cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Biogeochemical Characterization of an Undisturbed Highly Acidic, Metal-rich Bryophyte Habitat, East-Central Alaska, U.S.A.

ABSTRACT We report on the geochemistry of soil and bryophyte-laden sediment and on the biogeochemistry of willows growing in an undisturbed volcanogenic massive sulfide deposit in the Alaska Range ecoregion of east-central Alaska. We also describe an unusual bryophyte assemblage found growing in the acidic metal-rich waters that drain the area. Ferricrete-cemented silty alluvial sediments within seeps and streams are covered with the liverwort Gymnocolea inflata whereas the mosses Polytrichum commune and P. juniperinum inhabit the area adjacent to the water and within the splash zone. Both the liverwort-encrusted sediment and Polytrichum thalli have high concentrations of major and trace metal cations (e.g., Al, As, Cu, Fe, Hg, La, Mn, Pb, and Zn). Soils in the area do not reflect the geochemical signature of the mineral deposit and we postulate they are influenced by the chemistry of eolian sediments derived from outside the deposit area. The willow, Salix pulchra, growing mostly within and adjacent to t...
Planar NAE3SAT is in P

Lichtenstein proposed the use of a "planar" version of 3SAT as a departure point for proofs of NP -completeness that would at once prove the general graph problem as well as its restriction to planar graphs to be NP-complete. Dyer and Frieze later proved that Planar lin3SAT is also NP-complete. Of the three standard versions of 3SAT, only NAE3SAT remained open. We provide a very simple reduction from NAE3SAT to Simple MaxCut, which respects Lichtenstein's conditions; since it is known that the planar version of (Simple) MaxCut is in P, so is the planar version of NAE3SAT, thereby setting the question (if in a somewhat unexpected way).
Brief report: adolescent adjustment in affluent communities: the role of motivational climate and goal orientation.

Researchers now recognize that affluent youth experience tremendous achievement pressures, yet contributing factors or outcomes are rarely explored. Using a sample of affluent adolescents, the present study investigates the mediating role of goal orientation (GO) on relations between school motivational climate (MC) and adolescent adjustment. Adolescents from four high schools completed measures of MC (i.e., Performance and Mastery), GO (i.e., Ego and Task), and adjustment (i.e., depressive symptoms, anxiety, and life satisfaction). Performance climates were associated with more adjustment problems while Mastery climates were associated with fewer adjustment problems. Adolescents with higher Ego orientation reported more depressive and anxiety symptoms, while adolescents with higher Task orientation indicated fewer depressive symptoms and greater life satisfaction. Adolescent Task orientation mediated the relations between Mastery climate and two adjustment outcomes (i.e., depressive symptoms and life satisfaction). Results suggest the importance of non-competitive achievement-oriented values and collaborative school contexts in adolescent adjustment. 2012 The Foundation for Professionals in Services for Adolescents. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.
Comparison of File Integrity Monitoring (FIM) techniques for small business networks

File Integrity Monitoring (FIM) can provide the ability to track changes which have been made to an operating system or software as a result of malicious behavior. For small business environments, the need for these tools is present; however, because of the difficulty of managing such software many businesses may ignore using them. This paper will discuss how a small business should create criteria for comparing file integrity monitoring tools in order to locate the most effective product for their environment.
Abstract P108: Comorbidity Burden in Atrial Fibrillation: A Population-Based Case-Control Study

Background: Differences in the prevalence and duration of co-morbid conditions in atrial fibrillation (AF) patients compared to population controls have not been well documented. Methods: The prevalence and duration of 17 chronic conditions defined by the US Department of Health and Human Services, as well as anxiety, obesity, and smoking status, was obtained in a random sample of 1430 patients with incident AF from 2000-2010 and 1430 controls from Olmsted County, MN. Controls were matched to cases 1:1 on sex and age (within 5 years). Chronic conditions were ascertained electronically requiring 2 occurrences of a diagnostic code; the duration of each condition (up to 25 years) was calculated. Logistic regression determined associations of each condition with AF after adjustment for all other conditions. Results: Among the 1430 matched pairs (median age 76 years, 48.6% men), the prevalence of chronic conditions was higher in AF cases compared to controls for all conditions except asthma, dementia, depression, hepatitis, and osteoporosis (figure). However, the duration of the conditions were similar in AF compared to controls, except for hypertension (median duration 12.3 and 9.9 years in AF cases and controls, respectively; p=0.002). After adjusting for all other conditions, obesity, hypertension, congestive heart failure, coronary artery disease, chronic kidney disease, and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease remained significantly more common in AF compared to controls (figure). Conditions with the largest attributable risk of AF were hypertension (25.4%), coronary artery disease (17.7%), and congestive heart failure (12.3%). Conclusions: AF patients have a higher prevalence of many chronic conditions compared to population controls. However, besides hypertension, these comorbidities do not develop earlier in AF. Nevertheless, the excess comorbidity burden in AF is important to characterize and understand as it may partly explain the excess mortality and healthcare utilization experienced by AF patients.
Packetization of the SPIHT-coded bitstream using an evolutionary-based optimization technique

