cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Mutations of Arabidopsis in Potential Transduction and Response Components of the Phototropic Signaling Pathway

Four genetic loci were recently identified by mutations that affect phototropism in Arabidopsis thaliana (L.) Heyhn. seedlings. It was hypothesized that one of these loci, NPH1, encodes the apoprotein for a phototropic photoreceptor. All of the alleles at the other three mutant loci (nph2, nph3, and nph4) contained wild-type levels of the putative NPH1 protein and exhibited normal blue-light-dependent phosphorylation of the NPH1 protein. This indicated that the NPH2, NPH3, and NPH4 proteins likely function downstream of NPH1 photoactivation. We show here that, although the nph2, nph3, and nph4 mutants are all altered with respect to their phototropic responses, only the nph4 mutants are also altered in their gravitropic responsiveness. Thus, NPH2 and NPH3 appear to act as signal carriers in a phototropism-specific pathway, whereas NPH4 is required for both phototropism and gravitropism and thus may function directly in the differential growth response. Despite their altered phototropic responses in blue and green light as etiolated seedlings, the nph2 and nph4 mutants exhibited less dramatic mutant phenotypes as de-etiolated seedlings and when etiolated seedlings were irradiated with unilateral ultraviolet-A (UV-A) light. Examination of the phototropic responses of a mutant deficient in biologically active phytochromes, hy1–100, indicated that phytochrome transformation by UV-A light mediates an increase in phototropic responsiveness, accounting for the greater phototropic curvature of the nph2 and nph4 mutants to UV-A light than to blue light.
Debunking three myths about Madagascar’s deforestation

After more than three decades of describing, explaining, and tackling deforestation in Madagascar, the problem persists. Why do researchers, practitioners, politicians, and farmers remain perplexed about this problem? This essay offers that our collective thinking of the past three decades has inadvertently perpetuated three myths. The first is that farmers are central agents of deforestation. The second is that the Malagasy state has the capacity and willingness to address the problem. And the third is that Madagascar is unique, especially relative to the rest of Africa. This essay examines each of these established ‘truths’ in an effort to overcome deforestation and all the degradation – environmental, social, and economic – that accompanies it. It argues that the assumptions behind conservation policies and projects are perpetuated by a class of powerful domestic and foreign individuals whose interests are best served by not questioning their validity. It concludes that fighting deforestation from now on must entail a deliberate, collective effort to question these assumptions and a willingness to open up the thinking to farmers and fellow Africans.
Analysis of Percent On-Cell Reformation of Methane in SOFC Stacks and the Effects on Thermal, Electrical, and Mechanical Performance

Numerical simulations were performed to determine the effect that varying the percent on-cell steam-methane reformation would have on the thermal, electrical, and mechanical performance of generic, planar solid oxide fuel cell stacks. The study was performed using three-dimensional model geometries for cross-, co-, and counter-flow configuration stacks of 10x10- and 20x20-cm cell sizes. The analysis predicted the stress and temperature difference would be minimized for the 10x10-cm counter- and cross-flow stacks when 40 to 50% of the reformation reaction occurred on the anode. Gross electrical power density was virtually unaffected by the reforming. The co-flow stack benefited most from the on-cell reforming and had the lowest anode stresses of the 20x20-cm stacks. The analyses also suggest that airflows associated with 15% air utilization may be required for cooling the larger (20x20-cm) stacks.
A new approach for ARMA pole estimation using higher-order crossings

The paper describes a new method for estimating the poles of an ARMA model using higher-order crossings. The method involves transforming counts of crossing events into estimates of ARMA poles via the autocorrelation domain. An important advantage of the method is that the crossing counts are the only features that need to be stored from the original data. The poles of an ARM A model of a control loop correspond to the roots of the characteristic equation and are thus useful for evaluating control performance.
Pulmonary veins firing simultaneously.

A 62-year-old man was referred for catheter ablation of symptomatic paroxysmal atrial fibrillation refractory to propafenone and dronedarone. Isoproterenol in doses of 1–5 mg/min was administered for testing purposes after the completion of pulmonary vein (PV) isolation guided by a 20-electrode circular mapping catheter. An atrial tachycardia within the right PV was observed during isoproterenol infusion (Panel A) with complete exit block to the rest of the atrium. During ongoing tachycardia a left atrial premature beat (red asterisk) initiated an atrial tachycardia that degenerated into atrial fibrillation without affecting the right …
The Superomedial Pedicle Wise-Pattern Breast Reduction: Reproducible, Reliable, and Resilient

The combination of the superomedial pedicle with the traditional Wise-pattern skin resection has gained increasing popularity for its versatility and ability to achieve significant reduction of breast parenchyma and skin envelope with improved contour and lasting results. Here the authors review the pertinent anatomy and discuss their surgical technique and its benefits. In addition, a retrospective chart review of 80 patients (151 breasts) who underwent superomedial pedicle Wise-pattern breast reduction between 2010 and 2014 was performed. Mean specimen weights and complication rates, including seroma, delayed wound healing, nipple loss, infection, and reoperation were calculated for the cohort.
Why Do Ethnonational Conflicts Reach Different Degrees of Violence? Insights from Kosovo, Macedonia, and Bulgaria during the 1990s

