cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Deep brain stimulation of the nucleus accumbens shell does not decrease cocaine self-administration in cocaine-dependent rats but increases GluR1/GluA1 in the central nucleus of the amygdala

Abstract Background Cocaine addiction is a major public health problem. Despite decades of intense research, no effective treatments are available. Both preclinical and clinical studies of drug addiction strongly suggest that the nucleus accumbens (NAcc) is a viable target for deep brain stimulation (DBS). Objective Although previous studies have shown that DBS of the NAcc decreases cocaine seeking and reinstatement, the effects of DBS on cocaine intake in cocaine-dependent animals have not yet been investigated. Methods Rats were made cocaine-dependent by allowing them to self-administer cocaine in long-access sessions (6 h, 0.5 mg/kg/infusion). The effects of high-frequency DBS of the NAcc shell on cocaine intake was then studied. Furthermore, cocaine-induced locomotor activity, irritability-like behavior during cocaine abstinence and the levels of the α-amino-3-hydroxy-5-methyl-4-isoxazolepropionic acid (AMPA) receptor subunits 1 and 2 (GluR1/GluA1 and GluR2/GluA2) after DBS were investigated. Results Contrary to our expectations, DBS of the NAcc shell induced a slight increase in both cocaine self-administration and cocaine-induced locomotor activity. In addition, 18 h into cocaine withdrawal, we found that DBS decreased irritability-like behavior. We also found that DBS-induced a robust increase in both cytosolic and synaptosomal levels of GluR1, but not GluR2, specifically in the central nucleus of the amygdala but not in other brain regions. Conclusions These preclinical results with cocaine-dependent animals do not support high-frequency DBS of the NAcc shell as a therapeutic approach for the treatment of cocaine addiction in active cocaine users. However, the decrease in irritability-like behavior during cocaine abstinence, together with previous findings showing that DBS of the NAcc shell reduces the reinstatement of cocaine seeking in abstinent animals, warrants future investigations of DBS as a treatment for negative emotional states and craving during abstinence. Highlights High-frequency DBS of the NAcc shell for the treatment of cocaine addiction is proposed DBS of the NAcc shell does not decrease cocaine intake in cocaine-dependent rats DBS increases the level of GluR1 specifically in the central nucleus of the amygdala
Detecting Disruption: Identifying Structural Changes in the Verkhovna Rada

We identify time periods of disruption in the voting patterns of the Ukrainian parliament for the last three convocations. We compare two methods: ideal point estimation (PolSci) and faction detection (CS). Both methods identify the revolution in Ukraine in 2014. The faction detection method also detects structural changes prior to the revolution (election of the president whose tenure was ended early by the revolution), while the ideal points method performs stronger after 2014, identifying a disruption around voting on constitutional changes to implement Minsk II agreements between separatists and Ukraine. The ideal point method is better at detecting position changes of the members of parliament, while the faction method is better at detecting changes in relationships between different MPs. The results suggest that after 2014, the Ukrainian parliament has become more consolidated, but the distribution of its political positions continues to evolve in response to changes in geo-political conditions.
Second-order adjoint sensitivity analysis of a general ratio of functionals of the forward and adjoint fluxes in a multiplying nuclear system with source

Abstract In the present work, the Second-Order Adjoint Sensitivity Analysis Methodology (2nd-ASAM) is applied to a generic multiplying subcritical nuclear system comprising a non-fission neutron source in order to compute efficiently and exactly all of the 1st- and 2nd-order functional derivatives (“sensitivities”) of a system response with respect to the system’s many parameters. The system response is defined to be a ratio of two general nonlinear functionals of the forward and adjoint particle fluxes, while the system parameters include isotopic number densities, microscopic cross sections, fission spectrum parameters, neutron sources, and detector response functions. Such ratios of functionals represent the most general models for quantities of fundamental importance in reactor physics, including eigenvalues, ratios of reaction rates and forward/adjoint flux-weighted multi-group cross sections. The exact expressions obtained in this work will be used in subsequent works to perform a large-scale sensitivity analysis of a polyethylene-reflected plutonium metal sphere experimental benchmark to the nuclear data characterizing this benchmark, comprising 21,976 first-order sensitivities and 482,944,576 second-order sensitivities.
Accurate Calculations of Emissivities of Polar Ocean Surfaces Between 0.5 and 2 GHz Using an NIBC/Nystrom/SMCG Method

We use full-wave simulations of rough surfaces to calculate the emissivities of a polar ocean between 0.5 GHz and 2 GHz for applications in ocean salinity. High accuracy is required because the emissivity variations between flat and rough surfaces are at the order of magnitude of $10^{-3}$ . In addition, the changes of emissivity due to salinity change are only about $4.2\times 10^{-4}$ /psu to $2.6\times 10^{-3}$ /psu for 0.5–2 GHz over the polar region. An enhanced method is proposed by combining neighborhood impedance boundary condition (NIBC), Nystrom, and sparse matrix canonical grid (SMCG) to solve the dual surface integral equations (SIEs) using the method of moments (MoM). To simulate large-scale ocean waves using a complete ocean spectrum, the surface root-mean-square (RMS) heights are up to 22.5 cm corresponding to 1.5 times wavelength of 2 GHz. Thus, the surface lengths used are up to 333 wavelengths to account for the large RMS height. Simulation results are illustrated for 0.5–2 GHz. We show that the energy conservations are obeyed to $10^{-4}$ . The effects of roughness and salinity on broadband polar ocean emissivity are studied with the proposed approach. Numerical simulations show that the sensitivity to salinity is still preserved in spite of roughness.
Henry, Prince of Wales, and Britain’s Lost Renaissance

