cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Association of Estimated Sodium Intake With Adverse Cardiac Structure and Function: From the HyperGEN Study.

Abstract Background The optimal level of sodium intake remains controversial. Objectives This study sought to determine whether examination of left ventricular longitudinal strain (LS), circumferential strain, and e′ velocity can provide insight into thresholds for the detrimental effects of estimated sodium intake (ESI) on subclinical cardiovascular disease. Methods We performed speckle-tracking analysis on HyperGEN (Hypertension Genetic Epidemiology Network) study echocardiograms with available urinary sodium data (N = 2,996). We evaluated the associations among ESI and LS, circumferential strain, and e′ velocity using multivariable-adjusted linear mixed-effects models (to account for relatedness among subjects) with linear splines (spline 1: ESI ≤3.7 g/day, spline 2: ESI >3.7 g/day based on visual inspection of fractional polynomial plots of the association between ESI and indices of strain and e′ velocity). We performed mediation analysis to understand the indirect effects of systolic blood pressure and serum aldosterone on the relationship between ESI and strain and e′ velocity. Results Mean age of participants was 49 ± 14 years, 57% were female, 50% were African American, and 54% had hypertension. The median ESI was 3.73 (interquartile range: 3.24, 4.25) g/day. ESI >3.7 g/day was associated with larger left atrial and left ventricular dimensions (p 3.7 g/day was associated with both strain parameters and e′ velocity (p 0.05 for all comparisons). There were significant interactions by potassium excretion for circumferential strain. Mediation analysis suggested that systolic blood pressure explained 14% and 20% of the indirect effects between ESI and LS and e′ velocity, respectively, whereas serum aldosterone explained 19% of the indirect effects between ESI and LS. Conclusions ESI >3.7 g/day is associated with adverse cardiac remodeling and worse systolic strain and diastolic e′ velocity.
Perceived language complexity in GitHub issue discussions and their effect on issue resolution

Modern software development is increasingly collaborative. Open Source Software (OSS) are the bellwether; they support dynamic teams, with tools for code sharing, communication, and issue tracking. The success of an OSS project is reliant on team communication. E.g., in issue discussions, individuals rely on rhetoric to argue their position, but also maintain technical relevancy. Rhetoric and technical language are on opposite ends of a language complexity spectrum: the former is stylistically natural; the latter is terse and concise. Issue discussions embody this duality, as developers use rhetoric to describe technical issues. The style mix in any discussion can define group culture and affect performance, e.g., issue resolution times may be longer if discussion is imprecise. Using GitHub, we studied issue discussions to understand whether project-specific language differences exist, and to what extent users conform to a language norm. We built project-specific and overall GitHub language models to study the effect of perceived language complexity on multiple responses. We find that experienced users conform to project-specific language norms, popular individuals use overall GitHub language rather than project-specific language, and conformance to project-specific language norms reduces issue resolution times. We also provide a tool to calculate project-specific perceived language complexity.
Fault diagnosis and insulation structure improvement on 550kV resin-impregnated paper oil-SF6 bushings

A type of 550kV epoxy resin-impregnated paper oil-SF 6 bushing, which used in main transformers equipped in a pumped storage power station, has gone wrong repeatedly and its capacitance and dielectric loss increased significantly. In order to clarify the cause of the batch of oil-SF 6 bushing failure, the bushing has been tested to check its insulation characteristics, and has been dissected to study its internal parts. Additionally, the electric field is also being calculated to analyze the bushing fault reason. Based on these analyses, an improvement design was proposed for this application. The results demonstrated that the higher field strength as well as the poor plate edge treatment process leads to discharge and breakdown on the edge of the capacitor plates, which result in the rising of the bushing's capacitance and dielectric loss. The symptom is consistent with the theoretical calculation results. Considering the on-site installation conditions, the length of the gas side is suggested to be lengthened and the layer of the bushing's capacitance core plate is suggested to be increased. And the simulation results verified the feasibility of the improvement measures.
Color analysis of storage roots from the USDA, ARS sweetpotato ( Ipomoea batatas ) germplasm collection