Why did ethnonational conflicts reach different degrees of violence during the 1990s: high in Kosovo, middle-ranged in Macedonia, and low in Bulgaria? This article analyzes the relationship between the Albanians of Macedonia and Kosovo, the Turks of Bulgaria, and their respective states. Challenging democratization and security dilemma theories, it argues that the relative changes in minority rights compared to the communist period, rather than the absolute scope of minority rights granted by the new constitutions, created a political threshold early in the transition period that propelled causal chains of minority–majority interactions that led to different degrees of ethnonational violence. Combined with the status change, governmental strategies of co-optation, or coercion prompted the minorities to pursue their demands either through the institutions of the state (Bulgaria), through clandestine activities (Kosovo), or through a combination of both (Macedonia). This article also argues that a timely governmental response to nonterritorial minority demands prevented them from expanding to become territorial and from triggering higher levels of violence.
Magnetic Resonance Images Edge Detection Based on Multi-scale Morphology

Medical image edge detection is the first and the most important steps in the process of extracting geometric features of the objects in medical image process. Conventionally, edge is detected according to some early brought forward algorithms such as gradient-based algorithm, but they are not so good for noise medical image edge detection. A method is proposed to detect the image edge with Gaussian and salt & pepper noise based on multi-scale morphology in this paper. The resource image is classified into two opposite classes by threshold: object and background. The part which is larger than the threshold uses large-scale structure element to detect the edge, and uses small-scale structure element for the part less than the threshold. Large-scale structure element gets through small-scale structure element's dilation. The experimental results show that the proposed algorithm is more efficient than the usually used gradient-based edge detecting algorithms.
A model for the adhesion of multiscale rough surfaces in MEMS

The stiction and adhesion between rough surfaces is of importance for many applications, but contemporarily it is an extremely influential on the performance of Micro-Electrical Mechanical Systsms (MEMS). The reason is that MEMS are at a small scale so that the surface forces are usually dominant over body forces. The surfaces of MEMS are also very clean and smooth, which leads to a larger area of contact and more adhesion between the surfaces. Past researchers have investigated the adhesion of single contacts or asperities, and others have also examined the effect of roughness using statistical and fractal methodologies. The current work uses a differing stacked multi-scale approach, which also suggests a method for predicting at which scales of roughness adhesion becomes important.
Control Theory and Reality Therapy: Counseling Methods for Health and Wellness Professionals

(1998). Control Theory and Reality Therapy: Counseling Methods for Health and Wellness Professionals. Journal of Health Education: Vol. 29, No. 4, pp. 230-233.
A dual watermarking and fingerprinting system

We propose a public-key watermarking system, where as usual, all the copies of a protected object are identically marked, but where each user has a distinct secret detection key. All such detection keys are different from the secret embedding key. Even by gaining the knowledge of a relatively large number of detection keys, an adversary cannot remove the secret marks from the protected content. We show that an attacker who has access to one detection key can always fool the corresponding watermark (WM) detector, but not other WM detectors. Also, in that process, the attacker necessarily inserts a fingerprint (FP) in the modified content. Our WM/FP system significantly improves upon the best known asymptotic resistance to collusion attacks to O(N log N) from O(N/sup 1/4/).
Contrast Peripheral Phlebography and Pulmonary Angiography for Diagnosis of Thromboembolism

At one time, direct intravascular contrast angiography was the standard method for confirmatory diagnosis of venous or pulmonary arterial thromboembolism. Although sensitive and specific, conventional catheter-based contrast imaging is invasive and associated with a risk of phlebitis and thrombosis. These procedures require specialized training and experience in catheter manipulation, as well as specialized vascular imaging equipment. In current practice, less invasive techniques have largely superceded conventional angiography because they can be performed by technologists using widely available, multifunctional apparatus under physician supervision. When results using these newer approaches are inconclusive or impractical, however, catheter-based techniques are still relied on for definitive diagnosis. The purpose of this article is to review the indications, techniques, and interpretations of contrast angiography as applied to venous thromboembolic disease.
A modified thin dielectric approximation for calculation of EM scattering by dielectric objects with thin material coating

The electromagnetic scattering by dielectric material sheet can be modeled in several different ways. In the integral equation approach to solve such a problem, there are surface equivalence method and volume equivalence method. When the thickness of a material sheet is much smaller than a wavelength, the thin dielectric sheet approximation (TDS) is often used. In this approximation, a volume equivalent problem is transferred to a surface integral equation for the material sheet, and hence number of unknowns is reduced. A major source of error in TDS is the lack of the vertical electric field component that is perpendicular to the sheet. This paper proposes a modification to TDS by adding the contribution of the vertical electrical field without increasing the computational cost. Numerical simulation results show that the accuracy is improved when this modification is employed.
Large-scale structure in brane-induced gravity. II. Numerical simulations

