciences, the topic has now spread to numerous diverse fields such as brain research, optics, meteorology, economics, finance, statistics, mathematics, natural resources and agriculture. The interest in nonlinear dynamics was sparked by the discovery in the natural sciences of processes characterized by deterministic chaos; that is, highly complex behavior that is generated by relatively simple nonlinear functions. Observed time series generated by chaotic processes appear to be random by standard linear time series methods.
Power Corrections to TMD Factorization

In this paper we discuss calculation of power corrections to the transverse momentum dependent (TMD) factorization which describes production of a particle with small transverse momentum in a hadron-hadron collision. As an example we consider power corrections to the TMD factorization formula for Z-boson production. We demonstrate that in the leading order in Nc power corrections can be expressed in terms of leading-twist TMDs which is a consequence of QCD equations of motion.
Unsaturated Alcohols as Chain-Transfer Agents in Olefin Polymerization: Synthesis of Aldehyde End-Capped Oligomers and Polymers.

Palladium diimine-catalyzed polymerization of olefins using unsaturated alcohols as chain-transfer agents has been demonstrated. The reaction affords aldehyde end-capped polymers whose molecular we...
Deposit insurance subsidies, moral hazard, and bank regulation

The model developed in the paper separates deposit insurance subsidies into two components: a premium-linked subsidy which arises from an ex-ante mispricing of the deposit insurance premium, and an asset-linked subsidy which arises from a lack of ex-post monitoring of the bank's actions. The identification of these two subsidies provides important insight into the relation between deposit-insurance subsidies and bank risk. The asset-linked subsidy is higher for banks of average risk and lower for very-high and very-low risk banks. The premiumlinked subsidy behaves differently under risk-adjusted and fixed-rate premiums. The model also indicates that the implementation of a riskadjusted insurance-rate schedule alone would not be sufficient to eliminate the bank's excessive risk-taking behavior. Thus, some combination of risk-sensitive deposit-insurance pricing and regulatory control is necessary to reduce the moral hazard problem.
A Conceptual Framework of Ethical Considerations and Legal Constraints in the Algorithm-Driven Pricing Function

The extent to which pricing executives consider consumer perceptions of deception, fairness, and social justice is positioned within an emerging area of research that triangulates the dynamic between legal constraints, ethical considerations, and algorithmic models to make pricing decisions. This paper builds a conceptual model from an analysis of literature describing how companies couple organizational and technology factors into the price-setting process. The legal frameworks of antitrust, data privacy, and antidiscrimination are tethered to the ethical frameworks of deception, fairness, and social justice to form a foundation of relevant organizational factors. A qualitative study is proposed to test the validity of the conceptual model. The primary contribution of this paper is to catalyze practitioner discussion and spur empirical research into the implications of personalized pricing using algorithmic models.
The Challenges of Enrollment and Retention: A Systematic Review of Psychosocial Behavioral Interventions for Patients With Cancer and Their Family Caregivers.

Abstract Context Psychosocial behavioral interventions (PBIs) that target patients with cancer and their caregivers face challenges in participant enrollment and retention. Objectives 1) Describe characteristics of the patient-caregiver PBI studies; 2) examine participant enrollment and retention rates; 3) identify factors influencing participant enrollment and retention rates; and 4) explore the strategies to promote enrollment and retention rates. Methods We identified randomized controlled trials that tested PBIs among adult patients with cancer and caregivers in five electronic databases. We conducted narrative and quantitative analyses to synthesize our findings. Results Among 55 qualified studies reviewed, most tested the efficacy of PBIs (n = 42) and used two study arms (n = 48). In-person meeting was the most common PBI delivery mode. The primary outcomes included quality of life, physical health, and symptoms. The average of enrollment rates of patient-caregiver dyads was 33% across studies (range 8%–100%; median = 23%). The average retention rate at the end of follow-ups was 69% (range 16%–100%; median = 70%). The number of study arms, recruitment method, type of patient-caregiver relationship, and intervention duration influenced enrollment rates. Study design (efficacy vs. pilot), follow-up duration, mode of delivery, type of relationship, and intervention duration influenced retention rates. Sixteen studies reported retention strategies, including providing money/gift cards upon study completion and/or after follow-up survey, and excluding patients with advanced cancer. Conclusion Researchers need to incorporate effective strategies to optimize enrollment and retention in patient-caregiver PBI trials. Researchers need to report detailed study processes and PBI information to improve research transparency and increase consistency.
P-wave signal-averaged electrocardiography: Reference values, clinical correlates, and heritability in the Framingham Heart Study.

