cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Circadian neuron feedback controls the Drosophila sleep–activity profile

Little is known about the ability of Drosophila circadian neurons to promote sleep. Here we show, using optogenetic manipulation and video recording, that a subset of dorsal clock neurons (DN1s) are potent sleep-promoting cells that release glutamate to directly inhibit key pacemaker neurons. The pacemakers promote morning arousal by activating these DN1s, implying that a late-day feedback circuit drives midday siesta and night-time sleep. To investigate more plastic aspects of the sleep program, we used a calcium assay to monitor and compare the real-time activity of DN1 neurons in freely behaving males and females. Our results revealed that DN1 neurons were more active in males than in females, consistent with the finding that male flies sleep more during the day. DN1 activity is also enhanced by elevated temperature, consistent with the ability of higher temperatures to increase sleep. These new approaches indicate that DN1s have a major effect on the fly sleep-wake profile and integrate environmental information with the circadian molecular program.
The Essence of Multi-stage Evaluation in LMS

Embedded domain-specific languages (DSLs) are the subject of wide-spread interest, and a variety of implementation techniques exist. Some of them have been invented, and some of them discovered. Many are based on a form of generative or multi-stage programming, where the host language program builds up DSL terms during its evaluation. In this paper, we examine the execution model of LMS (Lightweight Modular Staging), a framework for embedded DSLs in Scala, and link it to evaluation in a two-stage lambda calculus. This clarifies the semantics of certain ad-hoc implementation choices, and provides guidance for implementing similar multi-stage evaluation facilities in other languages.
Effects of therapeutic Tai chi on functional fitness and activities of daily living in patients with Parkinson disease

The purpose of the study is to investigate the effects of therapeutic Tai chi (TTC) on the functional fitness status and activities of daily living (ADL) of patients with Parkinson disease (PD). The participants were clinically stable PDs in Hoehn and Yahr stage 1-2. These patients were randomly assigned to either the TTC group (n=11) or the control (CON) group (n=9). The TTC exercised at the clinic 2 times a week and performed home-based activity 1 time per week for 12 weeks. All the PDs were evaluated for functional fitness test and ADL screen before and after the 12-week trial. There was a significant Time × group interaction effect on the arm curl (P<0.01), functional reach (P<0.05), and stand on foot with eyes opened (P<0.05) of the functional fitness as compared to the CON. The results of the functional reach test in the CON worsened significantly during the 12-week intervention in comparison with those of the TTC (P<0.01). Also ADL showed significant changed in TCC (P<0.05). Tai chi training showed good effects on the functional fitness in PDs. This study suggests that further research into the based such as Tai chi intervention must be developed PD's quality of life in the future.
Experimental and theoretical characterization of methane and CO2 sorption hysteresis in coals based on Langmuir desorption

Abstract Sorption hysteresis is important for primary gas production and CO 2 sequestration in coalbed methane (CBM) reservoirs. We represent the degree of hysteresis using an areal hysteresis index (AHI) method incorporating a hysteresis parameter β , representing the ratio of available sorption sites for desorption relative to adsorption. This approach was applied to quantify the gas-coal sorption hysteresis to both methane and CO 2 on sub-bituminous and bituminous coals and on anthracite. A theoretical desorption model describes hysteresis based on the molecular dynamic equilibrium between gas adsorption and desorption rates. Volumetric excess ad-/desorption isotherms of methane and CO 2 show that adsorption capacities for anthracite are higher than those for the sub-bituminous and bituminous coals over the entire experimental pressure range. Hysteresis for CO 2 is greater than for methane for all four coal samples investigated. The relationships between β and Langmuir pressure, Langmuir volume and final equilibrium pressure are weakly negative with null relationships between β and coal properties. Sorption hysteresis is caused by Langmuir pressure and gas type based on theoretical and experimental analyses although its physical mechanism remains unclear. A β CH 4 − β CO 2 plot is proposed as a screening tool to determine likely gas substitution contents for enhanced coalbed methane (ECBM) and CO 2 sequestration in coals.
Collagen Membranes with Ribonuclease Inhibitors for Long-Term Stability of Electrochemical Aptamer-Based Sensors Employing RNA

Electrochemical aptamer-based (E-AB) sensors offer advantageous analytical detection abilities due to their rapid response time (seconds to minutes), specificity to a target, and selectivity to function in complex media. Ribonucleic acid (RNA) aptamers employed in this class of sensor offer favorable binding characteristics resulting from the ability of RNA to form stable tertiary folds aided by long-range intermolecular interactions. As a result, RNA aptamers can fold into three-dimensional structures more complex than those of their DNA counterparts and consequently exhibit better binding ability to target analytes. Unfortunately, RNA aptamers are susceptible to degradation by nucleases, and for this reason, RNA-based sensors are scarce or require significant sample pretreatment before use in clinically relevant media. Here, we combine the usefulness of a collagen I hydrogel membrane with entrapped ribonuclease inhibitors (RI) to protect small molecule RNA E-AB sensors from endogenous nucleases in compl...
Synergistic Effects of an Irreversible DNA Polymerase Inhibitor and DNA Damaging Agents on HeLa Cells.

