cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Clay mineralogy of shale-limestone rhythmites in the Scaglia rossa (Turonian-Eocene), Italian Apennines

ABSTRACT The Scaglia rossa (Turonian-Eocene), part of the miogeoclinal series exposed in the Italian Apennines, consists of pelagic limestones and marly limestones rhythmically punctuated by thin shale partings. The variations in lithology in part reflect variations in carbonate productivity and/or preservation during deposition. Samples of the shale partings and the intercalated limestones were collected from the Botaccione Gorge, near Gubbio. Semiquantitative methods of analysis, described herein, were used to characterize the clay mineralogy of the two lithologies. The mineralogical compositions of the shales differ qualitatively and quantitatively from those of the limestones, suggesting that the clay fractions of the two lithologists were derived either from different sources or from diff rent proportions of the same multiple sources. Because variations in provenance occur concurrently with variations in carbonate productivity/preservation, a climatic mechanism is most likely responsible for the shale-limestone alternations. The rhythmic nature of these alternations is interpreted as evidence for cyclic climatic variability in the late Mesozoic Mediterranean Tethys. Stratigraphic variation in clay mineralogy, independent of lithology, is limited to a brief but significant influx of kaolinite at the Cretaceous/Tertiary boundary. This influx is not related to a single, geologically instantaneous event, but may correspond to continental margin progradation and retreat, shifting depositional patterns, climatic change, and/or exploitation of new source terrains. The clay mineralogy of the shale parting lying at the Cretaceous/Tertiary boundary, the so-called "boundary-layer clay," does not differ qualitatively or quantitatively from that of shales above and below the boundary. It is accordingly deemed unlikely that the layer is composed entirely of transported, impact-derived material exotic to the Gubbio section, although the possibility that a small proportion of the layer is made up of such material cannot be excluded.
Beyond Audio and Video: Using Claytronics to Enable Pario

In this article, we describe the hardware and software challenges involved in realizing Claytronics, a form of programmable matter made out of very large numbers-potentially millions-of submillimeter sized spherical robots. The goal of the claytronics project is to create ensembles of cooperating submillimeter robots, which work together to form dynamic 3D physical objects. For example, claytronics might be used in telepresense to mimic, with high-fidelity and in 3-dimensional solid form, the look, feel, and motion of the person at the other end of the telephone call. To achieve this long-range vision we are investigating hardware mechanisms for constructing submillimeter robots, which can be manufactured en masse using photolithography. We also propose the creation of a new media type, which we call pario. The idea behind pario is to render arbitrary moving, physical 3-dimensional objects that you can see, touch, and even hold in your hands. In parallel with our hardware effort, we are developing novel distributed programming languages and algorithms to control the ensembles, LDP and Meld. Pario may fundamentally change how we communicate with others and interact with the world around us. Our research results to date suggest that there is a viable path to implementing both the hardware and software necessary for claytronics, which is a form of programmable matter that can be used to implement pario. While we have made significant progress, there is still much research ahead in order to turn this vision into reality.
Lebesgue Convergence Theorems and Reverse Mathematics

Concepts of L1 space, integrable functions and integrals are formalized in weak subsystems of second order arithmetic. They are discussed especially in relation with the combinatorial principle WWKL (weak-weak Konig's lemma and arithmetical comprehension. Lebesgue dominated convergence theorem is proved to be equivalent to arithmetical comprehension. A weak version of Lebesgue monotone convergence theorem is proved to be equivalent to weak-weak Konig's lemma. Mathematics Subject Classification: 03F35.
Tell me again what it is that you do.

AbstractMy job at Pullman, Washington, starting in 1965, was to control the root diseases of wheat and barley, focusing first on fusarium root and crown rot, then including take-all and pythium and rhizoctonia root rots. In the absence of viable alternatives, the agronomic approaches used were implemented through design of cereal-based cropping systems. Starting in the late 1970s, the mission focused further on cereal-intensive direct-seed (no-till) cropping systems. A team effort demonstrated the role of indigenous antibiotic-producing fluorescent pseudomonads in the widespread decline of take-all in response to monoculture wheat (or barley-wheat sequences). Today, the suppression of take-all by these beneficial rhizobacteria is the centerpiece of an integrated system that augments take-all decline while limiting pythium and rhizoctonia root rots and fusarium root and crown rot in direct-seed systems. In such systems, “crop rotation” takes the form of different sequences of winter and spring wheat, barle...
Epidemiology of Liver Disease in Human Immunodeficiency Virus-Infected Persons

In the era of combination antiretroviral therapy (CART) and improved survival [1], liver disease has become a leading cause of morbidity and mortality among HIV-infected persons [2–4]. The term “liver disease” encompasses a wide spectrum, ranging from asymptomatic mild elevations of liver enzymes (aspartate aminotransferase, AST; alanine aminotransferase, ALT; alkaline phosphatase, ALP) to cirrhosis and end stage liver disease with all its complications (e.g., ascites, esophageal varices, hepatic encephalopathy).
Efficient Microarchitectural Vulnerabilities Prediction Using Boosted Regression Trees and Patient Rule Inductions

