cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Continuity and Change in the Extinction Dynamics of Late Quaternary Muskox (OVIBOS): Genetic and Radiometric Evidence

Abstract Although the tundra muskox (Ovibos moschatus) is not often included in discussions of late Quaternary megafaunal extinctions, ancient DNA (aDNA) evidence indicates that this species lost a considerable portion of its genetic diversity sometime after the Last Glacial Maximum but before the mid-Holocene. Ovibos originally arose in Asia and enjoyed a Holarctic distribution during the late Pleistocene. It was previously believed that the tundra muskox disappeared in Asia near the end of that epoch. However, new evidence establishes that Ovibos expressing modern haplotypes “reappeared” for a brief period along the Arctic periphery of northeastern Asia between 3700–2800 yrbp. Where Ovibos managed to survive during the early and middle Holocene is unknown; it may have been North America or Asia (or both). In this there are certain parallels to the extinction dynamics of the woolly mammoth, Mammuthus primigenius. Most populations of woolly mammoth (including all known mainland populations) had disappeare...
AMP deaminase in piglet cardiac myocytes: effect on nucleotide metabolism during ischemia.

The purpose of this study was to examine in situ regulation of AMP deaminase in newborn piglet cardiac myocytes and to determine its role in nucleotide metabolism during ischemia. When a rapid deen...
An Overview of the Relevance of Creative Engineering Design: Background

Creativity research in engineering began to blossom in the 1950s. The recommendations of Vannevar Bush, an electrical engineer from MIT, led to establishment of the National Science Foundation in 1950. At the same time, American Psychological Association (APA) President, J.P. Guilford, identified the need for creativity research.
Bubble Curtain Deflection Screen Diverts the Movement of both Asian and Common Carp

AbstractBubble curtains are a relatively simple type of behavioral deterrent that produces acoustic and hydrodynamic fields that could serve as a management tool to reduce movement of Asian carp species in many locations. In a proof-of-concept laboratory study, we tested whether two Asian carp species, the Silver Carp Hypopthalmichthys molitrix and the Bighead Carp H. nobilis, will avoid bubble curtains, and to the same extent as the Common Carp Cyprinus carpio, which has a similarly specialized hearing system. We explored the theory and application of a bubble curtain deflection screen using a split-passage experimental channel equipped with angled bubble curtains while mapping both pressure and particle motion (sound) fields. The bubble curtain reduced passage of all three species through the experimental channel by 73–80% while producing sound between 100 and 1000 Hz at 145 dB, well within the hearing range of all three carp. While Common Carp were diverted to an unblocked channel, the Asian carp speci...
The Legality of American Military Troops Engaging in Domestic Law Enforcement in the Event of a Major Terrorist Attack

This Note focuses on the debate surrounding the phrase “constitutional authority” found within the Posse Comitatus Act. Congressional action is unlikely in the immediate aftermath of a terrorist attack. It is much more likely that the Executive will be the only branch that can immediately respond. This Note will show that the PCA is not a recognition of executive emergency powers, but is an attempt at compromise that neither rules out nor authorizes executive emergency action. Therefore, the President's power occupies a gray area encompassing a vague claim to Article II emergency powers that may or may not exist. However,a series of congressional exceptions to the PCA clearly shows that Congress withheld from the President the authority to use themilitary domestically. This Note also addresses whether the PCA is still necessary and whether the nation would benefit from domestic military involvement in the aftermath of a major terrorist attack. Finally, this Note concludes by showing that although there are benefits to domestic military control in response to the hypothetical posited above, the President does not have the constitutional authority to order this response under the current PCA and it would be dangerous to give the Executive this authority.
Imaging Internal Erosion Using Cross-Hole Electrical Resistivity Tomography

Internal erosion is one of the main causes of earthen structure failure. The early signature of internal erosion is important in identifying a possible failure point. In this study, we test the feasibility of using electrical resistivity tomography to image internal erosion on a small laboratory scale. We also develop an electrode configuration that will efficiently image the lab sample while also minimizing the elapsed time between measurements. Results show that we can capture the size of the eroded volume in the static case.
Modal Analysis of Reduction Gear Based on Pro/E and ANSYS

To study the vibration characteristics of the reduction gear,and avoid the resonance in the actual mechanical operation,a three-dimensional solid model of a reduction gear is constructed by Pro/E software in this paper.And using the import function of ANSYS,the solid model is imported to ANSYS workspace to establish the finite element model.In virtue of dynamic modal analysis,the lower natural frequencies and the corresponding modes of vibration of the gear are obtained as a theoretical reference data to avoid these natural frequencies of inputting the external excitation and eliminate the resonance.Moreover,the maximum deformation in radial direction and von Mises stress nephogram can also give a reference to further optimization of the original design.
Relationship Research of Bolt Pre-stress and Supporting Effect of Roadway

