cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
On ignition mechanisms of premixed CH4/air and H2/air using a hot turbulent jet generated by pre-chamber combustion

Abstract An experiment was developed to investigate the ignition mechanisms of premixed CH4/air and H2/air mixtures using a turbulent hot jet generated by pre-chamber combustion. Simultaneous high-speed Schlieren and OH∗ chemiluminescence imaging were applied to visualize the jet penetration and ignition process inside the main combustion chamber. Results illustrate the existence of two ignition mechanisms: jet ignition and flame ignition. The former produced a jet comprising of only hot combustion products from pre-chamber combustion. The latter produced a jet full of wrinkled turbulent flames and active radicals. A parametric study was performed to understand the effects of pressure, temperature, equivalence ratio along with geometric factors such as orifice diameter and spark position on the ignition mechanisms and probability. A global Damkohler number was defined to remove parametric dependency. The limiting Damkohler number, below which ignition probability is nearly zero, was found to be 140 for CH4/air and 40 for H2/air. Lastly, the ignition outcomes were plotted on the turbulent premixed combustion regime diagram. All non-ignition cases fell within the broken reaction zone regime, whereas flame and jet ignition mostly fell within the thin reaction zone regime. These results can provide useful guidelines for future pre-chamber design and optimization.
Nike electron-beam-pumped KrF laser amplifiers

The two final amplifiers of the Nike laser are both electron-beam-pumped systems. The smaller of the two has a 20-cm × 20-cm aperture. This 20-cm amplifier uses a single 12-W Marx generator to produce two 300-kV, 75-kA, 120-ns flat-top electron beams that are injected into opposite sides of the laser cell. We have verified with Faraday cups, pressure-jump diagnostics, and dosimetry media that the energy deposition and pumping uniformity meet the laser requirements and that the energy-transmission efficiency from the cathode to the laser cell is around 50%. Using the observed deposition, we have employed our own models to accurately predict the observed gain of the input laser pulse.
Imagery Activities in a Creative Art Class for Elders

The rapidly increasing proportion of elders in the population, their potential, and their problems present a major challenge to society. With longer life expectancy and earlier retirement, more years are available in which elders could enjoy satisfying leisure activities and contribute meaningfully to their families and society from the wisdom of their experience. Instead, decline in mental and physical health often makes them a drain on private and public resources. Such decline is not inevitable as evidenced by the long-lived individuals who remain healthy and creative. Medication, the most common form of treatment, leads to many adverse drug interactions and side effects. Non-drug programs of treatment and prevention are desperately needed. The purpose of this study was to pilot test an interdisciplinary and holistic approach to the mental and physical health of elders by integrating relaxation and imagery techniques with art activities.
Anatomic Considerations for Tricuspid Valve Interventions

The anatomy of the tricuspid valve produces several specific concerns when considering transcatheter repair or replacement strategies. The annular geometry, leaflet anatomy, and important neighboring cardiac structures must each be carefully addressed when planning tricuspid valve interventions. The variety of pathologies affecting the tricuspid valve, from organic causes to functional regurgitation, provides another layer of complexity in approaching repair or replacement. Most importantly, surgical treatment of the tricuspid valve is associated with high mortality, and development of catheter-based interventions may provide a desirable alternative to open surgical approaches.
Abstract 3713: Targeting alternative DNA repair pathways for cancer cell killing with heavy ion particles

Heavy ion therapy is a promising approach for cancer treatment, particularly for locally advanced solid tumors. High linear energy transfer (LET) radiation induces greater lesions density in close proximity (clusters) compared that in low-LET radiation. Such clustered DNA damage is thought to be more difficult to repair than isolated DNA damage produced by equivalent doses of low-LET radiation and persist longer in irradiated cells. It has been known that homologous combination contributes to the repair of clustered DNA damage other than classic non-homologous end-joining (NHEJ). DNA double-strand breaks are also repaired by an alternative NHEJ pathway with PARP1, DNA ligase III and Mre11. This alternative pathway is error prone and contributes to genomic instability, such as chromosomal translocation and telomere fusion. Genetic analysis of tumors in TCGA database revealed that these genes are amplified in human tumors and their overexpression is correlated with poor overall survival of cancer patients. However, influence of alternative NHEJ pathways on the relative biological effectiveness (RBE) of heavy ions remains unclear. Here we investigated the effect of PARP-1 and DNA ligase III on RBE of heavy ion particles on cell survival and chromosomal aberration in breast cancer cells and pancreatic cancer cells. Cells were irradiated with X-ray, Carbon (290 MeV/n, 13 KeV/μM) and Iron (1 GeV/n, 150 KeV/μM). We found that overexpression of PARP-1 and DNA ligase III increased RBE of carbon and iron. PARP inhibitor reduced chromosomal aberration induced by heavy ions. This study may provide predictor of radiation responsive of tumor cells from cancer patients that would lead to patient stratification for heavy ion therapy selection Citation Format: Huichen Wang, Premkuma Saganti. Targeting alternative DNA repair pathways for cancer cell killing with heavy ion particles. [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 107th Annual Meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research; 2016 Apr 16-20; New Orleans, LA. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2016;76(14 Suppl):Abstract nr 3713.
Transcriptome analysis of sugar beet root maggot (Tetanops myopaeformis) genes modulated by the Beta vulgaris host.

