cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Morphology and physiology of the polyaxonal amacrine cells in the rabbit retina.

We examined the morphology and physiological response properties of the axon-bearing, long-range amacrine cells in the rabbit retina. These so-called polyaxonal amacrine cells all displayed two distinct systems of processes: (1) a dendritic field composed of highly branched and relatively thick processes and (2) a more extended, often sparsely branched axonal arbor derived from multiple thin axons emitted from the soma or dendritic branches. However, we distinguished six morphological types of polyaxonal cells based on differences in the fine details of their soma/dendritic/axonal architecture, level of stratification within the inner plexiform layer (IPL), and tracer coupling patterns. These morphological types also showed clear differences in their light-evoked response activity. Three of the polyaxonal amacrine cell types showed on-off responses, whereas the remaining cells showed on-center responses; we did not encounter polyaxonal cells with off-center physiology. Polyaxonal cells respected the on/off sublamination scheme in that on-off cells maintained dendritic/axonal processes in both sublamina a and b of the IPL, whereas processes of on-center cells were restricted to sublamina b. All polyaxonal amacrine cell types displayed large somatic action potentials, but we found no evidence for low-amplitude dendritic spikes that have been reported for other classes of amacrine cell. The center-receptive fields of the polyaxonal cells were comparable to the diameter of their respective dendritic arbors and, thus, were significantly smaller than their extensive axonal fields. This correspondence between receptive and dendritic field size was seen even for cells showing extensive homotypic and/or heterotypic tracer coupling to neighboring neurons. These data suggest that all polyaxonal amacrine cells are polarized functionally into receptive dendritic and transmitting axonal zones.
Learning curve application to space shuttle processing simulations

Traditional learning curves were pioneered by T.P. Wright in 1936, with the idea that improvements in labor-hours to manufacture an airplane could be described in a mathematical pattern. This paper will show that this concept of learning curve improvements to production metrics can be applied based on cumulative time, rather than volume of production, for one-of-a-kind applications, such as space shuttle flights, where production quantities are very limited. Policy and process changes can also be observed in production data, and the learning curve is useful in the prediction of future trends. Past data from space shuttle processing is demonstrated to fit this new definition, and prediction of future process metrics is explored. Once the learning curve is time-based, simulation can be applied to model the system and enhance the prediction effort for future process metrics.
A cooperative approach to contingency constrained operations

The following problem is considered: given a power system, its current operating point, and a set of critical contingencies, find (a) corrective actions for each critical contingency, and (b) the change in the current operating point that would make the corrective actions as small as possible. The solution to this problem is a set of plans of action required for each of the critical contingencies. The authors decompose the contingency-constrained optimum power flow problem into a number of subproblems that can be solved in parallel. They propose a cooperative approach to solving these subproblems. The approach has been tested on a number of difficult optimization problems. Two of these are presented as illustrative examples. >
Focused mantle upwelling below mid‐ocean ridges due to feedback between viscosity and melting

We present the first internally consistent calculation which leads to a narrow ‘conduit’ of rapid vertical advection and melting of mantle under a spreading center. In this model, mantle flow is driven by plate separation and compositional buoyancy. Melt segregation is described as flow through a permeable media. The major new feature is that the viscosity of the mantle is considered to be a strong function of the amount of partial melt present. Experiments show that the bulk viscosity of a partially molten rock is sharply reduced when the melt fraction exceeds a critical value. In the model, the viscosity is reduced as the critical melt fraction is approached. Whether or not a critical melt fraction can be reached under a spreading center depends on the mantle permeability for melt flow. The width of the upwelling area is controlled by the magnitude of the melt related viscosity reduction. Crust should be formed above the focused upwelling. Seismic observations show that the region of crustal accretion is only a few kilometers wide at fast spreading centers. With a viscosity reduction of three orders of magnitude the model predicts a zone of crustal accretion of this width.
ISDD: A Computational Model of Particle Sedimentation, Diffusion and Target Cell Dosimetry for In Vitro Toxicity Studies

