cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Numerical methods for minimization problems constrained to S 1 and S 2

In this paper, we propose numerical methods for minimization problems constrained to S1 and S2. By our technique based on the angle formulation, standard numerical difficulties are easily overcome. Applications to computations of harmonic maps, denoising of directional data and of color images are presented, in two and three dimensions.
Electrochemical reactions of glucose oxidase at graphite electrodes

Abstract Differential pulse voltammetry has been used to show that a number of direct electron transfer reactions can occur between glucose oxidase and graphite electrodes. Two of these reactions are due to strongly adsorbed species, indicating that some of the enzymes have undergone extensive and slow unfolding during the interaction with the electrode, leading to the adsorption of the FAD directly onto the graphite surface. The electron transfer reactions due to these strongly adsorbed molecules were not affected by the addition of the enzyme substrate. In contrast, reduction peaks can be observed that are due to molecules either from the solution or from weakly adsorbed molecules. At low concentrations of enzyme in solution (
EXPOSURE, MUTILATION, AND RIOT: VIOLENCE AT THE SCALAE GEMONIAE IN EARLY IMPERIAL ROME

Beginning in the reign of Augustus or Tiberius, corpses of criminals condemned and executed by the state were exposed on the Scalae Gemoniae, a flight of stairs located in the northern corner of the Forum Romanum. As one modern commentator has observed, the ritual of execution in which these stairs played a critical role reflected more generally the suppression of popular participation in the judicial processes that accompanied the last century of the Republic and the emergence of the Principate. As has long been noted, however, the Stairs were also the site of well-attested instances of collective violence, in particular protests during Cn. Calpurnius Piso's trial in the senate in AD 20, violence surrounding the fall of Sejanus in AD 31, and the popular violence and warfare of AD 69.
Identifying state-level policy and provision domains for physical education and physical activity in high school

It is important to quickly and efficiently identify policies that are effective at changing behavior; therefore, we must be able to quantify and evaluate the effect of those policies and of changes to those policies. The purpose of this study was to develop state-level physical education (PE) and physical activity (PA) policy domain scores at the high-school level. Policy domain scores were developed with a focus on measuring policy change. Exploratory factor analysis was used to group items from the state-level School Health Policies and Programs Study (SHPPS) into policy domains. Items that related to PA or PE at the High School level were identified from the 7 SHPPS health program surveys. Data from 2000 and 2006 were used in the factor analysis. RESULTS: From the 98 items identified, 17 policy domains were extracted. Average policy domain change scores were positive for 12 policy domains, with the largest increases for “Discouraging PA as Punishment”, “Collaboration”, and “Staff Development Opportunities”. On average, states increased scores in 4.94 ± 2.76 policy domains, decreased in 3.53 ± 2.03, and had no change in 7.69 ± 2.09 policy domains. Significant correlations were found between several policy domain scores. Quantifying policy change and its impact is integral to the policy making and revision process. Our results build on previous research offering a way to examine changes in state-level policies related to PE and PA of high-school students and the faculty and staff who serve them. This work provides methods for combining state-level policies relevant to PE or PA in youth for studies of their impact.
Suppressive and facilitatory spatial interactions in amblyopic vision

Amblyopic vision is characterized by reduced spatial resolution, and inhibitory spatial interactions (‘‘crowding’’) that extend over longdistances. The present paper had three goals: (1) To ask whether the extensive crowdingin amblyopic vision is a consequence of a shift in the spatial scale of analysis. To test this we measured the extent of crowdingfor targ ets that were limited in their spatial frequency content, over a large range of target sizes and spatial frequencies. (2) To ask whether crowding in amblyopic vision can be explained on the basis of contrast maskingby remote flanks. To test this hypothesis we measured and compared crowdingin a direction-identification experiment with maskingby remote flanks in a detection experiment. In each of the experiments our targets and flanks were comprised of Gabor features, thus allowingus to control the feature contrast, spatial frequency and orientation. (3) To examine the relationship between the suppressive and facilitatory interactions in amblyopic contrast detection and ‘‘crowding’’. Our results show that unlike the normal fovea [Levi, Klein, & Hariharan, Journal of Vision 2 (2002a) 140] crowdingin amblyopia is neither scale invariant, nor is it attributable to simple contrast masking. Rather, our results suggest that suppressive spatial interactions in amblyopic vision extend over larger distances than in normal foveal vision, similar to peripheral vision of nonamblyopic observers [Levi, Hariharan, & Klein, Journal of Vision 2 (2002b) 167], for targets of the same size. Observers can easily detect the features that comprise our targets (Gabor patches) under conditions where crowding is strong. Thus, our speculation is that crowding occurs because the target and flanks are combined or pooled at a second stage that is coarse in the amblyopic visual system, following the stage of feature extraction. In amblyopic vision, this pooling takes place over a large spatial distance. 2002 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.
Lung Cancer Screening: Achieving a Reduction in Mortality

