cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
The topogenesis of the mandibular permanent molars: A roentgenographic and histologic study in rhesus macaque☆

Abstract The roentgenographic and histologic study of the mandibles in a series of Rhesus monkeys leads to the conclusion that the topogenesis of each mandibular permanent molar involves the following processes. 1. 1. The growth of the ramus. It is governed by the chondrogenesis and endochondral ossification at the condylar head. These processes in turn induce membranous bone formation chiefly at the posterior border and to a lesser extent at the facial surface of the ramus correlated with modeling resorption at the anterior and lingual surfaces. The ramus is growing in a posterolateral direction, in some locations opposite to muscular stresses. 2. 2. The development of the germ. It is controlled by the differential growth of the odontogenic epithelium at distinct areas to engender preeruptive movements. These include first an axial downward rotation of the mesial portion followed by that of the distal portion; then the germ moves from the primary position parallel to the long axis of the ramus lingually into that of the dental arch. The final forward drift of the germ sets on a marked mesial migration of all posterior teeth of the dental arch. 3. 3. The correlation in time of both the ramal and the dental development. The buccal and superior portions of the alveolar process of each erupting molar develop at the expense of the former ramus by a process of modeling resorption while the lingual portion is apposited through periosteal bone formation at the time when the germ moves lingually. The alveolar bone proper always is formed endosteally during the active phase of eruption and thus constitutes a developmental entity with its supporting molar.
Nanostructured Li2Se cathodes for high performance lithium-selenium batteries

Abstract We report on a simple and fast route to prepare lithium selenide (Li 2 Se) nanoparticles and show a versatile solution-based method to form uniform nanostructured carbon (C)-Li 2 Se composites with and without additional carbon shell. We systematically compare electrochemical performance characteristics of 50–100 nm high purity Li 2 Se nanoparticles with that of the C-Li 2 Se nanocomposites for rechargeable Li battery applications. While Li 2 Se nanopowder show high initial capacity, it suffers from active material loss and shuttle of dissolved polyselenides, resulting in low cycling stability and resistance growth, additionally aggravated by mechanical cathode degradation induced by repetitive volume changes during cycling. By embedding Li 2 Se nanoparticles into a conductive carbon matrix, mechanical stability of electrodes was greatly enhanced. More importantly, the dissolution and shuttle of polyselenides was suppressed significantly even for smaller (~20 nm) and thus more reactive Li 2 Se nanoparticles. As a result, C-Li 2 Se nanocomposite cathodes showed high rate capability and promising cycling stability with carbon-shell protected C-Li 2 Se showing virtually no degradation in 100 cycles. When compared with somewhat similar lithium sulfide (Li 2 S) nanoparticles and C-Li 2 S electrodes, we observe lower over-potential at different C-rates in case of Li 2 Se and C-Li 2 Se materials, which is advantageous for battery applications. Based on the postmortem analysis, significant Li dendrite growth observed in Li 2 Se/Li cells did not take place in C-Li 2 Se/Li and C-Li 2 Se@C/Li cells, suggesting that polyselenide shuttle may affect Li plating morphology. Beyond the organic electrolyte-based Li-Se batteries, all-solid Li-Se batteries based on the produced C-Li 2 Se nanocomposite cathode were built for the first time using conventional Li 2 S-P 2 S 5 solid state electrolyte. These solid state cells showed very promising cycling stability, a single flat plateau and very small voltage hysteresis in the range of 0.1–0.4 V when tested at 60 and 80 °C.
Genome-Wide Analysis of NOTCH1, ETS Family Factors, and RUNX1 Binding in Human T Lymphoblastic Leukemia Cells Reveals Distinct Regulatory Elements

Abstract 1277 NOTCH1 regulates gene expression by forming transcription activation complexes with the DNA-binding factor RBPJ and gain-of-function NOTCH1 mutations are common in human and murine T lymphoblastic leukemia/lymphoma (T-LL). Via ChIP-seq studies of T-LL cells with constitutive Notch activation, we previously showed that NOTCH1/RBPJ binding sites in T-LL genomes are highly enriched for motifs corresponding to Ets factors and Runx factors. In this study, we determined the relationship of NOTCH1, RBPJ, ETS1, GABPA and RUNX1 binding sites in human T-LL cells by performing ChIP-Seq for each of these factors, as well as the chromatin marks H3K4me1, H3K4me3, and H3K27me3, and aligning the resulting sequences to human genome reference hg19 using programs available through Cistrome. Peak calling was performed with MACS2, and motif analysis was performed using SeqPos, which relies on JASPAR, TRANSFAC, Protein Binding Microarray (PBM), Yeast-1-hybrid (y1h), and human protein-DNA interaction (hPDI) databases to find known motifs and can also perform de novo motif discovery. Our analysis showed even more pervasive overlap of NOTCH1/RBPJ binding with ETS1/GABPA and RUNX1 factor binding than was predicted by motif analysis, in part due to binding of Ets factors and RUNX1 to non-canonical sequences. Heat-map analysis with K-means clustering on NOTCH1 binding regions identified three major classes of RBPJ/NOTCH1: class 1, characterized by high NOTCH/RBPJ signals, binding of the cofactors ZNF143, ETS1 and GABPA, high H3K4me3 signals, localization to promoters, and binding motifs for ZNF143; class 2, characterized by low NOTCH/RBPJ signals, binding of the cofactors ETS1, GABPA and RUNX1, high H3K4me3 signals, and Ets factor and CREB binding motifs; and class 3, characterized by high NOTCH/RBPJ signals, binding of RUNX1 and ETS1 cofactors, high H3K4me1 signals, intergenic localization (consistent with enhancers), and motifs for RUNX factors, ETS factors, and RBPJ. Of note, the nearest binding sites to the most responsive NOTCH1 target genes (defined as >2 fold stimulation when NOTCH1 was activated following release of gamma-secretase inhibitor (GSI) blockade by drug washout) were preferentially associated with Class 3 sites. Furthermore, shRNA knockdown of Ets factors and RUNX1 in T-LL cell lines induced apoptosis and reduced cell proliferation, implicating these factors in maintenance of T-LL growth and survival. Combination of knockdown of either Ets factors or RUNX1 with GSI treatment resulted in more severe phenotype in terms of apoptosis and cell growth compared to the knockdown or GSI treatment alone. In summary, our studies represent a step forward towards genome-wide understanding of how Notch works in concerts with other transcription factors to regulate the transcriptome of T-LL cells. Disclosures: No relevant conflicts of interest to declare.
Comparison of diagnostic utility of pleural fluid ADA and interferon-gamma release assay (IGRA) in differentiating tubercular and non-tubercular exudative pleural effusion

