cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Integrating agroecology and landscape multifunctionality in Vermont: An evolving framework to evaluate the design of agroecosystems

Agroecosystems cover vast areas of land worldwide and are known to have a large impact on the environment, yet these highly modified landscapes are rarely considered as candidates for landscape design. While intentionally-designed agricultural landscapes could serve many different functions, few resources exist for evaluating the design of these complex landscapes, particularly at the scale of the whole-farm. The objective of this paper is to introduce an evolving framework for evaluating the design of agroecosystems based on a critical review of the literature on landscape multifunctionality and agroecology. We consider how agroecosystems might be designed to incorporate additional functions while adhering to agroecology principles for managing the landscape. The framework includes an assessment tool for evaluating farm design based on the extent of fine-scale land use features and their specific functions, to consider the present state of the farm, to plan for future conditions, or to compare alternative futures for the design of the farm. We apply this framework to two farms in Vermont that are recognized locally as successful, multifunctional landscapes. The Intervale Center, an agricultural landscape located within the city limits, serves as an incubator for new farm startups and provides unique cultural functions that benefit the local community. Butterworks Farm, a private operation producing organic yogurt and other food products, achieves important ecological functions through an integrated crop-livestock system. These farms and many others in Vermont serve as models of a framework that integrates landscape multifunctionality and agroecology in the design of the landscape. In the discussion section, we draw from the literature and our work to propose a set of important themes that might be considered for future research.
The Cross-Ambiguity Function for emitter location and radar - practical issues for time discretization

The difference between continuous time and discrete time Cross-Ambiguity Functions can be significant. Both narrow band and wide band CAFs can be computed exactly with discretization, but the usual implementation of the narrow band CAF introduces an error which increases with FDOA. he error is largest for signal modulations with non- symmetric CAF plane signatures and for large FDOA values. The wide band CAF is unaffected by this deficiency whether or not a variable delay/variable rate filter is employed. Simple and relatively low cost post-processing can largely correct the discretization error for the narrow band CAF.
Comparison of [Ni(PPh2NPh2)2(CH3CN)]2+ and [Pd(PPh2NPh2)2]2+ as electrocatalysts for H2 production

The complexes [Ni(PPh2NPh2)2(CH3CN)]2+ and [Pd(PPh2NPh2)2]2+, where PPh2NPh2 is 1,5-diphenyl-3,7-diphenyl-1,5-diaza-3,7-diphosphacyclooctane, are compared as electrocatalysts for H2 production under identical experimental conditions. With [(DMF)H]+ as the acid in acetonitrile solution, [Pd(PPh2NPh2)2]2+ afforded a turnover frequency (TOF) of 230 s–1 for formation of H2 under dry conditions and a TOF of 640 s–1 when H2O was added. These rates are similar to the TOFs of 590 s–1 (dry) and 720 s–1 (wet) that were previously measured for [Ni(PPh2NPh2)2(CH3CN)]2+ using [(DMF)H]+. The [Ni(PPh2NPh2)2(CH3CN)]2+ and [Pd(PPh2NPh2)2]2+ complexes both exhibited large current enhancements when treated with trifluoroacetic acid (TFA). At a TFA concentration of 1.8 M, TOF values of 5670 and 2060 s–1 were measured for [Ni(PPh2NPh2)2(CH3CN)]2+ and [Pd(PPh2NPh2)2]2+, respectively. The fast rates observed using TFA are, in part, attributed to homoconjugation of TFA in acetonitrile solutions, which decreases the effective pKa...
A Glimmer of Hope: The EU Emissions Trading Scheme

Chapter 1 of my book SELLING HOT AIR: EMISSIONS TRADING AND OFFSETS (forthcoming CUP 2011) describes the theory and practice of emissions trading and offsets. Chapter 2 then examines and exposes the flaws in the Kyoto Protocol's comprehensive trading and offset systems. The present chapter (Chapter 3), examines the European Union's Emissions Trading Scheme (EU ETS) and finds that its more careful and limited use of emissions trading and offsets is a significant improvement over the Kyoto Protocol's comprehensive system mainly because the EU paid due attention to monitoring and other administrative costs associated with emissions trading and offsets. The chapter concludes that the EU ETS provides a template that the US should follow in its domestic policy, so that emissions trading systems in the US and EU might be easily linked, thereby creating an incipient global trading regime to supplant the more grandiose but unworkable Kyoto system. Subsequent chapters of the book will describe and explain why the EU model is unlikely to be followed in US domestic policy or in post-Kyoto international policy.
A Critical Reexamination of the Effect of Antiabortion Legislation in the Post-Casey Era

Michael J. New, in a recent article in this journal, argues that a major reason for the decline in the incidence of abortion since the U.S. Supreme Court’s 1992 Casey decision was the increased num...
Development and Longevity of Xanthopimpla stemmator (Hymenoptera: Ichneumonidae) at Constant Temperatures

