cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
La representación del ritual funerario mapuche en Reducciones de Jaime Huenún

This article explores the representation of amulpullun, or Mapuche funeral ritual, in the poetry collection Reducciones of Jaime Huenun, a Mapuche-Huilliche author. It analyzes several poems in which the lyrical subject, assuming the role of speaker of amulpullun, performs a ritual invocation to the spirits of dead Mapuche to ensure their transition to the afterlife. This study also examines four collages created from photographs and documents archived at the Museo de La Plata in Argentina, as they constitute an alternative channel of enunciation of funeral rituals. These poems and collages recover the stories of the people represented in them, symbolically integrating them into the historical memory of their societies through the literary strategy of amulpullun. In addition, the texts draw parallels between the stories of these people, denouncing how, in different ways, they were permeated by violence, exclusion and oblivion. Resumen Este articulo explora la representacion del amulpullun, o ritual funerario mapuche, en el poemario Reducciones del autor mapuche-huilliche Jaime Huenun. Examina varios poemas en los que el sujeto lirico, asumiendo el papel de orador del amulpullun, realiza una invocacion ritual a los espiritus de mapuche muertos para asegurar su transicion al mas alla. Tambien analiza cuatro collages creados a partir de fotografias y documentos archivados en el Museo de La Plata en Argentina, en tanto constituyen un canal alternativo de enunciacion de los rituales funerarios. Estos poemas y collages recuperan las historias de las personas representadas en ellos, simbolicamente integrandolas a la memoria historica de sus sociedades por medio de la estrategia literaria del amulpullun. Ademas, los textos establecen paralelos entre las historias de las personas, denunciando como estas, de diferentes modos, fueron atravesadas por la violencia, la exclusion y el olvido.
Mechanically triggered composite stiffness tuning through thermodynamic relaxation (ST3R)

Recent developments in smart responsive composites have utilized various stimuli including heat, light, solvents, electricity, and magnetic fields to induce a change in material properties. Here, we report a thermodynamically driven mechanically responsive composite, exploiting irreversible phase-transformation (relaxation) of metastable undercooled liquid metal core shell particle fillers. Thermal and mechanical analysis reveals that as the composite is deformed, the particles transform from individual liquid droplets to a solid metal network, resulting in a 300% increase in Young's modulus. In contrast to previous phase change materials, this dramatic change in stiffness occurs autonomously under deformation, is insensitive to environmental conditions, and does not require external energy sources such as heat, light, or electricity. We demonstrate the utility of this approach by transforming a flat, flexible composite strip into a rigid, 3D structure that is capable of supporting 50× its own weight. The ability for shape change and reconfiguration are further highlighted, indicating potential for multiple pathways to trigger or tune composite stiffness.
Comparison of five viscoelastic models for estimating viscoelastic parameters using ultrasound shear wave elastography

Abstract The purpose of this study is to compare five viscoelastic models (Voigt, Maxwell, standard linear solid, spring-pot, and fractional Voigt models) for estimating viscoelastic properties based on ultrasound shear wave elastography measurements. We performed the forward problem analysis, the inverse problem analysis, and experiments. In the forward problem analysis, the shear wave speeds at different frequencies were calculated using the Voigt model for given shear elasticity and varying shear viscosity. In the inverse problem analysis, the viscoelastic parameters were estimated from the given wave speeds for the five viscoelastic models using the least-square regression. The experiment was performed in a tissue-mimicking phantom. A local harmonic vibration was generated via a mechanical shaker on the phantom at five frequencies (100, 150, 200, 250, and 300 Hz) and an ultrasound transducer was used to capture the tissue motion. Shear wave speed of the phantom was measured using the ultrasound shear wave elastography technique. The parameters for different viscoelastic models for the phantom were identified. For both analytical and experimental studies, ratios of storage to loss modulus as a function of excitation frequency for different viscoelastic models were calculated. We found that the Voigt and fractional Voigt models fit well with the shear wave speed - frequency and ratio of storage to loss modulus – frequency relationships both in analytical and experimental studies.
Transitions of Care for Postoperative Opioid Prescribing in Previously Opioid-Naïve Patients in the USA: a Retrospective Review.

New persistent opioid use is a common postoperative complication, with 6% of previously opioid-naive patients continuing to fill opioid prescriptions 3–6 months after surgery. Despite these risks, it is unknown which specialties prescribe opioids to these vulnerable patients. To identify specialties prescribing opioids to surgical patients who develop new persistent opioid use. Using a national dataset of insurance claims, we identified opioid-naive patients aged 18–64 years undergoing surgical procedures (2008–2014) who continued filling opioid prescriptions 3 to 6 months after surgery. We then examined opioid prescriptions claims during the 12 months after surgery, and identified prescribing physician specialty using National Provider Identifier codes. Percentage of opioid prescriptions provided by each specialty evaluated at 90-day intervals during the 12 months after surgery. We identified 5276 opioid-naive patients who developed new persistent opioid use. During the first 3 months after surgery, surgeons accounted for 69% of opioid prescriptions, primary care physicians accounted for 13%, Emergency Medicine accounted for 2%, Physical Medicine & Rehabilitation (PM&R)/Pain Medicine accounted for 1%, and all other specialties accounted for 15%. In contrast, 9 to 12 months after surgery, surgeons accounted for only 11% of opioid prescriptions, primary care physicians accounted for 53%, Emergency Medicine accounted for 5%, PM&R/Pain Medicine accounted for 6%, and all other specialties provided 25%. Among surgical patients who developed new persistent opioid use, surgeons provide the majority of opioid prescriptions during the first 3 months after surgery. By 9 to 12 months after surgery, however, the majority of opioid prescriptions were provided by primary care physicians. Enhanced care coordination between surgeons and primary care physicians could allow earlier identification of patients at risk for new persistent opioid use to prevent misuse and dependence.
Care Management: From Channeling to Grace

