cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Toward a framework for advanced query processing

INTRODUCTION Traditionally, database systems have accepted queries specified with precise search expressions directly based on primitive data stored in databases and have returned a set of database instances (extensional answers) based on primitive data as answer sets. As the size and complexity of databases with the advance in storage technologies have been increased, we believe we need much more sophisticated query-formulation and answer-finding schemes in database systems in order to satisfy the needs of a truly intelligent information system, and to serve more new applications such as e-commerce and Web-based information systems well. In certain queries, users may prefer to express queries with more general and abstract information instead of primitive terms directly based on the data stored in a database. This type of query is referred to as flexible query. With flexible queries, users who may not formulate precise query conditions ask general queries involving meaningful abstract terms that do not directly come from information stored in a database. For example, a manager may wish to query, What are the expensive digital products which are purchased by young on-line shoppers in the Midwest area? The query uses abstract terms, expensive, digital, young and Midwest which are not stored explicitly in the database. A flexible query can be expressed in terms of predefined abstract terms such as expensive, digital, young, and Midwest that can be derived from primitive information in a database. We believe flexible queries provide users with the flexibility of expressing query conditions at a relatively high-level concept, which
A tooth of Edestus from the early Pennsylvanian of Cheshire, UK

Summary: An isolated tooth belonging to the chondrichthyan genus Edestus Leidy 1856, has been found near Bollington, Cheshire, England, in beds of the Yeadonian Substage of the Namurian Stage (Bashkirian Standard Stage, Pennsylvanian Subsystem). The tooth is tentatively referred to Edestus newtoni Woodward 1917, based on similarity of the crown morphology to that of the holotype and only previously known specimen. It shows some differences from the holotype, which probably represent variation within the species. The extended base distinguishes it from Carcharopsis Agassiz 1843, a genus which is not closely related to Edestus , but which is sometimes mistaken for it. Several teeth from the Serpukhovian Stage (upper Mississippian) of Britain and Ireland, previously considered to represent a new species of Edestus , are referred to Carcharopsis .
Treatment and Simulation Equipment

In this chapter, radiation therapy students can assess their knowledge about the components of linear accelerators, conventional simulators and CT simulators. Auxiliary systems are also included, as well as modern equipment and imaging capabilities.
Patterns of abiotic niche shifts in allopolyploids relative to their progenitors.

Summary Polyploidy has extensive genetic, physiological, morphological, and ecological ramifications. While the patterns underlying the genetic and morphological consequences of polyploidy are being rapidly elucidated, the effects on ecological niche are still largely unknown. This study investigated 13 allopolyploid systems in North America (10 ferns and three angiosperms) using digitized natural history museum specimens. The abiotic niches of the allopolyploids were compared with those of their diploid progenitors using ecological niche modeling, niche analyses, and multivariate analyses. We identified four patterns of niche shifts through our analyses: niche expansion, niche contraction, niche intermediacy, and niche novelty. The classification of these shifts depended on the amount of niche overlap and breadth between the polyploid and progenitors. The most common niche shift was niche intermediacy in which the polyploid inhabited a geographic range between that of the progenitors and had a high degree of niche overlap. Each polyploid had at least partial geographic sympatry and abiotic niche overlap with one of its progenitors, suggesting that biotic and/or microclimate factors may play a larger role in polyploid establishment than previously hypothesized. This study provides a baseline for future comparisons of the diverse outcomes of genome merger and duplication on abiotic niche preference.
Comparative analysis of nonlinear optofluidic processes in microdroplets

Our prior work has shown that high quality ($Q$) factor whispering gallery modes (WGMs) in liquid microdroplets can potentially induce single-photon-level nonlinear effects through radiation pressure on the interface. However, little is known about the nonlinear effects of other processes involving scattering force and thermocapillarity. In this study, we establish a numerical framework that can calculate the fluid motion and the resultant nonlinearity induced by the optical scattering force and thermocapillarity. Then, we compare the magnitude of various nonlinear optofluidic processes induced by the radiation pressure, the thermocapillary effect, the scattering-induced optical force, and the Kerr effect. Using realistic fluid parameters, we show that the radiation pressure due to the WGM produces the strongest nonlinear optofluidic effect.
Upper extremity deep venous thrombosis and pulmonary embolus after ovarian hyperstimulation

A healthy female presented with upper extremity (UE) swelling of several days duration. Admission laboratories were normal except for an elevated D-dimer. An UE ultrasound with Doppler revealed a thrombus in the right subclavian vein. A subsequent chest CT angiogram further characterised the subclavian vein thrombus and also identified a pulmonary embolus. A thorough history and laboratory evaluation showed that her only risk factors were long-time contraceptive pills and a recent cycle of ovarian hyperstimulation (OH) 7 weeks prior to presentation. Anticoagulation treatment was started and the patient9s remaining outpatient work-up was negative for all other hereditary causes. A complete anatomic work-up showed bilateral thoracic outlet syndrome (TOS). A review of the literature on the occurrence of upper extremity deep venous thrombosis suggests that these usually occur in the presence of a predisposing factor, including catheters, indwelling devices and active malignancies. OH has been shown to precipitate venous thromboembolism events; however, the diagnosis of bilateral TOS as a predisposing risk factor has not been described in a patient who had recently undergone recent OH and in one who was not actively pregnant.
Parent Misidentification Leading to the Breastfeeding of the Wrong Baby in a Neonatal Intensive Care Unit

