cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Another Important Biological Function for the Aryl Hydrocarbon Receptor

For many years, the aryl hydrocarbon receptor (AhR) had been studied primarily for its contribution to environmental chemical-induced organ toxicity or carcinogenicity.1–3 The prevailing paradigm fashioned from these studies held that activation of the cytosolic AhR by any one of a variety of environmental pollutants (eg, planar polychlorinated biphenyls, polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, and dioxins) results in nuclear AhR translocation and transcriptional upregulation of prototypic target genes encoding cytochrome P450 enzymes (eg, CYP1A1 and CYP1B1).4–6 These enzymes are capable of metabolizing at least some of the environmental AhR ligands into toxic or mutagenic intermediates, thereby affecting biological outcomes. Although these studies were extremely important for defining the AhR as an environmental ligand-induced transcription factor and in mapping out portions of the AhR signaling pathway, they did not directly provide evidence of the “normal” physiological function of …
Islam, Political Change and Globalization:

This article examines the ways in which Islamic civilization has faced the challenges of the modern age and of globalization. The expansion of Islam in world history is itself a global or proto-global process with its own distinctive internal dynamics. The main challenge to modern Islam, coming from the global political culture in the form of constitutionalism and democratization and human rights, has set in motion a civilizational encounter that has significantly altered the politico-religious dynamics of the proto-global, pre-modern Islamic pattern. The intermingling of these inter- and intra-civilizational processes is traced with respect to the subversion of constitutionalism by ideology during the 1945–1989 period, and the slow recovery of the rule of law since 1989. The same framework of civilizational analysis is used for understanding Islamic fundamentalism, and counter-global defensive developments in contemporary Islam.
Design of a multichip module containing a 12 Way S/390 microprocessor subsystem

This paper presents the development strategy of a high performance S/390 CMOS microprocessor subsystem packaged on a 127 mm MCM. The MCM houses the complete processor core components like BU, FPU, L1-cache, L2-cache, bus-switch and DMA-controller. This multichip module set another milestone regarding miniaturization complexity and testability. The MCM-internal-net count was above 10.000 while the signals leaving the MCM passed 1700. Chipsize is up to 14.5 mm/spl times/14.5 mm.
Oral Metoclopramide as an Adjunct to Analgesics for the Outpatient Treatment of Acute Migraine

Objective:To compare the combination of oral metoclopramide plus an analgesic with oral triptan monotherapy in the treatment of migraine attacks in outpatients.Data Sources:A search of PubMed (1966–October 2007), EMBASE (1974–October 2007), and International Pharmaceutical Abstracts (1970–October 2007) was conducted using the search terms metoclopramide, migraine, and oral. References of articles identified initially were also reviewed.Study Selection and Data Extraction:Studies evaluating the efficacy and safety of oral metoclopramide compared with oral triptans for migraine treatment were included. Studies of non-oral forms of metoclopramide or studies that compared oral metoclopramide with placebo, analgesics, ergotamine, or other migraine therapies were excluded. Studies in which oral metoclopramide was combined with a triptan were also excluded.Data Synthesis:In the studies identified, oral metoclopramide was combined with aspirin or a similar analgesic. All of the studies assessed headache severity ...
Fibroma of the peroneus longus tendon sheath in a child: a case report

Tendon sheath fibromas are rare, benign soft-tissue tumours and usually involve tendons of the upper extremities, particularly the fingers. The most common presentation is a painless, slow-growing swelling. Tendon sheath fibromas are composed of dense fibrocollagenous stromas with scattered, spindle-shaped fibroblasts and narrow, slit-like vascular spaces. Ultrasonography and magnetic resonance imaging are useful diagnostic tools. We report on an 11-year-old boy with a fibroma involving the right peroneus longus tendon sheath.
Asexual reproduction and the turbellarian archetype

The turbellarian archetype is widely believed to have been a hermaphrodite lacking asexual reproduction, and such asexual reproduction as is now seen in the Turbellaria (as paratomy and architomy) is generally assumed to have arisen secondarily several times independently. Asexual reproduction clearly prevails among the most primitive metazoans such as the placozoans, sponges, and radiates, however, and if the Platyhel- minthes is indeed an early offshoot of bilaterian evolution, as some have claimed, then it is reasonable to expect asexual reproduction to be a primitive feature of the Turbellaria. Asexual reproduction by paratomy or architomy is found in all three main evolutionary lines of the Turbellaria and is most common among primitive groups such as the Catenulida and Macrostomida. The discovery of a new, apparently primitive marine genus of Macrostomida having paratomy widens the known incidence of asexual reproduction within that order. The presence of a muscle ring around the gut of several distantly related genera of the Macrostomida and similarities this ring shows with septa in the division plane of paratomizing species are evidence that paratomy was a feature of the stem species for this order — a feature only secondarily lost in most macro- stomids — and suggest that asexual reproduction is a primitive feature for the Platyhelminthes as a whole.
Cryptographic Protocol for Trustable Match Making

A problem with conflicting goals of anonymity and authentication is defined and a cryptographic protocol that solves the problem is presented. The protocol uses an authentication scheme that provides the desired degree of anonymity and authentication. Fake transactions are used to detect active attackers, and to camouflage information that cannot be hidden cryptographically.
Meta-analysis of trials evaluating parenteral antimicrobial therapy for skin and soft tissue infections.

