cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Deterministic Systems and Stochastic Input

This chapter examines stochastic problems defined by $$D\left[ {X\left( {x,t} \right)} \right] = Y\left( {x,t} \right),\;t \geqslant 0,\;x \in D \subset {\mathbb{R}^n},$$ (1) where n ≥ 1 is an integer, x and t denote space and time parameters, respectively, V can be an algebraic, differential, or integral operator with deterministic coefficients that may or may not depend on time, Y is the random input, and X denotes the output. It is common in applications to concentrate on values of X at a finite number of points X k ∈ D rather then all points of D. Systems described by the evolution in time of A’ at a finite number of points and at all points in D are called discrete and continuous respectively. The focus of this chapter is on discrete systems since they are used extensively in applications and are simpler to analyze than continuous systems. The vector X(t) ∈ ℝd collecting the processes X(xk, t), called the state vector defines the evolution of a discrete system. The mapping from Y to X can be with or without memory. An extensive discussion on memoryless transformations of random processes can be found in [79] (Chapters 3, 4, and 5) and is not presented here.
Evaluation of fault localization techniques

Fault localization (FL) takes as input a faulty program and produces as output a list of code locations ranked by probability of being defective. A programmer doing debugging, or a program repair tool, could save time by focusing on the most suspicious locations. Researchers evaluate new FL techniques on programs with known faults, and score a technique based on where in its list the actual defect appears. This enables comparison of multiple FL techniques to determine which one is best. Previous research has primarily evaluated FL techniques using artificial faults, generated either by hand or automatically. Other prior work has shown that artificial faults have both similarities to and differences from real faults; given this, it is not obvious that the techniques that perform best on artificial faults will also perform best on real faults. This work compares 7 previously-studied FL techniques, both on artificial faults (as a replication study) and on real faults (to validate the assumption that artificial faults are useful proxies for real faults for comparisons of FL techniques). Our replication largely agreed with prior work, but artificial faults were not useful for predicting which FL techniques perform best on real faults. We also studied which characteristics make FL techniques perform well on real faults. We identified a design space that includes those 7 previously-studied FL techniques as well as 149 new ones, and determined which decisions were most important in designing a new technique.
Cefotaxime dosage in infants and children. Pharmacokinetic and clinical rationale for an extended dosage interval.

Cefotaxime is a third generation cephalosporin antimicrobial agent which has received wide acceptance as a first-line antibiotic for many infections in neonates, infants and children. With an average elimination half-life of about 1h, cefotaxime is not considered to be a ‘long half-life cephalosporin’ like ceftriaxone. For this reason, currently accepted dosage regimens for cefotaxime in infants and children employ a dosage of 50 mg/kg every 6h. Re-examination of the paediatric pharmacokinetic data for cefotaxime and use of simple multiple-dose pharmacokinetic simulation of alternative dosage regimens was performed. From this analysis, regimens administering 75 mg/kg of the drug every 8h or every 12h were projected to produce serum cefotaxime concentrations adequate to effectively kill many of the common pathogens against which the drug is currently indicated for use in children. The clinical utility of these alternative dosage regimens was supported by a review of the medical literature and examination of the clinical results from studies in neonates, infants and children where cefotaxime was administered in 2 to 3 divided doses daily. It would appear, therefore, that increasing the cefotaxime dosage to 75 mg/kg administered at 8h intervals would result in less frequent drug administration which would not be expected to compromise safety and efficacy. Alternative dosage regimens for cefotaxime merit further consideration and clinical evaluation before they become commonly used in paediatric therapeutics.
NON-MARKOVIAN OPEN QUANTUM SYSTEMS: SYSTEM–ENVIRONMENT CORRELATIONS IN DYNAMICAL MAPS

We construct a non-Markovian dynamical map that accounts for systems correlated to the environment. We refer to it as a canonical dynamical map, which forms an evolution family. The relationship between inverse maps and correlations with the environment is established. The mathematical properties of complete positivity is related to classical correlations, according to quantum discord, between the system and the environment. A generalized non-Markovian master equation is derived from the canonical dynamical map.
The search continues: neuroprotection for all neonates with hypoxic-ischemic encephalopathy

Hypoxic-ischemic encephalopathy (HIE) from peripartum complications is a leading cause of neonatal brain injury. Inducing therapeutic hypothermia within 6 hours of birth to 33.0–34.0 ℃ for 72 hours is the standard of care for moderate to severe encephalopathy in many developed countries. The protection afforded by hypothermia is incomplete, however, as nearly half of hypothermia-treated survivors suffer persistent moderate to severe neurologic disabilities (1,2). Therefore, we continue to search for therapeutic strategies that can provide full neuroprotection in all neonates with HIE.
MUVEs and meta-knowledge

