cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Teacher Consultation to Enhance Implementation of School-Based Restorative Justice

ABSTRACTRestorative justice (RJ) is an alternative approach to school discipline that has been gaining recognition in the public and academic spheres as a way to engage students who misbehave in school. RJ has promise to address racial/ethnic, gender, and disability disproportionality in school discipline. One aspect of school-based RJ that has received almost no attention in the literature is the professional development and ongoing support of teachers in schools using RJ. This article provides a review of extant literature on school-based RJ, teacher training, and consultation methods. Integrating the empirical literature on school consultation and teacher professional development, we argue that schools should implement a multitiered model of professional development to build teacher competency in RJ, specifically including the use of targeted teacher consultation. The proposed model is complementary to an RJ framework, systematic, and capable of evaluation; future research is needed to evaluate its eff...
Abstract 2636: Myc vs. Akt therapy in RapidCap, a GEM model for metastatic prostate cancer

Metastasis is a major driver of mortality and morbidity in prostate cancer, the most common cancer type in men and the second leading cause of cancer-related deaths in the western world. To recapitulate the process in genetically engineered mice, we have developed the RapidCaP system, which uses prostate-directed viral infection to trigger focal loss of Pten and Trp53. The system provides a powerful platform for identification and validation of candidate driver genes and for efficient testing of novel therapeutics. Using this approach, we have recently identified Myc as a critical, spontaneously activated driver in Pten-negative metastatic prostate cancer. In agreement, our previous trials indicated that the Myc-suppressing Brd4 inhibitor JQ1 is ineffective towards primary disease, but causes metastatic regression. Mechanistically, this specificity correlates with the switch from Akt-driven primary to Myc-driven metastatic disease. Intriguingly, however, advanced metastases in RapidCaP do not express the androgen receptor, in spite of being of epithelial origin as shown by the Nkx3.1 prostate marker. As a consequence, metastatic disease often shows little to no response to castration therapy and invariably results in lethal disease. Therefore, we will discuss how, when and why targeting of Myc using JQ1 and the PI 3-Kinase pathway using NVP-BKM120 are best used to treat naive or castration-resistant metastatic disease.
Identification of Mycobacterium avium subsp. hominissuis secreted proteins using an in vitro system mimicking the phagosomal environment

Mycobacterium avium subsp. hominissuis is a common intracellular pathogen that infects patients with HIV/AIDS and cause lung infection in patients with underlying lung pathology. M.avium preferably infects macrophages and uses diverse mechanisms to alter phagosome maturation. Once in the macrophage, the pathogen can alter the host cellular defenses by secreting proteins into the cytosol of host cells, but despite considerable research, only a few secreted effector proteins have been identified. We hypothesized that the environmental cues inside the phagosome can trigger bacterial protein secretion. To identify M. avium secretome within the phagosome, we utilized a previously established in vitro system that mimics the metal ion concentrations and pH of the M. avium phagosome. M. avium was exposed to phagosome metal concentrations for different time points and exported proteins were profiled and analyzed against bacterial proteins secreted in the culture medium. Mass spectrometric analysis of the secreted proteome identified several proteins, of which 46 were unique to bacteria incubated in the metal mixture. Ten of potential effectors were selected and secretion of these proteins was monitored within M. avium infected mononuclear phagocytic cells using the beta-lactamase FRET-based reporter system. In addition, pull-down assay was performed for secreted calmodulin-like protein MAV_1356 protein to evaluate for eukaryotic target. All examined M. avium proteins were secreted into the macrophage cytosol, and gene expression analysis suggested that the metal environment likely stimulates secretion of pre-made proteins. Further investigation of bacterial secreted MAV_1356 protein, lead to the observation that the MAV_1356 interacts with the host proteins Annexin A1 and Protein S100-A8. We established an in vitro system for the study if proteins secreted intracellularly, and revealed that the metal mixture mimicking the concentration of metals in the phagosome environment, triggers protein secretion.
Establishing a Mathematical Community

This chapter describes the representations and reasoning used by students to express their understanding of fraction ideas while building solutions to a set of tasks introduced during the first session of the research intervention. In addition to showcasing the foundational skill of building models using Cuisenaire rods to justify or reject the teacher’s or other students’ claims about appropriate number names for the rods, the chapter illustrates the importance of establishing socio-mathematical norms (Yackel & Cobb, 1996) for the acceptability of solutions in the mathematics classroom.
“They Blame, They Complain but They Don’t Understand”: Identity Clashes in Cross-Cultural Virtual Collaborations

The performance of identity is a fundamental aspect of human society. Identity is “talked into being” in interactions with others. This negotiated nature of identity, however, can be challenging in cross cultural interactions, where dissimilar ways of talking and different models and interpretations meet. Communication technology has made it routine for members of certain professions to work together from different cultural locations in sparsely furnished virtual space where it is not always clear that multiple systems of identity are in play (or at work). This chapter focuses upon one such context, engineers working in virtual collaborations. It analyzes their interactions and their comments about them in terms of status degradation and spoiled identity, two useful ways of understanding cross cultural miscommunication. The author highlights that differences in the way cultures organize identities, for example, along priority axes of self versus social role identity are influenced by cultural ideas of the person.
Evaluation of the efficiency of three extraction conditions for the immunochemical detection of allergenic soy proteins in different food matrices.

