cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Diversity of Rice yellow mottle virus in Benin and Togo and Screening for Resistant Accessions

Surveys were conducted in rice fields in Benin, Cote d'Ivoire, Mali, Nigeria, Togo and Niger to assess the importance of Rice yellow mottle virus (RYMV). Diseased leaf samples were collected. In Togo, surveys were made mainly in the southern part of the country, and in Benin, all areas where rice is grown were covered. Leaf samples were serologically confirmed by ACP ELISA as bearing RYMV, propagated and all conserved. One hundred and forty-eight (148) Beninese and 27 Togolese strains were serotyped. They were also phenotyped on three susceptible accessions including IR 64, four resistant lines with known alleles on RYMV 1 gene namely TOG 5681 (rymv 1-3), TOG 5672 (rymv 1-4 and RYMV 2), TOG 5674 (rymv 1.5) and Gigante (rymv 1-2). RYMV spots with 9–100% incidences were identified. Serotyping by triple antibody sandwich (TAS) ELISA indicated that two main groups S1 and S2 coexisted in Benin with S1 being prevalent. In Togo, 26 strains were S1 and only one was S2. Phenotyping of the 148 Beninese and 27 Togolese indicated that they all attacked the three susceptible accessions, while TOG 5681 (rymv 1-3), TOG 5672 (rymv 1-4 and RYMV 2), TOG 5674 (rymv 1-5) and Gigante (rymv 1-2) remained symptomless. The use of the genes/alleles above in these countries against the disease is discussed. Three representative Beninese strains were selected to screen 48 accessions for disease resistance. Nine accessions were as susceptible as IR 64 to all strains while six (NERICA 9, NERICA 12, NERICA 13, TOG 7291, WAB56-50, CG 14 and Moroberekan) were very resistant. Susceptibility of the six ARICA and resistance of some NERICA lines could be explained by the fact that one or both parental lines were, respectively, susceptible or resistant to the strains.
Randomized Phase 2 Trial of Pharmacodynamic Separation of Pemetrexed and Intercalated Erlotinib Versus Pemetrexed Alone for Advanced Nonsquamous, Non-small-cell Lung Cancer.

Abstract Background Pharmacodynamic separation of pemetrexed and erlotinib avoids negative cellular interactions and results in antitumor synergy in erlotinib-resistant non–small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC) cells, independent of EGFR (epidermal growth factor receptor) genotype. Patients and Methods Patients with platinum-treated metastatic nonsquamous NSCLC were randomly assigned 1:2 to pemetrexed alone (500 mg/m 2 provided intravenously on day 1) or pemetrexed followed by erlotinib (150 mg provided orally once daily on days 2-17) every 21 days. EGFR genotype was centrally confirmed by Sequenom multiplex oncogenotyping assay. The primary end point was progression-free survival (PFS), which would be considered promising for future study if median PFS was ≥ 4.5 months. Results Of 83 patients enrolled, 79 were randomized to either pemetrexed alone (n = 27) or in combination (n = 52). Fifty-nine (79%) of 75 eligible patients had tumors with confirmed EGFR genotype: 7 with activating mutations and 52 wild type. Median PFS was 4.7 and 2.9 months in the combination and pemetrexed-alone groups, respectively. In patients with EGFR wild-type tumors, median PFS was 5.3 and 3.5 months in the combination and pemetrexed-alone groups, respectively. Objective response rate (29% vs. 10%, P = .17), 6-month PFS (45% vs. 29%, P = .26), and 12-month PFS (23% vs. 10%, P = .28) were all higher in the combination arm. Rash (67% vs. 26%, P = .0007) and diarrhea (44% vs. 11%, P = .003) were significantly more common in the combination arm. Conclusion In patients with unselected or EGFR wild-type advanced nonsquamous NSCLC, pharmacodynamic separation of pemetrexed and intercalated erlotinib had promising antitumor activity without new safety concerns. The combination merits further evaluation as maintenance or second-line therapy against new standards in patients with EGFR wild-type advanced NSCLC.
Recognition of Functional Dependencies in Data

Discovery of regularities in data involves search in many spaces, for instance in the space of functional expressions. If data do not fit any solution in a particular space, much time could be saved if that space was not searched at all. A test which determines the existence of a solution in a particular space, if available, can prevent unneeded search. We discuss a functionality test, which distinguishes data satisfying the functional dependence definition. The test is general and computationally simple. It permits error in data, limited number of outliers, and background noise. We show, how our functionality test works in database exploration within the 49er system as a trigger for the computationally expensive search in the space of equations. Results of tests show the savings coming from application of the test. Finally, we discuss how the functionality test can be used to recognize multifunctions.
Visualizing transcription factor dynamics in living cells.

