cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Order of Presentation Effects in Learning Color Categories

Two studies, an experimental category learning task and a computational simulation, examined how sequencing training instances to maximize comparison and memory affects category learning. In Study 1, 2-year-old children learned color categories with three training conditions that varied in how categories were distributed throughout training and how similarity between exemplars progressed across instances. The results indicate that beginning learning by interacting with a limited set of highly similar exemplars leads to more learning than when the instances are distributed and dissimilar. In Study 2, order effects were examined with a symbolic connectionist model of general learning and representation discovery (DORA). The results of the studies suggest that when the presentation of instances is ordered in such a way that discrete instances of a category can be more readily connected in memory, category learning and discovery are more likely to occur.
The shape of an ecological trade‐off varies with environment

Central to most theories that explain the diversity of life is the concept that organisms face trade-offs. Theoretical work has shown that the precise shape of a trade-off relationship affects evolutionary predictions. One common trade-off is that between competitive ability and resistance to predators, parasitoids, pathogens or herbivores. We used a microbial experimental system to elucidate the shape of the relationship between parasitoid resistance and competitive ability. For each of 86 bacteriophage-resistant isolates of the bacterium Escherichia coli B, we measured the degree of resistance to bacteriophage T2 (a viral parasitoid) and relative competitive ability in both the resource environment in which strains were isolated and in two alternate environments. We observed that environmental change can alter trade-off shape, and that different physiological mechanisms can lead to different trade-off shapes and different sensitivities to environmental change. These results highlight the important interaction between environment and trade-off shape in affecting ecological and evolutionary dynamics.
Fast decimation-in-frequency direct binary search algorithms for synthesis of computer-generated holograms

Fast decimation-in-frequency direct binary search (DBS) algorithms for the computation of binary computer-generated holograms (CGH’s) are developed. The algorithms use the geometry of the image plane and the decimation-in-frequency property to design a fast method of scanning the hologram with the DBS method. In this way the computational complexity of the method is substantially reduced. For complex-amplitude-based error, the asymptotic computational complexity for an L-point CGH is reduced by a factor of O[(L/log2L)1/2]. For intensity-based error, the asymptotic computational complexity for an L-point CGH is reduced by a factor of O[(L log2L)1/4]. When the probability of accepting an inversion is small, an acceleration technique is also used to reduce further the time complexity.
Motion without movement

We describe a technique for displaying patterns that appear to move continuously without changing their positions. The method uses a quadrature pair of oriented filters to vary the local phase, giving the sensation of motion. We have used this technique in various computer graphic and scientific visualization applications.
SecureRank: A Risk-Based Vulnerability Management Scheme for Computing Infrastructures

In this paper, we introduce a new scheme called SecureRank for prioritizing vulnerabilities to patch in computing systems/networks. This has become a key issue for IT infrastructures, as large numbers of vulnerabilities are continuously announced and IT administrators devote increasingly more resources to managing them. SecureRank prioritizes vulnerabilities and network nodes to patch based on the percentage of time a random attacker would spend trying to exploit them. Going beyond state-of-the-art approaches, SecureRank takes into account the network topology and potential node interactions in calculating their relative risk and priority. We define two metrics for the security of a network and use them to show how SecureRank outperforms key industry benchmarks in certain natural operational settings. We believe that these findings can be used as a starting point in exploring what defense strategies make sense given topology and attack strategy.
The Asymptotics of Almost Alternating Permutations

The goal of this paper is to study the asymptotic behavior of almost alternating permutations, that is, permutations that are alternating except for a finite number of exceptions. Let β(l1,..., lk) denote the number of permutations which consist of l1 ascents, l2 descents, l3 ascents, and so on. By combining the Viennot triangle and the boustrophedon transform, we obtain the exponential generating function for the numbers β(L, 1n-m-1), where L is a descent-ascent list of size m. As a corollary we have β(L, 1n-m-1) ∼ c(L). En, where En = β(1n-1) denotes the nth Euler number and c(L) is a constant depending on the list L. Using these results and inequalities due to Ehrenborg-Mahajan, we obtain β(1a, 2, 1b) ∼ 2/π . En, when min(a, b) tends to infinity and where n = a+b+3. From this result we obtain that the asymptotic behavior of β(L1, 1a, L2, 1b, L3) is the product of three constants depending respectively on the lists L1, L2, and L3, times the Euler number Ea+b+m+1, where m is the sum of the sizes of the Li's.
U.S. Tax Policy Towards Foreign Operations Hamper International Competitiveness Of U.S. Multinationals

This article compares U.S. taxation of foreign source income along with domestic tax incentives with that of other major industrialized nations such as the U.K., Canada, Germany, France, and Japan. The paper point out that U.S. tax policy towards the profitability and expansion of foreign operations ignores the economic realities of the 1990s. In addition, revenue-raising concerns of the U.S. tax policy appear to override international competitiveness considerations. The article calls on U.S. tax policymakers to (1) find ways to establish U.S. business presence in the emerging markets of Europe and the Pacific Rim; (2) reverse the declining trend in the U.S. share of exports of technology intensive products; (3) find ways to meaningfully lower the cost of capital to U.S. businesses; and (4) find practical solutions for both the budget and trade deficit.
Application of Multivariate Statistical Process Monitoring to Lyophilization Process

