cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Prioritizing Disaster Mapping Tasks for Online Volunteers Based on Information Value Theory

In recent years, online volunteers have played important roles in disaster response. After a major disaster, hundreds of volunteers are often remotely convened by humanitarian organizations to map the affected area based on remote sensing images. Typically, the affected area is divided using a grid-based tessellation, and each volunteer can select one grid cell to start mapping. While this approach coordinates the efforts of volunteers, it does not differentiate the priorities of different cells. As a result, volunteers may map grid cells in a random order. Due to the spatial heterogeneity, different cells may contain geographic information that is of different value to emergency responders. Ideally, cells that potentially contain more valuable information should be assigned higher priority for mapping. This article presents an analytical framework for prioritizing the mapping of cells based on the values of information contained in these cells. Our objective is to provide guidance for online volunteers so that potentially more important cells are mapped first. We present a method that is based on information value theory and focus on road networks. We apply this method to a number of simulated scenarios and to a real disaster mapping case from the 2015 Nepal earthquake.
Apply neighborhood search on optimization heuristic for scheduling of foundry fabrication

Wafer fabrication is the most complex process in Semiconductor Manufacturing Industry that includes the reentrant events, process queue time and lot-tool dispatching. A scheduling approach solves the problem by automated assigning of resources/tools to lots in order to process them in an optimized way. The paper demonstrates a feasible scheduling methodology applying on fabrication optimization through Multi-Direction neighborhood search algorithm (MDNS). By applying on implanter tools, the productivity improved by 2∼3% and reduced inefficient transportation volume around 35%.
gb4gv: a genome browser for geminivirus

Background Geminiviruses (family Geminiviridae) are prevalent plant viruses that imperil agriculture globally, causing serious damage to the livelihood of farmers, particularly in developing countries. The virus evolves rapidly, attributing to its single-stranded genome propensity, resulting in worldwide circulation of diverse and viable genomes. Genomics is a prominent approach taken by researchers in elucidating the infectious mechanism of the virus. Currently, the NCBI Viral Genome website is a popular repository of viral genomes that conveniently provides researchers a centralized data source of genomic information. However, unlike the genome of living organisms, viral genomes most often maintain peculiar characteristics that fit into no single genome architecture. By imposing a unified annotation scheme on the myriad of viral genomes may downplay their hallmark features. For example, the viron of begomoviruses prevailing in America encapsulates two similar-sized circular DNA components and both are required for systemic infection of plants. However, the bipartite components are kept separately in NCBI as individual genomes with no explicit association in linking them. Thus, our goal is to build a comprehensive Geminivirus genomics database, namely gb4gv, that not only preserves genomic characteristics of the virus, but also supplements biologically relevant annotations that help to interrogate this virus, for example, the targeted host, putative iterons, siRNA targets, etc. Methods We have employed manual and automatic methods to curate 508 genomes from four major genera of Geminiviridae, and 161 associated satellites obtained from NCBI RefSeq and PubMed databases. Results These data are available for free access without registration from our website. Besides genomic content, our website provides visualization capability inherited from UCSC Genome Browser. Discussion With the genomic information readily accessible, we hope that our database will inspire researchers in gaining a better understanding of the incredible degree of diversity of these viruses, and of the complex relationships within and between the different genera in the Geminiviridae. Availability and implementation The database can be found at: http://gb4gv.lafayette.edu.
Likelihood-based confidence intervals for a parameter with an upper or lower bound.

The precision of estimates in many statistical models can be expressed by a confidence interval (CI). CIs based on standard errors (SEs) are common in practice, but likelihood-based CIs are worth consideration. In comparison to SEs, likelihood-based CIs are typically more difficult to estimate, but are more robust to model (re)parameterization. In latent variable models, some parameters might take on values outside of their interpretable range. Therefore, it is desirable to place a bound to keep the parameter interpretable. For likelihood-based CI, a correction is needed when a parameter is bounded. The correction is known (Wu & Neale, 2012), but is difficult to implement in practice. A novel automatic implementation that is simple for an applied researcher to use is introduced. A simulation study demonstrates the accuracy of the correction using a latent growth curve model and the method is illustrated with a multilevel confirmatory factor analysis.
Abstract 55: PPAR-δ Binding to Heme Oxygenase 1 Promoter Prevents Angiotensin II Induced Vascular and Adipocyte Dysfunction in a Model of Renovascular Hypertension

