cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
State of Charge Estimation of Lithium-Ion Batteries in Electric Drive Vehicles Using Extended Kalman Filtering

In this paper, a more accurate battery state of charge (SOC) estimation method for electric drive vehicles is developed based on a nonlinear battery model and an extended Kalman filter (EKF) supported by experimental data. A nonlinear battery model is constructed by separating the model into a nonlinear open circuit voltage and a two-order resistance-capacitance model. EKF is used to eliminate the measurement and process noise and remove the need of prior knowledge of initial SOC. A hardware-in-the-loop test bench was built to validate the method. The experimental results show that the proposed method can estimate the battery SOC with high accuracy.
Open Roux-en-Y gastric bypass in 925 patients without mortality

Abstract Background Open Roux-en-Y gastric bypass has become the gold standard for bariatric surgery. Safety has always been a concern with this elective surgery, especially among the general public. With increasing numbers of bariatric surgeries being performed, the public eye is once again focused on safety and outcomes for these patients. Methods Nine hundred twenty-five consecutive open Roux-en-Y gastric bypass patients were reviewed. Charts were retrospectively reviewed for early complications, late complications, and resolution of medical comorbidities. Results There were no deaths in this study group. The average body mass index (BMI) was 51. Eight leaks at the anastomosis occurred with no reoperations. Hypertension resolved in 70% and diabetes mellitus resolved in 58% of patients. Conclusions Open Roux-en-Y gastric bypass is a safe operation, even with increasing numbers of surgeries being performed. Major complications are low and improvement of medical comorbidities is significant. A multidisciplinary team approach helps to improve care and clinical outcomes.
First Integrals and Solutions of Duffing–Van der Pol Type Equations

A simple transformation is used to obtain the ﬁrst integrals andthe solutions of the Dufﬁng–van der Pol type equation undercertain conditions. It is shown that the system can be totallyintegrable and this total integrability admits new solutions. Thenew solutions require weaker conditions on the system’s parame-ters than hereto known. [DOI: 10.1115/1.4024673]
The Rec102 Mutant of Yeast Is Defective in Meiotic Recombination and Chromosome Synapsis

A mutation at the REC102 locus was identified in a screen for yeast mutants that produce inviable spores. rec102 spore lethality is rescued by a spo13 mutation, which causes cells to bypass the meiosis I division. The rec102 mutation completely eliminates meiotically induced gene conversion and crossing over but has no effect on mitotic recombination frequencies. Cytological studies indicate that the rec102 mutant makes axial elements (precursors to the synaptonemal complex), but homologous chromosomes fail to synapse. In addition, meiotic chromosome segregation is significantly delayed in rec102 strains. Studies of double and triple mutants indicate that the REC102 protein acts before the RAD52 gene product in the meiotic recombination pathway. The REC102 gene was cloned based on complementation of the mutant defect and the gene was mapped to chromosome XII between CDC25 and STE11.
Hydrolysis of steroid phosphates by plasma phosphatases.

The enzymic hydrolysis of various steroid phosphates incubated in plasma from normal and pregnant women was determined. Cortisol 21-phosphate was hydrolyzed by plasma alkaline phosphatase and testosterone 17β-phosphate by plasma acid phosphatase. The other steroid phosphates tested were not hydrolyzed. (Endocrinology 82: 1062, 1968)
Cross sections at high energies

If the difference ${\ensuremath{\sigma}}_{+}(E)\ensuremath{-}{\ensuremath{\sigma}}_{\ensuremath{-}}(E)$ of particle and antiparticle total cross sections changes sign at most at a finite number of energies, then the odd part ${f}_{+}(E)\ensuremath{-}{f}_{\ensuremath{-}}(E)$ of the forward scattering amplitude has a very useful representation, as a rational times a "Herglotz" function. The representation implies a correlation between the high-energy asymptotic behavior of ${\ensuremath{\sigma}}_{+}(E)\ensuremath{-}{\ensuremath{\sigma}}_{\ensuremath{-}}(E)$ and ${f}_{+}(E)\ensuremath{-}{f}_{\ensuremath{-}}(E)$. For example, if $\frac{{{f}_{+}(E)\ensuremath{-}{f}_{\ensuremath{-}}(E)}}{E{\mathrm{ln}}^{m}E}$ is bounded, and $m\ensuremath{\le}\frac{1}{2}$ then we have the Pomeranchuk result that ${\ensuremath{\sigma}}_{+}(E)\ensuremath{-}{\ensuremath{\sigma}}_{\ensuremath{-}}(E)\ensuremath{\rightarrow}0$. Even if $mg\frac{1}{2}$ it seems likely that although the difference of ${\ensuremath{\sigma}}_{+}(E)$ and ${\ensuremath{\sigma}}_{\ensuremath{-}}(E)$ may not tend to zero, their ratio does tend to one.
An Introduction to Nuclear Astrophysics, by R.N. Boyd

An Introduction to Nuclear Astrophysics, by R.N. Boyd, Chicago and London, The University of Chicago Press, 2007, xi + 422 pp., £44.00 (hardback), ISBN 13 978 0 226 06971 0. Scope: textbook. Level:...
Technical outcomes and complications of ERCP in children.

