cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
The response of stromatolites to seismic shocks: Tomboliths from the Palaeoproterozoic Chaibasa Formation, E India: Discussion and liquefaction basics

Abstract This discussion of a paper by Van Loon et al. (2016), published in the Journal of Palaeogeography (2016, 5(4), 381–390), is aimed at illustrating that there are fundamental deficiencies, which include (1) incomplete etymological reasoning for proposing a new genetic term “tomboliths” for stromatolitic bioclasts in the Palaeoproterozoic Chaibasa Formation, eastern India, (2) omission of empirical data in documenting depositional facies using sedimentological logs, (3) misapplication of the stratigraphic concept of “angular unconformity”, (4) failure to consider the multifarious origins of earthquakes, and (5) a dated view on the basic tenets of process sedimentology and triggering mechanisms of liquefaction that are the basis for forming soft-sediment deformation structures (SSDS). As a consequence, their conclusions are unconvincing.
Fault diagnosis of wind turbine gearbox using DFIG stator current analysis

Gearbox faults are a leading reliability issue in wind turbines. Generator current-based methods have been successfully used in gearbox fault diagnosis and have shown advantages over the traditional vibration-based techniques in terms of implementation, cost, and reliability. This paper proposed a new generator stator current-based fault diagnostic method for the gearboxes in doubly-fed induction generator (DFIG)-based wind turbines under varying rotating speed conditions. Hilbert transform is first used to demodulate the stator current signal, and then a Vold-Kalman filter is designed to separate the nonstationary fault-related components (called the faulty signal) from the demodulated nonstationary stator current signal. Next, a synchronous resampling algorithm is designed to convert the nonstationary faulty signal to a stationary signal. Finally, the power spectral density (PSD) analysis is applied to the resampled faulty signal for the gearbox fault diagnosis. Experimental results obtained from a DFIG wind turbine drivetrain test rig are provided to verify the effectiveness of the proposed method for gearbox fault diagnosis.
Patterns of production of collagen-rich deposits in peripheral nerves in response to injury: A pilot study in a rabbit model.

Introduction Although collagen-rich deposits are the main component of neural scars, the patterns of their formation are ill defined. Essential to the biosynthesis of collagen fibrils are enzymes catalyzing posttranslational modifications and chaperones that control the formation of the collagen triple helix. Prolyl-4-hydroxylase (P4H) and heat shock protein-47 (HSP47) play a key role, and their production is upregulated during scar formation in human tissues. Alpha smooth muscle actin (αSMA) is also produced during fibrotic processes in myofibroblasts that participate in fibrotic response. In injured peripheral nerves, however, the distribution of cells that produce these markers is poorly understood. Methods The goal of this study was to determine the distribution of the αSMA-positive, HSP47-positive, and the P4H-positive cells to better understand the formation of collagen-rich fibrotic tissue (FT) in response to peripheral nerve injury. To reach this goal, we employed a rabbit model of crush-injury and partial-transection injury of the sciatic nerves. Results Our study demonstrated that αSMA is expressed in a relatively small number of cells seen in neural FT. In contrast, cells producing P4H and HSP47 are ubiquitously present in sites of injury of the sciatic nerves. Conclusion We contemplate that these proteins may serve as valuable markers that define fibrotic activities in the injured peripheral nerves.
Helmholtz’s Methodology of Sensory Science, the Zeichentheorie, and Physical Models of Hearing Mechanisms

Hermann von Helmholtz (1821–1894) was one of the most productive scientists to contribute to the understanding of perception. His treatises on vision and hearing continue to exert a notable influence on the sciences of perception.1 For Helmholtz and his contemporaries, the science of perception was an independent enterprise, distinct from the philosophy of perception, just as the two are distinct today. However the two areas of inquiry were more closely in contact than they are today. In fact, Helmholtz developed a general framework for conceiving of perception that went beyond a purely naturalistic explanation of how humans perceive. The framework outlined a set of normative conditions for perceptual knowledge in general. His general theory has been called the empiricist theory of perception, and it includes as proper parts the sign-theory of perception (or Zeichentheorie) and the theory of unconscious inference. In this paper I explore an interpretation of the Zeichentheorie and argue that Helmholtz maintains a strong residue of a causal realist theory of perception throughout his life. The argument will include the discussion of a case study from Helmholtz’s research on hearing, specifically, his influential resonance theory of hearing.
Purification of industrial grade lithium chloride for the recovery of high purity battery grade lithium carbonate

Abstract Due to lithium’s high energy along with other exceptional characteristics, lithium demand across many industries is rising, specifically for Li-batteries. Therefore, a sufficient supply of high purity lithium is vital in order for these significant technologies to develop. In the current work, industrial grade lithium chloride has been successfully treated with four simple precipitation steps to obtain a high purity battery grade lithium carbonate of >99.95%. The LiCl starting solutions contained K, Na, Mg, Ca, Cu, Ni, and Fe chloride contaminants and solutions of 2.5 to 10 M were simulated. The heavier metals and the majority of Mg were removed in a single step with an increase in pH. The removal of Ca and remaining Mg was executed by sodium oxalate addition where the calcium levels of the 10 M were able to be reduced to 5–6 ppm in solution. It appeared that the higher molarity and ionic strength of the LiCl solution aided in obtained higher degrees of impurity removal. Finally, high purity Li2CO3 was obtained by first precipitating from brine solution, followed by a second purification step with pressurized CO2. The second step allowed for the removal of entrapped Na and K after the first precipitation, resulting in >99.95 wt% purity Li2CO3.
Acute Kidney Injury and Risk of Heart Failure and Atherosclerotic Events

