cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
The Medical Student Expectation Scale (MSES): a device for measuring students' expectations of each others' values and behaviours

A study assessing the differences between institutional and matriculants' expectations of students' attitudes and behaviour was undertaken in 1992 at the Drew/UCLA Medical Education Program (DUMEP) in Los Angeles, California. Responding to a 33-item questionnaire utilizing 5-point Likert scales were 113/122 students in the classes of 1992 through to 1996. Factor analysis yielded two factors accounting for 61% of the total variance. Two subscales (Personal Trait Subscale and Drew Mission Subscale) containing a total of nine items comprise the Medical Student Expectation Scale (MSES). The alphas and standardized item alphas of these two subscales were 0.7531 and 0.8287 (Personal Trait Subscale) and 0.7304 and 0.7406 (Drew Mission Subscale), indicating good reliability. Correlation coefficients for continuous variables were calculated in order to determine subgroup responses to the subscales and their component items. While the students' overall responses indicated commitment to the values of the Charles R Drew University of Medicine and Science, subgroup responses varied. The strongest supporters of the University's values were older students, blacks, and those having better undergraduate performance in non-science areas. Least likely to agree with University values were students having better performances in the sciences (grade-point average and MCAT scores) and those of Mexican-American ethnicity. The scores of participating classes documented a secular trend away from endorsement of the values of the Drew University. Following further study, the MSES may be useful in student selection and curriculum design.
Comparison of the expression of cytokine genes in the bursal tissues of the chickens following challenge with infectious bursal disease viruses of varying virulence

Cytokines are important mediators and regulators of host responses against foreign antigen, with their main function to orchestrate the functional activities of the cells of the immune system. However little is known about the role of cytokines in pathogenesis and immune responses caused by infectious bursa disease virus (IBDV). The aim of this study was to examine the transcripts of cell-mediated immune response-related cytokine genes in the bursal tissues of chickens infected with IBDVs of varying virulence to gain an understanding of pathological changes and mechanisms of immunosuppression caused by IBDV infection and the immune responses evoked. Real-time quantitative PCR analysis revealed that the expression levels of both Th1 [interferon (IFN)-γ, interleukins (IL)-2 and IL-12p40] and Th2 (IL-4, IL-5, IL-13 and IL-10) cytokines were significantly up-regulated following challenge with the H strain (vvIBDV) and up to 2- and 30-fold, respectively (P 0.05). A higher degree of cytokine expression was induced by the H strain compared with the Ts strain. The results indicate that the expression of cell-mediated immune-related cytokine genes is strongly induced by IBDV, especially by the vvIBDV, H strain and reveal that these cytokines could play a crucial role in driving cellular immune responses during the acute phase of IBDV infection, and the cellular immune responses caused by IBDV of varying virulence are through different signaling pathways.
Current limited optimal excitation of magnetically coupled linear variable reluctance motors

This paper explores the design of excitation current profiles for a type of three-phase magnetically coupled linear variable reluctance motor. A model relating force production to air gap geometry is derived using magnetic circuit analysis under an assumption that flux flows across the air gap through tubular paths bounded by straight lines and circular arcs. Constrained optimization techniques are used for two purposes: first, to determine the motor's continuous force limit corresponding to some given continuous current limit; second, to determine currents that satisfy the current limits and produce a desired force with minimum power dissipation. The optimization results indicate that a 6-wire connection is preferable to a 3-wire connection, and that wide teeth are preferable to narrow teeth, if the goal is to maximize the range of ripple-free force.
THE AZOLLA‐ANABAENA AZOLLAE RELATIONSHIP

The heterocystous blue-green alga, Anabaena azollae, was isolated from the leaf cavities of the water fern, Azolla caroliniana, where it occurs as an endophyte. The isolated alga was capable of light dependent CO2 fixation and acetylene reduction. Aerobic dark acetylene reduction occurred and was dependent upon endogenous substrates.
Transcriptional Regulation of the Human DNA Polymerase δ Catalytic Subunit Gene POLD1 by p53 Tumor Suppressor and Sp1

The DNA polymerase delta catalytic subunit gene (POLD1) was studied as a transcriptional target of p53. Northern blotting showed that a significantly decreased steady-state level of POLD1 mRNA was associated with increased wild-type p53 expression in cells treated with methyl methanesulfonate. When ectopic wild-type p53 expression was induced to a physiologically relevant level in "tet-off" cultured cells in which p53 expression was tightly regulated by tetracycline, it was found that POLD1 steady-state mRNA was repressed by about 65%. Transient cotransfection experiments using a POLD1 promoter luciferase reporter construct showed that: (i) POLD1 promoter activity was inhibited by transfected wild-type p53 plasmid to a maximum of about 86%; (ii) p53 mediated a large part of the transcriptional repression through a sequence-specific interaction with a site identified as the P4 site of the POLD1 promoter; (iii) tumor-derived p53 mutations in the p53 DNA-binding domain completely abolished the p53 transrepression activity. Moreover, transfection assays demonstrated that p53 was able to repress Sp1-stimulated POLD1 promoter activity and that this repression was largely due to the loss of the sequence-specific interaction between Sp1 protein and the P4 Sp1-binding site, which overlaps the P4 p53-binding site. Finally, gel shift assays suggested that p53 competes with Sp1 protein for binding to the P4 sequence of the POLD1 promoter.
An iterative strategy for fixed final state optimal control problems via simple cell mapping