Development and adult longevity of Xanthopimpla stemmator (Thunberg) were characterized at three constant temperatures (20, 24, and 28°C). Developmental time was inversely related to temperature for all X. stemmator life stages. Egg-to-adult developmental time decreased from 42 d at 20°C to 15 d at 28°C. A linear model described the fit ( R 2 > 0.84) between developmental rate and temperature for all life stages. The lower developmental thresholds were 8.0, 13.8, 16.6, and 15.5°C for the egg, larval, pupal, and egg-to-adult development, respectively. The lower developmental threshold for the egg-to-adult development was used to calculate thermal heat requirements for X. stemmator life stages. Degree-days >15.5°C required to complete egg, larval, pupal, and egg-to-adult development were 7, 67, 120, and 187, respectively. Longevity of unfed X. stemmator adults decreased from 9 d at 20°C to 4 d at 28°C. Adult parasites lived longer when fed a sucrose solution. Longevity of X. stemmator adults ranged from 22 to 56 d for those provided a sucrose solution, 4-14 d for those provided water only, 2-5 d for those provided solid sucrose, and 2-8 d for those provided no sucrose or water.
Hemagglutinins associated with certain human enteric viruses.

Summary1) Monkey kidney cell culture fluids containing ECHO viruses 3, 6, 7, 10, 11 and 12 and Coxsackie B3 have been shown to be capable of agglutinating human Group O erythrocytes in relatively high dilutions. Evidence has been presented indicating that the hemagglutinating activity is specifically related to these agents, rather than to possible simian viral contaminants. 2) Preliminary findings suggest that the HA property resides in the viral particle, that it is absorbed by erythrocytes during the process of agglutination and may be eluted from them, exhausting red cell receptors during the process. Despite such similarities to the myxoviruses, additional data suggest that these agents do not belong to the myxovirus group. 3) Monkey kidney cell preparations of polioviruses 1, 2, and 3, ECHO viruses 1, 2, 5, 8, 9, 13 and 14 and Coxsackie A9 failed to agglutinate human Group O cells, whereas preparations of ECHO 4 and Coxsackie B1, B2, B4 and B5 manifested HA activity in low dilution.
Methods of Application and Numbers of Eggs of the Corn Earworm Required to Infest Ears of Corn Artificially

Methods of artificially infesting corn with eggs of Heliothis zea (Boddie) were evaluated by using 4 applicators, various rates of eggs per silk, 2 infestation dates (100% silk and 7 days later), and 2 times (AM or PM) on 4 different sweet-corn hybrids. Infestation with 30 eggs/silk yielded larvae adequate to obtain damage equal to 3 larvae/silk. A pressure applicator (handlotion dispenser) was judged superior to other applicators (chromatographic sprayer, hypodermic syringe, and squeeze bottle) because of its overall performance with respect to accuracy, ease in handling, and capacity to transfer the eggs suspended in agar with minimum egg damage.
Dynamical property testing on wheel construction machinery chasses using chassis dynamometer

To adopt the chassis output and transmission-system lost powers of construction machinery assessment indicators,the rolling mechanisms and sensors are rationally selected to test the chassis output power by using a DC motor as the resistance loading device.Thereafter,the engine,together with the power transmission route,is analyzed.To assess the engine and transmission system via testing data,this approach provides a data support on chassis maintenance of wheel construction machinery.
Determination of preservative in bean products with by ultrasonic extraction

Objective:To establish an HPLC method with ultrasonic extraction for determination of benzoic acid,sorbic acid and saccharin sodium in bean products.The method was applied in the detection of batch of bean products.Methods: 0.2 g bean products was accurately weighed,cut,and well mixed with water.Zinc acetate and potassium ferrocyanide were used as protein precipitant.Then the sample was extracted by ultrasonic in 30℃ water bath,cetrifuged with high speed.The supernatant was directly injected with HPLC analysis.Results: Beer′s law was obeyed in the range of 2.50 mg/L～20.0 mg/L,the regression equation was y=30147x+17097,with relative standard deviation 1.8% for benzoic acid;y=60989x-14430,with relative standard deviation 2.3% for sorbic acid and y=19270x+15121,with relative standard deviation 1.1% for saccharin sodium.The recovery was between 89.4%～107.8%.Conclusion: It was seemed to be an exact and fast determination method without any complex pretreatment.
Research and practice for energy-saving power generation and dispatching of cogeneration power unit

Cogeneration power unit is one of the difficulties in energy-saving power generation and dispatching.A research and construction,"the Online Monitoring and Dispatch Support System", was performed in Henan to solve this problem.Based on the research and practice of the support system, several issues were discussed such as digitizing the operating condition chart, designing the structure of information base for heat-power relationship, building the general calculation model for dispatch interval and performance index, determining the method of next-day power output project prediction, etc.Combined with the main function and practical application of such system, a comparative research was performed to show the significant effect in energy-saving power generation and dispatching.
Bonsai Trees (or, Arboriculture in Lattice-Based Cryptography).

