cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
An economic application of time domain Chebyshev filters : a test of the permanent income hypothesis

This paper presents an economic application of the Chebyshev filtering method that has been used primarily by engineers. The filter is particularly attractive for the analysis of short- and long-term effects of shocks on other variables under the rational expectations hypothesis. The filtering method is used to analyse the permanent income hypothesis. The results show that, contrary to the prediction of the hypothesis, consumption growth is sensitive to short-term movements, but insensitive to long-term movements in income growth. It appears that 5-year or shorter cyclical movements in income growth are important determinants of consumption growth.
Image-guided surgical techniques for infections and trauma of the central nervous system.

The value of image-guided stereotactic systems is directly dependent on the ease and speed of their use. In the past, most stereotactic techniques were complicated and timely to set up; thus, they were used exclusively for either resecting neoplasms or for restoring neurologic function. However, current systems equipped with advanced registration techniques are much simpler and faster to employ, and indications for their use are rapidly increasing. We describe an advanced image-guided navigation system and provide examples of its successful use in neurosurgical treatment of central nervous system infection and trauma.
Collecting duct-specific knockout of nitric oxide synthase 3 impairs water excretion in a sex-dependent manner

Nitric oxide (NO) inhibits collecting duct (CD) Na+ and water reabsorption. Mice with CD-specific knockout (KO) of NO synthase 1 (NOS1) have salt-sensitive hypertension. In contrast, the role of NO...
Morphological and Functional Studies of Ultra Long Von Willebrand Factor (ULVWF) Anchored on Endothelial Surface.

Abstract Von Willebrand factor multimers that are tethered on endothelial cells are ultra large, hyperactive and susceptible to ADAMTS13 cleavage. However, the morphology of acutely secreted ULVWF that are deposited on endothelial surface and the mechanism by which they persist under fluid shear stress remain elusive. In this study, we use immunofluorescence and electron microscopy to characterized HUVEC surface associated VWF. By conducting perfusion assays in a parallel plate flow chamber in the presence of an agonist and a fluorescent anti-VWF antibody, we directly visualized VWF secretion and dynamics in real time. Upon histamine or forskolin stimulation, VWF multimers secreted by confluent HUVEC formed extended strings parallel to flow direction. While strings formed independent of platelet adhesion, they bound platelets without requiring platelet activation. Quick-freeze, deep-etch electron microscopy of immuno-gold labeled VWF showed that multiple single strings can merge and form parallel or twisted bundles, suggesting lateral association between individual VWF multimers. These “strings” or “bundles of strings” were tethered to the plasma membrane by a limited number of anchoring points, remained stable for over 30 minutes of continuous laminar flow at the shear stress of 2.5dyn/cm2, and about 50% of these strings were disrupted (bent or washed away) by a reversal of flow direction. Static adhesion assays indicated that both “RGDS” binding integrin and P-selectin were involved in binding of CHO-P cells to ULVWF containing HUVEC supernatant. However, “RGDS” peptide, but not soluble P-selectin or a polyclonal P-selectin antibody by itself, could interfere with the formation of fluorescent VWF strings under flow. These observations suggest that “RGDS” binding integrins are implicated in the presentation of ultra-long VWF strings on endothelial lumen, and that multiple protein-protein interactions could contribute to this process.
The Urban Food Hubs Solution: Building Capacity in Urban Communities

Access to affordable fresh food is an ongoing challenge for underserved urban neighborhoods across the United States. Several are designated food deserts with no access to a full-service grocery store within a one-mile radius. The Urban Food Hubs of the College of Agriculture, Urban Sustainability, and Environmental Sciences (CAUSES) of the University of the District of Columbia (UDC) exemplify the University’s commitment to building capacity in the food desert neighborhoods of Washington D.C. The four components of the Urban Food Hubs are food production, food preparation, food distribution, and waste and water recovery (http://www.udc.edu/category/causes). They are designed to not only provide access to fresh food, but also to create jobs, improve public health, mitigate water management problems, and create urban resiliency. The contributions in economic, social/cultural, and physical/environmental impacts, and the five pillars of economic development that track the broader impacts of urban capacity building are described here. The Urban Food Hubs demonstrate the investment metropolitan universities could make to ensure the long-term economic, social, and environmental health of each community. The model is scalable and replicable in other metropolitan areas including those that experience high pressure on land-use and those experiencing decline.
Translating Texture: Design as Integration

This conceptual essay uses the notion of texture to articulate the relationship between data infrastructure (the attributes and value parameters that give data its shape) and data environment (the mode of implementation in which data is stored and manipulated). We take experimental datasets that we authored with unorthodox, weird data infrastructure and translate those datasets from one data evironment to another. In performing these translations, we surface integration as a design activity. Integration work is often tedious, mundane, and technical--but it is nonetheless design. We show how texture arises from the integration of material components, demonstrating the effects of integration work upon user experience.
Variability study of simulating plethysmographic measurements in pulmonary function studies

