cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Are Onboard Errors/Events a Useful Proxy for Software Reliability?

Computerized elements of spacecraft (S/C) typically produce error and event indications as they perform their processing. Some indications are related to routine activities or less common events, while others indicate off-nominal conditions detected onboard such as single event upsets. Finally, some errors or events are produced due to software defects. These are the topic of this paper, and we analyze the nature and frequency of reported errors/events to investigate the question of whether such reports can be used as a proxy for detecting software errors. While some indications are intended to point to internal errors detectable by the software itself, many of the indications of software defects are not explicitly intended to serve that purpose. Further analysis is required to determine that an indication is as the result of a software defect rather than some other cause. Our analysis is based on error and event data from Magnetospheric Multiscale (MMS). MMS is a constellation of four satellites measuring characteristics of the Earth's magnetosphere. See the MMS Mission for a comprehensive description of the mission, satellites, and instruments. Each satellite has about twenty-five instruments/controllers (that is, sources of indications) including the Central Instrument Data Processor (CIDP). The CIDP coordinates activities for the payload deck on each MMS observatory and is the interface between the S/C processor and the payload deck for instrument commanding and instrument telemetry reporting. Of particular interest, the CIDP stores science data files in a specialized recorder separate from the primary S/C recorder and manages science data playback including freeing of science files for reuse. Many CIDP indications are generated in processing the science files. MMS has been operating for more than four years including commissioning, the primary mission, and the extended mission. Given the number of instruments/controllers in the payload, four observatories, and more than four years of operation, a large volume of recorded errors and events reported by the CIDP are available for analysis. These were examined to determine the relationship between the reports and software reliability. Many reports do not indicate software defects; however, some point to defects. This paper evaluates the potential for using such reports as a proxy for determining software reliability of onboard flight software (FSW).
When ignorance is not bliss: An empirical analysis of subtier supply network structure on firm risk

Using a multitier mapping of supply-chain relationships constructed from granular global, firm-to-firm supplier–customer linkages data, we quantify the degree of financial risk propagation from the...
Identifying Hopf Bifurcations of Networked Microgrids Induced by the Integration of EV Charging Stations

A continuation method considering the dynamics of distributed energy resources (DERs) is presented to identify Hopf bifurcations in the networked microgrids induced by the integration of electrical vehicle (EV) charging stations. The dynamic model of networked microgrids is developed for bifurcation analysis. An adaptive predictor-corrector approach is presented for inclusively searching for equilibrium points in the space of bifurcation parameters. Extensive numerical results have demonstrated and validated the prediction of the subcritical Hopf bifurcation, based on which corresponding control strategies can be employed to stabilize the system when necessary. These features make the continuation method an effective tool for determining the system's critical operations and providing early warnings.
Six-Month In Vivo Safety Profiling of Topical Ocular AAV5-Decorin Gene Transfer.

Purpose A significant remission of corneal fibrosis and neovascularization in rabbit eye in vivo was observed from a tissue-selective localized adeno-associated virus (AAV)5-Decorin (Dcn) gene therapy. This study sought to investigate 6-month toxicity profiling of this gene therapy for the eye in vivo using a rabbit model. Methods A small epithelial scrape followed by corneal drying was performed unilaterally in 12 rabbit eyes and either AAV5-Dcn (n = 6) or naked vector (n = 6) was delivered topically using a cloning cylinder technique. Contralateral eyes served as naive control (n = 6). Safety and tolerability measurements in live rabbits were performed periodically until month 6 using multimodel clinical ophthalmic imaging tools-a slit lamp, stereomicroscope, and HRT3-RCM in vivo confocal microscope. Thereafter, corneas were excised and subjected to hematoxylin and eosin staining, Mason trichome staining, propidium iodide nuclear staining, and quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction analyses. Results Clinical eye examinations based on the modified Hackett-McDonald ocular scoring system, and in vivo confocal imaging of the cornea showed no signs of ocular toxicity in rabbit eyes given AAV5-Dcn gene transfer vs control eyes (P > 0.05) through 6 months after treatment. The histologic and molecular analyses showed no significant differences in AAV5-Dcn vs AAV naked or naive control groups (P > 0.05) and were in accordance with the masked clinical ophthalmic observations showing no abnormalities. Conclusions Topical tissue-targeted localized AAV5-Dcn gene therapy seems to be safe and nontoxic to the rabbit eye in vivo. Translational relevance AAV5-Dcn gene therapy has the potential to treat corneal fibrosis and neovascularization in vivo safely without significant ocular toxicity.
Applying Critical Discourse Analysis in the Classroom: A Guide for Educators

