cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Unravelling a histone code for malaria virulence.

Summary Epigenetic phenomena have been shown to play a role in the regulated expression of virulence genes in several pathogenic organisms, including the var gene family in Plasmodium falciparum. A better understanding of how P. falciparum can both maintain a single active var gene locus through many erythrocytic cycles and also achieve successive switching to different loci in order to evade the host immune system is greatly needed. Disruption of this tightly co-ordinated expression system presents an opportunity for increased clearance of the parasites by the immune system and, in turn, reduced mortality and morbidity. In the current issue of Molecular Microbiology, Lopez-Rubio and colleagues investigate the correlation of specific post-translational histone modifications with different transcriptional states of a single var gene, var2csa. Quantitative chromatin immunoprecipitation is used to demonstrate that different histone methylation marks are enriched at the 5′ flanking and coding regions of active, poised or silenced var genes. They identify an increase of H3K4me2 and H3K4me3 in the 5′ flanking region of an active var locus and expand on an earlier finding that H3K9me3 is enriched in the coding regions of silenced var genes. The authors also present evidence that H3K4me2 bookmarks the active var gene locus during later developmental stages for expression in the subsequent asexual cycle, hinting at a potential mechanism for transcriptional ‘memory’. The stage is now set for work generating a complete catalogue of all histone modifications associated with var gene regulation as well as functional studies striving to uncover the precise mechanisms underlying these observations.
Hands on to Help Others: Service-Learning as a Cross-Cultural Strategy to Promote Empathy and Moral Development in the Preschool Classroom

The English language expression “to take a walk in someone else's shoes” speaks to the importance of empathizing with the situations of others and making an effort to understand their perspectives. One method for cultivating this emotional literacy is through service-learning projects. This approach brings students out of the classroom and into the community, encourages them to contribute positively to the lives of others, and provides hands-on learning experiences with real-world application. This type of learning can have particularly positive effects in communities experiencing friction and/or conflict arising from racial, ethnic, or socio-economic diversity. Service-learning projects are often undertaken by schools with the resources to allow students to travel to other regions and countries, but international travel is not necessary to reap the benefits of this approach. Even engaging with a local NGO, care facility, or government project can have great impact on the students and the community. In th...
Cardiogenic seizure with bradyarrhythmia: documentation of the mechanism during asystole.

Fig. 3. Atria1 extrastimulus study after administration of sotalol at BCL 700 msec. Upper panel, Normal conduction of premature beat with a Hz-V:! interval of 90 msec. Middle panel, As HI-HZ interval shortens by 10 msec to 505, premature beat is conducted with left BBB pattern and Hz-V2 of 100 msec. Lower panel, Further shortening of HI-HZ interval to 490 msec causes sudden jump of HY-VZ interval to 220 msec with right. BBB morphology of conducted beat.
Sacoglottis gabonensis fruiting and the seasonal movements of elephants in the Lopé Reserve, Gabon

(1) Tropical rainforests vary greatly in composition and may exhibit strong seasonality of plant production (e.g. Whitmore 1984); (2) Fruit is an important part of forest elephant diet (Alexandre 1978, Merz 1981, Short 1981, White et al., in press); (3) Forest elephant densities fluctuate locally, and even regionally, perhaps in response to fruit availability (Short 1983); (4) Mean group size is lower than for savanna elephants, perhaps because of the importance of fruit in their diet (White et al., in press).
Incorporating Large-Scale FPAAs Into Analog Design and Test Courses

The development of large-scale field-programmable analog arrays (FPAAs) provides an excellent opportunity for expanding the capabilities of analog design courses and their laboratories. These devices allow the complete design and test cycle of an analog IC to be explored within the span of a single-term course without being limited to prefabricated integrated circuits. A brief discussion of the authors' experience in incorporating the reconfigurable analog signal processor (RASP) into courses and workshops is presented.
Darwin, Deception, and Facial Expression

Darwin did not focus on deception. Only a few sentences in his book mentioned the issue. One of them raised the very interesting question of whether it is difficult to voluntarily inhibit the emotional expressions that are most difficult to voluntarily fabricate. Another suggestion was that it would be possible to unmask a fabricated expression by the absence of the difficult-to-voluntarily-generate facial actions. Still another was that during emotion body movements could be more easily suppressed than fa- cial expression. Research relevant to each of Darwin's suggestions is re- viewed, as is other research on deception that Darwin did not foresee.
Effect of ethanol on serum cholesterol concentration in dog and man.

