cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Functional Optimization Models for Active Queue Management

Active Queue Management (AQM) is an important problem in networking. In this paper, we propose a general functional optimization model for designing AQM schemes. Unlike the previous static function optimization models based on the artificial notion of utility function, the proposed dynamic functional optimization formulation allows us to directly characterize the desirable system behavior of AQM and design AQM schemes to optimally control the dynamic behavior of the system. Such a formulation also allows adaptive control which enables the AQM scheme to continuously adapt to dynamic changes of networking conditions. In this paper, we present the Pontryagin minimum principle, a necessary condition, for the functional optimization model of AQM with TCP AIMD congestion control. As an example, we investigate a queuing stability criteria and apply the necessary conditions to optimize the functional model.
Molecular pathways: Targeting protein tyrosine phosphatases in cancer

The aberrant activation of oncogenic signaling pathways is a universal phenomenon in cancer and drives tumorigenesis and malignant transformation. This abnormal activation of signaling pathways in cancer is due to the altered expression of protein kinases and phosphatases. In response to extracellular signals, protein kinases activate downstream signaling pathways through a series of protein phosphorylation events, ultimately producing a signal response. Protein tyrosine phosphatases (PTP) are a family of enzymes that hydrolytically remove phosphate groups from proteins. Initially, PTPs were shown to act as tumor suppressor genes by terminating signal responses through the dephosphorylation of oncogenic kinases. More recently, it has become clear that several PTPs overexpressed in human cancers do not suppress tumor growth; instead, they positively regulate signaling pathways and promote tumor development and progression. In this review, we discuss both types of PTPs: those that have tumor suppressor activities as well as those that act as oncogenes. We also discuss the potential of PTP inhibitors for cancer therapy. Clin Cancer Res; 23(9); 2136-42. ©2017 AACR.
High temperature limitation due to onset of depoling in BiScO3–PbTiO3

Thermal depoling is investigated with impedance spectroscopy as a function of temperature and frequency for unmodified and ZnSc′ modified compositions around the morphotropic phase boundary (MPB) in the high temperature material (1−x)BiScO3–xPbTiO3 (BSPT). By tracking the shape and width of the fundamental resonance peaks and phase angle during impedance analysis, it was shown that the depoling temperature (Td), usually considered a single temperature, can actually be characterized as occurring over a range with an onset temperature (Tdonset) and a final temperature (Tdfinal). When this technique is applied to the rhombohedral compositions near the MPB of BSPT, it is seen that the peak narrowing in phase angle closely correlates to the rhombohedral-tetragonal phase transition decreasing from 350 °C to 300 °C when increasing from 58% to 62% PT. The Tdonset and the subsequent correlation to the phase transition are investigated further through aliovalent substitution of 1%, 2%, and 5% ZnSc in BS-PT. The Tdo...
Groundwater in the Peninsular Indian Shield: A Framework for Rational Assessment

The population of peninsular India relies heavily on groundwater for drinking purposes, agriculture and industrial needs. Critical to the well-being of this population is the judicious exploitation of this vital resource. India has made significant investments of physical resources and trained man-power over the past four decades towards a systematic exploration and development of groundwater resources. This goal will be greatly facilitated by directing the overall planning of these activities on the basis of a framework that is specific to the physico-chemical process that govern the hydrogeologic conditions of peninsular India. Competing with this need is the equally important need of providing the minimal requirements of clean water in critical regions of deficiency. The challenge is to formulate a plan that balances the two objectives in a complementary, winning manner. From a technical view point, very little attention has so far been devoted in peninsular India to the understanding of the vadose zone that spans the region between the land surface and the flucluating water table. A quantitative knowledge of the dynamics of water storage and release from this zone is of paramount importance to the management of groundwater resources in the peninsular Indian shields. The hydrogeology of peninsular India can offer exciting intellectual challenges to students of natural sciences.
Interfacial rheological insights of sulfate-enriched smart-water at low and high-salinity in carbonates

