cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Aryl Hydrocarbon Receptor Deficiency in an Exon 3 Deletion Mouse Model Promotes Hematopoietic Stem Cell Proliferation and Impacts Endosteal Niche Cells

The aryl hydrocarbon receptor (AHR) is a ligand-activated transcription factor belonging to the Per-Arnt-Sim (PAS) family of proteins. The AHR is involved in hematopoietic stem cell (HSC) functions including self-renewal, proliferation, quiescence, and differentiation. We hypothesize that AHR impacts HSC functions by influencing genes that have roles in HSC maintenance and function and that this may occur through regulation of bone marrow (BM) niche cells. We examined BM and niche cells harvested from 8-week-old AHR null-allele (KO) mice in which exon 3 was deleted in the Ahr gene and compared these data to cells from B6 control mice; young and old (10 months) animals were also compared. We report changes in HSCs and peripheral blood cells in mice lacking AHR. Serial transplantation assays revealed a significant increase in long term HSCs. There was a significant increase in mesenchymal stem cells constituting the endosteal BM niche. Gene expression analyses of HSCs revealed an increase in expression of genes involved in proliferation and maintenance of quiescence. Our studies infer that loss of AHR results in increased proliferation and self-renewal of long term HSCs, in part, by influencing the microenvironment in the niche regulating the balance between quiescence and proliferation in HSCs.
Low cost composites for vacuum insulation core material

Abstract Vacuum insulation technology provides unprecedented performance and its applications have expanded, particularly in the form of vacuum insulation panels (VIP). One of the challenges of using VIP include greater cost compared to traditional insulation because fumed silica is commonly used as the core material. The demand for low cost material with comparable service life to fumed silica constantly grows. Diatomaceous earth (DE) and glass bubbles (GB) represent alternative materials that have potential for cost effective VIP applications. The pore size distribution of the DE was determined quantitatively by mercury porosimetry and nitrogen sorption. The majority of pores in DE are ranged around 1 μm. The average pore size of GB was estimated to be 50 μm via scanning electron microscopy. Subsequently, the relationship between pore size and gaseous thermal conductivity was established using the Kaganer relation. Thermal conductivity measurements were made using the transient plane source technique, which produces higher values compared to steady state methods such as guarded hot plate. Therein, fumed silica was used as a baseline for all measurements performed in this study. DE composites showed very promising results, with its thermal conductivity only 26% higher than pure fumed silica below 104 Pa.
MO-DE-207A-01: Impact of Statistical Weights On Detection of Low-Contrast Details in Model-Based Iterative CT Reconstruction

Purpose: Penalized-weighted least-square reconstruction has become an important research topic in CT, to reduce dose without affecting image quality. Two components impact image quality in this reconstruction: the statistical weights and the use of an edge-preserving penalty term. We are interested in assessing the influence of statistical weights on their own, without the edge-preserving feature. Methods: The influence of statistical weights on image quality was assessed in terms of low-contrast detail detection using LROC analysis. The task amounted to detect and localize a 6-mm lesion with random contrast inside the FORBILD head phantom. A two-alternative forced-choice experiment was used with two human observers performing the task. Reconstructions without and with statistical weights were compared, both using the same quadratic penalty term. The beam energy was set to 30keV to amplify spatial differences in attenuation and thereby the role of statistical weights. A fan-beam data acquisition geometry was used. Results: Visual inspection of images clearly showed a difference in noise between the two reconstructions methods. As expected, the reconstruction without statistical weights exhibited noise streaks. The other reconstruction appeared better in this aspect, but presented other disturbing noise patterns and artifacts induced by the weights. The LROC analysis yield the following 95-percent confidence interval for the difference in reader-averaged AUC (reconstruction without weights minus reconstruction with weights): [0.0026,0.0599]. The mean AUC value was 0.9094. Conclusion: We have investigated the impact of statistical weights without the use of edge-preserving penalty in penalized weighted least-square reconstruction. A decrease rather than increase in image quality was observed when using statistical weights. Thus, the observers were better able to cope with the noise streaks than the noise patterns and artifacts induced by the statistical weights. It may be that different results would be obtained if the penalty term was used with a pixel-dependent weight. F Noo receives research support from Siemens Healthcare GmbH
Powerful Bodies and Powerful Nations

In “Una parola serena” published in “Donna + Amore + Bellezza” of L’Italia futurista, Enif Robert speaks in positive terms of women who are healthy and balanced, because of their ability to respond to their instincts in harmony with their intellect, and to integrate themselves in society (L’Italia futurista. October 7, 1917). These women are able to maintain — or to recover — their vital energies, because they know how to integrate body, mind and spirit and be well adjusted in their community.
Toward an Intellectual Foundation for “Shared Prosperity”