The effect of ethanol on serum cholesterol concentration has been studied in normal male dogs subsisting on diets of low cholesterol content. Daily administration of 1.65 Gm. ethanol/Kg, of body weight produced significant increases of serum cholesterol in dogs when fed either a low-fat diet (4 per cent of fat calories) or a high-fat (40 per cent) diet. The mean cholesterol increase after 2 weeks of ethanol administration was 52 mg./100 ml. (SE, 8.2) for 8 dogs on the low-fat diet, and 75 (SE, 6.6) for 24 dogs on the high-fat (lard) diet. No significant difference was found between the mean increases of serum cholesterol produced by ethanol administration, using either the high-fat diet of saturated fat (lard) or that of unsaturated fat (sunflower oil). Serum cholesterol concentration decreases rapidly after discontinuing the administration of ethanol, reaching the prealcohol levels in 2 to 3 weeks. The higher levels of serum cholesterol are maintained as long as the administration of ethanol continues. S...
An elliptical cryptographic algorithm for RF wireless devices

In this paper, we propose a new asymmetric cryptographic algorithm (HOOD CRYPT) based on the Elliptical Curve Cryptographic approach. The algorithm describes how an orthogonal frequency division multiplexing (OFDM) based RF wireless system can be encrypted using planner matrix Elliptical Curve Cryptography (ECC). The newly described asymmetric algorithm can be applied to the OFDM transmission scheme in the design of more robust and secure cryptography in portable wireless devices. An analysis of the proposed algorithm is made using the discrete logarithm approach. Two methods, namely, Pollard's rho Attack and Index Calculus are investigated with respect to the new algorithm. We found that our method makes it even more difficult to break the ECC encryption.
Semiquantitative Analysis of Water Appropriations and Allocations in the Upper Rio Grande Basin, Colorado

AbstractA semiquantitative analysis was used to assess the impacts of water rights appropriations and allocations in the Upper Rio Grande (URG) Basin, in Colorado. The study also explores the causes and effects of the changes on collateral elements in the URG agriculture system, namely the San Luis Valley (SLV) in Colorado. Population increases, after the acquisition of the territory from 1854 to 1900, were the major cause of increased acquisitions of surface water rights. By 1912 surface waters were nearly 100% appropriated. The population continued to increase until 1930 after which it remained stable. Water users began making large increases in the number of appropriations of groundwater around 1925, with the majority of increases starting around 1935. As a result, moratoriums were placed on well development in the 1970s and 80s. Individual spikes in water rights acquisitions of surface and groundwater were associated with periodic droughts and high crop prices. Change point time series analysis identi...
Can experience alter the avian annual cycle? Results of migration experiments with indigo buntings

Field experiments were conducted during 2 years testing whether premature release on their familiar, perennial breeding territories would cause indigo buntings (Passerzna cyanea) to delete spring migration from their annual cycle. In the first year, male buntings were captured on their breeding territories in summer and held indoors for the winter on the photoregime that they would have encountered in nature as fall migrants and winter residents. The following spring they were released at the time buntings begin spring migration from the subtropics. Half were released on their breeding territories, to which they would normally have returned; half were released far to the south. Some of the males released on their territories remained and passed into breeding condition without having migrated, while some of those released to the south returned north to their territories. The results suggest that endogenous or photoperiodic mechanisms controlling the timing and occurrence of migration in this species can be overridden by experience. In the second year we tested alternative explanations for these results. Our second year’s results seem to indicate (1) that birds that deleted migration in year one did not do so because of unfavourable weather and (2) that the birds that returned to their breeding sites in year one were actually migrating and not simply retracing their outward journey.
Properties of evaporated metal films related to their use for surface temperature measurements

Extension of the understanding of properties of films of metals produced on glass surfaces by vacuum evaporation has permitted the fabrication of film-resistance thermometers that with simple instrumentation accurately measure surface or average surface temperatures without altering the geography of that surface. Formerly unknown and unstabled related properties of such films have been classified and may be anticipated or eliminated by recommended experimental procedures. Films of several of the most chemically inert and refractory metals 300 to 3,000 A. thick have been shown to attain accuracies as high as 0.01°C. for practical periods of time. Their use, which is described, is developing satisfactorily, and the technique and equipment for their preparation are relatively simple.
How chemotherapy damages the central nervous system

Chemotherapy adversely affects cognitive function both acutely and chronically, but little is known about the underlying mechanisms. A new study shows that short-term chemotherapy causes not only acute injury to progenitor cells, but also delayed damage to myelin.
Baryon mass spectra from a relativistic composite model

Using the relativistic Schrodinger equation with an inverse-r potential in an extension of previously introduced composite models, we obtain sequences of masses in agreement (within a few tenths of 1%) with observed masses of Ξ, Λ and Σ particles and resonances. Predicted Δ* and Θ masses also agree with experiment. Only one fitted parameter (a fundamental mass, 70.024 MeV/c2) is required.
Haplodiploidy, Sex, and the Evolution of Pesticide Resistance

