cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Fuzzy ART: an adaptive resonance algorithm for rapid, stable classification of analog patterns

A fuzzy ART (adaptive resonance theory) system is introduced which incorporates computations from fuzzy set theory into ART 1. For example, the intersection ( intersection ) operator used in ART 1 learning is replaced by the MIN operator ( V-product ) of fuzzy set theory. Fuzzy ART reduces to ART 1 in response to binary input vectors, but can also learn stable categories in response to analog input vectors. In particular, the MIN operator reduces to the intersection operator in the binary case. Learning is stable because all adaptive weights can only decrease in time. A preprocessing step, called complement coding, uses on-cell and off-cell responses to prevent category proliferation. Complement coding normalizes input vectors while preserving the amplitude of individual feature activations. >
A DETACHED BREAKWATER SYSTEM FOR BEACH PROTECTION

Three segmented, detached breakwaters were constructed In the fall of 1977 at Lakeview Park, Ohio, on Lake Erie, to protect a beachfill to be used for recreation and shore protection. This paper documents the design procedures which established the configuration of the breakwaters and the beachfill, and determined the need for a terminal groin. The beachfill has been monitored by aerial photography and bathymetric profiling. During the second year, a storm of near design intensity generated severe waves concurrently with high Lake levels and eroded the updrift beach; however, the initial beach configuration was partially restored by natural processes during the following summer season. The project has functioned well, with very little loss of sand from the system and without adverse impacts on the downdrift coast.
Moving toward a prevention strategy for osteoporosis by giving a voice to a silent disease

A major unmet challenge in developing preventative treatment programs for osteoporosis is that the optimal timing of treatment remains unknown. In this commentary we make the argument that the menopausal transition (MT) is a critical period in a woman’s life for bone health, and that efforts aimed at reducing fracture risk later in life may benefit greatly from strategies that treat women earlier with the intent of keeping bones strong as long as possible. Bone strength is an important parameter to monitor during the MT because engineering principles can be applied to differentiate those women that maintain bone strength from those women that lose bone strength and are in need of early treatment. It is critical to understand the underlying mechanistic causes for reduced strength to inform treatment strategies. Combining measures of strength with data on how bone structure changes during the MT may help differentiate whether a woman is losing strength because of excessive bone resorption, insufficient compensatory bone formation, trabeculae loss, or some combination of these factors. Each of these biomechanical mechanisms may require a different treatment strategy to keep bones strong. The technologies that enable physicians to differentially diagnose and treat women in a preventive manner, however, have lagged behind the development of prophylactic treatments for osteoporosis. To take advantage of these treatment options, advances in preventive treatment strategies for osteoporosis may require developing new technologies with imaging resolutions that match the pace by which bone changes during the MT and supplementing a woman's bone mineral density (BMD)-status with information from engineering-based analyses that reveal the structural and material changes responsible for the decline in bone strength during the menopausal transition.
Confocal imaging and function of the juxtaglomerular apparatus.

Purpose of reviewMonitoring interactions between dissimilar cells is a key to understanding the function of the juxtaglomerular apparatus. This review will summarize new findings on tubuloglomerular feedback-mediated reductions in the glomerular filtration rate and renin release signals to elucidate
Three-Dimensional Displacement Diagrams for Space Frame Structures

Because the Williot-Mohr displacement diagram has proved to be an inestimable aid in planar structure analysis, it is conceivable that a similar diagram applicable to space structures might also ha...
Mad, bad, or virtuous? The moral, cultural, and pathologizing features of defiance

Defiance is sometimes treated as behavior that needs to be punished or even diagnosed, especially when it is expressed by the subjugated. In contrast to that view, I argue that the readiness to be defiant is a virtue. Drawing upon an Aristotelian framework, updated by an uncompromising challenge to hegemonic power differences, I indicate a way for the subjugated and disenfranchised to recoup self-worth and moral agency. Defiance even may help correct for burdened virtues, as Lisa Tessman analyzes them. Thus, this article falls within the domains of moral psychology and social change. Difficulties in conceptualizing and operationalizing defiance as a virtue, especially since defiance tends to be divisive within society, are discussed in terms of cases. Special attention is paid to medicalizing discourses that take defiance to be a sign of pathology, especially with members of oppressed groups.
En Route Jet Aircraft Noise Analysis

