cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
A framework for beamforming structures

A framework for describing linearly constrained minimum variance (LCMV) beamforming structures is presented. The framework results from factoring the processor impulse response into a weight vector and a matrix which describes the structure. Classes of structures with equivalent steady-state and adaptive performance are discussed. Examples are given which illustrate application of this framework to several different structures.
Amplified expression of a transcriptional pattern formed during development of Anabaena

The cyanobacterium Anabaena responds to nitrogen deprivation by producing heterocysts, cells specialized for nitrogen fixation, at well-spaced intervals along its filaments. The gene hepA, required for heterocyst maturation, is expressed in response to nitrogen deprivation, prior to visible differentiation. A spatial pattern of hepA expression indistinguishable from the eventual pattern of heterocysts was made visible by fusing the hepA promoter to luxAB, which encodes bacterial luciferase. Because the resulting signal did not greatly exceed instrumental background, T7 RNA polymerase was used to increase luminescence. The hepA promoter was fused to the gene for that polymerase, and a promoter recognized by that polymerase was fused to luxAB. Filaments containing these two fusions showed spaced luminescing cells many hours before differentiation became discernible morphologically.
Reducing indirect programming mismatch due to oxide-traps using dual-channel floating-gate transistors

This paper presents a dual-channel architecture for floating-gate transistors that can alleviate the detrimental effects of oxide-traps seen in indirect programming techniques. The proposed transistor consists of four input/output ports that allow multiple paths for drain currents to flow and yet share the same gate-oxide and poly-silicon gate. As a result, one pair of the ports can be used for indirect programming, whereas the other pair can be actively connected to other analog circuits. Compared with the existing approaches for floating-gate programming, the proposed technique avoids disruption of the circuit operation and eliminates the effect of oxide-traps as well. In this paper we present measured results obtained from a dual-channel floating-gate current reference which has been fabricated in a 0.5-µm standard CMOS process.
Does the Sustainability of Comprehensive Intervention Programs Depend on Parent Involvement

In this research, the importance and sustainability of one of the components of Gaining Early Awareness and Readiness for Undergraduate Programs (GEAR UP), parent involvement, was studied identifying the importance placed on parent involvement determined the programs’ capacity for sustainability. Results show parent involvement activities, which may provide the most beneficial outcome for parents and their children, are activities that include parents in the planning, decision making, and recruitment of other parents, and that parents need to be considered an important part of GEAR UP services from the beginning of program development. The importance placed on parent involvement was found to have a strong positive effect on the capacity for sustainability of partnership type programs, which draws attention to the way partnership programs are created, and programs that best meet the needs of the community are created by those in the community in which services are provided.
Host defense reinforces host-parasite cospeciation

Cospeciation occurs when interacting groups, such as hosts and parasites, speciate in tandem, generating congruent phylogenies. Cospeciation can be a neutral process in which parasites speciate merely because they are isolated on diverging host islands. Adaptive evolution may also play a role, but this has seldom been tested. We explored the adaptive basis of cospeciation by using a model system consisting of feather lice (Columbicola) and their pigeon and dove hosts (Columbiformes). We reconstructed phylogenies for both groups by using nuclear and mitochondrial DNA sequences. Both phylogenies were well resolved and well supported. Comparing these phylogenies revealed significant cospeciation and correlated evolution of host and parasite body size. The match in body size suggested that adaptive constraints limit the range of hosts lice can use. We tested this hypothesis by transferring lice among hosts of different sizes to simulate host switches. The results of these experiments showed that lice cannot establish viable populations on novel hosts that differ in size from the native host. To determine why size matters, we measured three components of louse fitness: attachment, feeding, and escape from host defense (preening). Lice could remain attached to, and feed on, hosts varying in size by an order of magnitude. However, they could not escape from preening on novel hosts that differed in size from the native host. Overall, our results suggest that host defense reinforces cospeciation in birds and feather lice by preventing lice from switching between hosts of different sizes.
Using redundancy in FDDI networks

The connection management (CMT) of the fiber distributed data interface (FDDI) standard supports redundancy through a number of different network configurations. This redundancy may be used to increase the reliability of the network. These network configurations include using dual attachment stations in the dual ring, invoking the hold policy, using concentrator trees and using dual homing in the concentrator tree. The reliability of these configurations is examined and compared with network configurations without redundancy. The results show that the dual ring is able to withstand single faults, but not multiple faults. Other configuration options must be used to withstand multiple faults. The hold policy does not significantly increase the fault tolerance of FDDI. There are a number of useful configuration options in FDDI that allow redundancy. Depending upon the required level of robustness, FDDI configurations are available to meet the requirements. >
Long-chain polyunsaturated fatty acids in the sn-2 position of phosphatidylcholine decrease the stability of recombinant high density lipoprotein apolipoprotein A-I and the activation energy of the lecithin : cholesterol acyltransferase reaction

