cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Object-oriented business process modeling and simulation:: A discrete event system specification framework

Abstract In this study, we suggest that the Discrete Event System Specification (DEVS) framework, derived from engineering research, provides a useful Object-Oriented Modeling and Simulation (OOMS) approach for developing, simulating and evaluating complex business process models. A survey of other OOMS approaches to business process modeling, and their evaluation with regard to model representation, manipulation and implementation, suggests that there are some limitations which could be addressed by DEVS. We conducted a case study of a business process in a “real world” setting to explore some of the issues involved in implementing the DEVS framework. Our findings suggest that DEVS provides a robust framework for model representation based on its concept of atomic models and its ability to represent higher-level models that are closed under coupling. It also provides considerable model manipulation capabilities through a System Entity Structure (SES), the pruning of the SES by inclusion of instances of models which correspond to processing alternatives, and a relatively easy transition from conceptual models to simulation models. Finally, our implementation of DEVS in a business situation contributes to the parent discipline by highlighting a number of methodological issues such as discrepancy resolution by identifying root causes, assumptions surfacing and re-examination, and an awareness of the political and cultural context of business process modeling. Our study suggests that IS research on developing OOMS approaches to business process modeling can derive considerable benefits by leveraging off DEVS-related research in engineering.
Dietary patterns based on the Mediterranean diet and DASH diet are inversely associated with high aggressive prostate cancer in PCaP

Abstract Background Several foods and nutrients have been linked to the development of prostate cancer, but the association between healthy dietary patterns and prostate cancer aggressiveness is less studied. The aim of this study was to evaluate the relationship between the Mediterranean diet (MED) and Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension (DASH) diet scores and prostate cancer aggressiveness by race. Methods Data from the population-based, case-only North Carolina–Louisiana Prostate Cancer Project (PCaP) were used to examine the association between diet quality, measured by MED and DASH scores, and prostate cancer aggressiveness in 1899 African American (AA) and European American (EA) research subjects. Dietary intake was assessed using a modified National Cancer Institute Diet History Questionnaire. Logistic regression was used to estimate adjusted odds ratios (ORs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) for high versus low-intermediate aggressive prostate cancer. Results Higher MED scores were inversely associated with high aggressive prostate cancer overall (OR: 0.66; 95% CI: 0.46, 0.95 for high versus low scores); results were similar for AA and EA men. A weaker inverse association between DASH scores and prostate cancer aggressiveness was found (OR: 0.76; 95% CI: 0.55, 1.06). Conclusions Higher diet quality, as represented by a Mediterranean-style diet or DASH diet, may reduce the odds of high aggressive prostate cancer.
Overview of Vicia (Fabaceae) of Mexico

Vicia has 12 species in Mexico; 4 of the 12 are introduced. Two new names are proposed: Vicia mullerana B.L. Turner, nom. & stat. nov., (based on V. americana subsp. mexicana C.R. Gunn, non V. mexicana Hemsl.), and V. ludoviciana var. occidentalis (Shinners) B.L. Turner, based on V. occidentalis Shinners, comb. nov. Vicia pulchella Kunth subsp. mexicana (Hemsley) C.R. Gunn is better treated as V. sessei G. Don, the earliest name at the specific level. A key to the taxa is provided along with comments upon species relationships, and maps showing distributions.
Role of ADTRP (Androgen-Dependent Tissue Factor Pathway Inhibitor Regulating Protein) in Vascular Development and Function.

Background The physiological function of ADTRP (androgen‐dependent tissue factor pathway inhibitor regulating protein) is unknown. We previously identified ADTRP as coregulating with and supporting...
Squamous cell carcinoma of the anal canal

Anal squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) is a rare cancer and accounts for approximately 4% of all cancers of the lower alimentary tract. The dominant etiology is infection with human papilloma virus (HPV), which is the most common sexually transmitted disease in the United States. Integration of HPV DNA into the host genome seems to be the driving mechanism behind carcinogenesis. Vaccines directed against oncogenic HPV serotypes exist, and their utility for preventing anal neoplasia is under investigation. Additional risk factors for developing SCC include HIV infection, anal receptive intercourse, smoking, and immunosuppression. Patients with known anal intraepithelial neoplasia (AIN) must be carefully screened with periodic digital rectal exam and anoscopy. The most common presenting symptom is bleeding, with up to one third of patients presenting asymptomatic. Once tissue diagnosis is made, staging of primary tumor is accomplished with either MRI or transanal ultrasound. Distant disease is evaluated with CT of chest abdomen and pelvis vs whole body PET/CT. The gold standard treatment for stage I-III disease remains the Nigro protocol, first described in 1974. Stage I disease not involving sphincter may be treated with local excision. Distant disease is treated with systemic chemotherapy with radiation reserved for locoregional symptoms. Careful surveillance is mandatory after completion of chemoradiation. Salvage abdominoperineal resection can achieve locoregional control in up to 77% of patients with persistent or recurrent disease. Morbidity is high, mostly owing to wound complications, and as such a flap reconstruction of the perineum is warranted.
CALPHAD-guided alloy design and processing for improved strength and toughness in Titanium Boride (TiB) ceramic alloy containing a ductile phase

