cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Measuring the Validity of Algorithms to Automatically Categorize Facebook Content

In this experience report, we experiment with a text classification pipeline, attempting to validate a model that will automatically classify texts culled from Facebook. We performed 10-fold cross-validation on the training set using a variety of parameter values. For each fold we used 9/10 of the training data to train a model and then tested it with the remaining 1/10 of the data, repeating 10 times and averaging the performance. We offer four recommendations for researchers facing similar challenges in semi-automating text extraction and classification.
Battery storage sizing for a grid tied PV system based on operating cost minimization

An optimal battery storage sizing is determined for a high power photovoltaic (PV) grid tied system. The sizing of the battery storage is chosen based on an optimal power flow management system intended to minimize the system running cost. Thus, a lower level power flow optimization problem is formulated along with the required constraints. The operating cost in this problem is formulated as a combination of electricity grid prices and the battery degradation cost. In the lower optimization level, forecasted system data is used to find the optimal power management solution for a year long operation. On the higher level, a sizing optimization problem is formulated using the outcomes of the lower level optimization while updating it with the new selected battery size. A case study is applied under various conditions to test the system performance and analyze the necessary storage sizing subjected to different circumstances.
The Walker Pass earthquakes and structure of the Southern Sierra Nevada

On March 15, 1946, a strong earthquake occurred in the Walker Pass area of the southern Sierra Nevada. This earthquake and a large foreshock and numerous aftershocks were well registered at Pasadena and its auxiliary stations in southern California. Copies of records at Boulder City and Pierce Ferry were kindly provided by the U. S. Coast and Geodetic Survey. Mr. S. T. Martner and Mr. F. E. Lehner operated the portable seismometer to record aftershocks at two localities: station No. 1, near Isabella, at 35° 39' 31" N, 118° 25' 45" W, and station No. 2, east of Mojave, at 35° 01'.0 N, 118 ° 01'.7 W.
Triclosan alterations of estuarine phytoplankton community structure.

Abstract Antimicrobial additives in pharmaceutical and personal care products are a major environmental concern due to their potential ecological impacts on aquatic ecosystems. Triclosan (TCS) has been used as an antiseptic, disinfectant, and preservative in various media. The sublethal and lethal effects of TCS on estuarine phytoplankton community composition were investigated using bioassays of natural phytoplankton communities to measure phytoplankton responses to different concentrations of TCS ranging from 1 to 200 μg l− 1. The EC50 (the concentration of an inhibitor where the growth is reduced by half) for phytoplankton groups (diatoms, chlorophytes, cryptophytes) examined in this ranged from 10.7 to 113.8 μg TCS l− 1. Exposures resulted in major shifts in phytoplankton community composition at concentrations as low as 1.0 μg TCS l− 1. This study demonstrates estuarine ecosystem sensitivity to TCS exposure and highlights potential alterations in phytoplankton community composition at what are typically environmental concentrations of TCS in urbanized estuaries.
Kronecker Product Formulation for System Identification of Discrete Convolution Filters

The following paper illustrates a mathematical framework for identifying discrete convolution filters and applies that framework to a time varying dynamic problem. Convolution matrices, formulated using Kronecker products, allow for least means squares solution of arbitrarily structured discrete convolution models. The framework exposes the convolution structure and the filter coefficients independently in order to solve for the time varying weights of a known model, or an unknown time varying filter. Transforms are shown to apply standard discrete spectral processing methods to this architecture. The identification methods were successfully applied to identify the stiffness-like and damping-like operating regimes of a typical viscous damper in a dynamic system subjected to periodic motion. The results show that discrete time varying system identification successfully predicts measured test data and provides intuitive results showing stiffness-like behavior at low force inputs and damping-like behavior for higher force inputs.
Expander/Implant Removal After Breast Reconstruction: Analysis of Risk Factors and Timeline.

Removal of tissue expanders (TE) or implants is a dire consequence of breast reconstruction, and has the potential to halt the reconstructive efforts. Our goals were to characterize a cohort of patients with TE/implant removal, to perform a time-based analysis, and to review the bacteriology associated with explanted devices. Review of a prospectively maintained database was performed to identify patients who underwent TE/implant removal. Patient characteristics, surgical technique, adjuvant therapies, indications, complications, culture results were obtained. Data were analyzed according to timing of explantation. A total of 55 TE and implants were removed in 43 patients. Reasons for explantation were infection (58%), patient request (22%), and wound-related complications (20%). The majority of explantations occurred after 30 days (62%), and after Stage I (81%). Median days to explantation was 62. Patients of older age (p = 0.01) and higher BMI (p = 0.02) were more likely to undergo explantation after Stage I. The most commonly cultured organisms were S. epidermidis (10.9%), S. aureus (10.9%) and P. aeruginosa (10.9%). Antibiotic resistance was commonly encountered for ampicillin, cefazolin, penicillin, and erythromycin. Infection is the most common reason for explantation after prosthetic breast reconstruction. Patients should be carefully monitored for a prolonged period of time after Stage I, as the majority of explantations occur in this stage but beyond 30 days. For oral treatment, fluoroquinolones and trimethoprim–sulfamethoxazole and for IV treatment a combination of vancomycin or daptomycin with piperacillin–tazobactam or imipenems/carbapenems appear to be appropriate choices according to our culture results. This journal requires that authors assign a level of evidence to each article. For a full description of these Evidence-Based Medicine ratings, please refer to the Table of Contents or the online Instructions to Authors www.springer.com/00266 .
INFORMATION AUTOMATION, HUMAN SERVICE DELIVERY, AND QUALITY OF LIFE