The shrinking processor feature size, lower threshold voltage, and increasing clock frequency make modern processors highly vulnerable to transient faults. Architectural Vulnerability Factor (AVF) reflects the possibility that a transient fault eventually causes a visible error in the program output, and it indicates a system's susceptibility to transient faults. Therefore, the awareness of the AVF, especially at early design stage, is greatly helpful to achieve a trade-off between system performance and reliability. However, tracking the AVF during program execution is extremely costly, which makes accurate AVF prediction extraordinarily attractive to computer architects. In this paper, we propose to use Boosted Regression Trees (BRT), a nonparametric tree-based predictive modeling scheme, to identify the correlation across workloads, execution phases, and processor configurations between a key processor structure's AVF and various performance metrics. The proposed method not only makes an accurate prediction but also quantitatively illustrates individual performance variable's importance to the AVF. A quantitative comparison between our model and conventional linear regression is performed in terms of model stability, showing that our model is more stable when the model size varies. Moreover, to reduce the prediction complexity, we also utilize a technique named Patient Rule Induction Method (PRIM) to extract some simple selecting rules on important metrics. Applying these rules during runtime can fast identify execution intervals with a relatively high AVF. A case study that enables PRIM-based ROB redundancy has been performed to demonstrate a possible application of the trained PRIM rules.
Theory of the normal-superfluid interface in population-imbalanced Fermi gases

We present a series of theoretical studies of the boundary between a superfluid and a normal region in a partially polarized gas of strongly interacting fermions. We present mean-field estimates of the surface energy in this boundary as a function of temperature and scattering length. We discuss the structure of the domain wall, and use a previously introduced phenomonological model to study its influence on experimental observables. Our microscopic mean-field calculations are not consistent with the magnitude of the surface tension found from our phenomonological modeling of data from the Rice University experiments. We conclude that one must search for novel mechanisms to explain the experiments.
A Review of: “Abolition Democracy: Beyond Prisons, Torture, and Empire; Interviews with Angela Davis”

Angela Y. Davis epitomizes what it means to be an engaged scholar-activist. A political philosopher and professor, former fugitive and neo-slave-narrative author, communist and anti-imperialist, li...
Inhaled Aztreonam Lysine for Cystic Fibrosis Pulmonary Disease–Related Outcomes

OBJECTIVE:To evaluate the pharmacology, clinical efficacy, and safety of aztreonam lysine for inhalation (AZLI) for cystic fibrosis (CF)–related signs and symptoms of pulmonary disease.DATA SOURCES:Literature was searched in MEDLINE through PubMed and cross-referenced with EMBASE (1980-June 2012). The key search terms used were aztreonam lysine, nebulized, inhaled, and cystic fibrosis. Bibliographies of selected articles were used to identify additional references. Ongoing trials were identified through a review of Web site trial registries.STUDY SELECTION AND DATA EXTRACTION:Articles were limited to those written in English about studies conducted in humans. Studies included in this review examined both adult and pediatric patients with CF.DATA SYNTHESIS:Aztreonam lysine is an inhaled monocyclic β-lactam antibiotic approved for use in the CF population. Four completed clinical trials with peer-reviewed published data were reviewed to assess the efficacy and safety of single-course AZLI; a fifth trial ass...
The Joint Effects of Cardiorespiratory Fitness and Adiposity on Mortality Risk in Men With Hypertension

BACKGROUND Whether higher cardiorespiratory fitness (CRF) attenuates the mortality risk associated with higher adiposity in adults with hypertension (HTN) is poorly understood. METHODS Participants were 13,155 men (mean age, 47.7 (s.d., 9.9) years) who completed a baseline health examination and maximal treadmill exercise test during 1974-2003. All men had HTN at baseline based on resting systolic blood pressure of > or =140 mm Hg or diastolic blood pressure > or =90 mm Hg. CRF was quantified as the duration of a symptom-limited maximal treadmill exercise test, and was grouped for analysis as low (lowest 20%), moderate (middle 40%), and high (upper 40%). Distributions of body mass index (BMI), waist circumference (WC), and percent body fat (%BF) were grouped according to standard clinical guidelines. RESULTS During a mean follow-up of 12 years, 883 deaths (355 cardiovascular disease (CVD)) were recorded. Multivariate hazard ratios (HRs) (95% confidence interval) for all-cause mortality, using low-fitness as the reference group, were 0.58 (0.48-0.69) and 0.43 (0.35-0.54) for moderate-fit and high-fit groups, respectively. We observed a similar pattern for CVD mortality. High-fit/obese men had no greater risk of all-cause (1.59 (0.95-2.67)) or CVD (1.23 (0.44-3.41)) death, high-fit/abdominal-obese men had no greater risk for all-cause (1.20 (0.80-1.78)) or CVD (0.62 (0.25-1.53)) death, and high-fit/percent body fat (%BF)-obese men had no greater risk for all-cause (1.19 (0.90-1.56)) or CVD (0.86 (0.52-1.43)) death compared with their high-fit/normal counterparts. CONCLUSIONS Fitness is a powerful effect modifier in the association of adiposity to mortality in men with HTN, negating the all-cause and CVD mortality risk associated with obesity.
Multi-Signal Sedimentation Velocity Analysis with Mass Conservation for Determining the Stoichiometry of Protein Complexes