Abstract A CALPHAD-guided alloy design strategy is used here to design and process fully dense titanium boride (TiB) ceramic alloys containing a ductile phase for toughening. This involved the construction of high temperature phase fields of the Ti-B-Fe-Mo quaternary alloy system using the CALPAHD approach. To design the compositions, ternary phase diagrams of Ti-B-Fe, Ti-B-Mo, and Fe-Mo-B systems were first constructed using the thermodynamic databases that were verified to predict well the binary phase diagrams of components. Using this as a basis, the pseudo-ternary diagrams of the Ti-B-Fe-Mo system were constructed to map the high temperature phase fields over a wide range of composition. This made it possible to identify relatively lower reaction sintering temperatures for various alloy compositions. Two compositions of TiB ceramic alloys with the ductile beta-phase (both having ∼85% TiB and ∼15% β-Ti phase), were considered for the demonstration of the present approach. Based on the pseudo-ternary phase fields, these two compositions could be processed using electric-field-activated sintering (EFAS), in a relatively short time, at their respective liquid-phase-forming temperatures. The processing temperature was as low as 1423 K for a Fe/Mo-rich ceramic alloy composition, but the formation of brittle intermetallic phase FeTi here was found to be detrimental to mechanical properties. The second TiB ceramic alloy composition, which was Fe/Mo-lean, could be processed at 1623 K. This composition is shown here to possess a very good combination of high flexural strength (∼850 MPa) and high fracture toughness (∼7.7 MPa√m), making it attractive for potential applications. The identification of the liquid phase reaction sintering regions in the ternary phase diagrams, and the eventual finding of one composition giving a relatively high strength and toughness, demonstrate that this is an effective approach for alloy design. The microstructural factors that control the strength and toughness have been identified and the ways to increase these properties further, in this class of materials, are suggested.
Infection of Primary Human Alveolar Macrophages Alters Staphylococcus aureus Toxin Production and Activity.

ABSTRACT Pulmonary pathogens encounter numerous insults, including phagocytic cells designed to degrade bacteria, while establishing infection in the human lung. Staphylococcus aureus is a versatile, opportunistic pathogen that can cause severe pneumonia, and methicillin-resistant isolates are of particular concern. Recent reports present conflicting data regarding the ability of S. aureus to survive and replicate within macrophages. However, due to use of multiple strains and macrophage sources, making comparisons between reports remains difficult. Here, we established a disease-relevant platform to study innate interactions between S. aureus and human lungs. Human precision-cut lung slices (hPCLS) were subjected to infection by S. aureus LAC (methicillin-resistant) or UAMS-1 (methicillin-sensitive) isolates. Additionally, primary human alveolar macrophages (hAMs) were infected with S. aureus, and antibacterial activity was assessed. Although both S. aureus isolates survived within hAM phagosomes, neither strain replicated efficiently in these cells. S. aureus was prevalent within the epithelial and interstitial regions of hPCLS, with limited numbers present in a subset of hAMs, suggesting that the pathogen may not target phagocytic cells for intracellular growth during natural pulmonary infection. S. aureus-infected hAMs mounted a robust inflammatory response that reflected natural human disease. S. aureus LAC was significantly more cytotoxic to hAMs than UAMS-1, potentially due to isolate-specific virulence factors. The bicomponent toxin Panton-Valentine leukocidin was not produced during intracellular infection, while alpha-hemolysin was produced but was not hemolytic, suggesting that hAMs alter toxin activity. Overall, this study defined a new disease-relevant infection platform to study S. aureus interaction with human lungs and to define virulence factors that incapacitate pulmonary cells.
Treatment of Brachioradial Pruritus: A Systematic Review

AbstractImportance: Brachioradial pruritus (BRP) is a poorly understood disease and can severely impact quality of life. However, there is currently no clear treatment. Objective: To identify effective behavioral, topical, oral, and invasive treatment options for BRP, and to discuss the quality of the data currently found in the literature. Evidence Review: The PubMed and CINAHL databases were systematically reviewed for articles from 1968 to the present containing search terms “brachioradial OR solar OR forearm AND pruritus OR itching.” Results were narrowed to articles written in English, focusing specifically on BRP, and that stated precise treatment modalities. Evidence quality was determined based on the study type. Findings: Thirty-six articles discussing treatments for BRP are included in this review with a total 399 patients. Six studies (n=68) report on the efficacy of capsaicin cream, eight studies (n=26) on oral gabapentin 300 mg daily to six times daily and four studies (n=98) on sun protection. The remaining articles comprise of low-quality, small-scale studies on further oral medications, physical therapy, minimally-invasive procedures, and surgery. Conclusions and Relevance: Low-quality evidence supports the use of sun protection, topical capsaicin, or oral gabapentin as effective therapeutic modalities for BRP. Clinicians should be aware of possible underlying cervical spine pathology and include thorough imaging as part of BRP work-up. Further high-quality studies on BRP treatments would help elucidate clear management for this disorder.
Delivery, uptake, fate, and transport of engineered nanoparticles in plants: a critical review and data analysis

