cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Fixed-Parameter Tractable Combinatorial Algorithms for Metabolic Networks Alignments

The accumulation of high-throughput genomic and proteomic data allows for the reconstruction of the increasingly large and complex metabolic networks. In order to analyze accumulated data and reconstructed networks, it is critical to identify network patterns and evolutionary relations between metabolic networks. But even finding similar networks is computationally challenging. Based on the property of gene duplication and function sharing in biological network, we have formulated the network alignment problem which asks the optimal vertex-to-vertex mapping allowing path contraction, vertex deletion, and vertex insertions. In this paper we present fixed parameter tractable combinatorial algorithms, which take into account the enzymes' functions and the similarity of arbitrary network topologies such as trees and arbitrary graphs wit hallowing the different types of vertex deletions. The proposed algorithms are fixed parameter tractable in the liner or square of the size of feedback vertex set respectively for the case of disallowing or allowing the deletions. We have developed the web service tool MetNetAligner which aligns metabolic networks. We evaluated our results by the randomizedP-Value computation. In the computation, we followed two standard randomization procedures and further developed two other random graph generators which keep the more stringent and consistent topology constraints. By comparing their distribution of the significant alignment pairs, we observed that the more stringent constraints in the topology the random graph generator has, the more pairs of significant alignments there exist. We also performed pair wise mapping of all pathways for four organisms and found a set of statistically significant pathway similarities. We have applied the network alignment to identifying pathway holes which are resulted by inconsistency and missing enzymes. MetNetAligner is available athttp://\\alla.cs.gsu.edu:8080/MinePW/pages/gmapping/GMMain.html \Two random graph generations and the list of identified pathway holes are available online.
Surface micromachined glass and polysilicon microchannels using MUMPs for BioMEMS applications

MUMPs (Multi-User MEMS Process) based microchannels made of either glass or polysilicon have been successfully designed, fabricated and tested. The fabrication process used timed wet-chemical etching to selectively etch sacrificial materials with the assistance of etch holes. The prototype glass and polysilicon microchannels have cross-section areas of 70 m×4m and 70m×2m, respectively, and both microchannels have been tested to transport and contain water by means of surface tension. A simplified surface tension analysis shows that the height of the etch holes and the surface tension of the working liquid inside the microchannel dominates the pressure difference that holds the liquid from leaking outside the microchannel via etch holes. Because these microchannels are fabricated using the foundry-based micromachining process, they present opportunities for economical prototyping and have great potential for integration with other microfluidic devices for system-level applications, such as DNA chip and lab-on-a-chip. © 2003 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.
Happiness Is a Stochastic Phenomenon

Happiness, or subjective well-being, was measured on a birth-record-based sample of several thousand middle-aged twins using the Well-Being (WB) scale of the Multidimensional Personality Questionnaire Neither socioeconomic status, educational attainment, family income, marital status, nor an indicant of religious commitment could account for more than about 3% of the variance in WB From 44% to 52% of the variance in WB, however, is associated with genetic variation Based on the retest of smaller samples of twins after intervals of 4 5 and 10 years, we estimate that the heriability of the stable component of subjective well-being approaches 80%
PDQRAP-prioritized distributed queueing random access protocol

A new MAC layer protocol, DQRAP (distributed queueing random access protocol), provides performance with respect to throughput and delay that approaches that of an ideal protocol. The paper introduces PDQRAP, a prioritized version of DQRAP. Two formats, the extra-bit and the extra-slot, each a variation of the basic DQRAP are described. Simulation results are presented that show that under a total traffic load of 90%, a high priority segment of 20%-30% in either format has delay characteristics ranging from one-third to one-half of the delay characteristics of the normal priority traffic. The relative advantages and disadvantages of each format ore discussed. It is suggested that PDQRAP could be the mechanism that allowed a shared medium to economically transport traffic associated with multi-media services utilizing LANs, MANs, and WANs. >
The Determination of the Audibility Current of a Telephone Receiver with the Aid of the Wheatstone Bridge

A method of determining the audibility current of a telephone receiver, using a Wheatstone bridge with the telephone as indicator is described practically and theoretically. The method differs from the usual shunted telephone method which determines an audibility voltage. A method is given whereby a desired percentage accuracy can be secured even if the telephone resistance and impedance are only very approximately known.
Physics in Nuclear Medicine

S.R. Cherry, J.A. Sorenson, and M.E. Phelps Philadelphia, PA: Elsevier Saunders, 2012, 523 pages, $115 Cherry, Sorenson, and Phelps’ Physics in Nuclear Medicine is perhaps the best-known textbook on the subject and continues to be the text of choice for many education programs in nuclear
The Hidden Civic Lessons of Public and Private Schools

