cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Closing The Loop: Using Assessment Results To Modify The Curriculum So That Student Quantitative Reasoning Skills Are Enhanced

Assurance of student learning through effective assessment has become increasingly important over the past decade as accrediting agencies now require documented efforts to measure and improve student performance. This paper presents the methodology used by the College of Business Administration at California State University, Stanislaus to assess its students’ quantitative reasoning skills and the resulting actions taken to improve student performance. The critical role that faculty play in developing meaningful assessment instruments and evaluating and acting on the results is emphasized.
Peracarid monophyly and interordinal phylogeny inferred from nuclear small-subunit ribosomal DNA sequences (Crustacea: Malacostraca: Peracarida)

ABSTRACT Peracarids are a large group of malacostracan crustaceans whose systematics and phylogeny are uncertain. The present phylogenetic study of peracarids is, to our knowledge, the first that includes full-length nuclear (n) small-subunit (SSU) ribosomal DNA (rDNA) sequences for representatives of every peracarid order. Sequence length varied substantially (1807–2746 base pairs), and two variable regions (V4 and V7) contained long expansion segments. Variable regions also exhibited significantly greater heterogeneity in nucleotide frequencies than did core regions. Maximum-parsimony, maximum-likelihood, Bayesian, and distance phylogenetic estimates indicated a monophyletic Peracarida that excluded the Mysida and included the Thermosbaenacea. This peracarid clade received strong support under Bayesian, maximum-parsimony, and distance analyses, but not maximum likelihood. Further, the thermosbaenacean lineage does not occupy a basal position relative to other peracarids, as suggested by many morphology-...
Diabetes Is Related to Worse Patient-Reported Outcomes at Two Years Following Spine Surgery.

Background: Diabetes has been associated with poor outcomes following elective spine surgery. The purpose of our study was to determine if diabetes predicts worse patient-reported outcomes at two years postoperatively and to evaluate the effect of perioperative blood glucose levels and control on patient-reported outcomes in patients with diabetes. Methods: One thousand and five patients undergoing elective spine surgery were included in this prospective cohort study. The presence of diabetes and baseline and one and two-year patient-reported outcomes (Short Form-12 [SF-12], EuroQol-5D [EQ-5D], Oswestry Disability Index [ODI] or Neck Disability Index [NDI], and Numeric Rating Scale [NRS] pain scores) were recorded. The mean blood glucose measurements in patients with diabetes were collected during the postoperative period. Multivariable linear regression analyses were performed to determine predictors of one and two-year outcomes as well as the relationship between perioperative blood glucose and patient-reported outcomes in patients with diabetes. Results: Four hundred and thirty-four patients (43%) had diabetes. When compared with patients without diabetes at two years, patients with diabetes had lower SF-12 Physical Component Summary scores (34.4 points for the diabetic group compared with 38.6 points for the non-diabetic group), lower EQ-5D scores (0.67 for the diabetic group compared with 0.74 for the non-diabetic group), higher ODI or NDI scores (32.1 points for the diabetic group compared with 26.8 points for the non-diabetic group), and higher NRS scores (5.1 points for the diabetic group compared with 4.3 points for the non-diabetic group) (p < 0.05 for all). Although patients with diabetes improved significantly over time, they did not improve to the extent that patients without diabetes did in the ODI or NDI and EQ-5D scores (p < 0.05). Diabetes and preoperative opioid use were independent predictors of decreased SF-12 scores, decreased EQ-5D scores, increased ODI or NDI scores, and increased NRS scores (p < 0.05). Diabetes was associated with increased ODI or NDI (by 6.6 points) and decreased EQ-5D (by 0.1) at two years. Perioperative blood glucose control did not predict outcomes at either one or two years in patients with diabetes. Conclusions: Diabetes was associated with worse patient-reported outcomes when patients with diabetes were compared with patients without diabetes at two years following elective spine surgery. Although patients with diabetes improved when compared from baseline to the time following elective spine surgery, they did not improve to the same extent as patients without diabetes in the ODI or NDI and EQ-5D scores. Providers may use this information to counsel patients with diabetes on expectations following spine surgery. Level of Evidence: Prognostic Level II. See Instructions for Authors for a complete description of levels of evidence.
Impact of light limitation on mortality and early growth of the root hemiparasite Pedicularis canadensis L.1

Abstract Root hemiparasites are autotrophic plants that extract water and nutrients from neighboring plants via root connections called haustoria. Hemiparasites are postulated to be particularly sensitive to shade early in life when they must invest in infrastructure aboveground for photosynthesis and belowground for acquiring hosts. To fix sufficient carbon, shaded hemiparasites are predicted to invest less into roots, reducing the opportunity to attach to hosts and increasing mortality. Surviving hemiparasites are predicted to grow more slowly under shade and consequently uptake less from host roots. In turn, these hosts experiencing smaller belowground losses to shaded hemiparasites are predicted to allocate relatively more to shoot growth compared to hosts supporting hemiparasites experiencing more sunlight. We tested these predictions with the perennial root hemiparasite Pedicularis canadensis L. using clusters of seedling and young plants transplanted from a restored prairie to pots containing hosts...
Prognostic Value of Percent Gleason Grade 4 at Prostate Biopsy in Predicting Prostatectomy Pathology and Recurrence

