cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
The Prevalence of Brown Widow and Black Widow Spiders (Araneae: Theridiidae) in Urban Southern California

The brown widow spider, Latrodectus geometricus C. L. Koch, has become newly established in southern California during the first decade of the 21st century. Brown widows and egg sacs were collected within the urban Los Angeles Basin using timed searches. We also collected and compared the abundance and distribution of the native western black widow spider, Latrodectus hesperus Chamberlin & Ivie, to brown widows. Brown widows were very common around urban structures especially outside homes, in parks, under playground equipment, in plant nurseries and landscaping areas, greatly outnumbering native western black widows, and were very rare or nonexistent in garages, agricultural crops, and natural areas. Western black widows predominated in xeric habitats and were less prevalent around homes. Neither species was found in the living space of homes. In southern California, envenomation risk exists because brown widows are now common in urban areas and the spiders hide where people place their fingers and exert pressure to move objects (e.g., under the curled lip of potted plants, in the recessed handle of plastic trash bins). Nonetheless, brown widow spider bites are less toxic than those of native western black widow spiders and, hence, if they are displacing black widows, overall widow envenomation risk may actually be lower than before brown widow establishment.
Characterization of fans in ∗-fields

Abstract Brocker's valuation-theoretic characterization of fans in a formally real field is extended to skew fields with involution. It is shown how each fan of a ∗-field arises as the pullback of a trivial fan in the residue skew field of a valuation.
Reverse engineering as an educational tool for sustainability

The undergraduate program in the Materials Science and Engineering department at the University of Florida requires its junior students to take the course “Analysis of the Structure of Materials”. This course provides students the opportunity to disassemble an engineered product, characterize and analyze the structure of its components, and correlate the structures with properties and processing addressing the criteria most likely used for materials selection by the manufacturers. In addition to the traditional reverse engineering approach, the students must select at least one component and re-create the life cycle of the material/component. The analysis requires collection and analysis of data from emissions, and waste generated from each step of the mining, processing, manufacturing, fabrication, distribution, use, and typical disposal of the product. The students are required to estimate product impacts on the waste stream, environment and society. The final presentation must also include recommendations from the students to create the same product in a more environmentally responsible way.
Transmission capacity and market power: the effect on a dominant generation firm

Abstract We examine the effect of transmission on a firm's market power by analyzing the optimal dispatch for a dominant firm in a short-run regional electricity generation market. Application of our research to Colorado shows that the dominant firm can strategically congest transmission into the region to receive a maximum price 54.9% of the time. When it does not get the maximum price, the dominant firm can receive an 11.6% average markup over the competitive price. We show how the threat of entry across an enhanced transmission grid can increase competition and limit market power in Colorado.
Eye Tracking and Web Experience

User experience research aims to understand a user’s point of view. Because eye tracking allows us to literally see through a user’s eyes, it can serve as a valuable tool in web studies, particularly in web design and development. To understand how eye tracking can be pivotal in website studies, this paper scientifically explains how the human visual system works and how eye tracker technologies can record what we register with our eyes. It then explains how web design can benefit from the data that eye tracking studies deliver. Finally, the paper discusses trends for eye tracking in future web experience research.
LANGUAGE STRATEGISTS: Redefining Political Frontiers on the Basis of Linguistic Choices

and wealth. Cultural elites define the group in terms of where frontiers begin and end. The two leaders rarely merge in one individual; more often, each plays a different but complementary role. Political innovators easily capture our attention. Their cultural counterparts receive a passing glance because no one really believes that the pen is mightier than the sword. Within this neglected category of actors are the great writers, translators, poets, and dictionary makers whose choice of tongue for their literary works can raise that language up the flagpole of identity. The virtuosity of the pen creates a symbol for new community frontiers and new interests-which are defined and defended by the thrust of the sword. The person who thus innovates linguistically in order to promote interests should be called a language strategist. Why do languages become symbols of groups? What linguistic choices are made by strategists to realize this potential? How do we know that their motives are political and not solely artistic? What are their political goals, and whose interests are promoted? The present attempt to answer these questions should begin to clarify the cooperative relationship between political and cultural elites that is essential to the precipitation of ethnic and nationalist identities.
Bronchopulmonary fluids in pulmonary alveolar proteinosis.

