cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Comparison of Risperidone with Olanzapine in Elderly Patients with Dementia and Psychosis

Study Objectives. To compare the effects of risperidone and olanzapine on cognition in elderly patients with dementia and psychosis, and to compare the side effects of these drugs.Design. Single-blind, multicenter, observational study. Setting. Four rural nursing care facilities. Patients. Nineteen elderly patients with dementia and psychosis. Intervention. Eleven patients were treated with risperidone, eight with olanzapine. Measurements and Main Results. Rating assessments were completed at baseline, 1 month, and 2 months. Simple paired and unpaired t tests determined between- and within-group differences. Social functioning, including activities of daily living, improved over baseline in both groups (p=0.03). Cognition declined significantly (p<0.05) in the risperidone group; comparatively more side effects occurred and blood pressure decreased (p<0.05) in the olanzapine group. When compared with each group cross-sectionally at baseline and end point, however, the two groups did not differ significantly. Conclusion. Improvements in social functioning in all 19 patients suggest that both risperidone and olanzapine may help improve functioning in elderly patients with dementia and psychosis. Cognitive and side effect profiles of these drugs may differ substantially. Further study is needed to determine patient subpopulations who may be able to tolerate one drug over another.
The Limits of Ecological Inference: The Case of Split‐Ticket Voting

We examine the limits of ecological inference methods by focusing on the case of split-ticket voting. Burden and Kimball (1998) report that, by using the King estimation procedure for inferring individual-level behavior from aggregate data, they are the first to produce accurate estimates of split-ticket voting rates in congressional districts. However, a closer examination of their data reveals that a satisfactory analysis of this problem is more complex than may initially appear. We show that the estimation technique is highly suspect in general and especially unhelpful with their particular data.
Pretraining Influences and Readiness to Change Dimensions: A Focus on Static Versus Dynamic Issues:

This study examined pretraining influences on dimensions of readiness to change under nonoptimal training conditions. The authors predicted that individual difference factors (i.e., goal orientatio...
No evidence for directional evolution of body mass in herbivorous theropod dinosaurs

The correlation between large body size and digestive efficiency has been hypothesized to have driven trends of increasing mass in herbivorous clades by means of directional selection. Yet, to date, few studies have investigated this relationship from a phylogenetic perspective, and none, to our knowledge, with regard to trophic shifts. Here, we reconstruct body mass in the three major subclades of non-avian theropod dinosaurs whose ecomorphology is correlated with extrinsic evidence of at least facultative herbivory in the fossil record—all of which also achieve relative gigantism (more than 3000 kg). Ordinary least-squares regressions on natural log-transformed mean mass recover significant correlations between increasing mass and geological time. However, tests for directional evolution in body mass find no support for a phylogenetic trend, instead favouring passive models of trait evolution. Cross-correlation of sympatric taxa from five localities in Asia reveals that environmental influences such as differential habitat sampling and/or taphonomic filtering affect the preserved record of dinosaurian body mass in the Cretaceous. Our results are congruent with studies documenting that behavioural and/or ecological factors may mitigate the benefit of increasing mass in extant taxa, and suggest that the hypothesis can be extrapolated to herbivorous lineages across geological time scales.
The Role of Technology and Computer-Based Instruction in a Disadvantaged Alternative School's Culture of Learning

New approaches to instruction are increasingly being advocated to meet the needs of diverse learners. Educational researchers have identified the further development and application of computer-based instruction technologies for managing differentiated learning for all students as essential for shifting to a learner-centered paradigm of instruction in future schools. This study examines how a disadvantaged alternative high school implemented technology use and computer-based instruction to support a learner-centered culture of learning. Based on findings, the study looks for implications and future directions to better support learner-centered instruction for diverse students.
Classification Analysis of Chronological Age Using Brief Resting Electroencephalographic (EEG) Recordings

The present study aims to build a classification model that discriminates between chronological ages of subjects based on resting-state electroencephalography (EEG) data collected from a community sample of 269 children aged 7 to 11. Specifically, spectral power densities in four classical frequency bands: Delta (0.5–3 Hz), Theta (4–7 Hz), Alpha (8–12 Hz) and Beta (14–25 Hz) were extracted for each electrode as features, and fed to three classification algorithms including logistic regression (LR), support vector machine (SVM), and least absolute shrinkage and selection operator (Lasso). In addition, principal component analysis (PCA) was used to reduce the dimensions of the feature space. The results demonstrated that SVM and Lasso evidenced better performance (maximal accuracy = 80.68 ± 2.01% by SVM and 77.82 ± 2.11% by Lasso) when applied to original feature space, but LR yielded the best performance with PCA (80.72 ± 1.73%). The accuracy of binary classification exhibited a decreasing trend with diminishing chronological gaps between the groups.
East European assimilation and (re)integration: the interwar legacies of transatlantic migration and “Russian” Orthodox conversion (1918–1939)

