cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Cell size and the initiation of DNA replication in bacteria.

In eukaryotes, DNA replication is coupled to the cell cycle through the actions of cyclin-dependent kinases and associated factors. In bacteria, the prevailing view, based primarily from work in Escherichia coli, is that growth-dependent accumulation of the highly conserved initiator, DnaA, triggers initiation. However, the timing of initiation is unchanged in Bacillus subtilis mutants that are ,30% smaller than wild-type cells, indicating that achievement of a particular cell size is not obligatory for initiation. Prompted by this finding, we re-examined the link between cell size and initiation in both E. coli and B. subtilis. Although changes in DNA replication have been shown to alter both E. coli and B. subtilis cell size, the converse (the effect of cell size on DNA replication) has not been explored. Here, we report that the mechanisms responsible for coordinating DNA replication with cell size vary between these two model organisms. In contrast to B. subtilis, small E. coli mutants delayed replication initiation until they achieved the size at which wild-type cells initiate. Modest increases in DnaA alleviated the delay, supporting the view that growth-dependent accumulation of DnaA is the trigger for replication initiation in E. coli. Significantly, although small E. coli and B. subtilis cells both maintained wild-type concentration of DnaA, only the E. coli mutants failed to initiate on time. Thus, rather than the concentration, the total amount of DnaA appears to be more important for initiation timing in E. coli. The difference in behavior of the two bacteria appears to lie in the mechanisms that control the activity of DnaA.
Efficiency gains for spinal radiosurgery using multicriteria optimization intensity modulated radiation therapy guided volumetric modulated arc therapy planning

Abstract Purpose To evaluate plan quality and delivery efficiency gains of volumetric modulated arc therapy (VMAT) versus a multicriteria optimization-based intensity modulated radiation therapy (MCO-IMRT) for stereotactic radiosurgery of spinal metastases. Methods and materials MCO-IMRT plans (RayStation V2.5; RaySearch Laboratories, Stockholm, Sweden) of 10 spinal radiosurgery cases using 7-9 beams were developed for clinical delivery, and patients were replanned using VMAT with partial arcs. The prescribed dose was 18 Gy, and target coverage was maximized such that the maximum dose to the planning organ-at-risk volume (PRV) of the spinal cord was 10 or 12 Gy. Dose-volume histogram (DVH) constraints from the clinically acceptable MCO-IMRT plans were utilized for VMAT optimization. Plan quality and delivery efficiency with and without collimator rotation for MCO-IMRT and VMAT were compared and analyzed based upon DVH, planning target volume coverage, homogeneity index, conformity number, cord PRV sparing, total monitor units (MU), and delivery time. Results The VMAT plans were capable of matching most DVH constraints from the MCO-IMRT plans. The ranges of MU were 4808-7193 for MCO-IMRT without collimator rotation, 3509-5907 for MCO-IMRT with collimator rotation, 4444-7309 for VMAT without collimator rotation, and 3277-5643 for VMAT with collimator of 90 degrees. The MU for the VMAT plans were similar to their corresponding MCO-IMRT plans, depending upon the complexity of the target and PRV geometries, but had a larger range. The delivery times of the MCO-IMRT and VMAT plans, both with collimator rotation, were 18.3 ± 2.5 minutes and 14.2 ± 2.0 minutes, respectively ( P Conclusions The MCO-IMRT and VMAT can create clinically acceptable plans for spinal radiosurgery. The MU for MCO-IMRT and VMAT can be reduced significantly by utilizing a collimator rotation following the orientation of the spinal cord. Plan quality for VMAT is similar to MCO-IMRT, with similar MU for both modalities. Delivery times can be reduced by nominally 25% with VMAT.
Information Urbanism Parametric urbanism in junction with GIS data processing & fabrication

Parametric Urbanism, pioneered by Zaha Hadid & Patrik Schumacher Architects with support coming from advanced computational technology, has been the interest of architects and urban designers in recent years. This new design thinking has been used in projects ranging from large scale urban development to building facade/surface design. However, the integration of demographics, cultural, and human factors into this computer controlled equation has so far been neglected. The gap between a simplified condition in the parametric design process and the actual complex urban context in the real world raises the questions of the parametric urbanism manifesto. . The authors present a study investigating the information processing of Parametric Urbanism and describe a new procedure coined -Information Urbanism. Unlike parametric urbanism, Information Urbanism considers cultural cues and demographics as input parameters. Information urbanism is defined as a hybrid method which seeks logical urban forms and analyzes its' importance through urban design education. The authors extended this method by exploring, collecting, analyzing, and visualizing urban information and physically representing the information through digital fabrication technology. The research presented within this paper is intended to realize the potential of quantifying demographic, social, and cultural data into a parametric equation. In these experiments, the integration of non-geometrical parameters within the form seeking and fabrication process resulted in a series of conceptual make-ups of city. The models were developed by manipulating zoning, transportation network, city block and various building types. Ultimately, Information Urbanism looks to build upon the strengths pre-defined in the Parametric Urbanism method and capture the benefits of Geographic Information System (GIS) by seamlessly integrating vital geospatial components in the equation and altering the way people explore the possible design solutions in order to generate the ideal urban forms.
Performance testing of asphalt pavements with recycled asphalt shingles from multiple field trials

