cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
The effects of proactive release behaviors during human-robot handovers

Most research on human-robot handovers focuses on how the robot should approach human receivers and notify them of the readiness to take an object; few studies have investigated the effects of different release behaviors. Not releasing an object when a person desires to take it breaks handover fluency and creates a bad handover experience. In this paper, we investigate the effects of different release behaviors. Specifically, we study the benefits of a proactive release, during which the robot actively detects a human grasp effort pattern. In a 36-participant user study11The study is ready to reproduce with a Baxter robot. The code and environment setup is available at https://github.com/umhan35/handover_moveit, results suggest proactive release is more efficient than rigid release (which only releases when the robot is fully stopped) and passive release (the robot detects pulling by checking if a threshold value is reached). Subjectively, the overall handover experience is improved: the proactive release is significantly better in terms of handover fluency and ease-of-taking.
Branding Naturalism: Dirt, Territory, and Zola's Aesthetics

ABSTRACTDrawing upon Michel Serres's association of pollution and appropriation, this article proposes that Zola made his name and marked out his place on the literary landscape by contaminating th...
The chemistry of taxol and related taxoids.

The anticancer compound taxol (1.1.1) was originally isolated in the late 1960’s from the bark of the Western Yew, Taxus brevifolia, and its structure was published in 1971 in a paper that has been cited well over 1000 times since its publication (1). Taxol was originally isolated on the basis of its cytotoxicity and antileukemic activity, but it was not actively developed as a drug for several years because of its scarcity (the initial yield from yew bark was 0.02%) and because of its lack of water-solubility. Fortunately additional testing at the National Cancer Institute revealed its activity against various human solid tumor xenografts in nude mice, and a program to develop taxol as a drug was initiated in 1977. A key discovery from the Horwitz laboratory in 1979, in a paper that has also been cited over 1000 times since its publication, showed that taxol had a unique mechanism of action, binding to polymerized tubulin and stabilizing microtubules to dissociation (2). These twin discoveries of taxol’s activity and its mechanism of action provided the impetus for continued clinical trials in the face of some initial disappointments, and the first positive clinical results against ovarian cancer were announced in 1989 (3). Following these results taxol was also found to be effective against breast cancer (4) and was licensed to Bristol-Myers Squibb; its sales are estimated at $1.6 billion in 2000 (5).
Dielectric properties of vapor-deposited propylbenzenes

Dielectric susceptibility data of vapor-deposited films of iso-propylbenzene (IPB) and n-propylbenzene (NPB) have been recorded across a wide range of deposition temperatures, Tdep, mostly below the glass transition temperature, Tg. The results for the real and imaginary components of dielectric susceptibility are compared with recently published results for 2-methyltetrahydrofuran (MTHF). Common to all three systems are the following: (i) increased kinetic stability seen as higher onset temperature for the transformation to the liquid state for Tdep ≈ 0.85Tg; (ii) the reduction of the dielectric loss (χ″) for as-deposited glasses, a signature of increased packing density that is maximal for Tdep ≈ 0.85Tg; and (iii) a reduced level of the storage component (χ') for as-deposited glasses, an effect that is almost deposition temperature invariant for Tdep < Tg. Material specific behavior is observed when heating the as-deposited films to 1.2Tg: IPB and NPB transform directly into the ordinary liquid state if judged on the basis of dielectric susceptibility, whereas MTHF has been reported to enter an unusual liquid state prior to a liquid-liquid transition at higher temperatures. These results are discussed in the context of the curious scattering results reported by Ishii et al. for some benzene derivatives, which hint at a liquid-liquid transformation.
Achieving Fair LTE/Wi-Fi Coexistence with Real-Time Scheduling

Carrier-Sensing Adaptive Transmission (CSAT) is a promising approach to address coexistence between LTE and Wi-Fi in unlicensed bands. Under CSAT, a key problem is the design of a scheduling algorithm to allocate radio resources (across multiple channels and a large number of sub-channels) for LTE and Wi-Fi users. This paper investigates this scheduling problem through an optimization formulation with the objective of minimizing LTE’s adverse impact on Wi-Fi users. Special considerations of each LTE user’s uplink/downlink rate requirements and channel conditions are given in this optimization formulation. We show that this scheduling problem is NP-hard and propose to develop a near-optimal solution. A major challenge here is to ensure the scheduler can obtain a solution on ~1 ms time scale — a stringent timing requirement to meet LTE standard. Our main contribution is the development of CURT, a scheduling algorithm that can obtain near-optimal solution in ~1 ms under standard LTE small cell scenarios. CURT exploits the unique structure of the underlying optimization problem and decomposes it into a large number of independent sub-problems. By taking advantage of GPU’s parallel processors, we allow the large number of sub-problems to be run in parallel and independently from each other. By implementing CURT on Nvidia GPU/CUDA platform, we demonstrate that CURT can deliver near-optimal scheduling solution in ~1 ms for LTE small cells with no more than 20 users following 3GPP’s evaluation methodology.
BURST enables mathematically optimal short-read alignment for big data

