cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Cross-section for the reaction π- + p → n + particles for pions in the momentum range 0.78 to 5.3 GeV/c

We have measured the cross-section for the reaction π− + p yielding neutral final states in momentum range of (784÷5290) MeV/c of the incident pion. A table of cross-sections corrected for nonstrange processes is presented and a discussion of the 1688, 1920 and 2190 MeV resonances is included.
Generalized transforms

A recent class of continuous transforms is generalized to give an infinite number of new transforms. A frequency interpretation of the transform base functions gives fast generalized transform (FGT) matrices using standard digit reversal techniques. Examples of FGT factorizations are given. Advantages of the generalized transforms include continuous transform properties for system design and analysis and FGT algorithms for practical applications using digital hardware.
Song ‘adaptations’ and the globalisation of French pop, 1960–1970:

France in the early 1960s witnessed on the one hand a soaring demand for rock and twist music, and, on the other, popular and commercial resistance to foreign-language songs. This combination created an enormous opportunity for French-language remakes (‘adaptations’) sung by artists who could benefit from massive promotion by a record industry that was not yet multinational. Through a statistical analysis of hit parades from 1960 to 1970, a watershed decade for the globalisation of popular music, this article quantifies the ‘adaptations’ wave and contextualises its rise and decline. By way of conclusion, an epilogue jumps forward some 30 years to consider radio quotas and the adoption of English by young French songwriters.
Feature Selection "Tomography" - Illustrating that Optimal Feature Filtering is Hopelessly Ungeneralizable.

Feature filtering methods are often used in text classification and other high-dimensional domains to quickly score each feature independently and pass only the best to the learning algorithm. The panoply of available methods grows over the years, with frequent research publications touting new functions that seem to yield superior learning: variants on Information Gain, Chi Squared, Mutual Information, and others. This slow generate-and-test search in the literature is usually counted as progress towards finding superior filter methods. But this is illusory. We provide a new empirical method to reveal the feature preference surface for a given dataset and classifier: crossvalidating with an additional feature whose noise characteristics are controlled. By evaluating for every sensitivity and specificity level—though computationally expensive—we determine the expected benefit of adding a feature with a given characteristic. We desire features with high expected gain. Ideally this preference surface would be easily generalizable across many datasets and depend on just a few parameters. However, by visualizing the preference surface under different conditions while holding other factors constant, we demonstrate graphically that it depends on more factors than are ever considered in feature selection papers: training set size and class distribution, classifier model and parameters, and—even holding all of these constant—the individual target concept itself. Thus, the ongoing sequence of published papers in this area will not yield an optimal feature selection function of significant generality.
Abstract IA33: Biofilms, genetics, and colon cancer

The colonic microbiota perhaps aided by specific bacterial species is hypothesized to contribute to colon cancer pathogenesis. Potential mechanisms include induction of mucosal pro-carcinogenic immune responses and the biologic action of specific microbial, particularly bacterial, virulence factors. Among specific bacterial species, Escherichia coli possessing the pks island with the DNA-damaging colibactin toxin, Fusobacterium nucleatum and enterotoxigenic Bacteroides fragilis (ETBF) that secretes the DNA-damaging B. fragilis toxin are carcinogenic species of particular interest. To address the hypothesis that microbial species or communities contribute to CRC pathogenesis, we are prospectively studying the microbial associations of human CRC together with parameters of mucosal immunity. The epidemiology of specific putative carcinogenic bacterial species and the relationship of mucosal bacterial communities that invade the inner mucus layer of the colon, known as biofilms, to sporadic and hereditary colon cancers will be discussed. Integration of new knowledge about the microbiota and colon cancer will inform current hypotheses on disease pathogenesis as well as future approaches to the prevention and possibly treatment of colon cancer. Citation Format: Cynthia L. Sears. Biofilms, genetics, and colon cancer. [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the CRI-CIMT-EATI-AACR Inaugural International Cancer Immunotherapy Conference: Translating Science into Survival; September 16-19, 2015; New York, NY. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Immunol Res 2016;4(1 Suppl):Abstract nr IA33.
An integrated Water Curtain-Microalgal Culture system (WCMC) to mitigate air emissions and recover nutrients from animal feeding operations

Abstract Economically and technologically feasible air emission mitigation technologies are in high demand to sustain future animal agriculture. In this study, we designed an integrated Water Curtain-Microalgal Culture (WCMC) system to mitigate air emissions and recover nutrients to culture microalgae from Animal Feeding Operations (AFOs). The WCMC system included a water curtain, a windbreak wall and a raceway pond bioreactor. The water curtain was formed by continuously pumping water into a perforated water tank that flowed into the raceway pond bioreactor. The exhaust pollutants (NH3 and particulate matter-PM) from a poultry house were dissolved and absorbed by the water droplets. Microalgal species were collected from local ponds and went through natural selection. Desmodesmus (R. Chodat) showed the best tolerances of temperature, nutrients, pH, and circulation shear force. The microalgal culture in the bioreactor was run in batch mode and the average productivity was 12.7 ± 2.9 g/m2/day. Exhaust ammonia (NH3) and total suspended particle (TSP) concentrations were reduced by 74.9% and 89.2%, respectively. The harvested microalgal biomass had a protein content of 41.3%. The amino acid profile of microalgae demonstrated comparable quality to the WHO/FAO reference. Omega-3 fatty acids accounted for about 23% of total fat acids. Heavy metals (Pb, Cu, Fe and Zn) did not exceed the tolerance levels. The adaptation of this new technology will reduce AFOs environmental impact, create a win-win situation for future animal agriculture and microalgal cultivation, and generate new alternative protein sources as food and feed supplements.
Who Gains from Agricultural Protection