Background P-wave signal-averaged electrocardiography (P-SAECG) quantifies atrial electrical activity. P-SAECG measures and their clinical correlates and heritability have had limited characterization in community-based cohorts. Objective The purpose of this study was to (1) establish reference values; (2) identify clinical risk factors associated with P-SAECG; and (3) estimate genetic heritability for P-SAECG traits. Methods We performed P-SAECG in 2 generations of Framingham Heart Study participants. We performed backward elimination regression models to assess associations of clinical factors with each SAECG trait (P-wave [PW] duration, root mean square voltage in terminal 40 ms [RMS40], terminal 30 ms RMS30, terminal 20 ms RMS20, RMS PW, and PW integral). We estimated the adjusted genetic heritability of P-SAECG measures using the Sequential Oligogenic Linkage Analysis Routines (SOLAR) program. Results We included 4307 participants (age 55 ± 14 years; 56% female). The reference values were derived from 1752 participants without cardiovascular risk factors. Median (2.5th percentile; 97.5th percentile) total PW duration was 118 ms (93; 146) in women and 128 ms (104; 158) in men in the reference sample, and 121 ms (94; 151) in women and 129 ms (103; 159) in the entire study cohort (broad sample). In the broad sample, after adjusting for age and sex, total PW duration was positively associated with height, weight, prevalent heart failure, history of atrial fibrillation (AF), and atrioventricular node blockers, and negatively associated with smoking, waist circumference, heart rate, and diabetes. The estimated heritability of P-SAECG traits was moderate, ranging from 11.9% for RMS30 to 24.9% for PW integral. Conclusion P-SAECG traits are associated with multiple AF-related risk factors and are moderately heritable.
Liver endothelium promotes HER3-mediated cell survival in KRAS wild-type and mutant colorectal cancer cells

We previously showed that primary liver endothelial cells (ECs) secreted soluble factors in a paracrine fashion (angiocrine) and activated human epidermal growth factor receptor 3 (HER3, also known as ERBB3) mediated colorectal cancer (CRC) growth and chemoresistance. However, Ras proteins play a critical role in receptor tyrosine kinase signaling pathways, and KRAS mutations mediate CRC resistance to therapies targeting EGFR, another HER protein. Therefore, the role of KRAS mutation status in EC-induced HER3 activation and CRC survival was investigated as it has therapeutic implications. We used CRC cell lines and patient-derived xenografts harboring KRAS wild-type or mutant genes and demonstrated that liver EC-secreted factors promoted HER3-mediated CRC cell growth independent of KRAS mutation status. Also, blocking HER3 in CRC by siRNAs or a HER3 antibody seribantumab attenuated EC-induced CRC cell survival. Our findings highlight the potential of utilizing HER3-targeted therapies for treating patients with mCRC independent of RAS mutational status
P13BP, a Calpain-2-Mediated Breakdown Product of PTPN13, Is a Novel Blood Biomarker for Traumatic Brain Injury

Biomarkers play an increasing role in medicinal biology. They are used for diagnosis, management, drug target identification, drug responses, and disease prognosis. We have discovered that calpain-...
Highly Crosslinked Polyethylene Liners in Patients with Osteonecrosis of the Femoral Head in the United States and Europe

The treatment of patients with osteonecrosis (ON) of the femoral head has changed over the last 30 years from the concept of saving the femoral head at all costs to the more recent concept of treating symptomatic femoral head collapse, in the setting of ON, with total hip arthroplasty. Approximately 20,000 patients are diagnosed in the United States with ON of the femoral head every year [1] with the average age at presentation being 38 years. Although femoral head core decompression, with or without bone grafting, for the early stages of ON is still performed with reasonable success, it plays no role in the patient with collapse. Free vascularized bone grafting of the femoral head and neck has been shown to have marginally superior results to core decompression in the treatment of pre-collapse lesions [2]; however, results are much better when used for lesions with early collapse, but subsequent THA can be less successful as a result [3]. Proximal femoral redirectional osteotomies are described in the treatment of ON of the femoral head; however, these are technically demanding surgeries with significant associated complications and can make any subsequent THA more difficult [4]. These osteotomies should be reserved for the much younger patient with modest-sized lesions [5].
Acute Ischemic Stroke