In this conceptual article, we provide a guide for educators to use Critical Discourse Analysis (CDA) in classrooms to: (1) critically examine their teaching and behavioral support practices, (2) guide future interactions with students and families, and (3) use with students to empower them to critically analyze texts, media, and society. We rely on the CDA frameworks provided by Rebecca Rogers (2011), James Paul Gee (1999), and Norman Fairclough (1989). CDA is a tool that can disrupt cycles of power and oppression in classrooms and schools; it gives us a way to make oppressive systems and the way they replicate visible, so we can intentionally interrogate and dismantle them rather than unintentionally reproduce them in educational spaces.
Socioeconomic and Security Implications of Chinese Migration in the Russian Far East

Several dimensions of migration from China into bordering areas of the Russian Far East (primarily Primorskiy Kray) are subjected to critical assessment: scale of migration economic impacts (for migrants and host regions) attitudes of the host-region population and regional security implications. The analysis suggests that the Russian Far East generally has limited economic attraction for Chinese migrants despite the importance of migration for cross-border relations and trade. The study is based on data from Russian statistical border and migration services; extensive interviews and on-site observations; review of regional newspapers; and a large (N= 1010) opinion survey of the local population. (authors)
Effects of spot and background defects on quantitative data from spotted microarrays

We apply simulations generating realistic spotted microarray image data to study the effects of broken spots and background defects on the numerical values obtained from such images. Our simulation uses gene, spot morphology, and background properties derived from a published microarray study to generate replicates of images. We generate simulated datasets for several cases with high and low severity of spot breaks and high and low severity of background defects. One hundred replicate images were generated for each case. Each spot on each replicate image was quantified for "gene expression," using a spot-finding technique similar to those found in commercial software. Over the 100 replicates, we computed statistics for each gene. We found that spot defects had little common effect on the numerical values, except to slightly reduce the values for high-expressing genes. Background defects had significant effects all around, including increasing mean values in low-expressing genes, increasing variance in low- and high-expressing genes, and altering the skewness of the distribution of numerical values, frequently changing negatively-skewed distributions to positively-skewed. We conclude that background defects are likely to have the greatest effect on the accuracy of microarray data and should be avoided through experimental protocols enforcing careful handling of slides.
Are Constitutional Rights Inherently Conservative

The reigning theories about where rights come from tell us that ruling elites establish rights to safeguard the policies they have already established against the threat of a new elite’s ascendance. The logic of this strategy is that once they are enshrined as constitutional rights, existing policies can be defended by courts even after the lawmakers who crafted those policies are no longer in power, and even after the policies themselves are no longer favored by electoral majorities. On this account, new constitutional rights reflect ruling legislative coalitions’ attempts to shift particular political conflicts into the judiciary, with the hope that the judiciary will insulate their political preferences against those of changing electoral majorities. Because they are intended to prevent future regimes from altering the present course, this theory about the origins of rights portrays constitutional rights as inherently conservative and predicts that new rights are likely to be ratified and enforced only at the tail-end of political movements or conflicts and in order to prevent reform. The dominant explanation for the emergence of rights was developed through studies of national constitutions. This paper, however, examines the origins of rights through the lens of American state constitutions and the politics surrounding their development. American state constitutions are often easier to amend than national constitutions and they have been amended through qualitatively different procedures than those through which most national constitutions are modified. Thus, I ask whether the different design of state constitutions has given rise to a different politics of rights, and argue that, indeed, the particular revision procedures in state constitutions rendered the creation of new rights appealing not only to dominant legislative coalitions, but also to legislative outsiders and reformers.Using primary source data from nineteenth-century campaigns for new textual constitutional rights at the state level, I demonstrate that reformers sometimes created constitutional rights in order to force legislatures to establish new state policies. In particular, I examine the origins of nineteenth and early twentieth century rights provisions. Because state constitutional changes could, and often did, emerge from institutions other than legislatures, many of these changes were targeted not at future legislators, who might strive to depart from the status quo, but at existing ones, who refused to. Furthermore, the proponents of these state-level rights hoped to enforce them immediately and democratically, “at the ballot box,” rather than through long-term reliance on a loyal judiciary. Thus, these new rights did not result from attempts to conserve existing policies, but instead reflected the efforts of relative outsiders to demand immediate change from their legislatures. These findings augment existing accounts of where rights come from, and demonstrate that movements for new constitutional rights are not inherently conservative.
Marginal Rate of Technical Substitution

This article describes the economic concept of marginal rate of technical substitution within the isoquant curve model of producer behavior. Its relation to the marginal product of a firm's inputs, and its role in selecting the firm's optimal combination of inputs are examined. Keywords: input substitutes; isoquant curves; cost minimization
Lipid oxidation in biological membranes: II. Kinetics and mechanism of lipid oxidation in submitochondrial particles

