cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Development of a Vision Assisted Optimal Part-To-Pad Placement Technique for Printed Circuit Board Assembly

In this paper, an optimal lead to pad matching technique for surface mount component placement in PCB assembly is developed. The problem is expressed as a non-linear optimization problem with linear objective function and quadratic constraints. A solution procedure is developed and an example is given.
Intractable hiccups due to herpetic esophagitis in an immunocompromised patient

Introduction Herpes virus family's association with visceral lesions is well established. Herpes simplex virus presentations vary based on immune status. Intractable hiccups due to herpes simplex esophagitis, to the best of our knowledge have been described twice in the literature. We present a 68 year-old immunocompromised male with intractable hiccups for 10 months.
Motoneuron injury and repair: New perspectives on gonadal steroids as neurotherapeutics.

In this review, we will summarize recent work from our laboratory on the role of gonadal steroids as neuroprotective agents in motoneuron viability following cell stress. Three motoneuron models will be discussed: developing axotomized hamster facial motoneurons (FMNs); adult axotomized mouse FMNs; and immortalized, cultured mouse spinal motoneurons subjected to heat shock. New work on two relevant motoneuron proteins, the survival of motor neuron protein, and neuritinor candidate plasticity-related gene 15, indicates differential steroid regulation of these two proteins after axotomy. The concept of gonadal steroids as cellular stress correction factors and the implications of this for acute neurological injury situations will be presented as well.
Determination of Cooling Parameters for a High Speed, True Scale, Metallic Turbine Vane Ring

Film cooling technology has been around for many decades and many significant advances in cooling effectiveness have been made at many different facilities using several different methods. A large proportion of film cooling research is successfully carried out using simplified scaled-up models in wind tunnels coupled with novel measurement techniques. These tests have been very effective in assessing basic film cooling parameters for many cooling hole geometries, patterns, and blowing ratios. In real engines, however, film cooling designs are ultimately subjected to highly unsteady 3-D secondary flows and rotational effects. Few film cooling experiments have quantified these effects on real, true scale turbine hardware in a rotating test environment. The Turbine Research Facility (TRF) at the Air Force Research Laboratory has been acquiring uncooled heat transfer measurements on full scale metallic airfoils both with and without rotation for several years. The addition of cooling flow to this type of facility has provided new capability, and new challenges. The primary two issues being that the film temperature is unknown and that the airfoil is no longer semi-infinite. This makes it more difficult to extract the adiabatic effectiveness and the heat transfer coefficient from the measurements of surface temperature and surface heat transfer since conventional methods used in most other experiments are not valid in this case. In contrast another cooling parameter, the overall effectiveness, is readily obtained from measurements of surface temperature, internal coolant temperature, and mainstream temperature. The overall effectiveness is a normalized measure of metal surface temperatures expected for actual operating conditions. It is the goal of this paper to evaluate how measurements, obtained from a transient blowdown facility like the TRF, can be used to quantify the expected performance of a film cooled turbine airfoil. Additionally, it is imperative to properly correlate these experimental results to the true engine conditions. The data required for this analysis has been collected using an array of surface mounted thermocouples and thin film gauges in a series of experiments where freestream temperatures and coolant temperatures and mass flow rates were varied. The airfoil used in this investigation was a thin walled metallic airfoil with a showerhead cooling scheme and several rows of normal holes on both the pressure and suction sides of the airfoil. The flow is typical of that seen in a modern high pressure turbine — that is an inlet Mach number of about 0.1 accelerating toward sonic at the throat with a high inlet freestream turbulence level of about 20%.
Molecules recognized by anti-idiotypic monoclonal antibodies to the B cell lymphoma, BCL1.

Abstract Monoclonal and polyclonal antibodies to the variable portions of antigen receptors (anti-idiotypes and anti-idiotopes) are often employed to study the molecular nature and the biological role of these antigen receptors. Such antibodies are operationally defined as those antibodies which bind to a particular immunoglobulin but not to other immunoglobulins of the same class in a radioimmunoassay or ELISA. The monoclonal antibodies 32D1 and 31D1 were initially defined as anti-idiotypic as they recognized an immunoglobulin preparation from the murine B cell lymphoma BCL1, but not other immunoglobulins of the same isotype as assessed by a radioimmunoassay. A potential artifact in defining anti-idiotypic antibodies in this way is the possibility of copurification of antigen and antibody, resulting in the tentative identification of anti-antigen as anti-idiotype. Previous studies have demonstrated that BCL1-IgM is involved in binding of murine leukemia virus (MuLV), and BCL1 immunoglobulin and MuLV-gp70 apparently co-purified as an immune complex. Disruption of the immune complexes with SDS and sucrose gradient purification of the immunoglobulin was adequate to prepare BCL1 immunoglobulin free of gp70 as assessed by radioimmunoassay with the monoclonal anti-gp70 RA3-4A3. This preparation of immunoglobulin was used to show that 31D1 does not bind to BCL1 immunoglobulin, but to the contaminating gp70 in the BCL1 immunoglobulin preparation. However, MAb 32D1 was definitively proven to be anti-idiotypic as it recognized SDS sucrose density gradient purified IgM and immunoisolated heavy chain and light chain from BCL1 immunoglobulin. Several other lymphomas were recognized by mAb 32D1, including the T cell lymphoma UNC1 and the B cell lymphoma Balenlm17. To determine whether mAb 32D1 recognized immunospecific receptors on these lymphoma cell lines immunoprecipitation studies were performed. Immunoisolation and molecular analysis revealed that mAb 32D1 did not recognize the antigen receptor on these two cells, but instead recognized a cell-specific gp70. This observation demonstrates that monoclonal antibodies to known antigens (in this case an anti-idiotype) can crossreact with apparently unrelated molecules. The potential significance of this cross reaction to the antigens recognized by B cell lymphomas is discussed.
The clinical significance of nuclear factor-κB activation in PBMC in the patients with acute pancreatitis