Sugar beet root maggot (SBRM, Tetanops myopaeformis von Roder) is a major but poorly understood insect pest of sugar beet (Beta vulgaris L.). The molecular mechanisms underlying plant defense responses are well documented, however, little information is available about complementary mechanisms for insect adaptive responses to overcome host resistance. To date, no studies have been published on SBRM gene expression profiling. Suppressive subtractive hybridization (SSH) generated more than 300 SBRM ESTs differentially expressed in the interaction of the pest with a moderately resistant (F1016) and a susceptible (F1010) sugar beet line. Blast2GO v. 3.2 search indicated that over 40% of the differentially expressed genes had known functions, primarily driven by fruit fly D. melanogaster genes. Expression patterns of 18 selected EST clones were confirmed by RT-PCR analysis. Gene Ontology (GO) analysis predicted a dominance of metabolic and catalytic genes involved in the interaction of SBRM with its host. SBRM genes functioning during development, regulation, cellular process, signaling and under stress conditions were annotated. SBRM genes that were common or unique in response to resistant or susceptible interactions with the host were identified and their possible roles in insect responses to the host are discussed.
Evaluation of peripheral nerve regeneration through biomaterial conduits via micro-CT imaging.

Objective Hollow nerve conduits made of natural or synthetic biomaterials are used clinically to aid regeneration of peripheral nerves damaged by trauma or disease. To support healing, conduit lumen patency must be maintained until recovery occurs. New methods to study conduit structural integrity would provide an important means to optimize conduits in preclinical studies. We explored a novel combined technique to examine structural integrity of two types of nerve conduits after in vivo healing. Study Design Micro-CT imaging with iodine contrast was combined with histological analysis to examine two different nerve conduits after in vivo nerve reconstruction in rats. Materials and Methods Sciatic nerve gaps in adult Lewis rats were reconstructed with poly(caprolactone) (PCL, 1.6 cm gap, 14-week survival) or silicone (1 cm gap, 6-week survival) conduits (N = 12 total). Conduits with regenerating tissues were imaged by micro-CT with iodine contrast and compared to the histology (hematoxylin and eosin, immunostaining for axons) of regenerated tissues after iodine removal. Results PCL nerve conduits showed extensive breakage throughout their length, but all showed successful nerve growth through the conduits. The silicone conduits remained intact, although significant constriction was uniquely detected by micro-CT, with 1 of 6 animals showing incomplete tissue regeneration. Conclusions Micro-CT with iodine contrast offers a unique and valuable means to determine 3D structural integrity of nerve conduits and nerve healing following reconstruction. Furthermore, this paper shows that even if conduit compression and degradation occur, nerve regeneration can still take place.
Educator Perceptions of Conflict Interactions Among Young Children in Inner-city Elementary and Middle Schools

A study that investigated the perceptions of educational professionals regarding the rising issue of aggressive and disruptive behaviors among young children in inner-city schools is discussed in this article. A convenient sample of 14 professionals were selected and interviewed from educators in an inner-city located in the northeast region of Ohio. Evidence of this investigation suggests that young children’s aggressive behaviors are increasing in both occurrence and complexity. While these behaviors are perceived to be a function of certain environmental exposures, a case can be made for the effectiveness in conflict management and life skill application in young children as many children seem to display more problems in collective and social settings.
Improving application resilience to memory errors with lightweight compression

In next-generation extreme-scale systems, application performance will be limited by memory performance characteristics. The first exascale system is projected to contain many petabytes of memory. In addition to the sheer volume of the memory required, device trends, such as shrinking feature sizes and reduced supply voltages, have the potential to increase the frequency of memory errors. As a result, resilience to memory errors is a key challenge. In this paper, we evaluate the viability of using memory compression to repair detectable uncorrectable errors (DUEs) in memory. We develop a software library, evaluate its performance and demonstrate that it is able to significantly compress memory of HPC applications. Further, we show that exploiting compressed memory pages to correct memory errors can significantly improve application performance on next-generation systems.
I Remember That From My Pins!: Using Pinterest to Encourage Active Learning:

Social media is integral to students’ lives. Pinterest, an online social network for “Pinning” (sharing) links and images, is the fastest-growing social media tool in history. The purpose of this investigation was to determine the effectiveness of a semester-long active-learning assignment using the Pinterest platform. Forty-nine students (42 female; 18 psychology majors) enrolled in a Lifespan Development course contributed data to this investigation. Students used Pinterest to apply their knowledge of developmental theory and research to two celebrities or fictional characters of their choice. At the end of the semester, students completed a short questionnaire in which they reported on their experiences with the project. Participants also consented to have their academic achievement data (course grades) analyzed in aggregate. Results indicate that students enjoy the Pinterest platform and that they perceive learning more from the assignment than from other assignments in this and other courses. However...
Internet presence as a small business capability: the case of mobile optimization