Recent studies have shown the need to improve soy allergen extraction using different extraction conditions to ensure more accurate results in allergen detection. This study investigated some of these extraction conditions to confirm that these methods, especially ultrasound-assisted extraction (UAE) and the use of Laemmli buffer instead of the conventional extraction with phosphate-buffered saline (PBS), could be helpful in improving the extraction step in allergen detection.; Results: Higher total soluble protein was obtained in all samples extracted with Laemmli buffer alone and in combination with ultrasound. For immunochemical detection of soy proteins by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA), comparable detection was observed in extracts from all extraction conditions in all commercial samples with the exception of table cracker and veggie burger, where significantly higher detection was seen in extracts from Laemmli buffer only. For the dry mix and cookie samples, the degree of soy protein detection with ELISA varied among the different extraction conditions, but overall, extraction with only Laemmli buffer showed higher detection.; Conclusion: Laemmli buffer with conventional extraction and UAE may be better alternatives or additional extraction methods in soy allergen detection. Different food matrices performed differently (whether it was for the recovery of total proteins or detection by ELISA) under different extraction conditions. © 2017 Society of Chemical Industry.; © 2017 Society of Chemical Industry.
VANGL2 interacts with integrin αv to regulate matrix metalloproteinase activity and cell adhesion to the extracellular matrix

Planar cell polarity (PCP) proteins are implicated in a variety of morphogenetic processes including embryonic cell migration and potentially cancer progression. During zebrafish gastrulation, the transmembrane protein Vang-like 2 (VANGL2) is required for PCP and directed cell migration. These cell behaviors occur in the context of a fibrillar extracellular matrix (ECM). While it is thought that interactions with the ECM regulate cell migration, it is unclear how PCP proteins such as VANGL2 influence these events. Using an in vitro cell culture model system, we previously showed that human VANGL2 negatively regulates membrane type-1 matrix metalloproteinase (MMP14) and activation of secreted matrix metalloproteinase 2 (MMP2). Here, we investigated the functional relationship between VANGL2, integrin αvβ3, and MMP2 activation. We provide evidence that VANGL2 regulates cell surface integrin αvβ3 expression and adhesion to fibronectin, laminin, and vitronectin. Inhibition of MMP14/MMP2 activity suppressed the cell adhesion defect in VANGL2 knockdown cells. Furthermore, our data show that MMP14 and integrin αv are required for increased proteolysis by VANGL2 knockdown cells. Lastly, we have identified integrin αvβ3 as a novel VANGL2 binding partner. Together, these findings begin to dissect the molecular underpinnings of how VANGL2 regulates MMP activity and cell adhesion to the ECM.
Mikhail Ya. Marov, Valery L. Shematovich, Dmitry V. Bisikalo, and Jean-Claude Gerard, Nonequilibrium Processes in the Planetary and Cometary Atmospheres: Theory and Applications

book while the remainder is devoted to other topics, including a useful (but preHipparchos) section on astrometry. Many of the major sections end with a few exercises for students, for which answers are provided. I would have like to see many more references to original sources indicated in the text, rather than relatively few gathered in an appendix. I also believe a book with this target audience can not ignore the WWW as a source of material for students of astronomy. The section on catalogues is similary lacking references to electronic and CD-ROM sources for the multitudes of databases that are now an essential part of the practice of astronomy at any level.
The Cross, the Gospels, and the Work of Art in the Carolingian Age

In this book, Beatrice E. Kitzinger explores the power of representation in the Carolingian period, demonstrating how images were used to assert the value and efficacy of art works. She focuses on the cross, Christianity's central sign, which simultaneously commemorates sacred history, functions in the present, and prepares for the end of time. It is well recognized that the visual attributes of the cross were designed to communicate its theology relative to history and eschatology; Kitzinger argues that early medieval artists also developed a formal language to articulate its efficacious powers in the present day. Defined through form and text as the sign of the present, the image of the cross articulated the instrumentality of religious objects and built spaces. Whereas medieval and modern scholars have pondered the theological problems posed by representation, Kitzinger here proposes a visual argument that affirms the self-reflexive value of art works in the early medieval West. Introducing little-known sources, she re-evaluates both the image of the cross and the project of book-making in an expanded field of Carolingian painting.
Does the Addition of DWI to Fluid-Sensitive Conventional MRI of the Sacroiliac Joints Improve the Diagnosis of Sacroiliitis?

OBJECTIVE. The purpose of this study was to determine whether adding DWI to conventional MRI of the sacroiliac joints improves the diagnostic performance of MRI readers in the detection of sacroili...
Applications of Atomic Force Microscopy for Adhesion Force Measurements in Mechanotransduction.

