cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Single-Molecule FRET Analysis of Helicase Functions

In recent years, advancements in single-biomolecule probing techniques have provided critical information on and greater insight into the nature of biomolecules. Of significance is the application of single-molecule fluorescence resonance energy transfer (smFRET) to probe isolated events and changes at the nanometer scales. In particular, the study of helicases using smFRET has supplied much information regarding the nature and dynamics of these enzymes and provided a toolbox for further investigations. In this chapter we provide a general guide for the construction and execution of single-molecule FRET assays for the study of helicase properties and functionalities.
Hormonal and Chemotherapeutic Systemic Therapy for Metastatic Prostate Cancer.

BackgroundProstate cancer is the most frequently diagnosed cancer and the second leading cause of cancer death in men in the United States. It is estimated that over 300,000 men will have been diag...
Naturally occurring translational models for development of cancer gene therapy

Jaime F. Modiano, Matthew Breen, Susan E. Lana, Nicole Ehrhart, Susan P. Fosmire, Rachael Thomas, Cristan M. Jubala, Angela R. LameratoKozicki, Eugene J. Ehrhart, Jerome Schaack, Richard C. Duke, Gary C. Cutter and Donald Bellgrau Apoplogic, Inc., Denver, CO, USA Integrated Department of Immunology, University of Colorado at Denver and Health Sciences Center, Denver, CO, USA AMC Cancer Research Center, University of Colorado Cancer Center, Denver, CO, USA Program in Immunology and Immunotherapy, University of Colorado Cancer Center, Denver, CO, USA Department of Molecular Biosciences, College of Veterinary Medicine, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC, USA Department of Clinical Sciences, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO, USA Robert H. and Mary G. Flint Animal Cancer Center, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO, USA Department of Microbiology, Immunology, and Pathology, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO, USA Department of Microbiology, University of Colorado at Denver and Health Sciences Center, Denver, CO, USA Department of Biostatistics, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL, USA Current address: Department of Medical Sciences, University of Wisconsin, Madison, WI __________________________________________________________________________________
Increased Pre- and Post-Meal Free Fatty Acid Levels in Black, Obese Adolescents.

Abstract Background: Black adolescents are at increased risk of cardiometabolic disease but have lower fasting triglyceride, which is usually associated with decreased risk. No one has studied racial differences in triglycerides or free fatty acids (FFAs) after a high-fat meal. Methods: Oral glucose tolerance testing was used to assess insulin secretion, sensitivity, and disposition index (DI). Endothelial function, triglycerides, FFA, c-reactive protein, interleukin 6 (IL6), and adiponectin were measured both pre- and 3 hr postprandially (McDonald's Big Breakfast® and 12 ounce Sprite®) in obese adolescents (10–13 years, 9 black and 7 white). Endothelial function was assessed using reactive hyperemic changes in forearm vascular resistance (FVR). Results: Oral glucose tolerance test (OGTT) showed no difference in insulin sensitivity, but blacks tended to have (P = 0.08) higher insulin secretion and had increased DI (P = 0.003). After a high-fat meal, triglycerides increased in both groups (P < 0.001), tend...
Evaluation of PDC bit ROP models and the effect of rock strength on model coefficients

Abstract Current low oil price conditions have renewed the emphasis on drilling optimization, in order to save time drilling oil and gas wells and reduce operational costs. Rate of penetration (ROP) modeling is a key tool in optimizing drilling parameters, namely bit weight and rotary speed, for faster drilling processes. With a novel, all-automated data visualization and ROP modeling tool developed in Excel VBA, ROPPlotter, this work investigates model performance and the impact of rock strength on model coefficients of two different PDC bit ROP models: Hareland and Rampersad (1994) and Motahhari et al. (2010). These two PDC bit models are compared against a base case, general ROP relation developed by Bingham (1964) in three different sandstone formations in the vertical section of a Bakken shale horizontal well. For the first time, an attempt has been made to isolate the effect of varying rock strength on ROP model coefficients by investigating lithologies with otherwise similar drilling parameters. Additionally, a comprehensive discussion on the importance of selecting appropriate model coefficients bounds is conducted. Rock strength, accounted for in Hareland's and Motahhari's models but not in Bingham's, results in higher values of constant multiplier model coefficients for the former models, in addition to an increased RPM term exponent for Motahhari's model. Hareland and Rampersad's model is shown to perform best out of the three models with this particular dataset. The effectiveness and applicability of traditional ROP modeling is brought to question, as such models rely on a set of empirical coefficients that incorporate the effect of many drilling factors not accounted for in the model's formulation and are unique to a particular lithology.
Language Difference in the Telenovela Trade