DNA repair is vital to maintaining genome integrity but thwarts the effects of cytotoxic agents that target nucleic acids. Consequently, repair enzymes are potential targets for molecules that modulate cell function and anticancer therapeutics. DNA polymerase β (Pol β) is an attractive target because it plays a key role in base excision repair (BER), a primary pathway that repairs the effects of many DNA damaging agents. We previously identified an irreversible inhibitor of Pol β whose design was based upon a DNA lesion that inactivates Pol β and its back up BER enzyme, DNA polymerase λ (Pol λ). Using this molecule as a starting point, we characterized an irreversible inhibitor (13) of Pol β (IC50 = 0.4 μM) and Pol λ (IC50 = 0.25 μM) from a 130-member library of candidates that is ∼50-fold more effective against Pol β. Pro-13 (5 μM) is only slightly cytotoxic to human cervical cancer cells (HeLa) but potentiates the cytotoxicity of methyl methanesulfonate (MMS). DNA isolated from HeLa cells treated with M...
FACTORS HINDERING SMES FROM ACCESSING THE FINANCIAL PRODUCTS OFFERED BY BANKS

Abstract Purpose: The purpose of this study was to highlight the factors hindering SMES from accessing the financial products offered by banks. Methodology: The research design was descriptive survey study. The target population was 46 commercial banks .The sampling frame was the list of commercial banks given at the Central bank of Kenya Website. A sample of 17 banks was selected using random sampling. The second stage of sampling involved the selection of the respondents using a stratified sampling approach. The strata were the various departments that interact with SMEs in a bank. The respondents were the head of departments of the respective departments that form the strata. Both qualitative and quantitative data was collected using a questionnaire that consisted of both open ended and close ended questions. Data was analyzed using Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS. Results: It can be concluded that there were several factors that hindered SMEs access to financial products and services. In particular these factors included lack of credit worthiness information about SMES, lack of collateral limits the SME access to finance, low net value of the entrepreneurs in terms of assets and liabilities (Capital) limits SME access to finance borrower’s lack of honesty and trustworthiness (character) limits SME access to finances. Unique contribution to theory, practice and policy: The study recommended that training be emphasized to SME entrepreneurs on financial matters, all gender to be treated equally, the banks to introduce financial education programs for SMEs to improve their access to credit, banks to further make use of a credit scoring system to assess the credit worthiness of small businesses and to introduce the use of new credit bureau regulations to increase SME finances.
A Portrait of Social and Emotional Learning within Sequoia National Park.

Outdoor adventure–based experiences allow students to engage in physical activities and process learning tasks within a novel, open environment that is unlike any classroom. Past outdoor adventure–based research has indicated two primary participant outcomes: intrapersonal and interpersonal relationship skills or IIRS (Moore & Russell, 2002). The body of literature involving the promising outcomes from outdoor adventure–based experiences designed for college students is growing (Bailey & Kang, 2015; Frauman & Waryold, 2009; Lien & Goldenberg, 2012; Rude, Bobilya, & Bell, 2017; Vlamis, Bell, & Gass, 2011; Wolfe & Kay, 2011). One noticeable gap in the adventure-based literature is research on participants’ lived experience through a conceptual lens of social and emotional learning (SEL). The purpose of this study was to explore college students’ perceptions of their SEL competencies based on a 3-day adventure-based experience to Sequoia National Park. The participants experienced and expressed in a short time frame in the adventure setting the SEL core competencies of relationship skills and social awareness . The findings are encouraging, suggesting that the adventure-based experience to Sequoia National Park provided the participants an opportunity to develop SEL that involved the themes of friendship and mindfulness . Subscribe to JOREL
Motivational interviewing and dual diagnosis clients: Enhancing self-efficacy and treatment completion

ABSTRACTThis study explored treatment completion and self-efficacy of dual-diagnosis clients receiving cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) and a combination of CBT with motivational interviewing (MI) in an intensive-outpatient setting. Results indicated that MI was associated with increased self-efficacy and treatment completion.
Steps Toward a Rhetoric of Judgment in Montaigne's "De Democritus et Heraclitus" (I,50)

This article presents a close reading of Montaigne's "De Democritus et Heraclitus" (Essais I,50) and explores the notion of judgment that Montaigne develops in this chapter as well as the rhetoric used in expressing this notion. I argue that several rhetorical structures used by Montaigne in this essay – structures such as paradox, inversion of subject and object, and polysemic language that invites multiple interpretations – play an important role in expressing Montaigne's critique of judgment. As he notes in his "Apologie de Raimond Sebond," sceptical views of judgment are difficult to express: they are subject to logical paradoxes similar to the liar's paradox. The rhetoric of "De Democritus et Heraclitus" can be understood as an answer to this logical difficulty. At the heart of my reading is a reinterpretation of a maxim well known to readers of the Essais: "Tout mouvement nous descouvre." This reinterpretation grew out of a study of the polysemous words used in this maxim, of Montaigne's claims about judgment in other essays, and of a careful inspection of the way that it appears in the Exemplaire de Bordeaux.
PQQ-Dependent Methanol Dehydrogenase from Clostridium Thermoautotrophicum

