cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
An improved statistical model for taxonomic assignment of metagenomics.

With the advances in the next-generation sequencing technologies, researchers can now rapidly examine the composition of samples from humans and their surroundings. To enhance the accuracy of taxonomy assignments in metagenomic samples, we developed a method that allows multiple mismatch probabilities from different genomes. We extended the algorithm of taxonomic assignment of metagenomic sequence reads (TAMER) by developing an improved method that can set a different mismatch probability for each genome rather than imposing a single parameter for all genomes, thereby obtaining a greater degree of accuracy. This method, which we call TADIP (Taxonomic Assignment of metagenomics based on DIfferent Probabilities), was comprehensively tested in simulated and real datasets. The results support that TADIP improved the performance of TAMER especially in large sample size datasets with high complexity. TADIP was developed as a statistical model to improve the estimate accuracy of taxonomy assignments. Based on its varying mismatch probability setting and correlated variance matrix setting, its performance was enhanced for high complexity samples when compared with TAMER.
Capture of Malignant Tumor Cells by a Carotid Embolic Protection Device During Endovascular Biopsy of a Left Ventricular Mass.

A 22-year-old man with no past medical history presented with an embolic infarct of the left kidney. Imaging demonstrated a large left ventricular mass with extension along the papillary muscles and involvement of the mitral valve ([Figure 1][1]). Tissue diagnosis was recommended, and after heart
Patients with Non-response to Neoadjuvant Chemoradiation for Esophageal Cancer Have No Survival Advantage over Patients Undergoing Primary Esophagectomy

Survival for patients with locally advanced esophageal cancer remains dismal. Non-response to neoadjuvant chemoradiation (nCRT) portends worse survival. We hypothesized that patients undergoing up-front esophagectomy may have better survival than those who do not respond to nCRT. We identified all patients undergoing esophagectomy with a pathologic stage of II or greater at our institution between 1994 and 2015 and separated them into two groups: those who received nCRT and those undergoing up-front esophagectomy. The neoadjuvant group was further separated into patients downstaged to pathologic stage 0 or I (responders) and patients with either the same or higher pathologic stage after nCRT, or with pathologic stage II disease or greater (non-responders). Overall survival was compared between groups using Kaplan–Meier statistics. Covariate-adjusted Cox modeling was used to estimate hazard ratios (HR) for mortality associated with non-response. Overall, 287 patients met inclusion criteria. Fifty-nine percent of the responders had pathologic complete response (pCR). The majority of non-responders and primary esophagectomy patients had stage II or III disease (94%). Median survival was 58.3 months in responders, 23.9 months in non-responders, and 29.1 months in primary esophagectomy patients (p < 0.01). The HR for mortality associated with non-response was 1.82 compared to response to nCRT (p < 0.01) and 1.09 compared to primary esophagectomy (p = 0.71). In patients with esophageal cancer who do not respond to nCRT, neoadjuvant therapy may represent a toxic and costly treatment modality that does not improve survival and may delay potentially curative resection. Further research is needed to identify potential non-responders with advanced resectable disease and allow individual tailoring of pre-surgical decision-making.
Metastatic castration‐sensitive prostate cancer: Abiraterone, docetaxel, or…

For decades, the management of patients with advanced prostate cancer has been hormonal therapy, known as androgen deprivation therapy, which is intended to lower testosterone levels. Further incremental progress in the treatment of men with metastatic hormone-sensitive prostate cancer (mHSPC) has come from the addition of docetaxel or abiraterone acetate to androgen deprivation therapy for more aggressive upfront treatment regimens. Other combinatorial regimens testing the addition of novel therapies currently are in the late stages of development and are expected to further improve the clinical outcomes of these patients. The emergence of new positron emission tomography tracers specifically for prostate cancer, particularly prostate-specific membrane antigen and fluciclovine, has increased the ability to detect metastatic disease earlier in the course of the disease and has helped to describe a new group of patients with mHSPC and oligometastatic disease. For this group of patients with mHSPC, the authors discuss the existing data with metastasis-directed therapy and primary tumor-directed therapy.
Evaluation of a head-worn display with ambient vision cues for unusual attitude recovery

A Commercial Aviation Safety Team (CAST) study of 18 loss-of-control events determined that a lack of external visual references was a contributing factor in 17 of these events. CAST recommended that manufacturers should develop and implement virtual day-VMC display systems, such as synthetic vision (SV) or equivalent systems (CAST Safety Enhancement, SE-200). In support of this recommended action, CAST has requested studies to define minimum requirements for virtual day-visual meteorological conditions (VMC) displays to improve flight crew awareness of airplane attitude. NASA’s research in Virtual day-VMC displays, known as synthetic vision systems, are intended to support intuitive flight crew attitude awareness similar to a day-VMC-like environment, especially if they could be designed to create visual dominance. A study was conducted to evaluate the utility of ambient vision (AV) cues paired with virtual Head-Up Display (HUD) symbology on a prototype head-worn display (HWD) during recovery from unusual attitudes in a simulated environment. The virtual-HUD component meets the requirement that the HWD may be used as an equivalent display to the HUD. The presence of AV cueing leverages the potential that a HWD has over the HUD for spatial disorientation prevention. The simulation study was conducted as a single-pilot operation, under realistic flight scenarios, with off-nominal events occurring that were capable of inducing unusual attitudes. Independent variables of the experiment included: 1) AV capability (on vs off) 2) AV display opaqueness (transparent vs opaque) and display location (HWD vs traditional head- down displays); AV cues were only present when the HWD was being worn by the subject pilot.
How psychological needs motivate family firm identifications and identifiers: A framework and future research agenda

