cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
The in vivo biosynthesis of DNA, RNA, and proteins by mouse embryos after a teratogenic dose of cyclophosphamide†

Pregnant Swiss-Webster mice received 20 mg/kg cyclophosphamide ip on day 11 of gestation and 100–125 μCi/kg 14C-labeled thymidine, orotic acid, uridine, or leucine at various times afterwards. DNA synthesis in embryos, as measured by 14C-thymidine incorporation, was significantly reduced at 12 h but not 3, 6, 24, 48, or 72 h after treatment, and embryonic DNA was reduced at 12, 24, 48, and 72 h. 14C-thymidine incorporation and DNA content were also reduced in placentas and maternal livers after a delay of at least 6 h. Embryonic protein synthesis, as measured by 14C-leucine incorporation, was significantly reduced at 72 and 96 h after treatment. Embryonic RNA synthesis or content was not significantly affected. It was concluded that a teratogenic dose of cyclophosphamide quantitatively affects the synthesis of DNA and protein in the mouse embryo. The temporal aspects of the changes indicated that the effects on DNA synthesis may be the cause of induced developmental defects but effects on protein synthesis appear to be the result rather than the cause of the defects.
Validation of vehicular network simulation models with field-test measurements

Wireless Access in Vehicular Environments (WAVE) networks operating in the Dedicated Short Range Communications (DSRC) band have been deployed as testbeds on which trials have been conducted recently. The goal of this paper is to analyze field-test measurements from these trials, and to use the data to validate assumptions made in simulation models. First, we analyzed the field-test measurements for message success rate and characterized its dependence on distance. Next, using trial-and-error methods, we found the “best” channel model assumptions that fit this field-test data. It consists of using the Nakagami model for fast fading, free space and shadowing model for slow fading, and a shadowing correlation model for retransmissions and acknowledgments. As the field tests were conducted in a variety of environments (tall and short urban-canyon as well as open field), this best-fit model is a generic model that will account for the variability that can be expected in actual deployments as vehicles move between different environments.
Unipotent Representations and Quantum Induction

In this paper, we construct unipotent representations for the real orthogonal groups and the metaplectic groups in the sense of Vogan. In particular, our results imply that there are irreducible unitary representations attached to each special nilpotent orbit.
Unsupervised Feature Selection for the k-means Clustering Problem

We present a novel feature selection algorithm for the k-means clustering problem. Our algorithm is randomized and, assuming an accuracy parameter ∊ ∈ (0,1), selects and appropriately rescales in an unsupervised manner Θ(k log(k/∊)/∊2) features from a dataset of arbitrary dimensions. We prove that, if we run any γ-approximate k-means algorithm (γ ≥ 1) on the features selected using our method, we can find a (1 + (1 + ∊) ≥)-approximate partition with high probability.
Illustrating the Nature of Social Inequality with the Simulation Star Power

A simulation called Star Power provides an invaluable means to help students understand structural social inequality. This paper explains how Star Power achieves this goal and provides suggestions on how to inculcate the following points that are both central to sociology and difficult to adequately convey to students: 1) Students see how those in power maintain their position by structuring the system to their advantage; 2) they learn how the structure of this system makes advancement for others difficult; 3) privileged students begin to recognize the impact of their own family's social position that they tend to overlook in favor of their personal effort and merit. By becoming more aware of structural inequalities, students realize that for the lower classes to join the most powerful in society, they must triumph over a system in which those in power make rules that protect their own interests, usually at someone else's expense.
Effects of chlorpromazine and atropine on the maintenance of Hurwitz avoidance

Adult male hooded rats were observed on a previously acquired Hurwitz avoidance task under these conditions: injections of saline, chlorpromazine, and atropine. Significant reductions in avoidance were noted under drug conditions. Since the dosages used were below reported behaviorally effective levels, the Hurwitz procedure would seem to have value as a test of drug effectiveness. Further, differential effects of chlorpromazine and atropine were seen.
LOCAL GOVERNMENT DISCRETION AND ACCOUNTABILITY IN PHILIPPINES

Philippines has an exhaustive decentralisation code providing local governments with a high degree of discretion. But the concurrent upward and downward accountability mechanisms are weak resulting in inefficiency and ineffectiveness of local governments. We employ a diagnostic framework to analyse local governments' discretion and accountability in political, administrative and fiscal domains. We find that the entrenched culture of power accumulation and patronage—within which decentralisation operates—has resulted in elite capture at the local level. This along with lack of capacity at national and local levels has caused serious impediments in downward accountability of local governments. Copyright © 2010 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Family Size and Sibling Age, Sex, and Position as Related to Certain Aspects of Adjustment

(1949). Family Size and Sibling Age, Sex, and Position as Related to Certain Aspects of Adjustment. The Journal of Social Psychology: Vol. 29, No. 1, pp. 93-102.
Dynamical excitation of the tropical Pacific Ocean and ENSO variability by Little Ice Age cooling