Research Goals and Theoretical Framework. Numerous researchers have emphasized the role of metacognitive processes in inquiry learning (White & Frederiksen, 1998, 2005; Kuhn, Black, Keselman, & Kaplan, 2000; Kempler, 2006; Kuhn & Pease, 2008). As an example, White et al offer a framework for inquiry learning, the meta-knowledge framework, which contains four primary processes: theorizing, questioning and hypothesizing, investigating, analyzing and synthesizing (White & Frederiksen, 1998; White, Frederiksen, Collins, in press). As part of this framework, they claim there is a meta-processing level where one evaluates not only what process should be carried out but how well it is being carried out. Similarly, research on games and multi-user virtual environments (MUVEs) suggest curricula delivered via these technologies have the potential to offer more authentic science inquiry learning that reflect the processes in White et als framework (Gee, 2003; Dede, 2009, Clark et al, 2009). We are studying how curricula delivered via immersive technologies have the potential to create learning experiences that (1) allow for authentic inquiry learning (2) enable metacognitive processes laid out by White et al. The research questions we will address in this poster are: what aspects of learning influence students' metacognitive processes? What aspects of MUVEs allow for students to engage in metacognitive processes?
A Meta-Analysis of Gifted and Talented Identification Practices:

Researchers consider the underrepresentation of Black, Hispanic, and Native American students is largely due to the use of traditional methods of identification (i.e., IQ and standardized achieveme...
Clinical narratives in residency education: Exploration of the learning process.

Background: Post-professional residency educational programs aim to advance the knowledge and skills of therapists in a clinical specialty area, however, little is known about the process, outcomes...
Similarities in the Refractoriness of the Reproductive System of Hamsters to Melatonin and to Darkness

ABSTRACT In the first study, adult male hamsters were exposed to short days (light:dark cycles of 2:22) and, as expected, they experienced gonadal involution. When the animals were returned to long day conditions (14:10), gonadal regeneration ensued and could not be inhibited by daily afternoon melatonin injections. Likewise, after normal reproductive function was re-established the animals were refractory to the inhibitory influence of afternoon melatonin injections. In the second study, adult male hamsters were exposed to naturally short days beginning in October. By the following April the gonads had re-established a high level of activity. Initiation of afternoon melatonin injections at this time revealed that the animals were refractory to the indole. The refractory period to melatonin was eventually interrupted by the exposure of the hamsters to long days throughout the summer months. Refractoriness to melatonin may be a consequence of the down regulation of the melatonin receptors.
A change agent in the use of continuing online distance learning technology

Managers of public libraries have been presented with a new set of challenges in the day-to-day operations of public libraries. These include their ability to serve as change agents as they manage the use of continuing online distance learning (CODL) for staff. This online tool may provide staff opportunities for on-the-job learning, yet for managers and managerial staff little is known about how the tool impacts their role in light of the changes. This research investigates the perceptions of 103 Northeast Texas Library System managers and managerial staff about their role as a change agent in the use of CODL using an exploratory factor analysis (EFA) and confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) to determine the outcome. Administrators from urban, suburban, and rural public libraries were surveyed using a General Training Climate Scale to explore three constructs: extent of the manager role, manager role, and use of CODL. Data analysis was performed using exploratory and confirmatory analysis to support the theoretical model. An altered model was tested and confirmed through model fit indices.
Mössbauer Studies of an Enzyme System: Putidaredoxin and Cytochrome P450

Iron proteins play a vital role in many biochemical reactions. Hemoglobin and myoglobin for instance bind molecular oxygen, cytochrome c is active in electron transport, and other iron proteins catalyze specific biochemical reactions. Cytochrome P450, the main topic of this discussion, combines all these features: It binds molecular oxygen and inserts one atom of it into a specific organic molecule. The reaction requires the transfer of two electrons, one at a time, through a specific iron-sulfur protein, putidaredoxin. Fig. 1 shows the complete enzymatic cycle(1) which will be discussed in more detail below and Table 1 indicates the wide occurrence and the biological significance of the cytochrome P450 enzyme system.
Direct Universal Access: Making Data Center Resources Available to {FPGA}

FPGAs have been deployed at massive scale in data centers. Using currently available communication architectures, however, it is difficult for FPGAs to access and utilize the various heterogenous resources available in data centers (DRAM, CPU, GPU,…). In this paper, we present Direct Universal Access (DUA), a communication architecture that provides uniform access for FPGA to these data center resources. Without being limited by machine boundaries, DUA provides global names and a common interface for communicating across various resources, the underlying network automatically routing traffic and managing resource multiplexing. Our benchmarks show that DUA provides simple and fair-share resource access with small logic area overhead (
Warming alters fungal communities and litter chemistry with implications for soil carbon stocks

