cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
A new document placement scheme for cooperative caching on the Internet

Most existing work on cooperative caching has been-focused on serving misses collaboratively. Very few have studied the effect of cooperation on document placement schemes and its potential enhancements on cache hit ratio and latency reduction. In this paper we propose a new document placement scheme, called the Expiration Age based scheme (EA scheme), which takes into account the contentions at individual caches in order to limit the replication of documents within a cache group and increase document hit ratio. The main idea of this new scheme is to view the aggregate disk space of the cache group as a global resource of the group, and uses the concept of cache expiration age to measure the contention of individual caches. The decision of whether to cache a document at a proxy is made collectively, among the caches that already have a copy of this document. The experiments show that the EA scheme yields higher hit rates and better response times compared to the existing document placement schemes used in most of the caching proxies.
Conceptual issues and methodology in kin-recognition research : a critical discussion

We operationally define kin-recognition and discuss methodological and conceptual issues that arise in its study, citing examples from the literature that illustrate particular points. We define and examine three components of kin-recognition (expression, perception, and action), and discuss why some experimental designs fail to distinguish among the components. We also point out ways that experimental designs might be modified to unlink the components. We discuss three general issues central to assays of kin-recognition: the functional significance of assays, multiple- and single-behavior assays, and potential biases in assays. The potential biases we consider are nonblind behavioral assays and the pooling of dependent data. We also examine negative results and, in particular, those factors that can produce negative results when recognition ability is present. Finally, we discuss kin-recognition in natural contexts, emphasizing the potential dangers of uncritically extrapolating the results of laboratory studies to field contexts.
Potential Effects of Runoff, Fluvial Sediment, and Nutrient Discharges on the Coral Reefs of Puerto Rico

Abstract Coral reefs, the foundation and primary structure of many highly productive and diverse tropical marine ecosystems, have been degraded by human activity in much of the earth's tropical oceans. To contribute to improved understanding of this problem, the potential relation between river sediment and nutrient discharges and degradation of coral reefs surrounding Puerto Rico was studied using streamflow, suspended-sediment, and water-quality data. Mean annual runoff for the 8711 km2 island is 911 mm, about 57% of mean annual precipitation (1600 mm). Mean annual suspended-sediment discharge from Puerto Rico to coastal waters is estimated at 2.7–9.0 million metric tonnes. Storm runoff transports a substantial part of sediment: the highest recorded daily sediment discharge is 1–3.6 times the mean annual sediment discharge. Hurricane Georges (1998) distributed an average of 300 mm of rain across the island, equivalent to a volume of about 2.6 billion m3. Runoff of more than 1.0 billion m3 of water and a...
The physical optics of focused scatterers using source multipole expansions

A multipole-expansion technique is developed which permits the two-dimensional scattering integral for reflector antennas to be replaced by a finite sum of simple algebraic terms. The series, which accurately represents the radiated field over the main antenna beam and first few sidelobes, converges rapidly because the source dimensions are small. It is demonstrated that the reciprocity theorem is satisfied by the boresight physical-optics field of a paraboloid illuminated by a generalized linear electric current feed centered at the focus.
Conceptual combinations and relational contexts in free association and in priming in lexical decision and naming.

Words known to have strong associates of a particular relational type were embedded in lists of other words with relations of the same type or in lists of words with relations of a different type (e.g.close-far in a list of other opposite pairs or in a list of synonym pairs). In free association, the probability of a response consistent with the relational context was higher than the probability of a response inconsistent with the context. In lexical decision and naming, significant priming was obtained for related pairs of words only when their relation was consistent with the relational context of the list in which they were embedded. The priming effects were obtained when the stimulus onset asynchrony between prime and target words was short (250 msec for lexical decision and 300 msec for naming), indicating that the effects were due to automatic retrieval processes. These findings point to the importance of the particular relations between words in the retrieval of information from memory, an aspect of processing overlooked by current memory models.
Flavor preferences conditioned by oral monosodium glutamate in mice.

The prototypic umami substance monosodium glutamate (MSG) reinforces preferences for its own flavor, as well as preferences for flavors associated with it, by conditioning processes. Mice of 3 inbred strains (C57BL/6J (B6), 129P3/J, and FVB/NJ) and 2 taste-knockout (KO) groups derived from the B6 lineage were initially indifferent to 200 mM MSG, but this evaluation was altered by forced exposure to MSG. B6 and KO mice acquired an MSG preference, 129 mice remained indifferent, and FVB mice avoided MSG. The shifts in preference imply a postoral basis for MSG effects, suggesting that it could produce preferences for associated flavors. New mice were trained with a conditioned stimulus (CS+) flavor mixed in 200 mM MSG and a CS− flavor in water . Similar to the parent B6 strain, mice missing the T1r3 element of an umami receptor or the downstream signaling component Trpm5 learned to prefer the CS+ flavor and subsequently showed similar preferences for MSG in an ascending concentration series. Consistent with their responses to forced exposure, the 129 strain did not acquire a significant CS+ preference, and the FVB strain avoided the CS+ flavor. The 129 and FVB strains showed little attraction in the ascending MSG concentration series. Together, these data indicate that the postoral effects of MSG can modulate responses to its own and MSG-paired flavors. The basis for strain differences in the responses to MSG is not certain, but the taste-signaling elements T1r3 and Trpm5, which are also present in the gut, are not required for mediation of this flavor learning.
A Podocyte-Based Automated Screening Assay Identifies Protective Small Molecules