The increasing demand for food coupled to various environmental pressures, is increasing the importance of sustainable agricultural practices. Based on results published across a wide range of disciplines, it is becoming evident that nanotechnology can play a crucial role in increasing the sustainability of agriculture, particularly in the area of fertilizer delivery, gene modification, and pest control. In this paper, we review critical plant morphological and physiological indices (pore size in xylem and phloem, xylem/phloem sap composition, xylem/phloem sap flow rate and flow conducting area) for nanoparticle (NP) transport, and examine the efficacy of various delivery methods for NPs (foliar application, root application, and feeding/injecting directly into plant tissue) with an emphasis on NP transport efficiency throughout the entire plant. While only few studies have explored the feeding/injection of NPs, these application pathways are the most efficient in terms of delivery, indicating their practical potential (e.g., for agrochemical delivery). In contrast, when applied via soil drenching or foliar spraying, the majority of the applied NPs are not taken up by the plants. However, those NPs that do penetrate the plant exhibit efficient transport from leaf to root, and vice versa. Of these two application methods, foliar application appears to be more effective in both NP delivery and transport than soil drenching. To further explain the data reported in the literature and to study the transport processes of NPs throughout the plant, we applied the Derjaguin–Landau–Verwey–Overbeek model to study the interactions of NPs with the surfaces of the plant vascular system (xylem and phloem), by which these NPs are transported throughout the plant structure. We found that the interaction energy between negatively charged NPs and plant tissue is positive, indicating that these NPs can effectively transport. We discuss future research needs regarding NP transport, which will enable effective utilization of NPs for different agricultural applications.
Micronutrient fertilization of woody seedlings essential regardless of pine bark pH.

Abstract The objective of this study was to determine the effect of micronutrient amendments to pine bark on seedling growth over a wide pine bark pH range. Koelreuteria paniculata (Laxm.) was cont...
Spotlight on Icosapent Ethyl for Cardiovascular Risk Reduction: Evidence to Date

Icosapent ethyl is a highly purified formulation of eicosapentaenoic acid, a type of omega-3 fatty acid contained in fish oil. While omega-3 fatty acids have long been thought to have cardioprotective benefits, the Reduction of Cardiovascular Events with EPA-Intervention Trial (REDUCE-IT) has helped to establish icosapent ethyl as an evidence-based therapy for risk reduction of atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease (ASCVD). REDUCE-IT, however, was by no means an overnight success story. Close examination of the evidence shows that the trial was a culmination of many lessons learned from previous studies. The purpose of this manuscript is to review contemporary evidence of icosapent ethyl in ASCVD risk reduction and the clinical implication of this promising therapy.
Styles of mastery of a Calcutta Brahman family: Krishnachandra Ghoshal’s pilgrimage to Gaya, Kashi and Prayag, 1769, in Vijayram Sen’s Ti-rthaman.gala:

This article examines styles of mastery practised by a wealthy, managerial Brahman family in late eighteenth-century Bengal, when managerial Brahmans found new opportunities in association with the...
Generalization of the resource-rationality principle to neural control of goal-directed movements.

We review evidence that the resource-rationality principle generalizes to human movement control. Optimization of the use of limited neurocomputational resources is described by the inclusion of the “neurocomputational cost” of sensory information processing and decision making in the optimality criterion of movement control. A resulting tendency to decrease this cost can account for various phenomena observed during goal-directed movements.
Uncompensated Takings: Insurance, Efficiency, and Relational Justice

The Fifth Amendment requires the government to pay “just compensation” when it takes private property through eminent domain. Prominent scholars, however, have argued that optimally the government would pay nothing for taken property. Treating takings compensation as a form of government-provided insurance, they argue that owners should be left to purchase that insurance from private companies. This fundamental challenge to the conventional understanding of takings law is now common in economically influenced analyses of eminent domain. It routinely appears in leading casebooks, and it has significant practical implications for interpreting the scope of the Takings Clause. This article addresses the anti-compensation challenge on both economic and justice grounds. It makes three main arguments: First, standard justifications for requiring government compensation in fact are ineffective against this anti-compensation challenge. If those established justifications were the only relevant considerations, then the challenge would actually be quite plausible. Second, the challenge nevertheless is unpersuasive. Both the standard justifications for requiring government compensation and the arguments challenging that requirement have overlooked the importance of a distinct form of justice—what this article terms “relational justice.” Recognizing justice’s relational dimension both reveals the fundamental error in considering takings compensation to be a form of government-provided insurance and explains why justice requires that the government pay that compensation. Third, there is no need here to choose between relational justice and economic efficiency, because the efficiency concerns motivating the anti-compensation challenge are illusory. Existing scholarship has failed to consider the size of the inefficiencies that the challenge alleges exist. This article remedies that crucial gap in the literature, showing why any net social efficiency gains from replacing government compensation with private insurance would likely be negligible at best, and possibly negative. Thus, efficiency offers no reason to disregard the requirements of relational justice.
Seizures in Children