Abstract Rates of leaf litter decay are generally expected to accelerate with increasing temperature. However, chronic temperature elevation may cause changes in the quality of litter residues or in the composition of decomposer communities that result in unexpected decay responses. We performed a 23-month litter decomposition study at a long-term soil warming experiment to determine how soil warming affects litter decay rate, litter chemistry, extracellular enzyme activities, and fungal community composition. Experimental soil warming did not affect litter mass loss, but did result in a 23% increase in the relative abundance of lignin; a concomitant shift in enzyme activity wherein lignin-decomposing enzymes had higher activity in the heated treatment while cellulose-decomposing enzymes were suppressed; and a shift in the composition of the active fungal community. In particular, ectomycorrhizal fungi were three times more abundant in the heated treatment than the control, and shifts in fungal community composition were significantly correlated with the observed changes in extracellular enzyme activities. Our results suggest that warming altered the trajectory of decay resulting in litter residues enriched in lignin compounds and that were populated by a higher relative abundance of ectomycorrhizal fungi. These shifts may have altered the temperature sensitivity of litter decay by reducing the quality of litter residues and changing fungal community function.
Endoluminal Therapy for Choledocholithiasis and Cholangitis

Choledocholithiasis is a common cause for abdominal pain in the right upper quadrant and can be complicated by jaundice, pancreatitis and cholangitis. Noninvasive diagnostic modalities include right upper quadrant ultrasound, magnetic resonance cholangiopancreatography (MRCP), and endoscopic ultrasound, in addition to the more invasive gold standard test of endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography (ERCP). The definitive endoscopic treatment for either choledocholithiasis or acute cholangitis is ERCP to relieve the obstruction via extracting the stones or placing a biliary stent to achieve biliary drainage. Conventional endoscopic techniques to achieve these goals include a biliary sphincterotomy at the time of an ERCP to allow for stone extraction with the addition of a balloon sphincteroplasty for extraction of larger stones or with a tapering distal CBD. In the case of failure of conventional techniques in extracting large stones, multiple stones, intrahepatic stones, or difficult biliary access due to complex anatomy, other advanced techniques including direct cholangioscopy, endoscopic lithotripsy, or laser lithotripsy may be employed at a tertiary care center and have been shown to be effective. In the rare case of failure of endoscopic techniques, percutaneous and surgical modalities are available, although often with an increased risk of morbidity. All patients with a common bile duct stone with gallbladder in situ are recommended to be referred for a cholecystectomy, preferably within 72 hours of the stone extraction and biliary drainage to reduce the risk of recurrent pancreatobiliary events.
Uncovering sleep in young males with Duchenne muscular dystrophy.

Abstract Objectives Sleep health in rare disease is often overlooked due to the complex nature of the disease. For males with Duchenne muscular dystrophy, sleep assessment is typically focused on pulmonary function and identification of sleep disordered breathing. Unfortunately for young boys with Duchenne muscular dystrophy, sleep assessment is often neglected, resulting in a dearth of knowledge on sleep health in this population. This study describes sleep quantity and quality in both younger (4–9 years) and older (10–17 years) males with Duchenne muscular dystrophy (n = 19) and compares these characteristics with sleep characteristics of unaffected peers (n = 17). Methods This study was a longitudinal, observational study. Sleep measures were collected using the parent-proxy Children's Sleep Habits Questionnaire-Abbreviated version and objective sleep measures from actigraphy (sleep efficiency, awakenings, and awakening duration) over 30 days for all participants. Means and standard deviations were examined, and effect sizes were computed to quantify the magnitude of difference between the Duchenne muscular dystrophy and unaffected groups. Results Overall, boys with Duchenne muscular dystrophy were found to experience worse sleep than their unaffected peers as measured by parent report and actigraphy. Effect sizes of both measures demonstrated moderate to large magnitudes of difference in many of the sleep variables. Parents of boys with Duchenne muscular dystrophy reported higher scores (indicating worse sleep) in all subsections and total score of the Children's Sleep Habits Questionnaire – Abbreviated version. Actigraphy data indicated that the Duchenne muscular dystrophy group had lower percent sleep efficiency, more night awakenings and longer duration of night awakenings than their unaffected peers. Conclusion Our findings offer a novel look into sleep in young boys with Duchenne muscular dystrophy. Both parent-report and actigraphy data indicate poor sleep health in this population compared with age-matched unaffected peers. Actigraphy was found to align with parent-report of sleep in this population, supporting the use of these two different ways to measure sleep in Duchenne muscular dystrophy. Results from this study should encourage clinicians and researchers alike to further explore sleep and its impact on disease in young boys with Duchenne muscular dystrophy.
Clinical Outcomes of Triplane Fractures Based on Imaging Modality Utilization and Management: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis.

