cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Ethnobotany of the Samburu of Mt. Nyiru, South Turkana, Kenya

Traditional plant use is of extremely high importance in many societies, and prevalent in African communities. This knowledge is however dwindling rapidly due to changes towards a more Western lifestyle. The influence of modern tourism cannot be neglected in this context. This paper examines the plant use of the Samburu of the Mt. Nyiru area in Northern Kenya. The Samburu pastoralists of Kenya are still amongst the most traditional communities of the country and have retained most of their knowledge about the use of a large part of the plants in their environment for a wide variety of purposes. The results indicate that the local population has a very high knowledge of the plants in their surroundings, and attributes a purpose to a large percentage of the plants found. 448 plant species were collected, identified and their Samburu names and traditional uses recorded. 199 species were reported as of "no use". The high proportion of 249 plant species however had some traditional use: The highest number (180 species) was used as fodder, followed by 80 species that had medicinal use. Firewood (59 species), construction (42 species), tools (31 species), food (29 species) and ceremonial use (19 species) ranked far behind. Traditionally the Samburu attribute most illnesses to the effect of pollutants that block or inhibit digestion. This can include "polluted" food, contagion through sick people as well as witchcraft. In most cases the treatment of illness involves herbal purgatives to cleanse the patient. There are however frequent indications of plant use for common problems like wounds, parasites, body aches and burns. The change from a nomadic to a more sedentary lifestyle, often observed in other areas of the country, has affected the Samburu of remote Mt. Nyiru to a much lesser extent and did so far not lead to a major loss of traditional plant knowledge. However, overgrazing and over-exploitation of plant resources have already led to a decline of the plant material available.
Convective transport of trace species observed during the Stratosphere‐Troposphere Analyses of Regional Transport 2008 experiment

During the Stratosphere-Troposphere Analyses of Regional Transport 2008 Experiment (START08) the NCAR/NSF Gulfstream V aircraft observed high concentrations of NO and NOy in the upper troposphere downwind of a weakening squall line in northern Texas, suggesting either convective transport of polluted boundary layer air to the upper troposphere or lightning production of nitrogen oxides in the convection. These hypotheses are tested by computing three-dimensional back trajectories using winds from a high-resolution simulation of the event with the Weather Research and Forecasting (WRF) Model. The WRF model simulation reproduces the storm structure and evolution with good fidelity. The back trajectories reveal two distinct layers of outflow air from different mesoscale convective systems (MCSs). Most air in the upper layer is transported northward from an MCS in southern Texas, while the lower layer is from both the northern squall line and the southern MCS. In both layers inconsistencies between observed concentrations of CO, NO, and O3, and predictions from a simple mixing model suggest that there is significant production of NO by lightning in the convective systems. This is consistent with lightning observations from the National Lightning Detection Network (NLDN). Additionally, the model simulation appears to slightly underestimate the depth of vertical transport by the MCS.
Biological Heating in the Equatorial Pacific: Observed Variability and Potential for Real-Time Calculation

Abstract Changes in phytoplankton concentration, mixed layer depth, and incident radiation strongly modify the upper- ocean heat budget. An extreme example occurred during the 1997/98 El Nino–La Nina. In the central equatorial Pacific, biological heating of the mixed layer increased from ∼0.1°C month−1 in December 1997 (El Nino) to ∼1.0°C month−1 in July 1998 (La Nina). This change was due to 1) shoaling of the mixed layer from ∼100 to ∼20 m (∼56% of the 0.9°C month−1 increase); 2) a twentyfold increase in surface chlorophyll concentrations (∼29% of the increase), coincident with a shoaling of the subsurface chlorophyll maximum from ∼100 to ∼50 m; and 3) an increase in incident shortwave radiation from ∼175 to 275 W m−2 (∼15% of the increase). The observed range of heating rates (0.1°–1.0°C month−1) corresponds closely to the mean condition of the western (oligotrophic) and eastern (mesotrophic) equatorial Pacific, respectively. Increased phytoplankton concentrations act to retain heat near the surface an...
The maternal par genes and the segregation of cell fate specification activities in early Caenorhabditis elegans embryos

After fertilization in C. elegans, activities encoded by the maternally expressed par genes appear to establish cellular and embryonic polarity. Loss-of-function mutations in the par genes disrupt anterior-posterior (a-p) asymmetries in early embryos and result in highly abnormal patterns of cell fate. Little is known about how the early asymmetry defects are related to the cell fate patterning defects in par mutant embryos, or about how the par gene products affect the localization and activities of developmental regulators known to specify the cell fate patterns made by individual blastomeres. Examples of such regulators of blastomere identity include the maternal proteins MEX-3 and GLP-1, expressed at high levels anteriorly, and SKN-1 and PAL-1, expressed at high levels posteriorly in early embryos. To better define par gene functions, we examined the expression patterns of MEX-3, PAL-1 and SKN-1, and we analyzed mex-3, pal-1, skn-1 and glp-1 activities in par mutant embryos. We have found that mutational inactivation of each par gene results in a unique phenotype, but in no case do we observe a complete loss of a-p asymmetry. We conclude that no one par gene is required for all a-p asymmetry and we suggest that, in some cases, the par genes act independently of each other to control cell fate patterning and polarity. Finally, we discuss the implications of our findings for understanding how the initial establishment of polarity in the zygote by the par gene products leads to the proper localization of more specifically acting regulators of blastomere identity.
Species absence in developed landscapes: an experimental evaluation