Abstract Lowering the injection water salinity or modifying its chemistry can improve waterflooding displacement efficiency. This water modification has been frequently alluded to increase rock water-wetness. However, the presence of sulfate anions in the aqueous phase is shown here to also alter the crude oil–water interfacial rheology drastically, in ways similar to that associated to the reduction of water salinity. Under the right conditions, oil recovery could, in principle, be increased to a considerably degree by alteration of fluid–fluid interactions at high salinity. The purpose of this research is to contrast oil recovery behavior in cases when smart-water is designed based on either increasing the sulfate anion concentration in a high-salinity brine or by decreasing salinity considerably, when using seawater as the base aqueous phase. Interfacial rheological and coreflooding results are compared to the case of seawater injection. The effect of various ions on the interfacial shear rheological response of several crude oils and modified seawater were examined. Carefully designed corefloods using Indiana Limestone were run to evaluate the effect of each brine on recovery behavior. Mild temperature and short ageing time were imposed to hinder wettability alteration. Interfacial rheological results show that the visco-elasticity of the crude oil-brine interface is higher for a low-salinity brine compared to the higher-salinity counterpart represented by seawater. However, when the sulfate anion concentration is increased, the interfacial visco-elasticity increases noticeably. Coreflooding results show that brines leading to more a visco-elastic interface, including low salinity and sulfated seawater, yield higher oil recovery factor. Ion analysis of the effluent brine shows that for the model rock used, brine composition does not change significantly from contact with rock surfaces. The recovery response is found to be consistent with changes in interfacial rheology. After the injection of high salinity smart-water in secondary mode, the low-salinity water injection in tertiary mode apparently triggers connection and mobilization of oil ganglia, as hypothesized from the recovery response. Tracking water droplet size distribution seems to support this hypothesis. Low-salinity brine injection is generally conducive to increasing oil production. On the other hand, our findings reveal that the injection of sulfate-enriched water can modify fluid–fluid interactions and consequently the final oil recovery. However, this smart-water appears to lose effectiveness entirely, if injected as residual oil saturation is reached, indicating an apparent threshold in the oil saturation to draw benefits of high-salinity sulfated-water.
Intersubjectivity Theory Revisited: A 30-Year Retrospective

A worthy addition to the Psychoanalytic Inquiry Book Series, which has been publishing works by cutting-edge psychoanalytic contributors for more than 25 years, this book makes an invaluable contri...
A survey of pulsating DA and DB white dwarfs Observations with the Whole Earth Telescope

White dwarfs represent the end point of stellar evolution for the majority of stars. As such, they are excellent astrophysical laboratories. They are structurally simple, with electron degenerate cores surrounded by thin surface layers of helium and/or hydrogen. The g-mode pulsations provide a window into their internal structure. The Whole Earth Telescope has been conducting a long-term survey of pulsating white dwarfs with the goal of providing an empirical map of convection parameters across the DA and DB instability strips. We present an overview of white dwarf asteroseismology, and discuss the current status of our survey.
Taking the Heat or Passing the Buck: Leaders’ External Acknowledgments of Blame and Credit

Extant literature argues that because of a natural inclination to promote a positive self-image and reputation, individuals tend to take more credit for achievements than they take blame for shortc...
Physician Knowledge of Radiation Exposure and Risk in Medical Imaging

Abstract Purpose Medical imaging is an increasingly important source of radiation exposure for the general population, and there are risks associated with such exposure; however, recent studies have demonstrated poor understanding of medical radiation among various groups of health care providers. This study had two aims: (1) analyze physicians' knowledge of radiation exposure and risk in diagnostic imaging across multiple specialties and levels of training, and (2) assess the effectiveness of a brief educational presentation on improving physicians' knowledge. Methods From 2014 to 2016, 232 health care providers from multiple departments participated in an educational presentation and pre- and postpresentation tests evaluating knowledge of radiation exposure and risk at a large academic institution. Results Knowledge of radiation exposure and risk was relatively low on the prepresentation test, including particularly poor understanding of different imaging modalities, with 26% of participants unable to correctly identify which modalities expose patients to ionizing radiation. Test scores significantly increased after the educational presentation. Radiologists had higher prepresentation test scores than other specialties, and therefore less opportunity for improvement, but also demonstrated improvement in radiation safety knowledge after education. Aside from radiology, there was no significant difference in initial knowledge of radiation exposure and risk among the other specialties. Conclusions Providers' knowledge of radiation exposure and risk was low at baseline but significantly increased after a brief educational presentation. Efforts to educate ordering providers about radiation exposure and risk are needed to ensure that providers are appropriately weighing the risks and benefits of medical imaging and to ensure high-quality, patient-centered care.
Regulation of Circadian Behavior by Astroglial MicroRNAs in Drosophila.

We describe a genome-wide microRNA (miRNA)-based screen to identify brain glial cell functions required for circadian behavior. To identify glial miRNAs that regulate circadian rhythmicity, we employed a collection of “miR-sponges” to inhibit miRNA function in a glia-specific manner. Our initial screen identified 20 glial miRNAs that regulate circadian behavior. We studied two miRNAs, miR-263b and miR-274, in detail and found that both function in adult astrocytes to regulate behavior. Astrocyte-specific inhibition of miR-263b or miR-274 in adults acutely impairs circadian locomotor activity rhythms with no effect on glial or clock neuronal cell viability. To identify potential RNA targets of miR-263b and miR-274, we screened 35 predicted miRNA targets, employing RNA interference-based approaches. Glial knockdown of two putative miR-274 targets, CG4328 and MESK2, resulted in significantly decreased rhythmicity. Homology of the miR-274 targets to mammalian counterparts suggests mechanisms that might be relevant for the glial regulation of rhythmicity.
Matrix Representation of the Isometry Group

