cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
System and application software for the Armstrong multiprocessor

The authors identify problems with present parallel processing systems, and present Armstrong, a hardware-software system that is designed to address some of the problems discussed. They briefly describe the Armstrong hardware and discuss, in depth, the operating system software, and performance of the system on a real application, namely, and computation of the 2-D discrete Fourier transform of an image. >
Electrochemical Studies of a Truncated Laccase Produced in Pichia pastoris

The cDNA that encodes an isoform of laccase from Trametes versicolor (LCCI), as well as a truncated version (LCCIa), was subcloned and expressed by using the yeast Pichia pastoris as the heterologous host. The amino acid sequence of LCCIa is identical to that of LCCI except that the final 11 amino acids at the C terminus of LCCI are replaced with a single cysteine residue. This modification was introduced for the purpose of improving the kinetics of electron transfer between an electrode and the copper-containing active site of laccase. The two laccases (LCCI and LCCIa) are compared in terms of their relative activity with two substrates that have different redox potentials. Results from electrochemical studies on solutions containing LCCI and LCCIa indicate that the redox potential of the active site of LCCIa is shifted to more negative values (411 mV versus normal hydrogen electrode voltage) than that found in other fungal laccases. In addition, replacing the 11 codons at the C terminus of the laccase gene with a single cysteine codon (i.e., LCCI→LCCIa) influences the rate of heterogeneous electron transfer between an electrode and the copper-containing active site (khet for LCCIa = 1.3 × 10−4 cm s−1). These results demonstrate for the first time that the rate of electron transfer between an oxidoreductase and an electrode can be enhanced by changes to the primary structure of a protein via site-directed mutagenesis.
A decomposition theory for matroids. III. Decomposition conditions

Abstract In this paper we establish sufficient conditions under which a decomposable minor induces a decomposition of any matroid containing it. The conditions are then utilized recursively in an algorithm that produces decomposition theorems. The algorithm also generates decomposition graphs, which permit rapid detection of the decompositions claimed in the theorems. The sufficient conditions are simple enough to permit hand computations for cases of significant interest.
Will cancer stem cells provide new therapeutic targets

This review presents a brief synopsis of recent progress in the area of cancer stem cells, with emphasis on leukemia and breast cancer, and discusses potential limitations to accomplishing the ultimate goal of eradicating residual disease in cancer.
Uncertainty representation using fuzzy measures

We introduce the fuzzy measure and discuss its use as a unifying structure for modeling knowledge about an uncertain variable. We show that a large class of well-established types of uncertainty representations can be modeled within this framework. A view of the Dempster-Shafer (D-S) belief structure as an uncertainty representation corresponding to a set of possible fuzzy measures is discussed. A methodology for generating this set of fuzzy measures from a belief structure is described. A measure of entropy associated with a fuzzy measure is introduced and its manifestation for different fuzzy measures is described. The problem of uncertain decision making for the case in which the uncertainty represented by a fuzzy measure is considered. The Choquet integral is introduced as providing a generalization of the expected value to this environment.
A role for DOT1L in MLL-rearranged leukemias.

Leukemias harboring rearrangements of the MLL gene carry a poor prognosis. Over the past 6 years, it has become increasingly clear that fusions of MLL induce widespread epigenetic dysregulation that may mediate much of their transforming activity. The histone methyltransferase DOT1L, which methylates histone 3 on lysine 79 (H3K79) has received particular attention. Several MLL fusions may physically interact with DOT1L. Genome-wide H3K79 methylation profiles in MLL-rearranged leukemias are abnormal, and can serve to distinguish MLL-rearranged from other types of leukemias. Loss of H3K79 methylation affects expression of MLL-target loci and is detrimental to the leukemogenic activity of MLL-rearranged cells, suggesting that transformation in these leukemias is driven by a DOT1L dependent, aberrant epigenetic program. The ‘histone code hypothesis’ proposes that histone modifications, along with proteins that recognize, place and remove these marks, form a sophisticated regulatory network that directly control gene expression. Histone modifications may prime genes for rapid induction after signaling receptor engagement, coordinate individual genes to genetic programs that are coregulated, or organize a sequence of transcriptional events during development. MLL-rearranged leukemias have recently been proposed to rely heavily on epigenetic dysregulation during malignant transformation. In contrast to most other cancers, MLL-rearranged leukemias display a remarkable paucity of DNA sequence alterations: frequently, the only genetic abnormality uncovered by genome-wide technologies in these leukemias is the MLL-translocation. The induction of widespread epigenetic changes could explain the apparent lack of a need for cooperating mutagenesis on a DNA-sequence level. This is significant, since most MLL-rearranged
A new hybrid FPGA with nanoscale clusters and CMOS routing

In this paper we propose a hybrid FPGA using nanoscale clusters with an architecture similar to clusters of traditional CMOS FPGAs. The proposed cluster is made of a crossbar of nanowires configured to implement the required LUTs and intra-cluster MUXes. A CMOS interface is also proposed to provide configuration and latching for the nanoscale cluster. Inter-cluster routing is assumed to remain at CMOS scale. Experimental analysis is performed to evaluate area and performance of the hybrid FPGA and results are compared with traditional fully CMOS FPGA (scaled to 22nm). Up to 15% area reduction was obtained from implementing MCNC benchmarks on hybrid FPGA. Performance of the hybrid FPGA is shown to be close to that of CMOS FPGA.
Development of Microsatellite Markers for the Apomictic Triploid Fern Myriopteris lindheimeri (Pteridaceae)

