cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Levamisole-Induced Leukocytoclastic Vasculitis with Negative Serology in a Cocaine User

BACKGROUND Levamisole is a common adulterant of cocaine. It can cause agranulocytosis and cutaneous vasculitis that can possibly lead to cutaneous necrosis. In all reported cases of levamisole-induced vasculitis, it has been described as a clinical syndrome characterized by a constellation of typical clinical features and a positive serum serology for ANCA levels, especially very high-titer p-ANCA levels, in the background of cocaine abuse. However, patients may have a negative serology and here, we present the first such case. CASE REPORT A 58-year-old African American man with a history of polysubstance abuse, 4 days after last cocaine use, presented with sudden onset of painful pruritic rash and polyarthralgias. He was found to have normal vital signs, with bilateral tender knees and erythematous-purplish maculopapular lesions involving the abdomen and the left thigh. Laboratory work-up was significant for elevated CRP, negative c-ANCA, p-ANCA ANA, and RA levels, and a positive urine toxicology for cocaine. Urine analysis by high-performance liquid chromatography was positive for levamisole. Ultimately, a final diagnosis was made by skin biopsy, which revealed findings suggestive of leukocytoclastic vasculitis. CONCLUSIONS Cutaneous leukocytoclastic vasculitis can be caused by levamisole, which is used as an adulterant in cocaine. Most cases are associated with positive ANCA levels; however, a negative serology is also a possibility.
Beyond epithelial‐to‐mesenchymal transition: Common suppression of differentiation programs underlies epithelial barrier dysfunction in mild, moderate, and severe asthma

Background Epithelial barrier dysfunction is a central feature in the pathogenesis of allergic disease. Epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition (EMT) has been proposed as one mechanism afflicting barrier in asthma. However, genes and pathways involved in aberrant epithelial-mesenchymal signaling, and their relationship to asthma severity, are poorly understood. Methods We used unbiased gene network analysis to evaluate functional convergence in epithelial gene expression signatures across multiple public access transcriptomics datasets of human asthma, followed by text mining to evaluate functional marker relevance of discovered genes. We objectively confirmed these findings in epithelial brushings and primary asthmatic epithelial cells cultured in different biological contexts. Results We found a striking suppression of epithelial differentiation in asthma, overrepresented by insufficiency in insulin and Notch signaling, but with the absence of conventional EMT markers. We identified EFNB2, FGFR1, FGFR2, INSR, IRS2, NOTCH2, TLE1, and NTRK2 as novel markers central to dysregulation of epithelial-mesenchymal signaling, but surprisingly overlooked in asthma research. We found that this “core” signature of asthma is shared by mild, moderate, and severe forms of disease, progressing with severity. Loss of epithelial differentiation induced by insulin deprivation in normal human bronchial epithelial cells cultured in organotypic conditions closely approximated gene expression in asthmatic epithelial brushings. Conclusions The comparative analysis of publically available transcriptomes demonstrated that epithelial barrier dysfunction in asthma is characterized by persistent underlying de-differentiation program with complex etiology. The lasting alteration of the asthmatic epithelial cell transcriptome implicates regulation involving metabolism and epigenetics, beyond EMT driven by injury and repair in chronic inflammation. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.
Peirce on Truth as the Predestinate Opinion

Abstract: In 1878's ‘How to Make Our Ideas Clear’, Peirce states that truth is the predestinate opinion, or that which is fated to be ultimately agreed to by all who investigate. Later in his life, though, he would claim both (i) that truth is what would be believed if we could figure out the right method of inquiry and (ii) that, instead of affirming that truth is the predestinate opinion in 1878, he ought to have affirmed that truth is what would be believed if inquiry were carried sufficiently far. The aim of this paper is to provide an account of why the early Peirce endorses the claim that truth is the predestinate opinion and why the late Peirce is compelled to modify that position. I argue that Peirce's early statement that truth is the predestinate opinion is motivated by his theory that all mental action is of the nature of a valid inference and that the later modification of his view is partly motivated by his rejection of that theory.
Expanding role boundary management theory: How volunteering highlights contextually shifting strategies and collapsing work–life role boundaries:

Despite interest in expanding work–family research to focus on work–life issues, few scholars have addressed non-family life enrichment roles and their potential additional forms of and issues for ...
Information-Sharing and Community-Building: Exploring the Use of Twitter in Science Public Relations:

Social media have given rise to new opportunities for science organizations to communicate with the public. Building on theories of science communication and public relations, this study examined s...
Photoacoustic microscopy of lipids at 1.2 and 1.7 μm using a pulsed supercontinuum laser