Abstract The alveoli of patients with pulmonary alveolar proteinosis (P.A.P.) become filled with a proteinaceous material, the origin of which is uncertain. The purpose of this study was to examine bronchopulmonary washings from four adults and one child with this disease who had total lung lavage for treatment of the hypoxemia caused by the disease process. In each instance a liter or more of lavage fluid was concentrated approximately four hundred fold by ultrafiltration for protein analysis. Quantitative determinations of the proteins in this fluid and in serum were performed in quadruplicate by the Lowry method, radial diffusion, or radioimmunoassay. There was a selective increase of IgG in washings from all five patients with P.A.P., and there was a lesser increase of IgA, suggesting either a local production or a mechanism for concentrating these immunoglobulins. Albumin usually comprised a similar proportion of the total protein in serum and washings, but alpha-2 macroglobulin comprised less than half that in serum in each instance, suggesting that equal transudation of large and small proteins did not occur. There was considerable variation in the relative proportion of IgM, IgD, and IgE in washings compared to serum, suggesting that each of these immunoglobulins is metabolized (synthesized, transported, or catabolized) by an independent mechanism in the lung. Secretory piece was demonstrated in the bronchial washings of each patient, including controls, as were two soluble nonserum proteins. Fibrinogen was identified in the washings of the three patients with P.A.P. Large amounts of insoluble surfactant-like material were also present in the washings of each of the patients with P.A.P.
STORAGE TEMPERATURE EFFECTS ON THE PROTEOLYTIC ACTIVITY OF RADIATION-SURVIVING BACTERIA IN OYSTERS

— The activity of 2 radiation-surviving and strongly proteolytic strains of Pseudomonas and Achromobacter were compared to the activity of 2 lesser active strains of Neisseria and Bacillus in fresh oysters during iced (32°F) and refrigerated (40°F) storage for 15 days. Radiation doses used for the oysters were 100 and 800 krad. The activity of the former bacteria was higher than that of the latter 2 at both temperatures and radiation doses. Neither the nonirradiated nor the irradiated uninoculated oysters displayed significant increases in proteolytic activity when they were ice-stored for 15 days, but storage at 40°F for the same period resulted in significant activity increases in the nonirradiated. This emphasizes irradiation and storage temperature as related factors. A slight decrease in pH at 15 days in both nonirradiated and 100 krad-irradiated oysters corresponded to the increase in bacterial numbers.
Phase behavior of rounded hard-squares

Recently, Zhao et al. [Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. U. S. A., 2011, 108, 2684] reported the phase behavior of monolayers of polymeric Brownian squares platelets. As the density is increased, this system exhibits the formation of two crystal structures not expected for particles with square symmetry, namely, a hexagonal rotator crystal phase and a rhombic crystal phase. Molecular simulations by Wojciechowski and Frenkel [Comp. Met. Sci. Technol., 2004 10, 235] had predicted instead the formation of tetratic and square crystal phases. In this work, we report Monte Carlo simulation results of rounded hard squares of varying degrees of roundness, hence interpolating between disks and perfect squares. Our simulations show that the roundness of the particles gives rise to the phases observed by Zhao et al. and further provide a roadmap for the regions of stability of different ordered phases as a function of particle roundness. In particular, our results suggest that depending on the degree of roundness, the isotropic phase would transition either into a hexagonal rotator phase through a hexatic-like intermediate, into a square phase through a tetratic-like intermediate, or (in a narrow range of crossover values of roundness) into a novel polycrystalline phase containing domains with square order in coexistence with clusters of particles having a weak hexagonal order.
The NVL knowledge representation language

Semantic networks are described by means of a formal relational logic called NVL. The characteristic features of this logic are limiter lists and binary predicates. Limiter lists are similar to restricted quantifiers but are more expressive. Use is made of several special binary relations to express the key ideas of semantic networks. The formal semantics of NVL is specified, and the soundness of the axioms and inference rules is proved. Parallel algorithms for unification and inference are also developed. The unification and inference mechanisms of NVL have considerable inherent parallelism, which makes the language suitable for parallel implementation. NVL is based on the structured representation of knowledge and is hence more efficient than predicate logic. However, unlike other knowledge representation languages based on semantic networks, NVL has a clean, formal semantics which eliminates the confusion about what a sentence in the language really means. >
Control strategies for active power sharing in a fuel-cell-powered battery-charging station

This paper presents an effective system design for a fuel-cell-powered battery-charging station and three control strategies for active power sharing among the batteries. This battery-charging station allows multiple batteries to be simultaneously charged. Three control strategies were investigated to coordinate the active power distribution among the battery-charging branches. The baseline control strategy was equal rate charging. Two advanced control strategies, proportional rate charging and pulse current charging, were compared to the baseline strategy. These control strategies were realized in MATLAB/Simulink, and the current and voltage regulations were implemented using the classical proportional-integral control approach. The system simulation was conducted in the Virtual Test Bed by embedding Simulink objects of the controller and co-simulating with MATLAB. The experimental tests were performed by compiling Simulink codes of the controller and downloading to the dSPACE platform to control real hardware. The simulation and experimental results are given. Experimental tests validate these control strategies.
Perioperative management of foot and ankle trauma

This review covers the perioperative management of trauma to the foot and ankle. The goal when treating these injuries is to return the patient to a sensate, plantigrade, painless, and functioning foot and ankle. Depending on the nature of the trauma, realistic outcomes should be established for the patient, family, and surgeon. The importance of early recognition and treatment of foot and ankle injuries has been established and is paramount for the overall recovery of traumatized patient.
Evaluating an Active Learning Approach to Teaching Introductory Statistics: A Classroom Workbook Approach.

