cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Assessing an affordable and portable laboratory kit in an undergraduate control systems course

Lab kits allow students to take home laboratory equipment to complete experiments on their own time. Kits like these can expand access to hands-on experiences for online courses and to budget-strapped campuses. Although students like these kits, no previous studies compared student learning outcomes on assignments using these new kits with previous laboratory equipment. During the 2014–2015 academic year, we conducted a quasi-experiment to compare students' achievement of learning outcomes. Half of the laboratory sections in each semester used the existing equipment, while the other sections used the new kit. The objectives of the laboratory assignments were the same and the instructions were kept as close as possible between the two groups.
The production function of cognitive skills: nutrition, parental inputs and caste test gaps in India

This paper explores the determinants of children’s cognitive outcomes using novel panel data from two cohorts of children in India. As in Todd and Wolpin’s study (2007), I do not nd evidence supporting restrictive models that assume test scores depend only on contemporaneous inputs. In models where past inputs are not observed or imperfectly measured, past nutritional status and/or past test scores turn out to be a good proxy-indicator of this variable, which is evidence for the ’suciency’ assumption. I allow for the endogeneity of nutrition using an instrumental variable approach and nd that a 1 standard deviation increase in height-for-age z-scores at the age of 1 leads to cognitive test scores that are about a quarter of a standard deviation higher at age 5. I also study the behaviour of home inputs and nd
Fuel Motion in Experiments Simulating Liquid-Metal Fast Breeder Reactor Loss-of-Flow Accidents

The reactivity feedback from fuel relocation is a central issue in the analysis of a loss-of-flow (LOF) accident in a liquid-metal fast breeder reactor (LMFBR). Fuel relocation has been the subject...
Using proportional navigation and a particle swarm optimization algorithm to design a dual mode guidance

A dual mode guidance is developed for solve nonlinear missile guidance problem.Switch Law for detecting and switching from PNG to the IPSOG is also presented.PN-IPSOG has good guidance performance in miss distance and lateral accelerations. This paper proposes a dual mode guidance, which is called the proportional navigation-improved particle swarm optimization guidance (PN-IPSOG), in order to optimize the guidance performance of a missile. The improved particle swarm optimization guidance (IPSOG) has the advantages of a robustness and fast reaction, but the attitude of the missile is unstable in the initial phase. Therefore, proportional navigation (PN) guidance is used to adjust the attitude of the missile in the initial phase. Meanwhile, the angle µ that is between the tangent of the current line-of-sight (LOS) rate and the horizontal reference line is calculated. When a set of µ is close to zero, the PN-IPSOG switches from the PN guidance to the IPSOG. Numerical simulation results show that the performance of the PN-IPSOG is better than the PN guidance at miss distance and lateral accelerations. Display Omitted
Ministers on the Lecture Circuit: Education, Entertainment and Religion in Early 20th Century America

In the early 20th century, some American ministers were eager participants in the Chautauqua and Lyceum lecture circuits that flourished across the Midwest and beyond. Ministers expressed their vocation in the public arena, and the Redpath Chautauqua collection shows how part of this public life was conducted. In their role as lecturers in multiple educational and civic venues, ministers functioned as experts on the Bible, as well as supporting American ideals that were loosely connected to Protestant Christianity. The essay explores how a substantial archival collection reveals a particular public role ministers played in a popular culture venue in early 20th century America.
The Hawthorne Experiments: A Critique and Reanalysis of the First Statistical Interpretation by Franke and Kaul

The Hawthorne experiments performed fifty years ago concluded that variations in factor workers' productivity were to be accounted for in terms of human factors. Franke and Kaul (1978) retrieved the original data of these remarkable experiments and showed through application of stepwise multiple regression analysis that over 90% of the observed variance in worker output could be accounted for in terms of the measured variables of the First Relay Experiment, rather than human factors. The present effort reinterprets several of the coefficients reported by Franke and Kaul and suggests that their conclusions rest on a strong algebraic component of the analysis as well as on violated assumptions, confounded variables, index correlations, the meaning of measurement, and so forth. Reanalysis is here performed with SSA-1, an ordinal technique, leading to conclusions in support of those of the original researchers.
Photochemical electronic doping of colloidal CdSe nanocrystals

A method for electronic doping of colloidal CdSe nanocrystals (NCs) is reported. Anaerobic photoexcitation of CdSe NCs in the presence of a borohydride hole quencher, Li[Et3BH], yields colloidal n-type CdSe NCs possessing extra conduction-band electrons compensated by cations deposited by the hydride hole quencher. The photodoped NCs possess excellent optical quality and display the key spectroscopic signatures associated with NC n-doping, including a bleach at the absorption edge, appearance of a new IR absorption band, and Auger quenching of the excitonic photoluminescence. Although stable under anaerobic conditions, these spectroscopic changes are all reversed completely upon exposure of the n-doped NCs to air. Chemical titration of the added electrons confirms previous correlations between absorption bleach and electron accumulation and provides a means of quantifying the extent of electron trapping in some NCs. The generality of this photodoping method is demonstrated by initial results on colloidal CdE (E = S, Te) NCs as well as on CdSe quantum dot films.
Abstract 1391: Breast cancer cells and the bone: A tale of treachery

