cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Functional connectivity of default mode network components: correlation, anticorrelation, and causality.

The default mode network (DMN), based in ventromedial prefrontal cortex (vmPFC) and posterior cingulate cortex (PCC), exhibits higher metabolic activity at rest than during performance of externally-oriented cognitive tasks. Recent studies have suggested that competitive relationships between the DMN and various task-positive networks involved in task performance are intrinsically represented in the brain in the form of strong negative correlations (anticorrelations) between spontaneous fluctuations in these networks. Most neuroimaging studies characterize the DMN as a homogenous network, thus few have examined the differential contributions of DMN components to such competitive relationships. Here we examined functional differentiation within the default mode network, with an emphasis on understanding competitive relationships between this and other networks. We used a seed correlation approach on resting-state data to assess differences in functional connectivity between these two regions and their anticorrelated networks. While the positively correlated networks for the vmPFC and PCC seeds largely overlapped, the anticorrelated networks for each showed striking differences. Activity in vmPFC negatively predicted activity in parietal visual spatial and temporal attention networks, whereas activity in PCC negatively predicted activity in prefrontal-based motor control circuits. Granger causality analyses suggest that vmPFC and PCC exert greater influence on their anticorrelated networks than the other way around, suggesting that these two default mode nodes may directly modulate activity in task-positive networks. Thus, the two major nodes comprising the default mode network are differentiated with respect to the specific brain systems with which they interact, suggesting greater heterogeneity within this network than is commonly appreciated.
Simulated Effects of Stream Restoration on the Distribution of Wet-Meadow Vegetation

Meadow restoration efforts typically involve the modification of stream channels to re-establish hydrologic conditions necessary for the maintenance of native vegetation. To predict change in the distribution of common meadow plant species in response to meadow restoration, a hydrologic model was loosely coupled to a suite of individual plant species distribution models. The approach was tested on a well-documented meadow/stream restoration project on Bear Creek, a tributary to the Fall River in northeastern California, U.S.A. We developed a surface-water and groundwater hydrologic model for the meadow. Vegetation presence and absence data from 170 plots were combined with simulated water-table depth time series to develop habitat-suitability models for 11 herbaceous plant species. In each model, the habitat suitability is predicted as a function of growing-season, water-table depth, and range. The hydrologic model was used to simulate water-table depth time series for the pre- and post-restoration conditions. These results were used to predict the spatial distribution of habitat suitability for the 11 herbaceous plant species. Model results indicate that restoration changed water levels throughout the study area, extending well beyond the near-stream region. Model results also indicate an increase in the spatial distribution of suitable habitat for mesic vegetation and a concomitant decrease in the spatial distribution of suitable habitat for xeric vegetation. The methods utilized in this study could be used to improve setting of objective and performance measures in restoration projects in similar environments, in addition to providing a quantitative, science-based approach to guide riparian restoration and active revegetation efforts.
Gemcitabine enhances antitumor efficacy of recombinant lipoimmunogen-based immunotherapy

ABSTRACTAlthough immunotherapy is an attractive approach for cancer treatment, increasing evidence has shown that the combination of immunotherapy with other treatment modalities may improve the outcome of advanced malignancy. We combined the anticancer drug gemcitabine (Gem) with recombinant lipoprotein-based immunotherapy (rlipo-E7m/CpG) to treat advanced cancer. Mice bearing huge solid tumors (≧ 12 mm in diameter) or orthotopic cervical cancer were treated with a therapeutic regimen consisting of rlipo-E7m/CpG and Gem. In addition, tumor-infiltrating immune cells were quantified by flow cytometry following the chemotherapy and/or immunotherapy. We observed the eradication of huge tumors following the administration of Gem on days 21, 24, and 27 or following rlipo-E7m/CpG therapy on day 30 post-tumor implantation. The combination therapy substantially reduced the number of immunosuppressive cells (CD11b+Gr-1+, CD11b+F4/80+, and CD4+CD25+FOXP3+) and increased the number of tumor-infiltrating antigen-spec...
Promised Land or Tower of Babel

Any Response to the Millis Commission Report must be flavored by the numerous interactions with colleagues, editorial comments in journals, and observations of pharmacy which have occurred since this report was released. In fact, it is doubtful whether any pharmacy organization of any size has not participated in an organized effort to understand the substance and implications of this report. Because this effort continues amid conflict, controversy, and contradiction, I must believe the profession is struggling to understand the commission's message. This confusion may be reduced by placing the report in a historical — And perhaps irreverent — Perspective.
Using spatially explicit indicators to investigate watershed characteristics and stream temperature relationships

