cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Capacities of quantum amplifier channels

Quantum amplifier channels are at the core of several physical processes. Not only do they model the optical process of spontaneous parametric down-conversion, but the transformation corresponding to an amplifier channel also describes the physics of the dynamical Casimir effect in superconducting circuits, the Unruh effect, and Hawking radiation. Here we study the communication capabilities of quantum amplifier channels. Invoking a recently established minimum output-entropy theorem for single-mode phase-insensitive Gaussian channels, we determine capacities of quantum-limited amplifier channels in three different scenarios. First, we establish the capacities of quantum-limited amplifier channels for one of the most general communication tasks, characterized by the trade-off between classical communication, quantum communication, and entanglement generation or consumption. Second, we establish capacities of quantum-limited amplifier channels for the trade-off between public classical communication, private classical communication, and secret key generation. Third, we determine the capacity region for a broadcast channel induced by the quantum-limited amplifier channel, and we also show that a fully quantum strategy outperforms those achieved by classical coherent-detection strategies. In all three scenarios, we find that the capacities significantly outperform communication rates achieved with a naive time-sharing strategy.
Novel Assistive Device for Teaching Crawling Skills to Infants

Crawling is a fundamental skill linked to development far beyond simple mobility. Infants who have cerebral palsy and similar conditions learn to crawl late, if at all, pushing back other elements of their development. This paper describes the development of a robot (the Self-Initiated Prone Progression Crawler V3, or SIPPC3) that assists infants in learning to crawl. When an infant is placed onboard, the robot senses contact forces generated by the limbs interacting with the ground. The robot then moves or raises the infant’s trunk accordingly. The robot responses are adjustable such that even infants lacking the muscle strength to crawl can initiate movement. The novel idea that this paper presents is the use of a force augmenting motion mechanism to help infants learn how to crawl.
Nonlinear waves in lattice materials: Adaptively augmented directivity and functionality enhancement by modal mixing

Abstract The motive of this work is to understand the complex spatial characteristics of finite-amplitude elastic wave propagation in periodic structures and leverage the unique opportunities offered by nonlinearity to activate complementary functionalities and design adaptive spatial wave manipulators. The underlying assumption is that the magnitude of wave propagation is small with respect to the length scale of the structure under consideration, albeit large enough to elicit the effects of finite deformation. We demonstrate that the interplay of dispersion, nonlinearity and modal complexity involved in the generation and propagation of higher harmonics gives rise to secondary wave packets that feature multiple characteristics, one of which conforms to the dispersion relation of the corresponding linear structure. This provides an opportunity to engineer desired wave characteristics through a geometric and topological design of the unit cell, and results in the ability to activate complementary functionalities, typical of high frequency regimes, while operating at low frequencies of excitation - an effect seldom observed in linear periodic structures. The ability to design adaptive switches is demonstrated here using lattice configurations whose response is characterized by geometric and/or material nonlinearities.
Multislice PET Quantitation Using Three-Dimensional Volumes of Interest

Volume of interest extraction for radionuclide and anatomical measurements requires correct identification and delineation of the anatomical feature being studied. A toolset for specifying three-dimensional (3D) volumes of interest (VOIs) on a multislice positron emission tomography (PET) data set has been developed. The software is particularly suited for specifying cerebral cortex VOIs that represent a particular gyrus or deep brain structure. A registered 3D magnetic resonance (MR) image data set is used to provide high-resolution anatomical information, both as oblique 2D sections and as volume renderings of a segmented cortical surface. VOIs are specified indirectly in 2D by drawing a stack of 2D regions on the MR data. The regions are tiled together to form closed triangular mesh surface models that are subsequently transformed into the observation space of the PET scanner. Quantitation by this method allows calculation of radionuclide activity in the VOIs, as well as their statistical uncertainties and correlations. A complete treatment of this work, including validation, appears in Klein et al. (1997) .
“Are You Retarded?” “No, I'm Catholic”: Qualitative Methods in the Study of People with Severe Handicaps

Qualitative research methods generally depend heavily on good communication between researcher and informant. When qualitative methodologists study informants with severe retardation whose use of l...
Simulating vision through time: Hierarchical, sparse models of visual cortex for motion imagery

Efficient pattern recognition in motion imagery has become a growing challenge as the number of video sources proliferates worldwide. Historically, automated analysis of motion imagery, such as object detection, classification and tracking, has been accomplished using hand-designed feature detectors. Though useful, these feature detectors are not easily extended to new data sets or new target categories since they are often task specific, and typically require substantial effort to design. Rather than hand-designing filters, recent advances in the field of image processing have resulted in a theoretical framework of sparse, hierarchical, learned representations that can describe video data of natural scenes at many spatial and temporal scales and many levels of object complexity. These sparse, hierarchical models learn the information content of imagery and video from the data itself and lead to state-of-the-art performance and more efficient processing. Processing efficiency is important as it allows scaling up of research to work with dataset sizes and numbers of categories approaching real-world conditions. We now describe recent work at Los Alamos National Laboratory developing hierarchical sparse learning computer vision models that can process high definition color video in real time. We present preliminary results extending our prior work on object classification in still imagery [1] to discovery of useful features at different time scales in motion imagery for detection, classification and tracking of objects.
Effect of passivation on higher order gradient plasticity models for non-proportional loading: energetic and dissipative gradient components

In this work, a new class of thermodynamic-based higher order gradient plasticity theory is proposed and applied to the stretch-surface passivation problem for investigating the material behaviour ...
Molecules-in-molecules fragment-based method for the calculation of chiroptical spectra of large molecules: Vibrational circular dichroism and Raman optical activity spectra of alanine polypeptides.

