cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Comparison of wind turbine operating transitions through the use of iterative learning control

In below-rated wind conditions, a wind turbine operates to maximize the amount of available power harvested from the wind and is said to be operating in region 2. In above-rated wind conditions, where regulation is the main objective to prevent over power and speed faults and to mitigate loads, the turbine is said to be in region 3. There is no standard method for operation at the boundary of the two regions and transitions between them can be problematic. In this study, we use iterative learning control to determine the control actuation necessary to accurately track idealized candidate trajectories during the transition between regions 2 and 3. The amount of control actuation required to track a transition trajectory and the ability to do so with minimal collateral loading determines which trajectory is most amenable for a given turbine. Trajectories are also graded by the average power produced during transition since they take the turbine off of the optimal power point.
Comparison of Vernalization Requirements and Frost Resistance of Winter Rape Lines Derived from Double Haploids

Vernalization requirements and cold resistance of 13 lines of winter rape derived from doubled haploids obtained by androgenesis were investigated. The degree of vernalization requirements was examined in two parallel experiments. In the first experiment seedlings aged 2 weeks were vernalized during 63 and 35 days under controlled conditions, at 5 °C. In the second experiment the natural conditions of vernalization were differentiated by sowing the plants at four different dates in spring: March 15th, April 15th, May 15th, and at the latest date excluding vernalization, June 5th. The lines examined revealed differentiation of vernalization requirements that were similar in both experiments; all the lines required a period of exposure to cold before flowering. Cold resistance of lines was estimated in two successive series at −15 °C and −17 °C. Before testing the plants were kept in natural field conditions from the beginning of September until the middle of November. Testing of cold resistance was preceded by hardening under controlled conditions. Considerable differences in cold resistance was found in the forms investigated. The results obtained do not show any relation between frost resistance and the degree of vernalization requirements, as the line characterized by the strongest winter habit of growth showed low cold resistance, whereas the lines which were closer to spring growth habit showed the highest level of cold resistance; the lines with the least vernalization requirements revealed the highest level of cold resistance. This conclusion can be confirmed by the significance of the correlation coefficients between the various indices defining the frost resistance and the indices of vernalization requirements.
Variation in small sapling density, understory cover, and resource availability in four Neotropical forests

Even though many forest plants spend all or a significant portion of their lives in the forest understory, few studies have compared understory composition, structure, and resource availability among forests. We used standardized transect-based methods to compare small sapling densities (10‐50 cm tall), understory vegetation cover, canopy openness, and nutrient availability in non-gap portions of four lowland Neotropical forests: La Selva, Costa Rica (LS), Barro Colorado Island, Panama (BCI), Cocha Cashu, Peru (CC), and north of Manaus, Brazil (KM41). Sites differed significantly in all variables except canopy openness. LS had high palm and non-fern herb cover and low density of small saplings (0.7‐1.6/m 2) compared to other sites. CC had high fern cover, whereas BCI had low cover in all categories of understory vegetation (palms, ferns, and non-fern herbaceous plants). BCI, CC, and KM41 had similar small sapling densities, ranging from 4.8‐7.5/m2. Within each forest, cation (Ca, Mg, K, and Na) availability was usually higher on more fertile soil orders (Inceptisols, Alfisols, and Entisols) than on more weathered soil types (Ultisols and Oxisols). Extractable P was highest at LS and CC and lowest on BCI (no data for KM41). Spatial autocorrelation was present for some variables in some transects to distances beyond our detection ability (.25 m). Understory palm cover was negatively correlated with small sapling density at fine (1 m2 quadrat) and coarse spatial scales (among forests), although across forests the effect of palms was due entirely to the difference between LS and the other three forests. These results provide cross-site support for the hypothesis that understory cover by palms decreases the density of small saplings that comprise the advance regeneration of the forest.
General transform filters in perpendicular recording architectures

Unlike longitudinal recording, perpendicular recording (PR) read-back signals have a significant amount of low-frequency content. This constitutes a problem in using the available channel chip architectures designed for longitudinal recording systems. In this paper, we explore the idea of transforming perpendicular read-back signals to longitudinal looking ones. The differentiator and the Hilbert transform are the natural choices for such applications. Here, we generalize this concept of transform filtering and introduce general transform filters. We then evaluate the bit-error-rate performances of those filters in conjunction with various PR targets, preamplifiers and noise characteristics. Although this method allows the use of existing longitudinal channels, it results in performance loss.
Adiabatic shear banding in plane strain tensile deformations of 11 thermoelastoviscoplastic materials with finite thermal wave speed

We study the initiation and propagation of adiabatic shear bands (ASBs) in 11 homogeneous materials each modeled as microporous, isotropic and thermoelastoviscoplastic, and deformed in plane strain tension. The heat conduction in each material is assumed to be governed by a hyperbolic heat equation; thus thermal and mechanical waves propagate with finite speeds. The decrease in the thermophysical parameters due to the increase in porosity is considered. An ASB is assumed to initiate at a material point when the maximum shear stress there has dropped to 80% of its peak value for that material point and it is deforming plastically. An approximate solution of the coupled nonlinear partial differential equations subject to suitable initial and boundary conditions is found by the finite element method (FEM). In
Protocadherins Control the Modular Assembly of Neuronal Columns in the Zebrafish Optic Tectum