A previous chapter emphasized the particular problems that confront agriculture when economic growth occurs. Agriculture is a declining industry; its share of national output and national employment declines as real per capita incomes increase. Since it is necessary under these circumstances continuously to transfer labour out of agriculture to other occupations, the return to farm labour will be less than the return to labour of similar education, skills and capacities engaged in other activities. At least this will be true in any economy in which decisions concerning choice of jobs is left to the individual; individuals do not voluntarily change jobs unless they anticipate a gain from doing so.
Monitoring Strategies and Devices

This chapter focuses on chemical monitoring, which is the technical and methodological aspect of any qualitative or quantitative analysis of process or fugitive chemicals. It may be undertaken for management of potential human exposure, control production processes, or the quality of intermediate and finished products. Surveillance includes monitoring, such as the control of chemical inventories, waste minimization, chemical substitution, and process management. Chemical surveillance of the workplace is a standard practice, with specific requirements defined by regulatory authority, corporate insurance carriers, corporate legal counsel, health and safety professional organizations, and the employees themselves. Chemical surveillance is intrinsic to modern business practice as loss control, total quality management, and human resource development. All the three factors (regulatory standards, monitoring technology, and catastrophic chemical release) continue to underscore the vital importance of monitoring capability in modern emergency planning and response to potential chemical risk, which is not just limited to chemical monitoring but includes a wide range of sensor systems necessary to achieve proactive and reactive response objectives.
How to Teach Interprofessional Learners

The complexity of modern healthcare demands that we practice in teams in order to provide high-quality and cost-effective care. Consequently, no matter what their practice site, clinical teachers are more and more likely to intersect with learners from professions other than their own. Clinical teachers must prepare learners from all professions to practice collaboratively. But most physicians haven’t had explicit training in team-based care, leaving many of us uncomfortable with teaching a group of interprofessional learners. This chapter provides strategies for optimizing team-based teaching in settings where trainees in multiple professions work and learn together.
Transformation of Active Sites in Fe/SSZ-13 SCR Catalysts during Hydrothermal Aging: A Spectroscopic, Microscopic, and Kinetics Study

Fe/SSZ-13 catalysts (Si/Al = 12, Fe loadings of 0.37% and 1.20%) were prepared via solution ion-exchange, and they were hydrothermally aged at 600, 700, and 800 °C. The fresh and aged catalysts were characterized with surface area/pore volume analysis, Mossbauer, solid-state MAS NMR, NO titration FTIR spectroscopies, and TEM and APT imaging. Hydrothermal aging causes dealumination of the catalysts and transformation of various Fe sites. The latter include conversion of free Fe2+ ions to dimeric Fe(III) species, the agglomeration of isolated Fe-ions to Fe-oxide clusters, and incorporation of Al into the Fe-oxide species. These changes result in complex influences on standard SCR and NO/NH3 oxidation reactions. In brief, mild aging causes catalyst performance enhancement for SCR, whereas harsh aging at 800 °C deteriorates SCR performance. In comparison to Fe/zeolites more prone to hydrothermal degradation, this study demonstrates that via the utilization of highly hydrothermally stable Fe/SSZ-13 catalysts, ...
Chest CT findings among adult survivors of childhood and young adult cancer with a history of chest radiation.

103Background: While survivors of childhood and young adult cancer with a history of radiation therapy (RT) to the chest are known to be at increased risk for lung cancer, whether a CT-based lung cancer screening program is appropriate for this population is unknown. We sought to describe CT findings in a clinic-based population of childhood and young adult cancer survivors. Methods: We performed a detailed review of all diagnostic chest CT scans performed among patients seen in the Adult Long-Term Follow-Up Program at Memorial Sloan Kettering between August 2005 and May 2016. Included survivors were at least 5 years from diagnosis and had a history of RT to the mediastinum, mantle, axilla, lung, thoracic spine, or total body irradiation fields. Results were reviewed by at least two authors (ET, DB, or AK) and discrepancies were resolved by consultation with a pulmonologist (RK). Results: We identified 620 survivors with a history of chest field RT who were at least 5 years from diagnosis. The population ...
School and Neighborhood Predictors of Physical Fitness in Elementary School Students.