A novel strategy is proposed to solve the fixed final state optimal control problem using the simple cell mapping method. A nonuniform time step simple cell mapping is developed to create a general database from which solutions of various optimal control problems can be obtained. An iterative backward search strategy is proposed to eliminate degenerated paths and improve the solution accuracy. This approach can accurately delineate the switching curves and eliminate nonoptimal paths. The well-known minimum time control problem of moving a point mass from any initial condition to the origin of the phase plane is studied with bang-bang controls. The analytical solutions of the problem provide a yardstick to examine the accuracy and convergence of the method. The cell size dependence of the solution accuracy is studied numerically. Numerical results are also presented to show the convergence of the iterative search algorithm. The proposed iterative search algorithm is also found to relax considerably the demands for small cells.
Moderate exercise training provides modest protection against adipose tissue inflammatory gene expression in response to high‐fat feeding

As white adipose tissue (WAT) expands under obesogenic conditions, local WAT hypoxia may contribute to the chronic low-grade inflammation observed in obesity. Aerobic exercise training is beneficial in treating WAT inflammation after obesity is established, but it remains unknown whether exercise training, while on a concomitant high-fat (HF) diet, influences WAT inflammation during the development of obesity. We sought to determine the effects of 4, 8, and 12 weeks of HF feeding and/or moderate intensity treadmill exercise training (EX) on the relationship between inflammatory and hypoxic gene expression within mouse WAT. Male C57Bl6/J mice (n = 113) were randomized into low-fat (LF)/sedentary (SED), LF/EX, HF/SED, or HF/ EX groups. The low-fat and high-fat diets contained 10% and 60% energy from fat, respectively. Exercise training consisted of treadmill running 5 days/ week at 12 m/min, 8% incline, 40 min/day. Quantitative real-time PCR was used to assess gene expression. HF diet impaired glucose regulation, and upregulated WAT gene expression of inflammation (IL-1b, IL-1ra, TNFa), macrophage recruitment and infiltration (F4/80 and monocyte chemoattractant protein), and M1 (CD11c) and M2 (CD206 and Arginase-1) macrophage polarization markers. Treadmill training resulted in a modest reduction of WAT macrophage and inflammatory gene expression. HF diet had little effect on hypoxia-inducible factor-1a and vascular endothelial growth factor, suggesting that WAT inflammatory gene expression may not be driven by hypoxia within the adipocytes. Treadmill training may provide protection by preventing WAT expansion and macrophage recruitment.
Counseling Practices to Ameliorate the Effects of Discrimination and Hate Events Toward a Systematic Approach to Assessment and Intervention

A treatment model for the psychological sequelae of discrimination is illustrated via three treatment cases in which experiences of racism and gender, ethnic, or religious hostility were a primary focus of intervention. The client’s level of psychological functioning, acuity of hate victimization, and coping and identity re-formation strategies are addressed in this phase-oriented model of counseling. The five treatment phases are (1) event containment and safety, (2) assessment of client-event characteristics, (3) addressing diversity in the counseling alliance, (4) acute symptom reduction, and (5) identity recovery and re-formation. Counseling tasks with clients of hate victimization include the amelioration of acute postevent symptoms, reframing of aversive out-group attitudes, alleviating disturbance of in-group identity, and the eradication of avoidant intergroup behaviors. It is proposed that the effective treatment of victims of chronic harassment and acute hate incidents requires the integration o...
Capital Taxes, Trade Costs, and the Irish Miracle

This paper uses detailed international trade data to examine whether the rapid growth of Ireland in the 1990s and its accompanying substantial increase in trade in goods and services might have been spurred by an interaction of low taxation of capital and declining international trade costs. Both tariffs and other trade costs for an important class of goods and services have declined to very low levels in the 1990s, while the expansion of foreign direct investment worldwide in that period suggests a great drop in technological and policy barriers to managing international production. The decline in trade costs has profound effects on small economies that also levy low levels of capital taxation. Such economies exhibit a great increase in the production and export of products that have high capital intensity. This implication receives strong support in detailed trade data. The expansion of such modern, high labor-productivity sectors has been identified as an important recent feature of Irish growth. (JEL: F12, F14, F21, F43, H25)
Comparison of TRMM and NSCAT observations of surface backscatter over the Amazon rain forest

The Tropical Rain Measuring Mission (TRMM) precipitation radar (PR) is designed to measure backscatter from rain in order to map the amount and extent of rain in the tropical regions. The TRMM PR also measures the normalized radar cross section (/spl sigma//spl deg/) of the surface at a nominal resolution of approximately 4.4 km over an incidence range of 0-18/spl deg/. The Ku-band NASA Scatterometer (NSCAT) made 25 km resolution measurements of the surface /spl sigma//spl deg/ at incidence angles of 15.5/spl deg/ and higher and at 10.5/spl deg/. A comparison of NSCAT and TRMM PR /spl sigma//spl deg/ observations over the Amazon rain forest is presented. The relative calibration and noise levels of the two sensors are compared.
Some properties of a protease (subtilisin BPN′) immobilized to porous glass