We use $N$-body simulations to study the nonlinear structure formation in brane-induced gravity, developing a new method that requires alternate use of Fast Fourier Transforms and relaxation. This enables us to compute the nonlinear matter power spectrum and bispectrum, the halo mass function, and the halo bias. From the simulation results, we confirm the expectations based on analytic arguments that the Vainshtein mechanism does operate as anticipated, with the density power spectrum approaching that of standard gravity within a modified background evolution in the nonlinear regime. The transition is very broad and there is no well defined Vainshtein scale, but roughly this corresponds to ${k}_{*}\ensuremath{\simeq}2h\text{ }\text{ }{\mathrm{Mpc}}^{\ensuremath{-}1}$ at redshift $z=1$ and ${k}_{*}\ensuremath{\simeq}1h\text{ }\text{ }{\mathrm{Mpc}}^{\ensuremath{-}1}$ at $z=0$. We checked that while extrinsic curvature fluctuations go nonlinear, and the dynamics of the brane-bending mode $C$ receives important nonlinear corrections, this mode does get suppressed compared to density perturbations, effectively decoupling from the standard gravity sector. At the same time, there is no violation of the weak field limit for metric perturbations associated with $C$. We find good agreement between our measurements and the predictions for the nonlinear power spectrum presented in paper I, that rely on a renormalization of the linear spectrum due to nonlinearities in the modified gravity sector. A similar prediction for the mass function shows the right trends. Our simulations also confirm the induced change in the bispectrum configuration dependence predicted in paper I.
Parkin is recruited selectively to impaired mitochondria and promotes their autophagy

Loss-of-function mutations in Park2, the gene coding for the ubiquitin ligase Parkin, are a significant cause of early onset Parkinson's disease. Although the role of Parkin in neuron maintenance is unknown, recent work has linked Parkin to the regulation of mitochondria. Its loss is associated with swollen mitochondria and muscle degeneration in Drosophila melanogaster, as well as mitochondrial dysfunction and increased susceptibility to mitochondrial toxins in other species. Here, we show that Parkin is selectively recruited to dysfunctional mitochondria with low membrane potential in mammalian cells. After recruitment, Parkin mediates the engulfment of mitochondria by autophagosomes and the selective elimination of impaired mitochondria. These results show that Parkin promotes autophagy of damaged mitochondria and implicate a failure to eliminate dysfunctional mitochondria in the pathogenesis of Parkinson's disease.
Mesh-free spectral method analysis of optical waveguides and wave propagation

A new, fast, and efficient full vectorial multi-domain spectral method (MDSM) to simulate optical devices is presented. The presented method is mesh-free and is used for modal analysis of optical waveguides and to simulate optical wave propagation and scattering in two dimensional structures. As common to spectral methods, the presented method is very fast and accurate. Simulations of some complex structures were performed in less than a second using personal computer.
New Fusarium Head Blight Resistant Spring Wheat Germplasm Identified in the USDA National Small Grains Collection

Fusarium head blight (FHB; caused by Fusar- ium graminearum Schwabe) is one of the most destructive wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) dis- eases worldwide. Sources of FHB resistance are limited. The objectives of this study were to screen selected spring wheat accessions in the USDA National Small Grains Collection for FHB reactions using FHB index, visual scabby ker- nel (VSK), and deoxynivalenol (DON) content. A total of 1035 spring wheat accessions were initially screened in unreplicated fi eld evaluation nurseries in 1998 and 1999. Accessions with low FHB were selected as putative resistant materi- als and were tested in replicated trials from 1999 to 2002. After three or more years of evaluation, 73 accessions with resistance were identifi ed, including 10 accessions previously reported as resistant to FHB. Selections from Europe had the highest percentage of resistance to VSK, followed by selections from South America and Asia. We concluded that there is diversity for FHB resistance in wheat. Fusarium head blight resistance identifi ed from Europe appeared to be unique in that these accessions normally displayed a moderate level of disease in the fi eld, but a higher level of resistance based on VSK and DON. The discovery of diverse resis- tant sources will provide diversity so that higher levels of resistance could be developed. The novelty and types of FHB resistance in these selections should be further characterized using molecular markers and different inocula- tion techniques.
Origin of “Reverse Drag” on the Downthrown Side of Normal Faults

“Reverse drag,” also called “downbending” or “turnover,” was first recognized by Powell in the Colorado Plateau and subsequently was found to be an important structure associated with “down-to-basin” faulting in the Gulf Coast region. Many conflicting hypotheses have been proposed to explain this structure, most of which are based upon subsurface studies or observations in local areas. Detailed field studies of reverse drag made in the western Colorado Plateau reveal that the flexure extends practically the entire length of most normal faults in the region. It is characterized by a broad, asymmetrical arc on the downthrown block, approximately 1 mile wide, with maximum dips of more than 30 degrees near the fault plane. Normal drag is common adjacent to the fault on both the upthrown and downthrown blocks. Reverse drag has been formed repeatedly during recurrent movement along the Hurricane and Grand Wash faults, clearly indicating that it is genetically related to faulting. The magnitude of the flexure is roughly proportional to displacement, and the trend of the fold closely parallels the trend of the fault. In many places reverse drag passes both vertically and laterally into antithetic faults. Observations in the Grand Canyon reveal that the dip of the faults with which reverse drag is associated decreases with depth. It is concluded that reverse drag results from an alternate response to the same forces that produce antithetic faults and develops because of curvature of the fault plane at depth. Normal movement along a curved fault plane, in effect, tends to pull the blocks apart as well as to displace them vertically. Adjustments to fill the incipient gap by rupture produces antithetic faults, whereas failure by flexing develops reverse drag.
Instructional Strategies for Special Education Consultants

