cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Steric Pressure among Membrane-Bound Polymers Opposes Lipid Phase Separation.

Lipid rafts are thought to be key organizers of membrane–protein complexes in cells. Many proteins that interact with rafts have bulky polymeric components such as intrinsically disordered protein domains and polysaccharide chains. Therefore, understanding the interaction between membrane domains and membrane-bound polymers provides insights into the roles rafts play in cells. Multiple studies have demonstrated that high concentrations of membrane-bound polymeric domains create significant lateral steric pressure at membrane surfaces. Furthermore, our recent work has shown that lateral steric pressure at membrane surfaces opposes the assembly of membrane domains. Building on these findings, here we report that membrane-bound polymers are potent suppressors of membrane phase separation, which can destabilize lipid domains with substantially greater efficiency than globular domains such as membrane-bound proteins. Specifically, we created giant vesicles with a ternary lipid composition, which separated into...
Framing Vision: An Examination of Framing, Sensegiving, and Sensemaking during a Change Initiative.

ABSTRACTThe purpose of this short article is to review the findings from an instrumental case study that examines how a college president used what this article refers to as “frame alignment processes” to mobilize internal and external support for a college initiative—one that achieved success under the current president. Specifically, I explored the social construction processes by which understanding of change come about, focusing on the use of “frames” as the central mechanism through which a leader’s vision is transformed into meaning and action. This article draws on the sociological definitions of framing, as well as recent research on the use of framing methods and alignment processes. An analysis of qualitative data obtained via an interview with one college president reveals that there are at least three types of frames—or framing methods—that can be employed by college leaders to mobilize the support of stakeholders. This study builds on previous studies that examined how leaders on college camp...
Analysis on incident injuries and related risk factors among adolescents in Changzhou

Objective To investigate the causes and distribution of injuries among adolescents in Changzhou,and explore effective interventions and prevention model on injury in students.Methods Multi-stage stratified cluster sampling was used,and a total of 3 645 students were investigated by using"China Youth Health Risk Behaviors Questionnaire".Results The incidence of injuries among adolescents in Changzhou was 9.16%(11.7%in boys,6.7%in girls,the ratio of incidence between boys and girls was 1.69:1),and the incidence of injuries was significant difference between boys and girls(χ2=26.80,P0.01).Gender,learning stage,family types,learning achievement,family economic status,physical activity,safety measures in sports venues,self-unsafe behavior and psychological factors are influencing factors of student injuries in Changzhou.Conclusions Adolescent injury prevention requires coordination force by government and health authorities and society,it is the key to enhance self-protection awareness and ability among adolescents and their parents,teachers and even all people.
Biogeography of a plant invasion: genetic variation and plasticity in latitudinal clines for traits related to herbivory

The juxtaposition of plant-species invasions with latitudinal gradients in herbivore pressure is an important yet mostly unexplored issue in invasion biology. Latitudinal clines in defense and palatability to herbivores are expected to exist in native plant species but the evolution of these clines may lag behind for invasive plant species resulting in non-parallel latitudinal clines that may impact invasion success. Our study focused on a native and European invasive lineages of the common reed Phragmites australis in North America. Using native and invasive genotypes of P. australis collected across a 17° latitudinal range, we performed experiments in replicate northern and southern common gardens to investigate whether these two lineages exhibited different genetically based latitudinal clines in defenses, nutritional condition and palatability to their herbivores, the aphid Hyalopterus pruni and the fall armyworm Spodoptera frugiperda. We also tested whether invasive genotypes are more phenotypically plastic than native genotypes and whether plasticity varies with latitude. Although invasive genotypes did not exhibit higher defense levels (leaf toughness, phenolics, % carbon), they were considerably less palatable to their herbivores than native genotypes. Genetic-based latitudinal clines were evident for both native and invasive P. australis and for all defenses, nutrients and at least one palatability trait for each herbivore. In 36% of the cases where clines were evident, they were non-parallel between the two lineages. These data suggest that clines in the invasive genotypes of P. australis evolved within the past ~100 years. Moreover, our study showed that the occurrence and direction of latitudinal clines in plant traits were commonly dependent on where the study was conducted (north or south), indicating strong phenotypic plasticity in these genetic-based clines. Finally, traits for invasive genotypes of P. australis were 2.5 times more plastic than traits for native genotypes. Interestingly, plasticity for native but not invasive genotypes was strongly dependent on latitude of origin. Such spatial heterogeneity within and between the native and invasive lineages of P. australis with respect to their interactions with herbivores can generate substantial spatial variability in biotic resistance that can have important implications for the establishment and spread of invasive genotypes and species. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.
Polarized heavy quarkonium production in the color evaporation model