Cambridge University recently marked the 400th anniversary of the death of Henry Stuart, not without some irony (Henry associated himself with Oxford, and the fact that Cambridge had printed the first collection of elegies mourning the prince was felt as an ignoble sting by Oxonians), and their attempt to revive the prince hints at a central instability.
ON THE HIERARCHICAL LEVELS OF DESIGN KNOWLEDGE

Hierarchies of knowledge represent a popular formalism for conceptualizing beliefs, justifications, and truth statements. To capitalize on the opportunity for formulating effective maps of design knowledge, this article introduces the hierarchical context–design development–high-level (CDH) model that stratifies different bodies of design-specific knowledge into ranked levels. We compare it with existing hierarchical models of knowledge, and describe its unique uses and benefits for both design research and design practice.
Group Therapy for PTSD

Group therapy has a long and rich history of use in treating PTSD. This is due in part to its lower cost and effort required but is also due to its value in providing a social structure for individuals with a diagnosis known to negatively affect support systems. Despite wide use, few clinical trials have addressed the potential value of PTSD group therapy so that only a few limited studies support the possibility that group approaches might be able to provide care equivalent to that obtained in individual therapy. The strongest evidence for the potential benefits of group therapy in PTSD comes from comparisons to groupings that receive no treatment at all. Despite minimal supportive evidence as to efficacy, classic cognitive behavioral therapy and prolonged exposure are often provided in groups. The best evidence supporting the value of PTSD group therapy is in the treatment for associated substance abuse. Group therapy is also an excellent way to provide adjunctive social support for individuals utilizing individual therapies of more proven value in the treatment of PTSD.
Longitudinal analysis of National Institutes of Health funding for academic thoracic surgeons.

Abstract Objective National Institutes of Health (NIH) funding for academic (noncardiac) thoracic surgeons at the top-140 NIH-funded institutes in the United States was assessed. We hypothesized that thoracic surgeons have difficulty in obtaining NIH funding in a difficult funding climate. Methods The top-140 NIH-funded institutes' faculty pages were searched for noncardiac thoracic surgeons. Surgeon data, including gender, academic rank, and postfellowship training were recorded. These surgeons were then queried in NIH Research Portfolio Online Reporting Tools Expenditures and Results for their funding history. Analysis of the resulting grants (1980-2019) included grant type, funding amount, project start/end dates, publications, and a citation-based Grant Impact Metric to evaluate productivity. Results A total of 395 general thoracic surgeons were evaluated with 63 (16%) receiving NIH funding. These 63 surgeons received 136 grants totaling $228 million, resulting in 1772 publications, and generating more than 50,000 citations. Thoracic surgeons have obtained NIH funding at an increasing rate (1980-2019); however, they have a low percentage of R01 renewal (17.3%). NIH-funded thoracic surgeons were more likely to have a higher professorship level. Thoracic surgeons perform similarly to other physician-scientists in converting K-Awards into R01 funding. Conclusions Contrary to our hypothesis, thoracic surgeons have received more NIH funding over time. Thoracic surgeons are able to fill the roles of modern surgeon-scientists by obtaining NIH funding during an era of increasing clinical demands. The NIH should continue to support this mission.
Pandemics and Public Health History.

Since the inception of the COVID-19 pandemic, historians have been frequent commentators, searching high and low through their research files, scholarly articles, and books to find the closest analogs in the history of past pandemics to the current crisis Over recent decades, the field of public health history has been transformed as it has addressed the history of pandemics, centering attention on powerful social and structural forces that create unequal vulnerabilities to death and disease, as well as greater attention to the significant obstacles that stand in the way of effective responses 2 In the current issue, Navarro and Markel dive back into the 1918 pandemic in their article "Politics, Pushback, and Pandemics: Challenges to Public Health Orders in the 1918 Influenza Pandemic" (p 416) [ ]nihilistic views of public health are familiar to historians who are well versed in the arguments and rationalizations that disease and disparities are but an aspect of natural selection and biological determinism 6 The historian's responsibility is to draw attention to these specious and historically situated arguments and to demonstrate how they reflect the particular social, cultural, and political forces oftheirtime
Probabilistic reputation networks.