Abstract One of the fundamental tasks in analyzing next-generation sequencing data is genome database search, in which DNA sequences are compared to known reference genomes for identification or annotation. Although algorithms exist for optimal database search with perfect sensitivity and specificity, these have largely been abandoned for next-generation sequencing (NGS) data in favor of faster heuristic algorithms that sacrifice alignment quality. Virtually all DNA alignment tools that are commonly used in genomic and metagenomic database search use approximate methods that sometimes report the wrong match, and sometimes fail to find a valid match when present. Here we introduce BURST, a high-throughput DNA short-read aligner that uses several new synergistic optimizations to enable provably optimal alignment in NGS datasets. BURST finds all equally good matches in the database above a specified identity threshold and can either report all of them, pick the most likely among tied matches, or provide lowest-common-ancestor taxonomic annotation among tied matches. BURST can align, disambiguate, and assign taxonomy at a rate of 1,000,000 query sequences per minute against the RefSeq v82 representative prokaryotic genome database (5,500 microbial genomes, 19GB) at 98% identity on a 32-core computer, representing a speedup of up to 20,000-fold over current optimal gapped alignment techniques. This may have broader implications for clinical applications, strain tracking, and other situations where fast, exact, extremely sensitive alignment is desired.
A combined theoretical and experimental performance analysis of a grid-tied photovoltaic system in semi-arid climate : a case study in Ghardaia, Algeria

Both theoretical study, experimental validation, and outdoor performance assessment of a single grid-connected photovoltaic plant installed on the roof of the car parking located in Renewable Energ...
Medication Non-adherence among Liver Transplant Recipients

We provide an overview of the recent evidence on the prevalence, risk factors, and consequences of medication non-adherence (NA) in liver transplant (LT) recipients. NA in LT is associated with socio-demographic and medication-related factors, low social support, and poor health literacy. Patient-reported adherence is one of the most common methods to measure NA using validated assessments; immunosuppression (IS) drug levels and electronic monitoring may also be used. Simplification of IS regimens such as the conversion from twice daily to once daily has been shown to be safe, effective, and improves adherence. Relatively few studies have prospectively investigated NA predictors or interventions to reduce NA in LT. Medication non-adherence is a multi-faceted issue that is common among LT recipients and associated with adverse outcomes. NA in LT recipients warrants further study as only a few interventions have been published focused on reducing NA in LT.
A 32-bit Integer Division Algorithm Based on Priority Encoder

In this paper, an algorithm for 32-bit integer division is proposed. The algorithm calculates the integer division of positive and negative dividends and divisors represented in sign and magnitude. It calculates the magnitudes and signs of the quotient and remainder separately based on the magnitudes and signs of the divided and divisor. In the algorithm, the magnitude of the remainder is initially set to be the dividend and is iteratively reduced until it becomes smaller than the magnitude of the divisor; afterwards the algorithm converges. A priority encoder is used to improve the convergence rate by skipping the zeros between the high bits while shifting the divisor in each iteration to be aligned with the partial remainder. The magnitude of the quotient is initially set to zero and updated based on the amount of shift in each iteration. A hardware architecture is proposed to implement the algorithm. The hardware is synthesized on an FPGA device, and its functionality was verified by ModelSim simulations. The results show that the hardware achieves a maximum operating frequency of 90.9MHz, and achieves an improvement of 31.43%, 59.12%, and 18.1%, in terms of delay, LUTs, and slices, respectively, over the most recent existing approach. MATLAB simulations were also conducted to measure the convergence rate. The MATLAB simulation results show that on average the convergences rate is less than or equal to the half of the difference between the number of bits in the dividend and the number of bits in the divisor.
Low-Cost mmWave MIMO Multi-Streaming via Bi-Clustering, Graph Coloring, and Hybrid Beamforming

This paper proposes and analyses a set of novel and optimum multi-streaming techniques for mmWave multi-input multi-output systems. It formulates an optimization problem that enables exploiting available uncorrelated paths between the transmitter (Tx) and the receiver (Rx) to enhance the system throughput. In the proposed approach, antenna arrays at Tx/Rx are modeled as a Bipartite graph. Next, two bi-clustering algorithms are applied to the graph to simultaneously cluster antenna elements at Tx and Rx. In addition, the paper shows how the selection of subchannels and their corresponding subantenna arrays can be reduced to a variant of the graph coloring problem, based on which, two algorithms are proposed to find the optimum subchannels and subantenna arrays. Moreover, the paper defines two new beamforming methods and proves that those methods satisfy constant modulus and total power constraints. The first modified beamforming method uses singular vectors (SVs) of subchannels between Tx/Rx and incorporates the Power Iteration algorithm to decrease singular value decomposition complexity. The second newly proposed beamforming method finds precoders/combiners without using SVs which reduces the computational complexity. Performance evaluations in terms data streaming sum-rate demonstrate that the proposed technique increases the throughput using a low processing complexity.
Association of Self-Reported Functional Limitations among a National Community-Based Sample of Older United States Adults with Pain: A Cross-Sectional Study

