cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Child Care as a Relational Context for Early Development: Research in Neurobiology and Emerging Roles for Social Work

The quality of child care in the United States is an important social problem, particularly for economically vulnerable families. This is highlighted by multidisciplinary research on the importance of early caregiving as a determinant of child health and wellbeing. This article examines center-based child care as an important relational and developmental context for infants and young children. Through an integration of psychosocial studies and emerging research in the cognitive neurosciences, this paper describes how developmental research on early emotional development can be utilized to inform our understanding of child care as a critical social and interpersonal context for infants and young children. In particular, this paper examines research on early interpersonal experience as a determinant of the capacity for affect regulation. Focusing on the application of theory to practice, this paper discusses the relevance of this research to informed direct practice, advocacy and program development.
DNA engineered micromotors powered by metal nanoparticles for motion based cellphone diagnostics

HIV-1 infection is a major health threat in both developed and developing countries. The integration of mobile health approaches and bioengineered catalytic motors can allow the development of sensitive and portable technologies for HIV-1 management. Here, we report a platform that integrates cellphone-based optical sensing, loop-mediated isothermal DNA amplification and micromotor motion for molecular detection of HIV-1. The presence of HIV-1 RNA in a sample results in the formation of large-sized amplicons that reduce the motion of motors. The change in the motors motion can be accurately measured using a cellphone system as the biomarker for target nucleic acid detection. The presented platform allows the qualitative detection of HIV-1 (n = 54) with 99.1% specificity and 94.6% sensitivity at a clinically relevant threshold value of 1000 virus particles/ml. The cellphone system has the potential to enable the development of rapid and low-cost diagnostics for viruses and other infectious diseases.
Realizing Edge Computing Connectivity with Open Virtual Networking

Edge computing will likely be of significant import to the Smart City context, providing a means to deploy and manage large distributed applications [5] [3]. Although Edge Computing is receiving significant attention at present, many issues relating to this paradigm remain unclear. In this paper, we focus specifically on mechanisms required to extend Data Centre networking technologies to edge devices. More specifically, we describe the solution we have developed which enables Open Virtual Networking (OVN) to be extended to the edge to support integration with a docker engine located at the edge of the network. The mechanisms consist of a process by which a docker engine can request to join the network, an approval process which leverages Openstack authentication and access control mechanisms, a mechanism by which the remote system can connect to the OVN and finally containers can be initialized on the remote docker engine and interact with entities operating in the Enterprise Data Centre.
Boys' Clubs and Boxing: Modern Colonial Sport, Youth, and the Growth of Urban Post-War Lagos

Donald E. Faulkner came to Enugu, Eastern Nigeria, in late 1937 as the new Assistant Director of Prisons. Trained as a Social Welfare Officer in Britain, Faulkner was an avid sportsman and boxer who believed in the importance of sport in the development of youth into men. During the war in 1941, Lagos was in the midst of a perceived increase in crime, prostitution, and juvenile delinquency, and Faulkner was hired to study the causes of this rise in juvenile crime. He found that Lagos contained hundreds of wayward, homeless youth living in the city and joining gangs. His recommendation was to create more leisure activities, spaces, and opportunities for these "troubled" young men and boys to learn the traits of amateur sportsmen to curb their deviant behavior and prepare them for productive and law-abiding lives in the city. Faulkner's report prompted the colonial office in London to appoint him as the first Social Welfare Officer in the British Empire. Himself a product of the Boys Club Movement (BCM) in Britain, Faulkner copied that model and created Boys' Clubs across Lagos, and in each he established boxing as one of the primary sports to teach boys and young men character, discipline, sportsmanship, and courage -- tools to survive the urban environment. By 1952, the BCM had spread across Nigeria. This paper will analyze the growth of the Boys' Club Movement in Nigeria by focusing on the heart of the movement in Lagos. The spread of clubs "like mushrooms" around Lagos after WWII reshaped the physical and sporting landscape of the city, one in which youth actively participated. Moreover, by analyzing the BCM, we can better appreciate the various ways that young men navigated the city and how he city changed in response to the activities of youth in their midst.
INTERNAL ILIAC ARTERY LIGATION: A STEPWISE APPROACH

Video abstract summary This video presents a stepwise approach to an internal iliac artery ligation (IIAL) at laparotomy. Internal iliac artery ligation is an important technique for the gynecologic surgeon as it can bea life-saving intervention for gynecologic or obstetric hemorrhage. Internal iliac artery ligation can also be performed prophylactically when severe hemorrhage is anticipated. This video reviews the history of this surgical technique, the mechanism of action and the anatomy of the pelvic vasculature. We outline five key surgical steps required to successfully perform an internal iliac artery ligation: 1. Access the retroperitoneum; 2. Dissect the pararectal space; 3. Identify the anatomy; 4. Isolate the internal iliac artery; and 5. Ligate the vessel through either using a traditional suture ligation technique or contemporary clipping technique.
Simultaneous Multi-Domain-Multi-Gene Reconciliation Under the Domain-Gene-Species Reconciliation Model.

