cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Limited Automation to Support Low Cost Spacecraft Operations on IRIS

The Interface Region Imaging Spectrograph (IRIS) mission is a small spacecraft mission launched in 2013 and currently studying the Sun. The Mission Operations and Ground System for IRIS were designed to enable a small team to operate the spacecraft for a mission duration of at least 2 years and possibly many more. The Ground System was designed to allow the operations team to maintain normal business hours, running in a 'lights out' mode for the rest of the time. The blend between off the shelf tools and custom developed scripts enabled the system to be developed by a very small development team in a short period of time. This paper will include a review of the design and development of the Mission Operations and Ground Systems for IRIS. It will also discuss the benefits realized from the approach taken, and some lessons learned from integration, test, and the operations of IRIS since its launch in June 2013.
Effect of axial diffusion on the response of diffusion flames to axial flow perturbations

Abstract This paper elucidates the behavior and dynamics of non-premixed flames responding to bulk fluctuations in flow velocity. It expands previous work on this problem by consistently incorporating finite Peclet number ( ) effects, and differentiating inflow boundary and dynamical effects on the flame dynamics. For analytical tractability, prior treatments of this problem generally prescribe the inflow boundary conditions into the domain. This paper shows, however, that prescribed inflow conditions, such as a step or constant local diffusive flux boundary condition, neglect axial diffusion effects in the region where their effects are most important; i.e., in the near-burner exit region where high transverse gradients and mass burning rates control the heat release dynamics. As the burning rate of non-premixed flames are controlled by mixture fraction gradients, the influence of axial diffusion substantively influences several burning rate characteristics of the flame. In addition, these effects cause the leading edge position of the flame front to oscillate, even for infinitely fast chemistry. Even in Pe ≫ 1 flames, axial diffusion introduces several fundamentally new features to the problem, resulting in exponentially decaying, dispersive flame wrinkle propagation with downstream distance. Also investigated here are asymptotic results for the heat release dynamics. It is shown that axial diffusion introduces a triple-zone asymptotic structure into the unsteady heat release characteristics, resulting in O(1) flame transfer function trends for St≪ 1 (to which an n–τ model is developed), O(1/St1/2) for intermediate Strouhal numbers, and O(1/St) for high Strouhal numbers. Finally, it is shown that the phase of the heat release response is approximately half that of a premixed flame with the same length, due to the concentration of unsteady heat release near the burner outlet, where transverse gradients are largest.
An Explanation for the Heterogeneity in B Lymphocyte Ecto-5′-Nucleotidase Activity in Patients with Hypogammaglobulinemia

A deficiency of lymphocyte ecto-5′-nucleotidase (ecto-5′-NT) 1 activity in patients with common variable immunodeficiency (CVI), congenital X-linked agammaglobulinemia (CAG), severe combined immunodeficiency (SCID), and a variety of other immunodeficiency diseases is well described (1-6). Adult peripheral B cells have three- to five-fold higher ecto-5′-NT activity than peripheral T cells (3). Thus, any disease which causes a loss of surface immunoglobulin-positive (slg+) B cells from the peripheral blood, such as CAG, will cause a decrease in total lymphocyte ecto-5′-NT activity (3). Ecto-5′-NT deficiency may also be caused by decreased enzyme activity in T cells, B cells, or both (1,3,4). We have previously shown that decreased ecto-5′-NT activity in T cells of patients with CVI and CAG is due to decreased numbers of ecto-5′-NT+ cells from both the helper (0KT4-) and suppressor (0KT8+) subpopulations (4). Furthermore, increased percentages of ecto-5′-NT- T cells in these patients appears to be correlated with an increased capacity for the suppression of pokeweed mitogen (PWM) driven immunoglobulin synthesis in vitro. Ecto-5′-NT- maternally engrafted T cells in a patient with SCID and maternal graft versus host disease also suppressed PWM-driven immunoglobulin synthesis (6). Thus, T cell ecto-5′-NT deficiency does not necessarily indicate T cell immaturity.
A selection spanning tree routing protocol for wireless sensor network

To meet the requirements of nodes energy consumption and data real-time transmission in wireless sensor network,a new routing protocol called Selection Spanning Tree is proposed.Based on spanning tree algorithm that is suitable to data fusion,the principle and features of Minimum Cost Spanning Tree(MCST) is analyzed.The selection scenario is used to construct tree-shape communication routing,and it can achieve alternative packets transmission between every node in spanning tree and minimum cost/directed parent node.Therefore,the energy efficiency and time-delay of network can be balanced.Moreover,the results of simulation show that the proposed protocol can prolong network lifetime,decrease communication time-delay and meet the applied requirements of wireless sensor network.
Distribution of cardioplegic solution infused antegradely and retrogradely in normal canine hearts

The adequacy of retrograde delivery of cardioplegic solution to the right ventricle and interventricular septum is controversial. To address this issue quantitatively, we infused blood cardioplegic solution labeled with radioactive microspheres (15 μm diameter) into the coronary sinus (n = 8 dogs) at a pressure of 51 ± 1 mm Hg (mean ± standard error of the mean) to be compared with the same quantity of labeled cardioplegic solution (20 ml/kg) delivered through the aorta (n = 6 dogs) at 97 ± 7 mm Hg. Both methods of delivery produced cardiac arrest, but retrograde infusion required a significantly longer time to complete the infusion (6.2 ± 0.8 minutes versus 1.5 ± 0.1 minutes, p
Sodium-glucose cotransporters display sodium- and phlorizin-dependent water permeability