Adhesive interactions between living cells or ligand-receptor interactions can be studied at the molecular level using atomic force microscopy (AFM). Adhesion force measurements are performed with functionalized AFM probes. In order to measure single ligand-receptor interactions, a cantilever with a pyramidal tip is functionalized with a bio-recognized ligand (e.g., extracellular matrix protein). The ligand-functionalized probe is then brought into contact with a cell in culture to investigate adhesion between the respective probe-bound ligand and endogenously expressed cell surface receptors (e.g., integrins or other adhesion receptor). For experiments designed to examine cell-cell adhesions, a single cell is attached to a tipless cantilever which is then brought into contact with other cultured cells. Force curves are recorded to determine the forces necessary to rupture discrete adhesions between the probe-bound ligand and receptor, or to determine total adhesion force at cell-cell contacts. Here, we describe the procedures for measuring adhesions between (a) fibronectin and α5β1 integrin, and (b) breast cancer cells and bone marrow endothelial cells.
Proximity to Other Commercial Turkey Farms Affects Colonization Onset, Genotypes, and Antimicrobial Resistance Profiles of Campylobacter spp. in Turkeys: Suggestive Evidence from a Paired-Farm Model.

ABSTRACT Campylobacter is a leading foodborne pathogen, and poultry products are major vehicles for human disease. However, determinants impacting Campylobacter colonization in poultry remain poorly understood, especially with turkeys. Here, we used a paired-farm design to concurrently investigate Campylobacter colonization and strain types in two turkey breeds (Hybrid and Nicholas) at two farms in eastern North Carolina. One farm (the Teaching Animal Unit [TAU]) was a university teaching unit at least 40 km from commercial turkey farms, while the other (SIB) was a commercial farm in an area with a high density of turkey farms. Day-old birds were obtained from the same breeder flock and hatchery and placed at TAU and SIB on the same day. Birds were marked to identify turkey breed and then commingled on each farm. TAU birds became colonized 1 week later than SIB and had lower initial Campylobacter levels in the cecum. Interestingly, Campylobacter genotypes and antimicrobial resistance profiles differed markedly between the farms. Most TAU isolates were resistant only to tetracycline, whereas multidrug-resistant isolates predominated at SIB. Multilocus sequence typing revealed that no Campylobacter genotypes were shared between TAU and SIB. A bovine-associated genotype (sequence type 1068 [ST1068]) predominated in Campylobacter coli from TAU, while SIB isolates had genotypes commonly encountered in commercial turkey production in the region. One multidrug-resistant Campylobacter jejuni strain (ST1839) showed significant association with one of the two turkey breeds. The findings highlight the need to further characterize the impact of farm-specific factors and host genetics on antimicrobial resistance and genotypes of C. jejuni and C. coli that colonize turkeys. IMPORTANCE Colonization of poultry with Campylobacter at the farm level is complex, poorly understood, and critically linked to contamination of poultry products, which is known to constitute a leading risk factor for human campylobacteriosis. Here, we investigated the use of a paired-farm design under standard production conditions and in the absence of experimental inoculations to assess potential impacts of farm and host genetics on prevalence, antimicrobial resistance and genotypes of Campylobacter in commercial turkeys of two different breeds. Data suggest impacts of farm proximity to other commercial turkey farms on the onset of colonization, genotypes, and antimicrobial resistance profiles of Campylobacter colonizing the birds. Furthermore, the significant association of a specific multidrug-resistant Campylobacter jejuni strain with turkeys of one breed suggests colonization partnerships at the Campylobacter strain-turkey breed level. The study design avoids potential pitfalls associated with experimental inoculations, providing novel insights into the dynamics of turkey colonization with Campylobacter in actual farm ecosystems.
Objective probability as a guide to the world

Demonstration de la nature raisonnable de la regle d'inference directe affirmant l'egalite des probabilites subjectives et des probabilites objectives appliquees a l'exemple de l'attente de reconstitution (d'un oeuf casse). Soulignant la necessite des attentes rationnelles dans le domaine de la science physique, de la chimie et de la biologie, l'A. definit les regles de la coordination de la probabilite et en fournit une justification consequentialiste qui met en avant la verite auto-evidente du principle de coordination de la probabilite simple. Distinguant les notions de frequence et probabilite, ainsi que la strategie a court-terme et la strategie a long-terme, l'A. conclut en reperant les origines psychologiques de la coordination des explications causales humeennes
Case Study: The 2010 Deepwater Horizon Oil Spill and Its Environmental Developmental Impacts

