cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Harnessing Complexity In Design

Large scale design problems involve complex systems. The complexity arises from the nature of the large interconnected systems and is escalated by the background, personal characteristics, and perspectives of the individuals working on the design team. It is important for designers to understand complexity and how complexity affects the understanding and prediction of system behavior. It is even more important to manage the complexity such that it does not overwhelm the design effort and prevent the development of effective solutions. This paper presents an overview of complexity, discusses how complexity can increase almost with out bound, and suggests ways to control the impact of complexity on design processes.
A comparison between physicians and computer algorithms for form CMS-2728 data reporting.

Introduction: CMS-2728 form (Medical Evidence Report) assesses 23 comorbidities chosen to reflect poor outcomes and increased mortality risk. Previous studies questioned the validity of physician reporting on forms CMS-2728. We hypothesize that reporting of comorbidities by computer algorithms identifies more comorbidities than physician completion, and, therefore, is more reflective of underlying disease burden. Methods: We collected data from CMS-2728 forms for all 296 patients who had incident ESRD diagnosis and received chronic dialysis from 2005 through 2014 at Indiana University outpatient dialysis centers. We analyzed patients' data from electronic medical records systems that collated information from multiple health care sources. Previously utilized algorithms or natural language processing was used to extract data on 10 comorbidities for a period of up to 10 years prior to ESRD incidence. These algorithms incorporate billing codes, prescriptions, and other relevant elements. We compared the presence or unchecked status of these comorbidities on the forms to the presence or absence according to the algorithms. Findings: Computer algorithms had higher reporting of comorbidities compared to forms completion by physicians. This remained true when decreasing data span to one year and using only a single health center source. The algorithms determination was well accepted by a physician panel. Importantly, algorithms use significantly increased the expected deaths and lowered the standardized mortality ratios. Discussion: Using computer algorithms showed superior identification of comorbidities for form CMS-2728 and altered standardized mortality ratios. Adapting similar algorithms in available EMR systems may offer more thorough evaluation of comorbidities and improve quality reporting.
Statistical Quality Control in Food Processing

This chapter explores control charts that are commonly used in food manufacturing processes to determine whether a process is operating under control. These charts are useful in finding ways to improve a process and assure production of satisfactory products. The worksheet uses data obtained for some characteristics of a product obtained during a production run and creates control charts from the given data. In addition, it describes how to link to another worksheet and search for the desired information. In situations when data values do not follow normal distribution, the averages of groups of measurements are taken from the parent data approach normal distribution. This fact is used in analyzing samples obtained from a large collection of data. In food quality control, samples are drawn from large lots to obtain indicators of the magnitude of defects. If the sample size is small compared to the lot size, a Poisson distribution is used as an approximation of binomial distribution. Also, scenarios in which it is needed to know whether a sample mean lies within the confidence limits of the entire population in quality control are discussed.
Rheumatoid Degenerative Instability of the C1–C2 Joints and Symptomatic Os Odontoideum: Transoral Approach

Patients with rheumatoid arthritis most often present with cervical pain secondary to atlantoaxial instability. In patients with C1-2 joint instability, the development of facet arthropathy and pannus formation results in cervical stenosis and pain with mobility. Transoral odontoidectomy in conjunction with C1-2 posterior fusion surgery reduces cervical myelopathy and stabilizes the joint. The procedure, while complicated to execute, is highly effective in correcting the pannus compression. In this chapter, we clarify important steps in reducing the rate of complications associated with the procedure while correctly identifying and treating the pathology.
Transforming Cancer Survivorship Care

Population health efforts typically reach across subspecialties, ideally filling in healthcare management gaps from the patient’s or community’s perspective that should lower costs, improve access, and bolster quality. This case is a good example of the many differences between theory and practice. In 2012, Lifespan Healthcare System launched the Women’s Medicine Collaborative to address the gender-specific healthcare concerns of women. The aim was to develop an evidence-based, integrative cancer survivorship program to serve the needs of female cancer survivors and their families. This case examines the progress made, as well as the remaining development issues, as the program seeks to fulfill multiple stakeholder needs for improving gender-specific survivorship care. It is a classic case of more experimental initiatives that hold transformational promise, but must adjust to the realities of ongoing financial constraints and existing treatment paradigms.
On some philosophical foundations of the disappointing performances of the African soccer teams in world competitions