Background: The difficulty of directly measuring cellular dose is a significant obstacle to application of target tissue dosimetry for nanoparticle and microparticle toxicity assessment, particularly for in vitro systems. As a consequence, the target tissue paradigm for dosimetry and hazard assessment of nanoparticles has largely been ignored in favor of using metrics of exposure (e.g. μg particle/mL culture medium, particle surface area/mL, particle number/mL). We have developed a computational model of solution particokinetics (sedimentation, diffusion) and dosimetry for non-interacting spherical particles and their agglomerates in monolayer cell culture systems. Particle transport to cells is calculated by simultaneous solution of Stokes Law (sedimentation) and the Stokes-Einstein equation (diffusion). Results: The In vitro Sedimentation, Diffusion and Dosimetry model (ISDD) was tested against measured transport rates or cellular doses for multiple sizes of polystyrene spheres (20-1100 nm), 35 nm amorphous silica, and large agglomerates of 30 nm iron oxide particles. Overall, without adjusting any parameters, model predicted cellular doses were in close agreement with the experimental data, differing from as little as 5% to as much as three-fold, but in most cases approximately two-fold, within the limits of the accuracy of the measurement systems. Applying the model, we generalize the effects of particle size, particle density, agglomeration state and agglomerate characteristics on target cell dosimetry in vitro. Conclusions: Our results confirm our hypothesis that for liquid-based in vitro systems, the dose-rates and target cell doses for all particles are not equal; they can vary significantly, in direct contrast to the assumption of doseequivalency implicit in the use of mass-based media concentrations as metrics of exposure for dose-response assessment. The difference between equivalent nominal media concentration exposures on a μg/mL basis and target cell doses on a particle surface area or number basis can be as high as three to six orders of magnitude. As a consequence, in vitro hazard assessments utilizing mass-based exposure metrics have inherently high errors where particle number or surface areas target cells doses are believed to drive response. The gold standard for particle dosimetry for in vitro nanotoxicology studies should be direct experimental measurement of the cellular content of the studied particle. However, where such measurements are impractical, unfeasible, and before such measurements become common, particle dosimetry models such as ISDD provide a valuable, immediately useful alternative, and eventually, an adjunct to such measurements.
Further observations on the correlation between kappa and phage-like particles in paramecium

It has been possible to examine the correlation between the presence of phage-like particles and R bodies by using serial sections of kappas of stock 562. No exception has been found to the rule that 562 kappa particles with R bodies also have phage-like particles; however, 3 out of 78 kappa particles with phage-like particles lacked R bodies.
Immunoperoxidase evaluation of lichen planus biopsies for hepatitis C virus

AbstractBackgroundLichen planus is a papulosquamous dermatosis which has recently been linked to infection with hepatitis C virus. It is unclear whether or not viral antigens may be present in the cutaneous lesions of lichen planus.Materials and methodsTwenty-five paraffin-embedded samples of gl
Weblogging: Implementing Communities of Practice

This paper centers on the emergent phenomenon of weblogging. Even though the total number of weblogs is increasing at an exponential rate, little formal study has been done on this phenomenon. This paper provides two main contributions. First, it describes the phenomenon of weblogging and conceptualizes it, discussing significant attributes of weblogs that set it apart from traditional communication means. Second, it establishes a framework grounded in the theory of communities of practice that provides a lens to study the potential role of weblogging in organizational communication. The research approach is qualitative and analysis is done by interpreting the content of a weblog through a hermeneutic approach. Weblogging can be seen to foster social inclusion based on its characteristics and nature. Our study shows that by its features of interaction and informality, weblogging cultivates social inclusion, particularly that of employees working in a corporation. The paper concludes by reflecting on the potential of weblogging for enabling informal means of communication in organizations.
Sorensen Chevrolet File Reporting Form

This reporting form accompanies the Sorensen Chevrolet (Harvard Case No. 9-175-258) and captures the student's assessments of the outcomes of the court case and the settlement reached (if any).
Stability of the Cotton and Tobacco Industries Under Present and Alternative Programs

A MONG the farm policy changes made during 1965 were ones which altered the approaches to supply control for tobacco and cotton and changed the price-support scheme for cotton. The purpose of this paper is to examine the current programs for cotton and tobacco with respect to their impacts on prices and supplies. Therefore, its scope is more limited than that implied by the title. For this appraisal, stability is viewed as a matter of adjusting production, disappearance, and/or prices of cotton and tobacco to achieve more consistent internal relationships among these factors in each industry. Prior programs and the resulting situations for the two commodities are largely the bases for comparison This approach assumes (1) that prices and production of tobacco and cotton achieved under prior programs resulted in "excess" supplies, and (2) that for stability purposes, downward adjustments in prices and/or current production and increases in disappearance are desirable. The evaluative criteria for present programs then become their potential effects on (1) annual production, (2) annual disappearance, (3) market price levels, or (4) combinations of 1, 2, and 3. The policy background and current problems of both industries bear many similarities, but their differences make separate examinations of cotton and tobacco convenient.
Engineering thermal transport in SiGe-based nanostructures for thermoelectric applications

Thermoelectric converters based on silicon nanostructures offer exciting opportunities for higher efficiency, lower cost, ease of manufacturing, and integration into circuits. This paper considers phonon transport in a broad range of nanostructured materials made from Si, Ge, and their alloys. Our model based on the phonon Boltzmann transport equation captures the lattice thermal transport in silicon–germanium (SiGe) nanostructures, including thin films, superlattices (SLs), and nanocomposites. In nanocomposites, the model captures the grain structure using a Voronoi tessellation to mimic the grains and their size distribution. Our results show thermal conductivity in SiGe nanostructures below their bulk counterparts and reaching almost to the amorphous limit of thermal conductivity. We also demonstrate that thermal transport in SiGe nanostructures is tuneable by sample size (thin films), period thickness (SLs), and grain size (nanocomposites) through boundary scattering. Our results are relevant to the design of nanostructured SiGe alloys for thermoelectric applications.
Intellectual preparedness: Dr. Hu Shih, Lake Forest College, and Chinese diplomacy during World War II

