cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
DIFFERENTIAL SPECTROPHOTOMETRY OF Phycomyces MUTANTS WITH ABNORMAL PHOTORESPONSES

Abstract— The unidentified receptor pigments responsible for phototropism and other blue light responses of Phycomyces are expected to contribute only a minuscule fraction of the in vivo absorption spectra, even for carotene-deficient (car genotype) albino strains. The variable amount of residual carotenoids in strains with mutations in the carA gene precluded their use for the comparison of phototropism (mad) mutants with phototropically normal controls. We turned instead to carB albino strains, all of which have negligible carotene content. For various mad genes, we isolated carB mad strains by crosses and mutagenesis, and compared them with carB controls, in search of spectral differences associated with the mad photoreception defects. The spectra and their second derivatives show cytochrome bands, as well as a minor peak near 480 nm. This peak was present in carB strains, so it is probably not due to carotenoids. Strains L26 and L136 (both carB madE, but with different genetic backgrounds) showed modifications in the480–500 nm region. Sporangiophores that lacked the green material that usually interferes with in vivo spectroscopy were obtained by the addition of potassium iodide to the culture medium. Dark-grown carB sporangiophores have a more pronounced second-derivative peak at 480 nm than do light-grown sporangiophores. Growth in the light, though, did not significantly alter the spectra of sporangiophores of L131 (carB madB) or L130 (carB madC). The spectral differences may be useful in the biochemical search for the receptor pigments.
Antithymocyte treatment of steroid-resistant acute rejection in renal transplantation

To evaluate the outcome of early (ER 3 months) episodes of corticosteroid resistant acute allograft rejection (CRR) treated with anti-thymocyte globulin (ATG) in pediatric renal allograft recipients. Retrospective study of 15 children, mean age 13.2y, who received ATG for the treatment of biopsy proven CRR over a 15 year period. Seven children received ATG for ER (median 26 days post transplantation) and 8 for LR (median 763 days). There was a significant improvement in the 3 month eGFR (70.3 ml/min/1.73m2, SD 22.3, p = 0.018) when compared with the value prior to ATG treatment (23.3 ml/min/1.73m2, SD 10.2) in the ER group. In the LR group (4 DSA positive) there was no improvement in the eGFR at 3 months (42 ml/min/1.73m2, SD 10.5, p = 0.32) when compared with the value prior to ATG (38 ml/min/1.73m2, SD 9.7). At final review, eGFR in the ER group was 72.3 ml/min/1.73m2 (SD 33) vs. 37.7 ml/min/1.73m2 (SD 17.9) in the LR group after a mean follow up of 10.4y and 1.2y, respectively. ATG therapy in CRR is associated with reversal of rejection and excellent graft outcome in children with ER. The benefits remain uncertain in LR, the etiology of which is multifactorial.
Abnormal screening for gestational diabetes, maternal mood disorder, and preterm birth.

Diabetes mellitus is common in women of reproductive age. Gestational diabetes (GDM) affects 7% of pregnant women (200,000/year) (1). In low-income mothers, the risk for GDM or pre-pregnancy diabetes is twice as high in depressed (100/657 = 15.2%) versus non-depressed mothers (886/10,367 = 8.5%) [odds ratio (OR) = 1.85, 95% confidence interval (CI): 1.45–2.36] (2). Lack of medical intervention for GDM can increase depression risk. Compared to mothers who receive diabetes care (advice on nutrition, glucose monitoring, oral hypoglycemic agents or insulin, and specialty services), mothers who lack care have increased risk for postpartum depression (8% versus 17%) and poor functioning within three months of delivery (3). In a large representative sampling of American women from all racial and ethnic groups, women of childbearing age (20–39 years) are frequently overweight or obese [body mass index (BMI) ≥ 25] (60%, n = 877) (4). Among non-Hispanic black mothers, the prevalence of being overweight or obese is even greater (78%, n = 191) (4). Gestational obesity not only increases the likelihood of GDM (5) but also of perinatal mood disorders. High pre-pregnancy BMI is strongly associated with major depression during pregnancy (6) and increased depression scores after delivery (7). Risks for adverse outcomes are significantly increased with diabetes in pregnancy (8). Hyperglycemic mothers are more likely than non-affected mothers to develop preeclampsia, need for surgical delivery (8, 9), and delayed onset of diabetes later in life (10). Newborns have increased risk for congenital malformations by 3–4 fold (11), increased birth weight (> 90th percentile), hypoglycemia, and respiratory distress (8). In utero exposure to maternal hyperglycemia imprints lasting effects on the offspring resulting in childhood obesity and metabolic syndrome (12). In this prospective observational study, we investigated the relationship between response to the 50 g glucose challenge test (GCT) at 28 weeks gestation (a routine screen for GDM) or having a maternal mood disorder and adverse pregnancy outcomes. We assessed mean GCT levels, frequency of abnormal GCT response (> 140 mg/dL) and pre-pregnancy BMI in mothers with major depressive disorder (MDD), bipolar disorder (BD), and healthy controls (HC). We examined differences among maternal diagnostic groups in sociodemographics, tobacco smoking, alcohol use, substance use, and antidepressant or mood-stabilizer treatments. We explored the correlation between GCT levels and maternal obesity hypothesizing that increased mean GCT levels and having a maternal mood disorder would be associated with an increased rate of preterm birth, increased birth weight (BW), and greater frequency of perinatal events.
Assessment of current load factors for use in geotechnical load and resistance factor design

