cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Percutaneous coronary intervention with the TandemHeart™ percutaneous left ventricular assist device support: Six years of experience and outcomes.

Objectives Our study was designed to evaluate the outcomes of TandemHeart™ assistance during percutaneous coronary intervention, specifically in relationship to pre-procedural clinical and hemodynamic risk factors in patients ineligible for surgical revascularization. Background We have used the TandemHeart™ percutaneous left ventricular assist device during percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) in patients for whom conventional PCI and aorto-coronary bypass would pose substantial risk owing to comorbidities and/or clinical presentations. Methods We retrospectively analyzed data from 626 consecutive PCIs at the Texas Heart Institute from 2005 to 2011. Among these, 74 interventions were performed with TandemHeart™ support. Mortality and morbidity were analyzed in relationship to presentation status (elective, urgent, emergent, or emergent salvage), and then we recorded outcomes and survival rates over the course of six years. Results At 30 days after PCI, survival rates were 94%, 88%, 79%, and 55% in the elective, urgent, emergent, and emergent salvage groups, respectively. Survival rates at one year were at 75% in the elective, 64% in the urgent, 52% in the emergent, and 45% in the emergent salvage groups. Survival rates at 6 years were 68% in the elective, 53% in the urgent, 31% in the emergent, and 41% in the emergent salvage groups, respectively. In elective and urgent groups, successful weaning from mechanical support was possible in all patients. In the emergent and emergent salvage groups, successful weaning from mechanical support was possible in 84% and 55% of patients, respectively. Conclusions TandemHeart™ assisted PCI is a viable option for revascularization in cases of profound cardiogenic shock or extremely risky intervention due to complex anatomy. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Understanding the causes of retail product returns

Purpose – The distribution literature provides support for examining product returns from a customer-based perspective. Based on this need, the purpose of this paper is to identify the underlying causes of product returns based on a survey of 308 Wal-Mart and Target customers who engaged in product returns. Design/methodology/approach – Structural equation modelling was used to verify and test the relationships examined. Findings – It was found that dissatisfaction with a product results in an emotional dissonance that is positively related to product returns. Two primary reasons for return were examined, the expectation of the customer not being met and the customer finding a better product or price. Both reasons for return were found to influence the frequency of returns. It is also reported that gender, but not store brand moderated these relationships. Males had higher levels of product dissatisfaction and subsequent emotional dissonance than females. Males however did not have higher rates of return ...
Predicting Crop Yield via Partial Linear Model with Bootstrap

We construct partial linear models to predict Minnesota corn and soybean yields by county. Climate variables, such as monthly precipitation and temperature measures, are included as covariates. However, fitting a standard linear regression is inadequate, and hence, an arbitrary nonparametric function over time is included for superior prediction performance. In a novel approach, the nonparametric component is approximated using an increasing sequence of orthonormal basis functions of the appropriate function space. We use different bootstrap schemes to produce prediction bounds and error estimates for the model, since the noise terms appear to be heteroscedastic and non-normal in the data. Results are presented and caveats and extensions to the model are also discussed.
Assessing the narrative abilities of Spanish-speaking preschool children: A Spanish adaptation of the narrative assessment protocol

Abstract Driven by the need for valid progress monitoring tools of language and early literacy for Spanish-speaking preschool children, we investigated the utility of a Spanish-language adaptation of a tool designed to evaluate and monitor preschoolers’ language growth in a narrative context. Participants included sixty Spanish-speaking children between the ages of three and four enrolled in community-based preschool classrooms. Child narrative retells were collected both in the fall and spring. Following coding procedures of the original English protocol, narratives were transcribed and scored according to 27 features within five categories: sentence structure, phrase structure, modifiers, nouns, and verbs. Nine additional features appropriate to Spanish were included in the analysis. Analysis of construct, concurrent, and predictive validity supported the utility of both long and short versions of the Spanish adaptation. Several differences between the original English version and Spanish adaption emerged. In particular, the inclusion of features related to number-gender agreement and regular imperfect verb tense benefited the tool. Spanish-speaking participants produced more tier-two verbs than tier-two nouns. In conclusion, the tool holds promise as an efficient way to monitor Spanish-speaking preschoolers’ progress in language development in a narrative context.
Osteoporosis Imaging in the Geriatric Patient

Given the expected rapid growth of the geriatric world population (=individuals aged >65 years) to 1.3 billion by 2050, age-related diseases such as osteoporosis and its sequelae, osteoporotic fractures, are on the rise. Areal bone mineral density (aBMD) by dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry (DXA) is the current gold standard to diagnose osteoporosis, to assess osteoporotic fracture risk, and to monitor treatment-induced BMD changes. However, most fragility fractures occur in patients with normal or osteopenic aBMD, indicating that factors beyond BMD impact bone strength. Recent developments in DXA technology such as TBS, VFA, and hip geometry analysis are now available to assess some of these non-BMD parameters from the DXA image. This review will discuss the use of DXA and DXA-assisted technologies and their respective advantages and disadvantages. Special attention is given to if and how each method is indicated in the geriatric population, and the latest ISCD 2015 guidelines have been incorporated.
Climate change and water resources in a tropical island system: propagation of uncertainty from statistically downscaled climate models to hydrologic models