BACKGROUND Because of the complex nature and relatively rare prevalence of triplane fractures, ideal imaging and optimal treatment remain controversial. The purpose of this investigation was to systematically review and compare clinical outcomes in skeletally immature patients with triplane fractures on the basis of imaging modalities [radiography alone vs. radiography+computed tomography (CT)] and fracture management (operative vs. nonoperative). METHODS A systematic review was conducted according to the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) statement using a PRISMA checklist. All the literature related to skeletally immature patients with triplane fractures published from January 1988 to March 2020 were identified. Inclusion criteria consisted of skeletally immature patients with triplane fractures with reported imaging modality performed during diagnosis, fracture management, and postoperative outcomes on the basis of functional scores and the incidence of any complications. RESULTS A total of 11 articles met inclusion criteria, comprising a total of 203 skeletally immature patients with 203 documented triplane fractures. Male individuals were significantly older at the time of injury (14.2±0.6 y) when compared with female individuals (12.6±0.9 y) (P=0.006). Fracture diagnosis and management were evaluated using radiography+CT in 63% (128/203) of patients, whereas 37% (75/203) underwent radiography only. No significant differences in good/excellent Modified Weber Protocol scores were reported in patients treated nonoperatively versus those undergoing operative treatment (P=0.78), whereas Modified Weber Protocol scores were significantly higher in patients using radiography alone (P=0.02). No significant difference in complication incidence was reported on the basis of management type (nonoperative, 16%; operative, 15%; P=0.47). CONCLUSIONS Patients undergoing operative management of triplane fractures achieved comparable functional outcomes scores without an increased incidence of complications when compared with patients undergoing nonoperative treatment. Further investigations analyzing outcomes at middle and long-term follow-up are necessary to determine the clinical utility of CT and various treatment modalities for the management of triplane fractures. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE Level IV-Systematic review.
[Decreasing the Incidence of Medical Adhesive-Related Skin Injuries in a Pediatric Intensive Care Unit].

Background & problems Medical adhesives are typically used to fix wound dressings and catheters in place. Medical adhesive-related skin injuries (MARSI) are frequently caused by repetitive or improper usage of these products. The incidence rate in this unit is as high as 12.5%, which increases the difficulty and cost of care. After analysis of the situation, we identified the main causes of MARSI in our unit as: (1) Inadequate use of medical-adhesive products, (2) Lack of relevant education and training to prevent MARSI, and (3) lack of a standardized skin-damage-care procedure. Purpose To decrease the incidence of MARSI in the pediatric intensive care unit. Resolutions A training program was enacted to teach proper medical-adhesive application and removal techniques to caregivers. Consensus on care procedures was reached and care standards were modified. A mechanism for quality control was established. Results After implementing the program, the incidence of MARSI dropped from 12.5% to 5.18%, which achieved the target of this project. Conclusions Other caregivers at our institution remain unaware of MARSI prevention techniques and protocols. We plan to continue cooperating with other staff members to prevent MARSI and to continue to reduce related skin injuries to as close to nil as possible.
Contribution of gender on compensation of Veterans Affairs-affiliated dermatologists: A cross-sectional study.

Background Gender disparity in research funding, leadership, authorship, and compensation in medicine is well documented, with most parameters favoring men over women. Gender differences in salary in dermatology have not been well studied. Objective This study aimed to investigate the contribution of gender to dermatologists' compensation in the Veterans Affairs (VA) health care system. Methods A retrospective cross-sectional study was conducted by identifying VA-affiliated dermatologists from the U.S. Department of VA website. The contributions of gender, years since graduation, h-index, academic appointment, race, and region on the publicly available salaries were analyzed using a linear-regression model to isolate the effects of gender and interaction with other variables. Results This study included 247 VA dermatologists with publicly available salaries (114 women and 133 men). On univariate analyses, male dermatologists had significantly higher compensation than female dermatologists (p = .0333). However, male dermatologists also had significantly more years since graduation (p < .0001) and higher h-indices (p < .0001). Multivariate analysis showed that gender was not a significant contributor to salary. Instead, years since graduation (p < .0001), h-index (p = .0066), and academic appointment (p < .0001) contributed significantly to VA dermatologists' salaries. Region and race were not determinants of salary. Gender did not contribute to salary overall, but there was an interactive effect between gender and region (p = .0099). Compared with women, male dermatologists had significantly higher salaries in the Midwest (p < .0018). Conclusion Our study revealed that VA hospitals have maintained gender equality in dermatologist compensation nationally, which could serve as a model to close salary gender gaps in other health care systems. Further research should focus on inclusion of VA physicians from different specialties, as well as across multiple years, to further characterize this observation.
Inexact Proximal Conjugate Subgradient Algorithm for fMRI Data Completion

Tensor representations have proven useful for many problems, including data completion. A promising application for tensor completion is functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) data that has an inherent four-dimensional (4D) structure and is prone to missing voxels and regions due to issues in acquisition. A key component of successful tensor completion is a rank estimation. While widely used as a convex relaxation of the tensor rank, tensor nuclear norm (TNN) imposes strong low-rank constraints on all tensor modes to be simultaneously low-rank and often leads to suboptimal solutions. We propose a novel tensor completion model in tensor train (TT) format with a proximal conjugate subgradient (PCS-TT) method for solving the nonconvex rank minimization problem by using properties of Moreau’s decomposition. PCS-TT allows the use of a wide range of robust estimators and can be used for data completion and sparse signal recovery problems. We present experimental results for data completion in fMRI, where PCS-TT demonstrates significant improvements compared with competing methods. In addition, we present results that demonstrate the advantages of considering the 4D structure of the fMRI data. as opposed to using three- and two-dimensional representations that have dominated the work on fMRI analysis.
Nanomechanical properties of cement Paste-Epoxy interphase following hygrothermal conditioning by water immersion

