cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Identifying Deformation and Strain Hardening Behaviors of Nanoscale Metallic Multilayers Through Nano-wear Testing

In complex loading conditions (e.g., sliding contact), mechanical properties, such as strain hardening and initial hardness, will dictate the long-term performance of materials systems. With this in mind, the strain hardening behaviors of Cu/Nb nanoscale metallic multilayer systems were examined by performing nanoindentation tests within nanoscratch wear boxes and undeformed regions (as-deposited). Both the architecture and substrate influence were examined by utilizing three different individual layer thicknesses (2, 20, and 100 nm) and two total film thicknesses (1 and 10 µm). After nano-wear deformation, multilayer systems with thinner layers showed less volume loss as measured by laser scanning microscopy. Additionally, the hardness of the deformed regions significantly rose with respect to the as-deposited measurements, which further increased with greater wear loads. Strain hardening exponents for multilayers with thinner layers (2 and 20 nm, n ≈ 0.018 and n ≈ 0.022, respectively) were less than that determined for 100 nm systems (n ≈ 0.041). These results suggest that single-dislocation-based deformation mechanisms observed for the thinner systems limit the extent of achievable strain hardening. This conclusion indicates that impacts of both architecture strengthening and strain hardening must be considered to accurately predict multilayer performance during sliding contact across varying length scales.
Ultrasonic Imaging by Reconstructive Tomography

The recent development of X-ray computer reconstructive tomography has brought about a revolution in radiology. It has given the practicing physician a new degree of access to what is going on inside a patient’s body. The computer has become an important factor for implementing diagnostic techniques in the major hospitals of the world. In recognition of this fact, G.N. Hounsfield and A.M. Cormack were made co-recipients of the 1979 Nobel Award in physiology and medicine.
An NLP Curator (or: How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love NLP Pipelines)

Natural Language Processing continues to grow in popularity in a range of research and commercial applications, yet managing the wide array of potential NLP components remains a difficult problem. This paper describes Curator, an NLP management framework designed to address some common problems and inefficiencies associated with building NLP process pipelines; and Edison, an NLP data structure library in Java that provides streamlined interactions with Curator and offers a range of useful supporting functionality.
A qualitative analysis of the concepts of fidelity and adaptation in the implementation of an evidence-based HIV prevention intervention

Continued debate about the relative value of fidelity versus adaptation, and lack of clarity about the meaning of fidelity, raise concerns about how frontline service providers resolve similar issues in their daily practice. We use SISTA ('Sisters Informing Sisters on Topics about acquired immune deficiency syndrome'), an evidence-based human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) prevention intervention for African American women, to understand how facilitators and program directors interpret and enact implementation fidelity with the need for adaptation in real-world program delivery. We conducted 22 in-depth, semi-structured interviews with service providers from four agencies implementing SISTA. Facilitators valued their skills as group leaders and ability to emotionally engage participants as more critical to program effectiveness than delivering the intervention with strict fidelity. Consequently, they saw program manuals as guides rather than static texts that should never be changed and, moreover, viewed the prescriptive nature of manuals as undermining their efforts to fully engage with participants. Our findings suggest that greater consideration should be given to understanding the role of facilitators in program effectiveness over and above the question of whether they implement the program with fidelity. Moreover, training curricula should provide facilitators with transferable skills through general facilitator training rather than only program-specific or manual-specific training.
Thermoelectric and spin-caloritronic coolers: from basics to recent developments

Solid-state coolers have no moving parts, and are therefore compact, vibration-free, inherently durable, and scalable to low power levels. Unfortunately, they have a low coefficient of performance. The materials characteristic that sets this efficiency in solid-state coolers is the thermoelectric figure of merit, zT. This article reviews the factors limiting zT in conventional thermoelectric devices, then outlines modern approaches to increasing zT. It describes a new solid-state energy conversion technology, the spin-Seebeck effect (SSE). New concepts are outlined that combine classical thermoelectric and SSE physics. By exploiting the spin degree of freedom, we hope to increase the performance of solid-state coolers.
Single Molecule Diffusion Studies of PTEN: Insights into Membrane Binding

