cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Bounds on the throughput gain of network coding in unicast and multicast wireless networks

Gupta and Kumar established that the per node throughput of ad hoc networks with multi-pair unicast traffic scales with an increasing number of nodes n as lambda(n) = ominus(1/radic(n log n)), thus indicating that performance does not scale well. However, Gupta and Kumar did not consider network coding and wireless broadcasting, which recent works suggest have the potential to significantly improve throughput. Here, we establish bounds on the improvement provided by such techniques. For random networks of any dimension under either the protocol or physical model that were introduced by Gupta and Kumar, we show that network coding and broadcasting lead to at most a constant factor improvement in per node throughput. For the protocol model, we provide bounds on this factor. We also establish bounds on the throughput benefit of network coding and broadcasting for multiple source multicast in random networks. Finally, for an arbitrary network deployment, we show that the coding benefit ratio is at most O(log n) for both the protocol and physical communication models. These results give guidance on the application space of network coding, and, more generally, indicate the difficulty in improving the scaling behavior of wireless networks without modification of the physical layer.
Radioimitnunoassay of Relaxin throughout Pregnancy and during Parturition in the Rat

Relaxin immunoactivaity concentrations in the peripheral sera been measured during pregnancy and parturition in rats with a homologous rat relaxin RIA. Relaxin was not detected until day 10 of pregnancy (day 10). Relaxin levels increased markedly over the next 4 days and generally ranged between 50-100 ng/ml from days 14-20. A prepartum surge in relaxin levels, which appeared to be associated with the photoperiod, occurred on day 21 in unanesthetized rats bled via indwelling jugular cannulas. Mean relaxin levels in these animals increased sharply from less than 80 ng/ml on day 20 to approximately 140 ng/ml at 1400 h on day 21 and declined to less than 60 ng/ml during the 12-24 h preceding parturition. The prepartum surge in relaxin immunoactivity may be associated with luteolysis, since there was an accelerated decline in progesterone concentrations concurrent with the prepartum relaxin surg. Rats also experienced a surge in relaxin concentrations during parturition. The mean maximal level of relaxin during parturition was approximately 180 ng/ml. The rate of decline of rat relaxin immunoactivity levels after bilateral ovariectomy on day 21 demonstrated characteristics of a multiexponential curve. The mean clearance t 1/2 from 0-30 min was 22 +/- 3 min (+/- SEM), and the mean t 1/2 from 30-180 min was 56 +/- 7 min (+/0 SEM).
Reducing the cost and environmental impact of integrated fixed and mobile bio-oil refinery supply chains

Abstract The call to decrease reliance on fossil fuels to reduce impacts on the environment and improve energy independence has created new duties and responsibilities within society. As one approach, mobile bio-oil refineries have been developed to facilitate the production of bio-oil near the source of underutilized forest harvest residues. These mobile refineries are expected to improve the robustness of woody biomass to bio-oil supply chains by reducing overall supply chain costs and environmental impacts. The use of mobile refineries in combination with large-scale non-mobile refineries, however, must be examined to better understand the potential economic and environmental benefits and drawbacks of such a supply chain. The research presented herein develops a mathematical model capable of helping decision makers in determining the optimal combination and location of fixed refineries and mobile refineries for a known quantity of woody biomass and a given set of harvesting locations by considering capital, operational, and transportation costs. A hypothetical case for northwest Oregon, USA is applied to verify the mathematical model. The supply chain environmental impacts are assessed by considering the carbon footprint of the transportation activities and the bio-refinery infrastructure. The results indicate that the use of a mobile refinery along with a fixed refinery is more suitable when transportation costs and distances increase. It is also found that the capital intensity of mobile refineries can influence the importance of their role. High capital cost can be detrimental to their application within a mixed-mode bio-oil supply chain.
Three-Dimensional Metabolic and Hemodynamic Imaging of the Normal and Ischemic Rat Brain

Unique insights into the topography of local metabolism/blood flow interrelationships in focal cerebral ischemia have been afforded by the recent development of powerful image-processing techniques permitting three-dimensional (3D) autoradiographic image-averaging and analysis of replicate studies by a novel method termed “disparity analysis”. This method, based upon a linear affine transformation model, directly estimates scaling, translation and rotation parameters simultaneously. The method was validated in awake Wister rats studied for local cerebral glucose metabolism (1CMRgl) with 14C-2-deoxyglucose. Brains were subserially sectioned, aligned by disparity analysis, and mapped into a common template so as to generate aggregate 3D data sets of the mean and standard deviation of the entire series (n=9). Internal anatomic architecture was faithfully represented in the average image, and Fourier analysis revealed satisfactory retention of low-frequency information. The method was then applied to study metabolism/blood flow relationships in the acute focal ischemic penumbra of Sprague-Dawley rats subjected to distal photothrombotic middle cerebral artery (MCA) occlusion, coupled with permanent ipsilateral and 1 h contralateral common carotid artery occlusions. Matched series were studied for 1CBF at 1.5 h and for 1CMRgl at 1.25–2 h post-occlusion. The averaged 1CBF image revealed the ischemic penumbra (defined as 1CBF 20–40 % of control) to form a “shell” around the cortical ischemic core and a confluent aggregate at the anterior and posterior poles of the corezone. 1CMRgl in the penumbra was heterogeneous, ranging from near-normal to markedly increased. An average 1CMRgl/1CBF ratio data set revealed marked metabolism-flow uncoupling in penumbral pixels, averaging nearly five-fold above control ratio values. Sustained deflections of the DC potential were recorded in the penumbra, the site of marked uncoupling. This analysis defined for the first time the 3D topography of the ischemic penumbra and substantiated marked metabolism/flow dissociation, which is believed to be a metabolic consequence of the energy demand imposed by repeated peri-infarct depolarizations.
Management and Analysis of Camera Trap Data: Alternative Approaches (Response to Harris et al. 2010)

