cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Acceleration of series form of the Green's function for a magnetic line current in the presence of a conducting wedge

A scheme for accelerating the series form of the Green's function for a magnetic line current near a conducting wedge is considered. The acceleration technique employs a form of Kummer's transformation and is applied to two specific cases of interest. Data illustrating accelerated convergence are presented.
Towards refactoring-aware code review

Software developers review changes to a code base to prevent new bugs from being introduced. However, some parts of a change are more likely to introduce bugs than others, and thus deserve more care in reviewing. In this short paper, we discuss our ongoing work to build a reviewing tool that automatically determines which changes in a change set are refactorings, uses this information to help the developer distinguish between refactoring and non-refactoring changes, and ultimately reduces the time it takes developers to review code accurately. We also discuss the challenges and opportunities we have faced when building this refactoring-aware code review tool.
Absence of magnetic field constraints on the source region of Jovian decametric radiation

We have re-examined the Voyager 1 and 2 planetary radio astronomy radio emission data in light of new magnetic field models. A previous study based on earlier models [Genova and Aubier, 1985] indicated that an apparent offset (∼70° measured at the orbit of Io) exists between the instantaneous Io flux tube and the source region of Jovian decametric radiation (DAM). Our new survey indicates that no such offset is necessary based on more recent magnetic field models. In addition, examples of DAM that are probably due to 2nd harmonic gyroemission were observed, as well as emission that may be due to mechanisms other than the cyclotron maser instability.
A novel approach to the design of potent bioactive peptides by incorporation of proline brackets: antiplatelet effects of Arg-Gly-Asp peptides.

Abstract Enhancing the potency of peptides is a critical and important step in the development of peptide drugs. We have proposed that proline residues flanking protein-protein interaction sites perform a structural role in enhancing their interaction [R.M. Kini and H.J. Evans, Biochem. Biophys. Res. Commun. 212 (1995) 1115–1124]. To test this theory, we incorporated proline residues on either or both sides of the interaction site of an antiplatelet peptide, IARGDMNA and determined the inhibitory potency of the peptides in whole blood aggregation. Inclusion of one proline residue, on either the amino or carboxy terminal side of the interaction site, enhances the antiplatelet activity to approximately the same extent (1.5- to 2.5-fold). Incorporation of proline residues on both sides enhances the activity by 7- to 13-fold. This enhancement of the biological activity of the peptide is probably due to a reduction in the number of possible conformations of the peptide, without introducing the rigidity that would accompany cyclization. Incorporation of proline brackets thus provides a novel approach to the design and development of more potent peptide drugs and ligands.
Working Memory Maintenance Contributes to Long-term Memory Formation: Neural and Behavioral Evidence

Theories of human memory have led to conflicting views regarding the relationship between working memory ( WM) maintenance and episodic long-term memory (LTM) formation. Here, we tested the prediction that WM maintenance operates in two stages, and that processing during the initial stage of WM maintenance promotes successful LTM formation. Results from a functional magnetic resonance imaging study showed that activity in the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex and hippocampus during the initial stage of WM maintenance was predictive of subsequent LTM performance. In a behavioral experiment, we demonstrated that interfering with processing during the initial stage of WM maintenance impaired LTM formation. These results demonstrate that processing during the initial stage of WM maintenance directly contributes to successful LTM formation, and that this effect is mediated by a network that includes the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex and the hippocampus.
A novel percutaneous system for bone graft delivery and containment for elevation and stabilization of vertebral compression fractures. Technical note.

Object. Vertebroplasty and kyphoplasty are minimally invasive procedures used to treat persistently symptomatic vertebral compression fractures (VCFs). Both interventions usually involve injection of polymethyl methacrylate (PMMA). The purpose of this technical note was to review the theory and surgical technique for a novel percutaneous system for fracture reduction and stabilization of VCFs by using bone graft. Methods. This technical note highlights the Optimesh system as an alternative method of minimally invasive VCF reduction and stabilization with the delivery of a bone graft containment device. Instead of using PMMA as in vertebroplasty or kyphoplasty, this system allows the delivery of allograft and/or autograft bone, with its osteoinductive, osteoconductive, and osteogenic properties. Conclusions. This system allows for restoration of sagittal alignment of the spine with direct control of bone graft delivery by using a mesh graft containment device that allows for ingrowth of new bone and vascular tissue.
The Child and Family Traumatic Stress Intervention: Secondary prevention for youth at risk of developing PTSD

