cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Robust real time control of robot manipulators in the presence of obstacles

The problem of real time robust control of robot manipulators in the presence of obstacles is considered. In order to achieve high speeds of operation in addition to obstacle avoidance, actuator dynamics and noise are modelled and added to the system description. The Obstacle Avoidance Strategy (OAS) translates each state constraint (obstacle) into state dependent control constraints (SDCC), which take the form of hyperplanes in the control space. The intersection of the sets defining the SDCC and the hard control bounds form a polygon in the control space. The Optimal Decision Stragety (ODS) is then used to calculate the control which lies in this polygon and minimizes the deviation between the acceleration vector of the CCR and a desired field of accelerations. Although the OAS algorithm is developed for a Cartesian Coordinate Robot (CCR), its approach can be utilized for articulated coordinate robots. Simulation results display the effectiveness of the algorithm for a workspace hosting multiple obstacles. The simplicity of the algorithm makes it desirable for real time control.
Clusters of mobile molecules in supercooled water.

1We study the spatially heterogeneous dynamics in water via molecular dynamics simulations using the extended simple point charge potential. We identify clusters formed by mobile molecules and study their properties. We find that these clusters grow in size and become more compact as temperature decreases. We analyze the probability density function of cluster size, and we study the cluster correlation length. We find that clusters appear to be characterized by a fractal dimension consistent with that of lattice animals. We relate the cluster size and correlation length to the configurational entropy, Sconf. We find that these quantities depend weakly on 1/Sconf. In particular, the linearity found between the cluster mass n * and 1/Sconf suggests that n * may be interpreted as the mass of the cooperatively rearranging regions that form the basis of the Adam-Gibbs approach to the dynamics of supercooled liquids. We study the motion of molecules within a cluster, and find that each molecule preferentially follows a neighboring molecule in the same cluster. Based on this finding we hypothesize that stringlike cooperative motion may be a general mechanism for molecular rearrangement of complex, as well as simple liquids. By mapping each equilibrium configuration onto its corresponding local potential energy minimum or inherent structure IS, we are able to compare the mobile molecule clusters in the equilibrium system with the molecules forming the clusters identified in the transitions between IS. We find that i mobile molecule clusters obtained by comparing different system configurations and ii clusters obtained by comparing the corresponding IS are completely different for short time scales, but are the same on the longer time scales of diffusive motion.
Hormonal Control of Excretion in the American Cockroach I. Release of a Diuretic Hormone from the Terminal Abdominal Ganglion

1. When adult male cockroaches are deprived of water for 3 days the subsequent overcompensation of water ingestion causes the release of a diuretic hormone into the blood. 2. Ligation experiments indicate that the hormone was released from the posterior part of the abdomen. 3. The testing of various tissues extirpated from within this region revealed that only extracts of the terminal abdominal ganglion could promote diuresis. 4. Homogenates of ganglia from normal animals fail to elicit the diuretic response; this and other evidence suggests the presence of an antidiuretic hormone.
Transection of the Right Gastroepiploic Artery Does Not Exclude a Gastric Conduit in Ivor-Lewis Esophagectomy

The incidence of esophageal cancer has been steadily increasing in the United States over the past 25 years. Even with standardized surgical techniques, esophagectomy is a complex, multi-phase operation with a wide range of possible complications. The Ivor-Lewis esophagectomy is a commonly used technique where the right gastroepiploic artery (RGEA) becomes the sole source of blood to the stomach. We describe a case of accidental transection of the RGEA which was then re-anastomosed followed by successful use of the gastric conduit. After an acceptable outcome, we suggest that in selected cases anastomosis of the RGEA should be considered.
Partial mechanical cardiac support: part of the solution or part of the problem?

Intuitively it makes sense that providing a significant portion of the cardiac output while unloading the ventricle will improve the patient's hemodynamic status, clinical condition, and quality of life. This is particularly true for patients with milder forms of heart failure. But for those with
Panel Discussion Summary and Recommendations

The objectives of the CEM Workshop Panel Session were to provide a forum for many of the leaders of the CEM community to discuss the state of the technology and, more importantly, to describe new areas of research that should be considered for future applications. This information should be extremely valuable to all organizations involved in EM analytical research and especially to NASA as research activities are being evaluated for future funding possibilities.
On Transition Probabilities in Double Beta-Disintegration

The phenomenon of double $\ensuremath{\beta}$-disintegration is one for which there is a marked difference between the results of Majorana's symmetrical theory of the neutrino and those of the original Dirac-Fermi theory. In the older theory double $\ensuremath{\beta}$-disintegration involves the emission of four particles, two electrons (or positrons) and two antineutrinos (or neutrinos), and the probability of disintegration is extremely small. In the Majorana theory only two particles---the electrons or positrons---have to be emitted, and the transition probability is much larger. Approximate values of this probability are calculated on the Majorana theory for the various Fermi and Konopinski-Uhlenbeck expressions for the interaction energy. The selection rules are derived, and are found in all cases to allow transitions with $\ensuremath{\Delta}i=\ifmmode\pm\else\textpm\fi{}1,0$. The results obtained with the Majorana theory indicate that it is not at all certain that double $\ensuremath{\beta}$-disintegration can never be observed. Indeed, if in this theory the interaction expression were of Konopinski-Uhlenbeck type this process would be quite likely to have a bearing on the abundances of isotopes and on the occurrence of observed long-lived radioactivities. If it is of Fermi type this could be so only if the mass difference were fairly large ($\ensuremath{\epsilon}\ensuremath{\gtrsim}20$, $\ensuremath{\Delta}M\ensuremath{\gtrsim}0.01$ unit).
Antigenic sites on the HN domain of botulinum neurotoxin A stimulate protective antibody responses against active toxin.