Many tropical islands have limited water resources with historically increasing demand, all potentially affected by a changing climate. The effects of climate change on island hydrology are difficult to model due to steep local precipitation gradients and sparse data. This work uses 10 statistically downscaled general circulation models (GCMs) under two greenhouse gas emission scenarios to evaluate the uncertainty propagated from GCMs in projecting the effects of climate change on water resources in a tropical island system. The assessment is conducted using a previously configured hydrologic model, the Precipitation Runoff Modelling System (PRMS) for Puerto Rico. Projected climate data and their modelled hydrologic variables versus historical measurements and their modelled hydrologic variables are found to have empirical distribution functions that are statistically different with less than 1 year of daily data aggregation. Thus, only annual averages of the projected hydrologic variables are employed as completely bias-corrected model outputs. The magnitude of the projected total flow decreases in the four regions covering Puerto Rico, but with a large range of uncertainty depending on the makeup of the GCM ensemble. The multi-model mean projected total flow decreases by 49–88% of historical amounts from the 1960s to the 2090s for the high emissions scenarios and by 39–79% for the low emissions scenarios. Subsurface flow contributions decreased the least and groundwater flow contributions decreased the most across the island. At locations critical to water supply for human use, projected streamflow is shown to decrease substantially below projected withdrawals by 2099.
Host-Mediated Competition Between the Pathogen Bacillus thuringiensis and the Parasitoid Cotesia plutellae of the Diamondback Moth (Lepidoptera: Plutellidae)

We evaluated the effects of variation in phenotype of Plutella xylostella (L.), diamondback moth, on within-host interactions between the bacterial pathogen Bacillus thuringiensis Berliner and larvae of the parasitoid wasp, Cotesia plutellae Kurdjumov. The outcome of interactions between the parasitoid and pathogen depended on host phenotype. Host resistance to the pathogen reduced the success of both the parasitoid and the pathogen. In susceptible hosts, the parasitoid did not affect performance of the pathogen, but the pathogen had a significant negative effect on the parasitoid. In moderately resistant hosts, the interaction between the parasitoid and pathogen was symmetrical and competitive; the parasitoid had a significant negative effect on pathogen performance and the pathogen had a significant negative effect on parasitoid performance. Highly resistant hosts were not susceptible to infection by the pathogen, which created a refugium from competition for the parasitoid. The results show that, similar to host-plant-mediated competition between herbivores, host phenotype can influence competitive interactions between parasitoids and pathogens.
Flipped Classrooms and Discovery Learning in Business and Professional Communication

Flipped classrooms have become a major trend in higher education. A Google search of “flipped classroom” now comes up with almost 5 million hits, a twofold increase since one of the authors presented in this issue did the same search. Flipping generally refers to a model in which activities inside and outside of class are reversed, or flipped, a pedagogy made possible by advances in technology. Bergmann and Sams (2012), who have been strong promoters of the model and have been credited with coining the term, defined the flipped classroom as “that which is traditionally done in class is now done at home, and that which is traditionally done as homework is now done in class” (p. 13). Bergmann and Sams were concerned about students who could not translate content from lectures into useful information for completing assignments. They argued that where students need help is not in hearing lectures but in answering questions and having individualized support (Bergmann & Sams, 2012, pp. 4-5). This special issue of Business and Professional Communication Quarterly, the first ever special issue of BPCQ since the journal’s name was changed from Business Communication Quarterly, offers a collection of articles on the theory and practice of flipping and contributes to the ongoing conversations and debates about the value of this approach. At first, many have assumed that the flipped component might consist of students watching videos of lectures at home and then coming to class for discussion (EDUCAUSE Learning Initiative, 2012). The focus on video lectures reminds me of the time not so long ago when students might be snail mailed CD-ROMs (remember those?) with lectures and materials for first-generation online courses. But these days, those who practice flipping successfully consider the primary goal to be increasing student interaction and engagement, as opposed to simply imparting knowledge via lectures and textbooks. Flipping makes possible teaching methods that were impossible prior to technological innovation. Thus, it is not just the flip that is significant, but the actual pedagogy, and flipped learning is not the same as a flipped classroom. Videos used in a flipped classroom are not just reproductions of live lectures on content delivered by university instructors but can instead serve as digital learning platforms. 633828 BCQXXX10.1177/2329490616633828Business and Professional Communication QuarterlyKnight editorial2016
Customers for life: marketing oral health care to older adults.

