cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Causal powers and isomeric chemical kinds

Some philosophers have claimed that (natural) kinds can be construed as mereologically complex structural properties. This essay examines several strategies aimed at construing a certain class of natural kinds, namely isomeric chemical kinds, in accordance with this view. In particular, the essay examines views which posit structural proper parts in addition to micro-constitutive parts to individuate isomeric chemical kinds. It then goes on to argue that the phenomenon of chirality in stereochemistry gives the proponent of kinds-as-complex-properties evidence for positing the existence of causal-cum-dispositional individuating proper parts, in addition to structural parts, for chemical enantiomeric kinds.
Bi-directional Multi-service 60-GHz MM-wave Radio-over-Fiber Network Interoperable with Multi-gigabit Wireless Transceiver for Very High Throughput In-building HD Video and Data Delivery

We demonstrate, for the first time, a bi-directional in-building radio-over-fiber network with 60-GHz optical-wireless access supporting multi-gigabit uncompressed high-definition video and data delivery using all-optical conversion at the head-end and single-chip wireless transceiver at the mobile end-terminals.
Interagency Privity and Claim Preclusion

Federal administrative agencies play an important role in national policy,' directing most of the day-to-day activities of the federal government. The agencies pursue their separate tasks with a good deal of autonomy, and yet the lines dividing their spheres of activity are often unclear. When more than one agency pursues similar goals through adjudication, the result may be duplicative litigation. The doctrine of preclusion is the procedural device generally invoked to prevent such duplication. Preclusion can take two forms: issue preclusion, which prevents a party from relitigating issues it has already fully litigated, and claim preclusion, which prevents a party from relitigating a claim when it participated in a prior adjudication of these claims or when it was in privity with a party to that litigation. It is this latter form of preclusion that presents a special problem for government agencies. In a bureaucracy as vast as the federal government, strict application of claim preclusion could prevent agencies from pursuing important policy goals. For example, the Occupational Safety and Health Administration ("OSHA") and the Environmental Protection Agency ("EPA") both may regulate the discharge of toxic chemicals from a particular factory; both may need to go to court to enforce their regulations. But if for some reason OSHA completes its litigation against the factory before the EPA, subsequent litigation by the EPA might be precluded. In cases where agencies have such overlapping responsibilities and where one agency's litigation could preclude legal action by the other, courts have been unable to develop a workable test to balance the agency's interest in litigating its claim against the interest of the judicial system and parties in preventing duplicative suits.
The ethics of the broader usage of Prozac: social choice or social bias?

L'A. souleve le probleme ethique de la generalisation de l'usage de la drogue, telle que le prozac, chez les individus souffrant de troubles psychiques normaux, comme la nostalgie ou le mal-etre. Se referant aux travaux de praticien P. Kramer, l'A. montre que le prozac est un outil psychiatrique permettant a l'individu de mieux s'integrer dans une societe de plus en plus medicalisee
In vitro and in vivo adaptation of the Geneve/SGE-1 strain of Plasmodium falciparum to growth in a squirrel monkey (Saimiri sciureus) model.

Abstract Human erythrocytic culture-adapted parasites of the Geneve/SGE-1 strain of Plasmodium falciparum were successfully adapted to grow in an in vitro culture system containing squirrel monkey erythrocytes and serum. These monkey culture-adapted organisms were then used to produce a patent infection in a splenectomized squirrel monkey. Fresh infected blood from this animal was introduced into another splenectomized monkey and was subsequently serially passed through seven intact squirrel monkeys. High level parasitemias (> 10%) were obtained in the animals from the last two passes following inoculation of moderate numbers of parasites. It is anticipated that this squirrel monkey-adapted Geneve/SGE-1 strain of P. falciparum will continue to produce high level parasitemias in intact Bolivian Saimiri, and consequently will be suitable for challenge of these monkeys.
Autophagy, NLRP3 inflammasome and auto-inflammatory/immune diseases

Loss of homeostasis, as a result of pathogen invasion or self imbalance, causes tissue damage and inflammation. In addition to its well-established role in promoting clearance of pathogens or cell corpses, inflammation is also key to drive tissue repair and regeneration. Conserved from flies to humans, a transient, well-balanced inflammatory response is critical for restoration of tissue homeostasis after damage. The absence of such a response can result in failure of tissue repair, leading to the development of devastating immunopathologies and degenerative diseases. Studies in the past decade collectively suggest that a malfunction of NLRP3 inflammasome, a key tissue damage sensor, is a dominant driver of various autoinflammatory and autoimmune diseases, including gout, rheumatoid arthritis, and lupus. It is therefore crucial to understand the biology and regulation of NLRP3 inflammasome and determine its affect in the context of various diseases. Of note, various studies suggest that autophagy, a cellular waste removal and rejuvenation process, serves an important role as a macrophage-intrinsic negative regulator of NLRP3 inflammasome. Here, we review recent advances in understanding how autophagy regulates NLRP3 inflammasome activity and discuss the implications of this regulation on the pathogenesis of autoinflammatory and autoimmune diseases.
Cocaine-Induced Hormonal and Behavioral Changes