BACKGROUND We assessed the associations of 5 school and 7 neighborhood variables with fifth-grade students achieving Healthy Fitness Zone (HFZ) or Needs Improvement-Health Risk (NI-HR) on aerobic capacity (AC) and body composition (BC) physical fitness components of the state-mandated FITNESSGRAM® physical fitness test. METHODS Data for outcome (physical fitness) and predictor (school and neighborhood) variables were extracted from various databases (eg, Data Quest, Walk Score®) for 160 schools located in San Diego, California. Predictor variables that were at least moderately correlated (|r| ≥ .30) with ≥1 outcome variables in univariate analyses were retained for ordinary least squares regression analyses. RESULTS The mean percentages of students achieving HFZ AC (65.7%) and BC (63.5%) were similar (t = 1.13, p = .26), while those for NI-HR zones were significantly different (AC = 6.0% vs BC = 18.6%; t = 12.60, p < .001). Correlations were greater in magnitude for school than neighborhood demographics and stronger for BC than AC. The school variables free/reduced-price lunch (negative) and math achievement (positive) predicted fitness scores. Among neighborhood variables, percent Hispanic predicted failure of meeting the HFZ BC criterion. CONCLUSIONS Creating school and neighborhood environments conducive to promoting physical activity and improving fitness is warranted.
Performance of the Immediate Post-Concussion Assessment and Cognitive Testing Protocol Validity Indices.

Objective Immediate Post-Concussion Assessment and Cognitive Testing (ImPACT) is a computerized neuropsychological test battery. Athletes provide preseason baseline ImPACT scores to which post-injury scores can be compared to aid concussion diagnosis. However, if baseline scores are not accurately representative of abilities, the utility of post-injury score comparison is diminished. For this reason, ImPACT includes low score thresholds on five validity indices to identify insufficient effort at baseline, though evidence of these indices' performance is limited. The present study examines the classification accuracy and concurrent validity of the existing ImPACT validity indices and three proposed indices (Word Memory Correct Distractors, Design Memory Correct Distractors, Total Symptom Score). Methods The ImPACT, Word Memory Test (WMT) and Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory-2-Restructured Form (MMPI-2-RF) were administered to 242 undergraduate students. Participants were instructed to either give full effort on testing or to simulate SRC. Results Sensitivity of the existing ImPACT validity indices was marginally improved with adjusted score thresholds while maintaining acceptable specificity (0.90). Alternative score thresholds and novel validity indices demonstrated adequate specificity while improving sensitivity overall. Positive and negative predictive powers are provided to inform use of protocol validity indices across diverse treatment settings. Conclusions The existing ImPACT indices' high specificity at the expense of lower sensitivity compared to external validity measures may under-identify poor effort, resulting in premature return-to-play decisions for athletes with concussion. Improvements or additions to the existing indices may raise sensitivity while maintaining acceptable specificity, aiding in the protection of athletes and safe athletic participation.
Free Speech and Establishment Clause Rights at Public School Graduation Ceremonies: A Disclaimer: The Preceding Speech Was Government Censored and Does Not Represent the Views of the Valedictorian

The article considers attempts that the lower federal courts have made to work out what freedoms and rights religious dissenters possess in not having religion imposed upon them at a graduation ceremony. It discusses the right of student speakers to engage in religious expression at graduation if they so wish.The ultimate focus of this Article is the valedictory speech that is customary at public school graduations. The school, as an agency of the state, does not select the valedictorian, but rather the valedictorian earns the privilege of speaking at graduation on the basis of her academic record. Although school officials have often attempted to control the speech of the valedictorian to varying levels of success, the general social and historical consensus, as this Article demonstrates, is that the valedictory speech is a form of expression composed by and belonging to the student. This premise forces consideration of whether the Free Speech Clause protects the valedictory speech.The author takes the position that the courts, in their zeal to protect dissenting religious minorities from the imposition of prayers and proselytizing by the majority, have minimized the rights of students to engage in free speech at the graduation ceremony. Part One of the article reviews opinions that have addressed the issue of religious expression at graduation ceremonies. Part Two consists of an examination of historical practices and customs at high school graduations. Part Three presents a preliminary attempt to outline a principled solution to the conflict of Establishment Clause and free speech rights at graduation ceremonies, and the article concludes by stating that in a speech delivered by a valedictorian chosen on the basis of neutral and secular criteria to speak at a public school graduation, there is some religious expression which the Free Speech Clause protects, and some which the Establishment Clause forbids.
Z BRANCHING FRACTIONS AND THE TOP MASS

Recent data from LEP on the hadronic and leptonic branching fractions of the Z0 favors a narrow range for the top mass around 200 GeV. These results are consistent with other precision measurements sensitive to the electroweak radiative corrections.
The Impact of David Bearman on Modern Archival Thinking: An Essay of Personal Reflection and Critique

This essay is a preliminary assessment of David Bearman as the leading archival thinker of the late twentieth century. Bearman has revolutionized thinking in archival circles around the world by offering a defence of traditional archival notions of provenance, evidence, recordness, and contextuality that equals the noblest statements of a Hilary Jenkinson, and by positing a relevant, dynamic, engaged future for archivists to transform the Information Age into a Record-Keeping Age. The essay is both a personal reflection and critical analysis. There are three main themes: an assessment of Bearman's ideas and their overall importance to general archival theory; a more specific exposition of the nature and importance of the University of Pittsburgh Project and of where Bearman sees that its results are leading archivists and their profession and institutions in future; and a critique of some of the implications, if not the conscious intentions, of his ideas and methods that seem to exclude the cultural, historical, and heritage dimensions and uses of archives, public or private. The overall aim of the essay is to push the archival discourse to the next stage by challenging and constructively critiquing as well as extolling the work of this archival pioneer.
Ultrastructural Studies on Plant Membranes