Multi-signal sedimentation velocity analytical ultracentrifugation (MSSV) is a powerful tool for the determination of the number, stoichiometry, and hydrodynamic shape of reversible protein complexes in two- and three-component systems. In this method, the evolution of sedimentation profiles of macromolecular mixtures is recorded simultaneously using multiple absorbance and refractive index signals and globally transformed into both spectrally and diffusion-deconvoluted component sedimentation coefficient distributions. For reactions with complex lifetimes comparable to the time-scale of sedimentation, MSSV reveals the number and stoichiometry of co-existing complexes. For systems with short complex lifetimes, MSSV reveals the composition of the reaction boundary of the coupled reaction/migration process, which we show here may be used to directly determine an association constant. A prerequisite for MSSV is that the interacting components are spectrally distinguishable, which may be a result, for example, of extrinsic chromophores or of different abundances of aromatic amino acids contributing to the UV absorbance. For interacting components that are spectrally poorly resolved, here we introduce a method for additional regularization of the spectral deconvolution by exploiting approximate knowledge of the total loading concentrations. While this novel mass conservation principle does not discriminate contributions to different species, it can be effectively combined with constraints in the sedimentation coefficient range of uncomplexed species. We show in theory, computer simulations, and experiment, how mass conservation MSSV as implemented in SEDPHAT can enhance or even substitute for the spectral discrimination of components. This should broaden the applicability of MSSV to the analysis of the composition of reversible macromolecular complexes.
Measurement of Drug−Protein Dissociation Rates by High-Performance Affinity Chromatography and Peak Profiling

The rate at which a drug or other small solute interacts with a protein is important in understanding the biological and pharmacokinetic behavior of these agents. One approach that has been developed for examining these rates involves the use of high-performance affinity chromatography (HPAC) and estimates of band-broadening through peak profiling. Previous work with this method has been based on a comparison of the statistical moments for a retained analyte versus nonretained species at a single, high flow rate to obtain information on stationary phase mass transfer. In this study an alternative approach was created that allows a broad range of flow rates to be used for examining solute-protein dissociation rates. Chromatographic theory was employed to derive equations that could be used with this approach on a single column, as well as with multiple columns to evaluate and correct for the impact of stagnant mobile phase mass transfer. The interaction of L-tryptophan with human serum albumin was used as a model system to test this method. A dissociation rate constant of 2.7 (+/-0.2) s(-1) was obtained by this approach at pH 7.4 and 37 degrees C, which was in good agreement with previous values determined by other methods. The techniques described in this report can be applied to other biomolecular systems and should be valuable for the determination of drug-protein dissociation rates.
A new scheme for reducing link and signaling costs in mobile IP

IP mobility support is provided by the basic Mobile IP protocol. The main drawback of the protocol is that the packets must be routed along the paths longer than the optimal one. This is known as the triangle routing problem. Recently, the route optimization protocol was proposed to solve the triangle routing problem, which allows packets to be routed along an optimal path from a correspondent node to a mobile node. However, the route optimization protocol may cause high signaling and processing costs. In this paper, a new scheme for reducing costs in route optimization is introduced to solve the above problems. Link and signaling cost functions are introduced to capture the trade off between the network resources consumed by the routing, signaling, and processing load incurred by the route optimization. In this new scheme, route optimization is performed only when it minimizes the total cost function, which provides the optimal result from the point of view of link and signaling costs. The simulation results show that the proposed scheme provides the best performance.
Disease emergence in deterministic and stochastic models for host and pathogen

The emergence of new infectious diseases often occurs because of the evolution of a new pathogen. The generation time for pathogens is often much shorter than the generation time for hosts, and therefore, virulence evolution in the pathogen population occurs much faster than the development of resistance or immunity in the host population. This results in a disease outbreak in the host population. In this investigation, we develop a model for a host-pathogen system, where the genetics of the pathogen are included. We use this model to study the evolutionary dynamics of the pathogen. The pathogen evolution is determined by a single autosomal locus (haploid or diploid) for which there are n different alleles. The host population is subdivided into susceptible and infected individuals. The infected host population governs the growth of the pathogen population. A special case is studied in detail, where the pathogen population obeys the Hardy-Weinberg law. We define the basic reproduction number for the host-pathogen system and investigate local and global stability of the disease-free equilibrium. It is shown that the initial proportions of the pathogen genotypes and the basic reproduction number determine whether a new infectious disease will emerge. In addition, a stochastic model is developed based on the deterministic formulation. The dynamics of the deterministic and stochastic models are compared through extensive numerical simulations. Stochastic variability can lead to the emergence of pathogenic genotypes different from those predicted by the deterministic model.
Time effects of climate change mitigation strategies for second generation biofuels and co-products with temporary carbon storage

