cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Brain network dynamics in the human articulatory loop.

Abstract Objective The articulatory loop is a fundamental component of language function, involved in the short-term buffer of auditory information followed by its vocal reproduction. We characterized the network dynamics of the human articulatory loop, using invasive recording and stimulation. Methods We measured high-gamma activity 70–110 Hz recorded intracranially when patients with epilepsy either only listened to, or listened to and then reproduced two successive tones by humming. We also conducted network analyses, and analyzed behavioral responses to cortical stimulation. Results Presentation of the initial tone elicited high-gamma augmentation bilaterally in the superior-temporal gyrus (STG) within 40ms, and in the precentral and inferior-frontal gyri (PCG and IFG) within 160ms after sound onset. During presentation of the second tone, high-gamma augmentation was reduced in STG but enhanced in IFG. The task requiring tone reproduction further enhanced high-gamma augmentation in PCG during and after sound presentation. Event-related causality (ERC) analysis revealed dominant flows within STG immediately after sound onset, followed by reciprocal interactions involving PCG and IFG. Measurement of cortico-cortical evoked-potentials (CCEPs) confirmed connectivity between distant high-gamma sites in the articulatory loop. High-frequency stimulation of precentral high-gamma sites in either hemisphere induced speech arrest, inability to control vocalization, or forced vocalization. Vocalization of tones was accompanied by high-gamma augmentation over larger extents of PCG. Conclusions Bilateral PCG rapidly and directly receives feed-forward signals from STG, and may promptly initiate motor planning including sub-vocal rehearsal for short-term buffering of auditory stimuli. Enhanced high-gamma augmentation in IFG during presentation of the second tone may reflect high-order processing of the tone sequence. Significance The articulatory loop employs sustained reciprocal propagation of neural activity across a network of cortical sites with strong neurophysiological connectivity.
"Her Special Music": Wild Women and Jazz in Paule Marshall’s The Fisher King

Paule Marshall’s jazz novel, The Fisher King, weaves an intricate tale about women and jazz in the late nineteen forties and early fifties. From the novel’s description on the inside flap of the book to the reviews and scholarship that attempt to unearth it’s meaning, the narrative has been predominantly read as a patrilineal text. This article proposes a matrilineal reading that focuses on the women who populate the narrative and serve as the archival bodies that “pass on” the legacy of jazz and ultimately free the music from its structural bondage through language and image. This article attends to the way that Marshall challenges and revises major tropes and concerns of jazz literature in The Fisher King. Drawing on cultural criticism and feminist theories, three motifs in Marshall’s jazz novel —wild women, the jazz moment of improvisation, and call and response demonstrate how Marshall uses jazz’s essential elements of improvisation and freedom to reconstruct traditional notions of the female body through rhetorical dialogue and moments of improvisation. I argue that Marshall creates a space (literally and figuratively) for black female agency and challenges the male-dominated narratives about jazz music in America and abroad. I contend that Marshall constructs varied images of black women as improvisers/innovators/creators in order to place women at the center, rather than on the periphery, of jazz literary discourse. Ultimately, The Fisher King becomes a prime example of Marshall’s uncanny ability to (re)inscribe the interconnections between black women, jazz music, and African Diaspora literature.
Our Hidden Figures {Point of View]

“Your mom made five palacinke (crepe in Serbian), your brother ate two; how many are left for you?” For some reason, this “sweet” math got etched in my mind as one of my earliest memories. It was my dad, playing number games with me. And many others: card games, puzzles, word riddles, brainteasers, anything where you had to figure out things, he loved. Then of course, so did I.
Can we use mice to study schizophrenia

The validity of rodent models for the study of psychiatric disorders is controversial. Despite great efforts from academic institutions and pharmaceutical companies, as of today, no major therapeutic intervention has been developed for the treatment of psychiatric disorders based on mechanistic insights from rodent models. Here, we argue that despite these historical shortcomings, rodent studies are nevertheless instrumental for identifying neuronal circuit mechanisms underlying behaviours that are affected in psychiatric disorders. Focusing on schizophrenia, we will give four examples of rodent models that were generated based on genetic and environmental risk factors or pathophysiological evidence as entry points. We will then discuss how circuit analysis in these specific examples can be used for testing hypotheses about neuronal mechanisms underlying symptoms of schizophrenia, which will then guide the development of new therapies.This article is part of a discussion meeting issue 'Of mice and mental health: facilitating dialogue between basic and clinical neuroscientists'.
Universal Rural Broadband: Economics and Policy

The primary reason that current government policy is failing to achieve universal rural broadband is rooted in its own past statutory and regulatory policy. The two biggest roadblocks are the rural waiver provided for in The Telecommunications Act of 1996 (hereafter cited as the 96 Act or Act) and the disastrous policy for (mis)allocating radio spectrum. Unless and until substantial reform or repeal of these policies occurs, the achievement of universal (affordable) rural broadband will be elusive.
The Information Flows Around Bankruptcy Announcements: An Empirical Investigation