Abstract Background The aim of this study was to compare the success and complications of diagnostic and therapeutic ERCP in children (age Methods A retrospective case-controlled study was conducted in which all children undergoing ERCP at two centers (1994-2002) were identified from endoscopy databases and were matched with adult patients for all variables (e.g., indication, procedure complexity) except age. Outcomes with regard to technical success and complications were compared between the adult and the pediatric cohorts. Grade of procedure complexity and procedure-related complications were defined by using established criteria. Results A total of 116 children (mean age 9.3 years, range 1 month to 17 years; median age 8.1 years) and 116 matched adult patients (mean age 56.3 years, range 20-83 years; median age 49.7 years) underwent 163 and 173 ERCP procedures, respectively. According to procedure complexity grade, each group included the same number of patients, grade I, 72 patients; grade II, 12 patients; and grade III, 32 patients. Procedure success rate was 97.5% in children vs. 98% in the adult cohort ( p = not significant). The complication rate was not significantly different between children and adult patients (3.4% vs. 2.5%). Most complications were of mild severity and encountered only in patients who underwent grade III procedures, with the exception of a single adult in whom moderate post-sphincterotomy bleeding developed after extraction of a large bile duct stone (grade II complexity). Conclusions When ERCP is performed in children by expert endoscopists, the success rate is high and the complication rate is low, both being comparable with those for ERCP in adult patients.
A method for strategic technology prioritization and portfolio resource allocation

This paper will outline the Strategic Planning and Prioritization (SP2) process which is aimed at helping decision makers to determine the best portfolio of technologies or programs to benefit their overall vision. 12In the past several years the Aerospace Systems Design Laboratory at Georgia Tech has developed and implemented the SP2 process in applications involving commercial sponsors and government agencies.
Digital beamforming of multiple simultaneous beams for improved target search

This paper describes several digital beamforming radar techniques for improving target detection and determination of the angular location of a target using multiple simultaneous received beams. These techniques improve target search and angle estimation performance over the conventional monopulse processing in the elimination of beam-shape loss.
Towards no-cost adaptive MPSoC static schedules through exploitation of logical-to-physical core mapping latitude

The computing engines of many current applications are powered by MPSoC platforms, which promise significant speedup but induce increased reliability problems as a result of ever growing integration density and chip size. While static MPSoC execution schedules deliver predictable worst-case performance, the absence of dynamic variability unfortunately constrains their usefulness in such an unreliable execution environment. Adaptive static schedules with predictable responses to run-time resource variations have consequently been proposed, yet the extra constraints imposed by adaptivity on task assignment have resulted in schedule length increases. We propose to eradicate the associated performance degradation of such techniques while retaining all the concomitant benefits, by exploiting an inherent degree of freedom in task assignment regarding the logical to physical core mapping. The proposed technique relies on the use of core reordering and rotation through utilizing a graph representation model, which enables a direction translation of inter-core communication paths into order requirements between cores. The algorithmic implementation results confirm that the proposed technique can drastically reduce the schedule length overhead of both pre- and post- reconfiguration schedules.
THE ORGANIZATION OF CONTRACTILE FILAMENTS IN A MAMMALIAN SMOOTH MUSCLE

Ordered arrays of thin filaments (65 A diameter) along with other apparently random arrangements of thin and thick filaments (100–200 A diameter) are observed in contracted guinea pig taenia coli rapidly fixed in glutaraldehyde. The thin-filament arrays vary from a few to more than 100 filaments in each array. The arrays are scattered among isolated thin and thick filaments. Some arrays are regular such as hexagonal; other arrays tend to be circular. However, few examples of rosettes with regular arrangements of thin filaments surrounding thick filaments are seen. Optical transforms of electron micrographs of thin-filament arrays give a nearest-neighbor spacing of the thin filaments in agreement with the "actin" filament spacing from x-ray diffraction experiments. Many thick filaments are closely associated with thin-filament arrays. Some thick filaments are hollow circles, although triangular shapes are also found. Thin-filament arrays and thick filaments extend into the cell for distances of at least a micron. Partially relaxed taenia coli shows thin-filament arrays but few thick filaments. The suggestion that thick filaments aggregate prior to contraction and disaggregate during relaxation is promoted by these observations. The results suggest that a sliding filament mechanism operates in smooth muscle as well as in striated muscle.
Shock temperatures of SiO2 and their geophysical implications

