cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Qualitative Robustness and Its Role in the Robust Control of Uncertain Engineering Systems

This paper addresses the issue of robustness of linear uncertain systems. In addition to the conventional notion of robustness based on quantitative information, in this paper, a new and novel perspective of qualitative robustness is introduced. The qualitative robustness measure is inspired by ecological principles and is based on the nature of interactions and interconnections of the system. Thus, using the proposed framework, the robustness of engineering systems can be assessed both from quantitative as well as qualitative information. This type of analysis from both viewpoints sheds considerable insight on the desirable nominal system in engineering applications. Using these concepts it is shown that a specific quantitative set of matrices labeled ‘Target Sign Stable Matrices’ are the best nominal matrices. These concepts are then extended to closed loop control systems and problem of control design and for ease in design a new set of matrices ‘Target Pseudosymmetric Matrices’ are introduced which enhance the class of desirable closed loop system matrices. Examples are included to illustrate these concepts.Copyright © 2011 by ASME
A Bacterial Disease of Beans Transmitted by Hellothrips Femoralis Reut.

Controlled experiments in the greenhouse show that Heliothrips femoralis Reut, may transmit a bacterial disease of beans. While thrips are known to disseminate several virus diseases, this seems to be the first case where they have been proved experimentally to disseminate a bacterial disease of plants. Dissemination of this bacterial pathogen by thrips seems to be a mechanical process.
Hypothalamic temperature records of a monkey.

SummaryContinuous recordings of hypothalamic temperature were made on a rhesus monkey placed in a restraining chair. Under non-isolated conditions distinct diurnal variations in temperature were observed. The extent of these cycles appeared to be attenuated when the animal was isolated. In addition, feeding sessions under isolated conditions were accompanied by larger increases in temperature than during non-isolated conditions.
Bacterial Adherence: The Attachment of Group A Streptococci to Mucosal Surfaces

It is now recognized that bacteria bind to and colonize mucosal surfaces in a highly selective manner. After the organisms penetrate the nonspecific mechanical and cleansing forces, ligands (or adhesins) on the surface of the bacteria interact in a lock-and-key (or induced-fit) fashion with complementary receptors on mucosal surfaces of the host. The adhesins are usually composed of proteins in the form of fimbriae or fibrillae and the receptors of glycolipids or glycoproteins. In group A streptococci the adhesin, lipoteichoic acid (LTA), is anchored to one or more proteins on the surface of the bacterial cells and interacts through its lipid moiety with fibronectin molecules deposited on and bound to the epithelial cells. In an attempt to locate the region of fibronectin recognized by LTA and group A streptococci, fibronectin was cleaved with thermolysin and the fragment mixture adsorbed with Staphylococcus aureus or Streptococcus pyogenes. Staphylococci adsorbed several high-molecular-weight fragments as well as a 28-kilodalton and a 23-kilodalton fragment, whereas S. pyogenes cells adsorbed only the 28-kilodalton fragment completely. The adsorption of the fragments by S. pyogenes was blocked by LTA. Antibodies raised against a synthetic peptide copying the NH2 terminus of fibronectin reacted in a western blot with the 28-kilodalton fragment; this result indicated that S. pyogenes and its LTA react with the NH2-terminal region of fibronectin at a site distinct from that at which S. aureus reacts. Our findings are consistent with the idea that LTA mediates the attachment of group A streptococci to fatty acid binding sites of fibronectin deposited on mucosal epithelial cells.
ULTRASTRUCTURAL OBSERVATIONS ON HELVELLACEAE (PEZIZALES; ASCOMYCETES). III. SEPTAL STRUCTURES IN HELVELLA

Ultrastructure of septa, asci, ascogenous hyphae, and excipular cells of apothecia of selected species of Helvella is described. Electron-opaque, hemispherical structures appear in the basal pores of young asci and with age become more pronounced within the ascus cytoplasm, eventually assuming a dumbbell-shaped appearance. Characteristic electron-opaque and -translucent, "V"-shaped bands develop within the plug on the ascus side of the pore. An electron-translucent torus separates the pore plug from the septal pore border. Similar pore structures are also found in ascogenous hyphae. Septal pores of paraphyses and excipular cells possess an electron-opaque, lamellate structure characteristic of other taxa of Pezizales. Unlike pores of asci and ascogenous hyphae, those of paraphyses and excipulum also have typical spherical Woronin bodies. Septal pore structures of asci and ascogenous hyphae are unlike those of the Pezizaceae and Ascobolaceae and, although distinct, are more like those ofthe Aleurieae and Otidieae ofthe humariaceous fungi, especially those of Geopyxis. Phylogenetic aspects of these data are discussed.
Discussion on Quality Inspection and Evaluation Standards for Remedied Mass Landslide

Due to the particularity of the remedied mass landslide, there have not been quality inspec-tion and evaluation standards at present time in China. In this paper, supplements and improvements to the chapter of landslide in “Quality Inspection and Evaluation Standards for Highway Engineering” are suggested, based on related standards and engineering practice. Finally, existing problems in landslide remediation are discussed as reference for further construction, inspection and evaluation.
The biochemical control of the cell cycle by growth regulators in higher plants