The lecithin:cholesterol acyltransferase (LCAT) kinetics and activation energy and the stability of apolipoprotein A-I (apoA-I) were investigated using recombinant HDL (rHDL) containing phosphatidylcholine (PC), [3H]cholesterol, and apo A-I. The PC component of the rHDL contained sn-1 16:0 and sn-2 18:1 (POPC), 20:4 (PAPC), 20:5 n-3 (PEPC), or 22:6 n-3 (PDPC) or 10% of the respective PC species and 90% sn-1 18:1, sn-2 16:0 PC ether (OPPC ether). The appVmax of the rHDL containing 100% PC varied 10-fold and was ordered POPC > PEPC > PAPC > PDPC, whereas the appKm values varied 19-43 microns PC. The ether-containing rHDL had appVmax values 17-40% of their respective 100% PC rHDL, but maintained the same rank order. The activation energy of LCAT was lower for rHDL containing long chain polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA) compared to rHDL containing 100% POPC or 10% PC/90% OPPC ether. The concentration of guanidine HCl (D1/2) required to denature one-half of the apoA-I on rHDL containing long chain PUFA was reduced (1.2-16 M) compared to those containing 100% POPC or 10% PC/90% OPPC (2.2-2.4 M) and there was a strong correlation (r = 0.71) between LCAT activation energy and the stability of apoA-I (i.e., D1/2). We conclude that long chain PUFA in the sn-2 position of PC decreases the catalytic efficiency of LCAT, the activation energy of the LCAT reaction and the stability of apoA-I on the rHDL particles. The strong association between rHDL apoA-I stability and LCAT activation energy suggests that the temperature-dependent step of the LCAT reaction may be sensitive to the strength of the interaction of apoA-I with rHDL PC.
Do Underwriters Create Value In The Determination Of The IPO Final Offering Price

A company sets a price range in their “red herring” prospectus filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission when they issue shares for the first time. The firm’s investment bankers then test the market to determine if the shares can be sold. The final offer price will be above, within or below the initial price range in the “red herring.” This paper studies the first day price change and relates it to the final offering price being set below, within or above the initial price range. Based on six years (2002-2007) of market data, covering both bull and bear markets, it appears that investors might be able to realize higher percentage gains on the first day by investing in those stocks that are priced above the range indicated in the “red herring.” Furthermore, the exchange on which the IPOs are traded also plays a significant role in the first day price change. We find empirical support for the partial price adjustment hypothesis of IPO underpricing and this finding is robust with respect to market regiments.
Risk Factors for Social Isolation in Older Korean Americans

Objective: Given the importance of social ties and connectedness in the lives of older ethnic immigrants, the present study examined the prevalence of social isolation and its risk factors in older Korean Americans. Method: Using survey data from 1,301 participants (Mage = 70.5, SD = 7.24), risk groups for marginal social ties with family and friends were identified and predictors of each type of social isolation explored. Results: Male gender and poorer rating of health were identified as common risk factors for marginal ties to both family and friends. Findings also present specific risk factors for each type of social isolation. For example, an increased risk of having marginal ties with friends was observed among individuals with perceived financial strain, greater functional impairment, and a shorter stay in the United States. Discussion: The common and specific risk factors should be incorporated in programs to reduce social isolation in older immigrant populations.
In Search of Protein Locations

We present a bootstrapping approach to infer new proteins, locations and protein-location pairs by combining UniProt seed protein-location pairs with dependency paths from a large collection of text. Of the top 20 system proposed protein-location pairs, 18 were in UniProt or supported by online evidence. Interestingly, 3 of the top 20 locations identified by the system were in the UniProt description, but missing from the formal ontology.
Preservice Secondary Teachers' Sense of Efficacy in Teaching Character Education.

Character education is one of the most controversial domains of academic instruction in the United States. At the present time, many states and individual schools are considering the question of th...
Testimony of Anthony Johnstone, Assistant Professor, University of Montana School of Law - Senate Judiciary Committee Hearing on 'The Citizens United Court and the Continuing Importance of the Voting Rights Act'

This testimony concerns the role of the Supreme Court in reviewing the constitutionality of “laws of democracy,” including campaign finance regulation, election administration, and voting rights enforcement. It compares the different approaches the Court has taken toward two controversies, corporate campaign spending and voter identification laws, and attempts to draw some lessons from the comparison for the Court’s pending review of the Voting Rights Act.
SUPREME COURT FOREWORD, OCTOBER TERM 2011: FEDERALISM POINTS AND THE SOMETIME RECOGNITION OF ESSENTIAL FEDERAL POWER

For some time now, a narrow but persistent majority of the Supreme Court has undertaken the project of circumscribing federal power. Marching under the banner of state sovereignty, this majority has attacked the flanks of congressional power in at least three areas: its enumerated powers, its power to direct the state administration of federal programs, and its power to abrogate state immunity from suit. During the October Term 2011, the battle over the appropriate balance of federal power and state sovereignty continued in earnest on all three fronts. This Foreword examines the Court’s 2011 term to find those points where contested federal power was upheld and reinforced and those where state sovereignty prevailed. These points tell us a great deal about the current state of affairs and the nature of the Court’s ongoing conflict, revealing that while some important federal strongholds held well, the state sovereignty forces rather clearly advanced further, though not always in lockstep either substantively or strategically.
Screening for primary hypertension in children and adolescents.