Abstract We develop a framework suggesting how psychological needs may motivate individual identifications with, and identifiers of, family businesses. Grounded in extant research, our framework describes how six types of psychological needs (i.e., needs for self-esteem, continuity, distinctiveness, meaning, efficacy/control, and belonging) can both: (1) motivate individuals to identify with family firms that are defined by specific characteristics, and (2) motivate family firm identifiers to promote specific characteristics as defining their firms. Interestingly, our framework indicates that the characteristic that most commonly motivates family firm identifications and identifiers (by satisfying a number of psychological needs) is not “positive image” (as predicted by theories of social identification), but “shared values”. Further, our framework suggests that some family firm characteristics (e.g., “family firm image”) may both motivate and demotivate identifications and identifiers by simultaneously satisfying some psychological needs (e.g., needs for distinctiveness), while preventing the satisfaction of other needs (e.g., needs for efficacy). Based on our framework, we outline an agenda for future research that may extend our understanding of the role of psychological needs in family firm identification.
New elevation data triple estimates of global vulnerability to sea-level rise and coastal flooding.

Most estimates of global mean sea-level rise this century fall below 2 m. This quantity is comparable to the positive vertical bias of the principle digital elevation model (DEM) used to assess global and national population exposures to extreme coastal water levels, NASA’s SRTM. CoastalDEM is a new DEM utilizing neural networks to reduce SRTM error. Here we show – employing CoastalDEM—that 190 M people (150–250 M, 90% CI) currently occupy global land below projected high tide lines for 2100 under low carbon emissions, up from 110 M today, for a median increase of 80 M. These figures triple SRTM-based values. Under high emissions, CoastalDEM indicates up to 630 M people live on land below projected annual flood levels for 2100, and up to 340 M for mid-century, versus roughly 250 M at present. We estimate one billion people now occupy land less than 10 m above current high tide lines, including 230 M below 1 m. Accurate estimates of global mean sea-level rise are important. Here the authors employ a new digital elevation model (DEM) utilizing neural networks and show that the new DEM more than triples the NASA SRTM-based estimates of current global population occupying land below projected sea levels in 2100, with more than 200 million people could be affected based on RCP4.5 and 2 degC of warming.
Changes in Spreads Based on the Adoption of Performance Pricing

We investigate the dynamics of interest loan spreads for performance sensitive debt (PSD) over time, related to both fixed loans and spreads for different categories of borrowers. Early studies identified lower spreads for PSD versus other fixed rate loans. Theories for the relative PSD rates include the transfer of credit risk from lender to borrower, lower contracting costs, macroeconomic conditions, and competitive pricing to gain PSD borrowers. Previous research has not examined the distribution of PSD benefits, thus their role in either ameliorating or exacerbating the uneven access to credit in the economy is unknown. Our findings indicate that large firms have accrued most of the benefits of this loan innovation, even after controlling for variables associated with creditworthiness.
CHAPTER 11 – PARTIAL DIFFERENTIAL EQUATIONS AND BOUNDARY-VALUE PROBLEMS

Publisher Summary This chapter discusses partial differential equations and boundary-value problems. Partial differential equations are classified as to order and linearity in much the same way as ordinary differential equations. The order of an equation is the order of the highest-order partial derivatives of the unknown function that appear in the equation. A problem that consists of finding a solution of a partial differential equation, which also satisfies one or more boundary conditions, is called a boundary-value problem. A boundary-value problem possessing a unique solution that depends continuously on the prescribed values in the boundary conditions is said to be a well-posed problem. For some partial differential equations, it is possible to find expressions that represent all solutions, that is, represent the general solution. Such expressions contain arbitrary functions instead of arbitrary constants as in the case of ordinary differential equations. To determine the motion of the vibrating string, partial differential equation, subject to the boundary conditions, must be solved.
Recognition of Latin scientific names using artificial neural networks.

Premise The automated recognition of Latin scientific names within vernacular text has many applications, including text mining, search indexing, and automated specimen-label processing. Most published solutions are computationally inefficient, incapable of running within a web browser, and focus on texts in English, thus omitting a substantial portion of biodiversity literature. Methods and Results An open-source browser-executable solution, Quaesitor, is presented here. It uses pattern matching (regular expressions) in combination with an ensembled classifier composed of an inclusion dictionary search (Bloom filter), a trio of complementary neural networks that differ in their approach to encoding text, and word length to automatically identify Latin scientific names in the 16 most common languages for biodiversity articles. Conclusions In combination, the classifiers can recognize Latin scientific names in isolation or embedded within the languages used for >96% of biodiversity literature titles. For three different data sets, they resulted in a 0.80-0.97 recall and a 0.69-0.84 precision at a rate of 8.6 ms/word.
Integration and Test Challenges of Parker Solar Probe

