cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Monitoring and Temperature-Based Prediction of the Whitemarked Tussock Moth (Lepidoptera: Lymantriidae) in Blueberry

Larvae of the whitemarked tussock moth, Orgyia leucostigma (J.E. Smith) (Lepidoptera: Lymantriidae), defoliate and contaminate blueberries, Vaccinium corymbosum L., in eastern North America, but infestations are often not detected until economic damage has been caused. To improve monitoring techniques and understand the phenology of the whitemarked tussock moth in blueberry, we compared four trap types and determined temperature-based phenology of this pest over two growing seasons. Large delta traps captured the greatest number of male moths, and similar moth captures were found with or without monthly lure changing. Traps placed at field perimeters adjacent to woods trapped significantly more moths than those inside fields, whereas position in the canopy (high versus low) did not affect captures. Under laboratory conditions, the lower developmental threshold for larvae was 12.3 degrees C, in close agreement with field studies indicating a 12.8 degrees C threshold. Using the 12.8 degrees C threshold, monitoring of O. leucostigma cohorts on caged blueberry plants revealed a spring generation with egg hatch starting at 206 +/- 3 growing degree-days (GDD) and a late-summer generation with egg hatch starting at 1,157 +/- 52 GDD. Combined use of optimized monitoring methods and the phenology model for O. leucostigma is expected to improve integrated management of this pest in blueberry.
Amerindian loanwords in general and local varieties of American Spanish

RESUMENEn este articulo se estudia la distribucion de los indigenismos en el castellano general de America y en sus variantes regionales y locales. Aqui se da razon de dicha distribucion. Las lenguas indigenas antillanas, muy especialmente el taino, tienen una distribucion continental y son las que mas contribuyen a la lengua general americana a pesar de lo rudimentario de la cultura de sus hablantes, su escaso numero y su rapida desaparicion. La importancia del taino se explica por ser la principal lengua del primer contacto, por haber servido a la gran necesidad denominadora durante el ‘periodo antillano’ (1492 a 1519), y por el prestigio atribuido durante los primeros anos de la conquista al conocimiento de lo americano y a la veterania en dicho proceso conquistador. Ambas cualidades se demonstraban mediante el uso de los antillanismos.Durante el periodo antillano se llenaron muchas de las areas lexicas vacias creadas por el descubrimiento de un mundo nuevo repleto de cosas sin nombre. Pero cuando se r...
Diabetes and the license to drive.

People with diabetes are subject to restrictive licensing policies that bar them from driving certain types of motor vehicles. Discriminatory rules regarding the license to drive are based mainly on concerns that treatment with blood glucose-lowering agents, especially insulin--may induce episodes of altered consciousness due to hypoglycemia. The risk of hypoglycemia, however, differs greatly among insulin-requiring diabetics and it is not difficult to identify those few who present a substantial risk. Moreover, the advent of simple, portable devices for blood glucose self-monitoring allows diabetics to know when blood glucose levels are becoming low and to take prompt corrective action. Thus, it would seem that blanket rules prohibiting diabetics from driving certain types of vehicles are unfair and unwarranted. In view of these considerations, rules are being revised by some licensing agencies to eliminate blanket restrictions and to allow for case-by-case evaluations to determine medical qualifications of people with diabetes. Tight control of diabetes currently is being advocated widely as a means of preventing chronic complications, but it carries an increased risk of hypoglycemia. Physicians who institute tight control regimens must ensure that patients understand the potential risk of hypoglycemia and are capable of minimizing the risk. Physicians should report patients to the Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) who, in their judgement, are unable to drive safely because of concerns about hypoglycemia. Wisconsin state law protects physicians who make such reports from liability. Language: en
Abstract 389: Coronary Endothelial Dysfunction Is Associated With Increased Risk of Bleeding Events

Background: Coronary endothelial dysfunction(CED) may reflect loss of vascular integrity and permeability. We aimed to test the hypothesis that CED may be associated with increased risk of bleeding events. Methods: Coronary vascular reactivity was evaluated in 444 patients with non-obstructive coronary arteries by administration of intracoronary acetylcholine during angiography. CED was defined as a ≤ 50% increase in coronary blood flow (CBF) from baseline in response to maximal dose of acetylcholine. After a median follow-up of 7 years, patients were assessed for the occurrence of any significant bleeding events. Results: Of 444 patients, 70.7% (314) were female. Average age was 52.3 years. Of 252 patients with CED, 7.9% (20) developed bleeding events compared to 2.1% (4 of 192) without CED (p=0.004). Patients who developed bleeding events had a lower percent change in CBF vs. those who did not median: (IQR) 14.1 (-28.1, 98.7) vs. 40.0 (-11.0, 103.5); p=0.03 (Figure 1). CED was significantly associated w...
Attenuated pituitary beta-endorphin release in estrogen-treated rats.

