cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Peritoneal surface malignancies and regional treatment: A review of the literature

Recent studies have lead to a renewed interest in cytoreductive surgery and intraperitoneal chemotherapy as a regional treatment modality for patients with peritoneal surface malignancies. There have been multiple phase III randomized trials that have shown a survival advantage with intraperitoneal chemotherapy in certain patients. More well designed phase III studies are needed to further define which groups of patients may benefit from cytoreductive surgery and intraperitoneal chemotherapy.
Social Validation Issues in Social Skills Assessment.

Social validation is increasingly seen as a core component of social skills assessment. This article reviews the components of social validation (i.e., the social importance of intervention outcomes, the social significance of the goals, the appropriateness of the procedures, and determining optimal levels for target behaviours) and how they apply to social skills assessment for people with disabilities. Suggestions for future research and development of appropriate social validation measures for assessing social skills are offered.
Fundamental characterization of evaporative water removal from fuel cell diffusion media

In polymer electrolyte fuel cell systems, a gas purge commonly is applied to remove excess water and achieve high performance and durability. The porous diffusion media (DM) typically store a significant fraction of the total liquid water during operation, but quantitative fundamental research examining water removal behavior from DM is not yet available in literature. The objective of this study is to investigate the fundamental behavior of evaporative water removal from fuel cell diffusion media with a special test rig developed to minimize in-plane gradients so that through-plane evaporative behavior can be analyzed. Evaporative water removal was characterized by a surface evaporation region, a constant evaporation rate region characterized by capillary flow to the evaporation front, and a falling rate region characterized by separated evaporating droplets. A semi-empirical correlation for the characteristic water removal, a generic plot of purge efficiency which describes the effectiveness of purge parameters, and a potential scheme for a more durable and less parasitic purge which describes characteristic water removal of each fuel cell component were developed. The results of this study can be used to predict and understand water removal from diffusion media and help develop a less parasitic purge protocol than presently utilized.
Reproductive Status and Continuity of Taxa of the Simulium arcticum Complex (Diptera: Simuliidae) at the Clearwater River, Montana (2007, 2008, and 2009)

We made 27 collections over nine years at the Clearwater River and conducted preliminary cytogenetic analysis on 232 individuals of the Simulium arcticum complex there. Based on these preliminary findings, we analyzed an additional 1825 larvae from Clearwater collections in 2007, 2008, and 2009 to investigate the reproductive statuses of the two prevalent taxa of the complex there and to determine whether cytogenetic diversity and frequency of types were similar from year to year. We describe a cytotype new to science and a potentially derivative cytotype of S. arcticum sensu stricto. We also determine that these two taxa are present in similar frequencies from year to year and are in genetic equilibrium, suggesting that they are not reproductively isolated. This study constitutes the fourth positive test of our Geographic Distribution/Taxon Age hypothesis.
IS861, a group B streptococcal insertion sequence related to IS150 and IS3 of Escherichia coli.

A 1,442-base-pair (bp) insertion sequence (IS861) was identified in the type III group B streptococcal (GBS) strain COH-1. It is flanked by 26-bp imperfect inverted repeats and contains two open reading frames, 1 and 2, encoding 141- and 277-amino-acid proteins, respectively. A 3-bp target sequence, ACA, is duplicated and flanks each inverted repeat. IS861 shares greater than 30% homology with IS3 and IS150 of Escherichia coli, primarily in the region of their putative transposases. Northern (RNA) analysis revealed that RNA is actively transcribed in vivo by IS861 and 17- and 36-kilodalton proteins were synthesized in E. coli maxicell assays. Multiple copies of IS861 were observed throughout the chromosome of COH-1, and one of the copies is located near genes involved in GBS capsule synthesis. IS861 is the first insertion sequence identified in GBS. Its role in GBS and the significance of its relationship to the phylogenetically similar insertion sequences typified by IS150 and IS3 of E. coli are unknown. Images
Optimal sampling design for estimating spatial distribution and abundance of a freshwater mussel population

AbstractWe compared the ability of simple random sampling (SRS) and a variety of systematic sampling (SYS) designs to estimate abundance, quantify spatial clustering, and predict spatial distribution of freshwater mussels. Sampling simulations were conducted using data obtained from a census of freshwater mussels in a 40 × 33 m section of the Cacapon River near Capon Bridge, West Virginia, and from a simulated spatially random population generated to have the same abundance as the real population. Sampling units that were 0.25 m2 gave more accurate and precise abundance estimates and generally better spatial predictions than 1-m2 sampling units. Systematic sampling with ≥2 random starts was more efficient than SRS. Estimates of abundance based on SYS were more accurate when the distance between sampling units across the stream was less than or equal to the distance between sampling units along the stream. Three measures for quantifying spatial clustering were examined: Hopkins Statistic, the Clumping Inde...
Use of Thrombopoietic Agents for the Thrombocytopenia of Liver Disease