Curriculum theory has long acknowledged the presence of a hidden curriculum in schools. Whereas the formal curriculum is explicit and documented, the hidden curriculum involves those attitudes, experiences, and learnings that are largely implicit and unintended. This article compares the hidden civic lessons found in public and private schools. Catholic and other private schools have measurable organizational strengths that socialize students into participation in public institutions more effectively than public schools.
Issues for covariance analysis of dichotomous and ordered categorical data from randomized clinical trials and non-parametric strategies for addressing them

Analysis of covariance is an effective method for addressing two considerations for randomized clinical trials. One is reduction of variance for estimates of treatment effects and thereby the production of narrower confidence intervals and more powerful statistical tests. The other is the clarification of the magnitude of treatment effects through adjustment of corresponding estimates for any random imbalances between the treatment groups with respect to the covariables. The statistical basis of covariance analysis can be either non-parametric, with reliance only on the randomization in the study design, or parametric through a statistical model for a postulated sampling process. For non-parametric methods, there are no formal assumptions for how a response variable is related to the covariables, but strong correlation between response and covariables is necessary for variance reduction. Computations for these methods are straightforward through the application of weighted least squares to fit linear models to the differences between treatment groups for the means of the response variable and the covariables jointly with a specification that has null values for the differences that correspond to the covariables. Moreover, such analysis is similarly applicable to dichotomous indicators, ranks or integers for ordered categories, and continuous measurements. Since non-parametric covariance analysis can have many forms, the ones which are planned for a clinical trial need careful specification in its protocol. A limitation of non-parametric analysis is that it does not directly address the magnitude of treatment effects within subgroups based on the covariables or the homogeneity of such effects. For this purpose, a statistical model is needed. When the response criterion is dichotomous or has ordered categories, such a model may have a non-linear nature which determines how covariance adjustment modifies results for treatment effects. Insight concerning such modifications can be gained through their evaluation relative to non-parametric counterparts. Such evaluation usually indicates that alternative ways to compare treatments for a response criterion with adjustment for a set of covariables mutually support the same conclusion about the strength of treatment effects. This robustness is noteworthy since the alternative methods for covariance analysis have substantially different rationales and assumptions. Since findings can differ in important ways across alternative choices for covariables (as opposed to methods for covariance adjustment), the critical consideration for studies with covariance analyses planned as the primary method for comparing treatments is the specification of the covariables in the protocol (or in an amendment or formal plan prior to any unmasking of the study.
The effect of mesenchymal stem cell shape on the maintenance of multipotency

Human mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) have broad therapeutic potential due to their ability to differentiate into multiple cell types. However, when cultured ex vivo MSCs will spontaneously differentiate and have been shown to lose multipotency after prolonged passaging. Cell culture conditions that promote maintenance of multipotency during in vitro expansion are a critical need to fully realize the therapeutic potential of MSCs. Here we show that by confining MSCs to small islands, we can restrict inappropriate lineage specification and enhance the expression of mesenchymal stem cell markers Stro-1 and Endoglin. Even when released from the islands and reseeded, cells previously cultured in patterns maintain higher expression of MSC markers compared to cells cultured on plastic, while maintaining their ability to differentiate into adipocytes and osteoblasts. Exposure of non-patterned cells to inhibitors of myosin and Rho-associated protein kinase (ROCK) leads to increased expression of stem cell markers. Our findings suggest that maintenance of MSC “stemness” requires a low state of actomyosin contractility. This work will prove useful in the development of culture conditions for the maintenance of multipotent MSCs in vitro and for the design of niche-mimetic biomaterials.
Cryptic peaks: invisible vertical structure in fluorescent particles revealed using a planar laser imaging fluorometer

Small-scale vertical structure in the distribution of phytoplankton could be fundamentally important for zooplankton foraging, trophic coupling, and carbon cycling in planktonic ecosystems. Here, we identify regions of structure in phytoplankton communities that would be undetected by fluorometers by comparing the vertical distribution of chlorophyll fluorescence to the concentration of fluorescent particles over submeter scales. Images acquired with a free-falling planar laser fluorescence imaging system were used to calculate vertical profiles of the concentrations and spatial distributions of fluorescent particles (e.g., eukaryotic phytoplankton, aggregates) and bulk fluorescence. We frequently observed peaks in the concentration of fluorescent particles with no coincident peak in bulk fluorescence: we define these features as cryptic peaks. These cryptic peaks can occur because the integrated fluorescence of the particles that are resolved by the imaging system is a small fraction of the total fluorescence; thus, a dramatic local change in the abundance of fluorescent particles can occur without significantly changing the bulk fluorescence. We also observed bulk fluorescence–only peaks: peaks in bulk fluorescence with no coincident peak in fluorescent particle concentration. These features suggest that peaks in bulk fluorescence or chlorophyll a do not necessarily indicate increases in the concentration of the fluorescent particles resolved by our system, again emphasizing the difference between these two measures of phytoplankton structure. Comparing the relative abundances of two size classes of the fluorescent particles in the images revealed that the size composition of the fluorescent particles also varied over small scales. Phytoplankton less than , 500 mm in length numerically dominated the composition of most (65%) of the cryptic peaks we observed. By comparing vertical profiles of fluorescent particle concentration from two drops separated by less than an hour, we hypothesize that the peaks formed through vertical shearing of existing patches. Cryptic peaks contained almost 20% of the total number of fluorescent particles counted in all drops during our study and thus could represent disproportionately intense regions for important ecological processes relative to the rest of the water column.
Residents' knowledge of standard drink equivalents: Implications for screening and brief intervention for at-risk alcohol use