Background: Tuberculosis is a common cause of pleural effusion, especially in developing countries. ADA and interferon-gamma release assay (IGRA) as diagnostic markers for tuberculosis have been studied but studies with comparative analysis of these markers are scarce especially from developing countries, where burden of tuberculosis is enormous. Aims and objectives: To compare the efficacy of pleural fluid ADA and IGRA to diagnose tubercular pleural effusion and to differentiate between tubercular and non-tubercular exudative pleural effusion. Material and methods: Ninety patients, 45 each with tubercular and non-tubercular etiology, with exudative pleural effusion were included in the study, after informed consent. Pleural fluid of all subjects was tested for ADA and IGRA, along with routine pleural fluid analysis. The sensitivity, specificity, negative and positive predictive values (NPV, PPV) of these markers to diagnose tubercular etiology was calculated. The study bears approval from Institutional Ethics Committee. Results: Sensitivity/specificity/PPV/NPV for ADA (Using a cut off of 40 U/L), IGRA (using a cut off 200 pg/ml) and for combination of these two was 88.89/99.85/86.96/99.87, 97.78/97.78/97.78/97.78 and 99.78/84.78/86.27/97.50 respectively. Conclusion: Pleural fluid ADA and IGRA have comparable efficacy in diagnosing tubercular pleural effusion. Combining ADA and IGRA improves the sensitivity. Although sensitivity and PPV of IGRA were found to be better than ADA, but considering the cost effectiveness of ADA, in resource poor countries, ADA is more suitable for this purpose.
Protection against hormone-mediated mood symptoms

We present the case of a woman with bipolar I disorder with severe premenstrual mood instability, confusion, and psychosis resembling the clinical features of postpartum psychosis when estrogen levels are expected to be low, and hypomania when estrogen levels are expected to be elevated. While depressive symptoms across the menstrual cycle have been extensively documented in the literature, there is little information regarding manic and hypomanic symptoms. In addition, we describe the successful treatment of her menstrual-cycle related symptoms. Approaches to the management of menstrual psychosis have not been systematically studied, and clinical guidelines do not exist. Clinical experiences such as the one reported here, in which the clinical formulation of the patient was consistent with known neuroendocrine phenomena and in which the treatment approach was successful, are crucial to developing promising approaches that can be tested in controlled trials.
PET Calibration, Acceptance Testing, and Quality Control

PET/CT is a routinely performed diagnostic imaging procedure. To ensure that the system is performing properly and produces images of best possible quality and quantitative accuracy, a comprehensive quality control (QC) program should be implemented. This should include a rigorous initial acceptance test of the system, performed at the time of installation. This will ensure the system performs to the manufacturer’s specifications and also serves as a reference point to which subsequent tests can be compared to as the system ages. Once in clinical use, the system should be tested on a routine basis to ensure that the system is fully operational and provides consistent image quality. To implement a successful and effective QC program, it is important to a have an understanding of the basic imaging components of the system. This chapter will describe the basic system components of a PET system and the dataflow that will aid a user in identifying potential problems. Acceptance tests and QC procedures will also be described and explained, all designed to ensure that a consistent image quality and quantitative accuracy are maintained. As will be discussed, an effective QC program can be implemented with a few relatively simple routinely performed tests.
Algorithm for designing free-form imaging optics with nonrational B-spline surfaces

