cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Robust Multiplexed Clustering and Denoising of Digital PCR Assays by Data Gridding.

Digital PCR (dPCR) relies on the analysis of individual partitions to accurately quantify nucleic acid species. The most widely used analysis method requires manual clustering through individual visual inspection. Some automated analysis methods have emerged, but do not robustly account for multiplexed targets, low target concentration, and assay noise. In this study, we describe an open source analysis software called Calico that uses “data gridding” to increase the sensitivity of clustering towards small clusters. Our workflow also generates quality score metrics in order to gauge and filter individual assay partitions by how well they were classified. We applied our analysis algorithm to multiplexed droplet-based digital PCR datasets in both EvaGreen and probes-based schemes, and targeted the oncogenic BRAF V600E and KRAS G12D mutations. We demonstrate an automated clustering sensitivity of down to 0.1% mutant fraction and filtering of artifactual assay partitions from low quality DNA samples. Overall,...
Peptide-oligonucleotide conjugates for the delivery of antisense and siRNA

Conjugation of oligonucleotides to certain types of peptides provides an interesting approach for enhancing delivery of antisense and siRNA to cells and tissues. This article will provide a perspective on issues in oligonucleotide delivery, and will examine recent literature on the preparation and use of several types of peptide-oligonucleotide conjugates.
Design, implementation, and evaluation of a GaN-based four-leg inverter with minimal common mode voltage generation

Due to the introduction of wide bandgap (WBG) devices such as silicon carbide and gallium nitride devices, the power inverters with ultra-low loss, high temperature, and compact size are made possible for various applications. However, the increased dv/dt and switching frequency of WBG devices also aggravate the common-mode (CM) voltage related issues of the PWM inverter based systems. In the past few years, the magnified CM EMI emission and ground leakage currents in WBG based inverter systems are starting to draw attentions and becoming a concern among researchers and engineers. In this paper, the four-leg topology is investigated as a potential solution to the CM voltage generation of WBG inverters. Detailed design and implantation considerations of a GaN-based four-leg inverter are presented, and the performance of the inverter is also evaluated.
Modeling SNP and quantitative trait association from GWAS catalog using CLG Bayesian network

Genome-wide association studies (GWAS) are a type of genetic methods that have recently received intensive attention. In this paper, we study the construction of the Bayesian network from the GWAS catalog for modeling SNP and quantitative trait associations. Existing methods in the literature can only deal with categorical traits. We address this limitation by leveraging the Conditional Linear Gaussian (CLG) Bayesian network, which can handle a mixture of discrete and continuous variables. A two-layered CLG Bayesian network is built where the SNPs are represented as discrete variables in one layer and quantitative traits are represented as continuous variables in another layer. We propose the method for specifying the CLG Bayesian network, focusing on the specification of the CLG distribution for quantitative traits. We empirically evaluate the construction method, and results demonstrate the effectiveness of our method.
Driver intention estimation via discrete hidden Markov model

In this paper, driver intention estimation near a road intersection is presented, using discrete hidden Markov models (HMM) and the Hybrid State System (HSS) framework as basis. The development of Advanced Driver Assistance Systems (ADAS) has assisted drivers in many driving scenarios and resulted in safe driving. Developing techniques to estimate driver's intention leads to the advancement of ADAS. As a large number of accidents occur near road intersections, estimating the intention of a driver at an intersection is vital. The methods developed in this paper can be applied in ADAS to take appropriate measures in reducing accidents. The driver decisions are depicted as a Discrete State System (DSS) at a higher level and the continuous vehicle dynamics are depicted as a Continuous State System (CSS) at a lower level in the HSS framework. In the proposed technique, the vehicle's continuous observations including speed and yaw-rate, are used to estimate the driver's intention at each time step. In this work, the speed and yaw-rate are discretized in such a way that the important features about the driver's intention such as "go straight," "stop," "turn right," or "turn left" at the intersection, are abstractedly represented in the form of symbols. Naturalistic driving data, which is collected using a vehicle fitted with sensors, is used to train and test the developed model. The results from the proposed approach show high accuracy in estimating the driver's intention at a road intersection.
Technology and Group Decision Process in Going-Concern Judgements

Accounting and auditing practices are continually being affected by advances in technology. This study empirically examined the effect of group decision processes and technological advances on group going-concern decision making. Groups with access to group decision support systems (GDSS) were compared to groups without access to GDSS for their going-concern judgments. The results show group discussion induced auditors to be more conservative and to consider factors which may have overlooked at the individual level, though neither structure significantly reduced the considerable variance in the individual going-concern judgments. Further, as compared to their counterparts in the face-to-face discussion groups, GDSS groups indicated much higher confidence in their group's final assessment of the client's going-concern status and a higher level of satisfaction and agreement with the group decision processes. The findings suggest that while group discussions did not significantly reduce auditors' considerable variance in going-concern judgments, future research should investigate which explicit models would improve the consensus on going-concern evaluations.
Infrared evidence for gap anisotropy in YBa2Cu3O7.