The recently developed Domain-Gene-Species (DGS) reconciliation framework, which jointly models the evolution of a domain family inside one or more gene families and the evolution of those gene families inside a species tree, represents one of the most powerful computational techniques for reconstructing detailed histories of domain and gene family evolution in eukaryotic species. However, the DGS reconciliation framework allows for the reconciliation of only a single domain tree (representing a single domain family present in one or more gene families from the species under consideration) at a time, i.e., each domain tree is reconciled separately without consideration of any other domain families that might be present in the gene trees under consideration. However, this can lead to conflicting gene-species reconciliations for gene trees containing multiple domain families.
Ambidexterity Continuity and Shift in EBM: Lessons from Major League Baseball (MLB) Organizations

An increasing trend toward the use of big data and predictive analytics may provide promising insights as to how ambidexterity continuity and ambidexterity shift (i.e., the need to balance and know...
A Cautionary Note on Magnetoreception in Dowsers

In his discussion concerning human magnetoreception, Baker (this volume) cites the work of Harvalik (1978) on human dowsers as an example of prior work suggesting a magnetic sense in humans. This is a poor example. Harvalik claims to have measured the sensitivity of his subjects by passing direct electric current through the ground between the copper electrodes separated by about 20 m. With the current on, the dowsers walked between the electrodes and gave signals and claimed to detect the small field present. In one publication (Harvalik, 1975), he built and used a “randomizer” to make things double-blind. In several other papers published in The American Dowser (Harvalik, 1973, 1974,1976), he describes localizing the site of the receptors in the pineal and adrenal glands and measuring field sensitivities down to an astounding 0.00001 γ (10 −14 Tesla).
An Exploration of the Effect of Instructor Visual Signal on Vague Feedback Statements by Preservice Music Educators

The purpose of this study was to explore the effect of a visual signal on feedback type and rehearsal time usage by preservice music educators. A secondary aim was to examine the types of ambiguous...
Variation within laminae: Semi-automated methods for quantifying leaf venation using phenoVein.

Premise Physiological processes may vary within leaf laminae; however, the accompanying heterogeneity in leaf venation is rarely investigated because its quantification can be time consuming. Here we introduce accelerated protocols using existing software to increase sample throughput and ask whether laminae venation varies among three crop types and four subspecies of Brassica rapa. Methods FAA (formaldehyde, glacial acetic acid, and ethanol)-fixed samples were stored in ethanol. Without performing any additional clearing or staining, we tested two methods of image acquisition at three locations along the proximal-distal axis of the laminae and estimated the patterns of venation using the program phenoVein. We developed and made available an R script to handle the phenoVein output and then analyzed our data using linear mixed-effects models. Results Beyond fixation and storage, staining and clearing are not necessary to estimate leaf venation using phenoVein if the images are acquired using a stereomicroscope. All estimates of venation required some manual adjustment. We found a significant effect of location within the laminae for all aspects of venation. Discussion By removing the clearing and staining steps and utilizing the semi-automated program phenoVein, we quickly and cheaply acquired leaf venation data. Venation may be an important target for crop breeding efforts, particularly if intralaminar variation correlates with variation in physiological processes, which remains an open question.
Tracheobronchial Slough, a Potential Pathology in Endotracheal Tube Obstruction in Patients With Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) in the Intensive Care Setting.

BACKGROUND: A novel coronavirus (COVID-19) erupted in the latter part of 2019. The virus, SARS-CoV-2 can cause a range of symptoms ranging from mild through fulminant respiratory failure. Approximately 25% of hospitalized patients require admission to the intensive care unit, with the majority of those requiring mechanical ventilation. High density consolidations in the bronchial tree and in the pulmonary parenchyma have been described in the advanced phase of the disease. We noted a subset of patients who had a sudden, significant increase in peak airway, plateau and peak inspiratory pressures. Partial or complete ETT occlusion was noted to be the culprit in the majority of these patients. METHODS: With institutional IRB approval, we examined a subset of our mechanically ventilated COVID-19 patients. All of the patients were admitted to one of our COVID-19 ICUs. Each was staffed by a board certified intensivist. During multidisciplinary rounds, all arterial blood gas (ABG) results, ventilator settings and ventilator measurements are discussed and addressed. ARDSNet Protocols are employed. In patients with confirmed acute occlusion of the endotracheal tube (ETT), acute elevation in peak airway and peak inspiratory pressures are noted in conjunction with desaturation. Data was collected retrospectively and demographics, ventilatory settings and ABG results were recorded. RESULTS: Our team has observed impeded ventilation in intubated patients who are several days into the critical course. Pathologic evaluation of the removed endotracheal tube contents from one of our patients demonstrated a specimen consistent with sloughed tracheobronchial tissues and inflammatory cells in a background of dense mucin. Of 110 patients admitted to our adult COVID-19 ICUs, 28 patients required urgent exchange of their ETT. CONCLUSION: Caregivers need to be aware of this pathological finding, recognize, and to treat this aspect of the COVID-19 critical illness course, which is becoming more prevalent.
Transcatheter and Endoscopic Treatment of Gastric and Duodenal Bleeding: Population-Based Analysis of National Inpatient Trends and Outcomes in the United States.

