cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Adaptive backstepping controller design of an inverted pendulum

An adaptive backstepping controller is designed to stabilize an inverted pendulum that is mounted on a moveable cart. The adaptive backstepping control synthesis technique results in the design of a controller for non-linear state differential equations with unknown parameters. The powerful adaptive backstepping technique provides a systematic iterative construction of a Lyapunov function and control law for this problem. The adaptive back-stepping technique is used to generate a control law for this system with measured states. The controller design is evaluated for performance, complexity of implementation, and the impact of the system non-linear characteristics on the system stability. The advantages and disadvantages of the control strategy are summarized.
Using Smart Boards and Manipulatives in the Elementary Science Classroom

This study summarizes the results of a survey administered to 48 elementary schools in the largest school district in a southeastern U.S. state, conducted by university faculty to evaluate the use of SMART Boards and handson experiences, the objectives of which were to identify preparedness of elementary classroom teachers in teaching elementary Science, in using SMART Boards and in using manipulatives for teaching in the elementary Science classroom, as well as to identify frequency with which elementary classroom teachers use SMART Boards and/or manipulatives and reasons for using or not using SMART Boards and/ or manipulatives in the elementary Science classroom. Results of the survey will be used to address areas of needed improvement among pre-service teachers, to identify areas in which early career teachers need additional training or information and how best to improve the quality and training of the Elementary Science component of the education degree.
Model selection for k-nearest neighbors regression using VC bounds

We discuss an analytic model selection for k-nearest neighbors regression method using VC generalization bounds. Whereas existing implementations of k-nn regression estimate the model complexity as n/k, where n is the number of samples, we propose a new model complexity estimate. The proposed new complexity index used as the VC-dimension in VC bounds yields a new analytic method for model selection. Empirical results for low dimensional and high dimensional data sets indicate that the proposed model selection approach provides accurate model selection that is consistently better than the previously used complexity measure. In fact, prediction accuracy of the proposed analytic method is similar to resampling (cross-validation) approach for optimal selection of k.
Testing the transpression hypothesis in the western part of the Cheyenne belt, Medicine Bow Mountains, southeastern Wyoming

A system of subvertical, northeast-striking shear zones collectively called the Cheyenne belt comprises the fundamental boundary between the Archean Wyoming province and the Paleoproterozoic Colorado province in the Medicine Bow Mountains of southeastern Wyoming. These shear zones are generally interpreted as a mid-crustal thrust system rotated to its present-day subvertical orientation during late-stage, orogen-scale folding. However, the map geometry, presence of large domains of S tectonites, and vertical mineral lineations closely match numerical simulations of transpressional shear zones. This transpression hypothesis is tested using two detailed case studies that integrate detailed geologic mapping, kinematic analyses of S and L-S tectonites, quartz crystallographic fabric analyses, and deformation mechanism analyses of shear zones in the western part of the Medicine Bow Mountains. These data point toward general shear deformation that accommodated two coeval deformation components: (1) southeast-side-up, dip-slip or southeast-side-up/dextral, oblique-slip motion and (2) foliation-normal shortening. According to the broadest definition, these are transpressional shear zones. However, the strike-slip component is small, and these data do not require any significant oblique plate motion during the formation of the Cheyenne belt shear zones. The lack of evidence for overprinting of initial southeast-side-up fabrics by horizontal shortening, the near parallelism of the subvertical shear zones throughout the upper and middle crust, and the presence of subvertical mafic dike swarms in Archean basement rocks immediately adjacent to the Cheyenne belt all indicate that the Cheyenne belt shear zones were not rotated into their present-day subvertical orientations during late-stage deformation. Instead, we interpret the shear zones as a ∼1,750-Ma steeply dipping stretching fault system between the penetratively deformed young, hot, rheologically weak rocks of the Colorado province and the old, cold, rheologically strong Archean rocks north of the belt.
Who Asks For Voter Identification? Explaining Poll-Worker Discretion

As street-level bureaucrats, poll workers bear the primary responsibility for implementing voter identification requirements. Voter identification requirements are not implemented equally across groups of voters, and poll workers exercise substantial discretion in how they apply election law. In states with minimal and varying identification requirements, poll workers appear to treat especially minority voters differently, requesting more stringent voter identification. We explain why poll workers are different from other street-level bureaucrats and how traditional mechanisms of control have little impact on limiting poll-worker discretion. We test why many poll workers appear not to follow the law using a post-election survey of New Mexico poll workers. We find little evidence that race, training, or partisanship matters. Instead, poll worker attitudes toward photo-identification policies and their educational attainment influences implementation of voter-identification laws.
Sufficiently Informative Excitation for Estimation of Linear Responses Due to Sparse Scattering

