cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
An actor-critic method using Least Squares Temporal Difference learning

In this paper, we use a Least Squares Temporal Difference (LSTD) algorithm in an actor-critic framework where the actor and the critic operate concurrently. That is, instead of learning the value function or policy gradient of a fixed policy, the critic carries out its learning on one sample path while the policy is slowly varying. Convergence of such a process has previously been proven for the first order TD algorithms, TD(λ) and TD(1). However, the conversion to the more powerful LSTD turns out not straightforward, because some conditions on the stepsize sequences must be modified for the LSTD case. We propose a solution and prove the convergence of the process. Furthermore, we apply the LSTD actor-critic to an application of intelligently dispatching forklifts in a warehouse.
Yellow perch larval survival in the Zekiah Swamp watershed (Wicomico River, Maryland) relative to the potential effects of a coal ash storage facility

A coordinated program ofin situ and laboratory bioassays supported by water quality analyses was used to evaluate the potential effect of a coal ash storage facility on a yellow perch (Perca flavescens) spawning area. The facility is located in the Zekiah Swamp watershed, a tributary of the Wicomico River, MD.In situ bioassays were conducted in Zekiah Swamp Run and reference locations in 1989 and 1990. Larval mortality was high in non-tidal areas of Zekiah Swamp Run, both at a site upstream and beyond the influence of the facility, and at a site downstream of the facility. Mortality was significantly less at a nearby reference stream and at a station in the tidal area of Zekiah Swamp Run. Analysis of water samples for metals (including inorganic monomeric aluminum), organic contaminants, and pH, as well as measurements of stream flow, did not identify a specific cause for the mortality. The field and laboratory bioassays showed that, although leachate from the ash facility contributed to local contamination of ground water, the facility does not appear to be responsible for the poor survival of larval yellow perch.
Aspirin and ibuprofen enhance pyrazinamide treatment of murine tuberculosis

Objectives: Aspirin (acetylsalicylic acid) or ibuprofen [2-(4-isobutyl-phenyl)-propionic acid] was administered to mice undergoing treatment of tuberculosis infection with pyrazinamide to determine if these non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) enhance pyrazinamide activity in vivo. Methods: BALB/c mice were infected with Mycobacterium tuberculosis H37Rv through aerosol exposure. Mice were treated orally with aspirin, ibuprofen or pyrazinamide, alone and in combination. The impact of daily administration of these drugs for 1 month was determined by enumerating viable bacteria in the lung and spleen. Results: Aspirin or ibuprofen alone at 20 mg/kg per day had little effect on tuberculosis infection after 1 month of treatment, while pyrazinamide at 150 mg/kg per day led to a reduction of about 1.5 log10 cfu in the lung and 2 log10 cfu in the spleen compared with the control. Simultaneous administration of either aspirin or ibuprofen with pyrazinamide resulted in a further decrease of about 0.4 log10 cfu in the lung and more than 1 log10 cfu in the spleen compared with mice receiving pyrazinamide alone. All spleens in the pyrazinamide-only treatment group were positive for infection. Of mice treated with both aspirin and pyrazinamide, two of five spleens were negative for colony formation, with a lower limit of detection of 0.90 log10 cfu per organ. Three of five mice given ibuprofen and pyrazinamide had culturenegative spleens. Conclusions: Aspirin and ibuprofen enhance the effect of pyrazinamide during the initial phase of tuberculosis treatment in the mouse model. Further investigation is necessary to determine the impact of NSAIDs on long-term treatment with pyrazinamide and other antituberculosis drugs in the mouse model of tuberculosis infection and the clinical implications of these findings on tuberculosis treatment in humans.
Sustained Effects of Cardiac Rehabilitation in Children With Serious Congenital Heart Disease

OBJECTIVE. Past studies have documented the acute benefits of cardiac rehabilitation in children with congenital heart disease. It is not known whether these benefits persist. PATIENTS AND METHODS. Fifteen patients, ages 8 to 17 years, with complex congenital heart disease, whose exercise function immediately after a 12-week cardiac rehabilitation program was superior to that present on a precardiac rehabilitation exercise test, were restudied 6.9 ± 1.6 months after completion of the cardiac rehabilitation program (∼1 year after the precardiac rehabilitation study). Changes in exercise function relative to baseline, precardiac rehabilitation exercise tests were also compared with changes observed in a group of 18 control subjects, with similar diagnoses, who also had 2 exercise tests separated by a year but did not undergo cardiac rehabilitation. RESULTS. The cardiac rehabilitation patients9 exercise function did not change significantly over the 6.9-month period after the completion of the cardiac rehabilitation program; percentage of predicted peak oxygen consumption and peak work rate remained significantly superior to baseline, precardiac rehabilitation values. These changes were also associated with improvements in self-esteem, behavior, and emotional state. In contrast, among the control subjects, small, but statistically insignificant declines in peak oxygen consumption and peak work rate were observed on the final exercise test compared with values obtained at baseline, 1 year earlier. The improvements realized by the cardiac rehabilitation patients differed significantly from the concurrent changes observed among the control subjects and appeared to be a result of an increase in the oxygen pulse at peak exercise; significant changes in peak heart rate were not observed. CONCLUSIONS. In patients with congenital heart disease, cardiac rehabilitation produces significant, sustained improvements in exercise function, behavior, self-esteem, and emotional state.
Selective Thrombosis of Tumor Blood Vessels in Mammary Adenocarcinoma Implants in Rats

