cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Social well-being and environmental governance in urban neighbourhoods in Boston, MA

Well-being is an holistic concept that examines individuals in their social, economic, and environmental contexts. In geographical settings where social deprivation is common, civil society organisations (CSOs) represent important actors in environmental governance, which refers to the suite of actions and discourses shaping environmental conditions or resources. These CSOs operate in neoliberal governance frameworks in which they act as formal partners of city governments in providing public services. In this study, we seek to shed light on the role of social interventions and environmental governance in promoting well-being. We examine the social, political, and economic dimensions of environmental governance and social well-being in urban neighbourhoods. We employ a relational place perspective to widen the analytical focus from the immediate boundaries of urban neighbourhoods towards larger social, political, and economic influences. This study describes exploratory focus groups with urban neighbourhood-based CSOs working to improve urban neighbourhoods in Boston, MA in order to identify key social processes that may affect environmental outcomes in urban neighbourhoods. Focus groups examined relationships between neighbourhood well-being and environmental perception, especially of urban land and water resources. We identify four critical factors shaping senses of well-being among neighbourhood residents active in CSOs: stewardship; political and economic control; safety; and familiarity and social control.
Thrombin binding to platelets defines functional receptors: inhibition of thrombin-induced platelet activation by catalytically-inactivated thrombin.

It has been widely questioned as to whether the observed binding of a-thrombin to intact platelets defines receptors coupled to signal transduction or merely thrombin binding sites. We have now shown that at α-thrombin concentrations sufficient to induce a full shape change response without aggregation (0.1 nM), PPACK-thrombin (that is, α-thrombin treated with the irreversible active site inhibitor D-phenylalanyl-L-prolyl-L-arginine chloromethylketone) dose-dependently inhibits platelet shape change (IC50∼70 nM), the concomitant increases in [Ca2+Ii (IC50∼75 nM) and ATP secretion (IC50∼50 nM). Since PPACK-thrombin competes fully in the binding of a-thrombin to high, moderate and low affinity sites on intact platelets, these results show that this binding defines functional receptors coupled to platelet activation.
Novel application of focused ion beam electron microscopy (FIB-EM) in preparation and analysis of microfossil ultrastructures: A new view of complexity in early eukaryotic organisms

Coupled dual-beam focused ion beam electron microscopy (FIB-EM) has gained popularity across multiple disciplines over the past decade. Widely utilized as a stand-alone instrument for micromachining and metal or insulator deposition in numerous industries, the submicron-scale ion milling and cutting capabilities of FIB-EM systems have been well documented in the materials science literature. These capacities make FIB-EM a powerful tool for in situ, site-specific transmission electron microscopy (TEM) ultrathin foil preparation. Recent advancements in the field-emission guns (FEGs) of FIB-EM systems have provided spatial resolution comparable to that of many high-end scanning electron microscopes (SEM), thus providing enhanced imaging capacities with material deposition and material removal capabilities. More recently, FIB-EM preparation techniques have been applied to geological samples to characterize mineral inclusions, grain boundaries, and microfossils. Here, we demonstrate a novel method for analyzing three-dimensional (3D) ultrastructures of microfossils using FIB-EM. Our method, FIB-EM nanotomography, consists of sequential ion milling, or cross sectioning, and concurrent SEM imaging. This technique with coupled dual-beam systems allows for real-time, 3-D ultrastructural analysis and compositional mapping with precise site selectivity and may provide new insights in fossil ultrastructures. Using the FIB-EM nanotomography method, we investigated herkomorphic and acanthomorphic acritarchs (organicwalled microfossils) extracted from the $999 Ma Mesoproterozoic Ruyang Group of North China. The 3-D characteristics of such important but controversial acritarch features as processes and vesicularly enclosed central bodies are described. Through these case studies, we demonstrate that FIB-EM nanotomography is a powerful and useful tool for investigating the three-dimensionality of microfossil ultra- and nanostructures.
A neural algorithm for variable thresholding of images

A two-stage thresholding for gray scale images is presented in this paper. The first stage is based on a conventional application of the histograms which provides fixed global threshold value. This threshold value is then assigned as the initial state of a set of neurons which will process the image in parallel, in a horizontal scan, producing the binary image at the output. The state of the neurons is updated using the Kohonen self-organizing learning algorithm. This technique has two properties, First it smooths the spike noise, and second the low frequency illumination variation is compensated for and the segmented binary image regions are not affected by lighting conditions. Several examples are processed and presented to show the performance of the algorithm. >
Vacuolated villous epithelium of the small intestine of young pigs.