Proceedings: AACR 103rd Annual Meeting 2012‐‐ Mar 31‐Apr 4, 2012; Chicago, IL Under normal physiological conditions there is a dynamic equilibrium in the bone maintained by the bone forming osteoblasts and bone resorbing osteoclasts. The bone stroma provides hospitable sites for disseminating, colonization-competent breast cancer cells. The Hedgehog (Hh) pathway plays an important role in skeletogenesis. Our studies have determined that breast tumor cells have an activated Hh pathway characterized by upregulation of Hh ligands and the transcription factor GLI1. Our findings show that breast cancer cells activate Hh signaling in pre-osteoclasts and thereby upregulate osteoclastogenesis. Paracrine Hh signaling induced in osteoclasts by breast cancer cells mediates a series of events by the up-regulation of osteopontin (OPN), which in turn enhances osteoclastic activity by up-regulating the essential proteases cathepsin K and MMP9. Surprisingly, we found that breast cancer cells also activate osteoblast differentiation as an early event, by activating Hh signaling in pre-osteoblasts. This leads to the expression of RANKL and PTHrP by the osteoblasts. RANKL and PTHrP promote osteoclastogenesis while the osteoblasts are eliminated by apoptosis. Pharmacological inhibition of Hh signaling results in an overall decrease in osteoblast differentiation and osteoclastogenesis/resorptive activity. Thus our studies suggest that the breast cancer cells orchestrate a chain of events in which they directly foster osteoclastogenesis and deceptively induce osteoblasts to differentiate which in turn produce factors that promote osteoclast differentiation. A vicious cycle ensues and in the presence of increased number of metastasing breast cancer cells the balance now shifts in favor of the osteoclasts resulting in osteolysis, the final painful outcome of a majority of breast cancer patients. Thus in the light of our findings, any therapeutic approach utilizing inhibitors for the Hh pathway need to take into consideration the dual role of the pathway. Citation Format: {Authors}. {Abstract title} [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 103rd Annual Meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research; 2012 Mar 31-Apr 4; Chicago, IL. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2012;72(8 Suppl):Abstract nr 1391. doi:1538-7445.AM2012-1391
Naturalistic Data Collection of Driver Performance in Familiar and Unfamiliar Vehicles

The 100-Car Naturalistic Driving Study was the first large-scale instrumented vehicle study with no special driver instructions, unobtrusive data collection instrumentation, and no in-vehicle experimenter. The final data set includes approximately 2,000,000 vehicle miles, almost 43,000 hours of data, 241 primary and secondary drivers, 12 to 13 months of data collection for each vehicle, and data from a highly capable instrumentation system. In addition, 78 of 102 vehicles were privately owned and 22 were leased. After 12 months, leased vehicles were provided to 22 private vehicle drivers who then drove the leased vehicles for an additional four weeks. Driving performance for the same drivers in familiar and unfamiliar instrumented vehicles was then compared. Results provided evidence of increased relative risk for the same driver for weeks 1 through 4 of driving an unfamiliar leased vehicle as compared to the same period of driving their privately owned vehicle.
Syntheses and photophysical investigations of Cr(III) hexadentate iminopyridine complexes and their tris(bidentate) analogues.

We report the preparation, photophysical characterization, and computed excited state energies for a family of Cr(III) complexes based on iminopyridine (impy) Schiff base ligands: compounds 1 and 2 feature hexadentate ligands where tren (tris-(2-aminoethyl)amine) caps three impy groups; compounds 3 and 4 are tris(bidentate) analogues of 1 and 2; compounds 2 and 4 contain methyl ester substituents to alter ligand donation properties relative to 1 and 3, respectively. Cyclic voltammograms exhibit multiple reversible ligand-based reductions; the hexadentate and tris(bidentate) analogues have almost identical reduction potentials, and the addition of ester substituents shifts reduction potentials by +200 mV. The absorption spectra of the hexadentate complexes show improved absorption of visible light compared to the tris(bidentate) analogues. Over periods of several hours to days, the complexes undergo ligand-substitution-based decomposition in 1 M HCl(aq) and acetonitrile. For freshly prepared sample solutio...
A regional economics-based research agenda for local food systems

The purported benefits of local food systems (LFSs) are extensive and diverse. While a growing general literature has considered various aspects of these systems, this set of issues has not been broadly considered from the perspective of regional economics — a field that is uniquely suited to assess local food systems and the policies that affect them. This commentary attempts to narrow this gap. Research topics are considered that would allow for improved examination of the extent to which LFS directly and indirectly engender local economic growth. Also incorporated are research ideas concerning how to determine the distribution of benefits (socially, across income class, and geographically). In this regard, suggestions are also made concerning how to remove some of the limitations found in current analytical approaches.
OM-FBA: Integrate Transcriptomics Data with Flux Balance Analysis to Decipher the Cell Metabolism

