cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Coding performance of hybrid ARQ schemes

We develop a unified performance metric and detailed analysis for hybrid automatic repeat request (HARQ) schemes based on incremental redundancy (IR) and Chase combining (CC). The general result is applicable to both symbol-based and bit-interleaved coded modulations, to HARQ processes based on rateless and fixed-rate mother codes, and IR schemes with and without a self-decodability restriction. The analysis shows that IR over CC coding gains tend to increase with the initial coding rate, but decrease with the signal-to-noise (SNR) variation between retransmissions. The gains can also be diminished when a fixed-rate mother code is used or when the self-decodability criterion is imposed. The theoretical prediction is compared with observed gains at 10% codeword error rates based on turbo-coding simulations. For scenarios with moderately varying SNR between retransmissions, the analytical model tracks actual simulation results very well. However, when the SNR varies widely and the systematic part of the turbo codeword is effectively erased, the CC scheme could, in fact, outperform some IR schemes. For these scenarios, which can be induced by fast time-varying fading or long retransmission delays, the self-decodable IR and the CC schemes prove to be more robust without much performance comprise. Finally, we discuss adaptive improvement to the conventional IR schemes based on the analytical result
SNAP: workbench management tool for evolutionary population genetic analysis

Summary: The reconstruction of population processes from DNA sequence variation requires the coordinated implementation of several coalescent-based methods, each bound by specific assumptions and limitations. In practice, the application of these coalescent-based methods for parameter estimation is difficult because they make strict assumptions that must be verified a priori and their parameter-rich nature makes the estimation of all model parameters very complex and computationally intensive. A further complication is their distribution as console applications that require the user to navigate through console menus or specify complex command-line arguments. To facilitate the implementation of these coalescent-based tools we developed SNAP Workbench, a Java program that manages and coordinates a series of programs. The workbench enhances population parameter estimation by ensuring that the assumptions and program limitations of each method are met and by providing a step-by-step methodology for examining population processes that integrates both summary-statistic methods and coalescent-based population genetic models. Availability: SNAP Workbench is freely available at http://snap.cifr.ncsu.edu. The workbench and tools can be downloaded for Mac, Windows and Unix operating systems. Each package includes installation instructions, program documentation and a sample dataset. Contact: ignazio_carbone@ncsu.edu Supplementary information: A description of system requirements and installation instructions can be found at http://snap.cifr.ncsu.edu
Inhibition by a peri-Fluorine Atom of 1,2-Dihydrodiol Formation as a Basis for the Lower Tumorigenicity of 12-Fluoro-5-methylchrysene than of 5-Methylchrysene

12-Fluoro-5-methylchrysene, which has a fluorine atom at a peri position, is less carcinogenic toward mouse skin than is 5-methylchrysene. To determine the basis for this observation, metabolites of 12-fluoro-5-methylchrysene formed by rat liver in vitro were identified, and used as standards to study the metabolism of (/sup 3/H)-12-fluoro-5-methylchrysene in mouse liver in vitro and in mouse epidermis in vivo. Metabolites were identified by their ultraviolet, mass, and nuclear magnetic resonance spectra, by comparison to synthetic standards, and by chemical transformations. Dihydrodiols, phenols, and hydroxymethyl derivatives of 12-fluoro-5-methylchrysene were characterized. The extents of formation of 1,2-dihydro-1,2-dihydroxy-12-fluoro-5-methylchrysene and 7,8-dihydro-7,8-dihydroxy-12-fluoro-5-methylchrysene in mouse liver in vitro were strongly influenced by pretreatment with 3-methylcholanthrene, but the ratio of 1,2-dihydrodiol to 7,8-dihydrodiol was lower than in the metabolism of 5-methylchrysene carried out under identical conditions. The major metabolites of (/sup 3/H)-12-fluoro-5-methylchrysene formed in mouse epidermis, 0.33 to 4 hr after topical application, were 7,8-dihydro-7,8-dihydroxy-12-fluoro-5-methylchrysene and 7-hydroxy-12-fluoro-5-methylchrysene. The ratio of 7,8-dihydro-7,8-dihydroxy-12-fluoro-5-methylchrysene to 1,2-dihydro-1,2-dihydroxy-12-fluoro-5-methylchrysene in mouse epidermis, 2 hr after application of (/sup 3/H)-12-fluoro-5-methylchrysene, was 68:1, compared to 1:1 for the corresponding dihydrodiols of 5-methylchrysene. These results show that fluorine substitution at the 12-peri position of 5-methylchrysene inhibits formation of the 1,2-dihydrodiol in the adjacent ring. Since themore » 1,2-dihydrodiol is a major proximate carcinogen of 5-methylchrysene, the results provide an explanation for the relatively low carcinogenicity of 12-fluoro-5-methylchrysene.« less
Eye of the Universe: Henry Sidgwick and the Problem Public

