cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Polarized TIRFM reveals changes in plasma membrane topology before and during granule fusion

We have recently developed a combination of polarization and total internal reflection fluorescence microscopy (pTIRFM) to monitor changes in plasma membrane topology occurring after fusion of chromaffin granules. In this report, pTIRFM is further exploited to reveal two major findings in regards to the secretory pathway in bovine chromaffin cells. First, we show that changes in membrane topology are sometimes detected even prior to fusion. This occurs with high probability in a small subset of granules that appear in the evanescent field during the experiment. On these occasions, the plasma membrane invaginates with the movement just preceding the appearance of a granule in the evanescent field. Such events may represent a direct interaction of the granule with the plasma membrane. Second, we show that the topological fate of the post-fusion, granule/plasma membrane intermediate is regulated by divalent cation. When Sr2+ is used instead of Ca2+ to trigger exocytosis, membrane topology in the exocytotic region is stabilized with significant curvature and indentation.
Assessment of Online Project Management Technology for Construction Projects and Organizations: A Benchmarking Exercise on Added Value

This paper summarizes a research study that seeks to validate and support statements that Online Project Management (OPM) technology will positively contribute to the return on investment of Architecture, Engineering, and Construction (AEC) industry stakeholders and their projects. The paper starts with an introduction and continues with a comprehensive explanation of the best-suited evaluation method and data collection methods, which include nine comprehensive case studies, a survey, and over one hundred interviews. Hard benefits (tangible benefits) are a part of the research; however, a special focus is given to identification and measurement of soft benefits (quasi-tangible and intangible benefits), which are difficult to quantify and often hidden but whose value to the investors is enormous. The paper intends to capture different perspectives including those of private and public owners, contractors, and consultants. In addition, the paper explores the impact of these tools on the business processes and looks for evidence of increased and new values such as increased competitive advantage, improved market access, better customer relations, etc. The paper covers the project-level benefits as well as the benefits external to the project but internal to the organization(s). The benefits are documented and then measured utilizing both quantitative and qualitative methods and are summarized in the context of this research paper.
Key Command: Ulysses S. Grant's District of Cairo – By T. K. Kionka

In 1861, Cairo, Illinois, was a small town of two thousand people, but its strategic location at the confluence of the Ohio and Mississippi Rivers made it the focus of both Union and Confederate at...
In vivo cartilage strain increases following medial meniscal tear and correlates with synovial fluid matrix metalloproteinase activity

Meniscal tears are common injuries, and while partial meniscectomy is a frequent treatment option, general meniscus loss is a risk factor for the development of osteoarthritis. The goal of this study was to measure the in vivo tibiofemoral cartilage contact patterns in patients with meniscus tears in relation to biomarkers of cartilage catabolism in the synovial fluid of these joints. A combination of magnetic resonance imaging and biplanar fluoroscopy was used to determine the in vivo motion and cartilage contact mechanics of the knee. Subjects with isolated medial meniscus tears were analyzed while performing a quasi-static lunge, and the contralateral uninjured knee was used as a control. Synovial fluid was collected from the injured knee and matrix metalloproteinase (MMP) activity, sulfated glycosaminoglycan, cartilage oligomeric matrix protein, prostaglandin E2, and the collagen type II cleavage biomarker C2C were measured. Contact strain in the medial compartment increased significantly in the injured knees compared to contralateral control knees. In the lateral compartment, the contact strain in the injured knee was significantly increased only at the maximum flexion angle (105°). The average cartilage strain at maximum flexion positively correlated with total MMP activity in the synovial fluid. These findings show that meniscal injury leads to loss of normal joint function and increased strain of the articular cartilage, which correlated to elevated total MMP activity in the synovial fluid. The increased strain and total MMP activity may reflect, or potentially contribute to, the early development of osteoarthritis that is observed following meniscal injury.
A logic-based approach for processing design standards

A logic-based approach for automating the processing of design standards is illustrated. This approach is composed of three steps: conceptualization, formalization and implementation. Conceptualization is referred to as the representation of the knowledge necessary for solving the problem of interest in terms of objects and relations. Formalization is referred to as the representation of the objects and relations of interest as axioms using the language of predicate calculus. And, Implementation is referred to as the representation of the axioms of interest and the strategy for manipulating axioms using the constructs of a programming language. The paper illustrates the logic-based approach to engineering problem-solving automation by considering the portion of the AISC Specification that governs the design of axially loaded members. First, the relations of interest are identified (Conceptualization). Then, predicate calculus is used to formally represent the relations (Formalization) as axioms and to mechanically manipulate them. The checking and designing of structural components via mechanical manipulation of the axioms are illustrated in the paper. Finally, a constraint logic programming language is used to develop a computer program for automatic processing of the specification (Implementation). This program is composed of a set of rules that closely resemble the formulated axioms.
The rate of visual field loss in optic nerve head drusen.