The molecules-in-molecules (MIM) fragment-based method has recently been adapted to evaluate the chiroptical (vibrational circular dichroism [VCD] and Raman optical activity [ROA]) spectra of large molecules such as peptides. In the MIM-VCD and MIM-ROA methods, the relevant higher energy derivatives of the parent molecule are assembled from the corresponding derivatives of smaller fragment subsystems. In addition, the missing long-range interfragment interactions are accounted at a computationally less expensive level of theory (MIM2). In this work we employed the MIM-VCD and MIM-ROA fragment-based methods to explore the evolution of the chiroptical spectroscopic characteristics of 310 -helix, α-helix, β-hairpin, γ-turn, and β-extended conformers of gas phase polyalanine (chain length n = 6-14). The different conformers of polyalanine show distinctive features in the MIM chiroptical spectra and the associated spectral intensities increase with evolution of system size. For a better understanding the site-specific effects on the vibrational spectra, isotopic substitutions were also performed employing the MIM method. An increasing redshift with the number of isotopically labeled 13 C=O functional groups in the peptide molecule was seen. For larger polypeptides, we implemented the two-step-MIM model to circumvent the high computational expense associated with the evaluation of chiroptical spectra at a high level of theory using large basis sets. The chiroptical spectra of α-(alanine)20 polypeptide obtained using the two-step-MIM model, including continuum solvation effects, show good agreement with the full calculations and experiment. This benchmark study suggests that the MIM-fragment approach can assist in predicting and interpreting chiroptical spectra of large polypeptides.
Identifying attributes of CO2 leakage zones in shallow aquifers using a parametric level set method

Leakage through abandoned wells and geologic faults poses the greatest risk to CO2 storage permanence. For shallow aquifers, secondary CO2 plumes emanating from the leak zones may go undetected for a sustained period of time and has the greatest potential to cause large-scale and long-term environmental impacts. Identification of the attributes of leak zones, including their shape, location, and strength, is required for environmental risk assessment. This study applies a parametric level set (PaLS) method to characterize leak zones. Level set methods are appealing for tracking topological changes and recovering unknown shapes of objects. However, level set evolution using the conventional level set methods is computationally challenging. In PaLS, the level set function is approximated by using a weighted sum of basis functions and the level set evolution problem is replaced by an optimization problem. The efficacy of PaLS is demonstrated by reconstructing attributes of a CO2 leak zone in a carbonate aquifer. Our results show that PaLS is a robust source identification method that can recover the approximate leak zone locations in the presence of measurement errors, model parameter uncertainty, and inaccurate guesses of source flux strengths. Accurate delineation of source geometry is achievable when a relatively dense observation network is used. The PaLS-based, source recovery framework introduced in this work is generic and can be adapted for any reactive transport model by simply switching the pre- and post-processing routines. © 2017 Society of Chemical Industry and John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Is Chinese Nationalism Rising?: Evidence from Beijing

“Rising nationalism” has been a major meme in commentary on the development of China’s material power since the early 1990s. Analysts often claim that rising nationalism, especially among China’s youth, is an important force compelling the Chinese leadership to take a tougher stand on a range of foreign policy issues, particularly maritime disputes in East Asia. The rising nationalism meme is one element in the “newly assertive China” narrative that generalizes from China’s coercive diplomacy in these disputes to claim that a dissatisaed China is challenging a U.S.-dominated liberal international order writ large. But is this meme accurate? Generally, research on Chinese nationalism has lacked a baseline against which to measure changing levels of nationalism across time. The data from the Beijing Area Study survey of Beijing residents from 1998 to 2015 suggest that the rising popular nationalism meme is empirically inaccurate. This anding implies that there are other factors that may be more important in explaining China’s coercive diplomacy on maritime issues, such as elite opinion, the personal preferences of top leaders, security dilemma dynamics, organizational interests, or some combination thereof.
Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis-linked mutations increase the viscosity of liquid-like TDP-43 RNP granules in neurons

