cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Digital signal processing solutions to 2-D finite support blind deconvolution problems

The 2-D discrete blind deconvolution problem is to reconstruct an image defined at integer coordinates and having known finite spatial extent from its 2-D convolution with a similar and also-unknown point-spread function. This is significantly more difficult than the typical image restoration problem of deconvolving a known blurring function. Many methods for solving this problem are iterative and alternate between the spatial and wavenumber domains. These algorithms are not POCS and they tend to stagnate. We present a completely novel approach that uses a battery of digital signal processing algorithms to produce an algorithm that comes close to expressing the solution in closed form. The only requirement on the image and point-spread functions are that they each have finite spatial extent and be roughly bandlimited, so that a fractional spatial shift also has finite spatial extent (this requirement is almost always met in practice).
Recent advances in thermoelectric nanocomposites

Thermoelectric power generation represents a class of energy conversion technology, which has been used in power supply of aeronautic and astronautic exploring missions, now showing notable advantages to harvest the widely distributed waste heat and convert the abundant solar energy into electricity at lower cost than Si-based photovoltaic technology. Thermoelectric dimensionless figure of merit (ZT) plays a key role in the conversion efficiency from thermal to electrical energy. Most state-of-the-art thermoelectric materials are characterized with various nanostructures from fine grains, dispersed particles, nano-inclusions to atomic defects, and therefore are referenced as nanocomposite. Recently, remarkable advances have been achieved in various material systems through the introduction of different nanostructures to tune the transport of phonons and electrons. In this review, we firstly clarify some fundamental tradeoffs dictating the ZT value through the relationship ZT=(S2σ/κ)T. We also pay special attentions to the recent advances in some selected materials, including half-Heuslers, PbTe, CoSb3, Bi2Te3, etc. Finally, we provide an outlook of new directions in this filed, especially a proposal on a new concept of ordered nanocomposite.
The reorientation of Pakistan's foreign policy toward its region

In the midst of persistent economic challenges and deteriorating ties with the US, Pakistan is reinvigorating links with traditional partners, China and Saudi Arabia, and reaching out to neighbors like Iran to diversify its foreign policy and lessen its dependence on the US. The 2010 flood disaster exacerbated Pakistan's economic problems and demonstrated its need for robust outside economic assistance. Pakistan cannot count on China for all of its assistance needs and thus will likely avoid severing ties completely with the US. To the extent that Pakistan builds stronger economic ties with its neighbors, its new regional focus could contribute to some economic progress in the country.
Cryptanalysis and improvement on remote user mutual authentication scheme with smart cards

Password-based authentication schemes are the most widely used techniques for remote user authentication. Recently, Khan proposed an improvement to Wu-Chieu scheme to prevent the server spoofing attack and to allow the users to update their passwords freely and securely. In this paper, we do a cryptanalysis of khan's scheme and show that his scheme is vulnerable to the parallel session attack. Furthermore, his scheme is also susceptible to the impersonation attack and the guessing attack provided that the information stored in the smart card is disclosed by an adversary. We also propose a novel and secure remote user mutual authentication scheme which is immune to the presented attacks.
The Challenge of Fiscal Decentralisation in Transition Countries

This paper examines key aspects of the ongoing decentralisation process in transition economies and identifies areas where the present systems can have potentially adverse impacts on both service delivery and macroeconomic performance. We discuss three critical principles of a sound and efficient decentralised fiscal system – which are then contrasted with actual trends and policies in these countries.
TLR7/9 versus TLR3/MDA5 signaling during virus infections and diabetes

IFN-I are pleiotropic cytokines that impact innate and adaptive immune responses. In this article, we discuss TLR7/9 versus TLR3/MDA5 signaling in antiviral responses and diabetes. pDCs are thought to have a critical role in antiviral defense because of their ability to rapidly secrete large amounts of IFN-I through TLR7/9 signaling. A recent study demonstrates that although pDCs are a source of IFN-I in vivo, their overall contribution to viral containment is limited and time-dependent, such that additional cellular sources of IFN-I are required to fully control viral infections. dsRNA sensors, such as TLR3 and MDA5, provide another important trigger for antiviral IFN-I responses, which can be exploited to enhance immune responses to vaccines. In the absence of infection, IFN-I production by pDCs or from signaling through dsRNA sensors has been implicated in the pathogenesis of autoimmune diseases such as diabetes. However, recent data demonstrate that IFN-I production via TLR3 and MDA5 is critical to counter diabetes caused by a virus with preferential tropism for pancreatic β-cells. This highlights the complexity of the host antiviral response and how multiple cellular and molecular components balance protective versus pathological responses.
Urinary gonadotropin and estrogen excretion during the postpartum estrus, conception, and pregnancy in the cotton‐top tamarin (Saguinus oedipus oedipus)