Abstract Externally bonded fiber-reinforced polymer (FRP) composites are extensively used for repair and strengthening of concrete structures. The longevity of FRP repairs depends primarily on the durability of adhesive bonds between FRP and the underlying concrete substrate, which is established through epoxy adhesives. In this study, the effect of hygrothermal conditioning by water immersion on epoxy-cement paste interphase was characterized via site-specific nanoindentation. Reduced modulus and hardness were measured across the interphase for a dry and conditioned (water immersion at 30 °C for 4 weeks) cement paste-epoxy sample. The statistical nanoindentation approach, based on Gaussian mixtures decomposition, was used to determine the nanomechanical properties of distinct material phases in the interphase. The results confirm that hygrothermal conditioning by water immersion degrades the nanomechanical properties of the bulk epoxy, interphase, and bulk cement paste. Degradation in epoxy properties is explained by the plasticization of the epoxy due to moisture conditioning. The reduction in nanomechanical properties of interphase and bulk cement paste is primarily accredited to decalcification (also known as ‘calcium leaching’) processes induced by exposure to low-pH water environment.
New determinations of tides on the north-western Ross Ice Shelf

New determinations of ocean tides are extracted from high-rate Global Positioning System (GPS) solutions at nine stations sitting on the Ross Ice Shelf. Five are multi-year time series. Three older time series are only 2–3 weeks long. These are not ideal, but they are still useful because they provide the only in situ tide observations in that sector of the ice shelf. The long tide-gauge observations from Scott Base and Cape Roberts are also reanalysed. They allow determination of some previously neglected tidal phenomena in this region, such as third-degree tides, and they provide context for analysis of the shorter datasets. The semidiurnal tides are small at all sites, yet M2 undergoes a clear seasonal cycle, which was first noted by Sir George Darwin while studying measurements from the Discovery expedition. Darwin saw a much larger modulation than we observe, and we consider possible explanations - instrumental or climatic - for this difference.
Are COVID-19 antivirals active against adenovirus?

Purpose : Presently, there is no FDA approved antiviral therapy for the treatment of adenovirus (Ad) ocular infections, the most common ocular viral infection worldwide. During the COVID-19 pandemic, much attention has been placed on several potential antiviral treatments for SARS-CoV-2 infections. Remdesivir, hydroxychloroquine, ivermectin, and umifenovir (Arbidol) have been touted as potential COVID-19 treatments. The goal of the current study was to determine whether these potential COVID-19 antivirals produced in vitro antiviral activity against a panel of ocular adenovirus types. Methods : The 50% inhibitory concentrations (IC ) of remdesivir (REM), hydroxychloroquine (HCQ), ivermectin (IVM), and umifenovir (UMF) and cidofovir (CDV) (positive antiviral control) were determined for the human Ad types Ad3, Ad4, Ad5, Ad7a, Ad8, Ad19/64 and Ad37 using standard plaque-reduction assays on A549 cells. Briefly, cells infected with ∼100 PFU of the Ad types were treated with final concentrations of the antivirals of 100, 10, 1.0, 0.1, 0.01 and 0.001 μM. After incubation, the numbers of plaques from each virus/drug concentration were counted and the mean IC50concentrations from 2-3 assays were determined by regression analysis. Results : The range of mean in vitro IC50concentrations for each antiviral across the range of Ad types are as follows: The positive antiviral control, CDV, ranged from 0.47 - 9.62 μM;REM ranged from 0.21 - 11.27 μM;UMF ranged from 3.72 - 64.8 μM;IVR ranged from 2.60 - 201.3 μM;and HCQ was > 10 μM for all Ad types because of toxicity to the A549 cells demonstrated at the 100 μM concentrations. REM produced lower IC50concentrations than CDV for 5 of 7 Ad types. Conclusions : REM demonstrated anti-adenovirus activity in vitro in a range similar to that demonstrated by cidofovir. UMF and IVR demonstrated less antiviral activity than CDV and REM. The anti-adenovirus activity of HCQ could not be accurately determined. Further investigation of REM as an antiviral for adenovirus is indicated.
Viral reservoir capacity of wild Prunus alternative hosts of plum pox virus through multiple cycles of transmission and dormancy.

Plum pox virus (PPV) is a significant pathogen of Prunus worldwide and is known for having a broad experimental host range. Many of these hosts represent epidemiological risks as potential wild viral reservoirs. A comparative study of the PPV reservoir capacity of three commonly found native North American species, western choke cherry (P. virginiana var. demissa), black cherry (P. serotina), and American plum (P. americana) was conducted. Pennsylvania isolates of PPV-D were transmitted from the original host peach (P. persica cv. GF305) to all three species. Viral accumulation and transmission rates to alternative hosts and peach were monitored over the course of five vegetative growth and cold induced dormancy (CID) cycles. The three alternative host species demonstrated differences in their ability to maintain PPV-D and the likelihood of transmission to additional alternative hosts or back transmission to peach. Western choke cherry had low (5.8%) initial infection levels, PPV-D was not transmissible to additional western choke cherry, and transmission of PPV-D from western choke cherry to peach was only possible before the first CID cycle. Black cherry had intermediate initial infection levels (26.6%) but did not maintain high infection levels after repeated CID cycles. Conversely, American plum had a high level (50%) of initial infection that was not significantly different from initial infection in peach (72.2%) and maintained moderate levels (15-25%) of infection and PPV-D transmission to both American plum and peach through all five cycles of CID. Our results indicate that American plum has the greatest potential to act as a reservoir host for Pennsylvania isolates of PPV-D.
Does Antimicrobial Use in Animals Affect Human Health

