cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Void and landmine detection using the HFEMI sensor

Buried threats such as Improvised Explosive Devices (IEDs) and UneXploded Ordnance (UXO) can be composed of different materials including metal, carbon fiber, carbon rods, and nonconducting material such as wood, rubber, fuel oil, and plastic. Electromagnetic induction (EMI) instruments have been traditionally used to detect high electric conductivity discrete targets such as metal UXO. The frequencies used for this EMI regime have typically been less than 100 kHz. To detect intermediate conductivity objects like carbon fiber, higher frequencies up to the low megahertz range are required in order to capture characteristic relaxation responses. Nonconducting voids in an otherwise conducting background medium like soil channel currents around the void. These channeling currents exhibit relaxation responses similar to conducting targets but with a much higher frequency response. Nonconducting plastic landmines can be considered a void plus small metallic parts such as the firing pin, and a characteristic relaxation response due to both the void and the metal parts can be obtained which can reduce false alarms from EMI instruments that detect only the metal. To predict EMI phenomena at frequencies up to 15MHz, we modeled the response of conducting and nonconducting targets using the Method of Auxiliary Sources. Our high-frequency electromagnetic induction (HFEMI) instrument is able to acquire EMI data at frequencies up to that same high limit. Modeled and measured characteristic relaxation signatures compare favorably and indicate new sensing possibilities in a variety of scenarios including the detection of voids and landmines.
Reply to “Comment on ‘Particle path through a nested Mach-Zehnder interferometer' ”

While much of the technical analysis in the preceding Comment [1] is correct, in the end it confirms the conclusion reached in my previous work [2]: a consistent histories analysis provides no support for the claim of counterfactual quantum communication put forward in [3]
Biochemical characterization of rice xylan O -acetyltransferases

Rice xylan is predominantly monoacetylated at O-2 and O-3, and 14 rice DUF231 proteins were demonstrated to be xylan acetyltransferases. Acetylated xylans are the principal hemicellulose in the cell walls of grass species. Because xylan acetylation impedes the conversion of cellulosic biomass into biofuels, knowledge on acetyltransferases catalyzing xylan acetylation in grass species will be instrumental for a better utilization of grass biomass for biofuel production. Xylan in rice (Oryza sativa) is predominantly monoacetylated at O-2 and O-3 with a total degree of acetylation of 0.19. In this report, we have characterized 14 rice DUF231 proteins (OsXOAT1 to OsXOAT14) that are phylogenetically grouped together with Arabidopsis xylan acetyltransferases ESK1 and its close homologs. Complementation analysis demonstrated that the expression of OsXOAT1 to OsXOAT7 in the Arabidopsis esk1 mutant was able to rescue its defects in 2-O- and 3-O-monoacetylation and 2,3-di-O-acetylation. Activity assay of recombinant proteins revealed that all 14 OsXOATs exhibited acetyltransferase activities capable of transferring acetyl groups from acetyl-CoA to the xylohexaose acceptor with 10 of them having high activities. Structural analysis of the OsXOAT-catalyzed products showed that the acetylated structural units consisted mainly of 2-O- and 3-O-monoacetylated xylosyl residues with a minor amount of 2,3-di-O-acetylated xylosyl units, which is consistent with the acetyl substitution pattern of rice xylan. Further kinetic studies revealed that OsXOAT1, OsXOAT2, OsXOAT5, OsXOAT6 and OsXOAT7 had high affinity toward the xylohexaose acceptor. Our results provide biochemical evidence indicating that OsXOATs are acetyltransferases involved in xylan acetylation in rice.
Predictors of Viewing Online Extremism Among America’s Youth:

Exposure to hate material is related to a host of negative outcomes. Young people might be especially vulnerable to the deleterious effects of such exposure. With that in mind, this article examines factors associated with the frequency that youth and young adults, ages 15 to 24, see material online that expresses negative views toward a social group. We use an online survey of individuals recruited from a demographically balanced sample of Americans for this project. Our analysis controls for variables that approximate online routines, social, political, and economic grievances, and sociodemographic traits. Findings show that spending more time online, using particular social media sites, interacting with close friends online, and espousing political views online all correlate with increased exposure to online hate. Harboring political grievances is likewise associated with seeing hate material online frequently. Finally, Whites are more likely than other race/ethnic groups to be exposed to online hate f...
Sample-to-sample correspondence for unsupervised domain adaptation

Abstract The assumption that training and testing samples are generated from the same distribution does not always hold for real-world machine-learning applications. The procedure of tackling this discrepancy between the training (source) and testing (target) domains is known as domain adaptation. We propose an unsupervised version of domain adaptation that considers the presence of only unlabelled data in the target domain. Our approach centres on finding correspondences between samples of each domain. The correspondences are obtained by treating the source and target samples as graphs and using a convex criterion to match them. The criteria used are first-order and second-order similarities between the graphs as well as a class-based regularization. We have also developed a computationally efficient routine for the convex optimization, thus allowing the proposed method to be used widely. To verify the effectiveness of the proposed method, computer simulations were conducted on synthetic, image classification and sentiment classification datasets. Results validated that the proposed local sample-to-sample matching method out-performs traditional moment-matching methods and is competitive with respect to current local domain-adaptation methods.
Characterization of an asymmetric M(chelate)2(μ-Cl)2MCl2 dimer and isolation of corresponding DMSO adducts: X-ray crystal structures of Co(phen)2(μ-Cl)2CoCl2.C4H8O and M(chelate)Cl2(DMSO)x(Co, x = 1; Ni, x = 2) complexes