Chronic care is a major driver of Medicare expenditures. Over the past 40 years, there have been many attempts to manage and coordinate care in those with chronic conditions. Fragmentation in our healthcare delivery system is commonly given as a reason for the high cost of health care in the United States. The existing Medicare payment system further exacerbates this fragmented care. Medicare patients often see multiple specialists, and an inverse relationship has been noted between specialty care, high costs and quality of care. Various models have been developed to try to reduce fragmentation. The Channeling demonstration was one of the first to provide comprehensive case management to the frail elderly. Channeling made patients and caregivers a little happier, but failed to demonstrate any cost savings. Integrated Delivery Systems have been proposed as a means towards more successful care coordination, but still founder without the ability to affect clinical care decisions. The geriatric medical approach to care has demonstrated the ability to reduce hospital utilization and overall health care costs. Examples include GeriMed of America, Senior Care of Colorado, GRACE and PACE. One of the reasons that care coordination hasn’t evolved has been due to a lack of an effective payment model to support such efforts. Fee-for-service will continue to provide roadblocks for the successful implementation of care coordination programs and a geriatric medical approach to care. Successful models must combine a geriatric medical approach to care with a care coordination model that effectively disseminates evidence based information so as to impact the actual delivery of care.
Fundamental Symmetries and Quantum Electrodynamics

An essay on the symmetries of the Maxwell-Dirac system and on all the symmetries that follow from it.
Phylogeny of the Ranunculaceae based on preliminary atpB, rbcL and 18S nuclear ribosomal DNA sequence data

The chloroplast genes atpB and rbcL and nuclear ribosomal 18S DNA were sequenced for 23 genera of the Ranunculaceae and two outgroup taxa (Hydrastis and Glaucidium). The three sequence data sets were combined and the resulting preliminary phylogenetic tree used to assess relationships within the Ranunculaceae. The phylogeny strongly supports the monophyly of the family, with 26 substitutions, a bootstrap value of 98% and a decay index of > 7. Within the family, the T-type chromosome group is basal and paraphyletic with respect to the larger R-type chromosome group. Within the T-type chromosome group, Coptis and Xanthorhiza from a monophyletic group and are basal to all other Ranunculaceae. Other alliances previously proposed by taxonomists are confirmed: Anemonella/Thalictrum/ lsopyrum/Aquilegia/Semiaquilegia; Anemone/Clematis, Trautvetteria/ Myosurus/Ranunculus; Aconitum/Delphinium; and Anemonopsis/Cimicifugal/Actaea. Other groupings that could not have been predicted on the basis of traditional data include a clade consisting of Adonis and Trollius and the inclusion of Eranthis in a clade with Anemonopsis, Cimicifuga, and Actaea. Nigella is weakly allied with a clade consisting of Aconitum and Delphinium. The molecular sequence data are largely congruent with results based on cytology, phytochemistry, and micromorphology. Flower and fruit characters are homoplastic in relation to the cladogram based on sequence data. The pattern of relationships based on sequence data supports the view that staminodia/petals and achenes have evolved independently several times within the Ranunculaceae.
CHAPTER SEVEN – Experimental Approach

Publisher Summary It is still impracticable for theories of crystal structure or lattice faults to predict how a metal microstructure will respond to any but the simplest deformation. It is necessary to have recourse to experiment. However, this too has limitations: specific techniques reveal only specific aspects of a microstructure. Therefore, it is also necessary not only to supplement theory with experiment but also to check one technique of experiment against another. This chapter focuses on the techniques that may be regarded as essential; they are as follows: (1) optical metallography, (2) use of large metal monocrystals, (3) X-ray diffraction, and (4) electron microscopy. The chapter further focuses on replica technique, which is the extension of optical microscopy. The thin specimen is obtained by replication of surface, replicas in common use are (1) plastic, made by dropping on to the surface a volatile solvent containing the plastic; or (2) carbon deposited on the surface in an evaporating apparatus; or (3) oxide, formed on suitable metals like aluminum by anodizing. The replicas when stripped from the surface reproduce its contours, in practice, with an accuracy that permits magnifications of several thousand times. The chapter also discusses structure of thin foils which is the extension of X-ray diffraction.
Flow-Induced Morphologies in Directional Solidification