In this paper, we are concerned with the identification of linear systems' impulse responses modeled as deterministic multipath channels. In the class of channels we study, we consider the effect of delays, Doppler shifts, and different angles of arrival and departure for each signal path. We explore the efficacy of techniques based on sparse signal recovery, which typically define a basis constructed using a finite quantization grid over the parameter space, and approximate the impulse response as a sparse linear combination over such basis. Our goal is to provide guidelines on the design of pilot sequences that are sufficiently informative (SI), i.e., those inputs that guarantee identifiability of system impulse responses that fit in the sparse model. Inputs that are SI provide minimal requirements for uniquely identifying the system response. However, a smaller class of inputs leads to good mean squared estimation error in the presence of noise and modeling errors, due to the finite precision of the parameter space quantization. To single out the class of robust designs, we provide a new metric, called localized coherence, in lieu of the so called mutual coherence, as a measure for ranking SI designs in terms of robustness to noise and to modeling errors.
Modeling role-based access control using a relational database tool

Traditional access control schemes have certain inherent weaknesses. As a promising alternative to traditional access control schemes, role-based access control has received special attention for its unique flexibility. In this paper, we use a database tool called WinRDBI to study the behavior of a role-based access control model. A detailed discussion of the role-based access control behaviors and policies is then presented.
An Optimization Approach to Single-Source Localization Using Direction and Range Estimates

This paper presents novel single-source localization techniques for a sensor network that is capable of obtaining both direction and range estimates by considering an optimization approach. Specifically, linear programming and non-linear programming techniques are developed and compared to a classic linear least squares technique. It is shown that the proposed techniques achieve superior results to the least squares approach in most cases.
Larval hatching in the horseshoe crab, Limulus polyphemus: facilitation by environmental cues

Female horseshoe crabs, Limulus polyphemus (Linnaeus), lay their eggs in nests on sandy beaches near the high water line. Embryos develop within the sand, hatch into trilobite larvae, and enter the water column when the nest is inundated. Given the diversity of tidal and shoreline inundation patterns that populations of L. polyphemus experience throughout their range (semidiurnal and diurnal tides, microtidal, and nontidal), hatching may also be facilitated by environmental triggers that serve to synchronize hatching and larval emergence with periods of high water. The objective of this study was to determine if larval hatching in L. polyphemus is triggered or facilitated by environmental cues. Stage 21 embryos were subjected to one of seven different treatments that simulated conditions experienced during inundation: (1) hydration, (2) agitation, (3) hydration and agitation, (4) hydration and agitation with sand, (5) osmotic shock, (6) terrestrial hypoxia, and (7) aquatic hypoxia. Hatching rates increased significantly under all simulated tidal conditions compared to controls and were highest (96%) for eggs simultaneously exposed to both hydration and agitation with sand. Measurements of the osmolarity of the perivitelline fluid of developing eggs collected from the field indicated that it is hyperosmotic to the ambient seawater and porewater. Thus, when inundated, eggs also experience a hypoosmotic shock, which would likely facilitate hatching by causing the eggs to swell, rupturing the egg membrane and thereby increasing the likelihood that larvae would hatch and enter the water column during periods of high water.
Model for prediction of the elastic response of reinforced materials over wide ranges of concentration

Abstract : A model for the prediction of the elastic response of composite materials over wide ranges of concentration is presented. The method is based on the mathematical analogy between the motion of particles suspended in viscous media and the elastic deformation of solids. The system is locally described by linearized forms of the elastic moduli. The validity of these relations is then extended to all concentrations under the assumption that any new portion of filler 'sees' the existing composite as a non-interacting homogeneous matrix. The method predicts the behavior of composites with solid spherical inclusions and foams over wide ranges of concentration. The model, free from adjustable parameters, shows excellent agreement with existing experimental data. The extension of the method to other inclusion geometries is straightforward.
Prevention strategies in industrial hygiene: a critical literature review.

Little is known of the extent of use of industrial hygiene prevention and control strategies in actual workplaces. The recent occupational safety and health literature was identified as a potential source for identifying which strategies are being utilized and evaluated as a means of controlling or preventing chemical hazards. Using preestablished selection criteria, the peer-reviewed industrial hygiene literature 1994–1999 was searched for articles describing prevention and control strategies for chemical hazards in actual workplaces. Ninety-two articles were found and categorized by the type of strategy discussed, whether strategies were implemented and evaluated, and by several other categories. Almost three-quarters discussed engineering control strategies, mostly local exhaust ventilation. Administrative strategies, including housekeeping, personal hygiene, and medical surveillance, appeared in about half the articles. Personal protective equipment was considered in one-third of the articles, and pri...
Exercise training and clenbuterol reduce insulin resistance of obese Zucker rats

This study compared the effects of aerobic exercise training and chronic administration of the selective beta 2-adrenergic agonist clenbuterol on whole body and skeletal muscle insulin resistance i...
Woody overstorey effects on soil carbon and nitrogen pools in South African savanna

