cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
FINE-TUNED PHENOTYPES: TADPOLE PLASTICITY UNDER 16 COMBINATIONS OF PREDATORS AND COMPETITORS

It is now well appreciated that most organisms can alter their phenotypes when faced with environmental variation. Decades of empirical investigations have doc- umented hundreds of examples of phenotypic plasticity, yet most studies have focused on the presence or absence of a single environmental factor. As a result, we know little about how organisms respond to gradients of environmental factors (i.e., threshold responses vs. continuous responses), nor do we understand how organisms respond to combinations of environmental variables. I examined how larval wood frogs (Rana sylvatica) altered their behavior, morphology, and growth in response to combined gradients of predation and competition. Increased predation risk induced lower activity, deeper tails, and shorter bod- ies, which collectively caused slower growth. Increased competition caused slower growth which induced higher activity, shallower tails, and longer bodies. For both environmental gradients, the responses were frequently continuous rather than threshold responses. More- over, predation and competition had interactive effects. Responses to predators were always larger under low competition than under high competition. Responses to competition were larger under low predation risk when predation and competition induced traits in the same direction, but larger under high predation risk when predation and competition induced traits in opposite directions. The results demonstrate that responses to phenotypically plastic traits can be fine-tuned to a wide variety of environmental combinations.
Cointegrating Regressions with Messy Regressors: Missingness, Mixed Frequency, and Measurement Error

We consider a cointegrating regression in which the integrated regressors are messy in the sense that they contain data that may be mismeasured, missing, observed at mixed frequencies, or have other irregularities that cause the econometrician to observe them with mildly nonstationary noise. Least squares estimation of the cointegrating vector is consistent. Existing prototypical variancebased estimation techniques, such as canonical cointegrating regression (CCR), are both consistent and asymptotically mixed normal. This result is robust to weakly dependent but possibly nonstationary disturbances.
Thrombopoietic agents: there is still much to learn.

Summary Thrombopoietic growth factors have had an interesting development path. Many studies were done with the first generation agents and this has defined the current way that the second generation agents are used. While the first generation agents were not surprisingly targeted at chemotherapy-induced thrombocytopenia, the second generation ones have been initially developed in ITP. Surprisingly, the thrombopoietic agents have not been as simple to work with as would have been anticipated in that the relationship of treatment to the platelet count, what to expect, in what patient, and with which underlying cause of thrombocytopenia has not nearly been as straight forward as it could be. Rather than being an “encyclopedic” review, this manuscript is intended to provide a state of the art description of what we do and do not know in regard to important questions about usage of these still novel agents. In this issue Immune thrombocytopenic purpura: major progress in knowledge of the pathophysiology and the therapeutic strategy, but still a lot of issues Bertrand Godeau Pathogenesis of immune thrombocytopenia Douglas B Cines, Adam Cuker, John W Semple ITP and international guidelines, what do we know, what do we need? Francesco Rodeghiero, Marco Ruggeri Thrombopoietic agents: There is still much to learn James B. Bussel, Madhavi Lakkaraja Is B-cell depletion still a good strategy for treating immune thrombocytopenia? Bertrand Godeau, Roberto Stasi Novel treatments for immune thrombocytopenia Andrew Shih, Ishac Nazi, John G. Kelton, Donald M. Arnold Warm autoimmune hemolytic anemia: advances in pathophysiology and treatment Marc Michel Autoimmune neutropenia Aline Moignet, Thierry Lamy
Extrapolating brain development from experimental species to humans.

To better understand the neurotoxic effects of diverse hazards on the developing human nervous system, researchers and clinicians rely on data collected from a number of model species that develop and mature at varying rates. We review the methods commonly used to extrapolate the timing of brain development from experimental mammalian species to humans, including morphological comparisons, ‘‘rules of thumb’’ and ‘‘event-based’’ analyses. Most are unavoidably limited in range or detail, many are necessarily restricted to rat/human comparisons, and few can identify brain regions that develop at different rates. We suggest this issue is best addressed using ‘‘neuroinformatics’’, an analysis that combines neuroscience, evolutionary science, statistical modeling and computer science. A current use of this approach relates numeric values assigned to 10 mammalian species and hundreds of empirically derived developing neural events, including specific evolutionary advances in primates. The result is an accessible, online resource (http://www.translatingtime.net/) that can be used to equate dates in the neurodevelopmental literature across laboratory species to humans, predict neurodevelopmental events for which data are lacking in humans, and help to develop clinically relevant experimental models.
Marsh terracing as a wetland restoration tool for creating fishery habitat

