cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Expectations and Voting in the NCAA Football Polls: The Wisdom of Point Spread Markets

A week-to-week voting model for college football using voting points from the ESPN/USA Today and Associated Press polls is specified. The point spread differential, the score differential of the most recent game minus the point spread, is shown to have a positive and highly significant effect on votes in both polls. A team that covers the point spread will receive an increase in votes in both polls. A team that wins but does not cover the point spread will lose votes. This result shows the role of expectations in this market. If a team performs better than expected, it will receive more votes in the polls and possibly move up in the rankings. Television coverage is also examined, and voter reaction to team performance is found to be greater for those games that are televised, which could be due to the television exposure itself or the fact that televised coverage is a proxy for important games.
Sensations Evoked in Patients With Amputation From Watching an Individual Whose Corresponding Intact Limb Is Being Touched

Background: After amputation of a limb, the majority ofpatientsexperiencephantomsensations,suchasphantom pain. Such patients provide an opportunity for the exploration of the perceptual correlates of recently discovered “mirror neurons,” which fire not only when individuals move their own limb but when they watch the movements of the corresponding limb of another person. Similar neurons exist in the secondary somatosensory cortex for touch: they fire when the individual is touched or simply watches another person be touched. While these neurons cannot by themselves discriminate between the two, the mind is aware of the difference between feeling and watching; one does not confuse empathy with actual experience. Objective:To investigate whether patients with amputationexperiencethesensationsofanotherpersonintheir ownphantomlimbduringthemereobservationofsomeone else being touched, owing to removal of the inhibition of the mirror neuron system that would have occurred had the limb been intact. Design: Case report. Setting: University campus, academic setting. Patients: Four patients with upper-limb amputation. Main Outcome Measures: The subjective reports of patients.
Surface structural disordering in graphite upon lithium intercalation/deintercalation

We report on the origin of the surface structural disordering in graphite anodes induced by lithium intercalation and deintercalation processes. Average Raman spectra of graphitic anodes reveal that cycling at potentials that correspond to low lithium concentrations in Lix C( 0≤ x 0.33) are present. Electrochemical impedance spectra show larger interfacial impedance for the electrodes that were fully delithiated during cycling as compared to electrodes that were cycled at lower potentials (U < 0.15 V vs. Li/Li + ). Steep Li
Repetitively pulsed plasma remediation of NOx in soot laden exhaust using dielectric barrier discharges

The removal of NOx from diesel exhausts is being investigated using a variety of repetitively pulsed plasma sources. Soot particles influence NOx densities in the gas phase of these devices through heterogeneous reactions on the soot surface. In repetitively pulsed devices, such as dielectric barrier discharges, the starting gas composition of any given pulse depends on the homogeneous and heterogeneous chemistry occurring during previous pulses. In this regard, we have computationally investigated the consequences of repetitive discharge pulses and heterogeneous chemistry on remediation of NOx and soot oxidation. In the absence of soot, a series of discharge pulses results in increased conversion of NO to NO2 compared to depositing the same energy in a single discharge pulse. With soot, single pulses result in an initial gas phase oxidation of NO to NO2, followed by heterogeneous conversion of NO2 to NO on the soot. With multiple pulses and soot, due to the larger gas phase density of NO2, there is an increased flux of NO2 to the soot surface, resulting in increased soot oxidation and larger rates of heterogeneous conversion of NO2 to NO. With both single and multiple discharge pulse formats, the proportion of NOx removed, both in the presence and absence of soot, is about the same. The composition of the NOx depends on the soot. With 10 7 cm −3 of 40 nm soot particles, the final NOx was primarily NO2, whereas, with 10 9 cm −3 of 200 nm soot
Effect of hypercholesterolemia on transendothelial EBD-albumin permeability and lipid accumulation in porcine iliac arteries

Hypercholesterolemia is associated with increased cardiovascular mortality and is known to promote the advancement of atherosclerotic lesions in experimental animal models. Juvenile swine were fed a normal or high-cholesterol diet, and the transendothelial macromolecular permeability of the external iliac arteries of these animals was assessed by measuring the uptake rate of circulating Evans blue dye (EBD). The extent and patterns of lipid-containing lesions were also determined using en face staining with Oil Red O (ORO). Sites of ORO staining often excluded EBD, possibly via the fragmentation of the internal elastic lamina, to which EBD binds. By spatially averaging the EBD uptake in arterial segments relatively free of ORO-positive lesions, it was found that endothelial permeability to albumin was greater in hypercholesterolemic pigs than in those on a normal diet (p = 0.056).
Expression of myeloid differentiation factor 88 in neurons is not requisite for the induction of sickness behavior by interleukin-1β.

Background Animals respond to inflammation by suppressing normal high-energy activities, including feeding and locomotion, in favor of diverting resources to the immune response. The cytokine interleukin-1 beta (IL-1β) inhibits normal feeding and locomotor activity (LMA) via its actions in the central nervous system (CNS). Behavioral changes in response to IL-1β are mediated by myeloid differentiation factor 88 (MyD88) in non-hematopoietic cells. It is unknown whether IL-1β acts directly on neurons or requires transduction by non-neuronal cells.
The role of bile duct reactive change in the pathogenesis of liver fibrosis due to hepatitis C.