Thrombocytopenia can be a sign of advanced liver disease. This complicates the management of these patients, as patients with advanced liver disease frequently need therapeutic interventions, which are associated with an increased risk of bleeding. Thrombocytopenia may even be more pronounced in patients with hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection. This can limit current and future treatments for HCV, which remains based on interferon therapy, and this therapy can worsen thrombocytopenia. Thus, the ability to increase platelets to higher and safer levels would be desirable, but no treatment has yet been proven effective and safe in this setting. The small molecule thrombopoietin mimetic, eltrombopag, has demonstrated a dose-response increase in platelet counts in a phase II study in HCV patients without significant side effects, allowing initiation and completion of a 12-week course of pegylated interferon plus ribavirin in 36%, 53%, and 65% of patients receiving 30 mg, 50 mg, or 75 mg eltrombopag daily, respectively, compared to only 6% in the placebo arm. A current phase III study is currently evaluating whether this treatment allows successful outcomes and sustained viral eradication.
Interactive Visual Analysis of Hierarchical Enterprise Data

In this paper, we present an interactive visual technique for analysing and understanding hierarchical data, which we have applied to analysing a corpus of technical reports produced by a corporate research laboratory. The analysis begins by selecting a known entity, such as a topic, a report, or a person, and then incrementally adds other entities to the graph based on known relations. As this bottom-up knowledge building process proceeds, meaningful graph structure may appear and reveal previously unknown relations. The ontology of the data, which represents the types of entities in the data and all possible relations among them, is displayed as a guide to the analyst in the process. The analyst may interact with the ontology graph or the data graph directly. In addition, we provide a set of filtering, searching, and abstraction methods for the analyst to manage the complexity of the graph. In contrast to a top-down approach, which usually starts with an overview of the whole data set for exploration, a bottom-up approach is generally more efficient, because it often only touches a very small fraction of the data. We present several case studies to demonstrate the efficacy of this interactive graph-based analysis technique for both intra- and inter-hierarchy analysis.
Reliability-Based Optimal Inspection for Fracture-Critical Steel Bridge Members

To prevent fatigue failure of members in steel bridges, one usually needs to perform frequent periodic bridge inspections and employ detailed inspection methods. This is especially true for fracture-critical members or details. Carrying out these inspections puts a large burden on a transportation agency's bridge maintenance budget. A systematic reliability-based method for inspection scheduling is proposed to yield the most economical inspection strategy for steel bridges that, at the same time, guarantees an acceptable safety level through the planned service life. A methodology is presented for evaluating the fatigue reliability of a specified detail classified according to AASHTO fatigue categories. A Miner's rule approach is used to evaluate the fatigue reliability. The inspection scheduling problem is modeled as an optimization problem with a well-defined objective function that includes the total expected cost of inspection, repair, and failure formulated on the basis of an event tree framework and appropriate constraints in inspection intervals and minimum (target) structural reliability. An optimal inspection-scheduling plan can thus be obtained for any specified fatigue details (fracture-critical details) in steel bridges. Examples presented demonstrate the advantage of the reliability-based optimal inspection scheduling in cost saving and structural reliability control over alternative periodic inspection plans. Two numerical examples for a steel bridge in Texas are presented to demonstrate the proposed reliability-based optimal inspection scheduling.
Pneumoesophagus as a Sign of H Type Tracheoesophageal Fistula

Two patients with H type tracheoesophageal fistulae demonstrated prominent pneumoesophagus and gaseous distention of the bowel after endotracheal intubation and positive-pressure ventilation. This report discusses the pathophysiology of these events and emphasizes the significance of these findings.
Location-aware cache management for many-core processors with deep cache hierarchy

As cache hierarchies become deeper and the number of cores on a chip increases, managing caches becomes more important for performance and energy. However, current hardware cache management policies do not always adapt optimally to the applications behavior: e.g., caches may be polluted by data structures whose locality cannot be captured by the caches, and producer-consumer communication incurs multiple round trips of coherence messages per cache line transferred. We propose load and store instructions that carry hints regarding into which cache(s) the accessed data should be placed. Our instructions allow software to convey locality information to the hardware, while incurring minimal hardware cost and not affecting correctness. Our instructions provide a 1.07x speedup and a 1.24x energy efficiency boost, on average, according to simulations on a 64-core system with private L1 and L2 caches. With a large shared L3 cache added, the benefits increase, providing 1.33x energy reduction on average.
Diatom evidence for earthquake-induced subsidence and tsunami 300 yr ago in southern coastal Washington