AbstractUsing a newly developed radioimmunoassay for β-endorphin (β-END) the influence of gonadal steroids and sex difference on basal and stimulated β-END secretion was investigated. Administration of estradiol benzoate (EB), but not testosterone proprionate, tended to decrease resting levels of plasma β-END and significantly attenuated the stress-induced increase in circulating β-END in male rats. Consistent with these findings is the observation that female rats had somewhat lower nonstress and stress-elevated levels of plasma β-END as compared to males. Over 95% of the total pituitary content of β-END (12.7 ± 1.7 μg) was found to be present in the neurointermediate lobe (NIL) and treatment with EB for 5 days significantly decreased (by up to 56%) stores of β-END in the NIL yet had no effect on the small amount of β-END present in the pars distalis (PD). Since daily administration of EB produced dose-related increases in plasma levels of corticosterone and dexamethasone treatment completely prevented t...
Association Between Age and Obesity Over Time.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: A decline in the prevalence of obesity among 2- to 5-year-olds in the United States was recently reported. This decline may be due to changes in the population composition of children over time or may be a consequence of changes in how strongly individual- or family-level factors are linked to childhood obesity. We applied regression decomposition techniques to identify the sources of the decline. METHODS: We used data from the 2003–2004 and 2011–2012 NHANES restricted to 2- to 5-year-old children and Blinder-Oaxaca regression decomposition techniques to partition the decline in early childhood obesity into 2 components: changes resulting from (1) how demographic, economic, and health characteristics of children have changed over this period (ie, changes in population composition) and (2) changes in how these demographic, economic, and health factors are associated with obesity (ie, changes in associations). RESULTS: The obesity rate was lower in 2011–2012 than it was in 2003–2004 mainly because obesity was strongly and positively associated with age in 2003–2004 (ie, older children were more likely to be obese than younger children) but not in 2011–2012 (ie, older children were not more likely to be obese than younger children). CONCLUSIONS: If the weaker association between age and obesity we observed for this cohort of 2- to 5-year-old children in 2011–2012 persists for subsequent cohorts of young children, the obesity rate for young children will remain at or near the lower rate seen in 2011–2012.
Distribution and localization of phytochrome within the plant

Despite several decades of investigation, not only do the immediate molecular functions of phytochrome remain unidentified, but the transduction chains between these immediate molecular functions and ultimate biological responses remain inadequately described. While insufficient by itself, knowledge of the distribution and localization of phytochrome provides important information that will assist in both formulating and testing hypotheses concerning phytochrome function. The question of phytochrome distribution and localization within the plant can be divided into two aspects. On the one hand, there is the question of how phytochrome is partitioned among the tissues, organs and organ systems of a plant, that is of its intercellular distribution. On the other hand, there is the question of where phytochrome is found within a single cell, that is of its mfracellular localization.
Alaska's Sablefish Fishery after Individual Fishing Quota (IFQ) Program Implementation: an International Economic Market Model

AbstractAlaska is the world’s principal supplier of Sablefish Anoplopoma fimbria, a buttery-flavored whitefish greatly prized in Japan. Sablefish are distributed from Baja California to western Japan, but the majority of commercial catches are from the Gulf of Alaska and the Aleutian Islands off Alaska. The volume and value of landings of this long-lived demersal fish are comparable to those of the well-known Pacific Halibut Hippoglossus stenolepis. As with Pacific Halibut, Alaska region catches of Sablefish are managed under an individual fishing quota (IFQ) program implemented in 1995. We present a simultaneous-equation market model for Sablefish and use it to examine the linkages between landings volume and exvessel prices and revenues, including the sensitivity of Alaska exvessel prices and revenues to changes in landings, the implementation of IFQs, and changes in the Japanese economy. The model simulations indicate that markets could absorb substantially more Sablefish than can be sustainably harves...
Sensor-Based Mobile Web Fingerprinting and Cross-Site Input Inference Attacks

Smartphone motion sensor data are not only accessible to native mobile apps, but have also become accessible to the webpages rendered in either mobile browsers or the WebView components of mobile apps. In this position paper, we highlight four types of broad and severe user fingerprinting and cross-site input inference attacks that can exploit the smartphone motion sensor data to compromise mobile web users' privacy and security, we also discuss some research topics for further investigating the effectiveness of these attacks and designing usable defense mechanisms.
High temperature static strain microwave acoustic sensor

Strain sensors are used to guarantee integrity, safety, and appropriate maintenance in a multitude of applications such as civil structures, industrial equipment, and aircrafts. In harsh environments associated with power plants, aerospace, oil drilling, and industrial processes, there is a pressing need for robust, reliable, small footprint strain sensors, which can operate wirelessly, battery-free, and require minimal or no maintenance. The University of Maine group has been reporting on successful harsh-environment surface acoustic wave resonator (SAWR) temperature sensors fabricated on langasite (LGS) substrates and employing high temperature Pt-based electrode alloys. The usage of this platform for strain sensor application poses technological challenges, such as packaging and sensor assembly for the temperature span; packaged sensor stability and longevity over multiple cycles; and finally temperature cross-sensitivity. This paper discusses the design, fabrication, calibration, and testing up to 400°C of LGS SAWR static strain sensors using co-deposited Pt-Al 2 O 3 and PtNi-PtZr multi-layered electrodes operating at 195 MHz and 338 MHz. The LGS SAWR sensors were mounted on a constant stress beam and characterized up to 200 microstrains, μe. At room temperature, a commercial strain gauge was used for calibration. At higher temperatures (up to 400°C), the sensors were calibrated against a finite element analysis (FEA) model, due to the inexistency of reliable static commercial sensors at those temperatures. Linear regression of the SAWR frequency shift versus strain resulted in correlations of 0.997 and 0.976 at 300°C and 400°C, respectively. The associated extracted sensor sensitivities to strain at 300°C and 400°C were 42Hz/μe and 37Hz/μe. The reported results confirmed the viability of using LGS SAWR as high temperature static strain sensors.
Management of sleep disorders in Parkinson's disease and multiple system atrophy

