cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Dual echelon femtosecond single-shot spectroscopy.

We have developed a femtosecond single-shot spectroscopic technique to measure irreversible changes in condensed phase materials in real time. Crossed echelons generate a two-dimensional array of time-delayed pulses with one femtosecond probe pulse. This yields 9 ps of time-resolved data from a single laser shot, filling a gap in currently employed measurement methods. We can now monitor ultrafast irreversible dynamics in solid-state materials or other samples that cannot be flowed or replenished between laser shots, circumventing limitations of conventional pump-probe methods due to sample damage or product buildup. Despite the absence of signal-averaging in the single-shot measurement, an acceptable signal-to-noise level has been achieved via background and reference calibration procedures. Pump-induced changes in relative reflectivity as small as 0.2%−0.5% are demonstrated in semimetals, with both electronic and coherent phonon dynamics revealed by the data. The optical arrangement and the space-to-time conversion and calibration procedures necessary to achieve this level of operation are described. Sources of noise and approaches for dealing with them are discussed.
Adopting the MapReduce framework to pre-train 1-D and 2-D protein structure predictors with large protein datasets

Sequence based machine learning approaches for 1-D and 2-D protein structure prediction tasks have long been limited by relatively small datasets, namely proteins with experimentally determined structure. Recent advances in machine learning provide a means of using unlabeled data and, as a result, this opens up access to a much larger sequence space in the context of protein structure prediction. Here we present a 3-stage pipeline to construct a representative protein sequence dataset, generate training data and pre-train deep network models for 1-D and 2-D protein structure prediction tasks. To handle the complexities of managing the large dataset, we implemented our pipeline using the MapReduce framework. This allowed us to leverage existing tools such as Hadoop. The result is the ability to apply large amounts of novel, protein sequence data to 1-D and 2-D protein structure prediction. We also used our pipeline to curate a non-redundant protein sequence dataset that we have made available with accompanying data.
Functional consequences of sustained sleep deprivation in the rat.

Abstract Sleep deprivation disrupts vital biological processes that are necessary for cognitive ability and physical health, but the physiological changes that underlie these outward effects are largely unknown. The purpose of the present studies in the laboratory rat is to prolong sleep deprivation to delineate the pathophysiology and to determine its mediation. In the rat, the course of prolonged sleep deprivation has a syndromic nature and eventuates in a life-threatening state. An early and central symptom of sleep deprivation is a progressive increase in peripheral energy expenditure to nearly double normal levels. An attempt to alleviate this negative energy balance by feeding rats a balanced diet that is high in its efficiency of utilization prolongs survival and attenuates or delays development of malnutrition-like symptoms, indicating that several symptoms can be manipulated to some extent by energy and nutrient consumption. Most changes in neuroendocrine parameters appear to be responses to metabolic demands, such as increased plasma catecholamines indicating sympathetic activation. Plasma total thyroid hormones, however, decline to severely low levels; a metabolic complication that is associated with other sleep deprivation-induced symptoms, such as a decline in body temperature to hypothermic levels despite increased energy expenditure. Metabolic mapping of the brain revealed a dissociation between the energy metabolism of the brain and that of the body. Sleep deprivation's effects on cerebral structures are heterogenous and unidirectional toward decreased functional activity. The hypometabolic brain structures are concentrated in the hypothalamus, thalamus and limbic system, whereas few regions in the rest of the brain and none in the medulla, are affected. Correspondence can be found between some of the affected cerebral structures and several of the peripheral symptoms, such as hyperphagia and possible heat retention problems. The factor predisposing to mortality is a decreased resistance to infection. Lethal opportunistic organisms are permitted to infect the bloodstream, which presumably results in a cascade of toxic-like reactions. Host defense is thus the first system to fail. There is neither fever nor marked tissue inflammatory reactions typical of infectious disease states, suggesting that sleep deprivation is immunosuppressive. Each of the four major abnormalities identified — (1) a deep negative energy balance and associated malnutrition; (2) heterogeneous decreases in cerebral function; (3) low thyroid hormone concentrations; and (4) decreased resistance to infection - can be viewed as having an early origin during the sleep deprivation process to signify the foremost pathogenic situation to which the other abnormalities might be secondarily related. The findings therefore remain somewhat equivocal for a unitary function for sleep, but can support putative roles for sleep in thermoregulation, energy conservation, immune system integrity and tissue restoration.
Roles of manganese in photosystem II dynamics to irradiations and temperatures

