cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Proboscis Container Shapes for the USML-2 Interface Configuration Experiment

Cylindrical containers for the USML-2 Interface Configuration Experiment, having the form of a circular cylinder with two mathematically determined diametrically opposed “proboscis” protrusions, are discussed. Results of preliminary drop tower tests are shown, along with numerically computed fluid interface configurations.
Severe diabetic ketoacidosis following ingestion of a caffeinated alcoholic beverage

A 53-year-old male with a past medical history of type I diabetes mellitus presented to our emergency department after being found obtunded at home following ingestion of a large amount of the caffeinated alcoholic beverage 4 Loko. The patient had profound hyperkalaemia, diabetic ketoacidosis and acute renal failure. He was admitted to the intensive care unit and was aggressively resuscitated with intravenous fluids. He was treated with insulin and sodium bicarbonate and had complete resolution of his acidosis and hyperkalaemia. Since their introduction, caffeinated alcoholic beverages have become increasingly popular, with expected sales of several billion dollars in 2011. The caffeine present in these beverages masks the depressant effect of alcohol and may thus lead to greater alcohol intake and make risk-taking behaviours more common. These beverages have not been studied in those with chronic medical conditions. As this case exemplifies, they may lead to excessive morbidity in those susceptible patients.
MELATONIN RECEPTORS : MOLECULAR BIOLOGY OF A NEW FAMILY OF G PROTEIN-COUPLED RECEPTORS

A family of high-affinity, G protein-coupled receptors for the pineal hormone melatonin has been cloned from vertebrates. These recombinant receptors exhibit similar affinity and pharmacological characteristics to each other and to endogenous receptors, as defined with the melatonin agonist 2-[ 125I]iodomelatonin (125I-Mel). Two mammalian melatonin receptor subtypes have been identified by molecular cloning studies. The mammalian Mel1a melatonin receptor is expressed in most sites containing 125I-Mel binding. This includes the hypothalamic suprachiasmatic nucleus and hypophyseal pars tuberalis, presumed sites of the circadian and some of the reproductive actions of melatonin, respectively. The mammalian Mel 1b melatonin receptor is expressed in retina and brain and may mediate the reported effects of melatonin on retinal physiology in some mammals. A third receptor subtype, the Mel1c melatonin receptor, has been cloned from zebra fish, Xenopus, and chickens but not from mammals. Molecular cloning of a mel...
Exploring hardware work queue support for lightweight threads in MPSoCs

Fine-grain thread parallelism using task based programming models are a new trend in achieving massively parallel computations. Often, software pre-fetching and queuing mechanisms for managing these dynamic environments are inadequate, failing to keep the processor cores busy with computation. At the same time, the CPU-memory performance gap is getting worse and this puts a strain on memory subsystem to keep cores in a busy state. We describe a hardware based pre-fetching and queuing mechanism aimed at assisting the over-subscription of very lightweight threads per core. Experiments with a soft processor and a reconfigurable accelerator core are reported. The hardware demonstrates the ability to block on out-of-order memory transactions and alleviates the software bottleneck.
Performance of Ge-on-Si p-i-n Photodetectors for Standard Receiver Modules

Ge on Si p-i-n photodetectors with areas which are compatible with commercially available receivers have been fabricated and tested. A dark current density of 6 mA/cm2 at -1-V bias has been measured at room temperature; when heated to 85 degC, the measured dark current increases by a factor of nine. A responsivity of 0.59 A/W at 850 nm has been measured from these Ge detectors, which matches or exceeds commercially available GaAs devices. We have measured bandwidths approaching 9 GHz at -2-V bias from 50-mum diameter Ge detectors, and have observed eye diagrams comparable to those obtained from GaAs-based receivers at 4.25 Gb/s
Photoelectron spectroscopic study of iron–benzene cluster anions

Iron–benzene cluster anions, FenBz � m (n = 1–7, m = 1–4), were generated via laser vaporization and studied using mass spectrometry, anion photoelectron spectroscopy and in one case by density functional theory. Based on these studies, we propose that Fe1Bz � 1 and Fe1Bz1 as well as Fe2Bz � 1 and Fe2Bz1 exhibit half-sandwich structures, that Fe1Bz � 2 and Fe1Bz2 ,F e 2Bz � 2 and Fe2Bz2, as well as Fe3Bz2 and Fe4Bz2 are sandwich structures, and that Fe2Bz � 3 and Fe2Bz3 and larger species form ‘rice-ball’ structures which in
Recovery of antibody production in human allogeneic marrow graft recipients: influence of time posttransplantation, the presence or absence of chronic graft-versus-host disease, and antithymocyte globulin treatment