Background and objectives AKI in the hospital is common and is associated with excess mortality. We examined whether AKI is also independently associated with a higher risk of different cardiovascular events in the first year after discharge. Design, setting, participants, & measurements We conducted a retrospective analysis of a cohort between 2006 and 2013 with follow-up through 2014, within Kaiser Permanente Northern California. We identified all adults admitted to 21 hospitals who had one or more in-hospital serum creatinine test result and survived to discharge. Occurrence of AKI was on the basis of Kidney Disease: Improving Global Outcomes diagnostic criteria. Potential confounders were identified from comprehensive inpatient and outpatient, laboratory, and pharmacy electronic medical records. During the 365 days after discharge, we ascertained occurrence of heart failure, acute coronary syndromes, peripheral artery disease, and ischemic stroke events from electronic medical records. Results Among a matched cohort of 146,941 hospitalized adults, 31,245 experienced AKI. At 365 days postdischarge, AKI was independently associated with higher rates of the composite outcome of hospitalization for heart failure and atherosclerotic events (adjusted hazard ratio [aHR], 1.18; 95% confidence interval [95% CI], 1.13 to 1.25) even after adjustment for demographics, comorbidities, preadmission eGFR and proteinuria, heart failure and sepsis complicating the hospitalization, intensive care unit (ICU) admission, length of stay, and predicted in-hospital mortality. This was driven by an excess risk of subsequent heart failure (aHR, 1.44; 95% CI, 1.33 to 1.56), whereas there was no significant association with follow-up atherosclerotic events (aHR, 1.05; 95% CI, 0.98 to 1.12). Conclusions AKI is independently associated with a higher risk of cardiovascular events, especially heart failure, after hospital discharge.
The phoenix corps: a graphic novel for scalable online learning research

UPDATED---10 June 2018. This paper describes the demonstration of The Phoenix Corps, the first graphic novel designed specifically for online learning research. While online learning environments regularly use textbooks and videos, graphic novels have not been as popular for research and instruction. This is mainly due to extremely cumbersome and complicated methods of editing traditionally-made graphic novels to update the instructional content or create alternative versions for A/B testing. In this demonstration, attendees will be able to read through, edit, and analyze data from a live online version of The Phoenix Corps.
Reliability of Cortical Somatosensory-Evoked Potentials in Monitoring (Pediatric Orthopedic) Spinal Procedures

In 1977 Nash and coworkers (Nash et al., 1977) reported on the use of cortical somatosensory-evoked potentials to monitor spinal cord function during (orthopedic) spinal surgery. Over the following 13 years, tre somatosensory-evoked potential (SEP) has become the preferred method of routinely monitoring spinal cord function during spinal surgery. In both research and clinical forums, it has been found that SEPs are sensitive to anatomical compression (Kojima et al., 1979), edema and ischemia (Kobrine et al., 1976) of the spinal cord. In fact, the SEP has been so reliable in detecting central nervous system ischemic dysfunction that it is presently being used to monitor carotid endarterectomy (Markand et al., 1984), aortic surgery (Kaplan et al., 1986) and aneurysm procedures (Symon et a 1 ., 1984; Friedman et al . , 1987) .
Association of Provider Recommendation and Human Papillomavirus Vaccination Initiation among Male Adolescents Aged 13-17 Years—United States

Objective To assess human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccination coverage among adolescents by provider recommendation status. Study design The 2011-2016 National Immunization Survey-Teen data were used to assess HPV vaccination coverage among male adolescents by provider recommendation status. Multivariable logistic analyses were conducted to evaluate associations between HPV vaccination and provider recommendation status. Results HPV vaccination coverage among male adolescents increased from 8.3% in 2011 to 57.3% in 2016. Likewise, the prevalence of provider recommendation increased from 14.2% in 2011 to 65.5% in 2016. In 2016, HPV coverage was higher in male adolescents with a provider recommendation than in those without a provider recommendation (68.8% vs 35.4%). In multivariable logistic regression, characteristics independently associated with a higher likelihood of HPV vaccination included receipt of a provider recommendation, age 16-17 years, black or Hispanic race/ethnicity, any Medicaid insurance, ≥2 physician contacts in the previous 12 months, and urban or suburban residence. Participants with a mother with some college or a college degree, those with a mother aged 35-44 years, and those who did not have a well-child visit at age 11-12 years had a lower likelihood of HPV vaccination. Conclusions Receiving a provider recommendation for vaccination was significantly associated with receipt of HPV vaccine among male adolescents, indicating that a provider recommendation for vaccination is an important approach to increase vaccination coverage. Evidence-based strategies, such as standing orders and provider reminders, alone or in combination with health system interventions, are useful for increasing provider recommendations and HPV vaccination coverage among male adolescents.
Thailand. State and uncivil society in Thailand at the temple of Preah Vihear By Puangthong R. Pawakapan Singapore: Institute of Southeast Asian Studies, 2013. Pp. 125. Maps, Tables, Notes, Bibliography, Index.