National Medal of Technology recipient George Kozmetsky saw technology and ideology as the dual drivers of economic change. In his later years, Kozmetsky, an internationally renowned academic and industrialist, enunciated a philosophy of “shared prosperity at home and abroad (Kozmetsky, 1997; Kozmetsky, Jackson and Boyd, 2001; Kozmetsky and Williams, 2003).” Kozmetsky’s speeches on this topic inspired many developing regions to network internally (across economic, social, and government sectors) and with like regions elsewhere. The effects were notable and positive. National governments, international bodies, and NGOs have adopted the term “shared prosperity” as a banner.1
The Circadian Timing System and Environmental Circadian Disruption: From Follicles to Fertility

The internal or circadian timing system is deeply integrated in female reproductive physiology. Considerable details of rheostatic timing function in the neuroendocrine control of pituitary hormone secretion, adenohypophyseal hormone gene expression and secretion, gonadal steroid hormone biosynthesis and secretion, ovulation, implantation, and parturition have been reported. The molecular clock, an autonomous feedback loop oscillator of interacting transcriptional regulators, dictates the timing and amplitude of gene expression in each tissue of the female hypothalamic-pituitary-gonadal (HPG) axis. Although multiple targets of the molecular clock have been identified, many associated with critical physiological functions in the HPG axis, the full extent of clock-driven gene expression and physiology in this critical system remains unknown. Environmental circadian disruption (ECD), the disturbance of temporal relationships within and between internal clocks (brain and periphery), and external timing cues (eg, light, nutrients, social cues) due to rotating/night shift work or transmeridian travel have been linked to reproductive dysfunction and subfertility. Moreover, ECD resulting from exposure to endocrine disrupting chemicals, environmental toxins, and/or irregular hormone levels during sexual development can also reduce fertility. Thus, perturbations that disturb clock function at the molecular, cellular or systemic level correlate with significant declines in female reproductive function. Here we briefly review the evidence for molecular clock function in each tissue of the female HPG axis (GnRH neuron, pituitary, uterus, oviduct, and ovary), describe the human epidemiological and animal data supporting the negative effects of ECD on fertility, and explore the potential for novel chronotherapeutics in women's health and fertility.
Question Quality Analysis and Prediction in Community Question Answering Services with Coupled Mutual Reinforcement

Community question answering services (CQAS) (e.g., Yahoo! Answers) provides a platform where people post questions and answer questions posed by others. Previous works analyzed the answer quality (AQ) based on answer-related features, but neglect the question-related features on AQ. Previous work analyzed how asker- and question-related features affect the question quality (QQ) regarding the amount of attention from users, the number of answers and the question solving latency, but neglect the correlation between QQ and AQ (measured by the rating of the best answer), which is critical to quality of service (QoS). We handle this problem from two aspects. First, we additionally use QQ in measuring AQ, and analyze the correlation between a comprehensive list of features (including answer-related features) and QQ. Second, we propose the first method that estimates the probability for a given question to obtain high AQ. Our analysis on the Yahoo! Answers trace confirmed that the list of our identified features exert influence on AQ, which determines QQ. For the correlation analysis, the previous classification algorithms cannot consider the mutual interactions between multiple ( $>$ 2) classes of features. We then propose a novel Coupled Semi-Supervised Mutual Reinforcement-based Label Propagation (CSMRLP) algorithm for this purpose. Our extensive experiments show that CSMRLP outperforms the Mutual Reinforcement-based Label Propagation (MRLP) and five other traditional classification algorithms in the accuracy of AQ classification, and the effectiveness of our proposed method in AQ prediction. Finally, we provide suggestions on how to create a question that will receive high AQ, which can be exploited to improve the QoS of CQAS.
Adaptive data compression for VLF communication system

A proposed data compression method for text messages transmitted through the US Navy's fixed submarine broadcast system (FSBS). (a VLF/LF communication system) is discussed. The current and proposed FSBS), (a VLF/LF communication system) is discussed. The current and proposed FSBS systems, data compression methods in general, compression results on the FSBS, determination of a figure of merit for error analysis forward error correction (FEC) code requirements, preamble requirements, and system analysis results are described. After determining the overhead requirements, it is concluded that the arithmetic coding adaptive data compression technique can provide a substantial increase in throughput for the FSBS. >
An integrated approach to benefits realisation of railway condition monitoring innovations

Realising the benefits promised by condition monitoring innovations requires an approach that recognises and responds to the challenges inherent in rail condition monitoring projects. RailCorp engaged Parsons Brinckerhoff to develop an integrated approach for the creation of RailCorp's next train and infrastructure condition monitoring strategy. This paper outlines the system maturity and capability model which provided the framework by which integration into RailCorp's business requirements, engineering environment and asset management regime was explored as part of the strategy. The paper also explains the benefits driven investment prioritisation approach that was taken to produce the next tranche of condition monitoring investment recommendations. Business data integration and a mature approach to project and portfolio management were key focuses of the strategy due to their criticality in benefits realisation. Models for both of these important aspects of rail condition monitoring projects are also presented. Parsons Brinckerhoff s work for RailCorp in developing a new train and infrastructure condition monitoring strategy underscored both the challenges and significant potential benefits of a large scale condition monitoring program. An approach, using the maturity, capability, governance and data integration models presented in this paper, will be important if the benefits on offer are to be realised whilst simultaneously addressing the many challenges. (7 pages)
From Islamic Renaissance to Neo-fascism in Turkey