A reputation system is proposed in the form of a Reputation Network based on the premise of availability of a model of the world as a Dynamic Bayesian Network where the network's posterior for one time slice is set as the prior probability in the next time slice. These networks are solutions with better overall properties than the original network reducing the complexity of using the results when the input data is random. Experiments are an extension of prior work detecting when P2P Group Owner (GO) negotiation unfairly makes one of the participants GO more often than the other. The decision process of who becomes GO can be modeled as a Bernoulli trial. Based on this model, we show that we can set the false positive rate, we can detect more nuanced cheating without extra nodes in the network to help us, and when the underlying distribution favors one element as GO, it will declare a positive and keep the positive set without needing a second interpretive layer. Furthermore, we demonstrate that the original properties of non-random data are maintained.
Effect of fixed and seasonal tilt angles on the performance of an ON-Grid PV plant

Worldwide, all the countries are moving towards renewable energy sources to cater their energy demands. For Pakistan, solar energy is one of the best options among renewable energy resources and is free from air pollution and fuel usage. The main objective of present study is the performance comparative analysis of 1MW grid-connected PV power plant for Silver star industry at Sialkot (Longitude 74.42* E & Latitude 32.36* N) using fixed angle and seasonal tilt angle technology. The average solar radiation at plant site is 4.55 kWh/m2/day and the average annual temperature is 25.18 °C. The actual measured results of the PV power plant are compared with the results acquired by doing simulations at fixed angle and at seasonal tilt angles using PV syst software. The PV plant is installed at fixed angle 30° and the optimal seasonal tilt angles found by doing simulations are 14° and 46°. From the comparative study, it is observed that 5.28% energy generation is increased by using seasonal tilt angles as compared to actual PV plant energy generation. Moreover, the performance parameters including final yield, performance ratio and capacity utilization factor increases to 4.6%, 1.6% and 5.3% respectively, by using seasonal tilt angle as compared to actual fixed angle of the PV plant. The comparative results indicated that the seasonal tilt angle can play a significant role in improving the performance of On-Grid PV plant.
Self-Reported Use of Personal Protective Equipment among Emergency Department Nurses, Physicians and Advanced Practice Providers during the 2020 COVID-19 Pandemic.

Background: Emergency departments (EDs) have seen dramatic surges in patients infected with COVID-19 and are high-risk transmission environments. Knowledge, attitudes and practice regarding personal protective equipment (PPE) among ED health care workers (HCWs) during the COVID-19 pandemic have not been studied, thus this study examines this knowledge gap. Methods: This was a cross-sectional survey of 308 HCWs in two urban EDs in Atlanta, Georgia in April and May of 2020. Results: We surveyed 308 HCWs; 137 responded (44% response rate). All HCWs reported adequate knowledge and 96% reported compliance with PPE guidelines. Reported sources of PPE information: 56.7% charge nurse, 67.3% the institutional COVID-19 website. Frequency of training was positively associated with understanding how to protect themselves and patients (OR = 1.7, 95% CI: 1.0–2.9). Conclusions: Few HCWs are willing to care for patients without PPE, and therefore we should aim for resiliency in the PPE supply chain. EDs should consider multiple communication strategies, including a website with concise information and enhanced training for key personnel, particularly the charge nurse. Attention to frequency in HCW training may be key to improve confidence in protecting themselves and patients. Findings can be leveraged by EDs to implement effective PPE training.
Carbon isotopes of Proterozoic filamentous microfossils: SIMS analyses of ancient cyanobacteria from two disparate shallow-marine cherts

The surface ecosystem of the Precambrian Earth was dominated by marine, planktonic and benthic phototrophic microorganisms, most prominently stromatolite-forming cyanobacteria, anoxygenic photosynt...
Digestibility of amino acids and concentration of metabolizable energy are greater in high-oil corn than in conventional corn when fed to growing pigs

Abstract Two experiments were conducted to test the hypothesis that the coefficient of standardized ileal digestibility (CSID) of amino acids (AA), concentrations of digestible energy (DE) and metabolizable energy (ME), and the coefficient of standardized total tract digestibility (CSTTD) of phosphorus (P) in high-oil corn is greater than in conventional corn. In experiment 1, 9 pigs (81.5 ± 5.9 kg) that had a T-cannula installed in the distal ileum were allotted to a triplicated 3 × 3 Latin square design with 3 diets and 3 periods for 9 replicates per diet. A nitrogen-free diet and 2 diets that contained conventional corn or high-oil corn as the only source of crude protein (CP) and AA were formulated. Results indicated that the CSID of CP and most AA was greater (P
Supply Chain Coordination for E-Commerce: Risk Penalty vs. Flat Rate

Problem definition: We study the coordination of an E-commerce supply chain between online sellers and third party shippers to meet random demand surges, induced by, for instance, online shopping h...
Can Multigene Testing Provide Additional Risk Stratification for Patients Considered Eligible for Accelerated Partial Breast Irradiation

