cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
QCD EVOLUTION FOR TRANSVERSE MOMENTUM DEPENDENT OBSERVABLES

In this talk, we presented our recent studies of the QCD evolution effects on the transverse momentum dependent observables in semi-inclusive deep inelastic scattering and Drell-Yan lepton pair productions. The evolution is first tested for the spin average cross sections, and then applied to the Sivers single transverse spin asymmetries. The latter are among the important topics in hadronic physics research in recent years.
Family planning impact evaluation: the evolution of techniques

This paper is a slightly revised version of a paper prepared for the seminar on methods for impact evaluation of family planning programs held in Jaco, Costa Rica, May 14-16, 1997. The seminar was sponsored by the International Union for the Scientific Study of Population (IUSSP), the United States Agency for International Development (USAID), the Carolina Population Center of the University of North Carolina, and the Central American Population Program of the University of Costa Rica. The goal of the seminar was to look at current methodological problems facing careful evaluation of the impact of programs, to examine some of the new methods that have been developed to address persistent issues, and to assess the methodological challenges posed by the expanded goals of many programs following the 1994 Cairo International Conference on Population and Development. This paper was designed to serve as the background to discussions of current methodologies and issues by tracing the development and nature of methods for assessing impact that started soon after the first programs were initiated in the 1950s. The techniques discussed include standardization and trend analysis, the analyses of acceptor data, experimental designs, multivariate areal analysis, population-based surveys, and multilevel strategies. The intent of the program sponsors and coordinators was to publish the collected papers but various contingencies intervened to make this infeasible. A description of the seminar and many of the papers are maintained on the University of Costa Rica website: http://ccp.ucr.ac.cr/noticias/plani/iusspi.htm. As a background chapter, the original version contained references to many of the other chapters planned for the volume. As many of these papers appear on the website, relevant references are given to the authors and this website throughout the paper.
A Stackable, 6-Cell, Li-Ion, Battery Management IC for Electric Vehicles With 13, 12-bit $\Sigma\Delta$ ADCs, Cell Balancing, and Direct-Connect Current-Mode Communications

Battery monitoring systems are a critical aspect of electric vehicles. To interface with the high voltages in these systems a stacked IC approach is used. In this work we present an IC suitable for monitoring 6 cells which can be stacked to monitor a total of 192 cells. The IC has 13 parallel ΣΔ ADCs (12 bit, 5 mV accuracy, better than 1.5 mV matching) to measure individual cell voltages, cell temperature and battery current. Gate drivers with programmable frequency (5 kHz-2.048 MHz), duty cycle and dither for active and passive cell balancing is provided. On-chip 3.3 V and 5.2 V LDOs power the various subsystems. To eliminate external components, the ICs uses current-mode signaling which allows the IC to be directly connected to one another to transmit information about cells from the top of the stack to the host. The IC consumes less than 15 μA of quiescent current.
An easy calibration for oblique-viewing endoscopes

Oblique-viewing endoscopes (oblique scopes) are widely used in minimally invasive surgery. The viewing direction of an oblique endoscope can be changed by rotating the scope cylinder, which enables a larger field of view, but makes the scope calibration process more difficult. The calibration is a critical step for incorporating oblique scope into computer assisted surgical procedures (robotics, navigation, augmented reality), though few calibration methods of oblique endoscopes has been developed. Yamaguchi et al. [1] first modelled and calibrated the oblique scope. They directly tracked the camera head and formulated the scope cylinder's rotation to the camera model as an extrinsic parameter. Their method requires five additional parameters to be estimated. In this work, we track the scope cylinder instead. Since the rotation of the camera head with respect to the cylinder only causes the rotation of the image plane, less parameter needs to be estimated. Experiments demonstrate the ease, simplicity and accuracy of our method.
Fallopian tube and primary peritoneal carcinomas associated with BRCA mutations.

Purpose: The aims of this study were to determine the incidence of BRCA mutations among Ashkenazi Jewish patients with fallopian tube carcinoma (FTC) or primary peritoneal carcinoma (PPC), to study the clinicopathologic features of these cancers, and to estimate the risks of these cancers in association with a BRCA mutation. Patients and Methods: A retrospective review at two institutions identified 29 Jewish patients with FTC and 22 Jewish patients with PPC. These patients were genotyped for the three Ashkenazi Jewish BRCA founder mutations (185delAG and 5382insC in BRCA1 and 6174delT in BRCA2). Surgical and pathologic information, family history, and survival data were obtained from hospital records. All statistical tests were two sided. Results: Germline BRCA mutations were identified in five of 29 patients with FTC (17%) and nine of 22 patients with PPC (41%). Mutation carriers had a younger mean age at diagnosis than patients without a mutation (60 v 70 years; P = .002). The overall median survival w...
Control of CFTR Channel Gating by Phosphorylation and Nucleotide Hydrolysis