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: Screening and brief intervention for reducing alcohol consumption has been demonstrated to be effective in various medical settings. The NIAAA has recommended that physicians screen all patients for at-risk and problem drinking. Often, screening is based on the concept of a "standard drink." METHODS: We administered a survey to residents (N = 270) in order to assess their knowledge of standard drink equivalents and quantities of alcohol in various sizes of bottles. RESULTS: Although 89% of the responders stated that they had previously learned about screening for at-risk alcohol use, the majority did not know basic facts about standard drink equivalents. DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSIONS: Many trainees are not familiar with typical standard drink equivalents. This can have a significant impact on the screening of patients for problem drinking using screening tools that rely on standard drink equivalents. (Am J Addict 2013;XX:1-3). Language: en
An asymptotic result for large capacity circuit-switched networks

We investigate the blocking probabilities in circuit-switched networks. It is known that when the capacity of links and the offered traffic are increased together, asymptotically the blocking probabilities are given as if the links are blocked independently. We show that in the limit, the probability that the capacity constraint is violated on any link is given by the blocking probability of the most congested link. >
Can Ethnographic Narrative Be a Neighborly Act

Ethnographic narrative, because it presents reality in rhetorically compelling accounts of people and events, causes and consequences, has the potential for being a representation offered for interpretation to the people studied for the sake of entering dialogue with them about ways of gaining greater freedom in concrete circumstances. The author proposes neighborliness, a concept taken from the practice of teachers and pastoral workers in the liberation movements of Latin America, as a way ethnographers can assist teachers and researchers at all levels of the educational system to free their energies from a segregated and hierarchical system in order to discover possibilities for greater autonomy and participation in civic and other communities. The article suggests that university professors engaging in ethnographic narrative as a neighborly act for the sake of teachers in schools could affect the segregated and hierarchical structure of education and begin a process in which teachers “lower” on the educational hierarchy could perform neighborly acts for university professors confined by the tenure system.
Range expansion of the hobo spider, Tegenaria agrestis, in the northwestern United States (Araneae, Agelenidae)

Abstract The hobo spider, Tegenaria agrestis (Walckenaer 1802), was accidentally introduced into the United States probably in Seattle, Washington during the early 1900's and gradually spread through Washington, Oregon, Idaho and into southern British Columbia during the 20th Century. Concurrent with the expansion in range, there have been reports of necrosis in humans allegedly caused by bites from Loxosceles reclusa Gertsch & Mulaik 1940 (which does not occur in the Pacific Northwestern U.S or Canada) or T. agrestis. The geographic range of T. agrestis now extends into Montana, Utah, Nevada and most recently, central and southwestern Wyoming.
PATENT ASSERTION ENTITIES AND ANTITRUST: A COMPETITION CURE FOR A LITIGATION DISEASE?

PAEs have been much in the news because of certain practices that imply their demand for royalties is nothing more than extortion based upon the nuisance value of a lawsuit the PAE might bring, or explicitly threatens to bring, if no agreement is reached with the party practicing the patent. The PAE phenomenon has prompted suggestions that the antitrust laws be applied to limit the effect that PAEs have upon innovation by the companies most affected, typically those in the high-tech sector.We conclude there is no evidence at this point that PAEs create a new or unique antitrust problem, that their business model warrants more or less scrutiny than others as a matter of antitrust analysis, or that competition enforcement agencies would be coming to the aid of consumers by devising creative extensions of or departures from the standard antitrust framework in order to address PAEs’ conduct and business arrangements. If and when PAEs present legitimate antitrust problems by acquiring or otherwise creating market power to anticompetitive ends, which is certainly possible, the standard antitrust framework is fully capable of reaching that conduct and providing adequate remedies.This is not to say some activities of PAEs are not problematic or do not call for law reform insofar as PAEs are exploiting aspects of the litigation system to extract settlements based not upon the merits of their claims but rather upon the cost of defending against them. The rise of PAEs, however, does not mark the first time lawyers have found a way to profit from bringing or threatening to bring cases purely for their settlement value. Indeed, this has been a recurring problem, though it has arisen in a variety of otherwise unrelated types of litigation.Therefore, we suggest caution before changing substantive antitrust standards or enforcement policies to reach PAEs rather than proceeding upon the reasonable premise that the inefficiencies associated with PAEs are the result of a litigation problem.
Monolithically integrated 16-channel 1.55 [micro sign]m pin/HBT photoreceiver array with 11.5 GHz bandwidth

