cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Mechanical evaluation of decellularized porcine thoracic aorta.

Background Decellularized tissues are expected to have major cellular immunogenic components removed and in the meantime maintain similar mechanical strength and extracellular matrix (ECM) structure. However, the decellularization processes likely cause alterations of the ECM structure and thus influence the mechanical properties. In the present study, the effects of different decellularization protocols on the (passive) mechanical properties of the resulted porcine aortic ECM were evaluated. Methods Decellularization methods using anionic detergent (sodium dodecyl sulfate), enzymatic detergent (Trypsin), and non-ionic detergent [tert-octylphenylpolyoxyethylen (Triton X-100)] were adopted to obtain decellularized porcine aortic ECM. Histologic studies and scanning electron microscopy were performed to confirm the removal of cells and to examine the structure of ECM. Biaxial tensile testing was used to characterize both the elastic and viscoelastic mechanical behaviors of decellularized ECM. Results All three decellularization protocols remove the cells effectively. The major ECM structure is preserved under sodium dodecyle sulfate (SDS) and Triton X-100 treatments. However, the structure of Trypsin treated ECM is severely disrupted. SDS and Triton X-100 decellularized ECM exhibits similar elastic properties as intact aorta tissues. Decellularized ECM shows less stress relaxation than intact aorta due to the removal of cells. Creep behavior is negligible for both decellularized ECM and intact aortas. Conclusion SDS and Triton X-100 decellularized ECM tissue appeared to maintain the critical mechanical and structural properties and might work as a potential material for further vascular tissue engineering.
Inhibition of Sorbitol Dehydrogenase: Effects on Vascular and Neural Dysfunction in Streptozocin-Induced Diabetic Rats

These experiments were undertaken to assess the role of sorbitol dehydrogenase in mediating sorbitol pathway-linked neural and vascular dysfunction in rats with strep-tozocin-induced diabetes. 2-methyl-4-[ N N -dimethylsulfamoyl-piperazino]-pyrimidine (S-0773), a putative inhibitor of sorbitol dehydrogenase, was given in the drinking water to control and diabetic rats. After 5 weeks of diabetes, glycosylated hemoglobin levels were increased twofold and were unaffected by S-0773. Sorbitol levels in diabetic rats were increased 11- to 14-fold in ocular tissues and sciatic nerve; S-0773 increased sorbitol levels another 4-fold or more in these same tissues but had much smaller effects in other tissues. Diabetes-associated increases in fructose levels and lactate:pyruvate ratios in retina and in sciatic nerve were markedly attenuated by S-0773. S-0773 also attenuated, but did not completely normalize, impaired caudal nerve conduction and vascular dysfunction in ocular tissues, sciatic nerve, and aorta in diabetic rats. These observations, together with other evidence, suggest that sorbitol pathway-linked vascular dysfunction (in ocular tissues, peripheral nerve, and aorta) and electrophysiological dysfunction (in peripheral nerve) induced by diabetes are more closely linked to increased oxidation of sorbitol to fructose than to putative osmotic effects of elevated sorbitol levels or redox and metabolic imbalances associated with reduction of glucose to sorbitol by aldose reductase.
Evidence that p21ras mediates the neurotrophic effects of insulin and insulin-like growth factor I in chick forebrain neurons

Insulin and insulin-like growth factors (IGF-I and IGF-II) support the survival and differentiation of many types of neurons, including those from fetal chick forebrain. The mechanisms by which these peptides exert their neurotrophic actions are poorly understood. The aims of this study were to determine if insulin and IGF-I activate p21ras in fetal chick forebrain neurons and if activation of p21ras mediates the neurotrophic actions of these peptides. Activation of neuronal p21ras was examined by measuring the amount of GTP bound to p21ras before and after growth factor treatment. Insulin and IGF-I increased the ratio of GTP/GTP + GDP by 31 +/- 9.0% and 36 +/- 8.0%, respectively, p21Ras activation by insulin and IGF-I was maximal within 5 min. In the presence of insulin the response was sustained out to 180 min, whereas the response to IGF-I decreased significantly by 180 min. Both peptides stimulated p21ras at low concentrations with a maximal response obtained at 10 ng/ml for each peptide, idicating that insulin and IGF-I activate ras by interacting with their homologous receptor. Pretreatment of neurons with lovastatin (2 micrograms/ml), an inhibitor of ras isoprenylation, completely blocked the activation of p21ras by insulin and IGF-I. Lovastatin also blocked the ability of these growth factors to support the survival and differentiation of fetal chick neurons in culture. We conclude that insulin and IGF-I activate p21ras in fetal chick forebrain neurons by increasing the amount of GTP bound to p21ras. The activation of neuronal p21ras is necessary for insulin and IGF-I to promote survival and differentiation in these neurons.
Software Intensive Science

