cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Large-Eddy Simulation of the Stratocumulus-Capped Boundary Layer with Explicit Filtering and Reconstruction Turbulence Modeling

AbstractLarge-eddy simulation (LES) has been an essential tool in the development of theory and parameterizations for clouds, but when applied to stratocumulus clouds under sharp temperature inversions, many LES models produce an unrealistically thin cloud layer and a decoupled boundary layer structure. Here, explicit filtering and reconstruction are used for simulation of stratocumulus clouds observed during the first research flight (RF01) of the Second Dynamics and Chemistry of the Marine Stratocumulus field study (DYCOMS II). The dynamic reconstruction model (DRM) is used within an explicit filtering and reconstruction framework, partitioning subfilter-scale motions into resolvable subfilter scales (RSFSs) and unresolvable subgrid scales (SGSs). The former are reconstructed, and the latter are modeled. Differing from traditional turbulence models, the reconstructed RSFS stress/fluxes can produce backscatter of turbulence kinetic energy (TKE) and, importantly, turbulence potential energy (TPE). The mod...
Non-native species colonization of highly diverse, wave swept outer coast habitats in Central California

More non-native species (NNS) are reported from harbors, estuaries and protected embayments than in wave-exposed, open-coast habitats. In California (USA), hundreds of NNS have become established in international ports, and dozens are known from smaller estuaries. In contrast, only 22 NNS are reported from the state’s 1350 km of open coast. As a result, the perception that open-coast habitats are not vulnerable to invasions has persisted. Management and monitoring focuses on ports and estuaries; the last major monitoring effort on the open coast occurred in 2004. Much of the species-rich Central California coast is now part of a network of marine protected areas (MPAs). We surveyed 12 wave-swept rocky intertidal and eight subtidal sites (from 37°53′40N 122°42′30W to 36°31′16N 121°56′22W) for NNS. At least one NNS was detected at half of the sites surveyed, but most were not widespread or abundant. One exception, a bryozoan in the Watersipora spp. complex, known primarily from ports and estuaries, was found at multiple sites, and was abundant at some. Another non-native, the alga Caulacanthus ustulatus, was abundant at a single site. MPAs were just as likely as sites outside of MPAs to have NNS. For subtidal sites, proximity to a harbor was correlated with the abundance of non-natives. Our findings suggest that our study area is still relatively uninvaded, but the success of Watersipora within some of these highly diverse rocky shore sites underscores the potential vulnerability of high-value open-coast systems to invasions.
The prognosis in acute and chronic nephritis of pregnancy from the standpoint of classification

Abstract The classification of nephritis of pregnancy as acute and chronic and the study of renal function in the individual case is an aid to prognosis. Patients with acute nephritis rarely give a history of previous renal trouble. The presence of albuminuria, the rather sudden rise in blood pressure, and increased edema usually occur during the eighth or ninth month. Tests of renal function show adequate excretion, aside from oliguria, the specific gravity of the urine is high, and the ocular fundi may reveal evidence of acute changes in the vessels and retina. Patients with chronic nephritis often give a history of previous nephritis. Albuminuria, hypertension, and edema are apparent earlier in pregnancy, usually before the seventh month. Tests of renal function often disclose retention of nitrogen and phenolsulphonephthalein. The specific gravity of the urine is fixed or low, and there is definite secondary anemia. Examination of the ocular fundi often reveals changes resulting from previous nephritis. Most pregnant women with acute nephritis recover with little or no demonstrable impairment of renal function. In some cases the disease will progress to the chronic stage. Many pregnant women with a history of nephritis but with no gross impairment of renal function can be carried safely through pregnancy under careful supervision. Chronic nephritis with seriously lowered renal function distinctly increases the hazard to mother and child.
Shear-Induced Amyloid Formation in the Brain: IV. Effects on Synapses Surrounding Senile Plaque and in Plaque-Free Regions

Amyloid-β oligomers (AβO) have been proposed as neurotoxins in the synaptic dysfunction that precedes Alzheimer's disease symptoms. Human and animal model studies report that senile plaques contain a halo of AβO molecules surrounding these plaques. A far smaller number of oligomers are distributed widely in plaque-free regions. It has been suggested that oligomers migrate from halos to nearby synapses and are incorporated into both pre- and postsynaptic terminals. These two types of oligomers have two different toxicities when extracted and injected in animal models. This paper proposes a shear-energy based explanation for the data in these studies. Shear hypotheses in the preceding three papers in this series are applied to suggest how the hydrodynamics and resulting shear patterns explain the spatial distribution of both AβO types, the apparent synapse loss in the vicinity of plaque particles, and possible reasons for the differing toxicities. A shear-based mechanism is proposed for the preferential migration of locally shear-excited Aβ molecules into the synaptic cleft. It is proposed that high energy laminar shear generated by the forced diversion of interstitial fluid around the flow-impeding plaque particle is responsible for the formation of AβOs around the plaque. It is suggested that in plaque-free regions, a different type of AβO with different toxicity is generated by lower energy shear flow around synapses, depositing AβO within the synapse from either the neuron membrane surface or by prion-like seeding within the synaptic cleft by locally-sheared Aβ molecules near the synapse entry.
Biomarker-assisted drug development in oncology – 20 years and counting