m i November 4, 2010, marked a turning point in the history of screening for lung cancer. On that date, the National ancer Institute announced that the National Lung Screening rial (NLST) had achieved a 20% reduction in lung cancer ortality in the computed tomography (CT) arm of its ranomized controlled trial.1 This large randomized controlled trial followed multiple single-arm CT screening trials, which had demonstrated an increase in the number of early-stage lung cancers, and had suggested the possibility of a stage shift. In other words, screening for lung cancer with multidetector computed tomography (MDCT) could potentially convert lung cancer from a disease that is predominantly diagnosed in late stages to one that is detected at a point at which a cure is a possibility. Forty years of research paved the way for this new approach to diagnosing lung cancer. To best understand the extensive effort that preceded this announcement, it can be helpful to review lung cancer screening from a historical perspective, including chest radiography screening trials, and both single-arm and randomized controlled CT screening trials. Although the 5-year survival in lung cancer has remained for years at a dismally low 16%, screening for lung cancer with CT offers a ray of hope that these statistics could change.
Design considerations for Cross Check foundations and libraries

CrossCheck built-in test techniques require special structures in Sea-of-Gates foundations and cell personalizations. This paper discusses the performance and area impacts these structures make to gate-array chips and cell libraries. Results from fabricated CrossCheck devices are presented. >
The Postmodern Prince: Critical Theory, Left Strategy, and the Making of a New Political Subject -

The Postmodern Prince: Critical Theory, Left Strategy, and the Making of a New Political Subject. By John Sanbonmatsu. New York: Monthly Review Press, 2004. 272p. 22.95 paper.As the title suggests, this book has a great and admirable ambition. It seeks to write a version of Antonio Gramsci's Modern Prince for a post–New Left, postmodern era. While it does not actually do this, it does provide a critical settling of accounts both with the legacy of the American New Left and the subsequent appearance of a (largely academic) leftism informed by postmodern theory. More significantly, it tries to suggest, though very sketchily, what a unitary actor with strategic acumen and a leftist program might look like, given the decline of parties of the working class and the fragmentation of emancipatory social movements. Both the criticism and the reconstructive aim are informed by Gramsci's emphasis on politics as a struggle for hegemony.
Embryology and developmental defects of the interatrial septum.

OBJECTIVE. The various types of atrial septal defects (ASDs) can be differentiated on the basis of their imaging appearance on MDCT.CONCLUSION. It is fundamental for the cardiac imager to understand the embryologic development of the interatrial septum and the morphogenic differences of ASDs.
The geologic record of climatic change

Major results from paleoclimatic investigations are investigated, and background material is included. The time interval surveyed extends from the formation of the Earth 4.6 billion years ago to the development of the instrumental record.
Accounting for the “Second Assault”: Legal Organizations’Framing of Rape Victims

What organizational and community conditions influence legal officials to treat rape victims “unresponsively”? Our analysis is guided by Goffman's theory of organizational frameworks and frames of activity and March and Olsen's institutional theory of organizations. Using data from 130 organizations in Florida that process rape cases, we compare six types of organizations (including hospital emergency rooms and rape crisis centers) on eight criteria and review their frameworks and frames of activity relative to unresponsiveness. We use the issue of victim legitimacy to illustrate the utility of our model. Our results show that well-meaning staff in legal organizations are oriented to routinely treat victims unresponsively. Their organizations routinely orient them to be concerned with, for example, public approval, the avoidance of losing, and expediency more than with victims' needs. In our conclusion, we identify ways legal officials and rape crisis centers can promote responsive treatment of victims. We also call for research on legal organizations that are responsive to victims and for a nationwide discourse on the “politics of rape victims' needs” as a means of addressing the gender inequality issues that underlie rape crimes and laws and orient legal officials to treat victims unresponsively.
Fatigue Failure of 321 Stainless Steel Superheater Tubes from a Thermal Incinerator

Several boiler superheater tubes showed circumferential cracking at weld seams after 2 years in noncontinuous service (several shutdowns). On-site inspection revealed that several tubes were cracked and leaked; while many others were cracked, however, the severity was less pronounced. Two types of superheater tubes samples were collected: one with butt-welded tubes and the other with fillet-welded sleeve. The latter was found to be out of the boiler fireplace, and the sleeve was used as tubing support to the boiler shell. Detailed investigation showed that the butt-welded tubes contained circumferential fatigue cracks that initiated from the internal surface. The cracks initiated in the heat-affected zone and propagated as a result of tube vibration. The variations in the tube internal diameter and tube wall thickness are expected to play a role in tube fatigue failure. On the other hand, tubes with fillet-weld sleeve showed circumferential cracking as a result of fatigue crack initiation from weld defects on the tube external surface. The high vibration during several unscheduled shutdowns in addition to several other factors such as variations in tube inside diameter, wall thickness, and weld defects resulted in the initiation and propagation of fatigue cracks and premature failure. White deposits, similar to those observed when boiler tubes failed by caustic exposure, were seen in the vicinity of the tube cracks. Therefore, it was difficult to confirm whether the boiler tubes failed because of the fatigue cracks or because of the caustic salts (pH control chemical).
Relationship between long bone distortion and tibial dyschondroplasia in male turkeys