Background Many trials have been carried out to determine the effectiveness of antimicrobial agents in treating skin and soft tissue infections. The results of these studies are often utilized to make determinations about the use of these antimicrobials against other types of infections. Despite the importance of these trials in determining clinical care, we hypothesized that many of these studies failed to include a variety of infections of significant enough severity to effectively draw objective conclusions about antimicrobial efficacy. Methods We conducted a modified PubMed search to identify studies of antimicrobial agents in treating soft tissue infections that were published from 1998 through 2008. We then evaluated these trials for specific recommended study criteria, which were based on published US Food and Drug Administration guidelines for the conduct of trials of antimicrobials for soft tissue infection. Results Seventeen studies were identified for inclusion in the trial. Upon review, only 30% of trials required both local and systemic signs of infection for inclusion in the trial. One trial stratified results on the basis of operative intervention, less than half reported patient comorbidities, and only 53% provided a specific definition for "cure." Conclusions Our meta-analysis of current trials evaluating antimicrobial therapy for skin and soft tissue infections revealed substantial shortcomings in the design of most of these trials. These data provide evidence for the importance of designing specialist panels to objectively evaluate studies and photographs of included infections to ensure that conclusions drawn from these trials concerning clinical practice are justified.
Inflammatory Lymphocyte in Cell-Mediated Antibacterial Immunity: Factors Governing the Accumulation of Mediator T Cells in Peritoneal Exudates

The lymphocytes which mediate immunity to infection with Listeria monocytogenes in the mouse accumulated in casein-induced peritoneal exudates. They were T cells, as evidenced by their susceptibility to anti-θ serum, but some were also destroyed by anti-immunoglobulin serum. For a given number of cells, exudate cells were at least six times more efficient than spleen cells in protecting normal recipients against lethal challenge. The extent to which mediator cells accumulated in exudates was found to be governed by the level of their production in responding lymphoid tissue and by the time available for them to migrate into an exudate. An intraperitoneal injection of casein at any stage of infection resulted in a progressive accumulation of mediator cells that continued for 3 days. The accumulation was not caused by continuous entry of cells during the whole of this period, but resulted from division of a limited number of cells that entered during the first 24 h. Accumulation of mediator cells in an exudate was associated with the conversion of a population of dividing cells into a population of nondividing T cells with a relatively short life-span.
Meanings and Purposes of Caring for a Family Member: An Autoethnography

Engagement in two interlinked areas of occupation, familial social participation and caring for my father at the end of his life, led to a journey of self-discovery. A qualitative research methodology, autoethnography, is used to develop a narrative that examines engagement in these two occupations before, during, and after my father's illness and death. I discuss meanings and purposes of familial social participation and caregiving, suggesting that transforming fear of death to awareness of death is a central purpose of caregiving. Implications for therapists and caregivers include considerations about the value of occupation, discussion of a continuum of caregiving, examination of boundaries when caring for a parent, thoughts about the roles of altruism, love, anger, and "bad faith" in caregiving, and analysis of sons as caregivers for fathers. Further research on meanings and purposes of caregiving is proposed.
In vitro penetration of Salmonella Enteritidis through yolk membranes of eggs from 6 genetically distinct commercial lines of laying hens.

ABSTRACT Although deposition of Salmonella Enteritidis inside yolks is less common than deposition in albumen or on the vitelline (yolk) membrane in naturally contaminated eggs laid by infected hens, bacterial migration into the yolk to reach its nutrient-rich contents could lead to extensive multiplication. The present study used an in vitro egg contamination model to assess the ability of small initial numbers of Salmonella Enteritidis to penetrate the vitelline membrane and multiply inside yolks of eggs laid by 6 genetically distinct commercial lines of hens during 24 h of storage at 30°C. Eggs from each line were tested at 4 different hen ages by inoculation of approximately 100 cfu of Salmonella Enteritidis onto the outside of the vitelline membranes of intact yolks in plastic centrifuge tubes and then adding back the albumen into each tube before incubation. Overall, the frequency of penetration of Salmonella Enteritidis into the yolk contents of eggs from individual lines of hens ranged from 30 to 58% and the mean concentration of Salmonella Enteritidis in yolk contents after incubation ranged from 0.8 to 2.0 log10 cfu/mL. For both of these parameters, values for one hen line were significantly higher than for 2 other lines, but no other differences were observed. Hen age did not have a significant effect on egg yolk penetration by Salmonella Enteritidis. These results indicate that opportunities for the migration and growth of small initial numbers of Salmonella Enteritidis to attain more dangerous levels inside contaminated eggs during storage at warm temperatures can sometimes vary between different lines of laying hens.
Clinical Manifestations and Current Treatment Options for Diabetic Neuropathies

