cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Ketosis (acetoacetate) can generate oxygen radicals and cause increased lipid peroxidation and growth inhibition in human endothelial cells

Elevated level of cellular lipid peroxidation can increase the incidence of vascular disease. The mechanism by which ketosis causes accelerated cellular damage and vascular disease in diabetes is not known. This study was undertaken to test the hypothesis that elevated levels of ketone bodies increase lipid peroxidation in endothelial cells. Human umbilical venous endothelial cells (HUVEC) were cultured for 24 h at 37 degrees C with ketone bodies (acetoacetate, beta-hydroxybutyrate). Acetoacetate, but not beta-hydroxybutyrate, caused an increase in lipid peroxidation and growth inhibition in cultured HUVEC. To determine whether ketone bodies generate oxygen radicals, studies using cell-free buffered solution were performed. They showed a significant superoxide dismutase (SOD) inhibitable reduction of cytochrome C by acetoacetate, but not by beta-hydroxybutyrate, suggesting the generation of superoxide anion radicals by acetoacetate. Additional studies show that Fe2+ potentiates oxygen radical generation by acetoacetate. Thus, elevated levels of ketone body acetoacetate can generate oxygen radicals and cause lipid peroxidation in endothelial cells, providing a possible mechanism for the increased incidence of vascular disease in diabetes.
Inactivation of tesA reduces cell-wall lipid production and increases drug susceptibility in mycobacteria

Phthiocerol dimycocerosates (PDIMs) and phenolic glycolipids (PGLs) are structurally related lipids noncovalently bound to the outer cell wall layer of Mycobacterium tuberculosis, Mycobacterium leprae, and several opportunistic mycobacterial human pathogens. PDIMs and PGLs are important effectors of virulence. Elucidation of the biosynthesis of these complex lipids will not only expand our understanding of mycobacterial cell wall biosynthesis, but it may also illuminate potential routes to novel therapeutics against mycobacterial infections. We report the construction of an in-frame deletion mutant of tesA (encoding a type II thioesterase) in the opportunistic human pathogen Mycobacterium marinum and the characterization of this mutant and its corresponding complemented strain control in terms of PDIM and PGL production. The growth and antibiotic susceptibility of these strains were also probed and compared with the parental wild-type strain. We show that deletion of tesA leads to a mutant that produces only traces of PDIMs and PGLs, has a slight growth yield increase and displays a substantial hypersusceptibility to several antibiotics. We also provide a robust model for the three-dimensional structure of M. marinum TesA (TesAmm) and demonstrate that a Ser-to-Ala substitution in the predicted catalytic Ser of TesAmm renders a mutant that recapitulates the phenotype of the tesA deletion mutant. Overall, our studies demonstrate a critical role for tesA in mycobacterial biology, advance our understanding of the biosynthesis of an important group of polyketide synthase-derived mycobacterial lipids, and suggest that drugs aimed at blocking PDIM and/or PGL production might synergize with antibiotic therapy in the control of mycobacterial infections.
Splicing Factor Prp8 Governs U4/U6 RNA Unwinding during Activation of the Spliceosome

Abstract The pre-mRNA 5′ splice site is recognized by the ACAGA box of U6 spliceosomal RNA prior to catalysis of splicing. We previously identified a mutant U4 spliceosomal RNA, U4-cs1, that masks the ACAGA box in the U4/U6 complex, thus conferring a cold-sensitive splicing phenotype in vivo. Here, we show that U4-cs1 blocks in vitro splicing in a temperature-dependent, reversible manner. Analysis of splicing complexes that accumulate at low temperature shows that U4-cs1 prevents U4/U6 unwinding, an essential step in spliceosome activation. A novel mutation in the evolutionarily conserved U5 snRNP protein Prp8 suppresses the U4-cs1 growth defect. We propose that wild-type Prp8 triggers unwinding of U4 and U6 RNAs only after structurally correct recognition of the 5′ splice site by the U6 ACAGA box and that the mutation ( prp8–201 ) relaxes control of unwinding.
Sending Sickness: Sorcery, Politics, and Changing Concepts of AIDS in Rural Haiti

In this article I trace the emergence of a collective representation of AIDS in a village in rural Haiti. I initiated investigation of local understandings of AIDS years before the advent of the illness to the community itself and continued documenting the subsequent elaboration of a fairly detailed and widely shared cultural model of the new disorder. Through following serial interviews with the same persons over a period of six years, one can discern the rate at which consensus was achieved, the events which led to it, and the significance of preexisting interpretive frameworks for current understandings of AIDS. This case contributes to the anthropological study of cultural meaning information and transformation.
Coercion in mandated community treatment: its relativity and effects

Background The weight of the evidence on mandated outpatient treatment indicates that it is effective in reducing victimization, violence, arrests, and hospitalization. Some of the empirical evidence points to increased compliance with treatment and reduced substance abuse as the mechanisms through which it works; but we do not know how the coercion felt under OPC operates to influence these two mechanisms.
Assortative Mating Drives Linkage Disequilibrium between Sperm and Egg Recognition Protein Loci in the Sea Urchin Strongylocentrotus purpuratus

