cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Intrinsic linkages in dynamic multistate populations

Normal 0 14 false false false IT X-NONE X-NONE /* Style Definitions */ table.MsoNormalTable {mso-style-name:"Tabella normale"; mso-tstyle-rowband-size:0; mso-tstyle-colband-size:0; mso-style-noshow:yes; mso-style-priority:99; mso-style-qformat:yes; mso-style-parent:""; mso-padding-alt:0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt; mso-para-margin-top:0cm; mso-para-margin-right:0cm; mso-para-margin-bottom:10.0pt; mso-para-margin-left:0cm; line-height:115%; mso-pagination:widow-orphan; font-size:11.0pt; font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif"; mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-theme-font:minor-fareast; mso-hansi-font-family:Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin;} The Intrinsic Linkage approach assumes a linear relationship between (i) a population's initial age/state composition, (ii) the dominant (intrinsic) component of the projection matrix that moves the population forward, and (iii) the resultant population composition. Here, the Intrinsic Linkage approach is extended to multistate models, and new relationships are developed to determine population growth and state composition. Under Intrinsic Linkage, a population can be analytically projected to any future point from knowledge of the dominant components of the population projection matrices and the linkage parameters, which reflect demographic metabolism (or interstate turnover). Illustrative examples show how population values vary with the linkage parameter, how cyclical models can be specified, and how the approach can synthesize cohort analyses. Robert SCHOEN, Senior Scholar, Department of Sociology and Affiliate, Population Research Institute, Penn State University, University Park PA, USA. E-mail: rschoen309@att.net .
Cause or Cure? Cost-Benefit Analysis and Regulatory Gridlock

Under rules that have been in place since the early 1980s, most major new federal regulations must pass a cost-benefit test before they can be adopted. This essay argues that, as currently practiced, federal cost-benefit analysis often gives inadequate weight to the environmental benefits of regulation and proposes a new function of executive review that would use cost-benefit analysis to review agency inaction. Under this proposal, when a petition for rulemaking has been denied by an agency, petitioners would have the option of going before the Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs to present the case that a new environmental regulation is justified by cost-benefit analysis.
Luminal influences on potassium secretion: Chloride, sodium, and thiazide diuretics

In the presence of Cl-, K+ secretion by the distal tubule saturates with increasing luminal Na+ concentration. Apparent maximal K+ secretion is attained with luminal Na+ concentrations of 40 mM. The results of the present study show that lowering the Cl- concentration of luminal fluid can increase the level of Na(+)-stimulated K+ secretion beyond the maximal level attained in the presence of Cl-. The effect of lowering luminal Cl- concentration to less than 10 mM on K+ secretion is greater with higher Na+ concentration. Under these conditions, chlorothiazide decreases K+ secretion. When chlorothiazide is present, changing the Na+ concentration does not affect K+ secretion. Because in rats a thiazide effect is attributed primarily to the distal convoluted tubule (DCT), we postulate that it is primarily DCT cells that increase K+ secretion when Na+ concentration is raised in the presence of low luminal Cl- concentration. We propose that the rat DCT cells have both an absorptive Na(+)-Cl- cotransport mechanism and a secretory K(+)-Cl- cotransport mechanism in the luminal membrane that can mediate the apparent exchange of Na+ for K+.
Activation of snap-top capped mesoporous silica nanocontainers using two near-infrared photons.

Photoactivation of “snap-top” stoppers over the pore openings of mesoporous silica nanoparticles releases intact cargo molecules from the pores. The on-command release can be stimulated by either one UV photon or two coherent near-IR photons. Two-photon activation is particularly desirable for use in biological systems because it enables good tissue penetration and precise spatial control. Stoppers were assembled by first binding photolabile coumarin-based molecules to the nanoparticle surface. Then, after the particles were loaded with cargo, bulky β-cyclodextrin (CD) molecules were noncovalently associated with the substituted coumarin molecule, blocking the pores and preventing the cargo from escaping. One-photon excitation at 376 nm or two-photon excitation at 800 nm cleaves the bond holding the coumarin to the nanopore, releasing both the CD cap and the cargo. The dynamics of both the cleavage of the cap and the cargo release was monitored using fluorescence spectroscopy. This system traps intact car...
Distribution System Model Calibration With Big Data From AMI and PV Inverters

Efficient management and coordination of distributed energy resources with advanced automation schemes requires accurate distribution system modeling and monitoring. Big data from smart meters and photovoltaic (PV) micro-inverters can be leveraged to calibrate existing utility models. This paper presents computationally efficient distribution system parameter estimation algorithms to improve the accuracy of existing utility feeder radial secondary circuit model parameters. The method is demonstrated using a real utility feeder model with advanced metering infrastructure (AMI) and PV micro-inverters, along with alternative parameter estimation approaches that can be used to improve secondary circuit models when limited measurement data is available. The parameter estimation accuracy is demonstrated for both a three-phase test circuit with typical secondary circuit topologies and single-phase secondary circuits in a real mixed-phase test system.
Thoughts on Small-Firm Finance: The State of Research and the Economic Environment (Presentation Slides)

Slides for a luncheon presentation given by Ramon P. DeGennaro at the Financial Markets Regulation Conference, Institute for Humane Studies & Mercatus Center at George Mason University, San Francisco, CA, January 5-6, 2016.
Unbiased Deep Sequencing of RNA Viruses from Clinical Samples.

