cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
The Switch between Latency and Replication of Epstein-Barr Virus

Latency is characteristic behavior of many viruses that persist in their hosts. During latency an intact viral genome resides in the cell, but most viral genes are silent. Diverse inducing stimuli, by which the environment interacts with the host cell, trigger the latent viral genome into replication. Experiments are described that led to the identification of a crucial Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) gene, called ZEBRA, which acts as a switch between latency and replication of this herpes virus. During latency of EBV, ZEBRA expression is repressed. Inducing stimuli cause synthesis of ZEBRA which, in turn, activates expression of several individual EBV early genes. The ZEBRA polypeptide is a site-specific DNA binding protein that is likely to function as a transcriptional transactivator. The recognition that a single viral product may control the latency-to-replication switch offers promise of a detailed understanding of a central process in virology.
Discrete Adjoint Based Adaptive Error Control in Unsteady Flow Problems

This paper presents a framework for the estimation of spatial, temporal and algebraic error in a time integrated functional (i.e. Lift, Drag, etc.) for problems of aerodynamic interest. The three types of error are separated into distinct contributions that are used to selectively adapt the discretization to reduce the error in the functional in the most ecient manner. A simple unsteady test case is used to demonstrate that the individual components of error can be separated out and properly account for the error in the calculated objective. Adaption of convergence tolerance, time step size and grid resolution are shown to reduce computational expense while improving the accuracy of the functional of interest.
Occurrence and Distribution of Species of Chirothrips (Thysanoptera: Thripidae) in New Mexico

Seven species of Chirothrips , namely crenulatus Hood, falsus Priesner, mexicanus Crawford , patruelis Hood, productus Hood, simplex Hood, and texanus Andre, occur in New Mexico. C. simplex was by far the most abundant and widespread species, always predominating in open rangeland and usually in mountain and wooded situations. C. falsus was the dominant species only in certain restricted areas characterized in part by thinly wooded and broken to mountainous terrain. The habitat of C. mexicanus seemed to parallel that of C. simplex , but C. mexicanus was usually scarce, and was rarely the dominant species. C. crenulatus , C. patruelis , and C. productus were too scarce to permit characterization of typical habitats, but in some respects their habitats were similar to that of C. falsus . C. texanus was found only in a cultivated field into which it was obviously imported from Oklahoma.
High-yield singlet fission in a zeaxanthin aggregate observed by picosecond resonance Raman spectroscopy.

We report high-yield triplet generation by singlet fission upon photoexcitation of a new aggregate of the carotenoid all-trans 3R,3′R-zeaxanthin. The yield is determined by picosecond time-resolved resonance Raman spectroscopy, which allows direct characterization and quantification of triplet excited-state signatures and ground-state depletion. The technique and analysis reveals that triplets form within picoseconds. A quantum yield of 90−200% is derived with the assumption of weak exciton-coupling in the zeaxanthin aggregate.
Modulating Effects of Hypoxia and Hypercarbia on Glottic Closing Force

Objectives: Aspiration has been identified as one of the independent risk factors for development of respiratory tract infections, the incidence of which varies from 10% to 65% in patients in intensive care units. The primary defense mechanism for protection of the lower airway is the glottic closure reflex (GCR), elicited by stimulation of the internal branch of the superior laryngeal nerve. This reflex, once considered highly stable, is now considered vulnerable to a growing number of clinical factors. This study was designed to explore the biomechanical effects of hypoxia and hypercarbia, common occurrences among critically ill patients, on the GCR. Methods: Five adult male Yorkshire pigs were used in the study. Both internal superior laryngeal nerves were simultaneously stimulated with bipolar platinum-iridium electrodes. The glottic closing force (GCF) was then measured by placing a pressure transducer between the adducting vocal folds under 3 different protocols: protocol 1 (control), protocol 2 (hypoxia: partial pressure of arterial oxygen [Pao2] levels of 90, 70, and 50 mm Hg), and protocol 3 (hypercarbia: partial pressure of arterial carbon dioxide [Paco2] levels of 60 and 70 mm Hg). Six readings were recorded under each experimental paradigm, and Student's t-test was applied to calculate the statistical significance against the control. Results: Hypoxia reduced the GCF to 75%, 40%, and 29% of control for Pao2 levels of 90, 70, and 50 mm Hg, respectively, and hypercarbia reduced the GCF to 40% and 27% of control for Paco2 levels of 60 and 70 mm Hg, respectively. Conclusions: This is the first study that highlights the biomechanical impact of hypoxia and hypercarbia on the GCR, providing a unified explanation for the increased incidence of life-threatening aspiration in critically ill patients with such alterations.
Atrial Flutter, Atrial Fibrillation, and Other Primary Atrial Tachycardias

Traditional classifications of atrial tachycardias include not only rhythm disturbances arising primarily within the atria, but also dysrhythmias in which it is now recognized that participation of both atrial and non-atrial tissue is required. We prefer to consider those arrhythmias in which the atria are the principal site of electrophysiologic disturbance as "primary" atrial tachyarrhythmias. The mechanisms, diagnosis, and treatment of these "primary" atrial tachycardias are the subject of this article.
Mesoporous Co3O4 with Controlled Porosity: Inverse Micelle Synthesis and High-Performance Catalytic CO Oxidation at −60 °C