Sperm and eggs have interacting proteins on their surfaces that influence their compatibility during fertilization. These proteins are often polymorphic within species, producing variation in gamete affinities. We first demonstrate the fitness consequences of various sperm bindin protein (Bindin) variants in the sea urchin Strongylocentrotus purpuratus, and assortative mating between males and females based on their sperm Bindin genotype. This empirical finding of assortative mating based on sperm Bindin genotype could arise by linkage disequilibrium (LD) between interacting sperm and egg recognition loci. We then examine sequence variation in eight exons of the sea urchin egg receptor for sperm Bindin (EBR1). We find little evidence of LD among the eight exons of EBR1, yet strong evidence for LD between sperm Bindin and EBR1 overall, and varying degrees of LD between sperm Bindin among the eight exons. We reject the alternate hypotheses of LD driven by shared evolutionary histories, population structure, or close physical linkage between these interacting loci on the genome. The most parsimonious explanation for this pattern of LD is that it represents selection driven by assortative mating based on interactions among these sperm and egg loci. These findings indicate the importance of ongoing sexual selection in the maintenance of protein polymorphisms and LD, and more generally highlight how LD can be used as an indication of current mate choice, as opposed to historic selection.
A clustering approach for identifying and quantifying irregularities in interconnection networks

Support for arbitrary topologies has become more popular for system-area networks but very little has been done in trying to characterize their behavior and performance. Traditional parameters like diameter and bisection width are not sufficient for characterizing the irregularities that abound in such networks and fail to give much insight into throughput performance. A clustering approach for partitioning a network into clusters of richly-connected regions is proposed as a means of defining two performance-correlated characterization metrics: intercluster bandwidth index and intercluster link-cost index. The two characterization metrics are shown to have a strong correlation to saturation throughput when link and load distribution of a network is imbalanced. Simulation results also show that the clustering algorithm can be applied to a variety of network configurations and traffic scenarios, particularly irregular ones. With the proposed characterization metrics that correlate more strongly with performance, it is possible to classify networks into categories having similar performance.
Calculations of Light-Absorption Driven Molecular Rotors

We investigated the behavior of large molecular systems containing dipolar molecular rotors and motors. The computations, performed on the HPC computers, use the Universal Force Field and Newton equations of motion implemented in our customized molecular dynamics program TINK, and commercial ab initio quantum chemical programs. The purpose of these calculations is to design new materials with controllable surface friction, materials with nonlinear response to electric fields, and other interesting properties for future devices. At last year?s conference we presented the principle of a fast unidirectional molecular rotor driven by absorption of light pulses. Now we outline results demonstrating the performance of an improved design of a synthetically accessible active motor molecule carrying a paddlewheel on a rotation axis. The structure has been optimized in a series of molecular dynamics simulations. It is designed in such a way that the absorption of a photon will cause the separation of charges, and their mutual attraction will then cause the rotor to make half a turn in the course of a few picoseconds. After about a dozen picoseconds after charge recombination the rotor completes a full turn. The structure has been designed in a way that favors unidirectional motion. The rates of charge separation and recombination can be controlled by a choice of donor and acceptor structures. With suitable choices, continuous irradiation or a train of light pulses would thus be expected to induce a fast unidirectional rotation of the rotor, which could be used to propel a thin layer of a fluid along a surface ("molecular pump") if the rotors were mounted in an organized array on a surface.
Design and conduct of a low-cost mammography screening project: experience of the American Cancer Society, Texas Division.

To improve compliance with recommendations for screening mammography, the American Cancer Society (ACS) Texas Division designed and conducted a media-promoted screening project in 1987. The project was planned during a 2-year period by a task force made up of physicians and lay members of ACS division committees. Radiology centers desiring to participate in the project were asked to submit information about the number of patients they could screen and their equipment, along with physics data, to a review committee. Of 306 facilities that responded, 266 (87%) passed the initial review. Thirteen facilities (4%) submitted images from two examinations using a dedicated mammography phantom, and 27 sites (9%) entered the project by agreeing to adhere to the project standards and guidelines without undergoing formal review. All facilities agreed to provide mammograms for $50 to women scheduling appointments during a 2-week media campaign in February 1987. The project generated 64,459 mammographic screening exami...
Newton’s Third Law and Universal Gravity

Newton’s great Principia is doubly tripartite. It is composed of three “books” and has three major goals: to set forth new foundations and methods of rational mechanics; to disclose a new natural philosophy; and to develop a new system of the world based on gravitational celestial dynamics. Attention shall be focussed here on the crucial step that enabled Newton to develop and to use the concept of universal gravity and to state its quantitative law. A plausible explanation shall be offered for Newton’s daring in proposing a universal force that could extend over hundreds of millions of miles of empty space, a kind of force that in its basic properties went squarely against the principles of the “received” mechanical philosophy.1
An inverse problem of a linear dynamic system with noise

In this paper, we consider an inverse problem for a linear time invariant dynamic system with noise. It is shown that after adjusting the system by shifting the eigenvalues of the system matrix, the disturbance of the system noise can be reduced and the input signal of certain types of the system can be recovered from the discrete observations of the system output.
Further Observations of New Sources in the AFCRL Survey

