cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Supermoms? Maternity and the monstrous-feminine in superhero comics

Mainstream superhero comics rely on idealized images of male and female characters that depict physical and sexual perfection. Due to these themes of idealization the portrayal of pregnant and maternal superheroines is rooted in conceptions of the female body as abject or monstrously feminine. The pregnant body is derided for its inability to respect borders, an issue that is critical to the superhero genre. Consequently motherhood is characterized as an untenable position for superheroines, while paternity is valorized as a means to accepting patriarchal ideas of law and order.
Structured assurance cases: three common standards

For safety-, mission-, or security-critical systems, there are typically regulations or acquisition guidelines requiring a documented body of evidence to provide a compelling justification that the system satisfies specified critical properties. Current frameworks suggest the detailed outline of the final product but leave the truly meaningful and challenging aspects of arguing assurance to the developers and reviewers. We began with two major hypotheses. We selected a software notation suitable for building structured safety cases and applied it to three disparate assurance standards. Each of the three standard mapping efforts is discussed, along with the problems we encountered. In addition to the standards, we used the notation to structure an assurance case for a practical security-critical system, and we describe the lessons learned from that experience. We conclude with practical options for using our mappings of the standards and how well our initial hypotheses are borne out by the project.
Reduced Pepsin A Processing of Sonic Hedgehog in Parietal Cells Precedes Gastric Atrophy and Transformation

Sonic hedgehog (Shh) is not only essential to the development of the gastrointestinal tract, but is also necessary to maintain the characteristic acid-secreting phenotype of the adult stomach. Gastrin is the only hormone capable of stimulating gastric acid and is thus required to maintain functional parietal cells. We have shown previously that gastrin-null mice display gastric atrophy and metaplasia prior to progression to distal, intestinal-type gastric cancer. Because reduced levels of Shh peptide correlate with gastric atrophy, we examined whether gastrin regulates Shh expression in parietal cells. We show here that gastrin stimulates Shh gene expression and acid-dependent processing of the 45-kDa Shh precursor to the 19-kDa secreted peptide in primary parietal cell cultures. This cleavage was blocked by the proton pump inhibitor omeprazole and mediated by the acid-activated protease pepsin A. Pepsin A was also the protease responsible for processing Shh in tissue extracts from human stomach. By contrast, extracts prepared from neoplastic gastric mucosa had reduced levels of pepsin A and did not process Shh. Therefore processing of Shh in the normal stomach is hormonally regulated, acid-dependent, and mediated by the aspartic protease pepsin A. Moreover parietal cell atrophy, a known pre-neoplastic lesion, correlates with loss of Shh processing.
Formal verification of the PATHO real-time operating system

We present several models of PATHO, a real-time operating system for an automatically controlled vehicle. The models are simple and scalable, thus they can be used to evaluate real-time verification tools. We describe the verification of PATHO using real-time extensions of HSIS verification system. Experiments show that user-supplied guidelines are crucial for successful verification. >
Gelation Characteristics of Paddlefish (Polyodon spathula) Surimi Under Different Heating Conditions

: Gelation properties of paddlefish surimi were investigated with different heating procedures. Without pre-incubation, gel strength of paddlefish surimi increased as temperature increased from 40 to 60 °C. Pre-incubation at 40 °C caused myosin degradation and reduced gel strength by 55% compared to the control. Pre-incubation at 70 °C followed by cooking at 90 °C produced gels with maximum strength. Isothermal heating between 40 and 50 °C produced rheological transitions between 0 and 15 min. Beef plasma powder reduced myosin degradation and enhanced gelation of surimi incubated around 40 °C. These results indicated that the gel-weakening phenomenon in paddlefish surimi was due to the degradation of myosin by some endogenous protease(s).
The ToxCast Program for Prioritizing Toxicity Testing of Environmental Chemicals

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is developing methods for utilizing computational chemistry, high-throughput screening (HTS), and various toxicogenomic technologies to predict potential for toxicity and prioritize limited testing resources toward chemicals that likely represent the greatest hazard to human health and the environment. This chemical prioritization research program, entitled "ToxCast," is being initiated with the purpose of developing the ability to forecast toxicity based on bioactivity profiling. The proof-of-concept phase of ToxCast will focus upon chemicals with an existing, rich toxicological database in order to provide an interpretive context for the ToxCast data. This set of several hundred reference chemicals will represent numerous structural classes and phenotypic outcomes, including tumorigens, developmental and reproductive toxicants, neurotoxicants, and immunotoxicants. The ToxCast program will evaluate chemical properties and bioactivity profiles across a broad spectrum of data domains: physical-chemical, predicted biological activities based on existing structure-activity models, biochemical properties based on HTS assays, cell-based phenotypic assays, and genomic and metabolomic analyses of cells. These data will be generated through a series of external contracts, along with collaborations across EPA, with the National Toxicology Program, and with the National Institutes of Health Chemical Genomics Center. The resulting multidimensional data set provides an informatics challenge requiring appropriate computational methods for integrating various chemical, biological, and toxicological data into profiles and models predicting toxicity.
Age-related differences in the accumulation and size of hyaluronan in alginate culture

