cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
The streetcar and residential location in nineteenth century Philadelphia

The Alonso-Muth model predicts how a worker’s income affects his residential location within an urban area. Workers choose a residential location, balancing the lower rent at locations distant from the city center against the higher commuting cost that such locations entail. If the income elasticity of housing demand is greater than that of marginal commuting cost, the bid-rent function of a high-wage worker is flatter than that of a low-wage worker, and thus the high-wage worker lives farther from the city center. This theory, which was first articulated in the 1960s was consistent with empirical evidence from that period. The model did not fare so well in the 1970s and 198Os, however. On one hand were new studies of housing demand. Polinsky and Ellwood (20) pointed out biases in earlier studies and found income elasticities less than unity when these biases were corrected. These results indicate that the income elasticity of housing demand is less than that of marginal commuting cost, since the latter is typically close to unity, which in turn implies that the bid-rent function of a high-wage worker is steeper than that of a low-wage worker. Wheaton (25) provided more direct evidence on this point. He estimated bid-rent functions of different income groups and found no significant difference between those of higher and lower income households. These studies suggested that the Alonso-Muth model could not explain the residential pattern observed in the 1950s and 1960s. On the other hand was the change in that pattern. In the 197Os, upper-income households began to return to the cities, the so-called
Autoinflammatory syndromes: Fever is not always a sign of infection

Autoinflammatory syndromes are a newly understood group of conditions characterized by recurrent episodes of fever, rash, and serositis. Generalists and specialists should know about and consider these syndromes in the differential diagnosis of recurrent fever. This article reviews the genetics, pathophysiology, clinical presentation, and treatment of several of these relatively recently discovered diseases.
An Implementation of the PCP, SRP, D-PCP, M-PCP, and FMLP Real-Time Synchronization Protocols in LITMUS^RT

We extend the FMLP to partitioned static-priority scheduling and derive corresponding worst-case blocking bounds. Further, we present the first implementation of the PCP, SRP, D-PCP, M-PCP, and FMLP synchronization protocols in a unified framework in a general-purpose OS and discuss design issues that were beyond the scope of prior algorithmic-oriented work on real-time synchronization.
Triiodothyronine is a survival factor for developing oligodendrocytes

Thyroid hormone plays an important role in oligodendrocyte development. The studies presented here suggest that thyroid hormone is required for oligodendrocyte survival during development. Oligodendrocyte precursor cells, astrocytes and microglia were cultured in a defined media. Oligodendrocyte precursor cell differentiation was induced by growth factor removal. Time course studies revealed that oligodendrocytes cultured in the presence or absence of triiodothyronine (T3) develop similarly during the first 3 days of development. Oligodendrocytes cultured in the absence of T3, however, die after developmental day 3. TdT-Mediated dUDP Nick End Labeling assay and Hoechst staining indicate that T3 rescues developing oligodendrocytes from death by apoptosis. Apoptosis is likely induced by the presence of the cytokines TNFalpha and IL-1beta. However, expression of these cytokines is not altered by thyroid hormone administration. Thus, thyroid hormone has been demonstrated to effect proliferation, myelin gene expression and now the survival of developing oligodendrocytes.
Continuous culture of Candida lipolytica on n-hexadecane

Candida lipolytica was grown continuously on n-hexadecane as the main source of carbon. A transient continuous-culture experiment was also conducted to investigate hydrocarbon-limited growth; the hydrocarbon feed flow rate was stopped for several hours and then resumed at a reduced steady-state flow rate. Interfacial tension, Sauter mean diameter, pseudosolubility, fraction of cells in the aqueous phase, oil-phase volume fraction, and cell concentration were measured to characterize the system. The microorganisms appear to utilize both the submicron drops and the microscopic drops. The effects of interfacial tension, pseudosolubility, and unoccupied interfacial area on the kinetics of hydrocarbon fermentation are discussed here. A conceptual model for hydrocarbon uptake is presented and discussed.
An Acyltransferase Controls the Generation of Hematopoietic and Endothelial Lineages in Zebrafish

Hematopoietic and endothelial cells develop from a common progenitor, the hemangioblast, or directly from mesodermal cells. The molecular pathway that regulates the specification of both cell lineages remains elusive. Here, we show that a lysocardiolipin acyltransferase, lycat, is critical for the establishment of both hematopoietic and endothelial lineages. We isolated lycat from the deletion interval of cloche, a zebrafish mutant that has dramatically reduced hematopoietic and endothelial cell lineages. Reduction of lycat mRNA levels in wild-type zebrafish embryos decreases both endothelial and hematopoietic lineages. lycat mRNA rescues blood lineages in zebrafish cloche mutant embryos. E165R and G166L mutations in the highly conserved catalytic domain in Lycat abolish its function in zebrafish hematopoiesis. Epistasis analysis supports that lycat acts upstream of scl and etsrp in zebrafish hemangioblast development. These data indicate that lycat is the earliest known player in the generation of both e...
Etherware: domainware for wireless control networks

The promise of middleware is to enable integration and evolution of complex systems dynamically. In demanding domains such as wireless control networks, fulfilling this promise while maintaining complete generality is extremely complicated. Understanding and exploiting the forcing functions of a domain helps manage this complexity by avoiding redundant generalizations. Domainware exploits this technique and adopts a simpler architecture to support more important nonfunctional requirements effectively. This paper presents Etherware, a domainware for wireless control networks. Capitalizing on our development of a fairly complex control system testbed, commonly supported yet redundant generalizations are identified and eliminated. The resulting architecture is simple, and can support a wide range of trade-offs that can be manipulated easily at run-time. This is illustrated by showing how the performance of control time protocol (CTP), an Etherware service, is optimized by the additional options available in Etherware
Development and assessment of a rate equation for chemical transformations in reactive porous media.