In the 1920s and 30s, mass conversion movements to “Russian” Orthodoxy emerged among Greek Catholics in Czechoslovakia and Poland, comprising a new chapter in a continuing saga of conversion which began in the late nineteenth century, in what was then Austria–Hungary. Pre-1914 conversion movements arose in large part due to transatlantic migration – especially return migration – between Austria–Hungary and the Americas. Americanists have generally treated the 1920s and 30s as the era when transnational migration’s impact waned owing to US immigration restrictions, while East Europeanists have minimized or ignored the impact of transnational migration upon East European regions. Interwar Catholic-to-Orthodox conversions, however, are not merely attributable to historical legacy: transatlantic migration continued to influence the dynamics of conversion as an active, contemporary force. As had been true prior to World War I, returning migrants and their families comprised the most significant constituency of...
Flow-Driven Cell Motility under Electrical Fields

Cells under external electric field will migrate along electrical potential differences. The direction of migration depends on the cell type. Although cell motility on 2-D substrates is facilitated by actin and myosin, polarized cells can also migrate under confined conditions when actin polymerization is inhibited. This actin-independent migration is driven by water permeation through the cell membrane. In this work, we study flow-driven cell migration under electric fields. Our mathematical model considers 1-D cells in a confined microenvironment. The fluid flux through the membrane is governed by the difference of chemical potential across the membrane. The osmotic pressure is obtained from the ion diffusion and flux and the hydrostatic pressure is obtained from the fluid dynamics inside the cell. The flux of cations and anions across the cell membrane is determined by the properties of the ion channels as well as the external electric field. Results show that without the contribution from actin network and myosin contraction, water permeation can also drive non-polarized cells with the presence of an external electric field. The direction of migration is affected by the properties of ion channels which are cell-type dependent. The results suggest that external voltages can be used to sort cells.
Guiding Power/Quality Exploration for Communication-Intense Stream Processing

In this paper, we explore the power/quality trade-off for streaming applications with a shift from the computation to the communication aspects of the design. The paper proposes a systematic exploration methodology to formulate and traverse power/quality trade-off for the class of adaptive streaming applications. The formalization enables to procedurally transition from a set of design requirements to architecture goals. The architecture goals can then be realized through design choices yielding system designs that meet the initial requirements. The reported results are based on an actual implementation of Mixture of Gaussian (MoG) background subtraction on Xilinx Zynq platform.
Analysis on the Source of Aerosol and Adaptability of Detection Technology in Submarine Cabin

Based on the data and measure points collocation,the source and reason of aerosol in submarine cabin were analyzed.The results showed that improving the sanitary level of sailors,avoiding the leakage of carbon dioxide absorbent,discharging the lampblack in kitchen and avoiding the leakage of waste gases effectively were the critical sections to control the aerosol in cabin.The non- military aerosol detection technologies were analyzed from the point of submarine adaptability.By comparison of advantages and disadvantages,the shortcoming of current detection technologies was cleared and definite.The study provided the reference to research and development of detection technology which was applicable in submarine cabin.
Prolonged pregnancy. When to wait, when to intervene

Careful antepartum testing and close observation of fetal well-being during labor and delivery are essential when pregnancy is prolonged. However, if the expected date of confinement is well documented and the pregnancy is at 43 weeks, a trial of labor or primary cesarean section is indicated because the risk of perinatal morbidity beyond 43 weeks is significantly increased.
Specialized Evolution of the General Purpose CPU.

Commodity general-purpose CPUs remain the predominant computing platform for servers. However, these CPUs continuously evolve, incorporating increasingly specialized primitives to keep up with the evolving need of critical workloads. Specialization includes support for floating-point and vectors, compression, encryption, and synchronization and threading. These CPUs now have sufficient specialized support that the term general-purpose can often be misleading. Recent announcements such as a server product with an FPGA integrated with a CPU make the possibilities even more intriguing. This paper discusses the evolution of specialization in commodity general-purpose CPUs, trade-offs from an industrial perspective, and the opportunities for software going forward.
Biomedical science: Protection for anaesthetized mice.

A cognition-enhancing drug called CX546 prevents the neurodegenerative effects of repeated anaesthesia in infant mice by promoting neuronal changes associated with learning and by protecting neurons from death.
“We Fight against Wrong Doers”: Law Enforcement Rangers’ Roles, Responsibilities, and Patrol Operations in Uganda

ABSTRACTResearch examining wildlife law enforcement has steadily grown within recent years. Few studies, however, are based outside of the United States. Furthermore, studies that have examined wildlife law enforcement in other settings, including African countries, have primarily focused on quantifying the effectiveness of patrol activities, but little is known about actual patrol activities. Based on interviews and participant observation, this research attempts to contribute to both the criminal justice and conservation science literature by providing an in-depth qualitative investigation of law enforcement rangers’ roles, responsibilities, and patrol operations in a protected area in Uganda.
Objective and Perceived Weight: Associations with Risky Adolescent Sexual Behavior.