The problem of packetizing the SPIHT-coded image bitstream into fixed-size packets is investigated and an optimal packetization scheme using a genetic algorithm (GA) is presented. In the proposed method, each individual packetization instance is represented by a decision sequence and mapped to a chromosome. A steady-state genetic algorithm is applied to search for the optimal chromosome that minimizes the distortion between the original and the reconstructed image data. The computer simulation results show that our proposed packetization scheme has high compression efficiency and provides error resiliency to packet losses with a relatively fast speed.
Fungal endophytes intrinsically associated with micropropagated plants regenerated from native Bouteloua eriopoda torr. and Atriplex canescens (pursh) nutt

Black grama (Bouteloua eriopoda) and fourwing saltbush (Atriplex canescens) are important grass and shrub species in arid rangelands of the northern Chihuahuan Desert. They are naturally colonized by dark septate endophytic fungi that cannot be eliminated by seed disinfestation. Plants were regenerated from both species and appeared to be fungus-free in axenic cultures. Analysis of callus and regenerated plants of both species using dual staining with light and scanning electron microscopy revealed fungal endophytes intrinsically associated with cells, roots and leaves of regenerated plants that are also associated with native plants. Fungal layers and biofilms prevent direct exposure of callus, root or leaf tissues to the external environment. Micropropagation is a valuable tool for identifying key fungal endophytes that enhance drought tolerance in native desert plants.
The Impact of Adaptive Speckle Filtering on Multi-Channel SAR Change Detection

One of the most promising applications of synthetic aperture radar (SAR) imagery is change detection. However, the success of change detection algorithms is highly dependent on the type of change being detected. With the advent of multi-channel SAR systems (multi-frequency and/or polarimetric) new algorithms to improve change detection are being developed to take advantage of the additional information. However, these algorithms are still hindered by the speckle phenomena of radar imaging. Adaptive neighborhood filtering techniques have been shown to be effective to reduce speckle, but the impact on change detection has not been explored. The research presented explores the impact of an adaptive filtering algorithm on the probability of detection for synthesized changes.
Torque analysis of combined 2D FEM and lumped parameter method for a hybrid stepping motor

An advanced lumped parameter model (LPM) with considering magnetic saturation is developed for the analysis of a five-phase hybrid stepping motor. Permeance of air gap is calculated as a function of applied magneto motiveforce (MMF) and rotor position using a two-dimensional finite element method (FEM). Static torque is calculated with combined LPM and 2D FEM, and compared with experimental results. The LPM with 2D FEM provides a fast solution for torque characteristics in the form of a continuous function
On the learning mechanism of adaptive filters

This paper highlights, both analytically and by simulations, some interesting phenomena regarding the behavior of ensemble-average learning curves of adaptive filters that may have gone unnoticed. Among other results, the paper shows that even ensemble-average learning curves of single-tap LMS filters actually exhibit two distinct rates of convergence: one for the initial time instants and another, faster one, for later time instants. In addition, such curves tend to converge faster than predicted by mean-square theory and can converge even when a mean-square stability analysis predicts divergence. These effects tend to be magnified by increasing the step size. Two of the conclusions that follow from this work are (1) the mean-square stability alone may not be the most appropriate performance measure, especially for larger step sizes. A combination of mean-square stability and almost sure (a.s.) stability seems to be more appropriate. (2) Care is needed while interpreting ensemble-average curves for larger step sizes. The curves can lead to erroneous conclusions unless a large number of experiments are averaged (at times of the order of tens of thousands or higher).
The Role and Impact of Nurses in American Elementary Schools A Systematic Review of the Research

School nurses are tasked with the critical job of keeping students safe and well. Due to competing demands for resources in schools, the impact of school nurses must be demonstrated to secure their jobs. A systematic review of the literature from 1937 to 2013 was conducted to show the efficacy of school nursing activities in American elementary schools. While some studies of immunization compliance, attendance rates, body mass index screening, vision screening, and follow-up are promising, results are mixed and additional evidence is needed. The impact of school nurses on educational and health outcomes must continue to be evaluated and more rigorous evaluation methods should be explored. Suggestions for future research and collaborations are discussed.
SPACE USE AND MOVEMENTS OF MOOSE IN MASSACHUSETTS: IMPLICATIONS FOR CONSERVATION OF LARGE MAMMALS IN A FRAGMENTED ENVIRONMENT

