cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
How Does Driver Turnover Affect Motor Carrier Safety Performance and What Can Managers Do About It

The trucking industry is the lifeblood of supply chains. Truck driver turnover and motor carrier safety are two salient issues affecting this industry. While turnover by itself presents a challenge due to the cost of replacing drivers, it takes on additional urgency because turnover may affect motor carrier safety. However, driver turnover research has focused predominantly on identifying factors affecting turnover, thus resulting in limited understanding of how turnover affects motor carrier performance, particularly with regard to safety. This reduces our ability to provide guidance to managers who have to address driver turnover. In this article, we extend prior research by drawing from several theoretical lenses to develop and test theory of the turnover–safety relationship. Furthermore, we investigate whether carrier managers can mitigate the effect of turnover on safety by embedding knowledge in carriers’ routines using activity control, a formal management control mechanism. We employ a longitudinal data set composed of primary and secondary data sources to test our hypotheses. We find the turnover–safety relationship is best characterized by a monotonic negative attenuated pattern and that high levels of activity control mitigate the negative effect of driver turnover on motor carrier safety in domains more under drivers’ control.
The artistry of dinoflagellate bioluminescence

Dinoflagellates are unicellular organisms responsible for many spectacular displays of coastal bioluminescence. This phenomenon is both scientifically interesting and aesthetically beautiful. As part of my efforts to communicate my science to the general public, I developed an Artist-in-Residence program, offering artists the opportunity for direct collaborations to develop creative approaches for displaying bioluminescence. I provide the resources of my laboratory, including space, living organisms, camera equipment, and scientific equipment as appropriate. The artist benefits from my expertise in working with dinoflagellates, and I mentor the resident artist in techniques most effective for a particular project. The results of these collaborations have included works that involved photography, video, and live installations, with exhibits in Paris, Los Angeles, and Milan. Art and science aim to help us experience and understand the world around us. An artistic approach for science outreach provides an aesthetic experience that highlights the beauty of nature and creates opportunities to teach science.
Managing the Application Separation Life Cycle

When a company announces a business divestiture or separation, the information technology (IT) applications that support its processes must be separated as well. The process of separating IT applications during a divestiture or separation is referred to as application separation. This chapter details the action necessary to successfully plan for and execute application separation.
Brazil: Citrus Benchmarking

More and more, the Citrus Business is becoming a global operation, narrowing the technological opportunities gap between processors around the world. Most of the largest Brazilian processors already have process units or commercial partners in the United States, which makes any new technology available worldwide virtually instantaneously. However, there are several market and environmental differences that directly impact the best use of the available technology according to the individual market.Paper published with permission.Compilation Copyright © 2018 ASME
From Topology to High Resolution Membrane Protein Structures

Structural genomics of membrane proteins represents a particularly exciting challenge for biophysicists. These proteins are heterogeneous, both in themselves because of post translational modifications and in their environment from the heterogeneity of the membrane. Such heterogeneity greatly complicates structural characterization. Furthermore, the scarcity of specific interactions between secondary structural elements in the membrane environment results in increased dynamics and flexibility. Solid state NMR provides a methodology and a range of techniques that can characterize these proteins in a planar lipid bilayer environment [1]. NMR is an inherently high resolution method in that specific atomic sites are directly observed. With solid state NMR this potential for high resolution is fulfilled by obtaining very precise distance and orientational restraints. Until recently however, topology was very difficult to achieve; now several approaches are evolving so that both low resolution topology and unique high resolution structures can be obtained.
New Directions in Decision Support for Manufacturing

Accepting the view of a decision support system (DSS) as being composed of three generic components (the language system, the knowledge system, and the problem processing system), we investigate several issues relating to a flexible manufacturing system (FMS). that have an impact on the design of the three DSS components and their interrelationships.
Star Trek: Captain Kirk as a Revolutionary

What is theoretically, philosophically salient about the original series, in particular, is the acknowledgment that humanity’s socio-organism (as Roddenberry put it) has evolved globally in an uneven manner—with the so-called under-developed world more characterized by religiosity and authoritarianism. Even in the putatively developed world, there is a major barrier to social, economic, political advancement—a fixation on stability (i.e., pragmatism, neo-pragmatism). Kirk and the Enterprise crew in this context are revolutionaries—directly confronting, destroying the factors that inhibit progressive change.
Abstract 2519: Identification of novel MET fusion transcript amplification in glioblastoma