AbstractFor decades, African senior club and national soccer teams, involved in world competitions (FIFA World Cup and FIFA Club World Cup), have failed to perform beyond mere honorable appearances. In this paper, we explore two of the fundamental causes underlying these disappointing performances. First, we examine the dilemma which forces almost all the African federations to overlook the Africa-based players in favor of those based outside the continent. Second, we show that the roots of the poor performances of the African teams go far beyond this crippling dilemma. Indeed, we argue, the persistent underperformances of African teams appear to be rather consistent with the fate of postcolonial Africa itself, a continent marred in an acute identity crisis. In fact, this crisis essentially stems from the relentless brain drain inflicted on the African soccer world which has so far dispersed its best talents all across Europe and beyond through the naturalization of its soccer diaspora. In addition, Afric...
Cyber-Physical Attack-Resilient Wide-Area Monitoring, Protection, and Control for the Power Grid

Cybersecurity and resiliency of wide-area monitoring, protection, and control (WAMPAC) applications is critically important to ensure secure, reliable, and economical operation of the bulk power system. WAMPAC relies heavily on the security of measurements and control commands transmitted over wide-area communication networks for real-time operational, protection, and control functions. The current “N–1” security criterion for grid operation is inadequate to address malicious cyber events; therefore, it is important to fundamentally redesign WAMPAC and to enhance energy management system applications to make them attack resilient. In this paper, we present three key contributions to enhance the cybersecurity and resiliency of WAMPAC. First, we describe an end-to-end attack-resilient cyber–physical security framework for WAMPAC applications encompassing the entire security life cycle including risk assessment, attack prevention, attack detection, attack mitigation, and attack resilience. Second, we describe a defense-in-depth architecture that incorporates attack resilience at both the infrastructure layer and the application layer by leveraging domain-specific security approaches at the WAMPAC application layer in addition to traditional cybersecurity measures at the information technology infrastructure layer. Third, we discuss several attack-resilient algorithms for WAMPAC that leverage measurement design and cyber–physical system model-based anomaly detection and mitigation along with illustrative case studies. We believe that the research issues and solutions identified in this paper will open up several avenues for research in this area. In particular, the proposed framework, architectural concepts, and attack-resilient algorithms would serve as essential building blocks to transform the “fault-resilient” grid of today into an “attack-resilient” grid of the future.
Discovery of a Cryptic Antifungal Compound from Streptomyces albus J1074 Using High-Throughput Elicitor Screens

An important unresolved issue in microbial secondary metabolite production is the abundance of biosynthetic gene clusters that are not expressed under typical laboratory growth conditions. These so-called silent or cryptic gene clusters are sources of new natural products, but how they are silenced, and how they may be rationally activated are areas of ongoing investigation. We recently devised a chemogenetic high-throughput screening approach (“HiTES”) to discover small molecule elicitors of silent biosynthetic gene clusters. This method was successfully applied to a Gram-negative bacterium; it has yet to be implemented in the prolific antibiotic-producing streptomycetes. Herein we have developed a high-throughput transcriptional assay format in Streptomyces spp. by leveraging eGFP, inserted both at a neutral site and inside the biosynthetic cluster of interest, as a read-out for secondary metabolite synthesis. Using this approach, we successfully used HiTES to activate a silent gene cluster in Streptomy...
Temozolomide post pazopanib treatment failure in patients with advanced sarcoma: A case series.

Background Sarcomas are rare, heterogeneous tumors for which prognosis remains dismal in patients with advanced disease. Pazopanib, a vascular endothelial growth factor receptor inhibitor, has shown modest efficacy in patients with soft tissue sarcoma who fail cytotoxic chemotherapy. The cytotoxic agent temozolomide has also demonstrated activity in patients with advanced sarcoma. Objective We performed a retrospective case series to evaluate the feasibility of adding temozolomide to pazopanib in advanced sarcoma patients following single-agent pazopanib failure. Patients and methods Patients with recurrent, metastatic sarcomas who had progressed on single-agent pazopanib and continued on pazopanib with the addition of temozolomide were included in this retrospective analysis to examine the tolerability and responses associated with the treatment combination. Results Nine patients with a range of sarcoma subtypes were identified (55% female; median age, 48 years; median number of therapies prior to pazopanib, 3). All patients received combination therapy. One patient was recently started on therapy and was excluded from the analysis (n = 8 evaluable patients). Median PFS for single-agent pazopanib was 7.5 months (range 2–19). For the eight evaluable patients (63% female), best response at 4 months with pazopanib plus temozolomide was partial response (n = 1), stable disease (n = 3) and progressive disease (n = 4), with a median PFS of 3.5 months (range 0–15). Median PFS with combination treatment in patients with stable disease or response was 8 months (range 5–15). All four patients who achieved clinical benefit remain on therapy and are tolerating the combination therapy with expected but manageable side effects. Conclusions In heavily pretreated patients with advanced sarcoma, the addition of temozolomide to pazopanib was found to be tolerable. Future prospective trials are required to deduce whether temozolomide extends the clinical benefit of pazopanib.
The "Othering" of Men in Early Childhood Education: Applying Covey's Seven Habits.