Terracing is a relatively new wetland-restoration technique used to convert shallow subtidal bottom to marsh. This method uses existing bottom sediments to form terraces or ridges at marsh elevation. A terrace field is constructed by arranging these ridges in some pattern that maximizes intertidal edge and minimizes fetch between ridges; the intertidal area is planted with marsh vegetation. We examined the habitat value of terracing for fishery species at Sabine National Wildlife Refuge, Louisiana (USA) in spring and fall 1999 by quantifying and comparing nekton densities in a 9-yr-old terrace field and nearby reference area using a 1-m2 drop sampler. Decapod crustaceans were more abundant than fishes, composing 62% and 95% of all organisms we collected in spring and fall, respectively. White shrimp Litopenaeus setiferus, daggerblade grass shrimp Palaemonetes pugio, blue crab Callinectes sapidus, and brown shrimp Farfantepenaeus aztecus accounted for 94% of all crustaceans, whereas 60% of all fishes were gulf menhaden Brevoortia patronus. Mean densities of white shrimp (fall), daggerblade grass shrimp, blue crab, and brown shrimp (spring) were significantly greater in terrace marsh than on non-vegetated bottom in the reference pond. Densities of most nekton on non-vegetated bottom were similar in the terrace field and the reference pond, but gulf menhaden and white shrimp had higher densities at terrace pond sites and brown shrimp (spring) were more abundant at reference pond sites. The pattern for biomass was similar to that for density in that the mean biomass of most species was significantly greater at terrace marsh sites than reference pond sites and similar at terrace and reference pond sites. Terrace marsh, however, was not functionally equivalent to natural marsh, as mean densities of daggerblade grass shrimp (fall), brown shrimp (spring), and blue crab and mean biomass of white shrimp (fall), striped mullet Mugil cephalus (spring), and spotted seatrout Cynoscion nebulosus (fall) were greater at reference marsh sites than terrace marsh sites. Using these density and biomass patterns and the percentage of marsh and pond area in the terrace field, we concluded that terrace fields support higher standing crops of most fishery species compared with shallow marsh ponds of similar size. Future restoration projects could include design changes to increase the proportion of marsh in a terrace field and enhance the habitat value of marsh terraces for fishery species.
Microhabitat Use by Introduced Hemidactylus turcicus (Mediterranean Geckos) in North Central Florida

We examined the relationship between seven wall-microhabitat features and the occurrence of the nonindigenous Hemidactylus turcicus (Mediterranean Gecko) in north-central Florida using a repeatable technique. We characterized 160 one-story walls by age of the building, cardinal orientation, color, length, presence or absence of a light source, building material, and vegetation level, and recorded the presence or absence of H. turcicus for each wall during two separate nocturnal visits. The occurrence of H. turcicus was only dependent on wall surface color and length. Both the lack of significance of the majority of the microhabitat variables investi- gated and the fact that H. turcicus was found on all wall types suggest that this gecko is capable of inhabiting a wide variety of wall environments. This habitat flexibility may be a key factor in the prolific expansion of this gecko's nonnative range.
From Antisweatshop to Global Justice to Antiwar: How the new New Left is the Same and Different From the old New Left

In January of 1999 a new student movement announced itself on the cam-puses of American universities. It began a campaign for a sweat free campus and it did so in dramatic fashionby occupying over the next four months Administration buildings on seven campusesDuke (January 29), Georgetown (February 5), Wisconsin (February 8), Michigan (March 17), Fair?eld (April 15), and North Carolina and Arizona (April 21). In each case, the students demands were focused on labor exploitation in the apparel industrythe sweatshop problem.
Polymer Soft-Landing Isolation of Acetylene on Polystyrene and Poly(vinylpyridine): A Novel Approach to Probing Hydrogen Bonding in Polymers.

Hydrogen-bonded complexes of acetylene (Ac) with the polymers polystyrene (PS), poly(4-vinylpyridine) (P4VP), and poly(2-vinylpyridine) (P2VP) have been characterized for the first time at 16 K in a “polymer soft-landing isolation” experiment which is being pioneered in our research laboratory. In particular, changes in vibrational modes of Ac provide ample evidence for hydrogen-bonded complexes between Ac and the phenyl groups of PS or the pyridyl groups of P4VP and P2VP. With PS, the proton on the top Ac molecule of the classic T-shaped Ac dimer interacts with the π cloud of the benzene (Bz) ring to form a C–H---π interaction, while the π cloud of the lower Ac forms a second C–H---π interaction with a proton on the Bz ring. An analogous (ring)1–(Ac)2 double interaction occurs between an Ac dimer and the pyridine (Pyr) rings on both P2VP and P4VP, yielding a C–H---N and C–H---π interaction. With P4VP and P2VP a second bridged (ring)2–(Ac)2 product is formed, with the Ac dimer forming nearly collinear C–H...
Indigeneity and the Indo-Caribbean in Cyril Dabydeen’s Dark Swirl

Indo-Guyanese Canadian writer and poet Cyril Dabydeen’s novel Dark Swirl (1988) imagines the settler-colonial cultural and environmental encounter among a rural Indo-Guyanese family, the indigenous reptilian water spirit the massacouraman , and a white British naturalist, illustrating that the Indo-Caribbean story of migration, indenture, and postcolonial citizenship includes negotiation not only with the Afro-Caribbean, but with the marginalized Indigenous presence in the Caribbean. This essay considers, among other aspects of Dabydeen’s novel, the metaphor of water and the bridging of the relational gap between Indigen­ous myth and Indo-Guyanese Hinduism through similar stories of reptilian spirits to argue that, like Afro-Guyanese, Indo-Guyanese are interpellated into the nation and accorded postcolonial sovereignty through the appropriation of Indigenous myth and the syncretism of religious and folkloric belief. Following the Guyanese writer of magical realism Wilson Harris, Dabydeen’s unusual literary attention to the relationship between the Indigenous Caribbean and creolized diasporic communities illustrates that postcolonial rulers invoke continuity with an effaced Indigenous pres­ence to establish legitimacy while simultaneously denying living Indigen­ous inhabitants their land rights and identities.
Perceptions of state child welfare administrators regarding federally-mandated citizen review panels.

