cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Exact Solution of Two Location Problems via Branch-and-Bound

In 1960, Land and Doig published a paper that most scholars recognize as the first description of a now well-known technique for solving difficult optimization problems by solving a sequence of easier, restricted subproblems (Land and Doig 1960). Little et al. (1963) named this technique “Branch-and-Bound” (B&B), and used it to solve the traveling salesman problem. Although the method is described and used in several papers in the 1960s (see for example, Lawler and Wood ), the description below, provided by Hillier and Lieberman (1980), succinctly captures the idea.
ANTIBODIES TO UV IRRADIATED DNA: THE MONITORING OF DNA DAMAGE BY ELISA AND INDIRECT IMMUNOFLUORESCENCE

The enzyme-linked immunosorbant assay (ELISA) was modified to (1) characterize antibodies raised in rabbits against UV-irradiated single-stranded DNA (UVssDNA) complexed with methylated BSA and (2) directly detect pyrimidine dimers in irradiated DNA. The antisera specifically bound to UVssDNA, UVpoly(dT) and to a limited extent to UVdsDNA and UVpoly(dC) immobilized on protamine sulfate coated microliter wells. Fifty percent of the maximum antibody binding was observed at a 1-5000 dilution against UVssDNA. Binding to ssDNA and poly(dT) was observed only at much higher concentrations of antibody (1:500 dilution), whereas no binding to double stranded DNA (dsDNA) was observed. The extent of binding of the antibody was dependent on the dose of UV radiation to DNA, as well as, to the concentration of antigen immobilized on the plate. Specific binding to DNA irradiated with 5.0 J/m2 was detected with as little as 10 ng of DNA. The sensitivity was further extended to less than 1 J/m2 by using higher concentrations (100 ng) of UVssDNA. The ability of various irradiated molecules, DNA, homopolymers and linkers to act as inhibitors of antibody binding establish that the antigenic determinants are mainly thymine homodimers with lower affinity for cytosine dimers. Potential usefulness of the antibodies to directly quantitate pyrimidine dimers in cells exposed to UV radiation was determined by indirect immunofluorescence. Flow cytometric analysis of immunostained human lymphocytes irradiated with 254 nm radiation indicated that greater than 50% of the population had significantly higher fluorescent intensity than unirradiated control cells.
Hardware Accelerated Cognitively Enhanced Complex Event Processing Architecture

Agent-based decision aids can improve their performance by mining domain knowledge captured in cognitive domain ontologies (CDOs). This paper introduces a cognitively enhanced complex event processing (CECEP) architecture to enable enhanced agent-based decision making. Additionally the paper examines the parallelization and acceleration of a key knowledge mining process within the architecture on high performance computing platforms. Speedups of almost a 1000 times were seen using 8 NVIDIA Tesla C2070 GPGPUs over 1 Xeon X5650 processor core. Speedups of this level will allow more complex knowledge domains to be searched in real time on reactive agents and thus enable systems with enhanced intelligence to be designed.
Self‐adaptive stress analysis based on stress convergence

A new algorithm for self-adaptive stress analysis is presented. The algorithm is based on h-convergence and uses the measured stress convergence rate as an error indicator. A theoretical relation between stress convergence rate and pointwise error of stresses is derived for both the 1-D and 2-D case. Some examples are presented to illustrate the behaviour of the algorithm.
Caking and Stickiness of Dairy‐Based Food Powders as Related to Glass Transition

The effects of heating rate, storage temperature and water activity on surface caking (Tsc) and advanced caking (Tac) of several dairy-based infant formula powders were determined by the modified ampule and sealed glass test tube methods, respectively. The glass transition temperature, Tg, was determined by differential scanning calorimetry. Observed Tsc and Tac values were higher at faster scan rates (5 and 10°C/min) compared to a slower heating rate (1°C/3 min). In addition, because of the sample size and the difference in viscous flow time constants, Tac≥ Tsc≥ Tg. As expected, stability towards collapse and sticking decreased with Increasing amounts of low-molecular-weight carbohydrate. The predicted stable storage water activities at room temperature based on Tsc were higher than those observed during storage; however, the water activity at which Tstarage= Tg gave a good prediction of the %RH when collapse begins.
Treatment Preparatory To Psychoanalysis: a Reconsideration After Twenty-Five Years

The author’s initial article on treatment preparatory to psychoanalysis (1983) challenged the long-held belief that a therapy with the same analyst would contaminate a subsequent analytic transference. The current article reconsiders the original process of transition from therapy to analysis and describes methods that can further its effectiveness. Although specific noninterpretive interventions to enhance preparation for analysis are rarely written about, they are discussed among colleagues and in supervision. Levy (1987) has described a bias against the description of strategic or tactical choices in analysis. It is increasingly clear that some patients’ fear of exposing shameful defectiveness underlies their resistance to entering analysis, as does the originally described fear of an uncontrolled regression. It is useful to delay interpretation until shame sensitivity can be assessed and modulated. In the past there was pressure to keep the preparatory therapy brief so that the analyst would not becom...
Substrates and Materials Used for Nesting by North American Osmia Bees (Hymenoptera: Apiformes: Megachilidae)