L.S. is a 14-year-old black adolescent who presents for a routine school physical examination. Her mother tells you that she and her husband have hypertension, and they worry about their daughter's blood pressure. She asks you whether L.S. should be periodically checked for high blood pressure.
Role of Web, Tactile Stimuli, and Female Sex Pheromone in Attraction of Male Twospotted Spider Mites to Quiescent Female Deutonymphs

Behavior of adult male Tetranychus urticae Koch attending quiescent female deutonymphs was analyzed by time-lapse movie photography. Males laid down a web mat across the female. Male movement was found to be largely confined within 2 body-lengths from the female. This distance served as the criterion for male response to a female sex pheromone in subsequent investigations. The role of tactile stimuli, female sex pheromone, and female deutonymph web in male attraction to quiescent female deutonymphs was investigated. Male attraction to clumps of moistened polyvinylpyrrolidone powder and to quiescent female deutonymphs alone was initially similar. However, male interest was only maintained throughout the 100 min test period when attending quiescent females. Tactile stimuli were therefore important in some initial male contact with females. The female sex pheromone then acted as an arrestant, holding the males usually within 2 body-lengths of the female. The presence of web, produced by female deutonymphs prior to quiescence, greatly increased male attraction to quiescent females.
A Multicycle Q-Modulation for Dynamic Optimization of Inductive Links

This paper presents a new method, called multicycle Q-modulation, which can be used in wireless power transmission (WPT) to modulate the quality factor (Q) of the receiver (Rx) coil and dynamically optimize the load impedance to maximize the power transfer efficiency (PTE) in two-coil links. A key advantage of the proposed method is that it can be easily implemented using off-the-shelf components without requiring fast switching at or above the carrier frequency, which is more suitable for integrated circuit design. Moreover, the proposed technique does not need any sophisticated synchronization between the power carrier and Q-modulation switching pulses. The multicycle Q-modulation is analyzed theoretically by a lumped circuit model, and verified in simulation and measurement using an off-the-shelf prototype. Automatic resonance tuning in the Rx, combined with multicycle Q-modulation helped maximizing PTE of the inductive link dynamically in the presence of environmental and loading variations, which can otherwise significantly degrade the PTE in multicoil settings. In the prototype conventional two-coil link, the proposed method increased the power amplifier plus inductive-link efficiency from 4.8% to 16.5% at ( $R_{L} = 1\, {\rm kW}$ , $d_{23} = 3\,{\rm cm}$ ), and from 23% to 28.2% at ( $R_{L} = 100\,{\Omega}$ , $d_{23} = 3\,{\rm cm}$ ) after 11% change in the resonance capacitance, while delivering 168.1 mW to the load (PDL).
Isolation of B. botulinus, type B, from feces by use of blood agar plates in anaerobic jar

Cases of botulism are reported in which bacteriologic evidence is lacking because specimens of the suspected food cannot be obtained. This report of the isolation of B. botulinus from the feces in a typical case of botulism is therefore of value in helping to establish the diagnostic significance of such examinations. It is also of interest in demonstrating the superiority of the use of blood-agar plates incubated in an anaerobic jar as a method for isolation and purification of anaerobes.
Composite Manganese Oxide Percolating Networks As a Suspension Electrode for an Asymmetric Flow Capacitor

In this study, we examine the use of a percolating network of metal oxide (MnO2) as the active material in a suspension electrode as a way to increase the capacitance and energy density of an electrochemical flow capacitor. Amorphous manganese oxide was synthesized via a low-temperature hydrothermal approach and combined with carbon black to form composite flowable electrodes of different compositions. All suspension electrodes were tested in static configurations and consisted of an active solid material (MnO2 or activated carbon) immersed in aqueous neutral electrolyte (1 M Na2SO4). Increasing concentrations of carbon black led to better rate performance but at the cost of capacitance and viscosity. Furthermore, it was shown that an expanded voltage window of 1.6 V could be achieved when combining a composite MnO2-carbon black (cathode) and an activated carbon suspension (anode) in a charge balanced asymmetric device. The expansion of the voltage window led to a significant increase in the energy densit...
Pulsatile activation of baroreceptors causes central facilitation of baroreflex.

The reflex decrease in arterial pressure is greater and more sustained with elevated pulsatile than with elevated static carotid sinus pressure. The purpose of this study was to relate afferent bar...
Promoting prevention services in primary care: a controlled trial.