Introduction: Renin-Angiotensin System (RAS) induces oxidative stress and contributes to various pathological conditions including insulin resistance and the metabolic syndrome. Recent studies have shown the role of PPARδ-agonist in attenuation of Angiotensin II induced oxidative stress.The aim of this study was to explore the effectiveness of a PPARδ-agonist in the prevention of Ang II-induced vascular and adipocyte dysfunction and the possible interaction between PPARδ and HO-1 system in a model of enhanced oxidative stress, the Goldblatt 2K1C model. Methods: We first established a direct stimulatory effect of the PPARδ-agonist (GW 501516) on the HO-1 gene by demonstrating increased luciferase activity in COS-7 cells transfected with a luciferase-HO-1 promoter construct. SD rats were divided in 4 groups: sham operated animals, 2K1C rats and 2K1C rats treated with GW 501516, in the absence or presence of the HO activity inhibitor, stannous mesoporphyrin (SnMP). Results: 2K1C animals had increased blood pressure, visceral adiposity, adipocyte hypertrophy, increased inflamatory cytokines, increased circulatory and adipose tisssue levels of renin and Ang II along with increased adipose tissue gp91 phox expression (p Conclusion: This novel study corroborates the existence of a PPARδ-HO-1 axis whose direct stimulation via the administration of an exogenous PPARδ-agonist induces HO-1 expression, abates RAS associated adipocyte and vascular dysfunction and induces adipocyte remodeling with smaller adipocytes while decreasing inflammation and increasing adiponectin secretion.
Regulation of Myosin Light Chain Kinase Activity in Smooth Muscle

Phosphorylation of myosin regulatory light chain by Ca2+/calmodulindependent myosin light chain kinase (MLCK) plays a central role in smooth muscle contractility. The quantitative relation between intracellular Ca2+ concentrations and light chain phosphorylation is not fixed but modulated dynamically by various regulatory processes. Most of the calmodulin in smooth muscle cells is tightly bound to cellular elements even in the absence of Ca2+. Surprisingly, even the most mobile fraction (8% of the total) has a diffusion coefficient in smooth muscle cells sevenfold lower than a freely diffusible, similar size dextran. The possibility is considered that calmodulin available for MLCK activation is limiting. Furthermore, calmodulin availability may be regulated by unidentified processes. The multifunctional Ca2+/ calmodulin-dependent protein kinase II phosphorylates MLCK adjacent to the C-terminus of the calmodulin-binding domain. This phosphorylation increases the concentration of Ca2+/calmodulin required for activation and hence physiologically increases the Ca z concentration required for light chain phosphorylation. However, in smooth muscle cells the concentration of Ca2+ necessary for MLCK phosphorylation is greater than that required for light chain phosphorylation. Thus MLCK is sensitive to small increases in Ca2+ during the initiation of contraction and subsequently becomes desensitized to Ca2+ after phosphorylation, thereby limiting light chain phosphorylation.
Tunneling Hot Spots in Ferroelectric SrTiO3

Strontium titanate (SrTiO3) is the “silicon” in the emerging field of oxide electronics. While bulk properties of this material have been studied for decades, new unexpected phenomena have recently been discovered at the nanoscale, when SrTiO3 forms an ultrathin film or an atomically sharp interface with other materials. One of the striking discoveries is room-temperature ferroelectricity in strain-free ultrathin films of SrTiO3 driven by the TiSr antisite defects, which generate a local dipole moment polarizing the surrounding nanoregion. Here, we demonstrate that these polar defects are not only responsible for ferroelectricity, but also propel the appearance of highly conductive channels, “hot spots”, in the ultrathin SrTiO3 films. Using a combination of scanning probe microscopy experimental studies and theoretical modeling, we show that the hot spots emerge due to resonant tunneling through localized electronic states created by the polar defects and that the tunneling conductance of the hot spots is...
Using statistical anomaly detection models to find clinical decision support malfunctions.

Objective Malfunctions in Clinical Decision Support (CDS) systems occur due to a multitude of reasons, and often go unnoticed, leading to potentially poor outcomes. Our goal was to identify malfunctions within CDS systems. Methods We evaluated 6 anomaly detection models: (1) Poisson Changepoint Model, (2) Autoregressive Integrated Moving Average (ARIMA) Model, (3) Hierarchical Divisive Changepoint (HDC) Model, (4) Bayesian Changepoint Model, (5) Seasonal Hybrid Extreme Studentized Deviate (SHESD) Model, and (6) E-Divisive with Median (EDM) Model and characterized their ability to find known anomalies. We analyzed 4 CDS alerts with known malfunctions from the Longitudinal Medical Record (LMR) and Epic® (Epic Systems Corporation, Madison, WI, USA) at Brigham and Women's Hospital, Boston, MA. The 4 rules recommend lead testing in children, aspirin therapy in patients with coronary artery disease, pneumococcal vaccination in immunocompromised adults and thyroid testing in patients taking amiodarone. Results Poisson changepoint, ARIMA, HDC, Bayesian changepoint and the SHESD model were able to detect anomalies in an alert for lead screening in children and in an alert for pneumococcal conjugate vaccine in immunocompromised adults. EDM was able to detect anomalies in an alert for monitoring thyroid function in patients on amiodarone. Conclusions Malfunctions/anomalies occur frequently in CDS alert systems. It is important to be able to detect such anomalies promptly. Anomaly detection models are useful tools to aid such detections.
Transport Models in Ecotoxicology

The analogy between pharmacology and dynamics of a pollutant in an ecosystem is emphasized in a survey of the state of exposure pathway modelling in the environment It is concluded that, except for the modelling of long-term transport, we are quite able to make quantitative predictions and to specify the errors and uncertainties therein.
Attentional fluctuations influence the neural fidelity and connectivity of stimulus representations