In this study I explore the information content of bankruptcy filings by U.S. publicly traded companies by examining the behavior of bid-ask spread around bankruptcy announcements. I show that, for a sample of 56 firms that filed for bankruptcy from 1993 through the middle of 2002, average daily bid-ask spreads (quoted and effective) drop while the average daily percentage spread rises following the announcement. The latter result is consistent with earlier studies that documented substantial negative stock price reaction to bankruptcy declaration. More importantly, the adverse selection component of the bid-ask spread drops significantly while the liquidity component remains unchanged after filing for bankruptcy.
Risk Price Variation: The Missing Half of Empirical Asset Pricing

Equal compensation across assets for the same risk exposures is a bedrock of asset pricing theory and empirics. Yet real-world frictions can violate this equality and create high-Sharpe ratio opportunities. We develop new methods for asset pricing with cross-sectional heterogeneity in compensation for risk. We extend k-means clustering to group assets by risk prices and introduce a formal test for whether differences in risk premia across market segments are too large to occur by chance. Using portfolios of US stocks, international stocks, and assets from multiple classes, we find significant evidence of cross-sectional variation in risk prices for all 159 combinations of test assets, factor models, and time periods. Variation in risk prices is as important as variation in risk exposures for explaining the cross-section of expected returns.
Aspergillus fumigatus strain-specific host response is regulated by glucose sensing.

Our knowledge of how Aspergillus fumigatus growth is controlled within the respiratory tract is developing, but still enigmatic. Recruitment of neutrophils and inflammatory monocytes is critical to control fungal germination. We have recently found that the CEA10 and Af293 strains of A. fumigatus induce unique inflammatory leukocyte responses. Here, we aim to understand why these A. fumigatus strains induce different immune responses and how this affects fungal-induced immunopathology and disease outcome. We used an immunocompetent murine model of invasive pulmonary aspergillosis to evaluate the immune response induced by CEA10 and Af293. We observed that CEA10 undergoes significantly greater germination than Af293, which was regulated by its ability to sense glucose through CreA-mediated signaling. Moreover, the CEA10 strain induced greater lung damage, vascular leakage, and inflammation. These findings suggest the inflammatory response to A. fumigatus might be regulated in a stepwise manner in response to the threat posed by the specific A. fumigatus strain. Specifically, the Af293 strain, which swells but fails to germinate, activates the inflammasome leading to IL-1beta-dependent neutrophil recruitment. In contrast, the CEA10 strain is able to germinate efficiently within the lung, leading to necrotic host cell death, IL-1alpha release, and subsequent IL-1alpha dependent neutrophil recruitment. Clinically, our data support the idea that A. fumigatus strain phenotypic variation may significantly contribute to disease outcomes. Understanding why different A. fumigatus strains induce distinct immune pathology can reveal novel immunotherapeutic targets for the treatment of invasive aspergillosis.
Improv Comedy and Modern Marketing Education: Exploring Consequences for Divergent Thinking, Self-Efficacy, and Collaboration:

In an era of constant connectedness—from Twitter tweets to the 24-hour news cycle—the need for marketers to be nimble and responsive to the needs of consumers and ever-evolving markets is greater t...
Assessment of Gender-Affirming Hormone Therapy Requirements

Abstract Purpose: There are currently no recommendations regarding the starting doses of hormone therapy for individuals with gender dysphoria. The purpose of this study was to assess the hormone d...
Lactose Intolerance and Bone Health: The Challenge of Ensuring Adequate Calcium Intake

Calcium is an important nutrient with impact upon many biological systems, most notably bone. Ensuring adequate calcium intake throughout the lifespan is essential to building and maintaining bone. Lactose intolerance may predispose individuals to low calcium intake as the number of lactose-free, calcium-rich food sources is limited. In this review, we summarize data from human and animal studies on the influence of lactose and lactase deficiency on calcium absorption and bone health. Based on the available evidence, neither dietary lactose nor lactase deficiency have a significant impact on calcium absorption in adult humans. However, lactose intolerance may lead to reduced bone density and fragility fractures when accompanied by decreased intake or avoidance of dairy. Recently published human trials and meta-analyses suggest a weak but significant association between dairy consumption and bone health, particularly in children. Given the availability of simple dietary approaches to building lactose tolerance and the nutritional deficiencies associated with dairy avoidance, multiple public health organizations recommend that all individuals—including those that are lactose intolerant—consume three servings of dairy per day to ensure adequate nutrient intakes and optimal bone health.
Journey to Home: development of a conceptual model to describe Veterans' experiences with resolving housing instability

Recent research has focused on risk factors for Veteran housing instability and programmatic responses. However, little is known about Veterans’ experiences of becoming unstably housed and navigati...
Madness, Art and Society: Beyond Illness

In recent decades, scholars of theatre and performance studies have engaged disability theory to generate methods of disability performance criticism. While these projects are promising, comparativ...
Rapid Method for Generation Prioritization during System Restoration with Renewable Resources