Cell–cell recognition guides the assembly of the vertebrate brain during development. δ-Protocadherins comprise a family of neural adhesion molecules that are differentially expressed and have been implicated in a range of neurodevelopmental disorders. Here we show that the expression of δ-protocadherins partitions the zebrafish optic tectum into radial columns of neurons. Using in vivo two-photon imaging of bacterial artificial chromosome transgenic zebrafish, we show that pcdh19 is expressed in discrete columns of neurons, and that these columnar modules are derived from proliferative pcdh19+ neuroepithelial precursors. Elimination of pcdh19 results in both a disruption of columnar organization and defects in visually guided behaviors. These results reveal a fundamental mechanism for organizing the developing nervous system: subdivision of the early neuroepithelium into precursors with distinct molecular identities guides the autonomous development of parallel neuronal units, organizing neural circuit formation and behavior.
A Review of Gesher: “Russian Theater in Israel—A Study of Cultural Colonization by Olga Gershenson”

In Recovered Roots: Collective Memory and the Making of Israeli National Tradition, Yael Zerubavel observes that “the construction of a new nation's memory is one facet of creating a new national c...
Interstellar clouds containing optically thin H2

The theory of Black and Delgarno that the relative populations of the excited rotational levels of H2 can be understood in terms of cascading following absorption in the Lyman and Werner bands is employed to infer the gas densities and radiation fields within diffuse interstellar clouds containing H2 that is optically thin in those bands. The procedure is described for computing the populations of the different rotation levels, the relative distribution among the different rotation levels of newly formed H2 is determined on the basis of five simplified models, and the rate of H2 formation is estimated. The results are applied to delta Ori, two components of iota Ori, the second components of rho Leo and zeta Ori, tau Sco, gamma Vel, and zeta Pup. The inferred parameters are summarized for each cloud.
Assessing the Costs Associated with Volume-Based Referral for Hepatic Surgery

Although proposed as a means for quality improvement, little is known regarding the economic consequences of volume-based referral. The objective of the current study was to investigate the relationship between inpatient costs and hospital volume. Patients undergoing elective liver surgery were identified using the Nationwide Inpatient Sample from 2001 to 2012. Multivariable hierarchical regression analyses were performed to calculate and compare risk-adjusted costs and postoperative outcomes across hospital volume terciles. A total of 27,813 patients underwent surgery at 2207 hospitals. Although costs were comparable across the three volume groups (all p > 0.05), patients who developed a postoperative complication incurred a higher overall cost (complication vs. no complication; median costs $17,974 [IQR 13,865–25,623] vs. $41,731 [IQR 27,008–64,266], p < 0.001). In contrast, while the incidence of postoperative complications (low vs. intermediate vs. high; 22.0 vs. 19.2 vs. 13.0 %, p < 0.001) and subsequent failure-to-rescue (low vs. intermediate vs. high; 16.6 vs. 24.7 vs. 15.1 %, p < 0.001) was lower at high-volume hospitals, costs associated with “rescue” were substantially higher at high-volume hospitals (low vs. intermediate vs. high; $39,289 vs. $36,157 vs. $48,559, both p < 0.001). Compared with lower volume hospitals, improved outcomes among patients who developed a complication at high-volume hospitals were associated with an increased cost.
Computational clustering for viral reference proteomes

Motivation The enormous number of redundant sequenced genomes has hindered efforts to analyze and functionally annotate proteins. As the taxonomy of viruses is not uniformly defined, viral proteomes pose special challenges in this regard. Grouping viruses based on the similarity of their proteins at proteome scale can normalize against potential taxonomic nomenclature anomalies. Results We present Viral Reference Proteomes (Viral RPs), which are computed from complete virus proteomes within UniProtKB. Viral RPs based on 95, 75, 55, 35 and 15% co-membership in proteome similarity based clusters are provided. Comparison of our computational Viral RPs with UniProt's curator-selected Reference Proteomes indicates that the two sets are consistent and complementary. Furthermore, each Viral RP represents a cluster of virus proteomes that was consistent with virus or host taxonomy. We provide BLASTP search and FTP download of Viral RP protein sequences, and a browser to facilitate the visualization of Viral RPs. Availability and implementation http://proteininformationresource.org/rps/viruses/ Contact chenc@udel.edu Supplementary information Supplementary data are available at Bioinformatics online.
The meaning of health for women with physical disabilities: a qualitative analysis.