We generate a series of novel indicators of spatially explicit watershed permeability and runoff characteristics to examine the relationship between land cover and water temperature parameters in a rapidly urbanizing watershed. Our framework provides a readily adaptable method to examine the thermal sensitivity of streams based upon the underlying geomorphological and surface characteristics of drainage basins. Using four model groups each using a different landscape characteristic weighting scheme (Model Group 1: areal averages; Model Group 2: inverse distance by total flow length; Model Group 3: overland distance to stream network and distance squared; Model Group 4: proportional flow accumulation), we examined the predictive capacity of 19 variables, including combinations of simplified land cover, elevation, slope, and flow accumulation, on five stream thermal properties: seven day moving average of daily minimum and maximum, seasonal mean temperature, a novel metric of thermal 'flashiness', and total days with maximum temperature exceeding 17.8°C. We find that the use of spatially explicit landscape indicators combining watershed processes improves the performance of regressions for predicting a number of ecologically relevant stream temperature variables. Improved indicators of watershed condition lend themselves for rapid investigation of the relationship between stream thermal conditions and landscape characteristics in watersheds modified by human land uses, ultimately providing a more hydrologically meaningful indicator for the impacts of landscape change.
Effect of ionization upon penetration of organophosphates to the nerve cord of the cockroach.

Tthe penetration in nitro into the nerve cord of the American cockroach ( Periplaneta americana (L.)) has been studied for three organophosphates. TEPP, which is unionized, penetrates about as rapidly into the intact as into the excised cord. “Quaternarized Tetram ” (the iodide of (C2H5O)2 P(O)SCH2CH2N(C2H5)3) which is ionized, penetrates the excised cord well, but the intact cord extremely poorly; these effects are independent of pH. Tetram® (R-6199, oxalic acid salt of (C2H50)2(PO)SCH2CH2N (C2H5)2) an ionizable compound, penetrates the excised cord well and independently of pH, but penetrates the intact cord poorly at low pH (when Tetram is ionized) and well at high pH (when it is unionized). The results confirm the presence of all ion-barrier in the intact cord. and demonstrate the importance of avoiding basicity in insecticidal organophosphates.
The role of the insulator in determining 1/f noise in Hg 1− x Cd x Te integrating MIS devices

The low frequency 1/f noise charge found in Hg1-xCdxTe integrating metal-insulator-semiconductor (MIS) devices operating at 40K and low bias above threshold is found to be independent of integration time. The signal theory of random processes is utilized to demonstrate that 1/f noise charge resulting from carrier number fluctuations due to insulator traps should not depend on integration time, while 1/f noise charge resulting from 1/f noise in any current filling the MIS well should be proportional to integration time. This distinction allows for the determination of effective insulator trap densities from low temperature 1/f noise data on simple MIS structures. The technique is applied to a number of n-channel and p-channel devices and the effective trap densities in ZnS are determined.
Thin Film Deposition and Transport in 2223 Bi-Sr-Ca-Cu-O

We have reproducibly prepared thin films of Bi-Sr-Ca-Cu-O with Tc ≥ 105K. Depositions were done at ambient temperature with a subsequent post-deposition anneal, and did not include lead substitution. X-ray diffraction data indicates a majority fraction of the 2223 phase. These films possess very large grains of the order of 20-30 u.m in size. Post-deposition annealing conditions are a sensitive function of composition. Detailed transport measurements as a function of temperature and magnetic field have been obtained.
Eating Empire in the Jequetepeque: A Local View of Chimú Expansion on the North Coast of Peru

As the Chimu empire (ca. A.D. 900-1470) expanded along the north coast of Peru, it employed a mix of direct and indirect strategies to administer conquered populations. In order to investigate the extent to which Chimu conquest reshaped daily life in the provinces, I explore evidence from Pedregal, a rural farming village in the Jequetepeque Valley. I use cuisine as a window onto daily life at Pedregal, in order to construct a “view from the kitchen” of Chimu expansion. Excavation data from Pedregal households indicate that production of agricultural staples such as corn and cotton intensified during the Chimu period, but that while the focus of household culinary practice shifted, the overall range of household activities remained the same. The Chimu seem to have been able to establish political control and intensify agricultural production in conquered provinces without a radical reorganization of rural domestic economies. These findings have implications not only for emerging models of Chimu imperial expansion, but also for our understanding of how household-level change and continuity are articulated with regional political and economic processes.
The heterogeneity of mast cell populations and products.

