cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
REDUCING FALSE ABSENCES IN SURVEY DATA: DETECTION PROBABILITIES OF RED-BACKED SALAMANDERS

Abstract Surveys to determine the presence of a species may be used as the basis for monitoring programs, wildlife-habitat models, or management decisions. Errors in survey data can result from nondetections, where the species is present at the site but not detected in the survey. We designed an experiment to estimate the probability of detection of red-backed salamanders (Plethodon cinereus) using different sampling methods and salamander densities. Red-backed salamanders were introduced into enclosures (n = 124) that were randomly assigned to a sampling treatment (daytime cover-object searches or nighttime visual searches) and a density treatment (low or high densities). Probability of detection was significantly higher using daytime searches and in enclosures with higher salamander densities. Weather conditions influenced the probability of detection. Increases in temperature correlated with decreases in detection during daytime sampling. Low humidity limited detection during nighttime surveys. Recent ...
Gender Bias Also Contributes to the Attrition of Women in Science

I read with interest the recent article by Adamo (2013). The underrepresentation of women across many subfields of academic science and medicine is a pressing issue, with serious implications for the future of our national competitiveness and scientific progress. Therefore, I was pleased to see this article exploring potential factors contributing to the attrition of women within the biological sciences
Do Numeric Values Influence Subjects’ Responses to Rating Scales?

A study was conducted with a random sample of 139 college students to determine whether using different numbering schemes for rating scales would achieve different results. Two different rating scales, one numbered from 4 to -4 and another numbered from 9 to 1, were employed. The results indicated that the 4 to -4 scales produced more positive evaluations than did the 9 to 1 scales. It appears that a negative number next to the negative-evaluation descriptor, e.g., “awful,” makes the descriptor seem much more negative than when the lowest number on the scale is a 1. This causes a difference in the means and frequency distributions of scales numbered 4 to -4 as compared with using the same scales with numbers ranging from 9 to 1.
Extensively Drug-Resistant Tuberculosis: Principles of Resistance, Diagnosis, and Management

Extensively drug-resistant (XDR) tuberculosis (TB) is an unfortunate by-product of mankind's medical and pharmaceutical ingenuity during the past 60 years. Although new drug developments have enabled TB to be more readily curable, inappropriate TB management has led to the emergence of drug-resistant disease. Extensively drug-resistant TB describes Mycobacterium tuberculosis that is collectively resistant to isoniazid, rifampin, a fluoroquinolone, and an injectable agent. It proliferates when established case management and infection control procedures are not followed. Optimized treatment outcomes necessitate time-sensitive diagnoses, along with expanded combinations and prolonged durations of antimicrobial drug therapy. The challenges to public health institutions are immense and most noteworthy in underresourced communities and in patients coinfected with human immunodeficiency virus. A comprehensive and multidisciplinary case management approach is required to optimize outcomes. We review the principles of TB drug resistance and the risk factors, diagnosis, and managerial approaches for extensively drug-resistant TB. Treatment outcomes, cost, and unresolved medical issues are also discussed.
Modeling and 3D Printing of Ruled Surfaces

Ruled surfaces play an important role in disciplines such as applied mathematics, mechanical engineering, and architecture. We present a general methodology for creating handheld-sized 3D printed models of such surfaces, which can be useful for educational, research, and design purposes. The process begins with a mathematical description of the surface, either by means of establishing a series of line segment endpoint coordinates followed by a “connect the dots” approach or continuously sweeping a portion of a line throughout 3D space using a time-varying homogeneous transformation, thereby defining an array of line segments on the surface. Next, MATLAB is used to numerically generate the endpoint coordinates which are imported into SolidWorks via Excel and employs a custom macro to permit graphical display of the line segments in a part file. The array of line segments is then stitched together “manually” into a surface, thickened into a part, and printed out in plastic using a 3D printer. The methodology is illustrated for some simple surfaces in addition to several well-known exotic surfaces that have an architectural theme to them. Specifically, we showcase Antoni Gaudi’s conoids and elliptic hyperboloids from La Sagrada Familia, in addition to a twisted circular drum arch and a Solomonic column, both of which are seen in southern European architecture, in particular they are present at either the Museum of Cycladic Art in Athens or at The Vatican (includes museum). In summary, the work presented should be of general interest to the 3D printing, ruled surface, and architecture communities.Copyright © 2015 by ASME
Black-American Entrepreneurship: The Case of the Foodservice Industry

SUMMARY This paper discusses Black-American entrepreneurship in the U.S.: its beginnings, the context for Black enterprise, and the philosophy of Black-American business. Then it focuses on the food-service industry and the participation that Black-American entrepreneurs have had in it. The paper highlights the role that Black food-service entrepreneurs have played in employment and wealth creation in the Black community. It concludes with a series of issues that are suggested to form the basis for a research agenda in Black entrepreneurship in the foodservice industry.
Upgrading Light Hydrocarbons via Tandem Catalysis: A Dual Homogeneous Ta/Ir System for Alkane/Alkene Coupling