The study evaluates a semester-long workbook curriculum approach to teaching a college level introductory statistics course. The workbook curriculum required students to read content before and dur...
FIRST-YEAR RECRUITMENT OF LARGEMOUTH BASS: THE INTERDEPENDENCY OF EARLY LIFE STAGES

Four early life events (i.e., hatching, the ontogenetic diet shift to piscivory, fall lipid accumulation, and the first winter) are conceptualized as being critical to 1st-yr recruitment success of largemouth bass (Micropterus salmoides) via cause-and-effect as- sociations among them. Toward this end, we conducted a multiple life-stage investigation of largemouth bass to examine the functional dependency and significance to recruitment of these temporally separated early life events. Specifically, we quantified growth and survival of two largemouth bass year-classes in six Alabama ponds from hatching to the end of the first winter. The first winter was an important survival bottleneck with lower largemouth bass sur- vival in ponds with smaller largemouth bass (high-density ponds), relative to ponds with larger fish (low-density ponds). While cannibalism was not important, we found size- dependent first-winter mortality to be regulated directly by lipid reserves (i.e., triglycerides) accumulated during fall, and indirectly by both hatch date and the ontogenetic diet shift to piscivory during summer. Early-hatched largemouth bass attained an initial length ad- vantage, remaining large relative to late-hatched fish, despite the relatively higher growith rate of late-hatched fish during their first month of life. Enhanced size permitted early- hatched fish to become piscivorous before late-hatched fish, increasing their access to fish prey (i.e., sunfishes) during fall. This in turn elevated their fall lipid accumulation and winter survival above that of late-hatched fish. Our results indeed suggest that 1st-yr re- cruitment of largemouth bass in southern systems is governed by several functionally dependent critical events. Because each is likely vital to understanding recruitment vari- ability, we suggest that future recruitment studies should adopt a more synthetic (i.e., multiple life-stage) approach.
Sulfhydryl group modulation and triiodothyronine generation in the human polymorphonuclear leukocyte.

The induction of phagocytosis in the human polymorphonuclear leukocyte and the attendant decrease in endogenous sulfhydryl group content were accompanied by a depression of the generation by the 27,000 × g particulate fraction of L-T3 and L-rT3 from substrate L-T4. A direct correlation between endogenous sulfhydryl group content and L-T3-generating activity was found to exist. The inhibitory influence of phagocytosis was prevented when phagocytosis was induced in the presence of a sulfhydryl group protector.
Using agent wills to provide fault-tolerance in distributed shared memory systems

In this paper we describe how we use mobile objects to provide distributed programs coordinating through a persistent distributed shared memory (DSM) with tolerance to sudden agent failure, and use the increasingly popular Linda-like tuple space languages as an example for implementation of the concept. In programs coordinating and communicating through a DSM a data structure is shared between multiple agents, and the agents update the shared structure directly. However, if an agent should suddenly fail it is often hard for the agents to make the data structures consistent with the new application state. For example consider if a data structure contains a list of active agents. In such a case, transactions can be used when adding and removing agent names from the list ensuring that that the data structure is consistent and does not become corrupted should an agent fail. However If failure of the agent occurs after the name has been added, how does the application ensure the list is correct? We argue that using mobile objects we can provide wills for the agents to effectively enable them to ensure the shared data structure is application consistent, even once they have Sailed We show how we have integrated the use of agent wills into a Linda system and show that we have not increased the complexity, of program writing. The integration is simple and general, does not alter the underlying semantics of the operations performed in the will and the use of mobility is transparent to the programmer.
Ruxolitinib in combination with lenalidomide as therapy for patients with myelofibrosis

Ruxolitinib and lenalidomide may target distinct clinical and pathological manifestations of myelofibrosis and prevent therapy-related worsening of blood cell counts. To determine the efficacy and safety of the combination in patients with myelofibrosis, patients were given 15 mg ruxolitinib orally twice daily in continuous 28-day cycles, plus 5 mg lenalidomide orally once daily on days 1-21. Thirty-one patients were treated, with a median followup of 28 months (range, 12 - 35+). Due to failure to meet the predetermined efficacy rules for treatment success the study was terminated early. Simultaneous administration of ruxolitinib and lenalidomide was difficult: 20 of the 23 dose interruptions occurred within the first 3 months of therapy. Lenalidomide was interrupted in all 20 cases. Fourteen patients (45%) were completely off lenalidomide within 3 months of initiation. Responses were noted in 17 patients (55%). The median time to response was 1.8 months (range, 0.4 - 31). All responses were International Working Group for Myelofibrosis Research and Treatment-defined clinical improvement in palpable spleen size. One spleen responder also met the criteria for clinical improvement in hemoglobin. The response rate was higher (73%) among patients who did not require early dose interruption than among those who required early interruption (45%). Improvements in bone marrow fibrosis and serial reductions in lactate dehydrogenase >50% were noted in 17% and 50% of evaluable responders, respectively. Alternate approaches such as sequential dosing need to be evaluated when considering novel combination strategies for myelofibrosis. This trial was registered with clinicaltrials.gov identifier: NCT01375140.
RF noise simulation for submicron MOSFET's based on hydrodynamic model