Chest wall mobility assessment is an important parameter in diagnosing pulmonary disorders. The purpose of this study is to examine and compare variations in thoracic and abdominal volumes based on changes in chest expansion that can be used as a clinical tool in pulmonary function studies. A newly proposed optical camera system utilizing a set of markers placed on subjects' thoracic and abdominal compartments is used to examine lung volume variations in these areas. This technique is complemented by body plethysmography and anthropometric measurement methods as a supplemental reference for comparative purposes to estimate lung volume variation in the thoraco-abdominal compartments. Extensive proprietary software code was developed to analyze captured video frames and track the changing shapes of the thoracic and abdominal compartments, which results in the differential lung volume variations. For the purpose of this study, lung volume variations are computed based on the cylindrical models of the thoracic and abdominal compartments. Ten test subjects, seven male and three female, participated in measurements for all three techniques. The photographic method of computing differential lung volume variations based on standard video images is non-invasive and inexpensive, and high-quality images are obtained under optimized lighting conditions.
Modeling drivers of phosphorus loads in Chesapeake Bay tributaries and inferences about long-term change

Causal attribution of changes in water quality often consists of correlation, qualitative reasoning, listing references to the work of others, or speculation. To better support statements of attribution for water-quality trends, structural equation modeling was used to model the causal factors of total phosphorus loads in the Chesapeake Bay watershed. By transforming, scaling, and standardizing variables, grouping similar sites, grouping some causal factors into latent variable models, and using methods that correct for assumption violations, we developed a structural equation model to show how causal factors interact to produce total phosphorus loads. Climate (in the form of annual total precipitation and the Palmer Hydrologic Drought Index) and anthropogenic inputs are the major drivers of total phosphorus load in the Chesapeake Bay watershed. Increasing runoff due to natural climate variability is offsetting purposeful management actions that are otherwise decreasing phosphorus loading; consequently, management actions may need to be reexamined to achieve target reductions in the face of climate variability.
Lego bricks and the octet rule: Molecular models for biochemical pathways with plastic, interlocking toy bricks

The 8 studs on a 2 × 4 Lego brick conveniently represent the outer shell of electrons for carbon, nitrogen, and oxygen atoms. We used Lego bricks to model these atoms, which are then joined together to form molecules by following the Lewis octet rule. A variety of small biological molecules can be modeled in this way, such as most amino acids, fatty acids, glucose, and various intermediate metabolites. Model building with these familiar toys can be a helpful, hands-on exercise for learning-or re-learning-biochemical pathways. © 2017 by The International Union of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, 46(1):54-57, 2018.
Reading the Postcolony in the Center: V.S. Naipaul's A Bend in the River

(2005). Reading the Postcolony in the Center: V.S. Naipaul's A Bend in the River. South Asian Review: Vol. 26, 'V.S Naipaul: His ideas, work and art'. Guest Edited by P. A. Chauhan, pp. 224-239.
Burnout and Vigor Among Health Service Psychology Doctoral Students

The purpose of the study was to address shortcomings in the literature by applying conservation of resources theory to assess and identify predictors of burnout and vigor among health service psych...
Atrazine affects craniofacial chondrogenesis and axial skeleton mineralization in zebrafish ( Danio rerio).

Atrazine is a commonly used herbicide that has previously been implicated as an endocrine-disrupting compound. Previous studies have shown that estrogenic endocrine-disrupting compounds affect the ...
Role of Spdef in the Regulation of Muc5b Expression in the Airways of Naive and Mucoobstructed Mice

Understanding how expression of airway secretory mucins MUC5B and MUC5AC is regulated in health and disease is important to elucidating the pathogenesis of mucoobstructive respiratory diseases. The transcription factor SPDEF (sterile α-motif pointed domain epithelial specific transcription factor) is a key regulator of MUC5AC, but its role in regulating MUC5B in health and in mucoobstructive lung diseases is unknown. Characterization of Spdef-deficient mice upper and lower airways demonstrated region-specific, Spdef-dependent regulation of basal Muc5b expression. Neonatal Spdef-deficient mice exhibited reductions in BAL Muc5ac and Muc5b. Adult Spdef-deficient mice partially phenocopied Muc5b-deficient mice as they exhibited reduced Muc5b in nasopharyngeal and airway epithelia but not in olfactory Bowman glands, 75% incidence of nasopharyngeal hair/mucus plugs, and mild bacterial otitis media, without defective mucociliary clearance in the nasopharynx. In contrast, tracheal mucociliary clearance was reduced in Spdef-deficient mice in the absence of lung disease. To evaluate the role of Spdef in the development and persistence of Muc5b-predominant mucoobstructive lung disease, Spdef-deficient mice were crossed with Scnn1b-transgenic (Scnn1b-Tg) mice, which exhibit airway surface dehydration-induced airway mucus obstruction and inflammation. Spdef-deficient Scnn1b-Tg mice exhibited reduced Muc5ac, but not Muc5b, expression and BAL content. Airway mucus obstruction was not decreased in Spdef-deficient Scnn1b-Tg mice, consistent with Muc5b-dominant Scnn1b disease, but increased airway neutrophilia was observed compared with Spdef-sufficient Scnn1b-Tg mice. Collectively, these results indicate that Spdef regulates baseline Muc5b expression in respiratory epithelia but does not contribute to Muc5b regulation in a mouse model of Muc5b-predominant mucus obstruction caused by airway dehydration.
Do social conditions matter for emergence of innovative firms? The case of Kosovo

