cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
A New On-Line Diagnosis Protocol for the Spider Family of Byzantine Fault Tolerant Architectures

This paper presents the formal verification of a new protocol for online distributed diagnosis for the SPIDER family of architectures. An instance of the Scalable Processor-Independent Design for Electromagnetic Resilience (SPIDER) architecture consists of a collection of processing elements communicating over a Reliable Optical Bus (ROBUS). The ROBUS is a specialized fault-tolerant device that guarantees Interactive Consistency, Distributed Diagnosis (Group Membership), and Synchronization in the presence of a bounded number of physical faults. Formal verification of the original SPIDER diagnosis protocol provided a detailed understanding that led to the discovery of a significantly more efficient protocol. The original protocol was adapted from the formally verified protocol used in the MAFT architecture. It required O(N) message exchanges per defendant to correctly diagnose failures in a system with N nodes. The new protocol achieves the same diagnostic fidelity, but only requires O(1) exchanges per defendant. This paper presents this new diagnosis protocol and a formal proof of its correctness using PVS.
In Search of an Object: Organicist Sociology and the Reality of Society in Fin-De-SiËcle France:

Through an examination of French organicism–one of the models proposed for the nascent science of sociology in the late 19th century–this article argues two main points: that organicism was crucial...
Concurrent CS: preparing students for a multicore world

Current trends in microprocessor design are fundamentally changing the way that performance is extracted from computer systems. The previous programming model of sequential uniprocessor execution is being replaced quickly with a need to write software for tightly-coupled shared memory multiprocessor systems. Academicians and business leaders have both challenged programmers to update their skill sets to effectively tackle software development for these newer platforms [2].At the University of Wisconsin - Eau Claire, we have taken steps early in our curriculum to introduce our students to concurrent programming. Our approach is not to add parallel programming as a separate class, but to integrate concurrency concepts into traditional material throughout a student's coursework, beginning in CS1. Our goal is for students to gain both familiarity and confidence in using parallelism to their advantage. This paper describes the programming process we seek to introduce to our students and provides example assignments that illustrate the ease of integrating this process into a typical curriculum.
Differential fracture healing resulting from fixation stiffness variability: a mouse model

Background The mechanisms underlying the interaction between the local mechanical environment and fracture healing are not known. We developed a mouse femoral fracture model with implants of different stiffness, and hypothesized that differential fracture healing would result.
Who benefits from network analysis: ethics of social network research

The success of social network research (SNR) has led to expectations that in addition to academic research, SNR can introduce people to one another, solve organizational problems, map the epidemiology of AIDS, and catch criminals and terrorists. Since SNR requires that names of both respondents and their contacts be collected and used in most analyses, Institutional Review Boards become very concerned. Experiences of the author, participants in the 2003 Sun Belt Conference and the Social Network List Serve illustrate ethical issues. Proper handling of the data and the analysis, including complete control by the investigator can virtually eliminate harm to respondents and those they nominate, though perhaps not to the satisfaction of IRBs. On the benefit side, academic researchers always benefit, organizations, society and science may benefit, but individual respondents rarely do.
Evidence for recent, population-specific evolution of the human mutation rate

As humans dispersed out of Africa they adapted to new environmental challenges, including changes in exposure to mutagenic solar radiation. Humans in temperate latitudes have acquired light skin that is relatively transparent to UV light, and some evidence suggests that their DNA damage response pathways have also experienced local adaptation. This raises the possibility that different populations have experienced different selective pressures affecting genome integrity. Here, I present evidence that the rate of a particular mutation type has recently increased in the European population, rising in frequency by 50% during the 40,000–80,000 y since Europeans began diverging from Asians. A comparison of SNPs private to Africa, Asia, and Europe in the 1000 Genomes data reveals that private European variation is enriched for the transition 5′-TCC-3′ → 5′-TTC-3′. Although it is not clear whether UV played a causal role in changing the European mutational spectrum, 5′-TCC-3′ → 5′-TTC-3′ is known to be the most common somatic mutation present in melanoma skin cancers, as well as the mutation most frequently induced in vitro by UV. Regardless of its causality, this change indicates that DNA replication fidelity has not remained stable even since the origin of modern humans and might have changed numerous times during our recent evolutionary history.
Imidazolinone-tolerant Crops: History, Current Status and Future