The most accepted hypothesis for the general organization of membranes is the fluid-mosaic model of Singer and Nicolson.1 In this model, membranes are viewed as a lipid bilayer with “integral” membrane proteins embedded in, as well as extending across, the lipid bilayer matrix. The model predicts that membranes can be asymmetrically organized with different lipids and proteins and amounts of each occurring in either half of the membrane. Also, Singer and Nicolson suggested that the lipid matrix was fluid with the lipid constituents as well as the proteins “floating” in this matrix, “freely” moving in the plane of the membrane. Thus, no long-range order or significant degrees of lateral heterogeneity as to the location of specific constituents would be expected in membranes unless constrained in place by extramembrane elements. In this paper, we examine the organization and lateral heterogeneity of plant membranes using electron microscopic methods.
Rapid separation of reduction products of 2,4,6-trinitrotoluene using TLC

Silica gel TLC methods were developed for the separation of 2,4,6-trinitrotoluene (TNT) in mixtures with possible reduction products. The methods employed repeated elutions with simple binary or ternary solvent systems in either one or two dimensional modes. The resolved analytes include TNT, selected amino derivatives (2-amino-4,6-di-nitrotoluene, 4-amino-2,6-dinitrotoluene, 2,4-diamino-6-nitrotoluene) and known hydroxylamino derivatives (2-hydroxyl-amino-4,6-dinitrotoluene, 4-hydroxylamino-2,6-dinitrotoluene and 2,4-dihydroxylamino-6-nitrotoluene).
Rubella vaccination: Fertility control in a large-scale vaccination program for postpubertal women

Despite nationwide immunization programs, rubella infections during pregnancy continue. To solve this serious health problem direct immunizaton of women of reproductive age may be required. On a clinic basis, using nonphysician personnel, we vaccinated 404 susceptible women, ages 18 to 33, half were sexually active. Since pregnancy is proscribed for 2 to 3 months following rubella vaccination, a full range of family-planning services and a variety of contraceptive methods were used to ensure sustained fertility control. Sixteen vaccinees presented with possible conceptions in a 3 month follow-up. Of these, only five required treatment: two received diethylstilbestrol, two had menstrual inductions, and one an abortion. Administration of vaccine during a menstrual period was effective in preventing inadvertent vaccination of pregnant women. It was concluded that contraceptive counseling with adequate pregnancy termination backup makes it feasible to give rubella vaccine to highly motivated women.
Macrogeographic variation in song of the MacGillivray's Warbler (Geothlypis tolmiei)

ABSTRACT Geographic variation in mating signals is of interest to evolutionary biologists because the consequences of spatial divergence may lead to behavioral discrimination, assortative mating, and speciation. Birdsong is a mating signal of songbirds, and geographic variation in the form of small-scale dialects or large-scale regiolects has been documented in many species. We studied macrogeographic variation in song of the MacGillivray's Warbler (Geothlypis tolmiei) to determine the pattern of song variation in this species. Hypotheses used to explain the evolution of song divergence were also examined. We found extensive individual variation in the cultural units and physical parameters of song that overwhelmed differences among populations. We did not find dialects in the breeding range but did find a pattern of clinal variation with song differences increasing with increasing geographic distances among populations. Hypotheses that explain patterns of song divergence in other species did not apply to...
Spatial dynamics of tree group and gap structure in an old-growth ponderosa pine-California black oak forest burned by repeated wildfires.

Abstract Knowledge of how tree groups and gaps are formed and maintained in frequent-fire forests is key to managing for heterogeneous and resilient forest conditions. This research quantifies changes in tree group and gap spatial structure and abundance of ponderosa pine (Pinus ponderosa) and California black oak (Quercus kelloggii) with stand development after wildfires in 1990 and 1994 in an old-growth forest in the Ishi Wilderness, southern Cascades, California. Forest demography and tree group and gap structure were quantified by measuring, mapping, and aging trees in six 1-ha permanent plots in 2000 and 2016. Tree recruitment, mortality, and growth were estimated using demographic models and spatial characteristics including gap structure were identified using an inter-tree distance algorithm and the empty space function. Potential fire behavior and effects in 2016 were estimated to determine if the current forest would be resilient to a wildfire in the near future. Stand density and basal area in both 2000 and 2016 resembled reference conditions for pre-fire suppression frequent-fire forests in the western United States. Wildfires initially promoted California black oak regeneration via sprouting, but oak regeneration from seed declined relative to ponderosa pine over the post-fire period. In 2000, ∼15% of trees were classified as single tree groups and an average tree group had 6 trees (range 2–38) which increased to 9 trees (range 2–240) in 2016. Small groups (2–4 trees) had similar-aged trees while larger groups were multi-aged. By 2016, single tree groups decreased by ∼30%, and the size, density, and intensity of clustering within tree groups increased, with an average tree group size of 9 (range 2–240) in 2016. Rates of post-fire regeneration, particularly the high rate for ponderosa pine, drove spatial dynamics in tree group and gap structure. Although the size and frequency of canopy gaps were similar in 2000 and 2016, the density of seedlings and saplings in gaps was higher in 2016, and large gaps were being fragmented by gap filling. Potential fire behavior predicted surface fire and low overstory tree mortality, suggesting the current forest would be resilient to a wildfire. However, burning will be necessary in the future to reduce the demographic pressure of ponderosa pine, promote black oak, and to maintain and create future spatial heterogeneity. Cumulatively, this research demonstrates that wildland fires under certain conditions can maintain and restore fire resilience in ponderosa pine forests reducing the negative ecological consequences related to past fire exclusion.
Integration and Evaluation of a Next-Generation Chirp-Style Sidescan Sonar on the REMUS 100

