cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Physiological Patterns and Pitfalls of 18F-FDG Biodistribution

18F-FDG is normally accumulated in very high concentrations in the cerebral cortex, basal ganglia, and, in some cases, in cardiac muscle. Due to its renal excretion, 18F-FDG accumulates throughout the urinary system, from the renal parenchyma to the bladder. The liver is highly involved in glucose metabolism, but hepatic cells reversibly dephosphorylate 18F-FDG by the action of phosphatases. In young patients, the thymus is frequently visualized on PET, typically appearing as an inverted-V-shaped structure, or unilaterally with a right or left extension, or with homogeneous or patchy tracer uptake. Furthermore, in children and young adults who have received chemotherapy, the thymus is an important site of 18F-FDG uptake, as this organ uptake may persist for as long as 2 years after the end of therapy. Bone marrow and spleen frequently show significant uptake, reflecting normal growth. After chemotherapy or granulocyte colony-stimulating factor therapy, both sites are significantly enhanced and the homogeneity of 18F-FDG uptake is often an important criterion in diagnosing non-tumoral disease. Lymphoepithelial tissues located near the oropharynx and nasopharynx, such as the palatine and nasopharyngeal tonsils and Waldeyer’s ring, are frequently FDG avid. Generally, the healthy intestine in children does not show significant uptake. If it does, especially in stem cell- or organ-transplanted patients, posttransplantation lymphoproliferative disease may be the cause.
Why Didn't She Just Report Him? The Psychological and Legal Implications of Women's Responses to Sexual Harassment

The last few years have seen an increasing awareness of sexual harassment as an important social problem with serious implications for individuals and organizations alike, leading to increased attempts to understand how victims respond to this stressful and sometimes traumatic experience. The present article reviews the behavioral science research on responses to sexual harassment, including their links to outcomes and consequences. We then present an alternative to the frequently invoked assertiveness paradigm, derived from the cognitive-behavioral stress and coping framework. We examine our paradigm in the context of legal proceedings that, in effect, hold the victim responsible for responding appropriately; explore the more general implications of placing the burden of noncom-sent on the victim; and conclude with a discussion of this research for an emerging legal theory of sexual harassment.
Analysis of fixed bed sorption: Flue gas desulfurization

Temperature and concentration profiles are obtained by solution of the coupled nonlinear differential equations which describe transient operation of an adiabatic fixed bed reactor. The unreacted-shrinking core mechanism describes the multiple, irreversible, exothermic gas-solid reactions. Numerical integration is accomplished by a predictor-corrector scheme which is programmed in Fortran IV language. The influence of kinetic parameters, heat and mass diffusivities within pellets, temperature variation of properties, gas velocity, bed and particle dimensions, inlet gas temperature and composition, and initial bed temperature on reactor performance are studied for sulfur dioxide removal from flue gases by fixed beds of copper oxide. Comparison with commercial reactors is in qualitative agreement.
Femtosecond laser machining

Summary form only given. The use of femtosecond lasers allows materials processing of practically any material with extremely high precision and minimal collateral damage. Advantages over conventional laser machining (using pulses longer than a few tens of picoseconds) are realized by depositing the laser energy into the electrons of the material on a time scale short compared to the transfer time of this energy to the bulk of the material, resulting in increased ablation efficiency and negligible shock or thermal stress. Using a 4-W Ti:sapphire CPA laser, we produced cuts and holes in several explosives for a variety of laser parameters with no observable impact on the remaining material.
Radiation dose and cancer risk among pediatric patients undergoing interventional neuroradiology procedures

Background During interventional neuroradiology procedures, patients can be exposed to moderate to high levels of radiation. Special considerations are required to protect children, who are generally more sensitive to the short- and long-term detrimental effects of radiation exposure. Estimates of dose to the skin of children from certain interventional procedures have been published elsewhere, but we are not aware of data on dose to the brain or on the long-term risk of cancer from brain radiation.
Intestinal ecology : Interactions among the gastrointestinal tract, nutrition, and the microflora

Abstract Extremely complex interactions exist between the components of intestinal ecology, including the host intestinal anatomy, intestinal microbial populations, and the nutrition of the animal. The anatomical regions of the gastrointestinal tract can be characterized based on cell type and function and include the epithelial cell layer, lamina propria, muscularis, widespread components of the immune system, and mucus layer. The microflora consists primarily of bacteria, which can be broadly categorized as harmful and commensal populations. Harmful populations may be involved in the induction of infection, intestinal putrefaction, and toxin production. Commensal populations may be involved in vitamin production, stimulation of the immune system via nonpathogenic means, and inhibition of harmful bacterial populations. The nutrition of an animal can directly and indirectly affect each of the aforementioned components and, thus, dramatically affect the health and performance of production animals. A comprehensive understanding of these interactions will provide tools by which animal health and performance can be maximized while the use of pharmacological agents and the excretion of nutrients can be minimized.
Axisymmetric stress-transfers from an embedded elastic cylindrical shell to a half-space