ABSTRACT Analysis of historical trends in human service delivery and information automation technology are combined to project future patterns of delivery and suggest ways to maximize quality of life. Changes in the human service delivery system and its environment that will impact quality of life are increases in elaboration and differentiation, definition and specification, and accountability and responsibility. Recommended actions for insuring that these changes improve quality of life include: reduce conflict caused by service demands that exceed resources; develop a policy decision infrastructure to increase use of system information; integrate information technology throughout the organization; develop decision support systems for direct service workers; and expand consumer monitoring of service delivery.
Drinking Water Treatment Technology—Comparative Analysis

Water treatment technologies have evolved over the past few centuries to protect public health from pathogens and chemicals. As more than a billion people on this earth have no access to potable water that is free of pathogens, technologies that are cost effective and suitable for developing countries must be considered. Sustainable operation of these treatment processes taking into consideration locally available materials and ease of maintenance need to be considered. In this chapter, we consider natural filtration for communities of various sizes. In natural filtration, slow-sand filtration and riverbank filtration are considered. Slow-sand filtration is suitable for small to medium size communities, whereas riverbank filtration can be suitable for small to very large communities depending on site and river conditions. Membrane filtration is another technology that can have application to individual households to moderately large communities. Both pressurized and gravity-fed systems are considered. For the developing regions of the world, small membrane systems have most applications. Solar distillation is a low-cost technology for sunny regions of the world. Particularly, it has the most application in tropical and semitropical desert regions. It can use low quality brackish water or groundwater for producing potable water. These systems can solely operate with solar energy. The scale of application is for individual households to very small communities. Solar pasteurization, like solar distillation depends on solar energy for purifying small quantities of water for individual or family use. It is most suitable for remote, sunny, high mountain regions such as the Andean mountains, central Africa or the Upper Himalayas where electricity is not available. Also, reliance on firewood is not feasible due to barren landscape in many of these regions. Also, case studies of natural (riverbank and lakebank) filtration, membrane filtration, solar distillation, and solar pasteurization are presented.
Music Recommendation from Song Sets.

music analysis, information retrieval, multimedia indexing We motivate the problem of music recommendation based solely on acoustics from groups of related songs or 'song sets'. We propose four solutions which can be used with any acoustic-based similarity measure. The first builds a model for each song set and recommends new songs according to their distance from this model. The next three approaches recommend songs according to the average, median and minimum distance to songs in the song set. For a similarity measure based on K means models of MFCC features, experiments on a database of 18647 songs indicated that the minimum distance technique is the most effective, returning a valid recommendation as one of the top 5 32.5% of the time. The approach based on the median distance was the next best, returning a valid recommendation as one of the top 5 29.5% of the time.
Crystal structure of 13-( E )-(2-amino-benzyl-idene)parthenolide.

The title compound, C21H25NO3 [systematic name: (1aR,4E,7aS,8E,10aS,10bR)-8-(2-amino­benzyl­idene)-1a,5-dimethyl-2,3,6,7,7a,8,10a,10b-octa­hydro­oxireno[2′,3′:9,10]cyclo­deca­[1,2-b]furan-9(1aH)-one], was synthesized by the reaction of parthenolide [systematic name (1aR,7aS,10aS,10bS,E)-1a,5-dimethyl-8-methyl­ene-2,3,6,7,7a,8,10a,10b-octa­hydro­oxireno[2′,3′:9,10]cyclo­deca­[1,2-b]furan-9(1aH)-one] with 2-iodo­aniline via Heck reaction conditions. The mol­ecule is composed of fused ten-, five- (lactone), and three-membered (epoxide) rings. The lactone ring shows a flattened envelope-type conformation (r.m.s. deviation from planarity = 0.0477 A), and bears a 2-amino­benzyl­idene substituent that is disordered over two conformations [occupancy factors 0.901 (4) and 0.099 (4)]. The ten-membered ring has an approximate chair–chair conformation. The dihedral angle between the 2-amino­benzyl­idine moiety (major component) and the lactone ring (mean plane) is 59.93 (7)°. There are no conventional hydrogen bonds, but there are a number of weaker C—H⋯O-type inter­actions.
Development and validation of a Level A in-vitro in-vivo correlation for tofacitinib modified-release tablets using extrudable core system osmotic delivery technology