PTEN, a tumor suppressor gene that encodes a dual specificity phosphatase that dephosphorylates phosphatidylinositol-3,4,5-triphosphate (PI(3,4,5)P3), is one of the most frequent genes deleted or mutated in a wide variety of tumors. PTEN acts as an antagonist to phosphoinositide-3-kinase (PI3K) signaling, thereby affecting various cellular processes such as cell proliferation and survival. The activity of PTEN is regulated by dynamic shuttling between the cytoplasm and the plasma membrane. The membrane association of PTEN strongly depends on the composition and lateral distribution of the lipids in the membrane. Several biophysical techniques have been used to characterize PTEN-membrane interaction. Here, we use single-molecule total internal reflection fluorescence microscopy (TIRFM), which is a powerful tool to study the molecular mechanism of membrane targeted proteins. The single-molecule TIRFM allows us to observe single PTEN molecules as they dynamically associate/dissociate and laterally diffuse along the lipid bilayer membrane. PTEN lipid binding is investigated on supported lipid bilayers of binary and ternary lipid mixtures of PC with physiological relevant levels of PS, PI(4,5)P2 and PI. We tracked individual PTEN molecules and statistically determine the lateral diffusion and dwell time of PTEN on heterogeneous lipid bilayers. We find significant differences in PTEN dynamic behavior when bound to the different membrane environments. Furthermore, to gain insight into the molecular mechanisms of PTEN membrane association, we compared the lipid binding of wt PTEN, an N-terminally truncated PTEN-(Δ1–15 AA) that lacks the PI(4,5)P2 binding site, and the recently discovered, PTEN-L with a 173 AA N-terminal extension. We find profound differences in the dynamic behavior of these PTEN derivatives at the membrane. It has recently been suggested that PTEN associates as a dimer with the membrane. We find that the tendency to form membrane bound dimers varies among these PTEN variants.
Response of Graphite/Epoxy Structures to the Reentry Environment

Recovered debris from the Space Shuttle Columbia accident has been examined as part of an effort to understand the thermal response of structural composite materials to the reentry environment. This paper discusses why accurate reentry breakup models are important and gives an overview of the analysis of a graphite/epoxy payload bay door fragment and four composite overwrapped pressure vessels carried within the Shuttle. Included are details on the reconstruction of the trajectories flown by each piece after its release during the breakup and conclusions from laboratory analyses relative to the damage caused by aerodynamic heating after release. These results were used to develop an initial understanding of how reentry heating affects these materials. It was concluded that thermally induced reentry break-up of graphite/epoxy structures is probably controlled by the loss of the epoxy "glue" as the reentry progresses. Preliminary results from a simplified graphite/epoxy ablation model are used to demonstrate how this failure criterion could be used to predict breakup. Nomenclature w k = thermal conductivity of pyrolysis gas at wall (W/m/K) py h = enthalpy of pyrolysis gas at wall (J/kg) b py h , = base (cold) enthalpy of the epoxy resin (J/kg) air h = enthalpy of air (J/kg) w h = enthalpy of the carbon-air mixture at the wall (J/kg) b C h , = bulk enthalpy of carbon cw q & = cold wall heat flux (J/m 2 )
Performance and Phenomenology: Traditions and Transformations edited by Maaike Bleeker, Jon Foley Sherman, and Eirini Nedelkopoulou

It is not often that one encounters a philosophical anthology that reads as a timely treatise and practical manual for contemporary life. But there is a palpable urgency to the questions and themes...
Possible signatures of dissipation from time-series analysis techniques using a turbulent laboratory magnetohydrodynamic plasma

The frequency spectrum of magnetic fluctuations as measured on the Swarthmore Spheromak Experiment is broadband and exhibits a nearly Kolmogorov 5/3 scaling. It features a steepening region which is indicative of dissipation of magnetic fluctuation energy similar to that observed in fluid and magnetohydrodynamic turbulence systems. Two non-spectrum based time-series analysis techniques are implemented on this data set in order to seek other possible signatures of turbulent dissipation beyond just the steepening of fluctuation spectra. Presented here are results for the flatness, permutation entropy, and statistical complexity, each of which exhibits a particular character at spectral steepening scales which can then be compared to the behavior of the frequency spectrum.
Serotypes of non- O_1 Vibrio cholerae in water body of Yalu River in BaiShan

Objective To understand non- O 1 Vibrio cholerae serotype distribution and pathogenicity in external environmental water of Baishan,and master the popular rules and provide scientific basis for the control and prevention of infectious diarrhea. Methods Non- O 1 Vibrio cholerae and some strains of cholera enterotoxin were detected from April 2006 to August 2008 in the Yalu River water for continuous fixed monitoring. Results Seventy strains of Vibrio cholerae non- O 1 group were checked out in 200 samples,forty- one strains serotypes were indentified by diagnostic serum and the rate of subtype was 58. 57%. Twenty- nine strains could not be indentified by diagnostic serum and the rate was 41. 43%. Five strains of Vibrio cholerae non- O 1 group with virulence genes carry cholera enterotoxin( CT) were isolated. Conclusion Yalu River water by monitoring,it is confirmed the widespread non- O 1 Vibrio cholerae in water. The serotypes of non- O 1 Vibrio cholerae are complicated and dispersive. Non- O 1 Vibrio cholerae with cholera enterotoxin virulence gene( CT) is isolated in the first. Non- O 1 Vibrio cholerae in Yalu River have a closed relationship with the people sewage emissions.
Analysis of food-borne pathogen contamination during 2009~2010 in Yanqing County,Beijing

