cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Energetic suppression of decoherence in exchange-only quantum computation

Universal quantum computation requiring only the Heisenberg exchange interaction and suppressing decoherence via an energy gap is presented. The combination of an always-on exchange interaction between the three physical qubits comprising the encoded qubit and a global magnetic field generates an energy gap between the subspace of interest and all other states. This energy gap suppresses decoherence. Always-on exchange couplings greatly simplify hardware specifications and the implementation of inter-logical-qubit gates. A controlled phase gate can be implemented using only three Heisenberg exchange operations all of which can be performed simultaneously.0.
Semantic message oriented middleware for publish/subscribe networks

The publish/subscribe paradigm of Message Oriented Middleware provides a loosely coupled communication model between distributed applications. Traditional publish/subscribe middleware uses keywords to match advertisements and subscriptions and does not support deep semantic matching. To this end, we designed and implemented a Semantic Message Oriented Middleware system to provide such capabilities for semantic description and matching. We adopted the DARPA Agent Markup Language and Ontology Inference Layer, a formal knowledge representation language for expressing sophisticated classifications and enabling automated inference, as the topic description language in our middleware system. A simple description logic inference system was implemented to handle the matching process between the subscriptions of subscribers and the advertisements of publishers. Moreover our middleware system also has a security architecture to support secure communication and user privilege control.
Targeting and blocking B7 costimulatory molecules on antigen-presenting cells using CTLA4Ig-conjugated liposomes: In vitro characterization and in vivo factors affecting biodistribution

Purpose. CTLA4Ig, a fusion protein of CTLA-4 and Fc of immunoglobulin (Ig) heavy chain, inhibits the essential costimulatory signal for full T cell activation via blocking the interaction between CD28 and B7 molecules and renders T cell nonresponsiveness. CTLA4Ig has been used to control deleterious T cell activation in many experimental systems. We hypothesized that by conjugating CTLA4Ig to liposomes the efficacy of CTLA4Ig could be enhanced through multivalent ligand effect, superior targetability, and modification of the fate of ligated costimulatory molecules.
Utilization of metamaterials for wide angle impedance matching (WAIM) in phased array antennas

We have demonstrated that anisotropic WAIM layers, which can be implementable using metamaterials, may be used to achieve superior wide angle impedance matching for phased array antennas. In order to successfully obtain wide angle impedance matching via anisotropic metamaterials, it would be essential to be able to reliably design sophisticated metamaterial layers with at least four degrees of freedom (uniaxial μ, uniaxial e, variable thickness).
Poverty, economic growth, and average exit time

A simple transformation of the Watts poverty index yields a ''meaningful'' measure with appealing ordinal properties and a natural interpretation in terms of the potential for economic growth to alleviate poverty. The index is illustrated with data from Bangladesh and Bolivia. © 1998 Elsevier Science S.A.
Quantitation of the O2-Dependent, CO2-Reversible Component of the Postillumination CO2 Exchange Transient in Tobacco and Maize Leaves

The postillumination transient of CO 2 exchange and its relation to photorespiration has been examined in leaf discs from tobacco ( Nicotiana tabacum ) and maize ( Zea mays ). Studies of the transients observed by infrared gas analysis at 1, 21, and 43% O 2 in an open system were extended using the nonsteady state model described previously (Peterson and Ferrandino 1984 Plant Physiol 76: 976-978). Cumulative CO 2 exchange equivalents ( i.e. nanomoles CO 2 ) versus time were derived from the analyzer responses of individual transients. In tobacco (C 3 ), subtraction of the time course of cumulative CO 2 exchange under photorespiratory conditions (21 or 43% O 2 ) from that obtained under nonphotorespiratory conditions (1% O 2 ) revealed the presence of an O 2 -dependent and CO 2 -reversible component within the first 60 seconds following darkening. This component was absent in maize (C 4 ) and at low external O 2 :CO 2 ratios ( i.e. 2 . This relatively simple and rapid method of analysis of the transient is introduced to eliminate some uncertainties associated with estimation of photorespiration based on the maximal rate of postillumination CO 2 evolution. This method also provides a useful and complementary tool for detecting variation in photorespiration.
Third through Sixth Graders' Perceptions of High-Stakes Testing:

This study examined elementary students' perceptions of high-stakes testing through the use of drawings and writings. On the day after students completed their high-stakes tests in the spring, 225 students were asked to “draw a picture about your recent testing experience.” The same students then responded in writing to the prompt “tell me about your picture.” During data analysis, nine categories were constructed from the themes in students' drawings and written descriptions: Emotions, Easy, Content Areas, Teacher Role, Student Metaphors, Fire, Power/Politics, Adult Language, and Culture of Testing. Each of these categories was supported by drawings and written descriptions. Two additional categories were compelling because of their prevalence in students' drawings: Accoutrements of Testing and Isolation. The researchers examine the prevailing negativity in students' responses and suggest ways to decrease students' overall test anxiety, including making changes in the overall testing culture and changing...
Improving the Efficiency of Legal E-Discovery Services Using Text Mining Techniques