Purpose: The importance of primary Gleason grade among men with Gleason score 7 disease has been well-defined. However, this dichotomization may oversimplify the continuous spectrum of absolute percent Gleason grade 4 disease (G4%). In this study we report the prognostic value of G4% in cancer related outcomes of men undergoing radical prostatectomy.Materials and Methods: Patients who underwent radical prostatectomy for clinically localized Gleason 6-8 prostate cancer from 2005 to 2013 were included in the study. G4% was determined as biopsy tumor length containing Gleason pattern 4/total tumor length, which performed better than alternative quantifications of pattern 4 involvement. G4% was correlated with time to biochemical recurrence and presence of adverse radical prostatectomy pathology, defined as primary Gleason 4 or pT3 or greater, by multivariable Cox and logistic regressions.Results: Of 1,691 patients 517 (30.6%) had adverse pathological features and 86 (5.6%) experienced biochemical recurrence....
Vibration Behavior of a Channel Subjected to an Internal Two-Phase Flow

Vibrations of a channel wall subjected to an external two-phase flow have been widely investigated in the past. However, there is very little information on the effect of internal two-phase flows on the vibrations. To this end, this paper presents results of an experimental investigation of changes to wall vibrations in a vertical square channel, which are caused by introducing a uniform bubble cloud into the flow. The effects of void fraction, characteristic bubble size and flow velocity on wall vibrations are measured. Results show that wall vibrations are greatly enhanced, by up to 25 dB, compared with the same flow without bubbles. The enhancement and spectra of the vibration are mainly dependent on the bubble void fraction. To understand the physics behind the results, evolution of the spectra along the streamwise direction are examined. The primary mechanisms for increased vibrations are: the lateral fundamental acoustic mode excitation of a bubble cloud whose frequency decreases due to change in sonic speed and normal modes of the bubble cloud. The fundamental mode of a bubble cloud persists along the entire channel and its harmonics enhance the vibrations over a broad frequency range. The cloud normal modes are generated due to the process of bubble formation, and they decay with increasing distance from the source.© 2007 ASME
Encapsulated Rabon for larval house fly control in cow manure.

A series of 5 trials was conducted to determine the feasibility of encapsulating Rabon® (2-chloro-1-(2,4,5-trichlorophenyl) vinyl dim ethyl phosphate) and feeding it to lactating dairy cows for control of Alusca domestica L. larvae in the feces. In the 1st trial, an insecticidal balance experiment, 15% of the encapsulated Ra bon reached the feces as compared with 0.3% that was found earlier with a 75% WP formulation. No (‘0.005) Ra bon appeared in the milk from this cow. The next 2 trials confirmed the feasibility of encapsulating Ra bon for feed-additive use and they determined that the most effective formulation available was AC-360 which contained 59% active Ra bon, When 30 ppm Ra bon as AC-360 was fed to dairy cows, 100% of organophosphate-resistant house fly larvae seeded onto the feces were killed. In a field trial, manure from cows fed 66 ppm Ra bon (AC-360) or 66 ppm Ra bon in a new (WT-80) encapsulated formulation caused a 94% reduction in fly larvae when compared with manure from control cows. In the final trial, 2 cows were fed 60 ppm Ra bon as AC-360 for a 4- or 6-month period. The average concentration of Ra bon in the feces of these cows was 2.24 ppm. Residues of Ra bon in milk ranged between ‘0.005 and 0.013 ppm. No adverse effects on feed intake, milk production, or general health of these animals were observed.
Ultra-sensitive cavity ring-down spectroscopy in the mid-infrared spectral region.

We describe an ultra-sensitive cavity ring-down spectrometer which operates in the mid-infrared spectral region near 4.5 μm. With this instrument a noise-equivalent absorption coefficient of 2.6×10-11 cm-1 Hz-1/2 was demonstrated with less than 150 nW of optical power incident on the photodetector. Quantum noise was observed in the individual ring-down decay events, leading to quantum-noise-limited short-time performance. We believe that this spectrometer's combination of high sensitivity and robustness make it well suited for measurements of ultra-trace gas species as well as applications in optics and fundamental physics.
Evolving textures from high level descriptions

Evolutionary texture synthesis is used in a prototype tool intended to assist a designer or artist by automatically discovering collections of candidate textures to fit a given stylistic description. The textures used here are small colour images created by procedural texture synthesis. This paper describes four examples of stylistic description. Each is defined by a handwritten fitness function that rates how well a given texture meets this style. Genetic programming uses the fitness function to evolve programs written in a texture synthesis language. This system automatically generates a catalogue of variations on the given theme. A designer could then visually scan through these textures to pick out ones that seem aesthetically interesting. Their procedural 'genetic' representation would allow textures to be further adjusted by interactive evolution. The procedural representation also allows re-rendering textures at arbitrary pixel resolutions and provides a way to store them in a highly compressed form allowing lossless reconstruction.
Active Vibration Control for the Picking Plate of Shuttle Loom Using Modern Control Theory