Imidazolinone herbicides, which include imazapyr, imazapic, imazethapyr, imazamox, imazamethabenz and imazaquin, control weeds by inhibiting the enzyme acetohydroxyacid synthase (AHAS), also called acetolactate synthase (ALS). AHAS is a critical enzyme for the biosynthesis of branched-chain amino acids in plants. Several variant AHAS genes conferring imidazolinone tolerance were discovered in plants through mutagenesis and selection, and were used to create imidazolinone-tolerant maize (Zea mays L), wheat (Triticum aestivum L), rice (Oryza sativa L), oilseed rape (Brassica napus L) and sunflower (Helianthus annuus L). These crops were developed using conventional breeding methods and commercialized as Clearfield* crops from 1992 to the present. Imidazolinone herbicides control a broad spectrum of grass and broadleaf weeds in imidazolinone-tolerant crops, including weeds that are closely related to the crop itself and some key parasitic weeds. Imidazolinone-tolerant crops may also prevent rotational crop injury and injury caused by interaction between AHAS-inhibiting herbicides and insecticides. A single target-site mutation in the AHAS gene may confer tolerance to AHAS-inhibiting herbicides, so that it is technically possible to develop the imidazolinone-tolerance trait in many crops. Activities are currently directed toward the continued improvement of imidazolinone tolerance and development of new Clearfield* crops. Management of herbicide-resistant weeds and gene flow from crops to weeds are issues that must be considered with the development of any herbicide-resistant crop. Thus extensive stewardship programs have been developed to address these issues for Clearfield* crops.
Mating-Related Estradiol Fluctuations during the Estrous Cycle of the Bolivian Squirrel Monkey (Samimiri boliviensis boliviensis)'

The female squirrel monkey, Saimiri boliviensis, a New World monkey, has 10-day estrous cycles during the annual breeding season. Measurements of serum estradiol (E) concentrations in females housed with males in breeding pens revealed markedly higher levels than previously reported. Additionally, females in breeding pens appeared to have two distinct patterns of serum E peaks relative to the LH surge. Serum estrogen peaks averaging 5-fold greater than levels on the preceding day were observed on the same day as the LH surge, whereas other females had only a small E rise on the day of the LH surge followed by a 6-fold E rise on the next day. The serum progesterone (P) levels in all animals were depressed for 1-2 days before the LH surge but frequently started to rise on the day of the LH surge. The effect of the presence of a breeding male was examined by studying females housed in a group pen without exposure to a breeding male. In contrast to breeding-pen patterns, relatively small E rises were found in the 10 cycles observed. To further elucidate estrus-related E rises, a limited male-access paradigm was used to isolate mating-related hormone fluctuations. Pre-mating E levels had no marked rises; however, 4 h after mating, whether on the day of the LH surge or the next day, large E rises were found. These studies indicate that the LH surge in cycling squirrel monkeys is consistently preceded by a marked P nadir and associated with relatively small E rises.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)
Discrepancies in the Concordance of Self-Reported Vision Status and Visual Acuity in the Salisbury Eye Evaluation Study

Purpose To examine the association between self-rated vision and distance visual acuity by race and other factors. Design Cross-sectional analysis within a longitudinal, population-based cohort study. Participants and Controls Two thousand five hundred twenty individuals, 65 to 84 years of age, including 666 black participants and 1854 white participants. Methods All participants reported their self-rated vision score. Binocular distance visual acuity was assessed. Based on the level of visual acuity and the self-reported vision score, participants were placed into concordant and discrepant groups. Main Outcome Measures Multinomial logistic regression models were used to examine the characteristics associated with concordant and discrepant groups. Results Black participants were more likely to be represented in the discordant group that reported good vision but had acuity worse than 20/40. In the multivariate analysis, a per-year decrement in years of education received increased the odds of being in both discrepant groups, one that reported good vision but had a visual acuity worse than 20/40 (odds ratio, 1.21; P P Conclusions Given the socioeconomically driven discrepancies in self-reported vision status, self-reported vision status should be used cautiously in surveillance surveys, especially when assessing vision inequalities between socioeconomic groups. Financial Disclosure(s) The author(s) have no proprietary or commercial interest in any materials discussed in this article.
Physiological basis for conservation of the signal recognition particle targeting pathway in Escherichia coli.

The Escherichia coli signal recognition particle (SRP) is a ribonucleoprotein complex that targets nascent inner membrane proteins (IMPs) to transport sites in the inner membrane (IM). Since SRP depletion only partially inhibits IMP insertion under some growth conditions, however, it is not clear why the particle is absolutely essential for viability. Insights into this question emerged from experiments in which we analyzed the physiological consequences of reducing the intracellular concentration of SRP below the wild-type level. We found that even moderate SRP deficiencies that have little effect on cell growth led to the induction of a heat shock response. Genetic manipulations that suppress the heat shock response were lethal in SRP-deficient cells, indicating that the elevated synthesis of heat shock proteins plays an important role in maintaining cell viability. Although it is conceivable that the heat shock response serves to increase the capacity of cells to target IMPs via chaperone-based mechanisms, SRP-deficient cells did not show an increased dependence on either GroEL or DnaK. By contrast, the heat shock-regulated proteases Lon and ClpQ became essential for viability when SRP levels were reduced. These results suggest that the heat shock response protects SRP-deficient cells by increasing their capacity to degrade mislocalized IMPs. Consistent with this notion, a model IMP that was mislocalized in the cytoplasm as the result of SRP depletion appeared to be more stable in a Δlon ΔclpQ strain than in control cells. Taken together, the data provide direct evidence that SRP is essential in E. coli and possibly conserved throughout prokaryotic evolution as well partly because efficient IMP targeting prevents a toxic accumulation of aggregated proteins in the cytoplasm.
Information extraction for enhanced access to disease outbreak reports

