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This article examines the dynamics of inter-referencing between cities and develops the concept of the 'Urban Referencing Network' as a representation of the references made by cities to one another in policy documents. The study employs public art policies, specifically the Percent for Art policy, to investigate the structure of inter-referencing within the urban referencing network. Using a corpus of policy documents from 26 Anglophone cities with over one million residents, we analyse 150 documents containing 2178 inter-references. Combining network measurements and regressions, we explore the emergence of central nodes and the mechanisms influencing their formation. The broader field of arts and cultural policies, with its extensive inter-urban connections and professional networks, provides fertile ground for studying urban referencing networks. By integrating literature on policy mobility and urban networks, this study contributes to a deeper understanding of the circulation of urban ideas and the interplay between cities in policy-making processes. The results demonstrate that only a few cities, including New York, Chicago, London, Seattle, Los Angeles, and Montreal, emerge as central nodes, attracting the other cities' attention. Attributes of the referenced cities, like economic importance, iconicity and early adoption, determine to a great extent who are the most central nodes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

State Machine Replication (SMR) solutions often divide time into rounds, with a designated leader driving decisions in each round. Progress is guaranteed once all correct processes synchronize to the same round, and the leader of that round is correct. Recently suggested Byzantine SMR solutions such as HotStuff, and LibraBFT achieve progress with a linear message complexity and a constant time complexity once such round synchronization occurs. But round synchronization itself incurs an additional cost. By Dolev and Reischuk's lower bound, any deterministic solution must have Ω (n 2) communication complexity. Yet the question of randomized round synchronization with an expected linear message complexity remained open. We present an algorithm that, for the first time, achieves round synchronization with expected linear message complexity and expected constant latency. Existing protocols can use our round synchronization algorithm to solve Byzantine SMR with the same asymptotic performance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Frequency-locked measurements of floating potential fluctuations are carried out in a cold atmospheric pressure micro-plasma jet interacting with substrates of varying electrical permittivity (εr). The range of fluctuation frequencies (∼ 0.5–9 kHz) is compared with that determined from the time series of floating potential fluctuations and its fast Fourier transform. Results of these independent methods to determine the fluctuation frequencies are found to agree reasonably well, thereby affirming their existence in the micro-plasma jet. Substrate feedback effects dictated by εr are found to influence the amplitude of fluctuations and threshold breakdown voltage. The spectral emission line intensity corresponding to the reactive oxygen and nitrogen species, which is critical for biomedical applications, decrease drastically in the presence of stronger levels of fluctuations, indicating a bearing on their generation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Placemaking is a concept used in urban planning to shape public spaces. It is a complex and evolving concept that involves various actors with different goals, including grassroots community members, artists, developers, and governments. Placemaking has the potential to address urban crises and improve urban life, but it is distinct from mainstream planning and can take the form of informal interventions led by activists. It has been influenced by various discourses, including post-capitalism and post-liberalism, and it is important to consider how it can benefit marginalized groups and contribute to meeting place-based goals of access and inclusion. Placemaking has gained renewed attention during the COVID-19 pandemic, but there are challenges to maintaining its integrity, such as the rush to implement initiatives without proper community engagement. Despite these challenges, placemaking holds potential for progress in addressing social vulnerabilities and building bridges across communities. [Extracted from the article]

This paper examines the psychiatric work villages in Israel, which have so far had little historiographic attention. In the 1950s and 1960s, four work villages were established for people with psychiatric disabilities. They were intended to create a long-term rehabilitative alternative to the common hospitalization practice. These villages were organized around employment in various branches of farming and also offered recreational and cultural activities to alleviate the patients' loneliness and to create a community life. The villages echoed central values of the new country: labour, manufacturing, cooperativity, and cultural and community life. I will discuss the similarities between the psychiatric work villages and earlier, mostly Western, psychiatric therapeutic models, such as moral treatment and the therapeutic community model. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cold plasma as a new anticancer agent is described by Freund I et al. i [25] The anticancer effect of oxidized saline generated using a spark discharge is investigated using CT26 colorectal cancer cells I in vitro i and I in vivo i and compared against oxidized saline generated by the well-investigated medical plasma jet I kINPen i . In summary, atmospheric plasmas play an important role in many current and emerging fields, including plasma medicine, agriculture, plasma processing, catalysis, and aerospace engineering. Plasma generated in contact with liquid is charactered by Ng I et al i .[35] It is shown that the plasma can be tailored to tune the composition of plasma-functionalized liquids. The significant effect of radiation trapped photon emission on ionization wave dynamics demonstrates the need to consider these effects in plasma reactors where self-absorbed radiation is typically ignored. [Extracted from the article]