One-hundred fifty-three recipients of HLA-identical sibling marrow transplants for aplastic anemia or hematologic malignancy were injected with bacteriophage phi X174 (phage), pneumococcal polysaccharide antigen (PPA), or keyhole limpet hemocyanin (KLH). Antibody levels were determined several times in the 6 wk after injection. Multiple regression techniques were used to determine what factors played significant roles in the antibody response. The most significant factors were the time elapsed from transplantation, chronic graft-versus-host disease (GVHD), and antithymocyte globulin (ATG) treatment. All patients had low antibody responses to all antigens in the first 180 days from transplant. Beyond 180 days patients without chronic GVHD showed antibody responses indistinguishable from those of normal donors. However, patients with chronic GVHD had the following impairments: (1) primary response to phage, (2) conversion from IgM to IgG in secondary response to phage, (3) secondary response to KLH, and (4) response to PPA. ATG treatment given to patients either prophylactically or therapeutically for acute GVHD was followed by lower primary responses to phage in the first 180 days and poor ability to switch from IgM to IgG antibody in the secondary response beyond 180 days postgrafting. Other factors did not yield additional significant information about ability to predict antibody responses including diagnosis, conditioning regimen, treatment in or out of laminar air flow rooms, transplantation, pretransplant refractoriness of the recipient to platelet transfusions from random donors, donor age or donor sex, and steroid administration for treatment for prevention of GVHD. The data indicate that, given enough time after transplantation, the ability to produce normal antibody function recovers except in those patients experiencing chronic GVHD.
A New Green Gel System that Resolves Up to Twenty Chlorophyll-Protein Complexes from Chlamydomonas reinhardtii Thylakoids

We are interested in the relationships between assembly, composition and ultrastructure of the thylakoid membrane in higher plants and algae. As part of this interest, we have investigated means for improving the resolution of available methods for the separation and analysis of chlorophyll-protein complexes. The result of this work is a new native green gel system that resolves up to twenty chlorophyll-proteins from Chlamydomonas reinhardtii thylakoids with very little release of free pigment. Although developed for Chlamydomonas, this system resolves similar numbers of chlorophyll-proteins from a variey of higher plant species (see Allen, et al., these Proceedings). We report here the general characteristics of this system and its application to the chlorophyll b-deficient cbn1-48 mutant of Chlamydomonas.
Section activities

Nineteen years ago the Akron Section was formed, the members all being affiliated formerly with the Cleveland Section. Last March, the Mansfield Section was created from the previously organized Mansfield Division of the Cleveland Section. In view of the way the two younger Sections were formed, it was not surprising that the 1939–40 officers of all three Sections should strike on and quickly endorse the idea of holding an annual “family reunion.”
Analysis of the Value of Celebrity Affiliation to Nonprofit Contributions

Nonprofit organizations rely on contributions to achieve mission-based objectives. While many determinants of contributions have been uncovered (e.g., fundraising budget, organization age, and operational efficiency), little is known about the role that celebrity affiliation plays in generating contributions. Using a sample of more than 500 industry-diverse charities with known celebrity affiliations, we find support for the celebrity-lift hypothesis—that celebrity-affiliated nonprofits are associated with increased contributions. We also find that celebrity affiliation has a substitution effect such that fundraising expenses are lower at celebrity-affiliated organizations.
ON THE ETHOLOGICAL DIFFERENTIATION OF DROSOPHILA ANANASSAE AND DROSOPHILA PALLIDOSA IN SAMOA.

A number of significant studies of genetic divergence and speciation in island populations of Drosophila have been undertaken in recent years. Certainly the grandest example of this has been the detailed study of the spectacular array of Drosophila species native to the Hawaiian Islands begun under the leadership of the late Professor Wilson S. Stone of the University of Texas and Professor D. Elmo Hardy of the University of Hawaii, and still being carried on by Hardy and a number of their colleagues; e.g., see Carson et al. (1970). Other island groups and Drosophila species have also been investigated by Stone and others at the University of Texas. Among these studies are those on Drosophila ananassae populations from island groups in the central and western Pacific Ocean, including light (brownish-yellow) and dark (blackish-brown) D. ananassae-like populations found on the American Samoan island of Tutuila. These populations are especially interesting in that, aside from the pigmentation difference, they are morphologically nearly indistinguishable and, in spite of exhibiting no apparent postmating reproductive barriers (Stone et al., 1966), they coexist together on this island as separate, reproductively isolated units. That they are sexually isolated has been shown cytologically (Futch, 1966) and ethologically (Futch, 1966; Spieth, 1966) with strains from Pago Pago, Tutuila. In recent years other collections of similar light and dark D. ananassae-like flies have been obtained from other islands in the Samoan archipelago as well as from islands in the Fijian group. Based mainly on the cytological and ethological evidence cited above concerning the genetic isolation of these light and dark forms, Bock and Wheeler (1972) recognize the two as distinct species belonging to the D. ananassae subgroup of the D. melanogaster species group of Drosophila. The dark flies have been identified as Drosophila ananassae Doleschall, a polytypic, widespread (circumtropical) "domestic" species of the tropical and sub-tropical world, whereas they describe the light flies as Drosophila pallidosa. This recently described species has a relatively localized distribution presently known only to include the southcentral Pacific islands of Samoa and Fiji where it exists side-by-side with its widely distributed sibling, D. ananassae. That two such very closely related, potentially interfertile sympatric species have been found living together successfully and separately in the island groups of Samoa and Fiji seems to warrant further investigation. As a part of this continuing investigation, populations from other islands of the Samoan group have been analyzed cytologically and for crossing fertility as stocks have become available to me.
Mindfulness, Flow, and Mind Wandering: The Role of Trait-Based Mindfulness in State-Task Alignment