The cell cycle is an important research field in cell biology and it is genetically and developmentally regulated in animals and plants. The aim of this study was to review knowledge about the biochemical regulation of the cell cycle by plant growth regulators through molecular checkpoints that regulate the transition from GO-G1-S-phase and G2-M in higher plants. Recent research has shown that zeatin treatment led to the up-regulation of CycD3 inArabidopsis. Benzyladenine treatment can also shorten the duration of S-phase through recruitment of latent origins of DNA replication. Kinetin is involved in the phosphoregulation of the G2-M checkpoint; the major cyclin-dependent kinase (Cdk) at this checkpoint has recently shown to be dephosphorylated as a result of cytokinin treatment, an effect that can also be mimicked by the fission yeast Cdc25 phosphatase. Gibberellic acid (GA) treatment induces internode elongation in deepwater rice, this response is mediated by a GA-induced up-regulation of a cyclin-Cdk at the G2-M checkpoint. Recent evidence has also linked abscisic acid to a cyclin-dependent kinase inhibitor. A new D-type cyclin, recently discovered inArabidopsis may have a key role in this process. A brief review on plant growth regulator-cell cycle interfacing during development and a cytokinin-induced continuum of cell cycle activation through the up-regulation of a plant D-type cyclin at the G1 checkpoint and the phosphoregulation of the Cdk at the G2/M checkpoint had been concluded. This review could be valuable to research on cell and developmental biology in plants.
Intracellular Neuronal Recording with High Aspect Ratio MEMS Probes

Micro-machined silicon needles capable of penetrating through cell membranes were fabricated and tested for intracellular sensing applications. The fabricated needles have sharp tips (diameter 300 µm) and exhibit high mechanical strength. The needles were tested for extra- and intra-cellular neuronal recording applications. To prepare the needles for neuronal recording, they were coated with metal and their shanks insulated. Using these needles, we were able to obtain extremely localized extracellular signals and to perform first recordings with silicon based micro-probes from the inside of neurons.
On the mixing models for stratified flows subjected to concomitant stable and unstable stratifications

ABSTRACTThe concurrence of stable and unstable stratification in stratified flows leads to dramatically different features of turbulent mixing. This unique flow is experimentally studied by introducing a horizontal jet of dense fluid into a pool of light fluid. The buoyancy flux from simultaneous velocity–density measurements is an indicator for competition between a stabilising mechanism and another destabilising mechanism. The difference of mixing efficiency, quantified by flux Richardson number Rif, between the (un)stable stratification is mainly contributed by the large-scale mixing. The behaviour of Rif can be modelled by the gradient Richardson number Rig linearly in the low-Ri case and nonlinearly in the high-Ri case (especially in a region where the counter-gradient flux emerges). The turbulent diapycnal diffusivity, quantifying the combined effect of reversible and irreversible mixing processes, increases as the buoyancy Reynolds number Reb increases only when Reb is large. The irreversible mixin...
A Three-Port Three-Phase DC-DC Converter for Hybrid Low Voltage Fuel Cell and Ultracapacitor

A novel three-port three-phase dc-dc converter is proposed in this paper to interface with low voltage fuel cell and ultracapacitor (UC). Major features of the converter include: 1) provide an integrated energy conversion solution with combined power flow from fuel cell and UC; 2) draws and injects smooth current from the fuel cell and UC; 3) increase input current rating by interleaving three phases, not by paralleling components; 4) reduce core number and current ripple with improved efficiency by integrating three input inductors into a single core with coupling; 5) achieve zero-voltage-switching (ZVS) over a wide range by hybrid pulse-width-modulation (PWM) and phase-shift-modulation (PSM) control. This converter has a great potential application in fuel cell vehicle and distributed power generation. The operation principle, steady state analysis and integrated magnetic design are presented in the paper. Circuit simulation results are provided to verify the theoretical analysis.
Efficacy and safety of generic azoxystrobin at controlling Rhizoctonia solani in sugar beet

Abstract Rhizoctonia solani Kuhn is a major soil-borne pathogen limiting sugar beet ( Beta vulgaris L.) production in the United States and other countries worldwide. There is no commercial cultivar which is immune from infection by R. solani and highly resistant cultivars typically have a yield penalty. Growers use cultivars with some levels of resistance and rely on the timely application of fungicides to control R. solani . Azoxystrobin (Quadris ® ) has been the most widely used fungicide for control of R. solani on sugar beet since its registration in the United States in 1997. In 2015, growers wanted to know whether generic azoxystrobin, which became available on the market and at a lower price than Quadris ® , would provide effective control of R. solani . The objectives of this greenhouse study were to evaluate the efficacy and safety of generic azoxystrobins at controlling R. solani on sugar beet compared to the industry's standard Quadris. Three generic azoxystrobins – Satori ® , Aframe™ and Equation™ - and two application methods - in-furrow at planting and band applications to 4-leaf stage sugar beet - were evaluated. Inoculation with R. solani AG 2-2IIIB was done after fungicide applications. To check for phytotoxicity, fungicides were applied but with mock inoculation. Plant survivors, plant height, root weight and disease severity were evaluated. Results indicated that the generic azoxystrobins were safe to use on sugar beet seeds and plants and provided similar disease control of R. solani as the industry's standard Quadris treatment. This study demonstrated under greenhouse conditions that Satori ® , Aframe™ and Equation™ have the potential to be used by growers for disease management in sugar beet fields with a history of R. solani .
Spatial analysis of breast cancer disparities in Kentucky