Woody plant encroachment in savannas may alter carbon (C) and nitrogen (N) pools over the longterm, which could have regional or global biogeochemical implications given the widespread encroachment observed in the vast savanna biome. Soil and litter %C and %N were surveyed across four soil types in two encroached, semiarid savanna landscapes in northern South Africa. Litter at sampling points with a woody component had a higher %N and lower C : N ratio than litter at solely herbaceous points. Severely encroached areas had lower C : N ratios throughout the soil profile than less encroached areas. Soil %C and %N were highly influenced by soil texture but were also influenced by the presence of a woody overstorey, which increased surface soil %C on three soil types but decreased it on the most heavily encroached soil type. Soil C sequestration may initially increase with bush encroachment but then decline if bush densities become so high as to inhibit understorey grass growth.
Automata-based symbolic scheduling for looping DFGs

This paper presents an exact technique for scheduling looping data-flow graphs that implicitly supports functional pipelining and loop winding. Automata-based symbolic modeling provides efficient representation of all causal executions of a given behavioral description subject to finite state bounds. Since a complete set of scheduling solutions is found, further incremental refinements, such as sequential interface protocol constraints, can be easily accommodated. Efficiency In the implementation Is maintained by careful formulation of the automata and by judicious exploration techniques. Results are presented for traditionally referenced benchmarks, several large synthetic benchmarks, and a practical industrial example.
Regulatory Properties of Acetokinase from Veillonella alcalescens

Acetokinase from Veillonella alcalescens catalyzes the virtually irreversible synthesis of adenosine triphosphate from acetyl phosphate and adenosine diphosphate. Kinetic analysis revealed that the enzyme was activated by acetyl phosphate and inhibited by adenosine triphosphate. Velocity curves obtained with increasing amounts of adenosine diphosphate were of the Michaelis-Menten type (rectangular hyperbolas) under all conditions employed. However, velocity curves generated by varying the level of acetyl phosphate were sigmoidal, suggesting homotropic interactions for this substrate. Alteration of the pH of the reaction mixture from 7.4 to 10 or addition of a substrate analogue, propionyl phosphate, resulted in the loss of cooperativity and changed the values of the Hill coefficient from 3 to 1. Data obtained in experiments with propionyl phosphate suggested the existence of separate effector sites on the enzyme. The inhibition curves for adenosine triphosphate were also sigmoidal with Hill coefficients ranging between 1 and 3, depending on the concentration of acetyl phosphate. Sedimentation studies with the partially purified enzyme indicated a polymeric structure with a maximum molecular weight of about 90,000 daltons; a subunit of approximately 29,000 daltons was also detected.
Retrospective Reports of Pregnancy Wantedness and Child Well-Being in the United States

Survey estimates indicate that about one half of all U.S. pregnancies that result in birth are reported as unwanted or mistimed. As a result, there is substantial interest in the association between pregnancy wantedness and infant and child well-being. The objective of this study is to expand our knowledge of the effects of pregnancy wantedness on several measures of child well-being using the National Maternal and Infant Health Survey-Longitudinal Follow-up data. The results indicate that pregnancies retrospectively classified as unwanted or mistimed are associated with overall worse measures of child well-being across all three out come measures that are employed. These associations are generally weakened, but not eliminated, with controls for a number of biologic and social risk factor control variables. Program interventions that alleviate some of the negative circumstances associated with unwanted and mistimed pregnancies may work to reduce the health and developmental disadvantages experienced by th...
Variation to Cause Host Injury Between Russian Wheat Aphid (Homoptera: Aphididae) Clones Virulent to Dn4 Wheat

Biotypes are infraspecific classifications based on biological rather than morphological characteristics. Cereal aphids are managed primarily by host plant resistance, and they often develop biotypes that injure or kill previously resistant plants. Although molecular genetic variation within aphid biotypes has been well documented, little is known about phenotypic variation, especially virulence or the biotype's ability to cause injury to cultivars with specific resistance genes. Five clones (single maternal lineages) of Russian wheat aphid, Diuraphis noxia (Kurdjumov) (Homoptera: Aphididae), determined to be injurious to wheat, Triticum aestivum L., with the Dn4 gene, were evaluated on resistant and susceptible wheat and barley, Hordeum vulgare L., for their ability to cause chlorosis, reduction in plant height, and reduction in shoot dry weight. Variation to cause injury on resistant 'Halt' wheat, susceptible 'Jagger' wheat, and resistant 'STARS-9301B' barley was found among the Dn4 virulent clones. One clone caused up to 30.0 and 59.5% more reduction in plant height and shoot dry weight, respectively, on resistant Halt than other clones. It also caused up to 29.9 and 55.5% more reduction in plant height and shoot dry weight, respectively, on susceptible Jagger wheat. Although STARS-9301B barley exhibited an equal resistant response to feeding by all five clones based on chlorosis, two clones caused approximately 20% more reduction in plant height and shoot dry weight than three other clones. The most injurious clones on wheat were not the most injurious clones on barley. This is the first report of variation to cause varying degrees of plant damage within an aphid biotype virulent to a single host resistance gene. A single aphid clone may not accurately represent the true virulent nature of a biotype population in the field.
Antitumor Activity of Cetuximab in Combination With Ixabepilone on Triple Negative Breast Cancer Stem Cells