With increasing interest in reactive porous media for groundwater remediation, such as granular iron, kinetic rate equations based on the Langmuir―Hinshelwood (L―H) assumptions have proven useful. Three parameters describe L―H kinetics: the two Langmuir sorption parameters, J and C max , and the first order rate constant, k. Unfortunately, the C max and k are lumped in the L―H equation, making it impossible to estimate their individual magnitudes. A re-examination of the theory underlying the L―H rate equation showed that L―H kinetics are not necessarily appropriate for packed reactive porous media experiments in columns or in the field. A more general rate equation was derived by accounting for changes in sorbed concentrations over time. The equation contains the Langmuir sorption parameter C max not lumped with the reaction rate constant, k, so it is possible to obtain unique estimates of J and C max and the rate constant, k. A sensitivity analysis suggested that this separation of variables can be achieved over a finite range of conditions applicable to granular iron media. The equation was demonstrated to be applicable, and the separation of variables possible, using the reduction of 4-chloronitrobenzene with Connelly granular iron as a test case.
The Indispensable Role of Culture in Shaping Children’s Learning Beliefs

David Watkins’ pioneering work on Chinese learners has had a profound influence on my own thinking and research. The articulation of the paradoxical Chinese learner by him and John Biggs ushered in a significant new research direction that enabled me to explore fundamental differences in learning between the East and West. Inspired by their thinking, I began my research by collecting the learning lexicons in Chinese and English that are used in daily life and written images of ideal learners in both cultures, resulting in two distinct cultural learning models. Accordingly, the Chinese model is more virtue oriented whereas the European American model more mind oriented. Subsequently, I studied preschool children’s learning beliefs by asking them to complete stories that depicted routine learning scenarios. As expected, children’s learning beliefs resemble their respective cultures’ learning models. To understand the process by which children construct their learning beliefs, Heidi Fung and I recorded European American and Taiwanese mother–child conversations about learning. The results confirmed that these mothers socialize their children according to their respective cultural learning models. Finally, I describe my current comparative research focusing on European American children and children of Chinese immigrants. This research sheds light on the persisting strength of the Chinese learning model but also reveals challenges that may take a toll on Chinese children’s intellectual development. A new line of research is suggested to account for the possibly stunted development of culturally based learning beliefs among Chinese immigrant children. Implications for research, childrearing, and education are discussed.
Vegetation of Managed Grasslands in the Canaan Valley National Wildlife Refuge

Abstract Much of Canaan Valley was converted to agricultural uses following logging in the early 1900s. More recently, some land has undergone succession from grassland to scrub-shrub habitat. We evaluated vegetation and habitat structure in mowed and unmowed hayfields and idle pastures during 1999 and 2000. We observed 71 plant species on 3 hayfields and 3 pastures. Solidago ulginosa (Bog Goldenrod), Solidago rugosa (Wrinkle-leaved Goldenrod), Achillea millefolium (Yarrow), Dactylis glomerata (Orchard Grass), Phalaris arundinacea (Reed Canary Grass), and Hypericum densiflorum (Glade St. John's Wort) were the most common taxa. Species composition and abundance varied by field type and mowing treatment. Vegetation was taller in pastures than in hayfields; standing dead vegetation was greater in unmowed plots than in mowed plots. Mowing is useful for maintaining vegetative structure for wildlife and may influence plant species composition and abundance.
Implementation of a Pediatric Posttonsillectomy Pain Protocol in a Large Group Practice

ObjectiveIn response to the increased risk of respiratory failure and death after tonsillectomy related to codeine use, Kaiser Permanente Northwest restricted use of opioids in patients <7 years ol...
Vapor Density and Water Loss from Eggs of the Range Caterpillar, Hemileuca oliviae

As compared to water loss from eggs of several other species, eggs of range caterpillar, Hemileuca oliviae Cockerell, are quite resistant to desiccation. Range caterpillar eggs lack aeropyles, and gas exchange apparently occurs through the micropyle. Loss of water from eggs is stimulated by exposure to low vapor densities or to high temperatures. Temperature stimulates embryonic development, and vapor densities as low as 7.6 g/m3 stimulate eclosion. A higher proportion of variation in water loss occurs among egg masses than within masses. Egg size contributes to this variation, with small eggs losing water at a significantly higher rate than large eggs. Weight of larvae eclosing from eggs is inversely proportional to water loss, but larval survival does not seem to be affected by water loss. Eclosion was obtained from eggs losing 33 to 57% of their water.
The Long-term Strategy and Short-term Measure of Gansu Three Agricultures