Linguistic differences within and across language groups have challenged program export since the origins of television. This study examines telenovelas, which, despite an enduring basis in Spanish and Portuguese, have attracted worldwide audiences since the 1980s. The conceptual challenges of linguistic difference and the practical responses of industry participants are considered at three levels: within nations, among societies speaking the same or closely-related languages, and across language groups. More research is needed on how linguistic issues in the creation, distribution, and consumption of media texts interact with technological developments that address language differences.
The Functions of a Teacher

Try as we did, we could not construct a better title for this editorial than Bertrand Russell’s essay, with the same title, from his famous or infamous book Unpopular Essays (Russell, 1950). Perhap...
Introduction: Values, Questions, and Methods in Intellectual Property

This Introduction to the St. John's Intellectual Property Law Center/St. John's Law Review Symposium assesses the state of IP scholarship. It argues that justifications for -- or critiques of -- intellectual property necessarily entail contestable value judgments, and that scholars should calibrate the ambitions of their scholarship accordingly. In particular, it argues that empirical scholarship is unable to settle ultimate questions regarding the normative justification of intellectual property rights, though it can be helpful in answering subsidiary questions. Because contestable value judgments are inevitable in the evaluation of intellectual property rights, scholars ought to engage as broad an array of normative perspectives as possible, work to formulate questions that can provide useful insight on those perspectives, and tailor our methods to suit the questions for which we can offer useful answers.
Open Data Meets Digital Curation: An Investigation of Practices and Needs

In the United States, research funded by the government produces a significant portion of data. US law mandates that these data should be freely available to the public through ‘public access’, which is defined as fully discoverable and usable by the public. The U.S. government executive branch supported the public access requirements by issuing an Executive Directive titled ‘Increasing Access to the Results of Federally Funded Scientific Research’ that required federal agencies with annual research and development expenditures of more than $100 million to create public access plans by 22 August 2013. The directive applied to 19 federal agencies, some with multiple divisions. Additional direction for this initiative was provided by the Executive Order ‘Making Open and Machine Readable the New Default for Government Information’ which was accompanied by a memorandum with specific guidelines for information management and instructions to find ways to reduce compliance costs through interagency cooperation. In late 2013, the Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS) funded the Council on Library and Information Resources (CLIR) to conduct a project to help IMLS and its constituents understand the implications of the US federal public access mandate and how needs and gaps in digital curation can best be addressed. Our project has three research components: (1) a structured content analysis of federal agency plans supporting public access to data and publications, identifying both commonalities and differences among plans; (2) case studies (interviews and analysis of project deliverables) of seven projects previously funded by IMLS to identify lessons about skills, capabilities and institutional arrangements that can facilitate data curation activities; and (3) a gap analysis of continuing education and readiness assessment of the workforce. Research and cultural institutions urgently need to rethink the professional identities of those responsible for collecting, organizing, and preserving data for future use. This paper reports on a project to help inform further investments.
Robust control of the DC-DC boost converter based on the uncertainty and disturbance estimator

ABSTRACTIn this paper, a robust non-linear controller based on the uncertainty and disturbance estimator (UDE) scheme is successfully developed and implemented for the output voltage regulation of the DC–DC boost converter. System uncertainties, external disturbances and unknown non-linear dynamics are lumped as a signal that is accurately estimated using a low-pass filter and their effects are cancelled by the controller. This methodology forms the basis of the UDE-based controller. A simple procedure is also developed that systematically determines the parameters of the controller to meet certain specifications. Using simulation, the effectiveness of the proposed controller is compared against the sliding-mode control (SMC). Experimental tests also show that the proposed controller is robust to system uncertainties, large input and load perturbations.
Boundary Layers in Extragalactic Jets

The radio morphology of extragalactic radio sources, in particular the FRI objects, has long been recognized to be suggestive of an outflow which is undergoing a strong interaction with the surrounding medium. Two essential elements must be noted in considering this interaction. First, it is inevitable. Second, the interaction will always provide mass and energy transfer from the jet to the ambient medium, and thus it is a loss term in the overall energy balance of the radio source. As will be seen, these losses can be comparable to the overall radio luminosity and hence are a nontrivial constraint on the energy requirements placed on the central engine.
Preliminary Psychometric Evaluation of the Hamilton Depression Rating Scale in Methamphetamine Dependence.

ABSTRACTObjective: The purpose of this study was to test the initial psychometric properties of the 17-item Hamilton Depression Rating Scale (HAM-D) in individuals with and without major depressive disorder who use methamphetamine. We used data from two completed studies and two ongoing clinical trials. The HAM-D has well established reliability and validity in a variety of populations. However, there are no published reports of reliability and validity of the HAM-D in a methamphetamine-using population. Methods: HAM-D and depression status data were extracted from four separate studies for this psychometric assessment. Using these data, we evaluated three measures of construct validity: internal consistency, contrasted group validity, and factorial validity. Results: We found potential concerns with the construct validity of the HAM-D in users of methamphetamine. Intercorrelations between items were primarily less than 0.20 and the Cronbach's alpha value in this sample was 0.58, indicating potential issu...
To Become an American: Immigrants and Americanization Campaigns of the Early Twentieth Century, edited by L.A. Hahner, East Lansing, MI, Michigan State University Press, 2017.