In aqueous solution, [M(chelate)Cl2]x (chelate = 2,2′-bipyridine, 1,10-phenanthroline) complexes can disproportionate to produce M(chelate)2 n+ species that contain two chelating ligands. After extraction with organic solvent,Co(phen)2(μ-Cl)2CoCl2(1) has been characterized by X-ray diffraction (monoclinic, C2/c, a = 10.278(2)A, b = 22.026(5)A, c = 12.941(3)A, β = 103.959(4)°, Z = 4, 2414 reflections [I ≥ 2σ (I)], R 1 = 0.0321, wR 2 = 0.0864). However, addition of [M(chelate)Cl2]x starting materials to dimethyl sulfoxide produces complexes that retain a single chelate ligand. The pentacoordinate complex Co(bpy)Cl2DMSO (2) has been structurally characterized (triclinic, P $${\bar 1}$$ , a = 7.824(2)A, b = 9.570(4)A, c = 10.025(2)A, α = 83.24(3)°, β = 87.14(2)°, γ = 83.35(3)°, Z = 2, 2455 reflections [I ≥ 2σ (I)], R 1 = 0.0278, wR 2 = 0.0747). In the case of nickel, two different geometric isomers are observed, depending on the chelate identity: trans-(DMSO)2Ni(bpy)Cl2⋅ DMSO (3) (monoclinic, P21/c, a = 10.9149(8)A, b = 12.1287(9)A, c = 17.0044(13)A, β = 98.610(1)°, Z = 4,3519 reflections [I ≥ 2σ (I)], R 1 = 0.0209, wR 2 = 0.0560) and cis-(DMSO)2Ni(phen)Cl2 (4) (monoclinic, P21/c, a = 8.404(2)A, b = 14.051(4)A, c = 16.710(4)A, β = 92.44(3)°, Z = 4, 3069 reflections [I ≥ 2σ (I)], R 1 = 0.0691, wR 2 = 0.1782).
The Fortunes of Incommensurability

Patrick Aidan Heelan was born, very romantically, in the 1066 and All That sense of being romantically born, on St. Patrick’s Day in Dublin in 1926, as the second son of a mathematically gifted Flemish mother, Pauline Beirens, who had been sent from her native Antwerp to a convent school in Ireland, where she eventually met Matthew Henry Heelan, who, in addition to holding all the posts that are usually all we are told of a father’s life, also had gifts that left a lasting impression on his family, including a passion for music, for sailing, and for roses, and who, together with his wife, raised his family, two sons, Louis† and Patrick, and a daughter, Esther, where they all grew up in a small stone house that stood on a parcel of land that ran directly to the sea, near Sandycove, in full view of the Martello Tower, not too far in space or in time from the Dublin we tend best to know from James Joyce.
K-Sense: Towards a Kinematic Approach for Measuring Human Energy Expenditure

Accurate energy expenditure monitoring will be an essential part of medical diagnosis in the future, enabling individually-tailored just-in-time interventions. However, there are currently no real-time monitors that are practical for continuous daily use. In this paper, we introduce the K-Sense energy expenditure monitor that uses inertial measurement units (IMUs) mounted to an individual's wrist and ankle with elastic bands to determine angular velocity and position. The system utilizes kinematics to determine the amount of energy required for each limb to achieve its current movement. Our empirical evaluation includes over 3,000,000 individual data samples across 12 individuals and the results indicate that the system can estimate total energy expenditure with a 92 percent accuracy on average.
Speaking well: The benevolent public and rhetorical production of neoliberal political economy:

This essay shows how race and gender are central to the rhetorical production of neoliberal political economy. It examines how the mainstream and feminist-appearing movement for girls’ empowerment ...
Dermatology hospitalists: a multicenter survey study characterizing the infrastructure of consultative dermatology in select American hospitals.

Background Although considered an outpatient specialty, dermatology plays an important role in inpatient medicine. We characterized the activity and structure of dermatology consultation services in select U.S. hospitals. Methods In this cross sectional study, a 31-question survey was distributed in person to 32 board-certified dermatologists at the 2017 Society of Dermatology Hospitalists meeting. Results Thirty participants completed the survey (yield 93.8%). Most dermatology hospitalists spend 41-52 weeks on service (50%), with 37% spending between 11 and 30 weeks. Coverage was organized by continuous weeks (68%) or months (21%). While on service, hospitalists staffed an average of 4 outpatient clinics per week. Consultative teams also included internal medicine residents (43%), medical students (47%), pediatric residents (10%), and fellows from other specialties (27%). Consultation services saw approximately 3.7 new inpatients and 4.2 follow-up inpatients per day, with daily rounds lasting approximately 2.6 hours. Conclusions The results suggest that hospital dermatologists in the U.S. consider inpatient care their niche and devote a majority of their time staffing consults over clinic. The diverse composition of inpatient teams and the number of academic duties held by these physicians suggests they play an important role in medical education.
Trends in utilization of hypofractionated whole breast irradiation (HF-WBI) in triple negative breast cancer (TNBC): a national cancer database (NCDB) analysis

