cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Design Technique for Mitigation of Soft Errors in Differential Switched-Capacitor Circuits

The floating amplifier inputs in switched-capacitor differential circuits are identified as extremely vulnerable to single events. A radiation hardened by design mitigation technique is presented. The vulnerability of the floating inputs is improved by an order of magnitude with negligible penalties in area, power, speed and noise performance.
On the Design of S-type Permutors for Double Serially Concatenated Convolutional Codes

In this paper the impact of S-type permutors, i.e., permutors that provide a non-trivial separation, on the minimum distance of double serially concatenated convolutional codes is considered. A joint design of the outer and inner permutor is presented on the basis of a newly introduced permutor parameter - the so-called symbol span. This design guarantees that the minimum distance of the overall code is lower bounded by the product of the free distances of all three component codes. Simulation results are presented and comparisons with single serially concatenated and double/generalized repeat accumulate codes are briefly sketched.
Acoustic Emission Monitoring of Fiber Composite Materials and Structures

A review of the current acoustic emission literature relating to fiber reinforced composite materials is presented. Summary tables which assist m the prompt delineation of the achievements in this research area are developed. Because of the qualitative character of much of the current literature, suggestions to develop quantitative AE standards are strongly recommended
Functional Role of Phosphodiesterase 3 in Cardiomyocyte Apoptosis Implication in Heart Failure

Background— Myocyte apoptosis plays an important role in pathological cardiac remodeling and the progression of heart failure. cAMP signaling is crucial in the regulation of myocyte apoptosis and cardiac remodeling. Multiple cAMP-hydrolyzing phosphodiesterases (PDEs), such as PDE3 and PDE4, coexist in cardiomyocytes and elicit differential temporal/spatial regulation of cAMP signaling. However, the role of PDE3 and PDE4 in the regulation of cardiomyocyte apoptosis remains unclear. Although chronic treatment with PDE3 inhibitors increases mortality in patients with heart failure, the contribution of PDE3 expression/activity in heart failure is not well known. Methods and Results— In this study we report that PDE3A expression and activity were significantly reduced in human failing hearts as well as mouse hearts with chronic pressure overload. In primary cultured cardiomyocytes, chronic inhibition of PDE3 but not PDE4 activity by pharmacological agents or adenovirus-delivered antisense PDE3A promoted cardio...
Simulation study for analysis of binary responses in the presence of extreme case problems

Background Estimates of variance components for binary responses in presence of extreme case problems tend to be biased due to an under-identified likelihood. The bias persists even when a normal prior is used for the fixed effects.
Algorithmic number theory and its relationship to computational complexity

Though algorithmic number theory is one of man's oldest intellectual pursuits, its current vitality is perhaps unrivaled in history. This is due in part to the injection of new ideas from computational complexity. In this paper, a brief history of the symbiotic relationship between number theory and complexity theory will be presented. In addition, some of the technical aspects underlying ‘modern’ methods of primality testing and factoring will be described.
Proximal Humeral Migration in Shoulders with Symptomatic and Asymptomatic Rotator Cuff Tears

Background: Proximal humeral migration is commonly seen in rotator-cuff-deficient shoulders. The specific effects of the size of the rotator cuff tear and of pain on glenohumeral kinematics have been poorly defined. The purpose of this study was to examine the influences of cuff tear size and pain, separately, on humeral migration in a series of patients with symptomatic and asymptomatic rotator cuff tears. Methods: Ninety-eight asymptomatic and sixty-two symptomatic shoulders were identified from a cohort of patients with unilateral shoulder pain related to rotator cuff disease. All shoulders underwent ultrasonographic evaluation of the rotator cuff and standardized radiographic evaluation. Humeral migration was measured by three observers using software-enhanced radiographic analysis. Results: There was no significant difference in rotator cuff tear size between the asymptomatic and symptomatic shoulders, although more tears involved the infraspinatus in the symptomatic group (p = 0.01). Proximal humeral migration was greater in the shoulders with a symptomatic tear than it was in those with an asymptomatic tear (p = 0.03). Tears that involved the infraspinatus resulted in more migration than did isolated supraspinatus tears in both the symptomatic (p = 0.01) and the asymptomatic shoulders (p = 0.03). When the symptomatic tears of ≥175 mm2 were analyzed separately, the size of the tear was found to correlate strongly with humeral migration (p = 0.01). However, when the symptomatic tears that were <175 mm2 were analyzed, neither tear size nor pain was found to have a significant relationship with migration. When the analysis was limited to full-thickness symptomatic tears of ≥175 mm2, both pain (p = 0.002) and tear area (p = 0.0002) were found to have a significant effect on migration. Multivariate analysis showed that tear size (p = 0.01) was the strongest predictor of migration in symptomatic shoulders. Conclusions: Proximal humeral migration correlates with rotator cuff tear size. Tears extending into the infraspinatus tendon are associated with greater humeral migration than is seen with isolated supraspinatus tears. Humeral migration resulting from symptomatic rotator cuff tears is greater than that resulting from asymptomatic tears. Additionally, there is a critical size for tendon tears resulting in humeral migration in painful shoulders. Although both pain and tear size influence glenohumeral kinematics in symptomatic shoulders, only tear size is an independent predictor of humeral migration. Level of Evidence: Prognostic Level II. See Instructions to Authors for a complete description of levels of evidence.
THE UNKNOWN NYMPHS OF NORTH AMERICAN ODONATA

