cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Comparative Analysis of Legionella pneumophila and Legionella micdadei Virulence Traits

While the majority of Legionnaire's disease has been attributed to Legionella pneumophila, Legionella micdadei can cause a similar infection in immunocompromised people. Consistent with its epidemiological profile, the growth of L. micdadei in cultured macrophages is less robust than that of L. pneumophila. To identify those features of the Legionella spp. which are correlated to efficient growth in macrophages, two approaches were taken. First, a phenotypic analysis compared four clinical isolates of L. micdadei to one well-characterized strain of L. pneumophila. Seven traits previously correlated with the virulence of L. pneumophila were evaluated: infection and replication in cultured macrophages, evasion of phagosome-lysosome fusion, contact-dependent cytotoxicity, sodium sensitivity, osmotic resistance, and conjugal DNA transfer. By nearly every measure, L. micdadei appeared less virulent than L. pneumophila. The surprising exception was L. micdadei 31B, which evaded lysosomes and replicated in macrophages as efficiently as L. pneumophila, despite lacking both contact-dependent cytopathicity and regulated sodium sensitivity. Second, in an attempt to identify virulence factors genetically, an L. pneumophila genomic library was screened for clones which conferred robust intracellular growth on L. micdadei. No such loci were isolated, consistent with the multiple phenotypic differences observed for the two species. Apparently, L. pneumophila and L. micdadei use distinct strategies to colonize alveolar macrophages, causing Legionnaire's disease.
Intestinal Helminths of the Wandering Grass Lizard, Cnemidophorus gramivagus (Squamata: Teiidae), from Brazil

Cnemidophorus gramivagus from Brazil was examined for helminths. Found were 1 species of Cestoda, Oochoristica freitasi, and 7 species of Nematoda, Amphibiocapillaria freitasilenti, Kentropyxia sauria, Oswaldocruzia vitti, Parapharyngodon senisfaciecaudus, Physaloptera retusa, Spinicauda spinicauda, and Acuariid gen. sp. Seven new host records are recorded. Cnemidophorus gramivagus and other South American teiids are parasitized by generalist helminths that also infect other lizard species. In contrast, North American teiid lizards host helminth species mainly restricted to members of the Teiidae.
Photoluminescence Studies of Si Quantum Dot Thin Film Materials

A laser ablation supersonic expansion source is used to deposit self-supporting thin films of agglomerated Si nanocrystallites. Average particle size is controlled through variation of deposition process parameters, including relative ablation pulse/gas valve timing and interaction channel length, as well as post-deposition processing steps, including repeated HF etch/oxide regrowth cycles, and oxidation furnace treatments. Films are characterized using photoluminescence (PL) emission spectroscopy. Clear spectral trends in the PL emission data point to a correlation between process parameter control, mean particle size, and peak PL wavelength. We conclude that quantum size effects play a critical role in defining the PL emission wavelength of Si nanocrystallites.
A Semantic QoS-Aware Discovery Framework for Web Services

Augmenting web services with explicit semantics forms the foundation of Service Oriented Architectures (SOAs) automation. As more and more Semantic Web Services (SWSs) are deployed, similar SWSs could have quite different quality-of-service (QoS) levels. The QoS-aware discovery becomes an important challenge. While some efforts try to solve it via Constraint Programming (CP), they suffer from the purely syntactic matchmaking method. Furthermore, the construction of constraints and the selection of services are completely dependent on the literal translation from QoS descriptions, which increase obstacles to actually apply CP. In this paper, we propose a semantic QoS-aware framework for SWSs discovery by combining the semantic matchmaking and CP. Initially, a QoS ontology is presented to define QoS data into service descriptions. Then the ontology reasoning is adopted to change previous syntactic matchmaking into a semantic way. Through confirming the compatibility of concepts, complex QoS conditions are solved as constraints and a selection algorithm is proposed to obtain the optimal offer. Finally, the prototype implementation of our framework is discussed and a SWSs discovery case is used to illustrate the comprehensive discovery process.
Current Concepts in Pediatric Philadelphia Chromosome-Positive Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia

The t(9;22)(q34;q11) or Philadelphia chromosome that creates a BCR-ABL1 fusion gene encoding for a chimeric BCR-ABL1 protein is present in 3-4% of pediatric acute lymphoblastic leukemia (Ph+ ALL), and about 25% of adult ALL cases. Prior to the advent of tyrosine kinase inhibitors (TKI), Ph+ ALL was associated with a very poor prognosis despite use of intensive chemotherapy and frequently hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT) in first remission. The development of TKIs revolutionized the therapy of Ph+ ALL. Addition of the first generation ABL1 class TKI imatinib to intensive chemotherapy dramatically increased survival for children with Ph+ ALL and established that many patients can be cured without HSCT. In parallel, the mechanistic understanding of Ph+ ALL expanded exponentially through careful mapping of pathways downstream of BCR-ABL1, the discovery of mutations in master regulators of B-cell development such as IKZF1 (Ikaros), PAX5 and EBF, the recognition of the complex clonal architecture of Ph+ ALL, and the delineation of genomic, epigenetic and signaling abnormalities contributing to relapse and resistance. Still, many important basic and clinical questions remain unanswered. Current clinical trials are testing second generation TKIs in patients with newly diagnosed Ph+ ALL. Neither the optimal duration of therapy nor the optimal chemotherapy backbone are currently defined. The role of HSCT in first remission and post-transplant TKI therapy also require further study. In addition, it will be crucial to continue to dig deeper into understanding Ph+ ALL at a mechanistic level, and translate findings into complementary targeted approaches. Expanding targeted therapies holds great promise to decrease toxicity and improve survival in this high risk disease, which provides a paradigm for how targeted therapies can be incorporated into treatment of other high risk leukemias.
A hypertext architecture for distributed decision-making across divergent cognitive topologies

