cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Disruptions in cortico-subcortical covariance networks associated with anxiety in new-onset childhood epilepsy.

Anxiety disorders represent a prevalent psychiatric comorbidity in both adults and children with epilepsy for which the etiology remains controversial. Neurobiological contributions have been suggested, but only limited evidence suggests abnormal brain volumes particularly in children with epilepsy and anxiety. Since the brain develops in an organized fashion, covariance analyses between different brain regions can be investigated as a network and analyzed using graph theory methods. We examined 46 healthy children (HC) and youth with recent onset idiopathic epilepsies with (n = 24) and without (n = 62) anxiety disorders. Graph theory (GT) analyses based on the covariance between the volumes of 85 cortical/subcortical regions were investigated. Both groups with epilepsy demonstrated less inter-modular relationships in the synchronization of cortical/subcortical volumes compared to controls, with the epilepsy and anxiety group presenting the strongest modular organization. Frontal and occipital regions in non-anxious epilepsy, and areas throughout the brain in children with epilepsy and anxiety, showed the highest centrality compared to controls. Furthermore, most of the nodes correlating to amygdala volumes were subcortical structures, with the exception of the left insula and the right frontal pole, which presented high betweenness centrality (BC); therefore, their influence in the network is not necessarily local but potentially influencing other more distant regions. In conclusion, children with recent onset epilepsy and anxiety demonstrate large scale disruptions in cortical and subcortical brain regions. Network science may not only provide insight into the possible neurobiological correlates of important comorbidities of epilepsy, but also the ways that cortical and subcortical disruption occurs.
Stromal Cell-Derived Factor (SDF-1) Mediates Stem Cell Mobilization and Homing to the Kidney after Acute Renal Failure.

Abstract The chemokine stromal cll-derived factor-1 (SDF-1) and its receptor CXCR4, expressed by hematopoietic stem cells (HSC) and other cells, represents a major mediator-system for G-CSF-induced hematopoietic stem cell (HSC) mobilization and stem cell (SC) homing to the bone marrow (BM) after BM transplantation. HSC have been shown to contribute to repair processes in kidneys damaged by ischemia and HSC as well as endothelial progenitor cells (EPC) are mobilized in response to kidney damage. The signals mediating this process are currently unknown. We tested the hypothesis that SDF-1 mediates both mobilization and homing of SCs into the kidney with acute renal failure (ARF) and may thus be crucial to SC-mediated organ repair. SDF-1 is expressed in normal kidneys and upregulated in ischemically injured (60 min bi- or unilateral renal pedicle clamp) mouse kidneys (FVB strain) as evaluated by immunohistochemistry, in-situ hybridization, quantitative RT-PCR and ELISA. Post ARF SDF-1 was upregulated in sublethally injured proximal tubular cells (PTC), peripheral blood levels of SDF-1 rose, and circulating CD34+ and Colony-forming Units of Cell numbers as well as EPCs increased significantly. In vitro chemotaxis of SC from the top of transwell inserts towards the bottom well, containing cultured PTC that exhibited augmented SDF-1 expression post partial ATP depletion, increased significantly, a response that was abolished when SC cells were preincubated with CXCR4 antibody. Injected, CFDA-labeled, BM cells were only recruited to ischemic kidneys (bi- or unilateral), a response that was also blocked after SC pre-incubation with CXCR4 antibody. Our data show that there is increased renal SDF-1 expression after ARF and secretion into the circulation, which, in turn, stimulates HSC and EPC-mobilization into the circulation and directs homing into the post-ischemic kidney. Therefore, both circulating and administered SC and other CXCR4-expressing cells can be recruited to the injured kidney, where they, as we showed previously, are able to greatly support effective tissue repair, functional recovery and animal survival following ARF.
Robust state and unknown input estimation for nonlinear systems characterized by incremental multiplier matrices

A systematic design method for robust state and unknown input estimation using sliding mode observers is proposed for a class of nonlinear systems with bounded unknown inputs. The considered nonlinearities satisfy a set of matrix inequalities known as incremental quadratic constraints. The proposed observer is constructed by solving a set of linear matrix inequalities guaranteeing global ℒ ∞ stability with a specified performance level. Conditions are given under which the proposed observer can reconstruct the unknown input. The effectiveness of the proposed observer is demonstrated on a simulation example.
Gender and Radiology Publication Productivity: An Examination of Academic Faculty From Four Health Systems in the United States

Abstract Objectives To compare male and female radiology faculty publication productivity metrics at four major academic centers. Materials and Methods All Radiology Department faculty members at four academic medical centers from January 1, 2000, to December 31, 2015, were included. Publication metrics including total number of manuscripts published; h - and m -indices; number of publications where faculty member was listed as first, last, or sole author; whether a woman was listed as one of the first five coauthors; and year of first publication were retrieved from Scopus. Publication metrics were compared between genders using the Wilcoxon signed-rank and χ 2 tests. Results A total of 711 faculty members (519 male, 192 [27%] female members) were identified. Male faculty had a significantly higher number of total publications (median 54 versus 24, P P h - (median 17 versus 10, P m -indices (median 0.83 versus 0.60, P P = .0014) and last author (median 16% versus 11%, P P = .0025) and were significantly more likely to have another woman in their first five coauthor list (70% versus 45%, P Conclusions Large differences exist between female and male faculty in total publications; h - and m -indices; publications per year; number of first, single, last author papers; and percentage of faculty that have a female coauthor in their top five coauthor lists.
The response of benthic algae to manipulations of light in four acidic lakes in northern Michigan.