We explore polarized heavy quarkonium production using the color evaporation model at leading order. We present the polarized to total yield ratio as a function of center of mass energy and rapidity in $p+p$ collisions. At energies far above the $Q\overline{Q}$ production threshold, we find charmonium and bottomonium production to be longitudinally polarized (${J}_{z}=0$). The quarkonium states are also longitudinally polarized at central rapidity, becoming transversely polarized (${J}_{z}=\ifmmode\pm\else\textpm\fi{}1$) at the most forward rapidities.
Barriers to Later Retirement for Men: Physical Challenges of Work and Increases in the Full Retirement Age:

Policy changes intended to delay retirements of older workers and extend their work lives may run up against barriers owing to rising physical challenges of work as people age. We examine whether physical challenges at work influence employment transitions of older male workers in the age range for which public policy is trying to extend work lives and whether older male workers are able to mitigate these challenges while still remaining employed. The evidence indicates that physical challenges pose a barrier to extending work lives, although some older male workers with physically demanding jobs are able to mitigate these demands-either at new jobs or with the same employer. Our findings suggest that greater accommodation of physical challenges faced by older workers would likely increase the success of policies intended to induce later retirement.
Evaluation of Oxetan-3-ol, Thietan-3-ol, and Derivatives Thereof as Bioisosteres of the Carboxylic Acid Functional Group

The oxetane ring serves as an isostere of the carbonyl moiety, suggesting that oxetan-3-ol may be considered as a potential surrogate of the carboxylic acid functional group. To investigate this structural unit, as well as thietan-3-ol and the corresponding sulfoxide and sulfone derivatives, as potential carboxylic acid bioisosteres, a set of model compounds has been designed, synthesized, and evaluated for physicochemical properties. Similar derivatives of the cyclooxygenase inhibitor, ibuprofen, were also synthesized and evaluated for inhibition of eicosanoid biosynthesis in vitro. Collectively, the data suggest that oxetan-3-ol, thietan-3-ol, and related structures hold promise as isosteric replacements of the carboxylic acid moiety.
The Criminalization of Women for Abortion in Chile

Laws criminalizing abortion perpetuate unsafe conditions for women by pushing abortion underground, but do not eliminate abortions. When abortions are pushed underground, it puts women’s health at risk and criminalizes women for the act of terminating an unwanted pregnancy. Using Chile as a case study from research conducted over an 11-month period between 2013 and 2014, this chapter explores the impact on women for being criminalized for abortion in the context of inequality. The in-depth interviews with women who have a history of terminating a pregnancy revealed the impact of broader constructs of violence to lived experience. Women’s narratives uncovered how their voice and experience with abortion are rendered invisible within clandestine spaces of illegality and only made visible as a result of health or legal consequences. This chapter uncovers that criminalizing women for abortion is not sufficient for resolving social problems that are the result of larger political, social, and economic inequalities.
Neuronal autoantibodies: differentiating clinically relevant and clinically irrelevant results

The aim of this study is to compare the rates of clinically relevant and clinically irrelevant neuronal autoantibodies among patients presenting with new neurological symptoms. We reviewed 401 neurological patients who were tested for the Mayo-Clinic paraneoplastic panel from January 2014 to December 2014 at the Johns Hopkins Hospital. We divided antibody-positive patients into two groups: clinically relevant (CR), in which a recognizable autoimmune or paraneoplastic syndrome was confirmed, and clinically irrelevant (CI), in which an autoimmune/paraneoplastic etiology was initially suspected but an alternative diagnosis was eventually found. We used Fisher’s exact test for categorical variables and Mann–Whitney U test for continuous variables to identify differences between the two groups. Fifty-three patients tested positive for one or more neuronal autoantibodies. There were 17 CR (65% females, mean age 56 years), 33 CI, and 3 indeterminate patients. Compared to CI patients, CR patients were more likely to present with movement disorders or stiff person syndrome, have inflammatory CSF markers, cancer or smoking history, concomitant hyponatremia, and classical onconeuronal antibodies. CI patients were more likely to have a neuromuscular presentation, a chronic course, and antibodies against synaptic antigens. By combining the most robust differentiating factors, we developed a simple scale that predicted clinical relevance with an odds ratio of 50.3 (CI 8.2–309.9, P < 0.0001) if the score was ≥ 2. Up to 62% of neuronal autoantibody-positive patients are ultimately found to have an alternative diagnosis. Several clinical and laboratory factors can differentiate CR from CI patients to aid in interpretation of positive results.
Large deviations for the empirical measure of a diffusion via weak convergence methods

Abstract We consider the large deviation principle for the empirical measure of a diffusion in Euclidean space, which was first established by Donsker and Varadhan. We employ a weak convergence approach and obtain a characterization for the rate function that is dual to the one obtained by Donsker and Varadhan, and which allows us to evaluate the variational form of the rate function for both reversible and nonreversible diffusions.
Can ultraviolet illumination reduce sea turtle bycatch in Mediterranean set net fisheries