The alginate bead culture system has unique properties that make it possible to study the accumulation and turnover of macromolecules in two distinct matrix compartments of the cartilage matrix: the cell-associated matrix (CM) and the further removed matrix (FRM). Taking advantage of this culture system, the purpose of this study was to examine age-related changes in the metabolism of hyaluronan (HA) in these two compartments. Bovine chondrocytes, isolated from fetal, young adult, and old adult articular cartilage, were cultured in alginate beads. On Days 7 and 14 of culture, the alginate gel was solubilized, the CM and FRM were separated and macromolecules in both compartments were analyzed. When compared to the cells from fetal and old adult animals, the young adult cells proliferated at the fastest rate. Fetal cells produced a more abundant CM that was richer in proteoglycans (PGs) than the CM of young or old adult cells. With increasing age, there was an increased tendency for PG, collagen, and HA to escape incorporation into the CM and to become immobilized in the FRM. Very striking changes also were observed in the ratio of HA to PG, which increased markedly with age, and in the size of the HA molecules, which decreased markedly with age. The results suggest that the metabolism of HA in cartilage undergoes pronounced age-related changes, some of which are retained during culture in alginate gel. The findings also suggest that the previously documented age-related decrease in the size of HA in native bovine cartilage reflects, at least in part, a biochemical process occurring at the time or at least soon after the glycosaminoglycan chain is synthesized. It does not appear to simply be the result of age-related changes occurring slowly with time after synthesis, as was previously suggested to be the case for human articular cartilage.
Multiple-gate SOI MOSFETs

Abstract In an ever increasing need for higher current drive and better short-channel characteristics, silicon-on-insulator MOS transistors are evolving from classical, planar, single-gate devices into three-dimensional devices with multiple gates (double-, triple- or quadruple-gate devices). The evolution and the properties of such devices are described and the emergence of a new class of MOSFETs, called triple-plus (3 + )-gate devices offer a practical solution to the problem of the ultimate, yet manufacturable, silicon MOSFET.
A high density hydrogen-based capillary plasma source and its potential applications for the plasma wakefield accelerators

Capillary plasmas are typically generated in insulated tubes with the internal diameter ranging from tens of micrometers to several millimeters. It is convenient to produce a pulsed discharge either by ionizing a gas that fills the capillary or by ablation of the capillary wall and electrodes. We report the generation of variable plasma densities up to 1019 cm−3 in hydrogen-filled capillary discharges, and consider their applications as a practical plasma source for particle-beam-driven plasma wakefield accelerators. The capillary consists of a transparent, cylindrical borosilicate glass tube with inner diameter less than 1 mm. Stark broadening of the H α line and the ratio of the light emitted under two Balmer lines are used to characterize the plasma density and plasma temperature respectively. The time resolved plasma density is found to decay exponentially with a typical time constant of several hundreds of nanoseconds. The time delay between the discharge and the drive electron beam can therefore be tuned to reach the density appropriate for the maximum acceleration gradient. The dependence of the plasma density on the capillary geometry and gas pressure and implications of the results for beam-driven plasma accelerators are discussed.
Circuit-Code Modeling of the Refurbished Z Accelerator: Comparison of Measurements with Predictions

With the successful completion of its refurbishment the Z machine at Sandia is now routinely operating with currents over 26 MA into various loads. Now that the machine is operating we can measure current and voltage at various locations throughout the machine and compare with circuit code predictions. These measurements have led to improvements in the model that provide a more accurate predictive capability. In this paper we describe the full-machine circuit model of Z, and indicate how machine parameters are derived. Many were determined with commercially-available field calculation software, but parameters for switches and other non-linear elements were determined empirically. We show comparisons of circuit code predictions with machine performance. Finally, we show where improvements to the model can yet be made.
Finding an unpredictable target in a workspace with obstacles

This paper introduces a visibility-based motion planning problem in which the task is to coordinate the motions of one or more robots that have omnidirectional vision sensors, to eventually "see" a target that is unpredictable, has unknown initial position, and is capable of moving arbitrarily feast. A visibility region is associated with each robot, and the goal is to guarantee that the target will ultimately lie in at least one visibility region. Both a formal characterization of the general problem and several interesting problem instances are presented. A complete algorithm for computing the motion strategy of the robots is also presented, and is based on searching a finite cell complex that is constructed on the basis of critical information changes. A few computed solution strategies are shown. Several bounds on the minimum number of needed robots are also discussed.
Bacterial deposition on and detachment from surfaces in turbulent flow