BACKGROUND Because there are clear benefits to breast milk over formula for infants, the goal of the World Health Organization is to increase breastfeeding rates. As more women are breastfeeding and providing breast milk to newborns in hospitals, there is increased risk for administration error. CASE REPORT A hospitalized preterm infant was breastfed by the wrong mother when the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit Nurse failed to properly identify the mother. An infectious disease workup done on the donor mother was negative, but the recipient infant was positive for cytomegalovirus (CMV). Since the donor mother who accidentally breastfed the wrong infant was CMV-negative, the baby in our case had likely been exposed to CMV from his biological mother. The attending physician apologized to all of the family members involved, but the father of one infant continued to express anger. CONCLUSIONS To our knowledge, this is the first case of accidental breastfeeding in a hospital setting to be described in the literature. Parental misidentification and a language barrier led to the error. An infectious disease workup did not find any evidence of disease transmission from this event. Increased attention to minimize breast milk errors is needed. Despite a long history of wet nursing, unregulated breast milk sharing and cross nursing is not recommended. Instead, if a mother cannot provide breast milk herself, pasteurized donor breast milk from breast milk banks is encouraged.
Some Varieties of Monism

In this paper I explore a position, Monism, of which we have an initial, pre-reflective, understanding, but which stands in need of further clarification. The initial understanding is that to be a Monist is to deny that (in reality) there are any differences, and/or to assert that (in reality) all is one. The qualification “in reality” already hints at a potential weakening of the Monist position, based on an appearance/reality distinction. But, for the moment, let us ignore this qualification. Then we have two slogans. The slogan of Negative Monism is “There are no differences”, where this is taken as the denial of difference rather than the assertion of non-difference. The slogan of Positive Monism is “All is One”.
Systems learning with a conceptual representation: a quasi-experimental study

In this paper, we share results from a classroom intervention that used a conceptual representation to support reasoning about ecosystems. Engaging students in modeling allows them to make their ideas visible while being malleable and available for discussion, which enables students to make meaning out of systems. Further, the Components-Mechanisms-Phenomena (CMP) conceptual representation was designed to enable students to construct coherent mental models. Following our intervention, students deepened their understanding of ecosystem dynamics when compared to students who engaged in traditional instruction without use of the CMP conceptual representation. We discuss our results in terms of data that helped guide the design of the intervention and we describe a theoretical perspective that can be used to guide future instruction.
Development of compact and scalable packaging for fiber-coupled single-photon detector array

We present our progress in creating compact and scalable packaging to couple a 32 element fiber array to a corresponding array of single photon detectors for test at cryogenic temperatures. The packaging was thermally cycled down to 4.2 K to demonstrate stability.
Fourier, Gabor, Reichardt, Hilbert: Guides On The Path To A Model Of Human Motion Perception

The visual motion sensing model developed by Albert Ahumada and myself relied on four concepts: motion in the frequency domain; localization in space, time, and frequency; comparing space and time; and the Hilbert transform.
Optimal phase measurements with bright- and vacuum-seeded SU(1,1) interferometers

The SU(1,1) interferometer can be thought of as a Mach-Zehnder interferometer with its linear beam splitters replaced with parametric nonlinear optical processes. We consider the cases of bright- and vacuum-seeded SU(1,1) interferometers using intensity or homodyne detectors. A simplified truncated scheme with only one nonlinear interaction is introduced, which not only beats conventional intensity detection with a bright seed, but can saturate the phase-sensitivity bound set by the quantum Fisher information. We also show that the truncated scheme achieves a sub-shot-noise phase sensitivity in the vacuum-seeded case, despite the phase-sensing optical beams having no well-defined phase.
History of Rapid Prototyping

The history and development of rapid prototyping originate from two main preceding techniques, topography, and photosculpture. Originating in the nineteenth century, these processes were initially very labor intensive. They later evolved to more modern techniques used in topography and metallurgy that resemble some current processes of rapid prototyping. These two techniques set the foundation for rapid prototyping as we know it today. Hideo Kodama from Japan and Charles Hull from the USA were the first to describe and develop a process and actual machines that were capable of printing in 3 dimensions (3D) and are considered the fathers of modern rapid prototyping. Rapid prototyping has evolved over time from a previously widely unknown field, to one with a broad range of applications from building bridges to printing human organs.
How the human is the catalyst: Personality, aggressive fantasy, and proactive-reactive aggression among users of social media

Abstract Technology users frequently experience online aggression in the forms of cyberbullying and/or trolling (Pew Research Center, 2014), but there exists only a limited understanding of what promotes these negative behaviors. The current study focuses on reasons why individuals may act aggressively in an online environment. Specifically, two types of online aggression (proactive and reactive) were examined across individual differences including personality and the presence of aggressive fantasies. Findings show that the personality characteristics of extraversion, agreeableness, and emotional stability predicted proactive aggression, while agreeableness and emotional stability predicted reactive aggression. Further, agreeableness, emotional stability and intellect predicted aggressive fantasies, and aggressive fantasies predicted both proactive and reactive aggression.
The Origin and Evolution of Sidney Walter Fox, Experimentalist

