cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Elitist non-dominated sorting GA-II (NSGA-II) as a parameter-less multi-objective genetic algorithm

Genetic algorithms (GAs) are general-purpose heuristic search algorithms that mimic the evolutionary process in order to find the most fitting solutions. The algorithms were introduced by Holland in 1975. Since then, they have received growing interest due to their ability to discover good solutions quickly for complex searching and optimization problems. The traditional GAs have been converted to multi-objective GAs to solve multi-objective optimization problems successfully. However, GAs require parameter tunings (such as population size, mutation probabilities, crossover probabilities, selection rates) in order to achieve the desirable solutions. The task of tuning GA parameters has been proven to be far from trivial due to the complex interactions among the parameters. It takes trial and error experiments to obtain the optimal GA parameter settings for an arbitrary real-world problem, Many researchers have been trying to understand the interdependencies of GA parameters in order to determine their optimal settings. The objective of this research is to develop the elitist non-dominated sorting GA (NSGA-II) for multi-objective optimization as a parameter-less multiobjective GA. The research then evaluates and discusses the performance of the parameter-less NSGA-II against the original NSGA-II with optimal parameter settings using the experimental result for a test problem borrowed from the literature.
Modeling cross-modal enhancement and modality-specific suppression in multisensory neurons

Cross-modal enhancement (CME) occurs when the neural response to a stimulus of one modality is augmented by another stimulus of a different modality. Paired stimuli of the same modality never produce supra-additive enhancement but may produce modality-specific suppression (MSS), in which the response to a stimulus of one modality is diminished by another stimulus of the same modality. Both CME and MSS have been described for neurons in the deep layers of the superior colliculus (DSC), but their neural mechanisms remain unknown. Previous investigators have suggested that CME involves a multiplicative amplifier, perhaps mediated by N-methyl D-aspartate (NMDA) receptors, which is engaged by cross-modal but not modality-specific input. We previously postulated that DSC neurons use multisensory input to compute the posterior probability of a target using Bayes' rule. The Bayes' rule model reproduces the major features of CME. Here we use simple neural implementations of our model to simulate both CME and MSS and to argue that multiplicative processes are not needed for CME, but may be needed to represent input variance and covariance. Producing CME requires only weighted summation of inputs and the threshold and saturation properties of simple models of biological neurons. Multiplicative nodes allow accurate computation of posterior target probabilities when the spontaneous and driven inputs have unequal variances and covariances. Neural implementations of the Bayes' rule model account better than the multiplicative amplifier hypothesis for the effects of pharmacological blockade of NMDA receptors on the multisensory responses of DSC neurons. The neural implementations also account for MSS, given only the added hypothesis that input channels of the same modality have more spontaneous covariance than those of different modalities.
Multidelity Geometry and Analysis in Aircraft Conceptual Design

The conceptual and preliminary phases of modern aircraft design processes exhibit a gap in analysis and geometry fidelity. In conceptual design, low-fidelity multidisciplinary tools are generally used with a set of design variables that describe an abstract planform. In preliminary design and beyond, however, higher-fidelity analysis is used to completely design the aircraft components and a three-dimensional solid model becomes desirable. Since the geometric representation drives the selection of design and analysis methods, inconsistent geometry models across design phases leads to a segmented design process. The result is that each phase becomes independent and isolated due to unconnected design methodologies at the geometric level. Without a multifidelity geometry definition, the multidisciplinary results from earlier phases are not strictly transferable to the later analysis of a fully-defined configuration model. In this work, the notion of consistent geometry is presented by driving the model parameterization with multifidelity design variables. This is accomplished by model design procedures that exhibit malleability, robustness, and flexibility compared to conventional model generation methods. By centralizing geometry information into a single master-model definition, multifidelity analyses can extract configuration details from this one source, instead of a set of distinct geometric representations. Our methods are demonstrated using a simplified multifidelity design testbed that considers conceptual design of a commercial aircraft.
The Spread of Excitation in the Embryonic Chick Heart

The spread of excitation in embryonic chick hearts, ranging in age from 7 to 20 days, was studied with both intracellular and extracellular electrodes. Evidence that the delay in ventricular excitation could be attributed to the cells of the entire atrioventricular (AV) ring was obtained, in part, from sagittal sections of the heart. In the intact preparation, uniform propagation occurred throughout the atrial roof at an apparent conduction velocity of 0.4 to 0.5 meter/sec. Delay of impulse propagation was localized in a very narrow band of tissue which extended across the AV ring. The apparent conduction velocity of this tissue was between 0.003 and 0.005 meter/sec. Both normal and retrograde propagation revealed the spread of conduction across the AV ring to be decremental in nature. This finding was supported by high frequency stimulation experiments which gave rise to AV block localized in the cells of the AV ring. Cardiac rhythmicity and AV transmission were responsive to acetylcholine and norepinephrine in much the same manner as in the adult mammalian heart. The present findings are in support of the hypothesis that the embryonic AV ring is the functional counterpart of the adult AV node.
Pollution release tied to invariant manifolds: A case study for the coast of Florida