The assembly of sequence-specific enhancer-binding transcription factors (TFs) at cis-regulatory elements in the genome has long been regarded as the fundamental mechanism driving cell type–specific gene expression. However, despite extensive biochemical, genetic, and genomic studies in the past three decades, our understanding of molecular mechanisms underlying enhancer-mediated gene regulation remains incomplete. Recent advances in imaging technologies now enable direct visualization of TF-driven regulatory events and transcriptional activities at the single-cell, single-molecule level. The ability to observe the remarkably dynamic behavior of individual TFs in live cells at high spatiotemporal resolution has begun to provide novel mechanistic insights and promises new advances in deciphering causal–functional relationships of TF targeting, genome organization, and gene activation. In this review, we review current transcription imaging techniques and summarize converging results from various lines of research that may instigate a revision of models to describe key features of eukaryotic gene regulation.
“What Are the Odds?”: A Rare Clinical Syndrome from a Rare Vascular Condition Caused By a Commonly Used Medication (P1.291)

Objective: Describe a case of a patient developing Balint’s syndrome from bilateral parieto-occiptal ischemic infarcts secondary to reversible cerebral vasoconstriction syndrome (RCVS) after sumatriptan use. Background: Sumatriptan is a commonly prescribed anti-migraine medication which has 5HT 1B & 1D agonistic properties. Injudicious use of sumatriptan can lead to intracranial vasoconstriction with disastrous outcomes as exemplified in our patient. Design/Methods: Case-study Results: 29-years old female with a remote history of headaches presented with severe headaches and acute encephalopathy. MRI revealed bilateral parieto-occipital infarcts. Autoimmune workup and cerebrospinal fluid analysis were unremarkable. Catheter angiography revealed moderate diffuse spasm of the basilar, bilateral intracranial internal carotid, and proximal middle cerebral arteries (MCA). Use of intra-arterial nicardipine during the angiography procedure was limited due to patient’s baseline hypotension. Verapamil was started along with fludrocortisone. Her progress was followed by serial transcranial-doppler which revealed resolution of MCA vasospasm. After clinical improvement with verapamil, she admitted taking 300-mg sumatriptan over a 5-day period prior to the onset of her encephalopathy. In addition, her neurological exam demonstrated clinical signs of optic ataxia and simultagnosia, consistent with Balint’s syndrome due to the location of the stroke Conclusions: On reviewing the literature, only two cases of RCVS have been reported with sumatriptan use. Our patient possesses a high educational value due to the presence of a rare clinical syndrome of Balint’s, from an unusual vascular pathology of RCVS, which was likely secondary from a medication with vasoconstrictive properties. RCVS commonly causes a “thunderclap” headache but in severe cases, can also be associated with ischemic or hemorrhagic infarction, encephalopathy, and seizures. Location of the ischemic infarcts in the bilateral parietal region enabled our patient to possess a mysterious clinical syndrome of simultagnosia and optic ataxia which was first described in 1909. The only sign missing in our patient from the classical Balint syndrome was ocular apraxia. Disclosure: Dr. Girotra has nothing to disclose. Dr. Alshammaa has nothing to disclose. Dr. Butt has nothing to disclose. Dr. Malik has nothing to disclose.
Polymer-assisted chemical solution synthesis of La0.8Sr0.2MnO3-based perovskite with A-site deficiency and cobalt-doping for bifunctional oxygen catalyst in alkaline media

Abstract The polymer-assisted chemical solution (PACS) method was used for the synthesis of La0.8Sr0.2MnO3 (LSM)-based perovskite catalyst network with nanoparticle size of 30–80 nm to enhance oxygen evolution reaction (OER) activity and maintain highly active oxygen reduction reaction (ORR). Samples investigated include the A-site cation deficient (La0.8Sr0.2)0.95MnO3-δ (ALSM) and the A-site cation deficient with the B-site cobalt-doped (La0.8Sr0.2)1-xMn1-xCoxO3-δ (x = 0.05 and 0.1 for LSMC5 and LSMC10, respectively). X-ray diffraction (XRD), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) aided in physical characterizations. Electrochemical properties were tested in 0.1 M KOH solution by cyclic voltammetry (CV), linear sweep voltammetry (LSV) and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS). Our results indicate as compared to LSM, the lattice-shrunk ALSM with high oxygen vacancy displays enhanced OER performance, but its inferior ORR activity could be caused by reduced crystallinity. LSMC5 and LSMC10 show lowest total overpotential (0.93 and 0.91 V vs. Ag/AgCl (3.5 M)) with slightly less efficient ORR, despite their superior specific kinetic current density. Oxygen vacancy induces Fermi level upshift and reduced resistivity, while Co-doping increases orbital hybridization and enhances charge transfer. Understanding how the A-site non-stoichiometry and the B-site doping influence the B O covalence is the key to the rational design of perovskite bifunctional oxygen catalysts.
Modeling the Probability of Hazardous Materials Release in Crashes at Highway–Rail Grade Crossings:

Crashes at Highway–Rail Grade Crossings (HRGCs) that involve a truck or a train carrying hazardous materials (hazmat) expose people and the environment to potentially severe consequences of hazmat ...
Adhesion Molecule Induction and Expression in Neutrophil-Induced Myocardial Injury

Reperfusion of a previously ischemic myocardium has become a standard therapeutic approach to acute myocardial infarction. The efficacy of this approach in reducing mortality and morbidity has been well established. However, there is also substantial evidence that the reperfusion process is accompanied by cardiac injury. In theory, attenuating this reperfusion-dependent injury would further improve the results of thrombolytic or angioplastic interventions of acute myocardial infarction.
Transient leukemoid reaction and trisomy 21 mosaicism in a phenotypically normal newborn