Here we outline a next-generation RNA sequencing protocol that enables de novo assemblies and intra-host variant calls of viral genomes collected from clinical and biological sources. The method is unbiased and universal; it uses random primers for cDNA synthesis and requires no prior knowledge of the viral sequence content. Before library construction, selective RNase H-based digestion is used to deplete unwanted RNA — including poly(rA) carrier and ribosomal RNA — from the viral RNA sample. Selective depletion improves both the data quality and the number of unique reads in viral RNA sequencing libraries. Moreover, a transposase-based 'tagmentation' step is used in the protocol as it reduces overall library construction time. The protocol has enabled rapid deep sequencing of over 600 Lassa and Ebola virus samples-including collections from both blood and tissue isolates-and is broadly applicable to other microbial genomics studies.
A Test of Comparison-Stimulus Substitutability Following One-to-Many Matching by Pigeons

Pigeons were initially trained to match each of two sample stimuli to two different comparison stimuli (one-to-many matching). Afterwards, they learned to match one comparison from each associative set to new samples. Then, in a test phase, the remaining comparisons were substituted for those used in the interim phase. Two birds showed evidence of transfer during testing but the majority matched at accuracy levels close to chance. This relatively weak transfer effect contrasts with more robust transfer obtained after other training regimens (Urcuioli, Zentall, Jackson-Smith, & Steirn, 1989), suggesting a possible “direction-of-training” effect in producing emergent stimulus relations in pigeons’ matching-to-sample.
Packaging technology and design challenges for fine pitch Cu pillar and BOT (Bond on Trace) using thermal compression bonding

As copper (Cu) bump technology becomes more mature, it is gradually taking the place of the conventional solder base bump in flip chip interconnections. Especially, micro-bump using Cu-pillar bump has already become essential platform technology for devices requiring finer bump pitch less than 100μm down to 40∼20μm. Several motivations that Cu bump brings over solder bump are the fine pitch scaling capability in package assembly process, superiority of mechanical endurance and electrical performance. Although the baseline packaging technologies using Cu bump for around 50μm bump pitch and smaller than 100mm2 chip size has been in high volume production for many years, there are still many areas need further development to expand the technology envelop to finer pitch application and larger chip size i.e. less than 40μm multi-tier bump pads with larger than 400∼600mm2 die size. Comprehensive experimentation have been conducted to get optimum Cu pillar structure, package substrate design and the metal finish, thermal compression bonding process and the underfill method for finer pitch but larger chip size packaging. This paper will discuss about the technical findings and recommendation based on the lessons learned from the series of experimentation, experience from high volume production in both component manufacturing and board level surface mounting, including remaining challenges for achieving larger scale high density chip-on-substrate application in future.
Der Kampf gegen die Schranke

Am 10. April 1958 wurde ein Patient in das Hospital eingeliefert, der keinerlei Nieren besas. Es war nicht das erste Mal, das Dr. Merrill und die Nierenabteilung sich mit diesem besonderen Problem auseinandersetzen muste. Obgleich selten, wurden doch 1 oder 2 solcher Falle in den vergangenen 5 Jahren schon beobachtet und den betreffenden Patienten konnte wenig Hoffnung gemacht werden. Diese Patientin jedoch, Frau G. L., kam zu einem ganz besonderen Zeitpunkt. Ihre Befunde und die angewandte Therapie sollten — wie bei Herrn R. H. — eine grose Auswirkung auf die Organtransplantation bekommen.
Adolescent Suicide Prevention: School Psychologists' Acceptability of School-Based Programs.

From a random sample of members of the 1996–1997 membership directory of the National Association of School Psychologists (NASP), school psychologists' acceptability ratings of three school-based p...
Fatigue in Rheumatoid Arthritis.

The purpose of this study was to review the current information on fatigue in rheumatoid arthritis (RA). Severe fatigue is common among individuals with RA and has a significant impact on quality of life (QOL). RA-related factors (e.g., inflammation, pain) are associated with greater fatigue, but other factors, such as obesity, physical inactivity, sleep disturbance, and depression, explain the majority of variation in fatigue. Medications targeting RA have little effect on fatigue. Instead, the most effective interventions seem to address non-RA-specific factors such as physical inactivity or use cognitive behavioral approaches. No recommendations have been made for tools to measure fatigue in RA, leading to potential difficulty comparing studies. Although fatigue has great impact on patients’ QOL, effective interventions that are feasible for broad dissemination remain elusive. Additional multi-faceted research is needed to identify modifiable sources of fatigue. Such research would be enhanced by harmonization of fatigue measurement across studies.
Degradation of Damaged Proteins - The Main Function of the 20S Proteasome

