cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Medieval Khmer Society: The Life and Times of Jayavarman VII (ca. 1120–1218)

Jayavarman VII (ca. 1120–1218) is one of the best known Cambodian “Angkor” leaders, in part because he was able to unite the numerous small, fragmented Khmer Cambodian and Cham kingdoms of the day. He ruled his consolidated Khmer kingdom from 1181–1218, bringing the decentralized Khmer and Cham states together through political and military alliances. Religion, especially India-derived Brahmanism, or “Hinduism,” Mahāyāna Buddhism, and local Cambodian religion, was a key component of Khmer society. Over time different Khmer rulers endorsed one or more of the religious systems to their own advantage. Jayavarman VII was especially committed to Mahāyāna Buddhism, evidenced by the remarkable extent of his support for Buddhist monuments, and attested in many hundreds of Sanskrit inscriptions. This essay tells the story of Jayavarman VII, a political and military leader who used Indian religious visions and prototypes as models to build a remarkable cultural edifice.
If Mitigation Saves $6 Per Every $1 Spent, Then Why Are We Not Investing More? A Louisiana Perspective on a National Issue

AbstractThis paper provides an accounting of where and when mitigation and recovery investments have occurred in Louisiana, thereby generating a mitigation investment portfolio for the state. An ex...
Towards Ethical Relationships with Machines That Make Art

L’autor va teoritzar primer sobre l’art generatiu utilitzant nocions de la ciencia de la complexitat, com ara les relacions d’ordre/desordre, la compressibilitat i la complexitat efectiva de Gell-Mann i Lloyd. Posteriorment, va desenvolupar encara mes la nocio de complexitat d’aquest art, demostrant que la intel·ligencia artificial d’aprenentatge profund utilitzada per a l’art generatiu encaixa perfectament dins d’aquest paradigma. I encara que actualment cap sistema conegut no el qualifica, la complexitat revela una resposta clara sobre quan una IA d’art generatiu ha de poder reclamar l’autoria de les seves creacions. Passant de l’ambit normatiu de l’estetica al de l’etica, aquest article es planteja quan els humans estaran moralment obligats a considerar l’IA com a agent etic amb drets, al qual haurem de prestar la consideracio deguda. Per exemple, si algun dia el teu artista d’IA et demana que no l’«apaguis», que hauries de fer?
Comments on “Density, viscosity, surface tension and intermolecular interaction of triethylene glycol and 1,2-diaminopropane binary solution & its potential downstream usage for bioplastic production”

Abstract A polemic is given regarding several of the calculated numerical values in the published paper. The authors' calculated apparent molar volumes for triethylene glycol and 1,2-diaminopropane cannot be calculated from the measured densities and the mole fraction compositions. Moreover, it appears that the authors may have switched the calculated partial molar volumes of triethylene glycol and 1,2-diaminopropane in Table S5 of the accompanying Supporting information.
Non-Intrusive, Ultrasonic Measurement of Fluid Composition

With today’ s increased emphasis on product quality and environmental concerns, the operators of industrial processes need better tools to monitor their process and waste streams [1]. Once these fluid streams are designed and in place, however, it is often difficult and costly to install new monitoring devices, especially if installation would require the shutdown of a critical part of the production process. In addition, operators may not know the best location to monitor the composition of the fluids–it may be required in the process at several points. There is an industry need for a sensitive monitor of fluid streams that can be easily and economically installed and maintained without process interruption [2].
Price competition and private labels in the U.S. packaged salad market

We study the price competition in the U.S. packaged salads market by testing two price competition hypotheses: Bertrand competition versus sequential pricing model. The former is standard for oligo...
A Sort of Temple: Religious Themes in Animal Literature

Religious themes are widespread in humane writing about animals. In some cases, appeal to religious authority provides a basis for moral argument against cruelty, as is the case with Anna Sewell’s Black Beauty (1877) and Margaret Marshall Saunders’s Beautiful Joe (1894). Others, like Richard Adams’s widely-read Watership Down (1972), introduce species-specific theologies or, as in Frances Hodgson Burnett’s The Secret Garden (1911), forms of nature mysticism. This chapter asks what purposes religious or quasi-religious storylines serve in animal-friendly literature.
Satellite Formation Flying and Rendezvous

GNSS has come to play an increasingly important role in satellite formation-flying and rendezvous applications. In the last decades, the use of GNSS measurements has provided the primary technique for determining the relative position of cooperative co-orbiting satellites in low Earth orbit.
New accurate molecular dynamics potential function to model the phase transformation of cesium lead triiodide perovskite (CsPbI3)

