cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Rigidity of weakly hyperbolic actions of higher real rank semisimple Lie groups and their lattices

Under some weak hyperbolicity conditions, we establish C^0- and C^\infty-local rigidity theorems for two classes of standard algebraic actions: (1) left translation actions of higher real rank semisimple Lie groups and their lattices on quotients of Lie groups by uniform lattices; (2) higher rank lattice actions on nilmanifolds by affine diffeomorphisms. The proof relies on an observation that local rigidity of the standard actions is a consequence of the local rigidity of some constant cocycles. The C^0-local rigidity for weakly hyperbolic standard actions follows from a cocycle C^0-local rigidity result proved in the paper. The main ingredients in the proof of the latter are Zimmer's cocycle superrigidity theorem and stability properties of partially hyperbolic vector bundle maps. The C^\infty-local rigidity is deduced from the C^0-local rigidity following a procedure outlined by Katok and Spatzier.Using similar considerations, we also establish C^0-global rigidity of volume preserving, higher rank lattice Anosov actions on nilmanifolds with a finite orbit.
Real world feasibility of interference alignment using MIMO-OFDM channel measurements

Interference alignment (IA) has been shown to achieve linear sum capacity growth, at high SNR, with the number of users in the interference channel by cooperatively precoding transmitted signals to align interference subspaces at the receivers. The theory of IA was derived under assumptions about the richness of the propagation channel; practical channels do not guarantee such ideal decorrelation. This paper presents the first experimental study of IA in measured interference channel and shows that IA achieves the claimed scaling factors in a variety of measured channel settings for a 3 user, 2 antennas per node setup.
How binding of small molecule and peptide ligands to HIV-1 TAR alters the RNA motional landscape

The HIV-1 TAR RNA represents a well-known paradigm to study the role of dynamics and conformational change in RNA function. This regulatory RNA changes conformation in response to binding of Tat protein and of a variety of peptidic and small molecule ligands, indicating that its conformational flexibility and intrinsic dynamics play important roles in molecular recognition. We have used (13)C NMR relaxation experiments to examine changes in the motional landscape of HIV-1 TAR in the presence of three ligands of different affinity and specificity. The ligands are argininamide, a linear peptide mimic of the Tat basic domain and a cyclic peptide that potently inhibits Tat-dependent activation of transcription. All three molecules induce the same motional characteristics within the three nucleotides bulge that represents the Tat-binding site. However, the cyclic peptide has a unique motional signature in the apical loop, which represents a binding site for the essential host co-factor cyclin T1. These results suggest that all peptidic mimics of Tat induce the same dynamics in TAR within this protein binding site. However, the new cyclic peptide mimic of Tat represents a new class of ligands with a unique effect on the dynamics and the structure of the apical loop.
Examining the interpersonal model of binge eating and loss of control over eating in women

Objective: This study examined the interpersonal model of binge eating (Wilfley et al., Interpersonal Psychotherapy for Group, New York: Basic Books, 2000; Wilfley et al., Arch Gen Psychiatry, 8, 713–721, 2002; Elliott et al., Behav Res Ther, 48, 424–428, 2010) which posits that interpersonal problems lead to negative affect which, in turn, triggers disordered eating. Method: The model was tested using data from 350 women obtained via an internet assessment method. Analyses examined direct and indirect effects, via depressive/negative affect, of interpersonal problems, including domains of affiliation and dominance on loss of control over eating, binge eating, and eating disorder psychopathology. Results: Interpersonal problems showed significant effects on binge eating and eating disorder psychopathology that were statistically mediated by depressive/negative affect. Affiliation showed significant effects on binge eating and eating disorder psychopathology with low affiliation effects statistically mediated by depressive/negative affect and high affiliation effects independent of depressive/negative affect. Discussion: These findings support the interpersonal model of binge eating and highlight the importance of examining specific types of interpersonal problems in understanding heterogeneity of individuals with eating disorder psychopathology. © 2011 by Wiley Periodicals, Inc. (Int J Eat Disord 2012)
Chemical defense in the microplankton II: Inhibition of protist feeding by β‐dimethylsulfoniopropionate (DMSP)

Examples of chemical defenses and their influence on predator‐prey interactions abound in the terrestrial and marine benthic ecological literature. In contrast, considerably less is known about the role of chemical defenses in marine planktonic systems. In this study, we examined the potential for the phytoplankton-produced compound dimethylsulfoniopropionate (DMSP) and its cleavage products dimethyl sulfide (DMS) and acrylate to act as chemical defenses in seawater. Although added DMS and acrylate had no effect on protist grazers, added DMSP reduced grazing on the coccolithophorid Emiliania huxleyi by all four tested species (dinoflagellates Amphidinium longum, Gymnodiniumsp., and Oxyrrhis marinaand ciliate Coxliella sp.). A. longum and Gymnodiniumwere highly sensitive to 20-mmol L 21 concentrations of DMSP, nearly ceasing to feed, whereas O. marina and Coxliella showed only minor reductions in grazing activity. Grazing suppression in A. longum was DMSP concentration‐dependent over the range 0.05 to 1,000 mmol L 21 and was also inhibited by added glycine betaine, a structural analog of DMSP. DMSP reduced A. longum grazing by similar amounts on five different algal species, some of which do not produce DMSP on their own. Thus, the efficacy of DMSP as a grazing deterrent appears to depend on grazer species, but not on algal strain or species. Because DMSP does not seem to be toxic, we hypothesize that DMSP and related compounds act as signals for the presence of potentially harmful algal cells. Should such sublethal chemical defense interactions be widespread in nature, they could be important in regulating the composition and biomass of phytoplankton communities.
A Feminist Perspective on Parental Leave Policies