The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA), Agricultural Research Service (ARS), Plant Genetic Resources Conservation Unit in Griffin, GA maintains the United States germplasm collection for Ipomoea spp. (Convolvulaceae). During 2012–2014, 737 sweetpotato, Ipomoea batatas (L.) Lam., plant introductions (PI) were acquired as tissue-culture plantlets and then acclimated to greenhouse conditions at the USDA, ARS, U. S. Vegetable Laboratory (USVL), Charleston, SC. Single plants were transferred to plastic-covered plant beds to produce cuttings for replicated field trials. Storage roots were harvested from 690 PIs grown in the field and 695 PIs grown in pots. Color coordinates were obtained for each PI using a tristimulus colorimeter. Hue angle values (h*) ranged from 8.2° to 88.3° ( $$ \bar{x} $$ = 54.9°) for the periderm (peel or skin) of field-grown storage roots (n = 690 PIs) and − 9.4° (= 350.6°) to 96.2° ( $$ \bar{x} $$ = 51.3°) for pot-grown roots (n = 695 PIs). The red–green coordinate (a*) ranged from 0.8 to 30.7 ( $$ \bar{x} $$ = 12.8) for the periderm of field-grown roots and − 2.0 to 44.9 ( $$ \bar{x} $$ = 16.1) for pot-grown roots. The yellow–blue coordinate (b*) ranged from 2.8 to 33.1 ( $$ \bar{x} $$ = 19.4) for the periderm of field-grown roots and − 7.4 to 38.1 ( $$ \bar{x} $$ = 19.3) for pot-grown roots. Color saturation (chroma, C*) ranged from 13.7 to 35.8 ( $$ \bar{x} $$ = 24.9) for the periderm of field-grown roots and 14.9–45.5 ( $$ \bar{x} $$ = 29.3) for pot-grown roots. Lightness (white–black, L*) ranged from 32.6 to 81.7 ( $$ \bar{x} $$ = 54.6) for the periderm of field-grown roots and 32.1–88.2 ( $$ \bar{x} $$ = 64.0) for pot-grown roots. Hue angles ranged from − 13.1° (= 346.9°) to 100.9° ( $$ \bar{x} $$ = 80.9°) for the stele (flesh) of field-grown storage roots (n = 672 PIs) and − 29.9° to 103.5° ( $$ \bar{x} $$ = 81.6°) for pot-grown roots (n = 676 PIs); a* ranged from − 5.6 to 35.0 ( $$ \bar{x} $$ = 8.0) for the stele of field-grown roots and − 6.0 to 41.0 ( $$ \bar{x} $$ = 7.6) for pot-grown roots; and b* ranged from − 7.7 to 56.1 ( $$ \bar{x} $$ = 34.6) for the stele of field-grown roots and − 12.6 to 56.1 ( $$ \bar{x} $$ = 31.8) for pot-grown roots. C* ranged from 12.7 to 65.8 ( $$ \bar{x} $$ = 37.2) for the stele of field-grown roots and 8.9–65.7 ( $$ \bar{x} $$ = 34.5) for pot-grown roots; and L* ranged from 27.8 to 91.1 ( $$ \bar{x} $$ = 77.7) for the stele of field-grown roots and 28.2–91.9 ( $$ \bar{x} $$ = 80.4) for pot-grown roots. There were significant relationships between stele color (h*) and percent dry matter, with orange stele having a significantly lower % dry matter ( $$ \bar{x} $$ = 25.6%, n = 183) compared with roots with cream/white stele ( $$ \bar{x} $$ = 30.8%, n = 373). There appears to be wide genetic diversity for root color characteristics for the United States sweetpotato germplasm collection.
Patterned electromagnetic alignment of magnetic nanowires.

Abstract A combination of electromagnetic alignment and topological pattern assisted alignment to position magnetic nanowires, which is referred to as the Patterned Electromagnetic Alignment (PEA), is developed and examined. Electrodeposited, FeNiCo nanowires with different lengths were used as the test nanomaterial, and the microscale grooved surface was formed by UV nanoimprint lithography. The accuracy of the PEA with FeNiCo nanowires was evaluated by measuring the deviation angle from the direction of the magnetic field line for different magnetic field strengths and nanowire lengths, and a statistical alignment distribution was reported for different nanowire length groups. The results were compared with those of the electromagnetic alignment on flat surfaces and in grooved-patterned substrates without electromagnetic alignment. Overall, the deviation angle for the PEA was lower than that for the electromagnetic alignment when all other experimental conditions were identical, indicating that the alignment accuracy along the direction of the magnetic field lines was enhanced in the presence of surface micro grooves. This can be attributed to the fact that, upon attachment of nanowires to the substrate surface, the surface micro grooves in the PEA add additional deterministic characteristics to the otherwise stochastic nature of the nanowire deposition and solvent evaporation processes compared to the sole electromagnetic alignment.
A Geophysical Comparison between Fast and Slow Spreading Centers: Constraints on Magma Chamber Formation and Hydrothermal Activity

While there are many similarities in the geologic structure of various spreading centers, there are some important differences which appear to be related to spreading rate. Taking recent studies of the fast-spreading East Pacific Rise and slow-spreading Mid-Atlantic Ridge, I have compiled a list of properties (summarized in Table 1) which distinguish the two spreading centers. These studies include seismic reflection and refraction, microearthquake studies, gravity and magnetic measurements, electromagnetic sounding, thermal models, observations of hydrothermal activity and geomorphic/tectonic studies. For each of the contrasting properties listed in Table 1, I briefly explain in the text the origin of the observation and emphasize possible limitations and areas of disagreement in the associated interpretation. Many of the important contrasts between fast and slow spreading centers are related to the increased thermal budget at fast spreading rates which allows for the maintenance of a steady state chamber along most of the length of the rise. At slow spreading rates, the axial magma chamber may persist at distances greater than 15–20 km from transform fault intersections, but given the finite width and spacing of transform faults on slow spreading centers, the axial magma chamber may be transient along most of the ridge’s length. The mechanics and deformation of the lithosphere are also affected by the thermal budget as manifested by along strike topographic continuity, transform fault spacing and style of deformation along spreading center offsets. High temperature vents (350°C) are common at intermediate to fast spreading rates, but may be rare occurrences at slow speading rates (with the possible exception of the Reykjanes ridge and other hot-spot influenced ridges). At most slow-spreading ridges, the frequency and duration of such hydrothermal events may not be adequate to sustain the chemosynthetic benthic faunal communities which thrive on faster spreading centers.
Boundary-layer water vapor profiling using differential absorption radar