Expression of Na(+)-glucose cotransporters of the SGLT-1 type by Xenopus laevis oocytes increased the osmotic water permeability (Pf) of oocytes by a factor of 1.9-2.8, in the presence and in the absence of 5 mM extracellular glucose. The Pf increase was correlated with the amount of SGLT-1 cRNA injected. In oocytes expressing SGLT-1, either addition of phlorizin to the medium or the replacement of Na+ by choline inhibited the uptake of methyl-alpha-D-glucopyranoside, a specific substrate for SGLT-1, and returned oocyte Pf to its level in uninjected oocytes. Phlorizin inhibited the SGLT-1-attributable increase in Pf with an inhibition constant (Ki) of 6.1 microM, a value analogous to the Ki for phlorizin inhibition of sugar uptake. However, neither the presence of phlorizin nor the absence of extracellular Na+ significantly affected the increase in Pf elicited in oocytes expressing GLUT-1, a facilitative glucose transporter. These findings suggest that SGLT-1 forms a pore that allows the transmembrane passage of water and that water and glucose traverse the protein through this pore. The finding that removal of extracellular Na+ abolishes the increase in Pf attributable to SGLT-1 suggests that extracellular Na+ is required to maintain patency of this transporter's water-permeable transmembrane pore.
Effects of environmental contaminants on the immune system.

Publisher Summary This chapter discusses the effects of environmental contaminants on the immune system. Environmental compounds, such as insecticides, pesticides, herbicides, and heavy metals are widely distributed throughout the world. The majority of these compounds are beneficial when used for specific purposes, handled properly, and applied as recommended by the manufacturer. However, many become contaminants of the environment, either by their improper application or because of their persistence in the ecosystem in soil, plants, water, and animal tissue. The degree of toxicity varies considerably among compounds and often among species. One method of initially ascertaining whether an environmental contaminant can affect the immune response of an animal is to challenge a treated animal with an LD-50 dose of an infectious agent. This procedure is simple and reliable and establishes whether the compound actually interferes with the course of disease. Infectious agents most commonly used are bacteria and viruses.
Editorial commentary: Virtual medicine-A better reality?

The last decade has witnessed an explosion in amount and variety of digital health-related data available to both patient and health care provider, which will undoubtedly have a profound influence on the practice of medicine. Increasingly, information could be obtained from smart phones and other commercial external devices, electronic medical record systems, wireless transmission through implantable, wearable, or stand-alone medical devices, and greater access to patients using video and other telemedicine applications. Cardiology has taken the lead in the use of telemonitoring for direct patient care. Integration of remotely collected cardiac data into clinical practice has taken several forms—(1) stand-alone systems that transmit information about heart rate, blood pressure, weights, symptoms, etc.; (2) wearable monitors (e.g., Holter, event, and mobile telemetry monitors) used for detection and diagnosis of arrhythmias and ambulatory blood pressures; (3) implanted therapeutic devices such as pacemakers and defibrillators; and (4) implanted monitoring devices (e.g., pulmonary artery pressure and implantable loop monitors). Remote monitoring has revolutionized implantable device follow-up by allowing surveillance and remote detection of device, disease, and physiological parameters, thereby potentially eliminating the need for many routine in-office device checks. Devices with wireless capability can automatically transmit alerts to clinicians allowing for early identification of clinically actionable events such as atrial fibrillation, ventricular arrhythmias, device/lead malfunction, and battery depletion. Indeed, large observational studies have shown an association between the use of remote monitoring and
X-RAY PHOTOELECTRON SPECTROSCOPY OF SiO2-Si INTER-FACIAL REGIONS

ABSTRACT X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) was used to characterize the interface formed between thermally-grown oxide films and single crystal Si substrates. Core level binding energies, photoelectron line intensities, and photoelectron linewidths, each varied over an initial oxide film thickness of about 25a and then remained constant. Analysis of the XPS data indicate the presence of a nonstoichiometric transition region that is composed of tetrahedral groups, Si-(O)x(Si)4-x, that is nonlinearly graded in composition, and that is ≤10a thick. The transition region width remains invariant with changes in oxidation processing conditions, in oxidant, in oxide film thickness, or in high temperature annealing but is affected by changes in substrate orientation. Si substrates with orientations have narrower transition regions that do substrates with orientations.
Tiene Anaxímenes una teoría del cambio

For a long time it has been argued that, amongst the first Presocratics, Anaximenes is the one who possessed the most detailed theory of change. Indeed, his theory of change was one of his fundamental contributions to the history of philosophy. Thirty years ago this opinion was questioned and the argument was recently repeated in a revised edition on Anaximenes. So far, I have no notice that such question has yet been answered. In the present essay I want to argue that, although there is something erroneous in the traditional interpretation of Anaximenes theory of change, it is not what the objectors say it is: truly, Anaximenes possesses an important theory of change, of which we have significant Antique evidence.
ASSESSING PHARMACEUTICAL CARE NEEDS OF PAEDIATRIC IN-PATIENTS: A TEAM BASED APPROACH.