On August 12, 2018, NASA and the Johns Hopkins Applied Physics Laboratory (APL) successfully launched Parker Solar Probe (PSP) on a mission to study the Sun, as part of NASA's Living With a Star program. As of this writing, the spacecraft has successfully completed its third close approach to the Sun and is returning new data to scientists here on Earth. The journey leading up to this point was difficult and full of many unique challenges. PSP will be flying within the corona of the sun over twenty times and traveling more than seven times closer than any spacecraft has come before (1). PSP was designed to withstand intense heat by sitting behind a first-of-its-kind Thermal Protection System (TPS), while still being able to perform all of its necessary functions. This mission required an extensive knowledge base and multiple teams working in conjunction to bring this flight to fruition. This paper will discuss some of the many difficult integration and test challenges faced leading up to launch; their origin, development, and steps that the team executed to overcome them and ensure success. The spacecraft was exceptionally complex, with multiple systems that were redundant, and required an extremely large portion of the schedule to be dedicated to testing. The Autonomy system had to be very robust as the mission is designed to have large periods of time where the spacecraft will be out of contact with the Earth. PSP was also mass constrained; all of the systems had to fit into a relatively small bus that restricted the integration order of operations and limited the amount of activities that could be performed in parallel. Due to these numerous challenges, the team had to be very flexible and adaptable to the needs of the spacecraft and the mission. From the integration of the bus at APL, to environmental testing at the Goddard Space Flight Center, to the final pre-flight processing at Astrotech Space Operations and on the Delta IV Heavy launch vehicle at the Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, PSP was a learning experience every step of the way.
Analysis of water quality monitoring of swimming pool in Zibo during 2010-2012

Objective To understand the hygienic status of water quality of swimming pool in Zibo city for improving the water quality of swimming pool and protect the health of the swimmer. Methods 105 swimming pool water samples during 2010-2012 were determined for the total bacterial count, coliform bacteria, turbidity, carbamide, pH value, and free residual chlorine, the evaluated according to the GB9667- 1996. Results The eligibility of 105 water samples in total examined in 2010-2012, was low(42.0%) and each year 25.0%, 45.2%, 47.6% separately. Among the seized items, there were different extents of non-compliance in each item each year. The eligible rates in descending order were turbidity(99.1%), PH value(98.1%), coliforms bacteria(84.8%), carbamide(70.5 %), the total bacterial count(69.5%) and free residual chlorine(51.4%). The eligibility of each item had no statistical differences(P0.05) in addition to carbamide(P0.05) between different years. Compared with indoor, the eligibility outdoor was higher(P0.05). The qualified rates had no statistical difference in different areas(P0.05) and different swimming places(P0.05). Conclusion The qualified rate of water quality of swimming pool in Zibo is on the low side, and the main unqualified projects are free residual chlorine, the total bacterial count and carbamide. The reason mainly lies in the lack of rational control of pedestrian volume,halfway disinfection and delayed changing new water, thus effective supervision and monitoring should be strengthen.
Hoodies on the Floor: Exploring Black Members’ Legislative Response to Police Brutality

This paper examines how Black members of Congress (MC) have recognized police brutality as an issue on the congressional agenda from 1980 to 2016. Using a dataset of every bill introduced by black members of Congress during the period of study, I show that, in general, police brutality has not been an important component of black MCs' legislative portfolios. Instead, it is an occasional focus of bill sponsorship in response to media coverage of discrete instances of brutality and murder. The paper contextualizes its findings by exploring the similarities and differences between the history of anti-lynching legislation and the contemporary fight (or lack thereof) against police brutality.
Periodic cutting motions in a vibration-assisted, regenerative, nonlinear Orthogonal turning system

In this paper, a mathematical model of 2-degrees-of-freedom (2-DOF), vibration-assisted, regenerative, nonlinear orthogonal turning system is developed. The period-1 motions of such a system are predicted through the discrete mapping method. The discrete mapping is constructed by discretization of equations of motion of the machine-tool system. The periodic motions of such a machine tool system are determined through the mapping structures, and the stability and bifurcation conditions of the period-1 motions are determined by eigenvalue analysis. The variation of period-1 motions with respect to active excitation from a servo unit is presented from the bifurcation diagram of periodic nodes. Numerical simulations are carried out for small-amplitude and large-amplitude machine-tool vibration. The machine tool chatter occurs once the horizontal and vertical displacement of the machine-tool are out-of-phase. Such a relation could be used for the chatter detection of vibration-assisted machining.
Diagnosis and Care of the Newborn with Epidermolysis Bullosa

Epidermolysis bullosa (EB) is a group of rare genetic disorders that are characterized by fragile skin. Because of its rarity, many neonatologists may not be familiar with the current diagnosis and treatment recommendations for EB. The classification of EB was updated in 2020. The diagnosis of EB is now more heavily based on genetic rather than clinical or histologic features. In this review, we summarize the basic classification of EB, the preferred methods of diagnosis including a panel of next-generation sequencing for all types of EB, as well as specific immunofluorescence and electron microscopy of skin biopsies in special circumstances. We also review the principles of skin care for the newborn with EB and discuss the possible associated comorbidities including infectious, gastrointestinal, respiratory, and genitourinary complications. Lastly, we discuss the approach to educating the family about the diagnosis, prognosis, and care of an infant with EB and describe resources for the successful transition of the infant from the hospital to the home.
Introduction to Stochastic Calculus and Its Applications

