cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Efficient and scalable multi-geography route planning

This paper considers the problem of Multi-Geography Route Planning (MGRP) where the geographical information may be spread over multiple heterogeneous interconnected maps. We first design a flexible and scalable representation to model individual geographies and their interconnections. Given such a representation, we develop an algorithm that exploits precomputation and caching of geographical data for path planning. A utility-based approach is adopted to decide which paths to precompute and store. To validate the proposed approach we test the algorithm over the workload of a campus level evacuation simulation that plans evacuation routes over multiple geographies: indoor CAD maps, outdoor maps, pedestrian and transportation networks, etc. The empirical results indicate that the MGRP algorithm with the proposed utility based caching strategy significantly outperforms the state of the art solutions when applied to a large university campus data under varying conditions.
The effect of atropine on cardiac arrhythmias and conduction. Part 2

Abstract The effects of atropine on various components of the specialized conduction system of the heart and the myocardium itself are reviewed. These actions are sometimes unpredictable or paradoxical, depending on the component showing the dominant effect and the health of the entire system. Atropine is best known for its chronotropic effect. Improved sinoatrial conduction has been demonstrated but the effect on the refractoriness of atrial muscle is unsettled. Atropine stimulates the atrioventricular (A-V) junctional pacemaker and facilitates conduction through the A-V node. The response of the subjunctional portion of the specialized conduction system to the drug is unpredictable and controversial in some respects. Atropine is useful in the diagnosis of sinus node dysfunction, in the evaluation of coronary artery disease during atrial pacing, and in attempting to produce normal conduction in patients with the Wolff-Parkinson-White Syndrome. Its principal therapeutic application is in correcting the hypotension-bradycardia syndrome occurring during acute myocardial infarction. It also has a role in the temporary management of sinus node dysfunction. Atropine may also cause arrhythmias, including atrial fibrillation, A-V dissociation, ventricular tachycardia, and ventricular fibrillation. The clinical settings in which atropine may be arrhythmogenic are discussed.
Corn germ protein flour as an extender in broiled beef patties.

Beef patties were extended at levels of 10, 20, and 30% of the uncooked weight with hydrated defatted corn germ protein flour (CGPF). Extended patties had lower cooking losses and higher cooked yields than control patties. Adding CGPF did not affect moisture or fat contents in broiled patties, but lowered protein content. The amino acid composition of experimental patties was comparable to that of the control. The water-holding capacity and pH of raw patties increased with increasing levels of added CGPF. Incorporation of CGPF affected sensory characteristics of the product; meaty aroma and flavor of all-meat patties was significantly higher than experimental samples and decreased with an increase in added CGPF. CGPF has potential use as an extender in coarsely ground meats.
Abnormalities of Cornified Cell Envelopes Isolated from Human Papillomavirus Type 11-Infected Genital Epithelium

Keratinocytes are the predominant cells in human skin. As keratinocytes differentiate, the nuclei are lost and the cornified cell envelope (CCE) develops, forming a covalently cross-linked, insoluble structure under the cell membrane. Layers of anuclear CCEs in the stratum corneum provide a barrier against water loss and mechanical damage and are a first line of immunologic defense. Infection of keratinocytes with human papillomaviruses (HPVs) induces proliferation and abnormalities including retention of nuclei in the stratum corneum and perinuclear halo formation. For effective transmission, HPV virions must be released from the CCE, a normally very durable structure. Therefore, it is likely that HPV infection affects the CCE in a manner that would facilitate virion release. To investigate the effects of HPV 11 infection on morphology and fragility, CCEs were purified from infected and uninfected epithelium. CCEs isolated from uninfected epithelium were smooth, cuboidal, and sonicated into long coiled structures. In contrast, CCEs from HPV 11-infected epithelium were irregular in size and shape, with rough edges, and sonicated into small fragments. In addition, the thickness of CCEs from HPV 11-infected tissue was 65% that of uninfected epithelium. Immunohistochemical analysis demonstrated that in contrast to uninfected epithelium, loricrin, the major component of the CCE, was abnormally distributed in the differentiated layers of HPV 11-infected epithelium. We conclude that in addition to the previously described epithelial abnormalities induced by HPV, the CCE is also affected by infection in ways that may facilitate transmission of virus from person to person.
Poverty and Disability: Addressing the Challenge of Inequality.

Living in poverty increases the likelihood that students with disabilities will experience poor postschool outcomes, including unemployment, underemployment, and limited postsecondary education. The effects of the intersection of poverty and disability persist into adulthood where the employment rate for adults with disabilities is only one fourth that of individuals without disabilities. For close to 50 years, federal legislation has attempted to address the educational and economic disparities faced by students with disabilities and those growing up in poverty. In keeping with the focus of the civil rights movement and the Occupy Wall Street protests on the social and economic inequalities prevalent in the United States, policy directly addressing educational inequities is recommended to improve the daily lives and postschool outcomes of students with disabilities and those who are living in poverty.
Lost history versus good science.