Aims To pilot a novel approach to providing pharmaceutical care to paediatric inpatients using structured referral and assessment tools. Using standardised referral criteria to ensure patients are assessed by appropriately skilled pharmacists. Method Three wards of varying acuity and specialism were selected in a tertiary children9s hospital in England - General Paediatric Ward (GPW), High Dependency Unit (HDU) and Haematology/Oncology Ward (HOW). The project ran for three months. Three levels of pharmacist were involved: Band 8 (“Level 3”), Paediatric Band 7 (“Level 2”) and rotational band 6/7 (“Level 1”). All patients were initially triaged by an appropriate pharmacist using criteria: Early Warning Scores (EWS), reason for admission, Level 1 Medicines Reconciliation. Patients were then graded according to level of acuity: Level 1: EWS 0–2 AND no significant medication history; Level 2: EWS 2–4 OR significant medication history; level 3: EWS >4. After initial triage patients were handed over using SBAR1 in a structured group “huddle”, and acuity levels validated. Pharmaceutical care plans were formulated and patients allocated to appropriate pharmacists. On the GPW patients were triaged by a level 3 pharmacist (“Refer Down”) for the first 2 weeks. On review of data generated and acuity levels triage was changed to be carried out by a level 1 pharmacist (“Refer Up.”) In the HDU and HOW the Refer Down system was used. All patients in the pilot were reassessed and acuity re-evaluated daily ensuring appropriate pharmacist review. Data was collected on initial acuity level and any change in level following the huddle; (1) to identify those patients in need of a higher level of pharmaceutical input; (2) to identify the level of pharmacist most appropriate to a given clinical area. Results 245 patients were assessed. 148 (83%) patients on GPW were triaged as level 1. Using a “refer down” model there was no change in patient acuity. Using “refer up” only 5 patients were reclassified to a higher level of care post-huddle. 18 (64%) patients in HOW were triaged as level 3. Eight patients were reduced to level 2 after the huddle. 53% of patients were classified as level 2 post-huddle. There were very few level 1 patients in HOW. PHDU demonstrated similar demographics, though with more level 1 patients. Conclusion This study demonstrates the potential benefits of a team based approach in optimising pharmaceutical care by directing patients to the most appropriate pharmacist. The huddle facilitates clinical supervision of patients and pharmacists. There may be benefits in efficiency using this system in a resource-constrained environment. This study does not present longitudinal changes in acuity. More research is needed.
On Pikachu and Security and Privacy

As cyber-physical systems and geo-sensing technologies become ingrained in our lives -- from mainstream games such as Pokemon GO, to eHealth and intelligent transportation systems -- it's imperative that we consider how these technologies could be used not only for, but against us. Maintaining security and privacy in such technologies takes on new dimensions.
G1 cyclins link proliferation, pluripotency and differentiation of embryonic stem cells

Progression of mammalian cells through the G1 and S phases of the cell cycle is driven by the D-type and E-type cyclins. According to the current models, at least one of these cyclin families must be present to allow cell proliferation. Here, we show that several cell types can proliferate in the absence of all G1 cyclins. However, following ablation of G1 cyclins, embryonic stem (ES) cells attenuated their pluripotent characteristics, with the majority of cells acquiring the trophectodermal cell fate. We established that G1 cyclins, together with their associated cyclin-dependent kinases (CDKs), phosphorylate and stabilize the core pluripotency factors Nanog, Sox2 and Oct4. Treatment of murine ES cells, patient-derived glioblastoma tumour-initiating cells, or triple-negative breast cancer cells with a CDK inhibitor strongly decreased Sox2 and Oct4 levels. Our findings suggest that CDK inhibition might represent an attractive therapeutic strategy by targeting glioblastoma tumour-initiating cells, which depend on Sox2 to maintain their tumorigenic potential.
Sample Errors Call Into Question Conclusions Regarding Same-Sex Married Parents: A Comment on "Family Structure and Child Health: Does the Sex Composition of Parents Matter?"

Because of classification errors reported by the National Center for Health Statistics, an estimated 42 % of the same-sex married partners in the sample for this study are misclassified different-sex married partners, thus calling into question findings regarding same-sex married parents. Including biological parentage as a control variable suppresses same-sex/different-sex differences, thus obscuring the data error. Parentage is not appropriate as a control because it correlates nearly perfectly (+.97, gamma) with the same-sex/different-sex distinction and is invariant for the category of joint biological parents.
The contribution of self-compassion and compassion to others to students’ emotions and project commitment when experiencing conflict in group projects