This paper argues that the difference between contemporary software intensive scientific practice and more traditional non-software intensive varieties results from the characteristically high conditionality of software. We explain why the path complexity of programs with high conditionality imposes limits on standard error correction techniques and why this matters. While it is possible, in general, to characterize the error distribution in inquiry that does not involve high conditionality, we cannot characterize the error distribution in inquiry that depends on software. Software intensive science presents distinctive error and uncertainty modalities that pose new challenges for the epistemology of science.
Relationships of Maternal Stress with Milk Immune Components in African American Mothers of Healthy Term Infants

Abstract Background: In the United States, African American infants experience the highest mortality, and their mothers report the lowest breastfeeding rates. Science reports decreased infant mortality among breastfed infants and suggests that milk immune component (MIC) levels are associated with maternal stressors. Little is known about these relationships among African Americans; therefore the aim was to explore the relationships of African American mothers' stressors and MICs 1–14 days postdelivery. Materials and Methods: Mothers meeting eligibility requirements were approached for consent 48–72 hours postdelivery of a healthy term infant and given instructions to collect milk (Days 3, 9, and 14) and saliva (Day 9), as well as complete three Perceived Stress Scale questionnaires (Days 3, 9, and 14) and a survey of pregnancy stressors experiences. Pearson correlations and linear regressions were performed to assess the relationships of maternal stressors with MICs. Results: There was at least one stati...
Valuing Geospatial Information: Using the Contingent Valuation Method to Estimate the Economic Benefits of Landsat Satellite Imagery

Abstract While the U.S. government does not charge for downloading Landsat images, the images have value to users. This paper demonstrates a method that can value Landsat and other imagery to users. A survey of downloaders of Landsat images found: (a) established US users have a mean value of $912 USD per scene; (b) new US users and users returning when imagery became free have a mean value of $367 USD per scene. Total US user benefits for the 2.38 million scenes downloaded is $1.8 billion USD. While these benefits indicate a high willingness-to-pay among many Landsat downloaders, it would be economically inefficient for the US government to charge for Landsat imagery. Charging a price of $100 USD a scene would result in an efficiency loss of $37.5 million a year. This economic information should be useful to policymakers who must decide about the future of this and similar remote sensing programs.
Skills-Based Learning for Reproducible Expertise: Looking Elsewhere for Guidance.

Despite the prevalence of adult skills-based learning, adult education researchers continue to ignore effective interdisciplinary skills-based methods. Prominent researchers dismiss empirically supported teaching guidelines, preferring situational, emancipatory methods with no demonstrable effect on skilled performance or reproducible expertise. This paper presents findings showing empirically supported best bet practices for adult skills-based learning. These findings are synthesised into seven guidelines for skills-based teaching. Educators may use these practices to inform practice and structure learner-centred adaptive training programmes.
Presence of a Red Morph in Adult Populations of Mecidea minor (Hemiptera: Pentatomidae: Pentatominae: Mecideini) in New Mexico

A red morph of adult Mecidea minor Ruckes (Hemiptera: Pentatomidae) is reported from New Mexico. Coloration in this morph varies from red to pink and is confined to specific areas of the body, primarily the hemelytra and pronotum. Adults are normally straw-colored. Both morphs were found throughout most of the year, but the percentage of each collected between August and December was remarkably different (red morph, 91.9%; straw-colored morph, 62.4%).
On the Family of Curves z = (t-tn)/2

(1962). On the Family of Curves z = (t-tn)/2. Mathematics Magazine: Vol. 35, No. 4, pp. 211-213.
Numerical Computation and Analysis of Flow over A Conical Forebody at High Angle-of-attack

High angle-of-attack flow over a 20° conical forebody was computed with laminar model,Gamma theta transition model and turbulence model to study the flow characteristics.The contour of computed total pressure coefficient,velocity vector and axial vorticity distributions over the cross-flow plane at 30m/s and different angle-of-attack were plotted here for study.Through the comparison of experimental data with numerical solution,we can get that gamma theta transition model is proper to model flows mainly in transitional region.For angle-of-attack greater than 10°,the port and starboard primary vortex occur.Each of them has a minimum value of total pressure coefficient and a maximum absolute value of non-dimensional axial vorticity in the vortex core.Both of them vary with the angle-of-attack and the wind velocity in some regular patterns.
Tracking 35 years of progress against breast cancer.

In this issue of ONCOLOGY we honor and celebrate the career and contributions of Martin D. Abeloff, MD, who died last year. Marty saw his first patient with breast cancer in 1972 and cared for his last such patient shortly before his death in 2007.
Breast cancer in young women: clinical decision-making in the face of uncertainty.