We introduce bonsai trees, a lattice-based cryptographic primitive that we apply to resolve some important open problems in the area. Applications of bonsai trees include: • An efficient, stateless ‘hash-and-sign’ signature scheme in the standard model (i.e., no random oracles), and • The first hierarchical identity-based encryption (HIBE) scheme (also in the standard model) that does not rely on bilinear pairings. Interestingly, the abstract properties of bonsai trees seem to have no known realization in conventional number-theoretic cryptography.
Evaluating the average-case performance penalty of bandwidth-like interfaces

Many solutions for composability and compositionality rely on specifying the interface for a component using bandwidth. Some previous works specify period (P) and budget (Q) as an interface for a component. Q/P provides us with a bandwidth (the share of a processor that this component may request); P specifies the time-granularity of the allocation of this processing capacity. Other works add another parameter deadline which can help to provide tighter bounds on how this processing capacity is distributed. Yet other works use the parameters α and Δ where α is the bandwidth and Δ specifies how smoothly this bandwidth is distributed. It is known [4] that such bandwidth-like interfaces carry a cost: there are tasksets that could be guaranteed to be schedulable if tasks were scheduled directly on the processor, but with bandwidth-like interfaces, it is impossible to guarantee the taskset to be schedulable. And it is also known that this penalty can be infinite, i.e., the use of bandwidth-like interfaces may require the use of a processor that has a speed that is k times faster, and one can show this for any k. This brings the question: "What is the average-case performance penalty of bandwidth-like interfaces?" This paper addresses this question. We answer the question by randomly generating tasksets and then for each of these tasksets, compute a lower bound on how much faster a processor needs to be when a bandwidth-like scheme is used. We do not consider any specific bandwidth-like scheme; instead, we derive an expression that states a lower bound on how much faster a processor needs to be when a bandwidth-like scheme is used. For the distributions considered in this paper, we find that (i) the experimental results depend on the experimental setup, (ii) this lower bound on the penalty was never larger than 4.0, (iii) for one experimental setup, for each taskset, it was greater than 2.4, (iv) the histogram of this penalty appears to be unimodal, and (v) for implicit-deadline sporadic tasks, this lower bound on the penalty was exactly 1.
Right-Sided Diverticulitis Requiring Colectomy: an Evolving Demographic? A Review of Surgical Outcomes from the National Inpatient Sample Database

Introduction There remains a paucity of recent data on right-sided colonic diverticulitis, especially those undergoing colectomy. We sought to describe the clinical features of patients undergoing both a laparoscopic and open surgery for right-sided diverticulitis.
Why Are Groups a Better Way to Teach Reading Than One-on-One Tutoring?

One-on-one tutoring in reading has not proven to be effective, while group-centered prevention has shown itself to be a more effective method. Why? Establishing a supportive group atmosphere, Camp Sharigan uses six distinct teaching methods. Each workstation imparts a new skill (vowel clustering, comprehension, writing, spelling, oral reading) and a new group skill (friendship, sharing, kindness, working together as a team). Groups have a healing power when they feature interaction and cohesion. Combining learning and counseling not only helps to change a student’s attitude about reading, but also enables the student to learn the new skills necessary for learning to read. Working in hands-on learning centers, analogous to a hands-on science museum, but focusing on reading, Camp Sharigan harnesses the power of groups.
Identifiability in Bilinear Inverse Problems With Applications to Subspace or Sparsity-Constrained Blind Gain and Phase Calibration

Bilinear inverse problems (BIPs), the resolution of two vectors given their image under a bilinear mapping, arise in many applications. Without further constraints, BIPs are usually ill-posed. In practice, the properties of natural signals are exploited to solve BIPs. For example, subspace constraints or sparsity constraints are imposed to reduce the search space. These approaches have shown some success in practice. However, there are few results on uniqueness in BIPs. For most BIPs, the fundamental question of under what condition the problem admits a unique solution is yet to be answered. For example, blind gain and phase calibration (BGPC) is a structured BIP, which arises in many applications, including inverse rendering in computational relighting (albedo estimation with unknown lighting), blind phase and gain calibration in sensor array processing, and multichannel blind deconvolution (MBD). It is interesting to study the uniqueness of such problems. In this paper, we define identifiability of a BIP up to a group of transformations. We derive necessary and sufficient conditions for such identifiability, i.e., the conditions under which the solutions can be uniquely determined up to the transformation group. These conditions take the form of dividing the identifiability of the pair of unknown variables into the individual identifiability of each variable. Although verifying these individual conditions requires problem-specific procedures, this framework is universally applicable to all BIPs. Applying these results to BGPC, we derive sufficient conditions for unique recovery under several scenarios, including subspace, joint sparsity, and sparsity models. For BGPC with joint sparsity or sparsity constraints, we develop a procedure to compute the transformation groups corresponding to inherent ambiguities. We also give necessary conditions in the form of tight lower bounds on sample complexities, and demonstrate the tightness of these bounds by numerical experiments. The results for BGPC not only demonstrate the application of the proposed general framework for identifiability analysis, but are also of interest in their own right.
K + Channelopathies ( I Ks and I Kr )

Ion channels are pore-forming proteins that cross the lipid membrane of cells and selectively conduct ions across this hermetic wall. Ion channels are responsible for the generation of electrical signals in most tissues and thus are involved in every heart beat, every perception, every thought, etc. Opening of ion channels allows ions to move along their electrochemical gradient thus either depolarizing the membrane or repolarizing it and creating electrical patterns such as the action potential (see Chapter 9 and Figure 11-1).
Using X-ray fluorescence to assess the chemical composition and resistivity of simulated cementitious pore solutions