Abstract To determine whether a relationship exists between long bone distortion and tibial dyschondroplasia (TD), the hock joints of Large White commercial male turkeys were examined using low intensity x-ray imaging (hand-held lixiscope). All lame birds with long bone distortion and 96 control birds without lameness were examined at 8.3 and 12.3 wk of age for TD lesions using a lixiscope. Results indicated that the incidence of TD was less than 2% at 8.3 wk of age. The incidence increased to 21% by 12.3 wk of age. The TD lesions at 12 wk of age were considered mild covering only one-fourth of the growth plate. Chi-square analysis indicated that control turkeys without long bone distortion were just as likely to have TD lesions as were lame turkeys with long bone distortion. Under the conditions of the present experiment, TD did not appear to be a significant skeletal problem in Large White commercial male turkeys prior to 12.3 wk of age. Only 5 out of 37 (14%) toms with long bone distortion at 12.3 wk of age had TD lesions, suggesting that the valgus-varus deformity may be independent of TD.
Cigarette Affordability in the United States

INTRODUCTION Cigarette excise tax and price increases reduce smoking consumption and prevalence. Studies have previously defined cigarette affordability internationally and have discussed its relevance as a tobacco control policy measure. This study provides the first estimates on cigarette affordability in the United States. METHODS Cigarette affordability was defined as cigarette price in relation to individuals' income level. Three measures of cigarette affordability were estimated for U.S. states and nationally between 1970 and 2010. RESULTS In 2010, on average, it took 1.62% of an individual's annual personal disposable income to purchase 100 packs of cigarettes in a U.S. state (relative income price). An individual who earned the equivalent of the hourly median wage in a U.S. state needed to work 21.4min in an hour to purchase a pack of cigarettes (minutes of labor, MoL50), whereas a relatively poorer individual earning the hourly 25th percentile wage needed to work 32.7min (MoL25). Cigarettes were most affordable in parts of the South and West and were least affordable in Northeastern states. While cigarette prices increased significantly between 1970 and 2008, affordability remained unchanged during this time and cigarettes may have become more affordable since the early 2000s in many states. CONCLUSIONS Cigarette affordability in 2010 varied widely across U.S. states, a result of cigarette price increases not keeping pace with income increases in some parts of the United States, especially in Southern and Western states. In order to maximize the public health gains from cigarette tax increases, state taxation policies may consider affordability in benchmarking excise tax increases.
Autonomous Virtual Patients in Dentistry: System Accuracy and Expert Versus Novice Comparison

This article examines an autonomous virtual patient (AVP) system for identifying differences between novices and experts in dentistry. The two groups in the study were ten boarded or board-eligible experts (seven males, three females; mean±sd age 40±11) and twenty-six fourth-year dental students (fifteen males, eleven females; mean±sd age 27±3), who were defined as novices. All participants interviewed and mock-examined four randomly selected AVPs who had either orofacial pain or an oral medicine problem; they then selected needed diagnostic tests, diagnoses, treatments, and medications. The mean misrecognition rate of the software was between 13 and 19 percent. Data collected were examined for a difference between the two groups (novices versus experts) on multiple variables. Significant group differences existed in the final total score, the number of diagnostic tests ordered, and the number of medications selected. Novices reported that they found virtual patients to be a valuable educational experience. These data demonstrated that experts and novices asked essentially the same questions and spent similar amounts of time with the patients, yet the experts consistently scored higher and ordered fewer diagnostic tests and medications than the novices.
Bone marrow necrosis in acute leukemia: Clinical characteristic and outcome.

Bone marrow necrosis (BMN) is characterized by infarction of the medullary stroma, leading to marrow necrosis with preserved cortical bone. In reported small series, BMN in hematological malignancies is associated with poor prognosis. We sought to find the impact of BMN on clinical outcome in a relatively larger cohort of patients with acute leukemias. Overall we evaluated 1,691 patients; 1,051 with acute myeloid leukemia (AML) and 640 with acute lymphocytic leukemia referred to our institution between 2002 and 2013. Patients with AML and acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) were evaluated separately to determine the incidence of BMN, associated clinical features and its prognostic significance. At initial diagnosis, BMN was observed in 25 (2.4%) patients with AML and 20 (3.2%) patients with ALL. In AML, BMN was significantly associated with French–American–British AML M5 morphology (32% vs. 10%, P = 0.002). The complete remission (CR) rate in AML with and without BMN was 32% and 59% respectively (P = 0.008). Likewise, CR rate in ALL with BMN was also inferior, 70% vs. 92% (P = 0.005). The median overall survival (OS) in AML with BMN was significantly poorer, 3.7 months compared to 14 months without BMN (P = 0.003). Similarly, the median OS in ALL with and without BMN was 61.7 and 72 months respectively (P = 0.33). BMN is not a rare entity in AML and ALL, but is infrequent. BMN in AML and in ALL is suggestive of inferior response and poor prognosis. Am. J. Hematol. 90:769–773, 2015. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Double trouble: medical implications of genetic duplication and amplification in bacteria

