cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Understanding magmatic processes at Telica volcano, Nicaragua: crystal size distribution and textural analysis

Telica volcano in Nicaragua currently exhibits persistent activity with continuous seismicity and degassing, yet it has not produced lava flows since 1529. To provide insight into magma chamber processes including replenishment and crystallization, crystal size distribution (CSD) profiles of plagioclase feldspar phenocrysts were determined for Quaternary Telica basalts and basaltic andesites. Textural analysis of 14 highly crystalline lavas (>20 vol% phenocrysts) indicates that the samples are dominated by sieve-textured plagioclase feldspar phenocrysts whose origin requires thermochemical disequilibrium within the magmatic system. The CSD curves display an inverse relationship between phenocryst length and population density. Concave-up patterns observed for the Telica lava samples can be represented by linear segments that define two crystal populations: a steeply sloping segment for small crystals ( 1.5 mm in length. The two crystal populations may be explained by magma replenishment and a mixing model in which a mafic magma is introduced to a stable chamber that is petrologically and geochemically evolving. Residence times calculated using the defined linear segments of the CSD curves suggest these magmatic processes occur over timescales on the order of decades to centuries. The crystal size distribution and textural analysis advocate for the current persistent activity as being consistent throughout Telica’s historic and prehistoric eruptive periods and driven by replenishment of mafic magma.
Determination of Hydrogen Chloride and Sulfate in The Air of Workplace by Hydronium Chromatography Method

[Objective] To explore the simultaneous determination of hydrogen chloride and sulfate in the air of workplace by one sampling.[Methods] The porous glass plate absorber valve was used to sampling,the contents of hydrogen chloride and sulfate was determined by hydronium chromatography method at the best determination condition and suitable mobile phase.[Results] The quantitative lower limit and the relative standard deviation(RSD) of hydrogen chloride was 0.028 mg/m3 and 2.0%～3.8% respectively,and that of sulfate was 0.032 mg/m3 and 1.3%～4.2% respectively.The difference of determination results between this method and chemical method was not significant.[Conclusion] The method is simple,high sensitivity,precision,and pollution-free.
Analysis on the Problems and Countermeasures in Supplementary Immunization Activities(SIAs)in Tibetan Areas

Supplementary Immunization Activities(SIAs) is measures of building for a defensive barrier of a certain infectious diseases quickly in the short-term, it is the part of immune programming and is the reflection of the basic immune planning. In this paper, the existing problems of supplementary immunization activities(SIAs) of measles in tibetan areas were analysed and some countermeasures and suggestions were put forward.
A method for fixing and paraffin embedding tissue to retain the natural fluorescence of reporter proteins

Green fluorescent protein (GFP) and its derivatives are routinely employed as surrogate markers for gene expression and lineage tracing in genetically engineered mice. Tissues from these mice are commonly formalin fixed and paraffin embedded (FFPE) for histological studies. However, this results in inactivation of the natural fluorescence of these proteins, requiring their detection by immunological techniques. Here we present an ethanol fixation protocol that allows for the direct visualization of the natural fluorescence of reporter proteins while maintaining excellent tissue histology. We demonstrate the utility of this method for visualizing green and red fluorescent proteins in a wide range of murine tissues using both cytoplasmic and membrane-localized fluorescent reporter proteins. Tissues fixed by this method also allow for immunohistochemical studies, providing a single method to visualize the natural fluorescence of reporter proteins with subsequent detection of cellular proteins.
Methsuximide for Intractable Seizures

The use of methsuximide in 25 children with intractable epilepsy is reported from the Department of Neurology and School of Pharmacy, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill.
A treehouse with custom windows: minimum distortion embeddings into bounded treewidth graphs

We describe a (1 + e)-approximation algorithm for finding the minimum distortion embedding of an n-point metric space X into the shortest path metric space of a weighted graph G with m vertices. The running time of our algorithm ismO(1) · nO(ω) · (δopt Δ)ω · (1/e)λ + 2 · λ · (O (δopt))2λparametrized by the values of the minimum distortion, δopt, the spread, Δ, of the points of X, the treewidth, ω, of G, and the doubling dimension, λ, of G.In particular, our result implies a PTAS provided an X with polynomial spread, and the doubling dimension of G, the treewidth of G, and δopt, are all constant. For example, if X has a polynomial spread and δopt is a constant, we obtain PTAS's for embedding X into the following spaces: the line, a cycle, a tree of bounded doubling dimension, and a k-outer planar graph of bounded doubling dimension (for a constant k).
The calcifying odontogenic cyst: Report of four cases

Abstract 1. 1. Four cases of calcifying odontogenic cysts are reported. All lesions were associated with the upper jaw, and one was entirely extraosseous. Three patients were 21 years of age or younger. 2. 2. Clinical and roentgenographic features were not specific. A radiolucency containing faint opacities might suggest this condition, but other calcifying or ossifying lesions must be considered. 3. 3. “Odontogenic” epithelial lining, “ghost cells,” calcification, and keratin foreign-body reaction are consistent features. One case featured heavy melanin pigmentation, a rare but previously reported finding in this lesion. 4. 4. Although the term calcifying odontogenic cyst may not be entirely accurate on a histomorphologic basis, the apparent limited growth potential and strictly benign behavior of the lesion makes this designation reasonable on a clinical basis.
An in-network packet processing architecture for distributed data storage