Abstract Chaotropic agents induce lipid oxidation in submitochondrial particles and microsomes by destabilizing the native structure of these membranes. A plot of the rate of lipid oxidation as a function of chaotrope concentration shows a cooperativity effect similar to that observed in the unfolding of a protein molecule by a perturbing agent. However, the magnitudes of the activation parameters (Ea, ΔH‡, ΔF‡,and ΔS‡) suggest that at high chaotrope concentration structure destabilization has little influence on the rate of lipid oxidation. Erythrocyte ghosts and Bacillus subtilis plasma membranes, which have a low content of acid-labile sulfide and cytochromes, resist lipid autoxidation. Kinetic data of lipid oxidation and labile sulfide loss in the presence of chaotropic agents are consistent with the possibility that iron-sulfur proteins, or their intermediate decomposition products, catalyze the initial, rapid phase of autoxidation in submitochondrial particles. Results are discussed in relation to the structure of membranes and the structure of water.
Performance study of RSS-based location estimation techniques for wireless sensor networks

Most sensors are event-driven and wireless sensor networks are mostly used for monitoring purposes in environmental monitoring, structural monitoring, and military battleground and public safety applications. As a result, there is a need to quickly and accurately pin-point a sensor's location when it detects an emergent event. Since sensor networks are severely resource-constrained due to various physical and environmental constraints, including miniature size, limited battery power, and limited communicational and computational capacity, a low-complexity location estimation technique is needed. Several received-signal-strength (RSS) based techniques have been proposed as a low-cost, low-complexity solution for location estimation in wireless sensor networks, including the basic RSS location estimator and the RSS-UDPG location estimator in our earlier study, which jointly estimates location coordinates and the parameter of channel model, i.e., the distance-power gradient. In this paper we present a comparative study of these two location estimators based on computer simulations. It is shown that when the channel model is assumed known a priori, the two estimators have comparable performance, but RSS-UDPG is strongly preferred when the prior estimate of the channel model is inaccurate or when the channel characteristics tend to change, either accidentally or seasonally
Different classes of glutamate receptors and GABA mediate distinct modulations of a neuronal oscillator, the medullary pacemaker of a gymnotiform electric fish.

Gymnotiform electric fish generate distinct communicatory signals by modulating the rate of their electric organ discharges (EODs). Each EOD is triggered by a command pulse from the medullary pacemaker nucleus (PN), which contains pacemaker cells and relay cells. The firing rate of this nucleus is modulated by inputs from the diencephalic prepacemaker nucleus (PPN). The NMDA receptor blocker APV and the kainate/quisqualate receptor blocker CNQX, administered to the PN, suppress different types of modulations, indicating that different classes of glutamate receptors mediate the generation of different modulations. A comparison of the 2 genera, Hypopomus and Eigenmannia, reveals that sustained modulations, such as smooth rises in the rate of pacemaker cell firing and the selective silencing of the relay cells (only observed in Hypopomus), are mediated by NMDA receptors, whereas the brief and rapid acceleration, called “chirp” or “decrement burst,” is mediated by kainate/quisqualate receptors. Application of the GABA blocker bicuculline reveals that the 2 genera differ in the mechanism by which they slow the firing rate of their pacemaker. Whereas Hypopomus uses GABAergic inhibition to slow down and ultimately silence its pacemaker cells, Eigenmannia reduces tonic, APV-sensitive excitation originating from its PPN and lacks GABAergic inhibition in the PN.
Dielectric elastomer composites: A general closed-form solution in the small-deformation limit

Abstract A solution for the overall electromechanical response of two-phase dielectric elastomer composites with (random or periodic) particulate microstructures is derived in the classical limit of small deformations and moderate electric fields. In this limit, the overall electromechanical response is characterized by three effective tensors: a fourth-order tensor describing the elasticity of the material, a second-order tensor describing its permittivity, and a fourth-order tensor describing its electrostrictive response. Closed-form formulas are derived for these effective tensors directly in terms of the corresponding tensors describing the electromechanical response of the underlying matrix and the particles, and the one- and two-point correlation functions describing the microstructure. This is accomplished by specializing a new iterative homogenization theory in finite electroelastostatics ( Lopez-Pamies, 2014 ) to the case of elastic dielectrics with even coupling between the mechanical and electric fields and, subsequently, carrying out the pertinent asymptotic analysis. Additionally, with the aim of gaining physical insight into the proposed solution and shedding light on recently reported experiments, specific results are examined and compared with an available analytical solution and with new full-field simulations for the special case of dielectric elastomers filled with isotropic distributions of spherical particles with various elastic dielectric properties, including stiff high-permittivity particles, liquid-like high-permittivity particles, and vacuous pores.
Hybrid Vehicle for Fuel Economy

A heat engine;electric hydrid drive train is proposed as a means for improving CVX-Hot fuel economy by an estimated 30% to 100% in various types of automotive vehicles. This drive train, classified as a parallel hybrid, has been analyzed by means of computer simulation studies to evaluate its fuel economy, performance, and emissions characteristics, and has been compared with existing internal combustion engine drive trains and other types of hybrid drives. A prototype system has been assembled and evaluated on a dynamometer test stand and has corroborated the computer analysis and predictions. Problems and limitations of this system are discussed. /HSRI/
Carbon detonation supernovae