My purpose in underscoring “experiment(s)” in the above quotations is to emphasize the theme of this chapter. Experiment is of course a sine qua non for most research aimed at answering questions in science. When the question is “How did life begin?”, however, the situation becomes quite different. Man has puzzled about this question for millenia and has sought answers through religion and philosophy, theory and speculation. Such roads of thought have led to much heat but little light. Witness, for example, the ongoing arguments over creationism (Numbers, 1982). The experimental road paved by Sidney Walter Fox during the past four decades has provided a far more intellectually satisfying solution of the puzzle of our primordial origins. The construction of that road has encountered many formidable thought obstacles, rooted in religious, philosophical and theoretical preconceptions. Fox has at times been disappointed but not discouraged by what amounted to anti-experimental opponents. For example, in a letter of 7 February 1965, he commented: “I don’t believe that they can indefinitely prefer undisciplined conjecture to vigorous experimentation bonded with careful interpretation, in this particular area.”
Weight loss induced by blocking CB1 cannabinoid receptors is associated with an altered microRNA profile and suppression of inflammation in adipose tissue (IRM9P.458)

Obesity is associated with chronic inflammation. Cells of the immune system express cannabinoid CB1 and CB2 receptors, the activation of which triggers anti-inflammatory effects. We investigated the effect of treatment of mice with SR141716A, a cannabinoid receptor1 (CB1) antagonist, on Diet-Induced Obesity (DIO), specifically whether such a treatment can induce anti-inflammatory state in adipose tissue. DIO model was generated by feeding C57BL/6J mice with high-fat diet (HFD) whereas their lean, age-matched controls were fed low-fat diet (LFD). HFD-fed mice were treated with either SR141716A (10mg/kg/day) or vehicle by daily oral gavage for 4 weeks starting at week 12. To assess the effect of SR141716A beyond its effect on weight loss and diet intake, pair-feeding was conducted in diet-intake matched controls and diet intake was adjusted in body-weight-matched controls. Our data demonstrated that SR141716A suppressed diet intake transiently however weight loss and reduction in fat mass was persistent. High throughput miR analysis showed that SR141716A skewed adipose tissue macrophage balance to more anti-inflammatory macrophages. Induction of myeloid-derived-suppressive cells and T H 2 cells followed by suppression of pro-inflammatory macrophages were observed in SR141716A-treated HFD-fed group. Together, this study demonstrates that CB1 receptor blockade affects miR expression that induces anti-inflammatory state in adipose tissue independent of calorie intake inhibition.
Interference Testing and Isobaric Compounds: Is Your Mass Spectrometry-based Assay as Good as You Think It Is?

The use of urine drug tests to monitor a patient's adherence to prescribed opioid use in pain management is recommended by numerous clinical practice guidelines (1). Traditionally, these tests have been done using urine immunoassays, which suffer from a lack of sensitivity and specificity. New Laboratory Medicine Practice Guidelines (LMPG)2 from the American Association for Clinical Chemistry (AACC) Academy (executive summary published in this special issue) actually recommend first-line definitive (e.g., mass spectrometry-based) urine drug testing because it overcomes the limitations of immunoassays. Although mass spectrometry-based (MS) methods are often referred to as the “gold standard” and are used routinely in the therapeutic drug monitoring of many medications, several challenges such as matrix interference or isobaric compounds exist. Each of these items must be acknowledged and specifically addressed during validation before implementing any MS-based test in a clinical laboratory. To illustrate some of these items, the …
Children's residential exposure to organophosphate ester flame retardants and plasticizers: Investigating exposure pathways in the TESIE study.

