cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Experiments in numerical error control for sound propagation in a 2D jet using a damping layer and nonreflecting outer boundaries

This paper reports numerical experiments for propagating a continuous acoustic pressure signal by means of the linearized Euler equations with both a uniform flow and a parallel jet as the base or mean flow. The numerical domain is embedded in a surrounding damping layer, and the outer boundaries of the damping layer are treated with weak Giles type nonreflecting boundary conditions that are introduced in this paper as interpolation constraints. We view this combination of the damping layer with the nonreflecting outer boundary conditions as the complete boundary treatment. The issue that is being addressed is not the accuracy of the numerical solution when compared to a mathematical solution, which would be improved by grid refinement, but the effect of the complete boundary treatment on the numerical solution, and to what degree the error from the complete boundary treatment can be controlled. These computational experiments show that the weak boundary conditions are stable, and the complete boundary tr...
Application of Ensemble Machines of Neural Networks to Chromosome Classification

This work presents approaches to the automatic classification of metaphase chromosomes using several perceptron neural network techniques on neural networks function as committee machines. To represent the banding patterns, only chromosome gray level profiles are exploited. The other inputs to the ensemble machines of the network are the chromosome size and centromeric index. It is shown that, without much effort, the classification performances of the four networks are found to be similar to the ones of a well-developed parametric classifier. Four parallel networks trained for the four different aspects of the data set, the gray level profile vector, Fourier coefficients of gray level profiles, 3D data of chromosome length – centromeric index – total gray levels, and 4D data obtained by the addition of average gray levels. Then the classification results of differently trained neural networks (i.e., experts), are combined by the use of a genuine ensemble-averaging to produce an overall output by the combiner. We discuss the flexibility of the classifier developed, its potential for development, and how it may be improved to suit the current needs in karyotyping.
Dipteran Predation on the Arboreal Eggs of Four Hyperolius Frog Species in Western Uganda

Abstract I investigated seasonal predation on arboreal egg masses of four hyperoliid frogs by larvae of ephydrid and phorid flies in the Kibale National Park, Uganda. The egg masses of Hyperolius lateralis, H. cinnamomeoventris, H. platyceps, and H. kivuensis were all vulnerable to dipteran predation. Frequency of predation varied considerably among species, ranging from 61% for H. lateralis to 17.5% for H. kivuensis. Inoculation experiments demonstrated that ephydrid larvae cause high embryonic mortality within a clutch (25–97%) and that fly infestation results in significantly smaller hatching size for surviving tadpoles. Hyperolius reproduction and egg predation rates varied seasonally. Predators were selective during the wet seasons when frog breeding activity was highest, preferentially selecting H. lateralis and H. cinnamomeoventris and avoiding H. kivuensis clutches. Fly predation was random during the dry season. High clutch infestation rates and within-clutch mortality suggest that predation by d...
Creating a product to increase internal motivation to use technology in the classroom

Thesis (Ph.D.)--Wichita State University, College of Liberal Arts and Sciences, Dept. of Psychology
Combining taxonomy and function in the study of stream macroinvertebrates

Over the last fifty years, research on freshwater macroinvertebrates has been driven largely by the state of the taxonomy of these animals. In the great majority of studies conducted during the 2000s macroinvertebrates have been operationally defined by investigators as invertebrates retained by a 250 μ mesh in field sampling devices. Significant advances have been and continue to be made in developing ever more refined keys to macroinvertebrate groups. The analysis by function is a viable alternative when advances in macroinvertebrate ecological research is restricted by the level of detail in identifications. Focus on function, namely adaptations of macroinvertebrates to habitats and the utilization of food resources, has facilitated ecological evaluation of freshwater ecosystems (Functional feeding groups; FFG). As the great stream ecologist Noel Hynes observed, aquatic insects around the world exhibit similar morphologies and behaviors, even though they are in very different taxonomic groups. This is the basis for the FFG analysis that was initially developed in the early 1970s. FFG analysis applies taxonomy only to the level of detail that allows assignment to one of six FFG categories: scrapers adapted to feed on periphyton, detrital shredders adapted to feed on coarse (CPOM) riparian-derived plant litter that has been colonized by microbes, herbivore shredders that feed on live, rooted aquatic vascular plants, filtering collectors adapted to remove fine particle detritus (FPOM) from the water column, gathering collectors adapted to feed on FPOM where it is deposited on surfaces or in crevices in the sediments, and predators that capture live prey. The interacting roles of these FFGs in stream ecosystems were originally depicted in a conceptual model. Thus, there are a limited number of adaptations exhibited by stream macroinvertebrates that exploit these habitats and food resources. This accounts for the wide range of macroinvertebrate taxa in freshwater ecosystems found in different geographical settings that are represented by a much smaller number of FFGs. An example of the generality of the functional group concept is the presence of detrital shredders that are dependent upon riparian plant litter inputs being found in essentially all forested streams world-wide ( e.g ., across the USA and Canada, Chile, Brazil, West Africa, New Zealand, Australia, Japan, Thailand; Cummins, unpublished ). Freshwater macroinvertebrate taxonomic determinations, especially at the species level, may be the best basis for developing specific indices of pollution (tolerance values in ecological tables). However, the FFG method appears to provide better indicators of overall freshwater ecosystem condition.
Light responses ofBeggiatoa