A 16-channel InP-based (/spl lambda/=1.55 /spl mu/m) monolithically integrated photoreceiver array is realised with an average channel bandwidth of 11.5 GHz and adjacent channel crosstalk of <-35 dB with both dual bias design and the incorporation of metal shields.
Grid impacts due to increased penetration of newer harmonic sources

Power electronics in residential and commercial loads are a key source of distribution system harmonics, and the proportion of power electronics-based loads is projected for sustained growth in the future. A harmonic evaluation module that has been developed by EPRI (Electric Power Research Institute) is an effective tool for estimating the harmonic impacts on distribution systems of increased penetration of newer harmonic sources. This paper focuses on the detailed harmonic analysis that has been conducted on three actual circuit models. The research has involved simulating the system response to the harmonic load mix that is projected to be on the distribution systems in 10 to 20 years. The overall harmonic levels can be expected to rise in future in most of the circuits with varying degree, while the incremental harmonic impact will be more pronounced at locations towards end of the circuits in comparison to the circuit head.
Teaching about family violence when the trainee is also a survivor.

Editor’s Note: Submissions to this column may be in the form of papers, essays, poetry, or other similar formats. Editorial assistance will be provided to develop early concepts or drafts. If you have a potential submission or idea, or if you would like reactions to a document in progress, contact the series editor directly: William D. Grant, EdD, SUNY Health Sciences Center, Department of Family Medicine, 475 Irving Avenue, Suite 200, Syracuse, NY 13210. 315-464-6997. Fax: 315-464-6982. E-mail: grantw@hscsyr.edu.
Functional CFTR in endosomal compartment of CFTR-expressing fibroblasts and T84 cells.

It was proposed that the cystic fibrosis transmembrane conductance regulator (CFTR) functions in the endosomal compartment as a adenosine 3',5'-cyclic monophosphate (cAMP)-regulated Cl channel that...
Differential Diagnosis of Microcytic Anemias

Anemias are classified on the basis of size of the RBCs. In this scheme, the microcytic anemias are defined as those in which the mean cell volume is <80fL. This review describes the common types–iron deficiency anemia, thalassemia, anemia of chronic inflammation, and sideroblastic anemia–as well as the clinical and laboratory findings in each. Diagnosis depends on the CBC, cell morphology (as observed on the peripheral blood smear), and, in rare cases, the bone marrow findings. Levels of iron, total iron binding capacity, free erythrocyte protoporphyrin, and ferritin in serum, as well as electrophoretic separation of hemoglobins may also be included.
Switching between concerted and stepwise mechanisms for dyotropic rearrangements of β-lactones leading to spirocyclic, bridged γ-butyrolactones.

Quantum chemical computations (B3LYP/6-31+G(d,p)) were applied to examine the mechanisms of dyotropic rearrangements of spirolactones in order to assess whether these reactions are concerted. Mechanistic experiments, designed on the basis of the results of these calculations, support the conclusions derived from theory. In particular, Zn(II) salts or Bronsted acids induce stepwise dyotropic processes, whereas dyotropic rearrangements mediated by silyltriflates are concerted processes. Additional products isolated with Zn(II) salts support a stepwise process with a carbocationic intermediate. Furthermore, a facile Grob-type fragmentation emanating from both a tricyclic-β-lactone and a spiro-γ-lactone was identified.
Twins in YBa2Cu3O7-δ

High-resolution TEM images of well-characterized YBa 2 Cu 3 O 7-δ prove that atomic disorder in the {110} twin boundaries is confined to within 20 A of the boundaries, and suggest that there is disorder within those regions.
Isolation of trivittatus virus from larvae and adults reared from field-collected larvae of Aedes trivittatus (Diptera: Culicidae).

Trivittatus virus (California group) was isolated from larvae and adult mosquitoes reared from field-collected larvae of Aedes trivittatus . Larvae collected in the spring were individuals that had overwintered in the egg stage. The isolation of trivittatus virus from 1st-brood larvae indicates that this virus overwinters in the eggs of Ae. trivittatus . The isolation of virus from 1st-brood adults demonstrates transstadial transmission as well. Trivittatus virus was isolated from 3 of 59 pools of larvae and from 4 of 36 pools of adult Ae. trivittatus reared from larvae. Two of 3 larval habitats examined contained larvae infected with this virus.
The Nature of Native Defects in LEC grown Semi-Insulating GaAs by Thermally Stimulated Current Spectroscopy

Traps have been studied by thermally stimulated current spectroscopy (TSC) with intrinsic (1.96 eV) and extrinsic (1.15 eV) light for both In doped and undoped LEC materials grown under various non-stoichiometric conditions. Significant differences are seen in the bulk trap spectra associated with Ga-rich and As-rich material and with isoelectronic In doping. Proximity wafer-annealing at 950° C has been shown to improve minority carrier lifetime in n-type GaAs and we show that in semi-insulating GaAs this causes changes in trap structure. From such thermal studies and the effects of non-stoichiometric growth, the probable nature of the traps commonly seen is inferred.
Generalised Rank Regression Estimator with Standard Error Adjusted Lasso

