cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
A distributed dynamic channel and packet assignment for wireless multimedia traffic

This paper proposes a dynamic channel and packet assignment (DCPA) scheme to serve efficiently circuit-switching (e.g., voice traffic) and packet-switching (e.g., Internet traffic) communications in wireless cellular networks. The DCPA, as a distributed-controlled scheme, assigns channels or packet-slots to handoff and new calls based on their traffic type and channel status of cells. Simulation results, based on a circuit-switching and packet-switching traffic model, show that the DPCA scheme provides better QoS than a dynamic channel allocation scheme designed for circuit-switching communications only.
Coordination of suck-swallow and swallow respiration in preterm infants

Safe oral feeding of infants necessitates the coordination of suck-swallow-breathe. Healthy full-term infants demonstrate such skills at birth. But, preterm infants are known to have difficulty in the transition from tube to oral feeding. Aim: To examine the relationship between suck and swallow and between swallow and breathe. It is hypothesized that greater milk transfer results from an increase in bolus size and/or swallowing frequency, and an improved swallow-breathe interaction. Methods: Twelve healthy preterm (<30 wk of gestation) and 8 full-term infants were recruited. Sucking (suction and expression), swallowing, and respiration were recorded simultaneously when the preterm infants began oral feeding (i.e. taking 1–2 oral feedings/d) and at 6–8 oral feedings/d. The full-term infants were similarly monitored during their first and 2nd to 4th weeks. Rate of milk transfer (ml/min) was used as an index of oral feeding performance. Sucking and swallowing frequencies (#/min), average bolus size (ml), and suction amplitude (mmHg) were measured. Results: The rate of milk transfer in the preterm infants increased over time and was correlated with average bolus size and swallowing frequency. Average bolus size was not correlated with swallowing frequency. Bolus size was correlated with suction amplitude, whereas the frequency of swallowing was correlated with sucking frequency. Preterm infants swallowed preferentially at different phases of respiration than those of their full-term counterparts. Conclusion: As feeding performance improved, sucking and swallowing frequency, bolus size, and suction amplitude increased. It is speculated that feeding difficulties in preterm infants are more likely to result from inappropriate swallow-respiration interfacing than suck-swallow interaction.
Diagnostic Potential of Urinary α1-Antitrypsin and Apolipoprotein E in the Detection of Bladder Cancer

Purpose: The ability to reliably diagnose bladder cancer in voided urine samples would be a major advance. Using high throughput technologies, we identified a panel of bladder cancer associated biomarkers with potential clinical usefulness. In this study we tested 4 potential biomarkers for the noninvasive detection of bladder cancer.Materials and Methods: We examined voided urine specimens from 124 patients, including 63 newly diagnosed with bladder cancer and 61 controls. Concentrations of proteins were assessed by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay, including α1-antitrypsin, apolipoprotein E, osteopontin and pentraxin 3. Data were compared to the results of urinary cytology and the BTA Trak® enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay based bladder cancer detection assay. We used the AUC of ROC curves to compare the usefulness of each biomarker to detect bladder cancer.Results: Urinary levels of α1-antitrypsin, apolipoprotein E and bladder tumor antigen were significantly increased in subjects with bladder cancer...
Teaching Bank Runs through Films.

The author advocates the use of films to supplement textbook treatments of bank runs and panics in money and banking or general banking classes. Modern students, particularly those in developed countries, tend to be unfamiliar with potential fragilities of financial systems such as a lack of deposit insurance or other safety net mechanisms. Films provide a dramatic example of the panic and uncertainty experienced by depositors and banks during bank runs. Students learn the value of deposit insurance and the types of informational asymmetries safety net mechanisms overcome. The author provides examples of assignments given in the past and possible extensions.
Prosaptide™ D5, a retro-inverso 11-mer peptidomimetic, rescued dopaminergic neurons in a model of Parkinson’s disease

SPECIFIC AIMSOur aim was to evaluate the efficacy of ProsaptideTM D5, a bioactive protease-resistant 11-mer retro-inverso trophic peptidomimetic of prosaposion, in a model of Parkinson’s disease (PD). Experiments were devised to test the efficacy of ProsaptideTM D5 both in vitro and in vivo in the rescue of dopaminergic (DA) neurons from MPP+/MPTP toxicity, a specific toxin for DA neurons.PRINCIPAL FINDINGS1. ProsaptideTM D5 promoted neurite outgrowth and rescued DA neuron from MPP+ toxicity in the primary culture of DA neuronsThe addition of MPP+ (48 h incubation at 20 μM) significantly inhibited neurite outgrowth of primary DA neurons; after addition of MPP+, the average number of neurites per neuron decreased to 55% (primary neurites) and 34% (secondary neurites) of controls, respectively, and the neurites were also shorter in length (Fig. 1B⤻ ). ProsaptideTM D5 treatment (1 ng/ml) promoted neurite outgrowth in the presence of MPP+ (Fig. 1C⤻ , D⤻ ); the numbers of both primary and secondary neurites we...
Antennal Drumming, Trophallaxis, and Colony Development in the Social Wasp Polistes fuscatus (Hymenoptera: Vespidae)