Behavioral and hormonal responses in 30 preterm cocaine-exposed infants were compared with a cohort of 30 non-cocaine-exposed preterm infants at the Touch Research Institute, University of Miami School of Medicine, FL.
Molecular Biological Events in the Selection of Chemotherapy Resistant-Cells in Human Malignant Gliomas

Within the cellular heterogeneity of freshly resected human gliomas we have observed cells with a specific non-random karyotypic deviation to be intrinsically chemoresistant to the chemotherapeutic agent, BCNU (1,3 bis-(2 chloroethyl)-1-nitrosourea). The BCNU-resistant cells were near-diploid (2n± with chromosome complements of 35–57 chromosomes/metaphase) and resistant to concentrations of ≥7.5 μg/ml BCNU. In contrast, the hyperdiploid populations from the same tumor (3n± and 4n± with 58 or more chromosomes/metaphase) were sensitive. Cytogenetic analysis of the BCNU-resistant cells demonstrated that more than 90% of the karyotypes depicted cells with an over-representation of chromosomes 7 and 22, the chromosomes to which platelet-derived growth factor (PDGF) chains A and B were mapped. Further analyses determined that these cells secreted a factor(s) that stimulated 3H-thymidine incorporation in PDGF receptor-positive cells, and that this factor competed with 125I-PDGF in receptor binding experiments. Southern, northern and western blot analyses demonstrated amplification and over-expression of the genes encoding both the A and B chains, as well as aberrant forms of PDGF. Phosphorylation analyses demonstrated that these cells were autocrine. To determine if this same cell persisted in vivo following a patient’s treatment with BCNU, we analyzed recurrent tumors from 5 patients whose original tumors were known to have this cell as a minor subpopulation and who required a second surgical resection. The cytogenetic and bioassay analyses demonstrated that in all 5 patients this BCNU-resistant cell was the dominant cell type in the recurrent tumor. In situ hybridization studies of paraffin-embedded sections from primary and recurrent samples of one tumor further substantiated that there is an increase in the proportion of cells that were producing PDGF-A chain mRNA. These data suggest that intrinsically resistant cells can survive currently available chemotherapeutic treatments and repopulate the tumor mass.
Weak Convergence of the Row Sums of a Triangular Array of Empirical Processes

We study the weak convergence of the row sums of a general triangular array of empirical processes converging to an arbitrary limit. In particular, our results apply to infinitesimal arrays and random series processes. We give some sufficient finite dimensional approximation conditions for the weak convergence of these processes. These conditions are necessary under quite minimal regularity assumptions.
Arabic-Islamic views of the Latin West: tracing the emergence of medieval Europe, by Daniel G. König

While studies of medieval western perceptions of Islam abound, no one has attempted to provide a complete systematic analysis of medieval Arabic-Islamic knowledge about western Christendom – at lea...
Collaboration Between a Physical Robot and a Virtual Human Through a Unified Platform for Personal Assistance to Humans

Two human-like intelligent artificial characters (agents) of heterogeneous realities (a humanoid robot and a virtual human) are developed with similar intelligence and functionalities. Operations of the characters are integrated through a unified platform. The characters are separately deployed in a homely environment to provide personal assistance to a physically disabled human in finding a missing household object. Human’s trust in the characters as well as bilateral trust between the characters for the collaboration are separately modeled, and real-time trust measurement methods are developed. A collaboration scheme between the characters based on the bilateral trust is developed. A comprehensive evaluation scheme is developed to evaluate the performance of the characters in assisting the human. The performance levels of the individual characters and their collaboration toward providing personal assistance to the human are compared. The results show that the individual characters and their collaboration can assist the disabled human successfully, but with varying capabilities. For example, the collaboration partly outperforms the individual characters, and the physical character (robot) partly outperforms the virtual character. The results are novel that broaden the horizon of humanoid robots and virtual humans and open a new paradigm of collaboration between physical (robot) and virtual (virtual human) characters. The results are useful to develop artificial characters of heterogeneous realities and their social collaborations to provide personal assistance to disabled humans in their daily living that may improve the quality of life and produce positive economic and societal impacts.
Belco, Michelle, and Brandon Rottinghaus. The Dual Executive: Unilateral Orders in a Separated and Shared Power System

In just over two decades, a vast and revealing literature on unilateral powers fundamentally altered scholarly perceptions of presidential power. From a time when most studies focused on the passag...
Using thermoluminescent dosimeters to measure the dose from high and low energy x-ray sources

Using Thermoluminescent Dosimeters to Measure the Dose from High and Low Energy X-ray Sources
Recovery of Silver Nitrate from Silver Chloride Waste

At many universities, silver nitrate is used in teaching laboratories, and a resulting waste product is often silver chloride. Silver chloride is not a compound that can be discarded into a sink as it has harmful effects to the environment; however, commercial waste disposal is costly, and replacement of the silver nitrate reagent is expensive. Silver chloride may be recycled back into silver nitrate, reducing costs for universities and burdens on the environment. For this study, multiple methods were tested to convert silver chloride into silver nitrate, a useful compound. The percent recovery, percent purity, cost, time required, facilities needed, and safety of the processes were compared, and an ideal method was identified to convert silver chloride waste into a useful species. This process could be used to reduce waste and cost for a university.
Implementation of a Peer-to-Peer Teaching Intervention Improved Electronic Discharge Summary Documentation by New Internal Medicine Residents