In a consulting model, general and special educators collaboratively determine and implement interventions to facilitate the appropriate education of handicapped students. This article presents a model for examining and selecting assessment and instructional strategies for use by the consulting team. Variables affecting the success of mainstreamed handicapped students, including the attitudes and skills of the teacher, student, and student's peers are discussed and effective strategies for assessing and intervening in these variables are proposed. In addition, several general principles are elaborated for use in selecting among possible interventions. These principles include how effectively the skill will generalize to other settings, whether the strategy will benefit other low performing students, the ease of data collection and evaluation, and the ease of implementation. It is suggested that educational plans will have a greater likelihood of successful adoption if their selection is based upon these p...
Influence of patient, physician, and hospital characteristics on the receipt of guideline-concordant care for inflammatory breast cancer

Abstract Purpose Inflammatory breast cancer (IBC) is an aggressive subtype of breast cancer for which treatments vary, so we sought to identify factors that affect the receipt of guideline-concordant care. Methods Patients diagnosed with IBC in 2004 were identified from the Breast and Prostate Cancer Data Quality and Patterns of Care Study, containing information from cancer registries in seven states. Variation in guideline-concordant care for IBC, based on National Comprehensive Cancer Network (NCCN) guidelines, was assessed according to patient, physician, and hospital characteristics. Results Of the 107 IBC patients in the study without distant metastasis at the time of diagnosis, only 25.8% received treatment concordant with guidelines. Predictors of non-concordance included patient age (≥70 years), non-white race, normal body mass index (BMI 18.5–25kg/m 2 ), patients with physicians graduating from medical school >15 years prior, and smaller hospital size ( p =0.06) or 2013 ( p =0.06) NCCN guidelines. Conclusions Targeting factors associated with receipt of care that is not guideline-concordant may reduce survival disparities in IBC patients. Prompt referral for neoadjuvant chemotherapy and post-operative radiation therapy is also crucial.
Cost and data exploration considerations for big data prediction on the cloud

Cloud services allow one to perform intense big data calculations without having to own personally a powerful enough machine. Different cloud-based virtual machines, however, offer different processor speeds at different costs, and the most cost-effective machine size may not always be obvious. We investigated different virtual machine sizes on the Microsoft Azure cloud service and also different data exploration methodologies to solve a big data prediction project using Neural Networks. It was found that one may not always get proportionally better performance with higher end expensive virtual machine settings. Direct application of Neural Network on prediction problem typically has a bottleneck in performance. We found the learning and prediction can be made better with data properties and problem nature taken into consideration. Some of our data preparation schemes will be useful for general big data prediction problem with noise or non-uniformly distributed data.
Evidence, 1994-1995 Survey of New York Law

This article is a survey of developments in evidence rules in 1994-1995. This issue covers Witnesses, Relevancy and Circumstantial Evidence, Cross-examination and Impeachment, Hearsay, Privileges, and Expert Testimony.Witnesses includes: Court and Juror Examination, Refreshing Recollection, Hypnosis, Juror Competency, and Dead Man’s Statute.Relevancy and Circumstantial Evidence includes: General Considerations, Consciousness of Guilty, Missing Witness/Document, Other Crimes, Party’s Own Rules, and Demonstrative and Real Evidence.Cross Examination and Impeachment includes: General considerations; Sandoval Rule; Bias, Hostility, and Interest; Contradiction and Prior Inconsistent Statement; Impeaching the Character Witness; Impeaching Own Witness; and Redirect and Rehabilitation.Hearsay includes: Speaking Agent, State of Mind, Present Sense Impressions, Business Records, Public Records, Declarations Against Penal Interest, Prior Consistent Statements, Prior Inconsistent Statements, Party Depositions, and Forfeiture of Right to Rely upon Hearsay Rule and Constitutional Confrontation Guarantee.Privileges includes: Attorney-Client, Physician-Patient, Spousal, Parent-Child, Trade Secret, and Rape Crisis Counselor-Rape Victim.Expert Testimony includes: Qualifications of Expert Witnesses, Appropriateness of Expert Testimony, and Basis of Opinion.
Distinct lymphocyte antigens 6 (Ly6) family members Ly6D, Ly6E, Ly6K and Ly6H drive tumorigenesis and clinical outcome