This chapter illustrates the concept of multivariate statistical process monitoring (MSPM) with data from a biopharmaceutical drug product lyophilization process. It provides the practitioner with steps needed for pretreatment of the data, modeling, and testing phases of the approach. The MSPM applied to the lyophilization process comprised three different models for the freezing, primary drying, and secondary drying steps using a commercially available software. In the presented example, the developed offline MSPM batch model helped diagnose issues with a batch manufactured at a later time using built-in features of the software which allows identification of the variables using their contribution to Hotelling’s T2 and distance to model X measures.
Protein-protein interaction analysis by nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy

Nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) is a powerful technique to study protein-protein interactions in solution. Various methods have been developed and applied successfully for locating binding sites on proteins. The application of NMR chemical-shift perturbation to map the protein-protein interfaces is described in this chapter, providing a practical guideline that can be followed to carry out the experiments.
An Examination of the Propulsion System for the Compound Helicopter

The various design parameters which affect the performance versus speed of the compound helicopter are studied, such as disk loading, solidity, and tip speed schedule. Additional variables which are part of the compound design, such as propeller diameter, wing lift, and equivalent drag, are similarly studied. The interrelationship of each parameter is shown in terms of the total lift/propulsive power required. The study further presumes a fixed mission requirement against which each parameter is evaluated and optimized based on proper sizing and fuel usage. The study includes the direct effect of engine power/weight ratio and SFC. The paper lays a foundation for future performance analyses of this hybrid vehicle.Copyright © 1967 by ASME
Juvenile hormone activity of citronellylamine and citronellol derivatives against pupae of the stable fly and the house fly (Diptera: Muscidae).

Alkyl and phenyl esters of citronellyl-, methylcitrondlyl-, and ethylcitronellyl carbamic acids and the analogous β-substituted amino crotonic acids were tested for juvenile hormone activity against pupae of the stable fly, Stomoxys calcitrans (L.) and the house fly, Musca domestica L. Juvenilizing effects were observed in the stable fly with low levels, 1 and 0.1 ng, of the citronellyl carbamates.
Injectable Ivermectin for Cattle: Effects on Some Dung-Inhabiting Insects

Dung from cattle injected with a single dose of either 20 μg ivermectin/kg of body weight or the recommended therapeutic dose of 200 μg/kg was bioassayed in the laboratory weekly for 10 wk with the horn fly, Haematobia irritans (L.), and two species of dung-burying Scarabaeidae, Euoniticellus intermedius (Reiche) and Onthophagus gazella (F.). Dung from the same cattle was also bioassayed for 6 wk with two species of predaceous Staphylinidae, Philonthus flavolimbatus Erichson and P. longicornis Clark. Emergence of adult horn flies was reduced 42.3–100% for 6 wk when reared on dung from cattle that received the 20 μg/kg dose and compared with emergence of horn flies reared on dung from untreated cattle. When reared on dung from cattle that received a dose of 200 μg/kg, horn fly emergence was reduced 78.7–100% for 8 wk. The two treatment levels had no apparent effect on the production of brood balls by either species of dung beetle. However, emergence of adult E. intermedius and O. gazella from brood balls made with dung from cattle that received the 200 μg/kg dose was reduced for 1 and 2 wk, respectively. There was no reduction in the emergence of adults of either beetle species at the 20 μg/kg dose. The number of P.flavolimbatus progeny reared on dung from cattle that received the 200 μg/kg dose was reduced for 1 wk compared with the number of progeny reared on untreated dung. There was no apparent effect on the number of P. longicornis progeny when reared on dung from cattle that received the 200 μg/kg dose of ivermectin. Dung from cattle that received the 20 μg/kg dose had no apparent effect on the number of progeny of either predator species.
Carbohydrate and lipid metabolic studies before and after one year of treatment with ethynodiol diacetate in "normal" women.