Premise of the study: Microsatellite markers were developed for investigating the population dynamics of Myriopteris lindheimeri (Pteridaceae), an apomictic triploid fern endemic to deserts of the southwestern United States and Mexico. Methods and Results: Using 454 sequencing, 21 microsatellite markers were developed. Of these, 14 were polymorphic with up to five alleles per locus and eight markers amplified in one or more congeneric close relatives (M. covillei, M. fendleri, M. aurea, and M. rufa). To demonstrate marker utility, M. lindheimeri samples from three Arizona populations were genotyped at nine loci. For each population, diversity measures including percent polymorphic loci, frequency of heterozygotes across all loci, and genotypic diversity were calculated. Across the three populations, on average, 63% of loci were polymorphic, the average frequency of heterozygotes (across all loci) was 0.32, and average genotypic diversity was 0.34. Conclusions: These markers provide a foundation for future...
ALTERNATIVE FISHERIES AND THE PREDATION RATE OF YELLOWFIN TUNA IN THE EASTERN PACIFIC OCEAN

Apex predators in pelagic ecosystems may play key roles in determining food web structure and ecosystem dynamics. Commercial fisheries can thereby have large effects on pelagic ecosystems by selectively harvesting apex predators. We assessed the potential ecological consequences of fishing due to alternative harvest practices currently employed in the capture of yellowfin tuna (Thunnus albacares) in the eastern Pacific Ocean (EPO). Specifically, we estimated the demand on the prey resources consumed by yellowfin tuna and how this demand is altered by three methods of purse seining and by long-lining. These fishing techniques are contrasted by stark differences in age selectivity; longline and purse seine sets on yellowfin associated with dolphins (''dolphin sets'') capture old fish, whereas purse seine sets on free-swimming tuna schools or floating objects (''dolphin-safe sets'') capture young yellowfin. Yellowfin tuna predation rates were estimated from a bio- energetics model coupled with a population model based on natural mortality estimates and age-specific vulnerabilities for each gear type. Maximum equilibrium fishery catch (mea- sured in megagrams per year; 1 Mg 5 1 metric ton) was lowest for dolphin-safe sets and highest for dolphin sets and longline fishing. Moreover, the present combined fishery yield could not be sustained by either of the dolphin-safe sets, but could be sustained with either dolphin sets or long-lining. The predation rate of the yellowfin population was highly sensitive to the magnitude and type of fishing mortality: yellowfin predation rate declined by ;119 Mg per megagram of floating object set catch, 72 Mg per megagram of school fish set catch. In contrast, predation declined by only 34 Mg and 17 Mg per megagram of dolphin set and longline catch, respectively. When considering all fishing techniques si- multaneously in proportion to the present fishery, we estimated that total yellowfin predation is presently only one-third the magnitude expected from an unfished population. This reduction in predation was unevenly distributed among prey items; the prey of large yel- lowfin experienced 80% less predation, whereas the prey of small yellowfin experienced only 50% less predation, compared to an unfished population. We conclude that fisheries can have large effects on trophic linkages in pelagic food webs even when fishing rates are sustainable, and that these ecological effects vary considerably for different types of fishing gear and fishing practices.
An Excursion-Set Model for the Structure of GMCs and the ISM

The ISM is governed by supersonic turbulence on a range of scales. We use this to develop a rigorous excursion-set model for the formation and time evolution of dense gas structures (GMCs, massive clumps, and cores). Supersonic turbulence drives the density distribution to a lognormal with dispersion increasing with Mach number; we generalize this to include scales >h (the disk scale height), and use it to construct the statistical properties of the density field smoothed on a scale R. We then compare conditions for self-gravitating collapse including thermal, turbulent, and rotational support. We show this becomes a well-defined barrier crossing problem. As such, an exact 'bound object mass function' can be derived, from scales of the sonic length to above the disk Jeans mass. This agrees remarkably well with observed GMC mass functions in the MW and other galaxies; the only inputs are the mass and size of the galaxies (to normalize the model). This explains the mass function cutoff and its power-law slope (close to, but shallower than, -2). The model also predicts the linewidth-size and size-mass relations of clouds and the dependence of their residuals on surface density/pressure. We use this to predict the spatial correlation function/clustering of clouds and star clusters; these also agree well with observations. We predict the size/mass function of ISM 'bubbles' or 'holes', and show this can account for observed HI hole distributions without any local feedback. We generalize the model to construct time-dependent 'merger/fragmentation trees' which can be used to follow cloud evolution and construct semi-analytic models for the ISM. We provide explicit recipes to construct the trees. We use a simple example to show that, if clouds are not destroyed in ~1-5 crossing times, then all ISM mass would be trapped in collapsing objects even if the large-scale turbulence were maintained.
The coefficients of an infinite valent function

