cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Cross-scalar satellite phenology from ground, Landsat, and MODIS data

Phenological records constructed from global mapping satellite platforms (e.g. AVHRR and MODIS) hold the potential to be valuable tools for monitoring vegetation response to global climate change. However, most satellite phenology products are not validated, and field checking coarse scale (≥500 m) data with confidence is a difficult endeavor. In this research, we compare phenology from Landsat (field scale, 30 m) to MODIS (500 m), and compare datasets derived from each instrument. Landsat and MODIS yield similar estimates of the start of greenness (r 2 =0.60), although we find that a high degree of spatial phenological variability within coarser-scale MODIS pixels may be the cause of the remaining uncertainty. In addition, spatial variability is smoothed in MODIS, a potential source of error when comparing in situ or climate data to satellite phenology. We show that our method for deriving phenology from satellite data generates spatially coherent interannual phenology departures in MODIS data. We test these estimates from 2000 to 2005 against long-term records from Harvard Forest (Massachusetts) and Hubbard Brook (New Hampshire)ExperimentalForests.MODISsuccessfullypredicts86%ofthevarianceatHarvardforestand70%ofthevarianceatHubbardBrook;the more extreme topography of the later is inferred to be a significant source of error. In both analyses, the satellite estimate is significantly dampened from the ground-based observations, suggesting systematic error (slopes of 0.56 and 0.63, respectively). The satellite data effectively estimates interannual phenology at two relatively simple deciduous forest sites and is internally consistent, even with changing spatial scale. We propose that continued analyses of interannual phenology will be an effective tool for monitoring native forest responses to global-scale climate variability.
Leveraging Biomedical Ontologies and Annotation Services to Organize Microbiome Data from Mammalian Hosts

A better understanding of commensal microbiotic communities (“microbiomes”) may provide valuable insights to human health. Towards this goal, an essential step may be the development of approaches to organize data that can enable comparative hypotheses across mammalian microbiomes. The present study explores the feasibility of using existing biomedical informatics resources – especially focusing on those available at the National Center for Biomedical Ontology – to organize microbiome data contained within large sequence repositories, such as GenBank. The results indicate that the Foundational Model of Anatomy and SNOMED CT can be used to organize greater than 90% of the bacterial organisms associated with 10 domesticated mammalian species. The promising findings suggest that the current biomedical informatics infrastructure may be used towards the organizing of microbiome data beyond humans. Furthermore, the results identify key concepts that might be organized into a semantic structure for incorporation into subsequent annotations that could facilitate comparative biomedical hypotheses pertaining to human health.
Dissecting the Maize Epicuticular Wax Biosynthetic Pathway Via the Characterization of an Extensive Collection of Glossy Mutants

Being a major component of the cuticle, cuticular waxes serve as the outer boundary between plants and their environment and thus provide multiple protective functions (Kolattukudy, 1987; Jenks et al., 1994). Cuticular waxes are complex mixtures of very long chain fatty acids (VLCFA; > C18), and VLCFA-derivatives such as alcohols, aldehydes, esters, alkanes, and ketones, (Walton, 1990). Thus, VLCFAs serve as the precursors for the cuticular wax biosynthesis. Elucidating the complex processes by which cuticular waxes are biosynthesized is the long-term objective of our genetic studies in maize. We have characterized a collection of 186 glossy (gl) mutants of maize, which are affected in the normal accumulation of epicuticular waxes. The focus of this report is the molecular characterization of the g18 gene, which encodes one of the components of the acyl-CoA elongase system that is involved in the biosynthesis of VLCFA for cuticle deposition.
ON FREYD'S GENERATING HYPOTHESIS

Freyd's generating hypothesis in stable homotopy theory is revisited and new consequences and equivalent forms of it are derived. A surprising such consequence is that I, the Brown?Comenetz dual of the sphere and the source of many counterexamples in stable homotopy, is the cofibre of a self-map of a wedge of spheres. It is also shown that a consequence of the generating hypothesis, that the homotopy of a finite spectrum that is not a wedge of spheres can never be finitely generated as a module over *S, is in fact true for many finite torsion spectra.
PPARs and LXRs: atherosclerosis goes nuclear

Atherosclerosis is the leading cause of mortality in the Western world, and new therapeutics to target the metabolic and inflammatory factors that underlie its pathogenesis are needed. Peroxisome proliferator-activated receptors and liver X receptors are lipid-activated nuclear receptors that regulate systemic glucose and lipid metabolism, and modulate inflammation within the vascular wall. New understanding of their functions in physiology and the development of high-affinity synthetic ligands highlight their potential as targets for the treatment of cardiovascular disease.
Designing Auditory Cues for Mercator