Crystalline mesoporous cobalt oxides with improved catalytic activity in CO oxidation were synthesized using an inverse surfactant micelle method. The prepared materials are monodispersed nanoparticle aggregates, and the mesopores are formed by connected intraparticle voids. Powder X-ray diffraction (PXRD), N2 sorption, field emission scanning electron microscope (FE-SEM) and high-resolution transmission electron microscopy (HR-TEM) revealed that both pore and nanoparticle sizes are enlarged with increasing thermal treatment temperatures (150–450 °C). Mesoporous cobalt oxide calcined at 350 °C exhibited the best oxidation activity and can achieve complete oxidization (100% conversion) of CO to CO2 at −60 °C under normal conditions (∼3–10 ppm of H2O) and at 80 °C under moisture rich conditions (∼3% H2O). The commercial Co3O4 reached 100% conversion at 220 °C under normal conditions. X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), O2-temperature-programmed desorption (O2-TPD), H2-temperature-programmed reduction (H...
A screen for sequences up-regulated during heterocyst development in Anabaena sp. strain PCC 7120.

A plasmid library of small genomic fragments from the cyanobacterium Anabaena sp. strain PCC 7120 was screened for sequences whose transcripts increase in abundance during a heterocyst development time course. A total of 350 clones were analyzed, representing 1–2% of the Anabaena sp. strain PCC 7120 genome. Twenty-seven clones (8%) showed some degree of up-regulation after nitrogen starvation. The increase in transcript abundance ranged from 1.2-fold to 3.5-fold. Further analysis of the expression of some of the sequences using Northern blots suggested that the up-regulation values calculated from the screen are underestimates. The collection of up-regulated clones includes novel genes, previously characterized genes, and genes identifiable by similarity to known genes. One of the novel genes has been shown to be required for heterocyst function, and the sequence similarities and expression patterns of some of the others suggest that they may play a role in heterocyst development.
Initiator Control of Conjugated Polymer Topology in Ring-Opening Alkyne Metathesis Polymerization

Molybdenum carbyne complexes [RC≡Mo(OC(CH3)(CF3)2)3] featuring a mesityl (R = Mes) or an ethyl (R = Et) substituent initiate the living ring-opening alkyne metathesis polymerization of the strained cyclic alkyne, 5,6,11,12-tetradehydrobenzo[a,e][8]annulene, to yield fully conjugated poly(o-phenylene ethynylene). The difference in the steric demand of the polymer end-group (Mes vs Et) transferred during the initiation step determines the topology of the resulting polymer chain. While [MesC≡Mo(OC(CH3)(CF3)2)3] exclusively yields linear poly(o-phenylene ethynylene), polymerization initiated by [EtC≡Mo(OC(CH3)(CF3)2)3] results in cyclic polymers ranging in size from n = 5 to 20 monomer units. Kinetic studies reveal that the propagating species emerging from [EtC≡Mo(OC(CH3)(CF3)2)3] undergoes a highly selective intramolecular backbiting into the butynyl end-group.
Evidence for a new mammalian organ: a preliminary report.

AbstractDuring an investigation on the mechanisms by which mannitol increases renal blood flow, using an in vitro perfused rat kidney preparation, it was observed that an osmotic challenge (320 mOsm.) was followed by the accumulation of chloride and calcium ions in the renal medulla. Although the chloride was derived from the perfusate, the source of calcium appeared to be localized in the renal sinus fatty tissue. A morphologic study of this area reveals the existence of a tissue complex, having the characteristics of a hitherto unrecognized organ or gland communicating with the renal parenchyma via a portal vascular system. The possible physiologic significance of this complex is discussed.
The 1865–1913 Era Restated

The success of U.S. drive after the Spanish-American War of 1898 had been long in forming, but the catalyst was the 1873-97 depression and economic downturn, which transformed a long era of deflation into an economic crisis in the United States. In 1890s, farmers had been bludgeoned by falling crop prices, harsh winters, expensive transportation, and massive foreclosures. Richard Olney placed the American crisis within a larger, indeed global, crisis of capitalism. Americans try to escape the crises by being constantly in motion or becoming attracted to those who were. Many debtors in the country and the city turned to silver as a panacea. The importance of the 1896 election is that it was determined by the long depression, especially by the 1893-96 crisis. Thayer Mahan and William McKinley were prepared to take the leap from the chaos of the mid-1890s to an overseas empire of the twentieth century.
Combinatorial models for heterogeneous system composition and analysis

Complex systems with high dimensional design spaces are often specified by subsystem compositions that constrain feasible designs towards tight regimes in the design space. Composition between (sub)systems is limited by the interfaces exposed by the interacting architectures. Treating architectures as first class objects with their own formal properties is required to enable designing complex systems by novel compositions of heterogeneous subsystems and their design spaces. We describe a combinatorial model for system architectures using the formalism of cellular sheaves to identify all feasible compositions across heterogeneous subsystems through exposed interfaces. We discuss how the proposed model may be used to automatically generate novel systems of systems compositions and test key properties of composability and compositionality, required for solving planning and reconfiguration problems in systems of systems design.
Ultrasonically-assisted intracortical microstimulation of the rat

