cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Neural correlates associated with cognitive decline in late-life depression.

Objectives Persistent cognitive impairment (PCI) after remission of depressive symptoms is a major adverse outcome of late-life depression (LLD). The purpose of this study was to examine neural substrates associated with PCI in LLD. Design Longitudinal study. Setting Outpatient depression treatment study at Duke University. Participants Twenty-three patients with LLD completed a 2-year follow-up study, and were in a remitted or partially remitted state at Year 2. Methods At first entry to the study (Year 0), all participants had a functional magnetic resonance imaging scan while performing an emotional oddball task. For the purpose of this report, the primary functional magnetic resonance imaging outcome was brain activation during target detection, which is a measure of executive function. The Consortium to Establish a Registry for Alzheimer's Disease neuropsychological battery was used to assess cognitive status yearly, and the Montgomery-Asberg Depression Rating Scale was used to assess severity of depression at Year 0 and every 6 months thereafter for 2 years. We investigated changes in brain activation at Year 0 associated with PCI over 2 years. Results Patients with PCI at the 2-year follow-up date had significantly decreased activation at Year 0 in the dorsal anterior cingulate cortex, hippocampus, inferior frontal cortex, and insula compared to non-PCI patients. Conclusions Our results suggest individuals who have LLD with PCI have decreased activation in the similar neural networks associated with the development of Alzheimer disease among nondepressed individuals. Measuring neural activity in these regions in individuals with LLD may help identify patients at-risk for cognitive impairment.
Fossil H II regions: self-limiting star formation at high redshift

Recent results from the Wilkinson Microwave Anisotropy Probe (WMAP) satellite suggest that the intergalactic medium (IGM) was significantly reionized at redshifts as high as z ∼ 17. At this early epoch, the first ionizingsources probably appeared in the shallow potential wells of mini-haloes with virial temperatures T v i r < 10 4 K. Once such an ionizing source turns off, its surrounding H II region Compton cools and recombines. None the less, we show that the 'fossil' H ii regions left behind remain at high adiabats, prohibiting gas accretion and cooling in subsequent generations of mini-haloes. This greatly amplifies feedback effects explored in previous studies, and early star formation is self-limiting. We quantify this effect to show that star formation in mini-haloes cannot account for the bulk of the electron scattering opacity measured by WMAP. which must be due to more massive objects. We argue that gas entropy, rather than IGM metallicity, regulates the evolution of the global ionizing emissivity and impedes full reionization until lower redshifts. We discuss several important consequences of this early entropy floor for reionization. It reduces gas clumping, curtailing the required photon budget for reionization. An entropy floor also prevents H 2 formation and cooling, due to reduced gas densities: it greatly enhances feedback from ultraviolet photodissociation of H 2 . An early X-ray background would also furnish an entropy floor to the entire IGM; thus, X-rays impede rather than enhance H 2 formation. Future 21-cm observations may probe the topology of fossil H II regions.
Achieving Inclusive Excellence: Strategies for Creating Real and Sustainable Change in Quality and Diversity.

Since the 1990s, the University of Connecticut has made several shifts in its culture and practice that have resulted in improved educational quality and greater success rates for students from traditionally underrepresented populations. Damon Williams shares his institution's approach.
Arithmetic algorithms for operands encoded in two-dimensional low-cost arithmetic error codes

A generalization of low-cost residue codes into two-dimensional encodings was presented and error detecting and error correcting properties of two dimensional inverse residue codes were discussed previously. This paper presents byte-serial checking, additive inverse (complementation), and addition algorithms for operands encoded in two-dimensional residue and inverse residue codes.
Analyzing the efficiency of Russian firms

Purpose – Did the Soviet development strategy of according high priority to firms in heavy industry give these firms an advantage during Russia's transition to a market‐oriented economy? This paper seeks to answer this question.Design/methodology/approach – To document industry variation in efficiency between priority and non‐priority sectors, the paper uses firm‐level data collected in 1992 and 1995 to estimate a stochastic frontier production function for 11 industries. It then aims to investigate which firm characteristics contributed to variation in technical efficiency between 1992 and 1995.Findings – Firms in low‐priority sectors exhibited higher efficiency in 1992 than firms in high‐priority sectors; by 1995, efficiency differences diminish. Efficiency gains were relatively higher in industries which experienced the largest percentage output declines. Non‐state ownership tends to improve efficiency, but the ownership effect varies by industry and over time. The paper rejects the hypothesis that exp...
Expansion-Passing Style: A General Macro Mechanism*

The traditional Lisp macro expansion facility inhibits several important forms of expansion control. These include selective expansion of subexpressions, expansion of subexpressions using modified expansion functions, and expansion of application and variable expressions. Furthermore, the expansion algorithm must treat every special form as a separate case. The result is limited expressive power and poor modularity. We propose an alternative facility that avoids these problems, using a technique called expansion-passing style (EPS). The critical dierence between the facility proposed here and the traditional macro mechanism is that expansion functions are passed not only an expression to be expanded but also another expansion function. This function may or may not be used to perform further expansion. The power of this technique is illustrated with several examples. Most Lisp systems may be adapted to employ this technique.
Establishing Computers as an Optional Problem Solving Tool in a Nontechnological Mathematics Context.