// Linlin Luo 1, 3 , Peter McGarvey 1, 3 , Subha Madhavan 1, 3 , Rakesh Kumar 2 , Yuriy Gusev 1, 3 , Geeta Upadhyay 1, 3 1 Innovation Center for Biomedical Informatics (ICBI), Georgetown University Medical Center, Washington, District of Columbia 20007, United States of America 2 Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Medicine, School of Medicine and Health Sciences, George Washington University, Washington, District of Columbia 20037, United States of America 3 Department of Oncology, Lombardi Comprehensive Cancer Center, Georgetown University Medical Center, Washington, District of Columbia 20007, United States of America Correspondence to: Geeta Upadhyay, e-mail: geeta.upadhyay@georgetown.edu Keywords: cancer biomarkers, stem cell genes, poor prognosis, lymphocyte antigens 6 complex, Ly6 genes Received: October 07, 2015 Accepted: January 23, 2016 Published: February 03, 2016 ABSTRACT Stem cell antigen-1 (Sca-1) is used to isolate and characterize tumor initiating cell populations from tumors of various murine models [ 1 ]. Sca-1 induced disruption of TGF-β signaling is required in vivo tumorigenesis in breast cancer models [ 2 , 3 - 5 ]. The role of human Ly6 gene family is only beginning to be appreciated in recent literature [ 6 - 9 ]. To study the significance of Ly6 gene family members, we have visualized one hundred thirty gene expression omnibus (GEO) dataset using Oncomine (Invitrogen) and Georgetown Database of Cancer (G-DOC). This analysis showed that four different members Ly6D, Ly6E, Ly6H or Ly6K have increased gene expressed in bladder, brain and CNS, breast, colorectal, cervical, ovarian, lung, head and neck, pancreatic and prostate cancer than their normal counter part tissues. Increased expression of Ly6D, Ly6E, Ly6H or Ly6K was observed in sub-set of cancer type. The increased expression of Ly6D, Ly6E, Ly6H and Ly6K was found to be associated with poor outcome in ovarian, colorectal, gastric, breast, lung, bladder or brain and CNS as observed by KM plotter and PROGgeneV2 platform. The remarkable findings of increased expression of Ly6 family members and its positive correlation with poor outcome on patient survival in multiple cancer type indicate that Ly6 family members Ly6D, Ly6E, Ly6K and Ly6H will be an important targets in clinical practice as marker of poor prognosis and for developing novel therapeutics in multiple cancer type.
Influence of Stand Factors on Survival of Early Instar Spruce Budworm

A study of the influences of stand factors on larval spruce budworm, Choristoneura fumiferana (Clem.), survival was conducted in north central and eastern Maine. Multiple regression and t -test analyses indicated that crown closure and non-host species had significant impact on survival rates of spring dispersing budworm. As crown closure increased, survival of dispersing larvae increased. The presence of hardwood species decreased survival.
Disseminated Mycobacterium avium Complex in Patients With AIDS

Mycobacterium avium complex (MAC) frequently and innocuously colonizes healthy individuals; however, disseminated MAC (DMAC), also known as MAC disease, is the most common bacterial infection in patients with acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS). DMAC also occurs in other immunocompromised patients. DMAC is a late complication in the natural history of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) when T-helper cell counts drop below 100 cells per mm3. Because DMAC is not reportable for surveillance purposes in the United States, its prevalence is unknown. Although environmental water sources constitute the greatest human exposure risk, a relationship between clinical and environmental MAC strains has not been established. DMAC generally is preceded by gastrointestinal or respiratory colonization. Rapid MAC identification in clinical specimens facilitates the evaluation and provision of new drug therapies and treatment strategies.
Sensor Platform Management Strategies in a Multi-Threat Environment

The objective of a Ballistic Missile Defense System (BMDS) is to defend the United States, friends and allies, and deployed forces from ballistic missile attack. While effectively intercepting the threat missiles is the ultimate measure of a successful system, the ability to accurately track incoming threats is a key prerequisite. In a BMDS, missile-tracking is the activity of coordinating and managing multiple sensor and computing resources to detect and track threat missiles. Development of specialized and highly capable sensor, computing, and network resources creates a multitude of functional allocation possibilities that promise to increase the effectiveness of the missile-tracking task. This paper presents a taxonomy for the description of missile-tracking architectures and an enterprise-level Agent-Based Modeling and Simulation framework for their evaluation. We find that highly centralized architectures outperform decentralized ones. The dimension of centralization, however, plays an important role in the performance of an architecture; centralized situational awareness coupled with decentralized sensor tasking can still provide quality solutions while presenting the possibility for reduced communication requirements.
Extreme Sensitivity of Tc to Cool-Down Rate and Substrate Temperature for Epitaxial Fe-DOPED Ybco Films

Epitaxial Fe-substituted YBCO films on LaAIO 3 substrates prepared by pulsed laser deposition exhibit a large variation in T c with the substrate temperature and the cool-down rate of the films in an O 2 environment, immediately after deposition. For 9% Fe films deposited at 700°C, a rapid cool-down yields a T c of 60 K while a slow cool-down of 10°C/minute gives 18 K; T c goes to 0 at 11% Fe for the slow cool-down films. For 9% Fe films deposited at 770°C, T c > 80K and is much less sensitive to the cool-down rate or additional anneals.
DOCKED TWO-VEHICLE DYNAMICS, AND CONTROL BY ONE VEHICLE: EXPERIMENTAL RESULTS