The most amazing chemistry is the light-driven water splitting reaction occurred in the oxygen-evolving complex of phototsystem II in higher plants, green algae, and cyanobacteria. Mn, in the form of Mn4CaO5 cluster in photosystem II, is responsible for the catalytic water splitting reaction as well as plays roles in photosystem II dynamics to irradiation and temperatures. Manganese hypothesis of UV-initiated photoinhibition as a direct target is established, and thermal inactivation of photosystem II involves the valence and structural changes of manganese. Recent progresses in understanding the roles of manganese in photoinhibition especially under UV light and in thermal inactivation including elevated temperatures using synthetic models and native PS II complexes are summarized and evaluated. Potential problems and possible solutions are discussed and presented.
Mechanisms of Action and Clinical Application of Macrolides as Immunomodulatory Medications

Summary: Macrolides have diverse biological activities and an ability to modulate inflammation and immunity in eukaryotes without affecting homeostatic immunity. These properties have led to their long-term use in treating neutrophil-dominated inflammation in diffuse panbronchiolitis, bronchiectasis, rhinosinusitis, and cystic fibrosis. These immunomodulatory activities appear to be polymodal, but evidence suggests that many of these effects are due to inhibition of extracellular signal-regulated kinase 1/2 (ERK1/2) phosphorylation and nuclear factor kappa B (NF-κB) activation. Macrolides accumulate within cells, suggesting that they may associate with receptors or carriers responsible for the regulation of cell cycle and immunity. A concern is that long-term use of macrolides increases the emergence of antimicrobial resistance. Nonantimicrobial macrolides are now in development as potential immunomodulatory therapies.
Dynamic chess: Strategic planning for robot motion

We introduce and experimentally validate a novel algorithmic model for physical human-robot interaction with hybrid dynamics. Our computational solutions are complementary to passive and compliant hardware. We focus on the case where human motion can be predicted. In these cases, the robot can select optimal motions in response to human actions and maximize safety. By representing the domain as a Markov Game, we enable the robot to not only react to the human but also to construct an infinite horizon optimal policy of actions and responses. Experimentally, we apply our model to simulated robot sword defense. Our approach enables a simulated 7-DOF robot arm to block known attacks in any sequence. We generate optimized blocks and apply game theoretic tools to choose the best action for the defender in the presence of an intelligent adversary.
Trends in the Use of Complementary Health Approaches Among Adults: United States, 2002–2012

Objective—This report presents national estimates of the use of complementary health approaches among adults in the United States across three time points. Trends in the use of selected complementary health approaches are compared for 2002, 2007, and 2012, and differences by selected demographic characteristics are also examined. Methods—Combined data from 88,962 adults aged 18 and over collected as part of the 2002, 2007, and 2012 National Health Interview Survey were analyzed for this report. Sample data were weighted to produce national estimates that are representative of the civilian noninstitutionalized U.S. adult population. Differences between percentages were evaluated using two-sided significance tests at the 0.05 level. Results—Although the use of individual approaches varied across the three time points, nonvitamin, nonmineral dietary supplements remained the most popular complementary health approach used. The use of yoga, tai chi, and qi gong increased linearly across the three time points; among these three approaches, yoga accounted for approximately 80% of the prevalence. The use of any complementary health approach also differed by selected sociodemographic characteristics. The most notable observed differences in use were by age and Hispanic or Latino origin and race.
Resource management in software-programmable router operating systems

Future routers will not only forward data packets but also provide value-added services, such as security, accounting, caching, and resource management. These services ran be implemented as general programs, to be invoked by traversing packets embedding router program calls. Software-programmable routers pose new challenges in the design of router operating systems (OS). First, router programs will require access to diverse system resources. The resource demands of a large community of heterogeneous resource consumers must either be coordinated to enable cooperation or arbitrated to resolve competition. Second, it is beneficial to concurrently support multiple virtual machines, each with a guaranteed share of physical resources. This allows services to be customized and to seamlessly evolve. We present the design and implementation of a next generation router OS that can meet the above challenges. We define an orthogonal kernel abstraction of resource allocation, which can schedule various time-shared and space-shared resources with quality of service (QoS) differentiation and guarantees. A scalable and flexible packet classifier enables dynamic resource binding and per-flow processing of received packets. We have prototyped our system on a network of UltraSPARC and Pentium II computers. Currently, QoS-aware schedulers for CPU time, forwarding bandwidth, memory-store capacity, and capacity for secondary data stores have been integrated. We present experimental results on various aspects of resource management in our system.
Experimental control of eye and head positions prior to head-unrestrained gaze shifts in monkey

A coordinated movement of the eyes and head in the head-unrestrained condition is often used to change orientation between targets. Under natural conditions, these gaze shifts are typically generated with the eyes roughly centered in the orbits. To achieve experimental control of eye and head positions, a miniature laser was mounted on the head implants of monkeys that were trained to point the head to one target and direct gaze to another before generating a head-unrestrained gaze shift to a third target (dissociation paradigm). For comparison, monkeys were also required to make gaze shifts between stimuli, without any constraints on eye and head positions (standard paradigm). Analyses indicated that movement parameters, limited to horizontal gaze shifts, were similar for both behavioral conditions. Thus, the proposed technique and behavioral paradigm, when used in conjunction with electrophysiological and pharmacological experiments, may facilitate the study of neural control of gaze.
A Theoretical Framework for Alternative Models of Spatial Decision and Behavior