Abstract Group project assignments have become popular in college-level instruction, making group chemistry and harmony crucial for students’ learning. Because the nature of group projects highlights collaborative work, it is common for students to experience conflict among team members for various reasons, thereby hindering their learning and motivation to participate in the project. Such negative motivational consequences of what we termed intragroup conflict may be mitigated by group members’ responses to the conflict. One such response may be a sense of compassion, either directed toward others or toward the self. This study explored the role of compassion (self-compassion and compassion to others) in college students’ motivational and emotional experiences when intragroup conflict among team members was perceived. From an initial model of students’ various motivational goals for the group project, measures of intragroup conflict (in a second step) and of self-compassion and compassion to others (in a third step) were added to predict students’ project commitment and emotions. Three hierarchical multiple regressions showed that goals explained a significant amount of variance in project commitment and positive and negative emotions. A measure of conflict improved predictions significantly as did adding measures of self-compassion and compassion to others. The final model for project commitment showed that significant contributors were intragroup conflict (in a negative direction) and compassion to others (positive direction). Positive emotions were predicted only by self-compassion, whereas negative emotions were predicted by intragroup conflict (positively), self-compassion (negatively), and compassion to others (negatively).
Computer ID, Ego, and Superego: The Identity of “Self” in Cyberspace

BackgroundComputers can enable a person to assume a different personality in a world with apparently different rules than that of traditional society. Online, a person can enter a chatroom anonymou...
On teaching the simplification of block diagrams

Due to their simplicity and versatility, block diagrams are widely used by control engineers to model all types of dynamic systems. The complexity of a block diagram is in general caused by the existence of summing/pickoff points within a loop. A novel concept, the main/branch stream concept and the corresponding shifting rule for the relocation of summing/pickoff points are introduced in this paper. It is found that the new concept and the corresponding shifting rule greatly help the simplification of block diagrams and make teaching the simplification of block diagrams much easier.
A development banker’s view

I count it a great honor to be invited to participate in a world conference on the important subject of transportation research. Particularly so when the conference is sponsored by a country which has played such an innovative role as the Netherlands have in the main job of our era, the search for paths of reconciliation and constructive cooperation between rich North and poor South, between all Worlds, from first to fourth. And, too, particularly so when the conference takes place in Rotterdam, greatest hub of the global transport system which is the physical expression of growing interdependence among countries. I would like to pay special tribute to the foresight and several years’ hard work of Dr. Noortman and the Netherlands Institute of Transport in taking the initiative to organize the conference.
Decorum in the OR

Often overlooked in the OR suite is the practice of appropriate decorum—especially once a patient has arrived in the suite. Any music playing should be turned off unless otherwise requested by the surgeon or patient. Laughing and telling jokes, or speaking of personal matters should be avoided in the presence of a patient. Do not discuss complications that might have occurred to a previous patient and do not make disparaging remarks about anyone.
On the Verification of Cryptographic Protocols: A Tale of Two Committees

Abstract There is a mantra telling us that authentication is difficult. The failure to design robust authentication protocols is commonly attributed to a lack of good design strategies, and to a lack of verification tools. We will argue that the problem is rather confusion about the meaning of ‘authentication’. If you do not know what you are aiming for, what hope is there in achieving ‘it’? Imprecise and anthropomorphic terminology does not help to clarify technical issues, and confusion about the goals of entity authentication has misled attempts to formalize this concept.
Anabaenopeptins and cyanopeptolins induce systemic toxicity effects in a model organism the nematode Caenorhabditis elegans

Abstract Cyanobacterial blooms represent a significant risk to environmental and human health due to their production of toxic secondary metabolites, cyanopeptides. Anabaenopeptins and cyanopeptolins are cyanopeptides increasingly detected in surface waters at concentrations exceeding regulatory toxicity levels for other cyanotoxins such as microcystins. Yet their toxicity to aquatic organisms are not well understood. Here we assessed the toxicological effects of three anabaenopeptins (AP-A, AP-B, and AP-F) and three cyanopeptolins (CYP-1007, CYP-1020, and CYP-1041) to a model organism the nematode Caenorhabditis elegans. Examined toxicity endpoints included reproduction, hatching time, growth rate, lifespan, and age-related vulval integrity. Microcystin RR (MC-RR) and microginin 690 were also included in the study for comparisons. At an identical mass concentration (10 μg/L, corresponding to a molar concentration ranging 0.01–0.014 μM depending on the specific peptide), anabaenopeptins (APs) showed the greatest toxicity among all cyanopeptides tested. APs decreased worm reproduction by 23%–34% and shortened worm lifespan by 5 days (a 30% reduction) compared to the controls. APs also induced a remarkable age-related vulval integrity defect (Avid phenotype) in the worm, where over 95% of exposed worms developed the phenotype, compared to a less than 15% in control worms. CYPs showed similar toxicity as MC-RR, and Microginin 690 was the least toxic. These findings suggest that APs and CYPs may pose significant health risks to aquatic organisms. More toxicological studies of these cyanopeptides using different species across different trophic levels are needed to gain a thorough understanding of their potential impact on ecological systems and human health.
Phosphatidic Acid Signals via the Hippo Pathway.

In this issue of Molecular Cell, Han et al. (2018) show that phosphatidic acid inhibits the action of the LATS kinases, key mediators of Hippo pathway signaling, which leads to an increase in the nuclear activity of the transcriptional regulator YAP.
The Role of Marketing in Developing Successful New Products in South Korea and Taiwan

Developing new products is an important activity for firms in the global, competitive marketplace. While marketing plays an important role in the process of developing new products, few studies hav...
Improving Nursing Home Residents' Oral Hygiene: Results of a Cluster Randomized Intervention Trial.