Load and resistance factor design ~LRFD! is the standard structural design practice. In order for foundation design to be consistent with current structural design practice, the use of the same loads, load factors, and load combinations would be required. In this paper, we review the load factors presented in various LRFD codes from the United States, Canada, and Europe. A simple first-order second-moment ~FOSM! reliability analysis is presented to determine appropriate ranges for the values of the load factors. These values are compared with those proposed in the codes. The comparisons between the analysis and the codes show that the values of load factors given in the codes generally fall within ranges consistent with the results of the FOSM analysis. However, it would be desirable for the successful development and adoption of the geotechnical component of LRFD codes to have uniformity of load-factor values across different codes for the loads that are common for virtually all civil structures.
Longer simulations sample larger subspaces of conformations while maintaining robust mechanisms of motion.

Recent studies suggest that protein motions observed in molecular simulations are related to biochemical activities, although the computed time scales do not necessarily match those of the experimentally observed processes. The molecular origin of this conflicting observation is explored here for a test protein, cyanovirin-N (CV-N), through a series of molecular dynamics simulations that span a time range of three orders of magnitude up to 0.4 μs. Strikingly, increasing the simulation time leads to an approximately uniform amplification of the motional sizes, while maintaining the same conformational mechanics. Residue fluctuations exhibit amplitudes of 1–2 A in the nanosecond simulations, whereas their average sizes increase by a factor of 4–5 in the microsecond regime. The mean-square displacements averaged over all residues (y) exhibit a power law dependence of the form y ∝ x0.26 on the simulation time (x). Essential dynamics analysis of the trajectories, on the other hand, demonstrates that CV-N has robust preferences to undergo specific types of motions that already can be detected at short simulation times, provided that multiple runs are performed and carefully analyzed. Proteins 2012. © 2011 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Epigenetic regulation of CpG promoter methylation in invasive prostate cancer cells

Recently, much attention has been focused on gaining a better understanding of the different populations of cells within a tumor and their contribution to cancer progression. One of the most commonly used methods to isolate a more aggressive sub-population of cells utilizes cell sorting based on expression of certain cell adhesion molecules. A recently established method we developed is to isolate these more aggressive cells based on their properties of increased invasive ability. These more invasive cells have been previously characterized as tumor initiating cells (TICs) that have a stem-like genomic signature and express a number of stem cell genes including Oct3/4 and Nanog and are more tumorigenic compared to their 'non-invasive' counterpart. They also have a profile reminiscent of cells undergoing a classic pattern of epithelial to mesenchymal transition or EMT. Using this model of invasion, we sought to investigate which genes are under epigenetic control in this rare population of cells. Epigenetic modifications, specifically DNA methylation, are key events regulating the process of normal human development. To determine the specific methylation pattern in these invasive prostate cells, and if any developmental genes were being differentially regulated, we analyzed differences in global CpG promoter methylation. Differentially methylated genes were determined and select genes were chosen for additional analyses. The non-receptor tyrosine kinase BMX and transcription factor SOX1 were found to play a significant role in invasion. Ingenuity pathway analysis revealed the methylated gene list frequently displayed genes from the IL-6/STAT3 pathway. Cells which have decreased levels of the targets BMX and SOX1 also display loss of STAT3 activity. Finally, using Oncomine, it was determined that more aggressive metastatic prostate cancers in humans also have higher levels of both Stat3 and Sox1. Using this method we can begin to understand which genes are epigenetically regulated in the invasive population compared to the bulk tumor cells. These aggressive sub-populations of cells may be linked to the cancer stem cell hypothesis, making their patterns of epigenetic regulation very attractive for biomarker analysis.
Utility of Fever and Leukocytosis in Acute Surgical Abdomens in Octogenarians and Beyond