Infrared reflectivity measurements of crystalline YBa{sub 2}Cu{sub 3}O{sub 7} ({ital T}{sub {ital c}}{congruent}92 K) are performed with the electric field both parallel and perpendicular to the Cu-O planes. We find evidence for an unusually large in-plane energy gap ({similar to}8{ital kT}{sub {ital c}}), while a much smaller energy scale ({similar to}3{ital kT}{sub {ital c}}) is obtained with the field perpendicular to the planes suggesting substantial gap anisotropy. Temperature-dependent measurements near {ital T}{sub {ital c}} demonstrate a clear relationship between the development of the {similar to}8{ital kT}{sub {ital c}} feature and the superconducting transition.
Improving Patient Flow From the Emergency Department Utilizing a Standardized Electronic Nursing Handoff Process.

OBJECTIVEThe goal of this project was to decrease handoff delays from the emergency department (ED) as measured by ready to move (RTM)–to–occupied time.BACKGROUNDED boarding compromises the quality, safety, and experience of patient care. Lack of standardized and transparent handoff communication co
The planar multifacility collection depots location problem

Abstract The multifacility collection depots problem is the location of one or more facilities among a given set of demand points and a given set of collection depots. Each service consists of a trip to the customer, collection of materials, dropping off the materials at one of the available collection depots, and returning to the facility to wait for the next call. The trip can be done in reverse, i.e., collecting the materials on the way to the customer. The objective is to minimize the total travel time. The same model can be used for locating collection depots among a given set of demand points and existing facilities. The problem is analyzed and several properties proved. A solution within a given accuracy of the optimal solution is found for the single facility problem. Heuristic solutions are proposed for locating multiple facilities. Extensive computational experiments confirm the effectiveness of the solution approaches.
Sequence-Controlled Polymers Through Entropy-Driven Ring-Opening Metathesis Polymerization: Theory, Molecular Weight Control, and Monomer Design

The bulk properties of a copolymer are directly affected by monomer sequence, yet efficient, scalable, and controllable syntheses of sequenced copolymers remain a defining challenge in polymer scie...
Memory Self-Efficacy and Beliefs about Memory and Aging in Oldest-Old Adults in the Louisiana Healthy Aging Study (LHAS).

Background/Study Context. Adaptation to normative age-related declines in memory is an important but understudied aspect of successful aging. The purpose of the present study was to shed new light ...
Discovery of a Celecoxib Binding Site on Prostaglandin E Synthase (PTGES) with a Cleavable Chelation-Assisted Biotin Probe

The coxibs are a subset of nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) that primarily target cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) to inhibit prostaglandin signaling and reduce inflammation. However, mechanisms to inhibit other members of the prostaglandin signaling pathway may improve selectivity and reduce off-target toxicity. Here, we report a novel binding site for celecoxib on prostaglandin E synthase (PTGES), which is an enzyme downstream of COX-2 in the prostaglandin signaling pathway, using a cleavable chelation-assisted biotin probe 6. Evaluation of the multifunctional probe 6 revealed significantly improved tagging efficiencies attributable to the embedded picolyl functional group. Application of the probe 6 within the small molecule interactome mapping by photoaffinity labeling (SIM-PAL) platform using photo-celecoxib as a reporter for celecoxib identified PTGES and other membrane proteins in the top eight enriched proteins from A549 cells. Four binding sites to photo-celecoxib were mapped by the probe 6, including a binding site with PTGES. The binding interaction with PTGES was validated by competitive displacement with celecoxib and licofelone, which is a known PTGES inhibitor, and was used to generate a structural model of the interaction. The identification of photo-celecoxib interactions with membrane proteins, including the direct binding site on the membrane protein PTGES, will inform further functional followup and the design of new selective inhibitors of the prostaglandin signaling pathway.
Comparing the Incidence of Thyroid Dysfunction in Pediatric Subjects after HSCT with Reduced Intensity Vs. Myeloablative Conditioning