Conversion of landscapes is widely associated with loss of biodiversity. While there are several competing hypotheses for the local extinction of species in developed landscapes, experimental approaches are seldom applied to elucidating mechanisms. In this study, we focus on the habitat degradation hypothesis and predict that poor quality of relictual wetlands in developed landscapes contributes to the absence of wood frogs (Rana sylvatica = Lithobates sylvaticus) by decreasing their performance. In a translocation experiment, we reared wood frog larvae within enclosures in seven ponds where they naturally occur and in five ponds in developed landscapes where they are absent. Premature pond drying precluded assessing performance in one present pond and one absent pond. Absent ponds were surrounded by upland buffers dominated by developed land covers while ponds with wood frog breeding populations were surrounded primarily by intact forest. Ponds were largely similar in their attributes. Survival and growth rate did not differ between pond types. Development tended to be slightly more rapid in some absent ponds perhaps related to higher water temperatures. Despite the highly altered landscapes surrounding them, we find no evidence that absent wetlands provide inferior habitat for wood frog larval recruitment. Performance in absent ponds matched or exceeded that observed in present ponds implying that absence of this species may stem from influences mediated by the upland landscape. These results provide a caution to the typically unexamined presumption that relictual habitats in developed landscapes are degraded in their utility for wildlife.
Commemorating alternative organizations and marginalized spaces: : The case of forgotten Finntowns

Alternative organizations have become increasingly of interest in organizational theory. Previously understudied, these organizations have also been ignored or forgotten in the dominant narratives ...
Stability of esmolol hydrochloride and sodium nitroprusside in intravenous admixtures

The stability of esmolol hydrochloride and sodium nitroprusside in an admixture containing both drugs was studied. Solutions containing sodium nitroprusside in a final concentration of approximately 200 micrograms/mL and esmolol hydrochloride in a final concentration of 10 mg/mL in 5% dextrose injection were prepared in a 250-mL volumetric flask. The flask was wrapped with a light-protective cover, stored at ambient room temperature (15-30 degrees C), and protected from light. All experiments were conducted in triplicate with samples taken at 0, 2, 4, 8, and 24 hours. Testing included measurement of pH and absorbance at 400 and 600 nm. High-performance liquid chromatography was used to measure esmolol hydrochloride and sodium nitroprusside concentrations. No changes were observed in the physical appearance, pH, or absorbance of the admixtures. Neither the esmolol hydrochloride nor the sodium nitroprusside concentrations varied by more than 4% during the study. Under the conditions studied, esmolol hydrochloride is compatible with sodium nitroprusside in an admixture containing both drugs.
Exploring Stylistic Variation with Age and Income on Twitter

Writing style allows NLP tools to adjust to the traits of an author. In this paper, we explore the relation between stylistic and syntactic features and authors’ age and income. We confirm our hypothesis that for numerous feature types writing style is predictive of income even beyond age. We analyze the predictive power of writing style features in a regression task on two data sets of around 5,000 Twitter users each. Additionally, we use our validated features to study daily variations in writing style of users from distinct income groups. Temporal stylistic patterns not only provide novel psychological insight into user behavior, but are useful for future research and applications in social media.
Characteristics of women internists.

OBJECTIVE The authors wished to describe characteristics of US women general and subspecialized internists and to compare them with each other and with other US women physicians. DESIGN/SETTING/PATIENTS The authors used data from the Women Physicians' Health Study (WPHS), a national questionnaire-based study of 4501 women physicians. RESULTS Women internists reported less (P < or =.01) career satisfaction than did other women physicians. Women general internists were also more likely than other women primary care physicians to report severe work stress and were more likely than other women internists and other primary care women physicians to want to change their specialty if reliving their lives. Compared with other subspecialties, subspecialized women internists were more likely to report working too much, and reported lower personal incomes and more hours of nonclinical work than did other women internists or other women specialists. For virtually all 14 examined counseling practices, subspecialized women internists reported more interest and confidence regarding counseling (and usually by substantial margins), and believed that they were better trained in counseling than were other women subspecialists. Women general internists performed somewhat better regarding counseling than did other women primary care practitioners, although this differential was neither as consistent nor as strong as those among women subspecialists. CONCLUSION US women general and subspecialized internists differ in a number of ways from each other and from other US women physicians. Particularly significantly, US women internists report several risk factors for career dissatisfaction, and, in fact, have less career satisfaction than do other women physicians.
Submicellar bile salts stimulate phosphatidylcholine transfer activity of sterol carrier protein 2