Abstract Background Upper gastrointestinal (GI) bleeding is a common cause of hospital admission in the United States and is frequently treated by endoscopy. Recent studies have shown an increasing role for treatment using transcatheter embolization. Methods Data from the national inpatient sample (1993-2015) was used for trend analysis and to compare patient characteristics, comorbidities, and outcomes for endoscopic and transcatheter treatments of gastric and duodenal bleeding. Results Despite continues decline in the rate of hospitalization for upper GI bleeding (−43% since 1993, P Discussion Though endoscopy remains the mainstream of treatment of upper GI bleeding, embolization is associated with comparable mortality and length of stay after accounting for disease severity and the need for additional procedures.
Non-radial technical efficiency measurement of irrigation water relative to other inputs used in Arkansas rice production

Abstract Groundwater from the Mississippi River Valley alluvial aquifer is an essential resource for agricultural irrigation in Arkansas, but groundwater from this valuable resource is being withdrawn more rapidly than aquifer recharge in many parts of the state. Rice accounts for a significant portion of groundwater withdrawn from the aquifer. Rice is also a high-cost crop relative to other field crops. This study uses data envelopment analysis and non-radial technical efficiency to evaluate irrigation water efficiency along with the efficiency of other key rice production inputs using data from 142 rice fields enrolled in the University of Arkansas Rice Research Verification Program (RRVP). The study also evaluates the impacts of management practices on input use efficiency using fractional regression. This study differs from most other studies that focus specifically on irrigation water efficiency in that efficiencies of other related rice inputs are also evaluated. We found irrigation water was overused on average by 37.3 % across the 142 fields, with 60 fields (42.3 % of all fields evaluated) over-applying irrigation water by over 50 %. Other rice inputs identified as highly inefficient included herbicides, diesel, and labor, which were overused on average by 46.4 %, 54.6 %, and 58.9 %, respectively, across the 142 fields. Results of the fractional regression analysis revealed management practices significantly improving irrigation water efficiency also significantly improved diesel and labor efficiency as well as overall field efficiency.
Extended filtered high-gain output feedback controller for a class of uncertain nonlinear systems subject to external disturbances

In this paper, an extended filtered high-gain output feedback controller is developed for a class of uncertain nonlinear systems subject to external disturbances. The design philosophy of the exten...
Discussion of 'Were Information Intermediaries Sensitive to the Financial Statement-Based Leading Indicators of Bank Distress Prior to the Financial Crisis?'

I discuss Desai, Rajgopal, and Yu (2015) with the goal of helping readers think carefully about which implications of the study are likely to generalize to future economic downturns and which are likely to be specific to the facts and circumstances of the recent financial crisis, given that the crisis was driven by the expectation and then the realization of a single market variable, national house price depreciation.
No Dice? The Influence of Directors with Incentive Contracting Experience on Nonprofit Pay-Performance Sensitivity

We respond to calls to examine contextual factors that influence nonprofit pay-performance sensitivity by investigating the role of directors with incentive contracting experience as corporate board members or officers. Among corporations with primarily profit maximization objectives, board interlocks influence the diffusion of governance practices. However, it is unclear whether – and under what conditions – nonprofit directors, who are also corporate board members or officers, facilitate the spread of corporate governance practices to nonprofits. Corporations and nonprofits both have acute agency conflicts but face different governance environments. Unlike corporations, nonprofits pursue multiple and mission-related objectives that may be challenging to measure, nonprofit boards may attend to fundraising and operational tasks more than to governance matters, and nonprofits may have capital providers who are averse to incurring search costs to satisfy their information needs. Consistent with our expectations, we find that the service of directors with incentive contracting experience strengthens the sensitivity of executive pay to fundraising effectiveness and to program spending efficiency. Further, their influence is greater in nonprofits with small boards that are more attentive to oversight duties and in nonprofits with donors of unrestricted assets who are more averse to monitoring costs. These findings advance scholarship on board interlocks, governance practice diffusion, and pay-performance sensitivity.
Hybridization potential between Amaranthus tuberculatus and Amaranthus albus