Acute ischemic stroke treatment has evolved significantly over the last 20 years. FDA approval of IV, IA, and mechanical thrombolysis has provided physicians with multiple therapeutic options. Development and usage of new techniques often progress so rapidly they do not allow for large-scale clinic trials in all devices. This requires neuroendovascular interventionalists to remain alert not only to current accepted therapies but also to emerging ones. Acute ischemic stroke currently affects a massive amount of Americans each year, and as the American population gets proportionately older, knowledge of revascularization therapies will only become increasingly important.
Systems Biology Modeling in Human Genetics Using Petri Nets and Grammatical Evolution

Understanding the hierarchical relationships among biochemical, metabolic, and physiological systems in the mapping between genotype and phenotype is expected to improve the diagnosis, prevention, and treatment of common, complex human diseases. We previously developed a systems biology approach based on Petri nets for carrying out thought experiments for the generation of hypotheses about biological network models that are consistent with genetic models of disease susceptibility. Our systems biology strategy uses grammatical evolution for symbolic manipulation and optimization of Petri net models. We previously demonstrated that this approach routinely identifies biological systems models that are consistent with a variety of complex genetic models in which disease susceptibility is determined by nonlinear interactions between two DNA sequence variations. However, the modeling strategy was generally not successful when extended to modeling nonlinear interactions between three DNA sequence variations. In the present study, we develop a new grammar that uniformly generates Petri net models across the entire search space. The results indicate that choice of grammar plays an important role in the success of grammatical evolution searches in this bioinformatics modeling domain.
Temperature Effects on Bacterial Leaching of Sulfide Minerals in Shake Flask Experiments

The microbiological leaching of a sulfide ore sample was investigated in shake flask experiments. The ore sample contained pyrite, pyrrhotite, pentlandite, sphalerite, and chalcopyrite as the main sulfide minerals. The tests were performed at eight different temperatures in the range of 4 to 37 degrees C. The primary data were used for rate constant calculations, based on kinetic equations underlying two simplified models of leaching, i.e., a shrinking particle model and a shrinking core model. The rate constants thus derived were further used for the calculation of activation energy values for some of the sulfide minerals present in the ore sample. The chalcopyrite leaching rates were strongly influenced by the interaction of temperature, pH, and redox potential. Sphalerite leaching could be explained with the shrinking particle model. The data on pyrrhotite leaching displayed good fit with the shrinking core model. Pyrite leaching was found to agree with the shrinking particle model. Activation energies calculated from the rate of constants suggested that the rate-limiting steps were different for the sulfide minerals examined; they could be attributed to a chemical or biochemical reaction rather than to diffusion control.
KRISHNA - Concurrency Control Algorithms based on Dynamic Attributes

Three new concurrency control mechanisms that utilizes the dynamic attribute of concurrent transactions for resolving conflicts are presented. Our study shows that their performance is superior to all well-known two-phase concurrency control mechanisms. There are a large number of such algorithms but we report our findings since our approach has some unique features worth exploring.
FUNCTIONAL PROPERTIES OF A SOY CONCENTRATE AND A SOY ISOLATE IN SIMPLE SYSTEMS AND IN A FOOD SYSTEM.

Emulsion stabilizing activity and thickening function of a soy protein concentrate and isolate were evaluated at pH 5.0, 6.0 and 7.0 and at 4°C, ambient temperature (22–25°C) and 90°C; fat absorption was evaluated as a function of temperature. pH and temperature effects on emulsion stability and on apparent viscosity were interdependent. Fat absorption was dependent on protein content of the soy sample. The concentrate and isolate differed as to magnitude of response to treatments. Functional performance of the concentrate and isolate in a food system did not necessarily parallel that in simple systems.
METABOLISM OF HUMAN SPERM1

THE PURPOSE of this report is to present the results of an investigation of the nature and extent of metabolism of human sperm. The seminal specimens were obtained from the Vanderbilt Clinic and the Sloane Hospital, and from cases under the care of private practitioners. The series therefore included a large proportion of samples from men who might be suspected of impaired fertility or of other abnormalities of sperm. On the basis of clinical findings and case histories the men providing the specimens were classified into three categories in respect to fertility and normality. It is obviously difficult to be accurate in determining such categOries. In cases of fertile marriage, with normal children, the man was considered as being normally fertile (series A). When a marriage was sterile but pelvic examination of the wife showed sufficient abnormality to account for the sterility the male, if apparently normal, was classified as probably fertile (series B).
Implications of Changing Family Forms for Children