Quick and reliable power system restoration is critically important after natural disasters or other sudden threats, such as cyber-attacks. Leveraging renewable resources in system restoration shortens recovery times, resulting in prevented life-loss and avoided economic-loss, and improves the resilience of the entire grid. However, it is not a common practice today; the inherent variability of these resources represents a challenge for a streamlined restoration process. This paper presents a prioritized method - starting with renewable generator units then lowering priority to conventional units - to plan the operational schedule of a power system during the restoration process. The goal is to achieve a well balanced system in the presence of significant renewable penetration. Validation and benchmarking experiments were performed on a customized version of the RTS-GMLC test system using six months out of year-long data, tested through hourly simulations. After evaluating the performance and computational costs, this method proved faster than common approaches: a MILP Unit Commitment algorithm, widely used today, and an “enable-and-try” algorithm. In summary, herein a more convenient method is provided to be utilized during time-sensitive restoration, as an online operation-planning aid.
On the failure of the Hörmander multiplier theorem in a limiting case

We discuss the Hormander multiplier theorem for Lp boundedness of Fourier multipliers in which the multiplier belongs to a fractional Sobolev space with smoothness s. We show that this theorem does not hold in the limiting case |1/p−1/2|=s/n.
Bibliometrics for Faculty Evaluation: A Statistical Comparison of h-indexes Generated Using Google Scholar and Web of Science Data

The growing need for quantification of research performance for promotion and tenure and grant funding decisions has lead many to rely on citation metrics. There are many metrics to choose from but one of the most common is the h -index. While the h -index has been criticized by many, the metric itself is not the only concern. The source of the citation information used to calculate the h -index is also important. In this case study the h -index was calculated using citation data from Clarivate’s Web of Science (WoS) and Google Scholar (GS) for a selection of faculty working at a large public university. The h -indexes from the two sources were statistically compared using a student’s t-test and Spearman correlation to determine if the two sources produced significantly different results. Google Scholar data produced h -indexes that were greater in magnitude (M=18.52, SD=13.641) than those produced by Web of Science data (M=13.13, SD=10.400) however the rank order of the h -indexes from the two sources showed a high degree of similarity.
Major Depression Comorbid with Medical Conditions: Analysis of Quality of Life, Functioning, and Depressive Symptom Severity.

Background The presence of Major Depressive Disorder (MDD) is often comorbid in patients with a variety of general medical conditions (GMCs) which could lead to less favorable outcomes. Objective The goal of this analysis is to examine functional outcomes of QOL and functioning before and after antidepressant treatment among patients with MDD with and without GMCs. Methods We performed a secondary analysis based on the STAR*D database. The analysis included two patient groups from the STAR*D trial: 1,198 patients comorbid with MDD and GMCs (MDD + GMC) and 1,082 patients with MDD and no GMCs (MDDnoGMC), as defined by the Cumulative Illness Rating Scale. We analyzed depressive symptom severity, functioning and quality of life (QOL) before and after level 1 treatment with citalopram. Results At baseline, the MDD + GMC group had significantly lower QOL (p < 0.001) and functioning (p = 0.001) than the MDDnoGMC group, although depressive symptom severity was not significantly different. Following antidepressant treatment, QOL, functioning and depressive symptom severity significantly improved for both MDD + GMC and MDDnoGMC groups. However, patients with MDD + GMC were more likely to experience severe impairments in QOL in (56.8% vs. 43.5% for MDDnoGMC, p < 0.001) and functioning (42.5% vs. 29.3% for MDDnoGMC, p < 0.001) following treatment. The remission rate was significantly lower for MDD + GMC (30.6% vs. 41.1% for MDDnoGMC, p < 0.001). Conclusions Our findings suggest that antidepressant treatment had a positive impact on patients with and without GMCs. However, those with GMCs experienced not only a lower remission rate, but also continued to experience more significantly severe impairments in QOL and functioning.
A Multiscale Analysis of Multi-Agent Coverage Control Algorithms

This paper presents a theoretical framework for the design and analysis of gradient descent-based algorithms for coverage control tasks involving robot swarms. We adopt a multiscale approach to analysis and design to ensure consistency of the algorithms in the large-scale limit. First, we represent the macroscopic configuration of the swarm as a probability measure and formulate the macroscopic coverage task as the minimization of a convex objective function over probability measures. We then construct a macroscopic dynamics for swarm coverage, which takes the form of a proximal descent scheme in the $L^2$-Wasserstein space. Our analysis exploits the generalized geodesic convexity of the coverage objective function, proving convergence in the $L^2$-Wasserstein sense to the target probability measure. We then obtain a consistent gradient descent algorithm in the Euclidean space that is implementable by a finite collection of agents, via a "variational" discretization of the macroscopic coverage objective function. We establish the convergence properties of the gradient descent and its behavior in the continuous-time and large-scale limits. Furthermore, we establish a connection with well-known Lloyd-based algorithms, seen as a particular class of algorithms within our framework, and demonstrate our results via numerical experiments.
Reducing anthropogenic subsidies can curb density of overabundant predators in protected areas

