cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Diabetes-induced dysfunction of retinal Müller cells.

PURPOSE: This study tested the hypothesis that the function of the glutamate transporter in retinal Muller cells is compromised early in the course of diabetes by a mechanism involving oxidation. Dysfunction of this transporter, which removes glutamate from the extracellular space, may play a critical role in the disruption of glutamate homeostasis that occurs in the diabetic retina. Because glutamate is toxic to retinal neurons and is likely to exacerbate oxidative stress, elucidation of the mechanisms by which diabetes elevates the concentration of this amino acid may help to better understand the pathogenesis of diabetic retinopathy. METHODS: Muller cells were freshly isolated from normal rats and those made diabetic by streptozotocin injection. The activity of the Muller cell glutamate transporter, which is electrogenic, was monitored via the perforated-patch configuration of the patch-clamp technique. RESULTS: Four weeks after the onset of hyperglycemia, dysfunction of the Muller cell glutamate transporter was detected (P = .005). After 13 weeks of streptozotocin-induced diabetes, the activity of this transporter was decreased by 67% (P = .001). Consistent with oxidation causing this dysfunction, exposure to a disulfide-reducing agent rapidly restored the activity of this transporter in Muller cells from diabetic retinas. CONCLUSIONS: Soon after the onset of experimental diabetes, the function of the glutamate transporter in Muller cells is decreased by a mechanism that is likely to involve oxidation. The demonstration that the activity of this transporter can be rapidly restored raises the possibility that targeting this molecule for therapeutic intervention may restore glutamate homeostasis and, thereby, ameliorate sight-threatening complications of diabetic retinopathy.
Importance of normal field continuity in inhomogeneous scattering calculations

The finite-element method with conventional scalar bases is coupled with the moment method to handle the three-dimensional scattering and/or absorption from inhomogeneous, arbitrarily shaped objects. The C/sup 0/ finite-element basis enforces continuity of both normal and tangential E at element boundaries within homogeneous regions. At dielectric interfaces, the continuity of normal D and tangential E are enforced in a strong sense. Excellent agreement between the numerical solution and the Mie series is obtained for both internal and scattered fields for homogeneous and layered spheres under plane wave illumination. Compared to an alternative finite-element method using edge elements which lack strong enforcement of normal field continuity, the present method produces higher-order approximations, especially at dielectric interfaces, with no penalties in computational effort. >
A 36-chip multiprocessor multichip module made with the General Electric high density interconnect technology

A unique packaging and interconnect technology was used to build a multichip, four-CPU-element, pipeline parallel processing computer module using Texas Instruments TMS320C25 digital signal processors and companion circuits. The technology allowed a greater than fifteen-fold reduction in area over conventional chip packages mounted with printed circuit board methods. Reduced interconnect capacitance coupled with elimination of conventional package parasitics allowed clocking of commercial 40 MHz parts to nearly 90 MHz. >
Properties and resemblance classes

There are two major theories of properties that employ resemblance classes to avoid commitment to universals.' Object-resemblance nominalism (ORN) faces the notorious companionship and imperfect community difficulties, though some costly remedies have been proposed. Trope-resemblance nominalism (TRN), in contrast, is commonly supposed to avoid these difficulties altogether. My contention is that both versions of resemblance nominalism are subject to companionship and imperfect community difficulties. If I am right, (1) trope theory loses one of its primary selling points, and (2) resemblance nominalists of either type must appeal to the troublesome remedies that I discuss below.
The Fundamental Equation in Generalized Coordinates

For a system of N/3 particles, the kinetic energy is given by $$T = \frac{1}{2}\sum\limits_{r = 1}^N {m_r \dot u_r^2 ,}$$ (12.1.1) and we have from (11.4.2) $${ \dot u_r = \sum\limits_{s = 1}^n {\frac{{\partial u_r }}{{\partial q_s }}\dot q_s + \frac{{\partial u_r }}{{\partial t}}} \qquad {(r = 1, 2, \ldots , N).}}$$ (12.1.2)
Self-Management Skill Training for Educable Mentally Retarded Persons

This article develops the position that self-management training can provide a crucial component in the education of educable mentally retarded (EMR) individuals. The strategies of self-monitoring/reinforcement and self-instruction are defined and related to increased performance on academic/vocational/self-help tasks. It is suggested that a combination of behavior-management and self-management strategies be utilized to enable the EMR person to shift from dependent to independent cognitive, academic, and social behaviors. Suggestions for educators are offered.
Alternative formulations for discrete gyroscopic eigenvalue problems