We have studied the feasibility of active vibration control of shuttle loom by using modern control theory and establishing the state-variable equation of the nexible beam and picking plate system. An equivalent theorem for the controllability of the system is deduced and the optimal control point is determined. The effect of the numbers,of control points in continuous system is also discussed.
Analysis of the antibody test results of suspected cases with measles,rubella during 2011-2011 in Zhumadian

Objective To analyze the detection results of serum IgM antibody of suspected cases with measles during 2011-2013 in Zhumadian,and provide a scientific basis for prevention and control of measles,rubella. Methods Suspected cases of measles,rubella serum specimens during 2011-2013 were tested by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay( ELISA).Results A total of 680 cases of measles,rubella,measles,rubella were tested and the total positive rate was 6. 18%( 42 /680),including measles Ig M antibody positive 28,the total positive rate 4. 12%,rubella Ig M antibody positive 14,the total positive rate 2. 06%. The main age of measles were mainly the cases under one year old,including 16 cases,accounting for57. 14%,rubella,including 13 cases mainly distributed in more than 10 years old,accounting for 92. 86%. Omeasles and rubella had certain seasonal onset time,mainly concentrating in March-August. Conclusion Measles and rubella's incidence decline year by year,which proved that we have received effective control of measles and rubella,but should continue to strengthen routine immunization and the management of the leaking vaccination should be normalized.
Management of aniseikonia after intraocular lens implantation or refractive surgery.

Background Aniseikonia is a difference in perceived image size in the two eyes resulting in asthenopic symptoms and distortions of binocular space perception. This is a complication of refractive and implant surgery in patients with binocular vision. While many individuals adapt readily to modest aniseikonic errors, quite a number do not. Method and results Few instruments exist to adequately test for aniseikonia. A means is described to determine if aniseikonia exists and a series of simple steps is suggested to minimize aniseikonia induced by refractive surgery or by surgery for removal of cataract and intraocular lens insertion. Also, using the proposed protocol, it is possible to determine if existing image size differences resulting from prior and/or induced aniseikonia are predominantly refractive or axial. A case report is presented. Conclusions The techniques described are not costly, provide no risk, take little time, and resolve or meaningfully reduce aniseikonia in many patients having non-extreme errors of this type.
Amandla! Awethu!: Energy, Infrastructure, Rights, Services

This essay compares the role of energy infrastructures and electricity in social protest during and after the apartheid era in South Africa. The struggle against apartheid produced both a constitution unparalleled for its commitment to socioeconomic rights, and enduring visions of liberation that far exceed this legal framework. The varied new social movements and community protests that have sprung up in the past two decades amount to a post- (rather than anti-) apartheid struggle: a struggle against evictions and privatization, and for the realization of rights and the provision of basic infrastructural services. The tensions among rights, services and politics in contemporary South Africa lay bare some of the contradictions that make its history of racialized inequality so persistent in the present. The reprise of the ‘Amandla! Awethu!’ anti-apartheid slogan in the post-apartheid era is a suggestive example of a broader need to develop the critical and imaginative capacity to think, at a range of scale...
Une nation pluraliste? Les limites du dialogue interconfessionnel chez les jeunes militants religieux à Ouagadougou

AbstractThis article evaluates the importance of inter-religious dialogue within young people’s religious associations in Ougadougou, Burkina Faso. Burkina Faso is frequently extolled for its harmonious relations in terms of religion. However, inter-confessional dialogue, demanded by the country’s elites, is appropriated in a different way by the core religious actors, notably the young. If some of them adhere to the objectives of dialogue and argue in favour of this, a large portion of the young are more ambivalent, whilst the dynamics of the ruptures and withdrawals are reinforced by social, family and school dynamics.
An Interactive Diagnostic Application for Food Crop Irrigation

Agriculture is a major consumer of freshwater resources around the globe. This is especially true in Northern Texas and Oklahoma, where water withdrawl for agriculture purposes causes the continuous decline of aquifers. Information based irrigation management has the potential to conserve these vital resources. In this paper, we report on an interactive irrigation application that utilizes weather and LANDSAT data to calculate daily water needs for food crops. The work demonstrates that low-cost data can provide both basic, and advanced irrigation solutions via a web application.
Comparing Female- and Male-Perpetrated Child Sexual Abuse: A Mixed-Methods Analysis