Field and laboratory studies following the 1989 Exxon Valdez oil spill in Prince William Sound, Alaska, revealed new insights into the interactions between aquatic pollution and heart development in fish. The observation of cardiac-related defects in wild herring and salmon spawned near oiled shorelines led to more than two decades of research to characterize the developmental toxicity of crude oil and crude oil-derived compounds, especially polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs). By the time of the 2010 Deepwater Horizon incident, this mechanistic understanding had advanced to the point where potential impacts to the developing heart were a key focus for natural resource injury assessment activities focused on mahi mahi, tunas, and other species that spawn in the northern Gulf of Mexico. For both types of crude oil, subclasses of PAHs containing three aromatic rings, as well as complex mixtures, were found to have disruptive effects on cardiomyocyte physiology, blocking key ion channels involved in excitation-contraction (E-C) coupling. Disruption of E-C coupling by crude oil leads to rhythm and contractility defects at the whole-heart level, which concomitantly leads to abnormal development if exposure occurs during cardiac morphogenesis. Studies spanning a range of oil exposure concentrations have now identified a spectrum of developmental defects, from acute embryo-larval heart failure and related secondary malformations to more subtle anatomical changes in outflow tract and ventricular structure, the latter corresponding to a permanent reduction of cardiorespiratory performance later in life. The state of the science now indicates that virtually all teleosts show a cardiotoxic response to crude oils. Moreover, nuanced differences in the nature of the cardiotoxicity across taxa are likely to be more influenced by species life history than by the geological origins of different oils. This is attributable to variations in the roles of specific macromolecular targets for PAHs in the hearts of fish with different swimming physiologies. Specifically, these targets include ion channels that control cardiomyocyte repolarization (e.g., rectifying potassium channels) and contraction (e.g., sarcoplasmic reticulum calcium channels). Overall, research on oil spills has shown how the early development and ecophysiology of fishes shape their vulnerability to a global environmental threat.
Legal Knowledge: What's Relevant, What's Not? Why the Pennsylvania Bar Exam Should Focus on Federal Law,

In 2006 the Pennsylvania Board of Law Examiners added employment discrimination as a tested subject on the essay portion of the state's bar exam, thereby making Pennsylvania the only state to test on Title VII of the Civil Rights Act, the Age Discrimination in Employment Act (ADEA), and the employment title of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). It matters some which substantive subjects are tested on a bar exam, and to that extent, Pennsylvania's decision to add employment discrimination-a subject of considerable prominence in law practice and in the lives of ordinary people-is smart and forward-thinking. Equally wise was Pennsylvania's choice not to test on its own state law variations from the federal employment discrimination laws, which, albeit very important in day-to-day law practice within the Commonwealth, are too arcane to be the stuff of which bar exams should be made. However, Pennsylvania, like so many other states, continues to test on arcane state law variations within so many other subjects, including all those tested on the Multistate Bar Examination (MBE). Bar exams ought to be a means for evaluating fundamental lawyering skills and not the ability to engage in rote memorization of two layers of law within a myriad of subjects. Accordingly, the Pennsylvania Board of Law Examiners ought to follow its own example with employment discrimination and stop testing Pennsylvania law variations from fundamental legal principles or federal law within all subjects.
Insertion of a chimeric retrotransposon sequence in mouse Axin1 locus causes metastable kinky tail phenotype.

Transposable elements (TEs) make up > 50% of the human genome, and the majority of retrotransposon insertions are truncated and many are located in introns. However, the effects of retrotransposition on the host genes remain incompletely known. We report here that insertion of a chimeric L1 (cL1), but not IAP solo LTR, into intron 6 of Axin1 using CRIPSR/Cas9 induced the kinky tail phenotype with ~ 80% penetrance in heterozygous AxincL1 mice. Both penetrant (with kinky tails) and silent (without kinky tails) AxincL1 mice, regardless of sex, could transmit the phenotype to subsequent generations with similar penetrance (~ 80%). Further analyses revealed that a longer Axin1 transcript isoform containing partial cL1-targeted intron was present in penetrant, but absent in silent and wild type mice, and the production of this unique Axin1 transcript appeared to correlate with altered levels of an activating histone modification, H3K9ac. The mechanism for AxincL1 mice is different from those previously identified in mice with spontaneous retrotransposition of IAP, e.g., AxinFu and Avy, both of which have been associated with DNA methylation changes. Our data suggest that Axin1 locus is sensitive to genetic and epigenetic alteration by retrotransposons and thus, ideally suited for studying the effects of new retrotransposition events on target gene function in mice.
Sonographic Detection of a Urinoma/Biloma Combination:

Urinoma formation is usually a consequence of trauma to the urinary collecting system. It is a collection of urine that is outside of the kidneys, ureters, or bladder. Similarly, a collection of bi...
The development of γ-γ′ lamellar structures in a nickel-base superalloy during elevated temperature mechanical testing

Changes in the morphology of the γ′ precipitate were examined during creep and tensile testing at temperatures between 927 and 1038 °C in [001]-oriented single crystals of a model Ni-Al-Mo-Ta superalloy. In this alloy, the γ′ particles link together to form lamellae, or rafts, which are aligned with their broad faces perpendicular to the applied tensile axis. The dimensions of the γ and γ′ phases were measured as the lamellar structure developed and were related to time and strain in an attempt to trace the changing γ-γ′ morphology. The results showed that directional coarsening of γ′ began during primary creep, and the attainment of a fully developed lamellar structure did not appear to be directly related to the onset of steady-state creep. The rate of directional coarsening during creep increased as the temperature was raised and also increased as the stress level was raised at a given testing temperature. The raft thickness remained equal to the initial γ′ size from the start of the creep test up through the onset of tertiary creep for all testing conditions. It was found that extensive rafts did not develop during the shorter testing times of the tensile tests, and that tensile testing of pre-rafted structures did not alter the morphology of the rafts. The overall behavior of the alloy was a clear indication of the stability of the finely-spaced γ-γ′ lamellar structure.
Trends and Factors Associated With Insurer Approval of Proprotein Convertase Subtilisin/Kexin Type 9 Inhibitor Prescriptions.