The question addressed here is: does the bile duct reactive component of hepatitis C disease progress during the progression of the disease to cirrhosis? The question is important because if the answer to the question is yes, then an important correllary question is: does the bile duct reactive component contribute to the fibrotic change which leads to cirrhosis? The first question is addressed in the present study of a series of liver biopsies taken at the four stages of liver fibrosis in patients with hepatitis C. Sixty-four patients with hepatitis who had been biopsied for staging purposes were reviewed retrospectively. The liver biopsies were routinely stained with antibodies for liver cells, bile duct cells, activated stellate cells and cells in S phase of the cell cycle and histochemical stains for collagen and basement membrane. Selective biopsies were stained for stem cells and oval cells. There was a progressive increase in metaplastic bile ductules but the increase did not reach a significant level until stages III and IV of fibrosis. There was a positive correlation between the number of ductules formed and the stage of liver fibrosis. The incidence of proliferating metaplastic ductules was low and did not change significantly during the progression of the stage of the fibrosis. Stains for oval cells and stem cells were negative. It is concluded that the answer to the question posed is: bile ductule reaction does increase during the development of cirrhosis caused by hepatitis C but the increase is due to bile ductular metaplasia, not due to proliferation.
Identifying the Source of Saline Groundwater Contamination Using Geochemical Data and Modeling

The source of salinization of an unconfined aquifer located in West Texas, near the Pecos River, is determined by a combination of graphical methods, comparative statistics, mass–balance mixing models, and geochemical thermodynamic equilibrium models. Water samples from the site are divided into two groups: Group 1 samples are chemically similar to groundwater samples typical of the region; Group 2 samples are chemically similar to salt-water disposal (SWD) brines injected into deeper formations for disposal and petroleum recovery enhancement. The spatial distribution of the two groups and the results of statistical analyses support the similarity between the Group 2 and the SWD samples and are consistent with the hypothesis that the Group 2 samples were contaminated by SWD brine. Bivariate plots and mixing models suggest that the Group 2 samples are a combination of brine contamination and subsequent reaction with mineral phases present in the aquifer. Three conceptual models for salinization of the Group 2 wells are tested using geochemical models: 1) evaporation of groundwater with no contamination, 2) release of brine directly into the aquifer, and 3) deep release of brine with mineral reactions in the subsurface. Results indicate that the most likely scenario is a deep release of brine, equilibration with halite in the underlying formation, and release of the modified brine into the shallow aquifer with subsequent mineral-phase reactions. The model results suggest that Br − /Cl − , widely accepted as a conservative ratio, can be modified by dissolution of low Br − halide minerals.
Upper-Troposphere MM5 and WRF Temperature Error and Vertical Velocity Coupling

AbstractThe fifth-generation Pennsylvania State University–National Center for Atmospheric Research Mesoscale Model (MM5) and the Weather Research and Forecasting Model (WRF) have been employed to predict troposphere temperatures for atmospheric study and operational decision making with positive results. Temperature bias in MM5 and WRF has been noted in previous troposphere studies through radiosonde vertical profile comparison; however, long-range horizontal in situ temperature observations have never been utilized to assess MM5 and WRF upper-troposphere temperature prediction. This study investigates upper-troposphere temperature forecasting of MM5 and WRF utilizing long-range in situ observations linking temperature error to forecast vertical velocity within the upper troposphere over surface elevation changes and different surface types. Temperature observations were taken during flights over North America, Europe, and southwest Asia between 6000 and 7600 m above sea level and compared with MM5 and W...
Bioactive flavonoids from the black locust tree, robinia pseudoacacia.

Five flavonoids, acacetin ( 1 ), secundiflorol I ( 2 ), mucronulatol ( 3 ), isomucronulatol ( 4 ), and isovestitol ( 5 ) were isolated, with the fractionation being guided by the brine shrimp lethality test (BST), from the ethanolic extract of the whole plant of Robinia pseudoacacia (Fabaceae). The structures of 1 - 5 were identified by spectral analyses. Compounds 2 - 5 are, for the first time, reported from this species. Corrections have been made for the previous literature assignments of the 13 C NMR resonances of compounds 1 - 3 . Bioactivities in BST and cytotoxicities against a panel of six solid human tumor cell lines were determined, and 1 was significantly cytotoxic in the prostate cell line (PC-3).
Quantification of Smoke Generated from Wood in the NBS Smoke Chamber

The Aminco-NBS smoke density chamber (ASTM Method E 662) was used to study dynamic smoke generation from wood. Solid red oak and Douglas fir ply wood were tested at three levels of heat flux under nonflaming exposure. Smoke particulate concentrations were obtained using a filtration method.
Facial expression recognition using a two stage neural network

An approach based on neural networks for facial expression classification is presented. Two stages of neural networks (NN) are used for expression classification. The first stage neural network based on Hebbian learning is used for estimating principal components (PC) for dimension reduction. The second stage neural network based on supervised competitive learning is used for classifying expressions as normal, happy or surprised. The performance analysis of the proposed algorithm is validated by tabulating confusion matrices and thereby plotting receiver operating characteristics (ROC) curves. Classification rates of 100% and 91.67% are achieved respectively for classification and generalization. The effectiveness of the proposed classification algorithm is highlighted by comparing its performance with another algorithm based on linear discriminant analysis (LDA).
Modulation of NO and endothelin by chronic increases in blood flow in canine femoral arteries