Botulinum neurotoxins (BoNTs) are the most toxic substances known. BoNT intoxicates cells in a highly programmed fashion initiated by binding to the cell surface, internalization and enzymatic cleavage of substrate, thus, inhibiting synaptic exocytosis. Over the past two decades, immunological significance of BoNT/A C-terminal heavy chain (HC) and light chain (LC) domains were investigated extensively leading to important findings. In the current work, we explored the significance of BoNT/A heavy chain N-terminal (HN) region as a vaccine candidate. Mice were immunized with recombinant HN519–845 generating antibodies (Abs) that were found to be protective against lethal dose of BoNT/A. Immuno-dominant regions of HN519–845 were identified and individually investigated for antibody response along with synthetic peptides within those regions, using in vivo protection assays against BoNT/A. Results were confirmed by patch-clamp analysis where anti-HN antibodies were studied for the ability to block toxin-induced channel formation. This data strongly indicated that HN519–593 is an important region in generating protective antibodies and should be valuable in a vaccine design. These results are the first to describe and dissect the protective activity of the BoNT/A HN domain.
Even Einstein Struggled: Effects of Learning About Great Scientists’ Struggles on High School Students’ Motivation to Learn Science

Students’ beliefs that success in science depends on exceptional talent negatively impact their motivation to learn. For example, such beliefs have been shown to be a major factor steering students away from taking science and math courses in high school and college. In the present study, we tested a novel story-based instruction that models how scientists achieve through failures and struggles. We designed this instruction to challenge this belief, thereby improving science learning in classroom settings. A demographically diverse group of 402 9th and 10th grade students read 1 of 3 types of stories about eminent scientists that described how the scientists (a) struggled intellectually (e.g., made mistakes in investigating scientific problems, and overcame the mistakes through effort), (b) struggled in their personal life (e.g., suffered family poverty and lack of parental support but overcame it), or (c) made great discoveries (a control condition, similar to the instructional material that appears in many science textbooks, that did not describe any struggles). Results showed that participation in either of the struggle story conditions improved science learning postintervention, relative to that of students in the control condition. Additionally, the effect of our intervention was more pronounced for low-performing students. Moreover, far more students in either of the struggle story conditions felt connected to the stories and scientists than did students in the control condition. The use of struggle stories provides a promising and implementable instructional approach that can improve student motivation and academic performance in science and perhaps other subjects as well. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2016 APA, all rights reserved)
Near- and sub-barrier fusion of Ni 58 with Ni 58

Differential cross sections for evaporation residue formation following the complete fusion of $^{58}\mathrm{Ni}$ with 187.6 to 220 MeV $^{58}\mathrm{Ni}$ ions were measured with high precision using a velocity selector together with a counter telescope. The resulting cross sections for complete fusion ranged in magnitude from 50 \ensuremath{\mu}b at 93.3 MeV to 230 mb at 108.9 MeV (c.m.). The cross sections for complete fusion at sub-barrier energies were shown to be far greater than those predicted by standard barrier penetration models.NUCLEAR REACTIONS Complete fusion, $^{58}\mathrm{Ni}$ + $^{58}\mathrm{Ni}$, $E=187.6 \mathrm{to} 220$ MeV lab, measured $\ensuremath{\sigma}(E,\ensuremath{\theta})$ for evaporation residues.
Comment: Strohminger–McGinn: Deconstructing the Moral Amplification Effect:

I use a number of McGinn’s (2011) ideas to identify likely confounds in the induction of incidental disgust as the basis of the moral amplification effect.
Support, traumatization, and employment differences in drug court outcomes