Abstract Purpose To determine if a validated Level A in-vitro in-vivo correlation (IVIVC) could be achieved with the extrudable core system (ECS) osmotic tablet platform. Tofacitinib is an oral JAK inhibitor for the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis. Methods Fast-, medium-, and slow-release modified-release formulations of 11 mg tofacitinib ECS tablets, and one formulation of 22 mg tofacitinib ECS tablet, were manufactured. In vitro dissolution of the tofacitinib ECS tablets was performed using USP Apparatus 2 (paddles) and in vivo pharmacokinetic (PK) data were obtained from a Phase 1 study in healthy volunteers. A 5 mg immediate-release formulation tablet was included to support deconvolution of the tofacitinib ECS PK tablet data to obtain the in vivo absorption profiles. A linear, piecewise correlation and a simple linear correlation were used to build and validate two IVIVC models. Results The prediction errors (PEs) for the linear, piecewise correlation met the Food and Drug Administration's criteria for establishing a Level A IVIVC, with a maximum absolute individual internal PE of 4.6%, a maximum absolute average internal PE of 3.9%, and a maximum absolute external PE of 8.4% obtained. Conclusions This study demonstrates that the tofacitinib ECS osmotic tablet platform can achieve a Level A IVIVC, similar to other osmotic delivery systems.
Putting Continuous Glucose Monitoring to Work for People With Type 1 Diabetes.

The recent development of reliable systems for continuously monitoring interstitial glucose levels has set the stage for a revolution in diabetes research and care. The ability to obtain real-time and summary displays of glycemic patterns of individuals with diabetes, together with rapidly obtained agreement on various definitions and ways of handling the resulting data (1,2), has led to both rapid acceptance of continuous glucose monitoring (CGM) devices and incorporation of CGM into clinical research studies. At the clinical level, some practical and quality-of-life–related benefits of CGM are well documented (3,4). Newer systems offer improved accuracy, fewer (or no) fingersticks, and remote monitoring of potentially dangerous glycemic events. While access to and use of CGM are increasing, some important questions remain. Which groups of people with diabetes will benefit the most from CGM use? When is the best time to introduce CGM systems to diabetes care? How should use of CGM systems be taught and adjusted? What specific outcomes are most critical to improve and document? How can this technology be used most cost-effectively? All members of the diabetes community—people with diabetes themselves, caregivers of persons with diabetes, diabetes care providers, payers, and health system managers—will benefit from objective data addressing all these questions. The collection of articles presented in this issue of Diabetes Care offers information on some of these questions for people with type 1 diabetes. Three reports describe CGM experiences in diverse populations. Miller et al. (5) display the recent dramatic increases in CGM use by both youth and adults with type 1 diabetes in the T1D Exchange in the U.S. (6) and the DPV (Diabetes Patienten Verlaufdocumentation) registry in Germany and Austria (7). CGM use among those <18 years old increased from <5% in 2011 to 31% in the T1D Exchange and 44% …
Filters and Convolution

Of constant concern in the analysis of signals is the presence of noise, a term which here means more or less any effect that corrupts a signal. This corruption may arise from background radiation, stray signals that interfere with the main signal, errors in the measurement of the actual signal, or what have you. In order to remove the effects of noise and form a clearer picture of the actual signal, a filter is applied.
Shoe Covers but Not Burnout? Making Burnout Reduction a Criteria for Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services Funding Would Protect Patients.

ABSTRACT In the United States, hospitals must meet eligibility criteria to receive federal funding. Regulatory bodies, such as the Joint Commission, are approved by the government to give, or withhold, accreditation to hospitals. This accreditation is a requisite to continue receiving funding. Hospitals are frequently cited for items such as inadequate wearing of boot covers or covering of facial hair in the operating rooms. There are very little, if any, data to support an improvement in patient safety when these items are complied with. There is, however, a large amount of data showing the negative consequences for patient safety when providers are burned out. We therefore propose that regulatory agencies such as the Joint Commission require that hospital systems measure burnout and reduce concerning levels of burnout in their employees to continue receiving certification. We briefly review evidence-based methods that hospital systems might consider to accomplish this goal.
Tests of Relativistic Gravity from Space

Jet Propulsion Laboratory, California Institute of Technology,4800 Oak Grove Drive, Pasadena, CA 91109-0899, USAemail: turyshev@jpl.nasa.govAbstract. Recent experiments have successfully tested Einstein’s general theory of relativityto remarkable precision. We discuss recent progress in the tests of relativistic gravity in thesolar system and present motivations for the new generation of high-accuracy gravitationalexperiments. We especially focus on the concepts aiming to probe parameterized-post-Newtonianparameter γ and evaluate the discovery potential of the recently proposed experiments.Keywords.General relativity; modiﬁed gravity; scalar-tensor theories; space-based experiments
Jammer Localization Through Smart Estimation of Jammer’s Transmission Power

Wireless Sensors Network (WSNs) are susceptible to jamming attacks due to the shared nature and open access medium. Jammer disrupts the wireless channel by injecting its signal into the legitimate traffic which causes it to increase the amount of noise at the receiver. In order to improve the localization accuracy, this paper proposed Distance Ratio (DR) based on Signal to Noise Ratio (SNR). The primary process of the Distance to Signal Noise Ratio (DSNR) algorithm consists of four steps: capturing jamming Signal Strength (JRSS) and computing the received power between boundary node and its neighbor, compute DR, estimating jammer's transmission power and its location, and minimizing localization error. Finally, extensive simulations are conducted to evaluate the performance, effectiveness, and the robustness of the proposed method compared to similar localization algorithms.
Chapter 26 – Light Scattering