Distributed file systems enable the reliable storage of exabytes of information on thousands of servers distributed throughout a network. These systems achieve reliability and performance by storing multiple copies of data blocks in different locations across the network. The management of these copies of data is commonly handled by intermediate servers that track and coordinate the placement of data in the network. This introduces potential network bottlenecks, as multiple transfers to fast storage nodes can saturate network links between intermediate servers and storage devices. The advent of open Network Operating Systems and Software Defined Networking presents an opportunity to alleviate this bottleneck, as it is now possible to give network elements enough intelligence to handle bandwidthintensive tasks, such as data replication and reconstruction. In this paper, we propose a new in-network packet processing architecture for distributed file systems. The key idea of the proposed architecture is to offload several actions of distributed file systems onto a new fundamental component of the system that runs on network devices such as routers and switches. We describe the component's architecture and how it can be integrated into existing distributed file systems. To evaluate the performance of our approach, we implement the proposed solution in a block-level storage array distributed across multiple iSCSI targets. We show that the proposed architecture results in reduced network congestion and a decrease in request latency proportional to the number of storage nodes involved in the request.
Advances in Scalable Computational Chemistry: NWChem

Abstract NWChem is the highly scalable computational chemistry software package developed by the Molecular Sciences Software group for the Environmental Molecular Sciences Laboratory. The software provides a wide range of capabilities for quantum mechanical and classical mechanical modeling and simulation of chemical and biological systems. The software infrastructure has been designed to facilitate the rapid development and integration of new application modules with a convenient mechanism to enable large-scale computations that rely on a combination of methodologies to be used. Built using the partitioned global address space-based Global Arrays programming model, the design of the software separates the architecture-dependent communication layer from the computational chemistry modules. This results in a highly portable code in which only a relatively small part of the code needs to be ported to new computer architectures.
The dynamics of peptide-water interactions in dialanine: An ultrafast amide I 2D IR and computational spectroscopy study

We present a joint experimental and computational study of the dynamic interactions of dialanine (Ala–Ala) with water, comparing the results of ultrafast 2D IR and infrared transient absorption spectroscopy of its amide I vibration with spectra modeled from molecular dynamics (MD) simulations. The experimental data are analyzed to describe vibrational frequency fluctuations, vibrational energy relaxation, and chemical exchange processes. The origin of these processes in the same underlying fluctuating forces allows a common description in terms of the fluctuations and conformational dynamics of the peptide and associated solvent. By comparing computational spectroscopy from MD simulations with multiple force fields and water models, we describe how the dynamics of water hydrogen bond fluctuations and switching processes act as a source of friction that governs the dephasing and vibrational relaxation, and provide a description of coupled water and peptide motions that give rise to spectroscopic exchange p...
Application of a new coupled-inductor based dc circuit breaker

This paper presents the design for a dc circuit breaker based on the coupled-inductor for use in dc grid protection. The breaker acts autonomously as a result of the fault current path. The exact step change in current required to open the breaker can be adjusted in the design by selecting an appropriate turns ratio for the coupled-inductor. A simulation is run for a zonal dc grid to demonstrate the application of multiple such breakers.
Cerebrovascular response to maternal hyperoxygenation in fetuses with hypoplastic left heart syndrome depends on gestational age and baseline cerebrovascular resistance.

Objectives Compared with normal fetuses, fetuses with hypoplastic left heart syndrome (HLHS) have smaller brain volumes and are at higher risk of brain injury, possibly due to diminished cerebral blood flow and oxygen content. By increasing cerebral oxygen delivery, maternal hyperoxygenation (MH) might improve brain development and reduce the risk of brain injury in these fetuses. This study investigated whether gestational age and baseline cerebrovascular resistance affect the response to MH in fetuses with HLHS. Methods The study population comprised 43 fetuses with HLHS or HLHS variant referred for fetal echocardiography between January 2004 and September 2008. Middle cerebral artery (MCA) pulsatility index (PI), a surrogate measure of cerebrovascular resistance, was assessed between 20 and 41 weeks' gestation at baseline in room air (RA) and after 10 min of MH. Z-scores of MCA-PI were generated. A mixed-effects model was used to determine whether change in MCA-PI depends upon gestational age and baseline MCA-PI. Results In RA and following MH, MCA-PI demonstrated a curvilinear relationship with gestational age in fetuses with HLHS, peaking at around 28 weeks and then falling more steeply near term. MCA-PI Z-score declined in a linear manner, such that it was 1.4 SD below that in normal fetuses at 38 weeks. Increase in MCA-PI Z-score after MH was first seen at ≥ 28 weeks. A baseline MCA-PI Z-score ≤ -0.96 was predictive of an increase in cerebrovascular resistance in response to MH. Conclusion In fetuses with HLHS, MCA-PI first increases in response to MH at ≥ 28 weeks' gestation. A baseline MCA-PI Z-score ≤ -0.96 predicts an increase in cerebrovascular resistance in response to MH. These results may have implications for clinical trials utilizing MH as a neuroprotective agent. Copyright © 2017 ISUOG. Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.
Potential Benefits of Incorporating Peer-to-Peer Interactions Into Digital Interventions for Psychotic Disorders: A Systematic Review.