The practice of designing human-computer interfaces requires synthesizing knowledge about the intended users, their tasks and interface design guidelines. This task is even more challenging for designers of auditory interfaces since few useful guidelines exist. To provide some general intuition about how people identify and conceptualize various auditory cues, we conducted two experiments. The purpose of this paper is to discuss how we used the results of these experiments to guide the selection of sounds for Mercator. As a screen reader for blind users, Mercator transforms graphical interfaces into auditory interfaces. The selection of the specific auditory cues used to convey objects and events in the Mercator interface is the result of this work. This design process was not solely the consumer of these experimental results, but also produced further insight into the selection and use of auditory cues.
Linear Thermal Expansion of Elastomers in the Range 300° to 76° K

In the search for reliable, simple low-temperature static seals, O-rings made from elastomers have received little acclaim, since rubberlike materials are glassy at temperatures below 140°K, and no longer exhibit the properties ordinarily associated with O-ring seals. However, it has been demonstrated that with proper design the rubbery properties of the materials are necessary only during assembly of the seal[1]. During cool-down the sealing force is maintained at a safe level if the initial force is large enough.
Photon point process for traveling-wave laser amplifiers

The authors determine the evolution of the photon point process of a light beam as it passes through a traveling-wave laser amplifier (TWA). In particular, when coherent light is presented to the input of the amplifier, the output photon statistics are characterized by a marked-Poisson (MP) point process, which has a noncentral-negative-binomial (NNB) output photon-number distribution (PND). Using this distribution we calculate the probability of error (PE) for an ON-OFF keying (OOK) direct-detection photon-counting communication system, and show that the results differ somewhat from those obtained when the Gaussian-PND approximation is used. It is shown that receiver performance is optimized by filtering the amplifier output. Analysis of the point process is of interest because it permits the time response of the amplifier to be determined; this, in turn, allows the effects of intersymbol interference to be calculated. >
Paleoenvironments of the earliest stone toolmakers, Gona, Ethiopia

Fluvio-lacustrine sediments of the Hadar and Busidima Formations along the northern Awash River (Ethiopia) archive almost three million years (3.4 to <0.6 Ma) of human evolution, including the earliest documented record of stone toolmaking at 2.5–2.6 Ma. This paper brings together sedimentologic and isotopic evidence for the paleoenvironmental context of early hominids from both formations, but with particular emphasis on the setting for the early toolmakers. The pre–2.92 Ma record (Hadar Formation) is characterized by low-gradient fl uvial, paludal, and lacustrine deposition in an undissected topography most analogous to reaches of the modern middle Awash River near Gewane. The Gona area experienced repeated deep dissection and aggradation by the Awash River, starting between 2.92 and ca. 2.7 Ma and continuing through the top of the record at <0.6 Ma (Busidima Formation). Each aggradational succession is 10–20 m in thickness and fi nes upward from wellrounded conglomerates at the base to capping paleosols at the top. During this period the ancestral Awash represented by these fi ning upward sequences was dominantly meandering and fl owed northeast, as it does today. Smaller channels tributary to the axial Awash system are also extensively exposed in the Busidima Formation. Compared to the axial-system conglomerates, the tributary channels transported fi ner, less mature volcanic clasts mixed with abundant carbonate nodules reworked from adjacent badlands. Stone artifacts (Oldowan; 2.6–2.0 Ma) at the oldest archaeological sites are only associated with the axial Awash system, in the bedded silts or capping paleosols of the fi ning upward sequences. The implements were made from rounded cobbles from the channels, but manufacture and use of the tools was always away from the channel bars, on the nearby sandy banks and silt-dominated fl oodplains. Archaeological sites higher in the record (Acheulian; <1.7 Ma) occur in similar axial river contexts, as well as along tributary channels further removed from artifact raw material sources. Mature paleosols in the Hadar and Busidima Formations are mostly pale to darkbrown Vertisols typifi ed by abundant clay slickensides, pseudo-anticlinal and vertical fracturing, and carbonate nodules. Such calcic Vertisols are common in the region today, demonstrating that the paleoclimate over the past 3.4 m.y. has been semi-arid and strongly seasonal. Carbon isotopic results from pedogenic carbonates in the Vertisols allow reconstruction of the proportion of C 3 plants (trees and shrubs) to C 4 plants (grasses) through time. The δ 13
Split-face treatment of facial dyschromia: pulsed dye laser with a compression handpiece versus intense pulsed light.

BACKGROUND Many visible light lasers and intense pulsed light (IPL) devices are available to treat photodamaged skin. OBJECTIVES The objective was to perform a multiple-treatment split-face comparison evaluating a pulsed dye laser (PDL) with a compression handpiece versus IPL for photorejuvenation. METHODS Ten subjects were treated three times at 3- to 4-week intervals. One side of the face was treated with the PDL with compression handpiece, and the other with IPL. One month after final treatment, blinded evaluation assessed for improvements in dyschromias and texture. Patients provided self-assessment of improvement in dyschromias and texture. Time to complete final treatments and pain during all treatments were recorded for each device. RESULTS Improvement of the PDL was (mean) 86.5, 65, 85, 38, and 40% for dark lentigines, light lentigines, vessels 0.6 mm, and texture, respectively, versus 82, 62.5, 78.5, 32.5, and 32%, respectively, for the IPL side. Patient-evaluated difference in improvement for vascular lesions significantly favored the PDL (p=.011). Mean third treatment times were 7.7 minutes for PDL versus 4.6 minutes for the IPL (p=.005). Mean pain ratings were 5.8 for the PDL and 3.1 for the IPL (p=.007). Purpura-free procedures depended on proper technical use of the compression handpiece when treating lentigines with the PDL. CONCLUSIONS The PDL with compression handpiece and IPL are highly effective for photorejuvenation.
On Optimal Slot Allocation for Reservation TDMA MAC Protocol in Shadow Fading Environment