Parental care is an important component of social behavior in both vertebrates and invertebrates. Social wasps are a useful system for investigating the interplay between behaviors associated with the feeding of larvae by adults and their role in the evolution and maintenance of sociality. Females of the primitively eusocial wasp genus Polistes perform conspicuous vibratory behaviors closely associated with adult–larva feeding interactions. Prior research strongly indicates that these signals are directed toward the larvae, but their function(s) remain unclear. Existing hypotheses on the function(s) have posited releaser effects on larvae, either stimulating or inhibiting release of larval saliva, a nutrient-rich glandular secretion attractive to adults. Polistes fuscatus queens perform antennal drumming (AD), a behavior in which they rapidly beat their antennae synchronously on the rims of the nest cells during the feeding of larvae. We used radiolabeled prey to show that adults extract juice from the prey, which they subsequently regurgitate to larvae immediately following each AD burst. We also show that no saliva is imbibed by the queen during the contact. These results are consistent with the inhibition hypothesis on the function of AD, but not the stimulation hypothesis. We further demonstrate that AD is first performed on nests when the oldest larvae reach the third instar, and that the third instar is the first to produce measurable volumes of larval saliva. Removal of third-, fourth-, and ⁄ or fifth-instar larvae from single-foundress, pre-pupal-stage colonies did not cause a reduction in the queen’s AD rates compared with controls, suggesting that later-stage larvae do not maintain AD behavior via an immediate releaser effect. We propose instead that third-instar larvae, possibly via chemical components of the salivary secretion itself, modulate the physiology of queens so as to indirectly cause the onset and maintenance of AD behavior.
Transport of viral-size particulate matter after intravenous versus intralymphatic entry.

Objective:Investigation of the transport of viral-size particles after intravenous versus intralymphatic injection and the functional validity of lymphatico-venous communications. Methods:In the canine model, [99mTc] sulfur colloid particles (100–200 nm) were injected into either the principal vein or into the main lymphatic channel exposed at the paw. Samples of blood and lymph were collected at the groin from the cannulated femoral vein and from a major lymphatic vessel. Parameters including particle arrival time, concentration, flux, and accumulation were determined for a 45-minute period using gamma counting. Results:After intralymphatic injection, particles arrived in the venous blood in an average of 4 seconds. The mean arrival time of particles in the lymph after intravenous injection was 25.4 ± 6.44 minutes. Intralymphatic injection increased lymph flow and enhanced particle transport. Concentration values in the venous blood after intralymphatic injection and in lymph after intravenous injection ...
Converting smooth muscle cells to macrophage-like cells with KLF4 in atherosclerotic plaques

Atherosclerosis is the primary cause of heart attacks and strokes and is caused by a chronic inflammatory response in the coronary and carotid arteries. A new study shows that smooth muscle cells within atherosclerotic plaques can change phenotypes to become macrophage-like cells, thereby revealing the remarkable plasticity of these cells.
United We Stand

Abstract On September 11, 2001, almost 3000 people died due to terrorist attacks on U.S. soil. Almost all Americans were shocked and saddened by these attacks and agreed that those responsible must be brought to justice. However, not everyone had the same views. College students at two midwestern universities were surveyed. On 13 of 21 questions, there were significant bivariate differences between White and Nonwhite students. Generally, the differences between the two groups of students continued even in multivariate analysis after controlling for the effects of gender, age, and academic level.
Studying Speaking to Inform Second Language Learning

There seems to be an ever-widening gap between practitioners and researchers: a disconnect that never seems to close. This relationship--or perhaps lack of relationship--was perhaps no better evidenced than in one of the opening colloquia at TESOL 2004 Long Beach. Panelists included Diane Larsen-Freeman, Patricia Duff, and David Nunan, among others. These researchers have long been active in our field and have held leadership roles in the American Association for Applied Linguistics (AAAL) as well as in TESOL. The panelists addressed the concerns of many TESOLers on the relationship between AAAL and TESOL.
Collaborating constitutive and somatic genetic events in myeloid malignancies: ASXL1 mutations in patients with germline GATA2 mutations

Recently, major advances in our understanding of the pathogenesis of sporadic myelodysplastic syndromes (MDS) and acute myeloid leukemia (AML) have been made through unbiased gene discovery approaches. Similar advances have been made in understanding the genetic basis of rare cases of familial MDS
On building entity recommender systems using user click log and freebase knowledge

Due to their commercial value, search engines and recommender systems have become two popular research topics in both industry and academia over the past decade. Although these two fields have been actively and extensively studied separately, researchers are beginning to realize the importance of the scenarios at their intersection: providing an integrated search and information discovery user experience. In this paper, we study a novel application, i.e., personalized entity recommendation for search engine users, by utilizing user click log and the knowledge extracted from Freebase. To better bridge the gap between search engines and recommender systems, we first discuss important heuristics and features of the datasets. We then propose a generic, robust, and time-aware personalized recommendation framework to utilize these heuristics and features at different granularity levels. Using movie recommendation as a case study, with user click log dataset collected from a widely used commercial search engine, we demonstrate the effectiveness of our proposed framework over other popular and state-of-the-art recommendation techniques.
Gain-bandwidth product optimization of heterostructure avalanche photodiodes

