cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Astrostatistics in the International Arena

It was not until the last decades of the twentieth century that computing power and memory allowed the development of statistical software that was rigourous enough to entice astronomers to again become interested in statistics. During the 1990s, personal computers allowed estimation of continually sophisticated iterative statistical routines that could be used to understand astronomical data. During this time small groups of astronomers and statisticians joined together developing both collaborations and conferences to discuss statistical methodology. As computers and accompanying software allowed even more complex models to be developed in the first decade of the twenty-first century, astrostatistics was born as a discipline. Although astrostatistics researchers can now employ memory-intensive Bayesian methods to data that was never possible in earlier years, the vast amount of data being collected by the new data-generating technologies will soon obfuscate current statistical and data mining capabilities. Through the formation of an international astrostatistics network or association and the creation of interdisciplinary astrostatistics degree programs throughout the world, astrostatisticians in the future will collaborate to develop the new mathematics and statistics required to handle the huge amounts of data being gathered. It will also solidify astrostatistics as a profession.
Prospects and challenges of CRISPR/Cas genome editing for the study and control of neglected vector‐borne nematode diseases

Neglected tropical diseases caused by parasitic nematodes inflict an immense health and socioeconomic burden throughout much of the developing world. Current estimates indicate that more than two billion people are infected with nematodes, resulting in the loss of 14 million disability-adjusted life years per annum. Although these parasites cause significant mortality, they primarily cause chronic morbidity through a wide range of severe clinical ailments. Treatment options for nematode infections are restricted to a small number of anthelmintic drugs, and the rapid expansion of anthelmintic mass drug administration raises concerns of drug resistance. Preservation of existing drugs is necessary, as well as the development of new treatment options and methods of control. We focus this review on how the democratization of CRISPR/Cas9 genome editing technology can be enlisted to improve our understanding of the biology of nematode parasites and our ability to treat the infections they cause. We will first explore how this robust method of genome manipulation can be used to newly exploit the powerful model nematode Caenorhabditis elegans for parasitology research. We will then discuss potential avenues to develop CRISPR/Cas9 editing protocols in filarial nematodes. Lastly, we will propose potential ways in which CRISPR/Cas9 can be used to engineer gene drives that target the transmission of mosquito-borne filarial nematodes.
Construction of Functional Monomeric Type 2 Isopentenyl Diphosphate:Dimethylallyl Diphosphate Isomerase

Type 2 isopentenyl diphosphate:dimethylallyl diphosphate isomerase (IDI-2) catalyzes the interconversion of isopentenyl diphosphate (IPP) and dimethylallyl diphosphate (DMAPP) in the isoprenoid biosynthetic pathway. The enzyme from Streptomyces pneumoniae (spIDI-2) is a homotetramer in solution with behavior, including a substantial increase in the rate of FMN reduction by NADPH in the presence of IPP, suggesting that substrate binding at one subunit alters the kinetic and binding properties of another. We now report the construction of catalytically active monomeric spIDI-2. The monomeric enzyme contains a single-point mutation (N37A) and a six-residue C-terminal deletion that preserves the secondary structure of the subunits in the wild-type (wt) homotetramer. UV–vis spectra of the enzyme-bound flavin mononucleotide (FMN) cofactor in FMNox, FMNred, and FMNred·IPP/DMAPP states are the same for monomeric and wt homotetrameric spIDI-2. The mutations in monomeric IDI-2 lower the melting temperature of the p...
Stabilizing nonlinear model predictive control scheme based on passivity and dissipativity

Motivated by the passivity-based nonlinear model predictive control approach (NMPC) in [8], a more general stabilizing NMPC strategy based on passivity and dissipativity is proposed in this paper. We consider model discrepancies and show that the supply rate of the nominal model is always in excess of that of the real system under certain parameter conditions. The stabilizing NMPC scheme proposed for the nominal model also guarantees the stability for the real dynamic system. Compared to the time-triggered NMPC scheme, we further explore the event-triggered NMPC scheme, which can preserve dissipativity under discretization. The L2 stability of the system plant is guaranteed with the provided conditions.
On the analysis and design of computer experiments

A computer experiment involves evaluating a deterministic function of several variables. Often a statistical model is used that assumes this function is the sum of a deterministic parametric equation and the realization of a Gaussian stochastic process with mean function equal to zero. The motivation for this approach comes from the automotive industry. Intensive computer experiments are often performed to investigate which levels of factors help make a better car. While the cost of running this program is expensive, the partial derivatives can be produced as a byproduct with little to no extra cost. The introduction outlines the theory and illustrates the concept with a simple example. The standard methodology used for computer experiments uses a type of weighted least squares to estimate the parameters. This method is compared to ordinary least squares and concludes that weighted least squares is usually at least fifty percent more efficient. Interpretation and description of the Gaussian process is done in chapter three. Karhunen-Loeve expansions (both exact and approximate) are used for two popular covariance functions. These are used both to describe the process in terms of the magnitude of the eigenvalues and also to simulate the process using a single sequence of independent standard normal random variables. The maximum likelihood estimator of the covariance is shown to diverge in certain conditions. This essentially disregards the valuable partial derivative information and reverts to an ordinary least squares regression. Conditions where this occurs are identified and a Bayes estimator is developed to handle these situations. These results are illustrated with examples. Finally, the design problem of choosing additional sample locations after an initial set has already been sampled is discussed. A criterion is provided to help answer that question.
Inhibition of Clostridium botulinum in Comminuted Bacon by Short-Chain Alkynoic and Alkenoic Acids and Esters.