Special experiment equipment was developed and some M-T experiments were made in laboratory in order to find the relationship between bolt pretension torsional moments and its axial pre-stresses.FLAC3D numerical model was established to simulate the pre-stresses distribution in surrounding rock and to find the relationship between bolt pre-stresses and roadway supporting effect.The analysis of monitoring results of experimental roadway showed the relationship.
Imaging the Polarized Sorting of Proteins from the Golgi Complex in Live Neurons

The study of polarized protein trafficking in live neurons is critical for understanding neuronal structure and function. Given the complex anatomy of neurons and the numerous trafficking pathways that are active in them, however, visualization of specific vesicle populations leaving the Golgi complex presents unique challenges. Indeed, several approaches used in non-polarized cells, and even in polarized epithelial cells, have been less successful in neurons. Here, we describe an adaptation of the recently developed Retention Using Selective Hooks (RUSH) system (Boncompain et al., Nat Methods 9:493-498, 2012), previously used in non-polarized cells, to analyze the polarized sorting of proteins from the Golgi complex to dendrites and axons in live neurons. The RUSH system involves the retention of a fluorescently tagged cargo protein fused to the streptavidin-binding peptide (SBP) in the endoplasmic reticulum (ER) through the expression of an ER-hook protein fused to streptavidin. Upon D-biotin addition, the cargo protein is released and its traffic to dendrites and axons can be analyzed in live neurons.
The Pierian Spring: A Survey of the Essential Material in Our Fields.

What ten works are regarded as most essential for beginning graduate students in each of the four broad areas of the communication arts and sciences—speech, drama, pathology‐audiology, and radio‐TV? This question was asked of all departments offering graduate degrees in these areas; the results of that survey are reported below.
4D subharmonic aided pressure estimation for monitoring neoadjuvant chemotherapy response of breast cancer

Neoadjuvant chemotherapy is standard of care for localized breast. The patient response to neoadjuvant chemotherapy correlates with survival and early response assessment is therefore beneficial. The purpose of this study was to determine if 4D subharmonic aided pressure estimation (SHAPE) can predict the response of breast cancer to neoadjuvant chemotherapy based on changes in interstitial fluid pressure and breast tumor vascularity. Seventeen patients scheduled for neoadjuvant therapy of a breast cancer underwent 4 ultrasound exams: prior to therapy, at 10%, 60%, and 100% completion of chemotherapy. Ultrasound exams were performed using a modified Logiq 9 scanner with a 4D10L probe (GE Healthcare, Milwaukee, WI, USA). Modified software enabled the collection of radiofrequency data from 4D pulse inversion subharmonic imaging (transmitting at 5.8 MHz and receiving at 2.9 MHz) before and during a continuous infusion of Definity (Lantheus Medical Imaging, N Billerica, MA, USA) at acoustic settings optimized for SHAPE. The ratios of maximum subharmonic magnitude acquired during infusion relative to unenhanced signals were calculated offline in the tumor and surrounding areas for all 4 exams. The difference between ratios in the tumor and the surrounding area were then compared to the final tumor treatment response. Four patients left the study and 2 patients' data were discarded. Patients' clinical outcomes consisted of 6 responders (tumor volume reduction > 90%) and 5 partial/non responders. The results from 10% completion of therapy showed the subharmonic signal increased more in the tumor than in the surrounding area for responders compared to partial/non responders (3.23 ± 1.41 dB vs. −0.88 ± 1.46 dB; p = 0.001). Moreover, 3 patients whose tumor size initially increased during therapy were correctly predicted by SHAPE to be responders. In conclusion, SHAPE has the potential to predict the neoadjuvant chemotherapy response of breast cancer as early as at 10% completion of the therapy; albeit based on a small sample size.
Interoceptive modulation of neuroendocrine, emotional, and hypophagic responses to stress

Periods of caloric deficit substantially attenuate many centrally mediated responses to acute stress, including neural drive to the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis, anxiety-like behavior, and stress-induced suppression of food intake (i.e., stress hypophagia). It is posited that this stress response plasticity supports food foraging and promotes intake during periods of negative energy balance, even in the face of other internal or external threats, thereby increasing the likelihood that energy stores are repleted. The mechanisms by which caloric deficit alters central stress responses, however, remain unclear. The caudal brainstem contains two distinct populations of stress-recruited neurons [i.e., noradrenergic neurons of the A2 cell group that co-express prolactin-releasing peptide (PrRP+ A2 neurons), and glucagon-like peptide 1 (GLP-1) neurons] that also are responsive to interoceptive feedback about feeding and metabolic status. A2/PrRP and GLP-1 neurons have been implicated anatomically and functionally in the central control of the HPA axis, anxiety-like behavior, and stress hypophagia. The current review summarizes a growing body of evidence that caloric deficits attenuate physiological and behavioral responses to acute stress as a consequence of reduced recruitment of PrRP+ A2 and hindbrain GLP-1 neurons, accompanied by reduced signaling to their brainstem, hypothalamic, and limbic forebrain targets.
Review of Rare Diseases Resources: National Organization for Rare Disorders (NORD) Rare Disease Database, NIH Genetic and Rare Diseases Information Center, and Orphanet