Document search is generally based on individual terms in the document. However, for collections within limited domains it is possible to provide more powerful access tools. This paper describes a system designed for collections of reports of infectious disease outbreaks. The system, Proteus-BIO, automatically creates a table of outbreaks, with each table entry linked to the document describing that outbreak; this makes it possible to use database operations such as selection and sorting to find relevant documents. Proteus-BIO consists of a Web crawler which gathers relevant documents; an information extraction engine which converts the individual outbreak events to a tabular database; and a database browser which provides access to the events and, through them, to the documents. The information extraction engine uses sets of patterns and word classes to extract the information about each event. Preparing these patterns and word classes has been a time-consuming manual operation in the past, but automated discovery tools now make this task significantly easier. A small study comparing the effectiveness of the tabular index with conventional Web search tools demonstrated that users can find substantially more documents in a given time period with Proteus-BIO.
Key Criteria for Selection of Radiology Residents: Results of a National Survey

Rationale and Objectives We sought to identify the criteria that academic radiology departments in the United States consider for selecting their residents. Materials and Methods In a cross-sectional study, a validated survey was sent to all the program directors of radiology residency programs. A total of 25 variables were studied. Descriptive statistics and correlations were calculated by the χ2 test. Nonparametric correlations were calculated with the Kruskal-Wallis rank test. Statistical significance was set at 5% α-error level (P Results We had a response rate of 53.1% (77 of 145). All responders participate in the National Resident Matching Program (NRMP), and 93.5% fill all their positions through NRMP. The preinterview selection criteria showed no significant difference by size, region, or affiliation with a medical school. An “interviewing body” carries out the interview process in 87.3% of the cases. Residents and fellows are part of the interviewing body in 76.5% of the programs, the body has the final word in accepting candidates in 62.9% of the programs, 55.4% of the programs use score sheets during interviews with candidates, and only 6.5% of the programs perform panel interviews. Programs associated with a medical school are significantly more likely to have more members in their interviewing body and to use score sheets when evaluating candidates, and panel interviews (more than one candidate or interviewer) are significantly more common among programs in the northeast region. Conclusion All preinterview selection criteria and some interview structural characteristics are independent of the program’s size, region, or affiliation with a medical school. More research regarding optimal preselection and interview processes is needed, and closer attention should be paid to the NRMP process if current practices are to be maintained.
Perturbations of Functional Interactions with Myosin Induce Long-Range Allosteric and Cooperative Structural Changes in Actin †

The role of the rotational dynamics of actin filaments in their interaction with myosin was studied by comparing the effect of myosin subfragment 1 (S1) with two other structural perturbations, which have substantial inhibitory effects on activation of myosin ATPase and in vitro motility of F-actin: (1) binding of the antibody fragment Fab(1−7) against the first seven N-terminal residues and (2) copolymerization with monomers treated with the zero-length cross-linker 1-ethyl-3-[3-(dimethylamino)propyl]carbodiimide (EDC), referred to as EDC-actin. The rotational motion of actin was measured by time-resolved phosphorescence anisotropy (TPA) of erythrosin iodoacetamide (ErIA) attached to Cys 374 on actin. The binding of S1 in a rigor complex (no nucleotide) induced intramonomer (allosteric) and intermonomer (cooperative) structural changes that increased the residual anisotropy of labeled F-actin, indicating a conformational change in the region of the C terminus. Similar allosteric and cooperative changes ...
Medium Access Control for Body Sensor Networks

H-MAC, a novel time division multiple access (TDMA) MAC protocol, aims to improve body sensor networks (BSNs) energy efficiency by exploiting heartbeat rhythm information to perform time synchronization. Heartbeat rhythm is inherent in every human body and observable in various biosignals. Biosensors in a BSN can extract the heartbeat rhythm from their own sensory data by detecting waveform peaks. Following the rhythm, biosensors can achieve time synchronization without having to turn on their radio to receive periodic timing information from a central controller, so that energy cost for time synchronization can be completely eliminated and the lifetime of network can be prolonged. An active synchronization recovery scheme is also developed, in which two resynchronization approaches can be triggered by detected abrupt peak interval changes. The algorithms are verified using real world data from MIT-BIH multi-parameter database MIMIC.
Superoxide Production in Vascular Smooth Muscle Contributes to Oxidative Stress and Impaired Relaxation in Atherosclerosis