Strong circumstantial evidence exists that stars in the mass range 4–8 M ⊙ lead to supernova explosions and to the formation of pulsars. On the one hand is the empirical study of Gunn and Ostriker (1970) which puts the masses of the parent stars of pulsars in roughly the above range. Sofia (1972) observes that no pulsars are found in binary systems, whereas 75% of early-type stars are; he then correlates the pulsar birthrate with the occurrence of O and B runaway stars and concludes that for such a binary system to be disrupted during the supernova explosion, the progenitors of pulsars have to have a mass ≳ 5 M ⊙. Iben (1973b) notes that the above stars go through the cepheid stage during their evolution and that the birthrate of cepheids and pulsars is comparable. On the other hand, evolutionary calculations by Rose (1969), Arnett (1969), and especially Paczynski (1970) and Barkat (1971) show that the above stars gradually develop degenerate carbon cores of ~ 1.4 M ⊙ surrounded by a loosely bound envelope. The remarkable convergence of the structure of these cores leads to an almost unique presupernova model. The possible effects of rotation, which are ignored in the preceding work, have been discussed by Weidemann (1971).
Preliminary Research on Perceiving Patterns of Underwater Acoustic Transients

The present studies were conducted to determine whether an implicit structure or grammar has an effect on a listener's ability to classify transient patterns. Three experiments were conducted. In each there were two groups, one which learned a set of structured patterns and one which learned a set of random patterns. In the first study, the structure was syntactic and pure tones were used to construct the patterns. In the second study, the structure was also only syntactic but a semantic structure was implied by using meaningful sounds. In the third study, both syntactic and semantic structure were used and the stimuli were water related acoustic transients. The results indicated that the listeners used the structure to identify the patterns even though they were unaware of its exact nature. The strongest facilitation was produced by both syntactic and semantic structure. Syntactic structure generally facilitated the listener's task but not as much when a semantic structure was implied but not present. In...
Calcium–Magnesium Alumino‐Silicate Interaction with Yttrium Monosilicate Environmental Barrier Coatings

The interaction of molten calcium-magnesium alumino-silicate (CMAS) with yttrium monosilicate (YMS), a candidate environmental barrier coating (EBC) for SiC-based ceramic matrix composites, was investigated. YMS monoliths were exposed to CMAS melts at 1300°C for times ranging from 1 to 100 h and characterized by scanning electron microscopy, transmission electron microscopy, energy-dispersive spectroscopy/electron microprobe analysis, and electron back-scattered diffraction. YMS is dissolved into CMAS and reprecipitates as a Ca 2 Y 8 (Si0 4 ) 6 0 2 oxyapatite phase. A nominally continuous layer of apatite is readily established at the interface, but its effectiveness as a diffusion barrier is compromised by the presence of thin amorphous films along the grain boundaries that enhance chemical transport between the bulk melt and the YMS. Moreover, the growth mechanism involves continuous renucleation that eventually leads to separation of the crystals formed previously from the interface and their subsequent coarsening. The latter results in widening of the amorphous boundary films, enhancing interdiffusion. The significance of these findings on the viability of YMS as a durable EBC is discussed.
A d-antifreeze polypeptide displays the same activity as its natural l-enantiomer

The d- and l-forms of an α-helical antifreeze polypeptide (AFP) have been chemically synthesized. Circular dichroism spectra of the molecules show equal and opposite ellipticities. The d- and the l-enantiomers alone, and a 50:50 mixture of the two, all show identical antifreeze activity, but the enantiomeric forms are predicted to bind to the ice surface with different orientations. It is suggested that symmetry properties of certain ice surfaces permit the asymmetric binding of AFPs, and thus that AFPs are analogous to enzymes that act upon prochiral substrates.
Relationship between arterial pressure and exertional angina pectoris in hypertensive patients.

Seven hypertensive patients, five with coronary arterial disease and two with normal coronary arteries, with exertional angina pectoris and left ventricular hypertrophy were subjected to exercise in the sitting and supine position. The five patients with coronary arterial disease developed, during exercise in both positions, striking arterial pressure elevation followed by angina pectoris and electrocardiographic changes. When the pressor response to exercise was eliminated by intravenous sodium nitroprusside, these were prevented. In the two patients with normal coronary arteries who had orthostatic and exertional hypotension secondary to antihypertensive treatment, exercise in the sitting position caused intense hypotension followed by angina pectoris and electrocardiographic changes. In contrast, exercise in the supine position, which caused only minimal pressure changes, was not followed by angina pectoris. It is concluded that in hypertensive patients with coronary arterial disease, further elevation...
EARLY AND LATE COMPLICATIONS AMONG LONG-TERM COLORECTAL CANCER SURVIVORS WITH OSTOMY OR ANASTOMOSIS

Purpose Among long-term (≥5 years) colorectal cancer survivors with permanent ostomy or anastomosis, we compared the incidence of medical and surgical complications and examined the relationship of complications with health-related quality of life.
Sensitivity of Thermal Surface Solar Absorptance to Particulate Contamination.