Eigenvalue problems associated with discrete gyroscopic systems have the property that the characteristic equation is a function of the square of the eigenvalue. It may be advantageous, therefore, to replace the given system by an equivalent one that only involves this squared parameter. Meirovitch has recently derived such an equivalent problem for a certain class of gyroscopic systems. The original problem, involving symmetric and skew-symmetric matrices, can be replaced by one involving only symmetric matrices. These results are extended to a more general class of systems in the present paper. In addition, a particular form of gyroscopic system is considered that occurs in problems such as rotating shafts and fluid-conveying pipes. For these systems an equivalent formulation is obtained which leads to a new condition for flutter instability and a technique for determining approximations to frequencies of vibration. An example is presented to illustrate these features.
Mobile network management and robust spatial retreats via network dynamics

The mobility provided by mobile ad hoc and sensor networks will facilitate new mobility-oriented services. Recent work has demonstrated that, for many issues, mobility is advantageous to network operations. This paper proposes that the need for mobility may be captured by formulating the movement of nodes as a classical dynamical system. Motivated by classical mechanics, we propose the notion of network dynamics, where the position and movement of mobile devices evolve according to forces arising from system potential functions that capture the operational goals of the network. We argue that, in the context of moving communicating nodes, the equations of motion should be formulated as a steepest descent minimization of the system potential energy. Further, since global information is not practical in sensor networks, we introduce distributed algorithms that yield more practical implementations of network dynamics. The resulting algorithms are generic, and may be applied to produce balanced network configurations for different initial network deployments. As a second application of network dynamics, we examine the problem of adapting a mobile sensor network to the threat of a jammer. We show that the combination of spatial escape strategies with network dynamics prevents network partitioning that might arise from a mobile jammer
Expanded Stability through Higher Temporal Accuracy for Time-Centered Advection Schemes

Abstract Applying standard explicit time-differencing to hyperbolic equations (i.e., which characterize convection-dominated atmospheric flows) invariably results in rather severe stability restrictions. The primary problem appears to be attributable to the differencing approximation of the time derivative term. In this study the authors show that, for explicit, time-centered advection schemes, achieving higher-order temporal accuracy results in schemes with significantly improved stability properties compared with conventional leapfrog methods. Linear results show that marked improvement is possible in the stability properties by including in the differencing scheme a crucial term approximating the time derivative of third order. The critical CFL number for this time-centered Taylor (TCT) scheme is shown to exceed that of second-order leapfrog by nearly a factor of 2. Similar results hold for the corresponding fourth-order schemes. A solid-body rotation test confirms the findings of the two-dimensional s...
Towards a platform for prototyping control systems for optimization of neuromodulation therapies

Controlling epileptiform activities in the brain using exogenous neuromodulation technologies such as electrical or optogenetic stimulation is a promising approach for the treatment of medically refractory epilepsies. Despite great strides in developing neuromodulation therapies for epilepsy optimization of neuromodulation remains to be very challenging due to the paroxysmal nature of epileptic seizures, lack of complete understanding of the underlying mechanisms and the dynamics of the disease. This paper presents the utilization of a computational model of mesial temporal lobe epilepsy for optimization of neurostimulation for controlling the spike-wave discharges. Our results demonstrated that using a genetic algorithm to design an optimal stimulation waveform to prevent epileptiform activity in a model of mesial temporal lobe epilepsy. This work is aimed at developing a platform for prototyping closed-loop optimization algorithms for the control of neurostimulation, based on the integration of in vivo and in silico models of epilepsy.
The Family and Social Contract Theory

In this paper I would like to explore the conceptual links between the family union and political society in so far as both are treated by the philosophers who are generally acknowledged to belong to the social contract tradition of modern moral and political philosophy, particularly Thomas Hobbes, John Locke, and Jean-Jacques Rousseau.
A Semi-Empirical Model to Predict Aircraft Soot Emission in Rich Zone of RQL Combustor

The reduction of particulate matter emissions is becoming a requirement for aircraft turbine engine combustor design. This requirement leads to the need to estimate particulate emissions during the conceptual design phase. Current prediction methods are based on detailed numerical simulation techniques such as CFD, which are unsuitable for conceptual design due to high computational cost.This paper introduces a new approach employing a semi-empirical model for prediction of the soot emission indices of RQL combustors. The proposed approach dramatically improves computational efficiency by avoiding complex numerical calculations.The model is based on the response surface developed from experimental data for turbulent non-premixed flames. The data has been extracted from the literature, employing statistical methods such as machine learning techniques and polynomial regressions to apply the turbulent flame data to the actual operating conditions in the primary zone of aircraft engine combustors.The model is developed by first representing the combustor primary zone by chemical reactor networks constructed in CHEMKIN based on a statistical PDF approach to simulate the non-uniform distribution of time-evolving local mixture fraction with a beta distribution. The reactor networks are used to estimate the concentrations of soot precursor species in the rich zone. The empirical equations are then used with the predicted concentrations to predict the soot formation rate. Finally, these results are used along with the turbulent non-premixed flame data to develop the final model through a model calibration process.Copyright © 2015 by ASME
Combining the benefits of function approximation and trajectory optimization.