This article focuses on the ways that three feminist theories—liberal feminism, cultural feminism, and feminist poststructuralism—might be used to craft parental leave policies. After examining each theory in detail, the article concludes by offering one example of an ideal parental leave policy that combines the best features of each theory to produce a policy that is responsive to faculty needs and works to change gender roles. Often faculty and administrators implement policies without truly thinking through the theories that underpin the policies. This article provides the tools to help create theoretically informed policy.
Verification and validation of air traffic systems: Tactical separation assurance

The expected future increase in air traffic requires the development of innovative algorithms and software systems to automate safety critical functions such as separation assurance - the task of maintaining a safe distance between aircraft at all times. Extensive verification and validation (V&V) of such functions will be crucial for the acceptance of new air traffic management systems. This paper reports on work performed at the NASA Ames Research Center. We discuss how advanced V&V technologies can be used to create robust software prototypes for air traffic control software, and how conformance of production code with such prototypes can be assured. We present preliminary results of V&V efforts for a prototype of the Tactical Separation Assisted Flight Environment system (TSAFE).
A seal-less centrifugal pump (Baylor Gyro Pump) for application to long-term circulatory support.

: We are developing a new centrifugal pump, the Baylor Gyro Centrifugal Pump (Gyro Pump), which can function for more than 2 weeks. The concept of the Gyro Pump is that a one-piece rotor-impeller with embedded permanent magnets, driven directly by a brushless direct current motor stator placed outside, rotates like a “gyro-scope,” and the rotor-impeller is supported by one pivot bearing at the bottom in accordance with the gyroscopic principle. This concept enables us to eliminate a driving shaft and a seal between the driving shaft and the blood chamber, which results in extending the life of the centrifugal pump. The blood passes through the space between the motor stator and the rotor to the impeller portion. In this preliminary phase, two pivot bearings were applied to support the rotor-impeller at the top and the bottom inside the blood chamber. Both pivot bearings showed less blood trauma and less thrombogenicity in in vitro and in vivo studies. The Gyro Pump is a promising second-generation centrifugal pump for long-term circulatory support in the near future.
The Gift of Life: Death As Teacher in the Aghori Sect

This article utilizes the example of the Aghori, with their radical and unique perspective on death, as a challenge to the Western world to live an authentic, present life by maintaining awareness of mortality. Specifically, three main themes are explored: first, a theoretical engagement of the concept of death based on the (Western) philosophy of existentialism, second, a review of the historical origins and philosophy of the Aghori sect, and third, a depiction of the Aghoris as a living example of vigorously accepting death as an inevitability of life. On this basis a brief comparison of Western and Eastern attitudes towards life and death will be offered.
Wavelet based multiresolution expectation maximization reconstruction algorithm for positron emission tomography (PET)

The Maximum Likelihood estimation based Expectation Maximization (EM) reconstruction algorithm has been shown to provide good quality reconstruction for PET. The authors' previous work introduced the multigrid concept for PET image reconstruction using EM. The multiresolution EM (MREM) algorithm is an attempt to improve the EM based estimation through an effective use of multi-resolution grids in both image-reconstruction and detector spaces. The algorithm begins iterating at the coarsest grid level using tube data that has been re-organized (re-binned) at the coarsest detector level. It switches both the grid and detector levels simultaneously until the finest detector and grid resolution are reached. This algorithm incorporates a wavelet decomposition based transition criterion for switching grid levels and a wavelet spline based interpolation method for projecting the intermediate reconstruction from a specific grid level to the next finer grid.
Differential Diagnosis of Autoimmune Bullous Diseases in the Elderly

The primary lesion in bullous diseases is a vesicle (0.1–1 cm) or bulla (> 1 cm). Although these diseases affect patients in all age groups, the elderly are particularly susceptible. Bullous diseases may be divided into five subgroups based on the etiology and pathogenesis of blister formation: autoimmune, allergic, mechanical, metabolic and infectious (Table 10.1). The following review is limited to autoimmune bullous diseases. The high incidence of bullous diseases in the elderly may result from several factors. The experimental induction of blisters is easier in the elderly than in younger individuals [1], probably because of loss of structure and function of adhesion molecules that normally maintain the integrity of cell–cell and cell–matrix adhesion [2]. The normal rete ridge pattern of the dermal–epidermal junction is gradually lost during aging. This results in a diminution in the surface area and thus the strength of dermal–epidermal adhesion, which results in easy blistering. In addition, the incidence of immune dysregulation increases with age. This results in a higher incidence of autoantibody production and several autoimmune diseases including autoimmune bullous diseases [3]. The autoimmune bullous diseases result from an immune response to molecular components of desmosomes or the basement membrane zone [4]. The various types of pemphigus are associated with antibodies to desmosomal proteins [5–12]. There is strong direct experimental evidence that antibodies in pemphigus vulgaris and pemphigus foliaceus cause acantholysis and blister formation by directly interfering with desmosomal function [5, 6, 13]. On the other hand, all the subepidermal autoimmune bullous diseases except dermatitis herpetiformis result from antibodies against one or more components of the basement membrane zone [14, 15]. In general, subepidermal vesicles result from activation of complement by the bound antibody molecules, followed by the influx of a cellular inflammatory infiltrate that may be neutrophil-rich or eosinophil-rich [16,17]. Table 10.2 shows the target molecules for the various autoimmune bullous disorders.
Development and Application of Atmospheric Infrared Sounder Ozone Retrieval Products for Operational Meteorology

