cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Minimum covariance, minimax and minimum energy linear estimators

The estimators which minimize the error covariance for the filtering, prediction and smoothing of linear plants with Gaussian initial conditions and noises are well-known. We show that these same estimators arise when one seeks to minimize the maximum error assuming that initial conditions and noises are bounded in norm in an appropriate Hilbert space (minimax estimator). They also arise when one seeks the trajectory of least energy necessary to produce the given observations (minimum energy estimate).
Option contracts

Many languages support behavioral software contracts so that programmers can describe a component's obligations and promises via logical assertions in its interface. The contract system monitors program execution, checks whether the assertions hold, and, if not, blames the guilty component. Pinning down the violator gets the debugging process started in the right direction. Quality contracts impose a serious run-time cost, however, and programmers therefore compromise in many ways. Some turn off contracts for deployment, but then contracts and code quickly get out of sync during maintenance. Others test contracts randomly or probabilistically. In all cases, programmers have to cope with lack of blame information when the program eventually fails.In response, we propose option contracts as an addition to the contract tool box. Our key insight is that in ordinary contract systems, server components impose their contract on client components, giving them no choice whether to trust the server's promises or check them. With option contracts, server components may choose to tag a contract as an option and clients may choose to exercise the option or accept it, in which case they also shoulder some responsibility. We show that option contracts permit programmers to specify flexible checking policies, that their cost is reasonable, and that they satisfy a complete monitoring theorem.
Big Data and mHealth Drive Asthma Self-Management

This paper reports our effort to establish the desirable characteristics for the next generation asthma APP for an underserved population. Proposed asthma mobile APP aims to promote older adults' positive adjustment to this chronic disease by being an effective tool for patients to track their personal asthma triggers, predict asthma attacks, support asthma self-management and communicate with healthcare provider. Management of asthma is a dynamic process and varies by individual. For that reason, a personalized asthma APP is necessary to control this chronic disease. Environmental indicators, personal triggers, symptoms monitoring, medication use, peak flow, and blood oxygen monitoring data are analyzed to predict an asthma attack or indicate control. Other non-asthma symptom monitoring, such as fatigue, and biometric measures, like blood pressure, may be added as requested by end user.
The Linnean and Degeerian Species of American Tabanidae (Diptera)

Eight names for tabanids from the Americas were offered by the venerated Swedish naturalist, Carl von Linne (Linnaeus), and his contemporary, Carl DeGeer, both of whom died in the same year, 1778, though the former was the elder by 14 years. All were ascribed to Tabanus , although DeGeer's variegatus has since been recognized as a common but variable Neotropical Chrysops .
The Will to Win: An Investigation of How Sales Managers Can Improve the Quantitative Aspects of Their Sales Force's Effort

Other things being equal, salespeople who have more of a “will to win” are more likely to earn the sale. The first objective of this study was to identify factors that influence salesperson effort. Following from this, the second objective was to develop recommendations regarding what types of candidates should be hired, and what should be done with such persons after they have been hired. An analysis of data provided by 230 salespeople suggested that individual (i.e., self-efficacy, locus of control), organizational (i.e., involvement, challenge, and satisfaction), and supervisory factors (i.e., positive and negative feedback) were each significantly and positively associated with salesperson effort.
Views on the Scholars' Bei Zou HeShuo After the An Shi Rebellion on the Perspective of Recently Published Epitaph for Li Zhongchang in the Tang Dynasty.

Chen Yinque has mentioned a problem on the scholars(ShiRen) who went to the north of Huanghe river reigned by the military governor(Beizouheshuo).Epitaphs for Li Zhongchang and his wife Zheng enriched our perception of the mentioned problem.There is,both on blood and qualification,a wide range of scholars who went to the north of Huanghe.In the middle and late Tang Dynasty,struggles both from inside and outside of the military governor made them face more chances and challenges.It is,in spite of one case,Li Zhongchang's official career,marriage and the puzzle of his death that demonstrated one aspect of the local society of Heshuo(the north of Huanghe) which was changing since the middle Tang Dynasty.
FAILURE ANALYSIS OF FRONT EXHAUST PIPE

A failure analysis of a front exhaust pipe on a car was conducted by means of chemical composition of emission spectrometer,optical metallographic microscope,SEM and EDX examination.The result shows that the fracture of the front exhaust pipe was a kind of corrosion fatigue fracture which caused by the combination effect of high temperature and external media with Cl-.
Design and implementation of Web Services based on distributed system of reservoir modeling

To offset the lack in processing a great deal of data and data sharing between the isomerous systems of the single machine systems of reservoir modeling software wildly used,a distributed system of reservoir modeling(DSRM) was presented with the architecture design,the business process logic(BPL) design,the function design of each process unit and the implementary model of the system based on Web Services technology.
Use of Wire Mesh Prostheses in the Treatment of Hernia: 24 Years’ Experience