Purpose To define the rate of visual field loss in patients with optic nerve head drusen (ONHD). Design Retrospective chart review. Methods Goldmann visual field (GVF) testing from initial visit and last follow-up examination were quantified using the modified Esterman grid technique. The rate of visual field loss was calculated by comparing the initial GVF to the last follow-up GVF. A comparative analysis of GVF and age at initial evaluation was performed on all patients with an initial GVF only. setting: Tertiary academic care center. participants: Inclusion criteria for the rate analysis: (1) diagnosis of ONHD and (2) at least 36 months of follow-up with serial GVF testing. Exclusion criteria: (1) patients with glaucoma or glaucoma-suspect; (2) history or examination evidence for other ocular disease; and (3) drusen-related macular causes of visual loss. Results Thirty-two of 292 charts were included in the rate analysis. The rate of visual field loss was 1.58%. There was no statistically significant difference between men and women ( P = .74). One hundred eighty patients were included in the initial visual field analysis. There was a significant negative correlation between age and GVF, with older patients having lower GVF scores with a Spearman correlation of −0.42 ( P Conclusions The rate of visual field loss for ONHD over a 36-month interval of time was 1.6% per year. Patients with minimal or no visual field loss were younger, and patients with moderate or severe visual loss were older.
Nodal bilayer-splitting controlled by spin-orbit interactions in underdoped high-Tc cuprates.

The highest superconducting transition temperatures in the cuprates are achieved in bilayer and trilayer systems, highlighting the importance of interlayer interactions for high Tc. It has been argued that interlayer hybridization vanishes along the nodal directions by way of a specific pattern of orbital overlap. Recent quantum oscillation measurements in bilayer cuprates have provided evidence for a residual bilayer-splitting at the nodes that is sufficiently small to enable magnetic breakdown tunneling at the nodes. Here we show that several key features of the experimental data can be understood in terms of weak spin-orbit interactions naturally present in bilayer systems, whose primary effect is to cause the magnetic breakdown to be accompanied by a spin flip. These features can now be understood to include the equidistant set of three quantum oscillation frequencies, the asymmetry of the quantum oscillation amplitudes in c-axis transport compared to ab-plane transport, and the anomalous magnetic field angle dependence of the amplitude of the side frequencies suggestive of small effective g-factors. We suggest that spin-orbit interactions in bilayer systems can further affect the structure of the nodal quasiparticle spectrum in the superconducting phase. PACS numbers: 71.45.Lr, 71.20.Ps, 71.18.+y
The single MyoD family gene of Ciona intestinalis encodes two differentially expressed proteins: Implications for the evolution of chordate muscle gene regulation

A MyoD family gene was identified in the ascidian Ciona intestinalis and designated CiMDF (Ciona intestinalis Muscle Determination Factor). Expression of CiMDF was restricted to the muscle cells of the developing embryo and the body-wall muscle of adults. Northern blots showed that two differentially regulated CiMDF transcripts were expressed during development. A 1.8 kb transcript (CiMDFa) appeared first and was gradually replaced by a 2.7 kb transcript (CiMDFb). These transcripts encoded essentially identical MyoD family proteins with the exception of a 68 amino acid C-terminal sequence present in CiMDFb that was absent from CiMDFa. Although both CiMDFa and CiMDFb contained the cysteine-rich/basic-helix loop helix domain (Cys-rich/bHLH) present in all MyoD family proteins, only CiMDFb contained the region near the C terminus (Domain III) characteristic of this gene family. Genomic Southern blots showed that C. intestinalis has only one MyoD family gene, suggesting that CiMDFa and CiMDFb result from differential processing of primary transcripts. The existence of two MyoD family proteins that are differentially expressed during ascidian embryogenesis has novel parallels to vertebrate muscle development and may reflect conserved myogenic regulatory mechanisms among chordates.
Discussing Prognosis: Documented Communication with Elderly Patients with Cancer at the End of Life

The purposes of this study were to evaluate the frequency of documented prognosis discussions among terminally ill cancer patients, to identify correlates of having documented prognosis discussions, and to describe the content of prognosis discussions as documented in patient medical records. Sample data were collected from the randomly selected medical records of inpatients (n=210) aged 65 years or older and admitted with diagnoses of brain, pancreas, liver, gall bladder, or inoperable lung cancer from six large Connecticut hospitals. A standardized instrument was used to extract data concerning patient demographics, hospital course, prognosis discussions, and evidence of advance care planning. Prognosis discussions were recorded in 79 (38%) of medical records and were correlated with emergency admission status (p=0.004) and longer length of hospital stay (p=0.003) on multivariate analysis. Of the documented prognosis discussions, 63% were within one week of admission but after the first day, and 57% included the patient, 76% included the family, 77 % included the doctor, and 69% did not include another health staff member (n=79). Life sustaining treatment discussions and DNR orders were both associated with prognosis discussions (p=0.001 and p=0.001, respectively) and were more often documented after the prognosis discussions. Prognosis discussions included planning for care and treatment in 33 (42%) of discussions documented. In conclusion, we found that prognosis discussions were infrequently documented during the hospitalization of terminally ill patients diagnosed with cancer. We also found that advance care planning, such as discussions of life sustaining treatment and DNR orders, was significantly associated with prognosis discussions and more often occurred after prognosis was discussed. Acknowledgements Supported by grants from the Etta S. Chidsey Award in Cancer Research, the National Institutes of Health—NHLBI, Medical Student Research Training Fellowship, the John D. Thompson Hospice Institute for Training, Education, and Research, and the Nathan Cummings Foundation. Special thanks to Emily Cherlin. Thanks also to Nicholas Christakis and Kinari Webb for their helpful comments.
VapeCons: E-cigarette user conventions