High frequency tone bursts of ultrasound are capable of increasing the sensitivity of rat motor cortex to electrical stimulation. In this study, 11.75 MHz ultrasound pre-stimuli were delivered to the forelimb motor region of the rat cortex followed by an electrical pulse train to assess changes in cortical activation. The temporal peak intensity of the ultrasound delivered to the brain ranged from 100 to 150 W/cm/sup 2/. Tone bursts of 10 to 50 ms in duration were delivered once per second over periods of 30 to 240 seconds. The intracortical microstimulation (ICMS) current needed for forepaw motor response decreased by as much as 40% when applying 50 ms ultrasound pulses. Brain excitability changes were seen with a thermal index (TI) as low as 2.0. Ultrasound application alone was not able to induce motor responses.
Intraseasonal to interannual variability of Kelvin wave momentum fluxes as derived from high-resolution radiosonde data

Abstract. Observational estimates of Kelvin wave momentum fluxes in the tropical lower stratosphere remain challenging. Here we extend a method based on linear wave theory to estimate daily time series of these momentum fluxes from high-resolution radiosonde data. Daily time series are produced for sounding sites operated by the US Department of Energy (DOE) and from the recent Dynamics of the Madden–Julian Oscillation (DYNAMO) field campaign. Our momentum flux estimates are found to be robust to different data sources and processing and in quantitative agreement with estimates from prior studies. Testing the sensitivity to vertical resolution, our estimated momentum fluxes are found to be most sensitive to vertical resolution greater than 1 km, largely due to overestimation of the vertical wavelength. Climatological analysis is performed over a selected 11-year span of data from DOE Atmospheric Radiation Measurement (ARM) radiosonde sites. Analyses of this 11-year span of data reveal the expected seasonal cycle of momentum flux maxima in boreal winter and minima in boreal summer, and variability associated with the quasi-biennial oscillation of maxima during easterly phase and minima during westerly phase. Comparison between periods with active convection that is either strongly or weakly associated with the Madden–Julian Oscillation (MJO) suggests that the MJO provides a nontrivial increase in the lowermost stratospheric momentum fluxes.
Measurements of photo-nuclear jet production in Pb plus Pb collisions with ATLAS

Ultra-peripheral heavy ion collisions provide a unique opportunity to study the parton distributions in the colliding nuclei via the measurement of photo-nuclear jet production. An analysis of jet production in ultra-peripheral Pb+Pb collisions at root S-NN = 5.02 TeV performed using data collected with the ATLAS detector in 2015 is described. The data set corresponds to a total Pb+Pb integrated luminosity of 0.38 nb(-1). The ultra-peripheral collisions are selected using a combination of forward neutron and rapidity gap requirements. The cross-sections, not unfolded for detector response, are compared to results from PYTHIA Monte Carlo simulations re-weighted to match a photon spectrum obtained from the STARLIGHT model. Qualitative agreement between data and these simulations is observed over a broad kinematic range suggesting that using these collisions to measure nuclear parton distributions is experimentally realisable.
Habitat use by juvenile salmonids in Lake Ontario tributaries-species, age, diel and seasonal effects

Understanding the habitat needs of fish and how these requirements may change seasonally over a 24-h period is important, especially for highly managed sport species. Consequently, we examined the diel and seasonal habitat use of four juvenile salmonid species in streams in the Lake Ontario watershed. For juvenile Atlantic salmon Salmo salar and juvenile rainbow trout Oncorhynchus mykiss, differences in day versus night habitat use were more profound than seasonal differences. Observed differences in day versus night habitat for all species and age classes were mainly due to the use of less object oriented cover at night and to a lesser extent to the use of slower velocities and smaller substrate at night. Seasonal differences in habitat use were also observed, likely due to increased fish size, and included movement to deeper and faster water and the use of larger substrate and more cover from summer to winter. Different habitat variables were important to individual species. Juvenile Atlantic salmon were associated with higher water velocities, juvenile rainbow trout with larger substrate and more cover, and subyearling Chinook salmon O. tshawytscha and subyearling coho salmon O. kisutch with small substrate and less cover. Our observations demonstrate that habitat partitioning occurs and likely reduces intraspecific and interspecific competition which may increase the potential production of all four species in sympatry. Consequently, these findings provide important information for resource managers charged with managing, protecting, and enhancing Great Lakes tributaries where all or some of these species occur.
El Poder del Arte en el Mundo Maya

La pelicula Apocaliypto recreo mucho del arte de las ciudades clasicas y postclasicas de las Tierras Bajas mayas. El paisaje urbano, una mezcla de edificios parecidos a los de El Mirador, techos de peine al estilo de Tikal y los rasgos de la escultura del Puuc, centelleando con los colores primarios vividos que adornaban a las ciudades vivientes mayas. Los murales de San Bartolo, con ciertos agregados sangrientos, merodeaban por la mente a la entrada del protagonista a la plaza central de la ciudad. La vestimenta de los nobles trajo a la mente la de figuras de estelas y de vasijas. La representacion de una ciudad maya pre-invasion pudo haber sido el sueno de un mayista. No obstante, para la mayoria de nosotros esta pelicula sonada se convirtio en una pesadilla. Este articulo explora el poder de la representacion del arte maya en la actualidad.
Generalized Mean-Value Theorem for an Analytic Function and an Algorithm for the Evaluation of the Function of Mean Values