Mindfulness—present moment attention and awareness (Brown & Ryan, 2003)—is commonly proposed as a productive state of consciousness in the workplace. Unfortunately, being mindful at every moment of the workday is fairly uncommon. Research suggests that people engage in mind wandering—a lack of attention to and awareness of the present (Smallwood & Schooler, 2006)—for the majority of their day (in every task except making love; Killingsworth & Gilbert, 2010). Further, there is another state of consciousness called flow—an intense sense of concentration and control over activities—that has also been linked to workplace performance (Nakamura & Csikszentmihalyi, 2002). Interestingly, whereas mindfulness facilitates higher performance by being aware of external stimuli, flow enables higher performance by doing the opposite—blocking out external stimuli. These findings suggest that mindfulness is neither the most common psychological state nor the only productive psychological state for the workplace.
Fighting poverty with data

Policy-makers in the world's poorest countries are often forced to make decisions based on limited data. Consider Angola, which recently conducted its first postcolonial census. In the 44 years that elapsed between the prior census and the recent one, the country's population grew from 5.6 million to 24.3 million, and the country experienced a protracted civil war that displaced millions of citizens. In situations where reliable survey data are missing or out of date, a novel line of research offers promising alternatives. On page 790 of this issue, Jean et al. ( 1 ) apply recent advances in machine learning to high-resolution satellite imagery to accurately measure regional poverty in Africa.
Distribution of decentralized optimization convergence bounds in energy harvesting wireless sensor networks

In this paper, we attempt to uncover the fundamental limitations of implementing decentralized optimization in an energy harvesting sensor network by quantifying the impact of stochastic energy availability on convergence. Specifically, the discrete energy quanta being harvested by a network of wireless sensors are modelled via a marked Poisson process. The wireless sensors are involved in updating the Lagrange multipliers associated with the constraints for a decentralized concave optimization problem. The convergence of the corresponding Lagrange dual function is monotonically dependent upon the maximum delay in communication. The probabilistic nature of the harvested energy quanta results in a random crossover with respect to the minimum energy threshold required for successful communication. As a consequence, we investigate the probabilistic behaviour of the Lagrange dual function convergence bound under the effect of random delay considering single/multi-hop communication among neighbouring sensors. The maximum delay distribution is derived for both deterministic and stochastic models for the energy harvested at sensor nodes. Simulation shows the efficacy of the theoretical distributions in modelling the delay dependent Lagrange dual function convergence bound behaviour. Copyright © 2016 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Initial analysis of peripheral lymphocytic extracellular signal related kinase activation in autism.

Abstract Background Dysregulation of extracellular signal-related kinase (ERK) activity has been potentially implicated in the pathophysiology of autistic disorder (autism). ERK is part of a central intracellular signaling cascade responsible for a myriad of cellular functions. ERK is expressed in peripheral blood lymphocytes, and measurement of activated (phosphorylated) lymphocytic ERK is commonly executed in many areas of medicine. We sought to conduct the first study of ERK activation in humans with autism by utilizing a lymphocytic ERK activation assay. We hypothesized that ERK activation would be enhanced in peripheral blood lymphocytes from persons with autism compared to those of neurotypical control subjects. Method We conducted an initial study of peripheral lymphocyte ERK activation in 45 subjects with autism and 26 age- and gender-matched control subjects (total n = 71). ERK activation was measured using a lymphocyte counting method (primary outcome expressed as lymphocytes staining positive for cytosolic phosphorylated ERK divided by total cells counted) and additional Western blot analysis of whole cell phosphorylated ERK adjusted for total ERK present in the lymphocyte lysate sample. Results Cytosolic/nuclear localization of pERK activated cells were increased by almost two-fold in the autism subject group compared to matched neurotypical control subjects (cell count ratio of 0.064 ± 0.044 versus 0.034 ± 0.031; p = 0.002). Elevated phosphorylated ERK levels in whole cell lysates also showed increased activated ERK in the autism group compared to controls (n = 54 total) in Western blot analysis. Conclusions The results of this first in human ERK activation study are consistent with enhanced peripheral lymphocytic ERK activation in autism, as well as suggesting that cellular compartmentalization of activated ERK may be altered in this disorder. Future work will be required to explore the impact of concomitant medication use and other subject characteristics such as level of cognitive functioning on ERK activation. Trial Registration Not applicable.
Meningiomas: MRI and Pathological Findings

MRIs and histopathological studies of five children, aged 3 months to 16 years, with extra-axial meningiomas are reported from the Arkansas Children’s Hospital and University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, Little Rock, AR.
Design of a fuzzy controller for feed drive systems of CNC machines