To explore a potential role for sterol carrier protein 2 (SCP2, also known as non-specific lipid transfer protein) in hepatocellular phospholipid trafficking, we examined the influence of submicellar bile salt concentrations on phosphatidylcholine (PC) transfer activity of SCP2. We measured rate constants for first-order transfer of sn-1 palmitoyl, sn-2 parinaroyl PC, a naturally fluorescent self-quenching phospholipid between model membranes. Purified bovine liver SCP2 promoted transfer of PC from donor to acceptor small unilamellar vesicles. Taurine- and glycine-conjugated bile salts (anionic steroid detergent-like molecules), at concentrations well below their critical micellar concentrations, stimulated PC transfer activity of SCP2 80- to 140-fold. Rate constants increased in proportion to bile salt concentration, temperature, and bile salt-membrane binding affinity. Sodium taurofusidate, a conjugated fungal bile salt analog, also activated PC transfer whereas no effect was observed with the anionic and non-ionic straight chain detergents sodium dodecyl sulfate and octylglucoside, respectively. Thermodynamic and kinetic analyses of PC transfer support a mechanism in which bile salts stimulate SCP2 activity by partitioning into donor vesicles and enhancing membrane association of SCP2. These results imply that under physiological conditions, SCP2 may contribute to hepatocellular selection and transport of biliary PCs.
Urbanization and biological invasion shape animal personalities.

Novel selective pressures derived from human activities challenge the persistence of animal populations worldwide. Behavior is expected to be a major factor driving animals' responses to global change because it largely determines how animals interact with the environment. However, the role of individual variation in behavior to facilitate the persistence of animals in changing environments remains poorly understood. Here, we adopted an animal personality approach to investigate whether different behavioral traits allow animals to deal with two major components of global change: urbanization and biological invasions. By studying six populations of Anolis sagrei lizards, we found for the first time that anoles vary consistently in their behavior across different times and contexts. Importantly, these animal personalities were consistent in the wild and in captivity. We investigated whether behavioral traits are pulled in different directions by different components of global change. On the one hand, we found that lizards from urban areas differ from nearby forest lizards in that they were more tolerant of humans, less aggressive, bolder after a simulated predator attack, and they spent more time exploring new environments. Several of these risk-taking behaviors constituted a behavioral syndrome that significantly differed between urban and forest populations. On the other hand, the behavior of urban A. sagrei coexisting with the invasive predatory lizard Leiocephalus carinatus was associated with dramatic changes in their foraging niche. Overall, we provide evidence that differences in animal personalities facilitate the persistence of animals under novel selective regimes by producing adaptive behaviors relevant to their ecology such as predator avoidance. Our results suggest that natural selection can favor certain behaviors over others when animals are confronted with different ecological challenges posed by global change. Therefore, we underscore the need to incorporate behavioral ecology into the study of how animals adaptively respond to human-induced environmental changes.
Rhode Island's Homeless Bill of Rights

When Rhode Island enacted the first statewide Bill of Rights for homeless people, the very title of the document worried many members of the general public who wondered why homeless people were entitled to special rights. In fact, the Homeless Bill of Rights is merely a list of the seven fall back positions that all of the state and municipal authorities have to take when dealing with homeless people. This JURIST article explicates those seven fall back positions.
Native Reactions to Tones and Words in Mazatec

(1958). Native Reactions to Tones and Words in Mazatec. WORD: Vol. 14, No. 2-3, pp. 338-345.
Aeroelastic Analysis of a Distributed Electric Propulsion Wing

An aeroelastic analysis of a prototype distributed electric propulsion wing is presented. Results using MSC Nastran (Registered Trademark) doublet lattice aerodynamics are compared to those based on FUN3D Reynolds Averaged Navier- Stokes aerodynamics. Four levels of grid refinement were examined for the FUN3D solutions and solutions were seen to be well converged. It was found that no oscillatory instability existed, only that of divergence, which occurred in the first bending mode at a dynamic pressure of over three times the flutter clearance condition.
A Computational Model of the Biochemomechanics of an Evolving Occlusive Thrombus

Blood clots are fundamental to preventing excessive blood loss in cases of vascular injury and to promoting subsequent wound healing, but also to many disease conditions. The biomechanical properties of clots play important roles in dictating the natural history in health and disease. In this paper, we present a novel multiscale computational model of biological, chemical, and mechanical contributions to the maturation of an occlusive clot from a fibrin-dominated to a collagen-dominated tissue. For an occlusive venous thrombus, simulations show the potential coupling between mechanical deformations and chemical processes, which can result in competing phenomena. This mixture-based framework also promises to guide future experimentation, which is vitally needed to increase our understanding of the complex and important biochemomechanics of clots.
Early detection of an atypical presentation of neuroleptic malignant syndrome: A case report