Absfracf. The villous epithelium of the small intestine from healthy pigs, killed during their first month of life, was examined. There were occasional vacuolated epithelial cells throughout the small intestine in most pigs; however, the occurrence of vaciiolafed epi//re/irmi (vacuolated epithelial cells in a continous layer along at least the distal 10% of all villi on the mesenteric side of a histological section) was related to area in the intestine and age of the pig. Ileal epithelium was vacuolated in nearly all pigs examined during their first 2 weeks of life; however, the frequency of vacuolated ileal epithelium was less in pigs examined during their third and still less in those examined during their fourth week of life. Jejunal epithelium was vacuolated less frequently than ileal epithelium and was not seen in pigs more than I I days old. Vacuolated duodenal epithelium was not seen. Vacuolated ileal epithelium, in suckling pigs during their second week of life, was morphologically similar to that associated with absorption of colostrum in the neonate and took up bovine colostral whey pinocytotically. In contrast to iinvacuolated epithelium, vacuolated epithelium stained supravitally with Evans blue dye given orally. Vacuolated ileal epithelial cells examined by autoradiography after exposure to tritiated thymidine had synthesized DNA more than 3 days previously. These observations were compared with reports that considered vacuolated epithelium, in 2 to 3-week-old pigs, to be pathologic. A hypothesis relating vacuolation to age of ileal cells was proposed. The ability of villous epithelium of the small intestine of mammals to take up macromolecules is retained for 48 h to 45 days after birth, depending on species [2-51. During the period when antibody is transferred intact from colostrum in the intestinal lumen to blood, the villous epithelial cells of pigs have an extensive system of cytoplasmic vacuoles and apical tubules. Macromolecules enter this system and are transferred across the epithelium to the blood [5, 7, 18, 201. Cessation of antibody transfer (closure) during the second day of life in pigs coincides with the loss of cytoplasmic tubules and
Dose-dependent Effect of Statin Therapy on Circulating CXCL12 Levels in Patients with Hyperlipidemia

Background HMG-CoA reductase inhibitors (statins) have pleiotropic effects that are independent of cholesterol-lowering, including a dose-dependent effect on angiogenesis. Angiogenesis plays a critical role both in vascularization of the chronically ischemic myocardium and in stabilization of atherosclerotic plaques. Chemokines, a family of structurally-related cytokine molecules, exert diverse biological functions including control of angiogenesis. The effect of statin therapy on angiogenic and angiostatic chemokines has not been evaluated extensively. We sought to test the hypothesis that, in subjects with hyperlipidemia, statin therapy influences plasma levels of angiogenic and angiostatic chemokines in a dose-dependent manner.
A prospective study of the effectiveness of low dose omeprazole as initial therapy in Zollinger–Ellison syndrome

SUMMARY Background: The proton pump inhibitors (omeprazole and lansoprazole) are the drugs of choice for the medical management of gastric acid hypersecretion in Zollinger–Ellison syndrome (ZES). These drugs are safe for long-term therapy but are acid-labile and high doses are expensive. The recommended starting dose of omeprazole is 60 mg/day. However, it has been shown in recent studies that the maintenance dose of omeprazole could be safely reduced to 20 mg once or twice a day in more than two-thirds of patients with ZES. The purpose of this study is to determine if an initial starting dose of omeprazole 20 mg/day is safe and effective in patients with ZES. Methods: Forty-nine consecutive patients with ZES being treated with ranitidine for at least 2 weeks were admitted to the NIH. Omeprazole 20 mg was started on day 1 of the admission and ranitidine discontinued 4 h after the first dose. Gastric acid output was measured for 1 h prior to the next omeprazole dose on day 2, then on day 3 if the value was > 10 mmol/h on the previous day. If acid-peptic symptoms developed or the gastric acid output remained > 10 mmol/h on day 3, the patient was considered to have failed omeprazole 20 mg/day initial therapy and the dose titrated daily to achieve adequate control of acid-peptic symptoms and gastric secretion. Results: In 33 of the 49 patients (68%) omeprazole 20 mg/day was successful as initial therapy. Sixteen patients (32%) failed this initial omeprazole dose (eight patients owing to persistent peptic symptoms and eight patients owing to inadequate acid control). The final daily omeprazole dose required in these patients was 40 mg in eight patients (16%), 60 mg in one patient (2%) and 80 mg in seven patients (14%). Basal acid output (BAO) was the only clinical or laboratory feature that was significantly different between the two groups in which low dose initial omeprazole therapy was or was not successful: all patients with basal acid output < 20 mmol/h had a successful outcome. Conclusions: Because of the need to rapidly control gastric acid hypersecretion owing to the high risk of complications from peptic ulcer disease, patients with ZES should continue to be started on omeprazole 60 mg/day and the dose adjusted by acute titration methods as is currently recommended. After a maintenance dose is established, attempts should be undertaken to reduce the dose to 20 mg/day once or twice a day. Only the minority of patients with ZES in whom basal acid output is known to be < 20 mmol/h (20% of patients) should be started on a low initial omeprazole dose.
Grid Resource Abstraction, Virtualization, and Provisioning for Time-Targeted Applications

As a variety of science applications are integrated with large-scale HPDC (high performance distributed computing) technologies, timely resource allocation is revealed as a critical requirement to be considered. This paper introduces a new HPDC resource management paradigm named resource slot which defines a network of logical machines across time and space. A resource slot is not only a resource programming target but also a virtualized resource provisioning framework for a variety of resource management paradigms by encapsulating the resource management complexity. Especially, we present a resource provisioning technique named guided redundant submission (GRS), which probabilistically guarantees a timely resource slot allocation. Experimental results performed against 8 clusters in production show that about 5 redundant resources per slot can secure slot allocation with up to 36 logical machines, each cluster having an availability probability as low as 0.25 and the target success probability of slot allocation is 0.95.
Chloride channels in the loop of Henle.