Abstract Transportation agencies have become increasingly interested in modifying hot mix asphalt (HMA) pavements with recycled asphalt shingles (RAS), yet they share common questions about the effect of RAS on the performance of HMA. In this study, the field and laboratory performance of RAS mixes produced from seven different transportation agencies are investigated as part of Transportation Pooled Fund TPF-5(213). Field demonstration projects were conducted that evaluated multiple aspects of RAS that include RAS grind size, RAS percentage, RAS source, RAS in combination with warm mix asphalt technology, RAS as a fiber replacement for stone matrix asphalt, and RAS in combination with ground tire rubber. Field mixes from each demonstration project were sampled and tested for their permanent deformation, fatigue cracking, and low temperature cracking performance. Recovered asphalt binder from each mix was also evaluated. Pavement condition surveys were conducted for each project after completion.
Hyperspectral Imagery for Mapping Crop Yield for Precision Agriculture

Crop yield is one of the most important pieces of information for crop management in precision agriculture. It integrates the effects of various spatial variables such as soil properties, topographic attributes, tillage, plant population, fertilization, irrigation, and pest infestations. A yield map can therefore be an indispensable input for variable rate application either by itself or in combination with other spatial information. Imagery from traditional satellite systems, such as the U.S. Landsat satellites and the French SPOT satellites, has long been used to monitor crop growing conditions and to estimate crop yields over large geographic areas. However, this type of imagery has limited use for assessing within-field yield variability because of its coarse spatial resolution, long repeat cycles, and slow data delivery. Therefore, airborne multispectral and hyperspectral imaging systems have been more widely used for assessing within-field crop growth and yield variation. Remote sensing imagery obtained during the growing season has potential not only for after-season management, but also for within-season management. This chapter presents a brief overview of high resolution remote sensing imagery for mapping crop yield variability and illustrates how airborne hyperspectral imagery can be used for crop yield estimation based on different methods. Research results have demonstrated that hyperspectral imagery can be useful for estimating and mapping within-field crop yield variability for precision agriculture.
Community Vision and Interagency Alignment: A Community Planning Process to Promote Active Transportation

In 2010, the Brooklyn Active Transportation Community Planning Initiative launched in 2 New York City neighborhoods. Over a 2-year planning period, residents participated in surveys, school and community forums, neighborhood street assessments, and activation events-activities that highlighted the need for safer streets locally. Consensus among residents and key multisectoral stakeholders, including city agencies and community-based organizations, was garnered in support of a planned expansion of bicycling infrastructure. The process of building on community assets and applying a collective impact approach yielded changes in the built environment, attracted new partners and resources, and helped to restore a sense of power among residents.
Outcomes of repeat mitral valve surgery in patients with pulmonary hypertension.

OBJECTIVE We sought to study the outcomes of redo-mitral valve surgery in patients with pulmonary hypertension. METHODS We reviewed data on redo mitral valve surgery in patients with pulmonary hypertension measured by Swan-Ganz catheter (mean pulmonary artery pressure ≥ 25 mm Hg or systolic pulmonary artery pressure ≥ 40 mm Hg). RESULTS Between 1996 and 2010, 637 patients underwent 658 redo mitral valve operations; 138 of them had pulmonary hypertension. The mean patient age was 61.3 (13.9) years, with mean left ventricular ejection fraction of 47.6% (13.2%). The mean systolic pulmonary artery pressure was 61.5 (16.8) mm Hg, and mean pulmonary artery pressure was 40.8 (11.6) mm Hg. Patients had one (71%, 98/138), two (23.9%, 33/138), and three (5.1%, 7/138) previous mitral valve operations. Thirty-day mortality was 10.1% (14/138). Multivariate predictors of 30-day mortality were chronic renal failure [odds ratio (OR), 8.041; P = 0.022], peripheral vascular disease (OR, 5.976; P = 0.025), previous mitral valve replacement (OR, 9.034; P = 0.014), and increasing age (OR, 1.077; P = 0.013). The severity of pulmonary hypertension did not impact 30-day (P = 0.314) or late mortality (P = 0.860). Kaplan-Meier survival rates at 1, 3, and 5 years were 76.6% (n = 99), 65.7% (n = 62), and 55.9% (n = 41), respectively. CONCLUSIONS Patients with pulmonary hypertension that undergo redo mitral valve surgery have a 55.9% 5-year survival rate. Increasing age, chronic renal insufficiency, peripheral vascular disease, and preexisting mitral valve prosthesis are associated with early mortality. The severity of pulmonary hypertension does not affect operative mortality rates, but it may decrease 1-, 3-, and 5-year survival.
Water Adsorption at Polymer/Silicon Wafer Interfaces

