cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Immunohistochemical Localization of Epidermal Growth Factor and Transforming Growth Factor α in the Male Rat Accessory Sex Organs

AbstractWe examined the presence of epidermal growth factor (EGF) and transforming growth factor α (TGFα) in the prostate (ventral, lateral, dorsal lobes), coagulating gland and seminal vesicle of Fisher 344 adult male rats by immunohistochemical and radioimmunoassay methods. Immunohis-tochemically demonstrable EGF was localized in the luminal secretion only of the dorsal lobe of the prostate. Reactive TGFα was localized in the lateral lobe (100% of epithelial cells), dorsal lobe (about 40% of the epithelial cells) and seminal vesicle (100% of epithelial cells), but not in the coagulating gland or ventral lobe of the prostate. Radioimmunoassay also demonstrated a measurable amount of TGFα in the lateral lobe (194 pg./gm. wet weight) and seminal vesicle (74 pg./gm.). Assayable EGF was demonstrated at much higher levels in all prostate lobes (ranging from 1.2 μg./gm. wet weight in the ventral lobe to 26.4 μg./gm. in the dorsal lobe) and the seminal vesicle (0.9 μg./gm.). This is the first report describing ...
Cushing's syndrome. How to pinpoint and treat the underlying cause.

PreviewSeveral different clinical conditions cause Cushing's syndrome. With few exceptions, all produce the same signs and symptoms. Thus, making a definitive diagnosis can be a time-consuming chore for the already harried primary care physician. In this article, Dr Felicetta simplifies the process by describing the most likely underlying causes of glucocorticoid excess, the diagnostic workup, and specific therapeutic approaches.
Colloidal Hybrid Nanoparticle Insertion Reaction for Transforming Heterodimers into Heterotrimers

Three-component colloidal hybrid nanoparticles, which are central to a diverse array of applications, are typically synthesized using successive seeded growth steps, which are additive in nature and driven by surface chemistry considerations and material-specific preferences for nucleation and growth. Here, we describe a new nanoparticle insertion reaction for transforming heterodimers into heterotrimers, which is based on a supersaturation–precipitation pathway that shifts the driving force for heterotrimer formation away from surface-driven nucleation and growth. To demonstrate the concept, a Ge segment is inserted between the Au and Fe3O4 domains of Au–Fe3O4 heterodimers to form Au–Ge–Fe3O4 heterotrimers. Microscopic investigations reveal important mechanistic insights, including identification of a proposed Au–Ge–Au–Fe3O4 intermediate. The process can be modified to access the analogous addition product Ge–Au–Fe3O4, allowing tuning between two distinct heterotrimer isomers with different configurations.
Assessment of the Accuracy of Using ICD-9 Codes to Identify Uveitis, Herpes Zoster Ophthalmicus, Scleritis, and Episcleritis.

Importance With the increased use of data from electronic medical records for research, it is important to validate International Classification of Diseases , Ninth Revision ( ICD-9 ) codes for their respective diagnoses. Objective To assess the accuracy of using ICD-9 codes to identify ocular inflammatory diseases. Design, Setting, and Participants Retrospective secondary database analysis. The setting was Kaiser Permanente Hawaii, an integrated managed care consortium that serves approximately 15% of the general Hawaiian population. Participants were patients with ICD-9 diagnosis codes that might be associated with a diagnosis of ocular inflammation seen at Kaiser Permanente Hawaii between January 1, 2006, and December 31, 2007. The data collection and analysis took place from January 2011 to August 2015. Main Outcomes and Measures The main outcome was the positive predictive value (PPV) of ICD-9 codes for identifying specific types of ocular inflammatory disease. The PPVs were calculated by determining the ratio of the confirmed cases found by medical record review to the total number of cases identified by ICD-9 code. Results Of the 873 patients identified by a comprehensive list of ICD-9 codes for ocular inflammatory diseases, 224 cases were confirmed as uveitis after medical record review. Using a set of uveitis-specific codes and eliminating patients with a history of ocular surgery, the overall PPV for uveitis was 61% (95% CI, 56%-66%). The PPVs for individual uveitis codes ranged from 0% to 100%, and 11 uveitis codes had a PPV exceeding 80%. Herpes zoster ophthalmicus and scleritis/episcleritis ICD-9 codes had PPVs of 91% (95% CI, 86%-95%) and 60% (95% CI, 54%-66%), respectively. Conclusions and Relevance Our results suggest that using ICD-9 codes alone to capture uveitis and scleritis/episcleritis diagnoses is not sufficient in the Kaiser Permanente Hawaii healthcare system, although there were specific uveitis codes with high PPVs. However, the electronic medical record can reliably be used to identify herpes zoster ophthalmicus cases. Medical record review, as was done in this study, is recommended to elucidate diagnoses for uveitis and scleritis/episcleritis.
Optimal solution of nonlinear equations

Abstract We survey recent worst-case complexity results for the solution of nonlinear equations. Notes on worst- and average-case analysis of iterative algorithms and a bibliography of the subject are also included.
Thallium contents of chondrites