Parkinson's disease (PD) and multiple system atrophy (MSA) are disorders associated with α synuclein-related neurodegeneration. Nonmotor symptoms are common hallmarks of these disorders, and disturbances of the sleep-wake cycle are among the most common nonmotor symptoms. It is only recently that sleep disturbances have received the attention of the medical and research community. Significant progress has been made in understanding the pathophysiology of sleep and wake disruption in alphasynucleinopathies during the past few decades. Despite these advancements, treatment options are limited and frequently associated with problematic side effects. Further studies that center on the development of novel treatment approaches are very much needed. In this article, the author discusses the current state of the management of disturbed sleep and alertness in PD and MSA. © 2017 International Parkinson and Movement Disorder Society.
α-synuclein toxicity in neurodegeneration: mechanism and therapeutic strategies

Alterations in α-synuclein dosage lead to familial Parkinson's disease (PD), and its accumulation results in synucleinopathies that include PD, dementia with Lewy bodies (DLB) and multiple system atrophy (MSA). Furthermore, α-synuclein contributes to the fibrilization of amyloid-b and tau, two key proteins in Alzheimer's disease, which suggests a central role for α-synuclein toxicity in neurodegeneration. Recent studies of factors contributing to α-synuclein toxicity and its disruption of downstream cellular pathways have expanded our understanding of disease pathogenesis in synucleinopathies. In this Review, we discuss these emerging themes, including the contributions of aging, selective vulnerability and non-cell-autonomous factors such as α-synuclein cell-to-cell propagation and neuroinflammation. Finally, we summarize recent efforts toward the development of targeted therapies for PD and related synucleinopathies.
The contributions of 49ers to the measurements and models of ultrafast photosynthetic energy transfer

Progress in measuring and understanding the mechanism of the elementary energy transfer steps in photosynthetic light harvesting from roughly 1949 to the present is sketched with a focus on the group of scientists born in 1949 ± 1. Improvements in structural knowledge, laser spectroscopic methods, and quantum dynamical theories have led to the ability to record and calculate with reasonable accuracy the timescales of elementary energy transfer steps. The significance of delocalized excited states and of near-field Coulombic coupling is noted. The microscopic understanding enables consistent coarse graining and should enable a much-improved understanding of the regulation of photosynthetic light harvesting.
Budget-Constrained Result Integrity Verification of Outsourced Data Mining Computations

When outsourcing data mining needs to an untrusted service provider in the Data-Mining-as-a-Service (DMaS) paradigm, it is important to verify whether the service provider (server) returns correct mining results (in the format of data mining objects). We consider the setting in which each data mining object is associated with a weight for its importance. Given a client who is equipped with limited verification budget, the server selects a subset of mining results whose total verification cost does not exceed the given budget, while the total weight of the selected results is maximized. This maps to the well-known budgeted maximum coverage (BMC) problem, which is NP-hard. Therefore, the server may execute a heuristic algorithm to select a subset of mining results for verification. The server has financial incentives to cheat on the heuristic output, so that the client has to pay more for verification of the mining results that are less important. Our aim is to verify that the mining results selected by the server indeed satisfy the budgeted maximization requirement. It is challenging to verify the result integrity of the heuristic algorithms as the results are non-deterministic. We design a probabilistic verification method by including negative candidates (NCs) that are guaranteed to be excluded from the budgeted maximization result of the ratio-based BMC solutions. We perform extensive experiments on real-world datasets, and show that the NC-based verification approach can achieve high guarantee with small overhead.
The Nature of Animal Crime: Scope and Severity in Chicago

This study sought to contribute to our sociological understanding of animal crime. Using Chicago Police Department data that include primary and secondary charges of all animal crimes between 2009 ...
The Risks of Operational Militarization: Increased Conflict Against Militarized Police

The current state of race relations in the United States have brought to light the issue of the militarization of local police, where officers are being provided with unused equipment from the government’s war chest through the 1033 Program. But, is this increase in militarization beneficial, or does it harm relations between citizens and police? Using data on purchases provided by the Defense Logistics Agency, this paper analyzes effects of military purchases on assaults on police officers. Fixed effects negative binomial regressions on state-month level data show that stockpiling of material militarization equipment (guns, armor, and clothing) exhibits a statistically significant decrease in assaults, with guns showing no significant relation on assaults. However, operational militarization purchases (surveillance, sonar, and radar) lead to an increase of assaults, suggesting that there may be unforeseen consequences of increased militarization due to a change of structure and information gathering.
Investigation of ion beam induced radiation damage in Si PN diodes