This paper explores what it means to do a sociology of families, that is, one that acknowledges and considers a wider array of family forms than typically has been explored. We begin by reviewing the existing sociological research on a range of alternative family forms, ultimately focusing on older-parent, adoptive, same-sex, and multiracial families. We describe and critically assess four theoretical approaches to examining family forms—family structure, evolutionary, characteristics, and context—and their implications for children, and we discuss the utility of an approach that views family characteristics in social context. We also recommend that instead of using alternative family forms primarily or solely as counterfactuals to the so-called traditional family, researchers should compare alternative family forms to each other, noting theoretical implications for commonalities and differences found among these groups. We call for additional research on alternative families, noting its importance for so...
Carrier Collection in Thin-Film CdTe Solar Cells: Theory and Experiment

The traditional p-n junction theory separates the total solar cell current into a voltage-dependent dark current term and a constant (voltage-independent) light current term. However, thin film CdTe solar cells do not obey the superposition principle. In this work we study the voltage dependence of the collected photocurrent, both theoretically and experimentally. On the modeling side, we develop new equations for calculating the internal quantum efficiency based on a linearly varying electric field in the space charge region. Experimentally, we measure the collected photocurrent resulting from the application of chopped monochromatic light in the presence of a steady white light bias. We show that the minority carrier diffusion length is intensity-dependent, and that it decreases with increasing intensity. This is consistent with the published minority carrier lifetime data measured by time-resolved photoluminescence. We also demonstrate that the minority carrier mobility-lifetime product and the space charge width can be deduced by fitting the predictions of the new collection equations to experimental data taken at two different wavelengths.
On the convergence of the Newton/log-barrier method

In the Newton/log-barrier method, Newton steps are taken for the log-barrier function for a fixed value of the barrier parameter until a certain convergence criterion is satisfied. The barrier parameter is then decreased and the Newton process is repeated. A naive analysis indicates that Newton’s method does not exhibit superlinear convergence to the minimizer of each instance of the log-barrier function until it reaches a very small neighborhood, namely within O(μ2) of the minimizer, where μ is the barrier parameter. By analyzing the structure of the barrier Hessian and gradient in terms of the subspace of active constraint gradients and the associated null space, we show that this neighborhood is in fact much larger –O(μσ) for any σ∈(1,2] – thus explaining why reasonably fast local convergence can be attained in practice. Moreover, we show that the overall convergence rate of the Newton/log-barrier algorithm is superlinear in the number of function/derivative evaluations, provided that the nonlinear program is formulated with a linear objective and that the schedule for decreasing the barrier parameter is related in a certain way to the step length and convergence criteria for each Newton process.
A new chemical route for the synthesis of β′-LixV2O5 for use as a high performance cathode

Abstract The high temperature vanadium pentoxide phase, β′-LixV2O5, was synthesized via a new chemical synthesis involving the evolution of vanadium oxides from the 600 °C heat treatment of the pure LiVS2 in air. By employing this method of synthesis, well-crystallized, rod-shaped β′-LixV2O5 particles 20–30 μm in length and 3–6 μm in width were obtained. Moreover, the surface of β′-LixV2O5 particles was found to be coated by an amorphous vanadium oxysulfide film (∼20 nm in thickness). In contrast to a low temperature vanadium pentoxide phase (LixV2O5), the electrochemical intercalation of lithium into the β′-LixV2O5 was fully reversible where 0.0
New Techniques in Project Management

Managing multiple candidate initiatives and in-flight projects across business units is a big challenge for organizations. Tracking progress of projects while balancing demand against available resources to ensure successful completion is difficult. Increasingly, organizations deploy a Project Portfolio Management (PPM) system. These new PPM solutions simplify portfolio governance and strive to guide enterprise innovation. For maximum benefits, the frameworks that shepherd initiatives and bolster project efficiency must not obstruct ideation, bottom-up creativity and entrepreneurship.
Loss of Intracellular Putrescine Pool-Size Regulation Induces Apoptosis☆