Abstract Sea turtles suffer from the cumulative and synergistic effects of natural phenomena and human activities. Among the latter, incidental interaction with commercial fisheries is considered as the main threat to their conservation. Fixed nets are common gears traditionally used in Mediterranean small scale fisheries (SSF). The loggerhead turtle bycatch of fixed nets is estimated to be high and similar to that of trawl nets and longlines, but seems to be associated with higher mortality rates. Devices aiming at reducing sea turtle bycatch through gear modifications have largely been developed for large-scale commercial fisheries, i.e. longlines and trawls, but not for set nets. In the present study ultraviolet LED lamps, which have already proved to be effective visual deterrents along the Northern and Southern Pacific coasts, were mounted on fixed nets and assessed for their ability to reduce the loggerhead turtle bycatch in the Mediterranean set net fishery. No turtles were caught in the illuminated net, whereas 16 individuals were captured by the traditional net (mortality rate, 30%). There were no significant differences in the catch rates of target species. This is the first test of a BRD designed to reduce sea turtle bycatch in a Mediterranean set net fishery. A broad diffusion of these bycatch reducer devices (BRDs) would provide a significant contribution to the conservation of loggerhead turtles while enabling large-scale production and cost reduction. However, until this happens the cost of adopting this BRD cannot be afforded by the fishermen operating SSF.
From Practice Evaluation to Agency Evaluation : Demonstrating Outcomes to the United Way

Abstract This paper describes the efforts that a family service agency undertook to develop a workable evaluation program as part of a United Way demonstration project. Integrating basic elements from single subject design and goal attainment scaling with program logic modeling, a simple system for collecting and compiling data on clinical outcomes was created that could provide feedback on the progress of individual cases to workers, and agency wide improvement rates to clinic administrators and funding agencies. The model that evolved is manageable because it is simple, was developed by the clinical staff, serves a clinical purpose, meets the expectations of funding sources, and actively engages clients, workers and supervisors in an ongoing process of monitoring progress. Sample forms used to gather data are presented along with the results and next steps for the evaluation process.
Study of a Wake Recovery Mechanism in a High-Speed Axial Compressor Stage

This work addresses the significant differences in compressor rotor wake mixing loss which exist in a stage environment relative to a rotor in isolation. The wake decay for a rotor in isolation is due solely to viscous dissipation which is an irreversible process and thus leads to a loss in both total pressure and efficiency. Rotor wake decay in the stage environment is due to both viscous mixing and the inviscid strain imposed on the wake fluid particles by the stator velocity field. This straining process, referred to by Smith (1993) as recovery, is reversible and for a 2D rotor wake leads to an inviscid reduction of the velocity deficit of the wake. A model for the rotor wake decay process is developed and used to quantify the viscous dissipation effects relative to those of inviscid wake stretching. The model is verified using laser anemometer measurements acquired in the wake of a transonic rotor operated in isolation and in a stage configuration at near peak efficiency and near stall operating conditions. Additional insight is provided by a time-accurate 3D Navier-Stokes simulation of the compressor stator flow field at the corresponding stage loading levels. Results from the wake decay model exhibit good agreement with the experimental data. Data from the model, laser anemometer measurements, and numerical simulations indicate that for the rotor/stator spacing used in this work, which is typical of core compressors, rotor wake straining (stretching) is the primary decay process in the stator passage with viscous mixing playing only a minor role. The implications of these results on compressor stage design are discussed.
Actinomycosis of the common bile duct diagnosed by endoscopic ultrasound fine-needle aspiration.

Endoscopic ultrasound (EUS) is a useful modality for examining the pancreaticobiliary system, as it provides high-resolution images without interference from bowel gas and fat. EUS fine-needle aspiration (FNA) has contributed greatly to the diagnosis of hepatobiliary and pancreatic diseases. In this case report, we present a patient with hepatobiliary actinomycosis diagnosed by EUS. Actinomyces are gram-positive, beaded, filamentous, anaerobic bacteria that form chronic granu-lomatous lesions and suppurative abscesses. These bacteria frequently colonize the upper respiratory, gastrointestinal, and female genital tracts but rarely invade the hepatobiliary system in the absence of gastrointestinal surgery or trauma to the bowel.
Utilization of Echocardiogram, Carotid Ultrasound, and Cranial Imaging in the Inpatient Investigation of Syncope: Its Impact on the Diagnosis and the Patient's Length of Hospitalization.