Podocyte injury and loss mark an early step in the pathogenesis of various glomerular diseases, making these cells excellent targets for therapeutics. However, cell-based high-throughput screening assays for the rational development of podocyte-directed therapeutics are currently lacking. Here, we describe a novel high-content screening-based phenotypic assay that analyzes thousands of podocytes per assay condition in 96-well plates to quantitatively measure dose-dependent changes in multiple cellular features. Our assay consistently produced a Z' value >0.44, making it suitable for compound screening. On screening with >2100 pharmacologically active agents, we identified 24 small molecules that protected podocytes against injury in vitro (1% hit rate). Among the identified hits, we confirmed an β1-integrin agonist, pyrintegrin, as a podocyte-protective agent. Treatment with pyrintegrin prevented damage-induced decreases in F-actin stress fibers, focal adhesions, and active β1-integrin levels in cultured cells. In vivo, administration of pyrintegrin protected mice from LPS-induced podocyte foot process effacement and proteinuria. Analysis of the murine glomeruli showed that LPS administration reduced the levels of active β1 integrin in the podocytes, which was prevented by cotreatment with pyrintegrin. In rats, pyrintegrin reduced peak proteinuria caused by puromycin aminonucleoside-induced nephropathy. Our findings identify pyrintegrin as a potential therapeutic candidate and show the use of podocyte-based screening assays for identifying novel therapeutics for proteinuric kidney diseases.
G-Protein–Coupled Receptor Kinase 2–Mediated Desensitization of Adiponectin Receptor 1 in Failing Heart

Background—Phosphorylative desensitization of G-protein–coupled receptors contributes significantly to post–myocardial infarction (MI) remodeling and heart failure (HF). Here, we determined whether adiponectin receptors (AdipoRs) 1 and 2 (the 7-transmembrane domain–containing receptors mediating adiponectin functions) are phosphorylatively modified and functionally impaired after MI. Methods and Results—Post-MI HF was induced by coronary artery occlusion. Receptor phosphorylation, kinase expression, and adiponectin function were determined via in vivo, ex vivo, and in vitro models. AdipoR1 and AdipoR2 are not phosphorylated in the normal heart. However, AdipoR1 was significantly phosphorylated after MI, peaking at 7 days and remaining significantly phosphorylated thereafter. The extent of post-MI AdipoR1 phosphorylation positively correlated with the expression level of GPCR kinase (GRK) 2, the predominant GRK isoform upregulated in the failing heart. Cardiac-specific GRK2 knockout virtually abolished pos...
Formation and maintenance of the shoot apical meristem

Development in higher plants is characterized by the reiterative formation of lateral organs from the flanks of shoot apical meristems. Because organs are produced continuously throughout the life cycle, the shoot apical meristem must maintain a pluripotent stem cell population. These two tasks are accomplished within separate functional domains of the apical meristem. These functional domains develop gradually during embryogenesis. Subsequently, communication among cells within the shoot apical meristem and between the shoot apical meristem and the incipient lateral organs is needed to maintain the functional domains within the shoot apical meristem.
An Early Arctic Small Tool tradition structure from interior Northwestern Alaska

Il y a plus de quarante ans, William Irving proposa l'expression “Tradition microlithique de l'Arctique”, pour designer l'unite taxonomique et les liens historiques partages par plusieurs cultures du milieu de l'Holocene recemment identifiees en Alaska (complexe Denbigh), au Canada (Predorsetien), et au Groenland (Independancien I et Saqqaquien). Depuis, les recherches menees au Canada et au Groenland ont affine notre comprehension des relations culturelles entretenues par les membres orientaux de cette tradition, de leur economie, de leurs techniques et de leurs histoires demographiques. Par comparaison, la recherche sur le complexe Denbigh, membre alaskien de la tradition, est restee a la traine. Peu de travaux de terrain ont ete menes depuis le milieu des annees 1970 et peu d'attention a ete portee aux questions evoquees ci-dessus ou aux relations historiques existant entre les Denbighiens et leurs voisins orientaux. Cet article presente un site de la Tradition microlithique de l'Arctique ancienne localise dans la chaine des Brooks occidentale et discute de son importance dans le cadre du contexte de cette tradition a travers l'Arctique nord-americain. La structure mise au jour sur le site presente de grandes similitudes avec les habitations du Predorsetien, de l'Independancien I et du Saqqaquien trouvees dans l'Arctique canadien et au Groenland. Elle apporte une nouvelle dimension a notre comprehension des relations entre les divers complexes techniques qui composent la Tradition microlithique de l'Arctique ancienne.
Culture, structure and reciprocity: histoire croisée and its uses for the conceptualization of the rise and spread of national movements in Europe and the Atlantic World during the Age of Revolutions