Abstract. Remote sensing of water vapor in the presence of clouds and precipitation constitutes an important observational gap in the global observing system. We present ground-based measurements using a new radar instrument operating near the 183 GHz H2O line for profiling water vapor inside of planetary-boundary-layer clouds, and develop an error model and inversion algorithm for the profile retrieval. The measurement technique exploits the strong frequency dependence of the radar beam attenuation, or differential absorption, on the low-frequency flank of the water line in conjunction with the radar's ranging capability to acquire range-resolved humidity information. By comparing the measured differential absorption coefficient with a millimeter-wave propagation model, we retrieve humidity profiles with 200 m resolution and typical statistical uncertainty of 0.6 g m −3 out to around 2 km. This value for humidity uncertainty corresponds to measurements in the high-SNR (signal-to-noise ratio) limit, and is specific to the frequency band used. The measured spectral variation of the differential absorption coefficient shows good agreement with the model, supporting both the measurement method assumptions and the measurement error model. By performing the retrieval analysis on statistically independent data sets corresponding to the same observed scene, we demonstrate the reproducibility of the measurement. An important trade-off inherent to the measurement method between retrieved humidity precision and profile resolution is discussed.
Perioperative use of blood products is associated with risk of morbidity and mortality after surgery.

Abstract Background Administration of blood products may be associated with increased morbidity and perioperative mortality in surgical patients. Methods Patients aged 18 + who underwent gastrointestinal surgery at the Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center 9/10/2015-5/9/2018 were identified. Multivariable logistic regression models were used to evaluate impact of blood product use on survival and complications, as well as to identify factors associated with receipt of transfusions. Results Among 10,756 patients, 35,517 units of blood products were transfused. Preoperative nadir hemoglobin was associated with receipt of blood product transfusion (OR 0.55, 95% CI 0.53, 0.68). After adjusting for patient and procedural characteristics, patients undergoing transfusion of blood products had an increased risk of perioperative mortality (OR 7.80, 95% CI 6.02, 10.10). Conclusions The use of blood products was associated with increased risk of complication and death. Patient blood management programs should be implemented to provide rational criteria and guidance for the transfusion of blood products.
Under Protest: The Rise of Student Resistance at the University of Fort Hare

Under Protest, by Fort Hare alumnus Daniel Massey, combines a trove of previously untapped university records with the recollections of dozens of former students to dig deep into the complex past of the institution that educated figures like Tambo, Nelson Mandela, Mangosuthu Buthelezi and Robert Mugabe. Through the eyes of former students, we see just how the university veered sharply off the course intended by its missionary founders and apartheid trustees, giving birth to many of the most important leaders in South Africa’s struggle for democracy. Massey interviews Fort Harians ranging from Govan Mbeki and Wycliffe Tsotsi to Jeff Baqwa and Thenjiwe Mtintso, who explain the vital role Fort Hare played in the development of their activism. He pays particular attention to the 1960 government takeover, showing how the authorities’ attempt to stifle student protest ended up creating the hothouse conditions that eventually brought apartheid to its knees.
Improving estimates of richness, habitat associations, and assemblage characteristics of freshwater gastropods

Freshwater gastropods are imperilled globally and are among North America's most vulnerable major animal groups. Habitat loss, invasive species, and inadequate information about species distributions and assemblages all impair efforts to conserve freshwater gastropods. Conservation efforts are also impaired by difficulty obtaining and using distributional data for snails and other inconspicuous organisms, which are required to assess habitat associations. A gastropod‐specific sampling protocol was developed and used to survey 110 sites from 24 sub‐basins in two major river basins of the Intermountain West, USA. Habitat associations of individual taxa and groups of taxa that co‐occurred together more frequently than expected by chance were also examined. Using the gastropod‐specific sampling protocol, snails were found at most sites, even in regions where general macroinvertebrate sampling did not detect snails. Thus, these results show that general macroinvertebrate surveys do not accurately reflect the diversity of freshwater gastropods. Although snails of the same family are typically expected to live in the same habitats, this study found that in most cases, within a gastropod family, taxa exhibited unique habitat associations because they co‐occurred more frequently with taxa from different gastropod families. Five genera or sub‐genera were associated with specific mesohabitat or substrate types while two groups of co‐occurring taxa were associated with specific land classes or landform types. For diverse, inconspicuous taxa such as freshwater gastropods, qualitative, class‐specific sampling methods, and analyses of habitat associations based on co‐occurring taxa, rather than relatedness, should facilitate conservation efforts.
Ketogenic Diets Alter the Gut Microbiome Resulting in Decreased Intestinal Th17 Cells.