Experiments were designed to determine whether chronic increases in arterial blood flow alter production of or response to nitric oxide and endothelin. Canine femoral arteries proximal to an arteriovenous fistula- and from the contralateral sham-operated blood vessels were removed, cut into rings, and suspended for measurement of isometric force in organ chambers. The remainder of the artery was homogenized for measurement of endothelin content by radioimmunoassay. NG-monomethyl-L-arginine (10(-4) M) caused concentration-dependent increases in tension only in fistula-operated arteries. Endothelium-dependent relaxations to acetylcholine and BHT-920 were greater in fistula- compared with sham-operated arteries. These differences were reduced by the arginine analogue. Pertussis toxin (100 ng/ml) inhibited relaxations to acetylcholine only in fistula-operated arteries and to BHT-920 only in sham-operated arteries. Contractions to endothelin-1 were greater in fistula- compared with sham-operated arteries. These results suggest that chronic increases in blood flow enhance the tonic and receptor-stimulated production of nitric oxide and its release by receptors coupled to pertussis toxin-sensitive guanine nucleotide regulatory proteins. Furthermore, chronic increases in blood flow may either inhibit the production of endothelin or promote its depletion from endothelial cells while simultaneously increasing the sensitivity of the smooth muscle to its contractile effects.
Field theory for zero sound and ion acoustic wave in astrophysical matter

We set up a field theory model to describe the longitudinal low-energy modes in high density matter present in white dwarf stars. At the relevant scales, ions---the nuclei of oxygen, carbon, and helium---are treated as heavy pointlike spin-0 charged particles in an effective field theory approach, while the electron dynamics is described by the Dirac Lagrangian at the one-loop level. We show that there always exists a longitudinal gapless mode in the system irrespective of whether the ions are in a plasma, crystal, or quantum liquid state. For certain values of the parameters, the gapless mode can be interpreted as a zero sound mode and, for other values, as an ion acoustic wave; we show that the zero sound and ion acoustic wave are complementary to each other. We discuss possible physical consequences of these modes for properties of white dwarfs.
An Empirical Evaluation of the Black-Litterman Approach to Portfolio Choice

We evaluate the Black-Litterman equilibrium model approach to portfolio choice. We quantify the improvement in portfolio performance of a privately informed investor who learns from market prices over an equally informed, but dogmatic investor who only uses private information. We extend the approach to any linear multi-factor asset pricing model (e.g. ICAPM) to examine how learning from prices using different equilibrium models affects portfolio performance. We find that even a misspecified asset-pricing model can improve portfolio performance when private signals are not extremely precise. As we increase the noise in private information, learning from prices is initially harmful and gradually becomes more beneficial.
Comment on ‘Evaluating the credit risk of firms from the emerging market’ by E.I. Altman et al.

The measurement and analysis of accounting ratios are a common feature of credit analysis. As discussed in the paper by Altman et al., credit rating models based upon accounting ratios appear to do rather well in providing an appro­priate credit rating for debt issued by domestic borrowers. An extension of this approach is being offered as a means of evaluating the credit risk of dollar debt offered by private firms in emerging market economies. The evaluation of the credit risk of firms from emerging markets is a difficult problem, combining the problems of evaluating the credit risk of the individual firm as well as the implication of sovereign risk for repayment of the debt (the difficulty of this latter issues has been addressed by several previous papers in this volume). In evaluating the credit risk of emerging market firms issuing US dollar-denominated debt, two basic features complicate the basic methodology used in analyzing the credit risk of US firms: different financial measurement and reporting methodologies and the increased importance of exchange rate exposure.
Particle-level engineering of thermal conductivity in matrix-embedded semiconductor nanocrystals.

Known manipulations of semiconductor thermal transport properties rely upon higher-order material organization. Here, using time-resolved optical signatures of phonon transport, we demonstrate a “b...
Cleopatra: Last Queen of Egypt. By Joyce Tyldesley. (New York, N.Y.: Basic Books, 2008. Pp.xiii, 290. $27.50.)

Cleopatra VII, Ptolemaic ruler of Egypt from 51–30 BCE, remains a mythic figure to both popular and academic historians. Accomplished Egyptologist Joyce Tyldesley attempts to shed light on the comp...
Inhaled Pyrazinoic Acid Esters for the Treatment of Tuberculosis

Analog development of existing drugs and direct drug delivery to the lungs by inhalation as treatments for multiple and extensively drug resistant (MDR and XDR) tuberculosis (TB) represent new therapeutic strategies. Pyrazinamide (PZA) is critical to drug sensitive TB therapy and is included in regimens for MDR TB. However, PZA-resistant Mycobacterium tuberculosis (Mtb) strains threaten its use. Pyrazinoic acid esters (PAEs) are PZA analogs effective against Mtb in vitro, including against the most common PZA resistant strains. However, PAEs require testing for TB efficacy in animal models. PAEs were delivered daily as aqueous dispersions from a vibrating mesh nebulizer to Mtb infected guinea pigs for 4 weeks in a regimen including orally administered first-line TB drugs. PAEs tested as a supplement to oral therapy significantly reduced the organ bacterial burden in comparison to infected, untreated control animals. Thus, PAE aerosol therapy is a potentially significant addition to the regimen for PZA resistant MDR-TB and XDR-TB treatment. Interestingly, low dose oral PZA treatment combined with standard therapy also reduced bacterial burden. This observation may be important for PZA susceptible disease treatment. The present study justifies further evaluation of PZA analogs and their lung delivery to treat TB.
Examples Performance Testing Templates.

