cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
SU-C-202-05: Pilot Study of Online Treatment Evaluation and Adaptive Re-Planning for Laryngeal SBRT

Purpose: We have instigated a phase I trial of 5-fraction stereotactic body radiotherapy (SBRT) for advanced-stage laryngeal cancer. We conducted this pilot dosimetric study to confirm the potential utility of online adaptive re-planning to preserve treatment quality. Methods: Ten cases of larynx cancer were evaluated. Baseline and daily SBRT treatment plans were generated per trial protocol. Daily volumetric images were acquired prior to every fraction of treatment. Reference simulation CT images were deformably registered to daily volumetric images using Eclipse. Planning contours were then deformably propagated to daily images. Reference SBRT plans were directly copied to calculate delivered dose distributions on deformed reference CT images. In-house software platform has been developed to calculate cumulative dose over a course of treatment in four steps: 1) deforming delivered dose grid to reference CT images using deformation information exported from Eclipse; 2) generating tetrahedrons using deformed dose grid as vertices; 3) resampling dose to a high resolution within every tetrahedron; 4) calculating dose-volume histograms. Our inhouse software was benchmarked with a commercial software, Mirada. Results: In all ten cases including 49 fractions of treatments, delivered daily doses were completely evaluated and treatment could be re-planned within 10 minutes. Prescription dose coverage of PTV was less than intended in 53% of fractions of treatment (mean: 94%, range: 84%–98%) while minimum coverage of CTV and GTV was 94% and 97%, respectively. Maximum bystander point dose limits to arytenoids, parotids, and spinal cord remained respected in all cases, although variances in carotid artery doses were observed in a minority of cases. Conclusion: Although GTV and CTV coverage is preserved by in-room 3D image guidance of larynx SBRT, PTV coverage can vary significantly from intended plans. Online adaptive treatment evaluation and re-planning is potentially necessary and our procedure is clinically applicable to fully preserve treatment quality. This project is supported by CPRIT Individual Investigator Research Award RP150386.
Halide Edib (Adıvar)'s appeal to the American public for justice for the Turks

This article presents an appeal written in 1919-1920 by Turkey's first major woman writer, novelist and newspaper reporter Halide Edib (Adivar), to the people of the United States, entrusted to Lewis Edgar Browne, who wascovering the Turkish War for Independence and the Russian Revolution and Civil War for the Chicago Daily News while the Paris Peace Conference was going on. Halide Edib believed that the people of the United States were without bias in considering the problems of the Ottoman Empire during and after World War I, and, that, as had been stated in President Woodrow Wilson's Fourteen Points, they wanted all the peoples of the Empire, including the Turks, to achieve independence in their own lands following the war. In her statement, she condemned the efforts then being made in Paris to blame on the Turks alone all the excesses and abuses that had gone in the war, pointing out that all the peoples of the Empire had sinned and been sinned against, all had suffered terribly from massacre and starvation, not only the Sultan's Christian subjects, and that the Turks, like the others, therefore deserved to achive independence in the areas of Anatolia and Thrace where they constituted large majorities of the population. In the end, this appeal fell on deaf ears. Halide Edib did not understand that the minds of the people of the Christian West had been so poisoned against Muslims by wartime propaganda that the accusations were being used as pretexts to deny to them rights that were being granted to their Christian neighbors. In the end, it was not such appeals for justice and understanding, then, but the force applied by the Turkish national resistance movement led by Mustafa Kemal Ataturk that achived an independent existance for the Empire's Turkish subjects as a result of the Lausanne Conference and the establishment of the Turkish Republic in 1923.
Diachronic Study of Yoruba Hairstyles

To recapitulate, the method that I have adopted to analyze what I have been calling trivial data, in the visual perception of a person with either dreadlocks or cornrow, has been to make associations by aligning events and pointing to commonality in the narratives. This procedure defines the cultural in a way analogous to Latour’s conceptualization of the social, and it exemplifies it by taking a presumed assemblage within the Yoruba nation with equally assembled worldview to explore collective action. This approach suggests that an assembled mental program underlies the interpretation of physical appearance, which then ignites a studied response. My proposition is that the appearance of dreadlocks or cornrows excites an internalized and hidden perennial fear that, despite the facade of modernity, remains active. The goal is to show the collective mind-set that is at work by uncovering the traces it leaves, and by tying these traces to their root cause. Thus, this work is an assemblage of the cultural, indeed of the social, because it collects and connects commonalities to affirm a society of practice. Basically, what is being shown in this book is the performance of a people’s way of seeing the world, a way of rationalizing causality, and of making sense of events. It traces the various societal outputs from seemingly trivial, mundane, yet persistent, occurrences. Consequently, the sociocultural approach of this discourse is not a mere collection of factual, historical data, but an interpretation of data that allows statements about a people and their way of life. For the scholarly community, this implicates the process of the generation of knowledge with respect to that which we deem significant and meaningful. Going beyond offering statements on the core belief system of people, the discussion digs deeper to uncover why the people react in the way they do when they come in contact with a “deviant” hairstyle.
Anticholinergic medication use is associated with globus pharyngeus.