Abstract Ion Beam Induced Charge (IBIC) and Deep Level Transient Spectroscopy (DLTS) were used to investigate displacement damage caused by MeV energy ion beams in Si diodes. The devices were irradiated with 3 MeV Si ions to create displacement damage and a 2 MeV He ion beam was used for IBIC. The IBIC signal deterioration was measured as the function of the ion fluence and DLTS was used to identify the defects and their quantities. We used a new calculation method based on previous work by Fizzotti et al. [9] and more recently by Vittone [10] to determine the fraction of the active traps that affect the lifetime. The first application of this method is presented in this paper.
Thorium-Based Mixed Oxide Fuel in a Pressurized Water Reactor: A Burnup Analysis with MCNP

Abstract A three-dimensional MCNP model of a Westinghouse-type 17 × 17 PWR was used to assess the feasibility of enhancing the current fuel supply with a thorium-plutonium mixed oxide fuel (ThMOX). A conventional UO 2 -fueled configuration was compared to a configuration which incorporated ThMOX fuel. The safety of the ThMOX configuration was compared to that of the UO 2 configuration at several time steps of interest within all three cycles (beginning of cycle, peak excess reactivity of cycle, and end of cycle) using the following metrics: axial and radial nuclear hot channel factors F Z N and F R N , moderator and fuel temperature coefficients (MTC and FTC), delayed neutron fraction (β eff ), and shutdown margin (SDM). Additionally, the performance of the ThMOX configuration was assessed by tracking cycle lengths, the amount of plutonium destroyed, and fission product poison concentration. The ThMOX configuration’s F Z N (1.455 ± 0.222) was slightly less favorable than that of the UO 2 configuration (1.515 ± 0.246), though its F R N was statistically identical (3.623 ± 0.179 compared to 3.430 ± 0.066 for UO 2 ). The delayed neutron fraction was another area of concern for the ThMOX configuration. It was lower than that of the UO 2 configuration, but the lowest β eff occurred at the beginning of Cycle 3 (3.324E−03 ± 8.919E−07). The β eff of the UO 2 configuration was 46% higher (6.177E−03 ± 1.510E−06) at this time step. Similarly, the ThMOX configuration’s SDMs were less favorable than those of the UO 2 configuration, though even the lowest (3971 ± 43 pcm) remained well within the NRC prescribed limit of 1300 pcm. However, the MTC of the ThMOX configuration was more favorable for all time steps except the beginning of Cycle 3, and even then it was negative as required by the NRC (−2.325 ± 0.00098 pcm/°F). The FTC results were also more favorable for the ThMOX configuration. Its highest FTC value (−6.718 ± 0.001 pcm/°F at the peak of Cycle 1) was more negative than all but the lowest FTC of the UO 2 configuration (−7.335 ± 0.002 pcm/°F at the end of Cycle 3). Overall, incorporating ThMOX fuel into the fuel supply for a conventional PWR seems feasible from a neutronics standpoint. However, this analysis would benefit from a more detailed burnup simulation and optimization of the ThMOX fuel composition. Also, a full thermal hydraulic analysis in conjunction with a neutronics analysis is required.
Probabilistic Verification of Storm Prediction Center Convective Outlooks

AbstractEight years’ worth of day 1 and 4.5 years’ worth of day 2–3 probabilistic convective outlooks from the Storm Prediction Center (SPC) are converted to probability grids spanning the continental United States (CONUS). These results are then evaluated using standard probabilistic forecast metrics including the Brier skill score and reliability diagrams. Forecasts are gridded in two different ways: one with a high-resolution grid and interpolation between probability contours and another on an 80-km-spaced grid without interpolation. Overall, the highest skill is found for severe wind forecasts and the lowest skill is observed for tornadoes; for significant severe criteria, the opposite discrepancy is observed, with highest forecast skill for significant tornadoes and approximately no overall forecast skill for significant severe winds. Highest climatology-relative skill is generally observed over the central and northern Great Plains and Midwest, with the lowest—and often negative—skill seen in the W...
Return of grand unified theory baryogenesis: Source of helical hypermagnetic fields for the baryon asymmetry of the universe

It has been considered that baryogenesis models without a generation of $B\ensuremath{-}L$ asymmetry such as the GUT baryogenesis do not work since the asymmetry is washed out by the electroweak sphalerons. Here, we point out that helical hypermagnetic fields can be generated through the chiral magnetic effect with a chiral asymmetry generated in such baryogenesis models. The helical hypermagnetic fields then produce baryon asymmetry mainly at the electroweak symmetry breaking, which remains until today. Therefore, the baryogenesis models without $B\ensuremath{-}L$ asymmetry can still be the origin of the present baryon asymmetry. In particular, if it can produce chiral asymmetry mainly carried by right-handed electrons of order of ${10}^{\ensuremath{-}3}$ in terms of the chemical potential to temperature ratio, the resultant present-day baryon asymmetry can be consistent with our Universe, although simple realizations of the GUT baryogenesis are hard to satisfy the condition. We also argue the way to overcome the difficulty in the GUT baryogenesis. The intergalactic magnetic fields with ${B}_{0}\ensuremath{\sim}{10}^{\ensuremath{-}16--17}\text{ }\text{ }\mathrm{G}$ and ${\ensuremath{\lambda}}_{0}\ensuremath{\sim}{10}^{\ensuremath{-}2--3}\text{ }\text{ }\mathrm{pc}$ are the smoking gun of the baryogenesis scenario as discussed before.
Acousto-optical Transducer with Surface Plasmons