State and uncivil society in Thailand at the temple of Preah Vihear By PUANGTHONG R. PAWAKAPAN Singapore: Institute of Southeast Asian Studies, 2013. Pp. 125. Maps, Tables, Notes, Bibliography, Index. doi: 10.1017/S0022463414000496 The temple of Preah Vihear remains a prominent issue in the slow-burning civil war that has gripped Thailand since 2006. The eleventh-century ruins are located on what became the border between French Indochina and the Kingdom of Siam in the early twentieth century. After a Thai attempt to appropriate the temple in the 1950s, the International Court of Justice confirmed Cambodian ownership in 1962. Both countries accepted this decision until Cambodia's 2008 application to designate Preah Vihear as a World Heritage site reignited a crisis in Thai-Cambodian relations. Thai nationalists argued that the listing represented a 'loss of territory', and the growing controversy led to resignations within the Thai cabinet. By 2009, the Abhisit government attempted to block its World Heritage listing using the threat of both a trade embargo and military intervention against Cambodia. Fifty years after the original border dispute, tensions over Preah Vihear had undone decades of bilateral cooperation. How did this happen? State and uncivil society in Thailand offers a brief, but thorough, analysis of this latest quarrel over Preah Vihear by placing it within the context of Thailand's domestic politics and long-term foreign policy. It places blame for the political crisis squarely on the shoulders of the People's Alliance for Democracy (PAD), a coalition of groups whose only shared trait was hostility towards former Thai prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra and his allies. By carefully examining the PAD narrative on relations with Cambodia, Puangthong reveals its many inaccuracies. For example, the book points out that there has never been any substantial evidence to support PAD's accusation that by signing off on the World Heritage proposal, the Thai government had traded territorial sovereignty in return for Thaksin's right to lucrative gas concessions in Cambodia (p. 4) The allegation of corruption overlooks the fact that the heritage project had been endorsed by several Thai governments as part of a larger programme to strengthen socioeconomic ties with Cambodia. Academics who dared raise these objections were met with PAD accusations that they had been paid by Thaksin. The PAD campaign to discredit government policy on Preah Vihear succeeded, in large part, because it exploited popular ignorance of past border disputes, thereby transforming the temple into a litmus test on Thai patriotism. University academics and the Thai media helped create an atmosphere of nationalist hysteria by misleading the public regarding the temple site's history of contested sovereignty. …
Anionic Two-Carbon Ring Expansions of Oxabicyclo[2.2.1]heptenes and Oxabicyclo[4.2.1]nonenes

This Letter describes the synthesis of oxabicyclo[4.2.1]nonenes and oxygen-bridged cyclodecenes from the anionic two-carbon ring expansions of oxabicyclo[2.2.1]heptenes and oxabicyclo[4.2.1]nonenes, respectively.
Abstract 4293: Analyzing the redox/fyn/c-Cbl pathway in glioblastoma multiforme: A mechanistic approach

Glioblastoma multiforme (GBM) is the most common aggressive tumor of the central nervous system (CNS) with 10,000 newly diagnosed cases annually, and an incidence rate of 3 in 100,000 individuals in the United States. Unfortunately, the current standard of care of radiotherapy with concomitant Temozolomide (TMZ) has not been effective in consistently controlling tumor growth, as the median age of survival for patients is 14.6 months after treatment, with inevitable recurrence beyond this time. One of the difficulties that emerge when treating GBM is tumor heterogeneity. For example, GBM cells upregulate different receptor tyrosine kinases (RTKs). Signaling through RTKs enables these cells to maintain their proliferative status to ensure their survival. The E3 ubiquitin ligase c-Cbl is a negative regulator of RTKs, and our lab has found it to be physically sequestered by ARGHEF7 (Cool-1) in GBM. We identified a combination of drugs, a c-Cbl restorative agent (CRA01) and an oxidizing agent (Tamoxifen [TMX]), that decreased c-Cbl/Cool-1 complex formation and activated c-Cbl through the Redox/Fyn/c-Cbl pathway (RFC) in GBM cells. Treatment with CRA01+TMX led to degradation of RTKs. Little is known about the RFC pathway in cancer regulation or its ability to prevent cell growth in TMZ resistant GBM cells. Here, we examine ways to regulate c-Cbl in GBM cells and seek to identify the mechanism(s) resulting in c-Cbl/Cool-1 complex formation. Furthermore, we aim to use a mouse model of TMZ resistance to determine the effects of CRA01+TMX in vivo . These results will provide important knowledge on the RFC pathway that can help properly identify patients with GBM and different cancers with c-Cbl dysregulation for whom this treatment could prove beneficial. Citation Format: Neal Shah, Jennifer Stripay. Analyzing the redox/fyn/c-Cbl pathway in glioblastoma multiforme: A mechanistic approach [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the American Association for Cancer Research Annual Meeting 2019; 2019 Mar 29-Apr 3; Atlanta, GA. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2019;79(13 Suppl):Abstract nr 4293.
Strategies for rapid risk assessment of color additives used in medical devices.

