cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Sexual selection, reproductive behavior, and speciation in the mbuna species flock of Lake Malawi (Pisces: Cichlidae)

The cichlid species flocks of the African Great Lakes represent the most extreme case of adaptive radiation among vertebrates. Recently, attention has focused on the potential for sexual selection to drive or accelerate speciation in these fishes. Cichlids as a whole are social in nature and display complex behavior, particularly during courtship and spawning; however, the extent to which changes in species recognition cues may account for species diversity among haplochromine lineages has remained speculative. Our investigations have indicated that oral incubating haplochromines show a reduction in diversity and extent of courtship relative to substrate brooding cichlids, and apparently retain aspects of a primitive specific mate recognition system. Laboratory observations of courtship in the Malawian endemic Pseudotropheus zebra suggest that organization of the spawning bout is loose, and lacking in any well defined stimulus-response chain. Interspecific comparisons of in situ courtship behavior among male mbuna, lithophilous haplochromines of Lake Malawi, revealed only one potential example of species-specific behavior, and indicated that mate choice occurred prior to the onset of intense courtship. Courtship display by male mbuna does not appear critical to species recognition and may represent an evolutionary relict. Alternatively, male courtship display may have an indirect effect on successful reproduction or may be maintained through pleiotropic effects. The mbuna display no evidence of behavioral innovation and show limited interspecific differentiation in behavioral expression. More generally, there is no evidence at present to suggest that epigamic sexual selection, acting on courtship behavior, has been a major mechanism in the diversification of the haplochromine species flocks.
Multi-torrent: a performance study and applications

Empirical evidence suggests that most nodes in BitTorrent (BT) participate in multiple torrents, but surprisingly little research exists on this topic. Here, we focus on a multi-torrent system, and specifically on (a) what incentives could be provided for nodes to contribute resources as seeds in a multi-torrent environment, and (b) what are the resulting performance consequences. We show why the current BT lacks incentives for nodes to stay as seeds. Motivated by that, we propose a cross torrent based method to encourage nodes to stay as seeds and present an extensive performance study to illustrate the benefits of our approach.
The Extent of Divergence in Human Resource Practice Across Three Chinese National Cultures: Hong Kong, Taiwan and Singapore

This study examines the extent of divergence versus convergence impact on the design of performance appraisal schemes across three Chinese culture-based newly industrialised countries: Hong Kong, Taiwan and Singapore. This survey research, which assessed respondents’ perceptions of their country's predominant behavioural characteristics of management practice pertinent to performance appraisals, demonstrated significant differences among the countries under study. the results suggest that, contrary to past cross-cultural cluster research, homogeneity should not automatically be assumed in guiding important management practices such as performance appraisal.
"Do filtering, dialogue and networking improve learning in equivocal and information rich contexts?"

We examine learning outcomes in intelligence analysts â€“ the likelihood to shift intelligence analyst's mental models â€“ within policy-making contexts of analysts and decision-makers operating in...
Antenna pointing for high bandwidth communications from mobile robots

This paper discusses the challenge of achieving high bandwidth, distant range wireless communication from mobile robots by way of antenna tracking. In the case of robots traversing rough terrain at moderate speeds, tracking demands high slew rates and large motion ranges due to vehicle motion disturbances. Attaining tracking accuracy, particular with the low mass and power inherent to mobile robots, requires an innovative approach. This paper presents the requirements analysis, mechanism design, sensor configuration and some experimental results for an antenna pointing mechanism that was developed for Nomad, a planetary-relevant mobile robot. The mechanism was demonstrated during the summer of 1997 in Nomad's 200 km traverse in the Atacama Desert of Chile.
Blood Transfusion and the Risk of Atrial Fibrillation after Cardiac Surgery

Background Red blood cell transfusion (Tx) induces a proinflammatory state. Inflammatory mediators are associated with an increased risk of postoperative atrial fibrillation (AF). Therefore, in this study we determined the association between AF and Tx after isolated coronary artery bypass graft surgery (CABG). Method Between January 2008 and December 2010, a total of 879 patients underwent CABG. Of these, 815 (92.7%) had complete data extracted from our institution's Society of Thoracic Surgeons (STS) database. Predictors of AF development among four levels of Tx versus nontransfused patients were examined. Multivariable logistic regression and propensity score matching models were used. Results The mean age was 65.8 years (±10.3), 77.4% were male, and 54.4% had an STS predicted risk score (mortality/morbidity) of ≥10%. A total of 564 (69.2%) had at least one unit of Tx. Adjusting for age, sex, time on pump, congestive heart failure, stroke, creatinine level (<1.5 mg per deciliter vs. ≥1.5), STS morbidity/mortality score, perioperative myocardial infarction (MI), cross-clamp time, medications, and hemoglobin level, the odds ratio (OR) of AF increased with increasing Tx (OR, 1.36; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.11 to 1.68; p = 0.003). The odds of AF increased 61% with each increasing level of Tx (OR, 1.61; 95% CI, 1.15 to 2.26; p = 0.006, by propensity analysis). Conclusions Perioperative Tx may be associated with excess AF following CABG. This risk increases with increasing number of Tx. doi: 10.1111/jocs.12383 (J Card Surg 2014;29:593–599)
Pricing Early-Exercise Options UsingGenetic Optimization