Light alkanes and alkenes are abundant but are underutilized as energy carriers because of their high volatility and low energy density. A tandem catalytic approach for the coupling of alkanes and alkenes has been developed in order to upgrade these light hydrocarbons into heavier fuel molecules. This process involves alkane dehydrogenation by a pincer-ligated iridium complex and alkene dimerization by a Cp*TaCl2(alkene) catalyst. These two homogeneous catalysts operate with up to 60/30 cooperative turnovers (Ir/Ta) in the dimerization of 1-hexene/n-heptane, giving C13/C14 products in 40% yield. This dual system can also effect the catalytic dimerization of n-heptane (neohexene as the H2 acceptor) with cooperative turnover numbers of 22/3 (Ir/Ta).
Cloud Computing in Mobile Communication Networks

Cloud computing makes computing power universally available and provides flexibility in resource acquisition. It allows for scalable provision of services and more reasonable use of resources. This article considers cloud service deployment and virtualization from the perspective of mobile operators. A solution is proposed that allows mobile operators to maximize profits with minimal investment,
Improved transparent boundary formulations for the elastic-wave equation

Abstract It is shown that the paraxial approximations to the wave equation used by Clayton and Engquist can be improved upon, allowing more accurate finite-difference formulations at internal boundaries and corners, and formulations that are stable over a wider range of the parameters.
Creating NoSQL Biological Databases with Ontologies for Query Relaxation

Abstract The complexity of building biological databases is well-known and ontologies play an extremely important role in biological databases. However, much of the emphasis on the role of ontologies in biological databases has been on the construction of databases. In this paper, we explore a somewhat overlooked aspect regarding ontologies in biological databases, namely, how ontologies can be used to assist better database retrieval. In particular, we show how ontologies can be used to revise user submitted queries for query relaxation. In addition, since our research is conducted at today's “big data” era, our investigation is centered on NoSQL databases which serve as a kind of “representatives” of big data. This paper contains two major parts: First we describe our methodology of building two NoSQL application databases (MongoDB and AllegroGraph) using GO ontology, and then discuss how to achieve query relaxation through GO ontology. We report our experiments and show sample queries and results. Our research on query relaxation on NoSQL databases is complementary to existing work in big data and in biological databases and deserves further exploration.
A Holistic Approach to Regulating Negative Emotions

If emotions are the link between the body and the mind, it makes sense why unregulated negative emotions (e.g., fear and anger), particularly when repressed by those who are suffering from trauma, understood as dukkha, can make them feel dissociated. The practice of mindfulness can serve as a bridge between the body and the mind; in combination with other holistic approaches, mindfulness can help trauma sufferers regulate their negative emotions, hence, allowing them to experience higher degrees of emotional resilience. To explicate the importance of working with negative emotions references will be made to the mind-body problem since it lies at the philosophical foundation of all the social sciences. Also, the relationship between the mind/consciousness and the body/the unconscious vis-a-vis selfhood will be discussed in relation to psychoanalysis, Buddhist psychology, and mind-body medicine.
Topochemical Solid-State Reactivity: Redox-Induced Direct Structural Transformation from CuSe2 to CuInSe2

CuInSe2 and its solid solution with other trivalent metals (M) have emerged as technologically significant device materials with applications in photovoltaics, thermoelectric, nonlinear optics, etc. However, the complex chemical composition and large tolerance of the CuMSe2 structure to a wide range of off-stoichiometry generally lead to the formation of undesirable impurity binary phases and electronic defects during fabrication starting from elements. In this work, we demonstrate a simple and elegant strategy for the synthesis of CuInSe2 with improved control over the chemical composition. The reaction proceeds via a redox induced phase transformation of the line compound copper diselenide (CuSe2) upon incremental addition of elemental indium. Taking into consideration the chemical and structural similarity between CuSe2 and CuInSe2, we demonstrate the stepwise direct conversion of the structural template CuSe2 into (1–x)CuSe2/xCuInSe2 nanocomposites without the formation of undesirable binary or ternar...
Genetic high density lipoprotein deficiency states and atherosclerosis.

High density, lipoprotein (HDL) as found in human plasma have a density of 1.063–1.21 g/ml, and are composed (weight percent) of approximately 50% protein, 25% phospholipid, 20% cholesterol, and 5% triglyceride (1). Fluctuations in HDL levels have been associated mainly with alterations in HDL2 (density, 1.063–1.125 g/ml), rather than HDL3 (density, 1.125–1.21 g/ml (2). Apolipoproteins (apo) A-I and A-II are the major proteins of HDL. Minor constituents include apoB, apoC-I, apoC-II, apoC-III, apoD, apoE, apoF, apoG, apoLp(a) (3–12). Apolipoprotein not only have structural roles in HDL particles, but have other functions as well. ApoA-I and apoC-I have both been reported to activate lecithin/cholesterol acyltransferase (LCAT), while apoA-II has been reported to enhance hepatic lipase activity (12–15). ApoC-II activates the enzyme lipoprotein lipase, while apoC-III has been shown to inhibit hepatic chylomicron remnant uptake (16,17). Both apoB and apoE can bind to the apoB,E receptor (LDL receptor) on various cell surfaces, while apoE also binds to the liver apoE receptor, which is essential for chylomicron remnant uptake (18,19). The low density lipoprotein (LDL) receptor appears to be crucial for regulating LDL levels in plasma, as well as for maintaining intracellular cholesterol homeostasis. HDL particles can bind to specific sites on various cell surfaces (20).
Near-field impedance accurately distinguishes among pericardial, intracavitary, and anterior mediastinal position.