Constraint-based metabolic modeling such as flux balance analysis (FBA) has been widely used to simulate cell metabolism. Thanks to its simplicity and flexibility, numerous algorithms have been developed based on FBA and successfully predicted the phenotypes of various biological systems. However, their phenotype predictions may not always be accurate in FBA because of using the objective function that is assumed for cell metabolism. To overcome this challenge, we have developed a novel computational framework, namely omFBA, to integrate multi-omics data (e.g. transcriptomics) into FBA to obtain omics-guided objective functions with high accuracy. In general, we first collected transcriptomics data and phenotype data from published database (e.g. GEO database) for different microorganisms such as Saccharomyces cerevisiae. We then developed a "Phenotype Match" algorithm to derive an objective function for FBA that could lead to the most accurate estimation of the known phenotype (e.g. ethanol yield). The derived objective function was next correlated with the transcriptomics data via regression analysis to generate the omics-guided objective function, which was next used to accurately simulate cell metabolism at unknown conditions. We have applied omFBA in studying sugar metabolism of S. cerevisiae and found that the ethanol yield could be accurately predicted in most of the cases tested (>80%) by using transcriptomics data alone, and revealed valuable metabolic insights such as the dynamics of flux ratios. Overall, omFBA presents a novel platform to potentially integrate multi-omics data simultaneously and could be incorporated with other FBA-derived tools by replacing the arbitrary objective function with the omics-guided objective functions.
Survey on AIDS Related Knowledge and Behaviors among Female Sex Workers in Entertainment Places in Qingcheng District of Qingyuan City

[Objective] To understand the AIDS knowledge levels and condoms use status among female sex workers in entertainment places in Qingcheng District of Qingyuan City.[Methods]A total of 381 female sex workers were selected randomly. A unified questionnaire was used for anonymous investigation.[Results]The awareness rate of core issue about AIDS related knowledge among investigated objects was 66.67%,the awareness rate of people received intervention was relatively high(χ2=88.7498,P0.01);the proportion of condoms use in sex workers for commercial sexual activity was 80.79%,that for sexual activity with regular partners and casual partners was 41.15% and 38.58% respectively.[Conclusion]The awareness of AIDS related knowledge among the female sex workers in Qingcheng District is low,and the high risk activity still exists. Propaganda on prevention and treatment knowledge about HIV/AIDS should be emphasized in this population as well as behavioral intervention.
How Land Financial Revenue Promotes Economy and Urbanization:Its Mechanisms and Evidential Studies

In the present institutional context of dividing tax institution,local official′s performance evaluation institution and the institution of the existing land property rights,rural land requisition and rural land transfer,local governments demonstrate stronger behavior characters as "economic man",which is the direct motivating force for land financial revenue.In the framework of land financial revenue,state-owned land transfer equals to increasing production factors input,thus increasing the revenue of local finance and the expenditure on public facilities and service and promoting the local economy as well as expending urbanization space and optimizing and improving urban investment and living conditions.This paper testified empirically the relationship between land revenue(1992-2010)on the one side and GDP,urbanization level and urban constructed land acreage on the other side.The results showed that one of the causes of economic growth is land financial revenue and that a dynamic co-integration relationship exists between land financial revenue and urbanization and urban constructed land acreage.Further,this paper demonstrated the abuse in the process of promoting economic development and urbanization by land financial revenue.This paper also proposed the countermeasures to avoid the negative effects of economic development and urbanization boosted by land financial revenue as well as the predicament of urbanization in the future:changing of the local government′s role,upgrading the industrial economical transformation,enhancing the agglomerating role of the municipality,imposing property tax and other countermeasures.
Life-extending Dietary Restriction Reduces Oxidative Damage of Proteins in Grasshoppers but Does Not Alter Allocation of Ingested Nitrogen to Somatic Tissues

Dietary restriction (DR) extends life span and reduces reproduction in most animals. The disposable soma hypothesis suggests that this longevity is the result of reduced investment in reproduction and increased nutrient allocation to the soma, permitting an increase in cellular maintenance. To investigate the role of nutrient allocation upon life-extending DR, tissue-specific nitrogen allocation was tracked in grasshoppers (Romalea microptera) upon a full or restricted (60% of full) diet. In addition, carbonyl (oxidized protein) assays addressed tissue maintenance. To develop a labeled diet on which grasshoppers could thrive, hydroponically grown Romaine lettuce was enriched with 15N. This allowed quantification of nitrogen allocation upon a normal or restricted diet. There was a 50% decrease in reproductive investment upon DR. At the same time, relative allocation of 15N to the ovary did not change. Most important, relative allocation was similar between restricted and full diet grasshoppers for somatic tissues (ie, mandibular and femur muscle, dried hemolymph, gut, and fat body). Carbonyl assays of muscles, hemolymph, and gut revealed an overall reduction in protein oxidation upon DR. These data suggest that DR does not alter nutrient allocation but does reduce protein oxidation, an observation that is inconsistent with the basic predictions of the disposable soma hypothesis.
Platelets Promote Ovarian Cancer Growth: New Insights On Proliferation