Second generation biofuels offer a means of reducing greenhouse gas emissions and storing or delaying soil carbon emissions relative to petroleum-based fuels depending upon the strategy used to synthesize the biofuel and co-products. Unless mitigated, the soil organic carbon and nitrogen loss resulting from removing agricultural residues for biofuel production may cause life cycle greenhouse gas emissions to surpass national policy thresholds, and thus risk non-compliance with renewable fuel policy. Strategies to mitigate soil organic carbon loss such as using nutrient and carbon-rich, and stable land amendments will lead to time-variable greenhouse gas credits. Recent studies have argued for using time-dependent rather than time-averaged radiative forcing methods for biofuel greenhouse gas accounting but few life cycle assessment studies have examined the impact of time-varying emissions of soil organic carbon using the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change tier 3 models. This study applies a time-dependent radiative forcing approach to a 100-year time-series data set of life cycle greenhouse gas emissions for lignocellulosic ethanol that includes temporally variable soil greenhouse gas emissions. This study demonstrates that averaging soil emissions and neglecting the time when the sequestration or release occurs within a selected time horizon can lead to a 9% to over 80% overestimation of the magnitude of the effect of the mitigation strategy. This affirms that employing strategies to maintain soil organic carbon stock early within a biofuel program supports climate change mitigation. Such strategies would guide farmers to best manage soil carbon within the biofuel production life cycle. Time-dependent approaches underscore the need for early measures of greenhouse gas curtailment to support sustainable renewable biofuel and agricultural policy.
Runx1 phosphorylation by Src increases trans-activation via augmented stability, reduced histone deacetylase (HDAC) binding, and increased DNA affinity, and activated Runx1 favors granulopoiesis

Src phosphorylates Runx1 on one central and four C-terminal tyrosines. We find that activated Src synergizes with Runx1 to activate a Runx1 luciferase reporter. Mutation of the four Runx1 C-terminal tyrosines to aspartate or glutamate to mimic phosphorylation increases trans-activation of the reporter in 293T cells and allows induction of Cebpa or Pu.1 mRNAs in 32Dcl3 myeloid cells, whereas mutation of these residues to phenylalanine to prevent phosphorylation obviates these effects. Three mechanisms contribute to increased Runx1 activity upon tyrosine modification as follows: increased stability, reduced histone deacetylase (HDAC) interaction, and increased DNA binding. Mutation of the five modified Runx1 tyrosines to aspartate markedly reduced co-immunoprecipitation with HDAC1 and HDAC3, markedly increased stability in cycloheximide or in the presence of co-expressed Cdh1, an E3 ubiquitin ligase coactivator, with reduced ubiquitination, and allowed DNA-binding in gel shift assay similar to wild-type Runx1. In contrast, mutation of these residues to phenylalanine modestly increased HDAC interaction, modestly reduced stability, and markedly reduced DNA binding in gel shift assays and as assessed by chromatin immunoprecipitation with the -14-kb Pu.1 or +37-kb Cebpa enhancers after stable expression in 32Dcl3 cells. Affinity for CBFβ, the Runx1 DNA-binding partner, was not affected by these tyrosine modifications, and in vitro translated CBFβ markedly increased DNA affinity of both the translated phenylalanine and aspartate Runx1 variants. Finally, further supporting a positive role for Runx1 tyrosine phosphorylation during granulopoiesis, mutation of the five Src-modified residues to aspartate but not phenylalanine allows Runx1 to increase Cebpa and granulocyte colony formation by Runx1-deleted murine marrow.
Combinations of differentiation markers distinguish subpopulations of alveolar epithelial cells in adult lung

Distal lung epithelium is maintained by proliferation of alveolar type II (AT2) cells and, for some daughter AT2 cells, transdifferentiation into alveolar type I (AT1) cells. We investigated if sub...
A comparison of robust control techniques for uncertain structural systems

of this paper is to compare control techprovide robustness for parametric uncertainty in structural systems. Sensitivity Weighted LQG, Maximum Entropy, Multiple Model, 'Hm and psynthesis were selected from amongst the available techniques, and are compared herein. The techniques are evaluated on: 1) computational requirements; 2) the degree to which performance is sacrificed in order to achieve robustness and 3) the maximum performance experimentally achieved on the Middeck Active Control Experiment test article. These criteria determine which techniques are suitable for the design of robust compensators for large order structural systems with parametric
Evaluation of a cancer prevention and detection continuing education program for nurses

To stay relevant and continue to meet the needs it was created to meet, a 15‐year‐old continuing education program in cancer prevention and detection for nurses has found change a constant. The pro...
Expression of PTEN and c-erbB-2 in 64 Cases with Primary Gallbladder Carcinoma

