cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Detailed comparison between StochSim and SSA

Morton-Firth and Bray's stochastic simulator (StochSim) and Gillespie's stochastic simulation algorithm (SSA) are two important methods for stochastic modelling and simulation of biochemical systems. They have been widely applied to different biological problems. A key question is discussed here: Are these two methods equivalent? These two methods are compared using fundamental probability analysis. The analysis clearly shows that, when the time step in the StochSim is chosen very small, the StochSim can be viewed as a first-order approximation to the SSA. The analysis also explains why the SSA is usually much more efficient than the StochSim for biochemical systems. However, when multistate species present in a system, the StochSim clearly shows its advantage. The Complexity analysis is used to explain this advantage. The hybrid SSA (HSSA) is proposed to combine the advantages of both the StochSim and SSA. When the populations of the multistate species are small, the HSSA is very efficient. Numerical experiments are presented to verify the analysis.
Skydivers: Speculations of Psychodynamcs:

An attempt was made to construct a composite profile for skydivers, but there were no statistically significant differences between a matched group of controls and skydivers. Some of the more popul...
SEASONAL SUCCESSION OF ALGAL PERIPHYTON FROM A WASTEWATER TREATMENT FACILITY1

Attached algal populations were sampled at weekly or biweekly to characterize successional changes in the secondary clarifiers of a wastewater treatment plant. Three communities were compared from areas of slow, medium and rapid current velocities. In general, the algae resembled those reported for other hypereutrophic flowing water. Of the twenty-three algae recorded, Stigeoclonium, Oedogonium, Oscillatoria, Lyngbya, and Pleurocapsa were dominant at some point in the 15 month sampling period. Nutrient concentrations were consistently high (N = 1.1–21.4 mg·L−1; P = 0.1–10.4 mg·L−1); therefore, changes in temporal distribution of algae were probably dependent on seasonal changes in light and temperature. Colonization of artificial substrates was also observed. Small unicellular algae were the first autotrophs to attach and these were followed by larger filamentous forms.
The place of prudence in medical decision making.

In the world of practical affairs in general, no less than in the matter of medicalethical decision making, there is place for the possession of the classical virtue of prudence. Most persons involved in making such decisions are interested exclusively in “solving a case,” and ignore the importance of growing in virtue and character at the same time while having their decision reflect prudential reasoning. A study of the virtue of prudence shows that it is a much misunderstood virtue, and requires deeper penetration into its meaning to grasp its place in humanizing medical decisions.
Monolithic thin-film metal-oxide gas-sensor arrays with application to monitoring of organic vapors

Abstract This paper presents the study of eight-element gas-microsensor arrays that have been developed by silicon-based microfabrication and micromachining techniques combined with the reactive sputtering and etching of tin(IV) oxide or tin dioxide, zinc oxide, and tungsten trioxide. The mixed metal-oxide array has been fabricated on a 3 mm × 3 mm silicon chip. The process-compatibility problem encountered when delineating multiple sensing materials into a single device is resolved by combining ion-beam milling, ‘lift-off’, and wet chemical etching methods. The microsensor arrays are used to monitor benzene, toluene, and methanol and to analyze benzene-toluene mixtures with various multivariate calibration methods. The range of sensitivity of the arrays is tested with concentrations between 50 and 500 ppm of the organic vapors. Prediction errors for benzene-toluene mixtures are 29.8 ppm and 17.0 ppm, respectively, using projection pursuit regression.
Program analysis for cache coherence: beyond procedural boundaries

The presence of procedures and procedure calls introduces side effects, which complicates the analysis of stale reference detection in compiler-directed cache coherence schemes. Previous compiler algorithms use cache invalidation at procedure boundary or inlining to avoid reference marking interprocedurally. We introduce a full interprocedural algorithm, which performs bottom-up and top-down analysis on the procedure call graph. This avoids unnecessary cache misses for subroutine local data and exploits locality across procedure boundaries. The result of execution-driven simulations on Perfect benchmarks demonstrates that, the interprocedural algorithm eliminates up to 36.8% of the cache misses for a compiler-directed scheme compared to an existing invalidation-based algorithm.
Rocket measurements of upper atmospheric nitric oxide and their consequences to the lower ionosphere

The nitric oxide density profile in the upper atmosphere between 70 and 110 km was measured with scanning ultraviolet spectrometers aboard two Nike-Apache rockets on February 6 and January 31, 1969. The observed nitric oxide density profile has a maximum of about 108 cm−3 at 105 km, and a minimum of about 107 cm−3 at 85 km. Photochemical equilibrium is prevalent at about 85 km while mixing dominates below that altitude. A model in which nitric oxide is formed from N(2D) atoms can explain the observed features of the height profile. The contribution of nitric oxide ionization by solar Lyman-α to the total ion production is dominant in the middle D region (below 90 km) for the solar activity level at the time of the experiments. Dissociative recombination of nitric oxide ions is the main loss process in the region above 85 km. Below that height, a faster mechanism is required.
Early Modern Capitalism: Economic and Social Change in Europe, 1400–1800 . Edited by Maarten Prak. London: Routledge, 2001. Pp. xv, 236. $90.00.