Abstract Subtilisin BPN' was immobilized to porous glass via isothiocyanate coupling. The pH optimum of the enzyme was shifted to the alkaline side on binding. This effect was more pronounced with ethyl lactate than with N-tosyl arginine methyl ester (TAME). Presumably, the shift is a reflection of the negative charge on the surface of the glass. The Michaelis constant and Vmax of soluble subtilisin BPN' with TAME were two and one orders of magnitude, respectively, lower than with ethyl lactate. Vmax, calculated per g of active enzyme, with TAME as the substrate was not affected by immobilization, while Vmax with ethyl lactate decreased greater than tenfold. The apparent KM decreased on immobilization with ethyl lactate as substrate and increased with TAME. Results are explained in terms of diffusional resistance and a possible attraction of ethyl lactate to the glass surface. Active site titration indicated that about 25% of the immobilized enzyme was active.
An extension of a result by Lonke to intersection bodies

In this paper we prove that intersection bodies cannot be direct sums using Fourier analytic techniques. This extends a result by Lonke. We also prove a necessary regularity condition and a convexity condition for a body of revolution to be an intersection body of a star body.
A New Era in Brown Adipose Tissue Biology: Molecular Control of Brown Fat Development and Energy Homeostasis

Brown adipose tissue (BAT) is specialized to dissipate chemical energy in the form of heat as a defense against cold and excessive feeding. Interest in the field of BAT biology has exploded in the past few years because of the therapeutic potential of BAT to counteract obesity and obesity-related diseases, including insulin resistance. Much progress has been made, particularly in the areas of BAT physiology in adult humans, developmental lineages of brown adipose cell fate, and hormonal control of BAT thermogenesis. As we enter into a new era of brown fat biology, the next challenge will be to develop strategies for activating BAT thermogenesis in adult humans to increase whole-body energy expenditure. This article reviews the recent major advances in this field and discusses emerging questions.
Initial Testing of a Numerical Ocean Circulation Model Using a Hybrid (Quasi-Isopycnic) Vertical Coordinate

Abstract An ocean circulation model, developed for the study of mesoscale to gyre-scale circulation and heat transport, is described and tested. The model employs density as vertical coordinate except in the immediate vicinity of possible coordinate surface intersections with the ocean surface. Test simulations are carried out for a double-gyre ocean basin of the type used by Holland (1978), but with better resolution in the upper 1000 m of the model ocean. The final state of a 5-year coarse-mesh (50 km resolution on a 2400 km × 1200 km domain) spin-up is used as the initial state for mesoscale experimentation on a 25 km mesh. Basin energetics, as well as mean mass transport streamfunction and mean potential vorticity fields are given for three mesoscale experiments, in which the magnitude and formulation of lateral dissipation are varied. Each of these experiments, run for approximately five years, exhibits vigorous mesoscale activity associated with western boundary current separation and the free jet. ...
Tree Analysis of Neuronal Processes

Looking through the microscope at the delicately Golgi-impregnated neuron, one is struck with its remarkable similarity of appearance to the arborization of a tree. The description of size, shape, and density of the dendritic arborization seems to be characteristic for groups of neurons. Neurons have been classified by type using these subjective characteristics derived from observational techniques. However, closer examination of the dendritic branching patterns, reveals continuous structural variation within each neuron type. A knowledge of the design principles for the neuronal processes is fundamental to understanding the functional interaction of neurons.
High-Temperature, High-Dielectric-Constant Capacitors for Power Inverters in Hybrid Electric Vehicles

Future availability of high-temperature power inverters will advance the market share for hybrid vehicles that are highly fuel efficient and environmentally friendly. Capacitors have a significant influence on inverter lifetime, reliability, cost, and temperature of operation. Advanced power inverters require capacitors that operate under high voltage conditions at under-hood conditions and yet have minimal footprint. This need can be realized by embedding high-permittivity dielectrics within a printed wire board (PWB). The “film-on-foil” approach, where the dielectric is deposited on base-metal foil, is a promising method for embedding the capacitors within a PWB. We have deposited high-permittivity films of lead lanthanum zirconium titanate (PLZT) on nickel foils by a chemical solution deposition technique. These prefabricated film-on-foil dielectric sheets can be embedded into PWBs for inverter applications. Among the many challenges in fabricating these sheets is avoiding a reduction in capacitance de...
The Motion to Recommit in the U.S. House of Representatives

We empirically evaluate hypotheses following from the view that the motion to recommit in the U.S. House of Representatives empowers the minority party to affect policy. We show that these predictions are at sharp odds with observed behavior, suggesting that the motion to recommit does not undermine the majority party as has been argued.
A parameter-free MAP image reconstruction algorithm for impulse-based UWB ground penetrating radar