Henry Sidgwick has gone down in the history of philosophy as both the great, classical utilitarian moral theorist who authored The Methods of Ethics, and an outstanding exemplar of intellectual honesty and integrity, one whose personal virtues were inseparable from his philosophical strengths and method. Yet this construction of Sidgwick the philosopher has been based on a too limited understanding of Sidgwick's casuistry and leading practical ethical concerns. As his friendship with John Addington Symonds reveals, Sidgwick was deeply entangled in an effort to negotiate the proper spheres of the public and private, not only in philosophical and religious matters, but also with respect to explosive questions of sexuality – particularly same sex actions and identities, as celebrated by Symonds and other champions of Oxford Hellenism and Whitmania. His willingness to mislead the public about such issues suggests that Sidgwick's utilitarian casuistry was rather more complex and esoteric than has been recognized.
Real-Time Monitoring of Carbon Steel Corrosion in Crude Oil and Brine Mixtures Using Coupled Multielectrode Sensors

A real-time coupled multielectrode array sensor was used to measure the non-uniform corrosion of carbon steel material in a crude oil containing different amounts of brine solutions. Parallel immersion tests with carbon steel specimens in the crude oil were also conducted. The measurement results from the sensor and the results from immersion tests show that the crude-brine mixtures were not corrosive if there was no segregated phase of brine or water formed. However, the crude-brine mixture was highly corrosive when a segregated brine phase was present even in a small quantity. The measured results also show that, once initiated by even a small amount of suspended brine particulates, it took a long time for the corrosion to stop after the brine was homogeneously mixed with the crude oil.
Developmental changes in the allocation of semantic feedback during visual word recognition

The present study used a mediated priming paradigm to examine whether developmental differences exist in the integration of semantic information with orthographic and phonological information during visual word recognition. In Experiment 1, we found that the integration of semantics with phonology and orthography differed among third-grade, sixth-grade and college students: orthographically based mediated inhibition effects were found in third-grade children, whereas phonologically based mediated inhibition effects were found in sixth-grade children and college students. A second experiment was performed with adults to test the hypothesis that the orthographically based mediated inhibition effect observed with young children was due to deficits in orthographic processing. When stimulus quality was manipulated within the mediated priming paradigm, orthographically based mediated inhibition effects were found when targets were dim, whereas phonologically based mediated inhibition effects were found when targets were bright. Taken together, these results suggest that the allocation of activation during reading may depend on the processing demands of the word recognition system.
Stimulated Raman scattering and lasing in micrometer-sized cylindrical liquid jets: time and spectral dependence

Stimulated Raman scattering (SRS) in micrometer-sized water and carbon tetrachloride liquid cylinders irradiated with a pulsed frequency-doubled Nd:YAG laser (pulse length 8 ns, peak intensity ≈4 GW/cm2) have been observed. As was found previously for spherical droplets, SRS is supported by natural cavity mode resonances of the cylinder. For water cylinders SRS spectra consist of quasi-periodic peaks within the spontaneous Raman band, and the separation of the peaks suggests that the dominant emission is supported by resonances of a single mode order. As many as 14 orders of Stokes shifts are observed in carbon tetrachloride cylinders. SRS is delayed (∼6 ns) with respect to elastic scattering and is suppressed by the addition of a small amount of absorptive material to the liquid. Measurement of SRS light scattered perpendicular to the cylinder axis shows it to have the same time and spectral dependence (1) in the region of the pump laser beam for perpendicular and nonperpendicular incidence and (2) in regions of the cylinder located at least 0.5 cm along the cylinder axis from the irradiated portion. Lasing has been observed in water cylinders doped with Rhodamine 6G dye, and spectral measurements suggest that, like SRS, lasing also is supported by resonances.
High-speed three-dimensional imaging of the pulmonary alveoli

Investigating the structure and function of pulmonary alveoli in vivo is crucial for understanding the normal and diseased lung. In particular, understanding the three-dimensional geometry and relationship of the terminal alveoli to their neighboring alveoli, alveolar ducts and acini during respiration would be a major advance. However, the lung is an inherently difficult organ to image in vivo and the peripheral lung has many compounding challenges not limited to its highly scattering micro architecture, large motion artifacts and difficult access through the bronchial tree. In this study, we image the alveoli of fixed pig lungs using a high-speed high-resolution optical frequency domain imaging (OFDI) system that is endoscopically compatible for future in vivo imaging of human alveoli. Core imaging components include a rapidly swept wavelength source centered at 1310nm resulting in an A-line depth scan rate of 62,500Hz, a polarization diverse dual balanced receiver, and a high speed data acquisition system. Whole lungs were excised from normal piglets and inflation fixed at 15cm H2O pressure using a modified Heitzman fixation technique. Lungs were air dried in a heated oven and sectioned into 500µm slices. Three-dimensional datasets were acquired from lung slices with 512x512x1024 voxels and a voxel dimension of 5x5x8µm. Datasets were acquired at 122 frames per second and 0.23 volumes per second - indicating the potential to acquire a three-dimensional volume within a single human respiratory cycle. OFDI images reveal clear delineation of alveolar septal walls, demonstrating that high-speed three-dimensional visualization of air filled alveoli is feasible. The fixed lung data provides a strong foundation for investigating the 3D structure and function of alveoli in vivo and suggests great promise for advancing our knowledge of the functional unit of the lung.
The Arabidopsis CLAVATA2 Gene Encodes a Receptor-like Protein Required for the Stability of the CLAVATA1 Receptor-like Kinase