The economy of early modern Europe has always posed a particular problem for the economic historian trying to grasp the big picture. Four centuries, give or take, separate the medieval from the industrial era—two systems that, rightly or wrongly, appear well defined and even understood. While most early modern historians find in such themes as absolutism, Renaissance, Enlightenment, and exploration convenient pegs on which to hang their particular story, those for whom the past is above all a story of economic development are not so fortunate. Indeed, one senses in the book under review an almost defensive desire to attract the interest of nonspecialist economic historians: we too have something important to say about the sources of economic growth. However, the swirls and eddies of activity, to say nothing of divergent experiences in smaller and larger regions and limited quantitative data, make it hard to pick out the strand of development that resulted in such clear economic differences between the Europe of Joan of Arc and that of Napoleon. Gutenberg, Newton, Galileo, and Columbus would seem as important, even to economic life, as Adam Smith, James Watt, Francois Quesnay, or Abraham Darby. Why is their influence so hard to trace? Early Modern Capitalism, then, tries to find that elusive thread.
In Vivo Pharmacokinetics and Pharmacodynamics of a New Triazole, Voriconazole, in a Murine Candidiasis Model

In vivo studies have described the pharmacodynamic (PD) characteristics of several triazoles. These investigations have demonstrated that the 24-h area under the concentration-time curve (AUC)/MIC ratio is the critical pharmacokinetic (PK)-PD parameter associated with treatment efficacy. Further analyses from these in vivo studies have demonstrated that a triazole free drug 24-h AUC/MIC of 20 to 25 is predictive of treatment success. We used a neutropenic murine model of disseminated Candida albicans infection to similarly characterize the PK-PD of the new triazole voriconazole. PK and PD parameters (percentage of time that the concentration remains above the MIC [T > MIC], AUC/MIC ratio, and peak level in serum/MIC ratio) were correlated with in vivo efficacy, as measured by the organism number in kidney cultures after 24 h of therapy. Voriconazole kinetics and protein binding were studied in infected neutropenic mice. Peak level/dose and AUC/dose values ranged from 0.1 to 0.2 and 0.1 to 0.7, respectively. The serum elimination half-life ranged from 0.7 to 2.9 h. The level of protein binding in mouse serum was 78%. Treatment efficacy with the four dosing intervals studied was similar, supporting the AUC/MIC ratio as the PK-PD parameter predictive of efficacy. Nonlinear regression analysis also suggested that the AUC/MIC ratio was strongly predictive of treatment outcomes (R(2) for AUC/MIC ratio = 82%, R(2) for peak level/MIC ratio = 63%, R(2) for T > MIC = 75%). Similar studies were conducted with nine additional C. albicans isolates with various voriconazole susceptibilities (MICs, 0.007 to 0.25 micro g/ml) to determine if a similar 24-h AUC/MIC ratio was associated with efficacy. The voriconazole free drug AUC/MIC ratios were similar for all of the organisms studied (range, 11 to 58; mean +/- standard deviation, 24 +/- 17 [P = 0.45]). These AUC/MIC ratios observed for free drug are similar to those observed for other triazoles in this model.
Inhibitory effect of glucocorticoid on coronary artery endothelial function

Acute and chronic stresses are implicated in cardiovascular diseases including coronary artery disease. The present study was designed to examine the direct effects of the stress hormone cortisol o...
Real-time detection of Brucella abortus, Brucella melitensis and Brucella suis.

Abstract Real-time PCR-based assays specific for Brucella abortus, Brucella melitensis andBrucella suis were developed. The assays utilize an upstream primer that is derived from 3′ end of the genetic element IS 711, whereas the downstream primers and probes are designed from signature sequences specific to a species or a biovar. The PCR reactions were monitored for fluorescence resonance energy transfer by including two adjacent labeled probes that hybridize to the amplicons as they are formed. The upstream probes were labeled with fluorescein at 3′ end while Cy5 was attached to the 5′ end of the downstream probes. An increase in the ratio of fluorescein to Cy5 fluorescence during the cycling was indicative of positive amplification event. The assays were accomplished in less than 30 min using a LightCycler in real-time mode. The assays were tested on known strains as well as field isolates and were found to be specific for all known biovars of B. abortus, B. melitensis and biovar 1 of B. suis. Therefore, specificity, sensitivity, speed and real-time detection make these assays attractive for use in epidemiological and ecological studies.
Sodium 1,1,1‐Trifluoromethanesulfonate