The historical context in which a scientific paper is published is an important factor that should not be overlooked, suggest Qian Wang and Chris Toumey.
The State and International Development Management: Shifting Tides, Changing Boundaries, and Future Directions

Today’s global concerns with poverty, instability, and terrorism link international development and security in unprecedented ways and assemble new actors in the foreign policy arena. The lessons of past experience need to better inform current policy and practice. The evolution of thinking on the role of the state, the citizen, and international development management provides clues regarding what works and what research questions remain to be answered. Institutional barriers to cooperation and shared learning need to be overcome, along with tendencies to revert to earlier, simplistic management approaches to solving international development problems.
Regulation of dense core vesicle release from PC12 cells by interaction between the D2 dopamine receptor and calcium-dependent activator protein for secretion (CAPS).

Abstract We identified CAPS1 (calcium-dependent activator protein for secretion) as a D2 dopamine receptor interacting protein (DRIP) in a yeast two-hybrid screen of a human brain library using the second intracellular domain of the human D2 receptor (D2IC2). CAPS1 is an evolutionarily conserved calcium binding protein essential for late-stage exocytosis of neurotransmitters from synaptic terminals. CAPS1 interaction was confirmed for both the long and short isoforms of the D2 receptor, but not with any other dopamine receptor subtype. Interaction between CAPS1 and the D2 receptor was validated using both pulldown and coimmunoprecipitation assays. Deletion mapping localized the D2 receptor binding site to a segment located within the C-terminal region of CAPS1 as well CAPS2. In PC12 cells, CAPS1 and D2 receptors were found to colocalize within both cytosolic and plasma membrane compartments. Overexpression of a truncated D2 receptor fragment caused a significant decrease in K + -evoked dopamine release from PC12 cells, whereas no effect on norepinephrine or BDNF release was observed. These results suggest that D2 dopamine receptors may modulate vesicle release from neuroendocrine cells via direct interaction with components of the exocytotic machinery
Academic Libraries as Digital Gateways: Linking Students to the Burgeoning Wealth of Open Online Collections

Digital collections of full-text e-books are proliferating on the Web and provide a wealth of open content for students. To examine whether academic libraries are providing a digital gateway to these resources, ten e-book titles from open digital collections were searched in the online catalogs and Web pages of ten academic libraries serving distance learners. Only three of the digital collection e-books were available from any of the library catalogs, and none were found on library Web pages. Availability of the ten e-book titles through Google and other digital discovery tools also had mixed results. Continued projects for improved delivery of open online content are necessary. In order to fulfill their role as digital gateways for their academic communities, libraries must pursue metadata standards to support cross-searching, collaborative projects, and development of e-resource search software, which integrates with the library catalog.
Social skills and depression in adolescent substance abusers.

Abstract The present study provided an assessment of social skills and depression in adolescent substance abusers hospitalized in an inpatient psychiatric setting. Level of social skill was evaluated using the Adolescent Assertion Expression Scale and the Loneliness Scale. Depression and related problems were examined through administration of the Beck Depression Inventory, Beck Hopelesness Scale, and the Rosenberg Self-Esteem Scale. Comparisons with normative values and clinical cut-offs (by gender) indicated that female adolescent substance abusers were less submissive and more aggressive than normative counterparts; male substance abusers exhibited less assertiveness. In addition, mild to moderate levels of depression were evident in both female and male substance abusers. Further, results of correlational analyses revealed several significant relationships between measures of social skills and depression. Results are discussed in terms of: (a) the need for finer grained analyses of social functioning in adolescent substance abusers, (b) the potential value of skills intervention for a subgroup of these individuals, and (c) the need for longitudinal data to more clearly explicate patterns and sequencing of social (mal)adjustment, affective disorder, and onset of substance abuse in this population.
Synergistic effect of storage pool deficient platelets and low plasma von willebrand factor on the severity of the hemorrhagic diathesis in hermansky-pudlak syndrome

A study of 565 Puerto Rican patients with storage pool deficient (SPD) Hermansky-Pudlak syndrome (HPS) demonstrated that most HPS patients had minor bleeding episodes while others had repeated, severe hemorrhagic episodes requiring transfusion. The severity of bleeding in these latter patients could not be attributed to their SPD alone. As swine with SPD platelets and low von Willebrand factor antigen (vWF:Ag) have more severe hemorrhages than pigs with either defect alone, 146 albino patients and 46 normally pigmented patients were examined for their level of vWF:Ag. The risk of SPD HPS patients having severe, repeated bleeding episodes increased when vWF:Ag fell below 70 U/dL. Family studies indicated that low vWF:Ag levels were more frequently associated with O blood group than from a gene suppressing production or release of vWF1. HPS patients should be tested for vWF:Ag levels.
An Economic Analysis of the Performance of Three Sizes of Catfish Ictalurus punctatus Fingerlings Understocked in Multiple‐Batch Production