Neutron reflectivity (NR) was applied to measure the concentration of water at the buried interfaces between polymer and silicon single crystal wafers. In the polyimide samples excess water was discovered within 30 A of the silicon/polymer interface, where the water concentration reached 17% (by volume) for the samples without a coupling agent and 12% for the ones with coupling agent. Beyond the interface, the water concentration was measured at 2-3 %, which is typical of bulk polyimide. Excess water was also found at the silicon/epoxy interface; more than 30% water was found within 150A of the interface in the samples with their interface precoated with a coupling agent. The equilibrium moisture content in bulk epoxy used in this study is about 6%. The above results demonstrate conclusively the unique power of NR in determining water concentration near a buried interface, and provide the first quantitative evidence for a water concentration profile which peaks in the interface region.
Poverty, Agency, and Human Rights, edited by Diana Meyers Tietjens

This new collection of essays is ‘premised on the belief that there is an urgent need for philosophers to analyze the moral underpinnings of the human rights that take aim at preventable, severe po...
Encouraging Students to Consider Music Education as a Future Profession

The purpose of this study was to examine the attitudes, communication, and opportunities provided by music teachers to encourage consideration of the music teaching profession. Survey participants ...
Modeling for Predicting the Flammable Content of Fly Ash Base on a Particle Swarm Optimized Back Propagation Neural Network

The magnitude of the flammable content of fly ash represents one of the important factors influencing the efficiency of a boiler and plays an important role in economic operation of the boiler.The authors optimized the linking weight value and threshold one between the nodes of a BP neural network by using the PSO(paricle swarm optimization) algorithm and established a BP neural network-based model optimized by using the PSO algorithm(called as a PSO-BP model for short).The model can thoroughly give a full play of both overall optimization searching ability of the particle swarm optimization algorithm and the local searching edge of the BP algorithm.The operating parameters of a 670 t/h boiler were used to predict the flammable content of the flying ash.It has been found that compared with the BP neural network based model,the PSO-BP model is more precise and faster to come to a converging point,thus offering a feasible method for analyzing and predicting the flammable content of fly ash in large-sized utility boilers.
Colloid Cysts of the Sellar Region

Colloid cysts are benign growths typically (99 %) arising in the third ventricle near the foramen of Monro.
Immunoregulatory Effects of Everolimus on In Vitro Alloimmune Responses

Everolimus (EVL) is a novel mTOR-inhibitor similar to sirolimus (SRL) that is used in organ transplant recipients, often in combination with tacrolimus (TAC) or mycophenolate (MPA). The current study aims to determine its effects on regulatory T cells. Increasing concentrations of EVL, MPA and TAC alone or in combination were added to MLRs of healthy volunteers. Lymphoproliferation by 3H-TdR incorporation and the percentage of newly generated CD4+CD127-CD25+FOXP3+ (total Treg) and CD4+CD127-CD25HighFOXP3+ (natural Treg) in CFSE labeled responder cells were assessed by flow cytometry. In comparison to medium controls, EVL and other agents dose-dependently inhibited 3H-TdR incorporation in HLA-2DR-matched and HLA-mismatched MLRs (n = 3–10). However, EVL significantly amplified newly generated total and natural Tregs in CFSE labeled responder cells (p SRL> MPA > TAC. If the results from these in vitro studies are extrapolated to clinical transplantation, it would suggest EVL plus low concentrations of MPA may be the most tolerogenic combination.
Mobilizing a Market: Ethnic Segregation and New Investor Recruitment into Kenya's Nairobi Securities Exchange

This study examines how actors from diverse and competing social groups can come to identify as members of a common market rather than as agents of their discrete social groups. Using data on new-investor recruitment into Kenya’s nascent capital market, the Nairobi Securities Exchange, from 2005 through 2008, I identified mechanisms driving social segmentation as well as integration of disparate groups. The empirical context is characterized by weak formal institutions and high levels of inter-ethnic distrust, a novel but productive setting for studying how potential adopters use social identities to resolve uncertainty around expected gains of participating in a new market. Results show that instead of exhibiting blanket influence by homophilous peers, potential investors were positively influenced by profits earned by proximate coethnic peers primarily when their own exposure to corrupt financial organizations was higher but were negatively influenced by the profits of ethnic outsiders when the market was identified with distrusted political rivals. Several mechanisms moderated this pattern of distrust, including inter-ethnic residential and religious integration but especially the use of national language rather than ethnic language advertising campaigns, which reframed the market as a shared social identity. Findings indicate that the negative effects of social segmentation, including the distorting influences of dissimilar peers and environmental factors such as political tensions and distrust in institutions, can be reversed when potential investors learn about new market opportunities from neutral third parties or when policy makers frame such practices in socially neutral language.
Dissolution of Biomass Using Ionic Liquids

Ionic liquids (ILs) have been shown to be effective in dissolving cellulose and other biopolymers that are structurally quite different from each other. It would be quite interesting to figure out the common points of the dissolution of structurally different biopolymers in various kinds of ILs. In this chapter, the IL dissolution of pure biopolymers such as cellulose, lignin, hemicellulose, chitin, silk, wool, etc., is reviewed. By analyzing the structures of the biopolymers and those of the ILs, it is concluded that the dissolution of most of these biopolymers (except lignin) in ILs is mainly due to the disruption of the intra- and intermolecular hydrogen bonding in the polymers by the ILs. Both the cations and anions of the ILs influence the dissolution process, although current work suggests the anions have a larger effect.
Reconceiving pasts in a digital age