Objective: This pilot study evaluated the effectiveness of a four-session, caregiver–child Intervention, the Child and Family Traumatic Stress Intervention (CFTSI), to prevent the development of chronic posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) provided within 30 days of exposure to a potentially traumatic event (PTE). Method: One-hundred seventy-six 7 to 17-year-old youth were recruited through telephone screening based on report of one new distressing posttraumatic stress symptom after a PTE. Of those, 106 youth were randomly assigned to the Intervention (n = 53) or a four-session supportive Comparison condition (N = 53). Group differences in symptom severity were assessed using repeated measures with mixed effects models of intervention group, time, and the interaction of intervention and time. Logistic regression analyses were performed to assess treatment condition and any subsequent traumas experienced as predictors for full and partial PTSD diagnosis at 3-month follow-up. An exploratory chi-square analysis was performed to examine the differences in PTSD symptom criteria B, C, and D at follow-up. Results: At baseline, youth in both groups had similar demographics, past trauma exposures and symptom severity. At follow-up, the Intervention group demonstrated significantly fewer full and partial PTSD diagnoses than the Comparison group on a standardized diagnostic measure of PTSD. Also, there was a significant group by time interaction for Trauma Symptom Checklist for Children’s Posttraumatic Stress and Anxiety Indices as the CFTSI group had significantly lower posttraumatic and anxiety scores than the Comparison group. Conclusions: The results suggest that a caregiver–youth, brief preventative early intervention for youth exposed to a PTE is a promising approach to preventing chronic PTSD. Keywords: Trauma, prevention, family. Abbreviations: CFTSI: Child and Family Traumatic Stress Intervention; F/U: 3-month follow-up; PTSD-RI: UCLA PTSD Reaction Index; TSCC: Trauma Symptom Checklist for Children.
Task lists for human-multiple robot interaction

Interest in developing large multiple robot systems continues to grow, however, the autonomous technology to permit such systems to work on their own is lacking. Therefore, it is necessary to develop interaction capabilities that will permit a small number of humans to supervise a larger number of robots. The objective was to develop a preliminary interface that provided an ability to monitor and interact with teams of robots rather than individual robots. Specifically, this work focused on understanding how a task list would affect the human's interaction with the system. This paper describes the preliminary interface design, the user evaluation and the associated results. The interface has tools for creating robot teams for new tasks, managing teams, and attending to problems in teams. The primary interface feature is a task list that collects all relevant tasks and information from the environment in a single window, sorted by priority. Twenty novice users evaluated the system.
Three-Dimensional Images of Coronary Arteries After Heart Transplantation Using Electron-Beam Computed Tomography Data With Volume Rendering

A57-year-old man received a heart transplant in 1989 and has had no evidence of rejection. He underwent both electron-beam computed tomography (EBCT; ImatronC-150XP, Imatron) and conventional coronary angiography as part of a post–heart transplant evaluation protocol. Conventional coronary angiograms revealed angiographically normal coronary arteries (Figure 1⇓). EBCT images were performed at a thickness of 1.5 mm, with a 100-ms scan time and intravenous administration of contrast medium. Axial images revealed normal coronary arterial lumina. EBCT provided data on the vessel lumen filled with contrast …
The White Lake Charter: A Mediaeval Russian Administrative Statute

FROM the mainstream of Russian legal history, the White Lake charter (Belozerskaia ustavnaia gramota) of 1488 survives as an example of the manner in which the rapidly-expanding Moscow state administered its territories, likewise revealing some of the peculiar problems connected with regional government in mediaeval Russia. Lying almost three hundred miles due north of Moscow, the White Lake (beloe ozero) probably received its name because of the fact that it is frozen over and covered with snow many months of the year. Baron Herberstein, the Holy Roman Emperor's emissary to Russia in the early sixteenth century, noted the terrible cold of the area, and claimed that the city of Beloozero was surrounded by so many marshes, and thus so inaccessible, that Russian princes kept their treasures hidden there.' Despite its forbidding climate and unprepossessing environment, Beloozero became an important commercial center in mediaeval Russia. Trade routes to Dvina, Novgorod, and the White Sea area passed near it. The region was thickly settled with monasteries, some of which grew prosperous and played a leading part in the development of its economy. In 1486 the White Lake principality passed to Moscow by the last will and testament of its ruler2 and became a simple Muscovite province. Two years later Ivan III, grand prince of Moscow, issued a charter to the region, one of two such documents granted before 1500 to be preserved to the present day. Some of its articles find their sources in the eleventh-century Kievan Russkaia Pravda and in the Dvina charter of 1398; others reappear, in revised form, in the All-Russian codes (Sudebniki) of 1497 and 1550.3 After the White Lake principality had become a Muscovite province in 1486, Moscow appointed regional administrators (vicegerents) there.4 The populace must have regarded these vicegerents with mixed feelings.
The Season for Peace: Reconciliation in a Despotic Species (Lemur catta)