Abstract Oncology drugs target discrete molecular aberrations or pathways in tumor cells; due to the intrinsic heterogeneity of tumors, many drugs are only active in a subset of patients. Predictive biomarkers, measured using in vitro companion diagnostics (IVD), help identify patients likely to respond to treatment and are increasingly integrated into drug development programs. This presentation will provide an update of biomarker-assisted oncology drugs approved by the US FDA. Case studies will be presented on therapeutic monoclonal antibodies selectively targeting HER2, EGFR, or PD-1/PD-L1 signaling pathways. This information will be further discussed with respect to biomarker discovery in the development of novel cancer therapeutics.
Approximating Beyond the Processor: Exploring Full-System Energy-Accuracy Tradeoffs in a Smart Camera System

The intrinsic error resilience exhibited by emerging application domains enables new avenues for energy optimization of computing systems, namely, the introduction of a small amount of approximations during system operation in exchange for substantial energy savings. Prior work in the area of approximate computing has focused on individual subsystems of a computing system, for example, the computational subsystem or the memory subsystem. Since they focus only on individual subsystems, these techniques are unable to exploit the large energy-saving opportunities that stem from adopting a full-system perspective and approximating multiple subsystems of a computing platform simultaneously in a coordinated manner. This paper proposes a systematic methodology to perform joint approximations across different subsystems, leading to significant energy benefits compared to approximating individual subsystems in isolation. We use the example of a smart camera system that executes various computer vision and image processing applications to illustrate how the sensing, memory, processing, and communication subsystems can all be approximated synergistically. We demonstrate our proposed methodology using two variants of a smart camera system: 1) a compute-intensive smart camera system, $\texttt {AxSYS}_{\texttt {comp}}$ , where the error-resilient application executes locally within the camera and produces the final application output, and 2) a communication-intensive smart camera system, $\texttt {AxSYS}_{\texttt {comp}}$ , that sends the captured image to a remote cloud server, where the error-resilient application is executed and the final output is generated. We have implemented such an approximate smart camera system using an Altera Stratix IV GX FPGA development board, a Terasic TRDB-D5M 5-Megapixel camera module, a Terasic RFS WiFi module, and a 1-GB DDR3 dynamic random access memory small outline dual in-line memory module (SODIMM). Experimental results obtained using six application benchmarks demonstrate significant energy savings (around $7.5\times $ for $\texttt {AxSYS}_{\texttt {comp}}$ and $4\times $ on average for $\texttt {AxSYS}_{\texttt {comp}}$ ) for minimal ( $3.5\times $ – $5.5\times $ (in the case of $\texttt {AxSYS}_{\texttt {comp}}$ ) and $1.8\times $ – $3.7\times $ (in the case of $\texttt {AxSYS}_{\texttt {comm}}$ ) on average for a minimal (<1%) application-level quality loss.
Closed-Loop Neuromodulation in Physiological and Translational Research

Neuromodulation, the focused delivery of energy to neural tissue to affect neural or physiological processes, is a common method to study the physiology of the nervous system. It is also successfully used as treatment for disorders in which the nervous system is affected or implicated. Typically, neurostimulation is delivered in open-loop mode (i.e., according to a predetermined schedule and independently of the state of the organ or physiological system whose function is sought to be modulated). However, the physiology of the nervous system or the modulated organ can be dynamic, and the same stimulus may have different effects depending on the underlying state. As a result, open-loop stimulation may fail to restore the desired function or cause side effects. In such cases, a neuromodulation intervention may be preferable to be administered in closed-loop mode. In a closed-loop neuromodulation (CLN) system, stimulation is delivered when certain physiological states or conditions are met (responsive neurostimulation); the stimulation parameters can also be adjusted dynamically to optimize the effect of stimulation in real time (adaptive neurostimulation). In this review, the reasons and the conditions for using CLN are discussed, the basic components of a CLN system are described, and examples of CLN systems used in physiological and translational research are presented.
Vulnerabilities Relevant for Commercial Sexual Exploitation of Children/Domestic Minor Sex Trafficking: A Systematic Review of Risk Factors:

The commercial sexual exploitation of children (CSEC) and domestic minor sex trafficking (DMST) occur across the United States, violating the rights and health of far too many children and youth. Adequate prevention efforts should seek to understand the factors that make minors vulnerable to sexual exploitation in order to properly design programs to prevent victimization. This review presents the identified risk factors collected via a systematic literature review. Following full-text review, 15 studies were selected for inclusion by meeting the following criteria: original quantitative or qualitative research studies published in English from January 2010 to September 2017 with titles or abstracts that indicated a focus on the risk factors, vulnerabilities, or statistics of CSEC/DMST and a domestic focus on CSEC/DMST (for U.S.-based journals) with findings that did not combine associations between minors and adults in the study. Relevant risk factors and vulnerabilities found in this review include child abuse and maltreatment, caregiver strain, running away or being thrown away, substance use, peer influence, witnessing family violence or criminality, poverty or material need, difficulty in school, conflict with parents, poor mental health or view of self, involvement in child protective services, involvement in juvenile detention or delinquency, early substance use, and prior rape or adolescent sexual victimization.
(115) Interleukin-6 is Associated with Abdominal Muscle Growth in Knee Osteoarthritis Patients