A recent article in the ESA Bulletin introduces an approach to cataloging and analyzing the large numbers of photos typically generated by camera traps (Harris et al. 2010). The authors highlight the need for a simple, systematic way to archive and extract data from camera trap photos. The authors then present a system they have developed in an effort to meet this need. Here, we introduce two alternative approaches that each have distinct advantages over the approach outlined by Harris et al.
Combination chemotherapy of adult acute lymphoblastic leukemia with randomized central nervous system prophylaxis

Although major progress has been made in the treatment of childhood leukemia, the optimal chemotherapy of acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) in adults has been unclear. In addition, the value of central nervous system prophylaxis (CNS-P) in adults has been assumed, but not established in a systematic fashion. The Southeastern Cancer Study Group has completed a prospective study in which the use of vincristine plus low-dose methotrexate and high-dose prednisone in adult acute lymphoblastic leukemia has produced an 80% (79/99) complete remission rate in patients age 15 yr and over. Younger patients had a significantly higher remission rate but no increase in remission duration. This induction regimen was associated with minimal toxicity. Random assignment to CNS-P or to no prophylaxis, after a multidrug consolidation regimen, has demonstrated a significant prolongation of CNS relapse-free interval (p=0.008) in favor of CNS-P. CNS-P did not improve hematologic remission duration or survival. All complete remitters were maintained on mercaptopurine, methotrexate, and cyclophosphamide with pulses of prednisone and vincristine; the median time from remission to either hematologic or CNS relapse was 19.3 mo after CNS-P, and survival for these patients was 26.1 mo. We conclude that our current induction regimen is highly effective in adult ALL and that CNS-P prophylaxis is indicated in such patients.
Power and Efficiency Scaled Resonantly Cladding-Pumped Er-doped LMA Fiber Lasers

Next step in power scaling of low quantum defect resonantly cladding-pumped Er-doped LMA fiber laser is reported. Over 88 W of single transverse mode power at 1590 nm was obtained with optical-to-optical efficiency of 69%.
Experimental Research on the Effect of Anorexy Composition(厌食合剂) on Serum Zinc of Mouse with Spleen Deficiency

Objective:To investigate the effect of anorexy composition(AC) on mouse with anorexy.Methods: Anorexy models made by mouse were treated with AC.The indexes of food,drink,activity and pelage were observed,serum zinc was determined.Result: The food and drink of anorexy mice were improved,serum zinc was increased.Conclusion: Serum zinc was improved with AC; it may be the mechanics of AC treatment.
Stem Cutting Propagation in Whole Pine Tree Substrates

Wood-based substrates have been extensively evaluated for greenhouse and nursery crop production, yet these substrates have not been evaluated for propagation. The objective of this study was to evaluate processed whole loblolly pine trees (WPT) (Pinus taeda) as a rooting substrate for stem cutting propagation of a range of ornamental crops. Substrates included processed WPT, pine (Pinus sp.) bark (PB), and each mixed with equal parts (by volume) peatmoss (PM) (WPT:PM and PB:PM, respectively). Substrate physical (air space, container capacity, total porosity, bulk density, and particle size distribution) and chemical [pH and electrical conductivity (EC)] properties were determined for all substrates. Rooting percentage, total root length, total root volume, and total shoot length were evaluated for four species in 2008 and five species in 2009. Substrate air space was similar between PB and WPT in the 2008 experiment, and likewise between PB:PM and WPT:PM. In the 2009 experiment, PB and WPT had similar substrate air space. The addition of PM to PB and WPT resulted in reduced air space and increased container capacity in both experiments. The proportion of fine particles doubled for PB:PM and WPT:PM compared with PB and WPT, respectively. Substrate pH for all substrates ranged from 6.0 to 6.9 at 7 days after sticking (DAS) cuttings and 6.9 to 7.1 at 79 DAS. Substrate EC was below the acceptable range for all substrates except at 7 DAS. Rooting percentage was similar among substrates within each species in both experiments. The addition of PM resulted in significantly greater total root length for PB:PM and WPT:PM compared with PB and WPT, respectively, for five of the eight species. Shoot growth was most vigorous for PB:PM compared with the other substrates for all species. The study demonstrated a range of plant species can be propagated from stem cuttings in whole pine tree substrates alone or combined with PM.
Origins and Development of Peptide Antibiotic Research

