cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
RAIDX: RAID without Striping

Each disk of traditional RAID is logically divided into stripe units, and stripe units at the same location on each disk form a stripe. Thus, RAID striping forces homogeneity on its disks. Now, consider a heterogeneous array of hard disks, solid state disks, and RAM storage devices, with various access speeds and sizes. If this array is organized as a RAID system, then larger disks have wasted space and faster disks are under utilized. This paper proposes RAIDX, a new organization for a heterogeneous array. RAIDX disks are divided into chunks, larger disks have more chunks. Chunks from one or more disks are grouped into bundles, and RAIDX bundles chunks of data across its disks. The heterogeneity of disks causes unbalanced load distribution with some under-utilized disks and some bottleneck disks. To balance load across disks, RAIDX moves most frequently accessed chunks to under-utilized, faster disks and least frequently used chunks to larger, slower disks. Chunk remapping is done at the RAIDX level and does not impact file system to storage addressing. Experiments comparing local and networked RAIDX against local RAID show that RAIDX has faster throughput than RAID when the array is composed of heterogeneous disks: local RAIDX is 2.5x faster than RAID, networked RAIDX is 1.6x faster than local RAID.
Is use of multiple antihypertensive agents to achieve blood pressure control associated with adverse pregnancy outcomes

We assessed whether requiring >1 medication for blood pressure control is associated with adverse pregnancy outcomes. Retrospective cohort of 974 singletons with chronic hypertension at a tertiary care center. Subjects on >1 antihypertensive agent were compared with those on one agent <20 weeks gestational age with results stratified by average blood pressure (<140/90 and ⩾140/90 mm Hg) from prenatal visits. The primary maternal outcome was preeclampsia; the primary neonatal outcome was small for gestational age (<10th percentile). Among women with blood pressure ⩾140/90 mm Hg, women on multiple agents had the greatest risk of preeclampsia, severe preeclampsia, antenatal admissions to rule out preeclampsia, preterm birth <35 weeks and composite neonatal adverse outcomes. Compared with use of a single agent when blood pressure is ⩾140/90 mm Hg, use of multiple agents increases adverse risks, while no such finding exists when blood pressure is controlled below 140/90 mm Hg.
Decreased Telomerase Activity In CD4 Regulatory T Cells Is Associated with Severity of Chronic Graft-Versus-Host Disease (cGVHD) After Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplantation (HSCT)

Abstract 1257 CD4+CD25+Foxp3+ regulatory T cells (Treg) are known to play an important role in the maintenance of peripheral tolerance and control of cGVHD. Recent studies have shown that Treg undergo extensive homeostatic proliferation after allogeneic HSCT. However, highly proliferating Treg are also susceptible to apoptosis and the inability to maintain adequate Treg survival may contribute to the development of cGVHD. Thus, mechanisms of Treg survival and persistence are of great importance. Telomeres are repetitive DNA sequences, located at the ends of each chromosome. Telomeres gradually shorten with each cell division and eventually lead to cell senescence and death. In rapidly dividing cells, telomere length is maintained by telomerase, a reverse transcriptase that prevents premature senescence. Previous studies have shown that abnormal telomerase activity is found in T cells from patients with autoimmune diseases such as rheumatoid arthritis and systemic lupus erythematosus, suggesting that telomerase may play a role in the maintenance of immune tolerance. In the present study, we examined whether telomerase activity and telomere length were associated with Treg homeostasis after allogeneic HSCT, particularly in the context of cGVHD. We examined Treg and conventional CD4 T cells (Tcon) in 35 patients with hematologic malignancies (median age 54 yr) who survived without relapse for more than 2 years after HSCT. Patient samples were obtained at 43 months (median, range: 25–99 months) after HSCT. The severity of cGVHD was classified according to NIH criteria. At the time of analysis, 2 patients had no cGVHD, 19 had mild cGVHD, 9 had moderate cGVHD, and 5 had severe cGVHD. CD4+CD25-CD127+ Tcon and CD4+CD25+CD127- Treg were isolated by flow cytometric cell sorting. Relative telomere length was measured by real time PCR. Telomerase activity was measured by PCR-ELISA. Telomere length was significantly shorter in Treg compared to Tcon in all patients (0.05 vs 0.28; p Disclosures: No relevant conflicts of interest to declare.
Quantitative mapping reveals age and sex differences in vasopressin, but not oxytocin, immunoreactivity in the rat social behavior neural network