Breast cancer is the leading cause of cancer-related deaths in young women, and survival rates for young women with breast cancer are lower than for older women with breast cancer. This inferior survival is seen in spite of the fact that younger women often receive more aggressive therapy, as detailed in Dr. Peppercorn’s thoughtful review.[1]
CONCEPTUALIZING EVALUATION FOR LIFELONG EDUCATION

This chapter presents the development of a conceptualization that will assist in drawing implications about the practice of evaluation under an educational system incorporating the principles of lifelong education. Evaluation in education always involves an appraisal of the desirability of events or conditions associated with learning and teaching. The special nature of evaluation is closely tied to the appraisal of desirability. All comprehensive views of what education should be like are built around values. Specific evaluation criteria are in turn derived from those values. Evaluation in lifelong education cannot avoid the explicit examination of its own value base. The broad principles of lifelong education are likely to be interpreted differently in different societies or even by groups within the same society. This is especially the case at the level of concrete evaluation criteria. The choice of evaluative criteria is in a real sense the concretization of values and as such the most critical aspect of any evaluation.
Donors and Donor Siblings

The available donors who help infertile couples have children now include men who provide their semen and women who provide their uterus (surrogacy) or eggs. This entry focuses on sperm donors since more social science research exists about them and their recipients. That research explores issues of donor anonymity, disclosure, and offspring attitudes toward the donor. Individuals who share the same progenitor but live in different families are often called “donor siblings.” The attitudes of both parents and offspring toward donor siblings are a very recent subject of research. Keywords: family structure; fatherhood; parenting; reproduction; siblings; sociology of family
A continuity-preserving and divergence-cleaning algorithm based on purely and damped hyperbolic Maxwell equations in inhomogeneous media

In the numerical solution of Maxwell's equations for dynamic electromagnetic fields, the two Gauss's laws are usually not considered since they are a natural consequence of Faraday's and MaxwellAmpre's laws if the charge conservation law is satisfied. However, when the charge conservation law is not satisfied, the numerical errors of Gauss's laws will increase unbounded, leading to numerical instability or breakdown. Unfortunately, the charge conservation law can be easily violated in self-consistent waveparticle simulations. In the meantime, the violation of Gauss's laws will also result in an increased error in the normal flux continuity. In the simulations of pure electromagnetic problems, the satisfaction of tangential field continuity across a material interface is sufficient to yield accurate numerical results. However, in a self-consistent waveparticle simulation, the normal components are as important as the tangential components, since they are critical in predicting the particle kinetics. In this paper, a divergence-cleaning method is presented to enforce Gauss's laws and normal flux continuity by introducing auxiliary variables and damping terms into Maxwell's equations in inhomogeneous media, which yield hyperbolic and mixed hyperbolicparabolic Maxwell equations. The numerical solution schemes of the resulting purely and damped hyperbolic Maxwell equations are introduced under the framework of the discontinuous Galerkin time-domain method. It is shown through several numerical examples that the proposed method is able to preserve the continuity conditions for both tangential field components and normal flux components, and is effective in cleaning the numerical errors in both Gauss's laws.
Single Women in Nepal: Familial Support, Familial Neglect*

This paper focuses on familial assistance to those high caste Nepalese women who are either widowed or estranged from their husbands. Some twenty percent of high caste women may be single at any gi...
Use of traumatic brain injury prediction rules with clinical decision support

OBJECTIVES: We determined whether implementing the Pediatric Emergency Care Applied Research Network (PECARN) traumatic brain injury (TBI) prediction rules and providing risks of clinically important TBIs (ciTBIs) with computerized clinical decision support (CDS) reduces computed tomography (CT) use for children with minor head trauma. METHODS: Nonrandomized trial with concurrent controls at 5 pediatric emergency departments (PEDs) and 8 general EDs (GEDs) between November 2011 and June 2014. Patients were RESULTS: We analyzed 16 635 intervention and 2394 control patients. Adjusted for time trends, CT rates decreased significantly ( P CONCLUSIONS: The implementation of TBI prediction rules and provision of risks of ciTBIs by using CDS was associated with modest, safe, but variable decreases in CT use. However, some secular trends were also noted.
Clinical and metabolic correlates of cerebral calcifications in Sturge–Weber syndrome

Aim To evaluate clinical and metabolic correlates of cerebral calcifications in children with Sturge–Weber syndrome (SWS). Method Fifteen children (11 females, four males; age range 7mo–9y, mean 4y 1mo) with unilateral SWS underwent baseline and follow-up magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) with susceptibility weighted imaging (SWI), glucose metabolism positron emission tomography (PET), and neurocognitive assessment (mean follow-up 1y 8mo). Calcified brain volumes measured on SWI were correlated with areas of abnormal glucose metabolism, seizure variables, and cognitive function (IQ). Results Ten children had brain calcification at baseline and 11 at follow-up. Mean calcified brain volume increased from 1.69 to 2.47cm3 (p=0.003) in these children; the rate of interval calcified volume increase was associated with early onset of epilepsy (Spearman's rho [rs]=−0.63, p=0.036). Calcified brain regions showed a variable degree of glucose hypometabolism with the metabolic abnormalities often extending to non-calcified cerebral lobes. Larger calcified brain volumes at baseline were associated with longer duration of epilepsy (rs=0.69, p=0.004) and lower outcome IQ (rs=−0.53, p=0.042). Interpretation Brain calcifications are common and progress faster in children with SWS with early epilepsy onset, and are associated with a variable degree of hypometabolism, which is typically more extensive than the calcified area. Higher calcified brain volumes may indicate a risk for poorer neurocognitive outcome.
Widening the Circle of Inclusion