The genus Amaranthus is composed of numerous annual herbs, several of which are primary driver weeds within annual production agricultural systems. In particular, Amaranthus tuberculatus, a dioecious species, is noteworthy for rapid growth rates, high fecundity, and an expanding geographic distribution. Interspecific hybridization within and between the subgenera Amaranthus and Acnidia is reported both in controlled environment and field studies, however a gap in knowledge exists with the subgenus Albersia. Interspecific hybridization may contribute to genetic diversity, and may contribute to the current range expansion of A. tuberculatus. Recently, a herbicide resistance survey of A. tuberculatus across five Midwestern states reported alleles of PPX2 similar to sequences of Amaranthus albus, a monoecious species. Here, we seek to generate empirical data for the hybridization potential of A. albus and A. tuberculatus through replicated, controlled crosses in a greenhouse. Of 65,000 progeny screened from A. albus grown with A. tuberculatus males, three were confirmed as hybrids. Hybrids were dioecious, possessed phenotypic traits of both species, and had limited to no fertility. DNA content analysis of backcross progeny suggested a polyploid state may be required for hybrid formation. Screening of 120 progeny of A. tuberculatus females grown with A. albus identified no hybrids, though a skew to female progeny was observed. The female skew may be due to apomixis or auto-pollination, the spontaneous generation of male flowers on otherwise female plants. Our results indicate that introgression between A. albus and A. tuberculatus will occur less frequently than what has often been reported from hybridization studies with different pairs of Amaranthus species.
Synthesis of Red-cockaded Woodpecker management strategies and suggestions for regional specificity in future management

The Red-cockaded Woodpecker (Dryobates borealis, RCW) was listed under the U.S. Endangered Species Act in 1973 due to significant population declines resulting from habitat loss and fragmentation, and the species has been intensively managed since then. We reviewed management strategies commonly used to conserve the RCW, emphasizing studies conducted after publication of the most recent Recovery Plan in 2003, to evaluate the efficacy of each strategy across the RCW's range and identify demographic and environmental factors that influence the success of each strategy. Of the management strategies reviewed, outcomes from prescribed fire vary the most across the RCW's range, because prescribed fire is influenced by the site's vegetation, abiotic conditions, and land use history. The abundance of cavity kleptoparasites varies across sites, but kleptoparasite control is only a high priority in small RCW populations. The long-term effectiveness of artificial cavities and translocations, which are highly effective across the RCW's range in the short-term, requires suitable habitat, which is strongly influenced by prescribed fire. Regional variation in RCW management may be needed, because RCW populations that are not in archetypical suitable habitat (sensu Recovery Plan Standards) may benefit from management methods that are not suitable for large RCW populations in archetypical habitats (e.g., installing many cavity restrictor plates and cavity inserts). RCW management strategies have been studied most in the South Central Plains and Southeastern Plains ecoregions, and more research in other ecoregions would be valuable. We encourage consideration of how management varies according to population demographics and site characteristics as opposed to a “one-size fits all” management approach for the RCW, which inhabits broad geographic ranges and sites of varying productivity and will continue to rely on management efforts after downlisting or delisting from the Endangered Species Act. LAY SUMMARY The Red-cockaded Woodpecker (RCW) is protected under the U.S. Endangered Species Act and intensively managed because of habitat loss and fragmentation. We reviewed literature evaluating RCW management strategies, focusing on studies conducted after publication of the most recent Recovery Plan. Prescribed fire is essential to manage RCW habitat, but outcomes vary depending on vegetation, abiotic conditions, and land use history. Artificial cavities, translocations, and supplemental habitat creation are beneficial across the RCW's range. Flying squirrel management and cavity restrictor plate application to reduce interspecific competition with RCWs are most suitable for small RCW populations. RCW populations that are not in typical suitable habitat may benefit from management methods that are not suitable for large RCW populations in typical habitats. RCW management strategies have not been studied evenly across ecoregions. We encourage RCW management plans that vary according to population demographics and site characteristics.
Disparities across Diverse Populations in the Health and Treatment of Patients with Osteoarthritis

The study of disparities across diverse populations regarding the health and treatment of patients with osteoarthritis (OA) is recognized as a priority for investigation and action by the National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases (NIAMS) and the American Academy of Orthopedic Surgeons (AAOS). OA is a common condition that increases with age, but with prevalence generally similar across racial and ethnic groups. However, disparities in the treatment of OA among racial, ethnic, and socioeconomic groups are well-documented and continue to rise and persist. The reasons are complex, likely involving a combination of patient, provider, and healthcare system factors. Treatment disparities among these different populations have an impact on clinical outcomes, healthcare, and productivity, and are projected to increase significantly with the growing diversity of the United States population. The aim of this short review is to summarize studies of racial, ethnic, and socioeconomic disparities among patients with OA in the United States, with a focus on prevalence, treatment utilization, and clinical and economic outcomes.
Modeling the diffusion of heat energy within composites of homogeneous materials using the uncertainty principle

The goal of this paper is to develop a highly accurate and efficient numerical method for the solution of a time-dependent partial differential equation with a piecewise constant coefficient, on a finite interval with periodic boundary conditions. The resulting algorithm can be used, for example, to model the diffusion of heat energy in one space dimension, in the case where the spatial domain represents a medium consisting of two homogeneous materials. The resulting model has, to our knowledge, not yet been solved in closed form through analytical methods, and is difficult to solve using existing numerical methods, thus suggesting an alternative approach. The approach presented in this paper is to represent the solution as a linear combination of wave functions that change frequencies at the interfaces between different materials. It is demonstrated through numerical experiments that using the Uncertainty Principle to construct a basis of such functions, in conjunction with a spectral method, a mathematical model for heat diffusion through different materials can be solved much more efficiently than with conventional time-stepping methods.
A comparison of three regions of Puppis A