Abstract As research into human spatial behavior diversifies and progresses, the accumulation of empirical findings seems to outpace the opportunities for conceptual organization in the field. This state of affairs is common in some newer areas of science where classical patterns of explanation are no longer found to be achievable or even relevant. In the quest for conceptual frameworks that would help make sense of research developments defying familiar modes of theorizing, many of these “sciences of complexity'’have turned to formal theories of modeling for logical integration and insight. Addressing a similar apparent need in behavioral geography, this paper outlines a framework derived from discrete model theory that clarifies the relationships between three seemingly different types of models of spatial choice (based on the principles of stimulus-response, rational choice, and cognitive information processing). Several general questions of interest to behavioral modelers may be approached in the cont...
Campus Equity Week's Offspring Takes a Few Steps

Campus Equity Week in fall 2001 marked heightened organizing among metro Chicago's higher-education contingent faculty, and it now seems poised to expand more rapidly. Increased organizational commitment by both AFT and NEA affiliates, as well as the founding of the Chicago Chapter of the Coalition of Contingent Academic Labor (COCAL), has sparked organizing among the contingent faculty in Chicago City Colleges, the largest single group in the area.
Reviewing and Refining: A Professional Education Unit's Journey Toward Accreditation

This manuscript seeks to share the continuous improvement endeavors by the College of Education faculty and administration at the University of North Carolina at Charlotte from initial preparation and planning through their successful national and state accreditation achieved in November 2005. Beginning with the unit's revision of their conceptual framework and alignment of their professional educator preparation programs to the revised National Council for Accreditation of Teacher Education standards, the authors hope to provide concrete illustrations of how very basic elements of collaboration, shared decision making, open communication, and purposeful engagement among all constituents led to successful achievement of national and state accreditation, and may be accomplished by other universities and colleges as they pursue this milestone achievement toward excellence in teacher education.
Multi-formalism modeling approach for semiconductor supply/demand networks

Building computational models of real world systems usually requires the interaction of decision modules and simulation modules. Given different models and algorithms, the major hurdles in building a principled and robust system are model composibility and algorithm interoperability. We describe an approach to the composibility problem including initial results. This exposition is given in the context of linear programming as the decision technique and discrete event simulation as the simulation technique, both applied to the design and operation of semiconductor supply/demand networks.
Self assembly of nanowires array with lattice directional growth

In this paper, 2D arrays of silicide nanowires have been grown with preferred orientations on silicon substrate of both Si(100) surface and Si(111) surface along with carbon nanotubes by using chemical vapor deposition (CVD). The two-fold growth symmetry on Si(100) and three-fold growth symmetry on Si(111) surface suggest the substrate lattice epitaxial growth mechanism. The nanowires and carbon nanotubes are characterized ex situ with scanning electron microscope and atomic force microscope and the lengths of nanowires are shown to range from several hundreds of nanometer to more than 2 micron.
Morphological and molecular characterization of Colletotrichum nymphaeae and C. nupharicola sp. nov. on water-lilies (Nymphaea and Nuphar).

Nine isolates of a Colletotrichum sp. collected in North America on yellow water-lily (Nuphar luteum subsp. polysepalum) at five locations in the Pacific Northwest (PNW) and one isolate from Nymphaea odorata in Rhode Island were compared to three isolates of C. nymphaeae occurring on Nymphaea alba and Nuphar luteum in Europe. The appressoria of all North American isolates were significantly wider than those of C. nymphaeae. Conidia of the nine PNW isolates were significantly wider than those of both the Rhode Island isolate and C. nymphaeae isolates. All isolates were compared using random amplified polymorphic DNA (RAPD) and restriction fragment length polymorphism of the ITS region (RFLP-ITS). Two distinct clusters were differentiated in the dendrogram based on the RAPD analysis. The ten North American isolates formed one cluster and the European isolates of C. nymphaeae formed a second cluster. The separation of the North American isolates from the European isolates was supported by distinct restriction digest phenotypes of the ITS region. Based on morphological and molecular characterization the North American fungus is proposed as a new species, C. nupharicola.
On the autonomy of linguistic meaning