The incorporation of methanol into acetate by acetogenic bacteria has been investigated. A PQQ-dependent methanol dehydrogenase, that oxidizes methanol and formaldehyde to formate, has been purified from C. thermoautotrophicum.
Differential Effect of Taxol in Rat Primary and Metastatic Prostate Tumors: Site-Dependent Pharmacodynamics

Purpose. This study compared the sensitivity of rat prostate MAT-LyLu primary and lymph node metastatic tumors to taxol. Methods. Tumors were established by subcutaneous implantation of tumor cells in a hind leg (primary site) of male Copenhagen rats. Lymph node metastases were used for serial transplantation. Eleven pairs of primary and metastatic tumors between the sixth and twentieth generations were harvested and maintained as 3-dimensional histocultures. The effects of taxol (24 hr treatment at 1 nM to 10 µM) were measured by the appearance of apoptotic cells, and by the inhibition of DNA precursor (thymidine) incorporation. To determine the basis of differential sensitivity of primary and metastatic tumors to the DNA inhibition, we examined the expression of multidrug resistance p-glycoprotein (Pgp) and the accumulation of 3H-taxol after 24 hr exposure and the retention after a 48 hr washout period. Results. The fraction of apoptotic cells increased linearly with the logarithm of taxol concentration to a maximal value of 25%; the concentration-response curves for primary and metastatic tumors were superimposable. Taxol produced a sigmoidal, concentration-dependent inhibition of thymidine incorporation; the maximal inhibition of ~40% was reached at 0.1 and 1 µM for primary and metastatic tumors, respectively. Within the primary or metastatic subgroups, the IC30 (drug concentration that produced a 30% inhibition of DNA synthesis) among consecutive generations varied by < 5 fold, but the primary tumor consistently showed a lower IC30 than the daughter or the parent metastatic tumor (mean, 20-fold; median, 15-fold; range, 6- to 56-fold). The finding that the lower drug sensitivity in metastatic tumors was not exhibited in its daughter primary tumor but was regained in its daughter metastatic tumors suggests that the chemoresistant phenotype is maintained only in lymph nodes and not in the primary site. There were no differences in the Pgp status (neither tumor expressed Pgp), accumulation and retention of taxol in primary and metastatic tumors. Conclusions. Taxol induced apoptosis and inhibited DNA synthesis in the rat MAT-LyLu primary and lymph node metastatic tumors. The apoptotic effect was not different among the two tumors, whereas the primary tumor was more sensitive to the inhibition of DNA synthesis. The differential sensitivity of the two tumors to the DNA effect is not associated with a difference in Pgp expression, drug accumulation nor drug retention, and appears to be associated with changes that are linked to lymph node metastasis.
Reaching Uninsured Overweight and Obese Children Through the FitKids Mobile Lifestyle Modification Program: Lessons Learned

The US prevalence of childhood obesity remains high with ~ 1 in five children diagnosed with obesity, and rates of obesity are likely higher in uninsured and Medicaid populations than in those with private insurance. To understand the impact of an obesity intervention, an established mobile clinic program conducted a study to determine whether a FitKids Mobile Lifestyle Modification Program could reach overweight and obese uninsured children. Eighty-six children (ages 8–18 years) participated in the FitKids study over two trial periods. The first trial consisted of four total visits, but subsequent visits after the initial visit had poor turnout. Through telephonic interviews, parents described positive aspects of the program: (1) providers’ individual attention to their child, (2) increased knowledge about obesity, nutrition, and diet, (3) and parent and child were motivated to be more active. The most common barriers noted for return visits were (1) personal/family factors, (2) scheduling issues, and (3) distance to the clinic. As quality improvement, for the second trial, total number of visits was reduced from 4 to 3 visits and reminder calls were instituted. Percentage of children who returned for the third visit (67.5% for Trial 1 and 62.5% for Trial 2) was not improved despite quality improvement interventions. Mobile clinics provide a unique solution to reach underserved overweight and obese children to help them create a more active and healthy lifestyle, but more research is needed to understand how best to optimize programs.
Proteolytic activation of Bmps: Analysis of cleavage in Xenopus oocytes and embryos

Bone morphogenetic proteins (Bmps) are synthesized as inactive precursors that are cleaved to generate active ligands, along with prodomain fragments that can modulate growth factor activity. Here we provide three protocols that can be used to examine the process of proteolytic activation of Bmps. The first protocol describes how to generate radiolabeled Bmp precursor proteins in Xenopus oocytes and then analyze the time course of precursor cleavage by recombinant enzymes in vitro. The second protocol details how to analyze cleavage of radiolabeled precursor proteins in Xenopus oocytes over time using pulse-chase analysis and autoradiography. This protocol can also be used to analyze folding and cleavage of radiolabeled precursor proteins at steady state. Finally, the third protocol details methods for isolating Bmp cleavage products from the blastocoele of Xenopus embryos and then analyzing them on immunoblots.
Making up teachers: Pre-kindergarten policy and teachers’ lived experiences:

Increased investment in publicly-funded pre-kindergarten (pre-K) in the USA has come with a concomitant focus on teacher professionalization. Pre-K policies and professionalization efforts often fa...
Simulation Study of Interconnection Networks with Virtual Cut-Through Routing

A simple network model with torus topology and the virtual cut-through routing has been considered in order to find out and analyze certain relationships between network parameters, load and performance. Simulation experiments for various values of network parameters (mesh size, message path length, and message length) have been performed. It is found that if the mesh linear dimension is at least twice as large as the message path length (the distance from source to destination) the network behavior (latency and saturation point) does not depend on the mesh size. Both theoretical and empirical results show that the saturation point is inversely proportional to the message length. If the network is in the steady state, a good agreement with Little’s theorem has been observed.
Later Saturday afternoon, August 21, 2010—Chicago, IL

“Nothing,” Delta told Caleb Barthes as she hopped back onto his waiting motorcycle. “Nothing? She didn’t have them?” “No, it was pretty much a dead end.”
Interleukin-6 gene polymorphism (-174 G/C) association with seropositive Toxoplasma gondii infection patients in Al-Diwaniyah hospital

The present study aims to detection Interleukin-6 gene polymorphism (-174 G/C) from seropositive Toxoplasma gondii pregnant women patients and healthy control from individuals reviewers to AL-Diwaniyah hospital. 80 samples were collected for the period from October 2018- April 2019, including two groups of 30 samples healthy control and 50 samples from pregnant women infected with Toxoplasma gondii. The results of the present study indicated the presence of IL-6 (-174 G/C) polymorphism in pregnant women infected with Toxoplasma gondii and healthy control. Where was observed that CG genotype more frequent in patients indicating the association of this genotype with the disease compared to the control group where CG genotype appears less. Also, the results of the current study indicate the appearance of allele C more frequently in pregnant women patients compared to healthy control. We can conclude from the present study there association of appearance allele C with Toxoplasma gondii infection.
Impact of 3D Printouts in Optimizing Surgical Results for Complex Congenital Heart Disease

Planning corrective and palliative surgery for patients who have complex congenital heart disease often relies on the assessment of cardiac anatomy using two-dimensional noninvasive cardiac imaging modalities (echocardiography, cardiac magnetic resonance imaging, and computed tomography scan). Advances in cardiac noninvasive imaging now include the use of three-dimensional (3D) reconstruction tools that produce 3D images and 3D printouts. There is scant evidence available in the literature as to what effect the availability of 3D printouts of complex congenital heart defects has on surgical outcomes. Surgical outcomes of study subjects with a 3D cardiac printout available and their paired control subject without a 3D cardiac printout available were compared. We found a trend toward shorter surgical times in the study group who had the benefit of 3D models, but no statistical significance was found for bypass time, cross-clamp time, total time, length of stay, or respiratory support. These preliminary results support the proposal that 3D modeling be made readily available to congenital cardiac surgery teams, for use in patients with the most complex congenital heart disease.
Design Smell Analysis for Developing and Established Open Source Java Software.

Software design smells are design attributes which violate the fundamental design principles. Design smells are a key cause of design debt. Although the activities of design smell identification and measurement are predominantly considered in current literature, those which identify and communicate which design smells occur more frequently in newly developing software and which ones are more dominant in established software have been studied to a limited extent. This research describes a mechanism for identifying the design smells that are more prevalent in developing and established software respectively. A tool is provided which is used for design smell detection by analyzing large volumes of source code. More specifically, 164,609 Lines of Code (LoC) and 5,712 class files of six developing and 244,930 LoC and 12,048 class files of five established open-source Java software are analyzed. Obtained results show that out of the 4,020 occurrences of smells that were made for nine preselected types of design smells, 1,643 design smells were detected for developing software, which mainly consisted of four specific types of smells. For established software, 2,397 design smells were observed which predominantly consisted of four other types of smells. The remaining design smell was equally prevalent in both developing and established software. Desirable precision values ranging from 72.9% to 84.1% were obtained for the tool.
Acute and early EUS-guided transmural drainage of symptomatic postoperative fluid collections