A 3-hour oral glucose tolerance test was conducted in "normal" women before and after 12 months of contraceptive treatment with daily 0.25-mg ethynodiol diacetate tablets. There was no significant change in the subjects' weight between the two tests. All but the 3-hour individual group glucose values were significantly elevated at the 1-year test, and 16.7% of the tolerance curves became "borderline abnormal." The group plasma insulin values for the 0.5-, 1-, and 2-hour samples during the 1-year test were also significantly elevated. There was a significant decrease in the group fasting triglyceride levels but no change in the fasting cholesterol levels. These data suggest that some of the 19-norprogestogens may adversely affect carbohydrate metabolism.
Conversational Moves That Matter Bridging Learning Outcomes and Patterns of Speech in Informal Cross-Organizational Conversations Among Top-Level Leaders

Cross-organizational “learning conversations” are an important source of informal learning among professionals, though little is known about whether specific characteristics of conversational interaction contribute to different learning outcomes in such conversations. This mixed-methods study examined the relationship between what (learning outcomes) and from what (specific conversational contributions) 79 executives from 22 organizations reported they learned from informal, peer-led conversations. Findings suggest that (1) there are unique associations between different types of reported learning outcomes and specific types of conversational contributions that are controversial, narrative, and inquiry in nature and (2) higher and/or lower proportions of certain conversational moves may support particular types of learning outcomes. We conclude with a discussion of findings and how they can support developing more nuanced taxonomies of effective discourse for informal learning, and identify areas for futu...
Experimental study of OPGW strain based on BOTDR

In order to study the stress and strain variation of the optical fibers in optical fiber composite overhead ground wire(OPGW), the paper conducts pull test simulation experiments to 800 m OPGW in the room.It uses Brillouin optical time domain reflectometer(BOTDR) to measure the Brillouin radio frequency shift variable quantity of OPGW in different tension, and demonstrates the relationship between Brillouin radio frequency shift and tension of the OPGW inner fiber.
Internal fixation of pilon fractures of the distal radius.

Abstract When closed manipulation fails to restore articular congruity in comminuted, displaced fractures of the distal radius, open reduction and internal fixation is required. Results of surgical stabilization and articular reconstruction of these injuries are reviewed in this retrospective study of 49 patients with 52 displaced, intra-articular distal radius fractures. Forty-three patients (87%) with a mean age of 37 years (range of 17 to 79 years) were available for evaluation. The mean follow-up time was 38 months (range 22-69 months). When rated according to the Association for the Study of Internal Fixation (ASIF), 19 were type C2 and 21 were type C3. We devised an Injury Score System based on the initial injury radiographs to classify severely comminuted intra-articular fractures and to identify those associated with carpal injury (3 patients). Post-operative fracture alignment, articular congruity, and radial length were significantly improved following surgery (p < .01). Grip strength averaged 69% +/- 22% of the contralateral side, and the range of motion averaged 75% +/- 18% of the contralateral side post-operatively. A combined outcome rating system that included grip strength, range of motion, and pain relief averaged 76% +/- 19% of the contralateral side. There was a statistically significant decrease in the combined rating with more severe fracture patterns as defined by the ASIF system (p < .01), Malone classification (p < .03), and the Injury Score System (p < .001). The Injury Score System presented here, and in particular the number of fracture fragments, correlated most closely with outcome of all the classification systems studied. Operative treatment of these distal radius fractures with reconstruction of the articular congruity and correction of the articular surface alignment with internal fixation and/or external fixation, can significantly improve the radiographic alignment and functional outcome. Furthermore, the degree to which articular stepoff, gap between fragments, and radial shortening are improved by surgery is strongly correlated with improved outcome, even when the results are corrected for severity of initial injury, whereas correction of radial tilt or dorsal tilt did not correlate with improved outcome.
Role of mastectomy in breast cancer.

The surgical management of breast cancer continues to evolve in an attempt to define the ideal line between therapeutic efficacy and morbidity. It is clear that breast cancer is a biologically heterogeneous group of diseases, and no single hypothesis explains its behavior. The surgical options proposed to the individual patient must draw from the experience of retrospective clinical studies and prospective randomized trials in an attempt to optimize the treatment plan. Most patients without distant disease are eligible to consider mastectomy, which can accomplish excellent local control and significantly improve survival for earlier stages of disease. However, breast conservation remains an appropriate alternative for a carefully defined subset of patients. Today, with early-stage disease, no patient need leave the operating room without a breast. Recent advances in reconstructive surgery make mastectomy with immediate reconstruction or limited resection plus axillary dissection with postoperative radiation therapy the two principal treatment choices available. Future studies will focus on the integration of other treatment modalities. Clinical research into the use of preoperative chemotherapy to downstage the disease to permit less extensive surgery is of interest. Recent application of molecular biologic techniques such as oncogene analysis, cytogenetic studies, proliferative indices, and the highly sensitive detection of distant micrometastases using monoclonal antibodies may assist in the design of innovative approaches to surgery, radiation therapy, and systemic drug treatment. These advances show great promise for improving the quality of life and the cure rate for patients with breast cancer. Today, surgical treatment options have evolved that fulfill some of the objectives outlined by Dr. James Ewing of Memorial Hospital some 50 years ago. His concerns about breast cancer remain as relevant today as they were half a century ago: "I have drawn the impression that in dealing with mammary cancer, surgery meets with more peculiar difficulties and uncertainties than with almost any other form of the disease. The anatomical types are so numerous, the variations in clinical course so wide, the paths of dissemination so free and diverse, the difficulties of determining the actual conditions so complex, and the sacrifice of tissues so great, as to render impossible in the majority of cases a reasonably accurate adjustment of a means to an end."
Almost DC Circuits