Cellular proteins are exposed to oxidative modification and other forms of damage through oxidative stress and disease, and as a consequence of aging. This oxidative damage results in loss and/or modification of protein function, which in turn compromises cell function and may even cause cell death. Therefore, the removal of damaged proteins is extremely important for the maintenance of normal cell function. The 20S proteasome functions primarily as a system for removal of such damaged proteins. Unlike the 26S proteasome, the 20S proteasome exhibits a high degree of selectivity in degrading the oxidized, or otherwise damaged, forms of cell proteins. The 20S proteasome is broadly distributed throughout the cell and has a range of specific functions in different organelles, which are controlled through a number of proteasome regulators. It is also activated, and its synthesis is induced, under conditions of enhanced oxidative stress, thus permitting greater removal of damaged proteins.
Ampicillin for the treatment of complicated urinary tract infections caused by vancomycin–resistant Enterococcus spp (VRE): a single-center university hospital experience

Vancomycin-resistant enterococci are a common cause of urinary tract infections and are typically multi-drug resistant, including ampicillin. This retrospective study evaluated outcomes of 84 adult patients hospitalized between January 2007 and December 2015 with ampicillin and vancomycin resistant-enterococcus isolates causing UTI and treated with ampicillin. Treatment response was classified as clinical cure and microbiological eradication. Clinical cure was achieved in 88.1% (74/84) of patients. In patients with follow up cultures, microbiologic eradication was achieved in 86% (50/58) of patients. Cure rates were similar in patients with indwelling urinary catheters (n=45) receiving catheter exchange/removal (90.47%; 19/21) versus catheter retention (87.5%; 21/24). Presence of co-morbidities such as diabetes and CKD were not associated with increased risk of treatment failure. Immunocompromised patients achieved lower cure rates of 78.1% (25/32) compared to 94.2% (49/52) among those without immune impairment (p= 0.038). Presence of an underlying urinary tract abnormality was also associated with a lower cure rate of 71.4% (15/21) compared to 93.7% (59/63) in those without urinary tract abnormalities (p=0.0135). Overall cure rates remained high in all groups providing good evidence supporting ampicillin for the treatment of complicated UTI caused by ampicillin and vancomycin resistant enterococci.
NMR observations of fluorine ion-implanted into polyacetylene and graphite

Abstract 19 FNMR spectroscopy has been used to characterize fluorine implanted into polyacetylene and highly orientated pyrolytic graphite. The intensities of the 19 F NMR spectra at 4.5 K show that essentially all the fluorine is retained in these materials after the implantation process is over. The Une width of the spectrum of the graphite sample indicates that the fluorine remains where it was deposited. For the polyacetylene sample the ratio of the NMR solid echo height to the spin echo height, as calibrated herein, shows that the predominant nuclear diploar interaction of the implanted fluorine is heteronuclear.
Trajectory-Based Parameterization of a Coarse-Grained Forcefield for High-Throughput Protein Simulation

The traditional trade-off in biomolecular simulation between accuracy and computational efficiency is predicated on the assumption that detailed forcefields are typically well-parameterized (i.e. obtaining a significant fraction of possible accuracy). We re-examine this trade-off in the more realistic regime in which parameterization is a greater source of bias than the level of detail in the forcefield. To address parameterization of coarse-grained forcefields, we use the contrastive divergence technique from machine learning to train directly from simulation trajectories on 450 proteins. In our scheme, the computational efficiency of the model enables high accuracy through precise tuning of the Boltzmann ensemble over a large collection of proteins. This method is applied to our recently developed Upside model, where the free energy for side chains are rapidly calculated at every time-step, allowing for a smooth energy landscape without steric rattling of the side chains. After our contrastive divergence training, the model is able to fold proteins up to approximately 100 residues de novo on a single core in CPU core-days. Additionally, the improved Upside model is a strong starting point both for investigation of folding dynamics and as an inexpensive Bayesian prior for protein physics that can be integrated with additional experimental or bioinformatic data.
Editorial Commentary: Biomechanics of Cutting Studies—Knowledge and Deficiencies: Knee Joint Stability and the Posterolateral Corner

Injury to the posterolateral corner of the knee is a difficult condition to treat. We know a lot about the anatomy and different methods with which we can reconstruct this complex area of the knee. Despite these advances, injuries to this area still do not lead to great surgical outcomes.
Abstract 13425: Low Income Patients With Myocardial Infarction Are Less Likely to Receive a Drug Eluting Stent Than Patients From High Income Areas

Introduction: Choosing a bare metal stent (BMS) vs a drug eluting stent (DES) during STEMI intervention is an important and complex decision that must be made quickly. The on-call physician who is often unfamiliar with the patient (pt) must incorporate both qualitative and quantitative medical factors, as well as estimate the pt's ability to adhere to a prolonged dual antiplatelet strategy. We examined disparities between device allocation (BMS vs DES) and pt socio-demographic factors in a diverse population treated at an urban hospital. Hypothesis: Patient socioeconomic status is an influential factor in stent selection during STEMI. Methods: Records from 332 consecutive pts undergoing percutaneous coronary intervention for STEMI were retrospectively reviewed. Demographic data included: age, gender, ZIP code, stent type, self-identified race, and health insurance status. Logistical regression models were used to identify significant co-variables. Results: The mean age was 55.5 yrs (42% African American (...
Opioid tolerance and clinically recognized opioid poisoning among patients prescribed extended-release long-acting opioids.