We sought to identify trends over time with respect to the use of hypofractionated whole breast irradiation (HF-WBI) in women with triple negative breast cancer (TNBC) in the national cancer database (NCDB). Trends in utilization of HF-WBI in women diagnosed with T1-2N0 TNBC in the NCDB between 2008 and 2013 were analyzed. Case-matched luminal A women were used for comparison. Variables included age, race, year of diagnosis, insurance status, income quartile, receipt of neoadjuvant chemotherapy, and institution (academic vs. community). Chi square, logistic regression, and multivariate analysis was performed. Utilization of HF-WBI among the 53,269 TNBC women identified steadily increased from 4.7% in 2008 to 14.0% in 2013 for women with TNBC compared to luminal A cancer whose utilization increased from 7.3 to 23.3% over the same time frame (p < 0.001). On univariate analysis, HF-WBI was associated with increasing age (p < 0.001), Medicare insurance (p < 0.001), race (p = 0.041), diagnosis after 2011 (p < 0.001), higher income quartile (p < 0.001), and treatment at academic institutions (p < 0.001). On multivariate analysis, age (p < 0.001, OR 1.038 per year), income quartile (p = 0.002, OR 1.061 per increase in quartile), treatment at an academic institution (p < 0.001, OR 1.78) significantly increased use of HF-WBI. Treatment at an academic center and year of diagnosis were most correlated with increased HF-WBI in T1-2N0 TNBC women in the NCDB from 2008 to 2013, followed by increasing age and income. Only 14% of T1-2N0 TNBC women received HF-WBI in 2013. Focus on increased utilization is needed for non-academic centers, lower income, and younger women.
Unsupervised Data Imputation via Variational Inference of Deep Subspaces.

A wide range of systems exhibit high dimensional incomplete data. Accurate estimation of the missing data is often desired, and is crucial for many downstream analyses. Many state-of-the-art recovery methods involve supervised learning using datasets containing full observations. In contrast, we focus on unsupervised estimation of missing image data, where no full observations are available - a common situation in practice. Unsupervised imputation methods for images often employ a simple linear subspace to capture correlations between data dimensions, omitting more complex relationships. In this work, we introduce a general probabilistic model that describes sparse high dimensional imaging data as being generated by a deep non-linear embedding. We derive a learning algorithm using a variational approximation based on convolutional neural networks and discuss its relationship to linear imputation models, the variational auto encoder, and deep image priors. We introduce sparsity-aware network building blocks that explicitly model observed and missing data. We analyze proposed sparsity-aware network building blocks, evaluate our method on public domain imaging datasets, and conclude by showing that our method enables imputation in an important real-world problem involving medical images. The code is freely available as part of the \verb|neuron| library at this http URL.
The Mediterranean Diet in the Stroke Belt: A Cross-sectional Study on Adherence and Perceived Knowledge, Barriers, and Benefits (P18-066-19).

The Mediterranean diet (MD) is recommended by the current Dietary Guidelines for Americans, yet little is known about the diet in the US, particularly in areas of high chronic disease. Thus, we investigated MD adherence and perceived benefits and barriers to consumption of the MD in the US Stroke Belt. A survey containing 44 validated MD knowledge, barriers, and benefits (KBB) questions, a validated 14-question MD adherence screener, 7 questions based on the Precaution Adoption Model (stages of change), and 7 demographic/anthropometric questions was distributed systematically to US residents using Amazon Mechanical Turk. Responses from the Stroke Belt (SB; n = 304), California (CA; n = 489), and all other US states (OtherUS; n = 439) were obtained. The CA group served as the reference group. A linear model was used to assess KBB question scores in the groups (Model 1), adjusted for sex and age (Model 2), and all other demographic variables (Model 3). Multivariable linear regression analysis was used to assess the differences in total MD adherence scores between the groups adjusted for all covariates. Simple logistic regression for having heard of the MD with demographic variables was examined. Statistical analyses were conducted in R v3.5.2. Barriers on MD knowledge, convenience, sensory factors, and health and familiarity with the MD diet were significantly greater in the SB group, but not the OtherUS group, in all models (P < 0.05). Weight loss was found to be a significantly greater benefit in the SB group in all models (P < 0.05). For each point increase in MD adherence, a reduction in 0.32 and 0.48 points (P < 0.05) was observed in the SB and otherUS groups, respectively. In the full cohort, the odds for participants having heard of the MD prior to taking the survey significantly increased 12.50 times (95%CI, 2.56–226) for 65–74 year olds. The odds were also significantly increased (OR 1.68; 95%CI, 1.13–2.47 and OR 2.47; 95%CI, 1.45–4.32) for those with Bachelor's and Master's or professional degrees, respectively, while no significant differences were found with sex or race. Our results identify key barriers and benefits of the MD in the SB which can inform targeted MD intervention studies. USDA Hatch Funding Program (MWG) and Haggard Family Annual Award in Nutrition and Dietetics (OJ).
Pulsed electric field inactivation of microorganisms: from fundamental biophysics to synergistic treatments