Ribonucleoprotein (RNP) granules are enriched in specific RNAs and RNA-binding proteins (RBPs) and mediate critical cellular processes. Purified RBPs form liquid droplets in vitro through liquid-liquid phase separation and liquid-like non-membrane-bound structures in cells. Mutations in the human RBPs TAR-DNA binding protein 43 (TDP-43) and RNA-binding protein FUS cause amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), but the biophysical properties of these proteins have not yet been studied in neurons. Here, we show that TDP-43 RNP granules in axons of rodent primary cortical neurons display liquid-like properties, including fusion with rapid relaxation to circular shape, shear stress-induced deformation, and rapid fluorescence recovery after photobleaching. RNP granules formed from wild-type TDP-43 show distinct biophysical properties depending on axonal location, suggesting maturation to a more stabilized structure is dependent on subcellular context, including local density and aging. Superresolution microscopy demonstrates that the stabilized population of TDP-43 RNP granules in the proximal axon is less circular and shows spiculated edges, whereas more distal granules are both more spherical and more dynamic. RNP granules formed by ALS-linked mutant TDP-43 are more viscous and exhibit disrupted transport dynamics. We propose these altered properties may confer toxic gain of function and reflect differential propensity for pathological transformation.
Climate Models Lack Jet–Rainfall Coupling over West Africa

AbstractChanges in large-scale dynamics over West Africa—the strength and position of zonal jets—are a key interim step by which local and remote forcing is communicated into changes in rainfall. This study identifies a key mode of jet variability and demonstrates how it is strongly coupled with rainfall. The approach provides a quantitative framework to assess jet–rainfall coupling and a useful tool to investigate the concerning spread in CMIP5 rainfall projections over the West African Sahel. It is shown that many CMIP5 simulations fail to capture this coupling, indicating a fundamental limitation in their ability to predict future rainfall conditions. The results demonstrate that West African rainfall in the coming CMIP6 ensemble should be interpreted with caution; key atmospheric processes that deliver rainfall must be validated before conducting detailed analysis on rainfall.
Nonlinear Estimation by Covariance Assignment

Abstract Covariance assignment method is extended to upper bound assignment of estimation error covariances for nonlinear stochastic systems. Characterization of assignable upper bounds together with filter gains that achieve a particular assignment are presented. Existence conditions and a recursive method of solution are given for the main design equation
Preliminary Analysis of a Modified Screening Tool to Increase the Frequency of Palliative Care Consults

Purpose:Palliative care interventions have been shown to improve patient quality of life but the benefit may be less if interventions occur late in the patient’s disease process. The objective of t...
An In Toto Approach to Dissecting Cellular Interactions in Complex Tissues

Single-cell measurements have broadened our understanding of heterogeneity in biology, yet have been limited to mostly observational studies of normal or globally perturbed systems. Typically, perturbations are utilized in an open-ended approach wherein an endpoint is assayed during or after the biological event of interest. Here we describe ShootingStar, a platform for perturbation analysis in vivo, which combines live imaging, real-time image analysis, and automated optical perturbations. ShootingStar builds a quantitative record of the state of the sample being analyzed, which is used to automate the identification of target cells for perturbation, as well as to validate the impacts of the perturbation. We used ShootingStar to dissect the cellular basis of development, morphogenesis, and polarity in the lateral line of Danio rerio and the embryo of Caenorhabditis elegans. ShootingStar can be extended to diverse optical manipulations and enables more robust and informative single-cell perturbations in complex tissues.
Application of benchmarked kinetic resistive wall mode stability codes to ITER, including additional physics

Leading resistive wall mode (RWM) stability codes MARS-K [Liu et al., Phys. Plasmas 15, 112503 (2008)] and MISK [Hu et al., Phys. Plasmas 12, 057301 (2005)] have been previously benchmarked. The benchmarking has now been extended to include additional physics and used to project the stability of ITER in a realistic operating space. Due to ITER's relatively low plasma rotation and collisionality, collisions and non-resonance rotational effects were both found to have little impact on stability, and these non-resonance rotational effects will also not self-consistently affect the ITER RWM eigenfunction. Resonances between thermal ions and electrons and the expected level of ITER toroidal rotation were found to be important to stability, as were alpha particles, which are not in rotational resonance. MISK calculations show that without alpha particles, ITER is projected to be unstable to the RWM, but the expected level of alphas is calculated to provide a sufficient level of stability.
Piezoelectric Membrane Actuators for Micropump Applications Using PVDF-TrFE

This paper presents the design, fabrication, and performance evaluation of a biocompatible piezoelectric membrane actuator (PMA) using polyvinylidene fluoride-trifluoroethylene (PVDF-TrFE). Electrode structure optimization was verified by a finite element method simulation software. Fabrication was done utilizing only standard microfabrication techniques. 1- $\mu \text{m}$ -thick membrane and 1.5- $\mu \text{m}$ -thick actuator layers were formed by spin coating using PVDF-TrFE. The surface roughness of the fabricated film was measured as 7.9 nm using a tabletop atomic force microscope (AFM) and remnant polarization at 200 V was measured as 5.38 $\mu \text{C}$ /cm2. Deflection measurements were performed with an Al coated tipless AFM probe using a precision nano displacement system, which consists of a ferroelectric tester, a table top AFM, and a computer. A 432 nm displacement was obtained at 9 V under non-resonant conditions from a PMA with 2250 $\mu \text{m}$ diameter. Since all moving structures were fabricated from a polymer material, high displacements could be obtained without fracture. The results demonstrated that the proposed PMA can be a good candidate for membrane type micropumps, especially to be used in biomedical applications, where low driving voltage and biocompatibility are required. [2017-0128]
Superior oblique myokymia treated with levobunolol

