cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Optimal Sensor Locations for Freeway Bottleneck Identification

In the field of traffic operations, accurate performance measures are crucial for many of the intelligent transportation systems applications. Achieving this accuracy and quality requires that network-based roadway sensors are allocated in locations beneficial to traf- fic operations. However, with the budgetary restrictions most transportation agencies face, these roadway sensors cannot be placed as thoroughly as obligatory for ideal accuracy, requiring these agencies to select a limited number of installments that produce the most optimal results. In this article, a nonlinear integer program is proposed to optimally allocate point sensors along a one-directional freeway corridor, given that any pair of adjacent sensors can produce a benefit for bottleneck identification. The objective of this model is to optimize the accuracy of bottleneck identification subject to resource and monetary constraints. This model is nonlinear and, due to a non-constraints. This model is nonlinear and, due to a non- differentiable function, genetic algorithm is applied to find a solution. We demonstrate that on a case study network with bottlenecks at unknown locations, the model successfully allocates sensors in a manner that optimizes bottleneck identification accuracy.
Interactions between the Evolutionarily Conserved, Actin-related Protein, Arp11, Actin, and Arp1

The dynein activator dynactin is a multiprotein complex with distinct microtubule- and cargo-binding domains. The cargo-binding domain contains a short, actin-like filament of the actin-related protein Arp1, a second actin-related protein, Arp11, and conventional actin. The length of this filament is invariant in dynactin isolated from multiple species and tissues, suggesting that activities that regulate Arp1 polymerization are important for dynactin assembly. Arp11 is present in a protein complex localized at the pointed end of the Arp1 minifilament, whereas actin capping protein (CapZ) is present at the barbed end. Either might cooperate with conventional actin to cap Arp1. We tested the ability of Arp11 to interact with conventional actin and found it could coassemble. Like Arp1, cytosolic Arp11 is found only in dynactin, suggesting that Arp11 and free cytosolic actin do not interact significantly. Recombinant Arp11 and Arp1 were demonstrated to interact by coprecipitation. We developed an in vivo assay for Arp11-Arp1 interaction based on previous observations that Arp1 forms filamentous assemblies when overexpressed in cultured cells. Arp11 significantly decreases the formation of these organized Arp1 assemblies. Finally, this assay was used to confirm the identity of a putative Arp11 homolog in Drosophila melanogaster.
Teaching the Definite Integral

Maple contains features both useful and effective for seeing the definite integral as area under a curve. We begin by posing the question: How can we find the area bounded by the graph of some function f(x) and the x-axis? We are then led to an approximate answer based on rectangles drawn under the graph of f(x).
Invited commentary: Four-dimensional computed tomography permits preoperative planning for directed parathyroidectomy

Directed parathyroidectomy based on the results of preoperative parathyroid localization and intraoperative parathyroid hormone measurements is now a widely accepted approach for treatment of primary hyperparathyroidism. However, the lack of precise preoperative parathyroid localization remains a significant limitation that often precludes performing a directed parathyroidectomy. Dr Rodgers and his colleagues report their initial results with 4-dimensional computed tomography (4D-CT) for more precise localization of hyperfunctioning parathyroid glands. Four-dimensional computed tomography, an imaging modality similar to CT angiography, combines 3-dimensional anatomic imaging with functional imaging assessed by changes in perfusion of contrast over time. The authors present a comparative analysis of the results of 4-dimensional computed tomography, ultrasonongraphy, and sestamibi in a consecutive series of 75 patients with primary hyperparathyroidism who underwent parathyroidectomy at the University of Texas M.D. Anderson Cancer Center. In addition, they present a schema for terminology to be used to describe the location of a parathyroid gland in an effort to help standardize the nomenclature and improve the communication between the surgeon and the radiologist. This classification scheme and the potential for more precise localization of hyperfunctioning parathyroid glands by 4D-CT imaging are important in helping to optimize the success rate for directed parathyroidectomy. The results that the authors report for 4D-CT scanning are very promising, and it is clear that, at the M.D. Anderson Cancer Center, it is the preferable preoperative parathyroid imaging agent. However, the sensitivities for ultrasonography and sestamibi at M.D. Anderson reported by Dr Rodgers and his colleagues are at the low end of the range of sensitivities reported in the literature. Some institutions have reported similar or higher sensitivities for surgeon-performed ultrasonography and for sestamibi imaging in combination with simple photon emission computed tomography. Although the results of this well-done study are encouraging, whether or not this will offer a true advance in preoperative parathyroid localization will become more clear as the experience with this modality increases. Multiglandular disease continues to be the Achilles heel of preoperative parathyroid localization. Although 4D-CT scanning was better than either sestamibi or ultrasonography for identifying multiglandular disease, it was able to image 2 or more abnormal glands in only 5 of 11 patients.
Hindered diffusion of dextran and polyethylene glycol in porous membranes