Abstract The thallium contents of a number of equilibrated and “primitive” stony meteorites, i.e. carbonaceous (C) and unequilibrated ordinary chondrites (UOC), have been determined by neutron activation analysis. The technique has been proved by analysis of a synthetic sample and eight standard rocks in which T1 and Rb vary directly over concentration ranges of a factor of about 2000 for each. The chondritic analyses confirm T1 to be a “strongly-depleted” element. The mean T1 abundances in groups C1, C2 and C3 are 96, 46 and 32 atoms/10 9 Si atoms respectively, which lead to ratios (relative to C1) of C 1: C 2: C 3 = 1.00:0.48:0.33, nearly the same as those predicted by a two-component model. The T1 contents of 11 UOC are intermediate to those of carbonaceous and equilibrated ordinary chondrites and decrease exponentially with increasing equilibration of the silicate phases. The trends exhibited by T1 and other “strongly-depleted” (i.e. Bi, C, In and primordial Ar, Kr and Xe), “normally-depleted” and “undepleted” elements are compared in ordinary chondrites. The Bi and T1 results suggest that the UOC and carbonaceous chondrites were not formed seriatim but that during formation of these chondrites, these elements were affected equally.
A Pilot Study of Mindfulness Skills to Reduce Stress among a Diverse Paraprofessional Workforce

Paraprofessional workforces are becoming more common and can serve the otherwise unmet needs of diverse children and families. Compared to other workforces, limited research to date has explored factors such as stress and burnout that influence the sustainability of this workforce. Mindfulness-based interventions have been studied as stress-reduction programs for other workforces, but it is currently unknown whether mindfulness is acceptable to paraprofessionals, particularly those of a diverse ethnicity living in low-income, urban environments. The current investigation is a pilot study examining whether six weeks of mindfulness-based skills training can reduce stress, burnout, and improve sleep quality among a diverse paraprofessional workforce. Twenty six paraprofessionals (ages 24–58, M = 37.04, SD = 9.65) completed measures pre-training, post-training, and at a four week follow-up. Results indicated that this paraprofessional workforce found mindfulness practices acceptable and experienced significant reductions in perceived stress and emotional exhaustion, as well as improved sleep quality (p < .05) Mindfulness-based interventions may be useful in supporting the wellbeing of paraprofessionals from diverse backgrounds working in low-income, urban environments.
Teacher perspectives on specialisation in the elementary classroom: implications for science instruction*

ABSTRACTIn the current educational climate of testing and accountability, many elementary teachers find they lack adequate time and confidence to enact reform-based science teaching due to pressure to perform in reading and mathematics. With this tension in mind, we explore the phenomenon of elementary teacher specialisation in comparison to the traditional, generalist model of teaching, wherein a teacher is responsible for teaching all subjects to one group of students each year. This mixed-methods study examines teacher perspectives on the practice of specialisation and generalisation through teacher interview data. Our teachers spoke candidly about their attitudes towards specialisation, the perceived impacts of specialization on teachers and students, and the role of accountability, administration, and testing in their decisions to specialise. Additionally, our teachers discussed time dedicated to science in specialist and generalist classrooms. Our findings suggest that specialist roles are sought by...
Oil, Dollar Hegemony and Islam

Little has changed in the imperialist tendencies of American foreign policy since the founding of the United States of America in seventeen eighty-nine. The fledgling United States opened the nineteenth century by stealing the continent of North America from the Indians, while in the process ethnically cleansing them and then finally deporting the pitiful few survivors by means of death marches (a la Bataan) to Bantustans, which in America we call reservations, as in instance of America’s manifest destiny to rule the world. Then, the imperial government of the United States opened the twentieth century by stealing a colonial empire from Spain – in Cuba, Puerto Rico, Guam and the Philippines, then inflicting a near-genocidal war against the Filipino people. While at the same time, purporting to annex, the kingdom of Hawaii and subjecting the native Hawaiian people to near-genocidal conditions from which they still suffer today – all in the name of securing America’s so-called place in the sun. And today at the dawn of the twenty first century, the world witnesses the effort by the imperial government of the United States of America to steal a hydrocarbon empire from the Moslem states and peoples, surrounding central Asia and the Persian Gulf under the pretext of fighting a war against international terrorism or eliminating weapons of mass destruction or promoting democracy which is total nonsense.
Pharmacotherapy and treatment options for HIV-associated nephropathy

ABSTRACTIntroduction: Human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) remains a worldwide disease with significant mortality and morbidity. There are a multitude of HIV-related kidney diseases including HIV-ass...
An event- and network-level analysis of college students' maximum drinking day.