Hormonal profiles during postpartum estrus, time of conception, and pregnancy were determined in urine samples from six cotton-top tamarins (Saguinus oedipus oedipus). Noninvasive collection techniques permitted daily sampling throughout lactation and pregnancy. Urinary estrone (E1), estradiol (E2), and both bioactive and immunoreactive luteinizing hormone/chorionic gonadotropin (LH/CG) measures revealed an interval of 19 ± 2.07 (S E M) days between parturition and the postpartum ovulatory LH peak. An increase in both E1 and E2 was seen prior to the LH peak; however, E1 and E2 continued to increase to their highest concentrations after the LH peak. Since postpartum ovulations resulted in pregnancy, neither postpartum estrus nor conception was suppressed by lactation. The length of gestation (measured from the LH peak to parturition) was 183.7 ± 1.14 (S E M) days, which is at least 30 days longer than that previously reported for other callitrichid species. Both E1 and E2 reached their maximum levels during midpregnancy but showed a rapid decline at parturition. Gestational levels of CG were first detectable approximately 20 days after the LH peak and continued to be elevated for approximately 80 days. The Sub-Human Primate Tube Test (SHPTT) for pregnancy did not detect the LH Peak and was less sensitive than other methods in detecting CG. Two RIA methods and a bioassay technique could not distinguish between LH and CG. We concluded that monitoring both estrogen and LH concentration was needed to determine when ovulation occurs in the cotton-top tamarin, since peak values of estrogen are seen after the ovulatory LH peak. Also, these tamarins were pregnant the majority of the time, indicating an unusually high fertility rate in contrast to most noncallitrichid primate species.
Cantilevered Plate Rayleigh-Ritz Trial Function Selection for von Kármán's Plate Equations

The accuracy and convergence characteristics of the classical Rayleigh-Ritz solution of the nonlinear von Karman plate equations are studied with respect to the types of cantilever plate in-plane trial functions used in the solution. The static deflection of the cantilever plate is computed for an applied static gravity loading. Four different in-plane trial function types are studied. In each of these cases the same out-of-plane trial functions are used. It is found that in two of the four cases good convergence and accuracy are achieved when compared to the solution from a nonlinear finite element model. The degree of satisfaction of the problem natural boundary conditions is also examined, and it is shown that for the two cases that show inadequate convergence characteristics this satisfaction is poor. It is noted in particular that for these two cases at points on the problems' free boundaries, the in-plane trial functions satisfy, either exactly or approximately, the linear in-plane natural boundary conditions. At these points the addition of inplane degrees of freedom to the solution will not contribute to the satisfaction of the nonlinear natural boundary condition. Thus for these two cases the convergence is poor as more in-plane trial functions are added to the solution. The change in the statically loaded plate natural frequencies are also computed. Similar to the static deflection results, convergence to the nonlinear finite element solution is slow when in-plane trial functions are used that approximately satisfy the linear in-plane boundary conditions.
African Vodun: Art, Psychology, and Power

African Vodun: Art, Psychology, and Power. Suzanne Preston Blier. Chicago: University of Chicago Press, 1995. xii. 476 pp.,. color illus., 165 b/w illus. (including. maps), appendix, bibliography, index. $50.00 (cloth).
Physically-based distributed models for multi-layer ceramic capacitors

Measurements show that lumped RLC models for multilayer ceramic capacitors are inadequate. A new transmission-line model offers advantages over previous transmission-line models: a closer fit to measured data, and a physical basis for the model.
Na,K-Adenosine Triphosphatase α1-Subunit Predicts Survival of Renal Clear Cell Carcinoma

Purpose: Na,K-adenosine triphosphatase, which is composed of a catalytic α-subunit and a regulatory β-subunit, generates an electrochemical gradient across the plasma membrane. Previous studies demonstrated altered Na,K-adenosine triphosphatase subunit expression in renal clear cell carcinoma and an association of subunit levels with the prediction of recurrent bladder cancer. We determined the clinical association of protein expression patterns of the Na,K-adenosine triphosphatase α1 and β1-subunits in renal clear cell carcinoma using tissue microarrays with linked clinicopathological data.Materials and Methods: The UCLA kidney cancer tissue microarray was used to investigate the protein expression of Na,K-adenosine triphosphatase α1 and β1-subunits by immunohistochemistry in 342 patients with renal clear cell carcinoma who were treated with radical nephrectomy. Of these patients clinical outcomes studies were performed in 317. The resultant expression reactivity was correlated with clinicopathological v...
ST6Gal-I Restrains CD22-Dependent Antigen Receptor Endocytosis and Shp-1 Recruitment in Normal and Pathogenic Immune Signaling