However despotic a social group may be, managing conflicts of interest is crucial to preserve group living benefits, mainly based on cooperation. In despotic groups, post-conflict management via reconciliation (the first post-conflict reunion between former opponents) can occur, even if conciliatory rates are considerably different. Lemur catta is defined as a despotic species because groups are characterized by a strict linear hierarchy maintained by the adult females (the dominant sex) mainly via aggression. Reconciliation was reported in one out of four captive groups of L. catta. Here we investigate which variables influence the occurrence of reconciliation in these despotic groups. We analyzed 2339 Post Conflict (PC)-Matched Control (MC) observation pairs, collected on eight groups (five in the Berenty forest, Madagascar; three hosted at the Pistoia Zoo, Italy). Since L. catta is characterized by steep female dominance but shows female-female coalitionary support, we expected to confirm the presence of reconciliation in the study species. Consistently, we found reconciliation in one captive group and two wild groups, thus providing the first evidence of the presence of this phenomenon in wild L. catta. Moreover, because this species is a seasonal breeder (with mating occurring once a year), we expected seasonal fluctuations in reconciliation levels. Via a GLMM analysis using data from all wild groups and on a captive group followed for more than one year, we found that season (but not rank; individuals’ identity, sex, and age; or group identity) significantly affected individual reconciliation rates, and such rates were lowest during the mating period. Thus, reconciliation can be present in groups in which dominants strongly influence and limit social relationships (steep dominance hierarchy) except when the advantages of intra-group cooperation are overcome by competition, as occurs in seasonal breeders when reproduction is at stake. We conclude that in despotic social groups in which coalitions are observed, the right question is not if but when reconciliation can be present.
Using a Trigger Tool to Assess Adverse Drug Events in a Children's Rehabilitation Hospital

INTRODUCTION Some of the most common actions after an adverse drug event (ADE) have been carefully listed, studied, and described as “triggers.” Trigger-based tools for finding and evaluating ADEs have been validated in varied patient populations. A recent article described the frequency and severity of ADEs in hospitalized children in tertiary care children's hospitals. Our objective was to discover whether children in a pediatric rehabilitation setting are at higher risk for ADEs because of polypharmacy, or at a lower risk because of relative overall clinical stability. METHODS A pediatric inpatient trigger tool was used in 3 groups of children hospitalized in a pediatric rehabilitation setting. ADE frequencies and patient characteristics were compared with values from a multicenter study using the same tools in pediatric tertiary care hospitals. Changes in ADE frequency over time were assessed (2005, n=20; 2006, n=20; 2008, n=19). RESULTS No serious ADEs were newly discovered using the trigger tool....
Spatial and Temporal Variability in Clonal Reproduction of Aechmea magdalenae, a Tropical Understory Herb1

Abstract Clonal reproduction is a common feature in tropical herbaceous plants and has been shown to be important for recruitment and population maintenance. Although numerous phenological responses (i.e., leaf flushing, flowering, and fruit maturation) have been shown to be associated with seasonality in the tropics, little is known about the relationship between seasonality and levels of clonal reproduction. I examined the temporal and spatial variation in clonal reproduction and its potential trade-off with growth and survival for a tropical understory herb, Aechmea magdalenae (Andre) Andre ex Baker, Handb. Bromel (Bromeliaceae). I addressed the following questions: (1) how do vegetative growth, survival, and clonal reproduction (i.e., rhizome and ramet production) vary between seasons and between years?; (2) how do these factors differ among populations?; and (3) do simulated dry and wet season light levels cause similar variation in rosette survival and vegetative and clonal reproduction, as found in...
Abstract 1773: Increasing Amiodarone Use in Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation: An Analysis of the National Registry for Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation

Introduction - Amiodarone has supplanted lidocaine as the first-line anti-arrhythmic agent in cardiopulmonary resuscitations. We hypothesized that the use of amiodarone has increased in ventricular fibrillation (VF) and pulseless ventricular tachycardia (pVT) resuscitations since its inclusion in the American Heart Association Guidelines for Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation and Emergency Cardiovascular Care and landmark publications. We further hypothesized that increased use of amiodarone was greater in adults than in children. Methods - The National Registry of Cardipulmonary Resuscitation, an ongoing international, retrospective registry of in-hospital resuscitation events was used to assess the pattern of amiodarone use in VF/pVT events from January 1, 2000 to July 31, 2005. Statistics by Chi-square analysis, using SAS statistical analysis software. Results - During the study period, 14,854/29,552 (50%) of adults with VF/pVT received an antiarrhythmic drug; 8883 (60%) of those patients received amiodarone. Amiodarone use increased in adults from 25% of VF/pVT episodes in 2000 to 72% in 2005 (p Conclusion - There has been a significant increase in amiodarone use for VF/pVT events over the past five years, more notably in adults than in children. These results strongly suggest that emerging data and national guidelines affect resuscitation practice patterns.
ATP from glycolysis is required for normal sodium homeostasis in resting fast-twitch rodent skeletal muscle

Myocellular sodium homeostasis is commonly disrupted during critical illness for unknown reasons. Recent data suggest that changes in intracellular sodium content and the amount of ATP provided by ...
Characterization of the beta-subunit of the H(+)-K(+)-ATPase using an inhibitory monoclonal antibody

