cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Geometry or not geometry? Perceived orientation and spatial layout in pictures viewed at an angle.

Cutting (1988) suggests that changes in the perceived orientations of pictured objects that occur with changes in viewing angle are caused by the geometrical changes that accompany these changes in viewing angle. His geometrical analysis does predict the differential rotation effect reported by Goldstein (1979, 1987), but fails to predict other important aspects of the data. Cutting's analysis does, however, support Goldstein's (1987) conclusion that in future research on picture perception it is important to clearly distinguish between the attributes of perceived orientation and spatial layout. Language: en
The Economic Efficiency of Channels of Distribution in a Developing Society: The Case of the Guatemalan Retail Sector:

This article proposes to analyze the economic and societal circumstances which affected the development process of the Guatemalan retail sector from the mid-1960s to the present. The purpose is to examine the relative contribution of marketing institutions to the development process during the implementation of import substitution industrialization policies. It suggests that channels of distribution reflect the economic and social circumstances of a society; therefore, a particular structure of retailing activities, while not "modern" in a technological sense, may still be beneficial to the society and, in a larger sense, economically efficient.
Levosimendan restores the positive force-frequency relation in heart failure.

Frequency potentiation of contractile function is a major mechanism of the increase in myocardial performance during exercise. In heart failure (HF), this positive force-frequency relation is impai...
Mental Models, Visual Reasoning and Interaction in Information Visualization: A Top-down Perspective

Although previous research has suggested that examining the interplay between internal and external representations can benefit our understanding of the role of information visualization (InfoVis) in human cognitive activities, there has been little work detailing the nature of internal representations, the relationship between internal and external representations and how interaction is related to these representations. In this paper, we identify and illustrate a specific kind of internal representation, mental models, and outline the high-level relationships between mental models and external visualizations. We present a top-down perspective of reasoning as model construction and simulation, and discuss the role of visualization in model based reasoning. From this perspective, interaction can be understood as active modeling for three primary purposes: external anchoring, information foraging, and cognitive offloading. Finally we discuss the implications of our approach for design, evaluation and theory development.
Accommodating natural and sexual selection in butterfly wing pattern evolution

Visual patterns in animals may serve different functions, such as attracting mates and deceiving predators. If a signal is used for multiple functions, the opportunity arises for conflict among the different functions, preventing optimization for any one visual signal. Here we investigate the hypothesis that spatial separation of different visual signal functions has occurred in Bicyclus butterflies. Using phylogenetic reconstructions of character evolution and comparisons of evolutionary rates, we found dorsal surface characters to evolve at higher rates than ventral characters. Dorsal characters also displayed sex-based differences in evolutionary rates more often than did ventral characters. Thus, dorsal characters corresponded to our predictions of mate signalling while ventral characters appear to play an important role in predator avoidance. Forewing characters also fit a model of mate signalling, and displayed higher rates of evolution than hindwing characters. Our results, as well as the behavioural and developmental data from previous studies of Bicyclus species, support the hypothesis that spatial separation of visual signal functions has occurred in Bicyclus butterflies. This study is the first to demonstrate, in a phylogenetic framework, that spatial separation of signals used for mate signalling and those used for predator avoidance is a viable strategy to accommodate multiple signal functions. This signalling strategy has important ramifications on the developmental evolution of wing pattern elements and diversification of butterfly species.
Linear- and nonlinear-optical properties of GaN thin films

Results of a linear- and nonlinear-optical investigation of GaN thin films epitaxially deposited onto (0001)-oriented sapphire are reported. Wavelength- and angle-dependent linear transmission measurements were used to determine the thickness and the refractive index in the 500–1200-nm spectral region for a series of six GaN films. Analysis of angle-dependent, second-harmonic (SH) transmission profiles at 532 nm provided a quantitative evaluation of χxzx(2),χzxx(2), and χzzz(2) and a determination of the GaN lattice structure and tilt angle between the optical axis of the film and the surface normal of the sample. Dispersion effects between 500 nm and 1.064 μm prevented efficient SH production in individual GaN films that were greater than 2.5 μm in thickness. However, field calculations on a proposed multilayer GaN–sapphire structure observed a ninefold increase in the transmitted SH power as compared with a single GaN film.
Radar measurement applications of fiber optic links

Novel applications of fiber-optic delay lines to improve the capability and performance of radar repeater and phase noise test sets are described. Using a 2.25-km-long fiber-optic link, the generation of an ideal target for a radar repeater test set and the measurement of phase noise within 100 Hz of a 9.6-GHz radar carrier signal is demonstrated using a delay line discriminator phase noise test set. FM and AM signal-to-noise measurements were made to determine the performance capability of the 10-GHz modulated fiber-optic links for radar applications. >
On inertial flow over topography. Part 2. Rotating-channel flow near the critical speed

