cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Intercellular Transfer of Proteins as Identified by Stable Isotope Labeling of Amino Acids in Cell Culture

We tracked the extracellular fate of proteins of pulmonary origin using the technique of stable isotope labeling of amino acids in cell culture (SILAC) in cell-impermeable Transwell culture systems. We find that irradiation to murine lung and lung-derived cells induces their release of proteins that are capable of entering neighboring cells, including primary murine bone marrow cells as well as prostate cancer and hematopoietic cell lines. The functional classification of transferred proteins was broad and included transcription factors, mediators of basic cellular processes and components of the nucleosome remodeling and deacetylase complex, including metastasis associated protein 3 and retinoblastoma-binding protein 7. In further analysis we find that retinoblastoma-binding protein 7 is a transcriptional activator of E-cadherin and that its intercellular transfer leads to decreased gene expression of downstream targets such as N-cadherin and vimentin. SILAC-generated data sets offer a valuable tool to identify and validate potential paracrine networks that may impact relevant biologic processes associated with phenotypic and genotypic signatures of health and disease.
Role of calcium and calmodulin in flow-induced nitric oxide production in endothelial cells

These experiments demonstrate that exposure of cultured endothelial cells (EC) to well-defined laminar fluid flow results in an elevated rate of NO production. NO production was monitored by release of NOx (NO2- + NO3(2-) and by cellular guanosine 3',5'-cyclic monophosphate (cGMP) concentration. NO synthase (NOS) inhibitor blocked the flow-mediated stimulation of both NOx and cGMP, indicating that both measurements reflect NO production. Exposure to laminar flow increased NO release in a biphasic manner, with an initial rapid production consequent to the onset of flow followed by a less rapid, sustained production. A similar rapid increase in NO production resulted from an increase in flow above a preexisting level. The rapid initial production of NO was not dependent on shear stress within a physiological range (6-25 dyn/cm2) but may be dependent on the rate of change in shear stress. The sustained release of NO was dependent on physiological levels of shear stress. The calcium (Ca2+) or calmodulin (CaM) dependence of the initial and sustained production of NO was compared with bradykinin (BK)-mediated NO production. Both BK and the initial production were inhibited by Ca2+ and CaM antagonists. In contrast, the sustained shear stress-mediated NO production was not affected, despite the continued functional presence of the antagonists. Dexamethasone had no effect on either the initial or the sustained shear stress-mediated NO production. An inducible NOS does not, therefore, explain the apparent Ca2+/CaM independence of the sustained shear stress-mediated NO production.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)
Levels of Representation of Phonemes and Bandwidth of Spectral-Temporal Integration

Studies on the psychophysics of speech perception seek to discover correlations between performance in psychoacoustic tests using simple stimuli, and performance on speech tests. Such correlations may be numerical (e.g., Moore and Glasberg, this volume) or qualitative (e.g., the demonstration that “categorical perception” can be observed in both speech and psychoacoustic tests). A third group of studies correlates the output of a psychoacoustic model of auditory processing with human speech perception (e.g., Zwicker et al., 1979).
Legitimacy and the Contingent Diffusion of World Culture: Diversity and Human Rights in Social Science Textbooks, Divergent Cross-National Patterns (1970-2008)

Over the twentieth century the celebration of both human rights and the rights of diverse minorities have become central features of an emerging world culture. Using multilevel modeling I empirically test whether nation-state legitimacy, measured on security, political, and cultural dimensions, influences emphases on diversity and human rights in national curricula. The data consist of 501 high school history, civics, and social studies textbooks from 67 countries published between 1970 and 2008. I find that discussions of human rights are on the rise in all countries, particularly in less legitimate ones. In contrast, discussions of the rights of diverse groups are lower in less legitimate countries. These findings provide a more nuanced understanding of the relationship between globalization and education; the spread of world culture is mediated by both the nature of the element being diffused, in this case diversity or human rights, and nation-state legitimacy.
Abstract 17115: Graft versus Host Disease-associated Pericardial Disease: Incidence, Timing, and Treatment Options

INTRODUCTION: Pericardial disease (PD) is a rare manifestation of chronic graft versus host disease (GVHD). Isolated cases have been reported, but risk factors, biomarkers, treatment strategies, and outcomes have never been examined. HYPOTHESIS: GVHD-related PD is associated with the tapering of immunosuppressive therapy (IST), and aggressively treated patients fare worse than more conservative therapy. METHODS: Patients undergoing allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplant (aSCT) at a single center between 1996-2012 were identified as having pericardial effusion, tamponade, or effusive-constrictive pericarditis associated with GVHD. Individual laboratory, echocardiographic, hemodynamic, and imaging findings were analyzed. Patient outcomes were assessed in relation to their presentation and the therapy chosen. RESULTS: Of the 896 aSCT procedures, 19 met criteria for inclusion - 18 patients had pericardial effusion, 5 tamponade, and 4 effusive-constrictive pericarditis. PD occurred in the setting of recent IST taper in 12 of the 19 cases. A significant increase in blood monocytes and decrease in serum albumin were identified at diagnosis compared with pre-diagnosis. Hemodynamic and imaging findings are presented in Table 1. 17 patients were treated with steroids either alone (10) or in combination with pericardial window (4), pericardiocentesis (6), or pericardiectomy (2). Of the 8 deaths, 3 had tamponade at presentation and 3 were treated with invasive surgical procedures. Of the 10 patients with IST only, 4 died and 6 demonstrated partial or complete response. CONCLUSIONS: GVHD-associated PD should be suspected in symptomatic patients undergoing IST taper. Most patients have characteristic findings with imaging and hemodynamic studies. Patients presenting with cardiac tamponade, hemodynamic compromise, and those treated surgically seem to fare worse when compared with conservatively treated patients. ![Graphic][1] [1]: /embed/inline-graphic-1.gif
Further Insight on the Power Harvesting Capabilities of Magnetic Shape Memory Alloys