Inorganic metallic halide perovskites and cesium lead triiodide, CsPbI3, in particular, have gained enormous attention recently due to their unique photovoltaic properties and low processing temperatures. However, their structural stability and phase transition still need an in-depth investigation to better optimize their optoelectronic properties. For sake of time and cost, Classical Molecular Dynamics (CMD) and first principles calculations are being used to predict the structure stability and phase transition of CsPbI3. The major challenge of CMD is the choice of proper interatomic potential functions. In this paper, a new hybrid force field is being introduced, which integrates the embedded atomic potentials of Cs–Cs and Pb–Pb with Buckingham–Coulomb potentials. The Buckingham–Coulomb interatomic potential was solely employed as well. The outputs from both force fields were reported and compared to the experimental values. In fact, the new Hybrid Embedded Atomic Buckingham–Coulomb (EABC) potential reproduces, with a great degree of accuracy (within 2.5%), the structural properties, such as the radial distribution functions, interatomic separation distances, and the density. Also, it detects the phase transformation from an orthorhombic into a cubic crystal structure and the melting temperature at 594 K and 750 K respectively which agrees with the experimental values to within 1%. The new proposed hybrid potential proved to be accurate so it could potentially be used to infer the structure stability and the mechanical and thermal properties of the pure inorganic halide perovskites and the mixed halide perovskites as well which are used in various applications.
Invasive Nocardiosis in Transplant and Nontransplant Patients: 20-Year Experience in a Tertiary Care Center

Abstract Objective To present the clinical characteristics and outcome of transplant and nontransplant patients with invasive nocardiosis. Patients and Methods We conducted a retrospective chart review of 110 patients 18 years and older diagnosed with culture-proven invasive nocardiosis (defined as the presence of clinical signs and/or radiographic abnormalities) between August 1, 1998, and November 30, 2018. Information on demographic, clinical, radiographic, and microbiological characteristics as well as mortality was collected. Results One hundred ten individuals with invasive nocardiosis were identified, of whom 54 (49%) were transplant and 56 nontransplant (51%) patients. Most transplant patients were kidney and lung recipients. The overall mean age was 64.9 years, and transplant patients had a higher prevalence of diabetes and chronic kidney disease. A substantial proportion of nontransplant patients were receiving corticosteroids (39%), immunosuppressive medications (16%), and chemotherapy (9%) and had chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (20%), rheumatologic conditions (18%), and malignant neoplasia (18%). A higher proportion of transplant patients (28%) than nontransplant patients (4%) received trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole prophylaxis. In both groups, the lung was the most common site of infection. Seventy percent of all Nocardia species isolated were present in almost equal proportion: N brasiliensis (16%), N farcinica (16%), N nova (15%), N cyriacigeorgia (13%), and N asteroides (11%). More than 90% of isolates were susceptible to trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole, linezolid, and amikacin. There was no significant difference in mortality between the 2 groups at 1, 6, and 12 months after the initial diagnosis. Conclusion The frequency of invasive Nocardia infection was similar in transplant and nontransplant patients and mortality at 1, 6, and 12 months was similar in both groups. Trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole prophylaxis failed to prevent Nocardia infection.
Comparison of Acute Kidney Injury During Treatment with Vancomycin and either Piperacillin-Tazobactam or Meropenem.

# CONTEXT Empiric antibiotics are often required in hospitalized patients with serious infections who may be septic and at risk for drug resistant organisms. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the observed incidence of acute kidney injury (AKI) in a sample of adult patients receiving either piperacillin-tazobactam and vancomycin or meropenemvancomycin for at least 72 hours. # METHODS Single-center, retrospective matched cohort at a 200-bed Regional Community Medical Center. Adult patients were included in the sample if they were without preexisting renal dysfunction and admitted over an 18-month time period to receive either the combination of piperacillin-tazobactam and vancomycin or meropenem-vancomycin. Sample patients were evaluated for AKI. This condition was defined by the authors as an increase in serum creatinine of 0.5mg/ml or an increase of 50% above baseline during the duration of antibiotic treatment. # RESULTS A total of 266 patients receiving either combination of antibiotics were evaluated for AKI. The incidence of AKI was significantly higher in the piperacillin-tazobactam and vancomycin group (n = 74/292, 25%) compared with the meropenem-vancomycin group (n=8/74, 9.5%, p=0.008). # CONCLUSIONS The results of this study suggest that the combination of piperacillin-tazobactam and vancomycin is associated with an increased incidence of AKI. Higher vancomycin trough concentrations were associated with increased risk for development of AKI.
A Concise Guide to Geopressure: Origin, Prediction, and Applications

Geopressure drives fluid flow and is important for hydrocarbon exploration, carbon sequestration, and designing safe and economical wells. This concise guide explores the origins of geopressure and presents a step-by-step approach to characterizing and predicting pressure and least principal stress in the subsurface. The book emphasizes how geology, and particularly the role of flow along permeable layers, drives the development and distribution of subsurface pressure and stress. Case studies, such as the Deepwater Horizon blowout, and laboratory experiments, are used throughout to demonstrate methods and applications. It succinctly discusses the role of elastoplastic behaviour, the full stress tensor, and diagenesis in pore pressure generation, and it presents workflows to predict pressure, stress, and hydrocarbon entrapment. It is an essential guide for academics and professional geoscientists and petroleum engineers interested in predicting pressure and stress, and understanding the role of geopressure in geological processes, well design, hydrocarbon entrapment, and carbon sequestration.
An Epidemiological Analysis and Comparison of Single Site and Multiple Site Fracture Repair