Adenocarcinomas in rats and humans frequently contain perivascular, degranulating mast cells that release heparin. Protamine is a low-molecular weight, cationic polypeptide that binds avidly to heparin and neutralizes its anticoagulant properties. We hypothesized that mast-cell heparin functions as a localized anticoagulant that modulates hemostasis and blood perfusion in tumors. Consequently, systemically administered protamine should be able to neutralize the endogenous heparin within tumors, thereby inducing selective thrombosis of blood vessels within tumors. Here we demonstrate with magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) that an intravenous dose of protamine labeled with gadolinium accumulated within the parenchyma of subcutaneous implants of a mammary adenocarcinoma in Fischer 344 rats. Moreover, we show with dynamic contrast enhanced MRI that sequential intravenous doses of protamine in 12 tumor-bearing rats resulted in significantly decreased signal enhancement kinetics (blood perfusion) of the tumor. This functional impairment of MRI signal enhancement was accompanied by histological evidence of thrombosis in the blood vessels within the tumor. There was no histological evidence of thrombosis within normal liver, kidney, lung, spleen, or adjacent muscle of tumor-bearing animals that received protamine treatment or in the tumors of animals that had not been pretreated with protamine. On the basis of these results, we conclude that protamine accumulates within adenocarcinoma implants and induces selective thrombosis of blood vessels within the tumor, probably by neutralizing the endogenous heparin within tumors.
Egypt and the New Middle Class: Reaffirmations and New Explorations*

Amos Perlmutter's essay attacks the myth of a new middle class seen potentially or now as a cohesive group embodied by the army and capable of modernizing Egypt and the Middle East. He describes me as the principal creator of this myth. In the form and substance in which he presents it, the myth is his, not mine. Those who have already read The Politics of Social Change in the Middle East and North Africa (Princeton, 1963) in which I first published some hypotheses on the relationship between social classes and modernization, or who missed Perlmutter's false image of it, need not read Part I of this response. Those neither bemused nor amused by distortions and their resolutions may wish to skip to Part II. There I try to add a few suggestions to my 1963 work by responding to the main question which Perlmutter raises but has done little to answer: why has the salaried new middle class not done well so far in modernizing the Middle East?
A built-in self-test technique for load inductance and lossless current sensing of DC-DC converters

One of the major problems associated with integrated DC-DC converters used in state of the art Power Management ICs (PMICs) is dynamic performance and stability degradation due to off-chip component and output current variations. A high accuracy built-in self-test (BIST) architecture measuring load inductance and DC resistance (DCR) of DC-DC converters is presented. The DCR measurement of the inductor also enables continuous, lossless average load current sensing of the DC-DC converter across the inductor. Both the BIST circuit and the primary signal chain utilize low analog complexity frequency-domain ΔΣADC. The ΔΣADC decimation filter nulls also provide current ripple cancellation and average current extraction. The BIST module can measure filter inductance values ranging from 3.6μH to 22.3μH range with average 2.0% error and inductor DCR 13mΩto 68mΩ range with average 2.1% error. The average current sensing enabled by the BIST technique achieves current measurement accuracy with average 2.3% error for 0.1A-1A range load current. BIST and current sensing modules occupy less than 6% of total chip area. The BIST circuitry is fabricated and tested with a 12V input, 1V-11.5V output range, for a 3W output power digital DC-DC converter.
Calsequestrin 2 deletion causes sinoatrial node dysfunction and atrial arrhythmias associated with altered sarcoplasmic reticulum calcium cycling and degenerative fibrosis within the mouse atrial pacemaker complex1.