The theory of innovative enterprise emphasises the importance of social conditions in the capabilities of firms to innovate. Firms operate in a particular social context characterised by national economic institutions that influence the social conditions of innovative activities. Governance institutions influence strategic control, employment institutions influence organisational integration, and investment institutions influence financial commitment. This paper examines whether these social factors matter for the emergence of innovative firms in the context of low-income economies, with evidence from Kosovo firms. The findings suggest that Kosovo's economy provides little incentives for firms to innovate. While the country has established an institutional framework which to a great extent is comparable to developed countries, the major challenge remains its enforcement. The number of business entities endowed with innovative capabilities is low, and this is an outcome of macro as well as micro social context.
The Structure and Stability of Radiation Belt Electrons as Controlled by Wave-Particle Interactions

The non-adiabatic dynamics of energetic electrons trapped within the high density plasma-sphere are primarily controlled by resonant wave-particle interactions. Rates of precipitation loss to the atmosphere are consistent with anticipated pitch angle diffusion due to parasitic resonant scattering by naturally generated whistler mode hiss. During the recovery phase of magnetic storms such emissions intensify causing relatively rapid electron precipitation which is sufficient to dominate over other known D region ionization sources at middle invariant latitudes. The electrons nevertheless remain within the limit of weak pitch angle diffusion and the characteristically observed equilibrium pitch angle distribution is simply controlled by their bounce orbit averaged diffusion rate. Typical post storm electron decay times are a few days so that enhanced slot region precipitation may persist for over a week; thus explaining the long duration of middle latitude D region ionization disturbances measured using radio probing techniques.
and therefore in a Remote Sense Abduction Rests upon Diagrammatic Reasoning

Peirce developed two different concepts—”abduction” and “diagrammatic reasoning”—that are interesting for theories of creativity in mathematics, the sciences, and in learning. He defined “abduction” as the “inference” from surprising, or unexplained, observations to an explanatory hypothesis. However, he does not provide much to explain how the process of creating new hypotheses might be possible. In this contribution, I start from a remark by Peirce claiming that diagrammatic reasoning might somehow be the foundation of abduction. Using an example from astronomy, I argue that at least one form of abduction is indeed based on diagrammatic reasoning: theoretic model abduction.
Child Neurology: Friedreich ataxia with upper motor neuron findings: A case study

A 16-year-old boy with hypertrophic cardiomyopathy, gait abnormalities, and balance problems was found to have Friedreich ataxia. Though Friedreich ataxia typically renders patients areflexic, this child had upper motor neuron findings of spasticity in both lower extremities, with crossed adductors, and 4+ deep tendon reflexes at the patella and Achilles bilaterally. This unusual presentation of an uncommon genetic disorder led to uncertainty of the patient's true diagnosis until genetic testing confirmed that he had 2 alleles with the Friedreich ataxia mutation.
Postoperative infection following strabismus surgery: case series and increased incidence in a single referral center.

Purpose To identify and analyze cases of postoperative infection following strabismus surgery at a large referral center and to report the incidence, risk factors, and outcomes. Methods An electronic database search identified strabismus procedures at Duke Eye Center from July 1996 to October 2017. Diagnosis codes for periocular infections were used to further identify patients with possible infections following strabismus surgery. Results Of 9,111 strabismus surgeries, 13 (0.14%) met criteria for probable infection, all occurring since October 2012 (0/6580 before vs 13/2531 [0.51%] after; P Conclusions A unifying explanation for the increase in post–strabismus surgery infections at Duke Eye Center was not identified. Potential risk factors include age
Manipulation of Growth and Architectural Characteristics in Trees for Increased Woody Biomass Production.

Growth and architectural traits in trees are economically and environmentally important and thus of considerable importance to the improvement of forest and fruit trees. These traits are complex and result from the operation of a number of molecular mechanisms. This review will focus on the regulation of crown architecture, secondary woody growth and adventitious rooting. These traits and processes have significant impact on deployment, management and productivity of tree crops. The majority of the described work comes from experiments in model plants, poplar, apple, peach and plum because these species allow functional analysis of the involved genes and have significant genomics resources. However, these studies convincingly show conserved mechanisms for elaboration of specific growth and architectural traits. The conservation of these mechanisms suggest that they can be used as a blueprint for the improvement of these traits and processes in phylogenetically diverse tree crops. We will specifically consider the involvement of flowering time, transcription factors and hormone-associated genes. The review will also discuss the impact of recent technological advances as well as the challenges to the dissection of these traits in trees.
Engaging Pacific Islander Veterans and Military Families in Difficult Heritage Discussions

A discussion program that engages Pacific Island veterans and military families in examining the experience of war through humanities sources including conflict heritage was recently undertaken in Saipan, Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands. The program proposes to assist the community with gaining a meaningful and relevant understanding of war as a shared human experience by exploring their local conflict heritage and assisting in integrating Pacific Islander veterans into a sociocultural position of authority in the history of war in their islands. The program is informed by theoretical and practice-based approaches in Indigenous and community archaeology, is interdisciplinary in design, and provides some consideration for future prospects in engagement with descendant and veteran communities.
Increasing Age Predicts Increasing Residual Urine Volume.