This mixed-methods study compares experiences of female- and male-perpetrated child sexual abuse using self-report data from a correctional subsample of 26 women and 25 men currently incarcerated for a sex crime against a child. First, we use bivariate and logistic regression analyses to determine whether there are differences in offender, victim, and offense characteristics between women and men who commit child sexual abuse. Second, we examine participants' open-ended responses eliciting details about their offenses. Quantitative results reveal some differences between women and men in victim characteristics, presence of a co-offender, and adulthood experiences with violence but no differences between women and men in experiences of childhood adversity, including prior child sexual abuse victimization. Qualitative results, however, suggest marked differences in the way women and men characterize their offenses. Overall, findings indicate that women and men report unique experiences with child sexual abuse perpetration and therefore would benefit from gender-specific treatment.
Real-time nodes permit adaptive management of endangered species of fishes

Currently acoustic tag-detecting autonomous receivers must be visited periodically to download the files of tag detections. Hence, the information about the whereabouts of tagged fishes is not available to make prompt regulatory decisions to reduce entrainment. In contrast, real-time receivers can detect the signal from a transmitter on a passing fish and immediately transmit its identity and time of detection to a website, where they can be viewed on either a computer or cellular telephone. Real-time nodes can aid regulatory biologists in making important decisions. This is a powerful new tool for resource managers and conservation biologists. We describe a network of real-time, fish-tracking nodes on the Sacramento River, California. Two case studies illustrate the value of the nodes. The first entails detecting the arrival of migrating winter-run Chinook salmon near a water diversion and alerting regulatory biologists to keep the diversion closed to increase the migratory success. The second study involves the detection of green sturgeon at potential stranding sites, alerting biologists of the need to transport them from that site to the main channel of the river so they can continue their upstream migration to their spawning sites.
Not So Exceptional: Away from Chomskian Saltationism and Towards a Naturally Gradual Account of Mindfulness

It is argued that a chief obstacle to a naturalistic explanation of the origins of mind is human exceptionalism, as exemplified in the seventeenth century by Rene Descartes and in the twentieth century by Noam Chomsky. As an antidote to human exceptionalism, we turn to the account of aesthetic judgment in Charles Darwin’s Descent of Man, according to which the mental capacities of humans differ from those of lower animals only in degree, and not in kind. Thoroughgoing naturalistic explanation of these capacities is made easier by shifting away from the substance-metaphysical implications of the search for an account of mind, toward a dispositional account of the origins of mindfulness.
Ex vivo culture of tumor cells from N-methyl-N-nitrosourea-induced bladder cancer in rats: Development of organoids and an immortalized cell line.

Abstract Objective We ex vivo cultured primary tumor cells from N-methyl-N-nitrosourea (MNU)-induced bladder tumors in rats and established an immortalized cell line from them. Materials and methods Bladder tumors in rats were induced by instillation of MNU into the murine bladder. Primary tumor cells were prepared by the cancer-tissue originated spheroid method. An immortalized cell line was established by co-culture with fibroblasts. The cultured tumor cells were molecularly and functionally characterized by quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction, Western blot, growth assay, and transwell migration assay. Results Primary tumor cells were successfully prepared as multicellular spheroids from MNU-induced bladder tumors. The differentiation marker expression patterns observed in the original tumors were largely retained in the spheroids. We succeeded in establishing a cell line from the spheroids and named it T-MNU-1. Although basal markers (CK14 and CK5) were enriched in T-MNU-1 compared to the spheroids, T-MNU-1 expressed both luminal and basal markers. T-MNU-1 was able to migrate through a transwell. Conclusions Tumor cells in MNU-induced bladder tumors were successfully cultured ex vivo as organoids, and an immortalized cell line was also established from them. The ex vivo models offer a platform that enables analysis of intrinsic characteristics of tumor cells excluding influence of microenvironment in MNU-induced bladder tumors.
Renewable thermoset polymers based on lignin and carbohydrate derived monomers

With limited current biomass utilization as a renewable resource, it is important to develop a method to convert biomass into materials to replace fossil fuel products. In this article, lignin and carbohydrate derived monomers, including 4-methylcatechol, 5-hydroxymethylfurfural (HMF), and furfural, were used to prepare bisphenol–furan type polyphenols. Epoxy networks were synthesized from different polyphenol monomers via glycidylation and curing steps under identical reaction conditions. The structures of bisphenol–furan trinuclear compounds, epoxide precursors, and cured epoxy polymer networks were characterized by nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy (NMR), Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) and high resolution mass spectrometry (MS). Differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), thermogravimetric analysis (TGA), and dynamic mechanical analysis (DMA) were conducted to test the thermo-mechanical properties of the resulting networks. These polymer materials exhibited an excellent glassy modulus (9.6 GPa), glass transition temperature (Tg) (110 °C), and thermal stability. The density and water absorption of the materials were measured. This work provides synthesis routes to highly bio-based epoxy thermosets, which paves the way towards preparing moldable polymers from wood via biorefinery products.
Improved predictive models for acute kidney injury with IDEA: Intraoperative Data Embedded Analytics