We prove the mean-value theorem for functions analytic in starlike domains, propose an algorithm for finding the function of mean values, and study its analytic continuation. We present a differential equation for the function of mean values and the interpretation of the Lagrange formula for analytic functions in terms of the theory of differential equations. The set of points of the initial values of the function of mean values is analyzed and the upper bound for the radius of expansion of the function of mean values in Taylor’s series is established.
Interdependent strategic cyber defense and robust switching control design for wind energy systems

In this paper, we design a secure, robust and resilient cyber-physical wind energy system (WES) from a cross-layer perspective. We establish a system-of-systems framework for the large-scale wind farm which includes the cyber and physical components. For the cyber layer, we use a game-theoretic model to capture the strategic behaviors of the network defender and the cyber attacker, and compute its mixed strategy Nash equilibria. For the physical layer, we design a robust and resilient switching controller using a Markov jump linear system model. Due to the interdependence between the cyber and physical systems, their performances are coupled and need to be designed in a holistic manner. To address this challenge, we propose an iterative algorithm to study the system-of-systems performance under the equilibrium design which jointly takes the cyber and physical layers into account. Case studies are provided to illustrate the interdependent design principles of cyber-physical WES.
Fine-needle aspiration biopsy of pleomorphic (giant cell) carcinoma of the pancreas. Cytologic, immunocytochemical, and ultrastructural findings.

Four cases of pleomorphic (giant cell) carcinoma (PGC) of the pancreas, diagnosed by fine-needle aspiration biopsy, are presented. Ancillary immunocytochemical studies were also performed on the smears (four cases) and cell blocks (three cases), along with ultrastructural (electron microscopic) examination of the aspirated specimen (two cases). Three of the four patients were elderly (age range: 44–65 years), and all had large pancreatic masses. A spectrum of cytomorphologic features was encountered, including poorly cohesive bizarre mononuclear cells, many multinucleated tumor giant cells, and associated malignant spindle cells. Prominent cellular cannibalism and cytophagocytosis also were seen. Immunoperoxidase studies demonstrated dual staining of the malignant cells for cytokeratin and vimentin in two cases and exclusive staining for vimentin in the remaining two cases. Ultrastructural examination demonstrated epithelial features in both cases studied. One of the cases demonstrated intracytoplasmic whorled bundles of intermediate filaments, corresponding to pale eosinophilic globular material, appreciated both in the the Diff-Quik®- and Papanicolaou-stained smears and staining with positive results for vimentin. The immunocytochemical studies suggest that the coexpression of vimentin and cytokeratin within the cells is consistent with a pleomorphic malignancy of epithelial origin. It is speculated that the staining of two of the cases exclusively for vimentin can be seen in either epithelial malignancies with sarcomatoid transformation or, less likely, a pure sarcoma of the pancreas.
Density-functional investigation on the mechanism of H-atom abstraction by lipoxygenase

Using experimentally calibrated density functional calculations on models of the active site of soybean lipoxygenase 1 (SLO-1), insight has been obtained into the coordination flexibility of the iron active site and its molecular mechanism of catalysis. The ferrous form of SLO-1 shows a variation in coordination number in solution that is related to a weakly coordinating Asn694 ligand. From the calculations it is determined that the weak Fe-O(694) bond associated with this coordination flexibility is due to a sideways tilted geometry of Asn694 that is imposed on the site by the protein. Release of this constraint (by altering the hydrogen bonding network) leads to a pure six-coordinate site. In contrast, the ferric form of the enzyme stays five-coordinate. In this case, deprotonation of a coordinated water gives a strong hydroxo donor in the cis position to Asn694, weakening the Fe-O(694) bond. Hence, Asn694 is a stronger ligand to the reduced relative to the oxidized site. Using these experimentally calibrated models, the reaction energy for H-atom transfer in SLO-1 has been calculated to be about -18 kcal/mol. The observed change in coordination number going from five-coordinate in ferric to six-coordinate in ferrous SLO-1 increases the reduction potential of the iron active site. Hence, the protein adjusts the active site for optimal reactivity. Analysis of the electronic structure along the reaction coordinate shows that the H-atom transfer in SLO-1 actually corresponds to a proton-coupled electron transfer (PCET). The transferred electron does not localize on the proton, but tunnels directly from the substrate to the ferric active site in a concerted proton tunneling-electron tunneling (PTET) process. The covalently linked Fe-O-H-C bridge in the transition state lowers the energy barrier and provides an efficient superexchange pathway for this tunneling. The thermal barrier for the PTET process is estimated from the calculations to be about +15 kcal/mol including zero-point energy corrections. This corresponds to a thermal reaction rate of k(therm) approximately 1 s(-1). In comparison, the rate of proton tunneling can be as high as 2 x 10(9) s(-1) under these conditions.
Geological Significance of Aquatic Nonmarine Trace Fossils

