cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Inflammation, negative nitrogen balance, and outcome after aneurysmal subarachnoid hemorrhage

Objective: To analyze the impact of inflammation and negative nitrogen balance (NBAL) on nutritional status and outcomes after subarachnoid hemorrhage (SAH). Methods: This was a prospective observational study of SAH patients admitted between May 2008 and June 2012. Measurements of C-reactive protein (CRP), transthyretin (TTR), resting energy expenditure (REE), and NBAL (g/day) were performed over 4 preset time periods during the first 14 postbleed days (PBD) in addition to daily caloric intake. Factors associated with REE and NBAL were analyzed with multivariable linear regression. Hospital-acquired infections (HAI) were tracked daily for time-to-event analyses. Poor outcome at 3 months was defined as a modified Rankin Scale score ≥4 and assessed by multivariable logistic regression. Results: There were 229 patients with an average age of 55 ± 15 years. Higher REE was associated with younger age ( p = 0.02), male sex ( p p = 0.001), and higher modified Fisher score ( p = 0.01). Negative NBAL was associated with lower caloric intake ( p p p = 0.03), and higher CRP:TTR ratio ( p = 0.03). HAIs developed in 53 (23%) patients on mean PBD 8 ± 3. Older age ( p = 0.002), higher Hunt Hess ( p p = 0.001), and negative NBAL ( p = 0.04) predicted time to first HAI. Poor outcome at 3 months was associated with higher Hunt Hess grade ( p p p = 0.01), HAI ( p = 0.03), higher CRP:TTR ratio ( p = 0.04), higher body mass index ( p = 0.03), and delayed cerebral ischemia ( p = 0.04). Conclusions: Negative NBAL after SAH is influenced by inflammation and associated with an increased risk of HAI and poor outcome. Underfeeding and systemic inflammation are potential modifiable risk factors for negative NBAL and poor outcome after SAH.
A Study of Utilization Bound and Run-Time Overhead for Cluster Scheduling in Multiprocessor Real-Time Systems

Cluster scheduling, where processors are grouped into clusters and the tasks that are allocated to one cluster are scheduled by a global scheduler, has attracted attention in multiprocessor real-time systems research recently. In this paper, by adopting optimal global schedulers within each cluster, first we investigate the worst-case utilization bound for cluster scheduling. Specifically, for a system with $m$ homogeneous clusters where each cluster has $k$ processors, we show that the worst-case achievable system utilization is$\frac{\lfloor k/\alpha \rfloor \cdot m + 1}{\lfloor k/\alpha \rfloor + 1} \cdot k$, where $\alpha$ is the maximum utilization for the periodic tasks considered. By focusing on an efficient optimal global scheduler, namely the boundary-fair (Bfair) algorithm, we propose a period-aware partitioning heuristic aiming at reducing the scheduling overhead. Simulation results show that the percentage of task sets that can be scheduled is significantly improved under cluster scheduling even for small-size clusters (e.g., k=2). Moreover, the proposed period-aware partitioning heuristic markedly reduces the scheduling overhead of cluster scheduling with Bfair.
Improving Performance of Deterministic Single-Path Routing on 2-Level Generalized Fat-Trees

This paper focuses on deterministic single-path routing schemes on 2-level generalized fat-trees. We develop a routing algorithm that is optimal in terms of worst-case permutation performance. In comparison to existing routing schemes for such topologies, our algorithm also improves the average performance of common communication patterns including bisect patterns, full permutation patterns, and dissemination (Bruck) patterns on various 2-level generalized fat-trees as demonstrated in our evaluation results.
Innovative faculty cohort hire at the university of San Diego

The University of San Diego (USD)'s NSF ADVANCE grant, AFFIRM (Advancement of Female Faculty: Institutional climate, Recruitment and Mentoring), focuses on addressing issues related to race and gender for faculty in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM). Although a majority of undergraduate students majoring in most STEM disciplines at USD are female, there are not nearly that many women faculty. As part of the grant proposal, the AFFIRM team was promised two new faculty positions by the Provost. In Fall 2013, the team met with the Dean of the College of Arts and Sciences and the Dean of the School of Engineering and the idea of hiring a faculty cohort to facilitate mentoring, diversity, and interdisciplinarity emerged and was approved. Over 200 candidates from diverse backgrounds applied. The candidates that came for on-campus interviews were so impressive that the Provost and Deans agreed to additional hiring opportunities, leading to a cohort of eight female faculty in the STEM fields including four women of color. In this work-in-progress, we discuss our innovative cohort hiring process, and share feedback from members of the cohort, and lessons learned. This innovative process could serve as a model for other campuses.
Two Concepts of Opposition, Multiple Squares

This paper uses the resources provided by systems of illocutionary logic to characterize an opposition among assertive illocutionary acts that is parallel to incompatibility or inconsistency among statements. It is argued that opposition, or incoherence, among assertive illocutionary acts is more fundamental than inconsistency, and that our understanding of incoherence “underwrites” our conception of inconsistency. Diagrams are provided to illustrate relations of incoherence that are like such traditional diagrams as the square of opposition, which displays relations among statements.
Diffusion NMR studies of macromolecular complex formation, crowding and confinement in soft materials.

