cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Application of Monte Carlo Analysis to Saturated Subsurface Contamination Modelling

The prediction and evaluation of contamination in saturated subsurface environment by using contaminant transport models is necessary to plan remedial actions at existing sites and may also be useful in siting and designing new land-based waste treatment or disposal facilities. Most models used to make such predictions assume that the system behaves deterministically. A variety of factors, however, introduce uncertainty into the model predictions. The factors include model, parameters, and geometric uncertainty. The Monte Carlo technique is used to evaluate the uncertainty, as illustrated by applying three analytical saturated subsurface contaminant transport models. The uncertainty analysis provides estimates of statistical reliability in model outputs of contaminant concentration and arrival time. Examples are provided which demonstrate that (a) confidence limits around predicted values of concentration and arrival time can be obtained, (b) the selection of probability distributions for input parameters affects the output variables, and (c) the probability distribution of the output variables can be different from that of the input variables, even when all input parameters have the same probability distribution.
Perioperative Myocardial Infarction

Perioperative myocardial infarction is a major cause of perioperative morbidity and mortality. Even though orthopedic surgery is usually considered of intermediate risk with a 1–5% risk of cardiac death and/or nonfatal MI, this stratification is based on all orthopedic procedures including those performed in young, healthy patients. However, lower extremity arthroplasties are frequently performed in elderly patients with a high prevalence of underlying cardiovascular disease. Furthermore, many procedures are performed on patients with underlying rheumatologic disease which predisposes patients to cardiovascular disease as reported by Gabriel (Am J Med. Manuscript 2010;1–12), Maradit-Kremers et al. (Am Coll Rheum 2005;52:722–32), Maradit-Kremers et al. (Arth & Rheum 2005;52(2):402–11), Warrington et al. (Arth Resch & Therapy 2005;7:R984–91). Therefore, the ability to diagnose and manage patients with perioperative MI is important for all individuals who take care of postoperative orthopedic patients.
Cystoscopy in Children: Indications for its Use in Common Urologic Problems

The use of cystoscopy in children as part of the routine urologic evaluation in 4 diagnostic categories is evaluated for its ability to provide significant data and influence the course of management and cost effectiveness. Records of patients with hematuria, voiding dysfunction, urinary tract infection and vesicoureteral reflux were reviewed. Our analysis of these data suggests that this procedure has certain well defined indications. Its omission when these indications are not fulfilled presents the potential for considerable monetary savings without reduction in the quality of medical care.
Moisture-Induced Die Stresses in PBGA Packages Exposed to Various Environments

Plastic Ball Grid Array (PBGA) technology has been proven to be one of the most popular packaging solutions with many advantages in thermo-electro-mechanical performance, reliability as well as cost effectiveness. While a number of studies have been conducted to investigate the package reliability using a wide range of experimental methods such as thermal cycling, thermal shock, vibration, drop test, etc., there are quite limited studies on the effects of moisture on PBGA packages. The mold compound and PCB substrate are two primary components in PBGA package; they however absorb moisture when subjected to high humidity environment, generating stress changes in the package die and potentially causing delamination in the package interfaces. In this study, the effects of moisture on die stresses in Plastic Ball Grid Array (PBGA) packages have been characterized. On-chip piezoresistive sensors were used to measure moisture-induced device side die stress in the packages under three different moisture conditions (65% RH and 65 °C; 85% RH and 85 °C, and 95% RH and 95 °C). The measurements were carried out in both absorption and desorption process to evaluate the reversibility of the moisture effects. In addition to the experimental measurements on package level, a study on the moisture properties of the BT substrate and mold compound in the PBGA was completed. The moisture properties (Diffusivity D, Saturated Concentration C sat , and Coefficient of Moisture Expansion β) of each material were experimentally obtained. Finally, a finite element numerical simulation was performed to validate the experimental results. The moisture properties obtained earlier were used in the model. Good agreements between numerical predictions and experimental results were observed.
Risk prediction and segmentation models used in the United States for assessing risk in whole populations: a critical literature review with implications for nurses’ role in population health management

Objective We sought to assess the current state of risk prediction and segmentation models (RPSM) that focus on whole populations. Materials Academic literature databases (ie MEDLINE, Embase, Cochrane Library, PROSPERO, and CINAHL), environmental scan, and Google search engine. Methods We conducted a critical review of the literature focused on RPSMs predicting hospitalizations, emergency department visits, or health care costs. Results We identified 35 distinct RPSMs among 37 different journal articles (n = 31), websites (n = 4), and abstracts (n = 2). Most RPSMs (57%) defined their population as health plan enrollees while fewer RPSMs (26%) included an age-defined population (26%) and/or geographic boundary (26%). Most RPSMs (51%) focused on predicting hospital admissions, followed by costs (43%) and emergency department visits (31%), with some models predicting more than one outcome. The most common predictors were age, gender, and diagnostic codes included in 82%, 77%, and 69% of models, respectively. Discussion Our critical review of existing RPSMs has identified a lack of comprehensive models that integrate data from multiple sources for application to whole populations. Highly depending on diagnostic codes to define high-risk populations overlooks the functional, social, and behavioral factors that are of great significance to health. Conclusion More emphasis on including nonbilling data and providing holistic perspectives of individuals is needed in RPSMs. Nursing-generated data could be beneficial in addressing this gap, as they are structured, frequently generated, and tend to focus on key health status elements like functional status and social/behavioral determinants of health.
Coupling of Currencies: An INR and USD Perspective