In Chapters 3 and 4 it was shown that benthic invertebrates interact with modern fluvial and lacustrine sediments and, through these interactions, alter the physical, chemical, and biological properties of sediments. In this chapter, the literature documenting invertebrate-sediment interactions in ancient fluvial, lacustrine, and associated terrestrial environments is reviewed in order to show that invertebrate activities influenced benthic processes and properties in these environments in the past. The literature concerning invertebrate traces of nonmarine origin is scant and scattered and has not been the subject of recent review. Curran (1980) recently emphasized the need for a review of this kind. We will attempt to show that aquatic nonmarine trace fossils are abundant and widely distributed (Table I) and are useful for a variety of geological purposes. Further research on these traces will probably improve the resolution of paleoecological and paleoenvironmental reconstructions involving non-marine rocks and increase the understanding of the origin and history of freshwater life.
An Information Factor: What Are Skilled Investors Buying and Selling?

We construct an information factor (INFO) using the informed stock buying of corporate insiders and the informed selling of short sellers and option traders. INFO strongly predicts future stock returns -- a long-short portfolio formed on INFO earns monthly alphas of 1.24%, substantially outperforming existing strategies including momentum. INFO explains hedge fund returns in the time-series and cross-section. Higher values of INFO are associated with increases in aggregate hedge fund value. Moreover, funds with higher covariation between their returns and INFO outperform by 0.28% per month. The results show information processing skill is an important source of return variation.
White Paper: A National Investment Authority

The contemporary American economy presents a troubling paradox. On the one hand, capital and yield-hungry investors are sufficiently plentiful in the financial system to generate recurrent and devastating asset price bubbles and busts. On the other hand, capital and “patient” investors are so scarce in the nonfinancial and infrastructure sectors that the U.S. has steadily fallen behind its competitors in cutting-edge industries and high quality infrastructure. The explanation for this paradox is not hard to find. Unlike during the nation’s most dynamic and prosperous periods in the past, there is at present no public instrumentality tasked with devising and implementing any ongoing national development strategy, or with directing the capital needed to implement it. No private actor or group of such actors is up to this task. Individual time horizons are too short, and individual capacity to bear long-term risks and capture fair shares of public goods too miniscule, to render such efforts individually rational. Against such a backdrop, it is reasonable for investors to speculate upon price movements in secondary markets rather than invest patiently in primary markets – hence to fuel asset price bubbles and busts rather than real growth. The nation’s economy is accordingly caught in a classic collective action problem – a situation in which multiple acts of individual rationality aggregate into a collectively irrational outcome. Only informed exercises of collective agency can address such problems. This White Paper proposes a form that such agency should take. It calls for a new National Investment Authority (NIA), operationally situated between the Federal Reserve and the Treasury, for the specific purpose of mobilizing private capital in pursuit of long-term investments in both vital infrastructure and the real economy. The NIA reintroduces in modern guise the Hamiltonian national development program of the late 18th century and the Hoover/Roosevelt-era Reconstruction Finance Corporation (RFC) of the mid-20th century. Like those earlier programs, it combines the public and private sectors in partnership. Also like those earlier programs, it reverses the ill-fated latter-day “P3” model of “public capital, private management” in favor of the historically more successful model of “public management, mixed public-and-private capital.” The Paper first lays out the key theoretical and practical justifications for establishing an NIA. It then unpacks the proposal in detail by addressing the specific legal, administrative, and operational choices that will have to be made in connection with its implementation. We lay out and assess the full range of plausible options in connection with each such choice, then conclude and look forward.
Regulators of cell movement during development and regeneration in Drosophila

Cell migration is a fundamental cell biological process essential both for normal development and for tissue regeneration after damage. Cells can migrate individually or as a collective. To better understand the genetic requirements for collective migration, we expressed RNA interference (RNAi) against 30 genes in the Drosophila embryonic salivary gland cells that are known to migrate collectively. The genes were selected based on their effect on cell and membrane morphology, cytoskeleton and cell adhesion in cell culture-based screens or in Drosophila tissues other than salivary glands. Of these, eight disrupted salivary gland migration, targeting: Rac2, Rab35 and Rab40 GTPases, MAP kinase-activated kinase-2 (MAPk-AK2), RdgA diacylglycerol kinase, Cdk9, the PDSW subunit of NADH dehydrogenase (ND-PDSW) and actin regulator Enabled (Ena). The same RNAi lines were used to determine their effect during regeneration of X-ray-damaged larval wing discs. Cells translocate during this process, but it remained unknown whether they do so by directed cell divisions, by cell migration or both. We found that RNAi targeting Rac2, MAPk-AK2 and RdgA disrupted cell translocation during wing disc regeneration, but RNAi against Ena and ND-PDSW had little effect. We conclude that, in Drosophila, cell movements in development and regeneration have common as well as distinct genetic requirements.
Level of Emergency Preparedness Before and After a False Missile Alert in Hawaii