Hypertext provides a method for transferring concepts across the differing cognitive topologies of a group of team members. The existence of a psychological topology is postulated, a topological space that is assumed to be a separable metric space. With this assumption, a network formed by a hypertext document residing on a single node of a local area network is shown to be an arbitrarily close approximation to the psychological environment for each team member. A hypertext document residing across several nodes, one for each team member, is then shown to be an effective method for transforming to fit each team member's cognitive space. >
Time and Change in the Landscapes of Jens Jensen

For Jens Jensen, the art of landscape design was a deliberate dance with time and change. In his book Siftings (1939), he described landscaping as ‘a composition of life that unfolds a mysterious b...
Polarization changes in partially coherent electromagnetic beams propagating through turbulent atmosphere

In this paper, we study the effects of turbulent atmosphere on the degree of polarization of a partially coherent electromagnetic beam, which propagates through it. The beam is described by a 2 × 2 cross-spectral density matrix and is assumed to be generated by a planar, secondary, electromagnetic Gaussian Schell-model source. The analysis is based on a recently formulated unified theory of coherence and polarization and on the extended Huygens–Fresnel principle. We study the behaviour of the degree of polarization in the intermediate zone, i.e. in the region of space where coherence properties of the beam and the atmospheric turbulence are competing. We illustrate the analysis by numerical examples.
Evaluation of the Potential Antimicrobial Resistance Transfer from a Multi-Drug Resistant Escherichia coli to Salmonella in Dairy Calves

Previous research conducted in our laboratory found a significant prevalence of multi-drug resistant (MDR) Salmonella and MDR Escherichia coli (MDR EC) in dairy calves and suggests that the MDR EC population may be an important reservoir for resistance elements that could potentially transfer to Salmonella. Therefore, the objective of the current research was to determine if resistance transfers from MDR EC to susceptible strains of inoculated Salmonella. The experiment utilized Holstein calves (approximately 3 weeks old) naturally colonized with MDR EC and fecal culture negative for Salmonella. Fecal samples were collected for culture of Salmonella and MDR EC throughout the experiment following experimental inoculation with the susceptible Salmonella strains. Results initially suggested that resistance did transfer from the MDR E. coli to the inoculated strains of Salmonella, with these stains demonstrating resistance to multiple antibiotics following in vivo exposure to MDR EC. However, serogrouping and serotyping results from a portion of the Salmonella isolates recovered from the calves post-challenge, identified two new strains of Salmonella; therefore transfer of resistance was not demonstrated under these experimental conditions.
Octupole states in 196 Pt(p,p'γ)

Possible octupole states in ${}^{196}\mathrm{Pt}$ were studied via the ${}^{196}\mathrm{Pt}{(p,p}^{\ensuremath{'}}\ensuremath{\gamma})$ reaction with 12.7 MeV protons. The results considerably strengthen the argument made previously that the low-energy octupole state in ${}^{196}\mathrm{Pt}$ is quite fragmented. Furthermore, one of the possible mixed symmetry states previously identified in this nucleus is observed in the present experiment, providing evidence that it has ${J}^{\ensuremath{\pi}}{=2}^{+}$.
State Space and ARMA Models

This chapter establishes the theoretical equivalence of time series model descriptions in terms of well-known ARMA models and less familiar Markovian (state space) models, introduces the notion of minimal dimensional models and the associated minimal dimensional state vectors, and presents several methods for putting models into state space forms in general and into the observable or observability canonical form in particular. Although econometricians and statisticians are perhaps less accustomed to the state space representation of time series, this representation is quite useful in building models of times series for the purposes of either forecasting or analyzing dynamic interdependence of components of the series.
Corticosteroid insensitivity in airway smooth muscle cells from severe asthma is dependent on stimulus and cytokine product