Ionic transport in concrete can be described using the formation factor, which is the ratio of the resistivity of the concrete and the pore solution resistivity. The pore solution resistivity may be assumed, directly measured, or computed from the pore solution composition. This paper describes an experimental investigation aimed at determining the feasibility of using X-ray fluorescence (XRF) to obtain the alkali concentrations of the pore solution which enable the calculation of pore solution resistivity. In order to do this, simulated pore solutions containing known amounts of sodium and potassium were prepared and analyzed using XRF. XRF was performed on two sample types: (1) the simulated solutions and (2) beads where the water from the solution is evaporated and the remaining material is fused using a fluxing agent. The compositions obtained experimentally from XRF are compared to known compositions to demonstrate the accuracy of the technique. In addition, the measured simulated pore solution resistivity was compared to the simulated pore solution resistivity calculated from XRF measurements. The results indicate that the composition had an average error of 0.50% while the estimated simulated pore solution resistivity had an average error of 10.95%. The results of this study indicate that XRF has the potential to be an alternative to the time consuming methods currently used to measure the composition of the pore solution.
Common Core State Standards on Twitter: Public Sentiment and Opinion Leaders:

The purpose of this study is to examine the public opinion on the Common Core State Standards (CCSS) on Twitter. Using Twitter Application Program Interface (API), we collected the tweets containin...
The potential role of topotecan in the treatment of advanced breast cancer

Despite the rational use of hormonal, surgical, radiotherapeutic, and chemotherapeutic interventions, metastatic breast cancer represents a historically incurable disease and is currently one of the leading causes of cancer-related death in women. Survival rates in patients with metastatic breast cancer vary with location and type of metastasis, but virtually all will relapse. Standard cytotoxic therapies for the treatment of metastatic breast cancer remain unsatisfactory; thus, new active agents can be a valuable option for many patients. Topotecan (Hycamtin; SmithKline Beecham Pharmaceuticals, Philadelphia, PA), a topoisomerase I inhibitor, currently is being assessed in the treatment of metastatic breast cancer. Preliminary results from preclinical and phase I trials suggest topotecan is active against breast cancer. Results of ongoing phase II trials thus far suggest that topotecan may be effective in stabilizing disease and prolonging time to relapse. Further studies are needed to determine whether topotecan will prove to be a valuable new option in the treatment of metastatic breast cancer.
Francesca Recchia Luciani and Claudio Vercelli (a cura di), Pop Shoah? Immaginari del genocidio ebraico (Genova, Il Melangolo, 2016, 187 pp. ISBN 978-8869-830-143)

Francesca Recchia Luciani and Claudio Vercelli (a cura di), Pop Shoah? Immaginari del genocidio ebraico (Genova, Il Melangolo, 2016, 187 pp. ISBN 978-8869-830-143)by Tommaso Pepe
The Cloakroom: Documentary Narratives in Embodied Installation

This paper presents the concept and instances of implementation of a documentary embodied art installation named 'The Cloakroom'. The Cloakroom is an interactive aesthetic experience which is made out of multiple interpersonal relationship stories and their connection to objects. People are invited to embody a relationship by literally donning a jacket and going through the motions of finding things in its pockets. The objects they find are then used as triggers to play pre-recorded stories, bringing analog artifacts to meet the digital content. The use of pockets highlights the physical intersection between tangibles and wearables.
Framing the Issue: Literature, Collective Imagination, and Fan Activism

This chapter will explore the imagination of collective futures through literature and collective action. Defining imagination by how it provides a unique perspective on potential futures in an ambiguous world, the chapter will discuss how literature also provides perspectives on social norms and future-oriented thinking. Two case studies will be presented as examples under which social change has emerged as a result of literature. The Jungle will show how imagination can create cognitive dissonance, which needed to be resolved. The Harry Potter Alliance case study will examine how framing real-world issues in terms of imaginary constructs from literature can mobilize collective action. The chapter will conclude by noting both the limits of collective imagination, but also the power that literature can provide in making change.
Associations between acculturation, ethnic identity, and diet quality among U.S. Hispanic/Latino Youth: Findings from the HCHS/SOL Youth Study