Frege and many following him, such as Dummett, Geach, Stenius and Hare, have envisaged a role for illocutionary force indicators in a logically perspicuous notation. Davidson has denied that such expressions are even possible on the ground that any putative force indicator would be used by actors and jokers to heighten the drama of their performances. Davidson infers from this objection a Thesis of the Autonomy of Linguistic Meaning: symbolic representation necessarily breaks any close tie with extra-linguistic purpose. A modified version of Frege's ideal is here propounded according to which an expression is a force indicator just in case it indicates force in any speech act in which it occurs. It is shown that attainment of such an ideal would not have deprived Frege of what he desired of a perspicuous notation. In elaborating this ideal we also espouse an illocutionary conception of validity and argue that the ideal is one to which English conforms: parenthetical speech act verbs in the first person present indicative active are force indicators in the modified sense. But the mere possibility of force indicators in the modified sense is enough to show Davidson's Autonomy Thesis to be at best a half-truth.
Near-term memory in programming

Near-term memory (NTM) is proposed as a construct for analysing the memory that experts build up and use as they solve a problem in their domain of expertise. Large amounts of information are processed in such situations, and any particular detail could become important later, so performance is facilitated by maintaining long-term memory access to as much detail as possible. Precise analysis of such memory is difficult to achieve with experimentation or observation alone, so computational simulation is used as the analytical method. A computational process model grounded in cognitive theory (Soar) is constructed to fit extensive fine-grained behavioral data from an expert programmer. The model's structures and processes are then inspected for insights into NTM. Structurally, the model's NTM consists of fine-grain perceptual, semantic, and episodic items whose availability is tied to cues from the encoding context. Quantitatively, much more detail enters NTM than is ever retrieved, but when retrieval does occur it can change the course of behavior. To illustrate applications of the construct, the model is used to examine how a cluttered interface might impose cognitive costs by increasing retrieval demands on memory.
Effects of Non-Uniform Heating on Two-Phase Flow Through Microchannels

As size, weight, and performance demands drive electronics packages to become increasingly thinner and more compact, volume restrictions prevent the use of large intermediate heat spreaders to mitigate heat generation non-uniformities. Instead, these non-uniform heat flux profiles are imposed directly on the ultimate heat sink, either due to chip-scale variations or the desire to cool multiple discrete devices. A better understanding of the impacts of non-uniform heating on two-phase flow characteristics and thermal performance limits for microchannel heat sinks is needed to address these thermal packaging trends. An experimental investigation is performed to explore flow boiling phenomena in a microchannel heat sink with point hotspots, as well as non-uniform streamwise and transverse heating conditions across the entire heat sink area. The investigation is conducted using a silicon microchannel heat sink with a 5 × 5 array of individually controllable heaters attached to a 12.7 mm × 12.7 mm square base. The channels are 240 μm wide, 370 μm deep, and separated by 110 μm wide fins. The working fluid is FC-77, flowing at a mass flux of approximately 890 kg/m2s. High-speed visualizations of the flow are recorded to observe the local flow regimes. It is found that even though the substrate thickness beneath the microchannels is very small (200 μm), significant lateral conduction occurs and must be accounted for in the calculation of the local heat flux imposed. For non-uniform heat input profiles, with peak heat fluxes along the central streamwise and transverse directions, it is found that the local flow regimes, heat transfer coefficients, and wall temperatures deviate significantly from a uniformly heated case. These trends are assessed as a function of an increase in the relative magnitude of the nonuniformity between the peak and background heat fluxes.Copyright © 2013 by ASME
Acute toxicity and behavioral effects of chlorpyrifos, permethrin, phenol, strychnine, and 2,4-dinitrophenol to 30-day-old Japanese medaka (Oryzias latipes)†

Five chemicals with different modes of action were evaluated in laboratory studies to determine their acute toxicity (48-h median lethal concentration [LC50]) and behavioral effects on 30-d-old Japanese medaka (Oryzias latipes). The order of toxicity for these xenobiotics was permethrin > chlorpyrifos > 2,4-dinitrophenol (2,4-DNP) > strychnine > phenol. The 48-h LC50s were significantly different and ranged from 0.011 to 24.1 mg/L. In addition, chlorpyrifos and permethrin accumulated in the tissues of juvenile O. latipes. Observations of five behavioral/morphological responses, including changes in equilibrium, general activity, startle response, and morphology (e.g., hemorrhage and deformities) were used as indicators of sublethal toxicity. Each chemical, with the exception of 2,4-DNP, elicited a distinct behavior or set of behavioral responses. The behavioral toxicology bioassay may be valuable in comparing and predicting the mode of action of new or unknown toxicants in this species of fish.
Trimeric Association of Hox and TALE Homeodomain Proteins Mediates Hoxb2 Hindbrain Enhancer Activity