Abstract We used a two-group hybrid, multiple baseline and reversal design to assess the efficacy of a prompt—an in-chart checklist—for increasing screening, counseling, and referral for 11 risk behaviors. Chart reviews for randomly selected patients of each provider showed very low baseline levels of these services for routine visits (0.2% to 3.8%). But significant increases occurred in discussion and prescription of change (although not in referrals) during intervention. Patient visits for routine gynecologic care and birth control showed higher baseline levels (10.8% to 21.0%) and also had a significant increase in discussion of risk behaviors. However, no significant change occurred in prescription or referral for these patients. Follow-up interviews of providers supported the reliability of the results and raised issues about attitudes toward primary care health promotion. Provider variability in response to the intervention suggests that more tailored interventions might increase provision of comprehensive health promotion services by a broad spectrum of primary care providers.
Transporters as Drug Targets in Neurological Diseases

Membrane transport proteins have central physiological function in maintaining cerebral homeostasis. These transporters are expressed in almost all cerebral cells in which they regulate the movement of a wide range of solutes, including endogenous substrates, xenobiotic, and therapeutic drugs. Altered activity/expression of central nervous system (CNS) transporters has been implicated in the onset and progression of multiple neurological diseases. Neurological diseases are heterogeneous diseases that involve complex pathological alterations with only a few treatment options; therefore, there is a great need for the development of novel therapeutic treatments. To that end, transporters have emerged recently to be promising therapeutic targets to halt or slow the course of neurological diseases. The objective of this review is to discuss implications of transporters in neurological diseases and summarize available evidence for targeting transporters as decent therapeutic approach in the treatment of neurological diseases.
Slow carbon and nutrient accumulation in trees established following fire exclusion in the southwestern United States

Increasing tree density that followed fire exclusion after the 1880s in the southwestern United States may have also altered nutrient cycles and led to a carbon (C) sink that constitutes a significant component of the U.S. C budget. Yet, empirical data quantifying century-scale changes in C or nutrients due to fire exclusion are rare. We used tree-ring reconstructions of stand structure from five ponderosa pine-dominated sites from across northern Arizona to compare live tree C, nitrogen (N), and phosphorus (P) storage between the 1880s and 1990s. Live tree biomass in the 1990s contained up to three times more C, N, and P than in 1880s. However, the increase in C storage was smaller than values used in recent U.S. C budgets. Furthermore, trees that had established prior to the 1880s accounted for a large fraction (28-66%) of the C, N, and P stored in contemporary stands. Overall, our century-scale analysis revealed that forests of the 1880s were on a trajectory to accumulate C and nutrients in trees even in the absence of fire exclusion, either because growing conditions became more favorable after the 1880s or because forests in the 1880s included age or size cohorts poised for accelerated growth. These results may lead to a reduction in the C sink attributed to fire exclusion, and they refine our understanding of reference conditions for restoration management of fire-prone forests.
Experimental precision and tests of hypotheses

Objections are made to the practice of rejecting or not rejecting a statistical hypothesis on the basis of a conventional level of significance. Experimental precision must also be considered in order to control the probability of accepting a false hypothesis. Some experimental situations where precision is inadequate are discussed.
Sexual Dimorphisms: How Sex-Shared Neurons Generate Sex-Specific Behaviors

Summary How sexually dimorphic behaviors are represented in the brain is a long-standing question. Two new studies in C. elegans uncover novel molecular mechanisms that allow neurons shared by opposite sexes to generate distinct sex-specific behaviors.
Crises Beyond Belief: Findings on Contagion, the Role of Beliefs, and the Eurozone Debt Crisis from a Borrower–Lender Game

The 1997 Asian financial crisis, the 1998 Russian crisis, the 2007 global financial crisis, and the 2009 Eurozone crisis redrew the landscape of economic risk. Each crisis elucidated the systemic nature of economic risk, where adverse events appear increasingly capable of quickly spreading from one country to the next through a process commonly known as contagion. This paper presents a borrower–lender game with sequential moves and imperfect information, to discuss the potential for contagion through debt and trade channels while highlighting the role of beliefs. While many in the literature focus on contagion as a direct transmission of economic shocks through debt and trade channels, this paper finds that contagion through trade is unlikely and that the role of lender beliefs can result in apparent contagion. The paper presents new theory, computational solutions, extensive sensitivity analysis, and a case study of the Eurozone crisis. Results demonstrate that changes in lender beliefs following revelations of a crisis in one country may lead a lender to be unwilling to lend to another country. This in turn may create a self-fulfilling prophecy where, without access to credit, that country may be less willing and able to repay past debts. Furthermore, results demonstrate that the borrower–lender game in this paper can explain apparent contagion throughout the Eurozone crisis through deteriorating lender beliefs. While the conventional story is that contagion leads to real propagations through debt (or trade), we find that a real propagation of shocks is not needed.
Rubus persistence within silvicultural openings and its impact on regeneration: The influence of opening size and advance regeneration