Gadsby, David C., and Angus C. Nairn. Control of CTFR Channel Gating by Phosphorylation and Nucleotide Hydrolysis. Physiol. Rev. 79, Suppl.: S77–S107, 1999. — The cystic fibrosis transmembrane cond...
The albumin-nutrition connection: separating myth from fact.

half-life and large body pool make it slow to respond to improvement in the patient’s clinical status. The serum albumin level is affected by a plethora of factors, which results in a low sensitivity and specificity to changes in nutrition intake. The serum level of albumin is increased by corticosteroids, insulin, thyroid hormone, and dehydration. Levels decrease in acutely or chronically ill patients due to the effects of inflammatory mediators on hepatic protein synthesis. In addition, severe liver and renal disease, malabsorption, intravascular volume overload, and zinc deficiency decrease serum albumin levels. Let’s examine two clinical conditions and discuss the impact of the metabolic state on serum albumin level. Marasmus, the classification for chronic starvation and malnutrition, is defined as a wasted, cachetic physical appearance with intact serum albumin levels. The patient with anorexia nervosa often presents in the marasmic state. If hypoalbuminemia is the indicator of poor nutritional status and inadequate protein intake, why aren’t the serum albumin levels of marasmic patients lower? Conversely, the person with no nutritional deficits who is involved in a motor vehicle accident and subsequently taken to the operating room will have a markedly decreased serum albumin level. Did this person become malnourished within the past 12 to 24 h? The marasmic individual undergoes an adaptive response to chronic inadequate nutrition. This response includes downregulation in glucose dependency, reduced metabolic activity, and decreased protein
Effects of Meditation Experience on Functional Connectivity of Distributed Brain Networks

This study sought to examine the effect of meditation experience on brain networks underlying cognitive actions employed during contemplative practice. In a previous study, we proposed a basic model of naturalistic cognitive fluctuations that occur during the practice of focused attention meditation. This model specifies four intervals in a cognitive cycle: mind wandering (MW), awareness of MW, shifting of attention, and sustained attention. Using subjective input from experienced practitioners during meditation, we identified activity in salience network regions during awareness of MW and executive network regions during shifting and sustained attention. Brain regions associated with the default mode were active during MW. In the present study, we reasoned that repeated activation of attentional brain networks over years of practice may induce lasting functional connectivity changes within relevant circuits. To investigate this possibility, we created seeds representing the networks that were active during the four phases of the earlier study, and examined functional connectivity during the resting state in the same participants. Connectivity maps were then contrasted between participants with high vs. low meditation experience. Participants with more meditation experience exhibited increased connectivity within attentional networks, as well as between attentional regions and medial frontal regions. These neural relationships may be involved in the development of cognitive skills, such as maintaining attention and disengaging from distraction, that are often reported with meditation practice. Furthermore, because altered connectivity of brain regions in experienced meditators was observed in a non-meditative (resting) state, this may represent a transference of cognitive abilities “off the cushion” into daily life.
Lower Extremity Function Trajectories in the African American Health Cohort

Functional trajectories are keenly important and often frame discussions of successful versus pathological aging (1). Recent studies have focused on mobility activities affected by the lower extremities, included data at several proximal measurement points, and used sophisticated methods for identifying multiple common group trajectories (2–22). These trajectories are differentiated by starting points (ie, intercepts), stable versus changing patterns (ie, slopes), and rates of change (4). For example, Gill and coworkers (7) used the number of difficulties with activities of daily living from brief monthly telephone interviews in the last year of life to identify five disability trajectories. Of these, two reflected no change prior to death (ie, intercept only trajectories for no vs persistently severe disability), whereas the other three reflected differences in the rate of disability onset (ie, intercept and slope trajectories for progressive [linear], accelerated [exponential], or catastrophic [sudden onset]). The advances of recent studies notwithstanding, several issues remain. This article addresses two issues. The first issue involves exploring potential mortality bias in estimating lower extremity function, which may result in trajectories that understate true change by either excluding or alternatively noninformatively censoring decedents, resulting in survivor bias (4–7,16). The second issue is that when race or ethnic differentials have been studied, it has been assumed that a single trajectory fits all members (15,18) of individual race or ethnic groups. To address these issues, we used data on the African American Health (AAH) cohort, demonstrating first the reliability and validity of an 8-item measure of lower extremity function. We then used a semiparametric (ie, discrete) group-based mixture modeling strategy (23–26) to simultaneously estimate person-centered, multiple common (or group) trajectories employing four approaches for addressing mortality bias. Finally, we used multinomial logistic regression to identify factors predicting trajectory group membership (27). Based on previous studies (2–22), two hypotheses framed our approach. The first was that several qualitatively distinct intraindividual lower extremity function trajectories would be identified involving different intercepts, slopes, and/or onsets of change. Because of the excessive disease, functional, and mortality burdens in the AAH cohort (28,29), we did not expect trajectories reflecting recovery. The second hypothesis was that these qualitatively distinct trajectories would be associated with characteristics of the participants and the neighborhoods in which they lived (30).
Integration of Continuous Functions