This paper investigates the problem of providing delay guarantees to time-sensitive users sharing an uplink channel. The channel is a time slotted joint AWGN and impulsive noise channel in a shadow fading environment. Guaranteeing delay in shadow fading and noisy environment requires the MAC layer to be aware of the application delay requirements and the physical layer characteristics of the wireless channel. One of the important components of the base station MAC is the slot allocation module that allocates time slots to users. Existing slot allocation schemes use linear proportional schemes based on the queue state and priority factor. We develop an optimal slot allocation scheme that bases its allocation decision on the buffer content, the traffic class factor and the wireless channel quality. We specify the wireless channel quality in terms of the probability of connectivity between users and the base station and develop a method of estimating this quantity. Instead of absolute no transmission during bad wireless link states our optimal slot allocation module allots fewer slots in bad link states. The slot allocation module is used in a reservation TDMA base station (BS) MAC to control queuing delay and improve throughput. The performance of the slot allocation scheme is evaluated using OPNET simulation.
Infiltration and Unsaturated Zone

After a review of the basic unsaturated water flow processes, relevant soil and infiltration parameters that control infiltration are introduced such as the soil water retention and unsaturated hydraulic conductivity functions. In addition, a short review of unsaturated water flow and solute transport modeling is presented. In the main part of this chapter, the most frequently used physically based and empirical infiltration equations are introduced. The presentation of the available methods of measuring infiltration and unsaturated water flow includes a section on how specific field tests can be used to characterize soil infiltration parameters. The chapter concludes with a section on a review of spatial considerations of unsaturated soil water flow and infiltration, highlighting research of infiltration measurements and modeling at the basin scale.
Optimization Techniques for Portfolio Selection

Portfolio selection is a vital part of financial management and investment decision making. Optimization techniques can be effi ciently used to solve many classes of portfolio selection problems (e.g. the classical Markowitz mean-variance model). In this paper we present optimization algorithms and discuss certain computational complexity issues related to portfolio selection problems.
Employment Protection, Investment, and Firm Growth

We exploit the adoption of U.S. state-level labor protection laws to study the effect of employment protection on corporate investment and growth. We find that, following the adoption of these laws, capital expenditures decrease, resulting in firms growing sales at a slower rate. Our findings are consistent with theories predicting that greater employment protection discourages investment by making projects more irreversible. Supporting this theoretical channel, we also show that firms affected by these laws are less likely to divest assets following negative cash flow shocks, and conditional on investing, they invest in projects with higher expected rates of return.
Hydration Free Energies of Multifunctional Nitroaromatic Compounds.

Nitroaromatic compounds (NACs) are used as energetic materials, reagents, and pesticides; however, they are potentially hazardous for the environment and human health. To predict the environmental distribution of these compounds, the vapor pressure, aqueous solubility, and Henry’s law constant are important properties, as is the solvation free energy in water from which the latter two can be computed. Here, we have calculated the hydration free energies for a set of nine nitroaromatic compounds containing one, two, and three nitro groups using the expanded ensemble molecular dynamics simulation method with TIP3P water and the GAFF, CGenFF, OPLS-AA, and TraPPE force field parameters and the RESP (gas phase), CHELPG (gas phase), and CM4 (aqueous phase) partial atomic charges calculated here. Also, we have computed hydration free energies using the reported default partial atomic charges of the OPLS-AA force field and using the semiempirical AM1-BCC charges with GAFF parameters. The effect of water model fle...
Infestation Rates and Biological Observations After Harvest of Codling Moth (Lepidoptera: Tortricidae) in Stored In-Shell Walnuts

Infestation rates of codling moth, Cydia pomonella (L.), in commercially produced walnuts were determined over a 3-yr period. Infestation rate averaged 0.245 (0.11-0.46) codling moth per kilogram of walnuts. Only the larval stage (fourth [4%] or fifth instars [96%]) was found infesting walnuts at harvest, indicating the potential for diapausing codling moth larvae to occur in stored walnuts. In laboratory tests in which dehydrated walnuts were infested with nondiapausing larvae, < 1% of first, second, or third instars completed development to adult. Significant survival was observed for fourth and fifth instars. Laboratory trials with diapausing larvae in walnuts stored for 30, 60, or 90 d showed that survival was reduced to an average of only 35%. Tests designed to simulate very high levels of infestation of nondiapausing fifth instars inside bags of walnuts showed that 99% of the larvae remained inside the bag and pupated inside or among the walnuts. Most of these larvae survived to adult, but only 18% of the female moths successfully mated. In further laboratory investigations in which we controlled distances of separation between male and female moths in walnut masses, mating was reduced to 9 or 3% when single pairs of moths were separated by only 0.17 or 0.33 m, respectively. No mating occurred when moths were separated by distances of greater than or equal to 0.67 m. We discuss implications of these data in relationship to biological approaches to quarantine treatments for codling moth in in-shell walnuts.
Evaluation of the immunogenicity, stability, pathogenicity, and immunodepressive potential of four commercial live infectious bursal disease vaccines.