That cationic proteins might be factors on the antimicrobial defenses of mammalian hosts and are apparently associated with the cytoplasmic granules of phagocytic leukocytes first became evident on the late nineteenth century. It remained, however, for development of sophisticated microanalytic techniques in microbiology, cell biology and protein biochemistry to place these hypotheses in the realm of established theory. This article is a brief summary of singificant steps in the development of this theory. It also attempts to outline the firmly established scope and significance of these developments both for the theory of immunity to infection in the different phyla and for the now global quest for new antibiotics.
Coverage Inducing Priors in Nonstandard Inference Problems

ABSTRACTWe consider the construction of set estimators that possess both Bayesian credibility and frequentist coverage properties. We show that under mild regularity conditions there exists a prior distribution that induces (1 − α) frequentist coverage of a (1 − α) credible set. In contrast to the previous literature, this result does not rely on asymptotic normality or invariance, so it can be applied in nonstandard inference problems. Supplementary materials for this article are available online.
Abstract 2859: Chloroquine and vitamin D3 modulate proliferation in early stage breast cancer models

Proceedings: AACR 107th Annual Meeting 2016; April 16-20, 2016; New Orleans, LA The defining feature of premalignant mammary lesions is proliferation of cells within the intraductal niche. Survival in this stressful duct microenvironment requires sophisticated mechanisms to avoid apoptosis caused by hypoxia, nutrient deprivation, metabolic acidosis, and intracellular calcium overload. Two major survival mechanisms of breast ductal carcinoma cells (DCIS) are 1) the upregulation of autophagy and 2) the enhanced export of calcium via plasma membrane calcium-ATPase isoform 2 (PMCA2) efflux pumps. We hypothesize that calcium efflux, through PMCA2, and activation of autophagic catabolism are critical interdependent mechanisms for the survival of pre-invasive human breast neoplastic cells. To assess the proteomic response to autophagy inhibition and/or elevated intracellular calcium, 41 signal transduction proteins/post-translationally modified proteins related to proliferation, autophagy, and calcium pathways were quantified by reverse phase protein microarrays (RPPA) in time course studies of T-47D metastatic ductal breast cancer cell line, and MCF-10A non-tumorigenic breast cell line, both of which express low basal levels of PMCA2, and in human primary DCIS organoid cultures. Cell lines were treated with chloroquine (50μM), or 1,25 dihydroxyvitamin D3 (Calcitriol) (50nM or 100nM), or chloroquine + Calcitriol, and harvested at periodic intervals over 197 hours. Stoichiometric time course studies (24 hours) were evaluated for Calcitriol as a single agent in both T-47D and MCF-10A cell lines. Cell morphology, adhesion, proliferation and autophagic flux in the DCIS organoids were assessed by Immunohistochemistry and RPPA. Calcitriol alone did not increase proliferation based on PCNA expression within DCIS ducts. Chloroquine markedly increased Cleaved PARP (Chi Sq p = 0.004) and CAMKinase II (p = 0.0068). Chloroquine (50μM) plus Calcitriol (100nM) increased E-Cadherin (p = 0.0379) and phosphoPAK1/2 (p = 0.0163), while PMCA2 levels were not significantly different between treatment groups. Autophagy inhibition and calcium efflux may be exploited therapeutically by co-administration of chloroquine and Calcitrol, to inhibit lysosomal catabolism and increase intracellular calcium levels, respectively, switching them from autophagic survival into apoptotic death. Citation Format: Virginia A. Espina, Solomon Yeon, Joshua N. VanHouten, John Wysolmerski, Lance A. Liotta. Chloroquine and vitamin D3 modulate proliferation in early stage breast cancer models. [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 107th Annual Meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research; 2016 Apr 16-20; New Orleans, LA. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2016;76(14 Suppl):Abstract nr 2859.
Breast cancer screening in relation to access to health services.

Purpose/objectives This study examined mammography screening and breast self-examination (BSE) in relation to perceived access to health services to identify persistent barriers to earlier detection. Design Community-based, cross-sectional, survey, and interview. Setting More than 80 nonhealthcare-related, women's group settings in northern California. Sample Convenience sample of 838 black/African American, Latina/Hispanic, and Caucasian/Anglo women varying in age, annual family income, sexual orientation, and educational history. Methods Survey and interview (in English or Spanish) by on-site research assistants facilitating participation of women with limited reading capability. Main research variables Perceived access to services, breast cancer screening behaviors, acculturation and spoken language, habits of use, perceived prejudice in health delivery, available economic resources, and other social and behavioral variables reported elsewhere. Findings Healthcare habits, the perception of prejudicial treatment in health service delivery, spoken language, and three different measures of financial capability explained a large degree of perceived access to services. Perceptions of a lack of access to services were related to decreased mammography screening participation and to decreased BSE behavior. Conclusions Participation in cancer screening depends on real economic access and previous health service delivery experience. BSE behavior may be influenced by lack of money to pay for healthcare services, and experienced prejudice in healthcare delivery appears to have a lasting influence on mammography screening behavior. Implications for nursing practice Tolerance and culturally sensitive service delivery coupled with economic access to both screening and necessary treatment will be vital to eliciting women's complete participation in attaining desired earlier detection goals for breast cancer.
Sidewalk City: Remapping Public Spaces in Ho Chi Minh City