Transient leukemoid reactions that resemble acute leukemia have been well described for infants with trisomy 21 (Down syndrome). We report a phenotypically normal 3-day-old boy with hepatosplenomegaly, leukocytosis, and circulating myeloblasts. On chromosome analysis, trisomy 21 was found in all blood and bone marrow cells. However, only 4% of cultured skin fibroblasts were trisomic and the other 96% were normal, thus indicating mosaicism. Without treatment, the leukocyte count gradually returned to normal and the organomegaly diminished. Subsequently, chromosome analysis of blood and bone marrow disclosed a predominance of cells with a normal karyotype. These findings suggest that mosaicism could be responsible for the transient leukemoid reactions in some newborns--i.e., the trisomic cells may temporarily gain a proliferative advantage over the normal cells, perhaps by inhibiting their growth. Serial cytogenetic studies, as well as chromosome analysis of more than one tissue, may help to distinguish transient leukemoid reactions from acute leukemia in infants.
Electronic Money, Foreign Exchange, Global Trade & Carthage

Global economic trade is often argued to be as old as trade. The question of the nature of the exchange is the issue. While tin from England may have reached Sumeria 4,000 years ago, or Phoenicians’ ships entered the Africa area of Cape Palmas at about the same time, the problem of exchange is a central issue. Ideas of money are as diverse as the cultures that produce them, yet today global trade is experiencing modifications of the satisfaction of exchange with new platforms of electronic money. Such abstractions of value may not be new, but a product of complexity and distance of exchange partners and clients.
Cognitive Behavior Therapy

Increasingly, attention is turning to the significance of children’s mental health. This attention results from a confluence of information sources collectively emphasizing the prevalence of childhood problems. Epidemiological estimates for the prevalence rates of childhood emotional and behavioral disorders range between 15 and 22% (e.g., McCracken, 1992; Roberts, Attkisson, & Rosenblatt, 1998; Rutter, 1989; Kazdin & Weisz, 2003a; WHO, 2001). These rates may be underestimates as epidemiological studies often do not include children exhibiting subclinical distress despite the fact that these subclinical conditions have been found to be associated with significant functional impairments (e.g., Angold, Costello, Farmer, Burns, & Erkanli, 1999). Childhood difficulties have been associated with problems in adolescent and adult adjustment (e.g., Colman, Wadsworth, Croudace, & Jones, 2007). Evidence exists suggesting that childhood psychopathology has long-term social consequences including truncated educational attainment, teen parenthood, early marriage, and marital instability (e.g., Kessler, Berglund, Foster, Saunders, Stang, & Walters, 1997; Kessler, Molnar, Feurer & Appelbaum, 2001; Kessler, Foster, Saunders, & Stang, 1995; Kessler, Walters, & Forthofer, 1998; Forthofer, Kessler, Story, & Gotlib, 1996). Despite the evidence that a large number of children are diagnosed or at risk for disorder, research has suggested that as few as 40% of children experiencing mental health problems receive help and only about 20% receive specialty mental health services (Burns et al., 1995). Hence, there is a real need for easily accessed, client-acceptable, and effective interventions for childhood mental health issues. In recent years, the child therapy literature has grown with a profusion of empirical investigations of
ANALYZING PRODUCTION-LOGISTICS INTERACTIONS

A general model formulation is presented for addressing production-logistics interactions. This formulation takes the form of a network-based optimization problem, in which arcs represent production and logistics decisions. Specific types of interactions between production and logistics decisions are illustrated by two examples: lot sizing in relation to fleet sizing, and simultaneous decisions on mode choice and empty equipment movements for transporting finished products.
Complications and Anticoagulation Strategies for Percutaneous Epicardial Ablation Procedures

Background: Percutaneous pericardial access for catheter ablation is associated with a bleeding risk. We sought to elucidate the relation of hemorrhagic and thromboembolic events associated with ep...
Efficacy of combination therapy versus monotherapy in the treatment of Stenotrophomonas maltophilia pneumonia.

Background Stenotrophomonas maltophilia is intrinsically resistant to several antibiotics, making it potentially challenging to treat. Studies have demonstrated treatment failures and resistance development with monotherapy (MT); however, clinical data are limited with combination therapy (CT). Objectives To compare clinical outcomes with CT versus MT for S. maltophilia pneumonia. Methods This was a retrospective cohort study of patients admitted between November 2011 and October 2017 with S. maltophilia pneumonia who received at least 48 h of effective therapy. The primary outcome was clinical response after 7 days of effective therapy with CT versus MT. Secondary outcomes included development of a non-susceptible isolate, 30 day microbiological cure, infection recurrence, infection-related mortality and all-cause mortality. The Wilcoxon rank sum test, the Pearson χ2 test and Fisher's exact test were utilized for univariate analyses. A multivariable logistic regression model was used to assess clinical response while adjusting for confounding variables. Results Of 252 patients with S. maltophilia pneumonia included, 38 received CT and 214 received MT. There was no difference in 7 day clinical response with CT versus MT (47.4% versus 39.7%, P = 0.38), even after controlling for immune status, APACHE II score and polymicrobial pneumonia (adjusted OR 1.51, 95% CI 0.63-3.65). Thirty day microbiological cure (P = 0.44), recurrence (P = 0.53), infection-related mortality (P = 0.19) and isolation of a non-susceptible isolate during or after therapy (P = 1.00 each) were also similar between both groups; however, 30 day all-cause mortality was greater with CT (P = 0.03). Conclusions CT had similar rates of clinical efficacy and resistance development compared with MT for S. maltophilia pneumonia.
Bulk density optimization to determine subsurface hydraulic properties in Rocky Mountain catchments using the GEOtop model