Tropical Pacific Ocean dynamics during the Medieval Climate Anomaly (MCA) and the Little Ice Age (LIA) are poorly characterized due to a lack of evidence from the eastern equatorial Pacific. We reconstructed sea surface temperature, El Nino–Southern Oscillation (ENSO) activity, and the tropical Pacific zonal gradient for the past millennium from Galapagos ocean sediments. We document a mid-millennium shift (MMS) in ocean-atmosphere circulation around 1500–1650 CE, from a state with dampened ENSO and strong zonal gradient to one with amplified ENSO and weak gradient. The MMS coincided with the deepest LIA cooling and was probably caused by a southward shift of the intertropical convergence zone. The peak of the MCA (900–1150 CE) was a warm period in the eastern Pacific, contradicting the paradigm of a persistent La Nina pattern.
La geopolítica de la austeridad europea: Ordnungspolitik y la sombra del modelo económico alemán sobre la crisis de la Eurozona *

Over the past five years two stories about the Eurozone crisis have dominated popular and academic accounts: (1) virtuous northern countries versus profligate southern ones and (2) a simple extension of the 2008-9 banking crisis into the Eurozone bond market. This paper proposes that the economic crisis is really a geopolitical one reflecting the mismatch between the normative model for the Eurozone based on German ideology and the reality of the Eurozone’s economic heterogeneity.
Structure-Function Modeling of Optical Coherence Tomography and Standard Automated Perimetry in the Retina of Patients with Autosomal Dominant Retinitis Pigmentosa.

Purpose To assess relationships between structural and functional biomarkers, including new topographic measures of visual field sensitivity, in patients with autosomal dominant retinitis pigmentosa. Methods Spectral domain optical coherence tomography line scans and hill of vision (HOV) sensitivity surfaces from full-field standard automated perimetry were semi-automatically aligned for 60 eyes of 35 patients. Structural biomarkers were extracted from outer retina b-scans along horizontal and vertical midlines. Functional biomarkers were extracted from local sensitivity profiles along the b-scans and from the full visual field. These included topographic measures of functional transition such as the contour of most rapid sensitivity decline around the HOV, herein called HOV slope for convenience. Biomarker relationships were assessed pairwise by coefficients of determination (R2) from mixed-effects analysis with automatic model selection. Results Structure-function relationships were accurately modeled (conditional R2>0.8 in most cases). The best-fit relationship models and correlation patterns for horizontally oriented biomarkers were different than vertically oriented ones. The structural biomarker with the largest number of significant functional correlates was the ellipsoid zone (EZ) width, followed by the total photoreceptor layer thickness. The strongest correlation observed was between EZ width and HOV slope distance (marginal R2 = 0.85, p<10−10). The mean sensitivity defect at the EZ edge was 7.6 dB. Among all functional biomarkers, the HOV slope mean value, HOV slope mean distance, and maximum sensitivity along the b-scan had the largest number of significant structural correlates. Conclusions Topographic slope metrics show promise as functional biomarkers relevant to the transition zone. EZ width is strongly associated with the location of most rapid HOV decline.
Experimental study of seeding in genetic algorithms with non-binary genetic representation

Seeding is a technique used to leverage population diversity in genetic algorithms. This paper presents a quick survey of different seeding approaches, and evaluates one of the promising ones called the Seeding Genetic Algorithm. The Seeding GA does not include mutation, and it has been shown to work well on some GA-hard problems with binary representation, such as the Hierarchical If-and-Only-If or Deceptive Trap. This paper investigates the effectiveness of the Seeding GA on two problems with more complex non-binary representations: capacitated lot-sizing and single-machine scheduling. The results show, with statistical significance, that the new GA is consistently outperformed by the conventional GA, and that not including mutation is the main reason why. A detailed analysis of the results is presented and suggestions are made to enhance and improve the method.
Southern Politics in State and Nation Revisited: The Hunt for Racial Threat in the Age of Obama

Does the relative size of the black population residing in a county influence white political behavior? Are southern white democrats more or less likely to vote for a black candidate in democratic primaries when there is a head to head match up between both a liberal African-American candidate and a White candidate? Adding to the extant literature concerning the racial threat hypothesis, I examine the relationship between white support for African-American candidates and the relative size of the African-American population residing in a county in three distinct state wide Democratic Primaries in Mississippi and Alabama. Using Gary King’s (1997) ecological inference (EI) methodology to obtain estimates of white support for the black candidates, this study hypothesize that an increase in the relative size of the African-American population residing in a county will lead to a decrease in white support for black candidates. The estimates obtained using Gary King’s (1997) Ecological Inference will be used to construct an Ordinary Least Squares regression model.
Syntheses of Novel Protein Products (Milkglyde, Saliglyde, and Soyglyde) from Vegetable Epoxy Oils and Gliadin