Stochastic Calculus deals with the rate of change of functions with respect to the randomness. It has been applied in the field of financial mathematics. When we look at the graph of stock prices, there are many irregular price fluctuations. The main tool for modeling the small fluctuations is the Brownian motion. This paper will mainly introduce the concept of Brownian motion, the concept of random walks, and the main flavors of stochastic calculus, Ito calculus. I will also discuss various applications, especially in the finance area.
On-farm data-rich analysis explains yield and quantifies yield gaps of winter wheat in the U.S. central Great Plains

Abstract With an annual production of ∼60 Mt, the U.S. accounts for about 8% of the global wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) production. Still, quantification of the yield gaps (YG) and major management factors to reduce it are scarce. We used Kansas, the largest wheat producing state in the U.S. located in the central Great Plains, for an initial assessment of on-farm yield and YG. We collected field-level management (37 variables), weather (8 variables), soil (two variables) and yield data from 656 commercial wheat fields over three harvest years (2016–2018) to (i) quantify management adoption levels, Ya, and YG, and (ii) identify interactions among management practices and weather variables using a data-rich approach. We also used our data as a case-study to detect whether differences in crop management among regions justified data clustering by crop zones. Water-limited yield potential (Yw) was simulated for each field-year using actual soil and weather data and the SSM-Wheat model. Fields were grouped in three climate zones based on their long-term climatology and important differences in cropping systems between zones. Grain yield averaged 3.8 Mg ha−1 and ranged from 0.3–7.1 Mg ha−1 across all regions and years. The YG averaged 44 %, with seasons with high Yw resulting in greater YG. Management practices most often associated with grain yield were management of nitrogen (N), phosphorus (P), and sulphur (S) fertilizer, as well as foliar fungicide and its interaction with variety reaction to major diseases, although these depended on in-season weather. Our analyses highlighted many other genotype × management × environment interactions explaining winter wheat Ya, such as regional-specific cultivar maturity and the dependency of sowing date (and its relation to seeding rate) on cropping system.
Effects of Potential Micro- and Macro-nutrients in Combatting COVID-19.

Purpose of review Gain insight on the effect of some recently studied nutrients and nutritional markers on the COVID-19 disease course. Recent findings In vitro studies indicate that SCFAs do not interfere with SARS-CoV-2 infectivity. Observational studies indicate that eating processed or red meat three or more times per week had overall higher risk of pneumonia. Studies suggest that markers of regular outdoor physical activity (high HDL, lack of vitamin D deficiency, lack of obesity, etc.) prevent severe complications of COVID-19. Summary Although no definitive nutrients were found to significantly alter the COVID-19 disease course, some therapeutic candidates such as calcium, vitamin D, and albumin were surmised. Other nutrients that modulate serum lipid levels, cytokine levels, and albumin levels may hold promise for prevention of morbid or fatal outcomes related to COVID-19, as does the reduction of red or processed meat consumption.
Do turtles follow the rules? Latitudinal gradients in species richness, body size, and geographic range area of the world's turtles.

Understanding how and why biodiversity is structured across the globe has been central to ecology, evolution, and biogeography even before those disciplines took their modern forms. Three global-scale patterns in particular have been the focus of research and debate for decades: latitudinal gradients in species richness (richness decreases with increasing latitude), body size (body size increases with increasing latitude in endotherms; Bergmann's rule), and geographic range size (range size increases with increasing latitude; Rapoport's rule). Despite decades of study, the generality and robustness of these trends have been debated, as have their underlying causes. Here we investigate latitudinal gradients in species richness, body size, and range size in the world's turtles (Testudines), and add more evidence that these rules do not seem to apply across all taxa. We show that turtle diversity actually peaks at 25° north, a highly unusual global pattern. Turtles also fail to follow Bergmann's Rule, and may show the converse (larger at lower latitudes), though trends are weak. Turtles also show a complex relationship between latitude and range size that does not directly follow Rapoport's rule. Body size and geographic range size are significantly correlated, and multiple abiotic and biotic variables help explain the relationships between latitude and species diversity, body size, and range size. Although we show that turtles do not strictly follow some classic biogeographical rules, we also call for further in-depth research to investigate potential causal mechanisms for these atypical patterns. J. Exp. Zool. (Mol. Dev. Evol.) 324B: 270–294, 2015. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
The Dirac Delta Function and Delta Sequences

The Heaviside function H (x) is defined to be equal to zero for every negative value of x and to unity for every positive value of x, that is, $$H(x)=\left\{ \begin{matrix}0, & x 0. \\ \end{matrix}\right\}$$ (1) It has a jump discontinuity at x = 0 and is also called the unit step function. Its value at x = 0 is usually taken to be 1/2. Sometimes it is taken to be a constant c,0 < c < 1, and then the function is written H c (x). If the jump in the Heaviside function is at a point x = a, then the function is written H (x − a). Observe that $$H(-x)=1-H(x),\text{ }H(a-x)=1-H(x-a).$$ (2) The functions H(x), H(x — a), and H(a − x) are drawn in Figure 1.1.
Experimental study of the characteristics of a novel mesh suture