Photoacoustic microscopy (PAM) is promising for label-free histology of lipid-rich tissue. Lipids have optical absorption peaks at 1.2 and 1.7 μm, but these wavelengths are typically produced with expensive optical parametric oscillator (OPO) lasers. Photonic crystal fibers (PCFs) have nonlinear optical properties that enable a single-wavelength laser to produce an ultra-broadband supercontinuum spanning the visible and near-infrared. In this paper, we demonstrate near-infrared PAM of lipids using a supercontinuum PCF laser. Our system starts with a 1047 nm Q-switched Nd:YLF laser producing 14 ns pulses with 100 uJ of energy at a 2.5 kHz repetition rate. These pulses are sent through 30 meters of polarization-maintaining large-mode area photonic crystal fiber (LMA-PCF) with a 10 μm core diameter. The desired PAM wavelength is selected with a dielectric band-pass filter (50 nm bandwidth) and focused onto the sample with a 4X microscope objective. The laser pulse energy at 1047, 1100, 1225, 1325, 1600, and 1714 nm are 6.81, 6.43, 1.07, 1.23, 0.76, and 0.32 μJ, respectively. Imaging experiments are performed on a lipid phantom (butter in clear gelatin) and Drosophila larva. Lipid contrast is 12 dB higher at 1714 nm compared to 1225 nm, despite the much lower pulse energy at 1714 nm. To our knowledge, this is the first demonstration of a supercontinuum laser for near-infrared PAM of lipids. We believe our system's wavelength flexibility make it promising for label-free histology of lipid-rich tissue.
FUNDAMENTALS OF MODE THEORY OF WAVE PROPAGATION

A self-contained treatment of the waveguide mode theory of propagation is presented. The model of a flat earth with a sharply bounded and homogeneous isotropic ionosphere is treated for both vertical and horizontal dipole excitation. The properties of the modes are discussed in considerable detail. The influence of earth curvature is also considered by reformulating the problem using spherical wave functions of complex order. The modes in such a curved guide are investigated and despite the initial complexity of the general solution, many interesting and limiting cases may be treated in simple fashion to yield useful and convenient formulas for calculation.
A framework for quantifying node-level community structure group differences in brain connectivity networks

We propose a framework for quantifying node-level community structures between groups using anatomical brain networks derived from DTI-tractography. To construct communities, we computed hierarchical binary trees by maximizing two metrics: the well-known modularity metric (Q), and a novel metric that measures the difference between inter-community and intra-community path lengths. Changes in community structures on the nodal level were assessed between generated trees and a statistical framework was developed to detect local differences between two groups of community structures. We applied this framework to a sample of 42 subjects with major depression and 47 healthy controls. Results showed that several nodes (including the bilateral precuneus, which have been linked to self-awareness) within the default mode network exhibited significant differences between groups. These findings are consistent with those reported in previous literature, suggesting a higher degree of ruminative self-reflections in depression.
Electric Field Deformation of Protein-Coated Droplets in Thin Channels

High-strength droplet interfaces are attractive for many applications, specifically in cases where droplets are channeled through fluidic devices and manipulated by electromagnetic fields. Using models and experiments, we study the deformation of droplets and capsules with protein interfaces in an electric field in thin and wide electrode gaps. Proteins are chosen from candidates expected to display qualitatively different interfacial interactions and strengths: a globular protein (bovine serum albumin), a reversible cross-linking peptide (AFD4), and a hydrophobin (cerato ulmin). Dilute protein additives can lead to over 1 order of magnitude stronger oil-water interfaces than those stabilized by small surfactants. We develop small deformation models to evaluate a protein membrane's interfacial elasticity, notably accounting for the electric field perturbation encountered in a gap and a careful treatment of a generalized elastic interface with both surface tension and interfacial elasticity. Results indicate that globular proteins, which typically have comparable surface tension and interfacial elasticity, can be modeled well by this generalized elastic interface. We further find that when in a gap, droplets and capsules migrate toward one electrode, deform asymmetrically, exhibit polar spreading on the electrode, and predictably stretch more than in the infinite gap scenario at constant field strength.
CHAPTER 1 – THREE-BODY RECOMBINATION OF POSITIVE AND NEGATIVE IONS

A quasi-equilibrium statistical theory is used to investigate the low density limit to the rate of the three body ionic recombination process X+ + Y+Z -[XY] + Z, the interaction between the third body and an ion being taken to be of the Langevin form. It is shown that the recombination coefficient oa is, to a close approximation, equal to the sum of two partial recombination coefficients, acl and ac23 the former describing recombination due only to X+ -Z collisions and the latter describing recombination due only to Y -Z collisions. Results are presented which enable a to be found for a wide range of values of the temperature, the masses of the three species involved, the two Langevin hard-sphere radii and the polarizability of the third body. In the case of equal masses (for which it was designed) the well-known theory of Thomson is remarkably successful with regard to its predictions on the dependence of ac on the temperature and on the interactions.
A Longitudinal Study of Psychological Factors as Mediators of the Relationship Between Insomnia Symptoms and Suicidal Ideation Among Young Adults

Study Objectives:Prior cross-sectional studies indicate that psychological factors (eg, perceived burdensomeness, thwarted belongingness) may explain the relationship between insomnia and suicidal ...
Spirituality, Creativity, and Ethics: Classroom Lessons from Pope Francis’s Speech to Accountants