Background Developing novel strategies against treatment-resistant triple negative breast cancer (TNBC) cells remains a significant challenge. The ErbB family, including epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR), plays key roles in metastasis, tumorigenesis, cell proliferation, and drug resistance. Recently, these characteristics have been linked to a small subpopulation of cells classified as cancer stem cells (CSC) which are believed to be responsible for tumor initiation and maintenance. Ixabepilone is a new generation microtubule-stabilizing agent, which has been expected to be more efficacious than conventional taxanes. Here we aim to investigate whether the EGFR monoclonal antibody Cetuximab, in combination with Ixabepilone, is more effective in eliminating CSC populations compared to chemotherapy alone in TNBC.
Establishment of a Reproducible Culture Technique for the Selective Growth of B-Cell Progenitors

We describe a culture system which permits growth of enriched populations of progenitor cells of the B-lymphocyte lineage. In this technique bone marrow cells are plated on the stromal line S17, which preferentially selects for growth of B-cell progenitors. After 3–4 weeks in culture the cells display size scatter profiles and morphological appearance characteristic of small to medium size lymphocytes. The majority of cells express the CD45R (B220) antigen, while a small percentage express cytoplasmic mu chain. Surface IgM, as well as stem cell, T-cell, and myeloid antigens are not expressed. Molecular analysis reveals germline configuration of the IgH chain locus and expression of genes associated with early stages of B-cell development. Progenitor cell populations can differentiate into mature B-cells after injection into CB.17 SCID mice. This culture technique represents a reproducible method to obtain enriched progenitor B-cells that can be used to identify genes and growth factors which regulate early B-cell development.
The Hinode /XRT Full-Sun Image Corrections and the Improved Synoptic Composite Image Archive

The XRT Synoptic Composite Image Archive (SCIA) is a storage and gallery of X-ray full-Sun images obtained through the synoptic program of the X-Ray Telescope (XRT) onboard the Hinode satellite. The archived images provide a quick history of solar activity through the daily and monthly layout pages and long-term data for morphological and quantitative studies of the X-ray corona. This article serves as an introduction to the SCIA, i.e., to the structure of the archive and specification of the data products included therein. We also describe a number of techniques used to improve the quality of the archived images: preparation of composite images to increase intensity dynamic range, removal of dark spots that are due to contaminants on the CCD, and correction of the visible stray light contamination that has been detected on the Ti-poly and C-poly filter images since May 2012.
COMMENTARY OVERGENERALIZATION EFFECTS IN PERCEIVING NONVERBAL BEHAVIOR: EVOLUTIONARY AND ECOLOGICAL ORIGINS

The three papers in this special issue provide novel applications of an evolutionary approach to nonverbal behavior. While each analysis of reactions to nonverbal cues has merit, it also is valuable to place these separate phenomena within a broader framework than can encompass them all. The ecological approach to social perception provides such a framework. It conceptualizes all of the reactions as overgeneralizations of responses that are adaptive in their original context, and it suggests proximal mechanisms that can predict ecological variations in these reactions.
JS Mill on Nineteenth Century Marriage and the Common Law

This article seeks to clarify the meaning of marriage for Millian liberals by examining marriage in the context of the nineteenth century common law. JS Mill argues that the family can become a school for free institutions. He identifies a ‘‘morality of justice’’ that must replace chivalry or submission as the normal mode of gendered relations. By using pamphlets, speeches, and legal commentaries, it is possible to explain the meaning of Mill’s ‘‘morality of justice,’’ and also to distinguish his liberal conception of marriage from its common law foundations and from sacramental approaches that define marital dissolubility and flexibility differently.
Changes in commonality scores as a function of task and time: Implications for PA learning

An assumption made in the use of associative strength as a variable in PA learning is that the norms from which it is taken reflect stable group characteristics. The present study tested this by comparing groups which had received PA training designed to change their responses to a WA test with a control group which had received no specific training. The results showed that all groups, regardless of condition, changed more than 50% of their associations and that all groups increased in commonality.
The Political Economy of Industrial Relations in Ghana

Since 1939, at least, a growing number of wage or salary workers in Ghana (the Gold Coast until 1957) have been organising themselves in trade unions in order to augment their collective capacity to acquire a larger share of the resources they create and to participate in decisions affecting the political economy. This attempt to alter the workers-union relationship with the private sector and the state — as the largest employer — has been marked by tension, conflict and coercion as well as some co-operation. Industrial relations often have the quality of an uneasy and armed truce, in which there is scant acceptance at the level of social belief in the changing laws, regulations, and institutional mechanisms which link labour, private employers, and the state. There have been five governments in Ghana since 1939: the colonial government until 1951 and in attenuated form until 1957; the Nkrumah regime, 1951–66; the military National Liberation Council (NLC*), 1966–69; the Progress Party government of Kofi Busia, 1969–72; and the military National Redemption Council (NRC) since 1972. It is not simply that the frequent changes in regime have forced new decisions and terms in the relationships of workers and unions to both the private sector employer and the state. The terms and mechanisms of these relations have changed frequently during these regimes, been altered politically and often coercively, and have not been stabilised in fact or in the beliefs of those involved.
Dynamics of non-archimedean Polish groups