Many polymeric medical devices contain color additives for differentiation or labeling. While some additives can be toxic under certain conditions, the risk associated with the use of these additives in medical device applications is not well established, and evaluating their impact on device biocompatibility can be expensive and time-consuming. Therefore, we have developed a framework to conduct screening-level risk assessments to aid in determining whether generating color additive exposure data and further risk evaluation are necessary. We first derive tolerable intake values that are protective for worst-case exposure to eight commonly used color additives. Next, we establish a model to predict exposure limited only by the diffusive transport of the additive through the polymer matrix. The model is parameterized using a constitutive model for diffusion coefficient (D) as a function of molecular weight (Mw) of the color additive. After segmenting polymer matrices into four distinct categories, upper bounds on D(Mw) were determined based on available data for each category. The upper bounds and exposure predictions were validated independently to provide conservative estimates. Because both components (toxicity and exposure) are conservative, a ratio of tolerable intake to exposure in excess of one indicates acceptable risk. Application of this approach to typical colored polymeric materials used in medical devices suggests additional color additive risk evaluation could be eliminated in a large percentage (≈90%) of scenarios.
Three Rostromedial Tegmental Afferents Drive Triply Dissociable Aspects of Punishment Learning and Aversive Valence Encoding

Persistence of reward seeking despite punishment or other negative consequences is a defining feature of mania and addiction, and numerous brain regions have been implicated in such punishment learning, but in disparate ways that are difficult to reconcile. We now show that the ability of an aversive punisher to inhibit reward seeking depends on coordinated activity of three distinct afferents to the rostromedial tegmental nucleus (RMTg) arising from cortex, brainstem, and habenula that drive triply dissociable RMTg responses to aversive cues, outcomes, and prediction errors, respectively. These three pathways drive correspondingly dissociable aspects of punishment learning. The RMTg in turn drives negative, but not positive, valence encoding patterns in the ventral tegmental area (VTA). Hence, punishment learning involves pathways and functions that are highly distinct, yet tightly coordinated.
Some comments regarding chromosome pulverization (premature chromosome condensation or PCC, prophasing).

Premature chromosome pulverization (PCC) or prophasing is a much misunderstood cytological entity. It must be separated from chromosome damage caused by a number of chemical, physical and biological agents. Prophasing is observed in fused cells in which one of the constituent cells must be in metaphase and another in interphase. The morphology of the “pulverized” interphase nucleus will depend on the phase of the cell cycle in which the interphase cell was in when exposed to a substance present in the cytoplasm of the metaphase cell leading to “prophasing”. Prophasing is a normal cellular phenomenon occurring prematurely or under abnormal conditions (fusion of cells) and its demonstration in human cells or tumors may be indicative of the presence of a virus (or its products) which leads to cell fusion, but does not play a role in prophasing.
Operative indication and strategy of Tetralogy of Fallot with hypoplasia of pulmonary arteries in infants and children

Objective To explore the operative indications for Tetralogy of Fallot (TOF) with hypoplasia of pulmonary arteries in infants and children.Methods From January 2009 to April 2013,98 patients with TOF and hypoplasia of pulmonary arteries (McGoon index,MI≤1.2) were analyzed retrospectively.According to surgical procedures,they were divided into two groups of radical operation and systemic-to-pulmonary artery shunt.According to the data of medical imaging,we calculated McGoon index,ratio of inferior left branch of pulmonary artery to proximal left pulmonary artery (LBPA/LPA1),ratio of inferior left branch of pulmonary artery to remote left pulmonary artery (LBPA/LPA2),ratio of sum of inferior branches of left and right pulmonary arteries to sum of proximal left and right pulmonary arteries (MBPA/MPA1),ratio of sum of inferior branches of left and right pulmonary arteries to sum of remote left and right pulmonary arteries (MBPA/MPA2),ratio of inferior branches of right pulmonary arteries to trachea and clinical data.By statistic analyses,MBPA/MPA1 in systemic-to-pulmonary artery shunt group was much lower than that of radical operation group (P =0.004).Ratio of MBPA/MPA1 =0.70 was regarded as the dividing line,combined with McGoon index,all cases were re-grouped and actual mortality of each group was compared.Results Six patients died in radical group (6/82) versus 2 in systemic-to-pulmonary artery shunt group (2/16).In radical group,percutaneous oxygen saturation obviously improved from (73.3± 10.2) ％ to (95.6 ± 1.8) ％ and hemoglobin markedly decreased from (149.4 ± 30.1)g/L to (121.6 ± 8.0) g/L; In systemic-to-pulmonary artery shunt group:percutaneous oxygen saturation obviously improved from (67.4 ± 11.8)％ to (84.6 ± 2.2)％,hemoglobin markedly decreased from (158.6 ± 32.7) to (120.8 ± 11.6)g/L and MIobviously improved from 1.0 ± 0.2 to 1.2 ± 0.1.LBPA/LPA1 in systemic-to-pulmonary artery shunt group was much lower than that of radical operation group (0.6 ± 0.2 vs.0.8 ± 0.1,P＜0.05).The MBPA/MPA1 in systemic to pulmonary artery shunt group was also much lower than that of radical operation group (0.6 ± 0.1 vs.0.8 ± 0.1,P =0.004).The actual mortality in radical operation group obviously decreased after re-grouping according to the MBPA/MPA1 plus MI.Conclusions Most patients with TOF and hypoplasia of pulmonary arteries (MI≤1.2)may undergo radical operation.MBPA/MPA1 probably better reflects the development of pulmonary vessels.Moreover,MBPA/MPA1 plus MI offer an important indication for radical operation. Key words: Hypoplasia of pulmonary arteries; Tetralogy of Fallot; Cardiac surgical procedures
An Historical Survey of Tourism in Latin America and the Caribbean