Abstract : The sensitivity of thermal surface solar absorptance to particulate contamination was evaluated. Experiments were conducted using a mirror surface which was incrementally obscured with a limited number of contaminant types and sizes. Aluminum oxide and fly ash particles were selected to bound high and low contaminant reflectance extremes. Size sensitivity was demonstrated by using 3- and 20-micron aluminum oxide particles. Measurements were made of the obscured surface areas and the corresponding changes in reflectance. From these, the related solar absorptance changes were derived analytically. The changes in absorptance indicated high sensitivity to contaminant composition and quantity, low sensitivity to particle size, and linearity with obscured area. (Author)
EU-China relations: balancing political challenges with economic opportunities

During 2005, the European Union and China marked 30 years of diplomatic relations with much fanfare. Celebrations surrounding the anniversary however belied the fact that throughout most of this period the European Union and China remained largely aloof from one another. The strengthening of EU foreign policy over time, as well as the economic reforms and new outward orientation exhibited by China have changed the dynamics of the relationship. Both sides are increasingly recognizing the potential mutual benefits that can be accrued from a closer relationship. This paper assesses EU-China relations from both economic and political perspectives. In terms of economics, it is clear that the EU must build stronger relations with China if it is to accrue the benefits of access to an expanding market with over one billion people. To do so successfully however, the EU will have to reconcile the economic and political components of its foreign policy. The EU continues to challenge the Chinese government to reform its practices on a number of issues including human rights, democratic reform, and Tibet, all of which remain bones of contention. How the EU achieves the balance between political constraints and economic opportunities is the primary focus of this paper.
Extraocular muscle biopsy in chronic progressive external ophthalmoplegia

A quantitatives assessment of the pathological changes in extraocular muscle is presented in 8 patients with chronic progressive external ophthalmoplegia (CPEO). Serial cross-sections of extraocular muscle were stained with a battery of histochemical and immunohistochemical techniques and compared with 36 normal extraocular muscles and 1 muscle from a patient who had longstanding third nerve plasy with anomalous reinnervation. Several of the patients had a striking increase in the number of ragged-red fibers in extraocular muscle, particularly if frequent ragged-red fibers also were found on limb muscle biopsy. One patients demonstrated extrajunctional acetylcholine receptor (AChR) in a small percentage of fibers, although this finding was not present in the reinnervated muscle. Numerous darkly staining central regions were noted in the ocular muscle fibers of a patient with Stephens syndrome (CPEO, peripheral neuropathy, and cerebellar disease) and in the reinnervated muscle. A patient with myotubular myopathy had single central nuclei in both limb and ocular muscle. All patients demonstrated in their extraocular muscles variation in both the size and distribution of each of the three histochemical fiber types. Extraocular muscle biopsy proved to be a safe, reliable technique. As a similar quantitative analysis is applied to the study of further patients, a better understanding of the pathogenesis of CPEO should be possible.
Absorption of a Particle by a Rotating Black Hole

We examine the absorption of a test particle by a near-extreme Kerr black hole, including both positive and negative energy particles. Allowing arbitrary values of the particle's radial momentum at the horizon, we display the region in which the absorption of the particle would "overspin" the black hole and also the region in which it would reduce the area of the black hole. The portions of these regions for a positive energy particle, shrink and disappear as the angular momentum of the initial black hole approaches the extreme Kerr limit. But even in that limit the absorption of a negative energy particle can reduce the area. Proposals to go beyond the test particle approximation are also discussed.
An ensemble Kalman filter for statistical estimation of physics constrained nonlinear regression models

A central issue in contemporary science is the development of nonlinear data driven statistical-dynamical models for time series of noisy partial observations from nature or a complex model. It has been established recently that ad-hoc quadratic multi-level regression models can have finite-time blow-up of statistical solutions and/or pathological behavior of their invariant measure. Recently, a new class of physics constrained nonlinear regression models were developed to ameliorate this pathological behavior. Here a new finite ensemble Kalman filtering algorithm is developed for estimating the state, the linear and nonlinear model coefficients, the model and the observation noise covariances from available partial noisy observations of the state. Several stringent tests and applications of the method are developed here. In the most complex application, the perfect model has 57 degrees of freedom involving a zonal (east-west) jet, two topographic Rossby waves, and 54 nonlinearly interacting Rossby waves; the perfect model has significant non-Gaussian statistics in the zonal jet with blocked and unblocked regimes and a non-Gaussian skewed distribution due to interaction with the other 56 modes. We only observe the zonal jet contaminated by noise and apply the ensemble filter algorithm for estimation. Numerically, we find that a three dimensional nonlinear stochastic model with one level of memory mimics the statistical effect of the other 56 modes on the zonal jet in an accurate fashion, including the skew non-Gaussian distribution and autocorrelation decay. On the other hand, a similar stochastic model with zero memory levels fails to capture the crucial non-Gaussian behavior of the zonal jet from the perfect 57-mode model.
Instantaneous velocity for Bloch wavepackets