A62 Breast cancer, the most commonly diagnosed cancer and the second leading cause of death among women, disproportionately affects certain areas of the United States, including many areas within Kentucky. We had previously found evidence that longer travel distance may adversely affect early cancer diagnosis for the population living in a rural state, indicating a need for more targeted prevention policy related to access to health care services. Because availability and accessibility of health care services that may lead to effective prevention of disease is of particular interest, we were further interested in identifying such geographic areas with excess proportion of late stage breast cancer cases so that we may further evaluate the effectiveness of prevention program based on the results. Here we particularly focus on breast cancer disparities in Appalachian Kentucky that includes most medically underserved and distressed, and economically disadvantaged areas within the state. This study utilizes GIS-based spatial statistical methods for the identification of late stage breast cancer clustering in the study area. Data for female breast cancer cases (n=14130) diagnosed in Kentucky between 1999 and 2003 were obtained from Kentucky Cancer Registry, and cases with unknown staging information (n=693) were excluded from the analysis. Geographic difference in late stage breast cancer (TNM III & IV, n=4853) throughout the state was examined in two geographic scales (county and census tract) under the null hypothesis that proportion of women diagnosed with late stage breast cancer is same across the study area. Geographic variation in the ratio of early to late stage and in the most advanced form (distant stage only, n=625) were also examined for further analysis. Those statistically significant geographic areas were identified and mapped using GIS. Preliminary analyses suggest that there are geographic differences in late stage breast cancer in Kentucky and in Appalachian Kentucky; we found geographic areas with high proportion of late stage breast cancer cases, but also identified those geographic areas with excessive numbers of distant stage cases. In addition, we explored such geographic difference in two geographic scales and found similar results. Our findings indicate that there are geographic areas where more targeted education and screening program should be directed to reduce the burden of breast cancer. Because early detection is a key to the prevention of breast cancer, these findings may indicate an urgent need to evaluate the effectiveness of screening programs in these geographic areas, thus reducing breast cancer disparities related to access to health care services.
The Figure of Foucault and the Field of International Relations

Michel Foucault wrote about people as discursive figures. First, I explore the figure of Foucault as normalized in the field of International Relations and presented as a life story. Then I present a reconfigured Foucault. Early on, he formed an ambitious plan for an archeology of the modern world. He organized this plan, set it out in The Order of Things, around discontinuous ages, and language, life and labor as domains of knowledge. Much of Foucault’s subsequent work addresses an omission in this plan—the domain of law and thus of normativity. Disciplinary power presents a puzzle, only solved by identifying a Modernist age, c. 1880–1900, which Foucault did not. Governmentality is then the convergence of modern and modernist technologies of social control.
Analytical model and comparative evaluation of application layer loss in the context of media encapsulation in wireless RTC

Internet firewalls are typically configured to allow web friendly traffic transported by means of the Transmission Control Protocol (TCP) and, simultaneously as security measure, reject any other type of transport. This is a problem for real time communications that heavily rely on transport types like User Datagram Protocol or those associated to the Internet Security Protocol. A mechanism to overcome this limitation is through stream tunneling where media frames that would be typically rejected by firewalls are encapsulated on top of TCP transport. In this paper, a novel mathematical model that links application layer packet loss to bursty network packet loss in the context of fading channels characteristic of wireless communications is presented for both, datagram and stream encapsulation. This model is compared with experimental scenarios of tunneling applied to state of the art speech codecs such that quality scores are obtained and correlated against theoretical results.
Technical role in competition analysis. Part 2: Examples of competition analysis

In Part 1 of this paper a general overview of the extent, methodology and potential impact of the engineering approach to competition analysis was presented. It was shown that three fundamental concepts must be mastered to perform the kind of analytical work needed: (i) technical root structure, (ii) criticality, and (iii) natural limits. In this second part of the paper these concepts of competition analysis are further illustrated and clarified by explicit examples. Part 3 of this paper presents a case study to illustrate how the engineering analysis is used in conjunction with marketing projections.
Laser‐Assisted Nanowelding of Graphene to Metals: An Optical Approach toward Ultralow Contact Resistance