As the cut-off frequency of CMOS technology improves, RF designs are increasingly taking advantage of CMOS technology due to the promise of integrating whole systems on a single chip. Although accurate MOSFET noise modeling is indispensable for low noise design, the noise behavior in short channel MOSFETs is not yet well understood. This problem is particularly acute in state-of-the-art MOSFET technologies because of various second-order effects caused by complex processing such as new drain structures, gate overlap effects, nonuniform substrate doping profiles, etc. Therefore, the capability to exploit multi-dimensional device simulation to extract these physical dependencies of noise is highly attractive. Recently several studies have reported MOSFET noise simulation results based on IFM (impedance field method) and the DD (drift-diffusion) model (Donati et al, 1998). However, in contrast to single transport models like DD, higher order moments such as those captured by the HD (hydrodynamic) formulation are needed for noise modeling. Nevertheless, the HD model in two-dimensional noise simulation involves four times larger matrices and to date has not been used for noise analysis. In this paper, a mixed approach of one-dimensional active transmission line modeling and two-dimensional HD device simulation is used. The active transmission line analogy greatly saves computation time while the local information from the device simulator retains simulation accuracy. Noise simulation validity and errors are also discussed.
Preference Evolution, Two-Speed Dynamics, and Rapid Social Change

We present a dynamic analysis of the evolution of preferences in a strategic environment. In our model, each player's behavior depends on both the game's payoffs and his idiosyncratic biases, but only the game's payoffs determine his evolutionary success. Dynamics run at two speeds at once; while natural selection slowly reshapes the distribution of preferences, players quickly learn to behave as their preferences dictate. We establish the existence and uniqueness of the paired trajectories of society's preferences and behavior. While aggregate behavior adjusts smoothly in equilibration games, in coordination games aggregate behavior can jump discretely in an instant of evolutionary time. Journal of Economic Literature Classification Numbers: C72, C73.
The mechanical properties of random copolymers of ethylene: Force‐elongation relations

Utilizing a newly developed apparatus, force-length measurements were performed on a series of unfractionated random ethylene copolymers having different counit types and a wide composition range. By controling crystallization conditions, crystallinity levels could be varied over wide extremes and a complete repetoire of superstructures was developed. Emphasis was on key mechanical properties such as the initial modulus, yield stress, and the ultimate properties of draw ratio at break and tensile stress. Except for the ethylene-methacrylic acid copolymers, which behaved in a unique manner, the properties were found to be independent of the chemical nature of the counit and the particular supermolecular structure that was developed. The initial modulus and the yield stress were found to be very dependent on the crystallinity and phase structure. On the other hand, except for the decrease at low counit content, the draw ratio at break was found to be invariant with counit type, crystallinity level, supermolecular structure, and molecular weight. The results are discussed in terms of the molecular constitution of the copolymer and the structure in the crystalline state.
A Training Program for Improving the Informed Consent Discussion Between Clinical Researchers and Their Subjects

Although there are many training programs on informed consent, they seldom model the contextual factors that support the vital elements of communication, including presentation style, body language, providing a comfortable environment, utilizing clear language, and establishing overall rapport with the subject. A team of clinicians at the National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH) created a pilot program that consists of a video (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l26hdCD9g2I) and didactic presentation to train investigators to conduct informed consent discussions. Thirty-four physicians and eighty nurses were tested on the training content including these contextual factors. Both groups showed an increase in content knowledge after the training. An informed consent training program such as this is feasible and may improve both the knowledge and communication skills necessary for this important process.
Cancer statistics, 2012