Abstract Nesting substrates and construction materials are compared for 65 of North America’s 139 described native species of Osmia bees. Most accounts report Osmia bees nesting in preexisting cavities in dead wood or pithy stems such as elderberry (Sambucus spp.), with cell partitions and plugs made from a pulp of finely masticated leaf tissue. Mud is widely used by species constructing free-form clumps of nest cells against stone surfaces. Some Osmia bees adopt abandoned nests of other Hymenoptera, particularly those of mud dauber wasps (Sceliphron spp.) and larger ground-nesting bees (e.g., Anthophora spp.). Reports of subterranean nesting by Osmia species are uncommon but possibly under-represent the habit, because subterranean nests are obscure and likely to be scattered. Ground- or surface-nesting habits are suspected for species that are absent from intensive trap-nesting programs in their native ranges but that otherwise have been commonly taken at flowers. The range of nesting habits and material...
Brillouin selective sideband amplification of microwave photonic signals

We introduce a powerful Brillouin selective side-band amplification technique and demonstrate an important application for achieving gain in photonic signal up- and down-conversions in microwave photonic systems, We show that systems employing such a scheme is also automatically immune to the fiber dispersion effect.
Evidence for intelligent (algorithm) design

A report on the 10th annual Research in Computational Molecular Biology (RECOMB) Conference, Venice, Italy, 2-5 April 2006.
An algorithm for the accurate identification of benign liver lesions.

Abstract Background Benign liver lesions may be difficult to characterize preoperatively. In most instances, determination of the etiology of a hepatic mass makes its management decisions clear-cut. We present our experience using an algorithm for the management of liver masses of suspected benign or uncertain pathology and highlight this approach along with our surgical experience in benign liver lesions. Methods Seventy-one patients underwent hepatectomy with a preoperative diagnosis of benign disease or unknown etiology from December 1992 to February 2002. Patients were preoperatively assessed with computed tomography, along with other imaging studies, as indicated. Final pathology was reviewed to confirm the preoperative diagnosis. Results Ninety-two percent (65 of 71) were correctly characterized preoperatively. Diagnosis was inaccurate in 6 patients. Of these patients, final pathology revealed focal nodular hyperplasia in 4 patients. The remaining 2 patients, who had adenoma, were found to harbor malignancy within the surgical specimens. Conclusions An algorithm to manage liver lesions resulted in a high diagnostic accuracy of a preoperative evaluation. Hepatic resection for benign disease can be performed with low morbidity and mortality and is highly successful in achieving relief for symptomatic patients.
Global symplectic uncertainty propagation on SO(3)

This paper introduces a global uncertainty propagation scheme for the attitude dynamics of a rigid body, through a combination of numerical parametric uncertainty techniques, noncommutative harmonic analysis, and geometric numerical integration. This method is distinguished from prior approaches, as it allows one to consider probability densities that are global, and are not supported on only a single coordinate chart on the manifold. It propagates a global probability density through the full attitude dynamics, instead of replacing angular velocity dynamics with a gyro bias model. The use of Lie group variational integrators, that are symplectic and remain on the Lie group, as the underlying numerical propagator ensures that the advected probability densities respect the geometric properties of uncertainty propagation in Hamiltonian systems, which arise as consequence of the Gromov nonsqueezing theorem from symplectic geometry. We also describe how the global uncertainty propagation scheme can be applied to the problem of global attitude estimation.
Comparative policy analysis: Neoliberalising New Zealand

Comparative policy analysis involves systematically examining the long-term formation of public policies across a number of societies. It focuses particularly on the sequence of policy regimes: liberalism – Keynesianism/social democracy – neoliberalism. Since 1980, neoliberalism has been widely adopted as the guiding ideological structure for economic policy making. But neoliberalism encounters resistances that vary with national contexts. New Zealand is a particularly interesting case because of its reputation as a social democratic, welfare state that went neoliberal with a vengeance (Rogernomics).
Gaussian mixture modeling with volume preserving nonlinear feature space transforms

The paper introduces a new class of nonlinear feature space transformations in the context of Gaussian mixture models. This class of nonlinear transformations is characterized by computationally efficient training algorithms. Experimental results with quadratic feature space transforms are shown to yield modestly improved recognition performance in a speech recognition context. The quadratic feature space transforms are also shown to be beneficial in an adaptation setting.
Extracting timing and status descriptors for colonoscopy testing from electronic medical records.