Background and Aims EUS-guided postoperative drainage (EUS-POD) of postoperative fluid collections (POFCs) is typically delayed until a thick wall has formed to optimize safety. Thus, percutaneous drainage is the mainstay of early POFC management. The primary aim of this study was to compare technical and clinical success and adverse event (AE) rate between early (0-30 days postoperative) compared with delayed (>30 days) EUS-POD. The secondary aim was to determine predictors for clinical success and AE rate associated with early compared with delayed EUS-POD. Methods This was a retrospective analysis of consecutive patients undergoing EUS-POD between November 2013 and November 2018 at a single tertiary academic center. Demographic, procedural, and outcomes data were recorded. Clinical success was defined as resolution of symptoms and the fluid collection on cross-sectional imaging without recurrence after transluminal stent removal. Results Seventy-five patients underwent EUS-POD; 42 (56%) were early, of whom 20 were acute. Sixty-three patients (84%) had undergone distal pancreatectomy. Technical success was 100%, and clinical success was achieved in 70 patients (93%) after a mean 2.2 procedures (range, 1-5). Prior percutaneous drainage had been performed in 13 patients (17.3%). Both acute and early drainage versus delayed EUS-POD demonstrated similar rates of clinical success (95% and 93% vs 94%, P = .99) and AEs (21.4% and 15% vs 30.3%, P = .43). Necrosectomy was required less often in the early versus the delayed group. No predictors of clinical success were identified. Early EUS-POD was not a predictor of AEs (P = .65). Infection and collection size >10 cm correlated with increased AE risk (P = .048 and .007, respectively). Conclusions Early and even acute EUS-POD of POFCs appears to be technically feasible, clinically effective, and safe. EUS-POD should be considered for definitive management of early symptomatic POFCs.
Hypoglossal Nerve Stimulation in Veterans with Obstructive Sleep Apnea.

OBJECTIVES The hypoglossal nerve stimulator (HNS) is an effective treatment for obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) in a relatively healthy subset of the population. Our aim was to determine the efficacy of HNS in a veteran population with a high incidence of chronic disease and mental health disorders. Our secondary aim was to compare subjective outcomes and adherence between veterans with and without mental health disorders. METHODS We included all patients who underwent HNS at our institution to date. Veterans were divided into two groups based on whether or not they carried a diagnosis of anxiety, depression, and/or post-traumatic stress disorder. Demographics, comorbidities, previous OSA treatments, adverse events, and adherence to therapy were recorded. Baseline and treatment outcome data were collected and analyzed including polysomnographic parameters, Epworth sleepiness scale score (ESS), and body mass index. RESULTS Thirty-one patients were identified: 93.5% male, median age = 63.0 years. Median apnea hypopnea index (AHI) decreased from 30.0 to 3.0 events/hour (P 50% and AHI < 20 events/hour) and 21 (72.4%) had AHI < 5 events/hour. The mean device usage was 5.4 hours/night which was not significantly different between groups (P = .55). CONCLUSION Our cohort exhibited similar declines in AHI and ESS compared to published studies with adequate adherence to HNS. There were no significant differences in ESS or adherence to therapy between veterans with and without mental health disorders. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE 4 Laryngoscope, 130:2275-2280, 2020.
Sustainable starch-based barrier coatings for packaging applications

Abstract Starch, as one of the most abundant, sustainable and low-cost commercial biopolymers, has versatile applications in many industries (e.g. food, paper, packaging, construction, etc.). Herein, we reported the synthesis of starch-based polyelectrolyte complexes (SPECs) barrier coatings through a straightforward, industrially scalable shear mixing process. The formation of SPECs was significantly impacted by molecular weight (MW) and charge density of starch polymer chains, resulting in SPECs with different particle sizes, particle morphologies and rheological behaviors. Larger MW and higher charge density contributed to the formation of stiff and entangled starch macromolecular network modulated by different intermolecular interactions, thus leading to a densely packed structure in the coating materials. High MW SPEC coated paperboard exhibited uniform, defect-free surface morphology, improved mechanical properties (18% and 21% increase in tensile strength and Young's modulus, respectively), and excellent barrier performance against water vapor (40% lower than uncoated paperboard), grease (Kit number of 12), and oil penetration (Cobb60: 1.85 g/m2). Such cost-effective, biodegradable and ecologically compatible SPECs barrier materials hold high potential as sustainable alternative coatings for paper and paperboard packaging applications.
Distilled Deep Learning based Classification of Abnormal Heartbeat Using ECG Data through a Low Cost Edge Device

To meet the accuracy, latency and energy efficiency requirements of modern healthcare systems during real-time collection and analysis of health data, a distributed edge computing environment is the answer, combined with 5G speeds and modern AI techniques. Using the state-of-the-art machine learning based classification techniques plays a crucial role in creating the optimal healthcare system on the edge. This work first provides a background on the current and emerging edge computing classification techniques for healthcare applications, specifically for electrocardiogram (ECG) beat classification. After implementing these classification techniques on a Raspberry Pi- based platform we perform a comparison of the performance of these classification techniques with respect to three key performance indicators (KPI) of interest for health care applications namely accuracy, energy efficiency, and latency. Benefiting from the results of the comparative analysis presented in this work, a distilled neural network algorithm can be selected for optimal deployment and over 90% accuracy in given scenario in healthcare system depending on the specific requirements of the given scenario.
Abstract 15755: Differences in Patient Characteristics of Peripartum Spontaneous Coronary Artery Dissection

Background: Spontaneous coronary artery dissection (SCAD) is an important cause of acute myocardial infarction in women. The peripartum period, defined as the last month of pregnancy to three month...
Neurophysiological coding of space and time in the hippocampus, entorhinal cortex, and retrosplenial cortex:

Neurophysiological recordings in behaving rodents demonstrate neuronal response properties that may code space and time for episodic memory and goal-directed behaviour. Here, we review recordings from hippocampus, entorhinal cortex, and retrosplenial cortex to address the problem of how neurons encode multiple overlapping spatiotemporal trajectories and disambiguate these for accurate memory-guided behaviour. The solution could involve neurons in the entorhinal cortex and hippocampus that show mixed selectivity, coding both time and location. Some grid cells and place cells that code space also respond selectively as time cells, allowing differentiation of time intervals when a rat runs in the same location during a delay period. Cells in these regions also develop new representations that differentially code the context of prior or future behaviour allowing disambiguation of overlapping trajectories. Spiking activity is also modulated by running speed and head direction, supporting the coding of episodic memory not as a series of snapshots but as a trajectory that can also be distinguished on the basis of speed and direction. Recent data also address the mechanisms by which sensory input could distinguish different spatial locations. Changes in firing rate reflect running speed on long but not short time intervals, and few cells code movement direction, arguing against path integration for coding location. Instead, new evidence for neural coding of environmental boundaries in egocentric coordinates fits with a modelling framework in which egocentric coding of barriers combined with head direction generates distinct allocentric coding of location. The egocentric input can be used both for coding the location of spatiotemporal trajectories and for retrieving specific viewpoints of the environment. Overall, these different patterns of neural activity can be used for encoding and disambiguation of prior episodic spatiotemporal trajectories or for planning of future goal-directed spatiotemporal trajectories.
Digital Optical CT Application to HVDC Earthing Line Fault Measurements

A digital optical current transducer designed for the measurement of small alternating currents is applied to current measurements for an HVDC earthing line. A novel scanning band pass filter was used to make experimental measurements of small high frequency currents. Currents from 1 kHz to 5 kHz and 0.2 A to 2 A in the presence of 20 ADC have been experimentally made. With accuracies of less than 0.4% for the 2 A measurement. The optical current transducers can measure currents remotely up to 20 km from the converter station. This new optical current sensor measurement method can allow the location of faults on HVDC earthing lines.
Commentary on "One-year impact of a bowel management program in treating fecal incontinence in patients with Anorectal Malformations".

Abstract This is a commentary on the manuscript entitled “One-Year Impact of a Bowel Management Program in Treating Fecal Incontinence in Patients with Anorectal Malformations” by Richard Wood and colleagues.
Sedimentological and stratigraphic constraints on depositional environment for Ediacaran carbonate rocks of the São Francisco Craton: Implications for phosphogenesis and paleoecology

Abstract The Una and Bambui Groups of northeastern and central Brazil are remnants of a vast intracratonic carbonate platform formed on the Sao Francisco Craton during the Ediacaran Period. Their basal stratigraphic units contain early phosphatic cements and phosphatic intraclasts in association with elongate digitate stromatolites in the more northern Irece and Salitre paleobasins (Salitre Formation), and microbial laminites and aragonite crystal fan pseudomorphs in the more southern Sao Francisco paleobasin (Sete Lagoas Formation). Previous studies have drawn comparisons to other Precambrian phosphorites, as well as modern phosphogenetic environments, suggesting mechanisms of phosphogenesis dependent on the accumulation of porewater phosphate via microbial activity in low flow velocity environments, such as relatively quiescent tidal flats, where an absence of wave-driven advection and porewater refreshment could have allowed oversaturation with respect to carbonate fluorapatite. Here, we present new sedimentological data that characterize the depositional setting of the Salitre and Sete Lagoas formations as a shallow, wave-swept carbonate platform notable for its extensive high-energy lithofacies. In this setting, phosphatic and non-phosphatic stromatolite buildups formed within the same depositional facies, often in close (meter- and decimeter-scale) spatial association with one another. These data suggest that early phosphate mineralization of the Salitre and Sete Lagoas formations was likely not a function of low porewater advection in paleogeographically sheltered regions, but rather highly local processes of phosphate enrichment on a high-energy, wave-swept platform environment.
Solid geometry morphing for specialized optomechanical design using LLIMAS

Lightweight, athermalized mirror design remains a critical technology area for space-based applications, often requiring specialized optical evaluations not available in most commercial mechanical simulation software. The highest performing stiffening patterns require powerful CAD tools to parametrically model while maintaining continuity with complex solids, but integrating this engine with optomechanical analysis software requires extensive development from the user side. Lincoln Laboratory has created an API to accomplish exactly this, including full automation of the entire CAD to FEA to optical performance workflow. We have demonstrated this capability on a compact, off-axis beam expander with steep surface curvature subject to various gravity orientations and thermal loads, while studying the effect lightweight stiffening patterns on focus-subtracted wavefront error.
The Intellectual Property Turn in Global Health

AbstractInternational intellectual property (IP) law for pharmaceuticals has fundamentally shifted in the twenty-first century from a property-centric to a human rights view. Scholars tend to expla...
ASdb: a system for classifying owners of autonomous systems