The endothelium is a source of reactive oxygen species in short-term models of hypercholesterolemia and atherosclerosis. We examined a chronic model of atherosclerosis for increased vascular production of superoxide (O2-.) and determined whether endothelial overexpression of superoxide dismutase (SOD) would improve endothelium-dependent relaxation. Superoxide generation was 3 times higher in isolated aortas from Watanabe heritable hyperlipidemic (WHHL) rabbits (2 to 4 years old) compared with aortas from New Zealand White (NZ) rabbits (43+/-10 versus 14+/-2 relative light units x min(-1) x mm(-2), n=9, P<0.05). After in vitro transduction with adenovirus containing the gene for CuZn-SOD (AdCMVCuZn-SOD) or extracellular SOD (AdCMVEC-SOD), endothelial O2-. levels in WHHL aortas were significantly reduced. Gene transfer of SOD to WHHL aortas, however, failed to improve the impaired relaxation to acetylcholine or calcium ionophore. By use of the oxidative fluorescent dye hydroethidine, an in situ assay indicated markedly increased generation of O2-. throughout the wall of WHHL aorta, especially within layers of smooth muscle. This finding was confirmed by demonstrating increased O2-. levels in smooth muscle cells cultured from WHHL aorta. We conclude that elevated O2-. levels in atherosclerotic vessels are not confined to the endothelium but occur throughout the vascular wall, including smooth muscle cells. Reduction in endothelial O2-. levels is not sufficient to improve endothelium-dependent relaxation. Generation of reactive oxygen species within the media may contribute to vasomotor dysfunction in atherosclerosis.
Current Applications of Mössbauer Spectrometry in Geochemistry

Mossbauer spectrometry is presently in use as an analytic technique in geochemistry. It has been used to study the structure of minerals and to identify the mineral phases present in multiphase mineral aggregates, such as rocks, sediments, and soils. The success of these applications suggests that Mossbauer spectrometry will become a standard instrumental technique in determinative mineralogy. The measurement and analysis of geochemical rock standards and ocean sediments will be described and our results correlated with those previously obtained using conventional analytic methods. Other topics will include the use of Mossbauer spectrometry to identify igneous rocks and to study ultrafine-grained and colloidal sediment materials.
Military jet activity and Sonoran pronghorn

Forty percent of the habitat for the endangered Sonoran pronghorn (Antilocapra americana sonoriensis) in the United States is on the Barry M. Goldwater Range (BMGR), a bombing and gunnery range located in southwestern Arizona, USA. Wildlife and land managers have expressed concerns that military aircraft activity may be detrimental to Sonoran pronhom. We observed the response of Sonoran pronghorn to military jet activity from 4 vantage points, BMGR from February 1998 to June 2000. We obtained behavioral observations on 172 days and obtained 44,773 observation events (i.e., 1 observation / 30 seconds). Pronghorn were exposed to 109 direct military overflights, but only 6 were <305 m above ground level. Overall, behavior of males and females was not significantly different and the presence of military aircraft did not cause changes in behavior.
Thyroid function in pregnancy and infancy. Maternal hypothyroxinemia and retardation of progeny.

(1972). Thyroid Function in Pregnancy and Infancy: Maternal Hypothyroxinemia and Retardation of Progeny. CRC Critical Reviews in Clinical Laboratory Sciences: Vol. 3, No. 2, pp. 203-225.
Impact of oncology pharmacist-managed oral anticancer therapy in patients with chronic myelogenous leukemia.

BackgroundStudies have identified non-adherence as one of the major contributing factors to treatment failure in chronic myelogenous leukemia (CML) patients receiving imatinib. Published literature has demonstrated a unique role of oncology pharmacists, as part of a multidisciplinary team, in contributing to overall positive outcomes for patients.Study objectiveTo evaluate the impact of an oncology pharmacist-managed oral anticancer therapy program on oral medication adherence in CML patients versus usual care.MethodsElectronic refill history and medical records of patients diagnosed with CML treated with oral tyrosine kinase inhibitors (TKIs) managed by oncology pharmacists during a 6-year period, were retrospectively reviewed. Imatinib adherence rate, as the primary endpoint, was compared with the rate for those in the usual care group within the same organization. The secondary endpoints were descriptive to characterize pharmacist interventions for all TKIs.ResultsA total of 56 patients including 45 wh...
Models of Single-Server Systems

This chapter presents an introduction to the general structure of an object-oriented simulation model with OOSimL. The basic form of simple single-server models is discussed. Modeling with UML diagrams, modeling with simulation activity diagrams, and object-oriented programming are explained and are used for developing a single-server model.
Photography and Exploration

The camera has been an essential tool in explorations ranging from rain forests to deserts; from the North Pole to the South Pole; from the ocean’s depths to the peak of Mount Everest; and from the...
A jury of whose peers? The impact of selection procedures on racial composition and the prevalence of majority-white juries

AbstractRacially mixed criminal juries deliberate better and are viewed by the public as more legitimate than all-white and mostly-white juries. The constitution forbids racial discrimination in jury selection, and courts favor racially heterogeneous jury venires. Despite this, racial minorities continue to be under-represented on criminal juries. Limited information exists about the specific sources of these disparities and the frequency of all-white and mostly-white juries. This study compares the racial diversity of venires to that of panels, and both to the general population, to identify the steps in the jury-selection process that appear to be most strongly implicated in the loss of minorities. Additionally, the present analyses examine the for-cause and peremptory-challenge removals of jurors of different races. Finally, this study investigates the prevalence of all-white and mostly-white juries. The results have implications for enhancing the representation of minorities on both venires and panels.
Microsomal oxidases in a cockroach, Gromphadorhina portentosa.