One of the classic problems in option pricing theory is valuing the American put. It is easy to show the existence of an early exercise boundary for the price of the underlying asset such that each point in time, if the price is below the boundary exercise is optimal, while above the boundary it is not. But deriving a closed form valuation equation for this so-called free-boundary problem is not possible. Other types of options with early-exercise features, like Bermudan contracts, calls on dividend-paying stocks, and options on futures and forwards all present similar difficulties, and introducing a wider range of returns processes, such as jump-diffusions, does not make things easier. Many ideas for approximating solutions for early-exercise options have been proposed over the years. In this article, Powell explores a different approach using genetic optimization. This powerful search technique has not been used much in finance, but the results presented here suggest that it is capable of producing approximate valuations that are as good as other methods using rather simple computer technology. The purpose of the article is to illustrate the potential of genetic optimization for this class of problems, leaving possibilities for fine-tuning it to increase efficiency, for example by imposing known properties of the early-exercise boundary a priori, are left for future exploration.
A stimulus trace interpretation of the overlearning reversal effect in a black-white discrimination☆

Abstract Forty-eight rats in a 2 × 2 factorial design received equivalent training in a black-white discrimination and then either were reversed immediately (IR) or given 200% overtraining (OR). Postacquisition criterion, two groups (GB) had the cues of the choice point replicated in the goal area, two did not (NGB). GB-OR, GB-IR, and NGB-OR learned the reversal in about the same number of days (trials); while, as predicted, NGB-IR learned significantly slower than NGB-OR, yielding an ORE.
Review of Thomas Gallant's The Edinburgh History of the Greeks, 1768 to 1913: The Long Nineteenth Century

Review of Thomas W. Gallant, The Edinburgh History of the Greeks, 1768 to 1913: The Long Nineteenth Century , Edinburgh: Edinburgh University Press, 2015, viii + 372 pp
Contemplating Mindfulness at Work An Integrative Review

Mindfulness research activity is surging within organizational science. Emerging evidence across multiple fields suggests that mindfulness is fundamentally connected to many aspects of workplace functioning, but this knowledge base has not been systematically integrated to date. This review coalesces the burgeoning body of mindfulness scholarship into a framework to guide mainstream management research investigating a broad range of constructs. The framework identifies how mindfulness influences attention, with downstream effects on functional domains of cognition, emotion, behavior, and physiology. Ultimately, these domains impact key workplace outcomes, including performance, relationships, and well-being. Consideration of the evidence on mindfulness at work stimulates important questions and challenges key assumptions within management science, generating an agenda for future research.
Innovations in Employment-Based Health Benefits

In recent years, there have been many employer-driven “innovations” in health benefit design, such as health reimbursement arrangements, value-based benefit design, medical homes, wellness programs, and others. All of these innovations have a common goal: to better manage spending on health care through consumer engagement tools or the use of incentives that change individual behavior. What do we know about the effectiveness of these innovations? In large part, very little independent research exists on their impact. Premiums by plan type can be compared, and the use of preventive services can be tracked; but reliable, unbiased information regarding the true impact of these programs is scarce. Nearly a hundred health policy experts, senior private-sector HR representatives, and insurance and health officials examined some innovative employer-driven programs during a daylong policy forum held by the nonpartisan Employee Benefit Research Institute (EBRI) in Washington, DC, on Dec. 9, 2010. The discussion also considered the future of employment-based health programs in the wake of the November election results and enactment of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (PPACA). This paper summarizes the presentations and debate during that forum. The PDF for the above title, published in the April 2011 issue of EBRI Notes, also contains the full text of another April 2011 EBRI Notes article abstracted on SSRN: “Retirement Income Adequacy: Alternative Thresholds and the Importance of Future Eligibility in Defined Contribution Retirement Plans.”
Rings of SPECT explained

1038 Learning Objectives 1. Understand the root causes of ring artifacts in reconstructed SPECT images. 2. Describe ring artifacts patterns based on the type, location, and depth of non-uniformity defects. 3. Determine the significance of a ring artifact for clinical studies. There is nothing more maddening than ring artifacts in SPECT images. Patient studies are compromised, and their presence is the major cause for failure in obtaining an accreditation certificate from the American College of Radiology. The root cause of the rings is well known and comes from uniformity defects in the gamma camera detectors. This exhibit will demonstrate how the rings appear in size and magnitude in relation to the location and depth of single and multiple uniformity defects from computer simulation, noise and noise-free, of a SPECT phantom. To decide on the significance of ring artifacts, the simulations are compared to clinical and phantom acquisitions. Noise-free simulations even with the smallest of uniformity defects render ring artifacts, and are most severe when located at the camera axis-of-rotation (AOR). A single uniformity defect renders a single ring whose magnitude decreases as its distance increases from the AOR. For a camera with all tubes visible, multiple concentric rings are rendered. The ring artifacts become hidden under noisy conditions. With 32 million total counts ring artifacts only become perceptible with a flood-field Integral Uniformity of 3%, but must be at least 5% for 16 million total counts. It is best to review all cross-sectional planes for rings in clinical and phantom acquisitions. Very often the magnitude of the ring artifact varies with slice level which becomes clearly observed on coronal and sagittal cross-sections. The phantom simulations help to show when levels of uniformity defects render rings that are clinically significant. Steps to eliminate ring artifacts will be reviewed which ordinarily requires the camera detectors be re-calibrate
Suppression of two missense alleles of the TRP5 locus of Saccharomyces cerevisiae.