Attention is thought to facilitate both the representation of task-relevant features and the communication of these representations across large-scale brain networks. However, attention is not "all or none," but rather it fluctuates between stable/accurate in-the-zone and variable/error-prone out-of-the-zone states. Here we ask how different attentional states relate to the neural processing and transmission of task-relevant information. Specifically, during in-the-zone periods: 1 Do neural representations of task stimuli have greater fidelity? 2 Is there increased communication of this stimulus information across large-scale brain networks? Finally, 3 can the influence of performance-contingent reward be differentiated from zone-based fluctuations? To address these questions, we used fMRI and representational similarity analysis during a visual sustained attention task the gradCPT. Participants n = 16 viewed a series of city or mountain scenes, responding to cities 90% of trials and withholding to mountains 10%. Representational similarity matrices, reflecting the similarity structure of the city exemplars n = 10, were computed from visual, attentional, and default mode networks. Representational fidelity RF and representational connectivity RC were quantified as the interparticipant reliability of representational similarity matrices within RF and across RC brain networks. We found that being in the zone was characterized by increased RF in visual networks and increasing RC between visual and attentional networks. Conversely, reward only increased the RC between the attentional and default mode networks. These results diverge with analogous analyses using functional connectivity, suggesting that RC and functional connectivity in tandem better characterize how different mental states modulate the flow of information throughout the brain.
STEM student mobility intentions post-graduation and the role of reverse push-pull factors

Abstract This study examined political, economic, and social factors influencing students’ mobility intentions, comparing factors based on students’ home country gross national income (GNI) per capita. Researchers analyzed data from the Graduate Students in Science Survey administered to STEM students at ten U.S. research universities. Results suggest that economic push-pull factors influence intent to stay in the U.S., while political, social, socioeconomic, and sociopolitical reverse push-pull factors influence intent to return to their home country. Differences in push-pull factors were found based on home country GNI category. The discussion considers implications on global workforce development, higher education, and immigration policy.
Microbial community structure in pasture and hayfield soils of the Helderberg region of New York State: a comparison of management strategies

Microbial communities in pasture and hayfield soils in upstate New York were studied to ascertain how land and livestock management practices influence microbial community structure. Three manageme...
Intersections of health and gender imperatives: stratified decision-making among women with a BRCA mutation

Receiving a positive test result for a BRCA mutation is a life-altering event. Thrust into a biomedical category of “high-risk” for developing breast and ovarian cancer, unaffected BRCA-positive women confront decisions about how to manage their risk. The knowledge provided through the use of genetic testing burdens women with having to make crucial decisions in a context of great uncertainty. Using 25 semi-structured interviews, this paper examines how women make decisions about how to manage their health after learning about a BRCA mutation. We situate the biographies of these women in the context of neoliberal expectations about personal responsibility for health and gender norms, and argue that the intersection of these imperatives plays out in unique ways depending on an individual’s life-stage, resulting in stratified decision-making. For older women who are married and have children, gender and health expectations neatly align. However, for younger, single women without children, the normative expectations about gender and health management often conflict, resulting in the prioritization of gender imperatives over health expectations, albeit temporarily. The analysis concludes with a discussion of the implications of BRCA testing for women and their experiences of choice and decision-making as well as their resistance to preventative surgeries.
Stochastic modeling of nanoparticle internalization and expulsion through receptor-mediated transcytosis

Receptor-mediated transcytosis (RMT) is a fundamental mechanism for the transcellular transport of nanoparticles. RMT is a complex process, during which the nanoparticles actively interact with the membrane and the membrane profile undergoes extreme deformations for particle internalization and expulsion. In this work, we developed a stochastic model to study the endocytosis and exocytosis of nanoparticles across soft membranes. The model is based on the combination of a stochastic particle binding model with a membrane model, and accounts for both clathrin-mediated endocytosis for internalization and actin-mediated exocytosis for expulsion. Our results showed that nanoparticles must have certain avidity with enough ligand density and ligand-receptor binding affinity to be taken up, while too high avidity limited the particle release from the cell surface. We further explored the functional roles of actin during exocytosis, which has been a topic under active debate. Our simulations indicated that the membrane compression due to the actin induced tension tended to break the ligand-receptor bonds and to shrink the fusion pore. Therefore, an intermediate tension promoted the fusion pore expansion and nanoparticle release, while high tension prohibits particle release. Our model provides new and critical mechanistic insights into RMT, and represents a powerful platform for aiding the rational design of nanocarriers for controlled drug delivery.
Terracini, Aron Benvenuto (1886–1968)

Aron Benvenuto Terracini, a Professor of Dialectology at the Italian universities of Turin, Cagliari, Padova, and Milan and at the Argentinian university of Tucuman was a member of the Accademia Nazzionale dei Lincei. He was one of the most outstanding scholars in dialectology, historical linguistics, and stylistics, and a pioneer in cultural and sociolinguistic studies. He studied in Paris with the dialectologist Jules Gillieron and with the philologist Antoine Meillet. As a dialectologist, he directed the Linguistic Atlas of Italy after Matteo Bartoli's death and the journal Archivio glottologico italiano. In his pioneer book on cultural studies, Conflitti di lingue e di cultura (1957), he deals with issues such as language death, bilingualism, language policy, linguistic prestige, translation, and transcultural relations.
Evaluation of Multi-axial Active Suspension to Reduce Whole Body Vibration Exposures and Associated Biomechanical Loading in Mining Heavy Equipment Vehicle Operators:

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the efficacy of multi-axial (lateral + vertical) active suspension in reducing multi-axial WBV exposures and related biomechanical loading in the neck and ...
Impersonal Life: Law as a Site of Convergence

This essay performs a critical reading of three 2013 Kansas State “pro-life” laws to investigate what it means for law to be a site of convergence for questions of life. It challenges the idea that law is simply the place in which life is defined, constituted, or recognized. A close reading reveals instead that the logic put forth in these legislative acts figures law as external to the very question of life. Drawing on Roberto Esposito’s work in Third Person , the essay demonstrates how such a relation between life and law renders law complicit with biopolitical practices.
Distinct patterns of mutational sensitivity for λ resistance and maltodextrin transport in Escherichia coli LamB

Bacteria can evade cohabiting phages through mutations in phage receptors, but these mutations may come at a cost if they disrupt the receptor's native cellular function. To investigate the relationship between these two conflicting activities, we generated sequence-function maps of Escherichia coli LamB with respect to sensitivity to phage λ and transport of maltodextrin. By comparing 413 missense mutations whose effect on both traits could be analysed, we find that these two phenotypes were correlated, implying that most mutations affect these phenotypes through a common mechanism such as loss of protein stability. However, individual mutations could be found that specifically disrupt λ-sensitivity without affecting maltodextrin transport. We identify and individually assay nine such mutations, whose spatial positions implicate loop L6 of LamB in λ binding. Although missense mutations that lead to λ-resistance are rare, they were approximately as likely to be maltodextrin-utilizing (Mal+) as not (Mal-), implying that E. coli can adapt to λ while conserving the receptor's native function. We propose that in order for E. coli and λ to stably cohabitate, selection for λ-resistance and maltose transport must be spatially or temporally separated.
Endovascular Treatment of Acute Carotid Stent Occlusion: Aspiration Thrombectomy and Angioplasty.

Introduction Acute carotid stent occlusion (CSO) is a rare complication of endovascular carotid stent placement that requires emergent intervention. We describe angioplasty or combined angioplasty and aspiration thrombectomy as a new endovascular technique for CSO treatment. The technique is compared to others previously described in the literature. Methods We performed a retrospective cohort study of all patients who underwent endovascular treatment (ET) of acute symptomatic CSO from January 2008 to March 2018 at our neurovascular referral center. Patient demographics, endovascular treatment details, and outcome data were determined from the electronic medical record. Primary outcome was successful stent recanalization and cerebral reperfusion (modified thrombolysis in cerebral infarction (mTICI) score IIB-III). Secondary outcomes were National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale (NIHSS) shift from presentation to discharge, mortality, and modified Rankin Scale (mRS) score at 3 months. Additionally, a literature review (years 2008-2019) was performed to characterize other techniques for ET of CSO. Results Four patients who underwent ET of acute CSO were identified. ET treatment by angioplasty (n = 1) or combined aspiration thrombectomy and angioplasty (n = 3) resulted in carotid stent recanalization in all patients. Tandem intracranial occlusions were present in three patients (75%), and successful cerebral reperfusion was achieved in all patients. Patient symptoms improved (mean NIHSS shift -5.3 ± 7.2 at discharge). One patient died of a symptomatic reperfusion hemorrhage and another died of cardiac complications by 3-month follow-up. The mRS scores of the surviving patients were 1 and 3. Previously described studies (n = 14) using different and varied techniques had moderate recanalization rates and outcomes. Conclusion Combined aspiration thrombectomy and angioplasty for the neurointerventional treatment of acute CSO leads to high rates of stent recanalization and cerebral reperfusion. The recanalization rate here is improved compared to previously reported techniques. Further multicenter studies are required to risk-stratify patients for specific ET interventions.
Adipose tissue development and metabolic regulation

Abstract White adipose tissue (WAT) is the primary energy storage organ and its excess contributes to obesity, while brown adipose tissue (BAT) and inducible thermogenic (beige/brite) adipocytes in WAT dissipate energy via UCP1 to maintain body temperature. Adipose tissues can develop during embryogenesis and after birth depending on anatomical origin. In adipose tissue, differentiation of adipose precursors to adipocytes is governed by transcription factors such as PPARγ, C/EBPβ, Zfp423, and Sox9 and this process is tightly regulated by secreted factors including Pref-1 and Wnt. Additionally, thermogenic gene activation in brown and beige adipocytes relies on common transcriptional machinery that includes PRDM16, Zfp516, Zc3h10, and LSD1, play an important role in regulating the thermogenic gene program. These transcription factors actions are also regulated by metabolites that acts as agonists or cofactor. With the presence of BAT-like tissues in human adults, increasing thermogenic activity these tissues may help to combat obesity.
TRANSITION-RELATED DISCUSSIONS AMONG ADOLESCENT FEMALES WITH TURNER SYNDROME: CURRENT PRACTICES AND ASSOCIATED FACTORS.