The characteristics of self-reported functional limitations among older United States (US) adults with pain are currently unknown. This cross-sectional study aimed to determine the characteristics associated with functional limitations among non-institutionalized older (≥50 years) US adults with pain using 2017 Medical Expenditure Panel Survey (MEPS) data. Eligible subjects were alive for the calendar year, aged ≥50 years, and experienced pain within the past four weeks. Hierarchical logistic regression models were utilized to determine significant characteristics associated with functional limitations (outcome variable; yes, no). Functional limitations included difficulty with bending, stooping, climbing stairs, grasping objects, lifting, reaching overhead, standing for long periods of time, or walking. Extrapolation of national data values was possible by adjusting for the complex MEPS design. We found approximately 22 million of the 57 million older US adults (≥50 years) who reported pain had a functional limitation in 2017. Characteristics associated with functional limitations included: gender, race, ethnicity, employment status, marital status, pain intensity, physical health, number of chronic conditions, and frequent exercise status. Knowledge of characteristics associated with functional limitations may provide an opportunity to identify and resolve gaps in patient care among this population.
Energy-efficient Smart Parking for Self-driving Vehicles

Self-driving vehicles have attracted tremendous attention from all walks of life and parking prediction is essential for the vehicle to find a parking space. Many existing works focus on parking predictions in an sensor network equipped environment using large datasets. In this paper, we consider a campus-wide smart parking problem that requires no sensor installation and external large datasets. We assume that the parking availabilities of the garages are not known and the only information that a vehicle uses is its past recorded statistics. We get insights from the multi-armed bandits problem in reinforcement learning and come up with a framework for a vehicle to make a wise decision in each trial. We also propose several non-reinforcement learning algorithms for comparison. We conduct extensive simulation and discussion to evaluate the performance of these algorithms.
Maternal effects on early-life gut microbiome maturation in a wild nonhuman primate

Early-life gut microbial colonization is an important process shaping host physiology, immunity and long-term health outcomes in humans and other animals. However, our understanding of this dynamic process remains poorly investigated in wild animals, where developmental mechanisms can be better understood within ecological and evolutionary relevant contexts. Using 16s rRNA amplicon sequencing on 525 fecal samples from a large cohort of infant and juvenile geladas (Theropithecus gelada), we characterized gut microbiome maturation during the first three years of life and assessed the role of maternal effects in shaping offspring microbiome assembly. Microbial diversity increased rapidly in the first months of life, followed by more gradual changes until weaning. As expected, changes in gut microbiome composition and function with increasing age reflected progressive dietary transitions: in early infancy when infants rely heavily on their mother9s milk, microbes that facilitate milk glycans and lactose utilization dominated, while later in development as graminoids are progressively introduced into the diet, microbes that metabolize plant complex polysaccharides became dominant. Furthermore, the microbial community of nursing infants born to first-time (primiparous) mothers was more "milk-oriented" compared to similarly-aged infants born to experienced (multiparous) mothers. Comparisons of matched mother-offspring fecal samples to random dyads did not support vertical transmission as a conduit for these maternal effects, which instead could be explained by slower phenotypic development (and associated slower gut microbiome maturation) in infants born to first-time mothers. Together, our findings highlight the dynamic nature of gut colonization
Mono-isotope prediction for mass spectra using Bayes network

Mass spectrometry is one of the widely utilized important methods to study protein functions and components. The challenge of mono-isotope pattern recognition from large scale protein mass spectral data needs computational algorithms and tools to speed up the analysis and improve the analytic results. We utilized naive Bayes network as the classifier with the assumption that the selected features are independent to predict mono-isotope pattern from mass spectrometry. Mono-isotopes detected from validated theoretical spectra were used as prior information in the Bayes method. Three main features extracted from the dataset were employed as independent variables in our model. The application of the proposed algorithm to publicMo dataset demonstrates that our naive Bayes classifier is advantageous over existing methods in both accuracy and sensitivity.
Mullite fiber reinforced reaction bonded Si3N4 composites

Fracture toughnesses of brittle ceramic materials have been improved by introducing reinforcements and carefully tailored interface layers. Silicon carbide and Si3N4 have been emphasized as matrices of structural composites intended for high temperature service because they combine excellent mechanical, chemical, thermal and physical properties. Both matrices have been successfully toughened with SiC fibers, whiskers and particles for ceramic matrix composite (CMC) parts made by sintering, hot pressing or reaction forming processes. These SiC reinforced CMCs have exhibited significantly improved toughnesses at low and intermediate temperature levels, as well as retention of properties at high temperatures for selected exposures; however, they are vulnerable to attack from elevated temperature dry and wet oxidizing atmospheres after the matrix has cracked. Property degradation results from oxidation of interface layers and/or reinforcements. The problem is particularly acute for small diameter (-20 tim) polymer derived SiC fibers used for weavable toes. This research explored opportunities for reinforcing Si3N4 matrices with fibers having improved environmental stability; the findings should also be applicable to SiC matrix CMCs.
New globular cluster age estimates and constraints on the cosmic equation of state and the matter density of the universe