Aims Loss-of-function mutations in Calsequestrin 2 (CASQ2) are associated with catecholaminergic polymorphic ventricular tachycardia (CPVT). CPVT patients also exhibit bradycardia and atrial arrhythmias for which the underlying mechanism remains unknown. We aimed to study the sinoatrial node (SAN) dysfunction due to loss of CASQ2. Methods and results In vivo electrocardiogram (ECG) monitoring, in vitro high-resolution optical mapping, confocal imaging of intracellular Ca2+ cycling, and 3D atrial immunohistology were performed in wild-type (WT) and Casq2 null ( Casq2 −/−) mice. Casq2 −/− mice exhibited bradycardia, SAN conduction abnormalities, and beat-to-beat heart rate variability due to enhanced atrial ectopic activity both at baseline and with autonomic stimulation. Loss of CASQ2 increased fibrosis within the pacemaker complex, depressed primary SAN activity, and conduction, but enhanced atrial ectopic activity and atrial fibrillation (AF) associated with macro- and micro-reentry during autonomic stimulation. In SAN myocytes, CASQ2 deficiency induced perturbations in intracellular Ca2+ cycling, including abnormal Ca2+ release, periods of significantly elevated diastolic Ca2+ levels leading to pauses and unstable pacemaker rate. Importantly, Ca2+ cycling dysfunction occurred not only at the SAN cellular level but was also globally manifested as an increased delay between action potential (AP) and Ca2+ transient upstrokes throughout the atrial pacemaker complex. Conclusions Loss of CASQ2 causes abnormal sarcoplasmic reticulum Ca2+ release and selective interstitial fibrosis in the atrial pacemaker complex, which disrupt SAN pacemaking but enhance latent pacemaker activity, create conduction abnormalities and increase susceptibility to AF. These functional and extensive structural alterations could contribute to SAN dysfunction as well as AF in CPVT patients.
Development of Control Laws for a Flight Test Maneuver Autopilot for an F-15 Aircraft

An autopilot can be used to provide precise control to meet the demanding requirements of flight research maneuvers with high-performance aircraft. This paper presents the development of control laws within the context of flight test maneuver requirements. Linear quadratic regulator approach is utilized and the control laws are developed by treating the maneuver as a finite time tracking problem with regulation of state rates.
Development and application of a 6.5 million feature Affymetrix Genechip® for massively parallel discovery of single position polymorphisms in lettuce ( Lactuca spp. )

High-resolution genetic maps are needed in many crops to help characterize the genetic diversity that determines agriculturally important traits. Hybridization to microarrays to detect single feature polymorphisms is a powerful technique for marker discovery and genotyping because of its highly parallel nature. However, microarrays designed for gene expression analysis rarely provide sufficient gene coverage for optimal detection of nucleotide polymorphisms, which limits utility in species with low rates of polymorphism such as lettuce (Lactuca sativa). We developed a 6.5 million feature Affymetrix GeneChip® for efficient polymorphism discovery and genotyping, as well as for analysis of gene expression in lettuce. Probes on the microarray were designed from 26,809 unigenes from cultivated lettuce and an additional 8,819 unigenes from four related species (L. serriola, L. saligna, L. virosa and L. perennis). Where possible, probes were tiled with a 2 bp stagger, alternating on each DNA strand; providing an average of 187 probes covering approximately 600 bp for each of over 35,000 unigenes; resulting in up to 13 fold redundancy in coverage per nucleotide. We developed protocols for hybridization of genomic DNA to the GeneChip® and refined custom algorithms that utilized coverage from multiple, high quality probes to detect single position polymorphisms in 2 bp sliding windows across each unigene. This allowed us to detect greater than 18,000 polymorphisms between the parental lines of our core mapping population, as well as numerous polymorphisms between cultivated lettuce and wild species in the lettuce genepool. Using marker data from our diversity panel comprised of 52 accessions from the five species listed above, we were able to separate accessions by species using both phylogenetic and principal component analyses. Additionally, we estimated the diversity between different types of cultivated lettuce and distinguished morphological types. By hybridizing genomic DNA to a custom oligonucleotide array designed for maximum gene coverage, we were able to identify polymorphisms using two approaches for pair-wise comparisons, as well as a highly parallel method that compared all 52 genotypes simultaneously.
The Multiperiod Multilocation Inventory Problem

This paper studies the structure of optimal policies in general multiperiod, multilocation inventory problems with proportional costs. It is shown that the multiperiod problem has the same generic form in each period as a one-period problem Hence, properties of the one-period problem are inherited by the multiperiod formulation; in particular the form of the optimal policy can be characterized. In the special case of a Leontief system structure and for a somewhat more general class it is shown that base-stock policies are optimal for certain initial states. For the stationary problem some results are derived about the monotonicity of the sequence of base stock vectors.
Plasticity at Multiple Length Scales in Metal–Ceramic Interface Fracture

Measurements of local plasticity in fracture of Ni-sapphire interfaces exhibit deformation on several length scales. The deformation processes are manifest as morphology on the surface of the Ni side of the fracture surface that can be quantified with scanning probe microscopies. Four scales of deformation are observed: ligamentary bridging, crack tip blunting, slip step formation and nanometer scale roughness. The relative amount of energy dissipated in each mechanism varies with interface strength and density of precipitates. Since the most energy intensive processes, i.e. ligamentary bridging and crack tip blunting, are associated with nano precipitates, large variations in interface toughness will be related to extrinsic factors.
Sir Victor Horsley, Mr John Marshall, the Nervi Nervorum, and Pain: More Than a Century Ahead of Their Time

Sir Victor Horsley (1857-1916) is best known for the many pioneering neurosurgical procedures that he developed during the late 19th century. These advances enabled surgery to be performed on the brain with an acceptable mortality level.' Horsley's research was not limited to neurosurgery; it also extended into basic neurology (eg, motor cortex function) 2 and even general medicine, including many studies on the function of the thyroid gland.
The cryobiology of spermatozoa