Abstract Background Heavy episodic drinking is common among college students and remains a serious public health issue. Previous event-level research among college students has examined behaviors and individual-level characteristics that drive consumption and related consequences but often ignores the social network of people with whom these heavy drinking episodes occur. The main aim of the current study was to investigate the network of social connections between drinkers on their heaviest drinking occasions. Methods Sociocentric network methods were used to collect information from individuals in the first-year class (N = 1342) at one university. Past-month drinkers (N = 972) reported on the characteristics of their heaviest drinking occasion in the past month and indicated who else among their network connections was present during this occasion. Results Average max drinking day indegree, or the total number of times a participant was nominated as being present on another students' heaviest drinking occasion, was 2.50 (SD = 2.05). Network autocorrelation models indicated that max drinking day indegree (e.g., popularity on heaviest drinking occassions) and peers' number of drinks on their own maximum drinking occasions were significantly associated with participant maximum number of drinks, after controlling for demographic variables, pregaming, and global network indegree (e.g., popularity in the entire first-year class). Conclusion Being present at other peers' heaviest drinking occasions is associated with greater drinking quantities on one's own heaviest drinking occasion. These findings suggest the potential for interventions that target peer influences within close social networks of drinkers.
High-Dose Erythropoietin for Asphyxia and Encephalopathy (HEAL): A Randomized Controlled Trial - Background, Aims, and Study Protocol

Background Hypoxic-ischemic encephalopathy (HIE) remains an important cause of neonatal death and frequently leads to significant long-term disability in survivors. Therapeutic hypothermia, while beneficial, still leaves many treated infants with lifelong disabilities. Adjunctive therapies are needed, and erythropoietin (Epo) has the potential to provide additional neuroprotection. Objectives The aim of this study was to review the current incidence, mechanism of injury, and sequelae of HIE, and to describe a new phase III randomized, placebo-controlled trial of Epo neuroprotection in term and near-term infants with moderate to severe HIE treated with therapeutic hypothermia. Methods This article presents an overview of HIE, neuroprotective functions of Epo, and the design of a double-blind, placebo-controlled, multicenter trial of high-dose Epo administration, enrolling 500 neonates ≥36 weeks of gestation with moderate or severe HIE diagnosed by clinical criteria. Results and conclusions Epo has robust neuroprotective effects in preclinical studies, and phase I/II trials suggest that multiple high doses of Epo may provide neuroprotection against brain injury in term infants. The High Dose Erythropoietin for Asphyxia and Encephalopathy (HEAL) Trial will evaluate whether high-dose Epo reduces the combined outcome of death or neurodevelopmental disability when given in conjunction with hypothermia to newborns with moderate/severe HIE.
Genome-wide analysis of cell cycle-regulating genes in the symbiotic dinoflagellate Symbiodinium minutum.

A critical relationship exists between reef-building corals and their photosynthetic endosymbionts. As important as this relationship is for reef health, it is exquisitely delicate — exposure to temperatures only marginally above the average summer maximum can cause corals to bleach, expelling their resident algae. Interestingly, several studies indicate that failure of corals to properly regulate symbiont cell divisions at high temperatures may cause bleaching. This needs to be further investigated, but first, it is necessary to decipher the molecular mechanisms controlingl the cell division cycle in these organisms. As a first step toward this goal, we identified key cell cycle-regulating genes in the recently published genome of the symbiotic dinoflagellate Symbiodinium minutum. We then correlated expression of these genes with cell cycle phase in diurnally growing S. minutum in culture. Of particular interest, this approach allowed us to identify cyclins and cyclin-dependent kinases that are involved in the G1/S transition — a likely point for coral cells to exert control over algal cell divisions.
Assessment of flutter prediction and trends in the design of large-scale wind turbine rotor blades

With the progression of novel design, material and manufacturing technologies, the wind energy industry has successfully produced larger and larger wind turbine rotor blades while driving down the levelized cost of energy (LCOE). Though the benefits of larger turbine blades are appealing, larger blades are prone to instabilities due to their long and slender nature, and one of the concerning aero-elastic instabilities of these blades is classical flutter. In this work we assess classical flutter prediction tools for predicting flutter speeds in the design of large blades. Flutter predictions are benchmarked against predictions of previous studies. Then, we turn to the main focus of the study, which is design to mitigate flutter. Trends in flutter speeds and flutter mode shapes are examined for a series of 100-meter blade designs. Then, a sensitivity study is performed to assess the impacts of blade design choices (e.g. materials choice and material placement) on flutter speed in a redesign study of a lightweight 100-meter blade with small flutter margin. A new design is developed to demonstrate the ability to increase the flutter speed while reducing blade mass through structural design.
Inference about variation

The advent and proliferation of computing technology is continually making us rethink the meaning of the adjectives ‘large’, ‘extensive’, and ‘complex’, as in large data, extensive computing, and complex computational algorithms. Our appetite for information has been enhanced to such a degree that our systems for digesting it are often under strain, and they crave for the substance of information to be presented in a more condensed manner.
The Evolution of Complex Society in Late Prehistoric Europe: Toward a Paradigm