A Bloch wave packet is formed from a superposition of Bloch eigenstates and the instantaneous velocity of an arbitrary feature on the resulting wave-envelope is obtained.
Synthesis and magnetic characterization of microstructures prepared from microbial templates of differing morphology

In this study, we demonstrate the use of bacterial templates of differing morphology for the facile synthesis of magnetic micron-sized spheres, tetrads of spheres, filaments, and coils. These microstructures were synthesized by a platinum catalyzed electroless deposition of nickel under mild aqueous conditions using D. radiodurans, genetically elongated E. coli, and R. rubrum as templates, respectively. Analysis by SEM/EDS, TEM, and SQUID magnetometry indicates the formation of superparamagnetic metallic microfilaments, which possess a blocking temperature of ¨70 K with no observable exchange anisotropy. XPS analysis of the metallic microfilaments supports the presence of NiB, which is diamagnetic, thus supporting the hypothesis that the morphologically unique microbial templates are encapsulated within a biosurface-bound NiB shell that contains embedded nickel nanoparticles (12–20 nm). The use of microorganisms as templates, which may be recombinantly modified, may therefore serve as alternative means for magnetic microstructure and core–shell synthesis.
Targeting ligand-operated chaperone sigma-1 receptors in the treatment of neuropsychiatric disorders

Introduction: Current drugs for the treatment of psychiatric or neurodegenerative disorders have limitations. Psychotherapeutic drugs such as typical and atypical antipsychotics, tricyclic antidepressants and selective monoamine reuptake inhibitors, aim to normalize the hyper- or hypo-neurotransmission of monoaminergic systems. Despite their contribution to the outcomes of psychiatric patients, these agents often exert severe side effects and require chronic treatments to promote amelioration of symptoms. Drugs available for the treatment of neurodegenerative disorders are severely limited. Areas covered: Recent evidence that has shed light on sigma-1 receptor ligands, which may serve as a new class of antidepressants or neuroprotective agents. Sigma-1 receptors are novel ligand-operated molecular chaperones regulating signal transduction, ER stress, cellular redox, cellular survival and synaptogenesis. Selective sigma-1 receptor ligands exert rapid antidepressant-like, anxiolytic, antinociceptive and rob...
Adaptive Control of Robot Manipulators: Design and Robustness

In this paper we present a globally convergent adaptive control algorithm for n-link rigid robots. The algorithm can most easily be described as a combination of the passivity-based approach[14] and the guaranteed stability approach[4]. The algorithm relies on the passivity and the linearity-in-the-parameters properties of rigid robots, as in passivity-based parameter adaptive algorithms; however, the number of parameter update laws required in the adaptation is independent of the number of links of the robot. In the simplest case, presented here, two update laws are required. This scheme thus has certain advantages both with respect to design and with respect to robustness. With respect to design, the difficulty of tuning numerous adaptation gains is avoided. With respect to robustness, since the joint tracking error vector always has codimension two, the transient response is easier to constrain and problems of parameter drift are more easily handled.
Apelin, an endogenous neuronal peptide, protects hippocampal neurons against excitotoxic injury

Several G protein-coupled receptors (GPCRs) mediate neuronal cell migration and survival upon activation by their native peptide ligands but activate death-signaling pathways when activated by certain non-native ligands. In cultured neurons, we recently described expression of the unique seven-transmembrane (7TM) -G protein-coupled receptor, APJ, which is also strongly expressed in neurons in the brain and various cell types in other tissues. We now demonstrate that the endogenous APJ peptide ligand apelin activates signaling pathways in rat hippocampal neurons and modulates neuronal survival. We found that (i) both APJ and apelin are expressed in hippocampal neurons; (ii) apelin peptides induce phosphorylation of the cell survival kinases AKT and Raf/ERK-1/2 in hippocampal neurons; and (iii) apelin peptides protect hippocampal neurons against NMDA receptor-mediated excitotoxicity, including that induced by human immunodeficiency virus type 1. Thus, apelin/APJ signaling likely represents an endogenous hippocampal neuronal survival response, and therefore apelin should be further investigated as a potential neuroprotectant against hippocampal injury.
Correlation between human and model observer performance for discrimination task in CT