Learners' choices of problem solving tools and techniques are influenced by the context in which a problem is encountered, and methods utilized in one context may not be recognized as natural ways to proceed in other contexts. In professional development institutes for teachers of grades K through 12, participants readily applied computer investigation and solution methods to situations that arose in the context of a technology-intensive mathematics class. However, the methods used in that class were slower to find their way into the repertoire of tools participants applied in more general problem solving contexts. This paper explores the process of fostering learner-initiated applications of technology to address a wide range of problems outside of the technology-intensive environment.
Effects of Invasive Winter Moth Defoliation on Tree Radial Growth in Eastern Massachusetts, USA

Winter moth, Operophtera brumata L. (Lepidoptera: Geometridae), has been defoliating hardwood trees in eastern Massachusetts since the 1990s. Native to Europe, winter moth has also been detected in Rhode Island, Connecticut, eastern Long Island (NY), New Hampshire, and Maine. Individual tree impacts of winter moth defoliation in New England are currently unknown. Using dendroecological techniques, this study related annual radial growth of individual host (Quercus spp. and Acer spp.) trees to detailed defoliation estimates. Winter moth defoliation was associated with up to a 47% reduction in annual radial growth of Quercus trees. Latewood production of Quercus was reduced by up to 67% in the same year as defoliation, while earlywood production was reduced by up to 24% in the year following defoliation. Winter moth defoliation was not a strong predictor of radial growth in Acer species. This study is the first to document impacts of novel invasions of winter moth into New England.
BIGGER ISN'T ALWAYS BETTER

![Figure][1] Size matters in biology. Whether you want to think about bone shapes, heart rates or lifespans, an elephant and an elephant shrew are enormously different despite their similarity in name and mammalian heritage. Exploring size-related effects in biology is the study of scaling,
Digital filters for inductive inference applications

A description is given of the selection of digital filters used to produce attributes of sequences of measurement data for an inductive inference algorithm. The selection criterion is the minimization of an attribute's conditional entropy of classification. The entropy function is constant almost everywhere in the parameter space, so the direct application of standard gradient search algorithms is not possible. A parameterized continuous and differentiable approximation to the entropy function is introduced and used to generate a family of minimization solutions. The set of local minima in this family of solutions converges to the local minima of the entropy function. An illustration of the selection method applied to a synthesized data set is presented. >
Conditional Cooperation and Climate Change

It is widely believed that international cooperation can arise through strategies of reciprocity. In this paper, we investigate whether citizens in the United States and 25 other countries support reciprocity to deal with climate change. We find little public enthusiasm for intrinsic reciprocity, in which countries restrain their consumption of fossil fuels if and only if other countries do the same. In contrast, we find significant support for extrinsic reciprocity, in which countries enforce cooperation by linking issues. Citizens support economic sanctions against polluters and are willing to shame them in international forums, especially when the polluters are violating a treaty. Cooperation could, therefore, emerge from efforts to link climate with other issues and to embed climate commitments in international law.
Influence of an Infectious Diseases Specialist on ICU Multidisciplinary Rounds

Objective. To ascertain the influence of a physician infectious diseases specialist (IDS) on antibiotic use in a medical/surgical intensive care unit. Method. Over a 5-month period, the antibiotic regimens ordered by the ICU multidisciplinary team were studied. The days of antibiotic therapy (DOT) when management decisions included an IDS were compared to DOT in the absence of an IDS. The associated treatment expense was calculated. Results. Prior to multidisciplinary rounds (MDRs), 79-80% of the patients were receiving one or more antibiotic. IDS participation occurred in 61 multidisciplinary rounding sessions. There were 384 patients who before MDRs had orders for 669 days of antimicrobial therapy (DOT). After MDRs, the antimicrobial DOT were reduced to 511 with a concomitant cost saving of $3772. There were 51 MDR sessions that occurred in the absence of the IDS. There were 352 patients who before MDRs had orders for 593 DOT. After MDRs, the DOT were reduced to 572 with a cost savings of $727. The results were normalized by number of patients evaluated with statistically greater reductions when MDRs included the IDS. In addition, the number of rounding sessions with a reduction in DOT was greater with the participation of the IDS. Conclusion. The addition of an IDS to multidisciplinary ICU patient rounds resulted in a reduction in antibiotic DOT and attendant drug expense.
Recurrent Brain Abscess: Manifestation of Pulmonary Arteriovenous Fistula and Hereditary Hemorrhagic Telangiectasia

A unique case of recurrent brain abscess as the primary manifestation of pulmonary arteriovenous fistula is presented. In the absence of hematologic abnormalities and characteristic physical findings, the diagnosis of pulmonary arteriovenous fistula is particularly elusive. Patients with brain abscess must be carefully evaluated for the presence of pulmonary arteriovenous fistula or hereditary hemorrhagic telangiectasia.
Clinical Decision Support Capabilities of Commercially-available Clinical Information Systems