Bruce Trigger (1984) has pointed out that, despite obvious disagreements and paradigmatic battles within their field, American archaeologists since the advent of the “New Archaeology” hold several basic assumptions in common. The first of these is that archaeology, with the great time depth of its data base, is uniquely qualified among the social sciences to study change (ibid:276). It has been obvious since early in the history of modern archaeological science that change, rather than constancy has been the rule in the history of humankind. Even if one seeks to emphasize underlying patterns of similarity through time, it is the apparent change for which we must ultimately account. Thus, the study of social change, or evolution (to use the word in its general sense), must be one of the most important pursuits of archaeology, even though, as argued persuasively by Trigger, it need not be the only one (ibid:281ff.).
Femtosecond carrier thermalization in GaAs and AIGaAs

The investigation of ultrafast carrier dynamics in GaAs is important for development of high-speed optoelectronic and electronic devices.
A Sketch of Autonomous Learning using Declarative Bias

This paper summarizes progress towards the construction of autonomous learning agents, in particular those that use existing knowledge in the pursuit of new learning goals. To this end, we show that the bias driving a concept-learning program can be expressed as a first-order sentence that reflects knowledge of the domain in question. We then show how the process of learning a concept from examples can be implemented as a derivation of the appropriate bias for the goal concept, followed by a first-order deduction from the bias and the facts describing the instances. Given sufficient back-ground knowledge, the example complexity of learning can be considerably reduced. Shift of bias, certainkinds of “preference-type” bias, and noisy instance data can be handled by moving to a non-monotonic inference system [Grosof & Russell, this volume]. We emphasize that learning can and should be viewed as an interaction between new experiences and existing knowledge.
Housestaff and medical student attitudes toward medical errors and adverse events.

Article-at-a-Glance Background A lack of formal patient safety curricula has contributed to the suboptimal training of medical students and housestaff. Attitudes of physician trainees regarding medical errors and adverse events were surveyed in a pilot study. Methods Five hundred sixty-three physician trainees were surveyed at an urban teaching hospital. Five domains were evaluated using a factor analysis as they relate to patient safety: knowledge, self-efficacy, awareness of safety culture, barriers/facilitators, and awareness of human factors. Results One hundred fifty-eight (28%) trainees completed the survey, with 22% (n = 35) describing exposure to at least one adverse medical event. The survey showed good internal validity and reliability. Respondents who reported exposure to adverse events demonstrated a lower awareness of human factor errors (p = .0017) and lower awareness of the hospital's approach to safety (p = .033). Older respondents scored higher on measures of self-efficacy than younger trainees (p = .042). Discussion The exposure of physician trainees to errors and adverse events can have a negative effect on their attitudes and competencies. Exposure to adverse events and the institution's response may decrease both error reporting and the willingness to adopt safety practices. The results support the need for implementing a sustained patient safety curriculum that promotes learning regarding adverse events.
Variability in antifungal utilization among neonatal, pediatric, and adult inpatients in academic medical centers throughout the United States of America

Identification of factors associated with antifungal utilization in neonatal, pediatric, and adult patient groups is needed to guide antifungal stewardship initiatives in academic medical centers. For this hospital-level analysis, we analyzed antifungal use in hospitals across the United States of America, excluding centers only providing care for hematology/oncology patients. Analysis of variance was used to compare antifungal use between patient groups. Three multivariable linear regression models were used to determine independent factors associated with antifungal use in the neonatal, pediatric, and adult patient groups. For the neonatal, pediatric, and adult patient groups, 54, 44, and 60 hospitals were included, respectively. Total antifungal use was significantly lower in the neonatal patient group (14 days of therapy (DOT)/1000 patient days (PDs) versus 76 in pediatrics and 74 in adults, p < 0.05). There were no significant associations identified with total antifungal DOT/1000 PDs in the neonatal patient group (model R2 = 0.11). In the pediatric patient group (model R2 = 0.55), admission to immunosuppressed service lines and total broad-spectrum antibiotic use were positively associated with total antifungal use (coefficients of 1.95 and 0.41, both p < 0.05). In the adult patient group (model R2 = 0.79), admission to immunosuppressed service lines, total invasive fungal infections, and total broad-spectrum antibiotic use were positively associated with total antifungal use (coefficients of 5.08, 5.17, and 0.137, all p < 0.05). Variability in antifungal use in the neonatal group could not be explained well, whereas factors were associated with antifungal use in the adult and pediatric patient groups. These data can help guide antifungal stewardship initiatives.
Impact of measurement error on predicting population-based inpatient glucose control

Aim: Instrument measurement error (ME) may affect ability of damped trend analysis to forecast inpatient glycemic control. Materials & methods: A statistical approach was developed to introduce ME ...
Forbidden Fruit: Sex & Religion in the Lives of American Teenagers

Forbidden Fruit tells the definitive story of the sexual values and practices of American teenagers, paying particular attention to how participating in organized religion shapes sexual decision-making. Merging analyses of three national surveys with stories from interviews with over 250 teenagers across America, Forbidden Fruit covers a wide range of topics, including sentiment about waiting to have sex until marriage, motivation to pursue sexual relationships, proclivity for same-sex attraction and behaviors, teenagers experience of virginity loss, and the frequency of several heterosexual practices.
Delivery room emergencies in critical congenital heart diseases.