Neuroleptic malignant syndrome (NMS), which is considered a neurologic emergency, is believed to be caused by exposure to dopamine antagonist or withdrawal from a dopamine agonist. This article reports a case of suspected atypical NMS in a patient following rapid conversion of ziprasidone to risperidone without titration. While the initial presentation did not fully meet the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, 5th edition, diagnostic features, a sequential treatment strategy was initiated and the patient appropriately responded to antipsychotic cessation in addition to combination therapy with dantrolene and bromocriptine. Neuroleptic malignant syndrome diagnostic criteria, treatment, and prognosis are discussed.
Evaluation and Implementation of PG 76-22 Asphalt Rubber Binder in Florida

The Florida Department of Transportation (DOT) has had a long history of recycling ground tire rubber (GTR) from waste tires in highway projects. The Florida DOT first experimented with asphalt rubber binder (ARB) more than 35 years ago. In 1988, the Florida legislature mandated the investigation of using recyclable materials such as GTR in roadway construction. For more than 25 years, the Florida DOT has effectively satisfied the intent of the legislature. However, the ARB has often been associated with unpredictable performance and handling issues, such as the separation of the GTR from the binder. These performance and handling issues have resulted in higher construction costs and have made ARB less appealing because a more reliable alternative, PG 76-22 polymer modified asphalt (PMA), is available. As a result, a task team of the Florida DOT and industry members was formed with the goal of finding a way to make ARB handle and perform similarly to PG 76-22 (PMA), Florida’s gold standard binder. This pa...
Background-free visualization of microvasculature networks

Recent studies have shown the ability of concurrent spatial-temporal processing methods such as singular value decomposition (SVD) filtering in visualization of the small vessels without using any type of contrast agents. The vessel images resulting from SVD filtering suffer from local and global residual background that limit the visibility of the entire vessel networks within a fixed dynamic range. This mainly stems from ultrasonic intensity variations which are not accounted for in obtaining dominant singular values representing clutter signals. In this study, we present a novel approach for removal of local and global background signals and enhancement of the vascular objects. The final images present superb vessel background separation and make them suitable for further processing such as quantitative morphology analysis.
Cannabinoid-glutamate interactions and neural oscillations: implications for psychosis.

Preclinical and clinical data suggest that the cannabinoid and glutamatergic systems are implicated in the pathophysiology of schizophrenia (SZ), the prototypical psychotic disorder. This has led to distinct "cannabis" and "ketamine" models of SZ, respectively. However, these two models need not be mutually exclusive. Indeed, in several brain regions implicated in the putative neural circuitry of SZ (e.g., hippocampus, frontal cortex, cerebellum), cannabinoid receptor type 1 (CB1Rs) and glutamate N-methyl-D-aspartate receptors (NMDARs) have direct and indirect interactions. CB1R agonists and NMDAR antagonists act upon gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA) interneurons to reduce GABAergic neurotransmission. This would be predicted to result in the unsynchronized activity of pyramidal neurons, disrupting neural network oscillations involved in information processing, thus leading to psychotomimetic effects. Hence, the overarching aim of the current review is to synthesize the known literature on cannabinoids and glutamate in the context of neural oscillations in SZ. First, discussion of SZ and the basic mechanisms of neural oscillations are discussed, including a summary of the role of theta (4-7 Hz) and gamma (30-80 Hz) oscillations in neurocognition. Next, a brief review of the role of the cannabinoid and glutamatergic systems in SZ is outlined, followed by discussion of the known synaptic interactions between these two systems. Finally, the potential role of CB1Rs and NMDARs, both independently and in combination, on neural oscillations in relation to psychotic symptoms is considered. It is hoped that this review will yield a series of testable hypotheses that may be used to further elucidate the pathophysiology of SZ.
Communication-assisted impedance-based microgrid protection scheme

Development of efficient non-overcurrent based protection schemes is a prerequisite for significantly increasing microgrids renewable energy penetration. In this paper a novel communication-assisted impedance-based protection scheme is proposed. For the sake of protection design, we partition microgrids into protection zones based on the availability of fault interruption devices. The proposed scheme depends on monitoring impedance trajectories at different feeder relays to detect the occurrence of faults and utilizes directional elements to determine the direction of faults. Communications between feeder relays are utilized to exchange permissive and blocking signals in order to locate the fault and trip the least part of the microgrid to clear the fault. Simulation results are presented to demonstrate the effectiveness of the proposed scheme.
Amino Acid Digestibility of a High Protein DDGS Product in Broilers

Distiller’s dried grains with solubles (DDGS) are a common feedstuff in poultry diets, however, digestibility estimates vary with production method and strain (broiler vs layer). The objective of this study was to determine the amino acid digestibility of 34.1% (as fed) high-protein DDGS in straight-run Cobb 500 broiler chickens. Calculated standardized ileal amino acid digestibility (SIAAD) of indispensable amino acids (AA) ranged from 81.20 to 90.41%. The SIAAD of dispensable AA ranged from 16.16 to 89.78%. The digestibility of limiting AA in HiP DDGS was greater than reported digestibility values of the same AA in DDGS. Additional research is needed to further illustrate the effect of DDGS production on the value of feeding high protein (HiP) DDGS in broiler chickens.
Escape to Neutrality