The impact of successful cryopreservation of spermatozoa can be found in many fields, including agriculture, laboratory animal medicine, and human assisted reproduction, providing a cost-effective and efficient method to preserve genetic material for decades. The success of any cryobiologic protocol depends critically on understanding the fundamentals that underlie the process. In this review, we summarize the biophysical fundamentals critical to much of the research in sperm cryobiology, provide a synopsis of the development of sperm cryobiology as a discipline, and present the current state and directions for future research in sperm cryobiology in the three major areas outlined above-agriculture, laboratory animal medicine, and human clinical assisted reproduction. There is much room for new research, both empiric and fundamental, in all areas, including refinement of mathematical models, optimization of cryoprotective agent addition and removal procedures for spermatozoa from many species, development of effective, efficient, and facile cryopreservation protocols and freezing containers for agricultural sperm cryopreservation, and tailoring cryopreservation protocols for individual human samples.
Autoregulation of glucose production in men with a glycerol load during rest and exercise.

Related to hepatic autoregulation we evaluated hypotheses that 1) glucose production would be altered as a result of a glycerol load, 2) decreased glucose recycling rate (Rr) would result from incr...
The Look-Ahead Fermion Algorithm

I describe a fast fermion algorithm which utilizes pseudofermion fields but appears to have little or no systematic error. Test simulations on two-dimensional gauge theories are described. A possible justification for the algorithm being exact is discussed.
When Will You Answer This? Estimating Response Time in Twitter.

We present a study analyzing the response times of users to questions on Twitter. We investigate estimating these response times using an exponential distribution-based wait time model learned from users’ previous responses. Our analysis considers several different model building approaches, including personalized models for each user, general models built for all users, and time-sensitive models specific to a day of the week or hour of the day. Our evaluation using a real world question-answer dataset shows the effectiveness of our approach.
Toward Greater Equality

The concept of equality has moved into the center of intellectual and cultural interest in recent years. In some quarters it has become a verbal fetish, used synonymously with terms like ‘democracy’ and ‘social justice’. Reflection will show, however, that when it stands by itself, ‘equality’ or the demand for equality is an incomplete and ambiguous expression. If we want to move ‘toward greater equality’ we don’t know what it is we want unless we can specify what we want in greater equality. In a country in which members of group A have the vote while members of group B have not, we can move toward greater equality either by granting members of both groups the vote or by denying it to both groups. If we stress only equality we could not distinguish between saying that “justice consists in treating all persons alike” and “justice consists in mistreating all persons alike”. At best, then, equality is a necessary but not sufficient condition of a just society — since human beings can be equal in poverty or affluence, equally enslaved as well as equally free. That is why a just rule or law must go beyond mere impartial application. The rule or law itself must be morally valid.
Endocarditis Caused By Kingella kingae: Case Report and Review

Kingella kingae was isolated from the blood of a 59-year-old woman with endocarditis. The organism, a fastidious gram-negative rod in the family Neisseriaceae, has been implicated as a cause of endocarditis, arthritis, and osteomyelitis. A review of the recent literature suggests that Kingella is a likely etiologic agent in these diseases, particularly in people who have had oral disease or other trauma to mucous membranes. Unfamiliarity with this infrequently isolated organism may cause laboratories to encounter difficulty in its isolation and identification.
Seed Germination Characteristics of Cymbidium goeringii,C.goeringii var.goeringii,C.tortispalum and C.goeringii var.longibracteatum

Using the aseptic techniques,the seed germinations of Cymbidium were studied.The number of seed germinated and germination time of the target plants were observed,and the effect of medium on germination was studied as well.The experimental results indicated that germination difficulty in seed germination of Cymbidium mainly represented by long germination duration and low germination rate,however,most the seeds could germinate,and the germination status varied with variety.The number of germination was related with the development of capsule,and was not in proportion to size of capsule.Only the seeds with good development have germination capability.The number of germinated seeds was related with seed maturity and medium.Three kinds of media were screened out in our experiment.The initiating time of seed germination has no inevitable connection with the ingredients of medium.It was observed that the germination of seeds of two varieties affected by a species of bacteria were easier.
condition of toxic chemicals using in industrial enterprises of Kunshan City

[Objective]To identify the category,quantity and distribution of toxic chemicals which used by industrial enterprise in Kunshan City,to control chemical hazards and improve capability of chemical poisoning emergency response. [Methods]Self-designed questionnaire combined with field investigation were adopted to analyze the chemical use status in 421 enterprises of Kunshan City. [Results] In 421 enterprises,379 049 376 tons of chemicals were used annually,including 331 500 876 tons of severely toxic chemicals,5 094.5 tons of highly toxic chemicals and 42 454 tons of general chemicals.The number of enterprise using severely toxic chemicals was 116,with 873 exposed workers;82 enterprises used highly toxic chemicals,with 3 351 exposed workers;317 used general chemicals,with 21 422 exposed workers.Effective protection measures and management measures adopted proportion was high in enterprises with severely toxic chemicals,while that for enterprises with general chemicals was low. [Conclusion]Chemical use is characterized by various types,large quantities,a large number of exposed workers,serious harm in industrial enterprises of Kunshan City.It is necessary to adopt appropriate prevention strategies and measures to control acute and chronic chemical poisoning.
Progressive Changes in a Distributed Neural Circuit Underlie Breathing Abnormalities in Mice Lacking MeCP2.

