cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Male parental care, female choice and the effect of an audience in vervet monkeys

The parental behaviour of male vervet monkeys, Cercopithecus aethiops, was examined to determine whether (1) females respond to the parental behaviour of males and (2) males vary the amount of parental care they provide depending upon the presence of the infant's mother. Eleven males and 11 infants from four groups were observed under dyadic conditions in which the male could or could not see the infant's mother. Males, particularly subordinate males, altered their rates of affiliative and agonistic behaviour towards infants depending upon the perceived presence or absence of the infant's mother. Females varied their affiliative and agonistic behaviour towards males depending upon male dominance status, and the male's behaviour towards the infant.
Emergent cooperation in multi-agent deliberative planning

The author presents preliminary results obtained in the course of developing a research prototype of a multi-agent planning system. He focuses on the planning system's ability to detect, without relying on scripts desired in advance by domain experts. It would place an intolerable burden on domain experts to ask them to specify in advance all patterns of plansteps where cooperation would occur. In order to reason about opportunities for cooperation, the classical concepts of precondition and postcondition are supplemented with the concept of conditions which persist over finite intervals of time. The main preliminary result is that it appears to be significantly simpler and more natural in a multi-agent planner to maintain explicit representations of the intervals of time over which activities persist rather than to represent such activities by discrete time points. >
CloudCast: Cloud computing for short-term mobile weather forecasts

Since today's weather forecasts only cover large regions every few hours, their use in severe weather is limited. In this paper, we present CloudCast, an application that provides short-term weather forecasts depending on users current location. Since severe weather is rare, CloudCast leverages pay-as-you-go cloud platforms to eliminate dedicated computing infrastructure. CloudCast has two components: 1) an architecture linking weather radars to cloud resources, and 2) a Nowcasting algorithm for generating accurate short-term weather forecasts. We study CloudCast's design space, which requires significant data staging to the cloud. Our results indicate that serial transfers achieve tolerable throughput, while parallel transfers represent a bottleneck for real-time mobile Nowcasting. We also analyze forecast accuracy and show high accuracy for ten minutes in the future. Finally, we execute CloudCast live using an on-campus radar, and show that it delivers a 15-minute Nowcast to a mobile client in less than 2 minutes after data sampling started.
A fast parallel algorithm for the Poisson equation on a disk

A parallel algorithm for solving the Poisson equation with either Dirichlet or Neumann conditions is presented. The solver follows some of the principles introduced in a previous fast algorithm for evaluating singular integral transforms by Daripa et al. Here we present recursive relations in Fourier space together with fast Fourier transforms which lead to a fast and accurate algorithm for solving Poisson problems within a unit disk. The algorithm is highly parallelizable and our implementation is virtually architecture-independent. Theoretical estimates show good parallel scalability of the algorithm, and numerical results show the accuracy of the method for problems with sharp variations on inhomogeneous term. Finally, performance results for sequential and parallel implementations are presented. c ∞ 2001 Academic Press
Slowly progressive optic neuritis

Contemporary ophthalmologists caution against accepting a diagnosis of 'chronic optic neuritis' because of the possibility of overlooking a potentially curable expanding lesion compressing one or both optic nerves. We describe seven patients who experienced insidious onset of progressive monocular or binocular visual loss that we diagnosed as demyelinating optic neuritis after appropriate evaluation and follow-up. Several of these patients had time-varying visual symptoms, such as visual fatigue. statokinetic dissociation and temperature-dependent visual loss; all had reduced sensitivity to sinusoidal contrast. We suggest that awareness that demyelinating optic neuritis may present insidiously combined with increasingly accurate radiography should further reduce the occasional indications for diagnostic surgical exploration of the region of the optic nerve.
Motor/generator controller design for the COMET flywheel

This work describes the process of designing and implementing a controller for a permanent magnet synchronous motor/generator to be used to demonstrate the momentum and energy transfer capabilities of a new flywheel system. Selection of the motor/generator controller algorithm and architecture is discussed. Typical real-time system, hardware, and software design considerations are also presented.
Size-based variation in antipredator behavior within a snake (Agkistrodon piscivorus) population

Variation in an animal’s response to a predator likely reflects the complex interaction of factors that influence predation risk. Due to their high degree of behavioral variation and simplified bauplan, snakes offer a unique model for investigating the influence of sex and body size on antipredator behavior. We examined variation in antipredator behavior within a cottonmouth (Agkistrodon piscivorus leucostoma) population. Behavioral responses to human-induced predation risk were compared across a continuous scale of body size. Defensive responses significantly declined with increasing body size. After controlling for body size, no differences between the sexes were detected. Although this study suggests that variation in antipredator behavior is, in part, related to body size, some studies on snakes have not found this relationship. Likewise, some studies have demonstrated differences between sexes. Such disparate patterns of variation indicate a need for future comparative studies examining the complex interaction of factors that may influence predator–prey relationships. Key words: Agkistrodon piscivorus leucostoma, antipredator behavior, body size, cottonmouth, intraspecific variation, snakes. [Behav Ecol 15:365–370 (2004)]
Effects of Calcium and Vitamin D on MLH1 and MSH2 Expression in Rectal Mucosa of Sporadic Colorectal Adenoma Patients