Abstract The study was divided into three experiments. In each, day-old specific pathogen free (SPF) White Leghorns were injected subcutaneously with one of the following commercial live infectious bursal disease (IBD) vaccines: Burcell®, Bursine®, Clone Vac D-78®, and S-706®. In the first experiment, the immunogenicity of each vaccine was determined by challenge with virulent IBDV at 25 days of age. All four vaccines were equally efficacicous in preventing clinical IBDV infection. The second experiment determined the stability and pathogenicity of the four vaccines by successive back passage of each virus in SPF chicks for 4 consecutive weeks. Although all vaccines were capable of spreading to contact controls, only the two intermediate vaccines (D-78® and S-706®) produced slightly atrophied bursae and moderate microscopic bursal lesions. However, both vaccines were stable, because neither reverted back to increase virulence nor resulted in morbidity or mortality associated with virulent IBDV after successive passage. In the third experiment, the immunodepressive potential of each vaccine virus was determined by examining the ability of IBD-vaccinated birds to respond to Newcastle disease (ND) virus vaccination. None of the four vaccines was found to be immunodepressive, as all IBD vaccinated birds responded to NDV vaccination.
Hobbes on ‘Conatus’: A Study in the Foundations of Hobbesian Philosophy

This paper will deal with the notion of conatus (endeavor) and the role it plays in Hobbes’s program for natural philosophy. As defined by Hobbes, the conatus of a body is essentially its instantaneous motion, and he sees this as the means to account for a variety of phenomena in both natural philosophy and mathematics. Although I foucs principally on Hobbesian physics, I will also consider the extent to which Hobbes’s account of conatus does important explanatory work in his theory of human perception, psychology, and political philosophy. I argue that, in the end, there are important limitations in Hobbes’s account of conatus, but that Leibniz adapted the concept in important ways in developing his science of dynamics.
Survey on the Necessity of Basic Occupational Health Service in Enterprises with Occupational Hazards,Qingpu District of Shanghai

[Objective] To understand the necessity of basic occupational health services in enterprises with occupational hazards in Qingpu District,so as to further promote occupational health services.[Methods] A total of 338 occupational health managers of 338 enterprises with occupational hazards were interviewed randomly.A face-to-face questionnaire was conducted.[Results] The necessity of occupational health services included training and instruction(62.7%),occupational health check-up(64.5%),monitoring(60.9%) and evaluation(64.5%) on occupational hazards.[Conclusion] Enterprises in Qingpu District have a great demand for occupational health services,which need more enhanced support and investment from government.
Superficial fungal infections in the tropics

Cutaneous dermatophyte infections are limited to the superficial layers of the epidermis. Tropical and subtropical regions of the world provide warm and humid climates and therefore a favorable environment for organisms causing superficial dermatophyte infections. This article deals with cutaneous dermatophyte infections, with particular emphasis on those occurring in tropical regions of the world. History, causative organisms, diagnosis, and treatment are discussed.
Life after Obergefell : Will Queers Finally Become Visible within Public Schools?

The 6th and final chapter addresses this legacy of state-sanctioned erasure and what that has meantfor queer children and adults. I then analyze the legacy of anti-queer erasure in U.S. public schools and what might be done to ameliorate this curiously bigoted inheritance.
Treatment of Childhood Hypertension

The treatment of hypertension in children involves lifestyle modifications, drug therapy, and at times surgical intervention. Healthy eating patterns, increased exercise, and when appropriate, weight loss are the tenants of lifestyle modifications. Drug therapy is recommended for children with symptomatic hypertension and those children that do not respond to lifestyle modifications. The most common class of antihypertensive drugs used in children are the angiotensin converting enzyme inhibitors and the angiotensin receptor blockers. Surgical and interventional radiology procedures are most often used in the setting of renal vascular hypertension. Interventional procedures include percutaneous balloon angioplasty and surgical revascularization.
Stator winding inter-turn fault in induction machines: Complex-vector transient and steady-state modelling