The early months of residency training (EMCT) from July to September can be overwhelming for interns, or post-graduate year one (PGY1) residents. Traditional orientation may not be sufficient to ensure a smooth transition to residency. Interns are responsible for completing discharge summaries in most training hospitals but receive little or no prior training. The objective of this study was to determine the effectiveness of a peer-to-peer orientation of new (incoming) PGY1 internal medicine residents by present (outgoing) PGY1 residents. This was an observational, analytical (cohort), single-center study. The intervention group, new (incoming) 2016 internal medicine, or PGY1, residents were exposed to a 2-h peer-to-peer orientation, in addition to the traditional orientation process. The internal medicine residents from the previous year (2015 PGY1 residents), exposed to only the traditional orientation process (TOP) prior to their commencement of residency, served as the control group. A comparison between the groups’ discharge summary documentation (DC summary) was performed using an independent two-sample t test; linear regression analysis was applied to control for potential confounders. Statistically significant differences were found in mean discharge summary scores between the intervention and control group. The intervention group had a higher average score (mean 73.6; standard deviation (SD) 12.3; 95% confidence interval (CI) 68.0–79.1) than the control group (mean 65.7; SD 7.9; 95% CI 62.5–69.0). Using a two-tailed independent t test, the mean difference between both groups was found to be 7.8, or 12% (95% CI 1.8–13.8; p = 0.012). This highly portable intervention may improve discharge summary documentations by new PGY1 residents during EMCT if implemented nationwide.
Nucleic Acid Degrading Enzymes of Barley Malt. III. Adenosine Nucleosidase from Malted Barley12

Adenosine nucleosidase, an enzyme that catalyzes the hydrolytic cleavage of adenosine to adenine and ribose, was examined in malted barley. The enzyme was purified by precipitation with ammonium su...
Acute Effects of Assisted Cycling Therapy on Post-Stroke Motor Function: A Pilot Study

Background. Stroke is the most common cause of long-term disability in the United States (US). Assisted Cycling Therapy (ACT) at cadences of about 80 rpm has been associated with improvements in motor and clinical function in other clinical populations. The acute effects of ACT on motor function of persons with stroke have not been investigated. Objectives. The primary purpose of this cross-over trial was to compare the effects of ACT, voluntary cycling (VC), and no cycling (NC) on upper (Box and Blocks Test) and lower extremity motor function (Lower Extremity Motor Coordination Test) in adults with chronic stroke (age: 60 ± 16 years; months since stroke: 96 ± 85). The secondary purpose was to examine average cycling cadence and ratings of perceived exertion as predictors of change in motor function following the exercise session. Methods. Twenty-two participants (female = 6, male = 16) completed one 20-min session each of ACT (mean cadence = 79.5 rpm, VC (mean cadence = 51.5 rpm), and NC on separate days in quasi-counterbalanced fashion). Results. Main effects of intervention did not differ between ACT and VC. Within-intervention analyses revealed significant (p < 0.05) pre- to posttest changes in all outcome measures for ACT but only in the Lower Extremity Motor Coordination Test on the non-paretic side for VC. Trend analyses revealed a positive relationship between average ACT cadences and improvements in upper and lower extremity motor function (p < 0.05). A positive relationship between average VC cadences and lower extremity function was also revealed (p < 0.05). Conclusion. ACT and VC produced similar acute improvements in paretic and non-paretic lower extremity motor function whereas changes in upper extremity motor function were more limited. Faster cycling cadences seem to be associated with greater acute effects.
Probiotics: How Effective Are They in the Fight against Obesity?

Obesity has been associated with structural and functional changes in the gut microbiota. The abundance in, and diversity of, certain bacteria may favor energy harvest and metabolic pathways leading to obesity. Therefore, gut microbiota has become a potential target that can be manipulated to obtain optimal health. Probiotics have been shown to influence the composition of the gut microbiota, improve gut integrity, and restore the microbial shifts characteristic of obesity. Based on physical and biochemical parameters, metabolic and inflammatory markers, and alterations in gut microbe diversity, animal studies revealed beneficial results in obese models whereas the results in humans are sparse and inconsistent. Thus, the purpose of this review is to present evidence from animal studies and human clinical trials demonstrating the effects of various probiotic strains and their potential efficacy in improving obesity and associated metabolic dysfunctions. Furthermore, the review discusses current gaps in our understanding of how probiotics modulate gut microflora to protect against obesity. Finally, we propose future studies and methodological approaches that may shed light on the challenges facing the scientific community in deciphering the host–bacteria interaction in obesity.
A historical review of outdoor leadership curricular development and the future with action research.