SIDEWALK CITY: Remapping Public Spaces in Ho Chi Minh City. By Annette Miae kim. x and 252 pp.; illustrations, maps, index. Chicago: University of Chicago Press, 2015. $45.00 (cloth), isbn 97802261...
Chapter 7 – Similarities Between Humans and Other Living Organisms

At times, depending on the personality and abilities of its group members, dominance and aggression in humans (as in other animals) function in establishing and maintaining population and environmental homeostasis. At other times, when dominant and aggressive behaviors extend beyond the boundaries of tolerance and morality, they create population and environmental instability or disorder, entropy if you will. When population and environmental instability reach a point at which the existence of all life forms and the Earth itself are threatened, as they often have become under human domination, it is time to step back and critically examine the causes of such instability and contemplate making a change in the system that has resulted in the dilemma. To do this, the human animal's attributes and influence on the world must be scrutinized from many different perspectives. We find that compensating for maladjusted approaches to living in a modern world is an ongoing event for the human species. When we approach problematic situations, we analyze them and sometimes attempt to correct them to bring them back to homeostasis. However, we often are reluctant to correct them until they become a serious threat to humanity, the environment, and the world. To understand the true nature of a human approach to life and the games they play, it is up to the reader to consider the scientific implications and evaluate the human condition. It is also the reader's responsibility to have an open mind and be honest about how they interpret the literature. Fossils and radiometric dating have been important for estimating relatedness and understanding populations and lineages of organisms that existed in earlier geological history. In addition to anatomical studies of groups of animals that show homologous structural features, vestigial structures, and embryological development, comparisons in contemporary species offer contributing factors toward an understanding of common descent. Universal biochemical organization and molecular variance patterns in all organisms also show a direct correlation with common descent. Population, biogeography, basic biological fundamentals and their origins and development, and significance of the brain are discussed. Finally, a brief mention is made about “animal becomes human.” The remainder of the chapters is devoted to the anatomy and behavior of humans.
CRISPR/Cas9-mediated targeted mutagenesis in upland cotton ( Gossypium hirsutum L.)

The clustered, regularly interspaced, short palindromic repeats (CRISPR)/CRISPR associated (Cas)9 protein system has emerged as a simple and efficient tool for genome editing in eukaryotic cells. It has been shown to be functional in several crop species, yet there are no reports on the application of this or any other genome editing technologies in the cotton plant. Cotton is an important crop that is grown mainly for its fiber, but its seed also serves as a useful source of edible oil and feed protein. Most of the commercially-grown cotton is tetraploid, thus making it much more difficult to target both sets of homeologous alleles. Therefore, in order to understand the efficacy of the CRISPR/Cas9 system to target a gene within the genome of cotton, we made use of a transgenic cotton line previously generated in our laboratory that had a single copy of the green fluorescent protein (GFP) gene integrated into its genome. We demonstrate, for the first time, the use of this powerful new tool in targeted knockout of a gene residing in the cotton genome. By following the loss of GFP fluorescence, we were able to observe the cells that had undergone targeted mutations as a result of CRISPR/Cas9 activity. In addition, we provide examples of the different types of indels obtained by Cas9-mediated cleavage of the GFP gene, guided by three independent sgRNAs. The results provide useful information that will help us target important native genes in the cotton plant in future.
‘We Will Revive’: addiction, spiritual warfare, and recovery in Latin America’s cocaine production zone

AbstractOnce a key site in the War on Drugs against cocaine, the Upper Amazon in northeastern Peru has lately seen an increase in addiction to coca paste, a toxic by-product of the cocaine manufacturing process. Unregulated and coercive Pentecostal ministries, founded and administered by recovered pastors, constitute the main form of addiction treatment in the Upper Amazon today. Based on ethnographic research in nine ministries and using the example of the ministry ‘We Will Revive,’ this article suggests that Pentecostal ministries re-articulate addiction as demonic possession. Accordingly, ministries treat addiction through spiritual warfare against the Devil. In so doing, Pentecostal ministries change the locus of the War on Drugs from trade networks to sinful bodies.
Minimum-Weight Design of Nonuniform Beams

This note reports the results of an investigation of the minimum-weight plastic design of a propped cantilever beam of nonuniform cross section. The design of a propped cantilever occurs in the plastic design of the end span of a continuous beam; therefore the results reported have wide application. The types of cross section that fall within the scope of this note are rolled sections with flange or cover plates, plate girders, and tapered girders.
Regulation of microvascular function by voltage-gated potassium channels: New tricks for an "ancient" dog.