A suppressor SUP101 of alleles trp5–67 and trp5–18 of the trp5 locus of Saccharomyces cerevisiae is described. The two suppressible mutations have been previously classified as missense. The suppression does not result from a physiological bypass of the tryptophan synthetase-catalyzed reaction, since the suppression is allele-specific. IU alleles trp5–70, tryp5–95, and trp5–102; IA alleles trp5–81, trp5–101, and trp5–103; and the ochre alleles trp5–33 and trp5–48 are not suppressed by SUP101. SUP101 does not suppress ochre alleles ade2–1, his5–2, arg4–17, lys1–1, amber alleles trp1–1, tyr7–1, or unclassified alleles at a number of other loci. These results indicate SUP101 is a missense suppressor. Growth on tryptophanless media is dependent upon gene dosage of both the suppressor and the suppressible alleles. Only the diploids homozygous both for the suppressor and suppressible alleles produce growth equivalent to growth of the haploids bearing a suppressible allele and the suppressor. Suppressor-bearing strains grow poorly even on tryptophan-supplemented media. In more than 100 asci analyzed partial growth inhibition on the complete medium always segregated with the suppressor.
Study of the inhibition actions of ribavirin to RSV and ADV_3 in vitro

Objectives To study the inhibition actions of Ribavirin to RSV and ADV 3 Methods To observe the pathologic changes of Hep-2 and Hela cells in each tubes Results The minimal inhibitory concentration of Ribavisin to RSV and ADV 3 in vitro was 7 8μg /ml Conclusions The Ribavirin has the greater inhibition actions to RSV and ADV 3
Discussion on Managing Geological Park according to Law

The paper first points out the significance of establishing geological park: protecting geological relic resources efficiently;boosting improvement of the ecological environment;popularizing scientific knowledge on geological sciences;drving the sustainable local social and economic development;as well as a innovation act for geological work giving service to economic development.And then,the paper analyses some problems with regard to the management and construction of the geological park and offers some methods for improving: these include: carrying out normative management and law-based control over geological park;by taking sustainable development as foundation base to constitute planning,set down legal procedure for declaration and cognizance,and examination standard;establishing supervision system;in the legislation,fully utilizing economic method to control geological park shoule be made definitely.
Alternative Governance in Spaces and Territories

Ungoverned Spaces. Alternatives to State Authority in an Era of Softened Sovereignty. Edited by Anne L. Clunan, Harold A. Trinkunas . Stanford Security Studies. Stanford, CA: Stanford University Press, 2010. 310 pp., $23.00 paperback (ISBN 078-0-8047-7013-2). Governance Without a State? Policies and Politics in Areas of Limited Statehood. Edited by Thomas Risse . New York, NY: Columbia University Press, 2011. 297 pp., $40.54 hardcover (ISBN 978-0-231-15120-7). Studies of governance arrangements beyond the state have opened new vistas to theory building, substantive research, and policy relevance. Governance in the European Union (EU), the first to be labeled multilevel governance, has generated key findings. These findings have challenged traditional notions of state sovereignty and state impermeability; they have tackled a broad range of substantive issues from agriculture and foreign policy to subregional development and cultural affairs; and they have policy implications for the new generation of EU decision makers. The proliferating global governance literature has studied various arrangements, encompassing such actors as international governmental organizations, non-governmental organizations, MNCs, foundations, and more recently networks and multistakeholder actors. The findings of much of this research are that, indeed, there are a multitude of governance arrangements out there, even though they may be hierarchical arrangements. States and governmental bureaucracies may be key participants, but they act in coordination with public and private “others” to provide alternative authority relationships. Even when the state is absent, nonexistent, or failed, governance occurs—governance without the state. These two edited books contribute to this broader literature by focusing on ungoverned spaces (Clunan and Trinkunas volume) and on areas of limited statehood (Risse volume). Both volumes suggest that the paradigm of an international system with state sovereignty is a fiction, misleading to scholars and decision makers alike. In actuality, state sovereignty has softened; the state is joined by numerous other actors, some benign and others malign, which provide different forms of organization (Clunan, p. 6). In many areas, there is limited statehood, where governance occurs through steering via cooperative networks of public and private actors and rule making (Risse, p. 9). Thus, the goal in each volume is to explore theoretically and empirically these spaces and examine the alternative authority and governance structures that have arisen. Both …
Interrater reliability issues in multicenter trials, part I: Theoretical concepts and operational procedures used in Department of Veterans Affairs Cooperative Study 394