s / Drug and Alcohol Dependence 146 (2015) e34–e117 e47 Support, traumatization, and employment differences in drug court outcomes Diane Morse1, Catherine Cerulli 1, Sanjukta Bandyopadhyay2, Joseph J. Guido2, Hongmei Yang2, John L. Wilson1, F. Taxman3 1 Psychiatry, University of Rochester School of Medicine, Rochester, NY, United States 2 Biostatistics, University of Rochester School of Medicine, Rochester, NY, United States 3 Criminology, Law & Society, George Mason University, Fairfax, VA, United States Aims: Adult drug treatment court (ADTC) outcomes in relation to social support, trauma, and employment are poorly understood. We examined these outcomes and related factors. Methods: Bivariate analysis using chi square and t-test assessed the following outcomes: substance abuse, arrests, health problems, emotional problems, social risk problems, and recovery environment risk using Global Appraisal of Individual Need data collected as part of a multi-site study examining drug use, recidivism, service utilization and treatment. ADTC clients from twelve sites were included (N=666 male, 915 female). Independent variables included: gender, race, age, years of education, income, partner status, employment, social support, traumatization, and traumagenic factors. Results: Social support was associated with a decreased likelihood of arrest (p< .033), substance abuse (p< .001), recovery environment risk (p< .001) and social risk index (p< .001). Victimization within the past year was associated with increased substance use (p< .001), social risk problems (p< .008), and recovery environment risk (p< .001). Employment within the past year was associated with decreased recovery environmental risk (p< .024) and substance use (p< .001). Female gender was associated with an increased likelihood of reduction in substance abuse (p< .038). Conclusions:Desirable ADTCoutcomes derive from: Social support related to 4 of 6 outcomes. Victimization history related to 3 of 6 outcomes. Employment related to 2 of 4 outcomes. Client victimization related to ADTC outcomes. Addressing victimization and employment appear important to improve outcomes, as supported by these findings. Future analyses will examine whether these findings are robust in a multivariate analysis, controlling for trauma-informed treatment as well as a rasch based outcome model to determine factors that affect multiple outcomes. Financial support: NIDA 1K23DA031612-01A1, SAMHSA/Center for Substance Abuse Treatment 270201200001c. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.drugalcdep.2014.09.498 Effect of methylphenidate preexposure on methylphenidate-induced conditioned taste avoidance Mirabella Muller, Bradley B. Wetzell, Shaun M. Flax, Heather E. King, Anthony L. Riley Psychopharmacology Laboratory, Department of Psychology, American University, Washington, DC,
Social Networks and the Heritability of Migratory Behavior

A small but growing body of literature examines the relationship between genetics and human migration. These studies suggest that some DRD4 alleles, particularly 7R+, are related to migration. This is surprising from a sociological perspective, which views migration largely as a product of social and economic forces. However, social relationships with migrants, which have been theorized to influence migration by providing access to migration-specific information and resources, can also be viewed as proxies for genetic relatedness within households. This study computed intraclass correlations for five relatedness groups, along with narrow-sense heritability and environmental correlations, using a large survey of Mexicans. Shared and independent variance components were estimated using multilevel models for the relatedness groups simultaneously with sex and age components. The results indicate that strong environmental influences are exerted on young family members and, to a lesser extent, males. On the other hand, genetic relatedness plays a large role in determining migration for older migrants and females; surprisingly, this is true for both domestic and international migrants.
Effect of Sowing Date on Yield and LAI of Supper Japonica Rice

Using ‘Shennong 265’as material,effect of the two treatments of different sowing date and transplants density on LAI,yield and yield components was studied.The following conclusions were drawn,i.e.,delaying sowing date decreased effective tillers per 667m2 and seed-setting rate obviously,and the yield was affected.Increasing transplants density increased effective tillers per 667m2.With the delaying of sowing date,LAI was affected obviously.If sowing date was too late,the yield was reduced for Reproduction Stage become shorter.
An investigative analysis of 463 incidents of single-victim child abductions identified through federal law enforcement

We examined the characteristics of perpetrator, victim, and crime scene for 463 child abduction incidents involving a single perpetrator and single victim based upon case material submitted to federal law enforcement. The victims were predominantly female with sexual assault being the primary motivation for the abduction of both the female and male victims. Within this sample 55% of the female child victims and 49% of the male child victims were found dead or not recovered. Offenders who were identified as being criminally versatile were found more often to abduct the youngest and oldest children, to be between the ages of 30 to 59, and a stranger to their victim. In contrast, perpetrators with prior crimes against children tended more often to be below the age of 30 years, to demonstrate more of a propensity for abducting children of minority status, and to perpetrate crimes with a lower probability of holding their victims for more than 8 h. Only 5% of offenders who abducted a female child and none of the perpetrators who abducted male child victims during or after 1994 were found to be registered on a state or federal sex offender registry. Language: en
An Epidemic Hits Campus: The Challenge of Obesity for Future Students and Campus Recreation

Campus recreation programs and the national professional organization expect continued growth in the years to come, however, the future of the health of college students is troublesome. With the increase in childhood and adolescent overweight and obesity, attracting the nonuser to campus recreation programs could become more challenging than in the past. Campus recreation professionals will need to raise their awareness of the factors that influence overweight and obesity, and leisure-time physical activity in college students. This knowledge can subsequently be used to increase programming and service options to attract nonusers, create a culture of healthy living on campus, and increase the likelihood of future student participation.
Sub-Image Centres in an AgBr Emulsion: Creation by Oxidation; Stability

AbstractWe attempted to determine the relative stabilities of latent image and sub-image centres in a sulphur- plus-gold-sensitized silver bromide emulsion by the Reinders technique in which exposed films are bathed in solutions containing both ferrous and ferric ions. The latent image centres were detected by development without latensification, whereas sub- image centres were detected by either gold or light latensification prior to development. Because oxidation of latent image centres by the ferric/ferrous solution creates sub-image centres simultaneously with the destruction of some sub-image centres, a new accounting of the net change in fraction of grains containing only sub-image centres is postulated. Within the experimental uncertainties of our results, we cannot conclude that sub-image centres are more stable than latent image centres.
Outlook and Conclusions

We first review the necessary components of electrodynamics and establish a practical notion of optical excitations. Next, we specialize to plasmonic excitations, and discuss their classical features. Finally, we cover theoretical aspects of techniques that probe the properties of plasmons in practice.
The Esophageal Squamous Epithelial Cell—Still a Reasonable Candidate for the Barrett’s Esophagus Cell of Origin?