Fossil diatoms from four stratigraphic sections along the tidal Niawiakum River, southwestern Washington, provide an independent paleoecological test of a relative sea-level rise that has been attributed to subsidence during an inferred earthquake in the Cascadia subduction zone about 300 yr ago. Diatom assemblages in a buried soil and overlying mud indicate a sudden and lasting shift from marshes and forests near or above highest tides to mud flats and incipient tidal marshes, with a progressive return to high-level tidal marshes by sediment aggradation and, perhaps, gradual tectonic uplift. The amount of coseismic submergence required to generate the paleoecological changes observed at these sites could have ranged from a minimum of 0.8–1.0 m to a maximum of ∼3.0 m. Fossil diatoms also provide an independent test of previous inferences that the subsidence was shortly followed by a tsunami. The inferred tsunami deposit is a distinct sandy interval that widely overlies the buried marsh and forest soil. Diatoms from this interval consist of species observed on modern sand flats of the open bay, identifying a bayward source for the sand. Occurrences of the same sand-flat species above the buried soil in the farthest up-valley outcrop where a sandy interval is not recognizable suggest that the tsunami extended farther landward than was previously inferred from the stratigraphy. These data rule out proposed alternatives to the coseismic subsidence model—that is, climatically induced sea-level rise, temporary submergence caused by storms—and support the hypothesis that a great earthquake struck southwestern Washington 300 yr ago.
Possible Hypothyroidism Associated with Quetiapine

OBJECTIVE:To report a case of hypothyroidism occurring after the addition of quetiapine to an existing drug regimen.CASE SUMMARY:A 46-year-old African-American woman diagnosed with schizoaffective disorder, bipolar type, and a four-year history of successfully treated hyperthyroidism, was suboptimally responsive to olanzapine treatment. Transition from olanzapine to quetiapine was initiated and, approximately two months after adding quetiapine to a standing pharmacotherapeutic regimen, the patient developed an elevated thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH) concentration of 8.45 μU/L. A diagnosis of hypothyroidism was subsequently made, treatment with levothyroxine was initiated, and the patient's thyroid function became stable.DISCUSSION:Drug-induced hypothyroidism is known to occur with several medications. Quetiapine is an atypical antipsychotic with the potential to decrease thyroid hormone concentrations in some patients; this effect may be dose related. Despite this known adverse effect, the manufacturer...
A teaching strategy for memory-based control

Combining different machine learning algorithms in the same system can produce benefits above and beyond what either method could achieve alone. This paper demonstrates that genetic algorithms can be used in conjunction with lazy learning to solve examples of a difficult class of delayed reinforcement learning problems better than either method alone. This class, the class of differential games, includes numerous important control problems that arise in robotics, planning, game playing, and other areas, and solutions for differential games suggest solution strategies for the general class of planning and control problems. We conducted a series of experiments applying three learning approaches – lazy Q-learning, k-nearest neighbor (k-NN), and a genetic algorithm – to a particular differential game called a pursuit game. Our experiments demonstrate that k-NN had great difficulty solving the problem, while a lazy version of Q-learning performed moderately well and the genetic algorithm performed even better. These results motivated the next step in the experiments, where we hypothesized k-NN was having difficulty because it did not have good examples – a common source of difficulty for lazy learning. Therefore, we used the genetic algorithm as a bootstrapping method for k-NN to create a system to provide these examples. Our experiments demonstrate that the resulting joint system learned to solve the pursuit games with a high degree of accuracy – outperforming either method alone – and with relatively small memory requirements.
Presence of parasite antigen on the surface of P388D1 cells infected with Ehrlichia risticii.

Abstract Indirect immunofluorescence staining of macrophages infected with Ehrlichia risticii by anti-E. risticii serum revealed a punctate staining pattern on the surface of the host cell. This pattern was distinguishable by fluorescence microscopy from E. risticii bound to the surface of the macrophage and from intracellular E. risticii. The surface localization of ehrlichial antigen on infected macrophages was confirmed by electron microscopy with immunoferritin labeling. As the intracellular ehrlichial burden increased, the amount of ehrlichial antigen on the host cell surface increased. Prokaryotic protein synthesis was necessary for the maintenance of ehrlichial antigen on the host cell surface, as demonstrated by disappearance of the surface antigen following treatment with oxytetracycline. However, host cell protein synthesis was not required, as demonstrated by the continued presence of ehrlichial antigen on the surface of host cells after cycloheximide treatment. Pronase treatment abolished the ehrlichial antigen present on the cell surface, indicating that this antigen is a protein. Anti-E. risticii serum or immunoglobulin G-mediated antibody-dependent cellular cytotoxicity of infected cells was demonstrated in a chromium release assay. These results imply that the parasite antigen on the host cell surface has a role in the pathogenesis of ehrlichiosis.
A Most Efficient Digital Filter: The Two‐Path Recursive All‐Pass Filter

This chapter contains sections titled: All-Pass Network Background Implementing and Combining All-Pass Networks Two-Path Filters Linear-Phase Two-Path Halfband Filters Passband Response in Two-Path Halfband Filters Transforming the Prototype Halfband to Arbitrary Bandwidth Lowpass-to-Lowpass Transformation Lowpass-to-Bandpass Transformation Conclusions Reference Editor Comments ]]>
Drosophila clueless is involved in Parkin-dependent mitophagy by promoting VCP-mediated Marf degradation