The neuropeptides vasopressin (AVP) and oxytocin (OT) have been implicated in the regulation of numerous social behaviors in adult and juvenile animals. AVP and OT signaling predominantly occur within a circuit of interconnected brain regions known collectively as the "social behavior neural network" (SBNN). Importantly, AVP and OT signaling within the SBNN has been shown to differentially regulate diverse social behaviors, depending on the age and/or sex of the animal. We hypothesized that variation in the display of these behaviors is due in part to age and sex differences in AVP and OT synthesis within the SBNN. However, a thorough characterization of AVP and OT-immunoreactive (ir) fibers and cell bodies across age and sex within the SBNN has been lacking in rats. We therefore quantified AVP- and OT-ir fibers and cell bodies in 22 subregions of the forebrain SBNN in juvenile and adult, male and female rats. We found numerous age (16 subregions) and sex (10 subregions) differences in AVP-ir fiber fractional areas, and AVP-ir cell body numbers, which were mainly observed in the medial amygdala/bed nucleus of the stria terminalis to lateral septum circuit. In contrast to AVP, we observed no age or sex differences in OT-ir fiber fractional areas or cell bodies in any of the 22 subregions of the forebrain SBNN. Thus, unlike the static pattern observed for OT, AVP innervation of the forebrain SBNN appears to undergo developmental changes, and is highly sexually dimorphic, which likely has significant functional consequences for the regulation of social behavior.
Applying and Exploring Bayesian Hypothesis Testing for Large Scale Experimentation in Online Tutoring Systems

This paper demonstrates the viability of using Bayesian hypothesis testing for statistical analysis of experiments run in online learning systems. An empirical Bayesian method for learning a genuine prior from past historical experiment data is applied to a dataset consisting of twenty-two randomized controlled A/B experiments collected from the ASSISTments online learning platform. We show that using only twenty-two experiments results in a learned genuine prior with poor confidence interval estimates, and that roughly 200 experiments are required for a reasonable estimate of the true probability of an experiment having differences between experiment groups. We also conducted a leave-one-experiment-out cross-validation experiment, where a genuine prior is learned from twenty-one of the randomized controlled experiments provided in the dataset and then used to evaluate the remaining experiment. From this experiment we show that Bayesian hypothesis testing performs similar to Frequentist hypothesis testing and both methods were in agreement.
Hydrodynamics within flooded hydrocyclones during excursion in the feed rate: Understanding of turndown ratio

Abstract The underflow purity coefficient of a de-oiling hydrocyclone operating at a fixed split ratio is limited by the existence of a finite turndown ratio during excursion in the feed rate. The purpose of this paper is to use advanced computational fluid dynamic methods to identify a hydrodynamic reason for this phenomenon. The results of the simulation show that as the feed Reynolds number increases beyond a critical value, a redistribution of the angular momentum within the hydrocyclone decreases the distance of the zero axial gradient of radial pressure gradient, ( d ( dP / dr ) / dz ) r = 0 = 0 , from the vortex finder, which thereby shortens the length of reverse flow core. The breakdown of reverse flow core at a high feed Reynolds number causes a catastrophic drop in the separation efficiency and possesses a finite turndown ratio. This insight offers guidance on how to maintain separation performance during an excursion in the feed rate.
Phylogeny of the restriction endonuclease-like superfamily inferred from comparison of protein structures.

To date all attempts to derive a phyletic relationship among restriction endonucleases (ENases) from multiple sequence alignments have been limited by extreme divergence of these enzymes. Based on the approach of Johnson et al. (1990), I report for the first time the evolutionary tree of the ENase-like protein superfamily inferred from quantitative comparison of atomic coordinates of structurally characterized enzymes. The results presented are in harmony with previous comparisons obtained by crystallographic analyses. It is shown that λ-exonuclease initially diverged from the common ancestor and then two ``endonucleolytic'' families branched out, separating ``blunt end cutters'' from ``5′ four-base overhang cutters.'' These data may contribute to a better understanding of ENases and encourage the use of structure-based methods for inference of phylogenetic relationship among extremely divergent proteins. In addition, the comparison of three-dimensional structures of ENase-like domains provides a platform for further clustering analyses of sequence similarities among different branches of this large protein family, rational choice of homology modeling templates, and targets for protein engineering.
Abstract 719: Pathobiological implications of Trefoil Factors in the progression and metastasis of pancreatic cancer

Background: Pancreatic cancer (PC) is a highly lethal malignancy and the disastrous statistics warrants an urgent need to develop new diagnostic and prognostic marker(s) and therapeutic target(s) for its better management. Trefoil factors (TFF 1/2/3) are a family of small, stable molecules observed to co-express with mucin and secreted by mucus-producing cells that facilitate mucosal repair after injury. Recent studies have shown that TFF1 and TFF3 can differentiate between molecular subtypes of PC. Based on this, we hypothesized that differential expression of TFF1 and TFF3 could predict pancreatic intraepithelial neoplasia (PanIN) as well as the early stage of PC. The present study explores the diagnostic and functional significance of TFF in PC. Material and Methods: Immunohistochemistry was used to determine the expression status of TFF1 and TFF3 in PC tissue microarray containing normal pancreatic (n=40), pancreatic intraepithelial lesion 1, 2, 3 (PanIN 1- 3, n=13) and well, moderately and poorly differentiated PC tissues (n=149). Sandwich ELISA was used to detect TFF1 levels in serum. The diagnostic significance of TFF1 was evaluated in the sample set (n=331) comprising of benign control (BC, n=104), chronic pancreatitis (CP, n=47), early stage PC (EPC, Stage 1 and 2, n=78) and late PC (LPC, Stage 2-3, n=69). RT-PCR and ELISA were carried out to profile levels of TFF1 and TFF3 in PC cell lines and cell supernatants respectively. Recombinant treatment with TFF3 was performed to observe the impact on of transmembrane (MUC4) and secreted mucins (MUC5AC) stability and expression. Results: Differential expression of TFF3 was observed in PanIN precursor lesion, pancreatic cancer tissue in comparison to normal pancreatic tissue (p Conclusion: Overall, both tissue and serum based studies show that TFF1 and TFF3 are differentially expressed in early PanIN lesions as well early stage of PC tissues compared to normal pancreas. Overall, these results suggest a potential implication of TFF1 and TFF3 in PC pathogenesis and provide a basis for functional impact of TFF 1 and 3 on mucins stability and downstream signaling in PC pathogenesis. Citation Format: Rahat Jahan, Sukhwinder Kaur, Muzafar A. Macha, Yuri Sheinin, Lynette Smith, Jane Meza, Surinder K. Batra. Pathobiological implications of Trefoil Factors in the progression and metastasis of pancreatic cancer [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the American Association for Cancer Research Annual Meeting 2017; 2017 Apr 1-5; Washington, DC. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2017;77(13 Suppl):Abstract nr 719. doi:10.1158/1538-7445.AM2017-719
CsMn4As3: A Layered Tetragonal Transition-Metal Pnictide Compound with an Antiferromagnetic Ground State