Arterial tone is tightly regulated by a variety of potassium (K+) permeable ion channels at the sarcolemma of vascular smooth muscle cells. In particular, several types of voltage-gated K+ (KV) channels provide a significant hyperpolarizing influence and serve to oppose pressure and agonist-induced membrane depolarization to promote smooth muscle relaxation and augmentation of vascular diameter and blood flow. In recent years, a number of studies have underscored previously unknown roles for particular KV subunits, new modes of channel regulation, and distinct cellular functions for these channels during physiological and pathological conditions. In this overview, we highlight articles contained in this Special Topics Issue that focus on the latest, most exciting advancements in the field of KV channels in the microcirculation. The collection of articles aims to highlight important new discoveries and controversies in the field of vascular KV channels as well as to shed light on key questions that require additional investigation.
Node-securing connectivity-based model to reduce infection spread in contaminated networks

Abstract Given a network with a set of contaminated and susceptible nodes, this article presents models for identifying a subset of susceptible nodes to secure (e.g., guard against infection, or remove from the network) such that the total number of nodes at risk of infection is minimized, subject to a limited budget for securing nodes. These models utilize a connectivity-based metric, in which a susceptible node is assumed to be at risk of infection if there exists a transmission path between it and any infected node, where no transmission path exists between two nodes if every path between them includes at least one secured node. The initial model presented, which is to the authors’ knowledge the first node-securing connectivity-based model for mitigating the spread of infection in contaminated networks, is then reformulated by use of a novel search space reduction algorithm. Computational testing is presented demonstrating the significant reductions in solution time achieved by the reformulated model.
Peptide-Based Biosensor Utilizing Fluorescent Gold Nanoclusters for Detection of Listeria monocytogenes

Listeria monocytogenes is a Gram-positive foodborne pathogen that is frequently the cause of listeriosis and meningitis. The high mortality rate (20–40%) from such infections designates this microb...
Toward an Action-Based Theory of Infant Development

The purpose of this chapter is to explore a theory of infant development grounded in an analysis of action. This account differs from customary theories of early development in several ways. First, it is preeminently a movement-based, “bottom-up” account of behavior in the sensorimotor period. Developmentalists, like other psychologists, have been concerned primarily with the formation of the complex symbolic and affective processes of the “life of the mind” and have paid less attention to the translation of ideas into movement—a “life of the limbs.” Infants, however, are born with much movement and few ideas and, for the first year or so, lack symbolic and verbal mediating mechanisms between their mental state and the expressions of their bodies and limbs. At this stage of the life cycle, then, the link between the developing mind and the developing limbs may be especially direct. We see this formulation in no way competing with theories that focus more directly on mental structures but rather as a complement and supplement to understanding the development of cognition.
Advanced Head and Neck Cancersurgery and Reconstruction

It is evident from this discussion that the surgery and reconstruction plays an important role in the management of advance stage head and neck cancer. Surgical excision, appropriate reconstruction, and adjuvant therapies offer these unfortunate patients the best chance for meaningful survival. Yet, the role of surgical management of these advanced lesions must be continuously reevaluated to continue to refine the interactive nature of surgery with chemotherapy and radiation therapy protocols for organ preservation. Therefore, the complementary roles of each of these treatment modalities used for the patient faced with an advanced head and neck cancer will continue to evolve for years to come.
Rapid pressure solidification in an Al-Si alloy

This study describes the effect of rapid pressure applied during solidification and the resulting microstructures and properties of an Al-1.7% Si alloy. The data on the microstructures and mechanical properties of the test alloy, together with the apparatus used to achieve rapid pressurization are discussed. In this research, the pressure effects on microstructures of the test alloy were found to be significant. The mechanical properties such as yield strength and hardness, however, showed only minor differences in samples solidified under normal (1 atm) and pressurized conditions. This may be due to the competing effects of the dendritic and eutectic phases in the resulting structure. The results of this research suggest that high pressurization rate, applied during solidification actually achieves similar effects as high cooling rate in much larger dimensions of samples, thus, rapid pressure solidification may potentially offer an alternate method of obtaining the advantageous properties of rapidly solidified materials.
Mass Mortality of Green Frog ( Rana clamitans) Tadpoles in Wisconsin, USA, Associated with Severe Infection with the Pathogenic Perkinsea Clade.