Enzymes effecting aldrin epoxidation and dihydroisodrin hydroxylation were studied in various tissues of Gromphadrohina portentosa Schaum, and optimal in vitro assay conditions were established. Enzyme activity was associated with the midgut, gastric caeca, fat body, and malpighian tubules and only slightly with the hindgut and crop. The enzymes in the midgut and caeca required NADPH and oxygen for optimum activity and were inhibited completely by carbon monoxide. Electron micrographs of various subcellular fractions from the midgut and caeca showed that enzyme activity was associated with a fraction comprising membranous vesicles derived from both the rough and smooth endoplasmic reticulum. Large variations in enzyme activity were observed through several in stars, and activity was lowest during the internymphal molts. These changes in enzyme activity correlate favorably with the toxicity of propoxur to cockroaches of different ages.
Ion Beam Sputtering Deposition of Fluoride Thin Films for 193 nm Applications

Ion beam sputtering of AlF3, LaF3, and GdF3 as single layers, AR and HR coatings for 193nm is presented. The low deposition temperature allows for both CaF2 and fused silica substrates to be used.
Two-Dimensional Electrophoretic Analysis of Unprocessed Human Bladder Washings: an Evaluation of Urothelial Proteins in Patients with Normal Bladder Mucosa

The present investigation was undertaken to define a method of obtaining proteins from normal bladder urothelium and to define a consistent protein profile. Such a method and consistent profile would provide a basis for future studies of pathologic conditions of bladder mucosa, such as bladder cancer and interstitial cystitis.
Immunodiffusion Detection of Clostridium botulinum Colonies

Toxic colonies of Clostridium botulinum types A, B, E and F were detected by precipitating toxin around the colonies on agar containing antitoxin. Incorporating antitoxin in a gel diffusion agar overlay after colonies had developed was unsatisfactory for detection of type E, but worked well for all types when added directly to the plating medium. Addition of 0.6 IU of antitoxin per ml of agar gave satisfactory results with all types except type E. Zones of precipitation were produced by proteolytic strains of types A, B and F incubated at 35°C for 3 d and by nonproteolytic strains of types B and F incubated at 28°C for 4 d; type E required 1.2 IU of antitoxin per ml of agar and 5 d of incubation at 35°C. Nontoxigenic putrefactive anaerobes produced no zones of precipitation with any of the antitoxins, and toxic colonies of C. botulinum mixed among them were easily distinguished. This method was used successfully for selecting type B colonies from plates containing toxic enrichment cultures of tomato juice.
Engineering the Cell Envelope of Gram-Negative Bacteria

The cell envelope in Gram-negative bacteria is made of two distinct membranes and a cell wall between them. Although there is growing interest in the mechanical adaptation of this cell envelope to turgor pressure, how the cell wall, the inner membrane (IM), and the outer membrane (OM) couple together to provide this adaption remains unexplored. In this study, we have used molecular dynamics (MD) simulations to resolve how lipid membranes and cell wall respond to changes in lateral tension, such as might result from an osmotic gradient. Simulations of individual membranes as well as membranes coupled to the cell wall were also carried out. Our inner membrane model consists of saturated, unsaturated, and cycle-containing lipids while our outer membrane model contains an outer leaflet of lipopolysaccharides; both membranes accurately reflect the diverse population of lipids found in each experimentally. We have measured the mechanical properties of each membrane at protein concentrations ranging from 0 to 50%. In order to describe the membranes’ elasticity, we focused on the low-tension regime (elastic regime), which can be exploited to measure the area compressibility modulus and Young's modulus. The high-tension, non-linear regime was also studied for the cell wall, leading to the observation of stress stiffening.
Detection and characterization of buried lunar craters with GRAIL data

Abstract We used gravity mapping observations from NASA’s Gravity Recovery and Interior Laboratory (GRAIL) to detect, characterize and validate the presence of large impact craters buried beneath the lunar maria. In this paper we focus on two prominent anomalies detected in the GRAIL data using the gravity gradiometry technique. Our detection strategy is applied to both free-air and Bouguer gravity field observations to identify gravitational signatures that are similar to those observed over buried craters. The presence of buried craters is further supported by individual analysis of regional free-air gravity anomalies, Bouguer gravity anomaly maps, and forward modeling. Our best candidate, for which we propose the informal name of Earhart Crater, is approximately 200 km in diameter and forms part of the northwestern rim of Lacus Somniorum, The other candidate, for which we propose the informal name of Ashoka Anomaly, is approximately 160 km in diameter and lies completely buried beneath Mare Tranquillitatis. Other large, still unrecognized, craters undoubtedly underlie other portions of the Moon’s vast mare lavas.
Effect of perioperative transfusion on recurrence and survival after resection of distal cholangiocarcinoma: A 10-institution study from the U.S. Extrahepatic Biliary Malignancy Consortium.