Within the framework of three-dimensional classical elastostatics and thin shell theories, a rigorous mathematical formulation is presented for the torsionless axisymmetric stress-transfer problem of a cylindrical shell of finite length embedded in a semi-infinite solid. By virtue of a set of ring-load Green’s functions for the shell and a group of fundamental solutions for the half-space, the mechanical interaction problem is shown to be reducible to a pair of Fredholm integral equations. Through the analysis of an auxiliary set of Cauchy integral equations, the singularities of the resultant contact stress distributions are rendered explicit, the results of which are incorporated in a numerical procedure. Typical solutions for the axial and radial load-transfers, contact stress distributions, as well as other related responses are included as illustrations. In addition to furnishing results of direct relevance to a number of engineering applications, the present treatment is apt to be useful as a basis of assessment for various approximate methods for this class of contact problems.
Using designer's effort for user interface evaluation

Designing Human Computer Interfaces is one of the more important and difficult design tasks. The tools for verifying the quality of the interface are frequently expensive or provide feedback too far after the design of the interface as to make it meaningless. To improve the interface usability, designers need a verification tool providing immediate feedback at a low cost. Using an effort-based measure of usability, it is possible for a designer to estimate the effort a subject might expend to complete a specific task. In this paper, we develop the notion of designer's effort for evaluating interface usability for new designs and Commercial-Off-The-Shelf software. Designer's effort provides a technique to evaluate human interface before completing the development of the software and provides feedback from usability tests conducted using the effort-based evaluation technique.
Elements of editorial style for computer-delivered information

It is noted that existing editorial style sheets/guides do not address the unique needs encountered in developing computer-delivered information. The author presents guidelines that supplement the stylesheets/guides. These guidelines suggest ways to handle the organization and presentation of information, paragraphs, sentences, questions and responses, language, punctuation, and screen design. >
Low-cost production of proinsulin in tobacco and lettuce chloroplasts for injectable or oral delivery of functional insulin and C-peptide

Current treatment for type I diabetes includes delivery of insulin via injection or pump, which is highly invasive and expensive. The production of chloroplast-derived proinsulin should reduce cost and facilitate oral delivery. Therefore, tobacco and lettuce chloroplasts were transformed with the cholera toxin B subunit fused with human proinsulin (A, B, C peptides) containing three furin cleavage sites (CTB-PFx3). Transplastomic lines were confirmed for site-specific integration of transgene and homoplasmy. Old tobacco leaves accumulated proinsulin up to 47% of total leaf protein (TLP). Old lettuce leaves accumulated proinsulin up to 53% TLP. Accumulation was so stable that up to ~40% proinsulin in TLP was observed even in senescent and dried lettuce leaves, facilitating their processing and storage in the field. Based on the yield of only monomers and dimers of proinsulin (3 mg/g leaf, a significant underestimation), with a 50% loss of protein during the purification process, one acre of tobacco could yield up to 20 million daily doses of insulin per year. Proinsulin from tobacco leaves was purified up to 98% using metal affinity chromatography without any His-tag. Furin protease cleaved insulin peptides in vitro. Oral delivery of unprocessed proinsulin bioencapsulated in plant cells or injectable delivery into mice showed reduction in blood glucose levels similar to processed commercial insulin. C-peptide should aid in long-term treatment of diabetic complications including stimulation of nerve and renal functions. Hyper-expression of functional proinsulin and exceptional stability in dehydrated leaves offer a low-cost platform for oral and injectable delivery of cleavable proinsulin.
Design Values of Differing Urban Resident Groups

The purpose of this study was to determine which design amenities were considered important to residents selecting rehabilitated neighborhoods. Two types of neighborhoods were selected, each representing a different redevelopment method: the Individual Rehabilitated Neighborhood and the Redevelopment Corporation Neighborhood. A mail questionnaire containing 22 design items was sent to 600 households. A t-test was performed on the responses to determine significance. The Redevelopment Corporation Neighborhood residents were more interior design oriented, while the Individual Rehabilitated Neighborhood residents were more exterior and community design oriented. This led to the conclusion that residents select a neighborhood based on the person-environment fit.
Book Review: Review of Adult Learning and Literacy

Review of Adult Learning and Literacy is published annually by the National Center for the Study of Adult Learning and Literacy (NCSALL). Volume 4 (Review Four) follows a format established in earlier reviews, “begin[ning] with an overview of significant developments in the field of adult education and literacy during the year, and conclud[ing] with an essay and bibliography on a broad topic of current interest” (p. ix). At a time when political pressures are refocusing precious research dollars away from adult literacy, Review Four is designed to help “policy makers, scholars, and practitioners” keep adult literacy “at the forefront” and “improve services for learners based on solid information from research” (p. xi). A multiplicity of stances, theories, models, disciplines, and practices that intersect with adult learning and literacy are contained in Review Four. This is described in terms of “diversity” and “complexity” (p. vii), a “colorful mosaic” (p. 199), and a “pluralism” (p. 185). Readers who are not familiar with the breadth of research supported by NCSALL will quickly learn that they are not reading about a single discipline, but rather about such interdisciplinary topics as performance measurement and assessment; power relations among marginalized learners, practitioners, JOURNAL OF LITERACY RESEARCH, 38(2), 235–245 Copyright © 2006, Lawrence Erlbaum Associates, Inc.
Contouring of epicardial activation using spatial autocorrelation estimates

The authors examine the procedure involved in producing contour maps of epicardial activation. The key step is to generate a mathematical model of activation. Spectral analysis of heart surface activation reveals a low frequency trend, representing uniform conduction, with disordered conduction concentrated in higher frequency bands. A method of mapping which uses the spatial autocorrelation function to assist in generating the epicardial activation model was compared with traditional, wholly empirical methods. Use of spatial autocorrelation appears to improve the resolution of map generation. >
Sigma-model duality and duality transformations in string theory.