Most research into commercial noise is primarily focused on reducing the community noise, noise that the local population near an airport experiences as aircraft takeoff and land. While this type of noise may be a main driver for the noise that communities experience, noise generated by an aircraft during climb, cruise, and descent segments of flight might also reach the ground and affect the noise level experienced by these communities. The noise from these sources can have the same annoying effects as those experienced during takeoff and landing. En route noise can become problematic and produce similar annoyance as that experienced near airports when aircraft are flying over rural areas. These areas have a lower ambient noise level than that of cites, and the noise generated by the aircraft will not be easily masked by that of other transportation modes. National Parks within rural areas are prime examples where the effects of en route noise may become significant. National Parks have an ambient noise level even lower than rural areas, and hence, the low frequency noise that is propagating from an aircraft overhead could have an adverse effect upon the wildlife within the park, as well as any visitors. There are numerous research efforts currently being funded to predict the propagation of en route noise to the ground, but the available prediction methods for the noise sources are unfortunately limited. This limitation exists because most noise prediction codes were created and validated on noise generated at low-altitude conditions, such as takeoff and landing. The research documented in this report will start to address the research gap in predicting en route noise sources by leveraging existing modeling capability. The objective of this research is to develop a prediction capability in Aircraft Environmental Design Tool (AEDT) for the far-field source noise generated by en route aircraft.
A Research Note on Deriving the Square-Cube Law of Formal Organizations from the Theory of Time-Minimization

There are relatively few empirical laws in sociology, at least in the sense in which that word is applied in the physical sciences: empirically supported equations which precisely describe relations between variables. Most of us are satisfied to find reasonably strong associations between variables. It is therefore a matter of some interest when an exact law is proposed. It becomes a matter of some importance to derive such a law theoretically since the more general theoretical statement may permit derivation of still other laws. Several empirical laws-the size-density law, the rank-size rule, the urban density law, the gravity model, and the urban area-population law-have been reported in the ecological or socialdemographic literature. They have also been derived from the theory of time-minimization (Stephan). The purpose of this paper is to examine a nonecological law, one developed from the study of formal organizations, and to derive that law from the theory of time-minimization. The law is Mason Haire's "squarecube law," a law which has stirred considerable interest and controversy since its introduction. Haire examined longitudinal data from four firms. He divided the employees of these firms into "external employees," those who interact with others outside the firm, and "internal employees," those who interact only with others inside the firm. His finding was that, over time, the cube-root of the number of internal employees was directly proportional to the square-root of the number of external employees. The scatter diagrams he presented (286-7) show regression lines of the form
Misguided Use of Multivariable Analysis to Study Primary Percutaneous Coronary Intervention in Patients With Prior Coronary Artery Bypass Graft

Coronary artery bypass graft (CABG) surgery has been a great advance in the treatment of coronary artery disease, but the treatment of saphenous vein bypass graft (SVBG) disease remains a frustrating challenge. Although the natural history of coronary artery disease occurs over decades, the natural history of SVBG disease occurs over years. Denudation of endothelial cells in freshly harvested saphenous veins at the time of CABG results in acute platelet and thrombin deposition that can lead to early SVBG thrombosis if there is poor flow in the graft because of surgical issues or disease in the microcirculation.1 Although the left internal mammary artery (LIMA) graft adapts well to the hemodynamic stress of coronary perfusion, the SVBG must adapt to high-pressure pulsatile arterial flow and that can contribute to chronic endothelial dysfunction. The resulting platelet and leukocyte activation can stimulate smooth muscle cell proliferation that narrows the SVBG lumen diameter. SVBG atherosclerosis, similar to coronary artery atherosclerosis, can develop later, and acute plaque rupture can cause late SVBG thrombosis. See Article by Iqbal et al Compared with native coronary artery atherosclerosis, SVBG atherosclerosis can be more diffuse, the fibrous cap can be weaker and thinner, and the plaque can be more fragile and friable, making it prone to distal embolization of atherosclerotic debris during percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI).1 In patients with acute SVBG thrombosis, the lack of side branches, the larger diameter of the vessel, and consequently, lower flow velocities promote excessive thrombus formation. The more distal the culprit lesion, the greater the thrombus burden in the proximal bypass conduit, and the more likely distal embolization will result in the microvascular no-reflow phenomenon with primary PCI. Early reports on fibrinolytic therapy in patients with ST-segment–elevation myocardial infarction demonstrated lower SVBG reperfusion rates than in native coronary arteries.2, …
EEG and ERP Studies of Low-Level Odor Exposure in Normal Subjects:

Evidence from four EEG/ERP experiments is presented. Findings of these experiments consistently demonstrate the ability of low-level and undetected odors to alter neurophysiology. Behavioral and co...
Using sea urchin gametes and zygotes to investigate centrosome duplication.