Abstract Protected areas safeguard biodiversity and provide opportunities for human recreation. However, abundant anthropogenic food subsidies associated with human activities in protected areas can lead to high densities of generalist predators, posing a threat to rare species at broad spatial scales. Reducing anthropogenic subsidies could curb populations of overabundant predators, yet the effectiveness of this strategy is unclear. We characterized changes in the foraging ecology, body condition, and demography of a generalist predator, the Steller's jay, three years after implementation of a multi-faceted management program to reduce anthropogenic subsidies in a protected area in California. Stable isotope analysis revealed that the proportional contribution of anthropogenic foods to jay diets declined from 88% to 47% in response to management. Overlap between jay home ranges decreased after management began, while home range size, body condition, and individual fecundity remained stable. Adult density in subsidized areas decreased markedly from 4.33 (SE: ±0.91) to 0.65 (±0.20) jays/ha after the initiation of management, whereas density in unsubsidized areas that were not expected to be affected by management remained stable (0.70 ± 0.22 pre-management, 0.58 ± 0.38 post-management). Thus, the response of jays to management was density-dependent such that reduced densities facilitated the maintenance of individual body condition and fecundity. Importantly, though, jay population size and collective reproductive output declined substantially. Our study provides evidence that limiting anthropogenic subsidies can successfully reduce generalist predator populations and be part of a strategy to increase compatibility of species protection and human recreation within protected areas.
Few-Shot Continual Learning for Audio Classification

Supervised learning for audio classification typically imposes a fixed class vocabulary, which can be limiting for real-world applications where the target class vocabulary is not known a priori or changes dynamically. In this work, we introduce a few-shot continual learning framework for audio classification, where we can continuously expand a trained base classifier to recognize novel classes based on only few labeled data at inference time. This enables fast and interactive model updates by end-users with minimal human effort. To do so, we leverage the dynamic few-shot learning technique and adapt it to a challenging multi-label audio classification scenario. We incorporate a recent state-of-the-art audio feature extraction model as a backbone and perform a comparative analysis of our approach on two popular audio datasets (ESC-50 and AudioSet). We conduct an in-depth evaluation to illustrate the complexities of the problem and show that, while there is still room for improvement, our method outperforms three baselines on novel class detection while maintaining its performance on base classes.
TWEETING BACK: EXPLORING BLACK FEMINIST HASHTAG COMMUNITIES ON TWITTER AND INSTAGRAM

The use of social media by Black women and femmes to talk about topics from a Black feminist perspective has been explored within the larger context of studies on Black Twitter and content analysis of circulated Tweets online. However, studies have yet to empirically study Black feminist social media communities' nuanced dynamics by directly speaking to those involved across a range of networked conversations. To fill this gap, this study conducted 21 semi-structured, in-depth interviews with individuals who engaged in eight different black feminist hashtag conversations across Twitter and Instagram to expand our current understanding of how black feminist intellectual production has been developed and broadened through the affordances of digital media. Findings suggest that while black feminist hashtag discussions have allowed Black women to “talk back” to hegemonic mainstream and popular discourses about Black women, these conversations are constantly at stake of appropriation and co-optation, replicating historical erasure of Black women’s intellectual production.
Patterns of National Cancer Institute-Sponsored Clinical Trial Enrollment in Black Adolescents and Young Adults.

Background Both adolescent and young adult (AYA) and Black or African American (hereafter referred to as Black) cancer patients are historically under-enrolled in cancer treatment trials (CTT). The purpose of this study was to quantify enrollment of Black AYAs in National Cancer Institute (NCI)-sponsored CTTs overall and by age, sex, and cancer diagnosis during 2000-2015. Methods Utilizing data from NCI's Cancer Therapy Evaluation Program and the Surveillance, Epidemiology and End Results (SEER) Program, we assessed CTT enrollment in Black patients with cancer and measured changes in enrollment over time between the study periods 2000-2007 and 2008-2015. Enrollment patterns were compared across age groups (≤14 years [y], 15-19y, 20-29y, 30-39y and 40+ years), sex, and cancer diagnosis. Results From 2000 through 2015, Conclusions Few Black AYAs enroll in CTTs each year. Given known benefits of clinical trial participation and the well-documented racial and age-related differences in cancer outcomes, addressing barriers to enrollment in these patients may, in turn, reduce disparities. Targeted interventions aimed at increasing the CTT enrollment of Black cancer patients, particularly young Black men, are urgently needed. Precis This study documents that compared with Black children, Black adolescent, and young adult (AYA) patients were less likely to enroll in NCI-sponsored CTTs from 2000 to 2015. Black AYA male enrollment decreased with increasing age, highlighting disparities among this specific population in CTT enrollment.
Hybrid, scalable, trace-driven performance modeling of GPGPUs