During the 20th century, increasingly zealous displays of patriotism in the United States were motivated by contemporary immigration trends, as more immigrants were emigrating from countries suffer...
Farmer perceptions regarding irrigation with treated wastewater in the West Bank, Tunisia, and Qatar

Heads of households, farmers, and experts in wastewater and agriculture in the West Bank, Tunisia and Qatar were engaged in consultations to understand their farming/gardening practices, perceived benefits and risks of using treated wastewater, willingness to pay for various qualities of water, safe handling practices, and knowledge of local organizations and regulatory agencies. Most view wastewater as unsafe for reuse in agriculture, and users feel local monitoring and oversight are insufficient. Improving transparency of wastewater management and providing extension about the true risks and benefits of this practice will improve the success and safety of future reuse projects.
DIFFUSION OF GASES

This article summarizes different diffusion processes that transport respiratory gases in the body, their theoretical bases and pertinent equations. Gases move within cells by diffusion alone, so it is essential to maintain life. Gases that are neither metabolized nor produced (inert gases), such as nitrogen and anesthetic gases, equilibrate between capillary blood and alveolar gas or peripheral tissues in one capillary transmit time. Metabolism of O2 in a cell simultaneously with diffusion causes a marked drop in PO2 with distance from a capillary which limits the size of a cell, even under steady state conditions. Chemical reaction simultaneous with diffusion also severely reduces the transient rate of uptake of O2, CO, and NO by red cells; the more rapid the chemical reaction, the greater the relative reduction. The rate of CO uptake by red cells limits the rate of its uptake in the lungs. Gas diffusion can be facilitated by reacting reversibly with a carrier molecule which also diffuses, adding to the net flux. Cell membranes have been considered highly permeable to gases, because the gases dissolve in membrane lipid but recently some have been found to be relatively impermeable and some to contain membrane proteins which transport gas.
Effect of luminal pH and nutrient bicarbonate concentration on restitution after gastric surface cell injury

Frog fundic mucosas whose surface layers were severely injured by exposure to 1 M NaCl for 10 minutes in an Ussing chamber uniformly recovered both physiologically and anatomically within 4 to 6 hours. The purpose of the present study was to examine the effects of luminal H+ and nutrient HCO-3 concentrations on this process of reconstitution. With 18 mM HCO-3, return of the transmucosal potential difference, tissue electrical resistance, and short-circuit current toward normal and anatomic recovery occurred at luminal pH of 7.4, 5.0, and 4.0 but not at 3.0. An inhibitor of pepsin did not favorably affect the outcome of luminal pH 3.0, but a nutrient HCO-3 concentration of 47.8 mM completely prevented the adverse effects of luminal pH 3.0. Reconstitution of epithelial integrity did not occur in the absence of HCO-3 at luminal pH 4.0. Thus, low luminal pH inhibits and high nutrient HCO-3 concentration supports the epithelial restitution after mucosal damage caused by hyperosmolar NaCl.
Public Health Issues

According to Reynolds, Banks, and Murphree (1976), rural America includes people living on farms or in nonfarm communities of less than 2,500 residents. Twenty-five years ago such areas were home to 55 million people in the United States and that number had remained essentially stable for the previous five decades. The most recent census (U.S. Census Bureau, 1995) numbered the rural population of this country at more than 61 million people or 24% of the total population.
The 4.2 ka event, ENSO, and coral reef development

Abstract. Variability of sea-surface temperature related to shifts in the mode of the El Nino–Southern Oscillation (ENSO) has been implicated as a possible forcing mechanism for the global-scale changes in tropical and subtropical precipitation known as the 4.2 ka event. We review records of coral reef development and paleoceanography from the tropical eastern Pacific (TEP) to evaluate the potential impact of the 4.2 ka event on coral reefs. Our goal is to identify the regional climatic and oceanographic drivers of a 2500-year shutdown of vertical reef accretion in the TEP after 4.2 ka. The 2500-year hiatus represents ∼40 % of the Holocene history of reefs in the TEP and appears to have been tied to increased variability of ENSO. When ENSO variability abated approximately 1.7–1.6 ka, coral populations recovered and vertical accretion of reef framework resumed apace. There is some evidence that the 4.2 ka event suppressed coral growth and reef accretion elsewhere in the Pacific Ocean as well. Although the ultimate causality behind the global 4.2 ka event remains elusive, correlations between shifts in ENSO variability and the impacts of the 4.2 ka event suggest that ENSO could have played a role in climatic changes at that time, at least in the tropical and subtropical Pacific. We outline a framework for testing hypotheses of where and under what conditions ENSO may be expected to have impacted coral reef environments around 4.2 ka. Although most studies of the 4.2 ka event have focused on terrestrial environments, we suggest that understanding the event in marine systems may prove to be the key to deciphering its ultimate cause.
Constructing Rights of Nature Norms in the US, Ecuador, and New Zealand