There are two types of circuits operating at almost DC. They are power supplies and sensor networks, in particular human body sensors for medical instrumentations. The former requires very low output impedance for transient uses while the latter needs narrow bandwidth. All electronic circuits need to draw energy from constant DC power sources for proper operations. Power supplies perform two basic functions of DC–DC conversion and voltage regulation. Voltage regulator is to reduce ripple in the supply output, but consumes power due to the voltage drop in the pass transistor. In recent years, switching DC–DC converters are commonly used for high efficiency together with low-dropout (LDO) regulators. Almost DC sensing circuits are for high-impedance instrumentations such as voltmeters, which suffer classic problems such as DC wander and motion artifact due to capacitive coupling. Based on the basic energy conservation law for charge and flux storage devices, the power efficiencies of DC–DC converter and LDO are redefined, and the transient distortion of LDO outputs is addressed using their output impedances. The DC wandering and motion artifact problems in almost-DC body sensor circuits are also clearly defined.
Assessing the risk of microbial pathogens: application of a judgment-encoding methodology.

This paper reports the results of a risk assessment of the adverse health effects from ingesting foods contaminated with certain microbial pathogens. The risk assessment was performed as part of a larger project to develop a risk-based sampling methodology for imported foods inspected by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA). The sampling methodology was put into operation in a computer aid to assist FDA import inspectors in choosing samples to test for violative substances. The computer aid was designed to choose samples so as to maximize the benefit from the sampling plan. The expected benefit of sampling food depends on the probability that a violation exists, the probability that it will be detected by testing, and the risk of illness associated with the violation. While most of this information is available from data collected by the FDA, very little information has been published regarding the relationship between violative substances and human illness, particularly for microbial pathogens. To narrow this information gap, we recruited the assistance of several experts in the fields of microbiology and epidemiology to evaluate the uncertainty surrounding the intake-response relationships for several microbial pathogens. The information collected from the expert elicitation process and documented here cannot substitute for the scientific data needed to accurately estimate dose-response relationships and their variances. Our goal was simply to gather approximations of these relationships to use in the sampling aid. Our results differ from traditional dose-response curves in that we quantified the uncertainty associated with each probability judgment.
High-throughput miRNA sequencing and identification of biomarkers for forensically relevant biological fluids

microRNAs (miRNAs) are small noncoding RNAs that regulate cellular processes through modulation of proteins at the translational level. They tend to be highly stable as compared to other RNA species due to their small size and protection by protein and/or lipid matrices. Thus, it is likely that miRNAs, when fully evaluated, will make excellent candidates for body fluid identification. miRNA analysis of body fluids has been the subject of some recent interest in the forensic community. In this study, small RNAs were isolated from individual donations of eight forensically relevant biological fluids (blood, semen, vaginal fluid, menstrual blood, saliva, urine, feces, and perspiration) and subjected to next generation sequencing using the Illumina Hi-Seq platform. Sequencing reads were aligned and annotated against miRbase release 21, resulting in a list of miRNAs and their relative expression levels for each sample analyzed. Body fluids with high bacterial loads (vaginal fluid, saliva, and feces) yielded relatively low annotated miRNA counts, likely due to oversaturation of small RNAs from the endogenous bacteria. Both body fluid specific (miRs-200b, 1246, 320c, 10b-5p, 26b, and 891a) and potential normalization miRNAs (let-7g and i) were identified for further analysis as potential body fluid identification tools for each body fluid.
A Student-Created, Open Access, Living Textbook

Textbooks are expensive, updated infrequently, and rarely used effectively by students. We discuss here a way for students to create the textbook for the course, helping them feel ownership over the course material. This Wiki-based, student-created textbook is online free for use, widely accessible by all, and editable during the course of and as topics evolve. This type of textbook format is particularly well suited to upper-level electives on topics that are rapidly emerging. We have nucleated a studentcreated textbook here, fully online and open access, for two upper elective courses in chemical engineering. Wikis offer an easy-to-learn platform that does not require previous training in coding, and we have found it to be an excellent way to increase student learning while encouraging student buy-in and ownership of their course textbook.
ID:4003 COP9 signalosome in regulating EGFR oncogenic signals

The constitutive photomorphogenesis 9 signalosome (CSN) regulates the stability of tumor suppressor and oncogenic proteins via proteasome-mediated protein degradation. The detailed regulatory mechanisms of CSN subunit expression in tumorigenesis remain to be illustrated. We demonstrated several important biological functions of CSN6: p53 signal transduction,neddylation regulation of Cullin, F-box protein ubiquitination, and Myc stability regulation. Biochemical studies demonstrated that CSN6 is involved in cell cycle regulator stability function and various cancer signaling pathways, including epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) pathway. We show that CSN6 overexpression is frequently observed in human colorectal cancers, which leads to drug resistance in anti-EGFR treatment and is correlated with poor clinical survival. We present amechanism for the role of CSN6 in ERK signaling cascade and provide new insights into the functional role of CSN6 deregulation during tumorigenesis.
Creating linked datasets for SME energy-assessment evidence-building: Results from the U.S. Industrial Assessment Center Program