Objective: To review the clinical manifestations and current treatment options for diabetic neuropathies, one of the most common complications of diabetes mellitus. Methods: We performed a MEDLINE search of the English-language literature using a combination of words (diabetic neuropathy, diabetic autonomic neuropathy, diagnosis and treatment) to identify original studies, consensus statements, and reviews on diabetic neuropathies published in the past 25 years. Emphasis was placed on clinical manifestations of distal polyneuropathy and its treatment, especially new therapies. Results: Distal symmetric polyneuropathy, the most common form of diabetic neuropathy, usually involves small and large nerve fibers. Small-nerve fiber neuropathy often presents with pain and loss of intraepidermal nerve fibers, but without objective signs or electrophysiologic evidence of nerve damage. This type of neuropathy is a component of impaired glucose tolerance and the metabolic syndrome. The greatest risk from small-fiber neuropathy is foot ulceration and subsequent gangrene and amputation. Large-nerve fiber neuropathy produces numbness, ataxia, and incoordination, thus impairing activities of daily living and causing falls and fractures. Successfully treating diabetic neuropathy requires addressing the underlying pathogenic mechanisms, treating symptoms to improve quality of life, and preventing progression and complications of diabetes mellitus. Two new drugs, duloxetine hydrochloride and pregabalin, have recently been approved for treatment of neuropathic pain associated with diabetes mellitus. Conclusion: Symptomatic therapy has become available and newer and better treatment modalities, based on etiologic factors, are being explored with potential for clinically significant reduction of morbidity and mortality. Preventive strategies and patient and physician education still remain key factors in reducing complication rates and mortality.
Sensor Placement in Gaussian Random Field Via Discrete Simulation Optimization

This letter addresses the sensor placement problem for monitoring spatial phenomena by employing an estimation/prediction metric, i.e., noisy observations from a limited number of sensors are used to estimate the phenomena over the whole region. To solve the formulated problem, we propose a random search-based simulation optimization algorithm to iteratively select the sensor locations out of a possibly countably infinite subset of candidates. We further consider the sensor placement problem given a constraint on the energy consumption, and we propose a scheme which superimposes the Lagrange multiplier method for nonlinear programming upon our proposed discrete simulation optimization algorithm. We present numerical examples to demonstrate the fast convergence as well as the effectiveness of this simulation based algorithm.
On the cost-ineffectiveness of redundancy in commercial P2P computing

We present a game-theoretic model of the interactions between server and clients in a constrained family of commercial P2P computations (where clients are financially compensated for work). We study the cost of implementing redundant task allocation (redundancy, for short) as a means of preventing cheating. Under the assumption that clients are motivated solely by the desire to maximize expected profit, we prove that, within this framework, redundancy is cost effective only when collusion among clients, including the Sybil attack, can be prevented. We show that in situations where this condition cannot be met, non-redundant task allocation is much less costly than redundancy.
Fashioning Appearances: Feminine Beauty in Chinese Communist Revolutionary Culture

Studying the Communist revolution, scholars of China have generally assumed that the revolutionary era and pre-Cultural Revolution stage of the Communist regime were dominated by asceticism, androg...
Three-dimensional structure of the rSly1 N-terminal domain reveals a conformational change induced by binding to syntaxin 5.

Sec1/Mun18-like (SM) proteins and soluble N-ethylmaleimide-sensitive factor attachment protein receptors (SNAREs) play central roles in intracellular membrane fusion. Diverse modes of interaction between SM proteins and SNAREs from the syntaxin family have been described. However, the observation that the N-terminal domains of Sly1 and Vps45, the SM proteins involved in traffic at the endoplasmic reticulum, the Golgi, the trans-Golgi network and the endosomes, bind to similar N-terminal sequences of their cognate syntaxins suggested a unifying theme for SM protein/SNARE interactions in most internal membrane compartments. To further understand this mechanism of SM protein/SNARE coupling, we have elucidated the structure in solution of the isolated N-terminal domain of rat Sly1 (rSly1N) and analyzed its complex with an N-terminal peptide of rat syntaxin 5 by NMR spectroscopy. Comparison with the crystal structure of a complex between Sly1p and Sed5p, their yeast homologues, shows that syntaxin 5 binding requires a striking conformational change involving a two-residue shift in the register of the C-terminal β-strand of rSly1N. This conformational change is likely to induce a significant alteration in the overall shape of full-length rSly1 and may be critical for its function. Sequence analyses indicate that this conformational change is conserved in the Sly1 family but not in other SM proteins, and that the four families represented by the four SM proteins found in yeast (Sec1p, Sly1p, Vps45p and Vps33p) diverged early in evolution. These results suggest that there are marked distinctions between the mechanisms of action of each of the four families of SM proteins, which may have arisen from different regulatory requirements of traffic in their corresponding membrane compartments.
ACS–based dynamic optimization for curing of polymeric coating