This article seeks to continue the discussion carried on in previous editions of the journal concerning the concepts of transfer, crossed and entangled history and their employment in various fields of enquiry. Specifically, it attempts to clarify some of the principles associated with this growing body of scholarship and the manner in which they may aid in the conceptualisation and historiography of the rise of national movements over the period 1763–1848. Given the procedural dispositions described below, crossed or entangled histories on the rise of nationalism in Europe and the European colonial world would be expected to incline toward particular subject matter and questions, and even presuppose, to paraphrase another writer, a conception of the nation as ‘a relational (cultural) construct’. This largely cultural perspective on the rise and early history of national movements in Europe and the Atlantic World has a number of heuristic advantages, not least of which is its value in enabling productive ...
Racial and Ethnic Disparities in Leisure-time Physical Activity in California: Patterns and Mechanisms

Evidence has shown that racial/ethnic minorities in the United States are less likely than whites to engage in leisure-time physical activity (LTPA); yet few studies to date have included Asian subgroups in the analyses and mechanisms underlying these disparities are not well known. This study uses data from the 2007 California Health Interview Survey (N = 37,164) to examine racial/ethnic disparities in self-reported adherence to LTPA recommendations and to explore the mediating roles of socioeconomic status (SES), acculturation, and neighborhood perceptions. Nine racial/ethnic groups were included: non-Hispanic whites, non-Hispanic blacks, Mexicans, and six largest Asian subgroups. Results confirm that racial/ethnic minorities are, in general, less likely than whites to meet LTPA recommendations, whereas heterogeneity is also evident across Asian subgroups. No significant disparity is revealed for the Japanese and Filipinos but whites are advantaged compared to all other Asian groups. Educational attainment, percent of lifetime spent in the United States and access to park, playground, or open space are significantly associated with meeting LTPA recommendations. SES and acculturation play differential roles in explaining group disparities for blacks, Mexicans, and some Asian subgroups. Perceived neighborhood environment does not mediate LTPA disparities by race/ethnicity. Net of these mediators, the advantages of whites in meeting LTPA recommendations persist for blacks, Mexicans, the Chinese, and Koreans. Future research should theorize and operationalize additional multilevel pathways linking race/ethnicity and LTPA while assessing measurement errors in the existing constructs.
New Lives for Seven Transmembrane Receptors as Drug Targets.

Historically, seven transmembrane receptors (7TMs) [also referred to as G-protein-coupled receptors (GPCRs)] have been the mainstay biological target for pharmacological therapy. This is because they are conveniently located on the cell surface, and thus are the main points of transfer of chemical information from the extracellular space to the cytosol, and they control a myriad of cellular processes. This latter point becomes a two-edged sword in the utilization of 7TMRs as drug targets since it then requires some form of limitation of receptor signaling to achieve therapeutic drug selectivity.
Enforcing Property Rights: Extending Property Rights Theory to Environmental and Congestible Goods

This article presents and applies a framework for analyzing institutional structures and societal responses to changes in property rights systems, focusing specifically on regulatory agencies. The aim is to use the private/common ownership dichotomy as a foundation upon which to build a more comprehensive analysis of property rights. Once erected, the property rights model is used to explore the institutional milieu in which the regulators and the regulated interact. The model focuses on the costs of enforcing government regulations affecting resource use, particularly clean air laws. It provides a methodology for analyzing in a comparative statistics framework the changes in the level of enforcement costs resulting from a change in property rights regulating resource use. The article uses the property rights model to describe the characteristics that are most relevant to the enforcement of a particular regulatory structure, the Clean Air Act. The model highlights the variety of technical and quantitative measures necessary to appreciate the interrelationship between regulatory structure and enforcement costs and necessary to estimate the enforcement cost implications of changing a set of property rights.
Deploying the Common Law to Quasi-Marxist Property on Mars

If and when the first human settlement arrives on Mars, it may be with the intention of staying on permanently. Progress and the spirit of adventure being what they are, the first group of settlers may be joined some time thereafter by a second. In anticipation of two groups of settlers on Mars who may compete over scarce suitable landscapes for sustaining the basic human needs of oxygen, energy, water, shelter and food, a framework of private property rights is necessary. In crafting possible frameworks, the 1967 Outer Space Treaty’s (OST) governing provisions regarding property law must be considered. Existing scholarship has largely failed to properly account for the application of common law precepts to realistic property disputes governed by OST provisions, to fully acknowledge the non-appropriation and common use commands of the OST, which sound, arguably, in quasi-Marxist tones, and to explicate the types of unique property demands of permanent extraterrestrial human settlements. This article maps out two basic common law frameworks for two anticipated varieties of property disputes which adhere to the general and more specific principles contained within the OST while encouraging economically efficient decision-making and sustainable uses of the planet surface.
Ferritin in formed blood elements (38539).