We documented mortality of green frog (Rana clamitans) tadpoles in Wisconsin, US, attributed to severe Perkinsea infection. Final diagnosis was determined by histopathology. followed by molecular detection of pathogenic Perkinsea clade (PPC) of frogs in the liver. To our knowledge, this represents the first detection of PPC in the midwestern US.
Virtual machine placement in cloudlet mesh

In the era of Internet of Things (IoT), the concept of "cloudlet" was proposed, which can be considered as a "micro data center in a box" deployed at the edge of the mobile networks. The integration of cloudlet and wireless mesh networks gives rise to the idea of "cloudlet mesh", which offers services to a large number of IoT applications simultaneously. With virtualized servers in each cloudlet, users issue networked VMs to run their applications, and then the broker or orchestrator of the cloudlet mesh infrastructure decides the resource allocation. This process is known as the VM placement. With the network topology reconfigurability and the adaptive bandwidth provided by the Software Defined Networking (SDN) technologies, new opportunities arise to optimize the VM placement problem. In this paper, we address some of these opportunities. Firstly, we propose two optimal algorithms to determine the maximum number of accepted VMs into the cloudlet mesh under both homogeneous and heterogeneous cases, respectively. Secondly, we design another two optimal algorithms to minimize the total inter-cloudlet communication traffic in both homogeneous and heterogeneous cloudlet mesh, respectively. Thirdly, we study the VM placement problem under the multi-tenant scenario, which we prove to be NP-hard. A heuristic algorithm is proposed to give an efficient solution. The evaluation results validate the efficiency of our algorithm.
Climate change impacts on mismatches between phytoplankton blooms and fish spawning phenology.

Substantial interannual variability in marine fish recruitment (i.e., the number of young fish entering a fishery each year) has been hypothesized to be related to whether the timing of fish spawning matches that of seasonal plankton blooms. Environmental processes that control the phenology of blooms, such as stratification, may differ from those that influence fish spawning, such as temperature-linked reproductive maturation. These different controlling mechanisms could cause the timing of these events to diverge under climate change with negative consequences for fisheries. We use an earth system model to examine the impact of a high-emissions, climate-warming scenario (RCP8.5) on the future spawning time of two classes of temperate, epipelagic fishes: "geographic spawners" whose spawning grounds are defined by fixed geographic features (e.g., rivers, estuaries, reefs) and "environmental spawners" whose spawning grounds move responding to variations in environmental properties, such as temperature. By the century's end, our results indicate that projections of increased stratification cause spring and summer phytoplankton blooms to start 16 days earlier on average (±0.05 days SE) at latitudes >40°N. The temperature-linked phenology of geographic spawners changes at a rate twice as fast as phytoplankton, causing these fishes to spawn before the bloom starts across >85% of this region. "Extreme events," defined here as seasonal mismatches >30 days that could lead to fish recruitment failure, increase 10-fold for geographic spawners in many areas under the RCP8.5 scenario. Mismatches between environmental spawners and phytoplankton were smaller and less widespread, although sizable mismatches still emerged in some regions. This indicates that range shifts undertaken by environmental spawners may increase the resiliency of fishes to climate change impacts associated with phenological mismatches, potentially buffering against declines in larval fish survival, recruitment, and fisheries. Our model results are supported by empirical evidence from ecosystems with multidecadal observations of both fish and phytoplankton phenology.
Chemical activation of divergent protein tyrosine phosphatase domains with cyanine-based biarsenicals

Strategies for the direct chemical activation of specific signaling proteins could provide powerful tools for interrogating cellular signal transduction. However, targeted protein activation is chemically challenging, and few broadly applicable activation strategies for signaling enzymes have been developed. Here we report that classical protein tyrosine phosphatase (PTP) domains from multiple subfamilies can be systematically sensitized to target-specific activation by the cyanine-based biarsenical compounds AsCy3 and AsCy5. Engineering of the activatable PTPs (actPTPs) is achieved by the introduction of three cysteine residues within a conserved loop of the PTP domain, and the positions of the sensitizing mutations are readily identifiable from primary sequence alignments. In the current study we have generated and characterized actPTP domains from three different subfamilies of both receptor and non-receptor PTPs. Biarsenical-induced stimulation of the actPTPs is rapid and dose-dependent, and is operative with both purified enzymes and complex proteomic mixtures. Our results suggest that a substantial fraction of the classical PTP family will be compatible with the act-engineering approach, which provides a novel chemical-biological tool for the control of PTP activity and the study of PTP function.
Catalyst-Free Dynamic Networks for Recyclable, Self-Healing Solid Polymer Electrolytes.

Polymer networks with dynamic covalent cross-links act as solids but can flow at high temperatures. They have been widely explored as reprocessable and self-healing materials, but their use as soli...
Minimally invasive approach to hiatal hernia repair is superior to open, even in the emergent setting: a large national database analysis

We aimed to examine the outcomes and utilization of different hiatal hernia repair (HHR) approaches in elective and emergent/urgent settings. Methods: Vizient 2015–2017 database was queried for adult patients who underwent HHR. Patients were grouped into open (OHHR), laparoscopic (LHHR), or robotic-assisted (RHHR), and further stratified by elective or urgent status and severity of illness at admission. Surgical outcomes and costs were compared across all groups. Statistical analysis were done using SPSS v.25.0. 9171 adults were included (OHHR N = 1534;LHHR N = 6796;RHHR N = 841). LHHR was the most utilized approach (74.1%), followed by OHRR (16.7%) and RHHR (9.2%). OHHR was employed three times as frequently in U settings, compared to elective. Overall, OHHR had longer mean length of stay (LOS; 9.41 vs. 0.05) favored LHHR. Our analysis demonstrated LHHR to currently be the most employed approach overall. LHHR and RHHR were associated with lower cost, decreased LOS, complications, and mortality compared to OHHR, in all but the sickest of patients. Patients should be offered minimally invasive HHR, even in urgent/emergent settings, if technically feasible.
Optimal Policies for Platooning and Ride Sharing in Autonomy-Enabled Transportation