The assumption that males and females are equally tolerant to pesticides in haplodiploid arthropods led to the prediction that the evolution of resistance is faster in haplodiploid than in diploid arthropods. However, in this review, it was found that the ratio of male to female tolerance is substantially smaller in haplodiploid than in diploid arthropods, indicating that resistance alleles are not strongly up-regulated in haploid males. In addition, males were generally less tolerant than females in both haplodiploid and diploid arthropods. Factors such as sexual size dimorphism and sex-dependent selection may account for the lower tolerance in males than in females. Little among-population variation in the ratio of male to female tolerance was found in three species. Moreover, the tolerance ratio generally remained unchanged by selection for resistance to pesticides, although significant among-species variation was present within arthropod orders. This indicates that sexual dimorphism in pesticide tolerance evolves at a slower rate than resistance to pesticides. Simulations considering between-sex differences in pesticide tolerance showed that resistance evolution can be slower in haplodiploids than in diploids. Recessive resistance, low male tolerance to pesticides, fitness costs expressed in males, and the use of refuges contributed in substantially delaying the evolution of resistance in haplodiploid arthropods. These findings cast a new perspective on the evolution of pesticide resistance in haplodiploid herbivores and natural enemies.
the adsorption of disodium and dipotassium salts of dodecyl phosphoric acid at the air-water interface

The surface tensions of aqueous solutions of the disordium and dipotassium salts of dodecyl phosphoric acid in the presence and absence of 0.1 M NaCl or 0.1 M KCl are reported at 10°, 25° and 35°C. The adsorption isotherms and heats of adsorption are derived from the data and discussed.
Race and Transracial Adoption: The Answer is neither Simply Black or White nor Right or Wrong

In this article, the authors examine the crisis in the explosion in the number of children in the foster care system in the United States; and in particular, the effects on African American children. The article applies the interdisciplinary tools of law and counseling to analyze current structure and policy of transracial adoption and its implications for African American children. The authors argue that transracial adoptions and the color-blind approach, which is encouraged and required by federal statute, do not serve the best interests of the majority of African American children in foster care who are awaiting permanent homes. Rather, the two-pronged approach of increased recruitment of African American, non-kin adoptive families in addition to an in-depth focus on kinship care and adoption will more readily decrease the number of children living in foster care.
Influence of nitric oxide on the hemodynamic response to hemorrhage in conscious rabbits

We investigated the role of nitric oxide, an endothelium-derived relaxing factor, in the hemodynamic response to acute hemorrhage in conscious rabbits. Chronically instrumented rabbits were treated with the nitric oxide synthase inhibitor N-nitro-L-arginine methyl ester (L-NAME) or vehicle and hemorrhaged until mean arterial pressure fell below 40 mmHg. Control animals were treated with L-NAME or vehicle but not subjected to hemorrhage. L-NAME increased mean arterial pressure and decreased heart rate in control animals. Hindquarters and mesenteric blood flow velocity and conductance were reduced by L-NAME. Nitric oxide synthase inhibition also produced significant changes in the hemodynamic response to hypotensive hemorrhage. Mean arterial pressure was higher and regional vascular conductances were lower throughout hemorrhage and during recovery. L-NAME treatment significantly (but in some cases, subtly) altered the characteristic pattern of changes in vascular conductance associated with acute hypotensive hemorrhage and recovery. Similar experiments with other arginine analogues or phenylephrine infusion showed that L-NAME's effects during hemorrhage were due to nitric oxide synthase inhibition. We conclude that nitric oxide plays a role in the hemodynamic response to acute hemorrhage in the rabbit and is essential for the full expression of the vasodilation associated with hypotensive hemorrhage.
Rare B meson decays to charmed final states at Belle $(B\to D^{(*)} K^-, B^0\to D^+_s \pi^-)$

We report observations of the Cabibbo-suppressed decays B→ D(*)K and an upper limit for the decay branching fraction for $B^0\to D^+_s \pi^-$ using a 5.3fb-1 data sample accumulated at the ϒ(4S) resonance with the Belle detector at the KEKB e+e- asymmetric collider.
Multinucleate Cysts of the Myxomycete Didymium Iridis

Previously unreported giant cysts of a particular clone of Didymium iridis were studied. Most ultrastructural features of these giants cysts were identical to microcyst features, but the giant cyst...
Nonmodal growth of the magnetorotational instability.

We analyze the linear growth of the magnetorotational instability (MRI) in the short-time limit using nonmodal methods. Our findings are quite different from standard results, illustrating that shearing wave energy can grow at the maximum MRI rate $\ensuremath{-}d\mathrm{\ensuremath{\Omega}}/d\mathrm{ln}r$ for any choice of azimuthal and vertical wavelengths. In addition, by comparing the growth of shearing waves with static structures, we show that over short time scales shearing waves will always be dynamically more important than static structures in the ideal limit. By demonstrating that fast linear growth is possible at all wavelengths, these results suggest that nonmodal linear physics could play a fundamental role in MRI turbulence.
An Efficient Procedure for Implementing a Dual Simplex Network Flow Algorithm

Abstract This paper shows that for linear programming formulations of network flow problems, the nonzero components of rows of the basis inverse are identical. A simple algorithm for identifying these nonzero components is given along with a suggested data structure for implementation. The algorithm requires only one bit of storage for each node plus one additional bit. Finally we indicate how these ideas may be used in the development of a dual simplex code for network flow problems.
Ni-Cu-PGE Mineralization in the Partridge River, South Kawishiwi, and Eagle Intrusions: A Review of Contrasting Styles of Sulfide-Rich Occurrences in the Midcontinent Rift System