It is widely accepted that Pavlovian fear conditioning requires activation of NMDA receptors (NMDARs) in the basolateral amygdala complex (BLA). However, it was recently shown that activation of NMDAR in the BLA is only required for fear conditioning when danger occurs unexpectedly; it is not required for fear conditioning when danger occurs as expected. This study tested the hypothesis that NMDARs in the BLA are engaged for Pavlovian fear conditioning when an animal’s predictions regarding danger are in error. In each experiment, rats (females in Experiment 1 and males in Experiments 2–5) were conditioned to fear one stimulus, S1, when it was paired with foot-shock (S1fishock), and 48 h later, a second stimulus, S2, when it was presented in sequence with the already-conditioned S1 and foot-shock (S2fiS1fishock). Conditioning to S2 occurred under a BLA infusion of the NMDAR antagonist, D-AP5 or vehicle. The subsequent tests of freezing to S2 alone and S1 alone revealed that the antagonist had no effect on conditioning to S2 when the shock occurred exactly as predicted by the S1, but disrupted this conditioning when the shock occurred earlier/later than predicted by S1, or at a stronger/weaker intensity. These results imply that errors in the timing or intensity of a predicted foot-shock engage NMDARs in the BLA for Pavlovian fear conditioning. They are discussed in relation to theories which propose a role for prediction error in determining how experiences are organized in memory and how activation of NMDAR in the BLA might contribute to this organization. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Sepsis is a significant public health challenge. The immune system underlies the pathogenesis of the disease. The liver is both an active player and a target organ in sepsis. Targeting the gut immune system using low-dose colchicine is an attractive method for alleviating systemic inflammation in sepsis without inducing immunosuppression. The present study aimed to determine the use of low-dose colchicine in LPS-induced sepsis in mice. C67B mice were injected intraperitoneal with LPS to induce sepsis. The treatment group received 0.02 mg/kg colchicine daily by gavage. Short and extended models were performed, lasting 3 and 5 days, respectively. We followed the mice for biochemical markers of end-organ injury, blood counts, cytokine levels, and liver pathology and conducted proteomic studies on liver samples. Targeting the gut immune system using low-dose colchicine improved mice's well-being measured by the murine sepsis score. Treatment alleviated the liver injury in septic mice, manifested by a significant decrease in their liver enzyme levels, including ALT, AST, and LDH. Treatment exerted a trend to reduce creatinine levels. Low-dose colchicine improved liver pathology, reduced inflammation, and reduced the pro-inflammatory cytokine TNFα and IL1-β levels. A liver proteomic analysis revealed low-dose colchicine down-regulated sepsis-related proteins, alpha-1 antitrypsin, and serine dehydratase. Targeting the gut immune system using low-dose colchicine attenuated liver injury in LPS-induced sepsis, reducing the pro-inflammatory cytokine levels. Low-dose colchicine provides a safe method for immunomodulation for multiple inflammatory disorders. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The purpose of this study was to assess the feasibility of use of a novel uterine fibroid treatment device hypothesized to cause fibroid infarction by increasing intra-tumoral pressure. Between August 2019 and January 2020, 21 uterine fibroids were treated in 16 symptomatic pre-menopausal black women. Pelvic magnetic resonance imaging was performed before the procedure, a day after the procedure and at 1, 3, 6, and 12 months. The subjects were also followed for clinical outcomes and quality of life up to 12 months at a single investigational site. At 3 months, the mean reduction in the fibroid volume was 36.3% (P =.002). Incremental reduction in volume peaked at the end of the follow-up, at the 12-month mark (60.4%; P =.008). There were no procedures in which the users failed to perform laparoscopic pressure suturing of fibroids with the pressure-induced fibroid ischemia device. Improvement in the quality of life was evident in the Health-Related Quality of Life total, Energy/Mood, Control, and Sexual Function domains of the Uterine Fibroid Symptom and Quality of Life questionnaire at 3 months post-procedure. Unanticipated risks were not identified. Serious adverse events were not identified. The initial clinical assessment of the pressure-induced fibroid ischemia device supports feasibility of the approach and does not reveal serious safety concerns. Trial is currently being registered retrospectively (This was a feasibility study and therefore registration was not mandatory). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Mobile robotic telepresence systems require that information about the environment, the task, and the robot be presented to a remotely located user (operator) who controls the robot for a specific task. In this study, two interaction modes, proactive and reactive, that differ in the way the user receives information from the robot, were compared in an experimental system simulating a healthcare setting. The users controlled a mobile telepresence robot that delivered and received items (medication, food, or drink), and also obtained metrics (vital signs) from a simulated patient while the users performed a secondary healthcare-related task (they compiled health records which were displayed to them on the screen and answered related questions). The effect of the two interaction modes on overall performance and user perception was evaluated through a within-participant study design conducted with 50 participants belonging to two different types of populations (with and without a technological background). Efficiency, effectiveness, understanding, satisfaction, and situation awareness were defined as the dependent variables measured both objectively and subjectively. The proactive mode increased user performance, and understanding of the system and reduced the workload compared to the reactive mode. However, several of the users valued the option of increased user control experienced in the reactive mode. We, therefore, proposed design suggestions to highlight some of the benefits of factoring the reactive mode into the design as a hybrid mode. • Mobile robotic telepresence system tested for remote caregiving: deliver items, obtain vital signs from simulated patient. • Remote caregivers performed a secondary healthcare-related task alongside the main task. • Proactive and reactive interaction modes were developed and compared in experimental healthcare simulation. • Proactive mode enhances performance, system understanding, and reduces workload, while Reactive mode increased user control. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives: In the midst of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) outbreak, chest X-ray (CXR) imaging is playing an important role in diagnosis and monitoring of patients with COVID-19. We propose a deep learning model for detection of COVID-19 from CXRs, as well as a tool for retrieving similar patients according to the model's results on their CXRs. For training and evaluating our model, we collected CXRs from inpatients hospitalized in four different hospitals. Methods: In this retrospective study, 1384 frontal CXRs, of COVID-19 confirmed patients imaged between March and August 2020, and 1024 matching CXRs of non-COVID patients imaged before the pandemic, were collected and used to build a deep learning classifier for detecting patients positive for COVID-19. The classifier consists of an ensemble of pre-trained deep neural networks (DNNS), specifically, ReNet34, ReNet50¸ ReNet152, and vgg16, and is enhanced by data augmentation and lung segmentation. We further implemented a nearest-neighbors algorithm that uses DNN-based image embeddings to retrieve the images most similar to a given image. Results: Our model achieved accuracy of 90.3%, (95% CI: 86.3–93.7%) specificity of 90% (95% CI: 84.3–94%), and sensitivity of 90.5% (95% CI: 85–94%) on a test dataset comprising 15% (350/2326) of the original images. The AUC of the ROC curve is 0.96 (95% CI: 0.93–0.97). Conclusion: We provide deep learning models, trained and evaluated on CXRs that can assist medical efforts and reduce medical staff workload in handling COVID-19. Key Points: • A machine learning model was able to detect chest X-ray (CXR) images of patients tested positive for COVID-19 with accuracy and detection rate above 90%. • A tool was created for finding existing CXR images with imaging characteristics most similar to a given CXR, according to the model's image embeddings. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The therapeutic relationship formed during arts therapies with ultra-orthodox children and teens, when it is provided by therapists who are not ultra-orthodox themselves, may suffer from an intercultural gap. This quantitative longitudinal study examined the therapeutic alliance (TA) and clients' reactions to the artistic work (ABI) in arts therapies with young ultra-orthodox clients, and the relationship of these process variables to changes in self-concept, behavior and functioning in a dedicated educational setting. Forty-one ultra-orthodox clients aged 4–15 (M =6.54, SD =2.33) and 17 arts therapists from diverse religious/cultural backgrounds filled out process questionnaires three times during therapy. The clients, their mothers, and the educational staff provided information on the outcome variables at the beginning and end of therapy. The findings partially confirmed the hypotheses of a positive relationship between TA and ABI, between the two and changes in the outcome variables. The clients' and therapists' perspectives on the TA were only positively correlated towards the end of therapy. Positive correlations were found between ABI and TA, but a negative correlation emerged between TA at the beginning of therapy and ABI towards the end of therapy. Positive correlations were found between the process variables and the gain scores; namely, between ABI and improvement in functioning in kindergarten, TA and improvement in cognitive competence of clients treated by secular therapists, and between TA and a decline in hyperactivity/distractibility of clients treated by ultra-orthodox or religious therapists. A negative correlation emerged between TA and increased aggression in clients treated by secular therapists. These findings are discussed in the context of the specificity of this population and intercultural therapy. • Therapy with ultra-orthodox children involves client-therapist-artwork relationships. • Therapists' adjustment to the ultra-orthodox clients' perceptions is prolonged. • Alliance-outcome relationship differs as a function of the therapists' religion. • Artmaking promoted better functioning in ultra-orthodox kindergartens. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

CubeSat and small satellites play a very important role in modern space exploration. Their success and diverse capabilities rely on the development of efficient and compact sub‐systems. This task is not trivial due to multiple challenges posed by their small size and mass, and the solution calls for conceptually new designs for the fabrication and integration of complex miniaturized satellite components. The importance of additive techniques in small satellite manufacturing is steadily increasing as they enable rapid, large‐scale production of sophisticated architectures, such as hollow, webbed parts with a cell‐like structure similar to animal bone, with lower mass and improved functionality. Moreover, these architectures feature higher strength, enhanced heat transfer, and efficient thermal and electromagnetic radiation shielding. When compared to traditional subtractive technologies like cutting and milling, additive manufacturing proves to be more versatile and effective in realizing architectures with an increasing intricacy of shapes, structures, and compositions. The perspective explores the suitability of 3D printing in various satellite production tasks, including the propulsion system components and satellite elements. Looking ahead, the challenges and advantages of integrating 3D printing technology into satellite production, emphasizing the need for continuous development through consolidated, proactive collaborative efforts of many devoted teams are outlined. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We report a case of primary temporal bone diffuse B-cell non-Hodgkin lymphoma, which is a rare entity. A 71-year-old male with a history of dementia and hemicraniectomy presented due to 1 month of a pronounced left ulcerative mastoid lesion. Strikingly, there were no cranial nerve deficits which was unexpected due to the degree of the lesion. Initially, infectious mastoiditis was suspected based on physical examination alone. Due to the patient being a poor historian, it was difficult to determine whether this was an acute or chronic issue. Temporal bone squamous cell carcinoma, infectious mastoiditis, and actinomycosis were on the differential, but biopsies revealed non-Hodgkin lymphoma. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Twenty years ago, molecular biology transitioned from predominantly studying genes as isolated elements to viewing them as part of complex modules, giving rise to the field of systems biology. This transition was made possible by technological advances that allowed to simultaneously measure the expression levels of thousands of genes in a single experiment and drove a shift toward analyses identifying gene sets, modules, and pathways involved in a biological process of interest. Today we are excitingly facing a similar turning point in cell biology, where single‐cell technologies have enabled us to approach cells as cellular modules. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives: To assess time trends in colorectal cancer screening uptake, time-to-colonoscopy completion following a positive fecal occult blood test and associated patient factors, and the extent and predictors of longitudinal screening adherence in Israel. Setting: Nation-wide population-based study using data collected from four health maintenance organizations for the Quality Indicators in Community Healthcare Program. Methods: Screening uptake for the eligible population (aged 50–74) was recorded 2003–2018 using aggregate data. For a subcohort (2008–2012, N = 1,342,617), time-to-colonoscopy following a positive fecal occult blood test and longitudinal adherence to screening guidelines were measured using individual-level data, and associated factors assessed in multivariate models. Results: The annual proportion screened rose for both sexes from 11 to 65%, increasing five-fold for age group 60–74 and >six-fold for 50–59 year olds, respectively. From 2008 to 2012, 67,314 adults had a positive fecal occult blood test, of whom 71% eventually performed a colonoscopy after a median interval of 122 (95% confidence interval 110.2–113.7) days. Factors associated with time-to-colonoscopy included age, socioeconomic status, and comorbidities. Only 25.5% of the population demonstrated full longitudinal screening adherence, mainly attributable to colonoscopy in the past 10 years rather than annual fecal occult blood test performance (83% versus 17%, respectively). Smoking, diabetes, lower socioeconomic status, cardiovascular disease, and hypertension were associated with decreased adherence. Performance of other cancer screening tests and frequent primary care visits were strongly associated with adherence. Conclusions: Despite substantial improvement in colorectal cancer screening uptake on a population level, individual-level data uncovered gaps in colonoscopy completion after a positive fecal occult blood test and in longitudinal adherence to screening, which should be addressed using focused interventions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The study of cold atmospheric plasma (CAP) began about a decade ago. Currently, multiple applications of CAP have been discovered including biomedicine, nanomaterials, agriculture, and water purifications. At the current stage of these research fields, it is obvious that the next move will be CAP optimization for each specific application. For example, in the field of plasma-based cancer treatment, due to the different responses of cell lines, CAP can activate different biological pathways in different cells, i.e., to be selective. One of the most commonly used CAP types is the cold atmospheric plasma jet (CAPJ). However, without a full understanding of CAPJ physics, it is impossible to optimize the plasma for every application condition. Moreover, since each research team is equipped with its own CAPJ generator, the hardware behaviors vary significantly across researchers. Therefore, a complete big picture of CAPJ control and parameters is a critical milestone for future CAPJ optimization in these research fields. This Review provides a summary of how CAPJ parameters can be manipulated with the control inputs and hardware design to extend that the chemical compositions can be modified by the gas flow rate, discharge waveform, target properties, and local environment. Based on the control map summarized in this work, CAPJ users can easily optimize their device for a certain specific purpose, such as maximizing OH and H2O2 for cancer treatment or maximizing O3 and ultraviolet for sterilization. Therefore, this study sheds light on the general theory of CAPJ control and can be a basis for future optimization of low-temperature plasma devices. Consideration of the plasma control based on machine learning methods has been receiving interest recently and certainly will become a future hot topic. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To identify the pathways through which external, parental, and adolescent factors influence adolescents' motivation to adopt healthy dietary behaviors. A total of 28 ethnically and socioeconomically diverse (25% White) families were interviewed in which adolescents (mean age = 12.7 years; 50% girls) and parents (mean age = 43.3 years; 68% mothers) were interviewed separately. Data were first analyzed thematically, and family summaries, supplemented with diagrams, were then used to identify the processes through which factors influenced adolescents' dietary behaviors. The analyses identified 3 main motivational pathways (intrinsic motivation, extrinsic motivation, and amotivation), wherein variability and inconsistencies were observed across and within pathways. The unique combination of external factors, parenting profiles, as well as adolescents' willingness to be socialized by family members, differentiated these pathways from each other. Health interventions need to target the overall approaches that parents use to socialize their adolescent to make healthy food choices instead of targeting specific parenting practices. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Following allopolyploidization, nascent polyploid wheat species react with massive genomic rearrangements, including deletion of transposable element-containing sequences. While such massive rearrangements are considered to be a prominent process in wheat genome evolution and speciation, their structure, extent, and underlying mechanisms remain poorly understood. In this study, we retrieved ~3500 insertions of a specific variant of Fatima, one of the most dynamic gypsy long-terminal repeat retrotransposons in wheat from the recently available high-quality genome drafts of Triticum aestivum (bread wheat) and Triticum turgidum ssp. dicoccoides or wild emmer, the allotetraploid mother of all modern wheats. The dynamic nature of Fatima facilitated the identification of large (i.e., up to ~ 1 million bases) Fatima-containing insertions/deletions (indels) upon comparison of bread wheat and wild emmer genomes. We characterized 11 such indels using computer-assisted analysis followed by PCR validation, and found that they might have occurred via unequal intra-strand recombination or double-strand break (DSB) events. Additionally, we observed one case of introgression of novel DNA fragments from an unknown source into the wheat genome. Our data thus indicate that massive large-scale DNA rearrangements might play a prominent role in wheat speciation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Transposable elements (TEs) comprise over 80% of the wheat genome and usually possess unique features for specific super-families and families. However, the role of TEs in wheat evolution and reshaping the wheat genome remains largely unclear. Results: In