Superior oblique myokymia (SOM) is an uncommon condition of unclear etiology that results in episodes of oscillopsia and diplopia. There is no established treatment protocol for SOM. We present 2 cases of SOM successfully managed with topical levobunolol 0.5%; both patients responded to a short course of medication administration and required minimal ongoing therapy. Case 1 was a 69-year-old woman with left SOM who had previously undergone a left Harada-Ito procedure. Her SOM improved immediately on administration of levobunolol and was maintained at follow-up 1 year later. Case 2 was a 49-year-old man with right SOM that affected his ability to work. After 2 days of topical levobunolol 0.5% nightly in the right eye, SOM episodes ceased; he continues to use drops intermittently for occasional recurrences.
Potential Role of Extracellular Vesicles in the Pathophysiology of Drug Addiction

Extracellular vesicles (EVs) are small vesicles secreted by cells and are known to carry sub-cellular components including microRNA, proteins, and lipids. Due to their ability to transport cargo between cells, EVs have been identified as important regulators of various pathophysiological conditions and can therefore influence treatment outcomes. In particular, the significance of microRNAs in EV-mediated cell-cell communication is well-documented. While the influence of EVs and the cargo delivered by EVs has been extensively reviewed in other neurological disorders, the available literature on the potential role of EVs in the pathophysiology of drug addiction has not been reviewed. Hence, in this article, the known effects of commonly abused drugs (ethanol, nicotine, opiates, cocaine, and cannabinoids) on EV secretion have been reviewed. In addition, the potential role of drugs of abuse in affecting the delivery of EV-packaged microRNAs, and the subsequent impact on neuronal health and continued drug dependence, has been discussed.
Role of natriuretic peptide receptor 2-mediated signaling in meiotic arrest of zebrafish oocytes and its estrogen regulation through G protein-coupled estrogen receptor (Gper).

Abstract Natriuretic peptide type C (NPPC) and its receptor, natriuretic peptide receptor 2 (NPR2), have essential roles in maintaining meiotic arrest of oocytes in several mammalian species. However, it is not known if a similar mechanism exists in non-mammalian vertebrates. Using zebrafish as a model, we show that Nppc is expressed in ovarian follicle cells, whereas Npr2 is mainly detected in oocytes. Treatment of intact and defolliculated oocytes with 100 nM NPPC for 6 h caused a large increase in cGMP concentrations, and a significant decrease in oocyte maturation (OM), an effect that was mimicked by treatment with 8-Br-cGMP. Treatment with E2 and G-1, the specific GPER agonist, also increased cGMP levels. Cyclic AMP levels were also increased by treatments with 8-Br-cGMP, E2 and G1. The estrogen upregulation of cAMP levels was blocked by co-treatment with AG1478, an inhibitor of EGFR activation. Gene expression of npr2 , but not nppc , was significantly upregulated in intact oocytes by 6 h treatments with 20 nM E2 and G-1. Both cilostamide, a phosphodiesterase 3 (PDE3) inhibitor, and rolipram, a PDE4 inhibitor, significantly decreased OM of intact and defolliculated oocytes, and enhanced the inhibitory effects of E2 and G-1 on OM. These findings indicate the presence of a Nppc/Npr2/cGMP pathway maintaining meiotic arrest in zebrafish oocytes that is upregulated by estrogen activation of Gper. Collectively, the results suggest that Nppc through Npr2 cooperates with E2 through Gper in upregulation of cGMP levels to inhibit phosphodiesterase activity resulting in maintenance of oocyte meiotic arrest in zebrafish.
Development and Utilization of Geothermal Resources

Geothermal energy has been used for centuries for bathing, cooking and space heating. More recently district heating and industrial processing along with geothermal heat pumps has become part of the direct-use mix. Geothermal electric power generation was started in Italy in 1904, with the first commercial plant on line in 1913. In 2005 the total installed capacity for direct use was 28,268 MWt producing 75,943 GWh/yr in 72 countries. Also the installed capacity for electric power was 8,933 MWe generating 56,786 GWh/yr in 24 countries. Energy savings amount to an equivalent 270 million barrels (41 million tonnes) of fuel oil. Since, geothermal energy is widespread and often located in remote areas; it is often used as distributed energy, providing a local and domestic source of renewable energy. This distributed use contributes to the energy security of the country.
Saturn's Atmosphere at 1–10 Kilometer Resolution

We present images of Saturn from the final phases of the Cassini mission, including images with 0.5 km per pixel resolution, as high as any Saturn images ever taken. Notable features are puffy clouds resembling terrestrial cumulus, shadows indicating cloud height, dome and bowl shaped cloud structures indicating upwelling and downwelling in anticyclones and cyclones respectively, and filaments, which are thread‐like clouds that remain coherent over distances of 20,000 km. From the coherence of the filaments, we give upper bounds on the diffusivity and kinetic energy dissipation. A radiative transfer analysis by Sanz‐Requena et al. (2018) indicates that methane‐band imagery is most useful in determining cloud and haze properties in the 60–250 mbar pressure range. Our methane‐band imagery finds haze in this pressure range covering 64°‐74°planetocentric latitude. Filaments lie within the haze, and cumulus clouds lie below it, but pressure levels are uncertain below the 250 mbar level.
Composition of gut microbiota and its association with body mass index and lifestyle factors in a cohort of 7–18 years old children from the American Gut Project