The ST6Gal-I sialyltransferase produces Siglec ligands for the B-cell-specific CD22 lectin and sustains humoral immune responses. Using multiple experimental approaches to elucidate the mechanisms involved, we report that ST6Gal-I deficiency induces immunoglobulin M (IgM) antigen receptor endocytosis in the absence of immune stimulation. This coincides with increased antigen receptor colocalization with CD22 in both clathrin-deficient and clathrin-enriched membrane microdomains concurrent with diminished tyrosine phosphorylation of Igα/β, Syk, and phospholipase C-γ2 upon immune activation. Codeficiency with CD22 restores IgM antigen receptor half-life at the cell surface in addition to reversing alterations in membrane trafficking and immune signaling. Diminished immune responses due to ST6Gal-I deficiency further correlate with constitutive recruitment of Shp-1 to CD22 in unstimulated B cells independent of Lyn tyrosine kinase activity and prevent autoimmune disease pathogenesis in the Lyn-deficient model of systemic lupus erythematosus, resulting in a significant extension of life span. Protein glycosylation by ST6Gal-I restricts access of antigen receptors and Shp-1 to CD22 and operates by a CD22-dependent mechanism that decreases the basal rate of IgM antigen receptor endocytosis in altering the threshold of B-cell immune activation.
Flow, nutrients, and light availability influence Neotropical epilithon biomass and stoichiometry

AbstractLight, nutrient availability, and flow are strong factors controlling the elemental composition and biomass of epilithon in temperate stream ecosystems. However, comparatively little is known about these relationships in tropical streams. We investigated how gradients of light and nutrient availability, seasonality, and habitat influenced epilithon biomass, chlorophyll a, and nutrient ratios in montane streams of Trinidad, West Indies. We sampled 4 focal tributaries of a single river, 2 of which had canopies experimentally thinned, every other month over a 2-y period to observe temporal dynamics and light effects on epilithon. We also sampled 18 sites across Trinidad’s Northern Range Mountains once each in a wet and dry season to examine the effects of naturally occurring differences in light and dissolved nutrient availability on epilithic characteristics. We found greater chlorophyll a concentrations in habitats with greater light availability, but the effect of light on epilithon stoichiometry ...
Apparent pore size of polyacrylamide gels: Comparison of gels cast and run in Tris‐acetate‐EDTA and Tris‐borate‐EDTA buffers

The electrophoretic mobilities of DNA molecules in three different molecular weight ladders were measured in polyacrylamide gels containing different acrylamide concentrations (%T) and cross-linker ratios (%C), cast and run in Trisacetate-EDTA (TAE) buffer. The apparent pore radius of each gel was estimated from Ferguson plots of the relative mobilities of each of the DNA molecules, using the mobility of the monomer fragment in each molecular weight ladder as the reference mobility. The effective size of each of the DNA molecules was estimated from its radius of gyration. The apparent gel pore radii calculated in this manner ranged from 21 nm in gels containing 10.5%T, 5%C to 200 nm in gels with 4.6%T, 2%C, similar to the values observed for polyacrylamide gels cast and run in Tris-borate-EDTA (TBE) buffer (Holmes and Stellwagen, Electrophoresis 1991, 12, 612-619). Hence, the effective pore size of polyacrylamide gels is essentially independent of whether the gels are cast and run in TAE or TBE buffer.
Time-domain processing to determine free-space antenna factor

This paper demonstrates the usefulness of timedomain processing to determine free-space antenna factors (FSAF) for electromagnetic compatibility (EMC) antennas. Procedures are explained and data are provided from 30 MHz to 9 GHz. We investigate time gating of dense frequency packed insertion loss data obtained with an ultrawideband measurement system. These results show the advantage of time-domain signal processing to provide reliable results for the free-space antenna factors of EMC antennas.
Novel approaches to objectively assess shoulder function.

Background The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effectiveness of existing technologies implemented in a novel manner to objectively capture upper extremity function. Materials and methods Patients scheduled to undergo reverse shoulder arthroplasty were recruited for the study. Functional limb use was measured with triaxial accelerometers worn in the subjects' natural living environment. Functional reach area was captured by 3-dimensional motion analysis testing as subjects were asked to circumduct their limb, reaching as far as possible in a circular manner. Statistical testing (α ≤ .05) was performed by paired t tests to identify differences between limbs. Results There was no difference in functional limb activity between sides for the lower ( P = .497) or upper arm ( P = .918) for inactivity time. Mean activity was greater for the uninvolved limb compared with the involved limb (lower arm, P = .045; upper arm, P = .005). Low-intensity activity was greater for the involved arm compared with the uninvolved arm (lower arm, P = .007; upper arm, P = .015), whereas high-intensity activity was greater for the uninvolved arm (lower arm, P = .013; upper arm, P = .005). Radius of the functional reach area was greater for the uninvolved limb compared with the involved limb ( P = .006). Conclusions Novel methods of capturing function were effective in discerning differences in side-to-side abilities among patients scheduled to undergo reverse shoulder arthroplasty. These testing procedures may be used to capture function across a spectrum of shoulder diseases. These objective data are invaluable in assessing the impact of disease and recovery after intervention and obtaining reimbursement from third-party payers.
Vitamin D deficiency and incident stroke risk in community-living black and white adults.