“Chirp”-style sidescan sonar systems, which use pulse-compressed signals, provide advantages over pulsed continuous-wave sidescan sonar systems, including increased imaging range, resolution, and image fidelity. Marine Sonics (Yorktown, VA) has recently released a system, the “Arc Scout”, using modern electronics in a form factor suitable for installation on small autonomous underwater vehicles (AUVs). A number of these systems have been integrated into REMUS 100 AUVs, and their performance imaging archaeological targets on the seabed has been evaluated. Targets were surveyed under a variety of conditions at four different sonar center frequencies: 600 kHz, 900 kHz, 1200 kHz, and 1800 kHz. The results were analyzed to provide performance assessments for selecting the sonar operating characteristics based on area search rate and target size. The hardware and software integration required for the retrofit installation of these sonar systems the REMUS 100 vehicle is detailed.
Growth hormone in mares and stallions: pulsatile secretion, response to growth hormone-releasing hormone, and effects of exercise, sexual stimulation, and pharmacological agents.

Short-term patterns of growth hormone (GH) secretion and factors affecting it were studied in mares and stallions. In Exp. 1, hourly blood samples were collected from three mares and three stallions in summer and winter. Although GH concentrations varied in a pulsatile manner in all horses, there was no effect of sex or season (P greater than .1) on plasma GH concentrations and no indication of a diurnal pattern of GH secretion. In Exp. 2, 10-min blood samples were drawn for 8 h from 12 mares; after 6 h, porcine GH-releasing hormone (GHRH) was administered i.v. at 0, 45, 90, or 180 micrograms/mare (three mares per dose). Pulsatile secretion of GH occurred in all mares and averaged 2.4 +/- .3 peaks/6 h; amplitudes were variable and ranged from 2.6 to 74.4 ng/mL. Eight of nine mares responded within 20 min to GHRH injection, but there was no difference (P greater than .1) among the three doses tested. In Exp. 3, plasma GH concentrations in stallions increased (P less than .05) 8- to 10-fold after 5 min of acute physical exercise or exposure to an estrual mare. Restraint via a twitch (5 min) and epinephrine administration (3 mg i.v.) also increased (P less than .05) plasma GH concentrations by approximately fourfold. In Exp. 4 and 5, administration of either .4, 2, or 10 mg of thyrotropin-releasing hormone (TRH) or 100 or 500 mg of sulpiride (a dopamine receptor antagonist) increased (P less than .01) plasma prolactin concentrations but had no effect (P greater than .1) on GH concentrations during the same period of time.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)
Interlayer RKKY Coupling in Bulk Rashba Semiconductors under Topological Phase Transition

The bulk Rashba semiconductors $\mathrm{BiTe}X$ ($X=\mathrm{I},\phantom{\rule{0.28em}{0ex}}\mathrm{Cl}$, and Br) with intrinsically enhanced Rashba spin-orbit coupling provide a new platform for investigation of spintronic and magnetic phenomena in materials. We theoretically investigate the interlayer exchange interaction between two ferromagnets deposited on opposite surfaces of a bulk Rashba semiconductor BiTeI in its trivial and topological insulator phases. In the trivial phase BiTeI, we find that for ferromagnets with a magnetization orthogonal to the interface, the exchange coupling is reminiscent of that of a conventional three-dimensional metal. Remarkably, ferromagnets with a magnetization parallel to the interface display a magnetic exchange qualitatively different from that of conventional three-dimensional metal due to the spin-orbit coupling. In this case, the interlayer exchange interaction acquires two periods of oscillations and decays as the inverse of the thickness of the BiTeI layer. For topological BiTeI, the magnetic exchange interaction becomes mediated only by the helical surface states and acts between the one-dimensional spin chains at the edges of the sample. The surface-state-mediated interlayer exchange interaction allows for the coupling of ferromagnets with noncollinear magnetization and displays a decay power different from that of trivial BiTeI, allowing the detection of the topological phase transition in this material. Our work provides insights into the magnetic properties of these newly discovered materials and their possible functionalization.
Continuous Control of a Soft Continuum Arm using Deep Reinforcement Learning