Background: Globus pharyngeus has been linked to salivary hypofunction. We hypothesise that a considerable portion of the globus experienced by patients is due to a drying effect secondary to anticholinergic medication use; this study aimed to determine their association. Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted of 270 patients who presented to a laryngology practice over 6 months. Participants rated globus sensation on a 5-point severity scale, with those scoring 0 considered as controls (non-globus). Participants were excluded if they had a likely cause of globus. Scores were compared with participants’ medication lists, co-morbidities, age and gender, and evaluated using multivariate analysis, with significance set at p < 0.05. Results: Any participant taking at least 2 anticholinergic medications had a 3.52 increased odds (p = 0.02) of experiencing globus. A previous diagnosis of gastroesophageal reflux disease was also significantly associated with globus (p = 0.004), with an odds ratio of 3.75. Conclusion: A substantial portion of idiopathic globus may be due to anticholinergic use or reflux. The findings implicate medication use as a risk factor for globus. An awareness of these associations is invaluable for identifying cause and treating globus.
Design of an Unknown Input Observer for Leak Detection under Process Disturbances

Software-based analysis is one of the main methods for detecting and locating a leak from pipelines without the need for extensive instrumentation. However, software-based methods are generally sensitive to process disturbances, which cause the method to fail. In order to deal with these disturbances without increasing the number of measurements, an observer is designed for leak detection in natural gas pipelines as a case study. The proposed design implements a linear unknown input observer with time delays that considers changes of temperature and pressure as unknown inputs and includes measurement noise in the process. The unknown input observer found in the literature is modified for an application of leak detection. Nonisothermal modeling and simulation of a natural gas pipeline with time-variant consumer usage are performed to test the proposed method. Effects of pressure drop and temperature change on observer estimation are simulated and compared to a simulated leak event.
Accelerating Seismic Simulations Using the Intel Xeon Phi Knights Landing Processor

In this work we present AWP-ODC-OS, an end-to-end optimization of AWP-ODC targeting homogeneous, manycore supercomputers. AWP-ODC is an established community software package simulating seismic wave propagation using a staggered finite difference scheme which is fourth order accurate in space and second order in time. Recent production simulations, e.g. using the software for the computation of seismic hazard maps, largely relied on GPU accelerated supercomputers. In contrast, our work gives a comprehensive overview of the required steps to achieve near-optimal performance on the Intel® Xeon PhiTM x200 processor (code-named Knights Landing), and compares our competitive performance results to the most recent GPU architectures.
Rad52 Inverse Strand Exchange Drives RNA-Templated DNA Double-Strand Break Repair

RNA can serve as a template for DNA double-strand break repair in yeast cells, and Rad52, a member of the homologous recombination pathway, emerged as an important player in this process. However, the exact mechanism of how Rad52 contributes to RNA-dependent DSB repair remained unknown. Here, we report an unanticipated activity of yeast and human Rad52: inverse strand exchange, in which Rad52 forms a complex with dsDNA and promotes strand exchange with homologous ssRNA or ssDNA. We show that in eukaryotes, inverse strand exchange between homologous dsDNA and RNA is a distinctive activity of Rad52; neither Rad51 recombinase nor the yeast Rad52 paralog Rad59 has this activity. In accord with our in vitro results, our experiments in budding yeast provide evidence that Rad52 inverse strand exchange plays an important role in RNA-templated DSB repair in vivo.
Grid Voltage Estimation and Current Control of a Single-Phase Grid-Connected Converter Without Grid Voltage Sensor

This paper investigates the possibility of estimating the grid voltage and controlling a single-phase grid-connected converter without a dedicated grid voltage sensor. The main focus is given to current-controlled architectures which need phase-locked loops (PLL) for their operation. The grid voltage estimation method is proposed based on the active and reactive power delivered by the converter to the grid. In addition to the estimation of the grid voltage, the proposed method also generates the unit vectors and frequency information similar to a conventional PLL structure. The influence of various parameters like the dead time, equivalent loss resistance, and the filter inductance on the proposed estimation method is studied in details. Experimental results validate the feasibility of the proposed scheme.
It’s a crime, but is it a blunder? : The efficacy of targeting civilians in war

Is systematically targeting an adversary’s civilians in war an effective military strategy? This paper assesses the historical record of civilian victimization and interstate war outcomes from 1816 to 2003. We begin by disaggregating civilian victimization into two distinct types: coercive victimization — in which a belligerent targets an adversary’s civilians to persuade their government to surrender — and eliminationist victimization — where a belligerent removes members of a target group from a certain piece of territory. Because the logic underpinning these two types of civilian victimization is different, we examine their efficacy separately. We find that the efficacy of both types of victimization is contingent on the regime type of the target state. Coercive targeting is effective when used against anocracies, whereas eliminationist victimization is effective against all types of nondemocracies. We also find that the effectiveness of eliminationist targeting has declined over time. Brief case studies of the Siege of Paris in the Franco-Prussian War (1870-71) and British counterinsurgency strategy in the Second Anglo-Boer War (1899-1902) help to illustrate our findings and reveal further nuances regarding the relative efficacy of different varieties of civilian victimization.
Planning, Architecture, and Politics: Sprawl Codes, New Urbanist Codes, and the Challenge of Community-Wide Coding