Integrated watershed models can be used to calculate streamflow generation in snow‐dominated mountainous catchments. Parameterization of water flow is often complicated by the lack of information on subsurface hydraulic properties. In this study, bulk density optimization was used to determine hydraulic parameters for the upper and lower regolith in the GEOtop model. The methodology was tested in two small catchments in the Dry Creek Watershed in Idaho and the Libby Creek Watershed in Wyoming. Modelling efficiencies for profile‐average soil–water content for the two catchments were between 0.52 and 0.64. Modelling efficiencies for stream discharge (cumulative stream discharge) were 0.45 (0.91) and 0.54 (0.94) for the Idaho and Wyoming catchments, respectively. The calculated hydraulic properties suggest that lateral flow across the upper–lower regolith interface is an important driver of streamflow in both the Idaho and Wyoming watersheds. The overall calibration procedure is computationally efficient because only two bulk density values are optimized. The two‐parameter calibration procedure was complicated by uncertainty in hydraulic conductivity anisotropy. Different upper regolith hydraulic conductivity anisotropy factors had to be tested in order to describe streamflow in both catchments.
Visualizing Air Pollution: Communication of Environmental Health Information in a Chinese Immigrant Community.

This study developed and evaluated a visual approach to promoting environmental health literacy about highway pollution. The Interactive Map of Chinatown Traffic Pollution was the centerpiece of a ...
Beijing Academy: Innovation, Design, and Learning.

Purpose—Taking Beijing Academy as an illustrative example, this article aims to discuss a model of “design-as-learning, learning-as-design”.Design/Approach/Methods—As a member of an international p...
Herlyn-Werner-Wunderlich syndrome: A rare cause of abdominal pain and dyspareunia.

Abstract Herlyn-Werner-Wunderlich (HWW) syndrome is a rare congenital disease characterized by Mullerian duct anomalies. The characteristic triad of this syndrome includes didelphys uterus, obstructed hemivagina, and ipsilateral renal agenesis (hence, also known as Obstructed Hemivagina and Ipsilateral Renal Agenesis or OHVIRA syndrome). The clinical presentation of HWW is nonspecific and patients may present with abdominal/pelvic pain, dyspareunia, or dysmenorrhea. However, the imaging findings of HWW are characteristic and discussed in this case report of a 16-year-old female who presented with abdominal pain and dyspareunia.
The ties of later life: aging siblings

ABSTRACTThe study sought to investigate whether aging siblings (ages 60–91) have expectations of social support from their brothers and sisters. Social support includes emotional (expressive) and t...
Prematurity Alters the Feeding-Induced Activation of Signaling Components Towards AKT in Skeletal Muscle of Neonatal Piglets

Objectives Postnatal growth faltering is a common complication of premature birth. Our recent study in a neonatal pig model of prematurity showed that preterm birth reduces weight gain and protein synthesis in skeletal muscle and this is associated with blunted insulin-induced activation of signaling components downstream of AKT. However, prematurity does not affect the activation of the IR/IRS-1/PI3K axis. In this study, we aimed to identify components in the AKT signaling pathway in skeletal muscle that underlie the differential response to insulin between preterm and term pigs.
Behaviorismus und erneuerbare Energien – Anlagenbetreiber als Schlüssel für eine konfliktarme und inklusive Energiewende

Die Energiewende stellt eine grundlegende Transformation in der Erzeugungs- und Verteilstruktur des deutschen Energiesystems dar. Durch verschiedene Fordermechanismen wie das EEG konnten neue, semiprofessionelle Anlagenbetreiber in den Energiemarkt eintreten. Standortentscheidungen wurden entprofessionalisiert und die Bedeutung von behavioristischen Standortfaktoren, wie z. B. das soziale Umfeld, die Sicherung der eigenen Lebensgrundlage oder die personliche Konstitution gewannen an Bedeutung. Dieser Wandel stellt das Voranschreiten der Energiewende vor neue Herausforderungen. Da bisher wenig Kenntnis uber das Handeln und die Faktoren, die zu einer Standortentscheidung bei neuen Anlagenbetreibern fuhren, besteht, ist es das Ziel dieser Studie, Anlagenbetreiber von erneuerbaren Energien nach deren Standortverhalten zu klassifizieren. Dazu wurden mithilfe eines standardisierten Fragebogens Anlagenbetreiber in den Planungsregionen Augsburg (Bayern) und Lausitz-Spreewald (Brandenburg) befragt. In der nachfolgenden Clusteranalyse wurden 4 raumrelevante Betreibergruppen klassifiziert: Uberregionale, Regionale, Kommunale und Kleinbauerliche Betreiber. Diese Gruppen unterscheiden sich hinsichtlich ihres raumrelevanten Standort- und Betriebsverhaltens und weisen daher unterschiedliche Eignungen fur Raume mit unterschiedlichen Eigenschaften auf. Um diese Eignung raumlich sichtbar zu machen, wurde abschliesend eine GIS-Analyse durchgefuhrt, um am Beispiel der Planungsregion Augsburg aufzuzeigen, welche Betreibergruppe an welchem Standort am geeignetsten ist. In Augsburg konnen somit die Kommunalen Betreiber aufgrund ihrer hohen Ortskenntnis und starken lokalen Eingebundenheit an vielen Standorten raumvertraglich Energieanlagen errichten. Der vorliegende Ansatz bietet somit das Potenzial, den Ausbau der Energiewende raum- und sozialvertraglich zu gestalten.
A spatial and temporal examination of housing demolitions on crime in Los Angeles blocks