Objective To investigate the clinical significance of nuclear factor-kappa B(NF-κB)activation in Peripheral Blood Mononuclear Cells(PBMC)in patients with acute pancreatitis(AP).Methods NF-κB activity in PBMC were determined by electrophoretic mobility gel-shift assay(EMSA),serum TNF-α levels were determined by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay(ELISA),the relationship between NF-KB with APACHEⅢ score were also examined.Results NF-κB activity and TNF-α level was significantly increased in patients with AP,it was related to the APACHEⅢ score(P0.05),and persistently increased in the nonsurvivors.Conclusions NF-κB was activated in AP patients,which up regulate TNF-α expression.the inappropriate activation of 2 NF-κB and excessive expression of TNF-α play an important role in the pathogenesis and development of AP,it may be as a predictor of the outcome.
Behavioral complexity quantification (Becom-Q)

Todays' embedded and cyber-physical systems (CPS) rely heavily on complex software functions. While part of this complexity is unavoidable and caused by a growing number of functions (intrinsic complexity), another part is related to inappropriate design and development methods (called avoidable complexity). Indeed the early removal of avoidable complexity is one of the key challenges of software-intensive systems.Over the years, several methods have been proposed to identify and quantify software complexity. However, current complexity measures rely mostly on the analysis of software structures and are not good predictors of software complexity and potential design flaws. This motivates the needs of new metrics of software complexity.In this paper, we describe a new complexity metric based on the analysis of behavioral aspects of software we call Behavioral Analysis Quantification or Becom-Q for short. Specifically, we use advances in model-checking and model counting to quantify all possible behaviors that a software function may exhibit and use this quantification to model software complexity.
Cytoplasmic effects on selection response for increased growth rate in mice.

To determine if cytoplasmic effects have contributed to long-term selection response for increased growth rate in mice, reciprocal cross matings were made between an unselected control line (ICR) and a line (M16) derived from ICR by long-term selection for high postweaning weight gain from 3 to 6 wk of age. Embryos were recovered 2 to 4 d following mating and transferred to pseudopregnant F1 (DBA/2NCrlBR X C57BL/6NCrlBR) females. Thus, all embryos developed in similar uterine and postnatal maternal environments. A total of 122 M16 X ICR and 123 ICR X M16 mice was produced, representing 19 litters from each cross. Litters were standardized at birth to five to seven pups. Litter weights at birth and 1 wk were recorded. Body weights at 2, 3, 4, 5 and 6 wk and weight gain from 3 to 6 wk were obtained. Weights of liver, kidneys, and sc and epididymal fat pads of males were obtained at 6 wk. Females were mated at 8 wk, and litter size at birth was recorded. Least-squares procedures were used to test for differences between reciprocal crosses for all traits. Body weight at 4 wk was higher (P less than .05) for mice with ICR cytoplasm. No other significant differences were detected. There was no evidence that cytoplasmic effects influenced direct or correlated responses to long-term selection for increased postweaning weight gain.
High-current InP-based triple heterojunction tunnel transistors

We report the design and simulated performance of a GaAsSb/GaSb/InAs/InP n-type triple heterojunction (3-HJ) tunnel field-effect transistor (TFET). GaAsSb/GaSb source and InAs/InP channel HJs both increase the field imposed upon the tunnel junctions and introduce two resonant bound states. The tunneling probability, and hence the transistor on-current, are thereby greatly increased. The devices were simulated using a non-equilibrium Green function quantum transport approach and the k.p method within NEMO5. With 10−3 A/m (I OFF ) and a 0.3 V power supply V DD , we simulate 380 A/m ON-current (I ON ) at 30-nm gate length (L g ) and 275 A/m at 15-nm L g . Unlike a previously-reported high-current AlGaSb/GaSb/InAs/InGaAsSb 3-HJ design, the GaAsSb/GaSb/InAs/InP design employs channel materials to which high-quality, low-interface-state-density gate dielectrics have been demonstrated.
Gender and History of Revolutions in East Asia