ABSTRACTThis column profiles three important online resources for rare disorder information. The National Organization for Rare Disorders (NORD) Rare Disease Database set the standard for thorough, detailed monographs on rare diseases starting in the 1990s. The NORD Database is complemented by the National Institutes of Health (NIH) Genetic and Rare Diseases Information Center online and the European resource, Orphanet, both of which provide much broader coverage, if less in depth than NORD’s. Reading level for all three information sources is high, and there are occasional issues with currency. However, consumer health librarians should find these organizations’ web-based databases to be reliable sources of information on health conditions that can be perplexing for both patient and health care providers alike.
Adaptive cooperative tracking control for a class of uncertain nonlinear multiagent systems

In this paper, we propose a new adaptive cooperative tracking control algorithm for a class of uncertain nonlinear multiagent systems with unknown control coefficients. It is assumed that there exist parametric uncertainties and unknown dynamics with the informed agent as well, and only a limited number of agents have the access to the state value of the informed agent. The proposed adaptive cooperative tracking control solves the problem of making all agents asymptotically track the desired trajectory specified by an informed agent based on the use of neural network parameterization of unknown dynamics of agents. The unknown bounds of neural network approximation errors are also estimated online. Using Lyapunov stability theorem, it is rigorously proved that asymptotically cooperative tracking can be achieved under the assumption that the sensing/communication topology among agents is undirected and connected. A simulation example is given to illustrate the effectiveness of the proposed control design.
Web Surveys by Smartphones and Tablets: Effects on Data Quality

Does completing a web survey on a smartphone or tablet computer reduce the quality of the data obtained compared to completing the survey on a laptop computer? This is an important question, since a growing proportion of web surveys are done on smartphones and tablets. Several earlier studies have attempted to gauge the effects of the switch from personal computers to mobile devices on data quality. We carried out a field experiment in eight counties around the United States that compared responses obtained by smartphones, tablets, and laptop computers. We examined a range of data quality measures including completion times, rates of missing data, straightlining, and the reliability and validity of scale responses. A unique feature of our study design is that it minimized selection effects; we provided the randomly determined device on which respondents completed the survey after they agreed to take part. As a result, respondents may have been using a device (e.g., a smartphone) for the first time. Howeve...
Understanding Calcite Wettability Alteration through Surface Potential Measurements and Molecular Simulations

Mineral wettability and wettability alteration are important factors that determine the distribution and mobility of oil during the recovery process. Because wettability is dependent on many factors (e.g., hydrocarbon composition, mineralogy, and pH), predicting mineral wettability is often difficult. The goal of this study is to look at changes that occur on the mineral itself, specifically changes in the surface structure and surface potential, using experimental methods complemented by quantum-mechanical calculations to better understand the molecular-level processes involved in wettability alteration. Nanoscale surface imaging is combined with Kelvin probe force microscopy (KPFM) to characterize changes in topography and surface potential for water-wet (hydrophilic) and oil-wet (hydrophobic) calcite surfaces, using the surfactant hexamethyldisilazane (NHSi2(CH3)6, HMDS) to render the calcite surface oil-wet. KPFM measurements show that HMDS adsorbs preferentially on step edges of the calcite surface a...
Interferometric Optical Gyroscope Based on an Integrated Si3N4 Low-Loss Waveguide Coil

We describe the measurement and characterization of an interferometric optical gyroscope that uses an integrated 3-m large-area silicon nitride waveguide coil with waveguide loss <0.78 dB/m that is compatible with wafer-scale integration. The angle random walk and bias instability were measured to be 8.52°/h1/2 and 58.7°/h, respectively. The measured performance is comparable to that of a commercial rate grade gyroscope, demonstrating that chip-scale integration is a feasible path to low cost, low power, compact implementation of optical gyroscope, and realization of longer coils will expand use of this technology to more demanding navigation applications.
MILE: A minimally interactive learning framework for visual data analysis

Recent progress in computer vision has shown that researchers are beginning to be more receptive to the idea of object tracking and scene understanding, specifically on large-scale surveillance video stream. Unfortunately, in order to train such systems, commonly adopted approach of full annotation of event of interest in all images and videos of a large dataset is an onerous and expensive task. Instead of relying on small supervised datasets for complex visual tasks, incremental learning strategy allows us to use large, inexpensive datasets in a computationally intelligent scheme. In this paper, we propose MILE, a minimally interactive learning framework to incrementally learn complex visual models for robust long-term tracking and high-level behavior analysis. The core idea of our incremental learning is that we constantly update the adaptive feature models of targets and background based on reliable detection and tracking results. We employ a Gaussian mixture method to dynamically model the background and detect all moving targets in the scene and apply a modified mixture particle filter to capture the multi-modality distribution in multiple targets tracking, which can not only improve detection accuracy but also help to solve targets occlusion and merging problems. As a proof of concept, a prototype implementation of MILE has been designed and validated on several challenging large scale surveillance visual data, yielding satisfactory performance of tracking in large scale video stream.
Rootkit detection through phase-space analysis of power voltage measurements