This article describes specific strategies for ensuring that dance education is inclusive of all students, regardless of skill, beliefs, culture or disability.
First-Year Maternal Employment and Adolescent Externalizing Behavior

Associations between first-year maternal employment and mother—and youth-reported externalizing behavior at age 15 were examined paying attention to potential mediating roles of home and child care environments by 36 months, effortful control at 54 months, and externalizing behavior at 54 months and middle childhood. We used data from the NICHD Study of Early Child Care and Youth Development (n = 922 non-Hispanic White children) which is a prospective birth cohort study that followed children from birth to age 15. Full-time first-year maternal employment was associated with higher levels of externalizing behavior at age 15 through higher maternal depressive symptoms by 36 months, lower effortful control at 54 months, and higher externalizing behavior at 54 months and middle childhood. Part-time first-year maternal employment was not associated with higher externalizing behavior at age 15.
Low Temperature Heat Capacity of Disordered ZrZn 2

It was pointed out recentlyl that the Curie temperature of the weak ferromagnet ZrZn2 is quite sensitive to lattice order and that it decreases with increased disorder. A well-disordered (or amorphous) ZrZn2 can be prepared effectively by quick condensation; we report here our results of low temperature heat capacity on such samples.
Comments on the growth of contemporary electric energy demand in North America

This paper examines actual data for recent trends in electric energy demand in North America. Despite the conception of many persons, the electrical demand, as measured as either annual electric energy use or annual peak demand, is not rising rapidly. The reasons for this failure to grow are discussed, and the potential for new electric energy markets is outlined. The subject of load factor is explained, and the consequences of load factor improvement are discussed. The context of the data shown is for North America.
Low temperature applicable polyelectrolyte gelator to covalently bridged partially hydrolyzed poly(acrylamide) in situ gel for fossil energy recovery

Abstract Low temperature applicable cyclic sulfonium functionalized poly(vinylbenzyl chloride) (PVBC) electrolyte gelator for partially hydrolyzed poly(acrylamide) (HPAM) in situ gel is described herein. Addition of polyelectrolyte gelator to HPAM generated covalently crosslinked in situ gels through formation of ester crosslinks under reservoir conditions. The generation of covalent crosslinks through chemically nucleophilic attack by carboxylate groups tethered to HPAM backbone to sulfonium moieties was demonstrated by corresponding spectra analysis of nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) and rheological studies. Compared to high temperature phenol/formaldehyde and poly(ethyleneimine) gelator system, the gelation of PVBCTHt polyelectrolyte gelator and HPAM occurred over a broad range of temperatures from 25 to 80 °C. At 25 °C the gelation of PVBCTHt gelator and HPAM was significantly delayed to weeks compared to Cr3+-HPAM system having fast gelation kinetics in 6 h. Due to its delayed gel formation over weeks at room temperature, the gel could be deployed for in-depth reservoir treatment. The gelant showed excellent salt and pH resistance under reservoir conditions as reflected by mechanical integrity of in situ bulk gel. Core flooding experiment on sandpack demonstrated the gel could efficiently divert brine flow for conformance control, which displayed better plugging efficiency than Cr3+-HPAM system.
Particle-in-cell code investigation of magnetic field effect on axial vircator

Vircator can generate GW class microwave power and is the preferred device in certain military application due to its simple structure and lighter weight because no magnet is used; however the low energy efficiency has always been the focus of investigation. In this article we investigate the electron dynamic inside axial vircator when axial magnetic field is involved. Various magnetic field configurations and intensities were tried, and particle trajectory and output power recorded. We found introducing an axial magnetic field decreases the average high power microwave (HPM) output, which is an indication of the radial expansion of the explosively emitted electrons play a significant role in HPM generation.
Artrodese lombar intersomática anterior multinível combinada com estabilização posterior em discopatia—Análise clínico-funcional prospectiva*

Resumo Objetivo Estudo prospectivo controlado em pacientes com discopatia degenerativa submetidos a artrodese intersomatica lombar anterior instrumentada combinada com estabilizacao posterior. Metodos Amostra com 64 pacientes consecutivos operados pelos mesmos cirurgioes ao longo de quatro anos. Metade das artrodeses intersomatica lombar anterior foi efetuada em dois niveis, 43,8% em tres niveis e 6,25% em um nivel. Foram usadas caixas intersomaticas com parafusos integrados preenchidas com matriz ossea e proteina morfogenetica ossea 2. Resultados Metade da amostra apresentava cirurgias previas a coluna lombar, 75% listeses degenerativas associadas e 62,5% patologia compressiva posterior da coluna lombar. Aproximadamente 56% da amostra apresentavam pelo menos um fator de risco de nao uniao da artrodese. O indice Oswestry passou de 71,81 ± 7,22 no pre‐operatorio para 24,75 ± 7,82 na avaliacao no fim do tempo de seguimento, enquanto a escala visual analogica da dor passou de 7,88 ± 0,70 para 2,44 ± 0,87 (p Conclusao A artrodese intersomatica lombar anterior instrumentada combinada com estabilizacao posterior e uma opcao de sucesso na discopatia degenerativa uni ou multinivel dos segmentos de L3 a S1, mesmo em presenca significativa de fatores de risco de nao uniao e cirurgias previas da coluna lombar, garante resultados clinico‐funcionais e radiograficos muito satisfatorios e reduzida taxa de complicacoes em medio prazo.
Demonstration of VerdictDB, the Platform-Independent AQP System