The National Aeronautics and Space Administration Short-term Prediction Research and Transition (SPoRT) Center has worked closely with the Geostationary Operational Environmental Satellite-R series and the Joint Polar Satellite System Proving Grounds to develop and transition unique ozone products derived from Atmospheric Infrared Sounder (AIRS) ozone retrievals to the Ocean Prediction Center (OPC). These products were developed to aid identification of stratospheric air and enhance situational awareness of rapid cyclogenesis and hurricane-force wind events during which stratospheric air may play a key role. OPC forecasters have used the European Organisation for the Exploitation of Meteorological Satellites Meteosat Spinning Enhanced Visible and Infrared Imager red, green, blue (RGB) air mass imagery to identify regions of stratospheric air for their unique weather forecasting challenges; however, the qualitative nature of the new RGB product facilitated a need for quantitative products to enhance forecaster confidence in the RGB air mass imagery. To enhance forecaster interpretation and confidence in the RGB air mass imagery, SPoRT created the total column ozone and ozone anomaly products from hyperspectral infrared sounder ozone retrievals. AIRS Version 6 Level-2 ozone retrievals were utilized to create hourly ozone products over a northwest hemisphere domain. An example case study from February 24–27, 2014, shows the utility of the ozone products in enhancing interpretation of the RGB air mass imagery for anticipating rapid cyclogenesis and hurricane-force winds in the North Atlantic.
Retinal and Optic Nerve Hemorrhages in the Newborn Infant: One-Year Results of the Newborn Eye Screen Test Study.

Purpose To report the birth prevalence, risk factors, characteristics, and location of fundus hemorrhages (FHs) of the retina and optic nerve present in newborns at birth. Design Prospective cohort study at Stanford University School of Medicine. Participants All infants who were 37 weeks postmenstrual age or older and stable were eligible for screening. Infants with known or suspected infectious conjunctivitis were excluded. Methods Infants born at Lucile Packard Children's Hospital (LPCH) from July 25, 2013, through July 25, 2014, were offered universal newborn screening via wide-angle digital retinal photography in the Newborn Eye Screen Test study. Maternal, obstetric, and neonatal factors were obtained from hospital records. The location, retinal layer, and laterality of FH were recorded by 1 pediatric vitreoretinal specialist. Main Outcome Measures Birth prevalence of FH. Secondary outcomes included rate of adverse events, risk factors for FH, hemorrhage characteristics, and adverse events. Results The birth prevalence of FH in this study was 20.3% (41/202 infants). Ninety-five percent of FHs involved the periphery, 83% involved the macula, and 71% involved multiple layers of the retina. The fovea was involved in 15% of FH cases (birth prevalence, 3.0%). No cases of bilateral foveal hemorrhage were found. Fundus hemorrhages were more common in the left eye than the right. Fundus hemorrhages were most commonly optic nerve flame hemorrhages (48%) and white-centered retinal hemorrhages (30%). Retinal hemorrhages were found most frequently in all 4 quadrants (35%) and more often were multiple than solitary. Macular hemorrhages most often were intraretinal (40%). Among the risk factors examined in this study, vaginal delivery compared with cesarean section (odds ratio [OR], 9.34; 95% confidence interval [CI], 2.57–33.97) showed the greatest level of association with FH. Self-identified ethnicity as Hispanic or Latino showed a protective effect (OR, 0.43; 95% CI, 0.20–0.94). Other study factors were not significant. Conclusions Fundus hemorrhages are common among newborns. They often involve multiple areas and layers of the retina. Vaginal delivery was associated with a significantly increased risk of FH, whereas self-identified Hispanic or Latino ethnicity was protective against FH in this study. The long-term consequences of FH on visual development remain unknown.
Photo-induced spatial modulation of THz waves: opportunities and limitations

Programmable conductive patterns created by photoexcitation of semiconductor substrates using digital light processing (DLP) provides a versatile approach for spatial and temporal modulation of THz waves. The reconfigurable nature of the technology has great potential in implementing several promising THz applications, such as THz beam steering, THz imaging or THz remote sensing, in a simple, cost-effective manner. In this paper, we provide physical insight about how the semiconducting materials, substrate dimension, optical illumination wavelength and illumination size impact the performance of THz modulation, including modulation depth, modulation speed and spatial resolution. The analysis establishes design guidelines for the development of photo-induced THz modulation technology. Evolved from the theoretical analysis, a new mesa array technology composed by a matrix of sub-THz wavelength structures is introduced to maximize both spatial resolution and modulation depth for THz modulation with low-power photoexcitation by prohibiting the lateral diffusion of photogenerated carriers.
Book Review: Essential case studies in public health: Putting public health into practice