BackgroundBlack individuals are at greater risk of stroke and vitamin D deficiency than white individuals. Epidemiologic studies have shown that low 25-hydroxyvitamin D concentrations are associated with increased risk of stroke, but these studies had limited representation of black individuals.MethodsWe examined the association of 25-hydroxyvitamin D with incident stroke in the Reasons for Geographic and Racial Differences in Stroke (REGARDS) study, a cohort of black and white adults ≥45 years of age. Using a case–cohort study design, plasma 25-hydroxyvitamin D was measured in 610 participants who developed incident stroke (cases) and in 937 stroke-free individuals from a stratified cohort random sample of REGARDS participants (comparison cohort).ResultsIn multivariable models adjusted for socio-demographic factors, co-morbidities and laboratory values including parathyroid hormone, lower 25-hydroxyvitamin D concentrations were associated with higher risk of stroke (25-hydroxyvitamin D >30 ng/mL referenc...
Environmental Impact Studies in the United States

Over 15,000 environmental impact statements (EIS’s) have been prepared in the United States since the January 1, 1970 effective date of the National Environmental Policy Act (Public Law 91–190). Considerable discussion and debate has occurred over the value of environmental impact requirements in project planning and decisionmaking. Many EIS’s have been controversial, and over 1500 legal actions have resulted from the requirements of PL 91-190. The purpose of this paper is to summarize U.S. experiences in environmental impact studies, and to delineate emerging issues and needs relative to these studies. Topics to be addressed include a summary of the National Environmental Policy Act and the Council on Environmental Quality regulations. A synopsis of U.S. experiences since the passage of NEPA will be presented. Finally, some key issues related to current and future studies are delineated.
Hyperthyroidism In Adults: Variable Clinical Presentations And Approaches To Diagnosis

Background Hyperthyroidism is a disease that has various symptoms and can present in many ways. In the elderly patient hyperthyroidism often is not expressed in the classical manner. A case report of a middle-aged man who had hyperthyroidism with only one symptom is detailed. Methods A literature review utilizing MEDLINE files from 1988 to the present, as well as current textbooks of medicine and endocrinology, was used to prepare this report. Keywords for the search were "hyperthyroidism," "symptoms," "unintentional weight loss," and "differential diagnosis." Results and conclusions The clinical presentation of hyperthyroidism can vary from almost asymptomatic to apathetic in appearance to a marked hyperdynamic physiologic response. Family physicians must be well informed of this variation in disease expression. Overlooking the diagnosis of this relatively easily treated condition can be detrimental to patient care and expensive.
Compact, ultra-low vibration, closed-cycle helium recycler for uninterrupted operation of MEG with SQUID magnetometers

Abstract A closed-cycle helium recycler was developed for continuous uninterrupted operation for magnetometer-based whole-head magnetoencephalography (MEG) systems. The recycler consists of a two stage 4 K pulse-tube cryocooler and is mounted on the roof of a magnetically shielded room (MSR). A flexible liquid helium (LHe) return line on the recycler is inserted into the fill port of the MEG system in the MSR through a slotted opening in the ceiling. The helium vapor is captured through a line that returns the gas to the top of the recycler assembly. A high-purity helium gas cylinder connected to the recycler assembly supplies the gas, which, after it is liquefied, increases the level of LHe in the MEG system during the start-up phase. No storage tank for evaporated helium gas nor a helium gas purifier is used. The recycler is capable of liquefying helium with a rate of ∼17 L/d after precooling the MEG system. It has provided a fully maintenance-free operation under computer control for 7 months without refill of helium. Although the recycler is used for single-orientation operation at this initial testing site, it is designed to operate at ±20° orientations, allowing the MEG system to be tilted for supine and reclining positions. Vibration of the recycler is dampened to an ultra-low level by using several vibration isolation methods, which enables uninterrupted operation during MEG measurements. Recyclers similar to this system may be quite useful even for MEG systems with 100% magnetometers.
Review: Architecture as Icon: Perception and Representation of Architecture in Byzantine Art

Architecture as Icon: Perception and Representation of Architecture in Byzantine Art . Princeton University Art Museum. 6 March–6 June 2010 Discussion of the Byzantine icon almost invariably focuses on images of sacred persons as intermediaries for communication with the divine. Architecture as Icon challenges this notion to ask how architectural representations-in contrast to figural representations-function in the Byzantine and Orthodox East. This ambitious exhibit brings together seventy-six objects in a variety of media from a vast territory (thirty-four separate collections from eleven countries) and spanning a broad chronology (fourth through nineteenth centuries) that represent architecture or that include images of architecture within their visual fields. The exhibit was co-organized by the Princeton University Art Museum and the European Center for Byzantine and Post-Byzantine Monuments in Thessaloniki, Greece, curated by Slobodan Curcic of Princeton, and formulated in collaboration with Evangelia Hadjitryphonos of Thessaloniki. An earlier iteration of the exhibit appeared at the Museum of Byzantine Culture in Thessaloniki. The exhibit suggests that an icon forms a screen or a window that separates the world of the faithful from the world of the sacred, while fostering communication between the two realms. This idea is laid out at the entrance to the exhibit through the selection and juxtaposition of objects and images. A seventeenth-century reliquary from Serres (northern Greece) takes the form of a centralized domed church; its luxurious materials express the inherent sanctity of its contents. However, although its gilded walls are lined with windows, these decorative …
Fast online orthonormal dictionary learning for efficient full waveform inversion