This article is a call for research to be conducted on how to adequately design and evaluate outdoor leader preparation programs (Sugerman, 1999). The profession of outdoor leadership has been slow...
Public Health Data Collection and Implementation of the Revised Common Rule

For the first time, the revised Common Rule specifies that public health surveillance activities are not research. This article reviews the historical development of the public health surveillance exclusion and implications for other foundational public health practices.
Special considerations in the management of lower GI bleed by interventional radiology

Abstract Despite the rapid development of diagnostic and therapeutic modalities and techniques to manage LGIB patients from interventional radiology’s standpoint, a successful localization of the bleeding site that leads to an effective embolotherapy remains a significant technical challenge. The interventional radiologist’s decisions when managing patients with LGIB may significantly impact the clinical outcomes; therefore, management should be made based on careful and thorough considerations of factors such as etiology, locations, patient’s comorbidities, and potential post-procedure complications, among others. The purpose of this paper is to review the management of LGIB by interventional radiology, focusing on a few challenging and common clinical situations that require special consideration by interventional radiologists.
Evaluating the tidal energy resource for smooth power output and grid integration in the United States

In comparison to wind and solar energy, tidal resources are predictable with a high degree of certainty. Although tides are inherently variable, their periodicity and predictability create the possibility of providing smooth power output to the grid. By spatially diversifying tidal devices to capture the tidal wave as it propagates through a system, aggregate power becomes smoother. Tidal energy assessments have indicated that energy extraction is viable in several regions around the world, leading to the development and testing of many devices. However, less attention has been given to the interface between energy production and grid integration, particularly in the United States. We evaluate tidal phases for several regions across the United States to determine if there is enough diversity within relatively close distances of one another. By calculating the cross correlations of estimated tidal current velocity time series between representative locations in defined regions, we show three regions in the United States have the potential to aggregate power output from geographically diversified turbines to generate a smooth power profile relative to single site development.
Efficacy and safety of frontline regimens for older transplant-ineligible patients with multiple myeloma: A systematic review and meta-analysis

Abstract Introduction Several treatment options are available for the management of older adults with newly diagnosed patients with Multiple Myeloma (MM) who are ineligible for hematopoietic cell transplantation (tiMM). We aimed to identify treatment options that provide the best balance in terms of efficacy and safety. Methods We searched bibliographic databases and meeting libraries for search terms reflecting newly diagnosed and older and/or transplant-ineligible patients from inception to October 21, 2018. Phase II/III randomized trials comparing at least two first line treatment regimens for newly diagnosed tiMM were included. We extracted data on efficacy (progression free survival, PFS, overall survival and overall response rate) and safety (grade ¾ toxicities) and conducted network meta-analysis using Bayesian methods and random effects models. Relative ranking of treatment regimens was assessed using Surface under the cumulative ranking (SUCRA) probabilities. Results We identified 27 trials involving 12,194 patients. For PFS, the four most effective regimens were: Daratumumab, Bortezomib, Melphalan and Prednisone (SUCRA 0.960) followed by Daratumumab, lenalidomide and dexamethasone (Dara_RD, SUCRA 0.847), Bortezomib, melphalan, prednisone, thalidomide maintenance with bortezomib-thalidomide (SUCRA 0.834) and Bortezomib, Lenalidomide and Dexamethasone (SUCRA 0.739). Among these four most efficacious regimens, toxicity profile was most favorable for Dara_RD (median additional AEs per patient vs dexamethasone = 0.74; 95% CrI 0.51–1.17; SUCRA 0.430). Conclusion Among first line tiMM regimens, increasing efficacy is associated with increased toxicity. We provide relative ranking of these regimens for both efficacy and safety. Future studies should incorporate geriatric assessments and frailty biomarkers to refine treatment decision-making for each individual patient.
Circulating Protein Biomarkers Associated with Heart Failure with Preserved Ejection Fraction

Introduction The prevalence of heart failure with preserved ejection fraction (HFpEF) is increasing. This disease has posed diagnostic and therapeutic challenges; mortality and morbidity remain unacceptably high. Unbiased molecular studies are necessary to identify better diagnostic biomarkers. Hypothesis Large-scale discovery proteomics with a multiplex immunoassay platform will identify novel molecular mechanisms that differentiate HFpEF from patients without heart failure (HF). Methods We performed proteomic analyses (Olink) of 552 proteins on 88 HFpEF cases and 88 no HF controls from individuals referred for cardiac catheterization at Duke University. HFpEF was defined as history of HF, ejection fraction >45% and diastolic dysfunction class ≥1; no-HF controls had no diastolic dysfunction. Univariate logistic regression was used to identify proteins associated with HFpEF; associated proteins at a false discovery rate Results As expected, HFpEF cases were older and had higher BMI, SBP, creatinine and prevalence of DM (p Conclusions Biomarkers of angiogenesis, fibrosis, fatty acid metabolism and inflammation are associated with HFpEF and improve discriminative capabilities on top of clinical factors and NT-proBNP. These findings highlight the importance of these pathways in HFpEF and identify potential novel circulating diagnostic biomarkers.
An Integrative Research Review on Intraoperative Skin-to-Skin with Cesarean Section and Its Impact on Neonatal Adaptation