Neural networks have recently solved many hard problems in Machine Learning, but their impact in control remains limited. Trajectory optimization has recently solved many hard problems in robotic control, but using it online remains challenging. Here we leverage the high-fidelity solutions obtained by trajectory optimization to speed up the training of neural network controllers. The two learning problems are coupled using the Alternating Direction Method of Multipliers (ADMM). This coupling enables the trajectory optimizer to act as a teacher, gradually guiding the network towards better solutions. We develop a new trajectory optimizer based on inverse contact dynamics, and provide not only the trajectories but also the feedback gains as training data to the network. The method is illustrated on rolling, reaching, swimming and walking tasks.
Investigations into the Impact of the Equivalence Ratio on Turbulent Premixed Combustion Using Particle Image Velocimetry and Large Eddy Simulation Techniques: “V” and “M” Flame Configurations in a Swirl Combustor

Turbulent premixed combustion is studied using experiments and numerical simulations in an acoustically uncoupled cylindrical sudden-expansion swirl combustor, and the impact of the equivalence ratio on the flame–flow characteristics is analyzed. In order to numerically capture the inherent unsteadiness exhibited in the flow, the large eddy simulation (LES) technique based on the artificial flame thickening combustion model is employed. The experimental data are obtained using particle image velocimetry. It is observed that changes in heat loading, in the presence of wall confinement, significantly influence the flow field in the wake region, the stabilization location of the flame, and the flame intensity. Specifically, increasing the equivalence ratio drastically reduces the average inner recirculation zone size and causes transition of the flame macrostructure from the “V” configuration to the “M” configuration. In other words, while the flame stabilizes along the inner shear layer for the V flame, a p...
EPR study of the Jahn-Teller effect on Cu + 2 in CsCd Cl 3

A strong Jahn-Teller effect is shown to be present for ${\mathrm{Cu}}^{+2}$ in CsCd${\mathrm{Cl}}_{3}$ by studying the electron-paramagnetic-resonance spectra at temperatures between 1.6\ifmmode^\circ\else\textdegree\fi{}K and room temperature. The ${\mathrm{Cu}}^{+2}$ ions occupy two magnetically inequivalent crystal sites of the same type (either $3m$ or $3\overline{m}$ in CsCd${\mathrm{Cl}}_{3}$ which has a ${D}_{6h}^{4}$ structure. The 1.6\ifmmode^\circ\else\textdegree\fi{}K spectrum is a superposition of six single-line axial spectra caused by the three possible "tetragonal" distortions of each magnetically inequivalent site. The room-temperature spectrum is a single line independent of magnetic field orientation which is thermally averaged from the six low-temperature lines. The original trigonal distortions of the sites in the host crystal are completely suppressed by the Jahn-Teller interaction. These determinations are supported by the excellent match between theoretically predicted $g$ values and measured $g$ values which have unusual angular variations and by the type of temperature variations exhibited by the spectra. The observed hyperfine splittings are also consistent with a strong Jahn-Teller interaction. The ${\mathrm{Cu}}^{+2}$ ground states are determined and the Jahn-Teller distortions are shown to be elongations of the ${\mathrm{Cu}}^{+2}$ crystal site.
Comparison of the Two-Microphone Method and a Modal Decomposition Method for Acoustic Impedance Testing

Accurate duct acoustic propagation models are required to predict and mitigate radiated aircraft engine noise. These models ultimately rely on acoustic impedance measurements to characterize candidate engine nacelle liner materials. This paper compares two different methods for normal incidence acoustic impedance testing: the two-microphone method (TMM) and a modal decomposition method (MDM). The two methods are compared using two different test specimens: a ceramic tubular honeycomb material with 65% porosity (CT65) and a single degree-of-freedom liner (SDOF) specimen. The MDM measurements are made from 0.3 to 13 kHz, and the TMM measurements are made from 0.3 to 6.7 kHz, using a 25.4-mm by 25.4-mm specimen. Additional TMM measurements of the CT65 specimen from 0.3 to 20 kHz are made using an 8.5-mm by 8.5-mm specimen in a smaller plane wave tube. The results show good agreement between the TMM and the MDM for the large specimen, but are inconsistent with the smaller specimen. The CT65 results showed a continuing series of resonances for the ceramic tubular material with a monotonic decrease in resonant peaks of the acoustic resistance with increasing frequency and significant mode scattering at the higher frequencies.
Reply to King and Hunt