The effective diffusion coefficients of dextran and polyethylene glycol in track-etched polycarbonate membranes were measured using membranes with nominal pore sizes of 0.03 μm, 0.05 μm, and 0.1 μm. Experiments were performed using narrow-size range fractions of each polymer. When the Stokes-Einstein radius was used to describe solute size, the observed diffusivities for both polymers agreed closely and were larger than values predicted for rigid spheres, as well as for linear polymers when only steric interactions with the pore wall are assumed. These observations cannot be explained by considering electrostatic interactions between the solute and the pore wall, or solute adsorption on the pore wall. The experimentally measured diffusion coefficients agreed well with a model that treats the polymeric solutes as rigid spheres and includes van der Waals attractive interactions between the solute and the pore wall.
Anisotropic elasticity of jarosite: A high-P synchrotron XRD study

The elastic properties of jarosite were investigated using synchrotron X-ray diffraction coupled with a multi-anvil apparatus at pressures up to 8.1 GPa. With increasing pressure, the c dimension contracts much more rapidly than a, resulting in a large anisotropy in compression. This behavior is consistent with the layered nature of the jarosite structure, in which the (001) [Fe(O,OH){sub 6}]/[SO{sub 4}] sheets are held together via relatively weak K-O and hydrogen bonds. Fitting of the measured unit-cell parameters to the second-order Birch-Murnaghan equation of state yielded a bulk modulus of 55.7 {+-} 1.4 GPa and zero-pressure linear compressibilities of 3.2 x 10{sup -3} GPa{sup -1} for the a axis and 13.6 x 10{sup -3} GPa{sup -1} for the c axis. These parameters represent the first experimental determination of the elastic properties of jarosite.
A Brief History of International Latin American Student Fraternities: A Movement That Lasted 86 Years (1889-1975).

An international Latin American student fraternity movement preceded the current Latino Greeks that are seen on college campuses today. This document provides new information that has not been published. The movement lasted 86 years and primarily served wealthy international Latin American students who came to the United States to study and, once graduated, went back to their home countries. This was a different movement that became defunct before the current Latino Greeks emerged in 1975.
Endocytic receptor LRP together with tPA and PAI-1 coordinates Mac-1-dependent macrophage migration

Migration of activated macrophages is essential for resolution of acute inflammation and the initiation of adaptive immunity. Here, we show that efficient macrophage migration in inflammatory environment depends on Mac-1 recognition of a binary complex consisting of fibrin within the provisional matrix and the protease tPA (tissue-type plasminogen activator). Subsequent neutralization of tPA by its inhibitor PAI-1 enhances binding of the integrin–protease–inhibitor complex to the endocytic receptor LRP (lipoprotein receptor-related protein), triggering a switch from cell adhesion to cell detachment. Genetic inactivation of Mac-1, tPA, PAI-1 or LRP but not the protease uPA abrogates macrophage migration. The defective macrophage migration in PAI-1-deficient mice can be restored by wild-type but not by a mutant PAI-1 that does not interact with LRP. In vitro analysis shows that tPA promotes Mac-1-mediated adhesion, whereas PAI-1 and LRP facilitate its transition to cell retraction. Our results emphasize the importance of ordered transitions both temporally and spatially between individual steps of cell migration, and support a model where efficient migration of inflammatory macrophages depends on cooperation of three physiologically prominent systems (integrins, coagulation and fibrinolysis, and endocytosis).
An overview of the Burning Plasma Experiment (BPX) vacuum vessel system

The vacuum vessel system (VVS), which consists of the vacuum vessel assembly, divertor and first wall assemblies, and the in-vessel remote maintenance (IVRM) capabilities is a major system of the BPX machine. The basic parameters of the VVS are presented, and the comprehensive research and development program which has been established to support the VVS design is summarized. A discussion is provided of the functional requirements of the divertor and the first wall and the machine operating modes as they relate to the divertor and limiter design. The divertor and first wall material requirements are identified, and a description of their respective configurations is included. The vacuum vessel assembly provides both the high vacuum environment required for plasma operation and the primary containment for tritium. A discussion of the engineering requirements, material selection rationale, and configuration of the vacuum vessel is provided. >
Basal Forebrain Cholinergic Neurons and Alzheimer’s Disease

Although neuropathological and epidemiological studies have long indicated Alzheimer’s dementia (AD) as a major cause of cognitive deterioration in the elderly (Larsson et al., 1963; Kay et al, 1964; Roth et al, 1967), the reports of Davies and Maloney (1976) and Bowen et al (1976) describing selective deficits in cholinergic synaptic neurochemical markers in the cortex and hippocampus of Alzheimer’s patients provoked a paradigm shift in the thinking of the neuroscientific community concerning the pathobiology of this disorder. Thus, in the 7-year period prior to these two publications, approximately 30 articles per annum appeared in the medical/scientific literature on AD, whereas in the 5-year period after these reports, the annual number of publications increased nearly 10-fold. While other factors such as the increasing interest in geriatric medicine and the growing appreciation of the social and economic implications of AD with regard to the increasing lifespan of individuals in Western society undoubtedly contributed to the burgeoning medical and scientific interest in the disorder, the discovery of selective neurotransmitter deficits in AD clearly had a tremendous impact.
Making land to make life: island‐building in the South China Sea and the biopolitics of geophysical transformation