A function’s range is a collection of values and so we might expect that it should have an average value, as long as the function is reasonably well behaved. A fence or a wall for example, no matter how long or how irregular in height, should have an average height. In Sect. 3.4 we considered the average value $$\displaystyle{ \frac{1} {N}\sum _{j=1}^{N}f(x_{ j}) }$$ of a continuous function f defined on [a, b], evaluated at N sample points \(x_{1},\,x_{2},\ldots,\,x_{N}\) from [a, b]. By choosing these sample points in a systematic way and then letting N → ∞, we define the average value of f over the interval [a, b]. This naturally gives rise to the notion of area under a curve and the definite integral. Then, since the definite integral is defined in terms of sums, we see that many properties of sums give rise to properties of definite integrals—and vice-versa. For example, we obtain integral analogues for many of the inequalities from Chaps. 2 and 6.
Blind Estimation of Spreading Sequences Based on Improved Fast-ICA

To estimate the spreading sequences for DS-CDMA system, a blind estimation method based on improved Fast-ICA is proposed. In this method, the ECA whitening and BAT optimization are introduced into the traditional Fast-ICA firstly, then the improved Fast-ICA is used to obtain spreading sequences matrix, finally, the spreading sequences are extracted from the spreading sequences matrix. Simulation results show the validity and superiority of the new method.
A framework of automated reconstruction of microbial metabolic pathways

Describes a framework for the automated reconstruction of metabolic pathways using information about orthologous and homologous gene groups derived by the automated comparison of whole genomes archived in GenBank. The method integrates automatically derived orthologs, orthologous and homologous gene groups ( ), the biochemical pathway template available in the Kegg database ( ), and enzyme information derived from the SwissProt enzyme database ( ) and the Ligand database ( ). The technique is useful to identify refined metabolic pathways based on operons, and to derive the non-enzymatic genes within a group of enzymes. The technique has been illustrated by a comparison between the E. coli and B. subtilis genomes.
Avionics maintenance training using equipment simulation

For tasks that involve diagnostic troubleshooting and the use of sophisticated equipment items the use of equipment simulation techniques for training offers many advantages over the use of actual equipment. Furthermore, the development of simulation technologies has provided affordable options for implementing simulator-based training. The F-16 Avionics Intermediate Shop (AIS) is an expensive and extremely complicated device combining aircraft components under test with an array of electronic test equipment and sophisticated software diagnostic tools. As the hardware and software configuration of the aircraft changes, it impacts the test equipment and the procedures for troubleshooting and maintenance of aircraft components. The AIS Maintenance Procedures Trainer provides an excellent example of the application of state-of-the-art simulation techniques to training. The AIS-MPT provides a desktop simulation of the AIS equipment, along with the tools required for avionics maintenance experts to update and maintain existing training exercises, and to provide new training exercises without changing the simulation software of the trainer. >
Is the media equation a flash in the pan?: the durability and longevity of social responses to computers

Research on social responses to computers often assesses only first-impression reactions during a single experimental session, providing limited knowledge about the lasting effect of the results. In this work, we assess the lasting strength of social desirability bias effects on an interface designed to track exercise, manipulated to have high or low personalization (text vs. anthropomorphic conversational character). After 40 days of daily interactions by 25 participants, we found that self-reported exercise was more accurate when reported to the character vs. text. We also find that, for both conditions, participants' decision to initiate a session is greater when they have done more exercise. Moreover, we show that this effect significantly increases over time for participants in the character condition, and decreases for participants in the text condition. This study demonstrates that Media Equation effects can grow stronger or weaker over time, depending upon the presentation of the interface.
All-solid-state lithium metal batteries for next generation energy storage

Lithium metal dendrite growth in ultra-high capacity batteries continues to prevent the safe use of Li metal as the negative electrode. Solid-state materials demonstrate superior stability against lithium metal, however, our recent efforts to develop high energy density batteries based upon the Li2S-P2S5 solid phase electrolyte short-circuit at currents above about 1.5 mA due to dendrite formation between the electrodes. Preliminary results indicate that the solid phase electrolyte can support reversible, high current (> 1.5 mA) and high rate (> C/10) cycling at 100°C without short-circuiting, thus indicating that solid-state lithium metal batteries should be evaluated for elevated temperature applications.
Redox-sensitive extracellular gates formed by auxiliary β subunits of calcium-activated potassium channels

An important step to understanding ion channels is identifying the structural components that act as the gates to ion movement. Here we describe a new channel gating mechanism, produced by the β3 auxiliary subunits of Ca2+-activated, large-conductance BK-type K+ channels when expressed with their pore-forming α subunits. BK β subunits have a cysteine-rich extracellular segment connecting two transmembrane segments, with small cytosolic N and C termini. The extracellular segments of the β3 subunits form gates to block ion permeation, providing a mechanism by which current can be rapidly diminished upon cellular repolarization. Furthermore, this gating mechanism is abolished by reduction of extracellular disulfide linkages, suggesting that endogenous mechanisms may regulate this gating behavior. The results indicate that auxiliary β subunits of BK channels reside sufficiently close to the ion permeation pathway defined by the α subunits to influence or block access of small molecules to the permeation pathway.
Evaluation of a Nonconventional Insecticide and Appropriate Application Timing for Destruction of Gypsy Moth (Lepidoptera: Lymantriidae) Egg Masses