Skin-to-skin contact (STS) between mother and newborn has become the gold standard of care following delivery. The CDC defines skin-to-skin (STS) care as, "placing the infant directly on the mother or other caregiver in an effort to maximizes surface-to-surface contact." Benefits can include, breastfeeding initiation, stress reduction and thermoregulation (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 2020). Because of this, STS is recommended by the CDC immediately following delivery when mothers and newborns are medically stable. Past research has centered on the implementation and importance of STS following vaginal delivery or in the recovery room following cesarean section. Many providers have questioned the risks of intraoperative STS for the neonate and mother in terms of temperature stability, breastfeeding, maintenance of sterility and infection prevention. Current research explores intraoperative STS for mothers experiencing a cesarean section. This integrative research review, centered on exploring the benefits of intraoperative STS on neonatal outcomes. Neonatal outcomes included breastfeeding, temperature regulation, and admission to the neonatal ward. Findings concluded that women who had intraoperative STS were more likely to initiate and maintain breastfeeding compared to those who did not experience STS intraoperatively (Wagner, 2018). In addition, research indicated that newborns who had intraoperative STS maintained or increased temperature. Intraoperative STS was found to have no risk on infant thermoregulation (Billner-Garcia, 2018). Finally, conventional cesarean sections without intraoperative STS were found to have approximately double the admissions to neonatal wards compared to admission for those who experience intraoperative STS (Billner-Garcia, 2018).
DeepAuditor: Distributed Online Intrusion Detection System for IoT devices via Power Side-channel Auditing.

As the number of IoT devices has increased rapidly, IoT botnets have exploited the vulnerabilities of IoT devices. However, it is still challenging to detect the initial intrusion on IoT devices prior to massive attacks. Recent studies have utilized power side-channel information to characterize this intrusion behavior on IoT devices but still lack real-time detection approaches. This study aimed to design an online intrusion detection system called DeepAuditor for IoT devices via power auditing. To realize the real-time system, we first proposed a lightweight power auditing device called Power Auditor. With the Power Auditor, we developed a Distributed CNN classifier for online inference in our laboratory setting. In order to protect data leakage and reduce networking redundancy, we also proposed a privacy-preserved inference protocol via Packed Homomorphic Encryption and a sliding window protocol in our system. The classification accuracy and processing time were measured in our laboratory settings. We also demonstrated that the distributed CNN design is secure against any distributed components. Overall, the measurements were shown to the feasibility of our real-time distributed system for intrusion detection on IoT devices.
Methylomic and transcriptomic predictors of one-month exposure to cortisol in healthy individuals.

Allostatic load (AL) refers to the cumulative "wear and tear" on an organism throughout its lifetime. One of the primary contributing factors to AL is prolonged exposure to stress or its primary catabolic agent cortisol. Chronic exposure to stress or cortisol is associated with numerous diseases, including cardiovascular disease, metabolic disorders, and psychiatric disorders. Therefore, a molecular marker capable of integrating a past history of cortisol exposure would be of great utility for assessing disease risk. To this end, we recruited 87 healthy males and females of European ancestry between 18 and 60 years old, extracted genomic DNA and RNA from leukocytes, and implemented a gene-centric DNA enrichment method coupled with bisulfite sequencing and RNA-Seq of total RNA for the determination of genome-wide methylation and gene transcription, respectively. Sequencing data were analyzed against awakening and bedtime cortisol data to identify differentially methylated regions (DMRs) and CpGs (DMCs) and differentially expressed genes (DEGs). Six candidate DMCs (punadjusted < 0.005) and nine DEGs (punadjusted < 0.0005) were used to construct a prediction model that could capture past 30+ days of both bedtime and awakening cortisol levels. Utilizing a cross-validation approach, we obtained a regression coefficient of R2 = 0.308 for predicting continuous awakening cortisol and an area under the curve (AUC) = 0.753 for dichotomous (high vs. low tertile) awakening cortisol, and R2 = 0.224 and AUC = 0.723 for continuous and dichotomous bedtime cortisol levels, respectively. To our knowledge, the current study represents the first attempt to identify genome-wide predictors of cortisol exposure that utilizes both methylation and transcription targets. The utility of our approach needs to be replicated in an independent cohort of samples for which similar cortisol metrics are available.
Deriving Effective Decision-Making Strategies of Prosthetists: Using Hidden Markov Modeling and Qualitative Analysis to Compare Experts and Novices:

ObjectiveThis research focuses on studying the clinical decision-making strategies of expert and novice prosthetists for different case complexities.BackgroundWith an increasing global amputee popu...
Balancing Consideration of the Risks and Benefits of E-Cigarettes