A narrow flow passing over an obstacle in a rotating channel is analysed. When the upstream Froude number of the flow approaches unity and the obstacle height is sufficiently small, stationary Kelvin waves may appear in the channel. Under these conditions the usual nonlinear hydraulic theory (e.g. Gill 1977) must be replaced by a nonlinear dispersive theory. When the flow upstream of the obstacle is subcritical, the nonlinear dispersive theory produces three solutions, two of which resemble the solutions of hydraulic theory and a third which contains cnoidal lee waves. Upstream influence due to the obstacle becomes a function of obstacle shape as well as height. The ‘controlled’ solution is distinguished by the presence of a partial solitary wave in the lee of the obstacle.
10-bit programmable voltage-output digital-analog converter

This paper describes an implementation of a compact and low-power 10-bit floating-gate digital-to-analog converter (FGDAC). Nonvolatile floating-gate voltage references are utilized to build a charge amplifier DAC architecture. This novel implementation eliminates the large element spread and resolution trade-off in the traditional design of a charge amplifier voltage-output DAC. The FGDAC was fabricated in a 0.5 micrometre CMOS process and its total area is 0.0522 mm/sup 2/. The presented experimental data shows that INL and DNL values less than plus or minus 0.5 LSB (0.68 mV) are easily achievable. This structure enables digital to analog conversion with programmable linearly or nonlinearly spaced levels.
Substrate acidities and conversion times for reactions of amides with di-tert-butyl bicarbonate

Abstract The conversion time tor 4-dimethylaminopyndine catalysed reaction of amides with di- tert -butyl dicarbonate varies dramatically with substrate acidity. The pK a 's in DMSO of some amides are determined to support correlation of reactivity with substrate acidity. Particularly acidic substrates, such as 4-thiazolidinone, readily react with a variety of dialkyl dicarbonates. Less acidic substrates react with Boc 2 O but other dialkyl dicarbonates decompose preferentially.
Lost in translation: Applications of Simplified English in academia

This study applies Simplified English to the standard academic document known as the policies and procedures manual. An additional portion of this study compares data and draws conclusions between an etymological breakdown of the original sample and the Simplified English sample. The application of Simplified English to academic policies and procedures documents produced a more effective and concisely comprehensive document. The resulting improvements, if put into practice, would benefit faculty, staff, and students by producing shorter documents, thereby saving money. The improvements would also increase readability and comprehension. As a result, applying Simplified English to academic documents would increase the likelihood that faculty, staff, and students would actually read and understand the important document. The increased clarity in these documents after exposure to Simplified English would reduce legal liability resulting from lack of reader comprehension.
Protein interaction affinity determination by quantitative FRET technology

The dissociation constant, K(d) , is an important parameter for characterizing protein-protein interaction affinities. SUMOylation is one of the important protein post-translational modifications and it involves a multi-step enzymatic cascade reaction, resulting in peptide activation and substrate conjugation. Multiple covalent and non-covalent protein-protein interactions are involved in this cascade. Techniques involving Forster resonance energy transfer (FRET) have been widely used in biological studies in vitro and in vivo, and they are very powerful tools for elucidating protein interactions in many regulatory cascades. In our previous studies, we reported the attempt to develop a new method for the determination of the K(d) by FRET assay using the interaction of SUMO1 and its E2 ligase, Ubc9 as a test system. However, the generality and specifications of this new method have not been fully determined. Here we report a systematic approach for determining the dissociation constant (K(d) ) in the SUMOylation cascade and for further sensitivity and accuracy testing by the FRET technology. From a FRET donor to acceptor concentration ratio range of 4-40, the K(d) s of SUMO1 and Ubc9 consistently agree well with values from surface plasmon resonance and isothermal titration calorimetry. These results demonstrate the high sensitivity and accuracy of the FRET-based K(d) determination approach. This technology, therefore, can be used in general for protein-protein interaction dissociation constant determination.
Physical activity in free-living, overweight white and black women: divergent responses by race to diet-induced weight loss

BACKGROUND Black women are at greater risk of obesity than are white women, perhaps because of their lower levels of physical activity. OBJECTIVE We compared free-living activity energy expenditure (AEE) in sedentary white and black women (in overweight and normal-weight states) and in never-overweight control subjects. DESIGN Subjects included 46 women (23 white, 23 black) studied while overweight and after reaching a normal weight and 38 female control subjects (23 white, 15 black). Diet, without exercise training, resulted in a mean weight loss of 13 kg and a body mass index (in kg/m(2)) < 25. Body composition, sleeping energy expenditure, free-living total energy expenditure, and the energy cost of activity and aerobic capacity were assessed before and after weight loss under 4-wk, diet-controlled, weight-stable conditions and in the control subjects. AEE was defined as above-sleep energy expenditure. RESULTS No significant racial differences in body composition, before or after weight loss, were found. After weight loss, AEE and aerobic capacity increased in the white women and decreased in the black women (P < 0.05 and P < 0.02, respectively). After weight loss, but not before, the white women had a significantly higher mean AEE than did the black women (2448 +/- 979 and 1728 +/- 1373 kJ/d, respectively; P < 0.05), approximating AEEs in the white (2314 +/- 1105) and black (2310 +/- 1251) control subjects. CONCLUSIONS Relative to the responses of the white women to diet-induced weight loss, the black women became less fit and less physically active. Induction of a normal body weight in overweight black women appeared to produce a more obesity-prone state, favoring weight relapse.
Utilizing Direct Numerical Simulations of Transition and Turbulence in Design Optimization