Abstract Background Following the phase-out of polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs), organophosphate esters (OPEs) have been increasingly used in consumer products and building materials for their flame retardant and plasticizing properties. As a result, human exposure to these chemicals is widespread as evidenced by common detection of their metabolites in urine. However, little is known about the major exposure pathways, or factors that influence children's exposure to OPEs. Furthermore, little data is available on exposure to the novel aryl OPEs. Objectives To examine predictors of children's internal exposure, we assessed relationships between OPEs in house dust and on hand wipes and levels of their corresponding metabolites in paired urine samples (n = 181). We also examined associations between urinary metabolites and potential covariates, including child's age and sex, mother's educational attainment and race, and average outdoor air temperature. Methods Children aged 3 to 6 years provided urine and hand wipe samples. Mothers or legal guardians completed questionnaires, and a house dust sample was taken from the main living area during home visits. Alkyl chlorinated and aryl OPEs were measured in dust and hand wipes, and composite urine samples were analyzed for several metabolites. Results Tris(2-chloroethyl) phosphate (TCEP), tris(2-chloroisopropyl) phosphate (TCIPP), tris(1,3-dichloro-2-propyl) phosphate (TDCIPP), 2-ethylhexyl diphenyl phosphate (EHDPHP), triphenyl phosphate (TPHP), and 2-isopropylphenyl diphenyl phosphate (2IPPDPP) were detected frequently in hand wipes and dust (>80%), indicating that these compounds were near-ubiquitous in indoor environments. Additionally, bis(1-chloro-2-propyl) 1-hydroxy-2-propyl phosphate (BCIPHIPP), bis(1,3-dichloro-2-propyl) phosphate (BDCIPP), diphenyl phosphate (DPHP), mono-isopropyl phenyl phenyl phosphate (ip-PPP), and mono-tert-butyl phenyl phenyl phosphate (tb-PPP) were detected in >94% of tested urine samples, signifying that TESIE participants were widely exposed to OPEs. Contrary to PBDEs, house dust OPE concentrations were generally not correlated with urinary OPE metabolite levels; however, hand wipe levels of OPEs were associated with internal dose. For example, children with the highest mass of TDCIPP on hand wipes had BDCIPP levels that were 2.73 times those of participants with the lowest levels (95% CI: 1.67, 4.48, p Conclusions OPE exposures are highly prevalent, and data provided herein further substantiate hand-to-mouth contact and dermal absorption as important pathways of OPE exposure, especially for young children.
Failure of Castration to Modify Estradiol-Induced Tube-Locking of Rabbit Ova *

Exogenous estradiol, administered in the appropriate dose at the proper time in relation to ovulation, "locks" ova within the rabbit oviduct. The mechanism by which estrogen acts on the oviduct has not been elucidated. In these experiments, ovaries were removed from rabbits at various times prior to the transfer of donor ova and the administration of estrogen. The significant number of ova remaining in the oviducts 72 hours later demonstrates that ovaries are not essential to estrogen-induced "tube-locking."
Inference Bounds on the Joint Distribution of Treatment Outcomes

The paper generalizes ideas presented on bounds of treatment effects (Manski (1990)) to bounding the joint distribution of treatment outcomes. Frechet-Hoeffding bounds are sharp for the distribution of treatment outcomes from unconfounded data and Manski bounds are sharp for the distribution of treatment outcomes from confounded data. In general, unconfounded data does not provide sharper bounds than confounded data. Frechet-Hoeffding bounds can be made sharper with the addition of observational characteristics of the agent that are associated with differential treatment outcomes (signals). Manski bounds can be sharpened with the addition of observational information affecting the agent's selection into treatment (instruments). Additionally, Manski bounds can be made sharper with the use of behavioral assumptions.
Discrete Time Voter Models: A Class of Stochastic Automata

Let Γ denote the semigroup of all functions from a countable set V into itself. We give conditions for tightness of the sequence of convolution products of a probability measure on Γ, and for convergence of a distribution on (0, 1)V acted upon by independent random elements in Γ. The latter generalizes some results on the “voter model” in particle systems.
Step 3: Using Time-Series Data

Time-series data gives information about the values of genes at a series of consecutive time points. This temporal information can be exploited to infer directionality of edges, or help to infer causal relations between genes. However, adding temporal information also creates a more complex dataset. It adds interdependencies between experiments (time-points) that don’t exist in steady-state data, so more care has to be taken in analysis. Three types of algorithms will be presented in this section: mutual information, ordinary differential equations with l1 regularization, and dynamic Bayesian Networks. Each of these approaches makes different assumptions about the data.
The loyal opposition: Catholics for a free choice

Dissent from church teaching on abortion is not unusual within the American Catholic community. Although Catholic teaching holds that direct abortion is morally impermissible, a substantial number of American Catholics believe that abortion can be a moral option. Moreover, a large majority of American Catholics disagree with their bishops' position that abortion should be illegal in all circumstances. In the early 1970s, a small group of Catholic laity founded Catholics for a Free Choice (CFFC) to oppose Catholic church efforts to reinstate restrictive abortion laws in New York. Founding members included Patricia McQuillan Fogarty, Joan Harriman, and Meta Mulcahy, three Catholic feminists who were members of the local New York chapter of the National Organization for Women. CFFC is a national educational organization with a board of directors, an operational staff of approximately ten people, and a headquarters in Washington, D.C. It is a non-profit, tax-exempt organization which is primarily foundation-financed.
Outcomes Associated With Medications for Opioid Use Disorder Among Persons Hospitalized for Infective Endocarditis.