In November 2014, Pope Francis addressed the World Congress of Accountants in Rome and called on the profession to go beyond accomplishing its duty with competence and wisdom. The pope challenged the profession to find creative solutions to social problems such as unemployment so as to give all people the opportunity to achieve self-development. The study draws upon the pope’s speech for lessons on how the profession can transform its ethical self-image from a passive enabler of other business functions to a visionary counselor of creative win/win solutions for problems that arise from tensions between profits and social solidarity. Such a transformation can come about when professionals allow their spiritual resources to inform their work practices. Recent studies show that workers and companies with a spiritual orientation perform better than their peers. One particular benefit of spirituality is that it encourages creativity. In addition to the spiritual lessons from the pope’s speech, the author also shares his experience in discussing the pope’s speech in an accounting class. The study concludes with examples of how accountants could propose creative solutions and perspectives to tensions between corporate profits and social solidarity.
Impact of KRAS and TP53 Co-Mutations on Outcomes After First-Line Systemic Therapy Among Patients With STK11-Mutated Advanced Non–Small-Cell Lung Cancer

PURPOSEThe STK11 gene encodes a serine/threonine protein kinase that regulates cell polarity and functions as a tumor suppressor. Patients with non–small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC) and STK11 mutation...
Quantitative Assessment of Trace-Element Contamination in Parenteral Nutrition Components.

Background Trace-element contamination of contemporary parenteral nutrition (PN) components exists in unknown quantities and, in combination with excessive amounts of certain trace elements provided in commercially available adult, pediatric, and neonatal multitrace-element (MTE) products, could result in eventual accumulation and toxicity. This study aims to quantify trace-element contamination in components used for PN compounding to further inform recommendations for MTE product reformulation and individualized trace-element prescribing in PN. Methods A total of 32 unique components (65 products) available for PN compounding were tested for manganese, chromium, selenium, zinc, and copper contamination, utilizing inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry. Theoretical adult, pediatric, and neonatal PNs were formulated to assess the impact of macronutrient and micronutrient component doses on PN trace-element contamination. Results Trace-element contamination was detected in 24 (75%) components tested. Chromium and manganese were common, present in 65.6% and 51.5% of all components, respectively. Eight components did not contain detectable trace-element contamination, most notably sterile water, concentrated dextrose, and lipid emulsion. Manganese contamination in theoretical adult, pediatric, and neonatal PN was 25.18, 9.92, and 1.37 µg, respectively. Chromium contamination was 4.85, 1.5, and 0.28 µg, respectively. Conclusion Trace-element contamination was prevalent in components used to compound PN. Our findings support reformulation of adult, pediatric, and neonatal manufactured MTE products to eliminate chromium, decrease manganese, and supply full daily physiologic requirements of selenium, zinc, and copper. Future study is needed to assess the additional contamination that could occur through the compounding and storage processes.
Impact of seasonal influenza vaccination on pandemic influenza

Canadian studies have found that receipt of seasonal influenza vaccine increased the risk of infection with 2009 pandemic influenza A ( H1N1 ) , and Australian studies have not confirmed this finding. Ferret experiments have suggested protection against pandemic influenza A ( H1N1 ) from prior seasonal influenza infections but not from prior seasonal vaccination. Modelling studies suggest that influenza infection leads to heterosubtypic temporary immunity. These observations can explain the discrepant findings in Canada and Australia. In Australia there was no recent prior circulation of seasonal influenza and thus no temporary immunity to pandemic influenza. There was no association of seasonal influenza vaccine with pandemic influenza infection. In Canada seasonal influenza preceded circulation of pandemic influenza. An unvaccinated proportion of the population developed temporary immunity to pandemic influenza from seasonal infection but a vaccinated proportion of the population did not get seasonal infection and hence did not develop temporary immunity to pandemic influenza. It may therefore have appeared as if seasonal vaccination increased the risk of infection with 2009 pandemic influenza A( H1N1). Key words: Influenza vaccines; Seasonal influenza; Pandemic influenza; Temporary immunity
A nationally representative sample of veteran and matched non-veteran college students: Mental health symptoms, suicidal ideation, and mental health treatment.

Objective: To assess mental health symptoms, suicidal ideation/behaviors, and treatment among a nationally representative probability sample of student veterans. Participants: Student veterans enro...
Perceptions of difference and disdain on the self-stigma of mental illness

People with mental illness are viewed as different and disdained by the general population leading to public stigma. When public stigma becomes internalized, it results in self-stigma. Content-less...
Precipitation and soil moisture data in two engineered urban green infrastructure facilities in New York City.