The Neoliberal Landscape is a collection of nine essays exploring the economic, political, social, and historical dynamics behind the rise of Islamic political parties in the Middle East, particularly the Justice and Development Party ( Adalet ve Kalkinma Partisi , AKP) in Turkey. For scholars studying Turkey and the wider Middle East, understanding the rise of the AKP as well as its internal and external undercurrents has been a challenge. On the one hand, its founding leaders marketed their party as a democratic Islamic party, similar to Christian Democrats in Europe, and claimed to focus their efforts on democratizing Turkey by limiting the military and Kemalist hegemony. To this end, they formed alliances with the liberals and the liberal-left as well as the outward oriented business groups, and used the support of the European Union and the United States as leverage to increase their legitimacy. The AKP's strong neoliberal stance in economic policy also allowed it to win over domestic and international capital to its side. The changing times in global politics were also in the AKP's favor, coinciding with the post-9/11 period when the United States and its allies were desperate to find a liberal and democratic Muslim country with a market economy that they could use as a showcase. The AKP project, however, proved to be short-lived as it has increasingly become authoritarian at home, bordering on neo-fascist, and confrontational abroad. In fact, many analysts have suggested that what Turkey is experiencing is nothing short of a regime change, moving the country from a secular republic, albeit a semi-democratic one, to a neo-fascist one-party state with some Islamic flavor, ruled by a strong-man with no pretense of democracy. In fact, since the 7 June 2015 elections, the country has moved to a de facto presidential system, even without constitutional change.
Donor-specific tolerance in fully major histocompatibility complex-mismatched limb allograft transplants under an anti-αβ T-cell receptor monoclonal antibody and cyclosporine A protocol

BACKGROUND Recent studies have demonstrated that treatment with alphabeta-T-cell receptor (TCR) monoclonal antibody and cyclosporine A (CsA) can extend survival in composite tissue allografts (CTA). The purpose of this study was to induce tolerance in fully major histocompatibility complex (MHC)-mismatched rat limb allografts under 7 days of a combined alphabeta-TCR-CsA protocol. METHODS The authors performed 30 hind-limb allotransplantations across the MHC barrier between Brown Norway donors (BN; RT1n) and Lewis recipients (LEW; RT1l). Isograft and allograft controls received no treatment. The experimental groups received monotherapy of alphabeta-TCR and CsA or a combination of alphabeta-TCR and CsA for 7 days only. Donor-specific tolerance and immunocompetence were determined by standard skin grafting in vivo and mixed lymphocyte reaction (MLR) in vitro. The efficacy of immunosuppressive therapy and the level of donor-specific chimerism were determined by flow cytometry. RESULTS Long-term survival (>350 days) was achieved in allograft recipients (n=6) under the 7-day protocol of combined alphabeta-TCR-CsA. Donor-specific tolerance and immunocompetence of long-term chimeras were confirmed by acceptance of skin grafts from the donors and rejection of the third-party alloantigens (AxC Irish). At day 120, MLR demonstrated unresponsiveness to the host and donor antigens but strong reactivity against third-party alloantigens. Flow cytometry confirmed the high efficacy of immunosuppressive treatment and the development of donor-specific chimerism (7.6% of CD4+-RT1n+ cells, 1.3% of CD8+-RT1n+ cells, and 16.5% of CD45RA+-RT1n+ cells) in the periphery of tolerated recipients. CONCLUSIONS Combined therapy of alphabeta-TCR-CsA for 7 days resulted in tolerance induction in fully MHC-mismatched rat hind-limb allografts. Tolerance was directly associated with stable, donor-specific chimerism.
Minimum Wage and Corporate Policy

Using cross-state and intertemporal variation in whether a state’s minimum wage is bound by the federal minimum wage, we provide evidence that minimum wage increases lead U.S. public firms in minimum wage sensitive industries (i.e., retail, restaurant, and entertainment) to cut capital expenditures. We find no evidence that minimum wage changes affect U.S. public firm investment outside of industries highly reliant on low wage labor. Comparing counties located along state-borders, we find that higher minimum wages lead to slower restaurant growth. Overall, we find that increases in the minimum wage reduce firm capital expenditures in minimum wage sensitive industries.
Analyzing Contention and Backoff in Asynchronous Shared Memory

