cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Single Cell Dynamics Drive Turbulent Flow in the Collective Motion of Bacteria

In most areas of biology, the principal confounding factor is the complexity. Biology from the cellular level to the ecosystem involves the action of a multitude of individuals that come together and achieve specific tasks. For example, at the single cell level, the binding and unbinding of cytoskeletal proteins conspire to allow a cell to move across surfaces or through the extracellular matrix. At the tissue level, these motile cells act together to heal wounds or form cancer metastases. Tissues come together to form organisms, which form societies, and so on. Here we use dense communities of swimming bacteria to understand how collective behavior arises out of the actions of an individual. At high density, rod-shaped bacteria produce complex fluid flows that include vortices and jets. These flows arise partially due to the dipole forces that each bacterium exerts on the surrounding fluid. By confining Bacillus subtilis or Escherichia coli within Hele-Shaw cells of controllable depth, we probe how individual biophysical parameters, such as shape, speed, external drag, and chemotaxis, affect the resulting collective behavior in this system. We then compare our results to predictions from a two-phase fluid model that is based on the single-cell physics of a swimming bacterium. Comparison of our experimental and simulation results show that the collective behavior in this system is largely determined by the biophysics of the single organism. The physics of these dense communities has many similarities to actomyosin systems, as well as to collective systems of epithelial cells. Therefore, our results are likely broadly applicable to a wide range of problems in cell migration, from the single cell to the collective.
378 INCONSISTENT APPLICATION OF DIAGNOSTIC CRITERIA LEADING TO UNDERTREATMENT OF OSTEOPOROSIS IN POSTMENOPAUSAL WOMEN.

Background Although the incidence of hip and vertebral fractures due to osteoporosis surpasses the incidence of breast cancer, stroke, and myocardial infarction in postmenopausal women, the reported screening rates for osteoporosis with DEXA scan have been less than half of those reported for breast cancer screening. The low rate of osteoporosis screening occurs despite reimbursement by Medicare. In this report, we examine the association of Dexascan T-scores with osteoporosis treatment. Methods The Better Osteoporosis Knowledge and Screening Study (BONES) is a quality improvement initiative that includes 13 residency clinics. We report results from the first six sites. Enrolled women were at least 67 years of age (to ensure Medicare coverage over the last 2 years) with at least one prior visit to the participating clinic. Participants answered a 77-item survey and viewed an educational video on osteoporosis. Baseline chart reviews of all participating patients were done to document prior screening. Descriptive statistics were compiled. Bivariate analyses were performed regarding actual osteoporosis treatment with bisphosphonates, PTH, or calcitonin as the outcome. Results In a preliminary analysis of 122 charts, 31 women had the diagnosis of osteoporosis, yet only 23 had received a DEXA scan. Only 15 met diagnostic criteria by DEXA scan. Regarding treatment, of the 28 women who had been prescribed osteoporosis medications, 10 had T scores ≤ −2.5; 3 had T scores −2.0 to −2.4; 4 had T scores −1.9 to −1.5, and 1 had a T score ≤ −1.0. The remaining 10 (36%) receiving treatment had no evidence of DEXA scan, and only 4 of the 10 had a diagnosis of osteoporosis documented in the chart. Age, income, prior education, comorbidities, and history of fractures did not significantly predict diagnosis or treatment or in any T score group. The only statistically significant associations of treatment were white race (p = .05) and prior conversation about osteoporosis with their physician (p = .005). Conclusion Our preliminary data suggest that physicians are applying and interpreting diagnostic criteria for osteoporosis inconsistently and basing decisions to treat osteoporosis on factors that are not readily apparent or documented.
Continence Following Nerve-Sparing Radical Prostatectomy

AbstractUrinary incontinence after radical prostatectomy is a difficult postoperative problem and often is a major consideration in the selection of therapy for clinically localized disease. The occurrence of incontinence is unpredictable and the relationship of incontinence to operative technique is unclear. We compared urinary continence in 68 consecutive patients undergoing radical prostatectomy. In 34 patients nonnerve-sparing radical prostatectomy was performed and in 34 subsequent patients a nerve-sparing operation was done. Patient age, Gleason score and stage of the tumor, and operative time were not significantly different between the groups. In the nonnerve-sparing operated group there were 4 patients (12%) with total and 6 (18%) with stress incontinence requiring absorbent pads, compared to 0 and 2 (6%), respectively, in the nerve-sparing group. The postoperative functional urethral length in the nonnerve-sparing group was 1.9 ± 0.6cm. (standard deviation) and in the nerve-sparing group it was ...
Anticoagulation in the Very Old.