Abstract Lack of information is commonly cited as a market failure resulting in an energy-efficiency gap. Government information policies to fill this gap may enable improvements in energy efficiency and social welfare because of the externalities of energy use. The U.S. Department of Energy Industrial Assessment Center (IAC) program is one such policy intervention, providing no-cost assessments to small and medium enterprises (SME). The IAC program has assembled a wealth of data on these assessments, but the database does not include information about participants after the assessment or on non-participants. This study addresses that lack by creating a new linked dataset using the public IAC and non-public data at the Census Bureau. The IAC database excludes detail needed for an exact match, so the study developed a linking methodology to account for uncertainty in the matching process. Based on the linking approach, a difference in difference analysis for SME that received an assessment was done; plants that received an assessment improve their performance over time, relative to industry peers that did not. This new linked dataset is likely to shed even more light on the impact of the IAC and similar programs in advancing energy efficiency.
Consumption of Fish and Shrimp from Southeast Louisiana Poses No Unacceptable Lifetime Cancer Risks Attributable to High‐Priority Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons

Following oil spills such as the Deepwater Horizon accident (DWH), contamination of seafood resources and possible increased health risks attributable to consumption of seafood in spill areas are major concerns. In this study, locally harvested finfish and shrimp were collected from research participants in southeast Louisiana and analyzed for polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs). PAHs are some of the most important chemicals of concern regarding oil-spill-contaminated seafood resources during and following oil spills. Some PAHs are considered carcinogens for risk assessment purposes, and currently, seven of these can be combined in lifetime cancer risk assessments using EPA approaches. Most PAHs were not detected in these samples (minimum detection limits ranged from 1.2 to 2.1 PPB) and of those that were detected, they were generally below 10 PPB. The pattern of detected PAHs suggested that the source of these chemicals in these seafood samples was not a result of direct contact with crude oil. Lifetime cancer risks were assessed using conservative assumptions and models in a probabilistic framework for the seven carcinogenic PAHs. Lifetime health risks modeled using this framework did not exceed a 1/10,000 cancer risk threshold. Conservative, health-protective deterministic estimates of the levels of concern for PAH chemical concentration and seafood intake rates were above the concentrations and intake rates modeled under this probabilistic framework. Taken together, consumption of finfish and shrimp harvested from southeast Louisiana following the DWH does not pose unacceptable lifetime cancer risks from these seven carcinogenic PAHs even for the heaviest possible consumers.
Leaving Welfare and Joining the Labor Force: Does Job Training Help? Evidence from an Innovative Intervention in New York City

Starting in 1999, welfare recipients were required to participate in a job training and outplacement assistance program. Initially, recipients were enrolled in biweekly waves. I identify the effect of the program using an innovative natural experiment in which enrollees are compared to concomitantly eligible, non-enrolled recipients. Adjusting for control group contamination, I find that enrollees were over thirteen percentage points more likely to start a job. The majority of the newly employed remained off welfare for at least two years. Observed differences were not due to macroeconomic shocks or measurement error. The program passes a cost benefit test.
Big Data Improves Visitor Experience at Local, State, and National Parks—Natural Language Processing Applied to Customer Feedback

Local, State and National parks are a major source of natural beauty, fresh air, and calming environs that are being used more and more by visitors to achieve mental and physical wellbeing. Given the popularity of social networks and availability of smartphones with user-friendly apps, these patrons are recording their visit experiences in the form of online reviews and blogs. The availability of this voluminous data provides an excellent opportunity for facility management to improve their service operation by cherishing the positive compliments and identifying and addressing the inherent concerns. This data however, lacks structure, is voluminous and is not easily amenable to manual analysis necessitating the use of Big Data approaches. We designed, developed, and implemented software systems that can download, organize, and analyze the text from these online reviews, analyze them using Natural Language Processing algorithms to perform sentiment analysis and topic modeling and provide facility managers actionable insights to improve visitor experience.
Optimal Departures from Marginal Cost Prices for Local Public Services

For approximately the past forty years, it has been fashionable among those studying public commodities to scorn the Balkanization of their production and distribution. Economists have been noteworthy in this regard. They have based their advocacy for the control and provision of public services upon the notion that economies of i scale in production require centralization. In addition to their arguments for metropolitanism, they have presented standard economic arguments for setting the prices of a public services at their marginal costs. The dominant normative view has been straightforward: centralize the provision of public goods and equate their prices to marginal costs. These prescriptions lead to prices that are higher as one moves further from a system’s load centre into less densely settled areas. The implications for urban spatial structure are clear: prices in central cities that are densely settled and close to load centres will be lower than those for the suburbs. Hence, the central provision of goods and services, priced at marginal cost, will tend to encourage dense development close to a system’s load centre.
Salvage Curative-Intent Reirradiation Stereotactic Body Radiation Therapy for Isolated Pelvic and/or Paraortic Recurrences of Gynecologic Malignancies