Very low-carbohydrate, high-fat ketogenic diets (KDs) induce a pronounced shift in metabolic fuel utilization that elevates circulating ketone bodies; however, the consequences of these compounds for host-microbiome interactions remain unknown. Here, we show that KDs alter the human and mouse gut microbiota in a manner distinct from high-fat diets (HFDs). Metagenomic and metabolomic analyses of stool samples from an 8-week inpatient study revealed marked shifts in gut microbial community structure and function during the KD. Gradient diet experiments in mice confirmed the unique impact of KDs relative to HFDs with a reproducible depletion of bifidobacteria. In vitro and in vivo experiments showed that ketone bodies selectively inhibited bifidobacterial growth. Finally, mono-colonizations and human microbiome transplantations into germ-free mice revealed that the KD-associated gut microbiota reduces the levels of intestinal pro-inflammatory Th17 cells. Together, these results highlight the importance of trans-kingdom chemical dialogs for mediating the host response to dietary interventions.
Pleural plaques in smoking-associated fibrosis and pulmonary asbestosis.

Dear editor Bledsoe et al presents an interesting study examining the disparities between radiologic and pathologic diagnoses of asbestosis in cases referred for consultation in pulmonary malignancy.1 The authors conclude that the clinical diagnosis of asbestosis cannot be reliably distinguished from interstitial fibrosis in heavy smokers. These findings highlight the confounding role of cigarette smoking in the diagnosis of asbestosis when it is based on non-pathologic criteria. Clinical and radiographic characteristics of lung injury following particle exposure (including fibers in which one diameter of the particle is 3× that of the other by definition) are often comparable.2 The results of this investigation1 support further evaluation of a role for cigarette smoking in interstitial fibrosis. Furthermore, asbestos exposure can cause several non-malignant diseases of the pleura and lungs (ie, pleural effusions, pleural plaques, diffuse pleural fibrosis, rounded atelectasis, and asbestosis). Malignancies are also associated with asbestos exposure (ie, lung and laryngeal cancers and mesothelioma).3,4 Relationships between the dose–response and prevalence of asbestos-related diseases are complex.3,5 The injury requiring the least exposure, and which accordingly demonstrates the highest prevalence, is pleural plaque; 80% of individuals significantly exposed to asbestos (total dose of 0.1 fiber-year or less) will have plaques on the chest X-ray while only 0.5%–8% of an unexposed population will reveal such findings.6 Mesothelioma impacts 2,500 to 3,000 workers annually in the United States and its risk is elevated at a total asbestos dose of between 0.1 and 1.0 fiber-year. Those diseases requiring the greatest asbestos exposure are lung cancer and asbestosis; the risk for both is considered elevated at approximately 25 fiber-years. Bledsoe et al identify 24 cases with International Labour Organization (ILO) profusion score of ≥1, out of which only six cases show histological evidence of asbestosis. Of the remaining 18 cases, 16 are identified to have significant smoking history whereas two subjects had unknown smoking status. They observe radiographic evidence of pleural plaques in 82 (44%) of the cases included in the study. It would strengthen the conclusions of the study to know if those diagnosed with asbestosis demonstrated a higher prevalence of pleural plaques than those with cigarette smoking-related fibrosis.1
Patient Perspectives on Active vs. Passive Music Therapy for Cancer in the Inpatient Setting: A Qualitative Analysis

Abstract Context Music therapy (MT) is a nonpharmacologic therapy where licensed therapists provide active (e.g., singing, playing songs) or passive (e.g., listening) music-based interventions. Both active and passive MT are effective techniques for treating cancer-related symptoms. However, the influence of active vs. passive MT techniques on patient-reported perceptions and experiences of care have yet to be explored. Objectives To understand how active and passive MT is perceived and experienced by patients with cancer. Methods We conducted a retrospective analysis of semistructured interviews collected as part of a quality improvement study (n = 20) with patients in the inpatient setting who had received active or passive MT within the past 24 hours. Transcripts were analyzed using thematic content analysis. Results Four themes emerged: 1) Different articulations of benefit for recipients of active vs. passive MT; 2) patient choice as a form of empowerment; 3) changed perception of hospital experience; and 4) differing recommendations for future MT. Recipients of active MT emphasized the session's interactive elements, finding the sessions stimulating by providing opportunities for joyous social interaction not centered on their diagnosis. Passive MT recipients focused on the calming therapeutic effect of the session, easing anxieties through focus and reflection on the music itself. Conclusion This analysis builds on current MT literature by providing insights specifically from oncology patients treated in the inpatient setting. Patients experience active and passive MT in different ways and perceived unique benefits for coping with cancer from each technique. Our findings can inform development of specific MT for symptom control in hospital settings.
Decepticon: a Theoretical Framework to Counter Advanced Persistent Threats

Deception has been proposed in the literature as an effective defense mechanism to address Advanced Persistent Threats (APT). However, administering deception in a cost-effective manner requires a good understanding of the attack landscape. The attacks mounted by APT groups are highly diverse and sophisticated in nature and can render traditional signature based intrusion detection systems useless. This necessitates the development of behavior oriented defense mechanisms. In this paper, we develop Decepticon (Deception-based countermeasure), a Hidden Markov Model based framework where the indicators of compromise (IoC) are used as the observable features to aid in detection. This theoretical framework also includes several models to represent the spread of APTs in a computer system. The presented framework can be used to select an appropriate deception script when faced with APTs or other similar malware and trigger an appropriate defensive response. The effectiveness of the models in a networked system is illustrated by considering a real APT type ransomware.
Diet quality improvement and 30-year population health and economic outcomes: a microsimulation study