Recent work in environmental politics has sought to expand the domain of ‘the geopolitical’ to include geologic transformation, bringing the human alteration of terrestrial, oceanic, and atmospheric forms into the political sphere. In line with this ‘geologic turn’, this paper examines China's recent land reclamation efforts in the South China Sea as a starting point for a broader conversation on the politics of geophysical change. With recent discussion of geoengineering to avert the consequences of climate change, we reaffirm calls to address questions of participation, equity and accountability in geoengineering, but also to challenge assumptions of what is being modified, by whom, and for whom. To that end, we argue that human modification of the geophysical environment is an expression not only of a geologic politics (of territory and resources), but of a biopolitics that seeks to reclaim and perfect populations: a politics of making life and letting die.
SPICE Model of Photomultiplier Tube Under Different Bias Conditions

A generic SPICE model of a photomultiplier tube (PMT) is proposed and demonstrated experimentally. The nonlinearity of the PMT was reproduced by applying the manufacturer gain curve. The modeling concept is based on behavioral-dependent sources that emulate the electron multiplication process between interstage dynodes of the PMT. The static condition of the PMT directly influences performance in terms of gain stability, linearity, dynamic range, transient response, power consumption, heat dissipation, and so on. The model can be used to calculate or simulate the values of the PMT variables while connected to different voltage divider circuits. The proposed model was found to faithfully reproduce the experimental static electrical behavior of the R7400U PMT biased by different voltage divider circuits. The PMT model was tested under varying bias conditions at no light and under 400-μA anode current.
Rape seed extract agar: a new medium for production and detection of oospores of heterothallic species of Phytophthora.

The production of oospores of homothallic and heterothallic species of Phytophthora in artificial media has been reported by several workers (1-13). The most common media used are oatmeal (1, 2, 7, 8, 9, 13), lima bean (6, 12, 13), hemp seed extract (3, 11), and V-8 juice agars (4, 5, 10, 12). Although good results have been obtained with these media, the presence of oospores cannot be detected without microscopic examination.
Data-adaptive compressive inversion of multichannel geophysical data

Inversion of airborne electromagnetic data is critical to resource exploration and characterization. Commonly, each sounding is inverted using a one-dimensional Earth approximation, mainly because two and three-dimensional inversions on that scale are computationally intractable at present. Fortunately, the one-dimensional Earth approximation is reasonable in most resource exploration settings, as the horizontal variation of the targets is roughly on the same scale or larger than the “footprint” of the transmitter. However, with the size of most airborne surveys, even the 1D approximation leads to large sets of inversions that cannot be computed within a reasonable time frame.
Cutaneous manifestations of nutritional disorders

Although the frequency of nutritional disorders is diminishing in developed countries, it is imperative that the clinician know the cutaneous clues to diagnoses of these conditions. Settings in which nutritional disorders occur include congenital or postsurgical alterations in bowel anatomy, chronic wasting states, psychiatric diseases, and metabolic alterations.
The evidence speaks for itself...but can the public

TODAY'S PATIENTS take their lives in their hands. With health information, good or bad, now more available than ever, many people approach their health care in the way they would any other purchase. They shop around, looking for best 'value' and the benefits accrued by making the right choice.
The medium is terrorism: Transformation of the about to die trope in Dabiq

AbstractDaesh’s ability to successfully recruit foreign fighters from more than one hundred countries worldwide raises the importance of understanding the group’s strategic media campaign. Recognizing that visual images, in particular, often increase viewers’ attention, recall, and emotional response, this study of Daesh’s official magazine, Dabiq, moves beyond earlier studies primarily focused on the magazine’s textual content to analyze the group’s visual communication strategy. This study’s content analysis of the 1,144 images appearing in the magazine’s first twelve issues reveals how Dabiq has relied extensively on a historic American media trope, the about to die image, to bolster image recirculation over time. This essay examines both the form and content of Dabiq’s use of three about to die image types as they have evolved across the twelve issues. Rather than seek to win the “hearts and minds” of the Muslim public, Dabiq’s use of about to die images transforms the online medium into terrorism in ...
Prevalence and Factors Associated with Multiple Provider Episodes in Texas: An Epidemiological Analysis of Prescription Drug Monitoring Program Data.