CONTEXT: Studies have shown that obesity is associated with increased sexual risk-taking, particularly among adolescent females, but the relationships between obesity, perceived weight and sexual risk behaviors are poorly understood. METHODS: Integrative data analysis was performed that combined baseline data from the 1994-1995 National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent Health (from 17,606 respondents in grades 7-12) and the 1997 National Longitudinal Survey of Youth (from 7,752 respondents aged 12-16). Using six sexual behaviors measured in both data sets (age at first intercourse, various measures of contraceptive use and number of partners), cluster analysis was conducted that identified five distinct behavior clusters. Multivariate ordinal logistic regression analysis examined associations between adolescents' weight status (categorized as underweight, normal-weight, overweight or obese) and weight perception and their cluster membership. RESULTS: Among males, being underweight, rather than normal-weight, was negatively associated with membership in increasingly risky clusters (odds ratio, 0.5), as was the perception of being overweight, as opposed to about the right weight (0.8). However, being overweight was positively associated with males' membership in increasingly risky clusters (1.3). Among females, being obese, rather than normal-weight, was negatively correlated with membership in increasingly risky clusters (0.8), while the perception of being overweight was positively correlated with such membership (1.1). CONCLUSIONS: Both objective and subjective assessments of weight are associated with the clustering of risky sexual behaviors among adolescents, and these behavioral patterns differ by gender.Copyright © 2016 by the Guttmacher Institute. Language: en
TTP, ET, and ITP Sequential Occurrence in a Single Patient: a Case Report

Abstract INTRODUCTION: Thrombotic thrombocytopenic purpura (TTP), essential thrombocythemia (ET) and idiopathic thrombocytopenic purpura (ITP) are three separate disease entities that affect the platelets. Each has a different pathophysiology clinical presentation and consequences. We present a case where TTP, ET, and ITP were diagnosed in the same patient at different times of her clinical course with the aim of drawing the attention to this undocumented occurrence which remains under investigation. CASE REPORT: A 42 year old African American female was diagnosed in 1994 with TTP after she presented with slurring of speech and left upper extremity weakness. Her hemoglobin was 9.7 g/dL, creatinine of 1.3 mg/dL, LDH of 448 IU/L and her peripheral smear showed schistocytes. She was diagnosed with TTP and was treated with plasma exchange with improvement in the platelet count. In March 2001, she presented with purple toe syndrome and a platelet count of 877,000. Bone marrow biopsy revealed panmyeloid hyperplasia, clustering of megakaryocytes, and stainable iron. She was then diagnosed to have essential thrombocythemia and was started on Anagrelide, which was later switched to Hydroxyurea. In October 2001, Hydroxurea was stopped and two weeks later, her platelet count dropped to 12,000. Investigations including a bone marrow biopsy were done which showed megakaryocytes in atypical clusters. No schisocytes were seen on peripheral smear. The patient's platelet count dropped to 7,000 and she was transfused with 12 units of platelets. Post transfusion her count was 90,000 but dropped to 25,000 in less than 12 hours. She was then started on IV immunoglobulins and steroids for a presumptive diagnosis of ITP and her platelet count subsequently improved. Subsequent outpatient evaluation was negative for ANA, C3, C4, and HIV CONCLUSION: The fact that both immune and thrombotic thrombocytopenic purpura occur with increased frequency among persons with systemic lupus erythematosus, HIV disease, or pregnancy supports the hypothesis that some pathophysiologic factors are shared. As the three conditions have different natural histories and require different treatment modalities, it is important to recognize that these diseases may be seen sequentially and here comes the importance of reviewing peripheral blood smears for evaluation of thrombocytopenia and bone marrow aspirations for diagnosis of thrombocythemia in order to reach an accurate diagnosis and tailor therapy accordingly. This case demonstrates the variability and complexity of platelet disorders. Platelets may go one way or another and can even go in opposite directions in the same person. After reviewing the literature, there are no reported cases of TTP, ET, and ITP diagnosed in the same patient. Our aim is to draw the attention to this rare case which is still under investigation.
Cavopulmonary Anastomosis During Same Hospitalization as Stage 1 Norwood/Hybrid Palliative Surgery

Background Limited literature has examined characteristics of infants with hypoplastic left heart syndrome (HLHS) who remain hospitalized during the interstage period. We described their epidemiologic characteristics, in-hospital outcomes, and identified risk factors that predict the need for superior cavopulmonary anastomosis (SCPA) during the same hospitalization. Methods This retrospective multicenter database analysis included infants with HLHS who underwent stage 1 palliation from 2004 through 2013. Results Among 5374 infants with HLHS, 314 (5.8%) underwent SCPA during the same hospitalization as stage 1 palliation. They had a higher incidence of baseline comorbidities, complications, and interventions than infants who were discharged. Despite an overall increase in need for SCPA in the same hospitalization across different eras, there was no significant statistical difference in mortality in the two groups in the same era. Septicemia, necrotizing enterocolitis, modified Blalock-Taussig shunt, cardiac catheterization, cardiopulmonary resuscitation, extracorporeal membrane oxygenation, gastrostomy tube, and antiarrhythmic agents were independently associated with increased odds of undergoing SCPA during the same hospitalization. Patients undergoing right ventricle to pulmonary artery shunt were less likely to remain hospitalized until stage 2 palliation. Nonsurvivors in the SCPA group had greater need for interventions and worse intensive care unit outcomes. Conclusions Infants with HLHS who remain hospitalized after stage 1 until their stage 2 palliation differ significantly from infants who were discharged. Several clinical characteristics, comorbidities, and need for interventions are associated with the likelihood for undergoing stage 2 palliation during the same hospitalization. Timely identification and intervention of adjustable causes of heart failure may improve outcomes.
Increased neuromuscular consistency in gait and balance after partnered, dance-based rehabilitation in Parkinson’s disease