Background. The study determined the incidence of specific surgical diagnoses in patients age 80 years or older who presented to an emergency department (ED) with acute abdomens and required emergency surgical intervention within 72 hours. The usefulness of an increase in temperature and leukocytosis in the evaluation of each surgical diag­ nostic group is discussed. Methods. The study was a retrospective review of ED records and operative reports of patients 80 years or older who were seen from November 1992 to September 1995 at a large midwestern tertiary-care ED with 65,000 annual patient visits. Results. Among the 117 patients who met the inclusion criteria, the most common diagnoses were acute cholecysti­ tis (29 patients), hernia (24), and bowel obstruction (19). The least common diagnoses were Meckel's diverticulum (1 patient), diverticulitis (1), and a carcinoid tumor (1). Temperature increase to more than 37.5"C was statistically more common in patients with acute cholecystitis (13 of 29) and viscus perforation (4 of 11) than in all other patient groups (4 of 77). A leukocyte count of more than 15,500/mm 3 was most statistically suggestive of acute cholecystitis (10 of 29 patients), intestinal ischemia (5 of 11), viscus perforation (5 of 11), acute appendicitis (2 of 3), and abscess (1 of 2). Of 115 patients with a recorded temperature and leukocyte count, 35 had a temperature of less than 37.5"C and a leuko­ cyte count ofless than 1O,500/mm 3 • Conclusion. Acute surgical abdomen in patients 80 years or older has a unique distribution of diagnoses. Although an increase in temperature and marked leukocytosis are not diagnostic of any particular illness, their presence should suggest certain specific surgical illnesses to the practicing clinician. Frequently, elderly patients with acute surgical abdomens present with a normal temperature and leukocyte count.
Visual Analysis of Historic Hotel Visitation Patterns

Understanding the space and time characteristics of human interaction in complex social networks is a critical component of visual tools for intelligence analysis, consumer behavior analysis, and human geography. Visual identification and comparison of patterns of recurring events is an essential feature of such tools. In this paper, we describe a tool for exploring hotel visitation patterns in and around Rebersburg, Pennsylvania from 1898-1900. The tool uses a wrapping spreadsheet technique, called reruns, to display cyclic patterns of geographic events in multiple overlapping natural and artificial calendars. Implemented as an Improvise visualization, the tool is in active development through a iterative process of data collection, hypothesis, design, discovery, and evaluation in close collaboration with historical geographers. Several discoveries have inspired ongoing data collection and plans to expand exploration to include historic weather records and railroad schedules. Distributed online evaluations of usability and usefulness have resulted in numerous feature and design recommendations.
Applications of multiprocess models for memory to continuous recognition tasks

Abstract Several multiprocess models for memory and learning are applied to the results of an experiment comparing performance on four types of recognition tests. The task involved a continuous sequence of trials, each trial consisting of a test on one of the stimuli followed by a study on that same stimulus paired with a new response. One of four types of tests was presented on each trial, the choice of test being made randomly. The four types of tests employed were a 2, 4, and 26 alternative forced-choice test, and a yes-no test. During the study period the subject had no way of knowing which mode of test would be given, and thus could not engage in differential storage processes. The basic dependent variable was the probability of a correct response as a function of the number of trials intervening between study and test on a given stimulus-response pair (called the “lag”). The lag curves for the forced-choice tests and the hit curve for the yes-no test increased monotonically as the lag increased, while the false alarm curve of the yes-no test increased as the lag increased. A model which postulates a distinction between short-term and long-term memory stores was applied successfully to these data. The model assumes that information in short-term store is perfectly retrievable and utilizes an analysis derived from Signal Detectability Theory to describe long-term processes.
Nanopatterning of catalyst by Dip Pen nanolithography (DPN) for synthesis of carbon nanotubes (CNT).

Summary: Carbon nanotubes (CNT) were synthesized on nanopatterned catalysts. The catalyst nanoparticles were obtained using dip pen nanolithographytechnique. Dip pen nanolithography technique was used to deposit NiCl2 nanopatterns with sub200 nm feature sizes on a silicon substrate. The deposited features were verified by using lateral force microscopy. The substrate was then placed in a plasma-enhanced chemical vapor deposition instrument to synthesize CNT. The synthesized CNT were characterized using scanning electron microscopy and energy dispersive x-ray spectroscopy. SCANNING 32: 42–48, 2010. r 2010 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Evaluation and comparison performance of various MPI implementations on an OSCAR Linux cluster

PC clusters are becoming increasingly popular and important in the parallel computing community as a cost-effective alternative to expensive special designed parallel computers. The most popular communication interface used in PC clusters as well as other cluster-type parallel computers is MPI (Message Passing Interface). There are several different open-source MPI implementations freely available and most are based on the popular MPICH. In general, these implementations have similar basic functions and performance, but each package targets different environment with different communication libraries. In this paper we present our implementation and performance measurement of several available open-source MPI packages on a Linux cluster built with the OSCAR software package. We then compare the performance and discuss the factors that affect performance of these MPI implementations. Our target is building a PC-cluster for our research and development in the areas of SAN communication and parallel digital simulations.
Climate change, uncertainty and prehistoric hunter–gatherer mobility