Objective In order to understand the status and means of the contamination caused by food-borne pathogens in Yanqing County,Beijing,a study was conducted to determine the type of high-risk foods and provide a scientific evidence for the surveillance of food-borne disease.Methods 8 kind of food samples were selected to detect several pathogens,such as Salmonella,Listeria monocytogenes bacteria,Staphylococcus aureus,enterohemorrhagic Escherichia coli O157:H7 and Vibrio parahaemolyticus.Results There were 21 strains of pathogens(accounting for 8.4%) were found among 250 samples including 11 strains of Listeria monocytogenes bacteria(accounting for 5.8%),5 strains of Staphylococcus aureus(accounting for 2.4%),and 5 strains of Vibrio parahaemolyticus(accounting for 6.7%).Conclusion According to the contamination caused by the food-borne pathogens in some foods in Yanqing County,the effective control measures should be taken to strengthen food safety supervision and management in order to reduce the risk of diseases.
Geometric partitioning for parallelizing post-placement vlsi design processes

Partitioning can speed up overlong VLSI design processes by enabling process parallelization. To achieve high parallel processing efficiency, partitioning schemes should minimize imbalance or interactions among partitions by relying on the specific characteristics of the given processes. In this dissertation, we present two partitioning methodologies for parallelizing post-placement VLSI optimization processes. Unlike pre-placement VLSI design tasks, post-placement processes manipulate circuit elements that have been assigned to physical spaces on the chip die. Consequently, physically neighboring circuit components may interact even when they are independent in the circuit netlist. To achieve high parallelism, partitioning methods must therefore take into consideration both logic and geometric interactions of circuit components. First we present a linear-time bipartitioning algorithm for the 2-weight geometric load balancing problem. This algorithm uses an L-shaped separator to bipartition a 2-weighted graph in 2-dimensional space so that each partition is spatially connected and each of the two weights is distributed with asymptotically vanishing relative imbalance. We also give an efficient heuristic for 2p-way partitioning based on the recursive application of our bipartitioning algorithm. Our heuristic runs in O(pn + n ·2p) time, where n is the graph size. In experiments with geometric graphs obtained from placed circuits, our partitioning heuristic achieves good balancing, fast runtime, and netcut sizes comparable to other partitioners. The second contribution of this dissertation is a multi-session partitioning scheme. This partitioning technique divides problem tasks into multiple sessions of parallel processes, so that interprocessor communication is entirely removed during each session. The algorithm is especially useful for parallelizing processes whose tasks are heavily connected to each other and may result in high communication overhead in parallel processing. We have developed a C++ version of our multi-session partitioning scheme and applied it to two post-placement VLSI processes with heavily overlapping tasks: electrical violation correction and post-placement timing optimization. In the parallelization of electrical violation correction, our scheme achieves speedups of up to 2.3x, dynamically utilizing 1--6 processors. For the process of post-placement timing optimization, we have developed a path-based buffer insertion algorithm and software. Our partitioning scheme speeds up the software execution time by up to 4.9x over serial processing, while dynamically utilizing 1--8 processors.
Evolution of sexually dimorphic characters in peccaries (Mammalia, Tayassuidae)

Cladistic analysis of osteological and dental characters in a monophyletic group of Miocene and younger tayassuids demonstrates a pattern of changes in the degree of sexual dimorphism in canine tooth diameter and zygomatic arch width, and in phenotypic correlations between these characters. Primitively, tayassuids have canine teeth that are sexually dimorphic and discretely bimodal in size, and zygomatic arches that are narrow in both sexes. Many late Miocene and Pliocene tayassuids have broad, winglike zygomatic processes. In some species, these processes are large in both sexes, but in others, those of females are much smaller than those of males. The presence of large processes in both sexes is primitive relative to the condition of strong sexual dimorphism. In five separate clades, the zygomatic processes of both sexes become reduced in size, and the degree of sexual dimorphism in canine size becomes reduced as well. The pattern is congruent with predictions derived from a theoretical model of the evolution of sexual dimorphism, and it further indicates the emergence of a new phenotypic correlation between two previously uncorrelated characters, canine size and zygoma size. The advent of this new correlation coincides with the advent of pronounced sexual dimorphism in zygomatic processes. Although such a pattern could be explained by genetically modifying phenotypic expression of homologous characters in one sex or the other, an epigenetic modification of expression is equally plausible: the evolution of sexual dimorphism in homologous characters could be accomplished by placing phenotypic expression of an originally monomorphic character under the control of steroid sex hormones. This hypothesis is consistent with evidence from many vertebrate groups, and it provides testable predictions.
Multi-species coral Sr/Ca-based sea-surface temperature reconstruction using Orbicella faveolata and Siderastrea siderea from the Florida Straits

Abstract We present new, monthly-resolved Sr/Ca-based sea-surface temperature (SST) records from two species of massive coral, Orbicella faveolata and Siderastrea siderea, from the Dry Tortugas National Park, FL, USA (DTNP). We combine these new records with published data from three additional S. siderea coral colonies to generate a 278-year long multi-species stacked Sr/Ca-SST record from DTNP. The composite record of mean annual Sr/Ca-SST at DTNP shows pronounced decadal-scale variability with a range of 1 to 2 °C. Notable cool intervals in the Sr/Ca-derived SST lasting about a decade centered at ~ 1845, ~ 1935, and ~ 1965 are associated with reduced summer Sr/Ca-SST (monthly maxima
Generalized Learning of Neural Network Based Semantic Similarity Models and Its Application in Movie Search