High-resolution ocean velocity data has become readily available since the introduction of very high frequency (VHF) radar technology. The vast amount of data generated so far, however, remains largely unused in environmental prediction. In this paper, we use VHF data of the Florida coastline to locate Lagrangian coherent structures (LCS) hidden in ocean surface currents. Such structures govern the spread of organic contaminants and passive drifters that stay confined to the ocean surface. We use the Lagrangian structures in a real-time pollution release scheme that reduces the effect of industrial contamination on the coastal environment.
‘And the Negro thinks in hieroglyphics’: comics, visual metonymy, and the spectacle of blackness

This essay examines how comics grapple with transnational racial discourses that have historically marked and muted blackness, and identifies a series of visual and verbal strategies in recent texts that seek to restore the agency of a black speaking, seeing subject. Using as examples the American graphic novel Nat Turner by Kyle Baker (2008, Abrams) and the first volume of the West African francophone comic series Aya by Marguerite Abouet and Clement Oubrerie (2007, Drawn & Quarterly), my analysis demonstrates how these comics incorporate metonymy and its contiguous associations to experiment with subversive acts of black speech and spectatorship. Metonyms of books and other written material allow Baker to (re)assemble the US slave leader from the 1831 Virginia rebellion as an embodied visual text. In the Cote d’Ivoire comic, Abouet and Oubrerie juxtapose the metonymic deployment of post-colonial media advertisements with the inscrutable messages of the pagne cloth patterns that Aya wears. Both comics de...
Definitional and Methodological Issues Related to Transnational Research on Intimate Partner Violence

To address intimate partner violence (IPV) transnationally, we must examine standardization of both terminology and measurement. This article comments on public health surveillance and efforts toward standardizing terminology on violence against women and IPV. Starting with information about IPV from two U.S. surveys, it identifies issues including cueing and screening questions, survey context, repeat victimization, bounding, and question order to be considered in developing transnational research. Some steps for standardizing IPV measures include replicating initial findings in additional countries, agreeing on breadth of focus, determining strategies for choosing standard measures, and allowing for periodic updates to standardized definitions and measures.
How I treat chronic lymphocytic leukemia in older patients.

Chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL) is a disease predominantly of the elderly, with a median age at diagnosis of 72 years. Although many advances have been made in the care of these patients with the addition of a variety of active drugs to the therapeutic armamentarium, treatment in the elderly remains complicated by factors as comorbidities, functional status, and fitness, as well as under representation in many clinical trials. We will review the data on initial CLL treatment approaches, as well as therapy in the relapsed/refractory disease setting, with a focus on the elderly. We will also address the impact of comorbidities on treatment choices, and the importance of assessing the functional status and fitness of elderly patients when choosing appropriate therapies. Treatment recommendations for the older treatment naive patient, both fit and less fit, as well as those receiving later therapies, will be summarized, with an emphasis not only on chronologic age, but also fitness for treatment.
The rational approximation of circuit design

A characterization is proved for approximations from classes of functions that arise in circuit theory. The approximating families include gain functions and rational functions satisfying stability and passivity restraints.
Phytochrome control of its own accumulation and leaf expansion in tentoxin- and norflurazon-treated mung bean seedlings

Primary leaves of 4-day-old, dark-grown mung bean [Vigna radiata (L.) Wilczek cv. Berken] seedlings were exposed to 24 h of white light (200 μmol m−2 s−1) which was terminated by a 15 min, phytochrome-saturating red or far-red light exposure. Phytochrome content (in vivo and in vitro) and leaf area were monitored during the subsequent dark period. Red light treatments resulted in lower phytochrome content and greater leaf expansion than did far-red treatments. Phytochrome accumulation and leaf expansion were less in norflurazon- (no carotenoids and very low Chl) than in tentoxin- (very low Chl) treated leaves. After 3 days of darkness, leaf expansion was about 25% greater and phytochrome content was about 50% less in red- than in far-red-treated leaves of all treatments. These effects generally took longer to develop in norflurazon- than in tentoxin-treated tissues. Norflurazon-treated tissues exposed to long white light periods apparently do not as accurately reflect phytochrome-controlled photomorphogenic events of green tissues as do tentoxin-treated tissues of mung bean seedlings.
A Continuous-Time Model of Monetary Policy and Inflation: A Stochastic Differential Game

Cuckierman and Meltzer (1986) and Basar and Salmon (1988) have recently studied, in the discrete time, a stochastic model of monetary policy and inflation, that incorporates asymmetric information between the private sector and the monetary authority. In this model, the private sector is a passive player who simply forms conditional (rational) expectations of the current inflation rate, which constitutes the surprise component of the policy maker’s (the monetary authority) objective function. The policy maker strives to maximize the objective function by choosing a control policy which also affects the information carried to the passive player whose rational expectations in turn influence the performance of that policy. Under an asymmetric mode of decision making, the model leads to a stochastic control problem of the nonneutral type, whose solution involves active learning. The complete solution to this nonstandard dynamic optimization problem has been obtained by Basar (1988), by developing an indirect approach that necessitates the introduction of a sequence of zero-sum games. This solution corresponds to a Stackelberg solution for the original game, where the monetary authority is the leader. If instead, the roles of the decision makers are taken to be symmetric, while still retaining the asymmetry in the information structure, we obtain the Nash equilibrium solution, which is the one that was discussed by Cuckierman and Meltzer (1986); see also Basar and Salmon (1989) for a discussion of that point.
On the equation of motion of a thin layer of uniform vorticity