Gene amplification allows organisms to adapt to changing environmental conditions. This type of increased gene dosage confers selectable benefits, typically by augmenting protein production. Gene amplification is a reversible process that does not require permanent genetic change. Although transient, altered gene dosage has significant medical impact. Recent examples of amplification in bacteria, described here, affect human disease by modifying antibiotic resistance, the virulence of pathogens, vaccine efficacy and antibiotic biosynthesis. Amplification is usually a two-step process whereby genetic duplication (step one) promotes further increases in copy number (step two). Both steps have important evolutionary significance for the emergence of innovative gene functions. Recent genome sequence analyses illustrate how genome plasticity can affect the evolution and immunogenic properties of bacterial pathogens.
Voxelized Minkowski sum computation on the GPU with robust culling

We present a new approach for computing the voxelized Minkowski sum (excluding any enclosed voids) of two polyhedral objects using programmable Graphics Processing Units (GPUs). We first cull out surface primitives that will not contribute to the final boundary of the Minkowski sum, analyzing and adaptively bounding the rounding errors of the culling algorithm to solve the floating point error problem. The remaining surface primitives are then rendered to depth textures along six orthogonal directions to generate an initial solid voxelization of the Minkowski sum. Finally we employ fast flood fill to find all the outside voxels. We generate both solid and surface voxelizations of Minkowski sums without enclosed voids and support high volumetric resolution of 1024^3 with low video memory cost. The whole algorithm runs on the GPU and is at least one order of magnitude faster than existing boundary representation (B-rep) based algorithms. It avoids the large number of 3D Boolean operations needed in most existing algorithms and is easy to implement. The voxelized Minkowski sums can be used in a variety of applications including motion planning and penetration depth computation.
Insomnia in Young Men and Subsequent Depression The Johns Hopkins Precursors Study

The Johns Hopkins Precursors Study, a long-term prospective study, was used to study the relation between self-reported sleep disturbances and subsequent clinical depression and psychiatric distress. A total of 1,053 men provided information on sleep habits during medical school at The Johns Hopkins University (classes of 1948-1964) and have been followed since graduation. During a median follow-up period of 34 years (range 1-45), 101 men developed clinical depression (cumulative incidence at 40 years, 12.2%), including 13 suicides. In Cox proportional hazards analysis adjusted for age at graduation, class year, parental history of clinical depression, coffee drinking, and measures of temperament, the relative risk of clinical depression was greater in those who reported insomnia in medical school (relative risk (RR) 2.0, 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.2-3.3) compared with those who did not and greater in those with difficulty sleeping under stress in medical school (RR 1.8, 95% CI 1.2-2.7) compared with those who did not report difficulty. There were weaker associations for those who reported poor quality of sleep (RR 1.6, 95% CI 0.9-2.9) and sleep duration of 7 hours or less (RR 1.5, 95% CI 0.9-2.3) with development of clinical depression. Similar associations were observed between reports of sleep disturbances in medical school and psychiatric distress assessed in 1988 by the General Health Questionnaire. These findings suggest that insomnia in young men is indicative of a greater risk for subsequent clinical depression and psychiatric distress that persists for at least 30 years.
Architecture constraints over dynamic current consumption

Microprocessor architecture poses constraints over the dynamic load consumption. Those constraints limit the range of hypothetical stimuli that the power delivery scheme can experience. Some guiding rules for power delivery quality relaxation can be deduced.
Human SCNT Gets a Boost from Histone Demethylation

Human somatic cell nuclear transfer (SCNT) holds great potential in regenerative medicine; however, its applicability has been limited by great variability in reprogramming efficiencies. A new study in this issue of Cell Stem Cell reports a simple way to expand human SCNT to hard-to-reprogram oocytes (Chung et al., 2015).
Hybridized Pedagogies: Architectural Education in Motion

Twenty-first century experiments in architectural pedagogy are beginning to increasingly take steps towards the hybridization and critical cross-communication of the sciences, arts and humanities. The blurring of these boundaries now allows us to see architecture as a body of knowledge that participates in along-term and deeper transformation of society. This paper will examine three emergent pedagogical typologies that exemplify innovative methods of generating research, the results of which are made accessible to the larger public, which in turn expands the boundaries of architectural practice. This examination will be conducted by identifying three uniquely structured entities, each a hybridized condition where partnership, collaboration and exchange represent the core of their makeup. Each of these entities has established an innovative relationship between academia and practice, while expanding and cultivating new audiences for the research they conduct. The current challenges that permeate the culture of architectural education are due in large part to the crisis of a quickly changing world, which is at odds with the evolutionary slowness of educational models. As a means of addressing the pace of contemporary society, new institutions are exploring models of lightness, speed and fluidity. Strategic global networks, academic research programs nested within established professional practices, and parallel practice / research endeavors are the core characteristics of these new models. The Center for Architecture Science and Ecology, OMA/AMO and GSAPP's Studio-X are the three models that will be examined. The paper will make explicit the unique research being conducted by each of these three entities and will establish how this research is changing the relationship between academia, professional practice, and the larger public's understanding of the architectural discipline.
Bi-Based Silver-Sheathed High-Tc Superconducting Wire and Application