If the coefficients in the power series for f( z) are sufficiently small ihen f( z) must have finite valence in the unit disk. On the other hand, we can find an f (z) for which an →0 as n → z, and f( z) has infinite valence in the unit disk. In this article we make these statements a little more precise, and ask if the gap between these two conditions can be improved.
Antibiotics and the Terrestrial Nitrogen Cycle: A Review

The distribution, fate, and effects of human and veterinary antibiotics in the environment have been the subject of intense investigation for nearly two decades. Studies show that the structure and function of microbial communities in soil and sediment are modified by antibiotic exposure but the resulting impact on biogeochemical processes is poorly understood. This review summarizes the most recent data on the present use and physicochemical properties of human and veterinary antibiotics and provides an overview of their occurrence in soil and sediment. This is followed by an examination of the potential effects of antibiotics on microbial nitrogen turnover and methodological approaches to measuring the effects of antibiotics on nitrification and denitrification. Recent studies identified six major classes of antibiotics in soil and sediment, occurring at concentrations between ng·kg−1 and mg·kg−1. Among these, tetracycline and fluorquinolone antibiotics are the most resistant to degradation and leaching and may accumulate to high concentrations (mg·kg−1) in terrestrial environments. Less persistent compounds such as the sulfonamides are often detected at lower concentrations (ng·kg−1 to μg·kg−1) but their occurrence is also reported more frequently. Only 26 studies were found that investigated the effects of antibiotics on microbial nitrogen cycling. Some antibiotics had no observable effect on nitrogen redox activity in soil and sediment while others appeared to increase or decrease rates of reaction. This lack of consensus could be attributed to a number of different variables including antibiotic dose, method of antibiotic application, variations in the microbial community structure, or method of quantification. We conclude by recommending that future studies adopt a more comprehensive approach to report on changes of the microbial community structure and function as well as the short- and long-term impacts of antibiotics on the accumulation and loss of nitrogen pollutants.
Fathers of children born to young urban mothers.

Fathers of babies born to a sample of urban mothers younger than 18 at delivery ranged in age from 14 to 50 and were on average 2-4 years older than the mothers. Among the adolescent women who had given birth to their 1st child 28% of the partners of black women and 45% of the partners of white women were 20 years of age or older. The educational attainment of the fathers was very low particularly among older whites. At approximately 15 months after the childs birth approximately 36% of the fathers were neither in school nor working. 3/4 of the pregnancies among the young white mothers and 95% of those among the black mothers were unplanned but only 6% of the white mothers and 16% of the black mothers were using a contraceptive at the time of conception. Only 16% of the fathers were living with or married to the mother of the child at 15 months after birth. About 90% of the fathers had spent time with their child during that period but frequency of contact declined markedly with time. Overall 20% of the fathers had children by other women. (authors)
Taxonomic Status of the Pocket Gophers, Thomomys idahoensis and Thomomys pygmaeus (Rodentia, Geomyidae)

Thomomys idahoensis Merriam, 1901, and T. pygmaeus Merriam, 1901, are recognized as subspecies of the species Thomomys idahoensis on the basis of morphologic resemblance and as being specifically distinct from Thomomys talpoides primarily because T. i. idahoensis and T. i. pygmaeus do not interbreed with any geographically adjacent subspecies of T. talpoides . Morphological characters, including karyotypes, are described for the two subspecies.
A Study of Three African Species of Ravenelia on Cassia

Carroll, G. 1967. The fine structure of the ascus septum in Ascodesmus sphaerospora and Saccobolus kerverni. Mycologia 59: 527-532. Blanchard, R. 0. 1972. Septa in Sporomia australis. Mycologia 64: 1330-1333. Gull, K. 1978. Form and function of septa in filamentous fungi. Pp. 78-93. In: The filamentous fungi, Vol. 3, Developmental mycology. Eds., J. E. Smith and D. R. Berry. John Wiley and Sons, New York. Hoch, H. C. 1977. Use of permanganate to increase electron opacity of fungal walls. Mycologia 69: 1209-1213. Kimbrough, J. W., and G. L. Benny. 1978. The fine structure of ascus development in Lasiobolus monascus (Pezizales). Canad. J. Bot. 56: 862-872. Moore, R. T. 1977. Regnum fungi and the place of septal fine structure in fungal taxonomy. P. 449. In: Second International Mycological Congress Abstracts, Vol. M-Z. Eds., H. E. Bigelow and E. G. Simmons. IMC-2, Inc., Tampa, Fla. %-. 1978. Taxonomic significance of septal ultrastructure with particular reference to the jelly fungi. Mycologia 70: 1007-1024. Patton, A. M., and R. Marchant. 1978. A mathematical analysis of dolipore/ parenthesome structure in Basidiomycetes. J. Gen. Microbiol. 109: 335-349. Reynolds, E. S. 1963. The use of lead citrate at high pH as an electron-opaque stain in electron microscopy. J. Cell. Biol. 17: 208-212. Samuelson, D. A., and J. W. Kimbrough. 1978. Asci of the Pezizales IV: The apical apparatus of Thelebolus. Bot. Gas. (Crawfordsville) 139: 346-361. Trinci, A. P. J., and A. J. Collinge. 1973. Structure and plugging of septa of wild type and spreading colonial mutants of Ncurospora crassa. Arch. Mikrobiol. 91: 355-364. Tu, C. C., and J. W. Kimbrough. 1978. Systematics and phylogeny of fungi in the Rhizoctonia complex. Bot. Gaz. (Crawfordsville) 139: 454-466.
The Coordinated Curriculum: How Institutional Theory Can Be Used to Catalyze Revision of the Sociology Major