We investigated the effects of light on benthic algal communities in four acidic lakes (Johnson Lake, McNearney Lake, Avery Lake and Garlinghouse Lake) in northern Michigan (U.S.A.) that differed in dissolved organic content. In mid-summer, a series of light filters was placed 1 cm above the sediment of each lake at a depth of 2–3 m to filter out 0%, 80% and 90% of light reaching the lake bottom. After 5 weeks, the biomass and taxonomic composition of algal communities developing under these light conditions were quantified. Light accounted for most of the variation in algal biomass (r 2=0.79). High-light conditions promoted filamentous green-algal ( Zygnematales) growth, while diatoms and desmids had both a greater absolute and relative abundance in lower light conditions. We hypothesize that shading by large colonies of filamentous green algae, common in acidic lakes could positively affect diatom abundance possibly by protection from U V-light or photoinhibition. Large colonies of Mougeotia sp. could also benefit by self-shading in excessive light conditions.
Process Review for Development of Quantitative Risk Analyses for Transboundary Animal Disease to Pathogen-Free Territories

Outbreaks of transboundary animal diseases (TADs) have the potential to cause significant detriment to animal, human, and environmental health; severe economic implications; and national security. Challenges concerning data sharing, model development, decision support, and disease emergence science have recently been promoted. These challenges and recommendations have been recognized and advocated in the disciplines intersecting with outbreak prediction and forecast modeling regarding infectious diseases. To advance the effective application of computation and risk communication, analytical products ought to follow a collaboratively agreed common plan for implementation. Research articles should seek to inform and assist prioritization of national and international strategies in developing established criteria to identify and follow best practice standards to assess risk model attributes and performance. A well-defined framework to help eliminate gaps in policy, process, and planning knowledge areas would help alleviate the intense need for the formation of a comprehensive strategy for countering TAD outbreak risks. A quantitative assessment that accurately captures the risk of introduction of a TAD through various pathways can be a powerful tool in guiding where government, academic, and industry resources ought to be allocated, whether implementation of additional risk management solutions is merited, and where research efforts should be directed to minimize risk. This review outlines a part of a process for the development of quantitative risk analysis to collect, analyze, and communicate this knowledge. A more comprehensive and unabridged manual was also developed. The framework used in supporting the application of aligning computational tools for readiness continues our approach to apply a preparedness mindset to challenges concerning threats to global biosecurity, secure food systems, and risk-mitigated agricultural economies.
Superior mesenteric artery calcification is associated with cardiovascular risk factors, systemic calcified atherosclerosis, and increased mortality.

Abstract Background Atherosclerosis is a major risk factor for morbidity and mortality. However, epidemiologic data are sparse regarding risk factors for superior mesenteric artery calcification (SMAC), the association between SMAC and disease in other arterial beds, or the independent contribution of SMAC to risk of mortality. The objective of this study was to test the hypothesis that presence and extent of SMAC are associated with cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk factors, calcification in other arterial beds, and both cardiovascular and all-cause mortality, independent of classic risk factors and calcification in other arterial beds. Methods Arterial calcification in the superior mesenteric artery, celiac trunk, coronaries, thoracic aorta, abdominal aorta, and iliac arteries was evaluated by computed tomography in adults with no known CVD. Multiple logistic regression models examined risk factor associations for SMAC and SMAC as a risk factor for calcification in other arterial beds. Cox models were used to examine the association between SMAC and mortality. Results The average age of subjects was 56 years; 43.7% (1877/4300) were women, and 6.7% (290) had SMAC. Age (odds ratio [OR], 1.09; 95% confidence interval, 1.06-1.11), male sex (OR, 1.79; 95% CI, 1.08-3.03), dyslipidemia (OR, 1.38; 95% CI, 1.01-1.88), and any smoking (OR, 1.60; 95% CI, 1.20-2.14) were associated with SMAC presence. Notably, body mass index, body fat percentage, hypertension, diabetes, and family history of coronary heart disease were not significant risk factors for the presence of SMAC. SMAC presence was associated with calcification in all five other arterial beds (OR, 6.02; 95% CI, 3.76-9.66). During a median follow-up time of 9.4 years, there were 234 deaths, 76 of which were CVD related. SMAC extent (represented as per-unit increase in log [SMAC score + 1]; OR, 1.31; 95% CI, 1.01-1.71) was significantly associated with CVD mortality after full adjustment for risk factors and calcification in other arterial beds. SMAC presence (OR, 1.52; 95% CI, 1.10-2.12) and extent (OR, 1.25; 95% CI, 1.06-1.48) were also both significantly associated with all-cause mortality after full adjustment. Conclusions SMAC is associated with specific CVD risk factors as well as with calcification in all other arterial beds. SMAC extent was significantly associated with incident cardiovascular mortality, whereas both SMAC presence and extent were significantly associated with all-cause mortality, even after adjustment for risk factors and calcification in other arterial beds. Further studies are needed to determine whether SMAC is simply a marker for advanced and systemic disease or whether it confers increased mortality risk through an independent mechanism.
Non-abelian composition factors of ℓ-Brauer m-rational groups