Background: Although guidelines suggest that the best strategy for evaluating syncope is clinical history and physical examination, the inappropriate utilization of diagnostic imaging is common. Methods: A single center retrospective analysis conducted in adult patients admitted for evaluation and management of syncope for a period of 12 months. Charts were reviewed to abstract demographic data, admitting and discharge diagnosis, diagnostic investigatory tests including imaging modalities (echocardiogram, carotid ultrasound, and cranial computed tomography (CT)) ordered, subspecialty consultation requested, treatment rendered and hospital length of stay (LOS). Results: A total of 109 patients were admitted for syncope, mean age was 68.74 ± 21.04 years and 39.44% were men. Echocardiogram, carotid ultrasound, and cranial CT were ordered in 69.72%, 33.02%, and 76.14% respectively. The mean hospital LOS was 2.6 days. Patients with no imaging test, one imaging test, two imaging tests, and three imaging tests ordered have an average hospital LOS of 2.22 days, 2.44 days, 2.58 days, and 3.07 days respectively. The number of imaging test and its relation to the admitting (Chi-square (chi-sq) P = 0.4165, nominal logistic regression (LR) P = 0.939) and discharge (chi-sq P = 0.1507, nominal LR P = 0.782) diagnosis as well as the LOS in relation to the number of imaging test ordered (analysis of variance (ANOVA) P = 0.368, Kruskal Wallis (KW) P = 0.352) were not statistically significant although there was a trend of prolonged hospital LOS the more imaging diagnostic test had been ordered. Syncope was the admitting and discharge diagnosis in 89.9% and 91.74% respectively. Conclusions: Choosing the appropriate diagnostic tests as dictated by the patient's clinical manifestation and utilizing less expensive test would be appropriate and cost-effective approach in appraising patients with syncope. Cardiol Res. 2018;9(4):197-203 doi: https://doi.org/10.14740/cr751w
Single-Ended Sensor for Thermometry and Speciation in Shock Tubes Using Native Surfaces

A single-ended laser absorption sensor for time-resolved measurements of temperature and H2O, CO2, and CO concentrations was designed and deployed on a cylindrical shock tube operating at combustion-relevant conditions. The sensor transmitted four monochromatic laser beams probing strong species-specific mid-infrared absorption transitions through a single optical port and measured the backscattered laser radiation from the native surface across the 13.97-cm-diameter shock tube. Despite the non-ideal concave reflective surface and the long optical path relative to the port diameter (1.37 cm), an optimal optical configuration that maximized signal-to-noise ratio and was free of physical blockage was found and implemented using a numerical ray-tracing optimization algorithm. Wavelength-modulation spectroscopy was employed to further compensate for interference sources in the shock tube environment. The four lasers were sinusoidally injection-current modulated at various frequencies near 100 kHz to yield a measurement rate of 44 kS/s. Demonstration measurements involving non-reacting mixtures of the target species and reacting mixtures of ethane and oxygen in a N2 bath were performed in a shock tube facility at temperatures between 1100 and 1800 K and pressures between 2 and 9 atm, with measured quantities demonstrating excellent agreement with the expected values. Despite experiencing strong vibrations induced by the dynamic shock tube environment, the sensor resolved sub-millisecond transients during ethane oxidation and detected H2O, CO2, and CO mole fractions as low as 0.025%, 0.012%, and 0.005%, respectively, representing highly sensitive detection limits suitable for single-port low-concentration multi-species sensing in shock tubes and other flow channels of comparable dimensions.
On the Efficiency of Cost-based Decision Rules for Capacity Planning

Recent literature on activity based product costing suggests that using product costs to make long-run product and capacity planning decisions is economically sound. This conclusion relies on the assumption that capacity resources impose "soft" constraints (i.e., capacity can be increased in the short-run on an as-needed basis). However, many capacity resources impose "hard" constraints (i.e., capacity once installed cannot be changed in the short run). In this paper, we explore the economic loss from using product cost information for capacity planning when capacity constraints are hard. We also examine two other capacity planning rules that adopt an input resource-based perspective to planning capacity. Using simulation experiments, we show that the solution from a "bottleneck planning" approach dominates the "product cost" based solution and, provides an excellent approximation to the optimal solution to the capacity planning problem.
Vanishing bile duct syndrome arising in a patient with HIV infection sequentially treated with trimethoprim/sulfamethoxazole and dapsone

Trimethoprim/sulfamethoxazole is well known to cause intra-hepatic cholestasis which in rare instances can be prolonged and lead to vanishing bile duct syndrome. The risk regarding the potential for cross-reactivity between structurally related molecules such as dapsone and trimethoprim/sulfamethoxazole in causing hepatotoxicity is scarce. Herein, we report a case of vanishing bile duct syndrome following dapsone use in a patient with HIV infection and a recent history of trimethoprim/sulfamethoxazole-induced cholestasis. The patient had severe and protracted cholestasis during 2 years of follow-up and eventually died of liver failure.
Pedestrian Flow Optimization to Reduce the Risk of Crowd Disasters Through Human–Robot Interaction

Pedestrian flow in densely populated or congested areas usually presents irregular or turbulent motion state due to competitive behaviors of individual pedestrians, which reduces flow efficiency and raises the risk of crowd accidents. Effective pedestrian flow regulation strategies are highly valuable for flow optimization. Existing studies seek for optimal design of indoor architectural features and spatial placement of pedestrian facilities for the purpose of flow optimization. However, once placed, the stationary facilities are not adaptive to real-time flow changes. In this paper, we investigate the problem of regulating two merging pedestrian flows in a bottleneck area using a mobile robot moving among the pedestrian flows. The pedestrian flows are regulated through dynamic human-robot interaction (HRI) during their collective motion. We adopt an adaptive dynamic programming (ADP) method to learn the optimal motion parameters of the robot in real time, and the resulting outflow through the bottleneck is maximized with the crowd pressure reduced to avoid potential crowd disasters. The proposed algorithm is a data-driven approach that only uses camera observation of pedestrian flows without explicit models of pedestrian dynamics and HRI. Extensive simulation studies are performed in both MATLAB and a robotic simulator to verify the proposed approach and evaluate the performances.
“Bringing the World to the Classroom”: Cultural Studies and Experiential Learning