A higher order extension to Moore's equation governing the evolution of a thin layer of uniform vorticity in two dimensions is obtained. The equation, in fact, governs the motion of the center line of the layer and is valid for consideration of motion whereby the layer thickness is uniformly small compared with the local radius of curvature of the center line. It extends Birkoff's equation for a vortex sheet. The equation is used to examine the growth of disturbances on a straight, steady layer of uniform vorticity. The growth rate for long waves is in good agreement with the exact result of Rayleigh, as required. Further, the growth of waves with length in a certain range is shown to be suppressed by making this approximate allowance for finite thickness. However, it is found that very short waves, which are quite outside the range of validity of the equation but which are likely to be excited in a numerical integration of the equation, are spuriously amplified as in the case of Moore's equation. Thus, numerical integration of the equation will require use of smoothing techniques to suppress this spurious growth of short wave disturbances.
Critical thinking and modeling in CS0: the Prisoner's Dilemma

Fluctuating computer science enrollments and the realization that many disciplines require basic computing knowledge are leading to an increased interest in non-majors (CS0) computing courses. Currently, there is no single dominant model of CS0 that simultaneously teaches the big ideas underlying computing, provides practical experience with programming, and makes computing relevant to a wide spectrum of students. What has become clear, however, is that meaningful, real-world applications are needed to drive student interest and learning. This paper describes one particular application, the Prisoner's Dilemma, that bridges game theory and evolutionary biology and provides a framework for critical thinking, modeling, and interdisciplinary problem solving within a CS0 course.
The Silurian (Wenlockian) reef fauna of southeastern Wisconsin

The Racine Formation of southeastern Wisconsin contains a diverse reef fauna of Silurian (Wenlockian) age. A collection of more than 10,000 specimens from this fauna includes 191 species and 38 guilds of reef constructors, binders, bafflers and dwellers. Constructors and binders include stromatoporoids, tabulates, rugosans and bryozoans; bafflers include branching tabulates and dendroid rugosans. Only locally do these groups form a skeletal framework, and for the most part, their remains are separated by reef matrix. Reef dwellers are represented by diverse guilds of brachiopods, gastropods, cephalopods, trilobites and echinoderms, and they also include receptaculitids, sponges, solitary rugosans, bryozoans and bivalves
Single-shot volumetric laser induced fluorescence (VLIF) measurements in turbulent flows seeded with iodine

This work reports the experimental demonstration of single-shot visualization of turbulent flows in all three spatial dimensions (3D) based on volumetric laser induced fluorescence (VLIF). The measurements were performed based on the LIF signal of iodine (I2) vapor seeded in the flow. In contrast to established planar LIF (PLIF) technique, the VLIF technique excited the seeded I2 vapor volumetrically by a thick laser slab. The volumetric LIF signals emitted were then simultaneously collected by a total of five cameras from five different orientations, based on which a 3D tomographic reconstruction was performed to obtain the 3D distribution of the I2 vapor in the target flow. Single-shot measurements (with a measurement duration of a few ns) were demonstrated in a 50 mm × 50 mm × 50 mm volume with a nominal spatial resolution of 0.42 mm and an actual resolution of ~0.71 mm in all three dimensions (corresponding to a total of 120 × 120 × 120 voxels).
Economics explication for change of residents' income difference between town and country in China

Since 1985,the residents' income difference between town and country shows an enlarging trend in fluctuation in China.This paper analyzes the function mechanism and the influence degrees of each related factor to the change of the residents' income difference between town and country,which opens out the primary and secondary order of these factors.Thus,it provides a policy for our country to reduce the difference.
Induction of Functional Lipoxin A4 Receptors in HL-60 Cells

The appearance of [11,12–3H]lipoxin A4 (LXA4) specific binding sites was examined with human acute promyelocytic leukemic cell line 60 (HL- 60) cells exposed to either retinoic acid, phorbol 12-myristate 13- acetate (PMA), or dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO). All three agents induced a threefold to fivefold increase in the expression of specific [11,12- 3H]LXA4 binding. Similar results were obtained in parallel with [14,15- 3H]leukotriene (LT) B4. For both 3H-ligands, homologous displacement curves were similar and independent of the agent used to induce differentiation. Specific binding of [11,12–3H]LXA4 to differentiated HL-60 cells gave a kd = 0.6 +/- 0.3 nmol/L. The appearance of both [11,12–3H]LXA4 and [14,15–3H]LTB4-specific binding sites was inhibited by actinomycin D, and LXA4 binding was sensitive to protease treatment. Specific binding of [11,12–3H]LXA4 was not evident with human platelets, red blood cells (RBCs) or the cultured B-cell (Raji), T-cell (Jurkat) lines save human endothelial cells (kd = 11.0 +/- 0.3 nmol/L). The structural specificity of induced [11,12–3H]-LXA4 recognition sites was assessed with LXB4, LTC4, LTB4, and trihydroxyhepatanoic methyl ester. Only LTC4, at 3-log molar excess, competed for 3H-LXA4-specific binding with HL-60 cells and gave a 30% reduction. The leukotriene D4 receptor antagonist SKF 104353 was ineffective in blocking [11,12- 3H]LXA4-specific binding with HL-60 cells while it competed for specific [11,12–3H]LXA4 binding with endothelial cells where LTD4 binding appears to be virtually identical to that of LXA4 binding. In addition, the LTB4 receptor antagonist ONO 4057 was ineffective at competing for [11,12–3H]LXA4 binding. When phospholipase D activation was monitored in human polymorphonuclear leukocytes (PMN) and HL-60 cells, a correlation was shown between activation and specific 3H-LXA4 binding. LXA4-induced phospholipase D (PLD) activation gave a biphasic concentration-dependent response comprised of at least two components: one phase being islet-activating protein (IAP)-sensitive (LXA4 10(-9) mol/L peak activity) and the other was staurosporine-sensitive (LXA4 10(-7) mol/L peak activity). Results indicate that HL-60 cells exposed to differentiating agents express [11,12–3H]LXA4 recognition sites also present in PMN. In addition, specific LXA4 recognition sites of myeloid cells can be distinguished by competition binding with SKF 104353 and 3H-LXA4 cross-reactivity with putative LTD4 receptors present on human endothelial cells. Moreover, they provide evidence indicating that binding of LXA4 to its recognition sites confers functional responses.
Transmetalation Process as a Route for Preparation of Zinc-Oxide-Supported Copper Nanoparticles.