Abstract Objective To examine the current transition practices and factors associated with the occurrence and timing of transition-related discussions among adolescents with Turner syndrome (TS). Methods A retrospective chart review was conducted at a large pediatric academic center among females with TS seen between 12 and 25 years of age. Medical/developmental characteristics, the age at transition, documented transition-related discussions, and the utilization of transition readiness assessment tools were abstracted. Analyses were conducted to examine the age/occurrence of discussions and associated factors. Results Records of 112 patients were reviewed. The average age of TS diagnosis was 7.6 ± 5.8 years, and the average age of those that transitioned from pediatric to adult care (n = 21) was 20.1 ± 2.0 years. Only 22% of individuals had documented discussions regarding transition to adult care, and no transition readiness tools were utilized. The majority of transition-related discussions began between 11 and 15 years. Estrogen and cardiovascular counseling were common (84% and 75%, respectively). Less than half of the subjects had reproductive (40%), lifestyle (43%), and psychosocial (12%) discussions. Cardiovascular conditions were associated with transition to adult care discussions, and neurodevelopmental conditions were associated with psychosocial counseling. In those that transitioned to adult care, transition-related discussions occurred in only half of patients. Conclusion Our findings emphasize the need for the development and implementation of a standardized transition process for adolescents with TS, with particular attention to transition to adult care and reproductive, lifestyle, and psychosocial counseling. The utilization of formal transition tools may also help prepare these girls for transition to adult care.
Adaptation or Revolution: Telemental Health and Advanced Practice Psychiatric Nursing During COVID-19.

OBJECTIVE:This article will describe the current COVID-19 crisis and the evolving mental health concerns associated with it, discuss how mental health practice has changed, and ways in which psychi...
CanMod: A computational model to identify co-regulatory modules in cancer

Transcription factors (TFs) and microRNAs (miRNAs) are two important classes of gene regulators that govern many critical biological processes. Dysregulation of TF-gene and miRNA-gene interactions can lead to the development of multiple diseases including cancer. Many studies aimed to identify interactions between target genes and their regulators in both normal and disease settings. However, few studies attempted to elucidate the collaborative relationship between TFs and miRNAs in regulating genes involved in cancer-associated biological processes. Identification of the co-regulatory functions of those regulators in cancer would provide a better understanding of gene regulation at different layers and may also suggest better approaches for targeted therapy. This study proposes a computational pipeline called CanMod to identify cancer-associated gene regulatory modules. CanMod was designed so that it could infer gene regulatory modules that meet three criteria. First, within a module, target genes should involve in similar biological processes; thus, the modules are distinguishable based on their biological functions. Second, the expression of target genes in a module should be collectively dependent on the expression of their regulators. Third, a regulator and a target should be allowed to be included in multiple modules to reflect the diverse biological roles that the genes and the regulators may be responsible for. CanMod also incorporates other regulatory factors such as copy number alteration and DNA methylation data to infer regulator-target gene interactions with higher accuracy. We applied CanMod on the breast cancer dataset (BRCA) from The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA). We found that modules found by CanMod were associated with distinguishable biological functions and the expression of target genes in the modules were significantly correlated. In addition, many hub regulators in CanMod were known cancer genes, and CanMod was able to find experimentally validated regulator-target interactions.
A Novel Maneuver to Treat Refractory Atelectasis in Mechanically Ventilated Children

We developed a novel airway clearance and lung recruitment maneuver for children with refractory unilateral atelectasis undergoing invasive mechanical ventilation. In this retrospective, single-center, proof of concept study, we describe the steps involved in this novel maneuver and evaluate its effectiveness in 15 patients through objective quantitation of changes in respiratory system compliance and in the degree of atelectasis assessed by a validated Modified Radiology Atelectasis Score. Compared with the premaneuver baseline, the median atelectasis score improved significantly following the maneuver (9 [7.5–10] vs. 1 [0–3.3], respectively, p
Vision Only 3-D Shape Estimation for Autonomous Driving

We present a probabilistic framework for detailed 3-D shape estimation and tracking using only vision measurements. Vision detections are processed via a bird’s eye view representation, creating accurate detections at far ranges. A probabilistic model of the vision based point cloud measurements is learned and used in the framework. A 3-D shape model is developed by fusing a set of point cloud detections via a recursive Best Linear Unbiased Estimator (BLUE). The point cloud fusion accounts for noisy and inaccurate measurements, as well as minimizing growth of points in the 3-D shape. The use of a tracking algorithm and sensor pose enables 3-D shape estimation of dynamic objects from a moving car. Results are analyzed on experimental data, demonstrating the ability of our approach to produce more accurate and cleaner shape estimates.
Investigating physiological, cellular and molecular effects in juvenile blue crab, Callinectus sapidus, exposed to field-collected sediments contaminated by oil from the Deepwater Horizon Incident