Ni-Cu-PGE sulfide mineralization in the Midcontinent rift system can be broadly classified into three types: (1) disseminated sulfide mineralization found within gabbroic to troctolitic sheet-like intrusions; (2) disseminated through massive sulfide occurrences associated with smaller, early rift, mafic to ultramafic intrusions that are conduit-related, and (3) relatively low sulfide, PGE enrichment found in well-differentiated tholeiite layered intrusions. The first two types are volumetrically dominant and are the subject of this review. Disseminated sulfide mineralization found within the Partridge River and South Kawishiwi intrusions of the Duluth Complex occurs in a variety of rock types, all produced from varying degrees of fractionation of a high-Al olivine tholeiite (HAOT) parental magma. Mineralization is characterized by high Cu/Ni ratios (bulk rock values averaging ~3–5) and variable, but locally elevated, PGE contents. Tenors of undepleted disseminated sulfide are not unlike those of the world-class ores at Noril’sk, but concentration of sulfide in the intrusive sheets did not occur. Massive, net-textured and disseminated sulfides are all part of the Eagle deposit in northern Michigan. The Eagle deposit is representative of the class of small, olivine-rich intrusions emplaced during early stages of rift development. Ni and Cu grades are considerably higher than those that characterize the disseminated mineralization in the Partridge River and South Kawishiwi intrusions; average Ni grade of the massive sulfide at the Eagle deposit is 3.57 wt %, making it one of the highest Ni grade orebodies in the world. The parental magma for the Eagle intrusion was a high-FeO picrite. Isotopic and trace element studies indicate that contamination by country rocks, particularly the introduction of sulfur, has been important for sulfide genesis. Ni enrichment in the Eagle deposit appears to be related to the early attainment of sulfide saturation in relatively Ni rich, high MgO magma. Low Ni contents of sulfide mineralization in the sheet-style intrusions of the Duluth Complex are related in part to sequestration of Ni by early crystallizing olivine, low sulfide abundance, and relatively late attainment of sulfide saturation. However, these processes cannot account for the low bulk rock Ni/Cu ratios. Whether Cu enrichment is related to fractional crystallization of sulfide liquids and widespread incorporation of the fractionated liquids into the HAOT magmas or the introduction of country rock-derived Cu into the magmas remains an uncertainty. Other unanswered, but critical, questions pertaining to the genesis of sulfide mineralization in the Midcontinent rift system include how HAOT liquids are generated, and what the mechanisms are that permit the emplacement of sulfide-rich or sulfide-only magmas in subvertical to vertical conduits.
Rhodopsin TM6 Can Interact with Two Separate and Distinct Sites on Arrestin: Evidence for Structural Plasticity and Multiple Docking Modes in Arrestin–Rhodopsin Binding

Various studies have implicated the concave surface of arrestin in the binding of the cytosolic surface of rhodopsin. However, specific sites of contact between the two proteins have not previously been defined in detail. Here, we report that arrestin shares part of the same binding site on rhodopsin as does the transducin Gα subunit C-terminal tail, suggesting binding of both proteins to rhodopsin may share some similar underlying mechanisms. We also identify two areas of contact between the proteins near this region. Both sites lie in the arrestin N-domain, one in the so-called “finger” loop (residues 67–79) and the other in the 160 loop (residues 155–165). We mapped these sites using a novel tryptophan-induced quenching method, in which we introduced Trp residues into arrestin and measured their ability to quench the fluorescence of bimane probes attached to cysteine residues on TM6 of rhodopsin (T242C and T243C). The involvement of finger loop binding to rhodopsin was expected, but the evidence of the...
Constitutional Factors Relating to Differences in Cardiovascular Response

It is a common observation in cardiovascular psychophysiology that individuals differ substantially in their physiological responses at rest and most dramatically during behavioral Stressors. For example, one individual may show an increase in heart rate from 60 to 110 beats/min during a mental arithmetic task, while another person shows a much lesser change from 75 to only 80 beats/min. The reasons for these individual differences in response to the same behavioral event are not fully understood, although this topic has been and will continue to be a major research focus in this field. Nonetheless, a number of specific constitutional factors have been shown to contribute to these individual differences in important ways. These factors include age, gender, racial or ethnic group, family history of hypertension, early or borderline hypertension, diabetes, obesity, and aerobic fitness.
Body condition at parturition and postpartum weight gain influence luteal activity and concentrations of glucose, insulin, and nonesterified fatty acids in plasma of primiparous beef cows.