The local control of B-spline surfaces has the potential to provide better surface representation for free-form imaging optics; however, it also makes B-spline surface optimization more challenging. To solve this problem, we, for the first time to the best of our knowledge, present an algorithm to design free-form imaging optics with nonrational B-spline surfaces. In this method, the local z-coordinates of a set of data points on B-spline surfaces are defined as independent variables, and the location of each ray point in the image plane is considered as a nonlinear function of these independent variables. By this mathematical consideration, a prescribed imaging system design with B-spline surfaces can be converted into an overdetermined system of nonlinear equations, and the least-squares solution to this nonlinear problem is found by using the Gauss-Newton method based on a ray-tracing technique. An off-axis two-mirror system is presented to demonstrate the elegance of this method in imaging system design with B-spline surfaces.
Policy Drag & Resiliency: Teachers’ Response to Voluntary Language Policy in Southeastern Estonia

How does resilience among teachers shape their appropriation of language policy? Drawing on the history of Estonian schools during both the Soviet occupation and the subsequent period of independence, this chapter investigates how linguistic repression and resilience unfold across space and time. I identify moments of personal and professional resilience across the arc of teachers’ schooled lives, from their time as students to their work as professionals, and the ways these experiences influence the ways they take up language policy in southeastern Estonia. I draw attention to the ways that contexts, in this case, policy environments, shape the lives of teachers and their language policy appropriation. This analysis draws on data from a diachronic, qualitative yearlong, school-based ethnography in southeastern Estonia in 2001–2002, with follow-up research in the same region in 2013–2014. I find individual teachers’ resiliency fosters a sense of purpose for their language-related teaching and activism, and shapes their retention in and role as recruiters for an optional school-based language program. In order to sustain a long-term, non-dominant language program in a context of language shift, the next generation of teachers must be provided with effective pre- (initial) and in-service teacher education.
Reduction of Mosquito Abundance Via Indoor Wall Treatments: A Mathematical Model

Insecticidal indoor residual wall treatment is a major tool for the control of malaria, with the goals of reducing indoor vector density and vector life span, in addition to reducing transmission rates of disease. Dynamics of the malaria vector, Anopheles gambiae, in the Emutete region in the Western Kenya highlands are based on an already existing model in the literature. In this paper, the framework is used to predict vector reduction due to four types of indoor wall treatments: two cases of indoor residual spraying of DDT and two types of pyrethrin-based INESFLY insecticidal paint. These treatments differ primarily in the duration of their persistence on walls. The model shows the extent of suppression of vector abundance over time due to each of the four treatments. It predicts that indoor residual spraying may have no noticeable effect at all if the percent coverage is not high enough or the persistence of the mortality effect is low, but will have a substantial effect at higher coverage rates and/or higher persistence. For treatments with longer persistence of mortality, the model predicts a coverage threshold above which extra treatment has little to no effect. For treatments of short persistence of mortality, the seasonal timing of treatment has a noticeable effect on the duration of vector suppression. Overall, the model supports claims in the literature that wall treatments have the capacity to reduce the vector burden.
Lessons Learned During the Transition of SORCE Science Operations to Daylight Only Operations

In July 2013, NASA's Solar Radiation and Climate Experiment experienced a battery anomaly which placed it into safemode halting all science observations. Initial attempts to recover the spacecraft to an operational configuration failed due to the reduced capacity of the battery. As the keystone mission for measuring total solar irradiance, and the cornerstone mission for measuring the solar spectral irradiance there was a strong motivation for developing a new operations concept that would allow SORCE to resume daily measurements of the Sun. The operations team faced many challenges over the next several months. For a five-day period in late 2013 the operations team was able resume science observations to cross-calibrate SORCE data with a new instrument launched in November 2013. After the cross-calibration campaign was completed a new operations concept was deployed which allowed SORCE to perform daylight only operations. In this mode of operations all non-essential components are powered off at each eclipse entry and then turned back on at sunrise. In March 2014 SORCE resumed making daily measurements of the Sun. This paper will review the events and lessons learned from the six-month recovery effort.
Non-Hermitian photonics promises exceptional topology of light

The band degeneracy, either the exceptional point of a non-Hermitian system or the Dirac point associated with a topological system, can feature distinct symmetry and topology. Their synergy will further produce more exotic topological effects in synthetic matter.
Perspective: What Will It Cost to Scale-up Breastfeeding Programs? A Comparison of Current Global Costing Methodologies

Breastfeeding is one of the most feasible and cost-effective maternal-child health interventions. Currently, global investments needed to achieve the WHO global nutrition target for exclusive breastfeeding (EBF) do not meet the recommended standards for economic investment and implementation of policies supporting mothers to breastfeed. Estimating implementation costs of high-quality, high-impact programs based on each country's enabling environment and specific context is essential for developing and prioritizing recommendations that can drive the successful scaling-up of breastfeeding programs globally. We provide a detailed comparison (strengths, limitations, and gaps) of the 2 most recent global cost analysis frameworks used to estimate financial needs for scaling-up breastfeeding interventions from World Breastfeeding Costing Initiative (WBCi) and the World Bank. Our comparison found that the World Bank presents the more advanced costing methodology for scaling-up breastfeeding programs. However, there is a need to adapt and improve this costing framework to guide individual countries based on key contextual factors that consider the complexity of health systems.
Women’s Health and the Military

Approximately 1.8 million American women are veterans of the Armed Services, and an additional 200,000 women are currently serving on active duty. With the increasing number of women in the military, there has been an increase in the number of women who have faced prolonged deployment in combat environments. This article discusses reproductive health concerns, family planning and contraceptive considerations, intimate partner violence and military sexual assault, posttraumatic stress disorder, and postdeployment health issues. It concludes with a list of available resources accessible to veterans and their providers.
Effect of dose of behavioral weight loss treatment on glycemic control in adults with prediabetes