The purpose of this Performance Testing Program Plan is to identify the process and phased approach that will be implemented at Site XYZ . The purpose of the testing program at Site XYZ is specifically designed to evaluate the effectiveness of systems that are employed at this site. This plan defines tasks to be accomplished to ensure that performance testing is conducted as effectively and efficiently as possible.
Acculturation and the labor market in Mexico

This paper empirically examines the relationship between the self-identity as Indigenous and earnings inequality in the Mexican labor market. Using Mexican Census data and a large set of wage covariates reveals the existence of an earnings penalty for self-identification as Indigenous. There is an additional and larger penalty for Indigenous persons who are fluent in an Indigenous language, regardless of Spanish language fluency. Further analyses using the Mexican Family Life Survey reveal that these earnings gaps persist after we also control for an individual’s cognitive ability. Ethno-linguistic inequality is particularly strong in smaller cities and among self-employed workers. JEL Classification: J10, J15, J31, J71, O15
Ankylosing Spondylitis Increases Perioperative and Postoperative Complications After Total Hip Arthroplasty.

Abstract Background Ankylosing spondylitis (AS) is a chronic autoimmune spondyloarthropathy that primarily affects the axial spine and hips. Progressive disease leads to pronounced spinal kyphosis, positive sagittal balance, and altered biomechanics. The purpose of this study is to determine the complication profile of patients with AS undergoing total hip arthroplasty (THA). Methods The Medicare sample was searched from 2005 to 2012 yielding 1006 patients with AS who subsequently underwent THA. Risk ratios (RRs) with 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were calculated for 90-day, 2-year, and the final postoperative follow-up for complications including hip dislocation, periprosthetic fracture, wound complication, revision THA, and postoperative infection. Results Compared to controls, AS patients had an RR of 2.50 (CI, 1.04-5.99) of THA component breakage at 90-days post-operatively and 1.99 (CI, 1.10-3.59) at 2-years. The RR of periprosthetic hip dislocation was elevated at 90 days (1.44; CI, 0.93-2.22) and significantly increased at 2-years (1.67; CI, 1.25-2.23) and overall follow-up (1.49; CI, 1.14-1.93). Similarly, the RR for THA revision was elevated at 90-days (1.46; CI, 0.97-2.18) and significantly increased at 2-years (1.69; CI, 1.33-2.14) and overall follow-up (1.51; CI, 1.23-1.85). Conclusion Patients with AS are at increased risk for complications after THA. Altered biomechanics from a rigid, kyphotic spine place increased demand on the hip joints. The elevated perioperative and postoperative risks should be discussed preoperatively, and these patients may require increased preoperative medical optimization as well as possible changes in component selection and position to compensate for altered spinopelvic biomechanics.
Distinct Akt phosphorylation states are required for insulin regulated Glut4 and Glut1-mediated glucose uptake

Insulin, downstream of Akt activation, promotes glucose uptake into fat and muscle cells to lower postprandial blood glucose, an enforced change in cellular metabolism to maintain glucose homeostasis. This effect is mediated by the Glut4 glucose transporter. Growth factors also enhance glucose uptake to fuel an anabolic metabolism required for tissue growth and repair. This activity is predominantly mediated by the Glut1. Akt is activated by phosphorylation of its kinase and hydrophobic motif (HM) domains. We show that insulin-stimulated Glut4-mediated glucose uptake requires PDPK1 phosphorylation of the kinase domain but not mTORC2 phosphorylation of the HM domain. Nonetheless, an intact HM domain is required for Glut4-mediated glucose uptake. Whereas, Glut1-mediated glucose uptake also requires mTORC2 phosphorylation of the HM domain, demonstrating both phosphorylation-dependent and independent roles of the HM domain in regulating glucose uptake. Thus, mTORC2 links Akt to the distinct physiologic programs related to Glut4 and Glut1-mediated glucose uptake.
AN ACCOUNTANT IN THE BOLIVIAN JUNGLE

In January, 1900, Henry I'Anson applied, successfully, for the position of accountant at a rubber plantation in Bolivia. He and his wife journeyed there by steamship, steam launch, and canoe, to find a less than hospitable welcome. I'Anson's professionalism was offended by the condition of the plantation's accounts, and he was disconcerted by the prices he was charged for food. He complained, was insulted, threatened, and, finally, he and his wife were obliged to return to England. There, he found that he had been dismissed. This article is based wholly on his undated statement made in connection with a lawsuit he took out against his former employers.
Engineering the lutein epoxide cycle into Arabidopsis thaliana