To solve the issue of Gansu provincial three agricultures,we must formulate "non-agriculture" long-term strategy based on intensifying agriculture and industry interaction,balancing urban and rural development,speeding up the shift of rural surplus labor power and setting up ecological transmission payment system.And we should also pursue "industrialized" shortterm measures including the content of improving rural infrastructure,enlarging the assistance and protection of agriculture,enhancing agricultural scientific innovation and application,facilitating Gansu agricultural development with special characteristics.
Detection and Significance of Microscopic Hematuria in Patients with Blunt Renal Trauma

Detection of hematuria is paramount in establishing injury to the urinary system. In 339 patients with blunt renal trauma in whom radiographic studies defined the severity of injury we compared the degree of microscopic hematuria determined by dipstick and microscopic urinalysis. The overall correlation between the 2 methods was low (Pearson's coefficient 0.41). However, more than 80 per cent of the urine samples with 50 to 100 red blood cells per high power field corresponded to a dipstick result of 3+. The dipstick method had greater than 97.5 per cent sensitivity and specificity for detection of microscopic hematuria. Only 7 of the 339 patients (less than 2 per cent) had a discharge diagnosis of other than renal contusion: 5 had renal artery thrombosis or avulsion of the renal vessels and 2 had minor cortical lacerations that were managed nonoperatively. Although microscopic hematuria may be quantified more accurately by microscopic analysis, it can be detected reliably with a high degree of sensitivity and specificity by dipstick analysis.
A theoretical study of HClO3 isomers

Abstract Ab initio quantum chemical calculations on normal and hypervalent structures of the HClO 3 species have been performed. Four minima were located at the MP2/6-31G(d) level, after many connectivities were investigated. Geometries and frequencies were determined at the QCISD/6-311G(2d, 2p) level. Single point energy calculations using QCISD(T) with larger basis sets indicate that the lowest energy structure is hypervalent HOClO 2 , upon inclusion of f functions. Also, relative energies computed with the G2 method are in good agreement with the QCISD(T) results with large basis sets.
An Instrument for Observing Real-Time Changes in Moisture Content of Forest Fuels

ABSTRACTA field research tool is described which was designed to monitor and record the change n moisture content in in-situ forest fuels. The data is obtained by measuring the energy absorbed from a microwave beam passing through the fuel. The first unit has been operated in the field for two summers on a site near an existing weather monitoring station and also in a research area where prescribed fires were being studied The data obtained by monitoring the upper litter layer show some very rapid moisture changes taking place below the surface of the layer when the weather conditions change. The behavior of the litter layer and other forest fuels in response to changes in weather conditions is critical in any fire situation and the fuel moisture monitor offers a unique way to directly observe fuel moisture in real time. The availability of real-time fuel moisture data could profoundly effect fire suppression and prescribed fire decisions and operations.
An asynchronous scale decomposition for biomedical signals

Continuous-time digital signal processors not only offer significant energy savings in important applications such as implantable biomedical devices, but can implement asynchronous procedures. In this paper, we propose an asynchronous signal decomposition for continuous-time signals based on scale rather than frequency. Because the implementation of the proposed procedure does not use a clock it is not affected by aliasing, and moreover no quantization is involved. Such procedure is specially applicable to biomedical signals delivering information in bursts rather than continuously. The decomposer consists of cascaded modules that expand the signal onto different resolution scales and each is composed of an asynchronous sigma delta modulator (ASDM) followed by a local averager and a low-pass filter. The ASDM is a non-linear feedback system used to represent the amplitude of a continuous-time signal by a binary signal whose zero-crossings are used to reconstruct the original signal. One of the parameters of the ASDM is used as a scaling parameter, permitting us to represent the signal by its local means -at different scales- and computed from the zero-crossing times of the output of the ASDM. We develop a compact signal representation that is described by a small number of scale parameters and contains information useful in the continuous-time processing and transmission of the data. The performance of the proposed procedure is illustrated using different types of signals. As a practical application, we consider the non-linear denoising of swallowing signals. Potentially our procedure will find application in asynchronous signal acquisition, continuous-time digital signal processing and transmission in low-power biomedical applications.
Saving Chaucer's Troilus 'With desir and reson twight'

"Saving Chaucer's Troilus" responds to recent criticism elaborating on the cultural construction of Criseyde at Troilus's expense. Whereas analyses of Troilus note his affinity with philosophical principles, on one hand, and his socially dominant position, on the other hand, he fails to elicit much sympathy. Absent from these analyses, however, is the context of medieval practical reasoning that informs Troilus's deliberations and ultimately humanizes him. Following academically prescribed formulae, Troilus encounters a double-bind between reason and desire. His conflict effectively results from his adherence to principles deriving from his privileged position as a courtly knight. His cultural identity, in turn, disables his ethical integrity in a warring Troy and issues in his inability to act constructively. Troilus's philosophizing reflects a withdrawal from the narrative world. Although representing the dominant culture, he, like Criseyde, falls victim to it.
Meta-Material Design of the Shear Layer of a Non-Pneumatic Wheel Using Topology Optimization