A topological group G is Polish if its topology admits a compatible separable complete metric. Such a group is non-archimedean if it has a basis at the identity that consists of open subgroups. This class of Polish groups includes the profinite groups and (ℚ_p, +) but our main interest here will be on non-locally compact groups. In recent years there has been considerable activity in the study of the dynamics of Polish non-archimedean groups and this has led to interesting interactions between logic, finite combinatorics, group theory, topological dynamics, ergodic theory and representation theory. In this paper I will give a survey of some of the main directions in this area of research.
High Epstein-Barr Virus Load and Genomic Diversity Are Associated with Generation of gp350-Specific Neutralizing Antibodies following Acute Infectious Mononucleosis.

The Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) gp350 glycoprotein interacts with the cellular receptor to mediate viral entry and is thought to be the major target for neutralizing antibodies. To better understand the role of EBV-specific antibodies in the control of viral replication and the evolution of sequence diversity, we measured EBV gp350-specific antibody responses and sequenced the gp350 gene in samples obtained from individuals experiencing primary EBV infection (acute infectious mononucleosis [AIM]) and again 6 months later (during convalescence [CONV]). EBV gp350-specific IgG was detected in the sera of 17 (71%) of 24 individuals at the time of AIM and all 24 (100%) individuals during CONV; binding antibody titers increased from AIM through CONV, reaching levels equivalent to those in age-matched, chronically infected individuals. Antibody-dependent cell-mediated phagocytosis (ADCP) was rarely detected during AIM (4 of 24 individuals; 17%) but was commonly detected during CONV (19 of 24 individuals; 79%). The majority (83%) of samples taken during AIM neutralized infection of primary B cells; all samples obtained at 6 months postdiagnosis neutralized EBV infection of cultured and primary target cells. Deep sequencing revealed interpatient gp350 sequence variation but conservation of the CR2-binding site. The levels of gp350-specific neutralizing activity directly correlated with higher peripheral blood EBV DNA levels during AIM and a greater evolution of diversity in gp350 nucleotide sequences from AIM to CONV. In summary, we conclude that the viral load and EBV gp350 diversity during early infection are associated with the development of neutralizing antibody responses following AIM. Importance Antibodies against viral surface proteins can blunt the spread of viral infection by coating viral particles, mediating uptake by immune cells, or blocking interaction with host cell receptors, making them a desirable component of a sterilizing vaccine. The EBV surface protein gp350 is a major target for antibodies. We report the detection of EBV gp350-specific antibodies capable of neutralizing EBV infection in vitro The majority of gp350-directed vaccines focus on glycoproteins from lab-adapted strains, which may poorly reflect primary viral envelope diversity. We report some of the first primary gp350 sequences, noting that the gp350 host receptor binding site is remarkably stable across patients and time. However, changes in overall gene diversity were detectable during infection. Patients with higher peripheral blood viral loads in primary infection and greater changes in viral diversity generated more efficient antibodies. Our findings provide insight into the generation of functional antibodies, necessary for vaccine development.
Spur energy distributions in liquid water using a generalized oscillator strength from inelastic X-ray scattering measurements

Abstract The present paper utilizes the currently most accurate and complete generalized oscillator strength (GOS), determined experimentally using synchrotron X-rays, in constructing the spur energy distribution in liquid water. This replaces the earlier approximate evaluation using UV reflection and requiring long and uncertain extrapolation. Normalized distribution is provided as histograms of 5 eV bins up to 100 eV of energy loss for different incident electron energies. Certain other related quantities are also computed. These include the effective number of electrons receiving energy transfer, mean excitation potential and its effective value as a function of incident electron energy. This paper gives the results for first collision that is for the differential track, which is close to the integrated track result for high incident energy, as shown in some earlier calculations. On the whole, some earlier computations, but not all are approximately verified.
Causes Of Chronic Non-Infectious Diarrhoea In Infants Less Than 6 Months Of Age: Rarely Recognized Entities.

Background: Non-infectious causes of chronic diarrhoea are important and easily missed. The study was done with the objectives to identify different causes of chronic non-infectious diarrhoea in infants less than 6 months of age. Methods: All patients less than 6 months of age presenting for the first time to a Paediatric Gastroenterology tertiary care centre with a history of chronic diarrhoea and negative stool cultures, were enrolled over a period of 8 months. Demographical profile and various factors under observation were recorded in this observational study. Collected data was analysed using SPSS version 20. Chi square test was applied as a test of significance for any qualitative variable, p value ( p <0.05) was taken as significant. Results: Among 72 enrolled patients, female to male ratio was1.05:1. Age at onset of symptoms was between15 days to 06 months. Aetiology found was Cow’s milk protein allergy (CMPA) in 58 (80.6%), Primary intestinal lymphangiectasia (PIL) 6 (8.3%), Cystic fibrosis (CF) 3 (4.2%), Immunodeficiency (SCID) 2 (2.8%), 1 (1.4%) for each Abetalipoproteinemia (ABL), Glucose galactose malabsorption (GGM) and Congenital chloride diarrhoea (CCD). Conclusions: Among non-infectious causes of chronic diarrhoea in early infancy, cow’s milk protein allergy is most common followed by Primary intestinal lymphangiectasia and Cystic fibrosis. Keywords: Chronic Diarrhoea; Cow’s Milk Protein Allergy; Primary Intestinal Lymphangiectasia; Cystic Fibrosis; Immunodeficiency; Abetalipoproteinemia; Glucose Galactose Malabsorption; Congenital Chloride Diarrhoea
Women of The Wire