Each year, the American Cancer Society estimates the numbers of new cancer cases and deaths expected in the United States in the current year and compiles the most recent data on cancer incidence, mortality, and survival based on incidence data from the National Cancer Institute, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and the North American Association of Central Cancer Registries and mortality data from the National Center for Health Statistics. A total of 1,638,910 new cancer cases and 577,190 deaths from cancer are projected to occur in the United States in 2012. During the most recent 5 years for which there are data (2004-2008), overall cancer incidence rates declined slightly in men (by 0.6% per year) and were stable in women, while cancer death rates decreased by 1.8% per year in men and by 1.6% per year in women. Over the past 10 years of available data (1999-2008), cancer death rates have declined by more than 1% per year in men and women of every racial/ethnic group with the exception of American Indians/Alaska Natives, among whom rates have remained stable. The most rapid declines in death rates occurred among African American and Hispanic men (2.4% and 2.3% per year, respectively). Death rates continue to decline for all 4 major cancer sites (lung, colorectum, breast, and prostate), with lung cancer accounting for almost 40% of the total decline in men and breast cancer accounting for 34% of the total decline in women. The reduction in overall cancer death rates since 1990 in men and 1991 in women translates to the avoidance of about 1,024,400 deaths from cancer. Further progress can be accelerated by applying existing cancer control knowledge across all segments of the population, with an emphasis on those groups in the lowest socioeconomic bracket.
New developments in pre-eclampsia

It is quite clear that pre-eclampsia is not simply pregnancy-induced hypertension; rather, it is a multisystem disease with pathophysiological changes secondary to reduced organ perfusion. This reduction can be explained by vasospasm secondary to increased sensitivity of the vasculature to usual circulating pressors, and vascular occlusion secondary to activation of the coagulation cascade. Although pre-eclampsia becomes clinically evident late in pregnancy, pathological and pathophysiological changes antedate the clinical syndrome by weeks to months. The syndrome occurs only in pregnancy and is cured by the removal of fetoplacental tissues.Based on these findings, we have proposed that the inciting pathophysiological change of preeclampsia is reduced trophoblastic perfusion, which produces an agent that perturbs endothelial cells. The altered endothelial functions associated with this insult increase sensitivity to pressors, activate the coagulation cascade and produce the clinical and pathological findings of preeclampsia. Although we feel this hypothesis could explain pre-eclampsia, it is possible that its major value will be to stimulate others to approach this disorder by considering all facets of its pathophysiology rather than merely its hypertensive component.The appreciation of pre-eclampsia as a disease present from early pregnancy and the potential role of vasodilator prostaglandins have already stimulated therapeutic trials of aspirin in women at very high risk with encouraging results. At present, information is insufficient to determine the risk/benefit ratio of this therapy in lower risk patients, and aspirin therapy should not be used in these women. Another potential modification of therapy, the substitution of phenytoin for magnesium sulphate, does not seem warranted on the basis of either currently available data or on theoretical grounds.Fruitful directions for research in the near future will be the explanation of the abnormal trophoblastic invasion of pre-eclampsia and the determination of how reduced perfusion translates into a multisystem disease. In addition, aspirin therapy or other potential prophylactic therapies would be greatly aided by the development of new tests with reasonable positive predictive values, in order to identify preeclampsia prior to clinically evident disease.
Substrate concentration and enzyme allocation can affect rates of microbial decomposition

A large proportion of the world's carbon is stored as soil organic matter (SOM). However, the mechanisms regulating the stability of this SOM remain unclear. Recent work suggests that SOM may be stabilized by mechanisms other than chemical recalcitrance. Here, we show that the mineralization rate of starch, a plant polymer commonly found in litter and soil, is concentration dependent, such that its decomposition rate can be reduced by as much as 50% when composing less than ;10% of SOM. This pattern is largely driven by low activities of starch-degrading enzymes and low inducibility of enzyme production by microbial decomposers. The same pattern was not observed for cellulose and hemicellulose degradation, possibly because the enzymes targeting these substrates are expressed at constitutively high levels. Nevertheless, given the heterogeneous distribution of SOM constituents, our results suggest a novel low-concentration constraint on SOM decomposition that is independent of chemical recalcitrance. These results may help explain the stability of at least some SOM constituents, especially those that naturally exist in relatively low concentrations in the soil environment.
Observations on onchocerciasis in the Sudan Republic: prevalence amongst four ethnic groups.

(1976). Observations on onchocerciasis in the Sudan Republic: prevalence amongst four ethnic groups. Annals of Tropical Medicine & Parasitology: Vol. 70, No. 4, pp. 481-482.
Snowpack Storage of Pollutants, Release during Melting, and Impact on Receiving Waters