E-Discovery Review is a type of legal service that aims at finding relevant electronically stored information (ESI) in a legal case. This requires manual reviewing of large number of documents by legal analysts, thus involving huge costs. In this paper, we investigate the use of IT, specifically text mining techniques, for improving the efficiency and quality of the ediscovery review service. We employ near duplicate detection and automatic classification techniques that can be used to create coherent groups of documents. Since a group characterizes a syntactic or a semantic theme all the documents in a group can be reviewed together. This leads to a faster and more consistent review of documents. Our experimental results on the publicly available Enron email corpus show that we can achieve high precision and recall in identifying the syntactic and semantic groups. We also conduct a user study that demonstrates 80% reduction in the review time and improved consistency in the review results, leading to better service quality.
Cell type-specific differential expression of human PRPP synthetase (PRPS) genes.

PRPP is a substrate in the synthesis of virtually all nucleotides1 and is also an important regulator of the de novo pathways of purine2 and pyrimidine 3 nucleotide synthesis. PRPP is synthesized from MgATP and Rib-5-P in a reaction requiring Mg2+ and Pi as activators and subject to inhibition by purine, pyrimidine, and pyridine nucleotides; reaction products; and 2,3-diphosphoglycerate 4-6 . The reaction is catalyzed by a family of PRPP synthetase (PRS) isoforms . Mammalian PRS isoform subunits are polypeptides of about 35 kDa, with a high degree of homology both within and across species . Purified human PRS subunits, whether recombinant or isolated from cells, undergo concentration-dependent and effector-mediated reversible aggregation in vitro, 4,10 with enzymatic activity residing in aggregates containing as many as 16 or 32 subunits. Active heteroaggregates of PRS have not been formally demonstrated, but each human recombinant PRS isoform forms active homoaggregates 4,7 . The human PRS isoform family is composed of 3 polypeptides of identical length. Each human PRS cDNA is encoded by a separate PRPS gene: human PRPS1 and PRPS2 map, respectively, to the long and the short arms of the X chromosome and are widely expressed; PRPS3 maps to human chromosome 7
Effects of context on risk taking and decision times in obsessive-compulsive disorder

Despite the fact that OCD patients show altered decision making in everyday life, few studies have investigated how patients make risky decisions and what contextual factors impact choices. We investigated cognitive context with the use of the "framing effect" task, which investigates decision making based on whether monetarily equivalent choice options are framed in terms of a potential to either lose (lose $20 out of $50) or gain (gain $30 out of $50) money. In addition, we manipulated social context by providing positive or neutral feedback on subjects' choices. Overall, participants were risk taking for options framed in terms of potential loss and risk averse for options framed in terms of potential gain (the classic framing effect). Although OCD patients were generally more risk averse, the effect of the frame on choices did not differ significantly from healthy participants and choices were not impacted by social context. Within OCD patients, greater self-reported indecisiveness was associated with a larger effect of the frame on choices. OCD patients were also significantly slower to make choices in the loss compared to gain frame, an effect that was not observed among healthy participants. Overall, our results suggest that the framing of choice options has a differential effect on decision times but not the actual choices made by OCD patients, and that patients are not sensitive to social feedback when making choices. The correlation between indecisiveness and the framing effect in OCD suggests that further work interrogating the relationship between specific symptoms and decision making among patients may yield new insights into the disorder.
Remembering the Women of Vine Street: Archaeology and Historic Preservation of an Urban Landscape in Lancaster, Pennsylvania

This chapter analyzes a gendered landscape in Lancaster, Pennsylvania, based on our excavation of a property once owned by a free African-American woman, Lydia Hamilton Smith, who was the housekeeper of Thaddeus Stevens, an abolitionist and leading congressman during the Civil War and the Reconstruction Era. Stevens and Smith were only the most famous residents of the property; in this chapter we examine this property as an example of a microcosmic landscape through which we interpret changes in the social and physical landscape of Lancaster, Pennsylvania, over time. Our focus is on an urban houselot, located at the corner of Queen and Vine Streets in Lancaster, known locally as Lot 134.
Status of women and fertility in Iran.

The determinants of gender inequality of women specifically access to education health and economic resources including paid employment of women at the community level are examined. The association between fertility and the relative status of women and development is analyzed with 1976 census data from 162 communities in Iran. Hypothesis 1 linked the higher the status of women to development; hypothesis 2 to the later the family formation and lower fertility; and hypothesis 3 postulated higher development in the community with later family formation of women and lower fertility. At the primary level the enrollment rate of females is 74% of the enrollment rate for male children; at the middle school level the rate is only 54%; at the high school level the rate is less than 1/2 of that of male enrollment. The rate of mortality for 1-4 old females was 18.9/1000 people while for males it was 14.7 according to 1977 Iran Statistical Centre data. The average ratio of female labor force participation to that of men aged 15-64 was 17. On the average 34.2% of women 15-19 were ever-married in 1976 in Iran. The standardized regression coefficients for the models on development and gender inequality variables support the hypothesis concerning a lower proportion of ever-married women aged 15-19. In model 3 the coefficient for paid employment means the higher the relative access of women to paid employment the lower the proportion of family formation below age 20 and the explained variance is statistically significant. In model 4 the health variable (female:male ratio ages 1-4) adds to the explained variance in the family formation variable. The mean value of child-women ratio in the analysis of fertility and gender inequality is 801 children under 5/1000 women 15-44. In the final model the early family formation variable adds significantly to the total variance explained. In addition the effects of relative access to education employment and health are transmitted through early family formation in model 5.
Circumferential, not longitudinal, colonic stretch increases synaptic input to mouse prevertebral ganglion neurons