▪ Abstract Cl− transport in the loop of Henle is responsible for reclamation of 25–40% of the filtered NaCl load and for the formation of dilute urine. Our understanding of the physiologic and molecular mechanisms responsible for Cl− reabsorption in both the thin ascending limb and thick ascending limb of Henle's loop has increased greatly over the last decade. Plasma membrane Cl− channels are known to play an integral role in transcellular Cl− transport in both the thin and thick ascending limbs. This review focuses on the functional characteristics and molecular identities of these Cl− channels, as well as the role of these channels in the pathophysiology of disease.
Comparison of skeletal and dental morphology in asymptomatic volunteers and symptomatic patients with bilateral disk displacement without reduction

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effect of unilateral disk displacement without reduction (UDDN) on the skeletal and dental pattern of affected individuals. There were 12 symptomatic female patients and 46 asymptomatic normal female volunteers. All study participants had bilateral high-resolution magnetic resonance scans in the sagittal (closed and open) and coronal (closed) planes to evaluate the temporomandibular joints. Linear and angular cephalometric measurements were taken to evaluate the skeletal, denture base, and dental characteristics of the two groups. ANOVA was used to compare the symptomatic subjects with the control subjects. A few skeletal differences were found. There was an overall reduction in length of the anterior (S-Na) and total (S-Ba) cranial base measurements in the UDDN group. The mandibular plane angle was steeper and the posterior ramal height (Ar-Go) was shorter in the symptomatic group. The only dental difference found was a relative infraeruption of the lower first molar. This study suggests that subjects with UDDN may manifest altered craniofacial morphology. Although the cephalometric measurements used did not account for any asymmetry, previous studies have shown that UDD may cause mandibular asymmetry. Presence of asymmetry and altered craniofacial morphology should alert the clinician especially while orthodontically treating children and surgical patients.
Quantitative analysis of micrographs by computer graphics.

SUMMARY A computer-aided graphical analysis system is presented which can be used to quantify several types of information from micrographs of cross-sectioned peripheral nerves. A simple input consisting of eight points, corresponding to two diameters of each axon and two for each axon plus myelin, is used to compute statistical and numerical estimates of these diameters, the myelin thickness being expressed as a function of axon diameter, and both the spatial position and distribution of nerve fibres within the bundle. The computer programs presented and summarized here describe the procedure for digitizing the input data and the subsequent computations for editing and analysis. The general applicability of this approach for automated analyses of other anatomical areas is also presented.
Air-Truth Lidar Polarization Studies of Orographic Clouds

Abstract The results of a field program of coordinated lidar and aircraft observations of orographically induced clouds are reported. An evaluation of polarization diversity lidar for cloud physics research applications on the basis of the air-truth measurements and earlier findings indicates that the remote sensing technique can monitor some kinds of cloud microphysical information currently measured only through in situ sampling methods. In particular, lidar polarization measurements are indicated from the observations reported here to be sensitive to the composition of mixed phase clouds, including a measure of cloud ice balance, and to permit observations of the ice particle riming process in precipitation formation. Detailed vertical cross sections of hydrometeor content are derived from height versus time displays of lidar returns in combination with the polarization analysis, revealing some interesting features of the structure of complex orographic cloud systems. As a further aid in the evaluation...
A 0.073-mm 2 10-GS/s 6-bit time-domain folding ADC in 65-nm CMOS with inherent DEM

An area-efficient time-domain conversion technique is reported to achieve 10-GS/s, 6-bit resolution in 65-nm CMOS. The front-end single voltage-to-time converter (VTC) running at full speed obviates any clock-skew calibration often needed in time interleaved ADCs. The inherent folding effect of the time-to-digital converter (TDC) employing ring oscillator (RO) as quantizers helps significantly to lower the back-end complexity while providing a built-in dynamic element matching (DEM) feature. Fabricated in a 65-nm CMOS process, the prototype occupies a silicon area of 0.073 mm2. The measured DNL and INL, thanks to the DEM, are +0.27/-0.28 LSBs and +0.48/-0.49 LSBs, respectively. The measured SFDR and SNDR are over 42 dB and 27 dB with a Nyquist input at 10 GS/s. The ADC achieves a FoM of 0.5 pJ/conversion-step.
Poles with Both Magnetic and Electric Charges in Nonabelian Gauge Theory

We show that a non-Abelian gauge theory with Higgs fields exhibits classical solutions which are both electrically and magnetically charged. This represents a specific realization of the dyons discussed some years ago by Schwinger. At the classical level the electric charge of the dyon does not appear to be quantized. We present some remarks in this connection.
Vaginal recurrence of endometrial carcinoma.