The theoretical frameworks we use in the humanities and social sciences to parse out the interpersonal, institutional, and structural power relationships in terms of race, gender, class and nationality, and the historical processes which have advanced these relationships are useful in organizing significant issues and events in digestible forms. Our lived experiences are an essential part of our learning of the world around us. These experiences are exceptionally poignant for teaching cultural forms, social identities, economic processes, socio-ecological relationships, and formation of power and knowledge, topics, and themes at the core of cultural studies. In this chapter, I offer ideas, techniques, and methods for merging theory and practice in cultural studies. I reflect upon my experiences in creating experiential learning environments in interdisciplinary courses and situate this mode of education as essential to the project of cultural studies. My intervention here goes against the newer trends in higher education and the growth of virtual learning systems and recovers and adjusts to the classroom the merits of established fieldwork principles of scholarly fields such as anthropology, archaeology, and environmental sciences. The practical and creative strategies I am offering here are not new, but reinventions of the learning practices of art, design, and even biological sciences. In personal feedback and written evaluations, students have stated that experiential learning-focused units and assignments have been the most memorable moments of the courses I have taught. This is key for our educational goals in cultural studies. We want our students to move beyond their grades and toward remembering and using the frameworks they have learned, through which they make sense of and analyze the world around them.
Our Irrelevant Right to Health Care

From the advance publicity for Mortal Peril: Our Inalienable Right to Healthcare?,1 one might suppose the book would offer a closely reasoned argument for a market-based health care system with minimum government involvement and maximum deference to individual autonomy. While Epstein does advocate such a system, he fails to provide the reasoned argument. The book actually presents a collection of topics that seem to have been chosen because Epstein has strong views about them, not because taken together they yield a coherent view of health policy. To make matters worse, the discussion of each topic is a confusing mixture of broad generalizations, often unsupported by argument or data, and narrow analyses of specific laws, court cases, and regulations. The first half of this 503-page book is about access to health care. It includes chapters on the existence of a right to health care, futile medical treatment, care for the indigent, wealth and disability, community rating and pre-existing conditions, Medicare reform, and the Clinton health plan. The second half addresses self-determination and choice, with chapters on the buying and selling of babies and human organs, euthanasia and physician-assisted suicide, and the malpractice liability system. Since I cannot cover all this ground adequately in a review, I have chosen to focus primarily on the access issues.
Estimation of the Size of Dengue and Zika Infection Among Korean Travelers to Southeast Asia and Latin America, 2016–2017

Objectives To estimate the number and risk of imported infections resulting from people visiting Asian and Latin American countries. Methods The dataset of visitors to 5 Asian countries with dengue were analyzed for 2016 and 2017, and in the Philippines, Thailand and Vietnam, imported cases of zika virus infection were also reported. For zika virus, a single imported case was reported from Brazil in 2016, and 2 imported cases reported from the Maldives in 2017. To understand the transmissibility in 5 Southeast Asian countries, the estimate of the force of infection, i.e., the hazard of infection per year and the average duration of travel has been extracted. Outbound travel numbers were retrieved from the World Tourism Organization, including business travelers. Results The incidence of imported dengue in 2016 was estimated at 7.46, 15.00, 2.14, 4.73 and 2.40 per 100,000 travelers visiting Philippines, Indonesia, Thailand, Malaysia and Vietnam, respectively. Similarly, 2.55, 1.65, 1.53, 1.86 and 1.70 per 100,000 travelers in 2017, respectively. It was estimated that there were 60.1 infections (range: from 16.8 to 150.7 infections) with zika virus in Brazil, 2016, and 345.6 infections (range: from 85.4 to 425.5 infections) with zika virus in the Maldives, 2017. Conclusion This study emphasizes that dengue and zika virus infections are mild in their nature, and a substantial number of infections may go undetected. An appropriate risk assessment of zika virus infection must use the estimated total size of infections.
Home Depot, Hogwarts & Excess Deaths at the CDC