Full waveform inversion (FWI) delivers high-resolution images of a subsurface medium property by minimizing itera-tively the misfit between observed and simulated seismic data, and is commonly used by the oil and gas industry for geophysical exploration. FWI is a challenging problem because seismic surveys cover ever larger areas of interest and collect massive volumes of data. The dimensionality of the problem and the heterogeneity of the medium both stress the need for faster algorithms, so sparse regularization techniques can be used to accelerate and improve imaging results. In this paper, we propose a compressive sensing method for the FWI problem by exploiting the sparsity of geological model perturbations over learned dictionaries. Based on stochastic approximations, the dictionaries are updated itera-tively to adapt changing models during FWI iterations. Meanwhile, the dictionaries are kept orthonormal in order to maintain the corresponding transform in a fast and compact manner so that these transforms do not introduce extra computational overhead to FWI. Establishing such a sparsity regu-larization on the model enables us to significantly reduce the workload by only collecting 0.625% of the field data without introducing subsampling artifacts. Hence, the computational burden of large-scale FWI problems can be greatly reduced.
Social Science and the Public Agenda: Reflections on the Relation of Knowledge to Policy in the United States and Abroad

It is tempting to oversell the practical value of applied research. A hard look at the effects of U.S. social science on public policy in areas such as active labor market policies (training, job creation, placement, etc.), crime prevention, fiscal policy, poverty reduction, and health care reform suggests an inverse relationship between social science consensus and policy and budgetary decisions. Fragmented and decentralized political economies (e.g., the United States) foster policy segmentation and isolated, short-run single-issue research--often politicized and misleading. More corporatist democracies (such as Sweden, Norway, Austria, and Germany) evidence a tighter relation between knowledge and power in which a wider range of issues is connected, longer-range effects are sometimes considered, and research is more often actually used for planning and implementation. Even in less hospitable societies, however, social science does make its way in the long run. Favorable conditions and examples are discussed.
El debate del futuro de México. Buscando una economía nueva; encontrando desafíos y límites, 1830-1845

By 1830, it was clear that the silver economy that made New Spain rich had collapsed and would not soon recover. Mexico’s commercial economy languished and the government searched for revenue. Debates followed. Lucas Alaman argued that a revival of silver and the rise of industry would bring growth and fund government. Tadeo Ortiz insisted that Mexico become a commodity exporter—noting that strong exporters relied on slave labor. After the loss of Texas, the early 1840s saw Alaman defend his industrial vision while the liberal editors of Siglo xix published a British analysis calling for export development in California as a British-Mexican venture. An anonymous analyst, JG, closed debate in 1845, insisting that limited mining, industry for national markets, and modest exports (Mexicans would not abide slavery) were the only way. Then came war and the loss of California.
Referral systems to integrate health and economic strengthening services for people with HIV: a qualitative assessment in Malawi.

Background: Supporting the diverse needs of people living with HIV (PLHIV) can help reduce the individual and structural barriers they face in adhering to antiretroviral treatment (ART). The Livelihoods and Food Security Technical Assistance II (LIFT) project sought to improve adherence in Malawi by establishing 2 referral systems linking community-based economic strengthening and livelihoods services to clinical health facilities. One referral system in Balaka district started in October 2013 connected clients to more than 20 types of services while the other simplified approach in Kasungu and Lilongwe districts started in July 2014 connected PLHIV attending HIV and nutrition support facilities directly to community savings groups. Methods: From June to July 2015 LIFT visited referral sites in Balaka Kasungu and Lilongwe districts to collect qualitative data on referral utility the perceived association of referrals with client and household health and vulnerability and the added value of the referral system as perceived by network member providers. We interviewed a random sample of 152 adult clients (60 from Balaka 57 from Kasungu and 35 from Lilongwe) who had completed their referral. We also conducted 2 focus group discussions per district with network providers. Findings: Clients in all 3 districts indicated their ability to save money had improved after receiving a referral although the percentage was higher among clients in the simplified Kasungu and Lilongwe model than the more complex Balaka model (85.6% vs. 56.0% respectively). Nearly 70% of all clients interviewed had HIV infection; 72.7% of PLHIV in Balaka and 95.7% of PLHIV in Kasungu and Lilongwe credited referrals for helping them stay on their ART. After the referral 76.0% of clients in Balaka and 92.3% of clients in Kasungu and Lilongwe indicated they would be willing to spend their savings on health costs. The more diverse referral network and use of an mHealth app to manage data in Balaka hindered provider uptake of the system while the simpler system in Kasungu and Lilongwe which included only 2 referral options and use of a paper-based referral tool seemed simpler for the providers to manage. Conclusions: Participation in the referral systems was perceived positively by clients and providers in both models but more so in Kasungu and Lilongwe where the referral process was simpler. Future referral networks should consider limiting the number of service options included in the network and simplify referral tools to the extent possible to facilitate uptake among network providers.
Nascent RNA sequencing reveals mechanisms of gene regulation in the human malaria parasite Plasmodium falciparum