Effects of body condition score (BCS) at parturition and postpartum weight gain on luteal activity and concentrations of glucose, insulin, and NEFA in plasma were evaluated during the breeding season in 242 primiparous beef cows over 3 yr (Y) at three locations (L). At approximately 90 d prepartum, cows were blocked by breed, expected calving date, and BCS and randomly assigned to diets so that cows would calve in BCS of 4, 5, or 6. At calving, cows were blocked by breed, calving date, and BCS and randomly allotted to gain .45 (M) or .90 (H) kg/d, from parturition to the start of breeding (postpartum nutrition; PPN). During the 60-d breeding season, weekly blood samples were obtained from cows, and progesterone, insulin, glucose, and NEFA were quantified. Progesterone concentrations greater than 1 ng/mL for more than 1 wk indicated luteal activity. To determine the possible value of blood constituents as predictors of luteal activity, categorical data analyses were performed. Cows with greater BCS at parturition had greater concentrations of glucose during breeding (P < .07). Similarly, PPN influenced glucose at the beginning of breeding, but the differences were minimal after d 28 (PPN x day; P <.001). Cows with greater BCS at parturition and M-PPN had greater concentrations of insulin during the breeding season (BCS x PPN; P < .02). Cows with a BCS of 6 at parturition had the lowest concentrations of NEFA; however, cows on H-PPN had greater concentrations of NEFA (BCS x PPN; P < .03). Location, BCS, PPN, and day affected luteal activity (P < .002). Location differences in luteal activity were associated with the interval from calving to the start of breeding. In general, a greater percentage of cows with BCS of 5 or 6 at calving had luteal activity by the end of the breeding season. Concentrations of metabolites in blood during breeding were not predictive of luteal activity. We conclude that BCS at parturition and postpartum nutrition influence concentrations of glucose, insulin, and NEFA in blood and the onset of luteal activity in primiparous beef cows.
Industry: adaptive fraud detection

This article describes the development of a prototype data mining system for detecting cellular phone (cloning) fraud. In cellular cloning fraud, the identity of a legitimate cellular phone is programmed into another; from the second phone, calls can be made illicitly that are charged to the customer's account. The system for detecting such fraud is based on a framework that uses a sequence of data mining techniques. First, a rule learning program discovers general indicators of fraudulent behavior from a large database of defrauded accounts. Next, the indicators are used to create a set of monitors, which profile customer behavior and measure anomalies. Finally, the outputs of the monitors are assigned weights by a linear threshold unit. Experiments with the system indicate that this automatic approach performs better than hand-crafted methods for detecting fraud. Furthermore, the system can be retrained as necessary to accommodate changing conditions of fraud detection environments.
Decentralized sliding mode control for autonomous collective transport by multi-robot systems

We present a decentralized sliding mode control strategy for collective payload transport by a team of robots. The controllers only require robots' measurements of their own heading and velocity, and the only information provided to the robots is the target speed and direction of transport. The control strategy does not rely on inter-robot communication, prior information about the load dynamics and geometry, or knowledge of the transport team size and configuration. We initially develop the controllers for point-mass robots that are rigidly attached to a load and prove the stability of the system, showing that the speed and direction of the transported load will converge to the desired values in finite time. We also modify the controllers for implementation on differential-drive mobile robots. We demonstrate the effectiveness of the proposed controllers through simulations with point-mass robots, 3D physics simulations with realistic dynamics, and experiments with small mobile robots equipped with manipulators.
Radiation effects in reconfigurable FPGAs

Field-programmable gate arrays (FPGAs) are co-processing hardware used in image and signal processing. FPGA are programmed with custom implementations of an algorithm. These algorithms are highly parallel hardware designs that are faster than software implementations. This flexibility and speed has made FPGAs attractive for many space programs that need in situ, high-speed signal processing for data categorization and data compression. Most commercial FPGAs are affected by the space radiation environment, though. Problems with TID has restricted the use of flash-based FPGAs. Static random access memory based FPGAs must be mitigated to suppress errors from single-event upsets. This paper provides a review of radiation effects issues in reconfigurable FPGAs and discusses methods for mitigating these problems. With careful design it is possible to use these components effectively and resiliently.
AWARE: Workshop on Awareness Interfaces and Interactions

Awareness is a key user interface and interaction paradigm. Choosing what to make the user aware of, at what time, and how, has a critical impact on system usage and overall perception. In this workshop, we will bring together those from academia and industry to share their own work in this area, debate key topics, and brainstorm possible future collaborations or papers.
Technography and design–actuality gap-analysis of internet computer technologies-assisted education: Western expectations and global education:

In this paper, we provide a design–actuality gap-analysis of the internet infrastructure that exists in developing nations and nations in the global South with the deployed internet computer technologies (ICT)-assisted programs that are designed to use internet infrastructure to provide educational opportunities. Programs that specifically pinpoint females’ access to schooling are foregrounded in this paper. For our research, we aggregated data on internet infrastructure and data on where ICT-assisted educational endeavors were being deployed in order to create a technography – a series of maps – that would illustrate where there is internet infrastructure that might support ICT-assisted educational programs, where ICT-assisted educational programs are being deployed, and where there is a design–actuality gap. Our research highlights two types of design–actuality gaps: there are places where there is access to internet infrastructure, but very little access to ICT-assisted educational programs; and there ...
What is the Longest Word in the English Language? What About Yiddish?