Abstract Background Acculturation among Hispanic/Latinos has been linked to deteriorating dietary quality that may contribute to obesity risks. This study examined the relationship between acculturation, ethnic identity, and dietary quality in U.S. Hispanic/Latino youth. Methods This cross-sectional study included 1298 Hispanic/Latino youth ages 8–16 from the Hispanic Community Health Study/Study of Latino Youth (HCHS/SOL Youth), an ancillary study of offspring of participants in the adult HCHS/SOL cohort. Multivariable regression analyses assessed relationships between acculturation and ethnic identity with dietary quality as measured by Healthy Eating Index (HEI) scores, accounting for covariates, design effects, and sample weights. We also compared HEI scores by immigrant generation and language of interview. Results Youth were 12 ± 2.5 -years and 49.3% female. They were placed into five acculturation categories—including 48% integrated (bicultural orientation), 32.7% assimilated (high U.S. and low Latino orientation), 5.9% separated (high Latino and low U.S. orientation) or marginalized (neither U.S. nor Latino orientation), and 13.3% unclassified. Mean HEI was 53.8; there were no differences in HEI scores by acculturation category, but integrated youth had higher whole grains scores, lower sodium scores, and lower empty calories scores compared to assimilated youth. There were no differences in HEI scores by ethnic identity scores, and no consistent trend between dietary quality and ethnic identity. First- and second-generation youth had higher HEI scores, compared to third-generation youth, and, Spanish-speaking youth had higher HEI scores compared to English-speaking youth. Conclusion Results suggest that integrated youth in the U.S. may engage in healthier eating behaviors than those who are assimilated. Additional research on Hispanic/Latino youths' acculturation and diet can inform health promotion efforts to improve eating habits and health outcomes among this population.
Interference of human spermatozoal motility by trichomonas vaginalis.

AbstractHuman spermatozoa were exposed to concentrations of live Trichomonas vaginalis varying from 104 to 107 organisms per ml. A striking decrease in spermatozoal motility ensued. The possible role of trichomoniasis in human reproductive failure is considered.
Association of Nonsteroidal Anti-inflammatory Drug Prescriptions With Kidney Disease Among Active Young and Middle-aged Adults.

Importance Concern about the renal effects of nonsteroidand al anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) among young, healthy adults has been limited, but more attention may be warranted given the prevalent use of these agents. Objective To test for associations between dispensed NSAIDs and incident acute kidney injury and chronic kidney disease while controlling for other risk factors. Design, Setting, and Participants This retrospective, longitudinal cohort study used deidentified medical and administrative data on 764 228 active-duty US Army soldiers serving between January 1, 2011, and December 31, 2014. Analysis was conducted from August 1 to November 30, 2018. All individuals new to Army service were included in the analysis. Persons already serving in January 2011 were required to have at least 7 months of observable time to eliminate those with kidney disease histories. Exposures Mean total defined daily doses of prescribed NSAIDs dispensed per month in the prior 6 months. Main Outcomes and Measures Incident outcomes were defined by diagnoses documented in health records and a military-specific digital system. Results Among the 764 228 participants (655 392 [85.8%] men; mean [SD] age, 28.6 [7.9] years; median age, 27.0 years [interquartile range, 22.0-33.0 years]), 502 527 (65.8%) were not dispensed prescription NSAIDs in the prior 6 months, 137 108 (17.9%) were dispensed 1 to 7 mean total defined daily doses per month, and 124 594 (16.3%) received more than 7 defined daily doses per month. There were 2356 acute kidney injury outcomes (0.3% of participants) and 1634 chronic kidney disease outcomes (0.2%) observed. Compared with participants who received no medication, the highest exposure level was associated with significantly higher adjusted hazard ratios (aHRs) for acute kidney injury (aHR, 1.2; 95% CI, 1.1-1.4) and chronic kidney disease (aHR, 1.2; 95% CI, 1.0-1.3), with annual outcome excesses per 100 000 exposed individuals totaling 17.6 cases for acute kidney injury and 30.0 cases for chronic kidney disease. Conclusions and Relevance Modest but statistically significant associations were noted between the highest observed doses of NSAID exposure and incident kidney problems among active young and middle-aged adults.
Factors Influencing Student Acceptance of Mobile Learning in Higher Education

The purpose of this study was to explore the acceptance of mobile learning by students in a higher education setting. The unified theory of acceptance and use of technology (UTAUT) was extended to ...
Predicting methylation-prone CpG islands in human cancer

2839 Aberrant CpG island methylation is responsible for transcriptional silencing of critical regulatory genes in human cancers. While most of the 37,000 human CpG islands remain unmethylated in normal adult cells, select islands (approximately 2-4%) become aberrantly methylated in cancer cells. However, it remains unclear why specific CpG islands are targeted for epigenetic silencing during cancer while others are immune to it. Previous work in our laboratory revealed that 66 (4%) of 1,749 CpG islands underwent de novo DNA methylation in cells engineered to over-express the DNA methyltransferase 1 (DNMT1) gene. Utilizing pattern recognition and supervised machine learning techniques, a classifier was developed to discriminate methylation-prone and methylation-resistant CpG islands based on the frequencies of seven novel DNA patterns. These findings demonstrated that a relatively small fraction of CpG islands are prone to DNA hypermethylation and suggested that CpG islands differ in their intrinsic susceptibility to de novo methylation. In this study, we tested the performance of the classifier by applying it to all CpG islands located on chromosomes 21 and 22 (n=1,357). This analysis predicted 53 CpG islands as methylation-prone. To test the accuracy of these predictions, we analyzed the methylation status of 44 CpG islands on chromosomes 21 and 22 in control and DNMT1-over-expressing cells by methylation-specific PCR. Impressively, the classifier demonstrated an overall correct classification rate of 68% (specificity = 63%; sensitivity = 76%). In order to determine the accuracy of the methylation classifier in human cancer, it was further tested in a panel of 21 normal, immortalized, and malignant breast and lung cell lines. This analysis revealed a 75% overall prediction accuracy (specificity = 68%; sensitivity = 88%). These findings indicate that the methylation susceptibility of a CpG island can be predicted based on its DNA sequence, and suggests that methylation-prone CpG islands inherently possess local cis-acting features which promote their hypermethylation. This work was funded by the National Institutes of Health (P.M.V.: 2RO1-CA077337) and the Frederick Gardner Cottrell Fellowship Program (M.T.M.).
Thalamic Deep Brain Stimulation Salvages Failed Focused Ultrasound Thalamotomy for Essential Tremor: A Case Report.