Studies on nativeBeggiatoa demonstrated diel vertical migration into, and out of, sediments at the bottom of warm spring pools. Laboratory experiments withBeggiatoa in natural sediments suggested that high light was the cause of the downward movement. The nature of this presumed photomotion was clarified by microscopic observation of individual filaments of nativeBeggiatoa at light/dark boundaries where the light was varied in intensity and quality. Using “white light”, a negative photo-response was demonstrated, and a dose-response curve was constructed which indicates an increasing response to light over three orders of magnitude of intensity. A coarse action spectrum implicated a pigment with a peak in the blue region as the receptor. Pure culture studies showed the negative response to be a step-up phobic one. The light intensity increase necessary to invoke reversals was a smaller percentage of the initial intensity for higher initial intensities. The light intensity levels and gradient strengths necessary to evoke reversals in single filaments were consistent with the hypothesis that the step-up response accounts for the disappearance in the field. This response has adaptive significance since full sunlight was completely inhibitory toBeggiatoa growth, even when filaments were aggregated in tufts. Dilute suspensions were also inhibited by as little as 5000 lux (fluorescent lamps).
The Paradigm of the Paradox: Women, Pregnant Women, and the Unequal Burdens of the Zika Virus Pandemic

The Zika pandemic provides biomedical scientists, clinicians, public health advocates, and governments a unique opportunity to advance reproductive justice by addressing the paradoxes outlined in this essay. The circumstances in which pregnancies occur are morally relevant to women’s reproductive life decisions, to the provision of reproductive health care, and to the development of reproductive health policy. Whether the Zika pandemic might foster context-driven reproductive pandemic planning and response is yet to be determined. Maintaining the status quo will surely increase a range of global health disparities and further stratify reproduction, producing predictable and preventable outcomes in which some people receive the necessary care and resources to achieve family building while others are neglected. Women and men should be able to count on biomedical researchers to answer the questions that need answering without undue influence from political agendas. Women should be able to continue pregnancies and count on public health assistance and help for children with Zika-related disabilities, or prevent or end a Zika-affected pregnancy. Pandemic responses that don’t further these ends are morally unacceptable.
Fully Automated Neuropsychological Assessment for Detecting Mild Cognitive Impairment.

We present an end-to-end system for automatically scoring spoken responses to a narrative recall test administered to seniors when screening for cognitive impairment. In Wechsler Logical Memory (WLM) test, a patient listens to a brief narrative, then retells the story once immediately and again after a brief delay. We transcribe the retellings automatically using an ASR system, align the transcripts to the source narrative, extract features that replicate the standard clinical scoring method, and then use the features for automatic assessment using a classifier. On a test corpus of 72 subjects, we empirically evaluate different ASR adaptation strategies and analyze the errors with respect to clinical assessment. Despite imperfect recognition, the system presented here yields classification accuracy comparable to that of manually assigned scores. Our results show that automatic assessment of neuropsychological tests such as the WLM is practical for screening large cohorts.
Screening Effective Target Sites on mRNA: A Ribozyme Library Approach

Hammerhead ribozymes have been extensively used as RNA-inactivating agents for therapy as well as forward genomics. A ribozyme can be designed so as to specifically pair with virtually any target RNA, and cleave the phosphodiester backbone at a specified location, thereby functionally inactivating the RNA. Two major factors that determine whether ribozymes will be effective for posttranscriptional gene silencing are colocalization of the ribozyme and the target RNAs, and the choice of an appropriate target site on the mRNA. Complex secondary structures and the ability to bind to some of the cellular proteins mandate that some RNA sequences could stearically occlude binding of RNA-based antivirals like ribozymes to these sites. The use of ribozyme libraries in cell culture factors in these interactions to select for target sites on the RNA, which are more accessible to RNA-based antivirals like ribozymes or siRNA. This chapter provides a useful guide toward using ribozyme libraries to screen for effective target sites on mRNA.
Sex differences in claimed and behavioral self-handicapping and ADHD symptomatology in emerging adults