This paper presents a complete development of the complex-vector (CV) state-space (SS) representation of squirrel-cage induction machine (IM) with an inter-turn short-circuit (ITSC) in one phase of the stator winding. The final representation of the model can be decoupled in two modes: “Common Mode” and “Differential Mode” and it is the presented in its simplest form. From this faulty model a CV and operation equivalent circuits (EC) are determined. The model is fully simulated for transient and permanent regimens by means of MatLab code solving the ordinary differential equations (ODE). The steady state ECs were simulated in Simulink. Additionally, the sequence components admittances matrix and EC for the faulty IM was inferred for purposes of fault detection and identification (FDI). The effect of the fault severity factor and fault resistance are tested over the faulty leakage current, torque ripple pulsations and space vector current components. Finally, the torque vs slip characteristic curve were examined under input voltage and frequency variation to observe the loading effects on the faulty IM model.
A practical computational method for the anisotropic redshift-space three-point correlation function

Author(s): Slepian, Z; Eisenstein, DJ | Abstract: We present an algorithm enabling computation of the anisotropic redshift-space galaxy threepoint correlation function (3PCF) scaling as N2, with N the number of galaxies. Our previous work showed how to compute the isotropic 3PCF with this scaling by expanding the radially binned density field around each galaxy in the survey into spherical harmonics and combining these coefficients to form multipole moments. The N2 scaling occurred because this approach never explicitly required the relative angle between a galaxy pair about the primary galaxy. Here, we generalize this work, demonstrating that in the presence of azimuthally symmetric anisotropy produced by redshift-space distortions (RSD), the 3PCF can be described by two triangle side lengths, two independent total angular momenta, and a spin. This basis for the anisotropic 3PCF allows its computation with negligible additional work over the isotropic 3PCF. We also present the covariance matrix of the anisotropic 3PCF measured in this basis. Our algorithm tracks the full 5D redshift-space 3PCF, uses an accurate line of sight to each triplet, is exact in angle, and easily handles edge correction. It will enable use of the anisotropic large-scale 3PCF as a probe of RSD in current and upcoming large-scale redshift surveys.
Quasi-Two-Dimensional Phase Transition of Methane Adsorbed in Cylindrical Silica Mesopores.

Using Monte Carlo and molecular dynamics simulations, we examine the adsorption of methane in cylindrical silica mesopores in an effort to understand a possible phase transition of adsorbed methane in MCM-41 and SBA-15 silica that was previously identified by an unexpected increase in the adsorbed fluid density following capillary condensation, as measured by small-angle neutron scattering (SANS) [Chiang, W–S., et al., Langmuir 2016, 32, 8849]. Our initial simulation results identify a roughly 10 % increase in the density of the liquidlike adsorbed phase for either an isotherm with increasing pressure or an isobar with decreasing temperature and that this densification is associated with a local maximum in the isosteric enthalpy of adsorption. Subsequent analysis of the simulated fluid, via computation of bond-orientational order parameters of specific annular layers of the adsorbed fluid, showed that the layers undergo an ordering transition from a disordered, amorphous state to one with two-dimensional ...
Stored root carbohydrates can maintain root respiration for extended periods

Tight coupling between below-ground autotrophic respiration and the availability of recently assimilated carbon (C) has become a paradigm in the ecophysiological literature. Here, we show that stored carbohydrates can decouple respiration from assimilation for prolonged periods by mobilizing reserves from transport roots to absorptive roots. We permanently disrupted the below-ground transfer of recently assimilated C using stem girdling and root trenching and measured soil CO2 efflux for over 1 yr in longleaf pine (Pinus palustris), a species that has large reserves of stored carbohydrates in roots. Soil CO2 efflux was not influenced by girdling or trenching through the 14-month observation period. Stored carbohydrate concentrations in absorptive roots were not affected by the disrupted supply of current photosynthate for over 1 yr; however, carbohydrate concentrations in transport roots decreased. Our results indicate that root respiration can be decoupled from recent canopy assimilation and that stored carbohydrates can be mobilized from transport roots to absorptive roots to maintain respiration for over 1 yr. This refines the current paradigm that canopy assimilation and below-ground respiration are tightly coupled and provides evidence of the mechanism and dynamics responsible for decoupling the above- and below-ground processes.
Alpha2-adrenergic agonists selectively activate extracellular signal-regulated kinases in Müller cells in vivo.

PURPOSE. a2-Adrenergic agonists have specific and selective effects on the retina to induce expression of basic fibroblast growth factor and to protect photoreceptors. This work explores the signaling pathway that mediates these effects. METHODS. a2-Adrenergic agonists xylazine and clonidine were administered systemically to male adult Sprague-Dawley rats. The activation state of extracellular signal-regulated kinases (ERKs) in the retina was assessed by immunoblot analysis, using antibodies that specifically recognize the dually phosphorylated forms of p44/p42 ERKs. Localization of phosphorylated ERKs was determined by immunocytochemistry. RESULTS. Intramuscular injection of 6 mg/kg xylazine induced an increase in ERK phosphorylation in the retina within 30 minutes that lasted 3 hours. Xylazine induced ERK phosphorylation at 1 mg/kg and reached a maximum at 10 mg/kg. Injection of clonidine also induced ERK phosphorylation in the retina. Yohimbine, a specific a2-adrenergic antagonist, completely prevented the induction of ERK phosphorylation. Immunocytochemical studies showed that the increase in ERK phosphorylation occurred mainly in Miiller cells. In the brain, xylazine injection resulted in a decrease in ERK phosphorylation. CONCLUSIONS. Our results indicate that systemically administered a2-adrenergic agonists selectively activate ERKs in retinal Miiller cells. The induced activation of ERKs in Miiller cells is probably one of the early events that result in photoreceptor protection. These results also indicate that Miiller cells are unique in response to a2-adrenergic agonists and imply a role for Miiller cells in a2-adrenergic agonist-induced photoreceptor protection. (Invest Ophthalmol Vis Sci. 1998;39: 1721-1726)
Place-Based Practice: Landscape and Artistic Identity in an Elementary Art Classroom