Abstract A 10 year study at the Mayo Clinic showed a direct relationship between depth of myometrial invasion of endometrial carcinoma and both incidena of myometrial lymphatic involvement and rate of posthysterectomy vaginal recurrence. Low-grade lesions tended to recur at the vault: high-grade lesion tended to recur more rapidly and in locations other than the vault. Prompt diagnosis and adequate treatment can lead to 5 year survival in 50 per cent of patients with vaginal recurrences. Since those cases of endometrial carcinoma, regardless of grade, in which myometrial invasion extends 5.0 mm. or more (or in which there is extension to the isthmtuS or below) account for most of these recurrences, the use of prophylactic postoperative intravaginal radiation therapy may be benificial.
Stochastic semiparametric regression for spectrum cartography

An online spectrum cartography algorithm is proposed to reconstruct power spectral density (PSD) maps in space and frequency based on compressed and quantized sensor measurements. The emerging regression task is addressed by decomposing the PSD at every location into a linear combination of the power spectra (due to individual transmitters and background noise) scaled by attenuation functions capturing propagation effects. The attenuation functions are, in turn, postulated to be a sum of two terms: the first is a linear combination of a collection of basis functions whereas the second is an element of a reproducing kernel Hilbert space (RKHS) of vector-valued functions. A novel stochastic gradient descent algorithm is proposed to compute both components in an online fashion. Numerical tests verify the map estimation performance of the proposed technique.
Local and systemic effects of mechanico-chemical retraction.

Abstract The process of recording an acceptable fixed prosthodontic impression must include appropriate tissue management. This article reviews the effects of mechanical and chemical tissue retraction for fixed prosthodontics, specifically discussing the use of retraction cord with or without chemicals to control sulcular hemorrhage and moisture. Common astringents, hemostatics, and vasoconstrictors used in dentistry as gingival retraction agents are discussed, and recommendations for modification of patient and treatment management are provided.
The Use of Nano Silica for Improving Mechanical Properties of Hardened Cement Paste

The influence of adding Nano particles of silicon dioxide (SiO2) on cement pastes was studied for both water and vacuum curing methods. Specimens made up of different percentage of Nano Silica were tested at different ages ranging from 3-56 days. The effect of (5-20 nm) Nano-Silica on the strength development of Nano-cement was determined using Material Tests System (MTS). The purpose of the study was to investigate the effect of Nano-Silica addition on the compressive strength and on the signature phase of calcium silicate hydrate during the hydration process of a cement paste. Percentage of 5 and 10% Nano-Silica by volume of cement were used in this study and compared with 0% Nano-Silica representing control paste. The ratio of water to cementations material (w/c) for all mixtures was kept constant at 0.40. The experimental results show that the compressive strengths of the hardened cement paste with 5% Nano-Silica particles were all higher than those of controlled paste for both water and vacuum cured specimens. This increase in strength may be attributed to the reaction between Nano-Silica and Calcium Hydroxide (CH) to develop more calcium silicate hydrate(C-S-H) resulting in higher strength. On the contrary, the addition of 10% Nano-Silica yields lower compressive strength than the reference paste. The result also show that the vacuum cured specimens yield higher strength than the water cured specimens for up to 28 days. Nevertheless, the final strength for water cured specimens was higher than for vacuum cured specimens.
Key Directions for Entry, Descent and Landing Research for Crewed Mars Missions

With the announcement of the Vision for Space Exploration in 2004, NASA has b een preparing plans for a crewed mission to Mars in the next few decades. One challenge associated with crewed missions to the Martian surface is the comparatively large mass of planned surface elements which will require an increase of at least an order o f magnitude in the landed mass performance of entry, descent and landing (EDL) vehicles compared to previous successful robotic missions and ones currently planned for the near future. A literature survey shows that parachute technology currently used for Martian EDL is unlikely to be extensible to such large missions. The most robust deceleration technology in this regard seems to be a combination of aerodynamic deceleration provided by the vehicle’s heatshield as well as propulsive deceleration provided by a rocket engine. Much of the work done on EDL vehicles of this class focuses on particular subsystems which makes it difficult to judge the effect of the various design parameters on the overall performance of the EDL system. The work presented in this paper looks at the problem from a system perspective by investigating the effect of individual vehicle and mission design parameters on the overall EDL system landed mass performance, using an in-house EDL trajectory simulation and sensitivity analysis to ol that has been validated with experimental and simulated data for Mars missions. The purpose is to identify key technologies that need to be developed and key aspects of vehicle and mission design that need to be investigated to extend the capability of EDL vehicles for crewed Mars missions. Major insights gleaned from the sensitivity analyses include the need for research into propulsive descent safety requirements to prevent over -conservatism in establishing the propulsive descent initiation (PDI) alti tude since a high PDI altitude can significantly lower EDL vehicle landed mass performance. Another area of research with the potential to provide significant improvements in performance is structural and thermal technology that reduces the aeroshell mass of the vehicle.
Investigation and Application of Two-Point Two-Line Vein Pricking of High Pressure Injector