Duality symmetries in the partition functions of closed strings compactified on tori and orbifolds are shown to be a direct consequence of the quantum-level field-theory duality of the associated two-dimensional $\ensuremath{\sigma}$ models. This is demonstrated on both genus-0 and genus-1 world sheets.
Blastomeres from somatic cell nuclear transfer embryos are not allocated randomly in chimeric blastocysts.

A marker has been developed to allow detection of blastomeres that originate from embryos produced by nuclear transfer (NT) of genetically engineered fetal fibroblasts. A plasmid (phEFnGFP) was constructed with a G418 resistance cassette for selection in fibroblasts and a nuclear localized green fluorescent protein (nGFP) expression cassette that expresses in every cell of day-6, -7, and -8 bovine embryos. This construct was utilized to follow the blastomere distribution in aggregation chimeras produced from fertilized embryos (in vitro produced, IVP) or parthenotes and NT embryos. Fluorescent and nonfluorescent NT embryos were aggregated early on day 4 and evaluated on day 8. Nuclei of blastomeres that carried the transgene were fluorescent under both UV epifluorescence (Hoechst 33342) and blue epifluorescence (nGFP). There was no bias in the distribution of green fluorescent blastomeres in the inner cell mass (ICM) or trophectoderm in NT NT chimeras. However, there was a strong bias for NT blastomeres ...
The Measurement of Selection on Size and Growth

A good deal of interest in natural selection is focused on the size of individuals or individual parts. For example, the significance of size-selective predation has long been a dominant theme in research on Zooplankton ecology (Brooks and Dodson 1965; Kerfoot 1980; Lynch 1980). Much of the theory on the evolution of complex life histories is focused on the interaction of size-specific growth and mortality rates (Wilbur 1980; Werner and Gilliam 1984; Werner 1986 and this Vol.). Size-dependent competition and reproductive performance are central issues in plant population biology (Harper 1977; Dirzo and Sarukhan 1984; see also Ebenman this Vol.). In order to couch studies of these phenomena in an evolutionary framework, techniques are required for analyzing the intensity of natural selection on components of size and growth. A methodology for the measurement of selection on age-invariant characters (e.g., size at age x) has been outlined in Lande and Arnold (1983) and Mitchell-Olds and Shaw (1987), but selection on ontogenetic patterns raises some practical difficulties that were not addressed in those papers.
Carrier field shock formation of long-wavelength femtosecond pulses in single-crystal diamond and air

We numerically demonstrate the formation of carrier field shocks in single-crystal diamond and air for a wide variety of input conditions using two different electric field propagation models. We investigate the impact of numerous physical effects on the carrier wave shock. It is shown that, in many cases, a field shock is essentially unavoidable and therefore extremely important in the propagation of intense long-wavelength pulses in weakly dispersive nonlinear media. We found that single-crystal diamond is the ideal nonlinear medium for carrier wave shock formation using mid-IR laser pulses carrying moderate energies.
Expression of the Long Non-Coding RNA HOTAIR Correlates with Disease Progression in Bladder Cancer and Is Contained in Bladder Cancer Patient Urinary Exosomes

Exosomes are 30-150nM membrane-bound secreted vesicles that are readily isolated from biological fluids such as urine (UEs). Exosomes contain proteins, micro RNA (miRNA), messenger RNA (mRNA), and long non-coding RNA (lncRNA) from their cells of origin. Although miRNA, protein and lncRNA have been isolated from serum as potential biomarkers for benign and malignant disease, it is unknown if lncRNAs in UEs from urothelial bladder cancer (UBC) patients can serve as biomarkers. lncRNAs are > 200 nucleotide long transcripts that do not encode protein and play critical roles in tumor biology. As the number of recognized tumor-associated lncRNAs continues to increase, there is a parallel need to include lncRNAs into biomarker discovery and therapeutic target algorithms. The lncRNA HOX transcript antisense RNA (HOTAIR) has been shown to facilitate tumor initiation and progression and is associated with poor prognosis in several cancers. The importance of HOTAIR in cancer biology has sparked interest in using HOTAIR as a biomarker and potential therapeutic target. Here we show HOTAIR and several tumor-associated lncRNAs are enriched in UEs from UBC patients with high-grade muscle-invasive disease (HGMI pT2-pT4). Knockdown of HOTAIR in UBC cell lines reduces in vitro migration and invasion. Importantly, loss of HOTAIR expression in UBC cell lines alters expression of epithelial-to-mesenchyme transition (EMT) genes including SNAI1, TWIST1, ZEB1, ZO1, MMP1 LAMB3, and LAMC2. Finally, we used RNA-sequencing to identify four additional lncRNAs enriched in UBC patient UEs. These data, suggest that UE-derived lncRNA may potentially serve as biomarkers and therapeutic targets.
The accuracy of commercial enzyme reference sera.