Objective Diets closer aligned with nutritional guidelines could lower the risk of several chronic conditions and improve economic outcomes, such as employment and healthcare costs. However, little is known about the range, order of magnitude and timing of these potential effects. Design We used a microsimulation approach to predict US population changes over 30 years in health and economic outcomes that could result from a substantial (but not impossible) improvement in diet quality - an improvement from the third to the fifth quintile of US scores on the Alternate Healthy Eating Index, 2010 version. Setting Risk ratios from the literature for diabetes, heart disease and stroke were used to modify the Future Adult Model (FAM) to simulate outcomes from a higher-quality diet. Model parameter uncertainty was assessed using bootstrap and sensitivity analysis examined the variation in published risk ratios. Participants FAM simulates outcomes for the US adult population aged 25 and older. Results Improved diet quality initially leads to very small changes in chronic disease prevalence, but these accumulate over time. If diets improved beginning in 2019, after 30 years diabetes prevalence could be reduced by 5·9 million cases (11·5 %), heart disease prevalence by 4·0 million cases (7·2 %) and stroke prevalence by 1·9 million cases (10·3 %). These reductions in disease prevalence would be accompanied that same year by fewer deaths (88 000) and healthcare cost savings of $144·0 billion (2019 USD). Conclusions This microsimulation study suggests that improvements in diet are likely to improve health and economic population outcomes over time.
Racial/Ethnic Differences in Women's Life Event Exposure across Midlife.

Objective Stressful life events are associated with poorer physical, cognitive, and mental health. Examining life events trends across midlife illustrates normative experiences of stress in a critical life period for intervention and disease prevention. Further, there is a critical need for research with racially/ethnically diverse samples to identify differences in life event exposure, as they may relate to later health disparities. Method Annual life event reports were analyzed from 3,066 White, Black, Hispanic, Chinese, and Japanese women in the Study of Women's Health Across the Nation (SWAN). Across ages 43 to 65, longitudinal trajectories were fit to annual number of life events, and 9 subcategories of life events (i.e., work problems, economic problems, partner unemployment, illness/accident of loved one, caregiving, bereavement, relationship problems, family legal/police problems, and violent events that happened to the self or family). Racial/ethnic differences were examined, controlling for education. Results Number of annual life events declined with age and plateaued in later midlife. This pattern was largely consistent across types of life events, though family health and bereavement-related life events increased in later midlife. Compared to White women, Black women experienced more life events, while Chinese, Hispanic, and Japanese women experienced fewer life events. Racial/ethnic differences were amplified in specific subtypes of life events. Discussion Racial/ethnic differences in exposure to life events across midlife may contribute to racial/ethnic health disparities in later life.
Case study of electronic banking at Meridian Bancorp

Abstract The paper illustrates ‘business value linkage impact analysis’, a new method for measuring the business value of information technology (IT), in the context of a case study of electronic banking operations at Meridian Bancorp, a large commercial bank. Management science models were constructed to gauge the impact of automated teller machines (ATMs) on branch teller labour productivity and retail deposit market share, and the potential for substitution of labour by ATMs is shown. Econometric estimation of the models yielded the following results: the efficiency of teller labour was found to decline in the presence of a branch ATM; a bank's ATM network decision was shown to be an important determinant of the relative size of the retail deposit market it could capture in south-east Pennsylvania; membership in the regionally dominant MAC ATM network leveraged retail deposit market share when a clear majority of local branches and ATMs were members of a regionally smaller, competing network; and high-density ATM deployment did not lead to increases in the overall size of the deposit market.
Implications for Practice

The integration of perspectives arising from the complementary yet distinct disciplines of medicine and psychology demands more than a delineation of how physiological factors affect the expression of disorders that are primarily psychological in nature. Such a view requires a fundamentally different way of thinking about these disorders—a model of dysfunction that allows for the peaceful cohabitation of factors that on the surface may appear to be antagonistic if not mutually exclusive.
Take Up the Body: Early Modern English Translations of Seneca's Corpses

Many scholars have noted the influence of Seneca’s dramas on early modern playwrights, pointing to the poet’s characteristic language, style, and plot devices. However, few have looked to Seneca’s distinctive treatment of the corpse as a performative object—one that despite its lifeless state remains active in and influential to the drama; in other words, a “theatrical corpse.” In order to illustrate the early modern articulation of the theatrical corpse as an active dramatic agent this essay investigates two of Seneca’s dramas— Thyestes and Hippolytus —translated into English in the early sixteenth-century and later collected in Newton’s Seneca His Tenne Tragedies (1581). Considering the practice of translation in the early modern period, I illustrate how Jasper Heywood’s and John Studley’s translations emphasize, elaborate, and further activate Seneca’s corpses. With these translations, Seneca’s corpses were later received and transformed by playwrights such as Kyd, Shakespeare, and Marlowe. My analysis demonstrates the acute attention the translators paid to the corpse in Seneca’s dramas, but also suggests how such works insinuate ongoing post-Reformation concerns about the body’s status after death. In so doing, this essay provides a deeper understanding of the presence of the body—especially the corpse—in early modern English drama by looking at Heywood, Studley’s theatrical corpses. Overall, I argue that we can see how the dead body functions as dramatic device: reflecting not only the influence of Seneca, but also early modern England’s cultural fascination over the corpse and the potential for the theatre to stage such concerns spectacularly.
An Analysis of Deflection-Based Wormhole Routing with Virtual Channels