It is well established that mast cells trigger immediate hypersensitivity reactions by release of histamine from cytoplasmic granules and generation of leukotrienes and prostaglandins from membrane phospholipids. More recently, it has been learned that there are at least two mast cell populations with different mediator products, receptor targets, and functions.
The Role of Predictability in Intonational Variability

Predictability is known to affect many properties of speech production. In particular, it has been observed that highly predictable elements (words, syllables) are produced with less phonetic promi...
New Developments in Input-Output Analysis

In this chapter, a new temporal approach to the classical Leontief input–output analysis is elaborated that avoids the assumption of the constant direct input coefficients. The presentation builds on earlier work (Sonis & Hewings, 1989, 1991, 1992) that examined a variety of issues surrounding error and sensitivity analysis, decomposition and inverse important parameter estimation. These ideas are now brought into a general form as a basis for a more complete, general fields of influence approach that is the main vehicle for describing the overall changes in economic relationships between industries created by combinations of changes in technological coefficients caused by diffusion of technological, organizational and administrative innovations. The most important new concept based of the notion of the direct fields of influence is the multiplier product matrix and the corresponding artificial economic landscape which represents the classical key sector analysis and hierarchies of sectoral backward and forward linkages. The multi plier product matrix is the main part of the fundamental minimal information decomposition of Leontief inverse in the form of the difference between the global presentation of direct effects of the changes in inputs coefficients and the syner getic effects of the overall interaction of the changes. The new Temporal Leontief inverse is constructed such that it can serve as the basis for the temporal analysis of an evolving input–output system; the inverse depends on an evolutionary tail of changes in a highly non-linear manner. The detailed analytical structure of the Temporal Leontief inverse addresses the possibilities of tracing the impact of each change in the individual direct inputs in each time period through to the final state of the economy. This dynamic approach provides the basis for a new perturbation theory for matrix inversion.
The punishment that leaves something to chance

We are accustomed to punish criminal attempts much more severely if they succeed than if they fail. We are also accustomed to wonder why. It is hard to find any rationale for our leniency toward the unsuccessful. Leniency toward aborted attempts, or mere preparation, might be easier to understand. (And whether easy or hard, it is not my present topic.) But what sense can we make of leniency toward a completed attempt – one that puts a victim at risk of harm, and fails only by luck to do actual harm? Dee takes a shot at his enemy, and so does Dum. They both want to kill; they both try, and we may suppose they try equally hard. Both act out of malice, without any shred of justification or excuse. Both give us reason to fear that they might be ready to kill in the future. The only difference is that Dee hits and Dum misses. So Dee has killed, he is guilty of murder, and we put him to death. Dum has not killed, he is guilty only of attempted murder, and he gets a short prison sentence. Why? Dee and Dum were equally wicked in their desires. They were equally uninhibited in pursuing their wicked desires. Insofar as the wicked deserve to be punished, they deserve it equally. Their conduct was equally dangerous: they inflicted equal risks of death on their respective victims. Insofar as those who act dangerously deserve to be punished, again they deserve it equally.
Protein Kinase C Epsilon Promotes Cerebral Ischemic Tolerance Via Modulation of Mitochondrial Sirt5.

Sirtuin 5 (SIRT5) is a mitochondrial-localized NAD(+)-dependent lysine desuccinylase and a major regulator of the mitochondrial succinylome. We wanted to determine whether SIRT5 is activated by protein kinase C epsilon (PKCe)-mediated increases in mitochondrial Nampt and whether SIRT5 regulates mitochondrial bioenergetics and neuroprotection against cerebral ischemia. In isolated mitochondria from rat cortical cultures, PKCe activation increased SIRT5 levels and desuccinylation activity in a Nampt-dependent manner. PKCe activation did not lead to significant modifications in SIRT3 activity, the major mitochondrial lysine deacetylase. Assessments of mitochondrial bioenergetics in the cortex of wild type (WT) and SIRT5-/- mice revealed that SIRT5 regulates oxygen consumption in the presence of complex I, complex II, and complex IV substrates. To explore the potential role of SIRT5 in PKCe-mediated protection, we compared WT and SIRT5-/- mice by employing both in vitro and in vivo ischemia paradigms. PKCe-mediated decreases in cell death following oxygen-glucose deprivation were abolished in cortical cultures harvested from SIRT5-/- mice. Furthermore, PKCe failed to prevent cortical degeneration following MCAO in SIRT5-/- mice. Collectively this demonstrates that SIRT5 is an important mitochondrial enzyme for protection against metabolic and ischemic stress following PKCe activation in the brain.
The first troglomorphic species of the millipede genus Paracortina Wang & Zhang, 1993 from south Yunnan, China (Diplopoda: Callipodida: Paracortinidae)

Paracortina wangi sp. n. (Callipodida: Paracortinidae) is described from two caves in the karst plateau of Mengzi, Yunnan Province, China. It is the first troglomorphic species described in the family, the congeners being known exclusively from epigean habitats. The status of the family is briefly discussed in the light of the new finding. Though originally assigned to Schizopetalidae, Scotopetalum warreni Shear, 2000, a paracortinid-like millipede from caves in Vietnam, might also prove to belong to the Paracortinidae. Some aspects of the phylogenetic analysis of Wang (1996) are criticised.
On Being Actionable: Mythologies of Business Intelligence and Disconnects in Drill Downs