Abstract Purpose To determine the feasibility of stereotactic body radiation therapy (SBRT) for isolated nodal recurrences of gynecologic malignancies within a previously irradiated area. Methods and Materials A retrospective review was performed on 20 patients who underwent 21 curative-intent reirradiation SBRT treatments for locoregional recurrences of gynecologic malignancies. Disease control and survival outcomes were analyzed with the Kaplan-Meier method and log-rank test. Treatment toxicities were graded according to Common Terminology Criteria for Adverse Events version 4.03. Results All patients had an isolated pelvic, paraortic, or intra-abdominal nodal recurrence, with the exception of 1 patient who had a concurrent paraortic and right acetabulum metastasis, both of which were irradiated with SBRT. Primary sites included cervix (30.0%), uterus (55.0%), vulva (5.0%), vagina (5.0%), and ovary (5.0%). Median prior external beam radiation therapy dose was 45 Gy. Recurrences were in field in 14 (66.7%) and marginal in 7 (33.3%). SBRT was directed to the pelvis in 13 cases (61.9%) and to paraortic or celiac nodes in 8 (38.1%). The most common SBRT regimen was 40 to 45 Gy in 5 fractions (n = 12). At a median follow-up of 31.2 months, 3-year actuarial in-field local control, distant progression-free survival, and overall survival were 61.4%, 44.0%, and 51.9%, respectively. At the time of last follow-up, 9 (45.0%) patients remained alive without evidence of disease. Actuarial 3-year risk of grade ≥2 and grade ≥3 late toxicities was 38.1% and 14.3%, respectively. Conclusions SBRT for isolated pelvic or intra-abdominal recurrences of gynecologic malignancies within a previously irradiated field is feasible with an acceptable toxicity rate. With this approach, about half of patients achieved durable disease-free survival.
Thermal conductive epoxy adhesive composites filled with carbon-based particulate fillers: a comparative study

In this paper, different types of carbon-based fillers such as graphite powder (GP), expanded graphite powder (EGP), expanded graphite flakes (EGF), silane treated expanded graphite flakes (EGS) an...
The Vital Two Percent

Advanced economies struggle with paying to stretch the knowledge frontier. It is no surprise why. Research and development (R&D) costs money today, and yields the benefit tomorrow, sometimes decades later. The benefits also disperse widely, making it difficult to trace a direct chain between expenditure and result, or calculate any direct return on investment. Despite the challenges, all modern economies devote some fraction of GDP to stretching the frontier with R&D. In the United States, and for a few decades, that fraction has hovered around 2%–2.5% of GDP, with the Federal government covering about one fifth (more than $115 billion in 2017). Presents an analysis of this economic debate.
Goal-conditioned Batch Reinforcement Learning for Rotation Invariant Locomotion.

We propose a novel approach to learn goal-conditioned policies for locomotion in a batch RL setting. The batch data is collected by a policy that is not goal-conditioned. For the locomotion task, this translates to data collection using a policy learnt by the agent for walking straight in one direction, and using that data to learn a goal-conditioned policy that enables the agent to walk in any direction. The data collection policy used should be invariant to the direction the agent is facing i.e. regardless of its initial orientation, the agent should take the same actions to walk forward. We exploit this property to learn a goal-conditioned policy using two key ideas: (1) augmenting data by generating trajectories with the same actions in different directions, and (2) learning an encoder that enforces invariance between these rotated trajectories with a Siamese framework. We show that our approach outperforms existing RL algorithms on 3-D locomotion agents like Ant, Humanoid and Minitaur.
Ophiasis alopecia areata treated with microneedling.

Alopecia areata (AA) is a T cell–mediated autoimmune disease resulting in the destruction of hair follicles. Ophiasis refers to a subtype of AA that presents as a symmetric, band-like hair loss pat...
Effect of Dentin Biomodification Delivered by Experimental Acidic and Neutral Primers on Resin Adhesion