Content analysis of 77 college and university catalogs and department websites assesses conformity with select recommendations for the sociology major. The majority of institutions have programs th...
Childhood maltreatment predicts reduced inhibition-related activity in the rostral anterior cingulate in ptsd, but not trauma-exposed controls

BACKGROUND: A deficit in the ability to inhibit fear has been proposed as a biomarker of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Previous research indicates that individuals with PTSD show reduced inhibition-related activation in rostral anterior cingulate cortex (rACC). The goal of the current study was to investigate differential influences of an early environmental risk factor for PTSD-childhood maltreatment-on inhibition-related brain function in individuals with PTSD versus trauma-exposed controls. METHODS: Individuals with PTSD (n = 37) and trauma-exposed controls (n = 53) were recruited from the primary care waiting rooms of an urban public hospital in Atlanta, GA. Participants completed an inhibition task during fMRI, and reported childhood and adult traumatic experiences. The groups were matched for adult and child trauma load. RESULTS: We observed an interaction between childhood maltreatment severity and PTSD status in the rACC (P CONCLUSIONS: Findings highlight individual differences in neural function following childhood trauma, and point to inhibition-related activation in rostral ACC as a risk factor for PTSD.© 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Language: en
The Working Condition about Expansion Valve on Liquefied Petroleum Gas as Alternative Refrigerant to R22

Introduced the experiment method on Liquefied Petroleum Gas (PLG)as alternative refrigerant to R22,not only the thermo-physical properties and vapor-liquid equilibrium of PLG but also the superheat and pressure drop around the expansion valve are calculated.At the same time,the working condition about expansion valve is analyzed.
Workup of well-differentiated thyroid carcinoma.

BackgroundWell-differentiated thyroid carcinoma (WDTC) includes three main entities: papillary thyroid carcinoma (PTC), follicular thyroid carcinoma (FTC), and Hurthle cell carcinoma (HCC). A thoro...
Retreat of the Social? Where to?

Bruce Kapferer, and contributors to his edited volume Retreat of the Social, sees a danger for anthropology in an emphasis on individual agencies rather than social processes. Such an emphasis he sees as reductionist. He includes neoliberalism here, pointing out that it is used as an ideology. Other contributors to this volume include: Christopher Taylor, who discusses the cosmological power of Rwandan kings; Roger Just, who notes that foregrounding the individual raises the problem of what to do with society and culture, suggesting that we should focus on creativity; and Thomas Ernst, who again warns against reducing social life to individual action. However, the individual and the social should not be seen in closed dichotomous terms, but as open and mutually constituting relationships.
Impact of hospital and sociodemographic factors on utilization of drug-eluting stents in 2011-2012 Medicare cohort.

Objective: Insurance status is a predictor of drug-eluting stent (DES) usage. Our study sought to determine the effect of hospital and sociodemographic characteristics on utilization of DES in nationwide inpatient discharges with uniform insurance (Medicare). Methods: We linked data from the 2011 to 2012 Medicare discharges, 2011 Medicare hospital referral region (HRR) report (racial composition of each HRR), American Hospital Association (number of beds, rural/urban location, public/private status, and academic affiliation of hospitals), and American Community Survey 2011 (median income using zip code). We analyzed diagnosis-related group (DRG) codes 249 (bare metal stent without complications), 246, and 247 (DES with and without complications, respectively). Univariate and multivariable logistic regression was conducted to determine odds ratios (OR) for utilization of DES. Results: There were 322,002 discharges with DRG codes 246 (54,279), 247 (209,365), and 249 (58,358) in our database. Higher odds of DES usage was observed in Hispanic dominant HRR(s) (OR: 1.37, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.33-1.42, P < 0.001) compared to Caucasian dominant HRR(s). DES utilization was similar in African-American and Caucasian dominant HRR (s). Higher odds of DES use was observed in median household income groups ≥$20,001 (OR: 1.07, 95% CI: 1.01-1.13, P - 0.03). Lower DES usage was observed in hospitals with higher total stent volume (quartile 4 vs. quartile 1: OR: 0.66, 95% CI: 0.63-0.69, P < 0.001) and for-profit hospitals (OR: 0.88, 95% CI: 0.85-0.92, P < 0.001). Conclusions: Our study findings suggest that there are significant differences in DES utilization in a national cohort of individuals with uniform insurance.
Platelet-Like-Particles Sheared From Myosin-II-Inhibited Megakaryocytes Highlights The Elevated Thrombocrit Of May-Hegglin Anomaly