Publisher Summary The interaction of light with particles in solution can cause turbidity because it is scattered in various directions. Such light scattering is studied to obtain the information about the size and shape of the solute molecules. Wavelengths other than those involved in absorption—either by the solutes or by the solvent—are preferred. Current instrumentation improvements involve the use of laser beams as the light source in place of the more traditional lamps. Lasers offer a greater intensity and a more sharply defined wavelength, and allow bringing the photometer cell closer to the trap for unscattered light. The technique weighs the information in favor of the larger particles in the solution. A way to look at light scattering data is by measuring the turbidity. If the particles are big enough, they can cause a measurable decrease in the incident light.
Analysis on thirty death cases of hand, foot and mouth disease

手足口病(HFMD)多见于学龄前儿童,大多临床表现典型,预后良好,1周左右自愈.但有少数重症病例,特别是EV71感染患儿临床表现不典型,病情进展快,短期内出现脑干脑炎及神经源性肺水肿等,继发多器宫功能衰竭,导致死亡.为提高对重症病例的认识,本文对2010年1月至2011年12月我院相关HFMD重症死亡病例进行回顾性分析. 关键词：手足口病;重症病例;流行病学
Rural America’s Hospitals are Not Prepared to Protect Older Adults From a Surge in COVID-19 Cases

Rural communities with predominantly older adult populations could be especially vulnerable to poor outcomes from COVID-19 due to lacking intensive care unit (ICU) capacity. Our objective is to des...
Electronic cigarette use and subjective cognitive complaints in adults.

Introduction Electronic cigarette use (vaping) has become popular in recent years. The number of Americans with a variety of cognitive deficits has been increasing dramatically. This study aimed to examine the potential association of vaping with subjective cognitive complaints in US adults. Methods A combined 2016 and 2017 Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System (BRFSS) national survey dataset yielded 886,603 adults who indicated their smoking and vaping status, as well as whether they had subjective cognitive complaints. With this dataset, the cross-sectional association of electronic cigarette use with subjective cognitive complaints was examined using multivariable weighted logistic regression models. Results Both dual users (adjusted Odds Ratio [aOR] = 2.07; 95% Confidence Interval [CI] = 1.66 to 2.60) and current vapers who were either ex-smokers (aOR = 1.94; 95% CI = 1.40 to 2.71) or never smoked (aOR = 1.96; 95% CI = 1.16 to 3.30) showed a significantly higher association with subjective cognitive complaints than never users. Current smokers (aOR = 1.49; 95% CI = 1.32 to 1.69) and ex-smokers (aOR = 1.25; 95% CI = 1.11 to 1.41) had a significantly higher association with subjective cognitive complaints compared to never users. Compared to current smokers, the ex-smokers showed a lower association with subjective cognitive complaints (aOR = 0.84; 95% CI = 0.73 to 0.96). Finally, the association of vaping with subjective cognitive complaints was not statistically significant in individual age group. Conclusion Similar to smoking, vaping is associated with subjective cognitive complaints in US adults. These results provide preliminary evidence for a cross-sectional association of vaping with potential cognitive health effects in adults.
The humoral immune response to high-dose influenza vaccine in persons with monoclonal B-cell lymphocytosis (MBL) and chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL).

Abstract Background Limited data are available regarding the immunogenicity of high-dose influenza vaccine among persons with chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL) and monoclonal B cell lymphocytosis (MBL). Methods A prospective pilot study of humoral immune responses to 2013–2014 and 2014–2015 high-dose trivalent influenza vaccine (HD IIV; Fluzone® High-Dose; Sanofi Pasteur) was conducted among individuals with MBL and previously untreated CLL. Serum hemagglutination inhibition (HAI) antibody titers were measured at baseline and Day 28 after vaccination; seroprotection and seroconversion rates were determined. Memory B cell responses were assessed by B-cell enzyme-linked immune absorbent spot assays. Results Thirty subjects (17 CLL and 13 MBL) were included. Median age was 69.5 years. Day 28 seroprotection rates for the cohort were 19/30 (63.3%) for A/H1N1; 21/23 (91.3%) for A/H3N2; and 13/30 (43.3%) for influenza B. Those with MBL achieved higher day 28 HAI geometric mean titers (54.1 [4.9, 600.1] vs. 12.1 [1.3, 110.1]; p = 0.01) and higher Day 28 seroprotection rates (76.9% vs. 17.6%; p = 0.002) against the influenza B-vaccine strain virus than those with CLL. Conclusions Immunogenicity of the HD IIV3 in patients with CLL and MBL is lower than reported in healthy adults. Immunogenicity to influenza B was greater in those with MBL than CLL.
Automatic Lag Selection in Covariance Matrix Estimation

Authors proposes a nonparametric method for automatically selecting the number of autocovariances to use in computing a heteroskedasticity and autocorrelation consistent covariance matrix. For a given kernel for weighting the autocovariances, we prove that our procedure is asymptotically equivalent to one that is optimal under a mean-squared error loss function. Monte Carlo simulations suggest that our procedure performs tolerably well, although it does result in size distortions.
Monopolies: A Threat to Consumers or a Political Ploy