We report the synthesis and properties of a new layered tetragonal ternary compound CsMn4As3 (structure type, KCu4S3; space group, P4/mmm, no. 123; and Z = 2). The material is a small band gap semi...
The Transfer of Liquefied Gases

The methods of transporting liquefied gases may be divided into two general classifications. Liquefied gases can be transported either by batch lots in special containers called dewars or by flow through special insulated piping called transfer systems. Each has its unique advantages and disadvantages. Transport containers are expensive, but they can move unlimited distances. On the other hand, transfer systems are relatively inexpensive and can transport liquids at high rates, but distances are limited.
Teacher Working Conditions in Charter Schools and Traditional Public Schools: A Comparative Study.

Background/ContextTeachers affect student performance through their interaction with students in the context of the classrooms and schools where teaching and learning take place. Although it is wid...
Bipolar Survey Items: An Information Processing Perspective

Survey items range from the explicitly factual to the highly subjective. Factual questions ask respondents for information such as their name, address, age, marital status, salary, or occupation. For most people most of the time, the answer to these questions is well rehearsed and easily accessed from memory. The same cannot be said, however, for questions of a more subjective nature. People often do not have a ready answer to questions about product preferences, about their perceptions of political candidates, or about proposed civic improvements.
Separation and Characterization of Endocervical Cells

The influence of steroid hormones on the cytodifferentiation of reproductive tract tissues is well documented for oviductal and endometrial cells. By using an in vitro approach that utilizes isolated endocervical cell populations, we now present evidence consistent with a hormone-related modulation of endocervical cell morphology and population size.
Growing Our Own: Cultivating Faculty Leadership

“What do the faculty think?” It's a question that governing boards and presidents ask routinely—or don't ask at their peril. It's also the question that, for nearly 15 years, has prompted nearly 30...
Gentrification and Academic Achievement: A Review of Recent Research:

Research in the neighborhood effects tradition has primarily concerned itself with understanding the consequences of growing up in high-poverty neighborhoods. In recent years, however, the in-migra...
The 18th Rocky Mountain Virology Association Meeting.

This autumn, approximately 100 scientists and students from the Rocky Mountain area along with invited speakers attended the 18th annual meeting of the Rocky Mountain Virology Association that was held at the Colorado State University Mountain Campus. The two-day gathering featured 31 talks and 33 posters all of which focused on specific areas of current virology and prion protein research. Since the keynote presentation focused on the oligoadenylate synthetase-ribonuclease L pathway the main area of focus was on host–virus interactions, however other areas of interest included virus vectors, current models of virus infections, prevention and treatment of virus infections, separate sessions on RNA viruses and prion proteins, and a special talk highlighting various attributes of targeted next-generation sequencing. The meeting was held at the peak of the fall Aspen colors surrounded by five mountains >11000 ft (3.3 km) where the secluded campus provided the ideal setting for extended discussions and outdoor exercise. On behalf of the Rocky Mountain Virology Association, this report summarizes 42 selected presentations.
Exogenous carbohydrases added to a starter diet reduced markers of systemic immune activation and decreased Lactobacillus in weaned pigs1.