Glioblastoma (GBM) is the most common and aggressive primary CNS malignant tumor with a 15.2% 2 year survival rate for tumors diagnosed between 2008 and 2012. Amplification of MET proto-oncogene has been identified in 4% of glioblastomas, leading to high expression and ligand independent activation in some cases. Our goal was to develop MET-amplified GBM models to study signaling and investigate response to MET inhibitors as a therapy for GBMs. We identified 2 GBM patients (HF3035 and HF3077) with MET gene amplifications after low-pass whole genome DNA sequencing of 13 cases. Fluorescent in situ hybridization (FISH) analyses confirmed heterogeneous MET amplification in HF3035 and HF3077 tumors, in 63.5% and 83.0% of nuclei, respectively. In vitro neurosphere cultures derived from these tumors showed drastic depletion of MET amplicons, to 15.5% MET in HF3035 (P7) and 1.5% in HF3077 (P11). FISH in the metaphase neurosphere spreads showed that MET amplification was extrachromosomal. Interestingly, MET-amplified neurospheres were strongly selected for after intracranial (IC) implant in immunocompromised mice. HF3035 and HF3077 PDX presented MET amplified in high frequency: 79.5-86.5% for HF3035 and 47-65% for HF3077. Met expression levels by RNAseq were congruent with the oscillating gene amplification pattern. In depth RNA sequencing analysis using PRADA has revealed genomic rearrangements involving MET, yielding three novel MET-CAPZA2 fusion transcripts. For both cell lines exon 1 of CAPZA2 was fused to exon 2 of MET, resulting in full length MET coding region, with altered 59 cis-regulatory sequences. For HF3035 samples, we observed an additional in frame fusion of exon 1 of CAPZA2 to exon 6 of MET, resulting in a truncated MET transcript with 13 codons from CAPZA2. Co-expression of the wild-type and fusion MET transcripts in the tumors and PDXs were validated using PCR. MET and p-MET levels were high thoughout the parental and PDX tumors. Capmatinib, which is a selective c-MET inhibitor was administered to the PDXs orally 5days/week. The treatment was effective in improving survival of HF3077 IC PDXs (p=0.028) and decreasing subcutaneous tumor size to 30% of the controls after 2 week treatment (t-test, p=0.017). However, treatment of HF3035 IC PDXs did not significantly improve survival (p=0.313). Kaplan-Meier survival curves were compared by log-rank (Mantel-Cox) test, sig. set at p Our results show that highly amplified regions are susceptible to genomic arrangements and the formation of fusion genes. Under investigation, is the basis for the strong selection for MET expressing cells in vivo and potential novel roles for MET in tumor progression. Citation Format: Oluwademilade Nuga, Ana deCarvalho, Yuling Meng, Laura Hasselbach, Kevin Nelson, Susan Irtenkauf, Andrea Transou. Identification of novel MET fusion transcript amplification in glioblastoma [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the American Association for Cancer Research Annual Meeting 2018; 2018 Apr 14-18; Chicago, IL. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2018;78(13 Suppl):Abstract nr 2519.
Pharmacologic Targeting of LIN28/Let-7 in Acute Myeloid Leukemia

Abstract Acute myeloid leukemia (AML) is a genetically heterogeneous malignancy with high relapse rates and mortality due to the outgrowth of chemotherapy-resistant leukemic stem cells (LSCs). Thus, the development of novel therapeutic strategies capable of eradicating human AML represents a major area of unmet medical need. The RNA binding protein, LIN28, is a known driver of many cancer stem cells, AML included, wherein overexpression of LIN28 correlates with reduced patient survival. LIN28 blocks the function of the let-7 microRNA family, which exert tumor suppressive effects by repressing oncogenes and cell cycle regulators including MYC, RAS and CyclinD. Thus, LIN28 is an attractive mechanistic target for the purpose of inhibiting AML LSCs. Using a targeted high-throughput screen, we identified a class of small molecules which selectively block the LIN28/let-7 interaction (Roos et al., ACS Chem Biol, 2016). Preliminary studies demonstrate that a lead small molecule markedly impairs the proliferation and clonogenic capacity of human AML cell lines and primary patient AML samples. In vivo, systemic administration of a lead small molecule LIN28/let-7 inhibitor decreases leukemic tumor burden, reduces LSC numbers and significantly improves animal survival. Mechanistic studies revealed that targeted inhibition of the LIN28/let-7 axis restores let-7 microRNA levels in AML LSCs and subsequently inhibits a panoply of key oncogenic driver genes, including the NF-ĸB pathway, a hallmark for LSC proliferation. Furthermore, AML cell lines and primary patient cells treated with the LIN28/let-7 small molecule inhibitor showed a block at the G1/S phase interface and significantly decreased cell cycle progression. Consequently, LIN28/let-7 inhibition leads to LSC differentiation and ultimately leukemic cell death. In summary, we demonstrate for the first time the drugability of the LIN28/let-7 axis in vivo and reveal a novel pharmacological means to suppress a multitude of oncogenic driver genes in human AML. These results suggest that small molecule inhibition of LIN28/let-7 has high therapeutic potential as a new class of targeted therapies for AML. Disclosures No relevant conflicts of interest to declare.
Autophagy–lysosome pathway alterations and alpha-synuclein up-regulation in the subtype of neuronal ceroid lipofuscinosis, CLN5 disease