[2926-30-9] CF3NaO3S (MW 171.06) InChI = 1S/CHF3O3S.Na/c2-1(3,4)8(5,6)7;/h(H,5,6,7);/q;+1/p-1 InChIKey = XGPOMXSYOKFBHS-UHFFFAOYSA-M (sodium salt of 1,1,1-trifluoromethanesulfonic acid) Physical Data: melting point 255–257 °C. Solubility: soluble in water, alcohol, acetonitrile, N,N-dimethylformamide, and most highly polar organic solvents. Form Supplied in: anhydrous sodium 1,1,1-trifluoromethanesulfonate is a white crystalline powder. Handling, Storage, and Precautions: the salt is hygroscopic. Stored in sealed containers under normal conditions. Preparative Methods: sodium trifluoromethanesulfonate is prepared by the addition of a slight excess of sodium sulfate to an aqueous solution of barium trifluoromethanesulfonate (eq 1). Since barium can be easily removed as its insoluble sulfate, barium trifluoromethanesulfonate has been widely used for the preparation of alkali metal and silver trifluoromethanesulfonates. The reaction mixture is stirred for several minutes and allowed to stand for one day, and the white precipitate of barium sulfate is removed by filtration. The clear filtrate is evaporated to dryness, and the solid product is recrystallized from dry acetone. The salt is dried under vacuum at 110 °C.1 Barium trifluoromethanesulfonate can be easily prepared from aqueous trifluoromethanesulfonic acid and barium carbonate. Other methods include the preparation of sodium trifluoromethanesulfinate from sodium dithionite and bromotrifluoromethane and its oxidation to sodium trifluoromethanesulfonate using hydrogen peroxide.2 (1)
Weighting features to recognize 3D patterns of electron density in X-ray protein crystallography

Feature selection and weighting are central problems in pattern recognition and instance-based learning. In this work, we discuss the challenges of constructing and weighting features to recognize 3D patterns of electron density to determine protein structures. We present SLIDER, a feature-weighting algorithm that adjusts weights iteratively such that patterns that match query instances are better ranked than mismatching ones. Moreover, SLIDER makes judicious choices of weight values to be considered in each iteration, by examining specific weights at which matching and mismatching patterns switch as nearest neighbors to query instances. This approach reduces the space of weight vectors to be searched. We make the following two main observations: (1) SLIDER efficiently generates weights that contribute significantly in the retrieval of matching electron density patterns; (2) the optimum weight vector is sensitive to the distance metric i.e. feature relevance can be, to a certain extent, sensitive to the underlying metric used to compare patterns.
Influenza pandemics, solar activity cycles, and vitamin D

There is historic evidence that influenza pandemics are associated with solar activity cycles (the Schwabe-cycle of about 11-years periodicity). The hypothesis is presented and developed that influenza pandemics are associated with solar control of vitamin D levels in humans which waxes and wanes in concert with solar cycle dependent ultraviolet radiation. It is proposed that this solar cycle dependence arises both directly from cyclic control of the amount of ultraviolet radiation as well as indirectly through cyclic control of atmospheric circulation and dynamics.
Yoga participation and all-cause mortality: National prospective cohort study.

Abstract Background The relatively few studies examining the effect of yoga participation on chronic disease come from small, short-term studies. As a result, the purpose of this study was to prospectively examine the effects of yoga participation on all-cause mortality in a large nationally representative study with a relatively long follow-up period (up to 12 year follow-up). Methods Data from the 1999–2006 National Health & Nutrition Examination Survey were used, with follow-up through 2011. Yoga participation was self-reported, with participant identification linked to death certificate data from the National Death Index to ascertain mortality status. Results In the analyzed sample, which included 22,598 adult participants, 240 participants engaged in yoga and 3176 died over the follow-up period; the median follow-up period was 102 months (8.5 years). In an unadjusted Cox hazard model, those engaging in yoga, compared to those not engaging in yoga, had a 63% reduced risk of premature all-cause mortality (HR=0.37; 95% CI: 0.18–0.74; P =.006). However, after adjusting for age, the association was attenuated and no longer statistically significant (HR adjusted =0.82; 95% CI: 0.39–1.72; P =.60). Conclusion In conclusion, yoga participation was not significantly associated with reduced all-cause mortality risk in an adjusted model.
Bayesian Estimation of Discrete Multivariate Latent Structure Models With Structural Zeros

In multivariate categorical data, models based on conditional independence assumptions, such as latent class models, offer efficient estimation of complex dependencies. However, Bayesian versions of latent structure models for categorical data typically do not appropriately handle impossible combinations of variables, also known as structural zeros. Allowing nonzero probability for impossible combinations results in inaccurate estimates of joint and conditional probabilities, even for feasible combinations. We present an approach for estimating posterior distributions in Bayesian latent structure models with potentially many structural zeros. The basic idea is to treat the observed data as a truncated sample from an augmented dataset, thereby allowing us to exploit the conditional independence assumptions for computational expediency. As part of the approach, we develop an algorithm for collapsing a large set of structural zero combinations into a much smaller set of disjoint marginal conditions, which sp...
Modeling and analysis of total leakage currents in nanoscale double gate devices and circuits

In this paper we model (numerically and analytically) and analyze sub-threshold, gate-to-channel tunneling, and edge direct tunneling leakage in double gate (DG) devices. We compare the leakage of different DG structures, namely, doped body symmetric device with polysilicon gates, intrinsic body symmetric device with metal gates and intrinsic body asymmetric device with different front and back gate material. It is observed that, use of (near-mid-gap) metal gate and intrinsic body devices significantly reduces both the total leakage and its sensitivity to parametric variations in DG circuits.
Putting the fill unit to work: dynamic optimizations for trace cache microprocessors