Researchers used qualitative research methods to explore determinants of and barriers to the health of women with physical disabilities. Semistructured, open-ended interviews were conducted with one focus group (n=9) and 9 individual women with various physical disabilities. Participants (1) defined physical health as a correlate of functional capacity; (2) noted the importance of a positive mental state; (3) recognized the effect of having or lacking social support; (4) described the role of health behaviors in health promotion, as adapted to their functional limitations; and (5) described problems with their medical practitioners' lack of knowledge. Barriers included certain disability characteristics, stress, inadequate social support, societal attitudes, and lack of resources.
Exploring the Biology of HPV-Associated Head and Neck Cancer

For years, human papillomavirus (HPV) has been linked to numerous malignancies, among them cervical, anal, vaginal, vulvar, and penile cancer. More recently, a growing number of head-and-neck cancers have also been attributed to HPV. Traditionally, head-and-neck cancer—the sixth most common cancer
Atomistic modeling of As diffusion in ZnO

Ab initio methods are used to predict the diffusion coefficient of As dopants in ZnO as a function of Fermi level. Contributions to As diffusion from interstitial, simple substitutional, and cluster diffusion are considered. Formation and migration energies for Zn vacancies (V${}_{\mathrm{Zn}}$), As substituting on Zn lattice sites (As${}_{\mathrm{Zn}}$), complexes of As with up to two Zn vacancies (As${}_{\mathrm{Zn}}$-1V${}_{\mathrm{Zn}}$ and As${}_{\mathrm{Zn}}$-2V${}_{\mathrm{Zn}}$), and interstitial Zn and As (Zn${}_{\mathrm{I},\mathrm{oct}}$ and As${}_{\mathrm{I},\mathrm{oct}}$) are calculated using GGA $+$ $U$ and hybrid Hartree-Fock density-functional theory calculations. As${}_{\mathrm{Zn}}$ is the dominant As-containing donor and As${}_{\mathrm{Zn}}$-2V${}_{\mathrm{Zn}}$ is the dominant As-containing acceptor. At low Fermi levels, As is mostly immobile, while at high Fermi levels, As${}_{\mathrm{Zn}}$-2V${}_{\mathrm{Zn}}$ is mobile with a migration energy of 1.6 eV.
On Morera's Theorem

(1957). On Morera's Theorem. The American Mathematical Monthly: Vol. 64, No. 5, pp. 323-331.
Continuous inhibitory signaling by both SHP-1 and SHIP-1 pathways is required to maintain unresponsiveness of anergic B cells

Many autoreactive B cells persist in the periphery in a state of unresponsiveness called anergy. This unresponsiveness is rapidly reversible, requiring continuous BCR interaction with self-antigen and resultant regulatory signaling for its maintenance. Using adoptive transfer of anergic B cells with subsequent acute induction of gene deletion or expression, we demonstrate that the continuous activities of independent inhibitory signaling pathways involving the tyrosine phosphatase SHP-1 and the inositol phosphatase SHIP-1 are required to maintain anergy. Acute breach of anergy by compromise of either of these pathways leads to rapid cell activation, proliferation, and generation of short-lived plasma cells that reside in extrafollicular foci. Results are consistent with predicted/observed reduction in the Lyn–SHIP-1–PTEN–SHP-1 axis function in B cells from systemic lupus erythematosus patients.
Acquired von Willebrand syndrome associated with left ventricular assist device

Left ventricular assist devices (LVAD) provide cardiac support for patients with end-stage heart disease as either bridge or destination therapy, and have significantly improved the survival of these patients. Whereas earlier models were designed to mimic the human heart by producing a pulsatile flow in parallel with the patient's heart, newer devices, which are smaller and more durable, provide continuous blood flow along an axial path using an internal rotor in the blood. However, device-related hemostatic complications remain common and have negatively affected patients' recovery and quality of life. In most patients, the von Willebrand factor (VWF) rapidly loses large multimers and binds poorly to platelets and subendothelial collagen upon LVAD implantation, leading to the term acquired von Willebrand syndrome (AVWS). These changes in VWF structure and adhesive activity recover quickly upon LVAD explantation and are not observed in patients with heart transplant. The VWF defects are believed to be caused by excessive cleavage of large VWF multimers by the metalloprotease ADAMTS-13 in an LVAD-driven circulation. However, evidence that this mechanism could be the primary cause for the loss of large VWF multimers and LVAD-associated bleeding remains circumstantial. This review discusses changes in VWF reactivity found in patients on LVAD support. It specifically focuses on impacts of LVAD-related mechanical stress on VWF structural stability and adhesive reactivity in exploring multiple causes of AVWS and LVAD-associated hemostatic complications.
3D Object Signature Algorithm Based on Spin Image and ICP Algorithm

The existing methods for verifying 3Dobject authenticity have some problems that the identity of 3Dobject is not bound to itself and difficult to verify.According to the problems,this paper proposed a signature algorithm suitable for 3Dphysical object,provided the design idea,signature generation and signature verification algorithm of 3Dobject signature algorithm.The spin image and ICP algorithm are used to match the surface of signature model and the testing model relatively in the coarse matching and fine matching phase thereby improving the accuracy of verification.The simulation for the designed 3Dsignature algorithm was carried out.The obtained iterate error and match rate show that the algorithm can differentiate between the original and counterfeit model,thereby demonstrating the validity of algorithm.
Effect of preinduction cervical softening with dinoprostone gel on outcome of oxytocin-induced labor