.— Different sizes of catfish fingerlings understocked in multiple-batch production may result in different survival, yield, cost, and economic risk. A pond production study was conducted to compare net yield, growth, survival, costs, and economic risk of understocking 7.6-cm, 12.7-cm. or 17.8-cm channel catfish Ictalurus punctatus fingerlings in growout ponds. Fingerlings were understocked at 15,000/ha with 1,369 kg/ha carryover fish averaging 0.58 kg. Mean growth rate increased significantly with size of fingerling understocked (1.4 ± 0.2 g/d, 1.8 ± 0.07 g/ d, and 2.2 ± 0.06 g/d for 7.6-cm, 12.7-cm, and 17.8-cm understocked fingerlings, respectively). Mean individual weights at harvest also increased significantly with size at stocking but none of the understocked fingerlings reached minimum market size (0.57 kg) over the 201-d study period. Survival of the smallest (7.6-cm) understocked fingerlings was significantly lower, but there was no difference in survival between the two other treatments. Net yields were highest for the two treatments understocked with 12.7- and 17.8-cm catfish and significantly lower for the treatment understocked with 7.6-cm fish. Growth of large carryover fish was significantly less in the treatment understocked with 17.8-cm fingerlings. Breakeven production costs were highest for the treatment understocked with 7.6-cm fish and lower for the other two treatments. The risk analysis showed that it was very likely that the 12.7- and 17.8-cm understocked fish could be grown profitably (very little risk of costs exceeding $ 1.32/kg—$1.65/kg). However, the risk of growing out 7.6-cm understocked fish at costs above market prices increased sharply. This static analysis indicated that the preferred size to understock in growout ponds would be 12.7 cm; however, additional work is needed in a dynamic framework to quantify the benefit of 17.8-cm fingerlings reaching market size earlier in the second year.
Benthic organic carbon degradation and biogenic silica dissolution in the central equatorial Pacific

Abstract Shipboard whole-core squeezing was used to measure pore water concentration vs depth profiles of NO3−, O2 and SiO2 at 12 stations in the equatorial Pacific along a transect from 15°S to 11°N at 135°W. The NO3− and SiO2 profiles were combined with fine-scale resistivity and porosity measurements to calculate benthic fluxes. After using O2 profiles, coupled with the NO3− profiles, to constrain the C:N of the degrading organic matter, the NO3− fluxes were converted to benthic organic carbon degradation rates. The range in benthic organic carbon degradation rates is 7–30 μmol cm−2 y−1, with maximum values at the equator and minimum values at the southern end of the transect. The zonal trend of benthic degradation rates, with its equatorial maximum and with elevated values skewed to the north of the equator, is similar to the pattern of primary production observed in the region. Benthic organic carbon degradation is 1–2% of primary production. The range of benthic biogenic silica dissolution rates is 6.9–20 μmol cm−2 y−1, representing 2.5–5% of silicon fixation in the surface ocean of the region. Its zonal pattern is distinctly different from that of organic carbon degradation: the range in the ratio of silica dissolution to carbon degradation along the transect is 0.44–1.7 mol Si mol C−1, with maximum values occurring between 12°S and 2°S, and with fairly constant values of 0.5–0.7 north of the equator. A box model calculation of the average lifetime of the organic carbon in the upper 1 cm of the sediments, where 80 ± 11% of benthic organic carbon degradation occurs, indicates that it is short: from 3.1 years at high flux stations to 11 years at low flux stations. The reactive component of the organic matter must have a shorter lifetime than this average value. In contrast, the average lifetime of biogenic silica in the upper centimeter of these sediments is 55 ± 28 years, and shows no systematic variations with benthic flux.
Two Proteins of Gene A of ϕX174

GENE A of the single strand DNA phages ϕX174 and S13 is the only phage gene required for the replication of the double stranded replicative form (RF) after the complementary strand of DNA is synthesized upon the infecting single strand DNA1–3. It is a cis acting gene, double infection with gene A mutants and mutants in the other phage genes fail to rescue mutant A phage4, suggesting that gene A products can only function upon the genome from which they are synthesized. Gene A is necessary for the detection of a cis related viral strand specific discontinuity in the parental RF5. The gene A region of the ϕX174 genome has been suggested to contain the origin of DNA replication6 and genetic evidence has been presented to support the model that gene A produces two proteins, A and A′ (molecular weight 35,000 and 60–65,000, respectively)7.
V-Miner: using enhanced parallel coordinates to mine product design and test data

Analyzing data to find trends, correlations, and stable patterns is an important task in many industrial applications. This paper proposes a new technique based on parallel coordinate visualization. Previous work on parallel coordinate methods has shown that they are effective only when variables that are correlated and/or show similar patterns are displayed adjacently. Although current parallel coordinate tools allow the user to manually rearrange the order of variables, this process is very time-consuming when the number of variables is large. Automated assistance is required. This paper introduces an edit-distance based technique to rearrange variables so that interesting change patterns can be easily detected visually. The Visual Miner (V-Miner) software includes both automated methods for visualizing common patterns and a query tool that enables the user to describe specific target patterns to be mined or displayed by the system. In addition, the system can filter data according to rules sets imported from other data mining tools. This feature was found very helpful in practice, because it enables decision makers to visually identify interesting rules and data segments for further analysis or data mining. This paper begins with an introduction to the proposed techniques and the V-Miner system. Next, a case study illustrates how V-Miner has been used at Motorola to guide product design and test decisions.
Large space observatories of the 21st century