Hunting, K. L., & Gleason, B. L. (2012). Burlington, MA: Jones & Bartlett Learning (212 pp., $62.95 soft cover, ISBN 978-0-7637-6131-8).Can everything one needs to know about public health be conta...
A novel concept towards the reduction of helicopter blade-vortex interaction; a numerical study using large-eddy simulation

A novel technique regarding the reduction of the influence of helicopter blade-vortex interaction on the aerodynamic coefficients is proposed. The proposed technique is based on the idea of injecting air at the leading edge of the blade to alter the characteristics of the vortex. The numerical investigations are performed using the large-eddy simulation (LES) approach. The simulations were performed for a Reynolds number, Re = 1.3 x 10 6 , based on the NACA0012 airfoil chord and free-stream velocity. The present study shows that using the leading edge air mass injection (LEAMI) concept, the influence of blade-vortex interaction on the aerodynamic coefficients is significantly reduced.
Genome-wide Association Study of Cannabis Dependence Severity, Novel Risk Variants, and Shared Genetic Risks.

Importance Cannabis dependence (CAD) is a serious problem worldwide and is of growing importance in the United States because cannabis is increasingly available legally. Although genetic factors contribute substantially to CAD risk, at present no well-established specific genetic risk factors for CAD have been elucidated. Objective To report findings for DSM-IV CAD criteria from association analyses performed in large cohorts of African American and European American participants from 3 studies of substance use disorder genetics. Design, Setting, and Participants This genome-wide association study for DSM-IV CAD criterion count was performed in 3 independent substance dependence cohorts (the Yale-Penn Study, Study of Addiction: Genetics and Environment [SAGE], and International Consortium on the Genetics of Heroin Dependence [ICGHD]). A referral sample and volunteers recruited in the community and from substance abuse treatment centers included 6000 African American and 8754 European American participants, including some from small families. Participants from the Yale-Penn Study were recruited from 2000 to 2013. Data were collected for the SAGE trial from 1990 to 2007 and for the ICGHD from 2004 to 2009. Data were analyzed from January 2, 2013, to November 9, 2015. Main Outcomes and Measures Criterion count for DSM-IV CAD. Results Among the 14 754 participants, 7879 were male, 6875 were female, and the mean (SD) age was 39.2 (10.2) years. Three independent regions with genome-wide significant single-nucleotide polymorphism associations were identified, considering the largest possible sample. These includedrs143244591(β = 0.54, P = 4.32 × 10 −10 for the meta-analysis) in novel antisense transcript RP11-206M11.7; rs146091982(β = 0.54, P = 1.33 × 10 −9 for the meta-analysis) in the solute carrier family 35 member G1 gene ( SLC35G1 ); andrs77378271(β = 0.29, P = 2.13 × 10 −8 for the meta-analysis) in the CUB and Sushi multiple domains 1 gene ( CSMD1 ). Also noted was evidence of genome-level pleiotropy between CAD and major depressive disorder and for an association with single-nucleotide polymorphisms in genes associated with schizophrenia risk. Several of the genes identified have functions related to neuronal calcium homeostasis or central nervous system development. Conclusions and Relevance These results are the first, to our knowledge, to identify specific CAD risk alleles and potential genetic factors contributing to the comorbidity of CAD with major depression and schizophrenia.
The Role of Perceived Injustice in Defendants' Evaluations of Their Courtroom Experience

The purpose of this study is to explore the role of perceived injustice in generating dissatisfaction with legal authorities. Using data collected in interviews with a sample of defendants in traffic and misdemeanor court, I compare the influence of case outcomes upon attitudes toward judges and courts to that of distributive and procedural justice. The results suggest that among the defendants studied the major determinant of satisfaction with legal authorities is perceived fairness. Once the influence of perceived fairness is considered, case outcomes explain no additional variation in attitudes toward courts and judges. In the conclusion, possible implications of this finding are discussed.
Performance of Yield Traits and Their QTL Mapping of Rice under Low Nitrogen Stress

Using an F9 population of 167 recombinant inbred lines( RIL) of rice derived from the cross of Zhongyouzao 8( an indica variety) and Toyonishiki( a japonica variety) as well as its parents as the materials,the comparison and QTL mapping of six yield-related traits including spikelets per panicle( SP),panicle length( PL),effective panicles per plant( EPP),seed setting rate( SSR),1 000-grain weight( KGW) and yield per plant( YP)were conducted under two nitrogen levels of the normal N application treatment( N) and the low nitrogen treatment without any N application( N_). The results showed that SP,PL,EPP and YP could be used as the indexes for selection of low N tolerant rice materials under no N application. Under two N levels,there were 11 yield-related QTLs detected in the RIL population,explaining 3. 84% ~ 22. 47% of phenotypic variation. Among them,two QTLs were detected under both of the N levels. Besides,two QTLs for nitrogen agronomic use efficiency were detected and they explained 7. 54% and 6. 67% of phenotypic variation,respectively.
Examining the Relationship Between Interpersonal and Institutional Trust in Political and Health Care Contexts