Although sunlight provides the energy necessary for plants to survive and grow, light can also damage reaction centers of photosystem II (PSII) and reduce photochemical efficiency. To prevent damage, plants possess photoprotective mechanisms that dissipate excess excitation. A subset of these mechanisms is collectively referred to as NPQ, or nonphotochemical quenching of chlorophyll a fluorescence. The regulation of NPQ is intrinsically linked to the cycling of xanthophylls that affects the kinetics and extent of the photoprotective response. The violaxanthin cycle (VAZ cycle) and the lutein epoxide cycle (LxL cycle) are two xanthophyll cycles found in vascular plants. The VAZ cycle has been studied extensively, owing in large part to its presence in model plant species where mutants are available to aid in its characterization. In contrast, the LxL cycle is not found in model plants, and its role in photosynthetic processes has been more difficult to define. To address this challenge, we introduced the LxL cycle into Arabidopsis thaliana and functionally isolated it from the VAZ cycle. Using these plant lines, we showed an increase in dark-acclimated PSII efficiency associated with Lx accumulation and demonstrated that violaxanthin deepoxidase is responsible for the light-driven deepoxidation of Lx. Conversion of Lx to L was reversible during periods of low light and occurred considerably faster than rates previously described in nonmodel species. Finally, we present clear evidence of the LxL cycle's role in modulating a rapid component of NPQ that is necessary to prevent photoinhibition in excess light.
On notions of input-to-output stability for nonlinear systems with time delays

In this work we consider a variety of notions related to external stability, i.e., input-to-output stability, for nonlinear systems with time delays. As known for delay-free systems, there are different ways of defining precisely the notions of input-to-output stability that are intrinsically different from each other. The main objectives of this work are to illustrate the relations among the different notions of external stability for delay systems.
Development of an 18-item measure of symptom burden in patients with glaucoma from the collaborative initial glaucoma treatment study's symptom and health problem checklist

Importance Administration of a brief questionnaire to evaluate glaucoma symptoms would lend useful information for patient care. Objectives To develop a shortened glaucoma symptom measure based on the Collaborative Initial Glaucoma Treatment Study (CIGTS) Symptom and Health Problem Checklist (SHPC) and evaluate its psychometric properties. Design, Setting, and Participants This measure development study evaluated the factor structure of the 43-item SHPC that was obtained from CIGTS participants at baseline and every 6 months thereafter. These 607 participants were enrolled at 14 clinical centers in the United States and had newly diagnosed open-angle glaucoma. Their mean deviation (SD) from visual field testing was −5.5 (4.3) dB. Data were collected from October 1993 through April 1997. Main Outcomes and Measures The factor structure of the SHPC, confirmatory factor analysis of the resulting 18-item questionnaire (SHPC-18), the reliability of the SHPC-18, and associations of the 2 symptom subscales (Local Eye and Visual Function) of the SHPC-18 with visual field severity and 25-item National Eye Institute Visual Function Questionnaire (NEI-VFQ25) subscales. Results Among the 607 participants (mean [SD] age at enrollment, 57.5 [10.9] years), 334 (55.0%) were men and 273 (45.0%) were women; 231 (38.1%) were African American. Exploratory factor analysis and longitudinal growth modeling documented Local Eye and Visual Function symptom subscales. Cronbach α values for mean weighted internal consistency were 0.83 and 0.89 for the Local Eye and Visual Function subscales, respectively, and remained stable over time. Scores on each subscale significantly correlated with the NEI-VFQ25 total score ( r = −0.41 and r = −0.59, respectively) and with all subscale scores ( P P P Conclusions and Relevance These results suggest that the SHPC-18 is a reliable, responsive, and psychometrically sound measure of patient-reported, glaucoma-related symptoms. The measure is responsive to treatment and discriminates the severity of glaucoma. This shorter version of the original SHPC measure may be useful in clinical and research settings to better understand the influence of glaucoma symptoms on patients’ daily life.
A high-throughput fluorescent indicator displacement assay and principal component/cluster data analysis for determination of ligand-nucleic acid structural selectivity

We describe a high-throughput fluorescence indicator displacement assay (HT-FID) to evaluate the affinity and the selectivity of compounds binding to different DNA structures. We validated the assay using a library of 30 well-known nucleic acid binders containing a variety chemical scaffolds. We used a combination of principal component analysis and hierarchical clustering analysis to interpret the results obtained. This analysis classified compounds based on selectivity for AT-rich, GC-rich and G4 structures. We used the FID assay as a secondary screen to test the binding selectivity of an additional 20 compounds selected from the NCI diversity set III library that were identified as G4 binders using a thermal shift assay. The results showed G4 binding selectivity for only a few of the 20 compounds. Overall, we show that this HT-FID assay, coupled with PCA and HCA, provides a useful tool for the discovery of ligands selective for particular nucleic acid structures.
Dropwise Additive Manufacturing using Particulate Suspensions: Feasible Operating Space and Throughput Rates