This chapter describes a fascinating University of Zurich process of hiring a professor. It also discusses the psychology of the Van der Waerden family and reasons for their leaving Holland forever to settle in Switzerland.
A Study of Trumpet Envelopes

Abstract: Most synthesis techniques provide for some amount of parametric control. Generating suitable controls is a difficult problem, especially for instruments that admit continuous control by the performer. The traditional approach to control generation in computer music has been note-based, but note-by-note synthesis tends to overlook the interaction between notes in a phrase. This study considers factors, including melodic contour, articulation, and dynamics, that affect the shape of amplitude envelopes in trumpet performance. After showing statistically significant variation due to these factors, a model for trumpet envelopes is described. This model is used with Spectral Interpolation Synthesis to synthesize realistic trumpet performances.
Stability Conditions for Adaptive Control of Uncertain Dynamical Systems with Actuator and Unmodeled Dynamics

In many practical applications, the effects of both actuator and unmodeled dynamics are strongly present in feedback loops. In this paper, we consider adaptive control of uncertain dynamical systems subject to both actuator and unmodeled dynamics. Specifically, utilizing Lyapunov stability theory, linear matrix inequalities, and matrix mathematics, we reveal two sufficient stability conditions. The first one captures the system-theoretic tradeoff between system uncertainties and actuator dynamics, and the second one depends on the first one as well as the matrices resulting from the unmodeled dynamics. An illustrative numerical example is also provided to demonstrate our findings involving these stability conditions.
Set2-mediated alternative splicing of Srsf11 regulates cocaine reward behavior

Alternative splicing is a key mechanism for neuronal gene regulation, and is grossly altered in mouse brain reward regions following investigator-administered cocaine. It is well established that cocaine epigenetically regulates transcription, yet mechanism(s) by which cocaine-induced epigenetic modifications regulate alternative splicing is largely unexplored. Our group and others have previously identified the histone modification, H3K36me3, as a putative splicing regulator. However, it has not yet been possible to establish the direct causal relevance of this modification to alternative splicing in brain or any other context. We found that mouse cocaine self-administration caused widespread alternative splicing, concomitant with enrichment of H3K36me3 at splice junctions. Differentially spliced genes were enriched in the motif for splice factor, Srsf11, which was both differentially spliced and enriched in H3K36me3. Epigenetic editing led us to conclude that H3K36me3 functions directly in alternative splicing of Srsf11, and that this mechanism enhances cocaine reward behavior.
Tapir: Embedding Recursive Fork-join Parallelism into LLVM’s Intermediate Representation

Tapir (pronounced TAY-per) is a compiler intermediate representation (IR) that embeds recursive fork-join parallelism, as supported by task-parallel programming platforms such as Cilk and OpenMP, into a mainstream compiler’s IR. Mainstream compilers typically treat parallel linguistic constructs as syntactic sugar for function calls into a parallel runtime. These calls prevent the compiler from performing optimizations on and across parallel control constructs. Remedying this situation has generally been thought to require an extensive reworking of compiler analyses and code transformations to handle parallel semantics. Tapir leverages the “serial-projection property,” which is commonly satisfied by task-parallel programs, to handle the semantics of these programs without an extensive rework of the compiler. For recursive fork-join programs that satisfy the serial-projection property, Tapir enables effective compiler optimization of parallel programs with only minor changes to existing compiler analyses and code transformations. Tapir uses the serial-projection property to order logically parallel fine-grained tasks in the program’s control-flow graph. This ordered representation of parallel tasks allows the compiler to optimize parallel codes effectively with only minor modifications. For example, to implement Tapir/LLVM, a prototype of Tapir in the LLVM compiler, we added or modified less than 3,000 lines of LLVM’s half-million-line core middle-end functionality. These changes sufficed to enable LLVM’s existing compiler optimizations for serial code—including loop-invariant-code motion, common-subexpression elimination, and tail-recursion elimination—to work with parallel control constructs such as parallel loops and Cilk’s Cilk_Spawn keyword. Tapir also supports parallel optimizations, such as loop scheduling, which restructure the parallel control flow of the program. By making use of existing LLVM optimizations and new parallel optimizations, Tapir/LLVM can optimize recursive fork-join programs more effectively than traditional compilation methods. On a suite of 35 Cilk application benchmarks, Tapir/LLVM produces more efficient executables for 30 benchmarks, with faster 18-core running times for 26 of them, compared to a nearly identical compiler that compiles parallel linguistic constructs the traditional way.
On Hope, Privilege, and Blind Spots

Hope is an ontological need and a political imperative that must survive in our writing especially when we are writing about disenfranchised communities. In this essay, I reflect upon the importanc...
Visual decline in pediatric survivors of brain tumors following radiotherapy.