We analyze a new wormhole routing scheme, which we call the wormhole deflection with virtual channels (abbreviated WDVC) scheme, that combines wormhole routing with virtual channels and deflection routing to provide efficient lossless communication. We use new analytical models to analyze the performance of the WDVC scheme for the Manhattan Street (MS) network topology. In particular, we examine the effect of the traffic load and the number of virtual channels on the throughput and the length of paths followed by the worms, and compare the analytical results obtained with corresponding simulation results. Our results indicate that wormhole deflections combined with virtual channels is efficient under both light and heavy traffic loads, especially when the number of virtual channels on a link is large.
Some security issues of wireless systems

Wireless systems have found wide acceptance in many industries such as military and healthcare. These systems appear under a variety of architectures including fixed networks, cellular networks, and ad hoc networks. We survey some security problems, of interest to researchers, in wireless systems when used in these environments. Most studies of the security of these systems emphasize cryptographic aspects, we concentrate on other security aspects, such as operating systems, access control, web services, and location awareness.
Continuous Functions and Parallel Algorithms on Concrete Data Structures

We report progress in two closely related lines of research: the semantic study of sequentially and parallelism, and the development of a theory of intensional semantics. We generalize Kahn and Plotkin's concrete data structures to obtain a cartesian closed category of generalized concrete data structures and continuous functions. The generalized framework continues to support a definition of sequential functions. Using this ccc as an extensional framework, we define an intensional framework — a ccc of generalized concrete data structures and parallel algorithms. This construction is an instance of a more general and more widely applicable category-theoretic approach to intensional semantics, encapsulating a notion of intensional behavior as a computational comonad, and employing the co-Kleisli category as an intensional framework. We discuss the relationship between parallel algorithms and continuous functions, and supply some operational intuition for the parallel algorithms. We show that our parallel algorithms may be seen as a generalization of Berry and Curien's sequential algorithms.
Interactive Learning – Interactive Learning: Twenty Years Later

It is always interesting to read what one has written many years ago. In this case the paper was initially given as an invited lecture to the American Association of Physics Teachers, the Millikan lecture. Then it was reprinted with several other papers of mine in Robert Taylor’s book, (The Computer in School: Tutor, Tool, Tutee, 1980) in the section that discusses the use of the computer as a tutor. So I welcome the chance to show my current views, and I hope the future perspective. The organization is as follows. I will first review what I regard as the current state of learning in schools today. Then I will consider the role and effectiveness of computers in schools now. My third consideration will be the bad prediction I made at the beginning of the article. Finally, I will discuss what I see as the future of learning and the role computers play. Given my constraints, this discussion will be brief, but I will also give recent additional references that expand these views in much more detail.
Modeling Aircraft Wing Loads from Flight Data Using Neural Networks

Neural networks were used to model wing bending-moment loads, torsion loads, and control surface hinge-moments of the Active Aeroelastic Wing (AAW) aircraft. Accurate loads models are required for the development of control laws designed to increase roll performance through wing twist while not exceeding load limits. Inputs to the model include aircraft rates, accelerations, and control surface positions. Neural networks were chosen to model aircraft loads because they can account for uncharacterized nonlinear effects while retaining the capability to generalize. The accuracy of the neural network models was improved by first developing linear loads models to use as starting points for network training. Neural networks were then trained with flight data for rolls, loaded reversals, wind-up-turns, and individual control surface doublets for load excitation. Generalization was improved by using gain weighting and early stopping. Results are presented for neural network loads models of four wing loads and four control surface hinge moments at Mach 0.90 and an altitude of 15,000 ft. An average model prediction error reduction of 18.6 percent was calculated for the neural network models when compared to the linear models. This paper documents the input data conditioning, input parameter selection, structure, training, and validation of the neural network models.
Herzinfarktnetzwerk Region Augsburg (HERA)