Pbx/exd proteins modulate the DNA binding affinities and specificities of Hox proteins and contribute to the execution of Hox-dependent developmental programs in arthropods and vertebrates. Pbx proteins also stably heterodimerize and bind DNA with Meis and Pknox1-Prep1, additional members of the TALE (three-amino-acid loop extension) superclass of homeodomain proteins that function on common genetic pathways with a subset of Hox proteins. In this study, we demonstrated that Pbx and Meis bind DNA as heterotrimeric complexes with Hoxb1 on a genetically defined Hoxb2 enhancer, r4, that mediates the cross-regulatory transcriptional effects of Hoxb1 in vivo. The DNA binding specificity of the heterotrimeric complex for r4 is mediated by a Pbx-Hox site in conjunction with a distal Meis site, which we showed to be required for ternary complex formation and Meis-enhanced transcription. Formation of heterotrimeric complexes in which all three homeodomains bind their cognate DNA sites is topologically facilitated by the ability of Pbx and Meis to interact through their amino termini and bind DNA without stringent half-site orientation and spacing requirements. Furthermore, Meis site mutation in the Hoxb2 enhancer phenocopies Pbx-Hox site mutation to abrogate enhancer-directed expression of a reporter transgene in the murine embryonic hindbrain, demonstrating that DNA binding by all three proteins is required for trimer function in vivo. Our data provide in vitro and in vivo evidence for the combinatorial regulation of Hox and TALE protein functions that are mediated, in part, by their interdependent DNA binding activities as ternary complexes. As a consequence, Hoxb1 employs Pbx and Meis-related proteins, as a pair of essential cofactors in a higher-order molecular complex, to mediate its transcriptional effects on an endogenous Hox response element.
Measurement of the interaction between a beam and a beam line higher-order mode absorber in a storage ring

A phased luminosity upgrade of the CESR e/sup +/e/sup -/ storage ring has been initiated. The upgrade program calls for the eventual installation of superconducting cavities with strongly damped high-order modes. The cavity is designed to allow all HOMs to propagate into the beam pipe, so that they may be damned by a layer of microwave absorbing ferrite. RF measurements with a full-size copper cavity and loads made of TT2-111R ferrite indicate that the design gives adequate HOM damping. The coupling impedance of the ferrite loads and the consequences for beam stability in a high-current ring have been predicted. Prototypes for the cavity, cryostat and HOM loads were subjected to a beam test in CESR. To further test our understanding of the beam-ferrite interaction, beam measurements were done in CESR in December 1994 on a ferrite load of magnified coupling impedance.
History of science and the material theory of induction: Einstein’s quanta, mercury’s perihelion

The use of the material theory of induction to vindicate a scientist’s claims of evidential warrant is illustrated with the cases of Einstein’s thermodynamic argument for light quanta of 1905 and his recovery of the anomalous motion of Mercury from general relativity in 1915. In a survey of other accounts of inductive inference applied to these examples, I show that, if it is to succeed, each account must presume the same material facts as the material theory and, in addition, some general principle of inductive inference not invoked by the material theory. Hence these principles are superfluous and the material theory superior in being more parsimonious.
Optimum design of actively controlled structures

The optimum design of seismic structures equipped with active controls is presented. The design variables are structural parameters, such as structural stiffness or moment of inertia. The optimization procedure is carried out in two stages. First, the optimal control forces are expressed in closed form, as implicit functions of the design variables. In the second stage, the structural parameters are varied in order to minimize a structural weight objective function. The algorithm is applied to structural systems under earthquake excitations, for displacement, frequency and control force constraints.
Posterior segment inflammation in HLA-B27+ acute anterior uveitis: clinical characteristics

PURPOSE: To examine clinical characteristics of patients who have posterior segment manifestations in HLA-B27-associated acute anterior uveitis. METHODS: Medical records of 114 HLA-B27-positive patients with acute anterior uveitis were reviewed in a retrospective fashion. Criteria for inclusion were the presence of acute anterior uveitis, a positive HLA-B27 antigen, and one of the following findings: vitreous cells =+2; cystoid macular edema; papillitis; vasculitis; or pars plana exudates. Twenty-four patients met the inclusion criteria. RESULTS: Posterior segment manifestations were found in 24 (21.05%) of 114 patients with HLA-B27+ acute anterior uveitis. Eighteen patients had diffuse vitritis (75%), seven had cystoid macular edema (29.1%), and two had papillitis (8.3%). Three patients had more than one finding. The prevalence of associated systemic disease (15 of 24 patients, 62.5%) and hypopyon (6 of 24 patients, 25%) in patients with posterior segment involvement was significantly higher than in the ...
The Influence of Spermine on the Activity of a Protein Kinase C-like Enzyme in Marchantia polymorpha Thalli During Programmed Cell Death

Abstract Protein Kinase C-like activity was established in Marchantia polymorpha. Different concentrations were detected in young and old tissue extracts from untreated and spermine-treated thalli after agarose gel electrophoresis in the presence of a PKC-specific fluorescent tags. Cytosolic putative PKC concentrations (nmol/g tissue) in untreated young thalli were higher than concentrations in old tissue. Old spermine-treated tissue possessed higher cytosolic putative PKC concentrations than young untreated thalli. Both young and old spermine-treated tissue extracts possessed higher total protein levels than young and old untreated tissue extracts. The data suggest that spermine-treatment evoked a qualitative and quantitative decrease in senescence.
Effects of Environmental Salinity on Vertebrate Florivory and Wetland Communities