Purpose/Objective(s) Following breast conserving surgery, the risk of ipsilateral in-breast recurrence is equivalent between whole breast radiation therapy (WBRT) and accelerated partial breast irradiation (APBI) in patients with low-risk tumors according to ASTRO guidelines. The Oncotype DX Recurrence Score (RS) is prognostic for both local and distant recurrence in ER+/HER2- breast cancer. Whether the RS can identify patients at increased risk for local recurrence among those considered eligible for APBI is unclear. Materials/Methods We retrospectively identified consecutive patients with clinical T1-2, ER+/HER2-, node-negative tumors with an available RS, and who were treated with APBI from 2010-2019 at a single institution. RS testing was performed for all patients with ER+/HER2-, invasive cancers ≥ 0.5 cm who were candidates for chemotherapy. Patients were considered for APBI based on the 2009 ASTRO guidelines. Characteristics were compared between patients with RS ≤ 25 and RS > 25 using Fisher's exact test for categorical variables and the Wilcoxon rank sum test for continuous variables. The 6-year cumulative incidence rate (CIR) of local recurrence was estimated using Kaplan-Meier methods and was compared between groups using the log-rank test. Results 223 patients were identified; the median (IQR) age was 63 years (57-68) and median (IQR) tumor size was 1.0 cm (0.8-1.4). 201 patients (90%) had RS ≤ 25 and 22 patients (10%) had RS > 25. Nine patients aged ≤ 50 years were included, all of whom had RS ≤ 25. Compared with the RS ≤ 25 group, patients with RS > 25 more frequently had tumors that were progesterone receptor negative (55% vs. 9%; P 25 group (97% vs. 95%; P = 0.39), as was median (IQR) duration of endocrine therapy at 3 years (2-5) for both groups (P = 0.9). The median (range) follow-up was 3.6 years (0.1-10.2) and was similar between groups (P = 0.64). Overall, 4 ipsilateral in-breast recurrences occurred during follow-up, with 2 events (1.0%) in the RS ≤ 25 group and 2 events (9.1%) in the RS > 25 group (P = 0.05). The 6-year CIR of local recurrence was higher among patients with RS > 25 compared with RS ≤ 25 (6-year CIR [95% CI] 0.01 [0-0.04] vs. 0.08 [0-0.21]; P = 0.006). Due to a low number of events, a multivariable analysis of factors associated with local recurrence could not be performed. Conclusion The overall risk of local recurrence following APBI in patients with early-stage, ER+ tumors is low, but our findings suggest that the RS may identify patients at increased risk for local failure among a favorable risk population. Prospective studies are needed to assess whether genomic profiling can be used for additional risk stratification for patients considered eligible for APBI, to identify patients for whom de-escalation of WBRT may not be advisable.
Improved Algorithms for Low Rank Approximation from Sparsity.

We overcome two major bottlenecks in the study of low rank approximation by assuming the low rank factors themselves are sparse. Specifically, (1) for low rank approximation with spectral norm error, we show how to improve the best known $\mathsf{nnz}(\mathbf A) k / \sqrt{\varepsilon}$ running time to $\mathsf{nnz}(\mathbf A)/\sqrt{\varepsilon}$ running time plus low order terms depending on the sparsity of the low rank factors, and (2) for streaming algorithms for Frobenius norm error, we show how to bypass the known $\Omega(nk/\varepsilon)$ memory lower bound and obtain an $s k (\log n)/ \mathrm{poly}(\varepsilon)$ memory bound, where $s$ is the number of non-zeros of each low rank factor. Although this algorithm is inefficient, as it must be under standard complexity theoretic assumptions, we also present polynomial time algorithms using $\mathrm{poly}(s,k,\log n,\varepsilon^{-1})$ memory that output rank $k$ approximations supported on a $O(sk/\varepsilon)\times O(sk/\varepsilon)$ submatrix. Both the prior $\mathsf{nnz}(\mathbf A) k / \sqrt{\varepsilon}$ running time and the $nk/\varepsilon$ memory for these problems were long-standing barriers; our results give a natural way of overcoming them assuming sparsity of the low rank factors.
Toxicity of the iron siderophore mycobactin J in mouse macrophages: Evidence for a hypoxia response

Abstract Mycobacterium tuberculosis, the causative agent of tuberculosis, is an obligate intracellular pathogen that lives within the phagosome of macrophages. Here we demonstrate that the siderophore mycobactin J, produced by the closely related intracellular pathogen Mycobacterium paratuberculosis, is toxic to murine macrophage cells. Its median lethal dose, 10 μM, is lower than that of the iron chelators desferrioxamine B and TrenCAM, an enterobactin analog. To determine the source of this toxicity, we conducted microarray, ELISA, and metabolite profiling experiments. The primary response is hypoxia-like, which implies iron starvation as the underlying cause of the toxicity. This observation is consistent with our recent finding that mycobactin J is a stronger iron chelator than had been inferred from previous studies. Mycobactin J is known to partition into cell membranes and hydrophobic organelles indicating that enhanced membrane penetration is also a likely factor. Thus, mycobactin J is shown to be toxic, eliciting a hypoxia-like response under physiological conditions.
Real-time monitoring of carbon nanotube dispersion using dynamic light scattering and UV-vis spectroscopy

A process for continuously monitoring the ultrasonic dispersion process of carbon nanotubes (CNTs) was discovered by integrating dynamic light scattering (DLS) and UV-vis spectroscopy. Through a continuous flow approach adapted to the dispersion system, the CNT suspension could be quantitatively characterized in real time. By continuously monitoring and identifying the evolution of mean particle size distribution and transparency of CNT suspension, the effective dispersion parameters and dispersion quality was quantified. Two types of MWNTs of different diameters and lengths were studied. For longer MWNTs with smaller diameters, the dispersion process achieved at a steady 100 nm of agglomerate size with 40 min of sonication. For shorter and large diameter and less entangled MWNTs, after 60 min of sonication, an agglomerate size of 100 nm was achieved, yet the stability decrease. The results show the potential ability of the system to optimize nanoparticle dispersion process for in-line dispersion quality control.
Parallel Numerical Methods in Finance