Modeling text semantic similarity via neural network approaches has significantly improved performance on a set of information retrieval tasks in recent studies. However these neural network based latent semantic models are mostly trained by using simple user behavior logging data such as clicked (query, document)-pairs, and all the clicked pairs are assumed to be uniformly positive examples. Therefore, the existing method for learning the model parameters does not differentiate data samples that might reflect different relevance information. In this paper, we relax this assumption and propose a new learning method through a generalized loss function to capture the subtle relevance differences of training samples when a more granular label structure is available. We have applied it to the Xbox One's movie search task where session-based user behavior information is available and the granular relevance differences of training samples are derived from the session logs. Compared with the existing method, our new generalized loss function has demonstrated superior test performance measured by several user-engagement metrics. It also yields significant performance lift when the score computed from our model is used as a semantic similarity feature in the gradient boosted decision tree model which is widely used in modern search engines.
Anterior interhemispheric transsplenial approach to pineal region tumors: anatomical study and illustrative case

Pineal region tumors are challenging to access because they are centrally located within the calvaria and surrounded by critical neurovascular structures. The goal of this work is to describe a new surgical trajectory, the anterior interhemispheric transsplenial approach, to the pineal region and falcotentorial junction area. To demonstrate this approach, the authors examined 7 adult formalin-fixed silicone-injected cadaveric heads and 2 fresh human brain specimens. One representative case of falcotentorial meningioma treated through an anterior interhemispheric transsplenial approach is also described. Among the interhemispheric approaches to the pineal region, the anterior interhemispheric transsplenial approach has several advantages. 1) There are few or no bridging veins at the level of the pericoronal suture. 2) The parietal and occipital lobes are not retracted, which reduces the chances of approach-related morbidity, especially in the dominant hemisphere. 3) The risk of damage to the deep venous structures is low because the tumor surface reached first is relatively vein free. 4) The internal cerebral veins can be manipulated and dissected away laterally through the anterior interhemispheric route but not via the posterior interhemispheric route. 5) Early control of medial posterior choroidal arteries is obtained. The anterior interhemispheric transsplenial approach provides a safe and effective surgical corridor for patients with supratentorial pineal region tumors that 1) extend superiorly, involve the splenium of the corpus callosum, and push the deep venous system in a posterosuperior or an anteroinferior direction; 2) are tentorial and displace the deep venous system inferiorly; or 3) originate from the splenium of the corpus callosum.
Characterization of mitochondrial injury after cardiac arrest (COMICA).

Introduction Mitochondrial injury post-cardiac arrest has been described in pre-clinical settings but the extent to which this injury occurs in humans remains largely unknown. We hypothesized that increased levels of mitochondrial biomarkers would be associated with mortality and neurological morbidity in post-cardiac arrest subjects.
Did C. S. Lewis write The Dark Tower?: An Examination of the Small-Sample Properties of the Thisted-Efron Tests of Authorship

The Dark Tower is a fragment of a science fiction novel, attributed to C.S. Lewis and published posthumously. Shortly after its publication controversy arose, questioning the work’s provenance and authenticity. This controversy still continues. We apply and extend procedures developed by Thisted and Efron (1987) to investigate whether word usage in The Dark Tower is similar to that in Out of the Silent Planet and Perelandra, two works of the same genre and period known to be by Lewis. We further examine the validity and limitations of these procedures in the case at hand. Our results show vocabulary usage in The Dark Tower differs from that predicted by the baseline Lewis works.
Spatio-temporal patterns of gun violence in Syracuse, New York 2009-2015

Gun violence in the United States of America is a large public health problem that disproportionately affects urban areas. The epidemiology of gun violence reflects various aspects of an infectious disease including spatial and temporal clustering. We examined the spatial and temporal trends of gun violence in Syracuse, New York, a city of 145,000. We used a spatial scan statistic to reveal spatio-temporal clusters of gunshots investigated and corroborated by Syracuse City Police Department for the years 2009-2015. We also examined predictors of areas with increased gun violence using a multi-level zero-inflated Poisson regression with data from the 2010 census. Two space-time clusters of gun violence were revealed in the city. Higher rates of segregation, poverty and the summer months were all associated with increased risk of gun violence. Previous gunshots in the area were associated with a 26.8% increase in the risk of gun violence. Gun violence in Syracuse, NY is both spatially and temporally stable, with some neighborhoods of the city greatly afflicted.
Keynote - The ABCs of Software Engineering: Affect, Biometrics, and Cognition