New estimates of globular cluster distances, combined with revised ranges for input parameters in stellar evolution codes and recent estimates of the earliest redshift of cluster formation allow us to derive a new 95% confidence level lower limit on the age of the Universe of 11 Gyr. This is now definitively inconsistent with the expansion age for a flat Universe for the currently allowed range of the Hubble constant unless the cosmic equation of state is dominated by a component that violates the strong energy condition. This solidifies the case for a dark energy-dominated universe, complementing supernova data and direct measurements of the geometry and matter density in the Universe. The best-fit age is consistent with a cosmological constant-dominated (w=pressure/energy density = -1) universe. For the Hubble Key project best fit value of the Hubble Constant our age limits yields the constraints w < -0.4 and Omega_matter < 0.38 at the 68 % confidence level, and w < -0.26 and Omega_matter < 0.58 at the 95 % confidence level.
Using a Hydraulic Model to Predict Hollow-Fiber UF Performance

A hydraulic model was developed to determine all flows and pressures in a continuous-flow follow-fiber ultrafiltration (UF) system. A pilot-scale UF system was constructed to test the validity of the model. Deionized water was filtered through the system to simulate nonfouling conditions, and two colloidal suspensions of powdered activated carbon and clay simulated fouling conditions. All flows and pressures were continuously logged for later analysis. For fouling conditions, the flux was described by the resistance-in-series model, and a relationship was developed to describe the increase in effective membrane resistance as a function of time. This fitted function was then input into the hydraulic model to predict the flows and pressures in the system under nonsteady fouling conditions
Modeling Tools for Design of Air Cushion Restraint Systems

AN AIR CUSHION RESTRAINT SYSTEM STUDY WAS CONDUCTED TO DEVELOP AND EXPERIMENTALLY VERIFY MATHEMATICAL MODELS OF SELECTED AIR CUSHION RESTRAINT SYSTEMS; TO PROVIDE A METHOD FOR SIMULATING THE DYNAMIC INTERACTION BETWEEN OCCUPANTS AND RESTRAINT SYSTEM DURING AN AUTOMOBILE COLLISION, AND TO DEVELOP AN EFFICIENT MEANS FOR CONDUCTING SYSTEM PERFORMANCE TRADEOFF STUDIES OF PROMISING SYSTEM CONCEPTS. ALL OF THE MODELS INDIVIDUALLY AND IN COMBINATION PROVIDE A COMPREHENSIVE DESIGN ANALYSIS CAPABILITY USEFUL IN THE EVALUATION OF AIR CUSHION RESTRAINT SYSTEMS. THIS CAPABILITY PERMITS PARAMETER STUDIES OF A WIDE RANGE OF VEHICLE, SENSOR, INFLATION AND OCCUPANT COMBINATIONS, THUS REDUCING THE TIME AND NUMBER OF HARDWARE TESTS REQUIRED TO CONVERGE ON THE MOST OPTIMUM SYSTEM CONFIGURATION. IMPROVEMENTS IN CUSHION PRESSURE AND TEMPERATURE MEASUREMENT TECHNIQUES ARE NEEDED TO PERMIT MORE ACCURATE CORRELATION OF THE AIR CUSHION MODEL. /HSL/
The Fort Collins Commuter Study: Impact of route type and transport mode on personal exposure to multiple air pollutants

Traffic-related air pollution is associated with increased mortality and morbidity, yet few studies have examined strategies to reduce individual exposure while commuting. The present study aimed to quantify how choice of mode and route type affects personal exposure to air pollutants during commuting. We analyzed within-person difference in exposures to multiple air pollutants (black carbon (BC), carbon monoxide (CO), ultrafine particle number concentration (PNC), and fine particulate matter (PM2.5)) during commutes between the home and workplace for 45 participants. Participants completed 8 days of commuting by car and bicycle on direct and alternative (reduced traffic) routes. Mean within-person exposures to BC, PM2.5, and PNC were higher when commuting by cycling than when driving, but mean CO exposure was lower when cycling. Exposures to CO and BC were reduced when commuting along alternative routes. When cumulative exposure was considered, the benefits from cycling were attenuated, in the case of CO, or exacerbated, in the case of particulate exposures, owing to the increased duration of the commute. Although choice of route can reduce mean exposure, the effect of route length and duration often offsets these reductions when cumulative exposure is considered. Furthermore, increased ventilation rate when cycling may result in a more harmful dose than inhalation at a lower ventilation rate.
Two cases of pediatric high-grade astroblastoma with different clinical behavior