The current study examines the associations between demolition and crime in Los Angeles blocks. Also, the current study examines how different types of demolitions (residential and commercial) can ...
Paris Is Not Enough: Why the Paris Agreement Isn’t Driving More Climate Action…and How It Could

While the Paris Agreement provides an indispensable framework for expanding global collaboration on climate change, countries’ initial pledges are not nearly sufficient to keep climate disruption within tolerable limits. The Agreement’s mechanism to address this shortfall relies primarily on peer review and “naming and shaming” laggards. This creates only weak incentives for countries to do more than they otherwise would to contain their emissions, and is unlikely produce sufficient new ambition. For the Agreement to generate much deeper emissions cuts over time, it must be supplemented with stronger incentives from outside of the Agreement. This paper proposes three ways that the international community can create those incentives: (1) focusing greater attention on socially beneficial mitigation opportunities; (2) establishing climate protection norms; and (3) using diplomatic “sticks” and “carrots.” It explores each of these approaches in detail, and considers how governments and civil society can use them to encourage countries to more closely align their actions with global goals.
Feasibility of integrating survivors of stroke into cardiac rehabilitation: A mixed methods pilot study

Background Survivors of stroke are often deconditioned and have limited opportunities for exercise post-rehabilitation. Cardiac Rehabilitation (CR), a structured exercise program offered post-cardiac event in the United States (U.S.), may provide an opportunity for continued exercise. The purpose of this study was to examine the feasibility of integrating survivors of stroke into an existing, hospital-based CR program through an assessment of (1) recruitment, uptake and retention, (2) adherence and fidelity, (3) acceptability and (4) safety. Methods A mixed methods design combined a single group, pre-post design, pilot feasibility study with an imbedded qualitative inquiry. Survivors of stroke were recruited into a standard 12-week, 36 visit CR program. Results Fifty-three survivors were referred, 29 started and 24 completed the program. Program uptake rate was 55% and completion rate was 83%. Eleven completers and one non-completer participated in the qualitative interviews. Program completers attended an average of 25.25 (SD 5.82) sessions with an average of 38.93 (SD 5.64) exercise minutes per session while reaching targeted rate of perceived exertion levels. Qualitative themes included perceived benefits of an individualized program in a group setting, positive interactions with qualified staff, opportunities for socialization, and regular monitoring and staff attentiveness promoting feelings of safety. Conclusions Survivors of stroke were able to meet Medicare standard dosage (frequency and session duration) and rate of perceived intensity goals, and perceived the program as needed regardless of their mobility limitations or previous exercise experience. Primary challenges included managing referrals and uptake. Results support feasibility and benefit for survivors to integrate into U.S. CR programs.
Tunisia's Modern Woman: Nation-Building and State Feminism in the Global 1960s

Claims over women's liberation vocalized by Tunisia's first president, Habib Bourguiba began with legal reforms related to family law in 1956. In this book, Amy Aisen Kallander uses this political appropriation of women's rights to look at the importance of women to post-colonial state-building projects in Tunisia and how this relates to other state-feminist projects across the Middle East and during the Cold War. Here we see how the notion of modern womanhood was central to a range of issues from economic development (via family planning) to intellectual life and the growth of Tunisian academia. Looking at political discourse, the women's press, fashion, and ideas about love, the book traces how this concept was reformulated by women through transnational feminist organizing and in the press in ways that proposed alternatives to the dominant constructions of state feminism.
Estimation of treatment effects under endogenous heteroskedasticity

Abstract This paper considers a treatment effect model in which individual treatment effect may be heterogeneous, even among observationally identical individuals. Specifically, by extending the classical instrumental-variables (IV) model with an endogenous binary treatment, the heteroskedasticity of the error disturbance is allowed to vary with the treatment variable so that the treatment generates both mean and variance effect on the outcome. In this endogenous heteroskedasticity IV (EHIV) model, the standard IV estimator can be inconsistent for the average treatment effect (ATE) and lead to incorrect inference. After nonparametric identification is established, closed-form estimators are provided under the linear EHIV specification for the mean and variance treatment effect, as well as the average treatment effect on the treated (ATT). Asymptotic properties of the estimators are derived. We use Monte Carlo experiments to investigate the performance of the proposed approach and then consider an empirical application regarding the effect of fertility on female labor supply. Our findings demonstrate the importance of accounting for endogenous heteroskedasticity.
Electro-optic effect in silicon nitride

We present the first demonstration of the electro-optic effect in Si 3 N 4 by using a multislot waveguide structure. We measure the maximum EO coefficient of 8.31±5.6fm/V, and demonstrate EO modulation at 1GHz.
Letter from the vatican: 26 April 2015

This narrative deals with the author's experiences while attending a human trafficking panel at the Pontifical Academy of Social Sciences (PASS) in the Casina Pio IV, Vatican City, 7–21 April 2015.
Sparse Linear Dynamical System with Its Application in Multivariate Clinical Time Series.