This essay explores the way that digital media helps us think differently about how we practice history. Digital media can raise two issues about how our current practices can offer new ways to explore the current state of historiography. First, the more one is immersed in digital tools, they make us question first principles, the various practices and assumptions of modern history itself. Second, it offers ways of communicating the past that do not hide the process of “doing” history. In this article I will draw on my project, 1884 Japan, to raise questions about data or the fact. By using recorded happenings, I plan to explore the distancing of fact from the context in which it was embedded. Recorded happenings exist prior to the filtering of importance. It enables us to first recover the heterogeneity of pasts and recover the stories and experiences of a variety of people who have usually been written out of Japanese history. Second, by presenting this material I will suggest a layered, multitemporal history that combines the narrative of national becoming with the experiences of others.
A Place of Your Own on Tito’s Adriatic: Club Med and Czechoslovak Trade Union Holiday Resorts in the 1960s:

This article presents the disparate, yet similar, stories of foreign tourist resorts built on Yugoslavia’s coast in the 1960s: two of them owned privately, by the French Club Mediterranee, in Pakos...
Enhancing electrical properties of nickel silicide by using spike anneal as the second rapid thermal anneal

To create a nickel monosilicide (NiSi) film with superior electrical properties, two-step rapid thermal annealing (RTA) was optimized. Using in-situ chemical dry cleaning and increasing initial RTA temperature makes it possible to macroscopically transform nickel into NiSi without causing oxygen-contamination problems. Nevertheless, the Ni 2 Si remaining on the top surface of the NiSi degrades its electrical properties. Accordingly, to microscopically enhance the integrity of the NiSi, the second RTA was also optimized. It was found that using a spike anneal for the second RTA completely transforms the residual Ni 2 Si into NiSi, thereby enhancing the electrical properties of NiSi in 65-nm-node logic devices.
Using the Straight-Line Semilogarithmic Microbial Destruction Model as an Engineering Design Model for Determining the F-Value for Heat Processes1

The objective of this review paper is to support the use of the semilogarithmic microbial destruction model as a tool for arriving at an appropriate heat process FT-value. Both "science" and "engineering" are important in preserving food; however, the actual heat processing of the food product is an engineering operation and requires an engineering approach. The characteristics of an engineering design model are discussed and are contrasted with the requirement of a model to fit scientific data. A case is made for the use of the simple semilogarithmic model as an engineering design model for determining the heat process FT-value. An example is presented regarding how the model can be used to understand the effect of a change in product initial microbial load on the number of observed failures.
Grain engineering: How nanoscale inhomogeneities can control charge collection in solar cells

Abstract Statistical and correlative analysis are increasingly important in the design and study of new materials, from semiconductors to metals. Non-destructive measurement techniques, with high spatial resolution, capable of correlating composition and/or structure with device properties, are few and far between. For the case of polycrystalline and inhomogeneous materials, the added challenge is that nanoscale resolution is in general not compatible with the large sampling areas necessary to have a statistical representation of the specimen under study. For the study of grain cores and grain boundaries in polycrystalline solar absorbers this is of particular importance since their dissimilar behavior and variability throughout the samples makes it difficult to draw conclusions and ultimately optimize the material. In this study, we present a nanoscale in-operando approach based on the multimodal utilization of synchrotron nano x-ray fluorescence and x-ray beam induced current collected for grain core and grain boundary areas and correlated pixel-by-pixel in fully operational Cu ( In ( 1 − x ) Ga x ) Se 2 solar cells. We observe that low gallium cells have grain boundaries that over perform compared to the grain cores and high gallium cells have boundaries that under perform. These results demonstrate how nanoscale correlative X-ray microscopy can guide research pathways towards grain engineering low cost, high efficiency solar cells.
A graph algorithm for linearizing simulink models

This paper presents a new efficient approach for performing linearization of Simulink® models. It improves the efficiency of existing linearization algorithms using a Jacobian graph, a graph-based data structure that captures the linear relationship between input, output and state variables. The graph-based algorithm enables the use of graph transformations to reduce the size of the Jacobian data structure, thereby improving the efficiency of subsequent computations. This paper presents a heuristic implementation of the graph-based algorithm. Experimental results on a number of Simulink models of different sizes show how the approach is able to significantly improve computational efficiency and memory use especially in models with large numbers of blocks and states.
Corneal Transplantation in the Setting of Neurotrophic Keratopathy—Risks and Considerations