Background The association between the gut microbiota and obesity in young children and adolescents is not fully studied. Objectives This study investigated the associations between the gut microbiota and body mass index (BMI) level (underweight, normal, overweight, obese) and lifestyles (diet type and exercise frequency), controlling for demographic and clinical factors among children aged 7-18 years. Methods A cohort study was conducted on 267 children aged 7-18 years from the American Gut Project. 16S rRNA sequences were analysed by QIIME 2™. Composition of gut microbiota and its associations with BMI level, weight change and lifestyles were analysed using linear decomposition model. Results Significant factors affecting the gut microbiota were BMI level (p = 0.009), exercise frequency (p = 0.003) and diet type (p = 0.01), controlling for age, sex and use of antibiotics and probiotics. More bacterial operational taxonomic units (OTUs) were associated with BMI level (120 OTUs) and diet type (122 OTUs) than exercise frequency (67 OTUs). Actinobacteria phylum had significantly depleted OTUs for BMI level, diet type and exercise frequency; Proteobacteria phylum had significantly enriched OTUs for higher BMI level and Firmicutes phylum had significantly enriched OTUs for more frequent exercise. Conclusions Significant associations were found between the gut microbiota composition and BMI level and lifestyles controlling for demographic and clinical factors in children aged 7-18 years.
Mobile app increases vegetable-based preparations by low-income household cooks: a randomized controlled trial.

Objective We built an app to help clients of food pantries. The app offers vegetable-based recipes, food tips and no-cost strategies for making mealtimes healthier and for bargain-conscious grocery shopping, among other themes. Users customize materials to meet their own preferences. The app, available in English and Spanish, has been tested in a randomized field trial. Design A randomized controlled trial with repeated measures across 10 weeks. Setting Clients of fifteen community food pantry distributions in Los Angeles County, USA.ParticipantsDistributions were randomized to control and experimental conditions, and 289 household cooks and one of their 9-14-year-old children were enrolled as participants. Experimental dyads were given a smartphone with our app and a phone use-plan, then trained to use the app. 'Test vegetables' were added to the foods that both control and experimental participants received at their pantries. Results After 3-4 weeks of additional 'test vegetables', cooks at experimental pantries had made 38 % more preparations with these items than control cooks (P = 0·03). Ten weeks following baseline, experimental pantries also scored greater gains in using a wider assortment of vegetables than control pantries (P = 0·003). Use of the app increased between mid-experiment and final measurement (P = 0·0001). Conclusions The app appears to encourage household cooks to try new preparation methods and widen their incorporation of vegetables into family diets. Further research is needed to identify specific app features that contributed most to outcomes and to test ways in which to disseminate the app widely.
Responding to health information technology reported safety events: Insights from patient safety event reports:

ObjectiveWe analyzed the described resolutions of patient safety event reports related to health information technology to determine how healthcare systems responded to these events, recognizing th...
Synthetic studies towards the identification of novel capuramycin analogs with mycobactericidal activity

Expeditious syntheses of capuramycin, an effective MraY inhibitor in vivo, analogs are described. Synthetic schemes reported here are extremely useful for the generation of capuramycin analogs to identify minimum structure requirement to exhibit antimycobactericidal activity.
Synthetic Inhibitors of Carboxypeptidase N

Further to explore the functions of carboxypeptidase N (CPN) in vivo, we undertook two studies to find CPN inhibitors of high potency and relatively long duration of action. In each study we examined for inhibition of hydrolysis of [3H] benzoyl-Ala-Arg using pure bovine serum CPN or human serum. In the first such study we synthesized a series of acyl amino acids and acyl di - and tripeptides containing arginine, lysine or both. All proved to be weak inhibitors (Ki = 10-3 to 10-4 M). Nα-carbamoyl-Arg was the strongest: Ki = 3.5 × 10-5 M.
Import penetration and price relationships: An empirical analysis of the U.S. catfish market

The U.S. catfish aquaculture industry has undergone a continuous and alarming contraction over the last 15 years or so. The rapid increase in cheaper imports, which has coincided with the decline i...
20% of US electricity from wind will have limited impacts on system efficiency and regional climate.