Abstract Transition from fetal to postnatal life is a complex process. Even in the absence of congenital heart disease, about 4–10% of newborns require some form of assistance in the delivery room. Neonates with complex congenital heart disease should be expected to require significant intervention and thus the resuscitation team must be well prepared for such a delivery. Prenatal assessment including fetal and maternal health in general and detailed information on fetal heart structure, function and hemodynamics in particular are crucial for planning the delivery and resuscitation. In addition, understanding the impact of cardiac structural anomaly and associated altered blood flow on early postnatal transition is essential for success of resuscitation in the delivery room. In this article, we will briefly review transitional circulation focusing on altered hemodynamics of the complex congenital heart diseases and then discuss the process of preparing for these high-risk deliveries. Finally, we will review the pathophysiology resulting from the cardiac structural anomaly with resultant altered fetal circulation and discuss delivery room management of specific critical congenital heart diseases.
“Or la-goyim”: From Diaspora theology to Zionist dogma

The term “a light unto the nations” is a hallmark of modern Jewish identity but the subtle divergences in the meaning of the expression among its diverse proponents shed light on the continuities a...
Predicting Responses to Climate Change Health Impact Messages From Political Ideology and Health Status: Cognitive Appraisals and Emotional Reactions as Mediators

The present study employed a longitudinal survey experiment with American adults to investigate whether cognitive and emotional appraisals of messages about climate change related health risks woul...
A non-autonomous equation discovery method for time signal classification.

Certain neural network architectures, in the infinite-layer limit, lead to systems of nonlinear differential equations. Motivated by this idea, we develop a framework for analyzing time signals based on non-autonomous dynamical equations. We view the time signal as a forcing function for a dynamical system that governs a time-evolving hidden variable. As in equation discovery, the dynamical system is represented using a dictionary of functions and the coefficients are learned from data. This framework is applied to the time signal classification problem. We show how gradients can be efficiently computed using the adjoint method, and we apply methods from dynamical systems to establish stability of the classifier. Through a variety of experiments, on both synthetic and real datasets, we show that the proposed method uses orders of magnitude fewer parameters than competing methods, while achieving comparable accuracy. We created the synthetic datasets using dynamical systems of increasing complexity; though the ground truth vector fields are often polynomials, we find consistently that a Fourier dictionary yields the best results. We also demonstrate how the proposed method yields graphical interpretability in the form of phase portraits.
Diaphragmatic excursion: Quantitative measure to assess adequacy of expiratory phase CT chest images

Abstract Objective To evaluate diaphragmatic excursion as a quantitative metric for change in lung volume between inspiratory and expiratory chest computed tomography (CT) images. Methods A 12-month retrospective review identified 226 chest CT exams with inspiratory and expiratory phase imaging, 63 in individuals referred with diagnosis of asthma by ICD9/10 code. Exams acquired in the supine position at 1.25 mm slice thickness in each phase were included (n = 30, mean age = 62, M = 15, F = 15). Diaphragmatic excursion was calculated as the difference between axial slices through the lungs on inspiration and expiration, using the lung apex as the cranial bound, and the hemidiaphragm caudally. Inspiratory and expiratory lung and tracheal volumes were calculated through volumetric segmentation. Tracheal morphology was assessed at 1 cm above the level of the aortic arch, and 1 cm above the carina. Results Inspiratory and expiratory lung volumes were higher in men (mean I = 5 + 1.6 L, E = 3.1 + 1.2 L) than women (mean I = 3.6 + 0.8 L, E = 2.4 + 0.7 L), p = .005 and p = .047, respectively. Average inspiratory and expiratory tracheal volumes were higher in men (I = 61 + 17 mL, E = 43 + 14) than women (I = 44 + 14, E = 30 + 8), p = .006 and p = .005. Average change in lung and tracheal volume between inspiratory and expiratory scans did not significantly differ between men and women. Average diaphragmatic excursion was 2.5 cm between inspiratory and expiratory scans (2.7 cm in men, 2.3 cm in women; p = .5). There was a strong positive correlation between diaphragmatic excursion and change in lung (r = .84) and tracheal volume (r = .79). A moderate correlation was also found between change in tracheal volume and change in lung volume (r = 0.67). Change in tracheal morphology between inspiratory and expiratory imaging was associated with change in tracheal volume at both 1 cm above the aortic arch (p = .04) and 1 cm above the carina (p = .008); there was no association with diaphragmatic excursion or lung volume. Conclusions Diaphragmatic excursion is a quantitative measure of expiratory effort as validated by both lung and tracheal volumes in asthma patients, and may be more accurate than qualitative assessment based on tracheal morphology.
A Simple Smooth Mode Transition Strategy for Resonant Converters with Topology Morphing Control in Renewable Energy Applications