Background: The failure of sutures to maintain tissue in apposition is well characterized in hernia repairs. A mesh suture designed to facilitate tissue integration into and around the filaments may improve tissue hold and decrease suture pull-through. Methods: In vitro, the sutures were compared for resistance to pull-through in ballistics gel. In vivo, closure of midline laparotomy incisions was done with both sutures in 11 female pigs. Tissue segments were subsequently subjected to mechanical and histological testing. Results: The mesh suture had tensile characteristics nearly identical to those of 0-polypropylene suture. Mesh suture demonstrated greater resistance to pull-through than standard suture (mean(s.d.) 4⋅27(0⋅42) versus 2⋅23(0⋅48) N; P < 0⋅001) in vitro. In pigs, the ultimate tensile strength for repaired linea alba at 8 days was higher with mesh suture (320(57) versus 160(56) N; P < 0⋅001), as was the work to failure (24⋅6(14⋅2) versus 7⋅3(3⋅7) J; P < 0⋅001) and elasticity (128(9) versus 72(7) N/cm; P < 0⋅001) in comparison with 0-polypropylene suture. Histological examination at 8 and 90 days showed complete tissue integration of the mesh suture. Conclusion: The novel mesh suture structure increased the strength of early wound healing in an experimental model.
Greigite (Fe3S4) as an indicator of drought – The 1912–1994 sediment magnetic record from White Rock Lake, Dallas, Texas, USA

Combined magnetic and geochemical studies were conducted on sediments from White Rock Lake, a reservoir in suburban Dallas (USA), to investigate how land use has affected sediment and water quality since the reservoir was filled in 1912. The chronology of a 167-cm-long core is constrained by the recognition of the pre-reservoir surface and by 137Cs results. In the reservoir sediments, magnetic susceptibility (MS) and isothermal remanent magnetization (IRM) are largely carried by detrital titanomagnetite that originally formed in igneous rocks. Titanomagnetite and associated hematite are the dominant iron oxides in a sample from the surficial deposit in the watershed but are absent in the underlying Austin Chalk. Therefore, these minerals were transported by wind into the watershed. After about 1960, systematic decreases in Ti, Fe, and Al suggest diminished input of detrital Fe-Ti oxides from the surficial deposits. MS and IRM remain constant over this interval, however, implying compensation by an increase in strongly magnetic material derived from human activity. Anthropogenic magnetite in rust and ferrite spherules (from fly ash?) are more common in sediment deposited after about 1970 than before and may account for the constant magnetization despite the implied decrease in detrital Fe-Ti oxides. An unexpected finding is the presence of authigenic greigite (Fe3S4), the abundance of which is at least partly controlled by climate. Greigite is common in sediments that predate about 1975, with zones of concentration indicated by relatively high IRM/MS. High greigite contents in sediment deposited during the early to mid-1950s and during the mid-1930s correspond to several-year periods of below-average precipitation and drought from historical records. Relatively long water-residence times in the reservoir during these periods may have led to elevated levels of sulfate available for bacterial sulfate reduction. The sulfate was probably derived via the oxidation of pyrite that is common in the underlying Austin Chalk. These results provide a basis for the paleoenvironmental interpretation of greigite occurrence in older lake sediments. The results also indicate that greigite formed rapidly and imply that it can be preserved in the amounts produced over a short time span (in this lake, only a few years). This finding thus suggests that, in some lacustrine settings, greigite is capable of recording paleomagnetic secular variation.
Optimal control alleviation of tilting proprotor gust response

Optimal control theory is applied to the design of a control system for alleviation of the gust response of tilting proprotor aircraft. Using a proprotor and cantilever wing analytical model, the uncontrolled and controlled gust response is examined over the entire operating range of the aircraft except for hover: helicopter mode, conversion, and airplane mode flight. Substantial improvements in the loads, ride quality, and aeroelastic stability are possible with a properly designed controller. A single controller, nominally optimal only at the design point speed (160 knots here), operated efficiently over the entire speed range, with the possible exception of very low speed in helicopter mode. Kalman-Bucy filters were used as compensation networks to provide state estimates from various measurements in the wing motion, rotor speed perturbation, and tip-path-plane tilt.
Oscillatory/Chaotic Thermocapillary Flow Induced by Radiant Heating

There is a continuing need to understand the fluid physics occurring under low gravity conditions in processes such as crystal growth, materials processing, and the movement of bubbles or droplets. The fluid flow in such situations is often caused by a gradient in interfacial tension. If a temperature gradient is created due to a heat source, the resulting flow is called thermocapillary flow, a special case of Marangoni Convection. In this study, an experimental investigation was conducted using silicone oil in cylindrical containers with a laser heat source at the free surface. It was desired to determine the conditions under which steady, axisymmetrical thermocapillary flow becomes unstable and oscillatory three-dimensional flow states develop. The critical Marangoni number for each observed oscillatory state was measured as a function of the container aspect ratio and the dynamic Bond number, a measure of buoyant force versus ii thermocapillary force. Various oscillatory modes were observed during three- dimensional convection, and chaotic flow was reached in one test condition. The critical Marangoni numbers are compared with those measured in previous studies, and the power spectra and phase trajectories of the instantaneous surface temperature distributions are used to characterize the routes of transitions to the chaotic flow state. Results show that only superharmonic modes appear in the routes to chaos while infinite number of subharmonic modes occur in flow transitions for pure Rayleigh convection.
Complexity and cooperation in Q-learning