King and Hunt's major concerns are methodological and hinge on the validity of my measures-these measures do not mean what I say they mean, they claim. Although impossible to prove, validity can be addressed. The strategy I have taken hinges on predictive validity. I analyzed the association between frequency of prayer and other variables and find that these associations are what one might expect given that prayer measures a "devotional or intrinsic" religious orientation. Some of these results are discussed in my paper (684-5). Moreover, church attendance and frequency of prayer are clearly dissimilar measures. As I report, the central findings of my paper "are not weakened by a statistical control on the respondent's frequency of church attendance" (687). There are then, it seems, "churchgoers and churchgoers" (Allport, 451). Only those with a deep religious belief are more likely to give the more friendly or cooperative responses. King and Hunt claim that scales, not single items, must be used to measure religious dimensions. But combining items into a single scale does nothing to ensure validity. Admittedly if these items tapped the same dimension, then they would increase reliability. But the effect of unreliable measures is to attenuate effects. Thus increasing reliability would only strengthen associations which I report and in no way challenges the substantive conclusions drawn. Further, a troublesome aspect of constructing scales is the assumption that the functional relation between each item comprising the scale and the dependent (or independent) variable is uniform for all items. Clearly this is often not true, and that scale construction may actually hide information. In short, combining items into scales in no way addresses validity and raises new methodological problems. King and Hunt are correct when they claim that a good measure can tap "only part of the complex system of phenomena we call religion." But I agree with Roof that, "(a)s a strategy for research, there is probably
Experimental Study of the High-Temperature Autoignition of Tetralin

The autoignition of tetralin, a naphthenic and aromatic hydrocarbon found in jet and diesel fuels and a hydrogen donor with potential as an endothermic fuel and for use in heavy crude oil upgrading processes, has been studied in shock-tube experiments. Measurements of ignition delay times for tetralin/air mixtures at equivalence ratios of 0.5 and 1.0 were made in stationary reflected shock-heated gases at nominal pressures around 13 and 37–39 bar and temperatures from 978 to 1277 K, conditions relevant to practical combustion devices, such as internal combustion engines and jet engine gas turbine combustors. The dependence of the ignition delay time upon the temperature, equivalence ratio, and pressure in the examined condition space can be described with a simple four-parameter correlation. Measurements compared the recent kinetic model by Dagaut et al. (Dagaut, P.; Ristori, A.; Frassoldati, A.; Raravelli, T.; Dayma, G.; Ranzi, E. Energy Fuels 2013, 27, 1576−1585) to good a priori agreement between the m...
Application of SimpleTester in MIB Test

With the improved easy-using requirements of network equipment,there is more and more inclined to use graphical network management system to complete the management and maintenance of network element.MIB(Management Information Base) as the "middleware" between network management system and network element,its definition,design specifications and standards compliance is also becoming increasingly important.As the inefficiency of traditional MIB testing tools,introduce an efficient testing tool SimpleTester in MIB test,in detail the framework structure of SimpleTester and general process of how to use SimpleTester in MIB test.In the end,an example is given to illustrate greatly improve the test efficiency and quality with SimpleTester's help.
Spatio-temporal Pattern discovery in sensor data

Uses multivalued decision systems for spatio-temporal pattern recognition.Discovers local spatio-temporal rules from cluster-heads of sensors.Incorporates rough set inference to reason with space-time variant data.Achieves data compression by using compact rules from the nodes to the sinks.Preserves underlying data semantics and quantifies uncertainty parameters. Discovering novel and interesting spatio-temporal patterns in sensor data is a major challenge in many scientific domains. Such data are often continuous, unbounded, and associated with high speed, time-variant distribution with local and spatial trends. This paper presents a formalism that includes an extension of classical rough set inference mechanism to reason with space-time variant data streams. The concept of multivalued decision systems has been used to account for multiple patterns in a single time window or snapshot. Such patterns or templates are incorporated in rough set-based rule induction process. A framework for sensor data integration is illustrated by using a space-time clustering mechanism followed by the generation of templates and local rules from such clusters. The multivalued decision system allows mining complex multiple patterns instead of a single value in a given template without requiring complex feature transformation. It also allows us to quantify and estimate potential data compression and associated uncertainty parameters. Finally, the results are validated and compared with other related algorithms. In general, the framework will help us understand the underlying reasoning mechanism about the "part and whole" or spatio-temporal mereological relationship without sacrificing the semantics of the sensor data attributes.
Stella: a python-based domain-specific language for simulations

We wish to make it easier and quicker to write well-performing scientific simulations that (1) have single-thread performance competitive with low-level languages, (2) use object-oriented programming to properly structure the code, and (3) are very easy to develop. Instead of prototyping in a high-level language and then rewriting in a lower-level language, we created a DSL embedded in Python that is transparently usable, retains some OOP features, compiles to machine code, and executes at speed similar to C.
Grain Boundary Grooving at a Solid-Solid Interface

Grain boundary grooving at an internal solid-solid interface has been studied in the Ni-Al2O3 system. Data obtained from the kinetics of growth of A12O3 grain boundary grooves indicate that at high temperatures the process is controlled by diffusion of aluminum in the nickel phase. The Ni-A12O3 interfacial tension has been calculated from the kinetics constant using measured solubilities and published values of the diffusivities and it agrees well with the value obtained from equilibrium shape measurements. The relevance of these results to considerations of the thermal stability of dispersed systems are discussed.
Technology Adoption and Critical Mass: The Case of U.S. Electric Vehicle Market