Abstract Label-free methods to obtain hydrodynamic size from diffusion measurements are desirable in environments that contain multiple macromolecular species at a high total concentration: one example is the crowded cellular environment. In complex, multi-species macromolecular environments – in this article, we feature aqueous systems involving polymers, surfactants and proteins – the link between dynamics and size is harder to unpack due to macromolecular crowding and confinement. In this review, we demonstrate that the pulsed-field gradient NMR technique, with its spectral separation of different chemical components, is ideal for studying the dynamics of the entire system simultaneously and without labelling, in a wide range of systems. The simultaneous measurement of the dynamics of multiple components allows for internal consistency checks and enables quantitative statements about the link between macromolecular dynamics, size, complex formation and crowding in soft materials.
IFG, a gypsy-like retrotransposon in Pinus (Pinaceae), has an extensive history in pines

A 1 kb EcoRI restriction fragment cloned from a band visible in an agarose gel of Pinus lambertiana (sugar pine) genomic DNA is present in both subgenera of Pinus with at least 104 copies/genome. A full-length copy of this repeated element recovered from a P. radiata (Monterey pine) genomic DNA library was found to possess all of the sequence features associated with gypsy-like retrotransposons. This report describes the biology and history of the IFG (Institute of Forest Genetics) family of retrotransposons. The characterized IFG7 is 5937 bp long. Immediately interior to its 5′ and 3′ long terminal repeats are sequences consistent with primer binding sites for reverse transcription of the RNA genome. Presumptive gene products associated with retrotransposition appear to be coded in a single reading frame and are in the same order as the gypsy-like retrotransposons and retroviruses. The 1.0 kb EcoRI fragment of IFG elements codes for the 3′ half of IFG's reverse transcriptase and the entire RNase H domain. Southern blot analysis suggests IFG was present in Pinaceae before its division into its modern genera. Sequence analysis of IFG 1.0 kb RI fragments and southern analysis also suggest that IFG continued to evolve in Pinus with restriction fragment length polymorphism (RFLP) subfamilies appearing early in the history of each subgenus often correlating with subdivisions of Pinus. Features shared with other plant retrotransposons are also discussed.
Ultrastructural Evidence of Meiosis in Ceratiomyxa Fruticulosa

On the basis of similarities in sporogenesis and plasmodial characteristics, Ceratiomyxa was recently transferred from the myxomycetes to the protostelids (Olive, 1970). Several earlier reports have claimed the occurrence of sexuality, with meiosis taking place in the spores, in C. fruticulosa (Mull.) Macbride (e.g., E. W. Olive, 1907; Gilbert, 1935; Wilson and Ross, 1955; Sansome and Dixon, 1965), but further confirmation has been needed. The present study was undertaken to determine whether synaptonemal complexes, the indicators of meiotic chromosomal pairing (Moses, 1968), are present in the nuclei that enter the spores. Developing spore columns of C. fruticulosa were collected from nature and fixed with sequential glutaraldehyde-0s04 and processed further as described by Furtado and Olive (1970) for other protostelids. Difficulties in obtaining good fixation of desired stages were encountered as a result of the inability thus far to culture the organism in the laboratory and because of the large amount of mucilaginous material surrounding the protoplasts. In spite of these problems, a number of nuclei in plasmodia undergoing segmentation into prespore cells (FIGS. 1-3) and in the prespore cells themselves (FIG. 4) were found to contain structures showing the basic characteristics of synnaptonemal complexes. The discovery of synaptonemal complexes at the time of cleavage of prespore cells demonstrates that meiotic pairing begins before development of the sporocarp is under way, the chromosomes presumably remaining paired until the two successive meiotic nuclear divisions occur in the spore. A third, mitotic division occurs after spore germination, and the 8-nucleate protoplast divides into eight flagellate cells
Adhesive Contact Modeling of Ultra-Low Flying Head-Disk Interfaces With and Without Roughness Effects

The head-disk interface (HDI) designed for sub-5nm pseudo-flying to obtain extremely high areal recording (EHDR) density of 1 Tbit/in is susceptible to strong adhesive interfacial forces, and the accurate predictions of these interfacial forces are critical in ensuring successful implementation of ultra-low flying HDI’s. In this paper, the effect of surface roughness on the adhesive forces at sub-5 nm flying-height regimes is investigated through a comparison to a simple two flat parallel surface counterpart. It was found that the effect of roughness promotes adhesion at higher separations than if a two flat parallel surface configuration is adopted. Prior to the onset of contact (during flying), however, the total adhesive force for an interface with low roughness is comparable to the two flat parallel surface approximation, thus significantly simplifying the analysis.© 2005 ASME
Nietzsche, autobiography, history: mourning and Martin and John.