To further clarify and develop calcium and vitamin D as chemopreventive agents against colorectal cancer in humans and develop modifiable biomarkers of risk for colorectal cancer, we conducted a pilot, randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, 2 x 2 factorial clinical trial to test the effects of calcium and vitamin D(3), alone and in combination, on key DNA mismatch repair proteins in the normal colorectal mucosa. Ninety-two men and women with at least one pathology-confirmed colorectal adenoma were treated with 2.0 g/d calcium or 800 IU/d vitamin D(3), alone or in combination, versus placebo over 6 months. Colorectal crypt overall expression and distribution of MSH2 and MLH1 proteins in biopsies of normal-appearing rectal mucosa were detected by automated immunohistochemistry and quantified by image analysis. After 6 months of treatment, MSH2 expression along the full lengths of crypts increased by 61% (P = 0.11) and 30% (P = 0.36) in the vitamin D and calcium groups, respectively, relative to the placebo group. The estimated calcium and vitamin D treatment effects were more pronounced in the upper 40% of crypts (differentiation zone) in which MSH2 expression increased by 169% (P = 0.04) and 107% (P = 0.13) in the vitamin D and calcium groups, respectively. These findings suggest that higher calcium and vitamin D intakes may result in increased DNA MMR system activity in the normal colorectal mucosa of sporadic adenoma patients and that the strongest effects may be vitamin D related and in the differentiation zone of the colorectal crypt.
Effect of antigonadotrophic serum on recent intrasplenic ovarian implants of castrate mice.

IF TECHNICAL error is excluded, tumors appear with consistent regularity in the laboratory rodent ovary when it is transplanted to the spleen of a castrate animal. This frequently confirmed response was first recorded by Biskind and Biskind (1), who suggested that tumors arise in ovaries transplanted to the spleen as a result of excessive and continuous gonadotrophic stimulation. In their opinion, enhanced gonadotrophic secretion follows hepatic inactivation of gonadal steroids which must pass through the liver en route to the general circulation from the ovarian implant in the spleen. The ensuing loss of the well-known inhibiting effect of ovarian hormones on the gonadotrophic secretions of the pituitary gland leads to exposure of the intrasplenic grafts to heightened gonadotrophic stimulation which eventually terminates in tumor formation. Support for the postulation of Biskind and Biskind has been derived from widely different experimental approaches. The literature has been summarized (3, 6, 7, 8).
Overnight High Dose Dexamethasone Suppression Test—8 mg

This test is performed to help differentiate Cushing’s disease from ectopic ACTH syndrome (EAS) in patients with ACTH (adrenocorticotrophic hormone)-dependent Cushing’s syndrome.It is also performed to help differentiate Cushing’s disease from adrenal Cushing’s in patients with low normal plasma ACTH levels.
NITROGEN CYCLING MEDIATED BY BIOLOGICAL SOIL CRUSTS AND ARBUSCULAR MYCORRHIZAL FUNGI

Plants in terrestrial systems obtain nitrogen primarily by root uptake from soil, yet current models of ecosystem nitrogen cycling assume little interaction of plant roots with the soil microbial community. The objective of this study was to determine how soil microorganisms in biological soil crusts interact with herbaceous plants for nitrogen in a pyrogenic ecosystem in Florida (USA), using a combination of natural abundance and tracer isotope methods. I demonstrate that plant nitrogen is strongly affected by interactions with mycorrhizal fungi and biological soil crusts. Measurements of nitrogenase activity indicated a high capacity of crusts to fix nitrogen that dramatically decreased after disturbance. Natural abundance of δ15N differed between arbuscular mycorrhizal and nonmycorrhizal herbs. When a small amount of enriched nitrogen was used as a tracer, crusts initially captured a greater amount of the 15N that was added compared to plants, with some turnover of nitrogen from the crusts to plants ob...
THE WOODCOCK-JOHNSON TESTS OF COGNITIVE ABILITY: CONCURRENT VALIDITY WITH THE WISC-R

The Woodcock-Johnson Psycho-Educational Battery (WJ) is gaining in use in the assessment of youngsters with suspected learning disabilities. This study reports on the Tests of Cognitive Ability of the battery, which are intended to be the equivalent of an intelligence test. The correlation between full scale scores on the WISC-R and the WJ was found to be .79, suggesting considerable overlap. However, differences in mean full scale scores of approximately one standard deviation were found. Possible explanations and implications for the findings are discussed.
An improved model-based matching method using footprints

A method for recognition of partially occluded and overlapping objects in composite scenes is presented. The objects to be recognized belong to a large database of model objects which are known in advance. A geometric hashing technique which is an improvement of a previous technique due to J.T. Schwartz and M. Sharir (1987) is proposed. The algorithm's complexity is linear in the number of sample points on the boundary of the composite scene. Experimental results from large databases are presented, including results that could not be obtained by the previous technique. >
Conditional reasoning and causation.