On the first of April 1927, the following letter, together with the tentative list of unknown nymphs referred to, was sent by the author to the following twelve Entomologists interested in American Odonata: Dr. C. S. Brimley, Dr. P. P. Calvert, Mr. W. T. Davis, Dr. Philip Garman. Dr. C. H. Kennedy. Mr. B. E. Montgomery, Dr. R. A. Muttkowki, Dr. R. H. Horve, Dr. R. C. Osborne, Dr. F. M. Root, Dr. E. M. Walker, and Mr. E. B. Williamson.
Changing the future of health professions: embedding interprofessional education within an academic health center.

Institutions are increasingly considering interprofessional education (IPE) as a means to improve health care and reduce medical errors in the United States. Effective implementation of IPE within health professions education requires a strategic institutional approach to ensure longevity and sustainability. In 2007, the Medical University of South Carolina (MUSC) established Creating Collaborative Care (C 3 ), an IPE initiative that takes a multifaceted approach to weaving interprofessional collaborative experiences throughout MUSC’s culture to prepare students to participate in interprofessional, collaborative health care and research settings. In this article, the authors describe C 3 ’s guiding conceptual foundation and student learning goals. They present its implementation framework to illustrate how C 3 is embedded within the institutional culture. It is housed in the provost’s office, and an overarching implementation committee functions as a central coordinating group. Faculty members develop and implement C 3 activities across professions by contributing to four collaborating domains—curricular, extracurricular, faculty development, and health care simulation—each of which captures an IPE component. The authors provide examples of IPE activities developed by each domain to illustrate the breadth of IPE at MUSC. The authors believe that MUSC’s efforts, including the conceptual foundation and implementation framework, can be generalized to other institutions intent on developing IPE within their organizational cultures.
Facing the reality of data stream classification: coping with scarcity of labeled data

Recent approaches for classifying data streams are mostly based on supervised learning algorithms, which can only be trained with labeled data. Manual labeling of data is both costly and time consuming. Therefore, in a real streaming environment where large volumes of data appear at a high speed, only a small fraction of the data can be labeled. Thus, only a limited number of instances will be available for training and updating the classification models, leading to poorly trained classifiers. We apply a novel technique to overcome this problem by utilizing both unlabeled and labeled instances to train and update the classification model. Each classification model is built as a collection of micro-clusters using semi-supervised clustering, and an ensemble of these models is used to classify unlabeled data. Empirical evaluation of both synthetic and real data reveals that our approach outperforms state-of-the-art stream classification algorithms that use ten times more labeled data than our approach.
How surrounds affect chromaticity discrimination

Chromatic discrimination thresholds were measured with and without surrounds along two cardinal axes of chromaticity space. On one axis the level of short-wavelength-sensitive (SWS)-cone excitation was varied for constant long-wavelength-sensitive (LWS)-cone and medium-wavelength-sensitive (MWS)-cone excitations, and on the other axis there were equal and opposite changes in LWS-cone and MWS-cone excitations for constant levels of SWS-cone excitation. Results for two of three observers showed that with a dark surround, discrimination mediated by SWS cones was regulated by the level of SWS-cone excitation of the starting chromaticity, showing a function with the form of a threshold-versus-radiance function. For an equiluminant white or yellow surround, the discrimination for all three observers showed a minimum at the level of SWS-cone excitation of the surround, giving a V-shaped function for the white surround. An additional experiment with dimmer white surrounds indicated that while the minimum remained at the white point, the function gradually changed toward the shape with a dark surround. Discrimination thresholds mediated by LWS and MWS cones with a dark surround showed a minimum near the LWS-cone excitation of equal-energy white, giving a V-shaped function. The effect of yellow and white surrounds was to deepen the V The data can be described by a model of chromatic discrimination incorporating a threshold term, a cone gain control, and an opponent gain control into two equations, one for SWS-cone discrimination and one for LWS-cone and MWS-cone discrimination.
Acceptability of Common Muffin and Cake Recipes Using Non-fat Plain Yogurt as a Fat Replacement