Abstract Objective A 2-year cluster randomized trial of Mouth Care Without a Battle (MCWB) was conducted in nursing homes (NHs) to determine if recommended mouth care practices provided by NH staff could improve residents' oral hygiene and denture outcomes. Design Cluster randomized trial of NHs. Setting and Participants Seven MCWB NHs and 6 control NHs. A total of 219 NH residents completed baseline and 24-month oral examinations and, if applicable, denture assessments (control = 98, intervention = 121). Intervention The intervention consisted of training NH staff in the MCWB protocol, and providing support in its use for 2 years. Measures Descriptive data from the Minimum Data Set and clinical oral health assessments: the Plaque Index for Long-Term Care (range 0‒3), the Gingival Index for Long-Term Care (range 0‒4), and the Denture Plaque Index (range 0‒4), with lower scores indicating better oral health. Results There were no significant demographic or health differences between groups at baseline. Residents' mean age (standard deviation) was 77.8 years (13.5), 71% were female, and 49% had cognitive impairment. At 24 months, there were significant improvements in oral and denture hygiene in the intervention group compared with control (all P Conclusions and Implications for Practice Training NH staff to attend to residents' oral hygiene and denture care had a sustained, favorable impact on residents' oral and denture hygiene after 24 months compared with usual care. The protocol, MCWB, can be used by direct caregivers to improve the oral hygiene and denture care of NH residents.
Usefulness of EZFluence software for radiotherapy planning of breast cancer treatment.

Abstract This study compared the EZFluence planning technique for irradiation of the breast with commonly used Field-in-Field (FiF) technique by analyzing the dose uniformity, the dose to the lung, heart, and other organs at risk, the total Monitor Unit (MU), and the time spent for planning. Two different 3-dimensional conformal dose plans were created for 20 breast cancer patients. Six patients were treated to a dose of 5000 cGy in 25 fractions and 14 were treated to a dose of 4256 cGy in 16 fractions. Average breast volume was 800 cc (range 128 to 1892 cc). For the FiF technique, the planner manually created between 2 to 4 subfields per gantry angle and sequentially blocked the 115% and 110% isodose line until a homogenous dose distribution was achieved. For the EZFluence technique, the planner implemented the EZFluence script that created an optimal fluence pattern, which was then imported into Eclipse where dose was calculated. Both techniques were optimized to make sure 95% of the breast planning target volume (PTV) received at least 95% of the prescribed dose. Compared to FiF technique, the plans produced by using EZFluence technique, showed the MU increased by 36.9% (p = 0.0002), whereas the planning time decreased significantly by 84.6% (p = 0.00001). The mean heart dose and the relative volume of the heart receiving ≥ 30 Gy (V30) were similar for both techniques. The mean lung dose and the relative volume of lung receiving ≥ 20 Gy (V20) were also comparable between 2 techniques. The contralateral breast mean dose and its relative volume receiving ≥ 3 Gy (V3) and ≥10 Gy (V10) were equally spared and avoided. EZFluence planning technique yielded a 4.6% (p = 0.04) reduction in PTV receiving 105% of the prescribed dose (V105) for the large breast with separation > 22 cm and PTV volume > 650 cc. The EZFluence planning technique yielded the overall comparable or improved dosimetry while significantly reducing planning time.
Perioperative Morbidity of Gastrectomy During CRS-HIPEC: An ACS-NSQIP Analysis

Abstract Background Formal gastrectomy is occasionally required to achieve complete cytoreduction for patients with peritoneal surface malignancies. In addition, the role of cytoreductive surgery (CRS) and hyperthermic intraperitoneal chemotherapy (HIPEC) for patients with gastric cancer is increasingly being explored. Nevertheless, data on the safety of gastrectomy at the time of CRS-HIPEC are limited. Methods The American College of Surgeons–National Surgical Quality Improvement Program databases from 2005 to 2016 were used to identify patients who underwent CRS-HIPEC. Demographic, clinical, and perioperative outcomes were compared between patients who underwent CRS-HIPEC with and without gastrectomy. Results Among 1168 patients who underwent CRS-HIPEC, 43 (4%) underwent partial (n = 20) or total (n = 23) gastrectomy. Patients who underwent gastrectomy at the time of CRS-HIPEC had a longer operative time (529.3 versus 457.6 min, P = 0.004), were more likely to need an intraoperative transfusion (32.6% versus 14.3%, P = 0.001), experienced a longer length of stay (19.0 versus 11.3 d, P Conclusions Patients undergoing gastrectomy at the time of CRS-HIPEC experience a substantial postoperative complication rate (60%) and extended length of stay (mean 19 d). These findings highlight the need for cautious patient selection and preoperative counseling before performing concomitant gastrectomy and CRS-HIPEC.
Home away from home: An examination of the billet family experience in junior ice hockey

North American junior ice hockey is well known for its long-standing practice of housing players with billet families as they pursue aspirations of elite careers. However, little is known regarding...
Development of a Genotyping Protocol for Mojave Desert Tortoise Scat