How do early childhood educators, parents, and administrators really feel about men working with young children? Should men work as teachers of young children from birth through 8 years of age? Is this women’s work? Does explicitly and implicitly excluding men from the early childhood education workforce benefit the early childhood community’s commitment to diversity? Young children should have a diverse range of experiences including learning from men in their early childhood education settings (Bullough, 2015). In order to effectively recruit and retain more men into the early childhood education profession, early childhood education staff, parents, and administrators have to address their overt and covert “othering” biases toward men working in early childhood education environments.
Emerging literature in the Microbiota-Brain Axis and Perinatal Mood and Anxiety Disorders

Perinatal Mood and Anxiety Disorders (PMAD) are common and can cause significant morbidity and mortality for mother and child. A healthy perinatal period requires significant adaptations; however, systems can become imbalanced resulting in depressive and anxiety symptoms. The interface between the microbiome, the immune system, and the stress system may be a model for understanding mechanisms underlying PMAD. Emerging literature from general populations regarding immune, hormone, and HPA axis changes in relation to the microbiome combined with literature on immune, gonadotropin, and stress systems in the perinatal period provides a background. We systematically investigated literature in the developing field of the microbiome in relation to PMAD. Our inclusion criteria were 1) reporting measure of maternal mood, stress, or anxious or depressed behavior; 2) in the perinatal period, defined as pregnancy through one year postpartum; and 3) reporting measure of maternal microbiome including manipulations of the microbiome through prebiotics, probiotics, or interventions with microbial byproducts. The review identified research studying associations between stress and maternal microbiome; dietary impacts on microbial composition, mood, and stress; and the relationship between the microbiome and the immune system through immunoregulatory mechanisms. Important themes identified include: the importance of studying the maternal microbiome and measures of stress, anxiety, and depression and that multi-hit models will be needed as research strives to determine the effects of multiple mechanisms working in concert.
Energy dependence of νp for neutron-induced fission of 235U below 1·0 MeV

Abstract The energy dependence of ν p the average number of prompt neutrons per fission, has been measured over the incident neutron energy range 0·04–1·0 MeV by measuring the ratio of prompt neutrons from neutron-induced fission of 235U to those from spontaneous fission of 252Cf. It is confirmed that ν p is not a monotonically increasing function of energy below 0·6 MeV. Above 0·6 MeV, d ν p d E n = 0·14 MeV −1 and is in good agreement with the assumption that all the kinetic energy of the incident neutron appears as internal excitation of the fragments.
Spatiotemporal, Geographic, and Linguistic Fixity: (Counter)hegemonies in the Pueblo Borderlands

Discussions about migration, geography, and Indigenous language use are key ways that community members perform, negotiate, and contest identities and politics in multilingual Ysleta del Sur Pueblo, a federally-recognized Native nation located within the city of El Paso, Texas. This linguistic anthropological piece illustrates how tribal members creatively use local ways of speaking and the indexing of language ideologies to critique hegemonic discourses that constrain tribal members’ Native identities and call into question the tribe’s status as an Indigenous community. Through “indexing”—or pointing to—dominant and emergent narratives about place and language, Ysletans are able to enhance their visibility as a nation and their political and social influence in the region and beyond. Speech genres focusing on the 17th century Pueblo revolt, the seizure of lands near the U.S.-Mexico border, and the loss of the tribe’s Indigenous language allow community members to assert sovereignty, belonging, and indigeneity in the face of these criticisms by Indian and non-Indian audiences.
Random triangles in planar regions

In this article we provide several exact formulae to calculate the probability that a random triangle chosen within a planar region (any Lebesgue measurable set of finite measure) contains a given fixed point O. These formulae are in terms of one integration of an appropriate function, with respect to a density function which depends of the point O. The formulae provide another way to approach the Sylvester’s four-point problem. A stability result is derived for the probability. We recover the known probability in the case of an equilateral triangle and its center of mass: $$\frac{2}{27}+20\frac{\ln 2}{81}$$ (Halasz and Kleitman in Stud Appl Math 53:225–237, 1974; Prekopa in Period Math Hung 2:259–282, 1972). We compute this probability in the case of a regular polygon and its center of mass for the point O. Other families of regions are studied. For the family of Limacons $$r=a+\cos t, a>1$$ , and O the origin of the polar coordinates, the probability is $$\frac{1}{4}-\frac{12a^2(4a^2+1)}{(2a^2+1)^3\pi ^2}$$ .
Sleep deprivation in Air National Guard medical personnel responding to simulated disaster-training exercises