SUMMARY How might gay and lesbian literature be read not as a mimetic representation of homosexuality, but as an activity linked to problems of subjectivity and historiography? Reading Dale Peck's novel Martin and John alongside passages from Friedrich Nietzsche's “On the Uses and Disadvantages of History for Life” and Sigmund Freud's “Mourning and Melancholia,” this essay argues for an understanding of Peck's text as an attempt to link two apparently different processes of import to contemporary gay male subjects in particular: the writing of what Nietzsche terms “critical history,” and the mourning of those lost to HIV disease. It concludes by linking Martin and John to feminist critiques of identity and traditional historiography, as well as noting the connection between these two critiques.
Perceived Closeness to Multiple Social Connections and Attachment Style A Longitudinal Examination

Throughout life people form multiple close connections. These connections play an important role, such as providing social and instrumental support. Despite this, relatively little is known about h...
Impact of spintronic memory on multicore cache hierarchy design

Spintronic memory [spin-transfer torque-magnetic random access memory (STT-MRAM)] is an attractive alternative technology to CMOS since it offers higher density and virtually no leakage current. Spintronic memory continues to require higher write energy, however, presenting a challenge to memory hierarchy design when energy consumption is a concern. This study motivates the use of STT-MRAM for the first-level caches of a multicore processor to reduce energy consumption without significantly degrading the performance. The large STT-MRAM first-level cache implementation saves leakage power. Moreover, the use of small level-0 cache regains the performance drop due to STT-MRAM long write latencies. The combination of both reduces the energy-delay product by 65% on average compared with CMOS baseline. The proposed STT hierarchy also shows good scalability over the CMOS with a few benchmarks which scale significantly better. The PARSEC and Splash2 benchmark suites are analysed running on a modern multicore platform, comparing performance, energy consumption and scalability of the spintronic cache system to a CMOS design.
Neuroproteomic study of nitrated proteins in moderate traumatic brain injured rats treated with gamma glutamyl cysteine ethyl ester administration post injury: Insight into the role of glutathione elevation in nitrosative stress.

Purpose The aims of this work are to establish a time point to determine the most beneficial time to administer GCEE post incident to reduce oxidative damage and secondly, by using redox proteomics, to determine if GCEE can readily suppress 3–NT modification in TBI animals. Experimental design By using a moderate traumatic brain injury model with Wistar rats, it is hypothesized that the role of 3 – NT formation as an intermediate will predict the involvement of protein nitration/nitrosation and oxidative damage in the brain. Results In this experiment, the levels of protein carbonyls, 4-hydroxynonenal, and 3–nitrotyrosine were significantly elevated in TBI injured, saline treated rats compared to those who sustained an injury and were treated with 150 mg/kg of the glutathione mimetic, GCEE. Conclusion and clinical relevance Determining the existence of elevated 3–NT levels provides insight into the relationship between protein nitration/nitrosation and oxidative damage which can determine the pathogenesis and progression of specific neurological diseases. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved
Modeling of blood flow velocity and pressure signals using the multipulse method

The work presented in this paper shows how the multipulse method from digital signal processing can be used to accurately model signals obtained from blood pressure and flow velocity sensors. This model produces very good modelling of the signals on a resolution that allows analysis between heartbeats. The AR coefficients can be transformed to reflection coefficients and tube radii associated with digital wave guides, as well as pole-zero representations. These parameters permit additional insight and interpretation that will produce deeper insight into the biological control mechanisms.
Subspace Aware Recovery of Low Rank and Jointly Sparse Signals

We consider the recovery of a matrix ${\mathbf X}$ , which is simultaneously low rank and joint sparse, from few measurements of its columns using a two-step algorithm. Each column of ${\mathbf X}$ is measured using a combination of two measurement matrices; one which is the same for every column, while the second measurement matrix varies from column to column. The recovery proceeds by first estimating the row subspace vectors from the measurements corresponding to the common matrix. The estimated row subspace vectors are then used to recover ${\mathbf X}$ from all the measurements using a convex program of joint sparsity minimization. Our main contribution is to provide sufficient conditions on the measurement matrices that guarantee the recovery of such a matrix using the above two-step algorithm. The results demonstrate quite significant savings in number of measurements when compared to the standard multiple measurement vector scheme, which assumes same time-invariant measurement pattern for all the time frames. We illustrate the impact of the sampling pattern on reconstruction quality using breath held cardiac cine MRI and cardiac perfusion MRI data, while the utility of the algorithm to accelerate the acquisition is demonstrated on MR parameter mapping.
Risk factors for early, cumulative, and fatal infections after heart transplantation: a multiinstitutional study.

Background and Methods : By multivariable analysis, risk factors were identified for initial infection of any type, cumulative infections during the first 6 months and fatal infection among 2210 heart transplant recipients at 30 institutions. Results and Conclusions : Of the 1218 infections in 695 patients, bacterial infections were most frequent (47%), followed by viral (42%), fungal (8%), and protozoal (4%). Risk factors for earlier infection included older recipient age (p 55 years) on ventilator support at time of transplantation who received an older (> 50 years) donor heart.
Systematic Functional Analysis of Active-Site Residues in l-Threonine Dehydrogenase from Thermoplasma volcanium