Abstract Iris hexagona is a perennial freshwater species indigenous to Louisiana wetlands. Coastal iris populations that are exposed to saline conditions often suffer heavy floral browsing. This paper is the first to photographically document florivory by white-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus Zimmerman), which consume iris flowers and immature seed capsules. Severe florivory can prevent sexual reproduction in plants and eliminate habitat for floral arthropods. In this three-year study, we monitored environmental salinity, assessed natural levels of florivory, and established deer exclosures to test the effects of florivory on arthropod abundance and diversity. In two out of three years, florivory rates were positively correlated with the level of salinity at individual I. hexagona populations. In all three years, florivory in the brackish marsh was an order of magnitude greater than florivory in intermediate and freshwater sites. In 2003, the number and diversity of arthropods was significantly greate...
2007 Outstanding AFCPE Conference Paper Assessing the Use and Usefulness of Current Financial Resources for Civilian Military Spouses

Most military installations have the resources available to operate as an independent community. However, immediate access to these resources tends to promote societal disconnection for the civilian military spouse (CMS). This disconnection leaves the CMS with many misconceptions when it comes to certain life skills. The Department of Defense (DoD) has attempted to answer these concerns with the introduction of well being plans to open the door for the CMS to seek personal financial assistance. However, this study found that CMSs pre, ferred to seek financial assistance from formal, nonmilitary resources such as professional financial planner/ counselor and informal financial resources such as family and other military spouses. The findings provided implications for marketing, financial literacy program consistency, and military retention.
Temporal neutrophil polarization following myocardial infarction

Aims Although macrophage phenotypes have been well studied in the myocardial infarction (MI) setting, this study investigated temporal neutrophil polarization and activation mechanisms. Methods and results Neutrophils isolated from the infarcted left ventricle (LV) of mice showed high expression of proinflammatory markers at Day 1 and anti-inflammatory markers at Days 5 and 7 post-MI, indicating distinct neutrophil phenotypes along the post-MI time continuum. Flow cytometry analysis revealed that although proinflammatory N1 neutrophils were always predominant (>80% of total neutrophils at each time point), the percentage of N2 neutrophils increased post-MI from 2.4 ± 0.6% at Day 1 to 18.1 ± 3.0% at Day 7. In vitro , peripheral blood neutrophils were polarized to proinflammatory N1 by lipopolysaccharide and interferon-γ or anti-inflammatory N2 by interleukin-4, indicating high plasticity potential. The in vivo post-MI relevant LV damage-associated molecular patterns (DAMPs) polarized neutrophils to a proinflammatory N1 phenotype by activating toll-like receptor-4. Transforming growth factor-β1 inhibited proinflammatory production in neutrophils. N1 neutrophils positively correlated with infarct wall thinning at Day 7 post-MI, possibly due to high production of matrix metalloproteinases-12 and -25. Conclusion This study is the first to identify the existence of N1 and N2 neutrophils in the infarct region and reveals that N1 polarization could be mediated by DAMPs.
Ecological and Mycological Characteristics of Caches in the Mounds of Dipodomys spectabilis

Banner-tailed kangaroo rats ( Dipodomys spectabilis ) are primarily granivorous and store large quantities of seeds in underground caches. We found that a majority of these caches occurred near 30 cm in depth or below 50 cm. Most caches were approximately one third of the distance from the mound center to the edge and were on the north or northwest side of the mounds. There was no obvious temporal relationships between use of seed and when they were gathered. Seeds stored early and late in a four-month period were significantly depleted after the four months while those stored during the middle of the experimental period, when native seeds were abundant, were not depleted. Mycological analyses of the caches revealed at least 23 species of fungi. Fungal colonists were more abundant and diverse in caches made in the middle of a four-month caching period than early or late in the period.
Stochastic modeling and optimization of water resources systems-II

The modeling and optimization of a complex river basin is studied based on the Markov process and nonlinear programming by the use of actual data. The monthly flow data are first correlated into probabilistic transition matrices. These matrices together with actual costs and benefits data are then used to obtain the optimal initial capacity and optimal operating conditions. The results show that the proposed techniques are fairly effective approaches and only approx. 15 iterations are needed to obtain a reasonably good accuracy.
Nondestructive Damage Evaluation of Electro-Mechanical Components Using a Hybrid, Computational and Experimental Approach

With the electronic industry being one of the most dynamic, in terms of new technologies, electronic packages have to be designed and optimized for new and ever more demanding applications in relatively short periods of time. This, in turn, indicates a need for effective quantitative testing methodologies. In this paper, a novel hybridized use of nondestructive, noninvasive, remote, full field of view, quantitative opto-electronic holography techniques with computational modeling is presented. The hybridization is illustrated with a representative application, which shows that the combined use of opto-electronic holography techniques and computational modeling provides an effective engineering tool for nondestructive study of electro-mechanical components.
Centers of gravity and war outcomes