The application of high temperature superconducting wire will be feasible with the improvement in the critical current density and the development of the hundred-meter class flexible wire.
The Role of IL-17 and TH17 Cells in the Bone Catabolic Activity of PTH

Osteoimmunology is field of research dedicated to the study of the interactions between the immune system and bone. Among the cells of the immune system that regulate the skeleton in health and disease are T lymphocytes. T cells secrete inflammatory/osteoclastogenic cytokines such as RANKL, TNF and IL-17, as well as factors that stimulate bone formation, including Wnt ligands. In addition, T cells regulate the differentiation and life span of stromal cells via CD40L and other costimulatory molecules expressed on their surface. Consensus exists that parathyroid hormone (PTH) induces bone loss by increasing the production of RANKL by osteocytes and osteoblast. However, new evidence suggests that PTH expands Th17 cells and increases IL-17 levels in mice and humans. Studies in the mouse of further shown that Th17 cell produced IL-17 acts as an “upstream cytokine” that increases the sensitivity of osteoblasts and osteocytes to PTH. As a result, PTH stimulates osteocytic and osteoblastic release of RANKL/. Therefore, PTH cause bone loss only in the presence of IL-17 signaling. This article reviews the evidence that the effects of PTH are mediated not only by osteoblasts and osteocytes, but also T cells and IL-17.
Biology and Management of Maconellicoccus hirsutus (Hemiptera: Pseudococcidae) on Ornamental Plants

Maconellicoccus hirsutus (Green) (Hemiptera: Pseudococcidae) is an invasive pest of horticultural and agricultural crops worldwide, with recent range expansion in the Americas and the Caribbean. Current populations of M. hirsutus in the southern United States are likely to spread to additional states primarily through transportation of ornamental plant materials. The rapid proliferation of this pest and its ability to severely impact many horticultural crops, particularly ornamental plants such as hibiscus, necessitate correct diagnosis and response to infestations. This article summarizes the current state of knowledge on M. hirsutus biology, ecology, and management. We discuss seasonal phenology, host range, damage characteristics, ecology, and monitoring strategies on ornamental plants. Insecticides remain the main management tools against M. hirsutus in ornamental plant nurseries. Biological control is the preferred management strategy in reducing infestation in urban landscapes. We note that inappropriate use of insecticides in landscapes may exacerbate problems with this pest, and that preferred responses should include assessment of biological control potential and economic or aesthetic thresholds of affected host plants. Information presented in this profile will help develop integrated management program for current and future invasions.
Prediction of ductile failure in Ti–6Al–4V using a local strain-to-failure criterion

In this article, we provide the details of the predictive simulations performed by the University of Texas team in response to the second Sandia Fracture Challenge (SFC2) (Boyce et al. in Int J Fract, 2016). The methods used are an adaptation of those used in the first SFC. Specifically, the material constitutive model was calibrated using tensile and shear test data through an inverse method. A strain-to-failure criterion was postulated using the loading history from the first point to fail in both a tension and shear test. These models are then embedded in a highly refined finite element simulation to perform a blind prediction of the failure behavior for the SFC2 geometry. These results are compared with experiments performed by Sandia National Laboratories and additional experiments that were performed at the University of Texas at Austin, in which full-field strain measurements and high speed videography were performed in order to further understand the deformation and failure of these specimens.
The Pollen Evidence for the Environment of Early Man and Extinct Mammals at the Lehner Mammoth Site, Southeastern Arizona*

Fossil pollen is directly associated with a radiocarbon date, mammoth bones, and the same stratigraphic units in which mammoth, bison, tapir, and horse bones and Clovis artifacts were recovered at the Lehner site. The pollen evidence indicates that desert grassland occupied the San Pedro Valley of southeastern Arizona about 9000 B.C.
Gendering Terror: DISCOURSES OF TERRORISM AND WRITING WOMAN-AS-AGENT

This article problematizes the deployment of the concept of agency in contemporary international relations scholarship. It examines the problems of relying on a foundationalist conception of agency as a tool to achieve meaningful political action by exploring the case of scholarship on the topic of women and terrorism. I argue that scholars on the topic of women and terrorism inscribe agency into women's subjectivities, that is, they place agency as the goal of feminist political action. By tracing the way that scholars write agency into women's subjectivities through an examination of the literature on the topic, I am able to demonstrate how reliance on agency as a foundational concept hinders the goals of feminists.
Sulfide capacities of Na2O-SiO2 melts