Rett syndrome (RTT) is a neurodevelopmental disorder caused by mutations in Methyl-CpG-binding protein 2 (MECP2). Severe breathing abnormalities are common in RTT and are reproduced in mouse models of RTT. Previously, we found that removing MeCP2 from the brainstem and spinal cord in mice caused early lethality and abnormal breathing. To determine whether loss of MeCP2 in functional components of the respiratory network causes specific breathing disorders, we used the Cre/LoxP system to differentially manipulate MeCP2 expression throughout the brainstem respiratory network, specifically within HoxA4-derived tissues, which include breathing control circuitry within the nucleus tractus solitarius and the caudal part of ventral respiratory column but do not include more rostral parts of the breathing control circuitry. To determine whether respiratory phenotypes manifested in animals with MeCP2 removed from specific pons medullary respiratory circuits, we performed whole-body plethysmography and electrophysiological recordings from in vitro brainstem slices from mice lacking MeCP2 in different circuits. Our results indicate that MeCP2 expression in the medullary respiratory network is sufficient for normal respiratory rhythm and preventing apnea. However, MeCP2 expression within components of the breathing circuitry rostral to the HoxA4 domain are neither sufficient to prevent the hyperventilation nor abnormal hypoxic ventilatory response. Surprisingly, we found that MeCP2 expression in the HoxA4 domain alone is critical for survival. Our study reveals that MeCP2 is differentially required in select respiratory components for different aspects of respiratory functions, and collectively for the integrity of this network functions to maintain proper respiration. Significance statement Breathing abnormalities are a significant clinical feature in Rett syndrome and are robustly reproduced in the mouse models of this disease. Previous work has established that alterations in the function of MeCP2, the protein encoded by the gene mutated in Rett syndrome, within the hindbrain are critical for control of normal breathing. Here we show that MeCP2 function plays distinct roles in specific brainstem regions in the genesis of various aspects of abnormal breathing. This provides insight into the pathogenesis of these breathing abnormalities in Rett syndrome, which could be used to target treatments to improve these symptoms. Furthermore, it provides further knowledge about the fundamental neural circuits that control breathing.
The Periodic Table, Molecules, and Bonds

In this chapter, we review in some detail the solutions of Schrodinger’s equation for a single particle in three dimensions. We treat the case of a free particle, a particle in a box, and a particle in the presence of a Coulomb potential, that is, the hydrogen atom. This first part of the chapter is presented using mathematical details that will be used in the following chapters. This discussion also allows us to present the basic physical concepts needed to understand the period table of elements and extend the discussion to the various types of chemical bonds. This second part of the chapter is more qualitative, since detailed mathematical concepts and results will be given when discussing the atomic and electronic structure of crystals in the following chapters.
Ranking the strongest ENSO events while incorporating SST uncertainty

The strength of El Nino-Southern Oscillation (ENSO) is often measured using a single, discrete value of the Nino index. However, this method does not consider the sea surface temperature (SST) uncertainty associated with the observations and data processing. On the basis of the Nino3.4 index and its uncertainty, we find that the strength of the three strongest ENSO events is not separable at 95% confidence level. The monthly peak SST anomalies in the most recent 2015-16 El Nino is tied with 1997-98 and 1982-83 El Nino as the strongest. The three most negative monthly Nino values occur within the 1955-56, 1973-74, and 1975-76 La Nina events, which cannot be discriminated by rank. The histograms of 1000-member ensemble analysis support the conclusion that the strength of the three strongest ENSO events is not separable. These results highlight that the ENSO ranking has to include the SST uncertainty.
The biosynthesis of cell wall lipopolysaccharide in Escherichia coli. VI. Enzymatic transfer of galactose, glucose, N-acetylglucosamine, and colitose into the polymer.