The gastric proton pump, H(+)-K(+)-ATPase, is composed of alpha- and beta-subunits. The 95-kDa alpha-subunit has been referred to as the catalytic subunit containing sites for ATP binding and phosphorylation. The beta-subunit is a glycoprotein with a 34-kDa core peptide that has a single transmembrane segment, a small cytoplasmic NH2-terminal, and a large extracellular COOH-terminal domain with seven potential N-linked glycosylation sites. To further study the beta-subunit, we developed monoclonal antibodies that identified a 52-kDa mannose-rich glycoprotein that was deglycosylated by endoglycosidase H such that six transient intermediates were identified, as well as a 34-kDa beta-subunit core peptide. These observations suggest that the beta-subunit is synthesized as a 52-kDa glycoprotein with seven N-linked precursor high-mannose oligosaccharides that mature into complex oligosaccharides. One antibody, 2G11, inhibits the K(+)-stimulated ATP hydrolysis as well as K(+)-stimulated p-nitrophenyl phosphatase (pNPPase) activity of the H(+)-K(+)-ATPase. Kinetic studies revealed that 2G11 inhibited maximum velocity (Vmax) of ATP hydrolysis by approximately 50% with no change in the Km for K+, whereas, for pNPPase both Vmax and Km were altered. These studies demonstrate a functional role for the beta-subunit in the H(+)-K(+)-ATPase activity, especially the K(+)-induced conformational states.
Factors in the Residential Choices of Self-Settled Afghan Refugees in Peshawar, Pakistan

Previous research indicated that settlement behaviors of refugees and rural-to-urban migrants in Third World contexts are influenced by: 1) geographic origins, 2) ethnicity, 3) education level, 4) employment background, 5) political involvement, 6) dates of departure from the homeland and 7) reasons for leaving. This research evaluates the influence of these factors on residential choices of Afghan refugees self-settled in Peshawar, Pakistan. The data indicated that ethnogeographic ties, political involvement, and lack of political activ? ity had been most affective in motivating residential associations and disassociations. Other variables were related to ethnicity, origins and status and, thus, did not influence directly residential choices.
Comparative Toxicity of Spores and Crystals from the NRD-12 and HD-1 Strains of Bacillus thuringiensis suhsp. kurstaki to Neonate Beet Armyworm (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae)

The toxicities of different components of the spore-parasporal body complex of the NRD-12 and HD-1 strains of Bacillus thuringiensis subsp. kurstaki (Berliner) to neonate Spodoptera exigua (Hubner) were determined using diet incorporation bioassays. The LC50’s of NRD-12 and HD-1 from lyophilized powders obtained from sporulated liquid cultures were 20.8 µg/ml diet and 49.3 µg/ml diet, respectively. Both strains produced a bi pyramidal crystal containing a 135-kDa (kilodalton) protein (PI) and a cuboidal crystal containing a 65-kDa protein (P2). Preparations of the NRD-12 PI crystal (LC50 = 63.0 µg/ml diet) were more toxic than similar preparations of HD-1 (LC50 = 153 µg/ml diet). Alternatively, the P2 crystal from HD-1 (LC50 = 34.2 µg/ml diet) was more toxic than preparations of the NRD-12 P2 crystal (LC50 = 72.4 µg/ml diet). Combinations of the P1 and P2 crystals of NRD-12 were more toxic (LC50 = 82.0 µg/ml diet) than HD-1 P1/P2 preparations (LC50 = 157 µg/ml diet). Spore preparations from HD-1 (LC50 = 117 µg/ml diet) were slightly more toxic than those from NRD-12 (LC50 = 166 µg/ml diet). Significant (P ≤ 0.005) potentiation resulted when the LC25 of spores was added (1:1 wt/wt) to the LC25 of the 65-kDa/I35-kDa protein combination from the same isolate. Significant (P ≤ 0.005) potentiation also was observed when NRD-12 spores were added to HD-1 crystal protein and when HD-1 spores were added to the NRD-12 crystal protein. However, there was no difference in toxicity between these two combinations. These data suggest that the comparatively high toxicity of NRD-12 to S. exigua is due at least in part to the 135-kDa proteins of this strain.
Models of Practice for Occupational Therapy

This article presents a model of practice for occupational therapy, derived from the adapting quality of human beings, and suggests ways in which it may be applied in clinical settings. The value of a model is that it identifies the unique contribution of a profession.
Temporal Relationships between Uterine Weight, Uterine Blood Flow, and Serum Progesterone and Estradiol Levels in the Pseudopregnant Rat

AbstractChanges in rat uterine weight and uterine blood flow (UBF) between Days 4 and 12 of pseudopregnancy (PSP: Day 0 = ovulation) were monitored and correlated with the respective fluctuations in serum progesterone (P) and estradiol (E) levels. Rats were monitored for UBF using a square-wave electromagnetic blood flow monitor. Serum P and E levels were estimated by radioimmunoassay. Parallel changes in uterine weight and UBF were observed between Days 4 and 9 of PSP, each exhibiting a peak on Day 6 before declining to basal levels on Day 9. Serum E levels remained relatively constant throughout PSP, ranging between 5 and 7.5 pg/ml. In contrast, serum P levels exhibited peaks (Days 8-9) when UBF and uterine weights were lowest, and lower levels when the uterine parameters were elevated (Days 6-7). These data suggest that fluctuations in the ratio of E to P (rather than the respective, absolute levels of each) induce the changes observed in uterine weight and UBF during PSP in the rat.
Facet-selective adsorption on noble metal crystals guided by electrostatic potential surfaces of aromatic molecules.