This article describes a standardized method for establishing and maintaining desired levels of interrater reliability (IRR) in multicenter trials. The procedure involves six steps: distribution of procedural guides, distribution of an introduction tape, initial distribution of patient interviews to rate, training at the study kickoff meeting, ongoing IRR monitoring, and group training throughout the study. This method is being used in a national Veterans Affairs Cooperative Study (CS #394), involving nine sites to examine the treatment effects of vitamin E on tardive dyskinesia. The six-step standardized process allowed for early detection of areas of concern in assessment administration. When comparing intraclass correlation coefficients (ICCs) at different points in the initial training, the Barnes Akathisia Scale and Anchored Brief Psychiatric Rating Scale reliability improved from 0.68 to 0.74 and from 0.54 to 0.87, respectively. After analyzing the ratings collected prior to the start of CS #394, data were collected to conduct the first check on Abnormal Involuntary Movement Scale (AIMS) IRR during enrollment; the estimated ICC for the AIMS had decreased from 0.87 to 0.60. Raters were instructed to re-assess the subjects from the first videotape on the AIMS and received additional training. The re-rating indicated very good reliability, 0.84, IRR was measured once for the Global Assessment of Functioning Scale resulting in an ICC of 0.90. The companion article (Part II: Edson et al. 1997, page 59 of this issue) describes the statistical procedures used to measure IRR.
The inhibition of sodium, potassium-stimulated ATPase and corneal swelling: the role played by polyols

Background Sodium, potassium-stimulated adenosine triphosphatase (Na,K-ATPase; E. C. 3.6.1.37) is considered to be the principal corneal enzyme responsible for deturgescence. Some metabolites are known to inhibit Na,K-ATPase, including glucose and galactose. In diabetes, some cells take up high levels of glucose and are converted to the polyhydroxy alcohol: sorbitol. In galactosemia, a similar uptake of galactose may cause the intracellular formation of the polyhydroxy alcohol: galactatol. This study tested the possibility that polyhydroxy alcohols (polyols), metabolized from carbohydrates, might decrease Na,K-ATPase activity. Methods Cultured corneal endothelial cells were separately exposed to 20 mM of the polyols: sorbitol, galactitol, and xylitol. Media containing 5 mM glucose served as the control. Plasma membrane vesicles, containing the Na,K-ATPase, were isolated and tested for the enzyme's activity. Results We found that the enzyme, after exposure to polyols, had only 15%-20% of its normal activity when assayed with the control. Conclusions Since corneal endothelial cells can generate polyols in diabetes mellitus, this result may explain why corneas are able to swell in individuals with poorly controlled diabetes.
Lean accretion and protein turnover are enhanced by intermittent bolus feeding in neonatal pigs

Orogastric tube feeding is indicated in neonates with impaired ability to ingest food normally and can be administered by intermittent bolus (INT) or continuous (CON) infusion. Insulin and amino acids play important roles in the regulation of protein synthesis in the neonate. While the sensitivity to insulin is developmentally regulated (Davis et al., 1998) and greatly diminishes with age (Wray-Cahen et al., 1997), amino acids exert a positive effect on muscle protein synthesis throughout life (Denne et al., 1991; Davis et al., 1998; Volpi et al., 1998). In addition to providing amino acids to other organs when dietary supplies are insufficient, high rates of proteolysis are necessary to provide amino acids for ongoing tissue modeling and rapid growth. The two most important proteolytic pathways in skeletal muscle are thought to be the ubiquitin-proteasome and autophagy-lysosome systems (Ventadour and Attaix, 2006). The aim of this study was to determine if these feeding modalities affect growth and lean tissue accretion, and the mechanisms for this response.
IGF binding protein 5 and IGF-I receptor regulation in hypophysectomized rat kidneys.

This study examines growth-regulating adaptations made by the proximal nephron in response to hypophysectomy (HYPX). Fourteen days after HYPX, circulating insulin-like growth factor I (IGF-I) levels were diminished, averaging 97 +/- 7 compared with 650 +/- 69 ng/ml in controls (n = 5, P 200 kDa. The lower-molecular-mass protein, which has been identified as the alpha-subunit of the IGF-I receptor, and the higher-molecular-mass species were both upregulated by HYPX. Ligand blotting with IGF-I demonstrated a 31-kDa protein in both membranes, identified by immunostaining as IGF binding protein 5 (IGFBP-5), not IGFBP-1 or IGFBP-2. Affinity labeling documented an upregulation of this protein in both membranes after HYPX. Ligand blotting demonstrated a 31-kDa protein in HYPX cortical but not normal cortical or medullary cytosol that was immunostained with IGFBP-5 antibodies. RNA prepared from normal kidney cortical tissue demonstrated a 6.0-kb IGFBP-5 transcript, which was increased at day 14 after HYPX. Adaptations in the kidney after HYPX include an upregulation of the IGF-I receptor as well as IGFBP-5.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)
Mitotic Checkpoint Regulators Control Insulin Signaling and Metabolic Homeostasis.