Although physical metrics can objectively characterize computed tomography (CT) image quality, quantitative approaches to predict human observer performance are more accurate and clinically relevant. This study compared a modified channelized Hotelling model observer (CHO) with human observers in a shape discrimination task. Eight lesion-mimicking rods (two contrasts, two sizes and two shapes) were inserted into a 35 × 26 cm(2) torso-shaped water phantom and scanned 100 times on a 128-slice CT scanner at five dose levels. CT images were reconstructed using filtered backprojection (FBP) and iterative reconstruction (IR) techniques. Two-alternative forced choice studies were constructed with hexagonal and circular rod images put side-by-side in a randomized order. An edge mask was introduced to CHO to reflect the human observers' emphasis on lesion boundaries in discriminating shape. For small size lesions, the performance of three human observers and the modified CHO was highly correlated across lesion contrasts, CT doses and reconstruction algorithms; while for large size lesions, a ceiling effect was observed for both human and model observers' performance at high doses. Our result suggests the potential of CHO to predict human observer performance for both FBP and IR. For this shape discrimination task with uniform background, IR significantly improved human and model observer performance compared to FBP, with the amount of improvement depending on lesion size, contrast and dose.
Modelling electoral second choices: thwarted voters in the United States, France, and Russia

Abstract Thwarted voters are voters who are prevented by the play of the electoral process from casting their vote for their preferred candidates at the decisive ballot, whether this involves primary elections for party nominations, as in the United States, or a two-ballot electoral system, as in France and Russia. When thwarted voters are anchored in basic political orientations, such as party identification or left–right ideological positioning, they must choose among three alternatives: loyalty to their basic orientation even in the absence of their preferred candidate, abstention, or defection to the candidate of a different orientation. Despite the distinct constitutional, political, and cultural characteristics of France, Russia, and the United States, a single decision-theoretic model deriving from the basic elements of electoral behavior is more than tolerably successful in accounting for the choices made by the thwarted voters in all three countries.
Demographic research on infant mortality

I present an overview of the current status and recent trends in social-demographic research on infant mortality in the United States. Following from a fundamental interest in social differentials, recent research has come to emphasize the diverse linkages between social inequality and mortality. Research increasingly uses multilevel perspectives, combining background as well as proximate variables. Coupled with the availability of new individual-level data sets linking information from diverse sources, researchers are able to give increasing attention to the study of cause of death from interdisciplinary perspectives. The analysis of racial/ethnic infant mortality differentials is an example of these trends.
Properties of flares observed in the Mg i b 2 line at 5172 Å

Observations of emission in the Mgi b2 line at 5172 A are presented for 13 flares. Also discussed are 3 flares which occurred in regions under observation but which showed no Mg emission. The Mg flare kernels resemble white-light flare kernels in their general morphology and location. Comparison of Mg filtergrams with magnetograms indicates that the Mg kernels occur at the feet of magnetic arches across neutral lines. Time-lapse Mg filtergram films indicate photospheric shearing motions near flare sites for several hours before flare onset. We have compared flare Mg emission with microwave and both hard and soft X-ray flare emissions. Examination at the time development of the 1981, July 27 flare shows that the microwave and X-ray bursts may be clearly related to the appearance of successive Mg flare kernels. We have also compared subjective, relative Mg flare importances with other flare emission measurements. For the full sample of flares, Mg importance is significantly correlated with hard and soft X-ray emission peaks, with X-ray ‘hardness’ (ratio of hard to soft peaks) and with the rise slope of soft X-ray bursts. The Mg importance does not correlate with the microwave peaks when the full sample of flares is used, but for the subset showing Mg emission there is significant correlation. No correlation with Hα importance was found. Our results suggest that Mg emission is associated with an impulsive component which may be absent from some flares. The San Fernando Observatory magnesium etalon filter system is described.
THE MULTISYLLABIC WORD DILEMMA: HELPING STUDENTS BUILD MEANING, SPELL, AND READ “BIG” WORDS

Facility with multisyllabic words is essential for students as they read, write, and learn. Many big words occur infrequently, but when they do occur they carry much of the meaning and content of what is being read. English is a language in which many words are related through their morphology. This relationship is preserved through our spelling system. Students who learn to look for patterns in multisyllabic words will be better spellers and decoders. If they learn to look further and consider possible meaning relationships, they will increase the size of their meaning vocabulary stores. This article summarizes research and presents practical teaching strategies for developing facility with multisyllabic words.
Real-time estimation of rollover index for tripped rollovers with a novel unknown inputs nonlinear observer

In rollover prevention systems, a traditional rollover index can detect only un-tripped rollovers that happen due to high lateral acceleration from sharp turns. It fails to detect tripped rollovers that happen due to tripping from external inputs such as forces when a vehicle strikes a curb or a road bump. In order to develop a new rollover index that can detect both tripped and un-tripped rollovers, state estimation in the presence of unknown disturbance inputs is required. Therefore, this paper develops a methodology for estimation of unknown inputs in a class of nonlinear systems. The methodology is based on nonlinear observer design and dynamic model inversion to compute the unknown inputs from output measurements. The observer design utilizes the mean value theorem to express the nonlinear estimation error dynamics as a convex combination of known matrices with time varying coefficients. The observer gains are then obtained by solving linear matrix inequalities (LMIs). The developed approach can enable observer design for a large class of bounded Jacobian nonlinear systems with unknown inputs. The developed nonlinear observer is then applied for rollover index estimation. The developed rollover index is evaluated through simulations with an industry standard software, CARSIM, and with experimental tests on a 1/8th scaled vehicle. The simulation and experimental results show that the developed nonlinear observer can reliably estimate vehicle states, unknown normal tire forces, and rollover index for predicting both un-tripped and tripped rollovers.
Forgiveness in “My Brothers” of Matthew 28:10 and Its Significance for the Matthean Climax (28:16-20):