The topic of e-cigarettes is controversial. Opponents focus on e-cigarettes' risks for young people, while supporters emphasize the potential for e-cigarettes to assist smokers in quitting smoking. Most US health organizations, media coverage, and policymakers have focused primarily on risks to youths. Because of their messaging, much of the public-including most smokers-now consider e-cigarette use as dangerous as or more dangerous than smoking. By contrast, the National Academies of Science, Engineering, and Medicine concluded that e-cigarette use is likely far less hazardous than smoking. Policies intended to reduce adolescent vaping may also reduce adult smokers' use of e-cigarettes in quit attempts. Because evidence indicates that e-cigarette use can increase the odds of quitting smoking, many scientists, including this essay's authors, encourage the health community, media, and policymakers to more carefully weigh vaping's potential to reduce adult smoking-attributable mortality. We review the health risks of e-cigarette use, the likelihood that vaping increases smoking cessation, concerns about youth vaping, and the need to balance valid concerns about risks to youths with the potential benefits of increasing adult smoking cessation.
IMPROVED ESTIMATES OF CORRELATION AND THEIR IMPACT ON THE OPTIMUM PORTFOLIOS

To implement mean variance analysis one needs a technique for forecasting correlation coefficients. In this article we investigate the ability of several techniques to forecast correlation coefficients between securities. We find that separately forecasting the average level of pair-wise correlations and individual pair-wise differences from the average improves forecasting accuracy. Furthermore, forming homogenous groups of firms on the basis of industry membership or firm attributes (eg. Size) improves forecast accuracy. Accuracy is evaluated in two ways: First, in terms of the error in estimating future correlation coefficients. Second, in the characteristics of portfolios formed on the basis of each forecasting technique. The ranking of forecasting techniques is robust across both methods of evaluation and the better techniques outperform prior suggestions in the literature of financial economics.
LEAST-SQUARES APPROXIMATIONS TO BÉZIER CURVES AND SURFACES

Publisher Summary This chapter analyzes least-squares approximations to Bezier curves and surfaces. In computer graphics, the need to approximate a high-degree curve or surface by a lower-degree curve or surface often arises. One popular method used to select approximations is the least-squares technique. This chapter discusses the use of least squares to produce optimal approximations of lower degree to Bezier curves and surfaces. It discusses the univariate approximation scheme as well as multivariate approximation scheme. In case of multivariate approximation, a more general problem is the fitting of a Bezier surface, or its higher dimensional analog, with a lower degree surface. The multivariate Bernstein polynomials behave very much like their univariate counterparts, so with appropriate notation, an explanation of the general multivariate result is no more difficult to understand than the univariate result. A multivariate Bernstein polynomial of dimension d is defined over a d-simplex, where a 2-simplex is a triangle and a 3-simplex is a tetrahedron.
MIMO radars and their conventional equivalents

This paper is given in tutorial form using a simple explanation starting from basics of phased arrays and how they work. Physical insight into MIMO is then given. No heavy math used. It has been shown in the literature that MIMO thin/full array radars can provide orders of magnitude better resolution and accuracy than conventional radars. The thin/full array consisted of two collocated parallel linear arrays of N elements each. One is a thin array and the other a full array having spacing respectively of Nλ/2 and λ/2 with the thin one used for transmit and the full for receive. We show how to use the same thin/full arrays in conventional radars to do as well and also without grating lobes (GLs). Also covered are full/thin array equivalents. Detailed are the monostatic MIMO full array radar and its Skolnik ubiquitous equivalent and a machine gunning equivalent. The performance of these systems against jammers is summarized. A simple physical explanation is given of why the Cramer-Rao bound provides a √2 better angle accuracy for the MIMO monostatic full array than the conventional ubiquitous array equivalent and why this result does not apply for the machine gunning equivalent. It has been also shown in the literature that a MIMO thin/full array airborne GMTI radar can provide a better minimum detectable velocity (MDV) than a conventional one. We show how the same MIMO thin/full array can be used in a conventional GMTI radar system to provide the same advantages as the MIMO system re coherence dwell time and aperture size and thus should provide the same MDV. The operation, waveforms, detection sensitivities, use of maximum likelihood estimation (MLE) for angle estimation and detection, and resolutions of these systems are detailed. We show that the signal processing load for the MIMO radar system can typically be much larger than for its conventional equivalents. There is also usually a more difficult waveform design problem with MIMO. Finally, we present potential practical applications of the MIMO radar.
Amoeboid Movement, Cilia, And Flagella

Publisher Summary This chapter discusses amoeboid movement, cilia, and flagella. The chapter also covers actin-filament-based movement in nonmuscle cells as well as microtubule-based movements. The chapter discusses several related concepts, including amoeboid movement and actin-based systems, and eukaryote cilia and flagella. The discussion on amoeboid movement and actin-based systems includes actin polymerization, amoeboid locomotion, and contractile ring among others. Both actin filament and microtubule-based systems for cell motility use the energy from adenosine triphosphate (ATP) hydrolysis, and these two mechanisms often complement each other during cell shape changes and organelle transport. Although ciliary and flagellar movement is based on a microtubule-dynein system, it shares features with the actomyosin system and motility is based on a sliding mechanism. Motors that interact with microtubules cause such cell motility as organelle transport similar to the actin filament system. In some cases actin-filament and microtubule-based organelle movement cannot be explained by sliding. Polymerization and depolymerization of actin filaments or microtubules apparently constitute the underlying mechanism for force generation in these cases. Three-dimensional ciliary and flagellar movements involve several levels of regulation. The generation of force is achieved by dynein ATPases using the energy released by Mg2+ -–ATP hydrolysis. Conversion of sliding to bending results from local transient resistance to sliding of doublet microtubules. Reversal of the ciliary effective stroke and cessation of beat of some epithelial cilia are controlled by intraciliary Ca2+ levels. The intraciliary Ca2+ level also controls beat frequency. Cyclic nucleotides also participate in the transduction of signals during changes in the rate of ciliary beat and the direction of the effective stroke.
A resonance ionization spectroscopy/resonance ionization mass spectrometry data service: IV—Data sheets for Be, In, Li, K, Rb, Ag, Ti and V and an update of the data sheet for Ni