Neuronal ceroid lipofuscinoses (NCLs) are a group of inherited neurodegenerative lysosomal storage disorders. CLN5 deficiency causes a subtype of NCL, referred to as CLN5 disease. CLN5 is a soluble lysosomal protein with an unclear function in the cell. Increased levels of the autophagy marker protein LC3-II have been reported in several subtypes of NCLs. In this report, we examine whether autophagy is altered in CLN5 disease. We found that the basal level of LC3-II was elevated in both CLN5 disease patient fibroblasts and CLN5-deficient HeLa cells. Further analysis using tandem fluorescent mRFP-GFP-LC3 showed the autophagy flux was increased. We found the alpha-synuclein (α-syn) gene SNCA was highly up-regulated in CLN5 disease patient fibroblasts. The aggregated form of α-syn is well known for its role in the pathogenicity of Parkinson’s disease. Higher α-syn protein levels confirmed the SNCA up-regulation in both patient cells and CLN5 knockdown HeLa cells. Furthermore, α-syn was localized to the vicinity of lysosomes in CLN5 deficient cells, indicating it may have a lysosome-related function. Intriguingly, knocking down SNCA reversed lysosomal perinuclear clustering caused by CLN5 deficiency. These results suggest α-syn may affect lysosomal clustering in non-neuronal cells, similar to its role in presynaptic vesicles in neurons.
On the Etiopathogenesis and Pathophysiology of Alzheimer’s Disease: A Comprehensive Theoretical Review

Alzheimers' disease (AD) is the most common cause of dementia, with an estimated 5 million new cases occurring annually. Among the elderly, AD shortens life expectancy, results in disability, decreases quality of life, and ultimately, leads to institutionalization. Despite extensive research in the last few decades, its heterogeneous pathophysiology and etiopathogenesis have made it difficult to develop an effective treatment and prevention strategy. Aging is the biggest risk factor for AD and evidence suggest that the total number of older people in the population is going to increase astronomically in the next decades. Also, there is evidence that air pollution and increasing income inequality may result in higher incidence and prevalence of AD. This makes the need for a comprehensive understanding of the etiopathogenesis and pathophysiology of the disease extremely critical. In this paper, a quintuple framework of thyroid dysfunction, vitamin D deficiency, sex hormones, and mitochondria dysfunction and oxidative stress are used to provide a comprehensive description of AD etiopathogenesis and pathophysiology. The individual role of each factor, their synergistic and genetic interactions, as well as the limitations of the framework are discussed.
Workers beneath the Floodgates: Impacts of Low-Wage Import Competition and Workers' Adjustment

I analyze the impact of a low-wage trade shock on manufacturing workers in a high-wage country, Denmark, and their subsequent adjustment to the shock. Employing a comprehensive person-level panel dataset matched with workplace-level employer data for the period 1999 to 2010, I exploit the dismantling of import quotas on Chinese textile and clothing products in conjunction with China's accession to the WTO as a quasi-natural experiment and utilize within-industry heterogeneity in workers' exposure to this trade shock. Results reveal negative and significant impact of the low-wage import shock on workers' future earnings and employment trajectories. The main channels through which the trade shock affects workers are shortened employment at the firm that was exposed to the competition shock and subsequent difficulty in maintaining stable employment. The abolishment of quotas also leads to higher likelihood of unemployment. The service sector is the main absorber of exposed workers of all types, but the success of recovery from the shock in subsequent service sector jobs varies greatly across workers depending on initial occupation, education and age. Less-educated, older and workers who had occupations that require industry-specific skills at the exposed firms had the worst adjustment experience. The results show that trade-induced adjustment costs are substantial and heterogeneous across different types of workers and highlight the nature of adjustment frictions by showing that, for some, challenges remain even after transition to full-time jobs outside of manufacturing.
The Influence of State of Stress on Low-Cycle Fatigue of Structural Materials. A Literature Survey and Interpretive Report

A literature survey was made on the influence of state of stress on the deformation and fracture behavior during low-cycle fatigue. Only the phenomenological aspects of fracture and deformation in the low-cycle range (< 10 5 cycles) are considered. Most of the materials investigated are shown or are assumed to have isotropic fatigue properties so that anisotropy was generally not considered. For the isotropic case correlation formulas between uniaxial and multiaxial states of stress (strain) are stated in Appendix 1. Individual papers are reviewed to see which formula can best correlate uniaxial and multiaxial data. No single criterion was found which consistently correlates the data. Of all the correlation formulas the von Mises or distortion energy or octahedral shear stress criterion showed the highest degree of acceptance. However, some papers show no good correlation on the basis of this criterion and serious objections are voiced against this criterion on principal grounds.- The von Mises criterion gives the same value for two states of stress which differ only by a hydrostatic pressure, it is pressure insensitive. Fatigue fracture is shown to be affected by the superposition of a hydrostatic pressure and therefore a preassure sensitive criterion should be used for correlation. In future work a clear distinction of the influence of multiaxial states of stress (strain) on crack initiation and crack growth is necessary. Crack initiation and propagation studies are urgently needed. For isotropic fatigue properties pressure sensitive criteria should be incorporated into the constants of a generalized Coffin-Manson law. In the case of anisotropic fatigue properties, new correlation procedures have to be developed.
The Effects of Interactive Emotional Priming on Storytelling: An Exploratory Study