Enzymes have been through millions of years of evolution during which their active-site microenvironments are fine-tuned. Active-site residues are commonly conserved within protein families, indicating their importance for substrate recognition and catalysis. In this work, we systematically mutated active-site residues of l-threonine dehydrogenase from Thermoplasma volcanium and characterized the mutants against a panel of substrate analogs. Our results demonstrate that only a subset of these residues plays an essential role in substrate recognition and catalysis and that the native enzyme activity can be further enhanced roughly 4.6-fold by a single point mutation. Kinetic characterization of mutants on substrate analogs shows that l-threonine dehydrogenase possesses promiscuous activities toward other chemically similar compounds not previously observed. Quantum chemical calculations on the hydride-donating ability of these substrates also reveal that this enzyme did not evolve to harness the intrinsic ...
Universal Design Mobile Interface Guidelines (UDMIG) for an Aging Population

As people age, many of them experience decline in both health and function, which can negatively impact their use of and interaction with user interfaces. Four of the most widely accepted strategies for the design of user interfaces for an aging population and individuals with functional limitations were analyzed as part of this project: universal design (UD), design for aging (DfA), universal usability (UU), and guidelines for handheld mobile device interface design (MID). Analysis of the guidelines suggested that none of the four strategies alone were sufficiently comprehensive and inclusive enough to meet the range and diversity of usability needs of older adults within the environment of mobile touch screen interfaces. Based on the four strategies, a set of integrative guidelines, universal design mobile interface guidelines (UDMIG), were proposed to ensure usability of mobile eHealth devices by older adults. This chapter reports the continued development, refinement, and extension of the first version of the guidelines into UDMIG v.2.0, a more robust and inclusive set of design guidelines.
Policy Process: Business Participation

Business firms play an important role in the policy process in all capitalist societies. However, the extent, nature, and impact of this participation vary both over time and among different countries. Business participation in the policy process differs in the USA and other advanced capitalist democracies. It has also changed significantly since the 1970s in the USA and also to a lesser extent in Europe. There is considerable disagreement among scholars about the extent of business political power in capitalist democracies.
Single gold nanoparticle electrode for electrogenerated chemiluminescence and dark field scattering spectroelectrochemistry

Abstract Studying electrocatalytic metal nanoparticles (NPs) at the single particle level is highly desirable to unfold their structure-function correlation. In this report, we present the fabrication and spectroelectrochemistry characteristics of light-scattering single Au NP at the tip of an electrochemically etched sharp tungsten (W)electrode. Au NPs with a tunable particle size (≥60 nm) can be obtained at the W tips by adjusting the Au electrodeposition conditions. Catalyzed electrogenerated chemiluminescence (ECL) from Tris(2,2′-bipyridine) ruthenium (II) (Ru(bpy)32+)/Tri-n-propylamine (TPrA) system at single Au NP electrode shows an increase in its intensity with Au NP particle size in the range of 300 nm–500 nm. The potential application of these single Au NP electrodes in the studies of electrocatalytic reaction and spectroelectrochemistry at the nanometer scale is demonstrated using dark-field scattering (DFS) spectroelectrochemistry method. The decrease in DFS intensity upon oxidation of hydrazine at the single Au NP electrode is attributed to the formation of low-refraction-index N2 near the surface of the Au NP to decrease its light scattering cross-section. Single Au NP electrode presented in this work would help improve instrument capability of scanning electrochemical microscope (SECM) and near-field scanning optical microscope (NSOM) techniques for ultrasensitive electrochemical analysis.
Characterization of subgrade soil mixed with recycled asphalt pavement

Abstract Due to awareness to greener environment, use of recycled asphalt material has become popular in asphalt pavement industry. The use of recycled asphalt pavement (RAP) materials in subgrade soil can be an additional scope of utilizing RAP. This study investigates the effect of RAP on the resilient modulus (MR) of subgrade soils mixed with RAP materials. Note that MR is the principal material input parameter for designing asphalt pavement using the recent mechanistic-empirical pavement design software. As a first step of the current study, different percentages of RAP and moisture were thoroughly mixed with subgrade soils. Then, the MR of these RAP mixed soils were determined using the AASHTO T 307 (1999) at different stress levels in the laboratory. Results show that the MR of RAP mixed soil increases with the applied deviatoric and bulk stresses, however, it is less sensitive to applied confining pressure. Use of RAP materials has made the soils stiff enough not to respond to the confining pressure. As expected, the MR value reaches a maximum at the optimum moisture content and increases linearly with RAP content. The MR values and characteristics of the RAP mixed subgrade soils, as determined by the current study, can be used for subgrade design and stabilization using RAP for better pavement design.
The Image Today: Field-Notes on the Interdisciplinary Use of the Visioning Workshop:

Fred Polak wrote in his classic text, The Image of The Future: The rise and fall of images of the future precedes or accompanies the rise and fall of cultures. As long as the society’s image is pos...
Wind development, tax policy and economic development tradeoffs

Abstract Wind energy poses an opportunity for rural communities. Many western states are currently challenged by structural economic changes and serious declines in employment and tax revenues. This opportunity has also led some state policymakers to consider wind taxation increases to create needed new revenue, which could deter such development. Such decisions must be made with a clear understanding of each state’s real competitiveness, and with recognition of the potential tradeoffs such decisions could imply.
Mechanism of Insulin Resistance in Infection