Nearly all hernias can be repaired in some manner without the use of prostheses; however, the recurrence rate can be reduced by using a suitable prosthesis repair in appropriate cases. This report of extensive personal experience with the use of annealed stainless steel mesh presents methods for improving the results of hernioplasties, describing the technique used and presenting details in the use of annealed stainless steel sutures.
Free Will Perceptions, Religious Coping, and Other Mental Health Outcomes in Caregivers of Individuals with Dementia

ABSTRACTCaring for a person with dementia often results in depression, anxiety, and reduced quality of life (QoL). Pinpointing beliefs and practices that reduce this distress is imperative. The current study tested the hypotheses that greater free will perceptions and religious coping would be associated with greater QoL and other mental health indicators in a sample of 107 dementia caregivers. The results of regression and content analyses supported the expectation that free will and religious coping would be associated with greater QoL. Relationships also emerged among free will perceptions, religious coping, anxiety, and depression. Clinical implications are discussed.
Teacher-child racial/ethnic match within pre-kindergarten classrooms and children’s early school adjustment

Abstract Using a large, longitudinal data set that represents 701 state-funded pre-k classrooms and over 2,900 children enrolled in 11 states, the current study examined two hypotheses: (1) children would be perceived to be better adjusted at the beginning of pre-k when rated by a same-race teacher than by a different-race teacher, and (2) children would demonstrate greater gains during the pre-k year when in the classroom of a same-race teacher. Children rarely experienced a teacher with a different race/ethnicity from themselves, except in the case of African American or Latino children attending Caucasian teachers’ classrooms. When examining the school readiness outcomes of African American or Latino children matched or mismatched racially/ethnically with their teacher, racial/ethnic match demonstrated significant associations with the direct assessment of academic skills for Latino children only. However, teachers’ initial perceptions of children and teacher reported social and academic gains were significantly associated with racial/ethnic match for African American children.
An Initial Investigation of Exogenous Orienting Visual Display Cues for Dismounted Human-Robot Communication

The drive to progress dismounted Soldier-robot teaming is toward more autonomous systems with effective bi-directional Soldier-robot dialogue, which in turn requires a strong understanding of interface design factors that impact Soldier-robot communication. This experiment tested effects of various exogenous orienting visual display cues on simulation-based reconnaissance and communication performance, perceived workload, and usability preference. A 2 × 2 design provided four exogenous orienting visual display designs, two for navigation route selection and two for building identification. Participants’ tasks included signal detection and response to visual prompts within a tactical multimodal interface (MMI). Within the novice non-military sample, results reveal that all display designs elicited low perceived workload, were highly accepted in terms of usability preference, and did not have an effect on task performance regarding responses to robot assistance requests. Results suggest inclusion of other factors, such as individual differences (experience, ability, motivation) to enhance a predictive model of task performance.
Securities Class Actions in the United States and Canada Against Chinese Companies and Their Auditors: An Empirical Investigation

Chinese companies have accessed the public capital markets of the US and Canada more frequently in recent years. This paper provides for the first time empirical evidence documenting the characteristics of private securities class action lawsuits (filed in the US and Canada) against Chinese companies and their auditors.Analysis of lawsuits worldwide shows that Chinese companies are positively associated with auditors being named defendants and experiencing a negative outcome (for example, related government enforcement actions and/or settlement payments to terminate class actions). A group of companies from countries outside the US and Canada was compared to the Chinese companies. For the comparison group, the factors that were associated with auditors being named defendants and experiencing a negative outcome are consistent with those that have been found in prior auditor litigation research. Conversely, the Chinese companies are characterized by a different pattern of litigation. Among the traditional factors, only fraud is associated with auditor litigation. In addition, the use of a small CPA firm auditor with the local audit engagement team office physically located in the US or Canada (as opposed to the local audit engagement team office being physically located in the People’s Republic of China (“PRC”)) is associated with auditor litigation. We find limited evidence that the use of a reverse merger to go public is positively associated with auditor litigation.We analyzed the Chinese lawsuits’ settlements. Aggregate settlement amounts are positively associated with the occurrence of an auditor settlement and with the class period length. Auditor settlement amounts are positively associated with the use of a large CPA firm auditor with the local audit engagement team office physically located in the US or Canada (as opposed to the local audit engagement team office being physically located in the PRC), class period length, and fraud. These findings suggest that the amount of litigation settlements of large CPA firms with the local audit engagement team office physically located in the PRC may have been reduced by their refusal to provide audit documentation requested by the Securities and Exchange Commission.
I-02 Increased interferon β expression and senescence associate secretory phenotype impair the immunomodulatory function of bone marrow mesenchymal stromal cells in patients with systemic lupus erythematosus