As the practice of new urbanist coding evolves, one of the great challenges we face is developing communitywide codes that address existing built communities, and are not solely focused on greenfield development or individual projects. Follow this and additional works at: http://digitalcommons.calpoly.edu/focus This Faculty and Student Work is brought to you for free and open access by the City and Regional Planning at DigitalCommons@CalPoly. It has been accepted for inclusion in Focus by an authorized administrator of DigitalCommons@CalPoly. For more information, please contact mwyngard@calpoly.edu. Recommended Citation Crawford, Paul (2004) "Planning, Architecture, and Politics: Sprawl Codes, New Urbanist Codes, and the Challenge of CommunityWide Coding," Focus: Vol. 1: Iss. 1, Article 11. DOI: 10.15368/focus.2004v1n1.6 Available at: http://digitalcommons.calpoly.edu/focus/vol1/iss1/11 Paul Crawford Planning, Architecture, and Politics FAICP, CMCA Consulting Lecturer Sprawl Codes, New Urbanist Codes, and City and Regional Planning Department the Challenge of Community-Wide Coding As the practice of new urbanist coding evolves, one of the great challenges we face is developing community-wide codes that address existing built communities, and are not solely focused on greenfield development or individual projects.
Cavitation and Erosion Corrosion Resistance of Nonleaded Alloys in Chlorinated Potable Water

The January 2014 Federal Reduction of Lead in Drinking Water Act reduced the lead content in brass used in water distribution operations and in premise plumbing from 8% to <0.25% Pb (termed “nonlea...
Collisional-induced broadening and shift parameters of OH with Ar and N2 near 308.6 nm, measured at T = 1300–2000 K and P = 20–100 atm

Abstract The collision-induced broadening (2γOH A) and shift (δOH A) parameters of hydroxyl radical (OH) with two collisional partners—argon and nitrogen—and their associated temperature-dependence coefficients (nA and mA, respectively), have been measured in a series of shock tube experiments. The Q1(5) OH transition, a member of the A2Σ – X2Π (0, 0) rovibronic band with a line-center wavelength near 308.6 nm, represents an ideal target for quantitative spectroscopy in combustion applications, owing to its strength and degree of relative spectral isolation. Narrow-width tunable UV light was used to sample the Q1(5) lineshape profile across 8–10 wavelengths. The data were subsequently fit to the Voigt lineshape model at the fixed temperature, pressure and mixture composition. Measurements are presented for 2γOH Ar, δOH Ar, nAr, and mAr, recommended for T = 1300–2000 K, as well as 2γOH N2, δOH N2, nN2, and mN2, recommended for T = 1600–2000 K. The Q1(5) lineshape was also measured at pressures of 45 and 95 atm, for which application of the Voigt model yielded values of 2γOH Ar and δOH Ar that were consistent with lower-pressure measurements, supporting the validity of the lineshape model and, particularly, the diagnostic in question at such pressures.
Molecular admixtures and impurities in atmospheric pressure plasma jets

A more complete understanding of reactive chemistry generated by atmospheric pressure plasma jets (APPJs) is critical to many emerging medical, agricultural, and water treatment applications. Adding molecular gases to the noble working gas which flows through the jet is a common method to tailor the resulting production of reactive oxygen and nitrogen species (RONS). In this paper, results are discussed from a computational investigation of the consequences of H2O and O2 admixtures on the reactive chemistry of He APPJs flowing into humid air. This investigation, performed with a 2-dimensional plasma hydrodynamics model, addresses the RONS that are initially produced and the evolution of that chemistry on longer time scales. Without an admixture, the impurities in 99.999% pure helium are a major source of RONS. The addition of H2O decreases the production of reactive nitrogen species (RNS) and increases the production of reactive oxygen species (ROS). The addition of O2 significantly decreases the production of RNS, as well as hydrogen-containing ROS, but increases the production of ROS without hydrogen. This selectivity comes from the lower ionization energy of O2 compared to N2 and H2O, which then allows for charge exchange reactions. These charge exchange reactions change the RONS which are produced in the afterglow by dissociative recombination. The consequences of impurities were also examined. Humid air impurities as low as 10 ppm in the helium can account for 79%-98% of the production of most RONS in the absence of an intentional admixture. The degree to which the impurities affect the RONS production depends on the electrode configuration and can be reduced by molecular admixtures.
Genetics and Epigenetics of Infertility and Treatments on Outcomes.