Randomized backoff protocols have long been used to reduce contention on shared resources. They are heavily used in communication channels and radio networks, and have also been shown to greatly improve the performance of shared memory algorithms in real systems.However, while backoff protocols are well understood in many settings, their effect in shared memory has never been theoretically analyzed. This discrepency may be due to the difficulty of modeling asynchrony without eliminating the advantage gained by local delays. In this paper, we introduce a new cost model for contention in shared memory. Our model allows for adversarial asynchrony, but also provides a clear notion of time, thus enabling easy calculation of contention costs and delays. We then consider a simple use case in which n processes try to update a single memory location. Using our model, we first show that a naive protocol, without any backoff, requires \Omega(n^3) work until all processes successfully update that location. We then analyze the commonly used exponential delay protocol, and show that it requires \Theta(n^2 \log n) work with high probability. Finally, we show that the exponential delay protocol is suboptimal, by introducing a new backoff protocol based on adaptive probabilities and showing that, for the same use case, it requires only O(n^2) work with high probability.
Relato de uma experiência no ensino de literatura africana para alunos de licenciaturas: utilização da robótica como ferramenta para (re)oralizar textos literários

Este artigo apresenta o relato de uma pratica, fruto da reflexao e dialogo entre docentes de diferentes areas de formacao, visando contribuir para a formacao de professores nas areas de Letras e Historia atraves de uma proposta de trabalho aliando Literatura e Robotica. Os academicos foram desafiados a realizar uma contacao de historia ressignificando a oralidade de um conto africano, no contexto da disciplina de Literatura Africana. O conto selecionado, intitulado O Segredo , do mocambicano Antonio Chicopa Joao, foi “teatralizado“ por robos Lego, cuja movimentacao por meio de programacao e interacao com eles era acompanhada pelos narradores. Neste processo, o texto oral que foi escrito volta a ser oral por meio da Robotica. Alem disso, por iniciativa dos alunos, foi produzido um video que foi postado no YouTube, constituindo em uma nova midia e, ao mesmo tempo, podendo servir de material didatico. A avaliacao da proposta foi positiva, tanto pela analise dos relatos quanto pela observacao dos docentes que verificaram que a totalidade dos academicos dedicou-se a atividade e conseguiram criar algo inovador e autoral.
Longitudinal associations across vocabulary modalities in children with autism and typical development.

We examined differences between children with autism spectrum disorder and typically developing children over an 8-month period in: (a) longitudinal associations between expressive and receptive vocabulary and (b) the extent to which caregiver utterances provided within an “optimal” engagement state mediated the pathway from early expressive to later receptive vocabulary. In total, 59 children (28–53 months at Time 1) comprised the autism spectrum disorder group and 46 children (8–24 months at Time 1) comprised the typically developing group. Groups were matched on initial vocabulary sizes. Results showed that the association between early expressive and later receptive vocabulary was moderated by group. A moderated mediation effect was also found, indicating linguistic input provided within an optimal engagement state only mediated associations for the autism spectrum disorder group.
Highly Adaptive Lasso (HAL)

In this chapter, we define a general nonparametric estimator of a d-variate function valued parameter ψ0. This parameter is defined as a minimizer of an expectation of a loss function L(ψ)(O) that is guaranteed to converge to the true ψ0 at a rate faster than n−1∕4, for all dimensions d: \(\sqrt{ d_{0}(\psi _{n},\psi _{0})} = O_{P}(n^{-1/4-\alpha (d)/8})\), where d0(ψ, ψ0) = P0L(ψ) − P0L(ψ0) is the loss-based dissimilarity. This is a remarkable result because this rate does not depend on the underlying smoothness of ψ0. For example, ψ0 can be a function that is discontinuous at many points or nondifferentiable. The only assumption we need to assume is that ψ0 is right-continuous with left-hand limits, and has a finite variation norm, so that ψ0 generates a measure (just as a cumulative distribution function generates a measure on the Euclidean space).
Species-Being and the Badness of Extinction and Death

This paper offers an account of the property Feuerbach and Marx called “species-being,” the human being’s distinctive tendency to identify herself as a member of her species, and to think of the species as a “we.” It links the notion to Kant’s theory of rights, arguing that every claim of right commits the maker of that claim to something like world government, and therefore to the conception of humanity as a collective agent. It also links species-being to the concept of practical identity, arguing that the conceptions under which we find our lives and actions valuable are ones according to which we make a positive contribution to the life of the species. It then argues that the resulting conception of humanity, together with certain considerations about the nature of the good, provides grounds for challenging the familiar claim that death is generally worse for human beings than for animals. On the other hand, because of species-being, the extinction of our species is a much worse prospect for human beings than for the other animals.
Membrane Dynamics: Effects of Environmental Stress

Many workers have studied the effects of temperature on the molecular ordering of lipids in cell membranes, the relation of this ordering to the activity of membrane enzymes, and the physiological consequences of this relation. The effects of low temperature on plant membranes were reviewed recently by Lyons, Raison and Steponkus (1980).
Patients and their Families with a Family History of Colorectal Cancer

When patients present with a positive family history of colorectal cancer, or have a colorectal cancer themselves, they are not treated in isolation but as part of a family. This chapter will discuss some of the issues facing a family with a tendency to develop colorectal cancer.
Evidence for and the Significance of ‘Two Genes, One Polypeptide Chain’