Moose (Alces alces) have recently re-occupied a portion of their range in the temperate deciduous forest of the northeastern United States after a >200 year absence. In southern New Eng- land, moose encounter different forest types, more human development, and higher temperatures than in other parts of their geographic range in North America. We analyzed seasonal minimum con- vex polygon home ranges, utilization distributions, movement rates, and home range composition of GPS-collared moose in Massachusetts. Seasonal home range sizes were not different for males and females and were within the range reported for low latitudes elsewhere in North America. Seasonal movement patterns reflected the seasonal changes in metabolic rate and the influence of the species' reproductive cycle and weather. Home ranges consisted almost entirely of forested habitat, included large amounts of conservation land, and had lower road densities as compared to the landscape as a whole, indicating that human development may be a limiting factor for moose in the region. The size and configuration of home ranges, seasonal movement patterns, and use relative to human devel- opment have implications for conservation of moose and other wide-ranging species in more highly developed portions of their ranges. ALCES VOL. 49: 65-81 (2013)
The Scholarship of Teaching in Theology and Religion: A Wabash Center Advisory Committee Conversation

The article is a reflection on what I perceive to be a confusion about the relation between theoretical judgments and judgments of pedagogical efficacy. My interest in the issue originated with my own confusion over persistent student resistance to certain assigned texts that I had initially felt confident would prove valuable in the classroom. The essay unfolds in three segments. In the first, I recount how this concern about the relation between theoretical judgments and judgments of pedagogical efficacy evolved out of my own teaching. I next list three tentative conclusions about the correlation or lack of correlation between theoretical judgments and judgments of pedagogical efficacy. In the concluding segment, I call for concerted resistance to the tendency of pure rationality to colonize the aesthetic and dramatic components of experience so essential to transformative teaching and learning.
Phylogeny and Character Evolution in California Coreopsis (Asteraceae): Insights from Morphology and from Sequences of the Nuclear and Plastid Genomes

Abstract Phylogenetic relationships were reconstructed using molecular (nrDNA ITS and rpl16) and morphological data for eight species in three sections (Leptosyne, Pugiopappus, and Tuckermannia) of Coreopsis that are almost exclusively restricted to California. Parsimony analyses were conducted on each of three data partitions (cpDNA, ITS, and morphology) and congruence between these topologies and data sets was assessed by inspecting the topology for “hard” incongruence and via the partition homogeneity test (PHT). The individual topologies were largely congruent (i.e., lacking “hard” incongruence), with the exception of the placement of C. calliopsidea by analyses of morphological data. Because the two molecular data sets are generally in agreement regarding the placement of this taxon, the morphological data for C. calliopsidea were excluded and a PHT test indicated no significant heterogeneity among the molecular partitions. A combined analysis supports the monophyly of the eight California species an...
Relationships Among Selected Internal/External Variables Affecting Decision Making in the Roles/Functions of Research University Provosts

RELATIONSHIPS AMONG SELECTED INTERNAL/EXTERNAL VARIABLES AFFECTING DECISION MAKING IN THE ROLES/FUNCTIONS OF RESEARCH UNIVERSITY PROVOSTS by Haldane F. Davies II Chair: Bernard M. Lai! R eproduced with perm ission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without perm ission. ABSTRACT OF GRADUATE STUDENT RESEARCH DissertationOF GRADUATE STUDENT RESEARCH Dissertation Andrews University School of Education Title: RELATIONSHIPS AMONG SELECTED INTERNAL/EXTERNAL VARIABLES AFFECTING DECISION MAKING IN THE ROLES/FUNCTIONS OF RESEARCH UNIVERSITY PROVOSTS Name of researcher: Haldane F. Davies II Name and degree of faculty chair: Bernard M. Lall, Ph.D. Date completed: August 1994
Extracellular nucleotide regulation and signaling in cardiac fibrosis

Following myocardial infarction, purinergic nucleotides and nucleosides are released via non-specific and specific mechanisms in response to cellular activation, stress, or injury. These extracellular nucleotides are potent mediators of physiologic and pathologic responses, contributing to the inflammatory and fibrotic milieu within the injured myocardium. Via autocrine or paracrine signaling, cell-specific effects occur through differentially expressed purinergic receptors of the P2X, P2Y, and P1 families. Nucleotide activation of the ionotropic (ligand-gated) purine receptors (P2X) and several of the metabotropic (G-protein-coupled) purine receptors (P2Y) or adenosine activation of the P1 receptors can have profound effects on inflammatory cell function, fibroblast function, and cardiomyocyte function. Extracellular nucleotidases that hydrolyze released nucleotides regulate the magnitude and duration of purinergic signaling. While there are numerous studies on the role of the purinergic signaling pathway in cardiovascular disease, the extent to which the purinergic signaling pathway modulates cardiac fibrosis is incompletely understood. Here we provide an overview of the current understanding of how the purinergic signaling pathway modulates cardiac fibroblast function and myocardial fibrosis.
What is your question