Background: Severe asthma is characterised by poor therapeutic response to corticosteroid (CS) therapy. We have previously demonstrated that airway smooth muscle (ASM) cells from severe asthma patients are more insensitive to CSs as demonstrated by its inhibition of TNFα-induced CCL11 release. Aims & Objectives: We determined whether this CS insensitivity is also observed with different stimuli using Poly(I:C) and TNFα, and with a wide range of cytokine/chemokine release panel. The response of ASM cells from severe asthmatics (n=15) was compared to those of non-severe asthmatics (n=7), idiopathic cough subjects (n=6) and healthy subjects (n=12). Methods: ASM cells were exposed to 10-8 M fluticasone propionate (FP) for 2 hrs, prior to overnight stimulation with either 1 μg/ml Poly(I:C) or 1 ng/ml TNFα. Supernatants were collected for 32-Plex assay by Luminex and cells were harvested for RNA extraction and transcriptomic analysis. Results: At baseline, CX3CL1, CCL11, CXCL8, and IL-6 release was lower in severe asthmatic ASM cells compared to those of healthy subjects. Conversely, EGF and MIP-1β release was higher. Poly(I:C) and/or TNFα induced the release of most analytes tested. FP did not affect Poly(I:C)-induced CXCL10 or CXCL8 release, whereas Poly(I:C)-induced GM-CSF, IL-6 and MIP-1α was significantly reduced by FP in severe asthmatic ASM cells. TNFα-induced CXCL8, CXCL10 and CX3CL1 release was not affected by FP. On the contrary, FP had a significant effect on TNFα-induced IL-6 and GRO release. Conclusion: A differential corticosteroid signature has been identified in severe asthma, which is stimulus and analyte-dependent.
In re Allentown: Does the Dissociation of a Member from an LLC Upon the Filing of a Bankruptcy Petition Violate the Automatic Stay Provisions of the U.S. Bankruptcy Code?

In the case of In re Allentown Ambassadors, Inc., the Bankruptcy Court for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania was called upon to determine whether the dissolution of an LLC on the bankruptcy of a member and the reconstitution of a new LLC whose members included all of the members of the dissolved LLC, except the bankrupt member, violated the automatic stay provisions of the Bankruptcy Code. The Allentown court declined to reach a conclusion on the merits of the case because the court treated the parties' contentions as motions for summary judgment and the parties had not provided sufficient facts to support an award of summary judgment. In reaching its conclusion, however, the court engaged in a lengthy analysis of the relevant Bankruptcy Code provisions and relevant state statutes and case law, thereby offering a framework for deciding the issue. Thus, the case offers some guidance concerning an important issue for LLCs and their members when a petition in bankruptcy is filed for an LLC member. The Allentown case may offer guidance for members of an LLC even if the applicable LLC statute does not require an LLC to dissolve on the bankruptcy of a member. Many LLC statutes provide that the bankruptcy of a member triggers the member's dissociation from the LLC. Dissociation is a term of art used by many LLC statutes to refer to a change in the relationship between a member and the LLC. In some cases, the dissociation of a member can terminate all of the rights and responsibilities that attach to a member's interest. In other cases, dissociation will result in the termination of a member's management rights (e.g., the right to participate in the management of LLC, vote on LLC matters, and exercise any of the rights of a member) but leave intact the member's economic rights (e.g., the right to share in the LLC's profits, losses, and distributions).
Point:Counterpoint: Alterations in airway smooth muscle phenotype do/do not cause airway hyperresponsiveness in asthma

#### Summary. Airway hyperresponsiveness and obstruction are cardinal features of asthma. Compelling evidence now suggests that the key features of asthma in part are due to intrinsic differences in airway smooth muscle (ASM) function. Inflammatory mediators alter ASM phenotype, which directly
Development of Flapping Wing Micro Air Vehicles -Design, CFD, Experiment and Actual Flight

In the paper, we discuss an approach we used to design flapping wing Micro Air Vehicles (MAV). The approach makes use of the conventional precision machining methods, such as Rapid Prototyping 3D printing, Electrical Discharge Machining and Laser Micromachining techniques, to manufacture the MAV parts. The current generation of MAV’s has a total weight of 10.8 grams (12.56 grams with one Camera) and a span of 20 cm and it can achieve a payload of around 3 grams. The MAV’s not only are capable of performing simple acrobatic maneuver in the air but also can hover in place with very little drift. We are in the process of redesigning the next generation of MAV’s, which not only offer a reduction in size but also make use of vision-based tracking technique to perform obstacle-avoidance flight adjustments.
Understanding Gender Based Violence: National and International Contexts edited by Nadia Aghtaie and Geetanjali Gangoli

Over the last three decades, gender violence has increasingly become recognized as a human rights issue, yet it continues to be pervasive in both developing and developed societies. Understanding G...
Heuristic search under quality and time bounds

Heuristic search is a central component of many important applications in AI including automated planning. While we can find optimal solutions to heuristic search problems, doing so may take hours or days. For practical applications, this is unacceptably slow, and we must rely on algorithms which find solutions of high, but not optimal, quality or ones which bound the time used directly. In my dissertation, I present and analyze algorithms for the following settings: quality bounded heuristic search and time bounded heuristic search. The central theme of my doctoral work will be that taking advantage of additional information can improve the performance of heuristic search algorithms.
The Role of Calcium and Cyclic AMP in PKD