One of the most fraught choices clinicians make is deciding whicholderpatients shouldreceiveanticoagulant therapy.Risk of thrombosis and bleeding both increasewith age, and these risks must be balanced with the burdens of anticoagulant monitoring, cost, adherence, and polypharmacy.1 Studies evaluating the net benefit of anticoagulation therapy oftenexclude theoldest andsickestpatients.Consequently,physicians caring for older adults with complex medical conditions instead must rely on extrapolated data and clinical experience; surveys show that patient age acts as a significantdeterrent to theuseof anticoagulation regardless of other risk factors.2 In this issue of JAMA Internal Medicine, Kooistra et al3 offer insight on the risk of bleeding and thrombosis in this understudied age group. They included all patients 90 years or older who were prescribed vitamin K antagonists at an anticoagulation clinic in theNetherlands andmatched themwith equal numbers of patients aged 80 to 89 years and 70 to 79 years based on treatment duration. Compared with patients aged 70 to 79 years, those aged 80 to 89 years had a similar riskofbleeding,whereaspatients90yearsorolderhadamildly increased riskofbleeding.Conversely,patients in their80sand 90s had a markedly higher risk of thrombosis than did patients in their 70s. This study included all patients in the region that clinicians chose to treat with anticoagulation therapy and had no exclusion criteria; thus, it offers valuable informationon realworldoutcomes. Investigatorsshouldusethese inclusivemethods in future studies of the very old. These data also suggest that clinicians are successfully identifying very old patients whocanbegivenanticoagulation therapywith relative safety. However, we still know little about the patients who clinicians chose not to treat with anticoagulation therapy. Beyondabsolute age, frailty,mobility problems, fall risk, anddementia influencedecisions regardinganticoagulation therapy, andwe need data on how these factorsmediate risk of bleedingandthrombosis.Weneedmorestudies that includethevery old and thatmeasure the risk factors that are particularly relevant in the frail older population. The specter of iatrogenic hemorrhage and preventable thrombosis looms large when discussing anticoagulation at any age. Patients and clinicians will benefit greatly from robust and generalizable data when considering these nuanced decisions.
Anfänge und Grundlagen

Praktisch und theoretisch begrundet sich das deutsche bgl. Tr. als eins der Produkte der literaturgeschichtlich fruchtbaren Umbruchszeit um die Mitte des 18. Jhs. 1755 erschien sowohl das erste deutsche Originaldrama, das sich im Untertitel als »bgl. Tr.« ausweist, Lessings »Mis Sara Sampson«, wie auch die erste systematische Abhandlung uber die Theorie des neuen Genres, Gottlob Benjamin Pfeils Aufsatz »Vom burgerlichen Trauerspiele« (in den von Johann Daniel Tietz herausgegebenen »Neuen Erweiterungen der Erkenntnis und des Vergnugens«, Bd VI, 31. Stuck, S. 1–25). Den Neuheitswert, das Erstaunliche und Revolutionare dieser Erscheinung bezeugt zum Beispiel Lessings Selbstrezension in der »Berlinischen privilegirten Zeitung« vom 3. Mai 1755: »Ein burgerliches Trauerspiel! Mein Gott! Findet man in Gottscheds critischer Dichtkunst ein Wort von so einem Dinge?« (Lachmann/Muncker, Bd VII, S. 26).
Study of Evolution of Asphalt Binder Microstructure Resulting from Aging and Tensile Loading

This paper presents findings from a study conducted to evaluate changes in the microstructure of asphalt binder resulting from aging as well as the effect of these changes on the evolution of damage resulting from tensile deformations. Two types of asphalt binders were aged with the rolling thin film oven and pressure aging vessel aging techniques. The microstructure and the microrheology of the six binders were obtained with atomic force microscopy (AFM) imaging and creep indentation experiments. This information was then used to perform numerical simulations to examine the effect of tensile strains on the internal stress distribution in the binder. Experimentally, a microloading apparatus was used to induce tensile strains in the samples of the asphalt binder while the binder was observed for damage with the use of AFM. The damage and changes in the binder microstructure resulting from the tensile load observed experimentally were compared with the results from the numerical simulations. Results suggest...
Survival of Clostridium perfringens During Preparation of Precooked Chicken Parts

Vegetative cells of Clostridium perfringens were completely destroyed and the number of viable spores was reduced by procedures used to process precooked chicken thighs and breasts. A mixed inoculum of vegetative cells of C. perfringens CDC strains 7947 and 7948 was killed in thighs and breasts cooked in water at 82 C for 20 min and at 93 C for 15 min. Heat-sensitive spores of C. perfringens strain 7947 were reduced to low levels after 43 min at 82 C and completely eliminated after 38 min at 93 C. Heat-resistant spores of C. perfringens strain 7948 were not reduced when water-cooked at 82 C for 50 min nor completely destroyed after 45 min at 93 C. C. perfringens 7948 spores survived during frozen storage of inoculated thighs which were cooked at 82 C for 20 min (40–50%) and at 93 C for 45 min (23–30%). Numbers of spores were further reduced after reheating frozen pieces at 192 C for 30 min. Thighs were coated with inoculated batter and breading and flash fried at 192 C for 30, 45, or 60 sec resulting in d...
The artist as curator edited by Celina Jeffery