The meta-material design of the shear layer of a non-pneumatic wheel was completed using topology optimization. In order to reduce the hysteretic rolling loss, an elastic material is used and the shear layer microstructure is defined to achieve high compliance comparable to that offered by the elastomeric materials. To simulate the meta-material properties of the shear layer, the volume averaging analysis, instead of more popular homogenization methods, is used as the relative size of the shear layer places realistic manufacturing constraints on the size of unit cells used to generate the meta-material. In this design scenario the properties predicted by the homogenization methods are not accurate since the homogenization scaling assumptions are violated. A number of optimal designs are shown to have meta-material properties similar to those of the linear elastic properties of elastomers, making them good meta-material candidates for the shear layer of the non-pneumatic wheel.Copyright © 2012 by ASME
Abnormal implantation after fresh and frozen in vitro fertilization cycles

Objective To determine whether fresh embryo transfers are at a higher risk of abnormal implantation compared with frozen embryo transfers while accounting for the embryo stage at transfer. Design Retrospective cohort study. Setting Not applicable. Patient(s) We used data from the Society for Assisted Reproductive Technologies to identify all fresh and frozen autologous IVF cycles from 2004-2013 resulting in a positive pregnancy test. The cycles were parameterized into a four-level predictor of [1] fresh blastocyst transfer, [2] fresh non-blastocyst transfer, [3] frozen blastocyst transfer, and [4] frozen non-blastocyst transfer. Intervention(s) None. Main Outcome Measure(s) We examined a composite outcome of abnormal implantation, defined as biochemical pregnancy, ectopic/heterotopic pregnancy, and first-trimester pregnancy loss. Regression modeling was performed with repeated measures multivariable logistic regression, adjusted for age, parity, number of embryos transferred, infertility diagnosis, and calendar year of treatment. Result(s) Of 509,938 cycles analyzed, 31.8% resulted in abnormal implantation. Compared with a fresh blastocyst transfer, a fresh non-blastocyst transfer had a 22% increase risk of abnormal implantation, a frozen blastocyst transfer had a 36% increase risk, and a frozen non-blastocyst transfer had a 57% increase risk. When individual outcomes were analyzed, fresh embryo transfers had a lower risk of biochemical pregnancy and pregnancy loss but a higher risk for ectopic/heterotopic pregnancy. Conclusion(s) Fresh blastocyst transfers had the lowest overall risk of abnormal implantation but a higher risk of ectopic/heterotopic pregnancy. Although embryo cryopreservation is indicated in certain treatment cycles, elective embryo cryopreservation may not be the optimal strategy to adopt for all cycles.
How Does the Data Sampling Strategy Impact the Discovery of Information Diffusion in Social Media

Platforms such as Twitter have provided researchers with ample opportunities to analytically study social phenomena. There are however, significant computational challenges due to the enormous rate of production of new information: researchers are therefore, often forced to analyze a judiciously selected “sample” of the data. Like other social media phenomena, information diffusion is a social process–it is affected by user context, and topic, in addition to the graph topology. This paper studies the impact of different attribute and topology based sampling strategies on the discovery of an important social media phenomena–information diffusion. We examine several widely-adopted sampling methods that select nodes based on attribute (random, location, and activity) and topology (forest fire) as well as study the impact of attribute based seed selection on topology based sampling. Then we develop a series of metrics for evaluating the quality of the sample, based on user activity (e.g. volume, number of seeds), topological (e.g. reach, spread) and temporal characteristics (e.g. rate). We additionally correlate the diffusion volume metric with two external variables–search and news trends. Our experiments reveal that for small sample sizes (30%), a sample that incorporates both topology and user context (e.g. location, activity) can improve on naive methods by a significant margin of ~15-20%.
Knowing What We Are Getting: Evaluating Scientific Research on the International Space Station*

The debate over the value of the International Space Station has overlooked a fundamental question: What is the station's contribution to scientific knowledge? We address this question using a multivariate analysis of publication and patent data from station experiments. We find a relatively high probability that ISS experiments with PIs drawn from outside NASA will yield refereed publications and, furthermore, that these experiments have nonnegligible probabilities of finding publication in highâ€ impact journals or producing government patents. However, technology demonstrations and experiments with allâ€ NASA PIs have much weaker track records. These results highlight the complexities inherent to constructing a compelling case for science onboard the ISS or for crewed spaceflight in general.
Meta-analysis investigating post-exertional malaise between patients and controls

Post-exertional malaise is either required or included in many previously proposed case definitions of myalgic encephalomyelitis/chronic fatigue syndrome. A meta-analysis of odds ratios (ORs; association between patient status and post-exertional malaise status) and a number of potential moderators (i.e. study-level characteristics) of effect size were conducted. Post-exertional malaise was found to be 10.4 times more likely to be associated with a myalgic encephalomyelitis/chronic fatigue syndrome diagnosis than with control status. Significant moderators of effect size included patient recruitment strategy and control selection. These findings suggest that post-exertional malaise should be considered a cardinal symptom of myalgic encephalomyelitis/chronic fatigue syndrome.
Chemical Reactions Among Indoor Pollutants