Abstract Recipes for control oat muffin and carrot cake products were based on previously published recipes from Food for Fifty (Shugart and Molt, 1993). Control recipes were modified in fat content at two levels by the equal replacement by volume of fat (corn oil) with non-fat plain yogurt. Thus, there were three treatments each for the muffin and cake products as follows: (1) original formula (control), (2) 50% replacement of fat with yogurt (50% yogurt), (3) 100% replacement of fat with yogurt (100% yogurt). Four replications of each treatment were conducted and randomly assigned to 2 test days. A total of 31 and 27 panelists evaluated the muffin and cake products, respectively. Each treatment was evaluated on four sensory attributes (appearance, mouth feel, texture, flavor) and overall acceptance using a 5-point hedonic scale. Products were also rated using the FACT scale. Data were analyzed using ANOVA and Duncan's post hoc tests to discern significant differences among specific treatments for a particular dependent variable. The use of non-fat plain yogurt as a fat replacement had a significant adverse effect on the sensory attributes ratings of the oat muffin but not the carrot cake. For all sensory attributes measured, except appearance, all treatments were rated significantly different from one another (p
COMPETITION AS AN ENGINE OF ECONOMIC GROWTH WITH PRODUCER HETEROGENEITY

When producers are heterogeneous, the degree of competition between them affects aggregate output not only via markups and deadweight losses, but also through aggregate productivity due to specialization. As competition tightens, high-productivity producers gain market share at the cost of low-productivity ones, generating economic growth through increased aggregate productivity and capital accumulation, in line with what is observed empirically. Consequently, competition is not limited to reducing deadweight losses, and can play a greater role in economic growth and development than traditionally assumed. Economic growth spurs profits, which leads to entry and increased competition that generates growth, so competition provides a channel through which the economy generates growth internally. When strong enough, this channel can make the returns to scale in the inputs that the economy accumulates endogenously go from being decreasing to nondecreasing at the aggregate level, thus enabling endogenous growth. In fact, these returns to scale are determined endogenously in our model, and vary with the scale of production, the degree of producer heterogeneity, and the barriers to entry.
Perceived support in a dual organizational environment: Union participation in a university setting

There is extensive research on employee attitudes regarding employers and unions, but these studies have underemphasized social and affective forces. Most studies also examine attitudes toward either the union or the employer without considering how these attitudes might relate to one another. The present study of faculty (N = 306) at a large public research university demonstrated that perceptions of union support were positively related to union participation and perceptions of administration support were negatively related to union participation. Subjective norms and general union attitudes were related to perceptions of union support, and subjective norms were related to perceived organizational support. Taken together, an individual's participation in a union recognition effort depends not only on union instrumentality, but also upon social relationships with the union and administration. Copyright © 2009 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
The activity of pramipexole in the mouse forced swim test is mediated by D2 rather than D3 receptors

Recent studies have reported antidepressant-like activities of the dopamine D2/D3 agonist pramipexole in the chronic mild stress model and in the forced swim test, suggesting that D3 receptor agonists may represent a new class of antidepressant drugs. However, the relative contribution of D2 or D3 receptors to the activity of pramipexole in these models is unclear. The aim of the current studies was to explore the role of dopamine D2 and D3 receptors in the activity of pramipexole in the mouse forced swim test. The effect of pramipexole (0.1–3.2 mg/kg) in the mouse forced swim test was examined both in conjunction with D2 and D3 receptor antagonists (haloperidol (0.1–1 mg/kg) and LU-201640 (A-437203, 5.6–17.8 mg/kg), as well as in D3 receptor knockout mice obtained on two different background strains (C57BL/6J and B6129SF2/J). Locomotor activity was also assessed following pramipexole administration. Pramipexole produced dose-dependent reductions in immobility in the forced swim test at doses that did not produce generalized increases in locomotor activity. LU-201640, the D3 selective antagonist, failed to block the antidepressant-like effects of pramipexole. In contrast, the efficacy of pramipexole in the forced swim test was completely blocked by the D2 antagonist, haloperidol. No baseline differences were observed between knockout and wild-type mice from either background strain in locomotor activity or in the forced swim test. Furthermore, in both background strains, pramipexole showed similar efficacy in the forced swim test for both wild-type and knockout mice. Taken together, these studies suggest that the D2 receptor rather than the D3 receptor is important for the antidepressant-like activity observed for pramipexole in the mouse forced swim test.
Do malaria vector control measures impact disease-related behaviour and knowledge? Evidence from a large-scale larviciding intervention in Tanzania