The electrical performance of graphene-based devices is largely limited by substantial contact resistance at the heterodimensional graphene–metal junctions. A laser-assisted nanowelding technique is developed to reduce graphene–metal (G–M) contact resistance and improve carrier injection in suspended graphene devices. Selective breakdown of CC bonds and formation of structural defects are realized through laser irradiation at the edges of graphene within the G–M contact regions in order to increase the chemical reactivity of graphene, facilitate G–M bonding, and, therefore, maximize interfacial carrier transportation. Through this method, significantly reduced G–M contact resistances, as low as 2.57 Ω µm are obtained. In addition, it is demonstrated that the location of laser-induced defects within the contact areas significantly impacts the interfacial properties and the carrier mobility of graphene devices. A fourfold increase in photocurrent is observed in the suspended graphene photodetectors with treated G–M interfaces as compared to ordinary ones. This contact-free and position-selective technique minimizes the degradation of the graphene channels and maintains the superior performance of graphene devices, making it a promising approach for reducing G–M resistance in the fabrication of graphene-based devices.
Rhesus Macaque iPSC Generation and Maintenance

The rhesus macaque (Macaca mulatta) is physiologically and phylogenetically similar to humans, and therefore represents an invaluable model for the pre-clinical assessment of the safety and feasibility of iPSC-derived cell therapies. The use of an excisable polycistronic lentiviral STEMCCA vector to reprogram rhesus fibroblasts or bone marrow stromal cells (BMSCs) into RhiPSCs is described. After reprogramming, the pluripotency transgenes can be removed by transient expression of Cre, leaving a residual genetic tag that may be useful for identification of RhiPSC-derived tissues in vivo. Finally, the steps to maintain pluripotency during passaging of RhiPSCs, required for successful utilization of RhiPSCs, is described. © 2017 by John Wiley & Sons, Inc.
Epigenomic and 3D genome architecture in naïve and primed human embryonic stem cell states

During mammalian embryogenesis changes in morphology and gene expression are concurrent with epigenomic reprogramming. Using human embryonic stem cells representing the pre-implantation blastocyst (naive) and post-implantation epiblast (primed), our data demonstrate that a substantial portion of known human enhancers are pre-marked by H3K4me1 in naive cells, providing an enhanced open chromatin state in naive pluripotency. The naive enhancer repertoire occupies nine percent of the genome, three times that of primed cells, and can exist in broad chromatin domains over fifty kilobases. Enhancer chromatin states are largely poised. Seventy-seven percent of naive enhancers are decommissioned in a stepwise manner as cells become primed. While primed topological associated domains are unaltered upon differentiation, naive domains expand across primed boundaries, impacting three dimensional genome architecture. Differential topological associated domain edges coincide with naive H3K4me1 enrichment. Our results suggest that naive-derived cells have a chromatin landscape reflective of early embryogenesis.
Non-destructive evaluation (NDE) of aerospace composites: ultrasonic techniques

Abstract: This chapter discusses the defects in aerospace composite structures and the ultrasonic techniques used for their non-destructive detection and characterization. The defects discussed include manufacturing defects such as porosity, errors in ply layup or stacking sequence, ply waviness, and service-induced delamination, disbond, crushed core, and microcracks. Ultrasonic inspection of both solid laminates and honeycomb sandwiches is discussed. The techniques addressed include novel processing of C-scan images in water-coupled ultrasonic testing, application of air-coupled ultrasound, and electromagnetically generated shear waves to exploit their strong interaction with fiber direction. In terms of instrumentation, this chapter discusses laboratory systems, stationary systems used in manufacturing environment, and portable inspection systems for field applications.
Power-efficient W-band (92–98 GHz) phased-array receive element with quadrature-hybrid based passive phase interpolator

This paper presents a W-band phased array receive (Rx) channel that employs a quadrature-hybrid based power-domain phase interpolator for a power-efficient multi-bit phase synthesis. The Rx channel implemented in 0.13 μm SiGe BiCMOS achieves 137 dBHz dynamic range (DR) with total 18 mW DC power consumption at 94 GHz. This leads to 7.6 dB-Hz/mW of Rx DR efficiency figure of merit, one of the best power efficiencies reported so far in integrated phased array receivers at mm-Wave frequencies. The measured average gain is 21 dB at 94 GHz and RMS gain variation over 4-bit phase states is −1dB is −31.4 dBm at 94 GHz. The core chip size of the receiver is 1.2×0.58 mm2.
Zika Virus Vaccine Development.

The emergence of Zika virus in Brazil and its association with microcephaly and Guillain-Barre syndrome led to accelerated vaccine development efforts. Based on prior flavivirus vaccine development programs, knowledge of flavivirus particle structure, definition of E dimers as the key antigenic target, and deep understanding of neutralizing mechanisms, multiple vaccine strategies have advanced to the stage of clinical evaluation with unprecedented speed. These include nucleic acid (DNA and messenger RNA), whole-inactivated virus, live-attenuated or chimeric virus, and protein or viruslike particle vaccines. Within a year from the declaration by the World Health Organization of Zika virus as a Public Health Emergency of International Concern, multiple vaccine candidates entered clinical trials, now totaling 7 products with an additional 40-plus candidate vaccines in preclinical development. The rapid progress in vaccine development demonstrates the capacity of governments, public health organizations, and the scientific community to respond to pandemic threats when sufficient prior knowledge exists, emergency funding is made available, and interagency cooperation is achieved and serves as a paradigm for preparing for future emerging infectious diseases.
Case 83: Peroral Endoscopic Myotomy (POEM)