Commercial reference sera with enzymic activities stated by the manufacturers are available for the “standardization” or quality control of enzyme-activity measurements in the clinical laboratory. The accuracies of the stated activities of lactic dehydogenase, glutamic oxalacetic transaminase, alkaline and acid phosphatases, and amylase were assessed. One manufacturer’s stated activities were acceptable in six of seven instances and another’s in two of three instances. Notably, the activities stated by six of the eight manufacturers were doubtful or unacceptable in more than 50% of instances. Most of the stated activities of commercial enzyme reference sera at present are reliable for neither standardization nor quality control.
Use of ultrasonic shears in the harvest of the free osteocutaneous fibula flap.

OBJECTIVES Traditionally, the fibula free flap has been raised by electrocautery and sharp dissection with clipping and tying of vessels. Use of the ultrasonic scalpel has been proposed to be a faster, more hemostatic, and less traumatic method of harvest. METHODS We performed a retrospective chart review of 58 patients who underwent fibula free flap reconstruction between 2007 and 2010. The main outcome measures were blood loss, operative time, and flap harvest time. RESULTS Use of the ultrasonic shears was not associated with a statistically significant reduction in intraoperative blood loss, operative time, or flap harvest time. However, the flap harvest time did trend toward statistical significance (p = 0.073). Use of distribution-based effect sizes demonstrated a moderate clinically important difference in favor of the ultrasonic shears for both operative time and flap harvest time. CONCLUSIONS The use of ultrasonic shears is comparable to traditional methods of fibula free flap harvest and can be considered an alternative method of harvest.
Evolving policy with science.

Albert Schweitzer, physician and Nobel laureate, wrote: “The first step in the evolution of ethics is a sense of solidarity with other human beings.” The evolution of U.S. policy governing heritable human germline modification reflects this observation, and a “Human Genome Editing” consensus study committee of the U.S. National Academy of Sciences and National Academy of Medicine (NAM) concluded last month that clinical trials for heritable editing, under strict regulations, may eventually be permissible for parents hoping to prevent serious diseases in their children.
C2 and Greater Occipital Nerve: The Anatomic and Functional Implications in Spinal Surgery.

Introduction Posterior C1-C2 fusion is a highly successful treatment for atlantoaxial instability and other pathologies of the cervical spine, with fusion rates approaching 95%-100%. However, poor visualization of the lateral masses of C1 secondary to the course of the C2 nerve root along with blood loss from the venous plexus and compression of the C2 nerve from lateral mass screws are technical obstacles that can arise during surgery. Thus, sacrifice of the C2 nerve root has long since been debated in fusions involving the C1 and C2 vertebral bodies. Methods Cadaveric dissections on four adult specimens were performed. Both intradural and extradural courses of C2 were studied in detail. The tentative site of C2 nerve root compression during placement of C1 lateral mass screws was studied in detail. Both the indication as well as the ease of C2 neurectomy were studied in relation to postoperative compression and entrapment. Results Four-six dorsal rootlets of C2 nerve were observed while studying the intradural course. The extradural course was studied with respect to the lateral mass of C1. The greater occipital nerve (GON) course was fairly consistent in all specimens. Transection of C2 around its ganglion would allow for proper C1 lateral mass screw placement as the course of C2 nerve interferes with proper placement of instrumentation. Conclusion C2 nerve root transection is associated with occipital numbness but this often has no effect on health-related quality of life (HRQOL). The C2 nerve root preservation is often associated with entrapment neuropathy or occipital neuralgia, which greatly affects HRQOL. The C2 nerve root transection helps in better visualization, aids in optimal placement of C1 lateral mass screws, minimizes estimated blood loss and improves surgical outcome with successful fusion.
Strategies for exploration in the domain of losses

Many decisions in everyday life involve a choice between exploring options that are currently unknown and exploiting options that are already known to be rewarding. Previous work has suggested that humans solve such ``explore-exploit'' dilemmas using a mixture of two strategies: directed exploration, in which information seeking drives exploration by choice, and random exploration, in which behavioral variability drives exploration by chance. One limitation of this previous work was that, like most studies on explore-exploit decision making, it focused exclusively on the domain of gains, where the goal was to maximize reward. In many real-world decisions, however, the goal is to minimize losses and it is well known from Prospect Theory that behavior can be quite different in this domain. In this study, we compared explore-exploit behavior of human subjects under conditions of gain and loss. We found that people use both directed and random exploration regardless of whether they are exploring to maximize gains or minimize losses and that there is quantitative agreement between the exploration parameters across domains. Our results also revealed an overall bias towards the more uncertain option in the domain of losses. While this bias towards uncertainty was qualitatively consistent with the predictions of Prospect Theory, quantitatively we found that the bias was better described by a Bayesian account, in which subjects had a prior that was optimistic for losses and pessimistic for gains. Taken together, our results suggest that explore-exploit decisions are driven by three independent processes: directed and random exploration, and a baseline uncertainty seeking that is driven by a prior.
Creating security primitive by nanoscale manipulation of carbon nanotubes