The United States Department of Justice recently announced an antitrust lawsuit against the search and search advertising giant, Google. Referencing anticompetitive practices that restrict competition and harm consumers, the DOJ, by attempting to break up Google’s control of the search market due to harm it is inflicting upon consumers as a result of its monopoly power, is continuing a policy of ensuring competitive markets that goes back more than a century to President Theodore Roosevelt and his crusade against trusts, and in particular, John D. Rockefeller’s Standard Oil Monopoly. Monopolistic behavior can take many forms, but opponents of monopolies, of which there are many, share the common criticism that monopolies are toxic for the economy and commit an injustice against individual consumers. Their solution to these harmful effects includes robust regulation and providing readily available detailed information to the public demonstrating the extent to which industry in the United States is concentrated. Unfortunately, while it is true that monopolies have the power to cause harm through the market power possessed by monopolies, it is equally true that monopolies are uniquely capable of taking actions that benefit the country, the economy, and consumers. The benefits of monopoly do not receive a lot of publicity because it’s not politically valuable and goes against the traditions of thought to which Americans have been subjected for well over a century. The fact that 10 percent of the world’s public companies generate 80 percent of all profits and the United States’ 100 largest companies have increased their share of GDP creation by 13 percentage points to 46 percent in two decades, it’s urgent to discuss monopolies more expansively and focus on the facts rather than political talking points.1 This paper will make the argument that monopolies are overregulated, which harms the economy and its consumers more so than it helps. Monopolies should be subject to less scrutiny in the U.S. economy to perform their functions more efficiently. Regulators have alternative means of guarding against the negative effects of monopoly while allowing for the positive effects.
Should Developers Build Convertible Parking Structures? Or Are They Just a Public Sector Investment?

Developers of urban parking decks—either stand-alone or ancillary to other uses like office, retail or housing—will soon face a decision brought on by the advent of driverless vehicles (DV): maximi...
Biomarkers Make the Case for a Comprehensive Approach to Diagnosing Severe Acute Malnutrition.

* Abbreviations: MUAC — : mid-upper arm circumference SAM — : severe acute malnutrition WHZ — : weight-for-height z score Aim 2.2 of the 2015 United Nations Sustainable Development Goals is to “end all forms of malnutrition” by 2030.1 Nevertheless, severe acute malnutrition (SAM) continues to pose a major threat to global child health, especially throughout sub-Saharan Africa and South Asia, even in nonconflict and nonfamine areas. Malnutrition is linked to approximately one-half of the deaths of children <5 years old worldwide,2 and an estimated 10 000 additional malnutrition-associated deaths among children are expected to be occurring globally during the coronavirus disease 2019 pandemic, because of interruptions in health and nutrition services.3 Food insecurity, household size, rural–urban disparities, and gaps in health literacy are commonly cited risk factors for SAM in low- and middle-income countries.4 SAM and its complications can be difficult to recognize unless objective diagnostic measures are applied, namely weight-for-height z score (WHZ) and mid-upper arm circumference (MUAC). Use of the MUAC dates back to the 1950s, an innovation of post–World War II humanitarianism. It was first proposed to the World Health Organization as a metric for the nutritional assessment of children <5 years of age in 1966,5 but … Address correspondence to Jonathan P. Strysko, MD, Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia, 3401 Civic Center Blvd, Philadelphia, PA 19104. E-mail: stryskoj{at}chop.edu
Most Common Histological Type of Pelvic Bone Tumors

Chondrosarcoma, Ewing sarcoma, osteosarcoma, multiple melanoma/plasma cell myeloma, metastases, undifferentiated high-grade pleomorphic sarcoma, fibrosarcoma, chondroma/enchondroma, Langerhans cell histiocytosis/eosinophilic granuloma, desmoplastic fibroma, aneurysmal bone cyst, giant cell tumor, fibrous dysplasia, and osteoid osteoma are the most common histological type of pelvic bone tumors. This chapter will illustrate the gross and histological features of these tumors; highlight the ancillary testing of diagnostic, prognostic, and predictive markers, and the collaborative opportunities between pathologists and orthopedic surgeons to improve the quality, safety, and value of patient care.
Interannual climate variability mediates changes in carbon and nitrogen pools caused by annual grass invasion in a semiarid shrubland.

