cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
On the behavioral diversity of random programs

Generating a random sampling of program trees with spec-ified function and terminal sets is the initial step of many program evolution systems. I present a theoretical and experimental analysis of the expected distribution of uniformly sampled programs, guided by algorithmic information theory. This analysis demonstrates that increasing the sample size is often an inefficient means of increasing the overall diversity of program behaviors (outputs). A novel sampling scheme (semantic sampling) is proposed that exploits semantics to heuristically increase behavioral diversity. An important property of the scheme is that no calls of the problem-specific fitness function are required. Its effective-ness at increasing behavioral diversity is demonstrated empirically for Boolean formulae. Furthermore, it is found to lead to statistically significant improvements in performance for genetic programming on parity and multiplexer problems.
Space efficient CMOS nonlinear transmission lines

Nonlinear transmission lines (NLTLs) are used in diverse applications such as edge-sharpening, pulse generation, and frequency conversion, however, length of a useful NLTL can require significant MMIC or RFIC real estate. We present an analytical model for the complex propagation constant of lossy, distributed NLTLs and fabricate several NLTLs in 0.25µm CMOS for verification. Space-saving layout techniques such as serpentine folding and floating-grid substrate shielding are fabricated and we examine their impact on the edge-sharpening performance of the NLTLs.
The Aplysiatoxins: Reactions with Acid and Oxidants

Under the influence of ethanolic acetic acid the aplysiatoxins rearrange with retention of all carbon atoms. An osmate of the anhydrotoxins can be reduced to a glycol which resists oxidative cleavage but loses water and rearranges with acid. Consideration of PMR and reactivity data lead to partial assignment of relative stereochemistry of the toxins.
Estimating the likelihood of fallacious ecological inference: linear ecological regression in the presence of context effects

Abstract In situations where the only reliable data source is electoral data at the aggregate level for a geographic unit such as voting precincts, social scientists have sought to use ecological regression techniques to recreate the voting behavior of particular groups without committing the ecological fallacy of the sort warned of by Robinson (1950). Until quite recently, the most common use of ecological regression techniques was for the analysis of historical data, e.g., determining the social groups that supported the Nazis. In the US, however, in a development little known to political geographers, within the past decade, social science expert witnesses have testified in hundreds of cases involving minority voting rights—cases where a central issue has been to ascertain the extent of white/Anglo support for black or Hispanic (or more recently, Asian-American) candidates in elections involving candidates of more than one race/ ethnic background. One issue in several recent voting rights cases has been whether linear regression methods can validly be used to model racial voting patterns, with experts for defendant jurisdictions claiming that the presence of contextual effects may invalidate the assumptions underlying linear models and give rise to an ecological fallacy. For data on voting patterns in small geographic units such as voting precincts, we show that the presence of a plausible type of race-related contextual effect will, in general, lead to a quadratic relationship between minority share of the electorate and the share of the vote received by the minority candidate. However, when either a substantial proportion of the electorate is located in racially homogeneous or near homogeneous precincts (as often occurs given the patterns of residential concentration in US cities), or when the contextual effects are small, we show that the estimates of the key parameters of interest in voting rights litigation, namely the proportions of minority and non-minority voters who voted for the minority candidate(s), will be very well approximated by a bivariate linear model. In such circumstances, fallacies of ecological inference can be avoided with near certainty, despite the fact that the linear model that has been used to fit the data omits potentially important variables and regression diagnostics for it would show heteroskedasticity, while a quadratic regression would provide coefficients that are essentially uninterpretable in terms of the parameter of interest. This result has potentially broader implications for the reliability of ecological inference because it demonstrates that, under plausible assumptions, a simple ecological model can yield accurate results despite theoretical errors in model specification—because those errors prove to be of little or no practical significance.
Requirement of JNK for Stress- Induced Activation of the Cytochrome c-Mediated Death Pathway

The c-Jun NH2-terminal kinase (JNK) is activated when cells are exposed to ultraviolet (UV) radiation. However, the functional consequence of JNK activation in UV-irradiated cells has not been established. It is shown here that JNK is required for UV-induced apoptosis in primary murine embryonic fibroblasts. Fibroblasts with simultaneous targeted disruptions of all the functional Jnk genes were protected against UV-stimulated apoptosis. The absence of JNK caused a defect in the mitochondrial death signaling pathway, including the failure to release cytochrome c. These data indicate that mitochondria are influenced by proapoptotic signal transduction through the JNK pathway.
On the Costs of Inward-Looking Development: Price Distortions, Growth, and Divergence in Latin America

From the 1930s to the 1980s, economic policies in Latin America epitomized the inward-looking model of development. The model emerged in the Depression, and was later codified in unorthodox economic theories. Even though economic performance was seen as disappointing by the 1960s, the distortions persisted and worsened into the 1970s and 1980s. This article examines the costs of distortions and explores the structural differences between growth dynamics in Latin America and elsewhere. Distortions had profound effects on many aspects of the growth process, help explain divergent development, and raise important questions about economic growth and the evolution of institutions.
Effective stiffness of thin nonlinear gel substrates