The growth of antibiotic resistant microorganisms and the increasing demand for nonthermal antimicrobial treatment in the food and beverage industry motivates research into alternative inactivation methods. Pulsed electric fields (PEFs) provide an athermal method for inactivating microorganisms by creating nanometer-sized membrane pores in microorganisms, inducing cell death when the PEF duration and intensity are sufficient such that the pores cannot reseal after the PEFs through a process referred to as irreversible electroporation. While PEF inactivation has been studied for several decades, recent studies have focused on extending the technique to various liquids in the food industry and optimizing microorganism inactivation while minimizing adverse effects to the treated sample. This minireview will assess the biophysical mechanisms and theory of PEF-induced cellular interactions and summarize recent advances in applying this technology for microorganism inactivation alone and synergistically in combination with other technologies, including temperature, pressure, natural ingredients, and pharmaceuticals.
Online Planning for Target Object Search in Clutter under Partial Observability

The problem of finding and grasping a target object in a cluttered, uncertain environment, target object search, is a common and important problem in robotics. One key challenge is the uncertainty of locating and recognizing each object in a cluttered environment due to noisy perception and occlusions. Furthermore, the uncertainty in localization makes manipulation difficult and uncertain. To cope with these challenges, we formulate the target object search task as a partially observable Markov decision process (POMDP), enabling the robot to reason about perceptual and manipulation uncertainty while searching. To further address the manipulation difficulty, we propose Parameterized Action Partially Observable Monte-Carlo Planning (PA-POMCP), an algorithm that evaluates manipulation actions by taking into account the effect of the robot’s current belief on the success of the action execution. In addition, a novel run-time initial belief generator and a state value estimator are introduced in this paper to facilitate the PA-POMCP algorithm. Our experiments show that our methods solve the target object search task in settings where simpler methods either take more object movements or fail.
Optic Nerve Traction During Adduction in Open Angle Glaucoma with Normal versus Elevated Intraocular Pressure.

Purpose/Aim: We used magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) to investigate effects of intraocular pressure (IOP), race, and other factors on optic nerve (ON) traction in adduction, a phenomenon proposed ...
Corporate Meltdowns Caused by Compensatory Stock Options

Tax contributes to high-risk investments that cause meltdowns when the high risk turns into losses. This proposal would end the exemption of compensatory stock options from the section 162(m) $1 million limit on compensation deductions. A CEO with stock options has an incentive to increase the volatility of corporate assets, because an option holder participates in gains but does not share in the losses from volatile corporate assets. However, high-risk investments hurt outside parties when they collapse. In some cases, the government has had to pay bailouts to prevent further economic meltdown. It is far better not to induce high risk in the first place. This proposal is made as a part of the Shelf Project, a collaboration among tax professionals to develop proposals to raise revenue by defending the tax base. It is intended to raise revenue without a VAT or a rate increase in ways that would improve the fairness, efficiency, and rationality of the tax system. The hard work needs to be done now to develop viable proposals. Shelf projects are intended to foreclose both 85 percent income rate and 60% national sales tax rates.
Transposing Lateral Flow Immunoassays to Capillary-Driven Microfluidics Using Self-Coalescence Modules and Capillary-Assembled Receptor Carriers.

Point-of-care (POC) immunodiagnostic tests play a crucial role in enabling rapid and correct diagnosis of diseases in prehospital care, emergency, and remote settings. In this work, we present a si...
If Not Now, When? An Absence of Neurocognitive and Postural Stability Deficits in Collegiate Athletes with One or More Concussions.

A history of concussion has been associated with decreased neurocognitive function and postural control. The purpose of our study was to compare neurocognitive function and postural control in coll...
The Influence of Predation on Primate and Early Human Evolution: Impetus for Cooperation

There have been many attempts to reconstruct the behavior and ecology of our earliest ancestors. The most common theory and the one that is widely accepted today is the “Man the Hunter” hypothesis. Cultural anthropologist Laura Klein expresses the current situation well: “While anthropologists argue in scientific meetings and journals, the general public receives its information from more popular sources … In many of these forums, the lesson of Man the Hunter has become gospel” (2004:10). However, this theory of early hominin behavior is still widely debated within the anthropological community and, as we will show, the evidence to support it remains controversial.
Insights into substrate-mediated assembly of the chloroplast TAT receptor complex