Background In recognition of potential for increased overdose risk, drug labels for extended-release and long-acting (ER/LA) opioids emphasize the need for established opioid tolerance prior to initiating high dosages. Objectives Describe the proportion of patients with opioid tolerance prior to initiation of 90 morphine milligram equivalents (MME) ER/LA opioids and examine subsequent risk of opioid poisoning. Methods We used Truven Health Analytics' MarketScan Databases (2006-2015) to identify patients initiating ER/LA opioids ≥90 MME. We examined prescription histories and describe the proportion of initiators with opioid tolerance (defined as ≥7 days of 60 MME in the prior 14 days). We adjusted for age, sex, year of initiation, and baseline comorbidities using inverse probability of treatment weighted Cox proportional hazards models. We estimated adjusted hazard ratios and 95% confidence intervals for the effect of opioid tolerance on the risk of clinically recognized opioid poisoning (based on diagnosis codes) in specific periods (0-7, 8-30, 31-90, and 91-365 days) following initiation. Results Among 372 038 initiators, 38% did not meet opioid tolerance criteria. The proportion of nontolerant initiators was highest among those initiating methadone (44%) and fentanyl (42%). Nontolerant patients were 37% more likely to be diagnosed with opioid poisoning (adjusted hazard ratios = 1.37 [1.07, 1.76]) in the week following ER/LA initiation. Conclusions Over one-third of patients initiating ≥90 MME ER/LA opioids did not have evidence of opioid tolerance. The 7 days following high dose ER/LA initiation may represent a high-risk period for clinically diagnosed opioid poisoning in patients who do not have prior opioid tolerance.
Roving on ice: Field testing an Ice Screw End Effector and sample collection tool

Icy moons are tantalizing environments in which to search for life beyond Earth and understand the workings of the solar system. However, they pose new challenges for exploration. The low gravity, unknown terrain complexity, and desire to go below the surface (ideally to a water ocean) require new robotic mobility systems for viable roving. We present the iterative development of an Ice Screw End Effector (ISEE). Using an actuated alpinist ice screw, the tool can support a 250N load in glacial ice as the hand/foot of a climbing rover while simultaneously extracting 1.4cm diameter ice cores. These smaller, more manageable cores can replace monolithic ice cores for collection in inhospitable terrain where robotic access is required. The collection and analysis of ice cores can explain climate trends, show changes in pollution levels, document extremophile life, and reveal volcanic activity. A sequence of small cores could be collected from various stratigraphic layers by a climbing robot that can ascend sheer ice walls, descend crevasses, or maneuver across the ceilings of ice caves. This low-mass, spatially distributed ice collection strategy presents the opportunity for new paradigms in ice collection, such as 2D grid sampling from ice cliffs, horizontal collection of material along ice strata, and low-impact sampling in biologically sensitive areas. We present the motivation, electromechanical design, and testing results for the ISEE and discuss the findings of the recent deployment of the tool. The required weight on bit for various densities and temperatures of ice tested in the laboratory is presented and a force-control loop for modulating this value is demonstrated. A mechanism for sample transfer is described along with a simple sample caching architecture. Descriptions of the field sites and samples obtained is also included. We outline a path forward for future tool iteration and prospective robotic integration for the next series of deployments.
Homotopy Groups and Bundles Over Spheres

We saw in Chapter 2 that the concept of homotopy plays a central role in bundle theory. Although we have so far dealt only with differentiable maps, it is more convenient, when working with homotopies, to consider continuous maps, and we will do so in this chapter. One purpose of this section is to try and convince the reader that we are not introducing new objects when, for example, we consider the pullback f*ξ of a bundle via a continuous map f: Explicitly, we will show that any continuous map between manifolds is homotopic to a differentiable one, and the latter can be chosen to be arbitrarily close to the original one.
The evolution of mammography.

The history of mammography can be arbitrarily subdivided into three periods: The Age of Pioneers highlights the work of Salomon, Kleinschmidt, Warren, Vogel, Seabold, Gershon-Cohen, Leborgne, Egan, Gallager, Martin, Dodd, Strax and their colleagues; The Age of Technical Progress adds the names of Gould, Wolfe, and Gros and their co-workers; The Modern Era reflects the contributions of Price, Butler, Ostrum, Becker, Isard, Moskowitz, Sickles, Kopans, Homer, Tabar, and their associates. The ultimate success of mammography, the preeminent method of breast cancer screening, could not have been achieved without the intense vision, idealism, and scientific skill of its creators and nurturers. These investigators deserve a debt of gratitude that society can never adequately repay.
Control of insect pests using trunk injection in a newly established apple orchard