Yes! As veterinarians we positively impact human and animal health every day by using antimicrobials to treat or prevent disease. It is also necessary to recognize that this use may contribute to susceptibility shifts in pathogens with zoonotic potential. As a profession, and as an industry, we need to work toward carefully determining both positive and negative effects due to antimicrobial use in animal agriculture. Our multiple responsibilities are best summarized by the veterinarians oath. "Being admitted to the profession of veterinary medicine, I solemnly swear to use my scientific knowledge and skills for the benefit of society through the protection of animal health, the relief of animal suffering, the conservation of livestock resources, the promotion of public health, and the advancement of medical knowledge ... "
Accuracy of multiple sequence alignment methods in the reconstruction of transposable element families

The construction of a high-quality multiple sequence alignment (MSA) from copies of a transposable element (TE) is a critical step in the characterization of a new TE family. Most studies of MSA accuracy have been conducted on protein or RNA sequence families where structural features and strong signals of selection may assist with alignment. Less attention has been given to the quality of sequence alignments involving neutrally evolving DNA sequences such as those resulting from TE replication. Such alignments play an important role in understanding and representing TE family history. Transposable element sequences are challenging to align due to their wide divergence ranges, fragmentation, and predominantly-neutral mutation patterns. To gain insight into the effects of these properties on MSA accuracy, we developed a simulator of TE sequence evolution, and used it to generate a benchmark with which we evaluated the MSA predictions produced by several popular aligners, along with Refiner, a method we developed in the context of our RepeatModeler software. We find that MAFFT and Refiner generally outperform other aligners for low to medium divergence simulated sequences, while Refiner is uniquely effective when tasked with aligning high-divergent and fragmented instances of a family. As a result, consensus sequences derived from Refiner-based MSAs are more similar to the true consensus.
Deriving Ionospheric TEC from GPS Observations

Global Positioning Satellites (GPS) broadcast at two different frequencies. These are usually used to correct positional measurements for ionospheric effects. Alternately information can be obtained about the ionosphere. A method for deriving total electron content (TEC) will be described. Observations taken in Boulder during January 1995 will be utilized and compared with Faraday rotation Both carrier phase and group delay will be used
On Fully Decentralized Resource Discovery in Grid Environments

Computational grids provide mechanisms for sharing and accessing large and heterogeneous collections of remote resources such as computers, online instruments, storage space, data, and applications. Resources are identified based on a set of desired attributes. Resource attributes have various degrees of dynamism, from mostly static attributes, like operating system version, to highly dynamic ones, like network bandwidth or CPU load. In this paper we propose a peer-to-peer architecture for resource discovery in a large and dynamic collection of resources. We evaluate a set of request-forwarding algorithms in a fully decentralized architecture, designed to accommodate heterogeneity (in both sharing policies and resource types) and dynamism. For this, we build a testbed that models two usage characteristics: (1) resource distribution on peers, that varies in the number and the frequency of shared resources; and (2) various requests patterns for resources. We analyzed our resource discovery mechanisms on up to 5000 peers, where each peer provides information about at least one resource. We learned that a decentralized approach is not only desirable from administrative reasons, but it is also supported by promising performance results. Our results also allow us to characterize the correlation between resource discovery performance and sharing characteristics.
The impact of early resection of primary neuroblastoma on the survival of children older than 1 year of age with stage 4 disease: the St. Jude Children's Research Hospital Experience.

BACKGROUND It remains unclear whether primary tumor resection benefits patients with metastatic neuroblastoma. The authors assessed the impact of extent and timing of resection on outcome in these patients. METHODS The authors reviewed the records of 124 patients > 1 year of age at diagnosis of International Neuroblastoma Staging System Stage 4 neuroblastoma. The survival estimates of those who did and did not have a gross total resection (GTR) and of those who had initial versus delayed GTR were compared. Surgical complications were reviewed. RESULTS The 5-year survival estimates were comparable for the 90 patients who had a GTR and the 17 who underwent surgery but did not have a GTR (29.9% ± 5.1% [standard error] vs. 29.4% ± 10.1%). The 7 patients who underwent GTR at the time of diagnosis had a higher 5-year survival estimate than the 83 patients who had a GTR after induction chemotherapy (83.3% ± 13.9% vs. 25.2% ± 5.0%) (P = 0.001). Five-year event-free survival estimates were similarly higher in the initial-GTR group (57.1% ± 18.7% vs. 14.5% ± 4.2%) (P = 0.002). These two groups did not differ significantly in age at diagnosis (P = 0.118), site of primary tumor (P = 0.34), MYCN amplification status (P = 1), serum lactate dehydrogenase activity at diagnosis (P = 0.34), or treatment protocol (P = 0.22). Twenty-two (21%) patients had a surgical complication. CONCLUSIONS In this small cohort of patients with metastatic neuroblastoma, GTR at the time of diagnosis offered a survival benefit. Further prospective studies are warranted before this approach can be applied to all patients with metastatic neuroblastoma. Cancer 2005. © 2005 American Cancer Society.
Determination of degree of methylation of food pectins by chromatography.