Rootkits are powerful and dangerous pieces of malware that use stealth and administrative privilege to maintain a persistent, covert foothold on a compromised system. These capabilities make them popular with a wide range of cyber attackers, including the instigators of advanced persistent threat (APT) attacks. With recent examples of APT attacks being used to disrupt critical infrastructure in Ukraine in 2015, the urgency to produce a robust detection framework for rootkits is increased. However, due to sophisticated active and passive defense techniques, rootkits are resistant to traditional detection and remediation techniques. An effective detector will sit outside of a rootkit's sphere of influence and use process-indicative data from a side channel that cannot be tampered with or spoofed. In this paper, we present preliminary results of experiments based on Oak Ridge National Laboratory's (ORNL) Beholder Project to detect rootkit execution out-of-band. We utilize power supply voltage measurements collected with a basic multimeter and current clamp, then extract time-serial system dynamics through the application of a novel nonlinear, phase-space algorithm. We examine variance of phase-space graph features between nominal and infected data, and then train our algorithm on threshold values to reach best possible prediction accuracy. Our results indicate that the algorithm can successfully detect a rootkit infection through power measurement analysis, at an accuracy rate that meets or exceeds the performance of other machine learning algorithms in a similar testing context.
Implementation of a new network equilibrium model of travel choices

Abstract This paper develops a new combined network equilibrium model by using more behaviorally sound mathematical forms to represent the four travel choices (i.e., trip frequency, destination, mode, and route) in a conventional travel demand forecasting process. Trip frequency choice relates to the traveler decision on “making a trip” or “not making a trip” so it is given by a binary logit model. Destination choice is formulated as a parameterized dogit model of which the captivity parameters (expressed as functions of independent variables) allow individual travelers to be captive to specific destinations. Mode choice is given by a two-level nested logit model to avoid IIA restriction. Trip assignment is based on Wardrop's “user-optimized” principle. All model forms describing travel choices are in response to the level of services incurred by the transportation system. Through the introduction of inclusive values, the traveler decisions concerning trip frequency, destination, mode, and route choices are inherently interrelated and jointly determined. To obtain solutions of the new combined model, it was reformulated as an equivalent convex programming problem with linear constraints, a great advantage from the computational aspects. The model was applied empirically to a transportation network in New Jersey. The application results show that the new model is consistently better than the commonly used logit combined model in reproducing the observed trip flows from origin zones, origin to destination (O-D) trip flows, O-D trip flows by mode, and trip flows on the network links.
Real-time human pose tracking from range data

Tracking human pose in real-time is a difficult problem with many interesting applications. Existing solutions suffer from a variety of problems, especially when confronted with unusual human poses. In this paper, we derive an algorithm for tracking human pose in real-time from depth sequences based on MAP inference in a probabilistic temporal model. The key idea is to extend the iterative closest points (ICP) objective by modeling the constraint that the observed subject cannot enter free space, the area of space in front of the true range measurements. Our primary contribution is an extension to the articulated ICP algorithm that can efficiently enforce this constraint. The resulting filter runs at 125 frames per second using a single desktop CPU core. We provide extensive experimental results on challenging real-world data, which show that the algorithm outperforms the previous state-of-the-art trackers both in computational efficiency and accuracy.
Adolescent sex offenders with mental retardation: Literature review and assessment considerations

Working with adolescent sex offenders can be a difficult challenge. When an offender also suffers from mental retardation, this challenge increases. Unfortunately, this has been a largely ignored population, and clinicians working with this group often find little empirical work to assist them. Yet, many theorists posit that addressing sexual offending behavior when the offender is an adolescent may help prevent that behavior from continuing into adulthood. This is important because adult sexual offenders are often very difficult to treat. The current paper begins by reviewing literature on social deficits of individuals who have mental retardation. These deficits may contribute to aberrant sexual behavior among adolescents. The focus of the paper is then a review of literature on adolescent sex offenders, including those with mental retardation. We conclude this review with suggestions for assessment of adolescent sex offenders and with recommendations for future directions.
Not all those who wander are lost: Spatial exploration patterns and their relationship to gender and spatial memory.