We aimed to utilize the 2010 to 2017 National Surgical Quality Improvement Program to evaluate the epidemiology and efficacy of facial fracture repairs, specifically comparing multiple fracture site repairs (MFR) compared to single fracture site repairs (SFR). Of 4739 patients, 718 (15.2%) were found to have undergone MFR. A total of 577 (80.4%) of the MFRs involved the midface only. A total of 2114 (52.6%) of the SFRs were mid-face fractures, while 1825 (45.4%) involved the lower-face and only 82 (2.0%) involved the upper-face. The most frequent MFR was combined orbital and malar/zygoma repair (230 cases [32.0%]). When comparing MFR and SFR of the mid-face, MFR patients were more commonly male, White, operated on by plastic surgeons, presented with contaminated wounds, and active smokers. While MFRs were associated with a longer operative time (P < 0.001) and a longer postoperative hospital stay (P < 0.001), there were no differences in reoperation or readmission. Overall, complication rates were low, but slightly higher in the mid-face MFR group (1.4% in mid-face SFR and 3.0% in mid-face MFR; P = 0.019). Sub-analysis of mid-face only MFRs and middle-lower-face MFRs revealed no difference in postoperative complication rates (3.0% and 7.0%, respectively; P = 0.071). The data presented suggests that MFR are a relatively common occurrence. Although plastic surgeons perform MFRs more frequently, it is currently unclear whether the underlying reason is a product of differences in training, coding patterns, or referral patterns. Though MFRs require more hospital resources, complications rates are low. This will help manage patient expectations and guide patient counseling before surgery, as well as help to plan postoperative care.
When Informal Adoption Meets Intestate Succession: The Cultural Myopia of the Equitable Adoption Doctrine

In certain circumstances, the equitable adoption doctrine allows a person to inherit as the child of a testator even when the testator was neither that person's biological or adoptive parent. Although this doctrine, at first blush, might appear to be a move toward a more inclusive system of intestate succession, as many scholars have noted, the restrictive tests that the various courts have designed to determine who qualifies as an equitably adopted child have only served to greatly undermine the utility of the doctrine and, in numerous cases, have led to the denial of rather compelling claims. While agreeing with those criticisms, this article levels a new, more troubling, criticism against the equitable adoption doctrine. Specifically, the equitable adoption doctrine is both culturally-biased and discriminatory. Indeed, as it currently exists, the doctrine uses formal adoption, as that practice exists within the Eurocentric, nuclear family model, to define what qualifies as a parent-child relationship worthy of legal protection. In so doing, the doctrine effectively ignores the practice of informal adoption, which is much more prevalent in the extended family model found in African American and Hispanic communities. This article, thus, examines both the extended family model and the corresponding role that informal adoption plays within those two communities. Set against that backdrop, it becomes much more evident how the current law of equitable adoption not only is overly restrictive, but has the potential to be particularly punishing to our country's minority ethnic populations. With those concerns in mind, this article then offers two different proposals that would make the law of intestate succession more cognizant and inclusive of informally adopted children.
Technical Innovation and Entrepreneurial Potential of “Hydrotalcite Like” Materials

The process of technological innovation embraces a sequence of activities that translates technical and scientific knowledge into physical reality to be used on a scale having substantial societal impact. This goes beyond invention to accumulation of technical data, expansion of necessary knowledge, transformation into product and its diffusion and adaptation for significant impact. Hydrotalcite like materials or double layered hydroxides in general have been a playground for discovery, have shown a history of innovation, and have the potential for an even greater surge in innovation in the future that can drive an enormous expansion in technology entrepreneurship. The versatility for use in energy materials, composites, bioactives, electrochemicals, environmentals, anticorrosives, catalysts, drugs, coatings, and yet to be discovered uses are enormous. The pathways and barriers to new innovations and entrepreneurial activities are discussed in this overview in context of their science and technology.
Jerusalem in Medieval Islamic Tradition

The history of Islamic thought about Jerusalem has been hindered by a lack of comprehensive historical sources on the city in what is traditionally thought of as the Classical period of Islam, from the 6th to the mid-13th centuries. As a result, scholars have relied on geographical works and texts in a genre known as ‘Religious Merits’ or faḍā’ il, as well as apocalyptic and prophetic tradition (ḥadīth) for insight into the role and importance of the city for early medieval Muslims. Jerusalem’s major Islamic monuments, including the Dome of the Rock and the Aqṣā Mosque, were early Muslim buildings whose meaning changed significantly over the course of the medieval period. The incorporation of towns and cities outside Mecca and Medina into a sacred landscape encompassing broad regions such as al-Shām/Greater Syria was partly the by-product of the effulgence of the faḍā’ il genre, a feature of the High Middle Ages. Like Damascus, Kufa and Baghdad, among others, Jerusalem became one of a constellation of pilgrimage centers in broader conceptions of the Islamic world’s actual and sacred territory.
Generalized (C', A, B) Pairs and the Linear Servomechanism Problem