Abstract It is known that sporadic groups, alternating groups, and only finitely many groups of Lie type may occur as non-abelian composition factors of non-solvable m -rational groups. In this paper, we prove a similar statement for l -Brauer m -rational groups, and give an explicit list of the possible non-abelian composition factors of l -Brauer rational groups.
Improving urban flow predictions through data assimilation

Abstract Detailed aerodynamic information of local wind flow patterns in urban canopies is essential for the design of sustainable and resilient urban areas. Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) can be used to analyze these complex flows, but uncertainties in the models can negatively impact the accuracy of the results. Data assimilation, using measurements from wind sensors located within the urban canopy, provides exciting opportunities to improve the quality of the predictions. The present study explores the deployment of several wind sensors on Stanford's campus to support future validation of CFD predictions with uncertainty quantification and data assimilation. We focus on uncertainty in the incoming wind direction and magnitude, and identify optimal sensor placement to enable accurate inference of these parameters. First, a set of Reynolds-averaged Navier-Stokes simulations is performed to build a surrogate model for the local velocity as a function of the inflow conditions. Subsequently, artificial wind observations are generated from realizations of the surrogate model, and an inverse ensemble Kalman filter is used to infer the inflow conditions from these observations. We investigate the influence of (1) the sensor location, (2) the number of sensors, and (3) the presence of noise or a bias in the measurement data. The analysis shows that multiple roof level sensors should enable robust assimilation of the inflow boundary conditions. In the future field experiment, sensors will be placed in these locations to validate the methodology using actual field measurement data.
Methodologic limitations of prescription opioid safety research and recommendations for improving the evidence base

Purpose The ongoing opioid epidemic has claimed more than a quarter million Americans' lives over the past 15 years. The epidemic began with an escalation of prescription opioid deaths and has now evolved to include secondary waves of illicit heroin and fentanyl deaths, while the deaths due to prescription opioid overdoses are still increasing. In response, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) moved to limit opioid prescribing with the release of opioid prescribing guidelines for chronic noncancer pain in March 2016. The guidelines represent a logical and timely federal response to this growing crisis. However, CDC acknowledged that the evidence base linking opioid prescribing to opioid use disorders and overdose was grades 3 and 4. Methods Motivated by the need to strengthen the evidence base, this review details limitations of the opioid safety studies cited in the CDC guidelines with a focus on methodological limitations related to internal and external validity. Results Internal validity concerns were related to poor confounding control, variable misclassification, selection bias, competing risks, and potential competing interventions. External validity concerns arose from the use of limited source populations, historical data (in a fast-changing epidemic), and issues with handling of cancer and acute pain patients' data. We provide a nonexhaustive list of 7 recommendations to address these limitations in future opioid safety studies. Conclusion Strengthening the opioid safety evidence base will aid any future revisions of the CDC guidelines and enhance their prevention impact.
Inference about the Population Kurtosis with Confidence: Parametric and Bootstrap Approaches

This paper considers some classical and bootstrap methods in constructing confidence intervals for the kurtosis parameter of a distribution. The bootstrap techniques used are: Bias-Corrected Standard Bootstrap, Efron’s Percentile Bootstrap, Hall’s Percentile Bootstrap and Bias-Corrected Percentile Bootstrap. The performance of these estimators is compared through confidence intervals by determining the average width and probabilities of capturing the kurtosis parameter of a distribution. We observed that the parametric method works well in terms of coverage probability when data come from a normal distribution, while the bootstrap intervals struggled in constantly reaching a 95% confidence level. When sample data are from a distribution with negative kurtosis, both parametric and bootstrap confidence intervals performed well, although we noticed that bootstrap methods tend to have shorter intervals. When it comes to positive kurtosis, bootstrap methods perform slightly better than classical methods in the sense of high coverage probability. For illustration purposes, two real life health related data are analyzed.
A Weak Convergence Result Relevant in Recurrent and Renewal Models