We demonstrate VerdictDB, the first platform-independent approximate query processing (AQP) system. Unlike existing AQP systems that are tightly-integrated into a specific database, VerdictDB operates at the driver-level, acting as a middleware between users and off-the-shelf database systems. In other words, VerdictDB requires no modifications to the database internals; it simply relies on rewriting incoming queries such that the standard execution of the rewritten queries under relational semantics yields approximate answers to the original queries. VerdictDB exploits a novel technique for error estimation called variational subsampling, which is amenable to efficient computation via SQL. In this demonstration, we showcase VerdictDB's performance benefits (up to two orders of magnitude) compared to the queries that are issued directly to existing query engines. We also illustrate that the approximate answers returned by VerdictDB are nearly identical to the exact answers. We use Apache Spark SQL and Amazon Redshift as two examples of modern distributed query platforms. We allow the audience to explore VerdictDB using a web-based interface (e.g., Hue or Apache Zeppelin) to issue queries and visualize their answers. VerdictDB is currently open-sourced and available under Apache License (V2).
Order Entry Protocols Are an Amenable Target for Workflow Automation

Abstract Purpose Order entry protocol selection of advanced imaging studies is labor-intensive, can disrupt workflow, and may displace staff from more valuable tasks. The aim of this study was to explore and compare the behaviors of radiologic technologists and radiologists when determining protocol to identify opportunities for workflow automation. Methods A data set of over 273,000 cross-sectional examination orders from four hospitals within our health system was created. From this data set, we isolated the 12 most frequently requested examinations, which represent almost 50% of the entirety of advanced imaging volume. Intergroup comparisons were made between behavior of radiologic technologists and radiologists or residents when determining protocol. Frequencies of changes were calculated. Common parameters of changed examinations were identified. Results The overall change rate for both radiologists and residents (4%) is very low and comparable to the overall change rate of radiologic technologists (1%). The change rates for the 12 most ordered examinations were calculated and compared individually. Most examinations that underwent change involved a patient with a low estimated glomerular filtration rate, a patient with a contrast allergy, or a provider ordering a general examination but in fact wanting an organ-specific protocol or an angiographic study. Conclusion Order entry protocol selection of the most frequently ordered advanced imaging examinations was rarely a value-added activity because these examinations are rarely changed. Changes follow predictable patterns that make order entry protocol selection of most radiology orders for advanced imaging amenable to workflow automation.
Progress on bound states in continuum emitters (Conference Presentation)

Orbital angular momentum is a fundamental degree of freedom of light that manifests itself even at the single photon level. The coherent generation and beaming of structured light usually requires bulky and slow components. Using wave singularities known as bound states in continuum, we report an integrated device that simultaneously generates and beams powerful coherent beams carrying orbital angular momentum. The device brings unprecedented opportunities in the manipulation of micro-particles and micro-organisms, and, will also find applications in areas such as biological sensing, microscopy, astronomy, and, high-capacity communications.
Pharmaceutical sciences' manpower supply and internal rate of return.

A pharmacy student has many career options upon graduation. These options include graduate education in one of the pharmaceutical sciences and a retail pharmacy position. The attractive salaries offered by chain pharmacies play an important role in the recent graduate's career decision-making process. The purpose of this study is to provide a comparative assessment of the internal rate of return (IRR) for different pharmaceutical science career options as related to chain-store pharmacist earnings. Additionally, this study analyzes the effect of the IRR on the applicant pool size and composition for graduate study in pharmaceutical sciences. Income/age profiles were developed using public domain income data derived from salary surveys sponsored by professional associations. Based on these income/age profiles, IRRs were estimated for the pharmaceutical science disciplines, clinical pharmacy, pharmaceutics, medicinal chemistry, and pharmacy administration, and further differentiated for industry versus academic careers. The IRRs are the highest for Pharm.D.'s in academic careers (16.0%), followed by pharmaceutical scientists employed by pharmaceutical industry (8.13%). The IRR of pharmaceutical scientists in academia is lower than the return of other financial investment vehicles. Other authors have established a relationship between the IRR of a profession and a rise or decline in the applicant pool. The IRRs calculated here imply that this association can also be observed for the pharmaceutical scientist applicant pool. Low IRRs should result in a declining applicant pool. However, the last decade has shown an increase of 66% in the number of Ph.D.'s granted, while the percentage of Ph.D.'s granted to nonpharmacists or non-Americans has not increased significantly over the same time period.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)
Computational Experience with Vector Optimization Techniques for Structural Systems