The CLAVATA2 (CLV2) gene regulates both meristem and organ development in Arabidopsis. We isolated the CLV2 gene and found that it encodes a receptor-like protein (RLP), with a presumed extracellular domain composed of leucine-rich repeats similar to those found in plant and animal receptors, but with a very short predicted cytoplasmic tail. RLPs lacking cytoplasmic signaling domains have not been previously shown to regulate development in plants. Our prior work has demonstrated that the CLV1 receptor-like kinase (RLK) is present as a disulfide-linked multimer in vivo. We report that CLV2 is required for the normal accumulation of CLV1 protein and its assembly into protein complexes, indicating that CLV2 may form a heterodimer with CLV1 to transduce extracellular signals. Sequence analysis suggests that the charged residue in the predicted transmembrane domain of CLV2 may be a common feature of plant RLPs and RLKs. In addition, the chromosomal region in which CLV2 is located contains an extremely high rate of polymorphism, with 50 nucleotide and 15 amino acid differences between Landsberg erecta and Columbia ecotypes within the CLV2 coding sequence.
Arginine-responsive asymptomatic hyperammonemia in the premature infant

We found that more than 50% of premature infants have elevated plasma ammonium levels during the first 2 months of life. Ammonium levels were twice normal and were unaccompanied by clinical symptoms of vomiting or lethargy. Ten of these infants were given supplements of arginine (1 to 2 mmol/kg/day PO) for 1 to 2 weeks preceded and followed by control periods. In each infant, plasma ammonium levels fell significantly within 2 days of start of arginine supplementation, and increased once arginine was discontinued. We studied 59 additional premature infants, of whom 26 had normal ammonium levels and 33 were hyperammonemic. Plasma arginine and ornithine levels were significantly lower in the hyperammonemic group, but there was no difference in urinary excretion of arginine or ornithine between groups. Half of the hyperammonemic infants received arginine supplementation between 2 and 8 weeks of age. Plasma ammonium levels in the arginine group was 33+1 μmol/L, compared to 45+2 μmol/L in the untreated group. Follow-up at 18 months of age showed similar IQ scores in all groups, suggesting that significant neurologic deficits do not result from this transient metabolic defect. The mechanism of the hyperammonemia is unclear.
Chapter 29 Progress Toward the Rational Study of Enzyme Structure-Function Relationships

Publisher Summary This chapter discusses necessarily a snapshot of a very rapidly moving field to emphasize the generality of the approach by focusing on a few selected applications of various techniques of mutagenesis to studies of protein function. Although still in its infancy, the use of mutagenic techniques to create new proteins has allowed to gain many insights into the rules that relate amino acid sequence to three dimensional structure and function. Further applications and refinements of these approaches is anticipated to eventually lead to the ability for rational design of proteins for applications in medicine, industry, and commerce with a broad range of specifically tailored, novel, and useful properties. In general, target residues for mutagenic experiments are decided on the basis of existing structural or kinetic information: data from x-ray structures, chemical modification experiments, or from sequence comparisons may indicate sites that are of interest. Specific problems that have been addressed include determination of the roles of specific amino acids in catalysis and in substrate binding, in allosterism, in protein stability, in protein-protein interactions, and in protein-DNA interactions.
Chapter-organized community support of entry-level physical therapy education. A special communication.

The purpose of this article is to describe how a chapter has organized community support for participation in cooperative planning for physical therapist and physical therapist assistant education. Neither the problems in higher education nor the challenges that lie ahead in physical therapy education are unique to Michigan. Therefore, the Michigan chapter's methods of cooperative educational planning may have application to other chapters faced with similar problems and challenges. Meaningful solutions to the multiple problems facing physical therapy education require input from a variety of community resources. One way that such resources may be organized is by the chapter in cooperation with the institution of higher education. Many significant developments have recently led the Michigan chapter to become more concerned with educational issues.…
Temporal resolution skills in Cochlear implant users in relation to post implant age

Cochlear Implant (CI) is a device that helps adults and children who have severe to profound hearing loss and are not receiving satisfactory benefit from hearing aids or tactile devices to understand speech. Temporal resolution is an auditory temporal processing skill that refers to the minimal time required to segregate or resolve acoustic events. Gap detection is probably the most commonly used measure of temporal resolution. 20 children with cochlear implant in the age range of 7-20 years were included in the study. Gap Detection Threshold was measured at 500Hz, 1K Hz, 2K Hz, 4K Hz in four groups i.e., are cochlear implant recipients with 2, 5, 10 and 15 months of post-operative duration. Significant (p<0.001) difference in gap detection threshold between 2 and 5, 10 and 15 months observed for all frequencies. No significant difference observed between 5 months to 10 and 15 months and between 10 and 15 months for all the test frequencies. Poor temporal resolution is seen in CI because they rely on either temporal or spectral cues. Poorer scores soon after the implants could be due to the training, implant duration or the initial map current levels.
Electron-Phonon Coupling in Superconducting Alkali-Metal Doped Fullerenes