Renewable energy sources require power converters with wide input voltage range operation capability. Resonant converters have gained popularity in these applications owning to its high efficiency operation characteristic. Nevertheless, the traditional frequency-controlled resonant converter has the disadvantages of wide switching frequency operation, high circulating current, and low conversion efficiency. The topology morphing control is proposed for LLC converter with multiple operations to tackle these problems. However, due to the large switching frequency mismatch at the mode transition point, there are large voltage transients during the mode transition. In this article, a simple smooth mode transition strategy is proposed. The large switching frequency mismatch and voltage transients are mitigated.
Cold shock induces a terminal investment reproductive response in C. elegans

Challenges from environmental stressors have a profound impact on many life-history traits of an organism, including reproductive strategy. Examples across multiple taxa have demonstrated that maternal reproductive investment resulting from stress can improve offspring survival; a form of matricidal provisioning when death appears imminent is known as terminal investment. Here we report a reproductive response in the nematode Caenorhabditis elegans upon exposure to acute cold shock at 2{degrees}C, whereby vitellogenic lipid movement from the soma to the germline appears to be massively upregulated at the expense of parental survival. This response is dependent on functional TAX-2;TAX-4 cGMP-gated channels that are part of canonical thermosensory mechanisms in worms and can be prevented in the presence of activated SKN-1/Nrf2, the master stress regulator. Increased maternal provisioning promotes improved embryonic cold shock survival, which is notably suppressed in animals with impaired vitellogenesis. These findings suggest that cold shock in C. elegans triggers terminal investment to promote progeny fitness at the expense of parental survival and may serve as a tractable model for future studies of stress-induced progeny plasticity.
SkyTrakx: A Toolkit for Simulation and Verification of Unmanned Air-Traffic Management Systems

The key concept for safe and efficient traffic management for Unmanned Aircraft Systems (UAS) is the notion of operation volume (OV). An OV is a 4-dimensional block of airspace and time, which can express an aircraft's intent, and can be used for planning, de-confliction, and traffic management. While there are several high-level simulators for UAS Traffic Management (UTM), we are lacking a framework for creating, manipulating, and reasoning about OVs for heterogeneous air vehicles. In this paper, we address this and present SkyTrakx-a software toolkit for simulation and verification of UTM scenarios based on OVs. First, we illustrate a use case of SkyTrakx by presenting a specific air traffic coordination protocol. This protocol communicates OVs between participating aircraft and an airspace manager for traffic routing. We show how existing formal verification tools, Dafny and Dione, can assist in automatically checking key properties of the protocol. Second, we show how the OVs can be computed for heterogeneous air vehicles like quadcopters and fixed-wing aircraft using another verification technique, namely reachability analysis. Finally, we show that SkyTrakx can be used to simulate complex scenarios involving heterogeneous vehicles, for testing and performance evaluation in terms of workload and response delays analysis. Our experiments delineate the trade-off between performance and workload across different strategies for generating OVs.
The role of paleontological data in testing homology by congruence

With homology being defmed as shared similarity due to common ancestry, any initial perception of similarity (or relative invariance) among organisms may be treated as a conjecture of homology to be tested by congruence. The phylogenetic information content is therefore not with the character itself, but lies in the relation of any one character to all others known. The "principle of total evidence" thus emerges as a logical corollary of the distinction of homology and homoplasy, the most severe test of homology involving all known characters in the search for the globally most congruent pattern. In a study combining fossil and extant organisms, however, the issue of missing characters raises the question of implicit a priori weighting, because some sources for characters (soft anatomy, molecular, physiological, behavioral) remain unknown in fossils. The issue of missing data in fossils requires further study before the potential impact of fossils on a classification based on extant organisms can be properly assessed.
Clonal analysis of vertebrate myogenesis: VII. Heritability of muscle colony type through sequential subclonal passages in vitro

Muscle colony-forming (MCF) cells from vertebrate limb buds show stage-specific differences in media requirements and clonal morphology (N. K. White, P. H. Bonner, D. R. Nelson, and S. D. Hauschka, 1975, Develop. Biol. 44, 346–361). The cell lineage relationship, if any, between the different myogenic cell types is unknown. To investigate whether early MCF cells convert or mature into the late type, MCF cells from stage 23–33 chick embryo leg buds were grown in vitro and sequentially subcloned. Results indicate that colony type, no matter what the stage of origin, is heritable in vitro through at least five passages (45 in vitro doublings) or until the subclones reach proliferative senescence. These results are discussed with respect to various alternatives for the generation of MCF cell diversity during limb development.
Recent Advances in Liver Transplantation for the Practicing Gastroenterologist