Objective:Peer-to-peer interactions and support groups mitigate experiences of social isolation and loneliness often reported by individuals with psychotic disorders. Online peer-to-peer communicat...
Guilty as Charged: Reflections on TRA 17

On November 9, 2017, Sen. Orrin Hatch (R-UT) unveiled his version of the “Tax Cuts and Jobs Act” (TRA 17S). In some ways, this version represents an improvement over the House version (TRA 17H). But in other ways, it is worse. Specifically, while the inbound base erosion proposals are better than the House version, they raise some similar issues, and the outbound proposals avoid one major problem with the House version by creating another, worse problem.
Highly efficient nanoscale X-ray sources

Irradiating arrays of metal nanowires with intense femtosecond laser pulses produces high-brightness picosecond X-ray pulses. By specifically tailoring the plasma properties, up to 20% conversion efficiency of optical light into X-rays can be achieved.
Shoreham’s Beginnings

About forty years ago the Federal government undertook a long-term effort to develop nuclear power, and eventually to draw private industry into the field. By the 1960s it appeared that nuclear power was likely to be the power source of the near future. Orders for new plants dramatically increased by 1968; Shoreham was one of these.
Thin Films for Microelectronics and Photonics: Physics, Mechanics, Characterization, and Reliability

Thin films of various types are a key component of modern microelectronic and photonic products. Conducting films form the interconnect layers in all chips, and dielectric films provide electrical insulation. With silicon-on-insulator (SOI) and strained silicon, semiconductor films have entered commercial design practice. The term thin films as used here refers to material layers deposited by vaporor electrodeposition, with thicknesses too small to permit characterization by conventional mechanical testing procedures for bulk materials as described in, e.g., ASTM standards. Accordingly, our upper limit of thickness is taken as around 20 μm. Layers in this thickness range formed by other special processes, such as SOI (silicon on insulator) layers, also fall outside the standard mechanical test methods, and require thin-film characterization methods. Copper traces within multi-chip packages may be thicker than the definition given above, but some package designs include films within the present scope. Interconnect layers on die are included in a book on packaging because these layers are often considered to be “Level 0 packaging,” since they are part of the packaging chain that connects the active devices to the outside environment electrically, mechanically, and thermally. The relatively new field of microelectromechanical systems (MEMS) utilizes semiconductor fabrication techniques, especially lithographic patterning, to produce devices with moving parts and mechanical functions. Commercially important examples include
Scleroderma as a Fibrotic Disorder

Scleroderma (SD) is a multisystem disease of unknown etiology. Its study has involved collaboration between clinicians and basic scientists. Clinical studies have helped to define the natural variation of disease manifestations (subsets) and to gain empirical insight into pathogenic mechanisms; such careful categorization of patients is also important in experiments involving patients’ cells or body fluids to understand potential differences in results.
Reasoning with Design Rationale

Design Rationale (DR) consists of the decisions made during the design process and the reasons behind them. Because it offers more than just a “snapshot” of the final design decisions, DR is invaluable as an aid for revising, maintaining, documenting, evaluating, and learning the design. Much work has been performed on how DR can be captured and represented but not as much on how it can be used. In this paper, we investigate the use of DR by building InfoRat, a system that inferences over a design’s rationale in order to detect inconsistencies and to assess the impact of changes.
Abstract IA22: Targeting CARs to the TRAC locus enhances T-cell potency

Chimeric antigen receptors (CARs) are synthetic receptors that redirect and reprogram T cells to mediate tumor rejection. The most successful CARs used to date are those targeting CD19, which offer the prospect of complete remissions in patients with chemorefractory/relapsed B cell malignancies. CARs are typically transduced into patient T cells using γ-retroviral or other randomly-integrating retroviral vectors (RVs), which may result in variegated CAR expression and transcriptional silencing. Recent advances in genome editing enable efficient sequence-specific modifications in human primary cells, including site-specific transgene integration into the CCR5 and AAVS1 loci in T lymphocytes. Using CRISPR/Cas9 to edit human T cells, we have established conditions yielding efficient target gene disruption and CAR insertion in a single step. We have found that directing a CD19 CAR to the human T-cell receptor (TCR) alpha chain (TRAC) locus not only results in efficient and uniform CAR expression in human peripheral blood T cells, but, remarkably, also enhances T-cell potency, vastly outperforming that of conventionally generated CAR T cells. We further show that CAR gene expression under the control of the TCR alpha promoter minimizes tonic signaling and allows effective regulation of CAR expression. These findings provide important insights into CAR immunobiology and highlight the potential of CRISPR/Cas9 genome editing to advance immunotherapies. Citation Format: Michel Sadelain, Justin Eyquem. Targeting CARs to the TRAC locus enhances T-cell potency [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the Second AACR Conference on Hematologic Malignancies: Translating Discoveries to Novel Therapies; May 6-9, 2017; Boston, MA. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Clin Cancer Res 2017;23(24_Suppl):Abstract nr IA22.
Vocalizing large time series efficiently