Rapid advances in autonomous-vehicle technology may soon allow vehicles to platoon on highways, leading to substantial fuel savings through reduced aerodynamic drag.While these aerodynamic effects have been widely studied, the systems aspects of platooning have received little attention. In this paper, we consider a class of problems, applicable to vehicle platooning and passenger ride-sharing, from the systems perspective. We consider a system in which vehicles arrive at a station according to a stochastic process. If they wait for each other, they can form platoons to save energy, but at the cost of incurring transportation delays. Our analysis explores this tradeoff between energy consumption and transportation delays. Among our results is the derivation of the Pareto-optimal boundary and characterization of the optimal polices in both the open-loop and feedback regimes. Surprisingly, the addition of feedback improves the energy-delay curve very little when compared to open-loop policie
Optimizing Fit: Targeting a Residency Psychiatry Consultation-Liaison Rotation to Various Levels of Training.

Background Determining the optimal timing and structure for a core residency rotation in consultation-liaison psychiatry (CLP) remains a key challenge for program directors and rotation leaders. Previous surveys have been conducted regarding these questions, and guidelines from national organizations have been issued, but practices remain varied among institutions. Methods We conducted a narrative review of the literature related to the timing of CLP rotations and generated consensus recommendations based on our experience as program directors, rotation leaders, and residents. Results Explicit goals of CLP training in residency include identifying and treating psychiatric manifestation of medical illness and communicating effectively with primary teams. Implicit goals of training may includeconflict management, limit setting, and “thinking dirty.” Discussion Although CLP rotations earlier in residency often create a better fit within the overarching curriculum and allow for generating early interest in the field, significant amounts of supervision are required, and consultees may look to attendings as the primary consultant. Conversely, while later rotations are sometimes challenging to structure with other outpatient responsibilities, they allow for greater autonomy and may map better onto the informal curriculum. A hybrid model, with training spread across multiple years, is another approach that may mitigate some of the disadvantages of confining consultation-liaison training to a single year. Compelling arguments can be made for placing the core CLP rotation in postgraduate year 2 or 3 or using a hybrid model. Regardless of placement, program directors and rotation leaders should be mindful of tailoring the rotation to the trainees' developmental stage.
Mass Spectrometry Techniques in Emerging Pathogens Studies: COVID-19 Perspectives.

As corona virus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is a rapidly growing public health crisis across the world, our knowledge of meaningful diagnostic tests and treatment for severe acute respiratory syndrome ...
Imputing radiobiological parameters of the linear-quadratic dose-response model from a radiotherapy fractionation plan.

The objective in cancer radiotherapy is to maximize tumor-kill while limiting toxic effects of radiation dose on nearby organs-at-risk. Given a fixed number of treatment sessions, planners thus face the problem of finding a dosing sequence that achieves this goal. This is called the fractionation problem, and has received steady attention over a long history in the clinical literature. Mathematical formulations of the resulting optimization problem utilize the linear-quadratic (LQ) framework to characterize radiation dose-response of tumors and OAR. This yields a nonconvex quadratically constrained quadratic program. The optimal dosing plan in this forward problem crucially depends on the parameters of the LQ model. Unfortunately, these parameters are difficult to estimate via {\it{in vitro}} or {\it{in vivo}} studies, and as such, their values are unknown to treatment planners. The clinical literature is thus replete with debates about what parameter values will make specific dosing plans effective. This manuscript formulates this as an inverse optimization problem. The LQ dose-response parameters appear in the objective function, the left hand side, and the right hand side of the forward problem, and none of the existing generic methods can provide an exact solution of the inverse problem. This manuscript exploits the structure of the problem and identifies all possible parameter values that render the given dosing plan optimal, in closed-form. This closed-form formula is applied to dosing-plans from three clinical studies published within the last two years.
Plasticity after cortical stroke involves potentiating responses of pre-existing circuits but not functional remapping to new circuits