Objective. Prescription drug abuse has reached epidemic levels, leading to overdose-related morbidity and mortality. Patient and regional-level factors are believed to contribute to higher rates of prescription drug abuse. The objective of this study was to determine the prevalence and factors associated with multiple provider episodes (MPEs) in Texas. Methods. This was a retrospective cohort analysis of data from the Texas Prescription Drug Monitoring Program (PDMP) database, linked with Texas county census data. Descriptive statistics and a multilevel model regression analysis were employed to estimate the prevalence of MPEs and examine the association between individual controlled substance prescription (CSP) utilization and county factors associated with MPEs. Results. Among the 10,381,532 Texas residents utilizing CSPs in 2013, prescription opioids were the most frequently dispensed CSP (38.64%). The prevalence of MPEs was 71.30 per population of 100,000. Of those with MPEs, 76.98% received CSPs for more than 150 days and 11.48% had an average daily morphine equivalent dose (MED) 100 mg/day or higher. Residing in metropolitan areas, traveling more than 100 miles to obtain and fill prescriptions, chronic use of CSPs, younger age, and high MED were all significantly associated with increased risk of MPEs. Conclusions. This study revealed that previous estimates of prescription drug abuse may be drastically underestimated. Prescription drug abuse is a major public health problem in Texas, especially in metropolitan areas. Therefore, prevention efforts need to be addressed at the individual level and through public health and policy legislation.
Ordinal approximation in matching and social choice

In this note, we discuss several settings in which algorithms can provide good outcomes when given only ordinal information. We focus especially on voting mechanisms in settings with spacial preferences, and on the notion of distortion.
Colonialism and the Development of Higher Education

European colonisation of the African continent beginning in the late 19th century, also introduced a new way of life into the African society. The African milieu was transformed by Western influences, creating the need to fit African peoples into the new conditions (Nwauwa, 1997). The introduction of Western education as a whole, therefore, became a necessity in the colonies of the European powers, as it was needed for communication with their colonised Africans.
Balancing selection maintains diversity in a cold tolerance gene in broadly distributed live oaks.

Cold poses major physiological challenges to plants, especially long-lived trees. In trees occurring along variable temperature clines, the expected direction and consequences of selection on cold ...
Tradespace Exploration: Promise and Limits

Tradespace exploration has become a trusted tool for conceptual design of complex engineered systems. It serves several purposes in the early phases of design, and can be very effective, particularly in comparison with previous methods and tools. However, tradespace exploration also has its limitations, which are not recognized or appreciated in the literature. Results are bounded by the design generator that populates the tradespace. The sampling of the design space can be very thin even when a large number of designs are generated. And the Pareto frontier does not warrant the trust that is placed in it.
Too Cold to Clot? Does Intraoperative Hypothermia Contribute to Bleeding After Aortic Surgery?

Background We determined the impact of intraoperative hypothermia on postoperative bleeding after thoracic aortic surgery. Methods We retrospectively analyzed 98 consecutive patients who underwent aortic surgery with deep hypothermic circulatory arrest between 2010 and 2014. We evaluated lowest temperature, absolute decrease in temperature, and rewarming rate. Univariate and multivariate regression were used to determine relationships between temperature, clinical characteristics, and measures of postoperative bleeding. Results The mean age of patients was 60.5 ± 15.1 years, with 64.3% male and 60% Caucasian. The lowest temperatures recorded were 13.5 ± 4.6°C at the bypass circuit. Change in hematocrit was associated with ethnicity, preoperative hematocrit, and rewarming rate. Chest tube output was associated with body mass index, preoperative platelet count, prior cardiac surgery, cardiopulmonary bypass (CPB) duration, intraoperative blood product transfusion, lowest surface temperature, and change in surface temperature. Postoperative packed red blood cell transfusion was associated with ejection fraction, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), platelet count, partial thromboplastin time, CPB duration, and lowest blood temperature. Fresh frozen plasma transfusion correlated with COPD, CPB duration, and final blood temperature. Platelet transfusion correlated with body mass index and preoperative platelet count. Unplanned reoperation for bleeding was associated with final temperature and change in temperature. Conclusion We found no consistent associations between intraoperative temperature and indicators of bleeding. Intraoperative cooling strategies should be based on optimal end-organ protection rather than fear of postoperative bleeding; rewarming strategies may ameliorate the risk of coagulopathy.
Multiscale cohesive zone modeling and simulation of high-speed impact, penetration, and fragmentation

In this work, a multiscale cohesive zone model (MCZM) is developed to simulate the high-speed penetration induced dynamic fracture process such as fragmentation in crystalline solids. This model de...
Regional and age-dependent differences in the phospholipid composition of human lens membranes.