Sulfide capacities of Na2O−SiO2 melts at 1473, 1523, 1573, 1623, and 1673 K were calculateda priori using the revised Reddy Blander model. An expression forC S in the composition range of 0≤X SiO 2<1.0 was derived. Our predictions ofC S values are in very good agreement with the experimental data available in the range of 0<X SiO 2<0.8. The sulfide capacities of slags are found to be directly related to two independent quantities: the equilibrium constant K and the activity of the base oxide.
Molecular subtyping of Salmonella Derby by PFGE

[Objective] To draw a "fingerprint" of Salmonella Derby by PFGE,for researching the source of one of the foodborne disease-causing bacteria. [Methods] Cut DNA of bacteria using restriction enzyme Xba1 and running the gel(using) Chef Mapper(Bio-Rad).Analyze the source of these strains using software-Quantity One~(TM). [Results] Compared with D1,22% strains had close relationship with it,Compared with D15,44% strains had close relationship with it.Among the 4 strains from 2005,3 strains had close relationship respectively,among the 4 strains of 2006,2 strains had close relationship respectively. [Conclusion] PFGE is a very useful method to analyze the source of foodborne disease— the causing bacteria.
DNA Polymerase θ: A Unique Multifunctional End-Joining Machine

The gene encoding DNA polymerase θ (Polθ) was discovered over ten years ago as having a role in suppressing genome instability in mammalian cells. Studies have now clearly documented an essential function for this unique A-family polymerase in the double-strand break (DSB) repair pathway alternative end-joining (alt-EJ), also known as microhomology-mediated end-joining (MMEJ), in metazoans. Biochemical and cellular studies show that Polθ exhibits a unique ability to perform alt-EJ and during this process the polymerase generates insertion mutations due to its robust terminal transferase activity which involves template-dependent and independent modes of DNA synthesis. Intriguingly, the POLQ gene also encodes for a conserved superfamily 2 Hel308-type ATP-dependent helicase domain which likely assists in alt-EJ and was reported to suppress homologous recombination (HR) via its anti-recombinase activity. Here, we review our current knowledge of Polθ-mediated end-joining, the specific activities of the polymerase and helicase domains, and put into perspective how this multifunctional enzyme promotes alt-EJ repair of DSBs formed during S and G2 cell cycle phases.
Population Ageing, Demographic Dividend and Gender Dividend: Assessing the Long Term Impact of Gender Equality on Economic Growth and Development in Latin America

Closely related to the demographic dynamics and the changes in reproductive behavior, it has been observed in Latin America a marked increase of women participation in economic activities. We talk about a gender dividend insofar as this process may turn into a direct contribution of women to the countries’ economic growth and development, complementing and fostering the demographic dividend. Using data from the National Transfer Accounts (NTA) project as well as projections of economically active population and economic output per capita for the Latin American countries – which are available at ECLAC, OECD and other sources – this study aims at describing and projecting (1) women’s labor force participation and earnings in economic activity in a context of gender equality and (2) the magnitude of the related gender dividend (defined as the increase in economic output per person as women achieve economic parity with men in labor markets), vis a vis the economic magnitude of the demographic dividend. This study intends to be a contribution to the theoretical and methodological development of the topic and to contribute to raising awareness and capacity in the countries of the region in assessing the economic impact of demographic changes and incorporating a gender-based approach into sustainable development and poverty reduction policies.
A Putative Biochemical Engram of Long-Term Memory

How a transient experience creates an enduring yet dynamic memory remains an unresolved issue in studies of memory. Experience-dependent aggregation of the RNA-binding protein CPEB/Orb2 is one of the candidate mechanisms of memory maintenance. Here, using tools that allow rapid and reversible inactivation of Orb2 protein in neurons, we find that Orb2 activity is required for encoding and recall of memory. From a screen, we have identified a DNA-J family chaperone, JJJ2, which facilitates Orb2 aggregation, and ectopic expression of JJJ2 enhances the animal's capacity to form long-term memory. Finally, we have developed tools to visualize training-dependent aggregation of Orb2. We find that aggregated Orb2 in a subset of mushroom body neurons can serve as a "molecular signature" of memory and predict memory strength. Our data indicate that self-sustaining aggregates of Orb2 may serve as a physical substrate of memory and provide a molecular basis for the perduring yet malleable nature of memory.
Geophysical imaging of shallow degassing in a Yellowstone hydrothermal system