Several short-chain alkynoic and aikenoic acids and esters were screened for inhibition of gas production by Clostridium botulinum in cans of comminuted, nitrite-free, temperature-abused bacon. The most active compounds were propiolic (2-propynoic) acid, methyl and ethyl propiolate, 2-propenoic acid, methyl and ethyl propenoate, and mono- and dimethyl and ethyl fumarate. Maleic acid, methylmaleic acid, ethyl maleate, 2-methyl propenoic acid, trans-2-methyl crotonic acid, 3-methyl-2-butenoic acid, 3-methylallyl alcohol, vinyl crotonate, methylmalonic acid, dimethyl glutarate, 2,4-hexadien-1-ol, cis-3-hexenoic acid, 4-pentenoic acid, trans-2-pentenoic acid and ethylidene acetic acid were less active. A more comprehensive study on the inhibition of toxin formation by C. botulinum in comminuted nitrite-free bacon was done by comparing equimolar quantities of some of these compounds with NaNO2 at 120 μg/g and sorbic acid at 9 and 18 mM (0.10 and 0.20%). These studies showed that propiolic acid was more effective than either nitrite or sorbic acid. Compounds in this study less active than nitrite or sorbic acid were 3-methylallyl alcohol, 2,4-hexadien-1-ol, dimethyl glutarate and methylmaleic acid.
The Evolution of Primate Body Size: Left-skewness, Maximum Size, and Cope’s Rule

Body size is a key physiological, ecological, and evolutionary characteristic of species. Within most major clades, body size distributions follow a right-skewed pattern where most species are relatively small while a few are orders of magnitude larger than the median size. Using a novel database of 742 extant and extinct primate species' sizes over the past 66 million years, we find that primates exhibit the opposite pattern: a left-skewed distribution. We investigate the long-term evolution of this distribution, first showing that the initial size radiation is consistent with plesiadapiformes (an extinct group with an uncertain ancestral relationship to primates) being ancestral to modern primates. We calculate the strength of Cope's Rule, showing an initial tendency for descendants to increase in size relative to ancestors until the trend reverses 40 million years ago. We explore when the primate size distribution becomes left-skewed and study correlations between body size patterns and climactic trends, showing that across Old and New World radiations the body size distribution initially exhibits a right-skewed pattern. Left-skewness emerged early in Old World primates in a manner consistent with a previously unidentified possible maximum body size, which may be mechanistically related to primates' encephalization and complex social groups.
Sensitivity of Compressed Spectral Array Displays for Seizures and Other Critical Patterns in Adult Long Term EEG Monitoring (P01.021)

OBJECTIVE: To assess whether displays of the power spectrum over time (compressed spectral array, CSA) of continuous EEG recordings in hospitalized adults can support sensitive screening for seizures, epileptiform abnormalities, and background slowing. BACKGROUND: CSA displays are increasingly used to review long-term monitoring (LTM) EEG recordings. However, the sensitivity of CSA review for seizures and other pathological patterns in adult patients is unknown. We hypothesized that CSA displays can reduce total EEG review burden while identifying nearly all critical findings. DESIGN/METHODS: CSA and raw EEG were reviewed in three stages. (1) After a brief tutorial, two reviewers without CSA experience reviewed 119 LTM EEGs. While blinded to the raw EEG data the reviewers evaluated CSA displays by marking each visually homogeneous CSA segment. (2) One of two experienced electroencephalographers scored each record by reviewing raw EEG data within 60 seconds of each CSA mark and recording any seizures, periodic epileptiform discharges (PEDs), rhythmic delta activity (RDA), focal or generalized slowing, and epileptiform discharges. (3) "Ground truth" detections were established by exhaustive review of all raw EEG data. RESULTS: Within the 40 LTM EEG recordings containing seizures, both CSA reviewers identified at least one seizure in 38 records (95%). There was one EEG containing a single, brief, focal seizure that both reviewers failed to mark. One reviewer also missed one additional focal seizure in another EEG. The combined detection rate for all seizures was 89.0% of 1,192 seizures. Overall detection rates for the presence of other critical findings were: spikes or sharp waves, 94.2% (66/70); PEDs 100% (43/43); RDA, 97% (34/35), focal slowing, 100% (77/77); and generalized slowing, 100% (103/103). CONCLUSIONS: CSA can support sensitive screening of EEG information in LTM EEG recordings. However, some patients with brief focal seizures may not be identified. Supported by: Grants: American Brain Foundation, NIH/NINDS NS062092. Disclosure: Dr. Wahlster has nothing to disclose. Dr. Williamson has nothing to disclose. Dr. Shafi has nothing to disclose. Dr. Westover has received research support from the American Brain Foundation and the NIH/NINDS.
Deuteron Threshold Electrodisintegration