The aqueous alcohol-soluble fraction of wheat gluten is gliadin. This component has been implicated as the causative principle in celiac disease, which is a physiological condition experienced by some infants and adults. The outcome of the ingestion of whole wheat products by susceptible individuals is malabsorption of nutrients resulting from loss of intestinal vili, the nutrient absorption regions of the digestive system. This leads to incessant diarrhea and weight loss in these individuals. Only recently has this health condition been properly recognized and accurately diagnosed in this country. The culprit gliadin is characterized by preponderant glutamine side-chain residues on the protein surface. Gliadin is commercially available as a wheat gluten extract, and in our search for new biobased and environmentally friendly products from renewable agricultural substrates, we have exploited the availability of the glutamine residues of gliadin as synthons to produce novel elastomeric nonfood products dub...
Simple and Compact Angle Measuring Device Based on the Herriott Cell

A novel, compact, and simple device was conceived to measure the propagation angle of laser beams. Our experimental background, setup, algorithms, and results will be presented.
Analysis of the siRNA-Mediated Gene Silencing Process Targeting Three Homologous Genes Controlling Soybean Seed Oil Quality.

In the past decade, RNA silencing has gained significant attention because of its success in genomic scale research and also in the genetic improvement of crop plants. However, little is known about the molecular basis of siRNA processing in association with its target transcript. To reveal this process for improving hpRNA-mediated gene silencing in crop plants, the soybean GmFAD3 gene family was chosen as a test model. We analyzed RNAi mutant soybean lines in which three members of the GmFAD3 gene family were silenced. The silencing levels of FAD3A, FAD3B and FAD3C were correlated with the degrees of sequence homology between the inverted repeat of hpRNA and the GmFAD3 transcripts in the RNAi lines. Strikingly, transgenes in two of the three RNAi lines were heavily methylated, leading to a dramatic reduction of hpRNA-derived siRNAs. Small RNAs corresponding to the loop portion of the hairpin transcript were detected while much lower levels of siRNAs were found outside of the target region. siRNAs generated from the 318-bp inverted repeat were found to be diced much more frequently at stem sequences close to the loop and associated with the inferred cleavage sites on the target transcripts, manifesting “hot spots”. The top candidate hpRNA-derived siRNA share certain sequence features with mature miRNA. This is the first comprehensive and detailed study revealing the siRNA-mediated gene silencing mechanism in crop plants using gene family GmFAD3 as a test model.
Synthesis and Performance Evaluation of Tetradecyl Hydroxysulfobetaine

With epichlorohydrin and sodium bisulfite as raw materials,the intermediate 3-chloro-2-hydroxy propane sodium sulfonate was firstly obtained,and then the object product tetradecyl hydroxysulfobetaine(THSB) was synthesized.The structure of product was identified by FTIR,a series of performance such as surface tension,emulsion phenonmenon,salt-resistant and rheology property were evaluated.Results showed that THSB had excellent surface activity,the lowest surface tension under critical micelle concentration was 27.3 mN·m-1,the viscosity reservation rate of binary formulation system which was composed by THSB and polyacrylamide reached 98.1% after 30 days,and THSB also had good salt-resistant and shear-resistant properties.
A distributed framework for network-wide traffic monitoring and platoon information aggregation using V2V communications

Abstract This study explores an innovative framework for distributed traffic monitoring and information aggregation using vehicle-to-vehicle (V2V) communications alone. We envision the proposed framework as the foundation to an alternative or supplemental traffic operation and management system, which could be particularly helpful under abnormal traffic conditions caused by unforeseen disasters and special events. Each equipped vehicle, through the distributed protocols developed, keeps track of the average traffic density and speed within a certain range, flags itself as micro-discontinuity in traffic if appropriate, and cross-checks its flag status with its immediate up- and down-stream vehicles. The micro-discontinuity flags define vehicle groups with similar traffic states, for initiating and terminating traffic information aggregation. The framework is validated using a microscopic traffic simulation platform VISSIM and its built-in component object model. Vehicle groups are successfully identified and their average speed and density effectively estimated. The impact of market penetration rate (MPR) is also investigated with a new methodology for performance evaluation under multiple traffic scenarios. Our simulation results show that the proposed framework lends itself better to more congested traffic conditions for any given MPR. With 50% MPR, the framework is able to provide information coverage for at least 37.76% of the simulated roadway facility under various traffic scenarios. This indicates that proposed framework could be useful with an MPR as low as 50%. Even with an MRP of 20%, the coverage ratio, under relatively congested traffic, can still reach around 58.82%. The framework is able to provide accurate speed estimation at high spatial resolution for the simulated roadway facility. The maximum relative error is under 10% for relatively congested traffic even with MPR as low as 20%. When there is a wider range of speed distribution (less congested traffic), the worst-case maximum relative error is still under 15% when MPR = 20 % . The density estimation is more sensitive to MPR, and is more accurate under low demand and high MPR scenarios. As expected, the accuracy of both speed and density estimation increases with MPR for any given traffic scenario.
Practical management of patients infected with resistant organisms: an infection control perspective.