China, Vietnam, and Korea were all characterized by repressive Confucian gender systems that strictly subordinated women to men. Yet women in each of these societies played major roles in their countries' revolutions. Revolutionary movements in East Asia have been of three major, sometimes overlapping, types: Marxist; nationalist; and pro-democracy. Each of these has required large-scale involvement of women in order to be able to overthrow the pre-revolutionary regime, and each movement has provided its own rationales for why women should participate. This entry explores gender and revolutions in China, Vietnam, and Korea, why and how women participated, what they accomplished, and evidence that gender equality continues in the post-revolution periods. Keywords: East Asia; gender; revolutions
A wearable multi-modal human performance monitoring system for video display terminal users: Concept, development and clinical data validation

The objective of this project is to evaluate the fatigue of the video display terminal (VDT) users by monitoring the multi-physiological parameters through the designed and integrated wearable device. The evaluated fatigue condition of the VDT user can prevent the related syndrome by using the guide of fatigue relief. As the first stage of this project, this paper investigates the real time human fatigue detection based on Electroencephalo-graphy (EEG), Electrocardiograph (ECG), Electrooculography (EOG) and Saturation of Peripheral oxygen(SpO 2 ) data to test our concept for the preliminary study. We selected and extracted different types of features base on the collected multi-physiological signals. We used the unsupervised learning method k-medoids which is the modifications of the k-means clustering to help us to classify the fatigue condition of the video display terminal user. More importantly, we tested our concept by using 25-subject full overnight multi-physiological data, proposed features and classification methods to monitor the fatigue recovery during sleeping. The results validate our concept and show the evaluated human performance (fatigue) condition becomes recovery during sleeping clearly. It proves that the proposed system can monitor the human performance (fatigue) change for the VDT users and it is able to feedback the value to help them relieve the fatigue and to prevent the related syndrome for the next stage.
Non-radiative Processes in Nanocrystals

This paper discusses non-radiative processes relevant to the luminescence characteristics of optically active ions doped into insulators or large-gap semiconductors, with particular attention to how these processes are affected as the particle size is reduced from bulk single crystals to as small as a few nanometers. The non-radiative processes discussed in this article are thermal line broadening and thermal line shifting, relaxation via phonons between excited electronic states, and vibronic emission and absorption. One prominent effect of confinement in the systems of interest is a reduction in the phonon density of states. Thus, we focus on how these non-radiative processes are altered due to the change in the phonon density of states as particle size decreases.
A framework and taxonomy for the design and analysis of margins

There are many statistical challenges in the design and analysis of margin testing for product qualification. To further complicate issues, there are multiple types of margins that can be considered and there are often competing experimental designs to evaluate the various types of margin. There are two major variants of margin that must be addressed for engineered components: performance margin and design margin. They can be differentiated by the specific regions of the requirements space that they address. Performance margin are evaluated within the region where all inputs and environments are within requirements, and it expresses the difference between actual performance and the required performance of the system or component. Design margin expresses the difference between the maximum (or minimum) inputs and environments where the component continues to operate as intended (i.e. all performance requirements are still met), and the required inputs and conditions. The model Performance = f(Inputs, Environments? + e (1) can be used to help frame the overall set of margin questions. The interdependence of inputs, environments, and outputs should be considered during the course of development in order to identify a complete test program that addresses both performance margin and design margin questions. Statistical methods can be utilized to produce a holistic and efficient program, both for qualitative activities that are designed to reveal margin limiters and for activities where margin quantification is desired. This paper discusses a holistic framework and taxonomy for margin testing and identifies key statistical challenges that may arise in developing such a program.
Literacy Screening Among Latino/a and Dual Language Learner Kindergarteners: Predicting First Grade Reading Achievement

ABSTRACTThis study examined the relative contributions of Latino/a children’s (N = 102) school readiness and early literacy skills during kindergarten in predicting first grade reading achievement. By using discriminant function analyses, the current study identified a set of areas to assess that could be used to effectively screen children during kindergarten to distinguish those that might benefit most from early and targeted literacy supports. Results suggest that receptive vocabulary, phonological awareness, and word reading were the areas in kindergarten that provided strong predictive power for understanding children’s end of first grade reading achievement. These results provide important insights into an efficient assessment framework literacy educators can utilize to effectively monitor and support the early literacy development of Latino/a students.
Airline baggage fees and flight delays: A floor wax and dessert topping?

Abstract We examine the linkages between the implementation of baggage fees and late flights in the airline industry. We find that baggage fees policies result in improvements in on-time performance as assessed through late flights, directly through improvements in airport-side sorting and loading efficiencies, and indirectly through lower air travel demand. We further find that these relationships are contingent upon the presence of a hub airport on a route. Our findings have important managerial and public policy implications as baggage fees have often been cited as a driver of security queue, aircraft alley, and overhead bin congestions, and ultimately delayed flights. Our results suggest that these suppositions could be misplaced.
The effect of metacognitive monitoring feedback on performance in a computer-based training simulation.