Cross sections for the D(e,e′)pn reaction in the region of the breakup threshold have been measured at the MIT/Bates Linac by a multi-institutional collaboration for 10 < Q2 < 40 fm−2. These measurements extend the previous Saclay data and are in excellent agreement with them in the region of overlap. The present cross sections averaged over 3 MeV from threshold appear to be consistently smaller than recently reported data from SLAC averaged over 10 MeV. None of the measurements shows a minimum in the cross sections for Q2 < 40 fm−2. Some recent potential model calculations appear to be in fair agreement with the data, but the existing calculations based on hybrid quark models appear to be in poor agreement with the data.
The QT interval is associated with incident cardiovascular events: the MESA study.

Abstract Background Prolonged heart rate–corrected QT interval on electrocardiograms (ECGs) is associated with increased risk of myocardial infarction and cardiovascular disease (CVD)–related deaths in patients with prevalent coronary heart disease. Objectives This study sought to examine the prognostic association between the baseline QT interval and incident cardiovascular events in individuals without prior known CVD. Methods The corrected baseline 12-lead ECG QT interval duration (QTcorr) was determined by adjustment for age, sex, race/ethnicity, and RR interval duration in 6,273 participants in MESA (Multi-Ethnic Study of Atherosclerosis). Cox proportional hazards models adjusting for demographic and clinical risk factors were used to examine the association of baseline QTcorr with incident cardiovascular events. Results The mean age at enrollment was 61.7 ± 10 years, and 53.4% of participants were women. Cardiovascular events occurred in 291 participants over a mean follow-up of 8.0 ± 1.7 years. Each 10-ms increase in the baseline QTcorr was associated with incident heart failure (hazard ratio [HR]: 1.25; 95% CI: 1.14 to 1.37), CVD events (HR: 1.12; 95% CI: 1.05 to 1.20), and stroke (HR: 1.19; 95% CI: 1.07 to 1.32) after adjustment for CVD risk factors and potential confounders. There was no evidence of interaction with sex or ethnicity. Conclusions The QT interval was associated with incident cardiovascular events in middle-aged and older adults without prior CVD.
Immunologie: I. Antigene und Antikörper

Antigene (Ag) sind Substanzen, die einer fremden Species appliziert die Bildung von Antikorpern (Ak) bei lebenden Tieren hervorrufen und die spezifisch mit solchen Ak reagieren konnen. Die meisten kompletten Ag sind Proteine, einige jedoch auch Polysaccharide oder Polypeptide. Die meisten Ag sind Makromolekule mit einem Molekulargewicht von uber 10000. Um als Ag wirksam sein zu konnen, mussen die Substanzen durch ein Tier als fremd oder nicht-eigen („not self“) erkannt werden, d. h. allgemein gesehen bilden Tiere keine Ak gegen eigene Proteine.
Simulations of Cortical Prosthetic Vision

Cortical stimulation for restoring vision presents researchers with many challenges and questions. The extent of the human visual cortex varies up to 50% from one individual to another, cortical folding and sulci limit the area of implantation, and surgical difficulties make it difficult to implant electrodes to produce phosphenes in the whole visual space. Researchers are faced with question such as: which electrodes to use – surface electrodes that are easy to implant or intracortical fine-metal electrodes that have lower current requirements and have five times better resolution? How many phosphenes will be enough to give limited, but useful vision? How will cortical physiology affect phosphene maps? Will percepts be distinct dots or complex in nature? What will be the long term response to stimulation? Will the brain adapt to seeing through dotted images? Some of these questions can be answered by conducting human psychophysical tests.
Boundaries of Communication

In the late 1940’s, Claude Shannon of Bell Laboratories developed a mathematical model of information that profoundly altered our basic thinking about communications, and stimulated considerable intellectual activity, both practical and theoretical. This theory, among other things, gives us some fundamental boundaries within which communication can take place. Often we can gain considerable insight by comparing these boundaries with the performance of any digital communication system design.
Characterization of Low Loss Photonic Waveguides Using Arrayed Waveguide Structure

We present a new method of accurately and quickly characterizing waveguide loss using an arrayed waveguide grating (AWG) measured in a swept wavelength interferometer (SWI). By taking the Fourier transform of the interference pattern in the optical frequency domain we are able to accurately extract the waveguide propagation loss which is independent of insertion loss due to on and off chip coupling. This method is applied to a 400 nm × 230 nm silicon waveguide which we find to have a loss of 2.13±0.05 dB/cm. We will also present additional results for waveguide loss as a function of waveguide width.
Applying a Gesture Taxonomy to Introductory Computing Concepts