Although the research is clear that boys with ADHD have higher symptomatology and impairment than girls with ADHD, for adults the research is mixed. Some studies suggest no sex differences, whereas others suggest that women might have higher symptomatology and impairment. The present study examined sex differences in ADHD symptomatology and impairment, and the possible role of claimed and behavioral self-handicapping as an explanation for any differences. Claimed self-handicapping (CSH) involves reports of performance-inhibiting conditions, whereas behavioral self-handicapping (BSH) involves reporting more objective, intentional acts that could undermine performance. College students (N = 699) completed an online study. Sex differences were found for hyperactivity such that women reported higher levels, but not for inattention or impairment. The test of the indirect effect of sex through CSH was significant, suggesting that higher levels of CSH in women were associated with elevated ADHD symptoms and impairment. The test of the indirect effect of sex through BSH was also significant, suggesting that higher levels of BSH in men are associated with elevated symptoms of ADHD and impairment. These data extend the literature by suggesting that self-handicapping might at least partially explain differential self-reporting of ADHD symptoms and impairment in emerging adults across the sexes.
IMPROVED HELICOPTER EXTERNAL-SLING-LOAD CAPABILITY

Abstract : Helicopters flying with various external loads have experienced situations wherein the load became so unstable that either the load had to be released or the speed had to be reduced drastically. A solution to the greater part of this external-load problem was found in the design of a new sling harness, commonly referred to as a swing. This swing, by virtue of its kinematics, raises the effective point-of-loadATTACHMENT CLOSER TO THE CENTER OF GRAVITY OF THE HELICOPTER. Tests were conducted on the H-21, H-34, and H-37 helicopters. Results showed that the swing system eliminated or so reduced the moments exerted on the helicopter by the external load that high forward speeds are permitted. Offset lifting and high-speed turns and stops can also be performed as routine maneuvers.
Sacred Genealogies: Spiritualities, Materiality and the Limits of Western Feminist Frames

After a turbulent period during which feminist studies disavowed ecofeminism, the field is finding new popularity with strains that have made their way into gender and sustainable development studies and new material feminisms. To do so, they have had to evacuate all traces of spirituality. This essay reviews the circumstances under which spiritual ecofeminisms fell from favor before turning to theologians, religious studies scholars, and Chicana feminist theorists and artists for whom spirituality plays a central role. It asks: how can we take spirituality and religion seriously again in ecofeminism? Is there room to respect spirituality even in feminist environmental safe houses, whether socialist and development oriented or science-infused new material approaches? This essay concludes with artist Amalia Mesa-Bains’s installations as a case study to illustrate what Chicana environmentalisms could teach us about materiality and spirituality within a decolonial framework.
Data processing and algorithm development for the WFIRST coronagraph: comparison of RDI and ADI strategies and impact of spatial sampling on post-processing

Direct detection and characterization of mature giant or sub-Neptune exoplanets in the visible will require space- based instruments optimized for high-contrast imaging with contrasts of 10-9. In this context, the coronagraph instrument (CGI) on the Wide-Field Infrared Survey Telescope (WFIRST) will reach raw contrasts of about 10-8 or better using state-of-the-art starlight suppression and wavefront control techniques. A ten-fold contrast improvement is therefore required using post-processing techniques in order to detect 10-9 planets from speckles. Post-processing techniques that are successful on both ground-based and space-based instruments need to be validated at such high contrast levels. In this communication, we investigate speckle subtraction techniques for different observation strategies and hardware parameters on WFIRST-like simulated images in the presence of deformable mirrors and an hybrid lyot coronagraph (HLC). We compare the contrast gain after post-processing in both speckle-noise and photon-noise dominated regimes for two different observing scenarios: the reference star differential imaging (RDI) and the angular differential imaging (ADI). We find that the ADI observing strategy is more robust to speckle and photon noises than the RDI observing strategy, enabling up to a threefold gain with respect to the latter. Thus, we recommend that the telescope be able to roll by at least 13° off nominal. We investigated the impact of spatial sampling on post-processed sensitivity, in the context of design trade studies for the Integral Field Spectrograph (IFS) component of the instrument. Our preliminary results suggest that the spatial sampling can be halved from the baseline sampling rate (~4 lenslets per λ/D) without any degradation in final contrast, thereby reducing the integration time required for spectroscopic characterization. In the speckle-noise dominated regime, we also find that at Nyquist sampling or higher, sub-pixel reference- to-target offsets have a negligible impact on the level of residual speckles after post-processing.
Efficacy of chlorine dioxide gas sachets for enhancing the microbiological quality and safety of blueberries.

In response to increasingly stringent microbial specifications being imposed by purchasers of frozen blueberries, chlorine dioxide (ClO2) gas generated by a dry chemical sachet was assessed for inactivation of Listeria monocytogenes, Salmonella spp., and Escherichia coli O157:H7 as well as five yeasts and molds known for blueberry spoilage. Fresh blueberry samples (100 g) were separately inoculated with cocktails of L. monocytogenes, Salmonella, E. coli O157:H7 (three strains each), or yeasts and molds (five strains each) to contain ∼106 CFU/g and exposed to ClO2 (4 mg/liter, 0.16 mg/g) for 12 h in a sealed 20-liter container (99.9% relative humidity) at ∼22°C. After gassing, 25 g of blueberries was added to 225 ml of neutralizing buffer, pulsified for 1 min, and plated using standard procedures to quantify survivors. This treatment yielded reductions of 3.94, 3.62, 4.25, 3.10, and 3.17 log CFU/g for L. monocytogenes, Salmonella, E. coli O157:H7, yeasts, and molds, respectively. Thereafter, 30 lugs of uni...
Kinome and Druggable Genome Vulnerabilities in Multiple Myeloma Identified by Systematic RNA Interference Screening.

