cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Structural response of cadaveric ribcages under a localized loading: stiffness and kinematic trends

To improve understanding of structural coupling and deformation patterns throughout the loaded ribcage, the present study reports the force-displacement and kinematic responses under a highly-localized loading condition using three PMHS ribcages (ages 44, 61, and 63 years). The ribcages were quasi-statically loaded locally to a non-failure displacement (nominally 15% of the ribcage depth at the loaded rib level) at approximately 25 unilateral locations and 5-7 geometrically symmetric bilateral locations on the anterior surface of each ribcage, for a total of 94 tests. The translations of 56 points distributed around the anterior, lateral, and posterior portions of the superficial surface of the ribcage were measured while under loading. Each of the first through sixth rib levels was then separated from the remaining ribs, and this "rib ring" structure was individually loaded at the sternum in the anterior-posterior direction. The force when the ribcage was deflected to 8% of its initial depth was normalized to the force at the upper sternum (viz. 81.2±32.2 N). The normalized unilateral force at the costo-chondral junction was found to vary from 0.76±0.29 at rib 1 to 0.15±0.02 at rib 9, while bilateral forces (sum of left and right aspects) varied from 0.92 to 1.11. The rib rings were generally less stiff, ranging from 0.78±0.24 for rib 1 to 0.19±0.01 for rib 6. The deformation patterns under all loading conditions were quantified. In general, bilateral loading produced an approximately symmetric deformation pattern, while unilateral loading resulted in approximately twice as much resultant deformation on the ipsilateral side compared to the contralateral side.
In-situ Crack Tip Stress Measurement at High Temperature in IN-617 Using Combined Nano-Indentation and Nano-Mechanical Raman Spectroscopy

In this work, the in-situ measurement of crack tip stresses in Inconel 617 at high temperature is presented. The temperature during loading in the current work was varied in the range from room temperature to 1073 K (800 °C). Three-point bending tests for in-situ notch tip stress measurements with increasing load were performed. A Combined Nano indentation and Nano mechanical Raman spectroscopy (NMRS) methods are used to measure notch tip plasticity induced stress distribution. Optical microscopy and SEM imaging is used to analyze the effect of surface finish and oxidation on the Nano indentation measurements. An in-situ Nano mechanical Raman spectroscopy is used to obtain the stress distribution at the notch tip during three point bending. The size resolution of measurements of notch-tip stresses was in the range of few microns. Temperature dependent (up to 1073 K) material properties were studied in terms of hardness and elastic modulus variation as a function of temperature. Microstructure dependent local mechanical properties were obtained using Nano indentation and is used in the finite element simulation. A finite element method based formulation to predict microstructure and temperature dependent crack tip stresses is presented and validated using the experimental stress distribution obtained from NMRS.
Book Review: The Nature of the Nonprofit Sector (3rd ed.) | Understanding Nonprofit Organizations (3rd ed.)

Reviewed by: Sarah L. Pettijohn University of North Carolina, Charlotte Subscribe to JNEL
Reply to Hardalo et al., "Myelosuppression with Oxazolidinones: Are There Differences?"

In our study evaluating thrombocytopenia adverse event reports with linezolid and tedizolid using the FDA Adverse Event Reporting System (FAERS), we addressed the well-known limitations of FAERS, including unknown incidence, rare events with wide confidence intervals, overreporting/underreporting (
One size fits all? The differential impact of parent capital on bank failures

Abstract Recent regulations increased minimum capital standards for bank holding companies. We test the effectiveness of this action in preventing bank failures during the sub-prime mortgage crisis. We find that while holding company capital is the most influential variable in the failures of banks affiliated with multi-bank holding companies, this is not the case for banks affiliated with a one-bank holding company. For these banks, the bank's own characteristics are more influential than group capital, meaning the established standards may not be universally effective.
Influence of ecosystem services on management decisions by public land ranchers in the Intermountain West, United States.

Abstract Ecosystem services are benefits humans obtain as a result of ecosystem processes and conditions. In the western United States, public rangelands are managed for a spectrum of ecosystem services on behalf of multiple stakeholders. Decisions of ranchers who hold public land grazing allotments must balance operational needs for forage with societal expectations for other ecosystem services. To better understand their choices regarding ecosystem services, we interviewed ranchers to learn about the bases for their management decisions and identify services they believe rangelands provide. A total of 19 services were identified, many of which reflected ranchers’ recognition that they manage within the context of a broader social-ecological system (e.g., maintaining open space). We then conducted a mail survey of Bureau of Land Management grazing permittees in six states to understand the importance they personally place on different services, as well as the extent to which they manage with those services in mind. Fourteen of the 19 ecosystem services identified in interviews were reported by at least 50% of the survey sample (N = 435) as influencing their management decisions. Most respondents reported trying to manage deeded and leased land to the same standard. Aside from forage for livestock (ranked #1), ranchers were less likely to report managing for provisioning services than for cultural, supporting, and regulating services. Importance ratings for ecosystem services followed a similar pattern, although there were a few differences in rank order. Ranchers tended to report managing for more ecosystem services if they had larger operations, earned at least 50% of their income from ranching, spent more time out on the ranch, and relied on multiple sources for information about range management. Results indicate public land ranchers believe they are managing for multifunctionality, balancing their own operational needs with those of society.
Transitive inference in pigeons may result from differential tendencies to reject the test stimuli acquired during training.