Background Acute kidney injury (AKI) is a common complication after surgery that is associated with increased morbidity and mortality. The majority of existing perioperative AKI risk prediction models are limited in their generalizability and do not fully utilize intraoperative physiological time-series data. Thus, there is a need for intelligent, accurate, and robust systems to leverage new information as it becomes available to predict the risk of developing postoperative AKI. Methods A retrospective single-center cohort of 2,911 adults who underwent surgery at the University of Florida Health between 2000 and 2010 was utilized for this study. Machine learning and statistical analysis techniques were used to develop perioperative models to predict the risk of developing AKI during the first three days after surgery, first seven days after surgery, and overall (after surgery during the index hospitalization). The improvement in risk prediction was examined by incorporating intraoperative physiological time-series variables. Our proposed model enriched a preoperative model that produced a probabilistic AKI risk score by integrating intraoperative statistical features through a machine learning stacking approach inside a random forest classifier. Model performance was evaluated using the area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (AUC), accuracy, and Net Reclassification Improvement (NRI). Results The predictive performance of the proposed model is better than the preoperative data only model. The proposed model had an AUC of 0.86 (accuracy of 0.78) for the seven-day AKI outcome, while the preoperative model had an AUC of 0.84 (accuracy of 0.76). Furthermore, by integrating intraoperative features, the algorithm was able to reclassify 40% of the false negative patients from the preoperative model. The NRI for each outcome was AKI at three days (8%), seven days (7%), and overall (4%). Conclusions Postoperative AKI prediction was improved with high sensitivity and specificity through a machine learning approach that dynamically incorporated intraoperative data.
Developmental and Metabolic Adaptations during Symbiosis between Legume Hosts and Rhizobia

Root nodule development is a unique process where bacteria reside intracellularly inside a host cell and contribute to the nitrogen requirement of the host plant. A molecular communication between the bacteria and host plants results in the organogenesis of nodules. The host roots exude flavonoids that act as chemotactic agents to attract the rhizobia to move toward the root surface and act as inducers for rhizobial nod genes. The nod genes encode enzymes responsible for biosynthesis and secretion of Nod factors (Carlson et al., 1994). The latter are active in eliciting morphological changes in the host roots and initiate root nodule organogenesis. It has been suggested that such factors may exist in plants to regulate normal morphogenesis programs. The host induces a set of genes encoding the nodulin proteins that are required for organogenesis and function of the root nodules. The metabolism of the host is adapted to meet the requirements of nitrogen fixation by bacteria and their assimilation by the host in root nodules.
Ovary, Uterus (Fallopian Tube, Cervix), Vagina, and Vulva

Introduction The female genital organs-the ovaries, uterus, vagina, and vulva-differ from one another in their sensitivity to radiation and the time course over which radiation-related adverse effects develop. It is critical for physicians prescribing radiation to the female pelvis to understand the somewhat complex interactions between these organs and the age-dependent nature of their responses. Ovary The risk of ovarian failure causing infertility and premature menopause increase with dose and age. Relatively-low doses of RT ( 20 Gy, ovarian failure occurs in >75 % of patients. Uterus Uterine irradiation can reduce the ability to achieve or sustain pregnancy increasing the rate of spontaneous abortion. Vagina The vaginal mucosa is frequently treated to high doses of radiation. This often leads to vaginal atrophy, dryness and shortening, that can all negatively affect sexual function. More severe complications, such as necrosis, ulceration, and fistula are fortunately rare. Vulva Long-term adverse effects frequently include atrophy, edema, telangiectases, loss of skin pigmentation, and loss of sweat and sebaceous gland function.
Early Repolarization Found on Routine Electrocardiograms: Risk and Management

Early repolarization (ER) pattern is a prominent J point (end-QRS notch or slur) with an elevation ≥0.1 mV in two or more contiguous leads (excluding V1-V3) in a 12-lead electrocardiogram (ECG). Furthermore, the QRS duration is required to be <120 ms (measured in leads in which J point elevation
Simulated Patients Are Predominantly Used to Teach and Evaluate Athletic Training Students' Skills: A 10-Year Follow-Up

Context: Health care education needs to include methods of teaching and evaluation that are realistic and mimic patient care. Objective: To follow up on previous research regarding the methods athl...
Adolescent and young adults (AYA) with secondary thyroid cancers: Shorter latency as a predictor of death.

e20582 Background: Cancer survival rates in adolescents and young adults (AYA: ages 15-39 years) have stagnated. Thyroid cancer (TC) is one of the top AYA cancers and one of the most frequent secon...
Putting Myself Out There: Factors Predicting One’s Willingness to Share Information Online

The pervasiveness of social media use has prompted extensive research examining the motivations of interactivity using this medium. The factors that contribute to one’s willingness to share information are garnering greater attention in current scholarship. This study focuses primarily on factors of privacy, personal disclosure, use of the social web, gender and the information sharing habits of others on individual’s behaviors. Findings of two online surveysindicated that willingness to personally disclose information and perceptions of others sharing habits were significant factors. Specifically, those who believe their “friends” are sharing information were more likely to disclose information about themselves.
A BIOMECHANICAL COMPARISON OF SUTURE ANCHOR VS. INTERFERENCE SCREW TECHNIQUE FOR PATELLAR FIXATION FOR MEDIAL PATELLOFEMORAL LIGAMENT RECONSTRUCTION