Objective This study examined the effects of three doses of behavioral weight loss treatment, compared with a nutrition education control group, on changes in glycemic control in individuals with obesity and prediabetes. Research design and methods The study included 287 adults (77% female, 81% White; mean (SD) age=54.1 (10.5) years, body mass index=36.3 (3.9) kg/m2, and hemoglobin A1c (HbA1c)=5.9 (0.2%)). Participants were randomized to one of three behavioral treatment doses (high=24 sessions, moderate=16 sessions, or low=8 sessions) or to an education group (control=8 sessions). Changes in HbA1c, fasting glucose, and body weight were assessed from baseline to 6 months. Results Mean (99.2% credible interval (CI)) reductions in HbA1c were 0.11% (0.07% to 0.16%), 0.08% (0.03% to 0.13%), 0.03% (–0.01% to 0.07%), and 0.02% (–0.02% to 0.07%), for the high, moderate, low, and control conditions, respectively. Mean (CI) reductions in fasting blood glucose were 0.26 mmol/L (0.14 to 0.39), 0.09 mmol/L (0 to 0.19), 0.01 mmol/L (–0.07 to 0.09), and 0.04 mmol/L (–0.03 to 0.12) for the high, moderate, low, and control conditions, respectively. The high-dose treatment produced significantly greater reductions in HbA1c and fasting blood glucose than the low-dose and control conditions (posterior probabilities (pp) Conclusion For adults with obesity and prediabetes a high dose of behavioral treatment involving 24 sessions over 6 months may be needed to optimize improvements in glycemic control. Trial registration number NCT00912652.
The Enhancement of Subcutaneous First-Pass Metabolism Causes Nonlinear Pharmacokinetics of TAK-448 after a Single Subcutaneous Administration to Rats

2-(N-acetyl-D-tyrosyl-trans-4-hydroxy-L-prolyl-L-asparaginyl-L-threonyl-L-phenylalanyl) hydrazinocarbonyl-L-leucyl-Nω-methyl-L-arginyl-L-tryptophanamide monoacetate (TAK-448, RVT-602), a kisspeptin analog, has been developed as a therapeutic agent for prostate cancer. The purpose of the present study is to clarify the mechanism of the less than dose-proportional nonlinear pharmacokinetics of TAK-448 after subcutaneous administration to rats. The plasma pharmacokinetics of TAK-448 and radiolabeled TAK-448 ([14C]TAK-448) were examined after subcutaneous and intravenous administrations to rats. [14C]TAK-448 was also subcutaneously injected together with protease inhibitors. The effects of the protease inhibitors on the in vitro metabolism of [14C]TAK-448 were investigated using rat skin homogenates. In a dose-ascending study, less than dose-proportional nonlinear pharmacokinetics were observed after subcutaneous administration with limited absorption of TAK-448 at the highest dose level contrary to the linear pharmacokinetics following intravenous dosing, indicating enhancement of subcutaneous metabolism with dose escalation. The systemic absorption of unchanged TAK-448 recovered when protease inhibitors were subcutaneously coadministered, suggested the involvement of subcutaneous proteases in the first-pass metabolism. An in vitro metabolism study suggests that serine protease could be responsible for the subcutaneous metabolism of TAK-448. Dose-dependent enhancement of first-pass metabolism appears to contribute to the less than dose-proportional nonlinear pharmacokinetics of TAK-448 after subcutaneous administrations to rats.
A Competitive Model of Innovational Development of the Russia’s AIC in the Conditions of the EAEU

Purpose: The purpose of the article is to determine the scenarios innovational development of the Russian AIC in the conditions of the EAEU and to develop a competitive model of this development. Methodology: The authors use the method of qualitative scenario analysis for determining the scenarios of innovational development of the Russian AIC in the conditions of the EAEU and the method of modeling of socio-economic processes and systems and the method of formalization (graphic presentation of the results of modeling) for creating a competitive model of innovational development of the Russian AIC in the conditions of the EAEU. Results: Three scenarios of innovational development of the modern Russia’s AIC are determined–technical modernization, ecologization, and transition to AIC 4.0–each of which envisages narrow specialization and cannot guarantee high competitiveness of the studied complex. For receiving the highest advantages from innovational development of the modern Russia’s AIC, it is offered to combine all three scenarios that have to determine the directions of this development. Due to this, the manufactured food products will be diversified and, therefore, will be less dependent on the change of consumer preferences in separate segments of the market and fluctuations of the world prices for food. This will ensure high global competitiveness of development of the Russian AIC, as the platform of the EAEU will provide export to the participants of this integration union and to the world markets. Recommendations: A competitive model of innovational development of the Russian AIC in the conditions of the EAEU is developed and recommended for practical application.
Perceptions of Hurricane Track Forecasts in the U.S.A

AbstractHurricanes Isaac (2012), Harvey (2017), and Irma (2017) were storms with different geophysical characteristics and track forecast consistencies. Despite the differences, common themes emerg...
United States defence contractors and the future of military operations