What would the Securities & Exchange Commission do if Home Depot reported as its 2020 “net income” only its revenues (not expenses), from only its best eight months, in only its best 18 states? What if we replace “Home Depot” with “CDC”? Which organization should be held to higher accounting and disclosure standards? In 2020, the CDC’s budget ballooned from $8 billion to roughly $46 billion largely in response to COVID-19 mortality figures reported by the CDC. How many deaths has COVID-19 caused? Causal analysis is always a tricky business, but pinpointing cause of death is notoriously error-prone, more so when a reported cause is used to solicit billions in funding. Indeed, the CDC emphasizes the funding connection twice on the first page of its65-page death certificate handbook. In support of its remarkable budget increase, and claiming concern that death-certificate-based counts were under-counting COVID-19 deaths, in fall 2020, the CDC began estimating “excess” deaths as a proxy for COVID-19 deaths. Is the CDC’s estimate realistic? To find out, we explore the CDC’s all-cause death data and evaluate their expected deaths model and related disclosures, using as benchmarks SEC Rule 10b-5, AICPA SAS 143 (on auditing estimates), and the fraud triangle. We find that in order to meet minimum SEC standards, which fundamentally require that statements and disclosures be "not materially misleading," the CDC’s excess deaths estimate, disclosures, and presentation thereof would need to change significantly. The analysis was performed in R Studio using, primarily, the dplyr and ggplot2 packages.
Two-photon peak molecular brightness spectra reveal long-wavelength enhancements of multiplexed imaging depth and photostability.

The broad use of two-photon microscopy has been enabled in part by Ti:Sapphire femtosecond lasers, which offer a wavelength-tunable source of pulsed excitation. Action spectra have thus been primarily reported for the tunable range of Ti:Sapphire lasers (∼700–1000 nm). However, longer wavelengths offer deeper imaging in tissue via reduced scattering and spectral dips in water absorption, and new generations of pulsed lasers offer wider tunable ranges. We present the peak molecular brightness spectra for eight Alexa Fluor dyes between 700–1300 nm as a first-order surrogate for action spectra measured with an unmodified commercial microscope, which reveal overlapping long-wavelength excitation peaks with potential for multiplexed excitation. We demonstrate simultaneous single-wavelength excitation of six spectrally overlapping fluorophores using either short (∼790 nm) or long (∼1090 nm) wavelengths, and that the newly characterized excitation peaks measured past 1000 nm offer improved photostability and enhanced fidelity of linear spectral unmixing at depth compared to shorter wavelengths.
Measuring Effects of Dietary Fiber on the Murine Oral Microbiome with Enrichment of 16S rDNA Prior to Amplicon Synthesis.

The oral cavity houses a diverse consortium of microorganisms corresponding to specific microbial niches within the oral cavity. The complicated nature of sample collection limits the accuracy, reproducibility, and completeness of sample collection of the dentogingival microbiome. Moreover, large variability among human oral samples introduces inexorable confounds. Here, we introduce a method to study the dentogingival microbiome using a murine model that allows for greater control over experimental variability and permits collection of the dentogingival microbiome in an intact state and in its entirety.As an example of this approach, this chapter provides a workflow to explore the effect of dietary fiber consumption on the murine dentogingival microbiome . Mice are fed diets corresponding to Fiber, Sugar, Fiber + Sugar, and Control groups for 7 weeks. A whole-mandible extraction technique is described to isolate the mandibular dentogingival surfaces. 16S rRNA gene analysis is coupled with removal of unwanted host DNA amplification products to allow an investigation of the dental microbiome in the presence of increased fiber in terms of microbial taxonomic abundance and diversity.
Coining the Pablo Picasso Syndrome (3929)

Objective: To illustrate rare visual disturbances that have features of Picasso’s paintings in patients suffering from chronic migraine. Background: The Alice in Wonderland Syndrome (AIWS) has been well-described in the literature. Along with sensory disturbances, patients notably experience metamorphopsias, or distortions in size (micropsia/macropsia) and distance (teleopsia), particularly of body parts. Some migraineurs, however, report dislocation and disorientation of body parts, which are common features found in paintings of Pablo Picasso. Design/Methods: A 60-year-old female with a 20-year history of chronic migraine presented for evaluation of frequent headaches and visual disturbances. In between her attacks of migraine, she would occasionally notice alterations which she describes as a “Picasso” painting. When looking at people, she would note their ear on top of their head, or their right arm would be short and attached to the face. This would occur 1–2 times per week, and would last 5 to 10 minutes. Inanimate objects, however, would not appear distorted. Her symptoms eventually improved with treatment with topiramate. Results: The available literature, including published works and biographies, suggests Picasso did not suffer from migraine. Nonetheless, careful descriptions taken from migraineurs with visual disturbances may uncover features that resemble his paintings, be it dislocation of limbs with hints of cubism, as reported above, or illusory splitting as has been previously reported. Conclusions: Dislocation or disorientation of body parts as a migraine-related visual phenomenon is rare and only sparsely reported in the medical literature. Coining of a “Pablo Picasso Syndrome” may better describe this occurrence. Disclosure: Dr. Suri has nothing to disclose. Dr. Ali has nothing to disclose.
General guidelines to highway agencies to enhance their local pavement rating systems: A case study of nevada’s pavement rating system