High resolution X-ray spectral observations of Puppis A were performed with the FPCS on the Einstein Observatory at three regions of the remnant: the shock front, the bright eastern knot, and the interior. Plasma diagnostics of lines from OVII and OVIII constrain the values of electron temperature, ionization timescale, and hydrogen column density. Results of the diagnostics for these three regions are compared. A nonequilibrium analysis of previously published fluxes of oxygen lines shows that the interior has not yet reached ionization equilibrium.
Coping and distress among women under treatment for early stage breast cancer: comparing African Americans, Hispanics and non-Hispanic Whites.

This study examined coping and distress in African American (n=8), Hispanic (n=53), and non-Hispanic White (n=70) women with early stage breast cancer. The participants were studied prospectively across a year beginning at the time of surgery. African American women reported the lowest levels of distress (particularly before surgery) and depression symptoms. Hispanic women reported the highest levels of self-distraction as a coping response, non-Hispanic Whites reported the highest use of humor. Hispanics reported the highest levels of venting, African Americans reported the lowest levels. African American and Hispanic women reported more religious coping than non-Hispanic Whites. The data also provided evidence of a maladaptive spiral of distress and avoidant coping over time. Although some ethnic differences were identified, findings also point to a great many similarities across groups. Copyright © 2002 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Quantitation of urinary growth hormone in children with normal and abnormal growth.

ABSTRACT. Urinary growth hormone (GH) excretion was quantitated in 12-h overnight urine collections obtained from 31 control children, ages 3 to 17 yr (group 1); 21 children, ages 5 to 19 yr with GH deficiency (group 2), and 30 subjects, ages 10 to 18 yr with idiopathic growth failure and normal GH stimulation tests (group 3). The output of urinary GH was measured in one acromegalic woman. The authenticity of urinary GH, 22 kDa, was confirmed by high-performance liquid chromatography. The elution pattern of urinary GH was identical to that of biosynthetic and pituitary-derived GH. The immunoreactive profiles characterized by monoclonal immunoradiometric GH assay and standard GH radioimmunoassay were identical. The quantity of GH (mean ± SEM per kg body weight) in group 1 (0.27 ± 0.02 ng/kg) was significantly greater than group 2 (0.08 ± 0.02 ng/kg) or group 3 (0.17 ± 0.02 ng/kg, p < 0.01). Approximately 50% of the subjects in group 3 had urinary GH measurements indistinguishable from those observed in the GH-deficient population. Twelve hypopituitary patients (group 2) excreted significantly greater amounts of urinary GH in the first 12 h after GH administration compared to the baseline period (0.41 ± 0.07 versus 0.12 ± 0.02 ng/kg, p < 0.01). Markedly elevated output of urinary GH (2.0 ng/kg) was documented in one acromegalic patient. The data suggest that measurements of urinary GH may be a useful, simple, and noninvasive screening test for identifying patients with GH deficiency or excess.
Aag-initiated base excision repair promotes ischemia reperfusion injury in liver, brain, and kidney

Inflammation is accompanied by the release of highly reactive oxygen and nitrogen species (RONS) that damage DNA, among other cellular molecules. Base excision repair (BER) is initiated by DNA glycosylases and is crucial in repairing RONS-induced DNA damage; the alkyladenine DNA glycosylase (Aag/Mpg) excises several DNA base lesions induced by the inflammation-associated RONS release that accompanies ischemia reperfusion (I/R). Using mouse I/R models we demonstrate that Aag−/− mice are significantly protected against, rather than sensitized to, I/R injury, and that such protection is observed across three different organs. Following I/R in liver, kidney, and brain, Aag−/− mice display decreased hepatocyte death, cerebral infarction, and renal injury relative to wild-type. We infer that in wild-type mice, Aag excises damaged DNA bases to generate potentially toxic abasic sites that in turn generate highly toxic DNA strand breaks that trigger poly(ADP-ribose) polymerase (Parp) hyperactivation, cellular bioenergetics failure, and necrosis; indeed, steady-state levels of abasic sites and nuclear PAR polymers were significantly more elevated in wild-type vs. Aag−/− liver after I/R. This increase in PAR polymers was accompanied by depletion of intracellular NAD and ATP levels plus the translocation and extracellular release of the high-mobility group box 1 (Hmgb1) nuclear protein, activating the sterile inflammatory response. We thus demonstrate the detrimental effects of Aag-initiated BER during I/R and sterile inflammation, and present a novel target for controlling I/R-induced injury.
Urgent stenting via internal jugular vein for stabilization in critical neonates with total anomalous pulmonary venous connection and severe pulmonary venous obstruction