Abstract We investigated the persistence and influence of Rubus spp. on tree regeneration in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan. This genus has been linked with delayed recruitment of trees following overstory removal in some regions but not others. Specifically, we examined the role of opening size and advance regeneration on subsequent regeneration dynamics 13 years post-harvest in 44 group-selection openings and at 15 reference sites, which had been treated with single-tree selection. We found that patches of Rubus were still a common feature in large group-selection openings 13 growing seasons post-harvest. Most of the patches observed appeared to have persisted since our initial survey (second growing season post-harvest), with approximately half of the plots containing Rubus in 2005 still containing it in 2016. Rubus cover was significantly associated with increasing opening size (P
Die skalare Greensche Funktion

Wir betrachten die skalare Wellengleichung (1.18), auf die sich, wie Vorgangs bemerkt, die vektoriellen Wellengleichungen (1.12) bzw. (1.13) in einem ladungs- und stromfreien Raumgebiet meist reduzieren lassen, und suchen nach einer Losung u(r), die auf den Begrenzungen des Gebietes gewisse vorgegebene Randwerte annimmt. Eine solche Losung last sich, wenigstens formal, mit Hilfe einer „Greenschen Funktion”G(r) fur das betreffende Raumgebiet stets anschreiben. Um diese Greensche Funktion zu finden, mus man allerdings eine der Wellengleichung ahnliche und im Grunde sogar noch etwas kompliziertere Differentialgleichung losen. Trotzdem ist die Greensche Funktion ein wertvolles praktisches Hilfsmittel.
You should know Jack: A qualitative study of The Jack LaLanne Show (1951-~1965)

Jack LaLanne hosted the first and longest running fitness program in United States broadcast history from 1951 through 1985. Since LaLanne’s rise as a broadcasting celebrity, the health and fitness industry has grown from a small, somewhat-maligned field into a multi-billion dollar per year economy of its own. As LaLanne reached iconic status through his show, his name became synonymous with good health and nutrition, but the messages of his show went far beyond simple exercises. He used religious, patriotic, and biomedical messages to get his points across. In addition, he was a showman who sang to his audience, used props and even had his dog, Happy, perform
Multi-Modal Motion Activation for Robot Control Using Spiking Neurons

Robot control is an active field of research, in particular for humanoid robots which present challenging problems. Yet, few of the proposed methods exhibit properties of biological systems. Neurorobotics presents an interesting approach by using neural models and mechanisms of brain function to control robots. In this paper, we present a novel way to activate robot motions with different modalities, inspired by biology and implemented with spiking neurons. We focus on two specific characteristics of biological systems for motion control: the hierarchical representation, which is distributed in the body and the nervous system, and the different activation modalities. We modeled three different activation modalities: voluntary, rhythmic and reflexes. In our architecture, motions are represented with motor primitives that can be combined and parameterized. A mechanism to learn new motions based on previous knowledge is incorporated using an error function. Our approach is evaluated controlling a robotic arm in simulation. We show that each activation modality works, and we show that they can be combined in various ways in different scenarios.
Data-Driven Edge Computing Resource Scheduling for Protest Crowds Incident Management

Computation offloading has been shown to be a viable solution for addressing the challenges of processing compute-intensive workloads between low-power devices and nearby servers known as cloudlets. However, factors such as dynamic network conditions, concurrent user access, and limited resource availability often result in offloading decisions negatively impacting end users in terms of delay and energy consumption. To address these shortcomings, we investigate the benefits of using Machine Learning for predicting offloading costs for a facial recognition service in a series of realistic wireless experiments. We also perform a set of trace-driven simulations to emulate a multi-edge protest crowd incident case study and formulate an optimization model that minimizes the time taken for all service tasks to be completed. Because optimizing offloading schedules for such a system is a well-known NP-complete problem, we use mixed integer programming and show that our scheduling solution scales efficiently for a moderate number of user devices (10–100) with a correspondingly small number of cloudlets (1–10), a scale commonly sufficient for public safety officials in crowd incident management. Moreover, our results indicate that using Machine Learning for predicting offloading costs leads to near-optimal scheduling in 70 % of the cases we investigated and offers a 40 % gain in performance over baseline estimation techniques.
Disease Viewed as a Symbolic Category

The essays in this volume address some of the social and philosophical problems which surround the phenomenon of psychiatric disease in contemporary society. This is all being handled by reference to notions such as ‘mental health’ or ‘mental illness,’ terms which I tend not to use. Nonetheless, the problems are quite ‘real,’ have caused me concern, and have been influential in motivating my academic work. Not surprisingly, as a physician I have concentrated my work on the meaning of ‘disease.’ I have tried to develop a general frame of reference about disease. Interested in the beliefs, orientations and actions of various people — people from cultures far different from our own — I have studied and compared how disease is viewed and handled. In this paper I would like to summarize some of my thinking on this topic. An underlying theme in my work has been that, by comparing how different people think of disease, we will be able to develop a broad perspective about what disease means andthe role it plays and has played in the lives of different people. Such a perspective may provide us with clues about the sources of some of the problems involving disease and medical care which exist in our own society.
The Cultural Impacts of Social Movements