While many agree that interpersonal and institutional trust are key ingredients for social order, the differences between the two and how they influence one another remain unclear. We define trust as the willingness to be vulnerable to another party, and focus our discussion on situations where the trustor (trusting party) is an individual member of the public and the trustee (party being trusted) is an institution or one of its members. We review the literature on trust and related concepts that address the potential relationships between interpersonal trust and institutional trust, focusing on two illustrative contexts: the political arena and health care. For each context, we examine extant research to provide definitions of institutions and note how these definitions have implications for defining institutional trust in each context. Second, we examine how characteristics of the trustor (individual-level characteristics) may affect the relationship between interpersonal and institutional trust. For example, a trustor’s gender, race and ethnicity, and familiarity with the institutional trustee may frame his/her interactions with, and subsequently their trust in, the institution. Being cognizant of these factors will improve understanding of the cases where a relationship between interpersonal and institutional trust exists. We conclude by highlighting how these arguments can inform future research.
Discretization Modeling and Simulation Study of HVDC Power Transmission System Based on Voltage Source Converters

Minicomputer controllers are usually used in the industrial control systems of voltage source converter based high voltage direct current transmission(VSC-HVDC)and the controlled objects are discretized models of VSC-HVDC.For this purpose a discretized state space model of VSC-HVDC under d-q-0 synchronous rotating coordinate system is proposed.On this basis the inner-loop current discrete controller and the outer-loop controller of VSC are built and the decoupling control for active and reactive currents are implemented.To accelerate the response speed of outer-loop controllers of VSC,the feed-forward control is led into outer-loop controller.Based on electromagnetic transient simulation software PSCAD/EMTDC,a VSC-HVDC model and a model for its discretized controller are built.Simulation results verified that the proposed discretized model is correct and the control strategy is effective.
Acrolein and thiol-reactive electrophiles suppress allergen-induced innate airway epithelial responses by inhibition of DUOX1 and EGFR.

Acrolein is a major thiol-reactive component of cigarette smoke (CS) that is thought to contribute to increased asthma incidence associated with smoking. Here, we explored the effects of acute acro...
Somatosensory Function in ADHD

Somatosensory evoked potentials (SEP) and tactile function were tested in 49 ADHD children and 49 controls at the Hebrew University, Jerusalem, Israel.
Cosmopolitanism, marginality, Prokem: Benedict Anderson’s A Life Beyond Boundaries: A Memoir

Benedict Richard O’Gorman Anderson always defined a historical figure in terms of his own (national) society, but also as someone with global connections that could be located in several historical...
IN DEFENSE OF RELIGIOUS FREEDOM: NEW CRITICS OF A BELEAGUERED HUMAN RIGHT

Not so very long ago, the idea of religious freedom enjoyed all the self-evident virtue of a Norman Rockwell painting. Sure, Americans disagreed about what it meant in practice, leaving their Supreme Court to hash out the details. Still, however Americans differed in their religious beliefs, they espoused religious freedom and insisted that it cannot be government's job to promote any one religious sect over others or coerce anyone's conscience in religious matters. “If there is any fixed star in our constitutional constellation,” thundered Supreme Court Justice Robert Jackson in 1943, “it is that no official, high or petty, can prescribe what shall be orthodox in politics, nationalism, religion, or other matters of opinion or force citizens to confess by word or act their faith therein.”1 For a time, this consensus seemed poised to embrace the entire world. When in November 1949 Eleanor Roosevelt proudly held up for public view a poster-size copy of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, including its article on “freedom of thought, conscience and religion,” one might have been forgiven for thinking that all the peoples of the earth were ready to follow her matronly instruction.2
Thermodynamic Mechanism Analysis of Calcification Roasting Process of Bastnaesite Concentrates

A novel calcification roasting decomposition method for bastnaesite concentrates has been proposed previously. In this work, the thermodynamic mechanism was investigated via simultaneous measurements of thermogravimetry and differential thermal analyses, combined with X-ray diffraction analyses. Rare earth oxides and calcium fluorides were generated after bastnaesite and calcium hydroxide broke down, respectively. The generation and decomposition of calcium carbonate occurred at the same time. Considering the difficulties in obtaining pure substances, theoretical calculations were applied to determine the standard enthalpy of formation (Δf H 298), Gibbs free energies of formation (Δf G 298), and heat capacities at constant pressure (C p) of some rare earth minerals (CeFCO3 and CeOF). Based on these results, the standard Gibbs energy of reaction at different temperatures (Δr G T) was ascertained, and the major reactions were verified to be thermodynamically reasonable.
A double-worst-case formulation for improving the robustness of an MPC-based obstacle avoidance algorithm to parametric uncertainty

Previous work by the authors developed a nonlinear model predictive control-based obstacle avoidance algorithm for large, high-speed autonomous ground vehicles. In the algorithm, a nonlinear dynamic model of the vehicle is used explicitly to predict and optimize further actions, but it is unknown how the uncertainties in the model parameters would affect the navigation performance of the algorithm. In this paper, it is first demonstrated that using nominal parameter values in the algorithm leads to safety issues in 24% of the evaluated scenarios with the considered parametric uncertainty distributions. Second, to improve the robustness of the algorithm, a novel double-worst-case formulation is developed for a robust satisfaction of the two safety requirements of high-speed obstacle avoidance: collision-free and no-wheel-lift-off. Results from simulations with Latin Hypercube Design scenarios and worst-case scenarios show that the proposed formulation renders the algorithm robust to all uncertainty realizations tested.
Outcomes of Onabotulinum Toxin A Treatment for Adductor Spasmodic Dysphonia and Laryngeal Tremor.