Introduction Epicardial catheter ablation is increasingly used to treat arrhythmias with an epicardial component. Nevertheless, percutaneous epicardial access remains associated with a significant risk of major complications. Developing a technology capable of confirming proper placement within the pericardial space could decrease complication rates. The purpose of this study was to examine differences in bioimpedance among the pericardial space, anterior mediastinum, and right ventricle. Methods An ovine model (n = 3) was used in this proof-of-concept study. A decapolar catheter was used to collect bipolar impedance readings; data were collected between each of 5 electrode pairs of varying distances. Data were collected from 3 test regions: the pericardial space, anterior mediastinum, and right ventricle. A control region in the inferior vena cava was used to normalize the data from the test regions. Analysis of variance was used to test for differences among regions. Results A total of 10 impedance values were collected in each animal between each of the 5 electrode pairs in the 3 test regions (n = 340) and the control region (n = 145). The average normalized impedance values were significantly different among the pericardial space (1.760 ± 0.370), anterior mediastinum (3.209 ± 0.227), and right ventricle (1.024 ± 0.207) (p < 0.0001). In post hoc testing, the differences between each pair of regions were significant, as well (p < 0.001 for all). Conclusion Impedance values are significantly different among these 3 anatomical compartments. Therefore, impedance can be potentially used as a means to guide percutaneous epicardial access. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved
Computational Statistics in the Earth Sciences: With Applications in MATLAB

Based on a course taught by the author, this book combines the theoretical underpinnings of statistics with the practical analysis of Earth sciences data using MATLAB. The book is organized to introduce the underlying concepts, and then extends these to the data, covering methods that are most applicable to Earth sciences. Topics include classical parametric estimation and hypothesis testing, and more advanced least squares-based, nonparametric, and resampling estimators. Multivariate data analysis, not often encountered in introductory texts, is presented later in the book, and compositional data is treated at the end. Datasets and bespoke MATLAB scripts used in the book are available online, as well as additional datasets and suggested questions for use by instructors. Aimed at entering graduate students and practicing researchers in the Earth and ocean sciences, this book is ideal for those who want to learn how to analyse data using MATLAB in a statistically-rigorous manner.
Shape recovery characteristics of SiC/C/PLA composite filaments and 3D printed parts

Abstract The shape recovery characteristics of SiC and Carbon filled (poly) lactic acid (PLA) filaments extruded for use with Fused Deposition Modeling (FDM) and parts printed with FDM have been analyzed. The SiC/C/PLA composite filaments were made with particle loading up to a maximum weight fraction of 60%. The shape recovery characteristics of the filaments and printed parts were tested with bending and tensile loads. Two parameters, recovery rate and recovery time were defined and monitored during the shape recovery process. This study shows that the recovery time can be correlated to the thermal conductivity of the material. The results show a viable method for tailoring the recovery time. Furthermore, tensile specimens were 3D printed and the shape recovery behavior can be observed in the printed structures. This paper describes fabrication methods, Shape Memory Polymer (SMP) composite response results and a correlation of SMP response with the composite thermal conductivity.
Fashion, functionality, and the contemporary consumer:

Uniqlo has recently been challenging the paradigm behind the phenomenal success of Zara: while Zara has been all about fashion, Uniqlo claims to be all about functionality. Here I examine this corp...
Spalax ehrenbergi (Palestine mole-rat)

The karyotypes presented here are gifts of Dr. Charles F. Nadler. The specimens were collected by Dr. Harry Hoogstraal.
A diencephalic pathway for movement initiation and rescue of Parkinsonian symptoms

The parafascicular nucleus (Pf) of the thalamus sends major projections to the basal ganglia, a group of subcortical nuclei involved in action initiation and selection. Here, we used optogenetics, 3D motion capture, in vivo electrophysiology, and viral-based neuroanatomical tracing to examine the contribution of the Pf to volitional movements in mice. We discovered that Pf neurons are highly correlated with movement velocity. Stimulation of glutamatergic (Vglut2+) neurons in the Pf generates turning and orienting movements. This effect was not due to Pf projections to the striatum, but to its projections to the subthalamic nucleus (STN), a major target of deep brain stimulation (DBS) for Parkinson9s disease (PD) patients. Moreover, selective excitation of either Pf Vglut2+ terminals in the STN or Pf cell bodies that send glutamatergic projections to the STN can restore natural movements in a bilateral mouse model of PD with complete akinesia. Our results reveal a novel thalamo-subthalamic pathway regulating movement initiation, and demonstrate a circuit mechanism that could explain the clinical efficacy of DBS for relief of PD motor symptoms.
On symmetries of roots of rational functions and the classification of rational function solutions of functional equations arising from multiplication of quantum integers with prime semigroup supports