The desert and mountains where Molly and I grew up had a profound influence on our sense of self and our artistic practice. Molly describes her experiences with connecting place to her own artistic...
The fourth "o" in eye care-ocularists.

The author provides an introduction to the work of ocularists, eye professionals whose work is to restore the appearance of a removed eye with custom-molded and painted prosthetics. Virtual Mentor is a monthly bioethics journal published by the American Medical Association.
Pass it on: social networks stymie censors

Many countries exploit control over the Internet infrastructure to block access to "grey" materials. One common way to access blocked contents is to relay traffic via an unblocked proxy operating outside the censored domain. This paper discusses the challenges facing any proxy-based circumvention system and argues that a successful system should disseminate proxies' addresses to legitimate users while shielding the addresses from the censor who, posing as a user, could learn of and block the proxies themselves.We propose Kaleidoscope, a circumvention system that disseminates proxy addresses over a social network whose links correspond to existing real world social relationships among users. Kaleidoscope ensures each node learns only a small, consistent subset of the proxies. Because the censor is unlikely to subvert a large fraction of the social graph, he is not able to learn of, and thus block, a large number of proxies.
Chapter 103 – Depression

Depression is a devastating neurobiological disorder shaped by environmental stressors with profound societal impact. Not only is depression a primary mood disorder, it is commonly found in patients with other psychiatric and general medical illnesses, leading to considerable morbidity and mortality. Research into the underpinnings and treatments of depression have traditionally centered on understanding the pharmacological effects of medications that were largely discovered through serendipity. Advances in genetics, cellular and molecular biology, and brain imaging are providing the necessary tools to elucidate the complex and numerous etiologies of depression and potentials for treatment. Evolution of nonmedication (both psychotherapy and device-based treatments) occurring concurrently with the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, fifth edition (DSM-5) updates of the diagnostic criteria for depression auger a more precise understanding of this disease and its treatment. Characterizing specific and validated endophenotypes of depression will rely on gains made through scientific advances. The development of clinical biomarkers of depressive endophenotypes should allow for the development of both novel diagnostic tests, as well as predictors of treatment response—true personalized medicine.
A GPU Parallel Approximation Algorithm for Scheduling Parallel Identical Machines to Minimize Makespan

We present a parallel approximation algorithm for the problem of scheduling jobs on parallel identical machines to minimize makespan which is designed and optimized for running efficiently on the GPU. The algorithm is a Polynomial Time Approximation Scheme (PTAS) based on a higher-dimensional dynamic programming approach, where dimensionality refers to the number of variables in the dynamic programming equation characterizing the problem. The main component of our design consists of a novel data-partitioning technique that is employed to accelerate the higher-dimensional dynamic programming component of the algorithm. We present performance results to demonstrate how our proposed design improves the GPU utilization and makes it possible to solve large higher-dimensional dynamic programming problems with the limited GPU memory. Experimental results show that the GPU implementation outperforms the optimized OpenMP implementation of the approximation algorithm.
They are not all the same: immigrant enterprises, transnationalism, and development*

The literature on immigrant entrepreneurship in the advanced countries tends to paint these initiatives in homogeneous colors. A debate lingers as well on the economic returns to self-employment by...
Re-thinking How We Teach Quality Improvement: Adding Meaning to an ACGME Requirement.

Many residency programs have struggled to meaningfully meet the ACGME quality improvement (QI) requirements. Similarly, our residents were receiving limited QI education, and their longitudinal projects were ineffective. Create an integrated didactic and experiential learning environment that equips residents to become leaders of QI. Internal medicine (IM) residency program of 45 residents in a large community hospital. This curriculum included eight content areas. Games, real-life application, and project celebrations cultivated engagement. Sessions occurred during residents’ 2-week outpatient rotations. Project development was standardized. The QI Knowledge Application Tool-Revised (QIKAT-R) and separate surveys were used before and after the curriculum’s implementation to evaluate resident QI knowledge and confidence, respectively. We also tracked QI scholarship and faculty engagement. Mean QIKAT-R scores improved significantly from 7.0 (SD 2.9) at baseline to 16.6 (SD 4.7) post-curriculum (n = 37 pairs, p = 0.043). Residents’ adverse event reporting increased from 44% (19/43) at baseline to 90% (28/31) post-curriculum. Seven presentations were accepted for local, regional, and national conferences, compared with one presentation the preceding year. A QI curriculum can be successfully integrated in a “4 + 2” program.
Bitter melon juice-intake modulates glucose metabolism and lactate efflux in tumors in its efficacy against pancreatic cancer