Interleukin-6 (IL-6) is a cytokine with various functions ranging from regulating inflammatory pathways to immune system responses. Pro-inflammatory cytokines are associated with excess inflammation which has been implicated as a mechanism in the transition from acute to chronic pain. However, through the classic signaling pathway, IL-6 can also act as an anti-inflammatory myokine, an indication of muscle growth and myogenesis. However, its association with body composition and how they are associated with pain following surgery are not well defined. The current secondary analysis evaluated the association between serum IL-6 and body composition in 24 knee osteoarthritis patients. Participants underwent one DEXA scan, laboratory pain testing procedures and a series of questionnaires approximately four weeks prior to total knee replacement. Laboratory pain testing and questionnaire data were repeated approximately eight weeks following surgery. The percentage of lean abdominal muscle was significantly associated with baseline IL6 levels as well as IL6 reactivity following pain testing (r's = 0.4-0.6, p's ∼ 0.008). Additional analyses will focus on associations between pain measures, circulating IL6 and reactivity, and body composition to evaluate the moderating role of body composition, specifically with regard to lean muscle in the trunk. In addition to monitoring for negative outcomes after surgery such as infection, clinicians also need a strategy to determine the procedure's potential for success. In surgical procedures that are designed to improve musculoskeletal function, IL-6 may be an effective marker to determine the metabolic activity and function in skeletal muscle in the post-operative period. Our study shows a positive association between lean muscle mass and serum IL-6 levels. These results encourage further analyses regarding the association between IL-6 and body composition in determining pain outcomes following surgery.
Respiratory and Laryngeal Function in Teachers: Pre- and Postvocal Loading Challenge.

Summary Purpose The purpose of this study was to examine laryngeal and respiratory physiological changes in teachers before and after a 1-hour vocal loading challenge. Methods Twelve teachers completed ratings of vocal tiredness, vocal effort, and produced a reading passage and monologue before and after a 1-hour vocal loading challenge (reading aloud in noise). Sound pressure level, lung volume parameters, cepstral peak prominence, and low/high spectral ratio were measured. Results After loading, participants significantly increased vocal effort, vocal tiredness, utterance length, and sound pressure level, and significantly decreased % vital capacity/syllable. Conclusions Following the 1-hour reading-aloud challenge, tiredness and effort increased. However, lung volume did not change and cepstral peak prominence and low/high spectral ratio remained in the normal range. Future studies are needed to understand the effect of vocal use and vocal loading in teachers.
Direct measurements of copper speciation in basaltic glasses: understanding the relative roles of sulfur and oxygen in copper complexation in melts

Abstract Micro-analytical determination of copper (Cu) speciation in natural magmatic glasses, equilibrated below the nickel – nickel oxide (NNO) buffer, reveals that two copper species are commonly stabilized in such basaltic melts. X-ray absorption fine structure (XAFS) spectroscopic analysis of basaltic matrix glasses and melt inclusions (MI) from samples of mid-ocean ridge basalt (MORB), and from Nyamuragira, Etna and Kīlauea volcanoes shows that Cu complexes as both Cu(I)-sulfide and Cu(I)-oxide species in silicate melts. The proportion of each species correlates with the measured sulfur (S) abundance of the glass. In glasses with S abundances greater than ∼1000 ppm, Cu(I)-sulfide species are dominant, whereas in glasses with S abundances between 500 and 1000 ppm, both species are found to coexist. The Cu(I)-oxide species dominate at S concentrations below 500 ppm. In 1 atm S-free experimental glasses of basaltic composition that we analyzed, only Cu(I)-oxide species are detectable, regardless of the oxygen fugacity (fO2), even at relatively high fO2 values well above the NNO buffer. Our results demonstrate that XAFS techniques are highly sensitive in measuring Cu speciation in reduced (below NNO) basaltic glasses and that both oxide and sulfide complexes can be stabilized. The relative proportion of these two species is highly dependent on the concentration of S in the melt, and thus the Cu speciation in natural melts changes as S is lost from the melt by low pressure degassing.
A Randomized Controlled Trial of Two Methods to Improve Motivational Interviewing Training

Purpose:This randomized controlled study examines the efficacy of two innovative methods to teach beginning motivational interviewing (MI) skills: live supervision (LS), a small group experiential ...
A spectrophotometric method for estimation of titanium alkoxide, a catalytically active form of titanium in oligomer/ polymers