[Purpose] To study the expression of PTEN and c-erbB-2 in primary gallbladder carcinoma(PGC) and its significance. [Methods] The expression of PTEN mRNA, PTEN protein and c-erbB-2 protein were detected by in situ hybridization(DNA-RNA) and immunochemistry(SP method) in 64 cases with PGC, 22 cases with gallbladder adenoma and 10 cases with chronic cholecystitis as controls. [Results] The positive expression rates of PTEN mRNA and PTEN protein in PGC(56.3%,59.4%) were significantly lower than those in gallbladder adenoma (81.8%,90.8%) and chronic cholecystitis(100%,100%)(P0.05). The positive expression rate of c-erbB-2 protein in PGC(46.8%) was significantly higher than that in gallbladder adenoma (9.1%) and chronic cholecystitis (0)(P0.05). [Conclusion] Low expression of PTEN and high expression of c-erbB-2 both play an important role in oncogenesis of PGC. They may be uses as markers for prognosis evaluation.
Distribution of phosphatidylcholine molecular species between mixed micelles and phospholipid-cholesterol vesicles in human gallbladder bile: dependence on acyl chain length and unsaturation.

The partitioning of phosphatidylcholine (PC) molecular species between mixed micelles and vesicles was studied in each of seven human gallbladder biles. Biles were fractionated by Sephacryl S-300 SF gel filtration chromatography, and PC species in the micellar and vesicular fractions were quantitated by high performance liquid chromatography. Micelles were enriched in species containing unsaturated acyl groups (e.g., 16:1-18:2, 18:1-18:2, and 18:1-18:3); vesicles were enriched in more highly saturated species (e.g., 16:0-16:1, 16:0-18:1, and 18:0-18:1). Separate multivariate analyses for each bile demonstrated that the distribution of PC species between vesicles and micelles was related to the degree of sn-1 and sn-2 unsaturation, and sn-1, but not sn-2, chain length. In addition, the tendency to partition into the micellar phase was particularly marked when unsaturation was present at both the sn-1 and sn-2 positions. When this interaction was included in the multivariate analyses, the regression models accounted for virtually all of the variation in PC partitioning (for each of the seven patients r2 = 0.92-0.98, P less than 0.03). These results suggest that the partitioning of PC species between micelles and vesicles is strictly determined by sn-1 chain length and the degree of unsaturation at both the sn-1 and sn-2 positions. In light of recent reports that fatty acyl composition influences the cholesterol content of vesicles and micelles in model biles, these results raise the possibility that diet-induced alterations in the phospholipid species and the relative proportions of biliary lipid particles may influence the cholesterol-carrying capacity of bile.
Extending the conversation on socially engaged geographic visualization: representing spatial inequality in Buffalo, New York

ABSTRACTThis paper is situated at the intersections among GIS and geovisualization, critical social theory, and urban studies. It presents an analysis of housing segregation and unequal food and transportation access in Buffalo, New York. We demonstrate how the representation and examination of this socially complex multi-scalar issue benefits from deliberate, reflexive conversation between different critical social-spatial epistemologies. We begin with a relatively simple GIS analysis of spatial segregation and arrive through critical iteration at a more qualitatively nuanced cartogram which moves beyond representations of fixed space to reveal a much more relational situation—a case of “time-space expansion” in which the travel time needed to meet a basic daily need is much greater for the poor and people of color than it is for whiter, more affluent populations. We conclude by infusing this narrative with additional considerations from social theory to show how even a limited visualization such as ours...
2-O-Acyl-3-O-(1-acyloxyalkyl) Prodrugs of 5,6-Isopropylidene-l-Ascorbic Acid and l-Ascorbic Acid: Antioxidant Activity and Ability to Permeate Silicone Membranes

2-O-Acyl-3-O-(1-acyloxyalkyl) prodrug derivatives, 15, of 5,6-isopropylidene-l-ascorbic acid, VCA, and l-ascorbic acid, VC, have been characterized by measuring (1) their solubilities in water (SAQ) and in 1-octanol (SOCT); (2) the ability of one member of the homologous series, 15a, to diffuse through a silicone membrane from its application in propylene glycol:water (PG:AQ), 30:70; (3) the ability of another member of the series, 15e, to express cellular antioxidant activity (CAA) in HaCaT cells; and (4) the ability of 15e to support cell viability in HaCaT cells. All of the prodrugs were more soluble in 1-octanol than VC or VCA were. 15a, which exhibited a good balance between SOCT and SAQ, was found to deliver approximately 15 times more 15a than VCA delivered VCA through a silicone membrane from PG:AQ, 30:70. Under those conditions, no VC permeated the membrane. 15e, which hydrolyzed to release acetaldehyde as a byproduct instead of the toxin formaldehyde, exhibited approximately 30 times the antioxidant activity of VC in CaHaT cells and supported cell viability up to 900 μM in HaCaT cells.
Commentary on “Recombinant Humanized Anti-HER2 Antibody (Herceptin) Enhances the Antitumor Activity of Paclitaxel and Doxorubicin against HER2/neu Overexpressing Human Breast Cancer Xenografts” (A Follow Up)