As the opening chapters of the book highlight, there is a long and rich history of various kinds of artists, artist groups and associations contributing to the selection, presentation and interpret...
Polaris: the chief scientist’s recollections of the American North Pole Expedition, 1871-73

This important translation places German scientist Emil Bessels’ own account of the ill-fated American Polaris North Pole expedition in the English language for the first time. With the publication...
A 28-GHz Low-Power Phased-Array Receiver Front-End With 360° RTPS Phase Shift Range

A low-power 28-GHz phased-array receiver (RX) front end is presented that incorporates a low-power low-noise amplifier (LNA) and a passive reflection-type phase shifter (RTPS) capable of 360° phase shift with 5-b phase resolution and low gain variation. Passive phase shifters are limited by tradeoffs between phase resolution, insertion loss, and phase shift range. The proposed RTPS load design and optimization approach leads to a 28-GHz RTPS achieving the state-of-the-art insertion loss with 360° phase shift range and low loss variation across the phase shift. The LNA adopts a transformer-coupled neutralization architecture that increases available gain, enabling lower power consumption. The phased-array front end is designed for Ka -band applications and has been implemented in 65-nm CMOS. The measured RTPS achieves 360° phase shift with 7.75 ± 0.3 dB insertion loss and an rms phase error of 0.3° at 28 GHz. The low-power phased-array RX front end has an overall gain of 9.5 ± 0.4 dB and noise figure <5.5 dB at 28 GHz. The RX front end consumes 10 mW from a 0.9-V supply with phase shifter and an LNA active area of 0.16 and 0.32 mm2, respectively, in 65-nm CMOS, demonstrating its suitability for low-power phased-array RX for emerging wireless links.
Development of an Ambulation Program at Kent Hospital

An important aspect of nursing care in a hospital setting is mobilizing patients. Numerous studies have documented that prolonged bed rest is associated with negative patient outcomes. An ambulation program can assist patients to maintain functional status during the hospital stay in preparation for discharge. Nurses are the member of the health care team with responsibility for mobilizing patients. In order to do this successfully, nurses require updated knowledge related to implementing an ambulation program. Several factors facilitate ambulating patients on a regular basis, including adequate staffing, appropriate equipment, and availability of a mobility protocol. The purpose of the project was to develop and implement an educational program for nursing staff regarding ambulation of medical-surgical patients in the hospital setting. First, a comprehensive needs assessment was conducted; concurrently, a recently formed Task Force developed a mobility protocol. A two hour educational program was developed based on the literature and clinical experience, with a focus on the negative consequences of immobility in the hospital setting, patient assessments in relation to mobility, the benefits of mobilizing patients, and the role of the nurse and the Physical Therapist with mobilizing patients. The program was implemented and included administration of pre and post surveys and a program evaluation. Results indicated a ten point improvement in knowledge scores from the pre to the post survey, and staff positively evaluated the program. The Advanced Practice Registered Nurse (APRN), especially the Clinical Nurse Specialist (CNS) can play a major role in formally and informally educating nursing staff related to ambulation as well as in development, implementation, and evaluation of a
Urologic Trauma: General Considerations

We have all been on either the giving or receiving end of a helpful intraoperative consult. It is always remarkable how a different point of view, a different incision, or a unique approach to the operative management of a problem can turn a sour occasion into a successful one. When one is the urologist called in to repair an iatrogenic injury to the genitourinary system, it is essential that we bring that fresh perspective to the situation. This is best accomplished via two principles: (1) do your best to duplicate the operative setting with which we are all more familiar - the elective case, and (2) be flexible and change your approach as demanded by the clinical situation at hand.
Perspectives on the United States Feedstocks for the Production of Energy and Chemicals

We tend to think of energy as power that is consumed to provide us with services, e.g. electricity for lighting, fuel oil for heat, and gasoline for transportation, and of chemical feedstocks as raw materials that are transformed into industrial or consumer goods. However, energy and chemical feedstocks are not exclusive categories because both are based principally on the same natural resources. Coal, crude oil, and natural gas provide raw materials for industry, as well as the energy to process the materials into commodities. It will become clear in the following discussion that energy, industry, consumer goods, and the standard of living are intimately entwined.
Health Issues of Homeless Youth

The purpose of this paper is to provide an overview of what is currently known about the health issues of homeless youth, focusing on risk-taking behaviors, health status, and access to care. The paper addresses the health issues of homeless youth in the U.S. within an international context. Existing data suggest that homeless adolescents exhibit high rates of risk-taking behaviors, face additional barriers to access of health care, and suffer from a high burden of poor health. However, most research on the health of homeless youth has been cross-sectional and has relied on convenience sampling. Future research should focus on conducting more methodologically rigorous studies on the specific health needs of homeless youth. Research should include eliciting information directly from the youth about their preferred health care interventions.
Environmental Health Tracking