Clearcoat filmbuild is a main concern for coating quality in automotive paint shops. In operation, a thin layer of clearcoat is sprayed on the top of other thin films on the vehicle surface and then baked in an oven for solvent removal, film topology finalization, and crosslinking reactions completion. Because of the complexity of physical and chemical phenomena occurring in operation and the lack of on-line measurement of key process and product parameters, ovens are always operated considerably less than optimally in terms of coating quality and energy consumption. In this report, a dynamic model-embedded ant colony system–based optimization methodology is introduced to tackle this sophisticated industrial problem. It is shown that, by comparing with a traditional Genetic Algorithm, the proposed methodology can provide better solution with reasonable computational effort. A major contribution of this work is that—probably for the first time—the oven energy minimization (process performance) can be achieved based on rigorous coating quality (product performance) constraints in a dynamic domain. This work advances coating quality control from traditional postprocess inspection-based practice (a reactive approach) to in-process on-line defect prevention–focused strategy (a proactive approach). It also provides a scientific basis for redesigning quality-guaranteed energy-efficient ovens. The methodology is, in general, applicable to a variety of industrial dynamic optimization problems, where product and process performance should be simultaneously considered. © 2005 American Institute of Chemical Engineers AIChE J, 2006
Multi-sensor data fusion using neural networks

A general approach to the use of neural networks for data fusion is outlined. The discussion begins with examples of data fusion problems and a pattern recognition example is given to illustrate the concepts involved in data fusion. The differences between using post- and pre-detection signals and the advantages of using the latter are discussed. How to apply a neural network to the data fusion problem is demonstrated, and experimental results for a character recognition task are given. The general approach applies to a variety of practical situations, including robot navigation and military environment assessment/evaluation. >
Pulmonary Embolism Presenting as Acute Abdominal Pain

Pulmonary embolism has protean manifestations. This report describes a 20-year-old woman without risk factors with pulmonary embolism presenting as abdominal pain. Previous cases and potential etiologies of pain are reviewed.
Estimation of Channel Transfer Function and Carrier Frequency Offset for OFDM Systems With Phase Noise

The joint estimation of carrier frequency offset (CFO) and channel transfer function (CTF) for orthogonal frequency-division multiplexing (OFDM) systems with phase noise is discussed in this paper. A CFO estimation algorithm is developed by exploring the time-frequency structure of specially designed training symbols, and it provides a very accurate estimation of the CFO in the presence of both unknown frequency-selective fading and phase noise. Based on the estimated CFO, phase noise and frequency-selective fading are jointly estimated by employing the maximum a posteriori (MAP) criterion. Specifically, the fading channel is estimated in the form of the frequency-domain CTF. The estimation of the CTF eliminates the requirement of a priori knowledge of channel length, and it is simpler compared with the time-domain channel impulse response (CIR) estimation methods used in the literature. Theoretical analysis with the Cramer-Rao lower bound (CRLB) demonstrates that the proposed CFO and CTF estimation algorithms can achieve near-optimum performance.
A Geology of Ireland

Regional geologists are among the unsung heroes of the earth sciences. They make maps in the field and draw stratigraphic and structural cross sections that they control by laboratory faunal, stratigraphic, and petrographic studies. Our knowledge of how the world worked in the past depends on the accumulation of many years of this kind of unglamorous data acquisition. In Ireland, field work has often been difficult: it rains a great deal, much of the solid geology is buried beneath Quaternary cover, and political and economic considerations at times in the past have not always encouraged geologic research.
Characteristics of Wave Packets in the Upper Troposphere. Part II: Seasonal and Hemispheric Variations

Abstract Gridded 300-hPa meridional wind data produced by the ECMWF reanalysis project were analyzed to document the seasonal and hemispheric variations in the properties of upper-tropospheric wave packets. The properties of the wave packets are mainly illustrated using time-lagged one-point correlation maps performed on υ′. Based on indices that show the coherence of wave propagation, as well as examination of correlation maps, schematic waveguides were constructed for the summer and winter seasons of both hemispheres along which waves preferentially propagate with greatest coherence. In the summers, the waveguides basically follow the position of the midlatitude jets. In the Northern Hemisphere winter, the primary waveguide follows the subtropical jet over southern Asia into the Pacific, but there is a secondary branch running across Russia, joining the primary waveguide near the entrance to the Pacific storm track. Over the Atlantic, the waveguide passes east-southeastward toward North Africa, then bac...
The Wave–Turbulence Transition for Stratified Flows