Introduction Subjects who undergo hematopoietic stem cell transplant (HSCT) are at increased risk for thyroid dysfunction. Few studies compare myeloablative (MAC) and reduced intensity (RIC) conditioning regimens. Objectives Describe the prevalence, incidence, and risk factors for thyroid disorder in pediatric and young adult subjects one year after HSCT after implementation of a universal screening program. Methods We performed a retrospective chart review of 167 subjects who were transplanted from June 2016 to August 2018 at CCHMC and underwent prospective universal late effects screening. One hundred forty-one subjects surviving to 1 year after HSCT were included. Results One hundred nine subjects had documented TSH values at least 9 months after HSCT. Median followup for screened subjects was 669 days (range, 271-1166). Subjects with documented TSH were similar to the overall cohort. Eight subjects had thyroid disorders prior to transplant, and ten developed thyroid disorders after transplant. Of these ten, none had chronic graft-versus-host disease (cGvHD), one had acute GvHD, and one had received TBI (Table 1). The median time to detection of a thyroid disorder was 430 days (range, 231-790) after transplant. One subject developed Hashimoto thyroiditis, one developed Graves disease, seven developed primary hypothyroidism without evidence of autoimmunity, and one developed pazopanib-associated hypothyroidism. This subject developed fatigue, prompting thyroid evaluation; however, the remaining nine patients were clinically euthyroid at diagnosis. Of the 31 subjects at risk who received RIC, 1 (3.2%) developed a new thyroid disorder, compared to 9 of 69 (13.0%) subjects who received MAC (p=0.167). Overall, 10.9% of subjects at risk for thyroid dysfunction after HSCT developed new disease. Conclusion Thyroid dysfunction remains a significant risk after HSCT, particularly after myeloablative conditioning. Annual screening beginning at one year from HSCT is recommended to improve early detection rates, especially since the majority of subjects detected in our analysis had no symptoms of new thyroid disease.
Mutational Analysis of the Structure and Function of the Chaperoning Domain of UNC-45B.

Abstract UNC-45B is a multidomain molecular chaperone that is essential for the proper folding and assembly of myosin into muscle thick filaments in vivo. It has previously been demonstrated that the UCS domain is responsible for the chaperone-like properties of the UNC-45B. To better understand the chaperoning function of the UCS domain of the UNC-45B chaperone, we engineered mutations designed to 1) disrupt chaperone-client interactions by removing and altering the structure of a putative client-interacting loop and 2) disrupt chaperone-client interactions by changing highly conserved residues in a putative client-binding groove. We tested the effect of these mutations by using a, to our knowledge, novel combination of complementary biophysical assays (circular dichroism, chaperone activity, and small-angle x-ray scattering) and in vivo tools (Caenorhabditis elegans sarcomere structure). Removing the putative client-binding loop altered the secondary structure of the UCS domain (by decreasing the α-helix content), leading to a significant change in its solution conformation and a reduced chaperoning function. Additionally, we found that mutating several conserved residues in the putative client-binding groove did not alter the UCS domain secondary structure or structural stability but reduced its chaperoning activity. In vivo, these groove mutations were found to significantly alter the structure and organization of C. elegans sarcomeres. Furthermore, we tested the effect of R805W, a mutation distant from the putative client-binding region, which in humans, has been known to cause congenital and infantile cataracts. Our in vivo data show that, to our surprise, the R805W mutation appeared to have the most drastic detrimental effect on the structure and organization of the worm sarcomeres, indicating a crucial role of R805 in UCS-client interactions. Hence, our experimental approach combining biophysical and biological tools facilitates the study of myosin-chaperone interactions in mechanistic detail.
Dermoscopy in Monitoring and Predicting Therapeutic Response in General Dermatology (Non-Tumoral Dermatoses): An Up-To-Date Overview

Besides the well-known use in supporting the non-invasive diagnosis of non-tumoral dermatoses (general dermatology), dermoscopy has been shown to be a promising tool also in predicting and monitoring therapeutic outcomes of such conditions, with the consequent improvement/optimization of their treatment. In the present paper, we sought to provide an up-to-date overview on the use of dermoscopy in highlighting response predictor factors and evaluating therapeutic results in the field of general dermatology according to the current literature data. Several dermatoses may somehow benefit from such applications, including inflammatory conditions (psoriasis, lichen planus, dermatitis, granulomatous conditions, erythro-telangiectatic rosacea, Zoon balanitis and vulvitis, cutaneous mastocytosis, morphea and extra-genital lichen sclerosus), pigmentary disorders (vitiligo and melasma) and infectious dermatoses (scabies, pediculosis, demodicosis and viral warts).
Disentangled Image Generation for Unsupervised Domain Adaptation

We explore the use of generative modeling in unsupervised domain adaptation (UDA), where annotated real images are only available in the source domain, and pseudo images are generated in a manner that allows independent control of class (content) and nuisance variability (style). The proposed method differs from existing generative UDA models in that we explicitly disentangle the content and nuisance features at different layers of the generator network. We demonstrate the effectiveness of (pseudo)-conditional generation by showing that it improves upon baseline methods. Moreover, we outperform the previous state-of-the-art with significant margins in recently introduced multi-source domain adaptation (MSDA) tasks, achieving significant error reduction rates of \(50.27 \%\), \(89.54 \%\), \(75.35 \%\), \(27.46 \%\) and \(94.3 \%\) in all 5 tasks.
Negative Attitudes and Beliefs Toward the #MeToo Movement on Twitter

Given recent and growing societal movements focusing on sexual assault, such as the #MeToo Movement, it is imperative to understand current attitudes about sexual assault and these movements. The a...
Probing the mineralized tissue-adhesive interface for tensile nature and bond strength