The study of quantum integers and their operations is closely related to the studies of symmetries of roots of polynomials and of fundamental questions of decompositions in Additive Number Theory. In his papers on quantum arithmetics, Melvyn Nathanson raises the question of classifying solutions of functional equations arising from the multiplication of quantum integers, starting with polynomial solutions and then generalizing to rational function solutions. The classification of polynomial solutions with fields of coefficients of characteristic zero and support base P has been completed. In a paper concerning the Grothendieck group associated to the collection of polynomial solutions, Nathanson poses a problem which asks whether the set of rational function solutions strictly contains the set of ratios of polynomial solutions. It is now known that there are infinitely many rational function solutions $$\Gamma $$ with fields of coefficients of characteristic zero not constructible as ratios of polynomial solutions, even in the purely cyclotomic case, which is the case most similar to the polynomial solution case. The classification of polynomial solutions is thus not sufficient, in essential ways, to resolve the classification problem of all rational function solutions with fields of coefficients of characteristic zero. In this paper we study symmetries of roots of rational functions and the classification of the important class-the last and main obstruction to the classification problem-of rational function solutions, the purely cyclotomic, purely nonrational primitive solutions with fields of coefficients of characteristic zero and support base P, which allows us to complete the classification problem raised by Nathanson.
Pre-Operative Ventilatory Inefficiency is Associated with Gastrointestinal Bleeding in Patients with Continuous-Flow Left Ventricular Assist Devices

Purpose Ventilatory efficiency (VE/VCO2) on cardiopulmonary exercise testing (CPET) has prognostic significance in patients with chronic heart failure; however, its hemodynamic correlates and effect on outcomes following left ventricular assist device (LVAD) implantation has not been evaluated. Aim To explore the association between pre-LVAD VE/VCO2 and the incidence of post-LVAD gastrointestinal bleeding (GIB). Methods Overall, 159 patients underwent CPET prior to LVAD implantation: 87 had VE/VCO2≥36 and 72 had VE/VCO2 Results Patients with a VE/VCO2≥36 were older (58.4 ± 13.2 vs. 52.5 ± 15.1 years, p=0.02) and had lower BMI (28.8 ± 7.3 vs. 31.0 ± 6.2, p=0.01). On pre-LVAD evaluation, the pulmonary artery pulsatility index (4.1 ± 3.0 vs 2.97 ± 1.8, p=0.01) and echocardiographic E/E' (18.7 ± 7.3 vs. 15.5 ± 7.9, p=0.03) were significantly higher in the VE/VCO2≥36 group (Table 1). Other demographic, clinical, and hemodynamic characteristics did not differ between groups. Freedom from GIB was significantly lower in the VE/VCO2 ≥36 group (2 years post-LVAD: 47% vs. 76%, p= 0.001, log rank) (Figure 1). There was no association between GIB and other CPET measurements. On Cox proportional regression analysis VE/VCO2≥36 was independently associated with increased GIB (HR 2.1; 95% CI 1.3-3.5, p=0.004). Conclusion VE/VCO2≥36 on pre-LVAD CPET is associated with more frequent GIB after LVAD implantation. The mechanism of this finding requires further evaluation.
A Laboratory Investigation of Depositional Characteristics of Mud from an Inland Harbour Using a Rotating Circular Flume

The deposition and floc formation of fine sediment from Port Stanley harbour were investigated using a rotating circular flume. Seasonal effects, storage time and shear stress were varied. Biological activity was monitored as an aid to explain the results. Sample storage in the flume resulted in increased flocculation for the two fines samples. A sample with a higher percentage of silt did not flocculate to the same extent as the finer samples. Flocculation was also influenced by the presence of bacteria; however further investigation is required to determine their relative importance compared to the presence of fines.
Neonatal Nicotine Exposure Primes Midbrain Neurons to a Dopaminergic Phenotype and Increases Adult Drug Consumption

Abstract Background Nicotine intake induces addiction through neuroplasticity of the reward circuitry, altering the activity of dopaminergic neurons of the ventral tegmental area. Prior work demonstrated that altered circuit activity can change neurotransmitter expression in the developing and adult brain. Here we investigated the effects of neonatal nicotine exposure on the dopaminergic system and nicotine consumption in adulthood. Methods Male and female mice were used for two-bottle-choice test, progressive ratio breakpoint test, immunohistochemistry, RNAscope, quantitative polymerase chain reaction, calcium imaging, and DREADD (designer receptor exclusively activated by designer drugs)-mediated chemogenic activation/inhibition experiments. Results Neonatal nicotine exposure potentiates drug preference in adult mice, induces alterations in calcium spike activity of midbrain neurons, and increases the number of dopamine-expressing neurons in the ventral tegmental area. Specifically, glutamatergic neurons are first primed to express transcription factor Nurr1, then acquire the dopaminergic phenotype following nicotine re-exposure in adulthood. Enhanced neuronal activity combined with Nurr1 expression is both necessary and sufficient for the nicotine-mediated neurotransmitter plasticity to occur. Conclusions Our findings illuminate a new mechanism of neuroplasticity by which early nicotine exposure primes the reward system to display increased susceptibility to drug consumption in adulthood.
Limited Access: Assessing the Health of Canada's Freedom of Information Laws