Abstract Megakaryocytes (MKs) in the marrow extend projections into blood flow and generate platelets under shear. Understanding MK differentiation and platelet production is of broad clinical importance and extends a need to augment platelet numbers in patients. Reversible but sustained inhibition of non-muscle myosin-II (NMM-II) with the drug blebbistatin increases MK polyploidization, proplatelet formation, and membrane flexibility, thereby increasing platelet generation under shear. Using a cone and plate rheometer to apply fluid shear to drug-treated MKs in bulk, platelet-like-particles (PLPs) that are collagen-I responsive can be generated with intermediate shear. The MKs naturally down-regulate NMM-IIA activity through phosphorylation of S1943, but this site proves shear sensitive, consistent with results for human platelets. Using micropipette aspiration of MKs, inhibition of NMM-IIA is found necessary to generate CD41+ fragments that approximate the size of human platelets. Localization of NMM-IIA to the fragments is modulated by S1943 as seen by unique distribution patterns resulting from specific S1943 mutations that can be abrogated by addition of blebbistatin. The approach is extended to clinically relevant mutations associated with May-Hegglin anomaly (MHA) co-expressed with wild type protein to mimic heterozygotes. As with blebbistatin inhibition of myosin, May-Hegglin mutants result in a higher frequency of fragmentation during micropipette aspiration, indicating a dominant negative effect. Immunofluorescence documents abnormal myosin aggregation in cells transfected with May-Hegglin myosin mutations compared to wild type constructs. Finally, peripheral blood from a patient with a D1414N May-Hegglin mutation is cultured to produce megakaryocytes used to support both the micropipette and immunofluorescence results. These findings reveal a phospho-switch in NMM-II, from inactive to active in the terminal stages of platelet-poiesis, and that proper myosin activity is critical to fragment size and number. Disruption of normal activity enhances fragment generation suggesting a novel mechanism in MHA: in particular, MHA thrombocytopenia results in an increased thrombocrit due to abnormally large platelets, which overcompensates for the reduction in platelet number. Disclosures: No relevant conflicts of interest to declare.
Engaging Learners to Advance Medical Education

Learners are a pillar of academic medicine, yet their voice is seldom heard in national and international scholarly conversations on medical education. However, learners are eager to contribute: in response to a recent open call from Academic Medicine, medical students and residents representing 98 institutions across 11 countries submitted 224 Letters to the Editor on wide-ranging topics. In this Invited Commentary, the authors-three medical students serving in national leadership roles-contextualize several themes discussed in these learner-authored letters.The authors first explore the unique voice learners contribute to educational innovation, highlighting the value learners add to curricular and systemic educational reform efforts. They then turn to the broader implications of the many submitted letters addressing the culture and humanism of medicine, proposing that learners can be powerful catalysts and partners in cultural change. Despite these benefits, the authors note that learners are largely untapped change agents who are particularly underrepresented in medical education scholarship, finding that students were just 2.8% (39/1,396) of authors and 3.5% (12/340) of first authors among all print publications in Academic Medicine in 2016. The authors conclude by offering tangible steps for the academic medical community to engage learners in leadership, advocacy, and scholarship.
Duplication of Dilatancy in Analysis of Jointed Rocks

The examples in this paper demonstrate that dilatancy parameters affect the results of stress and limit equilibrium analyses of jointed rock masses. A sophisticated analogue intended for computer modeling was presented and a working program based on finite element analysis has proved to give reasonable results. The analogue can also be introduced in closed form analytical formulations. Though originated to describe movements of blocks across single joints, the same approach can be used to describe movement of blocks across stepped sliding surfaces compiled from two intersecting joint sets. In this case, the compound sliding surface is replaced by a single equivalent surface whose stiffness coefficients reflect the angular relations of the mean plane and the joint sets. As new data on joint dilatancy become available, they should be incorporated in rock mechanics practice.
Spectroscopy of Metal Complexes

Spectroscopic studies of metal complexes involve the interpretation of bands (usually in the visible or ultraviolet region) that result from electronic transitions. In a field generated by ligands, which are electron pair donors, the d orbitals become split in energy, as do the spectroscopic states arising from them. Transitions are generally possible between states having the same multiplicity. In this chapter, the interpretation of such spectra is discussed. Also, it is sometimes possible for bands to occur as a result of a shift in electron density (charge transfer). Such a shift may be from the metal to the ligands (M → L) or from ligands to the metal (L → M) and these transitions are discussed. Some ligands such as CN − or CO have empty π⁎ orbitals that can accept electron density from the metal, and this give rise to a phenomenon known as back donation.
Donor support for quality assurance and pharmacovigilance of anti-malarials in malaria-endemic countries.