T feed drive and its computer control system is an important component of CNC machines whose performance plays a key role in precision of the machining system. The feedrive system typically consists of a servomotor, coupling, lead screw and nut, support system (i.e., bearings and linear slides), electrical drive (for position measurement); and a computer based controller for position control. While each of these components affects performance, contribution of the servo controller has a major impact on the accuracy of the entire system. This paper introduces a new approach based on fuzzy set theory to design of the servo controller for accurate positioning of the axis motion. The advantage of this approach is that no prior knowledge of the system model involved, in this case the dynamics of the drive system, is required. In essence, this technique mimics the decision making process of human being in dealing with a physical dynamic system. In this study, a fuzzy controller is designed for real time control of CNC feed drive systems. In this regard, the structure of a fuzzy controller is determined and the fuzzy rules are defined that are further used to design and develop the controller. To study the controller performance, a linear model of the systems is developed in the state-space format which takes into account the electrical characteristics of the servo system, stiffness, inertia, and damping properties of individual components of the feed drive system. This model is further used in analysis of the system performance through simulation studies and the results are presented. M. G. Mehrabi, J Appl Mech Eng 2013, 2:3 http://dx.doi.org/10.4172/2168-9873.S1.004
Prompts, uptake, modified output, and repair for L2 learners with foreign language classroom anxiety

The purpose of this study was to investigate the effects which prompts had on learners with high and low anxiety. It has been suggested by the research literature that recasts have negatively affected learners with high anxiety. This has been a point of contention in the debate of whether explicit negative oral grammar correction is useful in L2 acquisition. Given that anxiety IEPs (Individualized Education Plans) have become increasingly common, the argument against OCF (Oral Corrective Feedback) warrants attention. It is important to note that there is lack of research investigating the effects of prompts on learners with anxiety disorders. This is an answer to that call. For this study four groups were formed: high anxiety learners given prompts, low anxiety learners given prompts, high anxiety learners given recasts, and low anxiety learners given recasts. The results of the study did confirm that recasts were in fact detrimental to the success of learners with high anxiety. More positively, the current study also showed that learners with high anxiety outperformed all other groups when given prompts as corrective feedback. This could be due to the increased amounts of uptake, modified output and repair. The results also concur with contemporary research that prompts are generally beneficial to all learners.
Connecticut Attorney General Blumenthal's Citizen Petition Regarding Thalidomide-Associated VTE Redux: Patient Safety Concerns Still Persist.

Abstract Abstract 3990 Poster Board III-926 Background In 2005, the first ever Citizen Petition filed by a State Attorneys General, Attorney General Richard Blumenthal, requested that the FDA adopt 6 measures to improve VTE prophylaxis and patient safety of thalidomide (thal). While 4 recommendations were accepted, the FDA refused to mandate a Phase IV randomized, controlled trial designed to identify the best VTE prophylaxis stating that substantial data already existed, but no specific prophylaxis was identified. We review the progress of this safety concern pre- and post-FDA approval of thal in 2006, specifically for the use of multiple myeloma patients. Similar safety concerns apply to lenalidomide. Methods A literature search was performed from 2006 to 2009 through Pubmed and Ovid using the key words “thalidomide,” “lenalidomide,” “thrombosis,” and “multiple myeloma.” High dose thal was defined as higher than 200mg/d, low dose thal as 200mg/d or lower, and high dose dexamethasone (dex) as higher than 20mg/d and low dose dex as 20mg/d and lower. Results See table Prophylaxis None ASA LMWH Coumadin Result Category Previous New Previous New Previous New Previous New Total Reports (n=7598) (n=1585) (n=2657) (n=178) (n=2373) (n=0) (n=470) (n=83) (n=252) Dosage Low Thal/ Low Dex n/a 2% 3150 n/a n/a n/a 5% 238 n/a n/a Len+Dex 14% 86624 12% 106910 11% 1088 9% 2032165 n/a 0% 145 n/a n/a Low Thal/other agent 18% 949 4% 13319 n/a 8% 437 n/a 0% 053 n/a 1% 2202 Len/other agent n/a 2% 4222 7% 345 6% 354 n/a n/a n/a n/a High Thal/other agent 9% 37411 2% 6301 n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a Low Thal/ High Dex 17% 35202 13% 82631 7% 345 8% 9117 n/a n/a n/a 14% 750 High Thal/ High Dex 7% 7106 12% 15124 n/a n/a n/a 29% 98334 6% 233 n/a High Thal/ Low Dex 11% 21193 n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a 16% 850 n/a Conclusion Since 2006, we have found information on 2657 patients with no prophylaxis, 539 patients with thal/dex with prophylaxis, and 2210 patients with len/dex with prophylaxis. VTE rates remain high, except for the low dose thal and/or low dose dex group. Overall, optimal VTE prophylaxis remains an enigma. Current recommendations for VTE prophylaxis are not supported by empirical data. Against this backdrop, Blumenthal's team should consider resubmitting their safety request. Disclosures: No relevant conflicts of interest to declare.
A Qualitative Study of Factors Influencing Decision-Making after Prenatal Diagnosis of down Syndrome