Abstract This laboratory experiment was designed to study the effect of metacognitive monitoring feedback on performance in a computer-based training simulation. According to prior research on metacognition, the accurate checking of learning is a critical part of improving the quality of human performance. However, only rarely have researchers studied the learning effects of the accurate checking of retrospective confidence judgments (RCJs) during a computer-based military training simulation. In this study, we provided participants feedback screens after they had completed a warning task and identification task in a radar monitoring simulation. There were two groups in this experiment. One group (group A) viewed the feedback screens with the flight path of all target aircraft and the triangular graphs of both RCJ scores and human performance together. The other group (group B) only watched the feedback screens with the flight path of all target aircraft. There was no significant difference in performance improvement between groups A and B for the warning task (Day 1: group A – 0.347, group B – 0.305; Day 2: group A – 0.488, group B – 0.413). However, the identification task yielded a significant difference in performance improvement between these groups (Day 1: group A – 0.174, group B – 0.1555; Day 2: group A – 0.324, group B – 0.199). The results show that debiasing self-judgment of the identification task produces a positive training effect on learners. The findings of this study will be beneficial for designing an advanced instructional strategy in a simulation-based training environment.
Randomized comparative study of combination of low dose oral isotretinoin with pulsed azithromycin and low dose oral isotretinoin alone in the management of moderate to severe acne

Background: Oral isotretinoin and azithromycin are two important drugs used in management of acne. Their mode of action is different and thus theoretically the combination of these two should have a synergistic effect. Methods: In this randomized comparative trial 100 patients were randomized into two groups. One received oral isotretinoin (0.3 mg/kg/day) alone and the other group received pulsed azithromycin (500 mg/day for three days in a week for 8 weeks) in addition to oral isotretinoin. Improvement in acne was noted as percentage improvement in mean acne score. Results: No statistically significant difference was noted in the improvement in mean acne score of both the groups. Conclusions: Addition of pulsed azithromycin to low dose oral isotretinoin does not offer a better treatment outcome in patients of moderate to severe acne.
Poor Parenting, Attachment Style, and Dating Violence Perpetration Among College Students

Although dating violence is prevalent among college students, little is known about how both attachment style and participation in risky behaviors contribute to this pattern of violence. To address this literature gap, we examine the role of poor parenting, child abuse, attachment style, and risky sexual and drug use behaviors on dating violence perpetration among 1,432 college students (51% female). Path analysis results revealed that females were more likely to report greater attachment anxiety but lower attachment avoidance compared with males. Correlates of attachment anxiety included child physical abuse, witnessing parental violence, and poorer maternal relationship quality whereas attachment avoidant behavior was linked to more physical abuse and poorer maternal relationship quality. Females were more likely to perpetrate dating violence as were those with greater attachment anxiety and lower attachment avoidance. Other correlates of dating violence perpetration included sexual and drug risk behaviors. Finally, distal factors (i.e., more child physical abuse and poorer maternal relationship quality) also were associated with dating violence perpetration. Study implications are also discussed.
Bisexuality: Theories, Research, and Recommendations for the Invisible Sexuality, by D. Joye Swan and Shani Habibi

Unlike the experience for most gay and lesbian individuals, in many instances, the first step of coming-out for bisexual individuals is convincing others (emphasis added) that bisexuality is a legi...
I silenzi dell’autobiografia italoamericana

Questo intervento verte sull’interpretazione del vuoto nell’autobiografia, non solo nel contenuto, ma anche nello stile. Le fonti primarie sono un corpus di 58 scritture autobiografiche di emigranti italiani negli Stati Uniti, emigranti di prima generazione, alcuni rimpatriati, altri trapiantati in America. La maggior parte di essi e “gente comune.” Contrapponendo questi lavori (molti dei quali inediti esempi di scrittura popolare) all’autobiografia propriamente americana (modellata sull’esempio di Benjamin Franklyn), propongo un’interpretazione del loro “non detto”. Primo, le stesse autobiografie si pongono come significativa rottura di un silenzio per uomini e donne scomparsi nelle pagine della Storia e diventati numeri su un biglietto d’imbarco. Questo squarcio nel silenzio non e pero un urlo, quanto una narrazione sottovoce. E’ un’espressione del tutto originale e non proprio americana di un particolare ethos retorico, quello che chiamero dell’individualita quieta.
Multisensory Neurons in the Primate Amygdala.