Information on the snowpack content of major ions, trace metals, and organic contaminants (pesticides and total PCBs) has been reviewed and discussed. Although several limitations exist, regional snowpack surveys have been successfully used to delineate spatial trends in acidic deposition. In contrast to the annual anionic predominance of SO 4 2- in atmospheric deposition, NO 3 - is often of a similar magnitude or even greater than SO 4 2- in the snowpack in locations affected by acidic deposition. Trace metal concentrations are generally greater than tenfold higher at European and North American regional locations than in Arctic or Antarctic “background” sites. The dry deposited component of the total snowpack pollutant load is generally less significant (1% to 45%) than the wet-deposited component, although there is much variability among chemical parameters and locations. There is conflicting evidence on the premelt stability of snowpacks; stability is clearly governed by many factors, and the occurrence of unfrozen underlying soils may be very important. The net radiative energy flux is primarily responsible for melting. Delivery of meltwater is often greatly complicated by the snowpack mesostructure; ice layers and the development of within-pack pipe flow can make modeling of this process very difficult. Rain-on-snow events can be very important both hydrologically and chemically. Fractionation of the pollutants during normal snowpack metamorphosis gives early meltwater ion and metal concentrations that are five- to ten-fold greater than those in the parent snow. Major ions are lost from the snowpack at differing rates during melting, a process known as preferential elution. Springtime reductions in pH, acid-neutralizing capacity, and base cations observed in surface waters occur due to both simple dilution and the differential release of snowpack pollutants. In contrast, lake and stream concentrations of Al and NO 3 - typically increase, although the behavior of the latter is variable from location to location. Concentrations of SO 4 2- remain comparatively constant, an observation attributed to rapid excahnge of this ion in the soil environment. In lakes, the effect of snowmelt is generally limited to a near surface layer, 1 to 3 m thick. The spring melt event may hold grave consequences for several species of aquatic biota; most reported fishkill events have occurred in Scandinavia.
3-D Optical Storage and Engraving Inside Transparent Materials

We present a novel method for 3-D optical data storage and internal engraving that has sub-micron resolution, provides a large contrast in index of refraction, and is applicable to a wide range of transparent materials.
The Problem with the Delta Cost Project Database

The Integrated Postsecondary Education System (IPEDS) collects data on Title IV institutions. The Delta Cost Project (DCP) integrated data from multiple IPEDS survey components into a public-use longitudinal dataset. The DCP Database was the basis for dozens of journal articles and a series of influential policy reports. Unfortunately, a flaw in the construction of the DCP Database may make it inappropriate for particular analyses. Specifically, the DCP Database often collapsed data from state systems, which consist of multiple Title IV institutions, into a single observation. For example, the University of Texas-Austin observation contained data from all Title IV Institutions in the UT system (e.g. UT-Dallas, UT-Brownsville). This research note investigates how many institutions were affected by this problem, identifies the extent to which published research used the DCP Database in potentially inappropriate ways, and conducts selected analyses to understand whether the problem can affect empirical results. Results show that the problem was concentrated in the public sector but only affected a small proportion of public institutions. However, analyses suggested that this problem can substantively affect empirical results. Therefore, we argue that the DCP Database should not be used to analyze public institutions. We conclude by discussing the creation of alternative databases.
Search for a fusion L window in the /sup 16/O+/sup 16/O system at E/sub c. m. / = 34 MeV

We have measured the inelastic scattering cross section for the reaction /sup 16/O(/sup 16/O,/sup 16/O')/sup 16/O. The inelastic yield is dominated by single and double excitation of the group of states with 6.1< or =E/sub x/< or =7.1 MeV in /sup 16/O. The yield for energy losses greater than 15 MeV is 5.9 mb. This is significantly less than time-dependent Hartree-Fock calculations indicate for this system where nonfusion for low partial waves is predicted.
Hydrophobic recovery in ultrathin PDMS-coated long and short silicon nanowires

Abstract The ability to modify the contact angle (CA) of water on silicon has applications ranging from thermal management of electronics to miniaturized biomedical devices. Here, we report ∼30 ± 1° variation in superhydrophobic CA on silicon nanowires (NWs) coated with few nm of polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS), using a simple and stable plasma treatment. The variation in CA arises from choosing NWs of different lengths. We characterize the surfaces using a combination of X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy and other techniques. Together with CA available from similar treatment on bulk silicon, it is possible to non-lithographically create regions of diverse CA, from ∼5 to 149 ± 1°.
Speech enhancement by low-rank and convolutive dictionary spectrogram decomposition.

A successful speech enhancement system requires strong models for both speech and noise to decompose a mixture into the most likely combination. However, if the noise encountered differs significantly from the system’s assumptions, performance will suffer. In previous work, we proposed a speech enhancement framework based on decomposing the noisy spectrogram into low rank background noise and a sparse activation of prelearned templates, which requires few assumptions about the noise and showed promising results. However, when the noise is highly non-stationary or has large amplitude, the local SNR of the noisy speech can change drastically, resulting in less accurate decompositions between foreground speech and background noise. In this work, we extend the previous model by changing the modeling of the speech part to be the convolution of a sparse activation and pre-learned template patches, which enforces continuous structure within the speech and leads to better results in highly corrupted noisy mixtures.
Fluorescence and protein structure. XV. Tryptophan fluorescence in helical muscle protein.