BACKGROUND Endocarditis, once predominately found in older adults, is increasingly common among younger persons who inject drugs. Untreated opioid use disorder (OUD) complicates endocarditis management. We aimed to determine if rates of overdose and rehospitalization differ between persons with OUD with endocarditis who are initiated on medications for OUD (MOUDs) within 30 days of hospital discharge and those who are not. METHODS We performed a retrospective cohort study using a large commercial health insurance claims database of persons ≥18 years between July 1, 2010, and June 30, 2016. Primary outcomes included opioid-related overdoses and 1-year all-cause rehospitalization. We calculated incidence rates for the primary outcomes and developed Cox hazards models to predict time from discharge to each primary outcome as a function of receipt of MOUDs. RESULTS The cohort included 768 individuals (mean age 39 years, 51% male). Only 5.7% of people received MOUDs in the 30 days following hospitalization. The opioid-related overdose rate among those who did receive MOUDs in the 30 days following hospitalization was lower than among those who did not (5.8 per 100 person-years [95% confidence interval [CI], 5.1-6.4] vs 7.3 per 100-person years [95% CI, 7.1-7.5], respectively). The rate of 1-year rehospitalization among those who received MOUDs was also lower than those who did not (162.0 per 100 person-years [95% CI, 157.4-166.6] vs 255.4 per 100 person-years [95% CI, 254.0-256.8], respectively). In the Cox hazards models, the receipt of MOUDs was not associated with either of the outcomes. CONCLUSIONS MOUD receipt following endocarditis may improve important health-related outcomes in commercially insured persons with OUD.
The hyperfine spectrum of LiF

Abstract The molecular beam electric resonance technique has been used to examine the hyperfine spectrum of 7Li19F in vibrational states v = 0–4 and rotational states J = 1–6, in addition to a few 6Li19F lines. With the low electric fields used, the spectrum consists of many overlapping lines which have been deconvoluted by fitting the actual Rabi lineshape. The fitting process includes corrections for the small residual Stark shifts in the frequencies, yielding a precision on the order of a few hertz. By fitting the spectrum, new values have been obtained for the nuclear electric quadrupole and magnetic hyperfine parameters, including their dependence on vibrational and rotational state.
Ensemble Machine Learning Approach Improves Predicted Spatial Variation of Surface Soil Organic Carbon Stocks in Data-Limited Northern Circumpolar Region.

Various approaches of differing mathematical complexities are being applied for spatial prediction of soil properties. Regression kriging is a widely used hybrid approach of spatial variation that combines correlation between soil properties and environmental factors with spatial autocorrelation between soil observations. In this study, we compared four machine learning approaches (gradient boosting machine, multinarrative adaptive regression spline, random forest, and support vector machine) with regression kriging to predict the spatial variation of surface (0-30 cm) soil organic carbon (SOC) stocks at 250-m spatial resolution across the northern circumpolar permafrost region. We combined 2,374 soil profile observations (calibration datasets) with georeferenced datasets of environmental factors (climate, topography, land cover, bedrock geology, and soil types) to predict the spatial variation of surface SOC stocks. We evaluated the prediction accuracy at randomly selected sites (validation datasets) across the study area. We found that different techniques inferred different numbers of environmental factors and their relative importance for prediction of SOC stocks. Regression kriging produced lower prediction errors in comparison to multinarrative adaptive regression spline and support vector machine, and comparable prediction accuracy to gradient boosting machine and random forest. However, the ensemble median prediction of SOC stocks obtained from all four machine learning techniques showed highest prediction accuracy. Although the use of different approaches in spatial prediction of soil properties will depend on the availability of soil and environmental datasets and computational resources, we conclude that the ensemble median prediction obtained from multiple machine learning approaches provides greater spatial details and produces the highest prediction accuracy. Thus an ensemble prediction approach can be a better choice than any single prediction technique for predicting the spatial variation of SOC stocks.
Dante's Self-Angelizing: A Prophecy of Egalitarian Transhumanism

In this article, I argue that Dante's philosophical goal is what I term "self-angelizing," an ennobling philosophical education granting one the knowledge and power of an angel, which the medieval scholastics conceived as celestial intelligences. Dante's own path to self-angelizing begins in his early New Life, which approaches a living Beatrice as exemplar of terrestrial angels. Next, Dante's middle-period Banquet discusses following Beatrice into self-angelizing through an education in philosophical virtue. Finally, in his climactic Paradise, Dante performs his own self-angelizing. The upshot of this journey is Dante's prophecy of an egalitarian transhumanism.
Estimation of in vivo noise in clinical CT images: comparison and validation of three different methods against ensemble noise gold-standard

Image quality estimation is crucial in modern CT with noise magnitude playing a key role. Several methods have been proposed to estimate noise surrogates in vivo. This study aimed to ascertain the accuracy of three different noise-magnitude estimation methods. We used ensemble noise as the ground truth. The most accurate approach to assess ensemble noise is to scan a patient repeatedly and assess the noise for each pixel across the ensemble of images. This process is ethically undoable on actual patients. In this study, we surmounted this impasse using Virtual Imaging Trials (VITs) that simulate clinical scenarios using computer-based simulations. XCAT phantoms were imaged 47 times using a scanner-specific simulator (DukeSim) and reconstructed with filtered back projection (FBP) and iterative (IR) algorithms. Noise magnitudes were calculated in lung (ROIn), soft tissues (GNI), and air surrounding the patient (AIRn), applying different HU thresholds and techniques. The results were compared with the ensemble noise magnitudes within soft tissue (En). For the FBP-reconstructed images, median En was 30.6 HU; median ROIn was 46.6 HU (+52%), median GNI was 40.1 HU (+31%), and median AIRn 25.1 HU (-18%). For the IR images, median En was 19.5 HU; median ROIn was 31.2 HU (+60%), median GNI was 25.1 HU (+29%), and median AIRn 18.8 HU (-4%). Compared to ensemble noise, GNI and ROIn overestimate the tissue noise, while AIRn underestimates it. Air noise was least representative of variations in tissue noise due to imaging condition. These differences may be applied as adjustment or calibration factors to better represent clinical results.
High spatial resolution spiral first-pass myocardial perfusion imaging with whole-heart coverage at 3 T.