We present results from a case study of the use of business intelligence systems in a human services organization. We characterize four mythologies of business intelligence that informants experience as shared organizational values and are core to their trajectory towards a "culture of data": data-driven, predictive and proactive, shared accountability, and inquisitive. Yet, for each mythology, we also discuss the ways in which being actionable is impeded by a disconnect between the aggregate views of data that allows them to identify areas of focus for decision making and the desired "drill down" views of data that would allow them to understand how to act in a data-driven context. These findings contribute initial empirical evidence for the impact of business intelligence's epistemological biases on organizations and suggest implications for the design of technologies to better support data-driven decision making.
Identifying the poor for premium exemption: a critical step towards universal health coverage in Sub-Saharan Africa

Premium exemption for the poor is a critical step towards achieving universal health coverage in sub-Saharan Africa due to the large proportion of the population living in extreme poverty who cannot pay premium. However, identifying the poor for premium exemption has been a big challenge for SSA countries. This paper is a succinct review of four methods available for identifying the poor, outlining the ideal conditions under which each of the methods should be used and the drawbacks associated with using each of the methods.
Determination of probabilistic descriptions and stochastic processes of changes loads

The correct initial data are very important for model adequacy, especially for load curves. For determination of the conditions stochastic process of changes loads determined probabilistic evaluations and produced statistical analysis. Basic properties of stochastic function are mathematical expectation, dispersion, correlation function, probability density. Loads of most current-using equipment are changing with time, it is impossible analytically to represent, therefore loads represent graphically in a rectangular system of co-ordinates. Diversity of loads is feature of stationary power engineering. Different technological processes, determined by technology execution of work also are it. Therefore, load curve of stationary factory is group and non-repetitive.
Performance evaluation of matrix multiplication in Virtual Machine

In this paper, we have examined various implementations of matrix-matrix multiplication using .NET platform. Matrix multiplication is considered one of the basic operation in the field of linear algebra that is used various computer science algorithms. We have used the all loop reordering of traditional n3 sequential algorithm to analyze its behavior on the .NET common language run-time over more than 10 varying sizes of matrices. Moreover we have also analyzed the blocking version of the traditional multiplication algorithm to observe the cache behavior. We have used Intel Corei5 Arandale 2.53 GHz and Haswell 3.30 GHz processors with dual channel RAM for our experiments. Our experiments show that KIJ and IKJ reordering have performed better than the rest of the loop reordering. Furthermore, blocking implementation of matrix multiplication have not been able to gain significantly on .NET platform. In future, we will utilize task parallel library included in .NET 4.5 to gauge the performance efficiency of linear algebraic operations.
Examining Tropical Cyclone Structure and Intensification with the FLIGHT+ Dataset from 1999 to 2012

AbstractA comprehensive examination of tropical cyclone (TC) kinematic and thermodynamic structure in the Atlantic basin is created from the Extended Flight Level Dataset for Tropical Cyclones (FLIGHT+, version 1.1). In situ data collected at the 700-hPa flight level by NOAA WP-3D and USAF WC-130 aircraft from 1999 to 2012 are analyzed. A total of 233 azimuthal mean profiles comprising 1498 radial legs are stratified by TC intensity and 12-h intensity change. A matrix of composite structures is created for minor (category 1 and 2) and major (category 3 and above) hurricanes that are intensifying [intensity increase ≥10 kt (12 h)−1], steady state [intensity change between ±5 kt (12 h)−1], and weakening [intensity decrease kt (12 h)−1]. Additional considerations to the impacts of age on TC structure are given as well. Axisymmetric radial composites reveal that intensifying TCs have statistically significant structural differences from TCs that are steady state or weakening, but that these differences also d...
The Molecular Basis of Metastatic Colorectal Cancer

Metastatic colorectal cancer (CRC) is a vexing clinical problem. In contrast to early-stage disease, once CRC metastasizes to other organs, long-term survival is compromised. We seek to review the molecular pathogenesis, animal models, and functional genomics for an enhanced understanding of how CRC metastasizes and how this can be exploited therapeutically. Mouse models may recapitulate certain aspects of metastatic human CRC and allow for studies to identify regulators of metastasis. Modulation of transcription factors, onco-proteins, or tumor suppressors has been identified to activate known metastatic pathways. CD44 variants, microRNAs, and RNA binding proteins are emerging as metastatic modulators. CRC metastasis is a multi-faceted and heterogeneous disease. Despite common pathways contributing to metastatic development, there are numerous variables that modulate metastatic signals in subsets of patients. It is paramount that studies continue to investigate metastatic drivers, enhancers, and inhibitors in CRC to develop therapeutic targets and improve disease outcomes.
L2 Spanish university students’ perceptions of the pedagogical benefits of culture portfolios

This article investigates the use of culture portfolios in second language Spanish university classes at an American private university as part of an innovation that incorporated an ACTFL standards...
Within- and trans-generational plasticity: seed germination responses to light quantity and quality