The mechanical performance of the dentin-adhesive interface contributes significantly to the failure of dental composite restorations. Rational material design can lead to enhanced mechanical performance, but this requires accurate characterization of the mechanical behavior at the dentin-adhesive interface. The mechanical performance of the interface is typically characterized using bond strength tests, such as the micro-tensile test. These tests are plagued by multiple limitations including large variations in the test results. The challenges associated with conventional tensile tests limit our ability to unravel the complex relationships that affect mechanical behavior at the dentin-adhesive interface. This study used the diametral compression test to overcome the challenges inherent in conventional bond strength tests. The bovine femur cortical bone tissue was considered as a surrogate material (the mineralized tissue) for human dentin. Two different adhesive formulations, which differed by means of their self-strengthening properties, were studied. The tensile behavior of the mineralized tissue, the adhesive polymer, and the bond strength of the mineralized tissue - adhesive interface was determined using the diametral compression test. The diametral compression test improved the repeatability for both the tensile and bond strength tests. The rate dependent mechanical behavior was observed for both single material and interfacial material systems. The tensile strength and bond strength of the mineralized tissue-adhesive interface was greater for the self-strengthening formulation as compared to the control.
A cross-correlation approach to astronomical speckle imaging

Summary form only given. The problem of reconstructing finite support objects from images degraded by a propagation through a turbulent atmosphere has been treated. A method for reconstructing the cross-correlating short exposure images of the object with short exposure images of a reference star has been developed. This makes it possible to obtain both magnitude and phase information about the Fourier transform of the object intensity up to the diffraction limit of the telescope. The derivation assumes that the complex amplitude of light that has propagated through the atmosphere has Gaussian statistics in the telescope pupil. In this approach the object intensity is the solution of a Fredholm integral equation of the first type with a positive semidefinite rotationally symmetric kernel. Furthermore, the low-pass nature of the instantaneous point spread function of the atmosphere/telescope and the finite spatial extent of the recorded short exposure images imply that the object intensity cannot be exactly reconstructed without some a priori information. >
Counterbalancing Distorted Incentives in Supreme Court Pro Bono Practice: Recommendations for the New Supreme Court Pro Bono Bar and Public Interest Practice Communities

The emergence of a new Supreme Court Pro Bono Bar, made up of specialty practices and law school Supreme Court clinics, has altered the dynamic of litigation related to public interest issues. The new Bar often brings expertise in Supreme Court litigation to cases where there may otherwise be a dearth of resources to support high quality lawyering. But at the same time, this new Bar is subject to market pressures that can be expected to have important consequences. This article shows how members of this new Bar are engaged in a race for cases that will provide an opportunity to handle Supreme Court cases on the merits. At the certiorari stage, this Bar can be expected to engage in truncated case analysis, avoid coordination with lawyers handling similar cases, and otherwise make decisions that are influenced by each firm’s interest in being in a position to handle cases before the Supreme Court on the merits. Moreover, throughout the litigation, this Bar may be influenced by the merits opportunity that provided the incentive to take the case in the first place. This article explores the implications of this new dynamic in Supreme Court litigation for both pro bono practices and public interest practice communities. With respect to pro bono practices, this article proposes principles that firms could adopt, including principles that relate to the selection of cases for free representation and those that relate to the nature and kind of representation that the pro bono practices provide to a client once the firm has taken on representation. With respect to public interest practice communities, this article considers the strategic decisions that practice communities face in light of the new Supreme Court Pro Bono Bar. This article argues that practice communities must anticipate Supreme Court activity on the issues that interest them and must learn constructive ways of engaging both with lawyers whose cases might be possible targets for a petition for writ of certiorari as well as members of the Supreme Court Pro Bono Bar.
A Review of: “OCCUPATIONAL THERAPY WITHOUT BORDERS: LEARNING FROM THE SPIRIT OF SURVIVORS: Kronenberg, F., Simó Algado, S. & Pollard, N. (Eds) 2005, Oxford, England: Elsevier-Churchill Livingstone, 461 pp. Paperback $47.95. ISBN-10: 0-443-07440-2

The motivation for writing this book arose from the editors' observation that occupational therapy education and current practice appeared to neglect or under-serve groups of people who experience ...
A LogP Extension for Modeling Tree Aggregation Networks

As high-performance systems continue to expand in power and size, scalable communication and data transfer is necessary to facilitate next generation monitoring and analysis. Many popular frameworks such as MapReduce, MPI and MRNet utilize scalable reduction operations to fulfill the performance requirements of a large distributed system. The structures to handle these aggregations may simply consist of a single level with children reporting directly to the parent node, or it may be layered to create a large tree with varying breadth and height. Despite their common-place, the techniques for modeling these Tree Aggregation Networks (TANs) are lacking. This paper addresses this need by introducing a novel extension of the LogP framework for Tree Aggregation Networks. Our TAN model adheres to the simplicity of the LogP model, but utilizes structural insights to provide a simple yet precise performance estimate. Additionally, our model makes no assumptions of the underlying NIC transfer mechanisms or uniformity of tree breadth, making it suitable for a wide range of environments. To evaluate our TAN model, we compare it against the traditional LogP model for predicting the performance of the Multicast Reduction Network (MRNet) framework.
Effect of pancreatic polypeptide on rat dorsal vagal complex neurons.