We vocalize query results for time series data. We describe a holistic approach that integrates query evaluation and vocalization. In particular, we generate only those parts of the query result that are relevant for voice output.We exploit the fact that voice output has to be concise and simple to be understandable for listeners. Hence, the problem of generating voice output reduces to choosing between several coarse-grained alternatives. To make that choice, it is sufficient to evaluate the time series at a few carefully chosen locations. We use techniques from the area of optimal experimental design to choose optimal sampling points. Our algorithm is iterative and generates in each iteration a set of promising voice description candidates. We consider multiple metrics when generating voice descriptions, including the accuracy of description as well as its complexity and length. Then, we choose a near-optimal batch of sampling points to refine our choice between promising candidates.We compare this algorithm experimentally against several baselines, demonstrating superior performance in terms of execution time and output quality. We also conducted a user study, showing that it enables users to execute simple exploratory data analysis via voice descriptions alone. We also compare against visual interfaces and sonification (i.e., non-speech sound) interfaces in terms of user performance.
Timing of angiotensin system inhibitor use and overall survival in patients on tyrosine kinase inhibitors for renal cell carcinoma.

e15587 Background: Recent studies have identified an association between angiotensin system inhibitors (ASIs) and improved outcomes in patients on tyrosine kinase inhibitors (TKIs) for renal cell c...
A wakeup call for the field of entrepreneurship and its evaluators

Abstract In this editorial, I seek to inform administrators and members of promotion and tenure committees about significant developments in the field of entrepreneurship. Using both objective and subjective data, I present a case for why entrepreneurship journals should be considered on par with other, premier management journals, which are widely considered to be unequivocal “A” journals used to assess scholarly contribution and productivity. I entertain and address common objections to equal treatment for entrepreneurship journals, and conclude with a call to action for both entrepreneurship scholars and the field's evaluators.
Physical Care: Lessening Impacts from Other Natural Hazards

Earthquakes happen by the thousands each year but only a small number annually release the seismic energy that can kill and injure people and damage and destroy structures and infrastructure. A regional recurrence interval for major earthquakes as well as the probable Richter scale magnitude can only be very roughly estimated (guesstimated?). For example, the United States Geological Survey gives probabilities of high magnitude earthquakes hitting the Los Angeles and San Francisco areas in 30 years. For Los Angeles, there is a 60% probability that there will be an earthquake of 6.7 (destructive) magnitude. For San Francisco, there is a 72% probability that there will be a 6.7 magnitude earthquake. Whatever the weakness in prediction and the inability to prevent an earthquake, locations must prepare so as to limit an earthquake impact on citizens and assets. The probabilities that greater magnitude earthquakes will hit the two California areas are given in Table 5.1. Other countries at risk of earthquakes in coastal cities make similar estimates. For example, 2012 data from Tokyo University Earthquake Research Institute gave a probability of 70% for a magnitude 7 earthquake impacting Tokyo in 4 years. It did not happen. A prediction of a 98% probability in 30 years, 2042, has 23 years to occur or not.
Relapse Prediction Post Allogeneic Hematopoietic Cell Transplant for Myelodysplastic Syndromes Is Not Improved with Use of the More Stringent Blast Percentage Categories in the Revised International Prognostic Scoring System