Colorectal cancer (CRC) screening rates are low despite confirmed benefits. The authors investigated the use of natural language processing (NLP) to identify previous colonoscopy screening in electronic records from a random sample of 200 patients at least 50 years old. The authors developed algorithms to recognize temporal expressions and ‘status indicators’, such as ‘patient refused’, or ‘test scheduled’. The new methods were added to the existing KnowledgeMap concept identifier system, and the resulting system was used to parse electronic medical records (EMR) to detect completed colonoscopies. Using as the ‘gold standard’ expert physicians’ manual review of EMR notes, the system identified timing references with a recall of 0.91 and precision of 0.95, colonoscopy status indicators with a recall of 0.82 and precision of 0.95, and references to actually completed colonoscopies with recall of 0.93 and precision of 0.95. The system was superior to using colonoscopy billing codes alone. Health services researchers and clinicians may find NLP a useful adjunct to traditional methods to detect CRC screening status. Further investigations must validate extension of NLP approaches for other types of CRC screening applications.
Old Is Gold? The Value of Temporal Exploration in the Creation of New Knowledge

In this paper, knowledge creation is considered as a path-dependent evolutionary process that involves recombining knowledge spread over time. The findings of the paper suggest that a balance in combining current knowledge with the knowledge available across large time spans is an important factor that explains the impact of new knowledge. These ideas are empirically tested using patent data from the pharmaceutical industry. Results from the analysis offer support for the hypotheses developed in the paper.
RELIABILITY STUDIES OF BIVARIATE BIRNBAUM–SAUNDERS DISTRIBUTION

In this paper, we study the bivariate Birnbaum–Saunders (BVBS) distribution from a reliability point of view. The monotonicity of the hazard rates of the univariate as well as the conditional distributions is discussed. Clayton's association measure is obtained in terms of the hazard gradient and its value in the case of the BVBS distribution is derived. The probability distributions, in the case of series and parallel systems, are derived and the monotonicity of the failure rate, in the case of series system, is discussed.
Somatic sex-specific transcriptome differences in Drosophila revealed by whole transcriptome sequencing

Understanding animal development and physiology at a molecular-biological level has been advanced by the ability to determine at high resolution the repertoire of mRNA molecules by whole transcriptome resequencing. This includes the ability to detect and quantify rare abundance transcripts and isoform-specific mRNA variants produced from a gene. The sex hierarchy consists of a pre-mRNA splicing cascade that directs the production of sex-specific transcription factors that specify nearly all sexual dimorphism. We have used deep RNA sequencing to gain insight into how the Drosophila sex hierarchy generates somatic sex differences, by examining gene and transcript isoform expression differences between the sexes in adult head tissues. Here we find 1,381 genes that differ in overall expression levels and 1,370 isoform-specific transcripts that differ between males and females. Additionally, we find 512 genes not regulated downstream of transformer that are significantly more highly expressed in males than females. These 512 genes are enriched on the × chromosome and reside adjacent to dosage compensation complex entry sites, which taken together suggests that their residence on the × chromosome might be sufficient to confer male-biased expression. There are no transcription unit structural features, from a set of features, that are robustly significantly different in the genes with significant sex differences in the ratio of isoform-specific transcripts, as compared to random isoform-specific transcripts, suggesting that there is no single molecular mechanism that generates isoform-specific transcript differences between the sexes, even though the sex hierarchy is known to include three pre-mRNA splicing factors. We identify thousands of genes that show sex-specific differences in overall gene expression levels, and identify hundreds of additional genes that have differences in the abundance of isoform-specific transcripts. No transcription unit structural feature was robustly enriched in the sex-differentially expressed transcript isoforms. Additionally, we found that many genes with male-biased expression were enriched on the × chromosome and reside adjacent to dosage compensation entry sites, suggesting that differences in sex chromosome composition contributes to dimorphism in gene expression. Taken together, this study provides new insight into the molecular underpinnings of sexual differentiation.
Cancer Cell Dormancy: Potential Therapeutic Targets To Eradicate Cancer Cells Within the Niche

Breast cancer is one of the leading causes of cancer-related death in the USA. Metastasis and maintenance of breast cancer in the adult bone marrow could result in quiescence with resistance to chemotherapy. These changes are partly due to the interactions between cancer cells and the resident bone marrow cells, especially the cells residing close to the endosteum. Although the literature on cancer stem cells has exploded over the past few years, there is no clear indication that dormancy is exclusive to the stem cell subset of cancers. We discuss a role for the tissue microenvironment in cancer dormancy and also expand on the role of other stem cells. The information on cancer dormancy now has another significant role in medicine—specifically, in the field of stem cell therapy, in which cancer dormancy could be a potential confounder for safe treatment. This chapter discusses the interaction between cancer cells and mesenchymal stem cells. This area of discussion is particularly important considering the ongoing clinical trials with mesenchymal stem cells in which the treatments might be administered to individuals with undiagnosed cancers.
The TiVo Question: Does Skipping Commercials Violate Copyright Law?