Exotic plant invasions alter ecosystem properties and threaten ecosystem functions globally. Interannual climate variability (ICV) influences both plant community composition (PCC) and soil properties, and interactions between ICV and PCC may influence nitrogen (N) and carbon (C) pools. We asked how ICV and non-native annual grass invasion covary to influence soil and plant N and C in a semiarid shrubland undergoing widespread ecosystem transformation due to invasions and altered fire regimes. We sampled four progressive stages of annual grass invasion at 20 sites across a large (25,000 km2 ) landscape for plant community composition, plant tissue N and C, and soil total N and C in 2013 and 2016, which followed 2 years of dry and wet conditions, respectively. Multivariate analyses and ANOVAs showed that in invasion stages where native shrub and perennial grass and forb communities were replaced by annual grass-dominated communities, the ecosystem lost more soil N and C in wet years. Path analysis showed that high water availability led to higher herbaceous cover in all invasion stages. In stages with native shrubs and perennial grasses, higher perennial grass cover was associated with increased soil C and N, while in annual-dominated stages, higher annual grass cover was associated with losses of soil C and N. Also, soil total C and C:N ratios were more homogeneous in annual-dominated invasion stages as indicated by within-site standard deviations. Loss of native shrubs and perennial grasses and forbs coupled with annual grass invasion may lead to long-term declines in soil N and C and hamper restoration efforts. Restoration strategies that use innovative techniques and novel species to address increasing temperatures and ICV and emphasize maintaining plant community structure-shrubs, grasses, and forbs-will allow sagebrush ecosystems to maintain C sequestration, soil fertility, and soil heterogeneity.
Intestinal microbial communities and Holdemanella isolated from HIV+/- men who have sex with men increase frequencies of lamina propria CCR5+ CD4+ T cells.

Men who have sex with men (MSM), regardless of HIV infection status, have an intestinal microbiome that is compositionally distinct from men who have sex with women (MSW) and women. We recently showed HIV-negative MSM have elevated levels of intestinal CD4+ T cells expressing CCR5, a critical co-receptor for HIV. Whether elevated expression of CCR5 is driven by the altered gut microbiome composition in MSM has not been explored. Here we used in vitro stimulation of gut Lamina Propria Mononuclear Cells (LPMCs) with whole intact microbial cells isolated from stool to demonstrate that fecal bacterial communities (FBCs) from HIV-positive/negative MSM induced higher frequencies of CCR5+ CD4+ T cells compared to FBCs from HIV-negative MSW and women. To identify potential microbial drivers, we related the frequency of CCR5+ CD4+ T cells to the abundance of individual microbial taxa in rectal biopsy of HIV-positive/negative MSM and controls, and Holdemanella biformis was strongly associated with increased frequency of CCR5+ CD4+ T cells. We used in vitro stimulation of gut LPMCs with the type strain of H. biformis, a second strain of H. biformis and an isolate of the closely related Holdemanella porci , cultured from either a HIV-positive or a HIV-negative MSM stool. H. porci elevated the frequency of both CCR5+ CD4+ T cells and the ratio of TNF-α/IL-10 Genomic comparisons of the 3 Holdemanella isolates revealed unique cell wall and capsular components, which may be responsible for their differences in immunogenicity. These findings describe a novel mechanism potentially linking intestinal dysbiosis in MSM to HIV transmission and mucosal pathogenesis.
Predictive accuracy of the first trimester Doppler scan: a meta-study.

To determine sensitivity and cut-off indices of the uterine artery Doppler (UAD) in prediction of preeclampsia and fetal growth restriction (FGR). Seventy-six studies published in 1995–2014, present 298,329 prenatal Doppler screenings performed in nullipara in the first and early second trimesters of singleton pregnancies. The sample is stratified into four groups based on the Doppler sensitivity and specificity indices pertaining to the major clinical endpoints of the cohort. The FGR diagnostic specificity (r = 0.728) and bilateral notching index (r = 0.803) correlations indicate that the UAD accuracy depends on the placental bed and the screening mode. Predictive sensitivity of the UAD increases after 16 weeks + 3 days (115 days) of gestation. The best predictive parameter of preeclampsia and FGR is the placental side uterine artery resistance index which confers to the highest means when the placenta is on the midline (OR 0.9).
Erythropoietin structure-function relationships. Identification of functionally important domains.

Abstract In order to delineate functionally important domains in erythropoietin (Epo), we have prepared and tested a series of amino acid replacements at 51 conserved sites predicted to be on the surface of the molecule. Alanine replacements permitted preservation of alpha-helical structure. Wild type and mutant Epo cDNAs were transiently expressed at high levels in COS1 and COS7 cells. The biological activity of wild type and mutant Epos was assayed in three Epo-responsive cell types: primary murine erythroid spleen cells, the murine HCD57 erythroleukemia cell line, and the human UT7-EPO leukemia cell line. When Arg14 on predicted Helix A was replaced by Ala, biological activity was substantially reduced, whereas replacement with Glu resulted in total loss of specific bioactivity. In a similar manner, the mutein Arg103-->Ala in Helix C was completely lacking in biological activity, whereas both Ser104-->Ala and Leu108-->Ala had decreased bioactivity. In Helix D, the mutein Gly151-->Ala had markedly decreased bioactivity, whereas that of the adjacent Lys152-->Ala mutein was moderately impaired. In contrast, Ala replacements at three nearby sites on Helix D (147, 146, and 143) resulted in muteins with increased bioactivity. In conclusion, our mutagenesis experiments have identified functionally important domains on the surface of the Epo molecule, at sites comparable with those established for other cytokines.
An Integrated Framework for Compiler-Directed Cache Coherence and Data Prefetching