ABSTRACT Cyclic AMP (cAMP)-driven mechanisms are central to the pathogenesis of polycystic kidney disease (PKD). Cyclic AMP stimulates both fluid secretion and cell proliferation, making abnormal cAMP-regulated pathways key targets for PKD therapy. The success of vasopressin receptor blockade in lowering cAMP levels and ameliorating disease in murine models of PKD and in a recent clinical trial, argues that cAMP-regulated mechanisms are fundamental to cyst formation and disease progression. This chapter focuses on why cAMP is important to the disease process, and how the primary abnormality in PKD is the abnormal response of cells to cAMP rather than high levels of cAMP per se. This abnormal cAMP response is a consequence of the calcium environment being disrupted in PKD from loss of polycystin function. We have identified signaling mechanisms by which decreased intracellular calcium levels can transform normal cells into PKD-like cells. By treating normal renal epithelial cells with calcium channel blockers it has been possible to de-repress B-Raf, allowing its activation by cAMP and subsequent MEK/ERK activation to stimulate cell proliferation. Autosomal dominant PKD (ADPKD) cells can also be switched back to a normal phenotype by raising intracellular calcium. The abnormal response to cAMP is made worse by mechanisms that further raise intracellular cAMP, causing cAMP to stimulate cyst-filling fluid secretion in a cystic fibrosis transmembrane conductance regulator (CFTR)-dependent fashion. The abnormal PKD-like phenotype is likely a result of misregulated gene expression as well as disruption of a number of signaling pathways and altered cell cycle control, all resulting in a change in the phenotypic state. It is hypothesized that disruption of the calcium/calcineurin/nuclear factor of activated T-cells (NFAT) pathway would contribute to this phenotypic change by altering gene expression, and activating and upregulating CDK4 causing loss of cell cycle control, events that would cause cyst initiation, and that would promote cyst growth and enlargement.
High efficiency transduction of chronic lymphocytic leukemia with adenovirus type 35

6612 Background: Adenovirus (Ad) vectors have been used extensively in genetic manipulation of cultured cells and gene therapy, with the group C Ad serotypes 2 and 5 being most widely used. The gro...
Effects of biological tissue structural anisotropy and anisotropy of magnetic susceptibility on the gradient echo MRI signal phase: theoretical background

Quantitative susceptibility mapping is a potentially powerful technique for mapping tissue magnetic susceptibility from gradient recalled echo (GRE) MRI signal phase. In this review, we present up-to-date theoretical developments in analyzing the relationships between GRE signal phase and the underlying tissue microstructure and magnetic susceptibility at the cellular level. Two important phenomena contributing to the GRE signal phase are at the focus of this review - tissue structural anisotropy (e.g. cylindrical axonal bundles in white matter) and magnetic susceptibility anisotropy. One of the most intriguing and challenging problems in this field is calculating the so-called Lorentzian contribution to the phase shift induced by the local environment - magnetized tissue structures that have dimensions smaller than the imaging voxel (e.g. cells, cellular components, blood capillaries). In this review, we briefly discuss a "standard" approach to this problem, based on introduction of an imaginary Lorentzian cavity, as well as a more recent method - the generalized Lorentzian tensor approach (GLTA) - that is based on a statistical approach and a direct solution of the magnetostatic Maxwell equations. The latter adequately accounts for both types of anisotropy: the anisotropy of magnetic susceptibility and the structural tissue anisotropy. In the GLTA the frequency shift due to the local environment is characterized by the Lorentzian tensor L^, which has a substantially different structure than the susceptibility tensor χ^. While the components of χ^ are compartmental susceptibilities "weighted" by their volume fractions, the components of L^ are weighted by specific numerical factors depending on tissue geometrical microsymmetry. In multi-compartment structures, the components of the Lorentzian tensor also depend on the compartmental relaxation properties, hence the MR pulse sequence settings. Copyright © 2016 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Acknowledgment of Reviewers

On behalf of the editors of Microbiology and Molecular Biology Reviews (MMBR), I gratefully acknowledge the following individuals who served as reviewers for the journal during October 2015 through September 2016. Their time and effort in reviewing articles are essential to ensuring the high quality
Cobbett's Commons: Monastic Economies in A History of the Protestant “Reformation”

William Cobbett's History of the Protestant “Reformation” theorizes and historicizes medieval monasteries as an institutional model of common, shared property and resources. The monastic practice of hospitality facilitated acts of commoning that redistributed wealth across local communities and created a habitus of common rights access to property. At the same time, the monastic rule of celibacy served as a preventative check on those who would be born into the upper class, and thus transferred the burden for limiting population to those who consumed the most resources. The rule of celibacy further queers conservative Burkean intergenerational inheritance by placing it within communal, homosocial groups instead of families. Cobbett's depiction of the monastic rule of hospitality toward the lower class and rule of celibacy for the monks and nuns challenges the naturalization of private property in Malthus's Essay on Population. As opposed to Smith's invisible hand of the market or Malthus's biopolitical, p...
The Devil in the Details: How Teresa of Avila’s Description of the Work of the Devil Assured and Liberated Women