The most important impacts of social movements are often cultural, but the sheer variety of potential cultural impacts—from shifts in public opinion to new portrayals of a group on television to th...
Less than the sum of its parts: Value in coadoption of partial substitutes

A core idea in competitive strategy is that a firm’s ability to capture value depends on the creation of value: maximizing the gap between willingness to pay and cost. This value can depend on or b...
A New Satellite-Based Global Climatology of Dust Aerosol Optical Depth

AbstractBy mass, dust is the largest contributor to global aerosol burden, yet long-term observational records of dust, particularly over the ocean, are limited. Here, two nearly global observation...
Influence of Gender and Racial Diversity on the Otolaryngology Residency Match.

Objective(1) Understand attitudes of otolaryngology residency applicants regarding gender and racial diversity within programs. (2) Examine how program diversity affects applicant decisions during ...
Strain-Driven In-plane Ordering in Vertically Aligned ZnO-Au Nanocomposites with Highly Correlated Metamaterial Properties.

Hyperbolic metamaterials demonstrate exotic optical properties that are poised to find applications in subdiffraction imaging and hyperlenses. Key challenges remain for practical applications, such...
Percepciones Públicas del Tráfico Ilegal de Personas en Moldavia

Resumen. Aunque el trafico ilegal de personas es un fenomeno ampliamente estudiado, la comparacion entre las percepciones publicas y las institucionales (es decir, del mundo academico, el gobierno y las organizaciones no gubernamentales) puede aportar una mejor comprension del problema. Los datos del presente estudio fueron recogidos en Chisinau y alrededores, Moldavia, durante el verano del 2004. El discurso publico proporciona un “retrato” mas intimo del problema, pero tambien pone de manifiesto su gran complejidad. La perspectiva publica del trafico ilegal de personas se yuxtapone a la perspectiva institucional como revela una revision de la literatura al respecto. Combinar percepciones y conocimientos publicos e institucionales de un problema social ayuda no solo a establecer una comprension mas rigurosa del problema y a guiar las decisiones politicas, sino tambien a explorar las experiencias a las que las victimas se enfrentan en sus comunidades. Palabras clave: percepciones institucionales, percepciones publicas, trafico ilegal de personas, victimas y comunidad.
Fibroblast Mechanotransduction Network Predicts Targets for Mechano-Adaptive Infarct Therapies

Summary Regional control of fibrosis after myocardial infarction is critical for maintaining structural integrity in the infarct while preventing collagen accumulation in non-infarcted areas. Cardiac fibroblasts modulate matrix turnover in response to biochemical and biomechanical cues, but the complex interactions between signaling pathways confounds efforts to develop therapies for regional scar formation. Here, we employed a logic-based ordinary differential equation model of fibroblast mechano-chemo signal transduction to predict matrix protein expression in response to canonical biochemical stimuli and mechanical tension. Functional analysis of mechano-chemo interactions showed extensive pathway crosstalk with tension amplifying, dampening, or reversing responses to biochemical stimuli. Comprehensive drug target screens in low- and high-tension contexts identified 13 mechano-adaptive therapies that promote matrix accumulation in regions where it is needed and reduce matrix levels in regions where it is not needed. Our predictions demonstrate this approach’s utility for discovering context-specific mechanisms mediating fibrosis and druggable targets for spatially resolved therapies.
Distributed Continuous-Time Convex Optimization With Time-Varying Cost Functions

In this paper, a time-varying distributed convex optimization problem is studied for continuous-time multi-agent systems. The objective is to minimize the sum of local time-varying cost functions, each of which is known to only an individual agent, through local interaction. Here, the optimal point is time varying and creates an optimal trajectory. Control algorithms are designed for the cases of single-integrator and double-integrator dynamics. In both cases, a centralized approach is first introduced to solve the optimization problem. Then, this problem is solved in a distributed manner and a discontinuous algorithm based on the signum function is proposed in each case. In the case of single-integrator (respectively, double-integrator) dynamics, each agent relies only on its own position and the relative positions (respectively, positions and velocities) between itself and its neighbors. A gain adaption scheme is introduced in both algorithms to eliminate certain global information requirement. To relax the restricted assumption imposed on feasible cost functions, an estimator based algorithm using the signum function is proposed, where each agent uses dynamic average tracking as a tool to estimate the centralized control input. As a tradeoff, the estimator-based algorithm necessitates communication between neighbors. Then, in the case of double-integrator dynamics, the proposed algorithms are further extended. Two continuous algorithms based on, respectively, a time-varying and a fixed boundary layer are proposed as continuous approximations of the signum function. To account for interagent collision for physical agents, a distributed convex optimization problem with swarm tracking behavior is introduced for both single-integrator and double-integrator dynamics. It is shown that the center of the agents tracks the optimal trajectory, the connectivity of the agents is maintained, and interagent collision is avoided.
Hepatocyte nuclear factor 4a and glucocorticoid receptor coordinately regulate lipid metabolism in mice fed a high-fat-high-sugar diet