The surface plasmon resonance (SPR) is a sensitive technique for the detection of changes in dielectric parameters in close proximity to a metal film supporting surface plasmon waves. Here we study the application of the SPR effect to an efficient conversion of an acoustic signal into an optical one. Such a transducer potentially has a large bandwidth and good sensitivity. When an acoustic wave is incident onto a receiving plate positioned within the penetration depth of the surface plasmons, it creates displacements of the surface of the plate and, thus, modulates the dielectric properties in the proximity of the gold film. This modulation, in turn, modifies the light reflection under surface plasmon resonance conditions. We simulate characteristics of this acousto-optical transducer with surface plasmons and provide sets of parameters at the optical wavelength of 800 nm and 633 nm for its realization.
Are British Columbian forestry workers achieving recommended sleep levels

This article presents the results from a case study involving forestry workers. Sleep data were collected from 41 subjects over a 14-day period, and analyzed using mixed models. When considering th...
Cutting the Carcass

There is no “best way” to cut a carcass. The choice depends on how the meat is to be used. If it is to be sold, the cuts should conform to local preferences. If the meat is to be preserved by freezing, each piece should be of a size and character suitable for convenient cooking. The methods described here show how to make the major cuts, and suggestions are offered for using them in order to produce the maximum amount of meat that can be preserved by curing, smoking, or refrigeration.
DDAVP Corrects the Platelet Dysfunction Produced by Cardiopulmonary by-Pass, Hemodialysis, and Prolonged Storage: Re-Expression of Glycoprotein Ib on the Platelet Membrane

Varying degrees of qualitative platelet dysfunction are observed in all patients who have undergone surgical procedures utilizing cardiopulmonary bypass (CPB), often resulting in severe hemorragic complications1-8and necessitating mediastinal reexploration to control excessive bleeding in up to 3% of patients5. Because similar platelet abnormalities have been described following hemodialysis (HD), the mechanism for defective hemostasis is believed to be related to activation and in vivo release of platelets circulating over oxygenation and dialysis membranes4, perhaps creating an acquired storage pool defciency7. Platelet transfusions are often indicated in these patients to initiate hemostasis. The effectiveness of these platelets are influenced by conditions and duration of storage, which ironically may be conducive to the development of platelet defects resembling those produced by CPB and HD9. Desmopressin acetate (DDAVP) has been used succesfully to reverse the severe platelet dysfunction and hemorrhage produced by CPB10, 11via a mechanism which involves von Willebrand factor protein interactions between the platelets and subendothelial connective tissue10. This study examines the alterations of platelet membrane glycoproteins induced by CPB, HD, and blood bank storage and demonstrates that DDAVP can stimulate the redistribution of cytosolic glycoprotein Ib, which can be translated into enhanced platelet function in vitro.
High Frequency Optical Modulators

The performances and limitations of directly modulated laser diodes as optical transmitters for very high frequency (millimeter-wave) signals has been discussed quite thoroughly in the foregoing chapters of this book. An alternative to directly modulating the laser diode is external optical modulator for intensity modulation of the output of a continuously operating (CW) laser source. This is the preferred solution in some existing field-deployed systems where the issue of optical loss due to fiber coupling in and out of the modulator has been resolved.A prominent example being the case of a widely deployed component in telecom transmitter, the integrated-modulator-laser, “IML,” in which an electroabsorption modulator “EAM” is integrated with a laser source on the same chip. This device is advantageous for two reasons: (a) The integrated device minimizes optical coupling loss from the laser into the modulator waveguide. (b) The issue of matching the laser wavelength to the EOM is easily resolved since both devices are fabricated on the same semiconductor wafer.
Flame synthesis of gamma-iron-oxide (γ-Fe2O3) nanocrystal films and carbon nanotubes on stainless-steel substrates

Abstract Using a rapid, open-atmosphere flame synthesis technique, iron-oxide nanoparticles (α-Fe2O3) and nanocrystals (γ-Fe2O3) and carbon nanotubes (CNTs) are grown directly on stainless steel substrates. Multiple inverse-diffusion flames provide both oxide species (H2O and CO2) and carbon species (CH4, CO, C2H2), at elevated temperature, conducive for the growths of iron-oxide nanoparticles/nanocrystals and CNTs. The growth of α-Fe2O3 nanoparticles occurs at 500 °C. At a temperature of 850 °C, the growth of CNTs occurs on type 304 stainless steel, while γ-Fe2O nanocrystal films are grown on 304 L and 316 L stainless steels with relatively lower innate carbon content. Interestingly, a temperature-step process, where 304 stainless steel substrate is initially at 500 °C and then increased to 850 °C, distinctly converts the “seed” α-Fe2O3 nanoparticles into larger γ-Fe2O3 nanocrystals, with some scattered CNTs. Strategically time-varied local conditions should produce different compositional ratios of iron-oxide/CNT hybrid films, as well as targeted functionally-graded nanostructures and nanocomposites.
Computer-Aided Exploration of the Martian Geology