A generalized history-dependent recurrence theory for the time-response analysis is derived for avalanche photodiodes with multilayer, heterojunction multiplication regions. The heterojunction multiplication region considered consists of two layers: a high-bandgap Al/sub 0.6/Ga/sub 0.4/As energy-buildup layer, which serves to heat up the primary electrons, and a GaAs layer, which serves as the primary avalanching layer. The model is used to optimize the gain-bandwidth product (GBP) by appropriate selection of the width of the energy-buildup layer for a given width of the avalanching layer. The enhanced GBP is a direct consequence of the heating of primary electrons in the energy-buildup layer, which results in a reduced first dead space for the carriers that are injected into the avalanche-active GaAs layer. This effect is akin to the initial-energy effect previously shown to enhance the excess-noise factor characteristics in thin avalanche photodiodes (APDs). Calculations show that the GBP optimization is insensitive to the operational gain and the optimized APD also minimizes the excess-noise factor.
A "structural" water molecule in the family of fatty acid binding proteins.

A single water molecule (w135), buried within the structure of rat intestinal fatty acid binding protein (I-FABP), is investigated by NMR, molecular dynamics simulations, and analysis of known crystal structures. An ordered water molecule was found in structurally analogous position in 24 crystal structures of nine different members of the family of fatty acid binding proteins. There is a remarkable conservation of the local structure near the w135 binding site among different proteins from this family. NMR cross-relaxation measurements imply that w135 is present in the I-FABP:ANS (1-sulfonato-8-(1′)anilinonaphthalene) complex in solution with the residence time of >300 ps. Mean-square positional fluctuations of w135 oxygen observed in MD simulations (0.18 and 0.13 A2) are comparable in magnitude to fluctuations exhibited by the backbone atoms and result from highly constrained binding pocket as revealed by Voronoi volumes (averages of 27.0 ± 1.8 A3 and 24.7 ± 2.2 A3 for the two simulations). Escape of w135 from its binding pocket was observed only in one MD simulation. The escape process was initiated by interactions with external water molecules and was accompanied by large deformations in β-strands D and E. Immediately before the release, w135 assumed three distinct states that differ in hydrogen bonding topology and persisted for about 15 ps each. Computer simulations suggest that escape of w135 from the I-FABP matrix is primarily determined by conformational fluctuations of the protein backbone and interactions with external water molecules.
Controlling Drug Use

This article suggests that society can reduce drug-related harms by encouraging responsible, healthy drug use. To this end, drug users themselves should be included in conversations about drugs. Though drug users have historically developed and disseminated norms and traditions that have helped people control their drug use, their voices have generally been excluded from the dominant discourse on drugs. Often, they are relegated to the status of objects to be studied, cured, or punished. This results from the war making approach to drugs, characterized by attempts to eliminate certain drugs identified by authorities as dangerous. Instead, peacemaking theory suggests that responsible drug use can be encouraged through open conversations that include everyone willing to share.
Eves Journey: Feminine Images in Hebraic Literary Tradition.

Nehama Aschkenasy Eves Journey: Feminine Images in Hebraic Literary Tradition Philadelphia: University of Pennsylvania Press, 1986. ISBN 0-8122-8033-4. Hardcover, $36.95. Pp. xv+269.
Dual baseline triangulation

A new method for passive ranging based on the principle of triangulation is considered. The proposed orthogonal dual baseline scheme eliminates the well known "geometric dilution" effect, inherent in single baseline methods. The performance of each of the two orthogonal baselines depends on target orientation. A general expression for the maximum triangulation range consistent with limitations in minimum tolerance precision in range estimation is derived. Limitations in the dual baseline model due to physical limitations created by the geometrically assessed optical horizon are also considered. >
Angle-of-attack sensor analysis and calibration method for a heavy jet transport

This paper describes a method that has been used to install and calibrate angle-of-attack (AOA) vane sensors on out-of-production jet transport aircraft that have never been equipped with such sensors. The calibration process is accomplished without using a boom-mounted AOA sensor which is commonly used during new aircraft certification flight testing. Instead, a commercial AOA vane sensor is installed on the fuselage and then flight test data is collected under conditions that allow measurements of actual AOA using accelerometers and the aircraft attitude gyros. The flight data is analyzed to extract the actual AOA and generate the transformation that maps the output from the AOA vane sensor to actual AOA.
Hybridization and reproductive isolation between diploid Erythronium mesochoreum and its tetraploid congener E. albidum (Liliaceae)