Insulin signaling regulates many facets of animal physiology. Its dysregulation causes diabetes and other metabolic disorders. The spindle checkpoint proteins MAD2 and BUBR1 prevent precocious chromosome segregation and suppress aneuploidy. The MAD2 inhibitory protein p31(comet) promotes checkpoint inactivation and timely chromosome segregation. Here, we show that whole-body p31(comet) knockout mice die soon after birth and have reduced hepatic glycogen. Liver-specific ablation of p31(comet) causes insulin resistance, hyperinsulinemia, glucose intolerance, and hyperglycemia and diminishes the plasma membrane localization of the insulin receptor (IR) in hepatocytes. MAD2 directly binds to IR and facilitates BUBR1-dependent recruitment of the clathrin adaptor AP2 to IR. p31(comet) blocks the MAD2-BUBR1 interaction and prevents spontaneous clathrin-mediated IR endocytosis. BUBR1 deficiency enhances insulin sensitivity in mice. BUBR1 depletion in hepatocytes or the expression of MAD2-binding-deficient IR suppresses the metabolic phenotypes of p31(comet) ablation. Our findings establish a major IR regulatory mechanism and link guardians of chromosome stability to nutrient metabolism.
Polar Fourier Transform Processing of Marine Radar Signals

AbstractThis paper describes a method of processing marine radar signals for the purpose of generating phase-resolved surface elevation maps as well as statistical measures of ocean surface wave fields. The method is well suited to the processing of data collected by marine radars because it allows for the incorporation of effects dependent on the radar look direction relative to the propagation direction of ocean waves. Applications to Doppler radar and backscattered power measurements are described, and example results are presented using simulated radar data.
RESULTS ON THE SEMI-LOCAL CONVERGENCE OF ITERATIVE METHODS WITH APPLICATIONS IN k-MULTIVARIATE FRACTIONAL CALCULUS

We provide new semi-local convergence results for general iterative methods in order to approximate a solution of a nonlinear operator equation. Moreover, applications are suggested in many areas including k -multivariate fractional calculus, where k is a positive integer.
Evaluation of lung tumor motion management in radiation therapy with dynamic MRI.

Surrogate-based tumor motion estimation and tracing methods are commonly used in radiotherapy despite the lack of continuous real time 3D tumor and surrogate data. In this study, we propose a method to simultaneously track the tumor and external surrogates with dynamic MRI, which allows us to evaluate their reproducible correlation. Four MRIcompatible fiducials are placed on the patient’s chest and upper abdomen, and multi-slice 2D cine MRIs are acquired to capture the lung and whole tumor, followed by two-slice 2D cine MRIs to simultaneously track the tumor and fiducials, all in sagittal orientation. A phase-binned 4D-MRI is first reconstructed from multi-slice MR images using body area as a respiratory surrogate and group-wise registration. The 4D-MRI provides 3D template volumes for different breathing phases. 3D tumor position is calculated by 3D-2D template matching in which 3D tumor templates in 4D-MRI reconstruction and the 2D cine MRIs from the two-slice tracking dataset are registered. 3D trajectories of the external surrogates are derived via matching a 3D geometrical model to the fiducial segmentations on the 2D cine MRIs. We tested our method on five lung cancer patients. Internal target volume from 4D-CT showed average sensitivity of 86.5% compared to the actual tumor motion for 5 min. 3D tumor motion correlated with the external surrogate signal, but showed a noticeable phase mismatch. The 3D tumor trajectory showed significant cycle-to-cycle variation, while the external surrogate was not sensitive enough to capture such variations. Additionally, there was significant phase mismatch between surrogate signals obtained from fiducials at different locations.
Blind channel gain cartography

Channel gain cartography relies on sensor measurements to construct maps providing the attenuation between arbitrary transmitter-receiver locations. A number of applications involving interference control, such as wireless network planning or cognitive radio, can benefit from channel gain maps. Existing approaches capitalize on tomographic models, where shadowing is the weighted integral of a spatial loss field (SLF) that depends on the propagation environment. Currently, the SLF is learned from sensor measurements whereas functions weighting the SLF are heuristically selected, but the effectiveness of the latter remains unclear. This paper leverages the framework of nonparametric regression in reproducing kernel Hilbert spaces to propose an algorithm that relies on the same sensor measurements as existing approaches to learn not only the SLF but also the associated weight function. Such an algorithm therefore constitutes a universal tool for channel gain cartography while revealing the nature of the propagation medium. An optimization method is proposed to minimize the pertinent criterion with closed-form updates. Simulation tests demonstrate the capabilities of the proposed algorithm.
Remarkable case of uncorrected type IC tricuspid atresia with adaptive pulmonary trunk dilatation to allow prolonged survival: Case report and CT fly-through