The summer of 1941 was a critical juncture in WWII history. As the war intensified and threatened the security of the United States, the American people were sharply divided into two opposing political camps, one sympathetic to interventionism and the other in favor of isolationism. Frightened by the recent memory of WWI and the reality of a worldwide economic depression, many Americans believed that their country should separate itself from troubling events in the world, thereby refuting President Roosevelt’s call for America to intervene against Hitler’s aggression in Europe and Japan’s atrocities in Asia. Against this historical background, Dr. Hu Shih, Chinese ambassador to the United States, came to Lake Forest in Illinois, the center of the isolationist movement, in the summer of 1941 to deliver a speech at Lake Forest College’s Sixty-Third Annual Commencement. This article uses various archives to reveal an untold story about Dr. Hu’s speech-diplomacy during his ambassadorial career. Tied to this e...
Metallurgical Reactions in Au/(In–Ge) Ohmic Contacts to GaAs

The Au/(In–Ge) contact to GaAs was investigated to discover the metallurgical structure of the contact–GaAs interface. A variety of intermetallic phases in the form of precipitate particles or thin films were identified, and their presence was correlated with the temperature at which the contacts were fired. The possibility of predicting the structures of the fired contacts from simple metallurgical phase diagrams is discussed, and some evidence on the influence of the precipitating phases on the electrical character of the contacts is reviewed.
Demonstrating Biogenic Amine-Containing Cells in the Avian Lung by the Paraformaldehyde Perfusion Technique

Abstract A paraformaldehyde perfusion technique is useful in studying biogenic amine-containing cells in the avian lung. In comparison to the frequently used lyophilization technique, the time required to prepare the tissue is greatly reduced.
A Prospective Comparison of Treatments for Symptomatic Hot Flushes Following Endocrine Therapy for Carcinoma of the Prostate

In a prospective, comparative study 68 men were treated for hot flushes after androgen deprivation therapy for prostate cancer. Complete responses (elimination of hot flushes) were rare in patients receiving either combined phenobarbital plus ergotamine or clonidine. Of the men receiving either diethylstilbestrol or megestrol acetate 70% had a complete response, while another 20% had a greater than 50% decrease in the severity of hot flushes. Based upon a lower incidence of side effects, oral megestrol acetate was the preferred treatment for hot flushes in this study.
Early complications of acromioclavicular joint reconstruction requiring reoperation

Prior studies have reported high complication rates with acromioclavicular joint reconstruction (ACJR). However, many of these reports have suffered from small sample sizes and inclusion of older surgical techniques. The purpose of this study was to determine the rates of early complications requiring reoperation in patients treated with ACJR. From 2007 to 2011, patients who were treated with ACJR were identified using the PearlDiver database, a large insurance database in the USA. The following reoperations were then queried from this patient cohort: irrigation and debridement within 30 days of index surgery, manipulation under anaesthesia (MUA) of the shoulder joint within 3 months of index surgery, and revision ACJR, distal clavicle excision, and removal of hardware within 6 months of index surgery. In total, 2106 patients treated with ACJR were identified. The reoperation rates for irrigation and debridement, MUA, revision ACJR, distal clavicle excision, and removal of hardware were 2.6, 1.3, 4.2, 2.8, and 6.2 %, respectively. Patients ≥35 years of age and females more likely to undergo a reoperation after ACJR. Specifically, patients ≥35 years of age were more likely to undergo MUA and revision ACJR, while patients ≥50 years of age were more likely to undergo an irrigation and debridement. Females were more likely than males to undergo revision ACJR and distal clavicle excision. Older patients and females were more likely to experience postoperative complications requiring reoperations, including revision ACJR, distal clavicle excision, and irrigation and debridement. By analysing a large cohort of patients across multiple centres and providers, this study provides valuable insight into the recent complication profiles of ACJR, allowing surgeons to appropriately counsel patients on the risks of these procedures. IV.
40. Transgene Product-Specific Treg Are Initially Induced in the Celiac Lymph Node During Tolerance Induction By Hepatic AAV Gene Transfer