Visit the Cancer Research 75th Anniversary [timeline][1]. See related article by Baselga et al., [Cancer Res 1998;58:2825–31][2] . It is an honor to have our publication reporting on combined therapy with a targeted antibody plus chemotherapy selected as a classic article from Cancer Research .
Apertureless Near-Field Scanning Probes Based on Graphene Plasmonics

We present a novel approach in designing high-throughput high-resolution apertureless near-field scanning probes with enhanced nanofocusing based on graphene plasmonics. Extremely localized plasmons on graphene are mingled with nanofocusing of surface plasmon polaritons to confine and steer the plasmon waves into the apex of a near-field scanning optical microscopy tip. The Fermi level, localized emission sites on graphene, and the angle of excitation play a critical role in exciting graphene surface plasmons on the lateral walls of the designed conical probes. The optimized probes feature full-width at half-maximum (FWHM) around 25 nm, which is at least two times smaller than conventional metallic plasmonic tips. The near-field electromagnetic properties of the designed probes are characterized in detail and compared to the conventional single-aperture and typical apertureless metallic plasmonic (silver and gold) probes. Over three orders of magnitude electric field enhancement compared to metallic probes on SiO 2 substrate has been achieved.
The ethics of separating conjoined twins: two arguments against

I argue that the separation of conjoined twins in infancy or early childhood is unethical (rare exceptions aside). Cases may be divided into three types: both twins suffer from lethal abnormalities, only one twin has a lethal abnormality, or neither twin does. In the first kind of case, there is no reason to separate, since both twins will die regardless of treatment. In the third kind of case, I argue that separation at an early age is unethical because the twins are likely to achieve an irreplaceably good quality of life-the goods of conjoinment-that separation takes away. Evaluation of this possibility requires maturation past early childhood. Regarding the second type, I point out that with conceivable but unrecorded exceptions, these cases will consistently involve sacrifice separation. I present an argument that sacrifice separation is unethical, but in some cases a moral dilemma may exist in which separation and refraining from separation are both unethical. Perhaps in such cases a decision can be made on non-moral grounds; however, the possibility of such a decision serves not to mitigate but to underscore the fact that the separation is unethical. My conclusion, which applies to all three types of cases, is that it is unethical to separate conjoined twins before their developing personalities give some reliable indication as to whether they desire separation and whether they will achieve those goods of conjoinment.
Variance Change Point Detection Under a Smoothly-Changing Mean Trend with Application to Liver Procurement

Literature on change point analysis mostly requires a sudden change in the data distribution, either in a few parameters or the distribution as a whole. We are interested in the scenario, where the...
Iterative and optimal frequency offset estimation in OFDM systems

Iterative demodulation and decoding has enabled designers to develop communication systems capable of achieving high spectral efficiencies at signal-to-noise ratios that come within a fraction of a dB of channel capacity under ideal conditions. Practical communication systems however have difficulty achieving spectral efficiencies near channel capacity owing to real-world phenomenology including frequency and phase offset, Doppler spread and delay spread. We have developed an optimal frequency offset estimator that uses both hard and soft decisions to iteratively improve the frequency offset estimate which is critical to successful OFDM demodulation and decoding. Using iterative frequency estimation in conjunction with iterative demodulation and decoding we demonstrate communication system performance near channel capacity.
Connectivity of Streams and Wetlands to Downstream Waters: An Integrated Systems Framework

Interest in connectivity has increased in the aquatic sciences, partly because of its relevance to the Clean Water Act. This paper has two objectives: (1) provide a framework to understand hydrological, chemical, and biological connectivity, focusing on how headwater streams and wetlands connect to and contribute to rivers; and (2) review methods to quantify hydrological and chemical connectivity. Streams and wetlands affect river structure and function by altering material and biological fluxes to the river; this depends on two factors: (1) functions within streams and wetlands that affect material fluxes; and (2) connectivity (or isolation) from streams and wetlands to rivers that allows (or prevents) material transport between systems. Connectivity can be described in terms of frequency, magnitude, duration, timing, and rate of change. It results from physical characteristics of a system, e.g., climate, soils, geology, topography, and the spatial distribution of aquatic components. Biological connectivity is also affected by traits and behavior of the biota. Connectivity can be altered by human impacts, often in complex ways. Because of variability in these factors, connectivity is not constant but varies over time and space. Connectivity can be quantified with field-based methods, modeling, and remote sensing. Further studies using these methods are needed to classify and quantify connectivity of aquatic ecosystems and to understand how impacts affect connectivity.
Safety and Childproofing

Injuries are the leading cause of death in children, killing more children between the ages of 1 and 3 years than all other causes of death combined. This article is divided into three parts. First, epidemiological background on injury is reviewed, with an emphasis on the leading causes of morbidity and mortality among young children. Second, psychological risk factors for child injury, including risks associated with children, parents, daycare centers, communities, and culture are reviewed. Third, the major types of injuries young children incur, with discussion ranging from burns to dog bites to suffocation injuries are considered.
The Philosophy of National Bladder Cancer Project Studies