Motivated by growing amounts of data and enhanced resolution from orbiters and rovers, systems for computer-aided decision support are becoming invaluable in planetary exploration. This article illustrates the value of such systems for a case study on the exploration of the Martian geology, along with improvements in assessing the favorability for landing. Under the current technical status quo for landing and rover's mobility, results show that Eastern Margaritifer Terra and Meridiani Planum stand out due to their high density of scientific targets and flat surfaces. However, our approach allows us to scale the analysis using different scenarios for the entire planet, quantifying the substantial benefits should higher landing elevations and higher rover speeds be realized in the future. This analysis offers new insights into the interplay of technical and scientific constraints.
Tracing Tubular Structures from Teravoxel-Sized Microscope Images

Tracing vasculature and neurites from teravoxel sized light-microscopy data-sets is a challenge impeding the availability of processed data to the research community. This is because (1) Holding terabytes of data during run-time is not easy for a regular PC. (2) Processing all the data at once would be slow and inefficient. In this paper, we propose a way to mitigate this challenge by Divide Conquer and Combine (DCC) method. We first split the volume into many smaller and manageable sub-volumes before tracing. These sub-volumes can then be traced individually in parallel (or otherwise). We propose an algorithm to stitch together the traced data from these sub-volumes. This algorithm is robust and handles challenging scenarios like (1) sub-optimal tracing at edges (2) densely packed structures and (3) different depths of trace termination. We validate our results using whole mouse brain vasculature data-set obtained from the Knife-Edge Scanning Microscopy (KESM) based automated tissue scanner.
Decision-Theoretic Personality-Based Reasoning about Turn-Taking Conflicts

This paper outlines the use of an influence diagram for modeling turn-taking timing. In contrast to related works, our model focuses on an agent's personality and attitude towards the conversation partner. We also describe how this model is implemented in a first prototype application.
Managing Hypertension in African American Men

Hypertension is the "silent killer" especially in African Americans in the United States specifically, African American men. Two Prairie Viw A&M University's College of Nursing graduate students implemented a project to educate African American men on the management of hypertension in Houston's 3rd Ward neighborhood where they feel most comfortable...the barbershop.
Induced phonon‐sideband laser operation of large‐quantum‐well AlxGa1−xAs‐GaAs heterostructures (Lz ∼200–500 Å)

Data are presented on photopumped metallorganic chemically vapor‐deposited AlxGa1−xAs‐GaAs quantum‐well heterostructures with active regions consisting of a large GaAs quantum well (Lz1∼200, 500 A) coupled to a phonon generating array of seven small GaAs wells (Lz2∼50 A). Phonon‐sideband laser operation below the confined‐carrier transitions of the large GaAs quantum well(s) is induced by the large number of phonons generated in the smaller GaAs wells. The induced phonon‐sideband laser operation (of a larger quantum well by an array of smaller wells) leads to a measurement of the energy difference between the first‐state light‐ and heavy‐hole energies of a 200‐A GaAs quantum well (4.9 meV) and directly to the GaAs L0‐phonon energy h/ωL0≈41.0−4.9=36.1 meV.
Traumatic Right Coronary Artery Dissection as a Cause of Inferior Wall ST-Elevation Myocardial Infarction.

Blunt cardiac injury, causing coronary artery dissection in the absence of other forms of injury to the heart or lungs is a rare occurrence. Here we present a case of a 41-year-old male who presented with right coronary artery (RCA) dissection after blunt chest trauma. The patient initially presented with chest pain and was diagnosed with an inferior wall myocardial infarction (MI). He then developed a complete heart block and bedside echocardiogram showed right ventricular akinesis. Immediate coronary angiography showed RCA dissection, and TIMI 3 flow was established after the placement of four drug-eluting stents. Blunt trauma-induced RCA dissection is associated with high mortality which needs immediate treatment. Hence through this case report, we would like to stress the importance of having a high index of suspicion for this condition in patients with a blunt chest injury.
Democratic backsliding through electoral irregularities: The case of Venezuela