We propose that emotional priming may be an effective approach to scaffold the creation of rich stories. There are relatively few emotion-based approaches to support users to create, instead of consume, rich stories. Emotional priming is the technique of using emotion-related stimuli to affect human’s executive control and affective processing. It has been researched mostly in terms of human’s behaviors and decision making. We conducted a within-subjects study with 12 participants to investigate the effects of emotional priming induced through an interactive application on storytelling quality. Two conditions of priming were compared to a baseline condition of no priming. In the first condition, the application primes participants by having asking them to perceive and recognize varying emotional stimuli (perception-based priming). In the second condition, the application primes participants by having them produce varying emotional facial expressions (production-based priming). Analyses show that emotional priming resulted in richer storytelling than no emotional priming, and that the production-based emotional priming condition resulted in statistically richer stories being told by participants. We discuss the possibility of integrating interactive emotional priming into storytelling applications.
Performance investigation of a volute porous tongue of a turbocharger turbine

The design for better performance of the spiral housing volute used commonly in radial and mixed inflow gas turbines is of prime importance as it affects the machine stage at both design and off design conditions. The tongue of the scroll divides the flow into two streams, and represents a severe source of disturbances, in terms of thermodynamic parameter uniformity, maximum kinetic energy, the right angle of attack to the rotor and minimum losses. Besides, the volute suffers an undesirable effect due to the recirculating mass flow rate in near bottom vicinity of the tongue. The present project is an attempt to design a tongue fitted with cylindrical holes traversing normal to the stream wise direction, where on account of the large pressure difference between the top and the bottom sides of the tongue will force the recirculating flow to go through the rotor inlet. This possibility with its limitations has not yet been explored. A numerical simulation is performed which might provide our suitable objectives. To achieve this goal the ANSYS code is used to build the geometry, generate the mesh, and to simulate the flow by solving numerically the averaged Navier Stokes equations. Apparently, the numerical results show evidence of favorable impact in using porous tongue. The realization of a contact between the main and recirculation flow by drilled holes on the tongue surface leads to a flow field uniformity, a reduction in the magnitude of the loss coefficient, and a 20 % reduction in the recirculating mass flow rate.
Sutureless repair of a partially transected median nerve using Tisseel glue and Axoguard nerve protector: A case report.

Peripheral nerve injuries in which the nerve is not completely severed often result in neuromas-in-continuity. These can cause sensory and functional deficits and must be resected and reconstructed. In defects greater than 5 mm in length, nerve graft is indicated, and suture neurorrhaphy is typically used to secure the nerve ends. However, sutures may negatively impact nerve regeneration. Fibrin glue has recently been used to mitigate the inflammatory response associated with suture neurorrhaphy. Most of the literature regarding fibrin glue covers animal models and supports its use for nerve reconstruction. Tisseel, a fibrin sealant developed as an adjunct to hemostasis, has recently shown utility in peripheral nerve repair by increasing tensile strength without additional sutures. We present the successful use of Tisseel sealant in a neuroma resection and reconstruction. In this case, a 35-year-old female presented with persistent neuropathic pain and neurologic dysfunction related to the median nerve in her hand with a history of distal forearm laceration and prior carpal tunnel release. Upon exploration, a neuroma-in-continuity involving 75% of the nerve was identified, resected, and reconstructed using processed human nerve allograft, as well as Tisseel sealant and Axoguard nerve protector to secure the repair and offload tension. At 1-year follow-up, pain was resolved, with ≤8 mm static 2-point discrimination in the median nerve distribution, and excellent improvement in hand strength compared with preoperative conditions. The outcome of this case indicates that fibrin glue may be useful to avoid excess sutures in cases of neuroma-in-continuity not involving the entire cross-section of the nerve.
Utility of the 10 Hounsfield unit threshold for identifying adrenal adenomas: Can we improve?

Abstract Background Current recommendations using Hounsfield units (HU) ≤ 10 to identify adrenal adenomas on unenhanced computed tomography (CT) miss 10–40% of benign adenomas. We sought to determine if changing HU threshold and adding absolute percent contrast washout (APW) criteria would identify adrenal adenomas better than current recommendations. Methods Imaging characteristics were compared between patients with adenomas (n = 128) and those with non-adenomas (n = 54) after unilateral adrenalectomy. Sensitivity, specificity, positive and negative predictive values (PPV, NPV) were calculated. Results Using HU ≤ 10 to identify adenomas had a sensitivity of 47.6%, specificity of 93.3% (AUC = 0.71, p 60% for lesions exceeding 16 HU, sensitivity increased to 93.4%, specificity was 93.3% and PPV 96.6%, and NPV improved to 85.7% (AUC = 0.96, p Conclusions Criteria of initial threshold of HU ≤ 16 followed by APW > 60% for lesions exceeding 16 HU yielded improved sensitivity and specificity in identification of adrenal adenomas.
Complementary capabilities of photoacoustic imaging to existing optical ocular imaging techniques