Previous research has identified twenty-six factors that may affect pregnancy management decisions following prenatal diagnosis of DS; however, there is no consensus about the relative importance or effects of these factors. In order to better understand patient decision-making, we conducted expansive cognitive interviews with nine former patients who received a prenatal diagnosis of DS. Our results suggest that patients attached unique meanings to factors influencing decision-making regardless of the pregnancy outcome. Nineteen of the twenty-six factors previously studied and four novel factors (rationale for testing, information quality, pregnancy experience, and perception of parenting abilities and goals) were found to be important to decision-making. We argue that qualitative studies can help characterize the complexity of decision-making following prenatal diagnosis of DS.
PDE5 inhibitors enhance the lethality of [pemetrexed + sorafenib]

// Laurence Booth 1 , Jane L. Roberts 1 , Andrew Poklepovic 2 , Paul Dent 1 1 Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond, VA 23298-0035, USA 2 Department of Biochemistry and Medicine, Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond, VA 23298-0035, USA Correspondence to: Paul Dent, email: pdent@vcu.edu Keywords: sildenafil, autophagy, pemetrexed, chaperone, lung cancer Received: November 16, 2016 Accepted: January 02, 2017 Published: January 09, 2017 ABSTRACT The combination of pemetrexed and sorafenib has significant clinical activity against a wide variety of tumor types in patients and the present studies were performed to determine whether sildenafil enhances the killing potential of [pemetrexed + sorafenib]. In multiple genetically diverse lung cancer cell lines, sildenafil enhanced the lethality of [pemetrexed + sorafenib]. The three-drug combination reduced the activities of AKT, mTOR and STAT transcription factors; increased the activities of eIF2α and ULK-1; lowered the expression of MCL-1, BCL-XL, thioredoxin and SOD2; and increased the expression of Beclin1. Enhanced cell killing by sildenafil was blocked by inhibition of death receptor signaling and autophagosome formation. Enforced activation of STAT3 and AKT or inhibition of JNK significantly reduced cell killing. The enhanced cell killing caused by sildenafil was more reliant on increased PKG signaling than on the generation of nitric oxide. In vivo sildenafil enhanced the anti-tumor properties of [pemetrexed + sorafenib]. Based on our data we argue that additional clinical studies combining pemetrexed, sorafenib and sildenafil are warranted.
Concerning the helium-to-hydrogen number density ratio in very slow ejecta and winds near solar minimum

Near the solar minimum the average value of the helium-to-proton number density ratio is a strong function of speed. The average ratios for both solar ejecta and ambient winds obey approximately the same relation with speed. At the lowest speeds, the ratio takes on small values near and below 0.01. Here winds and ejecta with very slow speeds ( ≲ 310 km/s) are examined. STEREO and Wind spacecraft data are employed that were obtained from 2007 to 2010. This was during the prolonged solar activity minimum between cycles 23 and 24. Case event and statistical studies are made with 12 very slow ejecta. The helium-to-proton ratio in very slow ejecta relative to the ratio for very slow winds of comparable speed averaged in an inclusive one-year period is 1.06. The ejecta and ambient slow winds have, then, nearly the same concentrations on average. The values did not approach 0 with decreasing speed and are shown to deviate from a predicted form. A survey of potential solar sources of very slow ejecta and other inferences based on interplanetary data found a strong correspondence with active regions and a dependence of the properties of very slow ejecta with the solar cycle.
IL-1 Family Members in Inflammatory Skin Disease

The cytokines IL-1α and IL-1β have long been known to play a profound role in inflammation, and in the past decade another cytokine, IL-18 (originally known as IGIF), has also been realized to be an IL-1 family member and to possess significant inflammatory activity. Half a dozen additional members of the IL-1 family have been identified in recent years, and given their relatedness to IL-1 and IL-18, it is tempting to speculate that they too might possess inflammatory potential. We have demonstrated that certain of these cytokines can activate MAP kinases and the pathway leading to NF? B, via known IL-1R family members. Moreover, when overexpressed in skin, they are capable of causing an inflammatory skin condition resembling that seen in human disease.
Aesthetics, Androgyny, and Identity: Charmian Kittredge London’s Artful Life

“Quite young, she decided that what she calls her pseudo talents were not the end and aim of her, but girts to be used in the art of living” (Oregon Journal). By early adulthood, Charmian Kittredge...
Detection of process landmarks using registration for on-line monitoring

Abstract Most batch processes have successive phases due to their dynamics and operation. The detection of the process phases is important to improve performance of monitoring and control techniques. Conventional on-line process monitoring techniques and an adaptive hierarchical principal component analysis technique have been proposed in the literature for on-line monitoring. This study considers techniques for adjustment of batch data lengths to match landmarks of phases during the progress of the batch.
Inadequate thermal refuge constrains landscape habitability for a grassland bird species