This paper aims to explore the relationship between the Indian Rupees (INR) and USDollars (USD). It further tries to identify whether the volatility of exchange rates is affected by various events. Bivariate causality tests have been run on the exchange rates of INR and USD which have revealed a coupled relationship between them. Further, it was found that the magnitude of the impact on the volatility of exchange rates varies according to the nature of the event.
Liability of Foreignness, Discrimination, and Unfamiliarity in the Political Market

Foreign firms may compare their political influence to that of their domestic competitors and other foreign firms, which may affect their decision to engage in bribery in the host country. While th...
Online-to-Offline Platforms: Per-Use versus Subscription Pricing

Online-to-offline (O2O) platforms such as Groupon and ClassPass match excess offline capacity with online demand but are struggling for profitability in practice. We analytically study two commonly observed O2O pricing approaches, per-use pricing and subscription pricing. We examine how each approach functions and which one is better under various market conditions. The framework incorporates four salient characteristics of the O2O business (capacity constraint, two channels, intermediary, consumer heterogeneity). The novel setting allows us to generate new insights that are qualitatively different from those in the literature. Specifically, the presence of two channels enables subscription pricing to “lock in” consumer revenues through a new mechanism, and segment and serve different consumer types to two channels. Therefore, subscription pricing can be preferred in a monopoly setting and when capacity constraint is present, in contrast to the conventional finding that per-use pricing is preferred. We also demonstrate how capacity moderates pricing approach comparison and how intermediary serves as a third pricing motive in addition to consumer heterogeneity and capacity. We use the framework to illustrate why O2O platforms suffer from various concerns in practice and how consumer type uncertainty and peer effect influence the relative advantages of the two pricing approaches.
Carbon and nutrient fluxes from seagrass and mangrove wrack are mediated by soil interactions.

Abstract Shoreline accumulation of vegetative wrack may contribute nutrient subsidies for primary or secondary production, detritivore food-web support, habitat provision, and sediment stabilization. This study addresses a knowledge gap in the literature by going beyond quantification of carbon (C) and nutrient flux potentials to investigate the biogeochemical interaction between wrack and shoreline soil. Results from a year-long shoreline survey of wrack type and abundance in Mosquito Lagoon, FL, were combined with a two-month intact core experiment observing the interaction of mangrove and seagrass leaves with organic and mineral shoreline soils. Experimental treatments were subjected to tidal cycles; at low tide, measurements were made of soil respiration and drainage water nutrient content. A measure called Soil Interaction with Litter Effect (SoILE) is introduced to quantify the suppression or enhancement of C and nutrient fluxes from a combination of wrack with shoreline soils compared to the potential fluxes of wrack and soil separately. Monthly mean (±1 S.E.) accumulation of wrack dry mass in Mosquito Lagoon was 37.65 ± 2.99 g m−2. Unusually high values (72.16 ± 13.74 g m−2) occurred in September 2017 following Hurricane Irma. In a comparison of seagrass and mangrove leaves and organic and mineral soils, seagrass leaves were the greatest source of dissolved inorganic nitrogen (DIN) and soluble reactive phosphorus (SRP) by factors of 24 and 13, respectively. Seagrass also had the highest fluxes of dissolved organic carbon (DOC) and CO2 by factors of 2 and 2.7, respectively. The most common effect of combining wrack and soil was to suppress the magnitude of DOC and CO2 fluxes. There were few differences between combined and additive fluxes of DIN and SRP; the DIN flux was suppressed from the combination of seagrass with organic soil, and the SRP flux was enhanced from the combination of mangrove leaves with mineral soil. Suppression and enhancement of SoILE values were likely both attributable to a “smothering” effect caused by the physical interaction of vegetation with the soil surface that altered redox conditions. Wrack accumulation on restored living shorelines is likely to have a two-fold positive effect of subsidizing nutrients for primary production by shoreline plants and contributing to an increase in soil carbon by interacting with soils to result in a net suppression of DOC and CO2 effluxes.
Computer technologies in shipping and a new tendency in ship’s officers’ education and training