Background Interferon I (IFN-I) signature is an important feature of systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE). Our previous study identified an IFN-I signature in both bone marrow (BM) and peripheral blood of SLE patients. The overlapping roles of IFNα subtypes and disappointing results with IFNα subtype blockade in clinical trials calls for alternative targets and recent findings centred on IFNβ suggest that it is an important candidate molecule in SLE. IFNβ has distinct features as compared to IFNα: higher affinity binding to the shared IFN-I receptors, IFNβ specific gene transcripts, induction of senescence in fibroblast. As a critical non-hematopoietic component in BM, MSCs create a microenvironment for hematopoiesis and immunity. MSCs display robust immunomodulatory properties. MSC defects have been suggested in autoimmune diseases. Taking into consideration the importance of IFNβ and MSCs in autoimmune diseases, here we set out to investigate the role of IFNβ and MSC in SLE pathogenesis, and the underlying mechanisms. Materials and methods BM MSCs were isolated with FicollPaque gradient centrifugation (1.073 ± 0.001 g/ml) and phenotyped using flow cytometry. Various in vitro approaches including confocal immunofluorescence immunocytochemistry, real-time PCR, western blotting, comet assay, beta-galactosidase assay and RNA interference were applied. Results We compared 6 age paired BM aspirates from healthy controls and SLE patients. SLE MSCs show reduced proliferation rate, increased production of reactive oxygen, and increased DNA damage and repair (DDR), which leads to p53 mediated senescence associate secretory phenotype (SASP) and inhibited immunomodulatory factors production. IFNβ increased 5 folds and IFNβ specific genes are significantly elevated (p 0.9, p Conclusions SLE is associated with elevated IFN-I in BM. BM MSCs produce IFNβ, have increased DDR and SASP. Thus an IFNβ positive feedback loop forms in SLE BM MSCs. By silencing MAVS, also named Interferon Beta Promoter Stimulator Protein 1, IFNβ expression is inhibited and IFNβ positive feedback loop is disrupted. Moreover, SASP is rescued by MAVs blockage in SLE BM MSCs. Our novel findings of the IFNβ positive feedback loop and related SASP in SLE BM MSCs shed light on SLE pathogenesis. In addition, our study has also revealed the essential role of MAVS in IFNβ positive loop, and thus provided a new potential therapeutic target for SLE treatment.
Responses of the Adult SVZ to Neuronal Death and Injury

Neurodegenerative disorders can take many forms, from discrete neurological insults to diffuse degenerative conditions; from those associated with developmental disorders to those associated with ischemic injury or aging. Just as there is a broad range of neurodegenerative disorders, there are a variety of responses of the SVZ to these disorders. These responses include, in general, increased cellular proliferation, changes in the overall morphology of the SVZ, changes in the differentiation or production of certain cell types, altered migration of SVZ-derived cells, and changes in gene expression.
Interface Mechanics and its Correlation with Plasticity in Polycrystalline Metals, Polymer Composites, and Natural Materials☆

Abstract The interfaces in a composite material have finite thickness up to few micrometers, and have a significant effect on its mechanical strength. In this work, interfaces in polymer composites, and natural materials are analyzed under quasistatic and dynamic loading conditions to obtain interfacial constitutive response at strain rates from 10-2 to 103 s-1 using a new technology called nanomechanical Raman spectroscopy. The interface stresses, interface elastic constants, and interface stress-strain is obtained for the glass/epoxy interfaces along with a power law constitutive model to predict the interface deformation behavior with a dependence on both strain rate and interface thickness.
HORIZONS FOR DESIGN OF FILLED RUBBER INFORMED BY MOLECULAR DYNAMICS SIMULATION

ABSTRACT Fillers such as carbon black provide a long-standing and essential strategy for the mechanical reinforcement of rubber in tires and other load-bearing applications. Despite their technological importance, however, the microscopic mechanism of this reinforcement remains a matter of considerable debate. A predictive understanding of filler-based reinforcement could catalyze the design of new rubber-filler composites with enhanced performance. Molecular dynamics simulations of rubber mechanical response in the presence of structured fillers offer a new strategy for resolving the origins of filler-based reinforcement and guiding filler design. Results of for ideal rubber-filler dispersions over a range of filler structures suggest that neither hydrodynamic effects nor non-deformable “bound rubber domains” are necessary to achieve high reinforcement. Moreover, simulations show that particle surface area is a poor predictor of reinforcement. Instead, simulated reinforcement correlates strongly with fil...
Understanding Pro-Environmental Intentions through Growth, Competitiveness, and Concern:

The effects of market liberalization and the social institutions contained within are increasingly necessary to understand. The purpose of this paper is to expand this understanding by examining ne...
Attitudes Are Like the Weather: Can We Do Anything About Them?