The temperature of SiO_2 in high-pressure shock states has been measured for samples of single-crystal α-quartz and fused quartz. Pressures between 60 and 140 GPa have been studied using projectile impact and optical pyrometry techniques at Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory. Both data sets indicate the occurrence of a shock-induced phase transformation at ∼70 and ∼50 GPa along the α- and fused quartz Hugoniots, respectively. The suggested identification of this transformation is the melting of shock-synthesized stishovite, with the onset of melting delayed by metastable superheating of the crystalline phase. Some evidence for this transition in conventional shock wave equation of state data is given, and when these data are combined with the shock temperature data, it is possible to construct the stishovite-liquid phase boundaries. The melting temperature of stishovite near 70 GPa pressure is found to be 4500 K, and melting in this vicinity is accompanied by a relative volume change and latent heat of fusion of ∼2.7% and ∼2.4 MJ/kg, respectively. The solid stishovite Hugoniot centered on α-quartz is well described by the linear shock velocity-particle velocity relation, u_s = 1.822 up + 1.370 km/s, while at pressures above the melting transition, the Hugoniot centered on α-quartz has been fit with u_s = 1.619 u_p + 2.049 km/s up to a pressure of ∼200 GPa. The melting temperature of stishovite near 100 GPa suggests an approximate limit of 3500 K for the melting temperature of SiO_2-bearing solid mantle mineral assemblages, all of which are believed to contain Si^(4+) in octahedral coordination with O^(2−). Thus 3500 K is proposed as an approximate upper limit to the melting point and the actual temperature in the earth's mantle. Moreover, the increase of the melting point of stishovite with pressure at 70 GPa is inferred to be ∼11 K/GPa. Using various adiabatic temperature gradients in the earth's mantle and assuming creep is diffusion controlled in the lower mantle, the current results could preclude an increase of viscosity by more than a factor of 10^3 with depth across the mantle.
Uptake of Riboflavin by Isolated Rat Liver Cells

The effect of riboflavin status on uptake was investigated in hepatocytes isolated from control, riboflavin-sufficient and riboflavin-deficient rats. The uptake ex hibited biphasic characteristics with an initial rapid phase (13.2 Â±1.8 pmol/(106 cells- minute)) for the first couple of minutes followed by a second slower phase which con tinued for over an hour. The accumulation of riboflavin at near equilibrium conditions was 2.5- and 5.2-fold greater than external concentration in control and riboflavin- deficient cells, respectively. An apparent Km of 12 Â±1.3 fiM and Vmaxof 82.3 Â±9.1 pmol/(106 cells â€¢ minute) were obtained for control and riboflavin-sufficient rats while a similar Km but higher Vmaxwere obtained with deficient animals. Correspondence of the Km to that of flavokinase for riboflavin suggested the possibility that uptake of the vitamin may occur via metabolic trapping, i.e., phosphorylation. As substantiation of this, the rate of uptake was decreased by lumiflavin and 2'-hydroxyethylflavin, which are competitive inhibitors, and by 7,8-dichloroflavin, a substrate for flavokinase. Fur thermore, the uptake was found to be temperature-dependent and studies with car- bonylcyanide-p-trifluoro-methoxyphenylhydrazone (FCCP) and ethionine indicated a requirement for ATP. These results showed that overall, entry of riboflavin into he patocytes occurs predominantly by a facilitated diffusion process followed by rapid trapping by flavokinase-catalyzed phosphorylation to FMN. J. Nutr. 113: 1249-1254,
Membrane Binding and Enzymatic Activation of a Dbl Homology Domain Require the Neighboring Pleckstrin Homology Domain

Abstract Dbl-homology (DH) domains are invariably located immediately N-terminal to a pleckstrin homology (PH) domain. To understand the functional relationship between these two domains we expressed the DH domain alone, the PH domain alone, and the DH-PH combination of the invasion inducing protein Tiam-1 fused to glutathione-S-transferase (GST) or green fluorescent protein (GFP). We found that the GST-DH-PH and the GST-PH constructs bind to preparations of brain membranes and to the βγ subunits of trimeric G proteins in vitro, while the GST-DH and GST control do not. The GFP-DH-PH and GFP-PH constructs are localized to peripheral membranes of COS-7 cells in vivo, while GFP and GFP-DH domain constructs are found diffusely in the cytoplasm. The DH-PH domain combination activates Jun N-terminal kinase (JNK) strongly, but the DH domain alone and the PH domain alone have little effect. We conclude that membrane localization and enzymatic activation of the DH domain require the adjacent PH domain.
A review of microbiology in swine manure odor control

Generation of odors is a complex process that involves many bacterial species, producing an extensive array of volatile organic compounds under different manure storage systems currently used. A lack of understanding of the basic microbiology in manure leads to a poor odor prevention and control from animal wastes. This review covers pertinent available information about the indigenous bacterial genera in swine manure and their potentials of producing odorous volatile compounds. It addresses not only the odorous compounds in swine manure but also the inherent relations between the bacterial species and the related compounds. It also discusses several odor control techniques that have been developed based on microbial activities and the limitations with these techniques. Two bacterial genera, Eubacterium and Clostridium, are most likely the major contributors to odorous volatile fatty acids. It appears that anaerobic lagoons may not be an appropriate choice for treating swine manure for odor control due to the reduced methonogenic activities resulted from the low temperatures in lagoon liquid. Also, it seems questionable that the microbial-based manure additives will work, without aeration, in a real storage system for the purpose of odor control.
Compensation of Multimode Fiber Dispersion by Optimization of Launched Amplitude, Phase, and Polarization