PURPOSE To develop and evaluate a high spatial resolution (1.25 × 1.25 mm2 ) spiral first-pass myocardial perfusion imaging technique with whole-heart coverage at 3T, to better assess transmural differences in perfusion between the endocardium and epicardium, to quantify the myocardial ischemic burden, and to improve the detection of obstructive coronary artery disease. METHODS Whole-heart high-resolution spiral perfusion pulse sequences and corresponding motion-compensated reconstruction techniques for both interleaved single-slice (SS) and simultaneous multi-slice (SMS) acquisition with or without outer-volume suppression (OVS) were developed. The proposed techniques were evaluated in 34 healthy volunteers and 8 patients (55 data sets). SS and SMS images were reconstructed using motion-compensated L1-SPIRiT and SMS-Slice-L1-SPIRiT, respectively. Images were blindly graded by 2 experienced cardiologists on a 5-point scale (5, excellent; 1, poor). RESULTS High-quality perfusion imaging was achieved for both SS and SMS acquisitions with or without OVS. The SS technique without OVS had the highest scores (4.5 [4, 5]), which were greater than scores for SS with OVS (3.5 [3.25, 3.75], P < .05), MB = 2 without OVS (3.75 [3.25, 4], P < .05), and MB = 2 with OVS (3.75 [2.75, 4], P < .05), but significantly higher than those for MB = 3 without OVS (4 [4, 4], P = .95). SMS image quality was improved using SMS-Slice-L1-SPIRiT as compared to SMS-L1-SPIRiT (P < .05 for both reviewers). CONCLUSION We demonstrated the successful implementation of whole-heart spiral perfusion imaging with high resolution at 3T. Good image quality was achieved, and the SS without OVS showed the best image quality. Evaluation in patients with expected ischemic heart disease is warranted.
Fluorodeoxyglucose Positron Emission Tomography/Computed Tomography Imaging Predicts Vein Wall Scarring and Statin Benefit in Murine Venous Thrombosis.

Background: The postthrombotic syndrome is a common, often morbid sequela of venous thrombosis (VT) that arises from thrombus persistence and inflammatory scarring of juxtaposed vein walls and valv...
The MedPhys match survey: Search criteria and advice for programs and applicants.

PURPOSE The purpose of this study was to gauge the experiences of applicants and program directors (PDs) in the Medical Physics (MedPhys) Match (MPM) and to determine the most important characteristics and factors that influence decision-making for applicants and programs when screening, interviewing, and ranking in the MPM. Opinions were also solicited from applicants and PDs on the status of medical physics residencies and the selection process, such as the availability of residency positions and satisfaction with the match process. METHODS A survey was sent to all applicants registered for the 2015-2018 MPM and to all PDs registered for the 2015-2017 MPM. Survey questions asked about the pre-interview screening, interview, and ranking stages of the residency match process. Survey data were analyzed using graphical methods and spreadsheet tools. RESULTS An increasing percentage of applicants are female and/or hold a PhD as their highest degree. The over all number of interview invitations per applicant has increased, leading some applicants to decline interviews with the top reasons being cost of travel and scheduling conflicts. The top considerations for applicants in ranking programs were residency program/institution reputation, program structure/organization, and facilities/equipment available. The primary considerations identified by PDs for ranking applicants included impressions from the interview, personality fit, and clinical potential. While two-thirds of applicants agreed or strongly agreed with the statement that a residency position was difficult to obtain, roughly one-third of PDs agree that the current residency placement rate is a problem. CONCLUSION Four years of survey data on the experiences of applicants and PDs participating in the MPM is useful to future participants navigating the residency match system. It is hoped that the data will be helpful to inform improvements and to enhance understanding of the residency match system and how it shapes our profession.
Effect of Cationic Surfactants on the Stability of the Nano-SiO_2 Fluid

We researched the nano-SiO2/ water nanofluid stability and established the method of differential transmittance. And then we studied the effect of different cationic surfactants : tetradecyl trimethyl ammonium bromide( TTAB),cetyl trimethyl ammonium bromide( CTAB) and octadecyl trimethyl ammonium bromide( OTAB) on the nano-SiO2fluid stability by using the method of differential transmittance and gravity sedimentation. The results showed that the surface of SiO2nanoparticles after adsorbing cationic surfactant prompted nanofluid to form a gel, and there existed three critical concentrations C1,C2 and C3 by the type of cationic surfactant to 2. 5wt% SiO2nanofluid stability,and these three critical concentrations were closely related to the hydrophobic chain length,the longer the carbon chain,the lower the corresponding critical concentration. Finallly,we proposed a theory of hydrophobic associating interaction among the nano-SiO2particles which its surface adsorbed cationic surfactants.
Predicting Targets for Genome Editing with Long Short Term Memory Networks