Chemistry takes place all around us, regulating the intensity and nature of our exposure to pollutants in water, air and soil. In indoor environments, chemistry can significantly alter the composition of the air we breathe. Transformations reduce our exposure to reactants and increase our exposure to products. If this reaction takes place on or in a surface, the relative exposure depends on the nature of the species; exposure to reactants and products may depend not only on rates and mechanisms but also on volatility.
Investigations of Voltage/Reactive Power Sensitivity for Voltage Control and Voltage Stability in Unbalanced Distribution Systems

Because of increased DG penetration level, maintaining a good voltage profile in distribution systems is challenging. In addition, because of slow expansion of distribution systems and fast growth of load, voltage stability becomes an important issue. Voltage and reactive power sensitivity, dV/dQ, is one of key important factors in maintaining a good voltage profile and analyzing voltage stability problem. In this work, we investigate some fundamental properties and identify several patterns of dV/dQ based on the IEEE 13-node test feeder. The results have important implications on the application of voltage control and on the validity of modal analysis for voltage stability analysis for three-phase unbalanced distribution systems.
Finding “intermediate” ground in transplant and HLH

The Bone Marrow Transplant Clinical Trials Network (BMT CTN) study 1204 of stem cell transplantation for hemophagocytic lymphohistiocytosis (HLH) and primary immunodeficiencies (PID) presented in this issue of Blood by Allen et al emphasizes how far treatment and outcomes in these rare diseases have come but also how important multicenter trials are to find a “sweet spot” in the design of curative regimens. 1
Micron-sized spinel crystals in high level waste glass compositions: Determination of crystal size and crystal fraction

Abstract The compositions utilized for immobilization of high-level nuclear wastes (HLW) are controlled using glass property models to avoid the deleterious effects of crystallization in the high-level waste (HLW) vitrification melters. The type and size of the crystals that precipitate during melter operations (typically at 1150 °C) and idling (∼1000 °C) are significantly impacted by glass composition and thermal history. This study was conducted to measure the impact of melt composition and heat treatment temperature on crystal size and fraction. A matrix of 31 multi-component glasses canvasing the expected Hanford HLW compositional space was developed and the glasses fabricated and heat treated at 850, 900, and 950 °C. The crystal amounts, as determined by X-ray diffraction, varied from 0.2 to 41.0 wt%. Spinel concentrations ranged from 0.0 to 13.8 wt%. One glass of the matrix did not precipitate spinel and contained 0.2 wt% RuO2, which was assumed to be undissolved from the melting process. All compositions contained crystals in the as-quenched glass. All of the spinel based crystals present in the glasses were less than 10 μm in diameter, as determined by scanning electron microscopy with image analysis. Composition and temperature dependent models were generated using the resulting data and the best model fit was obtained by only considering spinel concentrations (R2 = 0.87). Two glasses were unable to be characterized because of an inability to process the glass under the conditions of this study. Those glasses were utilized to give insight into a potential multi-component constraint to aid in future statistical composition designs.
Real-time classification of weeds in organic carrot production using deep learning algorithms

Abstract This paper proposes a real-time machine learning approach for carrot plants classification in organic farming using Convolutional Neural Network. Artificial neural networks become increasingly popular for image processing tasks, e.g. the classification of complex structures in images. The problem is not very often the accuracy of the classification, but the speed of calculation. The core of this paper presents a real-time calculation flow for the neural networks, in which all the individual steps are summarized. It also briefly discusses the used sensors, which are suitable for the Convolutional Neural Network and the pre-processing which extracts the plants from the background in order to keep the load on the neural network as low as possible.
Prior Research Review and Overview of Enhanced Retirement Strategies

Prior research examining demographic and socioeconomic cohorts within household assets are reviewed. The method used by the Trinity study to determine success rates is discussed. Also, prior research examining withdrawals, retirement length, and assets is reviewed. In addition, background information regarding qualifications for HECMs is discussed. The chapter then focuses on the gains and incentives for delaying Social Security claiming and then reviews sample calculations of the PIA.
Performance and Life Cycle Analysis of Soybean Oil-Based Minimum Quantity Lubrication in Machining of Ti6Al4V

Titanium alloys are used in various applications due to their properties. However, these alloys are difficult to machine. Several techniques have been proposed in the literature to deal with the problem. This paper presents a study on the performance and life cycle analysis of the dry machining, flood lubrication and minimum quantity lubrication (MQL) of titanium alloy, Ti6Al4V. Machining was carried out at different speeds 30, 55 and 80 m/min. Soybean-based fluid was used in both flood lubrication and MQL. Cutting forces, tool wear and surface roughness were measured in all three cases. MQL was found to have better performance with longer tool life by almost two times, cutting forces by about 18% and surface roughness by about 10% compared to dry machining. Flood lubrication results were intermediate between the two. However, flood lubrication had the highest carbon footprint followed by dry machining and MQL.
Imaging manifestations of immune-related adverse effects in checkpoint inhibitor therapies: A primer for the radiologist.