The interdependence between electric vehicle (EV) adoption and charging station deployment could lead to multiple equilibria in the steady state. Under certain market conditions, the issue of critical mass arises and a market failing to pass its critical mass constraint would revert to a no-adoption outcome. Using rich data on EV sales and charging stations across U.S. Metropolitan Statistical Areas (MSAs), we find that more than half of the MSAs are subject to the critical mass constraint and that a subsidy policy targeting these critical-mass constrained MSAs would be much more effective in promoting EV adoption than the current uniform policy.
Abstract 938: Circulating biomarkers of gut barrier function: Correlates and responses to calcium supplementation among sporadic colorectal adenoma patients in a dose-response randomized controlled trial

Gut barrier dysfunction contributes to several gastrointestinal disorders, including inflammatory bowel diseases and colorectal cancer, but factors associated with intestinal hyperpermeability have rarely been assessed in human populations, and there is very limited clinical trial evidence on whether gut barrier function may be modified by dietary factors. To address these gaps, we 1) evaluated factors associated with baseline circulating biomarkers of gut barrier function, and 2) tested the effect of calcium on these biomarkers over a 4-month treatment period among patients with previous colorectal adenoma in a randomized, double-blinded, placebo-controlled clinical trial (n = 193). Patients were randomized to placebo (n = 66), 1.0 g calcium (n = 64), or 2.0 g calcium (n = 63) daily. Circulating levels of anti-flagellin and anti-lipopolysaccharide (LPS) immunoglobulins (Igs) as markers of colonic hyperpermeability were measured at baseline and at 4-month follow-up via ELISA. At baseline, mean levels of anti-flagellin and anti-LPS IgA but not IgG were higher among men and those with a larger body mass index (BMI), a larger waist circumference, and higher levels of plasma C-reactive protein. Mean anti-flagellin IgG levels were higher among those with higher proinflammatory cytokine scores. We did not observe effects of calcium on anti-flagellin or anti-LPS Igs: the relative change of a combined permeability score (defined as the sum of the optical densities of all biomarkers) from baseline to follow-up was 0.07 (95% confidence interval [CI] -0.13, 0.27) for each treatment group relative to the placebo group (p-values ≥ 0.5). Our results suggest that 1) men and those with a larger BMI or waist circumference may have greater gut permeability, 2) markers of gut permeability and systemic inflammation may be directly associated with one another, and 3) supplemental calcium administered for 4 months may not modify circulating levels of biomarkers of gut barrier function. Citation Format: Baiyu Yang, Roberd M. Bostick, Andrew T. Gewirtz, Hao Quang Tran, Veronika Fedirko. Circulating biomarkers of gut barrier function: Correlates and responses to calcium supplementation among sporadic colorectal adenoma patients in a dose-response randomized controlled trial. [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 106th Annual Meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research; 2015 Apr 18-22; Philadelphia, PA. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2015;75(15 Suppl):Abstract nr 938. doi:10.1158/1538-7445.AM2015-938
Functional analysis of Suppressor of IKKɛ (SIKE) in migration and phagocytosis

Innate immunity is a critical, non-specific early defense system that allows the body to respond to pathogens prior to the recruitment of specific antibody defenses. This process involves the recru...
Improved Energy Pooling Efficiency through Inhibited Spontaneous Emission

The radiative lifetime of molecules or atoms can be increased by placing them within a tuned conductive cavity that inhibits spontaneous emission. This was examined as a possible means of enhancing three-body, singlet-based upconversion, known as energy pooling. Achieving efficient upconversion of light has potential applications in the fields of photovoltaics, biofuels, and medicine. The effect of the photonically constrained environment on pooling efficiency was quantified using a kinetic model populated with data from molecular quantum electrodynamics, perturbation theory, and ab initio calculations. This model was applied to a system with fluorescein donors and a hexabenzocoronene acceptor. Placing the molecules within a conducting cavity was found to increase the efficiency of energy pooling by increasing both the donor lifetime and the acceptor emission rate—that is, a combination of inhibited spontaneous emission and the Purcell effect. A model system with a free-space pooling efficiency of 23% was...
Final Journey: A reference booklet for families of dying patients.