Environmental health tracking is an emerging area that spans the traditional sectors of public health and environmental protection. Its goal is to provide more information about how the environment affects health and what can be done about it. Environmental health tracking incorporates elements of environmental monitoring, public health surveillance, and community health. It uses environmental monitoring data but seeks to broaden its analysis and interpretation to better understand environmental causes of diseases and disorders and opportunities for intervention. It incorporates public health surveillance of diseases that are caused at least, in part, by environmental factors. It incorporates elements of community health as it is intended to provide information relevant to communities seeking to address environmental health issues. Environmental health tracking involves the development and implementation of new methods and new data systems. Indicators summarize and interpret data in forms that are understandable to relevant audiences. Some countries emphasize communities, whereas others emphasize national perspectives. The concepts are yet to be fully implemented, but efforts are under way in many venues around the world.
Maintaining School-based Prereferral Teams: An Eight Year Study.

The establishment of prereferral intervention teams has become a recommended practice for educators to use to address the diverse needs of students within the classrooms. Although the concept of ut...
Behavioral and cognitive intervention strategies delivered via coached apps for depression: Pilot trial.

Depression is common in primary care settings, but barriers prevent many primary care patients from initiating treatment. Smartphone apps stand as a possible means to overcome such barriers. However, there is limited evidence to understand the use and efficacy of these apps. The purpose of the current study was to pilot an evaluation of the usage and efficacy of apps for depression based upon behavioral or cognitive intervention skills, compared to a wait-list control. Thirty adults with depression were randomized to the use of either a behavioral app (Boost Me) or a cognitive app (Thought Challenger) or to a wait-list control. Boost Me and Thought Challenger participants received 6 weeks of the respective intervention along with weekly coaching sessions, with a 4-week follow-up period; wait-list control participants received no interventions for 10 weeks. A repeated-measures analysis of variance was conducted to examine depression over time and across treatment groups; t tests compared app usage across groups. Depression scores changed significantly over time (p .05). The present study provides initial support that intervention strategies for depression delivered via apps with human support can impact symptoms and may promote continued use over 6 weeks. This pilot also demonstrates the feasibility of future research regarding the delivery of behavioral and cognitive intervention strategies via apps. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2019 APA, all rights reserved).
Impact of pretreatment serum creatinine on outcomes in pancreatic adenocarcinoma.

e15749Background: Pancreatic Adenocarcinoma (PA) is an aggressive malignancy with an estimated 5-year survival of 8.5%. PA was responsible for 7.3% of all cancer deaths in 2018 in the US. We aimed ...
Abstract 796: Progestins target mitochondrial respiration to shift metabolic phenotype in luminal breast cancer

The dichotomous nature of progesterone receptor (PR) in estrogen receptor (ER)-positive breast cancers has confounded its use as an endocrine target. Historically, progestins were used to treat some advanced breast cancers and ongoing clinical trials are testing several PR ligands. PR generally opposes ER activity through multiple mechanisms, most notably by altering global ER transcriptional activity to suppress breast tumor growth. However, progestins can also stimulate expansion of endocrine-resistant cancer stem cells (CSCs). Thus, better understanding of potential consequences of progestins in breast cancer is necessary to gauge therapeutic efficacy. Given that ER-driven tumor growth relies on mitochondrial respiration, we evaluated whether PR modulates cell metabolism machinery as a mechanism of ER antagonism. We used functional and morphometric assays in an ER+ breast cancer cell line and patient-derived tumor models to show that progestin treatment dramatically alters mitochondrial function. Multivariate metabolomics analysis highlights a progestin-associated metabolic signature involving accumulation of multiple TCA cycle intermediates, including fumarate, malate, and succinate. Functional assays indicate that progestins impair mitochondrial oxidative reserve capacity and oxygen consumption while ablating estradiol-induced accumulation of ATP in PR+ but not PR− cells. Morphometric assessment of mitochondria via laser-scanning confocal and transmission electron microscopy indicate a shift away from reticular filamentous mitochondria towards smaller, rounder, more perinuclear mitochondria with altered membrane potential. These results suggest that PR targets mitochondrial respiration as part of a broader strategic shift from ER-driven tumor growth to PR-driven thrifty metabolic dormancy. Whether the latter is indicative of an acquired propensity for glycolytic metabolism in indolent tumor cells, CSCs, or perhaps both, is addressed in ongoing studies. Citation Format: Shawna B. Matthews, Lynsey M. Fettig, Ashley V. Ward, Matthew R. Jackman, Paul S. MacLean, Carol A. Sartorius. Progestins target mitochondrial respiration to shift metabolic phenotype in luminal breast cancer [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the American Association for Cancer Research Annual Meeting 2019; 2019 Mar 29-Apr 3; Atlanta, GA. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2019;79(13 Suppl):Abstract nr 796.
Young Children’s Writing in Play-Based Classrooms