Abstract When humans and animals navigate through environments, they form spatial memories important for supporting subsequent recall of locations relative to their own position and orientation, as well as to other object locations in the environment. The goal of the current study was to examine whether individual differences in initial exploration of a large-scale novel environment relate to subsequent spatial memories. A majority of studies examining spatial memory formed in large-scale spaces have constrained encoding of the environment by leading participants on pre-determined paths, thereby limiting their free exploration. We allowed participants to freely explore a large-scale, virtual environment to locate a set of objects within. We then tested their ability to navigate back to those objects as well as their ability to point to them from one another. Based on previous work suggesting gender differences in navigation strategies and spatial anxiety, we predicted that males and females would show different patterns of initial exploration and that these exploration patterns would account for gender differences in measures of spatial memory. We found that females revisited previous locations more often and showed lower rates of spreading through an area. These measures of exploration partially accounted for gender differences in efficiency in navigation and pointing accuracy to remembered locations. The results demonstrate the importance of exploration in spatial memory and provide a new perspective on gender differences in spatial cognition.
Basic Concepts in Molecular Pathology

Human diseases that have a genetic basis, whether hereditary or acquired, arise from changes in the sequence or pattern of expression of genes. A gene, which is the unit of heredity, is a piece of DNA that encodes a protein or RNA. The position at which a given gene is found on a chromosome is known as its locus. Sequence variants of a gene are known as alleles, and the most common functional allele at a locus is known as the wild-type allele. Changes in the sequence of DNA are known as mutations. In genetic use, the term mutation does not necessarily mean that the effect of the change in sequence is deleterious to the organism. By definition, a sequence change that is present in at least 1% of the population is known as a polymorphism.
Is Formidability Associated with Political Conservatism

Physical formidability has played an important role in intra-sexual competition throughout human history, influencing social capital and, in turn, social cognition. However, the degree to which physical formidability is associated with social and political attitudes in contemporary environments remains poorly understood. The current studies tested the hypotheses that formidability is associated with more politically conservative attitudes and, more specifically, less support for financial egalitarianism and more approval of military intervention. Across three studies, comprised of both online and undergraduate samples (two pre-registered; total N > 900), we found some evidence that both self-reported formidability and grip strength were associated with higher levels of conservatism. However, this evidence was inconsistent across different measures and across samples, with relatively small effects for some conservatism measures and no effects for others. There also emerged sex differences, such that self-reported formidability was a better predictor of conservatism in women and objective grip strength was a better predictor of conservatism in men. Unlike previous research, we did not find consistent evidence of a relationship between formidability and either financial egalitarianism or military approval. Attempted experimental manipulations of formidability in studies 2 and 3 yielded inconsistent results.
Perceptions on construction-related factors that affect concrete quality, costs and production

Structured and unstructured factors affect concrete product. Structured factors are related to concrete production and unstructured factors are related to the construction process. This study focuses on examining the perceived importance of unstructured factors (i.e., construction-related factors) on concrete compressive strength, concrete costs and production rates on the jobsite and understanding the influence of construction experts’ characteristics, such as profession, on their perceptions. A comprehensive literature review was performed to identify unstructured factors. A survey was then designed and deployed to 297 experts from the construction industry and academia to examine the importance of the identified factors through the relative importance index (RII) method and to further identify additional unstructured factors. Likert aggregation and tests for equality of odds were used to compare and analyze responses of two groups of participants, namely architects and engineers. Curing humidity, crew experience and compaction method are the top three factors perceived to affect concrete compressive strength, whereas crew experience, mixing time and compaction method are the factors perceived to affect concrete costs and production rates the most. Crew experience, compaction method and mixing time dominate the global ranking of perceived affecting factors for concrete compressive strength, costs and production rates. Architects were found to be more likely to perceive high or very high impacts of these factors on concrete. The present study increases our understanding of construction-related factors to facilitate project management and preserve concrete characteristics.
Focal Adhesion Kinase Inhibition Contributes to Tumor Cell Survival and Motility in Neuroblastoma Patient-Derived Xenografts

Patient-derived xenografts (PDXs) provide an opportunity to evaluate the effects of therapies in an environment that more closely resembles the human condition than that seen with long-term passage cell lines. In the current studies, we investigated the effects of FAK inhibition on two neuroblastoma PDXs in vitro. Cells were treated with two small molecule inhibitors of FAK, PF-573,228 (PF) and 1,2,4,5-benzentetraamine tetrahydrochloride (Y15). Following FAK inhibition, cell survival and proliferation decreased significantly and cell cycle arrest was seen in both cell lines. Migration and invasion assays were used to determine the effect of FAK inhibition on cell motility, which decreased significantly in both cell lines in the presence of either inhibitor. Finally, tumor cell stemness following FAK inhibition was evaluated with extreme limiting dilution assays as well as with immunoblotting and quantitative real-time PCR for the expression of stem cell markers. FAK inhibition decreased formation of tumorspheres and resulted in a corresponding decrease in established stem cell markers. FAK inhibition decreased many characteristics of the malignant phenotype, including cancer stem cell like features in neuroblastoma PDXs, making FAK a candidate for further investigation as a potential target for neuroblastoma therapy.
Faith in the Research Process: Information Behavior at Claremont School of Theology