Ecologists have long recognized the influence that environmental conditions have on abundance and range extent of animal species. We used the northern bobwhite (Colinus virginianus; hereafter bobwhite) as a model species for studying how microclimates serve as refuge against severe weather conditions. This species serves as an indicator or umbrella species for other sensitive ground-nesting, grassland obligate species. We conducted a mensurative field experiment in the rolling plains of Texas, USA, a semi-arid ecosystem on the southwestern periphery of bobwhite range, to determine whether native bunch grasses, apparently suitable for bobwhite nesting, could reduce ambient temperature below levels harmful for eggs. During the nesting season, we compared temperature and relative humidity readings at daily heat maxima (i.e., the 3 h during each day with highest temperatures) during the nesting season over the course of two years at 63 suitable nest sites paired with 63 random locations (n = 126) using two sensors at ∼10 and ∼60 cm above ground level. Mean temperature at nest height was 2.3% cooler at nest sites (35.99 °C ± 0.07 SE) compared to random locations (36.81 °C ± 0.07 SE); at ambient height, nest sites were slightly cooler (32.78 °C ± 0.06 SE) than random location (32.99 °C ± 0.06 SE). Mean relative humidity at nest sites was greater at nest height (34.53% ± 0.112 SE) and ambient height (36.22% ± 0.10 SE) compared to random locations at nest (33.35% ± 0.12 SE) and ambient height (35.75% ± 0.10 SE). Based on these results, cover at sites that appear visually suitable for nesting by bobwhites and other ground nesting birds provided adequate thermal refuge in the rolling plains by maintaining cooler, moister microclimates than surrounding non-nesting locations. Post-hoc analyses of data revealed that habitat conditions surrounding suitable nest sites strongly influenced thermal suitability of the substrate. Given that eggs of bobwhites and probably other species would experience lethal temperatures without these thermal refuges in the context of proper habitat condition, nesting vegetation is a critical component of niche space for bobwhites and other ground nesting birds in semi-arid regions. Many contemporary land uses, however, degrade or destroy bunch grasses and grassland systems, and thus decrease landscape inhabitability. Conservationists working with obligate grassland species that require bunch grasses in semi-arid regions should develop land management strategies that maximize the availability of these thermal refuges across space and time.
Research Design: Ensuring High Validity and High Reliability Under the Auspices of Comparative Case Studies

The chapter on research design explains how the theorized model can be operationalized. In a first step, it is discussed why the Netherlands, Germany and Sweden are best suited to scrutinize national immigration debates that serve as proxies for a politicization of identity politics. The chapter then outlines how the data on debates on national identity politics amongst established parties must be gathered in order to ensure a high degree of validity, reliability and generalizability. Finally, the media analysis and the Qualitative Comparative Analysis (QCA) utilized are explained in detail.
‘Acquaintance with Grief’: Filmmaking as Mourning and Recognition in Nanni Moretti’s Mia Madre

In this chapter, Benini examines Nanni Moretti’s relationship with grief in his latest movie Mia madre, produced in 2015. Moving from a diaristic imprinting, Moretti projects his mourning onto a female figure, the filmmaker Margherita, creating two intersecting triangles of characters. One triangle is a female genealogy between the mother, Ada, the daughter, Margherita, and the granddaughter, Livia. The second triangle consists of Moretti’s own diffracted alter-egos: Margherita, her brother Giovanni and her most prominent actor, Barry Huggins, with an interesting gender roles’ inversion between Margherita and her brother, who is the mother’s caretaker. Margherita lives in a liminal dimension porous to the intermittences of memory, imagination, and the subconscious. Moretti creates oneiric sequences that are uncannily real, giving the sense of a present enmeshed with the memories of the past and the fear for the future. Notwithstanding the dimension of the tragedy to come, Moretti welcomes grief as an awakening to a future full of awareness and pietas. Moretti’s stance is that of a classical elegy, and his relationship with the mother is like his relationship to the Classics: a legacy not to be lost, but cherished and embraced.
Multidimensional coded modulation for wireless communications beyond 5G

In this keynote invited paper, to address key challenges for beyond 5G wireless technologies in a simultaneous manner, we propose an orbital angular momentum (OAM) based, energy-efficient multidimensional coded modulation. The key idea is to employ all available degrees of freedom (DOFs) to convey the information over the wireless links including amplitude, phase, polarization state, and spatial-domain DOFs. In particular, the OAM is associated with azimuthal phase dependence of the wavefront, and represents an underutilized DOF. Given that OAM eigenstates are orthogonal, an arbitrary number of bits per symbol can be transmitted. To implement OAM multiplexer and demultiplexer in the RF domain, we propose to use a properly designed antenna arrays. Monte Carlo simulations demonstrate high tolerance to fading effects of LDPC-coded multidimensional signaling schemes compared to conventional LDPC-coded QAM.
Ignoring History, Denying Racism: Mounting Evidence for the Marley Hypothesis and Epistemologies of Ignorance:

In demonstration of the Marley hypothesis, Nelson, Adams, and Salter showed that differences in critical historical knowledge (i.e., knowledge of past racism) and motivation to protect group esteem...
Qualitative analysis of single shot ablation craters with ultra-short pulses