ABSTRACTNational Guard personnel remain largely unstudied within the sleep research community, despite their unique and important role. In response, the purpose of this study was to investigate the...
Identification of flow regime in a bubble column reactor with a combination of optical probe data and machine learning technique

Abstract In the present work, a data-driven model for identification of flow regime in a bubble column is developed by combining data from optical probe technique and machine learning. Optical probe data from previous work was combined with new data in the present work to expand the database for model development. A novel methodology for determination of two key parameters from the optical probe signal, bubble time and characteristic time of the signal, is presented. The significance of these two parameters is that they contain rich information on operating flow regime in the bubble column. A map of these two parameters for various operating conditions is created, showing points belonging to identical flow regime lie in a cluster. A machine learning methodology based on support vector analysis was developed to identify flow regime using map developed in this work. This approach was able to uniquely classify flow regimes for various experimental conditions on single map, which is the highlight of this work.
Increasing the Penetration Depth of Microwave Radiation Using Acoustic Stress to Trigger Piezoelectricity

Electromagnetic waves as a mechanism of heat generation in the reservoir is a concept that has great potential to efficiently produce heavy oil and bitumen. However, as a result of large wave atten...
Fertility awareness based methods for pregnancy prevention

### What you need to know Fertility awareness based methods of contraception are increasingly being used for pregnancy prevention.1 In the US, the proportion of contraceptive users who choose such methods has grown from 1% in 2008 to approximately 3% in 2014.12 Relative to other methods of pregnancy prevention, however, substantial misinformation exists around fertility awareness based methods of contraception, particularly about the effectiveness of specific methods and how to use them. Providers who offer family planning counselling can promote correct and consistent use of the chosen method by helping people find a method that best fits their individual lifestyle, preferences, and goals.3 This article aims to help clinicians counsel people about fertility awareness based methods for pregnancy prevention by explaining the different methods, the evidence base for their effectiveness, and practical considerations for use. Fertility awareness based methods are devised on the premise that sexual intercourse can only lead to pregnancy during approximately 6-9 days of the menstrual cycle, commonly referred to as the “fertile window” (or fecund window, box 1).5 …
Blind MIMO wiretap channel with delayed CSIT

We study the Gaussian MIMO wiretap channel where a transmitter wishes to communicate a secure message to a legitimate receiver in the presence of eavesdroppers, while the eavesdroppers should not be able to decode the secure message. Each node in the network is equipped with arbitrary number of antennas. Furthermore, channels are time varying, and the transmitter has no channel state information (CSIT) of its channels to the eavesdroppers; and it only has access to delayed CSIT of the channel to the legitimate receiver. We completely characterize the secure degrees of freedom (SDoF) of such network, when restricted to linear encoding schemes. In particular, we strictly improve the state-of-the-art achievable schemes for this network. Furthermore, we develop a tight converse result by presenting a lemma, which states that once the transmitter(s) in a network have no CSIT of a certain receiver, and receivers have the same number of antennas, the least amount of alignment will occur at that receiver, meaning that transmit signals will occupy the maximal signal dimensions at that receiver.
Who is Engaged and Why? Testing an Instrumental Perspective on Stakeholder Engagement

From an instrumental perspective, public administrators are expected to analyze their environment. They are also expected to take proactive steps to manage environmental impacts. These actions are intended to ensure that public administrators are able to achieve their goals. Part of analyzing their environment involves the engagement of stakeholders. Stakeholder engagement is believed to provide public administrators with insights into how they can better evaluate innovative policy options that allow them to overcome limited administrative capacity. Stakeholder engagement is also believed to allow public administrators with opportunities to mobilize support in light of political opposition. The purpose of this article is to test these claims within the policy area of municipal contracting out. In the article, we find strong support for these ideas. Thus, our findings should inform public administration theories about the role and importance of stakeholder engagement.
Yoga for veterans and military personnel: in conversation with David Venus

David Venus, a former physical training instructor in the Royal Marine Corps, now works as a full-time movement therapist and yoga instructor. Audrey Reeves, an assistant professor in political sci...
Scaffolding Feedback Between Cowriters With Different Levels of English-Language Proficiency:

When students cowrite with others who have different levels of proficiency with the English language, they can experience unproductive conflict related to feedback avoidance. The author interviewed...
Ixodes scapularis: Vector to an Increasing Diversity of Human Pathogens in the Upper Midwest.