Abstract Reducing obstruction in the vertical vein is significant for stabilizing the condition in neonates with total anomalous pulmonary venous connection (TAPVC). Stent implantation into the vertical vein is an alternative treatment for rescue in critical patients with TAPVC and severe pulmonary congestion. We performed a stent implantation into the supra-cardiac vertical vein for rescue and stabilization of a critical newborn with TAPVC. The internal jugular vein was selected for sheath insertion under echo guidance in an urgent procedure, which took 11min from venous puncture to stent implantation. The internal jugular approach is optimal for stent implantation in patients with supra-cardiac TAPVC in a critical condition. Learning objective: Learning alternative methods are valuable for rescue and treatment against critical conditions with congenital heart disease in neonates. This report can provide useful and optimal technique for rescuing a critical patient with total anomalous venous connection with severe pulmonary venous obstruction.>
Digital enzymes: agents of reaction inside robotic controllers for the foraging problem

Over billions of years, natural selection has continued to select for a framework based on (1) parallelism and (2) cooperation across various levels of organization within organisms to drive their behaviors and responses. We present a design for a bottom-up, reactive controller where the agent's response emerges from many parallelized, enzymatic interactions (bottom-up) within the biologically-inspired process of signal transduction (reactive). We use enzymes to explore the potential for evolving simulated robot controllers for the central-place foraging problem. The properties of the robot and stimuli present in its environment are encoded in a digital format ("molecule") capable of being manipulated and altered through self-contained computational programs ("enzymes") executing in parallel inside each controller to produce the robot's foraging behavior. Evaluation of this design in unbounded worlds reveals evolved strategies employing one or more of the following complex behaviors: (1) swarming, (2) coordinated movement, (3) communication of concepts using a primitive language based on sound and color, (4) cooperation, and (5) division of labor.
Compressed sensing of remotely detected MRI velocimetry in microfluidics

NMR and MRI can yield detailed chemical and dynamic information about flow at microscopic resolutions, but suffer from low signal to noise relative to alternative techniques for flow measurements. In porous media and microfluidic devices, this sensitivity problem is further exacerbated by magnetic susceptibility broadening and low coil filling factor. Fortunately, remote detection can mitigate these issues by physically separating signal detection from the other steps of the experiment. The technique requires, however, that any measured interactions be encoded in indirectly sampled dimensions, leading to experiments of high dimensionality and correspondingly long acquisition times. We have applied compressed sensing, a reconstruction technique used in MRI, to dramatically reduce these experiment times by 8-64x through partial sampling (sub-sampling) of k-space, allowing for the collection of images with significantly higher resolutions in reasonable amounts of time. Here, we demonstrate this reconstruction technique to remotely detected flow measurements in a serpentine mixing chip and in a microfluidic channel harboring a constriction. We find that compressed sensing allows for significantly higher resolution images to be collected in a practical amount of time, thus significantly enhancing the applicability of remote detection to flow imaging.
Structural and Dynamic Study of Caveolin-1 Membrane Microdomains by Single Molecule Imaging

Within the plasma membrane, the protein caveolin-1 (cav-1) forms various diffraction limited microdomains that have yet to been precisely characterized in terms of structure and dynamics. Using single molecule and super-resolution imaging techniques we study the membrane distribution and the dynamics of caveolae and cav-1 scaffolds at the nanometer scale in both fixed and live cells. Cav-1 knock out MEF cells were rescued with cav-1 fusions to SNAP, ptagRFP or mCherry tags co-expressed at equimolar amounts with a cav-1-split-GFP fusion for 3D super-resolution imaging and quantitative posttranslational modifications of individual cav-1 proteins with single molecule sensitivity. At the plasma membrane, 3D super-resolution imaging by dSTORM and PALM revealed the expected ∼100 nm globular shape of caveolae as well as single layer cav-1 domains with structures matching the expected size of cav-1 scaffolds. We also show that, in live cells, individual cav-1 can be posttranslationally targeted with synthetic peptides using split-GFP as both a targeting platform and an optical reporter for nanometer precision modifications of cav-1 microdomains. Towards a selective and high precision posttranslational destabilization of cav-1 microdomains using the cell's own machinery, we designed synthetic peptides that specifically induce the ubiquitination of split-GFP via the VHL ubiquitin pathway.By combining structural, dynamic and perturbation studies using molecular tools and ultrasensitive single molecule imaging techniques, we start to unveil the molecular organization of cav-1 microdomains and their dynamic interplay at the plasma membrane of eukaryotic cell.
Local material properties of human aorta under dynamic biaxial loading

A thorough understanding of the mechanisms of traumatic injuries in aortic tissue requires studies of aorta tissue responses to various loading conditions that lead to failure. Nonlinear anisotropic hyperelastic material models were examined to predict the mechanical behavior of small samples of human aorta under oscillatory biaxial loading with large deformations. The results showed that an exponential strain energy function satisfactorily predicted the aorta mechanical characteristics at strains up to 55% and frequencies between 20 and 65 Hz.
Root size and shoot/root ratio as influenced by light environment of the shoot