In this paper I will summarize at least some of the highlights of the follow-up observations that have been obtained for the new sources discovered in the AFCRL rocket infrared Sky Survey (Walker and Price, 1975). These observations are designed to determine the natures of the new AFCRL sources, in expectation that some of the sources in the Catalogue may represent new classes of astrophysical objects. To do this, observations covering virtually the entire gamut of available astronomical tools are being employed. I hope to show that the discovery of a number of truly remarkable objects in the AFCRL Survey amply justifies further efforts to explore it.
When Noble Aspirations Fail: Why We Need the Approximation Rule

—Critics of the American Law Institute’s proposed “approximation rule” often imply that its adoption would eliminate many current family court practices, such as mandatory mediation or parent education. This comment notes that, in fact, there is no connection between the approximation rule and these services. Understanding the approximation rule, and the need for it, requires us to look in an entirely different direction—namely, at the way in which the current “best interests of the child” standard makes custody courts deeply dependent on professional custody evaluators. This dependence is especially troubling because the scientific basis for custody evaluations is hotly contested, with noted psychologists describing it as weak or lacking. The approximation rule is an alternative to current law’s heavy reliance on flawed science.
Thermal control microsystem for protein characterization and sensing

Temperature plays an important role in protein characterization and sensing due to its strong effect on reaction rate. A thermal control microsystem for protein array sensing was developed and tested in a liquid environment. The on-chip microhotplates were implemented in standard CMOS without post-CMOS fabrication for thermal isolation. With only a 5V supply, up to 45°C can be achieved in liquid, which is well suited for protein-based interfaces. Results show that heating is contained sufficiently within each site to permit setting each array sites to a different temperature. Using feedback control, temperature can be held to within 0.7˚C of the set point, enabling precise control of on-chip protein interfaces during characterization or sensing.
Is all unstable angina the same? Insights from the Coronary Angioplasty Versus Excisional Atherectomy Trial (CAVEAT-I)

Abstract Background Certain characteristics of unstable angina have been associated with worse clinical outcomes after percutaneous revascularization procedures. Methods And Results We compared outcomes of patients with ( n = 690) and those without ( n = 320) unstable angina in the Coronary Angioplasty Versus Excisional Atherectomy Trial (CAVEAT-I) by unstable angina subgroup: rest chest pain, postinfarction chest pain, chest pain with ischemic electrocardiographic changes, chest pain with recent acceleration, and no chest pain. Regression models were constructed to predict in-hospital and 6-month composite end point death, infarction, bypass surgery, percutaneous revascularization, and abrupt closure (in-hospital) or restenosis (6 months) for each subgroup. Only chest pain with electrocardiographic changes predicted the composite in-hospital outcome (24% vs 17% with no chest pain, P =.0374.) This subgroup also had a greater acute gain, more late loss, and more restenosis than patients in the other subgroups. Rest chest pain carried a higher incidence of the composite 6-month outcome (39.9% vs 29% with no chest pain, P =.0472). For all unstable angina categories, atherectomy was associated with worse overall outcomes than angioplasty. Conclusions Patients with unstable angina have more complications of percutaneous revascularization than patients without unstable angina, but event rates vary by anginal subgroup. The clinical presentation may help to identify unstable angina patients at particularly high risk for adverse outcomes. (Am Heart J 1999;137:227-33.)
Extraction and analysis of actin networks based on Open Active Contour models

Network structures formed by actin filaments are present in many kinds of fluorescence microscopy images. In order to quantify the conformations and dynamics of such actin filaments, we propose a fully automated method to extract actin networks from images and analyze network topology. The method handles well intersecting filaments and, to some extent, overlapping filaments. First we automatically initialize a large number of Stretching Open Active Contours (SOACs) from ridge points detected by searching for plus-to-minus sign changes in the gradient map of the image. These initial SOACs then elongate simultaneously along the bright centerlines of filaments by minimizing an energy function. During their evolution, they may merge or stop growing, thus forming a network that represents the topology of the filament ensemble. We further detect junction points in the network and break the SOACs at junctions to obtain “SOAC segments”. These segments are then re-grouped using a graph-cut spectral clustering method to represent the configuration of actin filaments. The proposed approach is generally applicable to extracting intersecting curvilinear structures in noisy images. We demonstrate its potential using two kinds of data: (1) actin filaments imaged by Total Internal Reflection Fluorescence Microscopy (TIRFM) in vitro; (2) actin cytoskeleton networks in fission yeast imaged by spinning disk confocal microscopy.
Organizational Mindfulness and Mindful Organizing: A Reconciliation and Path Forward

Ray, Baker, and Plowman's (2011) study of organizational mindfulness highlights latent tensions in the mindfulness literature and promising avenues for future research. Their study provides a sprin...
Inflammatory Monocytes Are Critical for Induction of a Polysaccharide-Specific Antibody Response to an Intact Bacterium