A number of experimental studies on deposition and detachment of bacterial cells of Pseudomonas sp. was performed in an inclined plate apparatus 2.3 m long. In each run, ca. 108cells were introduced into a layer of flowing water at Reynolds numbers of ca. 1000 and 1300. After a preset time, the flow was stopped and the position of attached cells measured. Spatial pattern of attached cells was initially aggregative and remained so for lower flow rates. For higher flow rates the pattern tended towards randomness, perhaps as a result of cell detachment. Overall sticking efficiency of cells was very small (ca. 10−5).
Hypertagging: Supertagging for Surface Realization with CCG

In lexicalized grammatical formalisms, it is possible to separate lexical category assignment from the combinatory processes that make use of such categories, such as parsing and realization. We adapt techniques from supertagging — a relatively recent technique that performs complex lexical tagging before full parsing (Bangalore and Joshi, 1999; Clark, 2002) — for chart realization in OpenCCG, an open-source NLP toolkit for CCG. We call this approach hypertagging, as it operates at a level “above” the syntax, tagging semantic representations with syntactic lexical categories. Our results demonstrate that a hypertagger-informed chart realizer can achieve substantial improvements in realization speed (being approximately twice as fast) with superior realization quality.
Regulation of tissue plasminogen activator expression.

Widespread interest in the biology of the fibrinolytic system has developed with the recognition of the role of intravascular thrombosis in the pathogene­ sis of human disease. The therapeutic application of thrombolytic agents is a result of the rapid evolution of our understanding of the biochemistry and physiological importance of this system. In reviewing the regulation of tissue plasminogen activator expression, we emphasize the role of this system in thrombolysis and include within regulated expression the control of enzymatic activity. No attempt is made to review comprehensively the literature con­ cerning plasminogen, plasminogen activators, their respective inhibitors, or the array of biological processes in which these proteins are involved. Instead, the reader is referred to several prior reviews (13, 21, 26, 37, 78, 117) for detailed discussions of these topics. Fibrin forms the structural skeleton of a thrombus, and enzymatic degrada­ tion of fibrin by the serine protease plasmin is the basis of thrombolysis. Plasmin is derived from the inactive circulating zymogen plasminogen by specific proteolytic cleavage of the single-chain precursor to a disulfide­ linked, two-chain, catalytically active form in a process termed plasminogen activation. While several proteases are capable of activating plasminogen with low efficiency, specific plasminogen activators (PA) , urinary PA (u-PA) and tissue PA (t-PA), have been identified. Because of its high catalytic activity for the conversion of plasminogen to plasmin and the selectivity of this process for fibrin surfaces, t-PA appears to
The hypersonic viscous effect on a flat plate with finite leading edge

A method has been developed for calculating the viscous effects of the hypersonic flow on the fore part of various bodies. This method takes into account the finite leading-edge thickness of the body and the detached shock wave. The calculated pressure distributions agree with all experimental results for both air and helium over a wide range of Mach numbers and Reynolds numbers. The calculation predicts skin frictions of the order of twice those predicted by ordinary boundary-layer theory.
The Relationship between Deposition Conditions, Microstructure and Properties of Re-Tm Thin Films

Both TbCo and TbFe thin films were dc-magnetron sputtered onto carbon-coated Cu grids as well as glass substrates from a three inch mosaic target using a variety of power levels and argon pressures (PAr). The perpendicular anisotropy (Ku) displays a maximum in the range of 2.5 to 11.5 mTorr of PAr and decreased with further increases in PAr. Films deposited at low PAr ( 11.5 mTorr) exhibit a rougher surface, a high density of microvoids and in-plane magnetic domains with ripple. A similar study was also made of the effects of deposition power on the microstructure and domains at PAr = 5 mTorr. The Ku was found to decrease with increasing power. The microstructure at 30,40 and 50 watts did not reveal any significant difference except that there was a slight increase in surface roughness with increasing power.
Control applications and challenges in air traffic management

This tutorial paper describes the current air traffic management, provides a notional description of the future "free flight" concept of airspace operations, and presents several control applications and challenges in air traffic management that are of interest to the controls community.
Abdominal tuberculosis: an unusual cause of abdominal pain.

The incidence of intestinal tuberculosis (TB) in developed countries has been increasing along with the overall resurgence of TB due to the acquired immune deficiency syndrome (AIDS) epidemic, increased use of immunosuppressive drugs, and an aging population.1 Prior to the AIDS epidemic, intestinal TB was seen most commonly in immunocompetent persons with untreated advanced pulmonary disease. Currently it is most commonly observed in association with immunosuppressive treatments. In one series, more than 40% of patients with gastrointestinal TB had AIDS. Because of the non-specific symptoms associated with intestinal TB, timely diagnosis might be missed. It is important that physicians maintain a high awareness of TB as a potential source of abdominal symptoms.
Characterization of Ge-Si Interfaces and Ultra-Thin Ge Layers by Raman Scattering