Abstract Since 1996, federal law has required state child welfare agencies receiving grant funding through the Child Abuse Prevention and Treatment Act to support the work of independent citizen review panels. According to the law, citizen review panels are to assess the functions and performance of state child welfare systems, providing recommendations for improvements. To date, a handful of studies have examined the work of the citizen review panels from the perspective of the citizen participants, yet the voice of state child welfare administrators regarding their work with the panels has been largely silent in the literature. While exploratory in nature and intent, the present study begins to fill this gap by reporting the results of a national survey of state child welfare administrators regarding their perceptions of barriers and benefits to citizen participation. The qualitative analysis yielded a significant degree of agreement across administrators in 31 states and the District of Columbia, and provided a number of insights for how agencies and citizen review panels can work more collaboratively. These include the need for agencies to assist in the training of CRP participants and for administrators to more deliberately foster an environment conducive to effective engagement by supporting ongoing dialog, integrating CRP recommendations into agency work, and meeting regularly with the groups.
Long-term gene transfer to mouse fetuses with recombinant adenovirus and adeno-associated virus (AAV) vectors.

We have developed a micro-injection technique to deliver recombinant adenovirus and AAV to mouse fetuses at day 15 after conception. Several routes of delivery, including injections to the amniotic fluid, the front limb, the placenta, the liver, and the retro-orbital venus plexus, were tested using an E1-deleted recombinant adenovirus (Ad.CBlacZ) or a recombinant adeno-associated virus (AAV.CMVlacZ) carrying a β-galactosidase (lacZ) gene. Injection of Ad.CBlacZ into the amniotic cavity led to transgene expression in the skin and in the digestive tract of the fetuses. Injection of Ad.CBlacZ in the front limb resulted in LacZ expression in all major muscle groups around the injection site and at low levels in the liver. The other three routes of delivery, ie intra-placental, intra-hepatic and retro-orbital injections of Ad.CBlacZ, all led to lacZ expression predominantly in the liver. Further studies revealed a maximal tolerant dose (defined as the highest viral dose with ⩽20% mortality in the injected fetuses) of 1 × 109 particles per fetus for intra- hepatic injections, 3 × 109 particles per fetus for intra-placental injection, 1 × 1010 particles per fetus for retro-orbital and intra-amniotic injections, and 2 × 1010 particle per fetus for intra-muscular injection. The adenovirus-mediated lacZ expression in liver and muscle persisted for at least 6 weeks. Intra-muscular injection of AAV.CMVlacZ also resulted in lacZ expression in the muscle up to 3 months after birth with no indication of cellular immune response at the injection site. Taken together, our results demonstrated that prolonged transgene expression can be achieved by in utero gene transfer using either adenoviral or AAV vectors. The distribution of virus-mediated gene transfer appeared to determined mostly by the route of viral administration.
Measurement of Particle Densities and Sizes: Application to Silane/Argon Plasmas

We discuss new methods for measuring particle number densities, masses and size distributions by laser techniques. These methods do not require assumptions of particle optical properties or instrumental calibration by known particles. We summarize the theoretical basis of these techniques and discuss the light scattering fluctuation analysis, which can yield number density and size information. Experimental data for rf discharges of silane/argon mixtures are briefly presented to illustrate some of the theoretical predictions.
Source areas for chemical components in Minnesota rain

Air parcel back trajectories were used to quantify the contributions of major source areas to the chemical composition of rainwater in an area of central Minnesota. Air masses arriving from the SW contributed the majority of the rain, and the rain contained the highest concentrations of the chemical components. However, rain from the SW quadrant was less acidic than rain arriving from other quadrants because it contained a disproportionate amount of alkaline cations. It was inferred from meteorological evidence that components in rain arriving at the study site from the SW quadrant may have come from eastern and southern U.S.A. sources and been transported around a high pressure system to Minnesota. Rain from the SE quadrant was the most acidic. Concentrations of substances in rain arriving from the NW were higher than expected, consistent with a possible impact from western coal development.
Molecular phylogeny of the cleistothecial fungi placed in Cephalothecaceae and Pseudeurotiaceae

Ample evidence from both morphological and molecular characters has accumulated to establish that the cleistothecial ascoma has been derived independently on different occasions from perithecial an...
Course-Based Undergraduate Research: A Review of Models and Practices