Governments around the world are adopting laws granting Nature rights. Despite expressing common meta-norms transmitted through transnational networks, rights of Nature (RoN) laws differ in how the...
Effect of hot working and aging heat treatments on monotonic, cyclic, and fatigue behavior of WE43 magnesium alloy

Abstract This paper examines monotonic and cyclic behavior of WE43 alloy in several conditions including direct-chill as-cast and rolled heat-treated with an emphasis on the comparison of microstructural features governing the difference in their behavior. To facilitate the evaluation of the effect of hot working conditions on the material behavior, the as-cast-WE43 was converted into two rolled plates with one (P2) being rolled at a temperature for 16.5 °C lower than the other plate (P1). The plates were further processed into T5 and T6 conditions. The plate P2 in the T5 condition was found to have the highest strength and elongation to fracture in tension along both the rolling direction (RD) and the transverse direction (TD). The other plate, P1, showed a higher ductility in compression, while exhibiting slightly lower strength and elongation in tension. The trend of lower strength and elongation in tension with higher ductility in compression continued to the material in the T6 condition and finally to the as-cast material. Strain to fracture in compression was the largest for the as-cast material. In addition to quasi-static strength, P2 was found to exhibit superior low cyclic fatigue (LCF) and high cyclic fatigue (HCF) behavior. Consistent with the quasi-static strength, the rolled plates in the T5 conditions exhibited slightly longer lives in LCF and HCF along TD than along RD. The interesting deformation behavior characteristics of the alloy in different conditions are rationalized in terms of their microstructures. The results reveal that it is possible to further optimize the hot working conditions to obtain the alloy WE43 exhibiting better performance characteristics.
Winter Pea, Crimson Clover, and Hairy Vetch Planted in Mixture with Small Grains in the Southeast United States

Legume and small grain cover crop mixtures may simultaneously fix N and suppress weeds. Studies were conducted from 2015 to 2017 in Maryland and North Carolina to compare winter pea (Pisum sativum L.) to crimson clover (Trifolium incarnatum) and hairy vetch (Vicia villosa Roth) for cover crop use in mixture with small grains. Five winter pea genotypes, one crimson clover cultivar, and one hairy vetch cultivar were screened in mixture with barley (Hordeum vulgare), oats (Avena sativa), and wheat (Triticum aestivum). Cold injury of the pea genotypes in Maryland severely impacted pea biomass. Peas were able to recover from cold injury in North Carolina. A robustly growing small grain aided in legume cold tolerance in some environments. In the Coastal Plain environments, all legume genotypes generally contributed to at least 50% of mixture biomass production. In the Maryland and Piedmont environments, the small grain dominated the cover crop mixture. Oats were generally more competitive with the legume species than barley or wheat. In the North Carolina Coastal Plain and Piedmont, several winter pea genotypes produced as much biomass in mixture as crimson clover and hairy vetch. Hairy vetch was the most competitive legume with the small grains across environments. The variability in total biomass composition across environments in this study demonstrates the importance of site specific cover crop species selection and mixture seeding rate recommendations.
3D printed micro lenses for depth of focus imaging

We rapidly designed, 3D printed, and tested a singlet lens with an outer diameter of 0.5mm and extended depth of focus, for endoscopic applications. Practical considerations and comparison to commercially-available microlenses are provided.
Mexican Stories: “I can talk to her and she listens”

Regardless of whether they were legal or “illegal” or whether they were newcomers or have been in the U.S. for generations, our Mexican interviewees were part of a population that faces the highest prevalence of obesity, one of the lowest leisure times, and one that is likely to report major depression. Supporting well-being were design elements like a window to trace the movement of birds in the yard; a sunroom to quietly watch television and relish alone time; color palettes that eased cleaning and saved time and energy, and the Virgin of Guadalupe, who infused domestic environments with connections to the divine, giving people courage and strength. Suppressing well-being were a corridor-type kitchen that did not accommodate cooking and eating together, occupancy regulations enforced by landlords, and limited storage.
Assemblages of Production: Capitalist Colonial Labor Regimes and other Productive Practices in Highland Guatemala