Abstract Mixing in a stratified ocean is controlled by different physics, depending on the large-scale Richardson number. At high Richardson numbers, mixing is controlled by interactions between internal wave modes. At Richardson numbers of order 1, mixing is controlled by instabilities of the large-scale wave modes. A “wave–turbulence” (W–T) transition separates these two regimes. This paper investigates the W–T transition, using observed oceanic and atmospheric spectra and parameterizations. Viewed in terms of Lagrangian (intrinsic) frequency spectra, the transition occurs when the inertial subrange of turbulence, confined to frequencies greater than the buoyancy frequency N, reaches the level of the internal waves, confined to frequencies less than N. Viewed in terms of vertical wavenumber spectra, the W–T transition occurs when the bandwidth of internal waves becomes small. Both of these singularities occur when the typical internal wave velocity becomes comparable to the phase speed of the lowest int...
The Story of Modern Secularism as Conversion Narrative

This essay develops a critique of narrative accounts of the emergence of modern secularism through an engagement with Charles Taylor's A Secular Age and Augustine's Confessions. I argue that stories about the emergence of modern secularism take the form of a conversion narrative, and that the limitations and dangers of such narratives should be anticipated and mitigated by a theory of the conversion narrative. Augustine's Confessions, the single most important and influential conversion narrative across Christian traditions, presents two contending images of conversion. It projects an authorized image of conversion, written in a smooth hand, which traces a narrative arc that leads Augustine from the condition of a sinner to that of a saint. But it also registers another form of conversion that punctuates and escapes this narrative structure. This second form appears in the margins, omissions, and contradictions of Augustine's text, testifying to the continuous oscillation between piety and sin, Christianity and paganism, holiness and carnality. This is a more fugitive and complex image of conversion than the authorized form. Where the first image is reducible to a narrative of instantaneous transformation through the grace of God, the second testifies to an unsteady modification of habit based on a repetitive, recurrent pattern and modulated by relations of kinship and community. This tension in the text of Confessions illustrates a more general feature of conversion: there can be no conversion experience without a conversion narrative, which retrospectively narrates and consolidates the experience, but conversion nonetheless depends on more complex transformations than the narrative form can accommodate.
A Novel Periodic Boundary Condition Treatment in Electrodynamics Wave Interaction With Small Structures

In the numerical study of the radiative properties of micro- and nano-structure devices, for example, the random roughness surfaces, grating surfaces, periodic photonic devices, the periodic boundary condition are frequently used to simulate device size much larger than the incident wavelength. Existing methods in handling the periodic boundary condition in the solution of the Maxwell’s equations are too limiting. A novel method is developed to efficiently treat such boundary conditions. The concept is not limited to any particular solution method of the Maxwell’s equations. The salient feature is to convert the phase difference between the corresponding boundaries from the time domain to frequency domain using a phasor diagram approach. The resulting electromagnetic field vector component equations at the boundaries are successfully tested in a finite-difference time-domain code at large angle of incidence, up to 80°, on a finite length, flat, and dielectric surface. The computed reflectivity is in good agreement with the analytical value calculated by Fresnel reflectivity.Copyright © 2007 by ASME
Crossing Strains and Breeds of Turkeys

Abstract IN RECENT years poultry breeding for commercial production has shown an increasing tendency to shift its emphasis from the development of improved pure strains to the selection of strains for use as crosses. This is due to the fact that the hybrid individual offers an opportunity to make use of overdominance and epistatic effects, which phenomena cannot be utilized fully in a pure strain. Furthermore, in a hybrid a larger number of loci are likely to show the effects of desirable dominant genes and less likely to show the expression of undesirable recessive ones than in a pure strain individual. Information on the mode of inheritance of various economic traits and the effects of crossing on such traits is essential in planning crossbreeding of turkeys. Asmundson (1942) crossed a number of turkeys differing in body size and type. He reports that all crossbreds exhibited heterosis in weight, but that it …
Performance appraisal satisfaction of physicians in a tertiary hospital in Shanghai

Objective :To explore physicians' satisfaction of current performance appraisal,and get knowledge of its insufficiency for reference of improvement and implication. Methods :A questionnaire on 33 items in six aspects of the hospital performance was distributed randomly to 200 physicians from a tertiary pediatric hospital in Shanghai. Results :Variables of four aspects in performance feedback,performance interaction,performance appraisal content,performance appraisal procedure explained 65.91% of all 33 items. The satisfaction with the performance appraisal was 3.57 points(total score was 5 points). The characteristic value of the performance feedback factor was as high as 17.22,and its cumulative variance were 49.09,accounting for 1/2 of the total variance of 33 original variables. There were statistically significant differences among the physicians with different age,professional title,and education experience. Conclusion :The performance appraisal of the hospital needs to be further improved in enhancing the performance feedback and communication and paying more attention to the application of appraisal results.
A Billion Dollar Investment: The Profitability of Investments in Emergency Energy Sources to Supplement Energy Infrastructure of Regions Vulnerable to Prolonged Outages