Faith significantly affects the educational experience in graduate studies of religion and theology. This study explored the roles of graduate theological students’ religious faith and degree progr...
Chapter 4 – Natural gas

This chapter deals with the composition and properties of natural gas. Concepts of the classification of natural gas as wet or dry gas and sour gas are developed. The properties of natural gas affecting its use as a fuel are discussed. The important issue of the relationship of molecular structure to volatility is introduced.
Reinforcement learning for building controls: The opportunities and challenges

Building controls are becoming more important and complicated due to the dynamic and stochastic energy demand, on-site intermittent energy supply, as well as energy storage, making it difficult for them to be optimized by conventional control techniques. Reinforcement Learning (RL), as an emerging control technique, has attracted growing research interest and demonstrated its potential to enhance building performance while addressing some limitations of other advanced control techniques, such as model predictive control. This study conducted a comprehensive review of existing studies that applied RL for building controls. It provided a detailed breakdown of the existing RL studies that use a specific variation of each major component of the Reinforcement Learning: algorithm, state, action, reward, and environment. We found RL for building controls is still in the research stage with limited applications (11%) in real buildings. Three significant barriers prevent the adoption of RL controllers in actual building controls: (1) the training process is time consuming and data demanding, (2) the control security and robustness need to be enhanced, and (3) the generalization capabilities of RL controllers need to be improved using approaches such as transfer learning. Future research may focus on developing RL controllers that could be used in real buildings, addressing current RL challenges, such as accelerating training and enhancing control robustness, as well as developing an open-source testbed and dataset for performance benchmarking of RL controllers.
Molecular genetics of juvenile idiopathic arthritis and clinical significance

Juvenile idiopathic arthritis (JIA) is the most common disease in chronic rheumatic disorders, and also the major disability-causing disease in childhood.It is known that genetics may play a definite role in the pathogenesis of JIA.With the application of molecular genetics technology to JIA study, a panel of JIA-susceptible or -related genes have been revealed, among of which human leukocyte antigen loci demonstrate the highest risk correlation.JIA genetics also presents heterogenicity to some extent as with clinical heterogenicity, some of which have demonstrated certain clinical significance in evaluation of the outcome of JIA.However, more noteworthily, the current knowledge on JIA genetics may provide useful clue to future research of JIA.The review focuses on current progression and future issues in the study of JIA genetics, and thereby helps understand the pathogenesis of JIA and predict the clinical outcome. Key words: Juvenile idiopathic arthritis; Genetics; Susceptibility gene; Clinical outcome
The Role of Middle School Sports Involvement in Understanding High School Sexual Violence Perpetration.

A number of studies have examined the association between male involvement in sports and sexual violence (SV) perpetration, especially among college-age males. Less is known about the association b...
‘Don’t flip out!’: Flipping the research methods classroom to improve student performance

Technology is opening doors to new methods of instruction that can support the learning of different types of students; flipped learning is one such approach. Due to its structure and theoretical u...
Molecular basis for ligand modulation of the cannabinoid CB1 receptor.

The cannabinoid CB1 receptor is the most abundant G protein coupled receptor (GPCR) in the central nervous system, which mediates the functional response to endocannabinoids and Cannabis compounds. A variety of ligands for CB1 receptors have been developed as promising drug candidates for the treatment of neurological disorders. New high-resolution structures of CB1 receptor in different functional states have significantly improved our molecular understanding of CB1 ligand interactions, selectivity, receptor activation and allosteric modulation. These advances have paved the way for development of novel ligands for different therapeutic applications. In this review, we describe the structural determinants for modulation of CB1 receptors by different types of ligands, as well as the differences between CB1 and its homologous, the CB2 receptor.
Retrospective Comparison of Andexanet Alfa and 4-Factor Prothrombin Complex for Reversal of Factor Xa-Inhibitor Related Bleeding.

The aim of this retrospective study was to compare andexanet alfa and 4-factor prothrombin complex (4F-PCC) for reversal of factor Xa (FXa)-inhibitor bleeding. Patients that received andexanet alfa...
Application of Digital Computers to Bridge Design

Characteristics of computers and steps necessary to apply them to problems in bridge analysis and design; recent advances in coding technique and potentialities of computer in more refined analysis and optimization of design.
Applications in Numerical Variational Analysis

The classical implicit function theorem finds a wide range of applications in numerical analysis. For instance, it helps in deriving error estimates for approximations to differential equations and is often relied on in establishing the convergence of algorithms for solving nonlinear equations. Can the generalizations of the ;classical theory to which we have devoted so much of this book have comparable applications in the numerical treatment of nonclassical problems for generalized equations and beyond? In this chapter we provide positive answers in several directions.
Immunohistologic localization of gamma-1-macroglobulins, beta-2A-myeloma proteins, 6.6 S gamma-myeloma proteins and Bence Jones proteins.