PURPOSE The long-term purpose of this research was to establish the relationships between composition, structure, and function that affect human lens membranes. The authors hypothesized that the functional differences of epithelial, cortical, and nuclear lens membranes are related to compositional differences. Furthermore, age-dependent alterations in membrane function and structure can also be related to variations in the phospholipid composition. To explore these possibilities, the authors determined the phospholipid composition of epithelial, cortical, and nuclear membranes from pools of human lenses of different ages. METHODS Membranes were extracted from pools of clear human lenses of different ages using a monophasic methanolic extraction that minimizes the interfacial fluff produced with biphasic extractions. The phospholipid composition was determined by 31P NMR: RESULTS Only minor differences were detected between cortical and nuclear fractions. All phospholipids, except sphingomyelin, phosphatidylethanolamine, and the phospholipid with a shift of 0.12 parts per million (ppm) in the 31P NMR spectrum, showed significant differences in the epithelial fractions of all age groups compared to the fiber fractions; the percentage of phosphatidylcholine was considerably higher than that in the cortical and nuclear membranes of the same age. Conversely, the percentage of phosphatidylglycerol and lysophosphatidylglycerol was significantly smaller in the epithelial membranes than in the fiber membranes. The age-related changes in the composition of cortical and nuclear membranes were identical. These membranes showed a steady increase with age in the percentage of sphingomyelin and of an unidentified component with a shift of 1.2 ppm. The percentage of phosphatidylcholine decreased with age in both epithelial and fiber membranes. The rate of decrease was greater in the epithelial membranes than in the fiber membranes. Epithelial membranes contained approximately five times more phosphatidylcholine than fiber membranes of corresponding age. CONCLUSION Regardless of age, the composition of epithelial cell membranes was different than that of cortical and nuclear membranes, which showed similar phospholipid content. This suggests that significant compositional changes occur when epithelial cells become elongated to form fiber cells.
Hyaluronan: A Key Microenvironmental Mediator of Tumor-Stromal Cell Interactions

Tumors are not merely clusters of tumor cells with autonomous growth ability. Rather, they are cellular masses formed through complex interactions with a mixed population of host cells that include fibroblasts, vascular cells, and infiltrating immune cells. The interactions between cancer and host cells result in the formation of the “tumor microenvironment”, whose extensive remodeling during tumorigenesis is closely associated with cancer development and progression. Since the tumor microenvironment is an important control mechanism for the biological characteristics of tumor cell proliferation, invasion, and metastasis, it has recently attracted attention as a target for cancer therapy. Hyaluronan plays a central role in tumor microenvironment formation as the major component of the extracellular matrix. The modes of occurrence and functions of this repeating disaccharide molecule are known to change dynamically along with tumor progression and are closely related to cancer aggressiveness. Clinicopathological findings have revealed that accumulation of the hyaluronan matrix in tumors is associated with the stroma rather than around cancer cells. This review introduces the occurrence and functional diversity of hyaluronan polysaccharides and outlines the role of the hyaluronan-rich tumor microenvironment in enhancing tumor progression.
Longitudinal Evaluation of Aerobic Fitness and Academic Achievement Among Schoolchildren.

BACKGROUND Research is emerging suggesting that fitness not only improves health, but enhances academic achievement in children. Many studies have found the strongest correlation with academic achievement to be aerobic fitness. The purpose of this study is to examine the influence of aerobic fitness and academic ranking on the association between improvements in students' aerobic fitness and their academic achievement. METHODS Data were collected from 1152 second- through fifth-grade students enrolled in 10 Midwestern schools. School-fixed effects models were used to estimate the impact of improved aerobic fitness from the fall to the spring semester on students' spring percentile rankings in math and reading. RESULTS Students whose progressive aerobic cardiovascular endurance run improved from the fall to spring semester moved up the national spring math percentile rankings by 2.71 percentiles (p < .001) for all students, 4.77 (p < .001) for less-fit students, and 3.53 (p < .05) for lower performing math students. No statistically significant relationship was found between improved aerobic fitness and reading achievement. CONCLUSIONS Improving fitness could potentially have the greatest academic benefit for those elementary students who need it the most-the less fit and the lower academic performers.
Dual Users Compared to Smokers: Demographics, Dependence, and Biomarkers