This study reports on the mobile optimization efforts of 376 small and mid-sized enterprises (SME’s) operating in a suburban sector of a major U.S. metropolitan area. We find that just under 50% of SME websites sampled were mobile optimized, defined as websites that render differently on a mobile browser than they do on a desktop browser. Firms with a greater Internet presence and firms whose websites include basic, essential design elements are far more likely to have a mobile optimized website than those who do not. Multi unit organizations, retailers, and healthcare oriented businesses are also each more likely to have a mobile optimized website.
Spherical Region Queries on Multicore Architectures

In this short paper, we report the performance of multiple thread-parallel algorithms for spherical region queries on multicore architectures motivated by a challenging data analytics application in materials science. Performances of two tree-based algorithms and a naive algorithm are compared to identify the length scales at which these approaches perform optimally. The optimal algorithm is then used to scale the driving materials science application, which is shown to deliver over 17X speedup using 32 OpenMP threads on data sets containing many millions of atoms.
Educator Perceptions of Preparedness and Professional Development for Implementation of Evidence-Based Practices Within a Multi-tiered System of Supports

A multi-tiered system of supports provides a framework for high-quality implementation of evidence-based mental health practices by educators so that all students have access to a continuum of mental health supports based on need. The purpose of this study was to use survey data to examine 700 educators’ perceptions of professional development and preparedness to implement mental health interventions within a multi-tiered system of supports. Descriptive analyses provided information about educator preparedness and access to training, resources, and coaching to support implementation of evidence-based mental health practices across tiers of supports. Further analyses revealed that access to training, resources, and coaching predicted preparedness to provide and assess mental health supports. Educators’ perceptions of student access to school and community mental health supports were predicted by access to training, resources, and coaching, and support for evidence-based practices. Perceived preparedness to provide mental health supports predicted whether or not educators reported talking with students about social or emotional concerns. Implications of the findings for professional development practices and policies within multi-tiered system of school-based mental health supports are discussed.
Trait Emotion Regulation Predicts Individual Differences in Momentary Emotion and Experience

A sizable literature has yet to establish a reliable empirical connection between the trait conceptualization of emotion regulation as habitual, cross-situation emotion regulation tendencies and it...
Interviews and interviewing

This article begins with a broad discussion of interviewing as a data-collection technique. It then offers a more theoretically nuanced understanding of how interviews and interviewing are conceptualized and used by quantitative and qualitative researchers. The remainder of the article focuses on three qualitative interview techniques: in-depth, ethnographic, and focus group interviews. It is suggested that these three styles are similar in that they all involve asking questions and receiving responses from research participants; however, they vary in terms of their emphasis on the inner self, social context, and group dynamics.
Adolescent Pregnancy and Early Sexual Onset

Adolescent childbearing, however common in the United States today, is not a single phenomenon but the end product of a series of behaviors, undertaken in a societal context in which postponement of parenthood until after school completion and marriage is seen as normative. Each behavior—sexual onset, contraception, conception, and childbearing— requires a decision (conscious or unconscious) that, in different cultural groups, is differently constrained by custom or sanctions. For moral, economic, and/or social reasons, all cultural groups appear to see a similar pattern of behavior as optimal: completed schooling, employment, marriage, and childbearing. However, the strength of that normative ordering differs with the perceived rewards of conforming to it and with the perceived penalties of departing from it.
The role of mathematical models in an assessment of myocardial function

This review demonstrates the importance of mathematical modelling in an assessment of myocardial function, and addresses the following questions: (1) What is the effect of shape on the diastolic LV pressure-volume relationship and on the quantitation of myocardial stiffness-stress relations? (2) What are the important determinants of chamber stiffness and what are the mechanisms involved in the shifts of the P-V curves following certain drug interventions? (3) How do infarcts affect diastolic and systolic function? and (4) How may contractile reserve be assessed? Employing the theory of elasticity, these models demonstrate that; (a) in the absence of segmental disease, diastolic P-V and stiffness-stress relations are little affected by LV shape, (b) intrinsic chamber stiffness is complexly related to myocardial elasticity, cavity size, volume/mass ratio and the coronary blood volume, and external pressures are the dominant factors causing dramatic shifts in the P-V relations following certain drug interventions, (c) normal myocardium is restrained by neighbouring infarcts which disrupt border zone contraction patterns. Furthermore, there is a progressive degradation of cardiac performance with increasing infarct size, (d) end systolic P-V relations and end diastolic P-V relations determine the critical EDV at which maximum stroke volume occurs.
Going Global With Social Cognitive Theory: From Prospect to Paydirt