Based on the available evidence from published literature, we reviewed the effectiveness of Course-based Undergraduate Research Experiences (CUREs). In many cases, CUREs present open-ended, complex problems that student teams tackle. Our review of 41 published articles, additional archival research, and semi-structured interviews identified multiple benefits of CUREs, including their ability to introduce larger numbers of students to research than is possible within traditional, apprenticeship-style models for undergraduate research experiences. We identified outcomes of CUREs as well as obstacles to their successful implementation. We recommended a set of features for consideration for future CURE implementers. A brief comparison of CURE with REU, or Research Experience for Undergraduate, is also included in the paper.Copyright © 2015 by ASME
A TURBULENT TRANSPORT MODEL OF COASTAL PROCESSES

A second-order closure model of turbulent transport and recent model applications to some problems of practical importance in coastal engineering are presented. Particular examples considered are the turbulent wave boundary layer under a linear and a cnoidal wave; current-wave interaction within the bottom boundary layer; mixed layer dynamics; wind-driven currents in a channel. Comparisons are made between the computed results and field/laboratory data.
Effects of heat treatment on microstructure and mechanical properties for joint of Ti_2AlNb/Ti60 dual alloys

Effects of different heat treatment schemes on microstructure and mechanical properties for weld joint of Ti2AlNb/Ti60 dual alloys after connecting and forging were investigated.The results show that: heat treatment schemes play a small role in phase composition of heat-affected zone of Ti60 alloy,but a large role in phase morphology,size and amount;along with the increase of solution temperature or solution time,the strength of the sample increases while the plastic decreases;microstructure of weld joint of Ti2AlNb/Ti60 dual alloys is optimized after the heat treatment scheme 990 ℃/1 h+750 ℃/4 h,and the strength and the plastic are higher than that of Ti60 alloy,and good strength and plastic matching at room temperature or 600 ℃ high temperature are showed in Ti2AlNb/Ti60 dual alloys.
A Review of Sternal Wound Complications in a Military Hospital

A retrospective review of sternal wound complications was conducted during a recent 13-month period at the Naval Hospital, San Diego. These complications developed in 5 (3.0%) of 168 patients after they underwent coronary artery bypass with saphenous vein grafts. Three or more of these patients were male, obese, and hypertensive, with a significant smoking history. All these factors have been previously reported to be associated with an increase in the incidence of sternal wound complications. All patients had prolonged postoperative intensive care treatment, and ultimately all patients recovered and were discharged from the hospital. Interestingly, as opposed to other reviews, we were unable to show an association of sternal wound complications with the use of internal mammary artery harvesting.
Effect of a Methanol-Acetone Extract of Skim Milk Fermented by Streptococcus thermophilus on Color, Microbial Counts, and pH of Fresh Beef.

Fresh beef steaks were treated with two concentrations of a methanol-acetone (MA) extract ( Streptococcus thermophilus -fermented skim milk) for color stability, pH change, and microbial growth at storage temperatures of 0 and 10°C. Beef color was measured by a color difference meter (Gardner) and a sensory panel. The Gardner "a/b" values for the untreated samples (control) were significantly higher (P 0.05). The "a/b" values at 10°C indicated a significant difference (P 0.05) at either storage temperature (0°C and 10°C). From 3 through 15 d, the pH increased from 5.3 to 6.1, with no significant difference (P>0.05) between treatments (after 15 d of storage, 0°C). At 10°C, no significant difference (P>0.05) was observed between treatments (after 6-d storage). Results from this experiment indicate that the MA extract may have some practical use in extending the shelf life of fresh beef by reducing factors that are responsible for color deterioration, e.g., microbial activity. However, it seems likely that higher concentrations of the MA extract would be necessary to control microbial activity at higher storage temperatures.
An Empirical Analysis of the Relationship between Politeness and Culture

This book has two main objectives. One is to refine and further develop Brown and Levinson’s (1987) universal politeness theory; the other is to empirically test it using real Interlanguage data and subjects, particularly in the context of second language acquisition. To this end, theoretically refining Brown and Levinson’s (1987) theory by introducing the role of culture in expressing politeness is crucial. Furthermore, the quality of data seriously affects the validity of this study’s findings. Thus, in this chapter, I introduce a refined version of Brown and Levinson’s (1987) theory and model based on the theoretical discussion of the inclusion of culture in politeness expression. I also describe in detail the data collection process as well as the statistical test method employed.
CHAPTER 3 – Overview of Pathology and Treatment of Metastatic Brain Tumors

Metastatic brain tumors (MBTs) are the most common complication of systemic cancer and affect between 20% and 40% of all adult cancer patients. Tumor cells usually reach the brain via hematogenous spread and often grow near the gray–white junction. Histologically, MBT resemble the parent tumor, with the potential for more undifferentiated features. Surgical resection is appropriate for solitary, accessible MBT in patients with high-performance status and well-controlled systemic disease. In carefully selected patients with multifocal MBT, surgery may be appropriate for accessible, symptomatic, dominant lesions. Whole brain external beam irradiation is the most common form of treatment for MBT, typically a total dose of 30 Gy delivered in 10 daily fractions of 300 cGy each. Radiosurgical boosting after whole brain irradiation should also be considered for patients with one to four MBT. Chemotherapy can be of benefit in selected patients, especially those with MBT from cancers of the breast, lung (small cell and nonsmall cell), ovaries, and germ cell tumors. The most active agents include carboplatin, cisplatin, etoposide, cyclophosphamide, temozolomide, capecitabine, and topotecan. “Targeted” molecular agents are also under development and being applied to MBT.
Effects of hypoxia on the intercellular channel activity of cultured glomus cells.