The Yellowstone Plateau Volcanic Field, which hosts over 10,000 thermal features, is the world's largest active continental hydrothermal system, yet very little is known about the shallow “plumbing” system connecting hydrothermal reservoirs to surface features. Here we present the results of geophysical investigations of shallow hydrothermal degassing in Yellowstone. We measured electrical resistivity, compressional-wave velocity from refraction data, and shear wave velocity from surface-wave analysis to image shallow hydrothermal degassing to depths of 15–30 m. We find that resistivity helps identify fluid pathways and that Poisson's ratio shows good sensitivity to saturation variations, highlighting gas-saturated areas and the local water table. Porosity and saturation predicted from rock physics modeling provide critical insight to estimate the fluid phase separation depth and understand the structure of hydrothermal systems. Finally, our results show that Poisson's ratio can effectively discriminate gas- from water-saturated zones in hydrothermal systems.
Nonlinear Optimal and Near-Optimal Controls of a Space Robotic System via Parallel Computation

Abstract In this paper, nonlinear optimal control and suboptimal control of a space robotic system are considered. The robotic system consists of an n-DOF robotic manipulator mounted onto an attitude controlled base. To minimize control energy of thrust in maintaining the attitude of the base, nonlinear optimal control problem of the robotic arm is formulated. Optimal and suboptimal control laws are proposed. For real-time implementation of these control laws using a multi-microprocessor based computer, parallel processing algorithms are discussed.
Invited review: Helping dairy farmers to improve economic performance utilizing data-driving decision support tools.

The objective of this review paper is to describe the development and application of a suite of more than 40 computerized dairy farm decision support tools contained at the University of Wisconsin-Madison (UW) Dairy Management website http://DairyMGT.info. These data-driven decision support tools are aimed to help dairy farmers improve their decision-making, environmental stewardship and economic performance. Dairy farm systems are highly dynamic in which changing market conditions and prices, evolving policies and environmental restrictions together with every time more variable climate conditions determine performance. Dairy farm systems are also highly integrated with heavily interrelated components such as the dairy herd, soils, crops, weather and management. Under these premises, it is critical to evaluate a dairy farm following a dynamic integrated system approach. For this approach, it is crucial to use meaningful data records, which are every time more available. These data records should be used within decision support tools for optimal decision-making and economic performance. Decision support tools in the UW-Dairy Management website (http://DairyMGT.info) had been developed using combination and adaptation of multiple methods together with empirical techniques always with the primary goal for these tools to be: (1) highly user-friendly, (2) using the latest software and computer technologies, (3) farm and user specific, (4) grounded on the best scientific information available, (5) remaining relevant throughout time and (6) providing fast, concrete and simple answers to complex farmers’ questions. DairyMGT.info is a translational innovative research website in various areas of dairy farm management that include nutrition, reproduction, calf and heifer management, replacement, price risk and environment. This paper discusses the development and application of 20 selected (http://DairyMGT.info) decision support tools.
Accurate and efficient modeling of multi-gigabit serial link channels with cut-and-stitch methodology

This paper addresses a unique approach called cut-and-stich (C&S) methodology. This approach basically breaks the long high-speed channel (micro-strip or strip-line) into multiple segments. Based on the complexity of the structure, Hybrid Electromagnetic solver or 3D full-wave EM (3D FW-EM) solver is allotted to the respective segment. For accurate Via modeling, 3D FW-EM solver is allocated and for long transmission lines, Hybrid solver is assigned. Port generation process is automated for each segment (CuttingZone). Once the simulation is done, S-parameter model from an individual zone is concatenated together automatically by AC simulation to form composite s-parameter for the entire structure. With this practical approach, s-parameter model extraction process speeds up by ten times without compromising on accuracy front.
Implications of measurement assay type in design of HIV experiments

Time series measurements of circular viral epi-some (2-LTR) concentrations enable indirect quantification of persistent low-level Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) replication in patients on Integrase-Inhibitor intensified Combined Antiretroviral Therapy (cART). In order to determine the magnitude of these low level infection events, blood has to be drawn from a patients at a frequency and volume that is strictly regulated by the Institutional Review Board (IRB). Once the blood is drawn, the 2-LTR concentration is determined by quantifying the amount of HIV DNA present in the sample via a PCR (Polymerase Chain Reaction) assay. Real time quantitative Polymerase Chain Reaction (qPCR) is a widely used method of performing PCR; however, a newer droplet digital Polymerase Chain Reaction (ddPCR) method has been shown to provide more accurate quantification of DNA. Using a validated model of HIV viral replication, this paper demonstrates the importance of considering DNA quantification assay type when optimizing experiment design conditions. Experiments are optimized using a Genetic Algorithm (GA) to locate a family of suboptimal sample schedules which yield the highest fitness. Fitness is defined as the expected information gained in the experiment, measured by the Kullback-Leibler Divergence (KLD) between the prior and posterior distributions of the model parameters. We compare the information content of the optimized schedules to uniform schedules as well as two clinical schedules implemented by researchers at UCSF and the University of Melbourne. This work shows that there is a significantly greater gain information in experiments using a ddPCR assay vs. a qPCR assay and that certain experiment design considerations should be taken when using either assay.
Analysis of Retinal Vascular Plexuses and Interplexus Connections