All immunoglobulins (Ig’s) consist of one or more basic units composed of identical pairs of heavy (H) and light (L) polypeptide chains (Figure 1). Each chain folds into several compact globular domains, connected by relatively narrower but more exposed areas. Each domain is approximately 110 amino acids in length and characterized by an intrachain disulfide bond connecting two cysteine residues approximately 60 amino acid residues apart (Figure 1). All Ig polypeptide chains can be divided into an amino-terminal portion, the variable (V) region, and a carboxylterminal portion, the constant (C) region. The V regions of both H and L chains are equivalent in size to a domain. The C regions of L chains are of similar size, whereas those of H chains are two to four times longer. Based on the degree of amino acid sequence homology, the V regions have been divided into three main groups, V k , Vλ, and VH. The C regions have been divided into k and λ types (L chains) as well as γ, α, µ, ∈, and δ classes (H chains) according to their antigenic and serological properties. Some of the L-chain types and H-chain classes are further divided into subtypes and subclasses, respectively. Details of Ig structure are given in earlier Chapters. A general review on this subject was given by Gally (1973). This chapter is devoted to the genetic aspects of the synthesis of Ig polypeptide chains.
Viewer location and learning in instructional television

A S INSTRUCTIONAL TELEVISION comes of age, precise data on the relationship between physical arrangement of the viewing area and learning from the medium are needed. Such data have implications not only for the rearrangement of existing facilities in which television is to be used but also for the architectural design of new buildings and classrooms. Other things equal, is one location relative to the TV set more advantageous for learning than another location? The small amount of available research suggests the existence before the TV screen of a triangle in which students learn more, with positions to the side of or behind this area less advantageous. The dimensions of the triangle appear to vary with different subject areas, however, and at times the effect does not hold at all. Gibson (3), for example, using instructional films with Air Force trainees, found any position in the ordinary classroom satisfactory for most situations. Only if extreme demands were made on visual acuity did position relative to the screen affect learning, and even then a viewing angle up to 45 degrees was satisfactory. Ash and Jaspen (1), however, also using instructional films, found a smaller optimum viewing area. Their naval trainee subjects performed better with a viewing angle of 30 degrees or less and a distance from the screen not greater than 12 screen widths. The task here, assembly of part of an antiaircraft gun, demanded the acute visual perception which Gibson found important. Both of the above studies suggest that viewer location makes a difference where visual aspects of the presentation are important. The extent to which this film research generalizes to television is uncertain, however. The author has located only one report in the TV literature dealing with viewer location a section of the book-
Emerging Roles for the FCRL Family Members in Lymphocyte Biology and Disease

Members of the extended Fc receptor-like (FCRL) family in humans and mice are preferentially expressed by B cells and possess tyrosine-based immunoregulatory function. Although the majority of these proteins repress B cell receptor-mediated activation, there is an emerging evidence for their bifunctionality and capacity to counter-regulate adaptive and innate signaling pathways. In light of these findings, the recent discovery of ligands for several of these molecules has begun to reveal exciting potential for them in normal lymphocyte biology and is launching a new phase of FCRL investigation. Importantly, these fundamental developments are also setting the stage for defining their altered roles in the pathogenesis of a growing number of immune-mediated diseases. Here we review recent advances in the FCRL field and highlight the significance of these intriguing receptors in normal and perturbed immunobiology.
Physical and cognitive capabilities of children during operation and evacuation of a school bus emergency roof hatch

Abstract While many school bus routes exclusively transport kindergarten, first, and second grade (K-2) children, school bus emergency exits are designed based on the physical capabilities of an average adult male. This makes the usability of emergency exits less than optimal for K-2 children. The objective of this study was to determine if children in (K-2) are capable of opening and evacuating from a school bus roof hatch in an emergency rollover scenario. Maximum push force exertions of 91 K-2 students were measured during operation of a typical school bus emergency roof hatch (designed to meet Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard [FMVSS] No. 217 specifications). Ability to read and comprehend emergency-related words and roof hatch operating instructions was also evaluated for 58 students. Forty-two percent (42%) of kindergarten students were unable to exert the maximum permissible design force (89 N) necessary to operate the roof hatch. Only 20% of the participants in kindergarten were able to open the roof hatch. In a controlled environment, the majority of students (96%) were willing and able to self-extricate through the opening. However, only 33% of students had the cognitive skills necessary to understand how to open the roof hatch. Eighty-nine percent (89%) of participants who completed both the physical and cognitive aspects of the study were unable to successfully operate the school bus roof hatch.
Gut microbiome profiling and colorectal cancer in African Americans and Caucasian Americans

Gut microbiome profiling and colorectal cancer in African Americans and Caucasian Americans
Measurement of strains induced on a three-bottom moldboard plough under load and comparisons with finite element simulations