The onset of Little Ice Age conditions in California’s Sierra Nevada mountains resulted in increased temporal and spatial variability, and hence uncertainty regarding the distribution and production of resources targeted by its inhabitants, the Western Mono. The Mono responded with a risk-averse strategy composed of lowland winter population aggregation supported by logistical forays and seasonal residential dispersals to the high country, both ways of averaging variance in environmental productivity. These patterns were reconstructed using surface archaeology, GIS, and two straightforward spatial statistics, nearest-neighbor and variance-to-mean ratios, that combined provide a robust, objective picture of population aggregation and dispersal and the scale of these phenomena in different environments and seasons. These diverse strategies conform to expectations regarding the best ways for hunter–gatherers to cope with uncertainty, particularly in mountain environments. Despite this, the residentially mobile aspect of the pattern is rare in mountains and probably the result of historical connections between the Mono and Great Basin groups employing similar behaviors. Ultimately, this research suggests that climate change and environmental variability condition risk-averse, satisficing economic behaviors focused more on security than optimization, implying that pronounced environmental variability runs counter to economic intensification and its association with the evolution of more complex societies.
The emergency management of a medicinal leech bite

Leeches have been used as a medicinal remedy for years untold. Recently, there appears to have been a resurgence in the use of the medicinal leech, Hirudo medicinalis. Presented is the case of a patient who called the emergency department for advice concerning the management of a bleeding leech bite. We discuss briefly the pharmacologically active salivary contents of the leech and an approach to the emergency therapy of a medicinal leech bite.
Feed Restriction Induces Pyruvate Carboxylase but not Phosphoenolpyruvate Carboxykinase in Dairy Cows

The ability of dairy cattle to adapt to changes in nutrient intake requires appropriately responsive expression of several key genes in liver. Holstein cows were used in 2 experiments to determine the effect of short-term feed restriction on expression of mRNA for gluconeogenic and ureagenic enzymes in liver. In experiment 1, cows were fed a total mixed diet for ad libitum intake for a 5-d period followed by 5 d of 50% of their previous 5-d ad libitum intake followed by 10 d of ad libitum feeding. Liver biopsies and blood samples were obtained on d 5, 10, and 20 of the experiment, the last day of each feeding period. Pyruvate carboxylase (PC) mRNA increased with feed restriction, but phosphoenolpyruvate carboxykinase (PEPCK) was unchanged. Expression of carbamoyl phosphate synthetase (CPS-I), argininosuccinate synthetase, and ornithine transcarbamylase mRNA were not altered by feed restriction; however, CPS-I mRNA expression tended to increase during realimentation. In experiment 2, cows were fed for ad libitum intake for 5 d and then fed 50% of previous intake for 5 d. Liver biopsy samples collected on d 5 and 10 were used for PC mRNA, PEPCK mRNA, and in vitro measure of gluconeogenesis from radiolabelled propionate and lactate. The data indicate expression of genes for key metabolic processes in liver of lactating cows is responsive to feeding level. Expression of PC mRNA is part of the adaptive response to feed intake restriction and is matched by increased capacity for gluconeogenesis from lactate.
Roles of quartz and mica in seismic anisotropy of mylonites

SUMMARY Observations of seismic anisotropy in continental crust are of primary importance to understanding deep crustal structure and dynamics. While many crustal minerals are elastically anisotropic, seismic studies commonly assume that only the most anisotropic minerals (e.g. micas) are responsible for the observed anisotropic signal while making the simplifying assumption that potential interaction of multiple mineral phases is insignificant. This study explores the interference effects between mica and quartz on the calculated response of compressional and shear waves in high-strain tectonites (mylonites). Sample texture and mineralogy were evaluated via electron backscatter diffraction and the calculation of seismic response was carried out over a range of mica to quartz ratios. Both natural and synthetic crystallographic orientation data, which mimic quartz and mica orientations under increasing temperature in high, non-coaxial strain settings, were evaluated. Not surprisingly, the results show that adding quartz to micaceous lithologies significantly reduces the magnitude of seismic anisotropy. However, the study also highlights the mutually destructive nature of this relationship and suggests a critical threshold proportion between the two phases across which the symmetry of the end-member induced anisotropies becomes significantly altered, a result that may have significant implications for studies interpreting crustal dynamics from seismic anisotropy.
A comparison of peptide and folate receptor targeting of cancer cells: from single agent to nanoparticle.

Introduction: There is broad interest in a targeted strategy that delivers a concentrated therapeutic payload to tumor cells, because of the significant potential for improvements in therapeutic outcomes and reduction of side effects if therapeutics can be delivered only to diseased tissue. Areas covered: This review describes how the coupling chemistry and surface charge effects of peptide labeling in nanoparticle drug delivery strategies have proved difficult to control, resulting in many studies that use folate instead. However, the successful peptide targeting of structural, hormonal, cytokine and endocrine receptors in the delivery of therapeutic and diagnostic radionuclides provides a strong indication that it is worth finding methods to synthesize peptide-targeted nanoparticles. Expert opinion: Chemical conjugation to peptides reduces colloidal stability, which is a limiting factor in the development of targeting nanoparticles. Mechanistic studies are needed in order to develop peptide targeting fo...
Scientifically Unsupported Therapies in the Treatment of Young Children with Autism Spectrum Disorders