Polyploidy has played an important role in angiosperm diversification, but how polyploidy contributes to reproductive isolation remains poorly understood. Most work has focused on postzygotic reproductive barriers, and the influence of ploidy differences on prezygotic barriers is understudied. To address these gaps, we quantified hybrid occurrence, interspecific self-compatibility differences, and the contributions of multiple pre- and postzygotic barriers to reproductive isolation between diploid Erythronium mesochoreum (Liliaceae) and its tetraploid congener Erythronium albidum. Reproductive isolation between the study species was nearly complete, and naturally occurring hybrids were infrequent and largely sterile. Although postzygotic barriers effected substantial reproductive isolation when considered in isolation, the study species' spatial distributions and pollinator assemblages overlapped little, such that interspecific pollen transfer is likely uncommon. We did not find evidence that E. albidum and E. mesochoreum differed in mating systems, indicating that self-incompatibility release may not have fostered speciation in this system. Ultimately, we demonstrate that E. albidum and E. mesochoreum are reproductively isolated by multiple, hierarchically-operating barriers, and we add to the currently limited number of studies demonstrating that early acting barriers such as pollinator-mediated isolation can be important for effecting and sustaining reproductive isolation in diploid-polyploid systems.
Financial Dependence of Young Adults with Childhood ADHD

This study used data from the Pittsburgh ADHD Longitudinal Study (PALS) to evaluate financial outcomes of young adults (YA) with ADHD relative to comparisons. Participants for this study included 309 individuals who had been diagnosed with ADHD (DSM-III-R or DSM-IV) in childhood and 208 comparison YA without childhood ADHD diagnoses (total N = 517) who were followed through age 25. Participants were predominately male (88 %) and Caucasian (84 %). Diagnostic interviews were conducted in childhood. Young adults and their parents reported on financial outcomes and a number of predictor variables. Young adults with ADHD experienced greater financial dependence on family members (p < 0.05) and the welfare system (p < 0.01) and had lower earnings (p < 0.05) than comparisons. ADHD diagnostic status, education attainment, and delinquency were significant predictors of financial outcomes. A projection of lifetime earnings indicated that ADHD group participants could expect to earn $543,000-$616,000 less over their lifetimes than comparisons. Due to the propensity of individuals with ADHD to underreport problems, the data are likely to be underestimates. These findings support the need for interventions to improve labor market outcomes as well as the development of interventions that target the management of personal finances for individuals with ADHD in young adulthood.
Strengthening our child abuse response system.

Medical professionals are often the people who see children first, whether in the safety of a private office, clinic or an emergency room. Your ability to recognize and understand the symptoms of child abuse and neglect, your readiness to report findings to the report line and your availability to provide expert witness testimony are critical to the effectiveness of the child abuse response system in Delaware. Language: en
Oncofetal Epigenetic Bivalency in Breast Cancer Cells: H3K4 and H3K27 Tri-Methylation as a Biomarker for Phenotypic Plasticity

Alterations in the epigenetic landscape are fundamental drivers of aberrant gene expression that contribute to cancer progression and pathology. Understanding specific modes of epigenetic regulation can be used to identify novel biomarkers or targets for therapeutic intervention to clinically treat solid tumors and leukemias. The bivalent marking of gene promoters by H3K4me3 and H3K27me3 is a primary mechanism to poise genes for expression in pluripotent embryonic stem cells (ESC). In this study we interrogated three well-established mammary cell lines to model epigenetic programming observed among breast cancer subtypes. Evidence is provided for a distinct bivalent signature, activating and repressive histone marks co-residing at the same gene promoter, in the MCF7 (ESR/PGR+) luminal breast cancer cell line. We identified a subset of genes, enriched for developmental pathways that regulate cellular phenotype and signaling, and partially recapitulate the bivalent character observed in ESC. We validated the biological relevance of this "oncofetal epigenetic" signature using data from ESR/PGR+ tumor samples from breast cancer patients. This signature of oncofetal epigenetic control is an informative biomarker and may provide novel therapeutic targets, selective for both recurring and treatment-resistant cancers. J. Cell. Physiol. 231: 2474-2481, 2016. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Gordon Tullock as a political scientist

We consider Gordon Tullock’s impact in political science, focusing on his influence as a scholar and as an academic entrepreneur. It is common to think of Tullock as a “natural economist,” but his formal training at Chicago encompassed considerable coursework related to political science. We consider three sources of information to draw conclusions about Tullock’s contributions in political science: (1) Course syllabi; (2) Citations in academic political science journals; and (3) Impact on the careers of important political scientists, and shaping the intellectual agenda. Our conclusion is that, while Tullock’s work is clearly significant for central questions in political science, and has received some attention, his primary legacy lies in the impact he had on launching and shaping the careers of prominent political scientists, and thus the development of political science scholarship.
Catechol O-methyltransferase (COMT) mRNA expression in the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex of patients with schizophrenia.