The author argues that the traditional model of U.S. education, which is driven by test taking, is a less effective method of teaching critical thinking skills than informal learning centers such as museums. Topics include research by cognitive scientists John D. Bransford and Daniel L. Schwartz into critical thinking, the importance of teaching children how to ask questions, and examples of critical thinking such as the television program "The Daily Show With Jon Stewart" and the Maker Faire.
CHETAH 10.0, the ASTM Computer Program for the Prevention of Reactive and Flammability Hazards

The uses of the ASTM computer program CHETAH were described. The recently released version 10 is capable of accomplishing five different kinds of calculations related to chemical thermodynamics. The program enables the prediction of chemical reactive hazards, heats of reaction for combustion and other types of reactions, and a variety of flammability parameters. It can accomplish these calculations making use of its large internal databases of thermochemical properties or by making use of predictive methods for chemicals for which properties have yet to be determined.
WATER MODEL OBSERVATION AND NUMERICAL SIMU-LATION OF VORTEXING FLOW AT MOLTEN STEEL SUR-FACE IN CONTINUOUS CASTING MOLD

A water model experiment was conducted to study the vortexing flow in continuous casting mold. The snake-shaped Plexiglas model was designed to substitute the actual mold, the camera was used to record the flow patterns and the flow patterns were visualized by injecting the black sesames into water. A mathematical model has been developed to analyze the vortexing flow in the slab continuous casting process. By moving the submerged entry nozzle (SEN) from center to off-center, the vortexing flow can be reproduced in the numerical simulation. A vortex or two vortices have been observed. The existence of vortexing flow is shown to result from three-dimensional biased flow in the mold. The simulation results show that the vortex is located at the low velocity side adjacent to the SEN, and vortex strength depends on the local horizontal velocity of fluid and decreases gradually with distance from the free surface. The vortex size depends on the biased distance of the SEN, and intensity of the vortexing flow depends on the casting speed of the continuous caster.
Clinical activities of the model spinal cord injury system.

AbstractObjective: To review clinical activities that have resulted from funding of the Model Spinal Cord Injury System (MSCIS).Methods: Review of the literature and responses from Model Systems Centers.Results: Clinical benefits derived from MSCIS funding have been classified into 5 different areas: shift of spinal cord care from individual centers to care from a “Systems approach”; data collection as a stimulus for improved clinical care; service comprehensiveness to improve clinical care; research as a stimulus for improved clinical care; and dissemination of MSCIS research findings for educational purposes and to improve care provided by all SCI centers, including those not funded by the MSCIS.Conclusion: Many clinical benefits have been derived from the MSCIS program. Current research and developments being studied at model systems across the nation should continue to lead to new standards of care for persons with SCI.
Use of Sedation and Neuromuscular Paralysis During Mechanical Ventilation

Pharmacologic therapy can be a necessary adjunct with mechanical ventilation. The treatment of pain and anxiety and the suppression of the patient's respiratory drive may be necessary to facilitate effective ventilation and oxygenation. The critical care nurse must be clear as to the expected outcomes of this therapy. In addition to the traditional drugs for sedation and analgesia, neuromuscular blocking agents may be required to improve ventilatory assistance. The patient must be continually evaluated for the appropriateness and method of dosing, adequate sedation and analgesia, and adverse effects. Patient safety is one of the primary concerns of the critical care nurse during this time.
Décolletage: Regional Approaches with Injectable Fillers.

Background Patients increasingly request rejuvenation of the aging and photodamaged decolletage. Rhytides in this area can be addressed with injectables such as poly-L-lactic acid and hyaluronic acid products and energy-based devices, such as fractionated ablative and nonablative lasers and microfocused ultrasound with visualization. Methods This article will review the anatomy of the chest wall as it pertains to injectables that can be utilized in this area and injection technique. A review of the literature and the authors' experience will be discussed. Conclusion Cosmetic injectables can be utilized safely and effectively to improve the appearance of rhytides on the decolletage.
Using a Machine Learning Approach to Predict Outcomes after Radiosurgery for Cerebral Arteriovenous Malformations

Predictions of patient outcomes after a given therapy are fundamental to medical practice. We employ a machine learning approach towards predicting the outcomes after stereotactic radiosurgery for cerebral arteriovenous malformations (AVMs). Using three prospective databases, a machine learning approach of feature engineering and model optimization was implemented to create the most accurate predictor of AVM outcomes. Existing prognostic systems were scored for purposes of comparison. The final predictor was secondarily validated on an independent site's dataset not utilized for initial construction. Out of 1,810 patients, 1,674 to 1,291 patients depending upon time threshold, with 23 features were included for analysis and divided into training and validation sets. The best predictor had an average area under the curve (AUC) of 0.71 compared to existing clinical systems of 0.63 across all time points. On the heldout dataset, the predictor had an accuracy of around 0.74 at across all time thresholds with a specificity and sensitivity of 62% and 85% respectively. This machine learning approach was able to provide the best possible predictions of AVM radiosurgery outcomes of any method to date, identify a novel radiobiological feature (3D surface dose), and demonstrate a paradigm for further development of prognostic tools in medical care.
Places where wildfire potential and social vulnerability coincide in the coterminous United States