Although inflammatory monocytes (IM) (CD11b+Ly6Chi cells) have been shown to play important roles in cell-mediated host protection against intracellular bacteria, protozoans, and fungi, their potential impact on humoral immune responses to extracellular bacteria are unknown. IM, localized largely to the splenic marginal zone of naive CD11b–diphtheria toxin (DT) receptor bone marrow–chimeric mice were selectively depleted following treatment with DT, including no reduction of CD11b+ peritoneal B cells. Depletion of IM resulted in a marked reduction in the polysaccharide (PS)-specific, T cell–independent IgM, and T cell–dependent IgG responses to intact, heat-killed Streptococcus pneumoniae with no effect on the associated S. pneumoniae protein–specific IgG response or on the PS- and protein-specific IgG responses to a soluble pneumococcal conjugate vaccine. IM acted largely within the first 48 h following the initiation of the immune response to S. pneumoniae to induce the subsequent production of PS-specific IgM and IgG. Adoptive transfer of highly purified IM from wild-type mice into DT-treated CD11b–DT receptor mice completely restored the defective PS-specific Ig response to S. pneumoniae. IM were phenotypically and functionally distinct from circulating CD11b+CD11clowLy6G/C cells (immature blood dendritic cells), previously described to play a role in Ig responses to S. pneumoniae, in that they were CD11c− as well as Ly6Chi and did not internalize injected S. pneumoniae during the early phase of the response. These data are the first, to our knowledge, to establish a critical role for IM in the induction of an Ig response to an intact extracellular bacterium.
Tutorial on diffuse light transport.

A tutorial introduction to diffuse light transport is presented. The basic analytic equations of time-resolved, steady-state and modu- lated light transport are introduced. The perturbation method for han- dling slight heterogeneities in optical properties is outlined. The treat- ment of boundary conditions such as an air/tissue surface is described. Finite mesh-based numerical methods are introduced to calculate the diffuse light field in complex tissues with arbitrary boundaries. Appli- cations in tissue spectroscopy and imaging illustrate these theoretical and computational tools. © 2008 Society of Photo-Optical Instrumentation Engineers. DOI: 10.1117/1.2967535 This report is a tutorial introduction to diffuse light transport in biological tissues. Section 1 presents the basics of diffuse light transport, showing the simple equations for time- resolved, steady-state, and modulated light transport. The per- turbation method for handling slight heterogeneities in optical properties is introduced. The treatment of an air/tissue surface boundary condition is considered. Section 2 describes numeri- cal methods for simulating light transport in complex tissues. The goal of this work is to provide the novice in biomedical optics with an introduction to diffuse light transport, and the underpinnings of how basic approaches to solving light trans- port problems can be solved.
Epstein-Barr Virus Gene Expression In Lymphoproliferative Disease

Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) is associated with Burkitt lymphoma, nasopharyngeal carcinoma, and lymphoprolifcrative disease in patients with congenital or acquired immunodeficiencies. B lymphocytes in tissues from these patients often contain EBV genomes. Expression of the EBV genes EBNA-1, EBNA-2, and LMP and the B cell genes CD23, ICAM-1, and LFA-3 has been demonstrated in lymphoblastoid cells in vitro and in B lymphocytes in tissues from patients with lymphoproliferative disease. In contrast, B cells in tissue from patients with Burkitt lymphoma usually show expression of EBNA-1, but not the other viral or B cell genes. Expression of EBNA-1 with variable expression of LMP has been reported in tissue from patients with nasopharyngeal carcinoma. The different patterns of viral and cellular gene expression in these diseases have important implications for their treatment.
Trends in pharmacy compounding for women's health in North Carolina: focus on vulvodynia.

Objectives To identify trends in compounding pharmacies with a focus on women's health and, more specifically, the types and combinations of medications used in the treatment of vulvodynia. Methods This survey study was conducted with 653 nonchain pharmacies that compound medications. Each pharmacy was asked to complete a 19-item online survey assessing general practice and common compounding indications, focusing on women's health. Results Of the 653 pharmacies contacted, 200 (31%) responded to our survey. Women's health issues ranked third (19%) among the common indications for compounding, preceded by otolaryngology (30%) and dermatology (28%). Of the medications compounded for women's health, the most common indication was bioidentical hormone therapy (73%) followed closely by vaginal dryness (70%) and low libido (65%). Vulvodynia, or vulvar pain, was the fourth most common indication for compounding medication for women's health issues (29%). Vulvovaginal infections were reported as an indication for compounding medications by 16% of respondents. Conclusions Vulvovaginal symptoms are a common indication for compounding medications in women's health. Further research in understanding the rationale for using compounded medications, even when standard treatments are available for some of these symptoms (eg, vaginal dryness, vulvovaginal infections), is warranted.
Neuroactive Substances Influencing Regenerative Processes in the Central Nervous System: Neurobiological and Clinical Aspects