Abstract This paper reveals the results of a study performed on a three-bottom moldboard plough in order to measure the strains in field measurements by means of bounded strain gages on different parts of the moldboard frame and compares them with the results of finite element simulations. It was found that the reduced thickness of the moldboard frame did not cause excessive stresses and the measured strains showed a close agreement with the simulated data.
From Separation to Convergence: The Economic Development of the Republic of Cyprus and the Turkification of Northern Cyprus

Two crucial points of reference for Turkish Cypriots are identified, allowing a comparative assessment to be undertaken. First, the north’s position in relation to the development of the Republic of Cyprus is examined post 1974 and, second, the north’s relationship with Turkey is examined also post 1974. Appreciation of these two contending development trajectories or models is necessary to understand the governance regimes which emerged in the north.
Contributions of charcoal, tobacco, and syrup to the toxicity and particle distribution of waterpipe tobacco smoke

Abstract The use of waterpipes in the United States is increasing in a largely unregulated market. The shisha smoked in a waterpipe is a complex matrix of tobacco, flavorings, and humectant with smoke generated by an external heat source. This study explored the relationship between shisha components and the particulate matter size distributions and toxicity of smoke generated with heating. Standard waterpipe puff topography of charcoal- or electronic- heated whole shisha and shisha components generated smoke particulate matter that was characterized using a TSI Engine Exhaust Particle Sizer. Relative toxicity of the whole smoke was determined via measurement of lysosomal integrity and measures of membrane integrity following acute exposure of type II alveolar cells at the air-liquid interface. All waterpipe aerosols exhibited a unimodal particle size distribution, the peak and concentration of which varied depending upon the shisha components present. Acute exposure to charcoal-heated whole shisha, flavoring syrup, or humectant smoke, or electronic-heated whole shisha smoke caused significant alveolar cell damage and death, indicating neither tobacco nor charcoal are needed for these cytotoxic effects to occur.
A class of left quantum groups modeled after SLq(n)

Abstract For each n ≥ 2 , we construct a left quantum group, i.e., a left Hopf algebra SL q ( n ) generated by comatrix units X i j , 1 ≤ i , j ≤ n , which has a left antipode but no right antipode. The quantum special linear group SL q ( n ) is a homomorphic image of SL q ( n ) .
Our Paradigm for Paradigms in IS: How Many Times to the Well?

In the "publish or perish" world that we exist in as scholars, we note the emergence of an interesting pattern. Research is increasingly oriented around pre-existing, well-known, and widely accepted theoretical models, for which incremental advancements are devised by way of contribution. This is the way of "traditional" scientific work (consistent with Kuhn, 1962; 1970). Yet, this "traditional" approach to science is not as interesting as it could be for those of us editors, reviewers, and readers who are thirsty for new theoretical vistas and fresh ideas to inform our worldview of information systems. Indeed, it would seem that our paradigm (that which guides us in Kuhnian practice of our scientific craft of article production) has become what Kuhn, himself, might have said of paradigms at the late stage of maturity, just in advance of revolutions in which normal science puzzle solving ceased to work as expected: the paradigm by which we operate in our normal science practice, and the paradigms with which we study our scientific problems, are as limiting to us as anything else.
Surviving Telomere Attrition with the MiDAS Touch.

Cancer cells maintain telomere lengths through telomerase activity or by alternative lengthening of telomeres (ALT). Using an engineered model system, a recent study by Min et al. reveals that the combination of BLM-mediated DNA resection and telomere clustering, a characteristic of ALT telomeres, catalyzes RAD52-dependent mitotic DNA synthesis (MiDAS) specifically at telomeres to drive ALT activity.
Using item-level analyses to better understand the consequences of partialing procedures: An example using the Dark Triad.

Objective Partialing procedures are frequently used in psychological research. The present study sought to further explore the consequences of partialing, focusing on the replicability of partialing-based results. Method We used popular measures of the Dark Triad (DT; Machiavellianism, narcissism, and psychopathy) to explore the replicability of partialing procedures. We examined whether the residual content of popular DT scales is similar to the residual content of DT scales derived from separate samples based on relations with individual items from the IPIP-NEO-120, allowing for a finer-grained analysis of residual variable content. Results Profiles were compared using three sample sizes (Small N = 156-157, Moderate N = 313-314, Large N = 627-628) randomly drawn from a large MTurk sample (N = 1,255). There was low convergence between original and residual DT scales within samples. Additionally, results showed that the content of residual Dirty Dozen scales was not similar across samples. Comparable results were found for short Dark Triad-Machiavellianism, but only in the moderate and small samples. Conclusion The results indicate that there are important issues that arise when using partialing procedures, including replicability issues surrounding residual variables. Reasons for the observed results are discussed and further research examining the replicability of residual-based results is recommended.
Excision of Thyroglossal Duct Cyst

This chapter describes the surgical procedure for excision of thyroglossal duct cyst. The text includes an introduction that outlines the indications, risks, alternatives, essential steps, needed equipment, and variations in technique for the procedure in question. This is followed by a template operative dictation, which provides the reader with an operative report, such as is found in a patient chart or electronic medical record. A description is provided of the following critical concepts for this procedure: skin incision, creation of myocutaneous flaps, division of adjacent musculature, dissection of the cyst and tract to the level of the hyoid bone, excision of the central hyoid bone, excision of the proximal tract from the lingual musculature, drain placement, and multilayer closure.
Temporal modulation of pyrrolizidine alkaloid intake and genetic variation in performance of Utetheisa ornatrix caterpillars.