Early in the 21st century, advanced space telescopes will be readied to continue the astronomical observations of the Great Observatories currently under development. This paper describes representative concepts from the very large UV/optical and gamma-ray telescopes under study by NASA, the scientific community, and industry. These studies demonstrate that historical approaches to improving the resolution and sensitivity of space telescopes have reached technology barriers which can only be overcome by innovative solutions to the telescope design. Some of the key technology issues which are guiding the approaches for advanced space telescopes are discussed, and arguments are presented that enabling technology development for these future systems must commence now.
Acute-on-Chronic Liver Failure: What are the Implications?

Acute-on-chronic liver failure (ACLF) is a clinical entity that is well recognized by those who care for patients with cirrhosis, however in spite of this widespread recognition, there remains little consensus with regard to definition and clinical features. While many similarities exist between ACLF and decompensated cirrhosis, there are also key differences, the implications of which are far reaching for both clinicians and patients alike. Among these differences are the possibility of a reversible component, the presence of a defined insult, prognosis, and outcomes associated with ACLF (see Fig. 1). However, for ACLF to have meaningful clinical implications, it first must be defined. If ACLF can be clearly defined and more easily recognized, then clinicians may be better able to prevent, treat, prognosticate, and counsel such patients.
Low, moderate, or high protein yogurt snacks on appetite control and subsequent eating in healthy women

This study assessed whether afternoon snacks, varying in protein content, influence appetite-control and eating initiation. Fifteen healthy women (age: 26 ± 2 y) randomly consumed 160 kcal afternoon yogurt snacks containing Low (LP), Moderate (MP), or High (HP) protein (5,14,24 g protein, respectively) or had no snack (NS) for 3 days. On day 4, the volunteers came to our facility to consume a standardized lunch. The respective snack pattern was completed 3h post-lunch. Perceived sensations were measured every 30 min until dinner was voluntarily requested. An ad libitum dinner was then provided. Snacking, regardless of protein content, led to reduced hunger and increased fullness, which were sustained up to 120 min post-snack vs. NS (all, p<0.05). Between snacks, hunger was lower and fullness was higher throughout post-snack following HP vs. LP (p<0.05). Snacking delayed the onset of eating vs. NS (all, p<0.05). Specifically, dinner was requested at 124 ± 7 min following NS, 152 ± 7 min with LP, 158 ± 7 min following MP, and 178 ± 7 min post-snack for HP. Between snacks, HP led to the latest request time vs. LP (p<0.001) and MP (p<0.05). Although the energy content consumed at dinner was lower following the yogurt snacks vs. NS, the 160 kcal snacks were not fully compensated for at this meal. In conclusion, an afternoon snack of Greek yogurt, containing 24 g protein, led to reduced hunger, increased fullness, and delayed subsequent eating compared to lower protein snacks in healthy women.
Problems and Prospects of Jewish Education for Intelligent Citizenship in a Post-Everything World.

Judaism, Jewish life, the Jewish people—indeed, almost all facets of the Jewish experience—are in a postmodern, post-denominational, post-ethnic, post-Zionist, post-diaspora, or what may simply be called a “post-everything” age. Studies show that post-everything youth in general are less concerned with national/ethnic/religious identification than prior generations were, sparking debate among Jewish educators of whether identity and continuity are sufficient justifications for Jewish education anymore. This conceptual study enters the conversation by interrogating the relationship between citizenship education and identity formation historically and contemporarily. In the end, the author argues that a new paideia is in order that is attuned to the concerns of Generation Next. In place of “Jewish citizenship education,” which aimed to prepare Jewish youth to make contributions to the growth and perpetuation of the Jewish community, the author proposes “Jewish cosmopolitan education,” which prepares Jewish ...
Rainfall Shocks and Within-Community Wealth Inequality: Evidence from Rural Ethiopia

Summary Household-level impacts of environmental shocks are often negative, but may vary considerably due to heterogeneous vulnerability. This paper considers how differential vulnerability among households affects inequality within rural communities in Ethiopia. This study makes novel use of the Demographic and Health Surveys (DHS) and a NASA agro-climatology dataset. Results show that rainfall deficits have an equalizing effect on within-community livestock inequality in parts of Ethiopia, but regional differences are observed. A non-significant effect is observed with respect to asset inequality. As an initial study on this topic, this paper outlines an agenda for future data collection and analysis efforts.
Calculus of variations for functionals containing compositions

Discrete time dynamical systems generated by the iteration of nonlinear maps provide simple and interesting examples of chaotic systems. But what is the physical principle behind the emergence of these maps? In this note we present an approach to this problem by extremizing a Hamiltonian functional defined on spaces of chaotic functions and their invariant measures. We derive a generalized Euler–Lagrange equation that contains a new term involving inverse images of the extremizing map. A number of examples are presented.
Serotonergic and glutamatergic neurons at the ventral medullary surface of the human infant: Observations relevant to central chemosensitivity in early human life.