Background A recent randomized controlled trial investigating unilateral MRI-guided focused ultrasound (FUS) for essential tremor demonstrated efficacy. The long-term durability of this thalamotomy, however, is unknown. Furthermore, the feasibility of stimulating a previously lesioned target such as the thalamic nucleus ventralis intermedius (Vim) is poorly understood. We report a case of tremor recurrence, following an initially successful FUS thalamotomy, in which Vim-DBS was subsequently utilized to regain tremor control. Methods An 81-year-old right-handed female with medically refractory essential tremor (a Clinical Rating Scale for Tremor [CRST] value of 73) underwent left-sided FUS thalamotomy with initial abolition of right-upper extremity tremor. By the 6-month follow-up, there was complete recurrence of tremor (a CRST value of 76). The patient subsequently underwent left-sided Vim-DBS. Results Vim-DBS provided clinical improvement with a CRST value of 42 at the 3-month follow-up; the patient continues to do clinically well at the 6-month follow-up. This result mirrors previous reported cases of stimulation following radiofrequency and gamma-knife lesioning. Our literature review highlights several reasons for the waning of clinical benefit seen with lesional procedures. Conclusion This case demonstrates that thalamic DBS can salvage a failed FUS thalamotomy and also the feasibility of stimulating a previously lesioned target.
Optical measurement of endogenous ion channel voltage sensor activation in tissue

Abstract A primary goal of molecular physiology is to understand how conformational changes of proteins affect the function of cells, tissues, and organisms. Here, we describe an imaging method for measuring the conformational changes of a voltage-sensing protein within tissue. We synthesized a fluorescent molecular probe, compatible with two-photon microscopy, that targets a resting conformation of Kv2-type voltage gated K+ channel proteins. Voltage-response characteristics were used to calibrate a statistical thermodynamic model relating probe labeling intensity to the conformations adopted by unlabeled Kv2 proteins. Two-photon imaging of rat brain slices labeled with the probe revealed fluorescence consistent with conformation-selective labeling of endogenous neuronal Kv2 proteins. In principle, this method of quantifying endogenous protein conformational change from fluorescence images is generalizable to other proteins labeled with conformation-selective probes.
Low Voltage, High Optical Power Handling Capable, Bulk Compound Semiconductor Electro-Optic Modulators at 1550 nm

AlGaAs bulk electro-optic Mach–Zehnder modulators with low ${V_\pi }$ are reported. Epilayer design is an npin , which is shown to be equivalent to a pin . Measured ${V_\pi }$ is 1 V for 1 cm long electrode and this result agrees very well with the numerical modeling. Modulator capacitance remains constant and current through the device is negligible over a wide bias range. Lowest bandgap of the material in the active waveguide region is larger than twice the photon energy at 1550 nm, significantly reducing material absorption, including two-photon absorption. Modulator characteristics remain unchanged under coupled input optical powers approaching 160 mW. Low ${V_\pi }$ combined with high optical power handling capability make these devices suitable for analog photonic links.
Practical Electron Holography

The underlying basis and motivation for electron holography is that the relative phase change of the electron beam that has passed through the specimen region of interest can be determined by comparison with a coherent reference wave. Thus, unlike the conventional electron microscope image, which represents the intensity of the electron wave without any direct phase information, electron holography enables the phase and amplitude at any point of the coherent wavefront to be obtained. This capability has many useful applications. For example, as will be evident from work described in later chapters, the reconstructed phase image provides the possibility for direct imaging on the nanometer scale of the electric and magnetic potentials within the sample, thereby enabling truly unique information to be obtained.451 In addition, once the phase image is obtained, an inverse phase plate can be applied so that phase changes imposed by the transfer function of the objective lens, such as spherical aberration and two-fold astigmatism, can be corrected. It then becomes possible to exceed the conventional resolution limit of the electron microscope for bright-field, axial illumination imaging.261 Finally, it seems appropriate to mention here that the reconstructed amplitude image, which was overlooked by the electron holographic community for many years, can be used to obtain valuable inelastic scattering data,297 Further details and other applications of the amplitude image can be found in the later chapter by Gajdardziska-Josifovska and Carim, pages 267 ff.
Measuring Streetscape Features with High-Density Aerial Light Detection and Ranging:

This study investigates the feasibility of extracting streetscape features from high-density United States Geological Survey (USGS) quality level 1 (QL1) light detection and ranging (LiDAR) and qua...
Robust segmentation of lung in chest x-ray: applications in analysis of acute respiratory distress syndrome