Abstract Objectives Proanthocyanidins (PACs) are biocompounds mimicking native collagen cross-links. The effective and practical delivery of any biocompound is pivotal for clinical usage. The aim was to investigate the dentin biomodification and effective formation of dentin–resin biointerfaces of two highly bioactive PAC-rich extracts, Vitis vinifera (Vv) and Camellia sinensis (Cs), delivered using neutral (NP) or acidic (AP) rinse-out primer approaches. Methods The depth of dentin demineralization (optical profilometry), dentin biomodification (apparent modulus of elasticity, collagen auto-fluorescence) and properties of dentin–resin interfaces (microtensile bond strength - μTBS, and micro-permeability) were investigated. NP consisted of either 15% Vv or Cs applied for 60 s after surface etching; while AP contained 15% Vv or Cs in either 35% glycolic acid or tartaric acid applied for 30 s or 60 s. Data were analyzed using ANOVA and post-hoc tests (α = 0.05). Results The depth of demineralization was statistically higher when applied for 60 s, regardless of rinse-out primer approach (p Conclusions A combination of high bond strength and low micro-permeability can be accomplished using glycolic acid with the mid- and high-PAC oligomer enriched extract (Vv). Cs extract containing mostly catechins and dimeric PACs, was found unsuitable for resin-dentin adhesion despite exhibiting high initial dentin biomodification. Clinical significance This study provides a new conceptual delivery of PAC-mediated dentin biomodification and conservative dentin surface etching using rinse-out primers. The strategy requires a specific combination of PAC source, α-hydroxy acid, and application time.
A Semi-Algebraic Optimization Approach to Data-Driven Control of Continuous-Time Nonlinear Systems

This letter considers the problem of designing state feedback data-driven controllers for nonlinear continuous-time systems. Specifically, we consider a scenario where the unknown dynamics can be parametrized in terms of known basis functions and the available measurements are corrupted by unknown-but-bounded noise. The goal is to use this noisy experimental data to directly design a rational state-feedback control law guaranteed to stabilize all plants compatible with the available information. The main result of this letter shows that, by using Rantzer’s Dual Lyapunov approach, combined with elements from convex analysis, the problem can be recast as an optimization over positive polynomials, which can be relaxed to a semi-definite program through the use of Sum-of-Squares and semi-algebraic optimization arguments. Three academic examples are considered to illustrate the effectiveness of the proposed method.
Text mining and semantic triples: Spatial analyses of text in applied humanitarian forensic research

Abstract The methods and tools of Geographic Information Sciences (GIScience)—spatial analysis, spatial statistics, and geographic information technologies—are increasingly being used in forensic humanitarian projects. In this article we explore ways to parse and analyze social and media releases from the United States Customs and Border Patrol (CBP) to gain an understanding of the death of migrants at the Texas-Mexico border. The methods we used include corpus linguistic (CL)/natural language processing (NLP) and Qualitative Spatial Representation (QSR) and Semantic Triples (ST). Our results indicate that CL/NLP and QSR/ST have the potential to increase and improve deceased migrant case identification by providing a framework for searching for key terms or themes throughout multiple textual sources. In the specific case examined, however, CL/NLP showed that CBP social media focused on drug confiscation and general patrolling activities and were of limited use for tabulating incidences of migrant death. On the other hand, QSR/ST visualizations showed which CBP Stations most frequently reported deceased migrant recoveries (i.e., search and collection of human remains) and with whom they collaborated. We believe these methods are part of the methodological toolkit needed to lay the ground for what we call Humanitarian GIS—the application of spatial analytical perspectives and tools to genocide studies, spatial forensics, and, in general, human rights topics and events. Within this toolkit, CL/NLP and QSR/ST highlight spatial relationships that are not necessarily mappable in a traditional GIS setting and allow researchers to detect patterns across large corpora of heterogeneous information. The mixing of methodologies and the combination of qualitative and quantitative data in Humanitarian GIS may change our understanding of an ongoing humanitarian crisis and aid in improving and increasing response to such crises.
Laboratory results of foam application testing for longwall shield dust control in a simulated environment

There were 37 longwall faces operating in mines in the United States in 2019. The average panel width for these longwalls was approximately 368.5 m (1209 ft). This translates to a range of approximately 170–240 shields per longwall, depending upon the width of shield. The movement of longwall shields is a significant contributor to respirable dust overexposures to longwall operators. Foam is expected to have the potential to reduce this shield dust generation. The foam is applied to the area on the roof between the coal face and the shield tip after the shearer passes. In this study, the longwall shield dust simulator was used to test three foam agents for their ability to control dust from longwall shield movements. Results showed that at low-velocity ventilation (≈ 3.0 m/s (600 fpm)) all foam agents were able to produce dust reduction levels of at least 45%. At high-velocity ventilation (≈ 5.1 m/s (1000 fpm)), the reductions were lower and more variable, ranging from being undeterminable for one foam agent to having 46%–63% reductions for the other two foam agents, with one instance of an increase in dust concentration. Overall, the use of foam agents can provide longwall shield dust control. Important factors are roof coverage and the ability of foam to remain on the roof for extended time periods.
High Expectations, Limited Options: How Gifted Students Living in Poverty Approach the Demands of AP Coursework.