Plants respond not only to the environment in which they find themselves, but also to that of their parents. The combination of within- and trans-generational phenotypic plasticity regulates plant development. Plants use light as source of energy and also as a cue of competitive conditions, since the quality of light (ratio of red to far-red light, R:FR) indicates the presence of neighbouring plants. Light regulates many aspects of plant development, including seed germination. To understand how seeds integrate environmental cues experienced at different times, we quantified germination responses to changes in light quantity (irradiance) and quality (R:FR) experienced during seed maturation and seed imbibition in Arabidopsis thaliana genotypes that differ in their innate dormancy levels and after treatments that break or reinduce dormancy. In two of the genotypes tested, reduced irradiance as well as reduced R:FR during seed maturation induced higher germination; thus, the responses to light quantity and R:FR reinforced each other. In contrast, in a third genotype, reduced irradiance during seed maturation induced progeny germination, but response to reduced R:FR was in the opposite direction, leading to a very weak or no overall effect of a simulated canopy experienced by the mother plant. During seed imbibition, reduced irradiance and reduced R:FR caused lower germination in all genotypes. Therefore, responses to light experienced at different times (maturation vs. imbibition) can have opposite effects. In summary, seeds responded both to light resources (irradiance) and to cues of competition (R:FR), and trans-generational plasticity to light frequently opposed and was stronger than within-generation plasticity.
An imaging and fractal approach towards understanding reservoir scale changes in coal due to bioconversion

Abstract Microbially enhanced coalbed methane (MECBM) aims to replicate the natural process of microbial methane generation in coal under in situ conditions. Considerable work has been reported over the years to optimize the associated microbial geo-chemistry. However, there is very little insight with regards to changes in the physical structure of coal due to bioconversion, and its impact on fluid flow properties. This paper presents the result of an image and fractal-based approach used to evaluate the changes in physical properties of coal. Samples of coal treated over 30, 60 and 120 days respectively were imaged before and after bioconversion. The results revealed that coal bioconversion resulted in swelling of the coal matrix. Cleats narrower than 5 µm reduced in its width post-bioconversion. A 77% drop in the permeability of coal is expected from the obtained results. Bioconversion also resulted in separation of thin layers of coal flakes from the coal surface, serving as a potential source of fines. Fractal analysis of the images revealed a decrease in the fractal dimension post bioconversion, which is in agreement with the previously reported studies, thus corroborating the variations in sorption-trends observed due to bioconversion. Additionally, the methodology to determine the fractal dimension via two-dimensional image processing was modified to improve its accuracy, and remove the dependency of the dimension to the scale of the obtained images. Bioconversion also resulted in formation of new pores/fractures. Shorter treatment duration resulted in nanometer-scale discontinuous pores, which do not contribute to Darcian flow. Longer treatment periods resulted in sub-micron wide continuous pores. Also, few larger fractures (>5 µm wide) saw an increase in its aperture post-treatment. This opens up new avenues, such as, utilizing artificially induced fracturing techniques to enhance biogenic methane production in future.
Damage initiation and evolution during monotonic cooling of laminated composites

The objective of this work is to develop a methodology to predict matrix damage initiation and evolution in laminated composites subjected to monotonic cooling using discrete damage mechanics and a...
Specialty management differences of syphilis and toxoplasmosis surrounding pregnancy: a prospective cross-sectional study

Syphilis and toxoplasmosis are two infectious conditions that can occur during pregnancy. Both these diseases can have ocular manifestations and thus are treated by ophthalmologists and obstetricians. We hypothesized that specialty training would affect the way physicians selected therapy. A total of 209 uveitis specialists and approximately 2500 obstetricians across the USA were surveyed using an online questionnaire distributed via listserv and social media posts. Survey respondents were given a series of clinical vignettes containing case examples of a female patient who was either contemplating pregnancy or in the first trimester and was diagnosed with either syphilis or toxoplasmosis. The questionnaire included a total of four case scenarios with questions relating to the management of these diseases, as well as pregnancy counseling. For the syphilis vignette, a total of 97 physicians responded to the survey questions. Choices of therapy between physician specialty differed significantly (p = 0.0001); however, pregnancy status did not seem to affect therapy choice in syphilis. A total of 96 physicians responded to the survey questions pertaining to the toxoplasmosis vignette. For a non-pregnant patient diagnosed with toxoplasmosis, the differences in therapy choice between specialties were not significant; however, when the patient was pregnant, therapy choice was significantly different between specialties (p = 0.0001). Differences exist between ophthalmologists and obstetricians concerning the therapy for syphilis and toxoplasmosis during pregnancy. Inter-specialty collaboration is needed to develop consistent criteria to improve the management of these patients.
Sliding mode learning control of uncertain nonlinear systems with Lyapunov stability analysis