Summary for only given, as follows. Researchers have long investigated how people read, write, and speak about software on their computers to identify the skills, education, and practices needed need to acquire expertise and perform development duties effectively and efficiently. However, until now the methods used to study developer comprehension, expression, and communication has been limited and coarse-grained because there was no way to identify what a developer thought or felt unless it was expressed out loud. The world has changed. With the introduction of low-cost, widely available, high-fidelity biometric sensors, we can now more directly observe a software developer's cognitive and affective (emotional) processes. The ABCs of Software Engineering is a set of techniques that modernize classic approaches to program comprehension and human interaction by combining (A) principles governing the influence of human *affect* on behavior, (B) *biometric* sensors, and (C) models of *cognition* informed by advances in cognitive neuroscience. Technologies like electroencephalography (EEG), electro-dermal activity sensors (EDA), capacitive sensors, and eye trackers can reveal a software developer's internal emotional states, for example identifying when the developer is confused, frustrated, surprised, stressed, fatigued, or in a highly productive flow state. These affective states can be correlated with code quality, software complexity, development productivity, and effective communication - the same software outcomes already correlated with developer activities in other research areas such as mining software repositories (MSR) and cooperative and human aspects of software engineering (CHASE). By developing a better understanding of what programmers think and feel when they create and maintain software, we can design tools and interventions to improve their productivity and reduce the impact of their errors.
Social Problem Construction and Its Impact on Program and Policy Responses

In the small city where I live, I often walk my dogs along a busy four-lane thoroughfare at about the same time that a public school bus deposits its grade school-aged charges in front of a housing project. Routinely I watch the large yellow bus roll to a stop; the lights lining its frame turn from yellow to red, and a huge octagonal stop sign unfolds from the driver’s side of the vehicle. Recently—on three separate occasions in less than so many months—I witnessed a car sail by the docked school bus at the posted cruising speed of 45 miles per hour without so much as slowing down, let alone stopping in accordance with the law. Each of these three offending drivers was talking on a cell phone.
Viewpoint: a critical view on smart cities and AI

AI developments on smart cities, if not critical, risk making a flawed urban model more efficient. Instead, we suggest that AI should challenge the mainstream techno-optimistic approach to solving urban problems by dialoguing with other academic fields, questioning the dominant urban paradigm, and creating transformative solutions. We claim that doing differently, rather than doing better, may be smarter for cities and the common good.
Drought drives rapid shifts in tropical rainforest soil biogeochemistry and greenhouse gas emissions

Climate change models predict more frequent and severe droughts in the humid tropics. How drought will impact tropical forest carbon and greenhouse gas dynamics is poorly understood. Here we report the effects of the severe 2015 Caribbean drought on soil moisture, oxygen, phosphorus (P), and greenhouse gas emissions in a humid tropical forest in Puerto Rico. Drought significantly decreases inorganic P concentrations, an element commonly limiting to net primary productivity in tropical forests, and significantly increases organic P. High-frequency greenhouse gas measurements show varied impacts across topography. Soil carbon dioxide emissions increase by 60% on slopes and 163% in valleys. Methane (CH4) consumption increases significantly during drought, but high CH4 fluxes post-drought offset this sink after 7 weeks. The rapid response and slow recovery to drought suggest tropical forest biogeochemistry is more sensitive to climate change than previously believed, with potentially large direct and indirect consequences for regional and global carbon cycles.
On the Algorithm of Pollatschek and Avi-ltzhak

We present a modification of the Pollatschek and Avi-Itzhak’s algorithm for solving the discounted (and terminating), zero-sum, stochastic games. We call our algorithm the Modified Newton’s Method and demonstrate that it always converges to the value-vector of the stochastic game, and from an arbitrary starting point. The step-size in our method is selected according to the well-known Armijo’s Rule.
The origin of modern Indonesian higher education

In the immediate postwar period, modern Indonesian higher education emerged as an integral component of the revolutionary effort to throw off Dutch and Japanese oppression, and in the first decade of liberation the system of higher education continued to develop with only modest levels of foreign assistance. Through a focus on the development of the two leading institutions, Universitas Gadjah Mada and Universitas Indonesia it is possible to grasp the distinctive cultural themes of the modern Indonesian university: the stress on nationalism, the preference for indigenous staff and staff development, the stress on quantitative expansion even at the expense of quality, the concern to develop relevant programs, and the concern to realize harmony with the established authorities. Only after the basic pattern of the system had been established, were substantial amounts of foreign assistance forthcoming. This assistance has fostered expansion and led to some changes in the procedures for selecting students and for organizing degree programs. However, it has not altered the core cultural commitments established in the foundation period.
Epigenetic mechanisms of mental retardation.

Mental retardation is a common form of cognitive impairment affecting ~3% of the population in industrialized countries. The mental retardation syndrome incorporates a highly diverse group of mental disorders characterized by the combination of cognitive impairment and defective adaptive behavior. The genetic basis of the disease is strongly supported by identification of the genetic lesions associated with impaired cognition, learning, and social adaptation in many mental retardation syndromes. Several of the impaired genes encode epigenetic regulators of gene expression. These regulators exert their function through genome-wide posttranslational modification of histones or by mediating and/or recognizing DNA methylation. In this chapter, we review the most recent advances in the field of epigenetic mechanisms of mental retardation. In particular, we focus on animal models of the human diseases and the mechanism of transcriptional deregulation associated with changes in the cell epigenome.
Reaching Young Pupils with Technology.