Abstract Since 1886, when the first picture of the human retina was taken, ocular imaging has played a crucial role in the diagnosis and management of ophthalmic diseases. One of the biggest contributors to the advancement of ocular imaging is the adoption of optical imaging techniques. Optical imaging is a method of looking into the body in a noninvasive way, like X-rays. However, unlike radiological imaging techniques that use ionizing radiation, optical imaging uses light and the properties of photons to produce detailed images ranging from structures as small as cells and molecules to structures as large as tissues and organs. There are plenty of advantages of using optical imaging compared to radiological imaging. For one, optical imaging is much safer for patients since it uses nonionizing radiation to excite electrons without causing damage. Additionally, since it is fast and safe, optical imaging can be used to monitor acute and chronic diseases, as well as treatment outcomes. Optical imaging is also useful for imaging soft tissue since different types of tissues absorb and scatter light differently. Finally, optical imaging can advantageously use varying colors of light to see and measure multiple properties of tissues at a time. Therefore, it is no surprise that the optical imaging modalities of fundus photography in the 1920s, scanning laser ophthalmoscope (SLO) imaging in 1981, and optical coherence tomography (OCT) in 1991 have touted a “golden age” in ophthalmic imaging applications. A new technology, photoacoustic imaging, has been shown to have promising features that could make it the next major imaging technique in ophthalmology. Additionally, photoacoustic imaging (PAI) can combine with preexisting optical microscopic imaging modalities to achieve multimodal imaging of the eye. In this chapter, we present a brief overview of fundus photography, SLO, and OCT while discussing the potential of PAI as the next major ocular imaging modality.
Differentiating Adolescent Suicide Attempters and Ideators: A Classification Tree Analysis of Risk Behaviors.

Abstract Purpose Although many youth consider suicide, only a subset act on suicidal thoughts and attempt suicide. The objective of this study was to identify patterns of risk factors that differentiate adolescents who experienced suicidal thoughts from those who attempted suicide. Methods This study analyzed data from the 2013, 2015, and 2017 National Youth Risk Behavior Surveys. Classification tree analysis was used to identify combinations of health risk behaviors and demographic factors that improved the identification of past-year suicide attempts among adolescents with past-year suicide ideation or planning (overall n = 7,493). Results Forty percent of the past-year ideators attempted suicide in the same period. The best-performing tree included three variables and defined four subgroups. Youth characterized by heroin use and past-year physical fights were at a strikingly high risk of being attempters (78%). Youth who had experienced rape were also likely to be attempters (58%), whereas those who had endorsed none of these three variables were relatively less likely to be attempters (29%). Overall, the tree’s classification accuracy was modest (area under the curve = .65). Conclusions This study advances previous research by identifying notable constellations of risk behaviors that accounted for adolescents’ transition from suicidal ideation to behavior. However, even with many health risk behavior variables, a large sample, and a multidimensional analytic approach, the overall classification of suicide attempters among ideators was limited. Implications for future research are discussed.
Fluence Compensation for Improving Quantitative Photoacoustic Spectroscopy

Photoacoustic tomography (PAT) is a non-invasive, high-resolution imaging modality capable of providing functional and molecular information about various pathologies, such as cancer. In PAT imaging, the depth dependent light attenuation limits the fluence as a function of depth and thereby reduces the PA amplitude of signals from deeper regions of tissue. This makes it impossible to equally compare signals from various depths and causes inaccuracies when measuring spectroscopic-based measurands such as oxygen saturation levels. Previous fluence compensations studies used a homogeneous assumption for optical properties of the phantom or compensated relatively small objects. In this work, we propose an algorithm in which PAT images are compensated for the speed-of-sound (SOS) and optical heterogeneities. Keywords—Photoacoustics, ultrasound, fluence compensation, image reconstruction.
Abstract 16364: Effect of Social Determinants on Outcomes in a High-risk Cardio-obstetrics Population

Introduction: Cardiovascular disease is the leading cause of maternal mortality. The hemodynamic changes that occur during pregnancy make this a particularly vulnerable time for women with heart di...
Successful management of stage IV epithelioid trophoblastic tumor using multimodality treatment: A case report.

Abstract Epithelioid trophoblastic tumor (ETT) is a rare variant of gestational trophoblastic neoplasia (GTN) that develops from chorionic-type intermediate trophoblast, is more resistant to chemotherapy than choriocarcinoma, and presents with metastatic disease in 25-35% of cases. We report a case of a 32-year-old who presented one week postpartum with severe abdominal pain and was found to have profound anemia and an elevated hCG level. CT scans and MRI revealed bleeding from hepatic masses, multiple hemorrhagic pulmonary nodules, a 7 cm uterine mass, and brain metastases. She underwent emergent hepatic embolization, was started on induction chemotherapy with weekly low-dose etoposide and cisplatin followed by a transition to etoposide, high-dose methotrexate, actinomycin D, etoposide, and cisplatin (HD EMA-EP), received stereotactic brain radiotherapy, and subsequently underwent minimally-invasive hysterectomy. She remains disease free over one year after the completion of treatment. An aggressive multimodal treatment approach employing etoposide/cisplatin-based chemotherapy as well as surgical procedures to control hemorrhage or excise resistant disease, and radiotherapy for brain metastases can result in successful treatment of stage IV ETT.
Variability in Oral Desmopressin Dose Requirements in Children with Central Diabetes Insipidus.