Our understanding of ASD has changed over the past decades, and diagnostic tools have assisted in earlier identification and referral for intervention. Appropriate intervention appears to impact positively on overall outcome for a pervasive developmental disorder for which there is currently no known cure. Novel and controversial therapies will come and go, and therefore physicians should familiarize themselves with these interventions, as advice about these alternative approaches will be sought. Discussions of nontraditional therapies should include the placebo effect, possibly undesirable, or potentially dangerous outcomes of a treatment, and the importance of scientifically sound research studies of that treatment. Addressing the use of complementary and alternative therapies in families with medically-compromised or developmentally disabled children is crucial to providing complete care to the patient and in the maintenance of a medical home.
Anticipated Group Versus Individual Examinations: A Classroom Comparison

Instructors across disciplines continue to seek methods to improve students' retention of class material. One potential method for increasing retention is the use of collaborative, or group, testin...
Self-Directed Learning in Introductory Management:

A self-directed learning format, grounded in Malcolm Knowles's concept of andragogy, was used in an introductory management course for upper division undergraduates. The rationale for use, along wi...
Direct Sampling of Entrainment Events in a Marine Stratocumulus Layer

Abstract Entrainment mixing and the stability of a marine stratocumulus layer are investigated using aircraft data gathered during the FIRE marine stratocumulus experiment. Direct measurement of entrainment events is accomplished through conditional sampling based on ozone mixing ratio. This enables the identification of evaporatively cooled, negatively buoyant events that could otherwise only be inferred by thermodynamic jump conditions at cloud top. Evidence for evaporation cooling within entrainment events is obtained with aerosol and cloud droplet spectra. An increase in the entrainment of dry air into the cloud layer due to sinking of negatively buoyant downdrafts is offset by an increased flux of moisture through cloud base. The positive flux of moisture at cloud base is driven, in part, by the sinking of evaporatively cooled parcels through the entire cloud layer. Despite a minimum in buoyancy flux near cloud base, the cloud layer was not decoupled from the subcloud layer.
Role of H + -K + ATPase, Na + -K + -2Cl − and Na + -Cl − -HCO 3 − Transporters in Vertebrate Small Intestine

Small intestinal function is multifaceted, characterized as it is by several functional states including those of the absorptive and postabsorptive states. In the postabsorptive state urodele small intestinal brush border Na+K+2Cl− cotransport operates in parallel with Cl−-HCO3 − exchange and K+-H+ ATPase antiport and in series with basolateral membrane Na+-nHCO3 −-anion exchange to absorb Na+, K+, and Cl− ions and regulate luminal fluid pH. In the absorptive state nonmetabolizable cotransported solutes such as galactose and valine in the lumen inhibit Na+K+2Cl− cotransport and Na+-nHCO3 −-anion exchange to block transcellular Cl− absorption while simultaneously stimulating Na+ absorption. When under the influence of catecholamines K+-H+ ATPase activity is supplanted by enhanced Na+-H+ and Cl−-HCO3 − exchange. In contrast, agents which elevate intracellular cyclic AMP inhibit Na+K+2Cl− cotransport, Na+-H+ and Cl−-HCO3 − exchange and reduce K+-H+ ATPase antiport while promoting HCO3 − ion secretion via ion channels in the brush border membrane. Progress has been made in distinguishing the respective roles of mature villus enterocytes and immature intervillus (i.e., crypt region) enterocytes in these different transepithelial ion transport processes.
Direct radiative effects of tropospheric aerosols on changes of global surface soil moisture

A coupled modeling framework including a terrestrial ecosystem model and an atmospheric radiative transfer model is used to evaluate the aerosols’ direct radiative effects on the surface soil moisture in global terrestrial ecosystems during 2003–2010. We conduct two sets of model runs with and without aerosols in a hindcast mode. Comparison analysis indicates that the simulated soil moisture is comparable with other existing products and satellite retrievals. Simulations with aerosol loadings show an increase in the surface soil moisture by 3.8 ± 0.4 % and 4.1 ± 0.5 % during growing seasons (June to September) in temperate and boreal Northern Hemisphere (>10 °N) and the whole year in tropical regions (−10°S~10°N). This positive effect is as large as 30 % in dense-vegetated ecosystems, such as tropical forests and temperate broadleaf evergreen forests. The effect of aerosols on soil moisture varies with local leaf area index and climate, and exhibits seasonal variations. Surface soil moisture is persistently affected by high aerosols loadings in Amazonian tropical forests during drought seasons of 2005 and 2010. This study highlights the importance to consider the aerosols’ effects in impacting the soil moisture dynamics of the global terrestrial ecosystems.
PATTERNS OF ENERGY ALLOCATION WITHIN FORAGERS OF FORMICA PLANIPILIS AND POGONOMYRMEX SALINUS