Single objective optimization has been the basic approach in most previous work on the design of structural systems. The purpose was to seek optimal values of design variables which minimize or maximize a specific single quantity termed objective function, while satisfying a variety of behavioral and geometrical conditions, termed constraints. In this definition of structural optimization, the quality of a structural system is evaluated using one criterion (e.g., total cost, total weight, system reliability, system serviceability). In a recent survey, Levy and Lev [8] presented a state-of-the-art review in the area of structural optimization. They stress developments in the field of single objective optimization and acknowledge that in many design problems engineers are confronted with alternatives that are conflicting in nature. For these problems, where the quality of a design is evaluated using several competing criteria, vector optimization (also called multiobjective, multicriterion or Pareto optimization) should be used.
Synthesis of catalytic biomass-to-fuels strategies

Abstract Conversion of lignocellulosic biomass to valuable intermediates is a critical step to develop effective biomass-to-fuels strategies. In this respect, we synthesize integrated strategies that convert lignocellulosic biomass into liquid fuels via production of platform chemicals such as levulinic acid and fermentable sugars. To generate the integrated strategies, we develop separation subsystems to achieve experimentally optimized feed concentrations for the catalytic conversion steps. Using process simulation models based on experimental results, we assessed the economic potential of these strategies. The results suggest that our integrated strategies can be competitive alternatives to current lignocellulosic biofuel production approaches.
Geostrophic Regimes and Geostrophic Turbulence Beyond the Radius of Deformation

Abstract Extending the study of geostrophic turbulence to scales beyond the radius of deformation and to finite vertical displacements is made possible by the derivation of a generalized geostrophic equation. First, some earlier versions of this equation, the various regimes it contains and the invariants are discussed. Then, preliminary numerical results are presented, which reveal that the energy cascade toward larger scales can halt at a statistical equilibrium beyond the radius of deformation. This state is characterized by the presence of a few, large, anticyclonic eddies embedded in a smaller-scale, quasi-geostrophic background, and a simple theory is proposed for the prediction of the characteristics of this statistical equilibrium.
Intertwining operators and the half-density pairing

These notes give the details of a result stated inaprevious paper ([2], Section 7(b)) which asserts that the Knapp-Stein intertwining operator [3] linking the principal series representations of SL(2,~) coming from characters of a split Borel subgroup differing by a Weyl reflection can be constructed from the so-called half-density pairin$ ([2], p. 152), due to Kostant and Sternberg, of geometric quantization. Section 2 of the present paper recalls a construction of [4], which manufactures a hermitian line bundle with connection (L,V) given an orbit X of the eoadjoint representation of a simply connected Lie group G and a point p e X. We also derive some results relating nonvanishing sections of L and certain 1-forms they define. The principal result here is Proposition 2.6. Section 3 is devoted to working out our example. G is the universal covering group of SL(2,~) and X is a hyperboloid of one sheet. Whereas Knapp and Stein fix a Borel subgroup of G and let the Weyl group act on the inducing representation, the geometry of our situation leads us to use the Weyl group to move the Borel subgroup while holding the inducing representation fixed. Section 4 comments on our result and raises questions that need to be settled concerning the half-density pairing. In what follows we shall assume the reader to be familiar with Kostant's fundamental paper [4] on geometric pre-quantization and also with the half-density pairing as set forth in [2].
MUTE: bringing IoT to noise cancellation

Active Noise Cancellation (ANC) is a classical area where noise in the environment is canceled by producing anti-noise signals near the human ears (e.g., in Bose's noise cancellation headphones). This paper brings IoT to active noise cancellation by combining wireless communication with acoustics. The core idea is to place an IoT device in the environment that listens to ambient sounds and forwards the sound over its wireless radio. Since wireless signals travel much faster than sound, our ear-device receives the sound in advance of its actual arrival. This serves as a glimpse into the future, that we call lookahead, and proves crucial for real-time noise cancellation, especially for unpredictable, wide-band sounds like music and speech. Using custom IoT hardware, as well as lookahead-aware cancellation algorithms, we demonstrate MUTE, a fully functional noise cancellation prototype that outperforms Bose's latest ANC headphone. Importantly, our design does not need to block the ear - the ear canal remains open, making it comfortable (and healthier) for continuous use.
List-strength effects in older adults in recognition and free recall