Developing novel security devices using nanotechnology has emerged as a promising new area since they offer higher reliability, small form factor, and anti-tampering features. Single-walled carbon nanotube (CNT) is promising to replace silicon as the future transistor channel material due to its superb electrical properties and intrinsic ultrathin body. However, several imperfections of this nanomaterial such as the presence of metallic CNTs and imprecise assembly remain to be overcome to realize high-performance electronics. Here we show that by actually utilizing these inherent imperfections, an unclonable electronic random structure can be constructed at very low cost. Two-dimensional random bits array with over 2000 bits were fabricated by the ion-exchange chemistry method to assemble nanotubes into patterned HfO2 trenches, with the optimized trench width that maximizes the entropy. The low temperature, substrate agnostic processes during fabrication make CNT based crypto primitive an ideal technology for monolithic integration with both silicon and future non-silicon chips for on-chip key generation and authentication.
Gas chromatography/negative chemical ionization mass spectrometry of transfluthrin in rat plasma and brain.

RATIONALE Transfluthrin is a relatively non-toxic rapid-acting synthetic pyrethroid insecticide. It is widely used in household and hygiene products. A sensitive and accurate bioanalytical method is required for quantification of its concentration in plasma and its potential target organ, the brain for studies to assess its health effects and toxicokinetics in mammals. METHODS The samples were prepared by liquid-liquid extraction. Gas chromatography mass spectrometry (GC/MS) analysis was performed for the determination of transfluthrin in biological samples with an overall method run time of 15 min. Transfluthrin was quantified using selected-ion monitoring (SIM) in the negative chemical ionization (NCI) mode. Chromatographic separation was achieved using a Zebron® ZB5-MS GC column operating with 1 mL/min constant flow helium. cis-Permethrin was used as the internal standard. RESULTS The method was validated to be precise and accurate within the linear range of 1.0 - 400.0 ng/mL in plasma and 4.0 – 400.0 ng/mL in brain homogenate, based on a 100 μL sample volume for both matrices. This method was applied to samples following administration of a 10 mg/kg oral dose to male adult rats. The plasma concentrations were observed to be 11.70 ± 5.69 ng/mL and brain concentrations 12.09 ± 3.15 ng/g when measured 2 h post-dose. CONCLUSIONS A rapid GC/NCI-MS method was demonstrated to be sensitive, specific, precise and accurate for the quantification of transfluthrin in rat plasma and brain. The optimized method was successfully used to quantify the rat plasma and brain concentrations of transfluthrin 2 h after the oral dosing of Sprague-Dawley rats.
Pair-precision elementary functions

We discussed some of the limitations of pair-precision arithmetic in Chapter 13 on page 353. Although our pair precision routines for the basic operations of add, subtract, multiply, divide, square root, and cube root are on average correctly rounded in IEEE 754 arithmetic with the default round-to-nearest mode, we cannot guarantee correct rounding in general. Indeed, as the tables in Section 13.20 on page 379 show, worst-case errors of almost four ulps can be discovered by extensive testing with random arguments. In the non-default rounding modes of IEEE 754, errors of almost 10 ulps are found.
An update on the epidemiology of aspirin-exacerbated respiratory disease.

Background Aspirin-exacerbated respiratory disease (AERD) is a disorder of nasal polyposis, asthma, and hypersensitivity respiratory reactions when on systemic cyclooxygenase 1 blockade. Methods AERD warrants specific evaluation as an endotype of asthma and chronic sinus disease due to unique therapeutic opportunities. Currently, aspirin therapy is uniquely beneficial as an anti-inflammatory therapy in AERD, with multiple additional therapies currently in early to late clinical studies, which might also show exceptional benefit in AERD. Results Yet, given the lack of a simple diagnostic test, opportunities to identify patients with AERD are still frequently neglected. Conclusion Identifying the prevalence and population characteristics necessary to determine appropriate candidates in whom to perform diagnostic aspirin challenge remains critically important and was the purpose of this article.
Replacing income taxation with consumption taxation in Japan

Abstract Over the past two decades, Japan has suffered from low economic growth and a large and growing debt to output ratio. Furthermore, Japan anticipates significant increases in future government expenditures due to an aging population. These problems have led Japan to introduce a consumption tax rate in an attempt to raise revenues, and, more recently, to reduce the statutory corporate income tax rate to raise investment and output growth. In this paper we study the growth and welfare consequences of a reduction in income taxation in Japan along with increases in consumption taxation to stabilize the debt to output ratio. In particular, we consider various unanticipated tax reforms using the model described in Hansen and Imrohoroglu (2016). We find that while output per working age population is projected to be roughly constant between 2015 and 2021 in the benchmark equilibrium representing the status quo, under alternative policies considered, output could be as much as 15% higher by 2021.
Effects of the Low-Level Wind Profile on Outflow Position and Near-Surface Vertical Vorticity in Simulated Supercell Thunderstorms