Summary One of the standard variable selection procedures in multiple linear regression is to use a penalisation technique in least-squares (LS) analysis. In this setting, many different types of penalties have been introduced to achieve variable selection. It is well known that LS analysis is sensitive to outliers, and consequently outliers can present serious problems for the classical variable selection procedures. Since rank-based procedures have desirable robustness properties compared to LS procedures, we propose a rank-based adaptive lasso-type penalised regression estimator and a corresponding variable selection procedure for linear regression models. The proposed estimator and variable selection procedure are robust against outliers in both response and predictor space. Furthermore, since rank regression can yield unstable estimators in the presence of multicollinearity, in order to provide inference that is robust against multicollinearity, we adjust the penalty term in the adaptive lasso function by incorporating the standard errors of the rank estimator. The theoretical properties of the proposed procedures are established and their performances are investigated by means of simulations. Finally, the estimator and variable selection procedure are applied to the Plasma Beta-Carotene Level data set.
What Does Dabiq Do? ISIS Hermeneutics and Organizational Fractures within Dabiq Magazine

ABSTRACTThe Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS)'s flagship English-language magazine, Dabiq, is a puzzle. The magazine is not, despite appearances, primarily designed for direct recruiting efforts or inciting violence against the West. In fact, the primary audiences of Dabiq are English-speaking second generation Muslims or converts, Western policymakers, and a third group of current or would-be members of ISIS who are not integrating with the organization itself. The third audience—those members who are failing to function within the organization—is strange to include in an English-language magazine. Why publish organizational weaknesses, in English? One possibility for this puzzle is that the fundamentalist hermeneutics of ISIS is reflected in their own media efforts. One of the assumptions that ISIS holds about their sacred texts is that each text carries a single meaning that reflects the author's original intent. There might be multiple applications of that intent, but each text can only have one ...
Computer simulations of the effects of different synaptic input systems on the steady-state input-output structure of the motoneuron pool

1. The effects of different types of synaptic input on the steady-state input-output relations of the mammalian motoneuron pool were investigated by the use of computer simulations. The properties ...
Spatial and Temporal Variability in Tidal Range: Evidence, Causes, and Effects

Tidal range is one factor in determining the vertical location of local mean sea level, and it is also a contributor to total water levels and coastal flooding. It is therefore important to understand both the spatial distribution of tidal range and the temporal variation in tidal range, over a wide range of scales. Knowledge of historic tidal range is obtained both through observations and through modeling. This paper reviews numerous observational and modeling studies of historic tidal range variations on decadal to millennial timescales. It also discusses many of the physical processes that are responsible for these variations. Finally, this paper concludes with discussion of several modeling studies that seek to constrain future changes in tidal range in coastal environments.
Brief Tutorial on Raspberry Pi Essentials

In this chapter, I make sure you know the essentials of using and configuring a Raspberry Pi computer. We’ll begin with startup, shutdown, and restart; move along to other actions you can take from the login screen; and then meet the desktop and its components. From there, we’ll look at how to configure your pointing device, keyboard, and network connection; work with the wide-ranging Raspberry Pi Configuration tool; and then examine how to configure and navigate the desktop. Toward the end of the chapter, I’ll show you how to explore the file system using the File Manager app and how to configure File Manager to suit the way you prefer to work.
Epigenetic regulation of redox signaling in diabetic retinopathy: Role of Nrf2

Diabetic retinopathy is a major vision threatening disease among working age adults, and increased oxidative stress is one of the prime causative factors in its pathogenesis. Increased reactive oxygen species (ROS) in the cytosol damage mitochondria, and due to compromised antioxidant signaling system and dysfunctional mitochondria with damaged mitochondrial DNA, ROS continue to pile up, accelerating capillary cell loss. In addition to other cellular and enzymatic defense systems, the retina is also equipped with the nuclear erythroid-2-p45-related factor-2 (Nrf2) antioxidant response element signaling pathway, which controls the expression of genes important in detoxification and elimination of ROS. However, in diabetes, its transcriptional activity is impaired, further exacerbating and exposing the retina to elevated stress. Diabetic milieu also alters epigenetic factors responsible for chromatin modifications and gene regulation, and kelch-like ECH-associated protein 1 (Keap1), important in regulating Nrf2-antioxidant signaling axis, is epigenetically modified, impeding nuclear translocation of Nrf2, and this inhibits the transcription of genes with Antioxidant Response Element. This review discusses antioxidant signaling, especially the role of Nrf2, in diabetic retinopathy, and possible involvement of epigenetic modifications in antioxidant signaling and Nrf2 transcriptional activity. Therapies targeting Nrf2 activation, including epigenetic modifications, have potentional to prevent mitochondrial damage and inhibit the development, and progression of this sight-threatening disease which most of the patients get after 20-25 years of diabetes.
Environmental and Health Vulnerabilities