Although the impact of carbohydrases on performance and nutrient utilization has been well studied, their effects on immune status and intestinal microbiota are less known in pigs. This study aimed to evaluate the impact of xylanase (X) and a carbohydrase enzyme blend (EB; cellulase, s-glucanase, and xylanase) on the immune profile of the intestine and peripheral system as well as intestinal microbes and microbial metabolites of weaned pigs fed higher fiber diets. Pigs (n = 460; 6.43 ± 0.06 kg BW; F25 × 6.0 Genetiporc) were blocked by initial BW. Pens (n = 48; 12 per treatment; 9 or 10 pigs per pen) were randomly assigned to 1 of 4 dietary treatments, including a higher fiber control diet (CON) and the CON supplemented with 0.01% X, 0.01% EB, or both enzymes (X + EB), arranged in a 2 × 2 factorial. The diets were based on corn, soybean meal, corn distillers dried grains with solubles, and wheat middlings. After 7-d adaptation to the environment, pigs were fed experimental diets ad libitum for 28 d. Blood samples were collected from the same pig within each pen on days 0, 7, 14, and 28. Intestinal tissues and digesta were collected on day 28. Bacteria 16S rRNA gene copy numbers were quantified using qPCR. The mRNA levels of colonic IL-17, occludin (OCLN), and claudin 3 (CLDN3) were greater in pigs fed diets with X + EB, but not X or EB, compared with those fed CON (P < 0.05). The EB in the diet reduced plasma IL-8 over the 28-d trial compared with diets without EB (P < 0.05). There was an X × EB interaction on plasma tumor necrosis factor α and IL-1s (P < 0.05); their levels were decreased when X and EB were added together, but not individually, compared with CON. The EB decreased cecal propionate, butyrate, and total volatile fatty acids (P < 0.05). Pigs fed X had lower ileal Lactobacillus and greater ileal and cecal Enterobacteriaceae compared with those fed unsupplemented diets (P < 0.05). The EB decreased Lactobacillus (P < 0.05) and tended to decrease (P = 0.065) Enterobacteriaceae in the colon compared with diets without EB. In conclusion, the addition of X and EB together decreased systemic markers of immune activation, potentially diverting energy and nutrients towards growth. The EB reduced colonic Lactobacillus and cecal total volatile fatty acids, probably due to improved prececal fiber and starch degradation and thus reduced substrate availability in the large intestine. These data corroborated previously observed enhanced growth in pigs fed EB-supplemented diets.
Combinatorial and high-throughput methods for biomaterials synthesis and design

Combinatorial strategies have been developed to study the phase behavior of biodegradable polyanhydrides for drug and protein delivery applications. The polyanhydrides of interest are poly[1,6bis(p-carboxyphenoxy) hexane] (CPH) and poly[sebacic anhydride] (SA). Both continuous and discrete polymer blend libraries were fabricated by using a combination of solution-based gradient deposition and rapid prototyping. Blend compositions were characterized via a unique high throughput transmission mode FTIR sampling technique and compared against theoretical mass balance predictions. To obtain phase diagrams of CPH/SA, the effect of blend composition and annealing temperature on the miscibility of the blend was studied. This gradient library was observed with optical microscopy in order to determine cloud points. These results were compared with a theoretical phase diagram obtained from Flory-Huggins theory and the agreement between the two methods was very good. The high throughput method demonstrates that the CPH/SA system exhibits upper critical solution temperature behavior. These libraries are amenable to other high throughput applications in biomaterials science including cell viability, cell activation, and protein/biomaterial interactions. 3 Graduate student and Professor respectively, Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering, Iowa State University, 2035 Sweeney Hall, Ames, IA 50011-2230, USA
"Woe is me": Examining Older Adults' Perceptions of Privacy

We conducted a study of n = 20 older adults to better understand their mental models for what the term 'privacy' means to them in both digital and non-digital contexts. Participants were asked to diagrammatically represent this information and describe their drawings in a semi-structured interview setting. Preliminary coding analysis revealed participants' frustrations with available methods for addressing privacy violations. While some asserted that there are both good and bad uses of private data, others avoided technology as a whole out of privacy fears or ambivalence towards using web-based banking and social media services. Some participants described fighting back against privacy attacks, while others felt resigned altogether. Our study provides initial steps towards illuminating privacy perceptions of older adults and can have impacts on training and tailor design for this important demographic.
Policy and Ethical Considerations for Widespread Utilization of Generic Orthopedic Implants.

In 2015, the United States spent $3.2 trillion on healthcare, representing 18% of the nation’s gross domestic product [1]. As prices continue to climb, physicians, healthcare policymakers, and industry leaders alike have sought varied means to lower costs while maintaining the quality of care. Coverage expansion, shifts toward bundled care payments, and the implementation of Medicare Payment Reform (Medicare Access and Children’s Health Insurance Program Reauthorization Act of 2015 [MACRA]) are indicative of shifting dynamics in the American healthcare system prioritizing outcomes, value, and cost-containment over the fee-for-service model [2], [3]. Orthopedic implant expenditures are considerable in the overall cost of care for surgical patients. The cost of total joint arthroplasty implants between 1996 and 2006 increased an estimated 130%. Implant and medical device costs comprise up to 60% of hospital reimbursements for primary procedures [4]. Most implants are proprietary in nature and vary substantially in their price and features depending on the industry manufacturer [5], [6], [7]. Control of implant costs is thus a necessary focus for cost containment in orthopedic surgery. To that end, as patents on many brand name implants begin to expire, “generic” implants present a unique opportunity to improve the value of orthopedic care. Although generic drugs have been used for decades in the pharmaceutical industry, the use of generic implants has only recently been considered in the field of orthopedic surgery [8], [9], [10]. In the pharmaceutical sector, an estimated $33 billion has been saved by Medicare in the United States through utilization of generic medications [11]. There could be potential for an analogous substantial reduction in healthcare expenditures via the use of generic orthopedic implants. There is some literature describing the favorable economic possibilities for use of generic orthopedic implants [9], [10], [12]. However, the ethical issues, policy implications, and potential unanticipated consequences of such a paradigm shift have not been investigated. This article discusses the pros and cons of generic implant usage from economic, clinical, and ethical perspectives.
Nanoscale thermal transport in amorphous and crystalline GeTe thin-films