Abstract 2011 Residual disease at the time of allogeneic hematopoietic cell transplant (HCT) has been shown to adversely affect outcomes in patients with acute myelogenous leukemia (AML). Assessment of the impact of MDS disease burden at HCT on post-transplant outcomes is less well defined. While blast percentage is easily quantified on morphology and flow cytometry, the blast percentage captures only a fraction of the true MDS clone. Consequently, improved measures of residual disease in MDS patients are needed to improve post HCT outcome prediction. We hypothesized that a more stringent blast percentage cutoff as well as an assessment of recognizable residual cytogenetic disease burden would better predict outcome post HCT. Disease burden at HCT was characterized as reported in the Revised International Prognostic Scoring System (IPSS-R) ( 2- 10%) and by assessment of cytogenetic residual disease by calculating the percent of metaphases with ongoing cytogenetic abnormalities immediately prior to transplant (% positive metaphases 50%). Metaphase data was unavailable in n=7. Those patients with normal cytogenetics (n=26) were classified in the One hundred consecutive patients with MDS undergoing allogeneic HCT at the University of Minnesota between 1995 –2011 were studied. Their median age was 52 (18–69). At diagnosis, the majority of patients had either refractory cytopenia of multilineage dysplasia (RCMD) (25%) or refractory anemia with excess blasts (RAEB) 1 or 2 (49%) and were INT-1 (37%) or INT-2/High risk (60%). Donor type was related donor (52%), matched unrelated (13%) and umbilical cord blood (35%). Half received myeloablative conditioning and Karnofsky Performance Status (KPS) > 80 in 95%. Results: (Table) Both higher blast percentage at HCT and high percentage of residual cytogenetically positive cells correlated with inferior overall survival as well as more frequent NRM. Relapse incidence was similar in those with blasts up to 10%. Percentage of abnormal metaphases was not predictive of relapse. Conditioning intensity was the only factor that impacted the 2 year relapse rate with decreased relapse seen with myeloablative conditioning. Conclusion: These data suggest that survival and relapse prediction are not improved by using the more stringent IPSS-R blast cutoff of 10% blasts or > 50% residual positive metaphases. These patients require additional therapy or new strategies to improve post HCT outcomes. A refined measure of disease burden at HCT using both blast count and % residual abnormal metaphases may allow for more comprehensive prediction of post HCT outcomes in MDS. Disclosures: No relevant conflicts of interest to declare.
Intracerebral Expression of AAV-APOE4 Is Not Sufficient to Alter Tau Burden in Two Distinct Models of Tauopathy

Apolipoprotein E4 (APOE4) is the major genetic risk factor for sporadic Alzheimer's disease (AD), which is characterized by amyloid β (Aβ) plaques and tau tangles. Though the role of APOE4 in Aβ pathogenesis has been mechanistically defined in rodent models, much less is known regarding the relationship of APOE4 to tau pathogenesis. Recent studies have indicated a possible correlation between APOE isoform-dependent alterations in tau pathology and neurodegeneration. To explore whether neuronal expression of APOE4 triggers tauopathy, here we delivered adeno-associated viruses (AAV) expressing human APOE4 in two different models of tauopathy—rTg4510 and PS19 lines. Intracerebroventricular delivery of AAV-APOE4 in neonatal rTg4510 and PS19 mice resulted in increased APOE4 protein in neurons but did not result in altered phosphorylated tau burden, pretangle tau pathology, or silver-positive tangle pathology. Biochemical analysis of synaptic proteins did not reveal substantial alterations. Our results indicate that over-expression of APOE4 in neurons, using an AAV-mediated approache, is not sufficient to accelerate or otherwise alter the inherent tau pathology that occurs in mice overexpressing mutant human tau.
A connectionist account of the relational shift and context sensitivity in the development of generalisation

Similarity-based generalisation is fundamental to human cognition, and the ability to draw analogies based on relational similarities between superficially different domains is crucial for reasonin...
Computational Study of Methane C–H Activation by Main Group and Mixed Main Group–Transition Metal Complexes

In the present density functional theory (DFT) research, nine different molecules, each with different combinations of A (triel) and E (divalent metal) elements, were reacted to effect methane C-H activation. The compounds modeled herein incorporated the triels A = B, Al, or Ga and the divalent metals E = Be, Mg, or Zn. The results show that changes in the divalent metal have a much bigger impact on the thermodynamics and methane activation barriers than changes in the triels. The activating molecules that contained beryllium were most likely to have the potential for activating methane, as their free energies of reaction and free energy barriers were close to reasonable experimental values (i.e., ΔG close to thermoneutral, ΔG‡ ~30 kcal/mol). In contrast, the molecules that contained larger elements such as Zn and Ga had much higher ΔG‡. The addition of various substituents to the A-E complexes did not seem to affect thermodynamics but had some effect on the kinetics when substituted closer to the active site.
Leveraging Veterans Health Administration Clinical and Research Resources to Accelerate Discovery and Testing in Precision Oncology.

Objective The promise of precision oncology, which is the ability to choose a treatment specific to the characteristics of the tumor, has arrived. There are targeted therapies based on tumor mutations in multiple cancer types, both approved and in development. The US Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) has embraced precision oncology for the treatment of patients with prostate cancer. Observations This article focuses on the efforts to bring precision oncology treatments and trials to veterans with prostate cancer through the Precision Oncology Program for Cancer of Prostate (POPCaP) Centers of Excellence (COE) and the clinical trials consortium inside POPCaP, Prostate Cancer Analysis for Therapy CHoice (PATCH). Through POPCaP, VA has analyzed hundreds of prostate cancer tumors to identify mutations and develop treatment plans for veterans with prostate cancer. PATCH will leverage the genetic data and prostate cancer expertise of POPCaP COEs to develop clinical trials for veterans that take a precision oncology approach to care. Conclusions With its extensive resources and capabilities, VA has the ability to advance a precision oncology agenda that provides veterans with the highest standard of care. It has built upon many key elements in clinical, technological and scientific fields of study that would challenge most other health care systems given the extensive costs involved.
The World Café as a methodology for examining disability issues: Review and recommendations