Gene expression in Plasmodium falciparum is tightly regulated to ensure successful propagation of the parasite throughout its complex life cycle. The earliest transcriptomics studies in P. falciparum suggested a cascade of transcriptional activity over the course of the 48-hour intraerythrocytic developmental cycle (IDC); however, the just-in-time transcriptional model has recently been challenged by findings that show the importance of post-transcriptional regulation. To further explore the role of transcriptional regulation, we performed the first genome-wide nascent RNA profiling in P. falciparum. Our findings indicate that the majority of genes are transcribed simultaneously during the trophozoite stage of the IDC and that only a small subset of genes is subject to differential transcriptional timing. RNA polymerase II is engaged with promoter regions prior to this transcriptional burst, suggesting that Pol II pausing plays a dominant role in gene regulation. In addition, we found that the overall transcriptional program during gametocyte differentiation is surprisingly similar to the IDC, with the exception of relatively small subsets of genes. Results from this study suggest that further characterization of the molecular players that regulate stage-specific gene expression and Pol II pausing will contribute to our continuous search for novel antimalarial drug targets.
Determinants and Regulation of Protein Turnover in Yeast

Summary Protein turnover maintains the recycling needs of the proteome, and its malfunction has been linked to aging and age-related diseases. However, not all proteins turnover equally, and the factors that contribute to accelerate or slow down turnover are mostly unknown. We measured turnover rates for 3,160 proteins in exponentially growing yeast and analyzed their dependence on physical, functional, and genetic properties. We found that functional characteristics, including protein localization, complex membership, and connectivity, have greater effect on turnover than sequence elements. We also found that protein turnover and mRNA turnover are correlated. Analysis under nutrient perturbation and osmotic stress revealed that protein turnover highly depends on cellular state and is faster when proteins are being actively used. Finally, stress-induced changes in protein and transcript abundance correlated with changes in protein turnover. This study provides a resource of protein turnover rates and principles to understand the recycling needs of the proteome under basal conditions and perturbation.
Cardiotoxicity with carfilzomib at doses greater than 27 mg/m2: A case series.

Carfilzomib is a second-generation proteasome inhibitor that irreversibly inhibits chymotrypsin-like (CT-L) activities of the proteasome, and is indicated for relapsed or refractory multiple myeloma. Cardiotoxicity is a well-established adverse effect of carfilzomib. The extent of cardiac toxicity in the literature spans anywhere from palpitations to cardiac arrest, with the most commonly reported manifestation being new-onset or worsening heart failure. A pre-clinical study of the pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics of carfilzomib given via intravenous bolus or 30-minute infusion in rats showed that carfilzomib can strongly induce apoptosis and potently damage cardiac myocytes at clinically relevant concentrations. Moreover, the mortality rate with the bolus administration was 44% whereas the same dose administered as a 30-minute infusion did not result in mortality. There remains limited clinical data regarding the safety of carfilzomib at doses of 27-56 mg/m2 based on infusion times as these doses have not been well studied. This retrospective review was conducted to evaluate the safety of carfilzomib at doses >27 mg/m2 at all infusion times.
The Moon as an Artistic Focus of the Illumination of Consciousness

In the well-know Flammarion engraving (1888) a kneeling man pushes through the threshold of the known universe, Earth, sun, moon, stars, to encounter a strange world of layers of fire, clouds, and suns, a mystical experience as well as an expression of consciousness itself. In Zen-Brain Reflections, Reviewing Recent Developments in Meditation and States of Consciousness (2006), James H. Austin notes that the moon, as a symbol of enlightenment, is the most frequent image in Buddhist poetry. This paper considers the Western and Eastern artistic representation of the moon, focusing on Caspar David Friedrich’s “Two Men Contemplating the Moon”; Thomas Cole’s “Moonlight”; Albert van der Neer’s “Moonlit Landscape with Bridge”; Ando Hiroshige’s “Kyoto Bridge by Moonlight” and “Autumn Moon over Tama River”; and, Shibata Zeshin’s “Autumn Grasses in Moonlight,” contrasting naturalistic representation with expressed aesthetic and spiritual modalities. Finally, this paper examines how both aspects of artistic representation are incorporated in the Japanese moon-viewing festival Tsukimi and in the rock garden of Ginkakuji Temple in Kyoto. In Tsukimi and Ginkakuji the harvest moon is celebrated and experienced at the nexus between the aesthetic and spiritual.
1057 Reducing unwanted and unwarranted ed and hospital utilisation for frail elders in rural skilled nursing facilities: a hybrid improvement-implementation approach