Previous work by us and several other laboratories has shown that liver-directed gene transfer can induce transgene product-specific immune tolerance. Induction of CD4+CD25+FoxP3+ regulatory T cells (Treg) is a critical component of the tolerance mechanism. Gaps in knowledge exist about the identity of the antigen-presenting cells (APCs) and the origin of peripherally induced Treg. To characterize the interaction of adeno-associated virus (AAV) antigen expression in the liver with immune cells, we used AAV8-EF1a vectors, which have a high tropism for murine liver, expressing either a secreted ovalbumin (AAV8-ova) or cytoplasmic ovalbumin (AAV8-Cytoova). In Treg-deficient mice transgenic for an ova-specific CD4+ T cell receptor (DO11.10-tg Rag-2-/- BALB/c), Treg were induced with either vector. For secreted ova, multiple organs (liver, spleen, lymph nodes [LN]) showed a similar level and time course of Treg induction, with greater than 1% of the CD4+ T cells being Treg starting at 4 weeks. Substantial T cell activation using the very early activation marker CD69 was also observed in these tissues starting at 3 weeks after AAV8-ova. However, Treg induction was observed in the celiac LN (one of the liver-draining LN) as early as 3 weeks after AAV8-Cyto-ova gene transfer, followed by induction of Treg in other tissues by 4 weeks. Interestingly, T cell activation was notably higher in liver and celiac LN after AAV8-Cyto-ova with over 70% activated CD4+ T cells after 4 weeks. In addition, T cell activation was observed earlier in all tissues after AAV8-Cyto-ova when compared to AAV8-ova. Literature data document a role for tolerogenic antigen presentation in the liver itself via sinusoidal endothelial cells and possibly hepatocytes. Our data suggest an important role of conventional mechanisms of adaptive immunity involving draining LNs that survey tissue antigens leading to early T cell activation and Treg induction of hepatic expressed non-systemic antigens. To start defining the critical APCs, BALBc mice were given AAV8-ova vector two weeks prior to adoptive transfer of CellTrace Violet-labeled CD4+ T cells from DO11.10 donor mice and their proliferation was measured using flow cytometry after 5 days. Half of these mice had their Kupffer cells and M1 macrophages inactivated with Gadolinium chloride for two days prior to DO11.10 adoptive transfer. DO11.10 cells proliferated in an antigen-specific manner, and proliferation was blocked by Gadolinium chloride, supporting a role for professional APCs in presentation of hepatic transgene product. Our data suggest and reinforce the importance of Kupffer cells as key APCs for hepatic antigens and further characterize the impact of the route of antigen expression on T cell activation and Treg induction.
Predictors of Family Support and Well-Being Among Black and Latina/o Sexual Minorities

Sexual minorities are receiving an increasing amount of attention within sociological research on families. However, much of the existing work on these families has been limited to largely White, m...
A micro lung chip to assess air pollutant effects

This paper reports the fabrication and initial testing results of a dynamic micro lung chip to first time monitor the air pollutant effects on the lung epithelial cells. On the micro lung chip, it was demonstrated to culture lung epithelial cells (A549) on an inserted porous membrane; to real-time monitor the cell growth over time by measuring Trans-Endothelial-Electrical-Resistance (TEER) values with integrated micro electrodes; and to allow preliminary evaluation of cell responses and tracer permeation to the exposure to an air pollutant. After 24-hour exposure of the lung cells to an air pollutant (Na 2 SO 3 ), the fabricated chip produced higher permeability by +908%. It also showed a lower TEER by 27% under the exposure to a simulant of 100 μΜ FITC-4k dextrans.
Social Class and Resistance

In this chapter, we describe how low-income students and their advocates have worked to create equitable conditions. We discuss several state-sponsored programs aimed at low-income students. That discussion includes an acknowledgment of the ways in which those programs can be helpful, as well as a critique of their emphases and practices. We also discuss private programs aimed at low-income students and increasing their access to college. We give careful attention to the intersection of race and income, including that, especially in Mississippi, race and income are often linked. We discuss the ways in which Mississippi’s efforts at oppressing people of color often fall along income, and that messages about poverty are often delivered in racialized language. Finally, we give attention to the resistance work of community organizations and informal learning spaces, especially around issues such as voting rights.
Engineering reduced graphene oxides with enhanced electrochemical properties through multiple-step reductions

Abstract Currently, the most prevalent approach to preparing graphene is the oxidation of graphite to graphene oxide (GO) and the subsequent reduction of GO to reduced graphene oxide (rGO). Most reduction methods only focus on one-step reduction by either thermal annealing or chemical reduction. There is no conclusive understanding of which reduction method has advantages over the others. Here, using the same GO precursors, we systematically studied various reduction methods to achieve optimized electrochemical properties. We found that, to improve electrochemical properties of rGO, multiple-step reduction of GO was more effective compared to single-step methods including thermal annealing, microwave treatment, hydrazine reduction, and borohydride reduction. To evaluate the electrochemical performance, rGOs were studied using cyclic voltammetry to evaluate their electrochemically accessible surface area and double layer capacitance. Their steady-state oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) activities were compared in both acidic and alkaline electrolytes to study their potential as the components of ORR electrodes. Among these combinations, two-step borohydride and hydrazine reduction (rGO-NaBH 4 -N 2 H 4 ) with optimal sequence and conditions is able to completely recover the conjugated carbon structure with minimum defects, thus showing the best electrochemical properties. Importantly, extensive physical characterizations including XRD, Raman Spectroscopy, SEM, TEM, BET, and XPS are employed to compare the resulting rGOs in terms of their carbon structures, porosity, surface areas, defect content, and morphologies. These key structural and electrochemical properties of rGOs were found to be largely dependent on the permutation of reduction methods, in turn, affecting electrochemical properties. A correlation of reduction methods, structures, and properties is established to provide knowledge required for engineering rGO through tuning reduction conditions for optimal electrochemical properties for applications.
Using Structural Analysis to Inform Peer Support Arrangements for High School Students With Severe Disabilities.