Background: The most effective decision support systems are integrated with clinical information systems, such as inpatient and outpatient electronic health records (EHRs) and computerized provider order entry (CPOE) systems. Purpose: The goal of this project was to describe and quantify the results of a study of decision support capabilities in Certification Commission for Health Information Technology (CCHIT) certified electronic health record systems. Methods: The authors conducted a series of interviews with representatives of nine commercially available clinical information systems, evaluating their capabilities against 42 different clinical decision support features. Results: Six of the nine reviewed systems offered all the applicable event-driven, action-oriented, real-time clinical decision support triggers required for initiating clinical decision support interventions. Five of the nine systems could access all the patient-specific data items identified as necessary. Six of the nine systems supported all the intervention types identified as necessary to allow clinical information systems to tailor their interventions based on the severity of the clinical situation and the user's workflow. Only one system supported all the offered choices identified as key to allowing physicians to take action directly from within the alert. Discussion: The principal finding relates to system-by-system variability. The best system in our analysis had only a single missing feature (from 42 total) while the worst had eighteen.This dramatic variability in CDS capability among commercially available systems was unexpected and is a cause for concern. Conclusions: These findings have implications for four distinct constituencies: purchasers of clinical information systems, developers of clinical decision support, vendors of clinical information systems and certification bodies.
The Democratic Ethos and Public Management

One of the few issues on which public management scholars agree in theory is the centrality of the democratic ethos. Public policy has recently paid attention to more democratic forms of policy making (e.g., participatory policy analysis), and public administration has periodically studied and advocated increased citizen participation in the processes of government. But the field of public management scholarship has yet to make a similar commitment to the democratic ethos, despite some contemporary practices (flattened hierarchies, self-managing teams) that represent democratization in public organizations. This essay reviews reasons why public management should be more democratic, some ways in which it is not, and proposes some ways in which the focus of scholarship and practice should be directed.
Changes in cell cycle and extracellular matrix gene expression during placental development in deer mouse (Peromyscus) hybrids

Crosses between two species of the rodent genus Peromyscus produce defects in both growth and development. The defects are pronounced in the hybrid placentas. Peromyscuys maniculatus (strain BW) females mated to P. polionotus (strain PO) males produce placentas half the size of the parental species, as well as growth-retarded embryos. In contrast, PO females mated to BW males result in defective conceptuses that display embryonic and placental overgrowth. These 'parent-of-origin'-dependent phenotypes are consistent with previous studies that demonstrated altered expression of imprinted genes and genetic linkage of the overgrowth phenotypes to imprinted domains. In the present study, we take a broader approach in assessing perturbations in hybrid placental gene expression through the use of Mus musculus cDNA microarrays. In verifying classes of genes identified in microarray screens differentially regulated during hybrid placental development, we focused on those influencing the cell cycle and extracellular matrix (ECM). Our work suggests that cell cycle regulators at the G(1)/S phase check-point are downregulated in the large hybrid placenta, whereas the small hybrid placenta is more variable. The ECM genes are typically downstream targets of cell cycle regulation and their misregulation is consistent with many of the dysmorphic phenotypes. Thus, these data suggest imbalances in proliferation and differentiation in hybrid placentation.
Language-specific prediction in foreign language learning:

Language educators have often suggested that some students may be relatively better at certain types of languages. However, the ways in which target language structures interact with individual differences in language learners has never been seriously investigated. If there are such interactions, we would expect to find certain learning patterns in which our normal expectations for language learning outcomes are reversed. This paper reviews a variety of factors that might lead us to expect such reversals. Psychological and neurological evidence points towards a wide variety of individual differences in language learning mechanisms. Crosslinguistic psy cholinguistic analysis indicates that different target languages offer a wide variety of learning challenges. On the level of orthography, languages with huge inventories of non-Roman characters and symbols offer the greatest challenge. In phonology, all languages require a remapping from L1 struc tures. Lexical learning is most challenging for languages wit...
On the genus Hermippus Simon, 1893 (Araneae: Zodariidae, Zodariinae) in India with the description of three new species from the Western Ghats and proposing a new biogeographical hypothesis for the distribution of the genus.

Three new species of the ant-eating spider genus Hermippus Simon, 1893, H. globosus sp. nov., H. inflexus sp. nov. and H. gavi sp. nov. are described and illustrated from the Western Ghats in the Kerala region of southern India. The genus is redefined and two species groups are recognized: the cruciatus-group with all the five described Oriental species including H. cruciatus Simon, 1905, H. arjuna Gravely, 1921, H. inflexus sp. nov., H. globosus sp. nov. and H. gavi sp. nov. and the loricatus-group representing all the seven described Afrotropical species including H. loricatus Simon, 1893, H. affinis Strand, 1906, H. schoutedeni Lessert, 1938, H. septemguttatus Lawrence, 1942, H. minutus Jocque, 1986, H. tenebrosus Jocque, 1986 and H. arcus Jocque, 1989. The biogeographic distribution and possible migratory route of Hermippus spp. from Africa to the Oriental region are given.
a Simple Method of Including Longwave Radiation in a Tropospheric Numerical Prediction MODEL1