The Twin Arginine Transport (TAT) system translocates fully folded proteins across the thylakoid membrane in the chloroplast (cp) and the cytoplasmic membrane of bacteria. In chloroplasts, cpTAT transport is achieved by three components: Tha4, Hcf106, and cpTatC. Hcf106 and cpTatC function as the substrate recognition/binding complex while Tha4 is thought to play a significant role in forming the translocation pore. Recent studies challenged this idea by suggesting that cpTatC-Hcf106-Tha4 function together in the active translocase. Here, we have mapped the inter-subunit contacts of cpTatC-Hcf106 during the resting state and built a cpTatC-Hcf106 structural model based on our crosslinking data. In addition, we have identified a substrate-mediated reorganization of cpTatC-Hcf106 contact sites during active substrate translocation. The proximity of Tha4 to the cpTatC-Hcf106 complex was also identified. Our data suggest a model for cpTAT function in which the transmembrane helices of Hcf106 and Tha4 may each contact the fifth transmembrane helix of cpTatC while the insertion of the substrate signal peptide may rearrange the cpTatC-Hcf106-Tha4 complex and initiate the translocation event.
In-situ assessment of the effects of periphyton on the growth of Vallisneria americana

Abstract Proliferation of nuisance algae in aquatic ecosystems is an increasingly common, global problem that can be attributed to a broad suite of anthropogenic activities. One particular concern is that algae can shade rooted vascular plants, decrease their productivity, and, in extreme cases, cause mortality and a loss of the ecological services they provide. The loss of macrophytes in Florida’s iconic spring-fed systems is especially alarming. In the Chassahowitzka River, for example, increases in epiphytic algae correlated with reductions in the abundance of important macrophytes such as Vallisneria americana. However, the relationships between loads of epiphytic algae and associated periphyton and the growth of vascular plants have not been characterized adequately. Here, we quantified the effect of epiphytic algae and associated periphyton using direct, in-situ measurements of growth rates for V. americana. Periphytic loads ranged from 11 to 15,211 mg DM per shoot (0.08 to 32.37 mg DM cm−2 of leaf), and weekly growth rates ranged from 0 to 197 mg DM or 0 to 87 cm2 per shoot (0 to 94 mg DM or 0 to 39 cm2 per leaf). Data indicated that changes in the growth rates of V. americana were the consequences of combined stresses from environmental factors (e.g., light at the water’s surface and periphytic loads) and physiological factors (e.g., leaf age). Life spans were shorter and turnover rates were faster only when shoots were exposed to higher periphytic loads throughout their lives. Boundary analyses of data for growth of leaves identified a threshold of 4–5 mg DM cm−2 of leaf in full sunlight, with heavier periphytic loads considered detrimental, and that threshold indicated that 20%–26% of incident, full sunlight was the minimum light requirement for V. americana in the Chassahowitzka River. A threshold for periphytic loads represents a valuable indicator that complements data on water quality, and the method to calculate a threshold provides a valuable tool that can improve management of all aquatic systems where the effects of periphyton on macrophytes are of concern.
Probabilistic simulation of the human factor in structural reliability

A formal approach is described in an attempt to computationally simulate the probable ranges of uncertainties of the human factor in structural probabilistic assessments. A multi-factor interaction equation (MFIE) model has been adopted for this purpose. Human factors such as marital status, professional status, home life, job satisfaction, work load and health, are considered to demonstrate the concept. Parametric studies in conjunction with judgment are used to select reasonable values for the participating factors (primitive variables). Suitability of the MFIE in the subsequently probabilistic sensitivity studies are performed to assess the validity of the whole approach. Results obtained show that the uncertainties for no error range from five to thirty percent for the most optimistic case.
An Examination of Medicare's Current Design and an Alternative

Approaches to Medicare reform have generally avoided addressing the structural aspects of the program and have largely focused on adjustments to improve program efficiency. Medicares central features, such as its operation as a publicly run, community-rated insurance plan and its financing via tax transfers from working-age households to retirees and disabled individuals, have left the longterm solvency of the program vulnerable to demographic pressures. This paper examines how these basic characteristics of Medicare have resulted in alarming unfunded liabilities and proposes reforms that would substantially restructure the program. These proposed reforms include combining the various Medicare benefit programs into one rationalized insurance product entirely funded by a Medicare payroll tax, allowing premiums to vary based on lifetime earnings and coverage preference, and facilitating savings for healthcare premiums and costs in retirement. While reforms of this nature are politically ambitious and will require an extended timetable for implementation, such changes would transform Medicare into a program that is more sustainable, more consistent with stronger economic growth, less burdensome on workers, and less distorting of the US healthcare system than it is today.
Dietary transition among Sub-Saharan Africa women post-immigration and during pregnancy.

Black immigrant women experience high risks for maternal complications, and some of these complications are related to dietary outcomes. This study aimed to explore Sub-Saharan African (SSA) pregna...
Phage Cocktail Development for Bacteriophage Therapy: Toward Improving Spectrum of Activity Breadth and Depth.