It has been recognized for many years that infection, thermal injury and a variety of traumatic conditions markedly alter substrate utilization. Although the metabolic manifestations of trauma certainly vary with the type and severity of the insult, there are similarities among the responses which may suggest a potential common mechanism. In general, the sepsis- or trauma-induced changes in whole body glucose metabolism are remarkably consistent. These changes include, but are not limited to, normal or slightly elevated plasma glucose levels, elevated lactate concentrations, and enhanced rates of hepatic glucose production and peripheral glucose disposal (Lang et al. 1985; Spitzer et al. 1988). This characteristic glucose metabolic response has been observed in patients and experimental animals which are in the “high flow” or hypermetabolic phase of injury regardless of the etiology (Frayn 1985; Wolfe 1981).
Colony-Stimulating Factor I in the Mouse and Human Uteroplacental Unit

The uterus has long been thought of as producing secretions (histotrophe) that support the development of the fetus (1). These secretions undoubtedly include polypeptide growth factors (2–3). Such growth factors may act to prepare the uterus for receipt of the blastocyst, to stimulate the proliferation and differentiation of the extraembryonic tissues, to influence the development of supporting structures, such as the maternal vasculature, or to act directly on the fetus. In addition, the placenta produces a variety of cytokines whose roles may be similar to those produced from the uterus (4). Interestingly, several of these uterine or placental growth factors were originally described to act on, or be produced by, hematopoietic cells (3). Thus, there may be an overlap between the growth factor regulation of embryonic development and hematopoiesis. In part, this overlap may be to regulate the maternal immunological response to the semi-allogenic fetus (5).
Fast Spectral Clustering via the Nyström Method

We propose and analyze a fast spectral clustering algorithm with computational complexity linear in the number of data points that is directly applicable to large-scale datasets. The algorithm combines two powerful techniques in machine learning: spectral clustering algorithms and Nystrom methods commonly used to obtain good quality low rank approximations of large matrices. The proposed algorithm applies the Nystrom approximation to the graph Laplacian to perform clustering. We provide theoretical analysis of the performance of the algorithm and show the error bound it achieves and we discuss the conditions under which the algorithm performance is comparable to spectral clustering with the original graph Laplacian. We also present empirical results.
Academic health centers and public health departments: partnership matters.

Background The Institute of Medicine has called for increased population-based training for healthcare professions students, and particularly medical students. For this to be effective, students should receive such training in the locations where population-based approaches to care take place, such as public health departments (HDs). However, little is known about currently existing relationships between academic health centers (AHCs) and HDs. Methods During the spring and summer of 2003, e-mail surveys on this topic were sent to the 104 members of the Association of Academic Health Centers, and 500 members of the National Association of City and County Health Officers and the Association of State and Territorial Health Officers. Results were received from 50 AHCs and 201 HDs. Results Survey results suggest that large numbers of healthcare professions students—residents, medical students, and others—are currently being trained in many HDs nationwide. The web of relationships between AHCs and HDs extends beyond education into research, service, and other purposes. Conclusions These preliminary results require verification. Nevertheless, they raise questions about the types and quality of the education being offered in health departments, the impact of AHC/HD relationships on both parties, and how existing relationships may be enhanced to meet current and future national needs.
Infra-Red Behavior of the Running Coupling Constant in QCD

In these lectures I will describe a non-perturbative method of studying the infrared (IR) structure of Quantum Chromodynamics (QCD) [1] and then follow with the description of an investigation of the momentum dependence of vertex functions in gauge theories[2], It is widely accepted that these IR singularities may cause color to be confined and hence produce quark confinement. In particular it is argued [3] that an “effective potential” in momentum space between quarks is proportional to g2(q2)/q2 where g2(q2) is the running coupling constant which is singular in the IR i.e. as q2 → 0. For example if g2(q2)~ l/q2 as q2 → 0 we can crudely translate this into a potential growing linearly with distance for large distances.
Soil properties, microbial communities, and sugarcane yield in paired fields with short- or long-term sugarcane cultivation histories

Abstract Abiotic and biotic factors relationship with microbial ecology and yield decline were evaluated in soils under short- and long-term sugarcane cultivation. Sugarcane yields at paired sites were higher in short-term compared to long-term cultivation soils. Evaluation of soil properties confirmed higher levels of soil organic matter and micro- and macro-nutrients interacting with soil pH and texture in soils with newly cultivated sugarcane production capable of affecting microbial ecology. Depletion of micronutrients, including iron, copper, and zinc, was associated with the long-term cultivation of sugarcane. Soil extracellular enzyme activity was affected by soil nutrient concentrations and cultivation history. Endophytic fungal colonization was more extensive in sugarcane roots from plants grown in long-term cultivation soils. Fatty acid methyl ester (FAME) biomarker profiles in bulk soils exhibited clustering for location and paired soils within locations. Similarity was based on relative abundance of biomarkers for different taxonomic groups under the influence of soil pH, texture, organic matter, and nutrients. FAME biomarker profiles revealed greater cultivation history differences for rhizosphere soils than for bulk soils. The observed patterns for short- and long-term sugarcane cultivation soils would likely influence the structure of the microbial community in the rhizosphere and subsequently influence plant growth. However, there was no consistent pattern for the FAME biomarkers distinguishing long-term from short-term sugarcane cultivation soils. The soil chemical and microbial community results highlight differences between recently and continuously cultivated soils associated with detrimental effects on soil health resulting from long-term sugarcane production.
Transfer between the cesium 6 2 P 1/2 and 6 2 P 3/2 levels induced by collisions with H 2 , HD, D 2 , CH 4 , C 2 H 6 , CF 4 , and C 2 F 6