Objective To design two-point two-line vein pricking for avoiding pain for patients and blood osmosis out of the vein caused by the high-pressure and fast-speed of the current high-pressure injector.Methods 19G butterfly-wing vein transfusion needle in the length of 19mm was used.The first point was needled with the needle tip under the skin and the first needling line was above and parallel the blood vessel in the length of 10-12mm.The second point was needled,with the second needle tip and needle line in the blood vessel,and the length of needling is 7-9mm.Results 100 persons were subjected.All the contrast medium and the physiologic saline were injected in vein in 98 persons,among which 2 had little hard tubercle in injecting area.Conclusion The two-point two-line vein pricking is safe for high pressure injector injecting in vein,and can prevent blood osmosis out of the vein.
Advances on Idiopathic Generalized Epilepsy and Magnetic Resonance Spectrum Researches

Idiopathic generalized epilepsy(IGE) is a complicated clinical syndrome.It is easy to be misdiagnosed,and its pathogenesy is still not elucidated literally.Early researches have been limited to animal experiment of detecting metabolism of brain.With the development of magnetic resonance spectrum(MRS),studying in vivo has come ture on the biochemistry metabolism's level,which makes a new breakthrough for us to continue research of IGE afterward.This article reviews the types,clinical features and research achievemens of IGE for the past few years.
Abstract A24: Age- and lineage-dependent gene expression is maintained by microenvironment imposed epigenetic states in human mammary epithelial cells

Normal healthy tissues show changing patterns of gene expression as a consequence of aging, and there is a functional cost to these changes that can be relevant to disease pathology. The most obvious age-related disease in breast is cancer, with the large majority of newly diagnosed breast cancer occuring in women over 50. We have shown that breast gene expression changes that occur with age have functional consequences in the epithelial progenitor and differentiated cells, i.e, a decline of the myoepithelial lineage, loss of luminal cell specificity, and accumulation of differentiation defective multipotent progenitor cells. We have hypothesized that these tissue-level changes make older epithelia more susceptible to transformation. Because gene expression patterns reflect the wiring and response diagrams of cells, it is of central importance to understand the origins of age-related transcriptomes. In our studies, early passage normal human mammary epithelial cells (HMEC) show age-dependent functional and molecular hallmarks consistent with in vivo, suggesting that the underlying gene expression patterns are metastable. DNA methylation is a stable, but malleable, form of epigenetic regulation that may underpin these biologically metastable states. Genome-wide analysis of primary epithelia was used to identify a set of genes that exhibit age- and lineage-specific expression that was inversely correlated with promoter CpG methylation. Chemical perturbation of DNA methylation in pre-menopausal HMEC resulted in a biochemical phenocopy of more advanced age. Tissue-mimetic cultures were used to demonstrate that lineage-specific gene expression and methylation in luminal cells were imposed by distinct microenvironments. Optimal maintenance of the luminal phenotype required direct contact with the apical surface of myoepithelial cells. Mimetic tissues built with HMEC that differed in chronological donor age revealed that age-dependent gene expression and methylation patterns are communicated between the two different lineages, as exposure of pre-menopausal luminal cells to a post-menopausal microenvironment imposed transcriptional patterns in luminal cells consistent with post-menopause. These data demonstrate that lineage- and age-dependent phenotypes in HMEC are maintained by microenvironment-imposed metastable epigenetic states. Note: This abstract was not presented at the conference. Citation Format: Masaru Miyano, Marcus Stoiber, Martha Stampfer, Ben Brown, Mark A. LaBarge. Age- and lineage-dependent gene expression is maintained by microenvironment imposed epigenetic states in human mammary epithelial cells. [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the AACR Special Conference on Advances in Breast Cancer Research; Oct 17-20, 2015; Bellevue, WA. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Mol Cancer Res 2016;14(2_Suppl):Abstract nr A24.
Augmentation of intrarenal angiotensin II levels by chronic angiotensin II infusion

The objective of this study was to investigate the singular role of elevated angiotensin II (ANG II) levels in the development of two-kidney, one-clip (2K1C) Goldblatt hypertension in the rat and specifically in the altered intrarenal ANG II levels that occur in the nonclipped kidney. As a substitute for the clipped kidney, chronic delivery of ANG II (40 ng/min) via an osmotic minipump implanted subcutaneously was used to mimic plasma ANG II levels observed in 2K1C rats during the developmental phase of hypertension. Arterial pressure increased gradually over a period of 14 days, and a pressure profile similar in magnitude and temporal pattern to that of the 2K1C rats was observed. Systemic ANG II was elevated to similar levels in the 2K1C (60 +/- 13 fmol/ml) and ANG II-infused rats (72 +/- 15 fmol/ml) compared with intact two-kidney control animals (31 +/- 6 fmol/ml; P < 0.05) or uninephrectomized rats (13 +/- 1 fmol/ml; P < 0.05). Although renin content was markedly suppressed (80%), intrarenal ANG II content of the contralateral kidneys of the 2K1C groups (86 +/- 12 fmol/g) and the ANG II-infused group (150 +/- 17 fmol/g) was greater than that of the two-kidney control (53 +/- 7 fmol/g; P < 0.05) and uninephrectomized control animals (42 +/- 5 fmol/g; P < 0.05).(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)
Accelerators and ecosystems