Gestures, or spontaneous hand movements produced when talking, are an untapped resource for understanding student knowledge in computing education. This paper develops a conceptual framework to support future studies of learning and teaching that incorporate gesture studies in programming contexts. In particular, this paper introduces how gesture has been used to study teaching and learning in another discipline, mathematics; critically reviews and interprets what concepts and methods may be most relevant to programming contexts; and also discusses what unique challenges programming contexts present to studies of gesture (e.g. differences in abstract versus concrete). We ground our understandings of gesture by using an observational study where we observed novice students learning to program. This paper concludes by suggesting potential avenues for future research in computing education that incorporate analyses of gesture in studies of teaching and learning.
Augmented renal clearance

Adding to the complexity of caring for critically ill patients is the fact that many of them have a creatinine clearance that exceeds 130 mL/min/1.73 m2. This phenomenon, termed augmented renal clearance (ARC), has only recently been widely recognized and its pathogenesis remains incompletely understood. However, ARC has been shown to result in increased dose requirements for drugs that are primarily eliminated by renal excretion, including many antimicrobial agents and enoxaparin. Recognition of ARC is hampered by the fact that the standard creatinine-based equations used to estimate renal function are not accurate in this clinical setting and the diagnosis is best established using both serum and urine creatinine measurements to calculate clearance. So a high index of clinical suspicion and awareness is usually required before this step is taken to confirm the diagnosis of ARC.
Little Bites of Big Data for Public Policy by Donald F. Kettl

Kettl, D. F. (2018). Little Bites of Big Data for Public Policy. Washington, DC: CQ Press. $26.00 (paperback), ISBN: 9781506383521
Scalable Proximity-Based Methods for Large-Scale Analysis of Atom Probe Data

Powered by recent advances in data acquisition technologies, today's state-of-the-art atom probe microscopes yield data sets with sizes ranging from a few million atoms to billions of atoms. Analysis of these atomic data sets within rea-sonable turnaround times is a pressing data analysis challenge for material scientists currently equipped with software systems that do not scale to these massive data sets. Here, we present the shared memory component of a larger ongoing effort to develop a multi-feature data analysis framework capable of analyzing atom probe data of all sizes and scales from desktop multicore machines to large-scale high-performance computing platforms with hybrid (shared and distributed memory) architectures. Our focus here is on a broad class of popular atom probe data analysis methods that rely on core time-consuming k-NN queries. We present a scalable, heuristic algorithm for k-NN queries using three-dimensional range trees. To demonstrate its efficacy, the k-NN algorithm is integrated with two use cases of atom probe data analysis methods and the resulting analysis times are shown to speedup by over 20X on a 32-core Cray XC40 node using workloads up to 8 million atoms, which is already beyond the at-scale capabilities of existing atom probe software. Using this k-NN algorithm, we also introduce a novel parameter estimation method for a class of cluster finding methods, called friends-of-friends (FoF) methods, to completely bypass their expensive pre-processing steps. In each case, we validate the results on a variety of control data sets.
Attention in Recurrent Neural Networks for Ransomware Detection

Ransomware, as a specialized form of malicious software, has recently emerged as a major threat in computer security. With an ability to lock out user access to their content, recent ransomware attacks have caused severe impact at an individual and organizational level. While research in malware detection can be adapted directly for ransomware, specific structural properties of ransomware can further improve the quality of detection. In this paper, we adapt the deep learning methods used in malware detection for detecting ransomware from emulation sequences. We present specialized recurrent neural networks for capturing local event patterns in ransomware sequences using the concept of attention mechanisms. We demonstrate the performance of enhanced LSTM models on a sequence dataset derived by the emulation of ransomware executables targeting the Windows environment.
Augmenting Sibling Support with Parent-Sibling Training in Families of Children with Autism.

Background: Typically developing (TD) siblings are an important part of the family system, but may show strained relationships in families of children with ASD.Objective: We augmented a sibling sup...
Abstract 2167: Antibody glycoengineering for drug delivery applications

Antibody-drug conjugates (ADC) hold considerable promise as anticancer agents. A critical determinant of the effectiveness of ADCs is the chemistry that is used to conjugate the payload. Currently used approaches include primarily conjugation to either side-chain amine or carboxylic acid groups or conjugation to thiols. Because these reactions are not site specific and not easily controlled, these chemistries can result in reduced affinity for the target antigen. Further, these conjugation reactions lack selectivity and can result in heterogeneous mixtures of products that differ in the sites and stoichiometry of modification. We investigated a glycoengineering strategy that enables the introduction of artificial azide groups in the antibody without affecting their antigen affinity. This is based on the observation that glycosyltransferases can incorporate non-natural sugars (e.g., azido mannose) at different sites on an IgG molecule. The azide groups in these artificial sugars are then available to react with alkynes through copper-catalyzed ‘click’ chemistry or with strained alkynes such as dibenzyl cyclooctyne (DBCO) allowing for biorthogonal, copper-free ‘click’ chemistry. Because the sugars are added reproducibly and at a site that does not affect antigen binding, the glycoengineering technology would overcome problems associated with traditional conjugation strategies. Using this approach, azide groups were introduced in anti-CD133 and anti-perlecan antibodies. Further, the azide groups were available to react with various DBCO conjugates including fluorophores, drug molecules and nanoparticles. Importantly, the addition of artificial sugar and subsequent azide-alkyne reaction did not affect the affinity of the antibody for the target antigen. Conjugation of a cytotoxin to the antibody resulted in enhanced cell kill in vitro and efficacy in vivo. We plan on further improving the effectiveness of this approach by investigating cleavable linker technology in combination with the glycoengineering strategy. We expect that this strategy will prove to be a unique platform technology that will have a significant impact on antibody-based therapeutics. Citation Format: Drishti Navin Sehgal, Stephen Kalscheuer, Jayanth Panyam. Antibody glycoengineering for drug delivery applications [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the American Association for Cancer Research Annual Meeting 2019; 2019 Mar 29-Apr 3; Atlanta, GA. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2019;79(13 Suppl):Abstract nr 2167.
The Politics of Housing Booms and Busts