We have conducted systematic small interfering RNA (siRNA) lethality screening of the kinome and “druggable genome” in human myeloma cell lines (HMCL) to functionally generate a comprehensive map of critical genes and vulnerabilities in human myeloma tumors. KMS11 human myeloma cells were screened with both an 1800 oligo (639 gene) siRNA library targeting the kinome and with a 13,984 oligo (6,791 gene) library targeting the druggable genome in duplicate using optimized conditions that resulted in >95% transfection efficiency and 50 somatic tissues in which they are absent or only weakly expressed. The extent to which the kinome vulnerabilities identified in KMS11 occur in other HMCL was assessed by tertiary siRNA screening and by lentiviral shRNA techniques. More than 75% of kinases vulnerable in KMS11 cells are recurrently vulnerable in other myeloma tumor lines. Secondary validation studies of all genomic vulnerabilities identified from the much larger siRNA lethality screen of the druggable genome in myeloma cells is ongoing, however, to date 134 genes have been validated as essential myeloma survival factors during primary screening by concordant lethality of 2/2 independent siRNA (compared with an expected rate due to chance of n<1 genes). Significantly, proteosome subunits and specific ubiquitin ligases number amongst the most potently lethal genomic vulnerabilities in KMS11. Overall, this attempt to systematically and functionally document all genetic vulnerabilities in myeloma provides a strong rational impetus for the development of novel therapies that optimally target susceptibilities inherent within myeloma tumors.
Collaborative problem solving and achievement in a Discrete-Time Signals and Systems course

Aggregated research evidence suggests that active learning and student-centered instruction are positively associated with student achievement; however, context-specific studies in engineering classes indicated inconsistent results. To further investigate the effects of classroom environment and the amount of active learning on student achievement, we conducted a quasi-experimental study. We compared student achievement in two Discrete-Time Signals and Systems classes: one taught in an active and collaborative environment, and one taught in a lecture classroom. To assess student learning, we used three exams and the Signals and Systems Concept Inventory. The results showed that students in the lecture classroom outperformed their peers in the active classroom on midterm 1 but scored lower on midterm 2. No difference was found in performance on the final exam and the concept inventory. Additionally, for the active classroom, we examined students' attitudes towards the classroom environment, as the literature suggests that this factor may contribute to achievement. However, no relationship was found between attitudes and student achievement.
Microcredit in International Development

The institution of microcredit represents a new and effective form of developmental assistance. Microcredit succeeds by putting money directly in the hands of the poor, adapting to their unique cultures, and stimulating personal empowerment. Although not a panacea for economic disparity, microlending holds a great potential for alleviating poverty when coupled with more traditional aid programs and the forces of globalization.
Science Underlying Radioactive Waste Management: Status and Needs

The technical system constitutes a major — but not necessarily determinative — component of the national plan (or system) for radioactive waste management (RWM). This technical RWM system can be conveniently divided into four subsystems: Storage; Radionuclide Immobilization; Isolation and Post Emplacement. It is essential to consider the interactions among these four subsystems in designing any system. Of these, the first and last have not been given much consideration and their role is delineated herein. Of the middle subsystems, up to 1978 the system designers have relied essentially exclusively on the Isolation subsystem (i.e., removal from the biosphere in a mine or seabed, preventing migration of ions, etc.). History has shown that technically this strategy has proved unacceptable. In the last two years the role of the solid waste form and thence the entire radionuclide immobilization subsystem has assumed a much more significant role. Indeed, it will be shown that recent research results give grounds for hope that this subsystem may carry most of the burden of proof of acceptable and verifiable removal of radionuclides from the biosphere. Recent research results which made some of this possible will be discussed, and indications provided where new science is needed in all four subsystems.
Doxorubicin as an unusual cause of organizing pneumonia

Organizing pneumonia is a syndrome that is characterized by respiratory illness that can be severe and life threatening. There are several well-well known causes of organizing pneumonia, including infections, environmental exposures and drugs. More specifically, there are several chemotherapeutic agents that are associated with organizing pneumonia. In addition, a very common cause is exposure to radiation in the context of radiation therapy in the treatment of breast cancer. However, in the presented case, a female with breast cancer was treated with doxorubicin in the absence of radiation therapy and developed organizing pneumonia. The cause was thought to be secondary to doxorubicin. Previously, there has only been one reported case of organizing pneumonia secondary to doxorubicin. This poses the question that perhaps drug induced organizing pneumonia, specifically secondary to chemotherapeutic agents, is more common than previously reported and the association with radiation therapy may be overestimated.
Reviews of Infra-Red Spectroscopy and Molecular Structure; A Guide to Information Sources in Mining, Minerals, and Geosciences