Respect for and awareness of the needs of older patients from dental office staff will help such patients feel welcome in a practice. Marketing to older patients is built upon this foundation. In addition, there are other strategies for internal and external marketing aimed at older people. This article addresses the concept of turning aging patients into "customers for life."
Research and Evaluation on Some EEG Processing Methods

Electroencephalogram (EEG) signals are the electrical activities in the cortex or on the surface of scalp caused by the physiological activities of the brain. Through analyzing these signals, many informations about function and disease can be obtained. According to these informations, the brain functions can be effectively analyzed and the diseases can be efficiently diagnosed. In this paper some algorithms for processing EEG signals includeing time domain analysis, frequency domain analysis, Wigner distribution, wavelet transform are simulated and compared using the real measured EEG based on the feature of EEG signal. The characteristics and the problems of these methods are home analyzed and evaluated. The results indicate that the algorithm of time domain analysis, which combines the time domain analysis with frequency domain analysis, is effective and feasible. The research in this paper provides some definite theoretical references and analysis gist for the EEG signal analyzing and processing.
Calculus on Euclidean Space

This chapter focuses on the part of elementary calculus that deals with differentiation of functions of three variables and with curves in space, more specifically in Euclidean space. Euclidean 3-space, instead of saying that three numbers describe the position of a point, defines them to be a point. Elementary calculus does not always make a sharp distinction between the numbers and the functions. Indeed the analogous distinction on the real line may seem pedantic, but for higher-dimensional spaces such as R 3 , its absence leads to serious ambiguities. Here R 3 , or Euclidean 3-space, is the set of all ordered triples of real numbers. Such a triple is called a point of R 3 . In linear algebra, it is shown that R 3 is, in a natural way, a vector space over the real numbers. Using R 3 , the chapter highlights various definitions relating to tangents, curves, and vector fields, which is dualized to 1-forms and that, in turn, lead to arbitrary differential forms. The notions of curve and differentiable function is generalized to that of a mapping function F: R n → R m . Starting from the usual notion of the derivative of a real-valued function, the chapter constructed appropriate differentiation operations for objects such as the directional derivative of a function, the exterior derivative of a form, the velocity of a curve, and the tangent map of a mapping. These differentiation operations all exhibited in one form or another, the characteristic linear and Leibnizian properties of ordinary differentiation.
PARP inhibition in leukocytes diminishes inflammation via effects on integrins/cytoskeleton and protects the blood-brain barrier.

Blood-brain barrier (BBB) dysfunction/disruption followed by leukocyte infiltration into the brain causes neuroinflammation and contributes to morbidity in multiple sclerosis, encephalitis, traumatic brain injury, and stroke. The identification of pathways that decreases the inflammatory potential of leukocytes would prevent such injury. Poly(ADP-ribose) polymerase 1 (PARP) controls various genes via its interaction with myriad transcription factors. Selective PARP inhibitors have appeared lately as potent anti-inflammatory tools. Their effects are outside the recognized PARP functions in DNA repair and transcriptional regulation. In this study, we explored the idea that selective inhibition of PARP in leukocytes would diminish their engagement of the brain endothelium. Cerebral vascular changes and leukocyte-endothelium interactions were surveyed by intravital videomicroscopy utilizing a novel in vivo model of localized aseptic meningitis when TNFα was introduced intracerebrally in wild-type (PARP+/+) and PARP-deficient (PARP−/−) mice. The effects of selective PARP inhibition on primary human monocytes ability to adhere to or migrate across the BBB were also tested in vitro, employing primary human brain microvascular endothelial cells (BMVEC) as an in vitro model of the BBB. PARP suppression in monocytes diminished their adhesion to and migration across BBB in vitro models and prevented barrier injury. In monocytes, PARP inactivation decreased conformational activation of integrins that plays a key role in their tissue infiltration. Such changes were mediated by suppression of activation of small Rho GTPases and cytoskeletal rearrangements in monocytes. In vitro observations were confirmed in vivo showing diminished leukocyte-endothelial interaction after selective PARP suppression in leukocytes accompanied by BBB protection. PARP knockout animals demonstrated a substantial diminution of inflammatory responses in brain microvasculature and a decrease in BBB permeability. These results suggest PARP inhibition in leukocytes as a novel approach to BBB protection in the setting of endothelial dysfunction caused by inflammation-induced leukocyte engagement.
An examination of the interpersonal model of binge eating over the course of treatment