While Autonomous Systems (ASes) are crucial for routing Internet traffic, organizations that own them are little understood. Regional Internet Registries (RIRs) inconsistently collect, release, and update basic AS organization information (e.g., website), and prior work provides only coarse-grained classification. Bootstrapping from RIR WHOIS data, we build ASdb, a system that uses data from established business intelligence databases and machine learning to accurately categorize ASes at scale. ASdb achieves 96% coverage of ASes, and 93% and 75% accuracy on 17 industry categories and 95 sub-categories, respectively. ASdb creates a more rich, accurate, comprehensive, and maintainable dataset cataloging AS-owning organizations. This system, and resulting dataset, will allow researchers to better understand who owns the Internet, and perform new forms of meaningful analysis and interpretation at scale.
Helium: Its Past, Present, and Future

A brilliant yellow spectral line at 5875 A was discovered in 1868 when the radiation emitted by the solar chromosphere was first analyzed spectroscopically. For the next few years, considerable effort was expended in an attempt to identify the source of this spectral line. Since it did not correspond with any ordinarily emitted by a terrestrial element, questions were first raised as to whether this new line might have originated from some well-known substance under extreme conditions of state. Eventually, however, it was acknowledged that the line must be characteristic of some new substance unique to the solar atmosphere and by 1871, physicists and astronomers were beginning to identify the line as belonging to a new element named helium, after the Greek work ἥλιος meaning “sun.”
A rapid technique for preparation of human fetal and adult skeletal material.

Medical examiners, forensic pathologists, physical anthropologists, and others working with cadaveric remains often need to remove soft tissues and prepare skeletal material for further examination and retention. Currently several techniques for accomplishing this are available, including a five-step anatomical technique consisting of maceration, cleaning, degreasing, bleaching, and varnishing the bones with Alvar® to preserve them [1]. Another technique often used is to allow a colony of Dermestidae beetles to clean the tissues. However, both of these techniques are time-consuming, and we have found that an antiformin technique provides a much better and faster preparation. This technique has resulted from refinement of the methods described by Ternak [1] and Schmitt [2] and developed in skeletal preparation instruction in the Department of Anthropology during the past two years [3]. Independent techniques have evolved in the Developmental Anatomy Laboratory of the Medical School for Preparation of fetal or infant osseous and cartilaginous materials, and these have been included to provide for the full range of human materials which may be encountered. The following instructions are intended to provide the user with a rapid method for skeletal preparation which we have found to be an improvement over previous methods.
Canine left ventricular volume and mass during thoracotomy by two-dimensional echocardiography. Increased ventricular mass after ischemia and reperfusion.

Left ventricular end-diastolic volume (Vc) and mass (Mc) were studied in 10 dogs by two-dimensional echocardiography after thoracotomy and construction of a pericardial well filled with sound-conducting gel. Five selected LV sections were obtained in vivo by two-dimensional ultrasound. After X-ray angiography and thermal dilution cardiac outputs, 9 of the 10 hearts were fixed by glutaraldehyde coronary perfusion while filling pressures were maintained equal to LVEDP and RVEDP in vivo. Silastic casts of the left ventricle were used to measure cavity volume (Vc) by displacement, and LV mass was determined by weighing (Vpm). Study of postmortem casts with a Simpson's rule algorithm revealed that volume calculations with two of six possible pairs of orthogonal sections were congruent with the line of identity vs cast displacement volume. Optimum results in vivo were obtained from averaged data based on these section pairs (from three echo sections) as Vc = 0.94Vc + 0.2 (r = 0.88). LV mass was given by Mc = 0.95Mpm + 6.6 (r = 0.90). Systolic volume, stroke volume, and ejection fraction were less satisfactory, reflecting difficulties with long axis sections during systole in the open chest. To examine the suitability of these methods for physiologic studies, LV mass was measured before and after 30 min of normothermic ischemic arrest and reperfusion in six dogs. LV mass increased from 109 ± 7 (SE) g before ischemia to 153 ± 13 g after ischemia (P < 0.01). Two-dimensional echocardiography thus demonstrates unique potential for experimental cardiovascular physiology.
Uptake Hydrogenase Activity Determined by Plasmid pRL6JI in Rhizobium leguminosarum Does Not Increase Symbiotic Nitrogen Fixation.