The National Bladder Cancer Project is supported by the National Cancer Institute. Collaborative Group A is the therapeutic section of the Project. The Chairman, Deputy and the Associate Project Director for Clinical Studies are shown in Table 1, along with the institutions now accessioning patients. Each institution has a named Pathologist, Radiation Oncologist and a Medical Oncologist in addition to a Urologist who is the Principal Investigator. The organization is designed to maximize input and responsibility to each member. A constitution, publication policy, a Patient Advocate Committee, a policy for extensive internal group review of protocols and stringent requirements for quality assurance of data submitted and results reported make up the substance of the Group. Each discipline has its sub-committee. From these subcommittees come new hypotheses and the validation of old ones (Figure 1). This is an hypothesis-generating, longitudinal program we have conducted for the past six years.
Multiscale Modeling and Simulation of Composite Materials and Structures

We describe various spatial and temporal multiscale approaches for composite materials and structures. Spatial multiscale approaches are grouped into two categories: information-passing and concurrent. In the concurrent multiscale methods in space multiple scales are simultaneously resolved, whereas in the information-passing schemes, the fine scale is modeled and its gross response is infused into the continuum scale. The issue of appropriate scale selection is discussed. Among the temporal multiscale application we describe block cycle and temporal homogenization approaches with application to fatigue life prediction of composites.
The management of childhood cancer survivors at risk for stroke: A Delphi survey of regional experts.

Background Evidence is not available to guide management of childhood cancer survivors (CCS) at risk for radiation-associated cerebral vascular disease (CVD) and stroke. We propose to use a consensus-based methodology to describe the collective opinion of regional experts for the care of these patients and identify areas of controversy. Procedure Thirty physicians from the New England region who care for CCS participated in a Delphi panel querying their management approach (imaging, laboratory tests, medications, counseling, referrals) to a CCS treated with cranial radiation formatted as five clinical scenarios (asymptomatic, small- and large-vessel CVD, transient ischemia, stroke) in three rounds of anonymous questionnaires. Consensus defined as ≥90% agreement. Results Response rate was 100% for all three rounds. Panelists reached consensus on laboratory tests to assess stroke risk factors, stroke risk and prevention counseling, brain imaging to monitor survivors with known CVD, and acute care for stroke symptoms. Only 67% panelists agreed with MRI screening asymptomatic survivors with no history of CVD, 87% endorsed aspirin as stroke prevention for large-vessel CVD and 57% for small-vessel CVD. There was no consensus on specialty referrals. Overall, panelists practicing at large institutions and neurology subspecialists were more likely to advocate for screening, interventions, and referrals. Conclusions Despite lack of evidence to guide stroke prevention in CCS treated with cranial radiation, a panel of regional physicians reached consensus on managing most clinical scenarios. Controversial areas requiring further study are surveillance imaging for asymptomatic survivors, aspirin for stroke prevention, and indications for specialty referral.
Genomic landscape, clinical characteristics and outcomes of early onset (EO) compared with average onset (AO) colorectal cancer (CRC).

3520Background: The incidence of CRC in patients (pts) under the age of 50 has been rising over the past decade. Little is known about the biologic differences between early and AO (over the age of...
Analysis of the PML Performance on Spherical FDTD Grids

We evaluate the performance of the spherical perfectly matched layer (PML) applied to the finite-difference time-domain (FDTD) algorithm implemented in spherical staggered grids. The spherical PML performance is evaluated by simulating the fields produced by electric dipoles within spherical FDTD grids terminated by a (spherical) PML, and computing the reflection error. The influence of several parameters on the PML reflection error is examined.
Provably improving the optimal computing budget allocation algorithm

We boost the performance of the Optimal Computing Budget Allocation (OCBA) algorithm, a widely used and studied algorithm for Ranking and Selection (as known as Best Arm Identification) under a fixed budget. The proposed fully sequential algorithms, OCBA+ and OCBAR, are shown to have better performance both theoretically and numerically. Surprisingly, we reveal that in a two-design setting, a constant initial sample size in a family of OCBA-type algorithms (including the original OCBA) only amounts to a sub-exponential or even polynomial convergence rate of the probability of false selection (PFS). In contrast, our algorithms are guaranteed to converge exponentially fast, as is shown by a finite-sample bound on the PFS.
Conditional statistics and flow structures in turbulent boundary layers buffeted by free-stream disturbances