Context Infertility affects 10% of the reproductive-age population. Even the most successful treatments such as assisted reproductive technologies still result in failed implantation. In addition, adverse pregnancy outcomes associated with infertility have been attributed to these fertility treatments owing to the presumed epigenetic modifications of in vitro fertilization and in vitro embryo development. However, the diagnosis of infertility has been associated with adverse outcomes, and the etiologies leading to infertility have been associated with adverse pregnancy and long-term outcomes. Evidence acquisition We have comprehensively summarized the data available through observational, experimental, cohort, and randomized studies to better define the effect of the underlying infertility diagnosis vs the epigenetics of infertility treatments on treatment success and overall outcomes. Evidence synthesis Most female infertility results from polycystic ovary syndrome, endometriosis, and unexplained infertility, with some cases resulting from a polycystic ovary syndrome phenotype or underlying endometriosis. In addition to failed implantation, defective implantation can lead to problems with placentation that leads to adverse pregnancy outcomes, affecting both mother and fetus. Conclusion Current research, although limited, has suggested that genetics and epigenetics of infertility diagnosis affects disease and overall outcomes. In addition, other fertility treatments, which also lead to adverse outcomes, are aiding in the identification of factors, including the supraphysiologic hormonal environment, that might affect the overall success and healthy outcomes for mother and child. Further studies, including genome-wide association studies, epigenomics studies, and experimental studies, are needed to better identify the factors leading to these outcomes.
Vasoactive intestinal peptide-expressing interneurons are impaired in a mouse model of Dravet syndrome.

Dravet Syndrome (DS) is a severe neurodevelopmental disorder caused by pathogenic loss of function variants in the gene SCN1A which encodes the voltage gated sodium (Na+) channel subunit Nav1.1. GABAergic interneurons expressing parvalbumin (PV-INs) and somatostatin (SST-INs) exhibit impaired excitability in DS (Scn1a+/-) mice. However, the function of a third major class of interneurons in DS - those expressing vasoactive intestinal peptide (VIP-IN) -is unknown. We recorded VIP-INs in brain slices from Scn1a+/-mice and wild-type littermate controls and found prominent impairment of irregular spiking (IS), but not continuous adapting (CA) VIP-INs, in Scn1a+/- mice. Application of the Nav1.1-specific toxin Hm1a rescued the observed deficits. The IS vs. CA firing pattern is determined by expression of KCNQ channels; IS VIP-INs switched to tonic firing with both pharmacologic blockade of M-current and muscarinic acetylcholine receptor activation. These results show that VIP-INs express Nav1.1 and are dysfunctional in DS, which may contribute to DS pathogenesis.
Does Media Literacy Help Identification of Fake News? Information Literacy Helps, but Other Literacies Don’t:

Concerns over fake news have triggered a renewed interest in various forms of media literacy. Prevailing expectations posit that literacy interventions help audiences to be “inoculated” against any...
Insulin-Like Growth Factor 1 Protects against Lethal Irradiation

Ionizing irradiation can cause bone marrow failure leading to death. Effective therapeutic agents capable of promoting or accelerating the recovery of the hematopoietic and/or immune compartment following radiation injury are limited. We and others have previously demonstrated that recombinant human growth hormone promotes hematopoietic and immune recovery following stem cell transplantation and irradiation. Published data suggest that growth hormone elicits its pro-hematopoietic effects via action of insulin-like growth factor 1 (IGF1). Since IGF1 has recently been approved by the Federal Drug Administration to treat other conditions, IGF1 could be brought to the clinic rapidly upon demonstration of its activity. In this study, we sought to determine whether IGF1 has radioprotective activity. The studies were performed using BALB/c mice. Recombinant human insulin-like growth factor 1 (rhIGF1) was administered at a dose of 100 mcg/dose, i.v., once a day, starting within one hour after irradiation. BALB/c mice were irradiated with 7.5 Gy and treated with saline or rhIGF1 for 5 days. In the saline control group, all mice (10 out of 10 mice) died within 25 days following irradiation. By contrast, four out of 10 mice (40%) in the rhIGF1-treated group survived more than 100 days after irradiation (Figure, P<0.01). These data indicate that rhIGF1 can protect against lethal irradiation. Because one of the primary causes of death following irradiation is infections, we next sought to determine the effects of rhIGF1 on immune recovery. Compared with the saline control group, treatment with rhIGF1 for 5 days on irradiated (7.5 Gy) BALB/c mice significantly accelerated the recovery of CD4 and CD8 T cell subsets, B cells, and NK cells following irradiation. Our data demonstrate that rhIGF1 could potentially serve as a medical countermeasure in radiation emergencies. ![Figure][1] Figure [1]: pending:yes
Use of thrust joint manipulation by student physical therapists in the United States during clinical education experiences.

Introduction: Thrust joint manipulation (TJM) is used in physical therapy practice and taught in entry-level curricula in the United States (US); however, research regarding implementation by stude...
Anemia risk factors among people living with HIV across the United States in the current treatment era: a clinical cohort study.