Synthesis and uptake are two important regulated mechanisms by which eukaryotic cells maintain polyamine levels. The role that loss of synthesis and/or uptake regulation plays in mediating putrescine toxicity was investigated by comparing toxicity in an ornithine decarboxylase (ODC)-deficient Chinese hamster ovary cell line (C55.7) with a functional putrescine transport system and an ODC-overproducing rat hepatoma cell line (DH23b), which are transport regulation deficient. When C55.7 cells were transfected with either mouse ODC (M) or trypanosome ODC (Tb), intracellular putrescine content increased slightly in C55.7(Tb-ODC), compared to C55.7(M-ODC), due to the lack of response of Tb-ODC to polyamine regulation. The increase in putrescine content resulting from loss of ODC regulation had no impact on cell growth and viability. When the feedback repression of polyamine uptake was blocked with cycloheximide, C55.7 cells transfected with either ODC construct accumulated very high levels of putrescine from the medium, and underwent apoptosis in a putrescine dose-dependent manner. A similar correlation of deregulated putrescine uptake and increased apoptotic cells was observed in DH23b cells. These data demonstrate that loss of feedback regulation on the polyamine transport system, but not ODC activity, is sufficient to induce apoptosis. Thus, downregulation of the transport system is necessary to prevent accumulation of cytotoxic putrescine levels in rodent cells.
Observations and Numerical Simulations of Urban Heat Island and Sea Breeze Circulations over New York City

Observations from two SOund Detection And Ranging (SODAR) units, a 10 m micrometeorological tower and five Automated Surface Observing Stations (ASOS) were examined during several synoptic scale flow regimes over New York City after the World Trade Center disaster on September 11, 2001. An ARPS model numerical simulation was conducted to explore the complex mesoscale boundary layer structure over New York City. The numerical investigation examined the urban heat island, urban roughness effect and sea breeze structure over the New York City region. Estimated roughness lengths varied from 0.7 m with flow from the water to 4 m with flow through Manhattan. A nighttime mixed layer was observed over lower Manhattan, indicating the existence of an urban heat island. The ARPS model simulated a sea-breeze front moving through lower Manhattan during the study period consistent with the observations from the SODARs and the 10-m tower observations. Wind simulations showed a slowing and cyclonic turning of the 10-m air flow as the air moved over New York City from the ocean. Vertical profiles of simulated TKE and wind speeds showed a maximum in TKE over lower Manhattan during nighttime conditions. It appears that this TKE maximum is directly related to the influences of the urban heat island.
The impact of pharmacist‐managed oral anticoagulation therapy in older veterans

Summary Background: Older adults frequently have conditions requiring oral anticoagulation. Although clearly benefiting from oral anticoagulation, they are at increased risk for bleeding complications. Regular monitoring to optimize anticoagulation and to reduce the chance of major bleeding complications is required. The impact of oral anticoagulation monitoring by pharmacists in patients older than 75 years of age has not been described well. Objective: To compare warfarin therapy prescribed and monitored by physicians to a pharmacist-monitored anticoagulation service in a cohort of older veterans. Methods: Retrospective chart review utilizing the Houston VA Medical Center's pharmacy database. Among all outpatients aged 75 years or older filling warfarin prescriptions between 1 March 2003 to 1 March 2005, and who were either monitored in a pharmacist's clinic or not, 103 patients per group were randomly selected. Information on demographics, indication for and length of warfarin therapy, INR values, and thromboembolic and bleeding events were abstracted. Differences were analysed using chi-squared test, Fisher's Exact test, and unpaired Student t-test. Results: A total of 1521 patients (440 in the pharmacist-monitored group, 1081 in the traditionally monitored group) met our inclusion criteria. One hundred and three patients per group were randomly selected for chart review. Although no significant difference in percentage of therapeutic INR values (48·1% pharmacist group, 46·4% conventional group) or in the incidence of major bleeding events was found, thromboembolic events occurred significantly less frequently in the pharmacist-monitored group (2 events vs. 12 events, P = 0·01). Minor bleeding events were more frequent in the pharmacist-monitored group (50 vs. 17, P < 0·01). However, time to follow-up after a sub- or supra-therapeutic INR was significantly shorter in the pharmacist monitored group (22 days vs. 68 days, and 14 days vs. 32 days, respectively). Conclusion: Pharmacist-monitored anticoagulation was associated with reduced thromboembolic events, an increase in minor bleeding events, and no difference in major bleeding events. Overall such monitoring by pharmacists should be recommended for older adults.
Liquid phase epitaxial growth and characterization of high purity lattice matched GaxIn1-xAs ON B InP