In the five-term, transitive inference task used with animals, pigeons are trained on four simultaneous discrimination premise pairs: A + B −, B + C −, C + D −, D + E −. Typically, when tested with the BD pair, most pigeons show a transitive inference effect, choosing B over D. Two non-inferential hypotheses have been proposed to account for this effect but neither has been reliably supported by research. Here we test a third non-inferential hypothesis that the preference for B arises because the animals have not had as much experience with B − in the A + B − discrimination as they have had with the D − in the C + D − discrimination. To test this hypothesis we trained the Experimental Group with the A + B − discrimination in which, over trials, there were four possible A + stimuli that could appear. This was done to encourage the pigeons to learn to reject the B − stimulus. For the Control Group there was only one A + stimulus over trials, as is typically the case. We also varied the nature of the stimuli between groups, such that colors served as the stimuli for half of the pigeons, whereas flags of different counties served as stimuli for the remaining pigeons. In both stimulus conditions, for the Experiment Group, we found little preference for stimulus B over stimulus D, whereas for the Control Group we found the typical preference for stimulus B. Thus, we propose that it is not necessary to attribute the transitive inference effect to an inferential process.
Will Artificial Intelligence (AI) Make Democracy Irrelevant

There are scientists who are warning us that the AI machines can outthink homo sapiens. There are supercomputers who can beat any chess champion and take over the management of the electrical grid, the internet, and industrial production. These AI machines can “think,” in that they can make decisions that they are programmed for. But, they do not have consciousness, they do not have a self-aware self, they do not desire anything. In the near future, the AI machines will do what their algorithms tell them to do – and human scientists make up the algorithms. The AI machines, however, can make giant mistakes, if they are controlling the operating systems of the modern economy and communications grids. So, humans must be vigilant in overseeing their functioning and their programming. In the far future, the AI machines may be designed like the human brain. If this occurs, the machines will have a conscious self, and might want to dominate humans – but this is, as yet, science fiction.
A short route to β-lactams: Use of cyclic sulfites from syn-2,3-dihydroxy esters

Abstract A convenient synthetic route has been developed to prepare homochiral β-lactams in a highly stereospecific manner through the use of cyclic sulfites prepared from vicinal diols produced by catalytic asymmetric dihydroxylation (ADH).
Promoting friendship development in inclusive early childhood classrooms: A literature review

The purpose of this literature review was to describe research findings related to how teachers could support friendships in inclusive early childhood classrooms, with particular interests in friendship development for young children with disabilities. This literature review was conducted to examine the following two questions: (a) How are friendships between young children with and without disabilities defined and measured? and (b) What teaching strategies and intervention programs does research recommend to promote friendships between young children with and without disabilities? The following criteria were used to determine the inclusion of articles: studies included teachers, were conducted in inclusive early childhood classrooms in the United States, had measures for friendships, and were published in peer-reviewed journals between 1990 to 2018. A total of eight studies were identified. The results of this review demonstrated that across all studies there were several common characteristics (e.g. mutual liking, spending time together) in defining young children’s friendships. The studies re- viewed also included various methods (e.g., surveys, interviews, observations) to measure friendships and suggested effective strategies and intervention programs that teachers could use to support friendship development. However, results also showed that teachers did not readily use the evidence-based practices. Based on the results, implications for future research and practices are discussed.
Memories of Europe in the Art From Elsewhere

The contemporary arts contain and nurture the social lives of European memory, both in Europe and abroad. But European memory cannot be fortressed. It must include memories of Europe as they circulate elsewhere in the world. The lecture will focus on three contemporary artists (Doris Salcedo, William Kentridge, and Vivan Sundaram) whose work engages with memories of political violence in aesthetic forms imaginatively appropriated and transformed from the legacies of European and Transatlantic modernism.
Reference function of old electrical stimulation electrode in cochlear-reimplantation in children.

Abstract Objectives To explore the causes of cochlear implantation and reference function of old electrical stimulation electrode in cochlear reimplantation in children. Methods The causes, surgical methods and problems found during the operations of 24 cases of cochlear reimplantation in Henan Children's Hospital from June 2016 to April 2018 were analyzed. Results Twenty-three cases successfully completed the surgery of cochlear-reimplantation, and the remaining one case had approximately 1/3 of the anterior end of the residual cochlear electrode due to high resistance at the time of withdrawal of the electrodes. The causes of re-implantation were implant equipment failure (eleven cases), elevated impedance values of all electrodes after head trauma (two cases), and implant prolapse together with the electrode caused by a traffic accident (one case). Conclusion The old stimulus electrode can provide an important reference to reduce the risk of operation and ensure the success of the reoperation.
Considerations for Heart Failure Care During the COVID-19 Pandemic.