The consequences of Spanish colonial/capitalist intrusions in highland Guatemala are an emerging focus of archaeological investigation. While providing insight into the entanglements between colonialism and capitalism and their effects on Maya communities, it is critical not to fixate only on extractive and exploitative labor regimes to the exclusion of other patterns of practice and production central to the experience of people in the past. In our analyses, a singular focus on capitalist colonialism reifies the suffocating ubiquity of abstract processes, foreclosing the possibility of other ways of being in the world that were not capitalist, colonial, or formed in relation or opposition to them. Instead, a holistic approach to the assemblage of production practices in capitalist colonial contexts allows for analyses of “capitalist” practices that exist side side-by-side and/or articulated with other practices—traditional and innovative—outside the unproductive two-step of either resistance to or engagement with capitalism or colonialism. In this article we use archival and archaeological research on colonial Maya sites in the piedmont and highland regions of Guatemala to piece together the spectrum of economic and productive practices carried out by colonial Maya communities: some coerced, some opportunistic of the emerging colonial economic landscape, and others having little to do with the intrusions of capitalist/colonial practices and effects.
Short term methylphenidate treatment does not increase myocardial injury in the ischemic rat heart

Methylphenidate is commonly used for the treatment of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder. The cardiovascular safety of methylphenidate has been a subject of debate with some studies indicating that methylphenidate increases the likelihood of experiencing a myocardial infarction. However, it is unknown whether methylphenidate worsens the extent of injury during an ischemic insult. The purpose of this study was to determine whether short term exposure to methylphenidate increases the extent of myocardial injury during an ischemic insult. Male and female rats received methylphenidate (5 mg/kg/day) or saline for 10 days by oral gavage. Hearts were subjected to 20 min of ischemia and 2 h of reperfusion on a Langendorff isolated heart apparatus on day 11. Cardiac contractile function was monitored via an intraventricular balloon and myocardial injury was assessed by triphenyltetrazolium chloride staining. Methylphenidate significantly increased locomotor activity in male and female rats, confirming absorption of this psychostimulant into the central nervous system. Male hearts had significantly larger infarcts than female hearts, but methylphenidate had no impact on infarct size or postischemic recovery of contractile function in hearts of either sex. These data indicate that methylphenidate does not increase the extent of injury induced by an ischemic insult.
Defective oligodendrocyte development and function in an RNA polymerase III mutant leukodystrophic mouse

RNA polymerase (Pol) III synthesizes abundant short non-coding RNAs that have essential functions in protein synthesis, secretion and other processes. Despite the ubiquitous functions of these RNAs, mutations in Pol III subunits cause Pol III-related leukodystrophy, an early-onset neurodegenerative disease. The basis of this neural sensitivity and the mechanisms of disease pathogenesis are unknown. Here we show that mice expressing pathogenic mutations in the largest Pol III subunit, Polr3a, specifically in Olig2-expressing cells, have impaired growth, neurobehavioral deficits and hypomyelination in multiple regions of the brain and spinal cord. We identify two mechanisms of disease pathogenesis within the oligodendrocyte (OL) lineage; a differentiation defect of oligodendrocyte precursor cells reduces the number of mature myelinating OLs and an intrinsic myelination defect in mature OLs impairs myelin deposition. Thus, we reveal cell-specific roles for Pol III in the normal development and function of oligodendrocytes.
Enhancing Primary Care Experiences for Homeless Patients with Serious Mental Illness: Results from a National Survey.

Objectives:Patients experiencing homelessness (PEH) with serious mental illness (SMI) have poor satisfaction with primary care. We assessed if primary care teams tailored for homeless patients (Hom...
Unmet healthcare needs among midlife adults with mental distress and multiple chronic conditions.

Limited attention has focused on midlife health. Yet, this is a time of great change, including onset of chronic conditions and changes in mental health.To examine unmet healthcare needs among midl...
Mechanical Properties and Characterization of Epoxy Composites Containing Highly Entangled As-Received and Acid Treated Carbon Nanotubes.

Huntsman–Merrimack MIRALON® carbon nanotubes (CNTs) are a novel, highly entangled, commercially available, and scalable format of nanotubes. As-received and acid-treated CNTs were added to aerospace grade epoxy (CYCOM® 977-3), and the composites were characterized. The epoxy resin is expected to infiltrate the network of the CNTs and could improve mechanical properties. Epoxy composites were tested for flexural and viscoelastic properties and the as-received and acid treated CNTs were characterized using Field-Emission Scanning and Transmission Electron Microscopy, X-Ray Photoelectron Spectroscopy, and Thermogravimetric Analysis. Composites containing 0.4 wt% as-received CNTs showed an increase in flexural strength, from 136.9 MPa for neat epoxy to 147.5 MPa. In addition, the flexural modulus increased from 3.88 GPa for the neat epoxy to 4.24 GPa and 4.49 GPa for the 2.0 wt% and 3.0 wt% as-received CNT/epoxy composites, respectively. FE-SEM micrographs indicated good dispersion of the CNTs in the as-received CNT/epoxy composites and the 10 M nitric acid 6 h treatment at 120 °C CNT/epoxy composites. CNTs treated with 10 M nitric acid for 6 h at 120 °C added oxygen containing functional groups (C–O, C=O, and O=C–O) and removed iron catalyst present on the as-received CNTs, but the flexural properties were not improved compared to the as-received CNT/epoxy composites.
Shared components of heritability across genetically correlated traits