When a crystal grows into a binary alloy, the microstructure of the solid depends on both the instabilities of the front and the presence of convective mixing in the melt. Simple flows give simple responses, but when the flow is non-parallel and 2D or 3D, then the morphologies become more interesting.
Epidemiology and seed transmission of Goss's bacterial wilt and blight in corn

The process of seed transmission was elucidated for CIavibacter michiqanense ssp. nebraskense, the causal agent of Boss's wilt of corn. Leaves of corn plants in the field were inoculated with a rifampin-tolerant strain of the bacterium. Seed infection averaged from 1% to 30.7% and populations of C. m. nebraskense within seed samples ranged from 0 to 1.7 x 10? cfu. Seed infection levels tended to increase with greater numbers of inoculations and with later sampling. Infected seed was also detected in noninoculated control plots that became naturally infected following dissemination of the pathogen spreading from inoculated plots. It was established that seed-borne inoculum could not be reduced by drying seed at 35 C from harvest moistures of 38% and 25% to 10% or 12%, respectively. It was not possible to demonstrate transmission of the pathogen from infected seeds to seedlings either in pasteurized soil in the greenhouse or under field conditions. However, transmission was accomplished under greenhouse conditions in from 0.1% to 0.4% of seedlings growing from seed that had been inoculated by vacuum infiltration of the pathogen. Characteristic symptoms developed on the seedlings and the pathogen was isolated and its identity confirmed.
Updated results on catheter ablation of ventricular arrhythmias arising from the papillary muscles of the left ventricle

Background Catheter ablation of ventricular arrhythmias (VAs) arising from the left ventricle`s (LV) papillary muscles (PM) is challenging. In this study we present results of catheter ablation using multiple energy sources and image-based approaches. Methods Fifty-three patients (49 ± 17 years old; 34% females; median LV ejection fraction 53 ± 11%) underwent catheter cryoablation or radiofrequency (RF) ablation with non-contact force sensing (Non-CFS) catheters and cardiac computed tomography integration (CTII) into the electroanatomical mapping system or contact force sensing RF (CFS RF) ablation catheters and intracardiac echo-facilitated 3D electroanatomical mapping. Ventricular arrhythmias foci were mapped at either the anterolateral (ALPM) or posteromedial papillary muscles (PMPM). Ablation was performed using an 8-mm cryoablation catheter (CRYO); a Non-CFS 4-mm open-irrigated RF catheter; or a CFS RF 3.5-mm open-irrigated tip catheter, via transmitral or transaortic approach. Results Acute success rate was 83% for Non-CFS RF/CTII; 100% for CRYO/CTII (n = 16) and CFS RF/ICE3D (n = 14) (P = 0.03). Catheter stability was achieved in all patients treated with Cryo/CTII. VA recurrence at 12 months follow-up was 48% (n = 11) for Non-CFS RF/CTII; 19% (n = 3) for CRYO/CTII; and 7% (n = 1) for CFS RF/ICE3D (P = 0.02). Conclusions Non-CFS/CTII was associated with an increased risk of recurrence of the clinical arrhythmia. Ablation with either CFS RF/ICE3D or CRYO/CTII showed high acute success rates and low recurrence rates during follow-up. Cryoablation provided stable contact and was less arrhythmogenic.
Electrostatic Control of Insulator–Metal Transition in La-doped SrSnO3 Films

We investigate the ion gel gating of wide bandgap oxide, La-doped SrSnO3 films grown using radical-based molecular beam epitaxy. An applied positive bias resulted in a reversible electrostatic control of sheet resistance over 3 orders of magnitude at low temperature driving sample from Mott variable range hopping to a weakly localized transport. Analysis of low temperature transport behavior revealed electron-electron interaction and weak localization effects to be the dominant scattering mechanisms. A large voltage window (-4 V ≤ Vg ≤ +4 V) was obtained for reversible electrostatic doping of SrSnO3 films showing robustness of stannate with regards to redox chemistry with electrolyte gating irrespective of the bias type.
Regional and local temporal trends in the prevalence of canine heartworm infection in the contiguous United States: 2012–2018

Canine heartworm disease is a potentially fatal disease for which treatment is financially burdensome for many pet owners. Prevention is strongly advocated by the veterinary community along with routine testing for infection during annual wellness examinations. Despite the availability of efficacious chemoprophylaxis, recent reports have suggested that the incidence of heartworm disease in domestic dogs is increasing. Using data from tests for heartworm infection in the USA from January 2012 through September 2018, a Bayesian spatio-temporal binomial regression model was used to estimate the regional and local temporal trends of heartworm infection prevalence. The area with the largest increase in regional prevalence was found in the Lower Mississippi River Valley. Regional prevalence increased throughout the southeastern states and northward into Illinois and Indiana. Local (county-level) prevalence varied across the USA, with increasing prevalence occurring along most of the Atlantic coast, central United States, and western states. Clusters of decreasing prevalence were present along the Mississippi Alluvial Plain (a historically endemic area), Oklahoma and Kansas, and Florida. Canine heartworm infection prevalence is increasing in much of the USA, both regionally and locally, despite veterinarian recommendations on prevention and testing. Additional steps should be taken to protect dogs, cats and ferrets. Further work is needed to identify the driving factors of the locally decreasing prevalence present along the Mississippi Alluvial plain, Florida, and other areas.
African Americans in the Republican Party: Choosing the Road Less Traveled