Design optimization methods that use the Reynolds-averaged Navier-Stokes equations with the associated turbulence and transition models, or other model-based forms of the governing equations, may result in aerodynamic designs with actual performance levels that are noticeably different from the expected values because of the complexity of modeling turbulence/transition accurately in certain flows. Flow phenomena such as wake-blade interaction and trailing edge vortex shedding in turbines and compressors (examples of such flows) may require a computational approach that is free of transition/turbulence models, such as direct numerical simulations (DNS), for the underlying physics to be computed accurately. Here we explore the possibility of utilizing DNS data in designing a turbine blade section. The ultimate objective is to substantially reduce differences between predicted performance metrics and those obtained in reality. The redesign of a typical low-pressure turbine blade section with the goal of reducing total pressure loss in the row is provided as an example. The basic ideas presented here are of course just as applicable elsewhere in aerodynamic shape optimization as long as the computational costs are not excessive.
SGDriver: a novel structural genomics-based approach to prioritize cancer related and potentially druggable somatic mutations

Background A huge volume of somatic mutations have been generated through large cancer genome sequencing projects such as The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) and the International Cancer Genome Consortium (ICGC). However, understanding the functional consequences of somatic mutations in cancer and translating the results into clinical use remains a major challenge in cancer genomic studies. Thanks to the rapid development of structural genomic technologies, such as X-ray and NMR, large amounts of protein structure data have been generated during the past decade, which enables us to map somatic mutations to protein functional features (i.e., protein-ligand binding sites) and investigate their potential impacts[1,2].
Intensity-dependent photoluminescent spectra of semiconductor-doped glasses

The recombination and fluorescence dynamics of excited carriers in semiconductor-doped glasses are important for their uses in optical switching and processing. Conflicting results were reported in the literature. Numbers ranging from 30 ps to 10 ns have been reported.1,2 It is generally believed that the fluorescence lifetime of these crystallites depends on pumping intensity. We found that the photoluminescence spectrum was strongly dependent on the pumping level. These spectral changes could be correlated to the different lifetime results.
Effect of Ascorbic Acid in Human and Mice with Haploinsufficiency of PMP22 (P7.089)

OBJECTIVE: We recently evaluated a patient with hereditary neuropathy with liability to pressure palsies (HNPP) who clinically worsened in association with administration of large daily doses of Vitamin C. Vitamin C has been shown to reduce PMP22 expression by suppressing PMP22 transcription. In this pilot study, we tested a hypothesis that application of Vitamin C exacerbates the phenotype of mice with heterozygous deletion of Pmp22 , an animal model of HNPP. DESIGN/METHODS: Pmp22 +/- mice treated with Vitamin C (56mg/kg weekly) or vehicle were evaluated for their nerve pathology, electrophysiology and behavior RESULTS: The duration of mice staying on a rotating bar (Rotarod) was measured. The mean±SD for each experimental group of mice was as following: Vitamin-C group (n=9 mice) - 177±60 seconds, vehicle group -239±68 seconds (n=9), and naive group - 224±52 seconds (n=8). There was a statistically significant decrease in the duration on the rotarod in the Vitamin C group (p<0.05; ANOVA); however, no significant difference was found between groups for either conduction velocity or amplitude of motor nerve responses. Nerve pathology is under analysis. CONCLUSIONS: Ascorbic acid treatment is deleterious to motor function in HNPP mouse model. Our results suggest that patients with HNPP should be cautioned when taking large doses of vitamin C. Study Supported by: funds from NINDS to J.L and from the Brain Research Foundation to R.P.R. Disclosure: Dr. Parker has nothing to disclose. Dr. Arpag has nothing to disclose. Dr. Roos has nothing to disclose. Dr. Li has nothing to disclose.
Model-Based Investigation of Ankle Stiffness Control Versus Active Feedback Control During Quiet Standing

The mechanisms involved in generating corrective torques to maintain balance during human upright stance have been attributed to passive control (i.e. intrinsic properties of muscles and tendons, such as the intrinsic stiffness and viscoelasticity of muscles) and active control (i.e. neurally-mediated sensory-based feedback control) [1–3]. While there continues to be some debate over the roles of active versus passive mechanisms in maintaining balance, especially during quiet (unperturbed) standing [4–6], the general consensus is that both mechanisms contribute to postural control [3]. However, active mechanisms have been shown to play a more dominant role in maintaining upright stance, particularly during perturbed conditions [7, 8].© 2011 ASME
Relaxation, metastability and irreversible polarisation phenomena in the pinned charge density wave