In this paper, we argue that English potentially has the longest word of any language. This word has 865 characters. Including neologisms and allowing for word borrowings from other source languages, it is argued here that English has a longest word length at least one, two or three more than that in any other language. It is also arguably the case that English has a word length at least twice that in any other language (2N+1, 2N+2 or 2N+3, depending on various aspects of the source language where N is the longest word in the source language). This is due to various aspects of other languages include the use of abugidas in Sanskrit (which may be said to currently hold the record), the regular use of certain prefixes to indicate neologisms in Yinglish and the phenomenon of shm-reduplication in Yinglish.
The dermal abyss: interfacing with the skin by tattooing biosensors

The Dermal Abyss (d-abyss) presents an approach to biointerfaces in which the body surface is rendered as an interactive display by patterning biosensors into the skin to produce color changes in response to biomarker variations in the interstitial fluid. It combines advances in biotechnology with traditional methods in tattoo artistry. d-abyss is designed to use the aesthetics, permanence, and visible nature of tattoos to encode information. In the present work, we replace traditional inks with colorimetric and fluorescent biosensors that can report on the concentration of sodium, glucose, and pH in the interstitial fluid of the skin. We report the preliminary evaluation of these biosensors in an ex vivo skin model, assessing their visibility from the dermis. We describe different applications of d-abyss in the medical, lifestyle, and security domains. This work is a proof of concept of a platform in which the skin reveals information inside the body, tattoos form wearable displays within the skin, and the body's metabolism works as an input for the d-abyss biosensors.
Effect of UV light on systematic errors in THZ-TDS spectroscopy

Terahertz Time-Domain Spectroscopy (THz-TDS) has become an extremely important technique to characterize the optical properties of materials of interest in this regime. Specifically, UV photoresponsive semiconductors (i.e. wide-bandgap semiconductors) have attracted an ever increasing attention due to their prospective application in reconfigurable devices. We report a systematic error due to the presence of UV photons in a TDS set up, and we describe a systematic correction to overcome this error and discuss a preliminary explanation for the observed effect. An additional experiment employing Carbon Quantum Dots (QDs) was carried out to verify the aforementioned corrective method.
Transient stability analysis of the IEEE 39-bus power system using gear and block methods

Transient stability analysis is an indispensible part of utility system planning. At present, it still relies on the classical numerical integration methods which are accurate but time consuming for large power systems. This paper proposes Gear's method and the block method to reduce the computational cost. These methods are used to simulate the IEEE 39 Bus system. The classical model representation of the power system is used here. To verify their effectiveness a comparison to Runge-Kutta 4th order method, which is one of the most used methods to solve the problem is done. The Gear and block methods are found to be very accurate with less computational time than the classical Runge-kutta method. The results obtained are conclusive and satisfying.
The design of the university: German, American, and ‘World Class’

In 2005, the German federal government launched the so-called ‘excellence initiative’ for the universities in the country. Since then the German universities periodically could apply for government...
Immune Response Genes in the Regulation of Mammalian Immunity

The continuous and growing excitement elicited by the concept of immune response (Ir)* genes since their discovery in the mid-1960s (McDevitt and Benacerraf, 1969; Benacerraf and McDevitt, 1972; Benacerraf and Katz, 1975; Benacerraf and Germain, 1978) can be understood as soon as that concept is fully defined. Immune response genes are operationally defined as antigen-specific genes that control the ability of an animal to raise an i immune response, humoral or cellular, to a particular antigen. The antigen specificity is a crucial aspect of the definition. Thus genes that lead to broad immune deficiency diseases, such as Wiscott-Aldrich syndrome or ataxia telangiectasia in man (Waldmann et al., 1980) and the CBA/N defect in the mouse (Mosier et al., 1977), are excluded from the concept. However, the antigen specificity is also what leads to all the excitement. The hallmark of immunology has always been the exquisite, fine specificity of antigen recognition combined with the seemingly endless diversity of specificities that could be elicited. Despite many investigator years of research invested in trying to explain this diversity, primarily with regard to immunoglobulins, providing us with some understanding of the molecular bases of specificity (Kabat, 1978; Berzofsky and Schechter, 1980, and reviews cited therein), the mechanisms of generation of antibody diversity are still the subject of continuing controversy (Cunningham, 1976; Kabat et al., 1979; Seidman et al., 1979, and references cited therein). The discovery of Ir genes introduced an apparently new level of antigen recognition whose diversity and specificity had to be explained in addition to those of familiar immunoglobulins.
Fuel and topographic influences on wildland firefighter burnover fatalities in Southern California