In this paper we prove a general weak convergence result useful for establishing the distributional properties of processes, estimators, or test statistics arising in recurrent event and renewal process models.
QOL Research in Relation to Specific Marketing Perspectives

This chapter covers QOL research in relation to specific perspectives of marketing. QOL research has been conducted from the following perspectives: macromarketing, strategic marketing, the marketing mix, marketing ethics, social marketing, international marketing, and marketing and economic development. Different research questions are addressed within each of the aforementioned marketing perspectives.
Three Strikes and You're Out

A review essay of Mark Skousen's The Big Three in Economics: Adam Smith, Karl Marx, and John Maynard Keynes. The bottom line is this: If you want Skousen's view of the history of economics, skip The Big Three and read The Making of Modern Economics.
Simultaneous Input and State Set-Valued Observers with Applications to Attack-Resilient Estimation

In this paper, we present a fixed-order set-valued observer for linear discrete-time bounded-error systems that simultaneously finds bounded sets of compatible states and unknown inputs that are optimal in the minimum $\mathcal{H}_{\infty}$ -norm sense, i.e., with minimum average power amplification. We also analyze the necessary and sufficient conditions for the stability of the observer and its connection to a system property known as strong detectability. Next, we show that the proposed set-valued observer can be used for attack-resilient estimation of state and attack signals when cyber-physical systems are subject to false data injection attacks on both actuator and sensor signals. Moreover, we discuss the implication of strong detectability on resilient state estimation and attack identification. Finally, the effectiveness of our set-valued observer is demonstrated in simulation, including on an IEEE 14-bus electric power system.
Ecological Energetics of Whooping Cranes in the Eastern Migratory Population

ABSTRACT Energetics shape the migration, feeding, and breeding ecology of the Eastern Migratory Population (EMP) of Whooping Cranes ( Grus americana ). In this chapter, we review information about ecological energetics in the EMP. We also contribute new information in this field by analyzing how the expanding wintering range of the EMP affects Whooping Crane energetics. In particular, we model how wintering across the range – from as far north as Indiana to as far south as Alabama – affects overwintering energy requirements of the EMP compared to wintering in Florida; management of the reintroduction effort was intended to result in a population that wintered in Florida. We found that costs of thermoregulation in southern Indiana can be up to double those of more southerly wintering grounds, particularly in cold winters. The extent of extra energy required suggests that energy-dense waste corn from harvested fields could be important to overwinter survival in Indiana and storage of fat reserves for breeding. We suggest continued monitoring of the population for signs of energy stress during breeding, particularly as cranes begin nesting in areas of Wisconsin with lower densities of black flies (which are associated with breeding failure and therefore may be masking evidence of a relationship between choice of wintering area and reproductive success). We also recommend further research of the energy intake and fat storage/use in EMP cranes during the breeding season in order to (1) inform choice of reintroduction locations in Wisconsin in the context of changing chick-rearing strategies and (2) assess the hypothesis that energy stress contributes as a secondary factor in nest abandonment of EMP cranes.
Help or Hardship?: Income-Driven Repayment in Student-Loan Bankruptcies

A drawback of student loans is that a debtor must show “undue hardship” to discharge them in bankruptcy. An advantage of student loans is that most of them may be repaid using income-driven repayment (“IDR”) plans, under which the debtor can satisfy the obligation by paying a share of income over a specified time, even if the payments do not reduce the loan balance to zero. This Article addresses how the availability of IDR should affect the analysis of undue hardship in student-loan bankruptcy. It reviews relevant legislative history and Supreme Court precedent and draws three principal conclusions. First, the policies supporting a fresh start in bankruptcy apply to student loans, even if participating in IDR would result in an affordable payment. Second, when student loans have been in repayment for more than five years, the only policy supporting non discharge ability is that of creditor recovery. Third, IDR should make life easier for student-loan debtors, not to increase their exposure to hardship through denial of discharge. This Article applies these findings to several factual situations common in student-loan bankruptcy. It argues that IDR’s availability should not count against discharge if IDR would extend the repayment period and the debtor could not maintain an above-minimal standard of living during the repayment period. In bankruptcies commenced after five years of repayment, the student-loan debtor generally should receive discharge if the creditor cannot show a substantial likelihood of significant repayment, so the availability of a zero-payment IDR plan should not weigh against discharge. The possibilities under IDR of negative amortization and tax liability weigh in favor of discharge, potentially by increasing the level of expected repayment the creditor must demonstrate. The debtor’s failure to learn about IDR usually should not count against the debtor.
In vivo remodeling of a 3D-Bioprinted tissue engineered heart valve scaffold