SummaryThe ferritin concentration of the formed elements of the blood has been measured. Nearly equal amounts were found in plasma, red cells, granulocytes, and in the mononuclear (monocyte and lymphocyte) cell fraction. Platelets contained a negligible amount. Concentrations of ferritin were greatest in blood leukocytes, amounting to approximately 24 μg/ml. Changes occurring with iron depletion and iron overload were consistent with those expected in body tissues in general. With infection, increased levels of ferritin were observed in the mononuclear cell fraction, consistent with that which occurs in RE cells.
Determination of sodium cyclamate in drinks by capillary gas chromatography

Objective:To develop a rapid and simple method for the determination of sodium cyclamate in drinks by capillary gas chromatography.Methods:The sodium cyclamate in sample was reactived with nitrous salt in acid medium,separated and determined by HP-INNOWAX capillary gas chromatography.Results:Beer′s law was obeyed in the range of 0.10 mg/ml～4.00 mg/ml,relational coefficient being r=0.9997.The relative standard deviation was below 4.2%.The recovery was between 90.0%～98.8%.Conclusion:The method was simple,rapid and sensitive with low detection limit,and it can be applied to the batch of sample analysis.
Quantitative histochemistry of late luteal phase human endometrium.

New techniques are needed to evaluate the luteal phase endometrium in the infertility patient. Toward this goal, we have applied quantitative microbiochemical techniques to the determination of enzyme activities in microdissected samples of each endometrial cell type (i.e., epithelial and stromal) from individual endometrial biopsies. Preliminary data on eight control patients are presented to establish a normal range of epithelial and stromal lactate dehydrogenase (LDH), beta-hydroxyacyl-CoA-dehydrogenase (beta-OH-acyl-CoA-DH), and citrate synthase (CS) enzyme activities. Significantly higher enzyme activities were found in the epithelial cell type, compared with the stromal cell type for all three enzymes. Mean enzyme activities for the eight patients, comparing epithelial to stromal values, respectively, were (1) LDH, 39.9 versus 15.4; (2) CS, 4.0 versus 1.2; and (3) beta-OH-CoA-DH, 3.9 versus 2.3 mol/kgD/hour. Enzyme activities are expressed as moles of substrate reacting per kilogram dry weight per hour (mol/kgD/hour).
Informationsquellen und Analyse-Tools für die Auswahl chinesischer Social Media

Nachdem in Kap. 2 die wichtigsten Arten von Social Media in China beschrieben wurden, ist als nachster Schritt die Auswahl der Social Media fur Unternehmensmarketing zu erklaren. In diesem Kapitel werden deswegen einige der wichtigsten Informationsquellen und Analyse-Tools als Hilfestellung zur Auswahl der chinesischen Social Media vorgestellt. Diese stellen in der Regel Internet-Statistikportale oder offentliche Stellen wie China Internet Network Information Center (CNNIC) dar.
Quality Assurance of Scintillation Cameras: An Implementation Program

With the sophistication and increased use of scintillation cameras in nuclear medicine, routine quality assurance procedures are needed to insure a consistent and acceptable level of performance. A set of simple protocols has been developed to facilitate use of these procedures in a daily quality assurance program. To implement application of the protocols, a workshop on quality assurance for scintillation cameras has been developed for presentation to clinical nuclear medicine personnel. The Scintillation Camera Quality Assurance Workshop has been presented in eight locations, and information for the presentation of a workshop is available for nationwide distribution.
Accounting for a Lean Environment

Lean thinking is rapidly becoming the dominant paradigm in manufacturing. Kennedy and Widener (2008) use a case study to develop a lean environment model that illustrates the importance of lean accounting practices. We build on this work using a congruence model of organizational design (Nadler & Tushman, 1992, 1997) to shed more in-depth insights on the role of value stream costing (VSC) and lean accounting practices that exist in a cross-section of manufacturing firms. Using data from 244 U.S. companies that have implemented lean principles, we test a structural equation model that examines the role VSC plays in the lean environment. We hypothesize and find that top management support is associated with lean manufacturing practices, which in turn are associated with a decreased emphasis on traditional management accounting practices and an increase in the lean accounting concepts of simplified accounting practices and VSC. We also find that VSC is associated with employee empowerment and the use of visual performance measures. We find the existence of a second, better fitting model that confirms the importance of VSC as a critical element in the lean environment. However, the alternative model supports VSC as the final outcome in the lean process, rather than an intermediate step, suggesting that in a cross-section of firms, lean accounting may be the laggard in the implementation of lean principles. This study provides evidence on the internal alignment of a firm’s manufacturing, accounting, and control environments in a lean context.
Exploring Chinese outbound exhibitors’ motivational factors and characteristics to U.S. exhibition market

ABSTRACTFor exhibitions to have sustainable success, they must attract enough high-quality exhibitors. As China has opened up and grown economically in the past several decades, more Chinese exhibitors are participating in exhibitions worldwide, and United States exhibitions are among their top destination. To examine what motivates the participation of this growing group, this study conducted a self-administered survey among Chinese outbound exhibitors who have attended exhibitions in the United States. With the help from the Chinese exhibition organizers, a questionnaire survey was distributed to Chinese exhibitors having participating in U.S.-based trade fairs in the past 12 months via email for collecting data. An exploratory factor analysis and a series of ANOVA tests were carried out to examine the Chinese exhibitors’ characteristics. The results of the 314 usable responses showed that exhibitors with their characteristics differed significantly in the five motivational dimensions. These dimensions ...
A cascade of metabolic and protein folding gene loss at the base of Metazoa