The United States’ global strategic outlook has shifted markedly since the end of major combat operations in Iraq and Afghanistan. As the United States’ strategic posture shifts, the nature of mili...
Brain-Computer Interfaces and the Translation of Thought into Action

A brain-computer interface (BCI) designed to restore motor function detects neural activity related to intended movement and thereby enables a person to control an external device, for example, a robotic limb, or even their own body. It would seem legitimate, therefore, to describe a BCI as a system that translates thought into action. This paper argues that present BCI-mediated behavior fails to meet the conditions of intentional physical action as proposed by causal and non-causal theories of action. First, according to the causal theory of action physical actions are bodily movements that are causally related to a person’s intentions. It can be argued, however, that the proximate cause of action in present BCI-mediated behavior is not the person’s intention, and that the behavior fails to meet the conditions of reliability, sensitivity and difference-making. Second, BCI-mediated behavior can be accommodated by a Volitionist account of action if we can equate imagining movement with trying to move. The argument presented is that the novelty, and limited functionality and sensory feedback of present BCIs challenges this equation.
A Programmable Radio Architecture for 5G Vehicle to Everything Communication

This paper presents a programmable radio architecture for 5G vehicle to everything (V2X) communication which exploits a programmable time-interleaved (TI) Analog to Digital Converter (ADC). Compared to conventional radio architectures this architecture has a small area and low power consumption which is due to maximum hardware share and programmability. The radio architecture has been designed using a frequency plan that allows multi-band operation. The five-channel interleaved ADC is designed to work at 800 MS/s, however, it can be programmed to work at 160 MS/s to cover all V2X applications and reduce power consumption. The architecture is developed for a single-chip implementation in 65nm bulk CMOS process.
Race, Religion, and the Scottish Empire: St. Andrew’s Kirk, Nassau, ca. 1810-1852

This article examines the relationships between the Scottish diaspora community and the Afro-Caribbean and Anglican populations of New Providence Island during the first half of the 19th century. St. Andrew’s Kirk in Nassau was founded by Scottish emigrants in 1809 to provide them with a Presbyterian place of worship. The original members were, in part, British Loyalists – formerly based in North America – who had accepted Royal land grants on the archipelago in 1783. Many brought enslaved people with them, expecting their fortunes to recover in a new plantation economy. In 1837 William Maclure, a native of Ayrshire in southwest Scotland, became the fifth minister appointed to the Kirk. Unlike the previous ministers, Maclure remained in his Bahamian pulpit for over 25 years. Sources from his tenure at the church provide a window into the social, racial, and theological dynamics of Victorian New Providence. For example, in a letter published in a Scottish newspaper in the late autumn of 1852, Maclure stated somewhat cryptically that “the remains of the curse of slavery are upon us.” This article will offer an answer to the following three questions: First, to what degree have recent studies of the Scottish diaspora communities in the British West Indies underappreciated the Bahamian situation? Second, how did the members and ministers of St. Andrew’s Kirk, Nassau interact with issues of race and slavery from the founding of the church to the era in which Maclure’s letter was published? Lastly, what exactly was William Maclure referring to regarding the “curse of slavery”?
Effects of feeding 60% dried corn distillers grains plus solubles or the equivalent sulfur as CaSO4 on performance and reproductive traits of yearling Angus bulls.

Abstract The objectives of this study were to investigate the effects of feeding 60% dried corn distillers grains plus solubles (DDGS) or the equivalent sulfur as calcium sulfate (CaSO4) on semen quality and performance characteristics in yearling bulls. Thirty-six half-sibling Angus bulls [291 ± 8.5 d; initial body weight (BW) = 320 ± 2.7 kg] were assigned to one of three diets: 1) 60% concentrate as corn (CON; S = 0.18%; n = 12); 2) 60% DDGS replacing corn (60DDGS; S = 0.55% DM; n = 12); 3) CON + equivalent sulfur of 60DDGS added as CaSO4 (SULF; S = 0.54%; n = 12). Bulls were fed for 112 d to target an average daily gain (ADG) of 1.6 kg/d. Blood samples were collected on d 0, 56, and 112, and evaluated for testosterone, thyroxine, triiodothyronine (T3) and glutathione peroxidase (GPx) activity. Ruminal H2S was measured on d 0, 14, and 42. Scrotal circumference and semen were collected on d 0, 28, 56, 84, and 112 to evaluate sperm characteristics and GPx activity in seminal plasma. A computer assisted semen analysis was used to evaluate kinematic profiles in motile and progressive sperm throughout the study. Data were analyzed as repeated measures using MIXED procedures of SAS. No differences (P ≥ 0.14) were observed for final BW, ADG, or scrotal circumference; however, SULF tended (P = 0.07) to have reduced gain:feed compared with CON, with 60DDGS being intermediate. Concentrations of ruminal H2S on d 42 were greatest (P
Triple oxygen and clumped isotopes in modern soil carbonate along an aridity gradient in the Serengeti, Tanzania

The isotopic composition of paleosol carbonates are used extensively to reconstruct past vegetation, climate, and altimetry, but poor constraints on soil evaporation and temperature have limited th...
Too Many Cooks: Bayesian Inference for Coordinating Multi-Agent Collaboration