Escherichia coli J-5, a uridine diphosphate galactose 4-epimeraseless mutant of Escherichia coli 0111-B4, produces a cell wall lipopolysaccharide which lacks galactose and colitose (3,6-dideoxy- l -xylohexose) and contains reduced quantities of glucose and N-acetylglucosamine. With the use of a particulate fraction of the cell envelope of this mutant (which contains glycosyl transferases and lipopolysaccharide acceptor), the transfer of galactose, glucose, N-acetylglucosamine, and colitose to the incomplete lipopolysaccharide was demonstrated. The addition of the various sugars to the acceptor apparently occurred in a sequential manner as indicated by the following observations: (a) galactose was transferred directly to the polymer from uridine diphosphate galactose; (b) transfer of glucose (from uridine diphosphate glucose) occurred only in the presence of uridine diphosphate galactose; the product of these reactions was released from the lipopolysaccharide by hydrolysis and shown to be a newly synthesized glucosylgalactose disaccharide; (c) in a similar manner, N-acetylglucosamine transfer from uridine diphosphate N-acetylglucosamine to the polymer required the prior transfer of both galactose and glucose; (d) colitose was transferred (from guanosine diphosphate colitose) to the polymer in small, but reproducible, amounts only when the nucleotide derivatives of galactose, glucose, and N-acetylglucosamine were included in the incubation mixture; and (e) no evidence was obtained for the formation of oligosaccharide intermediate in any of the transferase systems studied. It is suggested that the transfer of galactose, glucose, and N-acetylglucosamine to the mutant polymer pertains to the biosynthesis of a “core” polysaccharide that has a structure similar to that observed in Salmonella. In addition, small amounts of colitose were incorporated into lipopolysaccharide when GDP-colitose-14C was incubated with the particulate enzyme preparation in the presence of UDP-glucose, UDP-galactose, and UDP-N-acetylglucosamine.
The Foot Fetish: Events, Reversals, and Language in the Collaborative Assessment Process

Beginning in the late 1960s, Constance Fischer wrote a series of articles on phenomenological psychology and its application to various procedures within psychological testing and evaluation. In her writings, the theoretical groundwork for individualized and collaborative assessment practices, where the patient is considered an informed participant in the entire process, came from European continental philosophers. Heidegger, Merleau-Ponty, and Husserl are quoted at length in these early studies (Fischer, 1970, 1973a, 1973b, 1976, 1979, 1985/1994). In each paper, Fischer argued for a balance between the science and the art of psychological testing. For her, the art of testing stemmed from the tradition of Husserlian phenomenology, which “involved a turning toward the manner of appearance, in a concrete analysis of our existential life-world, not in some idealist dialectic as in Hegel” (Kearney & Semonovitch, 2011, p. 7). Thus, from the human science perspective, what is “scientifically” true about people can only be understood if we understand them in the context of their lived experience.
Direct shear strength of rebar-coupler anchor systems for steel-plate composite (SC) walls

This paper focuses on the direct shear behavior of rebar-coupler anchor systems, and their use for anchorage of steel-plate composite (SC) walls to the concrete basemat of safety-related nuclear facilities. Large-scale rebar-coupler anchor specimens were tested under direct shear loading until failure. The results included the applied load-slip displacement responses of the specimens, the direct shear strength, and the observed failure mode. The American Concrete Institute (ACI) 349 code equation for calculating the direct shear strength of embedded anchors was compared with the direct shear strengths from the tests. The code equation underestimated the direct shear strength of the anchor system, because shear failure was assumed to occur in the rebars, whereas experimental observations indicated that shear fracture failure occurred in the couplers rather than the rebars. The design equation was updated to utilize the net shear area of the couplers instead of the rebars, after which the direct shear strengths from the tests could be calculated with reasonable accuracy. The experimental results were also used to propose an empirical model for the shear force vs. slip displacement response of rebar-coupler anchor systems.
The clone wars

Genome sequencing of patients with pancreatic adenocarcinoma reveals high concordance of driver alterations across metastases.
Understanding low uptake of contraceptives in resource-limited settings: a mixed-methods study in rural Burundi

Family planning can reduce deaths, improve health, and facilitate economic development in resource-limited settings. Yet, modern contraceptive methods are often underused. This mixed-methods study, conducted in rural Burundi, sought to explain low uptake of contraceptives by identifying utilization barriers. Results may inform development of family planning interventions in Burundi and elsewhere. We investigated uptake of contraceptives among women of reproductive age in two rural districts of Burundi, using an explanatory sequential, mixed-methods research design. We first assessed availability and utilization rates of modern contraceptives through a facility-based survey in 39 health clinics. Barriers to uptake of contraceptives were then explored through qualitative interviews (N = 10) and focus groups (N = 7). Contraceptives were generally available in the 39 clinics studied, yet uptake of family planning averaged only 2.96%. Greater uptake was positively associated with the number of health professionals engaged and trained in family planning service provision, and with the number of different types of contraceptives available. Four uptake barriers were identified: (1) lack of providers to administer contraception, (2) lack of fit between available and preferred contraceptive methods, (3) a climate of fear surrounding contraceptive use, and (4) provider refusal to offer family planning services. Where resources are scarce, availability of modern contraceptives alone will likely not ensure uptake. Interventions addressing multiple uptake barriers simultaneously have the greatest chance of success. In rural Burundi, examples are community distribution of contraceptive methods, public information campaigns, improved training for health professionals and community health workers, and strengthening of the health infrastructure.
IEC breeder for D-{sup 3}He satellite systems