Few studies connect teachers’ intentionality with children’s writing in play-based contexts. Thus, the goal of this study (n = 5) was to examine how the use of stations and intentional teaching encouraged writing in two preschool classrooms. Interviews with the preschool director and classroom teachers as well as observations of the children helped our understanding of how the teachers worked to naturally integrate writing into children’s play. Findings suggest learning stations that encourage writing offered authentic and creative opportunities for composition, but must be scaffolded with intentional teaching in order for children to continue to develop their writing skills.
Decisive Structural and Functional Characterization of Halide Perovskites with Synchrotron

Summary Halide perovskites have emerged as a new class of inorganic-based soft semiconductors that are revolutionizing the field of (opto)electronics. However, the fundamental structures and properties or functions of halide perovskites are still far from being fully understood, calling for the need of precise, quantitative, and high-spatiotemporal-resolution characterizations. As one of the most powerful multimodal characterization techniques, synchrotron radiation offers high-brilliance X-ray beams for high-resolution observations across multiple length scales obtained within extremely short time spans. Performing a brief review of synchrotron-based perovskite studies in the literature, here we provide perspectives on the use of synchrotron characterizations not only for studying multiple-length-scale structures and dynamic variations of perovskite materials, but also for in situ monitoring of device functions and dynamics. The goal of this perspective is to present many capabilities and evoke emerging opportunities of synchrotron characterizations for providing decisive answers to the outstanding science problems in the perovskite field, pushing forward the technological development.
SSIS Performance Screening Guide as an Indicator of Behavior and Academics: A Meta-Analysis:

This article documents the results of a meta-analysis of available correlational validity evidence for the Social Skills Improvement System Performance Screening Guide (SSIS-PSG), which is a brief ...
Frequentist Uncertainty in Recurrent Neural Networks via Blockwise Influence Functions

Recurrent neural networks (RNNs) are instrumental in modelling sequential and time-series data. Yet, when using RNNs to inform decision-making, predictions by themselves are not sufficient; we also need estimates of predictive uncertainty. Existing approaches for uncertainty quantification in RNNs are based predominantly on Bayesian methods; these are computationally prohibitive, and require major alterations to the RNN architecture and training. Capitalizing on ideas from classical jackknife resampling, we develop a frequentist alternative that: (a) does not interfere with model training or compromise its accuracy, (b) applies to any RNN architecture, and (c) provides theoretical coverage guarantees on the estimated uncertainty intervals. Our method derives predictive uncertainty from the variability of the (jackknife) sampling distribution of the RNN outputs, which is estimated by repeatedly deleting blocks of (temporally-correlated) training data, and collecting the predictions of the RNN re-trained on the remaining data. To avoid exhaustive re-training, we utilize influence functions to estimate the effect of removing training data blocks on the learned RNN parameters. Using data from a critical care setting, we demonstrate the utility of uncertainty quantification in sequential decision-making.
Seeing the forest for the trees in obesity

GABA-expressing neurons in the arcuate nucleus of the hypothalamus regulate obesity in mice. A recent study indicates the importance of unexamined cell types.
Symmetries of the Bfkl Equation

We discuss the algebraic structure of the spin chains related to high energy scattering in QCD. We study the sl(2) Yangian symmetry and possible generalizations to nonzero spin and anisotropy parameter.
A State-of-the-Art Survey of Tasks for Tree Design and Evaluation with a Curated Task Dataset

In the field of information visualization, the concept of tasks is an essential component of theories and methodologies for how a visualization researcher or a practitioner understands what tasks a user needs to perform and how to approach the creation of a new design. In this paper, we focus on the collection of tasks for tree visualizations, a common visual encoding in many domains ranging from biology to computer science to geography. In spite of their commonality, no prior efforts exist to collect and abstractly define tree visualization tasks. We present a literature review of tree visualization papers and generate a curated dataset of over 200 tasks. To enable effective task abstraction for trees, we also contribute a novel extension of the Multi-Level Task Typology to include more specificity to support tree-specific tasks as well as a systematic procedure to conduct task abstractions for tree visualizations. All tasks in the dataset were abstracted with the novel typology extension and analyzed to gain a better understanding of the state of tree visualizations . These abstracted tasks can benefit visualization researchers and practitioners as they design evaluation studies or compare their analytical tasks with ones previously studied in the literature to make informed decisions about their design. We also reflect on our novel methodology and advocate more broadly for the creation of task-based knowledge repositories for different types of visualizations. The Supplemental Material will be maintained on OSF:https://osf.io/u5ehs/.
Phenome-Wide Association Study With Focus on Oral Health Disparities and Individuals Who Did Not Have Cancer