While most African Americans identify with the Democratic Party, a small minority chooses to identify and support the party of Lincoln. However, very little is known about the demographic make-up or policy preferences of these individuals. Utilizing the 1992-2002 American National Election Studies, we provide a multivariate analysis of the demographic characteristics and policy leanings of African American Republicans. Our analysis suggests several systematic patterns regarding African Americans’ Republican Party identification. First, as with the general population, we find they are more likely to be male, from the South and to identify themselves as conservatives. However, unlike the general population, we find they are not more likely to maintain upper or middle incomes or to view religion as an important guide in their life. Third, we find African Americans born after 1950 are more likely to identify themselves as Republican. Fourth, we find African American Republicans feel less warmth toward blacks than the majority of their brethren and are less likely to view race or social welfare issues as significant problems in America. Ultimately, we conclude racial issues are still the key to understanding African American Partisanship.
I Will Survive: How NPR1 Condensation Promotes Plant Cell Survival.

The plant immune response regulator NPR1 resides in either the nucleus or in cytoplasmic puncta, depending on levels of the plant hormone salicylic acid. NPR1 nuclear roles include pathogenesis response (PR) gene regulation. In this issue of Cell, Zavaliev et al. determine that cytoplasmic NPR1-containing assemblies are consistent with multi-component protein condensates with roles to promote cell survival.
Laser induced graphene interlaminar reinforcement for tough carbon fiber/epoxy composites

Abstract Poor interlaminar fracture toughness is a critical limitation in the performance of fiber reinforced polymer matrix composites over a wide range of structural applications. Recent efforts to overcome this problem have shown that the introduction of various forms of nanoscale interleaves can yield composites with improved toughness. In this work, it is demonstrated that forests of vertically aligned, laser induced graphene (LIG) can provide significant improvement to the interlaminar properties of carbon fiber reinforced composites. The conductive graphene interlayers are first synthesized using a laser induction process and then transfer printed onto carbon fiber prepregs while maintaining their out-of-plane alignment. The introduced LIG interlayers result in a significantly increased short beam shear toughness, along with a 41% and 69% increase in both initiation Mode I and pre-cracked Mode II fracture toughness of the composites, respectively. In addition, the tensile and viscoelastic properties of the carbon fiber composites are preserved post-treatment. The LIG strengthened interlaminar region exhibit failure modes that provide greater resistance to crack initiation and propagation such as cohesive failure, crack deflection and nanoscale bridging. Therefore, this work provides a simple, fast and convenient method to toughen carbon fiber reinforced composites using transferred LIG interlayers, allowing for the cost-effective and rapid fabrication of simultaneously strong and tough carbon fiber reinforced composite structures.
Significance tests of feature relevance for a blackbox learner.

An exciting recent development is the uptake of deep learning in many scientific fields, where the objective is seeking novel scientific insights and discoveries. To interpret a learning outcome, researchers perform hypothesis testing for explainable features to advance scientific domain knowledge. In such a situation, testing for a blackbox learner poses a severe challenge because of intractable models, unknown limiting distributions of parameter estimates, and high computational constraints. In this article, we derive two consistent tests for the feature relevance of a blackbox learner. The first one evaluates a loss difference with perturbation on an inference sample, which is independent of an estimation sample used for parameter estimation in model fitting. The second further splits the inference sample into two but does not require data perturbation. Also, we develop their combined versions by aggregating the order statistics of the $p$-values based on repeated sample splitting. To estimate the splitting ratio and the perturbation size, we develop adaptive splitting schemes for suitably controlling the Type \rom{1} error subject to computational constraints. By deflating the \textit{bias-sd-ratio}, we establish asymptotic null distributions of the test statistics and their consistency in terms of statistical power. Our theoretical power analysis and simulations indicate that the one-split test is more powerful than the two-split test, though the latter is easier to apply for large datasets. Moreover, the combined tests are more stable while compensating for a power loss by repeated sample splitting. Numerically, we demonstrate the utility of the proposed tests on two benchmark examples. Accompanying this paper is our Python library {\tt dnn-inference} this https URL that implements the proposed tests.
Postdocs' advice on pursuing a research career in academia: A qualitative analysis of free-text survey responses