Abstract Two field studies were conducted in 2001–2002 and 2003 to evaluate the effectiveness and appropriate application timing of Golden Pest Spray Oil (GPSO) for destruction of gypsy moth, Lymantria dispar (L.) (Lepidoptera: Lymantriidae), egg masses in Wisconsin. GPSO is a commercially available, registered pesticide that is predominantly comprised of a soybean-oil base (93%); its primary mode of action is by means of suffocation. Because gypsy moth spends the majority (>75%) of its life cycle in the egg stage (August–April), the potential utility of this product by arborists, city foresters, landscapers, and homeowners is high, especially because GPSO is a United States Environmental Protection Agency registered, nonconventional pesticide that is considered relatively nontoxic. When GPSO was applied at a 1:1 ratio with water, >96% control of gypsy moth egg masses was achieved, regardless of application timing (October, 3 d before egg hatch).
Colloidal nanoparticles for Intermediate Band solar cells

The Intermediate Band (IB) solar cell concept is a promising idea to transcend the Shockley-Queisser limit. Using the results of first principles calculations, we propose that colloidal nanoparticles (CNPs) are a viable and efficient platform for the implementation of the IB solar cell concept. Focusing on CdSe CNPs, we show that (1) a well-defined intragap state arises inside the gap of the CdSe CNPs, and (2) the intra-gap states of the isolated CNPs with reconstructed surfaces combine to form an IB in arrays of CNPs. This IB is well separated from the valence and conduction band edges. We also show that in solution such IB may be electron doped using, e.g. decamethylcobaltocene, thus activating an IB-induced absorption process. Our results, together with the recent report of a nearly 9% efficient CNP solar cell indicate that colloidal nanoparticle intermediate band solar cells are a promising platform to overcome the Shockley-Queisser limit.
Prediction of lateral impact loads imparted to bridge piers during barge collision events

Publisher Summary Using finite element simulation, impact loads generated on bridge piers during barge collisions have been predicted in this chapter. High-energy impact conditions have been found to produce sustained loading, whereas low-energy impacts have been found to result in highly oscillatory pier loading. To quantify and characterize the loads imparted to bridge piers during barge collision events, nonlinear finite element impact simulation has been employed in the chapter to simulate a variety of different vessel impact conditions. Descriptions of the methods used to model a hopper barge, bridge piers, and soil-structure interaction are discusses in the chapter. Impact simulation results, including impact loads and barge deformations, are presented and compared in the chapter to data generated using currently accepted bridge design specifications.
Application of high-definition fiber tractography in the management of supratentorial cavernous malformations: a combined qualitative and quantitative approach.

Background High-definition fiber tractography (HDFT), an advanced white matter (WM) imaging technique, was evaluated in the management of supratentorial cavernous malformations. Objective To investigate the relationship of cavernous malformations to the relevant perilesional WM tracts with HDFT and to characterize associated changes first qualitatively and then quantitatively with our novel imaging measure, quantitative anisotropy (QA). Methods Imaging analysis was carried out by researchers blinded to the clinical details. Contralateral WM tracts were used for comparison. Mean QA values were obtained for whole WM tracts. Qualitatively affected superior longitudinal fasciculus/arcuate fibers and corticospinal tracts were further analyzed with the use of mean QA values for the perilesional segments. Results Of 10 patients, HDFT assisted with the decision-making process and the offer of surgical resection in 2 patients, lesion approach and removal in 7 patients, and conservative management in 1 patient. Of 17 analyzed WM tracts, HDFT demonstrated partial disruption in 2 tracts, complete disruption in 2 tracts, a combination of displacement and partial disruption in 1 tract, displacement only in 7 tracts, and no change in 5 tracts. Qualitative changes correlated with clinical symptoms. Mean QA values for the whole WM tracts were similar, with the exception of 1 case demonstrating complete disruption of 2 WM tracts. QA-based perilesional segment analysis was consistent with qualitative data in 5 assessed WM tracts. Conclusion HDFT illustrated the precise spatial relationship of cavernous malformations to multiple WM tracts in a 3-dimensional fashion, optimizing surgical planning, and demonstrated associated disruption and/or displacement, with both occurring perilesionally. These changes were supported by our quantitative marker, which needs further validation.
Endotoxin-induced ileal mucosal hyperpermeability in pigs: role of tissue acidosis

Administration of lipopolysaccharide (LPS) to experimental animals leads to diminished mesenteric perfusion, increased ileal mucosal [H+] , and increased gut epithelial permeability to hydrophilic ...
Predicting Brain Tumor Histology: Change of Effective Atomic Number with Contrast Enhancement