Abstract This paper archives spatiotemporal volumetric moisture content (VMC) and associated precipitation datasets collected between 2012 and 2014 at different depths in two different New York City green infrastructure (GI) (e.g. bioretention) facilities, termed Site 1 and Site 2, respectively. The two sites are similar in both design and monitoring set up, and are located within two kilometers of one another, but differ in terms of hydraulic loading ratio (HLR). Both sites were designed and instrumented specifically to facilitate a comparison of the hydrologic fluxes within the two GI facilities. Site 1 receives only direct rainfall and is hydrologically isolated from the surrounding impervious surfaces (HLR = 1); Site 2 receives both direct precipitation and street runoff through a curb cut inlet (HLR = 3.8). Monitoring was conducted both inside (L plots) and outside (G plots) weighing lysimeters that were installed at both sites and planted with similar vegetation. Each L and G plot was equipped with five soil moisture sensors installed at 5, 10, 20, 30, and 50 cm depths in a circular pattern. This dataset is associated with the original research presented in “Observed Variability in Soil Moisture in Engineered Urban Green Infrastructure Systems and Linkages to Ecosystem Services [1] .”
Transforming Hydroxide-Containing Metal–Organic Framework Nodes for Transition Metal Catalysis

The abundance and structural diversity of hydroxide-containing secondary building units (SBUs) in metal–organic frameworks (MOFs) have provided unique opportunities for the development of transition metal (TM) catalysts. This minireview surveys the structures of hydroxide-containing SBUs and summarizes recently developed strategies for the generation of catalytically active metal complexes on these SBUs and direct transformation of SBU hydroxides to catalytically active species. The applications of SBU-based catalysts in various organic transformations are also discussed, along with comparisons with homogeneous benchmarks. Systematic studies of the conversion of SBUs to catalytically active species will reveal structure–reactivity relationships in this class of MOF catalysts and provide structural and functional models for traditional heterogeneous catalysts. Structure-based optimization of SBU-based catalysts promises to lead to highly efficient and low-cost novel TM catalysts with important roles in green chemistry and sustainability.
Germline Doping for Heightened Performance in Sport

In recent years, gene editing techniques such as CRISPR-cas9 have begun to enable the genetic makeup of organisms – including humans – to be precisely designed and engineered. Human embryonic gene editing is both nascent and highly contentious, with many in the scientific community cautioning against its use. However, given the long history of new technologies being used to confer a competitive advantage in sport, it is likely only a matter of time before human embryonic germ-line editing is explored to heighten athletic performance. As the technology develops, there is an urgent need to better-understand the legal landscape around germ-line doping to ensure the safety and well-being of athletes, and the integrity and value of the sports they participate in.
Role of C-reactive protein in effective utilization of emergent MRI for spinal infections

Emergent spinal MRI is recommended for patients with back pain and red flags for infection. However, many of these studies are negative due to low prevalence of spinal infections. Our purpose was to assess if C-reactive protein (CRP) can be used to guide effective utilization of emergent MRI for spinal infections. 316/960 (33%) MRIs performed for infection by the emergency department over 75-month period had CRP levels obtained at presentation, after excluding patients receiving antibiotic or had spinal surgery in 100 mg/L as highly elevated. CRP was normal in 95/316 (30%) and abnormal in 221/316 (70%) patients. MRI was positive in 43/316 (13.6%) patients, all of whom had abnormal CRP. CRP (p < 0.001) and intravenous drug use (IVDU; p = 0.002) were independently associated with a positive MRI. Receiver operator characteristic (ROC) analysis showed AUC of 0.76 for CRP, slightly improving with IVDU. Sensitivity, specificity, and negative predictive values for CRP level cut-off: 10 mg/L, 100%, 35%, and 100%, and 100 mg/L, 58%, 70% and 91%, respectively. Abnormal CRP, although extremely sensitive, lacks specificity in predicting a positive MRI for spinal infection unless highly elevated. However, a normal CRP (absent recent antibiotic or surgery) makes spinal infection unlikely, and its routine use as a screening test can help reducing utilization of emergent MRI for this purpose.
Parkinsonism Alters Beta Burst Dynamics across the Basal Ganglia-Motor Cortical Network.

Elevated synchronized oscillatory activity in the beta band has been hypothesized to be a pathophysiological marker of Parkinson9s disease (PD). Recent studies have suggested that parkinsonism is closely associated with increased amplitude and duration of beta burst activity in the subthalamic nucleus (STN). How beta burst dynamics are altered from the normal to parkinsonian state across the basal ganglia–thalamocortical (BGTC) motor network, however, remains unclear. In this study, we simultaneously recorded local field potential activity from the STN, internal segment of the globus pallidus (GPi), and primary motor cortex (M1) in three female rhesus macaques, and characterized how beta burst activity changed as the animals transitioned from normal to progressively more severe parkinsonian states. Parkinsonism was associated with an increased incidence of beta bursts with longer duration and higher amplitude in the low beta band (8–20 Hz) in both the STN and GPi, but not in M1. We observed greater concurrence of beta burst activity, however, across all recording sites (M1, STN, and GPi) in PD. The simultaneous presence of low beta burst activity across multiple nodes of the BGTC network that increased with severity of PD motor signs provides compelling evidence in support of the hypothesis that low beta synchronized oscillations play a significant role in the underlying pathophysiology of PD. Given its immersion throughout the motor circuit, we hypothesize that this elevated beta-band activity interferes with spatial–temporal processing of information flow in the BGTC network that contributes to the impairment of motor function in PD. SIGNIFICANCE STATEMENT This study fills a knowledge gap regarding the change in temporal dynamics and coupling of beta burst activity across the basal ganglia–thalamocortical (BGTC) network during the evolution from normal to progressively more severe parkinsonian states. We observed that changes in beta oscillatory activity occur throughout BGTC and that increasing severity of parkinsonism was associated with a higher incidence of longer duration, higher amplitude low beta bursts in the basal ganglia, and increased concurrence of beta bursts across the subthalamic nucleus, globus pallidus, and motor cortex. These data provide new insights into the potential role of changes in the temporal dynamics of low beta activity within the BGTC network in the pathogenesis of Parkinson9s disease.
Explaining Algorithmic Decisions