Abstract Juvenile blue crabs, Callinectus sapidus , were exposed for 31 days to six different sediments collected within the Pass a Loutre State Wildlife Management Area approximately 6 months or 1.5 years post-capping of the Macondo-252 well-head following the Deepwater Horizon (DWH) Incident. Based on forensic analysis to fingerprint for DWH oil, these sediments differed in their levels of DWH oil contamination, and included one reference sediment collected from a location with no detectable DWH oil present. The concentration of 50 individual parent and alkylation group polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), saturated hydrocarbons (37 total), and total extractable hydrocarbons were determined in each sediment, as were biologically relevant metals, grain size distribution, percent total organic carbon, and percent total solids. Total concentrations of 50 PAHs (TPAH 50 ) of initial treatment sediments ranged from 187 μg kg − 1 (reference site) to 2,086,458 μg kg − 1 (the highest DWH oil contaminated site). Multiple biological endpoints were measured including mortality, growth, and ecdysis. Additionally, early biomarkers of biological stress were examined in the hemolymph and hepatopancreas of crabs, including DNA damage (Comet assay) and expression of genes encoding Cu-metallothionein (CuMT), glutathione- S -transferase (GST), and manganese superoxide dismutase (MnSOD). Over the 31 day exposure, there were no treatment related mortalities in juvenile blue crabs. The overall growth and molting of the crabs were not substantially different between the various sediment exposures over the exposure period. Additionally, none of the early biomarkers of biological stress were correlated with PAH concentrations. Overall, juvenile blue crabs did not appear to be negatively impacted during the 31 day exposure by DWH oil contaminated sediments collected at least 6 months post-capping of the Macondo-252 well-head.
God and Logic in Islam: The Caliphate of Reason

1. Introduction Part I. The Formation of the Islamic Tradition of Reason: 2. The diversity of reason 3. Empirical knowledge of the mind of God 4. The failure of the Farabian synthesis of religion and philosophy 5. Mysticism, post-classical Islamic philosophy, and the rise and fall of Islamic science Part II. Logic, Education, and Doubt: 6. Where is Islamic logic?: the triumph of scholastic rationalism in Islamic education 7. The long afternoon of Islamic logic 8. The institutionalization of disagreement Part III. The Fall and the Future of Islamic Rationalism: 9. The decline and fall of scholastic reason in Islam 10. A chaos of certitudes: the future of Islamic reason.
Growth Response and Drought Susceptibility of Red Spruce Seedlings Exposed to Simulated Acidic Rain and Ozone

Red spruce (Picea rubens Sarg.) is a long-lived, shade-tolerant tree that is commonly present in the cool, moist climates at high elevations of the Appalachian Mountains. Recently, an accelerated decline of red spruce has been reported in the northern Appalachians in the Green Mountains on Camels Hump, Vermont and on Whiteface Mountain in New York as well as in the mid and southern Appalachians. Even though many possible causes of this decline have been suggested, none have been established conclusively at present. High acid inputs and elevated concentrations of heavy metals, in addition to ozone stress, have been strongly suspected as contributing factors for the decline. The objectives of this research is to investigate the efforts of simulated acidic rain and ozone on growth and drought susceptibility of red spruce seedlings by measuring biomass, foliar nutrient status, root hydraulic conductivity, and gas exchange rates.
Abstract 14710: Ideal Cardiovascular Health in Younger Age and Functional Disability in Older Age -- The Chicago Heart Association Detection Project in Industry (CHA) 32 Year Follow-up Health Survey

Background: Ideal levels of all major cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk factors (RF), i.e., low risk (LR), in younger age are associated with lower subsequent CVD morbidity and mortality in older age. However, data are limited on the relationships of LR profile in younger age with functional disability in older age. Methods: We used data from 3,669 men and 2,345 women from the CHA Study, ages 29-68 in 1967-73, free from major ECG abnormalities, history of diabetes, or MI at baseline with functional disability data from the 2003 health survey. Functional disability was categorized as having: 1)any disabilities in activities of daily living (ADL), 2)any disabilities in instrumental ADL(IADL) but no ADL, or 3) no disability. LR status [i.e., SBP/DBP (≤120/≤80 mmHg and no antihypertensive medication), serum total cholesterol (<200 mg/dl and no cholesterol-lowering medication), not smoking, BMI < 25 kg/m2, and no diabetes0] was assessed at baseline. Details on definitions of ADL/IADL disabilities and RF status are shown in Table footnote. Results: Only 6% of participants were LR at baseline; follow-up mean age was 76.6 years, 11% of the cohort reported having IADL disabilities, and 7% having ADL disabilities. With multivariate-adjustment (see Table), baseline LR was associated with the lowest likelihood of having any ADL or IADL disabilities 32 years later (P-trends < 0.001). Compared to those with ≥2 RFs, the odds of having any ADL disabilities vs. no disability in persons with baseline LR, 0 RF, and 1RF were lower by 60%, 50%, and 40%, respectively. Similar results were observed for having any IADL disabilities. Conclusion: Having an ideal CVD RF profile at younger age is associated with lowest functional disabilities in older age and thus can reduce the loss of independence and improve quality of life in older adults. ![][1] [1]: /embed/graphic-1.gif
The First Atomic and Molecular Experiments at the Linac Coherent Light Source X-Ray Free Electron Laser