Centriole structure and function in the sea urchin zygote parallel those in mammalian somatic cells. Here, I briefly introduce the properties and attributes of the sea urchin system that make it an attractive platform for the study of centrosome and centriole duplication. These attributes apply to all echinoderms readily available from commercial suppliers: sea urchins, sand dollars, and starfish. I list some of the practical aspects of the system that make it a cost- and time-effective system for experimental work and then list properties that are a “tool kit” that can be used to conduct studies that would not be practical, or in some cases not possible, with mammalian somatic cells. Since centrioles organize and localize the pericentriolar material that nucleates the astral arrays of microtubules (Bobinnec et al. in J Cell Biol 143(6):1575–1589, 1998), the pattern of aster duplication over several cell cycles can be used as a reliable measure for centriole duplication (Sluder and Rieder in J Cell Biol 100(3):887–896, 1985). Descriptions of the methods my laboratory has used to handle and image echinoderm zygotes are reviewed in Sluder et al. (Methods Cell Biol 61:439–472, 1999). Also included is a bibliography of papers that describe additional methods.
On the Impact of Electronic Commerce on International Trade and Countermeasures

This paper starts from the basic functions of electronic commerce,and makes a brief analysis of the impact of electronic commerce on international trade.The author puts forward some suggestions and strategies for the development of international trade from the following five aspects:information infrastructure construction,foreign trade rights of enterprises,technological research,relevant laws and regulations and international co - operation of international trade.
114 RISK FOR LATE BACTERIAL SEPSIS IN INFANTS # 1,000 GRAMS: ANOTHER BENEFICIAL EFFECT OF AVOIDING HYPEROXIA?

Background Free radical formation and subsequent injury secondary to hyperoxia have been described in premature infants. In vitro models have suggested that hyperoxia may also affect the immune system, but it is not clearly known if this occurs in vivo with clinically relevant consequences. Objective To determine if avoiding hyperoxia is associated with a lower rate of late bacterial sepsis (LBS) in infants with birth weight # 1,000 grams (ELBW). Design/Methods Retrospective analysis of a prospectively collected database of all ELBW born at two Emory University perinatal centers from 1/00 through 12/04 who were admitted to the NICU. A change in practice was instituted in January 2003 with the objective of avoiding hyperoxia in preterm infants. Prior to this change, O2 saturation (SpO2) high alarms were set at 100% and low alarms at 92%. The target SpO2 aimed to avoid hyperoxia was 85 to 93%. For the analysis of LBS we included infants who survived > 6 days. Statistics included bivariate analyses and multivariate logistic regression analyzing LBS independently with SpO2 targets between the two periods. Results Of the 299 ELBW who met enrollment criteria, 124 (43%) were treated with the objective of avoiding hyperoxia. Birth weight (779 6 130 vs 776 6 151; p = .881), gestational age (26.1 6 1.9 vs 26.3 6 2.1; p = .331), and survival (86.7% vs 83.9%; p = .504) were similar between higher and lower saturation periods. The rate of LBS in ELBW (28.2% vs 48.8%; p = .000) was lower in the group avoiding hyperoxia (OR = 0.41 [95% CI = 0.25-0.67]). Conclusions A practice change with the objective of avoiding hyperoxia was associated with a significant decrease of LBS in ELBW infants. We speculate that unnecessary oxygen exposure may affect the already depressed immune system of ELBW infants.
Acoustic Correlates of Glottal Gaps

During speech production, the vocal folds may not close completely. The resulting glottal gap (GG) or incomplete glottal closure has not been systematically studied in terms of GG acoustic and/or perceptual consequences. This paper uses high-speed imaging to investigate the relationship between GG area, source parameters, acoustic measures, and voice quality for 6 subjects. Results showed that the cepstral peak prominence (CPP) and the harmonics-to-noise ratio (HNR) are affected by GG area, indicating the presence of more spectral noise with increasing GG area. Analysis of a glide phonation from breathy to pressed for one female speaker showed that measures H ∗ − H ∗ 2 and H ∗ 1 −A ∗ 3 were positively correlated with GG area under a steady fundamental frequency (F 0). In some phonatory modes, increasing F 0 may reduce the amplitude of vocal folds vibration, increase GG area, and produce a lower spectral tilt due to significant aspiration noise, leading to a negative correlation between GG area and the spectral tilt measure H ∗ − A ∗.
Evaluating the patient with an ankle or foot injury.

The Ottawa Ankle and Foot Rules are validated clinical decision rules. The process by which the Ottawa rules were developed and validated serves as a model for researchers in developing decision support tools for other clinical problems.
Value of H and O Agglutination in Diagnosis of Typhoid

Since the advent of prophylactic vaccination against typhoid fever, the interpretation of agglutination reactions has been confusing. This is due to the fact that the serum of inoculated persons will agglutinate the organism in question. In view of this fact Dreyer introduced his method of repeated estimation of the agglutinin content of the patient's serum. However, in the case of Salmonella paratyphi (B. paratyphosus A), the agglutinin response may be so slight as to render the repeated estimations uncertain. Recently, Felix published evidence to show that protective inoculations lead to the formation of large flaking agglutinins, while the agglutination in typhoid fever and in a non-inoculated person is, without exception, of the small flake type. The explanation of the small and large flaking forms is found in the work of Weil and Felix who showed that Proteus X exists in two forms (0 and H forms), which differ from each other morphologically, biologically and serologically. They represent two forms of variation mutually transferable into each other. The anti-O-serum contains one agglutinin which reacts specifically with the homologous organisms agglutinating them in small flakes (O-agglutination); antiserum against the H type contains two agglutinins, the specific small flaking O and a nonspecific large flaking H which reacts with heterologous as well as with homologous organisms. The 0 receptors are thermostabile while the H receptors are thermolabile (Sachs). Burnet believed that the O types are due to the somatic proteins, and the H type to the flagellar proteins. Accordingly,
Evaluating Trade-Offs of Human Involvement in Self-Adaptive Systems