This study outlines an image processing algorithm for accurate and consistent lung segmentation in chest radiographs of critically ill adults and children typically obscured by medical equipment. In particular, this work focuses on applications in analysis of acute respiratory distress syndrome – a critical illness with a mortality rate of 40% that affects 200,000 patients in the United States and 3 million globally each year. Chest radiographs were obtained from critically ill adults (n = 100), adults diagnosed with acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) (n = 25), and children (n = 100) hospitalized at Michigan Medicine. Physicians annotated the lung field of each radiograph to establish the ground truth. A Total Variation-based Active Contour (TVAC) lung segmentation algorithm was developed and compared to multiple state-of-the-art methods including a deep learning model (U-Net), a random walker algorithm, and an active spline model, using the Sorensen–Dice coefficient to measure segmentation accuracy. The TVAC algorithm accurately segmented lung fields in all patients in the study. For the adult cohort, an averaged Dice coefficient of 0.86 ±0.04 (min: 0.76) was reported for TVAC, 0.89 ±0.12 (min: 0.01) for U-Net, 0.74 ±0.19 (min: 0.15) for the random walker algorithm, and 0.64 ±0.17 (min: 0.20) for the active spline model. For the pediatric cohort, a Dice coefficient of 0.85 ±0.04 (min: 0.75) was reported for TVAC, 0.87 ±0.09 (min: 0.56) for U-Net, 0.67 ±0.18 (min: 0.18) for the random walker algorithm, and 0.61 ±0.18 (min: 0.18) for the active spline model. The proposed algorithm demonstrates the most consistent performance of all segmentation methods tested. These results suggest that TVAC can accurately identify lung fields in chest radiographs in critically ill adults and children.
Prochlorococcus phage ferredoxin: structural characterization and interactions with cyanobacterial sulfite reductases

Marine cyanobacteria are infected by phage whose genomes encode ferredoxin (Fd) electron carriers. While these Fds are thought to redirect the energy harvested from light to phage-encoded oxidoreductases that enhance viral fitness, it is not clear how the biochemical and biophysical properties of phage Fds relate to those in photosynthetic organisms. Bioinformatic analysis using a sequence similarity network revealed that phage Fds are most closely related to cyanobacterial Fds that transfer electrons from photosystems to oxidoreductases involved in nutrient assimilation. Structural analysis of myovirus P-SSM2 Fd (pssm2-Fd), which infects Prochlorococcus marinus, revealed high similarity to cyanobacterial Fds (≤0.5 A RMSD). Additionally, pssm2-Fd exhibits a low midpoint reduction potential (-336 mV vs. SHE) similar to other photosynthetic Fds, albeit lower thermostability (Tm = 28°C) than many Fds. When expressed in an Escherichia coli strain with a sulfite assimilation defect, pssm2-Fd complemented growth when coexpressed with a Prochlorococcus marinus sulfite reductase, revealing that pssm2-Fd can transfer electrons to a host protein involved in nutrient assimilation. The high structural similarity with cyanobacterial Fds and reactivity with a host sulfite reductase suggests that phage Fds evolved to transfer electrons to both phage- and cyanobacterial-encoded oxidoreductases.
Ultra-high extinction ratio polarization beam splitter with extreme skin-depth waveguide

In this Letter, we present a high extinction ratio and compact on-chip polarization beam splitter (PBS), based on an extreme skin-depth (eskid) waveguide. Subwavelength-scale gratings form an effectively anisotropic metamaterial cladding and introduce a large birefringence. The anisotropic dielectric perturbation of the metamaterial cladding suppresses the TE polarization extinction via exceptional coupling, while the large birefringence efficiently cross-couples the TM mode, thus reducing the coupling length. We demonstrated the eskid-PBS on a silicon-on-insulator platform and achieved an ultra-high extinction ratio PBS (${\approx} 60\;{\rm dB} $ for TE and ${\approx} 48\;{\rm dB} $ for TM) with a compact coupling length (${\approx} 14.5\,\,\unicode{x00B5}{\rm m}$). The insertion loss is also negligible (${\lt}{0.6}\;{\rm dB}$). The bandwidth is ${\gt}{80}$ (30) nm for the TE (TM) extinction ratio ${\gt}{20}\;{\rm dB}$. Our ultra-high extinction ratio PBS is crucial in implementing efficient polarization diversity circuits, especially where a high degree of polarization distinguishability is necessary, such as photonic quantum information processing.
Social, Emotional, and Behavioral Assessment Within Tiered Decision-Making Frameworks: A Closing Commentary—Looking Back to Move Forward

In my brief commentary, I offer a look to the past to celebrate lessons learned in social, emotional, and behavioral assessment. Then, I respectfully pose considerations for researchers and practit...
Noninvasive Fluorescent Imaging Reliably Estimates Biomass In Vivo

Whole-body optical imaging of small animals has emerged as a powerful, user-friendly, and high-throughput tool for assaying molecular and cellular processes as they occur in vivo. As with any imagi...
Re-Assembling Labor