We demonstrate changes in neuromuscular control of gait and balance in individuals with Parkinson’s disease after short-term, dance-based rehabilitation. Our work is the first to show that motor mo...
(k, q)-Compressed Sensing for dMRI with Joint Spatial-Angular Sparsity Prior

Advanced diffusion magnetic resonance imaging (dMRI) techniques, like diffusion spectrum imaging (DSI) and high angular resolution diffusion imaging (HARDI), remain underutilized compared to diffusion tensor imaging because the scan times needed to produce accurate estimations of fiber orientation are significantly longer. To accelerate DSI and HARDI, recent methods from compressed sensing (CS) exploit a sparse underlying representation of the data in the spatial and angular domains to undersample in the respective k- and q-spaces. State-of-the-art frameworks, however, impose sparsity in the spatial and angular domains separately and involve the sum of the corresponding sparse regularizers. In contrast, we propose a unified (k, q)-CS formulation which imposes sparsity jointly in the spatial-angular domain to further increase sparsity of dMRI signals and reduce the required subsampling rate. To efficiently solve this large-scale global reconstruction problem, we introduce a novel adaptation of the FISTA algorithm that exploits dictionary separability. We show on phantom and real HARDI data that our approach achieves significantly more accurate signal reconstructions than the state of the art while sampling only 2–4% of the (k, q)-space, allowing for the potential of new levels of dMRI acceleration.
Impact of cardiac resynchronization therapy on mitral valve apparatus geometry and clinical outcomes in patients with secondary mitral regurgitation

Background Cardiac resynchronization therapy (CRT) may improve secondary mitral regurgitation (MR) in patients with cardiomyopathy. The effects on mitral valve (MV) and left ventricular (LV) geometry, however, have not been clearly defined. Methods Between 2009 and 2012, 229 CRT implants were performed at a single academic center. Seventy-one had ≥mild MR at baseline and serial echocardiography, without subsequent MV intervention. The pre-CRT and follow-up echocardiograms were retrospectively reviewed for (1) MV and LV geometry measurements; (2) MR grade; and (3) LV remodeling indices. Results The mean age was 67 ± 15 years, and the cardiomyopathy was ischemic in 37 (52%). At a mean follow-up of 4.0 ± 1.9 years, there were significant improvements in LV ejection fraction and size, MR grade, MV tenting area and anterior leaflet tethering angle, and end-systolic interpapillary muscle distance (IPMD), and reductions in moderate-to-severe or severe MR (27% vs 15%; P = .04) and New York Heart Association functional class III/IV symptoms (83% vs 41%; P < .001). Multivariable analysis revealed the pre-CRT MV tenting height (OR 1.25, 95% CI 1.01–1.56; P = .04) and end-systolic IPMD (OR 1.14, 95% CI 0.99–1.32; P = .08) as independently associated with moderate or greater MR at follow-up. Finally, at 5 years post-CRT implantation, the estimated survival and freedom from LV assist device or cardiac transplantation was 61%. Conclusions CRT results in favorable effects on MV and LV geometry and decreases the prevalence of moderate-to-severe or severe MR and heart failure symptoms. The pre-CRT MV tenting height and IPMD are independently associated with persistent MR at follow-up.
Planning for school turnaround in the United States: an analysis of the quality of principal-developed quick wins

Research suggests that high-quality school improvement planning reflective of the school’s needs and objectives is central to a principal’s success in leading a school. Some American scholars conte...
Why Do Previous Choices Matter for Hospital Demand? Decomposing Switching Costs from Unobserved Preferences

Abstract Using data on women’s choice of hospital for childbirth in Florida, we find that women return to the same hospital approximately 70% of the time. We separate explanations of switching cost...
Modeling and Analysis of SLDL-Captured NoC Abstractions

With increasing number of IP cores, parallel communication architectures including NoCs have emerged for many-core systems. To efficiently architect NoCs, early analysis of crucial run-time metrics such as throughput, latency and saturation time is required. This requires abstract modeling of NoCs. Modeling abstraction, and consequently the modeling granularity impacts the accuracy and speed of simulation. While a fine-grained model will slowly lead more accurate information, a coarser model simulates faster and yields less accurate predictions. This paper first identifies possible levels of abstraction for NoC models and correlating captured features with the accuracy/speed trade-off. Second, this paper proposes two NoC models at different abstraction levels: a finer grained Bus-Functional Model (BFM), and a coarser Transaction-Level Model (TLM). The BFM updates the system status after any events happening during data unit transmission, while the TLM updates the system status at the end of data unit transmission.
Correction to: Energetic trade-offs and feedbacks between behavior and metabolism influence correlations between pace-of-life attributes

Equation 3 of the original published version of this article was incorrect. Correct presentation is given below.
Uses of the Past in Adult Psychological Health