Today you are to anesthetize a 41-year-old female (5′4″, 44 Kg) for a minimally invasive procedure called peroral endoscopic myotomy (POEM). This technique has been shown to be highly effective in treating achalasia. She is otherwise healthy (ASA 2). You see her in the preoperative area and find her normotensive with an oxygen saturation (SpO2) of 100% while breathing room air.
Establishing the impact of model surfactants on cloud condensation nuclei activity of sea spray aerosol mimics

Abstract. Surface-active compounds present in aerosols can increase their cloud condensation nuclei (CCN) activation efficiency by reducing the surface tension (σ) in the growing droplets. However, the importance of this effect is poorly constrained by measurements. Here we present estimates of droplet surface tension near the point of activation derived from direct measurement of droplet diameters using a continuous flow streamwise thermal gradient chamber (CFSTGC). The experiments used sea spray aerosol (SSA) mimics composed of NaCl coated by varying amounts of (i) oleic acid, palmitic acid or myristic acid, (ii) mixtures of palmitic acid and oleic acid, and (iii) oxidized oleic acid. Significant reductions in σ relative to that for pure water were observed for these mimics at relative humidity (RH) near activation (∼ 99.9 %) when the coating was sufficiently thick. The calculated surface pressure (π = σH2O − σobserved) values for a given organic compound or mixture collapse onto one curve when plotted as a function of molecular area for different NaCl seed sizes and measured RH. The observed critical molecular area (A0) for oleic acid determined from droplet growth was similar to that from experiments conducted using macroscopic solutions in a Langmuir trough. However, the observations presented here suggest that oleic acid in microscopic droplets may exhibit larger π values during monolayer compression. For myristic acid, the observed A0 compared well to macroscopic experiments on a fresh subphase, for which dissolution has an important impact. A significant kinetic limitation to water uptake was observed for NaCl particles coated with pure palmitic acid, likely as a result of palmitic acid (with coating thicknesses ranging from 67 to 132 nm) being able to form a solid film. However, for binary palmitic-acid–oleic-acid mixtures there was no evidence of a kinetic limitation to water uptake. Oxidation of oleic acid had a minor impact on the magnitude of the surface tension reductions observed, potentially leading to a slight reduction in the effect compared to pure oleic acid. A CCN counter was also used to assess the impact on critical supersaturations of the substantial σ reductions observed at very high RH. For the fatty-acid-coated NaCl particles, when the organic fraction (eorg) was > 0.90 small depressions in critical supersaturation were observed. However, when eorg
The press, anti-alienism, and the Jewish community in First World War Scotland

Strained relations between Scots and Jews during the First World War have largely been forgotten thanks in great part to post-war Jewish displays of patriotism combined with an oversight of wartime...
Process-based vs. ad-hoc methods to estimate mortality using carcass surveys data: A review and a note about evidence complacency

Abstract To quantify the rate at which wildlife die from anthropogenic sources like wind farms and poisoning, one may look for the carcasses. The number of detected carcasses, or the absence of carcasses, however needs to be corrected for imperfect detection and early removal by scavengers. To perform this correction, there exist more than a dozen “open” variants of the Lincoln-Petersen “closed-population” capture-recapture estimator. These different variants typically yield very different results because they are based on different assumptions that end users do not always consider. I conduct a simulation study highlighting severe biases in Lincoln-Petersen type estimators when their assumptions are violated. Recent attempts to relax these assumptions within the closed-population capture-recapture paradigm involve increasingly complex analysis, yet the resulting modified estimators still apply to restricted settings only. By contrast, there is an abundant literature about flexible, process-based, open-population capture-recapture models and how to fit them to survey data using numerical likelihood optimization. My simulations illustrate the good performance of this approach, in the presence of complex sources of bias, for moderate sample sizes. I review existing guidelines to deal with sparser datasets. As a perspective, I use the example of bird mortality estimation in wind farms to argue that the lack of methodological consensus can set the stage for evidence complacency. Biostatisticians should strive to avoid the proliferation of alternative methods and instead work towards increasingly general and unified frameworks.
Reduced-Risk Warnings Versus the US FDA-Mandated Addiction Warning: The Effects of E-Cigarette Warning Variations on Health Risk Perceptions