Objectives To determine reference values for postvoid residual (PVR) volume for patients referred to a tertiary urogynecology center. Methods After Institutional Review Board approval, we performed a retrospective chart review of all new patients presenting to our referral center. We assessed associations between PVR and patient demographics, pelvic floor symptoms, and physical examination by Wilcoxon rank sum or Kruskal-Wallis tests as appropriate. A multivariable logistic regression model was used to calculate odds ratios for patient characteristics associated with PVR in the top age range-specific decile. Results Three hundred sixty-one patients were included in the analysis. The median PVR was 20 mL (interquartile range, 1st, 3rd quartiles, 10, 50). Older age was associated with higher PVR (P 90%ile for age), independent of the age-related elevation. Conclusions The majority of patients presenting for urogynecologic evaluation had a low PVR with a median of 20 mL. Postvoid residual was higher for older age groups but nearly all volumes were less than 100 mL. The utility of a PVR measurement is highest for patients with pelvic organ prolapse, urinary frequency, narcotic use, or history of stroke.
A qualitative analysis of parents' perceptions of weight talk and weight teasing in the home environments of diverse low-income children

Research has shown that family weight talk and teasing are associated with child overweight status and unhealthy weight control behaviors. However, little is known about how weight talk and teasing are experienced in the home, how parents respond, and what factors influence whether weight talk and teasing occur. The main objective of this study is to qualitatively examine weight talk and teasing in the home environments of diverse low-income children. Parents (N=118) from a mixed-methods cross-sectional study were interviewed in their home. The majority of parents (90% female; mean age=35 years.) were from minority (65% African American) and low income (<$25,000/year) households. A grounded theory analysis found the following themes: weight talk contradictions, overt and covert weight talk/teasing, reciprocal teasing, and cultural factors related to weight talk/teasing. These themes should be addressed when developing family-based interventions to reduce weight talk and teasing in the home environment.
The Constitution & Business: Course Syllabus

Here is the syllabus for my Constitution & Business elective. It is geared towards undergraduate upperclassmen.
Disparities in Treatment for Gallbladder Carcinoma: Does Treatment Site Matter?

Current treatment guidelines for gallbladder cancer range from simple cholecystectomy to regional hepatic resection. Treatment patterns for radical resection and adjuvant chemotherapy vary. We aim to determine if there is any disparity in treatment or difference in survival between academic versus community treatment centers. The National Cancer Database (NCDB) was queried from 2004 to 2014 for gallbladder carcinoma. Cases were stratified into treatment sites as “Community Cancer Center” (CCC) or “Academic Cancer Center” (ACC). Propensity score matching was performed for patient demographics, TNM stage, resection type, and administration of adjuvant chemotherapy. The primary outcome included 30-day mortality, 90-day mortality, and overall survival. There are similar frequencies of radical versus simple resection and administration of adjuvant chemotherapy between ACC and CCC. When propensity-matched for resection type, cases treated at ACC have lower 30-day mortality (4.1% vs. 6.9%) and 90-day mortality (13.2% vs. 18.5%) and increased 5-year overall survival (26.2% vs. 22.4%) (p < 0.01). After propensity matching for adjuvant chemotherapy, cases at ACC have lower 30-day mortality (4.12% vs. 7.71%) and 90-day mortality (13.22% vs. 19.19%) and increased overall survival (13.6% vs. 11.0%) (p < 0.01). While treatment patterns for gallbladder cancer at ACC and CCC were similar, there was a decrease in 30-day and 90-day mortality and improved overall survival associated with patients treated at ACC. Treatment site may have an impact in the surgical outcomes of gallbladder cancer patients. This disparity warrants further research.
Theorizing Struggle in the Social Factory

This essay explores possibilities for expanding how critical organization scholars theorize and examine processes of struggle in the capital–labor relationship. Arguing for a more expansive concept...
Early Observation and Mitigation of Challenges in Diabetes Management of COVID-19 Patients in Critical Care Units.