It is shown that the group of direct isometries of the hyperbolic plane is isomorphic to the group of fractional linear transformations with real coefficients. The coefficients of such a transformation can be taken as the entries of a 2 × 2 real matrix with determinant 1; there is a one-to-two relation between the transformations and such matrices, where a matrix M and its negative −M lead to the same fractional linear transformation, hence to the same isometry of the hyperbolic plane. Those matrices constitute the group SL(2, ℝ) of 2 × 2 real matrices of determinant 1, and it follows that the group of direct isometries of the hyperbolic plane is isomorphic to the quotient group of SL(2, ℝ) with respect to its subgroup consisting of I and −I,where I is the 2 × 2 unit matrix. This makes it possible to study the isometries by studying the matrices. The points, lines, and curves that are invariant (mapped onto themselves) under an isometry are classified. It is proved that the direct isometry group of the hyperbolic plane is simple, has no nontrivial proper normal subgroups, hence differs in this respect from the isometry group of the Euclidean plane, where the translations form a normal subgroup. Lastly, the subgroup SL(2, ℤ) of SL(2, ℝ) consisting of matrices with integer entries is studied; it leads to a tiling of the hyperbolic plane by triangles each having two 60° vertices and one 0° vertex at infinity.
Nutrition Counseling: Out-Patients Report Better Outcomes

Abstract LEARNING OUTCOME: To compare the short term outcomes of in-hospital and out-patient nutrition counseling A descriptive study was conducted to assess outcomes of patient nutrition counseling and to identify the difference between in-hospital and outpatient services. Subjects included 400 adults aged 20-70 who received nutrition counseling. Data were culled from the medical record and a telephone survey was conducted two weeks after counseling using a previously validated instrument (J Am Diet Assoc. 1994; 94:437-440). A Mann-Whitney U analysis was conducted to determine if there were significant differences in mean scores of patients who received in-patient or out-patient counseling. Over 70% were referred for diabetes or coronary heart disease. Nearly half (46%) had received previous diet instructions, but only 25% reported adhering closely to a previous diet. About 60% accurately stated the type of diet they were on, and one third had a good understanding of their diet. Only 62% reported making dietary changes and 18% believed that they were already following the prescribed diet. Patients receiving out-patient instruction were able to describe their diet more completely (p
Seas of the Milky Way

Astrophysicist Jeffrey Bennett says, “If you want to go for a swim in an alien sea, you’re going to need a starship.” Bennett rounds out our cosmic sea inventory by honing in on exoplanets near and far, where familiar seas may lap the shores of moons circling gas giants orbiting close to their suns. Missions like Hubble Space Telescope, Kepler, and GAIA are adding to the known planets orbiting distant stars, where we may find seas both alien and familiar.
Arguments against the Possibility of Machine Intelligence

Along with many others, I think that machines as intelligent as humans are possible and will exist within the next century or so. However, a number of people do not accept this, and instead propose arguments against the possibility of machine intelligence. Some argue against what is called weak artificial intelligence, which means they do not think machines will ever be able to mimic the behavior of human minds. Others argue against strong artificial intelligence, which means that they think machines can mimic human behavior but will not have conscious minds. These skeptics are very valuable for helping us understand the issues involved in machines that will mimic human minds and be conscious.
Class 2 Gene Expression Profile of a Hemorrhagic Pigment Epithelial Detachment Misdiagnosed as Melanoma.

Abstract Purpose To describe a case of a hemorrhagic pigment epithelial detachment that was initially misdiagnosed as a choroidal melanoma and had a class 2 gene expression profile (GEP) on prognostication fine needle aspiration biopsy (FNAB). Methods Retrospective case report Results A 79-year-old man with a history of atrial fibrillation treated with warfarin presented for guidance regarding systemic surveillance after undergoing prognostic FNAB at the time of episcleral plaque brachytherapy for a presumed cilio-choroidal melanoma. The results of GEP testing were consistent with a class 2 molecular profile. At three month and eight month follow up, the clinical, echographic, and optical coherence tomography (OCT) findings were consistent with a hemorrhagic pigment epithelial detachment (PED) rather than melanoma. By eight months, the lesion had completely resolved. Conclusions This is the first reported case of a GEP class 2 profile obtained from prognostic FNAB of a non-malignant lesion. Given that GEP is not a diagnostic test, it and can lead to erroneous prognostic information in the setting of non-melanoma choroidal lesions.
Accelerated Molecular Dynamics Simulations of Shock-Induced Chemistry: Application to Liquid Benzene

Shock-induced phenomena in materials occur on timescales that while short may still be beyond the reach of traditional molecular dynamics simulations. The shock-induced chemistry of liquid benzene provides an excellent example of the importance of timescale in shock experiments; reactions are seen at about 13.3 GPa on microsecond timescales in plate impact experiments but it appears inert at up to 20 GPa over 100s of picoseconds during laser-driven shock experiments. We have studied the shock-induced chemistry of liquid benzene using a semiempirical reactive interatomic potential at timescales beyond those routinely accessible to traditional molecular dynamics simulations. We have applied replica-based accelerated molecular dynamics to this system because the initial chemical reactions themselves can be viewed as rare, state-to-state transitions that take place under thermal activation. Replica-based accelerated molecular dynamics enables us to parallelize the simulations in time with no loss of accuracy, provided that transitions (reactions) can be detected reliably. We have simulated the shocked chemical dynamics of benzene on timescales up to 7.7 ns with high parallel efficiency. The simulations show the formation dimers through Diels–Alder condensation. The dimers subsequently condense into larger polymeric structures, in good accord with experiments and quantum chemical data.
Hospital Readmissions from Patients' Perspectives.