Abstract Immune checkpoint inhibitors are monoclonal antibodies directed against cellular pathways on T-cells to treat different types of malignancies. This new therapy can cause immune-related adverse events that can involve almost any organ system. This article will review clinical presentations, molecular mechanisms and imaging manifestations of adverse events caused by checkpoint inhibitors and also illustrate the pseudoprogression tumor response pattern.
Solar Electric Cookstove - A First Generation, High Efficiency Solar Electric Cooking Device Prototype

Nowadays, the number of people without access to electricity is just below 1 billion. However, roughly 700 million people predominantly in rural communities in sub-Saharan Africa and developing Asia are projected to continue without electricity by 2040. In addition, roughly 1.68 billion people do not have access to clean cooking in Sub-Saharan Africa and India. Improved solar thermal cooking systems have been proposed as potential solutions to provide access to clean cooking in these communities, although their success has been limited, due to their constraints. This paper presents the design of a solar electric cookstove, which combines an off-grid photovoltaic (PV) system with a low energy demand electric cooking appliance. The challenges of traditional solar thermal cooking systems can be overcome with this design. Also, the PV system used to power the cookstove can be used to supply other low demand residential electric loads, such as energy-efficient light bulbs and mobile phones, among other smaller and efficient appliances. The implementation of this solution has the potential to significantly contribute towards the goal of reducing the reliance on traditional biomass use as cooking fuel.
High-pressure ignition delay time measurements of a four-component gasoline surrogate and its high-level blends with ethanol and methyl acetate

Abstract Ignition delay times of a gasoline surrogate (iso-octane/toluene/n-heptane/1-hexene at 55/25/15/5% by liquid volume, developed in McCormick et al. 2017) with high-level bioblendstock-gasoline surrogate blends (50% and 85% biofuel by liquid volume of each ethanol and methyl acetate) were collected behind reflected shock waves. Post-reflected-shock temperatures ranged from 968 to 1361 K at pressures of about 4, 10, 25, and 50 atm. Data were collected for real fuel–air mixtures at fuel lean and stoichiometric conditions (φ = 0.5, 1.0) with focus on the more-practical, fuel-lean conditions. Ignition delay times were measured from OH* chemiluminescence around 307 nm using an endwall diagnostic. The RON and MON of the surrogate were 90.3 and 84.7, respectively. Ethanol was chosen due to its wide use in flex-fuel vehicles and availability, while also providing an increased octane rating. Methyl acetate was chosen for its especially high octane rating to investigate the effect of an extreme case. To validate the gasoline surrogate, the data are compared to real gasoline (RD387) and several gasoline surrogate experiments from the literature. Using the wide range of pressures studied, the gasoline surrogate’s pressure dependence was quantified to account for test-to-test variations using regression analysis. Similarly, a global correlation for gasoline and its surrogates was developed using all available data from the literature. Two modern chemical kinetics models targeting gasoline and its surrogates are compared to the ignition delay time measurements. These new high-pressure, high-bioblendstock concentration tests provide required chemical kinetic data for optimizing fuel and engine design.
Echocardiographic changes in patients with a cylinder mitral valve replacement: Preliminary analysis

AIMS Cylinder mitral valve construct (cMVC) is new technique for replacing the mitral valve compared to more traditional mitral valve replacement (MVR) procedures. Goal of this study was to describe echocardiographic changes over time in patients undergoing a cMVC. Secondary goal was to compare echocardiographic changes in patients that underwent a cMVC to a group of patients that underwent a MVR. METHODS Retrospective analysis of patients undergoing a cMVC was performed. Demographics, discharge echocardiogram, and recent echocardiogram vales were evaluated. Age matched patients undergoing a MVR were assessed. Discharge and recent echocardiographic parameters were compared within the cMVC group. cMVC and MVR values were compared between groups. RESULTS Five cMVC patients were studied. Age at surgery for the cMVC was 4.3 ± 4.2 years (median 2.2, .8-10.3 years). Time interval from hospital discharge echocardiogram to the most recent echocardiogram was 1.2 ± .7 years (median 1.0, .6-2.0 years). Mean mitral valve gradient significantly increased over time (3.6 ± 3.0 mm Hg vs 7.6 ± 2.9 mm Hg). There were significant improvements in left ventricular diameters, systolic sphericity index, shortening fraction, and ejection fraction over time. There were no significant differences in demographics, discharge echocardiogram values, and follow up echocardiogram values between the cMVC and MVR groups. CONCLUSION In conclusion, echocardiographic indices of left ventricular function improved over time in patients undergoing cMVC. In addition, there were no significant differences between cMVC and MVR patients in echocardiographic values. Studies with a larger patient sample with longer follow up are needed to determine if cMVC continues to have comparable echocardiographic results to MVR.
Bacterial Intracellular Membranes