Publisher Summary This chapter describes two cooperative learning algorithms that can reduce search and decouple the learning rate from state-space size. The first algorithm, called Learning with an External Critic (LEC), is based on the idea of a mentor who watches the learner and generates immediate rewards in response to its most recent actions. This reward is then used temporarily to bias the learner's control strategy. The second algorithm, called Learning By Watching ( LBW), is based on the idea that an agent can gain experience vicariously by relating the observed behavior of others to its own. While LEC algorithms require interaction with knowledgeable agents, LBW algorithms can be effective even when interaction is with equally naive peers. The search time complexity is analyzed for pure unbiased Q-learning, LEC, and LB W algorithms for an important class of state spaces. Generally, the results indicate that unbiased Q-learning can have a search time that is exponential in the depth of the state space, while the LEC and LB W algorithms require at most time linear in the state space size and under appropriate conditions, time independent of the state space size and proportional to the length of the optimal solution path. Homogeneous state spaces are useful for studying the scaling properties of reinforcement learning algorithms because they are analytically tractable.
CHILD-CENTERED, VERTICALLY STRUCTURED, AND INTERDISCIPLINARY

This paper will describe the genesis and philosophy of the Center for Children's Policy. Practice and Research at the University of Pennsylvania (CCPPR), a joint project of the Schools of Law, Medicine and Social Work. The mission of CCPPR was to mobilize the resources of all disciplines engaged in childhood issues across the campus to seek innovative solutions for the crises facing America's children. CCPPR seeks to combine clinical practice, research, and policy in a vertical structure that would maintain linkages at all stages of scholarship, practice, and reform. Five essential structural factors were that the project must be: (a) vertically integrated; (b) interdisciplinary; (c) team-based; (d) child-centered and (e) developmentally informed. This paper can serve as a template for developing similar centers or projects, and will describe our methods, the projects we have undertaken, as well as the pitfalls and challenges of this highly demanding integrative approach.
THE ETIOLOGY OF GASTROENTERITIS IN INFANTS AND CHILDREN, WITH EMPHASIS ON THE OCCURRENCE OF SIMULTANEOUS MIXED VIRAL-BACTERIAL INFECTIONS

Over a 3-year period, 117 episodes of gastroenteritis occurring in 112 children in North Carolina were studied virologically and bacteriologically. A bacterial agent alone and a viral agent alone were isolated in 25% and 12% of cases, respectively. Simultaneous mixed viral-bacterial infections occurred in another 12%. These findings are in accord with data reported by other workers in North America and Europe. There was a definite seasonal pattern: 82% of all viral isolations were in the summer months, and most of the cases of diarrhea without demonstrable pathogens occurred in winter. Bacterial pathogens, however, were isolated at a rather constant rate throughout the year. The peripheral white blood count was not found to be helpful in predicting the etiologic agent involved. A significantly greater excretion rate of all infectious agents was found in children 6 months old and younger (43 pathogens from the specimens of 51 patients) in comparison to that observed in the older age group (38 pathogens from the specimens of 66 patients). Also, twice as many simultaneous mixed viral-bacterial infections occurred in children under 6 months of age as in all other age groups together. The need for repeat bacterial cultures and the examination of both throat and anal specimens for maximal recovery of viral agents in cases of gastroenteritis is apparent.
Associations between obesity and inflammatory sinonasal disorders

Objectives/Hypothesis Determine whether adult obesity is associated with chronic rhinosinusitis (CRS) and/or allergic rhinitis (AR). Study Design Cross-sectional analysis of medical panel survey. Methods The Medical Expenditure Panel Survey, a large-scale household-based survey of health care utilization in the United States (2008 and 2010) was examined, identifying adult cases of CRS and AR. The presence or absence of obesity (body mass index ≥ 30 kg/m2) was determined. Adjusting for age, sex, race, geographic region, insurance coverage, and Charlson Comorbidity Index, odds ratios for the presence of CRS and/or AR in the presence of obesity were determined. The relations between body mass index as a linear variable and the presence of CRS and AR were determined. Results A total of 17.6 ± 0.6 million adults reported AR (7.7% ± 0.3%) and 13.0 ± 0.5 million reported CRS (5.7% ± 0.2%; weighted estimates). Additionally, 64.9 ± 1.4 million adults (29.0% ± 0.4%) were classified as obese based on body mass index. The adjusted odds ratio for AR when obesity was present was 1.22 (P < .001, 95% confidence interval = 1.12–1.33). The adjusted odds ratio for CRS when obesity was present was 1.31 (P < .001, 95% confidence interval = 1.18–1.45). Increasing body mass index as a continuous variable was significantly associated with the presence of both AR (odds ratio = 1.023, P < .001) and CRS (odds ratio = 1.022, P < .001). Conclusions The current data demonstrate an increased prevalence of adult obesity associated with both AR and CRS. Level of Evidence 2b. Laryngoscope, 123:1840–1844, 2013
Whole‐Brain Proton MR Spectroscopic Imaging in Parkinson's Disease