Clinical studies of patients with coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) have found diabetes to be a major risk factor for disease severity and mortality (1,2). One new study showed that COVID-19 patients with diabetes and/or uncontrolled hyperglycemia had a longer length of stay and markedly higher mortality than patients without diabetes or uncontrolled hyperglycemia (3). Given rising numbers of cases of patients with COVID-19 and diabetes, understanding their interaction on insulin requirement and glycemic control is prudent. As seen in other infections, blood glucose starts to rise with the beginning of clinical symptoms. By the time the patient is admitted to the intensive care unit (ICU), insulin requirement is at its highest, and blood glucose remains high if not properly managed. Treating physicians face several challenges that need careful attention. Here are some of the potential issues that we encountered in our ICUs and their suggested mitigating plans. We thought that sharing them at this early stage is important. ##### Continuous tube feeding in patients on artificial ventilation. Continuous tube feeding is the ideal nutrition method for intubated patients with COVID-19. Typically, this has been managed by a combination of continuous intravenous insulin infusion and frequent glucose testing to improve glycemic control and reduce glucose variability to the minimum in order to reduce mortality in ICU (4). However, this method significantly increases contact frequency by health care providers, especially ICU nurses. The other common …
Ultra-local model predictive control: A model-free approach and its application on automated vehicle trajectory tracking

Abstract Model predictive control (MPC) has been extensively utilized in the automotive applications, such as autonomous vehicle path planning and control, hybrid-vehicle energy management, and advanced driver-assistance system design. As a typical model-based control law, MPC relies on a system model to predict the state evolution of the manipulated plant within the prediction horizon. However, a representative yet concise mathematical description of the controlled plant may not always be available in practice. Therefore, model-free strategies, e.g., identification for control and direct data-driven control, have been incorporated into the predictive control framework. Nonetheless, existing model-free predictive controllers usually require reliable datasets and employ complex nonconvex optimizations to identify the underlying system model. Furthermore, their control performances are fundamentally limited by the quality of the training data. Inspired by the model-free control, this paper proposes the ultra-local model predictive control (ULMPC), which is a novel and straightforward model-free predictive control technique with no need for the computationally-extensive model learning process. The proposed ULMPC is implemented for automated vehicle trajectory following. Carsim-Simulink joint simulations and indoor experimental field tests with a scaled car demonstrate its effectiveness.
Short-Term Rapamycin Preconditioning Diminishes Therapeutic Efficacy of Human Adipose-Derived Stem Cells in a Murine Model of Multiple Sclerosis

Human adipose-derived stem cells (ASCs) show immense promise for treating inflammatory diseases, attributed primarily to their potent paracrine signaling. Previous investigations demonstrated that short-term Rapamycin preconditioning of bone marrow-derived stem cells (BMSCs) elevated secretion of prostaglandin E2, a pleiotropic molecule with therapeutic effects in the experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis (EAE) model of multiple sclerosis (MS), and enhanced immunosuppressive capacity in vitro. However, this has yet to be examined in ASCs. The present study examined the therapeutic potential of short-term Rapamycin-preconditioned ASCs in the EAE model. Animals were treated at peak disease with control ASCs (EAE-ASCs), Rapa-preconditioned ASCs (EAE-Rapa-ASCs), or vehicle control (EAE). Results show that EAE-ASCs improved clinical disease scores and elevated intact myelin compared to both EAE and EAE-Rapa-ASC animals. These results correlated with augmented CD4+ T helper (Th) and T regulatory (Treg) cell populations in the spinal cord, and increased gene expression of interleukin-10 (IL-10), an anti-inflammatory cytokine. Conversely, EAE-Rapa-ASC mice showed no improvement in clinical disease scores, reduced myelin levels, and significantly less Th and Treg cells in the spinal cord. These findings suggest that short-term Rapamycin preconditioning reduces the therapeutic efficacy of ASCs when applied to late-stage EAE.
Measurement Error in Atomic-Scale Scanning Transmission Electron Microscopy-Energy-Dispersive X-Ray Spectroscopy (STEM-EDS) Mapping of a Model Oxide Interface.

With the development of affordable aberration correctors, analytical scanning transmission electron microscopy (STEM) studies of complex interfaces can now be conducted at high spatial resolution at laboratories worldwide. Energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDS) in particular has grown in popularity, as it enables elemental mapping over a wide range of ionization energies. However, the interpretation of atomically resolved data is greatly complicated by beam–sample interactions that are often overlooked by novice users. Here we describe the practical factors—namely, sample thickness and the choice of ionization edge—that affect the quantification of a model perovskite oxide interface. Our measurements of the same sample, in regions of different thickness, indicate that interface profiles can vary by as much as 2–5 unit cells, depending on the spectral feature. This finding is supported by multislice simulations, which reveal that on-axis maps of even perfectly abrupt interfaces exhibit significant delocalization. Quantification of thicker samples is further complicated by channeling to heavier sites across the interface, as well as an increased signal background. We show that extreme care must be taken to prepare samples to minimize channeling effects and argue that it may not be possible to extract atomically resolved information from many chemical maps.
Clinically Approved Antiviral Drug in an Orally Administrable Nanoparticle for COVID-19