Astroblastoma is a rare glial tumor occurring in older children and defined by histological criteria as low or high-grade. We describe two children with high-grade astroblastoma. The first patient, with multiple recurrences of a frontoparietal tumor, died 10 years from diagnosis after progression of the disease despite surgery, radiotherapy and chemotherapy. The second patient underwent subtotal resection of a temporal mass; the residual tumor progressed five months after radiotherapy, but after a subsequent gross total resection the patient is now in complete remission 54 months from diagnosis. Although both patients had high-grade astroblastomas, there were histological differences between the two tumors, in particular regarding the proliferative index, which was 30% and 5-10%, respectively. High-grade astroblastoma is usually treated with surgery and radiotherapy, but may have an unpredictable behavior even when tumor excision is deemed complete. The two cases reported here illustrate the variable clinical course of this rare tumor. The proliferative index may be a useful tool to better define prognosis.
Dead zones in porous catalysts: Concentration profiles and efficiency factors

This paper examines the conditions under which a dead zone, or a portion of the catalyst devoid of reactant, can form in a porous catalyst in which simultaneous reaction and diffusion are occurring. The condition that allows for the existence of a dead zone is defined by a critical Thiele modulus. When the Thiele modulus – the ratio of chemical reaction to diffusion – is greater than the critical Thiele modulus, a dead zone exists. This dead zone can be mathematically defined by a change of boundary conditions. We examine nth order reactions in isothermal infinite slabs, infinite cylinders, and spheres. In addition, we provide analytical concentration profiles and efficiency factors for zero-order reactions in non-isothermal infinite slabs (in the so-called low beta approximation). We also discuss some common errors and misconceptions associated with this phenomenon.
Absorption and Distribution of Griseofulvin in Rabbits

Griseofulvin was administered intravenously and orally to rabbits to evaluate the absorption and distribution characteristics of the drug from blood level data. Following an i.v. dose, the apparent half-life of the drug in the blood showed wide animal to animal variation and appeared to be independent of the dose administered. The area per i.v. dose under the concentration-time plot was not constant and therefore could not be used to evaluate the absorption of an oral dose of the drug. Blood levels after an oral dose were also subject to individual animal variation. Rabbits which were not permitted food following an oral dose of griseofulvin exhibited a characteristic blood level response consisting of a prolonged plateau in the plasma concentration-time curve comparable to that observed during constant intravenous infusion of a drug.
Identification and cloning of a new protein that binds the 3′ untranslated region of α-striated tropomyosin

The 3' untranslated region of muscle tropomyosin (TM UTR) induces muscle differentiation when transcribed in primary fibroblasts. This sequence binds protein in extracts from cell types that differentiate upon TM UTR transcription. To identify the protein(s) bound by the TM UTR, an avian embryo fibroblast library was induced to express protein in solution and extracts from these pools were screened with electromobility shift assays using a TM UTR RNA probe. Positive pools were progressively fractionated until a pool containing a single positive clone was obtained. The TM UTR-binding protein (UBP) clone thus isolated contains 751 nt, 618 of which represent a single open reading frame. UBP is related to a human autoantigen, Sjogren's syndrome antigen B (SSB) beginning with the start of the UBP open reading frame. This homology is to the 5' end of SSB in a region containing an RNA-binding motif of 70 amino acids. The deduced amino acid sequence of UBP predicts phosphorylation sites for protein kinase C, casein kinase 2, and cAMP-dependent protein kinase and asparginine glycosylation sites. The observed size of UBP by UV cross-linking with a TM UTR probe is of the same size as the protein bound in fibroblast extract. UBP is expressed in primary fibroblasts, but not in fibroblast or myogenic cell lines, suggesting that its expression is restricted. The full-length UBP mRNA is approximately 3 kB, suggesting a long 5' untranslated region. Transient transfection of cultured cells with UBP directs production of a protein that binds the TM UTR, confirming that these sequences interact in vivo. These observations suggest that we have identified a novel protein that binds to the TM UTR in vitro and in vivo. Determining the function of this protein will facilitate determining the mechanism by which the TM UTR induces differentiation.
Ovarian cancer-associated lymphocyte recognition of folate binding protein peptides.

Background: Tumor-associated lymphocytes (TAL) isolated from ovarian cancer patients contain cytotoxic T lymphocytes (CTL) capable of recognizing specific HLA/peptide complexes on tumor cells leading to tumor cell lysis. Currently, HER2/neu, overexpressed in only 30% of breast and ovarian cancers, is the only known source of CTL-recognized peptides in epithelial cancers. Therefore, we have investigated peptides derived from folate binding protein (FBP), which is over-expressed in more than 90% of ovarian cancers and in the majority of other epithelial tumors.
Experimental petrology of upper mantle materials, processes and products

