cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
IMMUNOCYTOCHEMICAL STUDIES OF THE PRENATAL DEVELOPMENT OF THE ADRENAL MEDULLA

ABSTRACT TH, DBH and PNMT were localized by immunocytochemical methods in sympathoblasts of developing rat embryos. TH and DBH were first detected in primary sympathetic ganglia of 11 day (d) embryos. Migration of TH and DBH-containing cells towards the adrenal anlage starts around d 15 of development; PNMT was detected 3 d later only in those cells in contact with cortical tissue. Cells stained for TH and DBH were seen in the gut wall from d 11–14, but not thereafter. The expression of the adult phenotype depends upon the presumed interaction of sympathoblasts with the environment of their final loci.
Does Motor Skill Automation Require A Theory of Attention

‘Automatic’ behaviors and those requiring or utilizing attention have long been theoretical opposites in cognitive psychology. This paper is an attempt to document the complexities involved in the development of a theoretical orientation to task automaticity when couched in terms of theories of attention. It is suggested that understanding automaticity of skills is dependent on a coherent and viable theory of attention, but only in part. Coming to theoretical grips with consciousness and learning, and their influence on motor control is also vital. Two major challenges, therefore, remain: to establish a viable theory of automaticity that includes and corresponds with (a) contemporary theories of attention and (b) control theories of motor behavior. “The discovery of attention did not result in any immediate triumph of the experimental method. It was something like the discovery of a hornet's nest: the first touch brought out a whole swarm of instant problems.”-Edward Titchener, 1908
Essentials and Future Directions of Robotic Endocrine Surgery

Since the first case series from Europe detailing the feasibility of robotic general surgery more than a decade ago, there has been a growing expansion in the number of indications for and increasing adoption of the robotic platform among surgeons from a variety of subspecialties, including endocrine surgery.
Letter: Spin–Down Power in Astrophysics

While the accretion power in astrophysics has been studied in many astronomical environments, the “spin–down power” is often neglected. In this essay I demonstrate that the spin–down power alone may drive a rotating system from sub-critical condition to critical condition with a small but finite probability. In the case of an isolated spinning-down neutron star, the star may undergo a quark–hadron phase transition in its center and become observable as a soft gamma repeater or a cosmological gamma–ray burst. For a spinning–down white dwarf, its Chandrasekhar mass limit will decrease and may reach the stellar mass, then the star explodes to a type Ia supernova. Gravitational wave detectors may be able to test these models.
The Influence of Learner Characteristics on Task-Oriented Tutorial Dialogue

Tutorial dialogue has been the subject of increasing attention in recent years, and it has become evident that empirical studies of human-human tutorial dialogue can contribute important insights to the design of computational models of dialogue. Students with particular characteristics may have specific dialogue profiles, and knowledge of such profiles could inform the design of tutorial dialogue systems whose strategies leverage the characteristics of the target population and address the communicative needs of those students. This paper reports on a study that was conducted to investigate the influence of learner characteristics (performance levels, self-efficacy, and gender) on the structure of task-oriented tutorial dialogue. A tutorial dialogue corpus was gathered from interactions transpiring in the course of problem-solving in a learning environment for introductory computer science. Analyses of the annotated dialogues suggest that the dialogue structure of (1) low-performing students differs significantly from that of high-performing students, (2) students with low self-efficacy differs significantly from that of students with high self-efficacy, and (3) males differs significantly from that of females.
Regulation of Intercellular Signal Transmission. New Approaches to Chemical Kinetic Measurements

My group has been especially interested in developing fast reaction techniques that are suitable for making chemical kinetic measurements with receptor-rich membrane vesicles. More recently we have begun to develop techniques for making similar chemical kinetic measurements of receptor function directly on cell surfaces. We are using the information we have already obtained about the mechanism of action of the acetylcholine receptor to calibrate the new methods, and hope that we can then apply the new methods to investigations of many other neuronal receptor proteins, whose study has been hampered by the lack of the equivalent of the electric organ of fish. Most of these receptor proteins exist in very low concentrations and have been characterized so far only by the binding of a specific neurotransmitter. Mechanistic studies have been almost impossible. We are also developing methods to amplify the quantities of such receptor proteins. The Table is an outline of the topics to be considered in this chapter.
What Is the Lagrangian Counting

The calculus of variations provides an exhaustive descriptive account of the least-action principle and other icons of nature's parsimoniousness. However, when we seek explanations rather than mere formal descriptions of variational principles, almost invariably we discover a combinatorial origin; the best known examples are thermodynamics and Darwinian evolution. When it comes to the least-action principle, however, it is surprising that reductionistic attacks of this kind have been virtually absent. An eminent exception is, of course, Richard Feynman's explanation in terms of quantum path integrals, but even there, though the spirit of the approach is combinatorial, the nature of the objects that are “counted” is somewhat elusive; one is still explaining a mystery through another mystery. Feynman himself stresses that “whoever thinks they understand quantum mechanics, they don't,” and ultimately admits “I don't know what action is.” The challenge we proposes is to devise “classical” models (that is, models based on ordinary counting of large numbers of discrete objects rather than superposition of complex amplitudes) of classical analytical mechanics. Never mind what method nature actually uses; how come models of this kind—which, for example, were a dime a dozen for the laws of perfect gases—are so hard to come by for the least-action principle?
The War Between Effects and Meaning: Rethinking the Video Game Violence Debate