Attitudes, which are the emotional counterpart to beliefs, are influential in the language learning and teaching process. This article explores how teachers' attitudes toward English language and culture, teaching, and students affect the success of their English language learning students.
The Association between IT Material Weaknesses and Earnings Management

ABSTRACT In this paper, we examine the relationship between (1) information technology-related internal control material weaknesses (ITMWs) as reported by public companies between 2004 and 2012, and (2) earnings management. Prior research suggests that companies with internal control deficiencies are more likely to manage earnings; however, no study has specifically examined the incremental effect of ITMWs on earnings management tendencies. Based on a sample of 268 firm-years of ITMWs disclosed by U.S. public companies in their annual SEC filings (pursuant to Section 404 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002), we find a significant positive association between ITMWs and income-increasing abnormal accruals. In addition, we find a positive relation between poor financial condition and material weaknesses in these companies. These results are robust with respect to two control samples of firms with non-IT-related-only material weaknesses (non-ITMWs) and firms with no material weakness disclosures. Implications o...
Tissue Force Programs Cell Fate and Tumor Aggression

Biomechanical and biochemical cues within a tissue collaborate across length scales to direct cell fate during development and are critical for the maintenance of tissue homeostasis. Loss of tensional homeostasis in a tissue not only accompanies malignancy but may also contribute to oncogenic transformation. High mechanical stress in solid tumors can impede drug delivery and may additionally drive tumor progression and promote metastasis. Mechanistically, biomechanical forces can drive tumor aggression by inducing a mesenchymal-like switch in transformed cells so that they attain tumor-initiating or stem-like cell properties. Given that cancer stem cells have been linked to metastasis and treatment resistance, this raises the intriguing possibility that the elevated tissue mechanics in tumors could promote their aggression by programming their phenotype toward that exhibited by a stem-like cell.Significance: Recent findings argue that mechanical stress and elevated mechanosignaling foster malignant transformation and metastasis. Prolonged corruption of tissue tension may drive tumor aggression by altering cell fate specification. Thus, strategies that could reduce tumor mechanics might comprise effective approaches to prevent the emergence of treatment-resilient metastatic cancers. Cancer Discov; 7(11); 1224-37. ©2017 AACR.
Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and the Caribbean: Unrealizable promises?:

This article analyses the relevance of the SDGs to the needs of the Small Islands Developing States of the Caribbean Community. The article situates the SDGs within a critical interrogation of the ...
The Case of Hinduism: Ecstasy and Denial

In this chapter, we examine a popular and current claim about religious ecstasy—that Eastern religions never valued religious experience and “exalted spiritual states.” We shall focus on India, analyzing the argument that religious experience was never valuable in their history until British colonialists came and imposed Western values on Indian religions. This chapter will briefly go over a history of religious ecstasy in Indian religions, showing that this generalization is false. The areas covered will be Vedic, Upanishadic, yogic, bhakti, tantric, and folk religions, examining their understandings of ecstatic states. The chapter also includes some responses of local informants to the idea that their valuing of religious ecstasy really came from Westerners.
Should We Use Emotional Stress Testing to Identify Ischemia

It has Iong been recognized that mental stress can cause angina and contribute to increased mortality in patients with coronary artery disease. It is uncertain whether a mental stress test can supplement the exercise stress test in helping to identify patients with high risk of cardiac events. A number of epidemiological studies have linked severe acute emotional stresses to increases in cardiovascular deaths. On the day of the severe earthquake (1) at Northridge, California in January 1994 there was an increase in deaths from a daily average of 36 to 101. Of these, 51 were considered by the coroner to be related to underlying coronary atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease (relative risk on day of earthquake 2.4) and 24 were witnessed sudden deaths. This compares with a daily average of sudden deaths of 4.6 in the week prior to the earthquake. In the days that followed the start of the Iraqi missile attacks on Tel Aviv and Haifa in 1991 (2,3) there was an increase of non-injury related deaths in the 2 cities and an increase in the number of patients presenting to the ICU with myocardial infarction. Chronic stress has also been associated with an increase in risk. The widowed (4,5), particular men, have a higher than expected mortality, predominantly from atherosclerotic disease, for up to a year after the death of the spouse. Depression, particularly when evaluated in the early post-myocardial infarction period, is a significant predictor of 18-month (6) and longer (7) cardiac mortality.
Case 46: Rapid Increase in Body Temperature After Induction of General Anesthesia

A 14-month-old boy is scheduled to undergo repair of a cranial dysostosis. His history is unremarkable. There is evidence of increased intracranial pressure, but no hydrocephalus. The patient has had no previous anesthesia/surgery, and his family history is negative for anesthesia-related complications. He takes no medication and has no drug allergies. He is classified as American Society of Anesthesiologists physical status I (ASA 1) with a class 2 airway. Monitors include pulse oximetry, electrocardiogram (ECG), liquid crystal temperature indicator (LCTI), noninvasive blood pressure (BP) cuff, and precardial stethoscope. The child is kept warm with two heating lamps. General anesthesia is induced via face mask using sevoflurane 1–4% in 100% oxygen. After the child is asleep, the LCTI on the forehead is seen to increase quickly to 41.0°C from 36.5°C. All other parameters are within normal limits. You are concerned and alert the surgeons and call for the malignant hyperpyrexia cart.
BEHAVIOR OF POLYAMPHOLYTES IN AQUEOUS SALT SOLUTION

The role of ionic polymers in enhanced oil recovery is well recognized (1). Partially hydrolyzed polyacrylamide is the most widely used ionic polymer for this purpose as it produces a high viscosity in fresh water at a reasonable cost. However, anionic polyacrylamide rapidly looses its viscosity in solutions containing added electrolyte. In addition, polyacrylamides are sensitive to shear degradation.
Quantifying machining outputs of pristine human teeth relevant to dental preparation procedures.