Hepatocyte nuclear factor 4α (HNF4α) and glucocorticoid receptor (GR), master regulators of liver metabolism, are down-regulated in fatty liver diseases. The present study was aimed to elucidate the role of down-regulation of HNF4α and GR in fatty liver and hyperlipidemia. Adult mice with liver-specific heterozygote and knockout (knockout) of HNF4α were fed a low-fat diet (LFD) or a high-fat-high-sugar diet (HFHS) for 15 days. Compared to LFD-fed mice, HFHS-fed wildtype mice had hepatic induction of lipid catabolic genes and down-regulation of lipogenic genes. Compared to HFHS-fed wildtype mice, HNF4α heterozygote mice had down-regulation of lipid catabolic genes, induction of lipogenic genes, and increased hepatic and blood levels of lipids, whereas HNF4α knockout mice had mild hypolipidemia, down-regulation of lipid-efflux genes, but induction of genes for uptake/storage of lipids. Sterol-regulatory-element-binding protein-1c (SREBP-1C), a master lipogenic regulator, was induced in HFHS-fed HNF4α heterozygote mice. In reporter assays, HNF4α potently inhibited the transactivation of mouse and human SREBP-1C promoter by liver X receptor. Surprisingly, nuclear GR proteins were gene-dosage-dependently decreased in HNF4α heterozygote and knockout mice. HFHS-fed mice with liver-specific knockout of GR had increased hepatic lipids and induction of SREBP-1C and PPARγ. In reporter assays, GR and HNF4α synergistically/additively induced lipid catabolic genes. Phosphorylation of AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK), a key GR modulator, was dramatically decreased in HNF4α knockout mice. Thus, cooperative induction of lipid catabolic genes and suppression of lipogenic genes by HNF4α and GR, modulated by AMPK, may mediate the early resistance to HFHS-induced fatty liver and hyperlipidemia.
A Helpful Tool in the Renal Surgery Armamentarium: Dorsal Lumbotomy nephrectomy for Tumor in Patients with End-Stage Renal Disease

Abstract Objective To compare operative outcomes between the dorsal lumbotomy (DL) and laparoscopic nephrectomy (LN) approaches for patients with end stage renal disease (ESRD) undergoing nephrectomy. DL operative technique is also described. Materials and methods We performed a retrospective review of all patients undergoing DL nephrectomy at Emory University from 2008-2020. Cases were matched with control patients with ESRD who had undergone LN. Parameters evaluated included operative time, estimated blood loss, length of stay, postoperative narcotic requirements, and complication rates. Statistical analysis performed with SPSS. Results 43 DL patients and 86 LN patients were assessed. DL had shorter total OR time (173min vs 198min; P = 0.001) and surgery time (101min vs 135min; P Conclusion Among patients with ESRD, DL was found to be safe and effective compared to LN, with shorter operative times, a trend towards decreased length of stay and post-operative narcotic requirements, and similar perioperative complication rates. DL should be considered as an approach for nephrectomy in this patient population.
Reduced endorsement of specific moral foundations in incarcerated adult women with elevated psychopathic traits.

Abstract Previous studies have associated adult men with elevated psychopathic traits with reduced endorsement of certain moral foundations measured with the Moral Foundations Questionnaire (MFQ), including Harm/Care (measuring one's concern for protecting individuals from harm) and Fairness/Reciprocity (measuring one's concern for the rights of individuals). However, it is not known whether such results extrapolate to women with elevated levels of psychopathic traits. Here, we examined the relationship between endorsement of moral foundations (assessed via the MFQ) and psychopathy scores (assessed via the Psychopathy Checklist – Revised [PCL-R]) in a sample of 299 incarcerated adult women. Consistent with hypotheses, higher PCL-R total scores were associated with reduced endorsement of MFQ Harm/Care and Fairness/Reciprocity foundations. Additionally, we extended upon previous studies, observing higher PCL-R total, Factor 1 (measuring interpersonal/affective psychopathic traits), and Facet 1 (measuring interpersonal psychopathic traits) scores were associated with reduced endorsement of the MFQ Authority/Respect foundation (measuring one's respect for authority figures) in incarcerated adult women. Our results highlight reduced endorsement for similar moral foundations between men and women scoring high on psychopathic traits (i.e., Harm/Care and Fairness/Reciprocity), while also outlining a moral foundation that may be uniquely associated with women scoring high on psychopathic traits (i.e., Authority/Respect).
Regulation of Alloantibody Responses