Introduction: E-cigarette ‘vaping conventions’ provide a venue for user social networking, parties, and ‘try before you buy’ access to a wide range of e-cigarette products. This study identifies and describes vaping conventions, raising awareness of this potentially problematic practice. Methods: Conventions were identified via Google searches in April and May 2014 and August 2015. Details captured included location, sponsors, admission cost, event features, and promotions. Results: 41 distinct organizations have planned 90 vaping conventions in 37 different locations since 2010. Conventions promoted access to a wide range of product vendors, seminars, social interactions with other users, parties, gifts, vaping contests, and other events. E-cigarette use at conventions was encouraged. Conclusions: Vaping conventions promote e-cigarette use and social norms without public health having a voice to educate attendees about negative consequences of use. Future research should focus on the effects of attending these conventions on attendees and on indoor air quality in vapor-filled convention rooms.
Personal Autonomy and Related Concepts

Part I. The book begins with literary, cinematic, and historical scenarios that exemplify personal autonomy. Meyers uses these vignettes to distinguish personal autonomy from other, variously related types of autonomy and to show that other kinds of autonomy cannot adequately address the concern people have with their own personal decisions. Noting how profoundly social experience impinges on self-discovery, self-definition, and self-direction, Meyers characterizes autonomous individuals as persons who do what they really want, and she undertakes to supply an account of an authentic self that acknowledges people's enmeshment in social relations as well as their psychological complexity
Identification of the Shear Plane During Sliding of Solid Boundary Films: Potassium Chloride Films on Iron

The commonly observed linear variation in shear strength with contact pressure is explored using a model system consisting of a potassium chloride (KCl) film between two iron counterfaces, for which a linear dependence has been found experimentally. The effect of artificially changing the KCl lattice spacing is explored using molecular dynamics (MD) simulations, where the interaction potential between the iron and KCl was previously optimized using surface science experiments for KCl on iron. It is found that the shear plane can change from occurring within the KCl film to taking place between the film and iron, depending on lattice spacing. In addition, shear within the KCl film leads to an increase in friction force with lattice spacing, while shear at the KCl–Fe interface leads to a decrease in friction with lattice spacing. The transition between the two regimes depends on the applied load. MD simulations of an equilibrium KCl film reveal that shear occurs at the KCl–iron interface, consistent with experiment, where no KCl transfer is found. Accordingly, the friction force increases with load, where the MD simulations yield a proportionality constant between shear strength and contact pressure of 0.115 ± 0.004, in excellent agreement with the experimental value of 0.14 ± 0.02. This result can be interpreted using the Prandtl–Tomlinson model where the pressure dependence arises from the external work carried out on the system due to the change in interlayer spacing at the sliding interface.
A New, Nonirritating Opaque Medium for Uterosalpingography: II. Elimination of Acacia

Summary 1. Experimental data indicate that acacia injected in the amounts used in uterosalpingography does not irritate the internal genitalia or peritoneum in rabbits. 2. Acacia does not remain in the peritoneum but is rapidly taken up and appears in the blood stream within three hours following its injection. The maximum level of acacia in the blood is reached within six hours, and it has almost disappeared from the blood in seventy-two hours. 3. We could not prove that acacia is excreted in the urine. It has been shown by Andersch and Gibson that in bile fistula dogs, acacia appears within six hours in the bile, and it is most likely that the bile is the means by which it leaves the body. 4. Microscopic studies of the livers up to thirty-two days after injection of more than ten times the amount of acacia used in human uterosalpingography did not show liver damage. 5. The amount of furfural producing material, calculated as acacia, in the liver was just above that said to be normal.
Isolation of regulatory mutants in Saccharomyces cerevisiae.