The cross sections of spin-orbit energy exchange between the cesium $6{\phantom{\rule{0.16em}{0ex}}}^{2}{P}_{1/2}\ensuremath{\leftrightarrow}6{\phantom{\rule{0.16em}{0ex}}}^{2}{P}_{3/2}$ states induced by collisions with N${}_{2}$, H${}_{2}$, HD, D${}_{2}$, CH${}_{4}$, C${}_{2}$H${}_{6}$, CF${}_{4}$, and C${}_{2}$F${}_{6}$ were obtained for pressures less than 100 Torr at room temperature by means of steady-state laser-induced fluorescence techniques. The spin-orbit energy exchange rate with N${}_{2}$, H${}_{2}$, HD, D${}_{2}$, CH${}_{4}$, C${}_{2}$H${}_{6}$, CF${}_{4}$, and C${}_{2}$F${}_{6}$, have been measured as ${\ensuremath{\sigma}}_{21}(6{\phantom{\rule{0.16em}{0ex}}}^{2}{P}_{3/2}\ensuremath{\rightarrow}6{\phantom{\rule{0.16em}{0ex}}}^{2}{P}_{1/2})=$ 16.3, 34.1, 30.0, 22.7, 21.4, 65.6, 64.8, and 137 ${\AA{}}^{2}$ and ${\ensuremath{\sigma}}_{12}(6{\phantom{\rule{0.16em}{0ex}}}^{2}{P}_{1/2}\ensuremath{\rightarrow}6{\phantom{\rule{0.16em}{0ex}}}^{2}{P}_{3/2})=$ 1.8, 4.4, 4.1, 3.0, 2.9, 13.3, 9.7, and 16.3 ${\AA{}}^{2}$, respectively. Correlations of the spin-orbit transfer probabilities with rotational-energy defect and vibrational-energy defect have been shown.
Bank oligopoly competition analysis using a differential equations model

The purpose of this paper is to propose a model of differential equations that will be able to be applied in a bank oligopoly competition case. The differential equations model will be based on Lanchester's combat model, a well-known mathematical theory of war. Due to the fact that an oligopoly of four banks will be examined, the proposed model will consist of a 4x4 differential equations system. Many researchers have already concluded that mathematical theories of war models can be successfully applied to business cases as there are many similarities between the battle fields and the business competition. Since the proposed model's predictions concern the deposits evolution, this model can contribute in the analysis of the competition between the four major banks in Greece. The statistical analyses carried out confirm the model's good fit.
The Case for Antagonism in Socially Engaged, Arts-Based Research

Antagonistic arts-based research (ABR) sounds like a dangerous proposition. It conjures images of self-serving, artist-academics causing pain and exploiting their institutional power. It carries th...
Current practices and goals for mean arterial pressure and spinal cord perfusion pressure in acute traumatic spinal cord injury: Defining the gaps in knowledge.

Context: The mainstay of treatment for acute traumatic spinal cord injury (SCI) is to artificially elevate the patient’s mean arterial pressure (MAP) to >85 mmHg to increase blood flow to the injur...
The radically isolating languages of Flores: A challenge to diachronic theory

Abstract The languages of central Flores are all but devoid of affixation, despite that this is hardly typical of the Austronesian languages of their family, including closely related languages elsewhere on the island and nearby ones. A traditional approach to these central Flores languages’ typology is to ascribe their analyticity to grammar-internal drift, under which the disappearance of this affixal battery was due merely to fortuitous matters of stress, analogy, reanalysis, etc. Here I argue that a great deal of evidence suggests that these languages actually underwent heavy second-language acquisition by adults at some point in the relatively recent past, most likely by male invaders from a different island. The evidence includes phenomena familiar from recent developments in creolization theory, as well as a cross-linguistic approach to analyticity and its causes.
Applications of Mass Spectrometry for Clinical Diagnostics: The Influence of Turnaround Time.

This critical review discusses how the need for reduced clinical turnaround times has influenced chemical instrumentation. We focus on the development of modern mass spectrometry (MS) and its application in clinical diagnosis. With increased functionality that takes advantage of novel front-end modifications and computational capabilities, MS can now be used for non-traditional clinical analyses, including applications in clinical microbiology for bacteria differentiation and in surgical operation rooms. We summarize here recent developments in the field that have enabled such capabilities, which include miniaturization for point-of-care testing, direct complex mixture analysis via ambient ionization, chemical imaging and profiling, and systems integration.
PyISOLVER—A Fast Python OOP Implementation of LRDFIT Model