Supported nanoparticulate materials have a variety of uses, from energy storage to catalysis. In preparing such materials, precision control can often be achieved by applying chemical deposition methods. However, ligand removal following the initial deposition presents a substantial challenge because of potential surface contamination. Traditional approaches normally include multistep processing and require a substantial thermal budget. Using transmetalation chemistry, it is possible to circumvent both disadvantages and prepare chemically reactive copper nanoparticles supported on a commercially available ZnO powder material by metalorganic vapor copper deposition followed by very mild annealing to 350 K. The self-limiting copper deposition reaction is used to demonstrate the utility of this approach for hexafluoroacetylacetonate-copper-vinyltrimethylsilane, Cu(hfac)VTMS, reacting with ZnO. The low-temperature transmetalation is confirmed by a combination of spectroscopic studies. Model density functional...
Applications of Environmental Aquatic Chemistry: A Practical Guide, Second Edition

Professionals and students who come from disciplines other than chemistry need a concise yet reliable guide that explains key concepts in environmental chemistry, from the fundamental science to the necessary calculations for applying them. Updated and reorganized, Applications of Environmental Aquatic Chemistry: A Practical Guide, Third Edition pr
Microflora Isolated from Imported Frozen Lean Beef Pieces1

Forty samples of frozen imported lean beef pieces from six countries were obtained from two centralized meat processing operations. The samples were analyzed for total aerobic counts (35, 20, 7 C), yeasts and molds, fecal streptococci, Staphylococcus aureus , Clostridium perfringens , total coliforms, fecal coliforms, Escherichia coli , and Salmonella . Characterization of the microbial flora from 20 of the samples was also done. Microbial counts were consistently low in all analyses; no Clostridium perfringens or Salmonella was recovered from any samples. The microbial flora was predominantly Pseudomonas , Flavobacterium , Moraxella , Acinetobacter , Corynebacterium , Micrococcus , Staphylococcus and Lactobacillus ; the remaining isolates included Alcaligenes , Erwinia , Citrobacter , Klebsiella , Streptococcus , Bacillus and Arthrobacter .
A Behavioral Survey of the Effects of Kavalactones on Caenorhabditis elegans Neuromuscular Transmission

Kava is a plant root extract that is widely consumed by Pacific Islanders. Kava contains a class of lactone compounds called kavalactones. The sedative and anxiolytic effects of kava are likely attributed to the efficacies of kavalactones on the nervous system. Although some studies have implicated the potencies of certain kavalactone species on γ-aminobutyric acid transmission, evidence supporting the action of kavalactones on the eukaryotic neuromuscular junction (NMJ) and acetylcholine (ACh) transmission is scant. Here, we used behavioral assays to demonstrate the effects of kavalactones at the Caenorhabditis elegans NMJ. Our results suggest that kavalactones disrupt the inhibitory-excitatory balance at the NMJ. Such perturbation of NMJ activity is likely due to excess or prolonged ACh transmission. In addition, we found that kavain, a major constituent of kava, induced worm paralysis but not convulsions. Hence, the modulatory action of kavain could be distinct from the other kavalactone species.
Binding and Gating by the Acetylcholine Receptor

The receptors for acetylcholine transduce the binding of acetylcholine into permeability changes of postsynaptic membranes. Although there has been much progress in the development of means of identification of the receptors in isolation and in their purification and gross characterization (see review by KARLIN, 1974), the mechanisms of the transductions and of the ionic permeation processes remain undetermined.
Advanced InP Photonic Integrated Circuits for Communication and Sensing

Similar to the area of microelectronics, InP­based photonic integrated circuits (PICs) in the optical domain as a counterpart are also seeing a clear exponential development. This rapid progress can be defined by a number of active/passive components monolithically integrated on a single chip. Given the probability of achieving low-cost, compact, robust, and energy-efficient complex photonic systems, there have been significant achievements made in realizing relatively complex InP­PICs in recent years. The performance of these complex PICs is reaching a stage that can enable a whole new class of applications beyond telecom and datacom. A great deal of effort from both academia and industry has made the significant advances of this technology possible. This development has resulted in a positive and profound impact in many areas including sensing, medical diagnostics, metrology, and consumer photonics. This review paper will mainly discuss the recent, in particular since 2012, progress and findings obtained out of current academic and industry research activities for InP-PICs. Major emphasis will be given to the high-performance and complex PICs that have been reported by the scientific community in this time period. A prospect for further development of this photonic integration in InP-platforms is also briefly described.
Prescription Drug Monitoring Programs: Promising Practices in Need of Refinement.