ABSTRACTThe writings of Teresa of Avila have received much attention in recent scholarship. Surprisingly, though, her descriptions of the devil have not benefitted from the same extensive examination. This essay is an attempt to fill this lacuna in the scholarship. Teresa, like most of her Christian contemporaries, believed a personal devil regularly attempted to thwart and deceive faithful Christians. In this essay, after a discussion of the historical context in which Teresa wrote, I provide a survey of the role of the devil in The Interior Castle. In each of the seven sets of chambers of the castle through which the soul progresses, the devil actively combats the journeyer. By extracting these descriptions of the devil’s work from The Interior Castle, one is able to ascertain a thorough understanding of how Teresa viewed the devil himself. This understanding in turn sheds light on how Teresa’s writing positively functioned in her own ecclesial context. Teresa’s accounts of the devil provided assurance ...
Intelligent Tutoring Systems to Support Mode Awareness in the 'Glass Cockpit'

Abstract The proliferation of modes in modern glass cockpit aircraft places new demands on the pilot, i.e., mode management. This paper presents two computer-based tutors designed to provide the knowledge and operational skill required to safely and effectively use these modes. The VNAV Tutor, through visualization and context dependent instruction, addresses one mode often cited by pilots as confusing. The Mode Management Tutor, designed on the lessons learned from the VNAV Tutor, uses case-based teaching and intelligent tutoring system concepts to addresses a wider range of modes and mode problems.
Anti-TNF biologic therapies other than infliximab

There are a growing number of targeted biologic therapies for the treatment of inflammatory bowel disease. Currently, three anti-TNF agents other than infliximab are approved for use in IBD. These medications are adalimumab, certolizumab, and golimumab. This chapter reviews these three anti-TNF-α agents for the treatment of inflammatory bowel disease, focusing on use in pediatric patients. In this chapter the efficacy, safety, and comparative efficacy of these medications for use in IBD is addressed. The emphasis is on use in pediatric patients with Crohn’s disease or ulcerative colitis, but data from trials in adults with IBD or children with psoriasis or rheumatologic diseases is also utilized to augment the information available for pediatric IBD patients.
Spatio-temporal variability of land use/land cover change (LULCC) within the Huron River: Effects on stream flows

Abstract We investigated possible influences of land use/land cover change (LULCC) and precipitation on spatiotemporal changes in extreme stream flows within the watershed of the Huron River Basin during the summer seasons from 1992 to 2011. Within the basin, the urban landscape increased from 8% to 16% during the study period, while forest and agricultural lands declined by 7%. There was an increase in landscape heterogeneity within the watershed that varied from 1.21% in 1992 to 1.34% in 2011, with agricultural practices and forest regions competing due to the expansion of varying intensities of urban development. Normalized stream discharge from multiple subwatersheds increased over time, with an average increase from 0.21 m3 s−1 m to 1.64 m3 s−1 m over the study period. Land use and precipitation affected stream discharge, with increasing urban development exhibiting a 37% chance of affecting extreme stream flows within the watershed. More importantly, much of the precipitation observed within the watershed temporally affected stream discharge based on expansion of urban settlement within the basin. This caused a higher likelihood of flashiness, as runoff is more concentrated and stream flow became more variable. We concluded that, within the watersheds of the Huron River, LULCC is the major determinant of increased stream flow and potential flooding.
DeepContext: An OpenFlow-Compatible, Host-Based SDN for Enterprise Networks

The software-defined networking (SDN) paradigm promises greater control and understanding of enterprise network activities, particularly for management applications that need awareness of network-wide behavior. However, the current focus on switch-based SDNs raises concerns about data-plane scalability, especially when using fine-grained flows. Further, these switch-centric approaches lack visibility into end-host and application behaviors, which are valuable when making access control decisions.In recent work, we proposed a host-based SDN in which we installed software on the end-hosts and used a centralized network control to manage the flows. This improve scalability and provided application information for use in network policy. However, that approach was not compatible with OpenFlow and had provided only conservative estimates of possible network performance.In this work, we create a high performance host-based SDN that is compatible with the OpenFlow protocol. Our approach, DeepContext, provides details about the application context to the network controller, allowing enhanced decision-making. We evaluate the performance of DeepContext, comparing it to traditional networks and Open vSwitch deployments. We further characterize the completeness of the data provided by the system and the resulting benefits.
Returns to specialization: Evidence from the outpatient surgery market.