Radiotherapy-related visual decline is a significant concern in survivors of childhood cancer; however, data establishing the dose-response relationship between dose to the optic apparatus and visu...
The hypothalamic–pituitary–thyroid axis and sleep

Sleep has a bidirectional relationship with the hypothalamic-pituitary-thyroid (HPT) axis, and both these homeostatic processes are inter-dependent for robust physiological functioning. The quality and quantity of sleep influence the circadian pattern of TSH and thyroid hormone secretion. Short term sleep restriction significantly reduces the amplitude of nocturnal TSH secretion and may modulate active thyroid hormone secretion, likely through an increased sympathetic tone. Conversely, TSH and active thyroid hormone affect the quantity and architecture of sleep. For instance, low TSH values are permissive for slow wave sleep and maintenance of normal sleep architecture, while the hypo- or hyper-secretion of active thyroid hormones adversely affects the quality and quantity of sleep. Structural thyroid disorders may also be associated with an altered circadian clock - a phenomenon warranting further investigation. In this review, we aim to provide readers a comprehensive review on the associations between the HPT axis and sleep patterns.
Performance Trade-offs in GPU Communication: A Study of Host and Device-initiated Approaches

Network communication on GPU-based systems is a significant roadblock for many applications with small but frequent messaging requirements. One common question for application developers is, "How can they reduce the overheads and achieve the best communication performance on GPUs?" This work examines device initiated versus host initiated inter-node GPU communication using NVSHMEM. We derive basic communication model parameters for single message and batched communication before validating our model against distributed GEMM benchmarks. We use our model to estimate performance benefits for applications transitioning from CPUs to GPUS for fixed-size and scaled workloads and provide general guidelines for reducing communication overheads. Our findings show that the host-initiated approach generally outperforms the device-initiated approach for the system evaluated.
The Design of Convergent and Transferable Ab Initio Pseudopotentials

This paper exhibits a criterion for creating pseudopotentials which possess rapid convergence in a plane-wave basis set. We demonstrate the applicability of this criterion in conjunction with many prescriptions for insuring transferability. These pseudopotentials are more efficient than other standard pseudopotentials, and this makes ab initio electronic structure investigations of larger systems and systems containing “problem” elements feasible. Atomic and structural results for the cases of copper, carbon, nitrogen, and oxygen are provided as examples.
Two improved techniques for the perturbed nonlinear Biswas–Milovic equation and its optical solitons

Abstract In this article, abundant optical soliton solutions of the Biswas–Milovic equation with Kudryashov’s law and nonlinear perturbation terms in polarization preserving fibers is constructed by employing two improved analytical schemes, namely, the improved Sardar sub-equation method (IMSSEM) and the improved generalized Riccati equation mapping method (IGREMM). As a result of these improved approaches, many constraint conditions emerge that are required for the existence of soliton solutions. These solutions are the rational, exponential, trigonometric hyperbolic, and trigonometric which can be classified into the bright soliton, W-shaped soliton, dark soliton, singular soliton, periodic, and the mixed complex soliton. All solutions obtained have been verified using symbolic computations. Moreover, the dynamics of some of the achieved solutions are presented by plotting two and three-dimensional graphs.
Stylistic Microplots: Melville to Miéville

In thinking about style, one is always starting over – with fresh evidence. Freshness, surprise, being often the point. And this can mean beginning, as in this chapter, with endings. Weighed in the balance of imagined action, the value of style can tip the scales in a novel's last moments. Even in verbally adventurous fiction, however, one cannot fully anticipate, early on, the degree of fireworks or fade-out that will be assigned to closure. Style earns its way as it goes, and dividends may be paid – and played – out in many forms. Plot can achieve its vanishing point in a dense horizon of rhetoric or taper off in understatement, closure secured either in the midst of verbal intensity or its wake. Only the narrative's particular verbal journey can set the terms of understanding for its point of rest. Certainly no novel ever muted its way toward conclusion less than Herman Melville's Moby Dick (1851). Ahab's Pyrrhic victory is complete, the revenge of the whale's death taking the ship down with it. An unattributed choric voice, variant of free indirect discourse, transmits the last human remark: “The ship? Great God, where is the ship?” The answer soon comes into visual focus across the phonic and syntactic interference at “ th ey th rough”: “Soon they through dim, bewildering mediums saw her sidelong fading phantom.” In a minimally distended periodic suspension of that four-word impedance (“through dim , bewildering med iums,” with dimness inherent [“dim”/“dium”] in the ocean mists and spray), the combined work of assonance and a further hint of chiastic syllabification (“dim”/“med”) postpones revelation from “Soon they,” across “through,” to the verb “saw,” followed by a sideways elongation of spectral alliterative modification in that “sidelong f ading ph antom.” In this brief adjective chain, the pressure of alliteration is only a further horizontal nudge from the normal comma separation after “dim” to the almost adverbial force of “sidelong.” And in all this, the point of vantage is a satellite craft soon to be sucked down with that ghostly vestige of the ship in a more aggressive whirlpool of phonetic recurrence: “And now, concentric circles seized the lone boat itself, and all its crew, and each floating oar, and every lance-pole …” (576).
High-Performance GaN-Based Ultraviolet Photon Detection Technology