The aim of this study is to review diagnosis and clinical characteristics of neurotrophic keratitis and discuss both medical and surgical treatment options depending on disease severity. Management of NK depends upon identifying the severity and etiology of denervation and co-exiting ocular disorders. For active disease, the objective is to halt progression of melting, to provide structural support, and to prevent secondary infection. This can be accomplished through conjunctival flaps, amniotic membrane grafts, and tissue glue for small perforations. Surgery for visual restoration is best performed when the disease is quiescent. Full or partial thickness keratoplasty can be performed in conjunction with punctal occlusion, tarsorrhaphy, and amniotic membrane transplantation to aid in restoration of the ocular surface. Neurotrophic keratitis can lead to chronic epithelial breakdown, poor healing, and eventual stromal lysis. The underlying etiology should be recognized and treated. Medical treatments should be initiated first, and if appropriate, escalated to surgical intervention to first restore globe integrity in active disease. In quiescent disease, if keratoplasty is needed, the ocular surface should be optimized, and inflammation should be controlled prior to surgery. Close follow-up to maintain the health of the ocular surface is vital to graft survival and success. Future research should focus on studying how graft survival is impacted by adjunctive therapy during or following surgical intervention for NK.
Introduction of an additively manufactured multi-furcating heat exchanger

Currently, additive manufacturing advancements are continuous and frequent. Heat transfer equipment, such as heat exchangers, are an exemplary application that benefits from additive manufacturing innovation. Attributes such as low weight and volume are attainable using additive designs. Additive also allows monolithic builds with no braze joints required. A novel geometry was conceptualized, built, tested, and compared to the test results from a conventionally manufactured heat exchanger. Both heat exchangers were designed to meet the same heat transfer and pressure drop specifications — those of a commercial fuel-cooled oil cooler. Results show the additive design has equivalent heat transfer to the conventional heat exchanger and meets the pressure drop specifications — while having 66% lower weight when built with the same material and 50% lower volume. Additionally, the additive build requires no braze joints thus is expected to have improved reliability compared to the conventional design. The additive heat exchanger design was successfully built, and passed vacuum leak tests, using four different materials: Aluminum, Titanium 6–4, Cobalt Chrome, and Inconel-718.
Combination Therapies Targeting HDAC and IKK in Solid Tumors

The rationale for developing histone deacetylase (HDAC) inhibitors (HDACi) as anticancer agents was based on their ability to induce apoptosis and cell cycle arrest in cancer cells. However, while HDACi have been remarkably effective in the treatment of hematological malignancies, clinical studies with HDACi as single agents in solid cancers have been disappointing. Recent studies have shown that, in addition to inducing apoptosis in cancer cells, class I HDACi induce IκB kinase (IKK)-dependent expression of proinflammatory chemokines, such as interleukin-8 (IL8; CXCL8), resulting in the increased proliferation of tumor cells, and limiting the effectiveness of HDACi in solid tumors. Here, we discuss the mechanisms responsible for HDACi-induced CXCL8 expression, and opportunities for combination therapies targeting HDACs and IKK in solid tumors.
Adherence to biologics in patients with psoriasis.

Introduction: Psoriasis has a profound impact on patients’ lives, but adherence to topical treatment of psoriasis is still poor. Biologic treatment has revolutionized the management of psoriasis, b...
Student Perceptions of a Revise and Resubmit Policy for Writing Assignments

Effective writing is a soft skill that is highly in demand in today’s workforce. This qualitative study examines student perceptions of a revise and resubmit policy aimed at increasing student enga...
Determination of the Effective Interaction for Bound State Calculations in Nuclei

Although this is a conference principally on the interaction between a free nucleon and a nucleon bound in a nucleus, it is perhaps appropriate at the beginning to survey the present status of calculating microscopically the effective interaction among nucleons bound inside a nucleus. The basic theory, which relates the free nucleon-nucleon interaction to the effective interaction appropriate for shell-model calculations, is now well-established and will not be repeated here. Readers interested in the details of this theory are referred to several excellent review articles on this subject.1–4 Length restrictions do not permit a complete list of references in the present paper.
Translated Poisson-Processes

The point processes we consider in this chapter are useful as models for measured data acquired about an underlying, unobservable point-process when the measurements are imperfect and in the form of a point process. Such a measurement is illustrated in Fig. 3.1. Point of the underlying process, called the input point-process, occur on a space X.
Green Tea Polyphenol Epigallocatechin-3-Gallate-Stearate Inhibits the Growth of Streptococcus mutans: A Promising New Approach in Caries Prevention

Streptococcus mutans (S. mutans) is the main etiological bacteria present in the oral cavity that leads to dental caries. All of the S. mutans in the oral cavity form biofilms that adhere to the surfaces of teeth. Dental caries are infections facilitated by the development of biofilm. An esterified derivative of epigallocatechin-3-gallate (EGCG), epigallocatechin-3-gallate-stearate (EGCG-S), was used in this study to assess its ability to inhibit the growth and biofilm formation of S. mutans. The effect of EGCG-S on bacterial growth was evaluated with colony forming units (CFU) and log reduction; biofilm formation was qualitatively determined by Congo red assay, and quantitatively determined by crystal violet assay, fluorescence-based LIVE/DEAD assays to study the cell viability, and scanning electron microscopy (SEM) was used to evaluate the morphological changes. The results indicated that EGCG-S was able to completely inhibit growth and biofilm formation at concentrations of 250 µg/mL. Its effectiveness was also compared with a commonly prescribed mouthwash in the United States, chlorhexidine gluconate. EGCG-S was shown to be equally effective in reducing S. mutans growth as chlorhexidine gluconate. In conclusion, EGCG-S is potentially an anticariogenic agent by reducing bacterial presence in the oral cavity.
Ethics and Science