All 50 states and the District of Columbia have prescription drug monitoring programs (PDMPs), but their implementation varies and research assessing their effect on opioid misuse, diversion, and o...
Matched Cohort Analysis of Elective Lumbar Spinal Fusion in Patients With and Without Parkinson's Disease: In-hospital Complications, Length of Stay, and Hospital Charges.

Study Design:Retrospective cohort.Objectives:Parkinson’s disease (PD) is a neurodegenerative condition associated with significant morbidity and mortality. PD patients often develop spinal conditio...
Health-Related Behaviors

There is sufficient evidence justifying intensive research into possible mechanisms linking social capital and individual health. Helliwell and Putnam (2004) wrote some years ago “How is social capital in the “lean and mean” sense that we use here – networks and norms of reciprocity and trust – related to subjective well-being?” and they continued “People who have close friends and confidants, friendly neighbours and supportive coworkers are less likely to experience sadness, loneliness, low self-esteem and problems with eating and sleeping”. However, there is a long way from the subjective affections and emotions to empirically verified pathways and effects of social capital on the physiology, pathophysiology, disease and death of human beings.
Genetic Predisposition to Neuroblastoma

Neuroblastoma is the most common solid tumor in children under the age of one. It displays remarkable phenotypic heterogeneity, resulting in differences in outcomes that correlate with clinical and biologic features at diagnosis. While neuroblastoma accounts for approximately 5% of all cancer diagnoses in pediatrics, it disproportionately results in about 9% of all childhood deaths. Research advances over the decades have led to an improved understanding of neuroblastoma biology. However, the initiating events that lead to the development of neuroblastoma remain to be fully elucidated. It has only been recently that advances in genetics and genomics have allowed researchers to unravel the predisposing factors enabling the development of neuroblastoma and fully appreciate the interplay between the genetics of tumor and host. In this review, we outline the current understanding of familial neuroblastoma and highlight germline variations that predispose children to sporadic disease. We also discuss promising future directions in neuroblastoma genomic research and potential clinical applications for these advances.
Systems-wide approaches in induced pluripotent stem cell models

Human induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs) provide a renewable supply of patient-specific and tissue-specific cells for cellular and molecular studies of disease mechanisms. Combined with advances in various omics technologies, iPSC models can be used to profile the expression of genes, transcripts, proteins, and metabolites in relevant tissues. In the past 2 years, large panels of iPSC lines have been derived from hundreds of genetically heterogeneous individuals, further enabling genome-wide mapping to identify coexpression networks and elucidate gene regulatory networks. Here, we review recent developments in omics profiling of various molecular phenotypes and the emergence of human iPSCs as a systems biology model of human diseases.
Propensity for different vascular distributions and cerebral edema of intraparenchymal brain metastases from different primary cancers.

This study seeks to ascertain whether different primary tumor types have a propensity for brain metastases (BMs) in different cerebral vascular territories and cerebral edema. Consecutive adult patients who underwent surgical resection of a BM at a tertiary care institution between 2001 and 2011 were retrospectively reviewed. Only patients with the most common primary cancers (lung, breast, skin-melanoma, colon, and kidney) were included. Preoperative MRIs were reviewed to classify all tumors by cerebral vascular territory (anterior cerebral artery-ACA, lenticulostriate, middle cerebral artery-MCA, posterior cerebral artery-PCA, posterior fossa, and watershed), and T2-weighted FLAIR widths were measured. Chi square analyses were performed to determine differences in cerebral vascular distribution by primary tumor type, and one-way ANOVA analyses were performed to determine FLAIR signal differences. 669 tumors from 388 patients were classified from lung (n = 316 BMs), breast (n = 144), melanoma (n = 119), renal (n = 47), and colon (n = 43). BMs from breast cancer were less likely to be located in PCA territory (n = 18 [13%]; χ2 = 6.10, p = 0.01). BMs from melanoma were less likely to be located in cerebellar territory (n = 11 [9%]; χ2 = 14.1, p < 0.001), and more likely to be located in lateral (n = 5 [4%]; χ2 = 4.56, p = 0.03) and medial lenticulostriate territories (n = 2 [2%]; χ2 = 6.93, p = 0.009). BMs from breast and melanoma had shorter T2-FLAIR widths, with an average [IQR] of 47.2 [19.6–69.2] mm (p = 0.01) and 41.2 [14.4–62.7] mm (p = 0.002) respectively. Conversely, BMs from renal cancer had longer T2-FLAIR widths (64.2 [43.6–80.8] mm, p = 0.002). These findings suggest that different primary tumor types could have propensities for different cerebral vascular territories and cerebral edema.
Towards Resolving the Kidnapped Robot Problem: Topological Localization from Crowdsourcing and Georeferenced Images