In previous work, a technique was proposed for compensation of modal dispersion in multimode fiber (MMF) systems by using adaptive optics. A spatial light modulator (SLM), with amplitude and phase adjustable over discrete blocks, was used to control the field launched into a MMF. The system impulse response was found as a function of the SLM settings and the field patterns of the MMF principal modes, which were assumed to be known. Using principles of convex optimization, an optimal solution for the SLM settings was obtained, which minimizes intersymbol interference (ISI) subject to physical constraints. Here, we extend the previous method to include control over launched polarization. We propose five adaptive optics configurations, some permitting control only of overall polarization, and others permitting block-wise polarization control. For each configuration, we find optimal adaptive optics settings, which minimize ISI. We show that the best performance is obtained by two configurations that permit independent block-wise control of amplitude, phase and polarization.
Catalyzed Combustion of Bipropellants for Micro-Spacecraft Propulsion

This paper addresses the need to understand the physics and chemistry involved in propellant combustion processes in micro-scale combustors for propulsion systems on micro-spacecraft. These spacecraft are planned to have a mass less than 50 kilograms with attitude control estimated to be in the 10 milli-Newton thrust class. These combustors are anticipated to be manufactured using Micro Electrical Mechanical Systems (MEMS) technology and are expected to have diameters approaching the quenching diameter of the propellants. Combustors of this size are expected to benefit significantly from surface catalysis processes. Miniature flame tube apparatus is chosen for this study because microtubes can be easily fabricated from known catalyst materials and their simplicity in geometry can be used in fundamental simulations for validation purposes. Experimentally, we investigated the role of catalytically active surfaces within 0.4 and 0.8 mm internal diameter microtubes, with special emphases on ignition processes in fuel rich gaseous hydrogen and gaseous oxygen. Flame thickness and reaction zone thickness calculations predict that the diameters of our test apparatus are below the quenching diameter of the propellants in sub-atmospheric tests. Temperature and pressure rise in resistively heated platinum and palladium microtubes was used as an indication of exothermic reactions. Specific data on mass flow versus preheat temperature required to achieve ignition are presented. With a plug flow model, the experimental conditions were simulated with detailed gas-phase chemistry, thermodynamic properties, and surface kinetics. Computational results generally support the experimental findings, but suggest an experimental mapping of the exit temperature and composition is needed.
Early Polyadenylation Signals of Human Papillomavirus Type 31 Negatively Regulate Capsid Gene Expression

The L1 and L2 capsid genes of human papillomavirus type 31 (HPV-31) are expressed upon keratinocyte differentiation from a promoter located in the E7 open reading frame (ORF) of the early region. Late transcripts must therefore pass through and ignore the early polyadenylation sequences to use the downstream late AAUAAA element located at the end of the L1 ORF. To identify sequences which modulate downstream capsid gene expression, a variety of substitution mutations were introduced into the early polyadenylation signal and studied first in the context of polycistronic luciferase reporter constructs. Removal of the G/U-rich cleavage stimulation factor (CstF) binding sites and the degenerate cleavage and polyadenylation specificity factor binding sites, UAUAUA, had minimal effect on downstream expression as defined by luciferase activities. This is in contrast to the deletion of the HPV-31 early AAUAAA element, which resulted in a dramatic increase in downstream expression. Additional sequences within the first 800 bp of the L2 ORF were also found to negatively regulate capsid expression in luciferase assays. To determine how these mutations influence gene expression in the context of the complete HPV-31 genome, recombinant genomes were constructed that contained a substitution in the AAUAAA sequence, an inserted strong CstF binding site, an inserted simian virus 40 (SV40) late poly(A) signal, or a substitution of the 5′-most 800 nucleotides of the L2 ORF. Reductions in both transient and stable replication were observed with the recombinant genomes containing the strong CstF site or the late SV40 signal, suggesting that alterations in the strength of the upstream poly(A) signal influence expression of viral replication factors. Similarly, disruption of the L2 ORF resulted in a significant reduction in genome replication and an inability to be maintained stably. In contrast, genomes containing a substitution of the AAUAAA sequence had increased levels of transient and stable replication. Quantitation of late transcripts following keratinocyte differentiation in methylcellulose also showed a reduction in downstream capsid gene expression in lines containing genomes with the strong CstF site or the late SV40 signal mutations, while a significant increase in expression was detected in the lines with genomes lacking the AAUAAA sequence. These studies demonstrate that capsid gene expression in HPV-31 requires an inefficient early poly(A) signal which is defined primarily by the AAUAAA element as well as a major negative regulatory element located within the L2 ORF.
Relation Between Power and Exponential Laws of Slow Crack Growth

The coefficients V0Q, and N of the power law of slow crack growth, V=V0 exp [–Q/(RT)](K/KC)N, are evaluated in terms of the fundamental parameters V0. Q0. and B of the exponential law, V=V0 exp [(-Q0+BK)/(RT)]. It is shown that N =θ(BKC)/(RT),Q=Q0−θBKC, and V0=V0θ−N, where θ is a dimensionless coefficient with a value ranging from 0.2858 to 1.0, depending on the ratio of stress intensity at the fatigue limit to the critical stress intensity factor.
Patterns of haemosporidian prevalence along a range expansion in introduced Kenyan house sparrows Passer domesticus