Abstract Objective To evaluate the recellularization potential of a bioprinted aortic heart valve scaffold printed with highly concentrated Type I collagen hydrogel (Lifeink® 200) and MSCs. Materials and methods A suspension of rat mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) was mixed with Lifeink® 200 and was 3D-printed into gelatin support gel to produce disk scaffolds which were subsequently implanted subcutaneously in Sprague-Dawley rats for 2, 4, 8, and 12 weeks. The biomechanical properties of the scaffolds were evaluated by uniaxial tensile testing and cell infiltration and inflammation assessed via immunohistochemistry (IHC) and histological staining. Results There was an average decrease in both UTS and tensile modulus from 2 to 4 weeks followed by an increase between 4 to 8 weeks and a plateau from 8 to 12 weeks. IHC showed a continued expression of alpha smooth muscle actin and vimentin biomarkers throughout the study demonstrating continued presence of interstitial-like and fibroblast-like cells. Additionally, there was also an increase of elastin at each time point. Conclusion The profile of the stress-strain curves of the bioprinted aortic heart valve scaffolds indicated that the scaffold transitioned through phases of resorption, synthesis, stabilization, and ultimately, remodeling. This is supported by IHC and histology which showed favorable remodeling capacity demonstrating potential feasibility for a 3D printed heart valve.
Cuban Émigrés and Independence in the Nineteenth-Century Gulf World. By Dalia Antonia Muller. (Chapel Hill, NC: University of North Carolina Press, 2018. Pp. 324. $29.95.)

Since the mid‐1800s, Cuba's history has been intimately linked to the United States. But what about Cuban history in relation to the rest of Latin America? Cold War histories illustrate the role of...
Structural, electronic, and magnetic properties of bulk and epitaxial LaCoO 3 through diffusion Monte Carlo

Magnetism in lanthanum cobaltite (LCO, ${\mathrm{LaCoO}}_{3}$) appears to be strongly dependent on strain, defects, and nanostructuring. LCO on strontium titanate (STO, ${\mathrm{SrTiO}}_{3}$) is a ferromagnet with an interesting strain relaxation mechanism that yields a lattice modulation. However, the driving force of the ferromagnetism is still controversial. Experiments debate between a vacancy-driven or strain-driven mechanism for epitaxial LCO's ferromagnetism. We found that a weak lateral modulation of the superstructure is sufficient to promote ferromagnetism. Our research also showed that ferromagnetism appears under uniaxial compression and expansion. Although earlier experiments suggest that bulk LCO is nonmagnetic, our diffusion Monte Carlo calculations found that magnetic phases have a lower energy ground state for bulk LCO. This paper discusses recent experiments indicating a more complicated picture for the bulk magnetism and closer agreement with our calculations. The role of defects are also discussed through excited-state calculations.
From Input to Output: The Lap/c-di-GMP Biofilm Regulatory Circuit.

Biofilms are the dominant bacterial lifestyle. The regulation of the formation and dispersal of bacterial biofilms has been the subject of study in many organisms. Over the last two decades, the me...
Pliant pathogens: Estimating viral spread when confronted with new vector, host, and environmental conditions

Pathogen spread rates are determined, in part, by the performance of pathogens under altered environmental conditions and their ability to persist while switching among hosts and vectors.To determine the effects of new conditions (host, vector, and nutrient) on pathogen spread rate, we introduced a vector-borne viral plant pathogen, Barley Yellow Dwarf Virus PAV (BYDV-PAV) into hosts, vectors, and host nutrient supplies that it had not encountered for thousands of viral generations. We quantified pathogen prevalence over the course of two serial inoculations under the new conditions. Using individual-level transmission rates from this experiment, we parameterized a dynamical model of disease spread and projected spread across host populations through a growing season.A change in nutrient conditions (increased supply of phosphorus) reduced viral transmission whereas shifting to a new vector or host species had no effect on infection prevalence. However, the reduction in the new nutrient environment was only temporary; infection prevalence recovered after the second inoculation. Synthesis. These results highlight how robust the pathogen, BYDV-PAV, is to changes in its biotic and abiotic environment. Our study also highlights the need to quantify longitudinal infection information beyond snapshot assessments to project disease risk for pathogens in new environments.
Unfulfilled promises of health information exchange: What inhibits ambulatory clinics from electronically sharing health information?

Abstract Purpose This study seeks to understand the key inhibitors for health information exchange (HIE) by ambulatory (outpatient) clinics. We examine the key technological, organizational and environmental factors that inhibit an ambulatory clinic from electronically exchanging health information with external clinics and hospitals. Methods We utilize survey data from 1285 ambulatory clinics in the US state of Minnesota. Using logistic regressions, we assess if the ambulatory clinic’s HIE with external clinics and external hospitals are associated with fourteen inhibitors from technological, organizational and environmental contexts in which ambulatory clinics operate. Results Among the technological inhibitors, we find lack of adequate technological infrastructure, difficulties in integrating external data with electronic medical record systems, and security concerns to inhibit ambulatory clinics’ HIE with both clinics and hospitals. Inadequate technical support was a barrier for HIE with hospitals, whereas inadequate training of staff was an inhibitor for clinic-to-clinic HIE. Of the environmental variables, legal concerns and complexity in framing HIE agreements with partners were found to inhibit ambulatory clinics’ HIE with both external clinics and hospitals. Lack of partner readiness and ability was an inhibiting factor for clinic-to-hospital HIE whereas issues in patient consent, and problems in choosing the right vendor with a good fit were inhibiting ambulatory clinics’ HIE with other clinics. Among the organizational variables, lack of adequate senior leadership support and complexity of workflow changes inhibited clinic-to-clinic health data sharing, whereas unclear return on investment (ROI) for HIE was a deterrent for ambulatory clinics’ HIE with hospitals. Conclusions This study throws light on electronic HIE practices and its key inhibitors in ambulatory clinics, an understudied area in digital health. This paper provides unique insights into specific inhibitors that deter clinic-to-clinic health information sharing versus those that affect and clinic-to-hospital health information exchange.
Load-Relaxation Characteristics of Chemical and Physical Hydrogels as Soft Tissue Mimics