Dual voltage clamp experiments have shown that hypoxia induced by Na-dithionite or N2 reduced junctional macroconductance (Gj) in about 70% of cultured and coupled glomus cell pairs while increasing it in the rest. To explore possible mechanisms for these effects, we studied the activity of gap junction channels under similar conditions. The calculated single channel conductances (gj) fell into two categories. A low-conductance group, which was most frequently observed, had a mean gj of 27.8 ± 0.29 pS (mean ± SEM; n = 968 events). The other group had higher conductances (47.6 ± 0.35 pS; n = 528). When PO2 was reduced (hypoxia), the low conductances did not change significantly in any of the junctions. The high-conductance units appeared less frequently in some junctions whereas in others they remained unaltered. Thus, rapid channel flickering during hypoxia may not be the only mechanism determining Gj during coupling or uncoupling. It is possible that slow (seconds) opening and closing of the channels could play an important role in this phenomenon.
Characterizing information on best practice guidelines for catch-and-release in websites of angling-based non-government organizations in the United States

Abstract Recreational catch-and-release angling is an important tool for managing fish stocks. As recreational fishing is often a culturally or community-based activity, many anglers look to local grassroots and other non-government organizations (NGOs) as a source of information regarding their angling practices. For this study we examined the websites of recreational angling NGOs for mention of conservation and availability of best practice guidelines for catch-and-release fishing. Based on combinations of twelve search terms used on the Google search engine between October 2014 and March 2015, we reviewed 183 NGO websites and evaluated the language used in mission statements and website content for mention of conservation, catch-and-release, and any details related to the handling of caught fish. Any posted guidelines for catch-and-release were compared against scientifically evaluated best practices. During the time of our survey, results showed that
The Mozart Effect and Epilepsy

Researchers at Kaohsiung Medical University and other centers in Taiwan studied the long-term effect of listening to Mozart K-448 (Sonata for Two Pianos in D major) on the frequency of epileptiform discharges in children with epilepsy, and analyzed the relationship between the number of epileptiform discharges and foci of origin, epilepsy etiology, age, IQ, and gender.
Job Crafting: An Empirical Examination of its Antecedents and Network Consequences

Although a growing number of scholars argue job crafting holds important implications for both employees and organizations, little research has examined both individual and contextual factors that ...
Second-generation p-values: Improved rigor, reproducibility, & transparency in statistical analyses.

Verifying that a statistically significant result is scientifically meaningful is not only good scientific practice, it is a natural way to control the Type I error rate. Here we introduce a novel extension of the p-value—a second-generation p-value (pδ)–that formally accounts for scientific relevance and leverages this natural Type I Error control. The approach relies on a pre-specified interval null hypothesis that represents the collection of effect sizes that are scientifically uninteresting or are practically null. The second-generation p-value is the proportion of data-supported hypotheses that are also null hypotheses. As such, second-generation p-values indicate when the data are compatible with null hypotheses (pδ = 1), or with alternative hypotheses (pδ = 0), or when the data are inconclusive (0 < pδ < 1). Moreover, second-generation p-values provide a proper scientific adjustment for multiple comparisons and reduce false discovery rates. This is an advance for environments rich in data, where traditional p-value adjustments are needlessly punitive. Second-generation p-values promote transparency, rigor and reproducibility of scientific results by a priori specifying which candidate hypotheses are practically meaningful and by providing a more reliable statistical summary of when the data are compatible with alternative or null hypotheses.
TIMER-Cloud: Time-Sensitive VM Provisioning in Resource-Constrained Clouds

Resource management is a vital factor for better performance in cloud systems and many resource allocation algorithms have been studied. In this work, focusing on applications with timing constraints (i.e., deadlines) running on resource-constrained clouds that have multiple heterogeneous nodes of computing resources (e.g., CPU cores and memory), we propose TIMER-Cloud , a time-sensitive resource allocation and virtual machine (VM) provisioning framework. As a key component of the framework, user requests (of running certain applications) are prioritized according to their deadlines and resource demands (in the form of VM and its operation time). Specifically, in addition to the intuitive Earliest Deadline First (EDF) ordering of requests, we propose three prioritization heuristics: a) one based on the Time-Sensitive Resource Factor (TSRF) that incorporates a request's deadline and usage efficiency of all its resources; b) the Dominant Share (DS) extension of TSRF that emphasizes the most demanded resource of a request aiming at obtaining balanced resource usage among the nodes; and c) a unified k-EDF scheme that integrates the ideas of EDF and TSRF/DS to balance the needs of meeting imminent deadlines of requests and improving resource usage efficiency. Then, for the mapping of the prioritized user requests to the heterogeneous nodes, we propose a novel request-to-node mapping algorithm based on the idea of euclidean Distance that finds the node with the best match of its resource requirements for each request. TIMER-Cloud has been implemented and validated on a cloud testbed powered by OpenStack with a few heterogeneous nodes. The proposed VM provisioning schemes are further evaluated through extensive simulations using the execution data of benchmark applications. The results show that the proposed schemes can outperform the state-of-the-art deadline oblivious scheme by serving up to 12 percent more user requests and achieving up to 8 percent more system rewards for the over-loaded scenario with 140 percent system load.
Hunting in yellow waters: an ethnoarchaeological perspective on selective fishing on Lake Turkana