Soft Continuum Arms (SCAs) are challenging to control due to their highly nonlinear characteristics and sensitivity to external loading. Recent efforts to address the control problem using machine learning techniques are limited to simple SCA architectures. In this paper, we train a model-free reinforcement learning control policy based on Deep Deterministic Policy Gradient (DDPG) for end effector path tracking on a BR2 SCA. Unlike simple SCA architectures, the BR2 SCA has the functionality to bend and rotate spatially thus leading to enhanced workspace and ability to perform complex tasks. The control policy is first validated in simulations and then implemented on a prototype BR2 with state feedback. An average tracking error less than 3 cm (< diameter of the SCA) is reported using the proposed control policy. The efficacy of the control policy is validated for different loading conditions both in simulations and on the SCA prototype.
Preservation of myocardial function during cross-circulation in terminal endotoxin shock.

Abstract : Cross-circulation between normal isolated hearts and dogs in terminal shock 18-21 hours after administration of endotoxin was performed for a period of 3 hours. Of 22 dogs injected with endotoxin, only 9 survived long enough to be studied and 2 died during the study. The results were compared to 4 normal control dogs. Isometric cardiac performance measured by intraventricular balloon distention was not impaired in the endotoxin group which showed consistently better length-tension curves and pressure work than control dogs. No alteration in force-velocity curves was noted in either group. Increases in both oxygen uptake and pressure work in the endotoxin group resulted in no change in calculated myocardial efficiency, both effects presumably a result of increased circulating catecholamines. Results fail to show any deleterious effect on a normal heart perfused with blood from a dog in terminal shock and do not substantiate a primary role for the reported myocardial depressant factor.
Real-time genetic optimization of large file transfers

Transfer configurations play a significant role in achieved throughput for file transfers in high-speed networks. However, finding an optimal setting for a given transfer task is an intractable, non-linear problem. Existing solutions thus rely on offline models to configure only a subset of parameters, yielding suboptimal performance when network conditions deviate from what is observed in historical data. In this paper, we apply genetic algorithms to discover optimal configurations for file transfer settings in real-time. Experimental results show that the genetic algorithm yields up-to 33% higher transfer throughput compared to the state-of-the-art solutions by finding near-optimal transfer settings with minimal overhead.
Prey identity affects fitness of a generalist consumer in a brown food web

The use of ever-advancing sequencing technologies has revealed incredible biodiversity at the microbial scale, and yet we know little about the ecological interactions in these communities. For example, in the phytotelmic community found in the purple pitcher plant, Sarrecenia purpurea, ecologists typically consider the bacteria as a functionally homogenous group. In this food web, bacteria decompose detritus and are consumed by protozoa that are considered generalist consumers. Here we tested whether a generalist consumer benefits from all bacteria equally. We isolated and identified 22 strains of bacteria, belonging to six genera, from S. purpurea plants. We grew the protozoa, Tetrahymena sp. with single isolates and strain mixtures of bacteria and measured Tetrahymena fitness. We found that different bacterial strains had different effects on protozoan fitness, both in isolation and in mixture. Our results demonstrate that not accounting for composition of prey communities may affect the predicted outcome of predator-prey interactions.
Water Resources Projects and Outdoor Recreation

It is estimated that major water resource projects constructed in this nation provide approximately 10,000,000 acres of water surface and that this resource, together with related lands, accommodated some 500,000,000 visitors in 1965. Current projections indicate that it will be necessary to construct, by 1980, about double the reservoir storage capacity in existence 20 yr earlier and at least triple the 1960 capacity by the year 2000. Projections for outdoor recreation demand are of similar magnitude. The growing uses of the recreation resources associated with water resource projects reflect their great contribution to the outdoor recreation environment and make it imperative that future needs be fully considered in planning, developing and administering our water resource projects. The problems and objectives of providing and maintaining a high-quality recreation environment at these projects should be clearly understood by all people who have water resource development interests and responsibilities. Through mutual understanding, much can be done to shape and assure the future of water-based outdoor recreation in this nation.
After Ariel: An Argument for Sylvia Plath's Phantom Third Poetry Collection

Often, in the early morning hours, I find myself warmly surrounded by loose flannel pajamas, with flavored coffee in hand, and a notebook on my lap. The sun is just rising behind my damask sheers, revealing a calm and peaceful canvas of blue, yellow and purple in the morning sky. At this hour, my daughter is getting ready for school and my son is slowly stirring in his crib. I am reluctant to get off the couch since this is the one time during my day where I get to do what I enjoy: simply reflecting on my life, attempting to write poetry, or, most likely as of late, reading Sylvia Plath.
Employee Engagement Through Effective Performance Management: A Practical Guide for Managers

Preface. 1. The Performance Management Process and Employee Engagement. 2. Understanding Performance Appraisal. 3. Building a Climate of Trust. 4. Setting Meaningful and Effective Goals. 5. Meeting the Feedback Challenge. 6. Recognizing Employee Performance. 7. Learning about 360-Degree Feedback. 8. Coaching for Success. 9. Managing Employee and Team Learning and Development. 10. Managing and Preventing Employee Burnout. 11. A Closing Look at Performance Management and Employee Engagement.
The Nitric Oxide-Endothelin-1 Connection

Nitric oxide (NO) and endothelin-1 (ET-1) are endothelium-derived mediators that play important roles in vascular homeostasis. This review is focused on the role and reciprocal interactions between NO and ET-1 in health and diseases associated with endothelium dysfunction. We will also discuss the clinical significance of NO donors and drugs that antagonize ET receptors.
Personality and ideology: a personological study of Women's Liberation.