Software systems are increasingly called upon to manage their goals autonomously in changing contexts and environments, and under evolving requirements. In some circumstances, autonomous systems cannot be fully automated but instead cooperate with human operators to maintain and adapt themselves. Furthermore, there are times when a choice should be made between doing a manual or automated repair. Involving operators in self-adaptation should itself be adaptive, and consider aspects such as the training, attention, and ability of operators. Not only do these aspects change from person to person, but they may change with the same person. These aspects make the choice of whether to involve humans nonobvious. Self-adaptive systems should trade-off whether to involve operators, taking these aspects into consideration along with other business qualities it is attempting to achieve. In this chapter, we identify the various roles that operators can perform in cooperating with self-adaptive systems. We focus on humans as effectors—doing tasks that are difficult or infeasible to automate. We describe how we modified our self-adaptive framework, Rainbow, to involve operators in this way, which involved choosing suitable human models and integrating them into the existing utility trade-off decision models of Rainbow. We use probabilistic modeling and quantitative verification to analyze the trade-offs of involving humans in adaptation, and complement our study with experiments to show how different business preferences and modalities of human involvement may result in different outcomes.
Xeropreservation of Functionalized Lipid Biomarkers in Hyperarid Soils in the Atacama Desert

Our understanding of long-term organic matter preservation comes mostly from studies in aquatic systems. In contrast, taphonomic processes in extremely dry environments are relatively understudied and are poorly understood. We investigated the accumulation and preservation of lipid biomarkers in hyperarid soils in the Yungay region of the Atacama Desert. Lipids from seven soil horizons in a 2.5 m vertical profile were extracted and analyzed using GC-MS and LC-MS. Diagnostic functionalized lipids and geolipids were detected and increased in abundance and diversity with depth. Deeper clay units contain fossil organic matter (radiocarbon dead) that has been protected from rainwater since the onset of hyperaridity. We show that these clay units contain lipids in an excellent state of structural preservation with functional groups and unsaturated bonds in carbon chains. This indicates that minimal degradation of lipids has occurred in these soils since the time of their deposition between >40,000 and 2 million years ago. The exceptional structural preservation of biomarkers is likely due to the long-term hyperaridity that has minimized microbial and enzymatic activity, a taphonomic process we term xeropreservation (i.e. preservation by drying). The degree of biomarker preservation allowed us to reconstruct major changes in ecology in the Yungay region that reflect a shift in hydrological regime from wet to dry since the early Quaternary. Our results suggest that hyperarid environments, which comprise 7.5% of the continental landmass, could represent a rich and relatively unexplored source of paleobiological information on Earth.
Towards designing and implementing a secure one time password (OTP) authentication system

In this work we propose to design and implement a secure one-time password (OTP) system to provide a better method of enforcing a stricter set of policies, that bypass natural human habits of choosing passwords that do not abide by the policies of an organization, leaving systems vulnerable to security threats. We would then perform static and dynamic analysis of our OTP system to ensure it is not vulnerable to different kinds of security threats and other risks.
Electrical propulsion system design of Chevrolet Bolt battery electric vehicle

A permanent magnet synchronous motor (PMSM) motor is used to design the propulsion system of GM's Chevrolet Bolt battery electric vehicle (BEV). Magnets are buried inside the rotor in two layer ‘V’ arrangement. The Chevrolet Bolt BEV electric machine rotor design optimizes the magnet placement between the adjacent poles asymmetrically to lower torque ripple and radial force. Similar to Chevrolet Spark BEV electric motor, a pair of small slots are stamped in each rotor pole near the rotor outer surface to lower torque ripple and radial force. Rotor design optimizes the placement of these slots at different locations in adjacent poles providing further reduction in torque ripple and radial force. As a result of all these design features, the Chevrolet Bolt BEV electric motor is able to meet the GM stringent noise and vibration requirements without implementing rotor skew, which (rotor skew) lowers motor performance and adds complexity to the rotor manufacturing and hence is undesirable. A bar-wound stator construction, similar to Chevrolet Spark battery electric vehicle, is implemented in Chevrolet Bolt BEV. Bar-wound construction, which GM has adopted for most of its electric and hybrid vehicle motor construction, is known to provide high slot fill, short end-turn length, improved thermal performance, and improved vehicle efficiency especially at low to medium speed ranges. In order to lower the winding ac effect at higher speeds, the Chevrolet Bolt BEV motor implements six conductors per slot design while four conductors per slot design was used in Chevrolet Spark motor design. As a result, individual conductor size is smaller in new design resulting in reduced winding AC effects and improved joule loss at high speed operations. Winding layout design in Chevrolet Bolt BEV motor is optimized to minimize voltage between conductors within the slot. This has allowed to eliminate the slot insulation between conductors, further increasing the slot fill and reducing material and manufacturing costs. Stator design of Chevrolet Bolt BEV adopts a special feature, introduced in Gen2 Chevrolet Volt, the stator slot opening size and placement under each pole are optimized to lower torque ripple and radial force. This feature supplements the torque ripple and radial force reduction features introduced in the rotor design as described above. The high performing electric machine is coupled with a high performing control algorithm to deliver maximum system efficiency and performance. A six-step mode of inverter control is implemented to maximize the voltage utilization. As the speed is increased control automatically transitions to six-step mode from space vector PWM (SVPWM) seamlessly. Torque response dynamics at six-step control is reduced, as expected, from SVPWM mode of control. However, the torque control dynamics with six-step control is able to meet the torque response requirements of the vehicle. Control is stable and robust even with very fast vehicle acceleration.
Perspective on Congenital Heart Disease Research.