this study, we discovered a miniature (307 bp in length) TE-like sequence in exon 6 of a gene that encodes for 5-formyltetrahydrofolate, in two accessions of wild emmer wheat (T. turgidum ssp. dicoccoides) and has interfered with the gene translation by creating a shorter reading frame as a result of a stop codon. The sequence that was termed Mariam, does not show any structural similarity to known TEs. It does not possess terminal inverted repeats (TIRs) that would allow us to assign this element to one of the TIR DNA super-families, and it does not possess characteristic features of SINE, such as a Pol-III promotor or a poly-A tail. In-silico analysis of five publicly available genome drafts of Triticum and Aegilops species revealed that Mariam element appears in a very low copy number (1–3 insertions) in diploid wheat species and ~ 12 insertions in tetraploid and hexaploidy wheat species. In addition, Mariam element was found to be unique to wheat, as it was not found in other plant genomes. The dynamic nature of Mariam in the wheat genome was assessed by site-specific PCR analysis and revealed that it retained activity in wild emmer populations in a population-specific manner. Conclusions: This study provides additional insight into the evolutionary impact of TEs in wheat. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This review critically examines the multiple effects of low-temperature, atmospheric pressure plasma stress on the "on top" (collectively termed cutaneous) materials, to reveal the effects of this stress on the materials that lay underneath, collectively termed sub-cutaneous materials. Plasma generated reactive agents presents stress and trigger relayed effects within the cutaneous layers, leading to transcutaneous penetration of the plasma-induced stress into sub-cutaneous materials. Among the many possibilities from the areas spanning soft matter and life sciences, the effects of reactive plasma agents help improve the outcomes of cutaneous wound healing, reduce skin cancer tumors, and eradicate biofilms on biomedical implant materials. Cutaneous materials include animal skin or laboratory models using soft matter such as liquid media, gels, and cell cultures. Here we examine permeable interfaces of cutaneous materials and sub-cutaneous living tissues subjected to low-temperature atmospheric-pressure plasmas as a multi-modal reactive system producing stress on materials through multiple reactive agents including radicals, excited atoms and molecules, ions, heat, UV, and electric fields. Interaction of plasma-radiative stress with cutaneous materials leads to the unexpected, yet effective transmission of the reactive agents through to sub-cutaneous tissues, potentially systemically through the body. We examine the penetration of plasma-generated stress through the skin or skin models leading to the many interesting effects. In a broader context, this knowledge is relevant to several fields of materials science and engineering from soft matter to biomaterials and may help advance diverse applications ranging from non-thermal processing of soft and flexible materials for flexible electronics and soft robotics to direct skin disease treatment in vivo. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Some recently developed Hall thrusters utilize a magnetic field configuration in which the field lines penetrate the thruster walls at a high incidence angle. This so-called magnetic lens leads to an electric field pointing away from the walls, which is expected to reduce ion losses and improve thruster efficiency. This configuration also introduces an interesting behavior in the sheath formation. At sufficiently large angles, ions are repelled from the wall, and sheath collapse is expected. We use a plasma simulation code to investigate this phenomenon in detail. We consider the role of the magnetic field incidence angle, secondary electron emission, and a magnetic mirror. Numerical study confirms the theoretical predictions, and at large angles, ions are seen to turn away from the wall. We also consider the role of the magnetic field geometry on ion wall flux and channel erosion, and observe reduction in both quantities as the magnetic field incidence angle is increased. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Global model of atmospheric-pressure anodic arc in helium is developed. This type of discharge is currently used for efficient synthesis of various carbon nanostructures including carbon nanotubes. The model features include coupling between interelectrode plasma and electrodes, current continuity at electrodes, thermal regime of electrodes, and anode erosion. It is taken into account that arc radius increases linearly with the arc current according to experimental observation. Results indicate that substantial fraction of the current at the cathode is conducted by ions (0.7–0.9 of the total current). Calculated anode erosion rate and nonmonotonic voltage-current characteristic of the arc predicted by the model are in agreement with experimental data. It is concluded that nonmonotonic behavior of the arc voltage can be only reproduced by considering experimentally observed dependence of the arc radius on arc current. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Ablation of metallic target using Gaussian profile laser pulse with duration of 30 ns and fluence extending up to 100 J/cm2 is studied. A self-consistent model that involves numerical simulation to obtain the thickness of a hydrodynamic layer is proposed. The influence of the hydrodynamic layer thickness on Knudsen layer properties, and hence the rate of evaporation, is demonstrated. Self-consistent model is compared with model based on assumption about sonic speed at the Knudsen layer outer edge and validated with experimental results for Al alloy and Cu. Finally, sample calculations are performed using the proposed model to obtain depth of evaporation of Al alloy for single pulse duration. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Voltage-current (V-I) characteristics of the carbon nanotube producing anodic arc are measured for different gap sizes (up to 13 mm), anode compositions, and background He pressures (in the range of about 300–500 Torr). Arc is supported by the erosion of 6.35 mm hollow anode packed with composition of Ni, Y, and carbon powders. Experiments were carried out for the arc currents in the range of about 10–100 A. It is shown that V-I characteristics have a V-type shape with minimum point corresponded to arc current of about 25–30 A and arc voltage of 20–25 V at the gap of 2.5 mm. V-I characteristic shifts 15–25 V to higher arc voltages with increasing gap from 2.5 to 13 mm, while the position of voltage minimum shifts by about 15 A to higher arc currents. The increase in the metallic catalyst fraction in the anode composition (from C:Ni:Y=56:4:1 to 36:4:1) results in the slight decrease in the arc voltage (about a few volts) and slight shift of the minimum position to higher arc currents (5–10 A). Anode erosion rate increases from below 5 mg/s to about 44 mg/s with arc current increase from 40 A to about 100 A. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The ability to control the properties of single-wall nanotubes (SWNTs) produced in the arc discharge is important for many practical applications. Our experiments suggest that the length of SWNTs significantly increases (up to 4000 nm), along with the purity of the carbon deposit, when the magnetic field is applied to arc discharge. Scanning electron microscopy and transmission electron microscopy analyses have demonstrated that the carbon deposit produced in the magnetic-field-enhanced arc mainly consists of the isolated and bunched SWNTs. A model of a carbon nanotube interaction and growth in the thermal plasma was developed, which considers several important effects such as anode ablation that supplies the carbon plasma in an anodic arc discharge technique, and the momentum, charge, and energy transfer processes between nanotube and plasma. It is shown that the nanotube charge with respect to the plasma as well as nanotube length depend on plasma density and electric field in the interelectrode gap. For instance, nanotube charge changes from negative to positive value with an electron density decrease. The numerical simulations based on the Monte Carlo technique were performed, which explain an increase in the nanotubes produced in the magnetic-field-enhanced arc discharge. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper plasma dynamics and ionization of propellant gas are modeled within the anode holes used for gas injection of a Hall thruster. Under conditions of anode coating with dielectric material, the discharge current should close within these holes, which results in ionization and formation of plasma jets emanating from the openings. The model shows that gas ionization inside the anode holes is very significant. For instance, the electron density increases by two orders of magnitude under certain conditions. The potential drop in the anode region which includes the electrostatic sheath inside the hole and potential drop along the hole might be positive or negative, depending on the anode hole radius. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this article we develop an analytical model of the Knudsen layer at the ablative wall taking into account the temperature gradient in the bulk gas. The analysis is based on the premise that the temperature gradient in the bulk gas can be taken into account in the velocity distribution function at the outer boundary of the Knudsen layer. The model uses a bimodal velocity distribution function in the Knudsen layer, which preserves the laws of conservation of mass, momentum, and energy and converges to the Chapman–Enskog velocity distribution function at the outer boundary of the layer. The model is applied to polyethylene ablation, for which two cases are considered: (a) the ablation process is due to pure heat conduction to the surface, with no external heating of the ablated surface, and (b) the ablation is due to both the thermal conduction and an external heating of the surface, e.g., vaporization of a metal exposed to laser radiation. The region of validity of the existing models and effect of the temperature gradient on the Knudsen layer properties are calculated. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, we study the ablation phenomena associated with the operation of a capillary discharge for an electrothermal gun. Electrothermal-chemical (ETC) guns are used for enhancement of ignition and combustion of an energetic propellant. One of the major components of the ETC system is a plasma source based on a capillary discharge. In this paper, a model of the capillary discharge is developed. In this model, primary attention is paid to the ablation phenomenon. Different characteristic subregions near the ablated surface, namely, a space-charge sheath, a Knudsen layer, and a hydrodynamic layer, are considered. In this formulation, the ablation rate is determined by the parameters at the edge of the Knudsen layer. The kinetic approach is used to determine the parameters at the interface between the kinetic Knudsen layer and the hydrodynamic layer. Coupling the solution of the nonequilibrium Knudsen layer with the hydrodynamic layer provides a self-consistent solution for the ablation rate. According to the model predictions, the peak electron temperature is about 1.4 eV, the polyethylene surface temperature is about 700 K, and the pressure is about 10 MPa. It is found that the ablation rate increases with the capillary length. The ablated mass and the predicted total pressure agree with previous experimental observations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Plasma transport in a hybrid dc vacuum arc plasma source for ion deposition and plasma immersion treatment is considered. It is found that external crossed electric and magnetic fields near the substrate can significantly reduce the relative amplitude of ion current fluctuations Īf at the substrate surface. In particular, Īf decreases with the applied magnetic field when the bias voltage exceeds 300 V, thus allowing one to reduce the deviations from the rated process parameters. This phenomenon can be attributed to an interaction between the metal-plasma jet from the arc source and the discharge plasma in the crossed fields. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Several interrelated phenomena near the surface ablated into a discharge plasma, such as ablation and ionization in accelerated plasma are studied. Two characteristic ablation modes are identified, namely, ablation mode with a velocity at the Knudsen layer edge smaller than the local sound speed and a velocity at the Knudsen layer edge close to the sound speed. The existence of these two ablation modes is determined by the current density in the acceleration region. The nonequilibrium ionization region in the presence of strong electromagnetic plasma acceleration is studied. In the subsonic regime, the ionization region thickness is proportional to the ionization rate and inversely proportional to the magnetic field. Conditions for ionization equilibrium in the accelerating plasma are determined. The specific example of a micropulsed plasma thruster is considered. It is concluded that both the equilibrium and nonequilibrium ionization regimes occur in this device. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