Background: Recent efforts of accelerated malaria control towards the long-term goal of elimination had significant impacts in reducing malaria transmission. While these efforts need to be sustained over time, a scenario of low transmission could bring about changes in individual disease risk perception, hindering adherence to protective measures, and affecting disease-related knowledge. The goal of this study was to investigate the potential impact of a successful malaria vector control intervention on bed net usage and malaria-related knowledge. Methods: Dar es Salaam’s Urban Malaria Control Program was launched in 2004 with the aim of developing a sustainable larviciding intervention. Larviciding was scaled-up using a stepped-wedge design. Cross-sectional and longitudinal data were collected using a randomized cluster sampling design (2004–2008). Prevalence ratios (PR) for the effect of the larviciding intervention on bed net usage (N = 64,537) and household heads’ knowledge of malaria symptoms and transmission (N = 11,254) were obtained from random effects regression models. Results: The probability that individuals targeted by larviciding had used a bed net was reduced by 5% as compared to those in non-intervention areas (PR = 0.95; 95% credible intervals (CrI): 0.94-0.97) and the magnitude of this effect increased with time. Larviciding also led to a decline in household heads’ knowledge of malaria symptoms (PR =0.88; 95% CrI: 0.83-0.92) but no evidence of effect on knowledge of malaria transmission was found. Conclusion: Successful control interventions could bring about further challenges to sustaining gains in reducing malaria transmission if not accompanied by strategies to avoid changes in individual knowledge and behaviour. This study points to two major research gaps. First, there is an urgent need to gather more evidence on the extent to which countries that have achieved significant decline in malaria transmission are also observing changes in individual behaviour and knowledge. Second, multidisciplinary assessments that combine quantitative and qualitative data, utilizing theories of health behaviour and theories of knowledge, are needed to optimize efforts of national malaria control programmes, and ultimately contribute to sustained reduction in malaria transmission.
The rhetoric of issue advertising: A rationale, a case study, a critical perspective—and more

(1988). The rhetoric of issue advertising: A rationale, a case study, a critical perspective—and more. Central States Speech Journal: Vol. 39, Public Relations, pp. 99-109.
CONTROLLING POLLUTION OF THE MARINE ENVIRONMENT: AN ECONOMIC ANALYSIS

ABSTRACT Although federal legislation restricts the discharge of oil and other hazardous substances into inland and coastal waterways, debate continues over the best choice of institutional arrangements to control waterway pollution through regulations, standards, penalties and cleanup charges. No one approach is necessarily best in all situations. Issues addressed when determining public policy must be concerned with the tradeoff between methods chosen to influence polluter behavior and the cost of their enforcement. Using data from the U. S. Coast Guard's Pollution Incident Reporting System (PIRS) and the Port Safety and Security/Marine Environmental Protection Quarterly Activities Report, this paper examines a model describing the behavior of polluters in response to pollution control costs and, in so doing, stresses the potential economic impact. Implications for public policy also are presented.
Justice and the ADA: does prioritizing and rationing health care discriminate against the disabled?

It is sometimes said that a society should be judged ethically by how it treats its least-fortunate or worst-off members. In one interpretation this is not a point about justice, but instead about moral virtues such as compassion and charity. In our response to the least fortunate among us, we display, or show that we lack, fundamental moral virtues of fellow feeling and concern for others in need. In a different interpretation, however, this point is about justice and a just society—the justice of a society is shown especially in how it treats its least-fortunate members.
Approaches to the management of functional tricuspid regurgitation

Functional tricuspid regurgitation (FTR) is an acquired valvular abnormality that is most frequently encountered during the evaluation and operative management of left-sided heart failure and left heart valve disease. Observational studies have demonstrated that uncorrected significant FTR during mitral valve surgery can result in inferior early and late outcomes due to progression of FTR and underlying right heart failure. The 2012 ESC/EACTS and 2014 ACC/AHA guidelines strongly encourage the surgical correction of greater than mild tricuspid regurgitation or tricuspid annular dilation greater than 4 cm in patients undergoing left-sided valve surgery. Prospective randomized trials are needed to bolster the evidence behind the current recommendations. Percutaneous therapies in development may eventually result in less invasive options for treating FTR.
Combination of angiotensin II and l-NG-nitroarginine methyl ester exacerbates mitochondrial dysfunction and oxidative stress to cause heart failure

Mitochondrial dysfunction has been implicated as a cause of energy deprivation in heart failure (HF). Herein, we tested individual and combined effects of two pathogenic factors of nonischemic HF, inhibition of nitric oxide synthesis [with l-N(G)-nitroarginine methyl ester (l-NAME)] and hypertension [with angiotensin II (AngII)], on myocardial mitochondrial function, oxidative stress, and metabolic gene expression. l-NAME and AngII were administered individually and in combination to mice for 5 wk. Although all treatments increased blood pressure and reduced cardiac contractile function, the l-NAME + AngII group was associated with the most severe HF, as characterized by edema, hypertrophy, oxidative stress, increased expression of Nppa and Nppb, and decreased expression of Atp2a2 and Camk2b. l-NAME + AngII-treated mice exhibited robust deterioration of cardiac mitochondrial function, as observed by reduced respiratory control ratios in subsarcolemmal mitochondria and reduced state 3 levels in interfibrillar mitochondria for complex I but not for complex II substrates. Cardiac myofibrils showed reduced ADP-supported and oligomycin-inhibited oxygen consumption. Mitochondrial functional impairment was accompanied by reduced mitochondrial DNA content and activities of pyruvate dehydrogenase and complex I but increased H2O2 production and tissue protein carbonyls in hearts from AngII and l-NAME + AngII groups. Microarray analyses revealed the majority of the gene changes attributed to the l-NAME + AngII group. Pathway analyses indicated significant changes in metabolic pathways, such as oxidative phosphorylation, mitochondrial function, cardiac hypertrophy, and fatty acid metabolism in l-NAME + AngII hearts. We conclude that l-NAME + AngII is associated with impaired mitochondrial respiratory function and increased oxidative stress compared with either l-NAME or AngII alone, resulting in nonischemic HF.
Age changes in the fine structure of rat trophoblast giant-cells.