Matthew climaxes his Gospel (28:16—20) with the risen Lord, among other things, forgiving the Eleven and, subsequently through baptism, all who would come to believe in him, for their sins, (re)establishing fellowship or brotherhood with himself. Matthew signals this intention by Jesus expressing solidarity with his Eleven, referring to them as “my brothers” (28:10). Brothers alludes to the Genesis story of Joseph pardoning his Eleven brothers (45:1—15). This allusion is confirmed by the perfect correspondence between Genesis 45:1—15 and Matthew 28:16—20 in every element of their commissioning forms and material substance.
SHIGELLOSIS IN DAY-CARE CENTRES

Increasing numbers of outbreaks of shigellosis in day-care centres have been reported to the Center for Disease Control since 1972. Investigations reveal certain unique epidemiological features of shigellosis in this setting. Attack-rates tend to be higher than in outbreaks in primary schools, and epidemiologically these outbreaks resemble those in custodial institutions. Person-to-person transmission is the usual mode of spread; secondary spread within households is common, and there may also be significant spread to the community at large. Preventive measures should be directed at children, staff, and the day-care centre environment. Control of outbreaks may require closing the centre and must include separation of infected and uninfected persons, judicious use of antibiotics, and correction of deficiencies in hygiene and health education. Improved surveillance of shigellosis in day-care centres will be an aid in efforts toward controlling this increasingly important public-health problem.
Electromagnetic and weak interactions with nuclei: One-body densities in 6LI

Abstract Eleastic and inelastic magnetic electron scattering, and other electromagnetic data, are used to accurately determine one-body densities (and wave functions) for the valence nucleons in 6Li. Semi-leptonic weak processes are then analyzed in an essentially model-independent way.
Climatic Normals in the Greenland Sea Area

Abstract Large differences in climatic normals for different periods of record must be taken into account in using such data to assess recent anomalies. Data for the Greenland Sea area are used to illustrate the significance of the period of record.
Family communication about positive BRCA1 and BRCA2 genetic test results

Purpose: The identification of a BRCA1 or BRCA2 genetic mutation can provide important health information to individuals who receive this result, but it can also provide crucial cancer risk information to family members. Most of the research on communication of genetic test results has focused on first degree relatives. The purpose of this retrospective study was to examine the process of communicating a positive BRCA1 or BRCA2 genetic test result to male and female first, second, and third degree relatives. Methods: Participants were 38 female mutation carriers who responded to a written survey assessing the number and relationship of relatives informed, methods used to inform relatives, topics discussed, and motivations and barriers for communication. Results: Overall, 59% (470/803) of first, second, and third degree relatives were informed. The proportion of informed parents, siblings, and offspring was nearly twice that of more distant relatives including nieces, nephews, aunts, uncles, grandchildren, and cousins (88% versus 45%; P = 0.02). The method of communication differed by the gender of the relative, as did some of the topics discussed. The most important reasons for discussing the genetic test results were (1) to inform the relatives of their risk, (2) to suggest that they be tested, and (3) to fulfill a perceived duty to inform. The major barrier to communication was little contact and/or emotionally distant relationships. Conclusion: Female mutation carriers act on a perceived duty to inform close relatives of their positive test result; however, there is a need for genetic counseling strategies that address communication with more distant relatives.
Regular soliton solutions and singular soliton solutions for the modified Kadomtsev–Petviashvili equations

Abstract In this paper, we study the positive and the negative modified Kadomtsev–Petviashvili (mKP) equations. The mKP equations are completely integrable equations that admit N -soliton solutions and an infinite number of conserved densities. Multiple-soliton solutions are obtained for the positive model, whereas multiple–singular soliton solutions are established for the negative model. The analysis depends mainly on the Hirota’s bilinear method.
Computed Tomography Screening for Lung Cancer

Screening with low-dose computed tomography reduces mortality from lung cancer in high-risk patients. Lung cancer screening with chest radiography alone or in combination with sputum analysis is currently not recommended. The feasibility and impact of screening in patients with a low or moderate risk for primary lung cancer are currently not known. A standardized framework for testing and management in a multidisciplinary fashion is necessary to provide lung cancer screening. The National Comprehensive Cancer Network and the American Lung Association have recently issued guidelines for lung cancer screening with computed tomography in high-risk patients.