AbstractSupercell thunderstorms are simulated using an idealized numerical model to analyze the effects of modifications to the environmental low-level wind profile on near-surface rotation. Specif...
A Scalable Approach to Exact Resource-Constrained Scheduling Based on a Joint SDC and SAT Formulation

Despite increasing adoption of high-level synthesis (HLS) for its design productivity advantage, success in achieving high quality-of-results out-of-the-box is often hindered by the inexactness of the common HLS optimizations. In particular, while scheduling forms the algorithmic core to HLS technology, current scheduling algorithms rely heavily on fundamentally inexact heuristics that make ad hoc local decisions and cannot accurately and globally optimize over a rich set of constraints. To tackle this challenge, we propose a scheduling formulation based on system of integer difference constraints (SDC) and Boolean satisfiability (SAT) to exactly handle a variety of scheduling constraints. We develop a specialized scheduler based on conflict-driven learning and problem-specific knowledge to optimally and efficiently solve the resource-constrained scheduling problem. By leveraging the efficiency of SDC algorithms and scalability of modern SAT solvers, our scheduling technique is able to achieve on average over 100x improvement in runtime over the integer linear programming (ILP) approach while attaining optimal latency. By integrating our scheduling formulation into a state-of-the-art open-source HLS tool, we further demonstrate the applicability of our scheduling technique with a suite of representative benchmarks targeting FPGAs.
Lower C-reactive protein and IL-6 associated with vegetarian diets are mediated by BMI.

Abstract Background and aims The mechanism by which vegetarian diets are associated with less inflammation is not clear. We investigated the role of BMI as a mediator in the relationship between vegetarian diet and concentrations of C-reactive protein (CRP), and the cytokines IL-6, IL-10 and TNF-α. Methods and results We used data from participants of the Adventist Health Study 2 (AHS-2) Calibration (n = 893) and Biological Manifestations of Religion (n = 478) sub-studies. Vegetarian diet variations were determined based on reported intake of animal products assessed by FFQ. Combining all participants, the proportion of non-vegetarians (NVs), partial vegetarians (PVs), lacto-ovo vegetarians (LOVs), and strict vegetarians (SVs) was 44%, 16%, 31%, and 9%, respectively. NV and PV participants were older than other dietary groups, and non-vegetarians had the highest BMI. Mediation analyses supported the mediating effect of BMI in associations of vegetarian diet with CRP (p Conclusion The lower CRP and IL-6 concentrations among vegetarians may be mediated by BMI.
PCR-Based Gut Content Analysis to Detect Predation of Eriococcus ironsidei (Hemiptera: Eriococcidae) by Coccinellidae Species in Macadamia Nut Orchards in Hawaii

Macadamia felted coccid, Eriococcus ironsidei (Williams) (Hemiptera: Eriococcidae) was first found infesting macadamia trees in the island of Hawaii in 2005. Macadamia felted coccid infests all above-ground parts of trees to feed and reproduce. Their feeding activity distorts and stunts new growth which causes yellow spotting on older leaves, and when population densities become high, branch dieback occurs. Different predatory beetles have been observed in macadamia nut trees infested by E. ironsidei, the most abundant were Halmus chalybeus, Curinus coeruleus, Scymnodes lividigaster, Rhyzobius forestieri, and Sticholotis ruficeps. To verify predation of E. ironsidei by these beetles, a molecular assay was developed utilizing species-specific primers to determine presence in gut content of predators. Using these primers for PCR analysis, wild predator beetles were screened for the presence of E. ironsidei DNA. Analysis of beetles collected from macadamia orchards revealed predation by H. chalybeus, C. coeruleus, S. lividigaster, R. forestieri, and S. ruficeps on E. ironsidei. This study demonstrates that these beetles may play an important role in controlling the population of E. ironsidei, and these predators may be useful as biocontrol agents for E. ironsidei.
Friends With Health Benefits: The Long-Term Benefits of Early Peer Social Integration for Blood Pressure and Obesity in Midlife:

In adults, greater social integration is associated with reduced risk of cardiovascular disease, including hypertension. Social integration earlier in life may be similarly associated with cardiovascular risk. Using a longitudinal sample of 267 Black and White men, we examined whether greater social integration with peers during childhood and adolescence, assessed by parent report, prospectively predicts lower blood pressure and body mass index two decades later in adulthood and whether these effects differ by race, given well-documented racial disparities in hypertension. Boys who were reported by their parents to be more socially integrated with peers evidenced lower blood pressure and body mass index in adulthood, and this effect was not accounted for by body mass index in childhood, childhood socioeconomic status, childhood hostility, childhood physical health, extraversion measured in adolescence, or concurrent adult self-reports of social integration. Results did not differ by race, but analyses wer...
An averaging method for Volterra integral equations with applications to phase-locked feedback systems

A method of averaging is derived to study systems of Volterra integral and integro-differential equations. The results are applied to phase locked loops arising in synchronous control mechanisms in electrical and biological systems.
Sensitivity in the Response of Piriform Pyramidal cells to Fluctuations in Synaptic Timing

Current source density analysis has revealed a stereotyped pattern of synaptic input in the pyramidal cells of the piriform cortex in rat and opossum which is believed to underlie activity in the awake behaving animals as well. A realistic simulation of a piriform pyramidal cell was constructed in order to examine how fluctuations in synaptic timing affect cell response. Results indicate that cell response is considerably resilient to fluctuations in synaptic timing near physiological values.
Tablet-based Hearing Screening in Children Aged 5 to 17 in Rural Dominican Republic.