The fine structure of trophoblast giant-cells from the junctional zone of rat placentas was examined at intervals during two periods, namely, from 12 days of pregnancy (by which time the chorioallantoic placenta has differentiated into junctional zone and labyrinthine regions) until 21 days, and from term (at 23 days) until 4 days beyond term in living conceptuses experimentally restrained in utero beyond littermate delivery. Giant cells appeared viable throughout both periods in that they possessed numerous Golgi complexes, abundant free polyribosomes and mitochondria, and an euchromatic nucleus which was delimited by a nuclear envelop with prevalent nuclear pores. In that many free polyribosomes and few cisterns of endoplasmic reticulum were present giant cells had an undifferentiated appearance at 12 days; they appeared actively phagocytotic through day 18. Both forms of the reticulum were present, but variably so, throughout both periods that were examined; neither was markedly abundant at any stage. Correlation has been sought between the prevelence of agranular and granular cisterns of the reticulum and the relative amounts of secretion, respectively, of placental somatomammotropin and steroid. There was some correlation between development of granular reticulum and known somatomammotropic production, but none between agranular reticulum and what is known about placental progresterone levels during pregnancy in rats. A lack of an elaborately developed agranular endoplasmic reticulum in these giant elements suggests that the cholesterol necessary for progesterone synthesis is itself synthesized elsewhere.
Variation and relationship of quality and near infrared spectral characteristics of cotton fibers collected from multi-location field performance trials

Standardized instrument for testing of cotton (SITC) and advanced fiber information system (AFIS) measurements are increasingly being utilized as primary and routine means of acquiring fiber qualit...
Interstitial lung diseases in the elderly patient.

The interstitial lung diseases pose special clinical problems for the clinician caring for elderly patients. These disorders are the result of inflammatory and immunologic reactions to known and unknown stimuli affecting the lower respiratory tract. In this article diagnostic and therapeutic approaches to patients with interstitial lung disease are reviewed in the context of current understanding of the respiratory immune system and the effects of aging on immunologic function.
Bringing Wellness to Schools: Opportunities for and Challenges to Mental Health Integration in School-Based Health Centers

Objective:School-based health centers (SBHCs) reduce access barriers to mental health care and improve educational outcomes for youths. This qualitative study evaluated the innovations and challenges of a unique network of SBHCs in a large, urban school district as the centers attempted to integrate health, mental health, and educational services.Methods:The 43 participants sampled included mental health providers, primary care providers, and care coordinators at 14 SBHCs. Semistructured interviews with each participant were audio recorded and transcribed. Themes were identified and coded by using Atlas.ti 5.1 and collapsed into three domains: operations, partnership, and engagement.Results:Interviews revealed provider models ranging from single agencies offering both primary care and mental health services to colocated services. Sites where the health agency provided at least some mental health services reported more mental health screenings. Many sites used SBHC wellness coordinators and coordination te...
The Relationship between Spirituality and Theology

This essay considers the contribution which spirituality makes to theology and vice versa, using examples from Karl Rahner's work. His spirituality in the sense of lived religious experience is the point of departure for his theological anthropology. Conversely, his theology of devotion to the Sacred Heart critiques and informs a spirituality of the heart of Christ. After discussing the mutual benefits which spirituality and theology provide one another, this paper points out the contemporary relevance of a spirituality of Christ's heart.
Using importances in group preference aggregation to block strategic manipulation

We consider the problem of preference aggregation in group decision making. The role of the collaborative imperative used by the group in determining the form of the aggregation function is noted. We focus on one collaborative imperative, called the primal, deriving from participant autonomy, an agent doesn't have to accept a decision by the group it doesn't like. We showed that t-norms and more generally the class of uninorms having zero fixation provide appropriate aggregation operators to implement this primal collaborative imperative. We then discuss the possibility of an agent using a strategic manipulation of its preference information to get its preferred alternative. A mechanism based upon the use of an importance weighting is then suggested for modifying the construction of the group decision function to defend against strategic manipulation.
Gender, Migration, and Work

The migration literature abounds with extensive evidence about the experiences of Mexican and Hispanic migrant farmworkers in the agricultural belts of the United States, particularly in the Southeast and the mid-Atlantic, the Midwest, Texas and the Southwest, California, and the Pacific. During the 1930s, the United States put policies in place to attract predominantly cheap Mexican and Hispanic labor to the country. Migration across the border from Mexico was encouraged by the U.S. government under its Bracero program. Hundreds of thousands of Mexicans streamed north across the border to work on American farms. For agribusiness, the steady supply of cheap labor was an economic boom, enriching scores of agribusiness and food processing companies in Florida, Texas, California, North Carolina, and Georgia. Migrant farmworkers from South and Central America make up the bulk of U.S. agricultural farm labor. Contract labor, chiefly illegal aliens and undocumented workers from South America, came to the United States to look for work. Over time, Hispanic s have been successful in carving a niche for themselves in the agricultural and food processing sectors throughout the country. Paid minimum wages, discriminated against, and sometimes exploited and made to work under poor sanitary conditions and subjected to unfair labor practices, the bulk of the migrant Hispanic farmworkers continue to come to the United States to search for better economic standards of living.
Loopback test unit benefits