Reviews of Infra-Red Spectroscopy and Molecular Structure and A Guide to Information Sources in Mining, Minerals, and Geosciences.
Development of Frankliniella Species (Thysanoptera:Thripidae) in Relation to Microclimatic Temperatures in Vetch

Continuous generations of Frankliniella occidentalis (Pergande) and F. fusca (Hinds) develop through the winter and spring in northern Florida on plant hosts such as hairy vetch, Vicia villosa Roth. Previously reported research compared development under field conditions of these thrips to predictions of temperature-dependent developmental models obtained in laboratory experiments and concluded that accumulated degree-days of ambient temperatures recorded at a nearby national weather station underestimated development of populations developing under field conditions. Thus, the objective of this study was to compare ambient temperatures to microclimate temperatures in V. villosa plots and its effect on thrips development. An electronic data logger was used in this experiment to continuously record over 63 d ambient, upper plant canopy, middle plant height, lower plant height, and soil temperatures in plots of V. villosa. The microclimatic temperatures and their degree-day accumulations, based on daily maxi...
Extracting Drug-Drug Interactions with Word and Character-Level Recurrent Neural Networks

Drug-drug interactions (DDIs) are known to be responsible for nearly a third of all adverse drug reactions. Hence several current efforts focus on extracting signal from EMRs to prioritize DDIs that need further exploration. To this end, being able to extract explicit mentions of DDIs in free text narratives is an important task. In this paper, we explore recurrent neural network (RNN) architectures to detect and classify DDIs from unstructured text using the DDIExtraction dataset from the SemEval 2013 (task 9) shared task. Our methods are in line with those used in other recent deep learning efforts for relation extraction including DDI extraction. However, to our knowledge, we are the first to investigate the potential of character-level RNNs (Char-RNNs) for DDI extraction (and relation extraction in general). Furthermore, we explore a simple but effective model bootstrapping method to (a). build model averaging ensembles, (b). derive confidence intervals around mean micro-F scores (MMF), and (c). assess the average behavior of our methods. Without any rule based filtering of negative examples, a popular heuristic used by most earlier efforts, we achieve an MMF of 69.13. By adding simple replicable heuristics to filter negative instances we are able to achieve an MMF of 70.38. Furthermore, our best ensembles produce micro F-scores of 70.81 (without filtering) and 72.13 (with filtering), which are superior to metrics reported in published results. Although Char-RNNs turnout to be inferior to regular word based RNN models in overall comparisons, we find that ensembling models from both architectures results in nontrivial gains over simply using either alone, indicating that they complement each other.
In-vivo tests of an inductively powered miniaturized neural stimulator

This work introduces the smallest wirelessly powered neural implant to date. We provide experiment verification by successfully stimulating the sciatic nerve of a rat. Power is deliverd over a 1.7 GHz inductive link at a distance of 0.5 cm. A method is also proposed to generate biphasic current pulses without the use of a controller. The entire system is fabricated in a 0.13 μm CMOS process and occupies merely 180 μm × 180 μm.
Photocatalytically Active Superstructures of Quantum Dots and Iron Porphyrins for Reduction of CO2 to CO in Water

This paper describes the use of electrostatic assemblies of negatively charged colloidal CuInS2/ZnS quantum dot (QD) sensitizers and positively charged, trimethylamino-functionalized iron tetraphenylporphyrin catalysts (FeTMA) to photoreduce CO2 to CO in water upon illumination with 450 nm light. This system achieves a turnover number (TON) of CO (per FeTMA) of 450 after 30 h of illumination, with a selectivity of 99%. Its sensitization efficiency (TON per Joule of photons absorbed) is a factor of 11 larger than the previous record for photosensitization of an iron porphyrin catalyst for this reaction, held by a system in which both QDs and metal porphyrin were uncharged. Steady-state and time-resolved optical spectroscopy provides evidence for electrostatic assembly of QDs and FeTMA. Control of the size of the assemblies with addition of a screening counterion, K+, and a correlation between their measured size and their catalytic activity, indicates that the enhancement in performance of this system over the analogous uncharged system is due to the proximity of the FeTMA catalyst to multiple light-absorbing QDs and the selective formation of QD-FeTMA contacts (rather than QD-QD or FeTMA-FeTMA contacts). This system therefore shows the ability to funnel photoinduced electrons to a reaction center, which is crucial for carrying out reactions that require multistep redox processes under low photon flux, and thus is an important advance in developing artificial photocatalytic systems that function in natural light.
Transcriptional factor ICER promotes glutaminolysis and the generation of Th17 cells.