Human prefrontal cortical neurons express catechol O-methyltransferase (COMT), an enzyme that inactivates the neurotransmitter dopamine. A functional polymorphism of COMT, Val108/158 Met, affects prefrontal function, and the high-activity Val allele has been reported to be a genetic risk factor for schizophrenia. We used in situ hybridization histochemistry to measure mRNA levels of COMT in the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (DLPFC) of patients with schizophrenia (N=14) and of normal controls (N=15). While the groups did not differ in terms of mean level of COMT mRNA, there was a significantly different laminar pattern of COMT mRNA expression in pyramidal neurons (F=2.68, df=4,108, P<0.04); patients with schizophrenia had relatively lower levels in the superficial (II/III) layers and higher levels in the intermediate/deep (IV/V) layers (P<0.01), while in controls, the expression was homogeneous across layers. Neither the mean level nor the laminar distribution of COMT mRNA was related to the Val108/158 Met genotype, suggesting that the feedback regulation of mRNA level is not a compensation for the functional effect of the COMT polymorphism. The disease-related laminar difference of COMT expression may be involved in dysregulation of dopamine signaling circuits in the DLPFC of patients with schizophrenia.
Biological value of rangeland grasshoppers as a protein concentrate.

Grasshoppers collected on rangelands in the Rolling Plains of Texas were analyzed for crude protein, gross energy, phosphorus, calcium, ash, and amino acids. Dried grasshopper meal contained over 70% crude protein, over 5000 calories per gram gross energy and was higher in essential amino acids than the F.A.O. pattern except for methionine. Grasshopper meal proved unsatisfactory for rapid growth of weanling rats in a 10-day feeding trial, as a result of insufficient methionine content, or low digestibility of protein in grasshopper meal. The actual protein content of grasshopper meal may be somewhat less than was determined in this study by a macro-Kjeldahl procedure due to the presence of non protein nitrogen.
A Reversible Photoacid Functioning in PBS Buffer under Visible Light

A metastable-state photoacid that can reversibly release a proton in PBS buffer (pH = 7.4) under visible light is reported. The design is based on the dual acid–base property and tautomerization of indazole. The quantum yield was as high as 0.73, and moderate light intensity (102 μmol·m2·s–1) is sufficient for the photoreaction. Reversible pH change of 1.7 units was demonstrated using a 0.1 mM aqueous solution. This type of photoacid is promising for control of proton-transfer processes in physiological conditions and may find applications in biomedical areas.
Cardioprotective and disease preventive effects of traditional and novel green leafy vegetables

C disease (CVD) is the leading cause of morbidity and mortality in the United States as well as globally. Although the consumption of green leafy vegetables (GLVs) has been demonstrated to reduce the risks associated with cardiovascular and other diseases, very little attention has been devoted to the traditional and relatively novel GLVs available to individuals most at risk. Our research examined the influence of collard greens, purslane and sweet potato greens, supplemented into the diet of spontaneously hypertensive rats over a 6 week period, on the hepatic fatty acid profile. This research revealed that consumption of diets containing these GLVs resulted in improved fatty acid profiles, namely decreased saturated fatty acid percentages and increased polyunsaturated and omega-3 fatty acid percentages. These findings suggest the ability of GLVs to modulate the hepatic fatty acid composition, thus attenuating elevations in atherogenic fatty acids, which may be implicated in CVD pathogenesis. Other research studies with these GLVs have yielded similar observations, with the cardioprotective benefits of these vegetables increasing with decreasing dietary omega-6/omega-3 fatty acid ratios. Future research will focus on extensively investigating the influence of these diets on the cardiovascular system and other biological systems. As CVD is both exacerbated by and exacerbates other co-morbities and endocrine disorders, which may adversely affect the cardiovascular system, efforts to mitigate CVD should involve an integrative approach, with practical and accessible intervention strategies particularly among those at highest risk.
Designing clinical trials for quality and impact: The department of veterans affairs approach to developing a cooperative study

Clinical trials have a particular significance within the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) for advancing the health and care of our nation’s heroes who have served their country. The VA Cooperative Studies Program (CSP) is a quality-based organization that helps support the agency’s mission by specializing in the design and conduct of multisite clinical research studies. Investigators interested in receiving funding from CSP partner with CSP centers to go through a rigorous process intended to address critical clinical, scientific and operational factors prior to approval. The ability to work within the nation’s largest integrated healthcare system and to collaborate with other federal and industry organizations has resulted in an extensive history of accomplishments in procedural and other clinical trials aimed at changing practice. This chapter describes CSP and its national clinical research network, the processes for developing a multisite clinical trial, and the larger quality framework under which such cooperative studies are conducted. It also highlights several procedural trials to provide examples of the type of research that can be done. Key considerations for investigators during planning and design activities are also provided to facilitate innovative approaches to developing impactful studies that help address questions with more direct applications within a clinical setting.
Further Evidence that Creativity and Innovation are Inhibited by Conservative Thinking: Analyses of the 2016 Presidential Election