Congenital heart disease (CHD) is the most common birth defect and a leading cause of morbidity and mortality in patients with congenital malformations. The past 7 decades have witnessed dramatic advances in the medical, catheter, and surgical management of these patients. Clinical research has been a driving force to improve our understanding of the pathophysiology of disease and to refine therapy. Here, we identify some of the themes that have characterized the research process in the past and that have propelled the field to its present state. We discuss current research-related challenges and speculate about what trends may define the future of CHD research. The historical canon of congenital heart disease (CHD) is replete with dramatic triumphs: the first open heart surgery, the first use of cardiopulmonary bypass, the first transcatheter interventional cardiac procedure, and many others. In the years since these seminal events, progress has been made in all aspects of the care for patients with CHD. Prompt diagnosis is routine, surgical management of the most complex lesions is achievable, and acute and chronic care of patients has been refined. Important challenges remain, including persistent mortality for particular complex defects and long-term problems such as neurodevelopmental abnormalities, arrhythmias, and heart failure. Nevertheless, there are many reasons to be proud, and clinical research has been a foundational feature that has helped drive much of this progress. We describe some trends in research that have propelled the field to its current state and speculate about what trends may define the future of CHD research. ### Individual to Group Science A defining trend of the past 75 years of CHD research has been the change in focus from the individual to the group. Early CHD research was performed by individuals trying to solve problems, 1 child at a time. Innovative thinkers and doers—Gross, Lillehei, Rashkind, and Norwood—pushed …
Populist Citizenship in the Bolivarian Revolutions

This article analyzes the contours of populist citizenship as an alternative to neoliberal models of citizenship as consumption, and to liberal models that protect pluralism. It compares how political, socioeconomic, civil, collective, gender, and GLBT rights were imagined and implemented in Venezuela, Bolivia, and Ecuador. It explains why despite the expansion of some rights, populists’ use of discriminatory legalism to regulate the public sphere and civil society led to the displacement of democracy toward authoritarianism.
Powered descent guidance strategy and algorithms for mars landing using supersonic retropropulsion

Supersonic retropropulsion (SRP) has not yet been utilized for planetary Entry, Descent and Landing (EDL) although its use has been theorized since the 60s. EDL trajectories with SRP enable landing larger masses on Mars than those possible using aerodynamic decelerators only. For manned missions to Mars, SRP will be a necessary technology, given the high ballistic coefficients that the entry vehicles require. Trajectories using SRP as the only means of terminal deceleration possess specific characteristics that require a tailored strategy and guidance algorithms, both of which are outlined in this paper.
Perceptions of Teachers’ Preparedness to Teach Deaf and Hard of Hearing Students with Additional Disabilities: A Qualitative Case Study.

This qualitative case study investigated the perceptions of teachers of deaf students with additional disabilities, (DSWD), and provides a window to what is happening in the classroom. It also provides relevant information for deaf education teacher preparation programs. This study sought to explore the perceptions of forty teachers of DSWD in various education settings. Content analysis was used to examine teachers’ self- reported perceptions of their preparedness in teaching DSWD, after graduating. Eight major themes emerged including, information on various disabilities, communication, teaching strategies, classroom behavior management, Specific Learning Disabilities (SLD), curriculum and standards, Individualized educational plans (IEPs), and collaboration with parents. Additional research should be conducted related to the impact of teacher preparedness on students’ outcomes.
On the Determination of Optimal Costly Measurement Strategies for Linear Stochastic Systems

Abstract This paper presents the formulation of a class of optimization problems dealing with selecting, at each instant of time, one measurement provided by-one out of many sensors. Each measurement has an associated measurement cost. The basic problem is then to select an optimal measurement policy, during a specified observation time interval, so that a weighted combination of “prediction accuracy” and accumulated “observation cost” is optimized. The current analysis is limited to the class of linear stochastic dynamic systems and measurement subsystems. The problem of selecting the optimal measurement strategy can be transformed into a deterministic optimal control problem. An iterative digital computer algorithm is suggested for obtaining numerical results. It is shown that the optimal measurement policy and the associated “matched” Kalman-type filter can be precomputed, i.e., specified before the measurements actually occur.
Impairment of drug response cascades, by DNA methylation, in platinum-resistant ovarian cancer.