D-{sup 3}He fusion minimizes neutrons and maximizes charged fusion products, enabling increased energy recovery efficiency by direct conversion. However, scarce {sup 3}He terrestrial resources have deterred research & development (R&D) on this alternative. Here, we explore {sup 3}He production through inertial electrostatic confinement (IEC) breeders, which supply {sup 3}He to field-reversed configuration (FRC) satellite reactors. The breeder-satellite system is analyzed in terms of energy balance, taking the net energy gain of the overall system as the key parameter. An economic study determines the competitiveness of breeding with respect to {sup 3}He lunar mining, already shown to be an attractive route for commercial exploitation. 14 refs., 1 tab.
Soil properties in site prepared loblolly pine (Pinus taeda L.) stands 25 years after wet weather harvesting in the lower Atlantic coastal plain

Abstract Harvesting traffic may alter soil properties and reduce forest productivity if soil disturbances are not mitigated. Logging operations were conducted during high soil moisture conditions on the South Carolina, USA coast to salvage timber and reduce wildfire potential following Hurricane Hugo in 1989. Long term study sites were established on wet pine flats to evaluate effects of primary skid trails and site preparation on soil properties and loblolly pine productivity. The experiment was analyzed as a split-plot within an unbalanced randomized complete block design having 12 blocks, two levels of traffic (primary skid trail (On), no obvious traffic (Off)) and four levels of site preparation (bedding (Bed), disking with bedding (D/B), disking (Disk), no site preparation (None)). Remeasurement of the study was conducted in 2015 at 25 years after salvage logging (stand age 23 years). Bed and D/B treatments had greater saturated hydraulic conductivity (p = 0.0567) and macroporosity (p = 0.0071) and lower bulk density (p = 0.0226) values than Disk and None treatments. Macroporosity benefits were evident two years after site preparation installation, but bulk density and saturated hydraulic conductivity were not, suggesting these two measurements were affected over time by differences in rooting activity influenced by initial aeration benefits. Depth to iron depletion (p = 0.0055) was significantly greater and soil carbon (p
Characteristics of KIE Textile and Apparel Firms and Founders

This chapter relied on the AEGIS database to describe KIE firms in the textile and apparel industries. Relevant characteristics include the age of the firms, their number of employees, and characteristics of their founders. The human capital characteristics of the founders of KIE firms include age, education, and work experience.
Entrepreneurial Relocation: Recent Evidence from the U.S. Start-ups

Entrepreneurial relocation is for start-ups to move all or a part of their initial business operations to a new place within six years from their founding activities. Using a sample of 4,928 U.S. s...
Hydrologic Advances in Space-Time Precipitation Modeling and Forecasting

The spatial and temporal rainfall characteristics influence the runoff hydrograph of a catchment, while accurate forecasting of precipitation is crucial to the prediction of floods and flash floods. This study presents a review of recent hydrologic advances in space-time rainfall modeling and forecasting. The strengths and weaknesses of the available models are discussed and directions for further research and improvements are given.
Ultrasound for thrombosis

This chapter discusses the technique, advantages, and limitations of duplex examination for evaluation of the venous system in the lower extremities. It will also discuss additional clinical considerations including the use of ultrasound in recurrent thrombosis, surveillance, and its role in endovenous therapy.
Abdominal and Thoracic Aortic Aneurysms

The management of aortic aneurysms has evolved over the last 15 years from open surgical repair as the standard therapy to endovascular stent-graft placement as the treatment of choice in anatomically suitable patients. This chapter introduces the basic pathophysiology, clinical symptoms, and indications for repair of both abdominal (AAA) and thoracic aortic aneurysms (TAA) and describes the conventional approaches of conservative medical management and open surgical repair for these lesions. The concept and rationale supporting endovascular AAA repair (EVAR) and TAA repair (TEVAR) are presented. The importance of pre-procedure planning is emphasized, and a detailed “How To” section explains the technical steps of the procedures. The most common risks and complications of EVAR and TEVAR are reviewed, and tips to avoid these adverse events are provided.
Fathers' and Mothers' Participation in Research.

This study investigated the participation rates of fathers, as compared to mothers, in research related to parent and older adolescent psychological symptoms, drinking behavior, and perceived competence. Fathers and mothers did not differ in their rates of participation in the research (59% and 65%, respectively). Additionally, few differences were found between participating and nonparticipating parents. Implications for fathers' and mothers' involvement in research on the family are discussed.
REVERSIBLE CONFORMATIONAL CHANGES OF MYOGLOBIN AND APOMYOGLOBIN.