Algorithmic systems are increasingly instrumental to how private and public actors make real world decisions. Often, the internal reasonings underlying these systems are opaque to the humans who use them. This Article gives a broad technical overview of how algorithms work and what tools exist to interrogate how they come to decisions. It is aimed at a non-technical audience and builds off of technical and ontological scholarship from the nascent field of explainable artificial intelligence (XAI). Part II defines and contextualizes the terms "algorithm" and "explanation." Part III proposes a hypothetical machine learning algorithm and explores how feature engineering and dimensionality affect the capacity for humans to understand how it works. Part IV looks at the unique explainability problems posed by systems that combine multiple opaque algorithms and the latest tools developed to address them.
Associations of prenatal exposure to phthalates with measures of cognition in 7.5-month-old infants.

Abstract Background Phthalates are endocrine disrupting chemicals that have been associated with adverse neurobehavior, but little is known about their influence on infant cognition. Methods A visual recognition memory task was used to assess cognition in 244 7–8-month-old infants (121 females; 123 males) from a prospective cohort study. Phthalate metabolites were quantified in maternal urines pooled from across pregnancy. The task included familiarization trials (infant shown 2 identical faces) and test trials (infant shown the now familiar face paired with a novel one). Half of the infants saw one set of faces as familiar (set 1) and half saw the other set as familiar (set 2). During familiarization trials, average run duration (time looking at stimuli before looking away, measure of processing speed), and time to familiarization (time to reach 20 s looking at the stimuli, measure of attention) were assessed. During test trials, novelty preference (proportion of time looking at the novel face, measure of recognition memory) was assessed. Multivariable generalized linear models were used to assess associations of monoethyl phthalate (MEP), sum of di(2-ethylhexyl) phthalate metabolites (ΣDEHP), sum of di(isononyl) phthalate metabolites (ΣDINP), and sum of anti-androgenic phthalate metabolites (ΣAA) with each outcome. Results Mothers were mostly white and college educated, and urine phthalate concentrations were similar to those in reproductive age women in the U.S. population. All phthalate exposure biomarkers, except MEP, were associated with increases in average run duration. However, depending on the phthalate, associations were only in males or infants who saw the set 2 stimuli as familiar. Unexpectedly, ΣAA was associated with a shorter time to reach familiarization. Phthalate biomarkers also were associated with modest decrements in novelty preference, but these associations were nonsignificant. Conclusion Prenatal exposure to phthalates may be related to slower information processing and poorer recognition memory in infants.
Poset Loops

Given a ring and a locally finite poset, an incidence loop or poset loop is obtained from a new and natural extended convolution product on the set of functions mapping intervals of the poset to elements of the ring. The paper investigates the interplay between properties of the ring, the poset, and the loop. The annihilation structure of the ring and extremal elements of the poset determine commutative and associative properties for loop elements. Nilpotence of the ring and height restrictions on the poset force the loop to become associative, or even commutative. Constraints on the appearance of nilpotent groups of class 2 as poset loops are given. The main result shows that the incidence loop of a poset of finite height is nilpotent, of nilpotence class bounded in terms of the height of the poset.
Dopaminergic specializations for flexible behavioral control: linking levels of analysis and functional architectures

Dopamine potently regulates forebrain physiology that underlies reward learning and behavioral flexibility. A detailed accounting of how cellular and circuit interactions come to impact reinforcement learning continues to be refined at multiple levels of analysis. This review provides a brief summary of our current understanding of quantitative decision variables relayed by dopamine dynamics in striatal targets, circuit substrates that support specific dopaminergic computations, and how different behavioral task-demands leverage these specializations to afford adaptive behaviors. Moreover, we motivate the revision of a longstanding hypothesis for globally broadcast dopamine prediction error signals, and instead, make the case for regionally specialized forebrain dopamine dynamics tailored to local computational needs.
Impact of charged dust on the propagation of driven low frequency, electrostatic fluctuations in a magnetized plasma