En aquest treball s’analitza la representacio de la dona en el popular programa de televisio The Wire ( El cable ). Discutim com, mentre que els escriptors intenten retratar la raca, el crim i la vida a les ciutats amb precisio sociologica, les caracteritzacions de la dona i de la violencia contra la dona no son especialment complexes o realistes. En particular, el delicte de violacio esta infrarepresentat. Encara que l’espectacle presenta diverses dones competents i amb exit professional, en general, el retrat de les dones de classe baixa difereix significativament del dels homes de classe baixa. Aixi, presenta els personatges femenins molt menys solidaris i fins i tot en demonitza uns quants. El programa sucumbeix, doncs, a les normes sexistes i patriarcals que caracteritzen gran part de les representacions de la dona en productes d’entreteniment popular. Alguns postulen que aquesta asimetria de la representacio de genere es el resultat de l’experiencia del carrer fonamentalment androcentrica dels escriptors del programa.
Comorbid Pain Syndromes in HIV-Associated Peripheral Neuropathy

Objective Peripheral neuropathy (PN) is a common complication of HIV. There is increasing awareness that some forms of PN, particularly small-fiber neuropathies, can be associated with chronic widespread pain syndromes. Given the high prevalence of both PN and chronic pain in HIV, we sought to determine whether patients with a diagnosis of HIV-PN were more likely to experience other chronic pain syndromes. Methods Data were obtained from the Clinical Data Warehouse maintained by our institution. All HIV-infected patients receiving standard of care antiretroviral therapy in our institution's primary care HIV clinic (N = 638) were included. Diagnoses of HIV-PN and other chronic pain disorders were established based on clinician-assigned ICD-9/10 codes. Results Sixty-eight patients (11%) had a diagnosis of HIV-PN. Patients with HIV-PN were more than twice as likely to have other chronic pain disorders (66% vs 32%, χ2 = 30.3, P < 0.001). Patients with HIV-PN were also older and more likely to have substance use and psychiatric disorders; however, the association of HIV-PN with other chronic pain disorders persisted after adjusting for relevant confounders (χ2(5) = 81.38, P < 0.001). Conclusions Patients with HIV-PN commonly experience other chronic pain disorders. Clinicians managing HIV-PN should seek a broad understanding of patients' pain experience as this may alter management strategies. Researchers studying HIV-PN should consider how the presence of other pain disorders might affect outcomes.
Atherectomy-Associated Complications in the Southern California Vascular Outcomes Improvement Collaborative.

Background Atherectomy has become an increasingly utilized modality for the endovascular treatment of peripheral arterial occlusive disease. The objective of this study was to determine the incidence and risk factors for atherectomy-associated complications. Methods A retrospective review was performed for all atherectomy procedures performed between January 2011 and December 2015 in the Southern California Vascular Outcomes Improvement Collaborative. Atherectomy was defined as laser, orbital, or excisional atherectomy. Complications were dissection, perforation, and distal embolization. Results Seven hundred twenty-nine atherectomy procedures were performed at 7 institutions by 27 practitioners. The mean age was 73 years with 415 (57%) males. Four hundred nineteen (57%) were diabetic, 673 (92%) hypertensive, 457 (63%) smokers, and 244 (34%) had coronary artery disease. Dissection occurred in 51 (7%) procedures, embolization in 23 (3.1%), and perforation in 12 (1.6%). The mean number of lesions treated per artery was the same at 1.6 in patients with any complication and no complication (P = 0.77). The total occluded length was 7.4 cm for complications versus 7.2 cm for no complication (P = 0.73). The total treated length was 12.9 cm for complications versus 11.3 cm for no complication (P = 0.03). The incidence of complications for Trans-Atlantic Inter-Society Consensus (TASC) C/D lesions were 13% compared to 10% for TASC A/B lesions (P = 0.05). The incidence of complications in superficial femoral/popliteal lesions was 12.9% vs. 10.4% in tibial lesions (P = 0.13). In multivariable analysis, treatment length was associated with a small increased risk of complication (odds ratio = 1.02, 95% confidence interval = 1.0–1.04). Conclusions Increased treatment length is associated with an increased risk of atherectomy-associated complications. Demographic factors and comorbidities were not predictors of complications.
COMPARATIVE OUTCOMES OF TRANSFEMORAL VERSUS TRANSAPICAL TAVI: A PROPENSITY-MATCHED ANALYSIS