Foraging workers of Formica planipilis and Pogonomyrmex salinus were collected at various distances from their colony by pitfall traps in the former species and by catching workers recruited to food at known locations in the latter. In F. planipilis the number of larger workers increased in proportional representation to distance from the nest. Larger workers also weighed relatively less with distance from the nest, indicating that energy or water allocated for maintaining all foragers is patterned such that resource loss with forager mortality is minimized. However, the smallest size class involved in foraging shows the opposite pattern, with heavier individuals being found farther from the nest. Thus, it is possible that smaller size classes function as mobile reserves of energy or water to maintain foraging activity of larger classes at a distance from the colony. In P. salinus all sizes of workers were equally likely to be found at any distance. Foragers weighed significantly less than mound workers of the same head size, again suggesting resource conservation in provisioning foraging workers. Differences in patterns of energy allocation to foragers are discussed relative to the species' ecologies.
Parallel cartographic modeling: a methodology for parallelizing spatial data processing

This article establishes a new methodological framework for parallelizing spatial data processing called parallel cartographic modeling, which extends the widely adopted cartographic modeling framework. Parallel cartographic modeling adds a novel component called a Subdomain, which serves as the elemental unit of parallel computation. Four operators are also added to express parallel spatial data processing, namely scheduler, decomposition, executor, and iteration. A parallel cartographic modeling language PCML is developed based on the parallel cartographic modeling framework, which is designed for usability, programmability, and scalability. PCML is a domain-specific language implemented in Python for the domain of cyberGIS. A key feature of PCML is that it supports automatic parallelization of cartographic modeling scripts; thus, allowing the analyst to develop models in the familiar cartographic modeling language in a Python syntax. PCML currently supports more than 70 operations and new operations can be easily implemented in as little as three lines of PCML code. Experimental results using the National Science Foundation-supported Resourcing Open Geospatial Education and Research computational resource demonstrate that PCML efficiently scales to 16 cores and can process gigabytes of spatial data in parallel. PCML is shown to support multiple decomposition strategies, decomposition granularities, and iteration strategies that be generically applied to any operation implemented in PCML.
CAMEO Feature News: University and Community Partnership Disseminates Child Development Information

How do grass-roots agencies and programs lacking the expertise and the budget to publicize their work get their message out to the communities they serve? How do scholars and researchers, who publish their work primarily in professional journals, make the latest in child development research accessible to the public? CAMEO Feature News (CFN), an internet-based project at the Eliot-Pearson Department of Child Development at Tufts University, brings together the community and the university in a novel partnership that addresses both of these questions.
A method, a model and Machiavelli: history colloquium at Princeton, 19 November 1968

John Pocock gave “A method, a model and Machiavelli” as a talk at Princeton University in 1968. What happened to the text afterwards is uncertain, but it remained in the papers of Professor Donald ...
Pokémon GO: Healthy or Harmful?

The authors reflect on the potential health benefits and harms that may be associated with playing the Pokemon Go mobile application game, and it mentions how Pokemon Go requires players to move in order to capture various types of mobile game creatures. According to the article, several Pokemon Go players have been injured in gameplay-related driving, biking, and walking accidents. The public health-related aspects of Pokemon Go are assessed, along with socialization and obesity prevention.
BAD JOBS, BAD PARENTS? HOW JOB CHARACTERISTICS RELATE TO TIME WITH CHILDREN AND SELF-EVALUATIONS OF PARENTS

Using a data set of employed parents in the United States, the 2008 National Study of the Changing Workforce , this paper examines work characteristics, the amount of time parents spend with their children, and how parents evaluate themselves in their parenting role (their “self-evaluations as parents”). The results indicate that although work hours correlate with time spent with children, they do not correlate with parents’ self-evaluations. Autonomy is critical to both parenting outcomes, even after controlling for time spent with children. Family structure is also correlated with time spent with children, but not with self-evaluations. These findings indicate that for working parents, some of the characteristics of their work influence both the amount of time spent with children and the degree to which they feel they are good parents. Authors’ note: A previous version of this paper was presented at the 2015 Annual Meeting of the Southern Sociological Society in New Orleans, Louisiana.
Optimal Structural Nested Models for Optimal Sequential Decisions

I describe two new methods for estimating the optimal treatment regime (equivalently, protocol, plan or strategy) from very high dimesional observational and experimental data: (i) g-estimation of an optimal double-regime structural nested mean model (drSNMM) and (ii) g-estimation of a standard single regime SNMM combined with sequential dynamic-programming (DP) regression. These methods are compared to certain regression methods found in the sequential decision and reinforcement learning literatures and to the regret modelling methods of Murphy (2003). I consider both Bayesian and frequentist inference. In particular, I propose a novel “Bayes-frequentist compromise” that combines honest subjective non- or semiparametric Bayesian inference with good frequentist behavior, even in cases where the model is so large and the likelihood function so complex that standard (uncompromised) Bayes procedures have poor frequentist performance.
Characterizing the powder punch-face adhesive interaction during the unloading phase of powder compaction