Suppose a federal judge was asked to determine whether books were protected by the First Amendment. Instead of seeking expert testimony, examining the novel's historical evolution, or surveying the range of the local bookstore, the judge chooses four books, all within the same genre, to stand for the entire medium. Teachers and librarians would rise up in outrage. So, where were you when they tried to take the games away?
Quality Competition in the Broadband Service Provision Industry

We conduct an empirical analysis of quality competition between broadband Internet Service Providers (ISPs), using National Broadband Map data for 2011-2013 for almost a thousand local markets in California. We examine how incumbent ADSL firms respond to competition from CLECs and cable modem service providers. We use an important quality attribute, the downstream data rate, and estimate the strategic choice of quality for broadband ISPs. Our paper follows a static game theoretic approach to the profit maximization decision of a broadband provider that leads to a simple two-stage method of estimation of the structural parameters of the ISPs’ profit functions. The method accounts for both the strategic aspect of each firm’s quality decision, as well as the endogeneity problems inherent in the estimation problem. Our results include two main findings. First, ILECs improve the quality of their ADSL offerings when a cable player enters the market, and also when cable operators start to offer DOCSIS 3.0 speeds. Second, ILEC ADSL providers do not raise their service quality in response to ADSL competition from CLECs, but they do boost their speed when CLECs deploy fiber in the market. This research represents the first step in what we hope to be a major advance in the empirical analysis of broadband provision, where little structural econometric work has been done.
Gallbladder Paraganglioma Associated with SDHD Mutation: a Potential Pitfall on 18 F-FDOPA PET Imaging

A 36-year-old male patient initially presented with hypertension, tinnitus, bilateral carotid masses, a right jugular foramen, and a periaortic arch mass with an elevated plasma dopamine level but an otherwise normal biochemical profile. On surveillance MRI 4 years after initial presentation, he was found to have a 2.2-cm T2 hyperintense lesion with arterial enhancement adjacent to the gallbladder, which demonstrated avidity on 68Ga-DOTATATE PET/CT and retrospectively on 18F-FDOPA PET/CT but was non-avid on 18F-FDG PET/CT. Biochemical work-up including plasma catecholamines, metanephrines, and chromogranin A levels were found to be within normal limits. This lesion was surgically resected and was confirmed to be a paraganglioma (PGL) originating from the gallbladder wall on histopathology. Pheochromocytoma (PHEO) and PGL are rare tumors of the autonomic nervous system. Succinate dehydrogenase subunit D (SDHD) pathogenic variants of the succinate dehydrogenase complex are usually involved in parasympathetic, extra-adrenal, multifocal head, and neck PGLs. We report an unusual location of PGL in the gallbladder associated with SDHD mutation which could present as a potential pitfall on 18F-FDOPA PET/CT as its normal excretion occurs through biliary system and gallbladder. This case highlights the superiority of 68Ga-DOTATATE in comparison to 18F-FDOPA and 18F-FDG in the detection of SDHD-related parasympathetic PGL. ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT00004847 .
Cognitive Resilience to Alzheimer's Disease Pathology in the Human Brain.

Background Past research has focused on risk factors for developing dementia, with increasing recognition of "resilient" people who live to old age with intact cognitive function despite pathological features of Alzheimer's disease (AD). Objective To evaluate demographic factors, mid-life characteristics, and non-AD neuropathology findings that may be associated with cognitive resilience to AD pathology. Methods We analyzed data from 276 autopsy cases with intermediate or high levels of AD pathology from the Adult Changes in Thought study. We defined cognitive resilience as having Cognitive Abilities Screening Instrument scores ≥86 within two years of death and no clinical dementia diagnosis; non-resilient people had dementia diagnoses from AD or other causes before death. We compared mid-life characteristics, demographics, and additional neuropathology findings between resilient and non-resilient people. We used multivariable logistic regression to estimate odds ratios (ORs) with 95% confidence intervals (CIs) for being resilient compared to not being resilient adjusting for demographic and neuropathology factors. Results We classified 68 (25%) people as resilient and 208 (75%) as not resilient. A greater proportion of resilient people had a college degree (50%) compared with non-resilient (32%, p = 0.01). The odds of being resilient were significantly increased among people with a college education (OR = 2.01, 95% CI = 1.01-3.99) and significantly reduced among people with additional non-AD neuropathology findings such as hippocampal sclerosis (OR = 0.28, 95% CI = 0.09-0.89) and microinfarcts (OR = 0.34, 95% CI = 0.15-0.78). Conclusion Increased education and absence of non-AD pathology may be independently associated with cognitive resilience, highlighting the importance of evaluating co-morbid factors in future research on mechanisms of cognitive resilience.
Serving Mobile Apps: A Slice at a Time