Abstract In dropwise additive manufacturing, particularly in pharmaceutical application, process performance depends critically on stable formation of individual drops of reproducible volume and with a desired trajectory, as determined by the interaction of fluid properties and processing conditions (Basaran, et al., 2013). Current additive manufacturing techniques employ solvent- or melt-based printing inks, with which colloidal particles have been used (Hirshfield, et al., 2014, Icten, et al., 2015, Wang, et al., 2012). However, work with non-Brownian suspensions with particle concentrations relevant to practical application has yet to appear in the literature. Such suspensions involve particle sizes in the 10-200 micron range (Denn, et al., 2014) that are readily produced by conventional crystallization and milling operations. This focuses on elucidating the effects of particle size and aspect ratio distribution as well as particle concentration in suspensions which are used in a dropwise additive manufacturing process for production of pharmaceutical dosage forms. Results with drops produced from non-Brownian particle suspensions consisting of active pharmaceutical ingredient crystals and Newtonian carrier fluids indicate that such suspensions offer substantial advantages in mass-based production rate in comparison to solvent- or melt-based printing formulations. Based on the range of dimensionless parameters accessed in this work, a feasible operating space is developed for drop-on-demand drop formation with non-Brownian suspensions. Process monitoring capabilities sufficient to confirm that the resulting dosages meet quality metrics are also discussed.
Foundations of cognitive radar for next-generation radar systems

Abstract Radar technology has improved over many decades. Improvements in hardware, software, and adaptive signal processing have dramatically expanded the inherent potential of radar systems to operate in an agile, less rigid manner. Yet despite the underlying growth in technology, the fundamental manner in which radar systems collect their data has not significantly changed—most fielded radar systems still capture data according to rigid, predefined patterns using a limited selection of waveform types and parameters. Few systems proactively optimize the quality of the data received—at least not to the extent envisioned by the research community working to develop the new paradigm of cognitive radar. This chapter presents cognitive radar as a new paradigm for radar operation. All radar systems constantly observe the surrounding environment, inferring properties about the environment based on observations, and modifying its observation of the environment through changing waveforms and antenna pointing direction. In cognitive radar, however, the system maintains real-time hypotheses about the environment in order to adaptively control the form and parameters of the actual sensing procedure. In other words, prior and current knowledge are quantified and updated in real time in order to optimize the sensing procedure in a closed-loop manner, thereby optimizing radar performance and making efficient use of finite sensing resources. This chapter describes the properties of cognitive radar systems, some essential technologies, potential applications, and fundamental examples that show how adaptive sensing can improve performance.
Enzyme, inoculant, and formic acid effects on silage quality of orchardgrass and alfalfa

Limited information exists on the response of grass and legume silage to enzyme and bacterial inoculant treatments when wilted to drier than desired conditions. This study was undertaken to evaluate the impact of cellulase (from Trichoderma longibrachimm) application rate, when combined with a bacterial inoculant {Lactobacillus plantarum and Pediococcus cerevisiae), on the fermentation characteristics of cocksfoot (Dactylis glomerata L) and lucerne {Medicago sativa L) ensiled at high dry-matter concentrations. Forages were wilted to near 600 g dry matter kg' and enzyme, combined with inoculant, was applied at 0.30 ml kg'' herbage and at two, four and eight times this concentration (at least 2500 lU ml *). Enzyme was also applied alone at 0.60 ml kg"'. Wilted forages 'IDepartment of Agronomy, Iowa State University and ^Agriculture Research Service, USDA, 1577 Agronomy Hall, Ames, lA 50011, USA • Joint contribution of the Field Crops Research Unit and US Dairy Forage Research Center of USDA-ARS, and Iowa State University. Journal Paper Number J-16517 of the Iowa Agriculture and Home Economics Experiment Station, Ames, lA. Project Number 2709. t To whom correspondence should be addressed. Names are necessary to report factually on available data; however, the USDA neither guarantees nor warrants the standard of the product, and the use of the name by USDA implies no approval of the product to the exclusion of others that may also be suitable. 21 were ensiled in laboratory silos for 60 days. Effect of enzyme application rate on neutral detergent fibre concentrations of the silages was small and inconsistent. Averaged across species, only the intermediate enzyme concentrations decreased neutral detergent fibre concentration (P = 0.082). The limited cell-wall degradation was probably related to the high silage dry-matter and lignin concentrations. Enzyme combined with inoculant increased total fermentation, when averaged across species. In cocksfoot, enzyme combined with inoculant decreased pH and NHj-N concentration but increased the lactic:acetic acid ratio compared with control silage, with most of the effect caused by the inoculant. Enzyme applied alone to lucerne caused a higher lactic:acetic acid ratio than the control or when combined with the inoculant at the same enzyme rate. Thus, the effect of enzyme-inoculant mixtures on silage quality varied among plant species, with cocksfoot generally more responsive than lucerne.
Epineuromics: Implications for development

Abstract We note a curious absence in the nomenclature of neuroscience. In neuroscience, neuromics is the study of the totality of neurons in an organism. But the nervous system cannot be fully understood without an account of its interactions with influences that are independent of it. The term we recommend, epineuromics, highlights the continuity and permeability of neural changes within the larger environment. Epineuromics captures the appreciation that the brain is labile but constrained, that it is partly a product of environing information.
Vengeance Is Mine: Gender and Vigilante Justice in Mainstream Cinema