Abstract Objectives Proprotein convertase subtilisin/kexin type 9 inhibitors (PCSK9is)—innovative yet costly cholesterol-lowering agents—have been subject to substantial prior authorization (PA) requirements and low approval rates. We aimed to investigate trends in insurer approval and reasons for rejection for PCSK9i prescriptions as well as associations between patients’ demographic, clinical, pharmacy, payer, and PCSK9i-specific plan/coverage factors and approval. Methods We examined trends in PCSK9i approval rates and reasons for rejection using medical and prescription claims from 2015 to 2017 for individuals who received a PCSK9i prescription. We used multinomial logistic regression to estimate quarterly risk-adjusted approval rates for initial PCSK9i prescriptions and approval for any PCSK9i prescription within 30, 90, and 180 days of the initial PCSK9i prescription. For a 2016 subsample for whom we had PCSK9i-specific plan policy data, we examined factors associated with approval including PCSK9i-specific plan formulary coverage, step therapy requirements, and number of PA criteria. Results The main sample included 12 309 patients (mean age 64.8 years [SD = 10.8], 52.1% female, 51.5% receiving Medicare) and was similar in characteristics to the 2016 subsample (n = 6091). Approval rates varied across quarters but remained low (initial prescription, 13%-23%; within 90 days, 28%-44%). Over time, rejections owing to a lack of formulary coverage decreased and rejections owing to PA requirements increased. Lack of formulary coverage and having ≥11 PA criteria in the plan policy were associated with lower odds of PCSK9i prescription approval. Conclusions These findings confirm ongoing PCSK9i access issues and offer a baseline for comparison in future studies examining the impact of recent efforts to improve PCSK9i access.
Immigration and Economic Freedom: Does Education Matter?

This paper builds on Padilla and Cachanosky (2018) and examines if immigrants’ educational attainments matter, particularly for immigrants with low educational attainments, when it comes to test the impact immigrants have on the economic freedom of the US states. Except in the area of government transfers and subsidies, we don’t find any evidence to support such hypothesis. In addition, our results indicate that the economic significance associated with immigrants without a high school diploma’s negative impact on economic freedom score for the area of government transfers and subsidies is likely trivial. Our results are robust to various specifications.
Developmental Immaturity of Siglec Receptor Expression on Neonatal Alveolar Macrophages Predisposes to Severe Group B Streptococcal Infection

Streptococcus agalactiae (Group B Streptococcus, GBS) is the most common neonatal pathogen. However, the cellular and molecular mechanisms for neonatal susceptibility to GBS pneumonia and sepsis are incompletely understood. Here we optimized a mouse model of GBS pneumonia to test the role of alveolar macrophage (ΑΜΦ) maturation in host vulnerability to disease. Compared with juvenile and adult mice, neonatal mice infected with GBS had increased mortality and persistence of lung injury. In addition, neonatal mice were defective in GBS phagocytosis and killing. ΑΜΦ depletion and disruption of ΑΜΦ differentiation in Csf2-/- mice both impaired GBS clearance. AMΦ engage the heavily sialylated GBS capsule via the cell surface Siglec receptors Sn and Siglec-E. Although both newborn and adult ΑΜΦ expressed Siglec-E, newborn ΑΜΦ expressed significantly lower levels of Sn. We propose that a developmental delay in Sn expression on ΑΜΦ may prevent effective killing and clearing of GBS from the newborn lung.
Bidirectional regulation of glial potassium buffering: glioprotection versus neuroprotection

ABSTRACT Glia modulate neuronal excitability and seizure sensitivity by maintaining potassium and water homeostasis. A SIK3-regulated gene expression program controls the glial capacity to buffer K+ and water, however upstream regulatory mechanisms are unknown. Here we identify an octopaminergic circuit linking neuronal activity to glial ion and water buffering. Under basal conditions, octopamine functions through the inhibitory octopaminergic GPCR OctβR to upregulate glial buffering capacity, while under pathological K+ stress, octopamine signals through the stimulatory octopaminergic GPCR OAMB1 to downregulate the glial buffering program. Failure to downregulate this program leads to intracellular glia swelling and stress signaling, suggesting that turning down this pathway is glioprotective. In the eag shaker Drosophila seizure model, the SIK3-mediated buffering pathway in inactivated. Re-activation of the glial buffering program dramatically suppresses neuronal hyperactivity, seizures, and shortened lifespan in this mutant. These findings highlight the therapeutic potential of a glial-centric therapeutic strategy for diseases of hyperexcitability.
Vector Field Control Methods for Discretely Variable Passive Robotic Devices