Introduction Research on electronic cigarette (e-cigarette) warnings has primarily focused on addiction warnings, such as the one soon to be required by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in the United States. However, reduced-risk warnings, similar to the warnings recently proposed for smokeless tobacco products, remain a future possibility for e-cigarettes. Thus, this brief report compares e-cigarette health risk perceptions based on reduced-risk warnings and the FDA addiction risk warning, and considers whether these warnings differ in believability, ease of comprehension, and perceptions about the clarity of risk communication. Methods A quota sample of 672 smokers, e-cigarette users, dual users, and nonusers participated in this between-subjects experiment. Study participants were randomly assigned to one of three warning conditions, including the FDA-mandated addiction warning and two reduced-risk warnings. After exposure to the warning statement, participants responded to measures of health risk perceptions, believability, ease of comprehension, and perception about the clarity of risk communication. Results Results reveal that the addiction warning is perceived as more believable, easier to comprehend, and more clearly communicating the health risks of e-cigarettes use compared with the reduced-risk warnings. In addition, overall health risk perceptions and addiction risk perceptions based on the addiction warning are greater than health risk perceptions based on the reduced-risk warnings. In contrast, specific disease-related risk perceptions such as cancer, heart disease, lung disease, and harm to an unborn baby are greater for the reduced-risk warnings. Conclusions This study provides a comparison of the forthcoming FDA-mandated e-cigarette addiction warning and reduced-risk warnings that have begun to be considered in the literature on a number of critical outcomes. Implications This research provides a greater understanding of how variations of e-cigarette warnings, including addiction and reduced-risk warnings, are perceived by smokers, e-cigarette users, dual users, and nonusers. Specifically, findings show that overall health risk perceptions and addiction risk perceptions based on the addiction warning are greater than risk perceptions based on the reduced-risk warnings. In contrast, specific disease-related risk perceptions, such as cancer and heart disease, are greater for the reduced-risk warnings.
Single-Center Retrospective Review of Radiofrequency Wire Recanalization of Refractory Central Venous Occlusions.

PURPOSE To retrospectively review the effectiveness and safety of radiofrequency (RF) wire recanalization of refractory central venous occlusions (CVOs) and compare recurrent and nonrecurrent CVOs in terms of patient and occlusion characteristics. MATERIALS AND METHODS Twenty CVOs were treated in 18 patients (age 40 y ± 13; 9 women) with 11 superior vena cava (SVC) or brachiocephalic vein occlusions (ie, supradiaphragmatic) and 9 inferior vena cava or iliac vein occlusions (ie, infradiaphragmatic). Indications included pain, edema, ulceration, and/or dialysis arteriovenous fistula dysfunction peripheral to the CVO(s). All patients had multiple venous thrombotic risk factors, including mechanical venous compression, endothelial injury, and/or coagulopathies. CVO traversal was first attempted with standard and advanced techniques before RF wire recanalization and followed up with computed tomographic venography and clinic visits approximately 1, 3, 6, and 12 months after treatment. RESULTS Sixteen CVOs (80%) were successfully transversed and associated with symptom relief. One major complication occurred involving SVC perforation into the pericardial space. Primary CVO patency rate was 56% at a median follow-up of 14.1 months (interquartile range [IQR], 9.2-20.0 mo). Recurrent CVOs tended to be infradiaphragmatic (71% vs 12% for supradiaphragmatic; P = .02), longer (12.9 cm ± 10.0 vs 2.3 cm ± 1.3; P < .01), and associated with implanted venous stents, filters, or cardiac pacer/defibrillator leads (86% vs 22%; P = .01). Median time to restenosis/occlusion was 1.5 months (IQR, 1.1-6.1 mo). CONCLUSIONS RF wire recanalization is a relatively effective and safe option for refractory CVOs. Patients with longer, infradiaphragmatic CVOs associated with indwelling devices may require closer follow-up for CVO recurrence.
The Power of Framing: If You Can’t Answer the Question, Turn It into a Question You Can Answer

Some problems are much easier to solve than they initially appear, and a simple restatement of the problem can simplify it and make the solution obvious. In this chapter, we explore how Reframing and transforming a problem can convert it from a form that is intractable and impossible to solve into one that is easier to solve and may be solved by inspection. This is really important when trying to answer questions that no one has ever answered before, and understanding the digital transformation of everything involves asking questions that no one has ever asked before. This chapter introduces our second pattern, newly vulnerable online markets, or Newly Vulnerable eMarkets. This is the start of understanding the transformation of sales and distribution channels. Online channels transform competition between manufacturers and service providers and their traditional retailers and resellers, allowing them to take over the roles previously held by retailers and resellers. We introduce five concepts for reframing. We start with a problem outside of business, to establish the power of the concept, and then move on to a business problem to demonstrate the concept’s value. We use the technique to generate our second pattern, Channel Competition and Newly Vulnerable eMarkets.
Transmembrane Protease TMPRSS11B Promotes Lung Cancer Growth by Enhancing Lactate Export and Glycolytic Metabolism.

Summary Pathways underlying metabolic reprogramming in cancer remain incompletely understood. We identify the transmembrane serine protease TMPRSS11B as a gene that promotes transformation of immortalized human bronchial epithelial cells (HBECs). TMPRSS11B is upregulated in human lung squamous cell carcinomas (LSCCs), and high expression is associated with poor survival of non-small cell lung cancer patients. TMPRSS11B inhibition in human LSCCs reduces transformation and tumor growth. Given that TMPRSS11B harbors an extracellular (EC) protease domain, we hypothesized that catalysis of a membrane-bound substrate modulates tumor progression. Interrogation of a set of soluble receptors revealed that TMPRSS11B promotes solubilization of Basigin, an obligate chaperone of the lactate monocarboxylate transporter MCT4. Basigin release mediated by TMPRSS11B enhances lactate export and glycolytic metabolism, thereby promoting tumorigenesis. These findings establish an oncogenic role for TMPRSS11B and provide support for the development of therapies that target this enzyme at the surface of cancer cells.
4.15 Prior Wrongs to Prove Specific Points

This article addresses the admissibility of prior bad acts or wrongs to prove specific points such as intent, knowledge, plan, or absence of mistake. It analyzes FRE 404(b) and its limits and the standard of proof required.
Adipose tissue-derived mesenchymal stem cells rescue the function of islets transplanted in sub-therapeutic numbers via their angiogenic properties.