Malaria control efforts have been strengthened by funding from donor groups and government agencies. The Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and the Malaria (Global Fund), the US President’s Malaria Initiative (PMI) account for the majority of donor support for malaria control and prevention efforts. Pharmacovigilance (PV), which encompasses all activities relating to the detection, assessment, understanding, and prevention of adverse effects or any other drug-related problem, is a necessary part of efforts to reduce drug resistance and improve treatment outcomes. This paper reports on an analysis of PV plans in the Global Fund and PMI and World Bank’s grants for malaria prevention and control. All active malaria grants as of September 2015 funded by the Global Fund and World Bank, and fiscal year 2015 and 2016 PMI Malaria Operational Plans (MOP) were identified. The total amount awarded for PV-related activities and drug quality assurance was abstracted. A Key-Word-in-Context (KWIC) analysis was conducted for the content of each grant. Specific search terms consisted of pharmacovigilance, pregn*, registry, safety, adverse drug, mass drug administration, primaquine, counterfeit, sub-standard, and falsified. Grants that mentioned PV activities identified in the KWIC search, listed PV in their budgets, or included the keywords: counterfeit, sub-standard, falsified, mass drug administration, or adverse event were thematically coded using Dedoose software version 7.0. The search identified 159 active malaria grants including 107 Global Fund grants, 39 fiscal year 2015 and 2016 PMI grants and 13 World Bank grants. These grants were primarily awarded to low-income countries (57.2%) and in sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) (70.4%). Thirty-seven (23.3%) grants included a budget line for PV- or drug quality assurance–related activities, including 21 PMI grants and 16 Global Fund grants. Only 23 (14.5%) grants directly mentioned PV. The primary focus area was improving drug quality monitoring, especially among the PMI grants. The results of the analysis demonstrate that funding for PV has not been sufficiently prioritized by either the key malaria donor organizations or by the recipient countries, as reflected in their grant proposal submissions and MOPs.
Working memory capacity predicts effective multitasking

The increasing frequency of student multitasking during study has raised concerns about its impact on their learning outcomes. To address this, performance on an academic task was examined. Students were instructed either to attend to two simultaneous sources of information (text article, documentary video) for later test or to attend to the text but ignore the video. To assess individual differences potentially related to multitasking success, students' working memory capacity, polychronicity, and self-perception of multitasking effectiveness were included in regression analyses. Finally, the generality of successful multitasking on the study task to performance on a simulated making breakfast task was examined. The results showed: (1) students who attended to two sources during study showed poorer retention of material from both; (2) students who ignored one source performed as well as controls who studied without distraction; (3) successful multitaskers had large working memory capacity, preferred multitasking, and were confident in their multitasking effectiveness; (4) successful multitaskers on the study task were not necessarily successful on the breakfast task; and (5) only working memory capacity was common to both tasks. Results are discussed in terms of task and individual characteristics that underlie effective multitasking. Students who attended to text and video content had poorer recall from both media.Students who could ignore the video learned as much as undistracted students.Working memory, preference, and confidence in success identified good multitaskers.Good multitaskers during study were not always most effective on the breakfast task.Only working memory capacity was common to success on study and breakfast tasks.
Reclaiming Media Ideologies

Sherry Turkle. 2015. Reclaiming Conversation: The Power of Talk in a Digital Age. New York: Penguin Press. 436 pages.Daniel Miller. 2016. Social Media in an English Village. London: University Coll...
Normative echoes: use and manipulation of player generated content by communities of NPCs

Normative Echoes is an interactive installation that explores ways to combine player-created content with procedural content. Animated autonomous agents inhabit virtual islands on stationary computers; a tablet PC is used as a virtual raft to transfer agents between the islands. The agents on each island communicate with one another and form scenario-based computational representations of their social interactions. These scenarios represent emergent social patterns and norms within the society. Humans can communicate with the animated autonomous agents through the use of a microphone. Utterances spoken by participants are parsed, repeated, and learned by agents, then used by the agents in communications with their social partners. When transferred between islands, agents bring with themselves the utterances and norms they have learned, thus spreading those norms throughout the various communities in the installation. In this way, agents can meaningfully perform procedural operations on player-created content, allowing for a dynamic and engaging experience.
America's Opioid Epidemic: a Comprehensive Review and Look into the Rising Crisis.

In the USA, there has been a sharp increase in heroin, prescription opiate, and illicitly manufactured fentanyl abuse with overdoses tripling since the 1990s. Several states have been deemed as “high-burden” abuse states where there is a greater proportion of synthetic opiate use. During the same period that prescription limitations were initially implemented throughout the country, the fentanyl epidemic started nationwide. In the setting of data demonstrating an almost fourfold increase in overdose deaths from 1999 to 2008, states began restricting access to Food and Drug Agency (FDA) approved opioid medications. Another factor further exacerbating the opioid crises is that the cost of all formulations of naloxone has increased significantly over the past several years. In order to combat the opioid epidemic, stricter prescribing practices and prescription-monitoring programs have been instituted. Also, improvements in abuse-deterrent strategies for all opioid preparations can play an important role by increasing the safety of these medications and is a major focus of the FDA.
Haptics and the heart: Force and tactile feedback system for cardiovascular interventions.