Abstract Minimally-assisted tooth repair (MaTR) systems are envisioned to be capable of substituting for the skill of a dentist. If successfully developed, MaTR systems could enable lower-skilled dental technicians to provide dental care at a fraction of the overall medical cost. This paper explores a key initial step towards the development of such systems by quantifying the machining responses of pristine human teeth relevant to dental preparation procedures. The working hypothesis of the study is that such findings will enable the benchmarking of key process planning and control metrics relevant for the future development of MaTR systems. To this end, pristine human cadaver teeth were cut using a computer-controlled motion platform and dental hand-piece. Relevant cutting responses, such as cutting forces, in-process rotational speed of the dental bur, teeth morphology, and bur wear were captured. The trends in cutting forces show the potential for implementing region-specific process parameters for cutting the enamel and dentin regions of the tooth. A feed-per-tooth value of 0.1 µm at rotational speeds of 8 krpm and 50 krpm is seen to cut both the enamel and dentin regions at cutting forces lower than patient discomfort thresholds identified in literature. Cutting force signals were also successfully mapped against the CT-scan data of the tooth. This mapping indicates a clear identification of the enamel/dentin regions, and a transition region that is dependent on cutting parameters, tooth/tool geometry and tool pose. The trends in the in-process rotational speed of the dental bur indicate that stalling of the dental bur occurs at feed per tooth values greater than 0.25 µm. The evidence of stalling can be detected by both a drop in the cutting force signal and by surface morphology changes on the cut surface of the tooth. MaTR systems should be designed to avoid bur stalling regions by either operating at feed per tooth values ≤ 0.25 µm or by the use of dental spindles with higher torque capacity. Lastly, the type of fit present on the shank of the bur is seen to result in differences in the cutting force signals and wear of the cutting edges (flutes) of the dental bur. In general, a right-angle (RA) fit on the shank of the dental bur results in a larger tool runout leading to uneven loads on the flutes and increased tool wear. The friction grip (FG) fit avoids these problems and may be more suited for MaTR systems.
Conspecific challenges provoke female canyon wrens to sing but not to duet

Song by female birds is rare in some species, particularly at north-temperate latitudes. Nevertheless, female song can carry important signal content and may be used in functional ways, both when sung solo and when combined into partner duets. Evidence supports the idea that duets reflect elevated threat levels because they indicate partner cooperation, but this comes from species with frequent female song and duetting. Here we asked the following questions about infrequently given female song in canyon wrens (Catherpes mexicanus) in Western North America. Do female birds use song in a context that implies functional significance? Do canyon wren mates combine their songs to form duets? Are duets a more threatening signal than non-overlapping dual-sex solo songs? To address these questions, we challenged canyon wrens with paired simulated intruders singing alternating solo songs or duets formed by overlapping male and female songs with consistent timing. Results indicated that female canyon wrens approached and sang in response to conspecific song playback as quickly as males did and increased their song rates significantly. Partners did not overlap their songs to create duets more often than expected by chance, and neither sex responded more strongly to duets than to solo songs. Outcomes match the prediction that duets only carry different signal content from solo song in species that frequently duet, and suggest that canyon wren female song is highly functional despite being rarely used outside of contest situations. Animal signals mediate social interactions in myriad ways. The majority of studies of avian song have focused on conspicuous, frequently given, signals but infrequently given signals may also have important fitness consequences. We examined how the usage of a rare signal, canyon wren female song, changed during contest situations and in response to a coordinated duet versus non-coordinated solo songs. Rates of female song increased significantly during contest situations, but duets did not provoke stronger responses than solos. Although duets are threatening to species that duet (including many wren species), they do not appear to be universally salient. Canyon wren female song, in contrast, carries strong signal content despite being used infrequently outside of contest situations. Results highlight the potential functionality of rare signals, as well as the variability in signaling strategies across avian species.
An Emerging Norm - Determining the Meaning and Legal Status of the Responsibility to Protect