The hazards-of-place model posits that vulnerability to environmental hazards depends on both biophysical and social factors. Biophysical factors determine where wildfire potential is elevated, whereas social factors determine where and how people are affected by wildfire. We evaluated place vulnerability to wildfire hazards in the coterminous US. We developed a social vulnerability index using principal component analysis and evaluated it against existing measures of wildfire potential and wildland–urban interface designations. We created maps showing the coincidence of social vulnerability and wildfire potential to identify places according to their vulnerability to wildfire. We found that places with high wildfire potential have, on average, lower social vulnerability than other places, but nearly 10% of all housing in places with high wildfire potential also exhibits high social vulnerability. We summarised our data by states to evaluate trends at a subnational level. Although some regions, such as the South-east, had more housing in places with high wildfire vulnerability, other regions, such as the upper Midwest, exhibited higher rates of vulnerability than expected. Our results can help to inform wildfire prevention, mitigation and recovery planning, as well as reduce wildfire hazards affecting vulnerable places and populations.
Single Molecule Ligand Binding FRET at HCN2 Channel Domains in Zero-Mode Waveguides

Ligand binding is a critical component of many signaling pathways. Our understanding of the kinetic and mechanistic steps involved in the components comprising these pathways has been hampered by the difficulty of observing the ligand binding step itself, rather than some downstream measure of activity (e.g. current through an ion channel). Here, we use FRET to directly observe individual binding events of a fluorescently tagged cyclic nucleotide (fcAMP; Kusch et al. 2010) to its binding domain in hyperpolarization activated cyclic nucleotide gated (HCN2) channels at single molecules. To resolve single binding events at physiological micromolar concentrations of ligand, binding domains were tethered in zero-mode waveguides to reduce background fluorescence from unbound ligands (Levene et al., 2003). Our observations directly reveal the ligand binding process of fcAMP to its recognition site in HCN2 channels.
Everything about the Clock

This chapter focuses on the many issues around the clock: clock generation, clock distribution (logical and physical), clock usage (from system and electrical perspectives), clock quality, and clock network power consumption. There are three circuit components needed in a clock distribution plan: frequency divider, clock selector, and clock gating element. In a baseband signal processing system, the clock is used for information slicing (analog-to- digital process) and deslicing (digital-to-analog process). The clock is used in an electronic system to control the sequential cells. Its purpose is to ensure that, in the electronic system, information (or data) is processed and transferred in a stage-by-stage fashion. Jitter can be classified by the nature of the fluctuation: random or deterministic. In digital system design, the most often used jitter terms are period jitter and cycle-to-cycle period jitter.
Overview: cell-based models of parkinson's disease

Publisher Summary This chapter presents an overview of cell-based models and pathogenic mechanisms in Parkinson's disease (PD). The cell-based models are particularly valuable in tracking the consequences of toxin exposure and genetic mutations in a cellular environment. The advantage of cell lines is ease of generation, phenotypic homogeneity transfectability, and accessibility to pharmacological manipulation as well as physiological and anatomical analysis. The utility of cell-based models in the pursuit of genetic mechanisms in PD is perhaps stronger, as the basic function of most of the proteins encoded by these genes is being explored. The role of interacting proteins and aging in determining the functional consequences of mutations linked to PD is analyzed. A summary of work with primary cultures of mesencephalic dopaminergic neurons examining the cascade of events triggered by mitochondrial toxins is presented. It is found that fox2a haploinsufﬁciency leads to a late onset degeneration of mesencephalic dopaminergic neurons and a Parkinsonian phenotype.
My Child Deus: Grammar versus Theology in a Japanese Christian Devotional of 1591

Manoel Barreto’s Japanese miscellany contains “Dialogues on the Instruments of the Passion,” which show how closely complex cultural structures are intertwined with the machinery of grammar. Featuring the Virgin Mary and Mary Magdalene, the dialogue sublimates maternal and erotic energies in turn while contemplating the usual series of violent instruments. The speeches display not only linguistic competence but literary skill in their use of the personless poetic flow of renga linked verse and the noh theatre. However, the Latinate double-entendre on filho [son (of God and of Mary)] misfires because the Japanese language uses honorifics to maintain stable intersubjective reference and so cannot simultaneously refer to Jesus as both a superior and an inferior. This failure is supplemented with Portuguese marginalia and bold catachresms. Mary Magdalene’s erotic sublimation is presented with less success as excessive literalism frequently produces comedy. Then, an appendix entitled “The Meaning of the Passion” repeats the exercise in halting, clinical prose marred by occasional errors of grammar and style, cataloguing the instruments as dōgu (implements), the word used for art objects in the tea ceremony, and outlining their theological function with attention to precise doctrinal formulations. Frequent use of Portuguese loanwords conveys a (justified) anxiety with regard to the ability of the Japanese language to transmit (European) truth. I identify the dueling Zeami and Aquinas of this piece as a Japanese convert and his or her European mentor, then venture a hypothesis as to the precise historical figures behind these voices in tension.
Emotion recognition in the wild from videos using images