The American economy suffers a $150 billion annual loss inherent to power disruptions. American economic and societal structures are increasingly energy dependent, and often solely on grid supplied energy sources. American's great dependence on the expansive national power grid conveys the need to encourage investments in emergency back-up alternate energy sources. Hurricane Katrina proved the most expensive natural disaster in the history of the United States. The storm exposed the country to the vulnerabilities faced with prolonged power outages. When New Orleans’ hospitals experienced total depletions of power physicians were left hopeless. Patients, in the world’s leading energy producer, lost their lives because they needed power dependent technology. The costs of natural disasters have significantly increased over the past twenty years. Though this is often attributed to climate change, it is rarely considered with the recent expansion of the nation’s digital economy, which is disproportionately impacted by interruptions in energy supply. This article focuses on the immense economic benefit of grid independent back-up energy sources, especially within the regions that are most vulnerable to prolonged energy outages. It is vital the North American Electric Reliability Council along with the entire energy regulatory community encourage expansion of back-up, grid independent energy sources for efficient, fiscally responsible disaster response. No previous articles have considered the costs of developing and interconnecting Distributed Generation into the current energy supply infrastructure congruent to costs avoided through greater resiliency. This article is the first to analyze the economic and societal benefits of investing in reliable back-up energy sources. Investments in Distributed Generation would curtail billions in losses incurred by the U.S. economy inherent to disruptions in power, and save the lives of many Americans.
Introduction: From Sailmaker to Celebrity

In 1676, under the name of Jan Janszoon Struys (c.1629–94), Drie aanmerkelijke en seer rampspoedige Reysen (The perillous and most unhappy voyages of John Struys), an autobiographical travelogue, appeared in Amsterdam.2 Published by Jacob van Meurs (1617–80) and Johannes van Someren (d. 1678), Reysen became a bestseller and made out of Struys, a mere sailmaker at the time of its publication, a veritable celebrity.3 The work went through a plethora of full and abridged editions in Dutch, French, German, English and Russian. Struys’s book was known to Voltaire, and Reysen was mined by the Enlightenment naturalist Count Buffon. In 1879, Petr Iurchenko counted 22 printed versions of Struys’s work in the Russian Imperial Public Library in St Petersburg, half of which were in French.4 But by the time scholars such as Iurchenko ‘discovered’ the Struys text as a source for Russian history, the Western European reader had lost interest in crudely organized adventure tales such as Struys’s.5
Applications of the Theory of the Horizontal Dipole Near the Boundary Between Air and Earth or Sea

In Chapter 4, applications of the vertical electric dipole to communication with submarines and to geophysical measurements on the sea floor are described. The horizontal electric dipole can be used for similar purposes. It has also been used for remote sensing from the surface of the earth. For these applications the radial component of the electric field is generally the most useful and its properties in the direction o = 0 of its maximum are essentially the same for the horizontal as for the vertical dipole. However, the relative magnitudes of the field for unit dipoles are quite different. In the intermediate 1/ρ range, the ratios of the fields for dipoles at the boundary in Regions 1 and 2 (wave numbers k1 and k2 with |k1| ≥ 3|k2|) are $$ {\text{[Vertical in 2 : Horizontal in 1 or 2 : Vertical in 1]}} = \left[ {1:\frac{{k{}_2}}{{k{}_1}}:\frac{{k_2^2}}{{k{}_1}}} \right] $$ (7.1.1) For communication with submarines, the unit vertical dipole on the boundary in air (Region 2) is to be preferred; for transmission along the sea floor with the source in the sea (Region 1), the unit horizontal dipole gives the larger field. But actual antennas are not unit dipoles. At low frequencies—which must usually be used for these applications—electrically long antennas are possible with horizontal elements and generally physically impractical with vertical antennas.
The Welfare Impact of Corporate Tax Privacy

Under Internal Revenue Code, Section 6103, most of the information contained in corporate tax returns is not publicly available. This paper investigates what corporations would do if they had access to other corporations’ returns and what investors would do if they had access to corporate returns — the ultimate concern is how these behavioral responses would affect welfare. The analysis suggests that corporate tax preparation and sheltering technology would become more widely available as firms learned from each other’s returns. This would shift investment away from firms that have relatively good tax preparation and sheltering technology and toward firms that are relatively more productive. Socially wasteful expenditure aimed at lowering effective tax rates would also fall. Tax rates would likely need to rise in order to maintain government revenue, but the increase in productivity and decrease in socially wasteful expenditures would be welfare improving. The additional information that investors would gain would improve investors’ estimates of the returns and risks of investing in each corporation, which would also be welfare-improving.
Control policy for a manufacturing system with random yield and rework

We develop a production policy that controls work-in-process (WIP) levels and satisfies demand in a multistage manufacturing system with significant uncertainty in yield, rework, and demand. The problem addressed in this paper is more general than those in the literature in three aspects: (i) multiple products are processed at multiple workstations, and the capacity of each workstation is limited and shared by multiple operations; (ii) the behavior of a production policy is investigated over an infinite-time horizon, and thus the system stability can be evaluated; (iii) the representation of yield and rework uncertainty is generalized. Generalizing both the system structure and the nature of uncertainty requires a new mathematical development in the theory of infinite-horizon stochastic dynamic programming. The theoretical contributions of this paper are the existence proofs of the optimal stationary control for a stochastic dynamic programming problem and the finite covariances of WIP and production levels under the general expression of uncertainty. We develop a simple and explicit sufficient condition that guarantees the existence of both the optimal stationary control and the system stability. We describe how a production policy can be constructed for the manufacturing system based on the propositions derived.
Effects of acute buspirone administration on inhibitory control and sexual discounting in cocaine users