The evolution of animals involved a transition from a unicellular transcriptional regime to a transcriptional program supporting developmentally programmed somatic multicellularity. This transition was facilitated by an emergent gene repertoire devoted to developmental regulation, which involved gene family expansion and diversification as well as gene innovation. Unknown, however, is whether the loss of key genes co-evolved with and/or facilitated this genomic rewiring. Here, we identify conserved eukaryotic genes that were lost in stem-metazoans. These genes suggest a coherent pattern of gene loss from which the biological and ecological context of animal origins can be inferred. First, we find that a large number of genes for multiple biosynthetic pathways were lost in the stem-metazoan lineage. Second, we find that of all the essential amino acid pathway genes absent in animals, only the biosynthetic pathways for the branched chain amino acids are also absent in choanoflagellates, the sister group to animals. Third, we find only a few highly conserved genes lost in the stem-metazoan lineage that do not encode metabolic enzymes, and these include the AAA+ eukaryotic clpB (caseinolytic peptidase B) genes, HSP78 and HSP104, which encode protein disaggregase type chaperones. Finally, we find that in choanoflagellates and fungi the clpB genes and a small repertoire of refolding chaperones are co- regulated by the specialized heat shock element, HSE4 that can be bound by two heat shock factor (Hsf1) trimers. Based on these findings, we propose that loss of branched chain biosynthetic genes in the holozoan radiation represents an initial pattern of loss that "foreshadows" the wholesale loss of metabolic genes in the stem-metazoan lineage. We further propose that key components of metabolic pathways may have required specialized chaperone-mediated folding, and that the loss of these pathways may explain the loss of dedicated protein folding machinery in the stem- metazoan lineage.
Regional differences in right versus left congenital heart disease diagnoses in neonates in the United States.

BACKGROUND Differences in the prevalence of left and right congenital heart defects (CHD) across the United States are unclear. This study evaluated the overall prevalence and the distribution of right versus left CHD across US regions and divisions in neonates. METHODS Newborns born from 2000 to 2014 diagnosed with CHD were identified using the National Inpatient Sample. Heart defects were stratified into right, left, and "neither" subtypes. The risk of right and left heart diagnoses between US Census regions and divisions was compared using multivariable binomial regression, adjusting for infant, and hospital characteristics. RESULTS Two hundred forty thousand four hundred fifty-five newborns were included and 38,185 (15.9%) were classifiable as having either right or left subtypes. Between 2000 and 2014, the prevalence of right defects increased from 1.65 to 2.88 cases/1,000 live born infants (p < .0001), left defects increased from 0.47 to 0.75 cases/1,000 live born infants (p < .0001), and "neither" defects increased from 10.82 to 20.09 cases/1,000 live born infants (p < .0001). Newborns in the Northeast (RDadj .03, 95% CI .02, .03), Midwest (RDadj .02, 95% CI .02, .03), and South (RDadj .02, 95% CI .02, .02) were significantly more likely to have a right heart defect diagnosis compared to the West. When stratified by division, New England states had a significantly higher prevalence of right defects compared to the Pacific (RDadj .09, 95% CI .06, 0.11). No differences in the prevalence of left defects were seen. CONCLUSIONS The prevalence of CHD diagnoses at birth in the US has increased, and regional differences in the prevalence of right defects appear to exist.
A geometrical linearization approach for salient-pole PMSM optimal voltage/current constrained control over whole speed range

Permanent Magnet Synchronous Machine (PMSM) torque control over a wide speed range is essentially an optimization problem that treats torque error minimization as the objective function with inverter voltage and current as constraints. It is usually time consuming and difficult to solve such optimization problem for closed-form solutions since torque, voltage and current equations are all non-linear in the problem. In this paper, a model linearization based approach is proposed to manage the calculation complexity for such non-linear optimization. By dividing the problem into two sub-optimizations and solving them sequentially, the calculation is simplified. By identifying different operating regions of the PMSM, the closed-form solutions can be obtained geometrically with model linearization, which further simplifies the optimization process. The proposed algorithm is implemented for PMSM current loop controller design; simulation results show a good performance of the controller.
High temperature and high pressure tribological experiments of advanced polymeric coatings in the presence of drilling mud for oil & gas applications

Abstract Extended reach drilling wells enable the reach of large areas of reservoir, and thus higher oil & gas production. However, the friction force encountered between the drilling string and wall set a limitation of the total reach area. In this work, we used an aromatic thermosetting copolyester (ATSP) coating for friction reduction for drilling applications. The results showed that the ATSP coatings reduced the friction at different temperatures by 58%, and in the boundary lubrication regime by 43.7%, compared with bare O1 tool steel material. ATSP exhibited low wear rates, and the wear mechanisms of the coatings and tool steel were investigated using scanning electron microscopy and Energy Dispersive Spectroscopy.
Paper Circuits: A Tangible, Low Threshold, Low Cost Entry to Computational Thinking