Avian haemosporidian infections (of the genera Haemoproteus, Plasmodium and Leucocytozoon) can regulate passerine populations. Thus, reduction in the number of avian haemosporidian infections in a population, for example in recently introduced hosts, may facilitate host establishment or spread (i.e. enemy release). Alternatively, colonizers could decrease competitive ability of native individuals in the novel range by increasing the prevalence of avian haemosporidians in that native passerine community (i.e. novel weapons). However, whether either or both of these phenomena will occur is difficult to predict because infection risk can be highly heterogeneous and dependent upon the interaction of biotic and abiotic factors at the microclimate level, especially because of the important role of vectors for these parasites. Here, we describe which factors best predicted avian haemosporidian prevalence in populations of house sparrows Passer domesticus introduced to Kenya. House sparrows inhabit an invasion gradient in Kenya; they were introduced via the eastern port city of Mombasa in ˜ 1950 and have since spread west-ward across the country. This range expansion gave us the opportunity to examine how parasite prevalence changes over small spatiotemporal scales and what role is played by environmental and individual traits. Among all individuals, body mass was the strongest predictor of infection, with larger house sparrows being more likely to be infected. At the population level, capture month, precipitation (higher prevalence with more rainfall), and population age (increasing prevalence with increasing time since introduction) were important risk factors. Overall, haemosporidian prevalence in Kenyan house sparrows appears to be more strongly associated with individual characteristics rather than with time since introduction as was predicted, though this does not necessarily rule out a role for enemy release or novel weapons in this system.
Polyhydramnios, megalencephaly and symptomatic epilepsy caused by a homozygous 7-kilobase deletion in LYK5

We used single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) microarrays to investigate the cause of a symptomatic epilepsy syndrome in a group of seven distantly related Old Order Mennonite children. Autozygosity mapping was inconclusive, but closer inspection of the data followed by formal SNP copy number analyses showed that all affected patients had homozygous deletions of a single SNP (rs721575) and their parents were hemizygous for this marker. The deleted SNP marked a larger deletion encompassing exons 9-13 of LYK5, which encodes STE20-related adaptor protein, a pseudokinase necessary for proper localization and function of serine/threonine kinase 11 (a.k.a. LKB1). Homozygous LYK5 deletions were associated with polyhydramnios, preterm labour and distinctive craniofacial features. Affected children had large heads, infantile-onset intractable multifocal seizures and severe psychomotor retardation. We designated this condition PMSE syndrome (polyhydramnios, megalencephaly and symptomatic epilepsy). Thirty-eight percent (N = 16) of affected children died during childhood (ages 7 months to 6 years) from medical complications of the disorder, which included status epilepticus, congestive heart failure due to atrial septal defect and hypernatremic dehydration due to diabetes insipidus. A single post-mortem neuropathological study revealed megalencephaly, ventriculomegaly, cytomegaly and extensive vacuolization and astrocytosis of white matter. There was abundant anti-phospho-ribosomal S6 labelling of large cells within the frontal cortex, basal ganglia, hippocampus and spinal cord, consistent with constitutive activation of the mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR) signalling pathway in brain.
Features of primary damage by high energy displacement cascades in concentrated Ni-based alloys

Alloying of Ni with Fe or Co has been shown to reduce primary damage production under ion irradiation. Similar results have been obtained from classical molecular dynamics simulations of 1, 10, 20, and 40 keV collision cascades in Ni, NiFe, and NiCo. In all cases, a mix of imperfect stacking fault tetrahedra, faulted loops with a 1/3⟨111⟩ Burgers vector, and glissile interstitial loops with a 1/2⟨110⟩ Burgers vector were formed, along with small sessile point defect complexes and clusters. Primary damage reduction occurs by three mechanisms. First, Ni-Co, Ni-Fe, Co-Co, and Fe-Fe short-distance repulsive interactions are stiffer than Ni-Ni interactions, which lead to a decrease in damage formation during the transition from the supersonic ballistic regime to the sonic regime. This largely controls final defect production. Second, alloying decreases thermal conductivity, leading to a longer thermal spike lifetime. The associated annealing reduces final damage production. These two mechanisms are especially important at cascades energies less than 40 keV. Third, at the higher energies, the production of large defect clusters by subcascades is inhibited in the alloys. A number of challenges and limitations pertaining to predictive atomistic modeling of alloys under high-energy particle irradiation are discussed.
Sharing Stories: Using Student Voices to Expand Assessment Reporting:

Vicki L. Wise and Lisa J. Hatfield share one student's academic and personal journey, demonstrating the power of the personal to communicate the value of student affairs work.
Reconfigurable double slot-ring antenna for bandwidth enhancement