An experiment was conducted to investigate the relative contributions of syntactic form and content to conditional reasoning. The content domain chosen was that of causation. Conditional statements that described causal relationships (if 〈cause〉, then (〈effect〉) were embedded in simple arguments whose entailments are governed by the rules -of truth-functional logic (i.e.,modus ponens, modus tollens, denying the antecedent, andaffirming the consequent). The causal statements differed in terms of the number of alternative causes and disabling conditions that characterized the causal relationship. (A disabling condition is an event that prevents an effect from occurring even though a relevant cause is present.) Subjects were required to judge whether or not each argument’s conclusion could be accepted. Judgments were found to vary systematically with the number of alternative causes and disabling conditions. Conclusions of arguments based on conditionals with few alternative causes or disabling conditions were found to be more accept-able than conclusions based on those with many.
A metric and frameworks for resilience analysis of engineered and infrastructure systems

Abstract In this paper, we have reviewed various approaches to defining resilience and the assessment of resilience. We have seen that while resilience is a useful concept, its diversity in usage complicates its interpretation and measurement. In this paper, we have proposed a resilience analysis framework and a metric for measuring resilience. Our analysis framework consists of system identification, resilience objective setting, vulnerability analysis, and stakeholder engagement. The implementation of this framework is focused on the achievement of three resilience capacities: adaptive capacity, absorptive capacity, and recoverability. These three capacities also form the basis of our proposed resilience factor and uncertainty-weighted resilience metric. We have also identified two important unresolved discussions emerging in the literature: the idea of resilience as an epistemological versus inherent property of the system, and design for ecological versus engineered resilience in socio-technical systems. While we have not resolved this tension, we have shown that our framework and metric promote the development of methodologies for investigating “deep” uncertainties in resilience assessment while retaining the use of probability for expressing uncertainties about highly uncertain, unforeseeable, or unknowable hazards in design and management activities.
Integrated Project Delivery at Autodesk, Inc. (A)

Describes Autodesk's engagement in Integrated Project Delivery - a new model of risk management, inter-firm teamwork, and multi-objective (aesthetic, cost, and sustainability) optimization in building projects. In 2008, Autodesk, Inc. the world's largest design software company, decided to engage in Integrated Project Delivery (IPD) for the design and construction of its new Architecture, Engineering and Construction Solutions (AECS) Group headquarters, near Boston. Under IPD, the project's architect, builder, and client (Autodesk) entered a contractual agreement to share all project risks and profits. During the project, however, Autodesk was unsatisfied with the design progress, and asked the project team to introduce a three-story atrium in the headquarters' design. Logistically, it was not a good time to make changes as the team had already made significant design progress. The team was also working under a tight budget and delivery deadline. However, the aesthetics would appear to be greatly improved by changing the design. The project's architect and builder had to decide whether accommodating the atrium into the current schedule and work sequencing was an acceptable risk.
Billet temperature soft sensor model of reheating furnace based on RVM method

Billet temperature soft sensor model is always necessary because of lack of accurate online instrument. In this paper, a new soft sensor modeling method is proposed to predict the billet temperature of reheating furnace based on relevance vector machine (RVM). The proposed method has sparser solutions and better model generalization ability, while the uncertainty of model forecast can be given. The prediction model between billet temperature variable and process variable is established by using actual data from a steel plant. The simulation results show that the proposed method has higher prediction accuracy, and a certain practical significance to the on-site production of reheating furnace.
Role of Vorticity in Generation of Pressure Sources and its Implication for Maintenance of Turbulence

The Poisson equation for pressure, together with the evolutions equations for the velocity gradients, reveals the role of vorticity in generation of pressure sources. Specifically, it was shown how a pressure field created by a local source, acting on nearby vorticity, would create new pressure sources. It was further es- tablished that a moving pressure field, which moves with the velocity of its source, but extends well beyond the source location, could lead to generation of fast and slow streaks as wells as contribute to formation of flow structures in the wall region. These processes, which are part of central mechanisms of maintenance of turbulence, suggest that turbulence could be self-sustaining only if the perturbation pressure force could overcome the diffusion effects; the value of friction Reynolds number reflects the balance between the two.
The effect of topical tetracaine eye drops on emergence behavior and pain relief after strabismus surgery.