We aim to provide a model platform composed of aromatic molecules and noble metal surfaces to study the molecular facet-selective adsorption and employ the discoveries to design surfactants for predictable shape-controlled syntheses of nanocrystals. Starting from Pt, it is demonstrated that negative electrostatic potential on the aromatic ring is the prerequisite to display binding selectivity to Pt(111), while a neutral to positive one prefers Pt(100). The geometric matching between molecular binding sites and surface lattices plays a role as well in facet selectivity. Significantly, Raman spectroscopy has been employed to probe the interactions between aromatic molecules and metal surfaces, providing direct evidence of their binding mechanisms. These discoveries are further exploited to design and identify Pd(111) and Pd(100) facet-specific surfactants. These results represent a step forward in achieving predictable and programmable nanostructures through better understanding of organic–inorganic interf...
Temperature Sensitivity in the Prothoracic Ganglion of the Cockroach, Periplaneta Americana, and its relationship to Thermoregulation

1.Activity of neurones in the prothoracic ganglion of the cockroach, Periplaneta americana, recorded extracellularly, showed a wide range of temperature sensitivity. These responses were categorized by linear regression. 2. The regression lines with the greatest slopes are proposed to characterize central temperature receptors; warm units with lower slopes may be the result of nonspecific Q10 responses of ordinary neurones. 3. An overlap of regression lines from cells with high slopes occurs near the acclimation temperature of the animals; the regression lines of most of the warm-sensitive units reach zero firing rate near the mean chill-coma temperature (10.5°C) for this species. 4. The temperature selection by the whole animal in a temperature gradient shuttlebox was found to require central temperature receptors as well as the peripheral temperature receptors on either the antennae or tarsi. 5. Both neural and behavioural data indicate a greater sensitivity to heat than cold in cockroach thermoregulatory behaviour.
The Activity of Some Chemical Disinfectants Against Talfan Virus and Porcine Adenovirus Type 2

SUMMARY Ten disinfectant compounds were tested for their activity against Talfan virus (a porcine enterovirus) and the 6618 strain of porcine adenovirus type 2. The effects of time and temperature on viral inactivation were determined. Chlorhexidine and an ampholytic surface active agent were found to have little activity against either virus. Cetrimide and a phenolic disinfectant were active against the adenovirus, but not against Talfan virus. Inactivation of the viruses by formaldehyde was relatively slow, and poor at 4°C. Potassium permanganate and sodium hydroxide were active against both viruses over a wide range of times and temperatures. An iodophor preparation was rather less active, but sodium hypochlorite and ethyl alcohol inactivated the viruses most efficiently under our test conditions.
Conscientious subjectivity in Kierkegaard and Levinas

Levinas distances himself from Kierkegaardian analyses by suggesting that “It is not I who resist the system, as Kierkegaard thought; it is the other.” This seems an obvious misreading of Kierkegaard. “Resistance,” for Kierkegaard, never legitimately arises from the “I,” but from a “God-relationship” that breaks through the “sphere of immanence” and disturbs the system. But, for Levinas it is problematic to suggest a “God-relationship” distinct from interhuman relationships. “Transcendent” interhuman relations, Levinas contends, “give theological concepts [their] sole signification.” Yet, similarities in their accounts of ethical subjectivity and conscience may tempt one to suggest, as a recent commentator does, that “appropriation of the Kierkegaardian framework by Levinas is problematic insofar as it is misapplied to interhuman relationships... .; I resist this understanding of the problem. Levinas is not only concerned with denying the “interlocutor” (i.e., God) in Kierkegaard's description of the “transcendent” awareness that grounds conscience. Levinas also questions the nature of interlocution implied by Kierkegaard. Levinas' criticisms of Kierkegaard set an important agenda for the study of Kierkegaard by demanding that one address the difficulties that the “problematics of hearing” raise for Kierkegaard's account of conscientious subjectivity. His challenge could profoundly affect and, in my opinion, enrich the Kierkegaardian account.
Comparing the Effectiveness of Methods to Measure Oxygen in Tissues for Prognosis and Treatment of Cancer

Given the clinical evidence that hypoxic tumors are more resistant to standard therapy and that adjusting therapies can improve the outcomes for the subpopulation with hypoxic tumors, in vivo methods to measure oxygen in tissue have important clinical potential. This paper provides the rationale for and methodological strategies to use comparative effectiveness research to evaluate oximetry for cancer care. Nine oximetry methods that have been used in vivo to measure oxygen in human tumors are evaluated on several clinically relevant criteria to illustrate the value of applying comparative effectiveness to oximetry.
Brain-Swarm Control Interfaces: from the Control of One to theControl of Many

Brain-Machine Interfaces (BMIs) have been one of the most influential and disruptive science fields of the past decades. Prosthetic or remotely operated robotic devices being controlled by brain signals has transitioned from science fiction to reality. Advances in the recording electrodes technology and the machine learning and signal decoding algorithms were critical in the realization of those systems. The second decade of the 21st century brings new challenges found in both frontiers; first, advancements in neuroscience are sought via high-resolution mapping of the brain for better understanding of its function and decision making processes. On the robotics frontiers, the challenge of the human controlling many robots simultaneously is of utmost importance for applications spanning from industrial and entertainment, to disaster response and military. As the swarming paradigm, deriving inspiration from the behaviour of natural swarms such as bird flocks and fish schools, offers myriad advantages to a team of robots, the way humans interact and control a robotic swarm creates new avenues of research. This article summarizes recent developments and novel methods for brain-swarm interfaces, and poses challenges for the future researchers.
Structural Stiffness Identification of Skewed Slab Bridges with Limited Information for Load Rating Purpose