1. 1.|Fluorescence of light meromyosin (LMM-Fr1) was characteristic of its Trp residues and no fluorescence of its Tyr residues could be detected. The fluorescence from the Trp residues was RTrp = 1.7 relative to the fluorescence yield of tryptophan. This value was not affected by ionic strength or protein concentration. 2. 2.|Fluorescence was constant from pH 2 to pH 8.5 but decreased markedly in the region (pH 9–11) for ionization of Tyr residues. 3. 3.|Loss of the helical conformation by disaggregation in 5 M urea decreased the fluorescence ratio (RTrp) from 1.7 to 0.55. This phenomenon was ascribed to quenching by the peptide carbonyl group in the randomly coiled state and absence of this quenching where the peptide groups were engaged in formation of the α-helix. 4. 4.|A classification of Trp residues that was based on fluorescence has been revised to accomodate the highly fluorescent residues in regions of α-helix.
My-1, New Myeloid-Specific Antigen Identified by a Mouse Monoclonal Antibody

Antibody-secreting hybridomas were produced by fusion of P3-NS1/1Ag--4-1 mouse plasmacytoma cells with splenocytes from a mouse immunized with HL-60 human promyelocytic leukemia cells. A cloned hybridoma cell line was identified that secreted antibody against a cell surface antigen expressed on all normal human peripheral blood granulocytes, on bone marrow granulocytic precursor cells, and on blast cells from 3 of 15 patients with nonlymphoid leukemia. However, the antibody did not react with normal peripheral blood lymphocytes, monocytes, platelets, or red cells, or with blast cells from 20 patients with acute lymphoblastic leukemia or from 5 patients with lymphoma. This monoclonal antibody identified a granulopoietic differentiation antigen (designated My-1) and may prove useful in the subclassification on nonlymphoid leukemia and in the investigation of hematopoiesis.
Spontaneous extrahepatic billiary duct perforation in infancy

Spontaneous extrahepatic biliary duct perforation in infancy is exceedingly rare. We report a patient in whom the diagnosis was established by ultrasonography and hepatobiliary scintigraphy.
Pre-Adipocyte Proliferation and Differentiation in Response to Hormone Supplementation of Decapitated Fetal Pig Sera

Growth hormone and thyroid hormones have been implicated as important serum factors for adipocyte development in cell culture. Fetal decapitation removes these factors from serum of the growing fetal pig and results in development of fewer adipocytes than in intact fetuses. These experiments examined the effects of growth hormone or thyroxine supplementation to decapitated fetal pig sera upon pre-adipocyte proliferation and differentiation. Hormones were supplemented to concentrations present in sera from intact pig littermates (reference). Sera +/- hormones were analyzed for their effects upon pre-adipocyte proliferation as determined by [3H]-thymidine incorporation; enzyme expression as determined by sn-glycerol-3-phosphate dehydrogenase activity; and induction of complete differentiation into lipid filled adipocytes as based upon a pre-adipocyte proliferation and enzyme expression than reference sera. Growth hormone had no effect in decap sera upon these parameters. Decap sera permitted detection of 54% more lipid-accumulating, newly formed adipocytes on percol gradients than reference sera, but growth hormone reduced detection to 29% of reference sera. Thyroxine specifically stimulated pre-adipocyte proliferation more than decap sera, but not to the level of reference sera. Complete differentiation, a formation of lipid-accumulating adipocytes was promoted also by thyroxine in comparison to basal decap sera. The results of these experiments indicate thyroid hormones are an important component of fetal sera for regulation of adipocyte development, whereas growth hormone may only affect cellular metabolism and not promote pre-adipocyte growth and development.
Implementation of correlation in the DVB-S standard

The Direct-Video-Broadcast Satellite (DVB-S) standard is used to provide video and radio to millions of users worldwide. It is designed to provide quasi-error free satellite communications. This paper discusses some of the limitations of the DVB-S standard, describes some attempts in related work to address these concerns, and presents a new modification to enhance the performance and reliability of the Direct-Video-Broadcast Satellite (DVB-S) standard by using a correlator in a DVB-S receiver. In many existing receive chains, synchronization speed is slightly delayed because phase ambiguity cannot be determined and corrected until after Viterbi decoding. Using correlation against known symbols before demodulation, the phase ambiguity can be corrected prior to Viterbi decoding, thus reducing the amount of time required to synchronize the received signal. To enhance the correlator's ability to detect the DVB-S synchronization bytes, a two byte, rather than single byte, known sync word is proposed as a modification to the standard. The motivation behind a longer sync word is to improve the standard in high noise environments. A two byte sync word provides more known information for correlation. The resulting correlation peaks are double that of when a single byte is used; this corresponds to about a 3 dB increase to provide fast signal acquisition and signal tracking in a noisy environment.
Writing Against the Current: Anne Wilson’s Teisa and Labouring-Class River Poetry