Introduction Pediatric strabismus surgery may be associated with postoperative nausea, vomiting, and emergence agitation (restlessness, thrashing, crying, moaning, disorientation). We hypothesize that emergence agitation after strabismus surgery is in part related to pain and that topical tetracaine ophthalmic drops can decrease the intensity and incidence of postoperative pain and emergence agitation. Methods Eighty-eight subjects aged 1 to 12 years scheduled for strabismus surgery were enrolled in a double-masked randomized control trial. The patients were randomized to one of three groups: Group A received normal saline drops before and after surgery; Group B received normal saline drops before and tetracaine 1% drops after surgery; Group C received tetracaine 1% drops before and after surgery. An observer masked to group assignment assessed each patient in the postanesthesia care unit (PACU) using both a behavior scale and a modified behavioral pain scale. Results Patients in Group A were found to be in significantly more pain than Groups B or C at 5 minutes after arrival to the PACU ( p p p p Conclusions Postoperative strabismus surgery pain was improved by the use of preoperative, and pre- and postoperative, tetracaine drops. Emergence agitation was not fully evaluated by the behavioral scale, and therefore, the effect of tetracaine drops on emergence agitation was not clarified. This study suggests that tetracaine drops can lead to a less stressful early postoperative experience for the patient.
Diversity of entomopathogens Fungi: Which groups conquered the insect body?

The entomopathogenic Fungi comprise a wide range of ecologically diverse species. This group of parasites can be found distributed among all fungal phyla and as well as among the ecologically similar but phylogenetically distinct Oomycetes or water molds, that belong to a different kingdom (Stramenopila). As a group, the entomopathogenic fungi and water molds parasitize a wide range of insect hosts from aquatic larvae in streams to adult insects of high canopy tropical forests. Their hosts are spread among 18 orders of insects, in all developmental stages such as: eggs, larvae, pupae, nymphs and adults exhibiting completely different ecologies. Such assortment of niches has resulted in these parasites evolving a considerable morphological diversity, resulting in enormous biodiversity, much of which remains unknown. Here we gather together a huge amount of records of these entomopathogens to comparing and describe both their morphologies and ecological traits. These findings highlight a wide range of adaptations that evolved following the evolutionary transition to infecting the most diverse and widespread animals on Earth, the insects.
Ice Formation in Gas-Diffusion Layers

Under sub-freezing conditions, ice forms in the gas-diffusion layer (GDL) of a proton exchange membrane fuel cell (PEMFC) drastically reducing cell performance. Although a number of strategies exist to prevent ice formation, there is little fundamental understanding of the mechanisms of freezing within PEMFC components. Differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) is used to elucidate the effects of hydrophobicity (Teflon® loading) and water saturation on the rate of ice formation within three commercial GDLs. We find that as the Teflon® loading increases, the crystallization temperature decreases due to a change in internal ice/substrate contact angle, as well as the attainable level of water saturation. Classical nucleation theory predicts the correct trend in freezing temperature with Teflon® loading.
An Exploration of Attitudes on Sexuality at a Northeastern Urban University

This study was conducted to assess the prevalence of scores on homophobia among 104 college students at a northeastern urban university. Participants reported their attitudes regarding homosexuals and homosexual behavior on Hudson and Rickett's Index of Homophobia. The 33 men indicated more negative attitudes about homosexuals and homosexual situations than the 71 women.
The Charleston, Missouri Earthquake of October 31, 1895

The effects of the 6.2 m b (Lg) magnitude Charleston, MO earthquake of October 31, 1895 are presented and discussed with respect to seismic hazard mitigation in central United States, and the likelihood that some of the states in the region will be adopting changes in their building codes to include seismic loading. Foundations of thick localized deposits of Holocene alluvium, found in the major river valleys, may play a significant role in the character of the ground motions. The seismic response of such foundation conditions needs to be thoroughly documented, if the benefits and cost-effectiveness of the future building codes are to be maximized.
Studies on a Serum Substitute for Mammalian Cells in Culture I. Biological Efficacy of Whole and Fractionated Peptone Dialysate

SummaryA biological titration of whole peptone dialysate (PD) demonstrated a broad concentration range over which large cell populations were obtained. Sephadex G-10 chromatography of PD resulted in six UV-absorbing fractions, three of which were recovered in sufficient quantities for biological analysis. Fractions G-10(I) and G-10(II) supported proliferation and survival, whereas fraction G-10(III) maintained cell populations at their seed inoculum level. Greater cell populations were observed in cultures supplemented with fraction G-10(II) than in those to which fraction G-10(I) was added.
Probing the low-temperature water-gas shift activity of alkali-promoted platinum catalysts stabilized on carbon supports.

We report on the direct promotional effect of sodium on the water–gas shift activity of platinum supported on oxygen-free multiwalled carbon nanotubes. Whereas the Na-free Pt catalysts are shown to be completely inactive, the addition of sodium is found to improve the water–gas shift activity to levels comparable to those obtained with highly active Pt catalysts on metal oxide supports. The structure and morphology of the catalyst surface was followed using aberration-corrected HAADF-STEM, which showed that atomically dispersed platinum species are stabilized by the addition of sodium. In situ atmospheric-pressure X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (AP-XPS) experiments demonstrated that oxidized platinum Pt–OHx contributions in the Pt 4f signal are higher in the presence of sodium, providing evidence for a previously reported active-site structure of the form Pt–Nax–Oy–(OH)z. Pt remained oxidized in all redox experiments, even when a H2-rich gas mixture was used, but the extent of its oxidation followed the...
A Rare Case of Embolic ST-Elevation Myocardial Infarction in an Adult Patient With Repaired Hypoplastic Left Heart Syndrome