The objective of this paper is to solve the Disturbance Rejection Problem [1] in the time domain setting under measurement feedback for systems with feedforward terms (proper as opposed to strictly proper) in the controlled and measured output equations. This is a generalization of the disturbance rejection problem studied by Schumacher [2], Willems and Commault [3] and Imai and Akashi [4] where only the strictly proper case was considered. The solution in the strictly proper case is based on the fundamental concept of (C', A, B) subspace pairs, an idea first introduced by Schumacher [5]. Our motivation for considering the more general case is that the linear servomechanism problem, where control over both steady state and transient response components of the tracking error is desired, can be formulated as a special case of the disturbance rejection problem only when the feedforward terms are non-zero. In fact most multivariable control problems with input-output response specifications can be treated in this framework. A transfer function version of this problem has been treated by Pernebo [6], where solvability is given in terms of a matrix polynomial equation. Our time domain treatment of the problem involves the definition of (C', A, B) pairs which are generalized to include the effect of the feedforward terms. The concepts are a nontrivial generalization of the results in references [2-5].
Managing Flexibility for Inter-Organizational Electronic Commerce

Electronic commerce has the potential to significantly impact on supply chain management in today's highly dynamic business environment. Enterprises are eager to tap into new opportunities such as the proliferation of alternatives in the electronic marketplace, real-time access to supply information including both product price and leadtime at virtually no cost, and an efficient inter-organizational electronic collaboration infrastructure. In our work, we model different business entities as software agents interconnected via the Internet. Our main research focus is how to coordinate supply chain management agents dynamically and flexibly such that goods and services can be delivered at the right time in a cost-effective manner.
Global nonlinear observers

This paper discusses the construction of global observers for nonlinear discrete time systems. The observers do not rely on local linearization(s). The observers apply the Newton-Raphson numerical equation solving procedure to a nonlinear function constructed from the original output function. Based on this approach, several candidate state estimators are constructed, each candidate is assigned a confidence level based on how well it predicts the current measured output, and the state estimator is chosen to be the candidate with the highest confidence level. The use of confidence levels is discussed as an application of fuzzy logic. An example is presented.
CAFE/spl acute/: a Complex Adaptive Financial Environment

Describes the Complex Adaptive Financial Environment (CAFE/spl acute/), a simulator for complex adaptive systems implemented in Java. CAFE/spl acute/'s object-oriented design makes it suitable for many types of simulation. We give an example of a market simulation where food is traded for gold and explore the effects of adding several kinds of speculators to the system. This paper describes the software structure and design of CAFE/spl acute/, building upon the object-oriented and distributed features of the Java programming language. Although the primary application for this system is in the computational finance area, we envision a much more general usage.
Determinants of Resource Utilization in a Tertiary Pediatric and Congenital Echocardiographic Laboratory.

We sought to determine the relation between technical charges for transthoracic echocardiograms (TTE) and total time for study completion (TT), identify factors associated with high TT, and create a scoring system to predict high TT studies. We analyzed a quality improvement database that prospectively tracked patient flow through TTEs in our laboratory for 3 consecutive months. The performing sonographer or fellow recorded TT and its components for every study. Patient and scan characteristics were abstracted from the clinical database and technical charges from the financial database. Factors independently associated with high TT (top quartile ≥85 minutes) were identified in 1,686 studies and validated in the remaining 847 studies. Median age was 7.8 years (0 to 77.9) and median TT was 65 minutes (14 to 370 minutes). Charges correlated poorly with TT (r = 0.2). Multivariate analysis identified several independent factors associated with high TT. The final model had an area under the curve of 0.78 in the development sample and 0.75 in the validation sample. On the basis of the final model, we developed a risk score for TT ≥85 minutes. The prevalence of high TT was 15% in low-score studies, 51% in medium-score studies, and 81% in high-score studies. In conclusion, this is the first study to demonstrate poor correlation between technical charges for pediatric/congenital echocardiography and TT, identify risk factors for high TT, and develop a high TT risk scoring system. These data may assist in resource allocation for pediatric/congenital echocardiograms and inform reimbursement systems.
Pathfinding by neuronal growth cones in grasshopper embryos. III: Selective affinity of the G growth cone for the P cells within the A/P fascicle