Central chemoreception is the mechanism by which the brain detects the level of carbon dioxide (CO2) in the arterial blood and alters breathing accordingly in order to maintain it within physiological levels. The ventral surface of the medulla oblongata (VMS) of animals has long been recognized as a site of chemosensitivity, culminating in the recent identification of chemosensitive serotonergic (5-HT) and glutamatergic (Glut) neurons in this region. In this study, we analyzed the distribution of 5-HT and Glut neurons and their receptors in the arcuate nucleus (Arc) at the VMS of the human infant, using single-and double-label immunohistochemistry with specific antibodies. We also examined the expression of astrocytes, as experimental evidence suggests that astrocytes mediate, at least in part, central chemosensitivity via 5-HT and/or Glut receptors. We identified a small number of 5-HT neurons (approximately 5% of Arc neurons), distributed over the entire extent of the VMS, a large number of Glut neurons (approximately 95% of Arc neurons) that localized almost exclusively to the medial Arc, and a large number of astrocytes distributed across the entire extent of the VMS. The Arc also contained 5-HT1A, kainate (GluR5), and 5-HT2A receptors, which localized predominantly to 5-HT neurons, glutamate neurons and astrocytes, respectively. Astrocytes also expressed the vesicular glutamate transporter 2 and low levels of 5-HT1A and kainate (GluR5) receptors, indicating that astrocytes may store and release glutamate, possibly in response to stimulation by 5-HT and/or Glut. These observations suggest that important functional interactions exist between 5-HT, glutamate, and astrocytes in the Arc. They also support the idea that the Arc is homologous to chemosensitive zones at the VMS in experimental animals. These data are important towards delineating the role of the human Arc in modulation of homeostasis, and its dysfunction in brainstem-associated pathologies such as the sudden infant death syndrome.
Education finance reform: A dynamic perspective

We use a dynamic Tiebout model to analyze the consequences of moving from a pure local system of education finance to a pure state system of finance in which each student receives the same resources. While much of the education finance literature focuses on the static or immediate effects of such a change, our analysis also examines the dynamic effects. Numerical simulations for a calibrated version of our model indicate that these dynamic effects are very important. Comparing steady states, we find that aggregate welfare increases on the order of 10 percent following the switch to a state system. The key to this welfare gain is that a local system yields inefficiently low investment in human capital of children from low-income families.
Defective synthesis of polyunsaturated phosphatidylcholines as the primary lesion in Duchenne and murine dy muscular dystrophies.

Abstract An impaired synthesis of highly unsaturated phosphatidylcholines of the sarcoplasmic reticulum is suggested to be the primary defect in Duchenne and murine dy muscular dystrophies. The lesion is proposed to occur at the level of de novo glycerophosphorylcholine synthesis. These phosphatidylcholine species are postulated to be required for the Ca2+ transport ATPase of this organelle.
Unlocking Australia's oil and gas reserve

A collaboration to unlock stranded offshore oil and gas reserves through improved underwater pipeline design was launched in Perth, Australia, on 31 October. Called the Wealth From Oceans National Research Flagship's Collaboration Cluster on Subsea Pipelines, the A$ll million program brings together the research capabilities of Australia's Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation (CSIRO) and six universities. With more than 80% of Australia's gas resources likely lying as far as 300 kilometers offshore at a depth greater than 1 kilometer, Flagship director Kate Wilson said that realizing the full potential of these resources requires developing economically viable and environmentally sound transportation technologies. “Projects will investigate seabed characterization and morphology, structural integrity, pipeline monitoring, geohazards, and full-life reliability. This will involve everything from sophisticated computer modeling and seafloor movement prediction to understanding tsunami effects and exploring the use of autonomous underwater and remotely operated vehicles.”
Genetic studies of stuttering in a founder population.

Abstract Genome-wide linkage and association analyses were conducted to identify genetic determinants of stuttering in a founder population in which 48 individuals affected with stuttering are connected in a single 232-person genealogy. A novel approach was devised to account for all necessary relationships to enable multipoint linkage analysis. Regions with nominal evidence for linkage were found on chromosomes 3 ( P = 0.013, 208.8 centiMorgans (cM)), 13 ( P = 0.012, 52.6 cM), and 15 ( P = 0.02, 100 cM). Regions with nominal evidence for association with stuttering that overlapped with a linkage signal are located on chromosomes 3 ( P = 0.0047, 195 cM), 9 ( P = 0.0067, 46.5 cM), and 13 ( P = 0.0055, 52.6 cM). We also conducted the first meta-analysis for stuttering using results from linkage studies in the Hutterites and The Illinois International Genetics of Stuttering Project and identified regions with nominal evidence for linkage on chromosomes 2 ( P = 0.013, 180–195 cM) and 5 ( P = 0.0051, 105–120 cM; P = 0.015, 120–135 cM). None of the linkage signals detected in the Hutterite sample alone, or in the meta-analysis, meet genome-wide criteria for significance, although some of the stronger signals overlap linkage mapping signals previously reported for other speech and language disorders. Educational objectives: After reading this article, the reader will be able to: (1) summarize information about the background of common disorders and methodology of genetic studies; (2) evaluate the role of genetics in stuttering; (3) discuss the value of using founder populations in genetic studies; (4) articulate the importance of combining several studies in a meta-analysis; (5) discuss the overlap of genetic signals identified in stuttering with other speech and language disorders.
Secondary and Tertiary Interferometric Wavelength Standards in the 1.5–2.5 μ Region*