This article describes the occurrence, structure, arrangement and function of bacterial intracytoplasmic membranes (ICMS) including magnetosomes of magnetotactic bacteria, the thylakoids of cyanobacteria and chloroxybacteria, the ICMS of purple bacteria and chemoautotrophic bacteria and the chlorosomes of green bacteria. Keywords: thylakoids; phycobilisomes; intracytoplasmic membrane (ICM); chlorosome
Validation of histomolecular classification utilizing histological subtype, MUC1, and CDX2 for prognostication of resected ampullary adenocarcinoma

Outcomes for ampullary adenocarcinomas are heterogeneous, and numerous methods of categorisation exist. A histomolecular phenotype based on histology, caudal-type homeodomain transcription factor 2 (CDX2) staining and Mucin 1 (MUC1) staining has recently been tested and validated in two cohorts. We attempt to validate this classification in a large patient population. Tissue samples from 163 patients with resected ampullary adenocarcinoma were classified based on histology and immunohistochemical expression of CDX2 and MUC1. A pancreaticobiliary histomolecular classification (PB) was defined as a sample with pancreaticobiliary histology, positive MUC1 and negative CDX2 expression. There were 82 deaths; median follow-up of 32.4 months; and median overall survival of 87.7 (95% CI 42.9–109.5) months. PB comprised 28.2% of the cases. Factors associated with overall survival were histological subtype (P=0.0340); T1/2 vs T3/4 (P=0.001); perineural (P<0.0001) and lymphovascular (P=0.0203) invasion; and histomolecular intestinal histomolecular phenotype (INT) vs PB phenotype (106.4 vs 21.2 months, P<0.0001). Neither MUC1 nor CDX2 was statistically significant, although MUC1 positivity defined as ⩾10% staining was significant (P=0.0023). In multivariate analysis, age (HR 1.03), PB phenotype (HR 2.26) and perineural invasion (PNI; HR 2.26) were associated with poor survival. The prognostic ability of histomolecular phenotype has been validated in an independent cohort of ampullary adenocarcinoma patients.
Fix it where it fails: Pronunciation learning by mining error corrections from speech logs

The pronunciation dictionary, or lexicon, is an essential component in an automatic speech recognition (ASR) system in that incorrect pronunciations cause systematic misrecognitions. It typically consists of a list of word-pronunciation pairs written by linguists, and a grapheme-to-phoneme (G2P) engine to generate pronunciations for words not in the list. The hand-generated list can never keep pace with the growing vocabulary of a live speech recognition system, and the G2P is usually of limited accuracy. This is especially true for proper names whose pronunciations may be influenced by various historical or foreign-origin factors. In this paper, we propose a language-independent approach to detect misrecognitions and their corrections from voice search logs. We learn previously unknown pronunciations from this data, and demonstrate that they significantly improve the quality of a production-quality speech recognition system.
Empires of Light: Edison, Tesla, Westinghouse, and the Race to Electrify the World

(2004). Empires of Light: Edison, Tesla, Westinghouse, and the Race to Electrify the World. History: Reviews of New Books: Vol. 32, No. 2, pp. 51-51.
Amyloid-β promotes calcium influx and neurodegeneration via stimulation of L voltage-sensitive calcium channels rather than NMDA channels in cultured neurons

Exposure of cultured neurons and neuronal cells to aggregated amyloid-beta (Abeta) induces multiple neurodegenerative events including accumulation of cytosolic calcium, generation of reactive oxygen species, abnormal levels of phosphorylation of the microtubule-associated protein tau, and apoptosis. Prevention of accumulation of calcium within the cytosol also prevents all other events, suggesting that calcium accumulation is an early and pivotal event in Abeta neurotoxicity. Calcium influx has been suggested to occur via L voltage-sensitive calcium channels or NMDA channels. Calcium influx into differentiated human neuroblastoma cells has been previously attributed to the L voltage-sensitive calcium channel, but the contribution of the NMDA channel was not examined. In the present study, treatment of these cells with MK-801, an antagonist of NMDA channels, failed to attenuate Abeta-induced calcium influx or neurodegeneration, while nimopridine, an antagonist of the L voltage-sensitive calcium channel, blocked Abeta-induced calcium influx. Our findings suggest that NMDA channels do not contribute significantly to Abeta neurotoxicity in these acute cell culture analyses.
Mitomycin Resistance in Streptomyces lavendulae Includes a Novel Drug-Binding-Protein-Dependent Export System

Sequence analysis of Streptomyces lavendulae NRRL 2564 chromosomal DNA adjacent to the mitomycin resistance locus mrd (encoding a previously described mitomycin-binding protein [P. Sheldon, D. A. Johnson, P. R. August, H.-W. Liu, and D. H. Sherman, J. Bacteriol. 179:1796-1804, 1997]) revealed a putative mitomycin C (MC) transport gene (mct) encoding a hydrophobic polypeptide that has significant amino acid sequence similarity with several actinomycete antibiotic export proteins. Disruption of mct by insertional inactivation resulted in an S. lavendulae mutant strain that was considerably more sensitive to MC. Expression of mct in Escherichia coli conferred a fivefold increase in cellular resistance to MC, led to the synthesis of a membrane-associated protein, and correlated with reduced intracellular accumulation of the drug. Coexpression of mct and mrd in E. coli resulted in a 150-fold increase in resistance, as well as reduced intracellular accumulation of MC. Taken together, these data provide evidence that MRD and Mct function as components of a novel drug export system specific to the mitomycins.
Improved Signal Transmission through Randomization