1. Pancreatic polypeptide (PP) microinjected into the dorsal vagal complex (DVC) elevates gastric activity through a vagal mechanism. Thus, it was hypothesized that PP alters the activity of nuclei comprising the DVC, i.e. the nucleus tractus solitarii (NTS) and the dorsal motor nucleus (DMN). 2. In vivo and in vitro approaches were used. For in vivo studies, micropipettes were used for recording and injecting vehicle or PP. Neurons were identified as NTS or DMN using orthodromic and antidromic activation, respectively, following vagal stimulation. Gastric-related DVC neurons were located using antral inflation. For in vitro studies, DMN neurons were recorded from medullary slices. 3. Of the twenty-eight NTS and DMN neurons identified, fifteen were activated, six inhibited and seven unaffected after PP microinjection. Forty-two gastric-related neurons were located in the DVC, of which twenty-five were stimulated by PP and seventeen exhibited no change. No gastric-related cells were inhibited. 4. For in vitro studies, 66% of DMN neurons were activated by PP (n = 27/47) while the remaining 33% were inhibited (n = 14/47). Similar results were obtained in normal or synaptic blockade media. 5. These results support the hypothesis that PP alters DVC neuronal activity, which may thereby lead to the previously observed alterations in gastric activity.
Mood and anxiety disorders in women with PCOS

Women with polycystic ovary syndrome have gynecologic, reproductive and metabolic co-morbidities that span their entire lifespan. More recently a higher risk of mood and anxiety disorders has been reported in women with PCOS. Women with PCOS have higher depression scores and a higher risk of depression independent of BMI. Although clinical features of hyperandrogenism affect health related quality of life, the association between hirsutism, acne, body image and depression is currently unclear. Similarly there is limited data on the association between variables such as biochemical hyperandrogenism or infertility and depression. Women with PCOS are also at risk for symptoms of generalized anxiety disorder. There is insufficient data examining the risk of other anxiety disorders such as social phobia, obsessive compulsive disorders and panic disorder. In a number of patients some of these disorders coexist increasing the health burden. These data underscore the need to screen all women with PCOS for mood and anxiety disorders and adequately treat women who are diagnosed with these conditions.
Generalized model development for a cryo-adsorber and 1-D results for the isobaric refueling period

We have developed 3-D model equations for a cryo-adsorption hydrogen storage tank, where the energy balance accommodates the temperature and pressure variation of all the thermodynamic properties. We then reduce the 3-D model to the 1-D isobaric system and study the isobaric refueling period, for simplified geometry and charging conditions. The hydrogen capacity evolution predicted by the 1-D axial bed model is significantly different than that predicted by the lumped-parameter model because of the presence of sharp temperature gradients during refueling. The 1-D model predicts a higher hydrogen capacity than the lumped-parameter model. This observation can be rationalized by the fact that a bed with temperature gradients on equilibration should desorb gas, whenever the adsorbed phase entropy is lower than the gas phase entropy. The 1-D analysis of the isobaric refueling period does not show any significant difference in hydrogen capacity evolution among the axial, single and multicartridge annular bed designs. Hence, a multicartridge annular design, though giving a slightly lower pressure drop, does not offer any heat and mass transfer enhancement over the single cartridge design. And, the single cartridge annular design appears to be optimal.
Patient and disease-specific factors and their influence on urinary reconstruction choice at a referral center

To evaluate potential socioeconomic and demographic factors that may influence or be associated with various types of urinary reconstruction (UR) following a radical cystectomy (RC) accounting for existing clinical variables. There were 828 patients that underwent a RC and UR between 2000 and 2013. After excluding patients that did not meet medical or surgical criteria for a continent urinary reconstruction (CUR-orthotopic neobladder or continent catheterizable pouch), there were 714 patients available for analysis. Socioeconomic and demographic data along with disease-specific variables were recorded preoperatively and analyzed to determine a correlation with a particular type of UR. Non-continent urinary reconstruction (ileal conduit or cutaneous ureterostomies) and CUR accounted for 78.3 % (559/714) and 21.7 % (155/714) of UR following RC, respectively. On univariate analysis, younger age, marital status, employment status, type of insurance, ASA score, and preoperative glomerular filtration rate were significantly associated with CUR (p < 0.01). Travel distance, race, and education level were not factors for UR type. Additionally, there was no significant difference between males and females receiving a CUR. On multivariate analysis, older age [odds ratio (OR) 0.85, p < 0.01], marital status (OR 0.28, p < 0.01), insurance status (OR 0.22, p = 0.04), and higher ASA score (OR 0.50, p < 0.01) remained independent predictors of those less likely to receive a CUR. Predictable socioeconomic and demographic influences exist between the choice of UR after RC. Increasing age corresponds to a decreasing likelihood of receiving a CUR. No significant difference was seen between men and women in undergoing a CUR.
Taenia solium Taeniasis and Cysticercosis Control and Elimination Through Community-Based Interventions