There are few contemporary data on differences in in-hospital outcomes associated with transfemoral (TF) vs. transapical (TA) approach for transcatheter aortic valve implantation (TAVI). We used the National Inpatient Sample 2011 - 2014 to identify hospitalizations for isolated TAVR using ICD-9
Direct Primaries in Missouri

Missourians have been conservative in their political ideas, and have been slow to adopt innovations in their political institutions The first Constitution of 1820 incorporated those political ideas and institutions which had been tested by the older states, and excluded the new democratic doctrines of popular election and rotation in office, which were being agitated, and were just beginning to secure recognition in some of the states. The heads of the state administrative departments did not become elective until 1851, while the judiciary held during good behavior until 1849, and were not chosen by popular election until 1851. While the system of voting by ballot was introduced during the Territorial Period, it was abandoned in 1822 in favor of the viva voce system, which continued to be the general method until 1863, though the ballot system had been introduced in a number of counties by special acts beginning in 1845. Even to this day there is retained the provision for numbering a ballot to correspond with the number opposite the name of the voter in the poll book, so that it is impossible to have perfect secrecy of the ballot.
Methane Bubble Inclusions in Ice on High Latitude Lakes

Atmospheric concentrations of methane have nearly doubled in the last 200 years, and although concentrations are only a few ppm, a molecule of CH4 has a 20 times greater greenhouse effect than a molecule of C02. Methane gas is included within bubbles in the seasonal ice cover on shallow high latitude lakes, and as a result, the ice and underlying water become a significant repository for methane. During the brief period of ice melt in the spring, a large pulse of the methane trapped in the ice and water is released to the atmosphere. During the break-up of 1997, for example, this pulse amounted to 2 g CH4 m−2 during the 10 day period following ice-melt [Phelps et al., In press].
C-36: In-situ determination of the relaxation characteristics of sugar glasses embedded in microfiber substrates

Recently there has been considerable interest in developing anhydrous preservation strategies that enable storage of biologics without refrigeration. Anhydrous preservation strategies typically employ trehalose as a protectant, as it can provide specific molecular protection, while also forming a glassy matrix that suppresses adverse chemical reactions. Glass microfiber filter paper is a good substrate for drying biologics, providing an even distribution of samples and an enhanced surface area for drying, but the opaqueness prevents macroscopic observation of the sample and can introduce complexities that impede physical characterization. Because drying kinetics and processing conditions can impact the relaxation dynamics, which can influence the efficacy of the glass as a stabilizer, methods are needed that can enable an in-situ determination of relaxation phenomena of sugar glasses within such complex environments. In this study we present a method which provides verification of the absence of crystallinity following drying trehalose/water and sucrose/water mixtures on filter paper and also enables the determination of relaxation characteristics of amorphous sugar compositions embedded within these substrates. Using stainless steel material pockets to contain the sugar glass-embedded microfiber paper, the α-relaxation temperature, Tα, was determined as a function of the water content in the sugar samples using Dynamic Mechanical Analysis (DMA). Results were verified by comparison with previous calorimetric and spectroscopic studies. The data demonstrated the plasticizing effects of water, as Tα was shown to correlate with water content via a Gordon-Taylor equation. This plasticization effect was also mirrored in the increase in the magnitude of the change of storage and loss moduli. Our findings validate a new approach for determining the relaxation characteristics of microfiber embedded sugar glasses, and offer new insights into the relaxation characteristics of glasses prepared by microwave-assisted drying on filter papers.
Vegfaa instructs cardiac muscle hyperplasia in adult zebrafish

During heart development and regeneration, coronary vascularization is tightly coupled with cardiac growth. Although inhibiting vascularization causes defects in the innate regenerative response of zebrafish to heart injury, angiogenic signals are not known to be sufficient for triggering regeneration events. Here, by using a transgenic reporter strain, we found that regulatory sequences of the angiogenic factor vegfaa are active in epicardial cells of uninjured animals, as well as in epicardial and endocardial tissue adjacent to regenerating muscle upon injury. Additionally, we find that induced cardiac overexpression of vegfaa in zebrafish results in overt hyperplastic thickening of the myocardial wall, accompanied by indicators of angiogenesis, epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition, and cardiomyocyte regeneration programs. Unexpectedly, vegfaa overexpression in the context of cardiac injury enabled ectopic cardiomyogenesis but inhibited regeneration at the site of the injury. Our findings identify Vegfa as one of a select few known factors sufficient to activate adult cardiomyogenesis, while also illustrating how instructive factors for heart regeneration require spatiotemporal control for efficacy.
Rose geranium in sesame oil nasal spray: A potential treatment for nasal vestibulitis?

e22166Background: Nasal vestibulitis is an infrequently described side effect of cancer-directed therapy, with new observations suggesting that it is a relatively frequent problem. A rose geranium ...
Increasing the diagnostic yield of exome sequencing by copy number variant analysis