The coronavirus-2019 (COVID-19) infection pandemic has affected the care of patients with heart failure (HF) who have contracted COVID-19 as well as those without COVID-19 who have been impacted by the restructuring of health care delivery. Patients with HF and other cardiovascular comorbidities are at risk for severe disease and complications of infection. Similarly, COVID-19 has been demonstrated to cause myocarditis and may be implicated in new-onset cardiomyopathy. During this pandemic, special considerations are needed for patients with advanced HF, including those supported by durable left ventricular assist devices (LVADs) and heart transplant recipients. The purpose of this review is to summarize emerging data regarding the development of HF secondary to COVID-19 infection in patients with advanced HF and the implications of the pandemic for care of uninfected patients with HF.
Background media use is negatively related to language and literacy skills: indirect effects of self-regulation.

Background Media use is pervasive among young children. Over 95% of homes in the US have one or more televisions, and access to screen-based media continues to grow with the availability of new technologies. Broadly, exposure to large amounts of screen-based media is negatively related to language and literacy skills; however, questions remain as to the features of media that are detrimental to these skills and the mechanisms by which they are connected. Methods A nationally representative sample of 922 children aged 3-7 years was recruited. Parents completed phone-based questionnaires of children's language, literacy, and self-regulation skills and a 24-h time diary in 2009. Path models were used to estimate the direct and indirect associations between context and content of media use with language and literacy skills. Results Background and entertainment television, but not educational television, were negatively associated with language and literacy. Further, the link between background television and language and literacy skills was fully mediated by self-regulation. Conclusions Television left on in the background and entertainment programming (or that which is not child-directed) is particularly detrimental for language and literacy skills. Additional research is needed to further explore self-regulation as a mechanism by which screen use predicts academic skills. Impact Background and entertainment television are negatively associated with language and literacy skills in 3- to 7-year-old children.We find no relation between educational programming and language and literacy skills.Self-regulation is a potential mechanism underlying the relation between background television and language and literacy skills.Anticipatory guidance for parents would be to consider turning off screen-based media devices when no one is watching.Parents should be mindful of the types of content their children are watching on screen-based media.
Design and implementation of a new run-time life-cycle for interactive public display applications

Public display systems are becoming increasingly complex. They are moving from passive closed systems to open interactive systems that are able to accommodate applications from several independent sources. This shift needs to be accompanied by a more flexible and powerful application management. In this paper, we propose a run-time life-cycle model for interactive public display applications that addresses several shortcomings of current display systems. Our model allows applications to load their resources before they are displayed, enables the system to quickly pause and resume applications, provides strategies for applications to transition and terminate gracefully by requesting additional time to finish the presentation of content, allows applications to save their state before being destroyed and gives applications the opportunity to request and relinquish display time. We have implemented our model as a Google Chrome extension that allows any computer with the Google Chrome browser to become a public display driver without further software. In this paper we present our model, implementation, and evaluation of the system.
Predicting elastic strain fields in defective microstructures using image colorization algorithms

Abstract In this work, an image colorization algorithm based on convolutional neural networks is explored as an approach to predict tensile plane-strain field components of microstructures featuring porosity defects. For the same, microstructures featuring porosity of various shapes, sizes, area fractions and number densities were sampled on the gage section of ASTM-E8 sized numerical specimens whose tensile deformation was simulated in plane strain mode using commercial finite element analysis package Abaqus. Subsequently, the image colorization algorithm was trained by treating the microstructure featuring porosity defects as the gray scale image, and its strain field components as its color layers, analogous to the red-green-blue color components of traditional digital representations of images. Towards the same, various CNN frameworks were tested for optimization of its parameters, viz. number of layers, number of filters in each layer, stride, padding, and activation function. An optimized CNN framework is presented that is able to predict strain fields on randomly sampled microstructures with high accuracy R 2 > 0.91 at a fraction of the time that finite element analysis would take. Various cross-validation tests were performed to test the accuracy and robustness of the CNN in learning features of various microstructures. Results indicated that the CNN algorithm is extremely robust and can provide near-accurate strain fields in generic scenarios.
Teaching Law and Society in the Sociology Classroom: Writing Assignments for Engaging the Sociolegal Imagination.