Publisher Summary This chapter describes isolation of regulatory mutants in Saccharonyces cerevisiae. Regulatory mutations have been invaluable in the study of genetic control in Escherichia coli. Operator and repressor mutations have defined these regulatory genes and given insights into the physiology of regulation. By studying double mutants and dominance in heterozygotes, it is possible to obtain a picture of the regulatory circuit and regulatory interactions. A difficult technical problem exists in the isolation of mutations that affect controlling elements or regulatory genes in most systems. Regulatory mutations do not usually alter the growth characteristics of the wild type, and therefore have no distinguishing phenotype. To identify regulatory mutants, one has to devise conditions under which regulatory mutations have a clear-cut phenotype. The chapter reviews studies on gene regulation in yeast to identify those techniques that have been most successful in selecting regulatory mutants. Arginine biosynthesis and arginine degradation is discussed and controls linking arginine catabolic and anabolic enzymes are explained in the chapter. The chapter describes acid phosphatase biosynthesis, pyrimidine biosynthesis, methionine biosynthesis, and histidine biosynthesis.
SPD: Automatically Test Unmodified Network Programs with Symbolic Packet Dynamics

Network programs are difficult to test, especially under the large space of network program behavior defined by packet dynamics such as packet delay and packet loss. It is unlikely for common approaches using testbeds with random packet dynamics to cover the prohibitively large number of packet dynamics possibilities in a limited time. In this paper, we leverage symbolic execution to find the equivalence classes of packet dynamics which lead to exactly the same network program behavior, in order to efficiently check the large space of network program behavior. Specifically, we propose and develop a network program test platform, called Symbolic Packet Dynamics (SPD), to automatically and transparently test unmodified network programs for low- probability bugs and extreme-case performance under packet dynamics. SPD uses symbolic representation of packet dynamics, instead of random packet dynamics. Our experiments show that SPD can achieve significantly much higher packet dynamics coverage than random packet dynamics within the same amount of time, and thus it is much easier and takes much shorter time for SPD to detect low-probability bugs and extreme-case performance.
Magnetic and structural properties of Mn-Ga thin films

A systematic experimental work has been conducted to understand the magnetic properties of Mn-Ga thin films. Multilayer structured thin films of [MnGa 2 nm/Mn x nm]×25 (x = 0.2∼3.5, which corresponds to Mn at%56∼86) were sputter-deposited onto silica glass substrates, followed by annealing in vacuum. It is found that the magnetic properties strongly depend on x. For x = 0.5, the high magnetization values are found, where the nanocrystalline L10 structure is present. The samples with x = 2.0-3.0 exhibit the coercivity Hc higher than 10 kOe at room temperature where the nanocrystalline D022 structures are found to form. The correlation between the magnetic anisotropy constant K and saturation magnetization Ms is also discussed. The nth power dependence of magnetic anisotropy constant K on Ms is found, where the values of n are 7.8 and 1.9 for x = 0.5 and 2.5, respectively. The present result of the power dependence of n equals about 8 for the L10 MnGa suggests that the magnetic anisotropy in a nanocrystalli...
Validation of coded aperture coherent scatter spectral imaging for normal and neoplastic breast tissues via surgical pathology

This study intends to validate the sensitivity and specificity of coded aperture coherent scatter spectral imaging (CACSSI) by comparison to standard histological preparation and pathologic analysis methods used to differentiate normal and neoplastic breast tissues. A composite overlay of the CACSSI rendered image and pathologist interpreted stained sections validate the ability of CACSSI to differentiate normal and neoplastic breast structures ex-vivo. Via comparison to pathologist annotated slides, the CACSSI system may be further optimized to maximize sensitivity and specificity for differentiation of breast carcinomas.
Dosage-Mortality Response of the Southern Corn Rootworm to Several Insecticides

LD50 values expressed in µ g/insect for mixed-sex populations of Diabrotica undecimpunctata howardi Barber were: carbofuran 0.0783; parathion 0.1413; phorate 0.4807; diazinon 0.7431; Landrin® (3,4,5-trimethylphenyl methylcarbamate, 75% 2,3,5-trimethylphenyl methylcarbamate, 18%) 1.0305; fonophos 1.4886; and aldrin 6.8306. On a live tissue weight basis, females required 51.2% more phorate and 114.5% more diazinon for 50% mortality than did males.
Guilty on Two Counts: Stepwise Coordination of Two Fluoride Anions to the Antimony Atom of a Noninnocent Stibine Ligand

In our efforts to investigate the coordination noninnocent behavior of transition-metal stibine complexes, we have prepared a series of platinum complexes bearing the tetradentate ligand (o-(Ph2P)C6H4)3Sb (L). Treatment of (Et2S)2PtCl2 with L affords the lantern complex (o-(Ph2P)C6H4)3SbCl)Pt(Cl) (1-Cl), which undergoes facile exchange with fluoride to form the fluorostiboranyl complex ((o-(Ph2P)C6H4)3SbF)Pt(Cl) (1-F). Starting from 1-Cl, anion exchange and abstraction reactions afford [((o-(Ph2P)C6H4)3Sb)Pt(CyNC)][SbF6]2, ([2][SbF6]2), [((o-(Ph2P)C6H4)3SbF)Pt(CyNC)][SbF6] ([3][SbF6]), and ((o-(Ph2P)C6H4)3SbF2)Pt(CyNC) (4), which are related by the formal stepwise coordination of two fluoride ligands to the antimony center. Structural studies of this series show that the Sb–Pt bond lengthens upon sequential fluoride coordination at the antimony center, consistent with the weakening of the Sb–Pt interaction. Natural bond orbital (NBO) calculations performed at the density functional theory (DFT) optimized ...
Microstructure and Properties of Native Insulators Formed on Single Crystal Germanium