This chapter covers the high-performance parallel numerical methods most frequently used by C/C++ application developers in quantitative finance in the course of implementing a high-performance program that use Newton-Raphson method to find solutions to partial differential equation based on Black-Scholes model for American option pricing. Particular attention is paid to taking advantage of data locality and how to express the numerical algorithm to achieve both vector (SIMD) and core parallelism
Citation Analysis of Student Dissertations and Faculty Publications in Reading and Educational Leadership at Oakland University

Abstract This study examines bibliographies of student dissertations and faculty publications in the fields of reading and educational leadership to determine the types of items that were cited during preweb (1983–1990), emergent (1991–1998), and post-web (1999–2014) time periods. Cited items were examined for the following characteristics: format such as books, journal articles, technical reports, etc.; citation age; and scholarliness of journal articles as determined by impact factor. Seventy-five student dissertations as well as 63 faculty articles written between 1983 and 2014 were inspected, resulting in a total of 11,082 cited items. Results indicate that over all time periods students cited a diverse set of materials including journal articles, monographs, technical reports, and dissertations while faculty cited primarily journal articles and monographs. Moreover, students lean toward citing journals with a lower impact factor than faculty who generally cited journals with a medium or high impact factor. Additionally, the average citation age found in students' bibliographies was 12.4 years while the average citation age for faculty publications was 9.6 years. Cited items exhibited a continuously longer citation age from pre-web, through emergent, to post-web years.
THE INTERACTION OF INSIDERS AND OUTSIDERS IN MONITORING: A THEORY OF CORPORATE BOARDS

I explicitly model the interaction of inside and outside corporate board members in a firm where the board is responsible for monitoring projects and making CEO succession decisions. Inside directors are better informed regarding the quality of firm investment projects proposed by the CEO. Outsiders can use CEO succession to motivate insiders to reveal their superior information. Board structure affects the flow of information and the effectiveness of the corporate board in replacing inferior projects with superior ones. I endogenously derive the optimal board size and composition by maximizing the board effectiveness in monitoring. I also develop testable implications for the cross-sectional differences in the optimal board structure across firms.
Cognition and Language Assessment

Performance on L2 assessments is an enormously complex endeavor, involving multiple interacting elements that can impact the scores that examinees receive. Among these factors, language testers have long been interested in the cognitive mechanisms that underlie performance on assessments. Given the role that cognition plays in test score variability, it is essential that cognitive variables be considered in the design and development of L2 assessments, as well as in the interpretation and use of assessments as meaningful indicators of L2 learning or proficiency. The current chapter looks at the cognitive mechanisms governing performance on L2 assessments. Several approaches to how cognition in L2 assessment has been conceptualized over the years are discussed. Also, several strands of research in L2 assessment related to the cognitive component will be presented. Finally, the challenges in examining the factors will be highlighted and new directions in addressing the cognitive component of L2 assessment will be described. Keywords: Cognitive psychology; Grammar; Second language acquisition
Physical activity and quality of life in breast cancer survivors: the role of self-efficacy and health status

Objective Mechanisms underlying the relationship between physical activity and quality of life (QOL) in breast cancer survivors are not well understood. The purpose of the present study was to longitudinally test a model examining self-efficacy and health status as potential mediators of this relationship. Methods At baseline and 6 months, breast cancer survivors (n = 1527) completed physical activity, self-efficacy, health status, and QOL measures, and a subsample (n = 370) wore an accelerometer. Panel analysis within a covariance modeling framework was used to test the hypothesis that physical activity indirectly influences QOL across time. Results The hypothesized model provided a good fit in the full sample (χ2 = 409.06; d.f. = 91, p < 0.001; comparative fit index (CFI) = 0.98; standardized root mean residual (SRMR) = 0.04) and the accelerometer subsample (χ2 = 320.96, d.f. = 134, p < 0.001; CFI = 0.95; SRMR = 0.05), indicating that physical activity indirectly, via self-efficacy and health status indicators, influences QOL across time. Conclusions Physical activity may influence QOL in breast cancer survivors through more proximal, modifiable factors. Copyright © 2013 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
The classification problem for torsion-free abelian groups of finite rank