Abstract A remarkable case of a surgically uncorrected Type IC (no great artery transposition, no pulmonary stenosis) tricuspid atresia surviving to adulthood is presented. This is a case of an adult female of 30 years of age with an atretic tricuspid valve, an atrial septal defect, a large ventricular septal defect, and a dilated pulmonary trunk. Surgical correction was never conducted on this heart with a significant congenital cardiac defect, and yet the individual survived into a fourth decade. Without surgical correction, survival to adulthood in tricuspid atresia is exceedingly rare. Survival depends on a high degree of ventricular shunting with limited pulmonary outflow obstruction. The resistance of this obstruction must be both low enough to maintain increased pulmonary blood flow and high enough to prevent systemic-level pressures upon the pulmonary vasculature. The unique finding of a significantly dilated pulmonary trunk is described, which presumably allowed this individual to survive to adulthood. This complex physiology is described and augmented with high-resolution images of this cardiac specimen. These were made possible by the application of a plastination process prior to obtaining high-resolution multi-slice computed tomography imaging studies. The result is a study comprised of multiplanar and three-dimensional data detailing the anatomic features of the specimen, which were then used to create reconstructions of the specimen for visualization of the anatomy. An understanding of the development and morphology of tricuspid atresia is essential for successful surgical correction in new patients with this congenital malformation.
A Content Analysis of the First Decade of the Journal of GLBT Family Studies

ABSTRACTThe emergence of several specialized journals that examine the experiences of gay, lesbian, bisexual, and transgender (GLBT) individuals, families, and communities, particularly the Journal of GLBT Family Studies, has profoundly shaped GLBT research. Engaging in taking stock activities helps to identify trends on which future research should focus to further develop the field. For example, scholars suggest critical analysis of journal publications is necessary for field development, which was done here. Specifically, this content analysis examines the first decade of publications appearing in the Journal of GLBT Family Studies from 2005 to 2015 (N = 233) to identify trends in theoretical foundations, methodological plurality, and inclusivity. Results revealed foci on experiences of GLBT adults. Studies focused less on issues unique to GLBT populations (i.e., stigma). Qualitative designs and primarily White, middle-class samples were most frequently used. Strengths and future opportunities are disc...
Career Choice, Gender, and Mentor Impact: Results of the U.S. National Postdoc Survey

The postdoctoral community is an essential component of the academic and scientific workforce. As economic and political pressures impacting these enterprises continue to change, the postdoc experience has evolved from short, focused periods of training into often multidisciplinary, extended positions with less clear outcomes. As efforts are underway to amend U.S. federally funded research policies, the paucity of postdoc data has made evaluating the impact of policy recommendations challenging. Here we present comprehensive survey results from over 7,600 postdocs based at 351 academic and non-academic U.S. institutions in 2016. In addition to demographic and salary information, we present multivariate analyses on the factors that influence postdoc career plans and mentorship satisfaction in this population. We further analyze gender dynamics and expose wage disparities and career choice differences. Academic research positions remain the predominant career choice of postdocs in the U.S., although unequally between postdocs based on gender and residency status. Receiving mentorship training during the postdoctoral period has a large, positive effect on postdoc mentorship satisfaction. Strikingly, the quality of and satisfaction with postdoc mentorship appears to also heavily influence career choice. The data presented here are the most comprehensive data on the U.S. postdoc population to date. These results provide an evidence basis for informing government and institutional policies, and establish a critical cornerstone for quantifying the effects of future legislation aimed at the academic and scientific workforce.
Novel Techniques for the Conversion of Methane Hydrates

Abstract While methane hydrates hold promise as an energy source, methods for the economical recovery of methane from the hydrate must be developed. Effective means of converting the natural gas into a more useful form, such as the photocatalytic oxidation of methane to methanol, may address some of the needs for methane recovery and use. Methanol retains much of the original energy of the methane, and is a liquid at room temperature, which alleviates some of the concerns about fuel transportation and storage. Desired characteristics of the natural gas conversion process include selectivity toward methanol formation, efficiency of conversion, low cost, and ease of use of the conversion method. A method for the conversion of methane to methanol involving a photocatalyst, light, and an electron transfer molecule, is described. Moreover, novel use of the formation of a methane hydrate as a means of maximizing the levels of methane in water, as well as providing the reactants in close proximity, is described. This method demonstrated successful conversion of methane contained in a methane hydrate to methanol.
Principles and Applications of 113Cd NMR to Biological Systems

Knowledge of the molecular details of the interactions between metal ions and biological macromolecules is of prime importance in unraveling the mechanisms of the numerous biological processes which are either dependent upon or deleteriously affected by various metals. Several physical techniques, most notably EPR and optical spectroscopy, have been extremely useful in providing insight into the structures of the many macromolecular complexes in nature which contain Fe, Co, Cu, Mn, or Mo as their native constituents. However, because these methods require the presence of a chromophoric and/or paramagnetic metal ion, they are not unfortunately applicable to the study of all valence states of these metal atoms or the many important systems whose functions depend upon the binding of diamagnetic metal ions such as Zn2+, Mg2+, and Ca2+. Although still in its infancy and not routinely available, extended x-ray absorption fine-structure spectroscopy (EXAFS) is potentially capable of providing detailed structural data concerning the electronic configuration and chemical environment of all of these metal atoms in macromolecular complexes in solution. An alternative and by far more readily available technique for studying the structural and functional details of macromolecular complexes with diamagnetic metal atoms is to substitute for the native metal the isotopically enriched, spin-1/2 113Cd nucleus and observe its nuclear magnetic resonance properties.
Investigating the Information-Seeking Processes of Adolescents: The Value of Using Think Alouds and Think Afters