Background The decision of whether to pursue a tenure-track faculty position has become increasingly difficult for undergraduate, graduate, and postdoctoral trainees considering a career in research. Trainees express concerns over job availability, financial insecurity, and other perceived challenges associated with pursuing an academic position. Methods To help further elucidate the benefits, challenges, and strategies for pursuing an academic career, a diverse sample of postdoctoral scholars ("postdocs") from across the United States were asked to provide advice on pursuing a research career in academia in response to an open-ended survey question. 994 responses were qualitatively analyzed using both content and thematic analyses. 177 unique codes, 20 categories, and 10 subthemes emerged from the data and were generalized into two thematic areas: Life in Academia and Strategies for Success. Results On life in academia, postdoc respondents overwhelmingly agree that academia is most rewarding when you are truly passionate about scientific research and discovery. 'Passion' emerged as the most frequently cited code, referenced 189 times. Financial insecurity, work-life balance, securing grant funding, academic politics, and a competitive job market emerged as challenges of academic research. The survey respondents note that while passion and hard work are necessary, they are not always sufficient to overcome these challenges. The postdocs encourage trainees to be realistic about career expectations and to prepare broadly for career paths that align with their interests, skills, and values. Strategies recommended for perseverance include periodic self-reflection, mental health support, and carefully selecting mentors. Conclusions For early-career scientists along the training continuum, this advice deserves critical reflection before committing to an academic research career. For advisors and institutions, this work provides a unique perspective from postdoctoral scholars on elements of the academic training path that can be improved to increase retention, career satisfaction, and preparation for the scientific workforce.
Acute and Chronic Citrulline Malate Supplementation on Muscle Contractile Properties and Fatigue Rate of the Quadriceps.

This study compared the acute and chronic impact of citrulline malate (CM) supplementation on muscle contractile properties and fatigue rate of the quadriceps. Eighteen recreationally trained males consumed both a placebo (PL) and CM treatment for two separate dosing periods. The first experimental testing session for each dosing period was considered the baseline day, the second session the acute day, and the third session the chronic day, which followed seven consecutive days of supplementation. All testing sessions included exercising on a cycle ergometer at 50%-60% of their max power output for 30 min followed by performing the Thorstensson test on an isokinetic dynamometer. A two-way (Supplement × Time) analysis of variance with repeated measures resulted in no significant interactions (p > .05) (PL: baseline day, acute day, chronic day vs. CM: baseline day, acute day, chronic day) for peak power (in watts) (469 ± 81, 490 ± 97, 502 ± 99 vs. 464 ± 85, 480 ± 103, 501 ± 81); peak torque (in newton meters) (150 ± 26, 157 ± 32, 161 ± 31 vs. 149 ± 27, 156 ± 33, 161 ± 26); fatigue rate (in percentage) (57 ± 9, 57 ± 10, 58 ± 9 vs. 57 ± 10, 56 ± 9, 58 ± 9); and heart rate (in beats per minute) (156 ± 17, 146 ± 13, 146 ± 9 vs. 155 ± 11, 146 ± 11, 146 ± 9). The results of this study suggest that neither acute nor chronic supplementation of CM had an effect on recovery or fatigue rate of the quadriceps.
N-Acetylcysteine for Cardiac Protection During Coronary Artery Reperfusion: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of Randomized Controlled Trials

Coronary artery reperfusion is essential for the management of symptoms in patients with myocardial ischemia. However, the benefit of reperfusion often comes at an expense of paradoxical injury, which contributes to adverse events, and sometimes heart failure. Reperfusion is known to increase the production of reactive oxygen species (ROS). We address whether or not N-acetylcysteine (NAC) reduces ROS and alleviates reperfusion injury by improving clinical outcomes. Literature searches for randomized controlled trials (RCTs) were carried out in 5 biomedical databases for testing the effects of NAC in patients undergoing coronary artery reperfusion by percutaneous coronary intervention, thrombolysis or coronary artery bypass graft. Of 787 publications reviewed, 28 RCTs were identified, with a summary of 2174 patients. Meta-analysis using the random effects model indicated that NAC administration during or prior to reperfusion procedures resulted in a trend towards a reduction in the level of serum cardiac troponin (cTn) [95% CI, SMD -0.80 (-1.75; 0.15), p=0.088, n=262 for control, 277 for NAC group], and in the incidence of postoperative atrial fibrillation [95% CI, RR 0.57 (0.30; 1.06), p=0.071, n=484 for control, 490 for NAC group]. The left ventricular ejection fraction or the measures of length of stay in intensive care unit or in hospital also displayed a positive trend that was not statistically significant. Among the 9 trials that measured ROS, 7 showed a correlation between reduction of lipid peroxidation and improved clinical outcomes. These lines of evidence support the potential benefit of NAC as an adjuvant therapy for cardiac protection against reperfusion injury.
Microbial contamination and chemical toxicity of the Rio Grande

Background The Rio Grande River is the natural boundary between U.S. and Mexico from El Paso, TX to Brownsville, TX. and is one of the major water resources of the area. Agriculture, farming, maquiladora industry, domestic activities, as well as differences in disposal regulations and enforcement increase the contamination potential of water supplies along the border region. Therefore, continuous and accurate assessment of the quality of water supplies is of paramount importance. The objectives of this study were to monitor water quality of the Rio Grande and to determine if any correlations exist between fecal coliforms, E. coli, chemical toxicity as determined by Botsford's assay, H. pylori presence, and environmental parameters. Seven sites along a 112-Km segment of the Rio Grande from Sunland Park, NM to Fort Hancock, TX were sampled on a monthly basis between January 2000 and December 2002.
High Performance Control of a Dual Winding Induction Generator with Series Connected Boost Rectifiers