The relationship between longitudinal and circular muscle tension in the mouse colon and mechanosensory excitatory synaptic input to neurons in the superior mesenteric ganglion (SMG) was investigat...
Targeting Transmission Pathways for Emerging Zoonotic Disease Surveillance and Control

We used literature searches and a database of all reported emerging infectious diseases (EIDs) to analyze the most important transmission pathways (e.g., vector-borne, aerosol droplet transmitted) for emerging zoonoses. Our results suggest that at the broad scale, the likelihood of transmission occurring through any one pathway is approximately equal. However, the major transmission pathways for zoonoses differ widely according to the specific underlying drivers of EID events (e.g., land-use change, agricultural intensification). These results can be used to develop better targeting of surveillance for, and more effective control of newly emerged zoonoses in regions under different underlying pressures that drive disease emergence.
Eeffect Analysis on AIDS Knowledge and Behavior Intervened among Sex Workers in Gaolan County of Gansu Province

Objective:To identify the level of AIDS knowledge and behavior of CSWs(commercial sex workers)in GaoLan County from 2007 to 2009,and to provide evidence for further intervention. Methods:CSWs were investigated in the public places of entertainment with a structured questionnaire.Results:The awareness rate of AIDS knowledge of CSWs was increased from 12.67 %(January,2008) to 79.69%(December,2009).The percentage of using condom when CSWs had commercial sex or had sex with fixed partners in the last month was significantly increased after health education,but the percentage of using condom with fixed partners was lower.Among the Unregistered prostitute,willingness rate of education was increased in the past three years.Conclusion:After intervention,the AIDS awareness has significantly improved among CSWs.Thus,the implementation intervention measures should be guaranteed.
Comparison of water-related physiological characteristics of Alnus maritima and A.incana growing in America

Aims Our goal was to compare basic physiological responses to water stress of Alnus maritima and A.incana in order to (a) explain why A.maritima occupies a small,patchy distribution in eastern U.S.A.while A.incana is broadly distributed and (b) further understand potential differences in adaptation to drought in these two species.Methods We compared stomatal conductance (Gs),leaf water potential (ψleaf) and basic osmotic regulation in A.maritima and A.incana under artificial soil irrigation.Important findings Alnus maritima kept a lower Gs and lower correlation coefficients with air temperature,va-por pressure deficit and relative humidity than A.incana under irrigation.During the dry-down period,A.mari-tima showed weaker ability to keep stomata open as influenced by the decrease of ψleaf.In the re-water experi-ment,Gs of A.maritima showed slower recovery than A.incana.Alnus maritima kept a higher ψleaf and also a higher threshold of ψleaf to close their stomata under well-watered conditions.The decline in ψleaf was larger under drought stress compared with A.incana.There was no significant difference in osmotic regulation between the two species under normal water conditions.However,under drought,both species showed: (a) a decrease in solute potential at full turgor (ψssat),(b) a decline of maximum variation rate of turgor pressure against solute potential,(c) an increase in solute potential at turgor loss point (ψstlp) and (d) a decrease in Dψs.The ψstlp of A.maritima was higher and Dψs was lower than in A.incana.These results indicated that the small,patchy distribution of A.mari-tima may partly be attributed to the lower sensitivity of leaf stomata,higher leaf water potential and decrease in ability to adjust osmotically under drought stress.
Percutaneous Image-Guided Musculoskeletal Tumor Treatments

OBJECTIVE. The purpose of this article is to review the current guidelines and recommendations for percutaneous image-guided treatment of musculoskeletal tumors. CONCLUSION. With the ongoing technologic advances, it is essential that the musculoskeletal interventionalist is familiar with the current tools and techniques available for the treatment of soft-tissue and bone tumors. Fortunately, many of these tools are readily available in a standard interventional radiology department and can be easily applied to the musculoskeletal system.
The parable of the talents

On its surface, Jesus’ Parable of the Talents is a simple story with four key plot elements: (1) A master is leaving on a long trip and entrusts substantial assets to three servants to manage during his absence. (2) Two of the servants invested the assets profitably, earning substantial returns, but a third servant — frightened of his master’s reputation as a hard taskmaster — put the money away for safekeeping and failed even to earn interest on it. (3) The master returns and demands an accounting from the servants. (4) The two servants who invested wisely were rewarded, but the servant who failed to do so is punished. Neither the master nor any of the servants make any appeal to legal standards, but it seems improbable that there was no background set of rules against which the story plays out. To the legal mind, the Parable thus raises some interesting questions: What was the relationship between the master and the servant? What were the servants’ duties? How do the likely answers to those questions map to modern relations, such as those of principal and agent? Curiously, however, there are almost no detailed analyses of these questions in Anglo-American legal scholarship. This project seeks to fill that gap.
Chronic pain, craving, and illicit opioid use among patients receiving opioid agonist therapy.