Objectives Healthcare expenditures in the United States have increased exponentially and hospital care accounts for one-third of these costs. Approximately 18% of hospitalized Medicare beneficiaries are being readmitted to the hospital within 30 days. Engaging patients in the discharge process can help better identify patients' postdischarge needs and implement more effective readmission prevention strategies. The objective of our study was to identify the factors that contribute to hospital readmission as seen from patients' perspectives in a large urban community hospital. Methods We evaluated all consecutive, unplanned readmissions to the hospitalist service within 30 days of discharge, using the STate Action on Avoidable Rehospitalizations diagnostic worksheet with face-to-face patient interviews and retrospective chart reviews. Results During the study period, 80 patients were readmitted within 30 days of their discharge, with 28 of them having more than one readmission. The mean age was 50.8 ± 18.3 years. Of the 80 patients, 51% were men and 51% were black. Sickle cell disease was the leading diagnosis (11.3%) in both index admissions and readmissions. Patient interviews identified some modifiable risk factors for readmissions such as the inability to obtain medications or schedule follow-up appointments as well as problems related to transportation, housing, and social support. Despite clear discharge planning and patient understanding of the plan being recorded at discharge, almost one-third of patients appeared to lack the ability to self-manage symptoms and understand the disease process. Conclusions Our study demonstrated that engaging patients in discharge planning can help identify barriers within the process. Improvements in socioeconomic/environmental layers of population health have the potential to prevent hospitalizations and readmissions in the long term.
Results from a phase I clinical trial of HBED.

The experience of the past dozen years clearly indicates that iron plays a significant role in the pathogenesis of a wide variety of disease states apart from hemochromatosis. 1 In cases of rheumatoid arthritis and reperfusion injury, iron catalyzes the formation of free radicals which destroy membranes and thereby lead to tissue damage. Sequestration of this iron would obviate much of this damage. In lymphopro-liferative disorders and parasitic diseases such as malaria, iron serves as an essential nutrient for dividing cells. Withholding iron would inhibit cell division and hence slow the progression of such diseases. While unlikely to affect cures, chelation of iron would undoubtedly be of benefit as adjunctive therapy in these and related disorders.
"Hey, I Got to Smoke Some Weed": Favorable Perceptions of Marijuana Use Among Non-College-Educated Young Adult Cigarette Smokers.

Introduction: As marijuana legalization progresses in the U.S., this study investigated the perceptions of marijuana use among non-college-educated young adult smokers. Methods: Twelve focus groups...
Incarceration Exposure and Maternal Food Insecurity During Pregnancy: Findings from the Pregnancy Risk Assessment Monitoring System (PRAMS), 2004–2015

This study examines the relationship between exposure to incarceration and food insecurity among mothers during pregnancy. Using data from the Pregnancy Risk Assessment Monitoring System (PRAMS) from 2004 to 2015, logistic regression models were used to assess the association between incarceration of a woman or her partner in the year before birth and the likelihood of experiencing food insecurity. Net of control variables, exposure to incarceration either personally or vicariously through a partner is associated with a 165% increase in the odds of food insecurity (OR 2.65, CI 2.29, 3.08). Attenuation analyses indicate this association partly operates through financial hardship, maternal unemployment, and receiving WIC benefits. Given the adverse consequences of food insecurity for maternal health and early childhood development, public health and criminal justice practitioners should develop targeted interventions to alleviate the negative repercussions associated with exposure to incarceration among pregnant women.
Population pharmacokinetic modeling of plasma Δ9-tetrahydrocannabinol and an active and inactive metabolite following controlled smoked cannabis administration.

Aims Population pharmacokinetic models of Δ9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) have been developed for THC plasma and blood concentration data. Often, only the metabolites of THC are measurable when blood samples are obtained. Therefore, we performed a population pharmacokinetic analysis of THC, 11-OH-THC and THCCOOH plasma concentration data from a Phase I clinical trial of THC smoking. Methods Frequently obtained plasma THC, 11-OH-THC and THCCOOH concentration data were obtained over 168 h from 6 subjects who smoked low (15.8 mg) and high dose (33.8 mg) THC cigarettes on 2 occasions. Bayesian estimates of the THC pharmacokinetic model from each individual for each dose were fixed prior to the sequential pharmacokinetic analysis of the metabolites. Results A 3-compartment model of THC was developed that has a steady-state volume of distribution (VdSS ) of 3401 ± 788 L and a clearance of 0.72 ± 0.10 L/min. 11-OH-THC was characterized by 50 ± 6% of the THC being directly cleared to a 3-compartment model with a VdSS of 415.2 ± 4.3 L and clearance of 0.78 ± 0.05 L/min. The THCCOOH model shared the central compartment of the 11-OH-THC model with a VdSS of 29.1 ± 0.05 L and a clearance of 0.12 ± 0.02 L/min. First order kinetics were observed for THC and THCCOOH between the low and high doses, but a nonlinear pattern was observed for 11-OH-THC. Conclusion We describe the pharmacokinetics of THC, 11-OH-THC and THCCOOH including inter- and intraindividual variability of the parameter estimates of the model.
Changes in high-resolution manometric diagnosis over time: implications for clinical decision-making.