The retina is a highly organized neural tissue consisting of three neural layers and two synaptic layers. Blood vessels that nourish the mouse and human neural retina mirror this organization consisting of three plexus layers, or plexuses, that run parallel within the retina, connected by interplexus vessels to create a closed vascular network. Here, we describe a methodology to describe this organization that can be used to interrogate factors mediating retinal vessel patterning including: coverage of the vascular plexuses, branching and orientation of the interplexus connections, and digital reconstruction of the retinal vasculature to measure vessel length and density. The methodology focuses on the mouse retina, but can easily be adapted to study retinal vessels of other species.
Learning Image-Conditioned Dynamics Models for Control of Underactuated Legged Millirobots

Millirobots are a promising robotic platform for many applications due to their small size and low manufacturing costs. Legged millirobots, in particular, can provide increased mobility in complex environments and improved scaling of obstacles. However, controlling these small, highly dynamic, and underactuated legged systems is difficult. Hand-engineered controllers can sometimes control these legged millirobots, but they have difficulties with dynamic maneuvers and complex terrains. We present an approach for controlling a real-world legged millirobot that is based on learned neural network models. Using less than 17 minutes of data, our method can learn a predictive model of the robot's dynamics that can enable effective gaits to be synthesized on the fly for following user-specified waypoints on a given terrain. Furthermore, by leveraging expressive, high-capacity neural network models, our approach allows for these predictions to be directly conditioned on camera images, endowing the robot with the ability to predict how different terrains might affect its dynamics. This enables sample-efficient and effective learning for locomotion of a dynamic legged millirobot on various terrains, including gravel, turf, carpet, and styrofoam. Videos and further details can be found at https://sites.google.com/view/imageconddyn
DYNAMIC LOADS ON THE DRIVE SHAFT BEARINGS OF A SWASH PLATE AXIAL PISTON PUMP WITH CONICAL CYLINDER BLOCK

Variable displacement swash plate pumps are invariably used under conditions that involve heavy loads with variable flow demands. Swash plate pumps with conical cylinder blocks are now widely used in view of their good static and dynamic characteristics. However, drive shafts of these pumps experience dynamic loads due to the pressure forces transmitted through the body of the conical cylinder block to the supporting bearings. Dynamics of such rotating mechanism are quite interesting and should be considered in the design process of the drive shaft and the supporting bearings. A mathematical model is formulated for a 9-piston swash plate pump with conical cylinder block in order to evaluate the dynamic loads on the drive shaft. Results are presented and discussed.
Microbial Eukaryotes in the Marine Subsurface

Marine sediments cover more than two-thirds of the Earth’s surface and have been estimated to contain as much as one-third of Earth’s prokaryotic biomass (Whitman et al. 1998). Despite this, relatively little is known about this deep biosphere, and essentially nothing is known about the presence of microbial eukaryotes (protists) in sediments deeper than a few centimeters. Through consumption of dissolved organic matter and by selective grazing in subsurface horizons where bacterial and/or archaeal numbers are high, protists may significantly impact carbon cycling in the marine subsurface. An understanding of the biogeochemical activities, composition, and temporal and spatial dynamics of marine subsurface communities is essential for accurate modeling of nutrient cycling in this vast subsurface biosphere.
Adenosine Receptors Influence Hypertension in Dahl Salt-Sensitive Rats: Dependence on Receptor Subtype, Salt Diet, and Sex.

The influence of adenosine receptors on blood pressure in salt-sensitive hypertension is unknown. Here, we examined the effects of salt diets on arterial blood pressures (radiotelemetry) in female and male Dahl salt-sensitive wild-type versus female and male Dahl salt-sensitive A1, A2A, or A2B receptor knockouts (A1KOs, A2AKOs, and A2BKOs, respectively). At baseline, all rats were on a 0.3% salt diet; then separate groups were switched to either 4% or 8% salt diet for 2 weeks. Compared with wild-types, baseline pressures were not affected by knockout of A1 or A2B receptors; yet, mean, systolic, and diastolic pressures were significantly (P<0.01) higher in A2AKOs versus wild-types, an effect independent of sex. During the second week on a 4% salt diet, mean, systolic, and diastolic blood pressures (mm Hg, mean±SEM) in female A1KOs (176±5, 209±5, and 147±4, respectively) and A2BKOs (166±8, 198±9, and 139±8, respectively) were significantly lower (P<0.001) than wild-type on a 4% salt diet (202±4, 240±5, and 172±3, respectively). Male A1KOs and A2BKOs were not protected against 4% salt diet-induced hypertension. This female advantage was overwhelmed by an 8% salt diet. Female and male A2AKOs were more salt sensitive, a phenotype that was apparent in male A2AKOs on 4% and 8% salt diets and in females on 8% salt diet. Female A1KOs and A2BKOs were less susceptible to salt-induced stroke and experienced improved survival. Adenosine receptors influence blood pressure and survival in salt-sensitive rats, and the impact of deleting adenosine receptors on blood pressure and survival depends on salt diet and sex.