PINK1/Parkin-mediated mitochondrial quality control (MQC) requires valosin-containing protein (VCP)-dependent Mitofusin/Marf degradation to prevent damaged organelles from fusing with the healthy mitochondrial pool, facilitating mitochondrial clearance by autophagy. Drosophila clueless (clu) was found to interact genetically with PINK1 and parkin to regulate mitochondrial clustering in germ cells. However, whether Clu acts in MQC has not been investigated. Here, we show that overexpression of Drosophila Clu complements PINK1, but not parkin, mutant muscles. Loss of clu leads to the recruitment of Parkin, VCP/p97, p62/Ref(2)P and Atg8a to depolarized swollen mitochondria. However, clearance of damaged mitochondria is impeded. This paradox is resolved by the findings that excessive mitochondrial fission or inhibition of fusion alleviates mitochondrial defects and impaired mitophagy caused by clu depletion. Furthermore, Clu is upstream of and binds to VCP in vivo and promotes VCP-dependent Marf degradation in vitro Marf accumulates in whole muscle lysates of clu-deficient flies and is destabilized upon Clu overexpression. Thus, Clu is essential for mitochondrial homeostasis and functions in concert with Parkin and VCP for Marf degradation to promote damaged mitochondrial clearance.
Profiling energetics and spectroscopic signatures in prototropic tautomers of asymmetric phthalocyanine analogues.

Density functional theory (DFT) and time-dependent density functional theory (TDDFT) were used to explain discrepancies in UV–vis and MCD spectra of the metal-free tribenzo[b,g,l]thiopheno[3,4-q]porphyrazine (1), substituted tribenzo[b,g,l]porphyrazine (2), and 2,3-bis(methylcarboxyl)phthalocyanine (3). On the basis of gas-phase and polarized continuum solvation model (PCM) DFT and TDDFT calculations, it was suggested that both NH tautomers contribute to the spectroscopic signature of 1, whereas the Q-band region of 2 and 3 is dominated by a single NH tautomer. For all tested compounds, it was found that the combination of the BP86 exchange–correlation functional, 6-31G(d) basis set, and TDDFT-PCM approach provides the best accuracy in energies of the Qx- and Qy-bands of the individual NH tautomers as well as correctly describes their relative energy differences, which are important in understanding of experimental spectroscopy of the target systems.
Spectroscopic Evidence for Near-Neighbor Bonded H(D) in A-Si:N:H(D) Thin Films

Increases in the frequency of the silicon monohydride (Si-H) bond-stretching vibration in hydrogenated silicon nitrides, over and above what can be attributed to chemical induction effects, are shown to be generated by a repulsive interaction between the H-atom of the Si-H group, and a near-neighbor SiN-H group. This interaction increases the effective bond-stretching force constant of the H-atom of the Si-H group. This effect has been verified by ab-initio quantum chemistry calculations that have been used to calculate the energy of the H-atom of the Si-H group as a function of the relative separation between near-neighbor Si-H and SiN-H groups. Decreases in the bond-stretching frequencies of SiN-H groups in heavily hydrogenated nitrides are attributed to H-bonding effects associated with near-neighbor pairs of SiN-H groups.
An examination of rapid positioning movements with spatiotemporal constraints.

Unidirectional positioning movements with spatiotemporal-constraints were examined as a test of impulse-timing theory (Schmidt, 1976; 1980; Wallace, 1981). Movements were examined at the kinematic, kinetic, and neuromuscular levels in three experiments. In the first experiment, displacement was held constant while five different movement times were examined. Both amplitudes and durations of the EMG and the kinetic variables were related to movement time. The results generally support the impulse-timing model. In the second experiment, movements were performed to a target at each of four distances in a constant movement time. EMG and force amplitudes and, unexpectedly, accelerative-force duration were modulated to achieve changes in displacement when movement time was constant. In the third experiment, movement time and displacement were simultaneously varied resulting in four conditions with equal average velocities. The results of this experiment were not as clear and exhibited individual differences. EM...
The hypophagic response to heat stress is not mediated by GPR109A or peripheral β-OH butyrate