A reconfigurable single slot-ring antenna is able to switch between S and C bands using PIN diode switches. However, the fractional bandwidth of this single slot-ring antenna at lower band is narrow (11.4%). In this paper, four additional slots are added to form a double slot-ring antenna at the lower band. As a result, the antenna fractional bandwidth at the lower band is significantly enhanced from 11.4% to 28.2%, while the antenna performance at higher band is not compromised. Full-wave simulations show that the antenna efficiency is high and the radiation patterns do not change across each respective frequency band.
World Model for Testing Autonomous Systems Using Petri Nets

This paper describes a model-based test generation approach for testing autonomous systems interacting with their environment (i.e., world). Unlike other approaches that assume a static world with attributes and values, we present and test a dynamic world. We use Petri Nets to present a world model that describes behaviors of world entities (i.e., actors). Abstract World Behavioral Test Cases (AWBTCs) are then generated by covering the world model using graph coverage criteria. We also generate test-data by input-space partitioning to transform the generated AWBTCs into executable test cases. We apply the World Model-based Test Generation (WMBTG) technique to a case study in the Human-Robot Interaction (HRI) domain. Efficiency of coverage criteria is discussed.
The Effect of the Amount of Collected Coagulant Droplets on the Coagulation Phenomena of Polymer Latex

In this study, the mechanism of the coagula formation from polymer latex droplets by collecting coagulant droplets and the effect of the amount of collected coagulant droplets on the coagulation phenomena were studied. The following results were obtained.1) Many traces of coagulant droplets remained as depressions on the surface of the coagulated particles.2) A coagulated layer grew toward the center of the latex droplet as time passed with a circular interface between the coagulated layer and the uncoagulated latex.3) The relationship between the amount of the coagulant collected by a single particle and coagulation conditions was estimated according to the following equation:Q=kFdP2ZC, k=17.14) As the amount of coagulant ions collected by a latex droplet increased, the spherically coagulated particles were more fully recovered because of the higher conversion of the latex droplet.
A Retinoic Acid-Hedgehog Cascade Coordinates Mesoderm-Inducing Signals and Endoderm Competence during Lung Specification

Organogenesis of the trachea and lungs requires a complex series of mesoderm-endoderm interactions mediated by WNT, BMP, retinoic acid (RA), and hedgehog (Hh), but how these pathways interact in a gene regulatory network is less clear. Using Xenopus embryology, mouse genetics, and human ES cell cultures, we identified a conserved signaling cascade that initiates respiratory lineage specification. We show that RA has multiple roles; first RA pre-patterns the lateral plate mesoderm and then it promotes Hh ligand expression in the foregut endoderm. Hh subsequently signals back to the pre-patterned mesoderm to promote expression of the lung-inducing ligands Wnt2/2b and Bmp4. Finally, RA regulates the competence of the endoderm to activate the Nkx2-1+ respiratory program in response to these mesodermal WNT and BMP signals. These data provide insights into early lung development and a paradigm for how mesenchymal signals are coordinated with epithelial competence during organogenesis.
Kinetic Equations for Stochastic Cooling

A kinetic equation approach to stochastic cooling is presented. Equations for one and two particle distribution functions are derived from the principle of conservation of the number of ensemble systems. The violation of Liouville’s theorem is expressed by certain self-interaction terms. The two-particle distribution describes Schottky noise and feedback effects and is analysed by techniques of the Lenard-Balescu equation for plasmas. The resulting expression for the one-particle distribution is of the form of a Fokker-Planck equation. The suppression of Schottky signals for arbitrary machine impedance is discussed in terms of particle correlations.
Ending the great drought

With the Large Hadron Collider (LHC) springing to life at the CERN laboratory near Geneva, the great data drought in elementary particle physics is finally about to end. Not since the second phase of CERN's Large Electron–Positron Collider (LEP) began operations in 1996 has the field been able to probe virgin territory and measure truly new and exotic phenomena. And that machine merely doubled the energy reach of electron–positron colliders into regions that had already been partially explored using the Tevatron at Fermilab in the US. Researchers at these colliders – the world's most powerful for over a decade – could only chip away at the outer fringes of the unknown. But the LHC, built by installing thousands of superconducting magnets in the LEP tunnel, will permit physicists to strike deep into its dark heart. There they will almost certainly discover something distinctively different.
AutoMigrate: a framework for developing intelligent, self-managing cloud services with maximum availability

Cloud services are on-demand services provided to end-users over the Internet and hosted by cloud service providers. A cloud service consists of a set of interacting applications/processes running on one or more interconnected VMs. Organizations are increasingly using cloud services as a cost-effective means for outsourcing their IT departments. However, cloud service availability is not guaranteed by cloud service providers, especially in the event of anomalous circumstances that spontaneously disrupt availability including natural disasters, power failure, and cybersecurity attacks. In this paper, we propose a framework for developing intelligent systems that can monitor and migrate cloud services to maximize their availability in case of cloud disruption. The framework connects an autonomic computing agent to the cloud to automatically migrate cloud services based on anticipated cloud disruption. The autonomic agent employs a modular design to facilitate the incorporation of different techniques for deciding when to migrate cloud services, what cloud services to migrate, and where to migrate the selected cloud services. We incorporated a virtual machine selection algorithm for deciding what cloud services to migrate that maximizes the availability of high priority services during migration under time and network bandwidth constraints. We implemented the framework and conducted experiments to evaluate the performance of the underlying techniques. Based on the experiments, the use of this framework results in less down-time due to migration, thereby leading to reduced cloud service disruption.
Preserving the Natural Tooth Versus Extraction and Implant Placement: An Evidence-Based Approach