In this paper, we present PPT-GPU, a scalable performance prediction toolkit for GPUs. PPT-GPU achieves scalability through a hybrid high-level modeling approach where some computations are extrapolated and multiple parts of the model are parallelized. The tool primary prediction models use pre-collected memory and instructions traces of the workloads to accurately capture the dynamic behavior of the kernels. PPT-GPU reports an extensive array of GPU performance metrics accurately while being easily extensible. We use a broad set of benchmarks to verify predictions accuracy. We compare the results against hardware metrics collected using vendor profiling tools and cycle-accurate simulators. The results show that the performance predictions are highly correlated to the actual hardware (MAPE: 16% and Correlation: > 0.98). Moreover, PPT-GPU is orders of magnitude faster than cycle-accurate simulators. This comprehensiveness of the collected metrics can guide architects and developers to perform design space explorations. Moreover, the scalability of the tool enables conducting efficient and fast sensitivity analyses for performance-critical applications.
Commentary on the Futures Problem by Geoffrey C. Hazard Jr.

It is hard to disagree with Professor Hazard's description of the futures problem as the most difficult one for the field of mass torts. This is so if we accept the background notion that we will continue to use the common law tort system this country inherited from postfeudal England as one tool for addressing certain kinds of common injuries to large numbers of people. Most of my comments today will proceed on the same basis that Professor Hazard uses until he offers his proposal for legislation: that is, I too assume at the outset that the United States is not likely soon to adopt a different mechanism for redressing the injuries suffered by the victims of mass torts, nor is it likely to adopt a different mechanism for allocating the costs of those injuries to the responsible parties or for punishing wrongdoers. The present system is, of course, the tort system, which, albeit imperfectly, tries to accomplish the goals of compensation, allocation of cost, and deterrence. It has been clear for some time that, even if the tort system is fine if Jones has negligently damaged Smith's car, or if Dr. Doe accidentally amputates the wrong leg of Patient Roe, its adaptation to ever more complex litigation leaves a great deal to be desired. I would like to begin my commentary by looking at the definition of "futures" cases and then by isolating the variables that make them especially intractable. Professor Hazard offers the following definition in his paper: "a 'futures' claim is one where a claimant cannot presently prove a causal connection between an injury and a supposed source of injury, but nevertheless suspects or fears that he or she is suffering injury that has its origin in the suspect source."1 Phrasing the idea a little differently, we might say that a "futures" claim is one based on an event that has already occurred (such as exposure to a toxic material), but whose consequences will not become clear enough to support a legal claim until some time after the statute of limitations (measured from the date of the event) has expired. In some instances, the event may not yet have inflicted any cognizable
The Interaction of Cognitive and Physiological Determinants of Emotional State

Publisher Summary The different emotions are accompanied by recognizably different bodily states, and the direct manipulation of bodily state, by drugs or surgery, also manipulates emotional state. This chapter describes the implications of a cognitive-physiological formulation of emotion, and a series of experiments designed to test these implications. The emotional states are a function of the interaction of cognitive factors with a state of physiological arousal. Cognitions arising from the immediate situation provide the framework within which one understands and labels his feelings, and cognitive factors can lead the individual to describe his feelings with any of a variety of emotional labels, such as euphoria or anger. The experimental results suggest that given a state of physiological arousal for which an individual has no explanation, he labels this state in terms of the cognitions available to him, and by manipulating the cognitions of an individual in such a state, his feelings can be manipulated in diverse directions. Under the state of physiological arousal for which the individual has a completely satisfactory explanation, he does not label this state in terms of the alternative cognitions available. While, under the constant cognitive circumstances, an individual reacts emotionally only to the extent that he experiences a state of physiological arousal.
Lung recruitment during ARDS.

Accomplishing the lung’s primary function of gas exchange requires close contact between gas and blood across the extensive alveolar surface. Because of non-uniform regional and local forces, certain lung units are naturally predisposed to closure, even in the healthy lung. Extensive airway or parenchymal disease greatly accentuates this tendency.
High-order integral equation solution for scattering by composite materials

A high-order method of moment solution for the electromagnetic scattering by complex objects with composite materials is presented. The generalized technique can analyze material scattering by homogeneous and inhomogeneous material and conducting objects through both surface and volume equivalent currents. The solution employs high-order basis functions and a quadrature point-based discretization. It is shown that the solution leads to high-order convergence for the electromagnetic scattering by heterogeneous scatterers. This is validated here through the study of canonical scattering structures.
Myocardial hibernation: unresolved physiological and clinical issues

It is impossible to discuss myocardial hibernation without consideration of myocardial stunning. Further, to understand either process it is imperative that their definitions be kept firmly in mind. An essential feature common both to hibernation and stunning is reversibly impaired contractile function of the myocardium (1, 2). Myocardial stunning, however, is associated with “normal” levels of myocardial blood flow and oxygen consumption (3, 4). Since myocardial systolic function by definition is depressed, “normal” levels of myocardial oxygen consumption in stunning must be regarded as excessive relative to the level of mechanical work performed. In contrast, myocardial oxygen consumption, blood flow, and systolic function all are proportionately reduced in hibernation (5, 6). Thus, from a conceptual point-of-view myocardial hibernation can and should be distinguished from stunning based on the prevailing level of regional myocardial blood flow and oxygen consumption. Balanced reduction of myocardial blood flow, function and oxygen comsumption should be considered hibernation while “normal” myocardial blood flow and oxygen comsumption with impaired systolic function should be considered stunning.
Cytotoxicity of folate-Pseudomonas exotoxin conjugates toward tumor cells. Contribution of translocation domain.