Abstract The light environment of a plant shoot can affect its root size and the shoot/root biomass ratio. Photoperiodic influence on shoot/root ratios of first‐year biennial sweetclover (Melilotus alba Desr.) plants was related to phytochrome measurement of day length and its regulation of photosynthate partitioning to favor successful completion of the life cycle. Short photoperiods alternated with long, uninterrupted nights resulted in low‐growing shoots and rapidly enlarging taproots. The ratio of far‐red (FR) relative to red (R) light and its effect on shoot/root biomass ratios were studied in controlled environments, in different field population densities, and among plants growing in full sunlight but receiving different spectral distributions of upwardly reflected light over different colored soils, plant residues or artificially colored mulches. Altered spectral distribution of reflected light can act through photomorphogenic pigments within a plant and influence photosynthate partitioning and sh...
Roles of flavoproteins in degradation of mexacarbate in rats

Abstract The nature of a reductive system which actively degrades mexacarbate in the rat intestine and liver was investigated. The system is characterized by its stability against heat and protease treatments and its requirements for a flavin cofactor and an acidic pH for a maximum activity. As a result of purification and spectroscopic identification attempts the system responsible for the above reductive activity was identified to be flavoprotein. Under anerobic conditions such flavoproteinflavin cofactor systems degrade mexacarbate first to 4-N-desmethylmexacarbate and then to polar water-soluble metabolites.
Progression of inflammatory myofibroblastic tumor (inflammatory pseudotumor) or soft tissue into sarcoma after several recurrences

We report a case of inflammatory myofibroblastic tumor (inflammatory pseudotumor) arising in the soft tissue of the right forearm and progressing into frank spindle cell sarcoma after five recurrences and a total span of 12 years. Myofibroblastic nature of the neoplastic spindle cells was shown by electron microscopy and immunohistochemistry. The patient developed multiple pulmonary metastases and died. Although five cases of metastasizing inflammatory myofibroblastic tumors were reported, association of sarcomatous transformation of this entity with metastatic capability was not previously described.
π, K + , and K 0 electromagnetic form factors

The rainbow truncation of the quark Dyson-Schwinger equation is combined with the ladder Bethe-Salpeter equation for the meson amplitudes and the dressed quark-photon vertex in a self-consistent Poincar\'e-invariant study of the pion and kaon electromagnetic form factors in impulse approximation. We demonstrate explicitly that the current is conserved in this approach and that the obtained results are independent of the momentum partitioning in the Bethe-Salpeter amplitudes. With model gluon parameters previously fixed by the chiral condensate, the pion mass and decay constant, and the kaon mass, the charge radii and spacelike form factors are found to be in good agreement with the experimental data.
An investigation of the sharing of common fears between mothers and their eleven year‐old children in middle‐class families

Much can be learned about man by observing reactions common to all men. It is especially useful to understand how these common reactions come to emerge, as one moves through the life cycle. One reaction common to all human beings is fear. This study was designed to provide more knowledge about the genesis of common fears in children, by examining the relationship between general fearfulness and specific fears of mothers and general fearfulness and specific fears of their eleven-year-old children.
Confusion in Sensory Scoring Induced by Experimental Design

SUMMARY Replicated scorings of 4 series of wines were made by 8 tasters with two different designs of presentation. Design 1 consisted of different wines with additives (each wine with four concentrations of additives was tasted as a block) and design 2 consisted of randomization of tastings over all wines and additives. In any one design, tasters did not react the same for any given series. The differences showed up in both mean scorings and in the variability of the scorings. When the design was broadened to include more diverse categories in a randomized fashion, the scorings became biased in rather unpredictable ways and the variability of the scorings increased in general, in some cases.
CFD Simulation of Aerosol Deposition in an Anatomically Based Human Large–Medium Airway Model

Quantitative data on aerosol deposition in the human respiratory tract are useful for understanding the causes of certain lung diseases and for designing efficient drug delivery systems via inhalation. In this study, aerosol deposition in a 3D anatomically based human large-medium airway model was simulated using computational fluid dynamics (CFD). The model extended from mouth to generation 10 and included two-thirds of the airways obtained by multi-detector row computed tomography (MDCT) imaging on normal healthy human subjects. Steady oral inhalation (15, 30, and 60 L/min) and aerosol (1-30 micrometer) deposition were computed by CFD using the realizable k-epsilon turbulence model. Based on the mean turbulence flow field, the computed extrathoracic deposition, ratio of left to right lung deposition, and deposition efficiency at each generation compared favorably with existing in vivo and in vitro experiments. The significant deposition in the large-medium airway model showed that the total tracheobronchial deposition is dominated by the large-medium airways for micrometer-sized aerosol particles. These quantitative data and the methods developed in this study provided valuable means toward subject-specific modeling of aerosol deposition in the human lung based on realistic lung geometry.
High-speed GaAs metal-semiconductor-metal photodetectors with sub-0.1μm finger width and finger spacing