We evaluated the potential for using preplant trunk injections of emamectin benzoate in nonbearing apple trees. Trees were evaluated for pest injury and emamectin residues throughout the planting s...
Metabolic factors affecting hepatocellular carcinoma in steatohepatitis

Background & aims With the rising prevalence of alcoholism, obesity and metabolic syndrome, steatohepatitis will become the leading cause of end-stage liver disease and hepatocellular carcinoma in the United States by 2025. Patients with non-alcoholic steatohepatitis and alcoholic liver disease have similar clinical and histopathological presentations, whether these similarities persist in non-alcoholic steatohepatitis and alcoholic liver disease patients with hepatocellular carcinoma remains unknown. Methods A retrospective analysis of the clinical features of adult patients from a large transplant center who underwent liver transplantation for steatohepatitis due to non-alcoholic steatohepatitis and alcoholic causes (alcoholic liver disease) between 1/1/02 and 1/1/12 was performed. Clinical features, explant histopathology, and clinical outcomes were compared. Results Hepatocellular carcinoma was present in 80 of 317 patients, who underwent liver transplantation for steatohepatitis with equivalent distribution in non-alcoholic steatohepatitis and alcoholic liver disease patients (24% vs 26%; P = 0.8). On multivariate analysis, significant predictors of hepatocellular carcinoma included age, ethnicity (Hispanic), and diabetes, but not BMI, hypertension or smoking. A lower risk of hepatocellular carcinoma was associated with a clinical history of hyperlipidemia. Clinical parameters were similar between patients with alcoholic liver disease - hepatocellular carcinoma and non-alcoholic steatohepatitis-hepatocellular carcinoma, except sex and presence of metabolic syndrome. non-alcoholic steatohepatitis-hepatocellular carcinoma livers retained histopathological features of non-alcoholic steatohepatitis such as ballooning and Mallory bodies, while alcoholic liver disease-hepatocellular carcinoma livers did not. There were no significant differences in hepatocellular carcinoma recurrence rates or post-transplant overall survival. Conclusions We report the largest single-center study evaluating clinical, histopathological and outcome measures of patients undergoing liver transplantation for steatohepatitis. Older patients, diabetics, and Hispanics may warrant more frequent cancer screening due to increased risk of hepatocellular carcinoma.
Preparing, Facilitating, Assessing: A Reflection on Digital Humanities Consultations

AbstractA key component of the Digital Humanities Librarian’s work, the consultation, involves the skills of listening, questioning, parsing, and planning aided by an understanding of the broader d...
Helping Communities Adapt and Plan for Coastal Hazards: Coastal Zone Management Program Recommendations for National Tool Developers

AbstractAdapting to changing coastlines is an unprecedented planning challenge as coastal hazards, including those associated with climate change, influence all areas of resource management. Tools ...
Modelling attention control using a convolutional neural network designed after the ventral visual pathway

We recently proposed that attention control uses object-category representations consisting of category-consistent features (CCFs), those features occurring frequently and consistently across a cat...
Warning Message Elements and Retweet Counts: An Analysis of Tweets Sent during Hurricane Irma

AbstractThis article presents an analysis of the risk warning messages sent via Twitter during Hurricane Irma, which struck Key West, Florida and the Florida mainland on September 10, 2017. The stu...
Generating functions for permutations which contain a given descent set

A large number of generating functions for permutation statistics can be obtained by applying homomorphisms to simple symmetric function identities. In particular, a large number of generating functions involving the number of descents of a permutation $\sigma$, $des(\sigma)$, arise in this way. For any given finite set $S$ of positive integers, we develop a method to produce similar generating functions for the set of permutations of the symmetric group $S_n$ whose descent set contains $S$. Our method will be to apply certain homomorphisms to symmetric function identities involving ribbon Schur functions.
Integrated Coordination of Voltage Regulators with Distributed Cooperative Inverter Control in Systems with High Penetration of DGs

Increased penetration of distributed generation (DG) in recent years has a significant impact on operation and control of power systems. One of the main issues with the increased penetration of DGs is the effect of voltage rise. This paper investigates integration of coordinated voltage regulator (VRs) operation with cooperative distributed inverter control to maintain voltages in appropriate limits in distribution systems with high penetration of DGs. The coordinated VR control is used to optimize the settings of multiple nested VRs while the cooperative distributed control optimally dispatches reactive power of the DGs. The integrated approach is compared with the case without coordinated VRs control (uncoordinated local control). Simulation results illustrate the effective performance of the proposed method to achieve unified voltage profile.
A hybrid physics-based and data-driven approach for characterizing porosity variation and filament bonding in extrusion-based additive manufacturing