Abstract A spectrophotometric method was developed for the selective estimation of titanium in alkoxide form in the presence of TiO2. Polymers like polybutylene terephthalate have been synthesized by using homogeneous catalyst such as titanium tetra-isopropoxide (TTIP). These types of catalysts are susceptible to moisture and convert to inactive TiO2. Hence, it is essential to have analytical method for selective estimation of alkoxide form of titanium. In this study, we have used O-cresol to convert TTIP to tetra O- cresyl titanate, a colored compound, which was quantitatively analyzed by spectrophotometric technique. Polymer matrix was used in standard solution to compensate the effect of matrix during UV-VIS measurements. Method validation was successfully carried out for linearity, reproducibility, recovery, specificity and the observed acceptable results as per ICH guidelines. 2-sample t-test was performed to check the variation observed between two analysts and the observed p-value indicated the results were statistically similar to each other. Mechanism of color formation was established by synthesis of colored complex called tetra O-cresyl titanate. The structure was supported by ICP, CHNS and NMR analysis. The method is simple and easy to implement at manufacturing plant for initial monitoring of active catalyst concentration in polymer/oligomer samples.
Memory Bandwidth Prediction in NUMA Architecture Using Supervised Machine Learning

In this paper, we predict memory bandwidth in NUMA architecture by implementing a method based on a supervised machine learning algorithm, the k-Nearest Neighbor (KNN) regression method. The main motivation for using KNN in our model is its flexibility to deal with different data types, its capability to incorporate small data size, its compatibility with irregular feature vectors and its simplicity. Memory bandwidth usage is expressed in terms of total transferred data per execution time, and it changes with respect to problem size and the number of processors. We consider problem size and the number of threads as KNN features. We measure memory bandwidth components, transferred data and execution time for different ranges of problem size and number of threads. Then, considering these values as training data, we predict memory bandwidth for unknown problem sizes and number of threads. The objective of this paper is not to reach accurate predictions for the memory bandwidth components, but rather to use these components to achieve an acceptable level of memory bandwidth prediction. We implement this approach in NUMA architecture and verify its accuracy by applying it to different ranges of regular and irregular high performance computing applications. Using this approach, we can predict memory bandwidth in both dimensions. The highest potential prediction error is observed when training data do not have enough knowledge of specific PSs and number of threads.
“Let me heare … if thou canst say”: The Utility of the Prayer Book Catechism (1549–1604):

This article explores the catechism in the Book of Common Prayer, shedding light on the emergence of instructional writing from oral instruction. The 1549 text evinces qualities of preliterate oral...
CoNFV: A Heterogeneous Platform for Scalable Network Function Virtualization

Network function virtualization (NFV) is a powerful networking approach that leverages computing resources to perform a time-varying set of network processing functions. Although microprocessors can be used for this purpose, their performance limitations and lack of specialization present implementation challenges. In this article, we describe a new heterogeneous hardware-software NFV platform called CoNFV that provides scalability and programmability while supporting significant hardware-level parallelism and reconfiguration. Our computing platform takes advantage of both field-programmable gate arrays (FPGAs) and microprocessors to implement numerous virtual network functions (VNF) that can be dynamically customized to specific network flow needs. The most distinctive feature of our system is the use of global network state to coordinate NFV operations. Traffic management and hardware reconfiguration functions are performed by a global coordinator that allows for the rapid sharing of network function states and continuous evaluation of network function needs. With the help of state sharing mechanism offered by the coordinator, customer-defined VNF instances can be easily migrated between heterogeneous middleboxes as the network environment changes. A resource allocation and scheduling algorithm dynamically assesses resource deployments as network flows and conditions are updated. We show that our deployment algorithm can successfully reallocate FPGA and microprocessor resources in a fraction of a second in response to changes in network flow capacity and network security threats including intrusion.
Micro enzymatic biofuel cells: from theoretical to experimental aspect

Miniaturized enzymatic biofuel cells (EBFCs) that convert biological energy into electrical energy by using enzymemodified electrodes are considered as one of the promising candidates to power the implantable medical devices and portable electronics. However, their low power density and insufficient cell lifetime are two big obstacles to need to be tackled before EBFCs become viable for practical application. In this study, the theoretical simulation of this EBFC system is conducted using finite element analysis from COMSOL 4.3a in terms of cell performance, efficiency and optimum cell configurations. We optimized the electrodes design in steady state based on a three dimensional EBFC chip and studied the effect of orientation of the microelectrode arrays in blood artery. In the experimental part, we demonstrated an EBFC system that used 3D micropillar arrays integrated with graphene/enzyme composites. The fabrication process of this system combined top-down carbon microelectromechanical system (CMEMS) technology to fabricate the 3D micropillar arrays platform and bottom-up electrophoretic deposition (EPD) to deposit graphene/enzyme composite onto the 3D micropillar arrays. The amperometric response of the graphene based bioelectrodes exhibited excellent electrochemical performance and the 3D graphene/enzyme based EBFC generated a maximum power density of 136.3 μWcm-2 at 0.59 V, which is about 7 times of the maximum power density of the bare 3D carbon based EBFC.
Adaptive current-flow models of ECT: Explaining individual static impedance, dynamic impedance, and brain current delivery