Abstract Abstract 96 Introduction. Platelets can promote metastasis by a multitude of effects. We have recently shown that reducing platelet counts decreased the size and number of tumor nodules in a murine model of orthotopic ovarian cancer. Here, we report a previously unrecognized pro-proliferative effects of platelets on ovarian cancer cells, using in vivo and in vitro assays. Methods and Results. The proliferation rate of human and murine ovarian cancer cells increased significantly after coincubation with platelets ( Figure 1 A). This effect was platelet-specific, as red blood cells did not alter the proliferation rate. Direct contact between platelets and cancer cells or intact platelets was not required for the proliferative response. Furthermore, platelets isolated from tumor-bearing mice were similar to platelets from control mice in their proliferative effect ( Figure 1 B). Blocking platelet adhesive surface proteins (GPIba, GPIIbb3, and P-selectin) did not diminish the proliferative effect of platelets ( Figure 1 C) and aspirin only partially inhibited it ( Figure 1 D). Fixation of platelets with paraformaldehye (2%) completely eliminated the effect of platelets on proliferation of cancer cells ( Figure 1 D). To determine mechanism, we examined the effect of blocking antibody to TGFb1 and identified a dose-dependent inhibition of the proliferative effect of platelets on ovarian cancer cells by the anti-TGF b1 antibody. To confirm results obtained with the TGF b1-blocking antibody, we reduced expression of TGFbR1 receptors on ovarian cancer cells with siRNA prior to their incubation with platelets ( Figure 1 E). Consistent with results observed following treatment with the TGFb1-blocking antibody, TGFbR1 siRNA reduced proliferation of ovarian cancer cells ( Figure 1 F). To study the effect of platelets in vivo, we injected syngeneic platelets into mice with orthotopic ovarian cancer on a weekly basis for four weeks, and measured the proliferation index in the resected tumors using Ki67 staining. We found that mice receiving platelet infusions had a significantly higher percentage of Ki67 positivity compared to control tumor-bearing mice (83.5% vs 66.3%, respectively; p 450,000/ml) and 10 had normal platelet counts with an average of 284,000/ml. Thrombocytosis was associated with a higher percentage of Ki67 positivity in tumors (68% vs, 57%, respectively; p=0.03). Summary and conclusion. In summary, platelets significantly increase the proliferation of ovarian cancer cells. These results provide a new understanding of mechanisms by which platelets contribute to tumor progression. Download : Download high-res image (36KB) Download : Download full-size image Disclosures: Kroll: Aplagon: Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees; Optimer: Consultancy; Leo: Honoraria, Travel Expenses, Travel Expenses Other.
Attributions of Causality and Responsibility: Discovered or Imposed?

A friend does something to shatter our trust. An airliner crashes, killing dozens of passengers. A period of international tensions erupts into a shooting war. What is the cause of each of these events? Who is responsible? Who is to blame? In the preceding chapters I have tried to show how the first two of these questions might be answered, and in the next chapter I shall consider the last question. At this point it is important to emphasize that there have been two parallel kinds of answers to the questions about causality and responsibility.
Annual Research Review: On the relations among self-regulation, self-control, executive functioning, effortful control, cognitive control, impulsivity, risk-taking, and inhibition for developmental psychopathology

Background Self-regulation (SR) is central to developmental psychopathology, but progress has been impeded by varying terminology and meanings across fields and literatures. Methods The present review attempts to move that discussion forward by noting key sources of prior confusion such as measurement-concept confounding, and then arguing the following major points. Results First, the field needs a domain-general construct of SR that encompasses SR of action, emotion, and cognition and involves both top-down and bottom-up regulatory processes. This does not assume a shared core process across emotion, action, and cognition, but is intended to provide clarity on the extent of various claims about kinds of SR. Second, top-down aspects of SR need to be integrated. These include (a) basic processes that develop early and address immediate conflict signals, such as cognitive control and effortful control (EC), and (b) complex cognition and strategies for addressing future conflict, represented by the regulatory application of complex aspects of executive functioning. Executive function (EF) and cognitive control are not identical to SR because they can be used for other activities, but account for top-down aspects of SR at the cognitive level. Third, impulsivity, risk-taking, and disinhibition are distinct although overlapping; a taxonomy of the kinds of breakdowns of SR associated with psychopathology requires their differentiation. Fourth, different aspects of the SR universe can be organized hierarchically in relation to granularity, development, and time. Low-level components assemble into high-level components. This hierarchical perspective is consistent across literatures. Conclusions It is hoped that the framework outlined here will facilitate integration and cross-talk among investigators working from different perspectives, and facilitate individual differences research on how SR relates to developmental psychopathology.
Functions of Neuropilins in Wiring the Nervous System and Their Role in Neurological Disorders

The proper wiring of the nervous system depends on an orderly series of events, beginning in embryonic development with neuronal migration, axon and dendrite development, and guidance events and continuing in postnatal development with synaptogenesis, pruning of axonal projections, and synapse refinement. In the nervous system, neuropilins function mainly with the class 3 secreted semaphorins (Sema3s) to mediate a majority of these developmental processes. Neuropilins bind to Sema3s as obligatory cell surface co-receptors and form a complex with the type A plexin family members, as well as with cell adhesion molecules and other modulatory co-receptors, to activate intracellular signaling networks that, in most cases, influence cytoskeletal dynamics and neuronal morphology. Changes to neuronal morphology are known to regulate neural connectivity and activity. In this chapter we will focus on recent discoveries of neuropilin functions, mediated by Sema3 signaling, to regulate wiring of the nervous system. In addition, we will highlight some of the emerging roles neuropilins play in neurodevelopmental and neuropsychiatric disorders.
National survey of comprehensive pharmacy services provided in cancer clinical trials.