We use frequency-domain thermoreflectance to determine the predominant phonon scattering mechanisms in thin films of GeTe. Thickness-dependent thermal conductivity is measured at room temperature to determine an effective mean free path for heat energy carriers in both amorphous and polycrystalline GeTe thin films and to subsequently compare intrinsic defect scattering with the magnitude of boundary scattering that occurs due to nanostructuring. Similarities in the effective mean free paths of amorphous and polycrystalline GeTe suggest that the crystalline alloy's microstructure results in a magnitude of intrinsic scattering between phonons comparable to that experienced by the amorphous phase. Variability in thermal conductivity between phases at comparable thicknesses is attributed to differences in volumetric heat capacity and phonon group velocity. These results are critical for the design of next-generation nanophotonic and optoelectronic devices that utilize nanostructured chalcogenide glasses.
Field Displacement of Aflatoxigenic Aspergillus flavus Strains Through Repeated Biological Control Applications

A popular pre-harvest strategy to mitigate aflatoxin contamination of corn involves field application of non-aflatoxigenic strains of Aspergillus flavus. The basis of this biological control may involve multiple factors, but competitive displacement of aflatoxigenic strains by the biocontrol strains is a likely mechanism. Three biocontrol strains (NRRL 21882, 18543, and 30797) were applied annually, over a 4-year period, to the same 3.2-ha commercial corn field in the Mississippi Delta, where we monitored their post-release establishment, spread, and persistence. Within 2 months of the first biocontrol application, the percentage of soil-inhabiting aflatoxigenic A. flavus strains in some plots was reduced from 48 to 9% of the population. The frequency of aflatoxigenic A. flavus strains was also significantly reduced in the rest of field. After 4 years, neighboring plots that had never received a biocontrol treatment, and distanced from our treatment plots by at least 20 meters, had less than 20% aflatoxigenic isolates. This significant halo effect might be attributed to movement of soil through tillage operations, but the aflatoxigenicity shift could be detected in the untreated plots within 2 months of the initial applications, at a time when there was no tillage. The A. flavus populations that colonized the grain were also monitored and found to be less than 15% toxigenic in the fourth year for all treatments. Over all treatments and years, less than 2 ppb of aflatoxin was detected, which could be a consequence of the field-wide shift of the inherent A. flavus population to predominately non-aflatoxigenic strains. This study supports the efficacy of using non-aflatoxigenic A. flavus strains as pre-harvest biocontrol, and shows that most of its effectiveness occurs with the first application.
Said, Auerbach, and the Return to Philological Hermeneutics

This essay explores the relationship between Edward Said’s well-known contrapuntal reading of history and Erich Auerbach’s Ansatzpunkt, or point of departure, as a means of entering a given hermene...
Autonomous Angles-Only Multi-Target Tracking for Spacecraft Swarms

This paper presents a new algorithm for autonomous multitarget tracking of resident space objects using optical angles-only measurements from a spaceborne observer. To enable autonomous angles-only navigation of spacecraft swarms, an observer must be able to identify and track multiple known or unknown target space objects in view, without reliance on a-priori relative orbit knowledge. Extremely high assignment precision is necessary with low measurement frequencies and limited computational resources. The new "Spacecraft Angles-only MUltitarget tracking System" (SAMUS) algorithm has been developed to meet these objectives and constraints. It combines domain-specific modeling of target kinematics with multi-hypothesis techniques to autonomously track multiple unknown targets using only sequential camera images. A measurement transform ensures that target motion in the observer reference frame follows consistent parametric models; curve fitting is used to predict track behavior; and kinematically-derived track gating and scoring criteria are applied to improve the efficiency and accuracy of the multi-hypothesis approach. Monte-Carlo testing with high-fidelity simulations demonstrates close to 100% measurement assignment precision and strong recall across a range of multi-spacecraft formations, in both near-circular and eccentric orbits. Tracking is maintained in the presence of eclipse periods, significant measurement noise, and partially known swarm maneuvers. A comparison to other tracking algorithms reveals strong advantages in precision, robustness and computation time, crucial for spaceborne angles-only navigation.
Estimation of the deposition of ultrafine 3D printing particles in human tracheobronchial airways