BACKGROUND/PURPOSE:Interventional cardiovascular procedures are performed while operators view multiple visual displays including fluoroscopic and ultrasonic images, intracardiac electrical signals, electroanatomic mapping data, and hemodynamic indices. Operators are unable to palpate physiologic and biophysical signals or feel intracardiac anatomy due to the attenuation and dampening properties of cardiac catheters. This poses a significant limitation when performing higher risk procedures such as complex coronary interventions, transeptal or epicardial puncture to gain access to the left atrium or pericardium for ablation of heart rhythm disorders, cardiac device delivery, and when attempting to maintain stable tissue contact force ("CF") during ablation of cardiac arrhythmia. METHODS/MATERIALS:We utilized signals acquired from a prototype sensorized cardiac guiding catheter, conventional transeptal puncture kit with end hole manometry, commercially available contact force sensing ablation catheter, and epicardial puncture needle, input these signals into a novel signal processing system and generated palpable sensations to blinded subjects using a proprietary tactile/force (haptic) feedback system. Qualitative and quantitative analysis of the system was performed. RESULTS/CONCLUSION:The proprietary haptic (tactile and force) feedback system provides sense of touch during cardiovascular interventions recreating palpable, real-time biophysical events and physiologic information and enables operators to react to critical cardiovascular signals with minimal delay relative to visual motor reaction time to simple display data. SUMMARY:We describe a proprietary haptic (tactile and force) feedback system that provides sense of touch during cardiovascular interventions recreating palpable, real-time biophysical events and physiologic information.
Analyzing the robustness of the yield sooting index as a measure of sooting tendency

Abstract Soot formation from combustion is linked with many issues, ranging from global warming to human health complications. To tackle these problems, measures of sooting tendency that are accurate and robust with respect to flame conditions are needed to facilitate the development of cleaner fuels and combustion technologies. The objective of this research is to analyze the accuracy and robustness of the Yield Sooting Index (YSI), a measure of sooting tendency, under different temperatures and air-to-fuel equivalence ratios (λ). In this work, the YSI of various cyclic hydrocarbons and jet fuels were measured in several methane/air coflow flames doped with small quantities (0.85% by mass of total fuel) of each test compound using two soot diagnostic techniques, color-ratio pyrometry and line-of-sight spectral radiance. The flame temperature and λ values of these doped coflow flames were varied by premixing the base methane fuel with varying amounts of nitrogen and/or air. The sensitivity of the measured YSI for the test compounds to the various temperature and λ conditions for each base flame was analyzed. Our results show that the YSI values of the cyclic hydrocarbons and test fuels were invariant across all the investigated flame conditions, suggesting that the YSI as a measure of sooting tendency is robust across a wide range of premixed air levels and temperatures relevant to soot formation.
Predictors of sleep-disordered breathing in children with a history of tonsillectomy and/or adenoidectomy.

Study Objectives: To identify predictors of sleep-disordered breathing (SDB) in children who have undergone self-reported tonsillectomy and/or adenoidectomy (TA). Design: Observational study of pediatric participants in a longitudinal genetic-epidemiological cohort study of SDB Setting: Community-based; studies conducted at participants' homes Participants: 577 children age <18 (10.8±4.2 SD) years; 53% female; 48% Black; 76% with a family member identified with SDB Interventions: NA Measurements and Results: Medical history assessed by questionnaire. Physical measures made directly. SDB was assessed with overnight inhome cardio-respiratory monitoring. 10% of children (n=60) had had aTA 5.5±4.6 yrs previously. An Apnea-Hypopnea Index (AHI, events/hr) ≥5 was found in a higher proportion of children with a reported TA than in children with no history of out surgery (35% vs. 13.7%, p<.001). A TA was reported more frequently for non-Blacks than for Blacks (13.6% non-Blacks, 6.9% Blacks, p=.02). Among children who had a TA, significant predictors of SDB (AHI≥5) were: Black ethnicity (SDB in 57% vs. 24% of Blacks vs. non-Blacks; adjusted odds ratio (OR): 3.85; 95% CI: 1.11, 13.33) and obesity (OR 3.98; 95% Cl: 1.05, 15.08). SDB also tended to be greater in children with a family member with SDB (OR 2.87; 95% CI: 0.65, 12.07). Conclusions: Black children were less likely to have undergone TA but more likely to have SDB after TA surgery. These findings underscore the need to follow children post-TA and for evidence-based studies that define the role of TA in the management of pediatric adenotonsillar disease.
Factors Influencing the Development of Career-Change Teachers' Science Teaching Orientation

(2003). Factors Influencing the Development of Career-Change Teachers' Science Teaching Orientation. Journal of Science Teacher Education: Vol. 14, No. 3, pp. 217-234.
Wear-Resistant and Oleophobic Biomimetic Composite Materials

The Lotus effect involving roughness-induced superhydrophobicity is a way to design biomimetic non-wetting, non-sticky, self-cleaning, omniphobic, icephobic, and anti-fouling surfaces, which can be applied for various purposes related to green tribology. However, such surfaces require micropatterning, which is extremely vulnerable to even small wear rates. This limits the applicability of the Lotus effects to situations, when wear is practically non-present. To design sustainable superhydrophobic surfaces, we suggest using metal matrix composites (MMC) with hydrophobic reinforcement in the bulk of the material, rather than at its surface. Such surfaces provide roughness and heterogeneity needed for superhydrophobicity. In addition, they are sustainable since when surface layer is deteriorated and removed due to wear, hydrophobic reinforcement and roughness remains. We present a model and experimental data on wetting of MMCs. We also conduct experiments with graphite-reinforced MMCs and show that the contact angle can be determined from the model. In order to decouple the effects of reinforcement and roughness, the experiments were conducted for initially smooth and etched matrix and composite materials. Micropatterned surfaces can be used for underwater oleophobicity and self-cleaning, in a manner, similar to the Lotus effect. However, wetting of a rough surface by oil (or any non-polar organic liquid) can follow more complex scenarios than just wetting of a rough surface by water, since a four-phase solid–oil–water–air interface can be involved.
Future Trends in Vehicle Power Management

With an eye to the future development and potential problems of vehicle power management, this chapter first introduces some state-of-the-art technologies in alternative fuel vehicles and accordingly powertrain components, and then delineates several thoughts including appropriate combinations of existing strategies, more considerations of safety factors from new components, precision improvement of battery SOC, better prediction of driving patterns using advanced communication technologies, etc. Magnificent prospects of vehicle power management are painted for readers in this chapter.
Optimising dosing strategies of antibacterials utilising pharmacodynamic principles: impact on the development of resistance.