Evaluation of pavement condition is the principle source for the effective management of the pavements within any network or state. Many highway agencies within United State are using different pavement rating systems to evaluate their pavement condition. The data collection system, measurement units, calculation techniques have been modified and updated by several states with technological development with time. Recently, several highway agencies are willing to update their old pavement rating systems or gradually switch to more accurate rating systems but facing difficulties. This paper focuses on the potential enhancement on the Pavement Rating Index (PRI) used by Nevada Department of Transportation (NDOT) and thus eventually transitioning to the Pavement Condition Index (PCI) developed by U.S. Army Construction Engineering Research Laboratory. Pavement condition data that were utilized to calculate PRI over the last 15 years were converted into PCI compatible format using a suitable conversion technique. Estimated PCI values were plotted against its corresponding PRI showed moderate correlation with R² value of 0.57. The current PRI system was then enhanced to eliminate the observed deficiencies in the current system. The statistical relationship between the enhanced PRI against PCI showed improved correlation with R² value of 0.78. The study concluded that a successful switch from PRI system to PCI system can be achieved in Nevada while maintaining the use of the historical pavement condition data. This paper provides general recommendations for other agencies that are transitioning from local pavement rating system to PCI system.
Operation of a dynamic transmission-scheduling protocol for mobile ad hoc networks

In this paper we develop and examine the operation of a distributed and adaptive transmission-scheduling protocol that supports contention-free link-level broadcast transmissions in mobile, multiple-hop networks. The network adapts quickly after topology changes and only the terminals near a change are required to adjust their transmission schedules. Two key parameters affect the ability of the transmission-scheduling protocol to adapt to changes in connectivity: the rate of connectivity changes and the number of terminals near the connectivity changes. We bound the rate of changes and terminal density within which the adaptive protocols can maintain collision-free schedules with an acceptable level of overhead. While the protocols can operate efficiently if the rate of change is within certain limits, there can be periods during which a large number of changes occur. We also characterize the stability of the protocols after such periods of rapid changes in connectivity and show that the protocol can quickly return to a collision-free transmission schedule.
Case study: how analytic modeling can reveal performance problems in distributed systems

We present a case study to illustrate how modeling a distributed system can reveal serious performance problems and lead to performance improvement. We developed a simple queueing model for remote procedure call (RPC) that run over the connectionless user datagram protocol (UDP) in the Open Software Foundation's Distributed Computing Environment (OSF/DCE). Initially, the model-predicted RPC round trip times for a multithreaded client didn't match the measured round trip times. We investigated the reason and showed that the mechanism built into the runtime DCE RPC for improving the RPC performance over the UDP, which works in a single-threaded environment, fails in a multithreaded environment. We suggested solutions to the problem and modified our system. The measured round trip times in the modified system matched closely with the model predicted round trip times.
How the World Is Measured Up in Size Experience

I develop a Russellian representationalist account of size experience that draws importantly from contemporary vision science research on size perception. The core view is that size is experienced in ‘body-scaled’ units. So, an object might, say, be experienced as two eye-level units high. The view is sharpened in response to Thompson’s (forthcoming) Doubled Earth example. This example is presented by Thompson as part of an argument for a Fregean view of size experience. But I argue that the Russellian view I develop handles the Doubled Earth example in a natural and illuminating way, thereby avoiding the need to posit irreducible experiential ‘modes of presentation’. I also address a kind of neo-Fregean ‘reference-fixing’ view of size experience, that shares features with the Russellian view developed. I give reasons for favoring the latter. Finally, I argue that Peacocke’s claim that spatial experience is ‘unit free’ is not persuasive.
Temperature dependence of density of polymer gels: Effects of ionizable groups in copoly(N-isopropylacrylamide/acrylic acid or sodium acrylate)–water systems

Abstract Effects of ionizable groups in hydrogels of copolymer networks on the volumetric contraction–expansion process were investigated. Polymer networks used were: copoly[N-isopropylacrylamide (NIPA)(1 − x)/acrylic acid (HAc) or sodium acrylate (NaAc)(x)] with mole fraction of minor component (x) assuming 0.0114 and 0.0457. From the temperature (T) dependence of total volume of gels, densities of the polymer and solvent (water) components, and stoichiometry, we evaluated (1) the volume of gels occupied by a single mean polymeric residue and associated water molecules (expressed in units of nm3), mean vsp(gel), and (2) number of water molecules per single mean polymeric residue, mean Ns(gel), from near 273 K to 323 K. These quantities (1) and (2) listed above showed how acid and salt forms affect differently on volumetric changes of gels over 50 K. We developed an approach to evaluate volumetric changes of gels solely caused by a single polymeric residue of a minor component (x
Chapter 26 Nasal provocation and pulmonary function tests