Author(s): Piper, Megan E; Baker, Timothy B; Benowitz, Neal L; Kobinsky, Kate H; Jorenby, Douglas E | Abstract: IntroductionThe availability of electronic cigarettes (e-cigarettes) has profoundly changed the tobacco product landscape. In the United States, almost 6 million adults use both combustible and e-cigarettes (ie, dual users). The goal of this study was to understand how smokers and dual users differ in terms of demographics, cigarette dependence, and exposure to carcinogens.MethodsAn observational cohort (smokers, n = 166, ≥5 cigarettes/day for 6 months and no e-cigarette use in 3 months; dual users, n = 256, smoked daily for 3 months and used e-cigarettes at least once/week for the past 3 months) completed baseline assessments of demographics, tobacco use, and dependence. They also provided breath samples for carbon monoxide (CO) assay and urine samples for cotinine, 3-hydroxycotinine, and 4-(methylnitrosamino)-1-(3-pyridyl)-1-butanol (NNAL) assays.ResultsCompared to smokers, dual users (mean e-cigarette use = 5.5 days/week [SD = 1.9]) were significantly younger and more likely to be white, have more education, report a history of psychiatric co-morbidity, and smoke fewer cigarettes per day. There were no differences in CO, cotinine, or 3-hydroxycotinine levels; however, dual users had significantly lower levels of NNAL than did smokers. Most smokers and dual users had no plans to quit smoking within the next year; 91% of dual users planned to continue using e-cigarettes for at least the next year.ConclusionsIn this community sample, dual users are supplementing their smoking with e-cigarette use. Dual users, versus smokers, smoked fewer cigarettes per day and delayed their first cigarette of the day, but did not differ in quitting intentions.ImplicationsThis comparison of a community sample of established dual users and exclusive smokers addresses key questions of dependence and health risks of dual use in real-world settings. Dual users were more likely to be white, younger, have more than a high school education and have a psychiatric history. Dual users also smoked significantly fewer cigarettes and had lower levels of NNAL (a carcinogen), but they did not differ from exclusive smokers in CO or cotinine levels, suggesting that they supplemented their nicotine intake via e-cigarettes.
Use of characteristic functionals to analyze molecular images in targeted cancer therapy

This paper presents a comprehensive mathematical framework for analyzing medical images in terms of interacting random processes that evolve in time. The key mathematical concept is the characteristic functional, which encapsulates all possible statistical properties of a random process, yet can often be expressed analytically. It is shown how molecular images can be used to tailor the analytic expressions to a particular patient and to relate the results to the predicted outcome of therapy.
A Cerebrovascular Hypothesis of Neurodegeneration in mTBI.

Objectives Mild traumatic brain injury (mTBI) is a major public health concern that has generated considerable scientific interest as a complex brain disorder that is associated with long-term neural consequences. This article reviews the literature on cerebrovascular dysfunction in chronic mTBI, with a focus on the long-term neural implications of such dysfunction. Methods and results Evidence is presented from human neuroimaging studies to support cerebrovascular involvement in long-term mTBI pathology. In addition, a pathway between mTBI and neurodegeneration via cerebrovascular dysfunction is explored. Conclusions Future work focused on identifying the neurobiological mechanisms underlying the neural consequences of mTBI will be important to guide therapeutic interventions and long-term care for patients with mTBI.
Introns as Gene Regulators: A Brick on the Accelerator

A picture is beginning to emerge from a variety of organisms that for a subset of genes, the most important sequences that regulate expression are situated not in the promoter but rather are located within introns in the first kilobase of transcribed sequences. The actual sequences involved are difficult to identify either by sequence comparisons or by deletion analysis because they are dispersed, additive, and poorly conserved. However, expression-controlling introns can be identified computationally in species with relatively small introns, based on genome-wide differences in oligomer composition between promoter-proximal and distal introns. The genes regulated by introns are often expressed in most tissues and are among the most highly expressed in the genome. The ability of some introns to strongly stimulate mRNA accumulation from several hundred nucleotides downstream of the transcription start site, even when the promoter has been deleted, reveals that our understanding of gene expression remains incomplete. It is unlikely that any diseases are caused by point mutations or small deletions that reduce the expression of an intron-regulated gene unless splicing is also affected. However, introns may be particularly useful in practical applications such as gene therapy because they strongly activate expression but only affect the transcription unit in which they are located.
Cervical myelopathy presenting with an acute Horner's syndrome

Abstract Cervical myelopathy due to a disc herniation commonly manifests with difficulty in walking, spastic weakness of upper limbs and hands, hyperreflexia, and patchy sensory loss due to mechanical disruption and vascular compromise of spinal cord pathways to the extremities. We report a rare manifestation of cervical myelopathy in a thirty-five year old woman with an acute cervical disc herniation in the form of Horner's syndrome.
Parasol: an open source, interactive parallel coordinates library for multi-objective decision making

Abstract This paper introduces Parasol—an open source, interactive visualization library to support the development of web applications for multi-objective decision making. Multi-objective optimization is a popular way to explore competing objectives in environmental management problems. Interactive visualizations allow stakeholders to explore and gain insights about the large, high-dimensional datasets produced by multi-objective optimization. Among visualization methods, parallel coordinates are well-suited for this task. However, current software and open source libraries have limited support for these plots. The Parasol library described in this work provides developers with the building blocks to create sharable, interactive parallel coordinates web applications. Moreover, by incorporating state of the art clutter reduction techniques—such as clustering, linking, brushing, marking, and bundling—Parasol improves upon traditional parallel coordinates visualizations. We demonstrate the benefit of such features through simple examples and by exploring a real-world water resources problem commonly used in multi-objective optimization literature.
Implementing evolutionary optimization to model neural functional connectivity