The fill unit is the structure which collects blocks of instructions and combines them into multi-block segments for storage in a trace cache. In this paper we expand the role of the fill unit to include four dynamic optimizations: (1) Register move instructions are explicitly marked, enabling them to be executed within the decode logic, (2) Immediate values of dependent instructions are combined, if possible, which removes a step in the dependency chain. (3) Dependent pairs of shift and add instructions are combined into scaled add instructions. (4) Instructions are arranged within the trace segment to minimize the impact of the latency through the operand bypass network. Together these dynamic trace optimizations improve performance on the SPECint95 benchmarks by more than 17% and over all the benchmarks studied by slightly more than 18%.
Mitochondrial dynamics and autophagy aid in removal of persistent mitochondrial DNA damage in Caenorhabditis elegans

Mitochondria lack the ability to repair certain helix-distorting lesions that are induced at high levels in mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) by important environmental genotoxins and endogenous metabolites. These lesions are irreparable and persistent in the short term, but their long-term fate is unknown. We report that removal of such mtDNA damage is detectable by 48 h in Caenorhabditis elegans, and requires mitochondrial fusion, fission and autophagy, providing genetic evidence for a novel mtDNA damage removal pathway. Furthermore, mutations in genes involved in these processes as well as pharmacological inhibition of autophagy exacerbated mtDNA damage-mediated larval arrest, illustrating the in vivo relevance of removal of persistent mtDNA damage. Mutations in genes in these pathways exist in the human population, demonstrating the potential for important gene–environment interactions affecting mitochondrial health after genotoxin exposure.
A robust fault tolerant control strategy for aircraft systems

An integrated design that combines sliding mode control with adaptive control to provide a robust fault tolerant flight controller that works for a wide range of faults is proposed in this paper. The scheme combines the insensitivity and robustness properties of sliding mode control to certain types of disturbances and uncertainties with the accommodation properties of adaptive control to parametric and structural uncertainties caused by component faults and external disturbances. It is shown that parameter variations and actuator faults can be handled directly and system stability and performance is preserved under faulty conditions. The results obtained from implementing the controller to an F-16 aircraft system show good performance under both un-faulty and faulty scenarios.
Interpreting maps of science using citation context sentiments: a preliminary investigation

It is proposed that citation contexts, the text surrounding references in scientific papers, be analyzed in terms of an expanded notion of sentiment, defined to include attitudes and dispositions toward the cited work. Maps of science at both the specialty and global levels are used as the basis of this analysis. Citation context samples are taken at these levels and contrasted for the appearance of cue word sets, analyzed with the aid of methods from corpus linguistics. Sentiments are shown to vary within a specialty and can be understood in terms of cognitive and social factors. Within-specialty and between-specialty co-citations are contrasted and in some cases suggest a correlation of sentiment with structural location. For example, the sentiment of "uncertainty" is important in interdisciplinary co-citation links, while "utility" is more prevalent within the specialty. Suggestions are made for linking sentiments to technical terms, and for developing sentiment "baselines" for all of science.
Biosynthesis of the Sindbis Virus Carbohydrates

Abstract The sequence in which sugars are added to the Sindbis virus glycoproteins was studied. Infected cells contain three glycosylated virus-specific proteins: the two virion glycoproteins and the immediate precursor to the smaller virion glycoprotein. Larger Sindbis-specific proteins are not glycosylated. The cell-associated forms of both of the virion glycoproteins contain glucosamine, mannose, galactose, and fucose. The glycosylated precursor contains only glucosamine, mannose, and some galactose. The conversion of precursor to virion protein involves both the addition of galactose and fucose and the loss of mannose. The apparent extent of glycosylation of each virus-specific protein is not influenced by the host cell.
Golden Cage for Triggered Release

A chip implanted under the skin and activated by remote control—science fiction or already here? Timely release of drugs according to need is the next step in material design. Such release devices will reduce drug toxicity and increase effectiveness. Although triggered-release devices aiming to control drug dose and timing recently became available, they still lack control over the release pattern and the on/off release ratio and present poor reproducibility over multiple release cycles. Yet, some illnesses are better treated periodically, requiring an irregular release profile. In a paper by Timko et al ., the authors report a drug reservoir capped with a porous membrane whose permeability is externally tunable, allowing triggered sustained or pulsatile release of embedded drugs. To make this device, a membrane composed of hydrophobic ethylcellulose matrix was embedded with gold nanoparticles and a mixture of three different acrylamide-based monomers, creating thermosensitive nanogels. When the gold nanoparticles absorb near-infrared light (808 nm), the resulting generation of heat at the site collapses the network of polymeric nanogels at a temperature slightly above 37°C and permits drug release through the membrane. After the light source is removed, the membrane reforms, blocking further release. The nanogel particles’ diameter reversibly changes from 800 to <100 nm as a function of temperature, determining the release pattern. Diabetic rats were implanted with devices containing a synthetic form of insulin, aspart, whose release was triggered by exposure to laser light. The devices could be retriggered every day for at least 5 days and continued to release more medicine, titrated to the blood glucose concentration. Repeated dosing was demonstrated by 30-min dosing cycles triggered by laser irradiation, with an on/off ratio of 30 between drug released in the presence or absence of external stimuli. The design of tunable devices with a dynamic range of release kinetics that can be matched to specific indications presents an important advance in the field of triggered release. Although it is promising in preclinical models, the authors still need to examine the long-term safety, dosing, and clinical efficacy of this technology. The system needs to be optimized for a lower triggering threshold and shorter irradiation times in order to avoid laser burns after repeated irradiation cycles. In addition, a fully resorbable device may need to be developed for better clinical adoption. B. P. Timko et al. , Near-infrared–actuated devices for remotely controlled drug delivery. Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. U.S.A. , published online 28 January 2014 (10.1073/pnas.1322651111). [[Abstract]][1] [1]: http://www.pnas.org/cgi/doi/10.1073/pnas.1322651111
Feeling grateful and envious: adolescents’ narratives of social emotions in identity and social development