Glutaminolysis is a well-known source of energy for effector T cells but its contribution to each T cell subset and the mechanisms which are responsible for the control of involved metabolic enzymes are not fully understood. We report that Th17 but not Th1, Th2, or Treg cell induction in vitro depends on glutaminolysis and the up-regulation of glutaminase 1 (Gls1), the first enzyme in the glutaminolysis pathway. Both pharmacological and siRNA-based selective inhibition of Gls1 reduced in vitro Th17 differentiation and reduced the CD3/TCR-mediated increase of the mammalian target of rapamycin complex 1 activity. Treatment of mice with a Gls1 inhibitor ameliorated experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis. Furthermore, RAG1-deficient mice that received Gls1-shRNA–transfected 2D2 T cells had reduced experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis scores compared with those that received control-shRNA–treated cells. Next we found that T cells deficient in inducible cAMP early repressor (ICER), a transcriptional factor known to promote Th17 differentiation, display reduced activity of oxidative phosphorylation rates in the presence of glutamine and reduced Gls1 expression, both of which could be restored by ICER overexpression. Finally, we demonstrate that ICER binds to the gls1 promoter directly and increases its activity. These findings demonstrate the importance of glutaminolysis in the generation of Th17 and the direct control of Gls1 activity by the IL-17–promoting transcription factor ICER. Pharmaceutical modulation of the glutaminolysis pathway should be considered to control Th17-mediated pathology.
Diasporic jeliya as a collaborative trade in New York City

In Mali, Guinea, and Senegal, the term jeliya denotes the traditional art of praise singing as practiced by only male and female hereditary musicians (jeliw and jelimusow). The jeli or griot is a verbal artist whose profession or practice requires a specific set of oral skills. Instrumentalists accompany vocalists on hereditary instruments such as the balafon (xylophone) and kora (harp) and play a subordinate role to them. In New York City (hereafter referred to simply as New York), however, jeliya has become a collaborative trade with all participants - griot and non-griot - benefiting from their involvement. The practice of the jeli has evolved to include styles of presentation and performance that place a greater emphasis upon instrumental playing (foli) in order to make jeliya more accessible to non-griot musicians and audiences. Above all, like other west African hereditary migrant traders in New York, jeliw broker their art as a musical practice in order to reach new sources of patronage. For them, jeliya can be commodified in the form of CDs to be bought and sold or inspire various types of collaboration with non-griot musicians, while it retains its original meaning(s) and significance as a verbal art in traditional environments. As a collaborative trade, diasporic jeliya embodies varying degrees of innovation and hybridity, which emerge in several types of collaborative relationship and in various contexts.
Anatomy and Surgical Approach of the Ear and Temporal Bone

The temporal bone is one of the more complex structures at the skull base that houses the hearing and vestibular organs, numerous nerves, and vessels. A host of inflammatory and neoplastic processes can occur within the temporal bone that often necessitate permanent and frozen section pathologic examination. A number of simple to complex surgical procedures are used to manage temporal bone pathology. This chapter will provide a brief overview of normal temporal bone anatomy, common surgical approaches, normal histology, and indications for pathologic examination.
Human Factors-Based Mobile Application Design for Global Health.

Background. The rapid adoption of smartphones and software applications (apps) has become prevalent worldwide, making these technologies nearly universally available. Low-cost mobile health (M-heal...
Study of metallic thin films on epoxy matrix as protective barrier to ultraviolet radiation

Abstract Epoxy based composites are widely being used in aviation, automotive and construction industries due to their high strength and stiffness to weight ratios and good electrochemical corrosion resistance properties. During their exposure to harsh environmental conditions such as ultraviolet (UV) radiation and high temperature, the epoxy matrix suffers significant degradation leading to detrimental effects on the mechanical properties of the entire composite. In this study the benefits of application of thin metallic films that can act as protective barriers to UV radiation's damaging effects on the epoxy are evaluated. Aluminum, copper, titanium and zirconium coatings are deposited on the epoxy substrates using high vacuum DC magnetron sputtering technique. All metallic coatings provided protection to the epoxy substrate exposed to UV radiation where the aluminum offered the highest and zirconium the least amount of protection.
School Psychology and Mental Health Interventions in the United Kingdom: Educating Education in Mental Health.

The roots of educational psychology can be traced back to mental health. Some recent national and government publications have focused attention upon mental health services for children and adolesc...
In-hospital Outcomes and Characteristics of Heart Failure in Sickle Cell Disease.

Sickle cell disease (SCD) predominantly affects African-Americans (AAs) in the United States (US). Due to increasing life expectancy in developed countries, SCD-associated cardiomyopathy is typically seen in adults. The aim of this study was to distinguish hospitalization for this phenotype from traditional heart failure (HF) in AAs. We used the National Inpatient Sample (NIS) database to identify HF hospitalizations in AAs between 2005 and 2014 and stratified them according to SCD status. We compared the characteristics and outcomes before and after matching in a 1:3 ratio for age, gender, insurance, smoking status and admission year. Amongst the 1,195,718 HF admissions in AAs, SCD accounted for 7835. The age (mean ± SD) in the SCD cohort was significantly younger (45.66 ± 13.2) vs non-SCD (64.8 ± 15.2), p<0.001. SCD adults had significantly higher rates of pulmonary hypertension (PH), deep vein thrombosis, and pulmonary embolism while non-SCD adults had higher rates of cardiogenic shock and respiratory failure requiring intubation. The national hospitalization rate for HF in AAs increased from 151 to 257 per million between 2005 and 2011 before declining to 241 per million in 2014. There was a decrease in in-hospital mortality in AAs from 4.8% in 2005 to 3.6% in 2014. We also identified independent predictors of in-hospital mortality in SCD with HF. In conclusion, we described hospitalizations for an emerging heart failure phenotype in AAs. Although there is a national decreasing rate of HF hospitalizations in the US, this may not be reflective of the AA population.
Side-Channel Attack Resilient Design of a 10T SRAM Cell in 7nm FinFET Technology