Rising temperatures resulting from climate change will increase the incidence of heat stress, negatively impacting the labor force and food animal production. Heat stress elevates circulating β-OH butyrate, which induces vasodilation through GPR109a. Interestingly, both heat stress and intraperitoneal β-OH butyrate administration induce hypophagia. Thus, we aimed to investigate the role of β-OH butyrate in heat stress hypophagia in mice. We found that niacin, a β-OH butyrate mimetic that cannot be oxidized to generate ATP, also reduces food intake. Interestingly, the depression in food intake as a result of 8-h intraperitoneal niacin or 48-h heat exposure did not result from changes in hypothalamic expression of orexigenic or anorexigenic signals (AgRP, NPY, or POMC). Genetically eliminating GPR109a expression did not prevent the hypophagic response to heat exposure, intraperitoneal β-OH butyrate (5.7 mmol/kg), or niacin (0.8 mmol/kg). Hepatic vagotomy eliminated the hypophagic response to β-OH butyrate and niacin but did not affect the hypophagic response to heat exposure. We subsequently hypothesized that the hypophagic response to heat stress may depend on direct effects of β-OH butyrate at the central nervous system: β-OH butyrate induced hormonal changes (hyperinsulinemia, hypercorticosteronemia, and hyperleptinemia), or gene expression changes. To test these possibilities, we blocked expression of hepatic hydroxyl methyl glutaryl CoA synthase II (HMGCS2) to prevent hepatic β-OH butyrate synthesis. Mice that lack HMGCS2 maintain a hypophagic response to heat stress. Herein, we establish that the hypophagia of heat stress is independent of GPR109a, the hepatic vagus afferent nerve, and hepatic ketone body synthesis.
Micro-Pharmacodynamics: Bridging In Vitro and In Vivo Experimental Scales in Testing Drug Efficacy and Resistance

Systemic chemotherapy is one of the main anticancer treatments used for most kinds of clinically diagnosed tumors. However, the efficacy of these drugs can be hampered by the physical attributes of the tumor tissue that can impede the transport of therapeutic agents to tumor cells in sufficient quantities. As a result, drugs that work well in vitro often fail at clinical trials when confronted with the complexities of interstitial transport within the tumor microenvironment. The microPD model that we developed is used to investigate the penetration of drug molecules through the tumor tissue and influenced by the physical and metabolic properties of tumor microenvironment, and how it affects drug efficacy and the emergence of drug resistance.
Reasons and Countermeasures of the Abnormal Measuring Thickness Values for Pressure Vessel

In the inspection process to pressure vessel,the distortion phenomenon for a large number of ultrasonic measuring thickness values takes place frequently,thereby,results in erroneous conclusions and to deal with,and may even lead to accidents.In view of the above,analyzes in detail these questions and proposes corresponding solving means.
Sphaerotilus, its nature and economic significance.

Publisher Summary This chapter describes the nature and significance of Sphaerotilus. Sphaerotilus deals primarily with aspects of water and waste treatment, stream sanitation, and the effects of varying physical and chemical parameters on crude cultures of Sphaerotilus. It is difficult to estimate the total cost of the difficulties caused by Sphaerotilus. Because of its connection with sewage and industrial wastes, Sphaerotilus is perhaps better known among sanitary engineers and sanitary chemists than among bacteriologists; at least, the bulk of pertinent information is found in the scientific journals of the sanitation field. Most of the work in recent years is said to have been motivated by the ultimate objective of suppression of the nuisances caused by Sphaerotilus and the iron bacteria. In addition, the chapter also represents most of the progress achieved in obtaining information on this group of bacteria, there yet remains much to be done of both practical and scientific interest.
Medical Management of Benign Prostatic Hyperplasia: A Canine Model Comparing the in Vivo Efficacy of Alpha-1 Adrenergic Antagonists in the Prostate

AbstractMedical management of benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH) is an alternative to surgical treatment of this disease. A major target for pharmacologic therapy is the alpha-1 adrenergic receptor, since activation of this receptor by endogenous catecholamines is thought to contribute to outlet obstruction. In the present study, we compared the potency of various alpha-1 adrenergic antagonists against epinephrine-induced contraction of the canine prostate. The drugs tested were dibenzyline, prazosin, terazosin and YM617. The rank order of potency, comparing inhibitory constants (Ki’s), was found to be YM617>> prazosin> terazosin> dibenzyline. This study is the first to compare all of these drugs directly in the prostate in vivo. The rank order of potency of the drugs is similar to the rank order of potency at other alpha-1 receptors. These results demonstrate that 1) our model is useful in confirming activity of drugs at the alpha-1 receptor and 2) the prostate alpha-1 receptor is similar to other alpha-...
A Longitudinal Study of Patients with Superficial Bladder Carcinoma Successfully Treated with Weekly Intravesical Thio-TEPA

AbstractHerein is reported further results of a prospective clinical investigation to determine the effect of weekly intravesical bladder instillation of thio-tepa in the treatment of superficial bladder cancer. Patients with superficial bladder carcinoma were treated according to 2 protocols. The first protocol consisted of patients with persistent tumor who were treated with weekly thio-tepa for 8 weeks. Of the 33 patients 18 responded to this therapy, and they and 24 other patients who had been rendered free of tumor by transurethral resection alone were assigned to the second protocol in which patients either were treated with monthly instillations of thio-tepa or they were observed every 3 months in a prescribed fashion. Monthly thio-tepa instillations had no significant effect in lowering the recurrence rate in either group.However, in the patients who had responded to weekly thio-tepa benefit was noted in terms of 1) fewer recurrences, with 8 of 18 (44 per cent) previously pre-treated patients havi...
Robust sliding mode control of permanent magnet synchronous motor drives