End users wanting to do more and more with mobile apps has led to explosive growth in the number of available apps. This has widened the gap between developers making apps available and end users being able to install all the apps they want on their device. To address this, Google introduced Instant Apps for Android where users can access selective app features on demand without having to download and install entire apps. But this requires developers to refactor apps and limits the apps' functionality. In this paper, we present AppSlicer -- a solution that automates the creation, delivery, execution and cleanup of lightweight app slices from native apps. With AppSlicer, app slices are created from existing native apps, without requiring any additional developer effort. App slices run on end-user devices and correspond to arbitrary single functionality (task) that is carried out using an app. We demonstrate that app slicing is practical, it provides users with seamless access to app functionality with performance matching that of native installed apps, and better than other technologies for on-demand delivery of apps.
Facile microwave approach towards high performance MoS 2 /graphene nanocomposite for hydrogen evolution reaction

Low-cost, highly efficient catalysts for hydrogen evolution reaction (HER) are very important to advance energy economy based on clean hydrogen gas. Intensive studies on two-dimensional molybdenum disulfides (2D MoS2) have been conducted due to their remarkable catalytic properties. However, most of the reported syntheses are time consuming, complicated and less efficient. The present work demonstrates the production of MoS2/graphene catalyst via an ultra-fast (60 s) microwave-initiated approach. High specific surface area and conductivity of graphene delivers a favorable conductive network for the growth of MoS2 nanosheets, along with rapid charge transfer kinetics. As-produced MoS2/graphene nanocomposites exhibit superior electrocatalytic activity for the HER in acidic medium, with a low onset potential of 62 mV, high cathodic currents and a Tafel slope of 43.3 mV/decade. Beyond excellent catalytic activity, MoS2/graphene reveals long cycling stability with a very high cathodic current density of around 1000 mA cm−2 at an overpotential of 250 mV. Moreover, the MoS2/graphene-catalyst exhibits outstanding HER activities in a temperature range of 30 to 120°C with low activation energy of 36.51 kJ mol−1, providing the opportunity of practical scalable processing.
Clinical Presentation and Treatment Responses In IgM-Related AL Amyloidosis

Abstract AL amyloidosis is a multiorgan disease due to deposition of misfolded monoclonal immunoglobulin light chains. AL amyloidosis associated with IgM paraproteinemia is a rare variant of this disease, constituting approximately 6% of AL amyloidosis cases in the literature. The clonal cell of origin may be a plasma cell or a lymphoplasmacytic cell, and treatments targeting each of these populations have been employed. This study defines the clinical and laboratory characteristics of IgM-related AL amyloidosis patients as well as their response to different therapeutic regimens. We identified 94 patients with IgM-related AL amyloidosis evaluated at the BUMC Amyloidosis Center from 2003 through 2012 for which data was available on 50 who completed treatment. The median age at diagnosis was 65 years (range: 42-79 years) with 31 (62 %) males. The most commonly involved organ was the kidney (59%) followed by heart (37%) and GI tract (22%). The mean IgM was 1049 g/dL (range: 29-9130). The clonal population had lambda light chain restriction in 34 (68%) of patients. Patients were categorized into 5 treatment groups: high-dose melphalan/stem cell transplant (HDM/SCT), bortezomib-based, non-transplant alkylating agents based (melphalan or cyclophosphamide), immunomodulatory agents (IMiDs), and rituximab-based. This grouping was not mutually exclusive. The highest hematologic response rate was observed with HDM/SCT (10/10: 100%), followed by non-transplant alkylating agents (16/22: 73%), bortezomib (7/10: 70%) rituximab (9/13: 69%) then by IMiDs (2/4: 50%). We did not observe an association between positive response to treatment and organ involvement, sex or age at diagnosis. In conclusion, IgM-related ALamyloidosis is an unusual variant of AL amyloidosis. Multiple active therapies with different mechanisms of action exist; treatment should be tailored based upon clinicopathologic and patient-specific factors. Disclosures: Sloan: Millenium: Consultancy.
Multiphysics Modeling of Crosstalk Effect in Graphene-Encapsulated Cu Nano-Interconnects

Graphene-encapsulated Cu (CuG) interconnects are promising alternative interconnect solutions for the development of future integrated circuit technology. However, their crosstalk effect, which is of great importance in modern circuit design, has not been thoroughly studied. In this paper, we propose a method to evaluate the crosstalk effect of CuG nano-interconnects by co-simulating, in time domain, Maxwell's equations, Boltzmann equation, and the dispersion of graphene. We also develop an unconditionally stable time marching scheme to remove the dependence of time step on space step, as the space step required for time-domain stability is extremely small in nano-interconnects. The resulting numerical simulations show that CuG nano-interconnects exhibit a much increased crosstalk effect as compared to the bare Cu counterparts.
High throughput newborn screening for aromatic ʟ-amino-acid decarboxylase deficiency by analysis of concentrations of 3-O-methyldopa from dried blood spots.