Five hundred fourteen pregnant women at or near term with medically indicated inductions and unfavorable cervical induction features (Bishop score 0-4) were enrolled in an open-label randomized multicenter clinical trial to study the effect of endocervical administration of 0.5 mg of dinoprostone cervical gel as a preinduction cervical ripening agent. Patients in the treatment group (n = 265) received dinoprostone cervical gel 12 hours prior to oxytocin induction; patients in the control group (n = 249) were observed during this period. Thirteen patients in each group were excluded from efficacy evaluations. All patients were included in safety analysis. A mean Bishop score increase of 2.9 points was achieved in the treatment group, as compared with 0.6 point in the control group (P < 0.001). During the observation period, spontaneous labor occurred in a significantly greater percentage of patients in the treatment group (27%) than in the control group (2%). The percentage of patients who achieved labor either during the observation period or during the initial induction attempt was significantly larger in the dinoprostone cervical gel group (71.8%) than in the control group (54.2%). In addition, there was a statistically significant (P < 0.001) difference in median induction-to-vaginal delivery time for the treatment group (10.6 hr) and the control group (13.0 hr). Side effects were reported for 42% and 35% of patients in the treatment and control groups, respectively, with fetal heart rate abnormalities reported for approximately 27% of patients in each group.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)
Survival of Serpulina hyodysenteriae in an effluent lagoon.

OBJECTIVE To determine the survival of Serpulina hyodysenteriae in an infected lagoon that received effluent from a confinement building housing swine dysentery-infected swine. DESIGN Prospective controlled trial. ANIMALS 48 shedder swine inoculated with S hyodysenteriae and housed in the building drained by the lagoon; 18 clinically normal detector swine confined in a separate building. PROCEDURE Shedder swine were inoculated with S hyodysenteriae by oral administration of 20 g of diced colon from swine infected with swine dysentery. The lagoon that received effluent from the building housing the shedder swine was assayed for S hyodysenteriae by providing lagoon effluent twice daily for 2 or 4 days to detector swine as their sole source of drinking water and by subsequently examining these swine for signs of swine dysentery. Smears from rectal swab specimens and sometimes fecal specimens were stained for detection of large spirochetes. Fecal and rectal swab specimens and colonic scraping specimens were examined for S hyodysenteriae by anaerobic microbial culture on blood agar containing 400 micrograms of spectinomycin/ml. All shedder swine were necropsied after removal from the confinement building, as were detector swine after developing diarrhea or after 42 days of monitoring. RESULTS For the first 5 to 6 days after removal of swine dysentery-infected shedder swine from the confinement building, lagoon effluent from the building remained infective. Detector swine, given lagoon effluent as their drinking water for a 2-day period, developed clinical swine dysentery, and S hyodysenteriae was cultured from specimens from these swine. Swine dysentery did not develop in each group of 2 detector pigs given lagoon effluent as their sole source of drinking water on days 7 and 8, 9 and 10, 11 through 14, or 15 through 18 after removal of the infected shedder swine. Large spirochetes were not observed on microscopy of stained colonic scraping specimens, and S hyodysenteriae and Salmonella spp were not cultured from specimens from these detector swine after being monitored for 42 days. Serpulina hyodysenteriae or Salmonella spp were not cultured from samples of the lagoon effluent. CLINICAL IMPLICATIONS Although many factors could influence the survivability of S hyodysenteriae in a lagoon, results suggested that a facility with an open gutter-flush system that housed swine dysentery-infected swine should remain idle for more than 5 to 6 days before repopulating with unexposed swine.
Diagnosis and treatment planning for the surgical-orthodontic patient.

Contemporary orthodontic treatment for the patient who would benefit from orthognathic surgery requires a collaborative approach. The surgeon and orthodontist should diagnose the condition and, plan treatment together so that the patient is fully informed and so that they can plan both phases of treatment to obtain realistic goals. The principles of diagnosis and treatment planning are outlined and illustrated with a case report.
Quality of life, anxiety, depression, and stress among adults in Greece following the global financial crisis:

The global financial crisis that spread from the United States to Europe severely impacted Greece. This is a study of quality of life (QoL), anxiety, depression, and stress in Greece following the ...
Attack: July–December 1962

at the age of fifty-seven, general paul harkins was still in excellent physical shape. A former hockey and polo star, he had the energy and enthusiasm needed for the difficult post of senior U. S. military adviser to a country with far flung outposts facing attack. Harkins's enemies in the press corps were to accuse him of spending little time in the field and relying solely on statistical reports for information. The journalist and author Neil Sheehan later claimed that “General Paul D. Harkins and his staff sat in their air-conditioned offices in Saigon and waxed optimistic on the same kind of supposedly impressive statistics the French had comforted themselves with during the First Indochina War.” In actuality, as those who worked with him would attest, Harkins spent a great portion of time in the field. “He lived a Spartan military life in Saigon, traveling almost daily around the country in small planes to keep in touch with the war,” noted John Mecklin, the embassy counseler for public affairs. At dusty district headquarters and remote mountain militia posts, Harkins sought firsthand information on the war from South Vietnamese and American officers, and then afterwards obtained independent appraisals to make sure the officers in the field knew their stuff and were not sugarcoating anything for the boss. General Harkins spent much of the year's second half pressing Diem to fix problems in the South Vietnamese armed forces that had not been fixed during the first half.
Acute Sinus Node Dysfunction after Atrial Ablation: Incidence, Risk Factors, and Management.