Purpose Pharmacy services provided in clinical trials at National Cancer Institute (NCI)–designated centers were assessed. Methods This was a cross-sectional survey of 61 NCI-designated cancer centers. Directors of pharmacy were contacted and data were collected electronically via Qualtrics over 2 months. Trial participants were asked to estimate the frequency that their sites performed 26 services and the perceived importance of these services. Services were examined with respect to the difference between their reported performance and their reported importance. Eight of the 26 services showed a difference of at least 40% between the proportion of respondents performing the activities “often” or “almost always” and the proportion considering them “important” or “very important.” Demographic information was collected, as well as perceived barriers. Results Survey response rate was 59% (36 out of 61). The majority of services for clinical trials (19 out of 26) were viewed as important for pharmacists to perform; however, less than half (10 out of 26) were performed more than 50% of the time. Eight services had a gap of more than 40% when comparing the importance versus extent of implementation. Some of the largest gaps were reported in investigator-initiated trials development, medication reconciliation, therapeutic drug monitoring, and oral chemotherapy adherence assessment. Future studies can assist with cost justification by demonstrating the regulatory, safety, and financial benefits of pharmacist involvement in cancer trials. Conclusion A survey of pharmacy directors at cancer centers revealed gaps between what respondents considered important pharmacist services in the provision of cancer clinical trials and the actual performance of those services in their institution.
Hemodynamic force triggers rapid NETosis within sterile thrombotic occlusions.

Essentials Neutrophil extracellular traps (NETs) are generated during thrombosis and sepsis. The effect of hemodynamics on NETosis during sterile thrombosis was studied using microfluidics. Pressure gradients > 70 mmHg per mm-clot across sterile occlusions drive shear-induced NETosis. High interstitial hemodynamic forces trigger rapid NET release. Summary Background Neutrophil extracellular traps (NETs) are released when neutrophils encounter infectious pathogens, especially during sepsis. Additionally, NETosis occurs during venous and arterial thrombosis, disseminated intravascular coagulation, and trauma. Objective To determine whether hemodynamic forces trigger NETosis during sterile thrombosis. Methods NETs were imaged with Sytox Green during microfluidic perfusion of activated factor XII-inhibited or thrombin-inhibited human whole blood over fibrillar collagen (with or without tissue factor). Results For perfusions at initial inlet venous or arterial wall shear rates (100 s-1 or 1000 s-1 ), platelets rapidly accumulated and occluded microchannels with subsequent neutrophil infiltration under either flow condition; however, NETosis was detected only in the arterial condition. The level of shear-induced NETs (SINs) at 30 min was > 150-fold higher in the arterial condition in the absence of thrombin and > 80-fold greater in the presence of thrombin than the level in the venous condition. With or without thrombin, venous perfusion for 15 min generated no NETs, but an abrupt shift-up to arterial perfusion triggered NETosis within 2 min, NETs eventually reaching levels 15 min later that were 60-fold greater than that in microchannels without perfusion shift-up. SINs contained citrullinated histone H3 and myeloperoxidase, and were DNase-sensitive, but were not blocked by inhibitors of platelet-neutrophil adhesion, high-mobility group protein box 1-receptor for advanced glycation end products interaction, cyclooxygenase, ATP/ADP, or peptidylarginine deiminase 4. For measured pressure gradients exceeding 70 mmHg per millimeter of clot across NET-generating occlusions to drive interstitial flow, the calculated fluid shear stress on neutrophils exceeded the known lytic value of 150 dyne cm-2 . Conclusions High interstitial hemodynamic forces can drive physically entrapped neutrophils to rapidly release NETs during sterile occlusive thrombosis.
A configurable, big data system for on-demand healthcare cost prediction

Predictive modeling is becoming increasingly common in healthcare. Existing healthcare cost prediction solutions are tailor-made to accomplish specific tasks for certain populations, hence requiring expensive modifications to adapt to a different task or population. In this paper, we present a modular and extensible solution for healthcare cost prediction, which can be easily configured for various prediction tasks and populations. Our solution incorporates efficient high-dimensional data handling, smart feature engineering, flexible predictive learning, individualized assessment of cost impacts of predictors, and a management system that allows for reuse of partial results. We configure two distinct applications using the proposed system and present results on prediction accuracy and cost impact assessment. The first application predicts healthcare costs for a commercial population, and the second predicts the cost of care for a Medicaid population using an entirely different set of data, predictors, and assumptions.
High-Frequency Applications of Resonant-Tunneling Devices