Impacts from current and future wind turbine (WT) deployments necessary to achieve 20% electricity from wind are analyzed using high resolution numerical simulations over the eastern USA. Theoretical scenarios for future deployments are based on repowering (i.e. replacing with higher capacity WTs) thus avoiding competition for land. Simulations for the contemporary climate and current WT deployments exhibit good agreement with observed electricity generation efficiency (gross capacity factors (CF) from simulations = 45–48%, while net CF for WT installed in 2016 = 42.5%). Under the scenario of quadrupled installed capacity there is a small decrease in system-wide efficiency as indicated by annual mean CF. This difference is approximately equal to that from the two simulation years and may reflect saturation of the wind resource in some areas. WT modify the local near-surface climate in the grid cells where they are deployed. The simulated impact on near-surface climate properties at both the regional and local scales does not increase with increasing WT installed capacity. Climate impacts from WT are modest compared to regional changes induced by historical changes in land cover and to the global temperature perturbation induced by use of coal to generate an equivalent amount of electricity.
Raising Freud from the Dead

Freud as a Social and Culural Theorist: On Human Nature and the Civilizing Process represents my attempt to rescue Freud from oblivion by reading him as the social theorist he always aspired to be, rather than as the medical scientist he so often claimed to be. By identifying Freud's enduring social, political, and cultural concerns, and by tracing the development of his reflections on them over the course of his long career, I attempt to locate Freud's thought in the tradition of Western social philosophy, particularly from the time of Hobbes on. Such an effort is essential for a proper assessment of Freud's contemporary relevance, as the responses of Prager, Turner, Apprey, Davis, and Reed published here amply demonstrate.
The vital role of inpatient rehabilitation facilities in a large health system: The COVID-19 pandemic

The current COVID-19 pandemic has put the global health-care system into an unprecedented crisis, leaving hospitals overwhelmed and desperate for additional capacity. As of April 20th, 2020, New York State had the most COVID-19 cases in the US. We here describe the process of transforming our freestanding rehabilitation hospital to help to create additional capacity for our parent system, the Montefiore Health System. This transformation required creating a capacity to handle an increased number of patients with higher medical complexity. The sequence of steps taken at Burke Rehabilitation Hospital to rise to the challenge is outlined in this article.
Inverse design in nanophotonics

Recent advancements in computational inverse-design approaches — algorithmic techniques for discovering optical structures based on desired functional characteristics — have begun to reshape the landscape of structures available to nanophotonics. Here, we outline a cross-section of key developments in this emerging field of photonic optimization: moving from a recap of foundational results to motivation of applications in nonlinear, topological, near-field and on-chip optics. Starting with a desired optical output it is possible to use computational algorithms to inverse design devices. The approach is reviewed here with an emphasis on nanophotonics.
Spontaneous emergence of multicellular heritability

The Major Transitions in evolution include events and processes that result in the emergence of new levels of biological individuality. For collectives to undergo Darwinian evolution, their traits must be heritable, but the emergence of higher-level heritability is poorly understood and has long been considered a stumbling block for nascent evolutionary transitions. A change in the means by which genetic information is utilized and transmitted has been presumed necessary. Using analytical models, synthetic biology, and biologically-informed simulations, we explored the emergence of trait heritability during the evolution of multicellularity. Contrary to existing theory, we show that no additional layer of genetic regulation is necessary for traits of nascent multicellular organisms to become heritable; rather, heritability and the capacity to respond to natural selection on multicellular-level traits can arise “for free.” In fact, we find that a key emergent multicellular trait, organism size at reproduction, is usually more heritable than the underlying cell-level trait upon which it is based, given reasonable assumptions.
Compilation of Last Interglacial (Marine Isotope Stage 5e) sea level indicators in the Bahamas, Turks and Caicos, and the east coast of Florida, USA

Abstract. This paper provides a summary of published sea level archives representing the past position of sea level during the Last Interglacial sea level highstand in the Bahamas, Turks and Caicos, and the eastern (Atlantic) coast of Florida, USA. These data were assembled as part of a community effort to build the World Atlas of Last Interglacial Shorelines (WALIS) database. Shallow marine deposits from this sea level highstand are widespread across the region and are dominated by carbonate sedimentary features. In addition to depositional (constructional) sedimentary indicators of past sea level position, there is also evidence of erosion, dissolution, and/or subaerial exposure in places that can place an upper limit on the position of sea level. The sea level indicators that have been observed within this region and attributed to Marine Isotope Stage (MIS) 5e include corals, oolites, and other coastal sedimentary features. Here we compile a total of 50 relative sea level indicators including 36 in the Bahamas, three in West Caicos, and a remaining 10 for the eastern seaboard of Florida. We have also compiled U-Th age data for 24 fossil corals and 56 oolite samples. While some of these archives have been dated using U-Th disequilibrium methods, amino acid racemization, or optically stimulated luminescence, other features have more uncertain ages that have been deduced in the context of regional mapping and stratigraphy. Sedimentary archives in this region that constrain the elevation of the past position of sea level are associated with uncertainties that range from a couple decimeters to several meters. Across the Bahamas and on West Caicos, one of the observations that emerges from this compilation is that estimation of sea level position in this region during Marine Isotope Stage 5e is complicated by widespread stratigraphic evidence for at least one sea level oscillation. This evidence is defined by submarine features separated by erosion and subaerial exposure, meaning that there were likely multiple distinct peaks in sea level rather than just one. To this end, the timing of these individual sea level indicators becomes important when compiling and comparing data across the region given that different archives may have formed during different sub-orbital peaks in sea level.
Light-absorbing properties of mineral particles in the Great Lakes