Passive transmission-based robotic devices are capable of providing motion guidance while ensuring user safety and engagement. To circumvent some of the drawbacks associated with steering continuously variable transmissions based on rolling contacts, we are exploring a class of discretely variable devices, based on brakes and hydrostatic transmissions. Previously available control methods for discretely variable devices were built on velocity fields and only developed to stabilize a one-dimensional (1-D) target manifold. For $n$ -DOF devices, methods to stabilize target manifolds of dimensions 1 to $n-$ 1 are of interest. In this article, we contribute constraint field methods that stabilize n $-$ 1 dimensional target manifolds while leaving the orthogonal subspace free to the control of the operator. We also contribute force-modulated single degree of freedom (DOF) velocity fields, which add between 1 and $n-$ 2 virtual DOFs to the motion of devices whose physical constraints leave one DOF. Control performance is demonstrated in simulation for 3-DOF devices capable of imposing 1-D or 2-D constraints and in experiment for 2-DOF devices imposing 1-D constraints. Our experimental apparatus features digital hydraulic transmissions that are easily configured for an n -dimensional space and capable of imposing constraints of any dimension, thus motivating the contributed methods.
Machine learning-based design and optimization of curved beams for multistable structures and metamaterials

Abstract Curved beams have been wildly used in MEMS (Micro-electromechanical systems) devices and energy absorption materials owing to its bistability. Almost all curved beams in previous studies have a constant thickness. Although better performance can be achieved by changing the thickness distribution, such as beams of uniform strength, lack of design and optimization tool limits the development and application of curved beams with varying thickness. In this paper, we demonstrate a new approach to design and optimize curved beams based on machine learning, which has been successful in many fields owing to its ability to process big data that can also be used in structural design and optimization. This machine learning-based model is able to achieve accurate predictions of nonlinear structure–property relationships. The optimized designs with different optimization objectives, such as stiffness, forward snapping force, and backward snapping force, are obtained efficiently and precisely. Experimental testing is conducted on specimens with optimized profiles, which are fabricated using a high-resolution multi-material 3D printer. The computational results are validated by the experimental results. The machine learning-based optimization approach developed here can provide a promising tool for the design and optimization of beam-based structures and mechanical metamaterials.
Effects of Particle Size and Concentration of Magnesium Oxide on the Lubricating Performance of a Chloride Molten Salt for Concentrating Solar Power

One engineering challenge for the next-generation concentrating solar power (CSP) is to identify appropriate heat transfer and thermal energy storage media. A chloride salt mixture (20 wt % NaCl + 40 wt % MgCl₂ + 40 wt % KCl) in a molten phase is proposed as a potential fluid for carrying the heat as well as lubricating the CSP pump bearings. Due to the hygroscopic nature of MgCl₂, the presence of magnesium oxide (MgO) particles is inevitable. In order to understand the impact of MgO particles, this study investigated the tribological behavior of the molten chloride salt mixture containing MgO of various particle sizes and concentrations. Tests were conducted at 750 °C in a dry Ar environment using a zirconia ball sliding against a Haynes 244 alloy disc lubricated by the molten salt. There was a clear trend of the increased friction coefficient and wear loss for a larger particle size and/or a higher concentration of MgO. Distinct wear mechanisms were identified for the ceramic ball and alloy disc. Results provide fundamental insights for this new research avenue of molten salt lubrication for CSP.
Churn and catastrophe: insurance loss and high spending among patients with gynecologic cancer in the United States in the era of the Affordable Care Act

Objectives: Although often considered a static characteristic in oncology research, insurance coverage is dynamic in reality, potentially changing month-to-month. The Affordable Care Act (ACA) was passed in 2010 with aims of stabilizing and expanding insurance markets, and reducing financial burden, particularly for the poor and sick. We sought to assess insurance churn and catastrophic health expenditures (CHE) among patients with gynecologic cancer in the era of the ACA. Methods: Retrospective study of 2006-2017 Medical Expenditure Panel Survey (MEPS) respondents under age 65 reporting care in the given year related to a gynecologic cancer diagnosis. MEPS is an annual survey representative of the civilian, non-institutionalized US population. Weights were applied to estimate national rates of insurance churn (loss/change of coverage) and CHE (family out-of-pocket health spending >10% family income), and differences between subgroups and over time were assessed by the adjusted Wald test. Results: A total of 684 MEPS respondents under age 65 reported care related to a gynecologic cancer diagnosis in 2006-2017, representing an estimated average annual population of 533,000 persons (95% CI 462,000-603,000), which was majority White (87.0%) and non-Hispanic (85.5%). Relative to the overall under 65 US population, patients with gynecologic cancer reported higher rates of low-income (family income ≤250% federal poverty level; 45.1% vs 32.2%; p Download : Download high-res image (157KB) Download : Download full-size image Conclusions: Gynecologic cancer patients face high rates of insurance churn, with over one in five reporting uninsurance for least one month every year, and catastrophic health spending, with over one in four reporting CHE annually. Low-income patients face the highest risks of CHE, and are better protected with Medicaid coverage as compared to private insurance. There was no significant impact of the ACA, but small sample size limited estimate precision and power to detect small changes.
Dynamic Navigation in Direction-Dependent Environments