The investigation replicated and extended previous research showing a negative relationship between conservatism and creative accomplishment. Conservatism was estimated, as in previous research, from voting patterns. The voting data used here were from the 2016 US Presidential election. The number of patents granted per county in the United States was used as estimate of creative and innovative accomplishment. Using a 2-level multilevel approach, in which state-level influences are taken into consideration, various control variables were tested, including socioeconomic status (SES), education, income, and diversity. The results confirmed a negative relationship between conservatism and the number of patents granted. Therefore, in counties and states with high conservatism, fewer patents were granted, even after controlling for SES and population. Patents were positively related to racial diversity and education. Practical implications include the benefits of liberal thinking outside of the political arena...
Chapter 19 – The Transition Metals

The transition metals are important for many reasons, especially so because they form alloys that are extremely useful. Most of the metals have body-centered cubic, face-centered cubic, or hexagonal structures, but numerous transitions from one crystal structure to another are known (polymorphism). The metals are obtained by reduction of their ores, usually with carbon or hydrogen. Although the metals form oxides, some also form oxyanions such as VO43− or complex hydroxo anions such as Zn(OH)42−. The majority of transition metals exhibit multiple oxidation states, which is reflected in compounds such as the oxides and halides. In the main, the chemistry of the lanthanides is similar to that of the transition metals. Aqueous solutions containing the +3 cations prepared by dissolving the halides are acidic as a result of hydrolysis in which a coordinated water molecule donates a proton to a solvent molecule. In keeping with their lower charge to size ratios, the +2 ions produce less acidic solutions.
Henri Lebesgue: Projections Are Tricky

A pivotal flaw in Vinay Deolalikar’s claimed proof of P not equal to NP, the subject of the opening chapter, was an incorrect assertion about closure under projections. The great Henri Lebesgue erred on the same score over a century ago. This chapter contrasts Deolalikar’s situation with a famous complexity lower bound in which closure under projections does hold, namely the Baur-Strassen theorem discussed previously in Chap. 13.
The margrave tool for firewall analysis

Writing and maintaining firewall configurations can be challenging, even for experienced system administrators. Tools that uncover the consequences of configurations and edits to them can help sysadmins prevent subtle yet serious errors. Our tool, Margrave, offers powerful features for firewall analysis, including enumerating consequences of configuration edits, detecting overlaps and conflicts among rules, tracing firewall behavior to specific rules, and verification against security goals. Margrave differs from other firewall-analysis tools in supporting queries at multiple levels (rules, filters, firewalls, and networks of firewalls), comparing separate firewalls in a single query, supporting reflexive ACLs, and presenting exhaustive sets of concrete scenarios that embody queries. Margrave supports real-world firewall-configuration languages, decomposing them into multiple policies that capture different aspects of firewall functionality. We present evaluation on networking-forum posts and on an in-use enterprise firewall-configuration.
Using value sensitive design to understand transportation choices and envision a future transportation system

The increasing passengerization of transportation through shared ride services and driverless vehicles has the potential to vastly change the transportation system. Although values are sometimes considered in the design of information tools and through attitudes toward travel, the systematic approach of value sensitive design (VSD) should be used in the design of transportation infrastructure to create a sustainable transportation future.
David R. Moore II and Eric C. Shoaf. Planning Optimal Library Spaces: Principles, Processes, and Practices . Lanham, Md.: Rowman & Littlefield, 2018. 196p. Hardback, $85.00 (ISBN: 978-1-5381-0940-3).

There are few aspects of libraries that create more pride and also more problems than renovating a library or building a new one. There is pride in knowing that you will have this new facility with all new furniture. It will be bright and inviting. But to get from A to B, there will be many headaches as decision after decision will have to be made. One hopes that, once the work is all done, the pride will be there without any issues of design having trumped function or people wondering about why X was placed in spot Y. To aid in making the transition from old, cold, leaky, and out of date to shiny, new, efficient, and inviting, David Moore II and Eric Shoaf have teamed up to give us Planning Optimal Library Spaces: Principles, Processes, and Practices . Moore is an architect whose thirty-year career has focused entirely on libraries, and Shoaf, the Dean of the Library at Queens University in Charlotte, NC, is a thirty-year veteran of academic libraries with extensive involvement in library renovation and building projects at multiple institutions.
Safer solvents for reactive organometallic reagents

Abstract This paper describes the use of poly(α -olefin)s (PAOs) as safer alternatives to cyclohexane, hexanes, and heptane as solvents for alkyllithium reagents. While PAOs like any alkane are flammable, PAOs do not readily catch on fire because they contain 20 or more carbon atoms, a low volatility, and have a high flash point vis-a-vis alkanes like hexane. Also unlike conventional alkanes, PAOs can be quantitatively separated from polar organic solvents and polar organic products either by a simple gravity separation or by an extraction after a reaction. Any leaching of the PAO solvent into a polar phase during such a separation can be minimized by addition of small amounts of water to the polar phase. However, while these PAO solvents have some physical differences from conventional low molecular weight volatile alkanes, they otherwise behave like alkanes and alkyllithium reagents in these PAO solvents can used in their conventional reactions in these PAO solvents.
Older adults' perspectives on incorporating life expectancy in cancer screening.

6588Background: Professional societies recommend that a patient’s life expectancy be incorporated in cancer screening as the benefits of screening may take years to accrue but the harms may be more...
A recurrent neural network approach to predicting hemoglobin trajectories in patients with End-Stage Renal Disease.