The present investigation provides a novel extension of the retrieving effectively from memory (REM) model to examine free-recall and recognition memory in older adults to inform our understanding of age-related cognitive decline. When some items on a list are strengthened through distributed repetitions, memory for the nonstrengthened items on that list may become impaired depending on how memory is tested—a phenomenon known as the list-strength effect (LSE; e.g., Tulving & Hastie, Journal of Experimental Psychology, 92, 297–304, 1972). When the strengthening operation involves distributed repetitions, LSE is robust in free recall, but it is reliably absent in recognition (Malmberg & Shiffrin, Journal of Experimental Psychology, 31, 322–336, 2005; Ratcliff, Clark, & Shiffrin, Journal of Experimental Psychology, 16, 163–178, 1990). Two experiments investigated LSE in recall and recognition in older adults and young adults who encoded items with full or divided attention. Despite showing impaired recall and recognition, older adults showed patterns of LSEs across both experiments that were similar to young adults with full attention rather than young adults with divided attention. In recognition, there was a null LSE in older and young adults, but a positive LSE was observed under divided attention. In contrast, in free recall, there was a positive LSE in older and young adults, but a null LSE under divided attention. Collectively, the results suggest that older adults do not have impaired encoding of context information (evidenced by intact LSE in recall), and they do not have impaired differentiation of item representations (evidenced by the null LSE in recognition). Age-related impairment in both memory tasks can be accounted for by sparse encoding of item-based information.
Studying IBM's History When You Are Part of It

James W. Cortada is an unusual computing historian in that he was academically trained in history and has written extensively about computing history, but his primary career was spent working within the computing industry at IBM. Here, Cortada describes a slowly evolving 40-year effort to write an appropriate history of IBM. His connections within IBM gave him unusual access while also giving him constraints an outside historian might ignore. Some of Cortada's issues are relevant to anyone writing computing history. In addition, this piece may provide inspiration and guidance to other people working within the computing industry and thinking they might one day write about their company.
Successful diabetes management without immunosuppressivedrugs in NHP model has been demonstrated. Encapsulation system with taperednanopore conduits achieved normal glycaemia with regulated insulin release

Encapsulation of living cells offer superior treatment for human hormone deficiency diseases: (i) living cell transplantation without immunosuppressive drug and its accompanying deleterious side effects, (ii) nanopores can regulate cellular products to maintain cell health and functionality, and (iii) transplantation of cells from non-human donors can relieve donor shortage. In this paper, we focus our attention on the treatment of Diabetes [ 6 ]. A hormone deficiency disease affecting a substantial percentage of the world population. Still, the encapsulation model has one major weakness [ 7-14 ]. Polymers are a random network system with large pore size distribution. Polymers membranes have too many larger pores that compromise immunoprotection and too many smaller pores that restrict mass transport. This large pore size distribution could not meet the dichotomous requirements of mass transport and immunoprotection. Despite the dedicated effort of many for more than 50 years with hundreds of millions of dollars of capital investment, encapsulation system performance was found to be wanting [ 15 , 16 ]. The advancement in the treatment of hormone or protein deficiency diseases with the transplantation of living cells stalled.
Benchmarking irrigation water use in producer fields in the US central Great Plains

Efficient use of freshwater resources is necessary to balance food production and long-term sustainability of irrigated agricultural systems. Here we developed a framework to benchmark irrigation water use relative to crop yield for individual fields based on site-specific weather and soil. Subsequently, we used the framework to diagnose on-farm irrigation management, in relation to crop production, in maize and soybean producer fields in Nebraska (USA). We found actual irrigation to be similar to estimated irrigation water requirement in about half of the fields (i.e. small water surplus). Remarkably, these fields attained yields similar to fields where actual irrigation exceeded water requirements (i.e. large water surplus). Underlying causes for water surplus included producer risk aversion in soils with low water storage capacity, use of coarse methods for scheduling irrigation, and tillage. Scenario assessment indicated that total irrigation volume could potentially be reduced up to 25%–40%, without hurting crop yields, by reducing current irrigation surplus in years with above- or near-average seasonal precipitation. About a third of the producer fields already achieved high yields with little water surplus, supporting the contention that achieving high productivity with less irrigation by better matching irrigation amounts in relation with crop water requirements are compatible goals. The proposed framework can be applied to other crops and regions provided there are well-validated models, local soil and weather datasets, and reliable field-level irrigation, yield, and management records.
Retroposon Insertions within a Multispecies Coalescent Framework Suggest that Ratite Phylogeny is not in the ‘Anomaly Zone’