This article discusses how electoral irregularities contributed to democratic backsliding in Venezuela under chavista rule (1999-2019). It draws from an original database of electoral irregularities created from primary and secondary sources covering a total of 24 electoral contests. I find that Venezuela experienced 117 electoral irregularities during this twenty-year period. Almost every electoral contest exhibited one irregularity, if not more. Electoral irregularities served two goals: to provide double insurance for the ruling party, and to encourage abstentionism (and divisions) across the opposition. They also increased every time the ruling party felt more electorally threatened. The article proposes a typology of irregularities applicable to other cases. It also evaluates how the opposition responded to the rise of irregularities, pointing out strategies that failed and those that worked. Resumen: Retroceso democratico por irregularidades electorales: El caso de Venezuela. Este articulo discute como las irregularidades electorales contribuyeron al retroceso democratico en Venezuela bajo gobiernos chavistas (1999-2019). Se fundamenta en una base de datos inedita de irregularidades electorales creada a partir de fuentes primarias y secundarias que cubren un total de 24 procesos electorales. Venezuela cometio 117 irregularidades electorales durante este periodo de veinte anos. En casi todos los procesos electorales hubo al menos una irregularidad. Las irregularidades electorales cumplieron dos objetivos: proporcionar un doble seguro para el partido gobernante y alentar la abstencion (y la division) en toda la oposicion. Tambien aumentaron cada vez que el partido gobernante se vio mas amenazado electoralmente. El articulo propone una tipologia de irregularidades aplicables en otros casos. Tambien evalua como respondio la oposicion al aumento de las irregularidades, senalando las estrategias que fallaron y las que funcionaron.
Tele-fellowships for addiction medicine.

The COVID-19 pandemic has been an eye-opener to the world. Global shutdown for infection control has moved workers to virtual workplaces for working remotely. Considering the infectious globalized world, the humbling experience of the COVID-19 pandemic may not wear off even after the pandemic is scientifically and officially over because the COVID-19 pandemic may have impressed and permanently imprinted upon the humanity that (a) human-to-human in-person interactions may be potentially contagious, always and (b) feasibility of virtual interfaces among humans may make human-to-human interactions safer, always. Therefore, without being skeptical about the new normal due to global reshaping of humanity, it may be time for Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education (ACGME) to consider tele-fellowships because freshly graduating residents or already practicing physicians may be better off not putting off their fulltime tele-medicine practicing jobs for getting mandatorily institutionalized education before being rewarded/awarded with degrees/certifications especially if the warranted clinical skills to practice new normal medical sub-specialties may be safely honed remotely.
PathCNN: interpretable convolutional neural networks for survival prediction and pathway analysis applied to glioblastoma.

Motivation Convolutional neural networks (CNNs) have achieved great success in the areas of image processing and computer vision, handling grid-structured inputs and efficiently capturing local dependencies through multiple levels of abstraction. However, a lack of interpretability remains a key barrier to the adoption of deep neural networks, particularly in predictive modeling of disease outcomes. Moreover, because biological array data are generally represented in a non-grid structured format, CNNs cannot be applied directly. Results To address these issues, we propose a novel method, called PathCNN, that constructs an interpretable CNN model on integrated multi-omics data using a newly defined pathway image. PathCNN showed promising predictive performance in differentiating between long-term survival (LTS) and non-LTS when applied to glioblastoma multiforme (GBM). The adoption of a visualization tool coupled with statistical analysis enabled the identification of plausible pathways associated with survival in GBM. In summary, PathCNN demonstrates that CNNs can be effectively applied to multi-omics data in an interpretable manner, resulting in promising predictive power while identifying key biological correlates of disease. Availability and implementation The source code is freely available at: https://github.com/mskspi/PathCNN.
Large-scale synthesis of a monophosphonated tetrathiatriarylmethyl spin probe for concurrent in vivo measurement of pO2, pH and inorganic phosphate by EPR

Low-field electron paramagnetic resonance spectroscopy paired with pTAM, a mono-phosphonated triarylmethyl radical, is an unmatched technique for concurrent and non-invasive measurement of oxygen concentration, pH, and inorganic phosphate concentration for in vivo investigations. However, the prior reported synthesis is limited by its low yield and poor scalability, making wide-spread application of pTAM unfeasible. Here, we report a new strategy for the synthesis of pTAM with significantly greater yields demonstrated on a large scale. We also present a standalone application with user-friendly interface for automatic spectrum fitting and extraction of pO2, pH, and [Pi] values. Finally, we confirm that pTAM remains in the extracellular space and has low cytotoxicity appropriate for local injection.
The Origins of the Nation-State in Japan: Destruction of Militant Buddhism and Western Contact of the 15th and 16th Centuries

The rise of the Tokogawa Shogunate is often seen as the point of departure for the Japanese state. The effects of contact with the Chinese state and scholars and the failure of Japanese feudal lords and the emperor to deal effectively with China have been considered central motivating factors. Buddhist monks and the importation of Chinese texts and scholarly tradition can be seen to be focal points in state development processes. Internal causes are associated with protracted wars, famine and disorder leading to centralization. An examination of the history of the 16th in Japan can inform us of variations of state formation and the effects of culture contact.
The Endless City: The Urban Age Project by the London School of Economics and Deutsche Bank's Alfred Herrhausen Society by Ricky Burdett and Deyan Sudjic (eds)

(2010). The Endless City: The Urban Age Project by the London School of Economics and Deutsche Bank's Alfred Herrhausen Society by Ricky Burdett and Deyan Sudjic (eds) Design and Culture: Vol. 2, No. 1, pp. 119-122.
A novel consistency regularizer for meshless nonrigid image registration

In nonrigid motion analysis, deformation fields are often modeled using splines defined on a control-point grid. Inspired by recent development of meshfree methods, we propose a novel motion model that does not use control-point grids, nor use explicit node connections. We also propose a regularizer for the deformation field and the minimization algorithm. The method has promising features such as the handling of irregular regions, adaptive accuracy, the multi-scale modeling, and the potential for integrating physical properties into the registration process. Promising results were obtained on both synthetic and real imagery.
Effects of glucagon on general protein degradation and synthesis in perfused rat liver.