The current study examined the interpersonal model of binge eating, which posits that interpersonal problems lead to negative affect, which results in binge eating, over the course of two psychotherapy treatments (interpersonal psychotherapy and cognitive behavioural therapy) in 162 adults with binge-eating disorder. A series of longitudinal simple mediation analyses preliminarily showed that treatment addresses the mechanisms of the interpersonal model of binge eating as theoretically proposed in predicting reductions in binge eating, the primary dependent variable, and the secondary dependent variables including global eating disorder psychopathology, shape concern, and weight concern, but not reductions in restraint or eating concern. Moderated mediation analyses did not fully support treatment differences, as changes in the mechanisms of the interpersonal model occurred in both treatments and suggest both treatments addressed negative affect and interpersonal precipitants of eating disorder symptomatology. Future research should replicate this study using variables that do not overlap in time to investigate causation of the model, and more generally, further examine theoretical treatment models and treatment mediators as this research could help improve efficacy of treatment for binge-eating disorder.
Informatics to Support Learning Networks and Distributed Research Networks

Many research and improvement activities, especially those that involve rare, pediatric, or chronic conditions, require the ability to pool, access or query data from multiple institutions. Here we describe informatics architectures that support quality improvement and research networks, or learning networks, as well as those that can support large-scale distributed research networks. Even though the activities and motivations of these networks are very different, they still require many of the same considerations in order to perform meaningful analysis on data that have been collected in multiple settings. This includes the measurement and characterization of data quality, the use of standardized or common data models, and the tracking and management of patient privacy, among others. We describe the informatics architectures of several learning networks, and two distributed research networks, detailing the commonalities and differences between them.
Wheels in the Head: Ridesharing as Monitored Performance

Ridesharing services offer on-demand rides much like taxicabs, but distinguish themselves from cabs by emphasizing the friendly, social aspect of the in-car interaction. Crucial to the ability of these companies to distinguish themselves from cabs has been the insertion of smartphones as “social interfaces” between drivers and passengers, restructuring social interaction through an allegorithm the productive co-deployment of a socially relevant allegorical script and a software-mediated algorithm). Much of the affective labor of ridesharing drivers consists in maintaining this affective framing and internalizing the logic by which their performances are monitored. In this article the writings of three ridesharing drivers will be drawn on to illustrate the ways drivers develop and evaluate their own performances as ridesharing drivers. Ridesharing services offer on-demand rides much like taxicabs, but distinguish themselves from cabs by emphasizing the friendly, social aspect of the in-car interaction. Crucial to the ability of these companies to distinguish themselves from cabs has been the insertion of smartphones as “social interfaces” between drivers and passengers, restructuring social interaction through an allegorithm the productive co-deployment of a socially relevant allegorical script and a software-mediated algorithm). Much of the affective labor of ridesharing drivers consists in maintaining this affective framing and internalizing the logic by which their performances are monitored. In this article the writings of three ridesharing drivers will be drawn on to illustrate the ways drivers develop and evaluate their own performances as ridesharing drivers.
Moving Target: Transient Rotational Stenosis Precipitating Jugular Bow Hunter's Syndrome

A 60-year-old man presented with a 10-month history of of stereotypical spells characterized by vertigo, tinnitus, blurred vision, left hemibody numbness, and occasional syncope, precipitated by turning his head leftwards. Cerebral angiography and CT angiography of the head and neck with provocative maneuvers did not demonstrate vertebral artery narrowing. However, there was narrowing of the left internal jugular vein due to extrinsic compression from the sternocleidomastoid with leftward head rotation in the setting of hypoplasia of the right internal jugular vein. The patient underwent a cervical venogram which confirmed the finding. Manometric evaluation demonstrated a gradient of 29 mm Hg across the stenosis with the head turned leftwards compared with 1 mm Hg in the neutral position. The patient was treated with myectomies of the left sternocleidomastoid, posterior belly of the digastric, stylohyoid and omohyoid and styloid process removal. Following surgery, the patient reported complete resolution of symptoms. Repeat venography demonstrated resolution of the stenosis and pressure gradient.
Active phase correction of compact, high resolution silicon photonic arrayed waveguide gratings

We demonstrate compact silicon photonic arrayed waveguide gratings with channel spacing down to 1 GHz using active phase correction. The relative phase of each path within the device is directly measured using an interferometer, and two methods of phase optimization are implemented and compared.
Attacking Heterogeneity in Schizophrenia by Deriving Clinical Subgroups from Widely Available Symptom Data

Previous research has identified (1) a "deficit" subtype of schizophrenia characterized by enduring negative symptoms and diminished emotionality and (2) a "distress" subtype associated with high emotionality-including anxiety, depression, and stress sensitivity. Individuals in deficit and distress categories differ sharply in development, clinical course and behavior, and show distinct biological markers, perhaps signaling different etiologies. We tested whether deficit and distress subtypes would emerge from a simple but novel data-driven subgrouping analysis, based on Positive and Negative Syndrome Scale (PANSS) negative and distress symptom dimensions, and whether subgrouping was informative regarding other facets of behavior and brain function. PANSS data, and other assessments, were available for 549 people with schizophrenia diagnoses. Negative and distress symptom composite scores were used as indicators in 2-step cluster analyses, which divided the sample into low symptom (n = 301), distress (n = 121), and deficit (n = 127) subgroups. Relative to the low-symptom group, the deficit and distress subgroups had comparably higher total PANSS symptoms (Ps < .001) and were similarly functionally impaired (eg, global functioning [GAF] Ps < .001), but showed markedly different patterns on symptom, cognitive and personality variables, among others. Initial analyses of functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) data from a 182-participant subset of the full sample also suggested distinct patterns of neural recruitment during working memory. The field seeks more neuroscience-based systems for classifying psychiatric conditions, but these are inescapably behavioral disorders. More effective parsing of clinical and behavioral traits could identify homogeneous target groups for further neural system and molecular studies, helping to integrate clinical and neuroscience approaches.
Using a menstrual emotional stroop task test (MEST) to measure emotional responses to menstrual cycle pain