Abstract A data service has been established at the National Institute of Standards and Technology to provide the necessary information to apply the techniques of resonance ionization spectroscopy (RIS) and resonance ionization mass spectrometry (RIMS) to routine use m analytical chemistry. This service collects and calculates the relevant atomic data, chooses appropriate resonance ionization schemes, and indicates pertinent operating details of successful RIMS studies. The first group of data sheets was published previously covering the elements As, B, Cd, C, Ge, Au, Fe, Pb, Si and Zn. The second group published covered the elements Al, Ca, Cs, Cr, Co, Cu, Kr, Mg, Hg and Ni. The third group published covered the elements Sb, Bi, P, Na and Sn. The fourth group of data sheets is presented here. It covers the elements Be, In, Li, K, Rb, Ag, Ti and V. It also provides an update of the previously published data sheet for Ni. Reprints of RIS/RIMS work are solicited so that those efforts may be included in future data sheets.
Teaching together: a three-year case study in genomics

The emerging field of "Genomics" (the analysis of DNA sequences) requires interdisciplinary collaborations between computer scientists and biologists. Whereas most colleges and universities do not and may not ever have full programs in bioinformatics/genomics, new models of teaching and associated supporting materials are needed if we are to provide undergraduate science majors with experiences in the art of cooperation necessary to solve tomorrow's problems in genomics. We report here on our recent three-year experiences with "linking" computer science and biology courses. By infusing genomics into existing computer science and biology courses ("Algorithms," "Software Engineering," "Genetics," and "Cell Evolution"), interdisciplinary classes and labs in genomics are provided to all computer science majors and over half of all majors in the biological sciences (biology, biochemistry, environmental science, and psychobiology).
A Framework for Interdisciplinary Research and Education

This chapter contains sections titled: Introduction Power System Challenges Solution of the EPNES Architecture Implementation Strategies for EPNES Test Beds for EPNES Examples of Funded Research Work in Response to the EPNES Solicitation Future Directions of EPNES Conclusions Acknowledgments Bibliography
Position of a 'green-red' hybrid gene in the visual pigment array determines colour-vision phenotype.

The X-linked red- and green-pigment genes are arranged in a head-to-tail tandem array1,2,3. The colour-vision defect of deuteranomaly (in 5% of males of European descent) is associated with a 5´-green-red-3´ visual-pigment hybrid gene4,5, which may also exist in males with normal colour vision5,6,7. To explain why males with a normal red, a normal green and a green-red hybrid gene may have either normal or deutan colour vision, we hypothesized that only the first two genes are expressed8,9 and deuteranomaly results only if the green-red hybrid gene occupies the second position and is expressed preferentially over normal green-pigment genes occupying more distal positions. We used long-range PCR amplification and studied 10 deutan males (8 deuteranomalous and 2 deuteranopic) with 3 visual pigment genes (red, green and green-red hybrid) to investigate whether position of the hybrid gene in the array determined gene expression. The green-red hybrid gene was always at the second position (and the first position was always occupied by the red gene). Conversely, in two men with red, green and green-red hybrid genes and normal colour vision, the hybrid gene occupied the third position. When pigment gene mRNA expression was assessed in post-mortem retinae of three men with the red, green and green-red genotype, the green-red hybrid gene was expressed only when located in the second position. We conclude that the green-red hybrid gene will only cause deutan defects when it occupies the second position of the pigment gene array.
El que seas más inteligente no te da un derecho a decirme que hacer: Autoridad legítima y la Tesis de la Justificación Normal. (Just Because You are Smarter than Me Doesn't Give You a Right to Tell Me What to Do: Legitimate Authority and the Normal Justification Thesis)