Objective The principal aim of this study was to examine the feasibility of hearing screening using tablet audiometry among a cohort of school-aged children in rural Dominican Republic. The authors hypothesized that the tablet audiometer would serve as an expeditious means for hearing loss screening in various remote locations. Study design Cross-sectional. Setting Twenty-three remote locations in and around the city of La Romana, Dominican Republic. The quietest location available in each site was used for testing. Patients Inclusion criteria comprised children aged 5 to 17 currently residing in the testing location. Children aged 18 years were excluded. Intervention Screening. Main outcome measures For each subject, air conduction thresholds were obtained bilaterally at 500, 1000, 2000, and 4000 Hz; testing duration was also measured. Hearing loss was suspected if any threshold measured ≥30 dB. Results In this cohort of 423 subjects, 44 (10.4%) failed the screening protocol. The mean thresholds for 500, 1000, 2000, and 4000 Hz frequencies were 26.05, 22.73, 17.57, and 17.15 dB, respectively. Of the 658 thresholds obtained at ≥30 dB, the majority were at 500 or 1000 Hz. The mean testing duration was 494 seconds. Conclusions These results suggest that children living in remote communities can be screened quickly for hearing loss using a tablet audiometer. However, significant background noise during testing negatively impacted the low-frequency measurements, thus compromising test reliability. Despite extending the reach of existing audiological services, the value of tablet audiometry is not entirely clear in rural environments with uncontrollable background noise.
COST EFFECTIVENESS OF CONTINUOUS VENO-VENOUS HEMOFILTRATION (CVVH) DURING ECMO

Objective Extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) is a supportive cardiopulmonary bypass (CPB) technique for patients with acute respiratory or cardiac failure. Hemofiltration in infants on ECMO is used with the intention to diminish the capillary leakage syndrome, minimize blood transfusions and duration of ECMO. The objective of the current study is to see if CVVH during ECMO reduces duration of ECMO and overall costs. Methods Retrospective case-comparison trial. Medical data of patients with hemofiltration during ECMO were matched for age, weight, diagnosis and ECMO mode, to those without hemofiltration (HF) in a 1:3 ratio. Primary outcome parameters are time on ECMO, time till extubation after decannulation, number of transfusions and costs. Results Time on ECMO was significantly shorter: 98 (48–187) hours in the HF group compared to 126 (24–403) hours in the control group (P = 0.02). Time from decannulation till extubation was significantly shorter: 2.5 (0–6.4) days and 4.8 (0–121.5) days respectively (p = 0.04). The need for blood transfusions was lower in the HF group 0.9 ml/kg/d (0.2–2.7) compared to the control group 1.8 ml/kg/d (0.8–2.9) (p = 0.001) resulting in a transfusion of an extra 5.4 units of blood per patient. Hemofiltration saved costs of ?5000 per patient. Conclusions Routine addition of continuous hemofiltration to the ECMO circuit in newborns significantly reduces duration of ECMO and mechanical ventilation post ECMO. Moreover the amount of transfusions can be restricted resulting in a significant reduction in costs.
Sternoclavicular joint allograft reconstruction using the sternal docking technique

Background The sternoclavicular joint may become unstable as a result of trauma or medial clavicle resection for arthritis. Allograft reconstruction with the figure-of-8 configuration is commonly used. This study was conducted to determine the outcome of sternoclavicular joint reconstruction using an alternative graft configuration. Methods Between 2005 and 2013, 19 sternoclavicular joint reconstructions were performed using a semitendinous allograft in a sternal docking configuration. The median age at surgery was 44 years (range, 15-79 years). Indications included instability in 16 (anterior, 13; posterior, 3) or medial clavicle resection for osteoarthritis in 3. The median follow-up time was 3 years (range, 1-9 years). Results Two reconstructions (10.5%) underwent revision surgery, 1 additional patient had occasional subjective instability, and the remaining 16 (84%) were considered stable. Sternoclavicular joint reconstruction led to improved pain (visual analog scale for pain subsided from 5 to 1 point, P Conclusion Reconstruction of the sternoclavicular joint with a semitendinous allograft in a sternal docking fashion restores stability in most patients requiring surgery for instability of the sternoclavicular joint or medial clavicle resection for osteoarthritis.
2K+ Graph Construction Framework: Targeting Joint Degree Matrix and Beyond

In this paper, we study the problem of generating synthetic graphs that resemble real-world graphs in terms of their degree correlations and potentially additional properties. We present an algorithmic framework that generates simple undirected graphs with the exact target joint degree matrix, which we refer to as 2K graphs, in linear time in the number of edges. Our framework imposes minimal constraints on the graph structure, which allows us to target additional graph properties during construction, namely, node attributes (2K+A), clustering (both average clustering, 2.25K, and degree-dependent clustering, 2.5K), and number of connected components (2K+CC). We also define, for the first time, the problem of directed 2K graph construction, provide necessary and sufficient conditions for realizability, and develop efficient construction algorithms. We evaluate our approach by creating synthetic graphs that target real-world graphs both undirected (such as Facebook) and directed (such as Twitter), and we show that it brings significant benefits, in terms of accuracy and running time, compared to the state-of-the-art approaches.
Functional and trophic diversity of fishes in the Mekong-3S river system: comparison of morphological and isotopic patterns