An inductance–resistance $(L- R)$ 2-D axisymmetric circuit model of a tokamak is constrained to fit combinations of diagnostic data. This model is widely used not only to reconstruct magnetohydrodynamics (MHD) equilibrium but also to predict time-dependent vacuum field evolution as part of TRANSP. However, the computational model was procedurally programmed with a commercial software platform which limits the reuse and distribution of this computational model and requires extra expense on the commercial software license. In this article, the original procedural program was ported from its commercial platform to an open-source Python platform and refactored into the object-oriented programming (OOP) style so that computational models could run independently on computers without calling any commercial software libraries. The new classes of the tokamak model contain the most frequently used methods and data structures from equilibrium fitting (EFIT) and LRDFIT. Currently, the model and diagnostic data are derived from national spherical torus experiment (NSTX)-U, however, a customized model could be easily developed for another tokamak. With Numba just-in-time (JIT) compiler, the speed of Python code is accelerated. The original deployment would take ~56 s to converge on a commercial software platform. The open-source Python version would take ~19 s with the same hardware to fit the same set of diagnostic data. Enabled by the OOP design pattern, the numerical algorithm could be further optimized without modification of any other part of code.
Unexpected sintering of small supported Ni2P under real feed conditions

2 nm well dispersed supported nickel phosphides have been made using hypophosphorous acid in the presence of organic components. In addition, a surface oxide layer was created to prevent sintering at elevated temperature. Unexpectedly, under real feed hydroprocessing conditions, the catalyst underperformed with or without the oxide layer and post run analysis revealed severe sintering to form 20–30 nm particles. To truly examine the HDT activity of small supported Ni2P, its stability under real feed conditions needs to be improved.
Fibroblast Growth Factor 23 and Blood Pressure in Older Adults: The Health, Aging, and Body Composition Study.

FGF-23 (fibroblast growth factor 23) regulates phosphorus and vitamin D. Elevated FGF-23 is associated with incident hypertension in young- and middle-aged adults, but there is limited data in olde...
Geographic Distribution of US Cohorts Used to Train Deep Learning Algorithms.

This study describes the US geographic distribution of patient cohorts used to train deep learning algorithms in published radiology, ophthalmology, dermatology, pathology, gastroenterology, and cardiology machine learning articles published in 2015-2019.
Call for Special Issue on Rural STEM Teacher Development: STEM Teaching and Learning in Rural Communities: Exploring Challenges and Opportunities

This special issue is on STEM Teaching and Learning in Rural Communities: Exploring Challenges and Opportunities. Guest Editors are:Janet K. Stramel, Ph.D. (Fort Hays State University) and Earl Legleiter (Fort Hays State University).
Light-headed relative clauses in Teramano

Abstract We investigate an unstudied, rich component of the relative clause system in Teramano, one of the Upper Southern Italian languages. We focus on light-headed relative clauses – relative clauses that lack a full nominal head and are introduced by only a Determiner-like or pronominal “light head”. We also briefly describe headed relative clauses in Teramano since the morphosyntactic features they exhibit are relevant for the investigation of light-headed relative clauses. Last, we highlight commonalities and differences between light-headed relative clauses in Teramano and Italian. Our paper provides the first systematic in-depth description of light-headed relative clauses in an Upper Southern Italian language that we are aware of, contributes to the knowledge of Teramano, the study of light-headed relative clauses crosslinguistically, and the ongoing investigation of microvariation among Italian and Italian languages.
Yellow Fever and Institutional Development: The Rise and Fall of the National Board of Health

Yellow Fever and Institutional Development: The Rise and Fall of the National Board of Health
Extended-chain crystals

The morphology of extended chain lamellae and fibrous polytetrafluoroethylene has been analyzed by electron microscopy and compared to polyethylene. The crystal growth mechanism of initial folding on molecular nucleation followed by chain extension is applicable to both polymers and seems to be a general mechanism for crystallization of prepolymerized linear macromolecules. Differences arise from the branching mechanism of the spherulites. Annealing the striated surface created on fracture could be shown to lead to folded chain “ripples” of time and temperature dependent thickness. Fibrous crystals of smooth and shish-kebob-type appearance were grown from gaseous tetrafluoroethylene.
Kan Extensions in Effective Semantics

An extension property for maps between domains is generalized to a categorical setting where the notions of adjoint and Kan extension are utilized to prove an extension property for functors. The results are used in an effective setting to provide a new characterization for certain computable mappings.
Leadership, process improvement, and information technology : the implementation of network-based applications in a financial services organization

The basis of this study is that traditional models of leadership do not adequately address the complexity of challenges presented to leaders engaged in IT-facilitated process improvements. The result is that most IT (information technology) implementations either fail outright or do not meet expectations. This study was conducted therefore, to close the knowledge gap that exists between the leadership decision to seek IT-facilitated improvement and the leadership approach needed to successfully accomplish it. Case study and qualitative research methodologies were employed to reveal assumptions and beliefs of leadership that influenced the development of network-based applications in a financial service organization-how improvement projects were initiated, implemented, and accepted by the staff for whom they were intended. The analysis of data led to the description of seven leadership themes—Institutional Climate, Involvement, Communication, Learning, Development Strategy, Resources, and Impact. Of particular interest are the assumptions and beliefs of the Impact theme, which provides evidence that ITfacilitated process improvements were successfully implemented in the financial service organization studied. The assumptions and beliefs of leadership are then used to determine how the described framework of leadership is aligned with the Postindustrial Model of Leadership suggested by Lee Bolman and Terrence Deal (1991)—a model that they contend extends beyond the limitations of traditional models. The
Folate salvage in plants: pterin aldehyde reduction is mediated by multiple non‐specific aldehyde reductases