![][1] ILLUSTRATION: DAVIDE BONAZZI A new institutional form has emerged in the entrepreneurial ecosystem in recent years: the seed accelerator. These fixed-term cohort-based “boot camps” for startups offer education and mentorship for startup founders and culminate in a “demo
The atmospheric dynamics of deserts

The Bedouin of the desert, born and grown up in it, had embraced with all his soul this nakedness too harsh for volunteers, for the reason, felt but inarticulate, that there he found himself indubitably free. He lost material ties, comforts, all superfluities and other complications to achieve a personal liberty which haunted starvation and death. T. E. Lawrence, British writer and adventurer Seven Pillars of Wisdom (1926) And it is an almost terrifying magnificence … In a distance that is much clearer than usual earthly distances, mountain chains join and overlap. They are in regular arrangements that man has not interfered with since the creation of the world. And they have harsh brittle edges, never softened by the least vegetation. The closest row of mountains is a reddish brown; then, as they stand closer to the horizon, the mountains go through elegant violet, turning a deeper and deeper blue, until they are pure indigo in the farthest chain. And everything is empty, silent, and dead. Here you have the splendor of fixed perspectives, without the ephemeral attractions of forests, greeneries, and grasslands; it is also the splendor of almost eternal stuff, freed of life's instabilities. The geological splendor from before the Creation. … Julien Viaud, French writer, soldier, painter, and acrobat Le Desert (1895) Because discussions in this chapter, and others in later chapters, will employ many concepts in basic atmospheric dynamics, the first section below will present some essential background review material.
Introduction to Microcontrollers and This Book

This introduction presents an overview of key concepts discussed in this book, which concentrates on a typical and popular ARM® Cortex®-M4 microcontroller unit (MCU) system built by Texas InstrumentsTM called TM4C123GXL, in which two ARM® Cortex®-M4 MCUs, TM4C123GH6PM, are utilized. The related development tools and kits can be categorized into two parts, namely the hardware part and the software part. To assist users to build professional microcontroller application projects, some useful development tools and kits are involved in the book to enable users to develop specific implementations easier and faster. The chapter looks at the structure and configuration of a microcontroller or a microcomputer system. A microcontroller can be built by combining three basic components with three system buses. Three components are center processing unit (CPU), memory, and I/O ports. These three components are connected with three system buses, namely address bus (A.B.), data bus (D.B.) and control bus (C.B.).
Socio-culturally specific stress and coping factors and smoking among African-American women.

B50 Objective: Smoking cessation is critical to reduce the health disparate status of African American (AA) women, however studies reveal that AA women are less likely to quit. Socio-culturally congruent research is needed that provides explanations as to why AA women choose to smoke in order to develop appropriate cessation interventions for this population. The purpose of the study was to determine whether socio-cultural stress and coping factors influence smoking among AA women. Method: 198 AA females completed the John Henry Scale for Active Coping, the Perceived Stress Scale, the Index of Race-Related Stress and an investigator-developed demographic and smoking survey. Results: Significant associations between number of race-related stress events and perceived general stress (p
g bosons and the third 4(+) state in 192Os.

Reduced matrix elements for excitation of the first three 4/sup +/ states in /sup 192/Os have been measured using inelastic scattering of 135 MeV polarized protons. These data, as well as the known quadrupole properties of /sup 192/Os, are best described if the third 4/sup +/ state is interpreted as a g-boson intruder state.
GPCR Footprint on Arrestins and Manipulation of Receptor Specificity

A wide variety of methods were used to identify where exactly do GPCRs bind arrestins. Experiments implicated large part of the concave sides of the two arrestin domains and identified surprisingly few residues on this extensive surface that determine which receptor does each arrestin prefer. Manipulation of these “receptor-discriminator” residues in one of the non-visual subtypes, arrestin-3, yielded non-visual arrestins with greatly enhanced receptor specificity. Targeting particular receptors with arrestin mutants with special functional characteristics, such as the ability to bind unphosphorylated GPCRs, activate or fail to activate select pathways of arrestin-mediated signaling opens the prospect of creating “designer” arrestins to direct the signaling from GPCRs of our choice to the pathways we want.
Evolving a Juggler: Using the Inverted Pendulum/Cart Control Task to Investigate the Issue of How to Modulate Reflexes