The cellular localization of 6.6 S γ-globulins, β2A-globulins, γ1-macroglobulins and Bence Jones proteins was studied by immunohistochemical procedures in 21 patients with multiple myeloma or macroglobulinemia. Each type of protein was identified by specific immunofluorescence in a variety of morphologic forms of malignant cells. Some cells were typically plasmacytic, some were lymphoid cells and others were immature forms. It was clear that γ, β2A, γ1M, and Bence Jones proteins were not associated exclusively with a single morphologic form of malignant cell. The variety of immunofluorescent positive cells in each patient was more restricted, however, than in a group of patients with a specific protein abnormality. In patients with anomalous proteins, all or almost all of the malignant cells were found to contain the specific anomalous protein. The malignant cells contained either γ-myeloma protein, β2A-myeloma protein or γ1-macroglobulin in patients with these types of anomalous protein. Only one class of globulin was found in individual cells. In patients with Bence Jones proteins as the sole anomalous protein, all the malignant cells appeared to have Bence Jones protein. Where an anomalous serum globulin coexisted with Bence Jones proteins, indirect evidence indicated that the Bence Jones proteins and the larger globulin were formed in the same cells.
Mitochondrial dynamics in the type 2 diabetic heart (1159.6)

Type 2 Diabetes (T2D) mitochondrial effects include imbalanced dynamic events of fusion, fission, and autophagy. The flavanol epicatechin has been previously observed to provide cardioprotection in the setting of ischemia-reperfusion by reducing inflammation and ROS production. Our objectives are to observe the protective effects of epicatechin in the T2D setting via in vitro and in vivo models. In vitro, C2C12 myoblasts were cultured in glucolipotoxicity treatment (GLT) for 3 days in high glucose (~33 mM) and high fatty acids (0.6 mM) media, ± epicatechin. Our in vivo rat model included controls, sham ± epicatechin (1 mg/kg/day), and diabetes ± epicatechin (1 mg/kg/day). T2D was induced in vivo by high-energy diet (HED) of 20% lard and 10% glucose. Low dose streptozotocin (30 mg/kg) injection was given at four weeks to decrease insulin secretion, after which epicatechin treatment began with maintained HED. In vitro results thus far show GLT average cell counts of 7.54E+04, which show significant increase...
Real-time wavelet-integrated corrosion detection system for casing pipes

Corrosion occurs frequently at the interior or exterior of steel casing pipes used in underground gas storage or oil fields. It causes not only production loss but also environmental pollution. Hence, corrosion monitoring and early detection of corrosion pits and wall thinning on casing pipes are considerably important to the gas and petroleum industry. We introduce in this paper a new version of the direct current electromagnetic induction system which is capable of detecting small, isolated corrosion pits and holes on the casing wall. A sensor system based on the direct current electromagnetic induction instrument is coupled to an updated data acquisition system. Information represented by enormous data sensed by the downhole instruments is to be transmitted to the computer logging system on surface, and a wavelet data compression technique is incorporated. A complete internal/external circumferential survey of corrosion extent on casing pipes can be obtained. Unlike the conventional direct current induction instrument, this system provides all the measured flux leakage signals and eddy current signals, and hence a full signature logging response. It allows an accurate differentiation of the casing pipe hardware from corrosion, and much easier interpretation of corrosions on casing pipes. To achieve the real time mode during the logging operation, a VLSI integrated circuit realizing the wavelet transform has been designed. Simulations have been conducted, and the integrated circuit has been fabricated. The test results show that the design is advantageous and the circuit performance is satisfying.
Alcohol control policies and practices at professional sports stadiums

OBJECTIVE: Alcohol-related problems such as assaults and drinking-driving at or near professional sporting events are commonly reported in the media. An important strategy to reduce such problems may be the use of alcohol control policies at sports stadiums. The objective of this study was to examine alcohol control policies and practices at professional sports stadiums in the U.S. METHODS: We conducted a telephone survey of food/beverage managers from 66 of the 100 U.S professional sports stadiums that house a professional hockey, basketball, baseball, and/or American football team. The survey consisted of 18 items pertaining to policies regulating alcohol sales and consumption. RESULTS: Most managers indicated that their stadium had a range of alcohol control policies and practices. For example, all or nearly all reported their stadium allows no more than two alcoholic beverages per sale and their alcohol servers are required to check age identification of patrons who appear younger than age 30. In contrast, only about half prohibit servers younger than 21 years of age from selling alcohol both in seating areas and at concession booths, and approximately one-third designate sections of their stadiums as alcohol-free. CONCLUSIONS: Although we found that some alcohol control policies appear to be common across stadiums, others are uncommon, leaving room for potential areas of improvement in reducing or preventing alcohol-related problems at professional sporting events. The results provide an important starting point for identifying policies that can be evaluated to determine their effectiveness in reducing alcohol-related injuries and deaths at sporting events. Language: en
Reduction of CO2 to methanol using aluminum ester FLPs