Importance The relative outcomes of onabotulinum toxin A injections for treatment of adductor spasmodic dysphonia (ADSD), ADSD with lateral laryngeal tremor (ADSD+LT), and lateral LT without ADSD are unclear. Objective To compare the outcomes of onabotulinum toxin A treatment on ADSD, ADSD+LT, and lateral LT without ADSD. Design, Setting, and Participants A retrospective cohort study was conducted from January 1, 1990, to September 30, 2016, at a tertiary referral voice center. Participants included 817 patients treated with onabotulinum toxin A injections for diagnosis of ADSD, ADSD+LT, and lateral LT without ADSD. Exposure Injection of onabotulinum toxin A into the thyroarytenoid/lateral cricoarytenoid muscle complex. Main Outcomes and Measures Data from patient diaries were used to evaluate patient-perceived effectiveness of onabotulinum toxin A injection. Primary outcomes were (1) patient-reported good voice days (voice breaks or tremor minimized to patient satisfaction) and (2) percentage of injections in which maximal voice quality was reached (significant or complete reduction in vocal tremor or spasms during a treatment cycle). Multivariate analysis of variance tests compared differences in outcomes between groups. Subanalysis was performed to compare outcomes in patients with isolated LT with those who had mixed tremor (lateral with concomitant anterior-posterior and/or vertical components). Results Of 817 patients treated with onabotulinum toxin A injections for laryngeal movement disorders, 548 patients (12 771 injection sessions) met inclusion criteria (ADSD: n = 328, ADSD+LT: n = 77, lateral LT without ADSD: n = 143). Of these, 408 (80.8%) were women; mean (SD) age was 57.2 (13.7) years. Among patients with tremor, those with isolated LT had better outcomes than those with mixed tremor. In adjusted analysis, good voice days in patients with ADSD, ADSD+LT, and lateral LT without ADSD were 81.1, 75.4, and 71.3 days, respectively (partial η2, 0.05; 95% CI, 0.01-0.09). The percentage of maximally beneficial injections was 88.1% for ADSD, 83.4% for ADSD+LT, and 70.4% for LT without ADSD (partial η2, 0.12; 95% CI, 0.06-0.17). Conclusions and Relevance Onabotulinum toxin A injections into the thyroarytenoid/lateral cricoarytenoid muscle complex are an effective treatment for ADSD, ADSD+LT, and LT without ADSD; however, the greatest effectiveness was observed among patients with ADSD. Defining tremor directionality may help to prognosticate the effectiveness of onabotulinum toxin A injection among patients presenting with tremor components.
Bacteriuria in diabetes mellitus

One hundred and four diabetic patients with bacteriuria were followed for a mean period of 44 months. They were divided in two groups “cured” and “persistent” according to the results of treatment. Retinopathy and albuminuria as evidences of microangiopathy were present at the beginning of the study in a greater number of patients and in a greater degree in those with persistent bacteriuria than in those cured. At follow-up the number of patients with and the severity of retinopathy and albuminuria were higher in those with persistent bacteriuria although not statistically different. Microangiopathy usually antedated bacteriuria and may have contributed to its persistence, although the possibility that bacteriuria played a role in the progression of microangiopathy cannot be excluded. No significant deterioration in renal function became apparent in either group, suggesting that persistent bacteriuria had not obviously contributed, to the development of pyelonephritis or progressive renal damage.
Tracking Decitabine Incorporation into Malignant Myeloid Cell DNA in vitro and in vivo by LC-MS/MS with Enzymatic Digestion.

The DNA hypomethylating agents decitabine and 5-azacytidine are the only two drugs approved for treatment of all subtypes of the myeloid malignancy myelodysplastic syndromes (MDS). The key to drug activity is incorporation into target cell DNA, however, a practical method to measure this incorporation is un-available. Here, we report a sensitive and specific LC-MS/MS method to simultaneously measure decitabine incorporation and DNA hypomethylation. A stable heavy isotope of 2′-deoxycytidine was used as an internal standard and one-step multi-enzyme digestion was used to release the DNA bound drug. Enzyme-released decitabine along with other mononucleosides were separated by a reverse-phase C18 column and quantified by mass spectrometry using multiple-reaction-monitoring (MRM) mode, with a lower limit of quantitation at 1.00 nM. In vitro studies demonstrated dosage and time-dependent incorporation of decitabine into myeloid leukemia cell DNA that correlated with extent of DNA hypomethylation. When applied to clinical samples serially collected from MDS patients treated with decitabine, the method again demonstrated correlation between decitabine DNA-incorporation and DNA hypomethylation. This novel assay to measure the intended molecular pharmacodynamic effect of decitabine therapy can therefore potentially provide insights into mechanisms underlying sensitivity versus resistance to therapy.
Transduction of Electrochemical Ion Gradients to ATP Synthesis