Liver transplantation is the definitive therapy for end-stage liver disease of various etiologies as well as acute liver failure and early-stage hepatocellular carcinoma. The Model for End-Stage Liver Disease (MELD) score is essential for organ allocation in the United States. Addition of the serum sodium level to the MELD score is a recent development that helps prognosticate cirrhotic patients with hyponatremia, a commonly seen manifestation of end-stage liver disease. The currently used Milan criteria for hepatocellular carcinoma have been expanded with some success at certain transplant centers, and tumor downstaging prior to transplant is being used more frequently. The tremendous shortage of donor organs continues to be the major limitation of this life-saving therapy. This has led to the use of extended-criteria donors, donation after cardiac death, split liver grafts, and live donor liver transplants. Renal dysfunction following liver transplant requires close monitoring and dose adjustments of immunosuppressive medications. Although most liver transplants in the United States are for chronic hepatitis C infection and its sequelae, hepatitis C virus recurrence is a common problem that is challenging to treat in the post-transplant population.
Application of learned user context to improve web search results

Current search engines predictably return the same results for a given query, regardless of the user. However, different users often desire different information from searches made with identical keywords. The Web Host Access Tool (WHAT) project is an attempt to personalize Internet searching. Personalization is achieved through the use of a search context that is constructed through machine learning techniques.
A parallel algorithm for dynamic gesture tracking

We present a parallel algorithm for the extraction of human hand gestures from a video sequence that is able to exploit spatial and momentum coherence and color constraints using a fuzzy image integration approach. The dynamics of hand movement are critical to the understanding of gesture. In our deconstruction of hand movement streams into atomic motions we call 'strokelets', dynamic information helps in determining the roles of such movements in the gestural stream. The Vector Coherence Mapping (VCM) algorithm is used to extract the motion fields in video. These motion vectors are clustered to obtain hand motions. The parallel nature of the algorithm, and its robustness to motion blur and noise contribute to its effectiveness in gestural motion tracking. The results presented show the efficacy of VCM in the extraction of gestural motion in real video data taken under normal illumination conditions.
Epidemiology of invasive mold infections in lung transplant recipients.

Invasive mold infections (IMIs) are a major source of morbidity and mortality among lung transplant recipients (LTR) yet information regarding the epidemiology of IMI in this population are limited. From 2001–2006, multicenter prospective surveillance for IMIs among LTR was conducted by the Transplant-Associated Infection Surveillance Network. The epidemiology of IMI among all LTR in the cohort is reported. Twelve percent (143/1173) of LTRs under surveillance at 15 U.S. centers developed IMI infections. The 12-month cumulative incidence of IMIs was 5.5%; 3-month all-cause mortality was 21.7%. s caused the majority (70%)of IMIs; non-infections (39; 27%) included: (5), mucormycosis (3), and “unspecified” or “other” mold infections (31). Late-onset IMI was common: 52% occurred within one year post-transplant (median 11 months, range 0–162 months). IMIs are common late-onset complications with substantial mortality in LTRs. LTRs should be monitored for late-onset IMIs and prophylactic agents should be optimized based on likely pathogen.
Deformed binding fields: (II). Deformed wave functions in 6Li arising from the tensor force

Abstract A Hill-Wheeler representation is used to provide variational wave functions in a calculation of the T = 0 levels of 6 Li. The model Hamiltonian contains a harmonic central force as well as a tensor interaction. It is found that the lowest levels with J = 1, 2 and 3 may be generated from a single intrinsic function with approximately the same stationary values of the variational parameters for each level and thus form a kind of collective band. The level scheme indicates that the vector effects of the tensor force have been taken into account. It appears that the α-particle core is soft towards deformation caused by the 1p nucleons.
Appendix C: Conversion Arithmetic

Spreadsheet for computing the relationship between frequency ranges and filter bandwidths in frequency conversion for receivers and synthesizers.
A Generic Model of Execution for Synthesizing Interpreted Domain-Specific Models

The prevalent application of domain-specific modeling languages (DSMLs) requires developers to initially specify the requirements for a software product as a domain-specific model then transform that model to a high-level language for subsequent execution. An alternative is to realize behavior directly by executing the models using a specialized interpreter. One category of interpreted domain-specific modeling languages (DSMLs) derives behavior from changes to models at runtime. These are termed interpreted DSMLs or simply i-DSMLs. Existing interpreters for i-DSMLs exhibit tight coupling between the implicit model of execution (MoE) and the semantics of the domain. The interweaving of these two concerns compounds the challenge of developing interpreters for new i-DSMLs without a significant investment in resources. This paper introduces a generalized approach to developing i-DSML interpreters by utilizing a generic framework that is loosely coupled to the domain-specific knowledge as swappable framework extensions. We present a prototype as validation of our approach implemented using a metamodel based architecture to instantiate the interpreter for two distinct cyber-physical domains. c 2015 The Authors. Published by Elsevier B.V. Peer-review under responsibility of organizing committee of The 2015 International Conference on Soft Computing and Software Engineering (SCSE 2015).
Object-oriented programming in a conventional programming environment

A programming methodology that implements many object-oriented features within a conventional programming environment is described. The methodology was created during the development of a computer animation system, The Clockworks. The methodology supports such object-oriented features as objects with variables and methods, class hierarchies, variable and method inheritance, object instantiation, and message passing. The methodology does not employ any special keywords or language extensions, thus removing the need for a preprocessor or compiler. The methodology has been implemented in a C/Unix environment. This allows the environment and any system developed within it to be ported to a wide variety of computers which support Unix. The methodology provides many object-oriented features and associated benefits. It also provides all the benefits of a C/Unix environment, including portability, a rich variety of development tools, and efficiency. >
Personal characteristics of residents may predict competency improvement.