Both dental implants and endodontically treated teeth have demonstrated favorable outcome rates. However, there is still controversy regarding when to extract in favor of an implant and when to keep a natural tooth. Much of this controversy stems from the way the outcome of dental implants is defined. A majority of implant studies have used the measure of “survival” instead of “success.” Survival rates up to 95.5 % after 1 year of follow-up have been reported. By contrast, most endodontic studies have applied strict success criteria, in particular requiring the resolution of apical periodontitis and the absence of symptoms. This renders a direct comparison to implant survival studies obsolete. If survival studies are compared, there is no significant difference in outcome between restored single-unit implants (95 %) and endodontically treated teeth (94 %) over 6 years.
On the determination of atmospheric longwave irradiance under all-sky conditions

Abstract In this work we review and recalibrate existing models, and present a novel comprehensive model for estimation of the downward atmospheric longwave (LW) radiation for clear and cloudy sky conditions. LW radiation is an essential component of thermal balances in the atmosphere, playing also a substantial role in the design and operation of solar power plants. Unlike solar irradiance, LW irradiance is not measured routinely by meteorological or solar irradiance sensor networks. In most cases, it must be calculated indirectly from meteorological variables using simple parametric models. Under clear skies, fifteen parametric models for calculating LW irradiance are compared and recalibrated. All models achieve higher accuracy after grid search recalibration, and we show that many of the previously proposed LW models collapse into only a few different families of models. A recalibrated Brunt-family model is recommended for future use due to its simplicity and high accuracy (rRMSE = 4.37%). To account for the difference in nighttime and daytime clear-sky emissivities, nighttime and daytime Brunt-type models are proposed. Under all sky conditions, the information of clouds is represented by cloud cover fraction (CF) or cloud modification factor (CMF, available only during daytime). Three parametric models proposed in the bibliography are compared and calibrated, and a new model is proposed to account for the alternation of vertical atmosphere profile by clouds. The proposed all-sky model has 3.8–31.8% lower RMSEs than the other three recalibrated models. If GHI irradiance measurements are available, using CMF as a parameter yields 7.5% lower RMSEs than using CF. For different applications that require LW information during daytime and/or nighttime, coefficients of the proposed models are corrected for diurnal and nocturnal use.
Renovating Database Applications with DBAutoAwesome

Renovating a database application is the act of significantly reprogramming the application to meet new needs, extend functionality, or re-design to foster maintainability. It can be costly to manually renovate a database application so techniques for automating the renovation are needed. Previous research in renovation has focused on methods to improve performance, such as autonomic database research to automatically tune a DBMS or manage indexes. But there has been little previous research on how to improve functionality. There are several ways in which the functionality can be improved such as interfaces to other tools (e.g., data mining with Weka), content management system integration (e.g., Wordpress plugins), an enhanced set of forms and scripts to query and manage the data, and database mediation and migration scripts. We focus on the final category in this paper: management of the data. We propose an approach, which we call DBAutoAwesome, that adopts Google’s Auto Awesome philosophy: automatically improve an existing artifact and let the user (developer) decide whether to keep and use the improved artifact. The DBAutoAwesome approach ingests a database application to produce an enhanced application. In this paper we describe how DBAutoAwesome enhances data modification and query forms.
Strategies for correcting the delta F508 CFTR protein-folding defect.

Many human diseases arise as a result of mutations within genes encoding essential proteins. In many cases, the mutations are not so severe as to render the protein biologically inactive. Rather, the mutations oftentimes result in only subtle protein-folding abnormalities. In the case of the CFTR protein, a mutation leading to the loss of a single amino acid is responsible for the diseased state in the majority of individuals with cystic fibrosis. Here the newly synthesized mutant CFTR protein, missing a phenylalanine residue at position 508 (ΔF508 CFTR), is unable to transit from the endoplasmic reticulum to the plasma membrane, where it functions as a regulator of chloride transport. All of the available evidence indicate that the newly synthesized ΔF508 CFTR protein adopts a slightly altered conformation and therefore is retained at the level of the endoplasmic reticulum, ostensibly by the actions of the cellular quality control system. Because the mutant protein is capable of functioning as a chloride channel, developing ways to elicit its release out of the ER and to the plasma membrane has important clinical implications. Herein, we discuss our recent studies showing that the protein folding defect associated with the ΔF508 CFTR mutation, as well as a number of other temperature-sensitive mutations, can be overcome by strategies designed to influence protein folding inside the cell. Specifically we show that a number of low-molecular-weight compounds, all of which are known to stabilize proteins in their native conformation, are effective in rescuing the folding and/or processing defects associated with different mutations that oftentimes lead to human disease.
Linearizing Flat Families of Reductive Group Representations