Priming is based on the observation that the dose of intranasal pollen needed to cause a repeated nasal allergic reaction decreases if challenges are carried out on a daily basis. For example, on day 1, 10,000 pollen grains are required; on day 2, 1000 pollen grains arc required; and so on. Some mediators in nasal wash increase in primed subjects during successive challenges. Immediate nasal responses include increases in histamine, prostaglandin (PC) Dz, chemotactic factors, TAME esterase, and leukotriene C,. PGD, is a major mast cell product but is not generated by basophils. Additional mast cell activation is thought to occur after successive antigen challenges. A late reaction may occur 3 to 11 hours after initial challenge and may be more or less intense than the early reaction. Histamine, TAME esterase (can generate kinins), and leukotrienes occur in late and early reactions. Major basic protein is found in the late reaction, but PGD, is not. Some evidence suggests that histamine in the late reaction is from basophils, not from Imast cells. If antigen is readministered after the end of the late reaction, PGDz is detected. suggesting production and release by mast cells in the next early (immediate) nasal reaction. Topical steroids (1 week pretreatment) inhibit late nasal reactions to allergen (like oral steroids) plus the immediate reaction. Immunotherapy can inhibit the early and late nasal responses to allergen challenge; this differs from bronchial reactions in patients with asthma, in whom the late but not early response can be suppressed.
Efficient Interoperability of OpenSHMEM on Multicore Architectures

Most HPC programming models face an interoperability challenge because of the advent of multi/many core architectures [1, 2, 3]. Efficient interoperability--for instance, with shared memory programming models such as OpenMP--requires reconsidering the design of various levels of the programming model software stack. While support for interoperability typically exists at the hardware and system messaging library levels, most programming models lack the interfaces that ease such interoperability. In this paper, we discuss requirements of efficient interoperability and show the alternative paths for satisfying them for OpenSHMEM. We discuss the implication of maintaining the current interfaces and enhancements to ease interoperability.
A numerical investigation of air flow during tablet compression

This paper presents a systematic numerical investigation of airflow during compression in a simplified tablet press geometry. Air entrainment during tablet compression has been cited as the cause of manufacturing defects and quality problems. The effects of tablet punch profile, speed and punch to die wall clearance on airflow in the system are investigated. Conditions under which air entrainment in the tablet formulation are likely to occur have been identified, and are found to correspond with punch concavity. For a flat profile punch, the effects of punch speed and punch to die wall clearance are shown to be of minor importance.
The relationship between regional body composition and quantitative strength in facioscapulohumeral muscular dystrophy (FSHD).

Abstract This study determines in facioscapulohumeral muscular dystrophy (FSHD) and able-bodied controls (1) the regional body composition and (2) the correlation between regional lean tissue mass and the corresponding regional strength. This is a cross-sectional, criterion standard, case-control study at a university based neuromuscular disease clinic. A dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry (DEXA) scanner was used to obtain regional body composition measurements in 14 FSHD and anthropometrically matched control pairs. A dynamometer determined peak isometric strength for the elbow and knee. Compared to controls, FSHD subjects showed increased regional fat tissue mass ( p p p r =0.791–0.906; p
Organization and chromosomal location of repetitive DNA sequences in three species of squamate reptiles

Repetitive DNA sequences were isolated from the genomes of species representing three major clades of squamate reptiles. A repetitive sequence (Cn4C7) was isolated from the New Mexican whiptail lizard,Cnemidophorus neomexicanus. This sequence is distributed throughout the chromosomes, but is more concentrated in the telomeric region. Cn4C7 also hybridizes to the chromosomes of otherCnemidophorus. Some evidence was found for concerted evolution of this repeat in hybrid unisexual lineages. In the lesser earless lizard,Holbrookia maculata, the predominant repeat in the genome is represented by a sequence (Hm1E11) which is restricted to the area flanking the centromere in all species ofHolbrookia. Two families of repetitive sequences (one dispersed, and the other telomeric) were isolated from the western diamondback rattlesnake,Crotalus atrox. The type and distribution of repetitive sequences in squamates is often taxon-specific, and may be useful as characters for elucidating taxonomic relationships.
An integrated finite-state model for rotor deformation, nonlinear airloads, inflow and trim

This article describes a model for aeroelastic loads on a rotor in forward flight, expressed in terms of a finite number of state variables, and incorporating advanced aerodynamic modeling. The model includes elastic flap, lag and torsion blade deformations, unsteady linear and stalled airloads, and an unsteady, higher harmonic inflow distribution, all described by ordinary differential equations for the state variables. These components, together with a set of autopilot trim equations, are coupled to describe a complete rotor, and are integrated in time until a periodic solution is reached. Model validation using airloads data gathered in flight tests are shown. Normal force predictions correlate fairly well, but pitching moment correlations are less successful, due to the sensitivity of the pitching moment.
Supporting task resumption using visual feedback

For information workers, maintaining high productivity relies on timely task resumption after interruptions, which are frequent. However, people's task resumption ability is compromised by disruptive environments and human cognitive limitations. We propose that a helpful intervention is to provide visual feedback about the duration of a suspended task. Results from a controlled study show significantly shorter average off-task time by adding visual feedback. Further, using emotionally attachable visual objects in the visualization has the additional benefit of decreasing off-task time without increasing stress. Punishment-oriented persuasion strategies produced faster resumption, but also caused higher stress levels. Combined with other related results, we discuss the implications for design as well directions for future study.