Abstract The direct influence of glucagon on rates of valine incorporation into and release from protein was assessed in the perfused rat liver. Glucagon alone significantly increased net valine release, an effect which was ascribed largely to the stimulation of proteolysis. The magnitude of this increase in absolute terms remained virtually unchanged in the presence of an amino acid mixture that suppressed proteolysis. The increase was also obtained in the presence of sufficient cycloheximide to inhibit valine incorporation by 93 %. In addition, free intracellular valine was elevated relative to external values over an 8-fold range of perfusate valine concentration. Rates of valine incorporation into liver protein were reduced by glucagon alone to a small but significant degree. Of interest, however, was the finding that the inhibition was potentiated by additions of amino acids. In the presence of a complete amino acid mixture, simulating the composition of plasma amino acids at 10 times their normal concentrations, glucagon strongly depressed valine incorporation, and the rate was comparable to the value obtained previously when the amino acid supply was severely limited. These findings suggest that the turnover of liver proteins is regulated by glucagon at sites of both protein degradation and synthesis.
Tradeoff decisions made for a P1149.1 controller design (ATE)

The author documents tradeoffs involved in designing an IEEE P1149.1/Joint Test Action Group (JTAG) scan bus master (SBM) that can operate at 25 MHz and interfaces a parallel host processor data bus to the serial P1149.1 test bus. By controlling the bits and all P1149.1 protocol for the host through an external device, the speed of running tests and scanning data is increased. Speed and throughput improve as more functions are implemented in controller hardware and fewer in host processor software. However, some advanced features require additional pins. Since the desired goals were a smaller part to fit more easily in a UUT (unit under test) and lower device cost, not all of the high-end functions were attained. The goals for the SBM were to maximize capability within the limit of device size, to be able to work in an IBM PC test station, and to be upwardly compatible with future products. Tradeoffs made for host synchronization, scan throughput, and more flexible commands reduce processor software overheard and improve scan and test rates. Evidence so far indicates that the SBM has met these goals. Prototype parts tested in a PC-based test system functioned as expected. >
Epidemic nephritis in a school population; the relation of hematuria to group A streptococci.

An outbreak of streptococcal infections among children attending kindergarten and second grade is described. During the course of the epidemic seven examples of acute hemorrhagic nephritis were observed. Routine examination of the urine of the boys who harbored Group A streptococci revealed 4 individuals who showed persistent hematuria and red cell casts but without symptoms of nephritis. In addition, transient hematuria was observed in several boys. The epidemic of nephritis appeared to be due to Type 12 streptococci, an organism known to cause this complication. The importance of nephritis as a public health problem is emphasized since both apparent and inapparent examples of the disease may exist in populations infected with nephritogenic streptococci. Adequate measures are now available for the control of these infections. Normal values are presented concerning the number of red cells excreted in the urine. Some of the factors which may influence the degree of hematuria are reviewed.
ULTRASTRUCTURE OF PHOSPHOLIPID MIXTURES RECONSTITUTED WITH SURFACTANT PROTEINS B AND D

Surfactant protein (SP)-D is secreted from pulmonary alveolar type II cells into the alveolar lumen where potential interactions with surfactant lipids might occur. SP-D binds phosphatidylinositol (PI), a component of mammalian surfactants that is increased in a variety of injury states. We investigated the ultrastructure and properties of lipid protein recombinants that included SP-D, PI, and SP-B and compared these with recombinants based on SP-A. SP-D had a profound effect on the organization of phospholipid vesicles containing PI and SP-B, promoting the formation of atypical but highly ordered and surface-active tubular aggregates distinct in their dimensions and shape from the classical tubular myelin formed by SP-A. We also found both types of tubules in the secretions of type II cells maintained in long-term culture. These results suggest that surface atypical tubules can be formed with SP-D in vitro and in vivo.
African Military Slaves in the Medieval Middle East: The Cases of Iraq (869–955) and Egypt (868–1171)

Islamic military slavery has been the subject of a number of studies in recent years. The central theme of these scholarly works has been the dominant role played by Turks, imported as slaves and trained as cavalry, for whom the term “Mamluk” is used to denote both racial background and occupation. A second aspect, which has not been as systematically studied, is that most Muslim armies were composed of cavalry and infantry units organized into units based on racial identities. The theory was that their racial affinities were the cohesive element within a unit; that the natural rivalries between these groups would bring strength to a ruler's position as they tried to outdo one another on the field of battle; and that these racial jealousies would create a balance which would prevent any one military/racial group from dominating the government.