The phases, morphologies and microstructures of native oxides and nitrides, grown on the vicinal planes of germanium, are discussed. Thermal oxides, formed under high pressure, were shown to be primarily amorphous for (100) and (110) oriented substrates and intermixed with a crystalline hexagonal phase on the (111) surfaces. Thermal treatments, in one atmosphere of flowing ammonia gas, converted oxide films to mixtures of nitrides and oxynitrides with the nitrides found to be combinations of α- and β-Ge3N4. The α-phase formed from condensation of vapors above the surface whereas the β-phase was a solid-solid reaction product which initiates at the oxide/germanium interface. These two processes appeared to proceed independently of each other. Results of low angle X-ray diffraction (XRD), far infrared transmission (FIRT), scanning transmission electron microscopy (STEM) and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) are discussed.
Fruit and Vegetable Intake Predicts Positive Affect

Prior research suggests that fruit and vegetable intake predicts psychological well-being (WB) when controlled for demographic variables such as age, income and education. Using multiple-item measures and including additional diet and health variables as covariates, the current study assessed self-reported well-being in the past week and daily fruit and vegetable consumption over the past 4 weeks for 1270 university students. Mean positive affect increased linearly as a function of number of daily servings of fruits and vegetables; the pattern of this relationship did not differ significantly for males and females. This association remained statistically significant after controlling for demographic variables (age, sex, and parent education levels); other diet variables (consumption of sugar containing beverages, coffee or tea, and fat); and other health behaviors (exercise, sleep quality and smoking). Life satisfaction and negative affect were not significantly related to fruit and vegetable consumption. Analysis of single-item measures similar to those used in past large scale surveys yielded similar results. Possible reasons for the association of fruits and vegetable consumption with well-being are discussed.
Stanford's Distantly-Supervised Slot-Filling System

This paper describes the design and implementation of the slot filling system prepared by Stanford’s natural language processing group for the 2011 Knowledge Base Population (KBP) track at the Text Analysis Conference (TAC). Our system relies on a simple distant supervision approach using mainly resources furnished by the track’s organizers: we used slot examples from the provided knowledge base, which we mapped to documents from several corpora: those distributed by the organizers, Wikipedia, and web snippets. This system is a descendant of Stanford’s system from last year, with several improvements: an inference process that allows for multi-label predictions and uses worldknowledge to validate outputs; model combination; and a tighter integration of entity coreference and web snippets in the training process. Our submissions scored 16 F1 points using web snippets and 13.5 F1 without web snippets (both scores are higher than the median score of 12.7 F1). We also describe our temporal slot filling system, which achieved 37.0 F1 on the diagnostics temporal task on the developmental queries.
Splenosis Presenting as a Left Renal Mass Indistinguishable from Renal Cell Carcinoma

AbstractSplenosis following splenic trauma is a common but underdiagnosed entity before surgical exploration. In all previously reported cases the ectopic splenic tissue was distinctly separate from the kidney. To our knowledge we report the first known case in which the splenic tissue was located in direct apposition with the kidney. Using conventional imaging techniques, including renal ultrasonography, abdominal computerized tomography and selective renal arteriography, this ectopic splenic tissue appeared to be part of the left kidney and was indistinguishable from renal cell carcinoma. The pathophysiology, clinical presentation and diagnostic studies of splenosis are reviewed.
Exposure to inorganic arsenic can lead to gut microbe perturbations and hepatocellular carcinoma

Arsenic is a carcinogenic environmental factor found in food and drinking water around the world. The mechanisms in which arsenic alters homeostasis are not fully understood. Over the past few decades, light has been shed on varying mechanisms in which arsenic induces cancer. Such mechanisms include gut microbe perturbations, genotoxic effects, and epigenetic modification. Gut microbe perturbations have been shown to increase the level of pathogen-associated molecular patterns such as lipopolysaccharide (LPS) leading to uncontained inflammation. Increase in inflammation is the major factor in cirrhosis leading to hepatocellular carcinoma. Alterations in gut permeability and metabolites have also been observed as a fallout of arsenic induced gut microbe modification. The guts proximity and interaction through portal flow make the liver susceptible to gut perturbations and ensuing inflammatory responses. Genotoxic and epigenetic dysregulation induced by arsenic and its toxic metabolites present a more direct mechanism that works synergistically with gut microbe perturbations to induce the incidence of cancers. These pathways combined could be some of the main causes of arsenic-induced carcinogenesis.
Mouse Models of Epigenetic Inheritance