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE To examine the distributions of proton magnetic resonance spectroscopy (MRS) observed metabolites in Parkinson's disease (PD) throughout the whole brain. METHODS Twelve PD patients and 18 age-matched controls were studied using neuropsychological testing, MRI and volumetric MR spectroscopic imaging. Average values of signal normalized metabolite values for N-acetyl-aspartate, total-creatine, and total-choline (NAA, total-Cre, total-Cho, respectively) and their ratios were calculated for gray matter (GM) and white matter (WM) in each lobar brain region. RESULTS Analyses revealed altered metabolite values in PD subjects relative to controls within the GM of the temporal lobe (right: elevated Cre, P = .027; decreased NAA/Cre, P = .019; decreased Cho/Cre, P = .001 and left: decreased NAA/Cre; P = .001, decreased Cho/Cre, P = .007); the right occipital lobe (decreased NAA, P = .032 and NAA/Cre, P = .016); and the total cerebrum GM (decreased NAA/Cre, P = .029). No meaningful correlations were obtained between abnormal metabolite values and the neuropsychological measures. CONCLUSIONS PD is associated with widespread alterations of brain metabolite concentrations, with a primary finding of increased creatine. Higher creatine values in our PD sample may reflect greater neuronal energy expenditure early in the disease process that is compensatory. This is the first whole brain MRS study of PD that has examined metabolite changes across a large fraction of the brain volume, including the cortical mantle.
Russian wheat aphid (Homoptera: Aphididae) feeding behavior on host and nonhost plants

Feeding behavior of Russian wheat aphid, Diuraphis noxia (Mordvilko), on host (wheat, Triticum aestivum L.; oat, Avena sativa L.; and rye, Secale cereale L.) and nonhost (sorghum, Sorghum bicolor (L.) Moench) plants was studied using a computerized electronic insect feeding monitor. Most wavefonns recorded for Russian wheat aphid feeding on wheat and other grass species resembled those previously recorded for other aphids, including three distinctive wavefonlls for salivation, X-wave, and ingestion. The X-waveforms of Russian wheat aphid had more than one voltage peak. Histology of the Russian wheat aphid feeding site confirmed that when the sequence of waveforms, salivation-X-wave-ingestion, appeared on a strip chart recorder, stylets and salivary sheath always tenninated in phloem tissue. Russian wheat aphid salivated more and ingested less while feeding on sorghum than on the other cultivars. It took Russian wheat aphid four times longer to locate the phloem and achieve committed phloem ingestion (>15 min phloem sap ingestion) on sorghum than on wheat. The Potential Phloem Ingestion Index (PPIl) on sorghum hybrid NC + 630-X was estimated to be 24% compared with 97% on ‘Payne’ wheat. There was no significant (P > 0.05) difference in duration of phloem ingestion among wheat, rye, and oat cultivars. Russian wheat aphid feeding on susceptible hosts and unacceptable nonhost plants could be used as a basis of comparison among genotypes in identifying sources of resistance to Russian wheat aphid. Also, this method could be used as a quick and nondestructive method to locate and understand the type and mechanisms of resistance exhibited by resistant genotypes.
A covalent protein-DNA 5'-product adduct is generated following AP lyase activity of human ALKBH1 (AlkB homologue 1).

ALKBH1 (AlkB homologue 1) is a mammalian AlkB (2oxoglutarate-dependent dioxygenase) homologue that possesses AP (abasic or apurinic/apyrimidinic) lyase activity. The AP lyase reaction is catalysed by imine formation with an active site lysine residue, and a covalent intermediate can be trapped in the presence of NaBH4. Surprisingly, ALKBH1 also forms a stable protein–DNA adduct in the absence of a reducing agent. Experiments with different substrates demonstrated that the protein covalently binds to the 5 � DNA product, i.e. the fragment containing an α,β-unsaturated aldehyde. The N-terminal domain of ALKBH1 was identified as the main site of linkage with DNA. By contrast, mutagenesis studies suggest that the primary catalytic residue forming the imine linkage is Lys 133 , with Lys 154 and other lysine residues in this region serving in opportunistic roles. These findings confirm the classification of ALKBH1 as an AP lyase, identify the primary and a secondary lysine residues involved in the lyase reaction, and demonstrate that the protein forms a covalent adduct with the 5 � DNA product. We propose two plausible chemical mechanisms to account for the covalent attachment.
Magnetic Form Factor of Nickel

The magnetic form factor of Ni is calculated using the pseudopotential method, the ferromagnetic interaction being supplied by a parametrized Hubbard—Kanamori Hamiltonian. This approach is useful in the present instance because the form factor is primarily determined by uncompensated majority spin electrons near the Fermi surface where LCAO d‐band functions represent a reasonable approximation for the wave functions. The asphericity of the d‐electron spin distribution as well as the constant negative polarization of electrons in the outer regions of the unit cell observed by Mook and Shull are reproduced. The latter effect is accounted for by a reversal of the s‐spin polarization in that region of the unit cell. A possible contribution due to a slow spatial variation of the spin polarization over the unit cell associated with compensated d electrons throughout the d band is also discussed.
CONNECTIVE TISSUE GROWTH FACTOR : A MEDIATOR OF TGF-BETA ACTION ON FIBROBLASTS