The relaxation properties of the pinned charge density wave in NbSe3, TaS3 and K0.3MoO3 are reviewed with emphasis on the relation between the polarisation status of the condensate and the observed thermal hysteresis in the resistance. The distinction between reversible and irreversible polarisation is described, and a classification scheme is proposed for the many time scales observed in various relaxation phenomena.
Mixed Exact and Approximate Position Design of Planar Linkages Via Geometric Constraint Programming (GCP) Techniques

The synthesis of mechanisms to reach multiple positions can often be satisfied by the specification of a combination of exact and approximate positions. Geometric Constraint Programming (GCP) uses industry standard parametric modeling software to obtain solutions to planar synthesis problems. This paper demonstrates the capability of GCP to solve problems that contain a combination of exact and approximate positions. The approximate positions are added to existing GCP design approaches by the application of geometric constraints to locate moving points on a mechanism within specified circular target zones. The target zones are used to guide the coupler point of a linkage along an approximate path between critical precision positions. The approach applies to the synthesis of both four-bar and complex linkages. In complex linkages, the target zones can be applied to multiple points on the linkage to better coordinate the motion of one or more floating links with the overall mechanism motion. The methods presented in the paper focus on the use of 2 exact positions plus 2–3 approximate positions. Examples are provided for the solution of rigid-body guidance problems for both four-bar and six-bar linkages. As with many GCP solutions, the graphical solutions presented are well within the capabilities and understanding of both undergraduate students and the practicing engineer.Copyright © 2015 by ASME
Right-sided endocardial lesions and flow-directed pulmonary artery catheters.

Sixty-five consecutive patients were examined at autopsy for the presence of right-sided endocardial lesions. Twenty-eight patients (43%) had undergone flow-directed pulmonary artery catheterization during their final hospital stay; of these, 10 (36%) had hemorrhagic and/or thrombotic lesions involving the right side of the heart and the pulmonary outflow tract. Lesions were rarely observed in patients who had not had indwelling catheters (P
Development of tuberculosis infection control guidelines in a pediatric HIV clinic in sub-Saharan Africa.

Setting: A well-established pediatric human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) clinic in Lesotho with initial infection control (IC) measures prioritizing blood-borne disease. In line with international recommendations, services have been expanded to include the management of patients with tuberculosis (TB). The creation of comprehensive IC guidelines with an emphasis on TB has become a priority. Objective: To provide a model for developing and implementing IC guidelines in ambulatory care facilities in limited-resource settings with high HIV and TB prevalence. Activities: An IC plan that includes guidance covering both general IC measures and TB-specific guidelines was created by integrating local and international recommendations and emphasizing the importance of administrative measures, environmental controls, and disease-specific precautions. An interdisciplinary committee was established to oversee its implementation, monitoring, and evaluation. Discussion: Development and implementation of IC guidelines in resource-limited settings are feasible and should be a priority in high HIV and TB prevalence areas. Education should be the cornerstone of such endeavors. Many interventions can be implemented with minimal expertise and material resources. Administrative support and institutional investment are essential to the sustainability of an effective IC program.
Two Papyri Recording Loan Repayments

The writing of this medium brown papyrus runs parallel with the fibers; there is no writing on the back. Line length cannot precisely be determined, but reconstructions based on formulaic parts of the extant text indicate that we have from 1/4 to 1/3 of each line. There is a top margin of 2 cm, and the text has been broken off at both sides and at the bottom.
Serum luteinizing hormone during ovulation induction with human menopausal gonadotropin for in vitro fertilization in normally menstruating women

Sixteen cycles in 14 normally menstruating women, stimulated with human menopausal gonadotropin in order to recruit more than one follicle for a successful in vitro fertilization process, were adequately monitored to identify the appearance of the spontaneous luteinizing hormone (LH) surge. Daily serum LH determinations, increased to every 4hours in the presumptive preovulatory period, showed that in these women the endogenous estrogen-triggered LH midcycle peak did not occur at the expected time. It is hypothesized that the mechanism responsible for this suppression is a negative feedback mediated by an increased circulating protein with an inhibin-like action.
Urethral dilation in the management of urological complications of myelodysplasia

Urethral dilation was performed in 11 of 65 myelodysplastic children with high intravesical pressures. These 11 children had persistent bladder pressure elevations uncontrolled by intermittent catheterization and anticholinergic agents. After dilation intravesical pressures decreased, and upper tract function and measured bladder compliance improved. No discernible effect on continence function occurred. The procedure appears to be a safe alternative to temporary vesicostomy in myelodysplastic children with high intravesical pressures that cannot be controlled by intermittent catheterization and anticholinergic agents.
Reduced β-Cell Secretory Capacity in Pancreatic Insufficient, But Not Pancreatic Sufficient, Cystic Fibrosis Despite Normal Glucose Tolerance