The Lower Mekong River and its three major tributaries, the Sekong, Sesan, and Srepok rivers, are systems with high aquatic biodiversity that now face impacts from new hydroelectric dams. Despite the ecological, economic, and cultural importance of the freshwater biota, knowledge about aquatic ecology in this region remains poor. We used morphological and stable isotope data to explore how fish functional and trophic diversity vary between the four rivers that comprise the Mekong-3S river system. During our field surveys, the Sesan had experienced greatest flow alteration from dams and had lowest taxonomic and functional diversity, with species less packed and less evenly dispersed within morphological space compared to the other rivers. The Sekong had greatest functional diversity, with species less packed in morphological space. Species in the Mekong and Srepok were more evenly distributed in morphological space and had intermediate levels of functional diversity. Isotopic niche diversity in the Sesan did not appear to be significantly different from the Srepok and Sekong rivers. Conversely, the more species-rich Mekong fish assemblage encompassed a greater isotopic space with species less packed and evenly distributed. Greater trophic redundancy was observed amongst fishes of the 3S rivers than the Mekong. Species functional redundancy could buffer river food webs against species loss caused by dams; however, additional traits and niche dimensions should be evaluated to test this hypothesis. Overall, morphological and isotopic evidence from the Mekong and 3S rivers indicate that river impoundment and flow regulation function as an environmental filter that reduces fish functional diversity.
Overall Effectiveness of a Student Affairs Scholar Practitioner Workshop: A Mixed Methods Study

The purpose of this study was to explore how a semester-long scholar practitioner workshop influenced student affairs professionals’ quantitative research and statistics competency. Participants’ p...
Perturbed Vitamin A Status Induced by Iron Deficiency Is Corrected by Iron Repletion in Rats with Pre-Existing Iron Deficiency.

BACKGROUND Although iron deficiency is known to interrupt vitamin A (VA) metabolism, the ability of iron repletion to restore VA metabolism and kinetics in iron-deficient rats is not well understood. OBJECTIVES In the present study, we examined the effects of dietary iron repletion on VA status in rats with pre-existing iron deficiency. METHODS Weanling Sprague-Dawley rats were fed a VA-marginal diet (0.35 mg retinol/kg diet) containing either a normal concentration of iron [35 ppm, control group (CN)] or reduced iron (3 ppm, iron-deficient group, ID-); after 5 wk, 4 rats/group were killed for baseline measurements. A 3H-labeled retinol emulsion was administered intravenously to the remaining rats (n = 6, CN; n = 10, ID-) as tracer to initiate the kinetic study. On day 21 after dosing, n = 5 ID- rats were switched to the CN diet, generating an iron-repletion group (ID+). Blood samples were collected at 34 time points ≤92 d after dose administration, when all rats were killed and iron and VA status were determined. RESULTS At baseline, ID- rats had developed iron deficiency, with a reduced plasma VA concentration (0.67 compared with 1.20 μmol/L in ID- and CN rats, respectively; P < 0.01) and a tendency toward higher liver VA (265 compared with 187 nmol in ID- and CN rats, respectively; P = 0.10). On day 92, iron deficiency persisted in ID- rats, accompanied by 2-times higher liver VA (456 nmol compared with 190 nmol in ID- and CN rats, respectively; P < 0.001) but lower plasma VA (0.64 compared with 0.94 μmol/L in ID- and CN rats, respectively; P = 0.05). ID+ rats not only recovered from iron deficiency, but also exhibited less liver VA sequestration (276 nmol) and normal plasma VA (0.91 μmol/L, not different from CN rats). CONCLUSIONS Our results suggest that iron repletion can remove the inhibitory effect of iron deficiency on hepatic mobilization of VA and restore plasma retinol concentrations in iron-deficient rats, setting the stage for kinetic studies of VA turnover in this setting.
Development and History as Parameters of the Expanding Manifold

Chapter 4 expands the SV, providing Heinz Werner’s orthogenesis theory as an historical and developmental account of dynamic change to logical and schematic forms. The expansion overlays logical and schematic forms upon the SV and its account of the unfolding of psychological forms and processes. The SV is helpful in not only exploring present dynamics of language and thought, but also relating these dynamics to historically and developmentally instrumental influences. Werner’s framework accommodates development of thought, logic, and schematic forms as nested complex manifolds of developmental progressions. This great range of psychological concepts and structures illuminates connections with factors in present dilemmas. The frame can focus logic and schema ‘pictures’ and their identifiable modality contingencies. Earlier forms can obtain at later points of development. ‘Origins’ of a cognitive process and its manifestations can float and be applied by relating distant or disparate levels. Origins can be explored via analogue ‘floats.’