236Background: Perioperative allogeneic blood transfusion is associated with poor oncologic outcomes in several malignancies. Its effect on recurrence and survival in distal cholangiocarcinoma (DCC...
“What you see in the mirror”: Community mental health practitioners define body image

This qualitative study examined mental health providers’ perceptions of body image. This is the first known study to explore this topic within the body image literature. In order to conduct this re...
Expert Perceptions of Approaches to Protecting Isolated Wetlands in the Northeastern United States

In this article, we describe how protecting vernal pools was discussed by experts in the northeastern United States (U.S) within the context of a theoretical policy framework. We offer insight about characteristics of feasible vernal pool policy solutions, and identify gaps in our understanding, particularly regarding conditions in states currently lacking specific vernal pool protections. Vernal pools are geographically isolated, intermittent wetlands that provide important habitat for a variety of plants and animals. Many may not be federally protected as a result of judicial decisions over the past two decades, and the rule intended to clarify what qualifies for federal protection is currently being reviewed by the courts. Thus, state or local policy approaches may be alternatives to conserving vernal pools. We interviewed vernal pool experts in the northeastern U.S. regarding approaches to vernal pool protection and analyzed their perceptions through the lens of Kingdon's (2011) multiple streams policy development framework. The framework denotes 13 characteristics of three processes associated with policy development: problem identification, policy solution development, and the impacts of politics. While analyzed for all 13 components, we found participants most often discussed feasibility of policy formulation and implementation, particularly with regard to protecting vernal pools of high value while also remaining within the bounds of what public opinion supports.
From Classical Toxicology to Tox21: Some Critical Conceptual and Technological Advances in the Molecular Understanding of the Toxic Response Beginning From the Last Quarter of the 20th Century

Toxicology has made steady advances over the last 60+ years in understanding the mechanisms of toxicity at an increasingly finer level of cellular organization. Traditionally, toxicological studies have used animal models. However, the general adoption of the principles of 3R (Replace, Reduce, Refine) provided the impetus for the development of in vitro models in toxicity testing. The present commentary is an attempt to briefly discuss the transformation in toxicology that began around 1980. Many genes important in cellular protection and metabolism of toxicants were cloned and characterized in the 80s, and gene expression studies became feasible, too. The development of transgenic and knockout mice provided valuable animal models to investigate the role of specific genes in producing toxic effects of chemicals or protecting the organism from the toxic effects of chemicals. Further developments in toxicology came from the incorporation of the tools of "omics" (genomics, proteomics, metabolomics, interactomics), epigenetics, systems biology, computational biology, and in vitro biology. Collectively, the advances in toxicology made during the last 30-40 years are expected to provide more innovative and efficient approaches to risk assessment. A goal of experimental toxicology going forward is to reduce animal use and yet be able to conduct appropriate risk assessments and make sound regulatory decisions using alternative methods of toxicity testing. In that respect, Tox21 has provided a big picture framework for the future. Currently, regulatory decisions involving drugs, biologics, food additives, and similar compounds still utilize data from animal testing and human clinical trials. In contrast, the prioritization of environmental chemicals for further study can be made using in vitro screening and computational tools.
Definitive airway management after pre-hospital supraglottic airway insertion: Outcomes and a management algorithm for trauma patients

Abstract Background Prehospital airway management increasingly involves supraglottic airway insertion and a paucity of data evaluates outcomes in trauma populations. We aim to describe definitive airway management in traumatically injured patients who necessitated prehospital supraglottic airway insertion. Methods We performed a single institution retrospective review of multisystem injured patients (≥ 15 years) that received prehospital supraglottic airway insertion during 2009 to 2016. Baseline demographics, number and type of: supraglottic airway insertion attempts, definitive airway and complications were recorded. Primary outcome was need for tracheostomy. Univariate and multivariable statistics were performed. Results 56 patients met inclusion criteria and were reviewed, 78% were male. Median age [IQR] was 36 [24–56] years. Injuries comprised blunt (94%), penetrating (4%) and burns (2%). Median ISS was 26 [22–41]. Median number of prehospital endotracheal intubation (PETI) attempts was 2 [1-3]. Definitive airway management included: (n = 20, 36%, tracheostomy), (n = 10, 18%, direct laryngoscopy), (n = 6, 11%, bougie), (n = 9, 15%, Glidescope), (n = 11, 20%, bronchoscopic assistance). 24-hour mortality was 41%. Increasing number of PETI was associated with increasing facial injury. On regression, increasing cervical and facial injury patterns as well as number of PETI were associated with definitive airway control via surgical tracheostomy. Conclusions After supraglottic airway insertion, operative or non-operative approaches can be utilized to obtain a definitive airway. Patients with increased craniofacial injuries have an increased risk for airway complications and need for tracheostomy. We used these factors to generate an evidence based algorithm that requires prospective validation. Level of evidence Level IV – Retrospective study. Study type Retrospective single institution study.
Business Model Analysis for Entrepreneurs