Abstract Technological changes in medicine have created new opportunities to provide surgical care in lower cost, specialized facilities. This paper examines patient outcomes in ambulatory surgery centers (ASCs), which were developed as a low-cost alternative to outpatient surgery in hospitals. Because we are concerned that selection into ASCs may bias estimates of facility quality, we use predicted changes in federally set Medicare facility payment rates as an instrument for ASC utilization to estimate the effect of location of treatment on patient outcomes. We find that patients treated in an ASC are less likely to be admitted to a hospital or visit an emergency room a short time after outpatient surgery. The findings in this paper indicate that factors other than patient and physician heterogeneity contribute to the observed returns to specialization in the ASC market.
The Relationship Between Motor Delays and Language Development in Very Low Birthweight Premature Children at 18 Months Corrected Age

Purpose The aim of this study is to determine if there is a specific association between motor delays and receptive and expressive language function, respectively, in prematurely born children. Met...
Thermal Properties of Composites

Mechanical properties of composite materials have been the object of numerous papers in the last years while little attention has been devoted to the thermal properties.
Local Escape Rates for $\phi$-mixing Dynamical Systems

We show that dynamical systems with $\phi$-mixing measures have local escape rates which are exponential with rate $1$ at non-periodic points and equal to the extremal index at periodic points. We apply this result to equilibrium states on subshifts of finite type, expanding interval maps, Gibbs states on conformal repellers and more generally to Young towers and by extension to all systems that can be modeled by a Young tower.
On Randomness Measures for Social Networks.

Social networks tend to contain some amount of randomness and some amount of non-randomness. The amount of randomness versus non-randomness affects the properties of a social network. In this paper, we theoretically analyze graph randomness and present a framework which provides a series of non-randomness measures at levels of edge, node, and the overall graph. We show that graph nonrandomness can be obtained mathematically from the spectra of the adjacency matrix of the network. We also derive the upper bound and lower bound of non-randomness value of the overall graph. We conduct both theoretical and empirical studies in spectral geometries of social networks and show our proposed non-randomness measures can better characterize and capture graph randomness than previous measures.
The Sinusoidal Array: A Theory of Representation for Spatial Vectors

We describe a theoretical model of spatial representation in cortex, including computer simulations, that is compatible with data from single neuron recordings. Our proposed architecture, called a sinusoidal array, encodes a polar vector \( \overrightarrow v = \left( {r,\varphi } \right) \) as distributed activity across a neuronal population. We demonstrate how sinusoidal arrays might be used for vector computations such as addition, subtraction, and rotation in tasks such as primate reaching and rodent navigation.
Modularity and Organizational Dynamics in Open Source Software (OSS) Production

Modularity has been seen as key to the success of OSS projects. However empirical studies on modularity of OSS systems have resulted in confusing results. To account for underlying mechanisms of those confusing results, we systematically examine widely studied OSS projects. Based on our systematic review on technical and organizational structures, we suggest that organizational circumstances of OSS production are at least in a continuum of tightly-coupled and loosely-coupled organizational circumstances of production in which both geographically distributed volunteers and paid developers with organizational ties work together (albeit separately over time). Furthermore, organizational circumstances of OSS production appear to be dynamic, as firms move in and out of OSS production communities over time. In essence we argue that the reason for the confusing empirical results was a persistent assumption that organizational circumstances of OSS production are static or unitary; rather what matters is the organizational circumstances of production in any episode of contribution. This research agenda paper proposes future inquiries to develop a comprehensive picture of ecological shift in different levels of system modularity and organizational circumstances of OSS production over time and through episodes.
Economics of Protecting Endangered Species

Endangered species have economic value even if there are no markets for these species. They have existence value and the value we place on future generations being able to enjoy them. Recognition of that choice involves forgoing other alternatives. In the real world budgets prevent saving all species. Even Noah would have had to make choices because his Ark was not large enough to accommodate all species. Preservation is only one of many societal values we must choose among. It is important to choose the alternative actions that provide the biggest physical bang for a buck even when the benefits of preservation options are difficult to monetize.
Time-Resolved Electron Density Measurements of the Rise Cycle in a Pulsed Inductively Coupled Plasma

Pulsed low temperature plasmas are an area of recent interest in semiconductor manufacturing applications because they offer a new set of available chemistry when compared to steady state operation. Most work has focused on the transient behavior of these plasmas at the transition from power on to power off. The dynamics of the transition from power off to power on is equally important for process control as it contributes to electron temperature increases, voltage variation, and discharge impedance transients that can all impact application performance. Further, dynamic feedback mechanisms to the external circuitry have been an area of little investigation during the power-on portion of the pulsing cycle.
Clinical and Angiographic Predictors of Patient-Reported Angina 1 Year After Coronary Artery Bypass Graft Surgery.