Abstract The objective of this work is to measure the adhesive force profile between a punch face and powder compact in-die during the decompression phase of a tablet compaction process. An instrumented punch was developed for use on a single station compaction fixture mounted on a universal testing machine. Adhesive force-displacement profiles were measured for acetaminophen, ibuprofen, lactose, mannitol, several grades of micro-crystalline cellulose, and blends containing magnesium stearate as a lubricant. The degree of compact solid fraction, the number of compacts produced in a row, and concentration of magnesium stearate in the blends affected the adhesive force profiles. The maximum adhesive force increased with increasing compact solid fraction and decreasing magnesium stearate concentration. An increase in the number of compression cycles increased the adhesive force between the powder compact and punch face, but the compression speed did not play a significant role in the adhesive interaction, at least over the range of speeds examined in the current work.
Numerical modelling framework of continuous salt precipitation from super-critical water

Salt separation at super-critical condition is a promising technology to separate dissolved salts from water by utilizing sharp changes in thermal and physical properties of water close to its crit...
Nrf-2 Activators Improve Hyperoxia-Compromised Macrophage Functions

Excessive production of intracellular ROS during prolonged exposure to hyperoxia compromises the ability of alveolar macrophages to phagocytose invading pathogens, leaving ventilated patients susceptible to pulmonary infection. Induction of the nuclear factor (erythroid-derived 2)-like 2 (Nrf-2) pathway has been shown to regulate intracellular levels of ROS. The present study investigates whether sulforaphane (SUL) and resveratrol (RES), Nrf-2 inducers, can ameliorate hyperoxia-compromised macrophage functions. RAW 264.7 cells, a murine macrophage-like cell line, and bone marrow-derived macrophages (BMDM) were exposed to 95% O2 for 24 h in the presence or absence of SUL or RES. SUL or RES treatment ameliorated the increase of intracellular levels of ROS as well as hyperoxia-induced compromised phagocytic function. Furthermore, both SUL and RES were found to activate Nrf-2 and increase levels of the endogenous antioxidant compound, HO-1. These data suggest that activation of the Nrf-2 pathway can improve innate immunity, providing a therapeutic approach to the treatment of VAP.
Optimal anesthetic strategy for endovascular stroke therapy: Begging for a good trial.

Since the first observational studies suggested that the choice of anesthetic strategy could substantially affect the outcomes of patients with acute ischemic stroke undergoing endovascular therapy,1 intense research has focused on the question of which is the optimal anesthetic approach during mechanical embolectomy.2 This research, typically comparing conscious sedation (CS) and general anesthesia (GA), has yielded conflicting results. Consequently, current guidelines acknowledge a state of equipoise between these 2 options.3
Factoring in ℚ[x], II: Lagrange Interpolation

In Chapter 8 we showed that when factoring a polynomial with integer coefficients we can always assume the factors have integer coefficients. In this chapter we use that information to describe a systematic procedure for factoring polynomials in ℤ[x]. The method is attributed to Krohecker c. 1883, but is apparently due originally to F. v. Schubert, 1793. It is based on the Chinese remainder theorem, so we begin by considering how that theorem works in K[x], K any field.
Patterns of work and schooling in young adulthood

If the years of late adolescence and early adulthood are depicted as rocky, disorderly, and experimental, then how should the life course stage that immediately follows be characterized? Using data from the National Longitudinal Study of the High School Class of 1972, we focus on work and school activities in the latter half of the young adult years (ages roughly 25–31) to empirically address whether the diversity of work and schooling patterns diminishes. Finding a lack of orderliness in work and schooling trajectories, and that holding two or more activities simultaneously is quite common, we question how this stage of the life course should be conceptualized. Moving away from the traditional sequential roles approach, we use multinomial logistic regression to differentiate among activity sequences commonly held by young men and women at these ages, and address how family of origin background factors and prior life experiences influence life course experiences in the later 20s and early 30s.
A LIE GROUP APPROACH TO THE INDEX NUMBER PROBLEMS

This chapter explains a Lie group approach to the index number problems. It presents an alternative approach to the question of the Fisher-Frisch test criteria for an index number. It deals with the invariant economic index number problem. The Lie group approach has a decided advantage over the standard approach in dealing with invariance properties of economic behavior. The well-known test of an index number is looked at as the conditions on infinitesimal transformations of Lie groups. These tests are actions of Lie groups on the index number. Any index number must satisfy the invariance properties of group transformations so that it may serve as a useful index of measurement of prices and quantities. The chapter also explains the properties of index numbers derived from implicitly holothetic utility functions. Even under the nonhomothetic condition, some of these index numbers satisfy the criterion of factor-reversal test in a broad sense. It describes that the standard quantity index is not completely symmetric with the price index. To overcome this difficulty, a dual quantity index is derived, which is perfectly symmetric with the corresponding price index, satisfying all the requirements of the basic tests.
High-throughput microstructure printing technology using inflatable thin membrane with microchannel