Computational models are crucial in understanding brain function. Their architecture is designed to replicate known brain structures, and the behavior that emerges is then compared to observed fMRI and other imaging techniques. As the models become more complex with more parameters, they can explain more of the observed phenomena, and may eventually be used for diagnosis and design of treatments of brain disorders. However, those parameters need to be carefully optimized for the models to work, which becomes intractable as the models grow. In this preliminary work, CMA-ES has been configured to optimize continuous parameters of a functional connectivity model, resulting in a better fit to empirical data than manually selected parameters in all trial runs. This approach will be combined with other EC techniques to optimize other parameters. The techniques will be scaled up to more detailed structural and functional data and local parameters.
Relational listening in modernist novels: auditory technologies as models for textual connectivity

Thanks to new acoustic media and urban and war-related noise, the twentieth-century soundscape reshaped the way that people related to and experienced sound. Auditory technologies such as the phono...
Behavioral problems may be associated with multilevel lumbosacral stenosis in military working dogs.

Abstract Behavioral and spinal problems have been reported to be important causes of early retirement in military working dogs; however, studies on possible relationships between these two problems are currently lacking. The aim of this retrospective, observational, cross-sectional study was to test associations between reported behavioral problems and computed tomographic (CT) diagnoses of lumbosacral (LS) stenosis in a sample of military working dogs. Data archives at a tertiary referral military working dog hospital were searched for dogs that had LS CT scans acquired during the period of June 2013-July 2014 and available medical records. For each included dog, an observer unaware of CT findings reviewed medical records and recorded dog signalment data. A second observer reviewed medical records and assigned a score of 0 (absent) or 1 (present) for each of 11 behavioral problem categories. A third observer unaware of medical record findings reviewed CT scans and assigned a score of 0 (absent) or 1 (present) for LS stenosis at each of 4 vertebral locations (L4-5, L5-6, L6-7, and L7-S1). A statistician selected and performed tests of association. A total of 55 dogs met inclusion criteria. Of these, 21 dogs (38.2%) had recorded behavioral complaints/problems involving behavior in at least 1 of the 11 categories and 44 (80.0%) had CT diagnoses of LS stenosis in at least one vertebral location. The number of behavioral problems were significantly associated with the number of vertebral locations with LS stenosis (ordinal logistic fit, P = 0.011) and positively correlated (rho = 0.37, P = 0.006). Problems involving behavioral concerns were more likely to be exhibited if dogs had multilevel stenosis (>3 vertebral levels, Kappa = 0.06, P > 0.05; Bowker's test statistics 26.26, P
A pathway to compound semiconductor additive manufacturing

The rise of additive manufacturing (AM) has enabled the rapid production of complex part geometries across multiple material domains. To date, however, AM of inorganic semiconductor materials has not been fully realized due to the difficulty of forming single-crystal materials with traditional AM processes. Here, we demonstrate a novel semiconductor synthesis method using a combination of liquid and gas precursors to additively print gallium nitride. Growth rates of 1–2 μm/min are demonstrated in printed regions while maintaining epitaxial alignment with the substrate. We also outline critical variables for the future development, improvement, and implementation of the proposed process.
Non-invasive forced oscillometry to quantify respiratory mechanics in term neonates.

Background To determine normative data by forced oscillation technique (FOT) in non-sedated normal term neonates and test the hypothesis that infants with transient tachypnea of the newborn (TTN) have higher resistance (R) and lower reactance (X) on day 1. Methods Healthy term infants (n = 138) and infants with TTN (n = 17) were evaluated on postnatal days 1 through 3 (NCT03346343). FOT was measured with a mask using a TremoFlo C-100 Airwave System™. R, X, and area under the reactance curve (AX) were measured at prime frequencies 7-41 Hz for 8 s. Results In all, 86% of control infants had adequate measurements (coherence >0.8, CV Conclusions FOT is feasible in neonates and distinguishes normal control infants from those with TTN on postnatal day 1. Oscillometry offers a non-invasive, longitudinal technique to assess lung mechanics in newborns.
Performance of the 8.7-km Bridge Spanning Lake Maracaibo in Venezuela

AbstractThe bridge spanning Lake Maracaibo in Venezuela, also known as General Rafael Urdaneta Bridge, opened to traffic in 1962 and is frequently referred to as the first modern cable-stayed bridg...
Spin Angular Momenta and Chirality of SPPs

In this chapter, I will expand the discussion of SPPs coupling and distribution on 2D single crystal Ag island, by introducing a new degree of freedom for the excitation light, i.e. the polarization state. I will describe how changing the polarization of light affects the SPP excitation probability on the Ag surface. This is caused by differently polarized components of light coupling differently to the transversely or longitudinally polarized components of SPP fields. This effect depends on the driving field orientation with respect to components of the SPP field. The excited SPP field distribution for excitation with any polarized light can be considered as a superposition of two SPP modes that are coupled in different ways. Such coupling decomposition can explain properties of SPP field distributions, such as the plasmonic quantum spin hall, which is a consequence of spin-momenta matching between that of SPPs and that of light. Furthermore, the SPP dynamics following excitation with various polarizations of external light remain unchanged, even though their initial amplitudes and phases change.
Elite Company: Sourcing Trends in 2014–2017 Prestige Press Climate Change Editorials

This manuscript examines the sourcing practices of climate change editorials published in The New York Times, Wall Street Journal, and USA Today between 2014 and 2017. Utilizing a critical politica...
Thermal transformation of polar into less-polar ginsenosides through demalonylation and deglycosylation in extracts from ginseng pulp.