Abstract Despite strong investments in policy, practice, and research, people with disabilities face persistent barriers to full and equal participation. While most investments are made at the systems or individual level, communities represent the local context in which services and supports are assembled to meet the needs of its citizens. Community-based initiatives are needed to address localized processes or systems that negatively affect people with disabilities. One approach that brings together a broad cross-section of community members in solutions-focused discussions is the World Cafe. This systematic review explores how the World Cafe methodology has been used to examine issues important in the lives of people with disabilities and their families. A literature search yielded 35 studies of 152 World Cafe events involving more than 4,985 community members. This chapter (a) highlights the value of the World Cafe as a research methodology to address disability issues and (b) offers a framework for assessing the rigor of research studies incorporating the World Cafe.
Evaluation of eye-tracking methods for a decision support application

ABSTRACT Eye-tracking is used widely to investigate attention and cognitive processes while performing tasks in electronic medical record (EMR) systems. We explored a novel application of eye tracking to collect training data for a machine learning-based clinical decision support tool that predicts which patient data are likely to be relevant for a clinical task. Specifically, we investigated in a laboratory setting the accuracy of eye tracking compared to manual annotation for inferring which patient data in the EMR are judged to be relevant by physicians. We evaluated several methods for processing gaze points that were recorded using a low-cost eye tracking device. Our results show that eye-tracking achieves accuracy and precision of 69% and 53% respectively compared to manual annotation and are promising for machine learning. The methods for processing gaze points and scripts that we developed offer a first step in developing novel uses for eye-tracking for clinical decision support. LAY SUMMARY In the context of electronic medical record systems, eye-tracking is used extensively to explore attention and cognitive processes. We investigated a novel application of eye tracking to collect training data for machine learning-based clinical decision support. We evaluated several methods for processing gaze points that were recorded using a low-cost eye tracking device. The methods for processing gaze points and scripts that we developed offer a first step in developing novel uses for eye-tracking for clinical decision support.
Alter(native) Magic: Race and the Other in Beninese Witchcraft

In Benin, as in many postcolonial settings, views of foreign ‘Others’ figure prominently in local discourses about identity and morality. Most of these characterisations centre on whites or other f...
Introduction: Rethinking Globalization, Education, and Citizenship:

Background/ ContextThis essay is a part of a special issue that emerges from a year-long faculty seminar at Teachers College, Columbia University. The seminar's purpose has been to examine in fresh...
Instrumentation for THz Spectroscopy in the Laboratory and in Space

Spectroscopic measurements in the millimeter, submillimeter, or THz range, with resolutions exceeding a MHz, provide for highly specific detections of gas-phase absorption and emission by atoms and molecules. Due to relatively low excitation energies involved in the transitions, multiple features are observable in most physical systems, and thus such observations dominate the scientific discovery of molecules in space and contribute significantly to remote sensing of the Earth and planetary bodies. The methods and techniques of THz spectroscopy continue to evolve as capabilities and technologies expand. In this article, we review the genesis of THz spectroscopy in both the laboratory and in space, and follow its development to date, providing background on the challenges, and context for the current developments that promise to extend both remote and in-situ gas composition sensing.
Perceived Usability of Zoom application as an online learning platform during COVID-19: Using Technology Acceptance Model and System Usability Scale

The COVID-19 epidemic has forced the closure of all sorts of educational institutions across the world. In this regard, the perceived usefulness of the existing online learning systems is crucial, especially given the absence of physical classrooms. The Zoom learning application is chosen as the reference platform in this study to assess perceived usability. The System Usability Scale (SUS), which is a Human Computer Interaction (HCI) based method, and the Technology Acceptance Model (TAM), which is an Information Systems (IS) based approach, are used to evaluate the system. The major objective of this study was to measure the perceived usability online learning platform and examine the impact of TAM factors and SUS on recommendation intention and overall experience of students. This study found that perceived usability in terms of TAM and SUS increases the students’ overall experience and their intention to recommend the online learning platform to others.
Participation, Pricing, and Enrollment in a Health Insurance "Public Option": Evidence From Washington State's Cascade Care Program.