Abstract 3D printers have been widely used as a tool for prototype manufacturing in industries, schools, and homes. During operation, 3D printers emit ultrafine particles that could be inhaled by the user and induce adverse health effects. Thus, exposure to ultrafine 3D-printing generated particles has drawn the attention of occupational and environmental health researchers. In this study, a recently developed Mobile Aerosol Lung Deposition Apparatus (MALDA) was applied to investigate the respiratory deposition of ultrafine 3D printing particles. The MALDA consists of a set of representative human airway replicas from mouth, throat, trachea, down to the bronchiolar airways of the 11th bifurcation generation. A series of respiratory deposition experiments were carried out in the laboratory using the MALDA and a desktop 3D printer to estimate the deposition of ultrafine 3D printing particles in individual generations of the lung. Results showed that the cumulative deposition from the 1st to 11th bifurcation generations was found to be 1%–13% depending on the particle size, which was slightly less than the respiratory deposition predicted from the conventional deposition curve.
“Life Is Getting Better”: Understanding Stabilizing Factors in Conservative Christian Families Post-Coming Out

This article explores the perceptions of Millennial-age LBGTQ + individuals raised in conservative Christian families (Seventh-day Adventist) about their coming out experiences with family members....
L 1 0 Fe − Pd Synthetic Antiferromagnet through an fcc Ru Spacer Utilized for Perpendicular Magnetic Tunnel Junctions

Nonvolatile magnetic random-access memory (MRAM) based on perpendicular magnetic tunnel junctions (PMTJs) has been proposed as a universal memory solution for computing, where high thermal stability and low energy consumption are key. Unfortunately, PMTJs using materials with interfacial perpendicular magnetic anisotropy (PMA) cannot provide the required stability and scalability. This study presents a perpendicular structure using the synthetic antiferromagnet Fe-Pd, which possesses an ultralow damping constant and high PMA. This allows PMTJs with 25% room-temperature magnetoresistance that are compatible with 400\ifmmode^\circ\else\textdegree\fi{}C thermal treatment, for integration with CMOS technology.
The 2nd ACM SIGSPATIAL International Workshop on Spatial Gems: Spatial Gems 2020 workshop report

Researchers and practitioners working with spatial data often develop fundamental new techniques they would like to share with their community. These are not necessarily new research results, not yet in any textbook, but they are interesting, self-contained techniques for doing something useful in the domain of spatial data. We call these techniques "spatial gems".
Data-driven parcellation and graph theory analyses to study adolescent mood and anxiety symptoms.

Adolescence is a period of rapid brain development when psychiatric symptoms often first emerge. Studying adolescents may therefore facilitate the identification of neural alterations early in the course of psychiatric conditions. Here, we sought to utilize new, high-quality brain parcellations and data-driven graph theory approaches to characterize associations between resting-state networks and the severity of depression, anxiety, and anhedonia symptoms-salient features across psychiatric conditions. As reward circuitry matures considerably during adolescence, we examined both Whole Brain and three task-derived reward networks. Subjects were 87 psychotropic-medication-free adolescents (age = 12-20) with diverse psychiatric conditions (n = 68) and healthy controls (n = 19). All completed diagnostic interviews, dimensional clinical assessments, and 3T resting-state fMRI (10 min/2.3 mm/TR = 1 s). Following high-quality Human Connectome Project-style preprocessing, multimodal surface matching (MSMAll) alignment, and parcellation via the Cole-Anticevic Brain-wide Network Partition, weighted graph theoretical metrics (Strength Centrality = CStr; Eigenvector Centrality = CEig; Local Efficiency = ELoc) were estimated within each network. Associations with symptom severity and clinical status were assessed non-parametrically (two-tailed pFWE < 0.05). Across subjects, depression scores correlated with ventral striatum CStr within the Reward Attainment network, while anticipatory anhedonia correlated with CStr and ELoc in the subgenual anterior cingulate, dorsal anterior cingulate, orbitofrontal cortex, caudate, and ventral striatum across multiple networks. Group differences and associations with anxiety were not detected. Using detailed functional and clinical measures, we found that adolescent depression and anhedonia involve increased influence and communication efficiency in prefrontal and limbic reward areas. Resting-state network properties thus reflect positive valence system anomalies related to discrete reward sub-systems and processing phases early in the course of illness.
High-throughput DNA sequencing of environmentally insulted latent fingerprints after visualization with nanoscale columnar-thin-film technique.

Abstract The goals of this study were to (a) ascertain human identity capabilities of DNA obtained from latent fingerprints that have been first environmentally insulted and then developed by the deposition of a columnar thin film (CTF), and (b) to determine if the CTF process and material are detrimental to single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) analysis. Fingerprints were deposited on five different types of substrates and aged for one day, 7 days or 30 days while being environmentally insulted under one of the four conditions: 16.6 °C and 60% relative humidity (RH) (Condition A), 24.5 °C and 60% RH (Condition B), 35 °C and 67% RH (Condition C) and a cold condition (Condition D). Then CTF technique was then on 59% of these fingerprints. DNA samples from 805 fingerprints were extracted, quantified, subjected to manual library preparation using the Precision ID Identity Panel, and underwent high-throughput sequencing. The Ion S5™ platform was employed to sequence 124 SNP amplicons. SNPs were successfully sequenced from 802/805 samples. Total read depth was consistent across environmental conditions, and majority of samples had 100% profile completeness and 100% concordance. Anecdotally, libraries that were amplified with a higher cycle number had more ‘Major Allele Frequency’ flags compared to samples amplified with 23 cycle numbers, possibly due to stochastic effects. Neither the substrates nor the CTF process and materials inhibit downstream DNA analysis. DNA of low quality and quantity from the chosen samples can be sequenced using the Precision ID Identity Panel on the Ion S5™ platform which performed well, however, a different approach may be needed if spurious alleles are suspected.
Building Community in Online Professional Practice Doctoral Programs