Antibiotic resistant bacteria first became a major concern during the 1950’s with the emergence and widespread dissemination of penicillin-resistant strains of Staphylococcus aureus. However, in the 1970s and early 1980s, multi-drug resistant Gram-negative bacilli became the major problem confronting hospital-based infectious diseases clinicians and infection control programs.1,2,3 More recently, methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) and vancomycin-resistant enterococci have emerged as major nosocomial pathogens.4,5,6 The emergence of multidrug resistant Gram-positive pathogens despite the use of accepted isolation procedures has prompted a reassessment of our approaches to infection control in the hospital setting. The purpose of this review is to discuss the epidemiology and prevention of resistant nosocomial pathogens, with emphasis on emerging Gram-positive pathogens.
Toll-like receptor 4 mutation suppresses hyperhomocysteinemia-induced hypertension.

Hyperhomocysteinemia (HHcy) has been observed to promote hypertension, but the mechanisms are unclear. Toll-like receptor 4 (TLR-4) is a cellular membrane protein that is ubiquitously expressed in ...
Dynamic imaging of magnetic sources by the optimal constrained linear inverse method

The optimal constrained linear inverse method (OCLIM) for magnetic source imaging uses prior statistical information about the expected source amplitudes to yield a minimum mean square error estimate of the source amplitudes, plus standard errors for the reconstruction. It also includes a statistical test for the validity of the priors. A sequence of field measurements can be inverted instant by instant to yield a sequence of current distributions but it is desirable to exploit temporal coherence of the sources to reduce noise and improve the reconstruction accuracy. OCLIM applies in principle to the spatio-temporal reconstruction problem but a direct implementation is computationally expensive. The computational cost can be reduced from tens of hours to a few minutes by making some assumptions about the structure of the priors. The key assumption is that the prior source and noise covariance functions are separable; that is, that each covariance can be written as the product of a function of space only and a function of time only. Then there is a fast algorithm that approximates the optimal reconstruction. Assuming in addition that the noise statistics are the same for all detectors and uncorrelated between detectors yields a fast algorithm for the optimal reconstruction. Assuming that the temporal covariance is stationary allows the use of the fast Fourier transform and provides some additional speedup. These fast algorithms have been tested by simulation; they are almost as fast as instant by instant reconstruction and provide improved spatial and temporal resolution. >
I Am Super PAC and So Can You! Stephen Colbert and the Citizen-Fool

This essay analyzes Stephen Colbert’s 2012 “out-of-the-box” prank in which he created and operated a legally recognized Super PAC during the 2012 election cycle. Contextualized by the Supreme and D...
The corrosion of carbon steel in rock microcosms containing native Yucca Mountain Microorganisms

Microorganisms implicated in microbially-influenced corrosion were isolated from the deep subsurface at Yucca Mountain, and include iron-oxidizing (FeOx), sulfate-reducing (SRB), and exopolysaccharide (EPS)-producing bacterial species. Various combinations of these microorganisms were inoculated into a test system composed of a 1020 carbon steel coupon immersed in a mixture of sterile rock and soft R2A agar prepared with simulated groundwater. A 1% KCl bridge was used to connect the test system to a calomel reference electrode. A platinum counter electrode was used to apply a potential and the corrosion rate was measured by polarization resistance. Prior studies at ambient and elevated (50 °C) temperatures demonstrated that these microorganisms were capable of corroding carbon steel. The current research investigated whether the presence of a rock surface enhanced the ability of the test microorganisms to survive elevated temperature and corrode carbon steel. Uninoculated electrochemical cells were prepared to monitor abiotic corrosion. Initial and weekly corrosion rates were obtained for the duration of the experiment. Upon completion of the experiment, the test system was dismantled and the coupons prepared for phospholipid fatty acid and microscopic analyses, to assess microbial biomass and biofilm formation, respectively. Increased biomass and higher corrosion rates were observed in the rock/agar microcosms.
When I grade a paper, I do not look at the name. I grade the paper for contentâ€: Teacher Perceptions of Students at a Hispanic Serving Institution

In Spring 2005, as a South Texas four-year university designated an HSI, the researchers hosted focus gropus of first-year writing teachers to determine if faculty perceptions fit with findings from a survey that was previously administered to university students to determine literate and laguage practices.Â In examining the rhetoric of th eparticipant comments, researchers determined that although faculty members strice to understand the cultural backgrounds and needs of their students, Victor VIllanueva's concept of "color blindness" may be at a play in terms of what faculty are attempting to do and what their language illustrates about their perceptions of students.Â Focus group discussions revealed how teachers struggle with stereotypical views of students and more informed and complex understandings of students.Â Racial and ethnic background, scholastic preparation, and regional difference.Â Based on the findings, suggestions for teacher preparation were made.
Evaluating Play Experiences

As interaction designers, we often design for play or strive to make interactions more playful. However, we do not have a consistent language with which to talk about what we mean by play or ways of measuring the degree to which an interface satisfies its promise of being playful. It is easy to conflate play with similar phenomena such as engagement, novelty, creativity, and exploration. My goal is to develop a metric that targets specifically the factors of an interaction that are necessary and sufficient to say that an experience was playful for a given individual. I discuss the work I have done to define play, construct a Play Index to measure the playfulness of an interaction, and contribute to the design of interactive systems that relate to play.
GAP-43 and neuronal remodeling.