Publisher Summary This chapter discusses the mouse models of epigenetic inheritance. The increasing evidence implicates epigenetic changes as a primary impetus in disease development. The epigenetic regulation alters gene expression to promote compensatory adjustments in metabolism. These early adaptive epigenetic changes have consequences later in life when the metabolic changes no longer coincide with the external environment, resulting in pathologies such as coronary heart disease and obesity. The abnormal paternal epigenetic inheritance indicates that another epigenetic mark aside from DNA methylation is incompletely cleared in the heterozygous knockout offspring and leads to epigenetic inheritance and phenotypic change. Mouse models have become powerful tools for examining transgenerational inheritance of epigenetic marks as well as unique biosensors for early developmental exposures to nutritional supplements and chemical contaminants that disrupt epigenetic programming. With the increased utility of these models, our understanding of epigenetic mark inheritance at metastable epialleles and imprinted genes, and across the genome, will expand. As the model is more completely defined, the possibilities increase for their expanded use to address a broad array of research questions involved in complex human disease such as diabetes, neurological disorders, and cancer.
Mysticism and War: Reflections on Bergson and his Reception During World War I

Once we grasp Bergson’s new conception of an intuitive metaphysics premised on a distance from action, it seems unlikely that a connection could be found between this metaphysics and an activist philosophy of war. In this essay I shall revisit Bergson’s metaphysics to see how they could have been understood to provide support for war. I discuss how Bergson’s metaphysics by way of its number theoretical understanding of oneness was thought to mirror or express the limit experience of war that attracted many intellectuals hungry for a shattering of conventional limits on what held up as reality. Finally I suggest that Bergson subtly changed his understanding of the elan vital in the course of the Great War, compromising in the process its initially non-teleological character in order to ensure that his doctrines would only be implicated in international peace, not jingoistic war propaganda.
Two-level main memory co-design

A challenge in computer architecture is that processors often cannot be fed data from DRAM as fast as CPUs can consume it. Therefore, many applications are memory-bandwidth bound. With this motivation and the realization that traditional architectures (with all DRAM reachable only via bus) are insufficient to feed groups of modern processing units, vendors have introduced a variety of non-DDR 3D memory technologies (Hybrid Memory Cube (HMC),Wide I/O 2, High Bandwidth Memory (HBM)). These offer higher bandwidth and lower power by stacking DRAM chips on the processor or nearby on a silicon interposer. We will call these solutions "near-memory," and if user-addressable, "scratchpad." High-performance systems on the market now offer two levels of main memory: near-memory on package and traditional DRAM further away. In the near term we expect the latencies near-memory and DRAM to be similar. Thus, it is natural to think of near-memory as another module on the DRAM level of the memory hierarchy. Vendors are expected to offer modes in which the near memory is used as cache, but we believe that this will be inefficient.In this paper, we explore the design space for a user-controlled multi-level main memory. Our work identifies situations in which rewriting application kernels can provide significant performance gains when using near-memory. We present algorithms designed for two-level main memory, using divide-and-conquer to partition computations and streaming to exploit data locality. We consider algorithms for the fundamental application of sorting and for the data analysis kernel k -means. Our algorithms asymptotically reduce memory-block transfers under certain architectural parameter settings. We use and extend Sandia National Laboratories' SST simulation capability to demonstrate the relationship between increased bandwidth and improved algorithmic performance. Memory access counts from simulations corroborate predicted performance improvements for our sorting algorithm. In contrast, the k -means algorithm is generally CPU bound and does not improve when using near-memory except under extreme conditions. These conditions require large instances that rule out SST simulation, but we demonstrate improvements by running on a customized machine with high and low bandwidth memory. These case studies in co-design serve as positive and cautionary templates, respectively, for the major task of optimizing the computational kernels of many fundamental applications for two-level main memory systems. Emerging architectures feature high-bandwidth scratchpad memory that is not cache.We adapt a classical external-memory model to this context.We design and analyze algorithms for sorting and k-means using this model.We validate our predictions with simulation and/or a custom machine.
Partners in Information Literacy: The Research Mentor Program at UNH Manchester

The Research Mentor Program is a partnership between the UNH Manchester Library and the College’s Center for Academic Enrichment whereby student peer tutors receive training in both practical writing and research strategies along with theoretical applications for peer-assisted learning. Research Mentors are able to holistically support the research process from brainstorming topics; developing effective search strategies; and evaluating sources to preparing outlines; developing thesis statements; and drafting through the writing/revision cycle. The Research Mentor Program originated in 2004 and evolved during the past decade in response to classroom assessment and program evaluation findings. In the current adaptation, the research mentor training curriculum aligns with the ACRL Frameworks for Information Literacy . Mentors engage with each of the Frames through class discussions, hands-on activities, role-playing exercises, and reflective writing entries. In one-to-one tutorials, research mentors are able to apply the Frames’ dispositions thereby guiding students to engage more effectively with scholarly inquiry, contextualizing authority, and acknowledging value in the research process. In this way, Research Mentors contribute to the effectiveness of information literacy instruction by recognizing gaps in students’ evidence, modelling the dispositions of the information literacy Frames in their interactions with students, and connecting students to the librarians for further research instruction. UNH Manchester’s Research Mentor Program impacts library instruction by extending the influence of information literacy principles beyond the librarian’s classroom instructional sessions into the research mentor led tutorials and circling back to the library for individually focused instruction. Our Creating Knowledge VIII conference presentation is available at http://libraryguides.unh.edu/partnersinfolit . This presentation is based on our forthcoming chapter in Peer-assisted Learning in Academic Libraries , edited by E. Rinto, J. Watts, & R. Mitola published through Libraries Unlimited, Santa Barbara, CA (anticipated publication date early 2017).
Endothelial dysfunction correlates with exaggerated exercise pressor response during whole body maximal exercise in chronic kidney disease.