The goal of this study was to test if oral health outcomes are associated with the same genetic markers in Blacks and Whites. From a total of 6,100 subjects from the Dental Registry and DNA Repository project, 1,042 individuals who self-identified as White and 266 as Black without a history of cancer were included in this analysis. Genotyping data from IRE1 – rs196929, RHEB – rs2374261 and rs1109089, AXIN2 – rs2240308 and rs11867417, and RPTOR – rs4396582, present in cell regulatory pathways, were analyzed. We ran separate analyses in self-reported Black and White groups to reduce possible confounding effects of population stratification. Internal diagnostic codes from our dental registry were converted into Phecodes in order to run the analysis using the PheWAS package, installed in R Studio software. Periodontitis was associated with RHEB in both Black and White patients, with the minor allele increasing the likelihood of developing periodontitis in the Whites and yielding a protective effect in the Black individuals. The presence of ulcers and gingivitis were associated with RPTOR and AXIN2, respectively, in the Whites, but an association was not detected for the Blacks. On the other hand, phenotypes such as dental fracture, diseases of the tongue, attrition, erosion, abrasion, fordyce granules, and torus and exostosis were uniquely associated with the Blacks. Periodontitis associated with RHEB in both Blacks and Whites, and associations found in Black individuals may be the result of social disparities that lead to higher levels of stress, and these observed differences require further study.
Language dominance and multilingual word learning

Studies on multilingual word learning have focused on identifying a bilingual advantage over monolingual peers, paying little attention to the relationships between bilinguals’ existing vocabulary ...
A Record of the Accumulation of Sediment and Trace Metals in a Connecticut Salt Marsh

Publisher Summary This chapter describes the study conducted to analyze the accumulation of sediment and trace metals in a Connecticut salt marsh. In the study, peat from the Farm River salt marsh, an estuarine marsh on the submerging coast of Connecticut near New Haven, was sampled by raising essentially undisturbed, meter-long cores, and was found to record trace-metal deposition from the atmosphere and sediment erosion from the land during the past century. The activity of 210 Pb and concentrations of Fe, Mn, Cu, Zn, and Pb were measured in contiguous, 2-cm thick slices of peat. The distribution of excess 210 Pb with depth in the salt marsh, by assuming a constant flux to the surface, was used to estimate the age of sediment at the bottom of each slice. The resulting age–depth relationship was compared to the independent measure of sea-level rise recorded by the New York City tide gauge and was found to be in good general agreement. The results demonstrated that 210 Pb is quantitatively retained within the salt marsh and is not significantly redistributed after deposition. The results also support the idea that stable elements with analogous chemical properties also represent a depositional record.
Utilizing Experience for Improving the Tactical Manager

Abstract We describe a mechanism for simulation-based learning for a tactical manager expert system working in real-time. The learning is based on utilizing past experiences when attempting similar goals. The tactical manager, a prototype of an automated pilot, is the performance element in our system. The learning system accumulates experience about the functioning of the tactical manager in a large number of simulations. Then, search in the space of experimental results leads to the improved performance. The improvement is evaluated experimentally by confronting the performance of the initial system and the system that utilizes results of learning. As a simple example, we consider the task of learning how an airplane can evade a missile.
Muonium HFS Splitting as a source of Alpha

The purpose of this report is twofold, viz. (1) to review the information concerning α which one can derive, both in principle and in practice, from precision measurements of the hyperfine splitting, Δν, of muonium; (2) to describe a novel technique for measuring Δν to high accuracy which we have recently developed at Chicago.
Parallel and convergent processing in grid cell, head-direction cell, boundary cell, and place cell networks

The brain is able to construct internal representations that correspond to external spatial coordinates. Such brain maps of the external spatial topography may support a number of cognitive functions, including navigation and memory. The neuronal building block of brain maps are place cells, which are found throughout the hippocampus of rodents and, in a lower proportion, primates. Place cells typically fire in one or few restricted areas of space, and each area where a cell fires can range, along the dorsoventral axis of the hippocampus, from 30 cm to at least several meters. The sensory processing streams that give rise to hippocampal place cells are not fully understood, but substantial progress has been made in characterizing the entorhinal cortex, which is the gateway between neocortical areas and the hippocampus. Entorhinal neurons have diverse spatial firing characteristics, and the different entorhinal cell types converge in the hippocampus to give rise to a single, spatially modulated cell type-the place cell. We therefore suggest that parallel information processing in different classes of cells-as is typically observed at lower levels of sensory processing-continues up into higher level association cortices, including those that provide the inputs to hippocampus. WIREs Cogn Sci 2014, 5:207-219. doi: 10.1002/wcs.1272 Conflict of interest: The authors have declared no conflicts of interest for this article. For further resources related to this article, please visit the WIREs website.
Parameter estimation problems for distributed systems using a multigrid method

The problem of estimating spatially varying coefficients of partial differential equations is considered from observation of the solution and of the right hand side of the equation. It is assumed that the observations are distributed in the domain and that enough observations are given. A method of discretization and an efficient multigrid method for solving the resulting discrete systems are described. Numerical results are presented for estimation of coefficients in an elliptic and a parabolic partial differential equation.
Employment Outcomes for Young Adults With Autism Spectrum Disorders