Abstract The Stanford Linac Coherent Light Source (LCLS) located at the SLAC National Accelerator Laboratory in Menlo Park, California, began operation in the Fall of 2009. The LCLS is a true x-ray laser, approximately one billion times brighter than any previous laboratory source of x-ray radiation. Here we review some of the first atomic, molecular, and optical experiments that probe the fundamental interactions of such uniquely bright and short x-ray pulses with atoms and molecules, summarize some of the theory leading up to these experiments and conclude with some ideas on future avenues of investigation.
Fetal programming and environmental exposures: implications for prenatal care and preterm birth

Sponsored by the New York Academy of Sciences and Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center, with support from the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences (NIEHS), the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA), and Life Technologies, "Fetal Programming and Environmental Exposures: Implications for Prenatal Care and Preterm Birth" was held on June 11-12, 2012 at the New York Academy of Sciences in New York City. The meeting, comprising individual talks and panel discussions, highlighted basic, clinical, and translational research approaches, and highlighted the need for specialized testing of drugs, consumer products, and industrial chemicals, with a view to the unique impacts these can have during gestation. Speakers went on to discuss many other factors that affect prenatal development, from genetics to parental diet, revealing the extraordinary sensitivity of the developing fetus.
Metal pollution in carbonate sediments of main basin of Mariute Lake, Alexandria, Egypt

Lakes are ideal in defining the processes that govern the behavior of heavy metals in sediments: they are closed systems with well-known characteristics (input, outputs) and contain a memory for dynamic bottom processes (erosion, accumulation, and transportation). Lakes integrate and represent environmental conditions, in contrast with the wide variability in the water column and in open marine systems.
Adverse Drug Reactions in Neonates

Adverse drug reactions (ADR) are uncommon causes of admission of neonates to the neonatal intensive care unit. The neonate, however, is potentially at significant risk for adverse drug reactions because of underdeveloped mechanisms and systems for handling drugs (the Gray Baby Syndrome with chloramphenicol as a classic example), the fact that infants in neonatal intensive care units are often critically ill with multiple organ system dysfunction, that they may be on multiple drugs, and that they may present with an adverse drug reaction as a result of exposure while still a fetus. There is also a history of misadventures in the neonatal intensive care unit and newborn nurseries due to exposure to antibacterial agents that produced systemic effects from percutaneous absorption. In this review, an overview of the mechanisms of adverse drug reactions will be presented, followed by a general review of the experience of adverse drug reactions in neonates and some specific examples of current adverse drug reactions and a suggested approach for the prevention and evaluation of adverse drug reactions in neonates.
Clinical significance of amniotic fluid sludge in twin pregnancies with a short cervical length

Objective The objective of the study was to determine the clinical significance of amniotic fluid (AF) sludge in twin pregnancies with a short cervix. Study Design We evaluated twin pregnancies with a short cervical length that had an ultrasound between 16 and 26 weeks (n = 78). Pregnancy outcomes in those with sludge (n = 27) and those without (n = 51) were compared. Outcome variables included gestational age at delivery, premature rupture of the membranes, chorioamnionitis, funisitis, composite neonatal morbidity, and perinatal death. For statistical analysis, the first-born (A) and second-born (B) twins were studied separately. Results The prevalence of AF sludge was 34.6% (27 of 78). Pregnancies with sludge delivered earlier (27.2 ± 5.6 weeks vs 31.0 ± 4.05 weeks, P P P P P P = .01). Higher rates of funisitis (23.1% [6 of 26] vs 4.3% [2 of 47]; P = .02) and composite neonatal morbidity were observed for twin A only (66.7% [14 of 21] vs 37.5% [18 of 48]; P = .04). Conclusion The presence of AF sludge in twin pregnancies with a short cervix is a risk factor for extreme prematurity, histological chorioamnionitis, and perinatal death. Twin A had higher rates of funisitis and neonatal morbidity in the presence of AF sludge.
Announcing the Mozart programming system

The Mozart consortium ( German Research Center for Artificial Intelligence (DFKI), Universit~it des Saarlandes (UdS), Swedish Institute of Computer Science (SICS), Universit6 catholique de Louvain (UCL)) is pleased to announce the release of Mozart 1.0, an extensive development platform for open fault-tolerant distributed applications, constraint programming applications, and logic programming applications. The system is available at http://www.mozart-oz.org and runs on many Unix-based platforms and Windows 95/98/NT. The platform implements the Oz language and is the fruit of a decade of research. The platform is released without charge with a very liberal license (XI 1-style) that allows both commercial and non-commercial use. Full source code is available. The platform includes a full-fledged interactive development environment with many libraries and tools. There is extensive documentation including tutorials covering all below mentioned application areas, a complete set of reference manuals, and many demos. The distribution, constraint, and logic programming abilities are the subject of ongoing research. 2 Constraint and logic programming
catena-Poly[[[(diethyl­enetriamine-κ3N,N′,N′′)­copper(II)]-μ-cyanido-κ2C:N] perchlorate]