Experimental evidence and computational studies of cells cultured on very thin, soft substrates clearly demonstrate that the distance that cell-generated stresses and strains extend into soft culture substrates is considerable. The goal of this work is to examine the effect of nonlinear stiffness on the transmission of stresses and strains in soft culture substrates. Simulated cell tractions are applied to a nonlinear material model representing a fibrin gel utilizing finite element analysis and compared to a linear model. Simulations indicate that nonlinear behavior blunts stress transmission and extends strain fields, although the maximum displacements are decreased. These results have implications for modulating the effective stiffness experienced by cells cultured on soft protein gels.
Analytic calculation of electron beam isodose distributions

Analytical techniques have been developed to generate electron beam isodose distributions from a modest set of experimental data. These techniques include (1) development of a compact yet powerful linear least-squares optimization program with a graphic display of the results, (2) coordinate transformations to allow straightforward fitting of the isodose distributions with simple polynomial functions, and (3) accurate interpolation methods to allow production of treatment planning dose matrices. The program, written in FORTRAN, has been implemented on a minicomputer and uses the standard peripherals of a commercially available treatment planning system (AECL TP-11). The computer-generated isodose and central-axis distributions correspond very closely with the data for electron energies from 5 to 20 MeV and for all field sizes.
Theoretical Study of InAsSb/InTlSB Superlattice for the Far Infrared Detector

We propose a novel superlattice (SL) InAs y Sb 1−y )/In x Tl 1−x Sb lattice matched to InSb for a potential application as an infrared detector material in the 8–12 μm wavelength range. We report on the results of energy band calculations for this SL using the modified Kronig-Penney model. Our preliminary calculations indicate that InAs 0.07 Sb 0.93 /In 0.93 Tl 0.07 Sb would exhibit a type-I SL with conduction band offset of 34 meV and valence band offset of 53 meV at 0K. Due to the lack of accurate information on material parameters, namely, energy offsets and effective masses of InTlSb, these were estimated by comparison with the behavior of HgCdTe system. The theory predicts three heavy hole subbands and one partially confined electron in the 30A InAs 0.07 Sb 0.93 /100A In 0.93 Tl 0.07 Sb SL. The band gap of the SL was computed to be 0.127 eV (9.7 μm). It is expected that this SL will allow improvements in the InTlSb epilayers’ structural quality as it will be sandwiched between higher quality zincblende InAsSb layers.
Complex history of isolation and gene flow in hoary, Olympic, and endangered Vancouver Island marmots

Climate change resulting in a reduction of alpine habitat is believed to pose a considerable risk to alpine-dependent species, including many marmots. Hoary marmots (Marmota caligata) range throughout much of the mountainous Pacific Northwest (PNW) and Rocky Mountains while the closely related Olympic and Vancouver Island marmots (M. olympus and M. vancouverensis, respectively) are restricted to small isolated regions of the PNW. The endemic Vancouver Island marmot is currently classified as Critically Endangered and the Olympic marmot has recently experienced dramatic population declines. Previous phylogenetic studies of PNW marmot species have had limited power as they focused on resolving interspecific relationships, implicitly assumed an absence of gene flow among currently recognized species, included relatively few individuals, and relied heavily or entirely on mitochondrial DNA. We sequenced 2 mitochondrial and 4 nuclear markers from 167 hoary, 4 Vancouver Island, and 5 Olympic marmots in order to ...
Connexins Are Critical for Normal Myelination in the CNS

Mutations in Cx32, a gap-junction channel-forming protein, result in X-linked Charcot-Marie-Tooth disease, a demyelinating disease of the peripheral nervous system. However, although oligodendrocytes express Cx32, central myelination is unaffected. To explore this discrepancy, we searched for additional oligodendrocyte connexins. We found Cx47, which is expressed specifically in oligodendrocytes, regulated in parallel with myelin genes and partially colocalized with Cx32 in oligodendrocytes. Mice lacking either Cx47 or Cx32 are viable. However, animals lacking both connexins die by postnatal week 6 from profound abnormalities in central myelin, characterized by thin or absent myelin sheaths, vacuolation, enlarged periaxonal collars, oligodendrocyte cell death, and axonal loss. These data provide the first evidence that gap-junction communication is crucial for normal central myelination.
Spatial control of InGaN luminescence by MOCVD selective epitaxy

Selective epitaxial growth of InGaN alloys was performed by metalorganic chemical vapor deposition (MOCVD). Templates consisted of arrays of circular etched holes in a SiO 2 mask layer, with pre-grown GaN hexagonal pyramid structures. The room temperature (300 K) photoluminescence (PL) peak wavelength increased with increasing maskopening spacing for a constant mask-opening diameter. For 5 lm diameter pyramids, peak PL wavelengths ranged from 457 to 505 nm for mask opening spacings of 6 to 13 lm, compared to PL peak wavelength of 420 nm for a planar reference sample. ( 1998 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.
Influence of Chain Length on Oil—Water Ion-Pair Partitioning Behavior of p-Alkylpyridinium Chlorides