AbstractAlthough the ubiquity of gratitude and envy would suggest they are important in the daily lives of adolescents, those social emotions have been relatively unexplored by psychologists. Interviews of 25 adolescents (ages 14 through 16) from the Midwestern US provided narrative accounts that revealed the contexts, antecedents, consequences and meanings of gratitude and envy in their daily lives. Transcripts were coded using an established procedure in the literature, and we present the findings at the thematic level. Adolescent gratitude was characterised by feeling cared for and special, while envy was driven by the desire for material possessions. Both emotions may reflect cultural individualism and contribute to social and identity development; for those adolescents gratitude provides recognition and validation of one’s personhood, and envy creates negative social comparisons that can either diminish self-worth or provide the impetus for improvement.
Pay the New Job Dues, Avoid the New Job Blues

This paper advises first-time employees on how to survive and prosper in the initial stages of their careers. These tips are drawn from comments shared by participants in the Graduate Public Service Internship (GPSI) at Sangamon State University (now the University of Illinois Springfield). GPSI enrolls students pursuing a Masters degree in one of the University's several academic programs. GPSIs work twenty-one months at their sponsoring state agencies, including 20 hours weekly during their two academic years and 37.5 hours weekly over the intervening summer. Interns receive: a) a monthly stipend, b) tuition reimbursement, and c) a professional development travel allowance. Each Monday for their two academic years, GPSIs gather for a one-hour seminar. The survival tips presented in this paper derive either from insights interns offered during these weekly sessions or from personal interactions between the authors and GPSIs who preferred not to share certain recommendations in a public setting, that is, the weekly seminar.
Stem Cells and Cancer: An Introduction

Cancer tissue contains the same cell populations as do normal adult tissues: stem cells, proliferating transit-amplifying cells, terminally differentiated (mature cells) and dead cells. However, the cancer transit-amplifying cells are arrested at a stage of maturation where many of the transit-amplifying cells continue to divide and do not die. During normal tissue renewal, the transit-amplifying cells produce progeny that differentiate and die. Because of this difference, cells in a cancer continue to accumulate. On the other hand, the number of dividing cells in normal tissue essentially equals the number of differentiating cells, so that the total number of cells remains relatively constant.
Letzmann and Koschmieder's “Guidelines for Research on Funnels, Tornadoes, Waterspouts and Whirlwinds”*

The most extensive published guidelines to carrying out studies of tornadoes were written by Johannes Letzmann and Harald Koschmieder, issued in 1937. Forgotten for decades, they are presented here in translation, accompanied by commentary and background material. They provide insight into the development of concepts of tornadogenesis, and a measure of the progress made in tornado research in the recent past.
RNA helicase Belle/DDX3 regulates transgene expression in Drosophila

Belle (Bel), the Drosophila homolog of the yeast DEAD-box RNA helicase DED1 and human DDX3, has been shown to be required for oogenesis and female fertility. Here we report a novel role of Bel in regulating the expression of transgenes. Abrogation of Bel by mutations or RNAi induces silencing of a variety of P-element-derived transgenes. This silencing effect depends on downregulation of their RNA levels. Our genetic studies have revealed that the RNA helicase Spindle-E (Spn-E), a nuage RNA helicase that plays a crucial role in regulating RNA processing and PIWI-interacting RNA (piRNA) biogenesis in germline cells, is required for loss-of-bel-induced transgene silencing. Conversely, Bel abrogation alleviates the nuage-protein mislocalization phenotype in spn-E mutants, suggesting a competitive relationship between these two RNA helicases. Additionally, disruption of the chromatin remodeling factor Mod(mdg4) or the microRNA biogenesis enzyme Dicer-1 (Dcr-1) also alleviates the transgene-silencing phenotypes in bel mutants, suggesting the involvement of chromatin remodeling and microRNA biogenesis in loss-of-bel-induced transgene silencing. Finally we show that genetic inhibition of Bel function leads to de novo generation of piRNAs from the transgene region inserted in the genome, suggesting a potential piRNA-dependent mechanism that may mediate transgene silencing as Bel function is inhibited.
Application of advection-diffusion routing model to flood wave propagation: A case study on Big Piney River, Missouri USA