Aromatic l-amino-acid decarboxylase (AADC) deficiency is an inherited disorder of biogenic amine metabolism with a broad neurological phenotype. The clinical symptoms overlap with other diseases resulting in an often delayed diagnosis. Innovative disease-changing treatment options, particularly gene therapy, have emphasised the need for an early diagnosis. We describe the first method for 3-O-methyldopa (3-OMD) analysis in dried blood spots (DBS) suitable for high throughput newborn screening (NBS). We established a novel tandem mass spectrometry method to quantify 3-OMD in DBS and successfully tested it in 38 888 unaffected newborns, 14 heterozygous DDC variant carriers, seven known AADC deficient patients, and 1079 healthy control subjects. 3-OMD concentrations in 38 888 healthy newborns revealed a mean of 1.16 μmol/L (SD = 0.31, range 0.31-4.6 μmol/L). 1079 non-AADC control subjects (0-18 years) showed a mean 3-OMD concentration of 0.78 μmol/L (SD = 1.75, range 0.24-2.36 μmol/L) with a negative correlation with age. Inter- and intra-assay variability was low, and 3-OMD was stable over 32 days under different storage conditions. We identified seven confirmed AADC deficient patients (mean 3-OMD 9.88 μmol/L [SD = 13.42, range 1.82-36.93 μmol/L]). The highest concentration of 3-OMD was found in a NBS filter card of a confirmed AADC deficient patient with a mean 3-OMD of 35.95 μmol/L. 14 DDC variant carriers showed normal 3-OMD concentrations. We demonstrate a novel high-throughput method to measure 3-OMD in DBS, which allows integration in existing NBS programs enabling early diagnosis of AADC deficiency.
Stability and solution of the time-dependent Bondi-Parker flow

Bondi (1952) and Parker (1958} derived a steady-state solution for Bernouilli's equation in spherical symmetry around a point mass for two cases, respectively, an inward accretion flow and an outward wind. Left unanswered were the stability of the steady-state solution, the solution itself of time-dependent flows, whether the time-dependent flows would evolve to the steady-state, and under what conditions a transonic flow would develop. In a Hamiltonian description, we find that the steady state solution is equivalent to the Lagrangian implying that time-dependent flows evolve to the steady state. We find that the second variation is definite in sign for isothermal and adiabatic flows, implying at least linear stability. We solve the partial differential equation for the time-dependent flow as an initial-value problem and find that a transonic flow develops under a wide range of realistic initial conditions. We present some examples of time-dependent solutions.
Incorporating Demographic Proportions into Crash Count Models by Quasi-Induced Exposure Method:

Quasi-induced exposure (QIE) is an effective technique for estimating the exposure of a specific driving or vehicle population when real exposure data are not available. Typically crash prediction ...
Putting States Out of the Immigration Law Enforcement Business

With more than 11 million unlawfully present immigrants living in the United States in 2014, a recent surge of migrants from violence-stricken countries, and a painfully slow economic recovery, states are rightfully concerned about the impact on their economy, culture and communities. In most matters of economic and cultural import, absent any discrimination, states make their own rules. But not so with immigration. The impact of unlawful immigration on state economies and communities is real, but jurisprudence over the last 150 years has tied the hands of state legislatures attempting to address this impact. I will argue that keeping states out of the immigration law enforcement business is wise public policy. I will examine the role of states in the enforcement of immigration law in light of a string of recent federal cases addressing state and local immigration enforcement laws. I will critique the questionable state justifications for new enforcement powers and explain how they already have adequate powers to protect their job markets and secure their communities against the potential impact of unlawful immigration. I will conclude with brief recommendations for ongoing public policy on immigration law enforcement.
Repositioning Black Girls in Mathematics Disposition Research: New Perspectives from QuantCrit

Young Black women face dual marginality in the classroom due to longstanding racial and gender stereotypes. However, critical examinations of their academic dispositions remain relatively absent fr...
Whey protein-polyphenol aggregate particles mitigate bar hardening reactions in high protein bars

Abstract Formulating high protein bars is a challenge since concentrated proteins can negatively affect texture and reduce shelf life, causing the products to be unacceptable for consumers. This study examined the functionality of protein-polyphenol aggregate particles formulated with whey protein isolate (WPI) and polyphenol-rich cranberry juice (or imitation juice) in model high protein bars. Differences in texture and structure of protein bars during 43 days of storage at 32 °C were dependent on the type of protein (unmodified WPI or aggregate particle) and the drying technique (freeze-drying or spray-drying) used in particle formation. Bars prepared with WPI-cranberry spray-dried particles (WPI–C SD) were softer and less elastic than those formulated with unmodified WPI or polyphenol-free (WPI-IC FD, WPI-IC SD) particles (firmness range 0.09–0.85 kPa). Bars formulated with WPI-cranberry freeze-dried particles (WPI–C FD) were softer than control bars made with WPI; but, only up until 31 days of storage, and less elastic than control bars up until 11 days. The addition of protein-polyphenol particles not only increased the nutritional content of the protein bars, but also inhibited rheological and structural changes, and could be used as a novel approach for functional delivery of protein in the formulation of high protein bars.
Introduction: Surveillance and the covid-19 pandemic: Views from around the world

Over the past year, the COVID-19 pandemic has dramatically altered our world. It has made real the circumstances many of us had only experienced through film), tabletop board games, and other entertainment media. Its impact on state and private surveillance practices has also been dramatic, and the pandemic has highlighted the need for and importance of surveillance studies research that speaks to issues of surveillance in times of crisis. Here, Newell discusses how the pandemic has affected surveillance practices around the world.
Appearance-Related Distress and Social Functioning after Head and Neck Microvascular Reconstruction.