Naturally occurring bacterial immune system can be engineered for use in the mammalian genome editing. To assist with the design of new editing systems, we developed and evaluated three data-driven predictors of DNA targets in the mouse and human genomes. Long Short Term Memory network models outperformed classifiers trained with Support Vector Machines and Random forest algorithms. The hold-out accuracy of the deep learning classifier reached 81.6% for the mouse genome and 82.5% for the human genome. We also demonstrated that classification accuracy improves when sequences surrounding a mammalian target site are incorporated into the input vector of the neural network, reaching an accuracy of 83% for both organisms.
Theoretical characterization and computational discovery of ultra-wide-band-gap semiconductors with predictive atomistic calculations

First-principles calculations based on density-functional theory have become an established theoretical characterization toolkit to understand and predict the structural and functional properties of materials. In this work, we review recent methodological developments and applications of density-functional theory techniques that relate to the study of ultra-wide-band-gap semiconductors. The topics we cover are directly relevant to the fabrication and operation of devices, such as the stability, synthesis, and doping of semiconductors, along with a survey of work relating to their charge and heat transport, optical properties, and carrier recombination. We further address how high-throughput calculations and materials-informatics techniques can aid the discovery of new ultra-wide-band-gap semiconducting materials with targeted functionalities. Our review highlights how density-functional theory techniques can work in tandem with experiment to advance the state of the art in ultra-wide-band-gap semiconductor research.
The Need for Graphical Displays to Effectively Use Large Numerical Data Bases for Decision Making and Problem Solving

Graphical computer simulations are gaining increased usage in information analysis center work where data from large numeric data bases are used. There is a fundamental need for the use of such display techniques to help synthesize and digest hundreds to thousands of raw data into a form that can be comprehended and used by the individual mind. The significance of graphics as a tool is illustrated by examples taken from case studies at ORNL. Examples come from diverse areas including physical theory development and socio-economic evaluations.
Restructuring computations for temporal data cache locality

Data access costs contribute significantly to the execution time of applications with complex data structures. A the latency of memory accesses becomes high relative to processor cycle times, application performance is increasingly limited by memory performance. In some situations it is useful to trade increased computation costs for reduced memory costs. The contributions of this paper are three-fold: we provide a detailed analysis of the memory performance of seven memory-intensive benchmarks; we describe Computation Regrouping, a source-level approach to improving the performance of memory-bound applications by increasing temporal locality to eliminate cache and TLB misses; and, we demonstrate significant performance improvement by applying Computation Regrouping to our suite of seven benchmarks. Using Computation Regrouping, we observe a geometric mean speedup of 1.90, with individual speedups ranging from 1.26 to 3.03. Most of this improvement comes from eliminating memory tall time.
Support for Three Controversial Claims Made by Gérard de Vaucouleurs

Evidence is presented in support of views long held by de Vaucouleurs concerning the distribution of nearby galaxies, the distance scale, and the existence of peculiar streaming velocities.
Making Prehistory: Historical Science and the Scientific Realism Debate

Introduction 1. Asymmetries 2. The colors of the dinosaurs 3. Manipulation matters 4. Paleontology's chimeras 5. Novel predictions in historical science 6. Making prehistory: could the past be socially constructed? 7. The natural historical attitude 8. Snowball Earth in the balance Conclusion.
Computer Models for Reservoir Regulation

A stochastic linear programming model is structured for defining reservoir-operating policies which satisfy either single or multiple objectives. The discussion is limited to models for regulating a single reservoir subjected to random serially correlated inflows. The probabilistic sequences of inflows are defined by Markov chains. A computer program is outlined for both structuring the model and putting it in a format suitable for solution by the IBM Mathematical Programming System code. An example, based on a simplified version of one of the Finger Lakes in New York State, is used to illustrate both how the policy and the probability distributions of any function of lake levels and discharges can be obtained from the solution of the models. These probability distributions may be used to estimate the risks of flooding or droughts that may occur given a particular policy. This information should be of assistance in planning lake management policies.
Proof assistants as teaching assistants: a view from the trenches

Ambitious experiments using proof assistants for programming language research and teaching are all the rage. In this talk, I'll report on one now underway at the University of Pennsylvania and several other places: a one-semester graduate course in the theory of programming languages presented entirely—every lecture, every homework assignment—in Coq. This course is now in its third iteration, the course materials are becoming fairly mature, and we've got quite a bit of experience with what works and what doesn't. I'll try to give a sense of what the course is like for both instructors and students, describe some of the most interesting challenges, and explain why I now believe such machine-assisted courses are the way of the future.
Partners in giving:: The crowding-in effects of UK government grants

Abstract This study examines the determinants of voluntary donations to UK charities, using empirical specifications that combine error-component and simultaneous-equations methods. In a series of tests, we identify the one-way fixed-effects endogenous representation for government grants as the best empirical model. When this endogeneity is taken into account, government grants cause significant crowding-in for the full sample and the two largest cohorts. Price coefficients are negative, and fund-raising coefficients are positive. Religion charities are net revenue maximizers; whereas other charity cohorts fund raise short of net revenue maximization.
Multi-targeted molecular therapeutic approach in aggressive neuroblastoma: the effect of Focal Adhesion Kinase–Src–Paxillin system