Thirty-eight enhancing intracranial neoplasms were evaluated with a dual kilovoltage technique to measure the change of effective atomic number (ΔZ), and linear attenuation coefficients with the use of iodinated contrast material. The change of effective atomic number was found to separate intracranial neoplasms into three major groups: gliomas, meningiomas, and metastases. Other parameters, including linear attenuation coefficients and CT numbers, varied from less accurate to inaccurate. The change of effective atomic number with contrast enhancement not only predicted the appropriate histologic group of the neoplasm, but also aided in the differential diagnosis of neoplasms without a characteristic ΔZ value.
Hearing loss result and analysis of the pre-work examination

Objective In order to investigate the pre engaged in hearing status of workers exposed to noise, Reduce the incidence of occupation rate of noise induced deafness,And to ensure the employment security and the inspected health,To provide the scientific basis for enterprises to make rational arrangement of workers and jobs.Methods According to the GBZ188 2007 occupation health technical specification On 2 563 pre workers were pure tone air conduction hearing test,A retrospective analysis was carried out on.Results Before working in 2 563 people, hearing damage, a total of479 people, The detection rate of 18.68 %, Damage to high-frequency young men.Conclusions Abnormal hearing is mainly used to have the noise exposure history of occupation, Abnormal hearing causes often wearing headphones etc.
Leydig cell hypofunction resulting in male pseudohermaphroditism

An 11-year-old patient with male pseudohermaphroditism presented with essentially normal-appearing female external genitalia. When examined, inguinal gonads, redundant foreskin, and some posterior labial fusion were found. Evaluation revealed basal testosterone (T) levels ranging from 65 to 107 ng/dl with slightly elevated serum gonadotropin levels (luteinizing hormone [LH]: 76 ng/ml, and folliclestimulating hormone [FSH]: 568 ng/ml). Neither T nor its precursors increased with human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG) stimulation. However, progesterone (P), 17-hydroxyprogesterone (17-OHP), and cortisol (F) responses to adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH) were normal. Androgen binding and 5α-reductase activity in cultured genital skin fibroblasts were normal. These data, plus the microscopic finding of a markedly reduced number of Leydig cells, strongly suggest that the male pseudohermaphroditism in this patient was due to inadequate Leydig cell function unrelated to LH receptors.
Improving care for the ventilated patient.

Article-at-a-Glance Context Despite evidence that the use of specific interventions can decrease morbidity and mortality for patients receiving mechanical ventilation, a gap exists between best evidence and practice. A prospective cohort study was conducted in a surgical intensive care unit (ICU) that included all patients who were mechanically ventilated. The study was designed to ensure that for 90% of ventilator days, patients receive processes associated with improved outcomes, including semirecumbent positioning, daily interruption of sedative-drug infusions, peptic ulcer disease prophylaxis, and deep venous thrombosis prophylaxis. Intervention The improvement model included three interventions: (1) administering a questionnaire to identify barriers to compliance with the four care processes,(2) implementing an educational intervention, and (3) implementing a checklist to be completed daily during ICU rounds to ask providers whether patients were receiving these therapies. Results Overall, 80% of nurses did not know there was evidence to support at least one of the four therapies. During the study period (March 4–April 29, 2002), the percentage of ventilator days on which patients received all four care processes increased from 30% to 96% (p Discussion Evidence-based therapies for mechanically ventilated patients can reduce morbidity, mortality, and costs of care.
Elastic-plastic analysis of a flat ring subject to internal pressure

An exact elastic-plastic solution for the stresses in a flat ring subject to pressure is obtained on the basis ofJ2 deformation theory together with a modified Ramberg-Osgood law. The results are assessed on the basis of Budiansky's criterion for the acceptability ofJ2 deformation theory. By using exact elastic-plastic stresses, the radial enlargement and the permanent increase in thickness of the ring at the hole are obtained. Upon release of the pressure, residual stresses are produced around the hole.
Efficacy of Selected Insecticide Seed Treatments against Sugarcane Beetle in Field Corn, 2013

On 13 May 2013, an insecticide seed treatment trial was initiated on the R.R. Foil Plant Science Research Center in Starkville, MS. Nine insecticidal seed treatments were evaluated against an untreated check (UTC). Plot size was four rows by 40 ft long on 38 in. centers. Statistical design was a randomized complete block with four replications. Corn seed was treated with commercial rates of insecticide prior to planting. Counter was applied as a granular in furrow …
A Practical Step Forward Toward Software-Defined Radio Transmitters

After many years of research and development in the wireless communication community, software defined radio (SDR) is no longer an unachievable dream. In this paper, we present a significant step forward toward practical SDR transmitters. Motivated by the reconfigurability, programmability and available computational power in a commercial Digital RF Processor (DRPTM)-based single-chip GSM/EDGE radio, we succeeded to modulate the RF carrier with P25 compliant C4FM (continuous 4-level FM) data. P25 is a digital public safety standard that operates in the 746-806 MHz frequency band, which is different from the normal operation band of the GSM/EDGE chip. The modulation is based completely on software without need for any hardware modifications. The measurement results show that the transmitted signal spectrum is compliant with the P25 standard specifications. We also show that the work presented in this paper can be extended to provide more elaborate modulation schemes.
The max bin regression method to identify maximum bioindicator responses to ecological drivers