Phage therapy is the use of bacterial viruses as antibacterial agents. A primary consideration for commercial development of phages for phage therapy is the number of different bacterial strains that are successfully targeted, as this defines the breadth of a phage cocktail’s spectrum of activity. Alternatively, phage cocktails may be used to reduce the potential for bacteria to evolve phage resistance. This, as we consider here, is in part a function of a cocktail’s ‘depth’ of activity. Improved cocktail depth is achieved through inclusion of at least two phages able to infect a single bacterial strain, especially two phages against which bacterial mutation to cross resistance is relatively rare. Here, we consider the breadth of activity of phage cocktails while taking both depth of activity and bacterial mutation to cross resistance into account. This is done by building on familiar algorithms normally used for determination solely of phage cocktail breadth of activity. We show in particular how phage cocktails for phage therapy may be rationally designed toward enhancing the number of bacteria impacted while also reducing the potential for a subset of those bacteria to evolve phage resistance, all as based on previously determined phage properties.
The classification of dwarf mistletoes (Arceuthobium spp., Viscaceae) in section Campylopoda, series Campylopoda

The taxonomic classification of dwarf mistletoes (Arceuthobium spp., Viscaceae) is complicated due to their reduced morphology, requiring the integration of not only morphology but also phenology, ...
Data-Driven Abstractions for Robots With Stochastic Dynamics

This article describes the construction of stochastic, data-based discrete abstractions for uncertain random processes continuous in time and space. Motivated by the fact that modeling processes often introduce errors which interfere with the implementation of control strategies, here the abstraction process proceeds in reverse: the methodology does not abstract models; rather it models abstractions. Specifically, it first formalizes a template for a family of stochastic abstractions, and then fits the parameters of that template to match the dynamics of the underlying process and ground the abstraction. The article also shows how the parameter-fitting approach can be implemented based on a probabilistic model validation approach which draws from randomized algorithms, and results in a discrete abstract model which is approximately simulated by the actual process physics, at a desired confidence level. In this way, the models afford the implementation of symbolic control plans with probabilistic guarantees at a desired level of fidelity.
Active microelectronic DNA arrays for genomic and nanofabrication applications

Microelectronic DNA arrays have been developed for point mutation, single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP), short tandem repeats (STRs) and gene expression analysis. In addition to a variety of molecular biology and genomic research applications, such devices will also be used for infectious disease detection, genetic and cancer diagnostics; forensic and genetic identification; on-chip DNA/RNA amplification and pharmacogenomic applications. These microelectronic array devices are able to produce defined electric fields on their surfaces that allows charged molecules and other entities to be transported to or from any test-site or microlocation on the planar surface of the device. These molecules and entities include DNA, RNA, proteins, enzymes, antibodies, cells, nanoparticles, and even micron scale semiconductor devices. Microelectronic arrays have been developed with 25, 100, 400, 1200, 1600, and 10,000 microlocations (test sites) that can range in size from 30 microns, to 80 microns. The microelectronic chip or array device is incorporated into a cartridge package that provides the electronic, optical, and fluidic interfacing. A complete instrument system provides a chip loader, fluorescent reader; and computer interface and data display screen. In addition to the genomic and diagnostic applications, microelectronic array technology may ultimately lead to nanofabrication processes for the controlled manipulation and heterogeneous integration of molecular scale, nanoscale and microscale components.
Insight into Amyloid Structure Using Chemical Probes

Alzheimer's disease (AD) is a common neurodegenerative disorder characterized by the deposition of amyloids in the brain. One prominent form of amyloid is composed of repeating units of the amyloid-β (Aβ) peptide. Over the past decade, it has become clear that these Aβ amyloids are not homogeneous; rather, they are composed of a series of structures varying in their overall size and shape and the number of Aβ peptides they contain. Recent theories suggest that these different amyloid conformations may play distinct roles in disease, although their relative contributions are still being discovered. Here, we review how chemical probes, such as Congo red, thioflavin T and their derivatives, have been powerful tools for the better understanding of amyloid structure and function. Moreover, we discuss how design and deployment of conformationally selective probes might be used to test emerging models of AD.
Das Bankwesen in der Bundesrepublik Deutschland

Die Deutsche Bundesbank ist 1957 durch Verschmelzung der Landeszentralbanken und der Berliner Zentralbank mit der Bank deutscher Lander entstanden. Die Bank deutscher Lander wurde Deutsche Bundesbank.
The HIV-1 Vpr and glucocorticoid receptor complex is a gain of function interaction that prevents the nuclear localization of PARP-1.

The Vpr protein of HIV-1 functions as a vital accessory gene by regulating various cellular functions including cell differentiation, apoptosis, NF-κB suppression and cell cycle arrest of the host cell. Several reports have suggested that Vpr complexes with the glucocorticoid receptor (GR), but it remains unclear whether the GR pathway is required for Vpr's effects. Here we report that Vpr utilizes the GR pathway as a recruitment vehicle for the NF-κB coactivating protein Poly(ADP-Ribose) Polymerase-1 (PARP-1). The glucocorticoid receptor interaction with Vpr is both necessary and sufficient to facilitate this interaction by potentiating the formation of a Vpr/GR/PARP-1 complex. The recruitment of PARP-1 by the Vpr/GR complex prevents its nuclear localization, which is necessary for Vpr to suppress NF-κB. The association of GR with PARP-1 is not observed with steroid (glucocorticoid) treatment, suggesting that the GR association with PARP-1 is a gain of function solely attributed to HIV-1 Vpr. These data provide important insight into Vpr biology and its role in HIV pathogenesis.
Magnetic Ion–Carrier Interactions in Quantum Dots