The digital video recorder (DVR) has introduced the most convenient way of watching television - without commercials. Its popularity has caused television networks to lose advertising revenues. Incentives for creative programming are on the decline. But the policy of copyright law is to provide and protect such incentives. Copyright law should therefore intervene to protect creative incentives that DVR manufacturers are stripping away from television networks. This conclusion is consistent with copyright jurisprudence. Although the Supreme Court decision in Sony v. Universal Studios seems to shield distributors of television-recording devices from liability, a close examination of Sony reveals that its facts are dispositively distinct from the DVR context in three ways. First, in Sony users of the video cassette recorder ("VCR") did not use it to skip commercials. This fact was necessary for the Court to reach its holding that VCR usage constituted a protected fair use. In contrast to this fact, DVR users skip over 90 percent of recorded commercials. Second, in Sony the VCR manufacturers did not encourage users to reproduce copyrighted broadcasts. DVR manufacturers do. This factual distinction is particularly relevant in light of the recent Supreme Court decision in MGM v. Grokster. The Grokster Court declared that a device's capability to perform noninfringing uses is of no consequence where the distributor encourages infringement. Third, in Sony the VCR was apparently not used to prepare altered versions of copyrighted programming. The DVR, however, is widely used to prepare such altered versions, i.e., commercial-free broadcasts, which are arguably infringing derivative works. Based on these three distinctions, Sony should not prohibit copyright law from protecting the creativity underlying television broadcasts. DVR manufacturers should be contributorily liable.
Unnamed and Little-Known Insects Attacking Cottonwood in Southern California

The ecology, biology, and distribution of 7 species of insects attacking Fremont cottonwood, Populus fremonti Wats., in southern California are reported and illustrated. The species are: Lepidoptera: Coptodisca sp. unnamed, Lithocolletis sp. under., Phalonia sp. under., Filatima sp. unnamed; Diptera: Melanagmmyza schineri (Giraud); and Hymenoptera: Nematus sp. unnamed, Messa populifoliella (Townsend). The unnamed species are the more serious and better-known pests.
Non-Operative Management of Severe Renal Lacerations

The management of severe renal lacerations produced by blunt trauma requires accurate diagnosis and close followup. All severe renal lacerations cannot be treated expectantly and non-operatively. However, in the stable patient with an accurately defined lesion and no other injury requiring surgical intervention a non-operative approach appears to be acceptable. We present 4 illustrative cases.
Adverse Factor Analysis and Measures of the Transformation and Upgrading of Tourism Industry

At present,tourism in China is in a golden period of development,more and more people choose to travel,leisure tourism,at the same time,various contradictions also gradually emerged,the transition of tourism industry upgrading become inevitable.Analysis of the adverse factors transformation and upgrading of tourism,and puts forward the corresponding countermeasures,have important significance for the smooth realization of the transformation and upgrading of tourism industry.
An Enhanced tabu search algorithm to minimize a bi-criteria objective in batching and scheduling problems on unrelated-parallel machines with desired lower bounds on batch sizes

This paper addresses a sequence- and machine-dependent batch scheduling problem on a set of unrelated-parallel machines where the objective is to minimize a linear combination of total weighted completion time and total weighted tardiness. In particular, batch scheduling disregards the group technology assumptions by allowing for the possibility of splitting pre-determined groups of jobs into batches with respect to desired lower bounds on batch sizes. With regard to bounds on batch sizes, the MILP model is developed as two integrated batching and scheduling phases to present the problem. A benchmark of small-size instances on group scheduling shows the superior performance of batch scheduling up to 37% reduction in the objective function value. An efficient meta-heuristic algorithm based on tabu search with multi-level diversification and multi-tabu structure is developed at three levels, which moves back and forth between batching and scheduling phases. To eliminate searching in ineffective neighborhoods and thus enhance computational efficiency of search algorithms, several lemmas are proposed and proven. The results of applying lemmas reflect up to 40% reduction in computational times. Comparing the optimal solutions found by CPLEX and tabu search shows that the tabu search algorithm could find solutions, at least as good as CPLEX but in incredibly shorter computational time. In order to trigger the search algorithm, two different initial solution finding mechanisms have been developed and implemented. Also, due to lack of a qualified benchmark for unrelated-parallel machines, a comprehensive data generation mechanism has been developed in a way that it fairly reflects the real world situations encountered in practice. The machine availability times and job release times are considered to be dynamic and the run time of each job differs on different machines based upon the capability of the machines. A batching and scheduling problem with desired lower bounds on batch sizes.Bi-objective to minimize production cost and maximize customer satisfaction.An MILP model to address the problem including job releases/machine availabilities.Several lemmas to enhance the efficiency and effectiveness of TS-based algorithms.A benchmark to show the benefits of integrating the batching decision.
The phenotypic plasticity of developmental modules