Background:There are numerous techniques for MPFL reconstruction, however, one single technique has not been proven to be superior to another. Suture anchor reconstruction has been shown to provide...
Comparison of Urine and Plasma Biomarker Concentrations Measured by Aptamer-Based versus Immunoassay Methods in Cardiac Surgery Patients

Background: Protein detection assays are invaluable tools in the field of biomarker discovery. However, only immunoassays are widely used and can measure 10–20 analytes per biosample. The novel SOMAmer-based assay uses nucleotide aptamer technology to measure over 1300 analytes per biosample. We compared the SOMAmer-based platform to traditional approaches to quantify analytes in a clinical setting with paired samples before and after cardiac surgery. Methods: In a substudy of the Translational Research Investigating Biomarker Endpoints in Acute Kidney Injury cohort, 54 individuals with acute kidney injury after cardiac surgery were identified. Preoperative and postoperative plasma and urine samples that had been previously evaluated for biomarker concentrations via immunoassays were analyzed via SOMAmer-based assay. Results: Spearman correlations were estimated when >50% of biomarker values were within detectable ranges by immunoassay (plasma biomarkers: preoperative, 26/33; postoperative, 31/33; urine biomarkers: preoperative, 13/16; postoperative, 16/16). Overall, 27% of reportable plasma preoperative biomarkers displayed correlations ≥0.75 between immunoassay and SOMAmer measurements; 23% displayed correlations of 0.50–0.75, and 50% displayed correlations Conclusions: In cardiac surgery patients, the SOMAmer-based assay detects proteins with moderate to strong correlation to current immunoassay methods. The correlations in urine are weaker than those in plasma. SOMAmer-based assay technology should be further evaluated in multiple settings as a high-throughput screening tool for biomarker discovery.
Laboratory mice born to wild mice have natural microbiota and model human immune responses

Laboratory mouse studies are paramount for understanding basic biological phenomena but also have limitations. These include conflicting results caused by divergent microbiota and limited translational research value. To address both shortcomings, we transferred C57BL/6 embryos into wild mice, creating "wildlings." These mice have a natural microbiota and pathogens at all body sites and the tractable genetics of C57BL/6 mice. The bacterial microbiome, mycobiome, and virome of wildlings affect the immune landscape of multiple organs. Their gut microbiota outcompete laboratory microbiota and demonstrate resilience to environmental challenges. Wildlings, but not conventional laboratory mice, phenocopied human immune responses in two preclinical studies. A combined natural microbiota- and pathogen-based model may enhance the reproducibility of biomedical studies and increase the bench-to-bedside safety and success of immunological studies.
Flushing-free film test of 192Ir accuracy of position and step distance for afterloading systems

Objective To study the method of measuring the position accuracy and the step distance accuracy of afterloading system with192Ir source by using flushing-free film.Methods The position accuracy and the step distance accuracy of a China-made afterloading system with192Ir source was measured by using GAFCHROMIC (R) EBT3 flushing-free film.The film was scanned to proper image format,required by dose analysis software,by EPSON PREFACTION V700 PHOTO scanner.Then images are analyzed by using film dose analysis software in SNC Patient 5.2.Results With focus on the center of active section of source,the position accuracy of this afterloading system with192Ir source was-0.75 mm.Using film analysis could make the step point to tell apart if the step distance was 5 mm away by the method of film analysis,but couldnot make it to tell apart if the step distance was 2.5 mm away.The 2.5 mm step distance accuracy could be judged if the distance between the 1 st point and the 3rd point was 5 mm,then the 2.5 mm step distance could be deemed to no deviation.The 5 mm step distance of this afterloading system had no deviation in continuous 9 step points measured by flushing-free film.The indirect measuring results of the 2.5 mm step distance had no deviation as well.The position accuracy of this afterloading system measured with the flushing-free film accorded with the national standards.Conclusions The method of measuring the position accuracy and the step distance accuracy of the afterloading system with192Ir source by using flushing-free film is technically feasible. Key words: Flushing-free film; Afterloading systems; 192Ir source; Position accuracy; Step distance accuracy
SurfRCaT: A tool for remote calibration of pre-existing coastal cameras to enable their use as quantitative coastal monitoring tools

Abstract The Surf-camera Remote Calibration Tool (SurfRCaT) is a Python-based software application to calibrate and rectify images from pre-existing video cameras that are operating at coastal sites in the United States. The software enables remote camera calibration and subsequent image rectification by facilitating the remote-extraction of ground control points using airborne lidar observations, and guides the user through the entire process. No programming or code interaction are necessary to use the software. Calibration parameters and subsequent rectified image products derived from the software are saved locally. Users can apply SurfRCaT to any camera imagery that has stationary structures within the camera’s field of view. Given current recreational camera infrastructure, SurfRCaT could increase the number of potential quantitative coastal video monitoring stations in the United States by an order of magnitude.
Editorial: Modern Christian Social Thought