The dimensionless electron-phonon coupling parameter in alkali metal-doped fullerenes isevaluated in a model whereby the electrons are treated within a tight binding formalism. The phonon mode frequencies and eigenvectors are obtained from a lattice dynamical modelwhich accurately fits all available experimental data on these modes. It is shown that the electrormphonon interaction can account for the relatively high values of the superconducting transition temperatures in alkali-metal fullerenes.
A Rapid Method to Detect Differences in Interviewer Performance

This article shows how a simple graphic fool can assist supervisors to compare very quickly the performance of interviewers, and to discover if any retraining or replacement is necessary to insure ...
Oviposition site preference of Lygus hesperus (Hemiptera: Miridae) on common bean in relation to bean age and genotype

Oviposition-site preference of Lygus Hesperus Knight on common bean, Phaseolus vulgaris (L.), in relation to plant phenological stage and plant genotypes was determined under field conditions. Plants at peak flower production (50 days after emergence) were more susceptible to lygus bug ovipositional pressure than were two other age classes. Significant differences were found in the number of eggs laid on different genotypes. ‘CIAT 5683’ and ‘Red Kidney’ received 4- and 3-fold more eggs, respectively, than the less preferred entries ‘BAT 1081’ and ‘BAT 1299’. Neither phenological stage nor the genotypes used in this work had an effect on the plant structure selected for oviposition by lygus bugs. Three-day-old pods, inflorescence stem, leaf petiole, and leaf pulvinus were significantly preferred and received ≥80% of eggs deposited by L. hesperus. These results strongly suggest that oviposition nonpreference is an important factor in common bean resistance to L. hesperus.
Blood Urethane Levels Achieved with Entero-Goated Tablets.∗:

SummaryBlood urethane levels using the method of Archer et al. were performed on patients receiving enteric-coated urethane tablets for the treatment of leukemia and multiple myeloma. Blood levels ranging from 0 to 27 mg per 100 cc of blood were obtained. The correlation between dosage of the drug, blood level and clinical response was poor. This negates the value of such determination in the regulation of oral urethane therapy.
Understanding the Rates and Molecular Mechanism of Water-Exchange around Aqueous Ions Using Molecular Simulations

Solvation processes occurring around aqueous ions are of fundamental importance in physics, chemistry, and biology. Over the past few decades, several experimental and theoretical studies were devoted to understanding ion solvation and the processes involved in it. In this article, we present a summary of our recent efforts that, through computer simulations, focused on providing a comprehensive understanding of solvent-exchange processes around aqueous ions. To accomplish these activities, we have looked at the mechanistic properties associated with the water-exchange process, such as potentials of mean force, time-dependent transmission coefficients, and the corresponding rate constants using transition state theory, the reactive flux method, and Grote–Hynes treatments of the dynamic response of the solvent.
Internet of Things Session Management Over LTE—Balancing Signal Load, Power, and Delay

To efficiently support and manage massive number of Internet of Things (IoT) short and bursty sessions, current long-term evolution (LTE) system needs to reduce signal load generated by IoT session setup/synchronization, while balancing the system performance, such as UE power consumption and delays to time-sensitive traffic. In LTE, radio resource control (RRC) and discontinuous reception (DRX) affect power consumption, signal load, and delay. We provide a session management methodology suitable for IoT traffic over LTE. Our analysis starts with a Markov chain analysis of the impact of DRX parameters. This is followed by an optimal uplink scheduler design and an IoT-aware adaptive DRX algorithm at the client, both of which modulate the tradeoff among signal load, delay, and power consumption. Scalability is also considered by providing a high-priority clustering-based adaptive DRX algorithm at eNB. Simulation results show that for packets with 0.1 s delay, our scheduler outperforms “Tx now” (and “Wait Till Deadline”) by 50% (and 30%) in power saving and by 60% (and 15%) in signal saving. With knowledge of the traffic pattern, IoT-aware adaptive DRX can further reduce signal load by 25%, especially for delay-sensitive traffic.
A REMARK ON THE EQUIVALENCE PROBLEM FOR AFFINE AND METRIC SPACES

An analytic proof for the equivalence of two affine spaces and twometric spaces in terms of their curvature tensors was given in a previouspaper[1]by making use of a known theorem about differential equationsof mixed system.[2]In the present note we shall give a proof for thesame purpose without any application of the theorem just mentioned,instead of which some identities[3][4]in curvature tensor and its covariantderivatives are used.
Smart mobile phone applied for collection of information in field epidemiology investigation