We report the development of high-performance GaN ultraviolet avalanche photodiode technology with uniform dark current characteristics. These devices exhibited high-avalanche-gain (>105) in linear-mode operation in 6x6 array form with pixel sizes up to 70x70 μm2.
THE ROLE OF NGOS IN THE DEVELOPMENT OF MICRO AND SMALL ENTERPRISES IN RURAL AREAS IN FAYOUM GOVERNORATE

This study aimed basically to identify the role of NGOs in the developmentof micro and small enterprises in rural Fayoum governorate, through thefollowing sub-objectives: SWOT analysis of NGOs in the development ofmicro and small enterprises, describe the role of NGOs for development thesmall and micro enterprises in their various fields (technical, finance,marketing, training) from the point of view of the owners of these enterprises.found a strategy that NGOs can follow to develop small and micro enterprises.The data were collected from 36 a NGOs' in Fayoum and Etsa districts inFayoum governorate using a guide to interview with the directors of theseassociations to identify the strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats ofthese associations. Data on the role of NGOs in the development of micro andsmall enterprises were collected from 180 of the owners of these enterprises.Using a personal interview questionnaire. Frequency distribution tables,percentages, mean arithmetic, standard deviation, and alpha (α) were used in theCronbach method.The most important results were the SWOT analysis of the strengths,weaknesses, opportunities and threats of the studied NGOs. The results alsoshowed that the technical role played by NGOs for the development of smalland micro enterprises is average (45.4%), 42.3% of the respondents believe thatthe funding role of NGOs was average. As for the marketing role of NGOs,60.2% of the respondents said that it was low, while 65.2% For NGOs wasaverage for the overall score of NGOs' role in project development (45.4%).The study found a strategy that NGOs can follow to develop small and microenterprises as the best solution to promote rural communities and improve ruralliving standards.
Childhood sexual abuse and migraine among female university students (P1.184)

Objective: To explore the relationship between childhood sexual abuse and migraine among female university students in Peru. Background: Migraine is a common disorder among university students and is associated with significant disability burden. Childhood sexual abuse has been associated with migraine in previous studies; however limited data about this relationship has been described in Latin-America, particularly amongst university students. Design/Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted among 887 randomly selected, female university students from different professional schools, in a Peruvian university. A self-administered questionnaire gathered information about current events of migraine, depression and alcohol use; and regarding history of sexual abuse as a child, depression, asthma and parental divorce as a child. Unadjusted and adjusted odds ratios were calculated for each variable using logistic regression analysis. Results: Migraine was diagnosed in 177(19.9%) of the sampled population. A history of childhood sexual abuse was reported in 9.6% of the surveyed students. The odds to suffer from migraine were significantly higher for students with a history of sexual abuse as a child (OR 2.1; 95% CI 1.4–3.3); when adjusted for depression the odds diminished (OR 1.8; 95% CI 1.1–2.8). We did not observe any significant association of parental divorce as a child, age, alcohol use, and asthma to migraine. Conclusions: There is an association between a history of childhood sexual abuse and migraine among female university students; this association decreases but remains statistically significant when considering a history of or current depression. Study Supported by: Non-applicable. Disclosure: Dr. Gomez has nothing to disclose.
Toward a Unified Response-to-Intervention Model

Matthew K. Burns, PhD, is an Associate Professor of Educational Psychology and Coordinator of the School Psychology program at the University of Minnesota. burns258@umn.edu Stanley L. Deno, PhD, is a Professor of Educational Psychology with the Special Education program at the University of Minnesota. denox001@umn.edu Shane R. Jimerson, PhD, is a Professor in the Department of Counseling, Clinical, and School Psychology at the University of California, Santa Barbara. jimerson@education.ucsb.edu
European Military Sites As Ideological Landscapes

The American tradition of devoting substantial quantities of public resources to the acquisition and preservation of battle sites is generally foreign to European nations. Many battlefields in Europe are unmarked or have few monuments. Preservation efforts at most of the remaining sites have concentrated upon relatively small portions such as isolated structures or natural vistas. Cemeteries are at times integral elements of these landscapes. Selected battlefields in Ireland, Scotland, England, France, Belgium, Luxembourg, and the Czech Republic provide varied examples of European landscape preservation and commemoration. It is argued that the often minimal preservation efforts in Europe reflect an ideological landscape of modern political and social concerns.
Primary inner ear schwannomas: A case series and systematic review of the literature