Despite high attrition rates and abundant criticisms, online graduate programs continue to grow. This paper describes the efforts of one online doctoral program that focused on developing programmatic support structures to increase community. Utilizing a qualitative, case study research design, including surveys and semi-structured interviews, this study examined two research questions: 1) In what ways did students experience a sense of community? 2) What elements of an online professional doctoral program did students find most influential in developing a learning community? Findings indicate that students experience community through peer collaboration, program support, and shared learning and networking. A sense of community was developed through the cohort model, strong student support services, synchronous live sessions, and relationships formed with faculty. As a result, a community of practice was formed among program participants. Findings from this study have the potential to aid other online graduate programs as they design and implement structures to foster student success and retention.
MovieLens Unplugged: Experiences with a Recommender System on Four Mobile Devices

Recommender systems have changed the way people shop online. Recommender systems on wireless mobile devices may have the same impact on the way people shop in stores. There are several important challenges that interface designers must overcome on mobile devices: Providing sufficient value to attract prospective wireless users, handling occasionally connected devices, privacy and security, and surmounting the physical limitations of the devices. We present our experience with the implementation of a wireless movie recommender system on a cellphone browser, an AvantGo channel, a wireless PDA, and a voice-only phone interface. These interfaces help MovieLens users select movies to rent, buy, or see while away from their computer. The results of a nine month field study show that although wireless has still not arrived for the majority of users, mobile recommender systems have the potential to provide value to their users today.
Molecular Genetics Methods Simplified

The ways in which the structure and function of genes are studied are a mystery to most clinicians. In this chapter the technology behind genetic testing will be explained although the methods will not be described in detail.
Volatile Organic Compounds measurements at schools in Kozani, Greece

The present study discusses the steps towards the development of an integrated IT system to perform risk assessment for the factor affecting human health in indoor environments. The system, termed as BEMES (BUMA Exposure Modelling Expert System) combines three different models to model circulation flow in closed spaces, model the behavior and fate of volatile pollutants and estimate population exposure. It is constructed within the frame of BUMA project to estimate to the impact of building materials as indoor pollutants. More specifically, the study is focused around VOCs (BTEX, terpenes, aldehydes and ketones) measurements at three high priority locations (schools) in the city of Kozani, Greece. Weekly indoor and outdoor VOC measurements were conducted using Radiello® passive samplers in each tested room and outdoors. Additionally data from the Field and Laboratory Emission Cell (FLEC) instrument were used to evaluate the contribution of building materials in the indoor concentration levels. The VOC concentration data show a considerable diversity due to the different indoor emission sources, ventilation rates and outdoor concentrations. Formaldehyde indoor levels range from 8.2 to 56.9 μg/m3 while benzene levels are high reaching: 18 μg/m3. Building material emissions seem to contribute mainly in the levels of formaldehyde indoors and clearly other sources exist.
Ermittlung von empirischen Gesetzen

Die Charakteristiken gewisser Apparate folgen bestimmten Gesetzen, welche entweder theoretischen oder empirischen Ursprungs sein konnen. Die letzteren haben den Vorteil, das ihnen die tatsachliche Arbeitsweise zugrunde gelegt ist. Die einfachsten Gesetze beruhen auf einer linearen Anderung, andere folgen einem quadratischen Ausdrucke u. dgl. In vielen Fallen stellt die Kurve eine recht komplizierte Gleichung dar, die nicht ohne tieferes Studium gefunden werden kann.
Rod bundle burnout data and correlation comparisons

Rod bundle burnout data from 30 steady-state and 3 transient tests were obtained from experiments performed in the Thermal Hydraulic Test Facility at the Oak Ridge National Laboratory. The tests covered a parameter range relevant to intact core reactor accidents ranging from large break to small break loss-ofcoolant conditions. Instrumentation within the 64-rod test section indicated that burnout occurred over an axial range within the bundle. The distance from the point where the first dry rod was detected to the point where all rods were dry was up to 60 cm in some of the tests. The burnout data should prove useful in developing new correlations for use in reactor thermalhydraulic codes. Evaluation of several existing critical heat flux correlations using the data show that three correlations, the Barnett, Bowring, and Katto correlations, perform similarly and correlate the data better than the Biasi correlation.
Entry deterrence and dynamic competition: The role of capacity reconsidered

Abstract We study a model with sequential capacity choice and entry by firms into an industry. Post-entry competition is long term and firms compete by choosing prices. The complex role played by the capacity choice of the first mover is highlighted. In contrast to the conclusions derived from static or reduced form specifications, entry may be deterred only by choosing a low capacity level and charging a very high price. The arguments are used to provide an explanation of events in the U.S. phosphorus industry.
A sphere packing bound on Rayleigh block-fading MIMO channels