The role of charged, solid particulate matter (i.e., "dust"’ in plasmas has been considered for several decades. However, beginning with observations of structures in the dust tails of comets and the Voyager observations of radial structures ("spokes"’ in Saturn’s rings, the role of charged dust in the solar system led to the emergence of the field of "dusty" (alternatively, "complex"’ plasmas. Since the early 1990’s there has been a complementary effort in the area of laboratory dusty plasmas that has, over almost four decades, led to the observation of numerous types of plasma and dusty plasma behavior – ranging from appearance of strongly-coupled, self-organized dusty plasma crystals to new types of collective, dust-driven modes, such as the dust acoustic and dust density waves.
A Model of Spontaneous Collapse with Energy Conservation

A model of spontaneous collapse of fermionic degrees of freedom in a quantum field is presented which has the advantages that it explicitly maintains energy conservation and gives results in agreement with an existing numerical method for calculating quantum state evolution, namely the quantum trajectories model.
Fostering an entrepreneurial mindset in “computer architecture and organization” class through a producer-customer model

We recently introduced a producer-customer model to fulfill the Kern Entrepreneurial Engineering Network (KEEN) Students Outcomes, hence help foster an entrepreneurial mindset in students. In this paper, we use our producer-customer model to craft and add innovative lab assignments to the “Computer Architecture and Organization” course. The new lab assignments are based on the six products or IP cores that we have developed. Each product is either defective or improvable. There are some discrepancies between the behavior of a defective product and its user guide; in other words, a defective product does not work as it should. The performance of an improvable product can be enhanced. Each team of students will first work as a customer to identify the defects or the improvable aspects of a product. They will then challenge another team, the producer, to resolve the issues. We have received encouraging anonymous feedback from students.
Detailed Uncertainty Analysis of the ZEM-3 Measurement System

The measurement of Seebeck coefficient and electrical resistivity are critical to the investigation of all thermoelectric systems. Therefore, it stands that the measurement uncertainty must be well understood to report ZT values which are accurate and trustworthy. A detailed uncertainty analysis of the ZEM-3 measurement system has been performed. The uncertainty analysis calculates error in the electrical resistivity measurement as a result of sample geometry tolerance, probe geometry tolerance, statistical error, and multi-meter uncertainty. The uncertainty on Seebeck coefficient includes probe wire correction factors, statistical error, multi-meter uncertainty, and most importantly the cold-finger effect. The cold-finger effect plagues all potentiometric (four-probe) Seebeck measurement systems, as heat parasitically transfers through thermocouple probes. The effect leads to an asymmetric over-estimation of the Seebeck coefficient. A thermal finite element analysis allows for quantification of the phenomenon, and provides an estimate on the uncertainty of the Seebeck coefficient. The thermoelectric power factor has been found to have an uncertainty of +9-14 at high temperature and 9 near room temperature.
Canonical Equation K37 for Normalized Spectral Functions of a Pencil of Empirical Random Matrices

In this chapter, we generalize the assertions of the previous two chapters to the case where we have independent observations of the random vector \( \vec a + {R^{1/2}}\vec \xi , \) but the components of the vector \( \vec \xi \) are dependent and the main auxiliary assertion about the convergence of the corresponding random quadratic forms to the normalized trace of the resolvent is not satisfied.
Environmental Control of Manned Space Vehicles

Publisher Summary This chapter discusses the environmental control of manned space vehicles. Essential to the planning for man in space is the recognition that man is of terrestrial origin and that in the general ecology of man lie important sequelae of his earth-born extraction and gregarious habits. Thus, a man reflects in structure and behavior a basic relationship to the polarizing forces of gravity and the periodicities and intensities of sidereal, solar, and lunar events. A major aspect of man's leap into space may reduce to the problem of a design of his microcosm so as to include the simulation of sensory inputs essential to his physical orientation and retention of identification with his earthly self. Apart from energy balance, the prime factors for this may well be simply those of human companionship and, as a likely speculation, an imposed orientational vector simulating that of gravity. Besides atmosphere, food, and varying degrees of reduction and recycling of the products of metabolism, the space vehicle and its biological payload must achieve a balanced energy state compatible with life support with respect to heat storage and quantum exchange.
The Influence of Reference Group House Size on House Price

Summary of results: The effect of an increase in housing consumption ofvarious reference groups on predicted house price.Dependent Variable: Ln House PriceVariable Further t Stat. Smallest t Stat. Largest t Stat.Own house size 0.366 ∗∗∗ 32.3 0.367 ∗∗∗ 32.4 0.364 ∗∗∗ 32.3Reference grouphouse size0.011 ∗∗∗ 2.1 0.038 ∗∗ 2.9 −0.012 ∗∗ −8.1Nearest neighborhouse size−0.017 ∗∗∗ −2.1 −0.007 ∗∗∗ −2.1 −0.014 ∗∗∗ −2.0 ρ 0.415 ∗∗∗ 61.2 0.410 ∗∗∗ 60.6 0.410 ∗∗∗ 60.6 R 2 0.7466 0.7474 0.7498 Note: Z probabilities are indicated as ∗∗∗ at 1%, ∗∗ at 5% and ∗ at 10%. Table 7 Willingness to pay (WTP) for an increase in housing consumption of variousreference groups.Marginal Implicit PricesReference Group WTP for an Increase Percent ofin Reference Group House Size Housing PriceNearest neighbors −$313.84 0.215Further neighbors $272.55 0.187Smallest houses in district $941.53 0.646Largest houses in district −$297.33 0.204Own house $9,060.15 6.219 Note: WTP calculated by β x ( 11− ρ ) y . Calculations based on an increase of 100 ft
Scaling of Knowledge in Random Conceptual Networks