Linear Dynamical System (LDS) is an elegant mathematical framework for modeling and learning multivariate time series. However, in general, it is difficult to set the dimension of its hidden state space. A small number of hidden states may not be able to model the complexities of a time series, while a large number of hidden states can lead to overfitting. In this paper, we study methods that impose an $\ell_1$ regularization on the transition matrix of an LDS model to alleviate the problem of choosing the optimal number of hidden states. We incorporate a generalized gradient descent method into the Maximum a Posteriori (MAP) framework and use Expectation Maximization (EM) to iteratively achieve sparsity on the transition matrix of an LDS model. We show that our Sparse Linear Dynamical System (SLDS) improves the predictive performance when compared to ordinary LDS on a multivariate clinical time series dataset.
Domain analysis of human transmembrane guanylyl cyclase receptors: implications for regulation

In the human genome, sequence analysis indicates there are five functional transmembrane guanylyl cyclases, enzymes that synthesize the intracellular second messenger, cGMP. Two, GC-A and GC-B or NPR-A and NPR-B, are widely distributed receptors for atrial natriuretic peptide, brain natriuretic peptide and C-type natriuretic peptide, more commonly known as ANP, BNP and CNP, respectively. One cyclase, GC-C or StaR, is predominantly found in the intestinal epithelium and is the receptor for guanylin and uroguanylin, as well as for the bacterial pathogen, heat-stable enterotoxin (Sta). The remaining two cyclases, GC-E and GC-F or RetGC-1 and RetGC-2, are expressed in the retina and regulate the dark cycle of phototransduction. Unlike the other family members, GC-E and GC-F have no known extracellular ligands. Instead, they are activated under low calcium conditions by guanylyl cyclase activating proteins called GCAPs. All five members consist of an extracellular ligand binding domain, single transmembrane spanning domain, and intracellular kinase homology, dimerization and guanylyl cyclase catalytic domains. In the first part of this review, the tissue expression, ligands and "knockout" phenotypes of each receptor are summarized and individual domains are compared. In the second part, regulation by ATP, calcium, protein kinase C and phosphorylation is discussed.
A new technique to calculate the electrostatic Coulomb force on a conductor coated with a lossless dielectric

In this article, the authors apply a new technique based on expressing the Coulomb force in terms of a special singularity integral to calculate the electrostatic force exerted on a conductor coated with a lossless dielectric. Specifically, the example of the calculation of the electrostatic Coulomb force on a lossless dielectric slab attached to the lower plate of a parallel-plate capacitor is considered.
The structure of cerebrosides in Gaucher's disease.

Crystalline cerebrosides were isolated from the spleen of a woman with Gaucher's disease. The cerebrosides accounted for 38 per cent of the total spleen lipids and 0.89 per cent of the fresh spleen. The sugar moiety of the cerebrosides was found to be glucose and its position of attachment was establihed to be on the primary hydroxyl group of sphingosine. The double bond in the sphingosine moiety had the trans configuration. The fatty acids of the cerebroside were determined by gas chromatography and paper chromatography and found to be mainly lignoceric, behenic, and palmitic acid. Small amounts of arachidic and stearic acids were also present.
Modeling of tensegrity-membrane systems

Abstract Tensegrity-membrane systems are a class of flexible multibody systems, which are composed of bars, tendons, and membranes. Due to advantages of lightweightness, multifunctionality and adaptability via control design, and the capacity of deployment inherited from tensegrity systems, tensegrity-membrane systems can be utilized in space applications such as solar sails and radar antennas. To study system's prestressing conditions, bars are treated as rigid bodies, and an energy-based method is used to determine the equations for static configurations of general tensegrity-membrane systems. For symmetric tensegrity-membrane systems with multiple stages, the equations for static configurations can be significantly simplified. Explicit analytic solutions for the equilibrium conditions of one-stage symmetric systems are derived. The system dynamics is studied based on the nonlinear finite element method, and the total Lagrangian formulation is implemented. Axial flexibility of bars is considered in the nonlinear finite element model. Simulations based on the dynamic relaxation technique are performed in order to validate the equilibrium determination method introduced in this article. Free vibration simulation results are also presented and discussions related to the deformation of bars, rigid bar assumption, and membrane behavior are included.
An economic assessment of air pollution damages to selected annual crops in Southern California

Agricultural production is influenced by many factors beyond the control of individual producers. In recent decades, air pollution has become one of these exogenous factors. This study uses a price-endogenous mathematical programming model to assess the economic benefits of reducing 1976 ambient oxidant exposures of 14 annual crops in southern California. A measure of the distributional consequences of these benefits across producers, consumers and locations is also provided. Results indicate that 1976 benefits of control for the fourteen included crops would have been approximately $46 million.
STRAP IV - High accuracy, low drift attitude control system.