Background In Florida, 90% of citrus is processed into juice, leaving large amounts of peel waste that could be processed into food ingredients such as pectins for other applications. Pectins of low degree of methylation (DM < 50) have important functional properties for use in foods and pharmaceuticals. Thus determination of DM is important, but DM analyses are difficult to perform and assays can have interference due to the presence of salts or neutral sugars. Results A chromatography method has been developed for determination of DM of food pectin using alkaline hydrolysis followed by pectin digestion with a commercial pectinase. Analysis was performed by ion exclusion chromatography (IEC) to obtain methanol (MeOH) concentrations and by anion exchange chromatography (AEC) to obtain galacturonic acid (GalA) concentrations. Data were compared with values obtained using other DM analysis procedures. For example, a 55–75 DM pectin assayed as 55.5, 59.6, 60.1 and 57.0 DM by IEC, AEC, colorimetric and conductivity detection methods respectively. Conclusion The chromatography procedure described in this paper provides an alternative method for determination of DM of food pectins for accurate and efficient analysis when confronted with limited quantities or large numbers of samples. Published 2013. This article is a U.S. Government work and is in the public domain in the USA.
Iodine complexes in inert solvents—IV: The reaction between diethyl ether and iodine in the pure solvent or in inert solvents

Abstract Spectrophotometric measurements of the rate of decoloration of brown diethyl ether-iodine solutions are reported. The addition of sodium iodide increases the rate of decoloration fivefold.
Standards landscape and directions for smart manufacturing systems

The future of manufacturing lies in being able to optimize the use of resources to produce high quality product and adapt quickly to changing conditions. From smaller lot sizes, to more customization, to sudden changes in supply chain; the variability that manufacturers face is rapidly increasing. A key to enabling adaptive and smart manufacturing systems is the appropriate definition and use of information. Standards are fundamental 1) to facilitate the delivery of the right information at the right time, 2) to enable actions based on that information and 3) to reduce risk of technology adoption and development. This paper provides a review of the standards — a standards landscape — in which future smart manufacturing systems will operate. The landscape focuses on standards used to integrate within and across three manufacturing lifecycle dimensions: product, production system, and business. Opportunities and challenges for new standards are discussed. Emerging activities addressing these opportunities are presented. This paper will allow manufacturing practitioners to better understand the standards useful to integrate smart manufacturing technologies within their areas of expertise.
Glutamate and GABA Release Are Enhanced by Different Subtypes of Presynaptic Nicotinic Receptors in the Lateral Geniculate Nucleus

The functional role of nicotinic acetylcholine receptors (nAChRs) in the ventral lateral geniculate nucleus (LGNv) was examined in chick brain slices. Whole-cell patch-clamp recordings of neurons in the LGNv revealed the presence of bicuculline-resistant spontaneous postsynaptic currents (PSCs), which were subsequently blocked by 6-cyano-7-nitroquinoxaline-2,3-dione (CNQX), an AMPA receptor antagonist. Carbachol and other nicotinic agonists produced marked increases in the frequency of the glutamatergic spontaneous PSCs in the presence of tetrodotoxin, whereas they had little or no effect on current amplitude. The nicotinic receptor antagonist dihydro-beta-erythroidine (DHbetaE) blocked the carbachol-induced enhancement of spontaneous glutamatergic PSCs. alpha-bungarotoxin (alpha-BgTx) selectively blocked the nAChR-mediated enhancement of spontaneous glutamatergic PSCs but did not prevent nAChR-mediated enhancement of spontaneous GABAergic PSCs in the LGNv. Methyllycaconitine and strychnine, other blockers of nAChRs containing the alpha7 subunit, failed to inhibit carbachol's increase of spontaneous glutamatergic and GABAergic PSCs. These results demonstrate that the LGNv neurons receive both glutamatergic and GABAergic inputs and that the release of these transmitters can be modulated by different presynaptic nAChRs. Thus, the regulation of synaptic efficacy in the brain by presynaptic nAChRs can be complex, involving multiple neurotransmitters acting on the same neuron.
Distinct and overlapping functions of the cullin E3 ligase scaffolding proteins CUL4A and CUL4B