Abstract A simple method of computing longwave radiative cooling in the troposphere associated with water vapor is described. The procedure may readily be incorporated into a tropospheric numerical prediction model. Radiation from ozone and carbon dioxide is not considered. However, influences of arbitrary vertical distributions of cloud and moisture are included. Average annual cooling rates along a meridional cross section are calculated for a cloudless atmosphere. The results agree fairly well with the total radiative cooling (longwave and shortwave) as given by Manabe and Moller except in the lower troposphere at low latitudes. Here shortwave absorption by water vapor is appreciable. The three-dimensional distribution of longwave radiative cooling is also computed in a case of a developing cyclone for comparison with that of release of latent heat. The largest cooling occurs at cloud top and can be a significant fraction of the amount of energy released as latent heat in the upper troposphere. Computa...
The interrelationship between observers and system sensitivity

System observer theory and system sensitivity theory have developed as two distinct bodies of research literature. In this study an interrelationship between the two problem classes is considered. It is shown that the observer and the sensitivity problems are duals of each other.
Temporal trends in non-native fishes established in the continental United States.

Management of non-native fish species is informed by monitoring their temporal and spatial distribution. There are few published analyses of temporal patterns of established non-native fish species. The objective of this study was to examine the utility of the American Fisheries Society’s (AFS) lists of fish names for quantifying trends in the number of established non-native fishes as a first step in determining trends in the number of invasive fish species in the continental United States. As of the 2013 AFS list, there were 66 non-native species listed as established in the continental U.S., a 2.5-fold linear increase from 1970. All of the species, except two, established before 2013 persisted in 2013. The number of species added to each subsequent list increased throughout the period. Eight species were added from 1970 to 1980, 14 from 1980 to 1991, 18 from 1991 to 2004, and 5 from 2004 to 2013. The number of listed non-native families increased linearly from 8 to 19 during the same period. Cichlids, cyprinids, and poeciliids were the most represented families (about 73% of the established species listed in 1970, 1980, and 1991, and about 56% on the 2004 and 2013 lists). Converting the trend in the number of non-native species into the number of invasive species is difficult because of lack of available impact information and the dependency on human perception and value.
Model homes for model organisms: Intersections of animal welfare and behavioral neuroscience around the environment of the laboratory mouse

This article investigates the environment of the laboratory animal as a site where animal welfare and behavioral neuroscience intersect, creating opportunities for cross-pollinations between the concepts and practices of each field. Laboratory animal welfare is organized around a distinction between the care of animals and their use in experiments, and while best practices for animal handling and the management of animal housing may appear to fall firmly within the ambit of animal care, behavioral researchers’ own histories of work on ‘experimenter effects’ and ‘enriched environments’ complicate this distinction. Using historical and ethnographic data from animal behavioral neuroscience laboratories, this article examines how welfare professionals have drawn on behavioral science as a source of new data and techniques, and how researchers in turn employ concepts from animal welfare in their scientific thinking. This investigation provides insight into how changes in animal welfare oversight are changing scientific practice, but it also reveals one reason why taking seriously the idea of the animal as a situated, interactive being in laboratory practice remains difficult. Professional conflicts over the management of the animal’s environment and rhetorical troubles created by the association of gene-environment interaction research with welfare agendas complicate both the management and meaning of interaction in the animal behavioral neuroscience laboratory.
The effects of substituting Ag for In on the magnetoresistance and magnetocaloric properties of Ni-Mn-In Heusler alloys

The effect of substituting Ag for In on the structural, magnetocaloric, and thermomagnetic properties of Ni50Mn35In15−xAgx (x = 0.1, 0.2, 0.5, and 1) Heusler alloys was studied. The magnitude of the magnetization change at the martensitic transition temperature (TM) decreased with increasing Ag concentration. Smaller magnetic entropy changes (ΔSM) were observed for the alloys with larger Ag concentrations and the martensitic transition shifted to higher temperature. A shift of TM by about 25 K to higher temperature was observed for an applied hydrostatic pressure of P = 6.6 kbar with respect to ambient pressure. A large drop in resistivity was observed for large Ag concentration. The magnetoresistance was dramatically suppressed due to an increase in the disorder of the system with increasing Ag concentration. Possible mechanisms responsible for the observed behavior are discussed.
Determination of arsenic and mercury in biological materials by atomic fluorescence spectrometry with microwave digestion