Publisher Summary This chapter focuses on GAP-43 and presents experiments to determine which components of growth cones distinguish them from synapses. The chapter approaches to determine which nerve terminal components are down-regulated when growth cones become synapses. It identifies several growth cone proteins, one of which was GAP-43, that were diminished by specific target contact in cell culture, suggesting that these proteins played roles more important to growth cones than to synapses. The cDNA for GAP-43 has been cloned to pursue several questions. (1) Which growth cone functions might GAP-43 affect? (2) Is it sufficient by itself to cause any of the structure of the growth cone? (3) How can it be restricted to particular membrane domains of the cells where growth must occur? (4) How is it regulated at the genetic level? (5) Is there a homologous gene in invertebrates? (6) Most importantly, how could an intrinsic GAP-43-induced propensity to remodeling be coordinated with morphological responses induced by the host of known extracellular growth signals?
Challenges and Rewards of Creating a Caregiving Website for New London, Connecticut

This paper addresses the successes and challenges of our community-engaged learning experience on longterm caregiving for Hispanics in New London, Connecticut. Our earlier research revealed lack of accessible information for caregivers in this community. Accordingly, we developed a website in a culturally and linguistically competent format to help alleviate such information shortage. Before launching the website, we used focus groups for constructive feedback to enhance its helpfulness. This four-year long research project will culminate with the website activation and another partnership between Connecticut College and community organizations. We recognize the importance of collaborating with community partners to manage and ensure the effectiveness and sustainability of this project. The absence of sufficient resources supporting Hispanic families caring for their aging loved ones makes it increasingly necessary that public policy changes, such as the creation of a case management office, improve the well-being of aging minorities and underserved families.
Abstract 10762: Inositol Triphosphate Receptor Activation Provides Inotropic Support to Human Ventricular Myocytes

Ca2+ release from the endoplasmic reticulum via inositol 1,4,5-triphosphate receptors (IP3Rs) regulate the growth and fate of human cardiac stem cells, but whether IP3Rs are operative in the derive...
MicroRNAs in the Central Nervous System and Potential Roles of RNA Interference in Brain Tumors

The study of RNA interference, in the form of endogenous microRNAs (miRNAs) or exogenous small interfering RNAs (siRNAs), is revealing powerful regulatory mechanisms throughout biology. Though small, these short RNA duplexes can lead to potent suppression of their targets. Numerous miRNAs are dysregulated in cancers, and several have been shown to play oncogenic or tumor suppressor roles. miRNAs are also pivotal in the development and function of the central nervous system. Brain tumors, positioned at the intersection of both, are strongly influenced by miRNAs. Early studies have shown upregulated miRNAs such as miR-21 and miR-221/222 to act in an oncogenic fashion, while the underexpressed miR-124 and miR-7 appear to suppress brain tumor formation. miRNAs and siRNAs also offer novel targeted approaches to the treatment of brain tumors. In this chapter we will discuss miRNAs in the central nervous system, their roles in brain tumors, and potential miRNA- and siRNA-based therapeutic strategies in neuro-oncology.
Bilinear Model for Coated Square Fabrics

An idealized composite model of a square biaxially loaded coated fabric is proposed. The model consists of straight linearly elastic yarns embedded in a thin layer of a linearly elastic isotropic coating material with the system loaded in the plane of the membrane. Governed by the assumptions of small strains, equations describing the material behavior are derived for a general state of two-dimensional loading. The resulting system of nonlinear simultaneous equations are then solved numerically for a range of coating and yarn properties. For relatively low stresses, the response is governed by the mechanism of crimp interchange and coating deformation, and at higher stresses the response is governed by yarn and coating properties. The general nonlinear result is further approximated by a set of bilinear equations and a procedure for evaluating definitive model parameters from data obtained from uniaxial tests is presented.
Enzymes of Bacterial Cell Wall Synthesis as Components of the Cell Membrane

Bacterial cell walls are synthesized in part through a complex reaction cycle which occurs in the membrane of the cell (1). The intracellular precursors of the peptidoglycan (UDP-acetylmuramylpentapeptide, UDP-acetylglucosamine and other substances) are utilized in this process to form a repeating disaccharide-peptide unit of the cell wall (which is to some extent genus specific). This unit is then added to a growing peptidoglycan chain at the outside of the cell membrane. A lipid in the cell membrane, identified as a C55isoprenyl phosphate, functions as the membrane carrier for the hydrophilic activated disaccharide-peptide unit, transferring it to the site of its utilization at the outside of the membrane. Many of the enzymes which catalyze the formation of this repeating disaccharide-peptide unit of the peptidoglycan are membrane bound proteins. Thus, the study of these proteins may yield a great deal of information in general about the nature of enzymes which are localized in the cell membrane. The purpose of this presentation is to describe several such membrane proteins which have been obtained from different microorganisms.
Control Barrier Functions for Constrained Control of Linear Systems with Input Delay