The Raman spectrum of an ultra-thin layer of Ge in Si(100) or an ultra-thin layer of Si in Ge(100) can be used to characterize the homogeneity of the layer, the abruptness of the interfaces, the effects of localization on the optical phonons and the spatial extent of critical points which contribute to the resonant Raman scattering. Homogeneous layers with abrupt interfaces require growth at temperatures just above the minimum temperature for epitaxial, crystalline growth. The optical phonons of Ge and Si layers show both local and resonance properties while the E1 gap in Ge shows localized properties.
Accounting for the Child in the Transmission of Party Identification

The transmission of party identification from parent to child is one of the most important components of political socialization in the United States. Research shows that children learn their party identification from their parents, and parents drive the learning process. The vast majority of studies thus treats children as passive recipients of information and assumes that parent-child concordance equals transmission. Rather than relying on a single pathway by which parents teach children, we propose an alternative view by focusing on children as active agents in their socialization. In so doing, we introduce a two-step model of transmission: perception then adoption. Utilizing two unique family-based studies that contain self-reported measures of party identification for both parents and children, children’s perceptions of their parents’ party affiliations, and measures of the parent-child relationship, we find children differentially learn and then choose to affiliate, or not, with their parents. These findings challenge several core assumptions upon which the extant literature is built, namely that the majority of children both know and adopt their parents’ party identification. We conclude that there is much to be learned by focusing on children as active agents in their political socialization.
Antigenic relationships between Chlorella and Prototheca spp.

Eight of the 18 Chlorella spp. studied were stained by the unadsorbed fluorescein-labeled globulins against the 4 recognized Prototheca spp.; 5 of the 8 species were also stained by the 4 adsorbed species-specific fluorescein-labeled antiglobulins. The 4 unadsorbed fluorescein-labeled antiglobulins, when adsorbed with C. protothecoides, still stained 1 or more of the Prototheca spp.Unadsorbed fluorescein-labeled globulins against C. protothecoides, C. vulgaris, and C. xanthella stained 3 of the 4 Prototheca spp. These conjugates, when adsorbed separately with each of the cross-staining protothecae, still stained 1 or more of the Prototheca spp. as well as the homologous species.These results indicate that the Prototheca and Chlorella spp. possess common and distinct antigens. Whether Chlorella spp. were the progenitors of the protothecae remains unanswered.
Estimation Theory Applications to Design of Water Quality Monitoring Systems

A quantitative methodology, utilizing Kalman filtering techniques, is developed for designing water quality monitoring systems. The basis is established for: (1) improvement of current practices of specification and enforcement of water quality standards; and (2) evaluating the economic trade-off between temporal and spatial frequency of sampling. Monitoring systems are characterized by spatial and temporal frequency of sampling and the variables to be measured. Utilizing a dynamic model of the aquatic environment and estimates of the uncertainty in model error and measurement error, a best sampling program is selected from a set of feasible sampling programs by sequentially minimizing a specified measurement system cost function. An optimal solution is not guaranteed. The power of the technique is based on the unique combination of model and data obtained from filtering techniques. The major shortcomings are: (1) the need for a model of the systems and (2) high computer costs.
Donor and procurement related issues in vascularized composite allograft transplantation.

Purpose of review To understand the unique requirements of vascularized composite allograft (VCA) donation and procurement practices and the integral role of the established nationwide organ procurement organizations in organ procurement. Recent findings The recent issuance of a Final Rule (July 2013) by the United States Secretary of Health that redefines VCAs as organs rather than tissues, opens up the potential to formalize policies and procedures, under the auspices of the Organ Procurement and Transplantation Network, that can improve VCA donation, procurement practices, develop allocation algorithms and provide transparent oversight. Summary Improved VCA donation rates, procurement procedures and broader sharing nationwide of VCA donors will have important implications in advancing the emerging field of VCA transplantation.
Comparison of Torso Movements in Manual Transfer Tasks: Influence of Spinal Cord Injury and Low Back Pain

The purpose of this study was to characterize functional limitation in seated manual transfer tasks for low back pain (LBP), spinal cord injury (SCI), and control subjects. Seated subjects performed either two- or one-handed transfer tasks to one of three targets 87cm above the hip-point at 0, 45, and 90° azimuths. Three torso angles (flexion, lateral bending, and axial rotation) were obtained from captured motions and modeled by combinations of B-spline base functions. The results demonstrated that 1) the SCI and LBP subjects exhibit smaller torso flexion than controls; 2) the SCI subjects tend to move the torso (lateral bending and extension) away from the target; and 3) these group differences are reduced in one-handed transfers and light load conditions. The movement patterns suggest that SCI patients may have adapted strategies to compensate for the limited control of upper body balance, while LBPs may limit torso motion to avoid pain.
Barriers and Bridges to the Adoption of Biodegradable Plastic Mulches for US Specialty Crop Production