Abstract As riverine and lacustrine environments expanded across north tropical Africa during early Holocene times, certain characteristic fishing or “aquatic hunting” strategies became widespread. This paper investigates one such strategy and an associated technology: selective fishing and barbed bone “harpoon” points in the Turkana Basin, northwest Kenya. These tools have a geographically widespread distribution across Africa, primarily north of the equator, and can shed light on hunter-gatherer technology and resource acquisition in the face of environmental and social change. Interviews with contemporary Turkana fishers highlight near-shore fishing practices analogous to those of early Holocene hunter-gatherers. For example, Turkana fishers exploiting deltaic “yellow waters” have traditionally employed selective harpoon-like tools to acquire large aquatic fauna like Lates niloticus (Nile perch) and Synodontis sp. (catfish), while using non-selective traps, hooks and nets to catch smaller and deeper-water species. These practices have changed over several decades in response to local socioeconomic and environmental shifts. Today these selective strategies show a marked seasonality and regional variability that the archaeological record of this region has thus far been ill-equipped to investigate. Through carefully constructed analogy, this preliminary work contributes to a better understanding of human technological and behavioral responses to shifting lakeshore environments today and during early Holocene times.
Health-Related Internet Use by Children and Adolescents: Systematic Review.

Background: The internet is widely used by children and adolescents, who generally have a high level of competency with technology. Thus, the internet has become a great resource for supporting youth self-care and health-related services. However, few studies have explored adolescents’ internet use for health-related matters. Objective: The objective of this systematic literature review was to examine the phenomenon of children and adolescents’ health-related internet use and to identify gaps in the research. Methods: A total of 19 studies were selected from a search of major electronic databases: PubMed, Cumulative Index of Nursing and Allied Health Literature, and PsycINFO using the following search terms: “health-related internet use,” “eHealth,” “Internet use for health-related purpose,” “Web-based resource,” “health information seeking,” and “online resource,” combined with “child,” “adolescent,” “student,” “youth,” and “teen.” The children’s and adolescents’ ages were limited to 24 years and younger. The search was conducted from September 2015 to October 2017. The studies identified to contain youth (<24 years) health-related internet use were all published in peer-reviewed journals in the past 10 years; these studies examined general internet use seeking health care services, resources, information, or using the internet for health promotion and self-care. Studies were excluded if they explored the role of the internet as a modality for surveys, recruitment, or searching for relevant literature without specifically aiming to study participants’ health-related internet use; focused solely on quality assurance for specific websites; or were designed to test a specific internet-based intervention. Results: Interesting patterns in adolescents’ health-related internet use, such as seeking preventative health care and specific information about medical issues, were identified. Quantitative studies reported rates of the internet use and access among youth, and the purpose and patterns of health-related internet use among youth were identified. A major objective of health-related internet use is to gain information, but there are inconsistencies in adolescents’ perceptions of health-related internet use. Conclusions: This study’s findings provide important information on how youth seek information and related support systems for their health care on the internet. The conceptual and methodological limitations of the identified studies, such as the lack of a theoretical background and unrepresentative samples, are discussed, and gaps within the studies are identified for future research. This review also suggests important features for potential Web-based health interventions for children and adolescents. [J Med Internet Res 2018;20(4):e120]
Regulation of Yes-Associated Protein by Laminar Flow.

Background The cells lining the endothelium of blood vessels are recognized as playing critical roles in vascular health and disease. The mechanisms that regulate endothelial cells (ECs) proliferation and release of mediators remain poorly understood but represent a potential source of disease modulation. Actin-cytoskeleton remodeling and cell shape have been suggested as key regulators of phosphorylation of yes-associated protein (YAP) which controls cellular growth and proliferation. Because different types of flow have been shown to affect cell shape and cytoskeleton differently, we hypothesized that the level of phosphorylated yes-associated protein (pYAP; serine 127) decreases in EC exposed to pulsatile uniform flow or steady laminar flow, whereas exposure to pulsatile disturbed flow causes an increase or no change. Methods Human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs) were exposed to pulsatile uniform flow, pulsatile disturbed flow, or steady laminar flow and analyzed by immunoblotting. Results Exposure of HUVECs to steady laminar flow caused a significant decrease in the levels of pYAP (69.7 + 2.6%, P Conclusions Flow causes a decrease in pYAP. The observed decrease in total YAP levels with pulsatile flow is due to degradation via a proteasome-independent mechanism. This may be a potential target for intervention for disease states such as atherosclerosis and intimal hyperplasia.
Varix of the Vocal Cord in the Professional Voice User