Previous reviews of wildfires where a fatal firefighter burnover occurred have found that the incidents usually share similar characteristics in terms of the fire environment, such as steep slopes and complex topography (e.g. box canyons). Despite these similarities, systematic identification and communication of the locations where these conditions prevail are rare. In this study we used a presence-only machine-learning algorithm (Maximum Entropy, MaxEnt) coupled with spatial location information from past fatal firefighter burnovers to identify and characterise the environmental variables that are likely to produce conditions suitable for a fatal burnover. Southern California was chosen to conduct the analysis as it has a well-documented history of past fatal firefighter burnovers and a complex fire environment. Steep, south-west-oriented slopes located in canyons with a shrub fuel type were found to be the most dangerous locations for firefighters. The relative danger to firefighters from a fatal burnover is described and summarised at both the 30-m pixel and local watershed scale.
Exposing LTE Security Weaknesses at Protocol Inter-layer, and Inter-radio Interactions

Despite security shields to protect user communication with both the radio access network and the core infrastructure, 4G LTE is still susceptible to a number of security threats. The vulnerabilities mainly exist due to its protocol’s inter-layer communication, and the access technologies (2G/3G) inter-radio interaction. We categorize the uncovered vulnerabilities in three dimensions, i.e., authentication, security association and service availability, and verify these vulnerabilities in operational LTE networks. In order to assess practical impact from these security threats, we convert these threats into active attacks, where an adversary can (a) kick the victim device out of the network, (b) hijack the victim’s location, and (c) silently drain the victim’s battery power. Moreover, we have shown that the attacker does not need to communicate with the victim device or reside at the device to launch these attacks (i.e., no Trojan or malware is required). We further propose remedies for the identified attacks.
Separations of benzodiazepines using electrochemically modulated liquid chromatography: Efficient separations from changes in the voltage applied to a porous graphitic carbon stationary phase

Abstract Electrochemically modulated liquid chromatography has been applied to the separation of a mixture of benzodiazepines using a porous graphitic carbon (PGC) stationary phase. Changes in the voltage applied (Eappl) to PGC strongly alter the retention of all of the components in the mixture, having the unusual effect of stretching both ends of the chromatogram as Eappl becomes more negative. That is, the retention for some of the benzodiazepines increases as Eappl moves negatively, whereas that for some of the benzodiazepines decreases. Together, these dependencies result in the ability to resolve fully the mixture while only marginally increasing the total elution time with respect to that obtained at the open circuit potential.
Recent Developments in Stochastic Finite Elements

Several recent developments in the stochastic finite element method are reviewed. Topics addressed include: the modeling and discretization of random fields, the weighted integral approach, computation of response gradients, and reliability analysis of components and systems by the first and second-order reliability methods (FORM and SORM). The emphasis is on nonlinear structural behavior under time-dependent loading, and both cumulative damage and first-cxcursion failures arc considered. The presentation introduces several new methods of analysis, including the optimum linear estimation method for representation of random fields, the conditional derivative method for computation of response gradients for inelastic structures, and a new algorithm for computing the first-excursion probability of uncertain structural systems.
Genetic screen identifies adaptive aneuploidy as a key mediator of ER stress resistance in yeast

The yeast genome becomes unstable during stress, which often results in adaptive aneuploidy, allowing rapid activation of protective mechanisms that restore cellular homeostasis. In this study, we performed a genetic screen in Saccharomyces cerevisiae to identify genome adaptations that confer resistance to tunicamycin-induced endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress. Whole-genome sequencing of tunicamycin-resistant mutants revealed that ER stress resistance correlated significantly with gains of chromosomes II and XIII. We found that chromosome duplications allow adaptation of yeast cells to ER stress independently of the unfolded protein response, and that the gain of an extra copy of chromosome II alone is sufficient to induce protection from tunicamycin. Moreover, the protective effect of disomic chromosomes can be recapitulated by overexpression of several genes located on chromosome II. Among these genes, overexpression of UDP-N-acetylglucosamine-1-P transferase (ALG7), a subunit of the 20S proteasome (PRE7), and YBR085C-A induced tunicamycin resistance in wild-type cells, whereas deletion of all three genes completely reversed the tunicamycin-resistance phenotype. Together, our data demonstrate that aneuploidy plays a critical role in adaptation to ER stress by increasing the copy number of ER stress protective genes. While aneuploidy itself leads to proteotoxic stress, the gene-specific effects of chromosome II aneuploidy counteract the negative effect resulting in improved protein folding.
Regional nerve block decreases opioid use after complete sternal-sparing left ventricular assist device implantation.