The STRAP V system was developed to provide higher accuracy and lower limit cycle fine pointing (+ or - 7 arcseconds) in all three axes at targets which cannot be tracked by startrackers or solar trackers. The system provides an increase in pointing performance over that obtainable with the STRAP IV (1) Attitude Control System (ACS). The STRAP IV concept of third axis updates is utilized to reduce pointing errors, using the flight-proven STRAP III (2) system as a first stage. Flight aspect photographs and telemetry records show that the STRAP V objectives have been met. The STRAP IV major error contributors have been significantly reduced and the tracking flexibility has been increased with only minor error contributions. Attention is given to the basic STRAP III control modes, major STRAP IV system error sources, tuned restrained inertial gyros (TRIGs), the programmable sequence timer, the STRAP V control box, third axis update, system gyro alignments, and STRAP V operational capabilities.
Potential Mechanisms of the Human Polyomavirus JC in Neural Oncogenesis

The human polyomavirus JC (JCV) is a small DNA tumor virus and the etiologic agent of the progressive multifocal leukoencephalopathy. In progressive multifocal leukoencephalopathy, active JCV replication causes the lytic destruction of oligodendrocytes. The normal immune system prevents JCV replication and suppresses the virus into a state of latency so that expression of viral proteins cannot be detected. In a cellular context that is nonpermissive for viral replication, JCV can affect oncogenic transformation. For example, JCV is highly tumorigenic when inoculated into experimental animals, including rodents and monkeys. In these animal tumors, there is expression of early T-antigen but not of late capsid proteins, nor is there viral replication. Moreover, mice transgenic for JCV T-antigen alone develop tumors of neural tube origin. Detection of JCV genomic sequences and expression of viral T-antigen and agnoprotein suggest a possible association of this virus with a variety of human brain and non-CNS tumors. Here, we discuss the mechanisms involved in JCV oncogenesis, briefly review studies that do and do not support a causative role for this virus in human CNS tumors, and identify key issues for future research.
Porphyrins in deep ocean sources. Petroporphyrins from Challenger Knoll oil bearing cores

Abstract Porphyrins were separated by chromatography from crude oil obtained from the Deep Sea Drilling Project, core 5, leg 1, site 2 (Challenger Knoll). The u.v.-visible and mass spectra of the vanadyl petroporphyrin fraction are typical of those of a petroleum of Tertiary marine origin.
Stellar activity cycles in lower main sequence stars

The Sun exhibits cyclic modulation in magnetic activity, exemplified by sunspots which increase and decrease in number approximately with an l l -year period. The solar cycle is often explained by a magnetic dynamo model which requires a poloidal magnetic field to be converted, with the aid of the solar interior motions of convection and differential rotation, into a toroidal field and the poloidal field to be refreshed every 11 years. One important aspect of theoretical models is the portrayal of the l l -y r periodicity in solar magnetic activity. Because the models are extremely complex, the knowledge of the periodicity is a welcome constraint to theoretical efforts (1,2).
On the occurrence of renin in the blood of hypertensive patients

Abstract Renin free of hypertensinase has been extracted from lyophilized plasma by aid of a 40 per cent saturated ammonium sulfate solution. Application of this method to twenty-one patients with hypertension gave seventeen negative, one moderately positive, and three slightly positive results. The moderately positive blood was withdrawn from a patient with acute cardiac decompensation and probably cannot be ascribed to the earlier hypertension. The three slightly positive cases indicate quantities of renin that are much too small to elicit even a minimal pressor effect on intravenous injection.
Cellular Method for Wave Functions in Imperfect Metal Lattices

A general method is proposed for constructing conduction-band wave functions in nonperiodic monovalent metals and alloys. The method is a cellular approximation in which it is assumed that the lattice potential can be considered to be spherically symmetric within ellipsoidal cells centered on the individual ions. It is shown that the resulting wave functions are correct, within this approximation, to first order in a parameter which corresponds to the wave number in a perfect crystal. In the case of a strained metal in which the strains vary slowly in space the method takes a form analogous to the deformation-potential formalism, but contains a term which is first order in the derivatives of the strain.The individual ionic potentials enter the procedure through parameters which are evaluated and tabulated for all of the alkali and noble metals. These parameters correspond to deformation-potential constants when that approximation is valid.The general procedure is written in a form which is convenient for treating electron scattering, and the case of point defects is discussed. In particular, the influence of the lattice distortion on the scattering is considered in some detail.The scattering of electrons by stacking faults is discussed, and some of the features of scattering by lattice vibrations in solid and liquid metals are considered.
Posture systematically alters ear-canal reflectance and DPOAE properties

Abstract Several studies have demonstrated that the auditory system is sensitive to changes in posture, presumably through changes in intracranial pressure (ICP) that in turn alter the intracochlear pressure, which affects the stiffness of the middle-ear system. This observation has led to efforts to develop an ear-canal based noninvasive diagnostic measure for monitoring ICP, which is currently monitored invasively via access through the skull or spine. Here, we demonstrate the effects of postural changes, and presumably ICP changes, on distortion product otoacoustic emissions (DPOAE) magnitude, DPOAE angle, and power reflectance. Measurements were made on 12 normal-hearing subjects in two postural positions: upright at 90° and tilted at −45° to the horizontal. Measurements on each subject were repeated five times across five separate measurement sessions. All three measures showed significant changes ( p 0.001 ) between upright and tilted for frequencies between 500 and 2000 Hz, and DPOAE angle changes were significant at all measured frequencies (500–4000 Hz). Intra-subject variability, assessed via standard deviations for each subject’s multiple measurements, were generally smaller in the upright position relative to the tilted position.
On the decoupling of multivariable control systems with time delays