In his influential work published in 1928 under the title “Degeneration and Regeneration of the Nervous System,” RAMON Y CAJAL noted: “Once development was ended, the founts of growth and regeneration of the axon dendrites dried up irrevocably. In adult centers, the nerve paths are something fixed, and immutable; everything may die, nothing may be regenerated.” (39) Approximately 50 years later BJORKLUND and STENEVI summarized: “It is well established that the adult mammalian brain has the capacity for sprouting, synaptogenesis, and reformation of severed connections (6).” The initial “hard-wired” concept of brain organization did not exclude recovery of function of the central nervous system; early experience of restorative events after brain ischemia resulted in the classical theories of recovery, including the strategy of behavioral compensation, diaschisis (release of uninjured tissue from a temporarily suppressed state), and vicariation (the possibility that one structure can take over another’s function), (for review, see 18). New neuroanatomical and neurophysiological techniques, including anterograde and retrograde tracing of axons and intracellular recordings, resulted in the modern concept of “neuronal plasticity.”
Studies on Purification of Poliomyelitis Virus. 2. pH Stability Range of MVA Strain.

SummaryExperiments are presented in which the stability of the MVA strain of poliomyelitis virus to acid and alkaline solutions has been determined. It is concluded that this strain when in purified form is relatively stable in solutions as acid as pH 1.6 or as alkaline as pH 10 ± 0.3 but is unstable in solutions more acid than the former or more alkaline than the latter values.
New architecture and processes for hierarchical composites of aligned carbon nanotubes and continuous carbon fibers

A new laminate nanoengineered composite laminate architecture employing aligned carbon nanotubes (CNTs) is designed, fabricated, and characterized. This multi-fiber architecture targets mass-efficient interand intra-laminar reinforcement of aerospacegrade carbon fiber reinforced plastics (CFRPs). Aligned CNTs are integrated between the advanced fibers and tows at room tempearture after CNT growth, yielding a tailorable distributed CNT network throughout the structure. Unlike existing approaches, such as weaving, stitching, and z-pinning that result in in-plane mechanical property reduction, we demonstrate that in-plane mechanical properties can be maintained. In addition to expected toughness and strength enhancement from such architectures, modest enhancement of electrical conductivities was observed in both in-plane and through-thickness directions. Future work includes refinements of the mechanical assembly method and processing to expand and improve multi-functional properties.
A note on approximation to the identity with iterated kernels

Пустьl1 иl2 — неотрицательные убывающие функции на (0, ∞). Допустим, что $$\int\limits_0^\infty {S^{n_i - 1} l_i (S)\left( {1 + \log + \frac{1}{{S^{n_i } l_i (S)}}} \right)dS}< \infty ,$$ , гдеn1 иn2 — натуральные числа. Тогда для каждой функции\(f \in L^1 (R^{n_1 + n_2 } )\) при почти всех (x0, у0) мы имеем $$\mathop {\lim }\limits_{\lambda \to \infty } \lambda ^{n_1 + n_2 } \int\limits_{R^{n_1 } } {\int\limits_{R^{n_2 } } {l_1 } } (\lambda |x|)l_2 (\lambda |y|)f(x_0 - x,y_0 - y)dx dy = f(x_0 ,y_0 )\int\limits_{R^{n_1 } } {\int\limits_{R^{n_2 } } {l_i (|x|)l_2 } } (|y|)dx dy.$$
Science, Technology and International Politics

As the supexpowers of the 1960's have been discovering that they can neither make war on nor make peace with each other, the arms race between them has been giving way to a space race, itself part of a larger science and technology race. The space industry is today one of the world's greatest, even though -there are only two major customers for its product, the governments of the Soviet Union and of the United States. Leadership in that industry is a hallmark of superpower status, but the entrance fee and the annual dues are both so high that the space club will remain small. The Soviet-American science race is only the most dramatic reason for a student of world politics to pay close attention to changes, and especially to differential changes, in the world's science and technology. There is probably no other resource that can be made to serve so many alternative national purposes as a nation's scientific and technical manpower. There is no better indicator of tomorrow's wealth and power than today's science capability. Indeed, this resource is so fungible and so precious that if one wanted to plot the position of states of the world in the 1980's along a curve of economic advancement (and of per capita influence in world politics), a very good measure would be the
Optimization of bi-periodic photonic crystal waveguides for optical integrated circuits

A second periodic it yof the dielectric constant adjacent to the core of photonic crystal waveguides shifts the peak of distributed Bragg reflections toward the edge of the photonic bandgap. We report here, the complete investigation of mode spectrum in these waveguides to explain different features of the experimental results.
COMMUNITY HEALTH WORKERS REDUCE READMISSIONS IN A HIGH RISK HEART FAILURE POPULATION

Reducing recurrent hospitalizations of patients with heart failure (HF) is a priority for healthcare systems. Community health workers (CHWs) have been utilized successfully to assist chronic disease management in diabetes; however, their effectiveness in patients with HF has not been evaluated. In
Relationship Between Watershed Area and Discharge of West Prong Roaring River, Wilkes County, NC

Abstract: Watershed area and discharge were calculated for five sites along the West Prong Roaring River, a third-order tributary in Wilkes County, North Carolina for which discharge data was previously unavailable. A nearly linear relationship was found such that Q = 6.8945A1.1496 (R2 = 0.9902), where Q is discharge (Ls-1) and A is watershed area (km2), which is consistent with every unit increase in watershed area contributing a unit increase in water volume.
Study on the Distribution Measurement of Urban Households' Consumption Inequality in China