Barrett's esophagus is the metaplastic change of the squamous epithelium lining the distal esophagus into an intestinalized columnar epithelium that predisposes to esophageal adenocarcinoma development. The cell that gives rise to Barrett's esophagus has not been identified definitively, although several sources for the Barrett's esophagus cell of origin have been postulated. One possible source is a fully differentiated squamous epithelial cell or a squamous epithelial progenitor or stem cell native to the esophagus that, through molecular reprogramming, either transdifferentiation or transcommitment, could give rise to an intestinalized columnar cell. Multilayered epithelium found in human patients and rodents with Barrett's esophagus and direct phenotypic conversion of mouse embryonic esophageal epithelium provide support for this. Limitations in current experimental approaches may explain why it has been difficult to fully change an esophageal squamous epithelial cell into an intestinalized columnar cell in vitro.
Derivable subregular planes

The set of subregular translation planes admitting a derivable net that lies across the subregular plane and the associated Desarguesian plane is completely classified as the set of Foulser-Ostrom planes of odd order.
The Search for Applications of Chemical Signals in Wildlife Management

Chemical signals play a vital role in the lives of many wildlife species. Several review articles (Bronson, 1971; Chael and Sprott, 1971; Ralls, 1971; Eisenberg and Kleiman, 1972; Estes, 1972; Mykytowycz, 1972) have described the diversity of chemical signals, their glandular or excretory origins, and their effects on behavior and reproduction in a variety of wild animals. Most often, chemical signals (pheromones) from conspecifics have been investigated. However, interspecific signals or allomones (Eisenberg and Kleiman, 1972) as well as odors and flavors of certain food items (Hansson, 1973; Rice and Church, 1974) and prey odors (Burghardt, 1970) have been studied and have been found to have survival and chemical signal value to many species.
Censorship and Transgressive Art

The term censorship refers to a wide range of restrictions imposed upon cultural expression, from prohibition to alteration to destruction. It can be overt or covert. In many instances censorship is imposed by parties outside the production process, and after a product has been completed. It may also be self-imposed, to prevent such restrictions. Censorship becomes a catch-all term that assumes political significance as different groups struggle to control public discourse. Transgressive art is a frequent target of censorship. Drawing upon philosopher Immanuel Kant's concept of the ‘sublime,’ and the insights of anthropologist Mary Douglas, transgressive art is defined as art that agitates spectators because it violates ‘natural categories.’ In other words, transgressive art challenges fundamental distinctions every society employs, such as masculine and feminine, public and private, sacred and profane. It blurs the symbolic boundaries between phenomena that societies typically keep separate. Transgressive art therefore generates fear, anxiety, and anger, and triggers public controversy. The relationship between transgressive art and censorship confirms Michel Foucault's observation about ‘perpetual spirals of power and pleasure.’ It can be as exciting to exercise power as it is to resist it. Censors and rebellious artists are frequently locked into a dance from which neither party can disconnect. The normative sociology of Emile Durkheim, once the primary theoretical foundation for studying these phenomena, needs to be supplemented in order to understand our postmodernist world.
A Model for the Specific Site Melting of DNA in Vivo

While there is evidence that strand separation in DNA is an important control event for both transcription and replication (1,2) there is no specific model that would provide a satisfactory mechanistic account as to how localized helical destabilization might be initiated by a protein and be restricted to a specific DNA sequence under the highly stabilizing conditions found in vivo (3). An hypothetical model for sequence-specific destabilization can be formulated quite naturally on the basis of proton exchange mechanisms in DNA to be described in this report. This model provides for the exclusive destabilization of G-C rich sequences under the influence of polycationic sequences of proteins. Superficially, these features are contradictory to the well known stability of G-C regions and the ionic stabilization of DNA by polycations. In addition, the model contains the apparently self-contradictory notion that an increase in H-bond strength will establish the condition of destabilization. Therefore, justification of such a model will be based on close examination of a rational basis for its formulation and second on a comparison of its predictive features with several general observations on DNA melting reported in the literature.
Genetic Variants in Smooth Muscle Contraction and Adhesion Genes Cause Thoracic Aortic Aneurysms and Dissections and Other Vascular Diseases