Introduction The black-legged tick, Ixodes scapularis (I scapularis), is now recognized as the deadliest tick vector in the United States. The Upper Midwest, particularly Wisconsin and Minnesota, are endemic to a diversity of tick-transmitted infectious diseases. Although Borrelia burgdorferi, the agent of Lyme disease, still accounts for the majority of diagnosed infections, I scapularis is known to transmit other bacterial, viral, and parasitic agents. Objective To provide an overview of the array of pathogenic microorganisms carried by I scapularis ticks in the Upper Midwest. Methods A literature review was conducted to collect and analyze current information about I scapularis lifestyle, transmission, microorganisms carried by the arthropod vector, and the diseases that occur as a result of infections with these microorganisms in the Upper Midwest. Results Diagnosis of co-infection from tick-borne zoonosis in humans has increased over the last 2 decades. Since I scapularis can transmit multiple pathogens, it is clinically important because different diagnostic testing and treatment strategies may need to be implemented for a patient with I scapularis-borne infection(s). Conclusions This review has concentrated on I scapularis-transmitted diseases affecting the Upper Midwest and has explored the ecology of the I scapularis vector and its role in pathogen transmission.
Advertising Bans, Monopoly, and Alcohol Demand: Testing for Substitution Effects using State Panel Data

Using a panel of 45 states for the period 1982–1997,this study analyzes the importance of severalrestrictive alcohol regulations, including advertising bans for billboards, bans of price advertising, state monopoly control of retail stores, and changes in the minimum legal drinking age. In contrast to previous research, the study allows for substitution among beverages as a response to a regulation that targets a specific beverage. A restrictive law that applies only to one beverage (or one form of advertising) can result in substitution toward other beverages (or non-banned media). Allowing for substitution means that the net effect on total alcohol consumption is uncertain, and must be determined empirically. The empirical results demonstrate that monopoly control of spirits reduces consumption of that beverage, and increases consumption of wine. The effect on beer is positive, but is not statistically significant. The net effect on total alcohol is significantly negative. Higher minimum legal drinking age laws have negative effects on beverage and total alcohol consumption. Bans of advertising do not reduce total alcohol consumption, which partly reflects substitution effects. The study thus demonstrates the possible unintended consequences of restrictive alcohol regulations.
Asymmetry of the group velocity of light in monoclinic crystals.

We have proved that compared to phase velocity and ray velocity surfaces, the group velocity surface of a monoclinic crystal has a reduced symmetry, due to the loss of the two mirror planes that contain the crystallographic b axis. We have derived a formula for calculation of the group velocity of the extraordinary light traveling in a principal plane of a biaxial crystal, which takes into account the rotation of the dielectric frame due to frequency dispersion. The maximum asymmetry of the group velocity of light traveling in the a−c plane is found to be 2.4% at 365 nm in BiB3O6 and 1.4% at 550 nm in Sn2P2S6.
Martensitic microstructure evolution in austenitic steel: A thermomechanical polycrystalline phase field study

We have performed coupled thermomechanical phase field simulations of martensitic transformation in single-crystalline and polycrystalline 301-stainless steel by coupling Ginzburg–Landau equation to the mechanical equilibrium and non-stationary heat conduction equations. Simulations accounted for elastic anisotropy, under different thermal and mechanical BCs, i.e., clamped, embedded, and near-open, as well as adiabatic and isothermal with and without latent heat effects. To the best of authors’ knowledge, no such simulations are reported in literature on polycrystalline materials which provides the effects of various thermomechanical BCs incorporating latent heat. We have utilized a multivariant single embryo as an initial condition in both systems to mitigate the lack of nucleation criteria at the mesoscale; without any initial constraint, the model can select the martensitic transformation path and final microstructure. Simulations showed excellent capabilities in predicting influence of such thermomechanical BCs on martensitic microstructural formation including autocatalytic transformation process in polycrystalline steel and its evolution. Martensitic microstructure in a single-crystalline, and b polycrystalline steel, in deformed configuration (deformation scale factor is $$1\times$$ ) for near-open, embedded, and clamped boundary conditions (from left to right). Dataset edges in blue show initial undeformed configuration
Resisting Racism in Tech Design: Centering the Experiences of Black Youth

Speech-based interfaces that feature conversational agents have a diverse population of users, including children. While recent HCI research has investigated child-agent interactions in the context of speech-based interfaces with rare mention of sample populations' racial makeup, scant research has examined how racially minoritized groups, in particular Black youth, interact with such technologies. Subsequently, issues of race and racism continue to be largely neglected within the HCI community, contributing to technology that marginalizes Black people. Leveraging Black feminist epistemology as a critical framework, we engage Black students in the ideation process of conversational agents as speech-based interfaces, drawing attention to how race, gender, and class influence their design choices. Our findings reveal that Black students prefer custom-designed conversational agents that are modeled after Black women, possessing knowledge of Black culture and serving as life coaches to help them achieve their goals. We also confirm that the current design of speech-based interfaces perpetuates racism, reinforcing whiteness as the norm.
Leavening control system based on machine learning techniques