In this research, we address the kidnapped robot problem, a fundamental localization problem where a robot has been carried to an arbitrary unknown location for which no prior maps exist. In our approach, topological maps are created using a single sensor, namely, a camera, with the aim to localize the robot and drive it to its initial, home, position. Our approach differs significantly from other approaches that attempt to solve this localization problem. In order to localize a robot within an unknown environment we exploit the potential of social networks and extract the GPS information from in georeferenced images. The experiments carried out within a university campus affirm the validity of our approach and provide the means to resolving similar problems with the methods presented.
Discontinuation of Chronic Benzodiazepine Use Among Adults in the United States

Guidelines recommend most benzodiazepine (BZD) treatment be short-term, though chronic BZD use is increasing. Determine the rate of BZD discontinuation among chronic users and identify patient- and provider-level factors associated with discontinuation. A retrospective cohort study using nationwide insurance claims data from 2014 to 2016 of US adults ≥ 18 years old with chronic BZD use (i.e., > 120 days) during the baseline year. The primary outcome was BZD discontinuation among chronic users after 1 year of follow-up. A series of multilevel logistic regression models examined the association of BZD discontinuation with patient and provider characteristics. Covariates included patient sociodemographics, medical and psychiatric comorbidity, co-prescribed opioids and other psychotropics, and characteristics of the prescribed BZD. Of 141,008 chronic BZD users, 13.4% discontinued use after 1 year. Females had lower odds of discontinuation (AOR 0.83, 99% CI 0.79–0.87), while African-American patients had higher odds (AOR 1.12, 99% CI 1.03–1.22). Those prescribed a high-potency BZD had lower odds of discontinuation (AOR 0.51, 99% CI 0.47–0.54), as did those prescribed an opioid (AOR 0.94, 99% CI 0.89–0.99). After adjusting for patient- and provider-level factors, differences between providers accounted for 5.8% of variation in BZD discontinuation (p < 0.001). The median odds ratio for provider was 1.54, an association with discontinuation larger than almost all patient-level clinical variables. A small minority of patients prescribed chronic BZD in a given year are no longer prescribed BZDs 1 year later. There is significant variation in the likelihood of discontinuation accounted for by non-clinical factors such as race, geography, and a patient’s provider, which had a stronger association with the odds of discontinuation than almost every other patient-level variable. Provider-facing elements of interventions to reduce BZD prescribing may be critical.
Dietary restriction induces posttranscriptional regulation of longevity genes.

Dietary restriction (DR) increases life span through adaptive changes in gene expression. To understand more about these changes, we analyzed the transcriptome and translatome of Caenorhabditis elegans subjected to DR. Transcription of muscle regulatory and structural genes increased, whereas increased expression of amino acid metabolism and neuropeptide signaling genes was controlled at the level of translation. Evaluation of posttranscriptional regulation identified putative roles for RNA-binding proteins, RNA editing, miRNA, alternative splicing, and nonsense-mediated decay in response to nutrient limitation. Using RNA interference, we discovered several differentially expressed genes that regulate life span. We also found a compensatory role for translational regulation, which offsets dampened expression of a large subset of transcriptionally down-regulated genes. Furthermore, 3′ UTR editing and intron retention increase under DR and correlate with diminished translation, whereas trans-spliced genes are refractory to reduced translation efficiency compared with messages with the native 5′ UTR. Finally, we find that smg-6 and smg-7, which are genes governing selection and turnover of nonsense-mediated decay targets, are required for increased life span under DR.
A Multi-Year Examination of Gardening Experience and Fruit and Vegetable Intake During College

Gardening has been positively associated with fruit and vegetable (FV) consumption based on short-term studies among children, but long-term data among adolescents and young adults are lacking. This investigation sought to elucidate the association between gardening experience and FV intake among college students over a two-year period. Students (N = 593) from eight universities were assessed at the end of their freshman (Y1) and sophomore (Y2) years during the springs of 2016 and 2017, respectively. At each time point, participants completed the NCI FV Screener and questions related to gardening experience and FV-related attitudes and behaviors. Students were then categorized into four groups based on gardening experience: Gardened only during the first or second year (Y1 only and Y2 only gardeners), gardened both years (Y1+Y2 gardeners), and non-gardeners. While both Y1 only and Y1+Y2 gardeners reported significantly higher FV intake relative to non-gardeners at Y1 (2.3 ± 0.9 and 2.6 ± 0.7 versus 1.9 ± 0.6 cup equivalents (CE)/day, respectively; p < 0.01), only Y1+Y2 gardeners differed from non-gardeners at Y2 (2.4 ± 0.6 versus 1.8 ± 0.5 CE/day; p < 0.001). Additionally, Y1+Y2 gardeners reported more frequent engagement of several FV-related behaviors, including shopping at farmers’ markets, eating locally grown foods, and cooking from basic ingredients; and were five times more likely to have gardened during childhood (OR: 5.2, 95%, CI: 3.5–8.8; p < 0.001). Findings suggest that while isolated gardening experiences during college are associated with FV intake, reoccurring experience may be essential for sustained benefit.
Organizational Legitimacy and Managerialism Within Social Justice Nonprofit Organizations: An Interest Divergence Analysis