Magnetic shape memory alloys are a relatively new class of materials that are suitable for actuation, sensing, and power harvesting. The power harvesting capability comes from the change in magnetization that the material exhibits when internal martensitic variants change orientation.In typical power harvesting tests, the material is loaded with axial compression in the presence of a bias magnetic field applied normal to the compressive loading direction. However, previous results suggest that having a component of the bias magnetic field applied axially, parallel to the compressive stress, can increase the power output of MSMAs.Furthermore, most of the MSMAs power harvesting results reported to date focused on the open circuit voltage that the material can generate during cyclic loading. However, this information is not indicative of the true power harvesting capability of the material and one has to focus on the power output of the material instead.This paper presents voltage trends and power output data for a MSMA sample exposed simultaneously to a cyclic compressive stress and bi-axial magnetic field.Copyright © 2015 by ASME
Systematic Bias in U.S. Foreign Affairs Reporting: A Rejoinder

To defend the American foreign policy establishment in 1971 is like defending Louis XVI in 1792. To come to the defense of that establishment in the summer of 1971, post-Pentagon Papers, when its faults are hanging out for all the world to see, may even seem more stupid than foolhardy. Yet I propose to do something akin to that-not only because stomping on the establishment one more time is too easy by half, but because I think Professor; Appleton's diagnosis of the "reporting problem" within the foreign policy-making structure is faulty. And it follows that his proposal, built on that diagnosis, is, in my view, flawed. There is perhaps an unfair advantage in commenting, postPentagon Papers, on something written before their publication. Indeed, these Papers are such an important landmark for foreign policy scholars that we might contemplate an automotive-type recall of earlier scholarly papers for revision (Daniel Ellsberg, the Ralph Nader of foreign policy, has implicitly suggested such a recall in his obviously informed attack on the "quagmire" hypothesis; Ellsberg, 1971). But I do not base my comments
Purification of growth hormone-releasing factor from beef hypothalamus.

SummaryPotent preparations of growth hormone-releasing factor (GRF) were prepared from bovine hypothalamic extracts, by the glacial acetic acid concentration procedure followed by gel filtration on Sephadex. Purified GRF is distinct from vasopressin, oxy-tocin, a-MSH and other hypothalamic-releasing factors.We are grateful to Dr. E. Muller for advice on the use of his GRF assay and to Dr. William Locke for help in preparation of the manuscript.
Controlling Race B Hessian Flies in Field Cages with the Great Plains Race

Compared with populations of Race B alone, caged field populations of Race B Mayetiola destructor (Say), Hooded with populations of the Great Plains race, were suppressed when ratios of 1:1, 2:1, 4:1, 9:1, and 19:1 Great Plains race to Race B were released. Also, Race B populations were practically eliminated by 4 introductions made at a beginning ratio of 9:1 or 2 introductions made at a beginning ratio of 19:1. No Great Plains race alone (1:0) survived on the resistant ‘Monon’ wheat, but yields of grain were significantly reduced by introductions of Race B alone or at ratios of 1:1 and 2:1 Great Plains race to Race B compared with no significant reductions produced by Great Plains alone or ratios of 4:1, 9:1, and 19:1.
Intraoral GS-Nitroxide (JP4-039) Reduces Local Mucositis and Distant Marrow Suppression Toxicities In Head and Neck Irradiated Fancd2-/- (FVB/N) Mice