The aim of this study was to explore the lived experiences of advanced students who live in poverty and their choices regarding taking Advanced Placement (AP) courses. Ten urban high school student...
mTORC2 confers neuroprotection and potentiates immunity during virus infection

Herpes simplex virus type-1 (HSV-1) causes ocular and orofacial infections. In rare cases, HSV-1 can cause encephalitis, which leads to permanent brain injuries, memory loss or even death. Host factors protect humans from viral infections by activating the immune response. However, factors that confer neuroprotection during viral encephalitis are poorly understood. Here we show that mammalian target of rapamycin complex 2 (mTORC2) is essential for the survival of experimental animals after ocular HSV-1 infection in vivo. We find the loss of mTORC2 causes systemic HSV-1 infection due to defective innate and adaptive immune responses, and increased ocular and neuronal cell death that turns lethal for the infected mice. Furthermore, we find that mTORC2 mediated cell survival channels through the inactivation of the proapoptotic factor FoxO3a. Our results demonstrate how mTORC2 potentiates host defenses against viral infections and implicate mTORC2 as a necessary factor for survival of the infected host. The immune response to herpes simplex virus is essential in limiting immunopathology during infection, however factors linked to neuroprotection are currently unclear. Here the authors implicate mTORC2 in the host response to viral infection and link to neuroprotection.
Protein Transport in Neurons

Publisher Summary This chapter provides the evidence supporting the concept of axonal transport and focuses on the involvement of axonal transport in the control and integration of neuronal metabolism. The mechanism of axonal transport is selective and certain neuronal components, such as ribosomes do not appear to be transported from the soma into the axon. Axonal proteins, which are synthesized in the soma and transported somatofugally into the axon appear to consist at least two primary components: (a) a fast component with a velocity of 100–500 mm/day and (b) a slow component with a velocity of 0.4–3.0 mm/ day. Although the neuron soma is the primary source of axonal protein synthesis, evidence supports the synthesis of some axonal proteins at the level of the axon. Axonal transport has provided a plausible mechanism for an integration of the metabolism of the neuron, and the concept of molecular transport within the axon has broadened the understanding of the role of the neuron.
A Fission Chamber Measurement of the natB(d,n) Cross Section for Use in Neutron Detector Calibration

The use of an easily reproducible neutron source reaction that produces a well-known continuous spectrum of neutrons over a range of energies is an ideal solution for some neutron detector efficien...
Distributed interoperable virtual environments

The paper exhibits the use of existing software bus technology in interconnecting virtual-reality environment (VE) software. Interoperability and application construction from heterogeneous modules are well-explored topics of distributed systems. A joint project using the Polylith software bus from the University of Maryland and VE software from the UNC graphics lab has shown the utility of composing existing applications as opposed to making extensive individual modifications. The paper claims only a unique application of these methods to a new client area. Multi-user VE walkthroughs (software navigators) are an exciting new area in graphics software but we see that with the rapid development of graphics technology, next-generation applications (including multiuser systems) are commonly redesigned from the ground up. Here we see an excellent opportunity to examine module reusability, with proven software, in a new application area. We hope our experiments will likely lead to conclusions about VE programming abstractions and produce development methods for making easily interoperable next-generation VE applications.
Self-Generated Experience and the Development of Lateralized Neurobehavioral Organization in Infants

Publisher Summary The ability to use visual information to coordinate and regulate the adaptive movement patterns of the hands is a type of fine motor control, which seems to undergo distinct form of changes during infancy. Various aspects of this skill appear at different ages for different types of manual actions, eye-hand coordination plays an integral part in all measures of the sensorimotor development of the infant. Both handedness and a right bias in handedness are significant parts of our human evolutionary heritage. The developmental sequence of lateralized motor processes in infancy reveals how handedness and the right bias in handedness may have developed. The developmental sequence underlying handedness illustrates how particular patterns of motor coordination can emerge through self-generated processes and suggests on how motor processes may contribute to other aspects of neuropsychological functioning. Infant hand-use preferences are not just expressions of current patterns of lateralization in the organization of the infant's neuromotor processes. More research is needed on the role of handedness in the development of the infant's ability to program and control motor performance.
Upper Bounds for Erdös–Hajnal Coefficients of Tournaments

A celebrated unresolved conjecture of Erdos and Hajnal (see Discrete Appl Math 25 (1989), 37–52) states that for every undirected graph H, there exists , such that every graph on n vertices which does not contain H as an induced subgraph contains either a clique or an independent set of size at least . In (Combinatorica (2001), 155–170), Alon et al. proved that this conjecture was equivalent to a similar conjecture about tournaments. In the directed version of the conjecture cliques and stable sets are replaced by transitive subtournaments. For a fixed undirected graph H, define to be the supremum of all e for which the following holds: for some n0 and every every undirected graph with vertices not containing H as an induced subgraph has a clique or independent set of size at least . The analogous definition holds if H is a tournament. We call the Erdos–Hajnal coefficient of H. The Erdos–Hajnal conjecture is true if and only if for every H. We prove in this article that: the Erdos–Hajnal coefficient of every graph H is at most , there exists such that the Erdos–Hajnal coefficient of almost every tournament T on k vertices is at most , i.e. the proportion of tournaments on k vertices with the coefficient exceeding goes to 0 as k goes to infinity.