This paper aims to measure the distribution of China's urban household consumption inequality.First,based on the survey data about China's inter-provincial urban household,the paper measures inequality indexes of urban households' consumption and income in China.Second,the paper uses adaptive kernel density estimation and relative distribution methods to simulate distribution and trend of urban households in two stages.The paper shows that urban households' consumption inequality is more than income inequality;with the development of China's economy,overall level of China's urban households' consumption has been improved,the proportion of households in middle and high consumption level gradually increase,especially,the proportion of high-spending households increases more significantly,and consumption inequality is showing a growing trend.
Solution to the 0/1 knapsack problem based on ant algorithm

In this paper, the primary principle of ant algorithm and the model of ant colony system based on the Traveling Salesman Problem are illustrated, as well as the transfer formula. In order to handle the 0/1 Knapsack Problem, the model of ant algorithm is revised. By using the computer to test the modified algorithm, the results prove that convergence speed of the modified algorithm is very high.
Negative impact of certain adhesive configurations on solder joint reliability of package on package architecture: A comprehensive experimental and numerical study

In this study we assessed the impact of adhesive configurations on package-on-package (POP) interface solder joint reliability (SJR). This problem has not been previously well understood and we applied both experimental evaluation and computational mechanics modeling to develop insights into the underlying physics. We found that certain adhesive configurations can degrade POP shock performance very significantly - so significantly that the overall package shock performance with adhesive is lower than one without. This is contrary to prevalent expectation of impact of adhesives on shock capability. These shock degrading underfill and corner glue configurations are where the overall height of the adhesive is low, such that adhesive does not contact POP interface. The reason for this loss in POP shock capability is due to overall stiffening of board-package interface and higher transfer of shock stresses to the POP interface. Further, it was found that, POP shock risk can be reduced with appropriate adhesive configuration, in particular by using a high glue height such that the glue covers the POP interface. The impact of low coefficient of thermal expansion adhesive configuration on POP temperature cycling (TC) was also studied; similar impact of glue height was found.
Energy-Aware Multiflight Planning for an Unattended Seaplane: Flying Fish

Long-term unmanned vehicle operation requires autonomy capable of replanning activities responsive to changing vehicle and environment conditions. For unmanned aircraft systems, human handlers perf...
The Effect of a Receding Saline Lake (The Salton Sea) on Airborne Particulate Matter Composition.

The composition of ambient particulate matter (PM) and its sources were investigated at the Salton Sea, a shrinking saline lake in California. To investigate the influence of playa exposure on PM composition, PM samples were collected during two seasons and at two sites around the Salton Sea. To characterize source composition, soil samples were collected from local playa and desert surfaces. PM and soil samples were analyzed for 15 elements using mass spectrometry and X-ray diffraction. The contribution of sources to PM mass and composition was investigated using Al-referenced enrichment factors (EFs) and source factors resolved from positive matrix factorization (PMF). Playa soils were found to be significantly enriched in Ca, Na, and Se relative to desert soils. PMF analysis resolved the PM10 data with four source factors, identified as Playa-like, Desert-like, Ca-rich, and Se. Playa-like and desert-like sources were estimated to contribute to a daily average of 8.9% and 45% of PM10 mass, respectively....
Demonstration of Survival, Growth, and Reproduction of Gulf Killifish Fundulus grandis in Freshwater Ponds

AbstractThe Gulf Killifish (Fundulus grandis), a popular baitfish species inhabiting estuaries in the northern Gulf of Mexico, has potential as an aquaculture species, particularly if it can be produced in low-salinity or freshwater ponds. Because growth and survival in freshwater ponds is not known, two size-classes were examined over a 16-week period. Initial mean stocking weights and densities were 0.47 g/fish and 26,500 fish/ha for the smaller size-group, which were stocked into three 0.04-ha ponds, and 6.12 g/fish and 20,450 fish/ha for the larger size-group, which were stocked into two 0.04-ha ponds. Growth and survival were similar between size-classes, with mean final weight of 7.88 g/fish and mean survival of 54.3% in the smaller size-group, and a mean final weight of 13.90 g/fish and survival of 43.1% in the larger size-group. Mean weight gain was very similar between size-groups (small: 7.41 g, large: 7.78 g), with steady growth from June until mid-September, and little growth and declines in c...
The Biological Activities of Human Interleukin-1: Purified and Recombinant Materials

Recent advances in cloning of cENA's for murine and human interleukin-1's (IL-1) have shed considerable light on the molecular basis of the IL-1 family. Expression of large quantities of IL-1's has made the evaluation of its various biological activities available for study.
Ace: adaptive channel estimation for detecting analog/RF trojans in WLAN transceivers