A need in environmental science is to determine the response range of a bioindicator to environmental drivers. A common problem with regression based approaches is the indicator response may be obfuscated by many zero or low-value observations when the organisms are not present because of life history characteristics. A method is described for determining the maximum response of an ecological variable to environmental drivers using a median approach. A regression is performed on the relationship histogram after taking the maximum ecological response value from a set of evenly spaced bins. This technique is an alternative to quantile regression at the 95% level and is analyzed on general examples and specific applications in coastal ecology using benthic macroinfauna as bioindicators. This new technique is useful for ecosystem management purposes where the maximum response of a biological indicator to an environmental driver is desired and is analogous to determining the ‘area under the curve’ of a regression.
Evaluation of Air Samplers for Recovery of Artificially Generated Aerosols of Pure Cultures in a Controlled Environment.

All Glass Impinger-30 (AGI-30), Andersen 6-stage Sieve Air Sampler (Andersen impactor), Reuter centrifugal air sampler (RCS sampler), and Millipore open type membrane filter sampler (Filter sampler) were evaluated for recovery of artificially-generated aerosols of pure cultures of Pseudomonas fluorescens , Escherichia coli , Streptococcus faecalis , and endospores of Bacillus subtilis . Size distribution of the aerosol was analyzed to determine its relationship to air sampler efficiency. Five min after the spray, 71 to 85% of particles were between 1.1-3.3 μm in size and 3.5 to 10.4% were smaller than 1.1 μm in size. The Andersen impactor recovered significantly greater numbers of nonsporeforming bacteria, with least variability of recovery and the RCS sampler recovered significantly smaller numbers and exhibited greatest variability of the four samplers tested. AGI-30 and Filter sampler performance varied depending on the species tested. For recovery of bacterial endospore, the Filter and Andersen samplers both recovered greater numbers than the AGI-30 and RCS sampler. The RCS sampler recovered a significantly lower number of spores with the most variable results of the four samplers. Our data indicate that the Andersen impactor is the sampler of choice for recovering microbial aerosols of interest to the food processing industry.
Activation of Transcription Initiation and Regulation of Tryptophan Biosynthesis in Fluorescent Pseudomonads

Although the Escherichia coli trp operon is a favored textbook example of transcriptional regulation, the arrangement of trp genes and their pattern of regulation in E. coli is not at all typical27, 28, 48, 82. Recall that in E. coli, the products of five contiguous genes, trpE, (G)D, C(F), B, and A, are required for the conversion of chorismate to tryptophan (Figure 1). The operon is negatively regulated by TrpR (repressor) in response to tryptophan and by a transcription attenuator whose activity is modulated by acylated tRNAtrp (see refs [66], [67], [119]). The five genes in the operon actually encode seven enzymatic activities since the bifunctional trp(G)D and trpC(F) genes encode fusion proteins each of which has two independent enzymatic functions.
Systemic Therapy for Advanced Metastatic Thyroid Cancer

Thyroid cancer is the most common form of endocrine malignancy worldwide, and differentiated thyroid cancer (DTC) is the most common histological subtype and includes papillary, follicular, and Hurthle cell histologies. The incidence of thyroid cancer is increasing among both men and women, with a projected 62,450 new cases in 2015. Treatment for DTC is typically surgical, followed by radioactive iodine and levothyroxine therapy. However, a minority of patients with DTC will develop metastatic disease, and as many as two-thirds of these patients will be refractory to iodine therapy. Cytotoxic chemotherapy has extremely limited activity in metastatic, iodine-refractory cases of DTC. Over the past decade, the discovery of specific genetic mutations associated with DTC, along with the development of novel agents such as multitargeted tyrosine kinase inhibitors (MKI), has led to FDA approval of new therapeutic agents in metastatic, radioiodine-refractory DTC. This incredible progress represents a major breakthrough in the field of DTC treatment. Despite these exciting advances the impact of such therapies on overall survival remains unknown. Further research is needed to identify new therapies with better response and toxicity profiles as well as to determine how to best utilize these new agents safely either sequentially or in combination and what steps to take when they are no longer effective.
State Delegations in Congress