There is inconsistency in the amount of oral desmopressin that children with central diabetes insipidus require. We investigated whether clinical characteristics influenced desmopressin dose requirements in 100 children with central diabetes insipidus. Extremely large doses were associated with acquired etiology (P = .04), greater body mass index z score, intact thirst, and additional pituitary hormone deficiencies (P
GCNScheduler: Scheduling Distributed Computing Applications using Graph Convolutional Networks.

We consider the classical problem of scheduling task graphs corresponding to complex applications on distributed computing systems. A number of heuristics have been previously proposed to optimize task scheduling with respect to metrics such as makespan and throughput. However, they tend to be slow to run, particularly for larger problem instances, limiting their applicability in more dynamic systems. Motivated by the goal of solving these problems more rapidly, we propose, for the first time, a graph convolutional network-based scheduler (GCNScheduler). By carefully integrating an inter-task data dependency structure with network settings into an input graph and feeding it to an appropriate GCN, the GCNScheduler can efficiently schedule tasks of complex applications for a given objective. We evaluate our scheme with baselines through simulations. We show that not only can our scheme quickly and efficiently learn from existing scheduling schemes, but also it can easily be applied to large-scale settings where current scheduling schemes fail to handle. We show that it achieves better makespan than the classic HEFT algorithm, and almost the same throughput as throughput-oriented HEFT (TP-HEFT), while providing several orders of magnitude faster scheduling times in both cases. For example, for makespan minimization, GCNScheduler schedules 50-node task graphs in about 4 milliseconds while HEFT takes more than 1500 seconds; and for throughput maximization, GCNScheduler schedules 100-node task graphs in about 3.3 milliseconds, compared to about 6.9 seconds for TP-HEFT.
Stratified reservoir sampling over heterogeneous data streams

Reservoir sampling is a well-known technique for random sampling over data streams. In many streaming applications, however, an input stream may be naturally heterogeneous, i.e., composed of sub-streams whose statistical properties may also vary considerably. For this class of applications, the conventional reservoir sampling technique does not guarantee a statistically sufficient number of tuples from each substream to be included in the reservoir, and this can cause a damage on the statistical quality of the sample. In this paper, we deal with this heterogeneity problem by stratifying the reservoir sample among the underlying sub-streams. We particularly consider situations in which the stratified reservoir sample is needed to obtain reliable estimates at the level of either the entire data stream or individual sub-streams. The first challenge in this stratification is to achieve an optimal allocation of a fixed-size reservoir to individual sub-streams. The second challenge is to adaptively adjust the allocation as sub-streams appear in, or disappear from, the input stream and as their statistical properties change over time. We present a stratified reservoir sampling algorithm designed to meet these challenges, and demonstrate through experiments the superior sample quality and the adaptivity of the algorithm.
Encyclopedia of Precolonial Africa: Archaeology, History, Languages, Cultures, and Environments

Encyclopedia of Precolonial Africa: Archaeology, History, Languages, Cultures, and Environments. Joseph O. Vogel. ed. Walnut Creek, CA: AltaMira Press, 1997.606 pp.
Comparison of the Matrix and DC-link Converter Topologies in a Hybrid Electric Vehicle

Both the Matrix and the DC-link converters have qualities making each attractive in a Hybrid Electric Vehicle (HEV) application. This paper compares some of the advantages and disadvantages of each approach when used in aconceptual 13.6 Kg (15-ton), six-wheeled, combat HEV. This system consisting of a compact, 300 kW, 30 Krpm, permanent magnet synchronous generator, battery storage, and six, 42 kW, permanent magnet traction motors. Due to the confided space of the HEV, the key criterion in the motor drive selection process was determining which presented the minimum system volume. Our study compares the active components count, the size of the reactive components, and power routing topologies.
Effect of Cu alloying on metastable photoinduced absorption in Cux(As0.4Se0.6)1-x and Cux(As0.4S0.6)1-x glasses.