Abstract Paper reports on an investigation of how adaptive intelligent reflex controllers can be trained through an evolutionary process using recurrent coupled neural nets acting in direct control manner. The motivation is to explore how reflex actions are learned and how reflex action might be modulated adaptively. Two tasks are discussed. Results indicate that ‘intelligent’ reflex behavior can be implemented through coupling of dynamical systems. This mode of control seems to be eminently suitable for exercising adaptive real-time control.
Programmable, reversible and repeatable wrinkling of shape memory polymer thin films on elastomeric substrates for smart adhesion

Programmable, reversible and repeatable wrinkling of shape memory polymer (SMP) thin films on elastomeric polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) substrates is realized, by utilizing the heat responsive shape memory effect of SMPs. The dependencies of wrinkle wavelength and amplitude on program strain and SMP film thickness are shown to agree with the established nonlinear buckling theory. The wrinkling is reversible, as the wrinkled SMP thin film can be recovered to the flat state by heating up the bilayer system. The programming cycle between wrinkle and flat is repeatable, and different program strains can be used in different programming cycles to induce different surface morphologies. Enabled by the programmable, reversible and repeatable SMP film wrinkling on PDMS, smart, programmable surface adhesion with large tuning range is demonstrated.
Pipe and tube

Plastic pipes (Figs. 13.1, 13.2, and 1.3) and tubings (Fig. 13.3) started commercial production during the late 1930s. There are different definitions that are usually associated with the different industries (plumbing, gas transmission lines, beverages, medical, mining, and so on). A popular definition of a pipe is that it is rigid, hollow, long and larger in diameter than tubes. Tubings are basically the same except they are flexible and smaller in diameter, up to 0.13 mm (0.5 in) or with thin walls up to 15 cm (6 in). In this review, it really does not matter which definition is used because the extrusion line does not make a distinction. In this chapter, ‘pipe’ will be used to identify pipe or tube unless a specific situation exists for one or the other, such as collapsible tubes (usually not called pipe) [1, 88, 218, 327, 341, 358, 415].
When 1/10th of a millimeter weighs 400 T

Most of the examples encountered in dimensional metrology generally concern a single measurand and focus on the measurement system and its direct environment (Ishikawa diagram). The “analytical” application of the methodology presented in the Guide to the expression of uncertainty in measurement [1] appears, for example, unsuited to our operations because of the complexity of expression of the mathematical model. For the same reason, the Monte-Carlo method also seems to us to be complex in implementation and for the immediate term remains difficult to apply to our industrial process as a whole. Moreover, our main objective is not to determine dimensional conformity, but to guarantee that a process is operating which meets all the requirements, whether regulatory, contractual or technical. The aim of this presentation is to set out, with support from our experience feedback, how AREVA NP chose to treat the uncertainties of an industrial process by optimally combining the theoretical, empirical and practical approaches.
Modeling Second-Language Learning from a Psychological Perspective

Psychological research on learning and memory has tended to emphasize small-scale laboratory studies. However, large datasets of people using educational software provide opportunities to explore these issues from a new perspective. In this paper we describe our approach to the Duolingo Second Language Acquisition Modeling (SLAM) competition which was run in early 2018. We used a well-known class of algorithms (gradient boosted decision trees), with features partially informed by theories from the psychological literature. After detailing our modeling approach and a number of supplementary simulations, we reflect on the degree to which psychological theory aided the model, and the potential for cognitive science and predictive modeling competitions to gain from each other.
Toward Computed Image-Controlled Electromechanical Stereotactic Brain Surgery

The stereotactic technique developed by Horsley and Clarke in 1908 was designed to explore deep-seated structures in the animal brain (Horsley and Clarke 1908). Later, the technique was used in man in the treatment of Parkinson’s disease. Selective destruction of subcortical structures was found to eliminate tremor and/or relieve rigidity (Narabayashi and Okuma 1953). However, the target sites for this procedure were not only deep in the brain, but also adjacent to vital structures, such as the internal capsule and hypothalamus, and occupied very small areas. The probe needed to be placed with a precision measured in millimeters. Reaching the target’s location was ensured by measuring the distance between two highly consistent structures, e.g., the anterior and posterior commissures, or from the foramen of Monro, visualized by the trapping of air within the ventricular system. The location of the target structure was estimated by using a brain atlas compiled from formalin-fixed autopsy brain specimens (Schaltenbrand and Bailey 1959).
Reference Points Used In Quality And Value Judgements

We propose that a fundamental difference between quality and value judgments is that consumers rely more on internal standards (i.e., information stored in memory) to evaluate a brand's quality and external standards (i.e., reference brands available in the evaluation context) to assess a brand's value. Since internal standards are relatively stable and external reference brands may change across contexts, value judgments are more context-dependent than quality judgments. In addition, we propose that the relative invariance of quality ratings to contextual product information will hold only for consumers who are relatively familiar with the product category and the target brand. To examine the underlying mechanisms, an experimental study varies task, comparison brand information and familiarity and uses a process tracing methodology.
Nonradiological Treatment for Renal Tumors