AIMS: In a sample of patients receiving opioid agonist therapy, we evaluated whether having chronic pain was associated with (a) craving for opioids and (b) illicit opioid use. METHODS: In a cross-sectional study of adults on buprenorphine or methadone maintenance recruited from an urban medical center, we examined any craving for opioids (primary dependent variable) in the past week and recent illicit opioid use (secondary dependent variable). Illicit opioid use was defined as a positive urine drug test (UDT) for opiates and chronic pain was defined as bodily pain that had been present for at least 3 months. Multivariable logistic regression models were fit for each outcome, adjusting for age, sex, and non-white race. Additional models adjusted for depression (PHQ-9) and anxiety (STAI). RESULTS: The sample included 105 adults on methadone or buprenorphine maintenance. Mean age was 43.8 (SD ±9.4)years; 48% were female and 32% non-white; 19% were on methadone. Chronic pain was present in 68% of the sample, 51% reported craving opioids in the past week, and 16% had a positive UDT. Chronic pain was associated with 3-fold higher odds of reporting craving in the past week (aOR=3.10; 95% CI: 1.28-7.50, p-value=0.01). The relative odds for having a positive UDT were not statistically significant (aOR=2.52; 95% CI: 0.64-9.90, p=0.18). CONCLUSION: In this sample of patients treated with opioid agonist therapy, those with chronic pain had higher odds of reporting craving for opioids. Chronic pain with associated opioid craving potentially places this population at risk for relapse.Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved. Language: en
Association of Age at Menopause With Incident Heart Failure: A Prospective Cohort Study and Meta-Analysis.

Background Early age (<45 years) at menopause has been postulated to be associated with increased cardiovascular disease risk; however, evidence of its relation with heart failure (HF) incidence is limited. We examined whether age at menopause is associated inversely with HF incidence in the Atherosclerosis Risk In Communities (ARIC) study and summarized all existing data in a meta‐analysis. Methods and Results In ARIC, data were obtained from 5629 postmenopausal women (mean age 56 years, 26% with bilateral oophorectomy) without HF. During a median follow‐up of 21.4 years, 965 incident HF events occurred. In a Cox regression model adjusted for reproductive health and HF risk factors, the hazard ratios for incident HF across categories of age at menopause (<45, 45–49, 50–54, and ≥55 years) were 1.32, 1.17, 1.00 (referent), and 1.12, respectively. Compared with women with later onset of menopause (aged ≥45 years), those with early menopause had elevated HF risk (hazard ratio 1.20, 95% CI 1.01–1.43). For the meta‐analysis, we searched Medline and Embase for articles published through December 2015 that prospectively evaluated age at menopause and HF risk. Summarized estimates from the 3 included studies (3568 events) showed higher HF risk among women with early menopause compared with those with later menopause (hazard ratio 1.33, 95% CI 1.15–1.53). Conclusions These results provided evidence that early age at menopause is associated with a modestly greater risk of HF. Identification of women with early menopause offers a window of opportunity to implement interventions that will improve overall cardiovascular health during the postmenopausal years.
Repetitions: Empathy, Poverty, and Politics in Eastern Kentucky

The three events described here illustrate the pull of empathically charged political performances, a pull that invites repetition. Many national politicians have visited Appalachia, an area long impacted by poverty, out-migration, and the effects of absentee ownership in the coal mining industry. Since President Johnson declared the War on Poverty from a front porch in Martin County, Kentucky, in April 1964, eastern Kentucky has served as a popular backdrop for staging political messages about economic disparity in the USA. Richard Nixon, Robert Kennedy, Ted Kennedy, Bill Clinton, Paul Wellstone, Jesse Jackson, and John Edwards have all included Kentucky in their so-called “poverty tours.” But of all of these men, it is Robert Kennedy who is most remembered in Kentucky. Undoubtedly, this has much to do with the iconic status of the Kennedy family, as well as the timing of his visit. Robert Kennedy announced his bid for the presidency only one month after visiting Kentucky, and he was assassinated less than three months later, cementing the memory of his visit with that of his death.
The virtue of drawing lines in genetic testing.

While there are benefits to genetic screening during pregnancy, parents must not let their desire for a genetically perfect child allow them to terminate a pregnancy because of non-medical factors. Virtual Mentor is a monthly bioethics journal published by the American Medical Association.
Metabolic Manipulation to Put the Brakes on Platelet Activation: A Potential Novel Pharmacologic Approach to Atherothrombosis.