The “thermodynamic” hypothesis of protein conformation (1) states that the sequence of amino acids characteristic of a given protein is sufficient to determine its secondary and tertiary structure, for the molecule will assume the conformation thermodynamically most stable. In an analogous vein, the “conformation” hypothesis (2) proposes that the steric and noncovalent bonding properties of poly-cu-amino acid side chains dictate the tendency of these polymers to assume helical, extended, or random coil structures. These hypotheses need little alteration in order to include the possibly significant role of small cofactors and prosthetic groups. Such small molecules may interact with a protein in a specific fashion and thereby influence the relative stability of various folded states. Myoglobin and apomyoglobin offer an attractive system for evaluating the above hypotheses. A comparison of conformation-dependent parameters of the native and apoproteins will reveal what role, if any, is played by the heme moiety in the folding of myoglobin, while a study of reversible conformational changes of apomyoglobin will reflect the adequacy of the amino acid sequence in dictating the structure. The absence of sulfhydryl side chains or disulfide bridges in these proteins is particularly important. The elegant work of Anhnsen on the reversible unfolding of ribonuclease (3), which has placed the “thermodynamic” hypothesis on a secure experimental basis, depends on the oxidation of reduced disulfide bonds. It is thus not capable of distinguishing the role of the amino acid sequence in general from that of half-cystines in particular. The absence of this complicating factor in the myoglobin-apomyoglobin system therefore provides considerable simplification of interpretation. As an indication of conformational changes, we have used optical rotatory dispersion. Recent advances in our understanding of this technique as a measure of a-helical secondary structure (4-11) and recent improvements in instrumentation (12) have increased our confidence in the use and interpretations of ordinary rotatory dispersion. In this paper we report data which indicate (a) that a small loss in helix content, which is recovered on reconstitution, accompanies removal of the heme prosthetic group from myoglobin; (b) that the loss of helical structure of apomyoglobin that occurs on addition of urea can be completely reversed by dialysis against water or buffer; and (c) that apomyoglobin, restored in this manner to its native conformation, is capable of combining with heme to form myoglobin.
Amino Terminal Gastrin Fragment in Serum of Zollinger-Ellison Syndrome Patients

In addition to the previously described molecular forms of gastrin, a new component has been found in high concentrations in the serum of 6 patients with Zollinger-Ellison syndrome. Serum was fractionated by gel filtration, and ion exchange chromatography, and the new component was identified in eluates by radioimmunoassay using an antibody with specificity for the N-terminal portion of heptadecapeptide gastrin. The precise chemical nature of the new component is not known, but its chromatographic behavior and its reactivity to various antibodies is indistinguishable from that of the natural or synthetic N-terminal 1 to 13 fragment of G-17. The new component is present in gastrinoma tumor tissue. Its concentration in serum of gastrinoma patients increases markedly when secretin is injected.
Programmable Optical Networks

To improve efficiency, cloud providers have adopted software-defined networking. However, the network’s topology has largely assumed static. I will show how to take efficiency to the next level by leveraging programmability in the optical layer.
Single-particle analysis with 2D electro-optical trapping on an integrated optofluidic device

Optical and optically assisted trapping has developed into an essential tool for studying and manipulating small objects with applications in numerous fields at the intersection of physics and the life sciences. Here, we report a waveguide-based optofluidic platform that restricts particle movement in two dimensions for full in-plane suppression of Brownian motion based on fluorescence tracking and application of an electrokinetic feedback force. Single-microbead trapping is demonstrated with confinement in two dimensions in a specially designed trapping volume. Tighter particle confinement and a 14× improvement in trap stiffness are achieved compared to 1D trapping along a fluidic channel. This paves the way for a chip-based high-throughput single-molecule analysis platform.
When Learning Sinks In: Using the Incubation Model of Teaching to Guide Students through the Creative Thinking Process.

While creativity has traditionally been an essential component of gifted education, the majority of creative teaching strategies neglect to address its multifaceted nature. As a result, attempts to...
Diagnostic performance of magnetic resonance cholangiopancreatography (MRCP) versus endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography (ERCP) in the pediatric population: a clinical effectiveness study

To determine the diagnostic performance of magnetic resonance cholangiopancreatography (MRCP) for detecting biliary and pancreatic abnormalities in a pediatric population, using endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography (ERCP) as the reference standard. Institutional review board approval with a waiver of informed consent was obtained for this retrospective investigation. Records from the Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center, Division of Gastroenterology and Department of Radiology were used to identify patients aged ≤ 18 years who had undergone both ERCP and MRCP within a 4-week interval between January 2013 and May 2017. Biliary and pancreatic duct findings were documented for each modality to determine the diagnostic performance of MRCP (with 95% confidence intervals), using ERCP as the reference standard. 54 patients met inclusion criteria. Mean patient age at time of ERCP was 10.4 ± 4.9 years, and 25 (46%) were male. Mean interval between ERCP and MRCP was 11.2 ± 9.7 days. For detection of any abnormality (n = 99 ERCP findings), MRCP had a sensitivity of 76.8% (67.5–84.0%) and a positive predictive value (PPV) of 81.7% (72.7–88.3%). MRCP was 75.7% (59.9–86.6%) sensitive, with a PPV of 84.9% (69.1–93.4%) for biliary findings (n = 37) and 73.5% (59.7–83.8%) sensitive, with a PPV of 78.3% (64.4–87.7%) for pancreatic findings (n = 49). For pancreatobiliary abnormalities (n = 13), MRCP had a sensitivity of 92.3% (66.7–99.6%) and a PPV of 85.7% (60.1–97.5%). In clinical practice, MRCP is moderately sensitive for biliary and pancreatic abnormalities, with false-negative and false-positive examinations being relatively common.