This paper presents a method for identifying structural stiffness of skewed reinforced concrete slab bridges with limited structural information using measured acceleration data. This information might be used for nondestructive evaluation, condition assessment, and load rating of bridges. A large number of slab bridges with different structural dimensions such as skew angle, span, width, and thickness was first analyzed using finite element method to obtain their first modal frequency. This population of data was then used to create an artificial neural network, which can predict a coefficient that plays an important role in identifying the flexural rigidity of slab bridges. This approach was applied to estimate the flexural rigidity of a highly skewed reinforced concrete slab bridge in the state of Virginia for load rating purpose. The bridge was instrumented with wireless accelerometers, and the vibration responses of the bridge under ambient loading and impact hammer test were recorded. An algorithm based on the variational mode decomposition was employed to identify modal properties of the bridge. Then, the flexural rigidity of bridge was computed from the established relationship between the first natural frequency and the flexural rigidity of bridge. Results show that the proposed method is capable of predicting structural stiffness, and can be used for load rating of bridges without structural information.
Water Resource Management Comes of Age

The several decades after the end of Work War II saw the passage of a wide variety of water-related legislation, beginning with the Water Pollution Control Act of 1948. This law authorized the Surgeon General of the Public Health Service, with other federal, state, and local agencies, to prepare programs for eliminating or reducing the pollution of interstate waters and tributaries. The bill was extended for another three years and was then superseded by the 1956 Water Pollution Control Act. The aim of this legislation was to improve the safety of surface and groundwater supplies. Regular regulatory upgrades by the PHS followed to identify additional chemicals found to be polluting public water supplies and to inform public suppliers of the need to modify their testing procedures to conserve waters for public water supplies, protect fish and aquatic life, for human consumption, recreational purposes, and agricultural and industrial uses.
Lymphoma “benchmark” or “bench-smudge”?

In this issue of Blood , Crump et al provide data on 636 refractory diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL) patients. 1 In a retrospective analysis of a subset of subjects extracted from 2 observational cohorts and 2 randomized clinical trials, the authors describe outcomes in this patient population. 2-6 The authors report a pooled response rate of 26% to the subsequent line of therapy. Although we acknowledge the useful findings of this study, we are cautious in considering this retrospectively defined cohort as a “benchmark” for prospective trials in refractory DLBCL.
Nutrition Management for the Head and Neck Cancer Patient

Head and neck cancer (HNC) patients often face multiple nutritional challenges before, during, and after treatment due to the close proximity of the cancer to organs that are vital for normal eating function. Common treatment-related side effects, such as dysphagia, odynophagia, dysgeusia, xerostomia, thick saliva, mucositis, nausea, and vomiting, all further impair the patient’s ability to maintain adequate oral intake. Malnutrition and unintentional weight loss in HNC patients during and after treatment are associated with poorer treatment outcomes, increased morbidity and mortality, and poor quality of life, even in overweight and obese patients whose Body Mass Index (BMI) is not suggestive of malnutrition. The main nutrition goal for HNC patients is thus to maximize nutrition intake either orally or through nutrition support therapy in order to prevent or limit weight loss, preserve lean body mass, minimize treatment delays and unplanned hospitalizations, and improve treatment outcomes. This chapter will discuss nutrition interventions to manage common symptoms before, during, and after treatment for HNC. Guidelines will be provided for patients that require enteral nutrition or less commonly, parenteral nutrition.
Entering the Japanese Retail Market: Survival of the Fittest?

Evolutionary biology principles are applied to market entry strategies for retailers going into Japan. Given the nature of the Japanese distribution system, which makes entry extremely difficult for foreign firms relying on traditional methods (M&A, solo), entrants must find ingenious ways to set up shop in Japan. This requirement has forced a number of entrants to be extremely creative, enabling them to enter the Japanese market with competitive strategies not anticipated by nor familiar to their entrenched competitors. Some have been quite successful. The onerous burdens imposed on entrants by the Japanese distribution system may actually be forcing innovations which make these same entrants much more competitive in the long run. Alternatively, protected Japanese firms may be increasingly forced to combat unfamiliar and unanticipated competitive weapons. The conditions apparent in the newly-competitive post-bubble economy should accelerate this trend.
Mimicry and the Chrysomelidae

The significance of similarities between organisms of the world has long fascinated man — presumably even prehistoric man, later early naturalists, and now experimental biologists, behaviorists, taxonomists, geneticists, etc. How great his preplexity when an observer first realizes that all in nature is not what it appears to be! Comparatively modern questions about such similarities of ‘different’ organisms and their environments were first raised by Bates in 1862 when he proposed his theory concerning mimicry among insects.
Algorithm specification in a very high level language