Failure in the Production test set can halt production and lead to extended downtime spent isolating the failure. Identifying a failure in a test set often relies on using a known good unit, or “golden unit”. Use of a Loopback Test Unit in place of a “golden unit” addresses issues with safety, cost, signal accessibility and fault isolation. A Loopback Test Unit is used in place of the “golden unit” for test set fault detection and isolation. Therefore, it is designed to simulate the production unit's physical form factor and interface in order to be compatible with the production test set. It receives the power forms and signal inputs or outputs from the production test set and, as applicable, provides a response, loops the signal back or generates a test signal. Maximum utility is achieved by implementing the Loopback Test Unit at the lowest level of assembly. Commonly this is at a circuit card assembly (CCA) with test connections by spring probes or bed of nails fixtures, which have a higher rate of connectivity failure. Designing with JTAG compatible test interfaces provides an automated connectivity test. This allows verification via automated testing of individual test probe connections to a common power plane. Furthermore, a welldesigned CCA Loopback Test Unit can be reused and incorporated into the next “module” level of assembly, providing design and test verticality. Designed for the production test interface the Loopback Test Unit can use the same or modified test automation software. A Loopback Test Unit with automated testing provides an easy way of verifying the proper function of the production test set and can be integrated as a standard operation into the factory test flow, as appropriate. If a failure, or especially repetitive failures, occurs with a production test set, the technician can insert a Loopback Test Unit, run an automated test and begin failure analysis. By design, the Loopback Test Unit can provide signal accessibility and isolation, greatly facilitating fault identification. Signal isolation also allows signal insertion which may be necessary for more complex failures. In this paper, the author will present the general concept of a Loopback Test Unit, the time consuming troubleshooting deficiencies it resolves, and address the financial benefits of implementing this in production testing.
Exposure time of warm leftovers to temperatures suitable for microbial growth in a home-type refrigerator.

A home-type refrigerator was used to determine the time of exposure of foods of varying solids content to temperatures suitable for microbial growth. The foods were handled using standard recommended public health procedures. Samples were tested with and without supplementary air circulation. The total time in the temperature range of 140 F to 45 F varied from 13 h to over 22 h. Supplementary air circulation had little benefit in reducing cooling times when used indirectly, i.e., when directed away from the test foods at the bottom of the refrigeration compartment. However, when the supplementary air was directed on the test foods from a distance of 4 inches, the cooling time was reduced by approximately one-half. The time of food exposure to a temperature range most favorable to microbial growth (100 F to 70 F) exceeded 5 h without supplementary direct air circulation, but was reduced to less than 2 1/2 h with direct forced air supplementary circulation. Alternate techniques to reduce the temperature of foods to supplement mechanical refrigeration are also discussed.
New Strategies to Define Regulators of Fetal Hemoglobin

Abstract SCI-17 The beneficial effect of hemoglobin F (HbF, α2γ2) expression on the phenotypes of sickle cell disease and the β-thalassemias has been recognized for many years. Therefore, retardation of the fetal-to-adult (HbF to HbA, α2b2) switch or reactivation of g-globin expression in erythroid cells of adults has been a long sought goal. Despite molecular analysis of the human β-globin gene cluster and intense study of transgenic mice harboring human globin genes, the nuclear factors mediating hemoglobin switching and maintaining γ-globin gene silencing have remained unknown. The situation has changed recently with the success of new genetic tools, including genome-wide association study (GWAS), in the identification of candidate gene regions in which genetic variation correlates with HbF levels. Three genomic regions have been fingered: the β-globin cluster itself, the BCL11A gene on chromosome 2, and the HB1SL-Myb region on chromosome 6. Taken together, these regions account for ∼40% of the variation in HbF levels. Functional studies have shown that BCL11A encodes a dose-sensitive, zinc-finger repressor that is required for maintenance of silencing of γ-globin in adult erythroid cells. BCL11A also controls the developmental switches from embryonic to adult β-like globins in the mouse and fetal to adult globin in human transgenes harbored in the mouse. BCL11A binds downstream of the γ-globin gene and in the locus control region, but not at the γ-promoters. Mechanistic studies reveal that BCL11A cooperates with another factor, SOX6, that binds within the γ-promoters. The identification of genetically validated regulators has therapeutic implications for directed reactivation of HbF in adults. For stage-specific repressors, such as BCL11A, inhibition of their expression, or interference with their function or interactions with other regulators, could constitute new therapeutic strategies. While transcription factors have been generally considered “undruggable”, advances in high-throughput screening of complex libraries of small molecules and in the use of RNA interference in vivo may provide new platforms for discovery and refinement of HbF inducers. The presentation will illustrate some of these potential approaches. Disclosures: No relevant conflicts of interest to declare.
Altering equine corneal fibroblast differentiation through Smad gene transfer.