A 24-year-old male with past medical history of hypoplastic left heart syndrome and staged reconstructive surgery in infancy culminating in the Fontan circulation presented to the hospital with a chief complaint of chest pain described as an "elephant sitting" on his chest. Initial 12-lead electrocardiogram revealed 2-mm ST segment elevation in inferior leads, 3-mm ST-segment elevation in anterolateral precordial leads V3 and V4, and 2-mm ST-segment elevation in V5 and V6, with right axis deviation. He was transported emergently to the cardiac catheterization laboratory where coronary angiography revealed complete occlusion of multiple anomalous branches of the right coronary system with hazy appearance suggesting the presence of thrombotic material. An aspiration catheter was used successfully to reestablish TIMI grade III flow. The patient was treated with aspirin, brilinta (ticagrelor), and anticoagulation with vitamin K antagonism to prevent recurrent thromboembolic complications.
What Is the Role of Group Dynamics in Group Prevention

Understanding group process is essential for effective group prevention, but it is impossible to understand group process until we understand the dynamics of the group. “Group process” refers to the actions or interpersonal workings of the group. The patterns of interaction, the growth of cohesion, and the means by which conflicts are resolved all work together to make up group process. The dynamics of the group comprise the interrelationships, personalities, and life experiences that you have to work with—the people. This chapter explains the intricacies of working with others in a group. We will also discuss the similarities and differences between therapy groups and prevention groups as they relate to group dynamics. The training session at the end of the chapter presents two group problems and shows how these problems can be resolved.
Metacognition in the classroom: The association between students' exam predictions and their desired grades.

Abstract Students are overconfident when making grade predictions, and worse, the lowest-performing students are generally the most overconfident. Because metacognitive accuracy is associated with academic performance, multiple studies have attempted to improve metacognitive accuracy with mixed results. However, these studies may be of limited use because we do not understand the types of information university students use to make performance predictions. The current studies examined the possibility that university students’ predictions are associated with their desires—the grade they want to receive. Studies 1–4 demonstrated that students’ desired grades were strongly associated with their grade predictions across different courses, universities, and measurement strategies. Study 4 also showed that, if warned about the previous results, students could reduce their reliance on their desired grades and improve the accuracy of their predictions relative to control. Together, results demonstrated that students’ exam predictions are associated with their desired grades.
Exploring Concepts of Operations for On-Demand Passenger Air Transportation

In recent years, a surge of interest in "flying cars" for city commutes has led to rapid development of new technologies to help make them and similar on-demand mobility platforms a reality. To this end, this paper provides analyses of the stakeholders involved, their proposed operational concepts, and the hazards and regulations that must be addressed. Three system architectures emerged from the analyses, ranging from conventional air taxi to revolutionary fully autonomous aircraft operations, each with vehicle safety functions allocated differently between humans and machines. Advancements for enabling technologies such as distributed electric propulsion and artificial intelligence have had major investments and initial experimental success, but may be some years away from being deployed for on-demand passenger air transportation at scale.
Cost Analysis, Complications, and Discharge Disposition Associated With Simultaneous vs Staged Bilateral Total Knee Arthroplasty.

Abstract Background Simultaneous vs staged bilateral total knee arthroplasty (BTKA) has long been debated. The primary objective of this study was to compare actual hospital costs and complication rates in patients undergoing simultaneous BTKA (simBTKA) and staged BTKA (staBTKA) at a single institution. Methods A total joint arthroplasty database from a single hospital was used to identify all patients who underwent primary BTKA from 2013 to 2016 and divided into simultaneous and staged groups. StaBTKA patients were included if both procedures were performed within 1 year by the same surgeon. The combined total hospital cost of both procedures was used, and inpatient rehabilitation (IPR) costs were added for all patients discharged to IPR. Results There were 225 simBTKA and 337 staBTKA patients. SimBTKA patients were younger (61 ± 8 vs 66 ± 8 years, P P P = .029), and more likely to require IPR as compared with staBTKA patients. There was no difference in total hospital cost for simBTKA as compared with staBTKA ($24,596 ± $5652 vs $24,915 ± $5756, P = .586). Complications were more prevalent in the simBTKA group, including venous thromboembolism (5.4% vs 1.4%, P = .006) and blood transfusions (15.8% vs 6.2%, P Conclusion There were higher complication rates with no significant cost savings in actual hospital costs associated with simBTKA, when accounting for the cost of IPR, as compared with staBTKA. The total cost analysis of simBTKA vs staBTKA, using actual cost data, merits further evaluation.
Expanding the Scope of Sortase-Mediated Ligations by Using Sortase Homologues.