This study investigated employment outcomes among young adults on the autism spectrum. Questionnaire responses indicated high job satisfaction and job retention. However, the majority were in low paid, part-time positions. Most found their job through a personal contact, and received a range of informal supports and accommodations on the job.
Identifying Genes Underlying Human Inherited Disease

The field of genetic epidemiology seeks to identify the genetic risk factors underlying human disease. First, one must assess whether the trait has an underlying genetic influence; this is done by estimating familial relative risk and conducting segregation analysis. In order to discover genes influencing human disease, both family- and population-based studies are designed, and linkage and association methods are used to analyse the relationship between the trait(s) of interest and genetic markers. A variety of approaches to both linkage and association analysis exist, each having strengths and weaknesses for differing situations. In general, linkage analysis is more powerful for detecting rare genes, whereas association analysis is more powerful for detecting common allelic effects that might be weaker. In addition, when studying complex traits, other issues must be considered, including interactions with other genes and the environment, parent-of-origin effects, as well as the effect of structural variants. Key Concepts: Genetic epidemiologists design both family- and population-based studies to find genes influencing disease risk. Before conducting a gene mapping study, one must first ascertain whether the trait is influenced by genetic effects. Linkage and association analysis are two complementary methods used to analyse the relationship between trait(s) and genetic markers. The approach used (linkage versus association) depends on the study design, and these approaches depend on the genetic parameters (rare versus common, large versus small effects). Other factors – gene–gene interaction, gene–environment interaction, existence of structural variants and parent-of-origin effects – further complicate the search for disease genes. Keywords: gene mapping; linkage analysis; genetic association analysis; complex traits; genetic epidemiology; multifactorial diseases
The Decline of the DPA: What Has Happened and Why

For the past several years, commentators have predicted (or warned) that federal prosecutors were increasingly using deferred prosecution agreements (DPAs) and non-prosecution agreements (NPAs) when settling with companies accused of corporate wrongdoing. From 2002 (the year after Enron) through 2007, this prediction was accurate - DPAs increased by from 2 in 2001 to 20 in 2007 and NPAs increased from 1 to 18 in the same time period. Something then happened in 2008. New research demonstrates that the use of these mechanisms has markedly decreased over the past year, and may continue to do so. This article is the first to describe this phenomenon, suggests some possible reasons and poses questions for future research and analysis.
Autonomous Animation and Control of Four- Legged Animals

This paper develops a framework for the realistic autonomous animation and motion control of fourlegged animals. Our system uses a combination of kinematics, dynamics and control theory. The input to our system, the velocity and heading of the animal, originates either from a simulated visual sensory system or a user. Based on this input we model walking, trotting, and simple behaviors such as target pursuit. we use a combination of kinematics, dynamics and control theory. A feedback controller, using the desired velocity and animal heading, computes the aggregate force and torque vector that should be applied to the body to achieve the given motion. This force and torque is distributed to the legs in contact with the ground through a linear programming algorithm. We then use forward dynamics to compute the actual body displacement. A kinematic gait controller is in charge of the stepping pattern. It arranges the stance and transfer phases of each leg depending on the current locomotion velocity, the turning rate and the ground conditions. Although we chose to focus on four-legged animals, the approach is generalizable to other multi-legged creatures or biped locomotion. Our motion system can currently simulate variable speed walking and trotting on flat or uneven terrain. Given its flexibility, the system can be used as a basis for more complex animations involving high level behaviors and interactions with other animals.
High pressure X-ray studies of polymers

A systematic study was made on polyethylene at high pressures and elevated temperatures using X-ray diffraction. Polyethylene with an initial chain-folded morphology and the orthorhombic crystal structure did not transform to any other phase before melting at the temperature and pressure used. Crystallization, however, at high pressures producing extended-chain crystals gave rise to either a new crystal phase, probably hexagonal, or the orthorhombic phase, depending on the crystallization conditions. A reversible solid-state phase transformation was observed between the orthorhombic and hexagonal phases. None of the previous interpretations put forward to account for the high pressure DTA and dilatometric studies of polyethylene, would appear to be appropriate in view of these findings.
FAST: parallel airplane pattern recognition

A new feature selection approach is presented for using parallel distributed processing to identify a three-dimensional object from a two-dimensional image recorded at an arbitrary viewing angle and range. One vector of 32 feature variables is used to describe a two-dimensional binary image. The feature variables are based on counts of nearest neighbor conjuncts, which reflect shape and area differences among airplanes. Thirteen standardized airplanes are used in the experiment in order to compare the results with established feature selection approaches. Results based on the new approach compare favorably with results from traditional approaches. In addition, a relatively fast compact parallel hardware design and data structure are presented and compared with traditional algorithms. >
Angiogenic response to bioactive glass promotes bone healing in an irradiated calvarial defect.