The purpose of this study was to configure and test a Menstrual related Emotional Stroop Task MEST to assess differences in emotional responsiveness of healthy cycling women in order to identify the effects of pain anticipation anxiety and depression symptomatology Participants included healthy women between and years of age with regular menstrual cycles who completed questionnaires on socio demographics menstrual cycle characteristics nicotine use and alcohol consumption The numeric pain rating scale Visual Analogue Scale or VAS was used to assess perceived levels of menstrual pain Twice during their menstrual cycle follicular phase and premenstrual phase days before menses we administered the MEST the VAS the Beck Anxiety Inventory BAI and the Beck Depression Inventory II BDI II Subjects reporting higher levels of pain VAS score gt n had the longest reaction time in the MEST specifically in the premenstrual phase compared to those with mild VAS score n levels of menstrual pain possibly indicating an ldquo anticipatory stress rdquo emotional response to their impending menses Linear regression analysis revealed correlations between depression levels and performance in MEST during the premenstrual phase Overall our data suggest that emotional responses are deeply affected by the anticipation of menstrual pain and are associated with depression Moreover this study indicates that MEST is an effective tool to obtain information about the emotional impact of menstrual pain and identifies associated impairments in attentional processes These results have implications for the development of pain management skills and psycho education programs for women suffering from painful conditions such as endometriosis
Simulations of Oxygen Monolayer and Bilayer Systems

We present the results of a simulation using a physical model developed to study the equilibrium configurations of adsorbed oxygen on graphite. In the model, an atom-atom potential between the oxygen and graphite was used which depended on the lateral positions of the oxygen molecules as well as the distance above the surface. A cluster model is proposed to study the low density region, for which very little information is available. The nucleation of adsorbed rare gas films on a graphite basal plane has been studied experimentally and interpreted using a two-dimensional cluster model [1,2]. The cluster model used in this study is an extension of the work done by Pan et al. [3] by including lateral variations of the potential in the gas-surface interaction. Zero temperature minimum energy structures of two-dimensional oxygen clusters with the number of O2 molecules in the cluster, N, ranging from 1 to 16 molecules adsorbed on the graphite basal plane surface are determined. The energies and structures of adsorbed infinite monolayer films are also studied with the energy minimization method which involved a search for possible low temperature superlattices. The acceptability of the superlattices is tested by comparing the superlattice energy to the incommensurate overlayer energy. This calculation, which includes the lateral variations of the gas-surface potential, allows the determination of the orientational epitaxy of the O2 overlayer. Both the δ [4] and δ′ [4] orientational epitaxy were found in these calculations. The ζ1 [4] and ζ2 [4] phases were also found in these calculations. Initial studies of adsorbed bilayer systems are also presented.
Self-Translation and Linguistic Reappropriation: Juan Gelman’s Dibaxu

As a Jewish poet of non-Sephardic heritage, Juan Gelman appropriates Ladino—the language of the Sephardic Jews, which he encountered while exiled in Europe—as a diasporic language in dibaxu to represent linguistically his deterritorialisation during the Argentine Dirty War. Writing in Ladino is an act of self-minorisation that displaces the identity created by others, permitting him to create a new identity as he actively adopts a marginalised language instead of falling back to his native language, a language controlled by the oppressors. In this chapter I discuss how this new linguistic identity allows him to reassert his cultural and national identity on his own terms by shifting common tropes of his poetry—such as neologisms, feminisation of the language and Argentine characteristics of Spanish—into Ladino and away from the Spanish of the military regime. In other words, by publishing dibaxu in a Ladino-Spanish, bilingual format, Gelman uses Ladino to highlight a nondescript version of Spanish in an act of resistance. The use of Ladino and the newly formed identity allow him to dialogue with his land and loved ones that he longs for, but from a space within his control and out of reach of the dictatorship that displaced him.
Braving the Challenges of Being Small--The Unique Physics Program at Manhattanville College