This chapter examines optimal path-finding problems with direction-, location- and time-dependent environments. The dependence of the cost function and path constraints on the location of the mobile agent and time creates the need for a dynamic navigation algorithm, capable of adjusting the path in real time as more information about the environment becomes available. In addition, the direction-dependent nature of the environment results in an asymmetric cost function, which is not a metric and prohibits the use of more traditional and established approaches to solving optimal path-finding problems. Moreover, the triangle inequality is often violated for the direction-dependent cost functions, further preventing the use of analysis and results developed for Euclidian shortest path problems. To add another dimension of reality to our model, we integrate the system dynamics and constrain feasible paths by maximum sharpness of a turn that a mobile agent can make. The presented work delivers a more realistic optimal path-finding model while reducing the computational time required to find such a path. This is particularly important since real-time implementation is essential for our applications. In addition, many analytical results derived here provide insights into the structure of the problem, its objective function, and the optimal solution. These insights provide a closed-form solution to a large subset of problems where additional assumptions are applicable. For such problems, we easily construct the analytical solutions instead of implementing more involved, and often approximate, methods presented in the literature. We describe the Optimum Vessel Performance in Evolving Nonlinear Wavefields Project that motivated our work and deliver computational results to demonstrate the applicability and performance of our path-finding methods.
Crystal structure studies of amino acids and peptides.

Publisher Summary This chapter discusses the crystal structure studies of amino acids and peptides. It describes the structures, as elucidated by single-crystal X-ray investigations, of the crystalline amino acids and peptides. The chapter also deals with the powers and limitations of present-day X-ray diffraction techniques. This chapter illustrates that in earlier times only two amino acids and DL-alanine, one Dipeptide, and one cyclic dipeptide has been investigated, and these by X-ray diffraction techniques that were crude by present-day standards. Moreover, the conclusions drawn from these early investigations—that resulted in the formulation of the stable configurations of polypeptide chains—including the a-helix and the pleated sheet and in the derivation of detailed structures for many fibrous proteins are valid. Moreover, the advent of high-speed digital computers has been responsible for a tremendous improvement in the accuracy of crystal-structure investigations; moreover, it has resulted in a parallel increase in the complexity of the molecules.
Adaptive wavelet transforms for image coding using lifting

Summary form only given. Image compression relies on efficient representations of images, and within smooth image regions, the wavelet transform provides such a representation. However, near edges, wavelet coefficients decay slowly and are expensive to code. We focus on improving the transform by incorporating adaptivity. Construction of nonlinear filter banks has been discussed, but the question of how to utilize the nonlinearities remained. We answer this question by describing our transform via lifting. Lifting provides a spatial domain framework for the wavelet transform. In the lifting formalism, wavelet coefficients are seen as prediction residuals from a linear prediction operation. Wavelet coefficients are large near edges because the linear predictors are built to interpolate low order polynomials. Our goal is to avoid this problem by adapting the predictor based on local image properties. In smooth regions of the image, we use high order polynomial predictors. We adaptively reduce the prediction order to avoid attempting to predict values across discontinuities.
Propositional Identity and Logical Necessity

In two early papers, Max Cresswell constructed two formal logics of propositional identity, PCR and FCR, which he observed to be respectively deductively equivalent to modal logics S4 and S5. Cresswell argued informally that these equivalences respectively “give … evidence” for the correctness of S4 and S5 as logics of broadly logical necessity. In this paper, I describe weaker propositional identity logics than PCR that accommodate core intuitions about identity and I argue that Cresswell’s informal arguments do not firmly and without epistemic circularity justify accepting S4 or S5. I also describe how to formulate standard modal logics (K, S2, and their extensions) with strict equivalence as the only modal primitive.
The role of the mature neutrophil in bacterial infections in acute leukemia.