Introduction: Nonreceptor tyrosine kinases play key roles in the integrin system. Located at the focal adhesions, they consist of large protein complexes through which the cytoskeleton connects to the extracellular matrix. The focal adhesion kinase (FAK)–Src–paxillin complex, a major mediator of the integrin pathway, contributes to cell migration and motility. Its overexpression is increased in children with advanced neuroblastoma (NB), one of the most common malignancies of childhood, with poor survival.Areas covered: We review the most recent data on FAK–Src–paxillin and their implications in NB, the molecular structure and the regulatory mechanisms of each molecule and their interactions and up-to-date information on their use as the newest biomarkers and their potential use as therapeutic targets in NB.Expert opinion: Based on the current literature, we hypothesize that combined and concurrent inhibition of the FAK–Src–Paxillin system may result in significant tumor suppression and prevention or delay...
Alcohol-induced tight junction dysfunction primes airways for RSV infection (538.1)

Tight junctions form a belt-like structure between adjacent cells whose degree of permeability changes according to external stimuli, physiological and pathological conditions. We have previously shown that alcohol increases tight junction permeability and disrupts tight junction proteins (ZO-1 and claudin) in cultured airway epithelial cells through PKCα. It is well established that individuals who consume heavy and prolonged amounts of alcohol are more likely to suffer from pulmonary diseases and infections. Alcohol triggers tight junctions in airway epithelial cells to “leak”, which likely primes the airways for pulmonary infections. Thus, a second injury, such as viral or bacterial infection, is likely intensified by alcohol consumption. To date, very few studies have focused on the combination of alcohol and RSV infection. While both alcohol and RSV have been separately shown to disrupt tight junctions, little research has examined the combination of alcohol and RSV infection on tight junction functi...
5S rRNA modification in the hyperthermophilic archaea Sulfolobus solfataricus and Pyrodictium occultum.

The 5S rRNAs from Sulfolobus solfataricus and Pyrodictium occultum were digested to nucleosides and analyzed using directly-combined HPLC/mass spectrometry. P. occultum 5S rRNA contains two modified nucleoside species, N4-acetylcytidine (ac4C) and N4-acetyl-2'-O-methylcytidine (ac4Cm). Oligonucleotides were generated from P. occultum 5S rRNA by RNase T1 hydrolysis, and their molecular weights were determined using electrospray mass spectrometry and compared with those predicted from the P. occultum 5S RNA gene sequence. Deviation in mass between expected and observed molecular weights permitted ac4Cm to be located at position 35, in the nonanucleotide CAA-CACC[ac4Cm]G, and the ac4C in one or both of two (C,U)G trinucleotides. 2'-O-Methylcytidine is unambiguously characterized in S. solfataricus 5S rRNA, confirming earlier tentative assignments at the analogous sequence position (Stahl, D.A., Luehrsen, K.R., Woese, C.R., and Pace, N.R. (1981) Nucleic Acids Res., Vol. 9, pp. 6129-6137; Dams, E., Londei, P., Cammarano, P., Vandenberghe, A., and De Wachter, R. (1983) Nucleic Acids Res. Vol. 11, pp. 4667-4676). Potential effects of the presence of ac4C and ac4Cm on thermal stabilization of 5S rRNA in thermophiles are discussed.
Visible Cascade Higgs Decays to Four Photons at Hadron Colliders

The presence of a new singlet scalar particle a can open up new decay channels for the Higgs boson, through cascades of the form h{yields}2a{yields}X, possibly making discovery through standard model channels impossible. If a is CP odd, its decays are particularly sensitive to new physics. Quantum effects from heavy fields can naturally make h{yields}4g the dominant decay which is difficult to observe at hadron colliders, and is allowed by CERN LEP for m{sub h}>82 GeV. However, there are usually associated decays, either h{yields}2g2{gamma} or h{yields}4{gamma}, which are more promising. The decay h{yields}4{gamma} is a clean channel that can discover both a and h. At the CERN LHC with 300 fb{sup -1} of luminosity, a branching ratio of order 10{sup -4} is sufficient for discovery for a large range of Higgs boson masses. With total luminosity of {approx}8 fb{sup -1}, discovery at the Fermilab Tevatron requires more than 5x10{sup -3} in branching ratio.
The photodissociation of s-tetrazine and dimethyl-s-tetrazine

Abstract The photodissociation of s -tetrazine (ST) and its dimethyl derivative (DMST) has been investigated in hexane solutions at room temperature and in argon matrices and organic molecular crystals at cryogenic temperatures. Contrary to what has generally been assumed, only ST photodissociates upon excitation into its lowest excited singlet state at room temperature and in the rare gas matrix. Both ST and DMST in molecular crystal hosts exhibit a quadratic dependence of photodissociation on exciting light intensity. This we consider to be evidence of a sequential two photon photodissociation process.