Objective:To establish a method for determination of arsenic(As) and mercury(Hg) in biological material by atomic fluorescence spectrometry(AFS) using microwave digestion.Methods:The biological materials were digested using microwave digestion and then As and Hg were detected with AFS.Results:The method had good linearity for As in the range of 0.021 μ g/L to 20.0 μ g/L with r = 0.9997 and for Hg in the range of 0.0072 μg/L～2.00 μg/L with r = 0.9998.The detection limits were 0.021 μg/L and 0.0072 μg/L for As and Hg,respectively,with the recoveries of 92.5%～103.0% and 94.0%～101.5%.The RSDs of arsenic and mercucy were 0.80%～1.07%,and 0.82%～1.45% respectively.Conclusion:This method is simple and rapid with good accuracy and reproducibility.So it is suitable for the determination of As and Hg in biological materials.
The Validity of the Level of Service Inventory–Revised at the Intersection of Race and Gender:

Although the Level of Service Inventory–Revised (LSI-R) has been validated across genders and races, few studies have investigated the validity of the instrument for different combinations of races and genders. Using data from a sample of offenders in New Jersey (N = 9,454), we measure the LSI-R’s validity in predicting recidivism within 1 year of prison release. Our findings indicate that the LSI-R is a valid predictor of recidivism across different race and gender combinations; however, the instrument performs poorly at distinguishing recidivists from non-recidivists and exhibits the lowest discriminant capacity for Black males. Policy implications are discussed.
A 47‐year‐old woman with hypercapnia and altered mental status

Permissive hypercapnia is a commonly used ventilator strategy in attempt to improve refractory hypoxemia. The rationale of such practice is based on the assumption that hypercapnia, although associated with altered mental status, is well tolerated. Here, we report a case in which the altered mental status caused by hypercapnia is underlined by a life-threatening mechanism. The case indicates the severity of hypercapnia may have been mistakenly overlooked in the past.
Surgical Management of Urinary Incontinence in Girls with Congenitally Short Urethra

AbstractWe treated 6 girls with total urinary incontinence secondary to a congenitally short urethra by a combination of extensive internal and external urethral lengthening. Of the patients 3 had hypospadias and 3 had severe epispadias. All 6 are dry during the day and 1 has nighttime wetting. Success depends upon the creation of a long neourethra and a new continence zone.
Behavioral impact of maternal allergic-asthma in two genetically distinct mouse strains

Recent population-based studies of expecting mothers identified a unique profile of immune markers that are associated with an increased risk of having a child diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). This immune profile, including increased levels of maternal and placental interleukin (IL)-4 and IL-5, is consistent with an immune response found in an allergic-asthma phenotype. Allergies and asthma reflect an imbalance in immune responses including polarization towards T-helper type 2 (TH2) responses, with both genetic susceptibility and environmental factors affecting this T-cell polarization. Mouse strains provide a known and controlled source of genetic diversity to explore the role of genetic predisposition on environmental factors. In particular, the FVB background exhibits a skew towards TH2-mediated allergic-asthma response in traditional models of asthma whereas the C57 strain exhibits a more blunted TH2 polarized phenotype resulting in an attenuated allergic-asthma response. C57BL/6J (C57) and the sighted FVB.129P2-Pde6b(+) Tyr(c-ch)/Ant (FVB/Ant) lines were selected based on their characteristic high sociability and differing sensitivity to TH2-mediated stimuli. Based on the distinct allergy-sensitive immune responses of these two strains, we hypothesized that unique developmental consequences would occur in offspring following maternal allergy-asthma exposure. Female C57 and FVB/Ant dams were primed/sensitized with an exposure to ovalbumin (OVA) before pregnancy, then exposed to either aerosolized OVA or PBS-vehicle throughout gestation. Sera from pregnant dams were analyzed for changes in cytokine profiles using multiplex-arrays and offspring were assessed for changes in autism-like behavioral responses. Analysis of maternal sera revealed elevated IL-4 and IL-5 in OVA-treated dams of both strains but only C57 mice expressed increased levels of IL-1β, IL-6, TNFα, and IL-17. Behavioral assessments revealed strain-dependent changes in juvenile reciprocal social interaction in offspring of maternal allergic asthma dams. Moreover, mice of both strains showed decreased repetitive grooming and increased marble burying behavior when born to OVA-exposed dams. Together, these findings support the important role genetic predisposition plays in the effects of maternal immune activation and underscore differences in ASD-like behavioral outcomes across mouse strains.
Reduction of Thermal Gradients by Modifications of a Temperature Controlled CMM Lab

The Sandia Primary Standards Lab Coordinate Measuring Machine Lab (CMM Lab) was built in 1994. Its temperature controls were designed to be state of the art at 20.00 ± 0.01 C and relative humidity ...
Indiana women of achievement: using self-directedness, self-efficacy and self-determination to explore opportunities for leadership

AbstractThis article shares examples of how leadership opportunities, self-directedness, self-efficacy and self-determination developed in professional women who have been recognised as leaders. This study presents six women honoured as ‘Women of Achievement’. Through narrative interviews, each woman described aspects of her life that guided decision-making and her approach to various life situations. Using the narrative examples provided, one may be able to see themes or strategies for working with other learners to enhance their own leadership. Findings included: growth and development as leaders within their own environments and through interactions with people who mentored or influenced them; openness to opportunities presented to them; the effect that time, place and culture contributed to the goals and tasks that these women undertook. While they were bound by social constraints concerning gender, race and class, each found a way to adapt within those environments and make changes for the better thr...
Hydroelastic Response of a Floating Mat-Type Structure in Oblique, Shallow-Water Waves