Genetic studies of families with recurrent thoracic aortic aneurysms and dissections (TAAD) have led to the discovery of mutations in several genes that, when mutated, can predispose to an inherited form of the disease. These genes include ACTA2 , MYH11 , and MLCK , which respectively encode the two major smooth muscle-specific contractile proteins and the kinase that controls smooth muscle cell contractile function. The identification of mutations in smooth muscle contractile genes suggested a novel pathogenic mechanism for aortic aneurysm development in these families: altered smooth muscle contraction. Further support for this mechanism comes from analysis of rare genetic variants found in TAAD patients without an inherited predisposition to the disease. These variants preferentially alter genes encoding for protein involved in smooth muscle cell contraction or adhesion. Taken together, recent findings emphasize the importance of maintaining aortic smooth muscle contraction in preventing aneurysm formation.
Towards a new approach in the study of Ancient Greek music: Virtual reconstruction of an ancient musical instrument from Greek Sicily

The virtual reconstruction of the aulos found in Temple R at Selinunte aims to increase and improve its scientific investigation, overcoming the limitations caused by the fragility of the instrument. Digital technology has allowed us to produce a 3D model of the aulos. This digital model has been translated into a three-dimensional artificial copy, using polymer as a material. Our goal is to reconstruct the aulos, after analysing its organological characteristics. We also hope that this new study of the aulos will increase our knowledge of Ancient Greek music.
Semi-Coherent DMA: An Alternative I/O Coherency Management for Embedded Systems

Many modern embedded CPUs adopt Non-Coherent DMA (NC-DMA) over Coherent DMA (C-DMA) because of simplicity. An NC-DMA design, however, requires a CPU device driver to explicitly invalidate or flush a wide range of cache space. When an I/O DMA device writes data to a main memory region, the CPU needs to invalidate the cache space corresponding to the same memory region twice: (1) to prevent dirty cache lines from overwriting the DMA data and (2) to remove any cache lines prefetched before the DMA is done. In this work, we first show that such explicit invalidations consume 31 percent of CPU cycles, limiting the data transfer throughput of a high-speed network interface card (NIC) when receiving network packets. Second, we propose a Semi-Coherent DMA (SC-DMA) architecture for improving the efficiency of NC-DMA with a slight modification to the hardware. Specifically, our SC-DMA records the DMA region and prohibits any data that is prefetched from the region from entering the cache, reducing nearly 50 percent of the unnecessary invalidations. Lastly, we identify several software optimizations that can substantially reduce excessive cache invalidations prevalent in NIC drivers. Our evaluation with NVIDIA Jetson TX2 shows that our proposed SC-DMA design with the NIC driver optimizations can improve the NIC data transfer throughput by up to 53.3 percent.
Robust Coupling between Structural and Electronic Transitions in a Mott Material

The interdependences of different phase transitions in Mott materials are fundamental to the understanding of the mechanisms behind them. One of the most important relations is between the ubiquitous structural and electronic transitions. Using IR spectroscopy, optical reflectivity, and x-ray diffraction, we show that the metal-insulator transition is coupled to the structural phase transition in ${\mathrm{V}}_{2}{\mathrm{O}}_{3}$ films. This coupling persists even in films with widely varying transition temperatures and strains. Our findings are in contrast to recent experimental findings and theoretical predictions. Using ${\mathrm{V}}_{2}{\mathrm{O}}_{3}$ as a model system, we discuss the pitfalls in measurements of the electronic and structural states of Mott materials in general, calling for a critical examination of previous work in this field. Our findings also have important implications for the performance of Mott materials in next-generation neuromorphic computing technology.
The Effects of Reactant Concentration and Air Flow Rate in the Consumption of Dissolved O2 during the Photochemistry of Aqueous Pyruvic Acid

The sunlight photochemistry of the organic chromophore pyruvic acid (PA) in water generates ketyl and acetyl radicals that contribute to the production and processing of atmospheric aerosols. The photochemical mechanism is highly sensitive to dissolved oxygen content, [O₂(aq)], among other environmental conditions. Thus, herein we investigate the photolysis (λ ≥ 305 nm) of 10⁻200 mM PA at pH 1.0 in water covering the relevant range 0 ≤ [O₂(aq)] ≤ 1.3 mM. The rapid consumption of dissolved oxygen by the intermediate photolytic radicals is monitored in real time with a dissolved oxygen electrode. In addition, the rate of O₂(aq) consumption is studied at air flow rates from 30.0 to 900.0 mL min-1. For the range of [PA]₀ covered under air saturated conditions and 30 mL min-1 flow of air in this setup, the estimated half-lives of O₂(aq) consumed by the photolytic radicalsfall within the interval from 22 to 3 min. Therefore, the corresponding depths of penetration of O₂(g) into water (x = 4.3 and 1.6 µm) are determined, suggesting that accumulation and small coarse mode aqueous particles should not be O₂-depleted in the presence of sunlight photons impinging this kind of chromophore. These photochemical results are of major tropospheric relevance for understanding the formation and growth of secondary organic aerosol.
Higher resting state functional connectivity between the vmPFC and rTPJ in individuals who display conversational synchrony