The Dominican Republic is the most popular tourist destination in the Caribbean islands, by a comfortable margin. More tourists visited the Dominican Republic in 2017 than Jamaica and Puerto Rico combined. Cuba, arguably the most exotic destination in the Caribbean these days, and the largest of the Caribbean islands, ranked second in popularity with about 30 percent fewer tourist arrivals than the Dominican Republic. International tourism receipts in the DR were double what they were in Cuba as of 2016. Relative to the 19 or 20 countries that are generally considered part of Latin America, the Dominican Republic ranked second only to Mexico in tourist receipts. Mexico is the real tourism powerhouse of the entire region. With its thousands of miles of sunny beaches, and many wonders of ancient civilizations, Mexico claimed 40 percent of all tourist arrivals to Latin America in 2017. While the Dominican Republic also has abundant sunny beaches and boasts the original headquarters of the Spanish Empire in the New World, it has come from far behind to achieve leadership in Caribbean tourism. Despite its claim to numerous firsts such as the first Spanish settlement and the first Spanish cathedral in the New World, carvings in caves from ancient civilizations, mouthwatering tropical fruit, and some of the world’s finest beaches, only in the last thirty years has tourism taken off in what was once among the poorest countries in the Western Hemisphere. This paper will put tourism in the DR in context with its neighbors in Latin America and the Caribbean with a brief historical survey of the development of modern tourism in the region.
A unique multi-synaptic mechanism regulates dopamine release in the nucleus accumbens during adolescence

Summary Adolescence is characterized by changes in reward-related behaviors, social behaviors, and decision making. These behavioral changes are necessary for the transition into adulthood, but they also increase vulnerability to the development of a range of psychiatric disorders. Major reorganization of the dopamine system during adolescence is thought to underlie, in part, the behavioral changes and increased vulnerability. Here, we utilized fast scan cyclic voltammetry to examine differences in regulation of dopamine release in the nucleus accumbens core of adolescent and adult male rats. We found that differences between adolescent and adult stimulated dopamine release is driven by a unique multisynaptic mechanism in early adolescence involving acetylcholine acting at α6-containing nicotinic acetylcholine receptors to mediate inhibition of dopamine via GABA release. These changes in dopamine regulation across adolescence provides a springboard for our understanding of basic brain development and targeted therapy for a range of psychiatric conditions that emerge in adolescence.
Distribution, coalescence, and freezing characteristics of water droplets on surfaces with different wettabilities under subfreezing convective flow

Abstract This paper investigates the effects of surface wettability and surface initial conditions on early frost formation for hydrophobic, hydrophilic, and bare aluminum flat surfaces. The new data revealed that the average droplet sizes were larger and droplet size distributions were wider for the hydrophilic surface than for the hydrophobic and bare aluminum surfaces. This was due to a coalescence phenomenon occurring before the droplets froze into ice beads. Because of the relative high sub-freezing plate temperatures used in this work, the surface wettability of the plates had a smaller impact on the freezing time. Supersaturation degree and temperature difference between the air stream and the surface controlled freezing times for all different surface wettability types. When testing was conducted without cleaning the surfaces in between individual test runs, a film deposited on the surfaces which smoothed surface imperfections, inhibited surface wettability effects on droplet size and shape, and delayed freezing. A large variation in the frost nucleation behavior was measured in the present work due to intentionally different generated initial surface cleanness conditions. This finding could explain some of the significant deviations observed in data from literature studies when comparing freezing times and droplet diameters for similar coatings and similar tests conditions.
Common-Source Inductance Induced Voltage Overshoot and Oscillation in Active Bidirectional Devices

Common-source inductance (CSI) is proven to be detrimental for high-speed switching. It can significantly slow down switching speed and increase switching losses. Recent research also demonstrated a self-turn- on phenomenon during the device turn- off transient in a simple buck converter. Yet there is lack of literature investigating the impact of CSI in circuits using bidirectional devices. This letter aims to first demonstrate and then reveal the mechanism of a unique turn- off voltage overshoot and oscillation phenomenon in converters using active bidirectional devices. The issue is found to be associated with the CSI in the bidirectional devices and can result in more than 100% voltage overshoot and significantly higher switching loss during the turn- off transient. Practical solutions are also provided to attenuate or eliminate the detrimental effects. The phenomenon and provided analysis are demonstrated and verified on a custom-built SiC-based matrix converter phase-leg.
Genome Editing of Induced Pluripotent Stem Cells Using CRISPR/Cas9 Ribonucleoprotein Complexes to Model Genetic Ocular Diseases