This work compares the effects of ablation on GaAs, Al, and Ti samples exposed to two different regimes: a focused 800nm, 14.13mJ pulse of 55fs duration from a Ti: Sapphire laser with an intensity of 2×1016 W cm-2 and a focused 1064nm, 14.61mJ pulse of 10ns duration from a Nd: YAG laser with an intensity of 2×1010 W cm-2. The craters are examined using optical microscopy, white light interferometry, and scanning electron microscopy. Among the effects examined in this paper are the conduction of energy throughout the material, formation of nanodroplets outside of the crater, nanopits in the center of the crater, and the effects of phase explosion inside the crater.
Genetic and Carcinogenic Effects of Plant Flavonoids: An Overview

Flavonoids, a diverse group of naturally occurring plant constituents which share the common structural feature of two phenyl rings linked by a three-carbon chain (Geissman and Hinreiner, 1952), are practically ubiquitous among vascular plants (Geissman, 1962), including food plants (Bate-Smith, 1954; Kuhnau, 1976). The three-carbon chain may be formed into a third six-membered ring through an oxygen on one of these phenyl rings, and the naturally occurring derivatives are frequently polyphenolic. The structure and numbering of some common naturally-occurring flavonoids are illustrated in Figure 1.
Not cool, dude: Perceptions of solicited vs. unsolicited sext messages from men and women

Abstract We examined the extent to which gender of sext message sender and type of sext message affects people's perceptions of sext messages. As part of a 2 × 2 between-subjects design, 122 undergraduates (61 women, 61 men) at a predominantly White liberal arts university in Texas read a vignette in which either a female or a male target sent a solicited or unsolicited sext message to an opposite-sex acquaintance; participants then reported their perceptions of the situation and the sender of the sext message. As predicted, women who sent unsolicited sext messages were rated as more appropriate than were men who sent unsolicited sext messages; by contrast, women and men who sent solicited sext messages were perceived as equally appropriate. These findings suggest that hypermasculinity in the form of a man sending an unsolicited sext message to a woman may be more likely to be judged as a form of sexual harassment that makes the female receiver feel uncomfortable or threatened. By contrast, cultural ideals of hegemonic masculinity seem to dictate that men should react positively to sexual advances from women, regardless of whether such advances are solicited or not.
Hypertrophic Cardiomyopathy: The Past, the Present, and the Future

Patients with left ventricular hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM) were described in the middle of the nineteenth century. Clinico-pathologic correlations carried out in the first half of the twentieth century revealed that HCM is characterized by familial occurrence, hypertrophy of the interventricular septum, dynamic obstruction to left ventricular outflow, impaired left ventricular filling, and rarely, sudden death or heart failure.
The Necessity of Sin and the Growth of the Inner Self: Parzival's Quest for the Grail

The young hero Parzival stumbles innocently onto the Grail Castle and is presented with the highest prize in all of Christendom. The Grail is his for the taking, or better, for the asking. But he does not ask and cannot ask. This article pursues the problem of Parzival's unworthiness in the face of the demanding spiritual world of the Grail. The hero must make himself worthy by going through a process of sin and inner growth. His path upward must first descend to the depths of depair. Only when he has come to recognize his own sinful nature in a truly conscious way is he able to approach the Grail as its rightful master.
Rapid Recovery Total Joint Arthroplasty is Safe, Efficient, and Cost-Effective in the Veterans Administration Setting.

Abstract Background Institutional pathways in total joint arthroplasty (TJA) have been shown to reduce costs and improve patient care, but questions remain regarding their efficacy in certain populations. We sought to evaluate the comprehensive effect of a rapid recovery perioperative TJA protocol in the Veterans Health Administration (VA) setting. Methods In a VA hospital, a rapid recovery protocol was implemented for all patients undergoing primary total hip or knee arthroplasty. A retrospective chart review was performed comparing pre-protocol (n = 174) and protocol (n = 78) cohorts. Measured outcomes included length of stay (LOS), discharge destination, unplanned readmissions, overall complications, and total cost of healthcare during admission and at 30 and 90 days postoperatively. Results After implementation of the protocol, the average LOS decreased from 3.2 to 1.7 days (P Conclusion In the VA setting, implementation of a rapid recovery TJA protocol led to decreased LOS, decreased cost of perioperative healthcare, and an increase in patients discharging directly home without increased readmission or complication rates. Such protocols are essential as we transition into an era of value-based arthroplasty.
An analysis of gene array data related to cell adhesion and prostate cancer.

We embarked on the investigation presented in this report with three goals in mind. First, to discover a gene, or a group of genes, related to the attachment of prostate cells to their neighboring environment. The process of cell attachment is a very important process in cancer in general, and in prostate cancer in particular. Changes in cell attachment allow cells to move around the body, or metastasize, thereby causing the spread of cancer through the body, causing death. Second, we wanted to examine “statistical variability” of gene expression in a single cell line, with time as the only factor possibly related to cell event of interest: cell adhesion. Understanding gene variability is important with regards to future studies, which seek to measure changes in gene expression in human subjects, and is a prerequisite for making certain predictions about “effect size”, when planning to affect gene activity at some future time. We were especially interested in whether and how standardization of numerical values (e.g. division by a specific measure of abundance) obtained from microarrays may affect statistical parameters such as coefficient of correlation or coefficient of variation in measurements of gene expression. Finally, we wanted to take into consideration the notion of false positives, an issue of interest to researchers working with microarray data; this matter is addressed in the final section.
Assembly of Nuclear Pore Complex