The DNA repair defect in Fanconi Anemia patients limits effective radiotherapy. We quantitated oral cavity tissue damage in Head and Neck irradiated FancD2-/-, Fancd2+/- and FancD2+/+ mice, parameters of femoral bone marrow hematopoiesis and the effect of intraoral administration of mitochondrial targeted JP4-039 delivered in novel F15 liposomes. Adult 10-12 week mice were irradiated to the head and neck to 24, 26 or 28 Gy, shielding all tissue below the cervical spine. JP4-039/F15 was administered to a subgroup intraorally 10 min before irradiation. On day 2 or 5 post irradiation, mice were sacrificed, tongue and femur marrow harvested for histopathology, and marrow was assayed for hematopoietic colony formation. At 5 days post 26 Gy, FancD2 +/- and Fancd2 -/- mice had significantly greater tongue ulceration (52.8 ± 6.5%, p=0.0014 and 59.4 ± 3.4%, p=0.0001, respectively) compared to FancD2 +/+ mice (21.7±4.7%). JP4-039/F15 significantly reduced local tongue ulceration in all genotypes: FancD2 +/+ reduced to 12.2 ± 1.0 (p = 0.0049), FancD2 +/- reduced to 10.6 ± 3.5 (p < 0.0001) and FancD2 -/- reduced to 11.0 ± 2.5 (p < 0.0001). FancD2 -/- and FancD2 +/- mice showed “bystander-effect” reduction in femur marrow CFU-GM at 2 days after 26 Gy compared to nonirradiated controls (p=0.007). FancD2 -/- mice showed decreased BFU-E at day 2 after 24 Gy (p=0.009), CFU-GEMM after 26 Gy (p=0.048), BFU-E after 26 Gy and significantly less CFU-GM after 26 Gy or 28 Gy (p=0.017 and p=0.028, respectively). Intraoral JP4-039 prevented the marrow cytoreductive effects of head and neck irradiation. No reduction in femur marrow CFU-GM, BFU-E or CFU-GEMM was detected in FancD2+/+ mice. Biallelic or monoallelic loss of the Fancd2 gene renders mice sensitive to head and neck irradiation and is accompanied by distant femur marrow suppression. Both local and distant irradiation toxicities are ameliorated by intraoral administration of JP4-039. FancD2-/- mice are an excellent model for testing new agents to control local and distant “bystander effect” toxicities of ionizing irradiation. Disclosures: No relevant conflicts of interest to declare.
Rational Reflection on Spreading Social Sciences

The paper states the concept and the intension of spreading social sciences and suggests that it should depend on the characteristics and functions of social sciences and the actural situation of our country,etc.in the spreading of social sciences.
Evolutionary Optimization of Atrial Fibrillation Diagnostic Algorithms

This research proposes evolutionary optimisation for the improvement of atrial fibrillation (AF) detection. The basis of the AF detection algorithm is the irregularity of RR intervals (heartbeats) in the electrocardiogram (ECG) signal. We use three well-known statistical methods to detect RR interval irregularity: root mean squares of successive differences (RMSSD), turning points ratio (TPR), and Shannon entropy (SE). The Massachusetts Institute of Technology/Beth Israel Hospital (MIT-BIH) AF databases are used in conjunction with biogeography-based optimisation (BBO) to tune the parameters of the statistical methods. We trained each of the three statistical methods to diagnose AF on each MIT-BIH database. Then we tested each trained detection method on the rest of the MIT-BIH databases. The accuracy levels that were achieved for the detection of AF were as high as 99% in the trained databases, and up to 75% in the tested databases. Compared to previously published AF detection accuracies, the proposed t...
Traumatically induced axonal injury: pathogenesis and pathobiological implications.

Abstract This work reviews the pathobiology of traumatically induced axonal injury. Drawing upon literature gleaned from the experimental and clinical setting, this review attempts to emphasize that, other than the most destructive insults, traumatic brain injury does not typically cause direct mechanical disruption of the axon. Rather, this review documents that with traumatic injury focal, subtle axonal change occurs, and that over time, such change leads to impaired axoplasmic transport, continued axonal swelling, and ultimate disconnection. The initial intra-axonal events that trigger the above described sequence of reactive axonal change are considered with focus on the possibility of either traumatically altered axolemmal permeability, direct cytoskeletal damage/perturbation, or more overt metabolic/functional disturbances. Not only does this review focus on the sequence of traumatically induced axonal change, but also, it considers its attendant consequences in terms of Wallerian degeneration and subsequent deafferentation. The concept that traumatically induced diffuse axonal injury leads to diffuse deafferentation is emphasized together with its pathobiological implications for morbidity and recovery. The potential for either adaptive or maladaptive neuroplasticity subsequent to such diffuse deafferentation is considered in the context of mild, moderate and severe traumatic brain injury.
Anatomical Segmentectomy and Wedge Resections Are Associated with Comparable Outcomes for Patients with Small cT1N0 Non–Small Cell Lung Cancer

Abstract Objectives Sublobar resection is advocated for patients with NSCLC and compromised cardiopulmonary reserve, and for selected patients with early stage disease. Anatomic segmentectomy (AS) has traditionally been considered superior to wedge resection (WR), but well-balanced comparative studies are lacking. We hypothesize that WR and AS are associated with comparable oncologic outcomes for patients with cT1N0 NSCLC. Methods A retrospective review of a prospective database was performed (2000–2014) for cT1N0 patients, excluding patients with multiple primary tumors, carcinoid tumors, adenocarcinoma in situ, and minimally invasive adenocarcinoma. Demographic, clinical, and pathological data were reviewed. Overall survival (OS) and disease-free survival (DFS) were estimated using the Kaplan-Meier method and differences compared using log-rank test. Multivariable analysis (MVA) of factors affecting DFS was performed by Cox regression analysis. For further comparison of the effect of resection type on survival, propensity score matching (i.e., by age, sex, Charlson comorbidity index, percent forced expiratory volume in 1 second (FEV 1 %), clinical tumor size, and tumor maximum standardized uptake value) was performed to obtain balanced cohorts of patients undergoing WR and AS (n = 76 per group). Results Two hundred eighty-nine patients met our selection criteria, including WR in 160 and AS in 129. Poor performance status and limited cardiopulmonary reserve were the primary indications for sublobar resection in 76% of WR patients and in 62% of AS patients ( p = 0.011). Thirteen patients (4.5%) had pN1/2 disease. Patients undergoing AS were more likely to have nodal sampling/dissection [123 (95%) versus 112 (70%); p p p = 0.001). However, there was no difference between patients undergoing WR versus AS in local recurrence [15 versus 14; p = 0.68] or 5-year DFS (51% versus 53%; p = 0.7; median follow-up 34 months). Univariate analysis showed no effect of extent of resection on DFS [hazard ratio 1.07 (95% confidence interval 0.74–1.56); p = 0.696]. MVA showed that only tumor maximum standardized uptake value was associated with worse DFS [hazard ratio 1.07 (95% confidence interval 1.01–1.13); p = 0.016]. In the propensity-matched analysis of balanced subgroups, there was also no difference ( p = 0.950) in 3- or 5-year DFS in cT1N0 patients undergoing WR (65% and 49%) or AS (68% and 49%). Conclusions Our data show that WR and AS are comparable oncologic procedures for carefully staged cT1N0 NSCLC patients. Although AS is associated with a more thorough lymph node dissection, this did not translate to a survival benefit in this patient population with a low rate of nodal metastases.
MAP Source Separation using Belief Propagation Networks