Genome editing with the use of CRISPR/Cas9 ribonucleoprotein complexes of induced pluripotent stem cells can be used to model many diseases. The combination of stem cells and gene editing technologies is a valuable tool to study ocular disorders, as many have been identified to be caused by specific genetic mutations. This protocol provides experimentally derived guidelines for genome editing of human induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs) using CRISPR/Cas9 ribonucleoprotein complexes to generate iPSCs harboring single nucleotide variants from ocular disorders. Edited iPSC can be further differentiated into retinal cells in order to study disease mechanisms as well as screen potential therapies.
Unity or Contiguity: Towards a New Theory of Romani Literature

Romani literature has an important role in challenging the predominant negative views about Roma, but its influence is lessened by the minimization of Romani cultural expressions, literature being one of them. In this paper, after a theoretical positioning of Romani literature, I show how contemporary Romani literature could expand its position of influence through a re-evaluation of what constitutes the literary canon, and by the promotion, by scholars and specialists, of a “Romani literary complex.” As a case study, I discuss here two Francophone texts, by a Roma (Anina Ciuciu) and by a non-Roma (Valerie Rodrigue), positing that, although not “literary” in the traditional sense, both of them could be considered part of an emerging Romani literarycomplex that , in turn, might accelerate the institutionalization of this literature.
Enrofloxacin Alters Fecal Microbiota and Resistome Irrespective of Its Dose in Calves

Enrofloxacin is a fluoroquinolone drug used to prevent and control bovine respiratory disease (BRD) complex in multiple or single doses, ranging from 7.5 to 12.5 mg/kg body weight. Here, we examined the effects of high and low doses of a single subcutaneously injected enrofloxacin on gut microbiota and resistome in calves. Thirty-five calves sourced for this study were divided into five groups: control (n = 7), two low dose groups (n = 14, 7.5 mg/kg), and two high dose groups (n = 14, 12.5 mg/kg). One group in the low and high dose groups was challenged with Mannheimia haemolytica to induce BRD. Both alpha and beta diversities were significantly different between pre- and post-treatment microbial communities (q < 0.05). The high dose caused a shift in a larger number of genera than the low dose. Using metagenomic ProxiMeta Hi-C, 32 unique antimicrobial resistance genes (ARGs) conferring resistance to six antibiotic classes were detected with their reservoirs, and the high dose favored clonal expansion of ARG-carrying bacterial hosts. In conclusion, enrofloxacin treatment can alter fecal microbiota and resistome irrespective of its dose. Hi-C sequencing provides significant benefits for unlocking new insights into the ARG ecology of complex samples; however, limitations in sample size and sequencing depth suggest that further work is required to validate the findings.
Absence of cardiolipin from the outer-leaflet of a mitochondrial inner-membrane mimic restricts Opa1-mediated fusion

Cardiolipin is a tetra-acylated di-phosphatidylglycerol lipid enriched in the matrix-facing (inner) leaflet of the mitochondrial inner membrane. Cardiolipin plays an important role in regulating mitochondria function and dynamics. Yet, the mechanisms connecting cardiolipin distribution and mitochondrial protein function remain indirect. In our previous work, we established an in vitro system reconstituting mitochondrial inner membrane fusion mediated by Opa1. We found that the long form of Opa1 (l-Opa1) works together with the proteolytically processed short form (s-Opa1) to mediate fast and efficient membrane fusion. Here, we extend our reconstitution system to generate supported lipid bilayers with asymmetric cardiolipin distribution. Using this system, we find the presence of cardiolipin on the inter-membrane space-facing (outer) leaflet is important for membrane tethering and fusion. We discuss how the presence of cardiolipin in this leaflet may influence protein and membrane properties, and future applications for this approach.
Extreme Prematurity: Practices, Bioethics and the Law

Extreme Prematurity examines the controversial issues surrounding the clinical management of this group of neonates by the intervention of modern neonatal intensive care. The foregoing of life-sustaining treatment is of particular importance. The subject matter is very relevant because of the alarming increase in multiple and preterm births, due to the increase in women who are undergoing assisted reproductive procedures, and the large increase in premature labor. No recent book covers the subject in such comparable breadth. The first section of this very timely monograph covers the epidemiology and practices in different parts of the world; the second section covers bioethics considerations, including ethical theories, moral principles and quality of life issues; the third section covers national and international guidelines; the last section covers medical law aspects in the US and around the world.
Rethinking the Judicial Settlement of Reconstruction

1. Introduction 2. The emergence of the concept of state neglect, 1867-73 3. The civil/social distinction: an intramural Republican debate 4. The birth of state action doctrine, 1874-6 5. A surviving sectional context, 1876-91 6. The Civil Rights Cases and the language of state neglect 7. Definitive judicial abandonment and residual expressions, 1896-1909 8. A loss of context: the rise of distorted knowledge about state action doctrine 9. Conclusion.
In vivo measurements of respiration control by cytochrome c oxidase and in situ analysis of oxidative phosphorylation.