Foraging on a variety of different food items allows individuals to balance nutrient intake, but it also may dilute toxins present in single items of the diet. The distinction between nutrient balancing and toxin dilution becomes less clear, however, for organisms that sequester potentially toxic compounds for their own benefit. Additionally, specific dietary components chosen may or may not affect metabolic rate, growth, and other measures of fitness. Using the arctiid moth Utetheisa ornatrix, we (1) evaluated the temporal pattern of larval feeding behavior when presented with diet enriched with the pyrrolizidine alkaloid (PA), monocrotaline, (2) estimated the cost of ingesting PAs by measuring larval nutritional performance on diets containing different amounts of usaramine, and (3) investigated the magnitude of genetic effects on the performance of families raised on diets of different usaramine concentrations. We demonstrate that an herbivorous insect can temporally vary its intake of sequestered allelochemical. Individuals combined a preference for intermediate amounts of monocrotaline with temporal modulation of the specific amount of PA ingested on a given day. Using usaramine, we found little evidence for a cost of ingesting PAs, except among some family groups. Measures of digestive and metabolic efficiency showed no consistent reduction in performance on higher alkaloid diets. Only when larvae in family groups were fed a single concentration of PA over more than one instar was there any evidence for a cost of ingestion. Additionally, there were large genetic components to both growth and an individual's growth response to dietary alkaloid. These results suggest that while genetic variation in performance on alkaloid-rich diets exists, modulation of intake rate by caterpillars may be an important mechanism to reduce effects on the growth and fitness of individuals.
Ultrabright Fluorescence Readout of an Inkjet-Printed Immunoassay Using Plasmonic Nanogap Cavities

Fluorescence-based microarrays are promising diagnostic tools due to their high throughput, small sample volume requirements, and multiplexing capabilities. However, their low fluorescence output has limited their implementation for in vitro diagnostics applications in point-of-care (POC) settings. Here, by integration of a sandwich immunoassay microarray within a plasmonic nanogap cavity, we demonstrate strongly enhanced fluorescence which is critical for readout by inexpensive POC detectors. The immunoassay consists of inkjet-printed antibodies on a polymer brush which is grown on a gold film. Colloidally synthesized silver nanocubes are placed on top and interact with the underlying gold film creating high local electromagnetic field enhancements. By varying the thickness of the brush from 5 to 20 nm, up to a 151-fold increase in fluorescence and 14-fold improvement in the limit-of-detection is observed for the cardiac biomarker B-type natriuretic peptide (BNP) compared to the unenhanced assay, paving the way for a new generation of POC clinical diagnostics.
Human Immunodeficiency Virus Testing Among People Who Inject Drugs in Rural West Virginia.

Background Limited research exists on factors associated with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) testing among people who inject drugs (PWID) in rural America. The purpose of this research is to identify factors associated with rural PWID in Appalachia having not been tested for HIV in the past year. Methods Cross-sectional data (n = 408) from a 2018 PWID population estimation study in West Virginia were used to examine factors associated with PWID having not been tested for HIV in the past year. Results Most participants identified as male (61%), white, non-Hispanic (84%), and reported having recently injected heroin (81%) and/or crystal methamphetamine (71%). Most (64%) reported having been tested for HIV in the past year, 17% reported having been tested but not in the past year, and 19% reported never having been tested. In multivariable analysis, not having been in a drug treatment program in the past year was associated with PWID not having been tested for HIV in the past year (adjusted prevalence ratio, 1.430; 95% confidence interval, 1.080-1.894). Conclusions Drug treatment programs may be important venues for rural PWID to access HIV testing; however, testing services should be offered at multiple venues as most PWID had not engaged in drug treatment in the past year.
Fault Diagnosis Method of Photovoltaic Array Based on Random Forest Algorithm

This paper proposes a fault diagnosis method for photovoltaic array based on random forest algorithm. The random forest algorithm used in this paper is based on classification regression tree (CART). And bootstrap sampling method was used to generate multiple training sets from the original training set, and random attributes were introduced in the training process to generate multiple CART trees. When troubleshooting, the final troubleshooting results are determined by voting according to the diagnosis results of each CART tree. By building a photovoltaic array model in Matlab/Simulink simulation module, use it to summarize the output characteristics of photovoltaic array in the common fault states (partial shading, abnormal component aging, open circuit, short circuit). And considering the main natural factors that affect the output of photovoltaic array, the open circuit voltage, short circuit current, maximum power point voltage, maximum power point current, environmental temperature and light irradiance were selected as the input parameters of the random forest algorithm. Then, a 2×2 small photovoltaic array experiment platform and a field data acquisition system were designed and built to collect data in order to further verify the feasibility of the random forest algorithm. The test results of random forest were compared with those of single CART decision tree, K nearest neighbor (KNN) and support vector machine (SVM) algorithms. The results showed that random forest could complete the fault diagnosis task of photovoltaic array better.
Implications of Public Cloud Resource Heterogeneity for Inference Serving