Its acute leukemia, phagocytosis of Brucella organisms by mature neutrophils was not impaired. Phagocytosis of these organisms was not altered by antimetabolite therapy or during periods of bacterial infection. The absolute mature neutrophil count when infection developed was found to vary from patient to patient. The onset of bacterial infection in patients with acute leukemia was preceded by dynamic decreases in the number of mature neutrophils in the peripheral blood. Seventeen of eighteen patients had lower mature neutrophil counts immediately prior to the onset of infection as compared to the period free of infection. The median decrease was 54 per cent. As infection did not always follow decreases in mature neutrophils it is suggested that other factors also play a role in the development of bacterial infections in patients with acute leukemia.
Chatanika Radar Measurements

The auroral ionosphere often differs from the mid- and low-latitude ionosphere due to the influx of energetic particles (primarily electrons) and the mapping of convection electric fields down the magnetic field lines from the magnetosphere. The auroral ionosphere can significantly affect the neutral atmosphere above about 100 km. This paper presents Chatanika Radar measurements related to the physics and chemistry of the atmosphere.
The AGS fixed target program with nuclear beams

The recent approval of the beam transfer line from the Tandem Van de Graaf to the AGS signals the advent of a new era of Nuclear and Particle Physics at BNL. High Energy nuclear beams are expected to be available for experiments in 1986. I will discuss the direct link between the Tandems and the AGS. Two other proposed projects, the Relativistic Heavy Ion Collider and the Synchrotron Booster, are discussed in another presentation to this conference.
Localization and morphological variation of three bacteriome‐inhabiting symbionts within a planthopper of the genus Oliarus (Hemiptera: Cixiidae)

Summary Many planthoppers of the family Cixiidae (Hemiptera: Fulgoroidea) host three bacteriome-inhabiting bacteria: a gammaproteobacterium: ‘Ca. Purcelliella pentastirinorum’, a betaproteobacterium: ‘Ca. Vidania fulgoroidea’, and a member of the bacteroidetes: ‘Ca. Sulcia muelleri’. Through light microscopy observations, DGGE PCR and FISH analysis, we examined the morphology and localization of these three endosymbionts within the abdomens of females of the planthopper Oliarus filicicola. Our results indicate a complex distribution and variation in bacterial morphologies. ‘Ca. Sulcia muelleri’ singularly colonize one pair of bacteriomes and have cells of irregular shape with an average diameter of approximately 4–5 μm. ‘Ca. Purcelliella pentastirinorum’ bacteria are roughly globular and have an average diameter of approximately 1.5-2 μm in a pair of bacteriomes located near the posterior end of the abdomen, which are surrounded by giant and highly degenerated cells of ‘Ca. Vidania fulgoroidea’. In addition, ‘Ca. Vidania fulgoroidea’ colonizes the ‘rectal organ’ (sensu Buchner) and the bacterial cells appear as a small, roughly globular with an average diameter of 3 μm; whereas, ‘Ca. Purcelliella pentastirinorum’ infects an additional two bacteriomes and the bacterial cells appear tightly packed and highly degenerated. All three endosymbionts colocalize in the forming eggs inside the host's ovaries. Based on the abdominal distribution of bacteriomes and bacterial morphologies, we suggest that ‘Ca. Vidania fulgoroidea’ and ‘Ca. Purcelliella pentastirinorum’ correspond to the symbionts described by Buchner as the ‘x-’ and the ‘c + d symbiont’ respectively.
Spatiotemporal dynamics of intermittent stream fish metacommunities in response to prolonged drought and reconnectivity

Hydrological regimes are primary drivers of community structure and dynamics in streams with strong seasonal or annual flood and drought cycles. In the current study, we investigated the dynamics of fish metacommunities in two intermittent streams (Hickory Creek and Clear Creek) in north Texas, USA, by examining changes in diversity, abundance, assemblage structure and temporal stability associated with prolonged seasonal drought and reconnectivity. Diversity (α and γ), abundance and stability increased with initial isolation during summer drought but dramatically declined as drought or drying persisted through the winter (November–December). During post-drought reconnectivity in Hickory Creek, diversity and abundance increased and approached pre-drought levels. Abundance and body size varied greatly among species and indicated species-specific responses (i.e. mortality, recruitment, dispersal) to hydrologic fragmentation and connectivity. Ultimately, assemblage structures were significantly altered by drought in Hickory and Clear creeks, and despite a trend towards recovery in Hickory Creek, assemblages did not fully recover during the present study. Intermittent-stream fishes may be generally adapted to natural drought dynamics; however, climate change and human-mediated habitat alterations may result in prolonged and intensified drought conditions that exceed many species mechanisms of resistance or resilience having potentially large impacts on biodiversity across spatial and temporal scales.
Fluid Flow and Heat Transfer in the Crescent-Shaped Lumen Catheter

This paper presents a numerical investigation of fluid flow, frequency response in the fully developed region, and convective heat transfer in the entrance region of the crescent-shaped lumen catheter. The catheter is commonly used in the biomedical field to clinically diagnose heart disease and also to treat vessel blockage in surgery. The catheter is subjected to a constant wall temperature. The solution to discretization of the momentum and energy equations is obtained by using the numerically generated boundary fitted coordinate system. According to this method, the complex domain in the physical plane is transformed into a regular square domain in the computational plane. The control volume-based finite difference method is then used to discretize the transformed governing equations. Results for the thermal entry region flow, frequency response, and heat transfer are presented in graphical form. The representative curves illustrating variations of the flow rate, frequency response, damping coefficient, bulk temperature, and the Nusselt numbers with pertinent parameters in the entire thermal entry region are plotted. The optimized catheter design for diagnostic use in the medical industry is also presented graphically.