In this paper, we propose that paper circuitry provides a productive space for exploring aspects of computational thinking, an increasingly critical 21st century skills for all students. We argue that the creation and operation of paper circuits involve learning about computational concepts such as rule-based constraints, operations, and defined states. Moreover, paper circuitry materials are low cost, provide a low threshold to entry, and draw upon the familiarity that already exists with respect to paper as a hands-on and interactive medium. Paper circuitry thus provides multiple points of entry for students who are unfamiliar with computational thinking ideas while also supporting creative, artistic and crafting activities. It also provides an important alternative to the typically steep learning curve associated with learning a programming language. We define paper circuitry and associated technologies, show how they afford key dimensions of computational thinking, and present examples of paper circuit projects created by students.
Review of "Practical Epilepsy," by Aatif M. Husain

Practical Epilepsy is a comprehensive book aimed at educating individuals who work with epileptic patients. It discusses not only the electrographic aspects, but also the work up and treatment for ...
Awareness of posttraumatic stress disorder in veterans: a female spouse/intimate partner perspective.

ABSTRACTThe purpose of this qualitative study was to identify perspectives of female spouses/intimate partners regarding posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) in returning Iraq and Afghanistan combat Veterans. Through the use of a self-administered questionnaire based on Flanagan's critical incident technique, reports were obtained from a purposive sample of 34 spouses/intimate partners of Veterans recruited through a social group for military spouses and a university in southeastern North Carolina. Two-thirds of the participants reported not having received formal education about PTSD. The main perceived barriers to PTSD treatment seeking were denial of symptoms, fear, and stigma about disclosing PTSD symptoms. Spouses/intimate partners observed Veterans for changes in behavior and routines, disturbed sleep patterns, and nightmares. In the event of PTSD treatment resistance, spouses/intimate partners reported they would suggest the need for treatment, issue an ultimatum, take action, or offer patience and...
A first-principles analysis of ballistic conductance, grain boundary scattering and vertical resistance in aluminum interconnects

We present an ab initio evaluation of electron scattering mechanisms in Al interconnects from a back-end-of-line (BEOL) perspective. We consider the ballistic conductance as a function of nanowire size, as well as the impact of surface oxidation on electron transport. We also consider several representative twin grain boundaries and calculate the specific resistivity and reflection coefficients for each case. Lastly, we calculate the vertical resistance across the Al/Ta(N)/Al and Cu/Ta(N)/Cu interfaces, which are representative of typical vertical interconnect structures with diffusion barriers. Despite a high ballistic conductance, the calculated specific resistivities at grain boundaries are 70-100% higher in Al than in Cu, and the vertical resistance across Ta(N) diffusion barriers are 60-100% larger for Al than for Cu. These results suggest that in addition to the well-known electromigration limitations in Al interconnects, electron scattering represents a major problem in achieving low interconnect line resistance at fine dimensions.
Towards a theory of engineered complex adaptive systems of systems

The rise of automation in many systems and technology ubiquity in general, present complex operational environments that require a solution that can continually morph to meet the changing demands of the operational situation. This paper presents a research project that is developing theory and exploring concepts for engineering complex adaptive systems of systems. The research builds on a developing body of knowledge in complex systems, complex adaptive systems, and systems of systems engineering to apply engineered complex adaptive systems of systems as a solution to challenging multi-dimensional problems such as the emerging naval concept for distributed lethality. A comprehensive study for engineering complex adaptive systems of systems solutions, as well as a method for identifying and developing effective responses to naturally-occurring, human modified, and human made complex adaptive systems of systems will build a new body of knowledge in systems engineering. This paper frames the author's research project and approach.
p53 Mutation in the Genesis of Metastasis

Development of metastatic cancer is a complex series of events that includes genesis of tumor-related vascular and lymphatic systems, enhanced cellular motility, and the capacity to invade and survive at distant sites, as well as evasion of host defences. The wild-type p53 protein plays key roles in controlling these facets of tumor progression, and loss of normal p53 function can be sufficient to predispose tumor cells to gain metastatic properties. In contrast, dominant p53 mutants that have gained oncogenic functions can actively drive metastasis through a variety of mechanisms. This chapter aims to highlight these processes.
Kinetics of Mineral Dissolution

The rates of mineral dissolution contribute to processes controlling soil fertility, porosity in aquifers and oil reservoirs, transport and sequestration of contaminants and CO2, cycling of metals and formation of ore deposits, and many other geochemical characteristics and phenomena. For example, the weathering rates of Caand Mg-silicates influence the concentrations of CO2 in the atmosphere over 105–106 y timescales, impacting the global carbon cycle. Mineral dissolution thus influences the chemical and physical nature of our landscape as well as the quality and quantity of potable water and fertile soil available to sustain ecosystems. The rates of mineral dissolution (Fig. 5.1) determine the lifetimes of minerals in soil environments. Especially since the 1970s, researchers have focused on measurement of mineral dissolution rates in order to promote quantitative prediction of the evolution of our environment (Stumm, 1997). In this chapter, we discuss many of the concepts and models used to predict mineral dissolution rates for oxide, carbonate, and silicate minerals.
Effects of excess dietary leucine and leucine catabolites on growth and immune responses in weanling pigs.