In this theoretical chapter, cylindrically shaped quantum dots are the center of attention. It is shown that sp − d interaction does depend on exact position of the magnetic atoms in the dot and that the interaction strength changes when the dots are charged. Many body aspects of the carriers are, thus, of an importance for a discussion presented here. The dependence of sp − d interaction on location of Mn and on charge state of the dot is also shown to influence the indirect coupling between magnetic ions mediated by charge carriers.
Cutting edge : coordinate regulation of IFN regulatory factor-1 and the polymeric Ig receptor by proinflammatory cytokines

The polymeric IgR (pIgR) mediates transcytosis of IgA across epithelial barriers of mucous membranes and exocrine glands. Synthesis of pIgR is up-regulated by the proinflammatory cytokines TNF-alpha, IFN-gamma, and IL-1 in HT-29 human colon carcinoma cells. We previously reported that IFN-gamma and TNF-alpha induce production of the transcription factor IFN regulatory factor-1 (IRF-1) in HT-29 cells and that IRF-1 binds to an element in exon 1 of the PIGR gene. We now report that levels of IRF-1 and pIgR mRNA are coordinately regulated in HT-29 cells by TNF-alpha, IFN-gamma, and IL-1beta. Furthermore, we demonstrate that in vivo expression of pIgR mRNA is greatly depressed in the intestine and liver of IRF-1-deficient mice. Our findings indicate a major role for the IRF-1 transcription factor in regulation of the PIGR gene and suggest a model for regulation of important genes in the mucosal immune system by proinflammatory cytokines.
Effects of irradiation temperature on Charpy and tensile properties of high-copper, low upper-shelf, submerged-arc welds

This paper presents analyses of the Charpy impact and tensile test data, including adjustments for irradiation temperature and fluence normalization which make possible comparison of the irradiation sensitivity of the different welds. Analyses revealed dependence of yield and ultimate strength on irradiation temperature {minus}0.8 MPA/{degrees}C, respectively. Similarly, the Charpy impact energy changes due to irradiation temperature were {minus}0.5{degrees}C/{degrees}C for transition shift and {minus}0.05 J/{degrees}C for upper-shelf energy decrease. After adjustment to an irradiation temperature of 288{degrees}C and normalization to a fluence of 8 {times} 10{sup 18} neutrons/cm{sup 2} percentage increases in yield strength due to irradiation ranged from about 21 to 35% while those for ultimate strength ranged from about 13 to 20%. The Charpy transition temperature shifts ranged from 59 to 123{degrees}C while the postirradiation upper-shelf energies ranged from 58 to 79 J.
Motivating Adult Children to Provide Support to a Family Caregiver

This study compared altruistically and egoistically framed messages for encouraging adult children to support a parent providing care for an elderly relative. Undergraduate students imagined their mother filling a caregiving role while reading a message about family caregiving and the physical and psychological stresses it involves. The message encouraged participants to support the caregiver either for altruistic (other-oriented) or egoistic (self-oriented) reasons. Thereafter, participants completed self-assessment surveys of attachment style and willingness to provide support. Securely attached (less self-oriented) participants were not differentially influenced by the two messages. However, insecurely attached (more self-oriented) participants were more willing to help if they received the egoistic message than if they received the altruistic message. Thus, knowledge of a family member's attachment style can be useful for selecting an appropriate method for encouraging caregiver support. Whereas the type of message used does not matter for securely attached individuals, an egoistically framed message may be more influential than an altruistically framed message among insecurely attached individuals. It is important that clinicians work with families to establish appropriate levels of individual commitment to caregiving responsibilities or supportive behaviours such that involvement is beneficial to the health of the caregiver, the care recipient and supporters.
Duality of the S-N fatigue curve caused by competing failure modes in a titanium alloy and the role of Poisson defect statistics

Abstract The mechanism of the duality of the S–N fatigue data (S is stress and N is cycles to failure) or the grouping of data into two distinct S–N curves as a result of two competing failure modes, occurring during fatigue of some α + β microstructures of the metastable beta-titanium alloy Ti–10V–2Fe–3Al, is quantitatively assessed in this research. The competing failure modes result in two separate fatigue curves in this material: one for failures from surface-nucleated cracks and the other for the subsurface-nucleated. The consequence of this behavior is that one can not predict exactly how a specimen or component would fail, regardless of the number of samples tested. This work discusses in detail the microstructural conditions that trigger this phenomenon in the titanium alloy studied. Based on Poisson defect statistics and Monte-Carlo simulations, it is shown that this phenomenon can arise from a Poisson spatial pattern of low populations of microscale defects. An interesting finding is that there should be a combination of average defect density and specimen area at which this phenomenon is observable in any material having sparsely populated and Poisson-distributed defects. The complete analysis presented here also helps to explain the duality of fatigue failures caused by competing failure modes observed in steels and superalloys.
Simulation Study of Hydraulic Fracturing Mechanism with Heterogeneous Material