Animals identify, interpret, and respond to complex, natural signals that are often multisensory. The ability to integrate signals across sensory modalities depends on the convergence of sensory inputs at the level of single neurons. Neurons in the amygdala are expected to be multisensory because they respond to complex, natural stimuli, and the amygdala receives inputs from multiple sensory areas. We recorded activity from the amygdala of 2 male monkeys (Macaca mulatta) in response to visual, tactile, and auditory stimuli. Although the stimuli were devoid of inherent emotional or social significance and were not paired with rewards or punishments, the majority of neurons that responded to these stimuli were multisensory. Selectivity for sensory modality was stronger and emerged earlier than selectivity for individual items within a sensory modality. Modality and item selectivity were expressed via three main spike-train metrics: (1) response magnitude, (2) response polarity, and (3) response duration. None of these metrics were unique to a particular sensory modality; rather, each neuron responded with distinct combinations of spike-train metrics to discriminate sensory modalities and items within a modality. The relative proportion of multisensory neurons was similar across the nuclei of the amygdala. The convergence of inputs of multiple sensory modalities at the level of single neurons in the amygdala rests at the foundation for multisensory integration. The integration of visual, auditory, and tactile inputs in the amygdala may serve social communication by binding together social signals carried by facial expressions, vocalizations, and social grooming. SIGNIFICANCE STATEMENT Our brain continuously decodes information detected by multiple sensory systems. The emotional and social significance of the incoming signals is likely extracted by the amygdala, which receives input from all sensory domains. Here we show that a large portion of neurons in the amygdala respond to stimuli from two or more sensory modalities. The convergence of visual, tactile, and auditory signals at the level of individual neurons in the amygdala establishes a foundation for multisensory integration within this structure. The ability to integrate signals across sensory modalities is critical for social communication and other high-level cognitive functions.
Measurements of cesium mixing and quenching cross sections in methane gas: understanding sources of heating in cesium vapor lasers

Accurate modeling of the operation of diode-pumped alkali lasers is a critical step toward the design of high-powered devices. We present precision measurements for the Cs-CH4 62P3/2 → 62P1/2 mixing cross section and the 62P3/2,1/2 → 62S1/2 quenching cross section, which are important parameters in understanding the operation and, in particular, the heat generated in a cesium vapor laser. Measurements are carried out using ultrafast laser pulse excitation and observation of fluorescence due to collisional excitation transfer in time is done using the technique of time-correlated single-photon counting. Mixing rate measurements are acquired over methane pressures of 10 - 40 Torr, resulting in a Cs-CH4 62P3/2 → 62P1/2 mixing cross section of (1.40 ± 0.08) × 10-15 cm2, while quenching rate measurements are carried out over methane pressures of 500 - 4000 Torr, resulting in a 62P3/2,1/2 → 62S1/2 quenching cross section of (1.57 ± 0.03) × 10-18 cm2. These results suggest only a slight contribution to the heating of a cesium vapor laser is due to Cs 62P quenching, contrary to previous studies. We also discuss additional possible sources of energy transfer from upper excited states of Cs.
Associations Between Stress and Cardiovascular Disease Risk Factors Among Million Hearts Priority Populations.

Purpose:To estimate the effects of stress on hypertension and high cholesterol with a focus on Million Hearts priority populations.Design:A population-based cross-sectional survey on cardiovascular...
The Endocrine Role of Bone in Cardiometabolic Health.

The purpose of this review is to discuss the current knowledge about major bone regulating hormones vitamin D, parathyroid hormone (PTH), estrogen and bone metabolism markers osteocalcin (OC), bone-specific alkaline phosphatase (BAP), N-terminal propeptide of type 1 collagen (P1NP), and c-terminal type 1 collagen (CTX) and their mechanistic effects on cardiometabolic health. Bone regulating hormones, nutrients, and turnover markers influence different aspects of cardiometabolic health including body composition, cardiovascular function, and glycemic control. While most observational research supports a relationship between bone as an endocrine organ and cardiometabolic outcomes, there are limited human clinical trials to strengthen a causal link between the two. While the associations between bone and cardiometabolic health are beginning to be understood based on findings from large observations studies, further exploration of bone’s causal influence on health outcomes in humans and the underlying mechanisms of effect are necessary.
Impact of suicide mortality on life expectancy in the United States, 2011 and 2015: age and sex decomposition.

Abstract Objectives This study examined (1) potential differences in life expectancy when suicide as a cause of death was discounted and (2) suicide's contributions to changes in life expectancy by age group and sex. Methods Data were from the 2011 and 2015 National Violent Death Reporting System on all suicide decedents aged 10 years or older in 17 US states. Life tables were constructed based on the total population and all-cause mortality data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Differences in life expectancy were calculated using Arriaga's decomposition method. Results The numbers of suicide deaths in both 2011 and 2015 were 3–4 times higher among males than females in all age groups. The highest impact for both males and females was in the 55–64 age group, with changes in life expectancy of 1.64 years in 2011 and 1.60 years in 2015 for men, and 1.30 years in 2011 and 1.27 years in 2015 for women. Between 2011 and 2015, the percent change in suicide mortality rates for all age groups was 7.44% in males and 15.72% in females. However, the groups that negatively impacted changes in life expectancy due to significant increases in suicide mortality were males aged 25–34 (22.80%) and 55–64 (15.45%) and females aged 15–19 (34.74%) and 55–64 (23.15%). Eliminating suicide as a cause of death would have increased life expectancy at birth by 1.92 years for males and 1.36 years for females from 2011 to 2015. Conclusions This study updates information on suicide and adds to calls for more effective suicide prevention efforts, especially for older adolescent girls, young men, and middle-aged men and women.
Not So Fast: Geriatric Syndromes Can Be Identified and Intervened upon Prior to Allogeneic Stem Cell Transplantation