Public sector restructuring threatens the effectiveness of federal and provincial freedom of information (FOI) laws. FOI laws give citizens a right to obtain government-held records, except in certain cases where it is in the public interest to maintain secrecy. All provinces except Prince Edward Island have an FOI law. The federal government also has an FOI law, known as the Access to Information Act. Many governments are restructuring their public sectors to reduce costs and improve efficiency. However, several of the steps being taken by governments – including budget cuts, the transfer of functions out of government, and increased fees for information services – may weaken governmental openness and accountability.
From Playboy to Prison: When Pornography Use Becomes a Crime

ABSTRACTThis study explores pornography use across the lifespan for a sample of registrants convicted of child pornography related offenses. We conducted qualitative life history interviews with ni...
REDUCING INAPPROPRIATE SERUM T3 LABORATORY TEST ORDERING IN PATIENTS WITH TREATED HYPOTHYROIDISM.

ABSTRACT Objective: Choosing Wisely is a campaign of the American Board of Internal Medicine that aims to promote evidence-based practices to reduce unnecessary ordering of tests or procedures. As ...
Continuous Outpatient Intravenous Inotrope Therapy: Milrinone is Associated with Improved Survival Compared to Dobutamine Irrespective of Indication

Introduction Continuous outpatient intravenous inotrope therapy (COIIT) is a treatment strategy used in stage D heart failure as a bridge to advanced therapies [bridge-to-decision (BTD); bridge-to-mechanical support (BTMS); bridge-to-transplant (BTT)] or as palliation (PAL). Long-term survival associated with COIIT in the modern era of guideline directed medical and device therapy (GDMDT) is poorly defined. Our objective is to describe the survival of patients undergoing COIIT with milrinone or dobutamine in the modern era. Hypothesis In patients undergoing COIIT for various indications, milrinone - which allows for more effective neurohormonal antagonism with beta blockade - has a more favorable survival profile than dobutamine. Methods We retrospectively analyzed data from a large US registry of patients receiving COIIT (milrinone or dobutamine) from 2015-17. Patients with incomplete data or Results Of 1,149 patients on COIIT (mean age 60 years, 29.9% female), 260 (22.6%) patients died during the study period. Mortality was higher in patients undergoing COIIT for palliation than for bridge therapy (1-year survival: 55.0% vs 65.6%, p Conclusions In the largest data set reported to date of patients receiving COITT in the current era of GDMDT, milrinone use was associated with improved survival compared to dobutamine. A randomized, controlled trial in this growing patient population is warranted.
SYMMETRIC SCORING RULES AND A NEW CHARACTERIZATION OF THE BORDA COUNT

Young developed a classic axiomatization of the Borda rule almost 50 years ago. He proved it is the only voting rule satisfying the normative properties of decisiveness, neutrality, reinforcement, faithfulness and cancellation. Often overlooked is that the uniqueness of Borda applies only to variable populations. We present a different set of properties which only Borda satisfies when both the set of voters and the set of alternatives can vary. It is also shown Borda is the only scoring rule which will satisfy all of the new properties when the number of voters stays fixed. (JEL D71, D02, H00)
The Arch Meets the Line: Geometries of Innovation and Conveyance

Teaching mathematical and geometric concepts through art forms that are a part of indigenous knowledge systems (IKSs) has become a key aspect of pedagogical transformation in many national arts and...
Bidirectional association between chronic kidney disease and sleep apnea: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

Previous data have suggested a link between chronic kidney disease (CKD) and sleep apnea (SA). However, the prevalence and risk association of both disease entities are not uniformly described. Ovid MEDLINE, EMBASE, and the Cochrane Library were searched for eligible publications that included patients aged ≥ 18 years diagnosed with CKD or SA. Included studies were divided into two cohorts: (1) a cohort of CKD or end-stage kidney disease (ESKD) patients reporting the prevalence of SA or odds ratio (OR) for SA (CKD cohort) and (2) a cohort of SA patients reporting the prevalence of CKD/ESKD or OR for CKD/ESKD (SA cohort). CKD cohort: Of 16 studies (n = 340,587), the pooled estimated prevalence of SA among CKD/ESKD patients was 47.5% (95% CI 28.8–66.9). The pooled adjusted OR for SA among CKD/ESKD patients was 1.961 (95% CI 1.702–2.260). Male sex, history of diabetes, and lower BMI were associated with increased prevalence of SA. SA cohort: Of 12 studies (n = 3,103,074), the pooled prevalence of CKD/ESKD among patients with SA was 8.2% (95% CI 4.7–13.7), whereas the pooled adjusted OR for CKD/ESKD among patients with SA was 2.088 (95% CI 1.777–2.452). Increasing age, higher BMI, male sex, white race, and history of diabetes were associated with higher prevalence of CKD/ESKD. There was a bidirectional association between CKD/ESKD and SA. Interventions aiming to prevent the progression of either CKD or SA are important.
The Evolution of Virtual Physiologic Assessments and Virtual Coronary Intervention to Optimize Revascularization

In this review, we summarize the use of virtual physiologic functional assessments of coronary artery disease and their utility to guide virtual coronary intervention (VCI). Virtual fractional flow reserve (vFFR), coronary angiography–derived fractional flow reserve (FFRangio), virtual contrast FFR (cFFR), and quantitative flow reserve (QFR) are four technologies that generate computer-based FFR measurements comparable to the gold standard of pressure-wire-based FFR. VCI capitalizes on this technology by utilizing pre- and post-vFFR assessments to predict the physiologic response to stenting. Physiologic assessment of coronary lesion significance has become a cornerstone of decision-making for revascularization. FFR and non-hyperemic pressure ratio use is limited by the requirement for an intracoronary wire and the additional time required. Virtual physiologic assessments address these shortcomings with accuracy comparable to FFR. Building on this technology, VCI simulation has the potential to revolutionize the approach to percutaneous revascularization.
Ultrasound-targeted nucleic acid delivery for solid tumor therapy.