In this paper we continue our treatment of source separation based on dynamic sparse source signal models. Source signals are modeled in frequency domain as a product of a Bernoulli selection variable with a deterministic but unknown spectral amplitude variable. The Bernoulli variable is modeled by a first order Markov process with transition probabilities learned from a training database. We consider a scenario where the mixing parameters are estimated by calibration. We derive the MAP signal estimators and show that the optimization problem reduces to a Belief Propagation Network simulation. We also present preliminary separation performance results using TIMET database.
1'-Ethyl-sulfanyl-1,1'-bicyclo-hexyl-2-one.

There are two independent molecules in the asymmetric unit of the title cyclo­hexa­none derivative, C14H24OS, in which both cyclo­hexane rings exhibit chair conformations. They are also equatorial to each other, which permits the ethanethiol substituent to be in a syn conformation with the α-H atom of the parent attached cyclo­hexa­none.
1200V/200A FREEDM-pair: Loss and cost reduction analysis

FREEDM-Pair is an innovative power semiconductor switch which reduces the loss and cost through the hybrid integration of a Si IGBT and a SiC MOSFET. During the turn-off of the FREEDM-Pair, the Si IGBT is turned off first under ZVS condition and after a carefully selected delay time, the Si MOSFET is turn-off. In this way, the IGBT's turn-off loss is significantly reduced due to the ZVS turn-off condition. During the delay time, the current will be carried by the MOSFET only. During the turn-on, the SiC MOSFET and the IGBT can be turned on at the same time. Due to faster turn-on speed of the MOSFET, the IGBT is also turned on under the ZVS condition. Another advantage of the FREEDM-Pair is the better conduction characteristics compared to the Si IGBT by combining both the unipolar and bipolar devices' advantages in current conduction. Therefore the FREEDM-Pair provides an ideal option to realize the tradeoff between the cost and performance, and can be applied to main stream applications which currently use IGBT. Previously, the 6.5-kV FREEDM-Pairs results have been published and analyzed. In this paper, loss and cost reduction of a 1200V/200A FREEDM-Pair is presented and analyzed for the first time.
Meaning and Symbolism in Bridal Costumes in Western Saudi Arabia

The western region of Saudi Arabia has its own unique traditional bridal garments. Little is known about these bridal costumes because they are handmade by a few families in the region. The purpose...
A warmer and wetter solution for early Mars and the challenges with transient warming

Abstract The climate of early Mars has been hotly debated for decades. Although most investigators believe that the geology indicates the presence of surface water, disagreement has persisted regarding how warm and wet the surface must have been and how long such conditions may have existed. Although the geologic evidence is most easily explained by a persistently warm climate, the perceived difficulty that climate models have in generating warm surface conditions has seeded various models that assume a cold and glaciated early Mars punctuated by transient warming episodes. However, I use a single-column radiative convective climate model to show that it is relatively more straightforward to satisfy warm and relatively non-glaciated early Mars conditions, requiring only ∼1% H2 and 3 bar CO2 or ∼20% H2 and 0.55 bar CO2. In contrast, the reflectivity of surface ice greatly increases the difficulty to transiently warm an initially frozen surface. Surface pressure thresholds required for warm conditions increase ∼10 – 60% for transient warming models, depending on ice cover fraction. No warm solution is possible for ice cover fractions exceeding 40%, 70%, and 85% for mixed snow/ice and 25%, 35%, and 49% for fresher snow/ice at H2 concentrations of 3%, 10%, and 20%, respectively. If high temperatures (298–323 K) were required to produce the observed surface clay amounts on a transiently warm early Mars (Bishop et al), I show that such temperatures would have required surface pressures that exceed available paleopressure constraints for nearly all H2 concentrations considered (1–20%). I then argue that a warm and semi-arid climate remains the simplest and most logical solution to Mars paleoclimate.
Multi-residue analysis of sedative drugs in human plasma by ultra-high performance liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry.