The structure of the title salt, {[Cu(CN)(C4H13N3)]ClO4}n, is composed of copper-containing cations and perchlor­ate anions. The CuII atom shows a square-pyramidal coordination, with equatorial positions occupied by the cyanide C atom [Cu—C = 1.990 (3) A] and the N atoms of the diethyl­enetriamine ligand (average Cu—N = 2.033 A), while the axial position is occupied by the N atom of a c-glide-related cyanide group. The axial Cu—N distance of 2.340 (3) A is longer than the equatorial distances, reflecting Jahn–Teller distortion. The CuII cations are linked by the cyanide groups into infinite chains along the c-axis direction. The refinement included a three-component disordered model for the perchlorate ion. Each minor site is stabilized by hydrogen bonds to N—H donors from four surrounding cations, while one O atom of the major perchlorate site forms hydrogen bonds to three of these cations.
A comparison of FENE and FENE-P dumbbell and chain models in turbulent flow

Abstract The dynamics of dilute solutions of finitely extensible nonlinear elastic (FENE) bead-spring dumbbell and chain models in start-up and relaxation of uniaxial elongational and shear flow and in the flow kinematics obtained from a DNS database of a turbulent channel flow is investigated for Weissenberg numbers (We) of 1, 10, and 100. Five FENE models are considered: FENE chain, FENE dumbbell, FENE-P chain, FENE-P dumbbell, and FENE-PM chain. The FENE chain is used as the standard of reference to evaluate all coarse-grained models. It is shown that in transient elongational flow, pre-averaged models incur large errors while the FENE dumbbell, with appropriate selection of the bead-spring parameters, can provide reasonably accurate predictions once the polymer has unravelled. Faithful prediction of the dynamics prior to polymer unravelling requires a multi-mode model. In transient shear flow, none of the coarse-grained models studied can correctly replicate the dynamics predicted by the FENE chain over the entire range of We considered. The flow in wall-bounded turbulence is shown to be predominantly simple shear within the viscous sublayer and a mixture of simple shear and elongational flow in the buffer layer. The dominant contributions to polymer stress arise from patches of biaxial or uniaxial elongational flow encountered in the buffer layer. The Weissenberg number is the critical parameter which determines polymer stretching, stresses, and drag reduction in a given polymer–solvent system. Effective drag reduction requires a large polymer extensibility and Weτ∼O(100) or higher. Comparison of the predictions of different models reveals that the FENE dumbbell, with appropriate selection of the bead-spring parameters, can provide reasonably accurate predictions of the polymer dynamics in turbulent flow at high Weτ. Pre-averaged models, while in qualitative agreement with the FENE chain, are quantitatively inaccurate and over-estimate the polymer stresses by up to 200–400% in regions of strong polymer stretching. These results suggest that the most promising approach to accurate computation of polymer drag reduction at present is through stochastic simulations.
Game theory-based identification of facility use restrictions for the movement of hazardous materials under terrorist threat

Government agencies can determine which specific facilities in a transportation network to restrict for each class of material and for which times of the day and/or week to stem the consequences of a terrorist event. To guide in making these determinations, this paper develops a three-player game of the interactions among a government agency, a carrier, and a terrorist. It also develops an effective solution procedure for this game and illustrates the use of that procedure on a realistic case study based on the freight rail network in the continental United States.
Outage probability of L-branch selection combining in correlated lognormal fading channels

The outage probability of a selection combining diversity scheme in correlated lognormal fading channels is derived. Specifically, the authors approximate the correlation matrix by a Green's matrix, which has a tridiagonal inverse. An iterative integration technique is then used to evaluate the outage probability accurately. The result is sufficiently general to cover an arbitrary number of diversity branches and an arbitrary correlation among the diversity branches. Computer simulation is performed to validate the accuracy of our analysis.
Nerve growth factor stimulates GAP-43 expression in PC12 cell clones independently of neurite outgrowth

Expression of the growth associated protein GAP-43 (B-50, F1, neuromodulin) increases with the onset of neuronal development as seen by the growth of axons. To investigate the relationship of the signaling events leading to GAP-43 expression and neurite outgrowth, we examined PC12 clones with different phenotypes. Three clones, PC12-N09, PC12-N15, and PC12-N21, responded to NGF with increased expression of GAP-43, but only two clones, PC12-N15 and PC12-N21, responded with growth of neurites. Similar increases in expression of GAP-43 were obtained when these clones were exposed to the phorbol ester PMA. Thus, NGF and PMA induced GAP-43 expression in PC12-N09 cells in the absence of neurite outgrowth. In contrast, all three clones, were able to respond to forskolin (FOR) by initiation of long neurites which had synaptophysin in the growth cones, but showed only low levels of GAP-43. Combined stimulation of PC12-N09 cells with FOR and PMA both initiated neurites and increased expression of GAP-43 as seen in normal PC12 cells. These results show that PC12-N09 cells, in response to either NGF or PMA, can express GAP-43, but without neurite outgrowth, and that all the PC12 clones were also able to respond to FOR with increased neurite outgrowth in the presence of low levels of GAP-43. The dissociation of GAP-43 expression and growth of neurites observed in PC12-N09 cells suggests that signaling mechanisms can independently regulate GAP-43 expression and neurite outgrowth during neuronal differentiation.