Organisms develop and evolve in a modular fashion, but how individual modules interact with the environment remains poorly understood. Phenotypically plastic traits are often under selection, and studies are needed to address how traits respond to the environment in a modular fashion. In this study, tissue-specific plasticity of melanic spots was examined in the large milkweed bug, Oncopeltus fasciatus. Although the size of the abdominal melanic bands varied according to rearing temperatures, wing melanic bands were more robust. To explore the regulation of abdominal pigmentation plasticity, candidate genes involved in abdominal melanic spot patterning and biosynthesis of melanin were analyzed. While the knockdown of dopa decarboxylase (Ddc) led to lighter pigmentation in both the wings and the abdomen, the shape of the melanic elements remained unaffected. Although the knockdown of Abdominal-B (Abd-B) partially phenocopied the low-temperature phenotype, the abdominal bands were still sensitive to temperature shifts. These observations suggest that regulators downstream of Abd-B but upstream of DDC are responsible for the temperature response of the abdomen. Ablation of wings led to the regeneration of a smaller wing with reduced melanic bands that were shifted proximally. In addition, the knockdown of the Wnt signaling nuclear effector genes, armadillo 1 and armadillo 2, altered both the melanic bands and the wing shape. Thus, the pleiotropic effects of Wnt signaling may constrain the amount of plasticity in wing melanic bands. We propose that when traits are regulated by distinct pre-patterning mechanisms, they can respond to the environment in a modular fashion, whereas when the environment impacts developmental regulators that are shared between different modules, phenotypic plasticity can manifest as a developmentally integrated system.
Time and the Use of Diagrams or Texts, and Study Questions on Learner Comprehension

AbstractThis quasi-experimental study, exploratory in nature, examined the ambiguities that may emerge when time is considered as an independent variable in diagram studies. College students studied either a flow diagram or a text passage; with or without the use of study questions. Study questions were used to insure that time was devoted to learning and to record persistence time. Results indicated that when learner persistence time is provided, mean comprehension scores increase and the range of scores remain essentially the same. Thus, studies, which compare instructional strategies without allowing learners the time needed to approach mastery, may bring into question the construct validity. This study is an initial attempt to explore time as a dependent variable for hypothesis testing of the effects of diagrams on learner comprehension.
Endoscopic Evaluation and Management of the Postoperative Crohn's Disease Patient

Approximately 70% of patients with Crohn's disease (CD) undergo surgical resection for the treatment of medically refractory disease or its complications. The sickest cohort of CD patients experience rapid postoperative relapse at the anastomotic site. Over the past 2 decades, the types of surgical anastomoses used in CD reconstruction have changed; end-to-side and end-to-end anastomoses have been surpassed by the more rapidly created side-to-side anastomoses. This article provides a review of the timing and purpose of endoscopic evaluation in postoperative CD patients and pragmatic information regarding interpretation of endoscopic findings at the different types of surgical anastomoses after ileocecal resection.
Exfoliative dermatitis in a cat

Feline exfoliative dermatitis is a rare skin disorder that is characterised by diffuse scaling and alopecia. The condition has been associated with thymomas but has been described without a thymoma. This article describes a case of feline exfoliative dermatitis with a cranial mediastinal mass suspected to be a thymoma that was seen at the University of Illinois Veterinary Teaching Hospital. The cat presented with previously described clinical lesions, alopecia and large adherent scales, but also had a marked leucocytosis characterised mainly with a lymphocytosis. The final diagnosis was achieved based on histopathology in conjunction with imaging.
Evidence for Feedback Regulation Following Cholesterol Lowering Therapy in a Prostate Cancer Xenograft Model.

BACKGROUND Epidemiologic data suggest cholesterol-lowering drugs may prevent the progression of prostate cancer, but not the incidence of the disease. However, the association of combination therapy in cholesterol reduction on prostate or any cancer is unclear. In this study, we compared the effects of the cholesterol lowering drugs simvastatin and ezetimibe alone or in combination on the growth of LAPC-4 prostate cancer in vivo xenografts. METHODS Proliferation assays were conducted by MTS solution and assessed by Student's t-test. 90 male nude mice were placed on a high-cholesterol Western-diet for 7 days then injected subcutaneously with 1 × 105 LAPC-4 cells. Two weeks post-injection, mice were randomized to control, 11 mg/kg/day simvastatin, 30 mg/kg ezetimibe, or the combination and sacrificed 42 days post-randomization. We used a generalized linear model with the predictor variables of treatment, time, and treatment by time (i.e., interaction term) with tumor volume as the outcome variable. Total serum and tumor cholesterol were measured. Tumoral RNA was extracted and cDNA synthesized from 1 ug of total RNA for quantitative real-time PCR. RESULTS Simvastatin directly reduced in vitro prostate cell proliferation in a dose-dependent, cell line-specific manner, but ezetimibe had no effect. In vivo, low continuous dosing of ezetimibe, delivered by food, or simvastatin, delivered via an osmotic pump had no effect on tumor growth compared to control mice. In contrast, dual treatment of simvastatin and ezetimibe accelerated tumor growth. Ezetimibe significantly lowered serum cholesterol by 15%, while simvastatin had no effect. Ezetimibe treatment resulted in higher tumor cholesterol. A sixfold induction of low density lipoprotein receptor mRNA was observed in ezetimibe and the combination with simvastatin versus control tumors. CONCLUSIONS Systemic cholesterol lowering by ezetimibe did not slow tumor growth, nor did the cholesterol independent effects of simvastatin and the combined treatment increased tumor growth. Despite lower serum cholesterol, tumors from ezetimibe treated mice had higher levels of cholesterol. This study suggests that induction of low density lipoprotein receptor is a possible mechanism of resistance that prostate tumors use to counteract the therapeutic effects of lowering serum cholesterol. Prostate © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Melting of Size-Selected Aluminum Clusters with 150–342 Atoms: The Transition to Thermodynamic Scaling