Abstract Functional recovery after stroke is thought to be mediated by adaptive circuit plasticity, whereby surviving neurons assume the roles of those that died. This “remapping” hypothesis is based on human brain mapping studies showing apparent reorganization of cortical sensorimotor maps and animal studies documenting molecular and structural changes that could support circuit rewiring. However, definitive evidence of remapping is lacking, and other studies have suggested that maladaptive plasticity mechanisms, such as enhanced inhibition in peri-infarct cortex, might actually limit plasticity after stroke. Here we sought to directly test whether neurons can change their response selectivity after a stroke that destroys a single barrel (C1) within mouse primary somatosensory cortex. Using multimodal in vivo imaging approaches, including two-photon calcium imaging to longitudinally record sensory-evoked activity in peri-infarct cortex before and after stroke, we found no evidence to support the remapping hypothesis. In an attempt to promote plasticity via rehabilitation, we also tested the effects of forced use therapy by plucking all whiskers except the C1 whisker. Again, we failed to detect an increase in the number of C1 whisker-responsive neurons in surrounding barrels even 2 months after stroke. Instead, we found that forced use therapy potentiated sensory-evoked responses in a pool of surviving neurons that were already C1 whisker responsive by significantly increasing the reliability of their responses. Together, our results argue against the long-held theory of functional remapping after stroke, but support a plausible circuit-based mechanism for how rehabilitation may improve recovery of function.
Gender Differences in Moral Influences on Adolescents’ Eyewitness Identification

In this study, 232 (89 11- to 12-year-olds, 71 13- to 14-year-olds; 72 15- to 16-year-olds) students recruited from grades 6th-11th in an urban public high school participated in a study of eyewitness identification. The focus of this study was on the effects of age, gender and moral orientation on decisional bias and, as a secondary outcome, on accuracy (using signal detection analysis).The primary purpose of this and previous studies in this series is to uncover implicit moral decision-making in decisional bias. In this study the perpetrator, the bystanders and the foil were all females. Prior to completing the eyewitness identification task, participants were given instructions that emphasized either (a) fairness and crime prevention, or (b) neither. These instructions had no discernible effect on accuracy but, as in past studies, younger participants (below the age of 13) had lower decisional criteria, resulting in a higher rate of false alarms/positives. Further, those who judged the transgression as worse had a lower decisional criterion, indicating more false alarms. Females were more accurate than the males in identifying the female perpetrator and scored significantly higher on how bad they would feel if they were the victim than did the males.
Effect of Planting Population on Stem Diseases of Soybean in Iowa and Wisconsin

Farmers may adjust seeding rate across or within fields for a variety of reasons. The objectives of this study were to determine if seeding rate affected two late-season stem diseases, anthracnose ...
What is the optimal subsidy for residential solar

Abstract How do we design clean energy subsidies to deliver greater benefits to society? Analytical answers to this question are scarce. Modeling should address both direct benefits from stimulating consumer adoption the year the subsidy is paid as well as indirect benefits from lowering future technology costs. We develop a benefit-cost analysis of residential solar subsidies in the US, disaggregated by state, accounting for technological progress, consumer adoption, and carbon and criteria emission reductions. We assess existing solar subsidies and also find the optimal subsidy schedule that maximizes net benefits starting in the year 2018. In the base case the national flexible optimal subsidy schedule begins at $585/kW and declines to zero in 14 years. The optimal subsidy starts higher and falls more quickly than the current federal tax credit, due to long-term benefits from early cost reductions and the need to reduce subsidies as a technology becomes cheaper. We also estimate state-by-state flexible subsidies which result in higher net benefits compared to a homogenous national subsidy ($2.8 billion versus $1.0 billion). Neglecting criteria pollution benefits, optimal subsidies accounting for technological progress and consumer behavior cost the government $45–49 per ton of carbon abated, much lower than the total abatement cost.
Conclusion: Communities in Jeopardy

This chapter brings the discussion back to the evolution of Irish American identity in the present day, where “fake news,” “alternative facts,” and some loudly conservative voices in media and government can be viewed through the lens the authors in this study provide us. It also brings together the themes raised in all of the novels described above, most notably their concerns for the future of Irish America, which of course is our present.
Effective Prophylaxis of COVID-19 in Rhesus Macaques Using a Combination of Two Parenterally-Administered SARS-CoV-2 Neutralizing Antibodies

SARS-CoV-2 is a respiratory borne pathogenic beta coronavirus that is the source of a worldwide pandemic and the cause of multiple pathologies in man. The rhesus macaque model of COVID-19 was utilized to test the added benefit of combinatory parenteral administration of two high-affinity anti-SARS-CoV-2 monoclonal antibodies (mAbs; C144-LS and C135-LS) expressly developed to neutralize the virus and modified to extend their pharmacokinetics. After completion of kinetics study of mAbs in the primate, combination treatment was administered prophylactically to mucosal viral challenge. Results showed near complete virus neutralization evidenced by no measurable titer in mucosal tissue swabs, muting of cytokine/chemokine response, and lack of any discernable pathologic sequalae. Blocking infection was a dose-related effect, cohorts receiving lower doses (6, 2 mg/kg) resulted in low grade viral infection in various mucosal sites compared to that of a fully protective dose (20 mg/kg). A subset of animals within this cohort whose infectious challenge was delayed 75 days later after mAb administration were still protected from disease. Results indicate this combination mAb effectively blocks development of COVID-19 in the rhesus disease model and accelerates the prospect of clinical studies with this effective antibody combination.