My state is certainly important. [My delegation] is second only to the party in thinking about what influences my [legislative] behavior. I might not always vote with the delegation, but I am always interested in what the delegation is working on. —Member of Congress, 2011 Academics spend too much time talking about parties and not enough time understanding states. —Member of Congress, 2011 Representation in the U.S. Congress is frequently discussed in terms of states. Pundits and the general public tend to picture a member of Congress as a delegate from a specific state, casting votes and sponsoring legislation in a manner consistent with the state's economic and political interests. Members of Congress also emphasize the importance of their states when asked what influences their behavior in Congress – often, as the first member did above, listing their states and the delegation second only to their political party in importance (Clausen 1972; Truman 1956). The importance of the state in the members’ minds is unsurprising when we consider that it is the residents of the state that reelect the members of Congress. The electoral connection to the state requiresmembers to know what is happening in the state and stay aware of any changing policy preferences in the constituency. The other members of the state delegation provide the member with plentiful information regarding changes back home. In fact, despite the intense polarization that has developed in Congress over the last decade or two, the representational unit of a state delegation continues to play a key role in shaping individual legislative behavior and, thereby, the macro public policy agenda of Congress. State delegations continue to be interesting organizational units in Congress, and, under certain conditions, they have the power to overcome partisanship. State delegations can affect what legislation is on the agenda and, more important, provide useful information to their members to aid them in their bids for reelection. Given the emphasis still placed on states by members of Congress and congressional observers (although, in the mind of the member above, not nearly enough by political scientists), this book explores the role of state delegations in Congress, focusing not just on intra-chamber behavior but also cross-chamber relationships within the delegation. I am particularly interested in how these inter-chamber relationships can help the delegation's members provide quality representation to their constituents and even aid them in their reelection efforts.
Reliability of Echocardiographic Indicators of Pulmonary Vascular Disease in Preterm Infants at Risk for Bronchopulmonary Dysplasia.

Objectives To determine the assessment and inter-rater reliability of echocardiographic evaluations of pulmonary vascular disease (PVD) in preterm infants at risk for bronchopulmonary dysplasia. Study design We prospectively studied echocardiograms from preterm infants (birthweights 500-1250 g) at 7 days of age and 36 weeks postmenstrual age (PMA). Echocardiograms were assessed by both a cardiologist on clinical service and a single research cardiologist. Interpretations were reviewed for inclusion of determinants of PVD and assessed for inter-rater reliability using the Prevalence Adjusted Bias Adjusted Kappa Score (PABAK). Results One hundred eighty and 188 matching research and clinical echocardiogram reports were available for the 7-day and 36-week PMA studies. At least one of the specific qualitative measures of PVD was missing from 54% of the clinical reports. PVD was diagnosed at 7 days in 31% and 20% of research and clinical interpretations, respectively (PABAK score of 0.54). At 36 weeks, PH was diagnosed in 15.6% and 17.8% of research and clinical interpretations, respectively (PABAK score of 0.80). Conclusions Although all qualitative variables of PVD are not consistently provided in echocardiogram reports, the inter-rater reliability of cardiologists evaluating measures of PVD revealed strong agreement, especially at 36 weeks PMA. We speculate that establishment of a protocol for echocardiographic evaluation may improve the identification of PVD in preterm infants.
Leveraging Target k-Coverage in Wireless Rechargeable Sensor Networks

Energy remains a major hurdle in running computation-intensive tasks on wireless sensors. Recent efforts have been made to employ a Mobile Charger (MC) to deliver wireless power to sensors, which provides a promising solution to the energy problem. Most of previous works in this area aim at maintaining perpetual network operation at the expense of high operating cost of MC. In the meanwhile, it is observed that due to low cost of wireless sensors, they are usually deployed at high density so there is abundant redundancy in their coverage in the network. For such networks, it is possible to take advantage of the redundancy to reduce the energy cost. In this paper, we relax the strictness of perpetual operation by allowing some sensors to temporarily run out of energy while still maintaining target k-coverage in the network at lower cost of MC. We first establish a theoretical model to analyze the performance improvements under this new strategy. Then we organize sensors into load-balanced clusters for target monitoring by a distributed algorithm. Next, we propose a charging algorithm named λ-GTSP Charging Algorithm to determine the optimal number of sensors to be charged in each cluster to maintain k-coverage in the network and derive the route for MC to charge them. We further generalize the algorithm to encompass mobile targets as well. Our extensive simulation results demonstrate significant improvements of network scalability and cost saving that MC can extend charging capability over 2-3 times with a reduction of 40% of moving cost without sacrificing the network performance.
Development of a block level geovisualization tool of Zaatari refugee camp community asset data

Geovisualization, with its capacity to provide tools for visual spatial analysis, has wide-ranging domain applications to support sense and decision making in humanitarian crisis management. The need for such tools is manifest in the Middle East in light of the Syrian civil war and ensuing mass migration of millions of refugees to neighboring countries. The Zaatari refugee camp, home to 80,000 Syrian refugees in Jordan, provides for basic needs and is actively seeking to enhance refugee social infrastructure and governance. This paper introduces the development of a Shiny geovisualization tool called “The Zaatari Project” incorporating block-level analysis of key social attributes of the Zaatari camp population by combining block-level asset survey data and OpenStreetMap data. The tool and its key feature, an interactive bivariate choropleth map, afford a technical resource for community information management to support decision making. Scenario-based evaluation of the tool was conducted in collaboration with the refuGIS team which are a group of Syrian refugees in Zaatari camp developing Geographic Information Systems (GIS) capacities for the camp under the coordination of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR). Evaluation findings indicate promising outcomes relating to the tool's utility to inform needs assessment and resource allocation to support the team's planning and improvement of the camp's infrastructure.
Relative Abundances of Candida albicans and Candida glabrata in In Vitro Coculture Biofilms Impact Biofilm Structure and Formation