We have fabricated metal-semiconductor-metal photodetectors with sub-100 nm finger spacing and finger width on MBE-grown GaAs, which are, to our knowledge, the smallest ever reported. Dc measurement shows that they have low dark current and high sensitivity. Monte- Carlo simulations demonstrate that the response time of the photodetectors for a 30 nm finger spacing can be as short as 0.4 ps, and the cut-off frequency can be over 1 THz.
Abnormal Physiology of the Dorsal Horn As Related to the Deafferentation Syndrome

The spinal cord dorsal horn has been implicated in the generation of pain and dysesthesias following nerve and nerve root damage and/or avulsion, as well as following damage in adjacent spinal cord regions. Alterations in the functional properties of dorsal horn neurons occur after deafferentation and may underlie the occurrence of abnormal sensations referred to the denervated body part. Abnormal activity following deafferentation has also been noted at thalamic and cortical levels. Some of these post-denervation functional changes, determined anatomically and/or electrophysiologically, are reviewed as well as the results of behavioral studies of the deafferentation syndrome in the rat.
Multiple-image-depth modeling for hotspot and AF printing detections

Typical OPC models focus on predicting wafer contour or CD; therefore, the modeling approach emphasizes careful determination of feature and edge locations in the photo-resist (PR) as well as the exposure threshold, so that the 'cut' model image matches the wafer SEM contours or cut-line CDs most closely. This is an exquisite approach with regard to the contour-based OPC, for the model is calibrated directly from wafer CDs. However, for other applications such as hotspot detection or assist feature (AF) printing prediction that might occur at the top or the bottom of the PR, the typical OPC model approach may not be accurate enough. Usually, these kinds of phenomenon can only be properly described by rigorous simulation, which is very time-consuming and hence not suitable for OPC. In this paper, the approach of building the OPC model with multiple image depths will be discussed. This approach references the images at the bottom and/or the top of the PR. This way, the behavior of the images which are not shown at the normal image depth can be predicted more accurately without distorting the optical model. This compromised OPC modeling approach is beneficial for runtime reduction compared to the rigorous simulation, and for better accuracy compared to conventional model. The applications for AF printing and hotspot predictions using the multiple image depth approach will be demonstrated.
Correlation between the laser-induced breakdown threshold in solids, liquids, and gases

A simple theoretical expression is developed which allows correlation between laserinduced breakdown threshold in solids liquids and gases. It is shown that the breakdown threshold for single-layer thin films surfaces of dielectrics the bulk of solid dielectrics linear liquids and gases all follow a linear fit to the expression N 2/3/(n2 -1) where N is the atomic number density and n is the refractive index. The threshold for sol-gels is compared with conventional thin film thresholds and is shown to agree reasonably well with the relative threshold predicted by the simple expression. The gas breakdown threshold vs pressure is compared with the predicted dependence. Finally maximum values for solid liquid and gas thresholds are plotted against the expression and are seen to fall on a single straight line across three decades of physical constants. 1.
Predicting pyrogenic organic matter mineralization from its initial properties and implications for carbon management

Abstract Predicting pyrogenic carbon (PyC) or biochar stability from its precursor properties is critical for evaluating and managing terrestrial C stocks. Transmission mode Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) spectroscopy was compared with proximate analysis data and H/C and O/C for predicting C mineralization. PyC produced at 7 different temperatures from 6 different feedstocks, in addition to the original feedstock materials, was incubated for 3 yr at 30 °C in a sand matrix. A C debt or credit ratio was calculated by comparing the C remaining in the incubated PyC sample (accounting for the measured C lost during initial PyC production) to the C remaining in the incubated original feedstock. A value > 1 indicates that more C remains in the PyC than in the original feedstock (credit), while a value −1 as parameters ( R 2 0.80, p 1 for all corn PyC samples and some bull, dairy and poultry PyC samples, resulting in net C credit, while all pine and oak PyC samples remained in debt. This C debt or credit ratio reveals that, depending on the timeline of interest, producing relatively low temperature PyC with less initial C loss can result in greater C savings than producing higher temperature PyC, even though the C remaining after exposure to higher pyrolysis temperatures is more stable.
Blanco fracture zone, northeast Pacific Ocean

Abstract Blanco fracture zone is shorter and narrower than other fracture zones in the eastern Pacific, and instead of paralleling the trend of the nearby Mendocino zone, it converges with the Mendocino at an angle of 30–50°. Study of the bottom topography of the Blanco zone suggests an amount and direction of offset along the purported transcurrent fault of the zone (275 km, left-lateral) different from that arrived at in previous works dealing with the magnetic anomalies in the area (110 km, right-lateral). The cause of this discrepancy is still unknown. The anomalous non-parallelism of the Blanco zone to the Mendocino zone may be explained by considering the Blanco zone to be one of several northwest-trending Miocene structures in this area, although it is possible that future studies may reveal the zone to be an en echelon arrangement of east-west faults. Diverse interpretations relating transcurrent movement along the Blanco zone to the regional tectonic pattern are possible because of a lack of definitive criteria.