A common learning goal of law-related courses taught in sociology classrooms is for students to gain an understanding of the sociological approach to law. This approach emphasizes viewing law as a ...
Battlegrounds: the fight to defend the free world: by H. R. McMaster, New York, Harper, 2020, 545 pp., $35.00 (hardback), ISBN: 9780062899465

The first two decades of the twenty-first century have provided no shortage of crises, hot spots, rogue states, and international bad actors to contend with. From Russian election interference, to ...
Patient-centered Opioid Prescribing: Breaking Away From One-Size-Fits-All Prescribing Guidelines.

Abstract Background Procedure-based opioid-prescribing guidelines have reduced the amount of opioids prescribed after surgery; however, many patients are still overprescribed opioids. The 24-h predischarge opioid consumption (PDOC) metric has been proposed to guide patient-centered prescribing. Materials and methods This is a single-institution, retrospective study of patients who underwent major abdominal surgery. We assessed the correlation between inpatient opioid use and discharge prescriptions using morphine milligram equivalents (MMEs). The adequacy of discharge prescriptions for individual patients was assessed using 2 models, one assuming constant opioid use (based on 24-h PDOC) and the other assuming a linear taper. Results Of 596 included patients, gastric bypass and colectomy were the most common operations. Median length of stay was 3.5 d. Inpatient opioid use and discharge prescriptions were weakly correlated (r = 0.35). Patients with no opioid use 24 h before discharge (n = 133, 22.3%) were frequently discharged with opioid prescriptions. Patients with high opioid use (24-h PDOC >60 MME) were often discharged with prescriptions that would have lasted Conclusions At our institution, opioid prescribing was rarely patient-centered, with little correlation between patient's inpatient opioid use and discharge prescriptions. This leads to overprescribing for most patients and underprescribing for others.
Capitalizing on Missed Opportunities: An Internal Retrospective Review of Heart Transplant Donor Selection

Purpose Given the limited supply and increasing demand, the heart transplant community has been searching for ways to alleviate the donor shortage. The absence of an evidence based universal donor selection criteria naturally leads to many potential donor hearts being discarded. Based on the SRTR database, our heart transplant team has achieved a survival rate exceeding national standards. We reviewed our donor selection process in search for donor characteristics that lead to more organ utilization. Methods A retrospective analysis of 15 orthotopic heart transplant recipients was performed from January 2019 to January 2020. Data obtained from the EMR and the United Network for Organ Sharing. Donor characteristics were collected. All declined organs have a refusal code that is selected by the evaluating center. The definition of these codes is set by Donor Net. Comparisons between reasons for refusal and our institutions reason for acceptance were made. Results We noted that all 15 donors, had the refusal code “830” documented by a center at least once, which means the center declined the potential match due to an incompatibility due to “donor age, hypertension, prolonged hypotension, high vasopressor/ medication dosage, cardiac arrest, evidence of infection/positive cultures, non-heart beating, etiology of death, donor unstable, donor diabetes, other medical history”. This appeared as the predominant refusal code that centers used in 9 donors. Conclusion Many good quality organs are declined for vague medical reasons. This is echoed in the 90-day survival rate of our 15 patients and our long-term program outcomes. Refusal code 830 encompasses an overly broad array of medical reasons to decline an organ. More specific refusal codes that can be linked to specific organ and recipient outcomes can help dictate evidence-based donor selection guidelines. Larger multicenter studies with extended follow-up and linking the rejection codes to outcomes is needed to validate these observations.
Coping repertoires and psychological well-being of Chinese older immigrants in the United States.

Objectives This study examines (1) the overall structures of multifaceted coping resources, that is, coping repertoires, among Chinese older immigrants in the United States, (2) the optimal coping repertoire that is associated with best psychological outcomes of these older immigrants, and (3) the most effective coping repertoire in different adversities. Method Using data from 2,923 Chinese older immigrants in Chicago, Latent Class Analysis (LCA) was performed to identify the overall coping repertoires of U.S. Chinese older adults. Negative binomial and logistic regressions were used to examine associations between coping repertoires and depression and Quality of Life (QoL), respectively. We further tested whether coping repertories moderate the relationships between adversities in health, economic, and social domains, and the two psychological outcomes. Results LCA revealed four types of coping repertories: low-resource (43%), spouse-oriented (32%), community-oriented (15%), and multi-source coping (10%). Overall, Chinese older immigrants who had the multi-source coping repertoire reported the best psychological outcomes. The community-oriented and multi-source coping repertories had significantly stronger buffering effects on psychological well-being among individuals with IADL difficulties or low acculturation. However, spouse-oriented coping intensified the association between ADL difficulties and depression, and community-oriented coping intensified the association between poorer subjective health and lower quality of life. Conclusion This study revealed overall low coping repertories of Chinese older immigrants, suggesting the most optimal coping repertories should consist of both intrinsic and extrinsic coping sources. The findings further show that relying on limited sources might be harmful to older immigrants' mental health.
Bronchoscopy in intubated and non-intubated intensive care unit patients with respiratory failure.