Speaking about science and humanistic education, which is to speak about the social relations of science, it is useful to address ourselves to the purest of social questions: not only such practical questions as arise in technological change and economic development, in allocation of our finite resources, and in mastering the runaway accumulation of knowledge and of people, but also the most ancient and simplest of questions, how shall a man live with his fellows and with himself? In every civilization we know, Asian, African, European, there have been those men who have said with Socrates that the unexamined life is not worth living. Indeed, the history of those who have been called ‘wise’ is a history of such explicit examinations of life.
Urinary Diversion for Neurogenic Bladder in Children

The fate of the upper urinary tracts after urinary diversion will determine its place in the management of neurogenic and congenital bladder lesions. In this study there was an over-all 13 per cent deterioration rate in the upper tracts after ileac and colonic diversions. The status of the upper tracts at the time of diversion was believed to be a significant factor in the prognosis.
Radiological Estimation of Intracranial Blood Volume and Occurrence of Hydrocephalus Determines Stress-Induced Hyperglycemia After Aneurysmal Subarachnoid Hemorrhage

Acute phase after aneurysmal subarachnoid hemorrhage (aSAH) is associated with several metabolic derangements including stress-induced hyperglycemia (SIH). The present study is designed to identify objective radiological determinants for SIH to better understand its contributory role in clinical outcomes after aSAH. A computer-aided detection tool was used to segment admission computed tomography (CT) images of aSAH patients to estimate intracranial blood and cerebrospinal fluid volumes. Modified Graeb score (mGS) was used as a semi-quantitative measure to estimate degree of hydrocephalus. The relationship between glycemic gap (GG) determined SIH, mGS, and estimated intracranial blood and cerebrospinal fluid volumes were evaluated using linear regression. Ninety-four [94/187 (50.3%)] among the study cohort had SIH (defined as GG > 26.7 mg/dl). Patients with SIH had 14.3 ml/1000 ml more intracranial blood volume as compared to those without SIH [39.6 ml (95% confidence interval, CI, 33.6 to 45.5) vs. 25.3 ml (95% CI 20.6 to 29.9), p = 0.0002]. Linear regression analysis of mGS with GG showed each unit increase in mGS resulted in 1.2 mg/dl increase in GG [p = 0.002]. Patients with SIH had higher mGS [median 4.0, interquartile range, IQR 2.0–7.0] as compared to those without SIH [median 2.0, IQR 0.0–6.0], p = 0.002. Patients with third ventricular blood on admission CT scan were more likely to develop SIH [67/118 (56.8%) vs. 27/69 (39.1%), p = 0.023]. Hence, the present study, using unbiased SIH definition and objective CT scan parameters, reports “dose-dependent” radiological features resulting in SIH. Such findings allude to a brain injury-stress response-neuroendocrine axis in etiopathogenesis of SIH.
Axonal Transport of Gangliosides and Neutral Glycolipids in the Peripheral Nervous System. Identification of Ganglioside Types in Motoneurons of the PNS

The highly compartmentalized nature of ganglioside biosynthesis in cells (Yusef et al., 1983) together with their widespread distribution over the cell surface (Ledeen, 1978) has suggested the presence of efficient transport/transfer mechanisms. One aspect of these processes has been elucidated in the central nervous system (CNS) through demostration of fast axonal transport as the primary mechanism for conveyance of gangliosides to axonal and nerve-ending membranes (Forman and Ledeen, 1972; Rosner et al., 1973; Landa et al., 1979; Ledeen et al., 1981; Gammon et al., 1985). Recent studies with sciatic nerve of rabbit (Yates et al., 1984) and rat (Aquino et al., 1985a) have demonstrated similar anterograde flow of gangliosides in the PNS as well. The above rat system, involving motoneurons, also revealed another aspect of ganglioside movement in the neuron, i.e., retrograde axonal transport.
Effects of FDA drug approvals on a thoracic oncology program’s clinical trial enrollment in 2015.

e20662Background: The 6 FDA drug approvals for non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) in 2015 included 2 programmed cell death protein 1 (PD-1) inhibitors and a 3rd generation (gen) epidermal growth fa...
Expected social support and recovery of functional status after heart surgery

Purpose: We investigate if expectations of social support prior to heart surgery are consistent with received support from family and friends in the post-surgery period, and whether expected social...
Quantification of shear induced agglomeration in chemical mechanical polishing slurries under different chemical environments