Background: Studies of the relationship between patient self-reported angina symptoms using the Seattle Angina Questionnaire (SAQ) and angiographic findings after coronary artery bypass grafting su...
Betwixt and Between the Board Chair and Executive Director Dyadic Leadership Role Perceptions Within Nonprofit Organizations

This article presents the results of a study examining dyadic leadership role perceptions of board chairs and executive directors of community-based nonprofit organizations. The research was structured as a multiple case study analysis involving 17 single cases of 34 board chair and executive director pairs. This study was informed by role theory, which is relevant to inquiry concerned with board chairs’ and executive directors’ interpretations of their leadership roles within dyads. The findings of this study reveal new dimensions regarding board chair and executive director leadership role perceptions within dyads and advance an understanding of inter-dyadic dynamics. This research also underscores the complexity of nonprofit leadership with potential influences of individual characteristics on board chair and executive director dyadic leadership role perceptions. Subscribe to JNEL
Aging relates to a disproportionately weaker functional architecture of brain networks during rest and task states

Abstract Functional connectivity – the co-activation of brain regions – forms the basis of the brain’s functional architecture. Often measured during resting-state (i.e., in a task-free setting), patterns of functional connectivity within and between brain networks change with age. These patterns are of interest to aging researchers because age differences in resting-state connectivity relate to older adults’ relative cognitive declines. Less is known about age differences in large-scale brain networks during directed tasks. Recent work in younger adults has shown that patterns of functional connectivity are highly correlated between rest and task states. Whether this finding extends to older adults remains largely unexplored. To this end, we assessed younger and older adults’ functional connectivity across the whole brain using fMRI while participants underwent resting-state or completed directed tasks (e.g., a reasoning judgement task). Resting-state and task functional connectivity were less strongly correlated in older as compared to younger adults. This age-dependent difference could be attributed to significantly lower consistency in network organization between rest and task states among older adults. Older adults had less distinct or segregated networks during resting-state. This more diffuse pattern of organization was exacerbated during directed tasks. Finally, the default mode network, often implicated in neurocognitive aging, contributed strongly to this pattern. These findings establish that age differences in functional connectivity are state-dependent, providing greater insight into the mechanisms by which aging may lead to cognitive declines.
The case for VR

In the realm of libraries, the phrase “this old ship turns slowly” can be quite accurate. When newer technology is announced or released to the public, it can take years before libraries start maki...
Effect of Collective Dynamics and Anharmonicity on Entropy in Heterogenous Catalysis: Building the Case for Advanced Molecular Simulations

We present a perspective on the computational determination of entropy and its effects and consequences on heterogeneous catalysis. Special attention is paid to the role of anharmonicity (a result ...
The Third Revolution: Xi Jinping and the New Chinese State: by Elizabeth C. Economy, New York: Oxford University Press, 2018, 360 pp., $27.95.

Before the Covid-19 epidemic, Xi Jinping appeared to be a near-unstoppable force in Chinese politics. In recent years he has dexterously consolidated power, systematically sidelining or outright cr...
Optogenetics: Novel Brain Interface Technology That Originates in Bioprospecting

Optogenetics is a brain stimulation technique in which the activity of stimulable cells, such as neurons or astrocytes, is modulated by exposing target cells to pulses of appropriate wavelengths. Prior to optogenetic experiments, we deliver specific genetic constructs to target cells to express light-activated ion channels or ion pumps and produce light sensitivity. Once these proteins are produced, we can precisely modulate cellular activity by exposing such cells to sequences of light pulses. Optogenetics, combined with recording methods, is widely used to develop complex brain computer interface platforms. Unique features of optogenetic stimulation, including specific cell-type targeting or bidirectional control of cellular activity, have allowed researchers to use the method in the study of brain networks, finding projections, or in dissociating circuitries of neurological and psychiatric disorders. Here, we briefly review the essence of the technology, pros and cons of the method, major applications of the technique, and some potential directions for future research.
The t-digest: Efficient estimates of distributions

Abstract The t -digest is an on-line algorithm for building small sketches of data that can be used to approximate rank-based statistics with high accuracy, particularly near the tails. This new kind of sketch is robust with respect to skewed distributions, repeated samples and ordered datasets. Separately computed sketches can be combined with little or no loss in accuracy. An open-source Java implementation with no external dependencies of this algorithm is available as a free-standing library. Independent implementations in Go, C++ and Python are available. The t -digest is in widespread internal use in major companies and is also available in popular software such as Postgres, ElasticSearch, Apache Kylin and Apache Druid. This research did not receive any specific grant from funding agencies in the public, commercial, or not-for-profit sectors.
Nanofabrication of graphene field-effect transistors by thermal scanning probe lithography

The development of a scalable and cost-effective nanofabrication method is of key importance for future advances in nanoelectronics. Thermal scanning probe lithography (t-SPL) is a growing nanopatterning method with potential for parallelization, offering unique capabilities that make it an attractive candidate for industrial nanomanufacturing. Here, we demonstrate the possibility to apply t-SPL for the fabrication of graphene devices. In particular, we use t-SPL to produce high performing graphene-based field effect transistors (FETs). The here described t-SPL process includes the fabrication of high-quality metal contacts, as well as patterning and etching of graphene to define the active region of the device. The electrical measurements on the t-SPL fabricated FETs indicate a symmetric conductance at the Dirac point and a low specific contact resistance without the use of any contact engineering strategy. The entire t-SPL nanofabrication process is performed without the need for masks, and in ambient conditions. Furthermore, thanks to the t-SPL in situ simultaneous patterning and imaging capability, no markers are required. These features substantially decrease fabrication time and cost.
Patent Law: Cases, Problems, and Materials