The linear, Level I Green-Naghdi (GN) theory is developed to study the hydroelastic behavior of a rectangular airport or runway whose draft is "small" and which floats in a near-shore area. The new theoretical and numerical model uses the linear, shallow-water wave equations of the GN type for the fluid dynamics and the thin-plate theory for the structural dynamics. The governing equations are matched at the juncture boundary and the resulting partial differential equations are solved by the boundary-integral-equation method, and the finite-difference method is used for discretizing the boundary conditions at the edges of the plate. The method devised here is proven to be very efficient in a parametric study of the hydroelastic response of a mat-type floating runway in regular, oblique waves. The main parameters varied in the problem are the stiffness, length and beam of the. mat. The deflections of the mat are calculated for various incoming wave frequencies and heading angles in water of "shallow" depth. The results are compared with the available experimental data and numerical calculations by others. The mean drift loads on the mat are also calculated by following Maruo's far-field method.
An articulated manipulator for enhanced dexterity in minimally invasive surgery

Presents the design of a novel Articulated Manipulator for Minimally Invasive Surgery (AMMIS) that has been developed at the US Naval Postgraduate School. This manipulator (patent pending) is expected to provide surgeons with improved dexterity during minimally invasive surgical procedures and be ideally suited for tele-surgery.
Structural and Preclinical Studies of Computationally-Designed Non-nucleoside Reverse Transcriptase Inhibitors for Treating HIV infection

The clinical benefits of HIV-1 non-nucleoside reverse transcriptase (RT) inhibitors (NNRTIs) are hindered by their unsatisfactory pharmacokinetic (PK) properties along with the rapid development of drug-resistant variants. However, the clinical efficacy of these inhibitors can be improved by developing compounds with enhanced pharmacological profiles and heightened antiviral activity. We used computational and structure-guided design to develop two next-generation NNRTI drug candidates, compounds I and II, which are members of a class of catechol diethers. We evaluated the preclinical potential of these compounds in BALB/c mice because of their high solubility (510 µg/ml for compound I and 82.9 µg/ml for compound II), low cytotoxicity, and enhanced antiviral activity against wild-type (WT) HIV-1 RT and resistant variants. Additionally, crystal structures of compounds I and II with WT RT suggested an optimal binding to the NNRTI binding pocket favoring the high anti-viral potency. A single intraperitoneal dose of compounds I and II exhibited a prolonged serum residence time of 48 hours and concentration maximum (Cmax) of 4000- to 15,000-fold higher than their therapeutic/effective concentrations. These Cmax values were 4- to 15-fold lower than their cytotoxic concentrations observed in MT-2 cells. Compound II showed an enhanced area under the curve (0-last) and decreased plasma clearance over compound I and efavirenz, the standard of care NNRTI. Hence, the overall (PK) profile of compound II was excellent compared with that of compound I and efavirenz. Furthermore, both compounds were very well tolerated in BALB/c mice without any detectable acute toxicity. Taken together, these data suggest that compounds I and II possess improved anti-HIV-1 potency, remarkable in vivo safety, and prolonged in vivo circulation time, suggesting strong potential for further development as new NNRTIs for the potential treatment of HIV infection.
Prevalence and Factors Associated with Hazardous Alcohol Use Among Persons Living with HIV Across the US in the Current Era of Antiretroviral Treatment.

Hazardous alcohol use is associated with detrimental health outcomes among persons living with HIV (PLWH). We examined the prevalence and factors associated with hazardous alcohol use in the current era using several hazardous drinking definitions and binge drinking defined as ≥5 drinks for men versus ≥4 for women. We included 8567 PLWH from 7 U.S. sites from 2013 to 2015. Current hazardous alcohol use was reported by 27% and 34% reported binge drinking. In adjusted analyses, current and past cocaine/crack (odd ratio [OR] 4.1:3.3–5.1, p < 0.001 and OR 1.3:1.1–1.5, p < 0.001 respectively), marijuana (OR 2.5:2.2–2.9, p < 0.001 and OR 1.4:1.2–1.6, p < 0.001), and cigarette use (OR 1.4:1.2–1.6, p < 0.001 and OR 1.3:1.2–1.5, p < 0.001) were associated with increased hazardous alcohol use. The prevalence of hazardous alcohol use remains high in the current era, particularly among younger men. Routine screening and targeted interventions for hazardous alcohol use, potentially bundled with interventions for other drugs, remain a key aspect of HIV care.
Connexin 43 gap junctions contribute to brain endothelial barrier hyperpermeability in familial cerebral cavernous malformations type III by modulating tight junction structure