We have investigated the metastable photoinduced absorption (midgap absorption and photodarkening) in ${\mathrm{Cu}}_{\mathit{x}}$(${\mathrm{As}}_{0.4}$${\mathrm{Se}}_{0.6}$${)}_{1\mathrm{\ensuremath{-}}\mathit{x}}$ and ${\mathrm{Cu}}_{\mathit{x}}$(${\mathrm{As}}_{0.4}$${\mathrm{S}}_{0.6}$${)}_{1\mathrm{\ensuremath{-}}\mathit{x}}$ glasses. The addition of copper reduces the fraction of the chalcogen atoms which are twofold coordinated. Essentially no photodarkening effect has been observed in the sulfur system for x\ensuremath{\ge}0.01 or in the selenium system for x\ensuremath{\ge}0.05. Two possible interpretations are suggested for this observation. (1) The photodarkening effect may occur but be masked by some electronic states created by the copper alloying. (2) The photodarkening effect may be due to correlated changes of the lone-pair p-electron wave functions on a scale greater than that of a nearest-neighbor distance. The observed coexistence in ${\mathrm{Cu}}_{\mathit{x}}$(${\mathrm{As}}_{0.4}$${\mathrm{Se}}_{0.6}$${)}_{1\mathrm{\ensuremath{-}}\mathit{x}}$ with large x (around 0.02%) of a dark and a photoinduced electron-spin-resonance signal suggests the coexistence of defects with positive and negative effective electron-electron correlation energies. Midgap absorption can be induced optically at low temperatures in ${\mathrm{Cu}}_{\mathit{x}}$(${\mathrm{As}}_{0.4}$${\mathrm{Se}}_{0.6}$${)}_{1\mathrm{\ensuremath{-}}\mathit{x}}$ with x\ensuremath{\ge}0.05 and can be annealed away at room temperature.
Statistical performance comparison of MUSIC in element-space and beam-space

Statistics of the spatial null spectra, generated from reduced-dimension beam-space (RDBS) data and MUSIC, are investigated and compared with those from element-space MUSIC. The authors consider analytically the estimated null-spectra mean and variance, particularly at critical points that determine spectral resolvability. Approximate expressions for resolution thresholds for element-space and RDBS are compared. Monte Carlo simulations are presented to support the analysis and to provide further insight. A matrix beamformer provides the transformation from element-space to RDBS. Comparisons provide insight into characteristics of the matrix beamformer that affect RDBS resolvability. >
Cross-Pathway Regulation: Tryptophan-Mediated Control of Histidine and Arginine Biosynthetic Enzymes in Neurospora crassa

In Neurospora crassa, the starvation of tryptophan mutants for tryptophan resulted in the derepression of tryptophan, histidine, and arginine biosynthetic enzymes. This tryptophan-mediated derepression of histidine and arginine biosynthetic enzymes occurred despite the fact that the tryptophan-starved cells had a higher intracellular concentration of histidine and arginine than did nonstarved cells.
Interactive Analytic Systems for Understanding the Scholarly Impact of Large-Scale E-science Cyberenvironments

Cyber-environments have become increasingly popular in disseminating scientific and educational resources. One of the primary methodologies for evaluating the scholarly impact of cyber-environment is through bibliometric and scientometrics analyses of publication and citation data. However, it is often difficult to create a workflow and software environment that can address this problem in serious ways. This article presents the software architecture for creating a web-based interface for managing citations and demonstrating visually the scholarly impact of a cyber-environment - nanoHUB.org, which has served over 310,000 users worldwide in just the last 12 months.
Estrogen and Androgen Receptor Proteins in Embryonic and Neonatal Brain: Hypotheses for Roles in Sexual Differentiation and Behavior

We have demonstrated and partially characterized putative estrogen and androgen receptors from mouse hypothalamus for a range of perinatal ages. For the first time, estrogen and androgen receptors from embryonic mouse and rat hypothalamus are described and characterized; they display similar parameters as the receptor proteins of adult mice and rats. The ontogeny of these proteins is discussed in the context of models for the control of the “critical period” of sexual differentiation of the brain. The androgen-binding proteins, presumed to be receptors, are compared for hypothalamus and kidney and for the androgen-resistant mutant mouse, testicular feminization ( Tfm ). The putative receptor forms that are observed help to define the possible function of brain androgen receptors during sexual differentiation. Development and modification of DNA—cellulose chromatography for the affinity separation of steroid receptors of brain is described. The methods allow complete separations of receptor proteins from non—receptor, steroid-binding proteins and subsequent analysis of the resultant receptors.
Further studies on the detection of chemical agents using an alkaline energy cell

The detection, classification and tracking of chemical agents (explosives) being surreptitiously smuggled into public areas, such as airports, for destructive purposes is difficult to solve by unobtrusive means. We propose the use of a novel Alkaline Energy Cell (AEC) with gas/vapor sniffing capability as a potential solution. Variants of such devices are routinely used by police to detect alcohol emanating from the breath of suspected impaired vehicle drivers. We reported previously at the SPIE Symposium in 2007 the details of our technology and results. We have continued to advanced this capability with the development of an AEC which is capable of detecting gaseous emissions ultimately in the parts per billion range. Our work is described in terms of detecting TATP (acetone peroxide). Other explosive materials have also been investigated and will be reported on.
Changing usage and value in the Western Alaska Community Development Quota (CDQ) program