This paper addresses the Sliding Mode Learning Control (SMLC) of uncertain nonlinear systems with Lyapunov stability analysis. In the control scheme, a conventional control term is used to provide the system stability in compact space while a type-2 neuro-fuzzy controller (T2NFC) learns system behaviour so that the T2NFC completely takes over overall control of the system in a very short time period. The stability of the sliding mode learning algorithm has been proven in the literature; however, it is restrictive for systems without overall system stability. To address this shortcoming, a novel control structure with a novel sliding surface is proposed in this paper, and the stability of the overall system is proven for nth-order uncertain nonlinear systems. To investigate the capability and effectiveness of the proposed learning and control algorithms, the simulation studies have been carried out under noisy conditions. The simulation results confirm that the developed SMLC algorithm can learn the system behaviour in the absence of any mathematical model knowledge and exhibit robust control performance against external disturbances.
Dicaesium hexa-mercury hepta-sulfide.

The title compound, Cs2Hg6S7, crystallizes in a new structure type that is closely related to that of K2Zn6O7. The structure comprises a three-dimensional mercury sulfide network that is composed of channels. These channels, which are along [001], are of two different diameters. The crystal structure contains one Cs, two Hg, and three S atoms in the asymmetric unit. The Cs, one Hg, and one S atom are at sites of symmetry m, whereas a second S atom is at a site of symmetry 2mm. The Hg atoms are bound to the S atoms in both three- and four-coordinate geometries. The caesium cations occupy the central spaces of the larger diameter channels and exhibit a coordination number of 7.
Mediation and Conciliation in Collective Labor Conflicts in the USA

Mediation is widely used to help resolve collective disputes in the United States. In many instances it is required by statute, but it is relied upon even when not mandated. Mediation takes on a crucial role in the absence of any governmental facility imposing wages, hours or working conditions on unionized employees. When comparing the place of mediation in United States with its use in other nations one must recognize that federal legislation applies to those in federal employment as well as those employed by private sector enterprises engaged in interstate commerce, while each of the fifty states have jurisdiction over those in state and municipal employment within their jurisdictions and those in enterprises NOT engaged in interstate commerce.
Pediatric Abdominal Organ Transplantation

The objective of this article is to provide a brief and concise review about the history, indications, surgical technical challenges, post-transplant complications, and overall outcomes of pediatric abdominal organ transplantation (kidney transplant (KT), liver transplant (LT), and intestinal transplant (IT)). Pediatric abdominal organ transplantation (KT, LT, IT) has evolved over the last 50 years to emerge as a successful option for children suffering from end-stage renal disease, end-stage liver disease, liver malignancy, disabling metabolic disease, acute liver failure, and life-threatening intestinal failure. However, pediatric abdominal organ transplantation requires a fundamentally different approach from adult abdominal organ transplantation due to differences in underlying indications for transplant, smaller pediatric recipient size, and various growth stages of childhood. Excellent short-term and good long-term outcomes have been achieved in pediatric KT, LT, and IT recipient when compared with adult counterparts. Further research to develop strategies to induce immunologic tolerance of allografts and diagnose/treat chronic allograft rejection is required in order to continue to improve overall survival of pediatric abdominal organ transplant recipients.
The Whole-Genome Sequence of Plasmid-Bearing Staphylococcus argenteus Strain B3-25B from Retail Beef Liver Encodes the Type VII Secretion System and Several Virulence Factors.

The whole-genome sequence of Staphylococcus argenteus strain B3-25B, isolated from retail beef liver, comprises a circular chromosome (2,676,222 bp) and a single plasmid (21,570 bp). The chromosome harbors genes encoding the type VII secretion system and several virulence factors.
Distributed Parareal in Time with Adaptive Coarse Solver for Large Scale Power System Simulations

This paper describes a distributed Parareal in time algorithm with the adaptive coarse solver. In the distributed algorithm, the propagation of a coarse solution is distributed among processors in addition to the fine solution propagation. In the adaptive coarse solver the complexity of the model is changed based on the size of generator rotor angle deviation. In addition, non-iterative approach to model a ZIP load is presented. The proposed method is tested on the large-scale 5617-machine 70285-bus Eastern Interconnection system.
Clinical outcomes of open hip abductor tendon repair with minimum two-year follow-up:

Background:The results of open hip abductor tendon repair remains poorly defined. We sought to present the results and complications of this procedure using modern suture anchor fixation.Materials ...
A causal role for the pulvinar in coordinating task-independent cortico-cortical interactions.