The intrinsic partition coefficients (kt) of p-alkylpyridines and the extraction constants (Ke) of the corresponding ionpairs of the protonated base chlorides were determined in chloroform-water and octanol-water systems. A linear relationship with unit slope was found between log (kt) and log (Ke). This result has been explained on the basis that, because of methylene (CH2) increments occurring distantly from the polar portion of the molecule, their influence upon the oil-water partition coefficient would be expected to be the same for the free base and the ion-pair.
Explicit construction for reliable reconfigurable array architectures

This paper describes some explicit constructions for reconfigurable array architectures. Given a working architecture (application graph), the authors add redundant hardware to increase reliability. The degree of reconfigurability, DR, of a redundant graph is a measure of the cost of reconfiguration after failures. When DR is independent of the size of the application graph, the authors say the graph is finitely reconfigurable, FR. They present a class of simple layered graphs with a logarithmic number of redundant edges, which can maintain both finite reconfigurability and a fixed level of reliability for a wide class of application graphs. By sacrificing finite reconfigurability, they show that by using expanders they can construct highly reliable structures with the asymptotically optimal number of edges for one-dimensional and tree-like array architectures. >
Trematodes of Minor Medical Importance

The adult Fasciolopsis buski lives attached to the columnar epithelium of the small intestine. F. buski is a pathogen restricted to the Orient and the Indian subcontinent. It is found in China, India, Vietnam, and Thailand. Reservoir hosts include dogs and rabbits.
Probability–Utility Model for Evidence-Based Decision-Making

Patients may become more informed about the choices that go into making optimal clinical decisions for their own personal health care. The model also provides for visual images to be used in discussing their personal choices when considering different treatment options and clinical scenarios. The calculations accomplished through the model provide trade-off analyses by which discussions may be facilitated between provider and patient in reaching informed consent and optimal clinical decisions in formulating treatment plans.
Xerostomia: current streams of investigation

Xerostomia is the subjective feeling of dry mouth, and it is often related to salivary hypofunction. Besides medication-related salivary hypofunction, Sjogren syndrome and head-and-neck radiation are two common etiologies that have garnered considerable attention. Approaches to treating and/or preventing salivary hypofunction in patients with these conditions will likely incorporate gene therapy, stem cell therapy, and tissue engineering. Advances in these disciplines are central to current research in the cure for xerostomia and will be key to eventual treatment.
Cyclic membrane flow in the ingestive-digestive system of peritrich protozoans. I. Vesicular fusion at the cytopharynx.

Food vacuoles in peritrichs form by pinching off the distal half of the cytopharynx; and thus the pharyngeal membrane must be renewed during feeding. Correlation of light- and electron-microscopic observations indicates that the membranes of the ingestive-digestive system recycle. As the young food vacuoles enter the first stage of digestion (condensation of the vacuole), they pinch off cup-shaped coated vesicles which, in association with the microtubular post-oral fibres, return to the pharynx. In the peripharyngeal region, the 0.25-µm diameter cups flatten into 0.42-µm diameter disks, which then fuse with the pharyngeal membrane, thereby providing membrane for future food vacuoles. Ultrastructural evidence for similar patterns of cyclic membrane flow and the functional implications of the association of the pharyngeal membrane with the microtubules of the pharyngeal ribs are considered for other protozoa, including suctorians.
NEAMS Update. Quarterly Report for January - March 2014

This quarterly report covers the following points: A fully three-dimensional smeared cracking model has been implemented and tested in BISON; DAKOTA-BISON was used to study the parameters that govern heat transfer across the fuel-cladding; Calculations of grain boundary mobility in UO2 have been extended to high temperatures; Mesh adaptivity is being employed in MARMOT simulations to increase computational efficiency; Molecular dynamics simulations have shown correlation between atomic displacements and the anisotropic thermal conductivity in UO2; The SHARP team continues to address the application of the toolkit to assembly deformations driven by reactivity feedback; The Nek5000 team has extended the low-Machnumber capability to mixtures with multiple species; The generalized cross section library has been tested for various fuel assemblies and reactor types; and The subgroup cross-section interface was successfully implemented in PROTEUS-SN (page 6).
Is This Patient Pregnant

A 40-year-old woman with a history of Takayasu arteritis, Sjogren syndrome, Raynaud phenomenon, and endometriosis status after hysterectomy with salpingo-oophorectomy presented for participation in a research protocol. Her serum human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG)2 concentration was 7 IU/L (reference interval ≤5 IU/L) (Table 1). The patient did not have a history of gestational trophoblastic disease (GTD) or malignancy. The physician asked how …
Campaign and corporate goals in conflict: Exploring company-issue congruence through a content analysis of Coca-Cola’s twitter feed

Abstract This study explored the role of company-issue congruence in regard to public response to CSR social media messages through the unique case study of Coca-Cola, the world’s largest beverage company, which includes sustainability commitments demonstrative of both high and low company-issue congruence. Counter to existing recommendations for CSR, the findings suggest that CSR initiatives that are highly congruent with a company’s products or services, but to which corporate products or manufacturing processes contribute negatively, are likely to be criticized more heavily and elicit more public skepticism.
The Radial Equation for Central Force Fields