This note defines a business model and its major elements: a customer value proposition, a technology and operations management plan, a go-to-market plan, and a profit formula. For each element, the note lists questions that an entrepreneur must address when evaluating an early-stage opportunity. The note explores in greater depth several business model issues that are especially relevant to entrepreneurial ventures, including the impact of network effects and customer switching costs; conditions when a startup should consider vertical integration; the nature of first and late mover advantage; and conditions that favor viral marketing. The note concludes with practical guidelines for early-stage entrepreneurs on how to conduct business model analysis. Learning Objective: To build students' understanding of elements of a business model and business model issues that are most salient in an entrepreneurial context.
Augmenting human spatial navigation via sensory substitution

Humans primarily use their sense of sight for spatial awareness and to navigate their surroundings, but usually lack the ability to employ their other senses as a guidance system. This paper details the implementation of a sensory substitution device (SSD) to make visionless navigation possible and describes an innovative method of training users to employ this device in an virtual reality (VR) environment. Applications for this method of sensory substitution range from situations where 360° awareness is important (such as riding a bike on a busy road), when a user is piloting a system remotely, to assisting individuals with visual impairment. Visually impaired individuals could be positively impacted by an affordable device which allows them to sense their surroundings in greater detail than other solutions available to them nowadays. The developed platform, called Visionless Interfacing Exploration Wearable (VIEW) substitutes the vision sense with a wearable hepatic feedback and has shown the ability to assist individuals with recognizing obstacles and avoiding walls when navigating a space. We tested the proposed VIEW system in two environments: a 2D game environment with a joystick controller and a 3D virtual reality environment developed using HTC Vive technology. Our six test participants completed several navigation scenarios in both environments with and without receiving the designed haptic feedback. All users were able to successfully navigate an unknown maze without vision using the developed wearable device as their primary method for navigation.
Psoriatic Eye Manifestations

The relationship between the eye and psoriasis has been recognized for decades, but the precise eye manifestations in patients with psoriasis and psoriatic arthritis are only recently coming to lig...
Severe Headache and Diagnosis of Subarachnoid Hemorrhage in the Emergency Department

Abstract The initial workup and management of patients who present to the emergency department (ED) with the sudden onset of a severe headache can literally mean the difference between a good outcome and death. The recognition of the symptoms of aneurysmal subarachnoid hemorrhage is crucial for any emergency medicine physician. This chapter outlines the general approach to the evaluation, diagnosis, and management of patients presenting to the ED with the worst headache of their life. This chapter will explain in detail the diagnostic studies needed to rule in or rule out the diagnosis of subarachnoid hemorrhage (SAH) in the ED as well as the initial management of SAH in those patients in whom SAH is confirmed.
Point and Line Singularities in Liquid Crystals

A liquid crystal is generally understood to be a mesomorphic state of matter which flows like a liquid and which exhibits some anisotropic behavior. See [E], [EK], [C], [DG]. The liquid crystal phase usually lies between a solid phase and an isotropic liquid phase with phase transition being induced by temperature change. A static model typically involves a kinematic variable n(x), called the director, which is a unit vector defined for x in a spatial region Ω.
Efficient Image and Video Co-localization with Frank-Wolfe Algorithm

In this paper, we tackle the problem of performing efficient co-localization in images and videos. Co-localization is the problem of simultaneously localizing (with bounding boxes) objects of the same class across a set of distinct images or videos. Building upon recent state-of-the-art methods, we show how we are able to naturally incorporate temporal terms and constraints for video co-localization into a quadratic programming framework. Furthermore, by leveraging the Frank-Wolfe algorithm (or conditional gradient), we show how our optimization formulations for both images and videos can be reduced to solving a succession of simple integer programs, leading to increased efficiency in both memory and speed. To validate our method, we present experimental results on the PASCAL VOC 2007 dataset for images and the YouTube-Objects dataset for videos, as well as a joint combination of the two.
Pathogenesis of Hypertriglyceridemia: Implications for Coronary Heart Disease and Therapy

The role of hypertriglyceridemia in the causation of coronary heart disease (CHD) is a subject of continuing controversy. Sonne investigatory hold that hypertriglyceridemia constitutes a major risk factor for CHD, but others claim the opposite, namely, that elevated triglyceride levels are of little significance for CHD risk* The very fact that so many experienced investigators hold such divergent views attests to the complexity of the issue. The crux of the problem appears to be that a high proportion of patients with CHD have hypertriglyceridemia, and yet high triglycerides per se are not a major causative factor; instead, elevated plasma triglycerides frequently appear to be associated with other atherogenic factors that have not been fully defined. This paper will examine the complexity of the hypertriglyceridemic state, and it will consider the following questions: (a) what are the basic pathways of triglyceride metabolism in humans? (b) what are the causes of hypertriglyceridemia? (c) what is the relation of hypertriglyceridemia to CHD?, and (d) what constitutes a rational approach to the treatment of hypertriglyceridemia?
Rigidity and Self-Organization of Network Glasses and the Intermediate Phase