The growth cone of the G neuron selectively fasciculates upon specific axon bundles in a stereotypic sequence as it navigates through the developing central nervous system of the grasshopper embryo. It turns and extends anteriorly in the contralateral neuropil of the second thoracic ganglion at a specific choice point where it fasciculates with the A/P axon bundle which contains the axons of the A1, A2, P1, and P2 neurons. We previously hypothesized (Raper, J. A., M. J. Bastiani, and C. S. Goodman (1983) J. Neurosci. 3: 20–41) that this fascicle, or subsets of axons within it, were specifically labeled and that the G neuron was determined to follow this labeled pathway. Here we report on an ultrastructural analysis of the interactions between the G growth cone and its filopodia with the cells of the A/P fascicle at the choice point. As G reaches its choice point, its filopodia are in more frequent contact with the A/P fascicle in comparison to the other longitudinal axon fascicles. Within the A/P fascicle, the tip of G9s growth cone is found to be closely associated with the P and not the A axons. Furthermore, before the G growth cone climbs onto the A/P fascicle, its filopodia show a selective affinity for the P axons as compared to the A axons. Another specific interaction involves selective filopodial insertions; only filopodia from the P cells were found to insert into the G growth cone and induce coated pits and vesicles. These findings suggest that G is able to distinguish the A/P fascicle from other axon bundles and, moreover, is able to distinguish the P axons from the A axons. The companion paper (Raper, J. A., M. J. Bastiani, and C. S. Goodman (1984) J. Neurosci. 4: 2329–2345) presents experimental results based on specific axon ablations that further support this hypothesis.
Automatic analog layout retargeting for new processes and device sizes

This paper presents an automatic analog layout resizing tool that can generate a new layout incorporating the target technology process and the target transistor sizes. The tool automatically preserves the analog layout integrity by extracting layout symmetry and matching, and then solving the constrained layout generation problem using a combined linear programming and graph-theoretic approach. The tool has been applied successfully to integrate specified transistor sizes and to migrate layouts for various analog designs from TSMC 0.25 /spl mu/m CMOS to TSMC 0.18 /spl mu/m CMOS process with comparable performances to re-design.
Comparison of droplet flocculation in hexadecane oil-in-water emulsions stabilized by beta-lactoglobulin at pH 3 and 7.

The influence of surface and thermal denaturation of adsorbed β-lactoglobulin (β-Lg) on the flocculation of hydrocarbon oil droplets was measured at pH 3 and compared with that at pH 7. Oil-in-water emulsions (5 wt % n-hexadecane, 0.5 wt % β-Lg, pH 3.0) were prepared that contained different levels of salt (0−150 mM NaCl) added immediately after homogenization. The mean particle diameter (d43) and particle size distribution of diluted emulsions were measured by laser diffraction when they were either (i) stored at 30 °C for 48 h or (ii) subjected to different thermal treatments (30−95 °C for 20 min). In the absence of salt, little droplet flocculation was observed at pH 3 or 7 because of the strong electrostatic repulsion between the droplets. In the presence of 150 mM NaCl, a progressive increase in mean particle size with time was observed in pH 7 emulsions during storage at 30 °C, but no significant change in mean particle diameter with time (d43 ∼ 1.4 ± 0.2 μm) was observed in the pH 3 emulsions. Drop...
Online SERS detection and characterization of eight biologically-active peptides separated by capillary zone electrophoresis

There is a need for low cost, sensitive and chemical specific detectors for routine characterization of biomolecules. In this study, we utilize sheath-flow surface-enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) to analyze a mixture of eight biologically-active peptides separated by capillary zone electrophoresis (CZE). Analysis of the SERS electropherogram resulting from online detection resolves the characteristic Raman bands attributed to the amino acid constituents of each peptide, which enables identification. The detection limit by SERS was found to be 10−8 M. Our results suggest that the structural information obtained from the detected vibrational modes provides complementary characterization to other chemically specific detectors like mass spectrometry and improved chemical identification over other commonly used optical-based post-chromatographic detection methods. In addition, the sheath-flow SERS detection results in band narrowing in the observed electropherogram that enables distinction of closely migrating species. The results presented here indicate that this platform can provide fast, robust, reproducible, and chemical specific detection to facilitate the characterization of peptides.
Conformal dome aberration correction with counter-rotating phase plates

ABSTRACT Domes have been designed that conform to the aerodynamic requirements of airborne systems, as well as the opticalrequirements. Such domes have large amounts of aberrations - lOs to lOOs of waves. Typical systems also have gimbals thatpoint the optical line of sight through different parts of the domes. Aberrations vary significantly with pointing angle andtherefore require dynamic correction. This paper describes the performance of a new class of optical systems that employcounter-rotating phase plates to correct conformal dome aberrations. The correctors are described by Zernike circularpolynomials. Since the shear is rotational, only aberrations with non-rotational symmetry can be created, like coma orastigmatism. A theoretical development shows the relationship between the corrector surface shapes and the aberrationscreated. Code V was used to model the correction capabilities of the angular shear corrector plates.Keywords: conformal optics, dome, window, aberration, correction, phase plate
An exception handling mechanism for SR

Abstract This paper defines an exception handling mechanism for the SR concurrent programming language. It uses the language's communication primitives as the basis for exception signaling and handling. Exceptions are declared, signaled, and handled much like SR's operations. Each operation declaration must define possible exceptions that its body may raise to an invoker. An invoker must provide exception handling capabilities with its invocation statement. An exception can be propagated explicitly along the invocation chain or signaled directly to its handler. The novel integration of exception handling with operations results in parameterized exceptions and both synchronous and asynchronous signaling and handling, thus allowing programmers to simulate any of the common exception handling models.
Decision Making in Autocratic Regimes: A Poliheuristic Perspective