This paper presents the implementation details of the proposed solution to the Emotion Recognition in the Wild 2016 Challenge, in the category of video-based emotion recognition. The proposed approach takes the video stream from the audio-video trimmed clips provided by the challenge as input and produces the emotion label corresponding to this video sequence. This output is encoded as one out of seven classes: the six basic emotions (Anger, Disgust, Fear, Happiness, Sad, Surprise) and Neutral. Overall, the system consists of several pipelined modules: face detection, image pre-processing, deep feature extraction, feature encoding and, finally, an SVM classification. This system achieves 59.42% validation accuracy, surpassing the competition baseline of 38.81%. With regard to test data, our system achieves 56.66% recognition rate, also improving the competition baseline of 40.47%.
Large-Area Lithography-Free Metamaterial Thermophotovoltaic Emitters with Oxygen Tolerance

We present a large-area metamaterial thermal emitter that is fabricated using facile, lithography-free techniques. The device shows stable, selective emission after exposure to 1173 K for 22 hours in oxidizing and inert atmospheres.
Adult human dermal fibroblasts exposed to nanosecond electrical pulses exhibit genetic biomarkers of mechanical stress

Abstract Background Exposure of cells to very short ( Methods Microarray analysis in conjunction with quantitative real time polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR) was used to screen and validate genes selectively upregulated in response to nsEP exposure. Results Expression profiles of 486 genes were found to be significantly changed by nsEP exposure. 50% of the top 20 responding genes coded for proteins located in two distinct cellular locations, the plasma membrane and the nucleus. Further analysis of five of the top 20 upregulated genes indicated that the HDFa cells’ response to nsEP exposure included many elements of a mechanical stress response. Conclusions We found that several genes, some of which are mechanosensitive, were selectively upregulated due to nsEP exposure. This genetic response appears to be a primary response to the stimuli and not a secondary response to cellular swelling. General significance This work provides strong evidence that cells exposed to nsEP interpret the insult as a mechanical stress.
Automated Verification of Chapel Programs Using Model Checking and Symbolic Execution

Chapel is a new programming language targeting high performance computing. Chapel makes it easier to write parallel code, but is still subject to concurrency problems such as deadlocks, race conditions, and nondeterministic results. In theory, model checking and symbolic execution tools can help with these problems, but certain Chapel primitives are difficult to represent in the models used by existing tools. For example, some primitives dynamically create arbitrarily nested scopes with threads executing within those scopes. We present (1) a new formal model that naturally represents these dynamic concepts and (2) a new prototype model checking/symbolic execution tool for Chapel programs that uses this model as its intermediate representation. We describe how the tool translates Chapel into this IR and the results of applying the tool to several synthetic Chapel programs.
Entering Law Students’ Conceptions of an Ethical Professional Identity and the Role of the Lawyer in Society

Kegan’s theory of lifespan identity development framed a pilot study of law students’ understanding of professionalism, part of a broader study of ethical professional identity. Four raters trained in Kegan’s stage criteria could reliably assess one of three developmental stages, based on coding essays on professionalism. Correlations of stage scores with moral judgment scores, service learning, and work experience supported the validity of the method. Ethical professional identity assessment can be integrated with courses or mentoring programs to provide students with developmental feedback. This method can also be used to assess law school outcomes with respect to ethical professional identity by comparing growth from matriculation to graduation.
Knowledge and Inference

Ontology Based Radio (OBR) uses ontologies to represent its knowledge about itself and the communication environment. This knowledge is manipulated by generic components called reasoners or inference engines. The conceptual architecture of OBR in Chap. 2 includes two reasoners—System Strategy Reasoner (SSR) and Policy Conformance Reasoner (PCR). Since the term “reasoning” may mean different things to different people, in this chapter we elaborate on the way this term is used in this book.
3 – Color Matching and Color Discrimination

This chapter summarizes the data of color matching, detection of spectral lights, and discrimination of lights on the basis of differences in chromaticity. Matching, detection, and discrimination are tasks in which the spectral content of the lights is an important parameter. The tasks involve either identity matching or detection of a just noticeable difference. Data are expressed in physical units. The color appearance at the identity match or at the just noticeable difference is irrelevant and rarely noted. The data of matching, detection, and discrimination have been modeled successfully by considering early retinal processing. All the phenomena described in this chapter can be modeled by the activity of parvocellular (PC-), koniocellular (KC-) and magnocellular (MC-) pathways. The chapter focuses on the classical studies in the literature. These studies have involved small (1o or 2o) or moderate (10o) sized foveally fixated, circular stimuli. Luminance levels of matching and discrimination stimuli are usually at low to medium photopic levels, with retinal illuminations of 5–1000 trolands (td). In detection studies, large concentric backgrounds are often employed and light levels may extend to levels where substantial photopigment bleaching occurs.
Horses, the Fossil Record, and Evolution