Background: Improvements in electroconvulsive therapy (ECT) outcomes have followed refinement in device electrical output and electrode montage. The physical properties of the ECT stimulus, together with those of the patient9s head, determine the impedances measured by the device and govern current delivery to the brain and ECT outcomes. Objective: However, the precise relations among physical properties of the stimulus, patient head anatomy, and patient-specific impedance to the passage of current are long-standing questions in ECT research and practice. Methods: We developed anatomical MRI-derived models of transcranial electrical stimulation (tES) that included changes in tissue conductivity due to local electrical current flow. These adaptive models simulate ECT both during therapeutic stimulation using high (~1 A) current and when dynamic impedance is measured, as well as prior to stimulation when low (~1 mA) current is used to measure static impedance. We modeled two scalp layers: a superficial scalp layer with adaptive conductivity that increases with electric field up to a subject specific maximum, and a deep scalp layer with a subject-specific fixed conductivity. Results: We demonstrate that variation in these scalp parameters explain clinical data on subject-specific static impedance and dynamic impedance, their imperfect correlation across subjects, their relationships to seizure threshold, and the role of head anatomy. Adaptive tES models demonstrate that current flow changes local tissue conductivity which in turn shapes current delivery to the brain in a manner not accounted for in fixed tissue conductivity models. Conclusions: Our predictions that variation in individual skin properties, rather than other aspects of anatomy, largely govern the relationship between static impedance, dynamic impedance, and current delivery to the brain, are themselves subject to assumptions about tissue properties. Broadly, our novel pipeline for tES models is important in ongoing efforts to optimize devices, personalize interventions, and explain clinical findings.
Life's Simple 7 and Nonalcoholic Fatty Liver Disease: The Multiethnic Study of Atherosclerosis.

Abstract Background The American Heart Association (AHA) has defined Life's Simple 7 (LS7) as a measure of overall cardiovascular health . Nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) has been involved as a risk factor for cardiovascular disease. We evaluated the association between LS7 and NAFLD. Methods We evaluated participants form the Multi-Ethnic Study of Atherosclerosis (MESA) cohort. Cardiovascular health score was calculated from the Life's Simple 7 metrics. A score of 0-8 was considered inadequate, 9-10 average, and 11-14 optimal. NAFLD was defined using noncontrast cardiac computed tomography (CT) and a liver/spleen attenuation ratio (L/S) Results Our cross-sectional analysis of 3901 participants showed 19% (n = 747) had optimal cardiovascular health, 33% (n = 1270) had average, and 48% (n = 1884) had inadequate. White participants were most likely to have an optimal score (51%, n = 378), whereas African American participants had the lowest proportion with optimal scores (16%, n = 120; P Conclusion A more favorable cardiovascular health score was associated with a lower prevalence of NAFLD. This study may suggest a potential of Life's Simple 7 in the prevention of liver disease.
Neuroanatomical characterization of Gαi2-expressing neurons in the hypothalamic paraventricular nucleus of male and female Sprague-Dawley rats.

Hypertension is a global health burden. The hypothalamic paraventricular nucleus (PVN) is an essential component of the neuronal network that regulates sodium homeostasis and blood pressure (BP). P...
Alcohol and cigarette smoking consumption as genetic proxies for alcohol misuse and nicotine dependence

Abstract Purpose To investigate the role of consumption phenotypes as genetic proxies for alcohol misuse and nicotine dependence. Methods We leveraged GWAS data from well-powered studies of consumption, alcohol misuse, and nicotine dependence phenotypes measured in individuals of European ancestry from the UK Biobank (UKB) and other population-based cohorts (largest total N = 263,954), and performed genetic correlations within a medical-center cohort, BioVU (N = 66,915). For alcohol, we used quantitative measures of consumption and misuse via AUDIT from UKB. For smoking, we used cigarettes per day from UKB and non-UKB cohorts comprising the GSCAN consortium, and nicotine dependence via ICD codes from UKB and Fagerstrom Test for Nicotine Dependence from non-UKB cohorts. Results In a large phenome-wide association study, we show that smoking consumption and dependence phenotypes show similar strongly negatively associations with a plethora of diseases, whereas alcohol consumption shows patterns of genetic association that diverge from those of alcohol misuse. Conclusions Our study suggests that cigarette smoking consumption, which can be easily measured in the general population, may be good a genetic proxy for nicotine dependence, whereas alcohol consumption is not a direct genetic proxy of alcohol misuse.
Towards Participant-Independent Stress Detection Using Instrumented Peripherals