Background Frail elders in residential skilled nursing facilities (SNFs) have high rates of emergency department (ED) utilisation and hospitalizations. We sought to implement and iteratively specify an intervention to improve utilisation and cost outcomes for frail elders in rural SNFs. Objectives (1) To reduce unwanted and avoidable ED utilisation and hospitalizations; (2) to reduce related costs. Methods Adopting evidence based practices, we iteratively developed an implementation approach including the following key elements: (1) advanced directives; (2) a dedicated closed-call team of providers following SNF residents; (3) a biweekly case review of all ED referrals and hospitalizations; and (4) a standardised triage communication process. We conducted three PDSA cycles over a 6 month period and assessed clinical and cost outcomes using inferential statistics and statistical process control (SPC) methods. Results Three rural SNFs participated in the intervention from January-June 2016. Three PDSA cycles were conducted. Monthly hospital-based care utilisation for long term care (LTC) residents reduced from 10 to 3.3 episodes (p Conclusions This initial pilot was feasible, achieved significant outcomes, and is an example of the use of improvement methods to iteratively develop and optimise an implementation approach. This approach has potential to significantly impact outcomes, utilisation and cost and is worthy of continued study.
Successful Present, Successful Future? Assessment of a Nonbinary Model of Successful Aging.

Purpose Though many models of successful aging exist, there is a need for assessments of the empirical validity of these models and their measures. This study tests the validity of the multidimensional model of successful aging presented by Young and colleagues. Design and methods Expanding on an earlier validation study, this analysis uses 1,211 respondents from the Americans' Changing Lives (ACL) study to determine predictive and discriminant validity. Respondents were surveyed in 1986, 1989, and 1994, providing an opportunity to assess if a baseline 5-point successful aging scale is associated with present and future outcomes. Validators include self-report items and interviewer recorded observations. In addition, a survival analysis of 24 years of ACL mortality data is conducted to confirm that baseline successful aging decreases risk of all-cause mortality. Results Results illustrate that, in some cases as far as 8 years in the future, low successful aging scores correspond with higher risk of future hospitalization and depressive episodes, interviewer observed difficulty moving around, low self-rated health, and decreased life satisfaction. Lowest scorers also had a 356% higher risk of mortality compared to individuals with the highest scores. Implications These findings provide further evidence that Young and colleagues' successful aging construct is empirically valid and could be applied in future research and practice. Most respondents had middling scores, suggesting that future analyses should be cautious about concealing heterogeneity by operationalizing successful aging as a binary outcome.
RDS3: Ransomware defense strategy by using stealthily spare space

Ransomware attacks are becoming prevalent nowadays with the flourishing of crypto-currencies. As the most harmful variant of ransomware crypto-ransomware encrypts the victim's valuable data, and asks for ransom money. Paying the ransom money, however, may not guarantee recovery of the data being encrypted. Most of the existing work for ransomware defense purely focuses on ransomware detection. A few of them consider data recovery from ransomware attacks, but they are not able to defend against ransomware which can obtain a high system privilege. In this work, we design RDS3, a novel Ransomware Defense Strategy, in which we Stealthily back up data in the Spare space of a computing device, such that the data encrypted by ransomware can be restored. Our key idea is that the spare space which stores the backup data is fully isolated from the ransomware. In this way, the ransomware is not able to “touch” the backup data regardless of what privilege it can obtain. Security analysis and experimental evaluation show that RDS3 can mitigate ransomware attacks with an acceptable overhead.
Framework negotiation and UX design

Framework negotiation is a mixed-methods research approach to help a UXD researchers uncover the relationship between cross-cultural identity and location. In this study, surveys initially located connections between conceptions of the self and symbolic pathways. Then, community-based research and usability testing verified root metaphors for website navigation. This mixed-methods research uncovered how Kenyans ported navigational strategies from other institutional settings. The article outlines the creation of the research instrument, describes how early data collection guided later data collection, and finally details how the methods uncovered user significance through metaphor.
Detecting monitor compromise using evidential reasoning: poster

Stealthy attackers often disable or tamper with system monitors to hide their tracks and evade detection. In this poster, we present a data-driven technique to detect such monitor compromise using evidential reasoning. Leveraging the fact that hiding from multiple, redundant monitors is difficult for an attacker, to identify potential monitor compromise, we combine alerts from different sets of monitors by using Dempster-Shafer theory, and compare the results to find outliers. We describe our ongoing work in this area.
Uranium exchange kinetics in a molten LiCl-KCl/Cd system at 500 °C