Commercial farmers have been using polyethylene plastic mulch since the 1950s. Despite the affordability and effectiveness of polyethylene mulch, the disposal process is financially and environmentally costly. Biodegradable plastic mulches, an ecologically sustainable alternative to polyethylene mulch films, were introduced in the 1980s. Biodegradable plastic mulches can be tilled into the soil or composted at the end of the season, reducing the labor and environmental costs associated with plastic removal and disposal. However, research results are mixed as to the effectiveness, degradability and ease-of-use of biodegradable plastic mulches. In 2008–2012, researchers, funded by a USDA Specialty Crop Research Initiative grant, conducted surveys and focus groups in three different agricultural regions of the USA to better understand the barriers and bridges to the adoption of biodegradable plastic mulches for specialty crop production systems. Data on the experiences and views of specialty crop growers, agricultural extension agents, agricultural input suppliers, mulch manufacturers and other stakeholders showed that the major adoption barriers were insufficient knowledge, high cost and unpredictable breakdown. The major bridges to adoption were reduced waste, environmental benefits and interest in further learning. These findings are discussed with reference to the classic innovation diffusion model, specifically work on the innovation–decision process and the attributes of innovations. The study results can be used to guide the activities of those involved in the design, development and promotion of biodegradable plastic mulches for US specialty crop production systems.
Gastropericardial fistula as a delayed complication of a Nissen fundoplication

A 41-year-old man presented to the emergency department with substernal chest pain and was found to have ST elevations in the inferior leads on his electrocardiogram. An emergent cardiac catheterization did not identify significant coronary narrowing. Computed tomography of the thorax demonstrated a pneumopericardium and a hiatal hernia. The patient had a complicated past surgical history, including a Nissen fundoplication and three additional surgeries for postoperative complications. An esophagram later revealed an ulcer and possible fistula, and the patient underwent gastropericardial fistula resection after the fistula failed to close with fibrin sealant application. Enteropericardial fistulas occur infrequently but have high morbidity and mortality rates. This possibility is much more likely in patients with prior gastroesophageal surgery, including laparoscopic Nissen fundoplication.
Development of doxorubicin resistant rat prostate cancer cell lines.

Background One possible mechanism of chemotherapeutic resistance in patients with metastatic prostate cancer is the overexpression of P-glycoprotein. Additional tumor models are necessary to study this phenomenon. Materials and methods Doxorubicin resistant rat prostate cancer cell lines were developed by increasing doxorubicin levels in cell culture. Results The MDR lines (AT3B-1, AT3B-2, MLLB-1, and MLLB-2) were more resistant to vinblastine compared to controls. When P-glycoprotein was blocked, the AT3 MDR lines demonstrated efflux activity. Injection of AT3 MDR lines into rats followed by doxorubicin treatment produced larger tumors compared to the parental controls. Conclusions MDR rat prostate cancer cells were developed. AT3B-1 and AT3B-2 cell lines have drug efflux pump ability, whereas the MLLB-1 and MLLB-2 may not, suggesting alternative key mechanisms other than P-glycoprotein overexpression. These new cell lines are being used to study chemotherapy resistance in prostate cancer.
Temperature Modulation for Refractory Status Epilepticus (P4.252)

OBJECTIVE: To characterize the effect of TTM in patients with RSE. BACKGROUND: Therapeutic temperature modulation (TTM) has been proposed as a potential therapy for refractory status epilepticus (RSE). Despite evidence from animal models, few human cases have been reported. METHODS: We identified all RSE patients admitted to Columbia University between 1/2008-1/2013 who underwent TTM for management of refractory fever, cerebral edema, seizures, or hypoxic injury after EEG had already demonstrated seizure activity. Baseline characteristics, medication and temperature data were collected. EEGs were evaluated blinded to temperature management, and categorized on an ordinal scale of time spent in epileptic activity. RESULTS: 18 patients were identified who underwent TTM during RSE, 7 hypothermia and 11 normothermia (respective mean age 51+/-20 and 45+/-15, female 57%[n=4] and 55%[n=6], prior epilepsy in 0% and 9%[n=1]). Etiologies included acute symptomatic seizures (57%[n=4] and 82%[n=9]), remote symptomatic seizures (14%[n=1] and 9%[n=1]), and unknown causes (29%[n=2] and 9%[n=1]), for hypo- and normothermia patients, respectively. Convulsions at onset occurred in 57%[n=4] vs. 55%[n=6] and median seizure days before TTM were 2 [IQR 0,8] vs. 4 [IQR 0,12], for hypo- vs. normothermia. Median number of AEDs at TTM onset was 4 [IQR 2,6] in both groups. On the day of TTM initiation or day at goal temperature, ictal or ictal-interictal activity improved in 71%[n=5] of hypothermia and 82%[n=9] of normothermia patients. In total, 33% of patients (29%[n=2] with hypothermia and 36%[n=4] with normothermia) had improvement in ictal or ictal-interictal activity without significant changes in sedative medications. CONCLUSIONS: Patients with RSE frequently show improvement in ictal or ictal-interictal activity while undergoing TTM, with as many as 33% demonstrating improvement without significant changes in sedative medications. In this small sample, there did not appear to be a notable difference between normothermia and hypothermia. These preliminary observations support a potential role for TTM in the management of RSE. Disclosure: Dr. Czeisler has nothing to disclose. Dr. Manvar has nothing to disclose. Dr. De Marchis has nothing to disclose. Dr. Pugin has nothing to disclose. Dr. Fernandez has nothing to disclose. Dr. Foreman has received research support from Pfizer Inc. Dr. Schmidt has nothing to disclose. Dr. Badjatia has received research support from Medivance Inc. Dr. Agarwal has nothing to disclose. Dr. Mayer has received personal compensation for activities with Actelion, Baxter, Biogen Idec, Codman/Johnson & Johnson Company, CSL Behring, Cornerstone Therapeutics, CR Bard, Novartis, Orsan Technologies, Pfizer Inc, Sage Therapeutics, and Stryker. Dr. Mayer has received research support from Non-Invasive Medical Systems, Inc., and General Electric. Dr. Claassen has nothing to disclose.
A simulation of variability-oriented sequencing rules on block surgical scheduling