Load-relaxation under a constant state of deformation is a common characteristic of hydrated materials, including hydrogels and biological tissues. Overall, mechanical response in such materials is a strong function of underlying structure, which in hydrogels depends on whether the gel is formed through physical or chemical cross-linking. In order to use hydrogels in biomedical applications where their properties are matched to those of native tissues, it is critical to understand these underlying structure-properties relationships. The objective of current work is to quantitatively characterize the load-relaxation behavior of physical and chemical gels and perform a comparative analysis with several biological tissues. Microindentation-based load-relaxation experiments were performed on three physical (agar, alginate, and gelatin) gels and one chemical (polyacrylamide) gel with a range of experimental time frames. All three physical gels exhibit strong time-dependent load-relaxation behavior where faster indentation leads to pronounced load-relaxation over short time-scales. The polyacrylamide gel is largely time-independent and exhibits negligible relaxation within short time-scales. The material property intrinsic permeability, which relates to underlying pore structure, was time-independent for both physical and chemical gels. A comparative analysis reveals that different aspects of the time-dependent properties of biological tissues are captured by physical and chemical hydrogels, with implications for tissue engineering applications.
Evaluation of Funnel Cone Traps with Different Baits for Capturing Nuisance Arthropods in College Station, Texas

The intent of this study was to test the effectiveness of small funnel traps in attracting and killing nuisance arthropods such as various species of flies, ants, and cockroaches in College Station, Texas. A total number of 6 plastic funnel traps were placed across the campus of Texas A&M University, in five different locations. Three of the units had blue cones and three had glow cones and three different baits were used. Traps were set for 36 hours between checking and trapping was conducted from March 27 to April 28, 2018. Insects were overall more attracted to the molasses bait most likely due to its high sugar content and sweet smell. Among all the insects collected, the most common were ants were Brachymyrmex patagonicus (rover ant) followed by Solenopsis invicta (red imported fire ant). Among all the nuisance arthropods collected, this was the first report of Nylanderia fulva (tawny crazy ant) being present on the campus of Texas A&M University (Lebrun, et al 2017).
Huntington's disease: Nearly four decades of human molecular genetics.

Huntington's disease (HD) is a devastating neurogenetic disorder whose familial nature and progressive course were first described in the 19th century but for which no disease-modifying treatment is yet available. Through the active participation of HD families, this disorder has acted as a flagship for the application of human molecular genetic strategies to identify disease genes, understand pathogenesis and identify rationale targets for development of therapies.
Approximate Message Passing for orthogonally invariant ensembles: Multivariate non-linearities and spectral initialization

We study a class of Approximate Message Passing (AMP) algorithms for symmetric and rectangular spiked random matrix models with orthogonally invariant noise. The AMP iterates have fixed dimension $K \geq 1$, a multivariate non-linearity is applied in each AMP iteration, and the algorithm is spectrally initialized with $K$ super-critical sample eigenvectors. We derive the forms of the Onsager debiasing coefficients and corresponding AMP state evolution, which depend on the free cumulants of the noise spectral distribution. This extends previous results for such models with $K=1$ and an independent initialization. Applying this approach to Bayesian principal components analysis, we introduce a Bayes-OAMP algorithm that uses as its non-linearity the posterior mean conditional on all preceding AMP iterates. We describe a practical implementation of this algorithm, where all debiasing and state evolution parameters are estimated from the observed data, and we illustrate the accuracy and stability of this approach in simulations.
Compartmentalized cAMP signaling in cardiac ventricular myocytes.