In these lectures, we discuss continuous random network models for glasses and their mechanical properties. We show how model systems can help us better understand glasses via rigidity percolation. These ideas involving rigidity percolation have been tested experimentally in bulk glasses. Some key results were obtained in the last years, which go beyond simple mean field theory or Maxwell constraint counting. These results, which involve a new graph theoretical approach called the pebble game, show that Maxwell counting is quite reliable in locating the transition from rigid to floppy. Exact constraint counting within the pebble game allows us to study the nature of the rigidity transition and how it is influenced by the peculiarities of the structure in very great detail. The pebble game also allows us to consider a crude algorithm for optimizing the network structure, which leads to the possibility of the intermediate phase, as described later in this paper.
Thrombocytopenia and Platelet Transfusion

Thrombocytopenia (defined as a platelet count <100,000/μl) is a common problem in ICU patients and is associated with adverse outcomes. A platelet count of less than 100,000/μl is seen in 20–25% of ICU patients, whereas 12–15% of patients will have a platelet count of <50,000/μl at some point during their ICU admission.1,2 Typically the ICU patient’s platelet count decreases during the first 4 days in the ICU.3 Regardless of the cause, thrombocytopenia is an independent predictor of ICU mortality in multi-variate analysis with a relative risk of 1.9–4.2 in various studies.2 In an observational study of 820 patients with severe community-acquired pneumonia admitted to the ICU, Brogly et al.4 found that thrombocytopenia on admission was an independent predictor of mortality. Moreau reported that a 30% or more decline in platelet count by the fifth ICU day was an independent predictor of death.5
Psychological, Health, and Demographic Correlates of Atypical Eating Behaviors in Children with Autism

Potential psychological, health, and demographic correlates of atypical eating behaviors in children with autism were analyzed in the largest sample with the broadest range of independent variables to date. Eating behaviors were assessed in 1112 children with autism 1–17 years of age using the Checklist for Autism Spectrum Disorder (CASD), a standardized parent interview conducted by licensed psychologists. Independent variables were demographics (age, IQ, sex, race, and parent occupation), 29 CASD autism symptom scores (e.g., distress with change and sensory hypersensitivity), psychotropic medication use, and maternal ratings on the Pediatric Behavior Scale assessing psychopathology (e.g., behavior problems, ADHD, anxiety, and depression), appetite, weight, gastrointestinal problems, and other health problems. Atypical eating behaviors were found in 70.5% of children and were positively related to only four variables: age (most common at ages 1–3), increasing autism severity (total number of autism symptoms present), poor appetite, and constipation. Given the high prevalence of atypical eating behaviors in autism and their presence at a very young age, primary care and early intervention providers should be alert to these problems and if present, consider the possibility of autism and a referral for a diagnostic evaluation so that children with autism can access behavioral intervention shown to be effective in treating autism in toddlers and young preschoolers, as well as in treating the atypical eating behaviors.
Ohio's 2006-Lake Erie Charter Fishing Industry

Abstract Charter fishing provides important angler access to Lake Erie sport fishing and is economically important to local recreational harbor communities. To update information from our 2002 survey, we conducted a mail survey of 517 randomly selected Ohio charter boat captains in early 2007 and received usable information from 249 captains. In 2006, there were 786 Ohio licensed charter guides. This is a decline of 9% from the 861 licensed captains in 2002. Charter firms in 2006 made on average 2.6 more trips per firm (44.7) than in 2002 (42.1). These captains made an estimated 28,563 charter trips in 2006 of which almost 87% were full-day and just over 13% were half-day trips. Charter fishing continues to bring nature-based tourism dollars into local lakefront communities. Our survey data may be used to update the economic impact estimates of this significant sector of the coastal fishing economy.
Joint modeling of concurrent binary outcomes in a longitudinal observational study using inverse probability of treatment weighting for treatment effect estimation.

Abstract Purpose Correlated healthcare utilization outcomes may be encoded as binary outcomes in epidemiologic studies. We demonstrate how to account for correlation between concurrent binary outcomes and confounding by person characteristics when estimating a treatment effect in observational studies. Methods We present a joint shared-parameter model, weighted by inverse probability of treatment weights (IPTW) to account for confounding. The model is evaluated in a simulation study that emulates the Medical Expenditure Panel Survey data and compared with a covariate-adjusted joint model and with separate outcome models (IPTW weighted and covariate adjusted). Results For the IPTW-weighted joint model, relative bias in the estimated treatment effect on outcome 1 ranged from −0.057 to −0.033 and outcome 2 from −0.077 to −0.043. For the covariate-adjusted joint model, relative bias ranged from −0.010 to −0.083 for outcome 1 and from −0.087 to −0.110 for outcome 2. The covariate-adjusted joint model estimated the effect more closely than the covariate-adjusted separate model. The IPTW-weighted joint model estimated the effect more closely for outcome 1. Conclusions The IPTW-weighted joint model handles correlation between binary outcomes, adjusts for confounding, and estimates the treatment effect accurately in observational studies. We illustrate the contribution of person-specific effects in estimating personalized risk.