Epilepsy is one of the most common neurologic disorders seen in children, with the highest incidence in the first year of life. Diagnostic accuracy can be challenging because many seizure mimics must be considered. Electroencephalography and neuroimaging can be critical in determining etiology and syndrome. Genetic testing is a high-yield endeavor, particularly in early-life epilepsies. Up to one-fourth of children with epilepsy will develop drug-resistant seizures. Comorbidities are very common in children with epilepsy, including intellectual disability in 25% and learning disability and attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder in a significant minority. These comorbidities must be recognized and addressed as part of the child's overall care.
Transcriptomic analysis reveals receptor subclass-specific immune regulation of CD8+ T cells by opioids

Opioid peptides are released at sites of injury, and their cognate G protein-coupled opioid receptors (OR) are expressed on immune cells. Exposure of human circulating CD8+ T cells to selective OR agonists differentially regulates thousands of genes. Gene set enrichment analysis reveals that μ-OR more strongly regulates cellular processes than δ-OR. In TCR naive T cells, triggering μ-OR exhibits stimulatory and inhibitory patterns, yet when administered prior to TCR cross-linking, a μ-OR agonist inhibits activation. μ-OR, but not δ-OR, signaling is linked to upregulation of lipid, cholesterol, and steroid hormone biosynthesis, suggesting lipid regulation is a mechanism for immune suppression. Lipid rafts are cholesterol-rich, liquid-ordered membrane domains that function as a nexus for the initiation of signal transduction from surface receptors, including TCR and μ-OR. We therefore propose that μ-OR-specific inhibition of TCR responses in human CD8+ T cells may be mediated through alterations in lipid metabolism and membrane structure.
Double Blind Lawmaking and Other Comments on Formalism in the Tax Law

David Weisbach's Article for this Symposium, Formalism in the Tax Law,1 is intriguing and accomplished. It wastes no time in putting some meat on the skeleton of debates about formalism. I do not summarize it here. Readers will know that it emphasizes the one-way nature of anti-abuse rules; the possibility of a link between standards and simplicity; the idea that behavior will change (in tax law and perhaps in other legal fields where there is behavioral elasticity) in response to a "first mover's" rulemaking strategies; and the importance of thinking about discontinuities in rules because these gaps in tax law might stimulate arbitrage, litigation, and the like. In the end, we are convinced that tax law relies sensibly on anti-abuse rules of a fuzzy sort precisely because taxpayers are quite able to adapt their behavior once the government makes nonfuzzy first moves. Weisbach's clever way of putting this point is to say that in tax law there is the danger that the uncommon will become common. Slightly underinclusive rules become grotesquely so. Formalism, if we must put it that way in this Symposium, would encourage waste. In this Comment I address the one-way character of anti-abuse rules and then this problem of the uncommon becoming common.
Upper Endoscopic Surveillance in Lynch Syndrome Detects Gastric and Duodenal Adenocarcinomas.

Lynch syndrome is a prevalent hereditary cancer predisposition syndrome. While colorectal cancer is the most common gastrointestinal (GI) cancer in Lynch syndrome, there is also increased risk of gastric and small intestinal cancers. Recommendations for upper GI cancer surveillance in Lynch syndrome vary widely with limited data supporting effectiveness. Herein, we collected data on individuals with a diagnosis of Lynch syndrome seen at our tertiary care referral center. We identified individuals who underwent upper endoscopy and those with upper GI cancers, and associated demographics, genetic testing results, and endoscopic information. Standard statistical analyses were performed. Among 295 individuals with Lynch syndrome seen at our center, 217 (73.6%) underwent 660 total upper endoscopies. Of these 217, precancerous upper endoscopy findings included Barrett9s esophagus (7, 3.2%), gastric intestinal metaplasia (18, 8.3%), and duodenal adenomas (4, 1.8%), and Helicobacter pylori was identified in 6 (2.8%). Upper GI cancers were diagnosed in 11 individuals (3.7%), including esophageal in 1, gastric in 6, and duodenal in 4. Five (1.7%) of these upper GI cancers were identified on surveillance. Individuals with upper GI cancers identified on surveillance were older at first surveillance endoscopy, with median age 63.3 versus 44.9 years (P
Leading Through a Pandemic: Adaptive Leadership and Purposeful Action.