We propose a defense method capable of detecting hardware Trojans (HTs) in the analog/RF circuitry of wireless local area network (WLAN) transceivers. The proposed method, which is implemented on the receiver (RX) side and cannot be tampered with by the attacker, leverages the channel estimation capabilities present in Orthogonal Frequency Division Multiplexing (OFDM) systems. Specifically, it employs an adaptive approach to robustly isolate possible HT activity from channel and device noise, thereby exposing the Trojan's presence. The adaptive channel estimation (ACE) defense mechanism is put to the test using a HT which is implemented on a printed circuit board (PCB) and mounted on the Wireless Open-Access Research Platform (WARP). This HT, which is introduced through minute modifications in the power amplifier (PA), manipulates the transmission power characteristics of an 802.11a/g transmitter (TX) in order to leak sensitive data, such as the encryption key. Effectiveness of the proposed defense has been verified through experiments conducted in actual channel conditions, namely over-the-air and in the presence of interference.
Improving expectation maximization algorithm over stellar data

Stellar data, only a few years ago, measured in the .1M of objects. Now, sets are routinely 1M. With the launch of ESA's Gaia in 2013, we expect 1000M stellar objects measured more precisely and with more measurements. Without question, astronomy is about Big Data and clustering is a very common task over astronomy domain. The expectation-maximization algorithm is among the top 10 data mining algorithms used in scientific and industrial applications, however, we observe that astronomical community does not make use of it as a clustering algorithm. In this work, we cluster ∼ 1M stellar objects (simulated Galactic spectral data) via the traditional expectation-maximization algorithm for clustering (EM-T) and our extended EM-T algorithm that we call EM∗ and present the experimental results.
Calculation of Concentration Profiles of Excess Acid in Human Brain Tissue During Conditions of Partial Anoxia

The purpose of this paper is to present the initial preliminary results of a theoretical attempt to obtain a better understanding of the distribution of lactic and pyruvic acid in cerebral cortex during conditions of partial anoxia and consequent anerobic glycolysis.
Photo-Induced Toxicity of Pahs: QSAR Models and Environmental Significance

Research with a variety of aquatic species has shown that while polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) are generally not acutely toxic in conventional laboratory tests, many are extremely toxic in the presence of sunlight. A QSAR model was developed for predicting phototoxicity of PAHs, which incorporated the competing effects of stability and light absorbance of the PAHs as well as irradiation parameters. Interaction of these factors produces a complex, multilinear (bell-shaped) relationship between toxicity and chemical structure.
Speculative Staging for Interpreter Optimization

Interpreters have a bad reputation for having lower performance than just-in-time compilers. We present a new way of building high performance interpreters that is particularly effective for executing dynamically typed programming languages. The key idea is to combine speculative staging of optimized interpreter instructions with a novel technique of incrementally and iteratively concerting them at run-time. This paper introduces the concepts behind deriving optimized instructions from existing interpreter instructions— incrementally peeling off layers of complexity. When compiling the interpreter, these optimized derivatives will be compiled along with the original interpreter instructions. Therefore, our technique is portable by construction since it leverages the existing compiler’s backend. At run-time we use instruction substitution from the interpreter’s original and expensive instructions to optimized instruction derivatives to speed up execution. Our technique unites high performance with the simplicity and portability of interpreters—we report that our optimization makes the CPython interpreter up to more than four times faster, where our interpreter closes the gap between and sometimes even outperforms PyPy’s just-in-time compiler.
A Droplet Digital PCR Assay for Smoking Predicts All-Cause Mortality.

Objectives.—Determine whether an epigenetic assay for smoking predicts all-cause mortality in adults participating in a longitudinal study of Iowa adoptees. Background.—Improved biomarkers for smok...
The Stability of a Nanoparticle Diamond Lattice Linked by DNA

The functionalization of nanoparticles (NPs) with DNA has proven to be an effective strategy for self-assembly of NPs into superlattices with a broad range of lattice symmetries. By combining this strategy with the DNA origami approach, the possible lattice structures have been expanded to include the cubic diamond lattice. This symmetry is of particular interest, both due to the inherent synthesis challenges, as well as the potential valuable optical properties, including a complete band-gap. Using these lattices in functional devices requires a robust and stable lattice. Here, we use molecular simulations to investigate how NP size and DNA stiffness affect the structure, stability, and crystallite shape of NP superlattices with diamond symmetry. We use the Wulff construction method to predict the equilibrium crystallite shape of the cubic diamond lattice. We find that, due to reorientation of surface particles, it is possible to create bonds at the surface with dangling DNA links on the interior, thereby reducing surface energy. Consequently, the crystallite shape depends on the degree to which such surface reorientation is possible, which is sensitive to DNA stiffness. Further, we determine dependence of the lattice stability on NP size and DNA stiffness by evaluating relative Gibbs free energy. We find that the free energy is dominated by the entropic component. Increasing NP size or DNA stiffness increases free energy, and thus decreases the relative stability of lattices. On the other hand, increasing DNA stiffness results in a more precisely defined lattice structure. Thus, there is a trade off between structure and stability of the lattice. Our findings should assist experimental design for controlling lattice stability and crystallite shape.
Synthesis, characterization, and reactivity of unusually basic prophosphatranes