Varieties of Residential Capitalism and the Politics of Housing Market Crashes H.M.Schwartz & L.Seabrooke Housing, Global Finance and American Hegemony: Building Conservative Politics One Brick at a Time H.M.Schwartz Constituting Monetary Conservatives via the 'Savings Habit': The Incorporation of the Ongoing British Housing Market Bubble into a System of Asset-Based Welfare M.Watson The Social Consequences of Neoliberalism: The Politics of Property Booms in New Zealand A.Broome The Bubble, Bust and More Boom: The Political Economy of Housing in Norway B.S.Tranoy Housing as Social Right or Means to Wealth? The Fallout of Property Booms in Australia and Denmark J.L.Mortensen & L.Seabrooke Residential Capitalism in Italy and the Netherlands M.B.Aalbers The New Politics of Housing: Lessons from Real Estate Developers and Housing Policies in France and Spain since the 1980s J.Pollard Origins and Consequences of the US Subprime Crisis H.M.Schwartz Conclusion: The Politics and Policy of the Housing Market Crash H.M. Schwartz & L.Seabrooke Notes Index Bibliography
Generic Relationships in Gochnatioideae (Asteraceae) Including Tehuasca, a New Genus from Northeastern Mexico.

Phylogenetic analysis of the Internal and External Transcribed Spacer regions of nuclear ribosomal DNA was used to elucidate the taxonomic limits of the genus Gochnatia and generic relationships in Gochnatioideae. These analyses place Richterago and Cnicothamnus sister to Gochnatia and collectively sister to the discoid genera Anastraphia and Nahuatlea. Gochnatia is monophyletic and has three main clades each corresponding to formal sections of the genus, namely Gochnatia, Moquiniastrum, and Pentaphorus. The recently described genus Nahuatlea was not monophyletic with its species found in a grade of three clades and only one species sister to the Caribbean genus Anastraphia. Nahuatlea magna is sister to Anastraphia and a new genus, Tehuasca, is erected with this species as its type. Tehuasca shares with Anastraphia corollas with glandular trichomes but differs from Anastraphia in having white to yellow corollas, recurved lobes of the corollas and leaf margins without spiny mucros. Tehuasca magna is a native species of northeastern Mexico.
Kidney nonprocurement in solid organ donors in the United States

There are limited data on the nonprocurement of kidneys from solid organ donors. Analysis of Standard Transplant Analysis and Research files was undertaken on all deceased donors in the United States with at least 1 solid organ recovered. From 2000 to 2018, 21 731 deceased donor kidneys (averaging 1144 kidneys per year) were not procured. No kidneys were procured from 8% of liver donors, 3% of heart donors, and 3% of lung donors. Compared to donors with all kidneys procured, those with none procured were older and more likely obese, black, hypertensive, diabetic, hepatitis C positive, smokers, Public Health Service - Increased Risk designated, deceased after cardiac death, or deceased after cerebrovascular accident. Although these donors had lower quality kidneys (median Kidney Donor Risk Index (interquartile range) 1.9 (1.0) vs 1.2 (0.7)), there was substantial overlap in quality between nonprocured and procured kidneys. Nearly one third of nonprocurements were attributed to donor history. Donors with elevated terminal creatinine likely resulting from acute kidney injury (AKI) had higher odds of kidney nonprocurement. Nonprocurement odds varied widely across Organ Procurement and Transplantation Network regions, with a positive correlation between donor kidney nonprocurements and kidney discards at the donation service area level. These findings suggest current discard rates underestimate the underutilization of deceased donor kidneys and more research is needed to optimize safe procurement and utilization of kidneys from donors with AKI.
Rehabilitation Counselor Supervisors’ Perceptions of Counselor Professional Dispositions for Rural Service Delivery:

Professional dispositions are recognized as a fundamental to counselor professional practice, but this construct remains largely undefined. This qualitative study explored the professional disposit...
Mucosal characteristics vary across developmental stages in the small intestine of C57BL/6J mice.