There is urgent therapeutic need for COVID-19, a disease for which there are currently no widely effective approved treatments and the emergency use authorized drugs do not result in significant and widespread patient improvement. The food and drug administration-approved drug ivermectin has long been shown to be both antihelmintic agent and a potent inhibitor of viruses such as Yellow Fever Virus. In this study, we highlight the potential of ivermectin packaged in an orally administrable nanoparticle that could serve as a vehicle to deliver a more potent therapeutic antiviral dose and demonstrate its efficacy to decrease expression of viral spike protein and its receptor angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 (ACE2), both of which are keys to lowering disease transmission rates. We also report that the targeted nanoparticle delivered ivermectin is able to inhibit the nuclear transport activities mediated through proteins such as importin α/β1 heterodimer as a possible mechanism of action. This study sheds light on ivermectin-loaded, orally administrable, biodegradable nanoparticles to be a potential treatment option for the novel coronavirus through a multilevel inhibition. As both ACE2 targeting and the presence of spike protein are features shared among this class of virus, this platform technology has the potential to serve as a therapeutic tool not only for COVID-19 but for other coronavirus strains as well.
Re-orientation of Russia to the Asian markets as a main direction of its foreign trade policy

Research background: The authors on a systematic basis have investigated the features of trade relations between Russia and neighboring Asian states. It was published several articles on this issue in Russia and abroad, including publications in Scopus and Web of Science indexed journals.Purpose of the article: The aim of the research is to analyze the current situation and prospects for the development of mutual trade cooperation between Russia and neighboring Asian states (Kazakhstan, Mongolia, China, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Uzbekistan and Turkmenistan).Methods: The research is based on the methodology of general system theory. The present research was accomplished using the following methods for studying complex social objects: synthesis, comparison, system analysis, analogy, construction of scientifically based hypotheses, etc. The theoretical basis for the study was the works of M.O. Slobodchikoff, M.E. Aleprete [1], P. Bargues-Pedreny [2], R. Mac Ginty [3], and J. L. Austin [4].Findings & Value added: The authors have investigated mutual trade cooperation between Russia and neighboring Asian states (Kazakhstan, Mongolia, China, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Uzbekistan and Turkmenistan). The study has showed that the major problem of Russia’s trade with neighboring Asian states is based on resource-oriented export. Russia’s key task at Central Asian market is to expand the share of non-resource-based sectors. A variety of export categories will make the Russian economy more resilient to global fluctuations and crises. At the same time, it is necessary to develop trade and economic cooperation with India, Indonesia and Brazil, as well as to form a coalition of non-aligned countries and African countries in order to deter China and the USA.
Greek warfare beyond the polis: Defense, strategy, and the making of ancient federal states: by David A. Blome, Ithaca, NY: Cornell University Press, 2020, 161 pp., $39.95, ISBN: 9781501747526.

Human technology has grown exponentially more complex in recent centuries, and this trend appears still to be accelerating. Discovery builds on discovery; shaping the physical environment becomes e...
Traitors in our Midst: Trust Dynamics with Secret Undermining

We study how an organization dynamically screens an agent of uncertain loyalty whom it suspects of committing damaging acts of undermining. The organization controls the stakes of the relationship, while the agent strategically times undermining, which can occur repeatedly and is detected only stochastically. The optimal commitment stakes policy exhibits both discreteness and gradualism, with distinct "untrusted" and "trusted" phases featuring gradually rising stakes during the untrusted phase and a discrete gap in stakes between phases. This policy is also the unique equilibrium outcome when the organization cannot commit, and the agent's unique equilibrium undermining policy exhibits variable, non-monotonic intensity.
Direct-to-implant breast reconstruction following nipple-sparing mastectomy: predictive factors of adverse surgical outcomes in Asian patients.

Background Direct-to-implant (DTI) breast reconstruction after nipple-sparing mastectomy (NSM) with the use of acellular dermal matrix (ADM) provides reliable outcomes; however, the use of ADM is associated with a higher risk of complications. We analyzed our experiences of post-NSM DTI without ADM and identified the predictive factors of adverse surgical outcomes. Methods Patients who underwent NSM and immediate DTI or two-stage tissue expander (TE) breast reconstruction from 2009 to 2020 were enrolled. Predictors of adverse endpoints were analyzed. Results There were 100 DTI and 29 TE reconstructions. The TE group had a higher rate of postmastectomy radiotherapy (31% vs. 11%; P=0.009), larger specimens (317.37±176.42 g vs. 272.08±126.33 g; P=0.047), larger implants (360.84±85.19 g vs. 298.83±81.13 g; P=0.004) and a higher implant/TE exposure ratio (10.3% vs. 1%; P=0.035). In DTI reconstruction, age over 50 years (odds ratio [OR], 5.43; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.50-19.74; P=0.010) and a larger mastectomy weight (OR, 1.65; 95% CI, 1.08-2.51; P=0.021) were associated with a higher risk of acute complications. Intraoperative radiotherapy for the nipple-areolar complex increased the risk of acute complications (OR, 4.05; 95% CI, 1.07-15.27; P=0.039) and the likelihood of revision surgery (OR, 5.57; 95% CI, 1.25-24.93; P=0.025). Conclusions Immediate DTI breast reconstruction following NSM is feasible in Asian patients with smaller breasts.
Flow Structure Near the Bow of a Two-Dimensional Body