The non-invasive Side-Channel Attacks (SCA) for integrated circuits have been a concern for many years and Leakage Power Analysis (LPA) is among the leading threats for the IC security. For SRAM blocks, LPA would exploit the correlation between data in memory cell and its corresponding leakage power, and possibly decrypt the secret key inside the memory of crypto-systems. This paper proposes a new SRAM design countering against LPA, based on a recent low-power single-ended 9T cell design. Leakage balance issue for the 9T cell is discussed and a new cell design is presented. Simulation results confirm that the proposed SRAM cell preserves the advantages from the 9T design and have a well-balanced leakage behavior preventing against SCA.
Rating Japan’s Readiness for an Evolving Digital Economy

Japan seems a complicated place, especially in the context of imagining its future. A generation ago, it was poised to rival the United States as the dominant economic force in the world (Vogel E Reimagining Japan: The quest for a future that works. Viz Media, San Francisco, 2011). Today, it remains one of the three largest economies in the world, despite much of the Western world having spent years anticipating its steady decline due to a plethora of problems. These range from a national debt that more than doubles its GDP, to the world’s most elderly population (median age > 46), which demographers project (Smallwood S Dynamic demographic analysis, population studies, Taylor and Francis Online 71(1):135–137, 2017) will shrink from its peak of 128 million in 2015 to below 100 million by 2050, to natural disasters like the 2011 tsunami, to many choices that outsiders perceive as self-inflicted constraints on remaining a global power – a tolerance for corruption (Tepco, Olympus, etc.), the yakuza, language limitations, and consequences of culture.
A NONLINEAR TWO-LAYER CYLINDRICAL MODEL DESCRIBING THE ELASTIC PROPERTIES OF CAROTID ARTERIES

Publisher Summary This chapter discusses a nonlinear two-layer cylindrical model to describe the elastic properties of carotid arteries. The arterial wall deforms when external forces act on its surface. If the wall is assumed to be elastic, then the work necessary to produce the deformation is stored inside the wall as potential energy. The model appears to provide an improved insight into the nonlinear stress-strain relationships of the multi-composite arterial wall. The chapter illustrates the graphs for both the one- and two-layer models. The graphs show the considerable advantages of the two-layer model. This improvement is accomplished despite the fact that only four parameters are needed in the two-layer model as compared to seven or more parameters in the one layer model. The two-layer model appears to be superior to one-layer models in several ways. It describes the elastic properties in the physiologic pressure range more accurately, it employs simple polynomials with only one coefficient for the media and three coefficients for the adventitia, and it delivers more realistic stress-strain distributions inside the arterial wall.
A Polynomial Chaos-based Approach to Quantify Uncertainties of Correlated Renewable Energy Sources in Voltage Regulation

Renewable energy sources (RESs) and flexible loads have introduced significant uncertainties in the operation and control of power systems especially voltage regulation at the distribution system level. Assessing the impacts of uncertainties on power system behavior and response has become a key factor for modern power system operation and planning. Although several probabilistic methods have been used for quantifying uncertainties such as Monte Carlo simulation and perturbation techniques, they are computationally expensive and cannot be directly embedded in power system models. Also, the existence of more than one source of randomization requires complicated correlation models via intensive statistical approaches. To overcome the aforementioned challenges, this article proposes a generalized polynomial chaos (gPC) based approach to quantify the impacts of uncertainties resulting from RESs and load variations on voltage magnitudes of distribution systems through propagating uncertainties in the system under study. In the gPC, the behavior of each random variable is transformed into a series of orthogonal polynomials that can be easily evaluated. A correlation matrix is calculated and used to estimate the proper values of each RES. The proposed method is implemented on several systems including the IEEE 13-node, the IEEE 123-node, the 240-node, and the 8500-node distribution systems integrated with solar and wind energy sources at various locations. The results show that the proposed algorithm provides high efficiency and significant reduction in computation time in comparison with Monte Carlo simulation.
All Work and No Play: Indigenous Women "Pulling the Weight" in Home Life.