Abstract Folate-protein conjugates can be nondestructively delivered into a cell's cytoplasm via folate receptor-mediated endocytosis if (i) the target cells express a folate-binding protein, and (ii) if the folate is linked to its attached protein at a site that does not interfere with receptor recognition. Because such conjugates have been observed to remain in endosomal compartments for extended periods following cellular uptake, we decided to evaluate whether release into the cytoplasm might be expedited by inclusion of a translocation domain in the folate-protein construct. To test this possibility, momordin-folate and truncated Pseudomonas exotoxin-folate conjugates (LysPE38 and Cys-PE35), i.e. protein synthesis inhibitors either lacking or containing the desired translocation domain, respectively, were examined for their abilities to block protein synthesis in a variety of cell types. The translocation competent LysPE38-folate construct was found to kill cells six times more rapidly with 10-fold greater potency than the permeation-incompetent mormordin-folate. Further, cells expressing low levels of folate receptors could only be exterminated by the translocation competent Pseudomonas exotoxin-folate conjugates. When the translocation capability of CysPE35-folate was inactivated by modification of Cys287, the construct also lost most of its cytotoxicity. These data suggest that autocatalysis of transport from an internal vesicular compartment into the cytoplasm can greatly augment the cytotoxicity of a protein toxin entering cells via the folate endocytosis pathway. Because the folate ligand can selectively target a protein conjugate to cancer cells in the presence of normal cells, such translocatable toxin-folate constructs warrant further study as a possible treatment for some malignancies.
Exploring EWB-USA Members' Descriptions of Self, Engineers, and their Fellow Members

Engineers Without Borders-USA (EWB-USA), an organization with over 13,800 members involved in engineering service projects around the world, presents a large population for research on an engineering service activity. Although anecdotal evidence claims that EWB-USA may be helping to change the conversation about the engineering field, additional research is needed. This exploratory study asked EWB-USA members to describe themselves, engineers, and fellow members at regional EWB-USA conferences around the country and analyzed the results (n = 505) using qualitative coding techniques to compare thematic overlap among the responses and to consider gendered differences. Findings showed that engineering and EWB-USA are nearly equivalent components of members’ self-descriptions, and that females showed more overlap with EWB-USA than males. These results can inform future studies on the organizations’ role in impacting changed perceptions of the engineering field and broadening participation.
Benchmarking Controlled Trial—a novel concept covering all observational effectiveness studies

AbstractThe Benchmarking Controlled Trial (BCT) is a novel concept which covers all observational studies aiming to assess effectiveness. BCTs provide evidence of the comparative effectiveness between health service providers, and of effectiveness due to particular features of the health and social care systems. BCTs complement randomized controlled trials (RCTs) as the sources of evidence on effectiveness. This paper presents a definition of the BCT; compares the position of BCTs in assessing effectiveness with that of RCTs; presents a checklist for assessing methodological validity of a BCT; and pilot-tests the checklist with BCTs published recently in the leading medical journals.
Phenomenological treatment of exchange effects in solid3He in the high-temperature limit

Using an expansion in1/T andH2 for the free energy, we phenomenologically obtain a good fit to the existing high-temperature thermodynamic data for bcc 3 He at both high and low magnetic field. In addition, we show that our coefficients can be obtained by forming a synthesis of the independent theories resulting from (1) next-near neighbor exchange and (2) spin—phonon coupling.
Local structure and phase transitions within ordered electrochemical adlayers: Some new insights from in situ scanning tunneling microscopy

The application of in situ atomic-resolution scanning tunneling microscopy (STM) to the elucidation of local structure and potential-induced phase transitions within ordered adlayers on monocrystalline metal electrodes is discussed, and illustrated primarily for compressed CO adlayers on Pt(111). The value of the additional structural information on adsorbate binding sites that can be obtained from infrared reflection-absorption spectroscopy (IRAS) as well as from potentiodynamic STM imaging tactics is emphasized. The atomic-level and nanoscale structural alterations wrought upon the Pt(111)/CO adlayer by bismuth predosing are described as a further illustration of the synergetic value of the spatial and surface-bonding information provided by STM and IRAS. A comparison is made between the potential-dependent adlayer characteristics of the compressed CO adlayers with iodide adlayers on gold and platinum low-index electrodes. Possible reasons for the marked differences in the phase-transition behavior of these nonmetallic adlayers are briefly discussed, along with comparisons with analogous adlayers in ultrahigh vacuum environments.
Metrology challenges in a shared spectrum environment