The present study was conducted to qualitatively and quantitatively elucidate dynamic changes of ginsenosides in ginseng pulp steamed under different temperatures (100 or 120 °C) for different durations (1–6 h) through UPLC-QTOF-MS/MS and HPLC with the aid of as numerous as 18 authentic standards of ginsenosides. Results show that levels of eight polar ginsenosides (i.e., Rg1, Re, Rb1, Rc, Rb2, Rb3, F1, and Rd) declined but those of 10 less-polar ginsenosides [i.e., Rf, Rg2, 20(S)-Rh1, 20(R)-Rg2, F4, 20(S)-Rg3, 20(R)-Rg3, PPT, Rg5, and 20(R)-Rh2] elevated with increases of both steaming temperature and duration; the optimum steaming conditions for achieving the highest total ginsenosides were 100 °C for 1 h. Particular, 20(R)-Rg3, a representative less-polar ginsenoside with high bioactivity such as potent anti-cancer effect, increased sharply but Re, the most abundant polar ginsenoside in fresh ginseng pulp, decreased dramatically. More importantly, ginsenoside species enhanced from 18 to 42 after steaming, mainly due to transformation of polar into less-polar ginsenosides. Furthermore, four malonyl-ginsenosides were detected in fresh ginseng pulps and ten acetyl-ginsenosides were formed during steaming, demonstrating that demalonylation and acetylation of ginsenosides were the dominant underling mechanisms for transformation of polar into less-polar ginsenosides.
Customers’ risk perception and dine-out motivation during a pandemic: Insight for the restaurant industry

Abstract The restaurant industry is one of the most affected businesses during the outbreak of COVID-19. The customer choice regarding whether or not to dine in a restaurant have changed due to this unprecedented global pandemic. Integrated with the affective decision-making framework, meta-theoretic model of motivation (3M), and optimistic bias theory, this conceptual paper proposes a theoretical scheme for understanding constructs that affect consumer motivation while considering the significance of consumers’ risk perceptions of the novel coronavirus disease. This research aims to delineate the role of loyalty, trust, and transparency on resuming in-restaurant dining during and after the pandemic. By identifying the link between each construct and addressing the unparalleled food-/health related risks, this study suggests that restaurants who accumulated more customer trust by fostering transparency are likely to have more business and quickly recover from the shock.
Girls' Pubertal Timing and Tempo and Mental Health: A Longitudinal Examination in an Ethnically Diverse Sample.

Abstract Purpose Earlier timing and faster tempo of puberty have been linked to adolescents' poor mental health. Previous research rarely adjusted for childhood mental health, did not use physical examination to assess puberty, and excluded Latinas and Asian Americans. This study addressed these limitations. Methods We followed 822 girls, recruited at ages 6-8, for 8 years. Breast and pubic hair development and anxiety and depressive symptoms were assessed prospectively and repeatedly. Structural equation models tested whether pubertal timing and tempo were associated with adolescent mental health symptoms and whether associations varied by ethnicity. Models were adjusted for childhood mental health symptoms, body mass index, and family income. Results Earlier breast development was associated with higher depressive symptoms among whites (β = −.19; p Conclusions Findings confirmed that earlier breast development was associated with higher mental health symptoms for Latina and white girls but was protective among Asians. Results for pubic hair and pubertal tempo were inconsistent, requiring future examination. While targeted interventions to prevent mental health problems among early-maturing girls are critical, there is variability among who might benefit most.
Zooming In or Zooming Out: Entrants' Product Portfolios in the Nascent Drone Industry

Faced with demand uncertainty and heterogeneity in a nascent industry, entrants often consider which customer segments to serve by tailoring the usage breadth and coherence of their product portfolios. Portfolio usage breadth is the extent to which products in a portfolio collectively span distinct customer segments, whereas portfolio coherence is the extent to which targeted customer segments of products in a portfolio overlap with each other’s customer segments. We suggest that when entrants have prior use experience in contexts that are potential users of the new product, their portfolios exhibit low usage breadth and high coherence, due to demand-oriented cognition and knowledge. The relationship is moderated by whether they are startups or diversifying entrants. The empirical context is the U.S. commercial drone industry.
White Managers, Ethnoracism, and the Production of Black Ethnic Labor Market Disparities:

Few have considered the role of White managers in longstanding Black ethnic labor market disparities. Drawing on ethnoracism theory, I conceptualize the previously documented White manager preferen...