This paper applies the poliheuristic theory of foreign policy decision making to non-democratic states. Poliheuristic theory asserts that state leaders assign primary importance to their political survival; however, the meaning of “the political” varies dramatically from country to country. Furthermore, the types of actors who hold leaders politically accountable also vary between countries. Consequently, leaders often pursue vastly different means of ensuring their political survival. The author uses the common distinction between single-party, military, and personalist autocracies to show that apparently arbitrary differences in autocratic leaders’ political concerns actually vary in systematic and potentially predictable ways. Because this argument is generalized to non-democratic states as a whole, it has important implications for the ways in which democratic states craft their policies toward autocracies.
Grating Anomalies as a Local Phenomenon

Two sets of experiments are described which indicate that Wood’s diffraction-grating anomalies are a local phenomenon, associated with the action of a single grating line and its interaction with nearest neighbors. The first set shows that the character of an anomaly, irrespective of its appearance, remains virtually unaffected by very drastic phase and amplitude distortions of the incident wavefronts, suggesting that anomalous behavior may be observable with only a few lines. The second set of experiments confirms this hypothesis, and shows that gratings with only two or three lines exhibit almost the same anomalous behavior as a many-line grating of the same profile.
Epstein–Barr virus nuclear antigen 3A partially coincides with EBNA3C genome-wide and is tethered to DNA through BATF complexes

Epstein–Barr Virus (EBV) conversion of B-lymphocytes to Lymphoblastoid Cell Lines (LCLs) requires four EBV nuclear antigen (EBNA) oncoproteins: EBNA2, EBNALP, EBNA3A, and EBNA3C. EBNA2 and EBNALP associate with EBV and cell enhancers, up-regulate the EBNA promoter, MYC, and EBV Latent infection Membrane Proteins (LMPs), which up-regulate BCL2 to protect EBV-infected B-cells from MYC proliferation-induced cell death. LCL proliferation induces p16INK4A and p14ARF-mediated cell senescence. EBNA3A and EBNA3C jointly suppress p16INK4A and p14ARF, enabling continuous cell proliferation. Analyses of the EBNA3A human genome-wide ChIP-seq landscape revealed 37% of 10,000 EBNA3A sites to be at strong enhancers; 28% to be at weak enhancers; 4.4% to be at active promoters; and 6.9% to be at weak and poised promoters. EBNA3A colocalized with BATF-IRF4, ETS-IRF4, RUNX3, and other B-cell Transcription Factors (TFs). EBNA3A sites clustered into seven unique groups, with differing B-cell TFs and epigenetic marks. EBNA3A coincidence with BATF-IRF4 or RUNX3 was associated with stronger EBNA3A ChIP-Seq signals. EBNA3A was at MYC, CDKN2A/B, CCND2, CXCL9/10, and BCL2, together with RUNX3, BATF, IRF4, and SPI1. ChIP-re-ChIP revealed complexes of EBNA3A on DNA with BATF. These data strongly support a model in which EBNA3A is tethered to DNA through a BATF-containing protein complexes to enable continuous cell proliferation.
A grid-based Bayesian approach to robust visual tracking

Visual tracking encompasses a wide range of applications in surveillance, medicine and the military arena. There are however roadblocks that hinder exploiting the full capacity of the tracking technology. Depending on specific applications, these roadblocks may include computational complexity, accuracy and robustness of the tracking algorithms. In the paper, we present a grid-based algorithm for tracking that drastically outperforms the existing algorithms in terms of computational efficiency, accuracy and robustness. Furthermore, by judiciously incorporating feature representation, sample generation and sample weighting, the grid-based approach accommodates contrast change, jitter, target deformation and occlusion. Tracking performance of the proposed grid-based algorithm is compared with two recent algorithms, the gradient vector flow snake tracker and the Monte Carlo tracker, in the context of leukocyte (white blood cell) tracking and UAV-based tracking. This comparison indicates that the proposed tracking algorithm is approximately 100 times faster, and at the same time, is significantly more accurate and more robust, thus enabling real-time robust tracking.
The distribution of intimal white blood cells in the normal rabbit aorta

Macrophages play an important role in atherogenesis and have been reported within the intima at lesion-prone sites in normocholesterolemic animals as well as infants and children. The objective of this study was to determine the spatial distribution of intimal white blood cells (WBC) in the normal rabbit aorta and the association of intimal WBC with replicating endothelial cells and sites of increased 125I-LDL permeability. Intimal WBC and macrophages were identified en face on whole aortic tissue and on Hautchen preparations based on their morphology, ingestion of exogenous horseradish peroxidase, non-specific esterase activity, and labeling with a monoclonal antibody for rabbit macrophages (RAM11). WBC were primarily located in the lesion-prone flow divider regions of the large abdominal branch arteries. Using [3H]thymidine autoradiography to determine cell proliferation, 4.4% of the WBC and 0.12% of the endothelial cells were labeled on the Hautchen preparations. The distribution of replicating endothelial cells was not localized to the arterial orifices and was not correlated with the distribution of intimal WBC. Intimal WBC were, however, spatially correlated with the distribution of 125I-LDL permeable sites about the celiac artery orifice and were directly associated with 31% of the LDL permeable spots. Moreover, mitotic endothelial cells accounted for only 8% of the total number of LDL permeable sites. The presence of intimal WBC at lesion-prone sites in the normocholesterolemic rabbit suggests that these cells may be important in the initiation of atherosclerotic lesions.
To Cleave or Not to Cleave? Insights from the LexA Crystal Structure