Although High resolution esophageal manometry (HRM) is the gold standard to assess esophageal motility, little is known about the stability of the manometric diagnosis over time and its implications for management. To assess the stability and usefulness of repeat HRM in patients presenting with esophageal symptoms over time we performed this retrospective study of patients with esophageal symptoms. Medical records, questionnaires, and HRM tracing were independently reviewed using the Chicago classification. The primary objective was to assess the stability of the manometric diagnosis over time; secondary objective was its change (positive or negative). At least one repeat study was performed in 86 patients (36% women, ages 20-86, with mild to moderate symptoms), while 26 had a third procedure. Mean intervals between studies were 15 ± 1.6 months (for baseline v. first study) and 13 ± 0.8 months (for second to third study). Of the 27 patients initially with a normal study, 11 changed (five had esophago-gastric junction outflow obstruction [EGJOO], two diffuse esophageal spasm [DES], one jackhammer esophagus [JE], and three ineffective esophageal motility [IEM] [41% change]). Of the 24 patients with initial EGJOO, only nine retained it (65.2% change). Of nine patients with initial DES, four changed (44.4% change). Similarly, different diagnosis was seen in 7 of 24 initial IEM patients (22.7% change). Only one patient had achalasia initially and this remained stable. Additional changes were noted on a third HRM. Fluidity in the HRM diagnosis over time questions its validity at any timepoint and raises doubts about the need for intervention.
Fidelity, Accountability and Trust: Tensions at the Heart of the Rule of Law

From the notions of fidelity, accountability, and trust springs a robust and attractive understanding of the rule of law. Yet, frequently it has been argued that accountability drives out trust, that it is from distrust that the demand for accountability stems. We should not look to law and its ethos of accountability to hold human communities together or even to underwrite a robust program of controlling the exercise of ruling power. I call this the “trust challenge.” If the trust challenge is sound, the rule of law looks to be self-defeating, at least on the understanding of the rule of law that I have sought to defend in recent years. In this essay I answer this challenge. I argue that, in fact, accountability and trust are close allies in interpersonal morality and civic life.
Bridging Mentoring and Professional Development for African American Doctoral Student Success

Although there is an abundance of research regarding the successful mentoring of racial minorities at Predominantly White Universities (PWIs), there is little research regarding mentoring programs for doctoral student success at Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCU). Due to the lack of empirical data on doctoral student mentoring at HBCUs, the aim of this chapter was to share our voices and experiences as a faculty mentor and doctoral student engaged in the development of a mentoring and professional development program at our HBCU.
Bench-Scale Demonstration of Molten Alkali Metal Borates for High-Temperature CO2 Capture

The molten alkali metal borates represent an opportunity for carbon dioxide capture and the on-going challenge of adapting to a carbon-constrained world with the immediacy of climate change. We dem...
Place and placelessness revisited

Place and Placelessness Revisited is an inspiring edited volume containing 16 articles continuing the discussion of Relph’s Place and Placelessness (1976) in a twenty-first century context. There a...
Supportive health education reduces health care utilization and costs in Latinas with breast cancer and their caregivers.

To compare costs and relative cost savings from reductions in unscheduled health services use for two 8-week psychosocial interventions (telephone interpersonal counseling [TIPC], supportive health education [SHE]) delivered by telephone to Latinas with breast cancer and their informal caregivers. Cost information is required before adopting supportive care interventions as part of routine care. There is limited information on costs of producing supportive care interventions or their impact on service use. Latinas and their caregivers were randomized to either TIPC or SHE. At baseline and month 4, hospitalizations and urgent care and emergency department (ED) visits in the previous month were recorded. These were compared by trial arm for 181 survivors and 169 caregivers using logistic regression, adjusting for age and health services use at baseline. Total cost per 100 survivors was $28,695 for SHE and $27,399 for TIPC. Urgent care and ED visits were reduced for survivors in SHE versus TIPC (odds ratio (OR) = 0.31, 95% confidence interval (CI) [0.12, 0.88], p = .03). For hospitalizations, OR for SHE versus TIPC was 0.59, 95% CI [0.26, 1.37], p = .07. There were no differences between trial arms for caregiver health services use. Cost savings for SHE versus TIPC from reductions in health services use per 100 survivors ranged from $800 for urgent care to $17,000 for ED visits and $13,000 for hospitalizations. Based on this evidence, SHE can be a cost-saving supportive care solution that benefits not only survivors and caregivers, but also oncology practices reimbursed through episodes of care.
Financial Performance of North Dakota's Beef Cow Enterprises:

The purpose of this publication is to provide astute cattlemen with some suggested Critical Success Factors (CSF) that should help ensure financial survival of a beef farm or ranch in the 1990's. Once the CSF's are identified, Integrated Resource Management (IRM) teams can turn their integration efforts toward designing a comprehensive on-farm Integrated Resource Management Information Systems that routinely monitor these Critical Success Factors for individual beef farms and ranchers.
RTNeural: Fast Neural Inferencing for Real-Time Systems

RTNeural is a neural inferencing library written in C++. RTNeural is designed to be used in systems with hard real-time constraints, with additional emphasis on speed, flexibility, size, and convenience. The motivation and design of the library are described, as well as real-world use-cases, and performance comparisons with other neural inferencing libraries.
Successful ATAC-Seq From Snap-Frozen Equine Tissues

An assay for transposase-accessible chromatin with high-throughput sequencing (ATAC-seq) has become an increasingly popular method to assess genome-wide chromatin accessibility in isolated nuclei from fresh tissues. However, many biobanks contain only snap-frozen tissue samples. While ATAC-seq has been applied to frozen brain tissues in human, its applicability in a wide variety of tissues in horse remains unclear. The Functional Annotation of Animal Genome (FAANG) project is an international collaboration aimed to provide high quality functional annotation of animal genomes. The equine FAANG initiative has generated a biobank of over 80 tissues from two reference female animals and experiments to begin to characterize tissue specificity of genome function for prioritized tissues have been performed. Due to the logistics of tissue collection and storage, extracting nuclei from a large number of tissues for ATAC-seq at the time of collection is not always practical. To assess the feasibility of using stored frozen tissues for ATAC-seq and to provide a guideline for the equine FAANG project, we compared ATAC-seq results from nuclei isolated from frozen tissue to cryopreserved nuclei (CN) isolated at the time of tissue harvest in liver, a highly cellular homogenous tissue, and lamina, a relatively acellular tissue unique to the horse. We identified 20,000-33,000 accessible chromatin regions in lamina and 22-61,000 in liver, with consistently more peaks identified using CN isolated at time of tissue collection. Our results suggest that frozen tissues are an acceptable substitute when CN are not available. For more challenging tissues such as lamina, nuclei extraction at the time of tissue collection is still preferred for optimal results. Therefore, tissue type and accessibility to intact nuclei should be considered when designing ATAC-seq experiments.
Extending the reach of single-chamber inflatable soft robots using Magnetorheological Fluids

Elastomer based, fabric-reinforced, inflatable soft robots bend when inflated because the fabric-reinforced section has negligible strain compared to the unreinforced section. The inherent displacement mismatch will cause the robot to stretch in the manner of a bi-metallic strip. Using a similar principle, we alter the inflation-dependent motion of various fabric reinforced soft robots by changing the stiffness of different regions of their chamber walls. A concatenated workspace volume of these many robots presents an increase in volume by a factor of six when compared to a robot of uniform rubber composition. A finite element method for a magnetically responsive truss demonstrates an increase in stiffness twofold from a magnetic field strength of 0.01 Tesla to a field strength of 0.02 Tesla. It is postulated that by utilizing these magnetically activated truss configurations as channels within silicone rubber, a fabric-reinforced robot will be able to move about a workspace of similar size by varying magnetic field strength along with the inflation pressure.
Commencing character: A case study of character development in college

In the last century, higher education has witnessed a shift away from explicit character education. Although scholarship has recently reemerged on the importance of character in college, there are ...
Preparedness and Response for Catastrophic Disasters

What Is a Catastrophe, and Why Is This Important? Rick Bissell Understanding Catastrophes: A Discussion of Causation, Impacts, Policy Approaches, and Organizational Structures David A. McEntire Ethics in Catastrophe Readiness and Response Anna K. Schwab and Timothy Beatley Political and Legal Issues John C. Pine Economics of Catastrophes and Disasters Kevin M. Simmons Logistics and the Management of Critical Supplies Following Catastrophes Jose Holguin-Veras, Tricia Wachtendorf, Miguel Jaller, and Theresa Jefferson Overview of Critical Infrastructure in Catastrophes Matthew J. Levy and Rick Bissell Public Health Role in Catastrophes Rick Bissell and Thomas Kirsch Catastrophes, Mass Displacement, and Population Resettlement Anthony Oliver-Smith Emergent Organizations and Networks in Catastrophic Environments Tricia Wachtendorf Methods of Planning and Response Coordination Jasmin R. Ruback, A. Scott Wells, and Brian J. Maguire Catastrophic Disaster Recovery: An Institutional Network Perspective Gavin Smith Pandemic Scenario Rick Bissell and Thomas Kirsch Training and Exercises for Catastrophes Myra M. Socher Catastrophes in Haiti and Japan Thomas Kirsch, Nobuaki Kiriu, and Rick Bissell Summary and Call to Action Rick Bissell and Jasmin R. Ruback Index
Predicting evolution and visualizing high-dimensional fitness landscapes