Introduction The use of alternative donor sources has led to increased access to allogeneic stem cell transplantation (allo-SCT) for older adults (OA) who are less likely to have healthy siblings able to serve as donors. Reduced intensity conditioning has also increased access to allo-SCT for OA but has not definitively mitigated risk of non-relapse mortality (NRM). Age-related decline in organ function and increasing prevalence of co-morbidities in OA support the need for a comprehensive pre-transplant geriatric assessment (GA) for older adults. GA is prognostic but may also serve to guide pre-transplant optimization efforts. Objectives To describe the prevalence of geriatric syndromes in OA under consideration for allo-SCT and their association with proceeding to allo-SCT. Methods Retrospective study of OA under consideration for allo-SCT evaluated in Cancer and Aging Resiliency (CARE) clinic at Ohio State University from 2016-2018. GA is performed at CARE clinic visit (CCV) and includes physical therapy and audiometric assessments, medication review, and screening for cognitive impairment and psychosocial concerns. Statistical analyses performed include univariable proportional hazard ratio (HR) of proceeding to allo-SCT and Kaplan-Meier survival analyses of overall survival (OS) from CCV and time to allo-SCT from CCV with death treated as competing risk. Results Thirty-four patients were included in analyses, 18 went on to allo-SCT. Median age at CCV was 69.4 years (range: 61.4-76.5). All were non-Hispanic, Caucasian and the majority were male (79%). The most prevalent primary diagnoses were acute leukemia or myelodysplastic syndrome (82%) and 32% had more than one cancer diagnosis. See Table 1 for prevalence of frailty and geriatric syndromes. The median time from primary diagnosis to CCV was 5.2 months (range: 0-93.4). Cumulative incidence of allo-SCT was 30% at 3 months (95% CI: 15-46%) and 48% at 6 months (95% CI: 30-64%) after CCV (figure 1). HR for proceeding to allo-SCT by age, gender, disease, and CARE clinic-identified deficits are presented in Table 2. OS from CCV was 97% at 6 months (95% CI: 80-100%) and 75% at 1 year (95% CI: 46-90%). Median OS has not been reached with median follow-up of 8 months (range: 2.2-15.6). The risk of death in patients who went on to allo-SCT was lower than in those who did not though it did not reach statistical significance (HR: 0.185, 95% CI: 0.019-1.787, p = 0.1447). Conclusions The most commonly encountered geriatric syndromes among older adults under consideration for allo-SCT are reversible. There was a linear increase in incidence of allo-SCT over the first 6 months after CCV indicating that there is a window in which patient deficits can be optimized prior to allo-SCT. Early referral for GA is important to allow time for optimization. Future study is needed to determine the effect of GA-directed intervention on NRM.
Understanding cadets’s evaluation of taste and wellbeing in one food menu from the Brazilian Air Force Academy through word association

A questionnaire was conducted in the field with the cadets of the Brazilian Air Force Academy, and its main objective was to verify their perception of the food provided by the military organization, in order to understand which kinds of food were considered positive and negative foods for wellbeing and their daily physical performance, and how the food supplied affects their routine in any aspect. The research was carried out with 130 participants, through a questionnaire of unstructured qualitative analysis and word association technique. Participants were approached shortly after lunch, inside the mess hall. The results showed that the majority of cadets classified as positive or negative foods in terms of taste and not for their nutritional value. The cadets have also correlated food to physical and mental wellbeing and affirmed that a good meal directly affects their routine.
Novel derivatives of fusarochromanone: potential therapeutic compounds

3975 Fusarochromanone (FC-101a) is a flavinoid produced by the mold, Fusarium equiseti. FC-101a induces tibial dyschondroplasia in young chickens. This activity is the result of powerful anti-angiogenic activity, whereby mold growing on chicken feed produces FC-101a, which inhibits the growth of blood vessels in the developing bones of broiler chicks. FC-101a has an IC50 of 50 nM against human microvascular endothelial cells. Thus it could be a potent anti-angiogenic agent in man as well. It was later discovered that FC-101a also acts directly on cancer cells. The molecule9s anti-cancer potency is best demonstrated by IC50 values of less than 10 nM against both human melanoma and small cell lung cancer in vitro for the induction of apoptosis. Thus, we viewed FC-101a to be an excellent lead candidate for the discovery of new therapeutic agents. Further development of this lead compound as a drug requires that we undertake its total synthesis and a set of new FC-101a analogs that possess similar in vitro activity, but also manifest greater activity in vivo. Our research group has synthesized a number of novel analogs of FC101a and conducted a series of preliminary assays to determine the effect of these analogs on cell viability. We have analyzed human skin squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) cells (SRB12-p9 cell line) and a clone of SRB12-p9 cells that has been stably transfected with a dominant-negative acting form of Stat3 (p9 dn5), human keratinocyte-derived cells (HaCaT cell line), and human breast carcinoma cells (MDA-MB-231 cell line). Surprisingly, most of the FC101a analogs caused an increase in cell viability for all cell lines as determined by the MTT cell viability assay, compared to untreated controls. A time course of treatment of HaCaT cells with 10_M of FC101a analogs further confirmed the positive effect on cell viability. For the seven analogs tested we observed a time dependent increase in cell number for up to 4 days, ranging from 29.8% to 66.7%. Experiments are in progress to determine the mechanism of the enhanced cell viability effect. Fluorescence activated cell sorting (FACS) analysis and apoptosis assays are underway to determine the relative contribution of increased proliferation and/or decreased cell death to the enhanced cell numbers observed for treated cells. In addition, we are exploring the potential anti-angiogenic effect of the analogs.
A Smart Collar for Assessment of Activity Levels and Environmental Conditions for Guide Dogs