Competitive deprotonation of the precursor tricyclic acids to the corresponding title bicyclic phosphine bases P(NHCH2CH2)3N (2), P(NMeCH2CH2)3N (1), and P(NBnCH2CH2)3N (3), respectively, reveal the unexpected basicity order 3 < 1 < 2. This Older is corroborated by the observed trends in the B-H stretching and 31p.l Ig spin-spin coupling oequencies of the BHg adducts of 1 3, the ^J(31p-77Se) values of the selenium adducts of 1-3, and the lj(31p-lH) values of HP(NMeCH2CH2)3N+, HP(NHCH2CH2)3N+, and HP(NBnCH2CH2)3N+, 4 6, respectively. The unexpected stability (and weak acidity) of 5 is attributed to comparatively strong electron delocalization along its 3-center H-P-Ng^ MO system which is suggested to be signaled by its unusually shielded 31p chemical shift (-42.9 ppm) compared with 6 (-11.0 ppm) and 4 (-10.1 ppm).
Observational and Modeling Studies in Support of the Atlantic Stratocumulus Transition Experiment

Abstract : LONG-TERM GOALS. Our long-term goal is to learn how to predict the cloudiness, entrainment rate, and turbulent fluxes in the marine boundary layer under any and all large-scale conditions. OBJECTIVES. Examine the effects of varying sea surface temperature, varying inversion strength, and varying mean winds on cloudiness, entrainment rate and turbulent fluxes in the marine boundary layer; The cloud types to be examined include fog, stratus, stratocumulus, and shallow cumulus clouds, with or without mesoscale organization. Describe the spatial properties of tropical deep convection by examining its spectral properties in the wavenumber-frequency domain and explore relationships between the spatial distribuiton, amount, and intensity of deep convection and tropical cyclone activity.
DEFSI: Deep Learning Based Epidemic Forecasting with Synthetic Information

Influenza-like illness (ILI) is among the most common diseases worldwide. Producing timely, well-informed, and reliable forecasts for ILI is crucial for preparedness and optimal interventions. In this work, we focus on short-term but highresolution forecasting and propose DEFSI (Deep Learning Based Epidemic Forecasting with Synthetic Information), an epidemic forecasting framework that integrates the strengths of artificial neural networks and causal methods. In DEFSI, we build a two-branch neural network structure to take both within-season observations and between-season observations as features. The model is trained on geographically highresolution synthetic data. It enables detailed forecasting when high-resolution surveillance data is not available. Furthermore, the model is provided with better generalizability and physical consistency. Our method achieves comparable/better performance than state-of-the-art methods for short-term ILI forecasting at the state level. For high-resolution forecasting at the county level, DEFSI significantly outperforms the other methods.
EPILEPTOGENESIS | Multi-Hit Mechanisms Involved in Epileptogenesis: Role of Early-Life Seizures

Chronic epilepsy often starts with an isolated prolonged convulsion in early life followed by remission; seizures then reemerge and may become intractable. Furthermore, early childhood convulsions, often febrile, have been correlated with the finding of subsequent severe hippocampal neuron loss and memory impairment in intractable temporal lobe epilepsy. A cerebral insult during a critical time in development may predispose patients to the characteristic hippocampal damage secondary to adult seizures. We therefore proposed a ‘two-hit’ hypothesis of epileptogenesis, which links early seizures with the later development of epilepsy. We further examined the role of early-life prolonged seizures in initiating the epileptogenic events that result in increased seizure susceptibility and neuronal injury in adulthood.
Sexual Minority Young Adults’ Construction of Workplace Acceptance in the Era of Diversity and Inclusion:

In the United States, an increasing number of people have come to express support for sexual minorities in recent decades, and more employers have implemented policies that protect sexual minority ...
Scalable Distribution Systems State Estimation Using Long Short-Term Memory Networks as Surrogates

Modern distribution systems are confronted by increasing penetration of distributed energy resources, making state estimation a critical application for distribution systems. However, existing state estimation schemes are often time-consuming and therefore, hard to scale up for large systems. In this context, this paper has proposed using a surrogate model to accelerate state estimations. Long-short-term memory (LSTM) recurrent neural networks have been applied to produce a fast yet coarse surrogate of the system states, which captures the temporal correlations between consecutive states. We have further applied an autoencoder to reduce the input size of LSTM networks, thereby shrinking LSTM network size and increasing the scalability of the proposed method. The surrogate states from LSTM are then fed into the forward/backward sweep state estimator as initial values. As a result, the state estimation convergence is accelerated by the LSTM surrogates. The proposed method is tested on IEEE 123-bus and 8500-node three-phase unbalanced test systems. Experimental results show that the proposed LSTM networks significantly reduce the computational time of distribution systems state estimation.
An Assessment of Renta Dignidad's Adequacy to Prevent Poverty in Bolivia

The elderly population in developing countries is often left without access to traditional pension plans due to participation in the informal economy. To remedy this, non-contributory pension schemes are being implemented by policy makers worldwide. Bolivia, one of Latin America’s poorest nations, has successfully implemented the non-contributory pension policy Renta Dignidad. This paper analyzes the economic impacts of Renta Dignidad on gender, language, and household specific subsamples of Bolivia’s population.