Abstract The application of additive manufacturing technology has recently shifted from the fabrication of prototypes to functional end-use products. Consequently, the mechanical strength of products has become of significant importance. To quantify the global and local mechanical strength, it is necessary to characterize the micro-structures and their variation within the product. The extent of bonding between adjacent filaments, both within and between layers, as well as porosity are two of the most important parameters that directly contribute to the mechanical strength of parts in extrusion-based additive manufacturing. However, most of the existing models in the literature either significantly underestimate these parameters or fail to quantify or address their variation along the deposition path and build direction. Hence, in this paper, a hybrid physics-based and data-driven approach is proposed to quantify the extent of filament bonding, porosity, and their distribution within a geometry of interest by characterizing the temperature profile of filaments and their deformation. The proposed models for inter-layer and intra-layer bonding have an average accuracy of 95% and 94%, respectively. In addition, it is observed that the porosity variation model performs better for top layers compared to bottom layers with an average of 51% higher accuracy.
OBSTRUCTIONS TO FREE ACTIONS ON BAZAIKIN SPACES

Apart from spheres and an infinite family of manifolds in dimension seven, Bazaikin spaces are the only known examples of simply connected Riemannian manifolds with positive sectional curvature in odd dimensions. We consider positively curved Riemannian manifolds whose universal covers have the same cohomology as Bazaikin spaces and prove structural results for the fundamental group in the presence of torus symmetry.
Quantifying the Selectivity of Protein–Protein and Small Molecule Interactions with Fluorinated Tandem Bromodomain Reader Proteins

Multidomain bromodomain-containing proteins regulate gene expression via chromatin binding, interactions with the transcriptional machinery, and by recruiting enzymatic activity. Selective inhibition of members of the bromodomain and extra-terminal (BET) family is important to understand their role in disease and gene regulation, although due to the similar binding sites of BET bromodomains, selective inhibitor discovery has been challenging. To support the bromodomain inhibitor discovery process, here we report the first application of protein-observed fluorine (PrOF) NMR to the tandem bromodomains of BRD4 and BRDT to quantify the selectivity of their interactions with acetylated histones as well as small molecules. We further determine the selectivity profile of a new class of ligands, 1,4-acylthiazepanes, and find them to have ≥3-10-fold selectivity for the C-terminal bromodomain of both BRD4 and BRDT. Given the speed and lower protein concentration required over traditional protein-observed NMR methods, we envision that these fluorinated tandem proteins may find use in fragment screening and evaluating nucleosome and transcription factor interactions.
Out-of-school Time STEM: Teach Programming Using Python for High School Girls

In the next decade, there is an enormous increase in job openings in the fields of science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM). The early recognition of STEM talent is necessary to meet the demands of STEM labor force in the United States. Thus, it is essential for educators to apply diverse teaching methods to provide meaningful programming learning to students at High School level. In this study, the researchers designed an eight-session Python programming curriculum for high school girls and implemented in Girls in Engineering, Mathematics, Science (GEMS) STEAM program in San Antonio, Texas, USA. Through the analysis of pre- and post- surveys and interviews, the results showed that the Python programming course have created a fun and interesting learning environment. This eight-session course effectively expanded students’ previous knowledge about programming and increase their interests in computer science (CS). In the process of learning, students developed the problem-solving skills. This study suggested that it is important for educators to create a fun and interactive learning environment when teaching programming for high school girls. There is a need of more efforts and opportunities which needs to be provided for girls to increase their participation in CS.
Extensive autoimmune keratolysis with subsequent corneal perforation managed with tectonic endothelial keratoplasty

Abstract Purpose To report a case of corneal perforation secondary to an extensive rheumatologic corneal melt, that was successfully managed via systemic immunosuppression and internal tectonic endothelial keratoplasty (TEK). Observations A 55-year-old male with undiagnosed rheumatoid arthritis presented with a progressively enlarging area of peripheral ulcerative keratitis with extensive keratolysis which subsequently perforated despite treatment with oral steroids. The structural integrity of the globe was restored via a combination of cyanoacrylate glue and tectonic endothelial keratoplasty (TEK). This technique provided long term structural support and improved visual acuity. Conclusions and Importance TEK grafts represent a viable treatment option in a subset of patients with corneal perforation secondary to an extensive corneal melt. The familiarity and relative ease of the surgical technique along with a lack of corneal sutures represents an alternate technique when compared to full thickness or lamellar keratoplasty. Further, through the use of anterior segment spectral domain optical coherence tomography (SD-OCT) we demonstrate that the donor graft integrated within the host cornea. To our knowledge, this represents the first case in the literature of corneal perforation secondary to an inflammatory corneal melt that was successfully managed with internal tectonic endothelial keratoplasty.
Managing the franc Poincaré: Devaluation of the franc

The end of deflation The Popular Front's election victory on 3 May precluded the possibility of any further deflation; its platform had promised an end to the injustices of the decree laws, greater support for agriculture, a large public works program, and increased social welfare spending, including a national unemployment insurance system. The Socialists hoped to generate recovery by augmenting purchasing power, believing that prices would then fall because of higher production and tax revenue would rise to finance the growth in government spending. Such a program would take time to accomplish: To avoid capital flight and gold losses, the Popular Front program called for exchange control. The Bank of France lost gold steadily in the election period and the weeks before the Popular Front took power: 1.7 billion francs in the last week of March, 3 billion francs in April, and 2.7 billion francs in the first week of May. Prime Minister Sarraut threatened to resign immediately if Blum did not declare Popular Front policy on defense of the franc: On 10 May Blum announced that the Popular Front remained opposed to devaluation. Exchange controls made political sense to prevent the economic sabotage of the Popular Front program by the holders of capital. Either devaluation or exchange controls would soon be essential; choosing between them was one of Blum's most urgent tasks as he prepared to take office. This chapter follows the course of influential opinion and the actions of the Blum government from the election victory to the devaluation of the franc.
The Use of Cinoxacin in Urinary Tract Infections