Our research work describes how deep learning techniques can be applied with success to create a non-invasive method to control the dynamic density of dough rising during the fermentation process. This paper explains in detail the steps performed to train and apply on the field a Convolutional Neural Network (CNN) to monitor the leavening of a traditional Christmas Italian type of sweet bread made in Milan, called Panettone, that usually needs an accurate and supervised leavening process of around three days. One of our main goals was to prove how these CNNs and their learned inner representations could easily become the foundation for developing a remote-supervision framework capable to monitor the leavening process. Since the duration of this crucial phase is not exactly predictable, as it depends on many external factors, and usually takes place during the night, it makes sense to adopt a not supervised approach that is able to autonomously detect and notify to the bakery personnel (sending sms, email, whatsapp, etc.) when the density of dough is considered optimal, appropriate and ready to start the baking phases.Results demonstrated that a CNN based paradigm is more effective and more accurate than the current used empirical methods. The model converged and the average loss value was near to zero, even if the set of images and examples adopted to train and test the classifier was limited. Though applied in the bakery products context, the designed approach can be easily adapted to other monitoring tasks or industry domains, and its independence from User expert knowledge and specific artisanal skills can be considered one of the major advantages.
Biological Aspects of Epstein-Barr Virus-Induced B-Cell Immortalization

Lymphocyte growth and differentiation are regulated by factors which react with specific receptors on the cell surface. One major aspect of virus-induced immortalization of lymphocytes is that the cells are rendered free of dependence of external factors for their growth. This has been accomplished by virus-transformed cells in at least two ways; by eliminating the need for an external growth factor or by an autocrine mechanism whereby the immortalized cells both secrete and bind the factor.
Ten Actions When Grid Scheduling

In this chapter we present a general architecture or plan for scheduling on a Grid. A Grid scheduler (or broker) must make resource selection decisions in an environment where it has no control over the local resources, the resources are distributed, and information about the systems is often limited or dated. These interactions are also closely tied to the functionality of the Grid Information Services. This Grid scheduling approach has three phases: resource discovery, system selection, and job execution. We detail the steps involved in each phase.
Critical response and reply

(1986). Critical response and reply. Critical Studies in Mass Communication: Vol. 3, No. 3, pp. 384-386.
Spontaneous Cell Competition in Immortalized Mammalian Cell Lines.

Cell competition is a form of cell-cell interaction by which cells compare relative levels of fitness, resulting in the active elimination of less-fit cells, “losers,” by more-fit cells, “winners.” Here, we show that in three routinely-used mammalian cell lines – U2OS, 3T3, and MDCK cells – sub-clones arise stochastically that exhibit context-dependent competitive behavior. Specifically, cell death is elicited when winner and loser sub-clones are cultured together but not alone. Cell competition and elimination in these cell lines is caspase-dependent and requires cell-cell contact but does not require de novo RNA synthesis. Moreover, we show that the phenomenon involves differences in cellular metabolism. Hence, our study demonstrates that cell competition is a common feature of immortalized mammalian cells in vitro and implicates cellular metabolism as a mechanism by which cells sense relative levels of “fitness.”
A Tower-Top Point Focus Solar Energy Collector

Temperatures over 1000 C appear possible with a large segmented Fresnel mirror consisting of independent hydraulically or electrically steered heliostats constructed of flat mirrors. In order that the redirected solar radiation from a square mile be intercepted, a central receiver must be elevated well above the mirror field on a tower of about 450 meters height. A square mile collector would produce heat at a peak rate of 500 MWT in the winter and 700 MWT in the summer.
An Experimental Study of Some Factors Affecting the Spatial and Temporal Activity of Microtus pennsylvanicus

Radioisotope tracing was used to follow the movements of Microtus pennsylvanicus in enclosures in the natural environment. Experiments were designed to determine the effects of increasing population density and other factors on various ecological and behavioral parameters. The process of establishing home ranges for animals alone in unfamiliar habitat was rapid. Discriminatory preferences for home range sites and return to previously occupied ranges were shown by the experimental animals. No evidence for territoriality among resident voles (with the possible exception of defense of nest sites) was observed. At least 50 per cent of the study population was active at any hour of the period over which observations were made. There was a tendency for the population to be more active during daylight hours. Individual voles showed a mean short-term activity cycle of 4.8 hours. Even though the percentage activity increased with density, the mean short-term activity cycle of the voles remained about 4.8 hours, a possible indication of some basic physiological phenomenon. The size and shape of a vole's home range and its temporal and spatial activity did not appear to be fixed individual characteristics. Dominance hierarchies existed among the study animals. Shifts in home range and increase of percentage weight appeared to be related to an individual's social status. Animals at higher densities gained significantly more weight than did voles at a density of one per pen. Nonresident individuals maintained a higher emigratory rate than did resident voles. Increasing population density caused an increase in the mean distance moved between successive points of location and an increase in the mean percentage activity of the study animals. These and related density-dependent phenomena could well be involved in the regulation of populations of Microtus .
Cross-border genetic testing