Experimental results and simulation data are presented for the dynamics and control of a docked 2-vehicle system, with only one vehicle providing actuation. The experiments were conducted on the NASA MSFC air-bearing test bed using two autonomous vehicles, with each vehicle capable of providing sensor measurements and control. These experiments were carried out in order to validate our Autonomous Guidance, Navigation, and Control approach to control of spacecraft for on-orbit, unmanned service missions for the Orbital Express program and to investigate the effect of docking mechanism stiffness on docked control. Numerical simulation results using a mathematical model of this docked 2-vehicle system with flexible and articulated appendages illustrate the rich dynamics this system provides. A good correlation is shown between the experimental data and the numerical results. The experimental results demonstrated control stability and validated our control approach.
Radio SNRs in the Magellanic Clouds as probes of shock microphysics

A large number of supernova remnants (SNRs) in our Galaxy and galaxies nearby have been resolved in various radio bands. This radio emission is thought to be produced via synchrotron emission from electrons accelerated by the shock that the supernova ejecta drives into the external medium. Here we consider the sample of radio SNRs in the Magellanic Clouds. Given the size and radio flux of a SNR, we seek to constrain the fraction of shocked fluid energy in non-thermal electrons ($\epsilon_e$) and magnetic field ($\epsilon_B$), and find $\epsilon_e \epsilon_B \sim 10^{-3}$. These estimates do not depend on the largely uncertain values of the external density and the age of the SNR. We develop a Monte Carlo scheme that reproduces the observed distribution of radio fluxes and sizes of the population of radio SNRs in the Magellanic Clouds. This simple model provides a framework that could potentially be applied to other galaxies with complete radio SNRs samples.
Causal Processes and Property Clusters

This chapter is not initially about the account of natural kinds which I have developed and defended, but instead about homeostatic property clusters. Roughly, a homeostatic property cluster (HPC) is a stable collection of properties which tend to occur together, unified by the causal tendency for them to occur together. Richard Samuels and Michael Ferreira write that ‘philosophers of science have, in recent years, reached a consensus — or as close to consensus as philosophers ever get — according to which natural kinds are Homeostatic Property Clusters’ (2010, p. 222).
Compromised GABAergic inhibition contributes to tumor-associated epilepsy.

Glioblastoma Multiforme (GBM) is the most common form of primary brain tumor with 30–50% of patients presenting with epilepsy. These tumor-associated seizures are often resistant to traditional antiepileptic drug treatment and persist after tumor resection. This suggests that changes in the peritumoral tissue underpin epileptogenesis. It is known that glioma cells extrude pathological concentrations of glutamate which is thought to play a role in tumor progression and the development of epilepsy. Given that pathological concentrations of glutamate have been shown to dephosphorylate and downregulate the potassium chloride cotransporter KCC2, we hypothesized that glioma-induced alterations in KCC2 in the peritumoral region may play a role in tumor-associated epilepsy. Consistent with this hypothesis, we observe a decrease in total KCC2 expression and a dephosphorylation of KCC2 at residue Ser940 in a glioma model which exhibits hyperexcitability and the development of spontaneous seizures. To determine whether the reduction of KCC2 could potentially contribute to tumor-associated epilepsy, we generated mice with a focal knockdown of KCC2 by injecting AAV2-Cre-GFP into the cortex of floxed KCC2 mice. The AAV2-Cre-mediated knockdown of KCC2 was sufficient to induce the development of spontaneous seizures. Further, blocking NKCC1 with bumetanide to offset the loss of KCC2 reduced the seizure susceptibility in glioma-implanted mice. These findings support a mechanism of tumor-associated epilepsy involving downregulation of KCC2 in the peritumoral region leading to compromised GABAergic inhibition and suggest that modulating chloride homeostasis may be useful for seizure control.
Allergic contact dermatitis to Dermabond™: A case and review of the literature

Abstract The differential diagnosis for post-operative wound dehiscence is vast, including incisional infections, hematoma, and inadequate surgical closure. Allergic contact dermatitis (ACD) is an under-recognized and frequently missed cause of post-operative wound complications. Improved access to healthcare and high prevalence of surgical and procedural care mean patients are exposed to an increasingly vast spectrum of potential contact allergens. Early identification, diagnosis, and treatment of ACD will improve patient outcomes and prevent future exposures and wound complications. We present a case of severe ACD to Dermabond™, review previously reported cases of ACD to Dermabond™, and discuss other potential causes of perioperative ACD to raise awareness of this rare but important cause of wound complications.
High gains observed at room temperature in Stark effect tunneling transistors

Summary form only given. Attention is given to a Stark effect transistor in which the emitter-collector current is controlled by a base positioned in such a way to provide a small base current. The reported structure uses a GaSb-InAs-AlSb-GaSb heterostructure that has values for beta vastly exceeding that for any tunnel transistor. The devices reported were fabricated by molecular beam epitaxy on GaAs substrates. The heterostructure device was grown on a thick GaSb layer grown on a superlattice of GaSb-GaAs. The results presented strongly suggest that the Stark effect transistor mechanism as implemented in the GaSb-InAs-AlSb heterojunction system has real promise for providing a device technology for the next generation of ultra-small and ultra-fast transistors. >
Distinguishing the efficiency requirements in motoring and generating operations of PM machines