Cache coherence enforcement and memory latency reduction and hiding are very important and challenging problems in the design of large-scale distributed shared-memory (DSM) multiprocessors. We propose an integrated approach to solve these problems through a compiler-directed cache coherence scheme called the Cache Coherence with Data Prefetching (CCDP) scheme. The CCDP scheme enforces cache coherence by prefetching the potentially-stale references in a parallel program. It also prefetches the non-stale references to hide their memory latencies. To optimize the performance of the CCDP scheme, some prefetch hard-ware support is provided to efficiently handle these two forms of data prefetching operations. We also developed the compiler techniques utilized by the CCDP scheme for stale reference detection, prefetch target analysis and prefetch scheduling. We evaluated the performance of the CCDP scheme via execution-driven simulations of several applications from the SPEC CFP95 and CFP92 benchmark suites. The simulation results show that the CCDP scheme provides significant performance improvements for the benchmark programs studied.
Methane oxidation in the eastern tropical North Pacific Ocean water column

©2015. American Geophysical Union. We report methane (CH 4 ) concentration and methane oxidation (MO x ) rate measurements from the eastern tropical north Pacific (ETNP) water column. This region comprises low-CH 4 waters and a depth interval (~200-760m) of CH 4 supersaturation that is located within a regional oxygen minimum zone (OMZ). MO x rate measurements were made in parallel using tracer-based methods with low-level 14C-CH 4 (LL 14C) and 3H-CH 4 (3H). The two tracers showed similar trends in MO x rate with water depth, but consistent with previous work, the LL 14C rates (range: 0.034-15×10-3nmol CH 4 L-1d-1) were systematically slower than the parallel 3H rates (range: 0.098-4000×10-3nmol CH 4 L-1d-1). Priming and background effects associated with the 3H-CH 4 tracer and LL 14C filtering effects are implicated as the cause of the systematic difference. The MO x rates reported here include some of the slowest rates measured in the ocean to date, are the first rates for the ETNP region, and show zones of slow CH 4 turnover within the OMZ that may permit CH 4 derived from coastal sediments to travel great lateral distances. The MO x rate constants correlate with both CH 4 and oxygen concentrations, suggesting that their combined availability regulates MO x rates in the region. Depth-integrated MO x rates provide an upper limit on the magnitude of regional CH 4 sources and demonstrate the importance of water column MO x , even at slow rates, as a sink for CH 4 that limits the ocean-atmosphere CH 4 flux in the ETNP region.
Aortic valve replacement in adults after balloon aortic valvuloplasty.

BACKGROUND Percutaneous balloon aortic valvuloplasty is limited by a high risk of procedural morbidity, transient clinical benefit, and a high restenosis rate. The management of patients with symptomatic aortic valve restenosis after percutaneous balloon aortic valvuloplasty is unclear. We hypothesized that aortic valve replacement would produce superior midterm survival compared with repeat balloon aortic valvuloplasty or medication alone in patients with symptomatic aortic valve restenosis after prior balloon aortic valvuloplasty. METHODS AND RESULTS Baseline clinical, echocardiographic, and hemodynamic data were collected on 165 patients who underwent percutaneous balloon aortic valvuloplasty as treatment for symptomatic degenerative calcific aortic stenosis. In 144 of these patients (87%), aortic valve replacement was originally considered to carry excessive risk. The survival of three subgroups was calculated during a median follow-up period of 3.9 years (range, 1 to 6 years). Ninety-four patients (57%) had no further mechanical intervention (subgroup 1-BAV), 31 patients (19%) developed symptomatic aortic valve restenosis and underwent a repeat balloon aortic valvuloplasty (subgroup 2-BAV), and 40 patients (24%) subsequently underwent aortic valve replacement (subgroup BAV+AVR). Follow-up was 99% complete. Patients in subgroup BAV+AVR tended to be younger and have a lower prevalence of coronary artery disease or mitral regurgitation. Only 1 patient (2.5%) suffered a perioperative death during aortic valve replacement. The probability of survival 3 years from the date of the last mechanical intervention was 13% for subgroup 1-BAV, 20% for subgroup 2-BAV, and 75% for subgroup BAV+AVR. At the conclusion of follow-up, only 2 patients had symptoms of congestive heart failure or angina after aortic valve replacement. CONCLUSIONS Aortic valve replacement may be performed with a low mortality rate, excellent palliation of symptoms, and prolongation of survival in selected high-risk patients with a history of previous balloon aortic valvuloplasty.
Metacognition, Learning, and Instruction

In this chapter, we provide a comprehensive review of research on metacognition, learning and instruction in primarily older, more experienced students (middle school, high school, and college students). We trace the evolution of the definition of metacognition, particularly examining the relationship between metacognition and the related theoretical constructs of self-regulation and executive function. We also examine the ways in which researchers originating from different research traditions and theoretical orientations measure metacognition, including questionnaires, calibration techniques, and verbal report methods. A discussion of the extent to which metacognition is a general or domain-specific skill is followed by reviews of research on metacognition in various academic domains, including reading, writing, and problem solving in mathematics and science. Instructional interventions designed to promote the development of metacognitive knowledge and skills in middle school, high school and college students are described. Finally, the characteristics of teacher-led and computer-based learning environments that have been found to foster metacognition are examined. Keywords: metacognition; self-regulation; executive function; metacomprehension; think-aloud; verbal reports; computer-based learning environment
Preventing Sex-Offender Recidivism Through Therapeutic Jurisprudence Approaches and Specialized Community Integration