189Background: Family members will carry the memory of the death of their loved-one with them for the rest of their lives. If they perceive their loved-one suffered as they died there is a risk they will develop Post Traumatic Stress Disorder or other psychological dysfunctions. It is crucial the family be educated and holistically supported during the dying process. Health care providers and care givers require information that will enable them to act as patient advocates and work effectively with families toward the common goal of a peaceful death. Resources that provide basic explanations, suggestions for care, open communication, and prepare families and care givers about the dying process are essential. Methods: Final Journey is a patient and family centric booklet developed based on the CARES tool, which is a guide to help medical teams better care for the dying and their family. CARES stands for comfort, airway, restlessness and delirium, emotional and spiritual support, and self-care. Final Journe...
Testing of the Triggering Interferometric Sum Correlator and the Tunable Universal Filtering Frontend

The Antarctic Impulsive Transient Antenna (ANITA) is a balloon-borne radio experiment that is designed to detect ultra-high energy (UHE) neutrinos and cosmic rays. The fourth iteration of ANITA is currently flying and was launched on December 2, 2016 in Antarctica. ANITA 4 will fly for twenty to forty-five days at heights that range from thirty-five to forty kilometers. After ascending to these altitudes, ANITA 4 observes the ice below it for radio pulses that are a result of neutrino interactions with the ice. During the summer, two of the main components of the ANITA 4 data acquisition system were worked on at Ohio State University (OSU). These components were the Triggering Interferometric Sum Correlator (TISC) and the Tunable Universal Filtering Frontend (TUFF). The TISC was designed to make the ANITA 4 triggering system more efficient and able to observe more frequent, low-energy events. The TUFF was designed to block out certain continuous wave frequencies. The TUFFs were assembled and then the hardware problems were debugged and fixed for both circuit boards. Different software was required for each board to help calibrate the various components while also ensuring that they communicate correctly with the rest of ANITA 4. The boards were also tested in environments similar to where ANITA 4 is currently flying. While testing the TISC, it was found that some of the components, such as the Field Programmable Gate Arrays, did not work correctly. This problem caused specific bits to be inverted or locked into a state. This in turn made the TISC not perform correctly and unusable for ANITA 4. The TUFF was assembled and modified based on tests and is currently onboard ANITA 4. The TUFF will hopefully allow ANITA 4 to obtain more data about cosmic rays and UHE neutrino interactions during its flight.
Molecular Cloning in the Streptococci

The genus Streptococcus contains a large number of species able to cause infection in humans and in animals. Our research efforts have revolved around the study of streptococci that normally reside in the human oral cavity. In this regard, Streptococcus mutans is thought to play an important role in the etiology of dental caries (tooth decay) in humans (5). Its virulence has been well established in animal model systems (see 5) and studies with mutants indicate that S. mutans’ ability to synthesize water-insoluble glucans from sucrose is closely linked to its pathogenicity.
Rationale of Surveillance After Endovascular Intervention of Iliac and Femoral Arteries

Surveillance following lower extremity bypass, carotid endarterectomy, and endovascular aortic aneurysm repair has become standard of care. Conversely, surveillance following lower extremity endovascular interventions is performed somewhat sporadically, in part because the duplex criteria for recurrent stenoses have been ill-defined. Duplex surveillance provides objective, hemodynamic, and anatomic data both pre- and post-intervention. It appears that duplex surveillance after peripheral endovascular interventions, as with conventional bypass, is beneficial in identifying recurrent lesions which, when accompanied by reintervention, may preclude failure and occlusion. With increasingly well-studied criteria for both follow-up and intervention, it appears that applying routine surveillance following lower extremity endovascular interventions may assist in preventing failure of endovascular interventions.
Challenges of Females with Autism: A Parental Perspective

Most studies investigating the experiences and needs of individuals with ASD have largely focused on males. Hence, this study investigates parents' perspectives on the challenges that their daughters with ASD face. In total, 40 parents of 40 females with autism (age range = 4-29 years; mean = 15.9) participated in the study. Five separate, 2-h long focus groups were conducted, with 7-10 participants in each group. Field notes were analyzed using thematic analysis. Some of the issues parents discussed were similar to those experienced by males with ASD, such as challenges in social interactions. However, other issues discussed were of particular relevance to girls with ASD, including difficulties socializing with other girls, sex-specific puberty issues, barriers in accessing intervention and sexual vulnerability.
Unintended consequences of regulating traditional medicine

The World Health Organization (WHO) has the noble goals of advancing traditional medicine and simultaneously promoting the regulation and professionalization of traditional healers. However, such regulation has the unintended consequence of withholding power from traditional practitioners. This review explores this concept through a historical analysis of traditional medicine in both India and Zimbabwe. During the post-colonial period in both countries, traditional medicine contributed to the creation of national identity. In the process of nationalizing traditional medicine, regulations were set in place that led to a rise in the university-style teaching of traditional healing. This period of professionalization of traditional healers resulted in certain types of traditional medicine being marginalized, as they were neither included in regulation nor taught at university. Since then, the current era of globalization has commoditizedtraditional healing. Private industries like ZEPL and Dabur have rapidly and vastly altered the role of traditional healers. Consumers can now buy traditional medication directly from companies without visiting a healer. Additionally, disputes over patents and other intellectual property rights have led to important questions regarding ownership of certain plants traditionally known for healing properties. Through regulation and commercialization of traditional medicine, healers have lost some of their independence to practise.
Comparison of model-based generalized regression neural network and prestack inversion in predicting Poisson's ratio in Heidrun Field, North Sea