Cinoxacin, a synthetic organic compound with cinnoline(1–2 benzodiazine) as the basic ring structure has been shown to have a broad antibacterial spectrum, particularly against gram negative bacteria that are most frequently isolated from the urinary tract (1). Administered orally the compound was bactericidal at concentrations close to the minimal inhibitory concentration values. In vivo, doses required for successful therapy were comparable to those for nalidixic acid. Cinoxacin is less bound by human serum proteins than nalidixic acid, has similar antibacterial activity but appears to cause less resistence after treatment.
Online Packet Routing on Linear Arrays and Rings

In contrast to classical offline k-k routing, the online packet routing problem allows for an arbitrary number of packets with arbitrary end points and release times. We study this problem on linear array and ring networks. We generalize an earlier result for the offline problem by showing that FARTHEST FIRST (FF) scheduling is optimal with respect to makespan on linear arrays. We also show that two other algorithms (LONGEST IN SYSTEM (LIS) and MOVING PRIORITY (MP)) have competitive ratio 2 with respect to makespan on linear arrays. For bidirectional rings, we show that, the competitive ratio of shortest path routing combined with LIS or MP scheduling is in [2.5, 3) and the competitive ratio of shortest path routing combined with FF scheduling is 2. The latter algorithm is optimal among deterministic memoryless algorithms and all algorithms of which we are aware in the literature.
Inhibition of coupling factor activity of chloroplast membranes by diazonium compounds.

Abstract 1. Chemical modification of chloroplast membranes by diazonium benzenesulfonic acid (DABS) resulted in marked inhibition of noncyclic and cyclic photophosphorylation. Accompanying the inhibition of ATP synthesis there was an increased rate of basal electron flow and loss of the ability of ADP to stimulate the basal electron transport rate, both characteristic of uncoupling. 2. The calcium-dependent ATPase activity of the coupling factor was also severely inhibited after treatment with the diazonium compound. This, in conjunction with the binding of [35S]DABS to the coupling factor subunits as revealed by sodium dodecyl sulfate disc gel electrophoresis, suggests that the inhibition of phosphorylation results, in part at least, from inactivation of the coupling factor complex by the chemical modifier. 3. Treatment of chloroplast membranes (from which coupling factor was largely removed by two EDTA washes) with [35S]DABS, followed by digitonin fractionation of the membranes into Photosystem I and Photosystem II fractions revealed that the Photosystem I fraction incorporated 10-fold more [35S]DABS than the Photosystem II fraction. This is consistent with previous findings (Dillley, R. A., Peters, G. A., and Shaw, E. R. (1972) J. Membrane Biol. 8, 163–180) using intact chloroplasts (with coupling factor present) that the intrinsic proteins associated with Photosystem I are localized at the external surface of the grana membrane.
Mesh Connected Computers with Fixed and Reconfigurable Buses: Packet Routing, Sorting, and Selection

Mesh connected computers have become attractive models of computing because of their varied special features. In this paper we consider two variations of the mesh model: 1) a mesh with fixed buses, and 2) a mesh with reconfigurable buses. Both these models have been the subject matter of extensive previous research. We solve numerous important problems related to packet routing, sorting, and selection on these models. In particular, we provide lower bounds and very nearly matching upper bounds for the following problems on both these models: 1) Routing on a linear array; and 2) k-k routing, k-k sorting, and cut through routing on a 2D mesh for any k≥12. In addition we present greedy algorithms for 1-1 routing, k-k routing, cut through routing, and k-k sorting that are better on average and supply matching lower bounds. We also show that sorting can be performed in logarithmic time on a mesh with fixed buses. As a consequence we present an optimal randomized selection algorithm. Further, we provide a selection algorithm for the mesh with reconfigurable buses whose time bound is significantly better than the existing ones. Most of our algorithms have considerably better time bounds than known algorithms for the same problems.
Interoperability Case Study: Electronic Data Interchange (EDI)