Recommendations rent publications as NCTM's Curriculum and Evaluation Standards for School Mathematics (Standards) (1989) and the National Research Council's Everybody Counts (1989) emphasize the full use of technology in the classroom at all grade levels. But what is the role of technology in the early grades? How can computers best be used to support primarylevel mathematics instruction? Where does the use of the calculator fit into the primary-level pupil's development of mathematical concepts? How can we justify the abstract nature of calculator activities in a primary-level mathematics curriculum built on the needs of young pupils to experience concrete representations of mathematical concepts?
Visual Control of Walking Speed in Drosophila.

Summary An animal’s self-motion generates optic flow across its retina, and it can use this visual signal to regulate its orientation and speed through the world. While orientation control has been studied extensively in Drosophila and other insects, much less is known about the visual cues and circuits that regulate translational speed. Here, we show that flies regulate walking speed with an algorithm that is tuned to the speed of visual motion, causing them to slow when visual objects are nearby. This regulation does not depend strongly on the spatial structure or the direction of visual stimuli, making it algorithmically distinct from the classic computation that controls orientation. Despite the different algorithms, the visual circuits that regulate walking speed overlap with those that regulate orientation. Taken together, our findings suggest that walking speed is controlled by a hierarchical computation that combines multiple motion detectors with distinct tunings. Video Abstract Download : Download video (54MB)
Implicit development of gaze strategies support motor improvements during action encoding training of prosthesis use.

Abstract Background Action observation training has been suggested to facilitate motor improvements in the lives of persons with neural injury. Previous studies have shown that for persons with upper limb amputation, matched limb training, where prosthesis users emulate each other, has shown promise above mismatched training where a prosthesis user emulates actions of a person with sound limbs (most commonly that of a therapist). Objective The mechanism underlying the matched limb training benefit is unclear. Gaze strategies may reveal unique patterns between matched and mismatched training which could explain improvements in motor function in matched limb training. Methods Twenty persons with sound limbs were trained on how to use a prosthesis simulator using matched or mismatched limb training in a single session. Eye movements were recorded during the training phase. Kinematics were recorded as persons performed the task. Results Gaze patterns showed differences between the training groups. The mismatched group demonstrated a higher probability of gaze on the path between the start and end of the action, while the matched group demonstrated a significantly higher probability of focusing on the elements of the path of the action and a trend of focusing on the shoulders. Kinematics also revealed overall improvements in motor control for the matched group. Conclusions This study proposes a putative mechanism that may explain improvements in matched limb training through shifting gaze strategies. Further work is needed to understand whether implicit visual strategies seen during matched limb training might encourage motor learning during functional training with prostheses.
Daily Fractionation of External Beam Accelerated Partial Breast Irradiation to 40 Gy Is Well Tolerated and Locally Effective.

Purpose Most studies examining accelerated partial breast irradiation (APBI) have used twice-daily fractionation. Cosmesis with this approach has produced mixed results, and the optimal fractionation scheme remains unknown. We sought to evaluate the safety and efficacy of APBI with a total dose of 40 Gy in 10 daily fractions. Methods and Materials Between 2010 and 2014, we prospectively enrolled 106 patients to receive APBI after lumpectomy for invasive or in situ node-negative breast cancer. Radiation was administered via 3-dimensional conformal techniques. Results The median age was 62 years (range, 39-85), and all patients underwent APBI per protocol. With a median follow-up of 58 months, we evaluated patient-reported local toxicity and recurrence outcomes. Of 106 patients, 16 (15%) experienced grade ≥2 skin toxicity. The most common significant toxicities were acute cutaneous changes at 4 to 9 weeks after radiation therapy, including grade 2 erythema in 2 patients (1.8%) and skin color changes in 4 patients (3.8%). Only 2 instances of grade 3 toxicity were reported, including 1 patient with acute moist desquamation after radiation therapy and another with fibrosis at 2 years. Planning target volume and breast V20 were significantly predictive of skin/subcutaneous toxicity, with evidence that limiting breast V20 to Conclusions In an appropriately selected group of patients with early stage breast cancer, APBI to a dose of 40 Gy in 10 daily fractions was well tolerated, with most patients (99%) reporting excellent/good cosmesis. Planning target volume and breast V20 should be carefully constrained to limit local morbidity. Longer follow-up will be needed to establish efficacy and subsequent local recurrence rates.
Leaning Tower of Pisa? Avoiding a major neurologic complication with the erector spinae plane block

The erector spinae plane (ESP) block was first described in 2016 as an analgesic technique for treatment of chronic thoracic neuropathic pain and acute postsurgical pain.[1][1] Since then, the technique has been described in a broad range of truncal applications, such as treatment of postoperative
Big Data and Its Utility in Social Work: Learning from the Big Data Revolution in Business and Healthcare