Patients with pancreatic-insufficient cystic fibrosis (PI-CF) are at increased risk for developing diabetes. We determined β-cell secretory capacity and insulin secretory rates from glucose-potentiated arginine and mixed-meal tolerance tests (MMTTs), respectively, in pancreatic-sufficient cystic fibrosis (PS-CF), PI-CF, and normal control subjects, all with normal glucose tolerance, in order to identify early pathophysiologic defects. Acute islet cell secretory responses were determined under fasting, 230 mg/dL, and 340 mg/dL hyperglycemia clamp conditions. PI-CF subjects had lower acute insulin, C-peptide, and glucagon responses compared with PS-CF and normal control subjects, indicating reduced β-cell secretory capacity and α-cell function. Fasting proinsulin-to-C-peptide and proinsulin secretory ratios during glucose potentiation were higher in PI-CF, suggesting impaired proinsulin processing. In the first 30 min of the MMTT, insulin secretion was lower in PI-CF compared with PS-CF and normal control subjects, and glucagon-like peptide 1 and gastric inhibitory polypeptide were lower compared with PS-CF, and after 180 min, glucose was higher in PI-CF compared with normal control subjects. These findings indicate that despite "normal" glucose tolerance, adolescents and adults with PI-CF have impairments in functional islet mass and associated early-phase insulin secretion, which with decreased incretin responses likely leads to the early development of postprandial hyperglycemia in CF.
Improving Human‐Machine Cooperative Classification Via Cognitive Theories of Similarity

Acquiring perceptual expertise is slow and effortful. However, untrained novices can accurately make difficult classification decisions (e.g., skin-lesion diagnosis) by reformulating the task as similarity judgment. Given a query image and a set of reference images, individuals are asked to select the best matching reference. When references are suitably chosen, the procedure yields an implicit classification of the query image. To optimize reference selection, we develop and evaluate a predictive model of similarity-based choice. The model builds on existing psychological literature and accommodates stochastic, dynamic shifts of attention among visual feature dimensions. We perform a series of human experiments with two stimulus types (rectangles, faces) and nine classification tasks to validate the model and to demonstrate the model's potential to boost performance. Our system achieves high accuracy for participants who are naive as to the classification task, even when the classification task switches from trial to trial.
Party Polarization in Congress: Party Polarization in the U.S. Congress

Democrats and Republicans in the US Congress are as ideologically consistent and distinct as they have been at any point in the past three decades. Since 1973, the Senate has become 29 percent more polarized and House polarization has increased 47 percent. This investigation of party polarization finds that member adaptation accounts for one-third of the total party polarization in both the House and Senate. Member replacement accounts for the other two-thirds, the lion’s share of which has been the replacement of moderate southern Democrats by conservative Republicans. Republicans in both chambers are polarizing more quickly than Democrats. If the Democratic senators have taken one step toward their ideological home, House Democrats have taken two steps, Senate Republicans three steps and House Republicans four steps.
A preliminary study of speech deterioration under complete binaural masking

Should a recording machine be used at the beginning of the work, or is it more effective as an aid to speech improvement after the student has had training in critical listening? How important is the ear as a speech monitor? Should vowels or consonants receive the most phonetic training?
The Association Between Childhood Maltreatment and Coping Strategies: The Indirect Effect Through Attachment

ABSTRACTMaladaptive coping strategies represent a potentially treatable component of psychopathologies associated with childhood abuse and neglect. Coping strategies are relatively stable constructs that may be viewed as trait-like behavioral manifestations of larger, albeit less accessible, intra- and interpersonal processes, such as activation of the attachment system. The authors investigated a potential mediational pathway from childhood maltreatment (in the form of physical and emotional abuse experiences) to coping strategies developed in emerging adulthood through attachment organization in a sample of undergraduate psychology research participants at a public Midwestern university (N = 225). Avoidant attachment patterns helped to explain the relationship between increased instances of childhood maltreatment and a decreased use of adaptive coping strategies. Further, both anxious and avoidant attachment mediated the relationship between childhood maltreatment and an increased use of maladaptive cop...
A novel clinical approach to evaluating changes in fat oxidation in healthy, overnight-fasted subjects