Localized radiation is an effective treatment modality for carcinomas, yet the associated reduction of the host vasculature significantly inhibits the tissue's regenerative capacity. Low concentrations of bioactive glass (BG) possess angiogenic potential, and we hypothesized that localized BG presentation would increase neovascularization and promote healing in an irradiated bone defect. An isolated calvarial region of Sprague-Dawley rats was irradiated 2 weeks before surgery. Bilateral critical-sized defects were created and immediately filled with a BG-loaded collagen sponge or an empty sponge as an internal control. Histological analysis of calvaria collected after 2 weeks demonstrated greater neovascularization within the defect in the presence of BG than with collagen alone. Noninvasive ultrasound imaging at 4 weeks detected less contrast agent in the brain below BG-treated defects than in the nearby untreated defects and images of treated defects acquired at 2 weeks. The reduced ability to detect co...
Albert Einstein and LD An Evaluation of the Evidence

Historical figures suspected of having learning disabilities are often subjected to retrospective diagnoses. One such figure is Albert Einstein. Several organizations that promote the interests of individuals with learning disabilities claim that Einstein had a learning disability. A review of biographical sources, however, provides little or no evidence to support this claim. The claim derives its force not from evidence but from a powerful belief--that the greatest among us suffer from some impairment--and from an equally powerful desire to enhance the status of a marginalized group by including within it exceptional individuals.
Modelling misbehaviour in ad hoc networks: a game theoretic approach for intrusion detection

In wireless ad hoc networks, although defence strategies such as Intrusion Detection Systems (IDSs) can be deployed at individual nodes, significant constraints are imposed in terms of the energy expenditure of such systems. In this paper, we use a game theoretic framework to analyse the interactions between pairs of attacking/defending nodes, in both static and dynamic contexts, and considering both complete and incomplete information regarding the maliciousness of neighbouring nodes. The static case analysis provides the defender with an overview of the security situation in terms of risk and monitoring cost. A dynamic Bayesian game formulation allows the defender to adjust his belief about his opponent based on his observations and the game history, and consequently to influence the achievable Nash equilibrium for new stage game. A new Bayesian hybrid detection system is proposed for the defender, which balances energy costs and monitoring gains.
When Science and the Media Mix

As the devastating impacts of Japan's earthquake and tsunami continue to unfold, and concern over the Fukushima nuclear power plant grows, communication between scientists and the media has never been more vital. Fourteen years ago, journalist Jim Hartz and physicist Rick Chappell warned in their book Worlds Apart: How the Distance Between Science and Journalism Threatens America's Future that people are dangerously unenlightened about science's role in many aspects of life and society, in part because of the inability of scientists and journalists to understand each other. Today's relentless 24-hour media news cycle and blogosphere offer ample opportunities for both parties to provide politicians, policy-makers, and the public with scientific knowledge needed to inform their opinions and decisions. Yet the communication gap continues.
Increased phase lag of the fundamental harmonic component of the 30 Hz flicker ERG in Schubert-Bornschein complete type CSNB.

The 30 Hz flicker electroretinogram (ERG) response was studied in seven patients with Schubert-Bornschein complete-type congenital stationary night blindness (SB-CSNB) by measuring conventional peak implicit times and by harmonic analysis. Responses were elicited with xenon photostrobe flashes. The fundamental flicker component showed a significant increased phase lag (P = 0.002), even though the peak implicit times were not delayed (P = 0.22). Although others have noted a “squared-off” flicker waveform in SB-CSNB, this is the first quantitative demonstration of a temporal abnormality in the flicker ERG and is the first report that a retinal disease can delay the fundamental flicker harmonic while the peak implicit time remains normal. Similarly, the phase of the flicker fundamental harmonic in monkey was also delayed after intravitreal 2-amino-4-phosphonobutyric acid (APB) that blocks the activity of depolarizing bipolar cells (DBC), whereas peak implicit time remained virtually unchanged. These observations, coupled with the normal amplitude and slope of the photopic a-wave (which was recorded under conditions that elicit a substantial contribution from hyperpolarizing bipolar cells) supports the hypothesis that the abnormality in the DBC pathway in SB-CSNB lies post-synaptic to the cones and not in the presynaptic glutamate release by cone photoreceptors.
Production of Multiple Shoots from Shoot Apical Meristems of Oat (Avena sativaL.)

Summary An efficient and reproducible in vitro culture system for differentiation of multiple shoots was established from shoot apical meristems in oat. Shoot apices as initial explants were isolated from asepticallygerminated oat seedlings, and were cultured in vitro . After four to five weeks in culture, the apical meristems inside of the primary and axillary shoots were enlarged. Multiple shoots were produced via differentiation of adventitious shoots from the enlarged apical meristems. The multiple shoots were induced and maintained on MS basal medium with various combinations of 2,4-D and BA. All four oat cultivars tested differentiated multiple shoots from shoot apical meristems at a high frequency. Fertile oat plants were produced from in vitro multiple shoots. These in vitro multiple shoots would be an alternative regenerable target tissue for genetic transformation of oat.