Abstract Five participants completed retrospective and concurrent verbal protocols (Think Afters and Think Alouds) to evaluate the methods for the study of the information-seeking processes of 12–15-year-old students using Microsoft Encarta 98. After a short training session in the Think Aloud Method, they completed four activities of differing complexity. The data provided support for the use of verbal protocol analysis to uncover information-seeking processes of these students. The amount of data generated during Think Alouds and Think Afters depended on the difficulty of the questions and the number of “dead ends” encountered by the students. The Think Alouds and Think Afters provided data about the behavioral, cognitive, and affective processes. Think Afters provide different data than the Think Alouds, and both are important to understanding how adolescents interact with CD-ROM encyclopedias. Participants were able to find the information to answer each of the four search activity questions but used a variety of search terms, categories, and strategies. Some participants reached a level of frustration after a number of “dead ends” and needed encouragement from the researcher. The frustration was more apparent in the younger participants. Effective reading strategies are very important to successful location and evaluation of information in CD-ROM encyclopedias.
A Qualitative Examination of Stay Quit Coach, A Mobile Application for Veteran Smokers With Posttraumatic Stress Disorder.

INTRODUCTION Smoking is a lethal public health problem that is common in US military veterans, particularly those with posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Mobile applications (apps) to promote smoking cessation are a scalable and low-cost approach that may facilitate treatment engagement. METHODS This qualitative study examined the acceptability, user experience, and perceptions of a smoking cessation app, Stay Quit Coach (SQC), when incorporated into evidence-based smoking cessation treatment. US military veterans with PTSD who smoked at least five cigarettes per day for 15 of the past 30 days and stated an interested in cessation were eligible to participate. Participants' baseline comfort levels with mobile technology was measured using the Perceptions of Mobile Phone Interventions Questionnaire-Patient version (PMPIQ-P). At treatment end, semi-structured qualitative interviews were conducted. RESULTS Twenty participants were enrolled and 17 (85.0%) participated in the qualitative interview at treatment end. PMPIQ-P scores at baseline ranged from 4.97 to 5.25 (SDs = 0.73-1.04), reflecting moderately high comfort with mobile technology among participants. Qualitative analyses indicated that most participants: (1) endorsed mobile technology as an appealing format for smoking cessation treatment, due to convenience and instantaneous access; and (2) expressed highest perceived helpfulness for interactive app features. Recommendations to improve SQC clustered into four thematic areas: (1) increasing personalization, (2) including more self-tracking features, (3) increasing visual cues, and (4) sharing progress with peers. CONCLUSIONS SQC was perceived as an acceptable and useful tool to support smoking cessation in a sample of veteran smokers with PTSD. Qualitative data provided valuable insights that can inform the continued development of SQC and other apps for smoking cessation. IMPLICATIONS Given the high lethality associated with cigarette smoking, it is crucial to identify scalable, low-risk strategies to promote smoking cessation, particularly in high-risk populations. Mobile technology is a promising approach that can be used to augment evidence-based smoking cessation treatment. Results of this qualitative study support the use of the SQC mobile app when incorporated into evidence-based smoking cessation treatment for veterans with PTSD and provide future directions for refinement of the SQC app. These findings also highlight the importance of using a patient-centered approach in designing apps intended for a clinical population.
Low-volatility compounds contribute significantly to isoprene secondary organic aerosol (SOA) under high-NO x conditions

Abstract. Recent advances in our knowledge of the gas-phase oxidation of isoprene, the impact of chamber walls on secondary organic aerosol (SOA) mass yields, and aerosol measurement analysis techniques warrant reevaluating SOA yields from isoprene. In particular, SOA from isoprene oxidation under high- NOx conditions forms via two major pathways: (1) low-volatility nitrates and dinitrates (LV pathway) and (2) hydroxymethyl-methyl- α -lactone (HMML) reaction on a surface or the condensed phase of particles to form 2-methyl glyceric acid and its oligomers (2MGA pathway). These SOA production pathways respond differently to reaction conditions. Past chamber experiments generated SOA with varying contributions from these two unique pathways, leading to results that are difficult to interpret. This study examines the SOA yields from these two pathways independently, which improves the interpretation of previous results and provides further understanding of the relevance of chamber SOA yields to the atmosphere and regional or global modeling. Results suggest that low-volatility nitrates and dinitrates produce significantly more aerosol than previously thought; the experimentally measured SOA mass yield from the LV pathway is ∼0.15 . Sufficient seed surface area at the start of the reaction is needed to limit the effects of vapor wall losses of low-volatility compounds and accurately measure the complete SOA mass yield. Under dry conditions, substantial amounts of SOA are formed from HMML ring-opening reactions with inorganic ions and HMML organic oligomerization processes. However, the lactone organic oligomerization reactions are suppressed under more atmospherically relevant humidity levels, where hydration of the lactone is more competitive. This limits the SOA formation potential from the 2MGA pathway to HMML ring-opening reactions with water or inorganic ions under typical atmospheric conditions. The isoprene SOA mass yield from the LV pathway measured in this work is significantly higher than previous studies have reported, suggesting that low-volatility compounds such as organic nitrates and dinitrates may contribute to isoprene SOA under high- NOx conditions significantly more than previously thought and thus deserve continued study.
Acoustic vortices in inhomogeneous media