The English version of this article can be found at:http://ssrn.com/abstract=788746.Spanish Abstract: La teoria de Joseph RAZ de la autoridad, como hemos visto, esta fundamentada en tres afirmaciones sobre la naturaleza y justificacion de la autoridad. De acuerdo con la Tesis del Reemplazo, las directivas autoritativas deberian reemplazar el juicio del subdito acerca de lo que este debe hacer. De acuerdo a la Tesis de la Dependencia, las directivas autoritativas deberian estar basadas en razones que apliquen realmente los subditos de la directiva. De acuerdo con la Tesis de la Justificacion Normal (TJN), la autoridad esta justificada en la medida en que sea mas probable que los subditos cumplan con la razon correcta mediante el seguimiento de las directivas de la autoridad en vez que mediante el seguimiento de sus propios juicios acerca de lo que la razon correcta exige. En esta capitulo, considero varias maneras en la cuales TJN puede ser interpretada como una justificacion para la autoridad. En primer lugar, evaluo TJN interpretada como un principio que proporcionaria una justificacion practica para que un individuo acepte o reconozca a una persona o personas determinadas como una autoridad que pueda reemplazar sus razones. En segundo lugar, evaluo TJN interpretado como un principio que describe las condiciones bajo las cuales un estado o sistema juridico es moralmente legitimo. Sostengo que TJN no es verdadero bajo ninguna de esas dos interpretacionesEnglish Abstract: Joseph Raz’s famous theory of authority is grounded in three claims about the nature and justification of authority. According to the Preemption Thesis, authoritative directives purport to replace the subject’s judgments about what she should do. According to the Dependence Thesis, authoritative directives should be based on reasons that actually apply to the subjects of the directive. According to the Normal Justification Thesis (NJT), authority is justified to the extent that subjects are more likely to comply with right reason by following the authority’s directives than by following their own judgments about what right reason requires. In this article, I consider a number of ways in which NJT might be construed as a justification for authority. First, I evaluate NJT construed as a principle that would provide a practical justification for an individual to accept or recognize a particular person or persons as a preemptive authority. Second, I evaluate NJT construed as a principle that describes the conditions under which a state or legal system is morally legitimate. I argue that NJT is true under none of these interpretations.
Neuronal Nicotinic Receptors: One Hundred Years of Progress

Neuronal nicotinic cholinergic receptors mediate the actions of acetylcholine in ganglia and the CNS. These receptors are pentameric proteins formed from combinations of 12 different subunits. Thus, this family of receptors consists of multiple subtypes defined by their subunit composition. All of the receptors are ligand-gated cation channels that pass sodium, potassium and calcium, but the different subtypes have different biophysical and pharmacological characteristics. These receptors are located on the axons of catecholamine, GABA, acetylcholine and glutamate neurons, so they can influence a large number of diverse functions in the nervous system. In addition to mediating the essential actions of endogenous acetylcholine, these receptors are the primary target of nicotine, the addictive agent in tobacco. Thus, these receptors are directly related to the single most preventable cause of premature morbidity and mortality. In this chapter, we review some of the fundamental aspects of these receptors, with emphasis on the differences in pharmacology among the receptor subtypes and their unusual regulation by exposure to nicotine. Keywords: nicotinic receptors; history; distribution; pharmacology; regulation
Backward parametric oscillation in second-order nonlinear medium

Following our new results on the generation of a backward THz wave by mixing two infrared laser beams in a GaSe crystal, we show that backward parametric oscillation is achievable in a few nonlinear crystals.
JFETs and MESFETs — Field Effect Transistors

For their function junction field effect transistors (JFETs) depend on reverse-biased junction depletion regions that control majority carrier conduction in thin channels between ohmic contacts to source and drain regions. The structures require fewer masking steps and fewer diffusions than bipolar transistors and may be made either n channel or p channel. The contact through which the majority carriers enter the channel is termed the source S, and the exit is the drain D. The circuit symbol and some characteristics for an n channel FET are shown in Fig. 6.1. A MESFET is similar except that the junction is a metal-semiconductor barrier. MOSFETs (metal-oxide-semiconductor FETs) are considered in Chap. 7.
Intraneuronal N-acetylaspartate supplies acetyl groups for myelin lipid synthesis: evidence for myelin-associated aspartoacylase.

Despite its growing use as a radiological indicator of neuronal viability, the biological function of N-acetylaspartate (NAA) has remained elusive. This is due in part to its unusual metabolic compartmentalization wherein the synthetic enzyme occurs in neuronal mitochondria whereas the principal metabolizing enzyme, N-acetyl-l-aspartate amidohydrolase (aspartoacylase), is located primarily in white matter elements. This study demonstrates that within white matter, aspartoacylase is an integral component of the myelin sheath where it is ideally situated to produce acetyl groups for synthesis of myelin lipids. That it functions in this manner is suggested by the fact that myelin lipids of the rat optic system are well labeled following intraocular injection of [14C-acetyl]NAA. This is attributed to uptake of radiolabeled NAA by retinal ganglion cells followed by axonal transport and transaxonal transfer of NAA into myelin, a membrane previously shown to contain many lipid synthesizing enzymes. This study identifies a group of myelin lipids that are so labeled by neuronal [14C]NAA, and demonstrates a different labeling pattern from that produced by neuronal [14C]acetate. High performance liquid chromatographic analysis of the deproteinated soluble materials from the optic system following intraocular injection of [14C]NAA revealed only the latter substance and no radiolabeled acetate, suggesting little or no hydrolysis of NAA within mature neurons of the optic system. These results suggest a rationale for the unusual compartmentalization of NAA metabolism and point to NAA as a neuronal constituent that is essential for the formation and/or maintenance of myelin. The relevance of these findings to Canavan disease is discussed.