Two experiments with weanling pigs were conducted to study the effects on growth and immune responses of excess dietary L-leucine (LEU) and dietary supplementation with the LEU catabo- lites, a-ketoisocaproic acid (KIC) and @-hydroxy- methyl butyrate (HMB). In Exp. l, 80 pigs were randomly allocated according to initial BW and ancestry to five replications of four dietary treatments (four pigs/pen). The control diet contained wheat, oat groats, menhaden fish meal, and dried whey and provided 1.12% LEU. Treatment diets were the control plus 1.12% LEU, 1.12% KIC, or .4% HMB. The experiment lasted 6 wk. In Exp. 2, 36 pigs were randomly allocated to nine replications of four dietary treatments in a 2 x 2 factorial arrangement. Treat- ments consisted of two concentrations of dietary LEU and a daily i.m. injection of dexamethasone (DEX) or saline. Pigs were fed a control corn-soybean meal and dried whey diet (1.56% LEU) or the control diet plus 1.56% of crystalline LEU. Pigs were individually penned and the experiment lasted 4 wk. Growth performance, plasma free amino acids, plasma urea nitrogen, and humoral and cellular immune responses were measured. Results indicated that LEU concen- trations in practical diets and supplementation with KIC and HMB (Exp. 1) did not detrimentally affect growth and immune response. The high LEU concen- tration and DEX injection used in Exp. 2, however, were detrimental to both growth and immune re- sponse.
Analysis of Heart Rate Dynamics as a Measure of Autonomic Tone in Obstetrical Patients Undergoing Epidural or Spinal Anesthesia

Background and Objectives. The purpose of this study is to determine if spectral analysis of beat-to-beat heart rate variability will provide important data on autonomic nervous system function during either spinal or epidural anesthesia that is not apparent from the monitoring of mean heart rate and blood pressure. Methods. Twelve ASA I patients presenting for elective cesarean delivery (7 epidural and 5 spinal anesthetics) were prospectively selected for study. Control and postblock 10-minute segments of instantaneous heart rates were analyzed for each patient. The total spectral power (PS, 0.02-0.5 Hz), low frequency spectral power (PLF, 0.02-0.12 Hz), and high frequency spectral power (PHF, 0.12-0.5 Hz) were calculated for each data segment. The complexity of the heart rate time series was estimated by calculating the approximate entropy. Results. Neither spinal or epidural anesthesia had any effect on heart rate or blood pressure. Both spinal and epidural anesthesia did produce a significant decrease in PS, PLF, and PHF. Although there were significant decreases in both the PLF and PHF, there was no change in the PLF/PHF ratio. There was a significant reduction in approximate entropy with spinal and epidural anesthesia, indicating a decrease in complexity of the heart rate dynamics. Conclusions. These data suggest that autonomic tone decreased with spinal and epidural anesthesia but the sympathetic-parasympathetic balance (expressed as PLF/PHF) did not change. Spectral measures, as well as approximate entropy, provide an independent evaluation of the integrity of the autonomic nervous system and cardiovascular control mechanisms that cannot be discerned from mean heart rate and blood pressure.
Quick efficacy seeking trial (QuEST1): a novel combination immunotherapy study designed for rapid clinical signal assessment metastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer.

Advances in immunotherapy utilizing immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) have transformed the treatment landscapes of several malignancies in recent years. Oncologists are now tasked with extending these benefits to a greater number of patients and tumor types. Metastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer (mCRPC) infrequently responds to ICIs, while the cellular vaccine approved for mCRPC, sipuleucel-T, provides a 4-month survival benefit but does not produce clinical responses as monotherapy. However, many novel and generally well-tolerated immune oncology agents with potential for immune synergy and/or additive effects are undergoing clinical development. This availability presents opportunities to develop adaptive-design combination clinical trials aimed to generate, expand, and facilitate antitumor immune responses. Here we describe a currently accruing phase I/II trial (NCT03493945) testing a brachyury-targeted antitumor vaccine, TGF-β TRAP/anti-PD-L1 antibody, an IL-15 agonist, and an IDO1 inhibitor in mCRPC. Trial registration: This trial ( NCT03493945 ) was registered in National Clinical Trials on April 11th 2018.
Expediting Comprehensive Molecular Analysis to Optimize Initial Treatment of Lung Cancer Patients With Minimal Smoking History.