Flood wave propagation modeling is of critical importance to advancing water resources management and protecting human life and property. In this study, we investigated how the advection-diffusion routing model performed in flood wave propagation on a 16 km long downstream section of the Big Piney River, MO. Model performance was based on gaging station data at the upstream and downstream cross sections. We demonstrated with advection-diffusion theory that for small differences in watershed drainage area between the two river cross sections, inflow along the reach mainly contributes to the downstream hydrograph’s rising limb and not to the falling limb. The downstream hydrograph’s falling limb is primarily determined by the propagated flood wave originating at the upstream cross section. This research suggests the parameter for the advectiondiffusion routing model can be calibrated by fitting the hydrograph falling limb. Application of the advection diffusion model to the flood wave of January 29, 2013 supports our theoretical finding that the propagated flood wave determines the downstream cross section falling limb, and the model has good performance in our test examples.
Prologue for a synoptic catalog : combining a hospital library catalog and a bookseller's catalog

This article introduces the synoptic catalog, a computerized combination of a hospital library catalog and a bookseller's catalog. Majors Scientific Books and Richmond Memorial Hospital Libraries in Virginia collaborated to develop the model. A logical evolution in catalog theory and practice, the design expands the identification, collocation, and evaluation functions of the traditional library catalog. This article explains the procedures and specifications, including system requirements, record mapping, design details, scope, record transmission, timing, record importing, and file maintenance. The result is a single-interface catalog providing simultaneous and consistent searching of combined information databases. Bookseller records in the synoptic catalog can be modified to indicate library ownership. The synoptic catalog design supports cost-effective collection development and focuses on actual information needs of library users. This report discusses user convenience, budget requirements, publisher advertising, collection development, productivity, and library-bookseller relations. User response to the catalog has been favorable, but improvements are needed.
Nutrient levels in guano from maternity colonies of big brown bats

Samples of typical guano, collected weekly during the summer roosting period from six maternity roosts of big brown bats ( Eptesicus fuscus ), were analyzed for levels of nitrogen, sodium, potassium, calcium, magnesium, and iron. Total time and variability patterns, unique for each nutrient, suggested limiting or inadequate dietary intake of calcium for most of the summer and of iron from the end of lactation onward. Samples of atypical guano often contained high levels of calcium or iron. Levels of some nutrients in guano, and, therefore, nutrient budgets, differed between roosts within weekly collections, especially early in the roosting period, and generally reflected differences in levels of those nutrients from insects available as prey near those roosts. Certain insects (e.g., plecopterans and noctuids) apparently were not consumed in proportion to their availability. Big brown bats foraging over permanent streams showed nutrient budgets that differed from those of bats feeding over land.
High Sensitivity C-Reactive Protein to Interleukin 6 Ratio and Ischemic Stroke Risk in a Multi-Ethnic Cohort: The Northern Manhattan Study (S13.003)

Objective: We hypothesized that stroke-free individuals with elevated hs-CRP but low IL6 would have an increased risk of ischemic stroke in the population-based Northern Manhattan Study. Background Individuals with elevated high sensitivity C-reactive protein (hsCRP) are at increased risk of stroke in some populations. Interleukin-6 (IL6) is a pro-inflammatory cytokine with auto-inhibitory regulatory mechanisms. Studies have shown that the hsCRP to IL6 ratio is lower among statin users and may reflect decreased inflammation. Design/Methods: Stroke-free participants age >40 years had serum samples drawn at enrollment into the prospective, population-based northern Manhattan Study. Hs-CRP was measured using nephelometry and IL6 was measured using ELISA. Quartiles (values from 1-4) were calculated for each marker independently. We created a trichotomized variable with categorization dependent on which component is dominant in terms of quartiles: hs-CRP-dominant if hs-CRP-quartile>IL6-quartile; IL6-dominant if hs-CRP-quartile. Results: Both hsCRP and IL6 were available in 1656 participants (mean age 69.1±10.3 years; 21% white, 24% black, and 54% Hispanic; median follow-up 10.1 years, with 113 incident ischemic strokes). Independently, IL6 was protective against stroke risk, and HsCRP was not associated with stroke risk, in fully adjusted models. The hsCRP-dominant group was associated with increased risk of IS (adjusted HR 2.37, 95%CI 1.50-3.67) and the IL6 dominant group was associated with decreased risk (adjusted HR 0.45, 95%CI 0.24-0.82), compared to the referent group. Conclusions: In this multi-ethnic cohort, hsCRP and IL6 dominant categories were associated with stroke risk. Combined measures of inflammatory biomarkers may be a measure of chronic inflammation and predict ischemic events, even when individual measures do not. Disclosure: Dr. Luna has nothing to disclose. Dr. Moon has nothing to disclose. Dr. Liu has nothing to disclose. Dr. Cespedes has nothing to disclose. Dr. Spitalnik has nothing to disclose. Dr. Paik has nothing to disclose. Dr. Sacco has nothing to disclose. Dr. Elkind has received personal compensation for activities with Jarvik Heart, Bristol-Myers Squibb/Sanofi Pharmaceuticals, GlaxoSmithKline, Organon. Dr. Elkind has received personal compensation in an editorial capacity for the journal Neurology. Dr. Elkind has received research support from diaDexus, Inc., Bristol-Myers Squibb Company, Sanofi-Aventis Pharmaceuticals Inc., and the National Institute of Health.
Remote reading of coronary CTA exams using a tablet computer: utility for stenosis assessment and identification of coronary anomalies.