If being adult is being fully grown up, then adult development is something of an oxymoron. But not if we take it as we take adult entertainment: intended only for adults; not suitable for children. We begin with this bit of conceptual hyperbole to highlight the sense that development in adulthood marches to a different drama than in childhood. Nevertheless, just as there is obviously no well-developed child apart from a well-developing one, there is no well-developed adult. Such, essentially, was Jung’s (1933) complaint to Freud: not against the validity of libido theory itself, but with Freud’s failure to recognize that the second half of life (“the psychology of the afternoon,” Jung called it) had passed beyond the aims of psychosexuality to follow now utterly new directions and seize new terms of being, rather than to stay put, protecting the winnings of the first half (“the psychology of the morning”) from dwindling any further.
Finding Constitutional and International Norms in Anti-Terrorism Practices

In the immediate wake of the September 11 attacks, there was well-founded anxiety that the enormity of the episode and the war talk that followed would result in the significant curtailment of civil liberties, and particularly the rights of aliens. The historical precedents pointed in that direction, and some proposals would have constituted a serious setback to individual rights. But the more extreme fears have not been realized. Although elements of the government's response to 9/11 have been rights-restrictive, the overall resiliency of rights protections has perhaps been more remarkable. This essay explores three possible explanations for why the early predictions of rights reversals have not come about. First, it may be that however dramatic the attacks, they did not in fact constitute so serious a threat as to warrant - as a matter of policy - the severe curtailment of rights. A second explanation highlights a largely extrajudicial dynamic in which more rights-invasive anti-terrorism proposals have been defeated as inconsistent with constitutional norms. Finally, the international community and international law appear to have played a significant role in restraining the government from a more serious assault on civil liberties. Geopolitical dominance and the unilateralist bluster of the present Administration notwithstanding, U.S. practice is being disciplined by international rights norms.
Assessing Critical Thinking in STEM and Beyond

This paper reports the latest findings of a project to refine the CAT© instrument, a new interdisciplinary assessment tool for evaluating students’ critical thinking skills. Tennessee Technological University partnered with six other institutions across the U.S. (University of Texas, University of Colorado, University of Washington, University of Hawaii, University of Southern Maine, and Howard University) to evaluate and refine the CAT instrument. The results of this project reveal the CAT instrument has high face validity when evaluated by a broad spectrum of faculty across the U.S. in STEM and non-STEM disciplines, has good criterion validity when compared to other instruments that measure critical thinking and intellectual performance, has good reliability, and good construct validity using expert evaluation in the area of learning sciences.
The Rise of Artificial Intelligence

Microsoft, together with Cambridge Massachusetts tech startup, Composable Analytics, and Apttus, headquartered in San Mateo delivered an innovative executive level thought leadership event this fall called R.I.S.E. (Robotics, Intelligence, Society, Economy). The challenge was clear - rapid advancements in artificial intelligence (AI), machine learning (ML), robotics, social media, autonomy, image and speech recognition, and other areas of technology will continue to have massive economic and social impact, raising entirely new sets of questions, presenting challenges and new opportunities in every part of society. Key business stakeholders essential to identifying practical, realistic future solutions for these technologies are often not at the table to discuss digital transformation plans or are not aware of the near-term nature of changing technological landscape – what the World Economic Forum calls, a Fourth Industrial Revolution.
Personalized Smoking Cessation: Interactions between Nicotine Dose, Dependence and Quit-Success Genotype Score

Improving and targeting nicotine replacement therapy (NRT) are cost-effective strategies for reducing adverse health consequences for smokers. Treatment studies document the efficacy of precessation NRT and support important roles for level of nicotine dependence and precessation smoking reduction in successful quitting. However, prior work has not identified the optimal precessation dose or means for personalizing NRT. Genome-wide association has identified groups of genomic markers associated with successful quitting, allowing us to develop a v1.0 “quit-success” genotype score. We now report influences of v1.0 quit-success genotype score, level of dependence and precessation smoking reduction in a smoking cessation trial that examined effects of 21 versus 42 mg/24 h precessation NRT. Four hundred seventy-nine smokers were randomized to 21 or 42 mg NRT, initiated 2 wks prior to target quit dates. We monitored self-reported abstinence and end-expired air carbon monoxide (CO). Genotyping used Affymetrix arrays (Santa Clara, CA, USA). The primary outcome was 10-wk continuous smoking abstinence. NRT dose, level of nicotine dependence and genotype scores displayed significant interactive effects on successful quitting. Successful abstinence also was predicted by CO reductions during precessation NRT. These results document ways in which smoking cessation strategies can be personalized based on levels of nicotine dependence, genotype scores and CO monitoring. These assessments, taken together, can help match most smokers with optimal NRT doses and help rapidly identify some who may be better treated using other methods.
Trapping Force of Acoustical Bessel Beams on a Sphere and Stable Tractor Beams