The concept of Control Lyapunov Functions (CLF) has been used to design control laws robust to disturbances and modeling errors, while Control Barrier Functions (CBF) have been used to adhere to state constraints in the operating space. The two can be combined and methods that employ Quadratic Programming (QP) have recently gained popularity. In this paper we consider a CLF-CBF QP design for linear systems with input delay. One obstacle is that input delays prevent the CLF concept from being extended to either Razumikhin or Krasovsky version. Instead, this paper starts with the CLF $V$ for the zero-delay system and employs its value predicted by the delay time $\tau$ . While this predicted $V$ is not positive definite, when used with the QP-based design it produces a controller that renders the origin globally asymptotically stable. A similar approach is followed with the barrier function – a predicted value of the CBF for the zero-delay system is used to form a QP constraint for the delay system. The controller combining the two provides essentially the same benefits as its non-delay counterpart. The results are illustrated on an example by simulations.
Analysis of overall survival in patients with multiple primary malignancies.

e14520Background: Multiple primary malignancies (MPMs) are seen in ~5% of all tumors. The incidence of diagnosis of MPMs is increasing secondary to improved diagnostic techniques as well as novel t...
Geologic gestures: A new classification for embodied cognition in geology

AbstractGestures are physical manifestations of cognitive processes. Geology students often use gestures to describe geologic features and processes. The gestures allow students to convey 3- and 4-...
RESPONSE: Cardiovascular Education Scholars: A New Pathway to Promotion.

Recently, the New England Journal of Medicine published 2 high-impact clinical trials demonstrating the evolution of medical scholarship. Both were large, randomized, multicenter trials, and both used noninferiority testing to compare 2 competing standards of care. The results of these trials
Reliability of 3D NAND flash memory with a focus on read voltage calibration from a system aspect

This paper discusses the reliability challenges of 3D NAND flash memory and their impact on flash management for enterprise storage applications. Emphasis is given to the read voltage calibration and its critical role in achieving low error-rates and low latency read performance, as well as in enabling accurate block health estimation. We present experimental results that demonstrate the improvements in endurance, retention and read-disturb from different read voltage calibration schemes, and we address their requirements from a system perspective, i.e., the accuracy vs. complexity trade-off. We discuss the above aspects for state-of-the-art 3D TLC and QLC NAND flash memory.
Recent developments in catalyst-related PEM fuel cell durability

Abstract Cost and durability remain the two major barriers to the widespread commercialization of polymer electrolyte membrane fuel cell (PEMFC)-based power systems, especially for the most impactful but challenging fuel cell electric vehicle (FCEV) application. Commercial FCEVs are now on the road; however, their PEMFC systems do not meet the cost targets established by the U.S. Department of Energy, primarily due to the high platinum loading needed on the cathode to achieve the requisite performance and lifetime. While the activities of a number of commercial Pt-based alloy cathode catalysts exceed the beginning-of-life (BOL) targets, these activities, and the overall cathode performance, degrade via a variety of mechanisms described herein. Degradation is mitigated in current FCEVs by utilizing a cathode catalyst with a lower BOL activity (e.g., much lower transition metal alloy content and larger BOL nanoparticle size), necessitating higher catalyst loadings, and through the utilization of system controls that avoid conditions known to exacerbate degradation processes, such as limiting the fuel cell stack voltage range. The design and development of active and robust materials and eliminating the need for vehicle mitigation strategies would greatly simplify the operating system, allowing for greater transient operation, avoiding large hybridization, and curtailing of fuel cell power. Although system mitigation strategies have provided the near-term pathway for FCEV commercialization, material-specific solutions are required to further reduce costs and improve operability and efficiency. Future material developments should focus on stabilization of the electrode structure and minimization of the catalyst particle susceptibility to dissolution caused by oxide formation and reduction over PEMFC cathode-relevant operating potentials plus minimization of support corrosion. Ex situ accelerated stress tests have provided insight into the processes responsible for material and performance degradation and will continue to provide useful information on the relative stability of materials and benchmarks for robust and stable materials-based solutions not requiring system mitigation strategies to achieve adequate lifetime.
Ghost Aneurysms in Acute Subdural Hematomas: A Report of Two Cases