Singers and actors who abuse their voices may develop either polyps, nodules, contact ulcers, and/or contact granuloma. Rarely a vascular lesion consisting of a hypertrophic vessel projecting above the medial or superior mucosal surface of the vocal cord is encountered that may contain a small knucklelike deformity. Clinically this is not dissimilar in appearance to a vessel found on the anterior nasal septum that is responsible for epistaxis. When the voice is strained, these vessels can rupture, causing recurrent submucosal hemorrhages in the professional voice user. The case described is that of a well-known actress in whom vocal abuse did not produce a submucosal hemorrhage from the varix but rather an edematous change and symptoms identical to those of a soft, early vocal cord nodule.
The application of aerobic yeast for treatment of high strength food processing wastewater containing furfural

Food processing industries typically produce large quantities of high strength organic wastewater. The standard approach for such wastewater would be anaerobic pretreatment. However, the wastewater from the Quaker Oats Company located in Cedar Rapids, Iowa USA contained furfural, which was found to be toxic to anaerobic microorganisms. In this study, batch and continuous laboratory scale experiments were performed to investigate the treatment of furfural-based wastewater using aerobic yeast. Three yeasts, Candida guillermondii, C. tropicalis, and C. utilis, were first studied in batch tests. All yeast cultures could lower the COD in the wastewater by more than 90%. As the work was done under non-aseptic conditions, bacterial growth also occurred. Much of the work focused on finding operational conditions to minimize bacterial growth. At a pH of 4.5, the maximum specific growth rate, |_imax, of C. utilis and bacteria were 0.13 h"1 and 0.03 h"1 and the value of half-saturation coefficient for substrate, Ks, were 160 mg COD/L and 12 mg COD/L, respectively. Accordingly, when substrate concentrations were higher than 30 mg COD/L, yeast grew faster than bacteria. Yeast cultivation in continuously stirred aerobic reactors was studied with different yeast cultures. The effect of the age of the yeast or solids retention time (SRT ) on reactor performance was investigated initially. SRT values of 1.0, 1.3,1.5, 1.75, and 2 days were investigated and the reactors were controlled at a constant pH of 4.5 and temperature of 35°C. C. tropicalis and C. utilis and mixed cultures of these two yeast were used. The results showed that an SRT of 1.5 days was optimal to treat wastewater, maintain the yeast culture, and minimize bacterial contamination. All three yeast cultures could remove COD from the wastewater up to 90% at this SRT. Subsequently, the effect of temperature on yeast performance was studied. C. tropicalis and C. utilis were studied in separate reactors. Two reactors were run at temperatures of 25, 30, 35, and 40°C. The SRT and pH were controlled, at 1.5 day of 4.0 respectively. The results indicated that the optimum operating temperature in terms of removal efficiency, yeast biomass yield, and prevention of bacterial contamination was 30°C. Under these conditions, both C. tropicalis and C. utilis could remove COD by 90%. Finally, the effect of pH on yeast performance was investigated. C. tropicalis and C. utilis were studied in separate reactors. The reactors were operated at different pH values, i.e. 3.0, 3.5,4.0,4.5, 5.0, and 5.5. The SRT and temperature of 30°C were controlled at 1.5 days and 30°C respectively. The higher pH increased the removal efficiency. Bacterial contamination was significant at pH values of 5.0 and 5.5. Therefore, the optimum pH range in terms of treatment efficiency, yeast biomass yield, and preventing bacterial contamination was between 4.0 and 4.5. At this pH range, more than 90% COD removal was accomplished in both reactors.
When Occam’s Razor Cuts Too Close: Toward A More Nuanced View Of Team Composition

Work on team composition has been plagued by inconsistent findings, which limits our understanding of the effects of team composition, and our ability to provide strong recommendations regarding th...
Mechanisms of Oxidation of Hydrocarbons, Lipids and Low Density Lipoproteins

Low density lipoprotein (LDL) is the major carrier of cholesterol and its esters in human blood plasma. Free radical-peroxidation of LDL may play a crucial role in the development of atherosclerosis, and much effort has been devoted to the study of lipoprotein oxidation and its prevention over the last decade [1, 2]. Peroxidation of the LDL’s lipids affords hydroperoxides principally from cholesteryl linoleate (Ch18:2), the predominant lipid component in the lipoprotein core [3]. Hydroperoxide formation is generally thought to precede and result in the modification of apoprotein B-100, the single protein associated with LDL. Once modified, the apoprotein is taken up by scavenger receptors of monocyte-derived macrophages. Internalization of lipids in this manner is uncontrolled, and leads to intracellular lipid accumulation and the appearance of lipid-laden foam cells similar to those found in early atherosclerotic lesions.
Frequency of pediatric traumatic cataract and simultaneous retinal detachment.