Most disease-associated genetic variants are pleiotropic, affecting multiple genetically correlated traits. Their pleiotropic associations can be mechanistically informative: if many variants have similar patterns of association, they may act via similar pleiotropic mechanisms, forming a shared component of heritability. We developed Pleiotropic Decomposition Regression (PDR) to identify shared components and their underlying genetic variants. We validated PDR on simulated data and identified limitations of existing methods in recovering the true components. We applied PDR to three clusters of 5-6 traits genetically correlated with coronary disease, asthma, and type II diabetes respectively, producing biologically interpretable components. For CAD, PDR identified components related to BMI, hypertension and cholesterol, and it clarified the relationship among these highly correlated risk factors. We assigned variants to components, calculated their posterior-mean effect sizes, and performed out-of-sample validation. Our posterior-mean effect sizes pool statistical power across traits and substantially boost the correlation (r2) between true and estimated effect sizes compared with the original summary statistics: by 94% and 70% for asthma and T2D out of sample, and by a predicted 300% for CAD.
Interarea-Oscillation Damping with Dual Power Oscillation Damping Controller of a Utility-Scale Wind Power Plant

This paper investigates the potential of a utility-scale wind power plant (WPP) as a power oscillation damping (POD) controller to improve the system’s dynamic response to inter-area oscillation, especially with high-renewable and low-inertia systems. Type IV based WPP utilizes active power (P) and reactive power (Q) controls simultaneously by adding two separate P-based and Q-based PODs to the machine-side converter (MSC) and grid-side converter (GSC), respectively. For the P-based POD, the kinetic energy of the wind turbine is utilized according to an estimated power angle. It mitigates the necessity of any curtailment of active power for damping. For the Q-based POD, the Q reference is adjusted according to the rotational speed of a synchronous generator. During the damping control, a higher priority is given to P control in both of the MSC and GSC controllers. This paper uses the local bus angle and speed of the nearest synchronous generator as the feedback for each of these loops. The effectiveness of the proposed control scheme is verified with a three-phase short circuit fault in a two-area power system. The proposed method is also compared with the conventional technique to investigate the superiority of the proposed controller.
Institutionalizing the Schism

Following initiatives in 1794 by the Ecoles de Sante (formerly schools of medicine) in Paris, Montpelier, and Strasbourg, other European medical schools began establishing departments and chairs of hygiene. These were concerned largely with occupational diseases, industrial hazards, and environmental sanitation—an indication that medical faculties were aware of the importance of their understanding for disease prevention. Possibly as a result of Johan Peter Frank’s push for legislative enforcement to further his precepts, hygiene was linked to the teaching of medical jurisprudence, as recounted in Chapter 3. At the other extreme, because occupational risks were frequently chemical in nature, many of the early professors of hygiene were physicians with additional training in chemistry or were chemists; later bacteriologists predominated.
Brainstem neurons are peculiar for oculomotor organization

Publisher Summary This chapter describes the structural and functional aspects of neurons and neural circuits in the oculomotor system, including some comparisons to the skeletal motor system. Size is significant for neural to neural translation. The size principle is shown not to be a rigid absolute criterion because the values of velocity sensitivity varied significantly for individual neurons depending on whether they were computed during fast (including saccades) or slow phases of vestibular nystagmus. This was expected because separate sources of presynaptic afferents are known to be involved, and therefore, the differences reflect unique arborization patterns onto target motoneurons. Nonetheless, these velocity values were correlated, but less well, with conduction velocity and position sensitivity. This led to the conclusion that both motoneurons and internuclear neuron properties during recruitment and frequency potentiation are dependent upon the distribution of neuronal properties throughout the pool, as well as the pattern of synaptic effects from separate afferent systems. In addition, the interdigitated population of motoneurons and internuclear neurons in the abducens nucleus co-varied in other ways, such as their extent of static hysteresis, the influence of alertness, and position-dependent non-linearities.
Recent trends in Siberian urban growth.

Recent shifts in policy objectives in the Soviet Union have called into question the extent and nature of future urban development in Siberia. This study, which builds on earlier articles by Sallnow (1977), Dienes (1982), Shabad (1985) and others, lays the foundation for predicting the future course of urbanization east of the Urals. Population data are accumulated for 1959, 1970, 1975, 1980 and 1985. Absolute and relative growth and growth rates are calculated for economic regions, oblast-level administrative entities, and individual cities, as well as for city-size categories. The nature of Siberian growth suggests that in addition to serving as centers of resource exploitation, Siberian cities also function as growth poles for more integrated development. The analysis serves as the preliminary stage for proposed future research on the extent of Siberian urban development and the integration of Siberia into the Soviet economy.
Flow cytometric fluorescence lifetime measurements.