Abstract The most severe form of kidney disease, End-Stage Renal Disease (ESRD) is treated with various forms of dialysis – artificial blood cleansing. Dialysis patients suffer many health burdens including high mortality and hospitalization rates, and symptomatic anemia: a low red blood cell count as indicated by a low hemoglobin (Hgb) level. ESRD-induced anemia is treated, with variable patient response, by erythropoiesis stimulating agents (ESAs): expensive injectable medications typically administered during dialysis sessions. The dosing protocol is typically a population level protocol based on original clinical trials, the use of which often results in Hgb cycling. This cycling phenomenon occurs primarily due to the mismatch in the time between dosing decisions and the time it takes for the effects of a dosing change to be fully realized. In this paper we develop a recurrent neural network approach that uses historic data together with future ESA and iron dosing data to predict the 1, 2, and 3 month Hgb levels of patients with ESRD-induced anemia. The results of extensive experimentation indicate that this approach generates predictions that are clinically relevant: the mean absolute error of the predictions is comparable to estimates of the intra-individual variability of the laboratory test for Hgb.
4 – Planning: Developing Business and Acquisition Plans Phases 1 and 2 of the Acquisition Process

Publisher Summary A poorly designed or inappropriate business strategy is among the most frequently cited reasons for the failure of mergers and acquisitions (M&As) to satisfy expectations. The purpose of this chapter is to introduce a planning-based approach to mergers and acquisitions, which discusses M&A activity in the context of an integrated process consisting of 10 interrelated phases. The chapter focuses on the first two phases of the process—building the business and acquisition plans—and on tools commonly used to evaluate, display, and communicate information to key constituencies both inside (e.g., board of directors and management), and outside (e.g., lenders and stockholders) the corporation. The planning concepts described in the chapter are largely prescriptive in nature, in that they recommend certain strategies based on the results generated by applying specific tools (e.g., experience curves) and answering checklists of relevant questions. Business plans must be updated frequently to account for changes in the firm's operating environment and its competitive position within that environment.
The Role of Family Structure and Family Processes on Adolescent Problem Behavior

We examined the impact of family structure and family processes on engagement in multiple and co-occurring problem behaviors during adolescence (delinquency, substance use, risky sexual behavior, a...
Biomechanical Evaluation of Distal Radioulnar Joint Instability and Adams Procedure.

Purpose Distal radioulnar joint (DRUJ) instability may occur after an injury, resulting in pain and reduced strength. When primary repair is not possible or initial fixation has failed, chronic instability may result, requiring a reconstructive procedure such as the Adams procedure. The first purpose of this study was to evaluate the role of the triangular fibrocartilage complex and various components of the interosseous membrane as they were sectioned. The second purpose was to evaluate the Adams procedure in stabilizing the forearm. Methods Eight fresh cadaver forearms were dynamically moved through an average range of 56.8° pronation to 54.8° supination and tested first with the forearm intact and then after sectioning each of the following structures: the dorsal (DRUL) and palmar radioulnar ligaments (PRUL), the distal interosseous membrane, and the central band. Finally, they were tested after reconstruction using the Adams procedure. During each forearm motion and provocative shuck, the motion of the radius and ulna were measured and the locations of the radial attachments of the DRUL, PRUL, and sigmoid notch and ulnar fovea were computed. Results Significant increases in the gap between the ulnar fovea and the attachment sites of the DRUL and PRUL were observed with incremental sectioning, most notably after sectioning of the central band. Reconstruction significantly reduced the gap at the DRUL and PRUL sites during dynamic motion. Conclusions This study reinforces the concept that DRUJ stability depends on more than the radioulnar ligaments, ulnocarpal ligaments, and triangular fibrocartilage complex, but is also significantly affected by the distal and central interosseous membrane. Reconstruction reduces gapping. Clinical relevance These results suggest that the Adams reconstruction is a reasonable option to address DRUJ instability but may be an incomplete solution in the setting of a ruptured interosseous ligament.
AIBP protects retinal ganglion cells against neuroinflammation and mitochondrial dysfunction in glaucomatous neurodegeneration

Glaucoma is a leading cause of blindness worldwide in individuals 60 years of age and older. Despite its high prevalence, the factors contributing to glaucoma progression are currently not well characterized. Glia-driven neuroinflammation and mitochondrial dysfunction play critical roles in glaucomatous neurodegeneration. Here, we demonstrated that elevated intraocular pressure (IOP) significantly decreased apolipoprotein A-I binding protein (AIBP; gene name Apoa1bp) in retinal ganglion cells (RGCs), but resulted in upregulation of TLR4 and IL-1β expression in Muller glia endfeet. Apoa1bp-/- mice had impaired visual function and Muller glia characterized by upregulated TLR4 activity, impaired mitochondrial network and function, increased oxidative stress and induced inflammatory responses. We also found that AIBP deficiency compromised mitochondrial network and function in RGCs and exacerbated RGC vulnerability to elevated IOP. Administration of recombinant AIBP prevented RGC death and inhibited inflammatory responses and cytokine production in Muller glia in vivo. These findings indicate that AIBP protects RGCs against glia-driven neuroinflammation and mitochondrial dysfunction in glaucomatous neurodegeneration and suggest that recombinant AIBP may be a potential therapeutic agent for glaucoma.
Introducing and benchmarking the accuracy of cayenne: a Python package for stochastic simulations