The feasibility of remote reading of coronary CT examinations on tablet computers has not been evaluated. The purpose of this study is to evaluate the accuracy of coronary CT angiography reading using an iPad compared to standard 3D workstations. Fifty coronary CT angiography exams, including a spectrum of coronary artery disease and anatomic variants, were reviewed. Coronary CT angiography exams were interpreted by two readers independently on an iPad application (Siemens Webviewer) and a clinical 3D workstation at sessions 2 weeks apart. Studies were scored per vessel for severity of stenosis on a 0–3 scale (0 none, 1 0.05). Both readers identified 100 % of coronary anomalies using each technique. Reading of coronary CT angiography examinations on the iPad had no influence on stenosis assessment compared to the standard clinical workstation.
Fisher v. University of Texas at Austin: An Imagined Opinion, Concurring in the Judgment

In FISHER v. UNIVERSITY OF TEXAS AT AUSTIN, decided on June 23, 2016, the Supreme Court of the United States ruled that the race-based admissions system at issue in the case did not violate the Equal Protection Clause. Whether the Court’s ruling was correct is one question; whether, even if the ruling was correct, the Court’s rationale was correct is, of course, a different question.This brief paper is an imagined opinion — an opinion by an imaginary justice of the Supreme Court, Justice Nemo — concurring in Court’s judgment. Justice Nemo explains, in her opinion, why the Court’s rationale is deeply problematic as a matter of proper constitutional interpretation. Justice Nemo believes that the rationale she articulates in her concurring opinion is in alignment with the theory of judicial review elaborated and defended in this paper: Michael J. Perry, “A Theory of Judicial Review,” http://ssrn.com/abstract=2624978.For another concurring opinion by Justice Nemo — her concurring opinion, last June, in the same-sex marriage case — see Michael J. Perry, “OBERGEFELL v. HODGES: An Imagined Opinion, Concurring in the Judgment,” http://ssrn.com/abstract=2624022.
Thermal and Environmental Barrier Coatings for Si-Based Ceramics

Introducing ceramic components into gas turbines increase their operating temperatures, leading to increased efficiency and reduced environmental impact. However, these silicon-based ceramics are susceptible to hot-corrosion and recession in the presence of hot corrosive gases and water vapor at high velocities. This necessitates the use of environmental barrier coatings (EBCs) that are themselves resistant to the aggressive combustion atmospheres, and also act as diffusion barriers that prevent harmful gas-phase components from reaching the ceramic substrates. Further increases in operating temperatures require the use of thermal barrier coatings (TBCs) that are poor thermal conductors and allow for a significant temperature drop across the coatings, thereby letting the substrate to operate at temperatures significantly lower than the combustion temperatures. This chapter discusses the deposition, structure and properties of EBCs on Si-based ceramics as well as EBC/TBC coating systems, where considerations such as CTE match and lack of harmful chemical interactions at the interfaces, effective thermal conductivity of the TBC and the hot-corrosion and recession resistance of the EBC are important considerations.
Designing Morphology in Epitaxial Silicon Nanowires: The Role of Gold, Surface Chemistry, and Phosphorus Doping

Vertically aligned semiconductor nanowires (NWs) have many potential applications for NW-based technologies, ranging from solar cells to intracellular sensors. Aligned NWs can be fabricated by top-down etching of planar wafers or synthesized from the bottom up using the vapor–liquid–solid (VLS) mechanism to induce epitaxial growth on lattice-matched substrates. The VLS process permits the modulation of dopants along the NW growth axis, which if combined with dopant-dependent wet-chemical etching, can be used to encode precise morphology. However, the synthesis of vertical and linear NWs with complex morphology is nontrivial, requiring control over multiple interdependent aspects of the VLS process. Here, we demonstrate sub-10 nm morphology in ⟨111⟩ epitaxial silicon (Si) NWs grown by the VLS mechanism on (111) Si substrates with gold (Au) catalysts. Using silane (SiH4), phosphine (PH3), and hydrochloric acid (HCl) precursor gases at 480 °C, precise morphology is encoded through abrupt phosphorus (P) dopan...
Operative Management of Metastatic Breast Cancer