[Objective] To research a technique for collection of epidemiological and geographical information based on smart mobile phone and put it into practice in field epidemiology investigation. [Methods] Social economic data and infectious disease information were collected for establishment of geo-spatial database and creation of public health thematic map based on Shanghai surveying map.Development softwares were used including ARCSDE 9.3.1,ARCGIS Engine Developer Kit 9.3.1,ARCGIS Sever 9.3.1 and Visual C++ for establishment of GIS platform based on smart mobile phone information collection. [Results] Through smart mobile phone information system we collected patients' epidemiological,multimedia and spatial information,real-time received task and verified information from GIS platform and used map tools,GPS,information query function and so on.Since December 2007 when we applied the system,the average time for investigation and analyses has greatly decreased from 24 and 48 hours to less than 2 hours in experimental areas. [Conclusion] The establishment and application of smart mobile phone information system provides a new technique for field epidemiological investigation.
Predictors of objective sleep tendency in the general population.

STUDY OBJECTIVES Daytime sleepiness is a pervasive problem that is associated with a significant public-health burden. Although self-reported measures of daytime sleepiness may be useful in identifying at-risk individuals, there is significant controversy because there are no population-based data relating subjective and objective measures of daytime sleep tendency. The aims of this study were to examine the associations between the Multiple Sleep Latency Test (MSLT), an objective measure of daytime sleep tendency, and self-reported information on the Epworth Sleepiness Scale (ESS) and nighttime sleep duration in the general population. DESIGN Cross-sectional study. SETTING AND PARTICIPANTS Population-based sample of 261 women and 371 men, mean age of 50.8 years, enrolled in the Wisconsin Sleep Cohort Study. MEASUREMENTS MSLT, ESS, and self-reported sleep duration prior to the MSLT. RESULTS Using survival analysis to model the time to sleep onset during the MSLT, we found that individuals with an intermediate (6-11) and high (> or = 12) ESS score had a 30% and 69% increase in risk for sleep onset during the MSLT, respectively, compared to individuals with a low ESS score (< or = 5). A dose-response relationship between self-reported duration of nighttime sleep and objective sleep tendency was also observed. Compared to individuals reporting more than 7.50 hours of sleep (highest tertile), individuals reporting 6.75 to 7.50 hours and less than 6.75 hours (lowest tertile) had a 27% and 73% increase in risk for sleep onset during the MSLT, respectively. CONCLUSIONS Subjective reports of daytime sleep tendency on the ESS and the duration of nighttime sleep are associated with the results of the MSLT in the general population.
Physiology of Pancreatic Secretion

The exocrine pancreas secretes into the duodenum a juice containing two major components, an alkaline fluid and enzymatic proteins. The composition of, control of, inhibition of, and factors affecting these secretions are discussed.
Patterns of Drinking Initiation Among Latino Youths: Cognitive and Contextual Explanations of the Immigrant Paradox

ABSTRACTThis study examined the immigrant paradox in drinking initiation among Latino youths and tested contextual (i.e., family, peer) and cognitive (i.e., alcohol expectancies, risk-taking) explanations of this pattern. A sample of 129 first- and second-generation (73%) youths completed the study. The estimated odds of starting to drink were 2.5 (95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.10–5.9) times higher for second-generation teens compared to first-generation youths. Negative expectancy valuations and perceptions of peer substance use simultaneously explained the generational increase in drinking initiation. Addressing these tractable mechanisms represents opportunities to delay initiation and help reduce emerging disparities among Latino youth.
Response to crizotinib and cabozantinib in stage IV lung adenocarcinoma patients with mutations that cause MET exon 14 skipping.

8021 Background: Mutations in the MET exon 14 RNA splice acceptor and donor sites, which lead to exon skipping, deletion of the juxtamembrane domain, and loss of Cbl E3-ligase binding to the result...
Economic Research Evolves: Fields and Styles

We examine the evolution of economics research using a machine-learning-based classification of publications into fields and styles. The changing field distribution of publications would not seem to favor empirical papers. But economics' empirical shift is a within-field phenomenon; even fields that traditionally emphasize theory have gotten more empirical. Empirical work has also come to be more cited than theoretical work. The citation shift is sharpened when citations are weighted by journal importance. Regression analyses of citations per paper show empirical publications reaching citation parity with theoretical publications around 2000. Within fields and journals, however, empirical work is now cited more.
Mitigation of Calcium Oxychloride Formation in Cement Pastes Using Undensified Silica Fume

AbstractCertain chloride-based deicing salts can react with calcium hydroxide in cement paste to form calcium oxychloride. Calcium oxychloride formation results in expansive pressures that damage c...
Measurement, Data and Country Context