AACR Annual Meeting-- Apr 14-18, 2007; Los Angeles, CA 2867 To examine mechanisms of ovarian cancer development of platinum resistance, we developed a model culture system demonstrating stepwise adaptation of increasingly chemoresistant clones of the initially drug-sensitive cell line A2780. Specifically, DNA was isolated for genome-wide assessment of promoter DNA methylation, using a microarray approach known as differential methylation hybridization (DMH), to determine the relationship of this epigenetic phenomenon to drug resistance. Using DMH, global methylation of A2780 genomic DNA, following each selection cycle, was compared to DNA methylation of initially untreated (and chemosensitive) single clones. The total number of methylated (defined by a 1.5-fold hybridization difference) loci was found to increase following 1, 3, and 5 cycles of cisplatin treatment (590, 870, and 1176 loci, respectively). Moreover, a linear correlation between those increases in methylated loci and cisplatin resistance (as determined by IC50 dose) was also observed (R=0.98; P<0.001, Spearman analysis). Using the bioinformatics tool Pathway Express (Onto-Tools), we identified specific cascades altered by DNA methylation following 1, 3, and 5 cycles of cisplatin treatment. Notably, methylation of apoptosis (0, 2, and 7 genes, respectively, after 1, 3, and 5 cycles) and cell cycle (5, 7, and 11 genes) pathway components increased linearly with drug resistance, strongly suggesting that DNA methylation, and subsequent disruption, of those signaling cascades plays a prominent role in the development of insensitivity to platinum drugs. Finally, based on sequence information of chemoresistance-associated methylated loci, we used additional bioinformatics approaches to identify transcription factor-binding sites associated with those loci, examining the possibility of methylation-induced direct obstruction of transcription machinery as a means of gene silencing. In summary, we believe that these computational approaches will allow the generation of “epigenetic models” of ovarian cancer drug resistance that could provide for novel strategies for managing this devastating clinical phenomenon.
Changes in the Central Nervous System and Neuroendocrine Control of Reproduction in Males and Females

Normal reproductive function in male and female mammals depends upon complex interactions among the brain, the anterior pituitary gland, and the gonad. Aging of this reproductive axis is associated with changes in each component. At this time, there is no general agreement among reproductive endocrinologists as to which of these changes are of primary importance and which are secondary effects of changes at another level of the reproductive axis. I will discuss the results of studies that demonstrate that alterations occur in the central nervous system (CNS), particularly in the hypothalamus, early during the aging process. These studies support the hypothesis that neurochemical and neuroendocrine changes may have important cascading repercussions at other points in the reproductive axis that ultimately result in infertility.
UNHCR and Access to Justice: Mixed-Method Dispute Resolution for Encamped Refugees

Equal access to justice is enshrined as one of the most important, well-documented, and wide-spread human rights. The UN has positioned itself to uphold due process guarantees, especially in the functioning of its service providing branches. The United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) is tasked with advocating for encamped refugees and upholding their right to access a competent system of justice. Unfortunately, UNHCR has proven incapable of providing accessible and reliable systems of justice. Refugee camps, therefore, have a high index of crime and recidivism, but very little access to mechanisms offering justice or enacting change. Alternative dispute resolution (ADR) systems are rooted in dismissing the status quo of justice systems and implementing access to justice that meets the needs of the disputants. For UNHCR, an ADR system does not incorporate radical change. The High Commissioner for Refugees has the necessary funding flexibility, judicial infrastructure, and mandate to implement the ADR system proposed below. This paper introduces two integral components of UNHCR’s new vision for access to justice and structures a system capable of eliminating risks in restoring UNHCR’s service providing mandate.
Local Martingale Solutions to the Stochastic Two Layer Shallow Water Equations with Multiplicative White Noise

Abstract We study the two layers shallow water equations on a bounded domain M ⊂ R 2 driven by a multiplicative white noise, and obtain the existence and uniqueness of a maximal pathwise solution for a limited period of time, the time of existence being strictly positive almost surely. The proof makes use of anisotropic estimates and stopping time arguments, of the Skorohod representation theorem, and the Gyongy–Krylov theorem which is an infinite dimensional analogue of the Yamada–Watanabe theorem.
Suppression of ferromagnetism in the La(VxCr1−x)Sb3 system