Introduction 766 I. Responsibility to Protect from ICISS to the General Assembly 770 A. Ghosts of Humanitarian Intervention 770 B. The International Commission on Intervention and State Sovereignty 773 C. From ICISS to the General Assembly 776 II. The U.N. Documents on Responsibility to Protect........ 778 A. The World Summit Outcome 778 B. The Secretary-General’s Report on Implementation of Responsibility to Protect 783 III. The General Assembly Debates 784 A. Debating In Larger Freedom—The 2005 World Summit Debate 785 B. Debating the Secretary-General’s Report—2009 790 IV. The Legal Status of Responsibility to Protect— Norms, Consensus, and New Rights or Duties? 794 A. Question 1—Is a Norm Emerging? 794 B. Question 2—Is There a Consensus Understanding of Responsibility to Protect? 798 1. Basic Agreement 798 2. Right to Intervene—Is Responsibility to Protect Permissive? 800 3. A Duty to Intervene—Is Responsibility to Protect Prescriptive? 800 C. Question 3—Has Responsibility to Protect Created Any Legal Obligations? 801 Conclusion 802 Annex 1 804
A comprehensive, multiscale framework for evaluation of arrhythmias arising from cell therapy in the whole post-myocardial infarcted heart

Direct remuscularization approaches to cell-based heart repair seek to restore ventricular contractility following myocardial infarction (MI) by introducing new cardiomyocytes (CMs) to replace lost or injured ones. However, despite promising improvements in cardiac function, high incidences of ventricular arrhythmias have been observed in animal models of MI injected with pluripotent stem cell-derived cardiomyocytes (PSC-CMs). The mechanisms of arrhythmogenesis remain unclear. Here, we present a comprehensive framework for computational modeling of direct remuscularization approaches to cell therapy. Our multiscale 3D whole-heart modeling framework integrates realistic representations of cell delivery and transdifferentiation therapy modalities as well as representation of spatial distributions of engrafted cells, enabling simulation of clinical therapy and the prediction of emergent electrophysiological behavior and arrhythmogenensis. We employ this framework to explore how varying parameters of cell delivery and transdifferentiation could result in three mechanisms of arrhythmogenesis: focal ectopy, heart block, and reentry.
Primary Focal Hyperhidrosis: Surgical Management

Primary focal hyperhidrosis (PH) is a condition in which the sweat glands of certain areas of the body produce more sweat than what would be expected at any given circumstance for adequate thermoregulation. The condition generally affects the soles, the axillae, and the palms, bringing deleterious consequences from psychological, functional, and social perspectives. The actual prevalence of the condition is unknown, mostly due to underreporting, but it has been estimated to be between 2 and 4% in the general Caucasian population. The etiology of PH is largely unknown, although the frequently positive family history suggests a genetic component [1, 2]. Why it affects only certain areas of the body and why each patient has a different combination of areas affected remain a complete mystery. PH affects males and females, tends to begin in early childhood, and is more prevalent in the Asian population than in the Caucasian population. The excessive sweating occurs regardless of the temperature of the environment, tends to worsen in stressful situations, and in general does not occur during sleep.
Salivary Gland Tissue Engineering and Future Diagnostics

Our study of salivary gland structure and function relies on our ability to study the organ in its native environment. To scale those needs to a laboratory setting, researchers have created in vitro models that replicate the salient features of the gland, but these are inevitably tied to the abilities of current technologies and may require some compromises along the way. In this chapter, we discuss key features of the gland that would be desired in a model and the potential intersection of those needs with advances in the field of tissue engineering. The application of these new technologies, along with improvements in imaging and phenotype reporting, holds the promise of significantly impacting salivary diagnostics through continual improvements in the accuracy and scalability of laboratory models.
Germline genetic host factors as predictive biomarkers in immuno-oncology

In immuno-oncology (IO), the baseline host factors attract significant clinical interest as promising predictive biomarker candidates. Growing evidence from experimental or population-based studies suggests that the host genetic factors contribute to the immunological status of a patient as it plays out at the multiple rate-limiting steps of the cancer immunity cycle. Recent observations suggest that germline genetics may be associated with tumor microenvironment phenotypes, autoimmune toxicities and/or efficacy of immunotherapy regimens and overall cancer survival. Despite these highly intriguing indications, the potential of germline genetic factors as personalized biomarkers of immune-checkpoint inhibition (ICI) remains vastly unexplored. Here, we review the rationale for exploring the germline genetic factors as novel biomarkers predictive of IO outcomes, including ICI efficacy, toxicity and survival, and discuss the comprehensive approaches for the identification of such germline genetic indicators. In addressing the current limitations, we highlight a need for large collaborative consortia in these efforts. We also outline possible avenues for incorporating germline genetic factors into emerging multifactorial tools for a more personalized prediction of ICI outcomes.
Should You Follow the Better-Hearing Ear for Congenital Cytomegalovirus Infection and Isolated Sensorineural Hearing Loss?