A significant proportion of islets are lost following transplantation due to hypoxia and inflammation. We hypothesize that adipose tissue-derived mesenchymal stem cells (AD-MSCs) can rescue a sub-therapeutic number of transplanted islets by helping them establish a new blood supply and reducing inflammation. Diabetic mice received syngeneic transplantation with 75 (minimal), 150 (sub-therapeutic), or 225 (therapeutic) islets, with or without 1 × 106 mouse AD-MSCs. Fasting blood glucose (FBG) values were measured over 6 weeks with tissue samples collected for islet structure and morphology (H&E, insulin/glucagon staining). Histological and immunohistochemical analyses of islets were also performed at 2 weeks in animals transplanted with a sub-therapeutic number of islets, with and without AD-MSCs, to determine new blood vessel formation, the presence of pro-angiogenic factors facilitating revascularization, and the degree of inflammation. AD-MSCs had no beneficial effect on FBG values when co-transplanted with a minimal or therapeutic number of islets. However, AD-MSCs significantly reduced FBG values and restored glycemic control in diabetic animals transplanted with a sub-therapeutic number of islets. Islets co-transplanted with AD-MSCs preserved their native morphology and organization and exhibited less aggregation when compared to islets transplanted alone. In the sub-therapeutic group, AD-MSCs significantly increased islet revascularization and the expression of angiogenic factors including hepatocyte growth factor (HGF) and angiopoietin-1 (Ang-1) while also reducing inflammation. AD-MSCs can rescue the function of islets when transplanted in a sub-therapeutic number, for at least 6 weeks, via their ability to maintain islet architecture while concurrently facilitating islet revascularization and reducing inflammation.
A Chromosome-Scale Assembly of the Axolotl Genome

The axolotl (Ambystoma mexicanum) provides critical models for studying regeneration, evolution, and development. However, its large genome (∼32 Gb) presents a formidable barrier to genetic analyses. Recent efforts have yielded genome assemblies consisting of thousands of unordered scaffolds that resolve gene structures, but do not yet permit large-scale analyses of genome structure and function. We adapted an established mapping approach to leverage dense SNP typing information and for the first time assemble the axolotl genome into 14 chromosomes. Moreover, we used fluorescence in situ hybridization to verify the structure of these 14 scaffolds and assign each to its corresponding physical chromosome. This new assembly covers 27.3 Gb and encompasses 94% of annotated gene models on chromosomal scaffolds. We show the assembly's utility by resolving genome-wide orthologies between the axolotl and other vertebrates, identifying the footprints of historical introgression events that occurred during the development of axolotl genetic stocks, and precisely mapping several phenotypes including a large deletion underlying the cardiac mutant. This chromosome-scale assembly will greatly facilitate studies of the axolotl in biological research.
Menopausal Hot Flashes, Sleep and Mood Disturbances

The identification and management of depressive symptoms, hot flashes, and sleep disturbance during menopause first involves a delineation of stage of menopause as the prevalence and management of each symptom may change depending on stage. Menopausal transition is marked by menstrual cycle irregularity and hormonal fluctuations. Depressive symptoms, hot flashes and sleep disturbances are more common during the menopausal transition. Management of the triad of symptoms often entails a careful assessment of the severity of each symptom followed by a consolidated selection of non-pharmacological and pharmacological interventions designed to target all presenting symptoms. These overlapping interventions may include but are not exclusive of supportive measures, environmental modifications, cognitive behavioral therapy, SNRI’s, SSRI’s, and, in select cases, Hormone Therapy, depending on stage of menopause.
Cold War: Impact on Social and Behavioral Sciences

The Cold War encouraged the development of engineering and behaviorally controlling assumptions, concepts, and methods in the social sciences, especially in the United States and the nations in its orbit. Globalization and the multiple perspectives it revealed ultimately overrode Cold War notions and nostrums.
Scaling functions for eigenstate entanglement crossovers in harmonic lattices

For quantum matter, eigenstate entanglement entropies obey an area law or log-area law at low energies and small subsystem sizes and cross over to volume laws for high energies and large subsystems. This transition is captured by crossover functions, which assume a universal scaling form in quantum critical regimes. We demonstrate this for the harmonic lattice model, which describes quantized lattice vibrations and is a regularization for free scalar field theories, modeling, e.g., spin-0 bosonic particles. In one dimension, the ground-state entanglement obeys a log-area law. For dimensions $d\ensuremath{\ge}2$, it displays area laws, even at criticality. The distribution of excited-state entanglement entropies is found to be sharply peaked around subsystem entropies of corresponding thermodynamic ensembles in accordance with the eigenstate thermalization hypothesis. Numerically, we determine crossover scaling functions for the quantum critical regime of the model and do a large-deviation analysis. We show how infrared singularities of the system can be handled and how to access the thermodynamic limit using a perturbative trick for the covariance matrix. Eigenstates for quasi-free bosonic systems are not Gaussian. We resolve this problem by considering appropriate squeezed states instead. For these, entanglement entropies can be evaluated efficiently.
Spontaneously Disappearing Calcifications in the Breast: A Rare Instance Where a Decrease in Size on Mammogram Is Not Good.