In 1937, Baer [5] introduced the notion of the type of an element in a torsion-free abelian group and showed that this notion provided a complete invariant for the classification problem for torsion-free abelian groups of rank 1. Since then, despite the efforts of such mathematicians as Kurosh [23] and Malcev [25], no satisfactory system of complete invariants has been found for the torsion-free abelian groups of finite rank n > 2. So it is natural to ask whether the classification problem is genuinely more difficult for the groups of rank n > 2. Of course, if we wish to show that the classification problem for the groups of rank n > 2 is intractible, it is not enough merely to prove that there are 2' such groups up to isomorphism. For there are 2' pairwise nonisomorphic groups of rank 1, and we have already pointed out that Baer has given a satisfactory classification for this class of groups. In this paper, following Friedman-Stanley [11] and Hjorth-Kechris [15], we shall use the more sensitive notions of descriptive set theory to measure the complexity of the classification problem for the groups of rank n > 2. Recall that, up to isomorphism, the torsion-free abelian groups of rank n are exactly the additive subgroups of the n-dimensional vector space Qf which contain n linearly independent elements. Thus the collection of torsion-free abelian groups of rank 1 < r < n can be naturally identified with the set S(Qn) of all nontrivial additive subgroups of Qn. Notice that S(Qn) is a Borel subset of the Polish space ,p(Qn) of all subsets of Qn, and hence S(Qn) can be regarded as a standard Borel space; i.e. a Polish space equipped with its associated o-algebra of Borel subsets. (Here we are identifying p(Qn) with the space 2'Qn of all functions h: Qn {0, 1} equipped with the product topology.) Furthermore, the natural action of GLn(Q) on the vector space Qn induces a corresponding Borel action on S(Qn); and it is easily checked that if A, B C S(Qn), then A _V B iff there exists an element f E GLn(Q) such that p(A) = B. It follows that the isomorphism relation on S(Qn) is a countable Borel equivalence relation. (If X is a standard Borel space, then a Borel equivalence relation on X is an equivalence relation E C X2 which is a Borel subset of X2. The Borel equivalence relation E is said to be countable iff every E-equivalence class is countable.)
Developing and Distributing Component-Level VHDL Models

The development and distribution of component-level Vhsic Hardware Descriptive Language models is essential to the successful implementation of a virtual prototyping environment based on the RASSP paradigm. In this paper we will discuss component-level modeling as it pertains to the development and distribution of simulation models in support of advanced digital signal processor system design. The paper will be partitioned into two sections pertaining to the modeling of 1) complex commercial off-the-shelf (COTS) components, and 2) standard COTS components. In addition, the paper will discuss distribution mechanisms which can be leveraged in a virtual prototyping environment. The component-level modeling discussion is based on two RASSP Technology Base efforts underway at the Georgia Institute of Technology and Mississippi State University. These efforts exemplify the RASSP program goal of creating a VHDL model library of components for the design of application specific signal processors.
What are seemings

We are all familiar with the phenomenon of a proposition seeming true. Many think that these seeming states can yield justified beliefs. Very few have seriously explored what these seeming states are. I argue that seeming states are not plausibly analyzed in terms of beliefs, partial beliefs, attractions to believe, or inclinations to believe. Given that the main candidates for analyzing seeming states are unsatisfactory, I argue for a brute view of seemings that treats seeming states as irreducible propositional attitudes.
InMAP: a new model for air pollution interventions

Abstract. Mechanistic air pollution models are essential tools in air quality management. Widespread use of such models is hindered, however, by the extensive expertise or computational resources needed to run most models. Here, we present InMAP (Intervention Model for Air Pollution), which offers an alternative to comprehensive air quality models for estimating the air pollution health impacts of emission reductions and other potential interventions. InMAP estimates annual-average changes in primary and secondary fine particle (PM2.5) concentrations – the air pollution outcome generally causing the largest monetized health damages – attributable to annual changes in precursor emissions. InMAP leverages pre-processed physical and chemical information from the output of a state-of-the-science chemical transport model (WRF-Chem) within an Eulerian modeling framework, to perform simulations that are several orders of magnitude less computationally intensive than comprehensive model simulations. InMAP uses a variable resolution grid that focuses on human exposures by employing higher spatial resolution in urban areas and lower spatial resolution in rural and remote locations and in the upper atmosphere; and by directly calculating steady-state, annual average concentrations. In comparisons run here, InMAP recreates WRF-Chem predictions of changes in total PM2.5 concentrations with population-weighted mean fractional error (MFE) and bias (MFB)
Impairment of STAT Activation by IL-12 in a Patient with Atypical Mycobacterial and Staphylococcal Infections

IL-12 plays a pivotal role in the stimulation of immune responses against intracellular infections. This role is manifested in the increased susceptibility to atypical mycobacterial and salmonella infections among individuals whose lymphocytes lack expression of IL-12Rbeta1. Here, we report on a patient with Mycobacterium avium infection, recurrent Staphylococcus aureus sinusitis, and multiple adverse drug reactions whose T cells were unable to produce IFN-gamma or proliferate in response to IL-12 despite the expression of wild-type IL-12Rbeta1 and IL-12Rbeta2. The defect in these functional responses to IL-12 was selective, as cytolytic activity induced by IL-12 was intact, and lymphocytes were responsive to stimulation by IL-2. An examination of cytokine signaling revealed that STAT4 and extracellular regulated kinase 1 (ERK1) activation by IL-12 was intact, whereas the activation of STAT1, -3, and -5 by IL-12 was lost. This impairment of STAT activation was specific for IL-12, as STAT activation by IL-2, IL-15, and IFN-gamma was unaffected. These findings demonstrate that the activation of STAT4 alone is not sufficient for IL-12-induced IFN-gamma production and proliferation and suggest that other STATs play a role in these responses to IL-12. While the etiology of the impaired IL-12 signaling in this patient has not yet been elucidated, the absence of mutations in IL-12Rbeta1 or IL-12Rbeta2 and the preservation of STAT4 activation raise the possibility that there may be a mutation in an as yet undiscovered component of the IL-12 signaling complex that is normally required for the recruitment and activation of STAT1, -3, and -5.
Revisiting the TCA cycle: signaling to tumor formation