Methods previously developed in this laboratory have been used to interferometrically measure the wavelengths of three absorption lines relative to the Hg 198 green line. The results are: P(1), 002–000 band of HCN, 15 345.2887 A in vacuum; R(15), 0111–000 band of HCN, 24 700.065 A in vacuum; R(18), 2–0 band of CO, 23 150.023 A in vacuum. The P(1) line is believed to have an absolute accuracy of 1 part in 107. The absolute accuracy of the other two lines is thought to be 1 part in 5×106.In addition, twenty-nine lines of the 002–000 band of HCN have been measured relative to P(1). The relative accuracy of these determinations is 1 part in 1.5×107.
Towards Observing Extrasolar Giant-Planet Environments with JWST

With its high Strehl ratio near- and mid-infrared imaging capabilities, wide field of view, and multiple spectroscopic options, the James Webb Space Telescope (JWST) will provide crucial information on the circumstellar environments of stars thought to harbor debris disks, brown dwarfs or extrasolar giant planets. However, the successful study of such faint targets around nearby, bright stars requires the effective removal of the target star's contribution from the image. In this work, we use simple models of the temporal behavior JWST's wavefront error of JWST over time to examine whether frequent measurements of that changing wavefront can be used to provide an effective point spread function subtraction for high-contrast imaging studies without use of coronagraphic techniques.
The Public Health Policy Implications of Understanding Metabiosis

In this issue of Cell Host & Microbe, Siegel et al. (2014) report that colonization of Streptococcus pneumoniae is facilitated by coinfection with influenza virus through utilization of sialic acids cleaved by the viral neuraminidase. The implications of this finding for use of influenza antivirals to prevent flu-related complications are discussed.
Morphology of poly[(t-butyl acrylate)-b-styrene-b-isobutylene-b-styrene-b-(t-butyl acrylate)] pentablock terpolymers and their thermal conversion to the acrylic acid form

The morphology of a synthesized poly[(tert-butyl acrylate)-b-styrene-b-isobutylene-b-styrene-(tert-butyl acrylate)] pentablock terpolymer was determined using transmission electron microscopy, atomic force microscopy and small angle X-ray scattering methods. The outer blocks of this material were converted to the acrylic acid form by a thermal process that caused a beta-scission reaction in a simple thermal process, as verified by FTIR and NMR spectroscopies as well as thermogravimetric analysis. An initial heat-vacuum treatment induced a morphology that was more disordered relative to the precursor material, but when these samples were recast in THF solvent and annealed again, a considerably more refined and ordered morphology consisting of hexagonally packed cylinders resulted. This simple heat treatment allows for the tert-butyl groups to be converted to acrylic acid groups without dissolving the polymer or further sample cleaning. A dynamic mechanical investigation of the PtBuA form revealed three or two relaxation features depending interpretations based on the presence of three-phase morphology or a two-phase morphology in which there are mixed hard block domains.
Research team integration: what it is and why it matters

Science policy across the world emphasizes the desirability of research teams that can integrate diverse perspectives and expertise into new knowledge, methods, and products. However, integration in research work is not well understood. Based on retrospective interviews with 55 researchers from 52 diverse research projects, we categorized teams as co-acting (50%), coordinated (15%), and integrated (35%). Integration, when it existed, usually began when PIs chose collaborators and pursued integration throughout the project. We describe researchers' experiences and research climates that discouraged or encouraged integration. Implications for policy choices and design include changes in team structuring and technology support.
Adjunct Classes: Teaching College Students Strategies for Learning from Texts

(1983). Adjunct Classes: Teaching College Students Strategies for Learning from Texts. Journal of College Reading and Learning: Vol. 16, No. 1, pp. 75-80.
Chemical bonds and momentum anisotropy in phase space

Abstract The Wigner and Husimi quantum phase space functions are used to examine anisotropy of the second moment of momentum tensor in the hydrogen atom and molecule. The results provide a better understanding of Coulson's bond directionality principle, and a basis for its application in polyatomic molecules. In the hydrogen atom the local momentum is preferentially oriented perpendicular to the radius vector. This is confirmed not only by examining this tensor for the Wigner function, but also for the Husimi function obtained numerically, so that results do not depend on a basis set. In the molecule, that part of the momentum anisotropy which does not come from an incoherent superposition of atomic contributions arises from the interaction of contributions from different centers.
Meeting Diverse Learning Needs: Differentiating Instruction in Graduate Early Childhood Mathematics Classes