Organized labor’s judicial, political, and public image is often associated with violence and anarchy. These descriptions are not spun out of whole cloth: violent uprisings that challenged the political and economic order were common in the early days of American labor unionism. But the assumptions underlying past judicial rhetoric and labor law doctrine have outlived their original context. Historical antecedents applied to modern protests like Fast Food Forward, OUR Walmart and the Occupy Movement yield troubling and inconsistent results. Although these tensions have not gone unnoticed, scholarly commentary to date has overlooked the important connection between the collective, group-based nature of labor activism and the First Amendment’s right of assembly. We seek to draw the lessons of assembly squarely into contemporary labor law — to re-assemble labor law around the theory and doctrine of assembly that formed its early core. We begin in Parts I and II by situating the historical relationship between labor and assembly. Part III develops three theoretical insights reinforced by the connections between assembly and labor, and obscured by the contemporary focus on the rights of speech and expressive association. First, collective activity represents more than simply an aggregation of individual voices. Second, groups are not one-dimensional but have many functions, purposes, and messages, which are developed and negotiated through collective expression and existence. Third, expression depends on the context in which it unfolds, and current doctrine too easily obscures that context, with significant ramifications for both public perception and group efficacy. Part IV applies these theoretical insights, suggesting how the gains of assembly might facilitate a richer understanding of labor unionism and its connections to the rest of First Amendment jurisprudence.
On the utility of bottleneck reasoning for scheduling

The design of better schedulers requires a deeper understanding of each component technique and of their interactions. Although widely accepted in practice, bottleneck reasoning for scheduling has not yet been sufficiently validated, either formally or empirically. This paper reports an empirical analysis of the heuristic information used by bottleneck-centered, opportunistic scheduling systems to solve constraint satisfaction scheduling problems. Different configurations of a single scheduling framework are applied to a benchmark set of scheduling problems and compared with respect to number of problems solved and processing time. We show superior performances for schedulers that use bottleneck information. We also show that focusing at the bottleneck might not only provide an effective "most constrained first" heuristic but also, unexpectedly, increase the utility of other heuristic information.
Toward Better Intraseasonal and Seasonal Prediction: Verification and Evaluation of the NOGAPS Model Forecasts

Abstract : The long-term goals of this project are to understand the key physical processes for realistic simulation and skillful prediction of the MJO and to improve the intraseasonal to seasonal prediction skills of the NAVGEM model. Intraseasonal and seasonal prediction provides important information for decision-making and resource management, and has received increased attention in recent years. Despite substantial progress in numerical modeling in the past few decades, skillful seasonal prediction remains a challenge for many models. Verification and evaluation of model forecasts can offer users necessary information on the model predictive skills and uncertainties, and provide model development teams with useful information on model improvements.
Triple-H: a hybrid approach to accelerate HDFS on HPC clusters with heterogeneous storage architecture

HDFS (Hadoop Distributed File System) is the primary storage of Hadoop. Even though data locality offered by HDFS is important for Big Data applications, HDFS suffers from huge I/O bottlenecks due to the tri-replicated data blocks and cannot efficiently utilize the available storage devices in an HPC (High Performance Computing) cluster. Moreover, due to the limitation of local storage space, it is challenging to deploy HDFS in HPC environments. In this paper, we present a hybrid design (Triple-H) that can minimize the I/O bottlenecks in HDFS and ensure efficient utilization of the heterogeneous storage devices (e.g. RAM, SSD, and HDD) available on HPC clusters. We also propose effective data placement policies to speed up Triple-H. Our design integrated with parallel file system (e.g. Lustre) can lead to significant storage space savings and guarantee fault-tolerance. Performance evaluations show that Triple-H can improve the write and read throughputs of HDFS by up to 7x and 2x, respectively. The execution times of data generation benchmarks are reduced by up to 3x. Our design also improves the execution time of the Sort benchmark by up to 40% over default HDFS and 54% over Lustre. The alignment phase of the CloudBurst [20] application is accelerated by 19%. Triple-H also benefits the performance of SequenceCount and Grep in PUMA [15] over both default HDFS and Lustre.
In Brief: New Mexico declares Pluto a planet

Nearly eight months after the International Astronomical Union demoted Pluto from planet status (see Eos 87(35), 29 August 2006), the state legislature of New Mexico has declared that Pluto is a planet, naming 13 March 2007 “Pluto Planet Day.” The resolution notes that Pluto has been called a planet for 75 years and that Clyde Tombaugh, who discovered Pluto in 1930, was a resident of New Mexico for much of his life.
Relationship Banking, Monetary Policy, and Consumer Credit Reform

The increasing dependence of American households on debt financing and the rising rates of personal bankruptcy raise several welfare considerations that we analyze in this paper. We pose a theoretical model of relationship banking to first evaluate how strategic actions between banks and borrowers yield interest rates for various credit types and drive credit rationing in the market. Based on these results, we evaluate several policies that the government may implement to influence lending policies in consumer credit markets. We derive conditions under which the government optimally wishes to induce credit rationing and show that under some conditions, it is welfare enhancing to encourage banks to have a liberal lending policy, even if it means that interest rates are exceedingly high for low credit quality borrowers. Finally, we analyze the effects that a credit rating agency has on the dynamics of this market. Our theoretical analysis is consistent with empirical observations from these markets, and has significant importance especially given the recent subprime mortgage financial crisis.