Folates undergo oxidative cleavage in vivo, releasing a pterin aldehyde fragment that can be re-used in folate synthesis if the aldehyde group is reduced. High levels of NADPH-dependent reductase activity against pterin-6-aldehyde and its dihydro form were detected in Arabidopsis, pea and other plants; modeling predicted that the activity would maintain in vivo pterin aldehyde pools at extremely low levels (<0.2 pmol g(-1) FW). Subcellular fractionation showed that the pea leaf activity is mainly cytosolic, and anion exchange chromatography revealed multiple isoforms, all of which catalyzed reduction of other aldehydes. Arabidopsis seed activity likewise comprised various isoforms. An Arabidopsis gene (At1g10310) encoding a pterin aldehyde reductase was identified by searching the short-chain dehydrogenase/reductase family for proteins predicted to be NADPH-linked, and sharing conserved residues with reductases that mediate analogous reactions. The recombinant protein behaved as a dimer in size exclusion chromatography. In addition to pterin aldehydes, it catalyzed the reduction of diverse aromatic and aliphatic aldehydes: Vmax values varied <5-fold, but Km values ranged from 3.6 microm to 1.7 mm, those for pterin-6-aldehyde and dihydropterin-6-aldehyde being 36 and 56 microm, respectively. Activity with dihydropterin-6-aldehyde was unusually high at 0 degrees C. The At1g10310 transcript was most abundant in seeds, but, as expected for multiple isoforms, inactivating the At1g10310 gene caused only a minor change in seed pterin aldehyde reductase activity. We conclude that pterin aldehyde salvage in plants involves multiple, generalist NADPH-linked reductases, and that the At1g10310 enzyme is typical of these and hence suitable for use in engineering studies of folate turnover.
MIMO robust control for heating, ventilating and air conditioning (HVAC) systems

Potential improvements in heating ventilation and air conditioning (HVAC) system performance are investigated through the application of multiple-input, multiple-output (MIMO) robust controllers. This approach differs dramatically from today's prevalent method of building HVAC controllers using multiple single-input, single-output control loops.
Delay Characteristics of Packet Switched Networks

The rapid growth of the Internet, along with the availability of powerful computers and high-speed networks as low-cost commodity components, is changing the way people do computing and manage information. These new technologies have enabled the utilization of a wide variety of geographically distributed computational resources, including computers, storage systems, data sources, and special devices, as a unified resource. This new paradigm is popularly termed “grid” computing. The federation of highly distributed heterogeneous resources to deliver high-performance computational services is a key feature of grid computing. Computer networks form the basis for resource sharing across geographically distributed sites and many grid applications require the underlying networks guarantee certain levels of delay performance.
Variational methods for field theories

Four field theory models are studied: Periodic Quantum Electrodynamics (PQED) in (2 + 1) dimensions, free scalar field theory in (1 + 1) dimensions, the Quantum XY model in (1 + 1) dimensions, and the (1 + 1) dimensional Ising model in a transverse magnetic field. The last three parts deal exclusively with variational methods; the PQED part involves mainly the path-integral approach. The PQED calculation results in a better understanding of the connection between electric confinement through monopole screening, and confinement through tunneling between degenerate vacua. This includes a better quantitative agreement for the string tensions in the two approaches. Free field theory is used as a laboratory for a new variational blocking-truncation approximation, in which the high-frequency modes in a block are truncated to wave functions that depend on the slower background modes (Boron-Oppenheimer approximation). This ''adiabatic truncation'' method gives very accurate results for ground-state energy density and correlation functions. Various adiabatic schemes, with one variable kept per site and then two variables per site, are used. For the XY model, several trial wave functions for the ground state are explored, with an emphasis on the periodic Gaussian. A connection is established with the vortex Coulomb gas ofmore » the Euclidean path integral approach. The approximations used are taken from the realms of statistical mechanics (mean field approximation, transfer-matrix methods) and of quantum mechanics (iterative blocking schemes). In developing blocking schemes based on continuous variables, problems due to the periodicity of the model were solved. Our results exhibit an order-disorder phase transition. The transfer-matrix method is used to find a good (non-blocking) trial ground state for the Ising model in a transverse magnetic field in (1 + 1) dimensions.« less
Dying for Growth: Global Inequality and the Health of the Poor

Dying for Growth: Global Inequality and the Health of the Poor. Jim Yong Kim. Joyce V. Millen. Alec Irwin. and John Gershman. eds. Monroe, ME: Common Courage Press, 2000. 604 pp.
REINTEGRATING R&D INTO BUSINESS STRATEGY

If U.S. business fails to make long‐term commitments to R&D in favor of short‐term profits, one can expect competitive advantages to be lost to the Japanese.