Abstract Background Sedative drugs are often used for the treatment of depression, anxiety and insomnia and they are involved in many forensic cases. This work established a method for the simultaneous determination of multi-groups of sedative drugs (benzodiazepines, barbitals, phenothiazines, tricyclic antidepressant and butyrophenone) in human plasma for forensic analysis. A large number of sedative drugs with forensic interest can be analyzed in a short time with lower limits of quantification by combination of SPE extraction and ultra performance liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry. Methods Sample preparation consisted of extraction of the plasma by hydrochloric acid solution and further purified by SLW solid phase extraction column. Results The method was fully validated to cover large concentration ranges of 50–1000 μg/L for 5 Barbital drugs, while 1.0–50 μg/L for the other 14 sedative drugs. The average recoveries of the drugs spiked at three levels ranged from 65.3% to 114.3% with the relative standard deviation between 1.2% and 13.2%. The lowest limits of quantification (LLOQ) were 100 μg/L for Barbital drugs and1.0 μg/L for all the other 14 drugs. Conclusions This validated method has been successfully used in emergency analysis of multi-residues of sedative drugs in plasma.
Robotic versus standard laparoscopic elective colectomy: where are the benefits?

Abstract Background Robotic approaches for colorectal surgery have been growing in popularity as experience with the new technology develops, but are frequently associated with longer operative time. It is unclear whether prolonged operative duration in robotic cases translates to increased morbidity. This study aims to compare the outcomes of non-emergent laparoscopic and robotic colon resections. Methods Patients undergoing non-emergent laparoscopic (LC) or robotic (RC) colon resections were identified in National Surgical Quality Improvement Project (2013-2015). Patients were matched 1:1 between cohorts using propensity score matching. To account for the prolonged operative time associated with robotic cases, operative times were stratified into approach-specific (LC or RC) tertiles (low, medium, and high) as covariates in the matching algorithm. Results RC increased significantly over time and had lower conversion rates (6.0% among RC versus 11.5% among LC, P Conclusions After controlling for operative duration and patient covariates, RC was associated with similar rates of postoperative morbidity, but decreased conversion rates and shorter length of stay. Further studies examining costs are needed to evaluate whether these benefits offset the increased costs associated with robotic approaches.
Invasive Earthworms Ingest and Digest Garlic Mustard Seeds at Rates Equal to Native Seeds

The European and Asian earthworms introduced to eastern North American forests have great potential to facilitate plant invasions, in part through selective seed predation and dispersal. The invasive plant Alliaria petiolata (Garlic Mustard) contains secondary metabolites that may deter earthworms from eating its seeds. In 2 growth-chamber experiments, I determined whether the invasive earthworms Lumbricus terrestris (Nightcrawler) and Eisenia fetida (Red Wiggler) could aid the spread of Garlic Mustard by ingesting its seeds at lower rates than the similar-sized seeds of the native forest herb Geranium maculatum (Wild Geranium). Earthworms had similar rates of seed ingestion regardless of earthworm or plant species and digested the majority of seeds they ate (67–73%). There was no interaction between earthworm and plant species. Given a choice between Garlic Mustard and Wild Geranium, seed selectivity cannot explain positive associations between earthworm abundance and Garlic Mustard invasion.
Submodularity of Distributed Join Computation

We study distributed equi-join computation in the presence of join-attribute skew, which causes load imbalance. Skew can be addressed by more fine-grained partitioning, at the cost of input duplication. For random load assignment, e.g., using a hash function, fine-grained partitioning creates a tradeoff between load expectation and variance. We show that minimizing load variance subject to a constraint on expectation is a monotone submodular maximization problem with Knapsack constraints, hence admitting provably near-optimal greedy solutions. In contrast to previous work on formal optimality guarantees, constant factors are not abstracted away, and we can prove this result also for more general load functions accounting for both input and output. We further demonstrate through experiments that this theoretical result leads to an effective algorithm for the problem of minimizing running time, even when load is assigned deterministically.
Brief Report: Adherence Biomarker Measurements in Older and Younger HIV-Infected Adults Receiving Tenofovir-Based Therapy

Background:Concentrations of tenofovir (TFV) in hair and tenofovir diphosphate (TFV-DP) in dried blood spots (DBSs) as measures of cumulative exposure have been primarily studied in younger, HIV-uninfected individuals taking preexposure HIV prophylaxis. Data on these measures among older HIV-infecte
The Special Theory of Relativity

One of the greatest intellectual achievements of the twentieth century was the formulation of the special theory of relativity in 1905 by Albert Einstein (1879–1955). This theory is an outgrowth of nineteenth century physics— particularly of the synthesis of electromagnetic phenomena into a unified electromagnetic theory in 1864 by James Clerk Maxwell (1831–1879). One of its consequences was the prediction of the existence of electromagnetic waves which travel with the speed of light.
Self-Handicapping Behavior and the Self-Defeating Personality Disorder

With these words, Gary Hart, the undisputed front-runner for the 1988 Democratic presidential nomination, withdrew from the race 25 days after announcing his candidacy and less than a week after polls showed him with 65% of the vote in strategically crucial Iowa.* The public, particularly the press, had no trouble “diagnosing” what had happened. The May 18, 1987, cover of Newsweek trumpeted, “Gary Hart Self-Destructs.” That same week, Michael Kramer wrote a cover story for U.S. News & World Report that claimed, “Hart’s tendency toward self-destruction has been on display for years” (Kramer, 1987).
Microcracking in Piezoelectrics Weakens the Electromechanical Coupling and Changes Its Directionality