As whole exome sequencing (WES) becomes more widely used in the clinical realm, a wealth of unanalyzed information will be routinely generated. Using WES read depth data to predict copy number variation (CNV) could extend the diagnostic utility of this previously underutilized data by providing clinically important information such as previously unsuspected deletions or duplications. We evaluated ExomeDepth, a free R package, in addition to an aneuploidy prediction method, to detect CNVs in WES data. First, in a blinded pilot study, five out of five genomic alterations were correctly identified from clinical samples with previously defined chromosomal gains or losses, including submicroscopic deletions, duplications, and chromosomal trisomy. We then examined CNV calls among 53 patients participating in the NCGENES research study and undergoing WES, who had existing clinical chromosomal microarray (CMA) data that could be used for validation. For unique CNVs that overlap well with WES coverage regions, sensitivity was 89% for deletions and 65% for duplications. While specificity of the algorithm calls remains a concern, this is less of an issue at high threshold filtering levels. When applied to all 672 patients from the exome sequencing study, ExomeDepth identified eleven diagnostically relevant CNVs ranging in size from a two exon deletion to whole chromosome duplications, as well as numerous other CNVs with varying clinical significance. This opportunistic analysis of WES data yields an additional 1.6% of patients in this study with pathogenic or likely pathogenic CNVs that are clinically relevant to their phenotype as well as clinically relevant secondary findings. Finally, we demonstrate the potential value of copy number analysis in cases where a single heterozygous likely or known pathogenic single nucleotide alteration is identified in a gene associated with an autosomal recessive condition.
Layered Collaborative Visual Reflection: Sharing Lived Experiences and Making Meaning.

Dewey (1934) defined reflection as “the kind of thinking that consists in turning a subject over in the mind and giving it serious and consecutive consideration” (p. 3) and argued that reflective t...
The influence of exploratory versus exploitative acquisitions on innovation output in the biotechnology industry

Building on the observable trend toward increasing division of scientific labor in entrepreneurial ecosystems, we investigate the effects of different modes of implementation for external knowledge sourcing such as alliances and acquisitions. More specifically, by estimating a Poisson model based on 951 acquisitions by 209 companies from the biotechnology industry, the study analyzes two unique forms of external knowledge sourcing, namely alliances and acquisitions. In line with theoretical arguments, we find a saturating association of the exploration orientation of acquisitions with exploratory innovation output, while comprehensively controlling for prior exploratory and exploitative acquisitions and alliances, as well as other firm-level and acquisition-level determinants. We also find an inverted U-shaped association between the exploitation orientation of acquisitions and exploitative innovation output. These findings suggest that utilizing dissimilar knowledge sourced through acquisitions seems to have no inherent limitations; however, the inverted U-shaped relationship found for the exploitation orientation of acquisitions and exploitation innovation output indicates that utilizing similar knowledge has limitations and consequently an optimum level. We discuss the implications of this in the context of the knowledge spillover theory of entrepreneurship.
Electrospinning of biomimetic fibrous scaffolds for tissue engineering: a review

Fibrous microstructure has drawn extensive attention in tissue engineering due to its common presence in connective and muscle tissues. This paper reviews the latest advances in electrospinning as ...
Effect of fiber length on the tensile strength of unidirectionally arrayed chopped strands

This study investigates the effect of fiber length on the tensile strength for discontinuous fiber composites. A composite with a staggered structure of fiber bundles were prepared by stacking prep...
De novo deletion mutations at recombination hotspots in mouse germlines

Abstract Numerous DNA double-strand breaks (DSBs) arise genome-wide during meiosis to ensure recombination between homologous chromosomes, which is required for gamete formation1,2. The ATM kinase plays a central role in controlling both the number and position of DSBs3-5, but the consequences of deregulated DSB formation have not been explored. Here we discovered that an unanticipated type of DNA deletion arises at meiotic recombination hotspots in the absence of ATM. Deletions form via joining of ends from two closely-spaced DSBs at adjacent hotspots or within a single hotspot. Deletions are also detected in normal cells, albeit at much lower frequency, revealing that the meiotic genome has a hidden potential for deletion events. Remarkably, a subset of deletions contain insertions that likely originated from DNA fragments released from hotspots on other chromosomes. Moreover, although deletions form primarily within one chromosome, joining between homologous chromosomes is also observed. This predicts in turn gross chromosome rearrangements, with evidence of damage to multiple chromatids and aborted gap repair. Thus, multiple nearby meiotic DSBs are normally suppressed by ATM to protect genomic integrity. We expect the de novo germline mutations we observe to affect human health and genome evolution.
Ultrasound-Guided Portal Vein Access and Percutaneous Wire Placement in the Portal Vein Are Associated With Shorter Procedure Times and Lower Radiation Doses During TIPS Placement

Please see the Editorial Comment by Christopher Malone discussing this article. BACKGROUND. TIPS placement is an effective method for treating a number of complications of portal hypertension. Alth...
Correction: Cell lysis via acoustically oscillating sharp edges

Correction for ‘Cell lysis via acoustically oscillating sharp edges’ by Zeyu Wang et al., Lab Chip, 2019, 19, 4021–4032, DOI: 10.1039/C9LC00498J.