This article presents the results of the authors' work on a project of the European program Erasmus+ "Diversification of seafarers' employability paths through collaborative development of competences and certification" – DivSea. In this project, the Nikola Vaptsarov Naval Academy is actively involved in partnerships with related maritime education institutions from Romania, Cyprus and the Netherlands. The aim of the project is introducing qualifications required by the marine labour market into the European education and training institutes to ensure transparency and recognition of skills and qualifications to facilitate learning, employability and labour mobility. Transferring the aim to the shipping, we propose to use modern ship communication equipment and computer technology to enable seafarers to access up-to-date training and qualifications at any point in the World. The created and developed training programs by the participants in the project fill the gap created by the rapid development of shipping over the last twenty years and the changes in maritime legislation in this regard. The opportunities for ship Internet delivery at every point of the world ocean are used. These communication technologies enable the training of marine professionals to become an ongoing process.
Expanding Communication Modalities and Functions for Preschoolers With Autism Spectrum Disorder: Secondary Analysis of a Peer Partner Speech-Generating Device Intervention

Purpose This study reports a secondary analysis of the nature of communicative functions and modalities used in initiations and responses of minimally verbal preschoolers with severe autism spectrum disorder (ASD) from a previously published study (Thiemann-Bourque, Feldmiller, Hoffman, & Johner, 2018). This analysis focused on the final cohort (n = 6) from a group design study (N = 45) that examined a peer mediation and speech-generating device (SGD) intervention compared to an SGD-only condition. Method After teaching peers to use an iPad as an SGD within a modified stay-play-talk approach, school staff implemented SGD instruction in child-peer dyads during typical preschool activities. To investigate individual differences among children who demonstrated increased communication acts in the peer + SGD condition, changes in reciprocity, modalities used, and communicative functions were examined using a multiple-baseline design across children. Fidelity of implementation and social validity data were also collected. Results Six children with ASD and their peers demonstrated more balanced reciprocity, with individual differences in how and why children communicated during exchanges. That is, all children with ASD increased in SGD use as their primary communication mode; 3 children used different modalities including more speech, and 3 children used primarily gestures and SGD. The most frequent function expressed was requests for objects. More modest increases were observed in comments and requests for actions, with negligible changes in gaining attention. Social validity reports by naive judges reflected clear improvements in communication interactions. Conclusion Findings are promising for a preschool SGD intervention that can expand children's modalities and communicative functions to engage in balanced exchanges with peer partners. Supplemental Material https://doi.org/10.23641/asha.11374203.
\(\mathbb {K}\)—A Semantic Framework for Programming Languages and Formal Analysis

We give an overview on the applications and foundations of the \(\mathbb {K}\) language framework, a semantic framework for programming languages and formal analysis tools. \(\mathbb {K}\) represents a 20-year effort in pursuing the ideal language framework vision, where programming languages must have formal definitions, and tools for a given language, such as parsers, interpreters, compilers, semantic-based debuggers, state-space explorers, model checkers, deductive program verifiers, etc., can be derived from just one reference formal definition of the language, which is executable, and no other semantics for the same language should be needed. The correctness of the language tools is guaranteed on a case-by-case basis by proof objects, which encode rigorous mathematical proofs as certificates for every individual task that the tools do and can be mechanically checked by third-party proof checkers.
Examining Some of the Challenges Students Face in Learning about Solubility and the Dissolution Process

Developing conceptual understanding of solubility and dissolution and the relationship to molecular structure, ionic salts’ charges, and enthalpy and entropy, play a significant role in the learning of chemistry. Dissolution and solubility are topics covered in general chemistry, quantitative analysis, biology, and organic chemistry. Alternative conceptions about some of the key chemistry principles can lead to students’ failure in understanding and accepting some of the future concepts. This study aims to examine some of the challenges and alternate conceptions that students face when learning about solubility and its relationship to Lewis structures and the driving force behind dissolution. A survey that consisted of ionic and molecular solubility related problems, short answers, and Likert-Type questions was given to 200 students in order to analyze their understanding of solubility, dissolution, alternate conceptions they possess, challenges they face in learning about the topics, and its relationship to Lewis dot structures and ionic charges. Our data indicates that students struggle with solving solubility and dissolution process related problems and rely on memorization to approach these problems. For ionic compounds, there seems to be a dependency on memorization and rote-learning of solubility rules instead of development of conceptual understanding of charges of ions and their relationship to entropy and enthalpy in the dissolution process. For molecular compounds, it should be noted that students lack mastery of determining molecular shape and its relationship to function but do emphasize the roles of Lewis structure and polarity in solubility. Finally, students do not attribute the combined effects of enthalpy and entropy as the driving forces behind dissolution and show very fragmented and naive understanding of the concept.
YouTube-based Course Orientation Videos Delivered Prior to Matriculation Fail to Alleviate Medical Student Anxiety About Anatomy