Microcracking in piezoelectrics is found to produce two major effects on the effective piezoelectric properties: it weakens the electromechanical coupling and it changes its "directionality", i.e. the direction of mechanical (electrical) response to the applied electrical (mechanical) loads. The latter effect implies that microcracking in piezoelectric sensors and actuators reduces the accuracy of the devices. We quantify the mentioned loss of accuracy. This can also be viewed as a quantification of the "piezoelectric fatigue".
Automatic inference of Java-to-swift translation rules for porting mobile applications

A native cross-platform mobile app has multiple platform-specific implementations. Typically, an app is developed for one platform and then ported to the remaining ones. Translating an app from one language (e.g., Java) to another (e.g., Swift) by hand is tedious and error-prone, while automated translators either require manually defined translation rules or focus on translating APIs. To automate the translation of native cross-platform apps, we present j2sInferer, a novel approach that iteratively infers syntactic transformation rules and API mappings from Java to Swift. Given a software corpus in both languages, j2sInferer first identifies the syntactically equivalent code based on braces and string similarity. For each pair of similar code segments, j2sInferer then creates syntax trees of both languages, leveraging the minimalist domain knowledge of language correspondence (e.g., operators and markers) to iteratively align syntax tree nodes, and to infer both syntax and API mapping rules. j2sInferer represents inferred rules as string templates, stored in a database, to translate code from Java to Swift. We evaluated j2sInferer with four applications, using one part of the data to infer translation rules, and the other part to apply the rules. With 76% in-project accuracy and 65% cross-project accuracy, j2sInferer outperforms in accuracy j2swift, a state-of-the-art Java-to-Swift conversion tool. As native cross-platform mobile apps grow in popularity, j2sInferer can shorten their time to market by automating the tedious and error prone task of source-to-source translation.
Review of the many faces of synthetic cannabinoid toxicities.

Abstract Introduction Synthetic cannabinoids (SCs) are psychoactive substances that are gaining popularity for their availability and lack of detection by standardized drug tests. Although some use...
Video-Based Prediction for Header-Height Control of a Combine Harvester

Many automation applications in the agriculture industry focus on navigation or steering control. But there are few studies on functional controls such as header automation. This paper introduces a video-based prediction system for header-height control of a combine harvester. To achieve this goal, we propose a lighting-invariant spatial segmentation method to locate the field region. Crop presence detection is performed by training a classifier on texture features and the percentage of crops in the field can be estimated. Then the time to lift the header is predicted based on observing the trend of crop presence. The framework is tested on both bean and wheat harvesting video sequences and the decreasing crop percentage can be successfully estimated.
Role of Bio Farming in Nutraceutical Innovations

Nowadays, there are debates among the scientists to develop farming systems which are able to produce safe and organic foods.
Outcomes of Transzygomatic Middle Cranial Fossa Approach for Skull Base Tumors-A Single Institutional Experience.

Objective This study aimed to evaluate surgical outcomes after transzygomatic middle cranial fossa (MCF) (TZ-MCF) approach for tumor control in patients with large skull base lesions involving the MCF and adjacent sites. Setting This study was done at the tertiary skull base center. Design This is a retrospective case series. Main Outcome Measures The main outcome measures were tumor control (recurrence), new-onset cranial neuropathies, facial nerve and audiometric outcomes, cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) leak, and wound complications. Results Sixteen patients were identified with a median age of 45 years (range: 20–72). The mean maximum tumor dimension was 5.49 cm (standard deviation [SD]: 1.2, range: 3.1–7.3) and the mean tumor volume was 28.5 cm3 (SD: 18.8, range: 2.9–63.8). Ten (62.5%) tumors were left sided. The most common pathology encountered was meningioma (n = 7) followed by chondrosarcoma (n = 4). Mean follow-up was 36.3 (SD: 26.9) months. Gross total resection or near total resection was achieved in nine (56.2%) and planned subtotal resection was used in seven (43.7%). Postoperative additional new cranial nerve (CN) deficits included CN V (n = 1), CN III (n = 2), CN VI (n = 1), and CN X (n = 1). Major neurological morbidity (hemiplegia) was encountered in two patients with resolution. There were no cases of CSF leak, meningitis, hemorrhage, seizures, aphasia, or death. There was no recurrence or regrowth of residual tumor. Facial nerve function was preserved in all but one patient (House–Brackmann grade 2). Conclusion Various skull base tumors involving MCF with extension to adjacent sites can be successfully resected using the TZ-MCF approach in a multidisciplinary fashion. This approach yields optimal exposure and permits excellent tumor control with acceptable CN and neurological morbidity.
Numerical study of interfiber ligament failure of composites wth ductile bulk matrices