A role for mitochondria in tumor formation is suggested by mutations in enzymes of the TCA cycle: isocitrate dehydrogenase (IDH), succinate dehydrogenase (SDH) and fumarate hydratase (FH). Although they are all components of the TCA cycle, the resulting clinical presentations do not overlap. Activation of the hypoxia pathway can explain SDH phenotypes, but recent data suggest that FH and IDH mutations lead to tumor formation by repressing cellular differentiation. In this review, we discuss recent findings in the context of both mitochondrial and cytoplasmic components of the TCA cycle, and we propose that extrametabolic roles of TCA cycle metabolites result in reduced cellular differentiation. Furthermore, activation of the pseudohypoxia pathway likely promotes the growth of these neoplasias into tumors.
Management of congenital preauricular pit and sinus tract in children

Although its exact incidence is not well-documented, preauricular pit/sinus tract (PAP/S) occurs commonly in children. Controversy regarding indications for surgical excision of PAP/S and a tendency for recurrence or persistence make management of this congenital abnormality difficult
665 PLATELET MALONYLDIALDEHYDE (MDA)FORMATION: A NEW TEST FOR PLATELET HYPERFUNCTION

Methods for identification of enhanced platelet function to date include measurements of spontaneous platelet aggregation, determinations for circulating platelet aggregates, and platelet hypersensitivity to the various aggregating agents. Platelet malonyldialdehyde (MDA) formation in the presence of either Nethyl maleimide (NEM) or Thrombin was evaluated as a method of identification of platelet hyperfunction. In 13 patients with either spontaneous aggregation (7/13), or enhanced sensitivity to minimal concentrations of ADP or Epinephrine (6/13), platelet MDA formation in the presence of NEM was markedly increased to 3.96 ± 0.16 (1SD) n moles/109 platelets when compared to a value of 3.10 ± 0.25 in 25 normal controls with normal aggregation patterns. Increased values (p<0.0005) were also observed when Thrombin induced MDA values in the patient group (1.82 ± 0.15) were compared to the values obtained in the control group (1.26± 0.19). Studies in all 13 abnormal subjects later revealed normal aggregation patterns in 7/13 on follow-up evaluation. Concomitant estimation of platelet MDA induced by either MDA or Thrombin now revealed a significant decrease into the normal range in these 7 patients. Since platelet MDA is a byproduct of the platelet endoperoxide PGG2, these results suggest that part of the phenomenon of platelet hypersensitivity is intrinsic to the platelet and involves an increase in platelet endoperoxide synthesis.
Differential ability antecedents of general and specific dimensions of declarative knowledge: More than g

The purpose of the current study is to test the proposition that the relative contribution of narrow abilities (but not of g) may have been obscured in prior research due to a failure to employ fully multidimensional latent variable analyses. The current study corrects for these deficiencies and examines the relationships between cognitive abilities and domain-specific declarative knowledge. Results show that when observed criterion test scores were individually regressed on abilities, only g was consistently related to the criteria. However, when a latent variable analysis was applied to the same data, both g and narrow ability factors accounted for substantial portions of variance in different latent criterion constructs. Implications are discussed.
Lack of Evidence that Hematopoietic Stem Cells Depend on N-Cadherin-Mediated Adhesion to Osteoblasts for Their Maintenance

Recent studies have proposed that bone marrow hematopoietic stem cells (HSCs) are maintained via N-cadherin-mediated homophilic adhesion with osteoblasts. However, there is not yet any evidence that N-cadherin-expressing cells have HSC activity or that osteoblasts are required for HSC maintenance. We were unable to detect N-cadherin expression in highly purified HSCs by polymerase chain reaction, by using commercial anti-N-cadherin antibodies, or by beta-galactosidase staining of N-cadherin gene trap mice. Only N-cadherin-negative bone marrow cells exhibited HSC activity in irradiated mice. Finally, biglycan-deficient mice had significant reductions in trabecular bone and osteoblasts but showed no defects in hematopoiesis, HSC frequency, or function. Thus, reductions in osteoblasts do not necessarily lead to reductions in HSCs. Most bone marrow HSCs in wild-type and biglycan-deficient mice localized to sinusoids, and few localized within five cell diameters of the endosteum. These results question whether significant numbers of HSCs depend on N-cadherin-mediated adhesion to osteoblasts.
On the timing of an interstellar communication

By considering prominent events that are observable from both earth and nearby stellar systems it is possible to establish common clocks that may be useful in estimating arrival times for signals of intelligent extraterrestrial origin. The geometry and statistics of a timing strategy are developed together with quantitative estimates of its effectiveness and limits on its application. Effectiveness is measured by comparing the timing strategy with one randomized in time. Limitations arise from inaccuracies inherent in the determination of stellar parallaxes and result in standard deviations of the order of weeks to months for time estimates. The problem can be alleviated by choosing clocks close to Sender in angular distance. Signal opportunities for several nearby sun-like stars are calculated using the bright Nova Cygni 1975 as a clock.
Early patterns of food intake in an adolescent weight loss trial as predictors of BMI change.