Proton pumping ATPases can be divided into three classes (Pedersen and Carafoli, 1987a,b; Nelson, 1988): (1) The eubacterial “F-type” that is present in bacteria such as E. coli, mitochondria, and chloroplasts, does not use a phosphorylated high-energy intermediate of the enzyme, and can function in both oxidative- and photo-phosphorylation to reversibly transduce \( \Delta \tilde \mu _{{\text{H}}^ + } \) and ATP. (2) vacuolar “V-type” ATPases, found in the vacuolar systems of eukaryotic cells, and perhaps descended more directly from the archaebacteria, functions in acidification of the organelle interior. (3) The “P-type” is commonly found in the plasma membrane, utilizes a phosphorylated high-energy intermediate, and is also involved in the translocation of Na+, K+ and Ca2+. Most of the following discussion concerns the F-type used in organelle ATP synthesis. It is characterized by its multisubunit polypeptide composition. The notation EF0 F1, CF0 F1, MF0 F1, and TF0 F1 is used for the enzyme consisting of the membrane-bound (F0) and peripheral (F1 components from E. coli, chloroplasts, mitochondria, and thermophilic bacteria, respectively.
Can We Talk About Race? Exploring Online Comments about Race-Related Shootings

A quantitative content analysis was conducted of online comments (N = 1,840) posted on news stories about 4 shooting deaths involving Black Americans and police officers to assess how Americans tal...
Depression Symptoms Declining Among Older Adults: Birth Cohort Analyses From the Rust Belt.

Abstract Objectives To investigate potential birth cohort effects in depression symptoms in older adults. Design Population-based prospective cohort. Setting Small-town communities in Pennsylvania. Participants Three thousand two hundred and twenty seven older adults (average baseline age = 71.6) born between 1902 and 1941. Measurements Four decade-long birth cohorts were the primary predictors in this study: 1902–1911, 1912–1921, 1922–1931, and 1932–1941. The outcome was symptoms of depression assessed at baseline and follow-up study visits using a modified Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression Scale (mCES-D). The depression outcome was operationalized as: 1). A binary outcome of having greater than equal to 5 depression symptoms on the total mCES-D at any study visit, and 2). A continuous outcome of four factor-analyzed component scores of the mCES-D including depressed mood, anergia/hopelessness, withdrawal, and poor self-esteem. All analyses were jointly modeled with attrition and adjusted for age, sex, education, Mini Mental State Examination score, antidepressant medications, and total prescription medications. Results Participants from more recently born cohorts were significantly less likely to have a study visit in which they reported greater than or equal to 5 depression symptoms, controlling for attrition. Specifically, in comparison to the 1902–1911 referent cohort, the 1912–1921 birth cohort was 43% less likely (odds ratio [OR] = 0.566, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.341–0.939), the 1922–1931 birth cohort was 63% less likely (OR = 0.0369, 95% CI: 0.215–0.632), and the 1932–1941 cohort was 79% less likely (OR = 0.205, 95% CI: 0.106–0.399). The cohort effect was most evident in the depressed mood and anergia/hopelessness symptom composites. Conclusion Reduced rates of depression symptoms observed in successive birth cohorts of older adults may reflect compression of morbidity or other secular trends.
Photography as a tool for avian morphometric measurements

Accurate morphometric measurements of birds are frequently needed in studies to provide an index of body size. However, obtaining these measurements in the field can be challenging and inter-observer repeatability of taking these measurements using calipers has been questioned in the literature. Here we present a method for measuring tarsus length and bill length, width and depth using digital photography with open source software (ImageJ), and we compare the repeatability and handling time of the digital measurements with those traditionally made using calipers. The digital method was more or equally repeatable than manual measurements of bill and tarsus and its repeatability was independent of measurement length, making it especially suited to making shorter measurements. While digital and manual measures were highly correlated for all body measures, the digital method produced slightly higher measurements in all cases meaning digital and manual measurements may not be directly comparable. Morphometric measurements made from digital photographs were possible with a significantly shorter bird handling time, can be completed by less experienced fieldworkers, and create a permanent record that can be later verified, making them a useful alternative to traditional manual measurements of unfeathered skeletal body parts which can be clearly visualized in photographs.
Weight Loss, Gain, or Stability from 6 Weeks to 6 Months Postpartum: Associations with Depressive Symptoms and Behavioral Habits.