In this paper, we propose a parameter-free image reconstruction algorithm that is based on the maximum a posteriori (MAP) estimation method and so called "integrate-out" approach for determining the prior distribution. The resulting objective function is minimized using the majorize-minimize optimization technique. The proposed algorithm avoids the computational burden associated with using cross-validation methods for choosing the penalty parameter in the popular least absolute shrinkage and selector operator (LASSO) method. We tested the algorithm on synthetic data obtained from the U.S Army Research Laboratory (ARL) in Adelphi, MD. As compared to the image reconstructed using the delay-and-sum algorithm, the reconstructed images is more sparse, with suppressed side lobes and background noise.
The New Labor History and the Powers of Historical Pessimism: Consensus, Hegemony, and the Case of the Knights of Labor

Written over a hundred years ago, of a condition which existed then, we wonder on reading it over now, in the closing days of the nineteenth century ... how it comes that the indictment drawn up against the English king applies with such -startling force to the agencies we now find usurping the "divine right of kings" and making slaves of men who proudly, but thoughtlessly, boast of their freedom-that freedom which they claim came down to us from revolutionary sires as a heritage to be enjoyed in the full glare of the sun of universal liberty. Are we the free people that we imagine we are? Do we as fully appreciate the blessings of liberty as we think we do?,
Aggressive behavior of nonmelanotic skin cancers in solid organ transplant recipients.

Background The increased incidence of skin cancers in solid organ transplant recipients (OTR) has been well established. However, our understanding of the potential aggressive behavior of these cancers has been largely based on the findings of multiple different studies analyzing isolated indicators of aggressive behavior. The purpose of this study was to determine the aggressiveness of nonmelanotic skin cancers in a large transplant population compared with an immunocompetent control population with similar cancers. Methods Immunosuppressed transplanted patients and an immunocompetent control group matched in size with squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) or basal cell carcinoma (BCC) were evaluated for the factors of aggressiveness. A retrospective chart review was performed. Data obtained included transplant type, number of cancers, local recurrence rate, lymph node involvement, lymphatic invasion, perineural invasion, deep spread, subsequent treatment with radiation or chemotherapy, and death from disease. Results Three hundred seven patients had SCC (OTR: 153, control: 154), and 246 patients had BCC (OTR: 123, control: 123). SCC in OTR was significantly more likely to have an increased number of primary tumors, deep tissue spread, perineural and lymphatic invasion, recurrence, and need for radiation or chemotherapy. BCC in OTR was not associated with more aggressive disease when compared with controls with BCC. Conclusions SCC in OTR behaves significantly more aggressively than in immunocompetent patients. BCC in the OTR population does not seem to act more aggressively.
Medication Repurposing: New Uses for Old Drugs

Background:Medication repurposing, the practice of using old drugs in new ways, is becoming more common. Old drugs that had previously fallen out of favor due to safety concerns, lack of efficacy, ...
Establishment of a non-dormant blueberry (Vaccinium corymbosum hybrid) production system in a warm winter climate

Summary‘Gulf Coast’, ‘Sharpblue’, and ‘Wannabe’ southern highbush blueberry (Vaccinium corymbosum interspecific hybrid) cultivars were planted at a density of 10,000 plants per ha in southwest Florida to test the feasibility of a non-dormant blueberry production system. A non-dormant production system involves application of nitrogen (N) throughout the fall and winter, which enables the plants to avoid the normal dormancy cycle and the concomitant chilling requirement. If successful, this system could extend the production range of blueberry into subtropical and tropical areas where chilling temperatures are inadequate for traditional (dormant) production systems. Nitrogen fertilizer rate (84 to 252 kg ha–1 N in year 1, 168 to 336 kg ha–1 N in year 2) was evaluated for effects on maintaining plant growth and development in this system. Additionally, since organic soil amendments are known to improve blueberry growth, the effects of municipal solid waste (MSW) compost and acidic peat on maintaining growth ...
Intraparenchymal Hemorrhage and Fungemia in a Preterm Neonate

Intraparenchymal hemorrhage, also known as grade IV hemorrhage, is a severe and uncommon type of intracranial hemorrhage. Intraparenchymal hemorrhage is associated with poor clinical outcomes; therefore, recognition and differentiation of the correct type of intracranial hemorrhage is important for the treatment of the patient. This case report demonstrates the use of real-time sonographic imaging in a preterm neonate as an effective method of diagnosing intraparenchymal hemorrhage and demonstrates a possible presence of fungemia.
Laboratory Experiments in Operations Management

Controlled laboratory experiments give researchers a great deal of control in mak- ing them useful for testing analytical models. In this tutorial I introduce laboratory experiments and discuss methodological issues in designing and conducting laboratory experiments.
A New Method in Evaluating Non-linear Resistance Based on Mathematical Statistics