This paper demonstrates the design and manufacturing of a smart and connected internet-of-things collar system for the collection of behavioral and environmental information from working canines. The environmental factors of ambient light, ambient temperature, ambient noise levels, barometric pressure and relative humidity are recorded by the smart collar system in addition to behavioral information about barking incidences and activity levels. The data are collected from the sensors and transmitted via Bluetooth to the handler’s smartphone where the custom app also acquires GPS positioning using the on-board smartphone sensors. The stored data on the smartphone are uploaded to the IBM Cloud once the user is connected to a WiFi network. The low power design of the smart collar system permits it to be used continuously for 27 hours with a 290 mAh lithium polymer battery. The cost of the system is low enough to let the handlers have multiple collars and exchange it if needed or recharge it overnight when not in use. This system is currently being scaled up to be tested on hundreds of canine puppies by a preeminent guide dog school in the US. As a result, the design emphasis here has been on the cost and power reduction, comfortable ergonomics, user friendliness, and robustness of data streaming. We expect the system to provide continuous quantitative data for improving guide dog training programs in addition to contributing the well-being of other working dogs in the future.
Fusion Nuclear Science Facility - Advanced Tokamak Option

A Fusion Nuclear Science Facility (FNSF) is necessary to make possible a DEMO of the Advanced Tokamak (AT) type after ITER. One candidate, Fusion Nuclear Science Facility-AT (FNSF-AT), should have ...
A local geometric characterization of the Bochner-Martinelli kernel

In this paper it is shown that a connected smooth local hyper-surface in C n for which the skew-hermitian part of the Bochner-Martinelli kernel has a weak singularity must lie on a surface having one of the following forms: S 2m+1 x C n-m-1 for some 1 < m < n, or C x C n-1 where C is a one-dimensional curve. This strengthens results of Boas about the Bochner-Martinelli kernel and it generalizes a result of Kerzman and Stein about the Cauchy kernel.
"Mar sesgo, viento largo, estrella clara" o la metáfora de la nave de amor en el "Persiles"

Me propongo volver sobre el delicado asunto de la lirica cervantina. El tema ha sido y es objeto de polemica y en el debate que ha generado han terciado ilustres cervantistas. Pero no es mi intencion plantear este complejo problema en su conjunto^ Me limitare a reflexionar sobre el sentido del soneto que anticipo en el titulo, incluido en Los trabajos de Persues y Sigismunda. La actitud de Cervantes hacia la palabra lirica como tambien hacia la palabra novelistica difiere de la de sus contemporaneos. No es infrecuente encontrar composiciones poeticas de una gran calidad literaria insertas en el discurso narrativo pero en las que se produce una ruptura entre el autor-poeta y la palabra poetica. Esta ruptura supone de hecho un distancia del autor que da paso a la reflexion sobre el objeto de representacion artistica. En el Quijote el artificio del autor-narrador interpuesto es uno de los recursos mas productivos de que se sirve Cervantes para introducir la palabra critica. En el Persues, en cambio, el procedimiento es muy distinto, pues el autor se complace una y otra vez en poner a prueba los limites del genero hasta llegar a irritar sus leyes pero sin transgredirlas. El resultado es una actitud distanciada respec-
Distortions of visuotopic map match orientation singularities in primary visual cortex

The map of orientation columns in primary visual cortex (V1) is known to show strong local distortions, with a generally smooth progression of orientation preference across extended regions of cortex, interrupted by sharp jumps (fractures) and point singularities. The map of visual space on V1, in contrast, has been assumed to be locally smooth and isotropic. We find, on the contrary, that the map of visual space on cat V1 shows strong and systematic local distortions in register with inhomogeneities in the orientation map, with the rate of receptive field movement across cortex being largely proportional to the local rate of change of orientation. This suggests possible systematic local variations in the functional connectivity of short-range lateral connections that underlie local cortical processing.
Evolution of alternative sex-determining mechanisms in teleost fishes