As genetic testing (GT) is now available for many rare disorders, no GT laboratory can be expert enough to provide every test. Samples are therefore sent between laboratories for testing, often across borders. Such cross-border testing raises some questions: The 2003 OECD survey of 827 molecular GT laboratories in 18 countries found that 64% of laboratories had received samples from abroad. This percentage is likely to have increased in the intervening years, but no data are available. Samples are usually sent abroad for specialist testing, but factors such as patents on genes and the centralisation of testing by private pathology companies also contribute to the traffic. The main issue identified in the OECD report was the wide range of quality frameworks operating in different countries, leading to uncertainty about the quality of GT results obtained when samples are sent across borders. EuroGentest, with Orphanet, has established a quality assurance database of 1500 laboratories providing genetic tests in Europe. The database uniquely includes validated information on accreditation status and EQA participation for each laboratory and each test. For the public, this database facilitates an informed choice of laboratories; for genetic services, it allows the selection of partners for referral of tests based on their commitment to quality; for the laboratories, it valorises their efforts and investment in quality assurance. While the In Vitro Diagnostic (IVD) Directive regulates the quality of diagnostic devices in the EU, most GT is exempt from the Directive as tests are manufactured and used in the same institution. EuroGentest has proposed that this exemption from CE-marking should be retained in the revised IVD Directive but it should be restricted to laboratories accredited to ISO 15189 or equivalent. This would protect the availability of rare disease testing, but ensure that it was carried out in laboratories with a robust quality system.
Sensitivity Derivatives for Advanced CFD Algorithm and Viscous Modeling Parameters via Automatic Differentiation

The computational technique of automatic differentiation (AD) is applied to a complicated computer program to illustrate the simplicity, efficiency, and versatility of AD with complex algorithms for use within a sensitivity analysis. Many algorithmic and physics modeling coefficients appear in computer programs that are routinely set in an ad hoc manner; AD can be used to enhance computer programs with derivative information suitable for guiding formal sensitivity analyses, which allows these coefficient values to be chosen in a rigorous manner to achieve particular program properties such as an improved convergence rate or improved accuracy. In this paper, AD is applied to a three-dimensional thin-layer Navier?Stokes multigrid flow solver to assess the feasibility and computational impact of obtaining exact sensitivity derivatives with respect to algorithmic and physics modeling parameters typical of those needed for sensitivity analyses. Calculations are performed for an ONERA M6 wing in transonic flow with both the Baldwin?Lomax and Johnson?King turbulence models. The wing lift, drag, and pitching moment coefficients are differentiated with respect to two different groups of input parameters. The first group consists of the second- and fourth-order damping coefficients of the computational algorithm, whereas the second group consists of two parameters in the viscous turbulent flow physics modeling. Results obtained via AD are compared for both accuracy and computational efficiency with the results obtained with divided differences (DD). The AD results are accurate, extremely simple to obtain, and show significant computational advantage over those obtained by DD for some cases.
A typology of e-governance operational Information Systems tasks

In this research a typology of Information Systems (IS) tasks is developed based on existing dimensions reported earlier in the literature. This typology allows one to classify not only the traditional e-governance IS, but also lay the foundations for technologies/methods yet to be developed. It also provides a prescriptive element in designing current and future e-governance information systems. The resulting framework also provides one approach for government officials in accessing and managing the risk associated with developing, implementing and managing future e-governance projects.
Microwave Collision Diameters I. Experimental

The diameters of fifteen polar and non-polar gases for collisions with ammonia are obtained from measurements of the pressure broadening of the ammonia 3-3 inversion line in the mixed gases at low pressures. The design of the spectroscope used and the experimental technique involved are discussed.
Dominant and Competing Paradigms in Gerontology: Towards a Political Economy of Ageing

The origins and influence of social science perspectives have conditioned theoretical and empirical developments in the field of gerontology. Yet little systematic examination has been afforded to the role of social science in the production of gerontological knowledge in providing the underlying rationale for American social policy for the aged. This paper examines the dominant U.S. social science perspectives or paradigms and discusses the reasons for their centrality in American gerontological thought. The paper concludes with a proposal for an alternative line of inquiry — a political economy of ageing — which takes as problematic the effects of social history, the world economy, capitalism and social class on the ageing process and the aged and the policy interventions designed for them.
Prediction of total phenols, condensed tannins, and 3-deoxyanthocyanidins in sorghum grain using near-infrared (NIR) spectroscopy