This paper examines the strategies used, challenges faced and lessons learned in meeting the diverse learning needs of graduate initial certification and graduate certified teachers in the same cross-listed early childhood mathematics class. Questions investigated included “How can instructors best meet the learning needs of diverse candidates in the same class?” and “What are the candidates' opinions of attending classes with candidates with diverse amounts of teaching experience?” Candidate surveys, focus groups, candidate work and assessments were used to determine the most successful strategies to meet candidates' diverse learning needs. Using a differentiated instructional approach including knowing the candidates and their needs, scaffolding candidate learning and using a variety of grouping arrangements, were found to help candidates successfully benefit from a class that had a diversity of candidate needs.
Micro-bending induced tunable fiber gratings in single mode fiber

I will review recent progress in the micro-bending induced fiber gratings on cladding engineered and specialty single-mode fibers that leads to a number of novel all-fiber tunable devices for possible applications in dynamic optical networks.
Using photographs to enhance videos of a static scene

We present a framework for automatically enhancing videos of a static scene using a few photographs of the same scene. For example, our system can transfer photographic qualities such as high resolution, high dynamic range and better lighting from the photographs to the video. Additionally, the user can quickly modify the video by editing only a few still images of the scene. Finally, our system allows a user to remove unwanted objects and camera shake from the video. These capabilities are enabled by two technical contributions presented in this paper. First, we make several improvements to a state-of-the-art multiview stereo algorithm in order to compute view-dependent depths using video, photographs, and structure-from-motion data. Second, we present a novel image-based rendering algorithm that can re-render the input video using the appearance of the photographs while preserving certain temporal dynamics such as specularities and dynamic scene lighting.
Trace metal records of regional paleoenvironmental variability in Pennsylvanian (Upper Carboniferous) black shales

Abstract Regional geochemical differences within a laterally continuous, cyclic Pennsylvanian (Upper Carboniferous) shale in midcontinent North America are interpreted in light of models of glacioeustatic forcing and new views on water-column paleoredox stability and trace-metal behavior in black shale environments. Specifically, we characterize differences in transition metal (Fe, Mn, Mo, V, Ni, Zn, Pb and U) concentrations in black shales of the Hushpuckney Shale Member of the Swope Limestone in Iowa and equivalent black shale beds of the Coffeyville Formation in Oklahoma. Although C–S–Fe systematics and uniform 34 S-depleted isotope ratios of pyrite indicate pervasive euxinic deposition (anoxic and sulfidic bottom waters) for these shales, regional variations can be inferred for the efficiency of Mo scavenging and for the rates of siliciclastic sedimentation as expressed in spatially varying Fe/Al ratios. Black shales in Iowa show Mo enrichment roughly five times greater than that observed in coeval euxinic shales in Oklahoma. By contrast, Fe/Al ratios in Oklahoma shales are as much as five times greater than the continental ratio of 0.5 observed in the over- and underlying oxic facies and in the coeval black shales in Iowa. Recent work in modern marine settings has shown that enrichments in Fe commonly result from scavenging in a euxinic water column during syngenetic pyrite formation. In contrast to Fe, the concentrations of other transition metals (Mo, V, Ni, Pb, Zn, U) are typically more enriched in the black shales in Iowa relative to Oklahoma. The transition metal trends in these Paleozoic shales are reasonably interpreted in terms of early fixation in organic-rich sediments due to euxinic water-column conditions. However, regional variations in (1) rates of siliciclastic input, (2) organic reservoirs, including relative inputs of terrestrial versus marine organic matter, and (3) additional inputs of metals to bottom waters from contemporaneous hydrothermal vents are additional key controls that lead to geographic variation in the extent of metal enrichments preserved in ancient organic-rich sediments.
Let's Put the Seasonality and Trend in Decomposition

When discussing forecasting, most textbooks in management science or operations management explain that the values in a time series are a function of seasonality, trend, and random variation. Many textbooks have pictures depicting different patterns of data. We present a workbook that allows the user to manipulate a dynamic picture of these patterns and, in so doing, allows the user to examine the relationship between error measures and forecasting techniques for these different patterns. We also show a result regarding the relationship between the annual trend and the quarterly trend that surprises most of our students.
Localization and Recovery of Peripheral Neural Sources With Beamforming Algorithms