We saw in the previous chapter that for spherically symmetric force fields solutions to Schrodinger’s equation are $$u\left( r \right) = R\left( r \right)Y\left( {\theta ,\phi } \right)$$ where Y(λ, o) satisfies Eq. (5.9). The general solution can be written as an infinite sum of such products.1 The radial dependence of u(r) is contained in R(r) which is described by the differential equation2 $$\frac{d}{{dr}}\left( {{r^2}\frac{d}{{dr}}R\left( r \right)} \right) + \left\{ {\frac{{2m{r^2}}}{{{h^2}}}\left[ {E - V\left( R \right)} \right] - l(l + 1)} \right\}R(r) = 0$$ (6.1) The function V(r) represents the potential energy of the particle in the central field.
From Radiated Energy to Electrical Energy: Physics of Photovoltaic Cells

After its trip as electromagnetic wave, energy reaches the Earth. Now, it can be transformed into electrical energy. This chapter deals with the behavior of matter, in particular of a semiconductor, and how it can interact with the Sun’s radiation to obtain voltage and current at the terminals of a photovoltaic cell.
Distributed Computing Technologies in Big Data Analytics

One of the fundamental technology used in Big Data Analytics is the distributed computing. The traditional distributed computing technology has been adapted to create a new class of distributed computing platform and software components that make the big data analytics easier to implement. In this chapter, we discuss few of these technologies. First, we discuss the distributed database technology and how this technology has been adapted to develop no-SQL database technologies. Following this, we discuss the distributed file system (HDFS) and distributed computing technology such as map-reduce and spark. We discuss how the distributed storage and distributed computing has impacted the machine learning platforms for big data. Next, we discuss the distributed search platform and how such search platform can be used for data analytics on textual documents. We also describe the distributed communication platform such as message queue and message processing software. The data visualization technology is also changing with the big data. So lastly we introduce readers to few newer data visualization platforms targeted for big data.
The Impact of Hurricane Katrina on Children and Adolescents: Conceptual and Methodological Implications for Assessment and Intervention

Hurricane Katrina was one of the most devastating natural disasters the United States has ever encountered. Although many were adversely affected by Hurricane Katrina, this chapter focuses on children and the role traumatic events can play on their mental health. The chapter begins with an overview of the immediate and ongoing efforts of the first author and his associates in the wake of Katrina. These efforts include deployments to the Gulf Coast and his briefing of the then First Lady, Laura Bush, on the psychological ramifications that traumatic events can have on children and adolescents. A review of the research literature regarding the impact of Hurricane Katrina on youth survivors follows. Recommendations for assessment and post-disaster intervention efforts are made within the context of the dose–response model. This conceptual model illustrates the roles of many risk and protective factors, including exposure, social support, coping, race/ethnicity, age, gender, parent–child interaction. The chapter concludes with recommendations for future clinical and research initiatives.
Tensor properties of the magnetoelectric coupling in hexaferrites

Recent data reported on magnetoelectric coupling parameter \ensuremath{\alpha} for hexaferrite materials are very high; hence, these materials are expected to potentially impact future technologies in a major way. At this juncture, it is imperative to address the fundamental question, ``What does \ensuremath{\alpha} depend on?'' in order to advance the design of new hexaferrite materials with even higher \ensuremath{\alpha}. A complete mathematical formulation of a microscopic model would be rather complicated, especially for complex crystal structures such as the $Z$-type hexaferrites. Herein we present a simple, yet elegant thermodynamic argument by which we derive a functional relationship between \ensuremath{\alpha} and the material parameters. We show that \ensuremath{\alpha} is best described as a tensor proportional to the product of magnetostriction and piezoelectric strain tensors. Using this relationship, quantitative values for \ensuremath{\alpha} are estimated and compared to experimentally measured values for various hexaferrites, composites, and ${\mathrm{Cr}}_{2}{\mathrm{O}}_{3}$.
Miniaturization Limits for Mos Technology

The progress in miniaturization of MOSFET devices and integrated circuits has continued steadily. Even while development work using 1μm dimensions is building up, exploratory efforts in submicron devices has begun. Government funding has served to stimulate this effort, a notable step in this direction being the VHSIC program which aims to establish feasibility of 1/2μm MOSFET technology in the next few years.1 In this context the subject of limits to miniaturization has more than remote academic interest; indeed, reducing dimensions further by only a factor of two will require dealing with severe technical barriers which eventually will limit the size of MOSFET devices. None of these barriers is precisely and sharply defined, so that many design trade offs and compromises remain to be made before the ultimate dimensional limit will be known.
Prenatal phenol and paraben exposures in relation to child neurodevelopment including autism spectrum disorders in the MARBLES study.