Sortase-catalyzed transacylation reactions are widely used for the construction of non-natural protein derivatives. However, the most commonly used enzyme for these strategies (sortase A from Staphylococcus aureus) is limited by its narrow substrate scope. To expand the range of substrates compatible with sortase-mediated reactions, we have characterized the in vitro substrate preferences of eight sortase A homologs. From these studies, we identified sortase A enzymes that recognize multiple substrates which are unreactive toward sortase A from S. aureus. We further exploited the ability of sortase A from Streptococcus pneumoniae to recognize an LPATS substrate to perform a site-specific modification of the N-terminal Ser residue in the naturally occurring antimicrobial peptide DCD-1L. Finally, we also unexpectedly observed that certain substrates (LPATXG, X = Nle, L, F, Y) are susceptible to transacylation at alternate sites within the substrate motif, and sortase A from S. pneumoniae is capable of forming oligomers. Overall, this work provides a foundation for the further development of sortase enzymes for use in protein modification.
Inequality and Violence

The Sociology of Conflict and Violence demonstrates the links between capitalism and three main forms of violence in the US: structural, organizational, and interpersonal. Violence is defined as acts, intentional or not, that result in physical harm to another person or persons. Health and safety data and militarism are discussed to show that harm resulting from social structure and from organizational decisions is greater than the harm resulting from interpersonal violence. High levels of economic inequality are linked to high levels of political inequality leading to the three types of violence. Our thinking about violence is manipulated to stress interpersonal violence, while other types are often ignored. Violence associated with race/ethnicity and gender inequality can also be tied to social structure. A discussion of non-violent conflict resolution concludes my discussion, stressing the importance of social movements and the sociological variables that, sometimes, make non-violent movements successful.
On and Off Screen: The Cinema and Media Studies Minor at Valparaiso University

Tomasik examines the curricular design of the interdisciplinary minor in Cinema and Media Studies (CMS) at Valparaiso University. In the context of other New American Colleges and Universities (NAC&U) institutions, Valparaiso’s CMS minor stands out in its insistence on both the critical and production sides of cinema studies. Early discussions of the minor highlighted the integrated study of both product and production as a defining feature of CMS. The minor focuses on a complicated art form that mixes a variety of media, both images and sound. Cinema studies also reflect trends in web-based interfaces that increasingly rely on video instead of text. The CMS minor thus channels the traditional critical modes of the liberal arts while engaging topical questions about the modern world and encouraging experiential learning through practical application.
The Essential OpenMP

Abstract OpenMP is among the most widely used parallel programming application programming interfaces (APIs) and is largely directive based, making it one of the most accessible parallel programming APIs available. OpenMP targets shared-memory architectures and is limited in scalability to hardware system architectures providing near uniform memory access to shared memory. OpenMP supports the fork–join model of parallel computing where at particular points in the execution the master thread spawns a number of threads that are executed concurrently to gain a performance benefit. Furthermore, OpenMP is a shared-memory model allowing direct access to global variables by all threads of a user process. This chapter explores some of the essential features of OpenMP and introduces basic OpenMP semantics.
Software-defined network and cloud-edge collaboration for smart and connected vehicles

Smart and connected communities are envisioned to include millions of sensors and devices tied together through the Internet. This has ushered the demand to investigate intensive communication and computing solutions for their realization to facilitate human life. Connected vehicles can be considered as a significant realm of the smart and connected communities. This paper presents the importance and challenges of Software-Defined Networks (SDN) for providing better network management in smart and connected vehicles. We also describe the significance and challenges in embracing cloud, edge and fog computing for processing enormous amount of data generated from the network of interconnected vehicles. Further, a portrayal of some of the open research issues for better realization of the connected world is provided.
To Biopsy or not to Biopsy: A Review of Guidelines on the use of Methotrexate:

Hepatotoxicity is a major concern with methotrexate (MTX) therapy for psoriasis. Guidelines to help ensure safe use of MTX in this patient population are revisited periodically as new data become available. Much focus has been dedicated to establishing pre-treatment and monitoring protocols to detect MTX-induced hepatic injury. Here we review past and current guidelines, risk factors, population characteristics, and surveillance techniques with regard to MTX hepatotoxicity in psoriasis patients.
Assessment of Equivalent Thickness Design Principles for Geosynthetic Reinforced Pavements by Way of Accelerated Testing

The Engineer Research and Development Center (ERDC) of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers has performed multiple laboratory and full-scale evaluations of geosynthetic reinforced pavements. One result...
Compression of a 0°-ply/acrylic sandwich

The compressive behaviour of a 0°-ply (AS4/PPS) inserted between two acrylic layers is studied experimentally, and results are compared with existing theoretical predictions. A transparent acrylic is chosen so that kink formation in the 0°-ply may be directly observed. Experiments show that failure occurs by catastrophic formation of an in-plane kink band with a kink band angle β of 20° to the horizontal axis. Then, as the compression strain is further increased, several additional kink bands appear. The load corresponding to the formation of the first kink is in agreement with theoretical predictions. These experiments confirm that failure initiates by in-plane kinking, and shed light upon the behaviour of an internal 0°-ply inside a multidirectional laminate, especially the propensity for in-plane kinking versus out-of-plane kinking.
The Pastoral Niche in Pre-Hispanic Mesoamerica