Experiments on rock materials and volatile components provide an array of phase equilibrium boundaries, giving the depth-temperature framework for the phase transitions experienced by rock masses as they move up or down within the Earth in response to the dynamic processes of mantle convection and plate tectonics. Sub-solidus phase transitions in mantle materials correlate well with upper mantle structure determined from seismic studies, but debate continues about whether there is a change in composition at some seismic boundaries. The interface at 650 km correlates with the transformation of most minerals into the perovskite structure, which may have significant effects on mantle dynamics. Recent research on mantle xenoliths has been concerned with extension of standard thermometers and barometers to higher pressures and their practical assessment, along with the development and refinement of new geothermobarometers. The experimental partial melting of mantle peridotite has been elucidated by detailed studies of model systems and new experimental techniques. Parameterization of the data makes prediction possible. The origin of MORBs involves a complex process of fractional fusion. Evidence from static olivine flotation experiments and shock wave compression experiments on molten komatiite indicates that the densities of mantle melts may exceed that of the residual rock at depths greater than 400 km, which would prohibit ascent of the magma. Recent investigations have identified many dense hydrous magnesian silicates (DHMS), stable through the upper mantle between ~ 300 and 650 km, and reaching the peridotite-volatile solidus curve through part of this interval. The near-solidus liquid composition in peridotite-CO_2-H_2O above ~ 2 GPa is carbonatitic (calcic dolomite), potentially a powerful agent for metasomatism. Experimental studies of trace element distributions between mantle minerals and carbonatitic liquids are beginning to permit quantification. Determination of the effect of reduced oxygen fugacity has introduced mantle scenarios with melting induced by redox changes There is indirect experimental evidence that the solidus may terminate at a critical end-point at depths of a few hundred kilometers. Recent experiments related to subduction of oceanic crust include measurements of liquid composition from the melting of H_2O-undersaturated peridotite, the vapour-absent melting of amphibolite, and partial melting of pelagic clays. Much H_2O is expelled during subduction, but the current estimates of low temperatures support the deep subduction and longterm storage in the mantles of both H_2O and CO_2.
NON‐PROPERTY TAXES AS SOURCES OF LOCAL REVENUE

SINCE THE CLOSE of World War II, local governments in general have been hard pressed for revenue. Ever increasing costs have, in many areas, pushed property taxes and state aid, the two principal sources of revenue to local subdivisions, to the extent of their legal, economic, or political limits. The pressures thus built up have often found their outlet in locally levied and collected taxes on bases other than property. Among the non-property taxes levied by local jurisdictions, the most important are those on retail sales, earned incomes, business gross receipts, and admissions. Other noteworthy levies are on deed transfers, automobile use, hotel room occupancy, and consumers' utility bills. An examination of the experience of those communities that have levied non-property taxes leads to several generalized conclusions. First, the administrative barrier to local taxation of bases other than property has not proved insuperable. Except among the smaller cities taxing earned incomes or retail sales, the former in Pennsylvania, the latter in California, the administrative experience of local governments with these taxes appears generally to have been successful. Second, the deterrent effects of most non-property taxes are less significant than is usually charged. The economic impact of local admissions, sales, and income taxes has been minor. That this is true is doubtless attributable in part to the generally low rates of such taxes. It should be noted, however, that sizable increases in the rates of any of these imposts might well give rise to economic deterrents. Thiud, compliance costs are often heavy in relation to the amount of payment. Under the earned income tax, for example, a heavy burden rests on the employer, who must withhold the local payment from wages of his employees. The problem has been particularly serious in certain parts of Pennsylvania where income taxes have been imposed by dozens of neighboring jurisdictions. The yields of non-property taxes have often been sizable. Some, of course, contribute little more than a nominal revenue. Income and
Fourier ptychography: a computational framework for high-resolution, high-throughput imaging

We report the recent developments of the Fourier ptychographic computational imaging scheme. We demonstrate its applications for gigapixel microscopy, quantitative phase imaging, 3D holographic imaging, spectrum-multiplexed imaging, and super-resolution imaging.
On the use of reducible-functional differential equations in biological models

Biological models often lead to systems of delay or functional differential equations and to questions concerning the stability of equilibrium solutions of such equations. The monographs by Cushing [5] and MacDonald [ 1 1 ] discuss a number of examples of such models which describe phenomena from population dynamics, ecology, and physiology. The above-cited work of MacDonald is mainly devoted to the analysis of models leading to functional differential equations which are reducible to systems of ordinary differential equations. For example, consider the system
A system level study employing improved solid state transformer average models with renewable energy integration

Solid State Transformer (SST) average models are needed to enable system and protection studies. This paper focuses on fine tuning existing average models to replicate their switching counterparts and also discusses and validates control modifications required for successful grid integration. A 3 phase test system comprised of Substation SSTs and load SSTs of different ratings has been developed in PSCAD. The SST's response under fault conditions and its ability to integrate distributed resources in a seamless manner are shown. In addition other features such as the SST's internal over-current and over-voltage protection and its ride through capabilities are discussed.
A study of DNA synthesis during the transformation of the Iris into lens in the lentectomized newt