Anemia is common among people living with HIV infection (PLWH) and is associated with adverse health outcomes. Information on risk factors for anemia incidence in the current antiretroviral therapy (ART) era is lacking. Within a prospective clinical cohort of adult PLWH receiving care at eight sites across the United States between 1/2010–3/2018, Cox proportional hazards regression analyses were conducted among a) PLWH free of anemia at baseline and b) PLWH free of severe anemia at baseline to determine associations between time-updated patient characteristics and development of anemia (hemoglobin < 10 g/dL), or severe anemia (hemoglobin < 7.5 g/dL). Linear mixed effects models were used to examine relationships between patient characteristics and hemoglobin levels during follow-up. Hemoglobin levels were ascertained using laboratory data from routine clinical care. Potential risk factors included: age, sex, race/ethnicity, body mass index, smoking status, hazardous alcohol use, illicit drug use, hepatitis C virus (HCV) coinfection, estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR), CD4 cell count, viral load, ART use and time in care at CNICS site. This retrospective cohort study included 15,126 PLWH. During a median follow-up of 6.6 (interquartile range [IQR] 4.3–7.6) years, 1086 participants developed anemia and 465 participants developed severe anemia. Factors that were associated with incident anemia included: older age, female sex, black race, HCV coinfection, lower CD4 cell counts, VL ≥400 copies/ml and lower eGFR. Because anemia is a treatable condition associated with increased morbidity and mortality among PLWH, hemoglobin levels should be monitored routinely, especially among PLWH who have one or more risk factors for anemia.
A Pilot Study Assessing the Impact of rs174537 on Circulating Polyunsaturated Fatty Acids and the Inflammatory Response in Patients with Traumatic Brain Injury.

Traumatic brain injury (TBI) is a leading cause of death and disability in persons under age 45. The hallmark secondary injury profile after TBI involves dynamic interactions between inflammatory a...
Real World Outcomes in Patients With Relapsed/Refractory Diffuse Large B-cell Lymphoma Receiving Palliative Intent Therapies.

Abstract Background Outcomes in patients with relapsed/refractory (R/R) diffuse large b-cell lymphoma (DLBCL) who are ineligible for and/or fail high-dose chemotherapy and autologous stem cell transplantation in the second line are poor. There is no preferred palliative-intent treatment for patients in this setting. Patients and Methods A retrospective cohort study was performed using the nationwide de-identified electronic health record-derived Flatiron Health database. Event-free survival (EFS) and overall survival (OS) was evaluated for patients with R/R DLBCL who were ineligible for and/or failed autologous stem cell transplantation in the second line and received bendamustine, gemcitabine, or lenalidomide. Results Three hundred eighty-three patients were included. Therapy received was bendamustine in 158 patients, gemcitabine in 142 patients, and lenalidomide in 83 patients. The median EFS and OS for all patients was 4.1 months and 8.7 months, respectively. Compared with patients receiving bendamustine or gemcitabine, those receiving lenalidomide demonstrated significantly longer median EFS (6.8 vs. 3.8 months; P = .006) and median OS (15.4 vs. 7.7 months; P = .045). Survival outcomes were also improved for lenalidomide-treated patients specifically in the second- as well as third- or fourth-line settings. Conclusion Use of lenalidomide resulted in prolonged EFS and OS as compared with bendamustine or gemcitabine in this cohort of patients with R/R DLBCL receiving palliative therapy. This first large-scale analysis of real-world outcomes for this patient population may guide current clinical management as well as serve as a benchmark for survival outcomes in the standard-of-care setting, which may aid in the design of future clinical trials.
Disparities in the enrollment to systemic therapy and survival for patients with multiple myeloma.

Abstract Background Disparities driven by socioeconomic factors have been shown to impact outcomes for cancer patients. We sought to explore this relationship among patients with multiple myeloma (MM) who were not considered for hematopoietic stem cell transplant in the first-line setting and how it varied over time. Methods We queried the National Cancer Database for patients diagnosed with MM between 2004 and 2016 and included only those who received systemic therapy as the first-line treatment. Enrollment rates for therapy were calculated as receipt of systemic therapy as the incident event of interest (numerator) over time to initiation of therapy (denominator) and used to calculate incident rate ratios that were further analyzed using Poisson regression analysis. A multivariate Cox proportional hazards model was constructed for survival analysis, and differences were reported as hazard ratios (HRs). Results We identified 56,102 patients for enrollment analysis and 50,543 patients for survival analysis. Therapy enrollment in a multivariate model was significantly impacted by race and sex (p 1), whereas female sex, non-Hispanic black race, higher income, and treatment at an academic center were associated with improved survival (HR Conclusion Disparities in treatment of MM exist and are caused by a complex interplay of multiple factors, with socioeconomic factor playing a significant role. Studies exploring such determinants may help in equitable distribution of resources to overcome such differences.
An unusual case of chronic lymphocytic leukemia with trisomy 12 and t(14;18) and a favorable response to ibrutinib

Chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL) is the most common type of adult leukemia. Chromosomal abnormalities are reported to play important roles in CLL pathogenesis and evolution, including deletions of 11q, 13q, 17p, and trisomy12, that are frequently observed and have a known prognostic value. Furthermore, the mutational status of the IGHV gene was reported as an independent prognostic marker in CLL impacting the choice of therapy. We herein, report an unusual presentation of a Lebanese CLL patient with two cytogenetic abnormalities: trisomy 12 and t(14;18)(q32;q21), along with an unmutated IGHV, displaying a favorable response to ibrutinib with a maintained complete remission.
Improving the navigational preparation of a bridge crew for entering/leaving a port, including activities in case of emergency