Drilling wells in the oil and gas industry is a substantial process, whether they are appraisal wells drilled for reservoir-characteristic assessments at the exploration stage or production wells drilled following prior assessments. The challenge has always been to reduce drilling-related expenses and natural/environmental hazards by reducing the number of wells drilled, and to evaluate reservoir characteristics with as few calibration wells as possible. Physical and mathematical modeling of seismic data can help us understand the geologic and structural formations with minimal wells, and interpolate reservoir characteristics across large areas between a few drilled wells. In a new comparative approach, simultaneous prestack inversion and artificial neural network (ANN) methods are used to create 3D Poisson's ratio (PR) models built upon low-frequency initial models (IMs). Training the ANN on IMs similar to those used in the inversion has improved its performance while creating a valid base of comparison ...
GC–MS–MS for the Analysis of Phytoestrogens in the Environment

Abstract An analytical methodology for the identification of eight plant phytoestrogens (biochanin A, coumestrol, daidzein, equol, formononetin, glycitein, genistein, and prunetin) in wastewater samples and soy milk was developed using gas chromatography–mass spectrometry by both triple quadrupole (tandem in space) and ion trap (tandem in time). The phytoestrogens were extracted from soy milk and water using liquid–liquid extraction with ethyl acetate. The analytes were derivatized as their trimethylsilyl ethers with trimethylchlorosilane (TMCS) and N , O - bis (trimethylsilyl)trifluoroacetamide (BSTFA). The fragmentation patterns of the phytoestrogens were investigated by isolating and fragmenting the precursor ions in the collision cell (at different collision energies) and obtaining the corresponding product ion spectra or MS–MS spectra. The general typical fragmentation for all the phytoestrogens studied involved the loss of a methyl and a carbonyl group. Two characteristic fragment ions for each analyte were chosen for identification and confirmation. This result was consistent for both triple quadrupole and ion trap. The developed methodology was applied to the identification and confirmation of phytoestrogens in soy milk, in wastewater effluent from a soy-milk processing plant, and in wastewater (influent and effluent) from a treatment plant. Detected concentrations of genistein ranged from 50,000 and 2000 μg/L in soy milk and in wastewater from a soy plant, respectively, to 20 and
Monogenic Causes of Proteinuria in Children.

Glomerular disease is a common cause for proteinuria and chronic kidney disease leading to end stage renal disease requiring dialysis or kidney transplantation in children. Nephrotic syndrome in children is diagnosed by the presence of a triad of proteinuria, hypoalbuminemia and edema. Minimal change disease is the most common histopathologic finding in children and adolescents with nephrotic syndrome. Focal segmental sclerosis is also found in children and is the most common pathologic finding in patients with monogenic causes of nephrotic syndrome. Current classification system for nephrotic syndrome is based upon response to steroid therapy as a majority of patients develop steroid sensitive nephrotic syndrome regardless of histopathologic diagnosis or the presence of genetic mutations. Recent studies investigating the genetics of nephrotic syndrome have shed light on the pathophysiology and mechanisms of proteinuria in nephrotic syndrome. Gene mutations have been identified in several subcellular compartments of the glomerular podocyte and play a critical role in mitochondrial function, actin cytoskeleton dynamics, cell-matrix interactions, slit diaphragm and podocyte integrity. A subset of genetic mutations are known to cause nephrotic syndrome that is responsive to immunosuppressive therapy but clinical data is limited with respect to renal prognosis and disease progression in a majority of patients. To date, more than fifty genes have been identified as causative factors in nephrotic syndrome in children and adults. As genetic testing becomes more prevalent and affordable, we expect rapid advances in our understanding of mechanisms of proteinuria and genetic diagnosis will help direct future therapy for individual patients.
Shape-based coordination in locomotion control:

Highly articulated systems are capable of executing a variety of behaviors by coordinating their many internal degrees of freedom to help them move more effectively in complex terrains. However, th...
Psychological factors affecting a medical condition : ischemic coronary heart disease

Abstract The criteria for scientific validation of the entities currently subsumed under the DSM-IV category of “Psychological Factors Affecting a Medical Condition” have never been clearly enumerated. Historically, its precursor category (“Psychophysiological Disorder”) was rarely used, and predicated upon clinical observation of personality styles among patients with specific physical illnesses, or clinical observations relating psychosocial events and symptom exacerbation. Because of logical flaws with either of these methods, clarification of the most rigorous criteria for demonstrating a cause–effect relationship is necessary. With the increase in well-designed and carefully executed epidemiological and treatment studies, this diagnostic category has evolved into an arena where cutting-edge insights and therapies are becoming available for a growing variety of medical conditions, especially ischemic coronary heart disease. The present article reviews the nature of the scientific evidence necessary to accept an etiological or aggravating role for psychological events.
Building Systems to Improve Online Discussion