The big data revolution and advanced data analytics drive innovation in the diagnosis of disease, coordination of care, improved health outcomes and cost savings. The technological advancements in storing, merging and analyzing data have revolutionized the business and health-care sectors. Descriptive, predictive, diagnostic and prescriptive analyses are creating better ways to address old problems. These new tools can also revolutionize how social workers develop and deploy more efficacious strategies to address complex social challenges. The authors offer a primer on big data, data analytics, and the implications for its utility in social work.
Factors affecting detection probability, effective area surveyed, and species misidentification in grassland bird point counts

We simulated bird surveys using recorded bird songs to assess factors affecting detection probability in grassland bird point counts. We used mixed effects logistic regression models to estimate effects of those factors and to estimate and visualize the variation in the area around the observer where birds can be perceived (the perception area). We simulated surveys with 8,926 binary opportunities for detection in Minnesota grasslands in 2011 and 2012. Species, distance to the observer, wind speed and direction, observer, and density of vegetation all affected detection of recorded bird songs. Species had a strong effect; the size of the predicted perception area around the observer differed by an order of magnitude among species. Wind also had a strong effect on detection. As wind speed increased, probability of detection downwind of the observer was reduced and the perception area around the observer became smaller and more asymmetrical. The effective distance at which an observer is more likely to detect a bird than not detect it may differ among species and angles to the wind, even within the same survey. Eight of 10 species had low probability of misidentification (≤0.03), but Grasshopper Sparrow (Ammodramus savannarum) and LeConte's Sparrow (Ammospiza leconteii) were frequently misidentified (probability = 0.09–0.24 among observers), contributing to a low rate of correct detection for those species. We recommend collecting point-count data within distance bands so that data can be analyzed based on the effective radius for each species and standardizing surveys across wind conditions to reduce variation in detection probability.
Clinicopathological and Molecular Characterisation of Crohn’s Disease-associated Small Bowel Adenocarcinomas

BACKGROUND AND AIMS Small bowel adenocarcinoma [SBA] is a recognised complication of Crohn's disease [CD], but its low absolute prevalence limits opportunities for clinicopathological characterisation. METHODS We compared the clinical, pathological, and molecular features of 48 SBA from patients with CD [CDSBA] and 29 SBAs from patients without CD [NSBA] who underwent treatment at our tertiary care centre between 2000 and 2018. RESULTS Patients with CDSBA were younger than those with NSBA [mean age, 56 vs 64; p = 0.02]. Males predominated in both groups. Most CDSBA [69%] occurred in the ileum, whereas most NSBA occurred in the duodenum [38%] and jejunum [31%; p < 0.001]. Stage I tumours were more prevalent in the CDSBA [33% vs 3%; p = 0.002], although the rates of Stage IV disease and disease-specific mortality were similar in both groups. CDSBA were less likely to present a discrete mass [35% vs 93%; p < 0.001] and were more often stricturing or fistulising [75% vs 10%, respectively, p < 0.001] than NSBA. Microscopically, CDSBA were relatively heterogeneous, exhibiting at least three distinct growth patterns in 39% compared with 1% of NSBA [p = 0.01]. Low-grade tubuloglandular adenocarcinoma was the predominant pattern in 19% of CDSBA compared with 0% of NSBA [p = 0.003]. CDSBA were more frequently DNA mismatch repair proficient [90% vs 62%; p = 0.04] and exhibited profiles of frequently mutated genes similar to those of NSBA, except for IDH1 [18%] and SMAD4 [12%] mutations that occurred uniquely in CDSBA. CONCLUSIONS These observations, based on the largest single-centre series described hitherto, establish that CDSBA is a distinct clinical, pathological, and molecular entity.
Lasers in Surgery and Medicine

Lasers are light sources with unique collective properties and tissue effects that deserve consideration separately from other sources used in photomedicine. These properties include high intensity, monochromaticity, coherence, and collimation. The brightness of lasers may exceed that of all known natural and man-made sources. In simplest terms, lasers can be considered energy funnels; enormous energy is pumped into the atoms of a substance which can be induced to give off light with properties that facilitate focusing to very small spots. For example, a 40-W CO2 laser can be compared with a 100-W light bulb. The latter is more efficient and has greater total power but distributes its light all over a room so that no one small spot on a wall is heated to a significant degree. The 40-W CO2 laser can be focused onto a 50 μm spot of tissue, achieving a power density measured in kilowatts per cm2. Because the energy is absorbed by water in the first few micrometers of tissue, the power per cubic centimeter is measured in megawatts. Boiling or exploding tissue results.
α7 nicotinic receptor full agonist reverse basolateral amygdala hyperactivity and attenuation of dopaminergic neuron activity in rats exposed to chronic mild stress