High purity GaxIn1-x As has been grown lattice matched on B InP by liquid phase epitaxy. Silicon, the residual impurity, is purged from the melt by long time baking in a hydrogen atmosphere with slight ambient water vapor concentration. Epitaxial layers with a net electron concentration as low as 3.5 × 1014 cm-3 and a liquid nitrogen mobility of 70,000 cm2/Vsec have been grown. The room temperature mobility is shown to be significantly higher than GaAs over a wide range of net electron concentrations useful for device applications, with the highest value of μ300 = 13,800 cm2/Vsec on a sample with n = 1.9 × I015 cm-3
Social organization of Galagos in Kenyan coastal forests: II. Galago garnettii.

The social organization of Galago garnettii was studied for the first time and the study included data from two different sites in the coastal forests of Kenya. A combination of mark-recapture and radio-tracking techniques was used to investigate patterns of inter- and intrasexual home range overlap. Patterns of range use were established by radio tracking focal individuals. Adult females of different ages shared highly overlapping ranges, while like-aged females showed little range overlap. Females matured and had their first infants in their natal ranges. Adult males' ranges were larger than those of females and overlapped them extensively. Resident adult males showed little range overlap with each other, unless they were of different ages. Turnover of males was frequent in both populations. Males probably dispersed from their natal ranges. Adults rarely slept together. The social organization of G. garnettii is relatively similar to that of the closely related G. crassicaudatus of southern Africa but contrasts with that of its sympatric congener, G. zanzibaricus. The differences and similarities between these three species are discussed in relation to diet and body size.
The Gibbs-thomson equation for a spherical coherent precipitate with applications to nucleation

The conditions for interfacial thermodynamic equilibrium form the basis for the derivation of a number of basic equations in materials science, including the various forms of the Gibbs-Thomson equation. The equilibrium conditions pertaining to a curved interface in a two-phase fluid system are well-known. In contrast, the conditions for thermodynamic equilibrium at a curved interface in nonhydrostatically stressed solids have only recently been examined. These conditions can be much different from those at a fluid interface and, as a result, the Gibbs-Thomson equation appropriate to coherent solids is likely to be considerably different from that for fluids. In this paper, the authors first derive the conditions necessary for thermodynamic equilibrium at the precipitate-matrix interface of a coherent spherical precipitate. The authors' derivation of these equilibrium conditions includes a correction to the equilibrium conditions of Johnson and Alexander for a spherical precipitate in an isotropic matrix. They then use these conditions to derive the dependence of the interfacial precipitate and matrix concentrations on precipitate radius (Gibbs-Thomson equation) for a such a precipitate. In addition, these relationships are then used to calculate the critical radius for the nucleation of a coherent misfitting precipitate.
Twists and turns of invasion

The transcription factor Twist1 is overexpressed in tumours and can induce the epithelial-mesenchymal transition, resulting in increased invasiveness. Twist1 is now shown to regulate cancer cell migration and invasion in three-dimensional environments by activating the RAC1 GTPase through suppression of a let-7 microRNA family member.
Improvements to a small free-field listening room

Abstract An inexpensive free-field listening room (7 ft 8 in × 5 ft 9 in × 6 ft in high) was designed and constructed with walls made of 5 inch high acoustical foam wedges backed by 1 1 2 inch foam and a 3 1 2 inch layer of building-grade Fiberglas. The composite wall construction creates a rugged, non-irritating surface that is highly absorbent and relatively inexpensive. Deviations from the inverse square law are less than 2·3 dB above 500 Hz. Reverberation from a 40 ms 1000 Hz pulse is 31 dB below the original pulse. Results of these two tests are compared with measurements by Marsh et al. [1] in a room of similar volume having flat 4 inch foam walls.
Mechanisms of Tax Regulation of Human T Cell Leukemia Virus Type I Gene Expression.