Objective Cocaine users display deficits in inhibitory control and make impulsive choices that may increase risky behavior. Buspirone is an anxiolytic that activates dopaminergic and serotonergic systems and improves impulsive choice (i.e., reduces sexual risk-taking intent) in cocaine users when administered chronically. We evaluated the effects of acutely administered buspirone on inhibitory control and impulsive choice. Methods Eleven subjects with a recent history of cocaine use completed this within-subject, placebo-controlled study. Subjects performed two cued go/no-go and a sexual risk delay-discounting task following oral administration of buspirone (10 and 30 mg), triazolam (0.375 mg; positive control), and placebo (negative control). Physiological and psychomotor performance and subject-rated data were also collected. Results Buspirone failed to change inhibitory control or impulsive choice; however, slower reaction times were observed at the highest dose tested. Buspirone did not produce subject-rated drug effects but dose-dependently decreased diastolic blood pressure. Triazolam impaired psychomotor performance and increased ratings of positive subject-rated effects (e.g., Like Drug). Conclusions These findings indicate that acutely administered buspirone has little impact on behavioral measures of inhibitory control and impulsive sexual decision-making. Considering previous findings with chronic dosing, these findings highlight that the behavioral effects of buspirone differ as a function of dosing conditions.
Hippocampal awake replay in fear memory retrieval

Hippocampal place cells are key to episodic memories. How these cells participate in memory retrieval remains unclear. After rats acquired a fear memory by receiving mild footshocks in a shock zone on a track, we analyzed place cells when the animals were placed on the track again and displayed an apparent memory retrieval behavior: avoidance of the shock zone. We found that place cells representing the shock zone were reactivated, despite the fact that the animals did not enter the shock zone. This reactivation occurred in ripple-associated awake replay of place cell sequences encoding the paths from the animal's current positions to the shock zone but not in place cell sequences within individual cycles of theta oscillation. The result reveals a specific place-cell pattern underlying inhibitory avoidance behavior and provides strong evidence for the involvement of awake replay in fear memory retrieval.
Exploring the effect of vibrotactile feedback through the floor on social presence in an immersive virtual environment

We investigate the effect of vibrotactile feedback delivered to one's feet in an immersive virtual environment (IVE). In our study, participants observed a virtual environment where a virtual human (VH) walked toward the participants and paced back and forth within their social space. We compared three conditions as follows: participants in the “Sound” condition heard the footsteps of the VH; participants in the “Vibration” condition experienced the vibration of the footsteps along with the sounds; while participants in the “Mute” condition were not exposed to sound nor vibrotactile feedback. We found that the participants in the “Vibration” condition felt a higher social presence with the VH compared to those who did not feel the vibration. The participants in the “Vibration” condition also exhibited greater avoidance behavior while facing the VH and when the VH invaded their personal space.
Big vs little core for energy-efficient Hadoop computing

The rapid growth in the data yields challenges to process data efficiently using current high-performance server architectures such as big Xeon cores. Furthermore, physical design constraints, such as power and density, have become the dominant limiting factor for scaling out servers. Heterogeneous architectures that combine big Xeon cores with little Atom cores have emerged as a promising solution to enhance energy-efficiency by allowing each application to run on an architecture that matches resource needs more closely than a one-size-fits-all architecture. Therefore, the question of whether to map the application to big Xeon or little Atom in heterogeneous server architecture becomes important. In this paper, we characterize Hadoop-based applications and their corresponding MapReduce tasks on big Xeon and little Atom-based server architectures to understand how the choice of big vs little cores is affected by various parameters at application, system and architecture levels and the interplay among these parameters. Furthermore, we have evaluated the operational and the capital cost to understand how performance, power and area constraints for big data analytics affects the choice of big vs little core server as a more cost and energy efficient architecture.
Persistent Prothrombotic State in Atrial Fibrillation Despite Use of Novel Oral Anti-Coagulants