The decoupling problem is solved for an m-input m-output linear time-invariant system with multiple delays in the state and/or the control. The conditions under which such a system can be decoupled are found and the class of the feedback decoupling operators is given. These operators are realized by means of digital filters. Then, the more general linear model in which the input effects directly the output is considered which, upon the introduction of both feedback and feedforward, is shown to be decoupled, Two illustrative examples are included to support the theoretical results.
Third-generation STEP systems that aggregate data for machining and other applications

The first generation of STEP systems generated class libraries and database definitions from EXPRESS models. The second generation added tools to view and validate the data defined by the STEP Application Protocols. A third generation is emerging that aggregates information from different systems. Unlike the previous generations, this one creates new types of data to enable new types of functionality. It builds on the first two by using their code to read and write STEP data, and then adds value by merging data to create new information for the new STEP Application Protocols. We describe an example that creates new information for intelligent machining from data made by CAD and CAM systems.
Endometriosis and ovarian cancer: Thoughts on shared pathophysiology

Abstract Background: Endometriosis appears to predispose to ovarian cancer. How this may occur has been little discussed. Study Design: This article reviews the English language literature for in vitro, animal, clinical, and epidemiologic studies linking the two conditions. Results: Pathology case series consistently report endometrioid and clear cell types of ovarian cancer arising from endometriotic foci. Epidemiologic studies have been consistent with this association. There are also marked similarities between the proposed etiology of ovarian cancer and the observed pathophysiology of endometriosis. Specifically, both are characterized by immune alterations. Both conditions are promoted by estrogen excess and by progesterone deficit. Finally, steroid hormones interacting with the immune system may stimulate both endometriosis and ovarian cancer. I propose that the biology common to endometriosis and ovarian cancer represents not just a parallelism, but instead a causal pathway: aberrant immune function, fed by and feeding on estrogens, unbalanced by progesterone, may create a positive feed-forward loop that enhances the growth and invasiveness of endometriosis and promotes its malignant transformation. Conclusions: The same pathophysiology may orchestrate the progression of endometriosis and its transformation to endometroid and clear cell ovarian neoplasias. This notion of a unifying biology suggests a directed approach to future research and identifies possible chemoprevention strategies for women with endometriosis. (Am J Obstet Gynecol 2003;189:280-94.)
Siloles: Part 1: Synthesis, Characterization, and Applications

Abstract Advances made in methods of synthesis of siloles during the period 1996 to the end of 2009 are described. The earliest general method involved reductive dimerization of tolan with lithium metal followed by quenching with a dichlorosilane, trichlorosilane, or silicon tetrachloride. Versatile new methods involve the intramolecular cyclization of dialkynylsilanes in the presence of lithium naphthalenide (Tamao method) and 1,1-organoboration with a trialkylborane (Wrackmeyer method) each of which provides an entry into different types of substitution patterns in the silole product. Supplementing the reductive-coupling route to siloles has been both stoichiometric and catalyzed processes mediated by transition metal complexes. Various, less general synthetic methods are also described. Reactions of siloles at either the silicon center or the ring carbon centers that retain the silole skeleton are included. Characterization methods used to confirm the siloles are included in tabular form, and uses or applications of the silole are also summarized. Fluorescent data are highlighted for selected siloles as is the aggregation-induced emission phenomenon generally exhibited by this class of compounds. Various oligomers and polymers that contain siloles have been reported and include oligo- and poly-(1,1-siloles) as well as polymers where organic bridges connect to the silole in the 1-position or at a ring carbon position. Siloles have been used as core components for efficient electron-transporting materials and their incorporation into OLED devices and the characteristics of such devices is summarized.
Which Cheek did the Resurrected Jesus Turn

Secular portraits are likely to show more of the left than right side of the face (hemiface). Prior research has shown that emotions are more strongly expressed by the left hemiface. In addition, the valence theory of emotion proposes that the right hemisphere is dominant for mediating negative emotions, and the left hemisphere for positive emotions. Since religious art depicting a scene such as the Resurrection of Jesus is more likely to be associated with positive emotions, we postulated that there would be a significant smaller percentage number of artistic works of the Resurrection that reveal the left side of the face of Jesus than in those art works portraying the Crucifixion. Thus, we analyzed artistic portrayals of the Resurrection of Jesus and compared them to the artistic scenes of the Crucifixion. This analysis revealed that the left side of the face of Jesus is less commonly depicted in portraits of the Resurrection than the Crucifixion. In addition, both the right hemiface, and forward-facing faces were also more commonly portrayed in painting of the Resurrection than the Crucifixion. Whereas this right–left hemiface, Resurrection–Crucifixion dichotomy may be related to right–left hemispheric difference in the mediation of emotional valence other factors such as agency, action–intention, and biblical text may have influenced these differences.