Publisher Summary Fluorescence lifetime measurements by flow cytometry (FCM) are important because they yield additional information about fluorophore-cell interactions at the molecular level. An advantage of fluorescence lifetime measurements is that, in some instances, lifetimes can be considered as absolute quantities. There are two general methods for measuring fluorescence lifetimes: time-domain and frequency-domain analysis. In the time-domain method, the sample is excited by a series of short light pulses, and the time evolution of the fluorescence emission is measured directly by time-correlated single photon counting or a high-speed digital storage oscilloscope/sampling. Phase-modulation measurement is a frequency-domain alternative to the timedomain methods. In contrast to pulsed techniques that record the amplitude of the fluorescence decay directly, the phase-modulation method determines the phase and amplitude of the sample fluorescence emission relative to a periodically modulated excitation source.
The role of the intermittent contractions of the uterus in the process of labor

I T IS taken for granted universally that the intermittent contractions of the uterus are essent,ial to the process of labor. And included in this assumption is the belief that they probably play a role in the advancement of the first, as well as in that, of the second stage of labor. NO doubt the first of these opinions is based largely upon the furlher supposition t.hat intermitt,ent contractions invariably accompany labor, and to a less extent on the observation that prolonged labors, not due to disproportion, are accompanied hy contractions of poor quality. Certain observations up011 t,he motility of t,hc I&PUS during labor, made with the tocograph, are of interest in connection with the above considerations.
Blood-Brain Barrier Transport of Cytokines

Abstract Cytokine interactions with the blood–brain barrier (BBB) and blood–cerebrospinal fluid (B-CSF) barrier are an integral part of neuroimmune interactions. These barriers constitute potential limitations or restrictions against the free exchange of humoral message-bearing molecules residing in blood, CSF, and extracellular fluid (ECS) within brain and non-neural body fluid compartments. Many cytokines are transported across the BBB, and there are unique transporters for groups and families of cytokines that enable movements from blood to brain and the converse. This chapter reviews these transport movements in either direction for their behavioral effects, their species specificity and the alterations in transport that may occur or can be demonstrated in health and after pathological processes. The rate at which these cytokine transporters act is shown to not be static and is known to vary diurnally, among different strains of animals and with different brain locations. Cytokines are shown to affect the transport of other substances across the BBB, including viruses and regulatory proteins such as insulin. Secretion of cytokines by cells that comprise the BBB is also reviewed in order to illustrate the range of cytokine interactions with the barriers.
Optimal control-on-request: An application in real-time assistive balance control

This paper presents a method for shared control where real-time bursts of optimal control assistance are applied by an observer on-demand to aid a simulated figure in maintaining balance. The proposed Assistive Controller (AC) calculates the optimal burst control fast, in real time, while accounting for nonlinearities of the dynamic model. The short duration of the AC signals allows a rapid transfer of control authority between the nominal and the assistive controller. This scheme avoids prolonged loss of nominal control authority on the part of the figure while facilitating the real-time integration of an external observer's guidance through the assistive control. We demonstrate the benefits of this control scheme in simulation using the Robot Operating System (ROS), in a context where the nominal controller fails to stabilize the figure and the AC is activated intermittently to not only keep it from falling but to additionally push it back to the upright position. The example signifies the efficiency of the proposed model-based AC even in the absence of force/pressure sensors. This approach presents an opportunity for using exoskeletons in balance support, fall prevention, and therapy. In particular, our simulation results indicate that a therapist equipped with an AC interface can, with minimal effort, increase active participation on the part of the patient while ensuring their safety.
Checklists, checklists, every where, but not a list to easily check: An exploratory study of personal health information management practices

Preventive healthcare services require consumers to coordinate and manage several healthcare activities with multiple service providers. In this paper we set out to understand what challenges people face in managing personal healthcare requirements. We conducted a qualitative study of consumers who participate in a preventive care program called the Health Enhancement Program in the State of Connecticut. Data from the interviews of 15 participants of this program highlighted several challenges faced by participants in scheduling and managing their healthcare requirements. While some of the challenges were due to lack of communication between several stakeholders of the process, others provide implications for design of technology that can support management of personal healthcare requirements.
Concept Learning and Categorization: Models