Abstract The neural mechanisms that support synchrony of conversational behaviors (e.g., word production, turn length) are not well understood. Lesion work has suggested that the ventromedial prefrontal cortex (vmPFC) is important for noncontent speech convergence, which measures if word production becomes more similar across a conversation (Gordon, Tranel, & Duff, 2014). However, the relationship between neural activity and conversational synchrony has not been studied in healthy individuals and it is not known if differences in neural activity contribute to individual differences in conversational behavior. In this preliminary study, we assessed noncontent speech convergence in twenty female undergraduates who conversed with an unfamiliar conversational partner for 20 min. Ten dyads displayed noncontent speech convergence as they became more similar to one another in their production of words, while the other ten did not. Furthermore, we found higher resting state functional connectivity between the vmPFC and right temporoparietal junction (rTPJ) for the ten individuals in dyads who converged compared to those who did not converge. This provides complementary evidence for the importance of the vmPFC and rTPJ for conversational synchrony in healthy individuals and suggests that intrinsic neural network activity is related to individual differences in conversational synchrony.
Non-monotonic temperature dependence of nanoscopic dynamics measured in living housefly larvae

Abstract We have studied nanoscopic dynamics on pico-to nano-second time scale in living housefly (Musca domestica) larvae using quasielastic neutron scattering. Model-independent data exhibit two distinct dynamic components measurable on the time scale probed in the experiment. The broad component is reminiscent of water dynamics, but somewhat slower, and must be associated with the scattering contribution from the hemolymph in larvae. The narrow (slow) component is similar in appearance to the dynamics measured previously in the living planarian flatworms. Unlike the monotonic temperature dependence for the hemolymph dynamics, the temperature dependence for the slow dynamic component shows an increase at 298 K, in the middle of the measured (on cooling down) range of 303.8 to 289.3 K. A similar increase at 298 K, in the middle of the measured (on warming up, and with different sample environment temperature control equipment used) range of 284.5–304.1 K, has been previously observed for the slow dynamic component in living planarian flatworms. An increase in the measurable nanoscopic dynamics at a mid-range temperature of 298 K, decoupled from the hemolymph dynamics, is an unexpected phenomenon, apparently observable among organisms from different phyla, such as flatworms and arthropods.
Introduction: host plant choice and feeding ecology of insects

This special issue includes a series of 11 papers that focus on host preference and feeding ecology of insects, and how these two aspects affect herbivore–plant interactions. Factors are included such as host invasions, herbivore phenotypes, and agronomic practices on herbivory in multiple feeding guilds, as well as in multiple trophic levels. This issue also includes substantial details on how best to study the changes in plant–insect interactions and potentially utilize them in the context of pest management.
The application of antenna theory to the calculation of electric shielding due to metallic reinforcement in a cylindrical shelter

Reinforcement bars arranged longitudinally around an antinuclear cylindrical shelter are treated as coupled dipole antennas and are shown to provide shielding against EMP which is a maximum at the shelter center and drops steeply towards the ends unless the reinforcement is continued into the end caps. Depending on dimensions, a low frequency electric field parallel to the cylindrical axis can be shielded by a factor of the order of 10 to 35 dB or more.
Modulation of Osmium(II) Tris(2,2′-bipyridine) Photophysics through Encapsulation within Zinc(II) Trimesic Acid Metal Organic Frameworks

The Os(II) tris(2,2'-bipyridine) (OsBpy) complex exhibits optical properties that are particularly attractive for light harvesting systems due to the broad absorption spectrum extending throughout the solar spectrum. However, the relatively short lifetime of the triplet metal to ligand charge transfer state (3MLCT) relative to the related Ru(II)tris(2,2'-bipyridine) (RuBpy) has limited applications. Here, the encapsulation of OsBpy within two distinct Zn(II)-trimesic acid MOFs, HKUST-1(Zn) and USF-2 is demonstrated in an effort to extend the 3MLCT lifetime. Encapsulation results in a hypsochromatic shift of the steady-state emission band in both frameworks resulting from a destabilization of the 3MLCT. The encapsulated OsBpy also exhibits extended emission lifetimes in both HKUST-1(Zn) (104 ns in MOF vs 50 ns in methanol) and USF-2 (81 ns in MOF vs 50 ns in methanol) arising from changes in the nonradiative decay constants in both systems. The data are also consistent with vibronic perturbations involved in mixing between higher energy 3MLCT* and ligand field states.
Mobile Phone–Based Behavioral Interventions in Pregnancy to Promote Maternal and Fetal Health in High-Income Countries: Systematic Review