Abstract We examined the effects of peer support arrangements as an alternative to exclusive direct support from paraprofessionals for three high school students with severe disabilities in general education classrooms. We also explored the use of structural analysis as a data-based approach for further refining the interventions to enhance their impact in particular classrooms. Peer support arrangements were associated with substantial increases in social outcomes; academic engagement maintained or improved modestly for all participants. Moreover, structural analyses yielded findings used to adapt peer support arrangements to address students' individual needs. Although the effects of structural analysis-based adaptations resulted in increases in social responses for only one participant, levels of social interactions maintained, and improvements in academic engagement occurred for two participants.
Inattention-Hyperactivity and Reading Achievement in Children from Low-Income Families: A Longitudinal Model

This study examined how preschool inattention-hyperactivity is related to elementary school reading achievement. Prereading skills were hypothesized to be a link between them. This link was explored using longitudinal data on 105 low-socioeconomic-status (SES) children's inattentive-hyperactive behavior and prereading skills in Head Start and in kindergarten and their inattentive-hyperactive behavior and reading skills in first grade. A model of this relationship was tested using structural equation modeling. The results failed to show a significant path between inattention-hyperactivity and prereading skills at both the Head Star and kindergarten levels. A significant path was found between first grade inattention-hyperactivity and reading skills, confirming that the strong relationship between inattention-hyperactivity and poor reading achievement commonly found in children from other SES levels was also significant in this low-SES sample. Strong relationships were found between prereading skills and reading skills, as well as among hyperactivity levels at the three grades. The issue of the direction of the path of influence between attention-behavior and reading achievement is addressed briefly; however, the results indicate that further longitudinal work is necessary to resolve this issue.
Abstract 41: Cardiomyocyte-specific Conditional Deletion of GSK-3β Leads to Cardiac Dysfunction in a High Fat Diet Induced Obesity Model

Introduction: Previous studies from our group have demonstrated that cardiac myocyte glycogen synthase kinase-3’s (GSK-3) are required to maintain normal cardiac physiology. Adult mice lacking both isoforms of GSK-3 (α and β) in cardiac myocytes exhibit excessive dilatative remodeling and ventricular dysfunction ultimately leading to death. While high fat diet (HFD) induced obesity is associated with increased risk of cardiovascular disease, the specific role of cardiac GSK-3α or GSK-3β in obesity-associated cardiac dysfunction is unknown. Objective: The primary goal of the present study was to investigate the role of cardiomyocyte GSK-3β in cardiac homeostasis in HFD-induced chronic obesity model. Method: Cardiomyocyte specific-GSK-3β knock out (CM-GSK-3βKO) and wild type (WT) mice were fed either a chow (11.5% calories from fat) or high-fat (60% calories from fat) for 24 weeks. Cardiac function was accessed by non-invasive transthoracic echocardiography. Results: HFD significantly increased body weight, lean and fat mass in the WT and CM-GSK-3βKO compared to chow. However, there was no difference in body weights, lean and fat mass between the two genotypes fed either a chow or HFD. Furthermore, ventricular chamber dimensions and cardiac function were comparable between the WT and CM-GSK-3βKO mice fed a chow diet. In contrast, high fat fed CM-GSK-3βKO hearts exhibit significant cardiac hypertrophy (heart weight/tibia length ratio) and ventricular dysfunction (reduced ejection fraction (EF) and fractional shortening (FS)) compared to the WT. Interestingly cardiomyocytes from HF fed CM-GSK-3βKO exhibit structural abnormalities and increased expression of pro-apoptotic protein Bax and reduced expression of Bcl-2, an anti-apoptotic protein. Conclusion: In summary, these data suggests that cardiac GSK-3β is important in the setting of HFD-induced chronic obesity to maintain cardiac function. In the absence of GSK-3β, cardiomyocytes undergo morphometric abnormalities, excessive fat infiltration and apoptosis leading to cardiac dysfunction.
Microwave sintering of complex shapes: From multiphysics simulation to improvements of process scalability

The microwave sintering homogeneity of large and complex shape specimens is analyzed. A new approach enabling the fabrication of complex shapes ceramics via 3D printing and microwave sintering is presented. The use of a dental microwave cavity is shown to enable a substantial level of densification of complex shape components while restricting the grain growth. The homogeneity of the processed samples during microwave sintering is studied by an electromagnetic-thermal-mechanical simulation. The realistic densification behavior, that phenomenologically takes into account the microwave effect, is included in the modeling framework. The simulation indicates the sharp correlation between the microwave field distribution in the cavity, the temperature profile, and the specimen's shape distortion.
Quantizing Dilatonic Black Holes