Obesity is characterized by impaired fat oxidation, and, therefore, the development of therapeutics designed to enhance fat oxidation for treating obesity is a growing focus in drug discovery. Evaluating such agents, however, is challenging in a clinical setting; requisite overnight fasting prior to a study visit increases whole body fat oxidation in lean, healthy subjects, making incremental increases potentially difficult to detect. We recruited 16 lean/overweight participants and eight obese participants to evaluate novel methodology designed to optimally detect increases in fat oxidation. Carbohydrate intake was increased for three days leading up to the overnight test visit and evaluated as either a standalone strategy to suppress overnight fasting-related increases in fat oxidation or was combined with overnight administration of IV glucose in a subset of lean/overweight subjects. Indirect calorimetry was performed the following morning to examine the degree to which these interventions were able to diminish fasting related increases in fat oxidation. Fat oxidation was then subsequently stimulated by challenging patients with a lipid infusion to determine the importance of the preceding interventions on the ability to detect statistically significant increases in fat oxidation. In lean/overweight subjects, suppression of fasting-related increases in fat oxidation via increased dietary carbohydrate intake was not necessary to detect subsequent meaningful increases in fat oxidation rates following Intralipid infusion; however, a statistically significant decrease in respiratory quotient following Intralipid infusion could only be observed when the infusion was preceded with high carbohydrate dietary intake. Glucose infusion, which further suppressed fasting-related fat oxidation, in turn led to more dramatic increases in Intralipid-driven fat oxidation. Both lean/overweight and obese subjects could demonstrate statistically significant increases in fat oxidation following Intralipid infusion, a finding which supports the inclusion of obese subjects in similar future clinical studies. Lastly, serum levels of β-hydroxybutyrate correlated strongly with fat oxidation rates, as well as respiratory quotient, suggesting potential as a surrogate biomarker of fax oxidation. Taken together, we demonstrate the utility of novel methodology to facilitate measuring changes in fat oxidation in lean/overweight and obese human volunteers in a clinical setting similar to that needed to test drugs designed to increase fat oxidation.
New and Noteworthy - Developing a Strategic Mindset: Librarians as Politicians

This issue's "New and Noteworthy" column reviews materials dealing with political and strategic skills necessary for successful library managers, with particular emphasis on advice from Machiavelli and Sun Tzu.
Implementation of rigorous renormalization group method for ground space and low-energy states of local Hamiltonians

The success of polynomial-time tensor network methods for computing ground states of certain quantum local Hamiltonians has recently been given a sound theoretical basis by Arad et al. [Math. Phys. 356, 65 (2017)]. The convergence proof, however, relies on “rigorous renormalization group” (RRG) techniques which differ fundamentally from existing algorithms. We introduce a practical adaptation of the RRG procedure which, while no longer theoretically guaranteed to converge, finds matrix product state ansatz approximations to the ground spaces and low-lying excited spectra of local Hamiltonians in realistic situations. In contrast to other schemes, RRG does not utilize variational methods on tensor networks. Rather, it operates on subsets of the system Hilbert space by constructing approximations to the global ground space in a treelike manner. We evaluate the algorithm numerically, finding similar performance to density matrix renormalization group (DMRG) in the case of a gapped nondegenerate Hamiltonian. Even in challenging situations of criticality, large ground-state degeneracy, or long-range entanglement, RRG remains able to identify candidate states having large overlap with ground and low-energy eigenstates, outperforming DMRG in some cases.
Costs of a community-based glaucoma detection programme: analysis of the Philadelphia Glaucoma Detection and Treatment Project

Background Glaucoma is the foremost cause of irreversible blindness, and more than 50% of cases remain undiagnosed. Our objective was to report the costs of a glaucoma detection programme operationalised through Philadelphia community centres. Methods The analysis was performed using a healthcare system perspective in 2013 US dollars. Costs of examination and educational workshops were captured. Measures were total programme costs, cost/case of glaucoma detected and cost/case of any ocular disease detected (including glaucoma). Diagnoses are reported at the individual level (therefore representing a diagnosis made in one or both eyes). Staff time was captured during site visits to 15 of 43 sites and included time to deliver examinations and workshops, supervision, training and travel. Staff time was converted to costs by applying wage and fringe benefit costs from the US Bureau of Labor Statistics. Non-staff costs (equipment and mileage) were collected using study logs. Participants with previously diagnosed glaucoma were excluded. Results 1649 participants were examined. Mean total per-participant examination time was 56 min (SD 4). Mean total examination cost/participant was $139. The cost/case of glaucoma newly identified (open-angle glaucoma, angle-closure glaucoma, glaucoma suspect, or primary angle closure) was $420 and cost/case for any ocular disease identified was $273. Conclusion Glaucoma examinations delivered through this programme provided significant health benefit to hard-to-reach communities. On a per-person basis, examinations were fairly low cost, though opportunities exist to improve efficiency. Findings serve as an important benchmark for planning future community-based glaucoma examination programmes.
Mycobacteria induce TPL-2 mediated IL-10 in IL-4-generated alternatively activated macrophages

IL-4 drives expansion of Th2 cells that cause generation of alternatively activated macrophages (AAMs). Filarial infections are established early in life, induce increased IL-4 production are co-endemic with tuberculosis (TB). We sought to understand, therefore, how mycobacteria are handled in the context of IL-4-induced AAM. Comparing IL-4 generated in vitro monocyte derived human AAMs to LPS and IFN-γ generated classically macrophages (CAMs), both infected with mycobacteria (BCG), we demonstrated increased early BCG uptake and increased IL-10 production in AAMs compared to CAMs. We further demonstrated that increased IL-10 production is mediated by upregulation of tumor progression locus 2 (TPL-2), an upstream activator of extracellular signal related kinases (ERKs) in AAMs but not in CAMs, both at the transcript as well as the protein level. Pharmacologic inhibition of TPL-2 significantly diminished IL-10 production only in BCG-infected AAMs. Finally, we validated our findings in an in vivo C57Bl/6 model of filarial infection, where an exaggerated Th2 induced lung-specific alternative activation led to TPL-2 and IL-10 upregulation on subsequent TB infection. These data show that in response to mycobacterial infection, IL-4 generated AAMs in chronic filarial infections have impaired immune responses to TB infection by increasing IL-10 production in a TPL-2 mediated manner.
Further results on adaptive control design for non-minimum phase air-breathing hypersonic vehicles