The pulvinar is the largest nucleus in the primate thalamus and has topographically organized connections with multiple cortical areas, thereby forming extensive cortico-pulvino-cortical input-output loops. Neurophysiological studies have suggested a role for these transthalamic pathways in regulating information transmission between cortical areas. However, evidence for a causal role of the pulvinar in regulating cortico-cortical interactions is sparse and it is not known whether pulvinar's influences on cortical networks are task-dependent or, alternatively, reflect more basic large-scale network properties that maintain functional connectivity across networks regardless of active task demands. In the current study, under passive viewing conditions, we conducted simultaneous electrophysiological recordings from ventral (area V4) and dorsal (lateral intraparietal area [LIP]) nodes of macaque visual system, while reversibly inactivating the dorsal part of the lateral pulvinar (dPL), which shares common anatomical connectivity with V4 and LIP, to probe a causal role of the pulvinar. Our results show a significant reduction in local field potential phase coherence between LIP and V4 in low frequencies (4-15 Hz) following muscimol injection into dPL. At the local level, no significant changes in firing rates or LFP power were observed in LIP or in V4 following dPL inactivation. Synchronization between pulvinar spikes and cortical LFP phase decreased in low frequencies (4-15 Hz) both in LIP and V4, while the low frequency synchronization between LIP spikes and pulvinar phase increased. These results indicate a causal role for pulvinar in synchronizing neural activity between interconnected cortical nodes of a large-scale network, even in the absence of an active task state.
Accelerating Multigrid-based Hierarchical Scientific Data Refactoring on GPUs

Rapid growth in scientific data and a widening gap between computational speed and I/O bandwidth make it increasingly infeasible to store and share all data produced by scientific simulations. Instead, we need methods for reducing data volumes: ideally, methods that can scale data volumes adaptively so as to enable negotiation of performance and fidelity tradeoffs in different situations. Multigrid-based hierarchical data representations hold promise as a solution to this problem, allowing for flexible conversion between different fidelities so that, for example, data can be created at high fidelity and then transferred or stored at lower fidelity via logically simple and mathematically sound operations. However, the effective use of such representations has been hindered until now by the relatively high costs of creating, accessing, reducing, and otherwise operating on such representations. We describe here highly optimized data refactoring kernels for GPU accelerators that enable efficient creation and manipulation of data in multigrid-based hierarchical forms. We demonstrate that our optimized design can achieve up to 250 TB/s aggregated data refactoring throughput—83% of theoretical peak—on 1024 nodes of the Summit supercomputer. We showcase our optimized design by applying it to a large-scale scientific visualization workflow and the MGARD lossy compression software.
Scalable string analysis: an experience report

In this paper we present OLSA - a tool for scalable static string analysis of Java programs. OLSA is based on intra-procedural string value flow graphs connected via call-graph edges. Formally, this uses a context-sensitive grammar to generate the set of possible strings. The analysis is focused on scalability and is thus not sound. This trade off is acceptable in the context of bug-finding in large web applications. We evaluate our approach by using OLSA to detect SQL injections and unsafe use of reflection in DaCapo benchmarks and a large internal Java codebase and compare the performance of OLSA with JSA, one of state-of-the-art string analysers. The results indicate that OLSA can analyse industrial-scale codebases in a matter of hours, whereas JSA does not scale to many DaCapo programs. The set of potential strings generated by our string analysis can be used for checking the validity of the reported potential vulnerabilities.
Testicular compartment syndrome: An unexpected diagnosis in a case of testicular pain.

Abstract This case discusses the presentation of a surprising diagnosis of testicular compartment syndrome in a patient with severe testicular pain and swelling in the Emergency Department.
Edward McSorley and Irish America’s Coming of Age

In Edward McSorley’s Our Own Kind (1946), Irish immigrant Ned McDermott has hope for a better life for his children and grandchildren. The future of Irish Americans is better financially, but is it better morally? The American dream is that the next generation will have more comfort and security than those who arrived poor and ready to work. With the immigrant generation dying out, young Irish Americans are left in a quandary. Ned wants his grandson Willie to be a scholar, a successful, middle-class American admired by all, including the Yankees who run things. And yet in educating himself above the laboring class, Willie finds he has no model to follow except the Yankees, and no one to remind him of the values Ned taught him. Willie sees what the future holds for him if he follows Ned’s plan: he will be an educated stranger to the community he knew as a child. That community is disappearing as Willie comes of age, and even more so as McSorley writes of this dilemma 30 years later. This chapter looks at McSorley’s fiction as representative of the concerns of Irish America in his time.
Detection of Collision Events by Older and Younger Drivers

Recently (Andersen et al., 2000; 1998) we found that older drivers had poorer performance than younger drivers at detecting an impending collision during braking. In the present study we examined whether older drivers have poorer performance than younger drivers at detecting a collision with a moving object. 22 older and younger drivers were presented with computer generated scenes of a roadway in a driving simulator. Located in the scene was a single object that moved independently of the vehicle motion and that was or was not on a collision path with the vehicle. Overall older drivers were less sensitive to detect a collision than younger drivers, with performance worse for long as compared to short time to contact (TTC) conditions.
Considerations of Risk in Liquid Effluent Management