Abstract Depending upon multiple factors, malignant solid tumors are conventionally treated by some combination of surgical resection, radiation, chemotherapy, and immunotherapy. Despite decades of research, therapeutic responses remain poor for many cancer indications. Further, many current therapies in our armamentarium are either invasive or accompanied by toxic side effects. In lieu of traditional pharmaceutics and invasive therapeutic interventions, gene therapies offer more flexible and potentially more durable approaches for new anti-cancer therapies. Nonetheless, many current gene delivery approaches suffer from low transfection efficiency due to physiological barriers limiting extravasation and uptake of genetic material. Additionally, systemically administered gene therapies may lack target-specificity, which can lead to off-target effects. To overcome these challenges, many preclinical studies have shown the utility of focused ultrasound (FUS) to increase macromolecule uptake in cells and tissue under image guidance, demonstrating promise for improved delivery of therapeutics to solid tumors. As FUS-based drug delivery is now being tested in several clinical trials around the world, FUS-targeted gene therapy for solid tumor therapy may not be far behind. In this review, we comprehensively cover the literature pertaining to preclinical attempts to more efficiently deliver therapeutic genetic material with FUS and offer perspectives for future studies and clinical translation.
On Workflow Scheduling for End-to-End Performance Optimization in Distributed Network Environments

Next-generation computational sciences feature large-scale workflows of many computing modules that must be deployed and executed in distributed network environments. With limited computing resources, it is often unavoidable to map multiple workflow modules to the same computer node with possible concurrent module execution, whose scheduling may significantly affect the workflow’s end-to-end performance in the network. We formulate this on-node workflow scheduling problem as an optimization problem and prove it to be NP-complete. We then conduct a deep investigation into workflow execution dynamics and propose a Critical Path-based Priority Scheduling (CPPS) algorithm to achieve Minimum End-to-end Delay (MED) under a given workflow mapping scheme. The performance superiority of the proposed CPPS algorithm is illustrated by extensive simulation results in comparison with a traditional fair-share (FS) scheduling policy and is further verified by proof-of-concept experiments based on a real-life scientific workflow for climate modeling deployed and executed in a testbed network.
Fraction of Electrons Consumed in Electron Acceptor Reduction and Hydrogen Thresholds as Indicators of Halorespiratory Physiology

Measurements of the hydrogen consumption threshold and the tracking of electrons transferred to the chlorinated electron acceptor (f(e)) reliably detected chlororespiratory physiology in both mixed cultures and pure cultures capable of using tetrachloroethene, cis-1, 2-dichloroethene, vinyl chloride, 2-chlorophenol, 3-chlorobenzoate, 3-chloro-4-hydroxybenzoate, or 1,2-dichloropropane as an electron acceptor. Hydrogen was consumed to significantly lower threshold concentrations of less than 0.4 ppmv compared with the values obtained for the same cultures without a chlorinated compound as an electron acceptor. The f(e) values ranged from 0.63 to 0.7, values which are in good agreement with theoretical calculations based on the thermodynamics of reductive dechlorination as the terminal electron-accepting process. In contrast, a mixed methanogenic culture that cometabolized 3-chlorophenol exhibited a significantly lower f(e) value, 0.012.
Responding to a Democratic Deficit: Limiting the Powers and the Term of the Chief Justice of the United States

This essay questions the wisdom and the constitutionality of the packet of powers now held by the Chief Justice of the United States. Many of the current attributes of the position are relatively recent additions, generated during the twentieth century through the interaction of a sequence of congressional decisions and the leadership of Chief Justices William Howard Taft, Earl Warren, Warren Burger, and William Rehnquist. These jurists responded to new demands as national law grew in importance in the American polity, and they introduced new ideas that gave the federal judiciary the capacity to function as a programmatic, agenda-setting agency. The reconfiguring of judicial power and structure within the federal system took place as, more generally, democratic mandates were reinterpreted to insist both that women and men of all colors had rights enforceable by courts and that the judiciary ought to include individuals diverse enough to capture an expanding class of litigants. Further, as concerns emerged about how, through popular electoral processes, individuals could entrench their authority for unduly long periods of time, American democracy revisited its institutions of electoral politics in the hopes (not yet well realized) of imposing constraints on the power of elected officials to entrench their own or their parties' power. It is the interaction among these factors - the developing democratic principles, the long-held commitments to separation of powers and independent adjudication, and the new range of tasks accruing to the Chief Justice - that makes troubling the range of powers now possessed by the chief justiceship. One individual can serve for decades as a life-tenured administrator-adjudicator. With such tenure in office, one person has a unique opportunity to forward positions through two channels: by building a body of doctrine in case law and by building a set of policies in administrative directives. When an individual is asked to be instrumental on behalf of the billion-dollar agency called The Federal Courts (with some two thousand judges, thirty thousand in staff, and hundreds of facilities) and also to be successful jurisprudentially as a disinterested adjudicator, one role cannot help but bleed into the other. Each role amplifies the power of, distracts from, and imposes costs on the other. Such conflation undermines democratic principles and the legitimacy of adjudication by giving the few individuals who hold the chief justiceship a disproportionate impact on American law. The history of the developments of the twentieth century makes plain the plasticity of the packet of activities associated with the chief justiceship. Because the powers are artifacts of custom and statute rather than the Constitution, Congress as well as the Chief Justice can and should revisit these powers to revise the charter of that role.
Anticoagulation by factor Xa inhibitors