In noncontact particle manipulation by acoustic or optical beams, which is important for applications in the biological sciences and materials engineering, a $t\phantom{\rule{0}{0ex}}r\phantom{\rule{0}{0ex}}a\phantom{\rule{0}{0ex}}c\phantom{\rule{0}{0ex}}t\phantom{\rule{0}{0ex}}o\phantom{\rule{0}{0ex}}r$ $b\phantom{\rule{0}{0ex}}e\phantom{\rule{0}{0ex}}a\phantom{\rule{0}{0ex}}m$ can pull particles toward the beam's source, but long-range pulling is impossible without simultaneous trapping in the transverse direction. This study uses theory to gain insight into the parameters and conditions for simultaneous trapping and pulling of a spherical particle by an acoustic Bessel beam. Trapping at the pressure maximum of an axisymmetric Bessel beam in the Rayleigh regime is more flexible than the trapping by focused beams currently used for acoustic tweezers.
Effect of grain boundary misorientation on η phase precipitation in Ni-base superalloy 718Plus

Abstract In an effort to engineer the morphology of the grain boundaries in Alloy 718Plus to be more damage tolerant, the primary aim of this study was to investigate the effect of the grain boundary misorientation on the precipitation of η phase precipitates. Two types of η phase precipitates were observed to form within the microstructure which formed either lamellar structures or were present as discrete η phase precipitates. The lamellar η phase precipitates were able to induce the formation of serrated grain boundaries, but their precipitation was not correlated to the grain boundary misorientation as they were observed to reside along approximately half of all low angle grain boundaries. However, the average length of the η phase precipitates was found to be affected by the grain boundary misorientation, especially when the precipitates have a low inclination angle with respect to the grain boundary. The presence of discrete η phase precipitates along the grain boundary was found to be a function of the grain boundary as they were preferentially found to form along grain boundaries with high misorientations.
Expressive Dominant Versus Receptive Dominant Language Patterns in Young Children: Findings from the Study to Explore Early Development.

We examined language profiles of 2571 children, 30–68 months old, with autism spectrum disorder (ASD), other developmental disabilities (DD), and typical development from the general population (POP). Children were categorized as expressive dominant (ED), receptive dominant (RD), or nondominant (ND). Within each group, the ED profile was the least frequent. However, children in the ASD group were more likely to display an ED profile than those in the DD or POP groups, and these children were typically younger, had lower nonverbal cognitive skills, and displayed more severe social-affect symptoms of ASD compared to their peers with RD or ND profiles. These findings have research and clinical implications related to the focus of interventions targeting young children with ASD and other DDs.
Printable transistors for wearable sweat sensing

Human performance monitoring (HPM) devices for sweat sensing in both civilian and military uses necessitate chemical sensors with low limits of detection, rapid read out times, and ultra-low volumes. Electronic and electrochemical sensing mechanisms for biomarker identification and quantification are attractive for overall ease of use, including robust, portable, fast readout, and simple operation. Transistors have the high signal gain required to sense low concentrations (μM to pM) at low volumes (μL to nL) in real-time (<1 minute), metrics not achievable by benchtop analytical techniques. Two main challenges currently prohibit the realization of transistor-based biosensors: i) the need for printed devices for low-cost, disposable sensors; and ii) the need to overcome diminished sensitivity in high ionic strength solutions. In this proof-of-concept work, we demonstrate organic electrochemical transistors (OECT) as a promising low cost, printable device platform for electrochemical detection of biomarkers in high ionic strength environments. This work focuses on how the materials choice and functionality impacts the electrochemical and sensor and transducer performance and determining the feasibility of reducing the size of the sensor to nanoliter volume detection. Initial studies target dopamine. Detection limits for simple electrochemical approaches using platinum or glassy carbon electrodes remain relatively high (~ 1-10 ng/mL or 50 nM). Using an OECT, we demonstrate an initial detection level of dopamine at ~ 10 pg/mL achieved without any selective binding modifications to the gate electrode at gate voltages below 1 V.
Upstream Regulators and Downstream Effectors of NADPH Oxidases as Novel Therapeutic Targets for Diabetic Kidney Disease

Oxidative stress has been linked to the pathogenesis of diabetic nephropathy, the complication of diabetes in the kidney. NADPH oxidases of the Nox family, and in particular the homologue Nox4, are a major source of reactive oxygen species in the diabetic kidney and are critical mediators of redox signaling in glomerular and tubulointerstitial cells exposed to the diabetic milieu. Here, we present an overview of the current knowledge related to the understanding of the role of Nox enzymes in the processes that control mesangial cell, podocyte and tubulointerstitial cell injury induced by hyperglycemia and other predominant factors enhanced in the diabetic milieu, including the renin-angiotensin system and transforming growth factor-β. The nature of the upstream modulators of Nox enzymes as well as the downstream targets of the Nox NADPH oxidases implicated in the propagation of the redox processes that alter renal biology in diabetes will be highlighted.
Stereo-isomer specific induction of renal cell apoptosis by synthetic muramyl dipeptide (N-acetylmuramyl-L-alanyl-D-isoglutamine)