To explore the possibility of quantum phase transitions and even quantum criticality in LaCrSb based compounds, we performed measurements under pressure as well as a vanadium substitution study. The Curie temperature of LaCrSb was found to be invariant under pressure. Although pressure was not able to suppress the ferromagnetism, chemical substitution was used as another parameter to tune the magnetism. We grew La(VCr)Sb (x = 0–1.0) single crystals and studied the series by measurements of temperature- and field-dependent magnetic susceptibility, magnetization, resistivity and specific heat. Ferromagnetism has been observed for , and the system manifests a strong anisotropy in its ordered state. The Curie temperature decreases monotonically as the V concentration increases. For , the system enters a new magnetic state at low temperatures, and no magnetic ordering above 1.8 K can be observed for . The effective moment /Cr varies only slightly as the V concentration increases, from 3.9 for = 0 to 2.9 for = ...
Chamber of opportunities: Legislative politics and coalition security policy:

This article adopts a ‘party-political’ approach to studying legislative influence on security policy-making. It argues that legislative logrolling constitutes a key mechanism for the government to...
The Mensa Correctional Institute

We investigate the following puzzle and several variations, some of which have quite surprising answers. Alice and Bob are in prison under the care of warden Charlie. Alice will be brought into Cha...
Wild-type transthyretin cardiac amyloidosis (ATTRwt-CA), previously known as senile cardiac amyloidosis: clinical presentation, diagnosis, management and emerging therapies

Cardiac amyloidosis is thought to be a rare group of diseases caused by extracellular deposition of misfolded proteins in the extracellular cardiac matrix resulting in heart failure with preserved ejection fraction (HFpEF). This review focuses on the similarities and differences between the pathophysiology, clinical presentation and diagnostic tests of wild-type transthyretin cardiac amyloidosis (ATTRwt-CA) compared to immunoglobulin light chain amyloidosis and hereditary cardiac amyloidosis. We address some obstacles to timely diagnosis and opportunities for management of the clinical symptoms as well as possibility of future novel disease modifying therapies.
Minimum Total Deviation Apportionments

This note presents an algorithm for computing the minimum total deviation apportionment. Some properties of this apportionment are also explored. This particular apportionment arises from the jurisprudential concern that total deviation is the appropriate measure for the harm caused by malapportionment of the United States House of Representatives.
A Multi-robot Chemical Source Localization Strategy Based on Fluid Physics: Experimental Results

This chapter examines three different multi-robot strategies that can be used for localization of chemical sources. In particular, we envision a team of inexpensive, simple vehicles with short-range, low-power sensing, communication, and processing capabilities, designed to trace a chemical plume to its source emitter. Here, we describe a software environment that combines computational fluid dynamics methods for generating chemical plumes, and a high-performance implementation of the physicomimetics control algorithm into a useful testbed for evaluating swarm-based approaches to the plume-tracing problem. We explore the key issues concerning cooperative multi-vehicle sensing, communication, and control in a context of two large chemical plume-tracing studies. One important outcome of our investigation shows that our physics-based algorithm outperforms methods that originated as emulations of biological organisms. Our work shows that high success rate can be achieved by robots using strictly local information and a fully-decentralized, fault-tolerant, reactive control algorithm.
OXYGEN AS A MODULATOR OF BODY TEMPERATURE

Most animals respond to a shortage of oxygen by lowering their body temperature. This response, mediated by behavior and physiological means, reduces oxygen demand via the Q10 effect, and should therefore be adaptive. This article reviews the occurrence of this response within the animal kingdom, the possible mechanisms and mediators of the response, and the physiological significance of hypoxia-induced hypothermia.
Bond Strength Evaluation in Dissimilar Materials

Diffusion bonding is a useful joining technique that allows similar and dissimilar materials to be bonded together in near net shape. Although modelling of the diffusion bonding process has been done to predict the bonding parameters needed to achieve parent metal mechanical properties (1,2), the possibility still exists that defects will be present in the bonded plane. There are three classes of defects that can be formed, with voids being the most common and heavily studied ones (3–8). Contamination of the bond line is a serious defect and the effect on NDE interrogation has been discussed previously by the authors (8) and others (3). A “kissing bond” is another type of defect which is difficult to detect and is the focus of this paper. It is the purpose of this work to find an NDE technique that can evaluate the bond strength uniquely, regardless of the class of defect, without any information about the bonding conditions.
Students’ Perceptions of Project-Based Learning within the New Tech School Model:

This study used survey design to investigate how high school students perceive the implementation success of a school reform called the New Tech School (NTS) model, which is organized around projec...
Late in-hospital rupture of a chronic post-traumatic pseudoaneurysm

Chronic posttraumatic pseudoaneurysms of the thoracic aorta are rare clinical entities. Herein, we report a case of an in-hospital cervical rupture of a chronic posttraumatic false aneurysm of the aortic isthmus in a 48-year-old man who had been involved in a traffic accident 20 years earlier.
Fathers and Sons, Sacrifice and Substitution: Mimetic Theory and Islam in Genesis 22 and Sura 37