The Problem Specification (PS) nonprocedural language is a very high level language for algorithm specification. PS is suitable for nonprogrammers, who can specify a problem using mathematically-oriented equations; for expert programmers, who can prototype different versions of a software system for evaluation; and for those who wish to use specifications for portions (if not all) of a program. PS has data types and modules similar to Modula-2. The compiler generates C code.In this paper, we first show PS by example, and then discuss efficiency issues in scheduling and code generation.
Pleasant Grove City v. Summum: Monuments, Messages, and the Next Establishment Clause

The U.S. Supreme Court's decision in Pleasant Grove City v. Summum may indicate a change in the direction of the Supreme Court's Establishment Clause jurisprudence. Although the Court decided Summum on the basis of the government speech doctrine, Justice Alito's opinion for the Court contains an extended discussion of monuments and messages that is directly at odds with some of the Court's Establishment Clause cases applying the endorsement test. Particularly in light of the fact that Summum was decided while the Court was considering Salazar v. Buono, another case involving a religious monument, it is possible that Summum suggests a move away from the endorsement test in the context of religious symbols and displays.
HALO: A Hierarchical Memory Access Locality Modeling Technique For Memory System Explorations

Growing complexity of applications pose new challenges to memory system design due to their data intensive nature, complex access patterns, larger footprints, etc. The slow nature of full-system simulators, challenges of simulators to run deep software stacks of many emerging workloads, proprietary nature of software, etc. pose challenges to fast and accurate microarchitectural explorations of future memory hierarchies. One technique to mitigate this problem is to create spatio-temporal models of access streams and use them to explore memory system tradeoffs. However, existing memory stream models have weaknesses such as they only model temporal locality behavior or model spatio-temporal locality using global stride transitions, resulting in high storage/metadata overhead. In this paper, we propose HALO, a Hierarchical memory Access LOcality modeling technique that identifies patterns by isolating global memory references into localized streams and further zooming into each local stream capturing multi-granularity spatial locality patterns. HALO also models the interleaving degree between localized stream accesses leveraging coarse-grained reuse locality. We evaluate HALO's effectiveness in replicating original application performance using over 20K different memory system configurations and show that HALO achieves over 98.3%, 95.6%, 99.3% and 96% accuracy in replicating performance of prefetcher-enabled L1 & L2 caches, TLB and DRAM respectively. HALO outperforms the state-of-the-art memory cloning schemes, WEST and STM, while using ~39X less metadata storage than STM.
The coordination of terminal differentiation and cell cycle exit is mediated through the regulation of chromatin accessibility

During terminal differentiation most cells will exit the cell cycle and enter into a prolonged or permanent G0. Cell cycle exit is usually initiated through the repression of cell cycle gene expression by formation of a transcriptional repressor complex called DREAM. However when DREAM repressive function is compromised during terminal differentiation, additional unknown mechanisms act to stably repress cycling and ensure robust cell cycle exit. Here we provide evidence that developmentally programmed, temporal changes in chromatin accessibility at a subset of critical cell cycle genes acts to enforce cell cycle exit during terminal differentiation in the Drosophila melanogaster wing. We show that during terminal differentiation, chromatin closes at a set of pupal wing enhancers for the key rate-limiting cell cycle regulators cycE, e2f1 and stg. This closing coincides with wing cells entering a robust postmitotic state that is strongly refractory to cell cycle re-activation. When cell cycle exit is genetically disrupted, chromatin accessibility at cell cycle genes remains largely unaffected and the closing of enhancers at cycE, e2f1 and stg proceeds independent of the cell cycling status. Instead, disruption of cell cycle exit leads to changes in accessibility and expression of a subset of hormone-induced transcription factors involved in the progression of terminal differentiation. Our results uncover a mechanism that acts as a cell cycle-independent timer to limit aberrant cycling in terminally differentiating tissues. In addition, we provide a new molecular description of the cross-talk between cell cycle exit and terminal differentiation during metamorphosis.
Toward a Positive Psychology of Immigrants

The vast majority of immigration-focused research in psychology is rooted in deficit models that center on negative health outcomes (e.g., depression, acculturative stress, anxiety, substance use), resulting in a widely held assumption that immigrants are at greater risk for pathology and poor well-being compared with native-born individuals. Moreover, current political discourse often portrays immigrants as more prone to crime compared with native-born individuals. From a positive-psychology perspective, we argue that, despite numerous migration-related challenges, many immigrant populations report positive patterns of psychological health. We also provide evidence that immigrants are, in fact, less prone to crime than their native-born counterparts. We conclude by discussing several contributing factors that account for positive immigrant well-being across the range of destination countries. Ultimately, the field should address questions regarding (a) immigrants' strategies for coping with the challenges involved in adapting to new homelands and (b) asset-based factors that help immigrants to thrive during difficult life challenges.
The Many Functions of Quantitative Modeling