Background Many patients with atrial fibrillation (AF) or atrial flutter (Aflutter) have concomitant sinus node dysfunction (SND). Ablation may result in injury to the sinus node complex or its blood supply resulting in sinus arrest and need for temporary pacing. We sought to characterize patients who develop acute SND (ASND) during/immediately after AF/Aflutter ablation. Methods We performed a retrospective analysis of AF/Aflutter ablation patients between January 1, 2010 and February 28, 2015 to characterize those who required temporary pacemaker (TPM) implantation due to ASND (sinus arrest, sinus bradycardia <40 beats/min, or junctional rhythm with hemodynamic compromise) following atrial ablation. Results Of 2,151 patients, eight patients ( 50%. Conclusion ASND is a rare complication of atrial ablation. It may be more common when peri-SVC ablation is performed and may necessitate permanent pacemaker implantation.
RIDGE TYPE ESTIMATORS OF MULTINOMIAL CELL PROBABILITIES

Publisher Summary This chapter presents the development of the analogs of normal theory ridge regression estimators for the problem of simultaneously estimating cell probabilities. It is shown that the class of maximum likelihood estimator is analog of the class of ridge estimators in a number of frequentist senses as well as in the well-known Bayesian sense. The chapter also presents small sample simulation studies, which compare the current estimators with those previously proposed; it concentrates on the large sparse multinomial framework introduced by Fienberg and Holland.
Dielectric behavior and structure of gases, liquids and solids

Advances in understanding fundamental dielectric properties of atoms, molecules, and ions in the gaseous, liquid, and solid states constitute a major portion of the literature on dielectrics. This chapter presents only those papers which make a significant contribution to these areas of dielectric phenomena either through a theoretical analysis or through experimental data directed toward a theoretical understanding. Papers that would be more appropriately discussed under specific titles of other chapters have been omitted.
Impact of future climate policy scenarios on air quality and aerosol-cloud interactions using an advanced version of CESM/CAM5: Part I. model evaluation for the current decadal simulations

Abstract A version of the Community Earth System Model modified at the North Carolina State University (CESM-NCSU) is used to simulate the current and future atmosphere following the representative concentration partway scenarios for stabilization of radiative forcing at 4.5 W m−2 (RCP4.5) and radiative forcing of 8.5 W m−2 (RCP8.5). Part I describes the results from a comprehensive evaluation of current decadal simulations. Radiation and most meteorological variables are well simulated in CESM-NCSU. Cloud parameters are not as well simulated due in part to the tuning of model radiation and general biases in cloud variables common to all global chemistry-climate models. The concentrations of most inorganic aerosol species (i.e., SO42-, NH4+, and NO3−) are well simulated with normalized mean biases (NMBs) typically less than 20%. However, some notable exceptions are European NH4+, which is overpredicted by 33.0–42.2% due to high NH3 emissions and irreversible coarse mode condensation, and Cl−, that is negatively impacted by errors in emissions driven by wind speed and overpredicted HNO3. Carbonaceous aerosols are largely underpredicted following the RCP scenarios due to low emissions of black carbon, organic carbon, and anthropogenic volatile compounds in the RCP inventory and efficient wet removal. This results in underpredictions of PM2.5 and PM10 by 6.4–55.7%. The column mass abundances are reasonably well simulated. Larger biases occur in surface mixing ratios of trace gases in CESM-NCSU, likely due to numerical diffusion from the coarse grid spacing of the CESM-NCSU simulations or errors in the magnitudes and vertical structure of emissions. This is especially true for SO2 and NO2. The mixing ratio of O3 is overpredicted by 38.9–76.0% due to the limitations in the O3 deposition scheme used in CESM and insufficient titration resulted from large underpredictions in NO2. Despite these limitations, CESM-NCSU reproduces reasonably well the current atmosphere in terms of radiation, clouds, meteorology, trace gases, aerosols, and aerosol-cloud interactions, making it suitable for future climate simulations.
The Role of Cytomegalovirus in Immune Thrombocytopenia Purpura.