Abstract Herein we report the synthesis of Al-based esters containing halogenated benzene rings. These Lewis acids were paired with phosphines to form frustrated Lewis pairs (FLPs) which could subsequently bind CO2. While these FLPs were not sufficiently water-stable to catalyze the reduction of CO2 to MeOH using NH3BH3 as the reductant, we examine the effect of varying Lewis acid strength. Frustrated Lewis pairs (FLPs) are combinations of Lewis acids and Lewis bases where the acid and base are either sterically or geometrically restricted from interacting as strongly as their electronic structures would allow. This effect leads to enhanced reactivity towards small molecules and, consequently, interest in their potential as metal-free catalysts [1] , [2] , [3] , [4] , [5] . To-date, the biggest success has been based around the ability of a myriad of systems to heterolytically cleave H2 and perform catalytic hydrogenations [2] , [3] .
Heat conduction within an elastic Earth

We use theoretical results derived in a previous paper (Lanzano, 1986) to numerically evaluate the temperature profile and radial deformation within a spherical, elastic Earth due to heat generated by the decay of radiogenic elements.
Nitrous oxide production in aerobic soils under varying pH, temperature and water content.

Abstract Laboratory studies were conducted to evaluate the effect of soil pH, temperature and water content on the rate of nitrification and on the amount of N 2 O evolved from samples of Plano silt loam soil. The rate of nitrification of added NH 4 + -N increased with increasing soil pH (4.7, 5.1 and 6.7), temperature (10, 20 and 30°C) and water content (0.1, 0.2 and 0.3 m 3 m −3 ). At soil water contents of 0.1 and 0.2 m 3 m −3 , corresponding to 18 and 36% water-filled pore space, respectively, N 2 O evolution was proportional to NO 3 − production. Approximately 0.1–0.2% of the nitrified N was evolved as N 2 O-N. At 0.3 m 3 m −3 water content (54% water-filled pore space) and 20 and 30°C, the ratio of N 2 O-N evolved to N nitrified was significantly higher (range of 0.3–1.1%). An additional experiment was conducted using diurnally fluctuating temperatures (10–30°C). The pattern of N 2 O evolution was markedly different when the system was sampled at 10 and 30°C than at 20°C. The apparent N 2 O emission rates were approximately equal for 12-h periods during which the temperature increased from 10 to 30°C or decreased from 30 to 10°C. In contrast, the apparent N 2 O emission rates were significantly lower for the 12-h period when the incubation flasks were sampled at 20°C following the daily minimum temperature compared to the 12-h period when the samplings were at 20°C following the daily maximum temperature. This provides additional evidence that temperature fluctuation in the surface soil is a factor in-observed diurnal variations in N 2 O emissions under field conditions. Our findings indicate that an interaction of three factors (soil pH, temperature and water content) affects the amount of N 2 O evolved during nitrification in soils. In relatively dry soils, estimated N 2 O production of ca . 0.1–0.3% of the N nitrified may be sufficiently accurate. Much higher N 2 O output can be expected following rainfall or irrigation. Diurnal variability in N 2 O fluxes from soils due to fluctuating temperature is an additional uncertainty in quantifying N 2 O production in field soils.
Michael Monahan and His Little Know Little Magazine

Smith makes the case for the importance of a literary magazine that Michael Monahan (1865-1933) published in the early part of the twentieth century.Â It had two titles, first "The Papyrus" and then "The Phoenix." The Library has most of the sporatic run. Its contributors included Guy de Maupassant, Lafcadio Hearn, and Benjamin de Casseres, Gorky and Andreyev, Heinrich Heine, the Syrian poet Ameen Rihani, AndrA© Gide, Theofile Gautier, Alphonse Daudet, Anatole France, Charles Baudelaire, Jack London, George Bernard Shaw, Swinburne, W. E. Henley, Galsworthy, A. E. Housman, and Richard Le Gallienne.
Wavelike Properties of the Alpha Rhythm

Apparent similarities between brain waves and physical waves are considered. The distribution of power in the alpha rhythm over frequency and spatial wavelength is measured in several subjects. This is accomplished by means of spatial-temporal Fourier analyses of scalp surface potentials using multichannel recordings from electrodes placed along the midline. It is found that the spectrum of midline alpha oscillations peaks for long wavelengths (?20 cm). A dispersion relation relating frequency to spatial wavelength apparently exists for frequencies near the peak alpha frequency. That is, in all 13 records, frequency components just above the peak alpha frequency have shorter midline wavelengths than low alpha frequency components. The relationship of these results to theoretical descriptions of the EEG and to other experiments is discussed.