Heat capacities have been measured by ion calorimetry for size-selected aluminum cluster cations ranging in size from 150 to 342 atoms. All clusters show a sharp peak in their heat capacity versus temperature plots which is attributed to the melting transition. The large size dependent fluctuations in the melting temperatures found for smaller clusters in previous work have largely vanished. The melting temperatures for the 150–342 atom size range examined here are substantially below the bulk value and increase relatively smoothly with size. Above 180 atoms, they closely follow the 1/r dependence predicted by thermodynamic models. A notable exception occurs between Al283+ and Al284+, where the melting temperature suddenly jumps by 13 K. This jump represents a remarkably sudden change for such large clusters. The origin is probably structural, but the nature of the structural change remains unknown. The latent heat is still far from its bulk value (only 42%) even for the largest clusters studied here. Whe...
Learning to Identify Students' Off-Task Behavior in Intelligent Tutoring Systems

The paper proposes a machine learning model that can automatically identify off-task behaviors of students while using an intelligent tutoring system. Only log files that record students' actions with the system are used for the development of the model. The model utilizes a set of time features, performance features and mouse movement features and is compared to i) a model that only utilizes time features, ii) a model that uses time and performance features. In order to address data sparseness problem, a robust Ridge Regression algorithm is designed to estimate model parameters. An extensive set of experiment results demonstrate the power of using multiple types of evidence as well as the robust Ridge Regression algorithm.
Exploring Social Justice Issues Through Design in an Apparel Design Studio Course

Boden (2004) explained that one way to be creative is to make â€œunfamiliar combinations of familiar ideas'(p. 2). One familiar concept at a public institution set in an urban environment in the United States is social justice. The goal of this teaching technique was to engage students with social justice issues throughout the design process in an apparel design studio setting. This project was designed to infuse and encourage engagement with an important topic in a non-traditional fashion. The instructor defined social justice and equity, and then provided several examples of inequalities present in our society. Students were required to identify a social injustice and research the topic by examining news, journals, or other outlets. Students were encouraged to utilize visual representation in the design or utilize emotions associated with the injustice in the construction and elements throughout the design process and execution. Students utilized a variety of social justice inspiration sources such as racial inequity, sexism, colorism, classism, and abelism. During presentations, students exhibited strong emotion and connection to their results.
Nanopatterned Optical Fiber Tip for Guided Mode Resonance and Application to Gas Sensing

This paper reports on an efficient and convenient method of patterning nanostructures on the cleaved facet of an optical fiber to realize a high-performance fiber-optic gas sensor. The fabrication method utilizes an ultraviolet assisted nanoimprint lithography to transfer nanoscale patterns from a pre-formed stamp to the fiber tip. The novelty of this paper lies in utilizing simpler fabrication steps with better control over angle of contact at the fiber tip, which leads to rapid and precise formation of nanostructures with well-defined features. A periodic array of polymer nanoposts are formed at the fiber tip and coated with titanium dioxide to serve as a guided mode resonant (GMR) device. A gas sensor is realized by coating the GMR structure with a thin layer of graphene oxide (GO) nanosheets. We have utilized the resonance sensitivity of the nanopatterned fiber-tip gas sensor to surrounding refractive index. The abundant functional groups available at GO provides an effective adsorption surface for gas molecules. Microscopic imaging and spectroscopic studies are conducted to illustrate the structural and optical properties, and gas-sensing performance of the sensor. Volatile organic compounds, such as ethylene and methanol, associated with crop plant health, are detected by the sensor. The sensor provides sensitivities of 0.92 and 1.37 pm/ppm for ethylene and methanol vapors, respectively, with a three-fold enhancement in sensitivity and 50% reduction in response time compared with the non-GO coated counterpart. In addition, the sensor demonstrates good stability and reproducibility, thus having a great potential in fiber-optic remote sensing applications.
Blunt cerebrovascular injury incidence, stroke-rate, and mortality with the expanded Denver criteria.