Introduction:On January 13, 2018, a false ballistic missile alert that lasted 38 minutes was issued across Oahu, Hawaii, United States. As a result of a system failure, an erroneous text message was sent that stated, “Ballistic missile threat inbound to Hawaii. Seek immediate shelter.”Aim:The research team wanted to know the degree of reported anxiety triggered by the event and if knowledge, attitudes, or behaviors for individual/family emergency preparedness (EP) changed post-event.Methods:A 50-question survey that asked about individual and family EP pre- and post-event, and the level of anxiety triggered by the event, was administered to a convenience sample of full-time adult residents of Oahu. The study was conducted over a 6-8 week period post-event. Statistical analysis was used to identify factors associated with an increasing level of EP post-event and reported event-triggered anxiety.Results:209 participants completed the survey (29% male, 71% female) with about one half living with children. One third were essential workers. Key factors that correlate with increasing various areas of EP post-event include higher educational, receipt of electronic emergency alerts, prior emergency training, and higher reported connectedness to community. Those with higher event anxiety were more likely to develop and practice an EP plan post-event, encourage EP with friends, and report a higher level of community connectedness. The elderly were more likely to have higher levels of EP before and after the event but were less likely to receive emergency alert notifications or have EP training.Discussion:While the event was very unfortunate, it did seem to stimulate citizen disaster EP among some groups. Additional research should explore the utility of increasing EP education for communities immediately after disasters, tailoring this education for groups, and targeting the elderly for participation in the emergency alert system.
Some Remarks on Robust Gene Regulation in a Biomolecular Integral Controller

Integral feedback can help achieve robust tracking independently of external disturbances. Motivated by this knowledge, biological engineers have proposed various designs of biomolecular integral feedback controllers to regulate biological processes. In this paper, we theoretically analyze the operation of a particular synthetic biomolecular integral controller, which we have recently proposed and implemented experimentally. Using a combination of methods, ranging from linearized analysis to sum-of-squares (SOS) Lyapunov functions, we demonstrate that, when the controller is operated in closed-loop, it is capable of providing integral corrections to the concentration of an output species in such a manner that the output tracks a reference signal linearly over a large dynamic range. We investigate the output dependency on the reaction parameters through sensitivity analysis, and quantify performance using control theory metrics to characterize response properties, thus providing clear selection guidelines for practical applications. We then demonstrate the stable operation of the closed-loop control system by constructing quartic Lyapunov functions using SOS optimization techniques, and establish global stability for a unique equilibrium. Our analysis suggests that by incorporating effective molecular sequestration, a biomolecular closed-loop integral controller that is capable of robustly regulating gene expression is feasible.
Surge-Energy and Overvoltage Ruggedness of P-Gate GaN HEMTs

An essential ruggedness of power devices is the capability of safely withstanding the surge energy. The surge ruggedness of the GaN high-electron-mobility transistor (HEMT), a power transistor with no or minimal avalanche capability, has not been fully understood. This article unveils the comprehensive physics associated with the surge-energy withstand process and the failure mechanisms of p-gate GaN HEMTs. Two commercial p-gate GaN HEMTs with Ohmic- and Schottky-type gate contacts are studied. Two circuits are developed to study the device surge ruggedness: an unclamped inductive switching circuit is first used to identify the withstand dynamics and failure mechanisms, and a clamped inductive switching circuit with a controllable parasitic inductance is then designed to mimic the surge energy in converter-like switching events. The p-gate GaN HEMT is found to withstand the surge energy through a resonant energy transfer between the device capacitance and the load/parasitic inductance rather than a resistive energy dissipation as occurred in the avalanche. If the device resonant voltage goes below zero, the device reversely turns on and the inductor is discharged. The device failure occurs at the transient of peak resonant voltage and is limited by the device overvoltage capability rather than the surge energy, dV/dt , or overvoltage duration. Almost no energy is dissipated in the resonant withstand process and the device failure is dominated by an electric field rather than a thermal runaway. These results provide critical understandings on the ruggedness of GaN HEMTs and important references for their qualifications and applications.
Lost to follow-up: reasons and characteristics of patients undergoing corneal transplantation at Tenwek Hospital in Kenya, East Africa.

Introduction corneal transplantation is a surgical procedure requiring consistent long-term follow-up to maximize the chance of graft survival. The purpose of this study was to explore patient characteristics and reasons for being lost to follow-up (LTFU). Methods a retrospective review of clinical records from January 2012 to October 2014 was conducted of patients who received corneal transplantation at Tenwek Hospital. At the time of chart review, all patients who provided a mobile phone number were contacted to answer a phone questionnaire. Logistic regression was used to assess the association of each patient characteristic, separately, with the outcome of LTFU. Results of the 118 patients that met inclusion criteria, 40 (33.9%) were considered LTFU by failing to follow up at Tenwek Hospital to at least one year postoperatively. The odds of LTFU for patients age 60 and older were 3.78 times that of those who were 18-59 (95% CI: 1.21-11.80]; p-value=0.02). The odds of LTFU for patients with a preoperative diagnosis of pseudophakic bullous keratopathy were 3.83 times that of those with a preoperative diagnosis of keratoconus (95% CI: [1.13-12.94]; p-value=0.03). Education level, employment status, distance from the hospital, and possession of a mobile contact number appeared marginally associated with follow-up status, though not statistically significant at the 0.05 significance level. Financial barriers were the most commonly cited reason for LTFU (42.4%, n=14). Conclusion certain reasons and patient characteristics may be associated with follow-up adherence. Identifying these factors may help providers identify patients who are at a higher risk of LTFU and influence providers in medical decision-making and system-based interventions when offering corneal transplantation.
Customer based execution and strategy: Enhancing the relevance & utilization of B2B scholarship in the C-suite