Abstract Background Environmental phenols and parabens are endocrine disrupting chemicals (EDCs) with the potential to affect child neurodevelopment including autism spectrum disorders (ASD). Our aim was to assess whether exposure to environmental phenols and parabens during pregnancy was associated with an increased risk of clinical ASD or other nontypical development (non-TD). Methods This study included mother-child pairs (N = 207) from the Markers of Autism Risks in Babies – Learning Early Signs (MARBLES) Cohort Study with urinary phenol and paraben metabolites analyzed using liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS) from repeated pregnancy urine samples. Because family recurrence risks in siblings are about 20%, MARBLES enrolls pregnant women who already had a child with ASD. Children were clinically assessed at 3 years of age and classified into 3 outcome categories: ASD, non-TD, or typically developing (TD). Single analyte analyses were conducted with trinomial logistic regression and weighted quantile sum (WQS) regression was used to test for mixture effects. Results Regression models were adjusted for pre-pregnancy body mass index, prenatal vitamin use (yes/no), homeowner status (yes/no), birth year, and child's sex. In single chemical analyses phenol exposures were not significantly associated with child's diagnosis. Mixture analyses using trinomial WQS regression showed a significantly increased risk of non-TD compared to TD (OR = 1.58, 95% CI: 1.04, 2.04) with overall greater prenatal phenol and paraben metabolites mixture. Results for ASD also showed an increased risk, but it was not significant. Discussion This is the first study to provide evidence that pregnancy environmental phenol exposures may increase the risk for non-TD in a high-risk population.
Scoring Antarctic surface mass balance in climate models to refine future projections

Abstract. An increase of Antarctic Ice Sheet (AIS) surface mass balance (SMB) has the potential to mitigate future sea level rise that is driven by enhanced solid ice discharge from the ice sheet. For climate models, AIS SMB provides a difficult challenge, as it is highly susceptible to spatial, seasonal and interannual variability. Here we use a reconstructed data set of AIS snow accumulation as "true" observational data, to evaluate the ability of the CMIP5 and CMIP6 suites of models in capturing the mean, trends, temporal variability and spatial variability in SMB over the historical period (1850–2000). This gives insight into which models are most reliable for predicting SMB into the future. We found that the best scoring models included the National Aeronautics and Space Administration's GISS models and the Max Planck Institute far Meteorologie's MPI models. Using a scoring system based on SMB magnitude, trend, and temporal variability across the AIS, as well as spatial SMB variability, we selected a subset of the top 10th percentile of models to refine 21st century (2000–2100) AIS-integrated SMB projections to 2295 ± 1222 Gt per year 2382 ± 1316 Gt per year, and 2648 ± 1530 Gt per year for Representative Concentration Pathways (RCPs) 2.6, 4.5, and 8.5, respectively. We also reduced the spread in AIS-integrated mean SMB by 78 %, 75 %, and 78 % in RCPs 2.6, 4.5, and 8.5, respectively.
Gender Disparity Among Surgical Peer-Reviewed Literature.

Abstract Background Women remain under-represented in academic surgery despite increasing percentages of female surgeons and surgery residents. Publications and leadership positions are used for hiring and promoting academic surgeons. We sought to determine the disparity of female authorship when compared with male authors in surgical peer-reviewed publications. Methods PubMed was searched for surgical publications from the United States. Obstetrics and gynecology was selected as a control specialty owing to its history of high female representation. Thirteen other surgical specialties were randomly selected from the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education specialty list. Manuscripts from four time periods, 2000-2005, 2006-2010, 2011-2015, and 2016-2017, were randomly selected, and the gender of the first and last authors was determined. The Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education and Association of American Medical Colleges databases were used to determine women representation in surgery. Trends were assessed using the Cochran-Armitage test. Results In total, 560 manuscripts in 14 specialties were reviewed. In the control specialty, 51% of first authors were female compared with 18% of those in study specialties, and 39% of last authors were female compared with 11% of those in study specialties. No difference was found when comparing the gender of first (P-value = 0.393) and/or last authors (P-value = 0.281) with the proportion of female residents and attendings. Conclusions Women surgeons publish research at a rate proportional to the number of females involved in that specialty. Disparities in leadership roles are unlikely explained by differences in publications. Instead, disparities are likely due to other reasons such as failure to attract women to academic surgery and failure to promote and mentor women surgeons into leadership positions.
Seasonal phenology and activity of spotted lanternfly (Lycorma delicatula) in eastern US vineyards

Spotted lanternfly (SLF) is an invasive insect pest in the northeastern USA, and current projections suggest global spread of this insect. SLF is particularly damaging in grape; however, little is known about SLF activity and phenology in vineyards. In 2018–2019, adult SLF populations were monitored in 7–9 Pennsylvania vineyards using weekly visual assessments of vines. Additional studies were carried out in 2019 to identify the daily activity (e.g., feeding, mating, flying) of SLF adults in vineyards. Weekly monitoring data revealed that adults infested vineyards in late summer and populations peaked in early to mid-September. Nymphs were observed on vines in the spring, but nymphal populations did not persist at high levels throughout the season (< 5 SLF/vine). Prior to harvest, SLF was predominantly found on the shoots, but after harvest, greatest proportions of SLF were found on the trunk. Both feeding and dispersal activity increased throughout the day with greatest proportions of these activities observed in the afternoon and evening compared to morning observations. Daily increases of SLF on vines were positively correlated with SLF dispersal, suggesting high input from the surrounding landscape and potential need for area-wide management of this pest. Understanding seasonal patterns of SLF may improve management of this pest through timing control measures with population influxes both diurnally and seasonally.
The histone-like protein AlgP regulon is distinct in mucoid and nonmucoid Pseudomonas aeruginosa and does not include alginate biosynthesis genes