This is the 1st Edition of Patent Law: Cases, Problems, and Materials, a free patent law casebook. The full casebook PDF is available for free download online, and a print version is available at-cost from Amazon.
Hacking the Creative Mind: An Insight Priming Tool to Facilitate Creative Problem-Solving

People deal with problems every day, ranging from the banal to the piquant. On many occasions solutions to such problems occur in a moment of sudden comprehension called insight. Insight is a phenomenon that is often associated with high levels of intelligence and creativity and plays an important role in successful problem-solving. Due to its unpredictable occurrence, it has proven challenging to investigate insight systematically. This research explores a novel way to facilitate insight in creative problem-solving by activating processes that have been shown to be related to insight. Building on current research in Cognitive Neuroscience, the goal is to develop a creativity priming tool that would enable routine episodic boosts in creativity. For the on-going study, a computer interface is used to present a series of bespoke tasks created to modulate insight. The study is designed to help us understand better the dynamics of insight-based creative problem solving.
Addressing Two Central Issues of Team Interaction Dynamics: The Whole is Greater Than the Sum of Its Parts

In successful teams, each team member has a distinct taskwork based on individual task roles and responsibilities. Each team member effectively interacts with one another and the technology with which they must interact during the task. Both taskwork and teamwork have situational propensities and entail both ontic and epistemic aspects; thus, understanding how they affect teammates’ taskwork and teamwork becomes crucial to fathom the emergence of team coordination dynamics. This paper conceptually discusses the application of quantum cognition to team coordination; how this approach can improve the understanding of the notion of the whole. The open system model, which incorporates both classical and quantum probability descriptions of a system, is reviewed to describe both ontic and epistemic uncertainty. The open system model's contributions to the entropy of an entangled whole are discussed. Lastly, the conceptual differences between sensing and interaction and the experimental scenarios to study these differences are delineated.
Characterization of vaginal microbial enzymes identifies amylopullulanases that support growth of Lactobacillus crispatus on glycogen

The healthy human vaginal microbiota is generally dominated by Lactobacilli, and the transition to a more diverse community of anaerobic microbes is associated with a number of health risks. While the mechanisms underlying the stability of Lactobacillus-dominated vaginal communities are not fully understood, competition for nutrients is a likely contributing factor. Glycogen secreted by epithelial cells is widely believed to support the growth of vaginal microbes. However, the mechanism by which bacteria access sugars from this complex polymer is unclear, with evidence to support a role for both microbial and human enzymes. To shed light on the potential contribution from microbial enzymes, here we biochemically characterize six glycogen-degrading enzymes predicted to be secreted by vaginal bacteria and confirm their ability to support the growth of an amylase-deficient strain of L. crispatus on glycogen. We reveal significant differences in the pH tolerance between enzymes from different organisms, suggesting the adaptation of Lactobacilli to an acidic vaginal environment. Using a simple assay specific for the microbial enzymes, we confirm their presence in cervicovaginal lavage samples. Finally, we demonstrate the selective inhibition of glycogen-degrading enzymes from two vaginal microbes associated with dysbiosis. This work provides biochemical evidence to support the role of vaginal bacterial amylase enzymes in the breakdown of glycogen, providing insight into factors that shape the vaginal microbiota and highlighting the possibility of manipulating community structure via non-antibiotic small molecules.
Holmium (Ho) oxide, carbide, and dioxide cation bond energies and evaluation of the Ho + O → HoO+ + e- chemi-ionization reaction enthalpy.

Guided ion beam tandem mass spectrometry (GIBMS) and quantum chemical calculations are employed to evaluate the title chemi-ionization reaction with holmium. Exchange reactions of Ho+ with O2, CO, and SO2 and HoO+ with CO, as well as collision-induced dissociation (CID) reactions of HoO+ with Xe, O2, and CO, were performed using GIBMS. Formation of HoO+ is exothermic in reactions with O2 and SO2 but endothermic for reaction with CO, as is the exchange reaction of HoO+ with CO. Quantitative analysis of these reactions and the three CID reactions provides a robust method to determine the bond dissociation energy (BDE) of Ho+–O, 6.02 ± 0.13 eV. BDEs for Ho+–C and OHo+–O are also measured as 2.27 ± 0.19 and 2.70 ± 0.27 eV, respectively. All three measurements are the first direct determinations of these BDEs. By combining the BDE of HoO+ with the well-established ionization energy of Ho, the exothermicity of Ho in the title chemi-ionization reaction can also be obtained as 0.00 ± 0.13 eV. All experimental thermochemistry was then compared to quantum chemical calculations for the purpose of establishing benchmarks and validation. BDEs determined via these calculations are in agreement with the experiment within the inherent experimental and theoretical uncertainties, with results obtained at the coupled-cluster with single, double, and perturbative triple excitations, CCSD(T), using all-electron basis sets yielding the most accurate results.