Abstract Noninvasive fecal genotyping can be a useful tool for population monitoring of elusive species. We tested extraction protocols on scat samples from the threatened Mojave Desert tortoise, G...
Painful Left Bundle Branch Block Syndrome Successfully Treated With Left Bundle Branch Area Pacing

Abstract Chest pain may be rarely associated with left bundle branch block (LBBB)-mediated ventricular dys-synchrony has been reported. This article reports 2 such cases, where left bundle branch area pacing resulted in resolution of the LBBB and associated symptoms. By adjusting the atrioventricular delays, the QRS duration was narrowed further by achieving fusion with the intrinsic activation wavefront. (Level of Difficulty: Beginner.)
Lies of Solidarity: Naga Fireballs, Terrorist Detectors, and Affiliational Lies in Thailand

What are we saying when we lie? Here, I examine two hoaxes in Thailand: a fisherman manufactures evidence of nagas – water dragons – in his town to counter mining claims and Thai security forces do...
Biomolecular Condensates and Gene Activation in Development and Disease

Activating the right gene at the right time and place is essential for development. Emerging evidence suggests that this process is regulated by the mesoscale compartmentalization of the gene-control machinery, RNA polymerase II and its cofactors, within biomolecular condensates. Coupling gene activity to the reversible and dynamic process of condensate formation is proposed to enable the robust and precise changes in gene-regulatory programs during signaling and development. The macromolecular features that enable condensates and the regulatory pathways that control them are dysregulated in disease, highlighting their importance for normal physiology. In this review, we will discuss the role of condensates in gene activation; the multivalent features of protein, RNA, and DNA that enable reversible condensate formation; and how these processes are utilized in normal and disease biology. Understanding the regulation of condensates promises to provide novel insights into how organization of the gene-control machinery regulates development and disease.
Stones around knee joint

A 56 yrs old female consulted orthopedic OPD with complaints of pain, swelling and frequent locking of the knee joint with grating sounds. There was no history of trauma. She was postmenopausal since last three years. On examination hard masses were palpable on posterior aspect of the knee and in supra patellar area. On radiological examination, multiple loose bodies were found around the knee joint along with grade-III osteoarthritis (Figures 1 & 2). On loose bodies were found around the knee joint along with grade-III osteoarthritis (Figures 1 & 2). On correlation of clinical picture and radiological findings diagnosis was confirmed to be ‘synovial chondromatosis’.1
Morning sympathetic activity after evening binge alcohol consumption

Chronic binge alcohol consumption is associated with future cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk in both men and women. In addition, binge alcohol consumption is known to disrupt normal sleep quality ...
Impact of Public Debt, Deficit and Debt Financing on Private Investment in a Large Country: Evidence from the United States

This paper analyses the direct impact of fiscal variables on private investment. The current literature ignores one or more fiscal variables and, in many cases, the foreign financing of debt. In this paper, an aggregate investment function for an economy in which firms incur adjustment costs in their investment process is developed. The developed model incorporates the direct impact of government expenditure, public debt and investment, deficits and foreign-financed debt on private investment. The model is tested on US data. It is found that public investment does not have any impact on private investment, but government expenditure, deficit, debt and foreign-financed debt crowd out private investment over the long run. However, deficit crowds in the private investment over the short run.
31 P-MRS of the healthy human brain at 7 T detects multiple hexose derivatives of uridine diphosphate glucose.

Nucleotide sugars are required for the synthesis of glycoproteins and glycolipids, which play crucial roles in many cellular functions such as cell communication and immune responses. Uridine diphosphate-glucose (UDP-Glc) was previously believed to be the only nucleotide sugar detectable in brain by 31 P-MRS. Using spectra of high SNR and high resolution acquired at 7 T, we showed that multiple nucleotide sugars are coexistent in brain and can be measured simultaneously. In addition to UDP-Glc, these also include UDP-galactose (UDP-Gal), -N-acetyl-glucosamine (UDP-GlcNAc) and -N-acetyl-galactosamine (UDP-GalNAc), collectively denoted as UDP(G). Coexistence of these UDP(G) species is evident from a quartet-like multiplet at -9.8 ppm (M-9.8 ), which is a common feature seen across a wide age range (24-64 years). Lineshape fitting of M-9.8 allows an evaluation of all four UDP(G) components, which further aids in analysis of a mixed signal at -8.2 ppm (M-8.2 ) for deconvolution of NAD+ and NADH. For a group of seven young healthy volunteers, the concentrations of UDP(G) species were 0.04 ± 0.01 mM for UDP-Gal, 0.07 ± 0.03 mM for UDP-Glc, 0.06 ± 0.02 mM for UDP-GalNAc and 0.08 ± 0.03 mM for UDP-GlcNA, in reference to ATP (2.8 mM). The combined concentration of all UDP(G) species (average 0.26 ± 0.06 mM) was similar to the pooled concentration of NAD+ and NADH (average 0.27 ± 0.06 mM, with a NAD+ /NADH ratio of 6.7 ± 2.1), but slightly lower than previously found in an older cohort (0.31 mM). The in vivo NMR analysis of UDP-sugar composition is consistent with those from tissue extracts by other modalities in the literature. Given that glycosylation is dependent on the availability of nucleotide sugars, assaying multiple nucleotide sugars may provide valuable insights into potential aberrant glycosylation, which has been implicated in certain diseases such as cancer and Alzheimer's disease.
An explicit robust stability condition for uncertain time-varying first-order plus dead-time systems.