Abstract Aims The benefits of utilizing laboratory mice include low cost, ease of maintenance, and accessibility of molecular tools. However, the ages of experimental mice in the literature vary drastically. We hypothesized that there exists age-related variation in the murine small intestine across developmental stages. Materials and methods Segments of small intestine were harvested from C57BL/6J mice of varying ages (E17 to 24 weeks; n = 3–4/group). Slides were analyzed for morphometric parameters, cell types, and crypt proliferation index (CPI). Secondary analysis comparing age-matched males and females (n = 4/group) was performed. Means were compared with Student's t-test and variance of proportions with the Chi-squared test to a significance of p Key findings There were small but significant differences including regional variation in villus height, which abolished when examining the small intestine as a whole. Sexually immature mice had increased CPI compared to mature animals. The most dramatic differences were seen in mice at weaning, which demonstrated shallower crypts, increased CPI, fewer Paneth and goblet cells, and more enterochromaffin cells. Examination of embryonic intestine revealed an underdeveloped mucosa lacking differentiated cells. There were minimal differences when comparing age-matched males and females. Significance Small, but statistically significant differences in villus height, crypt depth, and crypt proliferation are present in mice across early developmental stages. Mice at weaning exhibit variation in crypt-villus cell composition compared to older animals, which may explain the propensity for certain intestinal conditions in the very young. Investigators studying the GI mucosa should employ consistent age-matching in order to allow direct comparison between studies.
Coffee consumption and risk of heart failure in the Physicians' Health Study

Summary Background Previous studies have reported the benefits of coffee consumption on diabetes, stroke, hyperlipidemia, and coronary artery disease (CAD). However, no large-scale long-term prospective study has evaluated the relation between coffee consumption and heart failure (HF) among US population. Objective To test the hypothesis that coffee consumption is associated with risk of HF among male physicians. Methods We prospectively studied 20,433 middle-aged and older men from the Physicians' Health Study (PHS). Coffee consumption was assessed using a semi-quantitative food frequency questionnaire. The incidence of HF was assessed based on self-reports on annual questionnaires which were validated in a subsample using by review of medical records. We used Cox proportional hazard models to compute the hazard ratios (HR) and corresponding 95% confidence intervals (95% CI). Results The mean (SD) age of men was 66.4 (9.2) years. During a mean follow-up of 9.3 years, 901 new cases of HF were reported. In a multivariable Cox model adjusting for age, alcohol, smoking, and exercise, the HR (95% CI) of HF were 1.00 (reference), 1.04 (0.84–1.28), 0.90 (0.73–1.11), and 1.09 (0.91–1.30) for coffee consumption of almost never, In a secondary analysis, dietary caffeine intake was not associated with HF risk: multivariable adjusted HR (95% CI) were 1.00 (reference), 1.07 (0.87–1.31), 0.95 (0.77–1.18), 1.06 (0.86–1.31), and 1.15 (0.92–1.44) across consecutive quintiles of dietary caffeine (P for linear trend – 0.34). Conclusions We found no association between either coffee consumption or dietary caffeine intake with HF risk among US male physicians.
Near Optimum Selection of Module Configuration for Efficient Modular Construction

Modular construction has received considerable attention in recent years. This has been attributed to its impact on cost and time reduction and improved productivity and quality of constructed facilities. Modular construction can also result in improved safety on construction jobsites and reduced material waste. Most recent work in this field focused cranes selection and location, more suited scheduling methods and issues pertinent to logistics, without due consideration to optimized modules configuration. This paper introduces a newly developed unified modular suitability index to accomplish a near optimum selection of module configuration for efficient modular residential construction. The developed modular suitability index (MSI) utilizes five indices; 1) connections index (CI) that evaluates the module connections using the matrix clustering technique along with the bond energy algorithm, 2) transportation dimensions index (TDI) that accounts for the module dimensions’ effects on transportation, 3) transportation shipping distance index (TSDI) to evaluate the distance between modules fabrication and assembly facility and the project construction site, 4) crane cost penalty index (CCPI) to evaluate the crane cost relevant to the module placing rate, and 5) concrete volume index (CVI) to evaluate the project’s foundation concrete quantities. Calculating the modular suitability index (MSI) provides a unified indicator for the project stakeholders to assess the suitability of different modular configuration and support near optimum modules.
Antiwindup Design Approach to Constrained Primal-Dual Dynamics

Abstract An antiwindup control framework is developed for primal-dual dynamics in convex optimization. The proposed architecture provides for straightforward implementation of the ensuing primal-dual dynamics and for establishing global asymptotic stability using the notion of shifted-passivity with Lyapunov function commonly encountered in antiwindup literature.
Do They Work? Utilizing the "Hoshin Kanri" Process in the Nuclear Medicine Department