The opportunistic bacterial pathogen Pseudomonas aeruginosa causes acute and chronic infections that are notoriously difficult to treat. In people with cystic fibrosis, P. aeruginosa can cause lifelong lung infections, and isolation of mucoid P. aeruginosa, resulting from the overproduction of alginate, is associated with chronic infection. The histone-like protein AlgP has previously been implicated in the control of alginate gene expression in mucoid strains, but this regulation is unclear. To explore AlgP in further detail, we deleted algP in mucoid strains and demonstrated that the deletion of algP did not result in a nonmucoid phenotype or a decrease in alginate production. We showed that the algP promoter is expressed by both the nonmucoid strain PAO1 and the isogenic mucoid strain PDO300, suggesting that there may be genes that are differentially regulated between these strains. In support of this, using RNA sequencing, we identified a small AlgP regulon that has no significant overlap between PAO1 and PDO300 and established that alginate genes were not differentially regulated by the deletion of algP. Of note, we found that deleting algP in PAO1 increased expression of the nitric oxide operon norCBD and the nitrous oxide reductase genes nosRZ and subsequently promoted growth of PAO1 under anaerobic conditions. Altogether, we have defined a narrow regulon of genes controlled by AlgP and provided evidence that alginate production is not greatly affected by AlgP, countering the long-standing premise in the field.
Time Evolution and the Nature of the Near-Infrared Jets in GRS 1915+105

We observed the Galactic microquasar GRS 1915+105 in the K (2.2 ?m) band on 1995 October 16 and 17 UTC using the cryogenic optical bench (COB) infrared imager on the Kitt Peak National Observatory 2.1 m telescope with a 02 pixel-1 plate scale and under good (~07) seeing conditions. Using a neighboring star in the image frames to determine the point-spread function (PSF), we PSF-subtract the images of GRS 1915+105. We find no evidence of extended emission such as the apparent near-IR jets seen by Sams, Eckart, & Sunyaev in 1995 July. Simple modeling of the star plus jet structure allows us to place an upper limit on any similar emission at that position of K > 16.4 at the 95% confidence level, as compared to K = 13.9 as seen by Sams et al. This lack of extended IR flux during continued hard X-ray flaring activity confirms the hypothesis that the extended IR emission arises from the superluminal radio-emitting jets rather than reprocessing of the X-ray emission on other structures around the compact central object. Given the large apparent velocity of the radio-emitting jets, by the time of our observations the Sams et al. feature would have moved more than 1'' from GRS 1915+105, and we can place a limit of K > 17.7 (95% confidence level) on any infrared emission in this region. We can thus place an upper limit of ? < 28 days on the radiative timescale of the feature, which is consistent with synchrotron jet emission.
The Significance of Federal Taxes as Automatic Stabilizers

In this paper, a simple methodology to assess the effectiveness of automatic stabilizers is proposed and empirically tested using French data for the period 1970-2000. The paper concludes that fiscal stabilizers have dampened output variability by approximately 35 45 percent depending on the measure of potential output used. In addition, the results indicate that fiscal stabilizers mainly operated through the reduction of private investment fluctuations from 1970 to 1985, and through the reduction of private consumption variability thereafter. Due to the counterfactual nature of the analysis performed, the simplicity of the theoretical model, and simultaneity issues that might introduce biases, the results can at most be interpreted as approximations of the phenomenon that is analyzed.
The Problem of Contextualizing a Prestigious Yet Non-Divine Jesus of Islamic Tradition: Theorizing a Radical Transition in the Course of Christology from the New Testament to the Qur’an

This article addresses the question of the messianic motif of Christianity making its way into the Qur’an without wearing a badge of high New Testament Christology. It attempts to explore and understand a potentially underlying connection among the Islamic ‘Isā, the New Testament Jesus, and the Jewish messiah in a quest for the configuration of a historical Christ through the ideological and historical minefields that exist between the Islamic and the Judeo-Christian Scriptures. The person of Jesus is, therefore, understood to be historical in the article without positing a response to the fundamental questions raised by the historical Jesus skepticism. What I will try to avoid in the following pages, on the contrary, is to treat and brand the Qur’anic portrayal of Jesus as a “stand-alone” concept—indifferent to the historical context of the Bible—hanging in a theological balance, as some critics would be inclined to call it. The article is linearly structured according to the major Qur’anic precepts and concepts developed around the person of Jesus through its text, which originally do not follow a particular sequence. A comparative study of Islamic Jesus against a two-pronged history of the concept is carried out for a critical analysis of the characterization of Islamic Jesus and the received concept of messiah. Such an analysis is important particularly on two fronts: comparison with the Judeo-Christian Bible and comparison with the orthodox Islamic position in certain aspects that fall outside the Qur’anic provenance. The life and ministry of Jesus pictured in the present article is, for the most part, a reconstruction of the important notion of Christology from within the Qur’an without breaking it down to a form of reductionism capitalizing on rudimentary borrowing from an external source.
Ride-hailing with kids: Who's got their back?