When asked to provide evidence of long-term evolution, most scientists turn to the fossil record. Within this context, fossil horses (family Equidae) are among the most frequently cited examples of evolution. The prominent Finnish paleontologist Bjorn Kurten wrote (1953, p. 113): “One’s mind inevitably turns to that inexhaustible textbook example, the horse sequence. This has been cited—incorrectly more often than not—as evidence for practically every evolutionary principle that has ever been coined.” This cautionary note notwithstanding, fossil horses do indeed provide compelling evidence in support of evolutionary theory.
Chromosome Localization of P-Glycoprotein Genes in Drug-Sensitive and -Resistant Human Cells

When reduced to its simplest terms, the study of acquired drug resistance is born out of the failure of currently available therapeutic strategies. Unfortunately, and all too frequently, our “best laid schemes” prove inadequate. However, it seems reasonable to suggest that a careful examination of the underlying reasons for treatment failure may actually provide us with new tools and concepts to further improve the in vivo situation. We believe that our understanding of cancer in general and drug resistance in particular may be greatly increased through examination of genetic changes associated with the acquisition of drug resistance. The central viewpoint, then, to be developed throughout this chapter is that chromosomal alterations (which represent the by-product of molecular events) may be germinal factors in the genesis of clinical drug resistance.
Multi-unit rolling isolation system arrays: Analytical model and sensitivity analysis

Abstract Rolling isolation systems (RISs) have been used extensively to protect vibration-sensitive equipment, such as server cabinets, from earthquake-induced floor motions. These systems are commonly installed in multi-unit arrays to isolate multiple cabinets from harsh floor motions. The mathematical model presented in this paper is an extension of an experimentally-validated model for a single-unit RIS and is amenable to an arbitrary number of isolated cabinets. The proposed model is first compared to free response tests and is then validated with forced response tests using a synthetic waveform representative of earthquake-induced floor motions. An extensive numerical parameter study using the proposed model is carried out to assess the influence of the number of isolated cabinets, as well as mass eccentricity, on the seismic isolation performance of these systems. Through an incremental dynamic analysis it is shown that systems with more cabinets are less prone to impacts, indicating better performance. Rotations produced in the presence of mass eccentricity may induce premature impacts transverse to the loading direction diminishing these systems’ performance.
Driving complex flow waveforms with a linear voice coil actuator.

Oscillatory and pulsatile fluid flows for use in microfluidic applications were generated using a deformable chamber driven by a low cost linear voice coil actuator. Compliance in the fluidic system originating in the deformable chamber and the fluidic tubing produced a strong frequency dependence in the relationship between the system’s input and the output flow rate. The effects of this frequency dependence were overcome by precise system calibration, enabling on-demand generation of sinusoidal oscillations in the fluid flow rate with a controlled amplitude in the range from 0.1 to over 1 ml/min across a frequency range from 0.1 Hz to 10 Hz. The calibration data further enabled the optimization of a multistage exponential smoothing model of the system that allowed the generation of arbitrary complex waveforms. This was demonstrated by combining flow modulation with a constant background flow generated by a syringe pump to mimic the pulsatile flow found in the human vascular system.Oscillatory and pulsatile fluid flows for use in microfluidic applications were generated using a deformable chamber driven by a low cost linear voice coil actuator. Compliance in the fluidic system originating in the deformable chamber and the fluidic tubing produced a strong frequency dependence in the relationship between the system’s input and the output flow rate. The effects of this frequency dependence were overcome by precise system calibration, enabling on-demand generation of sinusoidal oscillations in the fluid flow rate with a controlled amplitude in the range from 0.1 to over 1 ml/min across a frequency range from 0.1 Hz to 10 Hz. The calibration data further enabled the optimization of a multistage exponential smoothing model of the system that allowed the generation of arbitrary complex waveforms. This was demonstrated by combining flow modulation with a constant background flow generated by a syringe pump to mimic the pulsatile flow found in the human vascular system.
ILLiad Copyright: Issues and Answers

AbstractThis article analyzes how OCLC’s Interlibrary Loan Internet Accessible Database (ILLiad) software handles copyright compliance. Research conducted at one institution identified errors in the 2016 system generated report. The entire data set for articles was extracted for articles for the calendar year 2017. In running the ILLiad copyright report, a number of transactions were identified that should not have been included based on the National Commission on New Technology Uses of Copyrighted Works (CONTU) guidelines. These transactions had been submitted to the Copyright Clearance Center (CCC) for payment. The report was generated following the OCLC and Atlas Systems Incorporated guidelines. The objective of the research was to identify how the report was configured and identify any issues that may be a direct result of the ILLiad or report software in comparison to title 17, section 108 of the United States Code and the CONTU guidelines. Subsection 108(g) (2) of the bill identifies, among other th...
Adjudicating Violations in Data Sharing Agreements Using Smart Contracts