Gross anatomy is a source of anxiety for matriculating medical students due to the large volume of information presented in a truncated timeline, and because it may be their first exposure to human cadavers. This study aimed to assess if video-based resources would affect matriculating medical students' anatomy state anxiety levels. Videos were designed to be short, YouTube-based units that served to provide orientation information about the anatomy course, dissection facilities, and available study resources to dispel anxiety around beginning their anatomy studies. To evaluate the impact of the videos, students in two consecutive matriculating years (2018 and 2019) completed the validated State-Trait Anxiety Inventory and a demographic questionnaire. The 2019 cohort (n = 118) served as the experimental group with access to the videos; while the 2018 cohort (n = 120) without video access served as a historical control. Analyses revealed that the groups were equivalent in terms of trait anxiety (P = 0.854) and anatomy state anxiety even when student video exposure was controlled (P = 0.495). Anatomy state anxiety was only significantly lower in students with prior formal anatomy exposure (P = 0.006). Further inquiry into students' prior anatomy experience identified that individuals with post-secondary dissection experience were significantly less anxious than those without formal anatomical experience (P = 0.023). These results may serve as a cautionary tale to educators; while preference for video-based instructional materials is prevalent in the literature, videos delivered on public social media platforms fail to prepare students for the psychological impact of studying human anatomy.
Job engagement and employee-organization relationship among academic librarians in a modified work environment

Abstract The aim of this study was to quantitatively examine job engagement and employee-organization relationship among faculty librarians during the work-from-home period of the COVID-19 pandemic, using a modified version of the Walden et al. (2017b) Job Engagement and Employee-Organization Relationship Survey to examine information flow, job engagement, and organizational commitment. Using a single institution as a population sample, the study surveyed faculty librarians at six weeks and six months into the teleworking period to see how specific indicators of engagement and relationship with the organization changed as experience working-from-home progressed. The results of this study indicate that duration of employment has an effect on perceived information flow, job engagement, and organizational commitment on librarians operating under COVID-19 modifications at both the six week and six-month checkpoints. Job engagement scores from faculty academic librarians were significantly reduced between the six week and six-month checkpoints. This study presents novel findings regarding the workplace experiences of academic librarians during COVID-19 and has potential impact for libraries considering the effects of workplace modifications on employee experience and retention.
Abstract 370: Smoking history as an independent predictor for immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) in metastatic non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC)

Importance: Immune Checkpoint Inhibitors (ICIs) induce durable response in a subset of non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) patients. There is an unmet need to develop effective predictors for ICIs in metastatic NSCLC. Objective: Define the predictive impact of smoking history (pack-years) on the clinical outcomes of ICI monotherapy and further to validate the potential clinical utility in metastatic NSCLC. Design, setting, and participants: This study was conducted on 680 metastatic NSCLC patients treated with ICIs between April 2013 and September 2020 at the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute and Brigham and Women9s Hospital. Patient TMB and programmed cell death-ligand 1 (PD-L1) tumor proportion score (TPS) were determined by clinical targeted Next Generation Sequencing (NGS) and immunohistochemistry (IHC) and detailed smoking history and clinicopathological characteristics were prospectively collected. Main outcomes and measures: Evaluation of the association of smoking pack-years with objective response rate (ORR), progression-free survival (PFS) and overall survival (OS) in metastatic NSCLC patients treated with ICI monotherapy. Assessment of time-dependent area under the curve (AUC) for predictive models of clinical outcomes. Results: Among 680 metastatic NSCLC patients who received ICI monotherapy: 109 (16.0%) never smokers, 397 (58.4%) former smokers [median 30 pack-years], and 174 (25.6%) current smokers [median 40 pack-years]. Multivariable analysis suggested that doubling of smoking pack-years is significantly associated with better clinical outcomes of ICIs. (ORR OR = 1.20, P Conclusions and Relevance: This finding suggests that detailed smoking information has a significant predictive value on clinical outcomes of ICI monotherapy independent of PD-L1 TPS. Smoking pack-years could serve as a non-invasive and consistent surrogate for TMB when it is not readily available for treatment-decision in metastatic NSCLC. Citation Format: Xinan Wang, Biagio Ricciuti, Joao V. Alessi, Tom Nguyen, Mark M. Awad, Xihong Lin, Bruce E. Johnson, David C. Christiani. Smoking history as an independent predictor for immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) in metastatic non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the American Association for Cancer Research Annual Meeting 2021; 2021 Apr 10-15 and May 17-21. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2021;81(13_Suppl):Abstract nr 370.
How emotions shape feminist coalitions

This article develops a framework for conceptualizing the emotional dimensions of coalitions, with particular focus on how power operates through emotion in different varieties of feminist coalitio...
Delivery strategies for reprogramming tumor-associated macrophages

Abstract Tumor-associated macrophages (TAMs) are present in abundance in the tumor microenvironment and contribute to key events involved in tumorigeneses, such as tumor proliferation, enhanced angiogenesis, metastasis, and immune escape. However, the plasticity of macrophages and their ability to switch their phenotype and function from protumor (M2 phenotype) to an antitumor function (M1 phenotype) makes it an ideal candidate for therapeutic intervention. These approaches can be either aimed at depleting TAMs by using monoclonal antibodies (anti-CSF1R antibody) that block vital signaling molecules necessary for TAM survival, or by employing a strategy to reprogram TAMs from the M2 phenotype to the M1 phenotype using an array of drugs and antibodies that will be discussed in this chapter. However, TAM targeted therapies have had limited clinical success due to low drug accumulation at the tumor site, dose-related toxicities due to systemic activation of tissue-resident macrophages at other organs, and insufficient sustained inhibition of signaling pathways involved in macrophage reprogramming. To offset these challenges, novel delivery platforms employed to deliver these macrophage modulating payloads have been the topic of research interest over the last 5 years. In this chapter, we discuss the recent developments in the different types of strategies that have been used to effectively and specifically deliver macrophage modulating immunological payloads aimed at reprogramming macrophage response and hence inhibiting tumor growth. With exciting recent developments in macrophage immunotherapy, the ability to harness the innate inflammatory response of these macrophages in aiding tumor regression offers a new avenue for cancer immunotherapy.
Atmospheric circulation regimes for prescribed burns along the U.S. Gulf of Mexico coast