Surgery scheduling has received considerable attention in recent years. Block schedules, in which surgeon groups utilize the OR for whatever surgeries they have scheduled for the day, present additional challenges to schedulers. While mean operation times are often used as the primary factor in scheduling strategies, the variability of these operations is not. Recent research suggests that sequencing surgeries based on their variation may decrease the number of late surgery starts. This article builds upon this emerging methodology of variability-oriented sequencing rules for block schedules. Discrete event simulation was used to examine the effectiveness of different sequencing algorithms in reducing the number of behind schedule surgeries and their magnitude. The number and magnitude of tardy surgeries and the patient waiting time were significantly improved by an average of 40% with the proposed scheduling strategies. Additional simulations explored several variations of the variability-based scheduling methodology.
Investigation of fatigue crack incubation and growth in cast MAR-M247 subjected to low cycle fatigue at room temperature

MC carbide particles (with Hafnium and/or Tantalum as constituent metallic element, M) were observed to crack extensively in a cast polycrystalline nickel-base superalloy, MAR-M247, when subjected to low-cycle fatigue loading at room temperature. High resolution secondary electron images taken on the surface of a double edge notch test specimen revealed that approximately half the carbide particles cracked in the highly-strained notch section of the specimen. These images further illustrated that the average surface area of cracked particles was approximately three times that of the uncracked particles. Additional analysis illustrated that the cracks within a large number of particles aligned nearly perpendicular to the loading direction. However, high aspect ratio particles (with aspect ratio $${>}3$$ ) were prone to incubate cracks aligned along its major axis, independent of the loading direction. Additionally, forward-scattered imaging often showed a high density of slip bands interaction with most of the particles which cracked. The life limiting crack growth in MAR-M247 was observed to be crystallographic in nature, as the crack grew along slip bands as measured by high-resolution electron backscatter diffraction, even after spanning many grains. Statistically representative microstructure models of MAR-M247 were generated and used in the crystal plasticity finite element simulations. As expected, there was a significant variation in the computed stress state among constituent carbide particles. The stress state of the carbide particles was found to be heavily influenced by the stress in surrounding grains and the orientation of the major axis of the particles with respect to applied load direction. For particles that intersect the free-surface, stress was found to be highly concentrated at the free surface and a positive correlation between the magnitude of free-surface area and the maximum principal stress was found. Additionally, high stress concentrations were observed in regions where carbide particles intersect grain boundaries.
Air Pollution and Risk of Parkinson's Disease in a Large Prospective Study of Men

Background: Exposure to air pollution has been implicated in a number of adverse health outcomes, and the effect of particulate matter (PM) on the brain is beginning to be recognized. Objectives: W...
Bliverdin reductase-A improves neurological function in a germinal matrix hemorrhage rat model

Germinal matrix hemorrhage is induced by stereotaxic injection of collagenase into the germinal matrix of P7 Sprague-Dawley rats. Hemoglobin assay, western blot, immunofluorescence and neurobehavioral tests were used to test the effects of BLVRA on hematoma resolution and anti-inflammatory response. We showed that BLVRA triggered a signaling cascade that ameliorated post-hemorrhagic neurological deficits in both short-term and long-term neurobehavioral tests in a GMH rat model. Specifically, BLVRA inhibited toll-like receptor 4 (TLR4) expression by translocating to the nucleus in an endothelial nitric oxide (eNOS)/nitric oxide (NO)-dependent manner. BLVRA also induced the upregulation of CD36 scavenger receptor level in microglia/microphages, of which the prominent role is to enhance hematoma resolution. However, the beneficial effects of BLVRA were abolished with the knockdown of eNOS, indicating that the eNOS/NO system is an important downstream factor of BLVRA. Our results demonstrate a mechanism of BLVRA modulating hematoma resolution and suppressing inflammation through eNOS/NO/TLR4 pathway in the GMH rat model.
Electronic versus steric effects of pyridinophane ligands on Pd(III) complexes