Connective tissue growth factor (CTGF) is a cysteine-rich mitogenic peptide that binds heparin and is secreted by fibroblasts after activation with transforming growth factor beta (TGF-beta). CTGF is a member of a highly conserved family of peptides that include immediate early gene products cef10, cyr61, fisp12; a putative avian proto-oncogene, nov; and a drosophila gene, twisted gastrulation, tsg, that controls medial mesoderm induction during dorsal-ventral axis pattern formation, a process also controlled by TGF-beta related peptides (dpp, scw). In the adult mammal, CTGF functions as a downstream mediator of TGF-beta action on connective tissue cells, where it stimulates cell proliferation and extracellular matrix synthesis. CTGF does not appear to act on epithelial cells or immune cells. Because the biological actions of TGF-beta are complex and affect many different cell types, CTGF may serve as a more specific target for selective intervention in processes involving connective tissue formation during wound repair or fibrotic disorders. Northern blot and in situ hybridization studies have demonstrated that CTGF is coordinately expressed with TGF-beta in every fibrotic disorder examined to date. Agents that inhibit CTGF production or action could lead to the development of new therapeutic approaches for the control of fibrotic disorders in humans.
Impacts of model calibration on high-latitude land-surface processes: PILPS 2(e) calibration/validation experiments

Abstract In the PILPS 2(e) experiment, the Snow Atmosphere Soil Transfer (SAST) land-surface scheme developed from the Biosphere–Atmosphere Transfer Scheme (BATS) showed difficulty in accurately simulating the patterns and quantities of runoff resulting from heavy snowmelt in the high-latitude Torne–Kalix River basin (shared by Sweden and Finland). This difficulty exposes the model deficiency in runoff formations. After representing subsurface runoff and calibrating the parameters, the accuracy of hydrograph prediction improved substantially. However, even with the accurate precipitation and runoff, the predicted soil moisture and its variation were highly “model-dependent”. Knowledge obtained from the experiment is discussed.
Collective Action of SNAREpins Exerts Forces between Membranes that Activate Fusion

SNARE proteins mediate most intracellular membrane fusion processes such as exocytosis. It has been established that vesicle associated v-SNAREs and target-membrane associated t-SNAREs, assemble into a parallel four-helix bundle (SNAREpin) in a zipper like fashion, which brings the membranes close together. However, the detailed mechanisms whereby SNAREs drive fusion remains unclear. It is also unknown whether several SNAREpins cooperate to induce fusion, and widely varying SNARE requirements for fusion are reported, 2-15 in vivo (Montecucco et al., Trends Biochem Sci, 2005) and 1-11 in vitro (van den Bogaart et al., NSMB, 2010; Karatekin et al., PNAS, 2010). Here, we developed a mathematical model of SNAREpins connecting a vesicle to a planar membrane, quantifying inter-membrane, inter-SNAREpin and membrane-SNAREpin interactions, and taking account of the zippering/unzipping of the SNAREpins. Monte Carlo simulations showed that SNAREpins assemble through the SNARE motifs and self-organize into a ring. The ring tends to expand, driven by inter-SNAREpin and SNAREpin-membrane interactions, reducing membrane separation by geometrical coupling. Assuming an energy criterion for fusion, we determined the waiting times for fusion from the distributions of inter-membrane energies. Our data show that although one SNAREpin can induce membrane fusion, fusion waiting times decrease rapidly with the number of SNAREpins. Applying the model to single-vesicle fusion assays, we predict that the dependency of docking-to-fusion delay times on the number of v-SNAREs reaches a plateau, in agreement with experiments (Karatekin et al., PNAS, 2010). We also find that waiting times increase with vesicle size and with insertion of flexible segments into the SNARE linker domains, in qualitative agreement with experiments (McNew et al., Mol Cell, 1999). Our results suggest that fully zippered SNAREs work in concert to trigger fusion, and explain the wide range of reported SNARE requirements for fusion.
Good-bye and happy holidays! [From the Editor]

This is my last issue as editor-inchief of IEEE Engineering in Medicine and Biology Magazine. It has been a wonderful experience for me to work with the readers of themagazine, column writers, IEEE staff, guest editors, and the authors. Michael Neuman is the new editor-in-chief, and I wish him the very best of luck.
Pylorospasm (Simulating Hypertrophic Pyloric Stenosis) With Secondary Gastroesophageal Reflux

Ultrasound Quarterly & Volume 24, Number 2, June 2008 93 Received for publication February 1, 2008; accepted February 2, 2008. Division of Body Imaging, Department of Radiology, Stony Brook University Medical Center, Stony Brook, NY. Reprints: Anthony G. Gilet, MD, Department of Radiology, HSC Level 4, Rm 120, Stony Brook, NY (e-mail: anthonygilet@gmail.com). Copyright * 2008 by Lippincott Williams & Wilkins