Abstract The regional-to-synoptic-scale steering atmospheric circulation is important for advecting energy, mass, and momentum across space, with the near-surface wind being the local manifestation of this circulation. The local winds can affect phenomena of economic, ecological, and/or aesthetic values, such as bird migrations and prescribed burns to restore bird habitats. The purpose of this research is to classify the days from 1979 to 2018 based on circulation patterns near the surface (i.e., 1000-hPa) and at the highest level of airflow affecting bird migration (i.e., 700-hPa), across the Gulf Coast region of the United States. The resulting patterns, derived from Ward's clustering method on rotated principal component scores, are used as input in a fire management plan to restore niches for bird species such as black and yellow rails and mottled ducks. Results suggest that for the (near-surface) 1000-hPa level, a classification system consisting of eight circulation types maximizes the between-group variability while minimizing the within-group variability, with a total of 95.8 percent of the dataset variance explained, and reasonable correspondence with existing manual, subjective and semi-automated techniques. At the 700-hPa level, a system of eight circulation types was derived, explaining 95.05 percent of the dataset variance. In general, the western U.S. Gulf of Mexico arc is more likely than the eastern to respond to synoptic control in the form of weather types, while the eastern region may have more influence from local-to-meso-scale land and sea breezes. These results will assist in optimizing the success of controlled burn conditions while enhancing efforts to minimize advection to populated areas.
13 – THE MONATOMIC IDEAL GAS

This chapter deals with simplest of the ideal gas—the monatomic ideal gas. The heat capacities of a monatomic ideal gas do not depend on the temperature and this result in considerable simplification of the thermodynamic properties of this gas. It is possible to write an explicit fundamental equation for the monatomic ideal gas and to obtain this not only in the entropy and energy representation but also in the alternative representations as well. In addition, the monatomic ideal gas allows one to demonstrate that, if the equations of state are at hand, the fundamental equation can be obtained through the introduction of the state equations into the Euler equation. The chapter ends with representation of the integrated form of the Gibbs–Duhem equation of a monatomic ideal gas.
52 – Wickerhamia Soneda

Publisher Summary This chapter focuses on Wickerhamia genus and its member species. The cells of this species are ovoidal to elongate or apiculate, and appear as single or in pairs or as very short chains. Reproduction of these cells occur mainly by bipolar budding on a relatively broad base. Its asci are formed without prior conjugation. The ascospores of this genus are cap-shaped, where the crown deflects to one side of a sinuous brim, giving the appearance of a sporting cap. Usually, only one or two spores are formed for each ascus but occasionally it can go up to 16. The only member species of this genus is Wickerhamia fluorescens. The cells of this species, after undergoing growth in 5% malt extract for two or three days at 25° C, apiculate with blunt ends, ovoidal, elongate (sometimes sausage-shaped or slightly curved), or in the shape of bowling pins. The spores are formed without immediately preceding conjugation of vegetative cells. Sporulation is best on corn meal agar, oatmeal agar, or potato agar at 25° C, after 3 to 5 days.
Genetic analysis of ribonucleic acid polymerase mutants of Bacillus subtilis.

Deoxyribonucleic acid-dependent ribonucleic acid polymerase mutants of Bacillus subtilis strain Marburg were isolated after mutagenesis of spores with ethyl methane sulfonate. Genetic analysis by PBS1-mediated transduction and by transformation indicated that mutations responsible for all of the four phenotypic classes studied (rifampin resistance, streptovaricin resistance, streptolydigin resistance, and temperature sensitivity) were clustered close to the cysA14 locus. Three-factor transformation analysis has indicated the most probable marker order as follows: Rif R (Stv) R -Std R -Ts 418 -Ts 427 . In addition, further characterization of the classical group I reference marker, cysA14 , is reported.
Alterations in Glycosphingolipid Patterns in a Line of African Green Monkey Kidney Cells Infected with Herpesvirus