OBJECTIVES/HYPOTHESIS To better understand aesthetic patient-reported outcomes and psychosocial quality of life (QOL) after head and neck microvascular reconstruction for benign or malignant tumors. STUDY DESIGN Single-center prospectively obtained in-office validated questionnaire-based study. METHODS Analysis of prospectively collected surveys at a tertiary care academic center from June 2018 to February 2021. Patients completed two FACE-Q scales: Appearance-Related Psychosocial Distress (ARPD) and Social Function (SF). Survey scores, demographics, operative course, and adjuvant therapy data underwent univariate and multivariable analyses. RESULTS One hundred and three patients completed surveys at a median of 13.5 months postoperatively (interquartile range: 5.2-30.8). Mean ARPD from 0 (no distress) to 100 (maximum distress) was 32.4 (standard error of the mean [SEM]: 2.7). Mean SF from 0 (worst functioning) to 100 (best functioning) was 55.5 (SEM: 2.7). Postoperative adjuvant radiation was associated with 13.9% higher ARPD (95% CI: 3.4-24.4, P = .019) and 10.4% lower SF (95% CI: -20.7 to -0.1, P = .047). Each appearance-related question on the ARPD scale independently predicted impaired SF (P < .001 for all questions). Upon multivariable logistic regression, osteocutaneous reconstruction, compared to soft tissue alone (P = .043), and postoperative adjuvant radiation (P = .014) were associated with higher levels of ARPD. Age, sex, relationship status, anxiety or depression history, defect location, and hospital stay were not significantly associated with ARPD or SF scores. CONCLUSIONS Aesthetic outcomes are important determinants of psychosocial QOL following head and neck microvascular reconstruction: an effect that is worsened by adjuvant radiation. Reconstructive surgeons should prioritize aesthetic outcomes, in addition to functional restoration, to optimize social functioning in patients with head and neck tumors. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE 3 Laryngoscope, 131:E2204-E2211, 2021.
Burnout, Professional Fulfillment, Intention to Leave, and Sleep-Related Impairment Among Faculty Radiologists in the United States: An Epidemiologic Study.

Abstract Objective To examine the prevalence of burnout in faculty radiologists in the United States and to explore the relationship between burnout and professional fulfillment (PF), intention to leave (ITL), and sleep-related impairment by gender. Methods This cross-sectional study was conducted through a voluntary anonymous, electronic survey of radiologists at 11 academic medical institutions participating in the Physician Wellness Academic Consortium between January 2017 and September 2018. Faculty radiologists who completed the survey were included in the study. The survey contained the validated professional fulfillment index and National Institute of Health Patient Reported Outcomes Measurement Information System sleep-related impairment scale. Demographics of participants only included gender to protect anonymity. Sample t tests and χ2 exact tests were used for analysis with significance level set at P Results In all, 456 faculty radiologists (171 women) answered the survey. The overall prevalence of burnout was 37.4%, PF was 35.6%, ITL was 33.3%, and sleep-related impairment was 45.3%. Burnout was higher in female versus male respondents (44% versus 31%, P Discussion Higher burnout was associated with reports of greater ITL and sleep-related impairment and lower PF. Female radiologists experience more burnout but less ITL than their male counterparts.
Hybrid Blockchain Architecture for Cloud Manufacturing-as-a-service (CMaaS) Platforms with Improved Data Storage and Transaction Efficiency

Abstract Blockchain based decentralized Cloud Manufacturing-as-a-Service (CMaaS) platforms enable customers to gain access to a large capacity of manufacturing nodes over cryptographically secure networks. In recent times, the Ethereum network has emerged as a popular blockchain framework for providing provenance and traceability of proprietary manufacturing data in decentralized CMaaS. However, the Ethereum ecosystem was only designed to store and transmit low volume financial transaction data and little has been done to make it an efficient repository of large manufacturing data streams in CMaaS systems. In this paper, the authors build on their previous work and report the design, implementation, and validation of middleware software architectures that allow Ethereum based distributed CMaaS platforms to harness the benefits of the secure asset models of the Ethereum ecosystem and the immutable big data storage capabilities of the decentralized BigchainDB database platform. A novel hybrid blockchain architecture enabled by efficient communication protocols and blockchain oracles is proposed. This architecture allows the transfer and immutable storage of large manufacturing data streams onto global BigchainDB nodes allowing data rich manufacturing transactions to bypass the transaction fees of the Ethereum ecosystem. Additionally, a machine learning based time series inference model is proposed which enables the forecast of Ethereum gas price into the future. This allows the CMaaS platform smart contracts to judiciously assign gas price limits and hence save on transactions ensuing from transfer or creation of assets. The outcomes of this research show that the designed hybrid architecture can lead to the reduction of significant number of computational steps and hence transaction fees on Ethereum by offloading large volume data onto BigchainDB nodes. A Random Forest regressor based time series inference model has been shown to exhibit superior performance in the prediction of Ethereum gas price, that allows the CMaaS to avoid executing transactions in periods of high gas prices within the Ethereum ecosystem.
Mobility data as a proxy for epidemic measures