Mesoamerica was the world’s only ancient primary civilization that lacked a domestic herbivore. With domestic camelids (llamas and alpacas) in Andean South America, and sheep and goats, cattle, camels, horses, yaks, and water buffalo in the Old World, food producers in virtually all other regions where Archaic States existed were able to significantly extend their productive landscapes into drier and colder zones and over a full annual cycle – i.e., some of them became full- or part-time herders, and herder–cultivator relationships became important in the long-term development of socio-political complexity. Furthermore, protein from domesticated animal sources would have been scarce in Pre-Hispanic Mesoamerica by comparison to other parts of the ancient urbanized world. How could ancient Mesoamericans, with their seemingly much more limited capacity to generate and manipulate energy, have attained such a comparably high level of organizational complexity and population density?
Development of a ReaxFF reactive force field for lithium ion conducting solid electrolyte Li1+xAlxTi2−x(PO4)3 (LATP)

We developed a ReaxFF reactive force field for NASICON-type Li1+xAlxTi2−x(PO4)3 (LATP) materials, which is a promising solid-electrolyte that may enable all-solid-state lithium-ion batteries. The force field parameters were optimized based on density functional theory (DFT) data, including equations of state and the heats of formation of ternary metal oxides and metal phosphate crystal phases (e.g., LixTiO2, Al2TiO5, LiAlO2, AlPO4, Li3PO4 and LiTi2(PO4)3 (LTP)), and the energy barriers for Li diffusion in TiO2 and LTP via vacancies and interstitial sites. Using ReaxFF, the structural and the energetic features of LATP were described properly across various compositions – Li occupies more preferentially the interstitial site next to Al than next to Ti. Also, as observed in experimental data, the lattice parameters decrease when Ti is partly substituted by Al because of the smaller size of the Al cation. Using this force field, the diffusion mechanism and the ionic conductivity of Li in LTP and LATP were investigated at T = 300–1100 K. Low ionic conductivity (5.9 × 10−5 S cm−1 at 300 K) was obtained in LTP as previously reported. In LATP at x = 0.2, the ionic conductivity was slightly improved (8.4 × 10−5 S cm−1), but it is still below the experimental value, which is on the order of 10−4 to 10−3 S cm−1 at x = 0.3–0.5. At higher x (higher Al composition), LATP has a configurational diversity due to the Al substitution and the concomitant insertion of Li. By performing a hybrid MC/MD simulation for LATP at x = 0.5, a thermodynamically stable LATP configuration was obtained. The ionic conductivity of this LATP configuration was calculated to be 7.4 × 10−4 S cm−1 at 300 K, which is one order of magnitude higher than the ionic conductivity for LTP and LATP at x = 0.2. This value is in good agreement with our experimental value (2.5 × 10−4 S cm−1 at 300 K) and the literature values. The composition-dependent ionic conductivity of LATP was successfully demonstrated using the ReaxFF reactive force field, verifying the applicability of the LATP force field for the understanding of Li diffusion and the design of highly Li ion conductive solid electrolytes. Furthermore, our results also demonstrate the feasibility of the MC/MD method in modeling LATP configuration, and provide compelling evidence for the solid solution sensitivity on ionic conductivity.
Light regulates tropical symbiotic nitrogen fixation more strongly than soil nitrogen

Nitrogen limits primary production in almost every biome on Earth1,2. Symbiotic nitrogen fixation, conducted by certain angiosperms and their endosymbiotic bacteria, is the largest potential natural source of new nitrogen into the biosphere3, influencing global primary production, carbon sequestration and element cycling. Because symbiotic nitrogen fixation represents an alternative to soil nitrogen uptake, much of the work on symbiotic nitrogen fixation regulation has focused on soil nitrogen availability4-8. However, because symbiotic nitrogen fixation is an energetically expensive process9, light availability to the plant may also regulate symbiotic nitrogen fixation rates10,11. Despite the importance of symbiotic nitrogen fixation to biosphere functioning, the environmental factors that most strongly regulate this process remain unresolved. Here we show that light regulates symbiotic nitrogen fixation more strongly than does soil nitrogen and that light mediates the response of symbiotic nitrogen fixation to soil nitrogen availability. In a shadehouse experiment, low light levels (comparable with forest understories) completely shut down symbiotic nitrogen fixation, whereas soil nitrogen levels that far exceeded plant demand did not fully downregulate symbiotic nitrogen fixation at high light. For in situ forest seedlings, light was a notable predictor of symbiotic nitrogen fixation activity, but soil-extractable nitrogen was not. Light as a primary regulator of symbiotic nitrogen fixation is a departure from decades of focus on soil nitrogen availability. This shift in our understanding of symbiotic nitrogen fixation regulation can resolve a long-standing biogeochemical paradox12, and it will improve our ability to predict how symbiotic nitrogen fixation will fuel the global forest carbon sink and respond to human alteration of the global nitrogen cycle.
Patterns and Correlates of Self-Reported Physical Activity in a Cohort of Racially Diverse Pregnant Adolescents