The author’s comparative study of Genesis 22 and Sura 37 (the Hebrew and Qu’ranic treatments of Abraham’s sacrifice of his son, the akeidah) is intended to shed light on key questions arising from Girard’s own ambivalent comments on Islam and its alleged return to “archaic” religion. Goodhart’s contribution to the major task of interpreting our contemporary situation is a close comparative reading of the named texts. They share, he claims, a common trajectory of anti-idolatry and the “war against child sacrifice.” They urge us toward a new dramatic view of the akeidah, one in which “we must learn to hear commandments in quotation marks, i.e. prophetically.” The core tradition of anti-idolatry is more implicit in the biblical tradition and its commentaries but is explicitly expressed in the Qur’an. In each case, the call to “read prophetically”—“with the eyes of the prophet”—is identical.
One-year follow-up of a remotely delivered epilepsy self-management program in high-risk people with epilepsy

Abstract Objective “ S elf- ma nagement fo r people wi t h epilepsy and a history of negative health events” (SMART) is a novel group-format epilepsy self-management intervention demonstrated to reduce negative health events (NHEs) such as accidents, emergency department visits, and seizures in adults with epilepsy in a 6-month prospective randomized controlled trial (RCT); SMART also reduced depressive symptoms and improved health functioning and quality of life. This report describes the longer-term (12-month) post-efficacy RCT outcomes in adults with epilepsy who received SMART. Methods After completing a 6-month, prospective RCT that demonstrated efficacy of SMART vs 6-month waitlist control (WL), adults ≥ 18 years of age with epilepsy were followed for an additional 12 months. Individuals originally randomized to WL received the 8-week SMART intervention immediately following the conclusion of the RCT. For this long-term extension analysis, assessments were conducted at 24 weeks (the 6-month primary outcome time-point of the efficacy RCT), at 32 weeks for individuals originally randomized to WL, and at 48 weeks and 72 weeks for all individuals. Outcomes assessed included past 6-month NHE counts, depressive symptoms assessed with the 9-item Patient Health Questionnaire (PHQ-9) and Montgomery–Asberg Depression Rating Scale (MADRS), and quality of life assessed with the 10-item Quality of Life in Epilepsy (QOLIE-10). Results At the beginning of this long-term observational period (24-week follow-up time point for the original RCT), there were 50 individuals in the group originally randomized to SMART and 52 originally randomized to WL. Mean age was 41.4 years, 70% women (N = 71), 64% (N = 65) African-American, and 8% Hispanic (N = 8). Study attrition from week 24 to week 72 was 8% in the arm originally randomized to SMART and 17% in the arm originally randomized to WL. During the 12-month observation period (24 weeks to 72 weeks), there were a total of 44 serious adverse events and 4 deaths, none related to study participation. There was no significant change in total past 6-month NHE counts in the group originally randomized to SMART, although the group had significantly reduced 6-month seizure counts. The group originally randomized to WL, who received SMART during this observational period, had a reduction in total NHE counts. The group originally randomized to SMART had relatively stable levels on other outcome variables except for a trend for improved MADRS (p = 0.08). In the group originally randomized to WL, there were significant improvements in PHQ-9 (p = 0.01), MADRS (p ≤ 0.01), and QOLIE-10 (p = 0.004). Conclusions This post-RCT extension study suggests that adults with epilepsy who participate in the SMART intervention sustain clinical effects at 1-year follow-up and may have incremental improvements in seizure frequency and mood. Future research needs to identify opportunities for scale-up and outreach to other high-risk groups with epilepsy.
Making Existing Clusterings Fairer: Algorithms, Complexity Results and Insights.

We explore the area of fairness in clustering from the different perspective of modifying clusterings from existing algorithms to make them fairer whilst retaining their quality. We formulate the minimal cluster modification for fairness (MCMF) problem where the input is a given partitional clustering and the goal is to minimally change it so that the clustering is still of good quality and fairer. We show using an intricate case analysis that for a single protected variable, the problem is efficiently solvable (i.e., in the class P) by proving that the constraint matrix for an integer linear programming (ILP) formulation is totally unimodular (TU). Interestingly, we show that even for a single protected variable, the addition of simple pairwise guidance (to say ensure individual level fairness) makes the MCMF problem computationally intractable (i.e., NP-hard). Experimental results on Twitter, Census and NYT data sets show that our methods can modify existing clusterings for data sets in excess of 100,000 instances within minutes on laptops and find as fair but higher quality clusterings than fair by design clustering algorithms.
Global, international, and intercultural learning in university classrooms across the disciplines:

Classroom pedagogies that foster global, international, and intercultural (GII) learning across academic disciplines have the potential to reach all matriculated students, preparing them for divers...