Worldwide, breast cancer is the second most common malignancy in women. The World Health Organization estimated 3.78 million new cases of breast cancer in 2008 (GLOBOCAN 2008), with an associated 458,000 deaths from the disease during the same time period. The worldwide incidence of breast cancer is increasing as life expectancy lengthens and as non-western societies adopt the lifestyle practices of western society. In the United States, the American Cancer Society estimates 234,580 new breast cancers will be diagnosed and 40,030 deaths will occur in 2013. For women, a new diagnosis of breast cancer in 2013 will represent 29 % of all malignancies diagnosed. Despite the increase in incidence, breast cancer-related mortality has shown a steady decline over the last decade. The decline in mortality can primarily be attributed to two factors: the first is a better understanding of and adherence to screening guidelines, and the second is the advances made in the systemic treatment of breast cancer patients.
Thermal & solar radiation considerations for simulation & design of IoT gateways for outdoor applications

IoT is the new wave of technology that is rapidly rising from embedded system space into futuristic applications such as smart cities, smart cars and overall smart living. Thermal mechanical design of these devices for extreme environments becomes extremely challenging and the effect of the sun & climate can no longer be ignored. This paper describes the quantitative effect of solar radiation on the junction temperature of silicon in IoT devices and qualitatively describes the effect on continuous operation over a year in Phoenix outdoor environment.
Modeling and backstepping control of under-actuated spherical UAV

The main contribution of this paper is to derive a nonlinear mathematical model and design a controller for a single rotor under-actuated spherical UAV providing asymptotic stability and trajectory tracking for the closed-loop system. A quaternion representation is first used to cast the model in two cascaded subsystems. A backstepping controller is then designed based on the nonlinear model. The performance of the controller is shown in simulation results.
Nanoelectrodes to differentiate adipose derived stem cells into neural lineage

This paper reports on a minimal growth factor and clinical translation friendly methodology using micromachined penetrating nanoelectrodes to differentiate Adipose Derived Stem Cells (ADSCs) into neuronal lineage. Electrical stimulus is delivered via penetrating nanoelectrodes to differentiate ADSCs toward neuronal lineage with minimal use of conventional growth factors, genetic manipulators, cytokines or other chemical reagents. The paper also reports on the time dynamics of cell penetration process using the nanoelectrodes.
Turning up the Heat with Therapeutic Epigenome Editing

CRISPR-Cas9 has been touted for therapeutic genome editing, but limitations include inefficient correction of disease-causing mutations and off-target mutagenesis. In the latest issue of Cell, Liao et al. (2017) show that a modified version of CRISPR-Cas9 can target and activate key therapeutic genes in vivo without altering DNA sequence identity.
Domestic violence, parental substance misuse and the decision to substantiate child maltreatment

Families that experience domestic violence and parental substance misuse are disproportionately involved with the child welfare system. Prior research suggests that child protective services (CPS) caseworkers are more likely to substantiate maltreatment allegations when domestic violence and parental substance misuse are identified during the investigation, pointing to one possible mechanism for this disproportionate involvement. While previous studies have relied on nationally representative data sets, the current study used administrative records from a large Midwestern child welfare agency that accounts for state-level variation in child welfare policy and practice. A total of 501,060 substantiation decisions made between 2009 and 2013 were examined to assess the influence of caseworker-perceived domestic violence and parental substance misuse on the decision to substantiate reported maltreatment. Results from multilevel modeling suggest that the identification of domestic violence and parental substance misuse during an investigation significantly increased the probability that an allegation would be substantiated. The implication of these findings for child welfare practice are considered in light of the fact that many child welfare agencies do not consider exposure to domestic violence and parental substance misuse in and of themselves to constitute child maltreatment.
EAD: elasticity aware deduplication manager for datacenters with multi-tier storage systems

The popularity of Big Data applications places pressures on storage systems to efficiently scale to meet the demand. At the same time, new developments like solid-state drives have changed to traditional storage hierarchy. Cloud storage systems are transitioning towards a hybrid architecture consisting of large amounts of memory, solid-state disks (SSDs), and traditional magnetic hard disks (HD). This paper presents elasticity aware deduplication (EAD), a data deduplication framework designed for multi-tier cloud storage architectures consisting of SSD and HD. EAD dynamically adjusts the deduplication parameters at runtime in order to improve performance. Experimental results indicate that EAD is able to detect more than 98% of all duplicate data, but it only consumes less than 5% of expected memory space. Additionally, EAD saves approximately 74% of overall IO access cost compared to the traditional design.
Dworkin’s “Semantic Sting” and Behavioral Pragmatics

Ronald Dworkin in Law’s Empire famously utilized what he described as the “semantic sting” to explain both why the concept of “law” is an essentially contestable concept and because of this why the concept of law is also essentially interpretive. Ultimately Dworkin’s theory makes law and legal practice on all levels turn on, in his terms, an essentially semantic dispute over what the best conception of law is. That is, law is in all its worldly glory ultimately an interpretive concept based upon a conception of meaning centered upon semantics. I argue that law is better analyzed as a set of embodied and socially embedded practices and that emphasis upon the interpretive or “semantic” aspects of law crowds out the more important behavioral and concrete aspects of legal practice. The claim in this chapter is simply that even the most sophisticated conceptual or semantic analysis of law in terms of a core set of concepts is indefensibly reductionist. If semantic theories of law have a tendency to crowd out the recognition of practices, of embodied social ways of life, then the real “semantic sting” is in accepting the semantic move, and not in any disagreement over how semantic content is to be identified.