(1972). Personality and Ideology: A Personological Study of Women’s Liberation. Psychiatry: Vol. 35, No. 2, pp. 109-125.
Pathogenesis of X-Linked Charcot-Marie-Tooth Disease: Differential Effects of Two Mutations in Connexin 32

X-linked Charcot-Marie-Tooth disease is an inherited peripheral neuropathy arising in patients with mutations in the gene encoding connexin 32 (Cx32). Cx32 is expressed at the paranodes and Schmidt-Lantermann incisures of myelinating Schwann cells in which it is believed to form a reflexive pathway between the abaxonal and adaxonal cytoplasmic domains. Patients with the Val181Ala (V181A) mutation have a severe peripheral neuropathy. Experiments using a nude mouse xenograft system show that Schwann cells expressing only this mutant form of Cx32 are profoundly impaired in their ability to support the earliest stages of regeneration of myelinated fibers. Coupling between paired Xenopus oocytes expressing V181A is reduced compared with the coupling between oocytes expressing wild-type human Cx32 (32WT), and protein levels assayed by Western blot are substantially lower. Immunocytochemisty shows that Neuro2a cells expressing the V181A mutant have very few gap junction plaques compared with cells expressing 32WT; Cx32 protein levels are lower in these cells than in those expressing 32WT. Because failure of normal regeneration is evident before formation of myelin, loss of function of Cx32 may impact on the function of precursors of the myelinating Schwann cell before the formation of the hypothesized reflexive pathway. The Glu102Gly (E102G) mutation leads to a milder phenotype. Early regeneration is normal in grafts with Schwann cells expressing the E102G mutant. The only abnormality detected in the behavior of its channel is increased sensitivity to acidification-induced closure, a property that may lead to reduced gap junction coupling during periods of metabolic stress. This restricted functional abnormality may explain the relatively mild phenotype seen in the xenograft model and in E102G patients.
Cause analysis on the break of isolator helical spring

Carries on the fracture macroscopic analysis, the SEM analysis, degree of hardness inspection, the chemical element analysis and the organization analysis to the break isolator helical spring, thought the isolator spring because of the surface decarburization level existence, receives the outer layer fixed friction to cause the micro crack the germination, the expansion is the spring break primary cause‥
Paleomagnetic correlation of late Holocene earthquakes among estuaries in Washington and Oregon

[1] Paleomagnetic directions of estuarine mud provide additional evidence that individual earthquakes, or rapid series of earthquakes, caused widespread coseismic land-level changes during the past 2000 years in western Washington and Oregon. Most of the paleomagnetic measurements were made on mud dating from the first decades after coseismic subsidence from plate-boundary earthquakes at the Cascadia subduction zone. Mud deposited soon after the A.D. 1700 Cascadia earthquake has similar remanent directions among all five sites (k = 171) sampled along 80 km of Pacific coast between Grays Harbor and the mouth of the Columbia River. Likewise, internally consistent directions were obtained along this stretch of coast from mud deposited soon after a plate-boundary earthquake (or earthquake series) in A.D. 340–410 and soon after another such event in A.D. 680–720. Also analyzed were remanent magnetizations of mud deposited shortly before (or shortly after) land-level changes from seismicity in the North America plate beneath Puget Sound. A mean direction for sites on the Snohomish River delta, near Everett, from the time of an earthquake on the Seattle fault in A.D. 900–930 is statistically identical (95% confidence level) to a mean direction in mud that was uplifted in A.D. 800–1000 at potentially correlative sites near Tacoma and Olympia. The paleomagnetic direction from Everett for the upper-plate earthquake of A.D. 900–930 differs substantially from that for a plate-boundary earthquake in A.D. 810–1190. This difference implies that the upper-plate earthquake preceded the plate-boundary earthquake by a century or two on the basis of comparisons of their paleomagnetic poles with a previously reconstructed path of geomagnetic paleosecular variation in western North America.
Close to home: a history of Yale and Lyme disease.