Vigilante justice has a long history in film. From Dirty Harry to Death Wish to Death Sentence, Hollywood frequently depicts male protagonists committing violent acts as a way to exact revenge or extrajudicial punishment. These male characters are frequently depicted as heroes and their actions are portrayed as understandable and justifiable. They go after violent criminals and are doing what the legal system can’t or won’t. The audience is meant to identify with the male protagonist and cheer them on as they take matters into their own hands. Female protagonists, on the other hand, are not often featured in mainstream films that focus on vigilante justice. Two of the more recent examples are 1996’s Eye for an Eye, starring Sally Field, and 2007’s The Brave One, starring Jodie Foster. Each film depicts a woman seeking justice outside of the law after a loved one is brutally murdered. They defy law enforcement and resort to vigilantism after concluding it’s the only way to attain justice. What role does gender play in the way these films showcase the protagonists seeking vengeance? How do they compare with similar films that feature male protagonists? Is the audience meant to identify with and cheer for them? What kinds of ideological messages are present? I’m interested in attempting to answer those questions while exploring how gender influences the way mainstream films depict vigilante justice and the messages Hollywood is sending audiences through these films.
Orbital Maintenance for the Wide Field Infrared Survey Telescope: Effects of Solar Radiation Pressure and Navigation Accuracies on Station Keeping.

The Wide-Field Infrared Survey Telescope (WFIRST) is a NASA observatorydesigned to answer questions about dark energy and astrophysics, planned for alaunch in 2025 to orbit around the Sun-Earth L2 (SEL2) Libration Point. Due tothe instability of the SEL2 vicinity, WFIRST must perform station keeping maneuversto remain in orbit. This paper reviews different navigation solutions and SRP modelingtechniques that are being considered when planning these maneuvers. In this paper,we will describe station keeping strategy, we will explore the possibility of using an on-boardnavigation system and finally study how Solar Radiation Pressure (SRP) affectsits orbital motion and controllability.
Exploring the “Evil Twin of Global Warming”: Public Understanding of Ocean Acidification in the United States:

Ocean acidification (OA) occurs when carbon dioxide (CO2) dissolves into oceans. OA and climate change are both caused by anthropogenic CO2 emissions, and many scientists consider them equally crit...
Novel Primers and Sampling for PCR Detection of Xylella fastidiosa in Peach.

Epidemics of phony peach disease (PPD), caused by Xylella fastidiosa, are of increasing concern to peach (Prunus persica) producers in the southeastern United States. Primers suitable for both conv...
Peculiarities of the growth of virgin blueberry plants on the developed peat deposit with the application of mineral and microbial fertilizers

The results of comparative study of current increment of vegetative sphere yearling and biennial of plants of a half-highbush blueberry Northland and Denise Blue at fertilizer application NPK-compound (N16P16K16) and of some microbial specimen – a liquid product of MaKloR in concentration of 10 and 50 % in test crop on recultivated cutover peatlands in article are resulted. It is positioned that tested agricultural methods have rendered the expressed promoting effect on formation of a current increment of vegetative sphere of plants of a blueberry. In the first year of fertilization the least efficacy is positioned for a variant with N16P16K16 which conceded to a drug of MaKloR in 1.1–1.5 times. Its productivity increased with concentration augmentation in 1.2–1.4 times, depending on a varietal accessory of plants and phylum of shoots. In the absence of varietal differences in degree of positive influence of microbial fertilizing of MaKloR on development of vegetative propagules, efficacy of its action, as well as N16P16K16, on development of generative propagules, in variety Denise Blue exceeded for kind Northland in 4.2–4.8 times. Positive influence of mineral and microbial fertilizing’s on a current increment of vegetative sphere of biennial plants of both variety of a blueberry essentially conceded to that annotinous, against conservation of its progressing magnification in process of strengthening of microbial fertilising of MaKloR. Thus productivity of action N16P16K16 on development of propagules in variety Northland, depending on their phylum, exceeded that microbial fertilising of MaKloR in 1.2–1.9 times, at variety Denise Blue – in 1.3–2.6 times. It is shown that against absence of the expressed varietal distinctions in degree of stimulating influence of fertilizings on development of vegetative shoots, efficacy of their action on development of generative shoots, unlike annual plants, at kind Denise Blue conceded that for kind Northland in 1.7–2.3 times.
Association between AT1R Autoantibody with Adverse Outcomes in Patients Bridged to Heart Transplant Using Continuous Flow Ventricular Assist Device