Abstract Given the economic importance of the business-to-business (B2B) sector, scholars and practitioners devote significant resources to understanding B2B marketing and strategy. Yet, utilization of academic scholarship among senior B2B executives remains low. This article describes three issues relevant to senior B2B executives and scholars: (1) factors inhibiting the utilization and value of B2B scholarship among senior B2B executives; (2) challenges faced by B2B CEOs in customer based execution and strategy; and (3) the B2B strategy journey framework as a means of aligning executive and academic perspectives. Taking an outside-in perspective, this article provides a framework for senior B2B executives to formulate customer based strategy and execution and outline a range of future research opportunities for B2B scholars.
Policy Change and Public Opinion: Measuring Shifting Political Sentiment With Social Media Data:

This article uses Twitter data and machine-learning methods to analyze the causal impact of the Supreme Court’s legalization of same-sex marriage at the federal level in the United States on politi...
Risk Factors for Early Total Knee Replacement after Ipsilateral Knee Arthroscopy in Patients over 55 Years of Age

Arthroscopic knee surgery (AKS) is often not successful in elderly patients with osteoarthritis and degenerative meniscus tears. Many patients require subsequent total knee replacement (TKR). We performed a case-control study to identify risk factors for early TKR following AKS in patients over 55. Data were collected on patients in an integrated healthcare system who underwent AKS between January 2010 and December 2012, and then had ipsilateral total knee replacement (TKR) within one year. Controls were matched from patients who did not have TKR within one year. Of the 7,301 AKS patients, 453 (6.2%) went on to TKR. We matched 390 cases with controls (780 total subjects); 186 subjects were excluded due to inadequate radiographs or medical records resulting in a cohort of 594 patients. Statistical analysis showed that a Kellgren-Lawrence score of 3 or 4 (OR 1.9 CI 1.3-2.8, p < 0.01), age greater than 65 (OR 2.2, CI 1.5-3.2, p < 0.01), contralateral TKR (OR 2.3, CI 1.1-5.0, p < 0.04) were associated with a higher likelihood of early TKR. Sex, race, diagnosis of diabetes, prior ipsilateral knee surgery, and prior contralateral knee surgery were not associated with early TKR. When considering AKS for older patients with degenerative arthritis and meniscus tears, care providers should consider the risk of early TKR. Older patients with advanced arthritis and a diagnosis of osteoarthritis, or combined with a meniscus tear, are especially at risk for early TKR.
Hepatitis C Among High-Risk Alabamians: Disease Burden and Screening Effectiveness.

BACKGROUND The effectiveness of hepatitis C testing and linkage-to-care (LTC) is poorly characterized in low-resource jurisdictions facing gaps in harm reduction, including illegality of syringe exchange services. Effectiveness of a community-based test/LTC program was evaluated in Alabama. METHODS In 2016-2018, shelters, drug treatment centers (DTCs), AIDS organizations, and Federally Qualified Health Centers (FQHCs) engaged in screening/LTC. A coordinator navigated individuals to confirm viremia and link to substance use treatment or primary care with hepatitis C prescribers. RESULTS Point-of-care (POC) tested 4293 individuals (10% [427] antibody-positive, 71% [299/419] RNA performed, 80% [241/299] viremia confirmed) and 93% linked to care (225/241). Electronic medical record (EMR)-based reflex strategy screened 4654 (15% [679] antibody positive, 99% [670/679] RNA performed, 64% [433/679] viremia confirmed) and 85% linked to care (368/433). We observed higher odds of RNA confirmation in EMR-based reflex versus POC (OR, 2.07; P < .0001) and higher odds of LTC in EMR-based reflex versus POC (OR, 1.51; P < .0001). Overall, 53% individuals tested were nonbaby boomers. CONCLUSIONS In Alabama, screening at high-risk settings identified significant hepatitis C burden and reflex testing outperformed point-of-care linkage indicators. Colocating testing in DTCs and treatment in FQHCs provided key LTC venues to at-risk younger groups.
An Analysis of Amazon Echo's Network Behavior

With over 20 million units sold since 2015, Amazon Echo, the Alexa-enabled smart speaker developed by Amazon, is probably one of the most widely deployed Internet of Things consumer devices. Despite the very large installed base, surprisingly little is known about the device's network behavior. We modify a first generation Echo device, decrypt its communication with Amazon cloud, and analyze the device pairing, Alexa Voice Service, and drop-in calling protocols. We also describe our methodology and the experimental setup. We find a minor shortcoming in the device pairing protocol and learn that drop-in calls are end-to-end encrypted and based on modern open standards. Overall, we find the Echo to be a well-designed device from the network communication perspective.
An adaptable life cycle greenhouse gas emissions assessment framework for electric, hybrid, fuel cell and conventional vehicles: Effect of electricity mix, mileage, battery capacity and battery chemistry in the context of Canada