Policy Points Policymakers considering introduction of a health insurance "public option" to lower health spending and reduce the number of uninsured can learn from Washington State, which offered the nation's first public option ("Cascade Care") through its state exchange in 2021. This article examines insurer participation, pricing, and enrollment in the Washington public option. The public option was the lowest-premium standard silver plan in 9 of the 19 counties in which it was offered. Cascade Care is available solely through private insurers. Voluntary participation of these insurers and uncertainty about the willingness of providers to participate may have hindered greater premium reductions and enrollment in the public option's first year. CONTEXT State and federal policymakers considering introduction of a health insurance "public option" can learn from Washington State, which established the nation's first public option, with coverage beginning in January 2021. Public option plans were offered voluntarily by private insurers through the Washington Health Benefit Exchange and were subject to state-mandated plan design and payment requirements. METHODS We used plan data from the Washington Health Benefit Exchange, linked to data from the US Census Bureau, the American Hospital Association, and InterStudy. We compared geographic availability and premiums of, and enrollment in, public option and non-public option plans, as well as characteristics of counties where the public option was available and counties where the public option was the lowest-premium plan. FINDINGS At least one public option plan was available in 19 of 39 counties and was the lowest-premium option in 9 of the 19 counties where it was available. Five insurers offered public option plans, including one new entrant to the state and one new entrant to the Exchange. While public option availability was more common in counties where the Exchange was bigger and more competitive, public option plans had the lowest premium in smaller, less competitive counties. In the first year, 1% of enrollees selected the public option, in part due to automatic reenrollment of the majority of returning enrollees in their 2020 plan. CONCLUSIONS Public option plans offered a low-premium choice in counties that otherwise had fewer affordable plans, but voluntary participation of insurers and providers and accompanying uncertainty about participation hindered widespread and substantial premium reductions. States should consider tying public option participation by insurers and providers to other state programs and using decision support tools to promote active enrollment. Federal policymakers can support state efforts while considering establishment of a national public option.
POLYOL DEHYDROGENASES OF GLUCONOBACTER OXYDANS.

SUMMARY Gluconobacter oxydans (suboxydans) contains at least six different polyol dehydrogenases, each with unique structural specificity. These have been defined as a nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide phosphate-specific xylitol dehydrogenase, an NAD- linked D-erythro dehydrogenase, an NAD-linked D-xylo dehydro- genase, an NADP-linked D-&X0 dehydrogenase, and two different NADP-linked gluconate dehydrogenases. One or more L-erythro dehydrogenases (with the Bertrand- Hudson specificity) are attached to the cytoplasmic membrane. The oxidations by growing acetic acid bacteria are mainly due to polyol dehydrogenases localized on the cytoplasmic membrane. The formulation of the rule of Bertrand and Hudson is the result of the unique oxidative properties of the dehydrogenases att,ached to the cytoplasmic membrane of the acetic acid bacteria. Acknowledgment-We are grateful to Dr. N. K. Richtmyer for generous gifts of heptitols and heptuloses. REFERENCES 1. BERTRAND, G., Ann. chim. et phys.,
Evidence for the Function of P1, P4-Diguanosine 5'-Tetraphosphate in the Development of Artemia salina

Acid extracts of cysts and newly hatched nauplii of Artemia salina contain large amounts of guanine derivatives but only very small amounts of adenine compounds. As the nauplii undergo further differentiation, the total purine concentration remains constant, but the total adenine concentration increases. The increase in total adenine equals the decrease in total guanine. Since the nauplii are incapable of synthesizing purines de novo, a direct conversion of guanine compounds to adenine compounds must occur. Furthermore, P1,P4-diguanosine 5'-tetraphosphate appears to serve as a direct precursor of adenosine triphosphate, its guanine moiety being converted to adenine and its pyrophosphate bonds being conserved in the transition. The other guanine-containing compounds of the acid-soluble pool appear to serve as a source of nucleic acid guanine.
The positional firing properties of medial entorhinal neurons: description and comparison with hippocampal place cells

Hippocampal place cells in the rat are so named because they fire predominantly within circumscribed regions of the environment. This study describes the positional firing properties of cells afferent to hippocampal place cells, in superficial layers of medial entorhinal cortex (MEC). MEC cells in these layers project to the hippocampus via the perforant path and, along with lateral entorhinal cells, are the sole route by which cortical information reaches the hippocampus. MEC cells were recorded from rats while they retrieved pellets in simple geometric enclosures. The behavioral task as well as procedures for data collection and analysis were the same used in previous studies on hippocampal place cells (e.g., Muller et al., 1987) in order to facilitate the direct comparison between hippocampal and entorhinal cells. The firing patterns of MEC cells show pronounced locational variations reminiscent of hippocampal firing fields, but with a lower signal-to-noise ratio. While noisy, MEC firing patterns are stationary in time as evidenced by their reproducibility, and the improvement in spatial signal with long-duration recordings. Furthermore, MEC firing patterns are not due to variations in the rat's behavior. Taken together, these data show that the positional firing variations in MEC cells are due to the location-specificity of MEC cells. These and additional data lead us to conclude that location-specific information exists prior to the hippocampus. MEC cells are similar to hippocampal place cells in that their firing can be controlled by the rotation of a visual cue (a white card attached to the wall), but is not disrupted by removing the cue. An important difference between hippocampal and entorhinal cells was seen when the shape of the recording chamber was changed. In the transition from a cylinder to an equal-area square of similar appearance, MEC firing patterns topologically transformed (or “stretched”) while those of hippocampal place cells changed to an unpredictable pattern. We conclude that the positional firing of MEC cells is more “sensory bound” than hippocampal cells, and that the ability to discriminate different environments, while present in the hippocampus, is not yet present in its input from MEC.
Efficient MPI support for advanced hybrid programming models