A dual stator winding squirrel-cage induction generator-series connected ac-dc boost PWM rectifiers system producing a dc power at regulated two or three dc voltage levels is proposed. The operability regions of the generator are explored using the steady-state model of the generator and the converters while accounting for the effects of the magnetizing flux saturation in the generator. Nonlinear input-output linearization controller design methodology is deployed to achieve a high performance output dc voltage regulations. Computer simulation and some experimental results confirm the useful of the analysis and control techniques for this dc voltage generator scheme.
Modifizierung der verarbeitungstechnischen Eigenschaften von Weizenmehl mit proteolytischen Enzymen

Zur Steuerung der Teig- und Backeigenschaften von Mehlen werden proteolytische Enzyme eingesetzt. Die zu erwartende rheologische Wirkung kann jedoch anhand der ublichen Aktivitatsbestimmungen mit Hamoglobin oder Casein als Substrat nicht befriedigend vorausgesagt werden. Ziel der Arbeit war es, Methoden zu finden, die eine zuverlassige Auswahl und Dosierung der Enzyme erlauben. Hierzu wurden zunachst die Aktivitaten von Proteinasen aus verschiedenen Untergruppen mit unterschiedlichen Substraten bestimmt und mit der rheologischen Wirksamkeit in Teig und Kleber verglichen. Die rheologischen Eigenschaften wurden uber Knet-(Knetwiderstand) und Zugversuche (Festigkeit, Dehnbarkeit) erfast. Im Mittelpunkt der Untersuchungen standen zwei technische Enzyme ausAspergillus oryzae, EL 34 und EL 36, die beide sehr aktiv gegenuber Hamoglobin sind, sich aber in ihrem Einflus auf die rheologischen Eigenschaften von Weizenteigen stark unterscheiden: EL 34 erweicht Teige sehr weitgehend, wahrend EL 36 keine Wirkung zeigt. Die Versuche ergaben, das die spezifischen Aktivitaten der verschiedenen untersuchten Proteinasen gegen Hamoglobin und Azocasein, aber auch gegen Mehlproteine in Losung sehr unterschiedlich sind und nicht mit ihren rheologischen Wirkungen in den relativ wasserarmen Systemen Teig und Kleber korreliert sind.
Technical Note : Selecting a Classification Method by Cross-Validation

If we lack relevant problem-specific knowledge, cross-validation methods may be used to select a classification method empirically. We examine this idea here to show in what senses cross-validation does and does not solve the selection problem. As illustrated empirically, cross-validation may lead to higher average performance than application of any single classification strategy, and it also cuts the risk of poor performance. On the other hand, cross-validation is no more or less a form of bias than simpler strategies, and applying it appropriately ultimately depends in the same way on prior knowledge. In fact, cross-validation may be seen as a way of applying partial information about the applicability of alternative classification strategies.
Proteins of de-membraned protamine-depleted mouse sperm: Homology with proteins of somatic cell nuclear envelope/matrix☆

Abstract Following treatment with Triton X/1 M NaCl/2-mercaptoethanol, mouse sperm heads are divested of protamines and other basic proteins; the residual structure is one in which the general morphological organization of the decondensed chromatin and the nuclear boundaries are conserved [1]. In this study, the protein complement of that residual structure has been characterized and subdivided into two sets: 1. 1. Those that are sperm-unique, including constituents of the sperm head that may be intrinsically nuclear (or extra-nuclear, but exceedingly adherent to the nuclear envelope). 2. 2. Those that display corresponding electrophoretic properties and immunologic cross-reactivity with proteins of similarly treated mouse somatic cell nuclei. Among the latter are proteins of molecular weight 52, 63 and 69 kD, two of which (63 and 69 kD) appear to be homologous to polypeptides of somatic nuclear envelope/pore complex lamina. Absence from sperm nuclei of the third of the characteristic predominant triplet of somatic nuclear lamina polypeptides of mammalian cells, here designated 67 kD, indicates cell-type variation in these structures. On the other hand, the identification of homologous polypeptides in the sperm and somatic complements suggests that those are specific instances of conservation and may represent the paternal contribution to the pool of polypeptides for assembly of the envelopes of the pronuclei of the one-cell embryo.
The Constrained Minimum Spanning Tree Problem

Given an undirected graph with two different nonnegative costs associated with every edge e (say, w e for the weight and l e for the length of edge e) and a budget L, consider the problem of finding a spanning tree of total edge length at most L and minimum total weight under this restriction. This constrained minimum spanning tree problem is weakly NP-hard. We present a polynomial-time approximation scheme for this problem. This algorithm always produces a spanning tree of total length at most (1 + e)L and of total weight at most that of any spanning tree of total length at most L, for any fixed e >0. The algorithm uses Lagrangean relaxation, and exploits adjacency relations for matroids.
Adenosine A2a receptor‐mediated inhibition of rod opsin mRNA expression in tiger salamander