Taenia solium was declared potentially eradicable by the International Task Force for Disease Eradication in 1992. Yet, very few well-designed community-based randomized controlled trials have been conducted to measure the effectiveness of alternative control strategies. Most strategies have been tested in pre-post intervention designs in very few communities, often without a control group. The only two community-based randomized controlled trials suggest that an educational program alone or a combination of human and porcine mass treatment reduce porcine cysticercosis in the short term. A transmission dynamics model suggests that improved sanitation and pig management are more effective and sustainable than pig vaccination, human or porcine mass treatment. Current evidence does not support the eradication of Taenia solium in the foreseeable future. Investigators should follow international recommendations on the conduct of community-based randomized control trials to provide more valid estimates of the effect and cost-effectiveness of alternative control strategies for cysticercosis.
Cultivating an Appreciation for Diverse Religious Worldviews through Cooperative Learning in Undergraduate Classrooms

Abstract Perspectives courses at Valdosta State University are charged with expanding undergraduate students' intellectual and attitudinal horizons by exposing them to both interdisciplinary and multicultural perspectives. The Religion and Culture Perspectives course focuses on how a diversity of religions respond to real-life dilemmas using the medium of cross-cultural case studies and religious autobiographical narratives. This course can effectively foster imaginative engagement with and appreciation for diverse religious perspectives and practices through specific cooperative learning strategies. Research explored the effects of cooperative learning on appreciation of religious difference. Students showed changes in their attitudes as a result of course participation.
Self-consistent analysis of the effect of wiggler field errors in free-electron lasers

Abstract A self-consistent analysis of wiggler field errors in free-electron lasers is described using the 3-D simulation code WIGGLIN, and a random variation for the pole-to-pole wiggler amplitude with a continuous map between the pole faces. On average, increases in the rms value of the field cause a decrease in the interaction efficiency; however, this is relatively benign for the specific case studied, and particular error distributions can result in efficiency enhancements. The analysis indicates that a random walk model for electron orbits may be conceptually incorrect.
Islamic theology's contribution to medical decision making in end-of-life care.

Medicine was an easier profession in the time of Hippocrates. There was little that could be done and little that was done. The decision on what to do was almost exclusively the prerogative of the physician. As one reads in the “Decorum” in the Hippocratic Corpus, Hippocrates (1977) instructed physicians to tell the patient nothing of his present or future condition. The doctor alone determined what was best for the patient. And in the treatise entitled The Art, Hippocrates exhorts his fellow physicians not to apply medical treatments to the patient who is “overmastered” by disease—not because such treatments would not work, but because when the intervention failed, people would lose confidence in the physician’s judgment. Even in that golden age, physician self-interest was a basic concern. Insights into the role of the patient and the physician
Central nervous system progression of metastatic breast cancer in patients treated with paclitaxel.

Background. The possibility of tumor sanctuary sites in the central nervous system (CNS) of patients receiving paclitaxel has been suggested by laboratory data identifying low concentrations of drug in the brain and cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) of rats. Methods. The pattern of disease progression in patients with metastatic breast cancer who had an initial response to paclitaxel treatment in five Phase II trials at the Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center was reviewed. Results. Of 152 patients, 53 had a partial or complete response, and 25 had a minor response. Of the 78 patients who responded to paclitaxel, 52 had subsequent disease progression, 22 changed treatments before progression occurred (as specified by the protocol and/or to receive high dose consolidation chemotherapy), 2 stopped receiving treatment because of toxicity, 1 continued receiving treatment, and 1 died with no evidence of disease progression. Six of the 52 patients who progressed after initially responding to paclitaxel had isolated CNS progression while maintaining their systemic response (leptomeningeal metastasis in three, brain metastases in two, brain and leptomeningeal metastases in one). One patient had CNS progression (brain metastases) associated with other systemic sites of progression. All patients with CNS disease developed neurologic symptoms, prompting neurologic evaluation; one had only a mild headache, which was not recognized until evaluation for paclitaxel-related peripheral neuropathy. Conclusions. These data suggest that the CNS, and particularly the CSF, is an important sanctuary site for patients with metastatic breast cancer receiving paclitaxel. Cancer 1995; 76:232–6.
The Effects of Audience Knowledge on Message Processing of Editorial Content