Abstract Introduction: As transportation network companies (TNC) are on the rise, assessing the safety of children traveling in these vehicles is imperative. For this reason, this study developed and adopted a scoring system to assess states’ safety standards for children traveling in TNC vehicles. Methods: The scoring was based on two parameters pertaining to child car seat laws for TNCs: clarity and stringency. For each parameter, three criteria that could impact child safety in TNC vehicles were formulated. If a state met a certain criterion it got 1 point and 0 otherwise. The authors gathered all the necessary information by reviewing state statutes in Nexus Uni, a legal research database. These reviews took place between December 2019 and October 2020, and this study evaluated state laws in effect on October 28, 2020. Results: During this assessment, the authors observed a lack of clarity in state child car seat laws, which could compromise safety of children traveling in TNC vehicles. For clarity of laws, Georgia and Indiana received the highest scores (3 out of 3 points), while 16 states scored only 1 point, which was the lowest score in this category. In terms of stringency of laws, Pennsylvania received the highest score (3 out of 3 points), while Indiana scored the least (0 points). Conclusions: Besides one state (Oregon), all other states defined TNCs in their state laws. All states except for Indiana and Washington required child car seats in TNC vehicles. The responsibility for child car seat use was clearly defined in 35 states. The fine for child car seat violation was $50 or more in 28 states. Practical Application: This study will help TNCs, policymakers, and stakeholders identify states that need to improve their standards for child safety in TNC vehicles, and comprehensively address the issue.
Sediment Production in Ravines in the Lower Le Sueur River Watershed, Minnesota

Ravine erosion is an important occurrence of soil erosion processes. Although its sediment yield is significant, ravine erosion is not usually accounted in routines for predicting soil loss. This study focuses on quantifying explicitly the sediment budget of deeply incised ravines in the lower Le Sueur River watershed, in southern Minnesota. High-rate-gully-erosion equations along with the universal soil loss equation (USLE) were implemented in a numerical modeling approach that is based on a time integration of the sediment balance equations. The model estimates the rates of ravine width and depth change and the amount of sediment periodically flushing from the ravines. Using ArcGIS and ArcHydro tools, topographic characteristics of the study ravines were derived from the LiDAR-based digital elevation model (DEM) of the area. A 30-year survey and sediment data from similar research was used as a case study in an attempt to justify the theoretical framework of the model and characterize model parameters. The model output for the case study was found to compare favorably with the estimates found in previously reported studies. Components of the sediment budget in the study ravines were simulated with the model and results suggest that the ravine walls are the major sediment source in the ravines. A sensitivity analysis revealed that the erodibility coefficients of the gully bed and wall, the local slope angle, and the Manning’s coefficient are the key parameters controlling the rate of sediment production. Recommendations to guide further monitoring efforts in the watershed and increased detail modeling approaches are highlighted as a result of this modeling effort.
A strategy for the integration of object-oriented data modeling into the undergraduate database course

Computer programming and business-systems design are increasingly embracing the object paradigm. It is important that students learn both traditional methods and object methods in the undergraduate database course. Object-oriented concepts such as generalization hierarchies and aggregation require a substantially different mindset than does the traditional course content. Most database textbooks are attempting to integrate the presentation of the traditional and the object-oriented concepts. This can be confusing to students who lack grounding in either approach to data modeling. This article proposes that following the traditional presentation of normalization, the star-schema design of data marts be used as a transition between the traditional methods and the object-oriented database design methods. The denormalized dimensions used in the design of data marts are conceptually similar to entity classes. Object-relational design can then be presented in terms of moving common attributes up the generalization hierarchy into parent and abstract classes. Finally, methods can be added in order to introduce the students to fully object-oriented database design. The author reports preliminary experiences in presenting the material in this way to an undergraduate class.
Advanced Pancreatic Cancer

Carcinoma of the pancreas remains a lethal disease, but much progress has been made in understanding the biology of this cancer. The many genes known to be mutated in the malignant pancreatic cancer cell, especially K-ras and pl6INK4, allow the tumor to grow rapidly, metastasize early and not respond to most conventional chemotherapy agents. Combinations of newer agents that can inhibit the up-regulated growth pathway, including anti-growth factor receptor antibodies, anti-growth factor tyrosine kinases, anti-ras molecules, anti-cyclin Dl, and anti-transcription factors, may correct and stop the growth of these cells. Anti-angiogenesis factors and anti-integrins may decrease or block metastasis. Combining these new agents with gemcitabine and other chemotherapy agents will hopefully improve the prognosis for patients with pancreatic cancer.
Comparative Assessment of the Effect of Lomefloxacin, Ciprofloxacin, and Placebo on Cerebral Blood Flow, and Glucose and Oxygen Metabolism in Healthy Subjects by Positron Emission Tomography