Since the prediction (Kazarinov and Suris, 1971; Tsu and Esaki, 1973) and first observation (Chang et al., 1974) of resonant tunneling through double-barrier heterostructures, there has been increasing interest in the field. This renewed interest arises in part because of the advances in the ease of fabrication by molecular beam epitaxy (MBE) of the atomically thin structures required, and in part because the charge-transport process has been shown to be extremely fast (Sollner et al., 1983). The quality of the heterostructure interfaces in the GaAs/AlAs system has been improved to the point that peak-to- valley (P/V) ratios of 3–4 at room temperature (Shewchuck et al., 1985; Goodhue et al., 1986) and nearly 10 at 77 K are easily achieved with current densities well above 104 A/cm2. New material systems have been explored by several groups, the most notable being InGaAs lattice-matched to InP substrates with AlAs barriers. The Fujitsu group first showed the great promise of this material (Inata et al., 1987), and the best published results give a P/V ratio of about 30 at 300 K (Broekaert and Fonstad, 1988).
Convection in Stratocumulus-Topped Atmospheric Boundary Layers

The dynamics of atmospheric convection are greatly enriched by the phase changes of water that can occur as air circulates. These phase changes are vital to the development of severe thunderstorms and many other forms of deep moist convection. They are equally important in the development of convecting cloud-topped boundary layers (CTBLs). CTBLs are less spectacular than deep moist convection, but they are ubiquitous and hence climatically important, covering the majority of Earth’s oceans and much of its land surface.
Diseased region detection of longitudinal knee MRI data

Statistical analysis of longitudinal cartilage changes in osteoarthritis (OA) is of great importance and still a challenge in knee MRI data analysis. A major challenge is to establish a reliable correspondence across subjects within the same latent subpopulations. We develop a novel Gaussian hidden Markov model (GHMM) to establish spatial correspondence of cartilage thinning across both time and subjects within the same latent subpopulations and make statistical inference on the detection of diseased regions in each OA patient. A hidden Markov random field (HMRF) is proposed to extract such latent subpopulation structure. The EM algorithm and pseudo-likelihood method are both considered in making statistical inference. The proposed model can effectively detect diseased regions and present a localized analysis of longitudinal cartilage thickness within each latent subpopulation. Simulation studies and diseased region detection on 2D thickness maps extracted from full 3D longitudinal knee MRI Data for Pfizer Longitudinal Dataset are performed, which show that our proposed model outperforms standard voxel-based analysis.
Exogenous CXCL4 infusion inhibits macrophage phagocytosis by limiting CD36 signalling to enhance post-myocardial infarction cardiac dilation and mortality

Aims Macrophage phagocytosis of dead cells is a prerequisite for inflammation resolution. Because CXCL4 induces macrophage phagocytosis in vitro, we examined the impact of exogenous CXCL4 infusion on cardiac wound healing and macrophage phagocytosis following myocardial infarction (MI). Methods and results CXCL4 expression significantly increased in the infarct region beginning at Day 3 post-MI, and macrophages were the predominant source. Adult male C57BL/6J mice were subjected to coronary artery occlusion, and MI mice were randomly infused with recombinant mouse CXCL4 or saline beginning at 24 h post-MI by mini-pump infusion. Compared with saline controls, CXCL4 infusion dramatically reduced 7 day post-MI survival [10% (3/30) for CXCL4 vs. 47% (7/15) for saline, P < 0.05] as a result of acute congestive heart failure. By echocardiography, CXCL4 significantly increased left ventricular (LV) volumes and dimensions at Day 5 post-MI (all P < 0.05), despite similar infarct areas compared with saline controls. While macrophage numbers were similar at Day 5 post-MI, CXCL4 infusion increased Ccr4 and Itgb4 and decreased Adamts8 gene levels in the infarct region, all of which linked to CXCL4-mediated cardiac dilation. Isolated Day 5 post-MI macrophages exhibited comparable levels of M1 and M4 markers between saline and CXCL4 groups. Interestingly, by both ex vivo and in vitro phagocytosis assays, CXCL4 reduced macrophage phagocytic capacity, which was connected to decreased levels of the phagocytosis receptor CD36. In vitro, a CD36 neutralizing antibody (CD36Ab) significantly inhibited macrophage phagocytic capacity. The combination of CXCL4 and CD36Ab did not have an additive effect, indicating that CXCL4 regulated phagocytosis through CD36 signalling. CXCL4 infusion significantly elevated infarct matrix metalloproteinase (MMP)-9 levels at Day 5 post-MI, and MMP-9 can cleave CD36 as a down-regulation mechanism. Conclusion CXCL4 infusion impaired macrophage phagocytic capacity by reducing CD36 levels through MMP-9 dependent and independent signalling, leading to higher mortality and LV dilation.
If Research Libraries and Funders Finance Open Access: Moving Beyond Subscriptions and APCs

Following the examples of SCOAP3, in which libraries fund open access, and eLife, in which funding agencies have begun to directly fund open access scholarly publishing, this study presents an analysis of how creatively combining these two models might provide a means to move toward universal open access (without APCs). This study calculates the publishing costs for the funders that sponsor the research and for the libraries that cover unsponsored articles for two nonprofit biomedical publishers, eLife and PLOS, and the nonprofit journal aggregator BioOne. These entities represent a mix of publishing revenue models, including funder sponsorship, article processing charges (APC), and subscription fees. Using PubMed filtering and manual-sampling strategies, as well as publicly available publisher revenue data, the study found that, in 2015, 86 percent of the articles in eLife and PLOS acknowledge funder support, as do 76 percent of the articles in the largely subscription journals of BioOne. Such findings can inform libraries and funding agencies, as well as publishers, in their consideration of a direct-payment open access model, as the study (a) demonstrates the cost breakdown for funder and library support for open access among this sample of X articles; (b) posits how publishing data-management organizations such as Crossref and ORCID can facilitate such a model of funder and library per-article open access payments; and (c) proposes ways in which such a model offers a more efficient, equitable, and scalable approach to open access across the disciplines than the prevailing APC model, which originated with biomedical publishing.
Using the modified male osteoporosis self-assessment tool for Taiwan to predict osteoporosis onset - a sub-study of the Taiwan osteoporosis survey