The tempo and mode of an adaptive process is strongly determined by the structure of the fitness landscape that underlies it. In order to be able to predict evolutionary outcomes (even on the short term), we must know more about the nature of realistic fitness landscapes than we do today. For example, in order to know whether evolution is predominantly taking paths that move upwards in fitness and along neutral ridges, or else entails a significant number of valley crossings, we need to be able to visualize these landscapes: we must determine whether there are peaks in the landscape, where these peaks are located with respect to one another, and whether evolutionary paths can connect them. This is a difficult task because genetic fitness landscapes (as opposed to those based on traits) are high-dimensional, and tools for visualizing such landscapes are lacking. In this contribution, we focus on the predictability of evolution on rugged genetic fitness landscapes, and determine that peaks in such landscapes are highly clustered: high peaks are predominantly close to other high peaks. As a consequence, the valleys separating such peaks are shallow and narrow, such that evolutionary trajectories towards the highest peak in the landscape can be achieved via a series of valley crossings.
Advanced VLSI technologies in biomedical engineering

The microelectronics industry has matured significantly over the past ten years. New very large scale integration (VLSI) technologies are available to researchers and manufacturers which can provide cost effective and innovative solutions to complex problems in biomedical engineering. >
T1 and T2 shortening associated with iodinated contrast media in MRI of the central nervous system

MRI was utilized to investigate the effects of iodinated radiographic contrast media in the central nervous system. Patients were studied both after intrathecal administration of an iodinated non-ionic contrast medium (Isovue) and following i.v. administration of an iodinated ionic contrast medium (Renografin). Two patients with subarachnoid iodinated contrast medium showed T1 and/or T2 shortening on spin echo acquisitions, while four of the five subjects with intracranial tumors and i.v. enhancement demonstrated a similar effect on MRI. In vitro experiments revealed that all iodinated contrast media manifested greater T1 and T2 shortening as the concentration of the agent was increased. It is proposed that the largest contributing mechanism is that of dipolar relaxation on the protons in the surrounding water. These effects suggest that the administration of iodinated contrast media during the period immediately prior to MR scanning may be contraindi-cated because of the demonstrated alteration of MR signal intensity, which may lead to inaccurate diagnostic conclusions.
Staging laparotomy and splenectomy for Hodgkin's disease: current status.

(1983). Staging Laparotomy and Splenectomy for Hodgkin's Disease: Current Status. Cancer Investigation: Vol. 1, No. 1, pp. 87-87.
Neuroendrocrine regulation of prolactin release

Article de synthese sur la regulation neuroendocrinienne de la liberation de la prolactine. Effet de la dopamine. Importance physiologique des facteurs de liberation de la prolactine
"Compensatory articulation" under conditions of reduced afferent information: a dynamic formulation.

A well-established feature of speech production is that talkers, faced with either anticipated or unanticipated perturbations. can spontaneously adjust the movement patterns of articulators such th...
The effects of community characteristics on community social behavior

Abstract The purpose of this paper is to examine the impact of a community’s economic characteristics on its ability to generate adherence to socially efficient norms. These norms prescribe a behavior for an individual when his/her preferred behavior imposes a negative externality on others. This paper explores social norms as a mechanism of how neighborhood characteristics can affect individual behavior. Understanding the mechanism through which community characteristics affect individual behavior is important in that it enables the development of a testable structural empirical model which is purged of the omitted variable bias arising from the potential endogeneity of the neighborhood choice.
The GNU/Linux desktop: an open access primer for libraries

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to describe the GNU/Linux operating system, with special attention to its use as a desktop computing platform in libraries.Design/methodology/approach – This paper describes the connection between libraries and the open source communities. It provides a model for an open source desktop computer that incorporates the needs of libraries. Specific topics covered include the graphical desktop, office productivity, electronic mail, web browsing and viewers, and public access computing.Findings – It is possible to model a desktop computer around open source software, however the ultimate decision on whether to proceed must be measured against potential costs, governing policies, and organizational cultures.Originality/value – This paper contributes to the improvement, growth, and development of the library and open source communities.
CARS and SRE techniques for product-state analysis and reactant-state preparation in reaction dynamics

We review the use of coherent anti-Stokes Raman scattering (CARS) spectroscopy for rotationally and vibrationally resolved detection of photofragments and reaction products, and the complementary use of stimulated Raman excitation (SRE) for vibrational excitation of diatomic and polyatomic reactants. We illustrate the advantages and disadvantages of these techniques by consideration of a few selected recent experiments in our lab.© (1993) COPYRIGHT SPIE--The International Society for Optical Engineering. Downloading of the abstract is permitted for personal use only.
Serpent Beings, Sacrificial Brides, Superboy Saviors: Comparative Analysis of African Serpent Lore