Background: Chronic diseases have recently had an increasing effect on maternal-fetal health, especially in high-income countries. However, there remains a lack of discussion regarding health management with technological approaches, including mobile health (mHealth) interventions. Objective: This study aimed to systematically evaluate mHealth interventions used in pregnancy in high-income countries and their effects on maternal health behaviors and maternal-fetal health outcomes. Methods: This systematic review identified studies published between January 1, 2000, and November 30, 2018, in MEDLINE via PubMed, Cochrane Library, EMBASE, CINAHL, PsycINFO, Web of Science, and gray literature. Studies were eligible for inclusion if they included only pregnant women in high-income countries and evaluated stand-alone mobile phone interventions intended to promote healthy maternal beliefs, behaviors, and/or maternal-fetal health outcomes. Two researchers independently reviewed and categorized aspects of full-text articles, including source, study design, intervention and control, duration, participant age, attrition rate, main outcomes, and risk of bias. Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses guidelines were followed, and the study was registered in PROSPERO before initiation. Results: Of the 2225 records examined, 28 studies were included and categorized into 4 themes: (1) gestational weight gain, obesity and physical activity (n=9); (2) smoking cessation (n=9); (3) influenza vaccination (n=2); and (4) general prenatal health, preventive strategies, and miscellaneous topics (n=8). Reported sample sizes ranged from 16 to 5243 with a median of 91. Most studies were performed in the United States (18/28, 64%) and were randomized controlled trials (21/28, 75%). All participants in the included studies were pregnant at the time of study initiation. Overall, 14% (4/28) of studies showed association between intervention use and improved health outcomes; all 4 studies focused on healthy gestational weight. Among those, 3 studies showed intervention use was associated with less overall gestational weight gain. These 3 studies involved interventions with text messaging or an app in combination with another communication strategy (Facebook or email). Regarding smoking cessation, influenza vaccination, and miscellaneous topics, there was some evidence of positive effects on health behaviors and beliefs, but very limited correlation with improved health outcomes. Data and interventions were heterogeneous, precluding a meta-analysis. Conclusions: In high-income countries, utilization of mobile phone–based health behavior interventions in pregnancy demonstrates some correlation with positive beliefs, behaviors, and health outcomes. More effective interventions are multimodal in terms of features and tend to focus on healthy gestational weight gain.
Hepatic Stellate Cells and Hepatocarcinogenesis

Hepatic stellate cells (HSCs) are a significant component of the hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) tumor microenvironment (TME). Activated HSCs transform into myofibroblast-like cells to promote fibrosis in response to liver injury or chronic inflammation, leading to cirrhosis and HCC. The hepatic TME is comprised of cellular components, including activated HSCs, tumor-associated macrophages, endothelial cells, immune cells, and non-cellular components, such as growth factors, proteolytic enzymes and their inhibitors, and other extracellular matrix (ECM) proteins. Interactions between HCC cells and their microenvironment have become topics under active investigation. These interactions within the hepatic TME have the potential to drive carcinogenesis and create challenges in generating effective therapies. Current studies reveal potential mechanisms through which activated HSCs drive hepatocarcinogenesis utilizing matricellular proteins and paracrine crosstalk within the TME. Since activated HSCs are primary secretors of ECM proteins during liver injury and inflammation, they help promote fibrogenesis, infiltrate the HCC stroma, and contribute to HCC development. In this review, we examine several recent studies revealing the roles of HSCs and their clinical implications in the development of fibrosis and cirrhosis within the hepatic TME.
Incidental Diagnosis of Primary Progressive Aphasia in the Inpatient Setting: A Note to Raise Clinical Awareness

Purpose The purpose of this report is to raise awareness among medical speech-language pathologists about challenges associated with encountering primary progressive aphasia patients in the acute h...
Resident Duty Hour Compliance and Sleep after Transitioning to a Night Float System: A Prospective Observational Study in an Academic Urology Program

AbstractIntroduction:Our urology residency program transitioned to a night float system, where dedicated residents cover nights and are off duty during the day. Junior residents previously covered ...
Impact of BIM-Related Contract Factors on Project Performance

AbstractBuilding information modeling (BIM) implementation is growing in the architecture, engineering, and construction (AEC) industry; however, there is little insight on how contract practices c...
The specificity of orientation-tuned normalization within human early visual cortex.

Normalization within visual cortex is modulated by contextual influences; stimuli sharing similar features suppress each other more than dissimilar stimuli. This feature-tuned component of suppress...
Coordinated Biosensors: Integrated Systems for Ultrasensitive Detection of Biomarkers

The sections in this article are Overview Introduction Elements of a Nanobiosensor Biomolecular Components Nanoparticles Nanoelectrodes Coordinated Biosensors Biomolecular Conduits: Signal Transducing Mediators NADH Peroxidase: the Biocatalytic Element Undecagold Nanoparticle: Role in Alignment and Directing Electron Flow Integrated Signals Conclusion Acknowledgments
A DC-powered, tunable, fully mechanical oscillator using in-plane electrothermal actuation

This paper describes a fully mechanical micromachined oscillator that is driven using only a DC power source. The oscillator is made using an electrothermal actuator, that when actuated, opens a switch to cut off its supply current. Two versions of this oscillator have been designed using distinct hysteresis mechanisms: one structural, and the other thermal. The devices have 30 /spl mu/m thick electroplated copper structures and 3 /spl mu/m minimum features, fabricated using a single mask low temperature UV-LIGA process, with a footprint of 1 mm/spl times/1 mm. Measured results confirm the operation and show that the oscillators are capable of generating a tunable signal with a frequency range from 38 Hz to 1200 Hz and a duty cycle between 0.3 and 0.7, while requiring an operating voltage less than 0.5 V. The maximum power consumption is 180 mW.
Boundary Components of Thickened Graphs