Liquid effluent monitoring for research and development laboratories is difficult because of the diverse and variable effluent streams and wide range of chemicals used in continuously changing projects. Risk assessment tools can aid in the design of reasonable monitoring programs. In this paper, an assessment was performed to determine the human health risk of accidental discharges of chemicals into the sewer systems servicing research and development laboratories at the Hanford Site's 300 Area. As part of this assessment, the single largest container of chemical compounds used in the laboratories was assumed to be discharged into the sewer system transported to a treatment facility, then pass untreated into the Columbia River. The Multimedia Environmental Pollutant Assessment System was used to model the transport and fate of the chemical contaminants, and exposure estimates were obtained for two receptor locations and for population impacts. Results of this assessment indicated that the human health risk from the source terms analyzed would not exceed levels generally accepted as safe and that no additional controls or monitoring of specific chemicals were indicated from this risk perspective.
Pathological Neurochemistry of Cerebrospinal Fluid

The central nervous system is effectively isolated from the rest of the body. This physiological compartmentalization not only provides protection of its delicate function from aberrant peripheral influences but also impedes its diagnostic evaluation. Cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) bathes the brain and spinal cord, is in dynamic equilibrium with its extracellular fluid, and tends to reflect the state of health and activity of the central nervous system. Cerebrospinal fluid examination is the most direct and popular method of assessing the central chemical and cellular environment in the living patient or mammal.
Automated Design, Implementation and Adaptation of the Generalized Predictive Controller

Presented are methods for the automated design and implementation of a Generalized Predictive Controller. Also presented is a general method for the diagnosis of process excitation, and the subsequent exploitation of diagnosed dynamic data for controller adaptation. The methods are demonstrated on a simulated single-input single-output reactor process that demonstrates an inverse, nonlinear, variable dead time behavior.
Global Solar Wind Structure from Solar Minimum to Solar Maximum: Sources and Evolution

During the past few years, significant progress has been made in identifying the coronal sources of structures observed in the solar wind. This recent work has been facilitated by the relative simplicity and stability of structures during solar minimum. The challenge now is to continue to use coordinated coronal/solar wind observations to study the far more complicated and time-evolving structures of solar maximum. In this paper I will review analyses that use a wide range of observations to map out the global heliosphere and connect the corona to the solar wind. In particular, I will review some of the solar minimum studies done for the first Whole Sun Month campaign (WSMI), and briefly consider work in progress modeling the ascending phase time period of the second Whole Sun Fortnight campaign (WSF) and SPARTAN 201-05 observations, and the solar maximum third Whole Sun Month campaign (WSM3). In so doing I hope to demonstrate the increase in complexity of the connections between corona and heliosphere with solar cycle, and highlight the issues that need to be addressed in modeling solar maximum connections.
“Aging” pigments in term human placenta

Abstract First-, second-, and third-trimester placentas were examined with fluorescent microscopy for the presence of lipofuscin pigments. Prior to 32 weeks' gestation these were not seen, but they were routinely found in the trophoblast of the term placenta. These pigments may or may not represent “aging” of the placenta.
Using real-time system design methods to integrate SMPS control software with application software

A switch-mode power supply (SMPS) converts power efficiently between different voltage levels, making power optimizations through voltage scaling feasible. SMPS controllers are generally dedicated hardware (analog/digital circuits, microcontroller (MCU), digital signal processor (DSP)), and so are expensive to add to very low cost embedded applications. In this work, we show how to integrate SMPS control software into the MCU running application software, which reduces system cost while increasing the design space and flexibility for developers. Real-time system design methods are employed to ensure SMPS voltage regulation quality, while retaining the original embedded application behavior. Our methods apply to a wide range of software task schedulers, from simple interrupt-based foreground/background systems to sophisticated preemptive real-time kernels (RTOS). We demonstrate our methods on a position-logging embedded system, with multiple voltage domains controlled in software, resulting in power savings.
A multirate sampled-data chemical reactor system control using a parameter plane method

Considers the control of a two-tank chemical reactor system with multirate sampling using a parameter plane method. A PID controller with a "slow-fast" multirate scheme is used for the chemical reactor system. Based on two related stability equations and using the PID gains as the adjustable parameters, the set of all possible PID gains to maintain the chemical reactor system's stability, and at the same time, to make the system have a specified gain margin, phase margin, damping ratio, and damping factor is determined. The effects of multirate sampling on the set of PID gains satisfying the specifications are also examined. >
Antifibrotic therapies--emerging biomarkers as treatment end points.

A range of treatments for hepatic fibrosis are currently in the development process. However, the single greatest limitation in bringing these therapies to the clinical setting is a lack of sufficient methodology for assessing their pharmacological effects. This Perspectives article highlights the potential for novel and existing biomarkers to act as treatment end points in clinical trials of new drugs for hepatic fibrosis.