Biological systems are intrinsically noisy and this noise may determine the qualitative outcome of the system. In the absence of analytical solutions to mathematical models incorporating noise, stochastic simulation algorithms are useful to explore the possible trajectories of these systems. Algorithms used for such stochastic simulations include the Gillespie algorithm and its approximations. In this study we introduce cayenne, an easy to use Python package containing accurate and fast implementations of the Gillespie algorithm (direct method), the tau-leaping algorithm and a tau-adaptive algorithm. We compare the accuracy of cayenne with other stochastic simulation libraries (BioSimulator.jl, GillespieSSA and Tellurium) and find that cayenne offers the best trade-off between accuracy and speed. Additionally, we highlight the importance of performing accuracy tests for stochastic simulation libraries, and hope that it becomes standard practice when developing the same. The cayenne package can be found at https://github.com/Heuro-labs/cayenne while the benchmarks can be found at https://github.com/Heuro-labs/cayenne-benchmarks
Live Bacterial Prophylactics in Modern Poultry

Commercial poultry farms frequently use live bacterial prophylactics like vaccines and probiotics to prevent bacterial infections. Due to the emergence of antibiotic-resistant bacteria in poultry animals, a closer examination into the health benefits and limitations of commercial, live prophylactics as an alternative to antibiotics is urgently needed. In this review, we summarize the peer-reviewed literature of several commercial live bacterial vaccines and probiotics. Per our estimation, there is a paucity of peer-reviewed published research regarding these products, making repeatability, product-comparison, and understanding biological mechanisms difficult. Furthermore, we briefly-outline significant issues such as probiotic-label accuracy, lack of commercially available live bacterial vaccines for major poultry-related bacteria such as Campylobacter and Clostridium perfringens, as well research gaps (i.e., probiotic-mediated vaccine adjuvancy, gut-brain-microbiota axis). Increased emphasis on these areas would open several avenues for research, ranging from improving protection against bacterial pathogens to using these prophylactics to modulate animal behavior.
Abstract P381: Pre-Treatment Perfusion Mismatch Volumes in Ischemic Stroke Patients Treated With Tenecteplase or Alteplase

Introduction: The overall goal of this study is to evaluate the relationship of pretreatment perfusion mismatch volumes to outcomes in patients receiving alteplase (ALT) to those receiving tenectep...
Is college education associated with left-leaning economic views? Evidence from Latin America

Using data from the 2017 Latinobarometer survey, we find that attending college in Latin America is associated with economic views situated to the left of the ideological spectrum in general/abstra...
A Behavioral Approach to the Lean Startup/Minimum Viable Product Process: The Case of Algorithmic Financial Systems

This paper theorizes about the behavior of firms engaged in complex product systems innovation and engineering under the lean startup / minimum viable product process. In doing so, it fills a gap in the literature at the intersection of innovation management and behavioral economics. By deconstructing the concept of commercial value, we assemble, define, and structure the relationships among seven values that innovation teams encounter along the path of innovation. Then, we demonstrate the usefulness of the proposed framework by applying it to the case of algorithmic financial systems. As a quantitative implementation, the model of capability developed for this domain may have broader applicability. For innovations where performance is probabilistic and achieves a steady state, capability can define what counts as “good enough” commercial value.
Recombinant antibodies recognize conformation-dependent epitopes of the leucine zipper of misfolding-prone myocilin.

Recombinant antibodies with well-characterized epitopes and known conformational specificities are critical reagents to support robust interpretation and reproducibility of immunoassays across biomedical research. For myocilin, a protein prone to misfolding that is associated with glaucoma and an emerging player in other human diseases, currently available antibodies are unable to differentiate among the numerous disease-associated protein states. This fundamentally constrains efforts to understand the connection between myocilin structure, function, and disease. To address this concern, we used protein engineering methods to develop new recombinant antibodies that detect the N-terminal leucine zipper structural domain of myocilin and that are cross-reactive for human and mouse myocilin. After harvesting spleens from immunized mice and in vitro library panning, we identified two antibodies, 2A4 and 1G12. 2A4 specifically recognizes a folded epitope while 1G12 recognizes a range of conformations. We matured antibody 2A4 for improved biophysical properties, resulting in variant 2H2. In a human IgG1 format, 2A4, 1G12, and 2H2 immunoprecipitate full-length folded myocilin present in the spent media of human trabecular meshwork (TM) cells, and 2H2 can visualize myocilin in fixed human TM cells using fluorescence microscopy. These new antibodies should find broad application in glaucoma and other research across multiple species platforms.