We present a sphere packing bound (SPB) approach to investigate the performance limits of Rayleigh block-fading, multiple antenna systems. Specifically, we derive three sphere packing lower bounds, one tight, one loose, and one approximate, on average word error probability of space-time codes. These bounds provide us with intuition on how system parameters affect the performance limits [M. Fozunbal, S.M. Mclaughlin, and R.W. Schafer, 2002]. It is shown that the performance limits improve significantly for space-time codes that span a larger number of fading blocks. It is shown that the achievable diversity depends not only on the number of antennas and number fading blocks, K, but also on the block length, L, Moreover, it is shown that the block length, L, has a marginal effect on improving the performance limits and it is not possible to achieve arbitrarily small WEP by increasing L.
Assessing Performance of Bioretention Boxes in Hot and Semiarid Regions: Highway Application Pilot Study

This paper presents the performance results of bioretention pilot experiments conducted in Bryan, Texas, a hot and semiarid area. Five steel boxes were constructed. Each of four boxes was filled with an underdrain pipe, gravel, pea gravel, and soil-compost media and planted with a specific type of vegetation, including shrubs, grass species specified for highways in Texas, native grasses, and Bermuda grass (Cynodon dactylon). The fifth box, the control, had no vegetation planting but contained the other materials. Performance testing was conducted 14 months after construction. Synthetic runoff that mimicked highway storm water runoff characteristics was placed into the pilot boxes, and the concentrations of various pollutants in influent and effluent samples were measured. The results suggested that the pilot boxes effectively removed zinc, lead, total suspended solids, and ammonia-nitrogen, but exported copper, nitrate-nitrogen (NO3-N), total nitrogen (TN), and total phosphorus. The leaching out of the b...
Microwave remote sensing research at the ElectroScience laboratory

The ElectroScience Laboratory (ESL) at The Ohio State University has made many important contributions to the development of microwave remote sensing, both in theory and practice. The term "remote sensing" is very broad, and could be interpreted to include ESL efforts in areas such as ground penetrating radar technologies, studies of microwave propagation through the atmosphere, contributions to the development of polarimetric concepts for radar, studies of the ionosphere, and experiments and modeling of optical propagation in the atmosphere. More general ESL contributions that play a role in the remote sensing area also include the development of new antennas, radar technologies, and general electromagnetic modeling methods. However, this paper focuses specifically on the "microwave remote sensing" area, where applications involve active or passive microwave sensors used to observe geophysical environments in order to retrieve information about those environments.
Influence of enterocystoplasty on linear growth in children with exstrophy.

Purpose: Many children with bladder exstrophy undergo reconstruction incorporating bowel into the lower urinary tract, which may result in metabolic changes affecting height. Linear growth in children with exstrophy who underwent enterocystoplasty was studied.Materials and Methods: We retrospectively reviewed the charts of children with classic bladder exstrophy who underwent bladder augmentation with small or large bowel, or creation of a bowel neobladder before age 11 years. Mean followup plus or minus standard error was 9.4 ± 0.9 years. Most patients were assessed yearly with measurement of height and serum electrolytes. Metabolic acidosis was treated with oral bicarbonate. Preoperative height percentiles at enterocystoplasty were compared to height percentiles at the most recent visit. In addition, height percentiles in a control group of individuals with exstrophy who did not undergo enterocystoplasty were compared to postoperative height percentiles in the enterocystoplasty group. The t test was use...
Huygens' principle in a moving isotropic, homogeneous, and linear medium.

This work contains an analytical description of Huygens’ principle for an electromagnetic field in a moving isotropic, homogeneous, and linear medium. By starting with Maxwell–Minkowski equations, it is possible to construct a combined field equation in the manner of Bateman and Itoh. The resultant equation is then integrated with the aid of an appropriate dyadic Green’s function which can be found by means of the operational method originally due to Levine and Schwinger.
Clustering and load balancing in hybrid sensor networks with mobile cluster heads

In this paper, we consider the problem of positioning mobile cluster heads and balancing traffic load in a hybrid sensor network, which consists of two types of nodes: basic static sensor nodes and mobile cluster heads. In such a network, sensor nodes are organized into clusters and form the lower layer of the network. At the higher layer, cluster heads collect sensing data from sensors and forward data to outside observers. Such two-layer hybrid networks are more scalable and energy-efficient than homogeneous sensor networks. We show that the locations of cluster head-s can affect network lifetime significantly. The problem of maximizing network lifetime through dynamically positioning cluster heads in the network (referred to as the CHL problem in this paper) turns out to be NP-hard. We present a heuristic algorithm for positioning cluster heads and balancing traffic load in the network. We show that by moving the cluster head to a better location, the traffic load can be balanced and network lifetime can be prolonged. We conducted simulations on the NS-2 simulator, and the result-s show that our clustering algorithm can increase network lifetime by up to 35% after only three rounds of adjustments, compared to the optimal lifetime of the initial network layout.