Air-breathing hypersonic vehicles may exhibit non-minimum phase behavior when altitude is selected as regulated output. This prohibits the use of inversion based control techniques. These vehicles are also subject to parametric uncertainties and un-modeled dynamics related to flexible effects of the fuselage. In this paper, we present an adaptive control method that achieves asymptotic set-point tracking in both airspeed and altitude using thrust and elevator deflection as the only control inputs. The non-minimum phase problem is overcome through output redefinition, where the altitude and flight-path angle dynamics are embedded in the resulting internal dynamics, together with appropriate integral error. The internal dynamics are then stabilized by saturating the interconnections and exploiting local stability properties. The adaptive controller for the attitude dynamics uses a pitch-rate observer combined with projection. This decouples the parameter estimation errors from internal dynamics, allowing for asymptotic set-point tracking in altitude. Simulation results on a simulation model with flexible effects are included to demonstrate the effectiveness of the proposed approach.
"The war will come to your street": explaining geographic variation in terrorism by rebel groups

Geographic variation in rebels’ use of terrorism is not well understood. This article explains the use of terrorism in civil conflict through examining geographic variation in terrorist attacks acr...
A robust, portable and backflow-free micromixing device based on both capillary- and vacuum-driven flows

In capillary- or vacuum-driven microfluidics, surge backflow events are common when merging or pumping two similar or dissimilar liquids together if a pressure difference exists between them. In this work, a robust, portable micromixing device that is insensitive to backflow was designed, fabricated and characterised. A capillary-driven pressure balancing bypass connected between two inlet ports diminished the initial pressure difference caused by capillarity and gravity present in each liquid at the two inlet ports. Then, using manual syringe-assisted vacuum-driven pumping that operated based on the high gas permeability of polydimethylsiloxane, the two pre-balanced liquid streams could synchronously enter a dead-end micromixing channel without any backflow. To test the performance of this device, we first used it to mix two aqueous solutions of different coloured dyes. We varied the initial volume difference between the solutions to study the effect of gravity-induced pressure difference on mixing. Next, as a proof-of-concept application, ABO/Rh blood groups were successfully determined through detection of blood antigen-antibody agglutination. The filling time of agglutinated samples, driven by the simple syringe-assisted pumping, in the dead-end mixing channel was consistently 10% longer than that of blood samples without the agglutination reaction. Thus, the proposed device shows great potential for use in a wide variety of blood typing assays, agglutination-based assays and point-of-care or lab-on-a-chip testing applications.
Off-axis-fed fresnel zone plate antenna

Phase-correcting zone plates may be used with off-axis feeds. For angles up to about 20A‚Â° off-set, the performance is well-behaved, with minor degradation. The design is given for a transmission type and an equivalent reflecting version having a 17A‚Â° feed offset. An investigation has been carried out for angles larger than 20A‚Â°, apd the results indicate that the annular zones on the zone plate should not be circular. A ray- tracing analysis shows that the zones need to be egg-shaped, and these results will be described. The analysis has been completed for both transmission or reflection-type zone plates.
Black, Gay, Alcoholic Men: Their Character and Treatment:

Race, sexual orientation, and alcoholism are three significant sociopsychological factors that must be considered when treating black, gay, alcoholic men. Social workers must be aware of how the cl...
Democratic Socialism and Technological Change

As the Communist world enters into an ever deepening crisis, socialist theory increasingly detaches itself from practical politics and takes refuge in normative considerations.1 This development has the merit of clarifying the fundamentally democratic inspiration of socialist ideals, but it runs the corresponding risk of recasting these ideals in a Utopian mold that invites dismissal on the grounds of impracticality. Contemporary arguments for democratic socialism are especially vulnerable to the charge that they fail to come to terms with the problems of technology, administration, and the related complex of cultural and educational issues that are ritually brought forward as fundamental obstacles to economic democratization.
Anti-inflammatory Activity of Calcitriol That Contributes to Its Therapeutic and Chemopreventive Effects in Prostate Cancer