The major glycosphingolipids (GSLs) of a line of African green monkey kidney cells (BGM) were characterized as glucosylceramide, lactosylceramide, galactosyl-galactosyl-glucosylceramide, and N-acetylgalactosaminyl-galactosyl-galactosyl-glucosylceramide. Neutral GSLs accounted for approximately 80% of the total GSLs isolated. The predominant gangliosides were N-acetylneuraminyl-galactosyl-glucosylceramide, N-acetylgalactosaminyl-N-acetylneuraminyl-galactosyl- glucosylceramide, and galactosyl-N-acetylgalactosaminyl-N-acetylneuraminyl -galactosyl-glucosylceramide. The incorporation of labeled galactose into GSLs was compared in mock-infected and herpes simplex virus type 1-infected BGM cells. Herpes simplex virus type 1 infection resulted in a three- to four-fold increase in galactose incorporation into glucosylceramide and a decrease in galactose incorporation into galactosyl-galactosyl-glucosylceramide and N-acetyl-galactosaminyl-galactosyl-galactosyl-glucosylceramide. The virus-induced alteration in the GSL labeling pattern occurred early in infection, before the release of infectious virus, and was not prevented by the presence of cytosine arabinoside. Treatment of uninfected BGM cells with cycloheximide resulted in alterations in the GSL pattern which were similar to those observed in herpes simplex virus type 1-infected cells. These observations suggest that an early virus function such as inhibition of host cell protein synthesis is responsible for the observed alterations of GSL metabolism. Experiments with a syncytium-producing strain of herpes simplex virus type 1, herpes simplex virus type 2, and pseudorabies virus indicated that other herpes viruses altered GSL metabolism in a manner similar to herpes simplex virus type 1.
The Local Interstellar Medium Viewed Through Pickup Ions, Recent Results and Future Perspectives

Over the last 10 years the experimental basis for the study of the very local interstellar medium (VLISM) has been substantially broadened by the direct detection of pickup ions and of neutral helium. The strength of these methods lies in the local measurement of the particles. By scanning the gravitational focusing cone of the interstellar wind, a consistent set of interstellar helium parameters, neutral density, temperature and relative velocity, has been derived. However, the accuracy of these parameters is still hampered by uncertainties in some of the crucial ionization rates and in the pickup ion transport. Recent observations have shown that the scattering mean free path of pickup ions is comparable with the large scale variation of the interplanetary magnetic field (IMF) in the inner heliosphere. This requires a substantial modification in the modeling of the ion distribution and more detailed measurements, tasks that can be addressed in the near future.
Distributed Box-Constrained Quadratic Optimization for Dual Linear SVM

Training machine learning models sometimes needs to be done on large amounts of data that exceed the capacity of a single machine, motivating recent works on developing algorithms that train in a distributed fashion. This paper proposes an efficient box-constrained quadratic optimization algorithm for distributedly training linear support vector machines (SVMs) with large data. Our key technical contribution is an analytical solution to the problem of computing the optimal step size at each iteration, using an efficient method that requires only O(1) communication cost to ensure fast convergence. With this optimal step size, our approach is superior to other methods by possessing global linear convergence, or, equivalently, O(log(1/e)) iteration complexity for an e-accurate solution, for distributedly solving the non-strongly-convex linear SVM dual problem. Experiments also show that our method is significantly faster than state-of-the-art distributed linear SVM algorithms including DSVM-AVE, DisDCA and TRON.
Polymerase-chain reaction/electrospray ionization-mass spectrometry for the detection of bacteria and fungi in bronchoalveolar lavage fluids: a prospective observational study

PLEX-ID uses polymerase chain reaction-electrospray ionization/mass spectrometry for rapid identification of infectious agents in clinical samples. We evaluated its concordance with our centre's standard methods (SM) for bacterial and fungal detection in bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL) fluid in a prospective observational cohort study. The primary outcome was concordance (%) between SM and PLEX-ID. Secondary outcomes included concordance when excluding commensal oral flora, detection of resistance genes, and PLEX-ID's potential impact on clinical management, as determined by two independent reviewers. Included were 101 specimens from 94 patients. BALs were performed primarily for suspected pneumonia (76/101, 75%) and lung transplant work-ups (12/101, 12%). Most specimens yielded at least one organism by either method (92/101, 91%). Among all microorganisms detected (n = 218), 83% and 17% were bacterial and fungal, respectively. Overall concordance between SM and PLEX-ID was 45% (45/101). Concordance increased to 66% (67/101) when discordance for commensal flora was excluded. PLEX-ID failed to detect 21% of all 183 SM-identified organisms, while SM did not identify 28% of the 191 PLEX-ID-identified organisms (p <0.001). There was low concordance for mecA detection. Two infectious-disease specialists' analyses concluded that in most of the 31 discordant, non-commensal cases, PLEX-ID results would have had little or no impact on patient management; in eight cases, however, PLEX-ID would have led to 'wrong decision-making'. The tested version of PLEX-ID concurred weakly with standard methods in the detection of bacteria and fungi in BAL specimens, and is not likely to be useful as a standalone tool for microbiological diagnosis in suspected respiratory infections.
The stress-strain curve of shear-banding polystyrene