The present chapter addresses the applications of social cognitive theory to some of the most urgent global problems. These macrosocial applications are rooted in the agentic perspective of social cognitive theory (Bandura, 1986, 2001a). To be an agent, is to influence intentionally one’s own functioning and life circumstances. In this view, people are producers of their life circumstances, not just products of them. Social cognitive theory rejects the duality of personal agency and social structure. People create social systems and their lives are, in turn, influenced by them. Human self-development, adaptation, and change thus involve a dynamic interplay between personal and social structural influences within the larger societal context.
Activation of spinal glia in sciatica; a pilot [C-11]PBR28 study

1557 Objectives Sciatica refers to low back and lower extremity pain, originating from spinal nerve roots. Though the exact etiology of sciatica is unknown, animal literature suggests that glial activation (a hallmark of neuroinflammation) in the central nervous system may lead to the development and maintenance of various chronic pain conditions, including sciatica. Our group has recently imaged glial activation in the brain of patients with chronic low back pain. The occurrence of spinal glial activation has never been demonstrated in humans with sciatica. To determine whether sciatica is associated with activation of spinal glia, we conducted a pilot study, using simultaneous PET/MR imaging with the TSPO ligand [11C]PBR28. Methods Two sciatica patients (1F, 53; 1M, 61 y.o.), diagnosed with lower extremity radicular pain, and 3 healthy controls (2F; 25 ± 1.7 y.o.), were recruited. PET scans were initiated with IV delivery of [11C]PBR28. Thoracic PET/MR images were acquired from 90 to 110 minutes. MR images were used for attenuation correction and anatomical localization of the PET images. Target regions of interest (ROIs) were drawn on spinal cord segments adjacent to T11-T12 vertebrae, as the neurons that make up the lumbar/upper sacral spinal nerves terminate in these spinal segments. ROIs from myocardium were used as a reference region. Average SUV was extracted from each ROI, and used to calculate SUVR (i.e., SUVT11-T12/SUVmyocardium). Results Results from a preliminary analysis suggest that patients with sciatica have higher SUVR compared to healthy control subjects. Average SUVR for sciatica patients (0.265; 0.251) was ~13% higher than control SUVR (0.205; 0.234; 0.243). Conclusions Our preliminary analysis suggests that sciatica pathology may be associated with spinal cord glial activation. If these results are replicated in a larger sample, this would put forth glial cells as a potential therapeutic target for sciatica treatment, and perhaps other pain disorders. Research Support 1R21NS087472-01A1
Clinical predictors of cystic fibrosis chronic rhinosinusitis severity.

Background Chronic rhinosinusitis (CRS) is a significant manifestation of cystic fibrosis (CF) with wide-ranging symptom and disease severity. The goal of the study was to determine clinical variables that correlate with outcome measures of disease severity. Methods A prospective, longitudinal, observational study of 33 adults with symptomatic CRS treated in a CF-focused otolaryngology clinic was performed. Symptom severity, the presence of rhinosinusitis exacerbations, and endoscopic appearance were assessed, and regression analysis was used to determine clinical predictors of disease outcome. Results Thirty-three adults with CF-CRS were included in the study and followed for a mean of 15 months. Rhinosinusitis exacerbations occurred in 61% of participants during the study, and female sex increased the odds of presenting with an exacerbation visit. Sinus disease exacerbations were associated with an odds ratio of 2.07 for presenting with a pulmonary exacerbation at the next visit. CF-related diabetes was found to be associated with worse symptoms and endoscopic appearance. Infection with Staphylococcus aureus predicted worsening of symptoms, whereas infections with Pseudomonas aeruginosa improved over time. Allergic rhinitis was associated with worse endoscopic appearance, and nasal steroid use was associated with improved endoscopic appearance. Conclusion Sex, CF-related diabetes, sinonasal infection status, allergic rhinitis, and nasal steroid use may all modulate severity of CF-CRS in adults. Sinusitis exacerbation may be a precursor to pulmonary exacerbation.
Silicon(II) Cation Cp*Si:+ X–: A New Class of Efficient Catalysts in Organosilicon Chemistry

The catalytic activity of the pentamethylcyclopentadienylsilicon(II) cation Cp*Si:+ was investigated. It was shown that Cp*Si:+ efficiently catalyzes reactions of technical relevance in organosilic...
How Shall We Judge Agri-Food Governance? Legitimacy Constructions in Food Democracy and Co-Regulation Discourses

The food democracy discourse has emerged as a normatively grounded critique of an increasingly transnational agri-food system and its dominant co-regulatory mode of governance, where private and public norms and standards interact with public policy and regulation in complex ways. Analyzing competing agri-food discourses through a legitimacy lens can contribute to understanding how authority is transferred from traditional, hierarchical and state-centered constellations to a range of novel agri-food governance arrangements. This article reconstructs and compares the legitimacy constructions articulated in the co-regulation and the food democracy discourses, generating three key findings: first, there are two distinct articulations of food democracy discourse, which we label liberal and strong food democracy; second, while conceptualizations of legitimacy in the liberal food democracy and the co-regulatory discourse share many commonalities, legitimacy in the co-regulatory discourse relies more heavily on output, while the liberal food democracy discourse is more sensitive to issues of input and throughput legitimacy; third, the strong food democracy discourse articulates a critical counter-model that emphasizes inclusive deliberation which in turn is expected to generate a shared orientation towards the common good and countervailing power.
Evaluating Implementation of Infant/Toddler IGDIs for Progress Monitoring by Practitioners in Part C Programs