Background: Studies examining postpartum retained weight referenced to prepregnant body weight may mask weight gained after 6 weeks postpartum, a potential unrecognized factor contributing to weigh...
Case 14-2020: A 37-Year-Old Man with Joint Pain and Eye Redness

A Man with Joint Pain and Eye Redness A 37-year-old man presented with arthralgias, rash, calf pain, and redness in both eyes. The C-reactive protein level was elevated, and the erythrocyte sedimen...
Re-thinking the state in Africa through Gabon’s aesthetics of governance

This article discusses Gabon’s post-independence state to query prospects for the postcolonial state in Africa. The modernist aspirations of that post-independence era sought to transform Gabonese ...
Factors associated with treatment receipt and overall survival for patients with locally advanced large cell neuroendocrine carcinoma of the lung: A National Cancer Database analysis

Abstract Purpose Large cell neuroendocrine carcinoma (LCNEC) is a rare pulmonary malignancy with clinicopathologic features of both non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) and small-cell lung cancer (SCLC). Given the paucity of available data regarding LCNEC management, we queried the National Cancer Database (NCDB) to describe trends in management, identify predictors of treatment receipt, and compare outcomes in patients receiving chemotherapy (ChT) and chemoradiotherapy (CRT). Methods We identified patients with locally advanced (Stage III) LCNEC of the lung treated with definitive ChT or CRT between the years of 2004−2015. Odds ratios were calculated to determine predictors of CRT receipt. Multivariable cox regression was used to determine predictors of overall survival. Results Using the above criteria, 5797 patients were identified, 54 % of whom received CRT (n = 3153) while 46 % (n = 2644) received ChT alone. Most patients had T4 (35 %) and N2 (59 %) disease. Median overall survival was 11.9 months (11.3–12.6) in patients receiving ChT compared to 16.1 months (15.4–16.9) in patients receiving CRT (p Conclusions Definitive CRT was an independent predictor of increased overall survival in patients with locally advanced LCNEC of the lung. Findings from our study may help guide potential areas of future investigation to help define an ideal treatment approach for LCNEC.
Towards End-to-End Control of a Robot Prosthetic Hand via Reinforcement Learning

Robot prosthetic hands intend to replicate one’s lost abilities through intuitive control. So far, control methods that rely heavily on the human input such as Electromyographic (EMG) and Electroneurographic (ENG) signals have been predominantly studied. However, these methods face issues such as lack of robustness resulting in abandonment of this technology by the users. There is a need for a paradigm shift in the robot prosthetic hand control methods. With this regard, we propose an end-to-end learning of control policy for a robot prosthetic hand through reinforcement learning. Imitation learning has been fostered to help with the sparse reward setting in the hard-to-explore state-space of the problem. The results in simulation show the feasibility of successfully learning an endto-end policy for grasping objects by robot prosthetic hands, potentially increasing robustness for grasp control of future robot prosthetic hands.
Delineating Precipitation Regions of the Contiguous United States from Cluster Analyzed Gridded Data

Spatially homogenous precipitation regions were delineated for the contiguous United States using a gridded data set of daily precipitation. Seasonal means (1981–2010) of four variables, together c...
Federalism at a partisan’s convenience: public opinion on federal intervention in 2020 election policy

President Trump’s rhetoric casting doubt on the integrity of mail-in voting ignited debates about whether the federal government should be allowed to intervene in states’ policy decisions regarding...
Injuries Associated With Subsequent Child Maltreatment Diagnosis: By Age, Race, Gender, and Medicaid Status.

This study examined injuries that may precede a child maltreatment (CM) diagnosis, by age, race/ethnicity, gender, and Medicaid status using a retrospective case–control design among child members ...
A Concordance Table to Convert FIM Basic Mobility and Self-Care Scale Scores to SCI-FI/AT Scores

Abstract Objective To estimate Spinal Cord Injury Functional Index Assistive Technology (SCI-FI/AT) scores from FIM motor items. Design Secondary data analysis. Setting Fourteen Spinal Cord Injury Model Systems (SCIMS) programs. Participants Persons with traumatic spinal cord injury (SCI) discharged from inpatient rehabilitation at 14 SCIMS programs (N=1237). Interventions Not applicable. Main Outcome Measures FIM motor items were matched to SCI-FI/AT domains and summary scores for each measure were developed. The kernel-based method was employed to develop a concordance table to estimate SCI-FI/AT domain summary scores from content-matched FIM motor item summary scores. We conducted analyses to compare agreement between actual SCI-FI/AT summary scores (actual SCI-FI/AT_S) and estimated SCI-FI/AT summary scores (est-SCI-FI/AT_S) for the total sample and for participants with different SCI injury categories. Results Nine FIM items matched SCI-FI/AT basic mobility and self-care domain content. Pearson correlations for actual and est-SCI-FI/AT_S scores (0.79) were adequate for using concordance linking methods. Intraclass correlation coefficient values (0.79; 95% confidence interval, 0.77-0.81) indicated moderate reliability. t tests revealed no significant differences between actual and est-SCI-FI/AT_S scores in the total sample. For almost 60% of the sample, actual and est-SCI-FI/AT_S score differences were Conclusions Despite differences between the FIM and SCI-FI/AT assessments, we developed a concordance table to estimate self-care and basic mobility SCI-FI/AT scores from content-matched FIM motor item scores. This concordance table allows researchers to merge FIM data with SCI-FI/AT data to analyze SCI functional outcomes at the group level. However, owing to greater differences between actual and estimated scores, the concordance table should be used with caution to interpret scores for those with cervical-level injuries AISs A, B, C.