Yale scientists played a pivotal role in the discovery of Lyme disease and are credited as the first to recognize, name, characterize, and treat the affliction. Today, Lyme disease is the most commonly reported vector-borne illness in the United States, affecting approximately 20,000 people each year, with the incidence having doubled in the past 10 years [1]. Lyme disease is the result of a bacterial infection transmitted to humans through the bite of an infected deer tick, which typically results in a skin rash at the site of attack. While most cases, when caught early, are easily treated by antibiotic therapy, delayed treatment can lead to serious systemic side effects involving the joints, heart, and central nervous system. Here we review Yale’s role in the discovery and initial characterization of Lyme disease and how those early discoveries are crucial to our current understanding of the disease.
C/EBPβ Promotes Immunity to Oral Candidiasis through Regulation of β-Defensins

Humans or mice subjected to immunosuppression, such as corticosteroids or anti-cytokine biologic therapies, are susceptible to mucosal infections by the commensal fungus Candida albicans. Recently it has become evident that the Th17/IL-17 axis is essential for immunity to candidiasis, but the downstream events that control immunity to this fungus are poorly understood. The CCAAT/Enhancer Binding Protein-β (C/EBPβ) transcription factor is important for signaling by multiple inflammatory stimuli, including IL-17. C/EBPβ is regulated in a variety of ways by IL-17, and controls several downstream IL-17 target genes. However, the role of C/EBPβ in vivo is poorly understood, in part because C/EBPβ-deficient mice are challenging to breed and work with. In this study, we sought to understand the role of C/EBPβ in the context of an IL-17-dependent immune response, using C. albicans infection as a model system. Confirming prior findings, we found that C/EBPβ is required for immunity to systemic candidiasis. In contrast, C/EBPβ-/- mice were resistant to oropharyngeal candidiasis (OPC), in a manner indistinguishable from immunocompetent WT mice. However, C/EBPβ-/- mice experienced more severe OPC than WT mice in the context of cortisone-induced immunosuppression. Expression of the antimicrobial peptide β-defensin (BD)-3 correlated strongly with susceptibility in C/EBPβ-/- mice, but no other IL-17-dependent genes were associated with susceptibility. Therefore, C/EBPβ contributes to immunity to mucosal candidiasis during cortisone immunosuppression in a manner linked to β-defensin 3 expression, but is apparently dispensable for the IL-17-dependent response.
On modeling peptidomimetics in complex with the SH2 domain of Stat3

Signal transducer and activator of transcription 3 (Stat3) plays a role in human cancers. One of the main approaches towards inhibiting its activity is the development of phosphopetides or peptidomimetics that competitively bind to the SH2 domain of Stat3. This work reports, to the best of our knowledge, the first computational molecular docking study to model all of the 142 peptidomimetics that mimic the Stat3 inhibitory pTyr-X-X-Glu motif. We used the docking programs AUTODOCK and VINA to model SH2 domain-peptidomimetic complexes and estimate their binding affinities. We obtained better screening accuracy using AUTODOCK which ranked the most potent inhibitor as second highest. Experimental binding energy values and scores from docking programs correlated poorly, confirming the limitations of many current docking programs when dealing with ligands that have a large number of rotatable bonds. Nevertheless, for close to 65% of peptidomimetics, the structures of complexes computed by AUTODOCK are in agreement with current understanding of the structures. Modeling of the SH2 domain-peptidomimetic complexes is essential to better understand and design drug compounds for curing cancer. Our study is an important first step forward towards that goal.
Mesothelioma of the abdomen in women. Monitoring of therapy by peritoneal fluid study.

Abstract Two cases of malignant diffuse mesothelioma of the abdomen are presented. Both women demonstrated a prompt response to an oral alkylating agent, melphalan. The drug produced in both women a 22 and a 9 mo interval in which they were clinically free of disease. Multiple serial peritoneal fluid cytologic studies and biochemical evaluations using the sequential multiple analyzer (SMA 12–60) were carried out in the women. Cytogenetic analyses of peritoneal fluid was carried out in one woman during chemotherapy. These multiple serial peritoneal fluid studies indicated the disease-free state and allowed cessation of therapy and detected recurrent disease before clinical symptoms appeared. Monitoring of therapy for mesothelioma of the abdominal cavity in women is possible by serial peritoneal fluid study.
A preliminary evaluation of microporous hollow fiber membrane modules for the liquid-liquid extraction of actinides

Abstract Microporous hollow fiber (MHF) membrane modules provide an inexpensive, low-maintenance, and dispersion-free approach to continuous-flow liquid-liquid extraction processes. This work involves analyzing the potential for using these modules for process-scale metal separations such as radioactive waste stream cleanup and environmental remediation. In this work, MHF modules are used to remove neodymium (a surrogate for americium) from 2 M nitric acid using DHDECMP [dihexyl N , N -diethylcarbamoylmethylphosphonate] and CMPO [ n -octyl(phenyl)- N , N -diisobutylcarbamoylmethylphosphine oxide] as extractants in diisopropylbenzene. The modules are also used to concentrate the neodymium from the organic by back-extracting it into 0.01 M nitric acid. The performance of this technology is discussed in terms of the number of theoretical equilibrium extraction stages provided by each module, as well as how the module's extraction and back-extraction capabilities are affected by different aqueous and organic flow rates, and by the different extractants.
Nonequilibrium population distributions for vibrational energy levels of CO2 in CO-O2 flames at reduced pressure

Carbon dioxide molecular vibrational energy levels above carbon monoxide-oxygen premixed flame, discussing vibration modes leading to population inversion and relaxation time variance