An autoradiographic study of the pattern of DNA synthesis in Wolffian lens regeneration of adult newt Triturus viridescens was carried out. Animals were injected with thymidine-H3 at different stages of lens regeneration, and killed after different time intervals ranging between 2 hours to 15 days. The temporal pattern of incorporation and localization of labeled cells was studied with autoradiograms. DNA synthesis, which is not detectable in the normal iris, is activated in the dorsal as well as in the ventral iris within five days after lens removal when the cells are still heavily pigmented. When the dorsal iris cells become depigmented, all depigmented cells show a high labeling frequency. Cessation of DNA synthesis is indicated immediately before the depigmented cells start to elongate and differentiate into fibers. At later stages of regeneration, when the regenerate is composed of fibers, lens epithelium, and stalk, DNA synthesis is limited to the latter two. It has been pointed out that cells synthesizing a detectable amount of gamma crystallins never synthesize DNA. The data suggest that all the cells which form the new lens pass through a period of DNA synthesis, which starts approximately five days following lens removal. However, not all cells which are activated to DNA synthesis participate in lens formation. Thus, DNA synthesis is a necessary but not sufficient condition for transformation of iris cells into the lens cells.
Atmospheric Ozone: Determination by Chappuis-Band Absorption

Abstract Ozone content in the atmospheric column above Mauna Loa Observatory, Hawaii, was determined in experiments by measuring the attenuation of sunlight in the visible spectrum Chappuis bands (500 nm<λ<700 nm wavelength). The dominant source of uncertainty in such determinations is the accuracy with which the magnitude of the published Chappuis-band absorption coefficients are known. Values of ozone (for 42 clear days) obtained by using Vigroux's absorption coefficients differed systematically, and were 17.6% smaller than those derived simultaneously in time and space with a Dobson spectrophotometer. The agreement with the Dobson values improves, but is not perfect, when Inn and Tanaka's absorption coefficients are used in the data analysis. Until more accurate information becomes available on ozone absorption coefficients, spectrophotometric-derived values of atmospheric ozone must be considered uncertain to 10–20%.
The value function of an integer program

We consider integer programs in which the objective function and constraint matrix are fixed while the right-hand side varies. The value function gives, for each feasible right-hand side, the criterion value of the optimal solution. We provide a precise characterization of the closed-form expression for any value function. The class of Gomory functions consists of those functions constructed from linear functions by taking maximums, sums, non-negative multiples, and ceiling (i.e., next highest integer) operations. The class of Gomory functions is identified with the class of all possible value functions by the following results: (1) for any Gomory functiong, there is an integer program which is feasible for all integer vectorsv and hasg as value function; (2) for any integer program, there is a Gomory functiong which is the value function for that program (for all feasible right-hand sides); (3) for any integer program there is a Gomory functionf such thatf(v)≤0 if and only ifv is a feasible right-hand side. Applications of (1)–(3) are also given.
The measurement of electrostatic potential attributable to net ion space charge in air

The electrostatic potential in air resulting from an ion space charge of one predominant sign is difficult to measure with existing potential-measuring instruments. An ideal instrument should not deplete the ion space charge and should be capable of measuring relatively low potentials. An instrument using the null-and-substitution method, and combining an electronic pulse widener and a vacuum-tube voltmeter, is described. This instrument has an application in measuring ion density in air by measuring the electrostatic potential attributable to ion space charge; Poisson's equation can then be solved for ion density.
Evaluation of Schistosome Promoter Expression for Transgenesis and Genetic Analysis

Schistosome worms of the genus Schistosoma are the causative agents of schistosomiasis, a devastating parasitic disease affecting more than 240 million people worldwide. Schistosomes have complex life cycles, and have been challenging to manipulate genetically due to the dearth of molecular tools. Although the use of gene overexpression, gene knockouts or knockdowns are straight-forward genetic tools applied in many model systems, gene misexpression and genetic manipulation of schistosome genes in vivo has been exceptionally challenging, and plasmid based transfection inducing gene expression is limited. We recently reported the use of polyethyleneimine (PEI) as a simple and effective method for schistosome transfection and gene expression. Here, we use PEI-mediated schistosome plasmid transgenesis to define and compare gene expression profiles from endogenous and nonendogenous promoters in the schistosomula stage of schistosomes that are potentially useful to misexpress (underexpress or overexpress) gene product levels. In addition, we overexpress schistosome genes in vivo using a strong promoter and show plasmid-based misregulation of genes in schistosomes, producing a clear and distinct phenotype- death. These data focus on the schistosomula stage, but they foreshadow strong potential for genetic characterization of schistosome molecular pathways, and potential for use in overexpression screens and drug resistance studies in schistosomes using plasmid-based gene expression.
Optical UV filament and vortex dynamics

The propagation of high intensity nanosecond UV pulses in air is investigated theoretically and numerically. The stability of localized fundamental and vortex stationary solutions, obtained via Newton?s iterations, are analyzed. Numerical propagation results are provided to corroborate the predicted instabilities of the filament and vortex beams.
Regeneration in larvae and juveniles of the mud crab, Rhithropanopeus harrisii

Both the megalopa and juvenile stages of the mud crab Rhithropanopeus harrisii were shown to have regenerative abilities following limb autotomy. The number of individual crabs initiating regeneration was directly dependent on the number of limbs autotomized and the stage of the molt cycle when autotomy occurred. The number of individuals undergoing regeneration and the proportion of the molt cycle when regeneration could be induced increased in later stages. Regeneration was associated with a significant delay in the molt cycle, while non-regenerating individuals displayed a trend toward an accelerated molt cycle. The duration of the delay was independent of the number of limbs lost. It is hypothesized that this delay is due to an inhibition of ecdysone synthesis. This results in resetting the molt cycle to the intermolt or premolt stage.
Harnessing of TLR-mediated autophagy to combat mycobacteria in macrophages