Objectives/Hypothesis To describe the natural history of primary inner ear schwannomas (PIES) and evaluate management outcomes and relationship between PIES location, clinical presentation, and time to diagnosis. Study Design Retrospective chart review and systematic review of the literature. Methods Vestibular schwannoma confined to or arising from the inner ear were included. PIES classification was based on anatomic subsite(s) involved. Detailed clinical history and outcomes were recorded. Results In a systematic review (1933–2011), including 14 patients from the authors' institution (1999–2009), a total of 72 studies comprising 234 patients were evaluated. Mean follow-up was 32.8 ± 39.1 months (range, 0–183 months). The cochlea was the most commonly involved subsite (51%). Hearing loss was the most frequent presenting symptom (99%). Vertigo and abnormal balance were more common among tumors involving the vestibular system (P < .01). Average delay between symptom onset and diagnosis was 7.0 ± 8.0 years (median, 5 years; range, 0–40 years). Recent onset hearing loss was more likely to elicit an earlier diagnosis (P = .01). The majority of patients were observed without treatment (53%). Tumor progression was seen in 52% of patients. Conclusions PIES are rare tumors and most commonly involve the cochlea. Tumor location is often associated with clinical presentation and correlates with delay between symptom onset and diagnosis. A watch-and-scan approach is the management strategy of choice in the absence of intractable vertigo or extensive tumor growth. The majority of patients report stable or improved symptoms over time, regardless of treatment. Laryngoscope, 123:1957–1966, 2013
The pyruvate-aspartic semialdehyde condensing enzyme of Escherichia coli.

Abstract The pyruvate-aspartic semialdehyde condensing enzyme, which occurs at the branch point in the aspartic acid family of amino acids leading to diaminopimelic acid and lysine biosynthesis, has been purified 5000-fold from crude extracts of Escherichia coli W. The protein has been shown to be homogeneous by polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis and bears a net negative charge in the pH range 6.0 to 9.2. Amino acid analyses indicate the total absence of methionine. The Stokes radius of the condensing enzyme was determined from its elution volume on a Sephadex G-200 column, the sedimentation constant from sucrose density gradient centrifugation, and the partial specific volume from its amino acid composition. These parameters were calculated as: 43 A, 7.1 (s20,w), and 0.724 cc per g, respectively. The molecular weight of the protein was determined as 134,000 daltons, and its frictional ratio as 1.26. The reaction catalyzed by the condensing enzyme is complex and forms a labile heterocyclic product that has been tentatively identified as dihydrodipicolinic acid. That the condensing enzyme functions in carbon-carbon bond formation by forming an imine linkage with one of its substrates has been shown by the following: (a) there is irreversible loss of enzymatic activity upon the addition of sodium borohydride only in the presence of pyruvate; (b) titration of substrate amounts of purified protein with radioactive pyruvate in the presence of sodium borohydride indicates the presence of four binding sites per protein molecule; (c) acid hydrolysis of protein derivatized with 14C-pyruvate by the borohydride treatment shows the presence of a lysine derivative that has been identified as e-N-(1-carboxyethyl)-l-lysine; (d) the protein catalyzes proton exchange between tritiated pyruvate and water that exhibits first order kinetics and is dependent on protein concentration. A possible role of the enzyme as a nucleophilic catalyst is discussed in connection with its similarity to δ-aminolevulinic acid dehydratase.
Interrupting Ethnographic Spectacles in Eric Valli's Himalaya

How can we talk about "postcoloniality" in relation to Nepal, which, even though it has never been foreign to Western fantasies about the exotic, was never formally colonized? One of the ways could be to create narratives and deploy images - as has been done by Eric Valli in his popular film Himalaya - that foreground geographically remote and ethnically and politically marginalized people of the nation. And yet, this article argues, such an attempt as Himalaya could easily fall into the same trap as grips orientalist ethnography that seeks to generate spectacles of the other for its own pleasure. Taking a comparative approach by relating Himalaya to a long tradition of creating through cinema ethnographic spectacles about the Pacific, the article not only calls for a critique of exoticism and a certain notion of modernity, but by recalling work done by critics in the Pacific Island Native Studies, it also raises the question of sovereignty of the other.
Hybridization between diploid Centaurea pseudophrygia and tetraploid C. jacea (Asteraceae): the role of mixed pollination, unreduced gametes, and mentor effects

We studied hybridization between the diploid Centaurea pseudophrygia and the tetraploid C. jacea by performing crossing experiments and screening natural populations using flow cytometry. The experiments confirm that the studied species exhibit strong reproductive isolation. Interspecific hybrids were formed at a low frequency, including triploids (originating from reduced gametes) and tetraploids (involving unreduced gametes of the diploids). In contrast, hybrids were almost absent among seeds and adult plants of natural mixed populations and among the offspring from experimental pollinations with a mixture of pollen of both ploidy levels. We found that mixed pollination is an important mechanism for preventing hybridization between plants of different ploidy levels and sustaining the reproduction of the tetraploids. A mentor effect (induced selfing in the presence of pollen of different ploidy levels) was observed in both diploids and tetraploids, reinforcing the reproductive isolation between cytotypes. Higher ploidy levels (pentaploid, hexaploid) involving unreduced gametes of the tetraploid species were identified. Notably, pentaploids were discovered for the first time in Centaurea sect. Jacea. © 2011 The Linnean Society of London, Biological Journal of the Linnean Society, 2011, 104, 93–106.