Abstract First-order plus dead-time (FOPDT) models are broadly used in process control to represent damped dynamic processes with time delays. An explicit condition for parameter- and delay-dependent robust stability of FOPDT systems with varying uncertain parameters and delay is derived in this paper. An internal model control (IMC) approach is proposed to parameterize stabilizing controllers that satisfy the output tracking objective in time-varying FOPDT systems represented by an uncertain first-order dynamic model with a time-varying delay in the control input. The small-gain theorem is used to derive an explicit necessary and sufficient parameter-dependent robust stability condition as a function of the nominal system gain, nominal varying delay, nominal time constant, and the bounds of the parameter uncertainties. An equivalent proportional-integral-derivative (PID) controller is then extracted to facilitate the implementation of the proposed IMC-based robust control. The application of the proposed explicit robust stability condition is studied in the context of air-fuel ratio (AFR) control in lean-burn spark ignition (SI) engines with a large time-varying transport delay in the control loop due to the placement of the universal exhaust gas oxygen (UEGO) sensor downstream the catalytic converter.
Design and Testing of High-Index Liquid-Core Waveguides for Single Particle Sensing

Fluidic microchannels filled with high-index ZnI 2 salt solution enable optimized particle fluorescence collection. We describe their design for efficient interfacing with solid-core excitation waveguides and their improved performance in comparison with leaky mode waveguide approaches.
Opiate prescribing patterns in the adolescent population following anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction.

Objective: We sought to determine prescribing patterns for opioid analgesia following anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) reconstruction among age- and gender-stratified adolescents in a nationally representative database. Design: A retrospective study. Setting: PearlDiver Patient Records. Patients, participants: Outpatient opioid claims within 30 days of surgery were extracted. The patients were defined into age groups 10-14 (“younger’) and 15-19 (“older”). A total of 1,139 patients were included in this study (536 female and 603 males) with 108 patients in the 10-14 age category and 1,034 patients in the 15-19 category. Main outcome measure(s): The primary study outcome measures the average number of opioid pills administered, average total morphine milligram equivalents (MMEs) prescribed, and the average prescription strength (MMEs/pill). Results: No difference was found in the average number of pills (p = 0.26) or normalized total MMEs (p = 0.312) prescribed by age group. Normalized total morphine equivalents per prescription was significantly lower in females than males (p = 0.005). Multivariate linear regression analysis demonstrated that increasing patient age was predictive of fewer total pills (p = 0.017), after accounting for gender. Conclusions: There are age- and gender-based disparities in prescription patterns for adolescent ACL reconstruction. Our findings indicate that patients in the older age group on average received fewer pills than the younger age group, which consequently trended toward receiving higher total MMEs prescribed. This suggests that surgeons may be inadvertently overprescribing in the younger cohort. Additional studies that account for concurrent factors should be conducted to observe potentially similar trends.
The limits of exporting the homeland security construct: lessons from the Gulf

Many conceptualizations of homeland security posit a rigid division between national security, which focuses on global threats and challenges at the systemic level, and homeland or domestic securit...
Toward a Global Engineering Curriculum

This paper distinguishes between Globalism as theory and Globalization as practice. I accept the existence and importance of the globalization process but aim to critique the resulting structure from a theoretical Globalism point of view. The specific theory I will emphasize is Critical Theory which arises from the Frankfurt School of philosophical deliberation. The question becomes how can the Critical Theory of globalism help to bring the liberation of globalization to all of humankind? The role of engineering in the rise of global structures is key to my concerns. Different kinds of engineering yield different ways of being global. I distinguish between Standard Engineering and Focal Engineering and the different kinds of engineering ethics arising from each of these. Then I conclude by offering a possible Global Engineering curriculum, unlike the traditional EE, ME, CE, etc. curricula, which addresses issues arising from a globalized world, issues like global warming and fossil fuel dependency. Such a curriculum will keep a solid first 2 years that will be similar to existing engineering curricula but incorporating a small subset of global ideas. Then the upper-division will be where the differences dominate, focusing on real global problems like world hunger and environmental destruction. The upper-division will be steeped in ethics, an engineering ethics program that introduces process ethics (the ethics of the process, which stems largely from Kantian Deontology and Utilitarianism), virtue ethics (the ethics of the person), and material ethics (the ethics of the product). A systems approach will also be emphasized in this curriculum. Finally Focal Engineering will provide the ethos, the characteristic spirit of the global engineering culture.
Evolving Genotype to Phenotype Mappings with a Multiple-Chromosome Genetic Algorithm

This paper presents an evolutionary coding method that maps genotype to phenotype in a genetic algorithm. Unlike traditional genetic algorithms, the proposed algorithm involves mating and reproduction of cells that have multiple chromosomes instead of single chromosomes. The algorithm also evolves the mapping from genotype to phenotype rather than using a fixed mapping that is associated with one particular encoding method. The genotype-to-phenotype mapping is conjectured to explicitly capture important schema information. Some empirical results are presented to demonstrate the efficacy of the algorithm with some GA-Hard problems.
Paleolimnology: Use of Siliceous Structures of Chrysophytes as Biological Indicators in Freshwater Systems