Bargaining models argue that wars usually terminate when the information gap closes enough to create a bargaining range. Although this convergence is assumed to be straightforward, factors that identify the information regarding the likely military outcome to the belligerents have not been identified. One of Clausewitz’s main ideas was that states can win wars by attacking the enemy’s centers of gravity, which I argue provide an important way through which information convergence is achieved. I examine the importance of three centers of gravity—capturing the enemy’s capital, destroying the enemy’s military forces, and eliminating enemy allies from the war—on war outcomes through a quantitative analysis of wars from 1816 to 2007.
The development and persistence of leukoagglutinins in parous women.

Abstract Leukoagglutinins were shown to occur in sera from nontransfused gravid Negro, Caucasian and Asian women. Investigations into the relationship of parity to the incidence of leukoagglutinins indicated that two pregnancies were usually required before leukoagglutinins became demonstrable in the gravid women. In their second pregnancies, 13 of 68 women (19 per cent) possessed leukoagglutinins. In families with two children, the leukocytes of both offspring contained the potential antigenic stimulus for leukoagglutinin production. In this series with increasing parity, the proportion of women immunized did not significantly differ. The significance of the frequent leukocyte sensitization was discussed. Leukoagglutinins persisted in the sera of parous women for varying periods of time after parturition. The antibodies of 16 of 31 women could still be identified in their sera three years after delivery. The distribution of potentially stimulating leukocyte antigens in the offspring of two large families provided suggestive evidence that the formation of leukoagglutinins had persisted in the two women for eight years after sensitization. The leukoagglutinins found in gravid women had numerous specificities. Eighteen of the 40 specificities (agglutination patterns) of leukoagglutinins were observed in the sera of other women. With increasing time after delivery, the specificity of leukoagglutinating sera tended to become narrower than the serum sample obtained at parturition.
Research on Teaching in Physical Education: Responses

Abstract The December 1991 issue of Research Quarterly for Exercise and Sport presented a forum on research on teaching in physical education. Responses were invited from our readership regarding the forum. The following responses were received in time for publication.
Variance-Based Sensitivity Analysis to Support Simulation-Based Design Under Uncertainty

United States. National Aeronautics and Space Administration. LEARN Program (Grant NNX14AC73A)
Using the 4 Pillars Practice Transformation Program to Increase Pneumococcal Immunizations for Older Adults: A Cluster-Randomized Trial.

Objectives To test the effectiveness of a step-by step, evidence-based guide, the 4 Pillars Practice Transformation Program, to increase adult pneumococcal vaccination. Design Randomized controlled cluster trial (RCCT) in Year 1 (June 1, 2013 to May 31, 2014) and pre-post study in Year 2 (June 1, 2014 to January 31, 2015) with data analyzed in 2016. Baseline year was June 1, 2012, to May 31, 2013. Demographic and vaccination data were derived from deidentified electronic medical record extractions. Setting Primary care practices (n = 25) stratified according to metropolitan area (Houston, Pittsburgh), location (rural, urban, suburban), and type (family medicine, internal medicine), randomized to receive the intervention in Year 1 (n = 13) or Year 2 (n = 12). Participants Individuals aged 65 and older at baseline (N = 18,107; mean age 74.2; 60.7% female, 16.5% non-white, 15.7% Hispanic). Intervention The 4 Pillars Program, provider education, and one-on-one coaching of practice-based immunization champions. Outcome measures were 23-valent pneumococcal polysaccharide vaccine (PPSV) and pneumococcal conjugate vaccine (PCV) vaccination rates and percentage point (PP) changes in vaccination rates. Results In the Year 1 RCCT, PPSV vaccination rates increased significantly in all intervention and control groups, with average increases ranging from 6.5 to 8.7 PP (P < .001). The intervention was not related to greater likelihood of PPSV vaccination. In the Year 2 pre-post study, the likelihood of PPSV and PCV vaccination was significantly higher in the active intervention sites than the maintenance sites in Pittsburgh but not in Houston. Conclusion In a RCCT, PPSV vaccination rates increased in the intervention and control groups in Year 1. In a pre-post study, private primary care practices actively participating in the 4 Pillars Practice Transformation Program improved PPSV and PCV uptake significantly more than practices that were in the maintenance phase of the study.
More is better! Update of Dana-Farber Cancer Institute/Children's Hospital childhood acute lymphoblastic leukemia trials.