Objective Acute subdural hematoma (aSDH) is a common pathology encountered in neurosurgery. Although most cases are associated with trauma and injuries to draining veins, traumatic aSDH from injury to arteries or spontaneous aSDH because of a ruptured intracranial aneurysm can occur. For some patients without a clear clinical history, it can be difficult to distinguish between these etiologies purely based on radiography. The objective of this research was to describe a case series in which imaging was suggestive of the presence of distal cortical intracranial aneurysm associated with aSDH, but operative management demonstrated no evidence of aneurysm. Methods We retrospectively reviewed 2 patients known to have aSDH with suspicion for associated aneurysm between May 2019 and September 2019 at our institution. Data collected included demographic, clinical, and operative course, including age, gender, past medical history, presenting symptoms, and pre and postoperative imaging. Results In 2 patients presenting with aSDH with preoperative radiographic imaging suggesting distal middle cerebral artery aneurysms, surgical exploration revealed no aneurysm. In both cases, noniatrogenic active arterial bleeding from an injured cortical middle cerebral artery branch was identified. Conclusions Although there are prior reports of arterial aSDH, to our knowledge, this is the first to describe the radiographic “ghost aneurysm” sign. It is important for clinicians to be aware of this potential misleading radiographic sign, which indicates active extravasation into a spherical cast of clot.
A cluster of the Corona Virus Disease 2019 caused by incubation period transmission in Wuxi, China.

Background The infectivity and transmission capacity of COVID-2019 cases during the incubation period are not very clear. The manuscript described a cluster to provide information for research on incubation period infection. Methods We collected the required data from “Public Health Emergency Reporting Management Information System”, epidemiological questionnaires for the cases, and laboratories. Results The cluster involved four generations, each of which was transmitted to the next generation during the incubation period. The time was 2–7 days, 6–7days, 3–8 days and 9 days prior to onset. As of March 11, the fourth-generation cases had no symptoms. Combined with the epidemiological data, we inferred that the source of the cluster was caused by the first-generation, who contacted with more than ten Wuhan people during the annual meeting from January 15 to 16. Two cases in this cluster were tested positive again during isolation and observation after discharge. Conclusions We determined incubation period was infectious, and confirmed that it was contagious 9 days before the onset. The patients who were discharged might need to be observed for a period of time. This study was useful for the practical work, such as in the investigation of close contacts.
UNPACKED: Refugee Baggage

UNPACKED: Refugee Baggage is an online exhibit that accompanies a physical exhibit at select host sites and offers a profound experience to viewers across the globe. The exhibit tells the powerful ...
Predictors of survival outcomes in sinonasal squamous cell carcinoma: an analysis of the National Cancer Database

Background Sinonasal squamous cell carcinoma (SNSCC) is a rare malignancy that poses management challenges. Although surgery and chemoradiation therapy (CRT) remain therapeutic mainstays, induction chemotherapy (IC) has emerged as a useful adjunct with locally advanced disease. This study used the National Cancer Data Base (NCDB) to examine treatment outcomes for patients diagnosed with SNSCC. Methods The NCDB (2004-2015) was queried for cases with SNSCC. Multivariate hazard regression modeling was used to identify significant predictors of 24-month and 60-month overall survival (OS) including treatment modality. Results A total of 3516 patients with SNSCC met inclusion criteria, including 1750 patients (49.8%) treated with surgery ± adjuvant therapy, 1352 (38.5%) treated with definitive radiotherapy (RT) or CRT, 300 (8.5%) who underwent IC followed by definitive CRT, and 114 (3.2%) who received IC followed by surgery and adjuvant therapy. Hazard modeling for confirmed treatment modality significantly associated (p Conclusion Multimodality therapy, including surgical intervention, associates with improved OS after multifactorial adjustments. IC followed by surgery associated with improved OS compared to IC, followed by CRT and CRT alone. Study results highlight the utility of surgery toward optimizing OS in patients with SNSCC and demonstrates the potential utility of IC when primary surgical management is not preferred.
The Rise and Fall of the Doctrine of Separation of Powers

As the Constitution of the United States nears its two hundredth anniversary, there is a frenzy of celebration. However awesome the accomplishment, I submit that it is no slander to recognize that the 1787 document was born of prudent compromise rather than principle, that it derived more from experience than from doctrine, and that it was received with an ambivalence in no small part attributable to its ambiguities. Indeed, its most stalwart supporters doubted its capacity for a long life. It should not be surprising, then, that even today there is disagreement over whether the Constitution of 1787 is now merely an artifact of late eighteenth-century American history or a vade mecum which has, in fact, controlled the allocation of government powers and the restraints on those powers throughout the two centuries since its birth.
Increased basal levels of free plasminogen activator activity found in human aqueous humor.