Bronchoscopy is one of the important tool for the pulmonary and critical care physicians to diagnose and treat various pulmonary conditions. It is increasingly being used by the intensivist due to its safety and portability. The utilization of bronchoscopy in the intensive care unit (ICU) has made the diagnosis and treatment of many conditions more feasible to intensivists. Sedation, topical or intravenous, usually helps better tolerate the procedure. However, the risks and benefits of bronchoscopy should be carefully considered in critically ill patients. The hypoxic patients in ICU pose a challenge as hypoxemia is one of the known complications of bronchoscopy, and this risk is exacerbated in patients with hypoxic respiratory failure. Bronchoscopy is relatively contraindicated in patients with severe hypoxemia and coagulopathy. However, bronchoscopy in hypoxic patients can have diagnostic as well as therapeutic implications. In patients with hypoxic respiratory failure, the use of non-invasive ventilation (NIV) during bronchoscopy has been shown to reduce the risk of intubation. On the other hand, bronchoscopy in mechanically ventilated patients is not contraindicated and has been widely used. Staying focused, monitoring vital signs closely, limiting the scope time in the airway, and understanding patient’s physiology may help decrease risk of complications. In this review, we discuss indications, techniques, complications, and yield associated with bronchoscopy in critically ill hypoxic patients.
Fusion neural networks for plant classification: learning to combine RGB, hyperspectral, and lidar data

Airborne remote sensing offers unprecedented opportunities to efficiently monitor vegetation, but methods to delineate and classify individual plant species using the collected data are still actively being developed and improved. The Integrating Data science with Trees and Remote Sensing (IDTReeS) plant identification competition openly invited scientists to create and compare individual tree mapping methods. Participants were tasked with training taxon identification algorithms based on two sites, to then transfer their methods to a third unseen site, using field-based plant observations in combination with airborne remote sensing image data products from the National Ecological Observatory Network (NEON). These data were captured by a high resolution digital camera sensitive to red, green, blue (RGB) light, hyperspectral imaging spectrometer spanning the visible to shortwave infrared wavelengths, and lidar systems to capture the spectral and structural properties of vegetation. As participants in the IDTReeS competition, we developed a two-stage deep learning approach to integrate NEON remote sensing data from all three sensors and classify individual plant species and genera. The first stage was a convolutional neural network that generates taxon probabilities from RGB images, and the second stage was a fusion neural network that "learns" how to combine these probabilities with hyperspectral and lidar data. Our two-stage approach leverages the ability of neural networks to flexibly and automatically extract descriptive features from complex image data with high dimensionality. Our method achieved an overall classification accuracy of 0.51 based on the training set, and 0.32 based on the test set which contained data from an unseen site with unknown taxa classes. Although transferability of classification algorithms to unseen sites with unknown species and genus classes proved to be a challenging task, developing methods with openly available NEON data that will be collected in a standardized format for 30 years allows for continual improvements and major gains for members of the computational ecology community. We outline promising directions related to data preparation and processing techniques for further investigation, and provide our code to contribute to open reproducible science efforts.
Symmetry-Breaking Charge Separation in Phenylene-Bridged Perylenediimide Dimers.

Perylenediimides (PDIs) are important molecular building blocks that are being investigated for their applicability in optoelectronic technologies. Covalently linking multiple PDI acceptors at the 2,5,8,11 (headland) positions adjacent to the PDI carbonyl groups is reported to yield higher power conversion efficiencies in photovoltaic cells relative to PDI acceptors linked at the 1,6,7,12 (bay) positions. While the photophysical properties of PDIs linked via the bay positions have been investigated extensively, those linked at the headland positions have received far less attention. We showed previously that symmetry-breaking charge separation (SB-CS) in PDIs hold promise as a strategy for increasing photovoltaic efficiency. Here we use transient absorption and emission spectroscopies to investigate the competition between SB-CS, fluorescence, and internal conversion in three related PDI dimers linked at the headland positions with o-, m-, and p-phenylene moieties: o-PDI2, m-PDI2, and p-PDI2, respectively. It is found that o-PDI2 supports SB-CS yielding PDI•+-PDI•-, which is in equilibrium with the o-PDI2 first excited state in a polar solvent (CH2Cl2) while m-PDI2 and p-PDI2 exhibit accelerated internal conversion due to the motion of the linker along with subnanosecond intersystem crossing (ISC). Electronic coupling and structural dynamics are shown to play a significant role, with o-PDI2 being the only member of the series that exhibits significant through-bond interchromophore coupling. The pronounced o-PDI2 steric congestion prevents the free internal rotation that leads to rapid deactivation of the excited state in the other dimers.
Role of left atrial appendage occlusion in patients with HeartMate 3.