Collaboration requires agents to coordinate their behavior on the fly, sometimes cooperating to solve a single task together and other times dividing it up into sub-tasks to work on in parallel. Underlying the human ability to collaborate is theory-of-mind (ToM), the ability to infer the hidden mental states that drive others to act. Here, we develop Bayesian Delegation, a decentralized multi-agent learning mechanism with these abilities. Bayesian Delegation enables agents to rapidly infer the hidden intentions of others by inverse planning. We test Bayesian Delegation in a suite of multi-agent Markov decision processes inspired by cooking problems. On these tasks, agents with Bayesian Delegation coordinate both their high-level plans (e.g., what sub-task they should work on) and their low-level actions (e.g., avoiding getting in each other's way). When matched with partners that act using the same algorithm, Bayesian Delegation outperforms alternatives. Bayesian Delegation is also a capable ad hoc collaborator and successfully coordinates with other agent types even in the absence of prior experience. Finally, in a behavioral experiment, we show that Bayesian Delegation makes inferences similar to human observers about the intent of others. Together, these results argue for the centrality of ToM for successful decentralized multi-agent collaboration.
Greedy Decentralized Auction-based Task Allocation for Multi-Agent Systems.

We propose a decentralized auction-based algorithm for the solution of dynamic task allocation problems for spatially distributed multi-agent systems. In our approach, each member of the multi-agent team is assigned to at most one task from a set of spatially distributed tasks, while several agents can be allocated to the same task. The task assignment is dynamic since it is updated at discrete time stages (iterations) to account for the current states of the agents as the latter move towards the tasks assigned to them at the previous stage. Our proposed methods can find applications in problems of resource allocation by intelligent machines such as the delivery of packages by a fleet of unmanned or semi-autonomous aerial vehicles. In our approach, the task allocation accounts for both the cost incurred by the agents for the completion of their assigned tasks (e.g., energy or fuel consumption) and the rewards earned for their completion (which may reflect, for instance, the agents' satisfaction). We propose a Greedy Coalition Auction Algorithm (GCAA) in which the agents possess bid vectors representing their best evaluations of the task utilities. The agents propose bids, deduce an allocation based on their bid vectors and update them after each iteration. The solution estimate of the proposed task allocation algorithm converges after a finite number of iterations which cannot exceed the number of agents. Finally, we use numerical simulations to illustrate the effectiveness of the proposed task allocation algorithm (in terms of performance and computation time) in several scenarios involving multiple agents and tasks distributed over a spatial 2D domain.
Being at the Cutting Edge of Online Shopping: Role of Recommendations and Discounts on Privacy Perceptions

Despite the explosion of selling online, customers continue to have privacy concerns about online purchases. To alleviate such concerns, shopping sites seek to employ interventions to encourage users to buy more online. Two common interventions used to promote online sales are: (1) recommendations that help customers choose the right product either based on historic purchase correlations or recommendations suggested by the retailer; and (2) discounts that increase the value of products. Building on privacy calculus, we theorize about how and why key, representative combinations of recommendations and discounts influence the effects of inhibitors and enablers on online purchase intention. Our research design incorporated recommendations coming from different sources for the recommendation (retailer and other customers’ preferences) product relatedness (related products with historic purchases correlated to the focal product and unrelated products with no historic purchase correlation to the focal product) and two types of discounts (regular and bundle). Participants completed a browsing task in a controlled online shopping environment and completed a survey (n = 496). We found mixed results of moderating effects of recommendations and product relatedness on the effect of inhibitors and enablers on purchase intention. Although recommendations did not enhance the effects of inhibitors, they did enhance the effects of enablers on online purchase intention. We also found that product relatedness did not enhance the effect of privacy enablers on online purchase intentions. The results also showed that discounts enhance the effects of enablers, and that discounts can counteract the moderating effect of recommendations on the relationship between inhibitors and purchase intention under certain circumstances. We discuss theoretical and practical implications.
Structure and Function of the Retina of Low-density Lipoprotein Receptor-related Protein 5 (Lrp5)-deficient Rats

Loss-of-function mutations in the Wnt co-receptor, low-density lipoprotein receptor-related protein 5 (LRP5), result in familial exudative vitreoretinopathy (FEVR), osteoporosis-pseudoglioma syndrome (OPPG), and Norrie disease. CRISPR/Cas9 gene editing was used to produce rat strains deficient in Lrp5. The purpose of this study was to validate this rat model for studies of hypovascular, exudative retinopathies. The retinal vasculature of wildtype and Lrp5 knockout rats was stained with Giffonia simplifolia isolectin B4 and imaged by fluorescence microscopy. Effects on retinal structure were investigated by histology. The integrity of the blood-retina barrier was analyzed by staining for claudin-5 and measurement of permeability to Evans blue dye. Retinas were imaged by fundus photography and SD-OCT, and electroretinograms were recorded. Lrp5 gene deletion led to sparse superficial retinal capillaries and loss of the deep and intermediate plexuses. Autofluorescent exudates were observed, correlated with absence of claudin-5 expression in superficial vessels and increased Evans blue permeability. OCT images show pathology similar to OCT of humans with FEVR, and retinal thickness is reduced by 50% compared to wild-type rats. Histology and OCT reveal that photoreceptor and outer plexiform layers are absent. The retina failed to demonstrate an ERG response. CRISPR/Cas9 gene-editing produced a predictable rat Lrp5 knockout model with extensive defects in the retinal vascular and neural structure and function. This rat model should be useful for studies of exudative retinal vascular diseases involving the Wnt and norrin pathways.
Proletarian Internationalism, “Soviet Patriotism” and the Rise of Russocentric Etatism During the Stalinist 1930s