Abstract Introduction Lung cancer patients with tumors harboring actionable alterations can achieve very durable responses to first-line targeted therapy. However, identifying targetable alterations using next-generation sequencing (NGS) is a complex and time-intensive process. As actionable genetic alterations are enriched in lung cancers arising in patients with limited smoking history, we designed a workflow to expedite NGS testing for this group. Methods We developed a protocol to allow for next-day extraction of nucleic acids from frozen tissue. Specimens were designated as high priority during sequencing. We determined the interval between biopsy and NGS results to evaluate whether the workflow reduced the pre-analytical period and in-laboratory turnaround time and allowed for rapid initiation of genotype-matched therapy. Results Between January 2017 and May 2018, 21 patients participated in the expedited sequencing program. The median interval between biopsy and NGS results was 10.7 days. Six patients received results within 1 week of biopsy. Performing molecular analysis on frozen tissue and prioritizing sequencing and analysis of these specimens reduced the pre-analytical period from 3.5 to 1.3 days (p Conclusions Sequencing and analyzing nucleic acids from frozen tissue is a practical strategy for shortening the time to matched therapy. The significant advantage of upfront treatment with targeted therapies in subsets of lung cancer patients provides rationale for developing workflows that accelerate comprehensive molecular analysis.
What Is New in Neuromodulation

Neuromodulation encompassing sacral and peripheral modalities is an established, effective, and safe higher-order treatment option approved in the USA for managing refractory overactive bladder, non-obstructive urinary retention, and fecal incontinence. This review highlights the most recent literature, indications, treatment durability, and the latest innovations in this field. Regarding sacral neuromodulation (SNM), recent work suggests improved parameters for optimal lead placement, increased data to support the lasting effects of treatment, and novel applications of this technology to other pelvic disorders. In addition, there are emerging technologies with smaller MRI compatible devices. Newer data on percutaneous tibial nerve stimulation (PTNS) suggests it may be more beneficial for certain patients. With new technology, implantable tibial nerve stimulators are ushering in a new frontier of nerve stimulation in the comfort of the patient's home.
Effectiveness of Menuzo's B2 medium with buffalo rat liver cells for development of in vitro matured/in vitro fertilized bovine oocytes.

Purpose:The effectiveness of two culture media on the development of bovine embryos in a buffalo rat liver (BRL) coculture system was investigated. Methods:Bovine oocytes were matured and fertilized in vitro, then cocultured, 25 per well, for 7 days in 500 μl of modified M199 or modified Menuzo's B2 medium over a BRL cell monolayer at 39°C in an atmosphere of 5% CO2in air. Medium 199 was modified by the addition of 10% of (v/v) fetal bovine serum (FBS), 9 mg/ml bovine serum albumin, 2 mM glycine, 1 mM alanine, and 0.1 mM nonessential amino acids (NEAA). Menuzo's B2 medium was modified by the addition of 10% (v/v) FBS, 1 mM alanine, and 0.1 mM NEAA. Results:Modified Menuzo's B2 medium improved embryo development to the morula or blastocyst stage compared to modified M199 (121/353, 34.3%, versus 99/362, 27.3%, P<0.05). Conclusions:These results suggest that Menuzo's B2 medium with modifications in a BRL coculture system can provide a significant benefit for culture of early bovine embryos over the traditional use of medium 199.
Optical Isolation with Microring Modulators

Optical isolators, while commonplace in bulk- and fiber-optic systems, remain a key missing component in integrated photonic systems. Isolation using magneto-optic effects has been difficult to implement due to fabrication restraints, motivating use of other non-reciprocal effects such as temporal modulation. We demonstrate a non-reciprocal modulator comprising a pair of microring modulators and a microring phase shifter in an active silicon photonic process which, in combination with standard frequency filters, facilitates isolation. Isolation up to 13 dB is measured with a 3 dB bandwidth of 2 GHz and insertion loss of 18 dB. As one potential application is cross-talk suppression in bi-directional communication links, we also show transmission of a 4 Gbps data signal through the isolator while retaining a wide-open eye diagram. This compact design, in combination with increased modulation efficiency, could enable modulator-based isolators to become a standard `black-box' component in integrated photonics foundry platform component library.
Mapping Curricular Assemblages.

Background/ContextThis article advances scholarship from curriculum theorists, educational philosophers, and educational researchers unpacking the dehumanizing aspects of education.Focus of StudyTh...
Cetaceans and seismic surveys in the Southern Adriatic Sea

The first long-term, broadband, passive acoustic monitoring effort was conducted in the south Adriatic Sea from October 2018 to December 2019 using a High-frequency Acoustic Recording Package (HARP). The recording effort coincided with seismic surveys that took place off Montenegro in the fall and winter 2018–2019. These surveys occurred at distances 70 to 125 km from the recording site, at water depths between 70 and 800 m. Recordings were manually reviewed with start and end times of air-gun encounters and ship passages marked. A generic energy detector and unsupervised clustering procedure were used to extract odontocete echolocation clicks. During the surveys, sound pressure levels (SPL) in the 15 to 200 Hz band increased by up to 20 dB during fall and up to 10 dB during winter survey, with an average increase of 7.5 dB. Cuvier's beaked whale echolocation clicks were very commonly detected in the recordings, but sperm whale clicks were only sporadically present. At least three additional echolocation click types were also detected and their attribution to particular species is underway. Although mortality related to seismic surveys has not been recorded, high levels of noise have the potential to cause long term disruption to cetaceans in this region.