In October 1973, we instituted a series of clinical trials for the treatment of childhood acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL). Each protocol was based on the results of its pre-decessor.
Surgery alters parameters of vitamin D status and other laboratory results

Fracture liaison services often perform laboratory testing, but these results may be altered by surgery. In 40 hip arthroplasty patients, many laboratory parameters of bone health relevance were reduced by 8-22% on the first post-operative day. Laboratory results obtained in the immediate post-surgery interval do not reliably ascertain baseline status. Introduction As secondary causes of osteoporosis are common, fracture liaison services often perform laboratory testing in the immediate post-fracture interval. We hypothesized that laboratory results obtained shortly after surgery may not accurately ascertain baseline status. If true, such alterations might confound subsequent fracture prevention efforts. Methods Patients undergoing elective total hip arthroplasty were studied as a surrogate for hip fracture patients. Blood and urine were obtained 2 weeks before surgery, before anesthetic induction, on post-operative day one, and 6 weeks after surgery. Serum total and free 25-hydroxyvitamin D (25(OH)D), vitamin D-binding protein (DBP), calcium, creatinine, albumin (Alb), alkaline phosphatase (ALP), plasma hemoglobin (Hgb) and urinary DBP/creatinine ratio (UDBP/Cr) were measured. Results Forty volunteers (28 women; 12 men) with mean age of 65.7 [8.7] years were studied. Laboratory results were stable from 2 weeks before to the day of surgery. On the first day after surgery, total 25(OH)D, DBP, calcium, creatinine, ALP, and Alb declined 8-22% (p Conclusions Laboratory values are reduced immediately following elective total hip arthroplasty. Testing at that time does not accurately ascertain baseline status and may lead to elevated estimates of vitamin D inadequacy, incorrect interventions, and misallocation of healthcare resources.
Group Identity and the Politics of Exclusion

Democratic elections are notoriously complicated and noisy events about which it can be difficult to generalize. It is nonetheless important to develop theories that isolate particular aspects of electoral processes, and the goal of this chapter is to begin laying the groundwork for a theory that can describe how class and ethnic identities can influence electoral competition. The argument is based on the assumption that voters care only about maximizing their share of the “government pie,” and voters and candidates invoke “class” and “ethnic” identities instrumentally to this end. Although no one should deny that material considerations are important in elections, it should also go without saying that this assumption does not come close to fully describing the ways that voters and parties behave, or the role that class and ethnicity play in social interactions. The goal is simply to see if the assumption can aid the development of useful intuitions. To this end, I focus in particular on how social structure can impose limits on the types of promises that parties can make to voters motivated by material concerns. The chapter is organized as follows. The next section reviews the basic distributive politics model of elections and describes its limitations for generating intuitions about electoral politics. Section 3.2 then describes why it makes sense to consider how class and ethnicity can be used to make credible distributive promises to voters. Using the assumption that class and ethnicity constrain party promises, Section 3.3 explains how social structure – the distribution of voter incomes and ethnic identities – can shape which types of parties should be advantaged in electoral competition. The framework, however, raises important questions about the formation of party systems and the nature of party promises to voters. If social structure, for example, creates advantages for particular types of parties, why do parties that are not advantaged bother to form? And what types of platforms should advantaged parties offer to voters? I address such questions in Chapter 4, when I develop an explicit argument linking social structure to party competition.
Assessing advances in regional anesthesia by their portrayals in meta-analyses: an alternative view on recent progress

The aim of this study was to delineate research reflecting advances in regional/local anesthesia where recent clinical progress was clearly defined by meta-analysis. We conducted a search to identify all articles with meta-analyses of randomized clinical trials related to the field of regional/local anesthesia. From 279 titles, after multiple exclusions, 16 meta-analyses on important clinical practice developments with high potential for a positive conclusion on the effectiveness of the treatment were left for the assessment. The assessment was performed in two steps. The first step was related to verification of proof-of-concept: the effect is statistically reliable (p-value, effect size, heterogeneity across different RCTs) and the risk of bias not too high. The second step was devoted to attempts to form an opinion on the real clinical benefits of a new development. The assessment revealed that seven recent developments passed the proof-of-concept step. At the same time, positive conclusion on real clinical benefits was reached only by one of these seven developments: ultrasound guidance for peripheral nerve blocks (at least with some of the blocks). Meaningful clinical improvements with other developments remains uncertain. The assessment of the relationships between analyzed advancements over the past 30 years and earlier similar developments indicated that their evolution was usually incremental. The most original advancement was found to be the introduction of the transversus abdominis plane block. The assessment of recent advances in regional/local anesthesia, based on the evaluation of related meta-analyses, revealed only incremental progress with mostly marginal benefits. The progress was the most notable with ultrasound guidance for some of peripheral nerve blocks.
Analysis of the Content and Characteristics of University Websites with Implications for Web Designers and Educators

The development of customer-centered websites is a difficult but essential component of many organizations' overall management information systems. Specifically, the study examined the content and ...