Abstract Study Objective Regular physical activity (PA) during pregnancy decreases the risk of gestational hypertension and preeclampsia. Currently, little is known about the PA of pregnant adolescents. Our intent was to characterize the PA behaviors of a group of racially diverse, low-income pregnant teens and to identify potential determinants of PA. Design, Setting, Participants, and Interventions A cohort of 157 racially diverse pregnant adolescents (13-18 years of age) completed up to 3 previous day PA recalls as part of a larger prospective longitudinal study on determinants of maternal and fetal bone health. Subjects self-reported activities from 7 AM to 11:30 PM, choosing from a list of 37 activities including a category for “other.” Subjects recorded activities in 30-minute intervals. Main Outcome Measures Estimated metabolic equivalent task (MET) values were assigned to each activity and summed for a measure of total daily PA in MET min/d. Determinants of PA were evaluated using a stepwise linear mixed effect model. Results The average calculated MET min/d was 1478 ± 130. Significant determinants of MET min/d included race (P = .007), maternal age at conception (P = .042), gestational age (P = .002), and attending school (P Conclusion PA is low across gestation and pregnant teens spent more than half of their monitored time in sedentary activities. Targeted interventions are needed to achieve current PA goals in this pediatric obstetric population.
The plant stomatal lineage at a glance

Stomata are structures on the surfaces of most land plants that are required for gas exchange between plants and their environment. In Arabidopsis thaliana, stomata comprise two kidney bean-shaped epidermal guard cells that flank a central pore overlying a cavity in the mesophyll. These guard cells can adjust their shape to occlude or facilitate access to this pore, and in so doing regulate the release of water vapor and oxygen from the plant, in exchange for the intake of carbon dioxide from the atmosphere. Stomatal guard cells are the end product of a specialized lineage whose cell divisions and fate transitions ensure both the production and pattern of cells in aerial epidermal tissues. The stomatal lineage is dynamic and flexible, altering stomatal production in response to environmental change. As such, the stomatal lineage is an excellent system to study how flexible developmental transitions are regulated in plants. In this Cell Science at a Glance article and accompanying poster, we will summarize current knowledge of the divisions and fate decisions during stomatal development, discussing the role of transcriptional regulators, cell-cell signaling and polarity proteins. We will highlight recent work that links the core regulators to systemic or environmental information and provide an evolutionary perspective on stomata lineage regulators in plants.
Week-Long Mode Choice Behavior: Dynamic Random Effects Logit Model:

Modeling travelers’ mode choice behavior is an important component of travel demand studies. In an effort to account for day-to-day dynamics of travelers’ mode choice behavior, the current study de...
Benzyl and t-butyl sulfoxides as sulfenyl halide equivalents: a convenient preparation of benzisothiazolones

Abstract A new methodology is described for the synthesis of benzisothiazolones from benzylsulfinyl or t-buthylsulfinyl substituted carboxamides that provides a mild alternative to conventional cyclization methods that employ halogens.
Effect of Electronic Health Record-Based Coaching on Weight Maintenance: A Randomized Trial.

Background Weight regain after intentional loss is common. Most evidence-based weight management programs focus on short-term loss rather than long-term maintenance. Objective To evaluate the benefit of coaching in an electronic health record (EHR)-based weight maintenance intervention. Design Randomized controlled trial. (ClinicalTrials.gov: NCT01946191). Setting Practices affiliated with an academic medical center. Participants Adult outpatients with body mass index (BMI) of 25 kg/m2 or higher, intentional weight loss of at least 5% in the previous 2 years, and no bariatric procedures in the previous 5 years. Intervention Participants were randomly assigned to EHR tools (tracking group) versus EHR tools plus coaching (coaching group). The EHR tools included weight, diet, and physical activity tracking flow sheets; standardized surveys; and reminders. The coaching group received 24 months of personalized coaching through the EHR patient portal, with 24 scheduled contacts. Measurements The primary outcome was weight change at 24 months. Secondary outcomes included 5% weight loss maintenance and changes in BMI, waist circumference, number of steps per day, health-related quality of life, physical function, blood pressure, and satisfaction. Results Among 194 randomly assigned participants (mean age, 53.4 years [SD, 12.2]; 143 [74%] women; 171 [88%] white), 157 (81%) completed the trial. Mean baseline weight and BMI were 85.8 kg (SD, 19.1) and 30.4 kg/m2 (SD, 5.9). At 24 months, mean weight regain (± SE) was 2.1 ± 0.62 kg and 4.9 ± 0.63 kg in the coaching and tracking groups, respectively. The between-group difference in weight change at 24 months was significant (-2.86 kg [95% CI, -4.60 to -1.11 kg]) in the linear mixed model. At 24 months, 65% of participants in the coaching group and 50% in the tracking group maintained weight loss of at least 5%. Limitation Single-site trial, which limits generalizability. Conclusion Among adults with intentional weight loss of at least 5%, use of EHR tools plus coaching resulted in less weight regain than EHR tools alone. Primary funding source Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality and National Institutes of Health.