Antiplatelet therapeutics are a mainstay of primary and secondary prevention strategies for thrombotic cardiovascular and neurovascular diseases. Currently available agents, aspirin and thienopyridines, directly target platelet activation pathways mediated by thromboxane A2 (the major metabolic product of platelet cyclooxygenase) and ADP. These critical pathways are responsible for amplifying platelet responses to vascular injury, and although this pharmacological approach has proven to be effective and safe, it is not perfect; many patients experience thrombotic events despite taking these drugs, and many experience bleeding complications. Exploiting novel targets to improve efficacy is, thus, an important avenue of translational research. See accompanying article on page 2068 In this issue of Arteriosclerosis, Thrombosis, and Vascular Biology , Yeung et al1 provide compelling evidence that targeting metabolic pathways downstream of a specific long-chain polyunsaturated fatty acid, ω-6-dihomo-γ-linoleic acid (DGLA), could provide thromboprotection by activating intracellular platelet inhibitory pathway(s) that represent a natural braking system triggered normally by endogenous soluble …
The influence of knee alignment on lower extremity kinetics during squats

The squat is an assessment of lower extremity alignment during movement, however there is little information regarding altered joint kinetics during poorly performed squats. The purpose of this study was to examine changes in joint kinetics and power from altered knee alignment during a squat. Thirty participants completed squats while displacing the knee medially, anteriorly, and with neutral alignment (control). Sagittal and frontal plane torques at the ankle, knee, and hip were altered in the descending and ascending phase of the squat in both the medial and anterior malaligned squat compared to the control squat. Ankle and trunk power increased and hip power decreased in the medial malaligned squat compared to the control squat. Ankle, knee, and trunk power increased and hip power decreased in the anterior malaligned squat compared to the control squat. Changes in joint torques and power during malaligned squats suggest that altered knee alignment increases ankle and trunk involvement to execute the movement. Increased anterior knee excursion during squatting may also lead to persistent altered loading of the ankle and knee. Sports medicine professionals using the squat for quadriceps strengthening must consider knee alignment to reduce ankle and trunk involvement during the movement.
Development of Vaccines for Ehrlichiosis

The tick-transmitted, obligate intracellular, Gram-negative bacterium Ehrlichia is the causative agent of ehrlichiosis. Many strains of Ehrlichia earlier confined to animals are now also observed to infect humans. As yet there are no vaccines to protect against these pathogens. In this chapter, the current vaccination strategies to protect against Ehrlichia are described.
Boron Isotopes: A “Paleo-pH Meter” for Tracking Ancient Atmospheric CO2

The boron isotope composition of calcium carbonate shells of marine organisms has the unique potential to record surface ocean pH, allowing the calculation of atmospheric p CO 2 due to the established relationship between pH and the partial pressure of (atmospheric) CO 2 ( p CO 2 ). This “paleo-pH meter” allows scientists to produce a record of the natural fluctuations of atmospheric p CO 2 over geologic time, which will help us better understand the impacts of the recent anthropogenic addition of CO 2 to Earth9s atmosphere. Towards this end, a tremendous effort to understand the systematics of boron uptake in marine carbonates is underway. Here, we review the potential of boron isotopes to constrain ocean pH and, thus, atmospheric p CO 2 .
Ramanujan’s Theory of Prime Numbers

In his famous letters of 16 January 1913 and 29 February 1913 to G. H. Hardy, Ramanujan [23, pp. xxiii-xxx, 349–353] made several assertions about prime numbers, including formulas for π(x), the number of prime numbers less than or equal to x. Some of those formulas were analyzed by Hardy [3], [5, pp. 234–238] in 1937. A few years later, Hardy [7, Chapter II], in a very penetrating and lucid presentation, thoroughly discussed most of the results on primes found in these letters. In particular, Hardy related Ramanujan’s fascinating, but unsound, argument for deducing the prime number theorem. Generally, Ramanujan thought that his formulas for π(x) gave better approximations than they really did. As Hardy [7, p. 19] (Ramanujan [23, p. xxiv]) pointed out, some of Ramanujan’s faulty thinking arose from his assumption that all of the zeros of the Riemann zeta-function ζ(s) are real.
Turkey, Global Governance, and the UN

Turkey—a NATO member and long-time European Union (EU) aspirant—also is usually classified as a “rising” or “emerging power.” However, all groupings of developing and industrialized countries should be interrogated and not merely applied and assumed to make analytical sense. This chapter teases out why as well as probes two other topics, global governance and the United Nations, which mean many things to many people. This chapter urges readers to question several convenient and related but erroneous narratives: that the Global South has had little impact on universal normative developments; that it was largely absent from the founding of the United Nations whose values came only from the West; that “rising powers” is a meaningful analytical category; and that “global governance” is a synonym for international organization and law with some non-state actors now in the mix. Finally, the conclusion challenges readers to move beyond the ahistorical character of much contemporary social science.
Minimal-invasive approach to pancreatoduodenectomy is associated with lower early postoperative morbidity.