Statistical analysis of the causes of ship accidents showed that 10 % of accidents are due to the influence of irresistible force, about 15 % are the result of technical imperfection and sudden failure of ship equipment, and the remaining 75 % account for the «human factor» regardless of the cause of the accident. A detailed analysis of the causes of accidents reveals that they are caused by the actions of individuals, dominated by organizational errors by a group of operators in the preparation and execution of the maneuvering control process. At the same time, there is a gap between the complexity of modern equipment and the psychological capabilities of the human operator as an element of the human-machine system. Analysis of accidents in the Bugsky-Dnestrovsky Liman Canal over the past 20 years has shown that 58.5 % of accidents occurred in the dark and under conditions of limited visibility. There were two causes of accidents: grounding and allision, 84.3 %; collisions, 28.8 %. This indicates the insufficient preparation of bridge crews for navigating the canal. This paper has considered a procedure of bridge crew navigation training for planning safe motion coordinates while entering/leaving a port along the trajectory points, as well as actions in case of a pre-emergency and techniques to predict it. The coordinates of the travel points are determined at the intersection of rectilinear segments of the recommended safe rectilinear path on a chart. It is a relevant task to use new methods of planning the path and controlling the movement along it, taking into consideration the area for maneuvering, maneuverable properties of the vessel, as well as external influences, for timely detecting the deviation of parameters from those planned. The calculation of the planned coordinates is performed for the center of gravity of the vessel for the characteristic points of the path of movement (the beginning and end of a turn, the onset of braking) and trajectory points (rectilinear segments of the path through 0.2 cables, and curvilinear sections through 10 degrees). Coordinates of the assigned path are represented in the form of the linear matrices of the path rectilinear and curvilinear sections. The navigational motion control system consists of the devices to automatically determine deviations from planned coordinates and decision support systems to correct deviations detected. The proposed method to plan and control motion was investigated by computer simulation, the test was carried out under natural settings. Their results showed that the calculated optimal assigned trajectory enables accident-free guidance of the center of gravity along the predefined path by ship’s control means and meets the established criteria of optimality. The proposed method could be used in the development of controls for automated vessels and is the only possible one for vessels with unattended operation
Noncoding RNA crosstalk in brain health and diseases.

Abstract The mammalian brain expresses several classes of noncoding RNAs (ncRNAs), including long ncRNAs (lncRNAs), circular RNAs (circRNAs), and microRNAs (miRNAs). These ncRNAs play vital roles in regulating cellular processes by RNA/protein scaffolding, sponging and epigenetic modifications during the pathophysiological conditions, thereby controlling transcription and translation. Some of these functions are the result of crosstalk between ncRNAs to form a competitive endogenous RNA network. These intricately organized networks comprise lncRNA/miRNA, circRNA/miRNA, or lncRNA/miRNA/circRNA, leading to crosstalk between coding and ncRNAs through miRNAs. The miRNA response elements predominantly mediate the ncRNA crosstalk to buffer the miRNAs and thereby fine-tune and counterbalance the genomic changes and regulate neuronal plasticity, synaptogenesis and neuronal differentiation. The perturbed levels and interactions of the ncRNAs could lead to pathologic events like apoptosis and inflammation. Although the regulatory landscape of the ncRNA crosstalk is still evolving, some well-known examples such as lncRNA Malat1 sponging miR-145, circRNA CDR1as sponging miR-7, and lncRNA Cyrano and the circRNA CDR1as regulating miR-7, has been shown to affect brain function. The ability to manipulate these networks is crucial in determining the functional outcome of central nervous system (CNS) pathologies. The focus of this review is to highlights the interactions and crosstalk of these networks in regulating pathophysiologic CNS function.
Thermal response and ablation characteristics of lightweight ceramic ablators

This paper presents the thermal performance and ablation characteristics of the newly developed lightweight ceramic ablators (LCAs) in a supersonic, high-enthalpy convective environment. Lightweight ceramic ablators were recently conceived and developed at NASA Ames using low-density ceramic or carbon fibrous matrices as substrates for main structural support and organic resins as fillers. These LCAs were successfully produced with densities ranging from approximately 0.224 to 1.282 g/cu cm. Several infiltrants with different char yields were used to study the effect on surface recession. Tests were conducted in the NASA Ames arc-jet facilities. Material thermal performance was evaluated at cold-wall heat fluxes from 113.5 to 1634 W/sq cm, and stagnation pressures of 0.018 to 0.331 atm. Conventional ablators such as SLA-561, Avcoat 5026-39HC, MA-25S, and balsa wood were tested at the same heat fluxes for direct comparison. Surface temperature was measured using optical pyrometers, and the recession rates were obtained from the high-speed films. In-depth temperature data were obtained to determine the thermal penetration depths and conductivity. Preliminary results indicated that most LCAs performed comparably to or better than conventional ablators. At low flux levels (less than 454 W/sq cm), the addition of silicon carbide and polymethyl methacrylate significantly improved the ablationmore » performance of silica substrates. The carbon-based LCAs were the most mass-efficient at high flux levels (greater than 454 W/sq cm). 16 refs.« less
Penn Concedes His Territories