We compiled information from the literature on the taxonomic distributions in extant teleost fishes of alternative sex-determination systems: male-heterogametic (XY) gonochorism, female-heterogametic (ZW) gonochorism, hermaphroditism, unisexuality, and environmental dependency. Then, using recently published molecular phylogenies based on whole-genomic or partial mitochondrial DNA sequences, we inferred the histories and evolutionary transitions between these reproductive modes by employing maximum parsimony and maximum likelihood methods of phylogenetic character mapping. Across a broad teleost phylogeny involving 25 taxonomic orders, a highly patchy distribution of different sex-determination mechanisms was uncovered, implying numerous transitions between alternative modes, but this heterogeneity also precluded definitive statements about ancestral states for most clades. Closer inspection of family-level and genus-level phylogenies within each of four orders further bolstered the conclusion that shifts in sex-determining modes are evolutionarily frequent and involve a variety of distinct ancestral-descendant pathways. For possible reasons discussed herein, the evolutionary lability of sex-determining modes in fishes contrasts strikingly with the evolutionary conservatism of sex determination within both mammals and birds. © 2006 The Linnean Society of London, Biological Journal of the Linnean Society, 2006, 87, 83–93.
Introduction to Japanese Politics

Introduction to Japanese Politics, now in its fully updated sixth edition, is a comprehensive and current review of political and public policy developments in Japan. Since the previous edition, Japan’s economic policy has undergone significant change with a prolonged period of deflation having altered the dynamics of the Japanese economy. At the same time, the Abe administration has expanded Japan’s international security participation, previously limited by the constitution, while China’s activities in the South China Sea have impinged upon Japan’s territorial claims. This classic introduction to the Japanese political system has been revised and fully updated in this sixth edition to take into account these widespread changes in the country's political life. Building on the structure and content of the previous edition, this new edition covers: An overview of Japan's geographical setting and history Japan’s political institutions, processes, and actors Recent organizational, ideological, and policy changes in the LDP since its return to power The country's distinctive social order and its educational, healthcare, and public safety systems The increasingly contentious realm of foreign relations and security issues, including China's expanding role and the effect of North Korea’s development of nuclear weapons. This broad-ranging textbook continues to be essential reading for students of Japanese politics, international politics and Japanese studies.
Electron Collisions in Gas Switches

Many technologies rely on the conduction/insulation properties1 of gaseous matter for their successful operation.2 Many others (e.g., pulsed power technologies) rely on the rapid change (switching or modulation) of the properties of gaseous matter from an insulator to a conductor and vice versa.2 Studies of electron collision processes in gases aided the development of pulsed power gas switches, and in this paper we shall briefly illustrate the kind of knowledge on electron collision processes which is needed to optimize the performance of such switching devices. To this end, we shall refer to three types of gas switches: (i) spark gap closing, (ii) self-sustained diffuse discharge closing, and (iii) externally-sustained diffuse discharge opening. The desirable properties and characteristics of these three types of switches are listed in Table 1, along with the required properties of the gaseous medium. Table 1 Desirable Rnaracrerisfics of and Gas Pliysical Propertiesi/Processes for Lllree Types of Gas Switches Type of Switch Switch Characteristics Gas Physical Properties/Processes A. Spark Gap Closing • High Power - Effic iency - Repetition Rate • Fast Recovery - Closing/Opening Control of Closing/ Opening Time • Good insulator in hold-offs tage and good conductor in closing stage [large (E/N)lim: low(E/N)conduc~ tion] • Short formative time lag • Large ka( ) which decreases with T (Cas id strong;y electron attaching when cold (~ 300K) and weakly attaching or nonattaching when awrm) • Steep increase of ā/N with E/N around (E/N)lim B. Diffuse Discharge Closing (Self- Sustained) • Optical Modification of Conduction/Insula- tion Properties • Good Discharge Stability (to~ 100 ns) for B • Good insulator in hold-off stage and good conductor in closing stage [large (E/N)lim: low (E/N)conduc~ tion] • Long diffuse discharge conduetion time • ka( ) (large: high-energy onset: decreases with T) • Slow-varying ā/N (E/N) near (E/N)lim • Delicate dependencies of α/N and η/N on E/N C. Diffuse Discharge Opening (Externally- Sustained) • Good conductor in closing stage (low E/N) and good insulator in opening stage (high E/N) • ka(E/N) small at low E/N and large at high E/N • w large fur (E/N)conduction and low at high E/N (negative dif-) ferential conductivity) • Optical modification of conuction/ insulation • High efficiency of electron produc- tion by external means
Nostalgia, emprendedorismo y redención: modelos discursivos sobre la universidad

In this work we maintain that upon making the decision to support or reject certain policies on higher education, people tend to use archetypal ways of thinking that go beyond mere Cartesian rationality, also applying archetypal forms of understanding. Recent studies in a variety of disciplines support that in order to understand decision-making processes, attention must be paid to those aspects controlled consciously, as well as those that do not reflect Cartesian rationality models. This research uses the notion of “Prototypes” (Lakoff, 1987) and the perspective of critical discourse analysis (Fairclough, 1995a y 1995b) to identify and understand the conceptual category “university”, published in three influential newspapers in the United States of America during a period pf 26 years. More than 1000 editorials and opinion articles were analyzed and made it possible to identify three prototypes about universities: academic nostalgia (which still exists but is not predominant), educational entrepreneurship (prevails, in positive as in negative mentions), and redeeming educational consumerism (emerging trend).