Category learning involves generalizing from one learned case to another in appropriate ways. Models of category learning have been based on various representations, including exemplars, prototypes, rules, and hybrids thereof. Keywords: exemplar; prototype; rule; similarity; attention; categorization; category learning
Thirty Years of Corporate Governance: Firm Valuation & Stock Returns

his paper introduces a dataset tracking approximately 1,000 firmsâ€™ G- and E-index scores, as well the individual corporate governance provisions constituting these indexes, over the 1978-1989 period. Combining this data with the 1990-2006 IRRC data, we are able to track firmsâ€™ corporate governance over a thirty year period. Most governance changes occurred during the 1980s (with relative stability thereafter). We find a robustly negative association between the G- and E-Index and Tobinâ€™s Q for the 1978-2006 period, even when using firm fixed effects, and little direct evidence for reverse causation. The negative firm valuation effects of classified boards, poison pills and G-Index generally was significantly greater after the judicial approval of the poison pill in 1985, which can be considered as a largely unanticipated, exogenous shock to corporate governance. Moreover, G-Index changes have a much stronger negative association with firm valuation when a firm is in an industry experiencing â€œhighâ€ levels of M&A activity. Finally, we find a robust positive association between â€œgoodâ€ corporate governance and abnormal returns for the 1978-2006 period. The abnormal returns association with governance was strongest in the beginning of our 1978-2006 time period and generally declining thereafter, consistent with an explanation of these returns based on the market learning the importance of good governance.
Minority Programs Funded by the National Science Foundation

The National Science Foundation (NSF) is an agency of the federal government that was established in 1950 to advance scientific growth and development in the United States. The foundation fulfills this responsibility primarily by sponsoring scientific research and training in academia, encouraging and supporting improvements in science education, and fostering the exchange of scientific information. The foundation supports scientific research and education projects in the mathematical, physical, medical, biological, social, and engineering sciences.
Threshold-based substream selection combining for adaptive spatial multiplexing

We propose a novel closed-loop spatial multiplexing method with limited feedback and low bit error rates over MIMO fading channels. The transmitter adaptation is designed to satisfy spectral efficiency and average transmit power constraints. The transmit adaptation is performed simply by selecting the number of sub-streams based on a given threshold with a fixed nonadaptive constellation and transmit power per substream. The proposed system chooses the substream selection threshold as a function of the slowly changing average SNR. We analyze the performance of the proposed system by deriving closed-form expressions for spectral efficiency, average transmit power, and BER. Under spectral efficiency and average transmit power constraints, we show that the average BER decreases exponentially in terms of average SNR over fading channels. We present numerical and simulation results that validate our analysis.
Gravity Field Approximation Using the Predictors of Bjerhammar and Hardy

Abstract : Gravity field approximation using the predictors of Bjerhammer and Hardy is investigated. In the Bjerhammar method, a finite number of observations is given and it is required to compute a disturbing potential which is harmonic down to a sphere fully internal to the Earth, regular at infinity and it satisfies all the observations. In the Hardy method, a particular family of density anomaly functions is selected which, together with its normal derivatives, vanishes at the boundary. The resulting disturbing potential is non-singular at points that induce potential. Both methods can use any linear functional of the disturbing potential as observation and/or quantity to be predicted. Both predictors were tested with the White Sands test data. Reference field and residual terrain model effects were removed from the observations and they were restored at the control stations after the predictions were performed. The best gravity anomaly predictions with both methods were performed with only Delta g observations and the downward continuation onto the nadir points of the observations. The most important overall result of this work is that when reference field and residual terrain model effects are taken into account, there are at least five methods that can predict (xi,eta) from Delta g to the sub- second level, even in mountainous areas. Furthermore, the improvement of the predictions should not be anticipated from a theoretical breakthrough but from data type and coverage improvement. Geodesy.
Distinguishing induced seismicity from natural seismicity in Ohio: Demonstrating the utility of waveform template matching

This study investigated the utility of multistation waveform cross correlation to help discern induced seismicity. Template matching was applied to all Ohio earthquakes cataloged since the arrival of nearby EarthScope TA stations in late 2010. Earthquakes that were within 5 km of fluid injection activities in regions that lacked previously documented seismicity were found to be swarmy. Moreover, the larger number of events produced by template matching for these swarmy sequences made it easier to establish more detailed temporal and spatial relationships between the seismicity and fluid injection activities, which is typically required for an earthquake to be considered induced. Study results detected three previously documented induced sequences (Youngstown, Poland Township, and Harrison County) and provided evidence that suggests two additional cases of induced seismicity (Belmont/Guernsey County and Washington County). Evidence for these cases suggested that unusual swarm-like behaviors in regions that lack previously documented seismicity can be used to help distinguish induced seismicity, complementing the traditional identification of an anthropogenic source spatially and temporally correlated with the seismicity. In support of this finding, we identified 17 additional cataloged earthquakes in regions of previously documented seismicity and away from disposal wells or hydraulic fracturing that returned very few template matches. The lack of swarminess helps to indicate that these events are most likely naturally occurring.