Das Register des Herzinfarktnetzwerks Region Augsburg (HERA) untersucht prognostisch relevante Therapiezeitintervalle nach (uber)regionaler Netzwerketablierung zur Akutintervention bei ST-Strecken-Hebungsinfarkt (STEMI) an einem Maximalversorgungshaus in gemischt stadtisch-landlicher Struktur. Es wurden 250 konsekutive STEMI-Patienten vom 1.5.2007 bis 15.5.2008 eingeschlossen. Prognostisch relevante Therapiezeitintervalle sowie das Vorhandensein eines 12-Kanal-Elektrokardiogramms (EKG) und die Medikation am Einsatzort wurden von Not- bzw. Klinikarzten standardisiert dokumentiert. Die „pain-to-contact time“ betrug im Median 71 min, die „contact-to-door time“ (C2DT) 56 min, die „door-to-balloon time“ (D2BT) 65 min und die „contact-to-balloon time“ 121 min. Insgesamt 80% der Patienten mit primarer Notarztversorgung hatten eine D2BT von 75% aller Patienten wird bereits erfullt. Eine weitere Reduktion der D2BT ware moglich, insbesondere durch direkte Patientenubergabe durch den Notarzt im Herzkatheterlabor. Dies setzt jedoch die verlassliche STEMI-Diagnose am Einsatzort mittels 12-Kanal-EKG voraus.
Cux2-positive radial glial cells generate diverse subtypes of neocortical projection neurons and macroglia.

Summary We recently published genetic lineage-tracing experiments using the Fezf2 and Cux2 loci. These experiments demonstrated that at both the clonal and population levels Fezf2 + RGCs are multipotent and that at the population level Cux2 + RGCs are multipotent. Here, we extend our work on the lineages of Fezf2 + and Cux2 + RGCs. Clonal analysis of E10.5 neocortical progenitors suggests that most, if not all, Cux2 + and Fezf2 + RGCs generate diverse projection neuron subtypes located throughout layers 2–6. These results support our previous conclusion that both Fezf2 + and Cux2 + RGCs are multipotent neocortical progenitors. This Matters Arising Response paper addresses the Gil-Sanz et al. (2015) Matters Arising paper, published concurrently in Neuron .
A Supersonic Linear Motor Accelerator For An Introduction To Pulse Power

Educational pulse power concepts are presented through the construction and demonstration of a linear motor accelerator. Multi-student projects typically begin with a 50 cm long accelerator which launches 2.2 g, 3.8 cm wide split aluminum wire loop armatures (split to allow radial magnetic forces which ensure brush contact in this low voltage system) once every 6 seconds (the manual reload and surge charging time). Energy is supplied by a 280 V, 0.25 F electrolytic capacitor bank (9,800 J, 70 C) yielding 40 kA peak, critically damped pulses with an effective time width of 1.8 ins (70C). A thin gap (0.3 cm) flux meter technique was employed to determine the flux between the permanent magnets over the acceleration distance. The projects are utilized to introduce fundamental concepts of pulse power. The magnetic force is determined by current * width * magnetic flux density. The work done is determined by the previous magnetic force * length = maximum kinetic energy. The theoretical maximum velocity = (2 * current * flux/mass)/sup 0.5/ = 700 m/s with a supplemental one turn loop. Experimentally, velocities of 540 m/s (320 J) were determined by the sequential breaking of two foil contacts. This would result from a force of 630 N and an acceleration of 290,000 m/s/sup 2/ .
A Computer Interfaced Time-Resolved Luminescence Imaging System

Time-resolved luminescence imaging using a computer-interfaced gateable digital camera is shown to be useful for laser fingerprint development on strongly luminescent substrates. The system design is optimized for rare earth fingerprint treatment chemistry. System specifications are detailed and operation is discussed. Other potential applications include DNA typing and bioassay.
Isolation of a novel histone deacetylase reveals that class I and class II deacetylases promote SMRT-mediated repression

The transcriptional corepressor SMRT functions by mediating the repressive effect of transcription factors involved in diverse signaling pathways. The mechanism by which SMRT represses basal transcription has been proposed to involve the indirect recruitment of histone deacetylase HDAC1 via the adaptor mSin3A. In contrast to this model, a two-hybrid screen on SMRT-interacting proteins resulted in the isolation of the recently described HDAC5 and a new family member termed HDAC7. Molecular and biochemical results indicate that this interaction is direct and in vivo evidence colocalizes SMRT, mHDAC5, and mHDAC7 to a distinct nuclear compartment. Surprisingly, HDAC7 can interact with mSin3A in yeast and in mammalian cells, suggesting association of multiple repression complexes. Taken together, our results provide the first evidence that SMRT-mediated repression is promoted by class I and class II histone deacetylases and that SMRT can recruit class II histone deacetylases in a mSin3A-independent fashion.
An overhanging 3' terminus is a conserved feature of telomeres.

Abstract The reactivity of single-stranded thymidines with osmium tetraoxide was used to demonstrate the existence of a terminal overhang of the G-rich strand of telomeres from two distantly related eucaryotes, the ciliated protozoan Tetrahymena spp. and the acellular slime mold Didymium spp. Conservation of a G-strand overhang at the molecular terminus of telomeres is consistent with our suggestion that an unusual DNA structure formed by the G-strand overhang is important for telomere function (E. Henderson, C. C. Hardin, S. K. Wolk, I. Tinoco Jr., and E. H. Blackburn, Cell 51:899-908, 1987).
NMMI: A Mass Compactness Measure for Spatial Pattern Analysis of Areal Features