Abstract Activation of different receptors that act by generating the common second messenger cyclic adenosine monophosphate (cAMP) can elicit distinct functional responses in cardiac myocytes. Selectively sequestering cAMP activity to discrete intracellular microdomains is considered essential for generating receptor-specific responses. The processes that control this aspect of compartmentalized cAMP signaling, however, are not completely clear. Over the years, technological innovations have provided critical breakthroughs in advancing our understanding of the mechanisms underlying cAMP compartmentation. Some of the factors identified include localized production of cAMP by differential distribution of receptors, localized breakdown of this second messenger by targeted distribution of phosphodiesterase enzymes, and limited diffusion of cAMP by protein kinase A (PKA)-dependent buffering or physically restricted barriers. The aim of this review is to provide a discussion of our current knowledge and highlight some of the gaps that still exist in the field of cAMP compartmentation in cardiac myocytes.
Trust-based secure information sharing between federal government agencies: Research Articles

The September 11 attack and the following investigations show that there is a serious information sharing problem among the relevant federal government agencies, and the problem can cause substantial deficiencies in terrorism attack detection. In this paper we provide a systematic analysis of the causes of this problem; and conclude that existing secure information sharing technologies and protocols cannot provide enough incentives for government agencies to share information with each other without worrying that their own interests can be jeopardized. Although trust-based information access is well studied in the literature, the existing trust models, which are based on certified attributes, cannot support effective information sharing among government agencies, which requires an interest-based trust model. To solve this information sharing problem, we propose an innovative interest-based trust model and a novel information sharing protocol, where a family of information sharing policies are integrated, and information exchange and trust negotiation are interleaved with and interdependent upon each other. In addition, an implementation of this protocol is presented using the emerging technology of XML Web Services. The implementation is totally compatible with the Federal Enterprise Architecture reference models and can be directly integrated into existing E-Government systems.
Clearing Being: Donald Barthelme’s Snow White and the Thought of Martin Heidegger

Donald Barthelme, one of the foremost writers of postmodern fiction in the mid-to-later twentieth century, was continually engaged in the project of breaking down conventions of all kinds and especially of cutting through the accretion of conventional uses of language. With his 1965 novel Snow White , he turned to the ancient genre of the fairy tale to accomplish this goal. While many commentators on the novel claim that Barthelme’s treatment of the Snow White tale is merely parodic and negative, I maintain that the novel is actually quite positive in breaking through an objectified and rigid version of human Being in the character of Snow to a much more open horizon of possible Being. To make this point, I draw on central aspects of the thought of Martin Heidegger, who, perhaps more than that of any other philosopher, helped to create the zeitgeist through which postmodern American fiction emerges in the last half of the twentieth century. Specifically, Heidegger collapses the subject-object dualism of Descartes into the wholeness of Being itself and conceives for language the role not of simply re-presenting the world to human beings but rather of discovering, or “clearing,” Being itself.
A Simple Method of Calculating the Radial Temperature Distribution in a Mixed-Oxide Fuel Element

Approximate solutions in analytic form are presented for the heat-flow equation that yields temperature as a function of radial position in mixed-oxide fuel irradiated in a fast-neutron flux. These...
Nodal performance measures for oscillator networks with local and global damping

This paper proposes and characterizes a pairwise performance measure for two arbitrary nodes in a network of coupled oscillators. The measure is based upon the steady state variance of the difference between the phases of the node pair due to network level disturbances. For two adjacent nodes this quantity corresponds to the total interactions over the edge connecting the nodes. When the two oscillators are not adjacent it is a measure of the coherence of the subnetwork defined by the two nodes. For the special case of two nodes connected by a single path our analytical results show that coherence in this subnetwork is independent of the nodes outside this path in first order networks and second order oscillator networks with global damping. However, computing the performance of oscillator networks with local damping requires the full network. These results allow one to isolate the performance of subsystems of interest or to evaluate the effect of changing the network topology of particular subsystems in, for example, large vehicle platoons, where local and global damping correspond to local and global velocity feedback.
Modular heap analysis for higher-order programs

We consider the problem of computing summaries for procedures that soundly capture the effect of calling a procedure on program state that includes a mutable heap. Such summaries are the basis for a compositional program analysis and key to scalability. Higher order procedures contain callbacks (indirect calls to procedures specified by callers). The use of such callbacks and higher-order features are becoming increasingly widespread and commonplace even in mainstream imperative languages such as C# and Java. Such callbacks complicate compositional analysis and the construction of procedure summaries. We present an abstract-interpretation based approach to computing summaries (of a procedure's effect on a mutable heap) in the presence of callbacks in a simple imperative language. We present an empirical evaluation of our approach.
1,5‐Naphthalenedithiol

1,5-Naphthalenedithiol product: 1,5-naphthalenedithiol product: phenoxybenzene-4,4′-dithiol product: m-sulfhydrylbenzoic acid Keywords: reduction, miscellaneous; zinc amalgam
Electronic medical records. Privacy, confidentiality, liability.