Objective To explore the impact of equine corneal fibroblast (ECF) to myofibroblast (ECM) differentiation by altering the expression of the Smad genes either individually or in combination. Specifically, we sought to examine the ECF differentiation after (a) silencing of Smad2, 3, and 4 profibrotic genes individually and (b) overexpression of antifibrotic Smad7 gene and in a combination with pro- and antifibrotic Smad genes. Methods Equine corneal fibroblast primary cultures were generated as previously described. ECFs were transfected with individual plasmids which silenced gene expression of either Smad2, 3, or 4 or in combination with a plasmid overexpressing Smad7 using Lipofectamine 2000™ or Lipofectamine BLOCK-iT™. Smad-transfected clones were then exposed to TGF-β1 to induce differentiation to myofibroblasts. Immunofluorescence and qRT-PCR techniques quantified levels of ECF differentiation to ECM by measuring alpha smooth muscle actin, a known marker of ECM transdifferentiation. Results Silencing of individual Smad2, 3, or 4 genes or overexpression of Smad7 showed significant inhibition of ECF transdifferentiation (73–83% reduction). Silencing of Smad2 showed the greatest inhibition of ECF transdifferentiation in (a) and was therefore utilized for the combination gene transfer testing. The combination gene transfer consisting of Smad7 overexpression and Smad2 silencing attenuated ECF differentiation significantly; however, the level was not significant compared to the overexpression of Smad7 individually. Conclusions Using gene transfer technology involving profibrotic Smad silencing, antifibrotic Smad overexpression or its combination is a novel strategy to control TGF-β1-mediated fibrosis in equine fibroblasts. Combination gene therapy was not better than single gene therapy in this study.
Biological tissue-inspired tunable photonic fluid

Inspired by how cells pack in dense biological tissues, we design 2D and 3D amorphous materials that possess a complete photonic bandgap. A physical parameter based on how cells adhere with one another and regulate their shapes can continuously tune the photonic bandgap size as well as the bulk mechanical properties of the material. The material can be tuned to go through a solid-fluid phase transition characterized by a vanishing shear modulus. Remarkably, the photonic bandgap persists in the fluid phase, giving rise to a photonic fluid that is robust to flow and rearrangements. Experimentally this design should lead to the engineering of self-assembled nonrigid photonic structures with photonic bandgaps that can be controlled in real time via mechanical and thermal tuning.
Derivation of Epithelial-Only Airway Organoids from Human Pluripotent Stem Cells

New protocols to efficiently generate functional airway epithelial organoids from human pluripotent stem cells (PSCs) would represent a major advance towards effective disease modeling, drug screening and cell based therapies for lung disorders. This unit describes an approach using stage-specific signaling pathway manipulation to differentiate cells to proximal airway epithelium via key developmental intermediates. Cells are directed via definitive endoderm (DE) to anterior foregut, and then specified to NKX2-1+ lung epithelial progenitors. These lung progenitors are purified using cell surface marker sorting and replated in defined culture conditions to form three-dimensional, epithelial-only airway organoids. This directed differentiation approach using serum-free, defined media also includes protocols for evaluation of DE induction, intracellular FACS analysis of NKX2-1 specification efficiency and enrichment, and approaches for characterization and expansion of airway organoids. Taken together, this represents an efficient and reproducible approach to generate expandable airway organoids from human PSCs for use in numerous downstream applications. © 2018 by John Wiley & Sons, Inc.
A continuous arc delivery optimization algorithm for CyberKnife m6

Purpose This study aims to reduce the delivery time of CyberKnife m6 treatments by allowing for noncoplanar continuous arc delivery. To achieve this, a novel noncoplanar continuous arc delivery optimization algorithm was developed for the CyberKnife m6 treatment system (CyberArc-m6). Methods and materials CyberArc-m6 uses a five-step overarching strategy, in which an initial set of beam geometries is determined, the robotic delivery path is calculated, direct aperture optimization is conducted, intermediate MLC configurations are extracted, and the final beam weights are computed for the continuous arc radiation source model. This algorithm was implemented on five prostate and three brain patients, previously planned using a conventional step-and-shoot CyberKnife m6 delivery technique. The dosimetric quality of the CyberArc-m6 plans was assessed using locally confined mutual information (LCMI), conformity index (CI), heterogeneity index (HI), and a variety of common clinical dosimetric objectives. Results Using conservative optimization tuning parameters, CyberArc-m6 plans were able to achieve an average CI difference of 0.036 ± 0.025, an average HI difference of 0.046 ± 0.038, and an average LCMI of 0.920 ± 0.030 compared with the original CyberKnife m6 plans. Including a 5 s per minute image alignment time and a 5-min setup time, conservative CyberArc-m6 plans achieved an average treatment delivery speed up of 1.545x ± 0.305x compared with step-and-shoot plans. Conclusions The CyberArc-m6 algorithm was able to achieve dosimetrically similar plans compared to their step-and-shoot CyberKnife m6 counterparts, while simultaneously reducing treatment delivery times.
The Pervasive Developmental Disorders: Diagnosis and Assessment