In recognition of a number of significant anniversaries occurring this year, the Journal of Markets & Morality invited submissions for this special theme issue, “Modern Christian Social Thought.” The year 2011 marks the 120th anniversary of Rerum Novarum, the encyclical from Leo XIII in 1891 that inaugurated the subsequent social encyclical tradition. This year also marks the twentieth anniversary of John Paul II’s encyclical Centesimus Annus, which was promulgated at the centenary of Rerum Novarum. In the American context, twenty-five years have passed since the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops issued their pastoral letter, “Economic Justice for All.” In addition, this year is also the 120th anniversary of the First Social Congress in Amsterdam, which has become well known as a representative of the trend of European social congresses in the last half of the nineteenth and early decades of the twentieth centuries. Abraham Kuyper, the noted Dutch theologian and statesmen, gave the opening address at this First Social Congress, a speech that set the tone for subsequent Protestant and Reformed approaches to the “social question” in light of Christian ethical reflection.
Does memory reactivation during sleep support generalization at the cost of memory specifics

Abstract Sleep is important for memory, but does it favor consolidation of specific details or extraction of generalized information? Both may occur together when memories are reactivated during sleep, or a loss of certain memory details may facilitate generalization. To examine these issues, we tested memory in participants who viewed landscape paintings by six artists. Paintings were cropped to show only a section of the scene. During a learning phase, each painting section was presented with the artist’s name and with a nonverbal sound that had been uniquely associated with that artist. In a test of memory for specifics, participants were shown arrays of six painting sections, all by the same artist. Participants attempted to select the one that was seen in the learning phase. Generalization was tested by asking participants to view new paintings and, for each one, decide which of the six artists created it. After this testing, participants had a 90-minute sleep opportunity with polysomnographic monitoring. When slow-wave sleep was detected, three of the sound cues associated with the artists were repeatedly presented without waking the participants. After sleep, participants were again tested for memory specifics and generalization. Memory reactivation during sleep due to the sound cues led to a relative decline in accuracy on the specifics test, which could indicate the transition to a loss of detail that facilitates generalization, particularly details such as the borders. Generalization performance showed very little change after sleep and was unaffected by the sound cues. Although results tentatively implicate sleep in memory transformation, further research is needed to examine memory change across longer time periods.
Epiglottitis in Patients With Preexisting Autoimmune Diseases: A Nationwide Case–Control Study in Taiwan:

Objectives:The role of autoimmune diseases on the risk for acute epiglottitis remains uncertain. This study aimed to delineate the association between epiglottitis and autoimmune diseases using pop...
Reconfigurable Unpatterned Metasurfaces via Acoustoelectric Gating of Graphene

Electric fields in a surface acoustic wave in a piezoelectric substrate can pattern charge in an adjacent graphene film via the acousto-electric effect and thus reconfigure the optical transmission in an unpatterned graphene metasurface.
Data Structures and Algorithms Using C

C# programmers: no more translating data structures from C++ or Java to use in your programs! Mike McMillan provides a tutorial on how to use data structures and algorithms plus the first comprehensive reference for C# implementation of data structures and algorithms found in the .NET Framework library, as well as those developed by the programmer. The approach is very practical, using timing tests rather than Big O notation to analyze the efficiency of an approach. Coverage includes arrays and array lists, linked lists, hash tables, dictionaries, trees, graphs, and sorting and searching algorithms, as well as more advanced algorithms such as probabilistic algorithms and dynamic programming. This is the perfect resource for C# professionals and students alike.
Designing a better web portal for digital government: a web-mining based approach

This paper addresses an important research area in digital government development: intelligent design of digital government Web portals, a primary means of realizing the core function of digital government - online government service delivery. In particular, we propose and study the e-service selection problem and introduce a web-mining based approach to e-service selection. The proposed approach is evaluated using real world data collected from the Utah State Government Web portal.
Concentrations and Patterns of Photochemical Oxidants in the United States

Abstract A broad overview is first given of concentrations of ozone and PAN at urban sites in the U.S. and of ozone at selected nonurban sites. Then, sample diurnal curves for ozone at suburban and nonurban sites are presented. Highest concentrations of both oxidants occur in California, where the second-highest 1-hr concentration of ozone in 1983 was 0.37 ppm and the highest PAN concentration reported in this decade was 0.047 ppm, in 1980. At selected nonurban sites, maximum 1-hr ozone levels for 1978-1981 were about half the second-highest 1-hr ozone levels at urban sites in those years. Examples presented of temporal patterns of ozone show distinct seasonality and diurnality, demonstrate some general differences in diurnality and seasonality at suburban versus nonurban sites, and point up potential implications for exposures to ozone of populations, vegetation, and other receptors. Data on co-occurrences of ozone with nitrogen dioxide or sulfur dioxide indicate relatively few such events at levels of potential concern for vegetation. Data on ozone and nitrogen dioxide at levels of possible concern for public health show even fewer instances of co-occurrence.
Cooperative Behavior Schemes for Improving the Effectiveness of Autonomous Wide Area Search Munitions