Lee et al. (2019) recently proposed a number of quantitative modeling techniques and practices culminating with a recommendation for the creation of registered model reports. In addition to increasing transparency, trust, and robustness of modeling practices, registered model reports seem likely to increase the visibility and dissemination of quantitative models to researchers from other scientific disciplines (including other behavioral and non-behavioral sciences). In addition to the recommendations proposed by Lee et al. (2019), interdisciplinary communication and collaboration will be improved if researchers include the function of the quantitative model within registered model reports. Here, the function of a quantitative model refers to the contexts (e.g., questions, data types) and goals (e.g., description, prediction, exploration) surrounding the scientist’s use of a model. Explicitly specifying the function of a model will allow for more accurate and fair tests of quantitative models and appropriate tests of model generalizability to novel research questions.
Detection of Cocaine, Norcocaine, and Cocaethylene in the Meconium of Premature Neonates

Our objective was to investigate the methodologic detection of cocaine abuse during pregnancy by determining the viability of meconium analysis for cocaine and its metabolites using chromatographic procedures as an alternative to urine testing using enzyme multiplied immunoassay technique. Our design was as follows: meconium and urine were taken from 106 very low birthweight premature babies. Meconium analysis for cocaine and its metabolites using extraction and chromatographic analysis was compared with the criterion standard immunoassay testing for urine. The work was carried out at The University of Chicago Hospital, Department of Pediatrics and the University of Illinois at Chicago, Department of Pharmacodynamics. Our patients were very low birthweight, premature babies (mean birthweight 1109 g; mean gestational age 29.1 weeks). Gender was evenly divided between male and female. The outcome measures were as follows: two active metabolites, norcocaine and cocaethylene, were detected in the meconium, but not in the urine, of some of the neonates. Determination of cocaine exposure in the newborn influenced assignment of babies in research studies as well as psychosocial evaluation and subsequent treatment of the neonate. Our results were: of the 106 meconium samples analyzed, 21 (19.8%) were positive for cocaine (n = 19, 0.24–0.78 mg/kg), norcocaine (n = 7, 0.10–0.56 mg/kg), cocaethylene (n = 1, 0.12 mg/kg) or combinations thereof. Benzoylecgonine was not detected in any of the samples. Of the urine samples analyzed by immunoassay, only 8 (7.5%) were positive for cocaine metabolites. We conclude that meconium is a better sample than urine for determining cocaine exposure in utero. The presence of two neuroactive metabolites, norcocaine and cocaethylene, is reported, norcocaine for the first time. Immunoassay screening procedures for urinalysis are inadequate because false-negative results are obtained.
Comparison of Monitored Anesthesia Care and General Anesthesia for Transcatheter Aortic Valve Replacement

ObjectiveTranscatheter aortic valve replacement is a safe, minimally invasive treatment for severe aortic stenosis in patients with moderate-to-high surgical risk. Monitored anesthesia is administe...
Mild heat and freezing to lessen bacterial numbers on chicken liver

Summary Foodborne campylobacteriosis has been traced to undercooked chicken liver. We have detected Campylobacter in raw chicken livers from retail and processing plant samples. In the current study, we tested a 1 or 5 min 60°C heat treatment, a 48 h −25°C freeze treatment, and a combination of both as a means to pasteurize raw chicken liver lobes. We cultured treated and untreated liver lobes to determine numbers of Campylobacter and total aerobic bacteria. Overall, the 1 min heat treatment was ineffective. The 5 min heat treatment significantly lowered Campylobacter numbers. Freezing was also moderately effective. The combination of both heating and freezing resulted in nearly 99% decrease in Campylobacter numbers but was accompanied by significant lightening of the liver tissue. A mild heat treatment with or without subsequent freezing will not assure elimination of Campylobacter but may lessen consumer risk because of exposure in kitchen and during meal preparation.
Islamic Banking: Home Purchase Financings I: The Lease

This article describes the generic ijara (lease) structure used in Shari'ah-compliant home purchase financings. The same structure, in a more sophisticated form, is used in commercial real estate financings and project and infrastructure financings.
Narcolepsy risk and COVID-19.

Citation:Mignot E, Black S. Narcolepsy risk and COVID-19. J Clin Sleep Med. 2020;16(10):1831–1833.
Real-time Prediction of Non-stationary Wireless Channels

Modern wireless systems are increasingly dense and dynamic that makes the channel highly non-stationary, rendering conventional receivers sub-optimal in practice. Predicting the channel characteristics for non-stationary channels has the distinct advantage of pre-conditioning the waveform at the transmitter to match the expected fading profile. The difficulty lies in extracting an accurate model for the channel, especially if the underlying variables are uncorrelated, unobserved and immeasurable. Our work implements this prescience by assimilating the Channel State Information (CSI), obtained as feedback from the receiver, over time and space to adjust the modulation vectors such that the channel impairments are significantly diminished at the receiver, improving the Bit Error Rate (BER). We design a channel recommender, in which an adaptive smoother is used to filter the noise in CSI, while a tensor factorization & completion approach is used to track the ephemeral changes in non-stationary channel statistics by observing the changes in certain measurable parameters. V2X communication is used as an example of non-stationary channels to shows the efficacy of this approach. Overall, the system is shown to operate with a prediction accuracy of 10−3 MSE even in dense scattering environments over space and time, improving the BER at the receiver by 90% for higher-order modulations.