Debonding of fiber/matrix interfaces, kinking on debonded matrix surfaces, and tearing of interfiber ligaments are three major failure modes in micro-scales often observed in the failure experiments of Fiber Reinforced Composites (FRC) under extreme transverse tensile loadings. Numerical simulations on these complex failure processes at micro-scales are critical for designing new FRC materials. However, it is difficult to simultaneously simulate all these failure modes especially for cases where bulk matrix materials are ductile and undergo large plastic deformation. To overcome this difficulty, we adopt an innovative DG-based interface-oriented finite element technique that is able to handle all three failure modes. In this paper, using this numerical technique, we successfully simulate a complete failure process characterized by all three fracture modes for a composite structure containing two fibers embedded in a ductile bulk matrix. Furthermore, the kinking of debonded matrix surfaces predicted from simulations agrees well with the experimental results. Finally, we have studied the impact of variation in the thickness of interfiber ligaments on the failure behaviors of FRC materials. By running four cases with varied ligament thicknesses, we have identified a beam-like mixed bending/shearing failure mode for the tearing of interfiber ligaments and the shearing influence on the failure may increase following the increase in ligament thickness.
Making Violence Transparent: Ranking Police Departments in Major U.S. Cities to Make Black Lives Matter

This study suggests that police professionalism can both reduce homicides and prevent unnecessary police-related civilian deaths (PRCD). Those improvements would particularly benefit African Americ...
Modeling and Simulation of PGSPAD-Based Silicon Photomultipliers

This article presents and develops a novel comprehensive simulation model for perimeter gated single-photon avalanche diode-based silicon photomultipliers (PGSPAD SiPMs). A PGSPAD is a modification of single-photon avalanche diodes (SPADs) that contains a third terminal to mitigate perimeter edge breakdown. It does this without excessively enlarging the device area. The applied gate voltage modulates the dynamic range, breakdown voltage, and dark current characteristics. The proposed PGSPAD SiPM model correctly mimics the current–voltage transfer function and the avalanche-quench process of the SiPM detector and is verified by the experimental measurements of a PGSPAD SiPM fabricated in a commercial 0.5- $\mu \text{m}$ CMOS process. The model includes the dark current of the PGSPAD device. This was not included in previous SiPM models. The effect of the number of triggered microcells versus the total number of microcells and the impact of different parameters on the PGSPAD SiPM performance with added gate terminal are evaluated. The photon–electron spectrum with the effect of an extra gate terminal has been studied. Simulation results show very good agreement with experimental measurements.
Glamping after the coronavirus pandemic

Glamping is an increasingly popular and accessible modern form of camping. To address current and future impacts of COVID-19 on glamping, 2926 active leisure travelers in the US and Canada were sur...
She’s the man: Michelle Akers ‘unruly’ game and the ‘potentiality’ of queer failure in the early development of the U.S. women’s national soccer team

Michelle Akers performance at the 1991 FIFA Women’s World Championship positioned her at the centre of U.S. soccer, a sport institution historically relegated to the margins of U.S. sport for its i...
In-situ magnetic alignment model for additive manufacturing of anisotropic bonded magnets

Abstract In this work, we report a mathematical framework which predicts the degree of alignment (DoA) in an in-situ aligned additively manufactured 3D printed bonded magnets. A multiphysics model is developed which couples the harmonious interactions of magnetic particles in a viscous flowing polymer under the presence of an external magnetic field. The hydrodynamic fluid-particle interaction is paired with the magnetophoretic force to predict the particle trajectory and distribution during extrusion through a 3D printer nozzle. Succeeding the force balance, a magnetohydrodynamic torque equilibrium analysis is performed to predict the net-orientation of the magnetic particles as a function of the applied field strength, viscous forces, and particle-to-particle interactions (P2P). Experimental validation of the DoA predictions is performed using 65 vol% Nd-Fe-B+Sm-Fe-N in Nylon12 (DoAexp = 0.620 and DoAtheory = 0.686) and 15 vol% Sm-Co in PLA (DoAexp = 0.830 and DoAtheory = 0.863). A parametric analysis is performed to analyze the effect of operating and design parameters like alignment field strength, magnetic loading fraction, extrusion load, and particle size. The model predicts a competing behavior between particle-fluid and particle-particle interactions under the presence of an applied field. The model provides a framework to efficiently predict the DoA in tandem with a functionalized-magnetic 3D printer and allows the user to adjust the operating parameters according to the desired DoA.
Eastern white pine and eastern hemlock growth: possible tradeoffs in response of canopy trees to climate

A warming climate and extended growing season may confer competitive advantages to temperate conifers that can photosynthesize across seasons. Whether this potential translates into increased growt...
Planetary Nebulae: Sources of Enlightenment.

In this review/tutorial we explore planetary nebulae as a stage in the evolution of low-to-intermediate-mass stars, as major contributors to the mass and chemical enrichment of the interstellar medium, and as astrophysical laboratories. We discuss many observed properties of planetary nebulae, placing particular emphasis on element abundance determinations and comparisons with theoretical predictions. Dust and molecules associated with planetary nebulae are considered as well. We then examine distances, binarity, and planetary nebula morphology and evolution. We end with mention of some of the advances that will be enabled by future observing capabilities.
Abstract 12978: Incident Atrial Fibrillation is Similar in Blacks and Whites With Congestive Heart Failure