As more and more data is collected for various reasons, the sharing of such data becomes paramount to increasing its value. Many applications ranging from smart cities to personalized health care require individuals and organizations to share data at an unprecedented scale. Data sharing is crucial in today's world, but due to privacy reasons, security concerns and regulation issues, the conditions under which the sharing occurs needs to be carefully specified. Currently, this process is done by lawyers and requires the costly signing of legal agreements. In many cases, these data sharing agreements are hard to track, manage or enforce. In this work, we propose a novel alternative for tracking, managing and especially adjudicating such data sharing agreements using smart contracts and blockchain technology. We design a framework that generates smart contracts from parameters based on legal data sharing agreements. The terms in these agreements are automatically adjudicating by the system. Monetary punishment can be employed using secure voting by external auditors to hold the violators accountable. Our experimental evaluation shows that our proposed framework is efficient and low-cost.
Curative Therapies for Sickle Cell Disease

Background: Sickle cell disease (SCD) is an inherited hemoglobinopathy associated with severe morbidity, impaired quality of life, and premature mortality. Hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT) is the only curative treatment available for patients with SCD and has a >90% event-free survival when a matched related donor is used. However, availability of human leukocyte antigen (HLA)–identical sibling donors for the SCD population is limited. The use of HLA-matched unrelated donors or related haploidentical donors has the potential to expand the donor pool. Methods: We reviewed the current literature on the indications for SCD transplantation, donor options, and the emerging use of gene therapy as a treatment option. Google Scholar and PubMed were searched using the terms SCD, bone marrow transplantation, donor sources, gene therapy, HSCT, and HLA matching. Additional articles were identified from the bibliographies of retrieved articles. All articles were reviewed for pertinent information related to SCD and transplantation. Results: HSCT has the potential to establish donor-derived normal erythropoiesis with stable long-term engraftment, amelioration of symptoms, and stabilization of organ damage. The majority of HSCT has been performed in children from HLA-identical sibling donors and has resulted in excellent rates of survival. The use of alternate donors such as HLA-matched unrelated donors and haploidentical donors has the potential to expand the applicability of HSCT for SCD. Early results in gene therapy for SCD are encouraging. Conclusion: Evaluation of the long-term benefits of curative therapies for SCD requires comparative clinical trials and studies of late effects.
Successful treatment of refractory obsessive-compulsive disorder.

A case study is presented of a 40-year-old man with obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD). He had been treated with long-term institutional placement, electroconvulsive therapy, exhaustive pharmacoth...
Differential expansion microscopy

Abstract Expansion microscopy (ExM) involves the use of hydration-competent polymers to physically expand biological specimens approximately 4-fold linear increase to achieve 70 nanometer resolution using an ordinary diffraction limited optical microscope. Optimal conditions however for antigen retention during the expansion process and the relative expansion between organelles within cells has remained unclear. It is reported that different tissues expand to different extents, suggesting that although isotropic expansion is believed to occur, different subcellular compartments with different composition would undergo anisotropic or differential expansion (DiEx). Consequently, there would be distortion of the native shape and size of subcellular compartments upon expansion, parameters which are critical in assessing cellular states in health and disease. Here we report optimal fixation and expansion conditions that retain structural integrity of cells while exhibiting up to 8-fold linear and therefore 512-fold volumetric expansion. Anisotropic expansion is observed not just between tissues, but between different subcellular compartments and even within subcellular compartments themselves. Combining image analysis and machine learning, we provide an approach for the rapid and precise measurement of cellular and subcellular structures in expanded tissue. Using both manual and computation assessment of morphometric parameters, we demonstrate expansion to be anisotropic and therefore refer to this this method as differential expansion microscopy (DiExM).
THE ERDŐS–SZEKERES PROBLEM AND AN INDUCED RAMSEY QUESTION

Motivated by the Erdős–Szekeres convex polytope conjecture in , we initiate the study of the following induced Ramsey problem for hypergraphs. Given integers , what is the minimum integer such that any -uniform hypergraph on vertices with the property that any set of vertices induces 0, 2, or 4 edges, contains an independent set of size . Our main result shows that , where .
Local Structure of Interfaces in a Kawasaki+Glauber Particle Model

The hydrodynamics of Kawasaki+Glauber particle systems is rather well under stood. With a particular choice of the Glauber rates we can can have a reactive and diffusive behavior with a symmetric double well potential as a reactive potential. In this case we can think of starting off at the top of the hill in infinite volume and look at the spatial patterns that emerges.