Abstract Background Blunt carotid and vertebral artery injury, collectively termed blunt cerebrovascular injury occur in less than 1% of blunt traumas. Conventional indications for screening miss up to 20% of blunt cerebrovascular injuries. Therefore, the expanded Denver criteria were created in 2012. We hypothesized the introduction of the expanded Denver criteria would lead to an increase in the national detection of blunt cerebrovascular injury with a subsequent decrease in stroke rate. Methods The National Trauma Data Bank was queried for blunt trauma admissions. Patients were divided into 2 groups: pre–expanded Denver criteria (2007–2011) or post–expanded Denver criteria era (2013–2015). The primary endpoint was the incidence of blunt cerebrovascular injury, which was used as a surrogate for detection. Results There were 10,183 blunt cerebrovascular injuries with 5,364 blunt cerebrovascular injuries in the pre–expanded Denver criteria group (0.19%) and 4,819 blunt cerebrovascular injuries in the post–expanded Denver criteria group (0.22%; P Conclusion The detection of blunt cerebrovascular injury has increased by 16% since the publication of the expanded Denver criteria. Skull-base fracture is the strongest traumatic risk factor for blunt cerebrovascular injury. Although detection may have increased, the stroke-rate nearly doubled in the post-eDC era. This warrants future research.
Effects of the northern pocket gopher (Thomomys talpoides) on alpine soil characteristics, Niwot Ridge, CO

Effects of the northern pocket gopher (Thomomys talpoides) on surface soilcharacteristics were examined at the alpinesite of Niwot Ridge, CO. We measured erosionof soil from gopher mounds and compared thecharacteristics of gopher mound (disturbed) andundisturbed soils in two major plant communitytypes. Our measurements of erosion indicatelong-term susceptibility of gopher-disturbedsoils to redistribution by water and/or wind inthis ecosystem. Ecosystem heterogeneityintroduced by the gopher is reflected insignificantly lower SOM in gopher mounds thanin surrounding undisturbed soils, acharacteristic which appears to be causallyassociated with other effects of gopherdisturbance including changes in soil textureand significantly lower clays, total C, totalN, total P, and labile P. In contrast toplant-available P, NO3 − was higherand steadily increased for the short term in both gopher mound soils and those beneath the mounds. These pools of NO3 − thendecreased to pre-disturbance levels by thefollowing spring. Collectively our resultsindicate that, through the physicalmanipulation of soil and subsequent effects onsoil resources, the northern pocket gopherfunctions as an agent of increased ecosystemheterogeneity and soil mass and nutrientredistribution at Niwot Ridge.
Animal Challenge Models of Henipavirus Infection and Pathogenesis

The henipaviruses, Hendra virus (HeV), and Nipah virus (NiV), are enigmatic emerging pathogens that causes severe and often fatal neurologic and/or respiratory disease in both animals and humans. Amongst people, case fatality rates range between 40 and 75% and there are no vaccines or treatments approved for human use. A number of species of animals including guinea pigs, hamsters, cats, ferrets, pigs, and African green monkeys have been employed as animal models of human henipavirus infection. Here, we review the development of animal models for henipavirus infection, discuss the pathology and pathogenesis of these models, and assess the utility of each model to recapitulate important aspects of henipavirus-mediated disease seen in humans.
The Semiotics of Social Identity

I have argued in Chapter 2 that style is a means of non-verbal communication that is implicated in the ways and means by which difference may be created socially through competing constructions of identity. In exploring this premise in relation to the architecture of Armidale, it becomes necessary to investigate both the types of group identity that may be constructed through style, as well as the changing scales at which this identity might be constructed. In other words, it is necessary to search for both similarities and differences in the context of production. How is similarity emphasized through the construction of groups? How are these groups then differentiated from others? Most importantly, how does this change?
Review of David Skrbina's Book: Panpsychism in the West

David Skrbina's "Panpsychism in the West" presents the historical emergence of panpsychism within western philosophy: from the ancient Greeks, the Renaissance, the eighteenth century, and up to modern times. Skrbina gives a very comprehensive treatment, worthy of five stars despite my criticism. Nevertheless, I want to point out some subtlety that Skrbina missed, and this is not to detract from Skrbina's fine work. Skrbina writes about my favored panpsychists: C.S. Peirce; A.N. Whitehead, Teilhard de Chardin, and C. Hartshorne. He makes a very impressive case for panpsychism, taking us into modern time. His book is must reading. You can find this book at Amazon: Panpsychism in the West .
Image-Guided Neurosurgical Planning

Preoperative planning for neurosurgery may be enhanced by the availability of imaging methods capable of capturing information relating to both structure and function of pathological and adjacent tissue. High-resolution structural images may be augmented with functional MRI (fMRI) to delineate eloquent brain regions; diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) to capture white matter macrostructure organization and potential disruption; and positron emission tomography (PET) imaging to assess metabolic activity and response. Other techniques including magnetoencephalography (MEG) and transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) are discussed in relation to presurgical functional assessment. Composition of these pieces of information into a clinically useful plan via image processing and registration is important both for the preoperative plan and for intraoperative guidance. Identification and highlighting of clinically relevant features from separate modalities facilitates integrated review of complementary information. As surgeon comfort with this approach increases, it is likely to help achieve safer and more complete surgical resections.
The RoPE scale: a measure of how empathic a robot is perceived