Abstract The impact of shear on agglomeration in CMP slurries needs to be studied to reduce the defectivity resulting from large agglomerates (>0.5 μm) during Chemical Mechanical Planarization/Polishing (CMP) process. In this work the impact of the change in the pH of CMP slurries on their agglomeration behavior at different quantified shear rates are studied. The threshold value of Camp number (equal to shear rate x time) which represents total shear that is required for causing agglomeration in CMP slurries for different pH values (pH 2, 7 and 10) are measured. The value of the threshold Camp number required to cause agglomeration in a slurry was lowest for acidic pH conditions (Camp number 1E5), highest for basic pH conditions (Camp number 1.5E6) and value of threshold Camp number for neutral pH conditions (Camp number 1.5E5) was between acidic and basic conditions. It was concluded that the value of the threshold Camp number is dependent on the inter-particle forces or surface charges on silica particles in the slurry, and higher inter-particle repulsive forces increases the threshold value of Camp number. Good co-relations between Camp number and the extent of agglomeration in different CMP slurry samples are demonstrated. This method can be used for designing better slurry delivery systems for different slurry chemistries, to reduce the formation of the shear induced agglomerates during slurry handling and in turn reducing the defects during CMP process.
Measuring and Optimizing Durability against Scheduling Disturbances

Flexibility is a useful and common metric for measuring the amount of slack in a Simple Temporal Network (STN) solution space. We extend this concept to specific schedules within an STN’s solution space, developing a related notion of durability that captures an individual schedule’s ability to withstand disturbances and still remain valid. We identify practical sources of scheduling disturbances that motivate the need for durable schedules, and create a geometricallyinspired empirical model that enables testing a given schedule’s ability to withstand these disturbances. We develop a number of durability metrics and use these to characterize and compute specific schedules that we expect to have high durability. Using our model of disturbances, we show that our durability metrics strongly predict a schedule’s resilience to practical scheduling disturbances. We also demonstrate that the schedules we identify as having high durability are up to three times more resilient to disturbances than an arbitrarily chosen schedule is.
Case Study 1: The Spread of Change in French Negation

French is an example of Jespersen’s Cycle (Negation in English and Other Languages. Copenhagen: Munksgaard, 1917), with a shift from ne alone to ne … pas to pas alone over the past 500 years. Grieve-Smith (The Spread of Change in French Negation. Ph.D. diss., University of New Mexico, 2009) found that in Old French ne … pas appears predominantly in contexts that are consistent with presupposition denial but increased in frequency from the sixteenth through twentieth centuries, appearing in predicate negation contexts. This fits with Kroch’s (Language Variation and Change 1: 199–244, 1989) application of Verhulst’s (Correspondence Mathematiques et Physiques 10: 113, 1838) logistic model of population increase, which can be explained by Bybee’s (Language and Cognitive Processes 10 (425)–455, 1995) connection of type frequency to analogical extension. Unfortunately, the concerns about representativeness raised in Chap. 2 apply to this study. Texts in the Digital Parisian Stage corpus have a significantly lower token frequency of ne alone than those in FRANTEXT for 1800–1815.
Testing the Sensitivity of the Galactic Center Excess to the Point Source Mask

The Fermi Large Area Telescope (Fermi-LAT) Collaboration has an updated point source catalog, referred to as 4FGL. We perform the first template fit using a mask based on this new catalog and find that the excess in gamma rays detected at the Galactic Center in Fermi-LAT data persists. On the other hand, we find that a search for point sources is highly sensitive to the use of the 4FGL catalog: no sizable excess of bright pixels is apparent in the inner Galaxy when we mask out 4FGL point sources. Combining these observations restricts the ability of point sources to contribute to the Galactic Center excess. After identifying which bright sources have no known counterpart, we place strong constraints on any point source luminosity function capable of explaining the smooth emission identified in the template fit.
Anterolateral Complex Reconstruction Augmentation of Anterior Cruciate Ligament Reconstruction: Biomechanics, Indications, Techniques, and Clinical Outcomes.

Injury to the anterolateral complex may be identified on advanced imaging and may manifest with a higher level of instability, in particular with pivot-shift testing.The anterolateral ligament reconstruction or modified Lemaire procedure may be used to reconstruct the anterolateral complex of the kn
A Review of the Fruit Volatiles Found in Blueberry and Other Vaccinium Species

Variations in volatile organic compound (VOC) type and content can result in noticeable differences in fruit aroma. The genus Vaccinium encompasses over 500 distinct species of berry-producing plants, several of which are important to commercial horticulture. Understanding which VOCs are produced by different members of this genus could greatly aid efforts to improve the aroma of multiple Vaccinium crops by breeding for desirable fruit volatiles. This review summarizes the published research available on this topic, examining prior work done to characterize the volatile profiles of blueberries, cranberries, bilberries, lingonberries, whortleberries, and other Vaccinium berries. In addition, analytical methodologies used to obtain Vaccinium berry volatile profiles are discussed. Possible future directions for Vaccinium berry volatile research are also examined.
Applying Natural Language Processing and Hierarchical Machine Learning Approaches to Text Difficulty Classification

For decades, educators have relied on readability metrics that tend to oversimplify dimensions of text difficulty. This study examines the potential of applying advanced artificial intelligence methods to the educational problem of assessing text difficulty. The combination of hierarchical machine learning and natural language processing (NLP) is leveraged to predict the difficulty of practice texts used in a reading comprehension intelligent tutoring system, iSTART. Human raters estimated the text difficulty level of 262 texts across two text sets (Set A and Set B) in the iSTART library. NLP tools were used to identify linguistic features predictive of text difficulty and these indices were submitted to both flat and hierarchical machine learning algorithms. Results indicated that including NLP indices and machine learning increased accuracy by more than 10% as compared to classic readability metrics (e.g., Flesch-Kincaid Grade Level). Further, hierarchical outperformed non-hierarchical (flat) machine learning classification for Set B (72%) and the combined set A + B (65%), whereas the non-hierarchical approach performed slightly better than the hierarchical approach for Set A (79%). These findings demonstrate the importance of considering deeper features of language related to text difficulty as well as the potential utility of hierarchical machine learning approaches in the development of meaningful text difficulty classification.
Comparative outcomes in different aortic valve stenosis surgeries and implications of TAVR surgery for cirrhotic patients: A retrospective cohort study.