Six mutants of Rhizobium leguminosarum 3855 lacking uptake hydrogenase activity (Hup− phenotype) as a result of Tn5-mob mutagenesis of the hup-containing plasmid pRL6JI were tested for symbiotic performance on Pisum sativum L. and Vicia benghalensis L. Three pea cultivars and one vetch line, which induce four different levels of Hup activity in strain 3855, were grown to flowering under microbiologically controlled conditions in the absence of combined N. Direct Kjeldahl N measurements showed that in every case at least one Hup− mutant fixed as much N2 as the isogenic Hup+ strain. Measures of C2H2 reduction, H2 evolution, 3H2 incorporation, and plant dry weight were consistent with the interpretation that the oxidation of H2 produced by the nitrogenase enzyme complex was not necessarily associated with increased N2 fixation in these symbiotic associations. Tests with a smaller subset of the Hup− strains under four different root environments ranging from pH 5.0 to 8.2 likewise showed no significant advantage for the isogenic Hup+ strain. It was concluded that the improvements in symbiotic N2 fixation produced by pRL6JI are associated with some trait other than the Hup+ phenotype.
Floc Sizing Techniques

In the study of mass transfer of substrate through floc particles, it is essential to have an estimate of floc size. This study presents floc size measurements made on pure culture bacterial floc and shows their applicability to mass transfer studies. A critical review of the biological literature on methods to size biological floc and determine wet floc density is also presented. Images
Regulation of folate and one-carbon metabolism in mammalian cells. I. Folate metabolism in Chinese hamster ovary cells expressing Escherichia coli or human folylpoly-gamma-glutamate synthetase activity

Chinese hamster ovary (CHO) cell transfectants expressing various levels of human and Escherichia coli folylpoly-gamma-glutamate synthetase (FPGS) activity and possessing different folylpolyglutamate chain length distributions have been developed as models for folate and antifolate metabolism. The synthesis of pteroyltriglutamate was sufficient for normal cellular retention of folate and also overcame the phenotypic requirement for purines and thymidine of AUXB1, a CHO cell mutant lacking FPGS activity and lacking folylpolyglutamates. Only low levels of FPGS are required to enable cellular metabolism of folates to forms that are retained by mammalian cells. The higher levels found in mammalian cells are required for the synthesis of the long chain polyglutamate derivatives characteristic of mammalian cells. At low medium folate concentrations, folate accumulation by transfectants expressing human FPGS was not responsive to FPGS levels as the limiting step in metabolism was beyond the triglutamate, the chain length required for retention. The rate-limiting step in folate metabolism in cells expressing the E. coli enzyme was the conversion of diglutamate to triglutamate, and, at low FPGS levels, the E. coli enzyme was about 50-fold less effective than the human FPGS in enabling cellular folate accumulation. These data suggest that cellular accumulation of any folate analog whose mono- or diglutamate derivative is a poor substrate for FPGS would be very responsive to the level of FPGS activity.
Capstone term project for control systems curriculum

In teaching an undergraduate controls course, several concepts are introduced. Students often perceive these materials as unrelated, thus of little application. There is a need to unify these concepts into larger problems. Examples could be presented in class, however, this would create a passive roll for the student. To encompass a larger number of concepts and involve the students, the capstone term project was incorporated into the course. It requires a large amount of design effort, appropriate use of class concepts and the use of a simulation language. This satisfies ABET design requirements and adds to students credentials by requiring a simulator such as MATLAB to successfully complete the project. Sophistication of the project encourages collaboration and team effort among the students, serious design consultation with the instructor, and other elements of a working engineering environment. Project reports for credit are individual submissions.
Cross-layer design of a dynamic resource allocation control for 3GPP2 1xEV-DV systems

The next generation wireless communication systems needs not only to provide a higher data throughput but also to support integrated applications with various quality of service (QoS) requirements. In this paper, a new cross layers design of a dynamic resource allocation control for 3GPP2 1xEV-DV systems is proposed. The dynamic resource allocation proposed is able to allocate the optimal combination of system parameters such as the number of Walsh codes, the number of time slots, the modulation scheme and the channel code rate, not only based on the channel condition estimate but also according to the type of services requested in order to achieve promised system overall throughput gain. Performance evaluation of the proposed design will also be presented.
Postoperative junctional ectopic tachycardia

Purpose To report the management of junctional ectopic tachycardia after cardiac surgery in an infant. Postoperatively, the patient suffered profound cardiac decompensation secondary to the accelerated rhythm and required extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) for haemodynamic support.
Scientific Forecasts in International Relations: Problems of Definition and Epistemology

Contemporary analyses of international relations forecasting contain conceptual and epistemological errors. Alternative definitions of forecasting are contradictory; programs for developing scientific forecasts of international phenomena fail to acknowledge important epistemological difficulties. Forecasting and prediction are distinguished, and several illustrations of each type of activity are presented. Criteria for determining the soundness of scientific forecasts then are offered, and the prospects for constructing sound international relations forecasts are assessed. The primary conclusion is that individual-level generalizations of events like crises have the greatest potential in this regard. Forecasts of systems-transformation, in contrast, will never be scientifically sound; generalizations of this kind offer the least potential for developing scientifically meaningful forecasts.
Triplet energy level of β-carotene

Abstract The relaxed energy level of the lowest triplet state (T 1 ) of β-carotene has been measured as 19.4 ± 1.0 kcal mol −1 using photoacoustic calorimetry. The triplet state of β-carotene was sensitized using the fullerenes C 60 and C 70 . An important consequence of this work is a complete thermodynamic description of the relaxation of T 1 and the conclusion that the β-carotene triplet is likely to have significantly less than 15.7 kcal mol −1 available for energy transfer.