Methods to measure work stress generally rely on subjective measures from questionnaires or require dedicated sensors that are cumbersome to wear and interfere with the task. To address this problem, we propose a method to detect stress unobtrusively using commodity devices (keyboards, mice) instrumented with pressure sensors. We propose a minimalist design that can be easily replicated by other researchers using off-the-shelf and low-cost hardware. We validate the design in a laboratory experiment that simulates office tasks and mild stressors while avoiding methodological limitations of previous studies. We compare stress-detection performance when using conventional features reported in the literature (keystroke dynamics, mouse trajectories) augmented with information from pressure sensors. Our results indicate that pressure provides additional information for stress discrimination; adding pressure information to keystroke dynamics and mouse trajectories improves classification performance by 6% and 3%, respectively. These results show how devices that are already part of the modern workplace may be used and enhanced to automatically and unobtrusively detect stress.
The measurement of partisan sorting for 180 million voters

Segregation across social groups is an enduring feature of nearly all human societies and is associated with numerous social maladies. In many countries, reports of growing geographic political polarization raise concerns about the stability of democratic governance. Here, using advances in spatial data computation, we measure individual partisan segregation by calculating the local residential segregation of every registered voter in the United States, creating a spatially weighted measure for more than 180 million individuals. With these data, we present evidence of extensive partisan segregation in the country. A large proportion of voters live with virtually no exposure to voters from the other party in their residential environment. Such high levels of partisan isolation can be found across a range of places and densities and are distinct from racial and ethnic segregation. Moreover, Democrats and Republicans living in the same city, or even the same neighbourhood, are segregated by party. Enos and Brown find that voters in US are highly spatially segregated by party. Republicans and Democrats tend to segregate even when living in the same neighbourhoods, and this segregation persists in both urban and rural areas.
Vocabulary instruction in an L2 culture course: the intersection of classroom discourse, materials, and instructor’s choices in lexical focus-on-form episodes

Content courses for modern language majors at United States universities are a teaching environment where limited research on second language (L2) vocabulary instruction has taken place. On the sur...
Display Optimization Under the Multinomial Logit Choice Model: Balancing Revenue and Customer Satisfaction

In this paper, we consider an assortment optimization problem in which a platform must choose pairwise disjoint sets of assortments to offer across a series of T stages. Arriving customers begin their search process in the first stage and progress sequentially through the stages until their patience expires, at which point they make a multinomial-logit-based purchasing decision from among all products they have viewed throughout their search process. The goal is to choose the sequential displays of product offerings to maximize expected revenue. Additionally, we impose stage-specific constraints that ensure that as each customer progresses farther and farther through the T stages, there is a minimum level of “desirability” met by the collections of displayed products. We consider two related measures of desirability: purchase likelihood and expected utility derived from the offered assortments. In this way, the offered sequence of assortment must be both high earning and well-liked, which breaks from the traditional assortment setting, where customer considerations are generally not explicitly accounted for. We show that our assortment problem of interest is strongly NP-Hard, thus ruling out the existence of a fully polynomial-time approximation scheme (FPTAS). From an algorithmic standpoint, as a warm-up, we develop a simple constant factor approximation scheme in which we carefully stitch together myopically selected assortments for each stage. Our main algorithmic result consists of a polynomial-time approximation scheme (PTAS), which combines a handful of structural results related to the make-up of the optimal assortment sequence within an approximate dynamic programming framework.
Professional Identity Formation as a 'Power Skill'

Law school is disorienting, especially in the first year, as students begin their socialization to the profession. This socialization impacts professional identity construction by defining roles, communicating norms, and unspooling narratives about what it means to be a lawyer and to practice law. For too long, the end goal of this socialization has been to “think like a lawyer,” and thinking like a lawyer has meant mastering black letter law, tactical issue spotting, and dispassionate communication. As a result, many new law students find themselves quickly adrift, cut-off from their former selves. This essay argues that challenging the White-normative professional identify framework is essential to rebuilding the legal profession and provides a few examples for how to integrate exercises into 1L courses to help students develop and express their authentic, multidimensional identities.
Nonhormonal Factors Associated with Psychiatric Morbidity during the Menopausal Transition and Midlife

This chapter describes the nonhormonal factors associated with psychiatric morbidity during the menopausal transition and early postmenopause. Multiple psychosocial and health-related factors and prio
Two‐Stage Stochastic Integer Programming: A Brief Introduction

Stochastic integer programming problems combine the difficulty of stochastic programming with integer programming. In this article, we briefly review some of the challenges in solving two-stage stochastic integer programming problems, and discuss the research progress toward these challenges. Keywords: stochastic programming; integer programming; value functions; algorithms; sampling; decomposition
Parallel Fission Bank Algorithms in Monte Carlo Criticality Calculations

In this work we describe a new method for parallelizing the source iterations in a Monte Carlo criticality calculation. Instead of having one global fission bank that needs to be synchronized, as i...
Voronoi-based K nearest neighbor search for spatial network databases