We use a weighted count of the number of nodes and relations in a conceptual network as a measure for knowledge. We study how a limited knowledge of the prerequisite concepts affects the knowledge of a discipline. We find that the practical knowledge and expert knowledge scale with the knowledge of prerequisite concepts, and increase hyper-exponentially with the knowledge of the discipline specific concepts. We investigate the maximum achievable level of abstraction as a function of the material covered in a text. We discuss possible applications for student assessment.
MATHEMATICAL MODELING IN PLANT BIOLOGY: IMPLICATIONS OF PHYSIOLOGICAL APPROACHES FOR RESOURCE MANAGEMENT

I provide a brief overview of mathematical models that have been developed for particular plant physiological processes, with emphasis on the difficulties involved in taking these upscale to deal with whole plant, crop and forest growth analyses. As the issues addressed by physiologists are often highly reductionist in nature, I point out the gap which has developed between our detailed knowledge of certain physiological processes and our general ignorance of appropriate ways to integrate these processes over whole plant or canopy scales. The importance of accurate integration for crop and forest management is discussed. Finally, I review models for the spread of plant pathogens, and indicate how these may be modified to take account of the spatial nature of plant infection and the continuum of resistance types within a natural population.
Review of a 40‐year debate in international advertising

International advertisers up to now continue to be confronted with the question of whether to standardize or adapt their commercial messages. This debate over the standardization versus adaptation issue has involved both advertising practitioners and academicians interested in transnational advertising issues for at least the past four decades. There are three schools of thought regarding international advertising: standardization, adaptation, and the contingency perspective. Aims to review and contrast the perspectives of practitioners (ad agencies as well as clients) and academicians to this problem over the past 40 years. Observes interesting differences over this time frame, both within each of the two groups and between them. Finds practitioners to have alternated between the adaptation and standardization approaches over the four decades with a trend towards standardization, while academicians have mostly advocated the adaptation approach over the 40 years examined.
A 16GHz ultra high-speed Si/SiGe HBT comparator

This paper presents an improved master-slave bipolar Si/SiGe HBT comparator design for ultra high-speed data converter applications. Implemented in a 0.5 /spl mu/m, 55 GHz BiCMOS Si/SiGe process, this comparator consumes approximately 80 mW with sampling speeds up to 16 GHz.
Consumer attitudes and preferences for fresh market tomatoes

UNLABELLED This study established attractive attributes and consumer desires for fresh tomatoes. Three focus groups (n = 28 participants) were conducted to explore how consumers perceived tomatoes, including how they purchased and consumed them. Subsequently, an Adaptive Choice Based Conjoint (ACBC) survey was conducted to understand consumer preferences toward traditional tomatoes. The ACBC survey with Kano questions (n = 1037 consumers in Raleigh, NC) explored the importance of color, firmness, size, skin, texture, interior, seed presence, flavor, and health benefits. The most important tomato attribute was color, then juice when sliced, followed by size, followed by seed presence, which was at parity with firmness. An attractive tomato was red, firm, medium/small sized, crisp, meaty, juicy, flavorful, and with few seeds. Deviations from these features resulted in a tomato that was rejected by consumers. Segmentations of consumers were determined by patterns in utility scores. External attributes were the main drivers of tomato liking, but different groups of tomato consumers exist with distinct preferences for juiciness, firmness, flavor, and health benefits. PRACTICAL APPLICATION Conjoint analysis is a research technique that collects a large amount of data from consumers in a format designed to be reflective of a real life market setting and can be combined with qualitative insight from focus groups to gain information on consumer consumption and purchase behaviors. This study established that the most important fresh tomato attributes were color, amount of juice when sliced, and size. Distinct consumer clusters were differentiated by preference for color/appearance, juiciness and firm texture. Tomato growers can utilize the results to target attributes that drive consumer choice for fresh tomatoes.
Do For-Profit Businesses Have Free Exercise Rights?