Publisher Summary This chapter proposes an approach determining the control that cytochrome c oxidase (COX) exerts on the rate of endogenous respiration in intact cell and a method employed for analysis of oxidative phosphorylation (OXPHOS) in permeabilized cells. The experimental procedures described are based on polarographic measurements of oxygen consumption by means of Clark-type oxygen electrodes. The equipment and its utilization are described in detail, and new generations of oxygen electrodes and oxygraphic chambers and software for the automatic analysis of respiratory kinetics are presented. With any chosen reaction chamber, it is important to measure the exact mixing volume. This corresponds to the minimal volume required to fill the chamber up to the bottom of the channel port of the stopper. This value is important for subsequent calculations. The volume introduced into the chamber has to exceed slightly the mixing volume in order to avoid formation of air bubbles from the vortex created by stirring.
Molecular Motion and Light Scattering in Liquids

The use of light scattering techniques for the investigation of molecular motions in liquids is considered. In addition to orientational motion information about certain aspects of translational motion can be obtained. This information includes the details of isolated binary collisions, the correlation of successive collisions and structural relaxation time of the liquid lattice. Die Benutzung der Lichtstreuung zur Untersuchung der Molekulbewegungen in Flussigkeiten wird diskutiert. Auser uber die Umorientierungen kann man mit dieser Methode noch Auskunfte uber bestimmte Aspekte der Translation erhalten; dazu gehoren Einzelheiten des isolierten Zweierstoses, die Korrelation aufeinanderfolgender Stose und die Strukturrelaxationszeit des Flussigkeitsgitters.
Marital Roles and Declining Marriage Rates

This essay is an updated, expanded and revised version of the second half of Divorce Rates, Marriage Rates, and the Problematic Persistence of Traditional Marital Roles, published in 2000 and also available on SSRN. It draws on demographic studies and comparative research to examine the persistence of traditional marital roles and its possible relationship to declining marriage rates.
Zero Tolerance in Latin America: Punitive Paradox in Urban Policy Mobilities

In Latin America, high levels of crime have prompted many politicians to embrace zero tolerance policing in order to quell public fears. While the overall impacts on urban crime are debatable, zero tolerance in the region has morphed into a powerful policy narrative that symbolizes strong leaders who crack down crime and disorder. Its impacts have been far-reaching; to date, it has been implemented in various guises in Mexico, Brazil, Ecuador, Venezuela, Chile, Argentina, Honduras, El Salvador, Guatemala and the Dominican Republic. Yet, the policy transfer of zero tolerance to Latin America has mutated into a much more punitive approach. In this paper, I develop a critical analysis of the punitive inequalities of zero tolerance policing in Latin American cities, and the consequences for marginalized and racialized youth. I also explore the emergence of a new, unexpected consequence of zero tolerance: the South-North migration of undocumented people.
Landscapes of the Metropolis of Death: Reflections on Memory and Imagination

Across a career spanning over four decades, the Czech-Israeli historian Otto Dov Kulka has garnered acclaim for his meticulous, exacting, and highly disciplined approach to the history of antisemit...
Temperature determines symbiont abundance in a multipartite bark beetle-fungus ectosymbiosis.

In this study, we report evidence that temperature plays a key role in determining the relative abundance of two mutualistic fungi associated with an economically and ecologically important bark beetle, Dendroctonus ponderosae. The symbiotic fungi possess different optimal temperature ranges. These differences determine which fungus is vectored by dispersing host beetles as temperatures fluctuate over a season. Grosmannia clavigera is the predominant fungus carried by dispersing beetles during cool periods but decreases in prevalence as daily maximum temperatures approach 25°C, and becomes extremely rare when temperatures reach or exceed 32°C. In contrast, Ophiostoma montium increases in prevalence as temperatures approach 25°C, and becomes the predominant symbiont dispersed when temperatures reach or exceed 32°C. The possession of different optimal growth temperatures may facilitate the stable coexistence of the two fungi by supporting growth of each fungus at different times, minimizing direct competition. Furthermore, the beetle may reduce its risk of being left aposymbiotic by exploiting not one, but two symbionts, whose combined growth optima span a wide range of environmental conditions. The possession of multiple symbionts with different temperature tolerances may allow the beetle to occupy highly variable habitats over a wide geographic range. Such temperature-driven symbiont shifts are likely to have major consequences for both the host and its symbionts under current temperature regimes and those predicted to occur because of climate change.
Bayesian subsequence matching and segmentation

Abstract A segmentation method for labeled sequences (signals, text) based on matching the subsequences associated with the underlying symbols has been demonstrated.
Hemochromatosis Gene Status as a Risk Factor for Barrett’s Esophagus

Conditions causing high iron levels, such as hemochromatosis, are proposed risk factors for esophageal adenocarcinoma. Although this hypothesis is supported by animal models, no human data currently exist. We conducted a case-control study of persons with a new Barrett’s esophagus diagnosis (cases), persons with gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) (without Barrett’s esophagus), and population controls. Subjects completed detailed examinations and assays for hemochromatosis mutations and serum iron stores. We evaluated 317 cases, 306 GERD patients, and 308 population controls. There was no significant association between Barrett’s esophagus and any hemochromatosis gene defect (odds ratio [OR] = 1.32, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.95–1.84), a moderate or severe mutation (OR = 1.54, 95% CI: 0.94–2.52), or a severe mutation (C282Y homozygote or C282Y/H63D heterozygote; OR = 0.77, 95% CI: 0.24–2.48) compared with the population controls. As expected, gene defects were associated with increased iron stores. We can conclude from our findings that Barrett’s esophagus was not associated with hemochromatosis gene defects, although we cannot exclude small effects.
Large-scale profiling of protein palmitoylation in mammalian cells