A frequent type of query in spatial networks (e.g., road networks) is to find the K nearest neighbors (KNN) of a given query object. With these networks, the distances between objects depend on their network connectivity and it is computationally expensive to compute the distances (e.g., shortest paths) between objects. In this paper, we propose a novel approach to efficiently and accurately evaluate KNN queries in spatial network databases using first order Voronoi diagram. This approach is based on partitioning a large network to small Voronoi regions, and then pre-computing distances both within and across the regions. By localizing the precomputation within the regions, we save on both storage and computation and by performing across-the-network computation for only the border points of the neighboring regions, we avoid global pre-computation between every node-pair. Our empirical experiments with several real-world data sets show that our proposed solution outperforms approaches that are based on on-line distance computation by up to one order of magnitude, and provides a factor of four improvement in the selectivity of the filter step as compared to the index-based approaches.
Does hERG Coassemble with a β Subunit? Evidence for Roles of MinK and MiRP1

The voltage-gated potassium channel formed by hERG pore-forming alpha subunits generates the IKr cardiac potassium current, and is considered essential for human ventricular repolarization. What is not certain is whether human IKr channels contain ancillary subunits in vivo. Two chief contenders for this role are MinK (encoded by KCNE1) and MiRP1 (KCNE2). MinK and MiRP1 are single transmembrane domain peptides that can co-assemble with hERG in heterologous systems. MinK increases hERG currents by an unknown mechanism. MiRP1 alters hERG current density and gating, although no consensus has been reached as to the precise extent of these effects. Here we discuss key aspects of the debate surrounding the potential roles of MinK and MiRP1 in IKr: inconsistencies between reports of the effects of MiRP1 on hERG in vitro; association with long QT syndrome of inherited mutations in MinK and MiRP1; and a role for MiRP1 polymorphisms in acquired arrhythmia despite the apparent inability of MiRP1 to impinge upon the unique inner vestibule drug-binding site that dominates hERG pharmacology.
Fitting the bill: do different winter food resources influence juniper titmouse (Baeolophus ridgwayi) bill morphology?

Divergent adaptive selection is a prominent mechanism influencing patterns of morphological diversity. We used the juniper titmouse [Baeolophus ridgwayi (Richmond, 1902)], a nonmigratory passerine that inhabits woodlands throughout western North America, to investigate variation in bill morphology in relation to diet and geography. We gathered data from museum specimens and used morphometric techniques to determine the relative strength of support for competing hypotheses using information theoretics: (1) differences in bill morphology are predicted by a key winter food resource that each regional population consumes (seeds of different juniper tree species); or (2) bill morphology scales with body size, and both increase along a latitudinal gradient. Juniper species emerged as the variable with the most support explaining variation in bill size, supporting the hypothesis that seed sizes influence bill size, independently of body size. The shape analysis revealed no distinct patterns in bill shape variation, but employed a powerful method for evaluating the strength of support for numerous candidate models. The differences in bill size of juniper titmice across their range are likely to reflect adaptive variation, because bill morphology is highly heritable in birds, juniper titmouse gene flow appears to be relatively low, and there is a clear mechanistic explanation for why bill sizes may differ among the ranges of the three juniper species. © 2010 The Linnean Society of London, Biological Journal of the Linnean Society, 2010, 101, 667–679.
Alemtuzumab in multiple sclerosis: an update

Since the introduction of IFN-β, disease-modifying treatments, acting through various immune mechanisms, have been shown to reduce disease activity and severity in relapsing multiple sclerosis. Nevertheless, there remain patients for whom these treatments are incompletely effective, poorly tolerated or contraindicated. Alemtuzumab is a humanized monoclonal antibody that works by selectively depleting circulating lymphocytes. It is given as an intravenous infusion of 12 mg daily for 5 days, then a year later for 3 days. Effectiveness in patients with active relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis has been demonstrated in two Phase III clinical trials, where it outperformed IFN-β-1a 44 mcg on clinical and radiographic efficacy measures. Its side effect profile, including infusion-associated reactions, infections and secondary autoimmunity, coupled with its long-lasting biological effect, requires patients to commit to close monitoring while on the drug and for 4 years after the final infusion. For select patients with active disease, alemtuzumab offers a powerful therapeutic option.
Design analysis of 1550-nm GaAsSb-(In)GaAsN type-II quantum-well laser active regions

A novel active region design is proposed to achieve long-wavelength (/spl lambda/ = 1550-nm) diode lasers based on a type-II quantum-well (QW) design of (In)GaAsN-GaAsSb grown on a GaAs substrate. The strain-compensated structures hold potential as an ideal active region for 1500-nm GaAs-based vertical cavity surface emitting lasers. A design analysis and optimization of 1550-nm emitting structures is presented. An optimal type-II multiple-QW design allows for electron-hole wavefunction overlaps of greater than 50%.
Linking Arctic amplification and local feedbacks

Climate simulations show that as the Earth warms, the Arctic warms more than the average global warming. However, models differ on how much more the Arctic warms, and although scientists have proposed a variety of mechanisms to explain the Arctic warming amplification, there is no consensus on the main reasons for it. To shed light on this issue, Hwang et al. investigated the relationship between Arctic amplification and poleward energy transport and local Arctic feedbacks, such as changes in cloud cover or ice loss, across a group of models. The researchers noted that differences in atmospheric energy transport did not explain the ranges of polar amplification; rather, models with more amplification showed less energy transport into high latitudes. The authors found that decreasing energy transport is due to a coupled relationship between Arctic amplification and energy transport: Arctic amplification reduces the equator-to-pole temperature gradient, which strongly decreases energy transport. They suggest that this coupled relationship should be taken into account in studies of Arctic amplification. (Geophysical Research Letters, doi:10.1029/2011GL048546, 2011)
Competing risk factor analysis of end-stage renal disease and mortality in chronic kidney disease.