Depending on current sharing and energy sharing requirements of non-linear de-excitation resistance in large generators,based on the traditional characteristics of ZnO non-linear resistance,this paper proposes a group of new coefficients from a given statistical category which can reflect the consistency of non-linear de-excitation resistance group,that is coefficient of variation and coefficient of range.By collection and analysis of non-linear resistance data with the given coefficient,several sets of ZnO resistance are evaluated and analyzed.At last recommendation about coefficient of variation and coefficient of range indicators are proposed.A proposal to include the given coefficient in the system for assessment and examination is advised.It is believed that the method proposed in this paper is valuable safety evaluation of non-linear de-excitation resistance in large generators.
Design for All Users

Universal design is the design of products and environments to be usable by all people, to the greatest extent possible, without the need for adaptation or specialized design. Whereas this strategy is typically applied to broadly enhance usability of design—including its safety, accessibility, and simplicity—universal design can also be applied in a more focused manner to facilitate specific aspects of usability, such as wayfinding. In this chapter, the author describes not only what universal design is, but also what it is not: specialized designs to compensate for functional limitations. The chapter makes the case that specialized design, as embodied by the technical specifications in the Americans with Disabilities Act guidelines, defines a rigid set of prescriptive rules of what to do to promote safety and accessibility for specific individuals; universal design, as articulated by a set of performance guidelines embodied in the principles of universal design, describes how to promote usability and inclusivity—including community wayfinding—for everyone. Despite its potential, universal design has not been widely adopted as a strategy in promoting community wayfinding. The chapter addresses directions in research, policy, and practice necessary to promote universal design implementation.
Acute Charles Bonnet Syndrome following Hughes procedure

A 69-year-old male experienced monocular formed visual hallucinations after occlusion of the right eye following resection of eyelid basal cell carcinoma and reconstruction with a Hughes procedure (tarsoconjunctival flap). His symptoms included recurrent, well-defined, organized, complex, formed images of small children playing in the snow. These visual phenomena occurred only in the occluded eye, began several hours after surgery, and recurred intermittently several times daily for 4 days, lasting several minutes with each occurrence. The patient retained insight into the false nature of the images throughout the duration of his symptoms, and the hallucinations resolved spontaneously while the flap was still in place. To our knowledge, this is the first reported case of Charles Bonnet Syndrome (CBS) following a Hughes procedure in a patient with normal visual acuity in the non-occluded fellow eye. Unlike other reported cases of acute onset CBS following transient monocular occlusion, hallucinations in the occluded eye remitted prior to restoration of vision in the occluded eye. Ophthalmologists should be aware of the potential for CBS following even transient monocular occlusion and should consider warning patients about its potential to occur.
Price Dynamics of Leveraged ETFs

In this chapter, we investigate the empirical returns of LETFs and present models for their price dynamics. We highlight the effects of leverage ratios and holding horizon on returns. An series of empirical studies are conducted to examine the tracking performance of LETFs and evaluate various leverage replication strategies.
The missing women in STEM? Assessing gender differentials in the factors associated with transition to first jobs

Women remain underrepresented in the STEM workforce. We assess explanations for women's underrepresentation in STEM jobs, focusing on a cohort that came of age in the 1980s and 1990s, when women dramatically increased their representation in the scientific labor force. Data are from the NLSY79, and our analysis focuses on members of this cohort who received a college degree, with an emphasis on those who completed a degree in a STEM field. Our analyses test the extent to which college major, expectations to work in STEM, and family expectations shaped transitions into STEM occupations within two years of degree completion. Among those majoring in STEM fields there were no gender differences in transitioning into STEM jobs, though there were sizable differences in transitions to STEM employment by field of study. Of note are gender differences in associations between family expectations and transitions into STEM employment. The most career oriented women, who expected to marry late and limit fertility, were no more likely to enter STEM jobs than were women who anticipated marrying young and having two or more children. The men most likely to enter STEM occupations, in contrast, adhered to significantly more conventional gender ideologies than their female counterparts, expecting to marry at younger ages but also to remain childless. Results of our regression decomposition indicated that marriage and family expectations and gender ideology worked in opposite directions for men and women. Nonetheless, the majority of the gender disparity in transitions into STEM jobs was related to women's underrepresentation in engineering and computer science fields of study.
THE CHEST X-RAY IN ACUTE LEFT VENTRICULAR POWER FAILURE: AN AID TO DETERMINING PROGNOSIS OF PATIENTS SUPPORTED BY INTRAAORTIC BALLOON PUMPING

Serial chest x-rays were used as a means of evaluating the hemodynamic status of �3 patients in acute left ventricular power failure (LVPF) complicating acute myocardial infarction who were assisted with balloon pumping. The following findings were reported: I. In patients with acute myocardial infarction, prediction of the hemodynamic status on the basis of chest x-rays is less reliable when severe LVPF is present as a complication. 2. The incidence and severity of roentgenographic findings of congestive heart failure and pulmonary edema are increased in patients with severe LVPF compared to patients with uncomplicated myocardial infarction. 3. Improvement in the roentgenographic degree of heart failure with positive clinical and hemodynamic responses to 24 hr or less of balloon pumping is an indication that patients in severe acute LVPF may survive. Patients with deteriorating or unchanging chest x-ray findings have an extremely poor prognosis. These patients should be evaluated by cardiac catheterization and coronary arteriography to determine the appropriateness of emergency surgical correction.
Performance characteristics of OpenMP language constructs on a many-core-on-a-chip architecture