Environmental degradation affects human health: the more polluted our world becomes, the more people will suffer and die. All aspects of vulnerability discussed in this book can be worsened in times of environmental crisis: states go to war over control of scarce resources like water; economic instability increases in times of famine and the drastic vicissitudes brought on by climate change; diseases spread and people starve due to deforestation and lack of food; violent political ideologies proliferate to ensure survival in a dystopian world. Health vulnerabilities exacerbated by environmental degradation affect entire populations regardless of wealth and destroys states’ abilities to develop. The author argues that states cannot be relied upon to protect the environment and places emphasis instead on the role of the private sector.
Cognitive radar: Waveform design for target detection

Cognitive radar is an emergent technique in modern radar system development. Cognitive radar achieves new levels of radar performance by leveraging mechanisms present in biological systems and incorporating them into the function and operation of the radar system. Here recent developments and future directions of cognitive radar are presented with a focus on the detection of radar targets. These studies require a deeper examination into both the nature of the operating environment and the characteristics of targets themselves. Additionally, sources of interference which serve to impact radar performance are examined under the framework of cognitive radar and promising interference mitigation techniques are reviewed.
Hemp Fiber for Furnishing Applications

The primary objective of the study was to compare and contrast the performance characteristics of 100% woven cotton and 100% woven hemp fabrics for furnishing applications. Results obtained showed no difference between cotton and hemp fabrics in terms of colorfastness to crocking; oily stain release; flammability; tearing strength; breaking strength and elongation. For colorfastness to light, the hemp fabrics in this study exhibited noticeable color change. With regard to colorfastness to water, hemp fabrics performed satisfactorily indicating that steam cleaning of hemp furnishing fabrics in this study is not a concern. For abrasion resistance, the performance of hemp fabrics was slightly less than the cotton fabrics in the study. In conclusion, based on test results and benchmark comparisons, this study indicates that hemp is a viable fiber for use in furnishing applications.
Finite-time stable trajectory tracking and pointing control for a class of underactuated vehicles in SE(3)

In this paper, an integrated guidance and control scheme for finite-time position and pointing direction tracking of a class of underactuated vehicles is presented. The underactuated vehicle is considered to be a rigid body with translational control applied only along a fixed body frame direction and rotational control that can be applied along all three body-fixed coordinate axes. The combined rotational and translational motion of the vehicle has six degrees of freedom and only four degrees of freedom actuated; thus the system as a whole is underactuated. This model is representative of a number of commonly used aerial vehicles including quadrotors, vertical take-off and landing (VTOL) aircraft, fixed-wing aerial vehicles and spacecraft. The guidance and control problem is formulated in the space of the special Euclidean group of rigid body motions, SE(3), using the framework of geometric mechanics. The proposed control ensures that the difference between the actual and the desired position trajectory is stabilized to zero in finite time. Additionally, through the proposed feedback control, the specified pointing vector in the body-fixed frame of the vehicle tracks the desired pointing direction in finite time. Almost global finite-time stability of the overall closed-loop system over the state space is shown analytically and illustrated through numerical simulations.
Note, Congress's Power to Define the Privileges & Immunities of Citizenship

Much scholarly and judicial attention has been dedicated to deciphering the Privileges or Immunities Clause of the Fourteenth Amendment, which states: “No State shall make or enforce any law which shall abridge the privileges or immunities of citizens of the United States.” Some scholars, echoing antebellum judicial opinions suggest “privileges or immunities” refer to so-called natural rights, such as property ownership. Others suggest “privileges or immunities” refer to protections granted by positive law, either by state law or by the Bill of Rights. Both groups criticize nineteenth-century judicial interpretations, such as the Slaughter-House Cases, for arriving at yet another suspect: benefits that require federal citizenship for their protection, such as the right to use navigable waters, travel, or seek protection overseas. Much less attention has been dedicated to determining the appropriate detective — is it even up to courts to determine what the “privileges or immunities of citizens” are in the first place? This Note suggests that in the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries, privileges and immunities were widely understood as the products of legislation, to be defined by courts and legislatures. The Privileges or Immunities Clause was understood as empowering Congress, not just courts, to itemize particular rights as subject to federal protection. Just as the Civil Rights Act of 1866 enumerated attributes of citizenship and protected them from state discrimination, the 1866 Congress thought the Fourteenth Amendment would confirm its authority to articulate attributes of citizenship and prevent states from granting or withholding those privileges unequally — even if they were solidly within core state functions. Despite modern Supreme Court restrictions on Congress’s power to enforce the Fourteenth Amendment — most notably in City of Boerne v. Flores — a historically sensitive interpretation of the Privileges or Immunities Clause today would give Congress the power to define certain rights as privileges of federal citizenship that states cannot distribute unequally. Such privileges could include the right of same-sex couples to marry, the right of ex-felons to vote, or the right of children to receive an education.
Impact of Skip-a-Day and Every-Day Feeding Programs for Broiler Breeder Pullets on the Recovery of Salmonella and Campylobacter following challenge