Neuroimaging and preclinical studies showing that nicotinic receptors (nAChR) may play a role in mood control has increased interest in targeting the cholinergic system for treatment of major depressive disorder. Indeed, modulation of nAChRs in the basolateral amygdala (BLA) are sufficient to produce an anti-immobility effect in the mouse tail suspension test. However, how α7 nAChR modulation impacts BLA neuronal activity in vivo as well as the downstream mechanisms involved in its mood-related effects are not understood. In this work, we used the unpredictable chronic mild stress (CMS) model to investigate the mechanisms underlying the antidepressant-like effect of an α7 nAChR full agonist on BLA-induced changes in dopaminergic neurotransmission. Male adult Sprague-Dawley rats were exposed to four weeks of CMS. Behavioral and electrophysiological experiments were performed within one week following stress. CMS exposure increased rats' immobility time in the forced swimming test, decreased the number of spontaneously active dopamine neurons in the ventral tegmental area and increased the firing rate of putative projection neurons in the BLA. Stress-induced behavioral and electrophysiological changes were reversed by a single systemic administration of PNU282987. In summary, our findings corroborate previous descriptions of a potential rapid antidepressant effect for the α7 nAChR full agonist. This effect appears to involve a mechanism distinct from those of classic antidepressants: normalization of BLA hyperactivity and, consequently, of DA hypofunction. These observations corroborate the role of α7 nAChR as a potential target for novel antidepressant drug development.
Comparison of Gene Delivery to the Kidney by Adenovirus, Adeno-Associated Virus, and Lentiviral Vectors After Intravenous and Direct Kidney Injections.

There are many kidney diseases that might be addressed by gene therapy. However, gene delivery to kidney cells is inefficient. This is due, in part, to the fact that the kidney excludes molecules a...
Real Fur or Fake Fur? Animal Fur-Free Luxury Brands, Cognitive Dissonance, and Environmentally-Conscious Millennial Consumer Response

The purpose of this study was to investigate pro-environmental Millennial consumers’ dissonance, brand attitude, and purchase intention of brands using animal fur compared to faux fur by testing Cognitive Dissonance Theory. This research used a 3 x 2 x 2 quasi-experimental design that examined consumer’s fur stance (animal fur vs. faux fur vs. neither) along with luxury brand’s fur stance (animal fur vs. faux fur) and the use case scenario for a fur jacket (utilitarian vs. hedonic). The results indicated that consumers with a pro-faux fur stance or neither stance have less emotional dissonance than those with a pro-animal fur stance. Luxury brands with a pro-animal fur stance create more dissonance than those with a pro-faux fur stance, which subsequently negatively impacts consumers’ brand attitudes and purchase intentions. Therefore, luxury brands should seek to incorporate sustainability into their business strategy by offering faux fur alternatives to animal fur.
Investigating drivers’ trust in autonomous vehicles’ decisions of lane changing events

It is potential to improve the interaction between autonomous vehicles (AVs) and drivers by calibrating drivers’ trust in AVs. In this study, we investigated drivers’ trust in AVs’ decisions of cha...
Stochastic Approximation for High-frequency Observations in Data Assimilation

With the increasing penetration of high-frequency sensors across a number of biological and physical systems, the abundance of the resulting observations offers opportunities for higher statistical accuracy of down-stream estimates, but their frequency results in a plethora of computational problems in data assimilation tasks. The high-frequency of these observations has been traditionally dealt with by using data modification strategies such as accumulation, averaging, and sampling. However, these data modification strategies will reduce the quality of the estimates, which may be untenable for many systems. Therefore, to ensure high-quality estimates, we adapt stochastic approximation methods to address the unique challenges of high-frequency observations in data assimilation. As a result, we are able to produce estimates that leverage all of the observations in a manner that avoids the aforementioned computational problems and preserves the statistical accuracy of the estimates.
The Emerging Law of International Electronic Commerce

In May 1992, the United Nations Commission on International Trade Law ("UNCITRAL”) observed its twenty-fifth anniversary. To commemorate the historic occasion, UNCITRAL convened an unprecedented week-long Congress entitled the "Congress on Uniform Commercial Law in the 21st Century." International legal scholars, practitioners, legislators, administrators, and students from around the world were presented with a comprehensive survey of the current status of international commercial law. During the Congress, a distinguished panel of speakers reviewed the accomplishments of UNCITRAL and suggested directions for its future development. Crucial to this discussion was the issue of how UNCITRAL might further promote uniformity in commercial law in order to advance the maturation of a global trading community. To further this goal, UNCITRAL had previously determined to undertake the development of model rules regarding the use of "Electronic Data Interchange" ("EDI") in connection with international commercial transactions. Professor Boss' speech on EDI and the evolution of international electronic commerce was delivered as one of the keynote addresses to the UNCITRAL Congress.
Calendar and Dates in Jubilees’ Garden of Eden Story

Calendar dates in Jubilees’ Garden of Eden story have led some to question the nature of the book’s presupposed calendar and others to conclude that the passage is redacted. Close reading of the text shows that the passage was carefully constructed and the work of one author who took pains not to jeopardize the calendar promoted elsewhere in the book. Confusion arises when scholars subordinate the calendar to the book’s chronological system; they should be kept distinct. The author uses the recurrence of calendar dates to connect events to each other typologically and to an underlying narrative pattern, which, like the calendar, is founded on the annual cycle of agricultural labor.