Abstract Objectives We aim to investigate the impact of the operation time for pancreatoduodenectomy (PD) in different surgical approaches. Methods The NSQIP database was used to examine the clinical data of patients underwent PD during 2014–2016. Results We sampled a total of 6151 patients who underwent elective PD. Of these, 452(7.3%) had minimally invasive approaches to PD. Minimally invasive approaches (MIS) to PD was associated with a significant decrease in morbidity of patients (AOR: 0.67, P Conclusion Minimally invasive approaches to PD were associated with decreased post-operative morbidity, even though they were associated with longer operative times. Operation length also significantly correlated with postoperative morbidity.
Control-to-output transfer function of peak currentmode controlled pulse-width modulated dc–dc buck converter in continuous conduction mode

The control-to-output transfer function is essential for the design of the compensator in the outer-voltage loop as it represents the plant for the outer-voltage loop in the peak current-mode-controlled converters. The control-to-output transfer function for the peak current-mode-controlled pulse-width-modulated (PWM) dc-dc buck converter is derived using power-stage transfer functions and the modulator transfer function in the inner-current loop. Experimental Bode plots are presented to verify the derived transfer function. The required critical path open-loop duty cycle-to-inductor current and duty cycle-to-output voltage transfer functions for a peak current-mode controlled dc-dc PWM buck converter are derived and experimentally verified. The theoretical results were in good agreement with all the measured Bode plots.
Practical Byzantine Fault Tolerance Using Fewer than 3f+1 Active Replicas.

Byzantine fault tolerant state machine replication (BFT-SMR) is a foundation for implementations of highly reliable services. Existing algorithms for BFT-SMR require at least 3f +1 active replicas to tolerate f faulty replicas. We show that BFT-SMR can be achieved with fewer than 3f +1 active replicas, as long as standby spare replicas are available, such that the number of active replicas plus the number of spares is at least 3f +1. In particular, a single Byzantine fault can be tolerated with only three active replicas and a single standby spare. The spares are rarely used — only for reconfigurations triggered by faults or suspected faults. Each reconfiguration leads to a different subset of nodes running the active replicas. By reducing the number of active replicas, our algorithm reduces power consumption for processing and communication. It also has the potential to provide better performance. We present a 1-resilient algorithm that achieves BFT-SMR with only three active replicas and one standby spare, and show the results of preliminary performance evaluation.
Communicating by Doing

The authors define three categories of engagement with clients wherein nonverbal communication, specifically doing-oriented activity, forms the basis of the transaction. Doing-without-talk, doing-w...
Roles of the Pax6 (5a) isoform in brain, eyes and pancreas development

1063 The transcription factor Pax6 is required for proper formation and function of the brain, eye and pancreas. It is a potent neurogenic factor in brain development and affects cell proliferation. Pax6 contains two DNA-binding domains, a paired domain (PD) and a homeodomain (HD). The two primary isoforms of the Pax6 protein are Pax6 and Pax6 (5a), which differ by a 14-amino acid insertion in the paired domain(5a). The relative ratio of Pax6 to Pax6 (5a) expression is altered prior to neurogenesis in the developing telencephalon. We determined the expression levels of Pax6 and Pax6(5a) during embryonic development. The increased Pax6 expression in Pax6 (5a)-/- knockout mice would indicate a requirement for Pax6 (5a) in embryonic development of the brain. To determine the effects of the Pax6 (5a) isoform on embryonic brain development, we performed real-time PCR analysis for Pax6 and Pax6 (5a) transcripts in the developing brain of C57/BL6 and the Pax6 (5a)-/- knockout mice. Real-time PCR results indicate an increase in Pax6 expression after 12 days of embryonic development. Immunohistochemical and confocal microscopic analyses of pancreatic and ocular tissues in wild type and Pax6 (5a)-/- mice were performed to ascertain the function of Pax6 (5a) in these organs. Pictures of eye sections indicate that the retinal ganglionic cells were reduced in the Pax6 (5a)-/- mice and the retinal layers were found to be thinner than the WT. The Pax6 (5a) isoform promotes the development of the neural retinal structure. Our results show that both insulin and glucagon were produced in the pancreas of Pax6 (5a)-/- mice.
Analysis and Mitigation of ICI Due to Gain Adjustment in OFDM Systems

Automatic gain control (AGC) is widely adopted in orthogonal frequency division multiplexing (OFDM) systems to compensate the significant variation of the received signal. In OFDM systems, the duration of the cyclic prefix (CP) is usually equal to the delay spread of the channel to minimize the system overhead. The inter-symbol interference (ISI) between consecutive OFDM symbols spreads over a large portion of the CP. The CP contaminated by the ISI should not be used to estimate the received power. If the duration of the remaining CP is shorter than the settling time of the AGC, then the gain adjustment will be carried out within the useful portion of the OFDM symbol. The subcarrier orthogonality is lost and the system performance is degraded by the resulting inter-carrier interference (ICI). In this paper, we propose a simple and efficient scheme to mitigate the ICI. The proposed scheme can be easily implemented in actual systems because of its low computational complexity. The simulation results show that the proposed scheme can increase the signal-to-interference-plus-noise ratio significantly compared to the traditional scheme.
Control of water distribution networks using convex approximations: WIP abstract