ABSTRACT The impact of restrictive feeding programs on Salmonella and Campylobacter colonization and persistence after challenge was investigated for broiler breeder pullets housed in an experimental rearing facility. Pullet-chicks were placed on litter in 3 feeding program rooms and each room contained 2 replicate pens. The feeding programs were: (1) Skip-a-day in trough feeders (SAD); (2) Every-day in trough feeders (EDT); (3) Every-day on the pen litter (EDL). On d 1, an additional group of hatchmate chicks were housed in a separate room and gavaged with Salmonella Typhimurium, to later serve as seeder chicks. After seeders were confirmed Salmonella-positive at wk 4, at wk 5 seeders were placed into each feeding program pen to commingle with 135 penmates. At 7, 9, 11, 17, 18, and 20 wk the litter surface in each pen was sampled using intermittently stepped-on drag-swabs. At 8, 12, 16, and 20 wk of age the ceca were sampled from 10 penmates/pen and 2 pooled spleen samples/pen were collected. SAD litter remained Salmonella-positive through 20 wk of age while EDL and EDT pens had no detectible litter Salmonella recovery by 18 and 20 wk. EDL fed pens had no direct (
Modern Approaches to Exact Diagonalization and Selected Configuration Interaction with the Adaptive Sampling CI Method

Recent advances in selected configuration interaction methods have made them competitive with the most accurate techniques available and, hence, creating an increasingly powerful tool for solving quantum Hamiltonians. In this work, we build on recent advances from the adaptive sampling configuration interaction (ASCI) algorithm. We show that a useful paradigm for generating efficient selected CI/exact diagonalization algorithms is driven by fast sorting algorithms, much in the same way iterative diagonalization is based on the paradigm of matrix vector multiplication. We present several new algorithms for all parts of performing a selected CI, which includes new ASCI search, dynamic bit masking, fast orbital rotations, fast diagonal matrix elements, and residue arrays. The ASCI search algorithm can be used in several different modes, which includes an integral driven search and a coefficient driven search. The algorithms presented here are fast and scalable, and we find that because they are built on fast sorting algorithms they are more efficient than all other approaches we considered. After introducing these techniques, we present ASCI results applied to a large range of systems and basis sets to demonstrate the types of simulations that can be practically treated at the full-CI level with modern methods and hardware, presenting double- and triple-ζ benchmark data for the G1 data set. The largest of these calculations is Si2H6 which is a simulation of 34 electrons in 152 orbitals. We also present some preliminary results for fast deterministic perturbation theory simulations that use hash functions to maintain high efficiency for treating large basis sets.
Morality and the view from here

According to one influential conception of morality, being moral is a matter of acting from or in accordance with a moral point of view, a point of view which is arrived at by abstracting from a more natural, pre-ethical, personal point of view, and recognizing that each person's personal point of view has equal standing. The idea that, were it not for morality, rational persons would act from their respectively personal points of view is, however, simplistic and misleading. Because our nonmoral reasons cannot all be adequately captured as falling within any single, unified and coherent point of view, morality cannot be adequately understood as a matter of abstracting from such points of view and taking them all equally into account. After considering several ways of modifying the initial conception of morality in a way that accommodates the variety of nonmoral reasons that do not have their source in a personal point of view, the paper concludes with the suggestion that we free ourselves more thoroughly from the grip of the metaphor that takes morality as a whole to be a matter of acting in accordance with the judgments of a single unified and coherent point of view.
Cyclic Cellular Automata in Two Dimensions

Start by randomly populating each site of the two-dimensional integer lattice with any one of N types, labeled 0, 1,... ,N-1 (N ≥ 3). The type ζ(y) at site y can eat the type ζ(x) at neighboring site x (i.e., replace the type at x with ζ(y)) provided that ζ(y) — ζ(x) = 1 mod iV. We describe the dynamics of cyclic cellular automata (c.c.a.) ζt , discrete-time deterministic systems which follow the rule:
DD57: Über Konferenzpausen (Januar 2008)

„Ich darf Sie ganz herzlich zu unserer Konferenz begrusen. Es ist alles auf das Beste vorbereitet. Wir haben uns viel vorgenommen. Ein dichtgepacktes Programm erwartet uns. Wir haben jetzt leider durch das Kaffeetrinken am Anfang schon 15 Minuten Puffer eingebust. Wir sind etwas lax gewesen, weil wir ja wissen, wie wichtig die Pausen bei einer Tagung sind, besonders fur Sie als Konferenzteilnehmer. Sie wollen ja auch Netzwerke wahrend dieser Veranstaltung bilden. Das verstehen wir gut. Wir mussen jetzt aber wirklich mit der Konferenz beginnen.
Roots of the Law: The Origins of Legal Concepts, Institutions, and Language