Objectives/Hypothesis We hypothesized that personal characteristics of residents may affect how well competency is attained in a surgical residency. To this end, we examined two concepts of global trait emotional intelligence and learner autonomy profile and their factor relationship with competency outcomes in a residency program in otolaryngology–head and neck surgery. Study Design A cohort study prospectively gathered competency change scores for 1 year and retrospectively analyzed the factor associations. Methods We measured two personal characteristics using the Trait Emotional Intelligence Questionnaire-Short Form and Learner Autonomy Profile-Short Form between 2013 and 2014 in a tertiary otolaryngology–head and neck residency program. We prospectively examined faculty-rated resident competency scores monitored in the same time period and correlated the personal attributes with cumulative competency improvement scores. Statistical analyses included factor correlations and univariate regression. Results With a response rate of 64% (N = 16/25), we identified two statically significant predictors of competency improvement outcome attained by the end of the year. Regression analyses showed that emotionality factor of global trait emotional intelligence (P = .04) and learner autonomy profile (P < .01) were significant predictors for the higher improvement of aggregate competency outcome. Conclusions Personal factors of individual residents can affect their improvement of overall competency. Practicing competency-based education should, therefore, include assessing individual resident factors as well as teaching clinical knowledge and technical skills. Level of Evidence NA Laryngoscope, 2015
The Irony of Thomas Mann

The common variety of irony is a way of suggesting what one means by saying its opposite. The ironic temper of Thomas Mann consists in his always conveying more than he appears to be saying. The ironic temper has an intellectual flavor. It never fuses completely with the object on which it is focussed: the mind never surrenders control of the situation to the emotion. For the ironic temper the concrete situation never has the character of finality; it is but the meeting-ground, so to speak, of relations that extend forward and backward, into space and time, into the self and into the cosmos; of energies that link the individual with the universal.... The ironic temper involves consciousness, detachment, freedom. It spurns all commitments of an absolute character. It makes no pronouncement on values without limiting the scope of its validity by a reservation, expressed or implied. While it would include in its range the most passionate intensity of experience, it refuses to yield the clarity of its vision for any price.1
Cycle time reduction: concepts and case studies

Increasingly organizations compete based on time. As a result, cycle-time reduction is a key agenda for organizations interested in achieving increased customer service and reduced cost. With improved cycle time, organizations can often eliminate or reduce inventory while expanding customer service offerings. The purpose of this tutorial is to present the fundamental concepts of cycle time reduction and to show how IS can be used to reduce cycle time, increase customer service, and reduce costs significantly. The tutorial examines several organizations that used IS as a way to leverage cycle time for competitive advantage.
A Massively Parallel Three-Dimensional Hybrid Code for Simulating Ion-Driven Parametric Instabilities

A massively parallel three-dimensional hybrid particle-in-cell (PIC) code, implemented on the CRAY-T3D, is presented. The code is based on a physical model described in a previous report where the electrons are modeled as an adiabatic fluid with an arbitrary ratio of specific heats ? and the electromagnetic field model is based on a temporal Wentzel?Krammers?Brillouin (WKB) approximation. On a CRAY-T3D with 512 processors, the code requires about 0.6 ?s/particle/time step. The largest test problem performed with this code consists of a computational mesh of 4096 × 64 × 64 (16 million) cells, a total of 256 million particles, and corresponds to a plasma volume of 50 ? m × 20 ? m × 20 ? m (approximately 150 ?×60 ?× 60?, where ? is the laser's vacuum wavelength). We believe this code is the first PIC computational tool capable of simulating low-frequency ion-driven parametric instabilities in a large, three-dimensional plasma volume and offers a unique opportunity for examining issues that are potentially vital to inertial confinement fusion (ICF), e.g., nonlinear ion kinetic effects and their role in nonlinear saturation mechanisms in three dimensions. Test simulations of the self-focusing (SF) instability and of the self-focusing-induced deflection of a laser beam are presented.
Environmental and Interactional Barriers to Job Satisfaction for Postsecondary Correctional Educators

This article examines the situational, occupational stressors encountered by postsecondary correctional educators. Environmental limitations and complex inmate-teacher interactions form barriers that often complicate and impede the educational process. On the basis of qualitative interviews these stressors are examined and the process by which faculty can and do overcome them is explored. It is suggested that environmental modifications and increased staff awareness of complex inmate behavior can increase the efficacy and efficiency of prison-based college programs.