Recent emerging many-core-on-a-chip architectures present massive on-chip parallelism through hardware support for multithreading. In order to achieve fast development of parallel applications that exploit this massive intra-chip parallelism to achieve highly sustainable performance, suitable programming models are needed. OpenMP, the industry de facto standard for writing parallel programs on shared memory systems, could become a reasonable candidate. To increase our understanding of the behavior and performance characteristics of OpenMP programs on many-core-on-a-chip architectures, this paper presents a performance study of basic OpenMP language constructs on the IBM Cyclops- 64 architecture, which consists of 160 hardware thread units in a single chip. Compared with previous work on conventional SMP systems [1], the overhead of OpenMP language constructs on C64 many-core architecture is at least one order of magnitude lower.
The Current Use of Stem Cells in Bladder Tissue Regeneration and Bioengineering

Many pathological processes including neurogenic bladder and malignancy necessitate bladder reconstruction, which is currently performed using intestinal tissue. The use of intestinal tissue, however, subjects patients to metabolic abnormalities, bladder stones, and other long-term sequelae, raising the need for a source of safe and reliable bladder tissue. Advancements in stem cell biology have catapulted stem cells to the center of many current tissue regeneration and bioengineering strategies. This review presents the recent advancements in the use of stem cells in bladder tissue bioengineering.
Why the salience of social divisions matters in party systems: Testing the interactive hypothesis in South Africa

Scholars have long argued social diversity, and electoral institutions interactively shape party systems: diversity has little effect on the effective number of parties (ENP) in single member plura...
Effective electrostatic confinement of polysulfides in lithium/sulfur batteries by a functional binder

Abstract Lithium/sulfur (Li/S) batteries have been recognized as one of the most promising substitutes for current energy-storage systems due to their high-energy density and low cost. However, the high solubility of intermediate products (i.e., lithium polysulfides) and the resultant shuttle effect lead to a rapid capacity fading along with a low Coulombic efficiency, which hinders the practical application of Li/S batteries. Herein, polyethylenimine (PEI) polymer is applied as a polar binder in Li/S batteries to address above issues. The sulfur cathode with a high sulfur loading density of 8.6 mg/cm2 coated by an ultrathin PEI layer (~ 6.9 nm) shows a high initial areal capacity of up to 9.7 mAh/cm2. The capacity is still maintained at 6.4 mAh/cm2 after 50 cycles, which is comparable to that of commercial Li-ion batteries. The excellent cycling performance is attributed to the presence of abundant amino groups in PEI polymer, which can strongly bond with the intermediate lithium polysulfides through electrostatic force and therefore suppress the shuttle effect, as revealed by in situ/operando ultraviolet-visible spectroscopy and S K-edge X-ray absorption spectroscopy. Our effective strategy of immobilizing lithium polysulfides by electrostatic force through a functional binder should be of great significance for the practical application of Li/S batteries.
Background and Current Status of FATCA and CRS (Sept. 2017 edition)

FATCA’s primary purpose was for the U.S. government to obtain otherwise private financial information and exercise control of the global financial industry. Unlike a conventional withholding tax which actually intends to collect tax, FATCA imposes penalties based upon non-compliance with tax. The tax revenue projections, which were used to validate the passage of FATCA did not show FATCA raising any significant tax revenue annually. In fact, except for the extraordinary penalties assessed, little additional tax has been collected. In comparison to the annual on budget spending by the U.S. government, the actual amount of tax collected by FATCA is statistically insignificant. It is questionable whether any statistically significant additional compliance has resulted that would not have otherwise resulted from regular IRS campaigns. By example, foreign tax credit filing actually fell from a high of 7.6 million in 2007 to 7.4 million in 2013, and foreign income exclusion filing has fallen from 475,000 in 2012 to 453,000 in 2014. Moreover, there is a disconnect among filings numbers: while 8.5 million U.S. taxpayers filed for a foreign income exclusion or a foreign tax credit resulting from foreign income, only 1.1 million filed FBARs from this potential pool and only 300,000 filed Form 8938. A majority of the more than 250 governments that want tax information about their citizens may be classified as “grey hat” and “black hat” by measure of Transparency International’s corruption index. Of 167 countries ranked by Transparency International for the breadth of corruption from 100 (very clean) to 0 (highly corrupt/failed state), only 50 countries ranked above a score of 50, and only 12 scored above 80. A legitimate question is whether it is prudent for the U.S. government to trust the governments of the 117 countries that scored a 50 or below on Transparency International’s corruption index with taxpayer financial information derived from U.S. bank accounts? Reciprocity may encourage nefarious governments’ behavior by providing financial information to feed corruption and suppression of political rivals.
Parents’ Charitable Giving and Volunteering: Are They Influenced by Their Children’s Ages and Life Transitions? Evidence From a Longitudinal Study in the United States:

Earlier cross-sectional studies have suggested that parents’ levels of charitable giving and volunteering are influenced by transitions in their children’s lives, such as the arrival of a new baby,...
Statistical Explanation vs. Statistical Inference