Purpose Traumatic cataract in children is a treatable cause of vision loss. In cases of simultaneous retinal detachment, the prognosis for visual recovery is often poor. The purpose of this study was to investigate risk factors for concurrent retinal detachment in patients with traumatic cataract. Methods A retrospective review of patients diagnosed with traumatic cataract at Children's Hospital Colorado between 2005 and 2014 was conducted. Demographics, mechanism of injury, and incidence of retinal detachment were recorded. Logistic modeling with generalized estimating equations to account for correlation of eyes within patients was used to analyze associations between potential risk factors and retinal detachment. Results A total of 62 total eyes with traumatic cataract were included: 52 patients presented with unilateral cataract; 5 presented with bilateral cataracts. Mean patient age was 8.4 ± 4.1 years (range, 0-16 years), and 83% of patients were male. A total of 9 eyes (14.5%) had comorbid retinal detachment. Traumatic cataracts caused by self-injurious hitting were more likely to present with simultaneous retinal detachment than those caused by other mechanisms of injury (OR = 24.0; 95% CI, 3.8-153.3; P = 0.0010). Conclusions Patients with traumatic cataract who display self-injurious behavior are at higher risk for concurrent retinal detachment. These patients can often only be examined under sedation. Ophthalmologists should counsel families of high-risk patients and consider involving retinal specialists in surgical planning.
Effects of kainic acid and piperidine dicarboxylic acid on displaced bipolar cells in the turtle retina.

An immunoreaction against glutamate was used to visualize photoreceptors, bipolar, and ganglion cells in the turtle retina. Incubation of the retina prior to fixation in kainic acid (9 μm) led to selective loss of glutamate-like immunoreactivity in OFF-centre bipolar cells, as judged by the loss of staining in the distal half of the inner plexiform layer. In addition, displaced bipolar cells and ganglion cells lost their immunoreactivity. Incubation of the retina in 2,3-cis piperidine dicarboxylate (1mm) did not result in noticeable glutamate depletion in any cell but enhanced labelling in displaced bipolar cells. These findings suggest that all displaced bipolar cells in the turtle retina are depolarized by kainic acid and hyperpolarized by 2,3-cis piperidine dicarboxylate.
Subjective sleep measurement: comparing sleep diary to questionnaire

Purpose The sleep diary is the gold standard of self-reported sleep duration, but its comparability to sleep questionnaires is uncertain. The purpose of this study was to compare self-reported sleep duration between a sleep diary and a sleep questionnaire and to test whether sleep-related disorders were associated with diary-questionnaire differences in sleep duration. Participants and methods We compared self-reported sleep duration from 5,432 questionnaire-sleep diary pairs in a longitudinal cohort of 1,516 adults. Participants reported sleep information in seven-day sleep diaries and in questionnaires. Research staff abstracted average sleep durations for three time periods (overall; weekday; weekend) from diaries and questionnaires. For each time period, we evaluated diary-questionnaire differences in sleep duration with Welch's two-sample t-tests. Using linear mixed effects regression, we regressed overall diary-questionnaire sleep duration difference on several participant characteristics: reporting any insomnia symptoms, having sleep apnea, sex, body mass index, smoking status, Short Form-12 Physical Health Composite Score, and Short Form-12 Mental Health Composite Score. Results The average diary-reported overall sleep duration (7.76 hrs) was longer than that of the questionnaire (7.07 hrs) by approximately 41 mins (0.69 hrs, 95% confidence interval: 0.62, 0.76 hrs). Results were consistent across weekday- and weekend-specific differences. Demographic-adjusted linear mixed effects models tested whether insomnia symptoms or sleep apnea were associated with diary-questionnaire differences in sleep duration. Insomnia symptoms were associated with a 17 min longer duration on the diary relative to the questionnaire (β=0.28 hrs, 95% confidence interval: 0.22, 0.33 hrs), but sleep apnea was not significantly associated with diary-questionnaire difference. Female sex was associated with greater diary-questionnaire duration differences, whereas better self-reported health was associated with lesser differences. Conclusion Diaries and questionnaires are somewhat disparate methods of assessing subjective sleep duration, although diaries report longer duration relative to questionnaires, and insomnia symptoms may contribute to greater perceived differences.
Dynamic Aggregation of Grid-Tied Three-Phase Inverters

The number of grid-tied inverters interfacing renewable resources, energy-storage devices, and flexible loads in distribution networks is steadily increasing. State-space models for inverters are nonlinear and high dimensional which renders the task of modeling large numbers at the edge of the grid to be a difficult undertaking. To address this issue, we develop a distribution-network-cognizant aggregation approach that describes the collective dynamics of grid-tied three-phase inverters. Inverters are clustered based on effective impedances to an infinite bus (modeling the transmission-distribution boundary) and for each cluster, an aggregate dynamical model is developed to preserve the structure and order of each individual inverter state-space model. The K-means algorithm is leveraged for clustering and a suitable linearization of the power-flow equations reduces computational burden involved in determining terminal voltages for the clusters. Numerical simulation results for the IEEE 37-bus feeder system demonstrate the accuracy and computational benefits of the proposed aggregation method.