An important element in the U.S. management of fisheries in the North Pacific is the existence of Community Development Quotas (CDQs) which grant community corporations the right to fish in many fisheries off the coast of Alaska. The eastern Bering Sea pollock fishery is the largest of these fisheries, with 10 % of the quota allocated to CDQs. The CDQ program evolved from a partial catch share program that existed from 1992 to 1999 within a limited-entry fishery to a full catch share program with separate spatial rights. In this paper I examine the temporal and spatial uses of CDQ rights and how these uses have changed since the implementation of catch shares throughout the fishery. I also discuss the dispersion of CDQ royalties since the program’s inception and examine the prices of CDQ fishing rights from 1992 to 2005 when data on quota value were reported to the government. I compare quota prices to information about walleye pollock fishing and examine the evolving use of CDQ rights. The use of the CDQ right has changed from extending the season to enabling fishing in otherwise closed areas during the season. The number of vessels fishing with CDQ rights has declined substantially, with all pollock CDQ fishing now done by at-sea processors.
Infection of chinch bug, Blissus leucopterus leucopterus (Hemiptera: Lygaeidae), adults from Beauveria bassiana (Deuteromycotina: Hyphomycetes) conidia in soil under controlled temperature and moisture conditions

Abstract Infection of adult chinch bugs, Blissus leucopterus leucopterus , from Beauveria bassiana conidia contained in soil was investigated in the laboratory under controlled temperature and moisture conditions. Chinch bug infection was related positively to the concentration of B. bassiana in soil. Soil moisture did not significantly affect the initiation of infections at 20°C, but at 30°C, a proportionately greater percentage of chinch bugs became infected when exposed to drier soils. Mortality of infected chinch bugs occurred the fastest among bugs that had been exposed to the combination of high temperature and high soil moisture. The survival of B. bassiana conidia in soil was affected adversely by increasing soil temperature and moisture.
Selective attention to the color and direction of moving stimuli: electrophysiological correlates of hierarchical feature selection.

Event-related brain potentials (ERPs) were recorded from subjects who attended to pairs of adjacent colored squares that were flashed sequentially to produce a perception of movement. The task was to attend selectively to stimuli in one visual field and to detect slower moving targets that contained the critical value of the attended feature, be it color or movement direction. Attention to location was reflected by a modulation of the early P1 and N1 components of the ERP, whereas selection of the relevant stimulus feature was associated with later selection negativity components. ERP indices of feature selection were elicited only by stimuli at the attended location and had distinctive scalp distributions for features mediated by “ventral” (color) and “dorsal” (motion) cortical areas. ERP indices of target selection were also contingent on the prior selection of location but initially did not depend on the selection of the relevant feature. These ERP data reveal the timing of sequential, parallel, and contingent stages of visual processing and support early-selection theories of attention that stipulate attentional control over the initial processing of stimulus features.
Adiposity Alters Genes Important in Inflammation and Cell Cycle Division in Human Cumulus Granulosa Cell.

To determine whether obesity alters genes important in cellular growth and inflammation in human cumulus granulosa cells (GCs). Eight reproductive-aged women who underwent controlled ovarian hyperstimulation followed by oocyte retrieval for in vitro fertilization were enrolled. Cumulus GC RNA was extracted and processed for microarray analysis on Affymetrix Human Genome U133 Plus 2.0 chips. Gene expression data were validated on GCs from additional biologically similar samples using quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR). Comparison in gene expression was made between women with body mass index (BMI) <25 kg/m2 (group 1; n = 4) and those with BMI ≥25 kg/m2 (group 2; n = 4). Groups 1 and 2 had significantly different BMI (21.4 ± 1.4 vs 30.4 ± 2.7 kg/m2, respectively; P = .02) but did not differ in age (30.5 ± 1.7 vs 32.7 ± 0.3 years, respectively; P = .3). Comparative analysis of gene expression profiles by supervised clustering between group 1 versus group 2 resulted in the selection of 7 differentially expressed genes: fibroblast growth factor 12 (FGF-12), protein phosphatase 1-like (PPM1L), zinc finger protein multitype 2 (ZFPM2), forkhead box M1 (FOXM1), cell division cycle 20 (CDC20), interleukin 1 receptor-like 1 (IL1RL1), and growth arrest-specific protein 7 (GAS7). FOXM1, CDC20, and GAS7 were downregulated while FGF-12 and PPM1L were upregulated in group 2 when compared to group 1. Validation with RT-PCR confirmed the microarray data except for ZFPM2 and IL1RL. As BMI increased, expression of FOXM1 significantly decreased (r = −.60, P = .048). Adiposity is associated with changes in the expression of genes important in cellular growth, cell cycle progression, and inflammation. The upregulation of the metabolic regulator gene PPM1L suggests that adiposity induces an abnormal metabolic follicular environment, potentially altering folliculogenesis and oocyte quality.
ON IMPROVING THE PERFORMANCE OF TREE MACHINES

In this paper we introduce a class of trees, called generalized compressed trees. Generalized compressed trees can be derived from complete binary trees by performing certain ‘contraction’ operations. A generalized compressed tree CT of height h has approximately 25% fewer nodes than a complete binary tree T of height h. We show that these trees have smaller (up to a 74% reduction) 2-dimensional and 3-dimensional VLSI layouts than the complete binary trees. We also show that algorithms initially designed for T can be simulated by CT with at most a constant slow-down. In particular, algorithms having non-pipelined computation structure and originally designed for T can be simulated by CT with no slow-down.