Purpose To determine whether baseline intake or initial changes in intake of fruits (F), vegetables (V), snack foods (SF), and reduced-calorie snack foods (RCSF) during standard behavioral weight loss treatment predict BMI reductions among overweight adolescents. Given conflicting messages between child and adult weight loss interventions, the role of RCSF in adolescent weight control was of particular interest.
Sequential classification of patient recovery patterns after coronary artery bypass graft surgery.

Abstract A new application of pattern classification technique to classify the recovery patterns of patients after a coronary artery bypass graft (CABG) surgery is presented. Patients are classified into three types by the physicians: rapid recovery, satisfactory recovery, and marginal recovery. Eleven selected clinical measurements are observed before, immediately after, 1 day, and 2 days after surgery. The feature vector used for the trajectory classification is based on the normalized distances to five physiological states defined in terms of these clinical measurements, at each epoch. The existing data based on 86 patients is divided into two groups: 32 for analysis and the remaining 54 for test. For analysis, the time-dependent and multidimensional characterizing parameters such as the mean and covariance matrices for these three types of patients are estimated from the time history of the 32 analysis CABG patients. A two-level nonlinear recognition algorithm is developed for this study. Very good agreement is found between the physician's and the computer classifications: 100% on analysis data and 86.1% on the test data accumulated up to 2 days after surgery. The result also shows that the earlier prediction of the patient recovery patterns is feasible. The percentage of the correct prediction for the 54 test patients is 63.3% before surgery, 70.6% immediately after surgery, 86.3% one day after the surgery. 100% of the highest-risk test patients can be correctly predicted less than 1 day after surgery, while they normally can be definitely classified by physicians only after 1 day, 2 days, or sometimes 3 days after surgery.
Comparison of predictions based on three control volume models of subsonic/supersonic ejector systems

A control volume based model of multiple gas/multiple ejector systems is simplified to a single gas/single ejector system. Associated predictions are compared to several previously published results, and evaluations of three control volume based modeling concepts are made.
Building a call center in 2 days: how a world class support center responds to crisis

In the Fall of 2011, VCU was faced with a crisis. During routine monitoring of servers at the VCU Computing Center, suspicious activity was found on one of the servers. The server was taken offline and an investigation was put into motion, which determined that a hacker had access to the server for a period of 56 minutes. This server stored 10 files that contained information on 176,567 individuals, including VCU students, employees, and VCU Health System employees. Data items included social security numbers and either individual names or eID usernames; and, in some cases, date of birth, contact information and various programmatic or departmental information. The investigation indicated a low likelihood of the data actually being compromised. The university began preparing for a response to this incident. Letters were both emailed and sent via the US Postal Service to all 176,567 individuals. What was needed to support this mass mailing was a call center to respond to the incident. The VCU helpIT Center was contacted by VCU TS Administrators to create such a call center on Tuesday, November 8 at 4:55pm. The issue at hand was that the call center had to be online and operational by Friday, November 11th at 7:30am. This presentation will discuss what was done to create such a call center in such a short time frame, the lessons learned along the way, and how VCU turned this experience into an ongoing Emergency Communications Plan.
Evaluating a Linked-courses Learning Community for Development Majors

Despite a rebound in enrollments, men of color and women remain underrepresented in computing. The literature indicates that student-student interaction and affinity for the computing major are important factors for retention of underrepresented groups in computing, and learning communities connect students with each other and faculty to improve collaboration, interaction, enthusiasm. Despite their long history and promise for addressing retention, computing-focused learning communities remain rare. Here we present an evaluation of a linked-courses learning community for men of color and women majoring in a development-focused area of computing. We measure student attitudes and affinity for their major via a survey developed by the authors. Our results show that learning community students felt significantly more supported and were more likely to report that they belonged to a community of programmers than other students enrolled in the same programming class.
Hydrogels as potential probes for investigating the mechanism of lenticular presbyopia

Purpose. To synthesize and characterize hydrogels with viscoelastic properties comparable to those of the natural lens. Methods. Hydrogels were synthesized in water by free-radical polymerization of the monomer poly(ethyleneglycol)-monomethacrylate. Three different molecular weights of poly(ethyleneglycol)-dimethacrylates were used as crosslinkers. For each crosslinker used, five different monomer-to-crosslinker weight ratios were utilized while the total mass of the reactants was kept constant. In another series, the concentration of the reactants was varied while the weight ratio of monomer to crosslinker was kept constant at 95:5. The percent optical transmission, equilibrium water content, moduli (elastic, shear, storage, and loss), and retardation time constant of the hydrogels were determined. In addition, endocapsular polymerization was performed in the capsular bag of porcine eyes. Results. The hydrogels examined exhibited the following ranges for viscoelastic properties: elastic modulus, 1.33–2.3...