A new study uses longitudinal mobility data to identify how individuals behave at different stages of the COVID pandemic, elucidating benefits and challenges of using this type of data for decision-making by epidemiologists and policy-makers.
Influences of Sediment Variability on Broadband Acoustic Wave Propagation in Shallow Water

Shallow water sediments often have highly variable range and depth dependent physical properties which can substantially affect the acoustic wave propagation. To assess the effects of the seafloor on propagation of broadband signals, acoustic experiments were conducted in a shallow water region with pre-existing sediment core data. Geoacoustic properties were inferred from the core data and transformed to compressional and shear wave speed, attenuation, and density profiles. The acoustic data show a strong variability of sound intensity with range and azimuth. This unique 3D geoacoustic data set can be used to model the range and azimuthal dependent effects of the geological features on the acoustic wave propagation.
The Anatomy of Multiple Gabaergic and Glycinergic Pathways in the Inner Plexiform Layer of The Goldfish Retina

Glycine and τ-aminobutyric acid (GABA) are the dominant and perhaps the only fast inhibitory neurotransmitters for vertebrate interneurons. Why are even two such transmitters necessary? One compelling explanation is that a greater range of additivity of inhibitory currents is achieved by having two different pre-synaptic systems converge on the same kind of post-synaptic mechanism, as demonstrated by Gold and Martin (1984) for Muller cells in the lamprey medulla. Thus, in spite of tremendous molecular and biophysical similarity of the channels gated by glycine and GABA, their relative contributions to post-synaptic responses can be independent over a large range. In the vertebrate retina, and especially in the goldfish retina, there are multiple types of GABAergic and glycinergic amacrine cells (ACs) that constitute the fundamental assortment of inhibitory devices in the inner plexiform layer (IPL).
A comparative study on simulations vs. experiments of SMCPE

Sliding mode control with perturbation estimation (SMCPE) is a robust trajectory control strategy for coordinated multiple axes motion generators. The control strategy assures the pursuit of desired trajectories of multiple axes within a determined proximity despite the presence of modeling and disturbance uncertainties. The great majority of robust control studies assume that these uncertainties exhibit known upper bounds. The fundamental contribution of SMCPE is that the modeling uncertainties and disturbances do not have to be bounded by a priori known extremes, instead they are estimated in real time. This estimation is done by properly utilizing the feedback from the present position and velocity sensing, also the past control decisions. This paper presents simulation and experimental results for a 2-link SCARA type manipulator using SMCPE. The experiments were performed in ALARM laboratory at the University of Connecticut. The simulations reproduce the experimental results. If and when they do, they can be further used to study the effect of parametric variations on the performance of the control.
A Reconfigurable Multiclass Support Vector Machine Architecture for Real-Time Embedded Systems Classification

A great architectural challenge facing many of today's embedded systems is in combining physical sensory inputs with often power constrained computational elements to timely and accurately achieve an understanding of the current operating environment. Classification processing is one manner in which some designs accomplish this task. Support Vector Machines (SVMs) encompass one field of classification that has proven to yield high accuracy and has recently seen increased widespread use, however, the required computational intensity places a challenge on computer architects to design a hardware structure capable of performing real-time classifications while maintaining low power consumption. This paper proposes the first ever fully pipelined, floating point based, multi-use reconfigurable hardware architecture designed to act in conjunction with embedded processing as an accelerator for multiclass SVM classification. Several tasks, involving an extensive sample set of over 100,000 classifications, are evaluated for speed and accuracy against the same suite running on both an Intel Core i7-2600 system with lib SVM and an Nvidia GT 750M graphics card GPU. Our promising results show that our architecture is able to achieve a measure able speed increase in performance of up to 53x while matching 99.95% of all lib SVM predictions.
Micro-computer based design of recirculating systems for the production of soft-shell blue crabs (callinectes sapidus)

Use of recirculating shedding systems in the soft-shell blue crab industry continues to increase as the capabilities of existing in-shore production facilities expand. Water treatment capabilities based on fluidized bed and upflow sand filters are used to support growth of desirable waste-consuming bacteria and to remove solids. A microcomputer program has been written to assist crab fishermen with sizing filters, reducing flow requirements, and selecting pumps. The distribution of the software is expected to accelerate the adoption of filter technology and strengthen the blue crab shedding industry. >
Clinically suspect ischemic heart disease not corroborated by demonstrable coronary artery disease. Physiologic investigations and clinical course.