The cytotoxicity of bacterial cell wall components, muramyl dipeptide (synthetic N-acetylmuramyl-L-alanyl-D-isoglutamine; L,D-MDP) and lipopolysaccharide (LPS), was investigated in several kidney cell lines. MDP and LPS were toxic to rabbit and monkey kidney cells, MDP was toxic to canine kidney cells, but not to human or porcine kidney cells. Notably, L,D-MDP was >100-fold more cytotoxic/μg than the D,D-MDP and L,L-MDP, as well as LPS. L,D-MDP and analogs containing L,D-MDP were the most widely cytotoxic of the MDP tested. The MDP-induced cytotoxicity was characterized as apoptosis by DAPI staining and DNA laddering. The acute rabbit kidney (RK13) cell apoptosis (cell death in 2 year-old) rabbits that apparently failed to quickly clear and excrete a uveitogenic dose of MDP within 24 h died in 1 week. The results indicate that minute amounts (5 ng/ml) of MDP containing L-alanyl-D-isoglutamine can induce renal cell apoptosis in vitro and support MDP-induced kidney cytotoxicity in rabbits. Also, the results indicate that MDP in sera can be detected utilizing the RK13 cell bioassay and that failure to rapidly clear and excrete L,D-MDP is associated with uveitis and death in aged rabbits.
Preconditioning with INC280 and LDK378 drugs sensitizes MGMT-unmethylated glioblastoma to temozolomide: Pre-clinical assessment

Temozolomide (TMZ) therapy is the standard of care for patients with glioblastoma (GBM). Clinical studies have shown that elevated levels of DNA repair protein O (6)-methylguanine-DNA methyltransferase (MGMT) or deficiency/defect of DNA mismatch repair (MMR) genes is associated with TMZ resistance in some, but not all, GBM tumors. Another reason for GBM treatment failure is signal redundancy due to coactivation of several functionally linked receptor tyrosine kinases (RTKs), including anaplastic lymphoma kinase (ALK) and c-Met (hepatocyte growth factor receptor). As such, these tyrosine kinases serve as potential targets for GBM therapy. Thus, we tested two novel drugs: INC280 (Capmatinib: a highly selective c-Met receptor tyrosine kinase-RTK inhibitor) and LDK378 (Ceritinib: a highly selective anaplastic lymphoma kinase-ALK inhibitor), aiming to overcome TMZ resistance in MGMT-unmethylated GBM cells in in vitro cell culture models. Treatments were examined using MTT (3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide) assay, caspase-3 assay and western blot analysis. Results obtained from our experiments demonstrated that preconditioning with INC280 and LDK378 drugs exhibit increased MMR protein expression, specifically MMR protein MLH1 (MutL Homolog 1) and MSH6 (MutS Homolog 6) and sensitized TMZ in MGMT-unmethylated GBM cells via suppression of ALK and c-Met expression. INC280 and LDK378 plus TMZ also induced apoptosis by modulating downstream signaling of PI3K/AKT/STAT3. Taken together, this data indicates that co-inhibition of ALK and c-MET can enhance growth inhibitory effects in MGMT-unmethylated cells and enhance TMZ sensitivity in-vitro, suggesting c-Met inhibitors combined with ALK-targeting provide a therapeutic benefit in MGMT-unmethylated GBM patients.
Long-term evolution of composition and structure after repeated group selection over eight decades

In northeastern North America, group selection is frequently used in northern hardwood forests to maintain uneven-aged stand structure and promote regeneration of tree species spanning a range of s...
A Self-Consistent Scheme for Understanding Particle Impact and Adhesion in the Aerosol Deposition Process

Aerosol deposition (AD) is a thick-film deposition process that can produce films tens to hundreds of micrometers thick with densities greater than 95% of the bulk at room temperature. However, the precise mechanisms of bonding and densification are still under debate. To better understand and predict deposition, a self-consistent approach is employed that combines computational fluid dynamics (CFD), finite element (FE) modeling, and experimental observation of particle impact to improve the understanding of particle flight, impact, and adhesion in the AD process. First, deposition is performed with a trial material to form a film. The process parameters are fed into a CFD model that refines the particle flow and impact velocity for a range of sizes. These values are in turn used to inform the FE parameters to model the fracture and adhesion of the particle on the substrate. The results of FE modeling are compared to SEM images of fractured particles to complete a self-consistent numerical and experimental understanding of the AD process. Additional FE and CFD simulations are used to study how process parameters, materials, and particle parameters affect the deposition process and how the developed tools can be used to optimize deposition efficiency.
Irritable bowel syndrome is strongly associated with the primary and idiopathic mast cell disorders