1131 Objectives: The Hoshin Kanri model is an effective conceptual tool for increasing efficiency and improving the flow of processes within a department or organization. The Hoshin Kanri model includes five goals or less and helps map out ideas to change, implement, and review. This model has been utilized in various medical department specialties including radiology. However, in nuclear medicine additional unique patient characteristics and working with radiotracers require particularly nuances. Methods: We discuss how we instituted the Hoshin Kanri model to improve processes at our institution specifically in the nuclear medicine department. Results: We discuss methods of how we involved all staff members and ways that we utilize this model in the nuclear medicine department to reduce inefficiencies. For example: 1) Instead of having standing orders of radiotracers on the weekend, we order radiotracers on an as needed basis. 2) Protocols are processed on a RIS website, and are done a week prior to the study so that changes can be made as needed. 3) Patients are called at least twice to remind them about their appointment times. 4) One instead of multiple IT intellispace systems are continuously updated to provide measurement tools for PET/CT. 5) Decreased turnaround times for both inpatient and outpatient studies with more streamlined methods of transport and cleaning equipment. Conclusions: We discuss the utilization of the Hoshin Kanri model. Implementing the Hoshin Kanri model has helped improved processes and reduce waste at our institution’s nuclear medicine department.
Investigating Virus-Host Interactions in Cultured Primary Honey Bee Cells.

Honey bee (Apis mellifera) health is impacted by viral infections at the colony, individual bee, and cellular levels. To investigate honey bee antiviral defense mechanisms at the cellular level we further developed the use of cultured primary cells, derived from either larvae or pupae, and demonstrated that these cells could be infected with a panel of viruses, including common honey bee infecting viruses (i.e., sacbrood virus (SBV) and deformed wing virus (DWV)) and an insect model virus, Flock House virus (FHV). Virus abundances were quantified over the course of infection. The production of infectious virions in cultured honey bee pupal cells was demonstrated by determining that naive cells became infected after the transfer of deformed wing virus or Flock House virus from infected cell cultures. Initial characterization of the honey bee antiviral immune responses at the cellular level indicated that there were virus-specific responses, which included increased expression of bee antiviral protein-1 (GenBank: MF116383) in SBV-infected pupal cells and increased expression of argonaute-2 and dicer-like in FHV-infected hemocytes and pupal cells. Additional studies are required to further elucidate virus-specific honey bee antiviral defense mechanisms. The continued use of cultured primary honey bee cells for studies that involve multiple viruses will address this knowledge gap.
Phase boundary of gas hydrates in single and mixed electrolyte solutions: Using a novel unified equation of state

Abstract The phase boundary of gas hydrates is key to flow assurance, energy recovery, and hydrate-based technologies. In this work, a new thermodynamic model has been proposed for calculating the phase boundary of gas hydrates based on a unified equation of state (EoS) for the non-hydrate phases and the van der Waals-Platteeuw (vdW-P) model for the hydrate phase. A modified Peng-Robinson EoS is employed to describe the interactions between water, gas, and uncharged ions, combining with a simplified explicit mean spherical approximation (MSA) term for the long-range Coulombic forces and the Born terms for the discharging-charging process of ions. A new set of reference properties have been applied and the Kihara parameters in the vdW-P model are optimized by fitting against the measured phase boundary data of hydrates formed in the pure water. The newly developed model has been validated with 734 measured phase boundary data points of pure CH4 and binary CH4-C2H6 and CH4-CO2 hydrates formed in single- and mixed-NaCl, KCl, MgCl2, and CaCl2 solutions as well as in the pure water. It is found that this model is capable of predicting the phase boundary of CH4 hydrates formed in the 1–1 electrolyte solutions (NaCl-KCl) with the average absolute relative deviation (AARD) of 3.7%. The AARD of CH4 hydrates formed in the 2–1 electrolyte solutions (MgCl2-CaCl2) is 4.2%, which is greater than that for the 1–1 electrolytes. This is acceptable given the fact that none of the ion-associated parameters have been optimized in this work. The calculated phase boundary of pure CH4 hydrate formed in mixed-electrolyte solutions deviates from the measured ones only by 2.8%. The AARD of the binary hydrates (CH4-CO2 and CH4-C2H6) formed in single- and mixed-electrolyte solutions is 3.5%. This model can also be reduced to calculate the hydrate phase boundary in pure water. The AARD of the CH4-CO2 hydrates formed in pure water is determined as 3.0%. The overall AARD of these 734 data points predicted by this newly developed model is 3.4%, which proves the capability of the newly developed model in predicting the phase boundary of hydrates in multi-component systems. It is also presented that this unified EoS is reliable to determine the gas solubility in aqueous phase with and without electrolytes.
Sign Support Structures Tested by means of Guided Waves

In the last few years the use of guided ultrasonic waves (GUWs) for the health monitoring of engineering structures increased rapidly, with the most recent studies focusing on the application of GUWs to complex structures or to simple structures under varying environmental conditions. Monitoring complex structures is challenging as reflections, scattering, and mode conversion arise. In addition, sensitivity to temperature and surface wetting can degrade the performance of a GUW-based structural health monitoring system. This paper presents the results of an experimental investigation where GUWs were used for the health monitoring of a truss, that was part of a highway variable message structure removed from service. The monitoring strategy proposed here combines the advantages of GUWs with the extraction of defect-sensitive features to perform a multivariate diagnosis of damage. The effectiveness of the proposed approach was tested by monitoring the propagation of waves along one of the main chords of the truss and detecting the presence of two artificial cracks located around the welds that join two diagonal angular members to the chord.
Bacterial Proteins Involved in Antimicrobial Drug Resistance