Abstract Immune thrombocytopenia purpura(ITP) is one of the most common causes of acquired thrombocytopenia. Although ITP is believed to result from autoreactive antibodies that lead to platelet destruction, its exact pathogenesis is not known. Cytomegalovirus(CMV) has been implicated as a possible causative agent of ITP. Based on three case reports described here we believe that CMV may be a cause of refractory ITP in certain patients and that eradication of CMV with antiviral therapy will improve the ITP. A 72-year-old man experienced recurrent epistaxis and was found to be thrombocytopenic. He was diagnosed with ITP, and treated with IVIG and solumedrol, with platelets transiently rising to 45K/ul. He suffered a subdural hematoma and was placed on IVIG and prednisone daily and referred for splenectomy. Rituximab was ineffective. Testing for CMV revealed a positive PCR and ganciclovir IV qd, valganciclovir, and cytogam 2 times per week were initiated. With this regimen, the CMV PCR became undetectable and steroids and his anti-CMV medications were weaned off. He now maintains a normal count on no treatment. A 48-year-old male developed ITP which was refractory to treatment with steroids, IVIG, rituximab, danazol, vincristine, anti-thymocyte globulin, and IV anti-D; his platelet count was
Selection, characterization, and thermal stabilization of llama single domain antibodies towards Ebola virus glycoprotein.

A key advantage of recombinant antibody technology is the ability to optimize and tailor reagents. Single domain antibodies (sdAbs), the recombinantly produced variable domains derived from camelid and shark heavy chain antibodies, provide advantages of stability and solubility and can be further engineered to enhance their properties. In this study, we generated sdAbs specific for Ebola virus envelope glycoprotein (GP) and increased their stability to expand their utility for use in austere locals. Ebola virus is extremely virulent and causes fatal hemorrhagic fever in ~ 50 percent of the cases. The viral GP binds to host cell receptors to facilitate viral entry and thus plays a critical role in pathogenicity. An immune phage display library containing more than 107 unique clones was developed from a llama immunized with a combination of killed Ebola virus and recombinantly produced GP. We panned the library to obtain GP binding sdAbs and isolated sdAbs from 5 distinct sequence families. Three GP binders with dissociation constants ranging from ~ 2 to 20 nM, and melting temperatures from ~ 57 to 72 °C were selected for protein engineering in order to increase their stability through a combination of consensus sequence mutagenesis and the addition of a non-canonical disulfide bond. These changes served to increase the melting temperatures of the sdAbs by 15–17 °C. In addition, fusion of a short positively charged tail to the C-terminus which provided ideal sites for the chemical modification of these sdAbs resulted in improved limits of detection of GP and Ebola virus like particles while serving as tracer antibodies. SdAbs specific for Ebola GP were selected and their stability and functionality were improved utilizing protein engineering. Thermal stability of antibody reagents may be of particular importance when operating in austere locations that lack reliable refrigeration. Future efforts can evaluate the potential of these isolated sdAbs as candidates for diagnostic or therapeutic applications for Ebola.
False Facts and Holy War: How the Supreme Court’s Establishment Clause Cases Fuel Religious Conflict

In the area of government religious speech, the opinions of the Supreme Court sometimes contain facts that seem plausible but are false. The Court seems to offer these in an attempt to reduce religious tension in our society. Such attempts have only resulted in an increase in conflict, because of the inevitable nature of advocacy within a constitutional system. This paper proposes that it is the very attempt to resolve religious disputes by presenting false facts that intensifies conflict. Ideologically opposing forces seize each offered settlement from the Court as a tool to advance their own position: either the increase or elimination of government religious speech. In failing to accept that religious conflict is inevitable in a free society, the Court's promulgation of false facts has merely exacerbated that conflict. Only a frank recognition of the problem and a deliberate incorporation of a time-based distinction into standing doctrine based on time offers any real hope of establishing peace concerning the proper place of religion in the public life of the United States.
Asymmetric transfer efficiencies between fomites and fingers: Impact on model parameterization.

Background Healthcare-associated infections (HAIs) affect millions of patients every year. Pathogen transmission via fomites and healthcare workers (HCWs) contribute to the persistence of HAIs in hospitals. A critical parameter needed to assess risk of environmental transmission is the pathogen transfer efficiency between fomites and fingers. Recent studies have shown that pathogen transfer is not symmetric. In this study,we evaluated how the commonly used assumption of symmetry in transfer efficiency changes the dynamics of pathogen movement between patients and rooms and the exposures to uncolonized patients. Methods We developed and analyzed a deterministic compartmental model of Acinetobacter baumannii describing the contact-mediated process among HCWs, patients, and the environment. We compared a system using measured asymmetrical transfer efficiency to 2 symmetrical transfer efficiency systems. Results Symmetric models consistently overestimated contamination levels on fomites and underestimated contamination on patients and HCWs compared to the asymmetrical model. The magnitudes of these miscalculations can exceed 100%. Regardless of the model, relative percent reductions in contamination declined after hand hygiene compliance reached approximately 60% in the large fomite scenario and 70% in the small fomite scenario. Conclusions This study demonstrates how healthcare facility-specific data can be used for decision-making processes. We show that the incorrect use of transfer efficiency data leads to biased effectiveness estimates for intervention strategies. More accurate exposure models are needed for more informed infection prevention strategies.
A low-cost mechanical stretching device for uniaxial strain of cells: a platform for pedagogy in mechanobiology