Nuclear pore complexes (NPCs) are multiprotein supercomplexes that serve as gates for nuclear–cytoplasmic transport in eukaryotic cells. The assembly of NPCs is critical for proper cell division and for maintaining normal physiological function of cells. However, the sequential order of NPC assembly is still unclear and controversial results have been obtained from various studies. This review summarizes current understanding on NPC assembly focusing on known protein–protein interactions and regulation pathways.
Solid-phase reactive inter-diffusion of Mg/B multilayers

A better understanding of the reaction of Mg and B in the solid-phase regime is needed for the low-temperature synthesis of MgB2 films. Here, we study the kinetics of reactive inter-diffusion of Mg and B multilayers on glassy carbon substrates in the temperature range of 400−650°C. Results show that, at these temperatures, inter-diffusion is characterized by a single activation energy of ∼0.45eV. The formation of the superconducting MgB2 phase with critical temperatures of 25–31 K occurs at reaction temperatures of 450°C and above, with the rate of inter-diffusion obeying a power law with a kinetic exponent of ∼0.3. This suggests that rate-limiting processes are the nucleation and growth of MgB2 grains rather than diffusion and interfacial reactions. Implications of these results to the low-temperature synthesis of MgB2 films are discussed.
Oak Ridge OpenSHMEM Benchmark Suite

The assessment of application performance is a fundamental task in high-performance computing (HPC). The OpenSHMEM Benchmark (OSB) suite is a collection of micro-benchmarks and mini-applications/compute kernels that have been ported to use OpenSHMEM. Some, like the NPB OpenSHMEM benchmarks, have been published before while most others have been used for evaluations but never formally introduced or discussed. This suite puts them together and is useful for assessing the performance of different use cases of OpenSHMEM. This offers system implementers a useful means of measuring performance and assessing the effects of new features as well as implementation strategies. The suite is also useful for application developers to assess the performance of the growing number of OpenSHMEM implementations that are emerging. In this paper, we describe the current set of codes available within the OSB suite, how they are intended to be used, and, where possible, a snapshot of their behavior on one of the OpenSHMEM implementations available to us. We also include detailed descriptions of every benchmark and kernel, focusing on how OpenSHMEM was used. This includes details on the enhancements we made to the benchmarks to support multithreaded variants. We encourage the OpenSHMEM community to use, review, and provide feedback on the benchmarks.
ACOUSTIC EMISSION STUDY OF ELECTROMIGRATION INDUCED EXTRUSIONS IN THIN FILM Al/Cu CONDUCTORS

A major source of conductor failure in integrated circuits is a current-induced mass transport phenomenon known as electromigration.1 Traditionally, electromigration failure has been studied by investigating open circuits caused by local divergences in the mass flux. Recent studies have shown that in cases where the conductor is covered by a restraining passivation layer, short circuits due to extrusions are the primary failure mode. The extrusions result from electromigration-induced compressive stress. It was anticipated that the cracking of the glass would be detectable by acoustic emissiog techniques. Results indicate that at a current density of 1×106 A/cm2 at 250°C, glass cracking occurs 15 to 23 hours prior to short circuit failure. Mean time to failure was on the order of 50 hours. These results support recent models for electromigration-induced failure in microcircuits.
Polycaprolactone-enabled sealing and carbon composite electrode integration into electrochemical microfluidics.

Combining electrochemistry with microfluidics is attractive for a wide array of applications including multiplexing, automation, and high-throughput screening. Electrochemical instrumentation also has the advantage of being low-cost and can enable high analyte sensitivity. For many electrochemical microfluidic applications, carbon electrodes are more desirable than noble metals because they are resistant to fouling, have high activity, and large electrochemical solvent windows. At present, fabrication of electrochemical microfluidic devices bearing integrated carbon electrodes remains a challenge. Here, a new system for integrating polycaprolactone (PCL) and carbon composite electrodes into microfluidics is presented. The PCL : carbon composites have excellent electrochemical activity towards a wide range of analytes as well as high electrical conductivity (∼1000 S m-1). The new system utilizes a laser cutter for fast, simple fabrication of microfluidics using PCL as a bonding layer. As a proof-of-concept application, oil-in-water and water-in-oil droplets are electrochemically analysed. Small-scale electrochemical organic synthesis for TEMPO mediated alcohol oxidation is also demonstrated.
Application of Therapeutic Intervention Scoring System (tiss) to an Electronic Health Record: A Feasibilty Study

Background: Nurse staffing represents a significant cost to hospitals. However, literature suggests a direct link between nurse/patient ratios and mortality. (Aiken, 1987) Thus hospitals need to balance an appropriate, cost efficient nursing staffing with patient care needs. The need for balance is aggravated by the lack of validated tools to determine nurse staffing on a daily basis. The Therapeutic Intervention Scoring System (TISS-28) was developed to measure nurse workload and severity of illness in the context of an intensive care units (ICUs) (Moreno, 1997.) It has since been validated …