To be accepted in our everyday life and to be valuable interaction partners, robots should be able to display emotional and empathic behaviors. That is why there has been a great focus on developing empathy in robots in recent years. However, there is no consensus on how to measure how much a robot is considered to be empathic. In this context, we decided to construct a questionnaire which specifically measures the perception of a robot's empathy in human-robot interaction (HRI). Therefore we conducted pretests to generate items. These were validated by experts and will be further validated in an experimental setting.
Nodal and distant metastases in sinonasal mucosal melanoma: A population‐based analysis

Objectives/hypothesis Sinonasal mucosal melanoma (SNMM) is a rare malignant neoplasm. No study to date has analyzed the impact that nodal metastases and distant metastases at diagnosis have on overall survival (OS) and disease-specific survival (DSS). Study design Retrospective database review. Methods The Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results database was queried for cases of SNMM. Descriptive statistics were used analyze patient demographic and clinicopathologic variables. The Kaplan-Meier model was used to analyze survival, and the Cox proportional hazards model was used for multivariate analysis. Results Three hundred twenty-eight cases of SNMM were identified. The most frequent sinonasal anatomic location was the nasal cavity in 279 (73.0%) patients, followed by the maxillary sinus in 60 (15.7%) patients. Regional nodal metastases at diagnosis occurred in 33 (8.6%) patients, whereas distant metastases at diagnosis occurred in 41 (10.7%) patients. Five-year OS was 22.7%, and 5-year DSS was 26.8%. The presence of positive nodes at diagnosis (OS P Conclusions SNMM is a rare pathologic entity with a poor prognosis. The presence of nodal and distant metastases at diagnosis are negative prognostic factors in OS and DSS. These factors can be used in the development of new models of risk stratification and to inform treatment strategies and surveillance patterns. Level of evidence NA Laryngoscope, 130:622-627, 2020.
Development of a conditional localization approach to control apicoplast protein trafficking in malaria parasites

Secretory proteins are of particular importance to apicomplexan parasites and comprise over 15% of the genomes of the human pathogens that cause diseases like malaria, toxoplasmosis and babesiosis as well as other diseases of agricultural significance. Here, we developed an approach that allows us to control the trafficking destination of secretory proteins in the human malaria parasite Plasmodium falciparum. Based on the unique structural requirements of apicoplast transit peptides, we designed three conditional localization domains (CLD1, 2 and 3) that can be used to control protein trafficking via the addition of a cell permeant ligand. Studies comparing the trafficking dynamics of each CLD show that CLD2 has the most optimal trafficking efficiency. To validate this system, we tested whether CLD2 could conditionally localize a biotin ligase called holocarboxylase synthetase 1 (HCS1) without interfering with the function of the enzyme. In a parasite line expressing CLD2-HCS1, we were able to control protein biotinylation in the apicoplast in a ligand-dependent manner, demonstrating the full functionality of the CLD tool. We have developed and validated a novel molecular tool that may be used in future studies to help elucidate the function of secretory proteins in malaria parasites.
Editorial for the Special Issue on Neural Electrodes: Design and Applications

Neural electrodes enable the recording and stimulation of bioelectrical activity from the nervous system [...].
Rethinking the relationship between plagiarism and academic integrity

The term academic integrity is in widespread use, and while there has been much debate about what is included under that term and how we measure and encourage integrity in an academic context, no specific definition has been codified and universally accepted. This article reviews the historical evolution of the phrase through scholarship beginning in the 1960s, its shifting definition as an ethical or moral concept, and the ways in which it is currently being used, with a focus on the logics by which textual errors came to be classified as moral lapses. This article also provides analysis of students’ textual errors as they work from sources. Based on these analyses, we advocate bringing together all cheating behaviors, including academic ghostwriting, under the umbrella of academic integrity and calling them cheating, plain and simple. At the same time, we contend that textual errors such as patchwriting and faulty citation should be removed from the moral category of academic integrity and treated as instances of bad writing to be remedied by pedagogy, not punishment.
Controlled Electroless Deposition of Noble Metals on Silicon Substrates Using Self-Assembled Monolayers as Molecular Resists To Generate Nanopatterned Surfaces for Electronics and Plasmonics

Electroless deposition of noble metals on silicon has applications in a wide range of fields including electronic circuitry, metal plating industry, lithography, and other fabrication techniques. I...
Bringing Campus Experience to Online Classes

No recording ever captures the experience of a live performance. The same is true about education. Feedback we have received, regarding online education, has been that remote attendees miss access to resources and the live interaction with their instructor and classmates. Through the layering of multiple commercial services, we are able to bring some of the campus experiences to online students.