Anatomy of the Siliceous Cell Covering Cyst Structure and Morphology Distribution of Chrysophytes along Environmental Gradients and their use as Paleolimnological Indicators Keywords: algae, use as biological indicators in paleolimnology; climate change, use of chrysophytes as indicators of; chrysophytes; siliceous structures of chrysophytes; paleoecology; paleolimnology
Histone chaperone Anp32e removes H2A.Z from DNA double-strand breaks and promotes nucleosome reorganization and DNA repair

The repair of DNA double-strand breaks (DSBs) requires open, flexible chromatin domains. The NuA4–Tip60 complex creates these flexible chromatin structures by exchanging histone H2A.Z onto nucleosomes and promoting acetylation of histone H4. Here, we demonstrate that the accumulation of H2A.Z on nucleosomes at DSBs is transient, and that rapid eviction of H2A.Z is required for DSB repair. Anp32e, an H2A.Z chaperone that interacts with the C-terminal docking domain of H2A.Z, is rapidly recruited to DSBs. Anp32e functions to remove H2A.Z from nucleosomes, so that H2A.Z levels return to basal within 10 min of DNA damage. Further, H2A.Z removal by Anp32e disrupts inhibitory interactions between the histone H4 tail and the nucleosome surface, facilitating increased acetylation of histone H4 following DNA damage. When H2A.Z removal by Anp32e is blocked, nucleosomes at DSBs retain elevated levels of H2A.Z, and assume a more stable, hypoacetylated conformation. Further, loss of Anp32e leads to increased CtIP-dependent end resection, accumulation of single-stranded DNA, and an increase in repair by the alternative nonhomologous end joining pathway. Exchange of H2A.Z onto the chromatin and subsequent rapid removal by Anp32e are therefore critical for creating open, acetylated nucleosome structures and for controlling end resection by CtIP. Dynamic modulation of H2A.Z exchange and removal by Anp32e reveals the importance of the nucleosome surface and nucleosome dynamics in processing the damaged chromatin template during DSB repair.
An Integrated, Full-Range Surge Control/Rotating Stall Avoidance Compressor Control System

In this paper we present an integrated compressor control scheme capable of achieving simultaneous surge control and rotating stall avoidance over the full range of compressor operation. The approach adopted in this paper is based on a combination of closed-loop feedback control and open-loop feedforward control of throttle valve area. The feedback control is based on a compressor mass fiow measurment. The feedforward control is based on measuremets of inlet and outlet pressure and temperature. Both the feedback and feedforward controller parameters are continuously scheduled as a function of nominal operating conditions. This approach achieves simultaneous surge control and rotating stall avoidance, over the full range of compressor operation, in the face of i) inlet and outlet pressure and temperature disturbances, and ii) variations in the demanded values of both compressor speed and mass flow. Alternative approaches involving plenum pressure feedback, widely reported in literature, are shown to posess inherent performance limitations not possessed by the mass flow feedback scheme presented here.
Artificial computer-assisted international negotiation: a tool for research and practice

We propose a Web-based computer-assisted tool for diagnosing progress in international negotiations. The system is based on a general linear model. Innovative features of the program include branching and flipper question to account for the need to address different types of negotiation processes.
Long-range cortical synchronization without concomitant oscillations in the somatosensory system of anesthetized cats.

To determine whether neuronal oscillations are essential for long-range cortical synchronization in the somatosensory system, we characterized the incidence and response properties of gamma range oscillations (20–80 Hz) among pairs of synchronized neurons in primary (SI) and secondary (SII) somatosensory cortex. Synchronized SI and SII discharges, which occurred within a 3 msec period, were detected in 13% (80 of 621) of single-unit pairs and 25% (29 of 118) of multiunit pairs. Power spectra derived from the auto-correlation histograms (ACGs) revealed that ∼15% of the neurons forming synchronized pairs were characterized by oscillations. Although 24% of the synchronized neuron pairs (19/80) were characterized by oscillations in one or both neurons, only 1% (1/80) of these pairs displayed oscillations at the same frequency in both neurons. Similar results were observed among pairs of multiunit responses. When single-trial responses were analyzed, the vast majority of responses still did not exhibit oscillations in the gamma frequency range. These results suggest that separate populations of cortical neurons can be bound together without being constrained by the phase relationships defined by specific oscillatory frequencies.
Proliferation of dental follicle-derived cell populations in heat-stress conditions.

Objectives Isolation and purification of adult stem cells (ASC) are a great challenge. Our objectives were to determine if ASC are more heat-tolerant than non-stem cells, and to explore if ASC can be enriched by heat-stress treatments.
The Cultural Context of Health, Illness, and Medicine by Elisa J. Sobo and Martha O. Loustaunau

Elisa J. Sobo and Martha O. Loustaunau bring an integrated perspective to the socio-cultural study of health and illness in their book The Cultural Context of Health, Illness, and Medicine. The aut...