Background Mounting evidence supports a mechanistic association between irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) symptoms and mast cell hyperactivity. Yet, association between IBS and mast cell disorders (MCDs) has not been studied. We examined this association using two large databases and verified with manual chart review. Methods The IBM Watson Health Explorys database (Somers, NY), an aggregate of electronic health record (EHR) data from over two dozen US healthcare systems, and Epic's SlicerDicer tool, a self-service tool containing de-identified data from the Epic EHR, were used to identify patients with IBS and MCDs. Patients with organic gastrointestinal disease or diseases associated with secondary mast cell hyperproliferation were excluded. Results were verified with manual chart review from two academic centers. Key results Up to 4% of IBS patients had a comorbid MCD. IBS was strongly associated with all MCDs. The strongest association was between IBS and mast cell activation syndrome (OR 16.3; 95% CI 13.1-20.3). Odds ratios for IBS+urticaria, IBS+idiopathic urticaria, IBS+non-malignant mastocytosis, and IBS+mast cell malignancy ranged from 4.5 to 9.9. Patients from each of these overlap cohorts were predominantly female, and the overlap occurred with all IBS subtypes. Thorough endoscopic evaluation and comorbid mood disorders and migraines are more common in the overlap cohorts than in IBS alone. Conclusions/inferences In a large US database encompassing >53 million patients over >20 years, patients with IBS are at least 4 times more likely to have a MCD than the general population. Further study of mast cell involvement in the pathogenesis of IBS is warranted.
Real-time VLSI architecture for video compression

Video compression is becoming increasingly important in several applications. Vector quantization (VQ) is a powerful technique for very low bit rate image/video compression and is an attractive technique for mobile multimedia applications. Adaptive VQ techniques provide an excellent coding performance at the expense of significant increases in computational complexity making real-time implementation difficult. We propose a VLSI chip-set design to implement a high performance cache based (adaptive) VQ (CVQ) technique using VHDL for real-time video compression.
Highly reconfigurable Aluminum Nitride MEMS resonator using 12 monolithically integrated phase change material switches

This paper presents the first demonstration of a frequency reconfigurable and programmable Aluminum Nitride (AlN) piezoelectric MEMS resonator using phase change material (PCM) based switchable electrodes. For the first time, 12 miniaturized (2 µm×2 µm) PCM switches are monolithically integrated with an AlN MEMS resonator and used to reconfigure the terminal connections of the individual metal fingers composing the device interdigital transducer (IDT). This innovative design solution provides high ON/OFF ratio switching of the acoustic resonance (∼28X impedance variation at resonance), and reconfiguration of the device electromechanical coupling (k t 2: 0–1.32%), capacitance (C: 125-1,134 fF), and operating frequency (f 1 ∼181.3 MHz, f 2 ∼385.4 MHz).
MICROSCOPIC IDENTIFICATION AND SOURCING OF ANCIENT EGYPTIAN PLANT FIBRES USING LONGITUDINAL THIN SECTIONING

Plant fibres and the artefacts constructed from them often remain overlooked in the archaeological record because of their poor survival and the problems related to the precise identification of the species to which the fibres belong. The goal of this study was to design a simple and accurate method of identifying archaeological plant fibre sources. Twenty-two fibre samples from two sets of ancient Egyptian botanical artefacts were examined under both a stereomicroscope and a compound microscope, and compared to a large reference collection and to previously published research. By examining longitudinal thin sections of the ancient plant specimens, we identified plant fibres from the following species: Hyphaene thebeica, Cyperus papyrus, Desmostachya bipinnata, Imperata cylindrica, Phragmites australis and Linum usitatissimum. Our identification of these plant fibres reveals essential information about the materials used for producing ropes, baskets, sandals, mats and fabric. The results of this study demonstrate the value of longitudinal thin sectioning and light microscopy as a major means of identifying the source material of botanical artefacts, and advance our knowledge of ancient Egyptian plant exploitation as well as the associated technologies involved in constructing these types of artefacts.
Four-layer resist process for asymmetric gate recess

In this paper, we present an optimized four-layer resist (PMMA and its copolymers) process for the fabrication of T-shaped gates used in compound semiconductor field effect transistors (FETs). The process is capable of producing a profile which acts as both the etch mask for the wide, asymmetric recess trench as well as the liftoff mask for a T-shaped gate metal. The resist profile is achieved in a single step using electron beam lithography, eliminating the need for two separate lithography steps and the crucial alignment between them. Gate lengths of 100 nm are achieved using this process. Recess widths on the drain side of the gate range from 50 to 300 nm, and recess widths on the source side of the gate are 50 nm.
Sub-Arcsecond Imaging of W3(OH) at 87.7 GHz

We report continuum observations of the W3(OH) region with the Berkeley-Illinois-Maryland array at an effective frequency of 87.7 GHz with sub-arcsecond resolution (07 × 05). The bright ultracompact H II region shows a shell-like morphology, consistent with an extrapolation from lower frequencies of optically thin free-free emission with no significant contribution from dust. A weak unresolved continuum source is detected 6'' to the east of the ultracompact H II region, coincident with the elongated centimeter-wave synchrotron source associated with the Turner-Welch (TW) object. The source brightness temperature is approximately 20 K, and the spectral index between 87.7 GHz and 111 GHz is characteristic of optically thin thermal dust emission. Assuming standard dust properties, we estimate that the underlying source luminosity is 103-104 L☉, and we derive a mass of 10-20 M☉ for the emission region. We speculate that this represents circumstellar material about to be incorporated into a newly forming star, making the TW object the high-mass equivalent of a "class 0" low-mass protostar.
Internet Technology and the Future of Marketing Education

This article examines how increasing use of the Internet and its related technology will affect the role of marketing educators and the way they teach marketing. The authors also discuss how the Internet might be harnessed to meet current challenges facing business education.