Mechanical cues including stretch, compression, and shear stress play a critical role in regulating the behavior of many cell types, particularly those that experience substantial mechanical stress within tissues. Devices that impart mechanical stimulation to cells in vitro have been instrumental in helping to develop a better understanding of how cells respond to mechanical forces. However, these devices often have constraints, such as cost and limited functional capabilities, that restrict their use in research or educational environments. Here, we describe a low-cost method to fabricate a uniaxial cell stretcher that would enable widespread use and facilitate engineering design and mechanobiology education for undergraduate students. The device is capable of producing consistent and reliable strain profiles through the use of a servomotor, gear, and gear rack system. The servomotor can be programmed to output various waveforms at specific frequencies and stretch amplitudes by controlling the degree of rotation, speed, and acceleration of the servogear. In addition, the stretchable membranes are easy to fabricate and can be customized, allowing for greater flexibility in culture well size. We used the custom-built stretching device to uniaxially strain macrophages and cardiomyocytes, and found that both cell types displayed functional and cell shape changes that were consistent with the previous studies using commercially available systems. Overall, this uniaxial cell stretcher provides a more cost-effective alternative to study the effects of mechanical stretch on cells, and can therefore, be widely used in research and educational environments to broaden the study and pedagogy of cell mechanobiology.
New vibrational bands of CH2 (b̃1B1)

Abstract Singlet methylene has been produced in its lowest rotational states by photolysis of jet-cooled ketene at photolysis wavelengths near threshold, and the laser-induced fluorescence excitation spectrum has been recorded from 16 170 to 18 250 cm−1. The spectral simplification obtained has allowed identification of several previously unknown vibrational bands in the upper state. Three of the new bands are assigned as combination bands involving the ν1 vibration of the b state; they should allow a more accutate determination of this mode's frequency and anharmonic constants. The variations in intensity with photolysis wavelength and the photolysis energy thresholds determined by photofragment excitation spectra for selected transitions permit unambiguous assignments of the lower states. The techniques presented here provide important tools for dealing with this congested and highly perturbed spectrum.
Games spiders play: II. Resource assessment strategies

1. The predictions of game theory concerning the use of resource assessment strategies by animals in conflict situations were tested through study of the agonistic behavior of the funnel-web spider, Ageleropsis aperta, in disputes over web sites and associated territories. Specifically, contest cost was considered relative to resource value (i.e., the quality and availability of territories). 2. The contest methodology was similar to that described in Riechert (1978a) with weight controlled to eliminate size bias. In addition, relative contest costs were converted to joules using resting metabolism under field conditions as a reference. Estimates of territory quality and availability were made through the application of a model of spider reproductive success to the results of discriminant analyses of site characteristics. 3. The immediate and ultimate benefits of ownership of specific territories accounts for a significant amount of the within-population variability in dispute cost-the greater the benefit, the greater the total cost of the dispute. The territory owner is shown to determine the level of escalation reached in these contests, while the intruder merely adjusts its behavior to that of its opponent. 4. Contest behavior is also shown to vary according to the relative availability of territories: more energy is expended in maintaining and winning territories in a habitat near saturation (desert grassland) than where territories are in ready supply (desert riparian). 5. A greater range of benefits was available to spiders occupying specific sites in the desert grassland study area than to the riparian population. This was emphasized by the greater variability in contest cost, richness, and in the total number of acts exhibited in the sequences involving desert grassland spiders. Prey availability and ultimately reproductive success were found to be correlated with web-site quality in the desert grassland habitat, whereas differential utilization of specific habitat types by the riparian spiders corresponded not to reproductive potential but to the ease of web placement. 6. The correspondance existing between within-population contest cost and site quality reflects active resource assessment on the part of the territory owner, while population differences observed in the level of escalation achieved in disputes over territories is attributed to selection pressure for evolved differences in level of aggression. These findings are discussed in terms of optimization and relative to the predictions of game theory.
The Internal Validity of Discrete Choice Experiment Data: A Testing Tool for Quantitative Assessments.

Abstract Objectives To develop a tool for testing internal validity of discrete choice experiment (DCE) data, deploy the program, and collect summary test results from a sample of active health researchers to demonstrate the practical utility of the tool in a wide range of health applications. Methods A previously developed Gauss program had been in use for testing internal validity. The program was translated to MATLAB and adapted, compiled, and deployed. Sixty-seven authors who had coauthored one or more published DCE studies between 2013 and 2016 were contacted by email; provided access to the tool, instructions, and an example data file; and invited to submit test summaries for tabulation. Results Twenty-one researchers from 10 countries contributed test results from a total of 55 DCE data sets. Fifty-one studies included at least two out of a possible six tests. Attribute dominance was the most common test, and stability had the highest failure incidence. Only three summaries included a transitivity test, and no failures were detected. Conclusions It was possible to evaluate multiple internal validity checks for most data sets even when the experimental design did not explicitly include tests. Nevertheless, internal validity is rarely reported. Free availability of the tool for testing data quality could improve both reporting and more careful design of DCE studies to help validate and interpret stated preference data.
Voltage Sensing in Membranes: From Macroscopic Currents to Molecular Motions.