Purpose Antibody to angiotensin-II type 1 receptor (AT1R-Ab) may be implicated in allograft dysfunction in patients who are bridged to heart transplant (BTT) with a continuous flow left ventricular assist device (VAD). We studied AT1R-Ab level following VAD implantation on event-free survival in BTT patients and whether AT1R-Ab elevation is independent from inflammation as measured through C-reactive protein (CRP). Methods Sera of 77 BTT patients from 2009 to 2017 were tested for AT1R-Ab and CRP prior to and after VAD placement. Elevated AT1R-Ab level was defined as greater than 10.0 U/mL. For statistical analysis, the value of 40 U/mL was assigned to AT1R-Ab level greater than 40 U/mL. Events were defined as acute cellular rejection, antibody-mediated rejection, cardiac allograft vasculopathy, reduced EF, and death. Results Median follow-up time after transplant was 3.3 years (range 0.4-9.0 years). After VAD implantation, AT1R-Ab was increased as compared to baseline (Fig 1A). Univariate regression analysis revealed that age, female gender, African-American race, time to transplant, type of VAD, HLA sensitization, and positive donor specific antibodies were not risk factors for AT1R-Ab sensitization. The elevated post-VAD AT1R-Ab cohort had more events than the normal AT1R-Ab group (61% vs 29%, Fig 1B). On Kaplan Meier analysis, there was a statistically decrease in 5-year event-free survival in patients who had elevated AT1R-Ab levels (Fig 1C). Multivariate Cox regression analysis showed increased post-VAD AT1R-Ab as an independent risk factor for developing events. Though CRP was high before and after VAD implantation, CRP had no statistically significant correlation with AT1R-Ab level (Fig 1D). Conclusion Increase in AT1R-Ab was seen in BTT patients after VAD implantation and was associated with adverse outcomes after heart transplant. The AT1R-Ab elevation does not appear to be an epiphenomenon related to CRP, a marker of inflammation.
Bureaucratic Competition in the Third Reich

This chapter discusses indicators of bureaucratic competition in the Final Solution, including loose or imprecise formal organizational lines of command and an imprecision in the orders or dictates from superiors in the organization. Examples of these indicators provided in this chapter include the Third Reich’s approach to the plunder of European art and antiquities during its occupation of countries where these items were located, and from the Nazi regime’s administration of the concentration camps and the ultimate creation of the death camps, where the Final Solution to the Jewish question was carried out. Further evidence that the Nazi regime used bureaucratic competition to achieve the Final Solution with maximum efficiency is provided by the composition of attendees of the Wannsee Conference held in 1942.
Selective protein O-GlcNAcylation in cells by a proximity-directed O-GlcNAc transferase

Abstract O-Linked N-acetylglucosamine (O-GlcNAc) is a monosaccharide that plays an essential role in cellular signaling throughout the nucleocytoplasmic proteome of eukaryotic cells. Yet, the study of post-translational modifications like O-GlcNAc has been limited by the lack of strategies to induce O-GlcNAcylation on a target protein in cells. Here, we report a generalizable genetic strategy to induce O-GlcNAc to specific target proteins in cells using a nanobody as a proximity-directing agent fused to O-GlcNAc transferase (OGT). Fusion of a nanobody that recognizes GFP (nGFP) or a nanobody that recognizes the four-amino acid sequence EPEA (nEPEA) to OGT(4), a truncated form of OGT, yielded a nanobody-OGT(4) construct that selectively delivered O-GlcNAc to the target protein (e.g., JunB, cJun, Nup62) and reduced alteration of global O-GlcNAc levels in the cell. Quantitative chemical proteomics confirmed the selective increase in O-GlcNAc to the target protein by nanobody-OGT(4). Glycoproteomics revealed that nanobody-OGT(4) or full-length OGT produced a similar glycosite profile on the target protein. Finally, we demonstrate the ability to selectively target endogenous α-synuclein for glycosylation in HEK293T cells. Thus, the use of nanobodies to redirect OGT substrate selection is a versatile strategy to induce glycosylation of desired target proteins in cells that will facilitate discovery of O-GlcNAc functions and provide a mechanism to engineer O-GlcNAc signaling. The proximity-directed OGT approach for protein-selective O-GlcNAcylation is readily translated to additional protein targets and nanobodies that may constitute a generalizable strategy to control post-translational modifications in cells. Significance Statement Nature uses post-translational modifications (PTMs) like glycosylation as a mechanism to alter protein signaling and function. However, the study of these modified proteins in cells is confined to loss-of-function strategies, such as mutagenic elimination of the modification site. Here, we report a generalizable strategy for induction of O-GlcNAc to a protein target in cells. The O-GlcNAc modification is installed by O-GlcNAc transferase (OGT) to thousands of nucleocytoplasmic proteins. Fusion of a nanobody to OGT enables the selective increase of O-GlcNAc levels on a series of target proteins. The described approach will facilitate direct studies of O-GlcNAc and its regulatory enzymes and drive new approaches to engineer protein signaling via a strategy that may be conceptually translatable to additional PTMs.
Shadowing as a Tool for Studying Political Elites

This article offers a description and discussion of “shadowing” as a data collection and analytic tool, highlighting potential research opportunities related to the direct observation of individuals—principally political elites—in their normal daily routine for an extended period of time, often between one day and one week. In contrast with large-scale data collection methods, including surveys, shadowing enables researchers to develop detailed observations of political behavior that are not limited by the availability of administrative data or the constraints of a questionnaire or an interview guide. Unlike more in-depth qualitative methods, such as ethnography, shadowing is scalable in a manner that allows for larger sample sizes and the potential for medium-N inference. I provide a detailed account of how to design and conduct a shadowing study, including sampling strategies, techniques for coding shadowing data, and processes for drawing inferences about the behavior of shadowed subjects, drawing on examples from a completed shadowing-based study. I also discuss ways to mitigate selection and observer biases, presenting results that suggest these can be no more pronounced when shadowing political elites than in other forms of observational research.