Americans are understandably troubled by the prospect of Wal-Mart and the First Presbyterian Church as conceptually identical free exercise claimants. As an expanding array of for-profit businesses sue to block enforcement of the HHS contraception mandate, there is a danger that our failure to distinguish them will weaken the protections for all institutional free exercise claimants. Except for some still largely uncontroversial questions of internal church governance, the “moral bedrock” of religious liberty is increasingly contested when invoked by institutions. Absent some categorical distinctions, we risk what Fred Schauer and others have called “institutional compression” through a process “of leveling down rather than leveling up.” Nevertheless, in the wake of Citizens United, courts may decide not to embrace potential paths of distinction. If the identity of the speaker doesn’t matter for purposes of free speech, it is tempting to say that the identity of the actor doesn’t matter for purposes of free exercise. Foreclosing a for-profit business’s standing to raise free exercise claims entirely is not justified. However, in light of the differences between corporate political speech and corporate religious exercise, and in light of the enormous market power wielded by for-profit businesses in the provision of essential goods and services, including the paths by which to earn a livelihood, a court would be justified in interpreting free exercise doctrine to reflect institutional distinctions.
Planning for Air Quality Concerns of the Future

Inrecognition of growing needs for forecasts of air quality and atmospheric deposition to accompany classical weather forecasts, a new generation of atmospheric prediction models is slowly evolving. These share the common feature that atmospheric chemistry will be directly incorporated into advanced forecast schemes. It is argued that in most practical applications, the over-riding need is not for accurate prediction of some quantifiable air quality component, but rather a forecast of the probability of harmful consequences to exposure. In this event, it is not concentrations that need to be forecast, but the probability that concentrations will exceed some predetermined level at which consequences could be harmful. This argument extends from emergency response applications to ecosystem decline.
A tutorial on approximate Bayesian computation

Abstract This tutorial explains the foundation of approximate Bayesian computation (ABC), an approach to Bayesian inference that does not require the specification of a likelihood function, and hence that can be used to estimate posterior distributions of parameters for simulation-based models. We discuss briefly the philosophy of Bayesian inference and then present several algorithms for ABC. We then apply these algorithms in a number of examples. For most of these examples, the posterior distributions are known, and so we can compare the estimated posteriors derived from ABC to the true posteriors and verify that the algorithms recover the true posteriors accurately. We also consider a popular simulation-based model of recognition memory (REM) for which the true posteriors are unknown. We conclude with a number of recommendations for applying ABC methods to solve real-world problems.
Sex-specific regionality of liver metabolism during starvation; with special reference to the heterogeneity of the lobular periphery.

Staining procedures for glucose-6-phosphatase and 3-hydroxybutyrate dehydrogenase activity and for glycogen were used to investigate adaptive changes in the regionality of hepatic gluconeogenesis and ketogenesis in fasting male and female rats. A reciprocal distribution of gluconeogenic and ketogenic capacities was found in both sexes, but male and female animals were different with respect to: a) the time necessary for full induction of glucose-6-phosphatase activity (24 h in females, 48 h in males); b) the overall activity of 3-hydroxybutyrate dehydrogenase; and c) glycogen content. The activity of the latter enzyme and the glycogen content did increase with time of starvation, but at all times, were higher in males, than in females. Results, thus, indicate that the extent to which ketone bodies replace glucose as major fuel for the brain is larger in males than in females. This may explain the delayed induction of glucose-6-phosphatase activity and the higher glycogen content in the male during starvation. Distributions of enzyme activities and of glycogen, furthermore, revealed the heterogeneity of the lobular periphery, i.e. functional differences among sinusoids dependent upon whether they originate from the portal tract or the vascular septum, and thus confirm the lobular concept proposed by Matsumoto et al. (1979).
Degradation kinetics of photopolymerizable poly(lactic acid) films

A series of acrylic poly(lactic acid) (PLA) films were produced via photopolymerization. Enzymatic degradation of the films was investigated by submerging or spraying the films with a solution of proteinase K, Chromobacterium viscosum (CvL), Rhizomucor miehei (RmL), or Candida cylindracea (CcL). Degradation was monitored by titration of the carboxylic acid groups, MS, and MS/MS. It was found that the degradation rate of the films was dependent on the water uptake of the film and enzyme solution used. The highest degradation rates, for both systems, were obtained by use of a proteinase K solution. © 2014 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Appl. Polym. Sci. 2014, 131, 40475.
A sensitivity analysis for the optimal design of metal-forming processes

Abstract A major objective in metal-forming processing is the optimum selection of process conditions in the design stage of processes given the material state and the geometry of the final product, conditions on the initial workpiece and possibly some restrictions on the processes. Since the required process conditions are input to the direct forming analysis, the design of forming processes usually consists of the repeated trial and error use of direct modeling techniques. Here, process conditions refer to die surfaces, die lubrication conditions, preform selection and the selection of the required ram forces and velocities. In this work, a sensitivity analysis for large deformation hyperelastic viscoplastic solids is presented that is consistent with the kinematic analysis and the constitutive integration scheme used in the updated Lagrangian method for solving the direct deformation problem. The method is developed with the problem of die design in metal-forming processes in mind. As such, special attention is given to the modeling of the complex boundary conditions that result in the die-workpiece interface. The effectiveness of the method is demonstrated by solving an extrusion axially symmetric die design problem. In particular, an extrusion die is designed such that the material state in the final product has the least possible standard deviation.