This chapter gives the empirical background to the analysis in Chapters 4, 5 and 6. It first reviews measurement issues with respect to implementing the human development model of Chapter 2. There could be different ways to put the human development model into practice depending on the objective of the exercise and the context. This chapter discusses some ways to operationalize the model and explains the health and wellbeing deprivation measures that are adopted in the rest of this book. It describes the data under use (Living Standards Measurement Study ) and the demographic, socioeconomic, and policy contexts for the countries covered in the analysis: Ethiopia, Malawi, Tanzania, and Uganda.
Altered Cav1.2 function in the Timothy syndrome mouse model produces ascending serotonergic abnormalities

Polymorphism in the gene CACNA1C, encoding the pore-forming subunit of Cav1.2 L-type calcium channels, has one of the strongest genetic linkages to schizophrenia, bipolar disorder and major depressive disorder: psychopathologies in which serotonin signaling has been implicated. Additionally, a gain-of-function mutation in CACNA1C is responsible for the neurodevelopmental disorder Timothy syndrome that presents with prominent behavioral features on the autism spectrum. Given an emerging role for serotonin in the etiology of autism spectrum disorders (ASD), we investigate the relationship between Cav1.2 and the ascending serotonin system in the Timothy syndrome type 2 (TS2-neo) mouse, which displays behavioral features consistent with the core triad of ASD. We find that TS2-neo mice exhibit enhanced serotonin tissue content and axon innervation of the dorsal striatum, as well as decreased serotonin turnover in the amygdala. These regionally specific alterations are accompanied by an enhanced active coping response during acute stress (forced swim), serotonin neuron Fos activity in the caudal dorsal raphe, and serotonin type 1A receptor-dependent feedback inhibition of the rostral dorsal raphe nuclei. Collectively, these results suggest that the global gain-of-function Cav1.2 mutation associated with Timothy syndrome has pleiotropic effects on the ascending serotonin system including neuroanatomical changes, regional differences in forebrain serotonin metabolism and feedback regulatory control mechanisms within the dorsal raphe. Altered activity of the ascending serotonin system continues to emerge as a common neural signature across several ASD mouse models, and the capacity for Cav1.2 L-type calcium channels to impact both serotonin structure and function has important implications for several neuropsychiatric conditions.
PD measurements, failure analysis, and control in high-power IGBT modules

Increased voltage blocking capability and the development of packaging technology for IGBTs can enhance the local electric field that may become large enough to increase partial discharges (PDs) within the module. The study presents a survey on (i) simulation the electric field within an IGBT module; (ii) current standards for evaluation of the insulation systems of IGBTs; (iii) PD detection and localisation methods as well as other diagnostic and quality control test methods about IGBTs; and (iv) various methods for PD control in an IGBT module. The survey shows remarkable technical gaps in all four areas. More sophisticated numerical and theoretical techniques are needed to model complicated geometries, e.g. extremely sharp edges of the copper metallisation and protrusions in the substrate, and composite non-linear field grading materials. There is no model to take into account defects in the gel and on the ceramic substrate. IEC 61287-1 cannot sufficiently assess the behaviour of PDs on IGBT module under the actual operating conditions exposing fast rise pulse-width modulation-like voltages. There is no agreement on the exact origin and location of PDs in the module with relying on measured phase-resolved PD patterns. PD control methods using non-linear grading materials are not mature enough.
Neotoma floridana (Eastern wood rat)

A large number of the acrocentric chromosomes possess knob-like second arm. It is not easy to positively identify the X chromosome because it may be confused with the large submetacentric autosomes. However, the Y chromosome is unique in its morphology and can be identified unequivocally.
Controversies Regarding Type A Behavior and Coronary Heart Disease

This article reviews the history of research implicating type A behavior as a risk factor for coronary heart disease. Although early studies generally supported the link, current studies increasingly call it into question. It is likely that “type A behavior” as a concept will be replaced by a more precise description of the behavior in question. Current work suggests that type A individuals with hostility and conflict over anger expression maybe at greater risk for coronary heart disease.
A Method of Moments Estimator for Modulation Index of Continuous Phase Modulation

A novel non data-aided estimator based upon the method of moments is proposed for estimating the modulation index of continuous phase modulation (CPM) schemes. Analytical expressions are derived for the asymptotic (large data record N) mean and variance of the estimator using truncated Taylor series. It is shown that the estimator is asymptotically unbiased and has variance that depends upon the modulation index, which decreases as $O(N^{-1})$. Numerical simulations are performed to study the convergence of mean and variance of the estimator to their respective asymptotic values. The performance comparison establishes that the proposed estimator outperforms state-of-the-art estimators in the low signal-to-noise ratio regime.
Protamine sulfate may prevent infections by pathogens that require heparan sulfate proteoglycan interactions, including high- and low-risk Human Papillomaviruses and Chlamydia trachomatis..

e13065Background: Human papillomaviruses (HPVs) are the most common pathogens of the reproductive tract with 80% of the population acquiring an infection at least once in their lifetime. Globally, ...
Data-Driven Prediction of Risk in Drug Substance Starting Materials

Regulatory approval for drug substance (DS) starting materials (SMs) represents a significant milestone in the progression toward approval of the proposed DS manufacturing process. To objectively p...
Separation of Powers