Serpent lore, dragon lore, and related ritual have long been of interest in religious studies, anthropology, and folklore. While works that provide rich ethnographic descriptions of particular cultural contexts are not to be neglected, broader comparative studies are also of value. Here a comparative approach is taken to the investigation of two themes widespread in African cosmic serpent lore: a shape-shifting Serpent Being with dragon-like features who is master controller of the waters and a related myth of a superboy who saves the world by slaying a dragon monster. Comparative analysis of tales from Lesotho indicates that Sotho-Tswana people retained ancient ideas common to other peoples in south and central Africa, and beyond. These two story lines are interpreted in terms of debates about diffusion, common origins, and independent invention. Both cognitive naturalism and inter-societal contact, in different ways, offer explanation of these shared themes.
SCHOOL BUSING AND DEMOGRAPHIC CHANGE

(1989). SCHOOL BUSING AND DEMOGRAPHIC CHANGE. Urban Geography: Vol. 10, The Urbanization of the Suburbs, pp. 336-354.
Characterization of the VEGF binding site on the Flt-1 receptor.

The angiogenic growth factor VEGF binds to the receptor tyrosine kinases Flt-1 and KDR/Flk-1. Immunoglobulin (Ig)-like loop-2 of Flt-1 is involved in binding VEGF, but the contribution of other Flt-1 Ig-loops to VEGF binding remains unclear. We tested the ability of membrane-bound chimeras between the extracellular domain of Flt-1 and the cell adhesion molecule embigin to bind VEGF. VEGF bound as well to receptors containing Flt-1 loops 1-2 or 2-3 as it did to the entire Flt-1 extracellular domain. Chimeras containing only loop-2 of Flt-1 bound VEGF with 22-fold lower affinity. We conclude that high-affinity VEGF binding requires Ig-like loop-2 plus either loop-1 or loop-3. In addition, Flt-1 amino acid residues Arg-224 and Asp-231 were not essential for high-affinity binding of VEGF to membrane-bound Flt-1.
The Curious Case of the Collapsing Colonies

This break from the traditional Bee World articles is a time warp tale for relaxed reading during the Christmas Holidays.
Financial considerations of the sets technique in animal-disease surveillance

Abstract Disease-surveillance systems are designed to detect the presence of (or an unusual increase in) the ill health of populations. Once the system correctly identifies an increase in a disease or condition, appropriate preventive action may be taken to alleviate associated losses. However, criteria for determining when an action should be taken are typically subjective. The purpose of this paper was to present and evaluate a technique for detecting clusters or increases in incidence rates: the sets technique. In addition, this technique was modified to permit evaluation of an animal disease-surveillance system, based on the system’s detection capability as well as financial impact of the disease and its control. This technique was sensitive to the number of temporally clustered cases and the case-rate increase required to “signal an alarm”. A system requiring more vs. fewer clustered cases needed to signal an alarm was always preferred financially for a rare disease ( P (Epidemic)=0.001) and (with one exception) for a common disease ( P (Epidemic)=0.2). Requiring more temporally clustered cases to signal an alarm, however, resulted in increased costs if the detection level were designed for a 6-fold case-rate increase, or if the true case-rate increase were 2-fold and the system were designed to detect a 2-fold increase of a relatively expensive disease ( epidemic cost =$10 000 vs . $1000) . Case frequencies, costs and other assumptions used in this model may be modified to evaluate specific diseases and their associated surveillance systems.
Update on ropinirole in the treatment of Parkinson’s disease

Ropinirole is a dopamine agonist, approved for use to treat symptoms of early and advanced Parkinson’s disease, is now available in a 24-hour formulation in addition to the immediate release version. This review discusses the mode of action of ropinirole and compares the pharmacokinetics of both formulations. Pivotal studies leading to the approval of both preparations are reviewed in terms of efficacy, dose range and side effects. Patient factors such as compliance are discussed in terms of the place for ropinirole in the armamentarium of Parkinson’s disease therapies.
Protecting biodiversity in coastal environments: Introduction and overview

Abstract Much less attention has been paid in recent years to the threats to coastal and marine biodiversity, compared to biodiversity in more terrestrial habitats. The tremendous biodiversity at risk and the severity and magnitude of the pressures being exerted on coastal habitats suggest the need for much greater attention to be focused here by both the policy and scientific communities. The threats to coastal biodiversity are numerous and include air and water pollution; over exploitation and harvesting; the introduction of exotic species; the dramatic loss of habitat due to urbanization, agricultural expansion, and other land use changes; and the potentially serious effects of global climate change. These threats suggest the need for swift action at a number of jurisdictional and governmental levels. Major components of such an effort are identified and described. These include the need for comprehensive management approaches, the expansion of parks and protected areas, restoration and mitigation, mul...