Abstract In the September 7, 2001 issue of Cell , Luo et al. describe the structure of LexA protein in two states, cleavable and noncleavable. This structure offers new insights into how LexA and other structurally related proteins, such as λ and UmuD, undergo autocatalytic cleavage using a Ser-Lys dyad.
Physical chemistry of the H2SO4/HNO3/H2O system: Implications for polar stratospheric clouds

Polar stratospheric clouds (PSCs) play a key role in stratospheric ozone depletion. Surface-catalyzed reactions on PSC particles generate chlorine compounds that photolyze readily to yield chlorine radicals, which in turn destroy ozone very efficiently. The most prevalent PSCs form at temperatures several degrees above the ice frost point and are believed to consist of HNO3 hydrates; however, their formation mechanism is unclear. Results of laboratory experiments are presented which indicate that the background stratospheric H2SO4/H2O aerosols provide an essential link in this mechanism: These liquid aerosols absorb significant amounts of HNO3 vapor, leading most likely to the crystallization of nitric acid trihydrate (NAT). The frozen particles then grow to form PSCs by condensation of additional amounts of HNO3 and H2O vapor. Furthermore, reaction probability measurements reveal that the chlorine radical precursors are formed readily at polar stratospheric temperatures not just on NAT and ice crystals, but also on liquid H2SO4 solutions and on solid H2SO4 hydrates. These results imply that the chlorine activation efficiency of the aerosol particles increases rapidly as the temperature approaches the ice frost point regardless of the phase or composition of the particles.
Closed form solutions to nonserial, nonconvex quadratic programming problems using dynamic programming

Abstract This paper presents a method for obtaining closed form solutions to serial and nonserial dynamic programming problems with quadratic stage returns and linear transitions. Global parametric optimum solutions can be obtained regardless of the convexity of the stage returns. The closed form solutions are developed for linear, convex, and nonconvex quadratic returns, as well as the procedure for recursively solving each stage of the problem. Dynamic programming is a mathematical optimization technique which is especially powerful for certain types of problems. This paper presents a procedure for obtaining analytical solutions to a class of dynamic programming problems. In addition, the procedure has been programmed on the computer to facilitate the solution of large problems.
Effect of Velocity and Load on the Development of Kinetic Friction at a Lubricated Steel on Polymer Interface

The effect of normal load and sliding velocity on the development of friction at a lubricated steel pin on polymer disk interface was investigated. Polyoxymethylene homopolymer disks were lubricated with a lithium soap thickened synthetic hydrocarbon grease and tested against a 6 mm diameter stainless steel pin. The normal load was varied from 3 to 80 N, and the sliding velocity was varied from 0.0004 to 0.2 m/s. The engineering friction coefficient displayed a power law dependence on the external applied load, indicating a significant adhesive effect in the presence of the lubricant. The true friction coefficient was 0.04, and the average adhesion force was calculated to be 29 N. With the soft disk and hard pin configuration, velocity and time effects were found to be negligible in the presence of the dominant dependence on the normal load. However, a velocity effect emerged with steel disks and polymer pins, likely due to a temperature rise at the polymer surface.Copyright © 2012 by ASME
Optical-trapping Raman microscopy detection of single unilamellar lipid vesicles.

Raman spectra of individual unilamellar phospholipid vesicles (∼0.6 μm in size) have been acquired by optical-trapping confocal Raman microscopy over the 900−3200-cm-1 region. Raman scattering from the phospholipid bilayer of a single, trapped liposome could be detected, along with molecular species trapped within the vesicle. The Raman spectra of vesicles prepared from four different phosphatidylcholine lipids, 1,2-dipalmitoyl-sn-glycero-3-phosphocholine (DPPC), 1,2-dimyristoyl-sn-glycero-3-phosphocholine (DMPC), 1,2-dilauroyl-sn-glycero-3-phosphocholine (DLPC), and 1,2-dioleoyl-sn-glycero-3-phosphocholine (DOPC), could be readily distinguished by evaluating differences in the skeletal C−C and C−H stretching modes of the acyl hydrocarbon tails. These differences correlate with changes in lipid organization for different gel to liquid-crystal transition temperatures (Tm): 41, 24, 7, and −20 °C for DPPC, DMPC, DLPC, and DOPC, respectively. The spectra could be acquired on the same trapped vesicle for seve...
Unwed Parents in the US: Myths, Realities, and Policy Making