Although nowhere is it mentioned in the Constitution itself, the separation of powers is the principle hinge on which the American system rests. Power is separated—that is, no one branch controls or dominates; each shares power.
ATP transport into yeast ER is a prerequisite for preprotein transfer across the ER membrane

The molecular mechanism by which precursors of secretory proteins traverse the membrane of the endoplasmic reticulum (ER) is still poorly understood. Of particular interest is the question how this process is linked energetically to the hydrolysis of ATP. When post-translational modes of translocation in yeast and in mammalian ER were examined, one role for ATP could be attributed to the function of cytosolic stress factors, which maintain nascent polypeptides in a translocation competent state (Meyer, 1991). Recently, an additional ATP requirement of the translocation step at the membrane level has been found for both systems. In yeast it was shown that ATP is required for the membrane transfer of preproteins, bound to receptor sites on the ER membrane (Sanz and Meyer, 1989). With regard to this finding basically two models can be proposed how ATP is used for ER-rnembrane transfer of preproteins.
Robustness in Mechanism Design and Contracting

This review summarizes a nascent body of theoretical research on design of incentives when the environment is not fully known to the designer and offers some general lessons from the work so far. T...
Should all Stakeholders be Treated Fairly? Identifying Stakeholders that Legitimately Matter

A key contribution of stakeholder research is that a firm’s purpose and objective is influenced by those stakeholders who have a legitimate stake in a firm’s business activities. Yet, identifying t...
Genetic predisposition for increased red blood cell distribution width is an early risk factor for cardiovascular and renal comorbidities

Red blood cell distribution width (RDW) is a measurement of the variation in size and volume of red blood cells (RBCs). Increased RDW, indicating a high heterogeneity of RBCs, is prominently associated with a variety of illnesses, especially cardiovascular diseases. However, the significance of this association to the onset and progression of cardiovascular and renal diseases is unknown. We hypothesized that a genetic predisposition for increased RDW is an early risk factor for cardiovascular and renal comorbidities. Since there is no known animal model of increased RDW, we examined a CRISPR/Cas9 gene-edited rat model (RfflTD) which presented with features of hematologic abnormalities as well as severe cardiac and renal comorbidities. A mass-spectrometry based quantitative proteomic analysis indicated anemia of these rats presented with significant downregulation of hemoglobin and haptoglobin. Decreased hemoglobin and increased RDW were further observed in RfflTD through complete blood count. Next, a systematic temporal assessment detected an early increased RDW in RfflTD, which was prior to the development of other comorbidities. The primary mutation of RfflTD is a 50bp deletion in a non-coding region, whereby, our study has serendipitously identified this locus as a novel quantitative trait locus (QTL) for RDW. To our knowledge, our study is the first to experimentally pinpoint a QTL for RDW and provides a novel genetic rat model mimicking the clinical association of increased RDW with poor cardio-renal outcomes.
8 – Gene Therapy

Publisher Summary This chapter discusses that gene therapy is one of the most innovative and imaginative uses of deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) technology. Gene therapy is a process in which scientists take cells from the patient, alter their chromosomes by adding genes, and then replace the cells back into the patient. Another approach is to insert the genes into a carrier, such as a virus and place the viruses into human tissues. The new genes provide the genetic codes for proteins the patient needs. The chapter discusses the way “foreign” genes can be delivered to the cells of a patient through retroviruses. The chapter also explains effects of deficiency of adenosine deaminase and gene therapy can resolve this deficiency. The mechanism used to treat certain forms of cancer in gene therapy is also discussed. Further, the chapter explains the molecular basis for cystic fibrosis and describing the uses of gene therapy to treat this disease. Details of several approaches to treating AIDS patients by using gene therapy are discussed. The future uses of gene therapy are projected. The chapter concludes with a discussion on the reviews and oversights of gene therapy experiments, and states the need to ensure the safety of patients and the public.
Book Review, the Art of Law: Artistic Representations and Iconography of Law and Justice in Context, From the Middle Ages to the First World War, Edited by Stefan Huyge-Baert, Georges Martyn, Vanessa Paumen, Eric Bousmar and Xavier Rousseaux, Cham, Springer, 2018

This book review addresses how visual culture reflects legal norms. The volume is ambitious in its scope. Readers will learn a great deal about the history of iconography associated with law but less about the translocal political and social forces that render ‘Justice’ legible, that built impressive structures, and that pressed certain narratives into enduring public consciousness. Furthermore, the haunting question addressed by some, but not all, of the authors remains: how to think about the continued legibility of much of this imagery given that social movements have transformed adjudication into a practice embedded in democracies and, in many countries, have produced courthouses as an icon not only of adjudication but also of government more generally?
Workplace Ostracism and Employee Prosocial and Antisocial Organizational Behaviors