Spontaneously resolving breast calcification on mammography is a rare radiologic finding. This phenomenon is defined by a decrease in number and/or prominence of breast calcifications on mammogram when compared to prior imaging. The significance of resolving breast calcifications remains unclear, but they have been reported in cases of malignancy. In current literature, patients whose imaging illustrated a decrease in calcifications usually had other concomitant breast complaints. We are presenting a case of invasive ductal carcinoma, in which the patient was asymptomatic on physical examination. Spontaneously resolving breast calcification and lymphadenopathy were the only abnormal findings on screening mammogram.
Leptin-receptor neurons in the dorsomedial hypothalamus regulate the timing of circadian rhythms in feeding and metabolism in mice

Abstract Animal behavior and metabolism are tightly coordinated with sleep-wake cycles governed by the brain in harmony with environmental light:dark cycles. Within the brain, the dorsomedial hypothalamic nucleus (DMH) has been implicated in the integrative control of feeding, energy homeostasis, and circadian rhythms [1], but the underlying cell types are unknown. Here, we identify a role for DMH leptin receptor-expressing neurons (DMHLepR) in these effects. Using a viral approach, we show that silencing DMHLepR neurons in adult mice not only increases body weight and adiposity, but also shifts circadian rhythms in feeding and metabolism into the light-cycle. Moreover, DMHLepR silencing abolishes the normal increase in dark-cycle locomotor activity characteristic of nocturnal rodents. Furthermore, DMHLepR-silenced mice fail to entrain to a restrictive change in food availability. Together, these findings identify DMHLepR neurons as critical determinants of the daily time of feeding and associated metabolic rhythms.
Insights into the Ni/C-Based Thin-Film Catalyst Layer Design for Urea Oxidation Reaction in a Three-Electrode System

With the increasing interest in urea oxidation reaction (UOR) in direct urea fuel cells and urea-assisted hydrogen generation, it is highly desirable to develop a facile and reliable method for eva...
RubberBand: cloud-based hyperparameter tuning

Hyperparameter tuning is essential to achieving state-of-the-art accuracy in machine learning (ML), but requires substantial compute resources to perform. Existing systems primarily focus on effectively allocating resources for a hyperparameter tuning job under fixed resource constraints. We show that the available parallelism in such jobs changes dynamically over the course of execution and, therefore, presents an opportunity to leverage the elasticity of the cloud. In particular, we address the problem of minimizing the financial cost of executing a hyperparameter tuning job, subject to a time constraint. We present RubberBand---the first framework for cost-efficient, elastic execution of hyperparameter tuning jobs in the cloud. RubberBand utilizes performance instrumentation and cloud pricing to model job completion time and cost prior to runtime, and generate a cost-efficient, elastic resource allocation plan. RubberBand is able to efficiently execute this plan and realize a cost reduction of up to 2x in comparison to static allocation baselines.
Evaluating sealability of blended smart polymer and fiber additive for geothermal drilling with the effect of fracture opening size

Abstract Geothermal formations often contain extensive fracture networks. These fracture networks contribute to the significant loss of drilling fluids during geothermal drilling. Multiple loss circulation materials (LCM) such as fiber, granules, and pills have been proposed to tackle this problem but with only limited success. Recent advances in materials science have led to the development of thermoset shape memory polymers (SMP) to address the lost circulation problem. In this paper, we evaluate a thermoset SMP performance in sealing near wellbore fractures of different sizes in geothermal wells. The SMP performance was assessed using granite disks and cylindrical granite cores having fracture sizes of 1000 μm and 3000 μm. A static filtration test was performed using cedar fiber, CaCO3, and SMP. Results showed cedar fiber performed better than the CaCO3., reducing fluid loss by 89% and improving sealing pressure by 200 psi. A novel dynamic testing unit that allows for high-temperature testing under flowing conditions was used in this study. The analysis showed that 3% by weight SMP and fiber blends could bridge and plug the 1000 μm fracture. For a larger fracture of 3000 μm width, there was a need to increase the weight concentration of the SMP to 6% to plug the fracture opening effectively. We showed the influence of key parameters such as the type of LCM, concentration, and particle size distribution in optimizing the performance of drilling fluid loss treatment.
The Effects of Marketing Management Programs on Stockholder Wealth: An Empirical Study of Selected Companies Past Performance

This empirical study examines performance of companies receiving awards for excellence of marketing programs. Tests of Efficient Market hypotheses was used to show that stocks of award-winning companies outperform a market index by wide margins during the year prior to the announcement of the award. The results of these tests present implications for both efficient market hypotheses and marketing managers, which are discussed in this paper.