We present the formulation and development of the unique physics program at Manhattanville College. By addressing challenges faced by small physics departments in liberal arts colleges, such as the lack of critical mass, lack of significant funding, and under-staffing, we share our efforts and experiences in revitalization of the program into one that is small but of rigor and vitality, with unique features that take advantage of the resources available, including adoption of computer technology in instructional laboratory, collaborations with nearby institutions, and joint efforts with colleagues of other departments/schools. Also included are some discussions on the balance between service and the major, on the relationship with K-12 physics education, and on the rigor of the curriculum, particularly in view of the opposite but converging trends in US and in China.
Light-optimized growth of cyanobacterial cultures: Growth phases and productivity of biomass and secreted molecules in light-limited batch growth

Cyanobacteria are photosynthetic microorganisms whose metabolism can be modified through genetic engineering for production of a wide variety of molecules directly from CO2, light, and nutrients. Diverse molecules have been produced in small quantities by engineered cyanobacteria to demonstrate the feasibility of photosynthetic biorefineries. Consequently, there is interest in engineering these microorganisms to increase titer and productivity to meet industrial metrics. Unfortunately, differing experimental conditions and cultivation techniques confound comparisons of strains and metabolic engineering strategies. In this work, we discuss the factors governing photoautotrophic growth and demonstrate nutritionally replete conditions in which a model cyanobacterium can be grown to stationary phase with light as the sole limiting substrate. We introduce a mathematical framework for understanding the dynamics of growth and product secretion in light-limited cyanobacterial cultures. Using this framework, we demonstrate how cyanobacterial growth in differing experimental systems can be easily scaled by the volumetric photon delivery rate using the model organisms Synechococcus sp. strain PCC7002 and Synechococcus elongatus strain UTEX2973. We use this framework to predict scaled up growth and product secretion in 1L photobioreactors of two strains of Synechococcus PCC7002 engineered for production of l-lactate or L-lysine. The analytical framework developed in this work serves as a guide for future metabolic engineering studies of cyanobacteria to allow better comparison of experiments performed in different experimental systems and to further investigate the dynamics of growth and product secretion.
Screening for canine transitional cell carcinoma (TCC) by SERS-based quantitative urine cytology.

Canine lower urinary tract neoplasia is a clinically important disease process that has high mortality due to late stage diagnosis and poorly durable response to treatment. Non-invasive diagnostic techniques (e.g. dipstick test, urine cytology) currently have poor diagnostic value, while more invasive tests (e.g. cystoscopy and biopsy) are costly and often require general anesthesia. We have developed and herein describe a quantitative cytological analysis method based on the use of surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy (SERS), for identifying cancerous transitional cells in urine using SERS biotags (SBTs) carrying the peptide PLZ4 (amino acid sequence cQDGRMGFc) that targets malignant transitional cells. By analyzing the ratio of the PLZ4-SBTs to an on board control we were able to show that transitional cells had significantly higher ratios (P < 0.05) in patients diagnosed with transitional cell carcinoma (TCC) than in healthy samples.
Using social network analysis to understand online homeschool network interactions

With the rise in Internet use in recent years, homeschoolers have been able to connect with each other across vast distances. This connectivity has opened avenues to various resources, and for ways to build and utilize social capital. This study provides a description of how one online homeschool network communicates, shares resources, and responds to the needs of its members through a social network analysis.
The Role of Binocular Disparity Vergence Eye Movements in Disambiguating Superimposed Retinal Images

In laboratory investigations of the disparity or fu-sional vergence mechanism, it is common to present the observer with isolated objects of regard having differing degrees of retinal disparity and to measure the resulting vergence motor response. However, under more naturalistic conditions, the retinal image may be composed from a complex, multilayered object space involving both overlapping and non-overlapping, spatially discrete object planes producing varying degrees of retinal disparity and defocus. Furthermore, these images frequently occupy an extended area of the retina well beyond the central foveal and macular regions. The task of disambiguating or separating these images in an optimal manner, with the requirement for accurate bifoveal fixation, is likely to represent a complex procedure involving multiple sensory and motor inputs.
The Role of Nonparametric Analysis in Assessment Modeling: Then and Now

Item response theory (IRT) is a family of statistical psychometric models for discretely scored responses of subjects (students, survey respondents, etc.) to items (questions) on exams, surveys, and so on, using a continuous latent variable to represent the general propensity of each subject to respond positively to each item or question.
Using knowledge of virulence factors to select or design organisms with low risk of pathogenicity.