Abstract Background Our hospital system is committed to service to medically underserved, low-income, and minority populations. It is located in a city wherein 37% of people live in poverty. Overall cost effectiveness is part of our patient care quality improvement. Cirrhotic patients are at higher risk for cardiac surgery as cardiopulmonary bypass triggers the release of substances that mimic the physiologic changes seen in cirrhosis. We compared outcomes of surgeries performed for the treatment of aortic valve stenosis, surgical aortic valve replacement (SAVR), mini-surgical valve replacement (mini-SVR), and transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR) with attention to cirrhotic patients. Methods This retrospective cohort study looked at the medical records of 457 patients. Demographic data, substance abuse, pre-existing diagnoses, length of stay, outcomes, and lab values were collected for each patient pre- and post-surgery. Fisher's exact test or chi square was used to compare categorical characteristics and outcomes among groups. ANOVA for repeated measures was utilized to compare group differences of continuous measurements over time. Results Despite having the highest average age of patients and higher incidence of pre-existing comorbidities, post-operative complications such as arrhythmia, hyponatremia, and coagulopathy developed to a lesser extent in TAVR patients. The length of post-surgery hospital stay was also the least in TAVR patients. TAVR offered better post-operative outcomes in cirrhotic patients as well. Conclusions TAVR showed better post-surgical outcomes and provide an option for cardiac surgery for cirrhotic patients. This data will be useful for enabling a patient-centered decision-making process in our population.
‘As resilient as an ironweed:' narrative resilience in nonprofit organizing

This study explores the organizing strategies of a nonprofit organization working to address rural food insecurity. I worked alongside Sustainable Appalachia, a nonprofit organization operating to ...
Association of Exhaled Carbon Monoxide With Ideal Cardiovascular Health, Circulating Biomarkers, and Incidence of Heart Failure in the Framingham Offspring Study.

Background Exhaled carbon monoxide (eCO) is directly associated with traditional cardiovascular disease risk factors and incident cardiovascular disease. However, its relation with the cardiovascul...
Polyethylene upcycling to long-chain alkylaromatics by tandem hydrogenolysis/aromatization

The current scale of plastics production and the accompanying waste disposal problems represent a largely untapped opportunity for chemical upcycling. Tandem catalytic conversion by platinum supported on γ-alumina converts various polyethylene grades in high yields (up to 80 weight percent) to low-molecular-weight liquid/wax products, in the absence of added solvent or molecular hydrogen, with little production of light gases. The major components are valuable long-chain alkylaromatics and alkylnaphthenes (average ~C30, dispersity Ð = 1.1). Coupling exothermic hydrogenolysis with endothermic aromatization renders the overall transformation thermodynamically accessible despite the moderate reaction temperature of 280°C. This approach demonstrates how waste polyolefins can be a viable feedstock for the generation of molecular hydrocarbon products.
Using non-invasive MEMS pressure sensors for measuring building envelope air leakage

Abstract Micro-electromechanical systems (MEMS)-based sensors have seen significant improvements in accuracy and cost over the past several years, and due to the need for altitude sensing in unmanned aerial vehicles and wearable technologies, absolute pressure sensors have shown the most dramatic improvements. This paper investigates applications of MEMS sensors in commercial buildings, including pairing two absolute pressure sensors to determine differential pressures between different locations in and around buildings. Differential pressure measurements are commonly made in commercial buildings for a number of applications, including static pressure measurements for variable-speed supply fan control, air balancing in hospitals, and for envelope and duct air leakage testing. This paper focuses specifically on envelope air-leakage testing applications of these sensors. The use of continuous pressure measurements in addition to one-time non-intrusive outdoor airflow measurements of rooftop packaged units is investigated. A comparison with standardized leakage testing indicated that continuous measurements with MEMS pressure-sensors were able to estimate envelope leakage to within 3–16% of the standardized test result. In addition, the magnitude and stability of differential pressure differences that can be resolved with absolute pressure sensors are also investigated in the laboratory and the field. Results show that the sensors can be effectively used for pressures seen in low rise buildings with rooftop units.
A Coherent 225 GHz Receiver

A receiver for use at 225 GHz has been designed and built. It uses a low noise, subharmonically pumped, balanced mixer that requires a local oscillator (LO) at only one fourth the signal frequency. The local oscillator is a commercially available 56 GHz phase locked Gunn oscillator with a 50 mW power output. Preliminary results indicate a 12 dB system noise figure (DSB).