Penn's region borders the Great Lakes, touches the Great Plains, includes Great Falls, MO, and the States' great river?but Penn has failed to convince Spence that there is a claim to greatness here, within or throughout, yet it does seem great to Penn, who has worn this very route into the material of the heartland?or, rather, repaired across the heartland, as a darner mends a patch in a threadbare, but favored garment.
Cocrystals: Synthesis, Structure, and Applications

The crystal structure of a compound, the 3D orientation and organization of molecules in a highly regular manner, ultimately determines most of the fundamental physical properties of that particular material, for example, thermal stability, hygroscopicity, conductivity, and mechanical strength. Consequently, an ability to control and change the crystalline environment of a material without altering the molecular properties would be of enormous significance to both manufacturers and consumers of solid specialty chemicals such as pharmaceuticals, pigments, energetic materials, toxins, foodstuff, and detergents. Preparation of cocrystals—homogeneous crystalline solids composed of different molecular building blocks—offers an additional path for incorporating functional molecules, active ingredients, within a crystalline casing, but the synthetic challenges associated with supramolecular synthesis are numerous and nontrivial. This chapter describes several strategies for the assembly of cocrystals using hydrogen bonds and halogen bonds and provides a more in-depth examination of how the electrostatic charge on individual attempts can be used to control efficiency and selectivity of supramolecular synthesis. Finally, a few examples of applications of cocrystals in pharmaceutical sciences are discussed. Keywords: hydrogen bond; halogen bond; noncovalent synthesis; electrostatic charge; crystal structure
Characteristics and management of pregnancy in women with genital herpes simplex virus infection

The natural history of genital herpes simplex virus (HSV) infections was investigated in 83 pregnancies in 78 women, and the information was used to determine the need for cesarean section in these women. We studied 163 recurrent episodes with HSV cultures from the cervix and from vulvar lesions every 1 to 3 days. Cervical HSV cultures were obtained weekly from asymptomatic women beginning at 32 weeks' gestation, and 14/462 (3.03%) of these cultures were positive. Cervical cultures obtained during culture-positive vulvar recurrences demonstrated concomitant cervical HSV shedding in 25/165 (15.2%) cultures. Mean duration of 26 genital HSV recurrences was 4.6 +/- 2.8 days with a range of 1 to 13 days. The mean interval between culture-positive HSV recurrences was 59.2 +/- 42.1 days, but many (14/76 = 18%) intervals were less than 21 days. Viral cultures were already positive in 92.3% of cases after 4 days' incubation, so they could be used effectively to determine route of delivery. Following a cautious set of criteria for vaginal delivery in these women, 69.1% were delivered of their infants vaginally and no neonatal morbidity caused by HSV was encountered. Information about the natural history of genital HSV infections obtained from frequent third-trimester viral cultures can be used to manage pregnancy and will reduce the need for cesarean section while avoiding neonatal HSV morbidity.
Nutritional and Pharmacological Aspects of Osteoporosis

Physical activity and a healthy diet are two of the more important lifestyle contributors to bone health and the maintenance of its functions into late life, with calcium and vitamin D being the two most important dietary components. The changes in the skeleton over the life cycle reflect early-life gains and late-life losses that place the individual at increasing risk of fragility fractures of the bones, especially the distal radius, lumbar vertebrae and proximal femur (hip). Low circulating 25-hydroxyvitamin D concentration and vitamin D inadequacy are highly prevalent in elderly populations; older adults may need 700–800 IU of vitamin D and 1,000–1,200 mg of calcium as provided by the combination of their usual diet and supplements. Recent human studies of vitamin K supplementation suggest that this vitamin promotes more complete carboxylation of osteocalcin and other matrix Gla proteins and may be associated with a reduced risk of osteoporotic fractures. Available pharmacologic agents act to increase the absorption of calcium from the gastrointestinal tract, to decrease the rate of resorption of existing bone, or to increase the rate of formation of new bone. Drug therapy is usually indicated when osteoporotic fractures occur or when the measured bone mineral density is in the osteoporotic range. Both the incidence and prevalence of osteoporosis are increasing as populations are aging, thus preventive strategies, either primary or secondary, must be identified and implemented. A combination of good nutrition, including sufficient calcium and vitamin D and appropriate exercise, will continue to be important, even as pharmacologic agents become more widely used.
AFRICAN REGIONAL ORGANISATION' PEACE OPERATIONS

This paper reviews recent developments among African regional organisations in undertaking peacekeeping operations, as well as in preparing for future missions. It focuses on those that have been the most active: the Organisation of African Unity/African Union, the Economic Community of West African States and the Southern African Development Community. The paper goes on to briefly describe and analyse the activities of the French, UK, and US capacity-building programmes designed to develop African peacekeeping capacities. The author then identifies some specific concerns and recommends actions to help meet today's challenges. The paper concludes with a short analysis of African organisations' capacities and proclivities to provide a peacekeeping force for Sudan.
Random-telegraph-signal theory of optical resonance relaxation with applications to free induction decay.