ObjectiveTo describe the progression of sensorineural hearing loss (SNHL) in the better- and poorer-hearing ears in children with asymptomatic congenital cytomegalovirus (CMV) infection with isolat...
Escort-like somatic cells mediate early mouse fetal ovarian development but surface-derived Lgr5+ cells support primordial follicles

Ovarian murine somatic cells are essential to form first wave medullar follicles and second wave primordial follicles. Using single cell RNA sequencing we characterized the transcriptomes of both somatic and germline ovarian cells during fetal and early neonatal development. Wnt4-expressing somatic cells we term "escort-like cells (ELCs)" interact with incoming germ cells and early developing cysts of both sexes. In the medullar region, ELCs differentiate into the granulosa cells of fast-growing first wave follicles. In contrast, after E12.5, Lgr5+ pre-granulosa cells ingress from the ovarian surface epithelium and replace cortical escort-like cells. These surface-derived cells become the main population of granulosa cells supporting primordial follicles, and differ in transcription from ELC derivatives. Reflecting their different cellular origins, ablation of Lgr5+ cells at E16.5 using Lgr5-DTR-EGFP eliminates second wave follicles, but first wave follicles continue to develop normally and support fertility. Our findings provide striking evidence that somatic cell behavior supporting germline cyst development in mice and Drosophila has been evolutionarily conserved.
Paclitaxel-related balloons and stents for the treatment of peripheral artery disease: Insights from the Food and Drug Administration 2019 Circulatory System Devices Panel Meeting on late mortality

Following the December 2018 publication of a meta-analysis by Katsanos et al reporting higher rates of long-term mortality with the utilization of paclitaxel-related devices (balloons and stents) when compared to control in femoropopliteal arteries, the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) issued a safety alert in January 2019 and further detailed the implications for future clinical use of these devices in March 2019. The FDA convened a public meeting of the Circulatory System Devices Panel of the Medical Devices Advisory Committee in June 2019. This report summarizes the proceedings of this meeting and the panel's response to the 12 questions posed by the FDA related to the potentially increased late mortality of drug-coated balloons and drug-eluting stents with paclitaxel in patients with peripheral arterial disease.
Material-dependent performance of fuel-free, light-activated, self-propelling colloids

Self-propelling, light-activated colloidal particles can be actuated in water alone. Here we study the effect of adding different amounts of a gold/palladium alloy to titanium dioxide-based, active colloids. We observe a correlation between alloy-thickness and the average speed of the particles, and we discover an intermediate thickness leads to the highest activity for this system. We argue that a non-continuous thin-film of the co-catalyst improves the efficiency of water-splitting at the surface of the particles, and in-turn, the performance of "fuel-free" self-propulsion.
Center-Based Child Care and Differential Improvements in the Child Development Outcomes of Disadvantaged Children

Research finds center-based child care typically benefits children of low socio-economic status (SES) but few studies have examined if it also reduces inequalities in developmental disadvantage. I test if the length of time in center-based care between ages one and three years associates with child development scores at age three years, focusing on the impact for groups of children in the lower tercile of child development scores and in the lower SES tercile. Using data from 1,606 children collected in a nationally representative Chilean survey, I apply a value-added approach to measure gains in child development scores between age one and three years that are associated with length of time in center-based child care. Disadvantages at age one year were associated with lower child development scores at age three years. No benefits of additional time in center-based care were found for the non-disadvantaged group, but positive associations were found between more time in center-based care and child development outcomes for children with the SES disadvantage only. Center-based care was not associated with child development trajectories of children with lower child development scores at age one year, no matter their SES status. There is evidence that Chilean center-based child care reduces SES inequality in child development scores between ages one and three years, but only if children already were not low-scorers at age one year.
Design and evaluation of UAV swarm command and control strategies

We present an approach to developing unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) swarming behaviors and command and control (C2) strategies to govern them. In recent years, the military has become increasingly interested in the development and applications of UAVs. Recent attention has shifted toward designing UAVs which are not only unmanned, but also autonomous or self-controlled. One possible method is to utilize a large number of small, autonomous UAVs which form a cohesive group or "swarm" to accomplish complex missions as a whole. Swarms offer numerous benefits over single UAVs which include higher coverage, redundancy in numbers and reduced long-range bandwidth requirements. A major challenge to engineering a swarm is not only designing the swarming behavior, but finding an effective way to control the behavior so that the swarm can be directed to complete the desired mission. In this paper, we used the agent-based modeling toolkit NetLogo to create two different mission types. We then created UAV swarming behaviors and ways in which those behaviors can be altered to accomplish each mission. Despite the fact that these models are still preliminary, and lacking in full realism, this work has demonstrated the potential usefulness of agent-based modeling in the engineering of UAV swarms.
Accuracy and Inference

There is a classic result in statistics called the Gauss-Markov theorem. It describes situations under which the least squares estimator of the slope and intercept of a regression line is optimal. A special case of this theorem describes conditions under which the sample mean is optimal among the class of weighted means. In order to justify any competitor of least squares, we must understand the Gauss-Markov theorem and why it does not rule out competing methods such as the median, and other estimators to be described later. Therefore, one goal in this chapter is to give a relatively nontechnical description of this theorem. Another goal is to introduce the notion of a confidence interval, a fundamental tool used to make inferences about a population of individuals or things We will see that a so-called homoscedastic error term plays a central role in both the Gauss-Markov theorem and the conventional confidence interval used in regression. Homoscedasticity turns out to be of crucial importance in applied work because it is typically assumed and because recent results indicate that violating the homoscedasticity assumption can be disastrous. Fortunately, effective methods for dealing with this problem have been devised.
Objectivity and Moral Expertise