The transmission of energy and information is basic to science and engineering. A signal is transmitted from source to receiver by means of waves passing through a medium. A homogeneous medium transmits the direct wave only, and thus provides the best transmission. Transmission performance is less for a heterogeneous medium. Mathematically a continuously varying heterogeneous medium is difficult to handle, but it can be approximated by a finely divided layered system. A layered system is characterized by the sequence of fresnel reflection coefficients of the successive interfaces between layers. A layered system not only transmits the direct wave, but also transmits internal multiple reflections. The multiples degrade the transmission performance. Ideally the multiples should be kept small, so that most of the transmitted energy occurs in the direct wave. Transmission performance improves as the reflection coefficients become smaller in magnitude. Transmission performance can also be improved in another significant way. That way is randomization. high performance is achieved when, in addition to being small in magnitude, the reflection coefficients are a realization of random white stochastic process. Transmission though a layered system with small white reflection coefficients closely approximates the ideal transmission though a homogeneous medium.
Advanced cooperative decentralized decision making using a cooperative reward system

Agents can benefit from cooperative behavior as it intends to increase the total utility. In traffic situations, one agent may behave cooperatively by yielding to another. In recurring situations, this may lead to an imbalanced distribution of the benefit. However, humans prefer balanced utility distributions over imbalanced ones. While state-of-the-art cooperative decentralized decision making may promote such an imbalanced utility distribution, advanced cooperative decentralized decision making can support equality among the agents. Three different approaches are compared: Considering the agents' utilities perfect substitutes, imperfect substitutes, and perfect substitutes with time-variable rates of substitution based on a cooperative reward system. Simulations of a highway scenario reveal the differences in recurring situations: Perfect substitutes indeed maximize total utility, but at the expense of a highly unequal utility distribution that may lead to poor long-term user acceptance; imperfect substitutes promote an equal utility distribution, but leave much of the potential of cooperative behavior unused; introducing a cooperative reward system based on memories of costs is shown to allow for a trade-off between both — altruistic-cooperative behavior without constant preference of one agent over the other, which is assumed to improve user acceptance.
The Circular Dichroism of Variants of β-Lactoglobulin

The circular dichroism of variants of β-lactoglobulin has been measured and the over-all differences between the species were found to be small. The dichroic spectrum given by the aromatic residues in β-lactoglobulin B is shown to be decomposable into five negative dichroic peaks. These can be correlated with various types of chromophore residues, with the two strongest peaks, at 293 and 284 nm, being probably due to tryptophan. Changes in the spectrum, obtained as β-lactoglobulin is denatured by alkali and acidic methanol, are shown. The native protein has a negative dichroic peak in the vicinity of 215 to 220 nm, and with increasing pH, this peak shifts downward toward 201 nm and increases 4-fold in intensity. The positive dichroic peak at 196, seen in the native protein at pH values below 5, also is shifted to shorter wave lengths without, however, changing greatly in intensity. Acidic methanol, on the other hand, causes a conversion to a spectrum qualitatively like that of an α-helix, with negative maxima at 222 and 207 nm and a positive extremum at 193 nm. These changes are discussed in the light of the circular dichroic spectra of polypeptides in known conformations.
Three Wars of Ideas about the Idea of War

Strategic debates have long characterized the discourse on military affairs. Three lively disputes concern: 1) Whether set “principles of war” can be codified and mastered; 2) The relative strengths and limitations of maritime and continental power; and 3) The potential for waging successful “short wars.” Carl von Clausewitz provided the sharpest critique of the principles of war, arguing that “friction” can overwhelm even highly refined military art. A.T. Mahan's concept of sea power was challenged by Halford Mackinder's theory of “heartland power.” Short-war notions animated by Moltke the Elder's victories in the 19th Century German wars of unification, and expanded upon by his successors, were rebutted by Ivan Bloch. Each debate remains relevant: technological advances prompt reappraisal of principles of war; the rise of China and the resurgence of Russia as great continental powers challenge American naval mastery; and insurgents and terrorists continue to prove the value of “long wars.”
Regime Type, Strategic Interaction, and the Diversionary Use of Force:

This study explores the relative propensity of democratic and autocratic regimes to engage in diversionary behavior. Although previous research has focused on the willingness of leaders to engage in conflict, recent studies suggest an alternative explanation: the effect of strategic interaction opportunities. Previous studies suggest that even though democratic leaders may have an incentive to use foreign policy to manipulate domestic audiences, would-be adversaries limit their interaction opportunities. This article extends the analysis to a comparison of the behavior of democratic and autocratic regimes. Using three different indicators of the domestic political vulnerability of leaders—economic growth rates, protests, and rebellions—the results indicate that democratic leaders are apparently more affected by strategic interaction opportunities than their autocratic counterparts.