An end-to-end model is presented of the transient plume created by a microlaser ablation plasma thruster. In this article, we describe a model of the plasma generation and expansion for a micro-laser plasma thruster operated in transmission-mode (T-mode). The laser ablation and plasma formation processes are modeled using a kinetic ablation model. This procedure provides boundary conditions at the target surface for the plume model that is based on a particle computational approach. The present study considers a 2.5–8 W diode-based laser irradiating a poly-vinyl chloride target for a pulse length of 3–10 ms. Laser beam shape full width at half maximum at the target is about 25×25 μm. The plume simulations reveal many details of the multicomponent plasma expansion. The results are compared with experimentally obtained plume signatures. Generally good agreement between experimental and calculated flux profiles is found. © 2004 American Institute of Physics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Segmented electrodes placed along a ceramic channel in a Hall thruster are shown to influence significantly the plasma potential distribution. Both the radial potential and the axial acceleration region are sensitive to the location of the segmented electrodes. The measured and theoretical potential profiles appear to be affected in detail by the electrode material (graphite) having lower secondary electron emission than the ceramic channel walls. The measured plasma potential profile is shown as well to correlate with the observed and desirable narrowing of the plasma plume emanating from the thruster. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The vaporization of condensed materials in contact with high-current discharge plasmas is considered. A kinetic numerical method named direct simulation Monte Carlo (DSMC) and analytical kinetic approaches based on the bimodal distribution function approximation are employed. The solution of the kinetic layer problem depends upon the velocity at the outer boundary of the kinetic layer which varies from very small, corresponding to the high-density plasma near the evaporated surface, up to the sound speed, corresponding to evaporation into vacuum. The heavy particles density and temperature at the kinetic and hydrodynamic layer interface were obtained by the analytical method while DSMC calculation makes it possible to obtain the evolution of the particle distribution function within the kinetic layer and the layer thickness. © 2001 American Institute of Physics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Presents information on a study which analyzed the possible influence of magnetic field on the plasma potential distribution in the plasma plume exhaust from the Hall thruster, a type of electrostatic propulsion device. Shortcomings of Hall thrusters; Profile of the steady-state axisymmetric plasma jet exhaust from a Hall thruster; Results and discussion.

Presents information on a study which determined the influence of positive bias on plasma and macroparticle flow in curved magnetized plasma ducts in filtered vacuum arc deposition systems. Macroparticle-plasma interaction; Results and discussion; Conclusions.

Provides information on a study which analyzed the free boundary plasma arc jet expansion based on a two-dimensional hydrodynamic model. Description of the model; Results and discussion; Conclusions.

The article presents a case study of a 39-year-old female with metastatic breast cancer who was referred to [18F]FDG PET/CT for treatment response assessment for hormonal therapy.

While scholars study residential segregation dynamics in order to understand minorities' assimilation into mainstream society, less is known about these mechanisms in ethno-national migration contexts. This article examines Israel's demographic dynamics from 1961 to 2008 in order to evaluate and provide a framework for the process of spatial assimilation of Mizrahim and Ashkenazim in the context of segregation from the Palestinian citizens of Israel. By using the Theil index (H), I assess the level of segregation in different geographic layers and then explore how internal migration has reduced spatial distance within the Jewish society. The analysis demonstrates that despite the disadvantaged position of Mizrahim as of 1961, levels of residential segregation had decreased by 1983. Also, boundaries changed from a variance between Mizrahim and Ashkenazim into a variance among Mizrahim only, with those who relocated as the most spatially assimilated group and those who remained as the most segregated one. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To take advantage of multi-core systems, programmers are replacing sequential software with parallel software. Software engineers often avoid writing their parallel software from scratch and prefer refactoring their legacy application, either manually or with the help of a refactoring tool. In either case, it is extremely challenging to produce correct parallel code, taking into account all synchronization issues. Furthermore, the complexity of parallel code makes its verification extremely difficult. We introduce a method for the verification of parallel code after refactoring. Our method, which is based on symbolic interpretation, leverages the original sequential code that in most cases was already tested and/or verified, and checks whether it is equivalent to the code after refactoring. The advantage of this method is that it can generically find any problem in the parallel code that does not exist in the original sequential code. As a result, it can help create higher quality and safer parallel code. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The creative city approach, already one of the most popular urban development models in recent years, continues to spread to new destinations. When urban scholars explain how ideas become canon, including the particular case of the creative city approach, they usually focus on political‐economic mechanisms, the role of global elite networks, and the interests of local economic growth coalitions. These explanations are insightful but miss the political‐cultural projects that cities pursue concurrently to the creative city approach, two aims that sometimes reinforce each other and sometimes contradict. Using interviews and fieldwork, I follow the importation of the creative city approach to the contested city of Jerusalem, and argue that the drive to adopt the creative script cannot be explained only by political‐economic forces, but also by the local political‐cultural projects of preserving Jerusalem as a Zionist city. Moreover, I suggest three directions for interpreting the role of local forces in the adoption and translation of urban ideas. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The sequence drafts of wild emmer and bread wheat facilitated high resolution, genome-wide analysis of transposable elements (TEs), which account for up to 90% of the wheat genome. Despite extensive studies, the role of TEs in reshaping nascent polyploid genomes remains to be fully understood. In this study, we retrieved miniature inverted-repeat transposable elements (MITEs) from the recently published genome drafts of Triticum aestivum, Triticum turgidum ssp. dicoccoides, Aegilops tauschii and the available genome draft of Triticum urartu. Overall, 239,126 MITE insertions were retrieved, including 3,874 insertions of a newly identified, wheat-unique MITE family that we named “Inbar”. The Stowaway superfamily accounts for ~80% of the retrieved MITE insertions, while Thalos is the most abundant family. MITE insertions are distributed in the seven homologous chromosomes of the wild emmer and bread wheat genomes. The remarkably high level of insertions in the B sub-genome (~59% of total retrieved MITE insertions in the wild emmer genome draft, and ~41% in the bread wheat genome draft), emphasize its highly repetitive nature. Nearly 52% of all MITE insertions were found within or close (less than 100bp) to coding genes, and ~400 MITE sequences were found in the bread wheat transcriptome, indicating that MITEs might have a strong impact on wheat genome expression. In addition, ~40% of MITE insertions were found within TE sequences, and remarkably, ~90% of Inbar insertions were located in retrotransposon sequences. Our data thus shed new light on the role of MITEs in the diversification of allopolyploid wheat species. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Presents a theoretical study of the low-density plasma flow in an axial magnetic field to a disk-shaped anode in a vacuum arc. Importance of the expansion of low-density current carrying plasma jets in a magnetic field; Details on plasma in a vacuum arc.

In an era of international flows of policy ideas, when many cities apply the 'same' policy ideas, their local translations can be substantially different. Yet, urban studies have not provided sufficient tools to compare such translations among a wide number of cities. We develop a methodological program that operationalizes into a quantitative analysis the rich Policy Assemblage framework often used to compare selected cases. We distinguish between assemblage as a process and assemblage as an outcome, and argue that both are important for urban policy mobility studies. While assemblage as a process is often seen as the thicker description, assemblage outcomes provide central snapshots that reveal the broader process and make its concrete configurations evident. Using the case of public art policies and the mechanism of the Percent of Public Art, we compare the assemblage outcome of the idea in 26 cities with more than one million residents in the Anglosphere. We ask, how do cities assemble policy discourses, and what is the logic that differentiates cities from one another? We find cities use multiple discourses which refer to the socio-economic, cultural identity and the spatial dimensions of public art in cities. Nevertheless, when cities assemble these discourses, the socio-economic dimension tends to define a central cleavage between cities. To examine how such a cleavage is constructed, we examine the assembly process of Toronto more closely. • When examining "must have" policy ideas like public art, the central question is not only whether a city will adopt the idea or not, but rather which policy elements will be mixed and matched. • Develops a quantitative approach to operationalizing the Policy Assemblage framework. • Distinguishes assemblage as a process and assemblage as an outcome. • Socio-economic discourses are a central cleavage dividing cities' public art policy assemblages. • Examines the political economic process by which Toronto's distinct assemblage was formed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Resistance of SARS-CoV-2 to antivirals was shown to develop in immunocompromised individuals receiving remdesivir. We describe an immunocompromised patient who was treated with repeated and prolonged courses of nirmatrelvir and developed de-novo E166V/L50F mutations in the Mpro region. These mutations were associated with clinical and virological treatment failure. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This prospectus outlines some new ideas regarding plasma application in medicine. In particular, plasma parameter adaptation might allow for real time modification of the chemical composition of plasma in an effort to optimize the plasma effect on cancer and normal cells. Nowadays, there is convincing evidence that plasma effects might play an important role in cancer therapy. Among others, understanding plasma discharge self-organization, the mechanisms driving transition between different discharge patterns, and the development of the plasma devices having multiple discharge modes are very important aspects. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Plasma is an ionized gas that is typically formed under high-temperature laboratory conditions. Recent progress in atmospheric plasmas has led to cold atmospheric plasma (CAP) devices with ion temperatures close to room temperature. The unique chemical and physical properties of CAP have led to its use in various biomedical applications including cancer therapy. CAP exhibits a spontaneous transition from a spatially homogeneous state to a modifiable pattern that is subject to self-organization. In this Opinion article, we discuss some new applications for plasma in cancer therapy based on plasma self-organization, which enables adaptive features in plasma-based therapeutic systems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This work deals with the problem of navigation while avoiding detection by a mobile adversary, featuring adversarial modeling. In this problem, an evading agent is placed on a graph, where one or more nodes are defined as safehouses. The agent’s goal is to find a path from its current location to a safehouse, while minimizing the probability of meeting a mobile adversarial agent at a node along its path (i.e., being captured). We examine several models of this problem, where each one has different assumptions on what the agents know about their opponent, all using a framework for computing node utility, introduced herein. Using risk attitudes for computing the utility values, their impact on the constructed strategies is analyzed both theoretically and empirically. Furthermore, we allow the agents to use information gained along their movement, in order to efficiently update their motion strategies on-the-fly. Theoretical and empirical analysis shows the importance of using this information and these on-the-fly strategy updates. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]