OBJECTIVES Left atrial appendage occlusion (LAAO) at the time of implantation may reduce thromboembolic events (TEs) during continuous-flow left ventricular assist device support. The HeartMate 3 (HM3) reduces TEs overall, but the efficacy of LAAO in HM3 is unknown. METHODS Adults receiving first HM3 implantation from November 2014 through December 2019 at a single, large medical centre were retrospectively reviewed. TEs included device thrombosis and ischaemic stroke. Patients were classified by whether they received LAAO or not. Incidence of TEs was compared between groups using cumulative incidence curves with competing risks (death and heart transplant) and risk factors for TEs were assessed with Fine and Gray competing risk regression. RESULTS A total of 182 patients received HM3, of whom 99 (54%) received LAAO versus 83 (46%) who did not. There were 14 TEs, including 13 strokes (7%) and 1 pump thrombosis (0.5%). No significant difference in the incidence of TEs in each group was found (Gray's test: P = 0.35). LAAO was not associated with TEs in multivariable Fine-Gray analysis (P = 0.10) and no significant risk factors for TEs were found. There were zero disabling strokes in those who received LAAO compared to 6 (7%) in those who did not receive LAAO (P = 0.008). CONCLUSIONS A low number of TEs was observed in HM3 recipients. LAAO did not further reduce the overall rate of TEs in this patient population, though its use may be beneficial in preventing disabling ischaemic strokes after HM3 implantation.
Load Balancing for Minimizing Execution Time of a Target Job on a Network of Heterogeneous Workstations

A network of workstations (NOWs) may be employed for high performance computing where execution time of a target job is to be minimized. Job arrival rate and size are "random" on a NOWs. In such an environment, partitioning (load balancing) a target job based on only the first order moments (means) of system parameters is not optimal. In this paper, it is proposed to consider the second order moments (standard deviations) also in load balancing in order to minimize execution time of a target job on a set of workstations where the round-robin job scheduling policy is adopted. It has been verified through computer simulation that the proposed static and dynamic load balancing schemes can significantly reduce execution time of a target job in a NOWs environment, compared to cases where only the means of the parameters are used.
Field test results for space-time coding

Multiple antenna radios are recently the subject of much research due to the significant improvements they offer in throughput and reliability in wireless communications. Research in the field of space-time coding has led to the design of modulation techniques offering improved performance. Their performance, although promising in simulations, needs to be studied in real wireless channels due to the inability to accurately model all possible wireless channel conditions that might be seen in practice. With this motivation, a range of experiments were conducted to measure the performance of some of the well-known space-time codes in literature over real channels and under implementation impairments. This paper discusses the testbed setup for the experiments and present the results of field trials conducted at the University of California, Los Angeles.
Responses of mesosphere and lower thermosphere temperatures to gravity wave forcing during stratospheric sudden warming

[1] We examine the responses of the mesosphere and lower thermosphere (MLT) temperatures to gravity waves (GWs) during stratospheric sudden warming (SSW) using TIME-GCM through modifying GW parameters. Our study confirms that the height of GW forcing region is mainly determined by GW amplitude and wavelength, and its vertical depth is closely tied to the spectral width of GW phase speed. The GW forcing controls the pattern and strength of residual circulation and thereby the characteristics of the MLT cooling and warming regions. The planetary wave (PW) forcing in the MLT also affects the vertical depth and magnitude of MLT temperature anomalies through further modifying the residual circulation. These PWs in MLT are likely generated in-situ by the GW forcing at high latitudes. Therefore, the mechanisms of GW controlling the MLT temperature during a SSW are directly through GW forcing and indirectly through generating PWs in-situ.
Musical learning in children and adults with Williams syndrome.

Background There is recent interest in using music making as an empirically supported intervention for various neurodevelopmental disorders due to music's engagement of perceptual–motor mapping processes. However, little is known about music learning in populations with developmental disabilities. Williams syndrome (WS) is a neurodevelopmental genetic disorder whose characteristic auditory strengths and visual–spatial weaknesses map onto the processes used to learn to play a musical instrument. Methods We identified correlates of novel musical instrument learning in WS by teaching 46 children and adults (7–49 years) with WS to play the Appalachian dulcimer. Results Obtained dulcimer skill was associated with prior musical abilities (r = 0.634, P < 0.001) and visual–motor integration abilities (r = 0.487, P = 0.001), but not age, gender, IQ, handedness, auditory sensitivities or musical interest/emotionality. Use of auditory learning strategies, but not visual or instructional strategies, predicted greater dulcimer skill beyond individual musical and visual–motor integration abilities (β = 0.285, sr2 = 0.06, P = 0.019). Conclusions These findings map onto behavioural and emerging neural evidence for greater auditory–motor mapping processes in WS. Results suggest that explicit awareness of task-specific learning approaches is important when learning a new skill. Implications for using music with populations with syndrome-specific strengths and weakness will be discussed.
Effect of Deoxyribonucleic Acid Length on the Adenosine Triphosphatase Activity of Escherichia coli Restriction Endonuclease B