The cullin 4 subfamily of genes includes CUL4A and CUL4B, which share a mostly identical amino acid sequence aside from the elongated N-terminal region in CUL4B. Both act as scaffolding proteins for modular cullin RING ligase 4 (CRL4) complexes which promote the ubiquitination of a variety of substrates. CRL4 function is vital to cells as loss of both genes or their shared substrate adaptor protein DDB1 halts proliferation and eventually leads to cell death. Due to their high structural similarity, CUL4A and CUL4B share a substantial overlap in function. However, in some cases, differences in subcellular localization, spatiotemporal expression patterns and stress-inducibility preclude functional compensation. In this review, we highlight the most essential functions of the CUL4 genes in: DNA repair and replication, chromatin-remodeling, cell cycle regulation, embryogenesis, hematopoiesis and spermatogenesis. CUL4 genes are also clinically relevant as dysregulation can contribute to the onset of cancer and CRL4 complexes are often hijacked by certain viruses to promote viral replication and survival. Also, mutations in CUL4B have been implicated in a subset of patients suffering from syndromic X-linked intellectual disability (AKA mental retardation). Interestingly, the antitumor effects of immunomodulatory drugs are caused by their binding to the CRL4CRBN complex and re-directing the E3 ligase towards the Ikaros transcription factors IKZF1 and IKZF3. Because of their influence over key cellular functions and relevance to human disease, CRL4s are considered promising targets for therapeutic intervention.
Boundary feedback stabilization of a coupled parabolic–hyperbolic Stokes–Lamé PDE system

We consider a parabolic–hyperbolic coupled system of two partial differential equations (PDEs), which governs fluid–structure interactions, and which features a suitable boundary dissipation term at the interface between the two media. The coupled system consists of Stokes flow coupled to the Lame system of dynamic elasticity, with the respective dynamics being coupled on a boundary interface, where dissipation is introduced. Such a system is semigroup well-posed on the natural finite energy space (Avalos and Triggiani in Discr Contin Dynam Sys, to appear). Here we prove that, moreover, such semigroup is uniformly (exponentially) stable in the corresponding operator norm, with no geometrical conditions imposed on the boundary interface. This result complements the strong stability properties of the undamped case (Avalos and Triggiani in Discr Contin Dynam Sys, to appear).
Neural Adaptation Leads to Cognitive Ethanol Dependence

Summary Physiological alcohol dependence is a key adaptation to chronic ethanol consumption that underlies withdrawal symptoms, is thought to directly contribute to alcohol addiction behaviors, and is associated with cognitive problems such as deficits in learning and memory [1–3]. Based on the idea that an ethanol-adapted (dependent) animal will perform better in a learning assay than an animal experiencing ethanol withdrawal will, we have used a learning paradigm to detect physiological ethanol dependence in Drosophila . Moderate ethanol consumption initially degrades the capacity of larvae to learn, but they eventually adapt and are able to learn as well as ethanol-naive animals. However, withholding ethanol from ethanol-adapted larvae impairs learning. Ethanol reinstatement restores the capacity to learn, thus demonstrating cognitive dependence on ethanol. The larval nervous system also shows ethanol-withdrawal hyperexcitability. Larvae reach ethanol concentrations equivalent to 0.05 to 0.08 blood-alcohol concentration—levels that would be mildly intoxicating in humans. These ethanol-induced changes in learning are not the product of sensory deficits or state-dependent learning. This is the first demonstration of cognitive ethanol dependence in an invertebrate genetic model system.
Resolving Power Predictions from Lens Design Data

A relationship between longitudinal spherical and longitudinal chromatic aberration and resolving power is discussed and an experiment using this relationship to predict resolving power from design data is described. The results show a high degree of correlation between resolving power predicted by this method and that obtained by measurement on real lenses.
A simple medium for isolation and identification of Candida albicans directly from clinical specimens

A simple and specific medium consisting of chitosan, trypticase, Tween-80 and agar is devised to isolate the organisms directly from the clinical specimens and to produce germ tubes and chlamydospores for rapid differentiation and identification of Candida albicans from other closely related Candida species. By manipulating the incubating conditions, the specific phase of the organism can be produced in liquid or on solid medium at different time intervals to study the physiology of the organism. Many methods and media have been proposed in the past for identification of Candida albicans and to differentiate this from the closely related species of Candida (5–8, 15). Taschdjian, Burchall&Kozinn (15) showed that C. albicans produces germ tube within an hour or two when it is grown in human or animal serum or serum substitutes. The specificity of this germ tube test was later confirmed by various workers by using different media (3–5). The distinctive feature that differentiates C. albicans from other species is the production of chlamydospores (14). However, in all these studies three types of media were required to isolate the organisms from clinical specimens and to produce germ tubes and chlamydospores for identification. Recently studies have shown that a single medium can be employed to produce both structural components of the organism from the primary isolation medium but the preparation of the medium is more exhaustive (1) and time consuming (13) than the medium to be described here. The present investigation was therefore undertaken to develop a simple and specific medium to isolate the organism directly from the clinical specimens and to produce various morphological phases of Candida albicans to differentiate from other closely related Candida species for clinical diagnosis and to provide a medium to study the physiology and metabolism of the organism under in vitro conditions.