We are witnessing an increasing trend towards using Machine Learning (ML) based prediction systems, spanning across different application domains, including product recommendation systems, personal assistant devices, facial recognition, etc. These applications typically have diverse requirements in terms of accuracy and response latency, that can be satisfied by a myriad of ML models. However, the deployment cost of prediction serving primarily depends on the type of resources being procured, which by themselves are heterogeneous in terms of provisioning latencies and billing complexity. Thus, it is strenuous for an inference serving system to choose from this confounding array of resource types and model types to provide low-latency and cost-effective inferences. In this work we quantitatively characterize the cost, accuracy and latency implications of hosting ML inferences on different public cloud resource offerings. Our evaluation shows that, prior work does not solve the problem from both dimensions of model and resource heterogeneity. Hence, to holistically address this problem, we need to solve the issues that arise from combining both model and resource heterogeneity towards optimizing for application constraints. Towards this, we discuss the design implications of a self-managed inference serving system, which can optimize for application requirements based on public cloud resource characteristics.
The acquisition of sexual and reproductive health knowledge

Abstract Humanity’s struggle to understand conception is unending. While the biology of human reproduction is well known today, it was not always so. Humankind speculated for millennia on the acts and actors that create life, each discovery part of a slowly unfolding drama. Even with the advanced state of our knowledge, significant numbers of men and women struggle to build families. Some have difficulty with the biological components of conception. Others have problems with the sexual side of the equation. A lack of success with either can lead to great emotional distress and interpersonal challenges. This chapter reviews the history of our comprehension of sex and fertility and explores the current status of how that knowledge is acquired, setting the stage for the remainder of this volume.
A Dissent from the Miranda Dissents: Some Comments on the 'New' Fifth Amendment and the Old 'Voluntariness' Test

[F]or the very reason that those in authority have no right to require a disclosure, those without authority feel justified in seeking to worm it out by threats, by fraud, by holding out false hopes, by putting forward false pretenses ... Unwilling to allow a magistrate to institute, as a matter of course, a formal examination, and place the result on record, we leave the same information to be fished for by the sheriff who makes the arrest, by the jailer, by the fellowprisoner turned informer or by the detective in disguise, and only require the witness who proves it to add perhaps perjury to fraud in swearing that no undue means were used to elicit the confession.-Simeon E. Baldwin (1883)2
Multipath agility in electronics manufacturing

Agile manufacturing provides a framework for the improvement of manufacturing productivity and quality through the integration of organizations, technologies, and information resources. The Electronics Agile Manufacturing Research Institute (EAMRI) at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute is developing new methodologies for agile manufacturing in the electronics industry, and conducting demonstration projects and assessments of the effectiveness of these new approaches. The goal of the EAMRI is the development and integration of information infrastructure to facilitate distributed design, planning, manufacturing, and marketing functions. A goal of this work is to achieve multipath agility in the product development process. Multipath agility provides increased access to alternative resources and information, and achieves improvements in productivity and quality through flexibility of access and utilization of resources, rather than through stepwise improvements in any one task. >
Some Recent Progress in Lattice-Based Cryptography

The past decade in computer science has witnessed tremendous progress in the understanding of lattices , which are a rich source of seemingly hard computational problems. One of their most promising applications is to the design of cryptographic schemes that enjoy exceptionally strong security guarantees and other desirable properties. Most notably, these schemes can be proved secure assuming only the worst-case hardness of well-studied lattice problems. Additionally, and in contrast with number-theoretic problems typically used in cryptography, the underlying problems have so far resisted attacks by subexponential-time and quantum algorithms. Yet even with these security advantages, lattice-based schemes also tend to be remarkably simple, asymptotically efficient, and embarrassingly parallelizable. This tutorial will survey the foundational results of the area, as well as some more recent developments. Our particular focus will be on the core hard cryptographic (average-case) problems, some recurring techniques and abstractions, and a few notable applications.
Gathering Glycine Receptors at Synapses

Neurons send their signals to the next neuron by shooting neurotransmitters across the intracellular gulf to a cluster of receptors on the downstream neuron. As discussed by Froehner in his Perspective, these receptors are held in place by so-called scaffolding proteins on the inside of the cell. A new example of such proteins is reported on page [1321][1] of this issue. In inhibitory neurons, the glycine receptors are held in place by the protein gephyrin. [1]: http://www.sciencemag.org/cgi/content/short/282/5392/1321