In an increasingly congested electromagnetic spectrum, modern RF systems are being designed to operate in diverse environments filled with other devices that broadcast a wide variety of electromagnetic signals. These other devices may not be of the same type, and may use RF signals with significantly different characteristics (i.e. modulation, data rate, bandwidth), and could contain one or more adaptive antennas. As the number and types of devices, applications (e.g. communications, radar, sensors, etc.), and demand for bandwidth increases, so does the potential for harmful interference. As advancements in communications technologies are deployed, existing measurement methods for characterizing a device's RF behavior may no longer be adequate. Even at this early stage, the use of spectrum sharing and cognitive devices has prompted new research in the RF metrology used to characterize these devices.
A scientific note: Survey for Nosema spp. in preserved Apis spp.

Historically, Nosema apis was thought to be the only species to infect Apis mellifera, but recent reports showed that Nosema ceranae is a second microsporidium capable of infecting A. mellifera (Higes et al. 2006; Huang et al. 2007). While N. ceranae was first described in 1996 in Apis cerana (Fries et al. 1996) and initially believed to be restricted to the natural host range of A. cerana (Fries 1997), N. ceranae has been found everywhere beekeeping is practiced. N. ceranae has been present in the USA since 1995 (Chen et al. 2008) and the earliest published report of A. mellifera samples containing N. ceranae dates back to 1990 in samples from Uruguay (Invernizzi et al. 2009). N. ceranae has also been found in other Apis spp. such as Apis florea and Apis dorsata colonies in Northern Thailand, but no N. apis was detected (Chaimanee et al. 2010; Suwannapong et al. 2011). Samples from the Solomon Islands revealed that Apis koschevnikovi were infected with N. ceranae, but only in areas where A. cerana had been sympatric and no N. apis was detected (Botias et al. 2012). N. ceranae has also been found in species outside of the genus Apis. Three species of bumble bee collected from 2005–2008 in South America have been found to be naturally infected with N. ceranae: Bombus atratus, Bombus morio, and Bombus bellicosus, but not infected with N. apis or Nosema bombi (Plischuk et al. 2009). Interestingly, in B. atratus, Nosema spores were
Uncertainty quantification and model validation of fatigue crack growth prediction

Abstract This paper presents a methodology for uncertainty quantification and model validation in fatigue crack growth analysis. Several models – finite element model, crack growth model, surrogate model, etc. – are connected through a Bayes network that aids in model calibration, uncertainty quantification, and model validation. Three types of uncertainty are included in both uncertainty quantification and model validation: (1) natural variability in loading and material properties; (2) data uncertainty due to measurement errors, sparse data, and different inspection results (crack not detected, crack detected but size not measured, and crack detected with size measurement); and (3) modeling uncertainty and errors during crack growth analysis, numerical approximations, and finite element discretization. Global sensitivity analysis is used to quantify the contribution of each source of uncertainty to the overall prediction uncertainty and to identify the important parameters that need to be calibrated. Bayesian hypothesis testing is used for model validation and the Bayes factor metric is used to quantify the confidence in the model prediction. The proposed methodology is illustrated using a numerical example of surface cracking in a cylindrical component.
Reducing Financial Barriers Enhances the Return Rate of Stool Hemoccult Packets

Patient compliance in returning fecal-hemoccult card packets has been studied in recent years but no specific interventions have been shown consistently to improve the return rate. It was wondered whether removing a small financial barrier for indigent patients would positively affect compliance. Therefore, the effect of prepaid postage on the rate of return was studied. Pre-prepared packets containing hemoccult cards with return envelopes were distributed in a randomized fashion to indigent and private insurance patients in outpatient clinics. On half of the return envelopes return postage was applied. The main outcome measure was the rate of return of stamped and unstamped packets stratified between indigent and private insurance patients. The overall rates of return were 117 of 159 (74%) for the stamped packets and 102 of 166 (61%) for unstamped packets (p 0.10). Removing even small financial barriers (eg, providing a postage stamp) can enhance compliance for indigent patients.
Ultrasonic image analysis for beef tenderness

Objective measurement of meat tenderness has been a topic of concern for palatability evaluation. In this study, a real-time ultrasonic B-mode imaging method was used for measuring beef palatability attributes such as juiciness, muscle fiber tenderness, connective tissue amount, overall tenderness, flavor intensity, and percent total collagen noninvasively. A temporal averaging image enhancement method was used for image analysis. Ultrasonic image intensity, fractal dimension, attenuation, and statistical gray-tone spatial-dependence matrix image texture measurement were analyzed. The contrast of the textural feature was the most correlated parameter with palatability attributes. The longitudinal scanning method was better for juiciness, muscle fiber tenderness, flavor intensity, and percent soluble collagen, whereas, the cross-sectional method was better for connective tissue, overall tenderness. The multivariate linear regression models were developed as a function of textural features and image intensity parameters. The determinant coefficients of regression models were for juiciness (R2 equals .97), for percent total collagen (R2 equals .88), for flavor intensity (R2 equals .75), for muscle fiber tenderness (R2 equals .55), and for overall tenderness (R2 equals .49), respectively.
Membranes with Thick, Liquid-Disordered and Thin, Liquid-Ordered Phases are Rare