Progress monitoring is a vital strategy for evaluating skill development of young children receiving disability related services. Few effective progress monitoring tools exist for infants and toddlers, and research is needed to examine feasibility as they become available. The current study examined the implementation of an assessment protocol for monitoring the developmental progress of children receiving Early Intervention (EI) services. Specifically, we examined the implementation of Infant/Toddler Individual Growth and Development Indicators (I/T IGDIs). Our questions were related to fidelity of implementation by examining learning and using I/T IGDIs in practice; and coaching support utilized by practitioners. Fifty practitioners serving 92 participating families received training and coaching support to reliably administer and score up to 4 I/T IGDI assessments and use them in practice. Quantitative and qualitative implementation data revealed interesting results. Practitioners needed relatively few sessions in order to become certified to administer and score I/T IGDIs. On average, practitioners used 1–2 I/T IGDIs with each child and children received a range of assessment frequency with the communication indicator being the most frequently used and the social indicator least frequent. Both supports and challenges related to time, organizational supports and research/technology were identified. EI practitioners are skilled at learning new assessment strategies and implementing them into practice given adequate time, organizational support and coaching for implementation. Practitioners expressed concerns with I/T IGDI use given time limitations during their visits. In addition, the inclusion of research activities into the implementation process may produce unintended challenges.
Predicting Length of Stay of Coronary Artery Bypass Grafting Patients Using Machine Learning.

Abstract Background There is a growing need to identify which bits of information are most valuable for healthcare providers. The aim of this study was to search for the highest impact variables in predicting postsurgery length of stay (LOS) for patients who undergo coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG). Materials and Methods Using a single institution's Society of Thoracic Surgeons (STS) Registry data, 2121 patients with elective or urgent, isolated CABG were analyzed across 116 variables. Two machine learning techniques of random forest and artificial neural networks (ANNs) were used to search for the highest impact variables in predicting LOS, and results were compared against multiple linear regression. Out-of-sample validation of the models was performed on 105 patients. Results Of the 10 highest impact variables identified in predicting LOS, four of the most impactful variables were duration intubated, last preoperative creatinine, age, and number of intraoperative packed red blood cell transfusions. The best performing model was an ANN using the ten highest impact variables (testing sample mean absolute error (MAE) = 1.685 d, R2 = 0.232), which performed consistently in the out-of-sample validation (MAE = 1.612 d, R2 = 0.150). Conclusion Using machine learning, this study identified several novel predictors of postsurgery LOS and reinforced certain known risk factors. Out of the entire STS database, only a few variables carry most of the predictive value for LOS in this population. With this knowledge, a simpler linear regression model has been shared and could be used elsewhere after further validation.
The Consumption Function - Re-Modelled Using Logarithmic Regression

The conventional linear consumption function was compared to a proposed logarithmic consumption function using collected data as the basis for studying the accuracy of each function. To kick things off, the current linear model was studied in full to lay the groundwork for sound comparison. Following after, the data collected from 30 survey respondents was presented along with an assimilation to fit the data points in the form of the variables used in the study. Then, using the data points presented, two curves – a linear consumption function and a logarithmic consumption function were developed using regression and technology. The next step of the process was to estimate the goodness of fit for each function against the real data collected. Results concluded that the logarithmic model was 36.6% more accurate than its linear counterpart. For the logarithmic model to stand, it needs to abide by certain properties of the consumption function, i.e, the requirement for the derivative to lie between 0 and 1, and the existence of a finite multiplier effect. The validity of these two properties were tested in the logarithmic model, both of which proved to be true, thus concluding the investigation – the logarithmic model is a viable alternative as it meets all the properties, and it is far more accurate than the linear model. The applications of the study were then discussed following an elaborate conclusion, that explored the limitations of the experiment and ways to improve it should it be conducted again at a later point of time.
Impacts of Re:MIX-A School-Based Teen Pregnancy Prevention Program Incorporating Young Parent Coeducators.

BACKGROUND: Latinx adolescents are at increased risk of teen pregnancy. This study evaluates the impact of Re:MIX, a comprehensive sexuality education program cofacilitated by professional health educators paired with young parent educators implemented with primarily Latinx youth in Texas. METHODS: A cluster randomized trial was conducted with students in grades 8-10 in 57 classrooms across three schools. Students completed baseline, post-test, and long-term follow-up surveys to determine the impact of the program on behavioral outcomes-sexual experience and unprotected sex-and on mediating factors including intentions, attitudes, knowledge, and self-efficacy related to sexual activity and contraception. RESULTS: Re:MIX was implemented with fidelity and educators were well-received. At post-test, compared to control students, Re:MIX students were more likely to intend to use hormonal or long-acting contraceptive methods if they had sex, had greater reproductive health knowledge, had more confidence in their ability to ask for and give consent, and were more likely to know where to obtain contraception. Most findings were sustained at the long-term follow-up, but there were no impacts on behaviors. CONCLUSIONS: The implementation and impact findings highlight the promising approach of pairing young parent educators with experienced health educators for teen pregnancy prevention among Latinx students.
FISAR: Forward Invariant Safe Reinforcement Learning with a Deep Neural Network-Based Optimizer