Purpose To develop a risk index by item reduction from multiple variable regression, which can identify male Taiwanese patients at risk of developing osteoporosis. Methods To develop the model, a risk index was identified by item reduction from multivariate regression analysis. Using receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve analysis and their sensitivity/specificity, MOSTAi was validated in a separate cohort of Taiwanese men and its performance with compared with the National Osteoporosis Foundation recommendations (NOF 2013). Results Between 2008 and 2011 a total of 4,323 males were enrolled for bone mineral density (BMD) measurements. Univariate analysis identified four major risk factors for osteoporosis, including age, body weight (BW), previous fracture and body height. The ROC analysis showed the area under the curve (AUC) for the model based on the three-variable, two-variable (age and BW), and one-variable models (BW), was 0.701 (p<0.001, 95% confidence interval [CI] 0.658-0.744), 0.700 (p<0.001, 95% CI, 0.656-0.742), and 0.690 (p<0.001, 95% CI, 0.646-0.734), respectively. Using the optimal cutoff value (-2) for the OSTA, the sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value (PPV) and negative predictive value (NPV) in the validation cohort were 64.0%, 65.7%, 26.9% and 90.2%, respectively. The ROC curves for predicting osteoporosis by MOSTAi, OSTA and NOF 2013 and the AUC for MOSTAi, OSTA and NOF 2013 was 0.706 (p<0.001, 95% CI: 0.664-0.748) and 0.697(p<0.001, 95% CI: 0.657-0.738), respectively. Conclusion The results showed that MOSTAi could be a more precise model than OSTA and NOF 2013, for identifying men in Taiwan with osteoporosis who require referrals for DXA scans. It was demonstrated that MOSTAi is a simple tool with fair sensitivity/specificity and PPV, and high NPV. MOSTAi could also be a more accurate model than OSTA for identifying men in Taiwan at risk of osteoporosis. In comparison with NOF 2013, MOSTAi is a more accurate and simpler tool for the referral of Taiwanese men for DXA scans.
Race As An Adverse Childhood Experience [Florida State University]

The purpose of this study was to explore the issue of race as a trauma related to Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs). The research was specifically focused on the black individual’s experience of being black in America and how this affects the psyche in the role of healing. The goal of this research is to help researchers think about the profound effects of race and help strengthen the ACEs scale. The ACEs scale is a scale that identifies trauma which is linked to later life well-being and health. Identifying ACEs, carefully understanding them, and providing preventative measures allow for healing and resilience building. This research is not the first of its kind, but is the first to be applied to the ACE scale. Databases of research were searched to find materials that include, but were not limited to: ACES, black trauma, post-enslavement, the psyche of African Americans, and other dynamics in the black community which combine to make the assumption that race is a traumatic experience. There was also research on the similarities and parallels of trauma within other cultures and ethnic groups. This resulted in the provocative conclusion that race is in fact an adverse childhood experience related to trauma. With this notion in mind, racial traumas should be accounted for in the new ACEs scales in order to help improve the well-being of minority populations. This is essential in ACEs for minority communities, which will lead to better preventive measures and healing efforts that will be culturally sensitive and accurate.
Search by lackadaisical quantum walks with nonhomogeneous weights

The lackadaisical quantum walk, which is a quantum walk with a weighted self-loop at each vertex, has been shown to speed up dispersion on the line and improve spatial search on the complete graph and periodic square lattice. In these investigations, each self-loop had the same weight, owing to each graph's vertex transitivity. In this paper, we propose lackadaisical quantum walks where the self-loops have different weights. We investigate spatial search on the complete bipartite graph, which can be irregular with ${N}_{1}$ and ${N}_{2}$ vertices in each partite set, and this naturally leads to self-loops in each partite set having different weights ${l}_{1}$ and ${l}_{2}$, respectively. We analytically prove that for large ${N}_{1}$ and ${N}_{2}$, if the $k$ marked vertices are confined to, say, the first partite set, then with the typical initial uniform state over the vertices, the success probability is improved from its nonlackadaisical value when ${l}_{1}=k{N}_{2}/2{N}_{1}$ and ${N}_{2}g(3\ensuremath{-}2\sqrt{2}){N}_{1}$, regardless of ${l}_{2}$. When the initial state is stationary under the quantum walk, however, then the success probability is improved when ${l}_{1}=k{N}_{2}/2{N}_{1}$, now without a constraint on the ratio of ${N}_{1}$ and ${N}_{2}$, and again independent of ${l}_{2}$. Next, when marked vertices lie in both partite sets, then for either initial state there are many configurations for which the self-loops yield no improvement in quantum search, no matter what weights they take.
Diagnostic Value of Fine-Needle Aspiration in Male Breast Lesions.