The neuromodulator adenosine mediates dark-adaptive changes in retinal photoreceptors through A(2a) receptors. In cold-blooded vertebrates, opsin mRNA expression is lower at night than during the day. In the present study, we tested whether adenosine could inhibit opsin mRNA expression in cultured rod cells and if endogenous adenosine acts to suppress opsin mRNA in the intact retina at night. Semi-quantitative in situ hybridization showed that treatment with 100 nm of the A(2a)/A(2b) agonist N(6)-[2-(3,5-dimethoxyphenyl)-2-(2-methylphenyl)-ethyl]adenosine (DPMA) reduced opsin mRNA 41% in cultured rod cells. The effect of DPMA was blocked by 10 microm of the A(2a) antagonist 8-(3-chlorostyryl)caffeine (CSC) but not by 10 microm of the A(2b) antagonist alloxazine. One micromolar adenosine alone had no effect on opsin mRNA. However, in the presence of the adenosine deaminase inhibitor erythro-9-(2-hydroxy-3-nonyl)adenine hydrochloride (EHNA), 1 microm adenosine reduced opsin mRNA 61%. EHNA alone reduced opsin mRNA by 26%. Consistent with an A(2a) receptor mechanism, 100 nm forskolin (adenylate cyclase agonist) decreased opsin mRNA 34%. Finally, northern blots showed that intravitreal injection of 10 microm CSC at night increased opsin I mRNA 38%. Thus, endogenous adenosine suppresses rod opsin I mRNA expression at night; in vitro results indicate this reduction occurs through A(2a)-like receptor binding and stimulation of adenylate cyclase activity.
Addressing Components' Evolvement and Execution Behavior to Measure Component-Based Software Reliability

Software reliability is an important quality attrib-ute, often evaluated as either a function of time or of system structures. The goal of this study is to have this metric cover both for component-based software, be-cause its reliability strongly depends on the quality of constituent components and their interactions. To achieve this, we apply a convolution modeling ap-proach, based on components' execution behavior, to integrate their individual reliability evolvement and simultaneously address failure fixes in the time do-main. Modeling at the component level can be more economical to accommodate software evolution, be-cause the reliability metric can be evaluated by reus-ing the quality measures of unaffected components and adapting only to the affected ones to save cost. The adaptation capability also supports the incremental software development processes that constantly add in new components over time. Experiments were con-ducted to discuss the usefulness of this approach.
FNTM: a server for predicting functional networks of tissues in mouse

Functional Networks of Tissues in Mouse (FNTM) provides biomedical researchers with tissue-specific predictions of functional relationships between proteins in the most widely used model organism for human disease, the laboratory mouse. Users can explore FNTM-predicted functional relationships for their tissues and genes of interest or examine gene function and interaction predictions across multiple tissues, all through an interactive, multi-tissue network browser. FNTM makes predictions based on integration of a variety of functional genomic data, including over 13 000 gene expression experiments, and prior knowledge of gene function. FNTM is an ideal starting point for clinical and translational researchers considering a mouse model for their disease of interest, researchers already working with mouse models who are interested in discovering new genes related to their pathways or phenotypes of interest, and biologists working with other organisms to explore the functional relationships of their genes of interest in specific mouse tissue contexts. FNTM predicts tissue-specific functional relationships in 200 tissues, does not require any registration or installation and is freely available for use at http://fntm.princeton.edu.
A mutant of Tetrahymena thermophila with a partial mirror-image duplication of cell surface pattern. I. Analysis of the phenotype.

Cells of a mutant clone, CU-127, of Tetrahymena thermophila (formerly T. pyriformis , syngen 1) manifest three anatomical abnormalities. First, the stable number of ciliary meridians is 21—25, above the usual number (17—21) in this species. Second, up to 30 % of the cells have two oral apparatuses (OAs), one normal and the other abnormal. Third, more than one-half of the cells possess two distinct sets of contractile vacuole pores (CVPs). In some living cells two contractile vacuoles are seen. These abnormalities have persisted unchanged during more than 500 generations of vegetative propagation, and are similarly expressed in subclones. The normal and abnormal OAs are topographically segregated, with normal OAs developing along the ‘primary oral axis’ and abnormal OAs developing along a ‘secondary oral axis’ that is situated 170° of the cell circumference to the cell9s right of the primary oral axis. CVPs always appear within this 170° arc and never within the complementary 190° arc to the left of the primary oral axis. A unique feature of the CU-127 clone is the commonly expressed mirror image reversal of the structural pattern of OAs that develop along the secondary oral axis. The primordia of such OAs initially appear (as usual) to the cell9s left of a ciliary meridian, but as membranelles develop they frequently come to be oriented in a mirror image of the normal pattern, and anundulating membrane sometimes develops on the wrong (left) side of the oral primordium. When two sets of CVPs are formed, their average positions are roughly equidistant with respect to the two oral axes, with the two sets located 50—60° to the right and left respectively of the primary and secondary oral axes. Such cells are thus bilaterally symmetrical about a plane defined by the central longitudinal axis and the halfway point between the two CVP sets (see Fig. 25). This plane bisects the cell into a normal and a ‘reversed’ half-cell. However, only oral asymmetry and large-scale CVP positioning are subject to such reversal; all ciliary meridians remain of normal asymmetry and all CVPs are situated on the left side of CVP meridians. The fact that major aspects of large-scale cellular organization can be reversed while the ‘fine-positioning’ associated with the ciliary meridians remains normal indicates that the two aspects of cell organization are distinct.
Learn 2050! How We Transformed America's Learning System

It's the year 2050 and this pioneer of the Redesign Learning movement is looking back on the parlous state of American public education in the early decades of the century. It was his 2014 call to action that committed America's design community to this public service mission—an initiative that helped kick-start a transformation. It's the year 2050 and education in America from pre-K to college is free. You don’t have to choose between the humanities and an all-out prep for a technical career. And it's all because educators and legislators stopped focusing on education and started thinking about learning.
Nilotinib (Tasigna™) in the treatment of early diffuse systemic sclerosis: an open-label, pilot clinical trial.