Background: Death and dialysis are competing outcomes in patients with chronic kidney disease (CKD). The factors associated with end-stage renal disease (ESRD) versus death in this
Characterization of the ATPase Activity of RecG and RuvAB Proteins on Model Fork Structures Reveals Insight into Stalled DNA Replication Fork Repair

RecG and RuvAB are proposed to act at stalled DNA replication forks to facilitate replication restart. To clarify the roles of these proteins in fork regression, we used a coupled spectrophotometric ATPase assay to determine how these helicases act on two groups of model fork substrates: the first group mimics nascent stalled forks, whereas the second mimics regressed fork structures. The results show that RecG is active on the substrates in group 1, whereas these are poor substrates for RuvAB. In addition, in the presence of group 1 forks, the single-stranded DNA-binding protein (SSB) enhances the activity of RecG and enables it to compete with excess RuvA. In contrast, SSB inhibits the activity of RuvAB on these substrates. Results also show that the preferred regressed fork substrate for RuvAB is a Holliday junction, not a forked DNA. The active form of the enzyme on the Holliday junction contains a single RuvA tetramer. In contrast, although the enzyme is active on a regressed fork structure, RuvB loading by a single RuvA tetramer is impaired, and full activity requires the cooperative binding of two forked DNA substrate molecules. Collectively, the data support a model where RecG is responsible for stalled DNA replication fork regression. SSB ensures that if the nascent fork has single-stranded DNA character RuvAB is inhibited, whereas the activity of RecG is preferentially enhanced. Only once the fork has been regressed and the DNA is relaxed can RuvAB bind to a RecG-extruded Holliday junction. Background: DNA replication fork rescue requires the action of DNA helicases to regress the fork. Results: RecG is more active than RuvAB on substrates that mimic nascent stalled forks, whereas RuvAB is active on Holliday junctions. Conclusion: RecG in concert with SSB regresses stalled DNA replication forks, producing DNA substrates to which RuvAB can bind. Significance: RecG, not RuvAB, regresses stalled DNA replication forks.
Stability Analysis of Chatter in Tandem Rolling Mills—Part 2: The Regenerative Effect

Using the multi-stand chatter models derived in Part 1, a stability analysis, based on the integral criterion of stability for delay differential equations, will be carried out for the regenerative mechanism to better understand the effects of rolling parameters on regenerative instability. It will be shown that the interactions between consecutive stands through the time delay effect of the strip thickness variations consistently boost the tendency of each stand to chatter and, therefore, reduce the stability of the rolling process. Simulations will demonstrate stable and unstable behaviors of multi-stand rolling mills and aid in verifying stability charts created through stability analysis based on analytical models. They will be instrumental in identifying the critical vibration propagation paths of the regenerative mechanism in multi-stand mills through strip thickness and instant inter-stand tension variations. The critical vibration propagation paths of the regenerative mechanism will explain the modulation frequency observed in tandem mills that, as it will be shown, is inversely proportional to the shortest time delay during strip transport from the upstream stands to the downstream stands.
Synaptotagmin-1 and Synaptotagmin-7 Trigger Synchronous and Asynchronous Phases of Neurotransmitter Release

In forebrain neurons, knockout of synaptotagmin-1 blocks fast Ca(2+)-triggered synchronous neurotransmitter release but enables manifestation of slow Ca(2+)-triggered asynchronous release. Here, we show using single-cell PCR that individual hippocampal neurons abundantly coexpress two Ca(2+)-binding synaptotagmin isoforms, synaptotagmin-1 and synaptotagmin-7. In synaptotagmin-1-deficient synapses of excitatory and inhibitory neurons, loss of function of synaptotagmin-7 suppressed asynchronous release. This phenotype was rescued by wild-type but not mutant synaptotagmin-7 lacking functional Ca(2+)-binding sites. Even in synaptotagmin-1-containing neurons, synaptotagmin-7 ablation partly impaired asynchronous release induced by extended high-frequency stimulus trains. Synaptotagmins bind Ca(2+) via two C2 domains, the C2A and C2B domains. Surprisingly, synaptotagmin-7 function selectively required its C2A domain Ca(2+)-binding sites, whereas synaptotagmin-1 function required its C2B domain Ca(2+)-binding sites. Our data show that nearly all Ca(2+)-triggered release at a synapse is due to synaptotagmins, with synaptotagmin-7 mediating a slower form of Ca(2+)-triggered release that is normally occluded by faster synaptotagmin-1-induced release but becomes manifest upon synaptotagmin-1 deletion.