Chronic kidney disease (CKD) patients have exercise intolerance associated with increased cardiovascular mortality. Previous studies demonstrate that blood pressure (BP) and sympathetic nerve respo...
ASSESSMENT OF CONTRACTILITY FROM THE ELECTRICAL IMPEDANCE CARDIOGRAM

Publisher Summary This chapter presents a comparison of the sensitivities of PEP/LVET, d2z/dt2, 1/(PEP)2, and HI in response to drug interventions that either enhance or depress myocardial contractility. The two sets of experiments were conducted three years apart. In both cases, there was much learning in the experimental procedures and techniques so that later experiments in each set reflected the learning experience that was manifested by better records and more consistent data; however, the results shown represent the pooling of all data in each set. While additional experiments are needed to evaluate the sensitivities to smaller amounts of the inotropic agents, the striking differences between impedance derived indices of contraction and the clinically accepted PEP/LVET clearly indicate the greater sensitivity of the impedance indices. As the impedance derived indices have the units of acceleration, they would appear to be more directly related to the pumping ability of the heart than are the systolic time intervals.
Hybridity and Identity Performance in Diasporic Context: An Autoethnographic Journey of the Self Across Cultures:

In this autoethnographic article, I am interested in theorizing about how hybridity illuminates my lived experience of identity performed across cultures, and more specifically in diasporic context...
A novel neurophysiological based navigation system

Abstract This paper introduces a novel neurophysiologically based mobile robot navigation system, which emulates the dynamics of a rodent’s navigation and spatial awareness cells found in the hippocampus and entorhinal cortex. The model presented here replicates the functionality of these neurons in their hardware and software counterparts. By using data structures and computational logic that best utilizes currently available processing architectures, a cognitive map is created using a unique multimodal source model for place cell activation. Path planning is performed by using a combination of Euclidean distance path checking, goal memory, and the A ∗ algorithm. Localization is accomplished using simple, low power sensors, such as a camera, ultrasonic sensors, motor encoders and a gyroscope. The place code data structures are initialized as the mobile robot finds goal locations and other unique locations, and are then linked as paths between goal locations, as goals are found during exploration. The place code creates a hybrid cognitive map of metric and topological data. In doing so, much less memory is needed to represent the robot’s roaming environment, as compared to traditional mapping methods, such as occupancy grids. A comparison of the memory and processing savings are presented, as well as to the functional similarities of our design to the rodent’s specialized navigation cells.
Transducin: a signaling switch regulated by guanine nucleotides.

Publisher Summary This chapter discusses the information obtained from the biochemical studies of transducin and attempts to integrate this information with the proposed structure of the GTP binding α subunit of transducin (T α ). One of the best-studied biological processes regulated by G proteins is the visual excitation of vertebrate photoreceptors, in which the direct involvement of transducin in coupling photolyzed rhodopsin to cGMP phosphodiesterase (PDE) has been conclusively demonstrated. As all the members of the G protein family share a common structural motif and appear to exhibit a similar mode of action, it is generally believed that the biochemical pathway elucidated in the visual system will help to provide a better understanding of the role of G proteins in other less well-defined signal transduction processes. Subsequently, important progress has been made in recent years, especially in the characterization of the GTP binding regulatory proteins. Thereafter, the involvement of nucleotide-binding protein, the existence of tightly bound nucleotides, and their exchange-hydrolysis cycles may represent a common motif in controlling multisubunit enzymes in cellular regulation.
Deciphering the contrasting climatic trends between the central Himalaya and Karakoram with 36 years of WRF simulations

Glaciers over the central Himalaya have retreated at particularly rapid rates in recent decades, while glacier mass in the Karakoram appears stable. To address the meteorological factors associated with this contrast, 36 years of Climate Forecast System Reanalyses (CFSR) are dynamically downscaled from 1979 to 2015 with the Weather Research and Forecasting (WRF) model over High Mountain Asia at convection permitting grid spacing (6.7 km). In all seasons, CFSR shows an anti-cyclonic warming trend over the majority of High Mountain Asia, but distinctive differences are observed between the central Himalaya and Karakoram in winter and summer. In winter and summer, the central Himalaya has been under the influence of an anti-cyclonic trend, which in summer the downscaling shows has reduced cloud cover, leading to significant warming and reduced snowfall in recent years. Contrastingly, the Karakoram has been near the boundary between large-scale cyclonic and anti-cyclonic trends and has not experienced significant snowfall or temperature changes in winter or summer, despite significant trends in summer of increasing cloud cover and decreasing shortwave radiation. This downscaling does not identify any trends over glaciers in closer neighboring regions to the Karakoram (e.g., Hindu Kush and the western Himalaya) where glaciers have retreated as over the central Himalaya, indicating that there are other factors driving glacier mass balance that this downscaling is unable to capture. While this study does not fully explain the Karakoram anomaly, the identified trends detail important meteorological contributions to the observed differences between central Himalaya and Karakoram glacier evolution in recent decades.
Lipidomic Analysis of Immune Activation in Equine Leptospirosis and Leptospira -Vaccinated Horses