ABSTRACT Summary coalescence methods were developed to address the negative impacts of incomplete lineage sorting on species tree estimation with concatenation. Coalescence methods are statistically consistent if certain requirements are met including no intralocus recombination, neutral evolution, and no gene tree reconstruction error. However, the assumption of no intralocus recombination may not hold for many DNA sequence data sets, and neutral evolution is not the rule for genetic markers that are commonly employed in phylogenomic coalescence analyses. Most importantly, the assumption of no gene tree reconstruction error is routinely violated, especially for rapid radiations that are deep in the Tree of Life. With the sequencing of complete genomes and novel pipelines, phylogenetic analysis of retroposon insertions has emerged as a valuable alternative to sequence-based phylogenetic analysis. Retroposon insertions avoid or reduce several problems that beset analysis of sequence data with summary coalescence methods: 1) intralocus recombination is avoided because retroposon insertions are singular evolutionary events, 2) neutral evolution is approximated in many cases, and 3) gene tree reconstruction errors are rare because retroposons have low rates of homoplasy. However, the analysis of retroposons within a multispecies coalescent framework has not been realized. Here, we propose a simple workaround in which a retroposon insertion matrix is first transformed into a series of incompletely resolved gene trees. Next, the program ASTRAL is used to estimate a species tree in the statistically consistent framework of the multispecies coalescent. The inferred species tree includes support scores at all nodes and internal branch lengths in coalescent units. As a test case, we analyzed a retroposon dataset for palaeognath birds (ratites and tinamous) with ASTRAL and compared the resulting species tree to an MP-EST species tree for the same clade derived from thousands of sequence-based gene trees. The MP-EST species tree suggests an empirical case of the ‘anomaly zone’ with three very short internal branches at the base of Palaeognathae, and as predicted for anomaly zone conditions, the MP-EST species tree differs from the most common gene tree. Although identical in topology to the MP-EST tree, the ASTRAL species tree based on retroposons shows branch lengths that are much longer and incompatible with anomaly zone conditions. Simulation of gene trees from the retroposon-based species tree reveals that the most common gene tree matches the species tree. We contend that the wide discrepancies in branch lengths between sequence-based and retroposon-based species trees are explained by the greater accuracy of retroposon gene trees (bipartitions) relative to sequence-based gene trees. Coalescence analysis of retroposon data provides a promising alternative to the status quo by reducing gene tree reconstruction error that can have large impacts on both branch length estimates and evolutionary interpretations.
Differences in Heart Transplant Volume Growth and Outcomes among Low and High Volume Centers

Purpose Heart transplant volume in the United States (US) has increased significantly over the past five years. It is unclear if the volume growth is distributed equally amongst large and small volume centers. Methods We examined heart transplant volumes for centers that consistently performed heart transplants between 2008 and 2017 (n=130). Summary statistics for 130 transplant centers over the 5-year period of 2008 to 2012 was used to calculate the number of transplants per each center per calendar year. We then examined the change in volume over the next 5 years (2013-2017). We conducted a multivariable Cox regression model to examine overall survival post-transplant comparing larger volume centers to smaller volume centers. Results The average number of heart transplants performed in the US per center was 18.2 (range 9.6-21.6; Q1-Q3). By selecting a conservative cutoff of 20 or more transplants yearly per center, we identified 39 high volume centers and 91 small volume centers. From 2008-2012, high volume centers performed 6929 transplants whereas small volume centers performed 4904 transplants. From 2013-2017, high volume centers performed 8067 heart transplants, representing a 16.4% increase, whereas small volume centers performed 7053, a 43.8% increase. In multivariable Cox models, post-transplant survival among larger volume centers was slightly but significantly better (hazard ratio 0.93; p 0.012) compared to small volume centers. Conclusion Small volume centers increased their transplant volume significantly in the past 5 years compared to high volume centers. Despite a significant increase in transplant volume over the past five years by smaller volume centers, larger volume centers demonstrate better recipient survival when compared to small volume centers over the past decade. With the new UNOS heart allocation policy, further investigation is warranted into the distribution and utilization of donor organs by large and small volume centers.
Modeling of Hidden Structures Using Sparse Chemical Shift Data from NMR Relaxation Dispersion

Abstract NMR relaxation dispersion measurements report on conformational changes occurring on the μs-ms timescale. Chemical shift information derived from relaxation dispersion can be used to generate structural models of weakly populated alternative conformational states. Current methods to obtain such models rely on determining the signs of chemical shift changes between the conformational states, which are difficult to obtain in many situations. Here, we use a “sample and select” method to generate relevant structural models of alternative conformations of the C-terminal-associated region of Escherichia coli dihydrofolate reductase (DHFR), using only unsigned chemical shift changes for backbone amides and carbonyls (1H, 15N, and 13C′). We find that CS-Rosetta sampling with unsigned chemical shift changes generates a diversity of structures that are sufficient to characterize a minor conformational state of the C-terminal region of DHFR. The excited state differs from the ground state by a change in secondary structure, consistent with previous predictions from chemical shift hypersurfaces and validated by the x-ray structure of a partially humanized mutant of E. coli DHFR (N23PP/G51PEKN). The results demonstrate that the combination of fragment modeling with sparse chemical shift data can determine the structure of an alternative conformation of DHFR sampled on the μs-ms timescale. Such methods will be useful for characterizing alternative states, which can potentially be used for in silico drug screening, as well as contributing to understanding the role of minor states in biology and molecular evolution.
Compositional Enterprise Modeling and Decision Support

In this chapter, we present a conceptual model and a web-based architecture for implementing an enterprise-wide modeling system for decision support. It describes a framework and a method that is aimed at effectively organizing, integrating, and reusing knowledge and model components from various sources across an organization in order to provide better knowledge access to decision makers. It is a useful tool for operational and strategic corporate decision-making.