As Omenn and others have emphasized, applying our knowledge of ecology, physiology, and genetics of microbes to the pollution cleanup challenges of our society may require that microorganisms be deliberately released into the environment. Naturally, there are scientists, legislators, and laymen who view such an action with concern. Among their concerns are what the potential danger to human and animal health might be. Fortunately, a fair amount is known about the factors that are involved in microbial pathogenicity. Can we use this knowledge to design genetically engineered microorganisms (GEMs) destined for release into the environment to have a minimal impact on animal or plant health? A medical microbiologist will immediately respond, “Of course. It has already been done for decades in human and veterinary medicine.”
Rapid Degradation and Mineralization of Perfluorooctanoic Acid by a New Petitjeanite Bi3O(OH)(PO4)2 Microparticle Ultraviolet Photocatalyst

Water treatment techniques for destructive removal of perfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) have only recently begun to emerge in the research literature, comprising unconventional advanced oxidation and reduction methods. Photocatalytic degradation of PFAS has not been widely pursued, which is a result of the limited ability of common semiconductor materials to induce C–F bond cleavage in aqueous systems. Herein, degradation of perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) by bismuth phosphate photocatalysts under ultraviolet irradiation has been investigated for the first time, including the relatively well-known monoclinic BiPO4 wide band gap semiconductor, as well as a novel Bi3O(OH)(PO4)2 (BOHP) composition. Compared to BiPO4 and a β-Ga2O3 nanomaterial reference catalyst, BOHP microparticles achieved dramatically faster PFOA degradation and mineralization, despite both a smaller surface area and a lower band gap energy. The rate constant for degradation of PFOA by BOHP in a pure water solution was ∼15 times greater than ...
Structure versus agency: a cross-national examination of discrimination and the internalization of negative stereotypes

How can we situate discrimination and the internalization of negative stereotypes in their contextual and structural determinants? To answer, I empirically examine linkages between structural inequ...
Development and Implementation of a Disaster Medicine Certificate Series (DMCS) for Medical Students.

Introduction The recent increase in natural disasters and mass shootings highlights the need for medical providers to be prepared to provide care in extreme environments. However, while physicians of all specialties may respond in emergencies, disaster medicine training is minimal or absent from most medical school curricula in the United States. A voluntary Disaster Medicine Certificate Series (DMCS) was piloted to fill this gap in undergraduate medical education. Report Beginning in August of 2017, second- and third-year medical students voluntarily enrolled in DMCS. Students earned points toward the certificate through participation in activities and membership in community organizations in a flexible format that caters to variable schedules and interests. Topics covered included active shooter training, decontamination procedures, mass-casualty triage, Incident Command System (ICS) training, and more. At the conclusion of the pilot year, demographic information was collected and a survey was conducted to evaluate student opinions regarding the program. Results Sixty-eight second- and third-year medical students participated in the pilot year, with five multi-hour skills trainings and five didactic lectures made available to students. Forty-eight of those 68 enrolled in DMCS completed the retrospective survey. Student responses indicated that community partners serve as effective means for providing lectures (overall mean rating 4.50/5.0) and skills sessions (rating 4.58/5.0), and that the program created avenues for real-world disaster response in their local communities (rating 4.40/5.0). Conclusions The DMCS voluntary certificate series model served as an innovative method for providing disaster medicine education to medical students.Kommor MB, Hodge B, Ciottone G. Development and implementation of a Disaster Medicine Certificate Series (DMCS) for medical students. Prehosp Disaster Med. 2019;34(2):197-202.
The Future of Presidential Clemency Decisionmaking

The Framers gave the president the clemency power when the federal government and the nation were in their infancy. The president has far more demands on his time today than George Washington did in 1789. The time necessary to make clemency decisions, even if done properly (and it has not always been done that way) alone could keep a large number of aides busy full time, let alone exhaust a chief executive troubled by the prospect that too many innocent people are rotting in prison or that too many people have been sentenced to the slow death of unnecessarily long terms of imprisonment. Accordingly, the question is whether the president should leave clemency judgments to others, particularly ones who are professionals at sentencing. Some scholars have suggested reinstituting some form of parole. Yet, I think that we not will see a rebirth of parole any time soon. The criticisms that persuaded Congress to abandon parole in the Sentencing Reform Act of 1984 have not disappeared or lost their force. Proof can be seen in the fact that, during the debate over the First Step Act of 2018, neither the House of Representatives nor the Senate seriously considered reinstituting parole to address the overcrowding that federal prisons have witnessed over the last decade-plus. Other scholars urge Congress to adopt a “second-look” resentencing system. That also is unlikely. The suggestion that Congress reinstitute some type of second-look mechanism would be scorned as the attempted resurrection of parole under an alias. Indeed, the First Step Act approached this issue by using well-settled good-time and earned-time credit systems to decide whether and when to release prisoners, not a second-look mechanism. A third option, however, can be found in a provision of the First Step Act modifying the gatekeeper role played by the Federal Bureau of Prisons (BOP) since the Sentencing Reform Act of 1984 went into effect. An argument can be made that district courts now can resentence prisoners because prisoners can now go to court to argue that “extraordinary and compelling reasons” justify their early release without needing the BOP to ask a court for that relief. That type of change to the law, however, is far from the type of interstitial fleshing out that Congress traditionally delegates to others. Nonetheless, it remains to be seen how the Supreme Court will resolve that issue.
The Stellar Population of Metal-Poor Galaxies at z ≈ 0.8 and the Evolution of the Mass–Metallicity Relation