This paper investigates reinforcement learning with constraints, which are indispensable in safety-critical environments. To drive the constraint violation to decrease monotonically, we take the constraints as Lyapunov functions and impose new linear constraints on the policy parameters’ updating dynamics. As a result, the original safety set can be forward-invariant. However, because the new guaranteed-feasible constraints are imposed on the updating dynamics instead of the original policy parameters, classic optimization algorithms are no longer applicable. To address this, we propose to learn a generic deep neural network (DNN)-based optimizer to optimize the objective while satisfying the linear constraints. The constraint-satisfaction is achieved via projection onto a polytope formulated by multiple linear inequality constraints, which can be solved analytically with our newly designed metric. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first DNN-based optimizer for constrained optimization with the forward invariance guarantee. We show that our optimizer trains a policy to decrease the constraint violation and maximize the cumulative reward monotonically. Results on numerical constrained optimization and obstacle-avoidance navigation validate the theoretical findings.
Intein Inhibitors as Novel Antimicrobials: Protein Splicing in Human Pathogens, Screening Methods, and Off-Target Considerations.

Protein splicing is a post-translational process by which an intervening polypeptide, or intein, catalyzes its own removal from the flanking polypeptides, or exteins, concomitant with extein ligation. Although inteins are highly abundant in the microbial world, including within several human pathogens, they are absent in the genomes of metazoans. As protein splicing is required to permit function of essential proteins within pathogens, inteins represent attractive antimicrobial targets. Here we review key proteins interrupted by inteins in pathogenic mycobacteria and fungi, exciting discoveries that provide proof of concept that intein activity can be inhibited and that this inhibition has an effect on the host organism’s fitness, and bioanalytical methods that have been used to screen for intein activity. We also consider potential off-target inhibition of hedgehog signaling, given the similarity in structure and function of inteins and hedgehog autoprocessing domains.
Regulation of FAK by Ras in brain metastases of breast cancer cells

3034 Brain metastases from breast cancer are common and cause significant morbidity and mortality. The underlying mechanism is still largely unknown. We found that brain metastastic breast cancer cells have a higher Ras activity corresponding to a reduced FAK phosphorylation level than their parental breast cancer cells. Dephosphorylation and inhibition of FAK is dependent on Ras activity and mediated by Cdc42 but not other Ras downstream signaling molecules, such as Raf, PI-3K, Ral, and Rac. Furthermore, overexpression of the wild-type tyrosine phosphatase PTP-PEST, but not its catalytic domain mutant, dephosphorylates FAK. Expression of FAKY397F mutant or FRNK in Ras transformed cells enhanced cell migration and invasion. These results strongly suggest that dephosphorylation and inhibition of FAK resulting from PTP-PEST, which is downstream from activation of Ras and Cdc42, contribute to brain metastases of breast cancer cells.
Ginzburg-Landau theory of two-band superconductors: Absence of type-1.5 superconductivity

It is shown that within the Ginzburg-Landau (GL) approximation the order parameters ${\ensuremath{\Delta}}_{1}(\mathbf{r},T)$ and ${\ensuremath{\Delta}}_{2}(\mathbf{r},T)$ in two-band superconductors vary on the same length scale, the difference in zero-$T$ coherence lengths ${\ensuremath{\xi}}_{0\ensuremath{\nu}}~\ensuremath{\hbar}{v}_{F\ensuremath{\nu}}/{\ensuremath{\Delta}}_{\ensuremath{\nu}}(0)$, $\ensuremath{\nu}=1,2$ notwithstanding. This amounts to a single physical GL parameter $\ensuremath{\kappa}$ and the classic GL dichotomy: $\ensuremath{\kappa}l1/\sqrt{2}$ for type I and $\ensuremath{\kappa}g1/\sqrt{2}$ for type II.
The Complex Path to Regional Integration: the Roles Regional Leadership and Institutional Homogeneity in Deepening Regional Organizations

This paper seeks to explain levels of regional integration worldwide. I theorize that the level of regional integration increases as the economic strength of the regional leader increases under higher levels of satisfaction among partners. The homogenization of domestic institutions also increases under these conditions. Finally, there is a reciprocal effect between integration and the homogenization of domestic institutions. Integration, therefore, cannot be explained using a single equation but instead requires a system of nonrecursive pathways. The paper reviews prior work on regional integration and then contributes to the scholarship by synthesizing the findings of the power-centered and institutional schools. An analysis of regional integration organizations (1970-2004), using autocorrelation corrected regressions and structural equation model testing, supports the main hypotheses.
Antennas on Aircraft, Ships, or Any Large, Complex Environment