Candida is a member of the normal human microbiota and often resides on mucosal surfaces such as the oral cavity or the gastrointestinal tract. In addition to their commensality, Candida species can opportunistically become pathogenic if the host microbiota is disrupted or if the host immune system becomes compromised. An important factor for Candida pathogenesis is its ability to form biofilm communities. The two most medically important species-Candida albicans and Candida glabrata-are often coisolated from infection sites, suggesting the importance of Candida coculture biofilms. In this work, we report that biofilm formation of the coculture population depends on the relative ratio of starting cell concentrations of C. albicans and C. glabrata When using a starting ratio of C. albicans to C. glabrata of 1:3, ∼6.5- and ∼2.5-fold increases in biofilm biomass were observed relative to those of a C. albicans monoculture and a C. albicans/C. glabrata ratio of 1:1, respectively. Confocal microscopy analysis revealed the heterogeneity and complex structures composed of long C. albicans hyphae and C. glabrata cell clusters in the coculture biofilms, and reverse transcription-quantitative PCR (qRT-PCR) studies showed increases in the relative expression of the HWP1 and ALS3 adhesion genes in the C. albicans/C. glabrata 1:3 biofilm compared to that in the C. albicans monoculture biofilm. Additionally, only the 1:3 C. albicans/C. glabrata biofilm demonstrated an increased resistance to the antifungal drug caspofungin. Overall, the results suggest that interspecific interactions between these two fungal pathogens increase biofilm formation and virulence-related gene expression in a coculture composition-dependent manner.IMPORTANCECandida albicans and Candida glabrata are often coisolated during infection, and the occurrence of coisolation increases with increasing inflammation, suggesting possible synergistic interactions between the two Candida species in pathogenesis. During the course of an infection, the prevalence of each Candida species may change over time due to differences in metabolism and in the resistance of each species to antifungal therapies. Therefore, it is necessary to understand the dynamics between C. albicans and C. glabrata in coculture to develop better therapeutic strategies against Candida infections. Existing in vitro work has focused on understanding how an equal-part culture of C. albicans and C. glabrata impacts biofilm formation and pathogenesis. What is not understood, and what is investigated in this work, is how the composition of Candida species in coculture impacts overall biofilm formation, virulence gene expression, and the therapeutic treatment of biofilms.
DEFORMATION BEHAVIOR OF PRE-SHOCKED COPPER AS A FUNCTION OF STRAIN RATE AND TEMPERATURE

From quasi-static compression data for 30-μm grain-size samples of oxygen-free electronic (OFE) grade copper shocked to 10 GPa for 1 μs, we derive a value for the thermal component of the mechanical threshold stress (MTS). We show that model calculations of the flow stress based on this value provide an excellent description of the uniaxial deformation of pre-shocked specimens tested in compression at low and high strain rates. We likewise demonstrate excellent agreement with data obtained from electromagnetically launched expanding ring experiments, during which excursions of both temperature and strain rate are large.
Dance as Life Force

The summers I spent in New Mexico I remember for the smell of pinon wood after a rainstorm, the narrow sidewalks on dusty Canyon Road, a Shubert piano concert, Indians wrapped in blankets in scorching midday heat, and my mother’s ramada where, as the sun set behind the Sangre de Cristo mountains, we cooked out and smoked cigarettes. Best of all I remember the Indian dances we witnessed in the hot summer sun: the anticipation, waiting in the empty plaza of Taos pueblo, the sun beating down, Anglos like us lining the walls, waiting.
Control of Purine Biosynthesis

The feedback inhibition of the first specific enzyme of purine biosynthesis, amidophosphoribosyltransferase, by the purine ribonucleotides AMP and GMP was described in a partially purified enzyme system over 20 years ago(l). The molecular basis for this inhibition, namely the aggregation of active subunits to an enzymatically inactive larger form in the presence of purine ribonucleotides, was described with the amidophosphoribosyltransferase obtained from human placenta seven years ago(2). Phosphoribosylpyrophosphate (PRPP) activates the mammalian enzyme by causing disaggregation of the inhibited large form to the catalytically active small form.
Retroviral Integration and Insertional Mutagenesis

In the last decade, technology for the detection and isolation of specific genes has improved so dramatically that the DNA that encodes virtually any known protein can be obtained with modest effort and expense. Furthermore, we can manipulate cloned genes with precision, making specific alterations that might affect either coding or regulatory sequences of these genes, and we can reinstate the DNAs in cells in a functional form to assess the consequences of these alterations. Because of these technical advances, our understanding of the structural determinants of gene function has grown enormously.