As the coronavirus pandemic continues to reshape education, schools have had to adapt to a teaching reality that is increasingly more complex and uncertain. School leaders who take an adaptive leadership approach and leverage key leadership practices can support their schools in navigating the challenges of uncertain educational environments in adaptive ways.
Carebots for eldercare: Technology, ethics, and implications

Abstract As the demographic cohort known as the “Baby Boomers” age in many nations around the world, emerging trends show that this aging populace in need of caregiving services may soon outpace the number of individuals trained and licensed to provide such care. Simultaneously, advances in robotics technology, consumer electronics, and telehealth are progressing to the point that some tasks associated with eldercare can be addressed via technological solutions and may continue to advance to the point that more and more caregiving services required by the elderly in need may be automated and provided by robots. Such robots are referred to in the literature and in industry as carebots. Carebots can provide a number of benefits to the elderly and could help address a potential gap between the number of licensed caregivers available and the number of people requiring caregiving services. In recent years, ethics literature has debated potential ethical and moral concerns about carebot technology. However, consensus on what (if anything) should be done about carebots is lacking. Should carebots be heavily regulated, or even banned outright? Or are carebots a beneficial technology that should be embraced, even preferred over human caregiving? This paper explores the state of the art of carebot technology and where it may progress in the future, summarizing and addressing some of the ethical concerns about carebots and making recommendations for the present and near future use of carebot technology for providing care for the elderly.
The impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on negative symptoms in individuals at clinical high-risk for psychosis and outpatients with chronic schizophrenia.

Negative symptoms are core features of schizophrenia-spectrum disorders that are frequently observed across all phases of illness. By their nature, COVID-19 social isolation, physical distancing, and health precautions induce behavioural aspects of negative symptoms. However, it is unclear whether these prevention measures also lead to increases in experiential negative symptoms, whether such effects are equivalent across individual negative symptom domains, and if exacerbations occur equivalently across phases of illness. The current study compared negative symptom severity scores obtained during the pandemic to pre-pandemic assessments in two samples: (1) outpatients with chronic schizophrenia (SZ: n = 32) and matched healthy controls (CN: n = 31) and (2) individuals at clinical high risk for psychosis (CHR: n = 25) and matched CN (n = 30). Pre-pandemic ratings of negative symptoms were clinically elevated in SZ and CHR groups, which did not differ from each other in severity. In SZ, ratings obtained during the pandemic were significantly higher than pre-pandemic ratings for all 5 domains (alogia, blunted affect, anhedonia, avolition, and asociality) and item-level analyses indicated that exacerbations occurred on both experiential and behavioral symptoms of anhedonia, avolition, and asociality. In contrast, CHR only exhibited increases in anhedonia and avolition items during the pandemic compared to pre-ratings. Findings suggest that negative symptoms should be a critical treatment target during and after the pandemic in the schizophrenia spectrum given that they are worsening and critically related to risk for conversion, functional outcome, and recovery.
Seeking Coherence in the Multiplicative Conceptual Field: A Knowledge-in-Pieces Account

The present study is motivated by a significant body of research documenting teachers’ perennial difficulties with a critical swath of topics related to multiplication. In response, we track how Ni...
Micropaleontology in Multi-disciplinary research: Applications to OAE2 and KTB

Today, it is virtually unthinkable to solve almost any geologic problem without microfossils, whether in terms of age control or environmental proxies. Perhaps the turning point came in 1980 with the impact hypothesis as cause for the end- Cretaceous mass extinction. Although this hypothesis initiated one of the longest running and most acrimonious scientific debates, its most lasting and positive effects include the introduction of really high-resolution biostratigraphy at the cm-scale and the beginning of truly interdisciplinary and multi-disciplinary studies. Rarely has there been a topic so popular, albeit contentious, that it attracted interest and attention by disciplines across the spectrum of earth sciences and beyond. This report highlights advances in high-resolution biostratigraphy and environmental studies based on major events in Earth's history, such as the Oceanic Anoxic Event 2 (OAE2) and the Cretaceous-Tertiary boundary (KTB) mass extinction. It illustrates current age control, biostratigraphic resolution, stable isotope records with characteristic δ 13 C excursions and integration with other disciplines to derive environmental interpretations.
Neurobiology of the intestinal mucosa.