Familial cerebral cavernous malformations type III (fCCM3) is a disease of the cerebrovascular system caused by loss-of-function mutations in ccm3 that result in dilated capillary beds that are susceptible to hemorrhage. Before hemorrhage, fCCM3 lesions are characterized by a hyperpermeable blood-brain barrier (BBB), the key pathologic feature of fCCM3. We demonstrate that connexin 43 (Cx43), a gap junction (GJ) protein that is incorporated into the BBB junction complex, is up-regulated in lesions of a murine model of fCCM3. Small interfering RNA-mediated ccm3 knockdown (CCM3KD) in brain endothelial cells in vitro increased Cx43 protein expression, GJ plaque size, GJ intracellular communication (GJIC), and barrier permeability. CCM3KD hyperpermeability was rescued by GAP27, a peptide gap junction and hemichannel inhibitor of Cx43 GJIC. Tight junction (TJ) protein, zonula occludens 1 (ZO-1), accumulated at Cx43 GJs in CCM3KD cells and displayed fragmented staining at TJs. The GAP27-mediated inhibition of Cx43 GJs in CCM3KD cells restored ZO-1 to TJ structures and reduced plaque accumulation at Cx43 GJs. The TJ protein, Claudin-5, was also fragmented at TJs in CCM3KD cells, and GAP27 treatment lengthened TJ-associated fragments and increased Claudin 5-Claudin 5 transinteraction. Overall, we demonstrate that Cx43 GJs are aberrantly increased in fCCM3 and regulate barrier permeability by a TJ-dependent mechanism.-Johnson, A. M., Roach, J. P., Hu, A., Stamatovic, S. M., Zochowski, M. R., Keep, R. F., Andjelkovic, A. V. Connexin 43 gap junctions contribute to brain endothelial barrier hyperpermeability in familial cerebral cavernous malformations type III by modulating tight junction structure.
More on Kleene Algebra

In this lecture we will see how Kleene algebra can be used in a variety of situations involving *-like operations. The key result that allows these applications is that the n x n matrices over a Kleene algebra again form a Kleene algebra. Along the way we will establish a central lemma that establishes the importance of the regular sets Reg Σ over the finite alphabet Σ in reasoning about Kleene algebras in general.
Embolotherapy for Renal Tumors

Embolotherapy of renal neoplasms is practiced for various hypervascular tumors including angiomyolipoma, renal cell carcinoma, and metastatic renal cancer. First conceived during 1970s, it was primarily advocated for palliative therapy of symptomatic renal cell carcinomas [1]. Currently, the indications for embolotherapy of malignant renal tumors include, in addition to palliation, preoperative treatment of large renal tumors to reduce intraoperative blood loss, and as an adjunct to radiofrequency ablation to reduce perfusion mediated cooling for a more effective ablation [2, 3]. Embolization of large hypervascular tumors prior to nephrectomy has been shown to significantly reduce the volume of blood transfused during surgery compared to those patients with tumors not embolized or incompletely embolized [2, 4]. In addition, preoperative embolization facilitates surgical dissection. Edema induced by embolization creates a definable plane within the renal parenchyma, and this reduces operative time [4, 5]. In patients with renal cell cancer extending to the renal vein, preoperative embolization may reduce the size of the tumor thrombus making it easier to resect [6, 7]. Though it has not been clinically proven, it is believed that embolization may induce sufficient inflammation, which may accentuate immune response to the tumor [8]. As a palliative measure, embolization helps in the management of pain, hematuria, and paraneoplastic syndromes such as hypercalcemia [9]. In patients with angiomyolipoma, embolotherapy is indicated for treatment of acute bleeding [10]. It helps to avoid nephrectomy and preserves renal function [10]. In addition, prophylactic embolization is often advocated in large angiomyolipomas (size >4 cm) to prevent bleeding and renal dysfunction [11].
Managing Transformational Start-Up Risks: Evidence from ARPA-E Program

The climate change debate and economic recovery strategies in various industries demand transformational projects in clean technology. Transformation in this context refers to a nearly tenfold improvement in a key technical performance indicator that is typically conditioned upon making high risk scientific breakthroughs. These projects face multiple sources of uncertainty in high risk situations, and require specialized knowhow and longer periods for revenue growth than their counterparts in other industries. The risk profile of such projects makes them unattractive investments to conventional financiers like banks and venture capital funds. We use data from 36 clean technology projects funded by the U.S. Advanced Research Projects Agency-Energy, to examine how operations design can hedge risk and enhance project valuation during early start-up stages. For start-up managers who are attempting to develop transformational technologies, our findings clarify the valuation criteria in high risk, high reward circumstances and offer strategies for securing and assigning resources. We find that firms with an operations design to reduce business risk receive more project funding. On the other hand, the choice of market segments for deployment remains uncertain for such start-ups, and design choices related to market competitiveness show a negative correlation to the level of funding.
Snowmelt timing regulates community composition, phenology, and physiological performance of alpine plants