Making health care more accessible and affordable for all Americans is a national priority. 1 To reach this goal, the federal government and many medical professionals strongly advocate the impleme...
Urban Revival and College Writing: Writing to Promote Communities

Service-learning classes, because they emphasize the creation of product that has value outside the confines of the college classroom, offer students an experience in professional formation, a practice that may prove anathema to the ethos of “service.” The desire to counteract this individualistic attitude has led instructors to promulgate an activist agenda within their classrooms, teaching students to critique hierarchical power structures, redress social inequities, or challenge lines of societal exclusion. And yet, such practitioners repeatedly acknowledge the difficulty of this instructional aim and attest to the students’ inability to envision themselves as advocates for societal change. I hold that this objective of transforming students into activists based on the experience of service-learning classes may not be feasible due the economic dynamic of a college classroom, where students pay tuition for their education and engage in work that is assessed and evaluated. Consequently, rather than create service-learning projects around theoretical positions of dissent and critique, I have designed a service-learning class on the topic of urban revitalization that involves students in promotional and collaborative partnerships with non-profit organizations in town. In other words, by tapping into a pragmatic, national movement such as urban renewal, I have aimed to raise the students’ awareness of how they might become agents of change and how their particular skill set of writing could be of service to the community. Drawing upon my experiences with students in a Business and Professional Writing class, I discuss specific readings and writing assignments in this article, chiefly the writing products that were commissioned by different non-profit groups in town. The discussion examines some of the theoretical implications behind reinforcing college students’ awareness of civic commitment while developing their written and rhetorical skills.
A Comparative Analysis of the Factorial Structures of two Administrations of the Piers-Harris Children's Self Concept Scale to One Group of Elementary School Children:

Data obtained from two administrations of the Piers-Harris Children's Self Concept Scale to a single group of 159 elementary pupils were factor analyzed to determine the stability of factors from one test to another. Of ten factors from each test administration extracted and rotated by means of the varimax method, five in each test sample were found to have sufficient item content commonalities to warrant joint interpretation and labeling. The findings suggest that the factorial dimensions of the Piers-Harris scale can vary considerably even within one study group. Researchers therefore would do well to determine the factorial structure of their own test data as well as to consider carefully the variance accounted for by each factor if they wish to draw meaningful conclusions from findings involving changes in self-concept in terms of particular constructs. Implications of further factorial validity research of the Piers-Harris scale are discussed.
Natural and anthropogenic controls over suspended sediments within a mountainous Appalachian watershed: implications for watershed restoration

The upper Elk River (620 km2), located in mountainous east-central West Virginia, is one of the premier cold-water fisheries in the eastern United States. However, sediment run-off from both forestry and non-forestry-related disturbance has the potential to threaten the quality of wild trout populations. General linear models were used to link spatial and temporal variation in total suspended solid (TSS) concentrations throughout the watershed to natural (i.e. landform and geology) and anthropogenic (forest management practices, other land-use disturbance [residential and commercial development, agriculture, and recreation], census roads) landscape attributes. In addition, through a unique paired sampling design, we tested the hypothesis that increasing levels of disturbance (i.e. forest management and other land use activities) within a watershed would result in a proportional increase in TSS concentrations. Spatial variation in TSS concentration was found to primarily be explained by land-use disturbanc...
Experimental determination of phase equilibria in the silver–copper oxide system at high temperature

Phase equilibria in the Ag–CuO x system were studied by a combination of thermal, microstructural and compositional analyses conducted at temperatures higher than previously investigated. While the miscibility gap boundaries determined in the present work differ from extrapolated values presented in prior reports, they validate those predicted by recent computational analyses.
Inclusion and Exclusion in Natural Language

We present a formal system for reasoning about inclusion and exclusion in natural language, following work by MacCartney and Manning. In particular, we show that an extension of the Monotonicity Calculus, augmented by six new type markings, is sufficient to derive novel inferences beyond monotonicity reasoning, and moreover gives rise to an interesting logic of its own. We prove soundness of the resulting calculus and discuss further logical and linguistic issues, including a new connection to the classes of weak, strong, and superstrong negative polarity items.
The gel-forming polysaccharide of psyllium husk (Plantago ovata Forsk)

Abstract The physiologically active, gel-forming fraction of the alkali-extractable polysaccharides of Plantago ovata Forsk seed husk (psyllium seed) and some derived partial hydrolysis products were studied by compositional and methylation analysis and NMR spectroscopy. Resolving the conflicting claims of previous investigators, the material was found to be a neutral arabinoxylan (arabinose 22.6%, xylose 74.6%, molar basis; only traces of other sugars). With about 35% of nonreducing terminal residues, the polysaccharide is highly branched. The data are compatible with a structure consisting of a densely substituted main chain of β-(1 → 4)-linked d -xylopyranosyl residues, some carrying single xylopyranosyl side chains at position 2, others bearing, at position 3, trisaccharide branches having the sequence l -Araf-α-(1 → 3)- d -Xylp-β-(1 → 3)- l -Araf. The presence of this sequence is supported by methylation and NMR data, and by the isolation of the disaccharide 3-O-β- d -xylopyranosyl- l -arabinose as a product of partial acid hydrolysis of the polysaccharide.