This case study is part of an ongoing series developed in support of a larger text on interoperability by John Palfrey and Urs Gasser Interop: The Promise and Perils of Highly Interconnected Systems (Basic Books, forthcoming, June 2012). The book is an extension of their 2007 study and paper, “Breaking Down Digital Barriers: When and How ICT Interoperability Drives Innovation” (Berkman Center Research Publication, 2007). Interop: The Promise and Perils of Highly Interconnected Systems focuses on the relationship between interoperability and innovation in the Information and Communication Technology (ICT) environment and beyond. Palfrey and Gasser seek to sharpen the definition of interoperability and identify its relevance for consumers, companies, governments, and the public by examining its driving forces and inhibitors, while considering how it can best be achieved, and why. Authored by research assistants at the Berkman Center for Internet & Society in close collaboration with the authors, the series examines real-world examples where interoperability has played or continues to play a decisive role — in ICT and other sectors, including transportation, retail, and energy. Each case explores how forces such as law, policy, technology, economic incentives, and market innovations drive, or in some cases inhibit, interoperability, and what industry stakeholders seek to achieve via interoperability. Some cases explore well-known innovations, such as the bar code and the UPC system, air traffic control, and the QWERTY keyboard layout. Others touch on more recent examples, including efforts to standardize cell phone chargers in the EU, the evolution of electronic data interchange systems, and digital rights management (DRM) systems. The nature of interoperability and its attendant challenges are also explored in less-traditional contexts, including commons-based knowledge creation models, which require large-scale collective efforts, and complex, next-generation models, like the Internet of Things, cloud computing, and the Smart Grid.
Influence of groundwater on plant water use and productivity: Development of an integrated ecosystem ― Variably saturated soil water flow model

Abstract Plant physiology influences the energy and water balance of the soil–plant–atmosphere continuum. However, impacts of soil water dynamics on plants in shallow groundwater environments are not completely understood, partially due to the limited ability of current models to simulate groundwater–vegetation interactions. In this study, we analyzed the influence of groundwater-induced soil temperature change on plant phenology, and the impact of variable depth to the water table on the net primary productivity (NPP), evapotranspiration and stomatal response, by integrating an advanced dynamic agroecosystem model (Agro-IBIS) and a variably saturated soil water flow model (Hydrus-1D) into a single framework. The model is first evaluated using field observations of soil moisture and temperature as well as annual NPP and weekly LAI measurements collected from three replicated maize plots at the Arlington Agricultural Research Station near Arlington, Wisconsin, USA. Comparisons showed reasonable agreement for each dataset without site-specific prior calibration. We then simulated the influence of groundwater on plant physiological responses as well as the energy, carbon, and water balance at the land surface. The model sensitivity analyses indicated that physiological functions of plants are sensitive to water table depth, and the aridity of a particular production site. For example, shallow groundwater limits water stress during dry years, helping to mitigate decreased NPP associated with water deficits. However, if the water table is persistently too close to the surface during the growing season, photosynthesis is negatively affected through oxygen stress on roots regardless of the aridity. To further explore factors influencing plant physiology other than oxygen stress, we designed simulations without oxygen stress effects. Results showed that under shallow groundwater conditions: (1) higher leaf level relative humidity causes higher water use efficiency because of a lower vapor pressure deficit between the leaf and atmosphere; (2) due to delayed corn plant emergence caused by cooler springtime soil temperatures reduces NPP. Our results suggest that models designed to more mechanistically simulate groundwater–vegetation interactions may lead to a more realistic representation of feedbacks between plant phenology, soil moisture, temperature, anoxia, NPP and ET. However, until critical data are collected to assess simulated feedbacks and advance our understanding of groundwater–vegetation interactions, model confidence will likely remain somewhat limited.
Cost of an Accounting Education, Economic Returns, and Preparation to Enter the Profession

ABSTRACT: Costs of a college education continue to increase faster than overall inflation. The debt students in the United States incur to complete college is also escalating. The purpose of this study is to examine the cost of obtaining an undergraduate and graduate degree in accounting and expected cash flows for the first ten years in public accounting for students with and without educational loans. We analyze CPA exam pass rates for any relationships between education costs and level of technical preparation for entry into the profession. We find that cash flow analysis of different combinations of costs, financing, and career choices reveals that monetary outcomes vary widely with different combinations. We find limited systematic differences of universities' CPA exam pass rates based on cost of education. This suggests that appropriate technical preparation for an accounting career is available to students attending universities across the cost spectrum.
Influence of centrifugal sinus nerve activity on carotid body catecholamines: microphotometric analysis of formaldehyde-induced fluorescence.

Abstract The effects of centrifugal activity in the carotid sinus nerve (CSN) on the intensity of formaldehyde-induced fluorescence of carotid body were examined in cat. Measurements of intensity were obtained from 21 to 56 sections of each carotid body with a microscope photometer attached to a fluorescence microscope. Comparisons were made between the two carotid bodies removed from each cat. In one series of experiments, one carotid body (CSN intact) served as control, while the experimental carotid body was on the side on which centrifugal activity was increased by electrical stimulation of the peripheral end of the cut CSN. In a second series, centrifugal CSN activity was increased by hypoxemia; one CSN was transected (control) and the other was left intact (experimental). In untreated cats, fluorescence intensity was significantly higher on the side with increased centrifugal CSN activity. In cats treated with either MK-486, which inhibits conversion of l -DOPA to dopamine, or reserpine, increased centrifugal CSN activity caused a significant decrease in intensity of type I cells. These findings indicate that centrifugal discharges regulate, in part, the synthesis and release of catecholamines by type I cells of the carotid body.