Traditionally, renal cell carcinoma (RCC) has been approached surgically via an open, flank approach with the goal of extirpation via nephrectomy. Recently, technical improvements stemming from a better understanding of the natural history of RCC have altered the approach to localized RCC, shifting treatment towards minimally invasive techniques and nephron-sparing surgery. Additionally, the benefit of cytoreductive surgery and metastasectomy has been realized in the era of antiangiogenic therapy for RCC. Herein, we review the most current trends in the surgical treatment of localized and metastatic RCC.
The Electrodiagnosis of Myasthenia Gravis and the Lambert-Eaton Myasthenic Syndrome

Electrodiagnostic studies are valuable in confirming the diagnosis of a disorder of neuromuscular transmission. They are used to distinguish presynaptic and postsynaptic abnormalities. These studies provide an objective measure of the severity of the illness and may be useful in assessing the response to therapy. This article reviews the electrodiagnostic techniques that are commonly used today and highlights their specificity, sensitivity, and pitfalls.
Is there still a moral economy in Java, Indonesia?

In the mid-nineties, Indonesia was often cited as a remarkable success as it had emerged from being one of the poorest nations three decades ago to being on the cusp of joining the middle-income countries. For example, between 1970 and 1996, the proportion of population living below the official poverty line fell by around 50 percentage points (World Bank, 2002). During this period, Indonesian families never relied heavily on government to run safety net programs. Instead, government social spending was largely focused towards social services such as health and education, with the family and communities providing social insurance (Sumarto et al., 2002). In mid-1997, Indonesia was struck by a currency crisis, which by the first half of 1998 had already developed into a full-blown economic crisis. During this crisis period, the exchange rate fell to 15 percent of its pre-crisis value and its economy contracted by 13.7 percent (Sumarto et al., 2004). Undoubtedly, the poor are those who are the worst hit by the prolonged impact of the economic crisis and felt the crisis primarily through the falling of real wages, fewer employment opportunities, and increased prices for basic commodities. For instance, there was a substantial rise in the price of rice by 180 percent, while non-food items rose by 80 percent between February 1996 and February 1999 (World Bank, 2002).
Scalable Manufacturing of Zinc-Tungsten Carbide Nanocomposites

Abstract Pure zinc (Zn) has a relatively low strength when compared to other metals. Tungsten Carbide (WC) has high melting point and mechanical properties. In this study, nanocomposite approach was investigated to improve Zn mechanical property by introducing WC nanoparticles. We show that the WC nanoparticle mixing with pure zinc by ultrasonic processing is facile and efficient for nanoparticles distribution and dispersion. Nanoparticles (4vol.%) were well dispersed in centimeter scale zinc matrix. Furthermore, the Zn–WC nanocomposites exhibited significantly higher mechanical properties (strength, ductility and hardness). Not only was the strength of the Zn-WC nanocomposites drastically increased but also its ductility. This unusual phenomenon can be attributed to the good dispersion and distribution of the WC nanoparticles within the Zn matrix. The approach presented here is highly promising for a scalable manufacturing of Zn-WC nanocomposites.
Finite element modeling of living cells for AFM indentation-based biomechanical characterization.

Abstract Mechanotransduction—the process living cells sense and respond to forces—is essential for maintenance of normal cell, tissue, and organ functioning. To promote the knowledge of mechanotransduction, atomic force microscope (AFM) force-indentation has been broadly used to quantify the mechanical properties of living cells. However, most studies treated the cells as a homogeneous elastic or viscoelastic material, which is far from the real structure of cells, and the quantified mechanical properties cannot be used to investigate the inner working mechanism of mechanotransduction, such as internal force distribution/transduction. Therefore, a new viscoelastic finite element method (FEM) model is proposed in this study to simulate the force response of living cells during AFM force-indentation measurement by accounting for both the cell elasticity and viscoelasticity. The cell is modeled as a multi-layered structure with different mechanical characteristics of each layer to account for the depth-dependent mechanical behavior of living cells. This FEM model was validated by comparing the simulated force-indentation curves with the AFM experimental data on living NIH/3T3 cells, and the simulation error was less than 10% with respect to the experiment results. Therefore, the proposed FEM model can accurately simulate the force response of living cells and has a potential to be utilized to study and predict the intracellular force transduction and distribution.
A Century of Controvery Over the Foundations of Mathematics II

Transcript of G.J. Chaitin's 2 March 2000 Carnegie Mellon University School of Computer Science Distinguished Lecture. The notion of randomness is taken from physics and applied to pure mathematics in order to shed light on the incompleteness phenomenon discovered by K. Godel.
La segunda generación de profesores del curso de las leyes de los Sagrados Corazones de Valparaíso (1904-1912)

Se presenta una biobibliografia de los profesores que integraron el segundo claustro de profesores del Curso de Leyes de los Sagrados Corazones de Valparaiso, incorporado posteriormente a la actual Pontificia Universidad Catolica de Valparaiso. El Curso de Leyes inicio sus actividades en 1894, suspendiendolas provisoriamente hasta 1904 ano en que reabrio sus puertas para reanudar sus actividades, las que han continuado, ininterrumpidamente, hasta el dia de hoy.