Abstract Restriction endonuclease B possesses a DNA-dependent ATPase activity. The ATP hydrolysis can continue for hours after the DNA hydrolysis has stopped and is due to a stable DNA-enzyme complex. RFI of bacteriophage f1 is much more active than its full length linear form (RFIII) in stimulating the ATP hydrolysis. Experiments with λ phage DNA sheared into various size molecules indicate that the ATPase activity is a direct function of the molecular weight of linear DNA in a range between 0.9 to 13 x 106 daltons. While sonicated, unmodified λ DNA molecules (5 x 105 daltons) fail to stimulate the ATPase activity, they do inhibit the intact DNA-stimulated ATP hydrolysis. The results can be interpreted as follows. (a) Endonuclease R-B recognizes DNA at the SB sites; this recognition step is independent of DNA length. (b) The probability that a linear DNA molecule is cleaved by an enzyme molecule bound to the DNA depends upon the length of the DNA: the greater the number of nucleotide pairs the higher the probability of cleavage. Circularization of a small DNA duplex also increases the probability of cleavage. One possible explanation is that the enzyme travels along the DNA molecule before cleaving the DNA. If the enzyme reaches an end of the DNA molecule before cleavage occurs, the enzyme molecule is inactivated. (c) After DNA hydrolysis has occurred, the enzyme (or one of its components) remains on the DNA molecule and causes the massive ATP hydrolysis.
Aromatization of cyclohexanecarboxylic acid.

Abstract An enzyme which catalyzes the aromatization of cyclohexanecarboxyl coenzyme A has been isolated from whole liver as well as from liver mitochondria. Incubation of the soluble, partially purified enzyme with cyclohexanecarboxyl-CoA produces cyclohexene-1-carboxyl-CoA, benzoyl-CoA, and a polar compound which has not been further characterized. All three isomers of cyclohexenecarboxyl-CoA are converted to benzoyl-CoA by the liver enzyme, but evidence is presented indicating that only cyclohexene-1-carboxyl-CoA lies on the path from cyclohexanecarboxyl-CoA to benzoyl-CoA. Aromatization takes place either in air or anaerobically in the presence of artificial electron acceptors. The enzyme system is inactivated by low pH and activity is restored by the addition of flavin adenine dinucleotide.
Young Supernova Remnants

There are two basic ingredients which lead to an understanding of young supernova remnants. The first is the nature of the expanding supernova material which was originally a part of the progenitor star. The density and composition structure of this expanding matter are important parameters, while, in many cases, the velocity structure is given by free expansion. The second ingredient is the nature of the environment into which the supernova is expanding.
Are estrogens carcinogenic in the human female

A case report of a 52-year-old patient gravida 3 and para 2 in whom menstruation had ceased 2 years previously is presented. Small uterine fibroids were present. She received 40000 RU of alpha-estradiol-benzoate in less than 2 months. Several months later spontaneous uterine bleeding occurred. A small cervical polyp was removed. The endometrium at that time showed areas of proliferation with other areas of hyperplasia. In a period of about a month she received 234000 RU of alpha-estradiol-benzoate and 65 mg of progesterone im. Before the progesterone was given an endometrial biopsy revealed advanced proliferation with areas of cystic hyperplasia. After progesterone therapy the endometrium showed proliferation and secretory phenomena. 6 months later evidence of estrogen deficiency was present and a pellet of 25 mg of crystalline alpha-estradiol was implanted sc. Her symptoms subsided. 7 months later menopausal symptoms recurred. The implantation site was excised after an additiona l 2 months. Endometrial and vaginal biopsies then showed endometrial regression and evidence of estrogen deficiency in the vaginal biopsy. At this time 29 mg of crystals of alpha-estradiol-benzoate were implanted. After 6 weeks uterine bleeding occurred and intermittent spotting persisted for 6 weeks. Then endometrial biopsy showed advanced proliferation and dilated glands. A later biopsy showed a variable pattern with some atypical glands. 1 month later a diagnostic curettage under anesthesia was done. A diagnosis of adenocarcinoma was made on the tissue removed. A hysterectomy was then done. The uterus contained 2 small myomas and an endometrial polyp but no carcinoma metaplasia or cellular atypica was found. A benign endometrial condition was believed to have been present although consulting pathologists who reviewed the slides were divided as to whether an early carcinoma had been present.
Student‐Centered and Dynamic Interfaces that Enrich Technical Learning for Online Science Learners: A Review of the Literature

Communicating complex scientific and technical information presents a challenge for food science educators. The most efficient learning occurs when all senses are engaged, one reason that many educators believe that scientific principles are best taught with hands-on laboratory experiences. Today there are many challenges to the continuation of these “wet labs” including the cost of building the labs as well as equipment, materials, and personnel to run them. Many current e-learning technologies are based on 2-dimensional delivery systems, and are often inadequate to provide a substitute for a laboratory exercise. However, recent advances in technology have evolved to more closely reflect the kinds of learning experiences that students typically have in a laboratory class. This review describes the role of these emerging technologies as teaching tools for educators, with the clear understanding that similar concepts can be utilized by management of technical teams in the work place.
Dominant gain-of-function mutations in Hsp104p reveal crucial roles for the middle region.