Managerialism is a concept of considerable interest for nonprofit scholars, particularly as it relates to the abilities of social value-driven nonprofit organizations to perform mission-related act...
Optical instrument thermal control on the Large Ultraviolet/Optical/Infrared Surveyor

The Large Ultraviolet/Optical/Infrared Surveyor (LUVOIR) is a multi-wavelength observatory commissioned by NASA as one of four large mission concept studies for the Astro2020 Decadal Survey. Two concepts are under study which bound a range of cost, risk, and scientific return: an 8-meter diameter unobscured segmented aperture primary mirror and a 15-meter segmented aperture primary mirror. Each concept carries with it an accompanying suite of instruments. The Extreme Coronagraph for Living Planetary Systems (ECLIPS) is a near-ultraviolet (NUV) / optical / near-infrared (NIR) coronagraph; the LUVOIR Ultraviolet Multi-object Spectrograph (LUMOS) provides multi-object imaging spectroscopy in the 100-400 nanometer ultraviolet (UV) range; and the High Definition Imager (HDI) is a wide field-of-view near-UV / optical / near-IR camera that can also perform astrometry. The 15-meter concept also contains an additional instrument, Pollux, which is a high-resolution UV spectro-polarimeter. While the observatory is nominally at a 270 Kelvin operational temperature, the requirements of imaging in both IR and UV require separate detectors operating at different temperature regimes, each with stringent thermal stability requirements. The change in observatory size requires two distinct thermal designs per instrument. In this current work, the thermal architecture is presented for each instrument suite. We describe here the efforts made to achieve the target operational temperatures and stabilities with passive thermal control methods. Additional discussion will focus on how these instrument thermal designs impact the overall system-level architecture of the observatory and indicate the thermal challenges for hardware implementation.
Paternal exposure to DDT programs breast cancer development in daughters via sperm miRNA in a mouse model

Abstract Background DNA sequence accounts for the majority of disease heritability, including cancer. However, it is becoming clear that environmentally-induced epigenetic inheritance can also occur. Epidemiological studies have shown that maternal exposure to the pesticide DDT in pregnancy is associated with increased breast cancer risk in women. Yet, the effects of paternal exposure to this pesticide on the progeny’s breast cancer development has not been investigated. Methods Male mice (c57bl/6) were exposed to DDT or to a control-vehicle (CO) solution and used for sperm collection or mating with unexposed females to produce the DDT or CO daughters. In another experiment, normal mouse embryos (zygote stage) were injected with miRNA-10b and implanted into surrogate mothers to produce miR-10b offspring. DDT daughters or miRNA-10b females were used to study breast cancer development and metabolic parameters. Paternal sperm was used for RNA-seq analysis and miRNA expression levels. Results Pre-conception paternal DDT exposure altered the sperm small non-coding RNA load, with a notable increase in miRNA-10b levels. DDT offspring weighed less at birth and at weaning, but became overweight and showed metabolic dysfunction in adulthood compared to CO. DDT daughters also showed increased mammary tumorigenesis, developing more aggressive tumors that grew faster than in CO. This tumor phenotype was linked to suppression of the AMPK energy sensing pathway and mTOR activation in mammary tissues. Remarkably, embryonic injection of miRNA-10b recapitulated the mammary gland and tumor phenotypes observed in DDT daughters. Conclusions To our knowledge, this is the first report of an association between paternal DDT exposure and breast cancer in offspring. Paternal DDT-induced programming of breast cancer development in daughters is mechanistically linked to sperm miRNA-10b. The impact of DDT and other endocrine disrupting chemicals on sperm and programming of breast and other cancers in offspring needs to be evaluated in humans.
Bidirectional communication through stacked silicon circuitry by using integrated thin-film InP-based emitters and detectors

The processing density of silicon circuitry is currently limited by the two-dimensional nature of the interconnections on silicon circuits. In addition, parallel processing is an attractive architecture for many applications, such as image processing and generation. To extend the interconnectivity of silicon into the third dimension and to achieve a high degree of parallel processing, we demonstrate herein the vertical optical interconnection of two low cost silicon circuits. This bidirectional vertical optical communication through stacked silicon circuits, as illustrated in Fig. 1, is achieved by integrating thin-film InGaAsP-based emitters and photodetectors that operate at 1.3 μm (to which the silicon is transparent) directly onto the silicon circuit.
Hydrothermal liquefaction of Cyanidioschyzon merolae and Salicornia bigelovii Torr.: The interaction effect on product distribution and chemistry