Voltage-sensing domains (VSDs) are integral membrane protein units that sense changes in membrane electric potential, and through the resulting conformational changes, regulate a specific function. VSDs confer voltage-sensitivity to a large superfamily of membrane proteins that includes voltage-gated Na[Formula: see text], K[Formula: see text], Ca[Formula: see text] ,and H[Formula: see text] selective channels, hyperpolarization-activated cyclic nucleotide-gated channels, and voltage-sensing phosphatases. VSDs consist of four transmembrane segments (termed S1 through S4). Their most salient structural feature is the highly conserved positions for charged residues in their sequences. S4 exhibits at least three conserved triplet repeats composed of one basic residue (mostly arginine) followed by two hydrophobic residues. These S4 basic side chains participate in a state-dependent internal salt-bridge network with at least four acidic residues in S1-S3. The signature of voltage-dependent activation in electrophysiology experiments is a transient current (termed gating or sensing current) upon a change in applied membrane potential as the basic side chains in S4 move across the membrane electric field. Thus, the unique structural features of the VSD architecture allow for competing requirements: maintaining a series of stable transmembrane conformations, while allowing charge motion, as briefly reviewed here.
Sequential Hedging

This paper addresses a problem faced by the producer of a commodity for which futures are traded. The producer wishes to reduce his exposure to the random fluctuations in spot prices; however, the futures markets extend out for fewer time periods than the revenue stream that he wants to hedge. The main result of the paper is that under certain conditions on the relationship between the futures prices and past spot prices, it is still possible to hedge perfectly; in other words, there exists a sequence of futures positions that entirely eliminates the risk in the present value of the producer's revenues. Under those conditions-which are necessary as well as sufficient-the paper shows explicitly the futures positions that achieve the exact hedge.
Performance Analysis of Parameter Estimation in Electromagnetic Induction Data

We derive the Cramer–Rao lower bound (CRB) for target tensor amplitudes and target location parameters that can be estimated from electromagnetic induction (EMI) measurements of a target. In deriving the bound, no restrictions are placed on the target type, target orientation, quantity, or location of the measurement positions, nor the geometry of the EMI sensor or sensor array. The analysis is applicable to both a scanned sensor and a stationary array, as well as both time- and frequency-domain sensors. We show how the bound varies as a function of target type, orientation, depth, and signal-to-noise ratio. In addition, we illustrate the ways to use the CRB and the Fisher information matrix to analyze the relationships between the tensor amplitudes and location parameters. We show results of the CRB analysis applied to an experimental frequency-domain Georgia Tech sensor for a few target types for a nominal 2-D scan geometry as well as the Time-domain Electromagnetic Multi-sensor Towed Array Detection System. We also provide an algorithm for estimating the target location and tensor that achieves the CRB.
Birefringent Photonic Crystal for High Efficiency Polarization Beam Splitting

We have modeled and fabricated a birefringent photonic crystal using only TiO 2 . The device demonstrates high efficiency for splitting the polarization states of incident light. The fabrication is done using oblique-angle deposition to create alternating high and low refractive index modulation in one dimension. © 2019 The Author(s)
Pathophysiology of Cerebral Vascular Dysfunction in Pregnancy-Induced Hypertension.

To review and summarize what is known about cerebrovascular derangements during preeclampsia. Preeclampsia is a devastating disorder of pregnancy with no known cure. Little is known about the pathophysiological mechanisms which lead to the symptoms of the disorder, particularly with regard to individual vascular beds such as the cerebral circulation. Studies suggest that the cerebrovascular dysfunction characteristic of the preeclampsia syndrome is characterized by alterations in cerebral blood flow autoregulation and opening of the blood–brain barrier. Mechanistic studies demonstrate that the same circulating factors implicated in the pathophysiology of other vascular beds may be operative in the cerebral circulation as well. However, significant knowledge gaps still exist, highlighting the need for more intense research in this field. Little is known about cerebrovascular dysfunction during preeclampsia, and detailed mechanistic studies are needed to identify the molecular pathways involved, the interactions thereof, and how those pathways lead to clinical disease.
Tracking the Growth of the Himalayan Fold-and-Thrust Belt From Lower Miocene Foreland Basin Strata: Dumri Formation, Western Nepal

U.S. National Science Foundation (NSF) [Tectonics-EAR-1140068]; Conoco Fellowship scholarship (2016); Chevron Texaco Geology Fellowship (2016); University of Arizona Galileo Circle Scholarship (2017); U.S. National Science Foundation (NSF) [NSF EAR-1338583, EAR1649254]
EXCITATION OF THE PARENT ANALOGS OF THE $sup 58$Ni GIANT M1 RESONANCE BY THE REACTION $sup 58$Ni(t,h)$sup 58$Co.

The reaction $^{58}\mathrm{Ni}(t,h)^{58}\mathrm{Co}$ has been studied at an incident triton energy of 23.5 MeV. Among the low-lying levels are several ${1}^{+}$ states which are selectively populated. Based on this selectivity and their energy centroid, it is proposed that these states contain an appreciable fraction of the ${T}_{0}+1$ analogs of the giant $M1$ resonance in $^{58}\mathrm{Ni}$.