Abstract A zone of diffuse non-Hookean shear strain is shown by birefringence measurements to initiate before, and to propagate ahead of, shear bands in glassy polystyrene. A moire analysis of the displacements around the propagating shear band packet reveals that the shear band packet, although highly visible, contributes only a minor fraction of the total non-Hookean specimen strain while the diffuse shear zone contributes the major portion. The results also show conclusively that the polymer within the expanding shear zone undergoes strain softening. These facts allow one to properly interpret the existence of a load maximum in constant rate compression tests of polystyrene as due to the expansion and strain softening of the diffuse shear zone, rather than to propagation of the shear band packet or specimen buckling. The load maximum occurs when the shear zone has fully expanded across the specimen width.
Reoperation for Coarctation of the Aorta

Between 1957 and 1980 reoperation for coarctation of the aorta was performed in 21 patients at one institution for an overall incidence rate of 7.9 percent. The incidence rate of reoperation was 38 percent for patients younger than age 3 years and 1.5 percent for patients 3 years or older at initial repair. Before reoperation 14 of the 21 patients were symptomatic, 19 had systolic hypertension of the upper limbs and 20 had a documented coarctation pressure gradient at rest (mean 42.4 mm Hg). Surgical techniques used at reoperation were patch aortoplasty in 12 patients, graft interposition in 4, end to end anastomosis in 3 and end to side left subclavian to descending aorta bypass graft in 2. There was one surgical death. The 20 survivors have been followed up a mean of 4.3 years. There has been significant symptomatic improvement (p < 0.001). Upper limb hypertension has also lessened significantly (p < 0.001) after reoperation;15 patients are no longer hypertensive and 3 have a lesser degree of hypertension. The coarctation pressure gradient at rest has significantly decreased (p < 0.001); 13 patients have no residual gradient and 7 have a mild gradient of 20 mm Hg or less. Graded treadmill exercise testing performed in five patients after reoperation documented upper limb hypertension in four and a marked increase in coarctation gradient with exercise in three. In conclusion, the incidence of reoperation is significantly increased in patients who are younger than age 3 years at initial coarctation repair. Reoperation is a safe and effective procedure. It has a low mortality rate (4.8 percent), relieves symptoms and decreases hypertension and the coarctation pressure gradient. Patch aortoplasty appears to be the operative procedure of choice. Moderate to severe hemodynamic abnormalities may persist during exercise after reoperation for coarctation of the aorta.
Spatial and Temporal Variations in the South Polar Surface Energy Balance

Abstract The surface energy balance in Antarctica is examined by summarizing and comparing field data collected at seven locations in five latitudinal zones, each having different ice surface characteristics which are specified. Satellite records are used to estimate the energy balance of the pack ice zone for which no field data are available. The midwinter energy loss from the ocean to the atmosphere of this zone may be almost an order of magnitude higher than previous estimates, due to a much larger extent of open water as determined from satellite observations. Interannual variations of the energy balance over the continent appear to be small, as judged from the limited data set, but the effects of sea ice, the largest year-to-year variable in the energy balance, could not be determined without better satellite-derived information of the sea ice thickness distribution.
Experiments on mixed convection heat transfer for airflow in a horizontal and inclined channel

Abstract Experiments have been performed to investigate mixed convection heat transfer in the thermal entry region of a parallel plate channel heated uniformly from below. The effect of surface heat flux and channel orientation on the local Nusselt number was studied for Pr = 0.7, 125 3 6 , and 0
A case report of myeloid sarcoma of the gastrointestinal system

Myeloid sarcoma is a tumor mass of myeloblasts or immature myeloid cells occurring in an extramedullary site. The clinical presentation of myeloid sarcoma varies, and many organs or tissues can be involved. Myeloid sarcoma may be found in patients with acute myeloid leukemia (AML), myelodysplastic syndromes (MDS), myeloproliferative neoplasm (MPN), or without any history. Morphologically, these cells may appear like myeloblasts, promyelocytes, or more mature granulocytes. Cytochemical and immunohistochemical stains are extremely important to make the right diagnosis. We report here a case of myeloid sarcoma in an unusual site in an 80-year-old male, without history of AML, MDS, or MPN. The patient presented with perigastric mass and numerous tumor nodules in the liver, mesentery, and omentum. His bone marrow was reactive, without evidence of AML, MDS, or MPN. The tumor masses were proven to be myeloid sarcoma by immunohistochemical stains (positive for CD34, CD68, and lysozyme) and cytogenetic studies.
Life with MC-SNICS. Part II: Further ion source development at the Keck carbon cycle AMS facility

We report on an ongoing program of improvements to the National Electrostatics (NEC) MC-SNICS ion source at the KCCAMS laboratory at UC Irvine. Recent work has focused on vacuum improvements and on increasing the source output and efficiency. We replaced the extractor and preacceleration assemblies for a threefold improvement in pumping conductance, leading to lower source pressures and quicker startup after sample wheel changes. A switch to spherical ionizers caused a marked improvement in the focusing of the Cs beam, leading to major gains in ion source efficiency and negative ion beam quality. Better confinement of Cs within the new ionizer assembly resulted in lower Cs consumption and a significant reduction in arcing problems.
Generation, transport, and trapping of excess charge carriers in Czochralski-grown sapphire