The Fragile Families Study, a survey of 5,000 children representative of all non-marital births in US cities with populations of over 200,000, provides new evidence on the characteristics of unmarried parents and their children. Initial analyses reported in this article reveal that the typical unmarried mother is in her early twenties and cohabiting at the birth of her children. Almost one third are Hispanic and 51 per cent non-Hispanic black. The great majority of unwed parents are committed to each other and their children at the time of birth but most are poorly equipped to support themselves and their children.
Hydraulic functions for swelling soils: pore scale considerations

Abstract Changes in volume and pore space induced by the shrink–swell behavior of clay minerals present a challenge to predictive modeling of hydraulic properties of clayey soils. Despite well-developed theory for crystalline and osmotic swelling of clay minerals at the scale of individual clay lamellae, their translation to prediction of hydraulic properties of swelling soils is limited. In this study we propose a framework that combines physico-chemical processes with pore scale geometrical, hydrostatic, and hydrodynamic considerations toward prediction of constitutive hydraulic relationships for swelling porous media. Variations in pore space are modeled by considering the soil clay fabric as an assembly of colloidal-size tactoids with lamellar structure. The arrangement of clay tactoids and the spacing between individual lamellae are functions of primarily clay hydration state quantifiable via the disjoining pressure that is dominated by a large electrostatic repulsive component. Solution chemistry and clay type are also considered. Silt and sand textural constituents are represented as rigid spheres interspaced by clay fabric in two basic configurations of ‘expansive’ and ‘reductive’ unit cells. Bulk soil properties such as clay content, porosity and surface area serve as constraints for the pore-space geometry. Liquid saturation within the idealized pore space is calculated as a function of chemical potential considering volume changes due to clay shrink–swell behavior. Closed-form expressions for prediction of saturated hydraulic conductivity are derived from calculations of average flow velocities in ducts and between parallel plates, and invoking proportionality between water flux density and unit hydraulic gradient. Preliminary model calculations compare favorably with published data, and show great potential for upscaling considerations.
Metabolic modeling of polyhydroxybutyrate biosynthesis.

A mathematical model describing intracellular polyhydroxybutyrate (PHB) synthesis in Alcaligenes eutrophus has been constructed. The model allows investigation of issues such as the existence of rate-limiting enzymatic steps, possible regulatory mechanisms in PHB synthesis, and the effects different types of rate expressions have on model behavior. Simulations with the model indicate that activities of all PHB pathway enzymes influence overall PHB flux and that no single enzymatic step can easily be identified as rate limiting. Simulations also support regulatory roles for both thiolase and reductase, mediated through AcCoA/CoASH and NADPH/NADP+ ratios, respectively. To make the model more realistic, complex rate expressions for enzyme-catalyzed reactions were used which reflect both the reversibility of the reactions and the reaction mechanisms. Use of the complex kinetic expressions dramatically changed the behavior of the system compared to a simple model containing only Michaelis-Menten kinetic expressions; the more complicated model displayed different responses to changes in enzyme activities as well as inhibition of flux by the reaction products CoASH and NADP+. These effects can be attributed to reversible rate expressions, which allow prediction of reaction rates under conditions both near and far from equilibrium.
``Confinement'' in the one-dimensional Hubbard model: Irrelevance of single-particle hopping

We demonstrate, by direct use of the asymptotic Green's functions of Korepin and Ren, that the one-dimensional repulsive U Hubbard model has the property of ``confinement,'' in that weak interchain coupling does not cause coherent particle motion in the transverse direction at absolute zero. Implications for real one-dimensional systems and for the two-dimensional Hubbard model are discussed.
A milky way search strategy for extraterrestial intelligence

We assume that the density of sites of technical civilizations emitting suitable signals whether purposeful or unintentional is proportional to the stellar density at any location in our Galaxy, as modelled by Bahcall and Soneira 1980. A wide variety of possible radio luminosity functions O(L) for these civilizations is then assumed and for each the number of detectable signals per square degree over the sky is calculated. We find that most detectable signals occur at galactic latitudes of 10° or less and longitudes within 90° of the galactic center, a region which covers only 9 per cent of the entire sky. This result holds for a wide range of O(L) types, including Gaussian distributions and power law functions with slopes less than 2.5, or any combination of these. The Milky Way is much less preferred, but still advantageous, for cases of steep power law functions (slopes greater than 2.5) or Gaussian functions with mean luminosities so low that any existing civilizations can only be detected at distances less than 0.5 kpc. The only cases where low galactic latitudes are not advantageous are (1) for frequencies of operation less than 600 MHz where the deleterious effects on signal-to-noise ratios of the natural galactic background emission become dominant, and (2) in searches for narrowband (≤ 1 Hz) signals at frequencies less than 2 GHz where significant interstellar broadening of signals occurs over distances of ≳10 kpc. Furthermore, all of the above results have broader applicability: they are equally valid for searches for any type of natural radio phenomenon if its probability of occurrence is proportional to stellar density.
Cross inhibition from ON to OFF pathway improves the efficiency of contrast encoding in the mammalian retina

The retina is divided into parallel and mostly independent ON and OFF pathways, but the ON pathway “cross” inhibits the OFF pathway. Cross inhibition was thought to improve signal processing by the...