Motivated by the search for a nonperturbative quantization, we cast the Callan-Giddings-Harvey-Strominger (CGHS) model of dilatonic black holes into a Hamiltonian framework. By making transformations to new ‘embedding’ variables, we map the model into that of a parametrized scalar field propagating on a fixed flat 1+1 background spacetime. The description in terms of the new variables is thus more amenable to quantization. Issues of asymptotics and boundary terms are dealt with systematically. This work has been done in collaboration with K. Kuchař (Univ of Utah) and J. Romano (Univ of Wisconsin-Milwaukee).
SALSA Lite: A Hash-Based Actor Runtime for Efficient Local Concurrency

As modern computer processors continue becoming more parallel, the actor model plays an increasingly important role in helping develop correct concurrent systems. In this paper, we consider efficient runtime strategies for non-distributed actor programming languages. While the focus is on a non-distributed implementation, it serves as a platform for a future efficient distributed implementation. Actors extend the object model by combining state and behavior with a thread of control, which can significantly simplify concurrent programming. Further, with asynchronous communication, no shared memory, and the fact an actor only processes one message at a time, it is possible to easily implement transparent distributed message passing and actor mobility. This paper discusses SALSA Lite, a completely re-designed actor runtime system engineered to maximize performance. The new runtime consists of a highly optimized core for lightweight actor creation, message passing, and message processing, which is used to implement more advanced coordination constructs. This new runtime is novel in two ways. First, by default the runtime automatically maps the lightweight actors to threads, allowing the number of threads used by a program to be specified at runtime transparently, without any changes to the code. Further, language constructs allow programmers to have first class control over how actors are mapped to threads (creating new threads if needed). Second, the runtime directly maps actor garbage collection to object garbage collection, allowing non-distributed SALSA programs to use Java’s garbage collection “for free”. This runtime is shown to have comparable or better performance for basic actor constructs (message passing and actor creation) than other popular actor languages: Erlang, Scala, and Kilim.
Hydrodynamics of operator spreading and quasiparticle diffusion in interacting integrable systems

We address the hydrodynamics of operator spreading in interacting integrable lattice models. In these models, operators spread through the ballistic propagation of quasiparticles, with an operator front whose velocity is locally set by the fastest quasiparticle velocity. In interacting integrable systems, this velocity depends on the density of the other quasiparticles, so equilibrium density fluctuations cause the front to follow a biased random walk, and therefore to broaden diffusively. Ballistic front propagation and diffusive front broadening are also generically present in nonintegrable systems in one dimension; thus, although the mechanisms for operator spreading are distinct in the two cases, these coarse-grained measures of the operator front do not distinguish between the two cases. We present an expression for the front-broadening rate; we explicitly derive this for a particular integrable model (the ``Floquet-Fredrickson-Andersen'' model), and argue on kinetic grounds that it should apply generally. Our results elucidate the microscopic mechanism for diffusive corrections to ballistic transport in interacting integrable models.
Effectiveness of a Specialized Inpatient Treatment Program for Substance and Alcohol Abusing Pregnant Women

Effectiveness of a 90-day inpatient treatment program designed for substance/alcohol abusing (SAA) pregnant women was evaluated. Participants were 100 SAA pregnant women who also had additional chi...
Practical Android test recording with espresso test recorder

Tests for mobile apps can be difficult to write, are often fragile, unreliable, and come with a significant maintenance burden. As a result, many developers write few or no tests and instead rely on expensive and error-prone manual testing. We present Espresso Test Recorder, a practical approach to test creation for Android. Espresso Test Recorder employs a novel technique based on the Java Debugger to reliably capture UI interactions and generate robust well-formed instrumentation tests, which can be used across a wide range of devices. In this paper, we report on how we designed, built, and productionized Espresso Test Recorder in Android Studio, where it has been employed by thousands of users throughout the world to record tests with minimal effort.
AUTHOR(IZ)ING DEATH: Medical Aid-in-Dying and the Morality of Suicide

In 2017, Oregon marked the twentieth anniversary of enacting the Death with Dignity Act, allowing terminally ill, mentally competent adult patients to end their life by ingesting a lethal medication prescribed by their physician. In U.S. public discourse, medical aid-in-dying is frequently equated with the terminology and morality of suicide, much to the frustration of those who use and administer the law. This article reflects on the stakes of maintaining a distinction between a medically assisted death and the most common cultural category for self-inflicted death—suicide. It uncovers the complicated dialectic between authorship and authorization that characterizes medical assistance in dying and attendant moralities of purposive death, speaking to broader disciplinary concerns in the cultural study of death and medicine. By stressing the primacy of debilitating, life-limiting illness in an aided death and by submitting such a death to the rationale and management of institutionalized medicine, advocates carve out a form of intentional death that occupies a category of its own. The diffusion of agency onto a patient’s fatal illness, medicine, and the state—both discursively and in practice—enhances the moral and social acceptability of an assisted death, which becomes an authorized form of dying that looks very different from the socially deviant act of suicide.
Methane dissociation on stepped Ni surfaces resolved by impact site, collision energy, vibrational state, and lattice distortion