Permanent magnet synchronous motors are widely used in electric vehicles due to their inherent high power density, large torque to weight ratio, and high reliability and efficiency. This paper presents novel robust sliding mode control methods for the field-oriented control of permanent magnet synchronous motors. The proposed sliding mode control methods are robust to modeling uncertainties and external disturbances. Both first and higher order sliding mode controllers are derived and compared. Computer simulation results show that the higher order sliding mode controller succeeds in reducing the chattering phenomenon that is present in the first order controller. Chattering may result in excessive heating of power electronics and wear of mechanical components. Computer simulation studies show the efficacy of the proposed sliding mode control methods applied to a permanent magnet synchronous motor drive.
Social Capital: Models and Efforts to Build and Restore among Marginalized Individuals and Communities

Social capital is an interdisciplinary and international concept that is focused on the importance of social networks and relationships on positive health and well-being for individuals, communities, and society. In general, social capital models suggest that social networks and relationships are resources that benefit individuals and/or communities. This chapter reviews the political and social influences on the development of social capital, major social capital theories, and recent modifications to and extensions of social capital models. Bourdieu, Coleman, and Putnam’s models of social capital are described, criticisms of these models are outlined and recent developments in conceptualizations of social capital are discussed. We end with a review of efforts to build and/or restore social capital, with a focus on marginalized groups (i.e., individuals who are former substance misusers or were formerly incarcerated).
Reflex Myoclonic Epilepsy of Infancy

Six neurologically normal infants, aged 6-21 months, with attacks resembling benign myoclonic epilepsy of infancy but occurring as reflex responses to auditory and tactile stimuli are reported from Bambino Gesu Children’s Hospital, Rome, Italy.
Space Performance Tradeoffs in Compressing MPI Group Data Structures

MPI is a popular programming paradigm on parallel machines today. MPI libraries sometimes use O(N) data structures to implement MPI functionality. The IBM Blue Gene/Q machine has 16 GB memory per node. If each node runs 32 MPI processes, only 512 MB is available per process, requiring the MPI library to be space efficient. This scenario will become severe in a future Exascale machine with tens of millions of cores and MPI endpoints. We explore techniques to compress the dense O(N) mapping data structures that map the logical process ID to the global rank. Our techniques minimize topological communicator mapping state by replacing table lookups with a mapping function. We also explore caching schemes with performance results to optimize overheads of the mapping functions for recent translations in multiple MPI micro-benchmarks, and the 3D FFT and Algebraic Multi Grid application benchmarks.
A system dynamics framework for sense-and-respond systems

Sense-and-respond systems realize the concepts of autonomic computing at the level of business processes. One of the key requirements to build sense-and-respond systems is to accurately capture and model the dynamical behavior of business metrics, a.k.a. key performance indicators (KPI). System dynamics (SD) models and the runtime engines provide means to understand both key performance indicators and the dynamic behaviors (e.g. causality) among them. In this paper, we present a system dynamics model based upon a scenario from supply chain management domain. Our purpose is to demonstrate an alternative approach of building sense-and-respond systems. Specifically, we use system dynamics to formally define the KPIs of both the retail inventory and the supplier backlog. Additionally, we introduce objective functions and control variables as the optimization elements being part of the system dynamics formalism. Therefore, the decision (e.g. the order size from manufacturer to suppliers) would correspond to the optimal solution of the system with respect to the defined objective. These concepts will be explained through scenarios. The enabling reference architecture and deployment method using system dynamics are also presented in this paper. After the system dynamics models and corresponding components are deployed to the field, the whole system will manifest the sense-and-respond behavior in a dynamical fashion
Near-infrared fluorophores for biomedical imaging

This Review covers recent progress on near-infrared fluorescence imaging for preclinical animal studies and clinical diagnostics and interventions.
Dimpled Polyhedral Colloids Formed by Colloidal Crystal Templating.

Many approaches to the self-assembly of interesting microstructures rely on particles with engineered shapes. We create dimpled solid particles by molding oil droplets in the interstices of a close-packed colloidal crystal and polymerizing them in situ, resulting in particles containing multiple spherical dimples arranged with various polyhedral symmetries. Monodisperse micrometer-sized droplets of 3-methacryloxypropyltrimethoxysilane (TPM) are mixed with an excess of polystyrene (PS) microspheres (2.58 μm) and allowed to sediment, forming colloidal crystals with TPM droplets inside their interstitial sites. When these crystals are compressed by partial drying, the trapped droplets wet the multiple microspheres surrounding them, forming a three-dimensional capillary bridge with the symmetry of the interstitial spaces, and then mild heating triggers polymerization in situ. Depending on the initial particle volume fraction and extent of drying, a high yield of dimpled particles having different symmetries i...
Black Existentialism: Extending the Discourse on Meaning and Existence