Marketing communications practitioners of modern enterprises recognize that creating mediated messages to audiences is a strategic communication to be leveraged, not simply managed. This study investigates how audiences' knowledge structures affect their message processing of editorial content. A set of laboratory experiments finds support for the proposed hypotheses in the domain of subjective and objective knowledge and message processing of editorial content. While audiences' objective knowledge determines how much elaboration they actually are able to perform, their subjective knowledge facilitates general thoughts. Audiences' knowledge structures direct how they process received messages while objective knowledge rather than subjective knowledge predicts audiences' conation; high levels of objective knowledge have a detrimental impact on audiences' purchase intents.
Structure and dynamics of small peptides at aqueous interfaces a multi-nanosecond molecular dynamics study☆

Abstract The dynamical and the mechanistic aspects of peptide folding have been examined at aqueous interfaces in a series of large-scale molecular dynamics computer simulations. The conformational equilibria of the heptapeptide, made of the nonpolar l -leucine and the polar l -glutamine amino acids, having a sequence of hydrophobic periodicity of 3.6, and initially organized as an α-helix or a β-strand, were investigated at the water liquid-vapor interface. The behavior of the Ac- and NHMe-blocked undecamer of poly- l -leucine in the water-hexane system, initially located on the water side of the interface in a random coil conformation, was examined over 34 ns. For comparison, conformational preferences of the prototypical terminally blocked l -leucine, l -glutamine and l -alanine single amino acids, as well as their corresponding dimers, were studied. These multinanosecond simulations shed light on three important properties of small peptides at aqueous interfaces. First, oligopeptides containing both polar and nonpolar amino acids show a clear tendency to accumulate at the interface. Second, aqueous interfaces, unlike water, appear to mediate folding, so that peptides built of leucine and glutamine readily adopt amphiphilic conformations. Third, fully nonpolar peptides become inserted into a nonpolar phase by concurrent partitioning and folding into a helical structure. A complete folding process was observed during the simulations.
Assessing mental flexibility with a new word recognition test

This paper presents the development and preliminary evaluation of a new word recognition test (WRT) designed to measure individual differences in mental flexibility, defined as the ability to solve novel problems in unfamiliar settings. Conceptually designed to simulate problem solving in real world performance situations, the test was developed to recruit fluid and reproductive abilities and the interplay between convergent and divergent thinking. It is based on a framework that integrates and extends previous theoretical and methodological approaches to the study of cognitive ability and creative cognition. The WRT was administered with various cognitive ability and criterion measures to an undergraduate student sample (n = 266). Results provide preliminary evidence of construct validity. WRT scores correlated as expected with reference measures of cognitive ability, creative performance, and college performance (GPA). Regression analyses showed the WRT explained an additional 4.5% of variance in college performance over and above traditional cognitive ability measures that take up to five times as long to administer. Results suggest further study is warranted given the potential for its contribution to basic research and applied use.
Compliant Realignment of Binding Sites in Muscle: Transient Behavior and Mechanical Tuning

The presence of compliance in the lattice of filaments in muscle raises a number of concerns about how one accounts for force generation in the context of the cross-bridge cycle--binding site motions and coupling between cross-bridges confound more traditional analyses. To explore these issues, we developed a spatially explicit, mechanochemical model of skeletal muscle contraction. With a simple three-state model of the cross-bridge cycle, we used a Monte Carlo simulation to compute the instantaneous balance of forces throughout the filament lattice, accounting for both thin and thick filament distortions in response to cross-bridge forces. This approach is compared to more traditional mass action kinetic models (in the form of coupled partial differential equations) that assume filament inextensibility. We also monitored instantaneous force generation, ATP utilization, and the dynamics of the cross-bridge cycle in simulations of step changes in length and variations in shortening velocity. Three critical results emerge from our analyses: 1) there is a significant realignment of actin-binding sites in response to cross-bridge forces, 2) this realignment recruits additional cross-bridge binding, and 3) we predict mechanical behaviors that are consistent with experimental results for velocity and length transients. Binding site realignment depends on the relative compliance of the filament lattice and cross-bridges, and within the measured range of these parameters, gives rise to a sharply tuned peak for force generation. Such mechanical tuning at the molecular level is the result of mechanical coupling between individual cross-bridges, mediated by thick filament deformations, and the resultant realignment of binding sites on the thin filament.
Observations on the nature of the "organized elements" in carbonaceous chondrites.