Abstract The light-absorbing attributes of minerogenic particle populations are presented for 32 sites from five areas of the Laurentian Great Lakes based on laboratory measurements of non-algal particulate absorption along with a particle size distribution (PSD) metric and total projected area of minerogenic particles per unit volume of water (PAV m ) determined with an individual particle analysis (IPA) technique. IPA established clay mineral and calcite dominance as the primary and secondary composition cases, respectively, for the sampled populations. Estimates of spectral absorption properties of these populations are presented, including the mean absorption efficiency ( Q a,m >), the imaginary part of the refractive index ( n ′), and the mean package effect index ( Q a ⁎ ,m >). Substantial differences in these attributes among the samples are documented; those for Q a,m > and Q a ⁎ ,m > were explained well by the effects of optical thickness, which represent the multiplicative effects of n ′ and a PSD metric. Greater package effect is attributed to increases in n ′. Mie theory calculations, based on the n ′ estimates and the IPA characterizations, depict substantial decreases in the spectral backscattering coefficient ( b b,m ) for the minerogenic particle populations from the red to blue spectral regions, relative to the case of non-absorption. Related recommendations for mechanistic remote sensing initiatives to represent the effects of minerogenic particles are presented, including (1) use of PAV m as the optically active constituent metric, (2) use of Q a,m > as the corresponding cross-section (interim value of 0.33 or 0.39), and (3) representation of the spectral character for b b,m reported here.
The Rise of the New Economy and its Implication for Fiscal Policy

This is the transcript of the Distinguished Lecture held by Professor Vito Tanzi at the Leon Kozminski Academy of Entrepreneurship and Management (WSPiZ) on March 29, 2001 year. Transcript reflects the character of the lecture, its liveliness and colloquial character. It is intended to preserve not only the message, but also the atmosphere of this memorable event.
Keep Following the Money: Financial Accountability and Governance of Cyber Charter Schools

Cyber charter schools are expanding as a sector of public education. Pennsylvania has the highest number of cyber charters in the country, including several schools that enroll thousands of children from across the state. These large cyber schools, though themselves non-profit entities, are often managed by for-profit management entities, who receive millions in public funds through their management contracts. The financial accountability and governance of the schools have received little attention from regulators or scholars. Although the cyber charter school issues are national in scope, this article focuses on Pennsylvania as an example of how these issues are playing out. In 2011-2012, cyber charters in Pennsylvania enrolled over 33,000 students and received over $400 million in public funds. The founders of two of the five mega-cybers in Pennsylvania have been indicted for fraud by by federal authorities. The article examines the weaknesses of the existing oversight system which relies primarily on disclosure of information to the state Department of Education and other governmental agencies, all of which lack adequate resources to respond effectively to the disclosures. My focus is on how the schools fit into the larger debate over governance of nonprofits, not to evaluate the educational value of this form. Charter schools, including cyber charters, share the same challenges of overreliance on disclosure instead of enforcement of rules, insufficient education and training of board members, and a lack of transparency as other non-profits. The article reviews the issues raised by the available documents which raise questions about the frequent use of for-profit management entities, expenditures for advertising, and the concerns about conflicts of interest raised in some cases. The article proposes increased funding for oversight, revision of the funding formula to reflect the lower costs of cyber education, and greater transparency by the schools.
Reactions of human endometrium to the intrauterine foreign body II. Long-term effects on the endometrial histology and cytology

Abstract The intrauterine device produces a foreign body reaction in an area crucial for the viability and metabolism of the unimplanted blastocyst and the ascending sperm. After intrauterine foreign body (IUFB) insertion, hysterectomy specimens from 167 patients and endometrial biopsies from 202 women were studied histologically. These tissue specimens were obtained at intervals ranging from a few hours until 5 years after IUFB insertion. Minor tissue damage of the endometrium which was usually limited to the superficial epithelium and stroma was noted in a minority of specimens. Neutrophils, mononuclear cells, and plasma cells were greatly increased in the endometrium during the first 6 months after insertion. Thereafter, mononuclear cells were moderately reduced in quantity, but tissue concentrations remained elevated throughout the course of study. Plasma cells were seen as a transient invader of endometrial tissue, disappearing in most patients 5 months after IUFB insertion. Intrauterine flushings contained increased numbers of inflammatory cells as well as a high content of protein. It is postulated that this sterile tissue reaction in the endometrial cavity is the main causative factor for the contraceptive effect of the IUFB in the human female. This study revealed no evidence of a carcinogenic effect on the endometrium in association with the IUFB.
El arte de la biografía de Fernando Vallejo

El presente articulo gira en torno al altamente discutido y teorizado uso del “yo” en la obra de Vallejo. A traves de una cuidadosa comparacion entre el “yo” narrativo de Vallejo en sus novelas y la voz que narra sus biografias, Lander indaga en la supuesta realidad ficticia de Vallejo. Ademas de ofrecer una historia sin precedentes de la publicacion de las biografias de Porfirio Barba Jacob, Jose Asuncion Silva y Rufino Jose Cuervo en las que trabajo Vallejo por anos, el estudio de Lander ofrece un lucido comentario sobre el juego entre la auto-ficcion y los limites de la biografia en su obra. Lander concluye que las tacticas narrativas de Vallejo, a lo largo de tres decadas, han construido una imagen autorial duradera que intensifica su alteridad a traves de la hibridez narrativa.
Characteristics of Reactions Catalyzed by Purified Guanylyltransferase from Vaccinia Virus