Abstract In 11 patients with angina pectoris and abnormal stress electrocardiograms, no narrowing or obstruction of coronary vessels was visible by selective cut film and coronary cinearteriography. One patient showed chemical evidence of myocardial hypoxia despite normal arteriograms. Similar evidence of impaired myocardial oxygen supply was absent in the remaining 10 patients. We found no abnormality in hemoglobin O 2 affinity which might jeopardize myocardial O 2 supply. The clinical course of these patients, including that during a 1 to 2 year followup period, has not been complicated by myocardial infarction or cardiac failure. In 5 symptoms have decreased.
The MANAGE Database: Nutrient Load and Site Characteristic Updates and Runoff Concentration Data

The "Measured Annual Nutrient loads from AGricultural Environments" (MANAGE) database was developed to be a readily accessible, easily queried database of site characteristic and field-scale nutrient export data. The original version of MANAGE, which drew heavily from an early 1980s compilation of nutrient export data, created an electronic database with nutrient load data and corresponding site characteristics from 40 studies on agricultural (cultivated and pasture/range) land uses. In the current update, N and P load data from 15 additional studies of agricultural runoff were included along with N and P concentration data for all 55 studies, The database now contains 1677 watershed years of data for various agricultural land uses (703 for pasture/rangeland; 333 for corn; 291 for various crop rotations; 177 for wheat/oats; and 4-33 yr for barley, citrus, vegetables, sorghum, soybeans, cotton, fallow, and peanuts). Across all land uses, annual runoff loads averaged 14.2 kg ha -1 for total N and 2.2 kg ha -1 for total P. On average, these losses represented 10 to 25% of applied fertilizer N and 4 to 9% of applied fertilizer P. Although such statistics produce interesting generalities across a wide range of land use, management, and climatic conditions, regional crop-specific analyses should be conducted to guide regulatory and programmatic decisions. With this update, MANAGE contains data from a vast majority of published peer-reviewed N and P export studies on homogeneous agricultural land uses in the USA under natural rainfall-runoff conditions and thus provides necessary data for modeling and decision-making related to agricultural runoff. The current version can be downloaded at http://www.ars.usda. gov/spa/manage-nutrient.
Capillary scale liquid core waveguide based fluorescence detectors for liquid chromatography and flow analysis

Abstract A versatile, simple, liquid core waveguide (LCW)-based fluorescence detector design is described for capillary systems. A Teflon AF coated fused silica capillary serves as the LCW. The LCW is transversely excited. The light source can be a conventional or high power (HP) light emitting diode (LED) or a laser diode (LD). The source can be coupled to the LCW directly or via an optical fiber. Fiber coupling is convenient if a high power (necessarily heat sink mounted) emitter is used. The LCW is concentrically placed within a slightly larger opaque jacket tube and the LCW terminates just short of the jacket terminus, which is sealed with an optical window. The influent liquid thus exits the LCW tip, flows back around the LCW through the jacket annulus to exit via an aperture on the jacket tube. The problem of coupling the emitted light efficiently to the photodetector is thus solved by placing the tip of the annular tubular assembly directly on the detector. For excitation wavelengths of 365 nm (LED/HPLED) and 405 nm (LD), the tris(8-hydroxyquinoline-5-sulfonic acid (sulfoxine)) chelate of aluminum (λem,max ∼ 500 nm) and Coumarin 30 were respectively used as the model analyte. For source–detector combinations comprising (a) a UV LED (∼1.5 mW @ 15 mA) and a photodiode, (b) a LD (∼5 mW, abstracted from a “Blu-Ray” recorder) and a miniature photomultiplier tube (mPMT), and (c) a high power (210 mW @ 500 mA) surface-mount HPLED–mPMT, the S/N = 3 LODs were, respectively, 1.7 pmol Al, 3–100 fmol Coumarin 30 (depending on laser intensity and integration time), and 4 fmol Al. In the last case, the relative standard derivation (R.S.D.) at the 20 fmol level was 1.5% (n = 10).
996-11 Direct Gene Transfer and Expression with Arterial Iontophoretic Catheter Delivery