Studies were made on the carbonaceous chondrites Orgueil and Ivuna in order to determine the composition and number per milligram of organized elements. The most conspicuous particles found were circular, occurred in the abundance of several thousand per milligram, were opaque, and highly magnetic. The organized elements are classified into two types: those that have a highly structured morphology and those that have a much simpler appearance. The particles with highly structured morphology are less numerous than the simpler type, and appear to have a strong resemblance to common terrestrial contaminants. The particles of simpler morphology do not fluoresce, do not stain or stain atypically with biological stains, are soluble in acids, and seem to be of an inorganic composition and origin. It is believed that the present evidence is not adequate to suggest an extraterrestrial biological origin for the particles found in the carbonaceous chondrites. (P.C.H.) chondrites; yet the presence of high- temperature minerals implies that the source material passed through at least one high-temperature stage. The exposure to liquid water could have occurred in subsurface regions of an asteroid heated by extinct radioactivity or another internal energy source. Sunlight for photosynthesis would not reach these regions, but anmore » appreciable amount of free energy would be available from the conversion of olivine to hydrated silicates. Although this source of energy is finite, it may have« less
On a differentially heated saltwater‐ice system

A previous theoretical study by Welander (1977) on a freshwater-ice oscillator is extended to the saltwater case. The system comprises a deep high-salinity, warm water reservoir (fixed temperature and salinity), and a shallow constant-depth mixed layer with temperature, salinity, and ice thickness varying in time. This layer is cooled by contact with overlaying air kept at a fixed, subzero temperature. The main new feature is the variation of the heat flux through the water interface with the stratification. This variation causes two new phenomena of interest: (a) “false” thermal adjustments to existing ice-covered steady states, and (b) multi-periodic self-sustained oscillations including both ice-covered and ice-free regimes. The usefulness of basic model studies of this type in connection with climate research is pointed out. DOI: 10.1111/j.2153-3490.1977.tb00757.x
On the modified random walk algorithm for Monte-Carlo radiation transfer (Corrigendum)

∞0 Bν(T ) χν dν ∞ 0 B ν(T )d ν · (1) This equation is correct, but the ratio of the integrals was referred to as “the inverse of the Rosseland mean mass extinction coefficient”. This is incorrect, because the Rosseland mean opacity includes dBν(T )/dT terms rather than Bν(T ). Instead, the ratio of the integrals is the inverse of the Planck reciprocal mean mass extinction coefficient (in line with the terminology used by Fleck & Canfield 1984). We can write this mean mass extinction coefficient as:
Monte Carlo and Molecular Dynamics Studies of Interlayer Structure in Li(H2O)3−Smectites

Monte Carlo and molecular dynamics simulations were performed to elucidate interlayer structure in hydrated Li−smectites (hectorite, beidellite, or montmorillonite with interlayer Li+) at low water...
Relationships between Sediment Microbial Communities and Pollutants in Two California Salt Marshes

Salt marshes are important ecosystems whose plant and microbial communities can alter terrestrially derived pollutants prior to coastal water discharge. However, knowledge regarding relationships between anthropogenic pollutant levels and salt marsh microbial communities is limited, and salt marshes on the West Coast of the United States are rarely examined. In this study, we investigated the relationships between microbial community composition and 24 pollutants (20 metals and 4 organics) in two California salt marshes. Multivariate ordination techniques were used to assess how bacterial community composition, as determined by terminal restriction fragment length polymorphism and phospholipid fatty acid analyses, was related to pollution. Sea urchin embryo toxicity measurements and plant tissue metabolite profiles were considered two other biometrics of pollution. Spatial effects were strongly manifested across marshes and across channel elevations within marshes. Utilizing partial canonical correspondence analysis, an ordination technique new to microbial ecology, we found that several metals were strongly associated with microbial community composition after accounting for spatial effects. The major patterns in plant metabolite profiles were consistent with patterns across microbial community profiles, but sea urchin embryo assays, which are commonly used to evaluate ecological toxicity, had no identifiable relationships with pollution. Whereas salt marshes are generally dynamic and complex habitats, microbial communities in these marshes appear to be relatively sensitive indicators of toxic pollutants.
`Trimodal' Wafer-Level Package: Fully Compatible Electrical, Optical, and Fluidic Chip I/O Interconnects

We describe the fabrication, assembly, and testing of a wafer-level package with fully compatible electrical, optical, and fluidic ('trimodaP) chip I/O interconnects. Various trimodal interconnect configurations are introduced. The trimodal I/Os are fabricated using five minimally demanding masking steps. In order to experimentally characterize the trimodal I/Os, we fabricate two separate substrates to test the chips with these I/Os in a piecewise manner. In the first assembly demonstration, we perform electrical and optical I/O interconnection measurements. In the second assembly demonstration, we perform electrical and fluidic interconnection measurements. Measurements reveal that the metal-clad optical pins (55times110 mum in size) attenuate an optical signal (632.8 nm wavelength) by 3.6%. The electrical resistance is measured to be 50 mOmega. It is also shown that the fluidic I/Os with the integrated back-side thermofluidic microchannel heat sink can achieve thermal resistance as low as 0.17degC-cm2/W. Cooling of localized power density of >300 W/cm2 is also demonstrated. Mechanical testing of polymer pins before and after metallization is also reported.
Semiproper forcing axiom implies Martin maximum but not PFA

We prove that MM (Martin maximum) is equivalent (in ZFC) to the older axiom SPFA (semiproper forcing axiom). We also prove that SPFA does not imply SPFA + or even PFA + (using the consistency of a large cardinal).