During the last several years, the human T cell leukemia virus type I (HTLV-I) has become recognized as an important cause for public health concern throughout the world. HTLV-I is the causative agent of a variety of clinical diseases, including an aggressive lymphoproliferative disorder named adult T cell leukemia. HTLV-I induces pathogenicity in the infected host cell through the synthesis of a virally encoded protein called Tax. Expression of Tax is critical to the life cycle of the virus, as the protein greatly increases the efficiency of HTLV-I gene transcription and replication. Furthermore, Tax has been shown to deregulate the transcription of many cellular genes, leading to the hypothesis that the presence of Tax promotes unchecked growth in the HTLV-I-infected cell. The mechanism of Taxtrans-activation of HTLV-I gene expression is not known. Tax does not bind directly to the Tax-responsive promoter elements of the virus, but appears to function through interaction with certain cellular DNA binding proteins, including activating transcription factor 2 and cAMP response element binding protein that recognize these sequences. This review summarizes some of the recent work in the field aimed at elucidating the mechanism of Taxtrans-activation of HTLV-I gene expression.
Human visual system activity and perception of intermittent light stimuli

Abstract This investigation relates human verbal report of the perception of intermittent light stimulation to the corresponding electrical activity of the visual system. Observations were made with the cooperation of 2 patients in whom depth electrodes had been implanted previously for therapeutic purposes, and from whom visual evoked responses had been recorded from near the optic nerve in one patient and the dorsal nucleus of the lateral geniculate body in the other. The average amount of activity was recorded from these two sites while the rate of an intermittent white light, projected on a viewing screen, was varied from zero to 50 flashes per second ( 1 1 , light/dark ratio). The patients were asked to report when the light was flickering, when steady, and to compare the brightness of the ‘flickering’ and ‘steady’ light with each other and with the actual steady light preceding flicker. Results showed that the average amount of activity, as a function of flicker frequency, accurately reflects the subjective perception of the light for ‘flicker’, ‘steady’, brightness enhancement, and the Talbot Brightness.
Resistance to desiccation in aquatic invasive snails and implications for their overland dispersal

At least 30 species of nonindigenous freshwater snails have invaded North America. The risk of these snails invading new lakes depends upon their ability to survive overland transport. We first reviewed published laboratory experiments using freshwater snails, which show numerous species are able to tolerate days of air exposure. We then tested tolerance to drying of three species of invasive aquatic snails that are widespread in Wisconsin: Bithynia tentaculata, Cipangopaludina chinensis, and Viviparus georgianus. In a series of seven experiments, we simulated boater transport by placing snails individually in mesh bags, hung outdoors, and confined in a screen tent. The screen roof allowed exposure to both sun and rain, and an on-site weather station recorded temperature, precipitation, and humidity. All three species exhibited high survivorship, with some individuals alive at the end of most experiments: 42 days for B. tentaculata and V. georgianus and 63 days for C. chinensis. Viable young were released by C. chinensis after 54 days of exposure. Overall, our results indicate that these invasive snails should readily survive long periods of transport overland, indicating a need for continued vigilance of recreational boaters entering lakes.
Pain scores in infants: a modified infant pain scale versus visual analogue

This study describes an observational system (modified infant pain scale, MIPS) with elements from a previously published observational scale and from assessments of video-recorded infant facial expressions. It was designed to allow rapid and repeated assessments of pain in infants after brief training by an observer without pediatric experience. Forty healthy term infants (17 +/- 7 weeks) undergoing elective surgery had simultaneous independent assessment of pain using two scales: a naive observer used the MIPS and an experienced pediatric nurse used a 10-cm unmarked horizontal visual analogue scale (VAS). This validation of the MIPS included its division during analysis into partial (P-MIPS, without data on sleep or vital signs) and total scores. Infants had a broad range of MIPS scores, and the two scales categorized infants as "comfortable" or "not comfortable" with a high degree of concordance. The MIPS was easily incorporated into an infant's physical examination. We recommend its use for two-point clinical pain assessment.
ACID-BASE DIAGRAMS MATHS, MYTHS, AND MEASUREMENTS

Abstract The range of findings in arterial blood in uncomplicated acid-base disturbances can be described by " in-vivo confidence bands ". In most such disturbances P a CO 2 varies over a much wider range than does blood pH, so there will be a close correlation between the plasma-bicarbonate, as calculated from the Henderson-Hasselbalch equation, and P a CO 2 . This predictably close correlation may divert attention from significant physiological relations between changes of blood acidity and pulmonary ventilation. Therefore, the regression equations for acid-base confidence bands should be formulated in terms of the two independent measurements, arterial blood acidity and CO 2 tension, and not calculated plasma-bicarbonate.