The spatial patterning of alpine plant communities is strongly influenced by the variation in physical factors such as temperature and moisture, which are strongly affected by snow depth and snowmelt patterns. Earlier snowmelt timing and greater soil-moisture limitations may favor wide-ranging species adapted to a broader set of ecohydrological conditions than alpine-restricted species. We asked how plant community composition, phenology, plant water relations, and photosynthetic gas exchange of alpine-restricted and wide-ranging species differ in their responses to a ca. 40-day snowmelt gradient in the Colorado Rocky Mountains (Lewisia pygmaea, Sibbaldia procumbens, and Hymenoxys grandiflora were alpine-restricted and Artemisia scopulorum, Carex rupestris, and Geum rossii were wide-ranging species). As hypothesized, species richness and foliar cover increased with earlier snowmelt, due to a greater abundance of wide-ranging species present in earlier melting plots. Flowering initiation occurred earlier with earlier snowmelt for 12 out of 19 species analyzed, while flowering duration was shortened with later snowmelt for six species (all but one were wide-ranging species). We observed >50% declines in net photosynthesis from July to September as soil moisture and plant water potentials declined. Early-season stomatal conductance was higher in wide-ranging species, indicating a more competitive strategy for water acquisition when soil moisture is high. Even so, there were no associated differences in photosynthesis or transpiration, suggesting no strong differences between these groups in physiology. Our findings reveal that plant species with different ranges (alpine-restricted vs. wide-ranging) could have differential phenological and physiological responses to snowmelt timing and associated soil moisture dry-down, and that alpine-restricted species' performance is more sensitive to snowmelt. As a result, alpine-restricted species may serve as better indicator species than their wide-ranging heterospecifics. Overall, alpine community composition and peak % cover are strongly structured by spatio-temporal patterns in snowmelt timing. Thus, near-term, community-wide changes (or variation) in phenology and physiology in response to shifts in snowmelt timing or rates of soil dry down are likely to be contingent on the legacy of past climate on community structure.
Effect of powder size distribution on densification and microstructural evolution of binder-jet 3D-printed alloy 625

Abstract Binder-jet 3D-printing is a powder bed additive manufacturing process that selectively deposits binder on a powder bed layer-by-layer to fabricate a green part followed by a sintering step for densification. Gas-atomized alloy 625 powders of three different powder size distributions including 16–63 μm (full), 16–25 μm (fine) and 53–63 μm (coarse) powders were 3D-printed with green relative bulk densities of about 52%, 45% and 48%, respectively, followed by vacuum-sintering at temperatures between 1225 and 1300 °C for 4 h. For the fine and coarse powders with narrow size distribution, printing defects with high pore coordination numbers may form during the binder jetting process which cannot be removed during the final sintering stage even during supersolidus liquid phase sintering. However, the full particle size distribution gave higher green density with fewer large, highly coordinated pores so supersolidus liquid phase sintering was able to reach near-full density. Additionally, the fine powders gave non-uniform, anisotropic linear shrinkage during sintering which is unfavorable for designing complex structures. The results suggest that particle size distribution is a determining factor for supersolidus liquid phase sintering, pore removal and final microstructure, if printing parameters such as layer thickness, binder saturation, printhead binder droplet size and drying time are similar.
Rational choice of social group size in mosquitofish

Choice of social group can affect the likelihood of survivorship and reproduction for social species. By joining larger social groups—shoals—small freshwater fish like the mosquitofish Gambusia aff...
Convolutional Autoencoder-Based Multispectral Image Fusion

This paper presents a deep learning-based pansharpening method for fusion of panchromatic and multispectral images in remote sensing applications. This method can be categorized as a component substitution method in which a convolutional autoencoder network is trained to generate original panchromatic images from their spatially degraded versions. Low resolution multispectral images are then fed into the trained convolutional autoencoder network to generate estimated high resolution multispectral images. The fusion is achieved by injecting the detail map of each spectral band into the corresponding estimated high resolution multispectral bands. Full reference and no-reference metrics are computed for the images of three satellite datasets. These measures are compared with the existing fusion methods whose codes are publicly available. The results obtained indicate the effectiveness of the developed deep learning-based method for multispectral image fusion.
A Model for a Formal Mentorship Program in Surgical Residency.

Abstract Background Mentorship is a key component in preventing burnout and attrition in surgical training, yet many residencies lack a formal program, one method used to establish successful mentor relationships. We aimed to measure the difference in resident perceptions and experience after the implementation of a mentorship program. Methods An anonymous survey was distributed to all general surgery residents at a single academic institution before and after implementation of a year-long mentorship program that involved assigned mentors, two social events, and recommended mentorship meetings. Responses were recorded on a five-point Likert scale. Results Half of respondents (n = 17, 53%) attended at least one event, and 66% (n = 21) had at least one mentor meeting. The proportion of residents who identified a faculty mentor increased from 59% to 75%. Residents with two or more mentor meetings (n = 12, 38%) were more likely to report faculty were interested in mentoring and cared about their development (3.5 versus 4.6, 3.6 versus 4.6, P Conclusions Implementation of a formal mentorship program resulted in an improvement in resident perception of faculty involvement and support. Meeting with a mentor resulted in a significant improvement in resident perception. Implementation of a mentorship program can improve resident experience, and few interactions are needed to affect the change.