The importance of the enteric nervous system for coordinating and programming the digestive modes of the gastrointestinal effecters is well recognized. Attention has been focused in the past on the involvement of intrinsic nerves in generating specific motility patterns of the smooth muscle effecters, with little regard for the influence of intrinsic nerves on mucosal transport processes. The advent of immunohistochemical techniques for identifying neuronal types and their projections has documented the intrinsic innervation of the mucosa and has renewed interest in the epithelium as a neuroeffector system. The first definitive evidence of the direct involvement of the enteric nervous system in the regulation of intestinal mucosal ion transport was provided by Hubel (1) who adapted conventional electrical field stimulation techniques that were used routinely to examine the neural regulation of smooth muscle contractile activity to whole-thickness sheets of intestine in Ussing chambers. This technique, with its subsequent modifications by Cooke et al. (2), has been the basis for current understanding of the involvement of the enteric nervous system in the regulation of mucosal transport function. Significant progress has been made over the last decade to develop the foundation on which to build a working model of neural mechanisms that influence the mucosa; however, physiologic experiments have not kept pace with the morphologic studies that have identified a multiplicity of putative neurotransmitters within submucosa neurons, and, therefore, the
PERFORMANCE PREDICTION: A CASE STUDY USING A MULTI-RING KSR-1 MACHINE

While computers with tens of thousands of processors have successfully delivered high performance power for solving some of the so-called ``grand-challenge'''' applications, the notion of scalability is becoming an important metric in the evaluation of parallel machine architectues and algorithms. In this study, the prediction of scalability and its application are carefully investigated. A simple formula is presented to show the relation between scalability, single processor computing power, and degradation of parallelism. A case study is conducted on a multi-ring KSR-1 shared virtual memory machine. Experimental and theoretical results show that the influence of topology variation of an architecture is predictable. Therefore, the performance of an algorithm on a sophisticated, heirarchical architecture can be predicted and the best algorithm-machine combination can be selected for a given application.
The modern role of visual observations of comets

This paper reviews the role of past and future visual observations in cometary research. The strengths and limitations of visual observations are explored for the benefit of both investigators who might have to use them and observers who wish to make real contributions to the field. We consider the characteristics of the eye-brain combination as a detector and compare them with those of modern detectors. We specifically evaluate visual discoveries, magnitude estimates, and drawings.
Dialogic action in climate change discussions: An international study of high school students in China, New Zealand, Norway and the United States

Global efforts to prepare young developing minds for solving current and future challenges of climate change have advocated interdisciplinary, issues-based instructional approaches in order to transform traditional models of science education as delivering conceptual facts (UNESCO, 2014). This study is an exploration of the online interactions in an international social network of high school students residing in Norway, China, New Zealand and the United States (N=141). Students participated in classroom-based and asynchronous online discussions about adapted versions of seminal scientific studies with facilitative support from seven scientists across various fields. Grounded in a language-in-use frame for investigating facilitation and demonstrations of problem-based and evidence-based reasoning (Kelly & Chen, 1999), we traced the varied questions, assertions, and evidentiary sources within student-led online discussions. We found that questions from scientific experts in the form of unconstrained, open-ended invitations for exploration were followed by students’ acknowledgement and consideration of complex and, at times, conflicting sociopolitical and economic positions about climate change issues. These findings suggest that broadening science classroom discussions to include socially relevant, unsolved issues like climate change could open potential entry points for a dialogic approach that fosters a scientific community in the classroom.
Flow velocity vector fields by ultrasound particle imaging velocimetry: in vitro comparison with optical flow velocimetry.

Objectives We performed an in vitro study to assess the precision and accuracy of particle imaging velocimetry (PIV) data acquired using a clinically available portable ultrasound system via comparison with stereo optical PIV. Methods The performance of ultrasound PIV was compared with optical PIV on a benchmark problem involving vortical flow with a substantial out-of-plane velocity component. Optical PIV is capable of stereo image acquisition, thus measuring out-of-plane velocity components. This allowed us to quantify the accuracy of ultrasound PIV, which is limited to in-plane acquisition. The system performance was assessed by considering the instantaneous velocity fields without extracting velocity profiles by spatial averaging. Results Within the 2-dimensional correlation window, using 7 time-averaged frames, the vector fields were found to have correlations of 0.867 in the direction along the ultrasound beam and 0.738 in the perpendicular direction. Out-of-plane motion of greater than 20% of the in-plane vector magnitude was found to increase the SD by 11% for the vectors parallel to the ultrasound beam direction and 8.6% for the vectors perpendicular to the beam. Conclusions The results show a close correlation and agreement of individual velocity vectors generated by ultrasound PIV compared with optical PIV. Most of the measurement distortions were caused by out-of-plane velocity components.
Green-Emitting $(\lambda=525~{\rm nm})$ InGaN/GaN Quantum Dot Light Emitting Diodes Grown on Quantum Dot Dislocation Filters

We have investigated the dislocation filtering characteristics of InGaN/GaN quantum dot multilayers grown at the substrate/active layer interface along the c-axis. Etch pit dislocation density measurements reveal a reduction in defect density by a factor of 5, from ~ 5×108 cm-2 to ~ 9.8×107 cm-2 in a GaN overlayer with an optimized quantum dot multilayer. This is accompanied by a reduction of electron and hole trap densities in the GaN layer by a factor of 3 and an increase in the luminescence efficiency of green-emitting In0.35Ga0.65N/GaN quantum dots grown atop such filters. Green-emitting (λ = 525 nm) quantum dot light emitting diodes having optimized dislocation filter show marked improvement in their current-voltage and light-current characteristics and in their external quantum efficiency. The peak efficiency is achieved at an injection level of 27 A/cm2.
ELECTION CONTROVERSY 2000: MEDIA COVERAGE OF VOTER PURGES IN FLORIDA