Iontophoresis is a technique of molecular delivery which uses electric current to enhance movement of charged molecules into tissues. A porous balloon catheter was tested with a central silver chloride electrode capable of generating a potential gradient across the arterial wall using an adhesive patch placed on the skin to serve as the anode. We hypothesized that this catheter delivery system might effectively transfer negatively charged plasmid DNA into arterial cells in vivo. Methods To localize plasmid DNA arterial delivery, a 7 Fr iontophoretic porous balloon catheterwast,’aced into porcine carotid arteries underflouroscopic guidance. 15 μg of 35S-Iabeled plasmid DNA (1.4 × 106 cpm/μg) expressing the heat stable human alkaline phosphatase (hAP) gene with an RSV promoter was infused through the balloon at 6 atm pressure. A constant current density of 2.5 mA/cm2 was maintained for 10 minutes. The ;35S-labeled plasmid DNA delivery was repeated on the contralateral carotid artery under identical conditions with the absence of electric current. 20 minutes after gene transfer, the arteries were fixed in situ and processed for autoradiography. To analyze gene transfer and expression, 8 porcine carotid arterial segments were subject to iontophoretic gene delivery for 10 minutes at 6 atm with a current density of 2.5 mA/cm2 using the RSV hAP plasmid (n = 6) or control plasmid (n = 2). Animals were sacrificed 5 days after gene delivery and the transfected arteries analyzed by PCR and heat stable alkaline phosphatase histochemistry. Results Autoradiography of the arteries which underwent ;35S-labeled plasmid delivery revealed minimal radiolabel in the luminal cells of the control artery in which current was not delivered. In contrast, significant amounts of radiolabel were present in the media and adventitia of the artery subject to current delivery. PCR analysis of the arterial segments studied 5 days after delivery confirmed gene transfer in all hAP segments and was negative in control arteries. Staining for heat stable recombinant alkaline phosphatase activity demonstrated recombinant protein expression in 5% of medial cells and 10% of adventitial cells in arteries which underwent hAP gene transfer. Control arteries were negative for hAP staining. Conclusions Iontophoretic catheter gone delivery can be used to perform direct plasmid DNA delivery with expression of recombinant protein in medial and adventitial cells.
Preferential degradation of noncholine phosphatides in soybean lecithin by thermalization

Purified soybean lecithin and the gum derived from soybean oil processing were heated separately in bulk at 125 to 200°C for 60 min, or at 175°C for 30, 60, 90 and 120 min, and the products were analyzed by thin-layer chromatography and high-performance liquid chromatography. It was found that the noncholine phosphatides are preferentially degraded relative to phosphatidylcholine, and that these phosphatides are broken down in the order phosphatidyl-ethanolamine (PE)>phosphatidylinositol (PI)>phosphatidic acid (PA) with increasing temperature. At 175°C, the heating time required to degrade the noncholine phosphatides was between 30 and 60 min. Diglycerides were the principal products of thermalization at 77% of the total material, indicating that the 3-phosphoester linkage is the most heat-labile portion of the noncholine phosphatide molecules. Cleavage of the fatty acids from positions 1 and 2 of the phosphatides was minimal, as indicated by the relatively low amount of free fatty acids (8% of the total) when the lecithin was heated at 180°C for 90 min. The appearance of brown discoloration, characteristic of heated lecithin, coincided mainly with the decomposition of PE.
Graduate teaching assistants' epistemological and metacognitive development

Research in general chemistry laboratory instruction has rarely focused on the impact of the learning environment on the graduate teaching assistants (GTAs). We decided to investigate the effect that facilitating a well established cooperative problem-based chemistry laboratory has on GTAs' epistemological and metacognitive development, and how this may translate into their scientific professional growth. Thirteen new GTAs underwent a day and a half teaching training complemented by weekly staff meetings. They were interviewed after their first semester as GTAs, and the data collected were analyzed utilizing a phenomenological approach. Three dimensions that describe the experience lived by the participants emerged from the analysis: affective engagement, metacognitive engagement, and epistemological reflection. The last two offer a rich description of how the laboratory context promotes GTAs' metacognitive and epistemological development, whereas the former provides understanding about the motivation driving their intellectual engagement. Considering the role of metacognition in research, and that personal epistemology is strongly tied to identity development, and that it shapes expectations and ways of learning, it is our contention that appropriate teaching experiences may contribute to better prepare graduate students for their journey in becoming scientists and to embark on successful research.
Another Approach to On-Line Parameter Estimation

An on-line parameter estimator for linear, continuous time systems is derived by approximating the optimal non-linear filter and by keeping terms contributing to convergence. To obtain closure of the moment equations, fourth order moments are approximated by second order moments. Convergence is shown using the ordinary differential equation method for the system in which only the process noise variance is to be estimated. The parameter estimator differs from the extended Kalman filter and the Gaussian-optimal approximation in that a key non-zero third order moment is computed.
Violence in the Lives of Lesbian Women: Implications for Mental Health

SUMMARY The mental health of lesbian women is shaped by the unique intersection of violence across the lifespan with the trauma of living in a heterosexist society. I argue that living within the heterosexist culture of the United States constitutes a form of trauma which is rarely considered when examining the mental health of lesbian women. Heterosexism may be defined as heterosexuals' prejudices against lesbian women and gay men as well as the behaviors predicated on these prejudices (Herek, 1996). Heterosexism is manifested at both individual and cultural levels. This article discusses how the traumatic context created by heterosexism fosters the development of internalized homophobia and shapes the mental health of lesbian women (DiPlacido, 1998; Greene, 2000). Lesbians are not a homogenous group; there are significant within-group differences based on such factors as ethnicity, socioeconomic status, and age. These differences result in interlocking oppressions that influence mental health. Lesbians ...