Several new PdII and PdIII complexes supported by electronically and sterically tuned tetradentate pyridinophane ligands MeN4OMe, MeN4, and tBuN4 were isolated and fully characterized (MeN4OMe: N,N'-dimethyl-2,11-diaza[3,3](2,6)-para-methoxypyridinophane; MeN4: N,N'-dimethyl-2,11-diaza[3,3](2,6)pyridinophane; tBuN4: N,N'-di-tert-butyl-2,11-diaza[3,3](2,6)pyridinophane). Cyclic voltammetry studies, UV-vis and EPR spectroscopy, and X-ray crystallography were employed to reveal that the steric properties of the N-substituents of the RN4 ligands have a pronounced effect on the electronic properties of the corresponding PdIII complexes, while the electronic tuning of the ligand pyridyl groups has a surprisingly minimal effect. An explanation for these observations was provided by DFT and TD-DFT calculations which suggest that the electronic properties of the PdIII complexes are mainly dictated by their frontier molecular orbitals that have major atomic contributions from the Pd center (mainly the Pd dz2 atomic orbital) and the axial N atom donors.
Highly Efficient Perovskite Solar Modules by Scalable Fabrication and Interconnection Optimization

To push perovskite solar cell (PSC) technology toward practical applications, large-area perovskite solar modules with multiple subcells need to be developed by fully scalable deposition approaches. Here, we demonstrate a deposition scheme for perovskite module fabrication with spray coating of a TiO2 electron transport layer (ETL) and blade coating of both a perovskite absorber layer and a spiro-OMeTAD-based hole transport layer (HTL). The TiO2 ETL remaining in the interconnection between subcells significantly affects the module performance. Reducing the TiO2 thickness changes the interconnection contact from a Schottky diode to ohmic behavior. Owing to interconnection resistance reduction, the perovskite modules with a 10 nm TiO2 layer show enhanced performance mainly associated with an improved fill factor. Finally, we demonstrate a four-cell MA0.7FA0.3PbI3 perovskite module with a stabilized power conversion efficiency (PCE) of 15.6% measured from an aperture area of ∼10.36 cm2, corresponding to an a...
Susceptibility of Hop Crown Buds to Powdery Mildew and its Relation to Perennation of Podosphaera macularis

In the Pacific Northwestern United States, the hop powdery mildew fungus, Podosphaera macularis, survives overwintering periods in association with living host tissue because the ascigerious stage of the pathogen is not known to occur in this region. Field experiments were conducted over a 5-year period to describe the overwintering process associated with crown bud infection and persistence of P. macularis. Surface crown buds increased in abundance and size beginning in early July and continuing until mid-September. Buds of varying sizes remained susceptible to powdery mildew until late September to early October in each of 3 years of experiments, with susceptibility decreasing substantially thereafter. Potted plants were inoculated sequentially during early summer to autumn, then evaluated in the following year for development of shoots colonized by the powdery mildew fungus (termed flag shoots) due to bud perennation. Emergence of flag shoots was asynchronous and associated with shoot emergence and elongation. Flag shoots emerged over a protracted period from late February to early June, year dependent. In all 4 years of experiments, some infected buds broke and produced flag shoots after chemical desiccation of shoots in spring, a common horticultural practice in hop production conducted to set training timing and eliminate initial inoculum. Flag shoots were most numerous when plants were inoculated with P. macularis in early summer and, consequently, when powdery mildew was present throughout the entire period of crown bud development. The number of flag shoots produced was reduced from 6.8- to 46.6-fold when comparing the latest versus earliest inoculation dates. However, all inoculation timings yielded flag shoots at some level, suggesting that bud infection that occurs over an extended period of time in the previous season may allow the fungus to perennate. In studies in two commercial hop yards in Washington State, fungicide applications made after harvest reduced the level of powdery mildew on leaves in the current year but did not significantly reduce flag shoots in the following year. Given that bud infection occurred over a 10-week period, flag shoots developed even when plants were exposed to inoculum in October and some flag shoots survived chemical pruning practices, management efforts seem best directed to both preventative measures to reduce the likelihood of bud infection and remedial practices to physically eliminate infected crown buds in the ensuing year.
Adaptive Crawling with Multiple Bots: A Matroid Intersection Approach