The established role of bitter melon juice (BMJ), a natural product, in activating master metabolic regulator adenosine monophosphate-activated protein kinase in pancreatic cancer (PanC) cells served as a basis for pursuing deeper investigation into the underlying metabolic alterations leading to BMJ efficacy in PanC. We investigated the comparative metabolic profiles of PanC cells with differential KRAS mutational status on BMJ exposure. Specifically, we employed nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) metabolomics and in vivo imaging platforms to understand the relevance of altered metabolism in PanC management by BMJ. Multinuclear NMR metabolomics was performed, as a function of time, post-BMJ treatment followed by partial least square discriminant analysis assessments on the quantitative metabolic data sets to visualize the treatment group clustering; altered glucose uptake, lactate export and energy state were identified as the key components responsible for cell death induction. We next employed PANC1 xenograft model for assessing in vivo BMJ efficacy against PanC. Positron emission tomography ([18FDG]-PET) and magnetic resonance imaging on PANC1 tumor-bearing animals reiterated the in vitro results, with BMJ-associated significant changes in tumor volumes, tumor cellularity and glucose uptake. Additional studies in BMJ-treated PanC cells and xenografts displayed a strong decrease in the expression of glucose and lactate transporters GLUT1 and MCT4, respectively, supporting their role in metabolic changes by BMJ. Collectively, these results highlight BMJ-induced modification in PanC metabolomics phenotype and establish primarily lactate efflux and glucose metabolism, specifically GLUT1 and MCT4 transporters, as the potential metabolic targets underlying BMJ efficacy in PanC.
Beam dynamics issues for the two-frequency crab cavity short pulse scheme

Adding two crab cavities with different frequency in a storage ring allows production of long and short x-ray pulses simultaneously for all beam lines.
Reimagining an Oral Presentation Assignment as a TED Talk Improves Student Oral Presentations, Leading to More Significant Learning

An oral presentation assignment in a Physical Chemistry course was reimagined as a TED talk. The presentation is part of a larger course project which includes consideration of what traits mark goo...
Work-In-Progress: IoT Device Signature Validation

Fingerprinting is an important technique for identifying and characterizing devices on a network in a manner that is resistant to spoofing. Current works describe methods which are limited to identifying one particular component of a device. This paper begins to look at ways in which multiple disparate, but complementary, approaches can be used concurrently to develop a more complete hardware and software profile of network devices and their capabilities. Doing so is particularly important in heterogeneous Internet of Things networks. In this paper we propose a method for synthesizing existing fingerprinting methods based on existing procols and commonly available equipment to create a single consistent, validated, and spoof-resistant profile of network devices. Furthermore, we present and describe the architecture of a prototype system we have constructed which will be used for further study and future work.
Racialized Social Class Pedagogical Praxis: Critical Compassion, "Cariño," "Respeto" and "Confianza".

This article explores the ways in which high school teachers understand their students in relation to their own racialized social class backgrounds. It problematizes ethnic outsider inabilities to engage teaching philosophies and practices, which render teachers unable to create constructive dialogues with students that have been marginalized in the culture of schooling. Given classed, raced, and gendered past practices in education and their schooling trajectory, which have historically truncated their potential mobility, this study is mediated by racial social class positions, which veil issues that intersect with structural inequalities. As such, this case study explores teacher/student engagements, focusing on reproduction of consciousness as unrealized teacher/learner schooling interactions. It is framed in contradiction to normative teaching practices, problematizing the absences of critical pedagogy in instruction, as it suggests alternative venues from an empowered perspective.
Relapsing Polychondritis Requiring Orthotopic Heart Transplant Despite Coronary Artery Bypass and Surgical Aortic Valve Replacement

A 32-year-old man with a history of relapsing polychondritis presented with acute coronary syndrome due to aortitis with ostial coronary artery involvement from his underlying autoimmune condition. Concomitant aortic insufficiency with ostial coronary lesions is a rare complication of relapsing polychondritis, requiring a multidisciplinary team approach for management. (Level of Difficulty: Advanced.).
Guidelines for Imaging the Choriocapillaris Using OCT Angiography.