Spatial pattern analysis plays an important role in geography for understanding geographical phenomena, identifying causes, and predicting future trends. Traditional pattern analysis tools assess cluster or dispersed patterns of geographical features based on the distribution of nonspatial attributes. These metrics ignore the shape of spatial objects—a critical consideration. The study of shape analysis, on the other hand, measures the compactness, elongation, or convexity of an areal feature based merely on geometry, without considering patterns of its attribute distribution. This article reports our efforts in developing a new pattern analysis method called the normalized mass moment of inertia (NMMI) that integrates both shape and nonspatial attributes into the analysis of compactness patterns. The NMMI is based on a well-known concept in physics—the mass moment of inertia—and is capable of detecting the degree of concentration or diffusion of some continuous attribute on an areal feature. We termed th...
On the photostationary state assumption in the atmospheric nitric oxide-nitrogen dioxide-ozone system

Abstract Using a parcel remixing scheme, Seinfeld demonstrated that a lack of mixing in the atmosphere can lead to deviations from photostationarity. This note shows that if the photostationary-state assumption is valid within each parcel of air, then the correlation between nitric oxide and ozone in the air parcels directly determines the apparent deviation from photostationarity without having to invoke parcel remixing. The normalized photostationary-state ratio, θ, can be greater than, equal to, or less than unity when the correlation is less than, equal to or greater than zero. That is, θ tends to be less than one in the presence of pockets of clean (low in NO and O3) and polluted (high in NO and O3) air, and greater than one in the presence of NO-rich and O3-rich parcels. In order to rigorously test the local photostationary-state assumption, it is necessary to make simultaneous measurements of O3, NO, and NO2, using sensors with a response time less than the time in which different air parcels are encountered.
MRI for development of disease-modifying osteoarthritis drugs.

MRI has advantages as an imaging modality for drug development through its potential to provide information regarding localized morphological parameters, in addition to metrics of the structural and molecular state of cartilage. These metrics have the potential to provide earlier indications of pathology and may progress more rapidly than radiographic measures. These combined scans of localized morphology and matrix parameters will most likely provide a fuller assessment of cartilage state and will improve the cost and practicality of an overall evaluation of cartilage status by MRI. In the first part of this review, the relevant parameters are presented in terms of the information content they might provide in the drug development process. In the second part, applications of the MRI parameters in preclinical and clinical drug development are presented. Copyright © 2006 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Multiwalled carbon nanotubes induce altered morphology and loss of barrier function in human bronchial epithelium at noncytotoxic doses

Multiwalled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs) have seen increasing application in consumer products over the past decade, resulting in an increasing risk of human exposure. While numerous toxicological studies have been performed using acute high doses of various carbonaceous nanomaterials, the effects of longer-term, low doses of MWCNTs remain relatively unexplored. This study examined bronchoscopy-derived healthy human bronchial epithelial cells exposed in submerged culture to noncytotoxic doses of MWCNTs over 7 days. Under these conditions, doses as low as 3 μg/mL caused altered cell morphology, superficially resembling fibroblasts. Electrical impedance of the epithelial monolayer was greatly reduced following MWCNT exposure. However, Western blot and polymerase chain reaction showed no elevated expression of the fibroblast markers, vimentin, α-smooth muscle actin, or fibronectin, indicating that a mechanism other than epithelial-mesenchymal transition may be responsible for the changes. Phalloidin and tubulin immunostaining showed disruption of the cytoskeleton, and confocal imaging showed a reduction of the tight junction proteins, zona occludens 1 and occludin. We propose that MWCNTs interfere with the cytoskeleton of the lung epithelium, which can result in a harmful reduction in barrier function over time, even at noncytotoxic doses.
Different behavioral patterns of the earthworms Octolasion tyrtaeum and Diplocardia spp. in tallgrass prairie soils: potential influences on plant growth

This study addressed differences between Diplocardia spp. (a native North American earthworm) and Octolasion tyrtaeum (an introduced European species), with respect to behavior, influence on soil microbial biomass, and plant uptake of N in tallgrass prairie soils. We manipulated earthworms in PVC-encased soil cores (20 cm diameter) over a 45-day period under field conditions. Treatments included: (1) control with no earthworms, (2) Diplocardia spp. only, and (3) O. tyrtaeum only. Prior to addition of earthworms, seedlings of Andropogon gerardii (a dominant tallgrass) were established in each core, and a dilute solution of 13C-labeled glucose and 15N-labeled (NH4)2SO4 was added to the soil to facilitate examination of earthworm/microbe/plant interactions. We found that Diplocardia spp. were significantly more active than O. tyrtaeum, and quickly assimilated 13C and 15N from the tracer. Individuals of Diplocardia spp. were present at shallower soil depths than O. tyrtaeum throughout the study. Contrary to expectation, this greater activity of Diplocardia spp. did not result in increased plant productivity. Rather, the activity of Diplocardia spp. was associated with less plant growth and smaller amounts of N acquired by A. gerardii seedlings compared to controls or O. tyrtaeum treatments. We observed few significant influences of earthworm treatments on microbial biomass C or N pool sizes, but the microbial C/N ratio was consistently greater in the presence of Diplocardia spp. relative to O. tyrtaeum. Results of this study indicate that activity of earthworms may enhance competition for N between microbes and plants during the growing season in tallgrass prairie.