In this work, we examine the problem of adaptively uncovering network topology in an incomplete network, to support more accurate decision making in various real-world applications, such as modeling for reconnaissance attacks and network probing. While this problem has been partially studied, we provide a novel take on it by modeling it with a set of crawlers termed “bots” which can uncover independent portions of the network in parallel. Accordingly, we develop three adaptive algorithms, which make decisions based on previous observations due to incomplete information, namely AGP, a sequential method; FastAGP, a parallel algorithm; and ALSP, an extension of FastAGP uses local search to improve guarantees. These algorithms are proven to have 1/3, 1/7, and 1/ (5 + ∊) approximation ratios, respectively. The key analysis of these algorithms is the connection between adaptive algorithms and an intersection of multiple partition matroids. We conclude with an evaluation of these algorithms to quantify the impact of both adaptivity and parallelism. We find that in practice, adaptive approaches perform significantly better, while FastAGP performs nearly as well as AGP in most cases despite operating in a massively parallel fashion. Finally, we show that a balance between the quantity and quality of bots is ideal for maximizing observation of the network.
Chronicles of teaching: using computer-based communication to tell stories and reflect about teaching

In recent years, research in teacher education has focused on ways to promote reflection by beginning teachers. The research project described in this paper elicits the help of hypermedia computer technology to encourage and facilitate communication among teacher education students, as they develop abilities to view classroom situations from multiple perspectives, suggest alternative explanations of classroom events, and use theoretical principles to support or evaluate decisions.
Changing Decision Rules

We use the Estimation Classification (EC) estimator first introduced and utilised in El-Gamal and Grether (1995) to study the extent to which individual decision making under uncertainty is shaped by the simplicity of application of various heuristics. In particular, we consider the representativeness heuristic, which figured prominently in earlier empirical results. We study two sets of data from two experiments conducted recently at the University of Wisconsin at Madison, where we employed two designs. One of the designs was used in our previous research and makes the representativeness heuristic readily available to the subjects, whereas the other design does not. In one experimental session, we started with the first design and switched to the second, and in the other session the order of the designs was reversed. We find strong evidence that the ease with which subjects can use the representativeness heuristic influences their tendency to use it. This is evidence for a long-held view in the bounded rationality literature that — other things constant — individuals tend to use heuristics which are more readily available to them.
Insulated Gate Field-Effect-Transistors: MOSFETs, IGFETs and Related Devices

Modulation of the conductance of a thin layer by surface charges, a concept that goes back to 1930, was revived for semiconductors in 1948.233 Practical devices did not ensue until about 1960, when diffusion and oxide technologies for Si were developed. MOSFET structures manufactured during the next few years are illustrated in Fig. 7.1. The current flows by majority carrier movement from the source to drain and is controlled by the voltage on the insulated metal gate which determines the channel charge. In the n-channel enhancement type structure [see Fig. 7.1(a)] the channel is not initially present and must be induced by a positive gate voltage V GS . A threshold voltage V T is needed before any usable characteristic is obtained. In the n-channel depletion type structure [see Fig. 7.1(b)] the channel is already present (as a result of a shallow n-type diffusion or implant or as a result of interface conditions). This channel can be partially depleted by a negative gate voltage or enhanced by a positive gate voltage.
A Systematic Review of Closed Head Injury Models of Mild Traumatic Brain Injury in Mice and Rats

Abstract Mild TBI (mTBI) is a significant health concern. Animal models of mTBI are essential for understanding mechanisms, and pathological outcomes, as well as to test therapeutic interventions. ...
Determining the Rate of Educational Advancement of Associate Degree Nursing Graduates: A Replicable Method to Establish the ADN as a Pathway to the Baccalaureate in Nursing

Abstract This article reports on the initial analysis of a database constructed to track the educational advancement of graduates’ of a public associate degree nursing (ADN) consortium in the northeast United States. This study offers a valid, reliable, and replicable method for ADN programs to determine the frequency and rate of the educational advancement of graduates to demonstrate a critical program outcome measure and to show that these programs are contributing to the educational progression of the nation’s nursing workforce. In addition, this research represents a contribution to the body of evidence for a new paradigm of nursing education that demonstrates the ADN as a clear pathway to the BSN, essential to reach 80% BSN by 2020. The alignment of demographic and academic variables with educational advancement is a recommendation for further study.
Attitude change is not enough: Disrupting deficit grading practices to disrupt dialect prejudice

If we wish to truly dismantle the linguistic hegemony in our schools, we must not only improve negative attitudes toward vernacular dialects, but we must also unseat discriminatory grading practices. Teachers may understand that vernacular dialects are differently patterned, not deficient, but if they do not learn grading practices embodying the difference approach, then dialect discrimination remains. In sum, this paper a) demonstrates the need for change in grading practices in dialectally diverse classrooms, b) illustrates teacher resistance to learning salient grammar (SAE and AAVE) underlying change of practice and c) suggests that addressing discriminatory grading practices is the next frontier of in the work of linguistic social justice.
Problem Solving: Part IV Diseases of the Cerebral Hemispheres

LESION DIAGRAMS: For each of the following diagrams indicate the structures involved by the cross hatched lesion. For each structure involved, indicate the expected clinical symptoms or signs with appropriate lateralization. Where appropriate, indicate the vascular territory involved or the designation of the most likely type of pathology. (Diagrams to be inserted).