Direct numerical simulations are performed to study zero-pressure-gradient turbulent boundary layers beneath quiescent and vortical free streams. The inflow boundary layer is computed in a precursor simulation of laminar-to-turbulence transition, and the free-stream vortical forcing is obtained from direct numerical simulations of homogeneous isotropic turbulence. A level-set approach is employed in order to objectively distinguish the boundary-layer and free-stream fluids, and to accurately evaluate their respective contributions to flow statistics. When free-stream turbulence is present, the skin friction coefficient is elevated relative to its value in the canonical boundary-layer configuration. An explanation is provided in terms of an increase in the power input into production of boundary-layer turbulence kinetic energy. This increase takes place deeper than the extent of penetration of the external perturbations towards the wall, and also despite the free-stream perturbations being void of any Reynolds shear stress. Conditional statistics demonstrate that the free-stream turbulence has two effects on the boundary layer: one direct and the other indirect. The low-frequency components of the free-stream turbulence penetrate the logarithmic layer. The associated wall-normal Reynolds stress acts against the mean shear to enhance the shear stress, which in turn enhances turbulence production. This effect directly enlarges the scale and enhances the energy of outer large-scale motions in the boundary layer. The second, indirect effect is the influence of these newly formed large-scale structures. They modulate the near-wall shear stress and, as a result, increase the turbulence kinetic energy production in the buffer layer, which is deeper than the extent of penetration of free-stream turbulence towards the wall.
Co-culture with Enterobacter cloacae does not Enhance Virus Resistance to Thermal and Chemical Treatments

Human noroviruses (hNoV) are the primary cause of foodborne disease in the USA. Most studies on inactivation kinetics of hNoV and its surrogates are performed in monoculture, while the microbial ecosystem effect on virus inactivation remains limited. This study investigated the persistence of hNoV surrogates, murine norovirus (MNV) and Tulane virus (TuV), along with Aichi virus (AiV) under thermal and chemical inactivation in association with Gram-negative (Enterobacter cloacae) bacteria. Thermal inactivation of viruses in co-culture with E. cloacae revealed no protective effects of bacteria. At 56 °C, AiV with and without bacteria was completely inactivated by 10 min with decimal reduction values (D-values) of 41 and 43 s, respectively. Similar results were also observed for TuV. Conversely, MNV with bacteria was completely inactivated by 10 min while MNV alone remained stable up to 30 min at 56 °C. Both MNV and TuV were slightly more stable than AiV at 63 °C with TuV detection up to 2 min without bacteria. For chemical inactivation on stainless steel surfaces, viruses alone and in association with bacteria were treated with 1000 ppm sodium hypochlorite. Virus association with bacteria had no significant effect (p > 0.05) on virus resistance to bleach inactivation compared to virus alone. Specifically, exposure to 1000 ppm bleach for 5 min resulted in an average of 3.86, 2.14, and 0.94 log10 PFU/ml reductions for TuV, MNV, and AiV without bacteria, respectively. Reductions in TuV, MNV, and AiV were 3.50, 1.88, and 0.61 log10 PFU/ml when associated with E. cloacae, respectively.
A Comparative Analysis of Influences on Choosing a Music Teaching Occupation

The purpose of this study was to compare motivations and influences of high school music students who express an interest in a career in music teaching and those who do not. A previous survey was a...
Contact and role modeling predict bias against lesbian and gay individuals among early-career physicians: A longitudinal study

Abstract Rationale Physician bias against sexual minorities can hinder the delivery of high-quality health care and thus contribute to the disproportionate prevalence of negative health outcomes within this population. Medical students' interpersonal experiences within the context of medical school may contribute to this bias. Objective The goal of the current research was to examine the relationship between these interpersonal experiences, reported by heterosexual, cisgender medical students, and explicit and implicit bias against lesbians and gay individuals, reported two years later during second year of medical residency. Method Data were collected by surveying students (n = 2940) from a stratified sample of U.S. medical schools in fall 2010 (first semester of medical school), spring 2014 (final semester of medical school), and spring 2016 (second year of medical residency). Results Amount and favorability of contact with LGBT individuals, reported during the final semester of medical school, predicted lower levels of explicit bias against lesbian and gay individuals during second year of medical residency. Additionally, exposure to negative role modeling, also reported during the final semester of medical school, predicted higher levels of explicit bias against lesbian and gay individuals during second year of medical residency. Amount of contact with LGBT individuals – and in particular, with LGBT medical students – predicted lower levels of implicit bias against lesbian and gay individuals during second year of medical residency. Neither favorability of contact with LGBT individuals nor exposure to negative role modeling predicted implicit bias against lesbian and gay individuals during second year of medical residency. Conclusion These results suggest that interpersonal experiences during medical school can systematically shape heterosexual, cisgender physicians' subsequent explicit and implicit bias against lesbian and gay individuals.
Voices from the Field: Addressing Job Burnout in School Psychology Training Programs.

Job burnout among school psychologists represents a potentially serious issue given widespread shortages of practitioners. It is then important to identify effective strategies for both preventing and responding to feelings of burnout when they occur to ultimately ensure a healthy workforce. The current study examined written responses provided by 122 practicing school psychologists in the Southeastern United States to the question, “What do you think training programs can do about the issue of burnout in school psychology.” A qualitative thematic analysis of responses resulted in the identification of three main themes: develop specific personal/professional skills, modify professional/training components, and modify administrative/organizational policies and seven associated sub-themes. Resulting themes are discussed in reference to specific recommendations training programs can take in the future to better address job burnout in the field.