Let G be a reductive group over C. Let X → S be a G-morphism of Gvarieties where G acts trivially on S. Then for p ∈ S the fiber X(p) over p is a G-variety, so we can view X as an S-parametrized family (X(p))p∈S of G-varieties. We ask here, under various linearity assumptions on the individual X(p)’s, what kind of global linearity properties X must have over S. For example, assuming that X is flat over S and that each X(p) is isomorphic to a G-representation space, one would like to conclude that X is isomorphic to a G-vector bundle over S. The results announced here imply that this is “stably” true, i.e. X × V is a G-vector bundle over S for some G-representation space V.
Interactions between janus and bcd cortical pattern mutants in Tetrahymena thermophila : An investigation of intracellular patterning mechanisms using double-mutant analysis.

An analysis of bcd, janA; bcd, janB; and bcd, janC double-mutant phenotypes in Tetrahymena thermophila has allowed us to examine patterning processes affected by two different classes of mutations. bcd brings about a broadening of the oral and contractile vacuole pore domains in the ciliate cortex, while the janus mutations generate a mirror-image duplication of the ventral cortical pattern. We observed both bcd and janus characteristics expressed in the double mutants, as well as features unique to the double-mutant. Temperature-shift experiments employing the temperature-sensitive janB mutation in a double-mutant (bcd, janB) combination allowed us to observe the changes in pattern as a mirror-image geometry was brought into expression and subsequently removed within the bcd, janB double homozygote. These experiments suggest that there are multiple pattern-mechanisms at work with differing kinetics of expression in the ciliate cortex. We discuss how the bcd mutation could influance expression of the janus mutations in light of a model previously proposed to account for the janus phenotype.
Direct Measurement of Mass Transport in Actuation of Conducting Polymers Nanotubes

Nanostructured Conducting polymer (CP) actuators are promising materials for biomedical applications such as drug release systems. However, understanding the actuation behavior at the nano-scale has not yet been explored. In this work, poly(3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene) (PEDOT) and poly(pyrrole) (PPy) nanotubes doped with a large counter ion (i.e. poly(styrene sodium sulfonate) (PSS)) were fabricated using electrochemical deposition of PEDOT and PPy around poly(L-lactide) (PLLA) nanofiber templates, followed by template removal in chloroform. The actuation and mass transport behavior of PPy and PEDOT nanotubes were investigated and compared. The nanotubes were subjected to a redox process using cyclic voltammetry in 0.1M NaPSS electrolyte solution as the potential swept between −0.8 V and +0.4 V for 20 cycles at 10, 50, 100, and 200 mV/s scan rates. The mass transport behavior of these nanotubes was characterized via electrochemical quartz crystal microbalance (EQCM) technique. The EQCM results showed that PEDOT nanotubes had a higher mass exchange capability than their PPy counterparts, especially at higher scan rates. Also, it was revealed that PPy nanotubes were more sensitive to the scan rate than the PEDOT nanotubes, and the maximum mass exchange capability of the PPy nanotubes was noticeably reduced by increasing the scan rate.
Phased Array Antenna Handbook (Third Edition) [Book Review]

The third edition of the "Phased Array Antenna Handbook" is a very welcome addition to the antenna field. It brings together many ideas and techniques that one would normally have to search through the literature to find. The book is a comprehensive treatment of phased array antennas written by a single author, and it is thus an integrated text that flows smoothly from one topic to another. The publication does not contain homework problems, but the material is presented in such a sufficiently explanatory manner that it could be used as a textbook for a course on phased or antenna arrays, in general, or as a supplement to a course on antennas. The book contains nine chapters, and it has a total length of 530 pages. The text focuses on the antenna aspects of phased arrays and, thus, focuses on aspects related to the radiation patterns of a phased array, along with the antenna elements that are used in phased arrays, and other antenna-related concepts such as mutual coupling in antenna arrays (and their associated effects on scan behavior such as scan blindness). Phased arrays are steadily gaining in relevance with applications in 5G and many other systems, both military and commercial. Better affordability and a wider variety of applications ensures this positive trend. Subsequently, this third edition is a most welcome addition to the antennas and propagation community. This latest edition has been updated to include new contributions to scanning antennas based on reflectors and lenses, as well as thinned arrays, and a more contemporary presentation of numerical methods for pattern synthesis has also been provided. The book provides a comprehensive coverage of all aspects of phased arrays from an antenna point of view, and it also provides an excellent overview of systemlevel aspects of phased arrays in the first chapter. It is very well written by a leading expert in the field, and it is one of the few texts written entirely on phased arrays. As such, it is a must-have publication for every antenna engineer, system engineer, scientist, or practitioner who works with or is interested in phased arrays. This book will also make a great supplement for instructors who teach a course in antenna engineering and who wish to cover phased arrays as part of their course topics.
Constructing interventions for Hispanic sexual minority youth

Sexual minority youth are at increased risk for certain negative health outcomes compared to non-sexual minority counterparts. Some Hispanic cultural factors may cause parents to react negatively t...