Flow near a blunt ship's bow is experimentally investigated by studying the flow in front of horizontal surface-piercing cylinders. A bore-like structure develops at the bow of a cylinder when it is immersed in a uniform stream. Observations indicate that the leading edge of this bow wave coincides with a point at which the main flow separates from the free surface. Experimental measurements of the location of the wavefront and the slope of the free surface at the wavefront are in fair agreement with existing theoretical predictions. Power spectra of the time records of the bow-wave elevation show a characteristic oscillation frequency at Froude numbers above a critical value. The bow-wave oscillation is a function of the cross-sectional shape of the two-dimensional body, the draft, and, to a lesser extent the flow velocity. The inception of the oscillation depends on the Reynolds number, but the characteristic frequency is governed by inertial and gravitational forces.
The Subset Construction

A nondeterministic finite automaton (NFA) is a five-tuple $$N = (Q,\sum {} ,\Delta ,S, F)$$ where everything is the same as in a deterministic automaton, except for the following two differences.
The meaning of the Impact Factor

Resumen en: The impact factor and other bibliometric indicators are currently utilized in most countries to evaluate institutions, scientific research, entire journ...
Acid mucopolysaccharides of human aorta

Summary Concentrations of acid mucopolysaccharides (MPS) in the aortic intima and outer layers (externa) with varying extent and severity of atherosclerosis have been studied in Negro females. An increase initially, followed by a decrease, of MPS concentrations was observed as the disease extended from 10 to 55 %. The increase of MPS was characteristic of the fatty streaks and the decrease characteristic of fibrous plaques, complicated and calcified lesions. Chondroitin sulfate B concentrations paralleled the extensiveness of the fatty streaks while it was almost absent in intimai tissue from vessels with fibrous plaques. The chondroitin sulfate B increase may represent an intimai reaction, the disappearance of which coincides with advancement of the disease. It appears that the variations in concentration of MPS in the aorta represent diffuse metabolic changes. Certain early changes predispose to the initiation of atherosclerosis, but progression of the disease is associated with a marked alteration of the content of specific MPS.
Climate Change and the Course of Global History: Growth beyond Limits: 1945 to Present

The arc of history since the end of the Second World War constitutes a fundamental new departure in the human condition. Building on the global reach of the war itself, the technologies of the Second Industrial Revolution suddenly penetrated every corner of the earth. The result was massive and virtually instantaneous. Populations mushroomed. And if economies have not been adequate to supply their aspirations, the energy mobilized to supply their needs is now literally transforming the earth system. The Anthropocene has arrived. Underpopulation, not overpopulation, threatened ancient and medieval agrarian societies. When populations grew during climatic optimums, they generally managed to achieve incremental improvements to agricultural productivity. But life was not pleasant. A pervasive hierarchy – and poverty – shaped the human condition. A peasant family in the late Middle Ages, on average, had a standard of living not unlike that of a peasant family in the Bronze Age, and probably the late Neolithic. Average life expectancy at birth ranged from the low twenties to the mid-thirties at best.
Emissions Comparison of Alternative Fuels in an Advanced Automotive Diesel Engine

Abstract : Exhaust emissions mappings were conducted for six alternative diesel fuels in a Daimler-Benz (DB) OM6l1 diesel engine. The OM6l 1 engine is a 2.2L, direct-injection diesel with a Bosch, high-pressure, common-rail, fuel-injection system. The engine design closely matches the specifications of the Partnership for a New Generation Vehicle (PNGV) target compression- ignition engine. Triplicate 13-mode, steady-state test sequences were performed for each fuel, with a 2-D control fuel serving as the baseline. No adjustments were made to the engine to compensate for any performance differences resulting from fuel property variations.
Di‐t‐butyl Chromate–Pyridine

[1189-85-1] C8H18CrO4 (MW 230.22) InChI = 1S/2C4H9O.Cr.2O/c2*1-4(2,3)5;;;/h2*1-3H3;;;/q2*-1;+2;; InChIKey = PNWJTIFZRHJYLK-UHFFFAOYSA-N [110-86-1] C5H5N (MW 79.10) InChI = 1S/C5H5N/c1-2-4-6-5-3-1/h1-5H InChIKey = JUJWROOIHBZHMG-UHFFFAOYSA-N (reagent for oxidizing alcohols and silyl ethers to aldehydes and ketones) Alternate Name: tert-butyl chromate–pyridine; chromyl chloride–pyridine–tert-butanol. Preparative Methods: prepared in situ from chromyl chloride, pyridine, and tert-butanol to afford the tripyridine (x = 3) complex1 or from chromium(VI) oxide, tert-butanol, and pyridine to yield a complex which may contain 1 to 3 equivalents (x = 1–3) of pyridine.2 Handling, Storage, and Precautions: all chromium(VI) reagents must be handled with care; the mutagenicity of CrVI compounds is well documented.3 This reagent should be handled in a fume hood.
Understanding the current-induced magnetization dynamics in the presence of large magnetic fields

Abstract We have theoretically studied the magnetization behavior in the magnetic trilayer nanostructures under the influence of spin-transfer torque using the Landau–Lifshitz–Gilbert equation. The focus is the coherent transition of the magnetization from a static state to another static state induced by the spin current even in the presence of a large applied field. Based on the study, the experimental observations, which were thought to be due to spin-wave excitations previously, can be directly and quantitatively explained by the out-of-plane static states of the magnetization induced by the spin-current in the presence of large in-plane magnetic fields in the range of several Teslas.
Cerebella segmentation on MR images of pediatric patients with medulloblastoma