BACKGROUND Less-invasive techniques for left ventricular assist device (LVAD) implantation have shown promising outcomes but are associated with significant postoperative pain. We aim to investigate the use of ultrasound-guided regional nerve blocks to improve pain management during these procedures. METHODS We retrospectively reviewed patients implanted with a HeartMate 3 LVAD via complete sternal-sparing (CSS) approach at our institution from February 2018 to July 2018. Patients were grouped based on their postoperative pain management plan-those who received a regional nerve block plus multimodal analgesia and a control group who received standard multimodal analgesia alone. Pain scores and analgesic use were recorded for all patients during the initial 72 hours postoperatively. RESULTS Preoperative characteristics were similar between cohorts. Of the 28 patients included in the study, 15 (54%) received a postoperative regional nerve block. Patients who received a nerve block had significantly lower pain scores and required a lower dose of opioid analgesics (70.7 ± 13.9 vs 124.6 ± 19.3 morphine equivalents, P = 0.029) during the first 72 hours postoperatively. There was no difference in time to extubation, intensive care unit length of stay, or hospital length of stay. CONCLUSIONS Optimizing postoperative analgesia using a regional nerve block is associated with decreased opioid use and decreased postoperative pain after CSS LVAD implantation. Regional nerve blocks should be included as part of a protocol-based postoperative pain management program.
Gain Dependent Mode Analysis of Large Mode Area Fiber with Confined Ytterbium Doping

We quantify for the first time higher-order-mode content as a function of gain in large-mode-area fiber with confined Yb-doping using spatially and spectrally resolved imaging. Our results clearly indicate higher-order-mode suppression due to differential gain. © 2019 The Author(s)
Effects of Grain Size on Deformation in Porous Media

The solid system in deformable porous media undergoes deformation with the flow of fluid. In this paper, in order to study the micro-mechanism of the deformation, the solid system in the porous media is represented by a pack of spherical particles and simulated by discrete element method. The fluid system in the porous media is also simulated by computational fluid dynamics. To consider the fluid–particle interactions in the porous media, the above techniques are coupled and applied for simulating the solid deformation and fluid flow. Different models consisting of different particle sizes are studied in dry (without the presence of fluid) and wet states (with the flow of fluid). The results show that with the decrease in the particle size, the solid deformation declines, which imitates the actual deformation in the porous media. More importantly, the comparison between the dry and wet models indicates that the effect of the fluid on the particle system is diminishing with the smaller packed particles. The solid deformation tendency is quantified by the reduction in the values of some micro-mechanical properties, such as permeability (absolute and relative), porosity and pore-size distribution.
Repensando la acción terapéutica

Lo mismo que otros conceptos medulares del psicoanalisis, Ia teoria de Ia accion terapeutica esta actualmente en proceso de cambio, con los teoricos de diferentes corrientes proponiendo diferentes mecanismos. En este articulo, los autores intentan integrar los desarrollos dentro y fuera del psicoanalisis, para dar un modelo de trabajo para los procesos multifaceticos involucrados en producir el cambio en el psicoanalisis y Ia psicoterapia psicoanalitica. Una teoria de Ia accion terapeutica debe describir tanto lo que cambia (Ias metas del tratamiento) como cuales estrategias tienen buena probabilidad de ser utiles en facilitar estos cambios (tecnica). Los autores creen que Ias teorias de mecanismo unico de Ia accion terapeutica, sin que importe lo complejas que sean, tienen poca probabilidad de resultar utiles en este momento, por Ia variedad de Ias metas del cambio y Ia variedad en los metodos utiles para efectuar el cambio en tales metas (como Ias tecnicas dirigidas a alterar diferentes tipos de procesos conscientes e inconscientes). Las intervenciones que facilitan el cambio pueden clasificarse en una de tres categorias: Ias que estimulan Ia comprension profunda [insight], Ias que aprovechan diversos aspectos mudables de Ia relacion de tratamiento, y una variedad de estrategias secundarias. Proponen que, en todas Ias formas de tratamiento psicoanalitico, seria mas exacto hablar de acciones terapeuticas mas que de una accion.
2751 A New Approach to the 4-Point Transversus Abdominis Plane Block

Study Objective To educate gynecologic surgeons on the background, indications, technique, and outcomes of a four-point transversus abdominis plane (TAP) block delivered under laparoscopic guidance. Design We devised a technique for a laparoscopic assisted four-point TAP block. We have described the indications, supplies needed, and medications administered. We performed a cadaveric dissection of the anterior-lateral abdominal wall to identify the neurovascular plane used for anesthetic injection. To the best of our knowledge, we are the first to perform a four-point TAP block at the subcostal and lateral positions, under laparoscopic visualization, for robotic-assisted gynecologic procedures including hysterectomies. Setting Academic community hospital setting and institutional cadaver lab. Patients or Participants N/A Interventions We perform laparoscopic assisted four-point TAP blocks on all robotic-assisted gynecologic procedures unless there is a contraindication. Blocks are placed by the surgeon after insertion of the laparoscope. For the subcostal injection the lower costal margin is palpated, and the injection site is identified two centimeters inferior and medial to the mid-axillary line. For the inferior injection the anterior superior iliac spine is palpated, and the injection is two centimeters superior and medial to the mid-axillary line. Introduction of a regional anesthesia needle is simultaneously observed externally and laparoscopically. This method along with detailed anatomical landmarks are described in our technique paper. Measurements and Main Results N/A Conclusion A four-point TAP block is a safe, efficacious, yet simple procedure which can be performed by the surgeon under laparoscopic visualization.