The number of multithreaded Message Passing Interface (MPI) implementations and applications is increasing rapidly. We discuss how multithreaded applications can receive messages of unknown size. As is well known, combining MPI_Probe/MPI_Recv is not threadsafe, but many assume that trivial workarounds exist. We discuss those workarounds and show how they fail in practice by either limiting the available parallelism unnecessarily, consuming resources in a nonscalable way, or promoting global deadlocks. In this light, we propose two fundamentally different efficient approaches to enable thread-safe messaging in MPI-2.2: fine-grained locking and matching outside of MPI. Our approaches provide thread-safe probe and receive functionality, but both have deficiencies, including performance limitations and programming complexity, that could be avoided if MPI would offer a thread-safe (stateless) interface to MPI Probe. We propose such an extension for the upcoming MPI-3 standard, provide a reference implementation, and demonstrate significant performance benefits.
Mental workload and task performance in peer-based human-robot teams

Successful human-robot (H-R) teams working with direct interaction and close coupling will have relationships that vary, depending on whether or not collaboration is prioritized and how collaboration changes the human mental workload and the team's task performance. Modeling of representative functions can provide predictions of changes in mental workload and the potential impact on team performance. The presented research focuses on modeling and quantifying mental workload for H-R teams in which team members have some individually assigned responsibilities but must also make joint decisions with a teammate. IMPRINT Pro, a discrete event simulation modeling tool created by the U.S. Army Research Laboratory, was used to model human-human (H-H) and H-R teams completing a reconnaissance task in a building. This research evaluated H-H and H-R teams completing the same reconnaissance tasks. Predictions of mental-workload levels from the model and the evaluation results showed that mental workload was lower for the H-R teams. The results for the closely coupled teams were compared to results from a prior evaluation with a master-slave relationship; similar results were found for both evaluations. Mental workload was lower in H-R teams than in H-H teams, but task performance did not differ between the two.
Age, Dietary Selenium and Quantity of 7,12-Dimethylbenz(a)anthracene Influence the in Vivo Occurrence of Rat Mammary DNA Adducts

The present studies determined the impact of age, dietary selenium and 7,12-dimethylbenz(a)anthracene (DMBA) dosage on the occurrence of DMBA-DNA adducts in rat mammary tissue. Diets formulated to contain selenium, as sodium selenite, at 0.1 (control) or 2.0 mg/kg were fed for 2 wk before DMBA treatment. Food intake and weight gain were not influenced by selenium intake. Anti- and syn-dihydrodiol epoxide adducts reached maximum binding by 24 and 36 h, respectively, after treatment with DMBA. Consumption of the diet containing 2.0 mg Se/kg inhibited the appearance of both anti- and syn-adducts by approximately 50% compared with controls. The occurrence of DMBA-DNA adducts correlated with a dosage of DMBA from 5 to 50 mg/kg body wt (r greater than or equal to 0.95). The ability of supplemental selenite to lower DMBA binding to mammary cell DNA increased as the quantity of the carcinogen administered increased. DMBA-DNA binding was found to increase with the increasing age of the rat. Nevertheless, dietary selenium supplementation was effective in reducing DMBA binding to DNA in all ages examined. These data confirmed the ability of dietary selenium to inhibit the in vivo metabolism of DMBA under a variety of conditions.
Estimates of Consumer Loss Due to Monopoly in the U.S. Food Manufacturing Industries: Comment

A recent article in this Journal by Parker and Connor (PC) concluded that seller concentration in food manufacturing resulted in consumer overcharges equal to $11.5 billion in 1975. The study has limitations that are important in properly interpreting the findings and in designing future research. PC employed three estimating approaches: an adaptation of Scherer's consumer-loss estimates for the entire economy, a price-cost model by Preston and Collins, and an original Parker-Connor model based upon national brand-private label price differences. This comment focuses on the first and third approaches; the second was not examined.
Bioactive Hydrogel Layers on Microdisk Electrode Arrays: Impedimetric Characterization and Equivalent Circuit Modeling

Microfabricated microdisk electrode arrays (MDEAs) of 50 mm (5184 disks), 100 mm (1296 disks) and 250 mm (207 disks) (d/r ¼ 4; A ¼ 0.1 cm 2 ) were coated with poly(hydroxyethylmethacrylate)-based hydrogel membranes and studied by electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) in 1.0 mM ferrocene monocarboxylic acid (FcCO2H). Equivalent circuit modeling showed an approximate three-fold increase in solution resistance, Rsol, and an order of magnitude increase in charge transfer resistance, Rct, resulting from a reduction in apparent diffusivity of FcCO2H. Additionally, both resistive parameters decreased while the capacitance (Q) increased with decreasing microdisk diameter; consistent with an increase in effective electroactive area. The hydrogel layer did not compromise enhanced mass transport achieved by the MDEA and thus may be used to advantage in biosensors.