The overall capability of an electromagnetic radiating system is dependent on its ability to operate effectively in a complex environment, in that its pattern performance can be adversely limited by pattern distortion effects, such as blockage and structural scattering. In many cases these detrimental effects can be minimized by judiciously locating the antennas. This task is complicated by the large number of systems that are competing for prime locations on, for example, a modern military ship. Without an efficient means to position such systems one normally attempts to use locations similar to previous designs, which may be inexpensive but are certainly not optimum. As a result there is a great need for electromagnetic tools that can efficiently evaluate the pattern performance of radiating systems in their proposed environment.
The Nature of Global Commitments and Obligations: Limits on State Sovereignty in the Area of Asylum

The plight of the refugee is global in nature, but the alleviation of this plight requires individual states to meet their commitments to international treaties. The nature of this commitment, however, is complex because of the ever present issue of state sovereignty. One area of traditional and well established national power is that of states to limit the number of persons who will enter their country and the number of persons who will qualify for benefits. At some point, however, creating limits on refugees and asylum seekers may compromise international commitments. This note focuses on one numerical limitation that may compromise the ability of the United States to fulfill its commitment to the refugee. The United States amended the Immigration and National Interest Act with the Illegal Immigration Reform and Immigrant Responsibility Act (IIRIRA). This amendment changes the law to allow persons persecuted under coercive family planning policies to qualify for refugee or asylum status.1 Congress specifically targeted a group of persons and made an affirmative commitment to consider their claims. The legislation, however, contains a stipulation that is unique to immigration law; it limits the number of persons2 who can
Assessment of Postural Stability using Inertial Measurement Unit on Inclined Surfaces in Healthy Adults

Fatal and nonfatal falls in the construction domain remain a significant issue in today’s workforce. The roofing industry in particular, annually ranks amongst the highest in all industries. Exposure to an inclined surface, such as an inclined roof surface, has been reported to have adverse effects on postural stability. The purpose of this preliminary study was to investigate the intra-individual differences in stability parameters on both inclined and level surfaces. Postural Stability (PS) and Limit of Stability (LOS) were assessed in seven healthy subjects (aged 25-35 years) on inclined and level surfaces using embedded force plates and an Inertial Measurement Unit (IMU). Four 90-second trials were collected on the inclined surface in distinctive positions: (1) Toes raised 20° above heel; (2) Heels raised 20° above toes (3); Transverse direction with dominant foot inverted at a lower height; (4) Transverse direction with non-dominant foot inverted at a lower height. Limit of Stability was evaluated by the two measurement devices in all four directions and margin of safety was quantified for each individual on both surfaces. The results reveal significant differences in postural stability between the flat surface condition and the inclined surface condition when subject was positioned perpendicular to the surface slope with one foot descended below the other; specifically, a significant increase was identified when visual support was interrupted. The findings lend support to the literature and will assist in future research regarding early detection of postural imbalance and preventative measures to reduce fall risks in professions where workers are consistently exposed to inclined surfaces.
Biosynthesis of fatty acids in mammary tissue. II. Synthesis of butyrate in lactating rabbit mammary supernatant fraction by the reversal of beta-oxidation.

Abstract An enzyme fraction has been obtained from lactating rabbit mammary particlefree supernatant fraction which synthesizes butyrate from acetyl-CoA by the reversal of β-oxidation. This fraction has been shown to contain acetoacetyl-CoA thiolase, NADH-dependent acetoacetyl-CoA reductase, and crotonyl-CoA hydratase. The reduction of crotonyl-CoA appears to be brought about by the fatty acid synthetase using NADPH or NADH. The two reducing reactions are believed to overcome the thermodynamically unfavorable reaction involved in the condensation of two molecules of acetyl-CoA.
Mutants of Myxococcus xanthus dsp defective in fibril binding.

The dsp mutant of Myxococcus xanthus lacks extracellular fibrils and as a result is unable to undergo cohesion, group motility, or development (J. W. Arnold and L. J. Shimkets, J. Bacteriol. 170:5765-5770, 1983; J. W. Arnold and L. J. Shimkets, J. Bacteriol. 170:5771-5777, 1983; R. M. Behmlander and M. Dworkin, J. Bacteriol. 173:7810-7821, 1991; L. J. Shimkets, J. Bacteriol. 166:837-841, 1986; L. J. Shimkets, J. Bacteriol. 166:842-848, 1986). However, cohesion and development can be phenotypically restored by the addition of isolated fibrils (R. M. Behmlander, Ph.D. thesis, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, 1994; B.-Y. Chang and M. Dworkin, J. Bacteriol. 176:7190-7196, 1994). As part of our attempts to examine the interaction of fibrils and cells of M. xanthus, we have isolated a series of secondary mutants of M. xanthus dsp in which cohesion, unlike that of the parent strain, could not be rescued by the addition of isolated fibrils. Cells of M. xanthus dsp were mutagenized either by ethyl methanesulfonate or by Tn5 insertions. Mutagenized cultures were enriched by selection of those cells that could not be rescued, i.e., that failed to cohere in the presence of isolated fibrils. Seven mutants of M. xanthus dsp, designated fbd mutants, were isolated from 6,983 colonies; these represent putative fibril receptor-minus mutants. The fbd mutants, like the parent dsp mutant, still lacked fibrils, but displayed a number of unexpected properties. They regained group motility and the ability to aggregate but not the ability to form mature fruiting bodies. In addition, they partially regained the ability to form myxospores. The fbd mutant was backcrossed into the dsp mutant by Mx4 transduction. Three independently isolated transconjugants showed essentially the same properties as the fbd mutants--loss of fibril rescue of cohesion, partial restoration of myxospore morphogenesis, and restoration of group motility. These results suggest that the physical presence of fibrils is not necessary for group motility, myxospore formation, or the early aggregative stage of development. We propose, however, that the perception of fibril binding is required for normal social behavior and development. The dsp fbd mutants (from here on referred to as fbd mutants) open the possibility of isolating and characterizing a putative fibril receptor gene.
Organization of olivocerebellar activity in the absence of excitatory glutamatergic input.