Autism and the other pervasive developmental disorders are particularly frequent among persons with mental retardation. Issues about diagnosis and assessment of these conditions are reviewed. The importance of a long-term collaborative relationship with parents is emphasized. Given the multiple needs of children, adolescents, and adults with these conditions, multidisciplinary collaboration is particularly important.
Morphological Correlates of Specialized Elaborations in Somatic Sensory Cerebral Neocortex

More engaging and frivolous titles for this review might be “Bumps and Barrels, Brains and Behaviors” or “The New Phrenology.” As with the Old Phrenology, the subject matter here is the correlation of morphological characters—growth and bumps—with “mental faculties and traits of character,” behavioral character, the probabilities of occurrence of specific kinds of actions. The Old Phrenology restricted its concern to humans, and failed because of its flawed premise that brain growths could be detected through faithfully correlated protuberances in the overlying bone. Our New Phrenology looks at the brain directly, and, by widening its attention to consider all mammals, it succeeds in discovering correlations between the observed morphology and the predictive probabilities of behavior.
Glycerol Kinase Deficiency: Compartmental Considerations Regarding Pathogenesis and Clinical Heterogeneity

In the past prokaryotic and eukaryotic mutations were used to define the sequence of biochemical pathways. Now we are beginning to use mutations to understand the organization, integration, and regulation of cellular metabolism. Glycerol kinase deficiency (McKusick No. 30703) (1), an inherited disorder involving a compartmented enzyme (2), offers a model for observing the effects that disruption of a reversibly formed microenvironment might have on the functional integrity and energy economy of the cell.
Harlem’s rattlers and the great war: the undaunted 369th regiment and the African American quest for equality

When the men of the 369th US Infantry Regiment returned to New York in February 1919, they marched through Manhattan as heroes. The make-up of the black regiment, formerly the 15th New York Nationa...
The Case Against Education by Bryan Caplan

Review of Bryan Caplan, The Case Against Education: Why the Education System is a Waste of Time and Money (Princeton University Press, 2018)
Synaptic mitochondria are critical for hair-cell synapse formation and function

Summary Sensory hair cells in the ear utilize specialized ribbon synapses. These synapses are defined by electron-dense presynaptic structures called ribbons, composed primarily of the structural protein Ribeye. Previous work has shown that voltage-gated influx of Ca2+ through CaV1.3 channels is critical for hair-cell synapse function and can impede ribbon formation. We show that in mature zebrafish hair cells, evoked presynaptic-Ca2+ influx through CaV1.3 channels initiates mitochondrial-Ca2+ (mito-Ca2+) uptake adjacent to ribbons. Block of mito-Ca2+ uptake in mature cells depresses presynaptic Ca2+ influx and impacts synapse integrity. In developing zebrafish hair cells, mito-Ca2+ uptake coincides with spontaneous rises in presynaptic Ca2+ influx. Spontaneous mito-Ca2+ loading lowers cellular NAD+/NADH redox and downregulates ribbon formation. Direct application of NAD+ or NADH increases or decreases ribbon formation respectively, possibly acting through the NAD(H)-binding domain on Ribeye. Our results present a mechanism where presynaptic- and mito-Ca2+ couple to confer proper presynaptic function and formation.
Legendrian DGA Representations and the Colored Kauffman Polynomial

For any Legendrian knot $K$ in standard contact ${\mathbb R}^3$ we relate counts of ungraded ($1$-graded) representations of the Legendrian contact homology DG-algebra $(\mathcal{A}(K),\partial)$ with the $n$-colored Kauffman polynomial. To do this, we introduce an ungraded $n$-colored ruling polynomial, $R^1_{n,K}(q)$, as a linear combination of reduced ruling polynomials of positive permutation braids and show that (i) $R^1_{n,K}(q)$ arises as a specialization $F_{n,K}(a,q)\big|_{a^{-1}=0}$ of the $n$-colored Kauffman polynomial and (ii) when $q$ is a power of two $R^1_{n,K}(q)$ agrees with the total ungraded representation number, $\operatorname{Rep}_1\big(K, \mathbb{F}_q^n\big)$, which is a normalized count of $n$-dimensional representations of $(\mathcal{A}(K),\partial)$ over the finite field $\mathbb{F}_q$. This complements results from [Leverson C., Rutherford D., Quantum Topol. 11 (2020), 55-118, arXiv:1802.10531] concerning the colored HOMFLY-PT polynomial, $m$-graded representation numbers, and $m$-graded ruling polynomials with $m \neq 1$.