The authors provide an exploration of the philosophical concepts of Black existentialism. Black existentialism is presented as a philosophical alternative to European existentialism to inform humanistic practices in addressing racial and social inequality. Implications for scholarly discourse are provided, and areas for future research are explored.
Downstream Process Design and Bioproduct Quality Control

Design and quality control of the bioseparation processes become ever more important as new and more complex bioproducts start to appear in the commercial market. New technologies and thinking must be developed concurrently so that issues such as quality, safety, and economics of these new bioproducts and bioprocesses can be addressed adequately from the very beginning. Some thoughts relevant to these topics are discussed here.
Family-Friendly Policies, Gender, and Work–Life Balance in the Public Sector:

Family-friendly policies and culture are important components of creating a healthy work environment and are positively related to work outcomes for public employees and organizations. Furthermore, family-friendly policies and culture are critical mechanisms for supporting the careers and advancement of women in public service and enhancing gender equity in public sector employment. While both policies and culture can facilitate women’s participation in the public sector workforce, they may affect men and women differently. Using data from a 2011 study with a nationwide sample of state government employees, we investigate the effects of employee take-up of leave policies, employer supported access to child care, alternative work scheduling, and a culture of family support on work–life balance (WLB). We examine where these variables differ in their effects on WLB among men and women and make specific recommendations to further WLB among women. The results inform the literature on family-friendly policies a...
Quantum Dynamics of the Three-Dimensional F + H2 Reaction: Wavefunction Density Analysis

During the past decade, many new results have been obtained on the dynamics of elementary chemical reactions. One of the most intensively studied reactions continues to be the process F + H2(v,j) → FH(v′,j′) + H. Many experimental and theoretical results on this reaction have been discussed in recent reviews.1,2 On the experimental side, the F + H2 reaction with isotopic variants has been studied under chemical laser conditions,3-5 through IR chemiluminescence,6,7 and in crossed molecular beam machines.8,9 Recent crossed beam studies by Sparks et al. 9 are particularly relevant to the present study and will be discussed in more detail later in this section. On the theoretical side, very extensive quasiclassical trajectory studies on a number of potential surfaces have provided many new dynamical results for the three-dimensional reactions.1,2,10 The first quantum collinear studies11-13 of this reaction showed a dramatic difference from the low-energy quasiclassical results12 for the collinear reaction. At these low energies, there is a sharp resonance in the quantum mechanical v=0→v′=2 reaction probability curve, followed by a slow growth In the 0 → 3 reaction probability. The 0 → 2 resonance is the most striking feature of the low-energy collinear reaction. Since these first quantum collinear studies, many other quantum studies of the collinear reaction have appeared.14-16 Connor has recently presented a comprehensive review of these results.16 In attempting to understand the origin of the 0 → 2 collinear resonnance, Latham et al. 15 displayed plots of the scattering wavefunction and flux in the interaction region. In addition, Hayes and Walker17 have recently found that removal of the 0.05 eV entrance-channel barrier destroys this sharp resonance feature.
Using PARP Inhibitors in the Treatment of Patients With Ovarian Cancer

Use of poly(ADP-ribose) polymerase (PARP) inhibitors has greatly increased over the past 5 years. With several new Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approvals, three PARP inhibitors have entered into standard of care treatment for epithelial ovarian cancer (including ovarian, fallopian tube, and primary peritoneal cancer). Olaparib and rucaparib currently have indications for treatment of recurrent BRCA mutant ovarian cancer. Olaparib, rucaparib, and niraparib all have indications for maintenance therapy in recurrent platinum-sensitive ovarian cancer after response to platinum-based therapy. In our practice, we use both olaparib and rucaparib in the recurrent setting, and all three PARP inhibitors in the maintenance setting. Choice of which PARP inhibitor to use in either setting is largely based upon baseline laboratory values, number of prior therapies, and presence of a BRCA mutation and/or homologous recombination deficiency (HRD). As (HRD) and other biomarker assessments continue to improve, we anticipate being able to better identify which patients might most benefit from PARP inhibitor therapy in the future. The clinically available PARP inhibitors are currently undergoing extensive investigations in clinical trials. Other newer agents such as talazoparib, veliparib, 2X-121, and CEP-9722 are in earlier stages of development. As more FDA-approved indications for PARP inhibitor therapy in ovarian cancer become available, we anticipate the decision of which PARP inhibitor to use will become increasingly complex.
Constraints on farmer adaptability in the Iowa-Cedar River Basin

Abstract Agricultural production and farmer wellbeing are frequently and adversely affected by interacting climatic, economic, and policy-related disturbances. The ability of individuals to adapt and manage their resilience in the face of these threats is key to understanding how social-ecological systems might respond to future disturbances. We report the results of a survey of farmer adaptability in the Iowa-Cedar River Basin in eastern Iowa that asked questions of farm characteristics, experiences with extreme events, risk perceptions, climate change beliefs, and the frequency of perturbations that might stimulate a response. We find that in general farmers’ adoption of conservation practices and land use decisions are insensitive to climate-related perturbations. These individual adaptation decisions are affected by a wide array of constraints. Financial constraints and the stabilizing effect of crop insurance, in particular, reduce the self-reported likelihood that farmers will adapt to changes in system-level drivers. An analysis of constraints and farmer perturbation sensitivity suggests that alternative economic and policy levers may be necessary to incentivize change on the agricultural landscape.
Quantifying promoter-specific Insulin-like Growth Factor 1 gene expression by interrogating public databases