We explore the dynamics and kinetics of methane dissociation on the steps of Ni(211) and the terraces of Ni(111), as models for step and terrace sites, respectively, on a real Ni catalyst. A quantum approach is used to compute state resolved sticking probabilities, S0, and the thermally averaged sticking is computed from both S0 and more standard transition state methods. While the barriers can be much lower on the step edges, the terrace atoms can make important contributions to the overall reactivity if the step density is not too high and/or at higher temperatures. At 500 K, we find that for reaction on the step edge, sticking is dominated by molecules with either one or two quanta of bending vibration excited, with translational energies of about 0.10-0.35 eV or 0-0.2 eV, respectively. These energies are well below the rigid lattice activation energies, and reaction requires both a significant conversion of vibrational energy into motion along the reaction path and puckering of the lattice atom over which the molecule dissociates. We show that the average amount of puckering, which lowers the barrier to reaction, is about 0.28 A at 500 K. Reactions are dominated by collisions at impact sites within a few tenths of an A of the minimum barrier pathway at the step edge. Our computed sticking probabilities for reaction on the step at 500 K are in good agreement with available experimental data.
Person-positivity bias, social category labels, and attitudes toward gays and lesbians:

This study assesses how social category labels influence public opinion toward gay and lesbian attitude objects. The results provide some support for the existence of person-positivity bias whereby...
A child with Crouzon's syndrome and ventricular septal defect posted for ventriculoperitoneal shunt surgery

Quite often in our anaesthesia practice, we encounter syndromic children presenting to us for surgery either for correction of the primary deformity or for a secondary problem. A child with a craniofacial syndrome presents with a number of issues for the anaesthetist, with difficult airway being one of the most important one. The challenge increases with increasing complexity of the surgery. When pre-anaesthetic evaluation of such a child is done, other congenital anomalies also might come into picture. These may include various types of congenital malformations or congenital heart diseases which may be diagnosed incidentally while evaluation. Anaesthetic management of such a child presenting for surgery includes a thorough pre-anaesthetic evaluation, formulating a plan for intraoperative anaesthetic management and proper postoperative care. This case report describes a child with Crouzon's syndrome posted for ventriculoperitoneal shunt surgery.
Considerations for target oxygen saturation in COVID-19 patients: are we under-shooting?

The current target oxygen saturation range for patients with COVID-19 recommended by the National Institutes of Health is 92–96%. This article critically examines the evidence guiding current target oxygen saturation recommendation for COVID-19 patients, and raises important concerns in the extrapolation of data from the two studies stated to be guiding the recommendation. Next, it examines the influence of hypoxia on upregulation of ACE2 (target receptor for SARS-CoV-2 entry) expression, with supporting transcriptomic analysis of a publicly available gene expression profile dataset of human renal proximal tubular epithelial cells cultured in normoxic or hypoxic conditions. Finally, it discusses potential implications of specific clinical observations and considerations in COVID-19 patients on target oxygen saturation, such as diffuse systemic endothelitis and microthrombi playing an important pathogenic role in the wide range of systemic manifestations, exacerbation of hypoxic pulmonary vasoconstriction in the setting of pulmonary vascular endothelitis/microthrombi, the phenomenon of “silent hypoxemia” with some patients presenting to the hospital with severe hypoxemia disproportional to symptoms, and overburdened health systems and public health resources in many parts of the world with adverse implications on outpatient monitoring and early institution of oxygen supplementation. The above factors and analyses, put together, call for an urgent exploration and re-evaluation of target oxygen saturation in COVID-19 patients, both in the inpatient and outpatient settings. Until data from such trials become available, where possible, it may be prudent to target an oxygen saturation at least at the upper end of the recommended 92–96% range in COVID-19 patients both in the inpatient and outpatient settings (in patients that are normoxemic at pre-COVID baseline). Home pulse oximetry, tele-monitoring, and earlier institution of oxygen supplementation for hypoxemic COVID-19 outpatients could be beneficial, where public health resources allow for their implementation.
On the Gradient Conjecture for Quadratic Polynomials

The gradient conjecture asserts that for homogeneous polynomials f and p the equality p(∇f) = 0 implies p(∇)f = 0. We verify this conjecture for quadratic polynomials and present a few applications to density problems and characterization of derivation operator.
Dial-a-Ride Problem With Meeting Point Feature Known-as Express-Pool

This study extends a dial-a-ride problem by considering (1) Express-Pool and (2) Friend-Only . Uber provides an advanced feature called Express-Pool where passengers are willing to walk a short distance to be picked up and be dropped off somewhere close to destination in exchange for a reduced fare. Tesla’s 2020 Robotaxi plan includes that vehicle owners will be able to determine if their vehicles can be shared with friends and co-workers only. For this evolving transportation problem, the contributions of this paper are threefold. First, we define DARP with Express-Pool and Friend-Only . Second, a novel constraint programming approach is proposed. Third, a two-phase approach based on warm-start method is devised to improve the performance of the base model.
Analysis of stable states in global savannas: is the CART pulling the horse?