This chapter reviews the literature about employees’ behavioral reactions to workplace ostracism that fall into the categories of prosocial organizational behaviors (organizational citizenship behaviors, helping, and proactive behaviors) and antisocial organizational behaviors (counterproductive work behaviors, workplace deviance, and social loafing). In general, workplace ostracism is negatively related to prosocial organizational behaviors and positively related to antisocial organizational behaviors. Important theoretical frameworks used in the literature have been identified: Social identity theory, sociometer theory, and conservation of resources theory were used for prosocial organizational behaviors, and need to belong theory, transactional stress model, social exchange theory, and self-verification theory were used for antisocial organizational behaviors. Several moderators and mediators were also identified. Examples for prosocial organizational behaviors include organizational factors (e.g., person-organization fit), social factors (e.g., social support), and variables related to psychological well-being (e.g., self-esteem), and examples for antisocial organizational behaviors include organizational factors (e.g., 360 feedback), social factors (e.g., high team identification), and individual differences (e.g., personality, self-esteem). Finally, we discuss potential directions for future studies in this line of research; examples include examining workplace ostracism from different sources, differentiation of targets for interpersonal prosocial/antisocial behaviors, and examining witnessed workplace ostracism as a moderator.
Clipping Noise Mitigation by Adaptive Nulling and Nondata-Aided Compensation in Coded OFDM

Signal clipping is one of the simplest, yet effective method used to reduce the high peak-to-average power ratio (PAPR) in orthogonal frequency division multiplexing (OFDM) systems. However, clipping generates nonlinear distortion that causes spectral broadening and deteriorates the bit-error-rate (BER) performance of the OFDM system. This paper proposes a technique that incorporates Reed Solomon encoding and a feedback-based puncturing procedure to adaptively mitigate the clipping distortion on the OFDM spectrum and remove the out-of-band broadening caused by the intentional clipping. The new technique also employs a classical decision-aided method to iteratively compensate the residual frequency-domain distortion on data subcarriers. The simulation results show the effectiveness of the new technique in improving the BER of an OFDM system with various block sizes and practical clipping constraints.
Should Bank Dividends Be Regulated? What Is the Long-Term Historical Evidence?

The issue of bank dividend regulation has become highly controversial as the stress induced on bank capital during the 2008 financial crisis and the covid pandemic created a demand for enhanced regulation and restrictions on bank dividend payments. This paper examines this issue from a historical perspective by analyzing the dividend decisions of a sample of central-reserve-city banks during the Great Depression and its aftermath to 1973, and in particular the active risk management role that dividend policy may have played for study banks. Dividend policy was used to balance the interests of stockholders and depositors, and to preserve the long-term solvency of the bank. Overall our study results show that despite an initial reluctance to cut dividends, banks cut dividend levels by 24% in 1932 and by 12.7% in 1933 (in median terms). Post-Great Depression dividends remained at depressed levels through most of the 1930s and 1940s. Our study results indicate that this period of depressed and relatively constant dividends allowed banks to rebuild capital levels, which had fallen sharply with the Great Depression. Capital rebuilding post-depression represented risk-shifting in favor of depositors and likely contributed to the stability of the U.S. banking system in the post-depression era.
Telemedicine remote controlled stroke evaluation and treatment, the experience of radiographers, paramedics and junior doctors in a novel rural stroke management team.

In the case of ischemic stroke, access to a Computed Tomography (CT) scanner and the start of thrombolytic therapy immediately is imperative. Transport to the nearest hospital from the remote, rural area of Hallingdal in Norway entails a 2–3 h drive. The local medical centre in this area has a CT-scanner operated by radiographers during office hours. Out-of-hours stroke evaluation and treatment has been the focus of a research project. Paramedics position the patient in the CT-scanner. A radiographer at the participating hospital runs a remote-controlled scan and a junior doctor instructs a paramedic in the performance of a neurological examination. The aim of this study was to explore how radiographers, paramedics and junior doctors experience conducting telemedicine-based stroke evaluation and treatment. Six semi-structured interviews were conducted with radiographers, paramedics and junior doctors; with remote control, CT examination and stroke management as central issues. Core issues in the interview guide were: communication; cooperation; competence; service quality and training. The study employed thematic content analysis in analysing the data inductively. The analysis gave an overview of the patient flow and communication routines in this service. Further findings were divided into two main themes, “Teamwork” and “Quality”. The theme “Teamwork” included three categories “Communication”, “Trust and confidence”, and “Task and task shifting”. The theme “Quality” included two categories “Education and training” and “Safety and routines”. The respondents considered the service to be of high quality and that the team functioned at a high level as a result of regular training sessions. However, communication and image reading routines could be improved. The telemedicine-based, remote controlled, stroke evaluation and treatment was experienced, by the participants, to be well organised and of high quality. Communication and image reading appear to be the salient challenges. Regular training sessions and follow-up, as well as an evaluation of incidents by the project manager, proved to be of great importance in retaining and securing the continued running of the service and ensuring high-quality treatment. Further research is indicated in the comparison of this telemedicine service with stroke treatment given in a mainstream hospital.