Heat-shock protein 104 (Hsp104p) is a protein-remodeling factor that promotes survival after extreme stress by disassembling aggregated proteins and can either promote or prevent the propagation of prions (protein-based genetic elements). Hsp104p can be greatly overexpressed without slowing growth, suggesting tight control of its powerful protein-remodeling activities. We isolated point mutations in Hsp104p that interfere with this control and block cell growth. Each mutant contained alterations in the middle region (MR). Each of the three MR point mutations analyzed in detail had distinct phenotypes. In combination with nucleotide binding site mutations, Hsp104pT499I altered bud morphology and caused septin mislocalization, colocalizing with the misplaced septins. Point mutations in the septin Cdc12p suppressed this phenotype, suggesting that it is due to direct Hsp104p–septin interactions. Hsp104pA503V did not perturb morphology but stopped cell growth. Remarkably, when expressed transiently, the mutant protein promoted survival after extreme stress as effectively as did wild-type Hsp104p. Hsp104pA509D had no deleterious effects on growth or morphology but had a greatly reduced ability to promote thermotolerance. That mutations in an 11-amino acid stretch of the MR have such profound and diverse effects suggests the MR plays a central role in regulating Hsp104p function.
Extranodal Hodgkin's lymphoma of the oral soft tissue

Cervical lymphadenopathy is the most common head and neck presentation for Hodgkin's lymphoma (HL). Although uncommon, extranodal HL observed at the time of diagnosis is well documented and is typically associated with generalized disease and a consequence of local spread from adjacent lymph nodes. Extranodal HL of the upper aerodigestive tract soft tissue is extremely rare, but has been reported to involve the oral cavity, oropharynx, nasopharynx, and larynx. Two cases of extranodal HL of the oral soft tissue are being reported. A 32-year-old male presented with a 5.0-cm ulcerated lateral palatal swelling and a history of recently diagnosed HL. Clinical impression was palatal abscess, r/o HL. Diagnosis on biopsy was malignant lymphoid infiltrate, consistent with HL. The patient was determined to have stage IV HL, with involvement of the low pelvic area, oral cavity, and cervical lymph node chain. A second case of extranodal HL of the oral soft tissue was identified in a 70-year-old female as a swelling of the floor of the mouth. Clinical impression was mucocele, r/o salivary gland tumor. The biopsy specimen was diagnosed on routine microscopy as consistent with lymphocyte-predominant HL. The diagnosis was confirmed by immunohistochemical analysis. A diagnosis of stage I HL was made based on the absence of any detectable sites of involvement outside of the oral cavity. After treatment, the patient was considered free of disease at 6-month follow-up. These 2 cases contribute to the paucity of cases documented in the literature of extranodal HL of oral soft tissues.
Application of Channeling to Surface Science

The use of channeling/ion scattering as a surface structure probe is described. It is shown that this technique is the simplest example of the influence of atomic ordering on ion trajectories in solids.
The Inglefield Land Archaeology Project: Introduction and Overview

Abstract Geografisk Tidsskrift—Danish Journal of Geography 110(2):279–296, 2010 Archaeological field research was undertaken in northwestern Greenland between 2004 and 2009 by the Inglefield Land Archaeology Project (ILAP). Over 2400 cultural features were recorded during foot survey, with additional sites located during helicopter reconnaissance. Focusing on the late prehistoric to historic transition, excavation of two Thule-Inughuit winter houses and adjacent middens was carried out at Iita, Foulke Fjord, western Inglefield Land, in 2006. Although constructed during the mid-1800s to early 1900s, the structures were dug into early through late Thule and Paleoeskimo deposits. At Cape Grinnell, in central Inglefield Land, three Thule sod-block houses, a Thule fall-winter qarmat, a Thule cache, a Late Dorset axial-feature, and an early Paleoeskimo axial-feature were excavated. Radiocarbon analysis revealed a tight cluster of dates, ca. AD 1200–1420, from the Late Dorset and Thule features. Preliminary anal...
Cold plastic compaction of powders by a network model

Abstract A network model is used to study the cold compaction of metal powders. The network model is constructed by assuming that a powder aggregate is formed by a collection of perfectly plastic spheres of equal size. Using some fundamental assumptions describing the kinematics and constitutive behavior of spheres in contact, the collection of particles is modeled as a network of axial forces rotated in space, varying in magnitude as particles move toward each other, and updated as new junctions are formed and positions of the particles are changed. The response of the aggregate to isostatic and closed-die compaction is studied for its overall stress–strain behavior and to determine the nature of the yield surfaces for axisymmetric motion.