Calcitriol exerts anti-proliferative and pro-differentiating effects in a number of tumors and malignant cells and its use as an anti-cancer therapy is currently being evaluated. Many molecular pathways are involved in the growth inhibitory effects of calcitriol resulting in cell cycle arrest, induction of apoptosis, and the inhibition of invasion, metastasis, and angiogenesis. Our recent research reveals that calcitriol exhibits several anti-inflammatory actions that we believe contribute to its anti-cancer effects. In normal and malignant prostate epithelial cells calcitriol inhibits the synthesis and biological actions of pro-inflammatory prostaglandins (PGs) by three actions: (i) the inhibition of the expression of cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2), the enzyme that synthesizes PGs, (ii) the up-regulation of the expression of 15-prostaglandin dehydrogenase (15-PGDH), the enzyme that inactivates PGs, and (iii) the decreasing of the expression of EP and FP PG receptors that are essential for PG signaling. The combination of calcitriol and non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) results in a synergistic inhibition of the growth of prostate cancer (PCa) cells and offers a potential therapeutic strategy for PCa. The results of our clinical trial in men with early recurrent PCa indicate that the combination of high-dose weekly calcitriol with the non-selective NSAID naproxen slows the rate of rise (doubling time) of serum prostate specific antigen (PSA) levels in most patients indicating a slowing of disease progression. Calcitriol also increases the expression of mitogen-activated protein kinase phosphatase 5 (MKP5) in prostate cells resulting in the subsequent inhibition of p38 stress kinase signaling and the attenuation of the production of pro-inflammatory cytokines. There is also considerable evidence for an anti-inflammatory role for calcitriol in PCa through the inhibition of NFκB signaling in PCa cells. The discovery of these novel calcitriol-regulated molecular pathways reveal that calcitriol has anti-inflammatory actions, which in addition to its other anti-cancer effects, may play an important role in the prevention and/or treatment of cancer in general and PCa specifically.
Minimal signal requirements for superantigen-specific T cell-driven B cell proliferation.

A foreign minor lymphocyte stimulating (MIs) antigen recognized in the context of MHC class II products on B cells and macrophages will induce T-cell responses.1,2 We now appreciate that MIs products function as superantigens3 and are encoded by mouse tumor viruses.4 T cell dependent B cell activation involves several signaling steps, which despite some clarification, remain to be elucidated.5 Some adhesins appear to be involved as well as class II molecules, surface Ig and lymphokines.5 We employ anti-IgM and Mlsa- specific cloned lymphokine non-secreting T-cell lines6–9 to examine the requirements for this type of activation to B-cell proliferation.
A Methodology For Risk Management Of Compound Failure Modes

Most real-world systems exhibit multiple paths to failure. Yet mainly the likelihoods of failure associated with these failure paths have been analyzed. In order to effectively manage the risk associated with systems, both the likelihoods of failure and the consequences of multiple failure paths should be considered. Therefore, this paper develops a methodology for evaluating risk from the perspective of compound failure modes. Compound failure modes are defined as two or more paths to failure with consequences that depend on the occurrence of combinations of failure paths. In such a situation (of compound failure modes), it is important to have knowledge of the joint probability distribution of the failure path occurrences and their consequences. Through using extreme events analysis the likelihoods of failure along with the consequences are evaluated to quantify the risk associated with compound failure modes. Subsequently, we present a multiobjective tradeoff analysis of cost vs. risk for failure modes where a decision maker is able to see the incremental risk of each failure mode of the system. Examples illustrate the usefulness of the methodology.
Predicting hospital admission at emergency department triage using machine learning.

Objective To predict hospital admission at the time of ED triage using patient history in addition to information collected at triage. Methods This retrospective study included all adult ED visits between March 2014 and July 2017 from one academic and two community emergency rooms that resulted in either admission or discharge. A total of 972 variables were extracted per patient visit. Samples were randomly partitioned into training (80%), validation (10%), and test (10%) sets. We trained a series of nine binary classifiers using logistic regression (LR), gradient boosting (XGBoost), and deep neural networks (DNN) on three dataset types: one using only triage information, one using only patient history, and one using the full set of variables. Next, we tested the potential benefit of additional training samples by training models on increasing fractions of our data. Lastly, variables of importance were identified using information gain as a metric to create a low-dimensional model. Results A total of 560,486 patient visits were included in the study, with an overall admission risk of 29.7%. Models trained on triage information yielded a test AUC of 0.87 for LR (95% CI 0.86–0.87), 0.87 for XGBoost (95% CI 0.87–0.88) and 0.87 for DNN (95% CI 0.87–0.88). Models trained on patient history yielded an AUC of 0.86 for LR (95% CI 0.86–0.87), 0.87 for XGBoost (95% CI 0.87–0.87) and 0.87 for DNN (95% CI 0.87–0.88). Models trained on the full set of variables yielded an AUC of 0.91 for LR (95% CI 0.91–0.91), 0.92 for XGBoost (95% CI 0.92–0.93) and 0.92 for DNN (95% CI 0.92–0.92). All algorithms reached maximum performance at 50% of the training set or less. A low-dimensional XGBoost model built on ESI level, outpatient medication counts, demographics, and hospital usage statistics yielded an AUC of 0.91 (95% CI 0.91–0.91). Conclusion Machine learning can robustly predict hospital admission using triage information and patient history. The addition of historical information improves predictive performance significantly compared to using triage information alone, highlighting the need to incorporate these variables into prediction models.