Hempel is not the first philosopher to have held that causal explanations are deductive inferences of a special sort: in the Posterior Analytics 1 Aristotle distinguishes a special sort of deductive inference — the demonstrative syllogism — in these terms: By demonstration I mean a syllogism productive of scientific knowledge, a syllogism, that is, the grasp of which is eo ipso such knowledge.
Leibniz on Creation and the Evaluation of Possible Worlds

Present-day studies of Leibniz have remarkably little to say about one altogether central doctrine of his metaphysical system — his theory of the standard of value determinative of the relative goodness of possible worlds. Leibniz’s manifold discussions of the metaphysical perfection of worlds are given short shrift, presumably being viewed by most recent commentators as something of a vestigial remnant of scholastic sophistry. This is unfortunate for his teachings on this topic are, in fact, among the most interesting and significant aspects of Leibniz’s entire system.
Effect of Electrospun Fiber Mat Thickness and Support Method on Cell Morphology.

Electrospun fiber mats (EFMs) are highly versatile biomaterials used in a myriad of biomedical applications. Whereas some facets of EFMs are well studied and can be highly tuned (e.g., pore size, fiber diameter, etc.), other features are under characterized. For example, although substrate mechanics have been explored by several groups, most studies rely on Young’s modulus alone as a characterization variable. The influence of fiber mat thickness and the effect of supports are variables that are often not considered when evaluating cell-mechanical response. To assay the role of these features in EFM scaffold design and to improve understanding of scaffold mechanical properties, we designed EFM scaffolds with varying thickness (50–200 µm) and supporting methodologies. EFM scaffolds were comprised of polycaprolactone and were either electrospun directly onto a support, suspended across an annulus (3 or 10 mm inner diameter), or “tension-released” and then suspended across an annulus. Then, single cell spreading (i.e., Feret diameter) was measured in the presence of these different features. Cells were sensitive to EFM thickness and suspended gap diameter. Overall, cell spreading was greatest for 50 µm thick EFMs suspended over a 3 mm gap, which was the smallest thickness and gap investigated. These results are counterintuitive to conventional understanding in mechanobiology, which suggests that stiffer materials, such as thicker, supported EFMs, should elicit greater cell polarization. Additional experiments with 50 µm thick EFMs on polystyrene and polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) supports demonstrated that cells can “feel” the support underlying the EFM if it is rigid, similar to previous results in hydrogels. These results also suggest that EFM curvature may play a role in cell response, separate from Young’s modulus, possibly because of internal tension generated. These parameters are not often considered in EFM design and could improve scaffold performance and ultimately patient outcomes.
Defining Component Environments and Margin Through Zemblanic Consideration of Function Spaces

Historically the qualification process for vehicles carrying vulnerable components has centered around the Shock Response Spectrum (SRS) and qualification consisted of devising a collection of tests whose collective SRS enveloped the qualification SRS. This involves selecting whatever tests are convenient that will envelope the qualification SRS over at least part of its spectrum; this selection is without any consideration of the details of structural response or the nature of anticipated failure of its components. It is asserted that this approach often leads to over-testing, however, as has been pointed out several times in the literature, this approach may not even be conservative.
Topological resonance and single-optical-cycle valley polarization in gapped graphene

For gapped graphene, we predict that an intense ultrashort (single-oscillation) circularly polarized optical pulse can induce a large population of the conduction band and a large valley polarization. With an increase in the band gap, the magnitude of the valley polarization gradually increases from zero (for the native gapless graphene) to a value on the order of unity. The energy bandwidth of the electrons excited into the conduction band can be very large ($\ensuremath{\gtrsim}10$ eV for a reasonable pulse amplitude of $\ensuremath{\sim}0.5$ V/\AA{}). These phenomena are due to the effect of topological resonance: The matching of the topological (geometric) phase and the dynamic phase. Gapped graphene with a tunable band gap can be used as a convenient generic model of two-dimensional semiconductors with honeycomb generic lattice structures and broken inversion symmetry, such as transition-metal dichalcogenides.
EOSINO-FEEL-YA HEART BEAT FAST: A CASE OF VENTRICULAR TACHYCARDIA DUE TO EOSINOPHILIC MYOCARDITIS

Eosinophilic myocarditis (EM) is a rare form of myocardial inflammation characterized by a predominantly eosinophilic infiltrate. The clinical presentation can vary, but EM is often fatal with a high in hospital mortality. A 63 year old Caucasian male with a history of angioimmunoblastic T- cell
Plasticity in Astrocytic Phenotypes