The most characteristic aspect of the newly-forming ideology . . . is the downgrading of socialist eIements within it. This doesn't mean that socialist phraseology has disappeared or is disappearing. Not at all. The majority of all slogans still contain this socialist element, but it no longer carries its previous ideological weight, the socialist element having ceased to play a dynamic role in the new slogans. It is most possible to see these subtle moves in minor but representative examples. At first, one was to speak of the USSR as the "country of the proletarian dictatorship," and then the "motherland of socialism" and the "motherland of toilers of the whole world." During the "socialism in one country" construction period, the USSR was referred to officially as the "socialist fatherland." Toward the end of the First Five-Year Plan, the more intimate [term] "socialist motherland," or "soviet motherland" appeared, while today [the USSR] is referred to over and over again as simply "our motherland." According to our contemporaries' perceptions, "our motherland" sounds warmer, more joyful and less official and bureaucratic than "socialist motherland."
GABA Inhibits Migration of Luteinizing Hormone-Releasing Hormone Neurons in Embryonic Olfactory Explants

During development, a subpopulation of olfactory neurons transiently expresses GABA. The spatiotemporal pattern of GABAergic expression coincides with migration of luteinizing hormone-releasing hormone (LHRH) neurons from the olfactory pit to the CNS. In this investigation, we evaluated the role of GABAergic input on LHRH neuronal migration using olfactory explants, previously shown to exhibit outgrowth of olfactory axons, migration of LHRH neurons in association with a subset of these axons, and the presence of the olfactory-derived GABAergic neuronal population. GABA A receptor antagonists bicuculline (10 −5 m) or picrotoxin (10 −4 m) had no effect on the length of peripherin-immunoreactive olfactory fibers or LHRH cell number. However, LHRH cell migration, as determined by the distance immunopositive cells migrated from olfactory pits, was significantly increased by these perturbations. Addition of tetrodotoxin (10 −6 m), to inhibit Na + -transduced electrical activity, also significantly enhanced LHRH migration. The most robust effect observed was dramatic inhibition of LHRH cell migration in explants cultured in the presence of the GABA A receptor agonist muscimol (10 −4 m). This study demonstrates that GABAergic activity in nasal regions can have profound effects on migration of LHRH neurons and suggests that GABA participates in appropriate timing of LHRH neuronal migration into the developing brain.
Abstract P021: NT-proBNP Predicts Incident Heart Failure Among Individuals in All BMI Categories

Background: The N-Terminal of pro-Brain Natriuretic Peptide (NT-proBNP) is a potent predictor of incident HF in the general population. Persons with obesity, despite their predisposition to developing HF, are known to have low NT-proBNP levels. The utility of NT-proBNP for HF prediction among individuals with obesity is therefore unclear. Hypothesis: We hypothesized that NT-proBNP levels may predict incident HF differently across body mass index (BMI) categories. Methods: We followed 12,509 ARIC participants free of prior HF at baseline (Visit 2, 1990-1992) with BMI ≥18.5 kg/m2 and available NT-proBNP. BMI (kg/m2) was categorized as normal (18.5-24.9), overweight (25-29.9), obese (30-34.9) and severely obese (≥35). The primary outcome was incident HF (1,986 events during a mean follow-up of 15.8 years). The potential effect modification of obesity on the NT-proBNP-HF relationship was assessed on both relative and absolute scales using multivariable Cox regression models. We also evaluated whether NT-proBNP improves HF prediction beyond traditional risk factors within the ARIC HF Risk Score similarly across BMI categories. Results: As expected, higher BMI was associated with lower NT-proBNP (r=-0.09, p Conclusions: Despite the inverse relationship between NT-proBNP and obesity, NT-proBNP provides significant prognostic information regarding HF risk in all BMI categories, supporting its use for HF prediction even among those with obesity.
Response: The Intellectual, Moral, and Aesthetic Dimensions of W.E.B. Du Bois's Educational Philosophy

In “Poetically Dwelling with the Veil,” Rodino Anderson explores W.E.B. Du Bois’s concept of the Veil within his educational philosophy. But in order to do so, he gives attention to how the veil undergirds Du Bois’s intellectual, moral, and aesthetic ideas, which are the basis of his educational philosophy. Anderson establishes that the Veil is a categorical analogy, a “thought thing” and, as such, “resembles a category in Immanuel Kant’s Critique of Pure Reason.” In brief, Kant’s idea is that concepts of the mind, or categories of understanding within the subject or self, bring form to our otherwise unstructured sensory perception. So for Kant, human experience is a synthesis between “understanding” and “sensibility,” which is a necessary condition of knowledge. A basic feature of human experience is the production and creation of knowledge, whether aesthetic, moral, or intellectual.
Cloning and characterization of a family of novel mammalian DNA (cytosine-5) methyltransferases