Purpose To provide guidance on how to appropriately quantitate various choriocapillaris (CC) parameters with optical coherence tomography angiography (OCTA). Design Evidence-based perspective. Methods Review of literature and experience of authors. Results Accurate and reliable quantification of CC using OCTA requires that CC can be visualized and that the measurements of various CC parameters are validated. For accurate visualization, the selected CC slab must be physiologically sound, must produce images consistent with histology, and must yield qualitatively similar images when viewing repeats of the same scan or scans of different sizes. For accurate quantification, the measured intercapillary distances (ICDs) should be consistent with known measurements using histology and adaptive optics and/or OCTA, the selected CC parameters must be physiologically and physically meaningful based on the resolution of the instrument and the density of the scans, the selected algorithm for CC binarization must be appropriate and generate meaningful results, and the CC measurements calculated from multiple scans of the same and different sizes should be quantitatively similar. If the Phansalkar local thresholding method is used, then its parameters must be optimized for CC based on the OCTA instrument and scan patterns used. It is recommended that the window radius used in the Phansalkar method should be related to the expected average ICD in normal eyes. Conclusions Quantitative analysis of CC using commercially available OCTA instruments is complicated, and researchers need to tailor their strategies based on the instrument, scan patterns, anatomy, and thresholding strategies to achieve accurate and reliable measurements.
Multi-scale Economic Dynamics: The Micro–Macro Wealth Dynamics and the Two-Level Imbalances of the Euro Crisis

We introduce a system of ordinary differential equations to model the micro–macro wealth dynamics of interactions between international enterprise competitiveness and the macroeconomic growth as an open system. The novelty of the approach is to postulate dynamic interaction between domestic and foreign companies and link this interaction to the GDP growth. The objective is to construct a micro–macro wealth dynamic model. By analyzing the market share data of the retail industry of 13 largest Eurozone countries as a system, our model suggests that the predator–prey relation exists. Under certain regimes, it is shown that foreign companies have a negative contribution to the GDP growth. Such dynamics reveals two levels of imbalances: company competitiveness and national economic growth.
Tensile behavior and inelastic strain recovery of Cu-Co nanolaminates

Abstract The mechanical response of macroscale metallic samples is typically determined using the uniaxial tensile test, which provides a direct measure of critical properties such as Young's modulus and yield strength. However, due to experimental challenges, uniaxial tensile tests have seldom been used for studying the mechanical behavior of metallic nanolaminates. Here, we use a custom-made MEMS device to study the quasi-static, uniaxial tensile behavior of Cu-Co nanolaminates with four different layer thicknesses (h = 2, 4, 8 and 16 nm). Our experiments reveal a peak in the yield strength at h = 4 nm, while the Young's modulus is independent of h. Surprisingly, the nanolaminates recover significant amount (> 60%) of inelastic deformation during and after unloading, and this recovery is enhanced by an increase in temperature. Possible mechanisms for this unusual strain recovery in Cu-Co nanolaminates are discussed.
The Impact of Media Coverage on Voluntary Disclosure

Prior research establishes that media coverage can influence manager behavior by broadly distributing information and directing the attention of investors and other stakeholders. In this study, I investigate whether and how firm-specific media coverage affects managers' voluntary disclosure decisions. I show that prior media coverage is positively associated with the both the likelihood of issuing management guidance and the quantity of guidance issued. The relation between media coverage and guidance is stronger for firms in which investors have a greater ability to influence managers’ voluntary disclosure decisions, for media coverage from more credible news sources, and for media articles that disseminate information quickly rather than provide additional commentary. Firms with more media coverage are also significantly more likely to hold earnings conference calls, speak more during conference calls, and issue more press releases. Using both a quasi-natural experiment and instrumental variable setting to generate plausibly exogenous variation in media coverage, I find evidence consistent with my main results. My study suggests that media coverage affects investor demand for public disclosure and provides new insights into the influence of the media on manager behavior.
CMP Defect Reduction and Mitigation: Practices and Future Trends

An exponential correlation is found to exist between the number of added defects on polished blanket wafers and the inverse of defect size for particulate CMP defects. Smaller surface defects are much more abundant and more difficult to remove. Pad surface pore geometry can influence the transport of debris during polish, and hence modulate the generation of defects such as polish residue (PR), foreign materials (FM), and scratches. The conditioner and conditioning process also plays a role. Besides the selection and optimization of cleaning chemical and post cleaning process itself, overall CMP defect reduction and mitigation must take into account the events and consumables in the polish modules. The drive towards finer and 3D device geometry presents further challenges in defect detection and reduction.
12. Other Devices for Tissue Approximation

Techniques and instruments for tissue approximation have evolved dramatically since the dawn of surgical history. For millennia, surgical needles and thread were some of the only tools available to surgeons for approximating tissues and closing wounds. While these basic tools still occupy a crucial role in current surgical practice, modern surgeons have a variety of additional sophisticated tissue approximation devices at their disposal. This chapter presents an overview of currently available and frequently used laparoscopic tissue approximation devices including linear and circular staplers, tissue fastener devices, clip appliers, ligating loops, and tissue glues. Considerations for the proper selection and use of these devices, as well as common pitfalls, are discussed.
Object-Oriented Software Design and Construction with Java

From the Publisher: Object-Oriented Software Design and Construction with Java integrates a presentation of concepts of object-oriented programming, issues in software engineering, and features of the Java language. The text strikes a good balance between a book that assumes familiarity with programming, and a book that assumes no background in computer science material. This approach is particularly excellent for the second-year student (or above) since it assumes the reader has a basic knowledge of C syntax and programming.