While most Americans learned all about butterfly ballots and hanging chads following the 2000 election, very few have heard the story of large numbers of voters wrongly purged from the voter rolls. The story is particularly important both because the wrongly purged voters could have swung the election several times over and because the purge disproportionately disenfranchised African American voters. The purge went largely unreported in the United States. Why didn’t the media bring this issue to the attention of the American people? In this article, I explore the media’s (in)actions through the lens of Edward Herman and Noam Chomsky’s media filtration theories.
Communication protocols for underwater data collection using a robotic sensor network

We examine the problem of collecting data from an underwater sensor network using an autonomous underwater vehicle (AUV). The sensors in the network are equipped with acoustic modems that provide noisy, range-limited communication to the AUV. One challenge in this scenario is to plan paths that maximize the information collected and minimize travel time. While executing a path, the AUV can improve performance by communicating with multiple nodes in the network at once. Such multi-node communication requires a scheduling protocol that is robust to channel variations and interference. To solve this problem, we develop and test a multiple access control protocol for the underwater data collection scenario. We perform simulated experiments that utilize a realistic model of acoustic communication taken from experimental test data. These simulations demonstrate that properly designed scheduling protocols are essential for choosing the appropriate path planning algorithms for data collection.
Dopaminergic activity of quipazine

Rats were trained to discriminate between the stimulus properties of intraperitoneal 0.16 mg/kg apomorphine and saline in a two-lever, food-motivated operant task. Administration of 1.0 mg/kg quipazine, a putative serotonin agonist, produced apomorphine-appropriate responding with a maximal effect occurring at 45 min post-injection. Pretreatment with either 2.0 mg/kg methysergide or 0.4 mg/kg haloperidol reduced quipazine-induced responding upon the apomorphine-appropriate lever to levels observed with methysergide or haloperidol administered alone. These results evidence a dopaminergic action for quipazine and suggest that central serotonergic and dopaminergic pathways may interact cooperatively to control behavior.
Nitric Oxide and the Control of Firefly Flashing

Bioluminescent flashing is essential for firefly reproduction, yet the specific molecular mechanisms that control light production are not well understood. We report that light production by fireflies can be stimulated by nitric oxide (NO) gas in the presence of oxygen and that NO scavengers block bioluminescence induced by the neurotransmitter octopamine. NO synthase is robustly expressed in the firefly lantern in cells interposed between nerve endings and the light-producing photocytes. These results suggest that NO synthesis is a key determinant of flash control in fireflies.
Experimental analysis of the effectiveness of features in Chernoff faces

Chernoff faces have been proposed as a tool for scientific and information visualization. However, the effectiveness of this form of visualization is still open to speculation. Chernoff faces, it is suggested, make use of humans' apparently inherent ability to recognize faces and small changes in facial characteristics. Limited research has been conduced to assess how well Chernoff faces make use of this ability. So far, it is still unclear how humans recognize faces and whether or not a specific set of rules governs the process. A particular area of interest is whether or not certain features are pre-attentive. Furthermore, what effect a certain number of distractors have on the attentiveness of various features is also of concern. This information could be used to maximize the effectiveness of Chernoff faces by providing an indication of which applications would be best served by the use of Chernoff faces. In order to address this issue, we have conduced a user study, which tested the effectiveness and pre-attentiveness of several features of Chernoff faces. Our user study indicated that the perception of eye size, a specific face, eyebrow slant, and the combination eyebrow slant with eye size is a serial process. Our study also indicated that for longer viewing times, eye size and eyebrow slant were the most accurate features. These initial results indicate that Chernoff faces may not have a significant advantage over other iconic visualization techniques for multidimensional information visualization.
Leptospires isolated from Frog Kidneys

IN the summer of 1964, cases of leptospirosis developed in man as a result of swimming in a farm creek. During epidemiological studies, six leopard frogs (Rana pipiens) were collected from these waters. Blood samples were obtained from the frogs. Two pools of kidneys (A and B) were made from three frogs each. Leptospires were not observed on dark-field microscopy of the kidney suspensions. These were diluted with Stuart's liquid media (1 : 10–1: 100,000) and 2–3 drops from the dilutions inoculated1 into semi-solid media: bovine-albumin ‘Tween 80’ (ref. 2) containing 5-fluorouracil3 (96 µg/ml.) (Hoffman-LaRoche, Inc., Nutley, New Jersey) and Fletcher's semi-solid media1. The inoculated media were incubated at 28°–30° C for 90 days and examined periodically by dark-field microscopy. Leptospires were isolated from pool B in albumin ‘Tween 80’ medium on the twentieth day after inoculation. Observations of the frog isolate by electron microscopy indicated that the organisms were morphologically characteristic of the genus Leptospira4.
Demonstration of movement in the sacroiliac joint using ultrasound