The transient x-ray-induced conductivity in high-purity Union Carbide ${\mathrm{Al}}_{2}$${\mathrm{O}}_{3}$ single crystals is reported. The mobility lifetime product for electrons is much greater than that for holes and consequently the transport properties of the holes remain obscured. The trapping and detrapping rates for four different electron traps were determined from the data, including the trapping parameters for substitutional ${\mathrm{Cr}}^{3+}$. Even though the transport is dominated by trapping and detrapping, the high-mobility transport of electrons was observed in the first few nanoseconds; the mobility was found to be 3 \ifmmode\pm\else\textpm\fi{} 1 ${\mathrm{cm}}^{2}$/V sec independent of temperature between 100 and 350 K. The magnitude and temperature dependence of the intrinsic mobility are not in agreement with simple large-polaron theory. It was found that one of the deep traps (not ${\mathrm{Cr}}^{3+}$) could be filled with an accumulated dose of 2000 rad at 300 K, and that the filling led to an increase of up to fivefold in the lifetime.
Subjective retrieval cues in free recall

The Ss sorted unrelated words into categories using whatever principles occurred to them. They were then asked to provide labels for the categories. Finally, some Ss were asked to recall the words with their subjective category labels as cues, while others were not given cues in recall. The cues facilitated recall.
Connecting the Dots: Linking Sirtuins and AMPK in Metabolism and Aging

The paper "Glucose Restriction Inhibits Skeletal Myoblast Differentiation by Activating SIRT1 through AMPK-Mediated Regulation of Nampt" by Fulco et al. is remarkably integrative. If you think about it, there are only two small molecules in cells most important in providing an indication of energy status: ATP and NAD. These molecules can be sensed by regulatory proteins, such as AMP-kinase (which senses the AMP/ATP ratio) and sirtuins (which require NAD to deacetylate protein substrates). The paper by Fulco shows that AMPK and SIRT1 can be connected in a linear pathway in which glucose restriction triggers AMPK activity, and this activates the gene encoding the NAD synthetic enzyme, Nampt, providing the crucial link to the activation of the sirtuin SIRT1. The net effect of this signaling by ATP and NAD is to activate SIRT1 during energy limitation and restrain differentiation of skeletal myoblasts. This pathway thus elegantly links two critical metabolic regulators AMPK and sirtuins and provides a framework for how calorie restriction exerts its effects in a particular tissue. This PaperPick refers to "Glucose Restriction Inhibits Skeletal Myoblast Differentiation by Activating SIRT1 through AMPK-Mediated Regulation of Nampt," by M. Fulco, Y. Cen, P. Zhao, E.P. Hoffman, M.W. McBurney, A.A. Sauve, and V. Sartorelli, published in May 2008. Video Abstract Vittorio Sartorelli and Marcella Fulco discuss their identification of a nutrient-sensing pathway that governs the differentiation of skeletal muscle cells.
ESTIMATING EMISSIONS REDUCTIONS FROM ACCELERATED VEHICLE RETIREMENT PROGRAMS

Abstract Accelerated vehicle retirement programs offer owners of older vehicles incentives to scrap those vehicles earlier than might otherwise occur. Since older vehicles generally pollute more than newer vehicles, public agencies adopt such programs to reduce air pollutant emissions. Current methods of estimating the emissions reduction benefits of the programs are based on several assumptions and limited empirical evidence. This paper uses data from two large-scale programs in California to demonstrate that changing assumptions can significantly alter the assumed benefits of the program. The results show that vehicle retirement programs are likely to reduce emissions, but probably not as much as expected, particularly for nitrogen oxide and carbon monoxide emissions. The differences in estimates stem from several factors: scrapped vehicles are generally driven fewer miles than other vehicles of the same model year; some of the vehicles would have been scrapped without the program or not have lasted as long as expected; emissions for some pollutants may not be as high as predicted; and replacement vehicles are usually older than the fleet average.
Tree-structured maximal common subgraph searching. An example of parallel computation with a single sequential processor

Abstract A new maximal common subgraph search algorithm (MCS-1) is described and applied to selection of starting materials for synthesis of a target molecule. This algorithm achieves parallelism of up to 20-fold with a single processor by using a unique storage tree. The storage tree requires only 79% of the storage required by a sequential organization and the storage tree requires only 28% of the bonds to be represented. The algorithm continues to improve relative to the sequential organization as the number of compounds in the library increases. The efficiency of the algorithm was evaluated with four queries for ten different sized libraries, ordered in various ways. An execution trace of MCS-1 is included.
Tracheotomy for Subcutaneous Emphysema and Pneumomediastinum Complicating Asthma

A 14-year-old steroid-dependent chronic asthmatic patient developed pneumomediastinum and subcutaneous emphysema. Because of rapid progression of the extravasating air and deterioration of the patient's condition, tracheotomy was performed with prompt relief of her dyspnea; she has had little asthma since, but did have a slight recurrence of her subcutaneous emphysema ten months later.