The mechanism by which the fluorinated quinolones produce central nervous system (CNS) effects is currently unknown. We measured the effect of lomefloxacin on cerebral blood flow and metabolism using positron emission tomography. Eighteen healthy, nonsmoking volunteers were randomized to receive lomefloxacin 400 mg, ciprofloxacin 750 mg, or placebo given in a single-blind fashion every 12 hours for 72 hours, the time window for maximum lomefloxacin CNS effects. Subjects receiving lomefloxacin had a mean (± SEM) cerebral blood flow (CBF) of 46 (2.9) ml/min/100 g, glucose metabolism (FDG) 4.7 (0.4) mg/min/100 g, oxygen metabolism (OM) 3.3 (0.3) ml/min/100 g, and oxygen extraction (%OM) 0.4 (0.04). Posttreatment values were 43 (3.6) ml/min/100 g, 4.2 (0.4) mg/min/100 g, 2.6 (0.3) ml/min/100 g, and 0.4 (0.03), respectively. Values for subjects receiving ciprofloxacin were CBF 44.8 (1.6) ml/min/100 g, FDG 4.9 (0.7) mg/min/100 g, OM 4.1 (0.4) ml/min/100 g, and %OM 0.6 (0.03) at baseline, and 40.3 (3.5), 4.5 (0.6), 3.4 (0.4), and 0.5 (0.09), respectively, after treatment. For placebo-treated subjects, baseline values were CBF 41.4 (1.9) ml/min/100 g, FDG 4.9 (0.5) mg/min/100 g, OM 3.3 (0.4) ml/min/100 g, and %OM 0.5 (0.07), and respective posttreatment values were 42.1 (2.3), 5.0 (0.6), 3.5 (0.3), and 0.5 (0.02). No effect was observed on visual (qualitative), blinded reading of the scans. No significant effect on cerebral blood flow or metabolism was detected. We conclude that short-term administration of lomefloxacin or ciprofloxacin to healthy volunteers does not have a significant effect on cerebral blood flow, or on oxygen or glucose metabolism. Trends toward decreased metabolism in the quinolone-treated subjects are consistent with findings from other published trials, although their significance is unclear.
Abstract MP38: Local Population Income, Geographic Space and Interactions Predict Increased Presence of Physical Activity Facilities in New York City Metropolitan Area Census Tracts, 1990-2010

Introduction: Physical activity is associated with improved health and is supported, in part, by the presence of facilities that provide space and equipment to pursue a variety of physical activities. We assessed the hypothesis that socio-geographic characteristics predict increased local availability of commercial physical activity facilities over time. Longitudinal examination of physical activity facility distribution can inform our response to current disparities in access to public and private physical activity venues. Methods: We used data from the National Establishment Time-Series (NETS), a longitudinal database of U.S. businesses, focusing on 4528 census tracts (23 counties) in the New York City metropolitan area and on decennial intervals for which population data were also available through the Census or American Community Survey (1990, 2000, 2010). Commercial physical activity facilities (e.g., gyms, tennis courts, martial arts studios) were defined based on Standard Industrial Classification (SIC) codes and name searches. Facility counts were aggregated to 2010 census tract boundaries and linked to local population characteristics. Comparisons across decennial intervals were used to define increasing count of physical activity facilities and shifting population demographics. Associations were evaluated using lasso logistic regression to estimate relationships with predictor variables and their interactions with model shrinkage and variable subset selection through 10-fold cross-validation for minimization of test set model deviance. Results: Census tracts with at least one physical activity facility increased over time (1990=1172, 2000=2295, 2010=2365). Greater tract-level median income, larger land area, and higher previous total physical activity facilities at start of decade were positively associated with greater odds for local increase in physical activity facilities (OR=1.27 per SD median income; OR=1.30 per SD land area; OR=1.14 per SD lagged facility count). Inclusion of two-way interaction terms increased R2 estimates from 0.30 to 0.33, suggesting explanation of an additional 3% of the variation in facility count increase. Subset selection through lasso to minimize cross-validation error resulted in retention of 11 of 21 possible two-way predictor interactions. The association between 10-year increase in median income with increased physical activity facility count was stronger in geographically larger census tracts (interaction OR=1.05); similarly, a stronger relationship was found for 10-year population count increase with physical facility count increase in larger census tracts (interaction OR=1.05). Conclusion: Local population, geographic, and business environment characteristics are associated with change in physical activity facilities. Inclusion of interaction terms improved prediction.
A Supercritical Helium Facility for Measuring High-Voltage Breakdown

Several groups working in the field of power transmission using superconducting cables have proposed the use of flexible cables [1,2]. In these cables, the insulation between the inner and outer conductors is a dielectric tape; at the operating temperature, the interstices between the tapes become impregnated by helium coolant.