The peripheral nervous system carries sensory and motor information that could be useful as command signals for function restoration in areas such as neural prosthetics and functional electrical stimulation (FES). Nerve cuff electrodes provide a robust and safe technique for recording nerve signals. However, a method to separate and recover signals from individual fascicles is necessary. Prior knowledge of the electrode geometry was used to develop an algorithm which assumes neither signal independence nor detailed knowledge of the nerve's geometry/conductivity, and is applicable to any wide-band near-field situation. When used to recover fascicular activities from simulated nerve cuff recordings in a realistic human femoral nerve model, this beamforming algorithm separates signals as close as 1.5 mm with cross-correlation coefficient, R > 0.9 (10% noise). Ten simultaneous signals could be recovered from individual fascicles with only a 20% decrease in R compared to a single signal. At high noise levels (40%), sources were localized to 180 plusmn 170 mum in the 12 times 3 mm cuff. Localizing sources and using the resulting positions in the recovery algorithm yielded R = 0.66 plusmn 0.10 in 10% noise for five simultaneous muscle-activation signals from synergistic fascicles. These recovered signals should allow natural, robust, closed-loop control of multiple degree-of-freedom prosthetic devices and FES systems.
Discovery of Novel Second Mitochondria-Derived Activator of Caspase Mimetics as Selective Inhibitor of Apoptosis Protein Inhibitors

Inhibitor of apoptosis (IAP) proteins are widely considered as promising cancer drug targets, especially for drug-resistant tumors. Mimicking the IAP-binding motif of second mitochondria-derived activator of caspases (SMAC) is a rational strategy to design potential IAP inhibitors. In this report, we used the bioactive conformation of AVPI tetrapeptide in the N terminus of SMAC as a template and performed a shape-based virtual screening against a drug-like compound library to identify novel IAP inhibitors. Top hits were subsequently docked to available IAP crystal structures as a secondary screening followed by validation using in vitro biologic assays. Four novel hit compounds were identified to potently inhibit cell growth in two human melanoma (A375 and M14) and two human prostate (PC-3 and DU145) cancer cell lines. The best compound, UC-112 [5-((benzyloxy)methyl)-7-(pyrrolidin-1-ylmethyl)quinolin-8-ol], has IC50 values ranging from 0.7 to 3.4 µM. UC-112 also potently inhibits the growth of P-glycoprotein (P-gp)-overexpressed multidrug-resistant cancer cells, strongly activates caspase-3/7 and caspase-9 activities, and selectively downregulates survivin level at a concentration as low as 1 µM. Coincubation of UC-112 with a known proteasome inhibitor Z-Leu-Leu-Leu-CHO (MG-132) rescued survivin inhibition, consistent with the anticipated mechanism of action for UC-112. As a single agent, UC-112 strongly inhibits tumor growth and reduces both X chromosome-linked IAP and survivin levels in an A375 human melanoma xenograft model in vivo. Overall, our study identified novel scaffolds, especially UC-112, as new platforms on which potent and selective IAP antagonists can be developed.
SWSL: a synthetic workload specification language for real-time systems

We discuss the issues that must be addressed in the specification and generation of synthetic workloads for distributed real-time systems. We describe a synthetic workload specification language (SWSL) that defines a workload in a form that can be compiled by a synthetic workload generator (SWG) to produce an executable synthetic workload. The synthetic workload is then downloaded to the target machine and executed while performance and dependability measurements are made. SWSL defines the workload at the task level using a data flow graph, and at the operation level using control constructs and synthetic operations taken from a library. It is intended to be easy to use, flexible, and capable of creating synthetic workloads that are representative of real-time workloads. It provides a compact, parameterized notation. It supports automatic replication of objects to facilitate the specification of large workloads for distributed real-time systems. It also provides extensive support for the experimentation process. >
Impact of Future Remnant Liver Volume on Post-Hepatectomy Regeneration in Non-Cirrhotic Livers

Objective: The purpose of the study is to detect if some parameters can be considered as predictors of liver regeneration in two different patient populations composed of in living donors for adult to adult living donor liver transplant and patients with hepatic malignancies within a single institution.Summary Background Data: Preoperative multi-detector computed tomography volumetry is an essential tool to assess the volume of the remnant liver. Methods: a retrospective analysis from an ongoing clinical study on 100 liver resections, between 2004 and 2010. 70 patients were right lobe living donors for liver transplantation and 30 patients were resected for treatment of tumors. Pre-surgical factors such as age, weight, height, body mass index (BMI), original liver volume, future remnant liver volume (FRLV), spleen volume, liver function tests, creatinine, platelet count, steatosis, portal vein embolization (PVE) and number of resected segments were analyzed to evidence potential markers for liver regeneration. Results: Follow-up period did not influence the amount of liver regenerated: the linear regression evidenced that there is no correlation between percentage of liver regeneration and time of follow-up (p=0.88). The pre-surgical variables that resulted markers of liver regeneration include higher preoperative values of BMI (p=0.01), bilirubin(p=0.04), glucose (p=0.05) and GGT (p=0.014); the most important association was revealed regarding the lower FRLV (pConclusions: Liver regeneration follows similar pathway in living donor and in patients resected for cancer. Small FRLV tends to regenerate more and faster, confirming that a larger resections may lead to a greater promotion of liver regeneration in patients with optimal conditions in terms of body habitus, preoperative liver function tests and glucose level.