In this study, an automated method has been developed to identify the cerebellum from T1-weighted MR brain images of patients with medulloblastoma. A new objective function that is similar to Gibbs free energy in classic physics was defined; and the brain structure delineation was viewed as a process of minimizing Gibbs free energy. We used a rigid- body registration and an active contour (snake) method to minimize the Gibbs free energy in this study. The method was applied to 20 patient data sets to generate cerebellum images and volumetric results. The generated cerebellum images were compared with two manually drawn results. Strong correlations were found between the automatically and manually generated volumetric results, the correlation coefficients with each of manual results were 0.971 and 0.974, respectively. The average Jaccard similarities with each of two manual results were 0.89 and 0.88, respectively. The average Kappa indexes with each of two manual results were 0.94 and 0.93, respectively. These results showed this method was both robust and accurate for cerebellum segmentation. The method may be applied to various research and clinical investigation in which cerebellum segmentation and quantitative MR measurement of cerebellum are needed.
Large Somal Size Is Associated with the Expression of Galanin but Not with Neuronal Birthdate in the Sexually Dimorphic Male Nucleus of Ferret’s Preoptic Area/Anterior Hypothalamus

Using Nissl and Golgi stains, a sexually dimorphic male nucleus (MN) comprised of a cluster of large cells with large dendritic arbors has been identified in the dorsal preoptic area/anterior hypothal
Surface electronic structure and off-site Auger transitions on TaC(111) observed with Auger-photoelectron coincidence spectroscopy.

The Ta {ital N}{sub 7}-{ital VV} Auger spectrum of TaC(111) has been measured in coincidence with photoemission from the bulk and surface shifted Ta 4{ital f}{sub 7/2} core levels. Good agreement is found between the surface Auger spectrum and a self-convolution of the density of states (SCDOS) at surface Ta sites determined by a first-principles calculation. The bulk spectrum disagrees with the bulk SCDOS but is well described by an incoherent sum of the bulk SCDOS and the surface spectrum. A novel off-site Auger decay mechanism, first observed on Ta(100), accounts for these observations.
Pheromone isoform composition differentially affects female behaviour in the red-legged salamander, Plethodon shermani

Pheromones are a diverse class of biological molecules that play critical roles in mediating social and sexual behaviours. In many systems, pheromones exist in complex mixtures, with the precise composition and ratios of the different components essential for bioactivity. The interactive effects of complex pheromone mixtures, however, have been minimally studied in vertebrates. In the red-legged salamander, male salamanders use nonvolatile proteinaceous pheromones to modify female courtship behaviour and mating receptivity. One component of this pheromone mixture is a hypervariable 7 kDa protein, plethodontid modulating factor (PMF). Within a single population, individual male salamanders express more than 30 variants (isoforms) of PMF. While the complete pheromone secretion increases female mating receptivity, a subset of PMF isoforms was demonstrated to reduce receptivity. In the current study, we demonstrated that a single PMF isoform had no effect on female mating behaviour, while a more complete mixture of PMF variants recapitulated the effect of the whole pheromone mixture and increased female receptivity. From these data, we hypothesize (1) that female preference and sexual selection have promoted the rapid gene duplication of PMF over ∼20 MY, resulting in the complex mixture we observe today and (2) that PMF isoforms act synergistically through complex neurophysiological pathways to modulate female courtship behaviour. These studies help define a framework for further investigations of the complex interactions and molecular mechanisms by which protein pheromones modulate female mating behaviour.
Metamorphic changes of dermis in skin of frog larvae exposed to thyroxine

Abstract Larvae of Rana pipiens immersed in a strong thyroxine solution at Taylor-Kollros stages VI–VIII survived up to 7–8 days. Samples of head skin were fixed daily and prepared for electron microscopy. Protoplasmic processes from mesenchyme cells protrude into the basement lamella in control animals not exposed to thyroxine and in those exposed but 1 day. Channels containing ground substance and fine filaments are oriented vertically in the lamella. By 2 days after immersion cell bodies of mesenchyme cells have moved into the basement lamella. Mesenchyme cells are found closer to the epidermis after 3–4 days. By days 5–7 mesenchyme cells have moved outward to form the stratum spongiosum separating basement lamella from epidermis.
Chiral-color model with a simple Higgs structure

Conventional quarks and leptons of any one generation are assigned to the chiral-color representations of strong- and electroweak-interactions symmetry SU(3)/sub L/xSU(3)/sub R/xSU(2)/sub L/ xU(1)/sub Y/. The anomalies are canceled by addition of exotic quarks and leptons that are all singlets under the weak-interactions group SU(2)/sub L/. The model requires only two Higgs representations to break the gauge symmetry and to give masses to all the quarks and leptons. All quarks and leptons acquire masses through the seesaw mechanism of Gell-Mann, Ramond, and Slansky