The control of alloimmunity is essential to the success of organ transplantation. Upon alloantigen encounter, naive alloreactive T cells not only differentiate into effector cells that can reject the graft, but also into T follicular helper (Tfh) cells that promote the differentiation of alloreactive B cells that produce donor-specific antibodies (DSA). B cells can exacerbate the rejection process through antibody effector functions and/or B cell antigen-presenting functions. These responses can be limited by immune suppressive mechanisms mediated by T regulatory (Treg) cells, T follicular regulatory (Tfr) cells, B regulatory (Breg) cells and a newly described tolerance-induced B (TIB) cell population that has the ability to suppress de novo B cells in an antigen-specific manner. Transplantation tolerance following costimulation blockade has revealed mechanisms of tolerance that control alloreactive T cells through intrinsic and extrinsic mechanisms, but also inhibit alloreactive B cells. Thus, the control of both arms of adaptive immunity might result in more robust tolerance, one that may withstand more severe inflammatory challenges. Here, we review new findings on the control of B cells and alloantibody production in the context of transplant rejection and tolerance.
Deciphering the Chitin Code in Plant Symbiosis, Defense, and Microbial Networks.

Chitin is a structural polymer in many eukaryotes. Many organisms can degrade chitin to defend against chitinous pathogens or use chitin oligomers as food. Beneficial microorganisms like nitrogen-f...
The Prospect of Multi-Level Voting in Post-Peace Accord Northern Ireland

This article reviews the possibility of multi-level voting in Northern Ireland in the wake of the 1998 peace accord. Post-peace accord elections can act as powerful indicators of the fate of a peace. Using Reif and Schmitt’s framework of second-order elections, it finds some evidence of varying electoral behaviour according to the electoral arena. The article also uses original data from a major opinion survey to assess public attitudes towards the suite of governing institutions with powers in or over a devolved Northern Ireland. The evidence of multi-level voting is limited and does not extend to electors abandoning ethnic voting patterns in the new political dispensation. In fact, it is argued that the very nature of the peace process has encouraged a re-entrenchment of exclusive nationalism and unionism.
Kaleidoscopic Sovereignty: Literary Montage and Geopolitical Entanglement in the Postcolonial Sixties

Moving from the large-scale analysis to the effects of neocolonialism in everyday life, this essay charts the structural imposition of external forces on the nation space of sovereignty in postcolonial narratives of the sixties. While the geopolitical international intersects closely with individual lives, this relationship is not one of exact replication, but occurs through literary techniques of disproportionality, montage and juxtaposition that register the disjunctions arising out of neocolonial deformations. Examining a range of authors from Sub-Saharan Africa, Latin America and the Middle East, the essay focuses on the tropes, forms, and narrative strategies through which geopolitical structures and conditions of “the age of three worlds” are expressed through literature.
Silicon nitride windows for electron microscopy of whole cells

Silicon microchips with thin electron transparent silicon nitride windows provide a sample support that accommodates both light-, and electron microscopy of whole eukaryotic cells in vacuum or liquid, with minimum sample preparation steps. The windows are robust enough that cellular samples can be cultured directly onto them, with no addition of a supporting film, and no need to embed or section the sample, as is typically required in electron microscopy. By combining two microchips, a microfluidic chamber can be constructed for the imaging of samples in liquid in the electron microscope. We provide microchip design specifications, a fabrication outline, instructions on how to prepare them for biological samples, and examples of images obtained using different light-, and electron microscopy modalities. The use of these microchips is particularly advantageous for correlative light-, and electron microscopy.
Clients as Teachers

way. The fact that the decision is a culmination of a controversy between human beings is played down and forgotten. The facts of the case are presented in a condensed form-just the minimum required to explain the doctrine. The parties to the dispute do not have names. They are called: "the plaintiff' and "the defendant. " The difficult stories that form the basis of the cases are presented in a cold, indifferent way. It is rare to see a shocked response by the class to an instance of physical injury, or to a human tragedy of a person who has lost his liberty unjustly. This detachment creates the feeling that the class discussion is imaginary and the parties are merely actors who play their roles in front of the class for the purpose of demonstrating a doctrine. It removes from the discussion any emotion, pain, or sense of justice. The student learns how to "think like a lawyer": adopting an emotionally remote, morally neutral approach to human problems and social issues, distancing themselves from the feelings and suffering of others, avoiding emotional engagement with clients and their causes, and withholding moral judgment. Objectivity is a lawyer's tool, but all too often we graduate lawyers who are convinced that they are merely people who facilitate the even-handed application of process, who behave as if they will play on a level playing field. They believe they have little or no power or responsibility for ensuring substantive justice. But if lawyers have the power to shape the social fabric, they must be aware of their responsibility to shape it in positive ways. Lawyers can do this better and it will be clients who lead the way. As a clinician, I see working with clients as a chance for students to learn how to reflect on their experiences; place them in a context of social justice; glimpse the strong relationships between knowledge, culture and power; and recognize the role they play in either perpetuating hierarchical and oppressive systems of power or challenging those structures.