Introduction: Clinical studies have demonstrated that blacks have a lower prevalence and incidence of atrial fibrillation (AF) compared with whites. Given the strong biologic associations between AF and congestive heart failure (CHF), we hypothesized that the racial disparity for incident AF is attenuated in CHF patients. Methods: The University of Pennsylvania Atrial Fibrillation Free-Congestive Heart Failure (PAFF-CHF) Cohort is a large, multi-hospital retrospective cohort of individuals with clinical CHF and without AF at index visit. Baseline demographic and clinical parameters were obtained, and medical records were queried for incident outcomes. The primary outcome was incident AF, which was defined as a clinical or ECG diagnosis of AF on any follow up encounter. Results: Of 5,131 patients in PAFF-CHF, there were 2,037 blacks (40%) and 3,094 whites (60%). Median follow up time was 4.5 years (1.8, 5.9), with blacks having significantly longer follow up (4.7 v 4.2 yr, p < 0.001). During this follow-up...
Mechanistic Aspects of Transdermal Drug Transport

The question of whether stratum corneum lipid liposomes (SCLL) might be a good model system for investigating the lipoidal pathway of the stratum corneum has been examined in two kinds of studies: (a) permeant release from SCLL and (b) fluorescence anisotropy experiments employing appropriate fluorescent probes. Semi-quantitative correlations were found, this suggesting SCLL may potentially be a good model for studying drug transport in the stratum corneum.
Learners and their expectations for an integrated informatics environment

This paper explores students’ expectations for an integrated informatics environment. We interviewed students from four secondary schools in New Orleans, LA. Our data show an unsettling lack of critical investigation in courses about informatics technology. Nonetheless, students have developed critical understandings of computers in society based on futurist portrayals of society on television and in popular films. Their expectations are mediated by social class. Working class and minority students are more likely to see the social contradictions of informatics technology than are other students.
Thoughts on the evolutionary basis of dietary restriction

The dramatic effect of nutrition on the life span of rodents was shown initially by McCay’s laboratory in the 1930’s (McCay et al., 1935, McCay et al., 1939). They found that both the median and maximum survival of rats were increased significantly when the diet of weanling rats was restricted severely and growth retarded. This phenomenon became known as dietary or calorie restriction, and subsequent studies have demonstrated that the life span of rats could be extended significantly using less severe restriction regimens; e.g., a 30 to 50% restriction of calories generally results in a 20 to 50% increase in life span (mean and maximum survival) (Masoro, 1985, Masoro, 1988, Masoro, 1992a, Weindruch & Walford, 1988). At the present time, it is generally accepted that dietary restriction extends the life span of laboratory rodents by retarding the aging process because dietary restriction increases the maximum survival of rodents and alters most physiological and pathological processes that change with increasing age (Richardson & McCarter, 1991; Masoro, 1992a). Therefore, dietary restriction offers gerontologists a unique system for studying the aging process.
On the Problem of the Victim/Perpetrator Dichotomy: The Massacre of Kurds (Iran, 1979)

This article recontextualizes the massacre that took place in the Kurdistan region of Iran in 1979. Through examining interviews with and articles by some of the leading actors involved in the massacre and analysing various alignments between Tehran and Kurdistan, the article concludes that the massacre was not an ethnic conflict. Rather, it was a political issue exacerbated by matters such as the turbulent transition from the Pahlavi dynasty to the Islamic Republic and idiosyncrasies of the involved actors. Framing the massacre in a primordially black and white fashion – Sunni Kurds versus Shiite Persians – is not only historically inaccurate but also empirically problematic.
Information architecture: in search of efficient flexibility

This article addresses how information systems architecture can be used to support organizations in the 1990s-organizations that face the dual challenge of "speed and flexibility" and "low cost and efficiency." At the heart of this challenge is the basic notion that information systems have been anything but flexible in the past and that, for many firms, information systems are more disablers of flexibility than enablers. The article discusses two architectural solutions to this problem: "the high road and the low road," and the benefits and pitfalls of teach. We conclude that neither solution will succeed on its own and that firms need to combine elements of both to meet the challenges of the 1990s. This article is based on some of the things we have learned through research, case writing, and consulting wile working with a variety of organizations over the past three years. These experience shave illustrated the importance of and the struggle with IS architecture for today's global competitors. The content is intended to help guide, provoke, stimulate, and entertain others who believe that the integration of information technology with organizational strategy and structure os of paramount concern to senior managers.
Pore-scale simulations of flow, transport, and reaction in porous media

Physical observations and theoretical treatments of flow and transport in porous media are usually associated with three different length scales: pore (microscopic), local (lab) or macroscopic), and field. Dominant processes and governing equations may vary with scales. Extending from one scale to another requires upscaling (or downscaling), which allows the essence of physical processes at one level to be summarized at the coarser (or finer) level. In this work, we employ the method of lattice Boltzmann (LB) to simulate pore-scale multiphase flow, transport, and reaction in rock geometries. The LB method possesses a number of advantages for simulating flow and transport at the pore scale, including the ability to handle complex geometries (compared to conventional methods), no need to simplify the physics (compared to pore network models), and inherent parallel structure (amenable for massive parallel computation). LB simulations provide critical data for systematically investigating fundamental issues associated with flow and transport in porous media and for developing upscaling methods for predicting macroscopic quantities and characteristic relationships based on some statistical parameters of microscopic quantities. In this paper, the state of the art of this method will be discussed, and so are the following results: the dynamic evolution of rock pore geometries and the corresponding changes in permeability and porosity owing to convection, diffusion, and reaction; finger penetration in a channel; and, displacement of a three-dimensional immiscible droplet in a duct.