Autophagy, an evolutionary highly conserved process in virtually all eukaryotic cells, involves the sequestration of cytosol regions within double-membrane bound compartments and delivery of the contents to the lysosomes for degradation. Rapidly accumulating evidence has shown that autophagy is a component of innate immunity and is involved in host defense elimination of pathogens. Our previous studies show that Toll-like receptor 4 (TLR4) is a sensor for autophagy associated with innate immunity. We, now, further demonstrate that LPS or poly(I:C)-treatment significantly reduced mycobacterial viability in mouse macrophages. In addition, LPS reduction of mycobacterial viability was abrogated with the use of autophagy inhibitor 3-MA and in autophagy deficient macrophages. These findings demonstrate that TLR3 or TLR4 stimulation induces autophagy-mediated elimination of mycobacteria in macrophages. These results provide groundwork for therapeutic strategies directed at elimination of mycobacterial infections in macrophages.
The Intelligent Enterprise and the Changing Role of Computer Information Systems in Strategic Planning

Computer Information Systems CIS are growing in importance as a major operating department in today's businesses. This paper reviews evidence of the increasing impact of CIS on strategy development and implementation and strategic planning decision making. Included in the discussion are newer data processing developments, such as parallel processing; management information systems; decision support systems; knowledge-based systems; and integrated systems. Current examples of how these kinds of computer systems are being used to support strategic planning in business are also given.
Parameter identifiability in Sparse Bayesian Learning

The problem of parameter identifiability in linear underdetermined models is addressed, where the observed data vectors follow a multivariate Gaussian distribution. The problem is underdetermined because the dimension of parameters characterizing the distribution of the data is larger than the dimension of the observed vectors. Such models arise frequently in Bayesian Compressive sensing and Sparse Bayesian Learning problems, where the parameter vector to be estimated, is assumed to be sparse. We establish explicit conditions for parameter identifiability in such models, by relating the ambient dimension of the hyperparameter space and that of the data. We establish a crucial result that in such underdetermined models, even without requiring the parameter to be sparse, it is possible to guarantee unique identifiability of the parameters as long as these two dimensions satisfy a certain condition. When such a condition is violated, the unconstrained statistical model is no more identifiable and additional constraints in the form of sparsity need to be enforced to recover the true parameter.
Synthesis of (±)- and (−)-Vibralactone and Vibralactone C†

Mander reductive alkylation of methyl 2-methoxybenzoate with prenyl bromide and hydrolysis of the enol ether afforded methyl 6-oxo-1-prenyl-2-cyclohexenecarboxylate. This was converted in five steps (reduction of the ketone, saponification, iodolactonization, ozonolysis, and intramolecular aldol reaction) to a spiro lactone cyclopentenal. An efficient first synthesis of (+/-)-vibralactone was completed by retro-iodolactonization with activated Zn, formation of the beta-lactone (vibralactone C), and reduction of the aldehyde. Except for the novel use of an iodolactone to protect both the prenyl double bond and carboxylic acid, no protecting groups were used. A similar sequence starting with asymmetric reductive alkylation of the (2S)-2-methoxymethoxymethylpyrrolidine amide of 2-methoxybenzoic acid with prenyl bromide afforded (-)-vibralactone confirming the absolute stereochemical assignment that was based on computational methods.
Normal Queers: Straight Parents Respond to Their Children's “Coming Out”

This article explores how normative understandings of gender, family, and sexuality provide the foundation for stigma, an avenue out of deviance, and the means by which stigma is perpetuated. Using participant-observation and interview data from a support group for families of lesbian women and gay men, I examine the destigmatizing identity work with which straight parents responded to their children’s lesbian and gay identities. The parents’ reliance on conventional understandings of gender, sexuality, and parenting invoked and afe rmed heteronormative conceptions of normalcy. This redrawing— and not fundamentally challenging— of the lines dee ning sexual normalcy left intact systemic logics supporting heterosexist sexual hierarchies. How can the acceptance of homosexuality perpetuate the oppression of people who identify as gay or lesbian? This paradox confounds the efforts of some straight parents to accept their lesbian and gay children. Straight mothers and fathers may e nd that on their sons’ and daughters’ coming out, they can no longer claim simply to be “ parents” ; instead, they become “ the parents of lesbians and gay men.” 1 Their adult children’ s sexual identities compromise the esteem associated with parenthood: the same relationships that previously afforded status now carry stigma. Many of the popular explanations of homosexuality implicate mothers and fathers in their children’ s stigmatized sexual identities. An emasculating mother or a distant father, a parent who provided an inadequate gender role model, an unhappy marriage, or genetic and other biological ine uences are all said to account for sons’ and daugh