The olivocerebellar system has been proposed to function as a timing device for motor coordination in which inferior olivary neurons act as coupled oscillators that spontaneously generate rhythmic and synchronous activity. However, the inferior olive receives excitatory afferents, which can also drive the activity of these neurons. The extent to which the olivocerebellar system can intrinsically generate synchronous activity and olivary neurons act as neuronal oscillators has not been determined. To investigate this issue, multiple electrode recordings of complex spike (CS) activity were obtained from 236 crus 2a Purkinje cells in anesthetized rats. Intraolivary injections of the glutamate antagonists 6-cyano-7-nitroquinoxaline-2,3-dione or 1,2,3,4-tetrahydro-6-nitro-2,3-dioxo-benzo[f]quinoxaline-7-sulfonamide disodium were made, and the resulting changes in CS activity were determined. Loss of evoked CS responses to motor cortex stimulation or perioral tactile stimulation was used to measure the efficacy of the block. Block of glutamatergic input decreased the average CS firing rate by ∼50% but did not abolish spontaneous CS activity. The remaining CS activity was significantly more rhythmic than that in control. The patterns of synchrony were similar to those found in control conditions (i.e., synchronous CSs primarily occurred among Purkinje cells located within the same ∼250-μm-wide rostrocaudally oriented cortical strip); however, this normal banding pattern was enhanced. These changes in CS activity were not observed with vehicle injections. The results suggest that excitatory afferent activity disrupts olivary oscillations and support the hypotheses that olivary neurons are capable of acting as neuronal oscillators and that synchronous CS activity results from electrotonic coupling of olivary neurons.
Transfusion-associated Anaplasma phagocytophilum infection in a pregnant patient with thalassemia trait: a case report.

Background Human granulocytic anaplasmosis (HGA) is an acute nonspecific febrile illness caused by the bacterium Anaplasma phagocytophilum. Although usually transmitted via tick bite, HGA may rarely also be acquired through transfusion. HGA during pregnancy may pose significant gestational risks due to altered maternal immune status and the potential for perinatal transmission. Case Report A pregnant 34-year-old Massachusetts woman with β-thalassemia trait was diagnosed at 32 weeks of gestation with transfusion-associated HGA (TAHGA) after receiving nine leukoreduced red blood cell transfusions. She was successfully treated with rifampin therapy and gave birth to a healthy child who tested negative for HGA after delivery. An implicated blood donor was subsequently identified through physician collaboration with the regional American Red Cross and Massachusetts Department of Public Health. Discussion This is the 11th reported case of HGA in pregnancy and is at least the sixth known case in which leukoreduction did not prevent TAHGA. As seen in this case, nonspecific symptomatology of variable onset can impede diagnosis and treatment. This may increase risk of poor outcomes in maternal HGA patients. Cases of TAHGA, although currently uncommon, may increase as the incidence of HGA in certain parts of the country increases. Conclusion Heightened cross-institutional awareness of the potential risk of TAHGA is warranted. Clinicians need to consider transfusion-associated infections when fever occurs in a transfusion recipient. This case provides additional evidence that leukoreduction does not obviate risk of A. phagocytophilum contamination of donated blood components.
Adaptive fault tolerance for many-core based space-borne computing

This paper describes an approach to providing software fault tolerance for future deep-space robotic NASA missions, which will require a high degree of autonomy supported by an enhanced on-board computational capability. Such systems have become possible as a result of the emerging many-core technology, which is expected to offer 1024-core chips by 2015. We discuss the challenges and opportunities of this new technology, focusing on introspection-based adaptive fault tolerance that takes into account the specific requirements of applications, guided by a fault model. Introspection supports runtime monitoring of the program execution with the goal of identifying, locating, and analyzing errors. Fault tolerance assertions for the introspection system can be provided by the user, domain-specific knowledge, or via the results of static or dynamic program analysis. This work is part of an on-going project at the Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Pasadena, California.