Summary. Background: Therapeutic agents that regulate blood coagulation are critical to the management of thrombotic disorders, with the selective targeting of factor (F) Xa emerging as a promising approach. Objective: To assess anticoagulant strategies targeting FXa. Methods: A deterministic computational model of tissue factor (Tf)-initiated thrombin generation and two empirical experimental systems (a synthetic coagulation proteome reconstruction using purified proteins and a whole blood model) were used to evaluate clinically relevant examples of the two available types of FXa-directed anticoagulants [an antithrombin (AT)-dependent agent, fondaparinux, and an AT-independent inhibitor, Rivaroxaban] in experimental regimens relevant to long-term (suppression of new Tf-initiated events) and acute (suppression of ongoing coagulation processes) clinical applications. Results: Computational representations of each anticoagulant’s efficacy in suppressing thrombin generation over a range of anticoagulant concentrations in both anticoagulation regimens were validated by results from corresponding empirical reconstructions and were consistent with those recommended for long-term and acute clinical applications, respectively. All three model systems suggested that Rivaroxaban would prove more effective in the suppression of an ongoing coagulation process than fondaparinux, reflecting its much higher reactivity toward the prothrombinase complex. Conclusion: The success of fondaparinux in acute settings in vivo is not explained solely by its properties as an FXa inhibitor. We have reported that FIXa contributes to the long-term capacity of clot-associated catalysts to restart a coagulation process, suggesting that the enhanced anti-FIXa activity of fondaparinux-AT may be critical to its success in acute settings in vivo.
Nuclear-cytoplasmic relationships in human cells in tissue culture. IV. A study of some aspects of nucleic acid and protein metabolism in enucleate cells.

Enucleate pieces of cytoplasm were prepared from human amnion cells in tissue culture by a method of microsurgery. Vital activities of the fragments were retained for 10–30 h. One of several amino acids or RNA precursors labeled with 14C was added to the culture medium just before or just after preparation of a group of enucleate cytoplasmic fragments. When about half the fragments had “died”, the surviving enucleates were fixed and examined by autoradiography for evidence of incorporation of the labeled compound. Amino acids were incorporated as actively by enucleate cytoplasm as by cytoplasm of complete cells. This incorporation could be blocked by excess label-free L-isomers of the corresponding labeled amino acid but not by the label-free D-isomer. RNA precursors were not incorporated by enucleate cytoplasmic fragments in detectable amount, although neighboring intact cells incorporated the precursors actively into cytoplasm. The conclusions reached are (a) that protein synthesis continues in enucleate cytoplasm of mammalian cells, but (b) that RNA synthesis stops or is so slight as to escape detection by these methods. These data add to the evidence that cytoplasmic RNA is derived chiefly from the nucleus. The labeled precursors used were: [14C]adenine, [14C]uridine, L-[14C]glutamic acid, L-[14C]leucine, L-[14C]phenylalenine and DL-[14C]tryptophan; [8-14C] adenylic acid was also used.
A Review of “Dual language learners in the early childhood classroom”

Substantial increases in immigrant and nonimmigrant early childhood dual language learners (DLLs) in the United States of America (USA) at the beginning of the twenty-first century have motivated e...
Phylogenetic analyses reveal monophyletic origin of the ergot alkaloid gene dmaW in fungi.

Ergot alkaloids are indole-derived mycotoxins that are important in agriculture and medicine. Ergot alkaloids are produced by a few representatives of two distantly related fungal lineages, the Clavicipitaceae and the Trichocomaceae. Comparison of the ergot alkaloid gene clusters from these two lineages revealed differences in the relative positions and orientations of several genes. The question arose: is ergot alkaloid biosynthetic capability from a common origin? We used a molecular phylogenetic approach to gain insights into the evolution of ergot alkaloid biosynthesis. The 4-γ,γ-dimethylallyltryptophan synthase gene, dmaW, encodes the first step in the pathway. Amino acid sequences deduced from dmaW and homologs were submitted to phylogenetic analysis, and the results indicated that dmaW of Aspergillus fumigatus (mitosporic Trichocomaceae) has the same origin as corresponding genes from clavicipitaceous fungi. Relationships of authentic dmaW genes suggest that they originated from multiple gene duplications with subsequent losses of original or duplicate versions in some lineages.
Blood serum fluoride levels with enflurane (Ēthrane) and isoflurane (Forane) anaesthesia during and following major abdominal surgery