The influences of stator winding resistance and dc bus voltage variations on the efficiency maps of permanent magnet machines for motoring and generating operations are discussed. A large-scale design optimization algorithm is presented in which the efficiency requirements are independently treated for motoring and generating operations over the entire torque-speed plane. The separate treatment of efficiency is especially important in machines with large per-unit stator winding resistances, or in machine-drive systems with unregulated dc bus voltage, as is the case for low-voltage hybrid vehicle systems.
Mast Cells and KIT as Potential Therapeutic Targets in Severe Asthma

Mast cells and many of their secreted products have long been thought to contribute to the pathologic processes underlying asthma,1,2 but no clinical studies have assessed whether specifically targeting mast-cell survival or development would have therapeutic benefit in the treatment of this disorder. In this issue of the Journal, Cahill and colleagues3 report the results of a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, phase 2, 24-week, proof-of-principle trial in which patients with severe, poorly controlled asthma were treated with the tyrosine kinase inhibitor imatinib, which can inhibit KIT,4 the major survival and growth factor for mast cells.2 The total number of patients . . .
Ultrafast Spectroscopy Reveals Electron-Transfer Cascade That Improves Hydrogen Evolution with Carbon Nitride Photocatalysts

Solar hydrogen generation from water represents a compelling component of a future sustainable energy portfolio. Recently, chemically robust heptazine-based polymers known as graphitic carbon nitrides (g-C3N4) have emerged as promising photocatalysts for hydrogen evolution using visible light while withstanding harsh chemical environments. However, since g-C3N4 electron-transfer dynamics are poorly understood, rational design rules for improving activity remain unclear. Here, we use visible and near-infrared femtosecond transient absorption (TA) spectroscopy to reveal an electron-transfer cascade that correlates with a near-doubling in photocatalytic activity from 2050 to 3810 μmol h–1 g–1 when we infuse a suspension of bulk g-C3N4 with 10% mass loading of chemically exfoliated carbon nitride. TA spectroscopy indicates that exfoliated carbon nitride quenches photogenerated electrons on g-C3N4 at rates approaching the molecular diffusion limit. The TA signal for photogenerated electrons on g-C3N4 decays wi...
When Respecting Autonomy Is Harmful: A Clinically Useful Approach to the Nocebo Effect.

Nocebo effects occur when an adverse effect on the patient arises from the patient's own negative expectations. In accordance with informed consent, providers often disclose information that results in unintended adverse outcomes for the patient. While this may adhere to the principle of autonomy, it violates the doctrine of "primum non nocere," given that side-effect disclosure may cause those side effects. In this article we build off previous work, particularly by Wells and Kaptchuk ( 2012 ) and by Cohen ( 2013 ), to suggest ethical guidelines that permit nondisclosure in the case when a nocebo effect is likely to occur on of the basis of nonmaleficence. We accept that that autonomy vis-a-vis informed consent must be forestalled, but salvage much of its role by elaborating a practical clinical approach to postencounter follow-up. In doing so, we reconcile a clinically practicable process of determining conditions of disclosure with long-standing ethical commitments to patients.
Los sistemas de protección social, la redistribución y el crecimiento en América Latina

Tras revisar el debate entre los meritos relativos del universalismo y de la focalizacion de la politica social, este trabajo evalua el estado actual y los retos de los sistemas de proteccion social en America Latina. Muestra la amplia, aunque todavia desigual, expansion de estos sistemas en la region entre 2003 y 2013. En particular, persisten desigualdades considerables en el acceso a la proteccion social por tipo de empleo y nivel de ingresos familiares. Las coberturas de los sistemas contributivos son bajas y, si bien las de los regimenes no contributivos se han expandido, en general sus prestaciones son reducidas. En este sentido, la incidencia del gasto social mediante transferencias directas es aun baja en comparacion con los paises desarrollados. El documento tambien muestra que la expansion de los sistemas de proteccion social ha contribuido mas a la reduccion de la pobreza que el crecimiento del producto interno bruto (PIB).
Shelf Life of Extra Virgin Olive Oil and Its Prediction Models

Extra virgin olive oil (EVOO), with high unsaturation degree (oleic acid, linoleic acid, and linolenic acid), is prone to oxidation during production and storage even with the presence of abundant antioxidants (e.g., phenolic compounds, alpha-tocopherol, and chlorophyll). The level of oxidation degradation is greatly affected by the EVOO chemical composition (free fatty acids, saturated and unsaturated fat ratio, total phenol content, etc.) and storage conditions (packaging material, oxygen, temperature, and light). With the increasing demand on qualitative acceptability and food safety of an EVOO product, consumers rely heavily on “shelf life” as a good indicator. Hence, it is critical for olive oil producers to provide accurate and practical information on shelf-life prediction. This review analyzes ten shelf-life prediction models that used various parameters and approaches for model establishment. Due to the complexity of chemical interactions between oil phase and environment under real-time storage and rapid accelerated testing conditions, further investigation is needed to scrutinize and minimize the discrepancies between real-time shelf life and predicted shelf life of EVOO products.
INFLAMMATORY AND CARDIAC BIOMARKERS ARE ASSOCIATED WITH RENAL OUTCOMES IN PATIENTS WITH TYPE 2 DIABETES MELLITUS: INSIGHTS FROM SAVOR-TIMI 53

Cardiac and renal diseases are commonly intertwined with bidirectional interactions in patients (pts) with type 2 diabetes (T2DM). In this analysis from SAVOR-TIMI 53, hsCRP, NT-proBNP and hsTnT (Roche Diagnostics) were measured in all available serum samples from pts at baseline (n=12,310). The
Predictors of survival after loco-regional therapy (LRT) in stage 4 breast cancer (BC).