Low-cost manufacturing technology for a micro-sized structure is receiving a lot of attention as human society is getting mixed with sensors and electronics. A template printing technology which forms micro-patterns by letting ink dried within a solvent permeable template is an attractive alternative of traditional costly micro-fabrication. However, low printing speed and lack of scalability have been recognized as a major drawback of this method. Here, we propose a novel printing machine using an inflatable polymer template. It is expected that thin membrane improves the printing speed due to its high permeation speed; however, the theoretical prediction and experimental proof of this approach has not been studied. A 450-μm thick membrane is fabricated by the casting polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) on a silicon master mold, fixed to a printer head, and inflated to contact with substrate uniformly. The permeation mechanism is investigated by using both of the numerical simulation and experiments and discovers that the diffusion in thin membrane obeys an analytical solution for Fick’s diffusion in steady state, while a conventional bulk template (10 mm) is in non-steady state. The printing system composed of pneumatic lines, a flash sintering unit, and a printer head holds the membrane is prototyped to ensure reproducibility of this novel method, five times faster printing speed compared to the ordinal method is confirmed.
Graduate acoustics research at the University of New Haven

The University of New Haven offers graduate study opportunities in acoustics, primarily through a Master of Science in Mechanical Engineering degree. This flexible program allows students to tailor a curriculum toward their interests in preparation for further graduate studies or entry into the workforce. Courses offered include Fundamentals of Acoustics, System Vibrations, Nondestructive Evaluation, and Wave Propagation and Scattering. All classes have a focus on hands-on projects. A one-semester project or two-semester thesis allows students structured time to work on research problems in acoustics.
Perimeter Gated Single Photon Avalanche Diodes in Sub-Micron and Deep-Submicron CMOS Processes

A perimeter gated SPAD (PGSPAD), a SPAD with an additional gate terminal, prevents premature perimeter breakdown in standard CMOS SPADs. At the same time, a PGSPAD takes advantage of the benefits o...
Leveraging local MP2 to reduce basis set superposition errors: An efficient first-principles based force-field for carbon dioxide.

Pairwise additive model potentials for CO2 were developed by fitting to gradients computed with the local second order Moller Plesset Perturbation theory (LMP2) method, with and without consideration of 3-body dispersion using adaptive force matching. Without fitting to experiments, all models gave good predictions of properties of CO2, such as the density-temperature diagram, diffusion constants, and radial distribution functions. For the prediction of vibrational spectra, the inclusion of a bond-bond coupling term has been shown to be important. The CO2 models developed only have pairwise additive terms, thus allowing microsecond time scale simulations to be performed with practical computational cost. LMP2 performed significantly better than second order Moller Plesset Perturbation theory (MP2) for the development of the CO2 model. This is attributed to the appreciable reduction in the basis set superposition error when the localized method was used. It is argued that LMP2 is a more appropriate method than MP2 for force matching for systems where the basis set superposition error is large.
Empowering interpreters to partner in palliative care (PC) conversations: Effect of a dialogue-based curriculum.

21Background: Effective communication across cultural and linguistic barriers during breaking bad news, DNR, and EOL conversations requires professional medical interpreters skilled in PC communica...
Practice patterns of board-certified sleep medicine providers: A national analysis among older adult Medicare beneficiaries

Study Objectives:To examine the proportion of Medicare beneficiaries with sleep disorders who were evaluated by board-certified sleep medicine providers (BCSMPs).Methods:Using a random 5% sample of...
Some notes on ‘Populism’:

The article criticizes the idea that we can find the ‘real meaning’ of populism and focuses instead on six psychological attitudes and political programmes that the term ‘populism’ can invoke: Lake...
Predictors of cost for posterior spinal fusion in adolescent idiopathic scoliosis

Single-center retrospective review of pediatric patients who underwent posterior spinal fusion for adolescent idiopathic scoliosis (AIS). To determine what clinical and operative factors influence inflation-adjusted hospital costs of posterior spine fusion surgery for AIS. With rising healthcare costs and the advent of bundled payments, it is essential understand the predictors of costs for surgical procedures. We sought to determine the components of hospital costs for AIS posterior spine fusion surgery using standardized, inflation-adjusted, line-item costs for services and procedures. The study population comprised 148 AIS patients who underwent spinal fusion surgery at a large tertiary care center between 2009 and 2016. Data on medical characteristics, curve type, curve magnitude, number of screws and the number of levels was collected through manual chart review of X-rays and medical records. Hospital costs from admission until discharge were retrieved from an institutional database that contained line-item details of all procedures and services billed during the hospital episode. Bottom-up microcosting valuation techniques were used to generate standardized inflation-adjusted estimates of costs and standard deviations in 2016 dollars. Mean cost of AIS surgery was $48,058 ± 9379. Physician fees averaged 15% of the total cost ($7045 ± 1732). Implant costs and surgical/anesthesia/surgeon’s fees accounted for over 70% of the hospital costs. Mean number of screws was 16 ± 4.5, mean number of levels fused was 11.2 ± 2.2, and the mean implant density (screws per level fused) was 1.45 ± 0.35. On multivariate analysis, the number of screws per level fused, number of levels fused, curve magnitude and length of stay were all significantly associated with hospital costs (p < 0.01). Bundled payments for AIS surgery should include adjustments for number of levels fused and curve size. Areas for cost savings include further reduction in implant costs, shortening length of stay, and reducing intraoperative costs. III.