We derive the effects of random telegraph noise on the equations of optical resonance. The random-telegraph-signal model allows some results to be found exactly, independent of the strength of the noise or the strength of the field that induces the resonant transitions. Our optical resonance equations depart from the well-known empirical optical Bloch equations in several ways. We obtain excellent agreement at high, low, and intermediate Rabi frequencies with the data of DeVoe and Brewer [Phys. Rev. Lett. 50, 1269 (1983)]. This is the first such agreement that has been reported with a value of the noise coherence time smaller than about 20 \ensuremath{\mu}sec.
LEAF DISPLAY, CANOPY STRUCTURE, AND LIGHT INTERCEPTION OF TWO UNDERSTORY PALM SPECIES

The implications of leaf size, leaf display and crown size for whole-plant light interception were investigated in Geonoma cuneata and Asterogyne martiana, understory palm species native to Central American rain forests. Adults of A. martiana had longer leaves, more leaves per plant, and greater total leaf area than G. cuneata adults. Geometric measurements within whole crowns were used to calculate light interception by a crown. Light interception efficiency was higher in adult G. cuneata than in adult A. martiana; seedlings of the 2 species did not differ significantly in light interception efficiency. Decreased efficiency of adult A. martiana crowns was largely due to an increased proportion of pendent leaves. Adults of A. martiana had greater light interception capacity (the product of light interception efficiency and total leaf area), but they also had higher biomass costs of light interception. Lower biomass costs of light interception in adult G. cuneata enable this species to exploit successfully the most deeply shaded microsites in the rain forest understory. -Author; ;
Early and Midlife Exposure to Anesthesia and Age of Onset of Alzheimer's Disease

Patients with Alzheimer's disease (AD) who have a late onset of dementia may represent a subgroup of AD that has a unique multifactorial/genetic profile. It was hypothesized in the present study that if external factors interact with a biological or genetic susceptibility in at least some subsets of patients with AD, these factors may accelerate the manifestation of the disease. The cumulative exposure to different types of general and major regional anesthetics prior to the onset of dementia was calculated in a population-based study of incident cases of AD residing in Rochester, MN, for more than 40 years preceding the onset of dementia (N = 252). Correlational analysis revealed that age of onset was inversely related to cumulative exposure to general and spinal anesthesia before the age of 50, whereas there was no, or an expected positive, correlation for anesthetic exposure after 50 years. These findings may suggest that the manifestation of dementia in AD patients may be related to exposure to external factors at an earlier age.
Evidence for variability of hard X-rays from NGC 4151

A search for gamma-rays in the 35-keV to 8.7-MeV energy range from the Seyfert galaxy NGC 4151 was made using an actively collimated scintillation detector. Upper limits to the flux in the 100-200-keV energy range are inconsistent with previous observations. Variability on a time scale of several months is indicated. Implications in terms of current models of NGC 4151 are discussed.
«KARMA»: a knowledge-based robot manipulation system

Industrial robots can be instructed to perform their tasks with specialized robot programming languages, manual manipulation or teaching pendants. These methods are only satisfactory at best. KARMA is a new approach to robot instruction. By incorporating intelligence into the programming system, the user need only tell KARMA what job the robot is to perform. KARMA will communicate with the user as necessary for clarification of ambiguous or incomplete information. Unlike typical programming languages, KARMA does not require the monotonous details of how to accomplish the task, deducing a plan by using its knowledge base and inference mechanism. The concept is known as knowledge-based systems and has been adapted from artificial intelligence.
Analogue winner-take-all neural networks for determining maximum and minimum signals

Abstract The ability to identify the signal with the maximum or minimum instantaneous value is central in many real-time applications. Two types of winner-take-all neural networks for determining maximum and minimum signals on-line and in parallel are presented. Starting with a review of the existing winner-take-all neural networks, the paper proposes a type of laterally-inhibited neural network without self state feedbacks and a type of comparator-based neural network with self state feedbacks. Each competitive winner-take-all network consists of O(n) neurons and O(n2) connections, and each comparator-based winner-take-all network consists of O(n) neurons and connections. Applications of the proposed winner-take-all networks to sorting are also discussed.
Topographic forcing of supercritical convection in a porous medium such as the oceanic crust

Experiments carried out with a Hele-Shaw cell indicate that above the critical Rayleigh number, topography does not control the convection pattern, except when the topographic wavelength is comparable to the depth of water penetration. Scaled to the depth of the layer, the convective wavenumbers are restricted to values between 2.5 and 4.8 - a range that brackets pi, the natural wavenumber for convection in a porous slab with planar, isothermal, impermeable boundaries. Topographies within this range are found to control the circulation pattern perfectly, with downwelling under valleys and upwelling aligned with topographic height. Other topographies do not force the pattern, although it is noted that in some cases the convection wavenumber may be a harmonic of the topographic wavenumber. It is pointed out that unforced circulation cells wander and vary in size because they are not locked to the topography.