Pope’s Windsor Forest amply illustrates how rivers are important resources, poetically and otherwise. They have supplied energy for village mills and for factories. They have also provided a means of mobility, of travelling and trading. In the countryside, riverbanks have long offered a place for refreshment and relaxation, to water livestock or to fish. In geography, rivers serve as boundaries between counties or countries. While rivers can separate one region from another, they can also symbolically unite a nation or culture. Pope’s lines underscore that nearly every empire of antiquity, nearly every European nation, has a major river symbolically running through it, whether it be the Nile, the Tiber or the Thames. Rivers thus become synonymous with entire civilizations, in part because they make the development of those cultures possible, whether through providing water for irrigation or maritime access for trade. As Wyman Herendeen argues, the flow of the river from its source to the sea offers an analogy for a nation’s history and its destiny.2 During the Renaissance, river iconography was widely used in the nation-building chorography of English writers such as Michael Drayton and William Camden. In early modern poetry, the celebration of symbolic marriages of rivers naturalized the often unnatural work of national unification and imperial assimilation.
Design of adaptive feature extraction algorithm based on fuzzy classifier in hyperspectral imagery classification for big data analysis

We proposed a new adaptive feature extraction (FEA) approach that integrates concepts of per-pixel/field classification and spectral ummixing. It combines their advantages in adaptive feature selection while minimizing the disadvantages associated with the high-complexity of each technique. The approach consists of local gradients calculation, reference clusters determination, prototype classification using fuzzy classifier, and feature vectors selection. Multiple experiments were performed using a simulated hyperspectral cube composed by 123 samples and 1254 features and classification was done only for verification purposes. Cross-validation demonstrated that FEA generated an average improvement of 7% on the misclassification error when compared to full feature analysis.
Sexual and Reproductive Dysfunction in Young Female Cancer Patients

This review summarizes the current literature about sexual and reproductive dysfunction in female cancer survivors and points toward future directions for research. Sexual dysfunction is a common condition seen in this population and as the incidence of survivorship grows, so will its prevalence. It is a comorbidity that has a significant effect on the quality of life. While research in this area is emerging, patients are still underserved in both recognition and treatment. Research has conclusively shown that female sexual dysfunction after cancer is a major medical issue. Future steps should be taken to educate both medical providers and the public to improve screening and recognition, targeting early treatment with implementation of multidisciplinary care. While several single treatments have shown promise, optimal outcomes will ultimately be achieved through an approach that specifically addresses a patient’s medical, social, and psychological needs.
Stress Related Surface Tension Effects in Hard Elastic Polymers.

Stress depressions (Δσ) of hard elastic polypropylene, hard elastic high impact polystyrene, and Gore-Tex®, a nonelastic, porous. Teflon® material were measured when these polymers, under load, were subjected to changes in their environment from air to various nonswelling liquids. The stress depressions were studied as a function of liquid surface tension and viscosity and the strain imposed on the materials.
Bone Marrow Microenvironment as a Regulator and Therapeutic Target for Prostate Cancer Bone Metastasis

Bone is the most common site of prostate cancer metastasis. Once prostate cancer cells metastasize to bone, the mortality rate of prostate cancer patients increases significantly. Furthermore, bone metastases produce multiple skeletal complications, including bone pain that impairs the patients' quality of life. Effective therapies for bone metastatic disease are underdeveloped with most current therapies being primarily palliative with modest survival benefit. Although the exact mechanisms through which prostate cancer metastasizes to bone are unclear, growing evidence suggests that the bone marrow microenvironment, particularly its hematopoietic activity, is a significant mediator of prostate cancer bone tropism. Moreover, the bone microenvironment may regulate metastatic prostate cancer cells between dormant and proliferative states. In this review, we discuss (1) how prostate cancer cells interact with the bone microenvironment to establish bone metastases and (2) current and future potential treatments for prostate cancer patients with bone metastases.
Prospective Validation That Subgenual Connectivity Predicts Antidepressant Efficacy of Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation Sites.

Abstract Background The optimal target in the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex for treating depression with repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS) remains unknown. Better efficacy has been associated with stimulation sites that are 1) more anterior and lateral and 2) more functionally connected to the subgenual cingulate. Here we prospectively test whether these factors predict response in individual patients. Methods A primary cohort (Boston, n = 25) with medication-refractory depression underwent conventional open-label rTMS to the left dorsolateral prefrontal cortex. A secondary cohort (Michigan, n = 16) underwent 4 weeks of sham followed by open-label rTMS for nonresponders (n = 12). In each patient, the location of the stimulation site was recorded with frameless stereotaxy. Connectivity between each patient’s stimulation site and the subgenual cingulate was assessed using resting-state functional connectivity magnetic resonance imaging from a cohort of healthy subjects (n = 1000) and confirmed using connectivity from patients with depression (n = 38). Results In our primary cohort, antidepressant efficacy was predicted by stimulation sites that were both more anterolateral (r = .51, p Conclusions This study provides prospective validation that functional connectivity between an individual’s rTMS cortical target and the subgenual cingulate predicts antidepressant response. Implications for improving the cortical rTMS target for depression are discussed.