The status quo of control in water distribution networks (WDN) relies on simple, rule-based control strategies to operate pumps and valves. For example, pumps are switched on/off if a tank's water level---a local measurement---is below/above a certain threshold. As an alternative to localized, rule-based control, network-driven control that utilize WDN topology and measurements can be beneficial. Unfortunately, network-driven control of WDNs is very difficult as hydraulic models are nonconvex, valve and pump models form non-trivial, combinatorial logic, and water demand patterns are uncertain. Prior research on control of WDNs addressed major research challenges, yet mostly adopted simplified hydraulic models, WDN topologies, and rudimentary valve/pump modeling. This Work-in-Progress showcases the potential of network-driven control of WDNs. The proposed approach amounts to solving a series of convex optimization problems that graciously scale to large networks. Simple case studies are included showcasing early results, and applications of the proposed optimization methods to other WDN applications are discussed.
A Sharp Break: Childs, Wellhausen, and Theo-referentiality

Julius Wellhausen proposed a “sharp break” between ancient Israelite religion and early Judaism: for him, the eighth-century prophets were the “spiritual destroyers of old Israel” and the forerunners of early Judaism. The biblical theologian Brevard Childs rejected Wellhausen’s reconstruction and insisted instead that “very strong theological continuity” characterized the development of Israelite religion from its outset. Numerous contemporary theological interpreters share Childs’s perspective. However, a “Wellhausen renaissance” is currently underway in the study of Israelite religion and early Judaism. This situation poses an unresolved challenge for theological interpretation, at least of the kind that Childs advocated. The present article addresses this dilemma. It first inventories Childs’s reasons for opposing Wellhausen’s sharp break, which emerge from Childs’s vision for scriptural “theo- referentiality.” Secondly, it tests whether Childs’s theological insights, the very same that led to his repudiation of Wellhausen, might accommodate Wellhausen’s historical claim. The final result is to set Wellhausen and Childs, historical reconstruction and theological interpretation, in a noncompetitive relationship.
Circulating exosomes derived from transplanted progenitor cells aid the functional recovery of ischemic myocardium

The stem cell field is hindered by its inability to noninvasively monitor transplanted cells within the target organ in a repeatable, time-sensitive, and condition-specific manner. We hypothesized that quantifying and characterizing transplanted cell-derived exosomes in the recipient plasma would enable reliable, noninvasive surveillance of the conditional activity of the transplanted cells. To test this hypothesis, we used a human-into-rat xenogeneic myocardial infarction model comparing two well-studied progenitor cell types: cardiosphere-derived cells (CDCs) and c-kit+ cardiac progenitor cells (CPCs), both derived from the right atrial appendage of adults undergoing cardiopulmonary bypass. CPCs outperformed the CDCs in cell-based and in vivo regenerative assays. To noninvasively monitor the activity of transplanted CDCs or CPCs in vivo, we purified progenitor cell-specific exosomes from recipient total plasma exosomes. Seven days after transplantation, the concentration of plasma CPC-specific exosomes increased about twofold compared to CDC-specific exosomes. Computational pathway analysis failed to link CPC or CDC cellular messenger RNA (mRNA) with observed myocardial recovery, although recovery was linked to the microRNA (miRNA) cargo of CPC exosomes purified from recipient plasma. We further identified mechanistic pathways governing specific outcomes related to myocardial recovery associated with transplanted CPCs. Collectively, these findings demonstrate the potential of circulating progenitor cell-specific exosomes as a liquid biopsy that provides a noninvasive window into the conditional state of the transplanted cells. These data implicate the surveillance potential of cell-specific exosomes for allogeneic cell therapies.
PHYSICAL AND CHEMICAL FEATURES OF SLOPE LANDS ON THE SOUTHEAST PART OF THE MORE CAUCASUS ON THE EXAMPLE GOBUSTAN, SHAMAH AND ISMAILLINSKY DISTRICTS

The present article describes physical, chemical, and physicochemical properties of the steppificated mountain brown soils under perennial plantings by using modern irrigation technology with the aim of increasing the productivity of soils in freshwater. Corresponding norms were determined in watering of orchards on the steppificated mountain brown soils of the southeastern slope of the Greater Caucasus. Chemical characteristics of the soil taken from the experimental zones vary among gyroscopic humidity in upper layer 6,18-6,23 %, humus 4,03-4,30%, total nitrogen 0,252- 0,238%, total phosphorus 12,22-13,33 mg/kg; CO2 5,58%; CaCO3 in relation to CO2-12,70%; Ca in 100gr soil – 30,5 mg/kg; Ca-84,72-87,14%; Mg-12,86-15,28%. According to morphological characteristics of sections taken from steppificated mountain brown soils, mechanical content of this soil is heavy clay. Amount of physical clay in the upper layers of this soil vary between 67,20-69,20%, amount of clay between 34,40-39-20%, in the lower layer between 65,20-77,20%; 29,60-32,80%. Structural content of this soil, amount of structural parts higher than 1mm in the upper layer of the soil varies between 61,72-62,33% and in the lower layer between 68,05- 68,80%.
Immunological biomarkers of postpartum obsessive–compulsive disorder