We present results from deep Spitzer/Infrared Array Camera (IRAC) observations of 28 metal-poor, strongly star-forming galaxies selected from the DEEP2 Galaxy Survey. By modelling infrared and optical photometry, we derive stellar masses and other stellar properties. We determine that these metal-poor galaxies have low stellar masses, $M_{\star}$ $\approx10^{8.1}$-$10^{9.5}$ $M_{\odot}$. Combined with the Balmer-derived star formation rates (SFRs), these galaxies have average inverse SFR/$M_{\star}$ of $\approx$100 Myr. The evolution of stellar mass-gas metallicity relation to $z\approx0.8$ is measured by combining the modelled masses with previously obtained spectroscopic measurements of metallicity from [O III] $\lambda$4363 detections. Here, we include measurements for 79 galaxies from the Metal Abundances across Cosmic Time Survey. Our mass-metallicity relation is lower at a given stellar mass than at $z=0.1$ by 0.27 dex. This demonstrates a strong evolution in the mass-metallicity relation, $(1+z)^{-1.45^{+0.61}_{-0.76}}$. We find that the shape of the $z\approx0.8$ mass-metallicity relation, a steep rise in metallicity at low stellar masses, transitioning to a plateau at higher masses, is consistent with $z\sim0.1$ studies. We also compare the evolution in metallicity between $z\approx0.8$ and $z\sim0.1$ against recent strong-line diagnostic studies at intermediate redshifts and find good agreement. Specifically, we find that lower mass galaxies ($4\times10^8$ $M_{\odot}$) built up their metal content 1.6 times more rapidly than higher mass galaxies ($10^{10}$ $M_{\odot}$). Finally, we examine whether the mass-metallicity relation has a secondary dependence on SFR, and statistically concluded that there is no strong secondary dependence for $z\approx0.8$ low-mass galaxies.
Understanding allosteric interactions in hMLKL protein that modulate necroptosis and its inhibition

Mixed Lineage Kinase domain-Like (MLKL), a key player in necroptosis, is a multi-domain protein with an N-terminal 4 helical bundle (4HB) and a pseudokinase domain (PsK) connected by brace helices. Phosphorylation of PsK domain of MLKL is a key step towards oligomerization of 4HB domain that causes cell death. Necrosulfonamide (NSA) binds to the 4HB domain of MLKL to inhibit necroptosis. To understand the molecular details of MLKL function and it’s inhibition, we have performed a molecular dynamic study on hMLKL protein in apo, phosphorylated and NSA-bound states for a total 3 μs simulation time. Our simulations show increased inter-domain flexibility, increased rigidification of the activation loop and increased alpha helical content in the brace helix region revealing a form of monomeric hMLKL necessary for oligomerization upon phosphorylation as compared to apo state. NSA binding disrupts this activated form and causes two main effects on hMLKL conformation: (1) locking of the relative orientation of 4HB and PsK domains by the formation of several new interactions and (2) prevention of key 4HB residues to participate in cross-linking for oligomer formation. This new understanding of the effect of hMLKL conformations on phosphorylation and NSA binding suggest new avenues for designing effective allosteric inhibitors of hMLKL.
Polyhedral Compilation Support for C++ Features: A Case Study with CPPTRAJ

This paper reveals challenges in migrating C++ codes to GPUs using polyhedral compiler technology. We point to instances where reasoning about C++ constructs in a polyhedral model is feasible. We describe a case study using CPPTRAJ, an analysis code for molecular dynamics trajectory data. An initial experiment applied the CUDA-CHiLL compiler to key computations in CPPTRAJ to migrate them to the GPUs of NCSA’s Blue Waters supercomputer. We found three aspects of this code made program analysis difficult: (1) STL C++ vectors; (2) structures of vectors; and, (3) iterators over these structures. We show how we can rewrite the computation to affine form suitable for CUDA-CHiLL, and also describe how to support the original C++ code in a polyhedral framework. The result of this effort yielded speedups over serial ranging from 3\(\times \) to 278\(\times \) on the six optimized kernels, and up to 100\(\times \) over serial and 10\(\times \) speedup over OpenMP.
Nonlinear Junction Detection vs. Electronics: System Design and Improved Linearity

Much literature relevant to nonlinear junction detection and harmonic radar discusses tracking of nonlinear tags. Those tags are designed to generate particular response frequencies and maximize power received at those frequencies. A related but distinctly different body of work seeks to detect devices which are not explicitly designed to respond to such a sensor. This paper summarizes recent work performed by those who have been evaluating nonlinear junction detection to address commercial devices and other collections of electronics. A transceiver, consisting of only off-the-shelf components, is simulated. By implementing absorptive passive filtering and feedforward filter reflection, the simulated design achieves harmonic distortion below 200 dBc.