Currently available diagnostic assays for leptospirosis cannot differentiate vaccine from infection serum antibody. Several leptospiral proteins that are upregulated during infection have been described, but their utility as a diagnostic marker is still unclear. In this study, we undertook a lipidomics approach to determine if there are any differences in the serum lipid profiles of horses naturally infected with pathogenic Leptospira spp. and horses vaccinated against a commercially available bacterin. Utilizing a high-resolution mass spectrometry serum lipidomics analytical platform, we demonstrate that cyclic phosphatidic acids, diacylglycerols, and hydroperoxide oxidation products of choline plasmalogens are elevated in the serum of naturally infected as well as vaccinated horses. Other lipids of interest were triacylglycerols that were only elevated in the serum of infected horses and sphingomyelins that were increased only in the serum of vaccinated horses. This is the first report looking at the equine serum lipidome during leptospiral infection and vaccination.
Abstract IA03: Cancer modeling in the CRISPR age

The widespread use of high-throughput genomic methods is profoundly changing the way we understand, classify, and treat cancers, and provides unprecedented opportunities to design therapeutic approaches tailored to individual patients. The success of these efforts is contingent on our ability to identify, among the hundreds of different genetic lesions, those that actively drive tumorigenesis. The recent development of powerful genome editing methods promises to greatly speed up this process and allows us, for the first time, to model a wide range of previously inaccessible cancer-associated mutations. I will discuss how CRISPR-based gene editing methods are revolutionizing cancer. I will also show how my group is combining computational methods and in vivo somatic genome editing approaches to generate and characterize novel mouse models of human cancers and to explore the noncoding fraction of the cancer genome. Citation Format: Andrea Ventura. Cancer modeling in the CRISPR age [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the AACR Special Conference: Advances in Modeling Cancer in Mice: Technology, Biology, and Beyond; 2017 Sep 24-27; Orlando, Florida. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2018;78(10 Suppl):Abstract nr IA03.
PULSED NONLINEAR SOUND IN SUPERFLUID 4HE AND 4HE-3HE MIXTURES

Sound modes in 4 He and 4 He- 3 He mixtures which arise out of the two-fluid equations are made up up a vector convective flow and scalar temperature changes. A method for modeling nonlinear pulses of sound with geometric approximations to the vector and scalar components has recently been applied towards understanding nonlinear second sound near the lambda point. 6 The same method may be used, in general, for modeling linear and nonlinear sounds in Helium II. We demonstrate with a model for nonlinear second sound pulses in 3 He- 4 He mixtures and compare the results to experimental observations.
Complications: An Overview

No surgical procedure is free of complications. Determining the reason that a complication of a fracture repair occurred and developing a treatment plan are important if the objectives of fracture treatment are to be met. It is also necessary to deal with owners, and, sometimes, other veterinarians in meeting these objectives.
Applications of the Theory to Experimental Plasma Diagnostics

Methods of plasma diagnostics based on an analysis of SL profiles have, as is known, several important advantages. In particular, they do not affect the plasma parameters and do not depend upon the choice of the model for the plasma state. In Chaps. 3–6 we have presented a theory of SL shapes in plasmas containing QEFs. As was mentioned in Chap. 1, in practice, one has to solve every time the inverse (with respect to that discussed in Chaps. 3–6) problem, i.e., to determine the parameters of the QEF and the plasma media from the observed SL profiles. “Single-valued” algorithms for solving such problems for various plasma media do not exist (at least, at present). However, some general recommendations are pointed out in Sect. 7.1. The rest of this chapter is devoted to a discussion of experimental spectroscopic investigations carried out in various areas of plasma research.
Kidney Disease in Diabetes

Diabetic nephropathy is the leading cause of end-stage renal failure worldwide. Similar histological and clinical courses in all diabetic individuals indicate that the pathogenesis of nephropathy is similar in patients with type 1 and type 2 diabetes mellitus. Approximately 40 % of patients with type 1 diabetes and 20 to 40 % of those with type 2 diabetes will eventually develop diabetic nephropathy. Although the abnormal metabolic milieu of diabetes mellitus influences the rate of progression of nephropathy, the fact that nephropathy develops in only a subset of all diabetic patients implies that a factor in addition to the presence of diabetes influences the risk of developing nephropathy.