The public’s panic about the fear of recidivism if adjudicated sex offenders are ever to be released to the community has not subsided, despite the growing amount of information and statistically-reliable data signifying a generally low risk of re-offense. The established case law upholding sex offender civil commitment and containment statutes has rejected challenges of unconstitutionality, and continues to be dominated by punitive undertones. We have come to learn that the tools used to assess offenders for risk and civil commitment are often inaccurate and that meaningful treatment for this population is often unavailable and ineffective. Yet, society continues to clamor for legislation confining this cohort of offenders for “treatment,” and, ostensibly, protection of the community, and legislatures respond quickly to these calls. This “reform legislation” often includes strict and demeaning post-release restrictions that track offenders and curb their integration into society. These “reforms” continue to show no benefit either to the public or to the individual offender. The absence of meaningful and effective treatment during confinement, combined with inhumane conditions upon release, make it far less likely that this cohort of individuals will ever become productive members of society. Only through therapeutic jurisprudence, a focus on rehabilitation, and a dedication to treating sexual offenders humanely, will it be possible to reduce recidivism and foster successful community reintegration.This article takes a new approach to these issues. It examines sex offender laws, past and present, looks at this area of sex offender commitment and containment through a therapeutic jurisprudence lens, and suggests basic policy changes that would optimally and constitutionally minimize re-offense rates, while upholding and protecting human rights of all citizens. It highlights the failure of community containment laws and ordinances by focusing on (1) the myths/perceptions that have arisen about sex offenders, and how society incorporates those myths into legislation, (2) the lack of rehabilitation offered to incarcerated or civilly-committed offenders, resulting in inadequate re-entry preparation, (3) the anti-therapeutic and inhumane effect of the laws and ordinances created to restrict sex offenders in the community, and (4) the reluctance and resistance of courts to incorporate therapeutic jurisprudence in seeking to remediate this set of circumstances. It concludes by offering some modest suggestions, based on the adoption of a therapeutic jurisprudence model of analysis.
A study of single-beam femtosecond MCARS in trace material detection

There is a need for rapid and accurate detection and identification of complex aerosol particles in a number of fields for countless applications. Full identification of these particles has been hampered by the inability to use an information-rich spectroscopic method such as Raman scattering in a flowing aerosol environment due to the time needed to generate a Raman spectrum. Multiplex coherent anti-Stokes Raman spectroscopy (MCARS) has been shown to generate a complete Raman spectrum from the material of interest using a single ultrabroadband pulse to coherently drive multiple molecular vibrations simultaneously. When used in conjunction with a narrow probe pulse, a complete Raman spectrum is created that can be detected in milliseconds. We will report on the MCARS spectra obtained from materials of interest at a distance of 1 m from the sample location. A limit of detection study of the MCARS spectrum of various materials of interest will be also reported in with the nonresonant background both present and removed. Additionally, a limit of detection study as a function of the number of pulses used to comprise the CARS spectrum of the materials of interest will be presented.
EDA based digital design on non-residential campuses

The design of multi-million transistor on a chip digital systems has become inseparable from advanced electronic design automation (EDA) software for all aspects of the microelectronic design process. While the use of EDA tools for the specification, synthesis and simulation of microelectronic, digital and computer systems is common at residential universities, at small nonresidential campuses microelectronic systems education and the use of EDA tools may be limited or nonexistent. Many challenges are faced by a small nonresidential program incorporating EDA tools into its curriculum. This paper describes these challenges and presents how the electrical engineering department at the University of Colorado at Denver, USA, is introducing EDA tools into its microelectronic and digital systems program.
Spectroscopic source redshifts and parameter constraints from weak lensing and the cosmic microwave background

Weak lensing is a potentially robust and model-independent cosmological probe, but its accuracy is dependent on knowledge of the redshift distribution of the source galaxies used. The most robust way to determine the redshift distribution is via spectroscopy of a subsample of the source galaxies. We forecast constraints from combining cosmic microwave background (CMB) anisotropies with cosmic shear using a spectroscopically determined redshift distribution, varying the number of spectra Nspec obtained from 64 to [infinity]. The source redshift distribution is expanded in a Fourier series, and the amplitudes of each mode are considered as parameters to be constrained via both the spectroscopic and weak lensing data. We assume independent source redshifts, and consider in what circumstances this is a good approximation (the sources are clustered and for narrow spectroscopic surveys with many objects this results in the redshifts being correlated). It is found that for the surveys considered and for a prior of 0.04 on the calibration parameters, the addition of redshift information makes significant improvements on the constraints on the cosmological parameters; however, beyond Nspec ~ few × 10^3 the addition of further spectra will make only a very small improvement to the cosmological parameters. We find that a better calibration makes large Nspec more useful. Using an eigenvector analysis, we find that the improvement continues with even higher Nspec, but not in directions that dominate the uncertainties on the standard cosmological parameters.