Abstract A dissolution experiment is performed in order to examine the kinetics of uranium isotope equilibration in a molten salt and cadmium system. The salt contains a solute concentration of UCl3 in LiCl-KCl eutectic and the cadmium contained dissolved uranium at 500 °C. A small piece of high enriched uranium is introduced to the cadmium, which perturbs the equilibrium with respect to the uranium enrichment of the salt and cadmium phases. The series of salt and cadmium samples trace how the enrichment of the two phases reach equilibrium (in the absence of a chemical driving force) over the course of approximately 24 h. A model linking dissolution and isotope exchange kinetics is developed to track the evolution of uranium isotope composition. With the assumption of unaccounted salt mass incurred from the dated sample reporting practice, the model explains the trend of the measured uranium isotope composition well.
Esophageal and Gastric Function

As elsewhere in the gastrointestinal tract, the anatomy, morphology, and physiology of the esophagus and stomach are adapted and designed to subserve their respective functions. Thus, the esophagus transports the food bolus from the posterior pharynx to the stomach and at the same time protects the airway and minimizes gastroesophageal reflux. The stomach then relaxes to accommodate the meal and thereafter ensures the timely and coordinated delivery of the meal to the small intestine in a format that optimizes digestive activity there. These complex and highly integrated functions are based on the intrinsic electrophysiological properties of the esophagogastric musculature and the local regulatory and modulatory role of the enteric nervous system with input from the central nervous system via the autonomic nerves.
Knowledge Transfer within Interorganizational Networks

Increasingly, knowledge is recognized as a critical asset, where a firm or an individual’s competitive advantage flows from a unique knowledge base. The subsequent degree to which knowledge is then recognized and valued as a resource, has been the theme of many papers on competitive advantage (Prahalad and Hamel, 1990; Barney, 1991; D’Aveni, 1994; Teece and Pisano, 1994; Spender, 1996; Nonaka and Teece, 2001). As a result, the ability to value and leverage external knowledge has become recognized as the basis of competitive advantage. Gulati and Gargiulo (1999), suggest that membership in a networked community satisfies the need for knowledge as a way to help cope with environmental uncertainty. Consequently, inter-organizational networks or communities of practice represent a significant conduit for knowledge transfer to help manage this environmental uncertainty (Madhavan et al., 1998)
Juvenile Delinquent Rehabilitation: Placement of Juveniles Beyond Their Communities as a Detriment to Inner City Youths

From their neighborhoods within the urban ghettos of New York City, juvenile delinquents have been regularly removed by the courts and placed in institutional confinement, oftentimes in rural settings. Without the familiarities of their families and schools and facing the daily negative peer and criminal influences, this artificial environment is failing youth and society. Such confinement and isolation from the community may punish the juvenile, but only exacerbates the problem of juvenile crime, as evident from recidivist rates. With an emphasis on New York City, this article explores: the juvenile's right to effective rehabilitation; how this right is being overshadowed by society's demand for pure punishment; how predominant juvenile rehabilitation in residential state placement is failing youth as well as society; the most effective methods of discouraging juvenile delinquency as demonstrated by existing alternative-to-detention programs; and finally, this article will offer suggestions for effective community-based rehabilitation for inner-city youths.
Introduction to Quantum Information Processing

The chapter introduces key quantum mechanical ideas that play an important role in quantum information processing (QIP) tasks. We begin by presenting the fundamental and important notion of quantum superposition. Quantum superposition makes quantum parallelism possible, which we discuss next. A couple of other consequences of quantum parallelism are the no cloning theorem and our inability to reliably distinguishing non-orthogonal states. Both these ideas are discussed in depth. We then introduce quantum entanglement of pure state in composite systems. We present its mathematical formulation and its practical consequence. Decoherence, a consequence of entanglement of the quantum systems with the environment, is an important source of error in QIP tasks. We explain its meaning and discuss its effect on quantum systems. Finally, we derive the operator-sum representation to efficiently represent decoherence. This representation plays an important role in protocols and algorithms in quantum computing and quantum communication over noisy channels.
DNA methyltransferases and DNA site-specific endonucleases encoded by chlorella viruses

Large polyhedral (diameter of 150 to 190 nm) dsDNA-containing ( > 300 kbp) viruses which infect certain unicellular, eukaryotic, chlorella-like green algae are common in fresh water collected throughout the world (Van Etten et al., 1985; Schuster et al., 1986; Zhang et al., 1988; Reisser et al., 1988; Yamada et al., 1991). The hosts for these lytic chlorella viruses are exsymbiotic Chlorella strains NC64A and Pbi, originally isolated from the protozoan Paramecium bursaria. Chlorella viruses, which can be produced in large quantities, are the first viruses infecting a photosynthetic eukaryotic organism which can be plaque assayed (Van Etten et al., 1983) and have been given family status with the name Phycodnaviridae (Francki et al., 1991). A comprehensive review on the chlorella viruses has recently been published (Van Etten et al., 1991).