1083Background: Recent randomized trials evaluating the role of surgery in de novo stage 4 BC yielded mixed results indicating that patient/tumor characteristics might influence the survival. We an...
Combinations of Chemotherapy and G3139, an Antisense Bcl-2 Oligonucleotide

Apoptosis, or programmed cell death, is essential for maintaining homeostasis in multicellular organisms (1). It plays an important role in many physiological processes, especially in the immune and nervous systems, and in development (2,3). Deregulation of apoptosis can lead to autoimmune diseases, cancer, and the clinical manifestations of acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS) (2).
Identity and Identification

A distinction is made between subjective and objective identities and each is explored in the rest of the article, with a view to elaborating its philosophical significance and its relevance to politics, culture, and psychology.
Maar on Titan

Using radar data from the Cassini spacecraft, Mitri and colleagues found morphologic similarities between polar Lake basins on Titan and terrestrial maars, which are produced by explosive eruptions of vapour. They propose that during cooler episodes in Titan’s past – when the moon’s hydrosphere was dominated by nitrogen instead of methane – warming events could have readily driven explosions of subsurface nitrogen.
Vertex partial operads

In Chapters 1 and 3, the moduli spaces K(n), n ∈ ℕ, and the sewing operation are denned and studied. In this chapter we study the sequence $$K = {\left\{ {K(n)} \right\}_{n \in \mathbb{N}}}$$ from the viewpoint of the theory of operads. For a brief introduction to the basic notions in the theory of operads and partial operads, see Appendix C and the references there. We show that K has a natural structure of an analytic associative ℂ×-rescalable partial operad (see Appendix C for the definition). The most natural analytic structures on K(n), n ∈ ℕ, are structures of (LB)-manifolds denned in Appendix B. The partial operad K is called the “sphere partial operad.”
Black Holes Across Cosmic History: A Journey Through 13.8 Billion Years

Massive black holes are fundamental constituents of our cosmos, from the Big Bang to today. Understanding their formation at cosmic dawn, their growth, and the emergence of the first, rare quasars in the early Universe remains one of our greatest theoretical and observational challenges. Hydrodynamic cosmological simulations self-consistently combine the processes of structure formation at cosmological scales with the physics of smaller, galaxy scales. They capture our most realistic understanding of massive black holes and their connection to galaxy formation and have become the primary avenue for theoretical research in this field. The space-based gravitational wave telescope LISA will open up new investigations into the dynamical processes involving massive black holes. Multi-messenger astrophysics brings new exciting prospects for tracing the origin, growth and merger history of massive black holes across cosmic ages.
Viruses and Extracellular Vesicles: Special Issue, 2020, with Thirteen Articles by Chioma M. Okeoma

The discovery of extracellular vesicles (EVs) dates back to the early 1940s, when Erwin Chargaff and Randolph West showed that platelet-free plasma contains coagulation components that pellet upon high-speed (31,000× g) centrifugation [...].
Availability of Germplasm for Resistance Against Rhizoctonia Spp.

Farr and co-workers (1989) list over 500 genera of plants in Fungi on Plants and Plant Products in the United States that are hosts to Rhizoctonia solani Kuhn or any of 21 other species of Rhizoctonia that are phytopathogenic. Agricultural, horticultural, ornamental, and some tree species are affected. Twenty-five years ago, Leach and Garber (1970) reviewed resistance to Rhizoctonia infection and concluded, “In general, while it has been possible to identify differences among cultivars or selections in susceptibility to Rhizoctonia infection, it is extremely rare that a high degree of resistance has been found or produced by selection or breeding within a susceptible host species. ” Today, the use of resistant cultivars provides effective and adequate protection against the various diseases caused by Rhizoctonia spp. In some cases, the use of a cultivar with a moderate level of resistance can be coupled with reduced fungicide applications to provide a sufficient level of disease management. A survey of Crop Science revealed a list of 59 cultivar, parental line, and germplasm registrations in nine crop species during last 10 years that have some resistance to diseases caused by Rhizoctonia spp. These are included with cultivar releases from other sources in Table 1. All of this information attests to the importance of germplasm with resistance to Rhizoctonia spp.
Arraymetrics: Authentication Through Chaotic Antenna Array Geometries

Advances in computing have resulted in an emerging need for multi-factor authentication using an amalgamation of cryptographic and physical keys. This letter presents a novel authentication approach using a combination of signal and antenna activation sequences, and most importantly, perturbed antenna array geometries. Possible degrees of freedom in perturbing antenna array geometries affected physical properties and their detection are presented. Channel estimation for the plurality of validly authorized arrays is discussed. Accuracy is investigated as a function of signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) and number of authorized arrays. It is observed that the proposed authentication scheme can provide 1% false authentication rate at 10 dB SNR, while it is achieving less than 1% missed authentication rates.