The problem being addressed is how to best find and engage an unknown number of targets in unknown locations (some moving) using multiple autonomous wide area search munitions. In this research cooperative behavior is being investigated to improve the overall mission effectiveness. A computer simulation was used to emulate the behavior of autonomous wide area search munitions and measure their overall expected performance. This code was modified to incorporate the capability for cooperative engagement based on a parameterized decision rule. Using Design of Experiments (DOE) and Response Surface Methodologies (RSM), the simulation was run to achieve optimal decision rule parameters for given scenarios and to determine the sensitivities of those parameters to the precision of the Autonomous Target Recognition (ATR) algorithm, lethality and guidance precision of the warhead, and the characteristics of the battlefield.
A stochastic cellular automata model for neutron transport

The development of a parallel stochastic cellular automata model for neutron transport is presented. The model is derived from neutron physics and is implemented on a 2048 processor single-instruction multiple-data architecture MasPar computer. Purely absorbing and purely fissioning one-dimensional benchmarks are performed against analytical solutions. Favorable results from these two benchmarks motivated the performance of three other test cases. Results for a two-dimensional scattering-absorbing case and a one-dimensional time-dependent case compared fairly well qualitatively with literature results. Also, results from a one-dimensional, two-group case compared somewhat favorably, but the scheme used was deemed not efficient enough without modification.
Polygons in Minkowski space and the Gelfand–Tsetlin method for pseudo-unitary groups

Abstract We study the symplectic geometry of the moduli spaces of polygons in the Minkowski 3-space. These spaces naturally carry completely integrable systems with periodic flows. We extend the Gelfand–Tsetlin method to pseudo-unitary groups and show that the action variables are given by the Minkowski lengths of non-intersecting diagonals.
Equation for terminal volt-ampere characteristics of MOS-controlled thyristors

An equation for the i/sub K/- nu /sub AK/ static characteristic of an MOS-controlled thyristor (MCT) is derived using a four-transistor equivalent model of the device. The equation is similar to that for forward-biased diodes. The equivalent saturation current of the MCT is a function of both the saturation currents and the forward and reverse current gains of the npn and pnp bipolar transistors. Effects of these parameters on the MCT equivalent saturation current are investigated. Voltages and currents of all transistors that form the MCT equivalent model are simulated using SPICE to explain the behavior of the device in the forward-biased region. Finally, the experimentally i/sub K/- nu /sub AK/ characteristics are presented. The calculated and measured i/sub K/- nu /sub AK/ characteristics were in good agreement. The measured on-voltage drop was 1.6 V at a cathode current of 200 A and a temperature of 300 K. >
Wading through a swamp of complete confusion: how to choose a method for estimating soil water retention parameters for crop models

Abstract A minimum input for water dynamics simulation in crop models are soil water content at field capacity (DUL, drained upper limit), wilting point (LL, lower limit) and, often, saturation (SAT). Eight methods for estimating these water-retention parameters were compared using the following procedure: [1] Stepping through the texture triangle in increments of 1% clay and 1% sand, LL, DUL and SAT were calculated for all possible texture combinations (from 0% sand to 100% sand, giving >5000 cases, though not all could be used for all methods); results were grouped by soil type in the USDA classification system. [2] The estimated LL and DUL were compared with field-measured data from across the USA. [3] (Imaginary) soils with a homogenous profile of each of these texture combinations were defined and the DSSAT crop model was run with 11 years of weather data to estimate soybean yield. The discrepancy between estimation methods for water-retention parameters was so big that it is hard to make recommendations on which method to use for which soil. Yet, an analysis with a set of field-measured data showed that the Saxton method performed best for LS, SL, L and SIL soils, with a RMSE
Human communication dynamics in digital footsteps: a study of the agreement between self-reported ties and email networks.

Digital communication data has created opportunities to advance the knowledge of human dynamics in many areas, including national security, behavioral health, and consumerism. While digital data uniquely captures the totality of a person's communication, past research consistently shows that a subset of contacts makes up a person's “social network” of unique resource providers. To address this gap, we analyzed the correspondence between self-reported social network data and email communication data with the objective of identifying the dynamics in e-communication that correlate with a person's perception of a significant network tie. First, we examined the predictive utility of three popular methods to derive social network data from email data based on volume and reciprocity of bilateral email exchanges. Second, we observed differences in the response dynamics along self-reported ties, allowing us to introduce and test a new method that incorporates time-resolved exchange data. Using a range of robustness checks for measurement and misreporting errors in self-report and email data, we find that the methods have similar predictive utility. Although e-communication has lowered communication costs with large numbers of persons, and potentially extended our number of, and reach to contacts, our case results suggest that underlying behavioral patterns indicative of friendship or professional contacts continue to operate in a classical fashion in email interactions.