This is the first part of a planned encyclopedic dictionary of the history of the language of law, as well as legal concepts and institutions. It contains entries beginning with the letter A, including abandon, abate, accomplice, accuse, acquit, admiralty, adultery, aiding and abetting, alimony, Anglo-Saxon law, animal, arraign, arson, assault, attorney, and many others.
Interactions of Piperonyl Butoxide with Cytochrome P450

Publisher Summary This chapter discusses interactions of piperonyl butoxide (PBO) with cytochrome P450. Cytochrome P450s occur both as constitutive and inducible enzymes, and a number of foreign compounds are known to induce specific P450 isozymes. P450 substrates serve as inducing agents, inducing the isozymes active in their metabolism. Because of the importance of the P450 enzymes in metabolism and significant health-related consequences associated with inducing or repressing specific P450 isozymes, there is considerable interest in studying P450 regulation, the activities of specific isozymes, and the chemicals involved in the interactions with P450. PBO is a substrate, an inhibitor, and an inducer of P450 in mammals and in insects. PBO could function as a P450 inducer and because of the relatively fast rate of P450 inhibition in comparison with P450 induction, the time course of effects in mammals is biphasic. PBO is not only an effective insecticide synergist because of its interaction with P450, but owing to the same interaction, it is also useful as a diagnostic tool in pesticide toxicology in the determination of whether or not P450-dependent mono-oxygenation is involved in the metabolism of a particular pesticide and whether or not P450 mono-oxygenation is involved in resistance when resistant populations are discovered.
To Dream an Impossible Dream: China’s Visions of Regional Order and the Implications for Japan

Unlike the historical East Asia, today’s East Asia has a different geopolitical landscape. The United States has maintained a strong military and diplomatic presence in the region. China is surrounded by several major powers or strong middle powers. China has demonstrated both the desire and potential capabilities to play a more active role in regional economic integration. China’s goals concerning regional security remain much more ambivalent. If China’s ultimate goal is to become a more influential co-leader in Asia, its aim might be compatible with those of other countries. If the “Chinese Dream” is to restore a Sino-centered order, it will remain an impossible dream. China and Japan are likely to remain both competitors and partners in the emerging order.
Induced pluripotent stem cell modeling of malignant hematopoiesis.

The ability to epigenetically reprogram differentiated somatic cells to pluripotency resulting in the discovery of induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs), has unlocked fundamental biologic insights into numerous genetic diseases. These insights have resulted from the key property of iPSCs to differentiate into all cell lineages in an unlimited manner while maintaining the genetic identity of the originating cell. iPSCs have been utilized to investigate both monogenic and complex genetic disorders spanning hereditary and acquired diseases. Recently, iPSCs have been utilized to model human cancer, with a specific focus on modeling conditions of malignant hematopoiesis. In addition to serving as a genetic disease model in cancer, iPSCs can also be used as a tool to address a key question in interrogating the interaction between the cancer epigenome–genome. Specifically, how does reprogramming the epigenome affect cancer phenotype and specifically malignant hematopoiesis? This review will address this question and highlight the state of the field in generating iPSCs from hematologic malignancies, key biologic insights that can be uniquely generated from cancer-derived iPSCs, and their clinical applications. Last, challenges to expanding the use of iPSC modeling in blood cancers will be discussed.
A Direct Method for Quantifying the Effects of Aging on the Bioavailability of Legacy Contaminants in Soil and Sediment

A majority of persistent organic pollutants (POPs) that we see today have in fact undergone extensive aging in the environment, as their use was discontinued several decades ago. While contaminant ...
Trending Towards Safer Breast Cancer Surgeries? Examining Acute Complication Rates from A 13-Year NSQIP Analysis.

As breast cancer surgery continues to evolve, this study highlights the acute complication rates and predisposing risks following partial mastectomy (PM), mastectomy(M), mastectomy with muscular flap reconstruction (M + MF), mastectomy with implant reconstruction (M + I), and oncoplastic surgery (OPS). Data was collected from the American College of Surgeons NSQIP database (2005–2017). Complication rate and trend analyses were performed along with an assessment of odds ratios for predisposing risk factors using adjusted linear regression. 226,899 patients met the inclusion criteria. Complication rates have steadily increased in all mastectomy groups (p < 0.05). Cumulative complication rates between surgical categories were significantly different in each complication cluster (all p < 0.0001). Overall complication rates were: PM: 2.25%, OPS: 3.2%, M: 6.56%, M + MF: 13.04% and M + I: 5.68%. The most common predictive risk factors were mastectomy, increasing operative time, ASA class, BMI, smoking, recent weight loss, history of CHF, COPD and bleeding disorders (all p < 0.001). Patients who were non-diabetic, younger (age < 60) and treated as an outpatient all had protective OR for an acute complication (p < 0.0001). This study provides data comparing nationwide acute complication rates following different breast cancer surgeries. These can be used to inform patients during surgical decision making.