<‘” GTP:RNA guanylyltransferase catalyzes the initial reaction in the formation of “caps” at 5’ termini of mRNAs. The characteristics of the guanylation reaction have been studied using purified enzyme isolated from vaccinia virus. Guanylation requires a divalent cation (Mg2’), is stimulated by monovalent cations (Na+ and K+), and is unaffected by S-adenosylmethionine. The enzyme utilizes GTP as guanylyl donor with an apparent K, of 15 PM; it will guanylate a variety of RNAs. The enzyme specifically requires V-triphosphate-terminated RNA chains, as shown from studies with poly(A) containing 5’-triphosphate, 5’-diphosphate, 5’monophosphate, or 5’-hydroxyl termini; and from studies with the dinucleotides pppGpC and ppGpC. The apparent K, for termini of 5’4riphosphate poly(A) is 0.2 PM. The triphosphate bridge of cap structures synthesized by purified guanylyltransferase is derived from the a-phosphate of GTP, and the a- and /3-phosphates of the triphosphate-terminated RNA acceptor. During guanylation of 5’-triphosphate poly(A), Pi and PPi are each released in a 1: 1 stoichiometry with “cap” formation; Pi and PPi are derived from B’-triphosphateterminated poly(A) and GTP, respectively. The results indicate that the reaction catalyzed by purified guanylyltransferase with GTP and 5’-triphosphate-terminated poly(A) is: uPa 1/P’a’ ap’a’ 1/ UP
Effects of starvation and refeeding on adult male rat diaphragm contractility, fatigue, and fiber types.

The effects of 4.5 days of acute starvation, either alone or followed by refeeding (ad libitum), on diaphragm contractility, fatigue, and fiber types were studied in male rats. Contractility and fa...
Abstract 2748: Aurora A kinase inhibitor MLN8237 suppresses neurosphere proliferation of pediatric glioblastoma and prolongs animal survival in patient tumor-derived orthotopic xenograft mouse model

Proceedings: AACR Annual Meeting 2014; April 5-9, 2014; San Diego, CA Background: Pediatric glioblastoma (GBM) is highly aggressive and development of novel therapy is needed. Aurora A kinase is critical for mitosis and its overexpression results in malignant transformation of normal cells. MLN8237 (Alisertib) is the first orally available reversible selective inhibitor of the Aurora A serine/threonine kinase. We investigated the effects of MLN8237 on glioma stem cell proliferation and animal survival, as well as the effects on clinically-proven therapy resistant GBM cells. Methods: Levels of Aurora A kinase expression were screened in a panel of patient tumor-derived orthotopic xenograft mouse models. Anti-tumor effects was examined by Cell Counting Kit-8 assay in paired monolayer cell lines (in FBS-based media) and neurosphere cultures (in serum-free media containing EGF and bFGF) from two xenograft mouse models, IC-4687GBM (previously untreated) and IC-R0315GBM (established from a therapy-resistant autopsy sample). Therapeutic efficacy was examined in vivo by orally administered MLN8237 (30 mg/kg/day for 12 days) in NOD/SCID mice (n=10 per group) two weeks post intra-cerebral tumor cell implantation. Tumor growth was examined by MRI and histopathological analysis. Results: Overexpression of Aurora A kinase mRNA (4-10 fold over normal control) was observed in our pediatric GBM models. Tumor growth in FBS medium was suppressed in the previously untreated line (4687GBM) but not in the therapy-resistant line (R0315GBM). Cell growth of neurospheres, which are enriched with cancer stem cells, was suppressed in both GBM lines in a time- and dose-dependent manner. In IC-4687GBM, suppression of xenograft tumor growth was confirmed by MRI and histopathological analysis along with significant prolongation of animal survival in the treatment group. In the therapy-resistant model IC-R0315GBM, no significant suppression was observed, which correlates with the in vitro lack of effect on the monolayer cells. Conclusion: We detected high levels Aurora A kinase expression in pediatric GBM models and demonstrated the efficacy of MLN8237 in targeting GBM in vitro and in vivo. Our data in the therapy-resistant model IC-R0315GBM suggests the need for combination treatment in therapy-resistant GBMs. Our results support the evaluation of MLN8237 as a novel agent for pediatric GBMs. Citation Format: Mari Kogiso, Linna Zhang, Lin Qi, Holly B. Lindsay, Frank Y. Lin, Stacey Berg, Xiao-Nan Li, Jodi A. Muscal. Aurora A kinase inhibitor MLN8237 suppresses neurosphere proliferation of pediatric glioblastoma and prolongs animal survival in patient tumor-derived orthotopic xenograft mouse model. [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 105th Annual Meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research; 2014 Apr 5-9; San Diego, CA. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2014;74(19 Suppl):Abstract nr 2748. doi:10.1158/1538-7445.AM2014-2748