Objective Differentiation between gynecomastia, a common cause of male breast enlargement, and breast cancer is crucial for appropriate management. Fine-needle aspiration biopsy has been shown to be sensitive and specific in assessing female breast lesions, comparable to core needle biopsy. Few such studies have been conducted in men. We assessed its diagnostic value in a male patient cohort. Study design Men who underwent fine-needle aspiration (FNA) for palpable breast lesions at Massachusetts General Hospital from January 2007 to December 2016 were evaluated. Clinical data, radiographic findings, and cytologic diagnoses of 74 breast FNA from 71 men were reviewed. Breast aspirates were classified as nondiagnostic, benign, atypical, suspicious for malignancy, or malignant. Histology was obtained in 37 cases, and clinical and radiological data were used as follow-up in 37 patients. Results Most FNA biopsies (73%) were performed by cytopathologists, and 93.2% of the breast FNA in men were adequate; 58% showed benign processes, mostly gynecomastia (n = 22), and 28.4% (n = 21) were malignant, most often ductal carcinoma. No false-positive cytologies were obtained, and there was 1 false-negative cytology. In our study, FNA of palpable male breast lesions was 95.8% sensitive and 100% specific. Conclusions FNA allows sensitive, specific, and safe evaluation and diagnosis of palpable male breast lesions.
Extremes, Thresholds, Vulnerabilities

This chapter may be harder work for readers than the others, but these ideas are becoming more and more critical to ecological knowledge in a rapidly warming climate. I will use examples and analogies to substitute for the jargon and quantitative models that usually accompany these concepts; for example, the transition from forest to non-forest is a clear threshold, and CO2 emissions from wildfires is a clear feedback. Extreme events can be game-changers, but are hard to predict because they are rare. Thresholds can be imminent or distant, and both types can be trivial or game-changing. Surprises are unexpected outcomes that lead us to rethink our expectations about what the future holds for the West. How can we anticipate change, and what are the vulnerable landscapes? Some formal “indicators” of potential change may be less useful than intuition or local knowledge, which may include “traditional ecological knowledge”.
multiple layers of fuzzy logic to quantify vulnerabilies in iot

Quantifying vulnerabilities of network systems has been a highly controversial issue in the fields of network security and IoT. Much research has been conducted on this purpose; however, these have many ambiguities and uncertainties. In this paper, we investigate the quantification of vulnerability in the Department of Transportation (DOT) as our proof of concept. We initiate the analysis of security requirements, using Security Quality Requirements Engineering (SQUARE) for security requirements elicitation. Then we apply published security standards such as NIST SP-800 and ISO 27001 to map our security factors and sub-factors. Finally, we propose our Multi-layered Fuzzy Logic (MFL) approach based on Goal question Metrics (GQM) to quantify network security and IoT (Mobile Devices) vulnerability in DOT.
Toward Intrinsic Ferroelectric Switching in Multiferroic BiFeO 3

Using pulsed ferroelectric measurements, we probe switching dynamics in multiferroic BiFeO_{3}, revealing low-ns switching times and a clear pathway to sub-ns switching. Our data is well described by a nucleation and growth model, which accounts for the various timescales in the switching process, namely (1) the ferroelectric polarization switching (bound-charge) dynamics and (2) the RC-limited movement of free charge in the circuit. Our model shows good agreement with observed data and begins to bridge the gap between experiment and theory, indicating pathways to study ferroelectric switching on intrinsic timescales.
Subtraction Drill with a Difference.

are troublesome. These observations are supported by the findings of the National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) tests (Carpenter et al. 1980). For example, "subtract 237 from 504" was completed correctly by only 28 percent of the nine-yearolds and 73 percent of the thirteenyear-olds. Numerous games are available for practice in mental subtraction of smaller numbers (up to 20), but the longer and more awkward examples involving zeros appear almost* exclusively in textbooks. We have compiled a collection of number games and puzzles that teachers can use to replace or supplement the usual textbook examples involving large numbers. Most are self-checking. Students can do the actual calculations on paper if necessary.
Human reliability for safe and efficient civil infrastructure operation and maintenance – A review

Abstract Civil infrastructure systems (CIS) require effective systems-level operation and maintenance (O&M) processes to ensure safety and efficiency. Such processes demand significant human efforts in human/team cognition, decision-making, and execution of activities. Poor human behaviors could affect CIS O&M safety and efficiency. This review synthesized human reliability issues on three aspects – 1) Human-Physical, 2) Human-Human, and 3) Human-Cyber reliabilities, and thereby revealed research gaps to guide the development of methods that could achieve guaranteed CIS O&M safety and efficiency. One challenge is the lack of quantitative representations to formalize spatiotemporal, engineering process, and team behavioral models that quantify the impacts of various human factors on CIS O&M safety and efficiency. Besides, limited human/team behavioral data are available yet for comprehending human factors in highly uncertain CIS O&M scenarios. The paper concludes with future directions to facilitate multidisciplinary discussions to tackle the identified challenges.