Recently a well-known magazine published an article entitled ‘Moral Specialist.’1 This article recounts the activities of Russell McIntyre, described by the authors as a theologian and philosopher who specializes in bioethics. McIntyre is routinely consulted by physicians for help in solving ethical problems. He is asked for moral advice on such matters as abortion, euthanasia, and sterilization for teenagers. McIntyre even wears an electronic 'beeper' so that when untimely moral quandaries arise he can easily be reached. McIntyre says that ultimately such moral decisions should be made by the people involved — the physician, the patient, and the family. However, he claims that there are still many gray areas in bioethics 'where it is best to call in an expert for consultation.'
Sr2IrO4: Gateway to cuprate superconductivity?

High temperature superconductivity in cuprates remains a defining challenge in condensed matter physics. Recently, a new set of related compounds based on Ir rather than Cu has been discovered that may be on the verge of superconductivity themselves or be able to shed new light on the underlying interactions responsible for superconductivity in the cuprates.
Product Innovation: Leading Change through Integrated Product Development

Preface Part I. Product Innovation, Strategic Logic, & the New Product Development Process: 1. Introduction to product innovation and new product development 2. Strategic logic of product innovation 3. New product development process and organizational aspects Part II. Establishing the Foundation: the Conceptual Level: 4. Identifying new produce opportunities: idea generation (phase 1) 5. Concept development and selection (phase 2) 6. New product development program definition (phase 3) 7. Product/market considerations, integrated product design and product architecture 8. Marketing strategies and methods: conceptualizing and designing the new product marketing campaign 9. Production strategies and methods: operational and manufacturing implications 10. Financial applications and implications 11. Design and development (phase 4) 12. Validation phase (phase 5) 13. Pre-commercialization (phase 6) and launch 14. Concluding remarks and insights about product innovation in the 21st century Glossary References.
Magnetic field effects on float-zone Si crystal growth: II. Strong transverse fields

Abstract Transverse magnetic fields up to 5500 G have been applied during the growth of Ga-doped silicon crystals of 30 mm diameter. Crystals have been grown at 4 mm/min at rotation rates between 13 and 0 rpm. The strong fields have pronounced effects on the growth interface shape, on the Ga distribution, and on the crystal morphology. For non-rotating crystals, the magnetic field produces a crystal with an elliptical cross section, with the major axis aligned with the field direction. In these crystals the interface assumes a cylindrical shape with the generatrix aligned along the field direction. Oscillations in dopant concentration with a frequency of approximately 2 per minute are seen in the non-rotating crystals.
Modeling collision avoidance behavior for virtual humans

In this paper, we present a new trajectory planning algorithm for virtual humans. Our approach focuses on implicit cooperation between multiple virtual agents in order to share the work of avoiding collisions with each other. Specifically, we extend recent work on multi-robot planning to better model how humans avoid collisions by introducing new parameters that model human traits, such as reaction time and biomechanical limitations. We validate this new model based on data of real humans walking captured by the Locanthrope project [12]. We also show how our model extends to complex scenarios with multiple agents interacting with each other and avoiding nearby obstacles.
Spinotrapezius muscle microcirculatory function: effects of surgical exteriorization.

Intravital microscopy facilitates insights into muscle microcirculatory structural and functional control, provided that surgical exteriorization does not impact vascular function. We utilized a no...
Specific Amino Acid Deficiency Alters the Expression of Genes in Human Melanoma and Other Tumor Cell Lines

This study determined the effect of tyrosine (Tyr) and phenylalanine (Phe) deprivation on protein expression and phosphorylation of mitogen-activated protein kinase kinase 4 (MKK4)/stress-activated protein/Erk kinase (SEK1), a metastasis suppressor gene. Differential display and suppressive subtractive hybridization techniques identified genes modulated by Tyr and Phe deprivation. Expression of MKK4/SEK1 protein varied widely among human A375, A375SM and SB2 melanoma, PC-3 and DU145 prostate cancer, and MDA-MB-231 breast cancer cell lines and within the different lines. Phosphorylation of the MKK4/SEK1 protein similarly varied. No differences in MKK4/SEK1 gene expression or in the 41 other metastasis and tumor suppressor genes were found in A375 melanoma cells cultured in Tyr- and Phe-deprived media. A number of up-regulated and down-regulated genes in A375 melanoma cells were identified by differential display and suppressive subtractive hybridization that were pertinent to regulation of cytoskeletal organization, cell movement, gene transcription and metastasis. Two tumor marker genes, the gene for enolase and FUS/CHOP, were down-regulated by Tyr and Phe deprivation. This study shows that tumor cells display heterogeneity in their response to deprivation of Tyr and Phe and that these amino acids may be signaling molecules that regulate gene expression and function in tumor cells.