Lipid membranes containing ternary mixtures of a lipid with a high melting temperature (Tm), a lipid with a low-Tm, and a sterol can phase separate into two coexisting liquid phases over a range of temperatures and compositions (Veatch 2003 Biophys. J.). The two phases are termed liquid-ordered (Lo) and liquid-disordered (Ld). It is generally assumed that the Lo phase is thicker than the Ld phase. We hypothesize that increasing the chain length of the low-Tm lipid and/or decreasing the chain length of the high-Tm lipid yields systems with thicker Ld phases. We measured phase heights of membranes containing high-Tm lipids with saturated tails of 12 to18 carbons, and low-Tm lipids with unsaturated tails of 20 to 24 carbons or phytanoyl chains. Of all these combinations, only one ternary system produced data consistent with thicker Ld than Lo phases: DPPC/Di(22:1)PC/cholesterol. To identify which phase was thicker in each membrane, we first ruptured giant phase-separated vesicles labeled with a fluorescent probe on mica to form supported lipid bilayers. This allowed us to directly compare fluorescence images (to identify Lo and Ld phases) to AFM images (to reports heights) of the same vesicle. We expanded our study to include bilayers with compositions from a recent study from Lin and London (2013 J. Biol. Chem.). These compositions are believed phase separate into thicker Ld nanodomains. To our knowledge, we present the first direct observations of systems in which the thicker liquid phase is not the more ordered phase, showing that height and order need not be correlated.
Scatter correction algorithm for digitally acquired radiographs: theory and results

A scatter correction algorithm for digitally acquired radiographs (SCADAR) is presented. SCADAR requires the acquisition of two digital images, taken at different object-to-detector distances. These two images are digitally magnification compensated, and subtracted. The primary component in the resulting difference image delta is mathematically eliminated, and hence the delta image is used as a measure of the local contribution of scattered radiation. A gray scale transformation is used to transform the delta image to a scattered component image, which is then smoothed by Fourier filtering, using a matched filter to increase the signal-to-noise ratio. The smoothed scatter image is then subtracted from its corresponding original image, resulting in the corrected SCADAR image. Implementation of SCADAR can result in a large increase in image contrast, and a significant reduction in shading due to scattered radiation effects. The mathematical derivation of the algorithm is developed, and experimental verification is given for some of the principles used. Using experimental images acquired from scattering phantoms, the results of SCADAR on various image parameters such as contrast and detail signal-to-noise ratio are discussed.
Worldwide distribution and ecology of Alonopsis (Cladocera: Chydoridae) with a description of Alonopsis americana sp. nov.†

Whereas Alonopsis is widespread in Eurasia west of the Ural Mountains, in the Western Hemisphere Alonopsis has been recovered only in eleven lakes in New Hampshire and Maine and in two lakes in Newfoundland. The North American population is well differentiated from the Eurasian Alonopsis elongata and is described as a new species, A. americana. To test if the species were reproductively isolated, parthenogenetically reproducing stocks from England and New England were raised in the labaratory, and subsequently induced to undergo gamogenesis. Interspecific crosses were never successful.
Why Is the Cosmological Constant Small

Abstract I argue that singular metrics with finite action should be allowed in the path integral of quantum gravity. The path integral over such conformally flat configurations is studied. It is shown that the system is equivalent to a Coulomb gas. The cosmological constant acts as a charge density in thin gas. Due to Debye screening, the effective cosmological constant at macroscopic distances is very small. Quantum gravity may thus explain the vanishing of the cosmological constant.
Prevalence and Significance of Cardiovascular Disease and Hypertension in Elderly Patients With Dementia and Depression

The prevalence and significance of clinical heart disease and hypertension were compared in three groups of elderly patients. One group was diagnosed as dementia of an Alzheimer's type (AD), another as multiinfarct dementia (MID), and the third as major depression. Clinical heart disease and hypertension were uncommon in the AD group with the prevalence being lower than that reported in most epidemiologic studies. Four percent of the AD patients had a history of myocardial infarction, 5% angina, 1% arrhythmias, and 3% heart failure. Electrocardiographic changes of an old myocardial infarction were present in 9%, atrial fibrillation in 1%, and left ventricular hypertrophy in 3%. A history of hypertension was present in 24% of the AD patients. In comparison, a history of myocardial infarction, angina, and heart failure was five times greater, and electrocardiographic abnormalities were twice as prevalent in the MID group. A history of hypertension was three times more common and actual blood pressure readings were higher. In the depression group heart disease was not uncommon and the prevalence, in general, was comparable with the MID group. However, a history of increased blood pressure and actual increased blood pressure readings were statistically less than in the MID group.