Antimicrobial drug resistance is a predictable response to the use of antibiotics. Among clinical isolates, this response most often involves the production of a drug-inactivating enzyme. Such enzymes have severely limited the clinical usefulness of many antimicrobial agents. Furthermore, their appearance and spread among microbial populations often reflect use and misuse of various antimicrobial agents. For example, the spread of chloramphenicol acetyltransferase among strains of Salmonella typhi worldwide has caused many problems for the treatment of typhoid fever. Dissemination of this enzyme among Haemophilus influenzae and Bacteroides fragilis in the future could pose many new therapeutic problems. A variety of aminoglycoside inactivating enzymes affecting one or many members of this drug class have evolved. The prevalence of resistance to specific aminoglycosides varies widely from country to country and reflects not only aminoglycoside utilization patterns but also the prevalence of specific genes encoding the various inactivating enzymes. For β-lactam drugs, the β-lactamases are by far the most common mechanism of resistance encountered among clinical isolates. These enzymes comprise a diverse family of serine proteases, and their dissemination among both gram-positive and gram-negative bacteria has greatly influenced the efficacy of β-lactam drugs. All in all, an understanding and appreciation of these inactivating enzymes is essential for new drug design.
Concentrated flow erodibility for physically based erosion models: Temporal variability in disturbed and undisturbed rangelands

[1] Current physically based overland flow erosion models for rangeland application do not separate disturbed and undisturbed conditions in modeling concentrated flow erosion. In this study, concentrated flow simulations on disturbed and undisturbed rangelands were used to estimate the erodibility and to evaluate the performance of linear and power law equations that describe the relationship between erosion rate and several hydraulic parameters. None of the hydraulic parameters consistently predicted the detachment capacity well for all sites, however, stream power performed better than most of other hydraulic parameters. Using power law functions did not improve the detachment relation with respect to that of the linear function. Concentrated flow erodibility increased significantly when a site was exposed to a disturbance such as fire or tree encroachment into sagebrush steppe. This study showed that burning increases erosion by amplifying the erosive power of overland flow through removing obstacles and by changing the soil properties affecting erodibility itself. However, the magnitude of fire impact varied among sites due to inherent differences in site characteristics and variability in burn severity. In most cases we observed concentrated flow erodibility had a high value at overland flow initiation and then started to decline with time due to reduction of sediment availability. Thus we developed an empirical function to predict erodibility variation within a runoff event as a function of cumulative unit discharge. Empirical equations were also developed to predict erodibility variation with time postdisturbance as a function of readily available vegetation cover and surface soil texture data.
Approximation in time dependent multiple objective path planning

The authors present a new method for approximating the set of nondominated paths in a dynamic network with vector costs that are monotone increasing step functions of time. The method includes solving a sequence of constant cost dynamic programming problems. Two path planning examples are provided. A comparison of the method of approximation with other algorithms is given. >
Multivariable diesel low-pressure EGR controller designed by input-output linearization

A multivariable low-pressure (LP) exhaust gas recirculation (EGR) controller that simultaneously regulates the LP-EGR mass flow rate and differential pressure using a LP-EGR valve and a LP-intake throttle was designed by input-output linearization plus proportional-integral (PI) control. The controller includes a PI limitation strategy that prioritizes tracking the flow-rate setpoint over the differential-pressure setpoint if either one of the two actuators saturates. A consequence of the limitation strategy is that setting the differential-pressure setpoint unachievably low, e.g. zero, forces the multivariable controller to operate as a single-input two-output (SITO) controller that tracks the LP-EGR flow-rate setpoint while using the LP-EGR valve and throttle as a single chained actuator. Two cases—one with the multivariable controller and a second with the SITO chained-actuator controller—were experimentally compared in a 6.7-liter diesel medium-duty truck. The multivariable controller achieved a lower 2-norm control error and required less actuator movement than the chained-actuator controller, while the chained-actuator controller minimized the differential pressure necessary to achieve the desired LP-EGR flow rate.
Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Sexual-Orientation Questioning Adolescents Seeking Mental Health Services: Risk Factors, Worries, and Desire to Talk About Them

Summary Lesbian, gay, bisexual, and sexual-orientation questioning (LGBQ) adolescents have many of the same health needs as straight adolescents. In addition, they must learn to manage a stigmatized identity that may create confusion, anxiety, and emotional turbulence for them. Beyond stigma, LGBQ youth are often found to be at higher risk for substance abuse, violence, depression, suicide, and sexual health problems. Based on responses given by urban adolescents seeking mental health services to a clinical self-assessment questionnaire (Adquest), this article examines the relationship between sexual identity and risk factors related to safety, health, sex, substance use, family and friends, worries, and their desire to talk about these in counseling. Findings indicate that LGBQ youth are at higher risk than straights, and express greater desire to talk about substance use, health, their personal lives, and their friends. Mental health practitioners working with these young persons must properly assess an...