Multiple stable states, bifurcations and thresholds are fashionable concepts in the ecological literature, a recognition that complex ecosystems may at times exhibit the interesting dynamic behaviours predicted by relatively simple biomathematical models. Recently, several papers in Global Ecology and Biogeography, Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences USA, Science and elsewhere have attempted to quantify the prevalence of alternate stable states in the savannas of Africa, Australia and South America, and the tundra–taiga–grassland transitions of the circum-boreal region using satellite-derived woody canopy cover. While we agree with the logic that basins of attraction can be inferred from the relative frequencies of ecosystem states observed in space and time, we caution that the statistical methodologies underlying the satellite product used in these studies may confound our ability to infer the presence of multiple stable states. We demonstrate this point using a uniformly distributed ‘pseudo-tree cover’ database for Africa that we use to retrace the steps involved in creation of the satellite tree-cover product and subsequent analysis. We show how classification and regression tree (CART)-based products may impose discontinuities in satellite tree-cover estimates even when such discontinuities are not present in reality. As regional and global remote sensing and geospatial data become more easily accessible for ecological studies, we recommend careful consideration of how error distributions in remote sensing products may interact with the data needs and theoretical expectations of the ecological process under study.
Software Specification Languages Based on Regular Expressions

The behavior of a software system can be modelled in terms of sequences of events, flows, or operations that may occur during execution. To support this approach, a number of non-procedural description languages based on regular expressions have been proposed. These include event expressions, flow expressions, and the many variations of path expressions. The purpose of this paper is to survey and assess these notations, and to suggest some directions for future research.
Electronic spectroscopy of diatomic molecules

This article provides an overview of the principal computational approaches and their accuracy for the study of electronic spectroscopy of diatomic molecules. This is a computationally demanding task, as it requires that the manifold of electronic states be determined at least in the Franck-Condon region for the bands of interest. We include examples from our work that illustrate the obtainable accuracy for a series of applications. First we consider the determination of the vibrational frequencies and transition intensities of the high vibrational levels of the ground states of SiO and NO where a globally accurate dipole moment function is required. We then consider the quintet states of CO and demonstrate that recently observed emission bands in an argon matrix can be explained as intercombination bands involving the a″5II state. We show the utility of theory in assigning photoelectron detachment spectra by considering NO and the alkali oxide negative ions. We then present several examples illustrating the state-of-the-art in determining radiative lifetimes by considering both valence-valence and valence-Rydberg transitions. For systems involving first- and second-row atoms, theory is capable of yielding radiative lifetimes accurate to within 10%. The next examples illustrate the determination of the potential energy curves and transition moments for a full manifold of states. The last examples involve systems containing transition metal atoms and illustrate the difficulty in describing states with different numbers of d electrons.
Low-Income and Welfare Client Priorities: Patterns of Earnings and Welfare Receipt for Workforce Investment Act Participants

This paper examines labor market and welfare experiences of participants in Workforce Investment Act (WIA) programs who exited in July 2000-June 2001. Administrative data from six states on earnings and welfare receipt are used to trace the experiences of participants in the two years prior to and in the year following exit from WIA. Individuals are classified as Adults or Dislocated Workers and by whether they received Training or less intensive services under WIA. We find that Adults have large employment gains associated with participation in WIA, and Adults in Training have particularly large earnings gains. Following losses, employment and earnings of Dislocated Workers largely recover following WIA participation. Welfare receipt declines, especially for those in Training activities. Despite some differences, similarities between states in basic patterns are striking.
SOME RECENT ADVANCES IN THE SIMULATION OF DIFFUSION LIMITED AGGREGATION AND RELATED PROCESSES

Large numbers (hundreds)of large (∼105 sites or particles) two dimensional DLA clusters have been generated on a variety of lattices using improved algorithms. For the case of the square lattice our results are consistent with the theoretical results of Turkevich and Sher (D=5/3). For the case of the hexagonal and triangular lattices the simulations do not agree with this theory but the discrepancy can be understood in terms of the concepts contained in this theory. Our results suggest that the fractal dimensionality of DLA models with high symmetry belongs to the same universality class as off-lattice DLA but that models of low symmetry are non-universal. The effects of sticking anisotropy and diffusional anisotropy as well as lattice anisotropy are explored.