AbstractThe invisible labor of household management, including child care, housework, and financial responsibilities, is a contemporary form of historical oppression adding strain and contributing ...
Dinosaurs: A new, ‘hip’ way to breathe

Ornithischians, one of the three major groups of dinosaurs, developed a unique mechanism to ensure airflow in the lungs.
Synchronic explanation

The aim of this article is to show that synchronic cognitive constraints are responsible for some restrictions on human speech sound patterns; not all markedness asymmetries can be ascribed to Performance-based mechanisms of diachronic change. We identify evidence for synchronic constraints in sound patterns that are desirable from a Performance perspective yet are not attested. We also discuss recent experiments that provide evidence for psychologically and even neurophysiologically active restrictions; these patterns can be distinguished from statistical generalizations across the lexicon. We also argue that there is evidence that language learning and adult well-formedness judgments are determined by innate predispositions. Finally, we examine the methodology behind choosing a synchronic or diachronic account for a particular sound pattern when both potentially offer an explanation.
MilliPose: Facilitating Full Body Silhouette Imaging from Millimeter-Wave Device

This paper proposes MilliPose, a system that facilitates full human body silhouette imaging and 3D pose estimation from millimeter-wave (mmWave) devices. Unlike existing vision-based motion capture systems, MilliPose is not privacy-invasive and is capable of working under obstructions, poor visibility, and low light conditions. MilliPose leverages machine-learning models based on conditional Generative Adversarial Networks and Recurrent Neural Network to solve the challenges of poor resolution, specularity, and variable reflectivity with existing mmWave imaging systems. Our preliminary results show the efficacy of MilliPose in accurately predicting body joint locations under natural human movement.
NorA, HmpX, and NorB cooperate to reduce NO toxicity during denitrification and plant pathogenesis in Ralstonia solanacearum

Ralstonia solanacearum, which causes bacterial wilt disease of many crops, needs denitrifying respiration to succeed in hypoxic plant xylem vessels. Inside its host this pathogen confronts toxic oxidative radicals like nitric oxide (NO) generated by both bacterial denitrification and host defenses. R. solanacearum has multiple distinct mechanisms that could mitigate this stress, including Repair of Iron Cluster (RIC) homolog NorA, nitric oxide reductase NorB, and flavohaemoglobin HmpX. R. solanacearum upregulated norA, norB, and hmpX in response to exogenous NO, denitrification, and tomato pathogenesis. Single mutants lacking any of these genes accumulated NO during denitrification and were more susceptible to oxidative stress. Plant defense genes were upregulated in tomatoes infected with the NO-overproducing ΔnorB mutant, suggesting bacterial detoxification of NO reduces pathogen visibility. Expression of many iron and sulfur metabolism genes increased in the ΔnorB, ΔnorA, and ΔhmpX mutants, suggesting that losing even one NO detoxification system demands metabolic compensation. Single mutants suffered only moderate fitness reductions in host plants, possibly because they upregulated their remaining detoxification genes. However, ΔnorA/norB, ΔnorB/hmpX, and ΔnorA/hmpX double mutants grew poorly in denitrifying culture and in planta. Loss of norA, norB, and hmpX may be lethal as the methods used to construct the double mutants did not generate a triple mutant. Aconitase activity assays showed that NorA, HmpX and especially NorB are important for maintaining iron-sulfur cluster proteins. Thus, R. solanacearum9s three NO detoxification systems each contribute to and are collectively essential for overcoming oxidative stress during denitrification and growth in a host plant.
A real-time PCR assay for differentiating pathogenic Anaplasma phagocytophilum from an apathogenic, woodrat-adapted genospecies from North America

Anaplasma phagocytophilum is a tick-transmitted bacterial pathogen of humans and animals comprising strains that cause clinical disease in people, dogs and horses (the pathogenic A. phagocytophilum "genospecies") and more distantly related strains. A rodent-adapted genospecies named DU1, found primarily in woodrats, is unable to infect horses. We developed a real-time PCR (RT-PCR) assay, which targets an 85 base pair region of the ank gene and is specific for the pathogenic genospecies of A. phagocytophilum from North America. Thirty DNA samples from A. phagocytophilum RT-PCR-positive rodents and ticks for which the ank gene had previously been sequenced and had been identified as either the pathogenic genospecies or DU1 were used for validation. All nine samples with the pathogenic genospecies tested positive using the new RT-PCR and all 21 samples with the DU1 genospecies tested negative. Two strains from which the whole genome has been sequenced and are known to be pathogenic (A. phagocytophilum, strain HZ isolated from a human from New York and strain MRK isolated from a horse from California) both tested positive using the new RT-PCR assay. We also tested blood from 20 horses and six dogs that were RT-PCR-positive using a previously validated RT-PCR protocol: all were PCR-positive using the new assay as well. The assay has high efficiency and reproducibility and there was no cross-reaction with related and tick-borne bacteria tested, although the assay cross-reacts with the ungulate-adapted genospecies Ap-Variant 1. This new RT-PCR assay will aid in future research on the ecology and epidemiology of A. phagocytophilum by allowing researchers to easily identify the pathogenic genospecies in reservoir hosts and vectors.