Background: Oral anticoagulants such as warfarin have been conventionally used for the management of atrial fibrillation (AF). Despite the effectiveness of warfarin, its use in AF patients requiring anticoagulation is suboptimal with an even greater underuse seen in elderly patients who are at higher risk of stroke. New oral anticoagulants such as rivaroxaban(R), apixaban (A), dabigitran (D) and edoxaban (E) have been approved to manage thrombotic and cardiovascular disorders including AF. The newer anticoagulants do not require continuous monitoring like warfarin and are much more convenient for patients with AF. Objective: To profile the baseline level of circulating thrombotic biomarkers plasminogen activator inhibitor (PAI-1), von Willebrand Factor (vWF), microparticle bound tissue factor (MP-TF) and prothrombin fragment 1.2 (F1.2) in patients with AF. Additionally, the effect of novel oral anticoagulants (R, A, D and E) on the levels of thrombotic biomarkers in patients with AF is assessed. Materials and Methods: Citrated blood samples were drawn from 30 patients (21 male and 9 female; mean age 59.1) prior to ablation surgery for AF at Loyola University Medical Center in Maywood, Illinois. Citrated blood was spun at 3000 rpm to obtain platelet poor plasma. Normal plasma samples from healthy controls (24 male and 24 female; mean age 33) were purchased from a commercial source (George King Biomedical, Overland Park, KS). The plasma samples were analyzed using a biochip array (Randox, London, UK) for metabolic syndrome biomarkers including PAI-1 and ELISA kits for vWF, MP-TF (Hyphen BioMed, Nueville-Sur-Oise, France) and prothrombin F1.2 (Siemens, Newark, DE). Results: Compared to the control group, circulating levels of vWF, MP-TF and PAI-1 were statistically increased in patients with AF (P Discussion: Elevated levels of PAI-1, vWF and MP-TF seen in AF patients compared to normal provide insight into an additional risk of thrombogenesis associated with AF which is not targeted by current anticoagulant medications. Most AF patients are assessed using a stroke risk stratification scale (CHA2DS2VASc) to determine if anti-coagulants should be used to prevent stroke associated with AF. Patients in group 1 had a mean CHA2DS2VASc score of 1.15 compared to 2.18 see in group 2. This data supports studies which suggest that including levels of prothrombotic biomarkers to current risk stratification scales could be more effective in assessing the risk of stroke of patients with AF. This data also suggests that although very effective in lowering prothrombin F1.2 levels in AF, the newer anticoagulants, R,A,D and E still leave additional prothrombotic biomarkers unaffected. These unaffected biomarkers could be the potential target of future drug therapies which could lower the risk of stroke in patients with AF even more than the use of newer anticoagulants alone. Disclosures No relevant conflicts of interest to declare.
Detection of Emerging Zoonotic Pathogens: An Integrated One Health Approach

The emergence of novel zoonotic pathogens is one of the greatest challenges to global health security. The advent of increasingly sophisticated diagnostics tools has revolutionized our capacity to detect and respond to these health threats more rapidly than ever before. Yet, no matter how sophisticated these tools become, the initial identification of emerging infectious diseases begins at the local community level. It is here that the initial human or animal case resides, and it is here that early pathogen detection would have maximum benefit. Unfortunately, many areas at highest risk of zoonotic disease emergence lack sufficient infrastructure capacity to support robust laboratory diagnostic systems. Multiple factors are essential for pathogen detection networks, including an understanding of the complex sociological and ecological factors influencing disease transmission risk, community engagement, surveillance along high-risk human-animal interfaces, and a skilled laboratory workforce. Here we discuss factors relevant to the emerging disease paradigm, recent technical advances in diagnostic methods, and strategies for comprehensive and sustainable approaches to rapid zoonotic disease detection.
News Coverage of Donald Trump's First 100 Days

“The press is your enemy,” said the president. “Enemies. Understand that? ... Because they’re trying to stick the knife right in our groin.” Donald Trump’s ongoing feud with the media is not the first time a president has felt wronged by the press. The opening words are those of Richard Nixon. Virtually every president since Nixon has obsessed over what they’ve seen as unfair treatment by the press. In the first two years of his presidency, Bill Clinton persuaded Congress to enact a tax increase on upper incomes, a family leave program, NAFTA, deficit reduction, the Brady bill, a youth training program, and other initiatives, yet was mired in a slew of headlines about Travelgate, Whitewater, and other alleged wrongdoings. In a Rolling Stone interview, Clinton exploded at his treatment by the press: “I’ve fought more damn battles here than any president in 20 years with the possible exception of Reagan’s first budget and not gotten one damn bit of credit from the knee-jerk liberal press. I am damn sick and tired of it.”
Using metabolomics to analyse the role of gut microbiota in nutrition and disease

Abstract This chapter describes the importance of gut microbiota in regulating human health and disease with metagenomics and metabolomics. It first describes the gut microbiota and the relationships between changes of gut microbiota and disease using the metabolomics and metagenomics approach. It then reviews the metabolomics approach for the measurement of the kinetics or flux of metabolic pathways involving gut microbiota–host co-metabolism and how they respond to different environmental stimuli and nutritional intervention. The chapter also summarises the advantages of the combined use of metagenomics and metabolomics in linking metabolite profiles to microbial compositions in nutritional research and prospected a personalised healthcare medicine/nutrition strategy through obtaining individual “metabotypes” characterised by substantial inter-individual differences in gut microbiota composition and adopting dietary and therapeutic intervention by modulating the multilevel host–microbe interactions.