Blood serum inorganic fluoride was measured serially with a fluoride-specific electrode before, during and after major abdominal operations performed under anaesthesia with enflurane (Ethrane) in 66 patients and with isoflurane (Forane) in 189 patients. The fluoride levels observed indicated that enflurane is probably metabolically biodegraded slightly, while isoflurane is free from enzymatic degradation that releases fluoride ion into the blood. With these anaesthetics, the highest blood levels of serum inorganic fluoride observed were lower than those seen with well-controlled administration of methoxyflurane. Nevertheless, we recommend that if one of these new agents is chosen for a prolonged major operation it should be used only after induction with another anaesthetic (such as thiopentone) and a non-depolarizing muscle relaxant; maintenance may then be carried on with approximately 60 per cent nitrous oxide, 40 per cent oxygen, and 1 per cent or less of one of these agents, as was done in this study. There would then be only a very remote possibility that toxicity could develop through accumulation of fluoride ion in the blood and, subsequently, in the kidney. Administration of enflurane at more than biweekly intervals is not recommended.
House sparrows, Passer domesticus (L.), as hosts of arboviruses in Hale County, Texas. II. Laboratory studies with Western equine encephalitis virus.

Western equine encephalitis (WEE) virus was artificially inoculated into nestling progeny of two flocks of house sparrows, Passer domesticus, one flock of which contained WEE-hemagglutination inhibition (HI) positive breeders and the other WEE-HI negative breeders. Ten-day-old chickens from WEE-immune and nonimmune flocks were similarly tested. Nestlings 4 to 16 days old from the immune flock were seemingly as susceptible to infection with WEE virus as were birds of the same age from the nonimmune flock. However, as shown earlier by other workers, chickens hatched from WEE-immune parents were uniformly refractory to infection with WEE virus. The results obtained in this study serve as a basis for explaining how the high annual incidence of WEE virus infection can occur among nestling house sparrows that are progeny of birds from a population in which the average WEE antibody prevalence ranged from 36% to 56%.
Magnetoelectric effects in bilayers and multilayers of magnetostrictive and piezoelectric perovskite oxides

The observation of strong magnetoelectric effects is reported in layered composites of ferromagnetic lanthanum manganites and piezoelectric lead zirconate titanate (PZT). Studies were made on thick-film structures of ${\mathrm{La}}_{0.7}{\mathrm{Sr}}_{0.3}{\mathrm{MnO}}_{3}$ (LSMO)-PZT and ${\mathrm{La}}_{0.7}{\mathrm{Ca}}_{0.3}{\mathrm{MnO}}_{3}$ (LCMO)-PZT. The low-frequency magnetoelectric (ME) voltage coefficient ${\ensuremath{\alpha}}_{E}$ was measured in bilayers and multilayers synthesized by tape casting. The effect is stronger in LSMO-PZT than in LCMO-PZT, and is weaker in multilayers compared to bilayers. A maximum ${\ensuremath{\alpha}}_{E}$ of 60 mV/cm Oe is measured for the transverse ME effect and is a factor of 2 to 3 higher than the longitudinal effect. The bias magnetic-field dependence of ${\ensuremath{\alpha}}_{E}$ shows hysteresis and remanence. A general increase in ${\ensuremath{\alpha}}_{E}$ is observed with increasing frequency or decreasing temperature. There is good qualitative agreement between theory and data for the magnetic-field dependence of ${\ensuremath{\alpha}}_{E}.$
THE VACUUM TRAJECTORY IN CONVENTIONAL FIELD THEORY

It has recently been shown that the conventional field theory of vector bosons (γ) interacting through a conserved current with spin one-half fermions (N) (i. e. quantum electrodynamics with massive photons) possesses several remarkable and hitherto unexpected properties.
Intraplate earthquakes and the state of stress in oceanic lithosphere

The dominant sources of stress relieved in oceanic intraplate earthquakes are investigated to examine the usefulness of earthquakes as indicators of stress orientation. The primary data for this investigation are the detailed source studies of 58 of the largest of these events, performed with a body-waveform inversion technique of Nabelek (1984). The relationship between the earthquakes and the intraplate stress fields was investigated by studying, the rate of seismic moment release as a function of age, the source mechanisms and tectonic associations of larger events, and the depth-dependence of various source parameters. The results indicate that the earthquake focal mechanisms are empirically reliable indicators of stress, probably reflecting the fact that an earthquake will occur most readily on a fault plane oriented in such a way that the resolved shear stress is maximized while the normal stress across the fault, is minimized.
Stability of collocation methods for the numerical solution ofy″=f (x,y)

The stability properties of the collocation methods using polynomials for the numerical solution ofy″=f(x,y) are studied in this paper. A simple procedure which can be used to determine the stability region of any method is presented. It is shown that all methods using points symmetrically placed in each subinterval are always stable at least in a finite interval. Some methods which have an infinite interval of stability are derived and their practical value is discussed.