The actions of insulin-like growth factor 1 (IGF1), a small, secreted protein, are essential for normal somatic growth in children and are important for tissue regeneration and repair in adults. Similar functions are conserved in other mammalian species. IGF1 gene regulation is complicated in mammals, with transcription being controlled by different hormonal, nutritional, and tissue-specific inputs. Quantifying IGF1 gene expression in different organs and tissues also has been difficult because of the variable contributions of its two promoters and because of the lack of standard platforms for analysis. Here, I have taken advantage of the wealth of information found in publicly accessible RNA-sequencing libraries to measure steady-state levels of IGF1 mRNAs from human and macaque, species chosen because they are not readily tractable experimental organisms, yet retain similar IGF1 gene organization. Results demonstrate that IGF1 transcripts are highly expressed in fat and liver in both species, and are induced during human adipocyte differentiation. IGF1 mRNAs also are increased in macaque skeletal muscle after selected dietary manipulations. In the organs and tissues examined, IGF1 promoter 1 appears to be far more active than promoter 2. Collectively, these observations show that interrogating large-scale public genomic resources is an effective strategy for quantifying gene expression across different tissues and species.
Experimental study of energy transfer in double shell implosions

Advances in target fabrication have made double shell capsule implosions a viable platform to study burning fusion plasmas. Central to the double shell capsule is a high-Z (e.g., Au) metal pusher that accesses the volume-burn regime by reducing radiative losses through radiation trapping and compressing a uniform fuel volume at reduced velocities. A double shell implosion relies on a series of energy transfer processes starting from x-ray absorption by the outer shell, followed by transfer of kinetic energy to an inner shell, and finally conversion of kinetic energy to fuel internal energy. We present simulation and experimental results on momentum transfer to different layers in a double shell. We also present the details of the development of the NIF cylindrical hohlraum double shell platform including an imaging shell design with a mid-Z inner shell necessary for imaging the inner shell shape and the trajectory with the current 2DConA platform capability. We examine 1D energy transfer between shell layers using trajectory measurements from a series of surrogate targets; the series builds to a complete double shell layer by layer, isolating the physics of each step of the energy transfer process. The measured energy transfer to the foam cushion and the inner shell suggests that our radiation-hydrodynamics simulations capture most of the relevant collision physics. With a 1 MJ laser drive, the experimental data indicate that 22% ± 3% of the ablator kinetic energy couples into inner shell KE, compared to a 27% ± 2% coupling in our xRAGE simulations. Thus, our xRAGE simulations match experimental energy transfer to ∼5%, without inclusion of higher order 2D and 3D effects.
Secure Coding and Ethical Hacking Workshops with NAO for Engaging K-12 Female Students in CS

This research work is based upon the new Microsoft DigiSpark outreach project initiated by the computer science (CS) program at the University of Wisconsin - Green Bay (UWGB) in an effort to engage K-12 female learners in CS. It describes our unique experiential learning approach combining robotics and cybersecurity, which has been adopted in the outreach workshop sessions as part of our project. Our project involves the use of the NAO humanoid robots in order to successfully engage middle-school and high-school female students, who are underrepresented in CS. These outreach workshop sessions have exposed the young female participants to defensive computer programming, and computing security topics by providing them the hands-on opportunity to write secure code for programming the NAO, and to carry out an ethical hack on the NAO in order to explore robotic system vulnerabilities. Existing literature shows that there is limited work on the efficacy of teaching secure-coding and ethical-hacking related computer-security topics using a robotic-platform. Prior work indicate that a robotic-platform can be an effective and engaging medium for teaching computer-security. However, our proposed approach of teaching secure coding and ethical hacking through hands-on exercises with NAO is a first-of-its-kind experiment with female students at the K-12 level. As preliminary evidence of the effectiveness and potential of this novel approach, we discuss our preliminary experimental results, including initial participant interests and survey data, from the multiple NAO secure coding and NAO ethical hacking workshop sessions, which we have conducted with high-school and middle-school female learners.
Digital image correlation for highly reflective objects using digital micro-mirror device

The paper introduces a new method of digital image correlation by making use of the transitioning state of the digital micro-mirror device (DMD). The projector should be given an OFF time in order to introduce flashing light for dynamic imaging. The dark period between DMD’s ON time is used to solve the saturation problem. Multiple captures are made during each projector cycle. The final unsaturated camera image can be obtained by combining all the images captured during that cycle. Experiments conducted demonstrate the success of the proposed method in performing digital image correlation for highly reflective surface.