Using linear DNA segments and branched junction molecules many different three-dimensional DNA structures (graphs) could be self-assembled. We investigate maximum and minimum numbers of circular DNA that form these structures. For a given graph G, we consider compact orientable surfaces, called thickened graphs of G, that have G as a deformation retract. The number of boundary curves of a thickened graph G corresponds to the number of circular DNA strands that assemble into the graph G. We investigate how this number changes by recombinations or edge additions and relate to some results from topological graph theory.
Beam clean-up and combining via stimulated scattering in liquid crystals

Orientational stimulated scattering from o-wave into e-wave in liquid crystal may combine coherent beams or modes of amplifiers) into diffraction-limited output. In experiment a 1000 micron liquid crystal layer transmitted undistorted o-wave with low attenuation.
Chemical and diffusion-controlled curing kinetics of an underfill material

Abstract Curing kinetics of an epoxy-based underfill material with applications in flip chip ball grid array (FC-BGA) packages has been studied using differential scanning calorimetry (DSC). Non-isothermal DSC curves were obtained with heating rates ranging from 0.5 to 10 °C/min. Glass transition temperature as a function of fractional conversion was determined using temperature modulated DSC. Based on these experimental data, non-linear regression technique was used to evaluate the curing kinetics by considering both chemical- and diffusion-controlled reaction processes. As a result, it was determined that the curing reaction can be described by an n th order autocatalytic reaction partially controlled by diffusion, although the diffusion effect is relatively weak. The obtained optimized kinetic parameters allow us to predict the reaction behavior under various application conditions.
Treatment of Clostridium difficile colitis in hamsters with a lipopeptide antibiotic, LY146032.

LY146032, an acidic lipopeptide antibiotic which inhibits the biosynthesis of cell wall peptidoglycan, was found to be effective in delaying death in a hamster model of pseudomembranous colitis. A dose of 0.05 mg/day was effective. The equivalent protection with vancomycin required a dose 100-fold higher, i.e., 5 mg/day.
Fluorescence lifetime spectroscopy and imaging in random media

Tissue fluorescence, whether from endogenous or exogenous probes, provides an opportunity for interrogation on the basis of structure and function. However to date, there has been little understanding of the localization of signal origin of fluorescence signals re-emitted from tissues. Previously, we have shown using finite element computations that the origin or re- emitted fluorescence signal depends upon the lifetime of the optical probe. The signal arising from long-lived phosphorescent probes may predominately come from the tissue-air interface rather than from deep within the tissue. Therefore, the use of short-lived optical probes may be desirable for fluorescence spectroscopy and as contrast agents for biomedical optical lived probes embedded within scattering media. Our results show that upon proper referencing of frequency-domain measurements, lifetime measurements can be made in the presence of uniform and nonuniform distribution of optical probes. The implications for biomedical optical imaging on the basis of probe lifetime are discussed.
Aeolian Dynamics along Scraped Shorelines, Bogue Banks, North Carolina

Abstract Aeolian transport rates were measured for six months (March–September 1999) at paired scraped and natural shorelines on Bogue Banks, North Carolina. Although wave action was principally responsible for dune volume losses at scraped shorelines, substantial aeolian losses were observed. Beach scraping induced rapid onshore aeolian sediment movement by increasing sediment availability, altering dune morphology, denuding dune foreslopes and modifying dune sediment characteristics. In response to prevailing onshore winds, net transport of sediments across the foredune crest was 1.54 × 10−3 m3/m/day, resulting in dune growth at scraped locations. Dune planting with American beach-grass (Ammophila breviligulata) did not substantially reduce aeolian transport rates at a scraped beachfront. Minimization of aeolian losses at scraped dunes by installation of sand fencing is desirable from a management perspective. Accelerated dune migration and depletion of the longshore sediment budget are potential long-t...
Clarifying the Nocebo Effect and Its Ethical Implications

The nocebo response is the dark side of the placebo phenomenon. Wells and Kaptchuk (2012) make a valuable contribution to the bioethics literature by describing evidence relating to nocebo effects ...
Slavery, Heritage and Tourism in Ghana

Summary This paper examines the past and present of the approximately 80 slave trade-related structures erected by Europeans on the shores of the Gold Coast (now Ghana). Built between the sixteenth and nineteenth centuries, these monuments bear testimony to a shameful commerce in human beings, one that served to inextricably link the fate of peoples of three continents: Africa, the Americas and Europe. The meaning of these monuments remains powerful, bringing to Ghana and the slave forts a stream of tourists, primarily from Europe and the Americas, on a pilgrimage to view the virtual history of buyers, sellers and victims of the Atlantic Slave Trade.
Chronic pelvic pain: an integrated approach to diagnosis and treatment.

Chronic pelvic pain affects upward of 15% of women and is a frustrating condition for both patients and physicians. Chronic pelvic pain is not a disease, but a syndrome that results from a complex interaction between neurologic, musculoskeletal, and endocrine systems that is further influenced by be