The goal of this study was to demonstrate quantitatively, using ultrasound (US) recording techniques, the extent of motion of the sacroiliac joint achieved using manual medicine techniques. Initial judgements of perceived (i.e., felt) SI mobility during manual examination were made on 22 subjects. Baseline no movement ultrasound images (static) were obtained of the left and right SI joints at two levels-- posterior-superior-iliac-spine and inferior (PSIS, INF)--and two projections (AP and LAT). Manual medicine spring testing of the SI joint was then performed while ultrasound recordings (on video) were made. The differences between baseline separation of the SI joint and displacement distance during spring testing were measured by six radiologists who typically read US images. Significant movement of at least one SI joint was demonstrated in 91% of the subjects using ultrasound recordings. The extent of movement appeared to corroborate the experience of manual medicine practitioners.
TEMPORAL CHANGES IN LEFT VENTRICULAR STRAIN VIS-À-VIS EJECTION FRACTION IN PATIENTS WITH TAKOTSUBO CARDIOMYOPATHY

Vast majority of patients with Takotsubo cardiomyopathy (TC) demonstrate an improvement in left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) over time. LV global longitudinal strain (GLS) is a more sensitive marker of regional myocardial mechanics than LVEF. We sought to assess the temporal changes in GLS
A herringbone bedform pattern of possible Taylor-Görtler type flow origin seen in sonographs

Abstract Side-scan sonar records collected in a shallow arctic lagoon (2–2.5 m depth) reveal a herringbone pattern of current-aligned linear reflectors with branching diagonals. The major longitudinal reflectors have no detectable relief (
Correlative imaging of aortopulmonary window : Demonstration with echocardiography, angiography, and MRI

A 9-month-old previously healthy girl presented to the emergency room in congestive heart failure. The parents had previously noticed sweating during feedings with occasional increased respiratory rate. Physical examination showed her to be at less than the 5th percentile in weight and height for age, acyanotic, and tachypneic. Her precordium was hyperdynamic, with a normal S1, a narrowly split S2, a grade III/VI continuous murmur at the upper left sternal border radiating to the axilla and back, and a grade III/IV diastolic rumble at the apex. The liver edge was 3 cm below the costal margin. Pulses were normal and symmetrical. The ECG showed sinus rhythm, a right ventricular conduction defect, and left ventricular hypertrophy with ST changes …
The effects of force magnitude on a sutural model: A quantitative approach

In an effort to quantify the biologic effects of an orthodontic tensile force, the rat interpremaxillary suture was investigated as a model for the periodontal ligament and expanded in vivo with a helical spring across the maxillary incisors. Three levels of force were used: light (50 to 75 g), medium (150 to 175 g), and heavy (250 to 300 g). Thymidine labeling and histologic studies after 12 hours and 1, 2, and 4 days of force delivery are described (n = 48 rats), as are biochemical studies after 2 and 4 days including a 6-hour organ culture (n = 32). The percentage of labeled cells increased significantly in all force groups at 1 day, followed by a rapid decline at 2 days, to a value at 4 days not significantly different from the controls. Biochemical studies showed significant increases in proline incorporation and alkaline phosphatase activity after 2 days of heavy force application. Histologic examinations showed obvious tissue changes beginning by day 1 and involving increases in suture width, vascularity, size and number of cells, amount of osteoid production, and changes in suture morphology. The experimental system was convenient, inflammation-free, and appeared to be reliable as evidenced by characteristic, synchronous tissue and autoradiographic changes in all experimental sutures through 4 days.
Optimised power distribution to minimise power rating of paralleled rectifiers

Analytical derivations for the power rating of the pulsewidth modulated (PWM) rectifier for parallel rectifier configuration, consisting of a diode rectifier and a PWM rectifier are presented. The optimised power distribution between the two rectifiers is proposed to minimise the power rating of the PWM rectifier, resulting in economical implementation.
Simple model for crystal shapes: Step-step interactions and facet edges

The terrace-step-kink model for equilibrium crystal shapes is considered. Noninteracting steps are known to correspond to a free-fermion model which leads to a continuous transition from facets to curved surfaces. We study both short- and long-ranged interactions between steps within meanfield theory. For nearest-neighbor step interactions, the model can be solved exactly, and details are given. The possibility of a slope discontinuity between facets and curved surfaces is explored within the interacting terrace-step-kink model (which ignores voids and overhangs); this possibility is realized only for sufficiently long-ranged attractive interactions. As physical examples of such interactions we consider both elastic and dipolar interactions between steps. These have the same range, and may be comparable in magnitude. It is argued that elastic interactions (which are repulsive) do not change the free-fermion predictions for the exponent governing the facet-curved surface edge while dipolar interactions, if attractive, can lead to slope discontinuities and associated tricritical phenomena.