Abstract The reported high phenolic levels in sorghum have led an interest from sorghum breeding programs in developing and identifying germplasms with high phenolic levels, which require screening a large number of samples to find those with the highest levels. Since wet chemistry screening methods are slow, expensive, and destructive, the use of NIR calibration curves could be an alternative. The objectives of this project were to determine the variation range in total phenols, condensed tannins, and 3-deoxyanthocyanidin levels in a diverse set of sorghum genotypes and to assess the predictive value of NIR curves to estimate these compounds in sorghum. A calibration curve to estimate each compound was developed and validated with an independent validation set. Calibration curve correlations for total phenols, condensed tannins, and 3-deoxyanthocyanidins were r = 0.98, 0.97, and 0.99, respectively. Correlations between NIR-predicted values and reference values in the validation set were significant for total phenols (r = 0.93), condensed tannins (r = 0.81) and 3-deoxyanthocyanidin (r = 0.82). These indicated that sufficient variation for these compounds existed within sorghum and that NIR calibration curves could be used to rapidly and non-destructively predict total phenols, condensed tannins, and 3-deoxyanthocyanidins concentrations in whole grain sorghum.
"No somos iguales": the effect of household economic standing on women's energy intake in the Andes.

Abstract This article examines the relationship between women's food consumption and household economic standing in a small farming community in the southern Peruvian Andes. It is motivated by villagers’ comments—“ no somos iguales ”—about economic inequality within the community and explores the nutritional consequences of this disparity. Analyses of energy intake, measured seasonally by the food-weighing technique, show that women in poorer households experience energy deprivation during the pre-harvest season but better-off women do not. During the rest of the year, women in both economic groups have statistically similar intakes of energy. Energy deprivation among poorer women is associated with a lack of money to purchase adequate amounts of commercial foods when the supply of local foods dwindles. The analyses indicate that in this agricultural community, being “cash poor” is a more sensitive predictor of nutritional risk among women than are landholdings. Despite the veneer of widespread poverty, this study supports villager views that households are not equal and contributes to our understanding of differences among rural Andean women.
Recent advances in the development of a multiwavelength imaging pyrometer

A multiwavelength imaging pyrometer (MWIP) is described that permits real-time remote sensing of temperature profiles of targets with unknown emissivity by measuring the spectral radiance of a target at several distinct wavelengths using a 3203122-element PtSi ir CCD imager with an assembly of seven narrowband ir filters in the range from 1790 to 4536 nm. Based on these measurements, the temperature and model parameters of the target emissivity are determined simultaneously from the least-squares fit of the theoretical model of the ir camera output signal to the experimental data. The real-time least-squares minimization is accomplished by combination of Levenberg-Marquardt and simulatedannealing algorithms. The experimental MWIP system also includes a least-squares-based calibration algorithm for evaluation of effective values of peak filter transmissions and center wavelengths based on the detection of radiation emitted by the precalibrated blackbody source over a wide range of temperatures. To achieve high radiometric accuracy, the ir CCD camera was operated with black-level and background subtraction and with compensation for dark-current charge as a function of the detected signal level. To minimize the effect of the response nonlinearity on the accuracy of real-time MWIP temperature estimation, we have developed an algorithm that provides for imager operation at fixed preselected signal level for each spectral channel by adaptively changing the duration of the optical integration time of the imager. Initial testing demonstrated an accuracy of ± 1.0°C for real-time temperature measurements of the center of the blackbody aperture in the range from 500 to 1000°C. Temperature resolution of ± 3°C was demonstrated for the blackbody source viewed through a double-side polished silicon wafer with unknown spectral transmissivity in the temperature range from 500 to 900°C.
The long-wave instability of a defect in a uniform parallel shear

The stability properties of an inviscid, parallel, incompressible, free shear flow are studied. The shear profile is that of an unbounded, plane Couette flow containing a defect, or transition zone, whose magnitude e is assumed to be small. The linearized eigenvalue problem is solved first for discretized models. When the defect has a finite thickness, the instability is confined to longitudinal wavenumbers, k [les ] 0(e), in contrast to the more common 0(1) bandwidth, in units of inverse shear length. This observation motivates the application of a long-wave expansion to a smooth defect profile. A double expansion in both k and e captures the whole waveband of the instability, and yields convergent expansions for the unstable eigenfunctions and for the dispersion relation describing their growth rate. The fastest growing modes are determined, and their back-reaction on the basic shear is calculated.