Evolving antimicrobial resistance is of global concern. The impact of decreased susceptibility to current antibacterials coupled with the decline in the marketing of new agents with novel mechanisms of action places a tremendous burden on clinicians to appropriately use available agents. Optimising antibacterial dose administration through the use of pharmacodynamic principles can aid clinicians in accomplishing this task more effectively. Methods to achieve this include: continuous or prolonged infusion, or the use of smaller doses administered more frequently for the time-dependent β-lactam agents; or higher, less frequent dose administration of the concentration-dependent aminoglycosides and fluoroquinolones. Pharmacodynamic breakpoints, which are predictive of clinical and/or microbiological success in the treatment of infection, have been determined for many classes of antibacterials, including the fluoroquinolones, aminoglycosides and β-lactams. Although surpassing these values may predict efficacy, it may not prevent the development of resistance. Recent studies seek to determine the pharmacodynamic breakpoints that prevent the development of resistance. Numerous studies to this point have determined these values in fluoroquinolones in both Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria. However, among the other antibacterial classes, there is a lack of sufficient data. Additionally, a new term, the mutant prevention concentration, has been based on the concentrations above which resistance is unlikely to occur. Future work is needed to fully characterise these target concentrations that prevent resistance.
Hot Air Won't Fly: The New Climate Consensus That Carbon Pricing Isn't Cutting It

Jeffrey Ball, a writer whose work focuses on energy and the environment, is the scholar-in-residence at Stanford University's Steyer-Taylor Center for Energy Policy and Finance and a lecturer at Stanford Law School. He also is a nonresident senior fellow at the Brookings Institution. His writing has appeared in Foreign Affairs, Fortune, Mother Jones, The Atlantic, New Republic, The New York Times, and The Wall Street Journal, among other publications. Ball, previously The Wall Street Journal's environment editor, focuses his Stanford research on improving the effectiveness of clean-energy investment, particularly in China. Download : Download high-res image (131KB) Download : Download full-size image
Stem Cells: Muscle Cells Enwrap Escaped Germline Stem Cells in C. elegans

Interactions between the distal tip cell and germline stem cells maintain a proliferative pool of mitotic cells in the Caenorhabditis elegans gonad. A new study shows that escaped germline stem cells induce nearby muscle cells to reach out and wrap around them, forming an ectopic niche similar to the native gonadal germ cell niche.
Unusual colon manifestations of lymphosarcoma. Report of 2 cases.

The clinical history and physical and roentgenographic findings in 2 patients with diffuse lymphosarcoma of the colon are presented. Roentgenographically the disease process may simulate familial polyposis, Peutz-Jeghers syndrome, ulcerative colitis, or mucous glands of the colon. Roentgenologic differentiation from ulcerative colitis may be particularly difficult. Absence of spasm and irritability of the colon may be noted during examination. Thickening of haustral folds and incomplete contraction of the emptied colon, often reported in diffuse lymphosarcoma, were not reliable differential signs. The polypoid defects varied in size from 1 mm. to 5 mm. When small defects were present, the roentgenograms of the barium-filled colon demonstrated a finely serrated “comblike” wall. With larger lesions the entire colon assumed a delicate lattice or “honeycomb” appearance.
Cardiac Toxicity and Anthracyclines: Mechanism, Interventions, and the Trouble With Troponin.

As cancer survivorship increases, clinicians need to become educated regarding the long-term effect of cancer treatments. Cancer therapeutics-related cardiac dysfunction (CTRCD) is one such sequela that contributes to significant morbidity and mortality. Unfortunately, screening and management practices regarding CTRCD are inconsistent within guidelines and practice. This review will first look at anthracycline-related cardiac dysfunction occurrence and pathophysiology. Current guidelines for CTRCD screening will be discussed, including the use of 2D echocardiograms along with newer technology such as 3D echocardiography and global systolic longitudinal myocardial strain (GLS) measurements. Biomarkers like serum troponin demonstrate promise as an early indicator of cardiomyocyte injury and a potential means of risk stratification; however, guidelines vary regarding how best to incorporate elevated serum troponin levels into management plans. Growing evidence indicates the clinical need for early detection of CTRCD in order to initiate preventative pharmacologic management and improve patient outcomes.
Neighborhood Ethnic Composition and Perceived Discrimination Among Young Adult Latina/os: The Mediating Role of Ethnic Centrality:

This study examines whether neighborhood ethnic composition (i.e., percentage of Latina/os residing in a given residential community) predicts greater perceived experiences of ethnic discrimination...