first of all, this paper intensive studies the hydraulic fracturing mechanism of heterogeneous material resultant from the seepage – damage coupling, based on which, the coupled seepage and damage effects during hydraulic fracturing is investigated, and the difficulties of hydraulic fracturing study are how to determine failure modes and breakdown pressure. By using numerically testing method, the mechanical mechanism of hydraulic fracturing under asymmetric distribution of pore pressure with three holes, including fracture patterns, stress flied distribution, initial fracturing pressure and breakdown pressure, was studied by using the FSD model. According to the results of this research, crack extension direction of hydraulic fracturing is influenced not only by the local pore pressure around crack tip, but also by the gradient distribution of macro pore water pressure. The fracturing direction always propagates towards the regions of higher local pore pressure and breakdown pressure decreases with the increasing of local pore pressure. These results are well aggress with the results in the experiments. This research has important theoretical and engineering value. In engineering practice, we can use the porous asymmetric hydraulic fracturing technology to control the direction of crack propagation. Keywords: hydraulic fracturing; numerical simulation; heterogeneous material; asymmetrical
Modelling relative masseter force from surface electromyograms during mastication in non-human primates

Abstract The purpose was to analyse the relation between masseter electromyograms (EMGs) and relative masseter force during the power stroke of mastication. The electromyographic activity of the masseter was characterized by recording from bipolar surface electrodes placed over the superficial portion of the muscle; relative masseter force was estimated by characterizing surface bone strain along the lateral aspect of the zygomatic arch. The subjects were six adult macaques and one adult baboon. Masseter EMGs were quantified by r.m.s. analysis of the raw digitized EMG. The length of the time interval (the time constant) during which the r.m.s. values were calculated was repeatedly altered so as to determine which time constant was optimal for producing an EMG-derived waveform that best mimicked relative masseter force during the near-isometric phase of muscle contraction. The data indicate that between subjects this time constant varied from 35 to 72 ms, with an overall median of 42 ms and a grand mean of 49 ms. The use of a 42-ms time constant for all of the subjects resulted in an average latency between the masseter EMG waveform and relative masseter force of about 30 ms during the latter portion of the power stroke of mastication. This analysis provides, as a first approximation, an empirical basis for modelling relative jaw-muscle force using surface EMGs recorded during that portion of the power stroke of mastication when the jaw-closing muscles are contracting under near isometric conditions
Mass-coefficient tuning of phonon bands in crystalline complexes: raman spectra of 1,4-dihalonaphthalene:octafluoronaphthalene

Abstract Raman study of phonons in crystalline complexes of octafluoronaphthalene with 1,4-dibromonaphthalene, 1-bromo-4-chloronaphthalene and 1,4-dichloronaphthalene reveals that in crystalline complexes, mass-coefficient tuning (achieved by varying mass-coefficient differences of two components) changes the nature of phonon bands from coupled motions (both component participates) to decoupled motions.
The welfare effects of intergovernmental grants in an economy with independent jurisdictions

Abstract A general equilibrium model is presented of an economy where mobile and immobile households engage in decentralized market behavior and where immobile households control the expenditure and tax policy of each local government, subject to a local budget constraint. It is shown how central government grant policy (which is a formula with lump-sum, matching, and population elements) affects the general equilibrium of the system determined through market and local political decisions. The welfare effects of grants are discussed, with particular emphasis on distortions that may arise at lower levels of decision making that grants may be useful in (partially or completely) correcting.
From teaching-machine to automatic tutor: The changing man-machine interface

A steadily increasing fraction of human activities involves interacting with machines, and this interaction will become more sophisticated as more and more machines in our environment are controlled by computers. As the degree of sophistication of this interaction increases, its quality becomes more important. This is particularly true in computer-based education where a student is expected to learn something by interacting with a machine for an extended period of time.Quality of interaction has various aspects. The most obvious is the physical properties of the man-machine interface: to what extent does the machine allow the human senses of sight, sound, touch to come into play? Early teaching machines were at best suitable for rote training tasks in restricted applications. Only recently have computer terminals been developed whose physical properties make this interface suitable for computer-based education in a wide variety of subject areas. All indications are that rapid progress will continue, particularly in the important aspect of reduced costs.
Searching for Faint Companions to Nearby Stars with the Hubble Space Telescope

A search for faint companions (FC's) to selected stars within 5 pc of the Sun using the Hubble Space Telescope's Planetary Camera (PC) has been initiated. To assess the PC's ability to detect FCs, we have constructed both model and laboratory-simulated images and compared them to actual PC images. We find that the PC's point-spread function (PSF) is 3-4 times brighter over the angular range 2-5 sec than the PSF expected for a perfect optical system. Azimuthal variations of the PC's PSF are 10-20 times larger than expected for a perfect PSF. These variations suggest that light is scattered nonuniformly from the surface of the detector. Because the anomalies in the PC's PSF cannot be precisely simulated, subtracting a reference PSF from the PC image is problematic. We have developed a computer algorithm that identifies local brightness anomalies within the PSF as potential FCs. We find that this search algorithm will successfully locate FCs anywhere within the circumstellar field provided that the average pixel signal from the FC is at least 10 sigma above the local background. This detection limit suggests that a comprehensive search for extrasolar Jovian planets with the PC is impractical. However, the PC is useful for detecting other types of substellar objects. With a stellar signal of 10(exp 9) e(-), for example, we may detect brown dwarfs as faint as M(sub I) = 16.7 separated by 1 sec from alpha Cen A.