Abstract Comprehensive evaluation of greenhouse gas emission reductions from alternative vehicle powertrains requires the use of a life cycle assessment methodology, which considers manufacturing, utilization and end-of-life phases of the vehicle and fuel production. However, vehicle powertrain technologies and regional electricity and fuel production characteristics are evolving rapidly, making such studies performed using current data obsolete in few years. For example, regional electricity generation mixes across the Canadian provinces are largely different, and they are likely to evolve with the introduction of renewable electricity. Hence, there is a general need for adaptable and flexible life cycle assessment frameworks for the transportation sector for rapid evaluation of GHG reductions using up-to-date data. The objective of this study is to develop an adaptive life cycle assessment framework for light duty vehicles that can incorporate critical new developments in vehicle powertrain technologies and changes in electricity and fuel supply. Conventional, hybrid, plug-in hybrid, battery electric and fuel cell powertrain types are included in the framework as parametrized models. Critical parameters related to vehicle size and battery capacity, fuel consumption, mileage, battery chemistry, vehicle hybridization, and electricity and fuel emission intensity are incorporated. The framework was demonstrated by applying it in the Canadian context with the analysis of scenarios associated with electricity grid emission intensity, mileage, battery capacity and battery chemistry.
Design and experimental demonstration of enabling components for simultaneous water purification and space conditioning using thermally driven absorption heat pumps

Abstract A horizontal-tube, falling-film heat exchanger capable of acting as an absorber or desorber in a small-scale (300-W cooling, 10.5 kg day−1 water purification) water-purifying absorption heat pump cycle was designed with LiBr as the absorbent. A design model for the heat exchanger that accounted for both heat transfer and mass transfer effects in the falling liquid film during desorption and absorption was formulated. Parametric studies were conducted for tube lengths ranging from 0.12 to 0.30 m and for absorber equilibrium solution outlet temperatures ranging from 35 to 45 °C. Based on the results of these simulations, a tube length of 0.24 m and an absorber equilibrium solution outlet temperature of 37.5 °C were selected. Batchwise experiments were conducted to validate the component model and determine the water purification potential of the cycle. Three feed solutions were tested: DI water, synthetic graywater, and 3.5 wt% NaCl. Measurements showed 90% removal of contaminants from synthetic graywater and 99% removal of NaCl from the 3.5 wt% NaCl solution. The measured heat transfer, after correcting for the presence of air in the chamber, demonstrated an average absolute deviation (AAD) of 18.6% for operation as an absorber and an AAD of 8.6% for the desorber.
Does Sunshine Cloud Investor Judgment

Evidence from psychology literature confirms the long-held intuition that mood affects judgment. Specifically, individuals who are in a negative mood are more likely to think critically and avoid heuristic processing. This paper uses two proxies for mood, weather and media pessimism, to show that investors make better selling decisions when they are feeling sad. A one-unit increase in cloudiness leads to 1.4% 3-factor alpha improvement at a 12-month horizon. The disposition effect, which decreases in magnitude when investors are in a negative mood, provides an explanation for these results.
The Virial Theorem

Mise au point. Theoreme du viriel classique et theoreme du viriel en mecanique quantique. Applications aux equations d'etat, aux modeles de Hartree-Fock-Slater et Thomas-Fermi-Dirac, a la liaison chimique. Theoreme de l'hyperviriel. Moments de l'equation de Fokker-Planck
An Iterative Approach to Language Containment

We propose an iterative approach to formal verification by language containment. We start with some initial abstraction and then iteratively refine it, guided by the failure report from the verification tool. We show that the procedure will terminate, propose a series of heuristic aimed at reducing the size of BDD's used in the computation, and formulate several open problems that could improve efficiency of the procedure. Finally, we present and discuss some initial experimental results.
Leachate Recycle as Landfill Management Option

Leachate production from shredded municipal soil wastes and its stabilization and associated gas production monitored over a 699-day test period have indicated that once leachate is generated and recycled, rapid conversion of readily available organic constituents occurs. The landfill thereby serves as an anaerobic biochemical stabilization process which promotes sequential conversion of complex materials through intermediates to final end products. The overall results indicate that leachate recycle will enhance predictability and accelerate stabilization of readily available organic constituents with increased rates of gas production. Decreasing the time required for stabilization to a matter of months rather than years provides attractive alternatives for better operational control, energy recovery and rapid realization of potentials for land reclamation and ultimate use without some of the uncertainties associated with conventional landfill management practices.
Radiation-Induced Outgassing from Sorption Pump Material

The radiation-induced outgassing (RIO) was measured for a molecular sieve material used in sorption pumps (Linde Molecular Sieve Type 13X) exposed at 20/sup 0/C to /sup 60/Co gamma radiation at a dose rate of 9.0 X 10/sup 4/ rad/h. The measured outgassing rate was found to be (7.03 + or 2.21) X 10/sup -10/ Pa X l/(cm/sup 2/ X s) X Mrad/sup -1/ X h/sup -1/, which is consistent with values determined previously for various metals. This RIO is equivalent to a thermal bakeout at only 30/sup 0/C. It was concluded for this material that the RIO is not a viable alternative to thermal bakeouts.