Abstract This chapter reviews the evidence for immunological biomarkers of perinatal obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD). Evidence for any such biomarkers is scare at this time, but considerable evidence exists concerning both immune system dysregulation in the perinatal period and possible immune connections with OCD outside the perinatal period. The chapter reviews the evidence for these two areas, including the possible roles of autoantibodies, circulating cytokines, stimulated cytokines, and alterations in leukocyte subpopulations in OCD. This evidence is then applied to future directions of research in perinatal OCD.
The Vernacular Aristotle: Translation as Reception in Medieval and Renaissance Italy

This book explores the ways in which Aristotle's legacy was appropriated and reshaped by vernacular readers in Medieval and Renaissance Italy. It considers translation in a broad sense, looking at commentaries, compendia, rewritings, and abridgments alongside vernacular versions of Aristotle's works. Translation is thus taken as quintessential to the very notion of reception, with a focus on the dynamics - cultural, social, material - that informed the appropriation and reshaping of the 'master of those who know' on the part of vernacular readers between 1250 and 1500. By looking at the proactive and transformative nature of reception, this book challenges traditional narratives about the period and identifies the theory and practice of translation as a liminal space that facilitated the interaction between lay readers and the academic context while fostering the legitimation of the vernacular as a language suitable for philosophical discourse.
The Role of Interventional Oncology in the Treatment of Metastatic Melanoma

Although cutaneous and uveal melanoma share several features, including a cell of origin, they show significant differences on an epidemiological, molecular, and genetic level which affect their evolution. Melanoma patients rarely present with metastatic disease from the beginning and often develop metastatic disease years later. The presence of liver metastases significantly diminishes survival of melanoma patients, and surgical resection of liver metastases has been shown to improve overall survival, when feasible. However, the majority of patients are not surgical candidates, and therefore, less invasive treatment options have been studied to address the liver metastases based on experience from other cancers, such as hepatocellular carcinoma and colorectal cancer. Interventional oncology plays a significant role in the management of patients with metastatic uveal melanoma, starting from the diagnosis of metastatic disease through image-guided biopsies, moving to the different locoregional treatment options offered to patients with differing burdens of liver metastases. Immunotherapy has changed the management of metastatic melanoma over the past decade, and combination therapies involving locoregional interventional oncologic treatments and immunotherapy are anticipated to provide improved outcomes for this patient population.
Parallel Shift-Invert Spectrum Slicing on Distributed Architectures with GPU Accelerators

The solution of large scale eigenvalue problems (EVP) is often the computational bottleneck for many scientific and engineering applications. Traditional eigensolvers, such as direct (e.g. ScaLAPACK) and Krylov subspace (e.g. Lanczos) methods, have struggled in achieving high scalability on large computing resources due to communication and synchronization bottlenecks which are inherent in their implementation. This includes a difficulty in developing well-performing ports of these algorithms to architectures which rely on the use of accelerators, such as graphics processing units (GPU), for the majority of their floating point operations. Recently, there has been significant research into the development of eigensolvers based on spectrum slicing, in particular shift-invert spectrum slicing, to alleviate the communication and synchronization bottlenecks of traditional eigensolvers. In general, spectrum slicing trades the global EVP for many smaller, independent EVPs which may be combined to assemble some desired subset of the entire eigenspectrum. The result is a method which utilizes more floating point operations than traditional eigensolvers, but in a way which allows for the expression of massive concurrency leading to an overall improvement in time-to-solution on large computing resources. In this work, we will examine the performance of parallel shift-invert spectrum slicing on modern GPU clusters using state-of-the-art linear algebra software.
Trends in Childhood Influenza Vaccination Coverage, United States, 2012-2019.

ObjectiveThe objective was to compare estimates of childhood influenza vaccination across 7 consecutive influenza seasons based on 2 survey systems.MethodsWe analyzed data from the National Health ...
Evaluation of Genomic and Proteomic Expression of Surfactant Protein D in the Mouse Retina

Surfactant Protein D (SP-D), an essential protein related to innate immunity, is expressed in multiple tissue types throughout the body. A closely-related protein, Surfactant Protein A (SP-A), is present in the mouse retina and is associated with neovascularization (NV) in the Oxygen-Induced Retinopathy (OIR) mouse model, mimicking retinopathy of prematurity (ROP). We hypothesized that SP-D would be present in the retina and is also associated with OIR and ROP, which is one of the leading causes of pediatric blindness due to increasing survival rates of extremely preterm newborns. In our study, we did not detect SP-D in the mouse retina through proteomic and genomic investigation at baseline and in pathways known to up-regulate SP-D in other mammal tissues. It is therefore unlikely that SP-D participates in neovascularization in the mouse retina.
PREDICTION OF MAGNETOCRYSTALLINE ANISOTROPY OF POLYCRYSTALLINE MATERIALS WITH GENERALIZED VECTOR METHOD

The orientation distribution function of the crystallites in a cold-rolled W20non-oriented Si steel sheet was determined for the layers along surface, 1/4 depth and centre, res-pectively, with the generalized vector method. The angular variation of magnetic torque in thesheet plane was quantitatively calculated by extending the theory of magnetic anisotropy to thepolycrystalline materials with no sample symmetry. The values predicted theoretically are wellfit to the magnetic torque plot measured.