Little has changed in the design of online discussion systems in the decades they have been available, even as problems involving scale, loss of context, and bad actors mount with broader use. To solve these problems, my research is on building novel online discussion systems that give users direct control over their experiences and information. Specifically, I focus on: 1) summarization tools to make sense of large discussions, 2) annotation tools to situate conversations in the context of what is being discussed, as well as 3) moderation tools to give users more fine-grained control over governance and delivery of messages.
Microbial quality of blueberries for the fresh market.

Abstract Harvested blueberries are sorted in packinghouses to remove pre-mature fruits and plant debris, packaged in polyethylene clamshells, and cooled in refrigeration facilities before being shipped to the fresh markets. This study determined the microbial quality of fresh blueberries collected from berry packinghouses. Unpacked and packed blueberries (n = 124) were collected in duplicate at the beginning of the day, lunchtime, and the end of the day from six different packinghouses in Georgia in the summer of 2015 and 2017. Collected berries were rinsed or homogenized in 0.1 M phosphate buffered saline and appropriate dilutions were inoculated on tryptic soy agar, MacConkey agar, Enterococcus agar and potato dextrose agar. Resulting microbial colonies were enumerated and presumptive fecal coliforms and enterococci confirmed. Eleven berry samples from three packinghouses tested positive for fecal coliforms and one sample tested positive for enterococci. Mean total aerobic counts, total yeast and mold counts and total coliform counts of the berries were 3.89, 4.42 and 1.42 log CFU/g, respectively. Sampling time had significant influence (P ≤ 0.05) on the recovery of all three groups of microorganisms. On average, berry samples collected at the end of the day had the lowest microbial counts. Homogenization of berries recovered significantly higher numbers of yeast and mold and total coliform cells than rinsing. In general, packing process had no significant influence (P > 0.05) on recovered microbial counts, however, unpacked berries had numerically higher aerobic counts and yeast and mold counts than packed berries. This study suggests that sorting of blueberries before packing for the fresh market does not lead to significant reductions in microbial counts.
Responses to losses in high-deductible health insurance: persistence, emotions, and rationality

There have been few empirical studies on how consumers respond to their loss experience over time when choosing between high- and low-deductible health insurance plans. To address this question, we designed a ten-period web-based experiment to explore how subjects respond to the presence or absence of illness-related costs in a given period when making their future health insurance choices when they are explicitly informed that future premiums or loss probabilities will not change over time. A sizable minority of the respondents who initially chose high-deductible plans switched after a loss, and switching is more likely if they self-report negative emotional responses to experiencing an uninsured loss. Switching from low- to high-deductible plans is less likely and less responsive to loss experience. The study reveals that many individuals make their health insurance choices by considering factors not included in classical economic models of choice.
Periodic Surface Morphology Characteristics of Tungsten Under Simultaneous Helium and Deuterium Bombardment at 30 keV

The ITER divertor will feature tungsten monoblocks as the plasma-facing component (PFC) that will be subject to extreme temperature and radiation environments. This paper reports the development of...
Mutant evolution in spatially structured and fragmented populations

Abstract Understanding mutant evolution in spatially structured systems is crucially important for a range of biological systems, including bacterial populations and cancer. While previous work has shown that the mutation load is higher in spatially structured compared to well-mixed systems for neutral mutants in the absence of cell death, we demonstrate a significantly higher degree of complexity, using a comprehensive computational modeling approach that takes into account different mutant fitness, cell death, and different population structures. While an agent-based model assuming nearest neighbor interactions predicts a higher abundance of neutral or advantageous mutants compared to well-mixed systems of the same size, we show that for disadvantageous mutants, results depend on the nature of the disadvantage. In particular, if the disadvantage occurs through higher death rates, as opposed to lower reproduction rates, the result is the opposite, and a lower mutation load occurs in spatial compared to mixed systems. Interestingly, we show that in all cases, the same results are observed in fragmented patch models, where individuals can migrate to randomly chosen patches, thus lacking a strict spatial component. Hence, the results reported for spatial models are the consequence of population fragmentation, and not spatial restrictions per se. We further derive growth laws that characterize the expansion of wild type and mutant populations in different dimensionalities. For example, we find that while disadvantageous mutant abundance scales with the total population size, N, neutral mutants grow faster (as N2 for 1D, as N3/2 in 2D, and as N4/3 in 3D). Advantageous mutants scale with the cube of N in 1D and with the square of N in higher dimensions. These laws are universal (as long as mutants remain a minority) and independent of “microscopic” modeling details.