S-palmitoylation is a pervasive post-translational modification required for the trafficking, compartmentalization and membrane tethering of many proteins. We demonstrate that the commercially available compound 17-octadecynoic acid (17-ODYA) can serve as a bioorthogonal, click chemistry probe for in situ labeling, identification and verification of palmitoylated proteins in human cells. We identified approximately 125 predicted palmitoylated proteins, including G proteins, receptors and a family of uncharacterized hydrolases whose plasma membrane localization depends on palmitoylation.
Real Estate Agents As a Source of Information for Home Buyers

The concern for the consumer's right to be adequately informed when making a purchase has provided an impetus for legislation and research in a variety of consumer decision areas. Absent from these efforts has been any examination of the most important consumer decision—the purchase of a home. This study examined the quantity and quality of information that a key marketing agent in the purchase of a home, the real estate broker, is capable of providing consumers. A variety of informational areas are examined with most of them centered on the quality of life in a community neighborhood. The results suggest areas where brokers can be better informed and thereby better serve their public as a source of information.
Organic-scintillator pulse-shape discriminator signatures associated with high-energy neutrons

Abstract A two-dimensional system of pulse-shape discrimination (PSD) is described as applied to neutron time-of-flight experiments. When the detector is irradiated with neutrons and gamma rays from 40-MeV proton bombardment of 7 Li, five different PSD signatures are observed - one associated with gamma rays, four with neutrons. The origins of these groups are explained and their importance in neutron detection is discussed.
Separation of a Newly Identified Contaminant from Commercial 4,5,6,7-Tetrachlorofluorescein by pH-Zone-Refining Countercurrent Chromatography

Abstract A 5-g sample of commercial 4,5,6,7-tetrachlorofluorescein (TCF) was subjected to pH-zone-refining countercurrent chromatography to separate an unidentified contaminant present in all TCF batches obtained from four different suppliers. The separated contaminant (44 mg) was characterized by 1H- and 13C nuclear magnetic resonance spectrometry and negative ion chemical ionization mass spectrometry as a new seven-membered lactone TCF isomer with the structure 11,12,13, 14-tetrachloro-3, 14b-dihydroxy-[2]-benzoxepino- [3,4,5-kl]-xanthene-10(14bH)-one.
‘We need a woman, we need a black woman’: gender, race, and identity taxation in the academy

In 1994, Amado Padilla used the phrase ‘cultural taxation’ to describe the extra burden of service responsibilities placed upon minority faculty members because of their racial or ethnic background. In this paper, we expand upon Padilla's work and introduce the concept of ‘identity taxation’ to encompass how other marginalised social identities (such as gender, race and gender, and sexual orientation) may result in additional non-academic service commitments for certain faculty. Using qualitative interviews with faculty members at a large, public university in the Midwest, we examine identity taxation involving gender and the intersection of gender and race to demonstrate how women faculty (in general) and women of colour (specifically) feel their gender and racial group memberships influence their experiences in academia.
Staling of Bread as Affected by Waxy Wheat Flour Blends

ABSTRACT Crumb softness and improved shelf life of bread is often achieved by incorporating expensive shortenings in the formulation. We hypothesized that similar results could be achieved by blending bread wheat flour with waxy (low amylose) durum wheat flour. White pan bread was baked from 10, 20, and 30% waxy durum wheat flour composites and evaluated for loaf volume and crumb firmness over a period of 0, 3, and 5 days. The loaf volumes were not affected by the waxy flour blends. However, as staling progressed over 3–5 days, significant firming of crumb was observed in the control sample compared with loaves containing waxy flour. The firmness was inversely proportional to the level of waxy flour used in the blend. A 20% waxy wheat flour blend was optimal in retarding staling while producing bread quality comparable with the control. It was further established that bread made with 20% waxy flour gave lower firmness values after 5 days of storage in comparison to bread made with 3% shortening. These res...
Use of urine to serum fluoride concentration ratios to confirm serum fluoride analyses.

IN 1966 I published1 results showing that the normal concentration of fluoride in human serum is about one-tenth the generally accepted value—that of Singer and Armstrong. Part of the evidence supporting my results was the “at least five-fold discrepancy” that could be shown in their data2 which is most easily explained by an error in the measurement of the serum fluoride. The discrepancy involves the ratio of urine to plasma fluoride concentrations when determined by fluorine-18 as compared with stable fluoride analyses. Because the concentration of fluoride in urine is well established in contrast to that in serum where analysis is much more difficult, it is reasonable to question the latter when there is a discrepancy. Singer and Armstrong3, however, in their recent rebuttal, think that I came to erroneous conclusions because I .directed attention to only two of their analyses, which they now consider aberrant.
Cylindrical Coordinates Coupled Mode Theory

We present a cylindrical coordinates coupled mode formulation for coupling between two degenerate modes of a traveling wave resonator. The resonator is assumed to have rotational symmetry and therefore two degenerate modes propagating in opposite directions. We analyze coupling of the resonance modes in space due to a perturbation in the resonator and derive first-order coupling equations. We also present an application of the method in modeling the mode coupling in a ring resonator with an integrated distributed Bragg reflector. For the presented structure, the results from coupled mode analysis agree with the finite elements method simulation results, and the method dramatically reduces the simulation time from 2 h to less than 5 min.