Abstract Hydrothermal liquefaction (HTL) has proven to be a promising technology for processing wet biomass into valuable biofuel intermediates. We investigated the influence of HTL process parameters on the individual and co-liquefaction of Salicornia bigelovii Torr. (SL) and Cyanidioschyzon merolae (CM) biomass and their respective product properties and characteristics. SL and CM biomasses were subjected to HTL conditions of process temperatures (250–350 °C), 10 wt% solid loading, 30 min reaction time, and co-liquefaction ratios (80–20, 50–50, 20–80, CM-SL, respectively). The individual maximum HTL biocrude yields for CM (34.63 wt%) and SL (7.63 wt%) were obtained at 300 °C. In both cases, biocrude oils had a higher carbon and hydrogen content relative to those of the original biomass. The HHV (higher heating value) values for the biocrude samples ranged from 24.2 to 33.12 MJ/kg, which were significantly higher than those of the original biomasses. A positive synergistic effect was observed during the co-liquefaction of two biomasses, where the experimental yield of biocrude oil was higher than the theoretical value. During the co-liquefaction experiments, a maximum biocrude yield of 32.95 wt% was obtained at 300 °C and 80–20 CM-SL biomass mix ratio. Co-liquefaction led to an increase in the energy content of the co-liquefied biocrude oil and a higher energy recovery rate. The properties of HTL products and biomasses were determined with TGA, CHN elemental analyzer, GC/MS, bomb calorimeter, HACH Spectrophotometer, and ICP OES.
Understanding Inequality: Mexican Americans’ Stratification Beliefs:

How people understand ethnoracial inequality, or their stratification beliefs, is an important concern for social scientists. Stratification beliefs can be highly influential in the development of ...
Exploring the robustness of stellar cooling constraints on light particles

Stellar cooling arguments place strict restrictions on a wide variety of models of new physics. In this paper, we argue that mechanisms to evade these constraints are restricted by thermodynamic arguments, and then present a minimal model extension that allows new particles to evade all stellar constraints. In doing this, we demonstrate that interesting parameter space can be reopened, using the EDGES signal and Xenon1T excess as examples. This mechanism highlights the importance of laboratory experiments in a well-controlled environment to search for new physics, complementary to astrophysical searches.
Femoral Cartilage Ultrasound Echo Intensity Associates with Arthroscopic Cartilage Damage

Abstract This study compared quantitative cartilage ultrasound metrics between people with (n = 12) and without (n = 12) arthroscopic cartilage damage after anterior cruciate ligament injury (age, 24.9 ± 3.7 y; sex, 33% female, 67% male; days since injury = 50 ± 52). A transverse suprapatellar ultrasound assessment imaged the femoral cartilage in participants’ injured knees before a clinical arthroscopy. A custom program automatically separated a manual cartilage segmentation into standardized medial and lateral femoral regions and calculated mean thickness (i.e., cross-sectional area/length of cartilage-bone interface), mean echo intensity and echo-intensity heterogeneity. An orthopedic surgeon assessed arthroscopic cartilage damage in the medial and lateral femoral condyles using the Outerbridge grading system (cartilage damage = Outerbridge ≥ 1). Separate logistic regressions for medial and lateral femoral cartilage were used to determine the association between each ultrasound metric and arthroscopic cartilage damage. In medial femoral cartilage, for every 1 standard deviation decrease in echo-intensity mean and heterogeneity, there is, respectively, a 91% (adjusted odds ratio, 0.09; 95% confidence interval, 0.01–0.69) and 97% (adjusted odds ratio, 0.03; 95% confidence interval, 0.002–0.50) increase in the odds of having arthroscopic cartilage damage. Lateral cartilage ultrasound metrics are not associated with lateral arthroscopic cartilage damage. This study provides preliminary evidence that femoral cartilage ultrasound echo intensity is a non-invasive measure associated with medial femoral cartilage health after anterior cruciate ligament injury.
Neurotensin differentially regulates bile acid metabolism and intestinal FXR-bile acid transporter axis in response to nutrient abundance.

Studies demonstrate a role for neurotensin (NT) in obesity and related comorbidities. Bile acid (BA) homeostasis alterations are associated with obesity. We determined the effect of NT on BA metabolism in obese and non-obese conditions. Plasma and fecal BA profiles were analyzed by LC-MS/MS in male and female NT+/+ and NT-/- mice fed low-fat (LFD) or high-fat diet (HFD) for 6 weeks (early stage of obesity) or greater than 20 weeks (late stage of obesity). The nuclear farnesoid X receptor (FXR) and BA transporter mRNA expression were assessed in ileum, mouse enteroids, and human cell lines. HFD decreased plasma primary and secondary BAs in NT+/+ mice; HFD-induced decrease of plasma BAs was improved in NT-deficient mice. In NT+/+ mice, HFD inhibited ileal FXR and BA transporter expression; HFD-decreased expression of FXR and BA transporters was prevented in NT-/- mice. Compared with LFD-fed NT+/+ mice, LFD-fed NT-/- mice had relatively lower levels of ileal FXR and BA transporter expression. Moreover, NT stimulates the expression of FXR and BA transporters in Caco-2 cells; however, stimulated expression of BA transporters was attenuated in NT-/- enteroids. Therefore, we demonstrate that HFD disrupts the BA metabolism and ileal FXR and BA transporter axis which are improved in the absence of NT, suggesting that NT contributes to HFD-induced disruption of BA metabolism and plays an inhibitory role in the regulation of ileal FXR and BA transporter signaling under obese conditions. Conversely, NT positively regulates the expression of ileal FXR and BA transporters under non-obese conditions. Therefore, NT plays a dual role in obese and non-obese conditions, suggesting possible therapeutic strategies for obesity control.