PURPOSE: To quantify the basal free t-PA activity in human aqueous humor. METHODS: Human aqueous humor obtained by simplified pipette paracentesis at cataract surgery was tested for free t-PA activity in a revised 15-hour amidolytic assay using a t-PA standard curve (n = 15). Total antigenic levels of PAI-1, the principal PA inhibitor, were determined using an ELISA kit. The available PAI-1 activity was tested indirectly using anti-human PAI-1 antibody blocking before t-PA activity assay (n = 11). Plasminogen activator type was determined by anti-human t-PA and urokinase (u-PA) antibody blocking before activity assay (n = 7). RESULTS: Free PA activity ranged widely (0.072 to 0.47 IU/ml; mean, 0.20 +/- 0.10 IU/ml) and was almost completed inactivated (> or = 89%) by antibody against human t-PA but not by the u-PA antibody. PAI-1 total antigen also ranged widely between (0.25 to 8.0 ng/ml; mean, 2.25 +/- 2.54 ng/ml). However, pretreatment of samples with PAI-1 antibody or by acidification (pH 3.2) to inactivate inhibitors did not increase t-PA activity levels. CONCLUSIONS: A basal-free t-PA activity, which is predominantly t-PA, is present in human aqueous humor at approximately 20 times higher levels than previously found with an earlier assay. This activity is estimated to represent roughly 10% of total released t-PA antigen. PAI-1 is present in aqueous humor at levels considerably lower than reported values for plasma in a predominantly PA-complexed or inactive form.
Microeconomics: Essays in Theory and Applications

Introduction 1. Disequilibrium and stability 2. Welfare economics and consumer theory 3. Applications of microeconomic theory 4. Industrial organization, economics and the law 5. Public policy applications Epilogue.
Cohomology of Vector Bundles and Syzygies

The central theme of this book is an exposition of the geometric technique of calculating syzygies. It is written from a point of view of commutative algebra, and without assuming any knowledge of representation theory the calculation of syzygies of determinantal varieties is explained. The starting point is a definition of Schur functors, and these are discussed from both an algebraic and geometric point of view. Then a chapter on various versions of Bott's Theorem leads on to a careful explanation of the technique itself, based on a description of the direct image of a Koszul complex. Applications to determinantal varieties follow, plus there are also chapters on applications of the technique to rank varieties for symmetric and skew symmetric tensors of arbitrary degree, closures of conjugacy classes of nilpotent matrices, discriminants and resultants. Numerous exercises are included to give the reader insight into how to apply this important method.
When Less Is More: Optimal Patent Breadth under the Threat of Patent Validity Challenges

This article determines the optimal breadth of patent protection for a drastic process innovation when the innovator faces the likelihood of a direct patent validity challenge by a third party and potential entry and infringement by a competitor who provides a technologically equivalent process. The effect of the innovator's patent breadth decision on the entrant's incentive to generate a competing process and on the entrant's ability to enter the market is also examined. Analytical results show that the greater the patent breadth, the smaller the entrant's incentive to develop a non-infringing process and the optimal flow of research and development spending. However, when patent breadth can be used to deter entry, the incumbent always prefers to deter entry by choosing the smallest patent breadth possible that could achieve entry deterrence. In addition, when entry cannot be deterred, it is never optimal for the incumbent to claim the maximum patent breadth possible.
Argumentation, the Visual, and the Possibility of Refutation: An Exploration

Taking the possibility of visual argumentation seriously, this essay explores how refutation might proceed. We posit three ways in which images can refute and be refuted in a mixed-media environment: (1) dissection, in which an image is broken down discursively; (2) substitution, in which one image is replaced within a larger visual frame by a different image; and (3) transformation, in which an image is recontextualized in a new visual frame. These strategies are illustrated in an analysis of three American documentary films on abortion.
Robust speaker verification with principal pitch components

We are presenting a new method that improves the accuracy of text dependent speaker identification systems. The new method exploits a set of novel speech features that is derived from a principal component analysis (PC) of voiced speech segments. The new PC features are only weakly correlated with the corresponding cepstral features. A distance measure that combines both, cepstral and PC pitch features provides a discriminative power that cannot be achieved with cepstral features alone. It is well known that the discriminative power of cepstral features declines if the dimensionality of the feature space is increased beyond its optimal value. By augmenting the feature space of a cepstral baseline system with PC pitch features we are able to reduce the equal error probability of incorrect customer rejection versus incorrect impostor acceptance by 12.5% beyond the discriminative limit of the cepstral analysis.
A Framework for Creating Natural Language User Interfaces for Action-Based Applications

In this paper we present a framework for creating natural language interfaces to action-based applications. Our framework uses a number of reusable application-independent components, in order to reduce the effort of creating a natural language interface for a given application. Using a type-logical grammar, we first translate natural language sentences into expressions in an extended higher-order logic. These expressions can be seen as executable specifications corresponding to the original sentences. The executable specifications are then interpreted by invoking appropriate procedures provided by the application for which a natural language interface is being created.
Development of GeoBlock: A Micro-World for Learning and Teaching Geometry

GeoBlock is a micro-world software tool for learning and teaching geometry, and has been prototyped on personal computers. It was designed according to the concept of direct manipulation of geometric figures under geometric constraints. A block is constructed to correspond to each complicated figure that is under geometric constraints, and it can be changed, re-used, and observed interactively on the computer's display. From practical use in classrooms, we are convinced that GeoBlock is effective in two phases of geometry lessons. One is the phase of discovering rules among geometric webs that the students have not yet studied. The other is the phase of assimilating geometrical facts that they have already studied. GeoBlock shows one way in which a computer can help students to learn geometry, and can help teachers to give persuasive geometry lessons.