Cloning and characterization of a family of novel mammalian DNA (cytosine-5) methyltransferases
Beta-delayed proton decay of an odd-odd T/sub z/ = -2 isotope, /sup 22/Al

A helium jet system and the $^{24}\mathrm{Mg}(^{3}\mathrm{He}, p4n)^{22}\mathrm{Al}$ reaction at 110 MeV have been used to discover the first odd-odd ${T}_{z}=\ensuremath{-}2$ nuclide $^{22}\mathrm{Al}$ (${t}_{\frac{1}{2}}\ensuremath{\sim}70$ ms), which has been predicted to lie on the edge of stability. Beta-delayed protons from its decay establish the mass excess of the lowest $T=2$ state in $^{22}\mathrm{Mg}$ as 13.650 \ifmmode\pm\else\textpm\fi{} 0.015 MeV corresponding to an excitation energy of 14.044 MeV.RADIOACTIVITY $^{22}\mathrm{Al}$ from $^{24}\mathrm{Mg}(^{3}\mathrm{He}, p4n)$; measured $\ensuremath{\beta}$-delayed protons, ${T}_{\frac{1}{2}}$; deduced branching and $\ensuremath{\sigma}$; derived mass excess of lowest $T=2$ state in $^{22}\mathrm{Mg}$.
K π = 1 + pairing interaction and moments of inertia of superdeformed rotational bands in atomic nuclei

The effect of the pairing interaction coming from the rotationally induced [ital K][sup [pi]]=1[sup +] pair-density on the nuclear moments of inertia is studied. It is pointed out that, contrary to the situation at normal deformations, the inclusion of the [ital K][sup [pi]]=1[sup +] pairing may appreciably modify the frequency dependence of the moments of inertia at superdeformed shapes.
Past, present, and future of backscatter electron (BSE) imaging

We describe developments in backscattered electron (BSE) imaging in the scanning electron microscope (SEM) beginning with the pioneering work of Von Ardenne and Knoll in Germany in the 1940's and Charles Oatley, Dennis McMullan, Kenneth Smith and others in the 1950's. Recent work on BSE imaging with very high energy (100's of KeV) electron beams, such as the inspection of voids in metallurgy under thick dielectrics in semiconductor back-end-of-the-line (BEOL) structures will be presented. Finally, we will look toward the future of BSE imaging in terms of the SEM's, detectors, and application areas.
Origins of lipid biomarkers in Santa Monica Basin surface sediment: a case study using compound-specific Δ 14 C analysis

Abstract Compound-specific Δ 14 C values are reported for 31 different lipid biomarker molecules obtained from Santa Monica Basin and Santa Barbara Basin surface sediments. These organic compounds represent phytoplanktonic, zooplanktonic, bacterial, archaeal, terrestrial higher plant, and fossil carbon sources. The lipid classes include the following: long-chain n -alkanes, fatty acids (as methyl esters; FAMEs), n -alcohols, C 30 midchain ketols and diols, sterols, hopanols, and C 40 isoprenoid side chains from the ether-linked glycerols of Archaea . The data show that the carbon source for the majority of the biomarkers is marine euphotic zone primary production or subsequent heterotrophic consumption of this biomass. A small amount of benthic incorporation of 14 C-depleted dissolved inorganic carbon was identified for the bacterial hopanols and C 15 linear and branched-chain fatty acids. However, there is no apparent uptake of 14 C-depleted dissolved inorganic carbon in Santa Monica Basin by the bacteria, including filamentous Beggiatoa spp., that produce C 18:1ω7 fatty acid. Two of the lipid classes did not reflect carbon originally fixed by marine photoautotrophs. These were the n -alkanes, for which the Δ 14 C data are consistent with mixed fossil carbon and contemporary terrestrial higher plant sources, and the archaeal isoprenoids, for which the Δ 14 C data are consistent with chemoautotrophic growth below the euphotic zone.
Spectra of Maser Radiation from a Turbulent, Circumnuclear Accretion Disk

The spectrum of maser radiation from a thin Keplerian disk viewed edge-on is computed when idealized turbulent velocities are present in the disk. Representative turbulent velocity fields ("realizations") are created by statistical sampling from Kolmogorov-like distributions (suggested by simulations) for the turbulence and combined with the Keplerian velocities of rotation. Parameters are chosen for the numerical computations to facilitate a detailed comparison to refined observational data available for the bulk of the maser emission that occurs near the systemic velocity in the subparsec disk of water masers around a presumed massive black hole at the nucleus of the galaxy NGC 4258. Spectra are obtained that are similar in appearance to the irregular spectra that are observed. Microstructure with Doppler breadths comparable to the expected thermal velocities occur in both the observed and computed spectra, even though the turbulent velocities in the computations are much greater than the thermal velocities. The observed deviations in the maser emission from the Keplerian relationship between Doppler velocity and location indicate that the turbulence is somewhat supersonic. It may still be sub-Alfvenic. A relationship between the radial extent of the masing gas and the magnitude of the turbulent velocities is provided by the range of Doppler velocities at which maser emission is observed. The computed spectra are consistent with (but do not require) the presence of a strong continuum source that is being amplified by the masing disk and that is associated with the presumed black hole at the nucleus of the galaxy.