Tyrosine kinase inhibitors (TKI) are medications of interest in the treatment of Systemic Sclerosis (SSc) because of their ability to inhibit pathways involved in fibrosis. In this open-label pilot trial, our objectives were to assess the safety, efficacy, and molecular change associated with treatment of patients with diffuse cutaneous (dc)SSc with the TKI nilotinib (Tasigna™). Ten adult patients with early dcSSc were treated with nilotinib. Primary endpoints were safety and change in modified Rodnan Skin Score (MRSS) after 6 months. Lesional skin biopsies at baseline, 6 and 12 months of treatment were assessed by histopathology, immunohistochemistry, and DNA microarray. Patients had early and active dcSSc with median disease duration of 0.7 years (range 0.5, 1.7) and increasing MRSS in the month prior to baseline (mean +2.9, p=0.02). Seven out of ten patients completed 6 and 12 months of treatment. Seventy-one adverse events (AEs) including 2 serious AEs were observed, and 92 % of AEs were grade 1-2. Two patients discontinued the medication due to mild QTc prolongation. MRSS improved by a mean of 4.2 points (16 %) at 6 months and by 6.3 points (23 %) at 12 months in the 7 completers, p=0.02 and 0.01, respectively. Patients with a decrease in MRSS >20 % from baseline at 12 months (classified as improvers) had significantly higher expression of transforming growth factor beta receptor (TGFBR) and platelet-derived growth factor receptor beta (PDGFRB) signaling genes at baseline than non-improvers, and the expression of these genes significantly decreased in improvers post-treatment. Nilotinib was well tolerated by the majority of patients in this study, with tolerability limited primarily by mild QTc-prolongation. Significant MRSS improvement was observed in these early, active patients, but is not conclusive of treatment effect given the open-label study-design and small number of patients in this pilot study. Improvers had higher levels of expression of genes associated with TGFBR and PDGFRB signaling at baseline, and a significant decrease in the expression of these genes occurred only in patients with higher MRSS improvement. The findings of this pilot study warrant more conclusive evaluation. Clinicaltrials.gov NCT01166139 , July 1, 2010.
Abraham Flexner and the black medical schools.

Abraham Flexner and the Black Medical Schools first appeared in Beyond Flexner: Medical Education in the Twentieth Century, Barbara Barzansky and Norman Gevitz, eds. Copyright 1992 by Barbara Barzansky and Norman Gevitz. Reproduced with permission of Greenwood Publishing Group Inc., Westport, CT. The article will be reprnted in a collection of the author's writings on African-American medical history called Race and Medicine in Nineteenthand Early-Twentieth-Century America, to be published in December 2006 by Kent State University Press and published here with permission of the Kent State University Press. Originally published J Natl Med Assoc. Vol. 98, No. 9, Sep 2006.
Accurate Identification of Adverse Outcomes After Cervical Spine Surgery

Background: Retrospective clinical studies frequently utilize surgeon records as a source of outcomes data. The accuracy of data derived from surgeon records, however, is unknown. The purpose of the present study was to evaluate the accuracy of surgeon records in documenting the prevalence of subjective adverse outcomes. Methods: Consecutive patients who had undergone anterior cervical arthrodesis by four spine surgeons during a ten-month period were included. Surgeon records from the routine six-week, three-month, and six-month postoperative visits were examined for documentation of persistent dysphagia and dysphonia. Patients completed surveys inquiring about the presence and magnitude of symptoms at these three time-points. Agreement between the surgeon records and the patient surveys was analyzed with use of the kappa coefficient. Results: One hundred and sixty-six patients had 342 postoperative visits. Dysphagia was documented twenty-six times in the surgeon records, compared with 107 times on the patient surveys. Dysphagia was thus underreported in 80% of cases. Similarly, dysphonia was documented ten times in the surgeon records, compared with seventy-two times on the patient surveys. Poor correlation between the surgeon records and the patient surveys was observed regardless of symptom severity, previous anterior cervical surgery, anterior arthrodesis of three motion segments or more, arthrodesis cephalad to the fifth cervical level, and anterior cervical plate use. Poor correlation between the surgeon records and the patient surveys also was observed for each surgeon, regardless of subspecialty or institution. Conclusions: Correlation between the surgeon records and the patient surveys was consistently poor, regardless of the specific patient and surgeon factor analyzed. While we chose to study dysphonia and dysphagia, it is conceivable that the results may be generalizable to many situations in which office notes are utilized to ascertain the prevalence of subjective adverse outcomes. These results suggest that the prevalence of such outcomes may be seriously underreported in studies that rely on the retrospective analysis of surgeon records.