The authors use numerical simulations and theoretical analysis to study the propagation of acoustic vortices in inhomogeneous media. The paper reveals how the vortex field and both linear and angular momenta evolve in a stratified inhomogeneous medium. The results may have applications in communication, imaging, and particle manipulations.
Genetic Changes in the Influenza Viruses During Growth in Cultured Cells

Publisher Summary This chapter discusses cell's role in controlling virus populations that has led to the use of cultured cells to investigate host effects on virus structure, function, and synthesis. Mice and hamsters were also used for early isolations of influenza virus from human sources but in these hosts, unapparent infections occurred following the initial inoculation. The isolation and growth of influenza viruses in embryonated chicken eggs, first reported only two years after the initial isolation of an influenza virus from a human source, revolutionized influenza virus research. The growth of the influenza viruses in chick embryos also made it possible for earlier investigators to identify another kind of genetic variability, which enables host cells to impose selective pressures on influenza virus populations. The first successful attempts at growing the influenza viruses in cultured tissues of chick embryos were reported shortly after the first isolation of human influenza viruses in ferrets. The use of plaque morphology to identify viral strains or to select viral mutants has in general not been of great value for the study of influenza viruses.
Management of Membranous Nephropathy after MENTOR.

Membranous nephropathy is a common cause of primary nephrotic syndrome, yet it can be particularly vexing to treat due to its extended duration and uncertainties about the implications of a partial remission. Ten years ago, the phospholipase A2 receptor (PLA2R) was identified as the major target
Treatment Options for Insomnia

The frequency of sleep disruption and the degree to which insomnia significantly affects daytime function determine the need for evaluation and treatment. Physicians may initiate treatment of insomnia at an initial visit; for patients with a clear acute stressor such as grief, no further evaluation may be indicated. However, if insomnia is severe or long-lasting, a thorough evaluation to uncover coexisting medical, neurologic, or psychiatric illness is warranted. Treatment should begin with non-pharmacologic therapy, addressing sleep hygiene issues and exercise. There is good evidence supporting the effectiveness of cognitive behavior therapy. Exercise improves sleep as effectively as benzodiazepines in some studies and, given its other health benefits, is recommended for patients with insomnia. Hypnotics generally should be prescribed for short periods only, with the frequency and duration of use customized to each patient\'s circumstances. Routine use of over-the-counter drugs containing antihistamines should be discouraged. Alcohol has the potential for abuse and should not be used as a sleep aid. Opiates are valuable in pain-associated insomnia. Benzodiazepines are most useful for short-term treatment; however, long-term use may lead to adverse effects and withdrawal phenomena. The better safety profile of the newer-generation non-benzodiazepines (i.e., zolpidem, zaleplon, eszopiclone, and ramelteon) makes them better first-line choices for long-term treatment of chronic insomnia. South African Family Practice Vol. 49 (8) 2007: pp. 34-41
The World GeoHistoGram: A Flexible Organizer of Both History and Geography.

The World GeoHistoGram1 (GHG) is a flexible graphic organizer that can be used to support many different instructional strategies and activities. This visual resource offers teachers and students a...
Bit-Wise and Multi-GPU Implementations of the DNA Recombination Algorithm

The V(D)J recombination is the primary mechanism for generating a diverse repertoire of T-cell receptors (TCRs) essential to the adaptive immune system for recognizing a wide variety of diseases. However, modeling the TCR repertoire is computationally challenging as the total number of TCRs to be generated and processed can exceed 10^18 sequences. We propose a bit-wise implementation of the V(D) J recombination algorithm, which reduces the memory footprint and execution time by factors of 4 and 2, respectively, compared to the state-of-the-art GPU implementation. We also present a multi-GPU implementation, experimentally identify suitable workload partitioning strategies for both single-and multi-GPU implementations, and, finally, expose the relationship between the workload size and limited scalability offered by the algorithm on a cluster with up to eight GPUs. We show that the bit-wise implementation reduces the execution time from 40.5 hours to 19 hours on a single GPU and 4.4 hours on an eight-GPU configuration.
Inpatient Hypoglycemia: The Challenge Remains:

Hypoglycemia in inpatients with diabetes remains the most common complication of diabetes therapies. Hypoglycemia is independently associated with increased morbidity and mortality, increased length of stay, increased readmission rate, and increased cost. This review describes the importance of reporting and addressing inpatient hypoglycemia; it further summarizes eight strategies that aid clinicians in the prevention of inpatient hypoglycemia: auditing the electronic medical record, formulary restrictions and dose-limiting strategies, hyperkalemia order sets, electronic glucose management systems, prediction tools, diabetes self-management, remote surveillance, and noninsulin medications.