Neurons and astrocytes derive from common progenitor ectodermal cells. The neuronal progenitors actively proliferate early in development, as the development of the neural tube and the CNS vesicles progresses. Neuroblast proliferation ceases quite early, and in most species it precedes the burst of astroblastic proliferation. During the massive proliferation of neurons, astrocytes exist in small numbers and with one identifiable phenotype, namely radial glia (Cameron and Rakic, 1994). After their final mitotic division in the subventricular zone, neurons migrate, populate specific laminae in the developing brain, elaborate processes, and form functional synapses. While neurons are migrating for more precise formation of CNS layers, astroblasts proliferate, so that in the adult brain the ratio is 9 astrocytes to 1 neuron. During the course of differentiation from a glioblast to a mature astrocyte, astrocytes undergo dynamic shape-function changes. Most intermediate and differentiated phenotypes of astrocytes are characterized by expression of specific cytoskeletal proteins and the acquisition of specific shape (reviewed in Cameron and Rakic, 1991). After final positioning and cell programmed death of neurons and astrocytes, the patterning of the brain remains a very dynamic process. It now includes constant remodeling of synapses, and continuous differentiation and proliferation of astrocytes, or differentiation of neurons and oligodendrocytes.
Human laminin-111 and laminin-211 protein therapy prevents muscle disease progression in an immunodeficient mouse model of LAMA2-CMD

Laminin-α2-related congenital muscular dystrophy (LAMA2-CMD) is a devastating genetic disease caused by mutations in the LAMA2 gene. These mutations result in progressive muscle wasting and inflammation leading to delayed milestones, and reduced lifespan in affected patients. There is currently no cure or treatment for LAMA2-CMD. Preclinical studies have demonstrated that mouse laminin-111 can serve as an effective protein replacement therapy in a mouse model of LAMA2-CMD. In this study, we generated a novel immunocompromised dyW mouse model of LAMA2-CMD to study the role the immune system plays in muscle disease progression. We used this immune-deficient dyW mouse model to test the therapeutic benefits of recombinant human laminin-111 and laminin-211 protein therapy on laminin-α2-deficient muscle disease progression. We show that immunodeficient laminin-α2 null mice demonstrate subtle differences in muscle regeneration compared to immunocompetent animals during early disease stages but overall exhibit a comparable muscle disease progression. We found human laminin-111 and laminin-211 could serve as effective protein replacement strategies with mice showing improvements in muscle pathology and function. We observed that human laminin-111 and laminin-211 exhibit differences on satellite and myoblast cell populations and differentially affect muscle repair. This study describes the generation of a novel immunodeficient mouse model that allows investigation of the role the immune system plays in LAMA2-CMD. This model can be used to assess the therapeutic potential of heterologous therapies that would elicit an immune response. Using this model, we show that recombinant human laminin-111 can serve as effective protein replacement therapy for the treatment of LAMA2-CMD.
Less Can Be More When Targeting Interleukin-6-Mediated Cytokine Release Syndrome in Coronavirus Disease 2019

Coronavirus disease 2019 pandemic caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome-coronavirus-2 is a worldwide public health emergency that will have a lasting generational impact in terms of mortality and economic devastation. Social distancing to prevent viral transmission and supportive care of infected patients are the main interventions now available. This global health crisis therefore merits innovative therapies. Cytokine release syndrome mediated by interleukin-6 is a critical driver of coronavirus disease 2019 mortality. Herein, we review and discuss key immunologic effects of direct interleukin-6 blockade, downstream nonselective Janus kinase inhibition, and selective Janus kinase 2 suppression to treat coronavirus disease 2019-related cytokine release syndrome. We provide evidence that selective targeting of interleukin-6 or Janus kinase 2 is well informed by existing data. This contrasts with broad, nonselective blockade of Janus kinase-mediated signaling, which would inhibit both deleterious and beneficial cytokines, as well as critical host antiviral immunity.
Sources of cannabis among young adults and associations with cannabis-related outcomes.

Abstract Background The ways in which young people learn about cannabis product availability and where they obtain cannabis products are important to understand for prevention and intervention efforts. Methods Young adults who reported past month cannabis use (N = 758) completed an online survey in 2018–2019 on how they obtained cannabis and the products they used in a newly legalized market in Los Angeles (mean age 21.6; 44% Hispanic, 27% white, 15% Asian). Results Overall, 59.1% obtained cannabis from recreational cannabis retailers (RCRs), 51.5% from family or friends, 39.1% from medical cannabis dispensaries (MCDs), and 5.5% from strangers or dealers in the past month. Compared to those getting cannabis from family or friends, those getting cannabis from MCDs or RCRs spent more money, used more cannabis products, were more likely to use alone, used greater quantities of bud/flower, and reported more consequences from use. Further, those obtaining cannabis from MCDs were more likely to screen positive for cannabis use disorder (CUD). For type of products, those obtaining cannabis from MCDs or RCRs were more likely to use joints, bongs, pipes, dabs, vape, and consume edibles relative to those obtaining from family or friends. Subgroup differences were found for both source patterns and cannabis-related outcomes. Males and those with a cannabis medical card reported spending more money on cannabis, using more types of products, and indicated more frequent use and greater CUD symptoms and consequences. Compared to Whites, Blacks spent more money on cannabis and used more products, and Hispanics reported using more products and greater quantities of cannabis bud/flower. Conclusions Findings highlight the different ways that young adults obtain cannabis, and how young adults with a medical cannabis card may be at greater risk for problems compared to young adults who use cannabis recreationally.